Clements Family via National Parks Service(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) -- The National Park Service continues an extensive search for a woman who went missing after she was separated from her daughter while they were hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Mitzie Sue Susan Clements, 53, was last seen in the Clingmans Dome area of the park. Clements was hiking with her daughter before the two separated on Sept. 25, with a plan to meet back at the Clingmans Dome parking lot, according to the National Park Service. More than 100 trained searchers, sheriffs, local police, logistical support personnel from more than 40 state and local agencies have taken part in the search for Clements, according to Julena Campbell, a spokeswoman of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The area that we're concentrating on right now is about 10 square miles, Campbell told ABC News. So far over the last few days that we've been out hiking we've had our searchers hike over 500 miles of trails, and we're currently focusing on that smaller area that's about 10 square miles. The park officials have entered the sixth full day of searching as off Monday, with equipment that includes two helicopters, five drones, and K-9 units, according to Campbell. Clingmans Dome Road remains closed to accommodate the infrastructure needed to manage and expedite the search. Clements was last spotted Sept. 25 on the Forney Ridge Trail about 1/4 mile from Andrews Bald. She's described as a white female with light brown hair and blue eyes about 56 tall and 125 pounds. Clements was wearing a green zip-up sweater, black workout pants over black leggings, a clear rain poncho, and gray Nike running shoes with light green soles when she went missing. Searchers, canine teams, helicopters, and drones are continuing to work in steep, rugged terrain of the mountainous area that straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park said in a statement. Anyone who has information about Clements are advised to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch at the following: 1-888-653-0009, nps_isb@nps.gov, send a message on Facebook at InvestigativeServicesNPS, or on Twitter @SpecialAgentNPS. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. LONDON, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The GfK survey commissioned by Swiss International Air Lines on travel memories also shows that:A 64.5% of Brits primarily remember their travels through pictures 51.2% associate their most treasured travel memories with the landscapes and natural surroundings they saw 40.3% have been on a journey that has changed them 67.3% of Brits record their travel memories using their mobile phone or camera for fear of forgetting them 18.1% of British holidaymakers picked up a new hobby after travelling 14.8% of Brits started exercising after returning home from a trip With peak travel season over, all that's left of the summer holidays are our memories. The extent in which our travel experiences are embedded in our memories, how they differ from other memories and how they influence people were the subject of a GfK survey commissioned by Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), who also consulted the renowned neuropsychologist Professor Lutz JAncke from the University of Zurich's Department of Psychology.A A A A A (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/751524/Swiss_International_Airlines.jpg ) The new research reveals that travel memories are key when it comes to shaping our personality. More than 40% of Brits said that they have already been on a journey that has changed them, around 20% of British holidaymakers picked up a new hobby after travelling and nearly 15% started exercising after returning home. "Travel and our travel memories have the power to shape our personality," explains Professor JAncke. "We are what we remember, or, more precisely - we are what we remember about ourselves," the scientist says. "The information stored in our memory spans the whole range of our personal experiences. Holiday and travel memories take a prioritised position within this realm of experiences, which is why they are major pillars of our personality." In addition, more than 80% of British people wish they were able to relive a particularly happy travel experience and cherish their travel memories, with nearly 50% of those in the survey stating they would not delete their holiday photos for all the money in the world. However, it seems that 67.3% of Brits record their travel memories using their mobile phone or camera because they are worried that they might otherwise forget them - thus trusting their smartphone more than their own memories. "As a result of the intensive use of mobile phones, with constant access to the internet, it is becoming less and less necessary to retrieve information stored in our memories. This means that we start to lose trust in our own memory skills," explains Professor Lutz JAncke, who holds a chair in neuropsychology at the University of Zurich's Department of Psychology. He explained the science behind our travel memories for SWISS. Travel memories last all our livesA "This scepticism towards our own ability to remember is unjustified, however," says Professor JAncke. "Our travel memories occupy a very special place in our memory. We often retain them all our lives. The reason for this is that holiday experiences are frequently associated with very positive emotions and are particularly deeply embedded in our memory. Freed from the worries and stress of everyday life, we are also able to absorb lots of little details when we are travelling - and they are the building blocks of our memories." These detailed travel memories are stored as a kind of multisensory mosaic comprising various sensory impressions, with nearly 65% of Brits stating that it's the images of their travels that they remember the best. "Our sense of sight plays a key role because evolution has made us that way. Visual information is particularly important to humans and is prioritised in terms of processing," explains the neuropsychologist. However, UK holidaymakers also remember the food tasted while away (53.21%), as well as the people (47.7%) and the smells they encountered (22.8%). And while sightseeing is often a major motivation for travelling, it's not the tourist attractions that generate the most vivid travel memories (49.9%) but instead spending time with family and friends (55.9%). About the GfK surveyA In July 2018, GfK SE (association for consumer research) was commissioned by Swiss International Air Lines to conduct a survey on the subject of travel memories in the UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the US. 1,000 people aged between 18 and 55 took part per country. A About Professor Lutz JAnckeA Professor Lutz JAncke holds a chair in neuropsychology at the University of Zurich's Department of Psychology. He explains to SWISS the special characteristics of travel memories and why they are so important to us. About 'Moments that last'A As a major airline, SWISS transports its passengers all around the world - enabling them to enjoy very special travel experiences. With its 'Moments that last' campaign, SWISS wants to use a series of measures to inspire people to travel with their eyes wide open - and to create memories of extraordinary experiences that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. More information available at swiss.com/moments. About Swiss International Air LinesA Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland's national airline. It flies from London City, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh to over 100 destinations in 43 countries around the world via Zurich. With a fleet of 90 aircraft, SWISS transports around 17 million passengers to their destinations every year. SWISS is Switzerland's national airline and represents its traditional values with the highest quality products and services. As part of the Lufthansa Group and a member of the Star Alliance, SWISS offers its passengers a global network of connections and convenient and fast transfers at its hub in Zurich. 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. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Editorial Dump the fossil fools This week Energy Minister Angus Taylor bitterly denounced attempts to promote renewable energy generation in order to reduce carbon emissions. He unreservedly backs the fossil fuel industries, but he knows theyre about to be shouldered aside and trampled underfoot by renewable energy production. The Morrison governments new energy policy removes reference to carbon emissions, thereby denying the link between emissions and climate change. Climate change denial is now official federal policy. Taylor himself refers to our unambiguous focus on lower prices while keeping the lights on. He represents a rural electorate, but he ridicules attempts to reduce carbon emissions and steadfastly turns a blind eye to the blatant evidence of extremely dangerous climate change, including Australias prolonged droughts and year-round bushfires. The government maintains theres no need to subsidise renewable energy development because by 2030 Australia will have met its international non-biding target to reduce emissions to 26-28 percent below its 2005 levels. Yet our atmospheric pollution level climbed 1.3 percent in the year to March 2018, and the national Energy Security Board says without annual renewable energy targets the government will fail to reach our feeble international commitment. The government also ignores carbon emissions from transport and heavy industries. If those are factored in, theres no way Australia will meet its international emission reduction obligations by the 2030 target date. The government also perpetuates the myth that generating electricity from renewable energy sources drives up the price of energy and causes major power failures. It insists that power plants fired by coal or gas are the only means of ensuring that electrical energy is both affordable and reliable. Taylor said the intervention of emission reduction targets ... will drive up prices and drive down reliability by prematurely driving out coal and gas. Yet the only practical way to substantially reduce emissions is to increase the proportion of renewable energy production, and the only way to drive out coal and gas energy is by using a cheaper means of generating energy. Ipso facto, despite what the government maintains, Taylors statement in effect admits that generating electricity from renewable energy sources is cheaper than using coal or gas. This has been confirmed very recently by a slight reduction in nationwide electricity rates, as more renewable energy plants have opened up. And as PM Scott Morrison himself has admitted, electricity rates have in large part risen because private energy firms gold-plated electrical infrastructure, to take advantage of government agreements under which they can increase consumer rates in proportion to infrastructure expenditure. Taylors statement took an astonishing turn when he described cutting carbon emissions as corporate greed dressed up as saving the planet. He was referring to the corporate greed of companies involved in renewable energy generation, but he fastidiously avoided referring to the notorious greed of the fossil fuel industries. While the coal and gas corporations have traded blows with their renewable energy counterparts, the earths climate has grown more threatening and the government has taken virtually no action to deal with the problem. While fires, droughts and massive storms break out all over the world, and the Great Barrier Reef dies, the government ponders how it can preserve the energy status quo while appearing to be taking effective action on the environment. Its thinking of boosting the Abbott regimes ineffective carbon reduction scheme, under which the government pays companies to reduce their emissions, rather than forcing them to do so. Its also talking about having a Royal Commission into the price of energy. But its virtually ignoring climate change, which necessitates an immediate drastic reduction in carbon emissions and the phasing out of coal and gas production. Taylor was correct in pointing out that greed is the prime motivation of renewable energy corporations. But its the driving force of capital itself, and the dog-eat-dog nature of capitalisms modus operandi has been responsible for the appalling delay in taking action to mitigate climate change. And its useless telling energy companies or the banks, for that matter not to be greedy, because greed is what makes the system tick. Greed is the essence of capitalism, and capitalism has got us into the current climate change disaster. If we want a better deal for the planet were going to have to change the system, not just the current government. Criticising Israel does not equate to anti-Semitism Does the British Labour Party and its leader, Jeremy Corbyn, have an anti-Semitism problem, or has the partys left wing been targeted by the Israeli government for its support of the growing boycott and divestment movement that challenges Israels illegal occupation of Palestinian land? A group of Israeli lawyers and social activists would like to know the answer to that question and have filed a Freedom of Information action in an effort to find out. There are some in Labours camp who would rather lose an election than have Corbyn and the left wing of the party in office. Spearheaded by Israeli human rights activist Eitay Mack, the request targets Israels Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify that these play no part in the de-legitimisation waged in recent years on the UK Labour Party and Mr Corbyn. The Labour leader has been called an anti-Semite and a racist by one of the partys members of parliament, and in a recent tweet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Corbyn of honouring Palestinians who took part in the attack on Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Olympics. Fight against racism Corbyn has long been a leader in the fight against racism and played a key role in helping to bring down the apartheid regime in South Africa. He has also made it no secret that he makes common cause with the Palestinians and supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement aimed at forcing Israel to withdraw from the Occupied Territories. In 2014, the Labour Party went through a sea change politically, moving away from the centrist programs of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and embracing left social democratic positions that Labour had not advocated for more than two decades. Corbyn resisted the endless austerity and privatisation program of the Conservatives many of which Labour had gone along with and called for a robust program of re-nationalising transport and energy, pumping money into health and education, and raising taxes on the wealthy. The platform re-energised Labours grassroots, and hundreds of thousands of young people joined up. At 600,000 members, the UK Labour Party is now the largest party on the European continent. In the 2015 election, Labour picked up 33 seats in the parliament and turned the Tories into a minority government. Almost as soon as Corbyn took over the Party, the attacks that he was anti-Semitic or at least tolerated anti-Semitism started up. He was accused of comparing Israel to the Nazis. He was charged with honouring the Black September Palestinian group, whose 1972 attack in Munich resulted in the death of 11 Israeli athletes. He was denounced for backing a London street mural that had clear anti-Semitic images. Finally, the three leading Jewish newspapers in the UK jointly declared that there was a crisis of anti-Semitism in the British Labour Party and that Corbyn was an existential threat to Jewish life in the UK. But once one begins to unpick the charges, it is hard to find much evidence for a crisis. Polls show the Labour Party is considerably less anti-Semitic than the Conservative Party, and it appears that anti-Semitism has declined since Corbyn took over. A number of the things Corbyn is accused of have been either distorted or fabricated. Corbyn did not compare Israel to the Nazis. It was Holocaust survivor Hajo Meyer who did so in a 2010 panel discussion that the Labour Party leader took part in. Meyer was upset with the 2009 Israeli bombing of Gaza Operation Drop Lead that killed 1,391 Palestinians, the majority of them civilians. He was referring to the fact that Gazas residents could not leave the strip and compared it to Jews unable to flee the Warsaw Ghetto. Corbyn did not place a wreath to honour the Black September group. The event was to commemorate a 1985 attack on the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in Tunisia by Israeli warplanes that killed 47 people and wounded 65 more. The attack was officially condemned by the UN Security Council with the assent of the US. The Black September members killed in Munich are buried in Libya, not Tunisia, although one of the groups leaders, Salah Khalaf, is interned near where the memorial took place. On the basis of free speech, the Labour leader initially did defend a mural with anti-Semitic elements. But when he looked at the painting closely, he apologised and said that free speech should never be used to mask anti-Semitism. Curbing free speech Lastly, Corbyns wing of the Labour Party is accused of resisting adoption of an 11-point definition of anti-Semitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016. Corbyn did resist parts of the definition because many Labour activists fear that the list conflates criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. Even the architect of the document, Kenneth Stern, said it was meant to be a working definition, not a way to curb academic research and free speech. Yet that is how it has come to be used. There is evidence that the Netanyahu government is trying to do exactly that when it argues that by de-legitimising Israel, the growing boycott movement constitutes anti-Semitism, thus equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. A study by historian David Feldman, director of the Pears Institute for the Study of Anti-Semitism at Birkbeck College, found that the overwhelming majority of charges against Labour Party members concerned statements about Israel, not Jews. Stephen Oryszcuk, foreign affairs editor of the leading Jewish newspaper, Jewish News, said that criticising Israel was not anti-Semitism, and that the charges against Corbyn were repulsive, adding This is a dedicated anti-racist we are trashing. As the two-state solution disintegrates under the relentless expansion of Jewish settlements one recent plan calls for reaching a goal of one million settlers by the end of this year and the controversial move to favour Jewish Israelis over other citizens, Israel may indeed be more vulnerable to a boycott movement. It is hardly surprising then that the Netanyahu government would try to nip the BDS in the bud. Israeli lawyer Eitay Mack is looking for evidence that the campaign against Corbyn is encouraged and supported by the Foreign Affairs and Strategic ministries and is suspicious that a crisis exists in the Labour Party. Israel is strengthening its relationships in Eastern Europe, with countries like Hungary, Poland, Ukraine, where they have problems with anti-Semitism. On the other hand, you see the Israeli government making their political struggle with Jeremy Corbyn a main issue. That suspicion is supported by a 2017 sting operation by Al Jazeera that uncovered a direct liaison between diplomat Shai Masot of Londons Israeli embassy and organisations like Labour Friends of Israel that are leading critics of Corbyn. Masot works for the Ministry of Strategic Affairs. And more than encouragement was exchanged. According to Al Jazeera, up to $1.3 million was made available to fuel the campaign. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz published a cable from Israels London embassy complaining that Strategic Affairs was breaking British law by encouraging political activities by Jewish charity groups. Hue and cry In addition to the Jewish establishment newspapers, virtually every tabloid in the British Isles has joined the hue and cry. The publication ColdType counted more than 500 articles on the subject from July to August of this year. Nominally liberal publications like the UK Guardian have led the campaign. Most newspapers in the UK are more conservative than their continental or American counterparts, and, in the Guardians case, the publication is carrying water for the Labour Partys right wing. In short, Corbyn is up against a powerful alliance of the mainstream media, the Conservative Party, and Blairites in the Labour Party, with Israel in the wings. And Corbyns response to apologise what for is not exactly clear and to drum dissidents out of the party has not quelled the fires, but added fuel to them. Labour finally adopted the 11 definitions of anti-Semitism. What about the effect of all this is on the electorate? According to YouGov, many of the stories that obsess the Westminster media dont resonate much with the wider public. In spite of non-stop and widespread coverage, only 6 percent of the public say they are following it closely, 20 percent fairly closely, and 54 percent are either not following it or are unaware the story exists. The poll concludes that while the affair may entrench existing negative views of Corbyn among those who already held them, it seems unlikely to do much to reduce his support. Labour leads in the polls, but its margin is thin, drawing between 38 and 40 percent support to the Conservatives 37 to 38 percent. The Liberal Democrats are polling around 10 percent, and the racist United Kingdom Independence Party 5 percent. However, British polling has been notoriously wrong-headed in the past. Polls predicted Brexit would fail. It passed. The polls predicted the Conservatives would trounce Labour in the 2017 elections. The outcome was vice-versa. Labour did well in this years local council elections, although the media made it seem like a failure by puffing up the numbers the party was projected to win. Labour picked up 79 council, seats while the Conservatives lost 35. The Liberal Democrats secured 77 seats, but that was largely a rebound from the disastrous showing in 2014 local elections that saw the party lose 300 seats. According to a BBC analysis, if the local election results were replicated in a general election, Labour would be the majority party in the parliament with 283 seats to the Tories 280. While the Conservatives were down 3 percent of the vote over the 2017 local elections, Labour was up 8 percentage points. People thought the general election was a fluke, said John McDonnell, the Labour Partys Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Weve demonstrated it wasnt. Weve consolidated that, and weve moved it forward in terms of percentage share of the vote. Polls do show that anti-Semitic charges may have had an impact on the Jewish community, but those polls require perspective; the Jewish community in Britain tends to be conservative, and many were opposed to Labour in general. In 2017, some 63 percent of British Jews voted Conservative, while 26 percent voted Labour. Which doesnt mean the controversy may not have an effect, especially if right-wing Labour supporters bolt and create a new party. That would drain some of Labours support and divide the vote in the next general election. Such a split would probably keep the Tories in power. There are some in Labours camp who would rather lose an election than have Corbyn and the left wing of the party in office. Internal risk And there is a danger that worries Mack: Israel is claiming that Corbyn and the Labour Party are putting British Jews at risk. But the bottom line is that the Netanyahu government itself is actually enlarging the risk for the Jewish people around the world, because they are not dealing with real problems, just the artificial problems. They are not concerned with real anti-Semitism, they only want to fulfil their political agenda of taking the issue of the Palestinian people off the world stage. And there are growing numbers of real anti-Semites in Europe and the US who may not be a threat to Netanyahu, but most certainly are to Jews living outside of Israel. Peoples World Following Razans footsteps Rayan al-Najjar had hoped to study law when Gazas universities open this month. Israeli aggression caused her to change plans. On June 1, Rayans sister Razan, a medic, was killed as she treated people wounded during the Great March of Return. Her death has prompted Rayan to pursue a nursing degree at Al-Azhar University. The Great March of Return. This is the least I can do for my sister, the 18-year-old Rayan said. Before she could enrol for college, Rayan had to complete her final high school exams, the tawjihi. Rayan was actually revising for her tests on June 1. In their final conversation, Razan had casually suggested that Rayan could help her work at the Great March of Return. Thinking that Razan was serious, Rayan agreed, saying she could complete her revision after heading out to the protests. But Razan clarified that she was joking, encouraging Rayan to stay focused on her exam preparation so that she could obtain good grades and do the family proud. Soon afterwards, Rayan had an unpleasant sensation. I was studying in Razans room, Rayan said. Suddenly, I felt some tightness in my heart, I felt that something wrong had happened. I asked my mother to phone Razan to check on her. But while we were talking, one of our relatives called to tell us that Razan had been injured. Approximately 10 minutes later, the family received another phone call with the news that Razan was dead. Rayan was devastated. When friends and neighbors began calling on the familys home, offering condolences, she sat among them at first, crying quietly. Then her mother, Sabreen, took her hand and brought her to Razans bedroom. Sabreen asked Rayan to remain as strong as she could and to concentrate on her exams. Rayan had to sit one of those tests the following morning. Arriving at her school in the Khan Younis area in southern Gaza, she was taken to a different room than most of the pupils. The teachers felt it was best for both her and the other pupils if she sat her test away from everyone else. The test took place at the same time as Razans funeral, so Rayan was unable to attend it. I never expected that I would have to do a test under those circumstances, Rayan said. The results of her exams were provided via a text message the following month. Rayan had scored an average grade of slightly less than 60 percent. It wasnt as high a score as she had aimed for but was reasonable, considering what her family had endured. By pursuing a nursing degree, she is seeking to fulfil an ambition that was denied to Razan. Although Razan had wanted to study nursing at the university level, her family did not have enough money for her fees. As a result, Razan was trained in nursing by the International Committee of the Red Cross. Rayans own fees are being paid with the help of donations the family has received since Razan was killed. I will follow Razans dream of studying nursing and provide treatment to those who need it, said Rayan. Deprived of a dream Omar Abu Hashim begins his studies in information technology at the University College of Applied Sciences in Khan Younis this month. It was not his first choice. He would prefer to be pursuing a degree in architecture but did not obtain the right grades in the tawjihi for that option. Ive always dreamed of being an architect, said the 18-year-old Omar. But an Israeli sniper has deprived me of my dream. The sniper in question shot Omar in the left leg on 14 May, the day Israel committed a massacre of about 60 unarmed demonstrators. Omar had joined the Great March of Return in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza. His mother Mirvat had asked him not to participate in the protests. But Omar insisted on going, while promising that he would stay away from the boundary between Gaza and Israel. Omar was around 700 metres from the boundary when he was shot. Along with other young men, he was throwing stones in the direction of the boundary fence. The injury he received was so serious that Omar had to have his leg amputated. Doctors treating him told him that he would be able to take his exams. But he had to do so from a hospital bed. I used to spend the night hours studying, he said. But I was often in pain and exhausted. It was extremely hard to focus. Never give up After the first in a series of exams, Omar said that he did not wish to take the remainder. Yet his mother persuaded him to continue. He managed to secure an average grade of 55 percent. Insisting on completing my education is a message to Israel that well never give up, he said. As the college term begins, many families are mourning for those killed without having an opportunity to advance their education. Salwa Abd al-Al recently learned that her son Khaled, a 17-year-old child, had scored an average grade of 51 percent in the tawjihi. She marked his success by offering sweets to neighbours in Rafah. The gesture was symbolic. Khaled had been planning to study law in Turkey. Yet he was killed on July 2 less than a week before his exam results were released. Khaled was among four people who had taken action against Israels occupation forces on that day. The group of youths had breached the boundary fence separating Gaza and Israel. They had then set fire to a post used by Israeli snipers during the Great March of Return. Khaled was shot dead by Israeli forces. Two of the other three were arrested one of whom had been wounded. Another young person, a child, was also injured by a live bullet but managed to flee the scene, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has reported. Khaleds body has not yet been returned to his family. Israel has prevented me from hugging my son for the last time, said his mother Salwa. And it has stopped me from seeing him go to university like his friends. The Electronic Intifada No to climate cranks A common, dispiriting problem activists often face is the difficulty in discerning any direct effects of all their hard work. This does not apply to Dr Rupert Reads latest action on climate change. On August 1 Read, who is chair of the Green House think tank and a lecturer in philosophy at the University of East Anglia, tweeted that he decided to turn down an invitation from BBC Radio Cambridgeshire to debate with a climate change denier. When the call came through, my initial instinct was to say Yes, just because it is a media opportunity, he tells me. But before the word Yes left my mouth, something deep inside me made me hesitate and say No. I couldnt stomach it any more. I couldnt see how, in the midst of a summer of climate chaos, it made any sense to be debating whether this was really happening. The next day Read published an online piece with the UK Guardian retweeted by the former Head of BBC News Richard Sambrook arguing that by giving climate change deniers a full position, producers make their position seem infinitely more reasonable than it is even though the scientific debate is as settled as the debate about whether smoking causes cancer. I will no longer be part of such a charade, he pledged, calling on others to refuse to debate with climate change deniers. This wish became a reality on August 27, when an open letter organised by Read was published in the Guardian pledging exactly this. Importantly, it was signed by the great and the good of the green world, including Jonathan Porritt, Greenpeaces John Sauven, Caroline Lucas MP and George Monbiot, along with Morning Star editor Ben Chacko. Then, amazingly, on September 6, Fran Unsworth, the BBCs director of news and current affairs, sent a briefing note to BBC journalists on climate change, including the corporations editorial policy. Climate change has been a difficult subject for the BBC, and we get coverage of it wrong too often, it reads. Under the heading What Is The BBCs Position? the note explains Man-made climate change exists: If the science proves it we should report it, before asking journalists to be aware of false balance. To achieve impartiality, you do not need to include outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage, in the same way you would not have someone denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday. The referee has spoken. The note does say there may be occasions where contrarians and sceptics could be included in debates, though the example given is debating the speed and intensity of what will happen in the future, or what policies government should adopt, rather than whether climate change is happening at all. Promisingly, it says the BBC should highlight which organisation a speaker represents and potentially how that group is funded something climate activists have long pushed for. CarbonBrief news website, who published the internal memo, noted this is the first time the BBC has issued formal reporting guidance to its staff on this topic. I think that this memo is a game-changer, comments Read. The BBC is a world-leading media organisation, and it has been dragging its feet on this for so many years. Now, perhaps, no longer. I am hoping that what we have done on this will go international; and in the meantime I am looking at seeking to ensure that other UK broadcasters follow or indeed exceed the BBCs lead here. What broadcasters need to do now is to have the right kinds debates about climate, he adds. Who wants a carbon tax, and why? What are the possible downsides of geoengineering technologies? Et cetera. We need to put pressure on them to do this right. However, a note of caution needs to be added to the huge victory it looks like Read triggered with his actions. As Justin Lewis, Professor of Communication in the School of Journalism, Media and Culture at Cardiff University, has noted, the erroneous presentation of climate change as a debate is just one problem with the medias coverage of the topic. For example, as well as providing news, the media is an important vehicle for advertising, with the corporate press in the UK relying on advertising for more than half its income. This pervasive advertising promotes the pleasures of consumerism and helps create a set of cultural conditions that make us less inclined to deal with climate change, according to Lewis and his co-author Tammy Boyce in their 2009 book Climate Change and the Media. Advertisements may be individually innocent but collectively they are the propaganda wing of a consumerist ideology ... our current growth in consumption is unsustainable, Lewis argued in a 2011 Open Democracy article. The Guardian, seen by many greens as the newspaper that best reflects the environmental movement, is not immune to this humanity-endangering ideology, with a December 2012 editorial preposterously titled Shopping: Your Patriotic Duty. Another connected problem with the news media when it comes to climate change is its reckless reporting of economic growth, the engine that is driving up carbon emissions. For her new book Media Amnesia: Rewriting the Economic Crisis, the academic Laura Basu studied 1,113 news and comment items from the BBC News at Ten, Guardian, Telegraph, Sun and Mirror between 2007 and 2015. She found just one of the 1,113 pieces challenged the assumption that economic growth was a good thing a 2008 Guardian op-ed written by Monbiot. In thinking about the media and climate change, Boyce and Lewis insist that a media and telecommunications industry fuelled by advertising and profit maximisation is, at the moment, part of the problem rather than part of the solution. If correct, this analysis creates additional obstacles to the central argument made by Naomi Klein in her 2014 book This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs The Climate that stopping climate change will require mass social movements successfully challenging the fundamental logic of deregulated capitalism. Because if Jeremy Corbyns leadership of the Labour Party has taught us anything it is that the British media is overwhelmingly hostile to significant change that takes power away from the corporate-backed British elite, mass grassroots movements and any attempt to increase democracy within the Labour Party itself. And though it may seem unconnected, the BBCs pro-establishment coverage of the 2008 financial crisis highlights just how wedded the media is to the current economic system. There was, for a brief historical moment, a chance for fresh thinking and policies following the crash. Instead, in a 2012 study Cardiff Universitys Mike Berry found in the weeks after the banking collapse the debate on the BBC Today Program was almost completely dominated by stockbrokers, investment bankers, hedge fund managers and other City voices. Civil society voices or commentators who questioned the benefits of having such a large finance sector were almost completely absent from coverage. The evidence from the research is clear, Berry notes. The BBC tends to reproduce a Conservative ... pro-business version of the world, not a left-wing, anti-business agenda. Being positive, Reads actions pushing the BBC to cover climate change in a more serious and helpful way shows that significant changes can be made. However, successfully challenging the medias reliance on advertising, its assumption that economic growth is positive and its de facto support of the neoliberal status quo all of which will need to happen if we are to stand a chance of stopping climate change is a substantially larger, far more difficult task. Furthermore, time is very short. Climate change is moving faster than we are, Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, recently warned. Discussing the 2015 Paris climate agreement, he noted these targets were the bare minimum to avoid the worst aspects of climate change. However, scientists tell us that we are far off track. Nothing less than our future and the fate of humankind depends on how we rise to the climate challenge. Morning Star One popular storytelling trope is the villain who sows the seeds of their own destruction. Oddly enough, this cliche also appears in another realm of lies: Corporate America. Many a big business has been brought to their knees by the very competition they unwittingly brought into the world. For example ... 6 Excite Passed On Buying Google Because Their Engine Was Too Good Internet search engines have been around since we still used the words "fresh" and "wack" unironically. But back then, they were so terrible. Your typical mid-'90s questions about Hootie & the Blowfish would only land you on fugu recipe sites and some very unsettling aquatic porn. But that all changed in 1996, when Stanford University student Larry Page came up with a revolutionary new search engine, Google. Well, back then it was still called BackRub (an appropriate name, given how much it now loves to invade your personal space). But Page wasn't interested in starting his own company, so instead he tried to sell tried to sell BackRub to existing web portal page Excite. And they would've given this fresh-faced student $750,000 for the software, but there was one problem: BackRub was just too efficient. Excite CEO George Bell informed Page that BackRub's incredible search algorithms were downright bad for Excite's "stickiness" -- i.e. it didn't force users to wade through one ad-filled page after another before finding the results they were actually after. In fact, Bell wanted a search engine that was at most "80 percent as good as the other search engines" out there. It sounds stupidly shortsighted now, but this was at the beginning of the dot-com bubble, when "stupid shortsightedness" was the theme of every internet startup's Christmas party. People sometimes mistake progress for enlightenment. We think that just because a country can launch a space station or produce a good Netflix drama, that means it's on the path to Utopia. But it turns out that even the most advanced nations haven't ironed out all of their dumb lingering nonsense. For example ... 6 France Doesn't Have An Official Age Of Consent France has a reputation for being the most sexually liberated place in the world. Threesomes, affairs, skunk-on-cat -- unlike those English-speaking bores, the French are cool with pretty much anything. And it seems that includes having sex with kids. French law doesn't technically have an age of consent. Unlike in any half-decent country on this Earth, having sex with a child isn't automatically considered rape in France. Instead, if some monster molests anyone under the age of 15 and prosecutors can't prove the child was "coerced," the crime is classified as a "sexual infraction," which comes with a small fine and maybe, maybe, a few years of jail. For example, in 2017, a 29-year-old man was arrested after he had lured an 11-year-old from a playground and repeatedly had sex with her. But he was acquitted by a judge because his lawyers claimed that her agreeing to go on a walk with him counted as consent, going as far as to say: "We are not dealing with a sexual predator on a poor little faultless goose." No wonder Roman Polanski feels so at home there. Continue Reading Below Advertisement But unlike many insane European laws, this isn't some medieval hangover from a time when people were supposed to marry at age 12 and die at the ripe old age of 12 1/2. This messed-up worldview only came along in the late '60s, when apparently the Sexual Revolution eased taboos a wee bit too much. Certain folks started arguing that children, most of whom can't even be in charge of a lemonade stand, can be considered in charge of their own sexuality in their relations with adults. 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. The family of a British national, who died while swimming in Sri Lanka, had been told by experts that there was only 80% certainty of the identity of his body because his post-mortem examination had been carried out in haste. According to BBC, the 60-year-old Suffolk businessman John Sims died after he went into the sea in Tangalle at about 10 P.M. on January 12, 2013. The inquest into the businessman's death heard his body was identified from a passport photo and no post-mortem examinations mentioned a presence of metal in his body. The inquest in Ipswich heard Mr Sims, who had businesses registered in Creeting St Peter, Suffolk, had been in Sri Lanka for almost a month before he died. It was heard that he had gone for a swim after dinner and his companion raised the alarm when he had not returned after 20 or 30 minutes. Sri Lankan authorities found his body in the early hours the next morning. It was heard tests revealed the father of five had previously suffered a heart attack, which his family disputed. In a report, a dental specialist said the likelihood the body found was his was "at least 80%". The family, who were at the inquest, said Mr Sims' body was "covered in scars" but there was no mention of them in the report from Sri Lanka nor after his body had been returned to Suffolk. They said they informed specialists he had a titanium structure in his back and had undergone a hip replacement, but these were not mentioned in any report, it was heard. Additionally, the height given for Mr Sims was incorrect, according to the family, who dispute the body was that of Mr Sims. Assistant coroner Dan Sharpstone said there were "a lot of holes in this case" and described the Sri Lankan post-mortem examination as "cursory". Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said that the Army was prepared to undertake the task of eradication of drug menace from the country, if powers were granted. Drug smuggling poses the biggest threat to our country as at present, he said. The Army is already playing a role in this regard to curb the menace by exchanging intelligence with the Police and the Special Task Force. We provide information we receive to the Police from both internal and external sources. So do the Navy and the Air Force, the Commander said. Speaking to the media after attending the 69th Army Anniversary Flag Blessing ceremony at Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi premises, the Army Commander said the Government expected to transfer legal powers to the Army to curb drug menace. We hope to eradicate this destructive menace from the country, if such authority is vested in us. Drug prevention should be carried out after coordinating all agencies together for creation of a better society, Lieutenant General Senanayake said. Commenting on LTTE commemoration in North, the Commander said commemoration of war-affected late Tamil civilians was no issue since it was their prerogative. However, if the LTTE is commemorated, we need to be cautious and concerned. But a programme of that nature which lasts for about one hour or so would in no way pose a threat to the national security concerns. That is not to be interpreted a breakdown of national security as such, he said. He said all three forces were well geared to face any national security threat at any time. But no such question arises as at present, he said.(Darshana Sanjeewa) The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has initiated an inquiry into an incident where three Sri Lankans, for their alleged involvement in the gang rape of an 18-year-old Korean girl in 1998 in Korea, police said. The police headquarters in a statement said they have produced a report before the Fort Magistrates Court about the investigations. They said the Korean Police had investigated an incident where an 18-year-old Korean girl was found dead in an expressway accident in the Daegu city in South Korea in 1998. During the investigations, the Korean authorities have found the victims underwear from a separate location and cultivated a DNA samples using the sperms smeared in her underwear. However, the Korean authorities had not identified the owner of the DNA but the authorities had stored the DNA samples. In the meantime, after 12 years (in 2010), a Sri Lankan who had been employed in Korea had found guilty by a Daegu court of requesting an underaged girl for sexual favours for money. The authorities concerned had deposited the DNA samples of the accused Sri Lankan and those DNA samples have matched with the DNA sample that had been found in the underwear of the deceased in 1998. Korean authorities had filed a case against the suspect who was employed in the Korean Republic in the Daegu court. But, the court had rejected the case due to the fact that the time period of filing the case over a rape incident had exceeded 10 years. According to the Korean law, the duration for filing a case regarding a rape is ten years. However, the father of the deceased and relatives had continued to proceed with the case. By the time, two other Sri Lankan men who had been involved in the gang rape in 2010 had departed to Sri Lanka. The Korean government had explained the facts to Sri Lanka on August 28, 2017 in this regard and a Korean delegation had arrived in Sri Lanka on May 30, 2018 and met the Attorney General, the Ministry of Justice and the senior officers of the CID. Later, a group of CID officers had left for Korea to hold an inquiry following the instructions of the Attorney General. The statements regarding this incident had been taken in the Sri Lanka embassy in Korea and the observations had been recorded after observing the relevant places. The matters had been reported to the Fort Magistrates court on October 1, 2018, by the CID as it had transpired that the three suspects are in Sri Lanka at present. This was the first time that an investigation is being done by CID with the directions of the Attorney General according to the provisions in the Clause 9 of Judicial Organizational Act. It shows that the Sri Lankan court is empowered to hear a case regarding a charge committed by a Sri Lankan outside of Sri Lanka. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama) 20 years have passed since a group of forward-thinkers decided to set up a cause to promote the ideals of a liberal democracy through a free and responsible press. The Colombo Declaration, a document which was signed in April of 1998, bears testimony to this cause. Over the years the live wires behind this cause have stood firm ground in bringing about freedom of expression and freedom of information for the citizens of Sri Lanka. Although 20 years have elapsed with several positive developments, there are many goals that remain unfulfilled. However in a changing media landscape, that has stepped into the digital age, newer challenges have been identified. Topping these challenges are issues such as media credibility and regulation and therefore the Colombo Declaration 2018 re-evaluated the progress in the field of ethics and responsibilities in media. Hence the recently concluded three-day symposium to mark the 20th anniversary of the Colombo Declaration and Media Responsibility, attracted a diverse group of speakers both local and international who spoke, discussed and debated on a variety of crucial and timely topics. It was also revealed that in Sri Lanka theres no public service broadcaster, but the fact that theres plenty of state media. However, in this changing informational environment, the need for a quality public service broadcaster is important Struggle to protect media freedom At a time when the media was threatened with criminal defamation charges, the countrys four main media associations joined hands for the first time to bring about media law reforms in Sri Lanka. They included the publishers, editors, working journalists and media activists. Towards the end of 1997 several media organisations, together with some lawyers and well-wishers, met to discuss on the subject of criminal defamation. What resulted was the signing of the Colombo Declaration in 1998 followed by an international symposium that discussed a wider range of issues. The declaration was signed at a time when the then Government engaged in serial indictments against editors and publishes with criminal defamation charges. The declaration was instrumental in repealing criminal defamation charges and several other positive developments. The Sri Lanka Press Institute along with its constituents including the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka, Free Media Movement, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association and The Editors Guild of Sri Lanka has made great strides to make it a success. Hence, over the past two decades, the following positive developments have taken place : The Abolition of Criminal Defamation provisions in the Penal Code and the Press Council Law in 2002, the repeal of Section 118 of the Penal Code, which had penalised attempts by contumacious or insulting words or signs, to bring the President into contempt. Repeal of the 1978 amendment to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act (1953), which had given Sri Lankas Parliament the power to deal with serious breaches of privilege. The Establishment of the Sri Lanka Press Institute and the Press Complaints Commission and the Sri Lanka College of Journalism. The adoption of the 19th Constitutional Amendment adding Article 14A, guaranteeing a constitutional Right To Information, the adoption in 2016 of the Right to Information Act and the establishing of an independent Right to Information Commission. However it is regrettable that apart from these positive developments, there has been little else that has been done to implement the proposals set out in 1998. Highlights of the Colombo Declaration 2018 On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, the recently concluded four-day symposium touched upon various topics from media regulation to ensuring the safety of journalists to training upcoming journalists, challenges with implementing the RTI and the way forward, incorporating technology in the media industry and the power of journalism. There was another session on Right to Information and one of the very bright points in the Sri Lankan trajectory has been the adoption of the Constitutional Guarantee for the Right to Information Touching on the key highlights of the sessions, Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy, a Canadian-based international human rights NGO, said that its a special occasion as the 20th anniversary version of the Colombo Declaration is signed. What was an attack on media with criminal defamation cases got turned around into a victory for press freedom. It in fact mobilised and unified the community to fight back and alternately led to the adoption of the Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social Responsibility. I work all over the world on media freedom and Right to Information issues and I could say that people are making statements and declarations, but I dont see anything as vast as the Colombo Declaration. Its a comprehensive statement about why the press is important and its a roadmap to show what needs to be done to secure press freedom in this country. Its incredible how 20 years later its still a hallmark and a reference point and therefore its a globally relevant document, said Mendel. Referring to the sessions, Mendel said that the several issues from the idea of broadening the scope of the system to embracing the electronic media in both print and online media were raised. In addition to that, the importance of media literacy was stressed, as people need to know what real media is and whats not. It was also revealed that in Sri Lanka theres no public service broadcaster, but the fact that theres plenty of state media. However, in this changing informational environment, the need for a quality public service broadcaster is important. Safety was discussed and things have gotten better in Sri Lanka, but we havent seen accountability with regard to previous abusers. Sri Lanka was one of those countries which made headlines on the attacks and killings of journalists and people involved in the media. There was another session on Right to Information and one of the very bright points in the Sri Lankan trajectory has been the adoption of the Constitutional Guarantee for the Right to Information. It isnt just a legal document, but an actual operational system which we heard of in Sri Lanka. In some other countries, notably in India, there are requests from people at the grassroots level. For example it was interesting to hear about a group of mothers - whose sons and husbands have disappeared- went to the Police with a copy of the RTI act and made demands about information about their loved ones, he opined. A panel also spoke on the topic of fake news, Mendel continued. It was interesting to hear one panelist say that there is no such thing as fake news, but on the other hand we do have a problem of inaccuracy and misinformation from various sources and we need to combat it. The panel discussion on contempt of court expressed on a variety of abuses and we heard from the Prime Minister that hes trying to adopt a Contempt of Court act. However, I find the discussion on Contempt of Court a little bit conservative because in many countries you are pretty much free to say whatever you want about judgments, even before they are issued. This could even be while the case is continuing and it doesnt matter whether the guy is guilty or not, because the court is able to do its business notwithstanding what the media reports, even on a biased perspective, he added. The declaration was signed at a time when the then Government engaged in serial indictments against editors and publishes with criminal defamation charges Another panel on training discussed about how Sri Lanka needs to move into new methods of training. They stressed on the fact that innovative and hands-on training is important. This discussion pointed out how journalists need to be trained on a whole package of skills and a journalist should be a multimedia expert. I found an interesting panel on technology and on talking about robot journalists but I thought it shouldnt come too quickly because the human being is still important. We need to make sure that we integrate technology into our industry and survive as the world evolves. The power of journalists was also discussed and it is enormous. One of the best descriptions of that is if the media wasnt powerful why would Governments around the world try to oppress and attack it! And why would they have wars trying to constrain them? Hence these are signs of the power media possess, he added. Pics by Kushan Pathiraja The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today the government had no moral right to restrict the import of goods as a solution to the economic crisis while government members including the President, Prime Minister and ministers were wasting public money to import vehicles worth millions and tour the globe accompanied by large delegations. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that it was ludicrous for the government to point out that it had restricted the import of vehicles including those for MPs on duty-free permits because the MPs had already imported vehicles worth millions of rupees. The Prime Minister has imported two vehicles worth about Rs.600 million. He even comes to parliament from Temple Trees on the helicopter. He does not even travel 60 km in these vehicles. The President has also imported two such vehicles. Ministers have also imported vehicles worth millions soon after they assumed duties as ministers. Ministers are touring the world every week or two. The President was accompanied by a 63-member delegation including relatives, staff and journalists to the UN. They spend at will, he said. Mr. Dissanayake said suspension of permits at this juncture would not affect the MPs but it would only affect the public servants. Some government servants had sold their old vehicles with the hope of buying new vehicles. But they have lost even the old vehicle. The government asks the people to fasten their belts while they lead luxury lives, he said and added that the measures taken by the government to alleviate the economic crisis had failed and instead had aggravated the crisis. Mr. Dissanayake said the JVP had organized a series of protests against the governments worthless economic strategies such as increasing the price of goods, increasing tax. He said the first in the series would be held in Colombo on 23 with the help of youth, the farming community and the working people. The recent protest held by the opposition became a drama. We hope to organize a true people's protest, he said.(Ajith Siriwardana) REUTERS, 01st OCTOBER, 2018- Macedonias hopes of joining the European Union and NATO were in limbo on Monday, a day after voters backed a plan to change the countrys name by a large margin but failed to hit the 50 percent turnout required for the referendum result to be valid. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said he would press on regardless with a vote in parliament to endorse the change of name to the Republic of North Macedonia but the defence minister said an early election might now prove necessary, potentially derailing the whole plan due to a tight timeframe. Some 91 percent of voters backed the name change, demanded by neighboring Greece as a precondition for it lifting its veto on Macedonia joining the EU and NATO. But turnout was just 36.9 percent, final figures showed, far below the required threshold. Counter terror laws empower perpetrators to crush this legitimate resistance. Likewise, the problem of terrorism cannot be resolved without coming to terms with its drivers Todays weapons cost millions. Fighter jets cost about 100 million dollars. And maintaining them cost tens of millions. But the poor countries are persuaded to buy them even if they cannot afford A popular newspaper column lamented on Sunday (September 30) that while the punishment for murder is death upon conviction, the punishment for the murder of hundreds, i.e. a terrorist act, is only life imprisonment. Taking a critical stance of the recently Cabinet-approved counter terrorism bill for apparently soft-pedalling the issue of terrorism, the columnist opined that it allows a mass terrorist bomber to get away with murder most foul. And yet, isnt it even more ironic that when one man is killed, it is murder, and when a million are killed, it is deemed a heroic act? A cause for celebration? This was the powerful counter-point conveyed at the United Nations by Malaysias Premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamed who at 93, is the Elder Statesman of Asia and remains deeply loved and respected by not just Malaysians, but by millions across the globe. Indeed, there is something wrong with the universally propagated way of thinking and with our value system, as the Malaysian PM so candidly put it, when he addressed the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly on September 29. In the Sri Lankan context, the question that is not being raised yet not loudly enough at least by civil society is why do we need to enact fresh laws to deal with terrorism at this juncture? What is the justification? Everyone thought the war was over. Why are we then planning to enact laws to counter terror? Whose terror? Is that the right message for the foreign investors already on the run? Are the existing criminal laws not adequate? Is there fear mongering of far-fetched threats to justify the privileges certain institutions wish to continue to enjoy, even while some in this country are living or dying (?) on Murunga leaves? Without doubt, we should do away with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) altogether. So many have been locked up without sufficient evidence and their lives wrecked. Some of them had never heard of at least rehabilitation! There are cases of suspects spending nearly 10 years without a charge in remand prisons as recently reported in the media. Are we not investing in radicalizing them and others who do not support measures which they see as unjust? While the PTA should be done away with, who is asking for a special law in this country to deal exclusively with terrorism especially at a time when Sri Lanka is enjoying relative (negative) peace since the war ended in May 2009.Illang Kanawa- you ask for it and you will get it! What is equally perturbing is the colossal amount that is being earmarked for Defence expenditure. According to the Appropriation Bill for 2019, as reported in the Sunday newspapers, budgetary allocation for Defence will shoot to over Rs. 306 billion, up from Rs. 290 billion in 2018, whereas just Rs. 6.1 billion has been allocated to the very important subject of National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages. From the Rs. 306 billion, it is reported that Rs. 275 billion will go towards recurrent expenditure and Rs. 32 billion will be utilized for capital expenditure. According to a report published in February this year by Strategic Defence Intelligence, which provides early market intelligence for the global arms industry, Sri Lankas defence spending will reach USD 2 billion by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.71% over the next five years. The report entitled Future of the Sri Lankan Defence Industry Market Attractiveness, Competitive Landscape and Forecasts to 2023 anticipates that military imports will rise between 2019 and 2023. Again, the question: why should military expenditure be on an upward trend in Sri Lanka, in the absence of a serious terrorist problem, and at a time, when we are neck-deep in debt running into trillions of rupees? There is no justification for such a bloated military budget; money that would be better spent on poverty alleviation, education, housing, roads and yes peace-building. Why is Sri Lankas civil society silent? Dr. Mahathir Mohamed succinctly summed up the crudity of big capital at the UN last week when he stated: The arms business is now the biggest business in the world. They profit shamelessly from the deaths and destruction they cause. Indeed, so-called peace-loving countries often promote this shameful business. Todays weapons cost millions. Fighter jets cost about 100 million dollars. And maintaining them cost tens of millions. But the poor countries are persuaded to buy them even if they cannot afford. They are told their neighbours or their enemies have them. It is imperative that they too have them. While their people starve and suffer from all kinds of deprivations, a huge percentage of their budget is allocated to the purchase of arms. That their buyers may never have to use them bothers the purveyors not at all. If we understand the root causes of terrorism and seek to address those causes in earnest, we need not worry unduly about the resurgence of terrorism in this country. The ugly acts of harming innocent civilians can never be condoned, irrespective of the attire of the agent. The crux of terrorism is the intimidation and /or harm to a civilian population, when resistance becomes the legitimate response. Counter terror laws empower perpetrators to crush this legitimate resistance. Likewise, the problem of terrorism cannot be resolved without coming to terms with its drivers. That requires a broad mind-set; a mind-set that is ready to look beyond the legal framework, and into the hearts and minds of the people. The arrest and detention of Sri Lankan Kamer Nizamdeen on flimsy grounds by the New South Wales Police in Australia, is a reminder to us all of how counter terror laws can be used to harass and intimidate people on the basis of their race and/or religion. The laws can and have been invoked to terrorize innocent people and cause untold agony. Do we really need such laws in this country? Are these the international best practices we wish to emulate? Despite being told otherwise, Sri Lanka showed the world in May 2009 that a military victory over terrorism was possible. The foreign and local pundits were proved wrong. Now they demand laws to prevent a resurgence of terrorist activity. It is time to prove them wrong again. Little Sri Lanka can show the big world that we do not need harsh, repressive laws that can potentially harm the liberties of our citizens to address imagined security threats. If we showed the world our military might in 2009, then a decade later we can show the world our humane face, by putting into practice the compassion espoused in the noble religion of the Gautama Buddha professed by the majority in this land and the teachings of every religious leader. We need justice and political solutions; not laws that would be counter-productive and further polarize our regrettably fragmented society. The Supreme Court has put an end to a three year long wrangling and all controversies over the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) by accepting the plea by one of the students graduated by the institute to be provisionally registered with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC). Needless to say it is a judgment not only on the petition filed by Malshani Sooriyaarachchi to be provisionally registered, rather it is a judgment on the standard of the SAITM, which was abolished by the government under pressure by the medical students and the doctors of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA). And also it is a judgment on the acceptability of the private higher education in the country. It was reported over the weekend that the SLMC in a strange move had decided to inform the student in question to apply for the provisional registration, even after the Supreme Court had ruled that she must be registered accepting her application to the SLMC tendered in 2016. She had met every requirement under the Medical Ordinance to be registered with the SLMC, as indicated by the highest court of the country. Medical Ordinance cites two prerequisites for the provisional registration of MBBS degree holders as medical practitioners. One is the good character while the other being a degree from an accepted degree awarding institute, here or abroad. And it is the first of the three steps of registration of medical practitioners, with the SLMC. The ruling by the Supreme Court is a clear indication that the said MBBS graduate of the SAITM has fulfilled both the requirements. Malshanis character has never been in question and it was the standard of the SAITM that was challenged by the adversaries of the private medical college in Malabe. One cannot doubt whether the Appeal Court which heard the case and gave a ruling in favour of Malshani first and the Supreme Court that upheld the Appeal Court ruling later had looked into the standards and the competence of the SAITM as a degree awarding institute. But, alas! When the Supreme Court, through its ruling, had given the message to the thousands of aspirant of medical profession who were not selected to the State medical faculties that there is an accepted private medical college in the country, that medical college had been abolished by the law. Some of those aspirants are prepared to go to foreign universities, spending tens of thousands of sky rocketing dollars. The Supreme Courts observation on the government decision to award MBBS degree of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) to the SAITM students is interesting and very important. It says: These steps were taken by the government and the enactment of aforesaid statute, all occurred, long after the petitioner filed her application in the Court of Appeal and also long after the SLMC filed an application in the court seeking this special leave to appeal from the order of the Court of Appeal This observation would help the government which is in a fix now as to how to deal with the issue as the ruling has accepted the SAITM degree while it had made arrangements to award KDU degrees to the SAITM students. And also the observation of the Supreme Court can be deemed as questioning by the court, the propriety of the government decision to transfer the SAITM students to KDU. Now that the highest court of the country has accepted the standard of the medical college that awarded the MBBS degree to Malshani Sooriyaarachchi, what would be the response of the Higher Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) if the authorities of the SAITM sought the revival of the institute with the same standards? The opposition to the SAITM has always been politically motivated. It was evident by the silence by some of the adversaries of the private medical college when the former government assisted it with loans and scholarships. Ridiculously, those leaders of the former government who strengthened the private medical college at Malabe also turned against it when they fell from grace. The student unions that fought against the institute, delaying the degree of a whole batch of medical students had been indoctrinated with Marxism which does not recognize privatization. Ludicrously all these people accepted and recognized those degree holders from the foreign universities. It is time for all to think afresh in the light of the Supreme Court ruling. Sri Lanka may have to introduce laws to ban minors using Facebook in the wake of several countries having done so, Childrens and Womens Affairs Minister Chandrani Bandara said yesterday. She said this at a ceremony held at Temple Trees yesterday to mark Worlds Childrens Day. Several countries have introduced laws banning minors using Facebook. Sri Lanka will have to do the same considering the present circumstances. Parents tend to think that their children are safe when they are in their rooms. However, today's advanced technology can destroy a childs mind even if they are in their rooms at home, the minister said. She said children spend more time on the internet instead of discussing matters with their parents, who are busy trying to advance their professions. The minister said Sri Lanka would have to think of ways of allowing a child to access the internet to obtain information needed for their educational needs. "The Education Ministry has decided to limit the number subjects for the GCE Advanced Level Examination and to change the nature of grade five scholarship examinations so that children would not be subjected to pressure as it is the case now," she said. "The minister said children are today exploited by global forces. According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), 82 per cent of children between the ages of five and 11 are employed in the agricultural sector, 4.7 per cent in the industrial sector and 12.5 per cent in other sectors while 69.9 per cent of the children between the ages of 12 and 14 are employed in the agricultural sector, and 12 per cent in the industrial sector." The minister said the situation in Sri Lanka is better. "However, last year 4,000 children were exploited in Sri Lanka while 956 children were subjected to violence, 112 children employed as labourers and 117 children subjected sexual harassment. (Yohan Perera) Sixteen years ago, SLIM made history by introducing the first awards ceremony dedicated to recognizing and rewarding the best brandsand brand custodians. Today the awards campaign that began with 26 entries has far exceeded the expectations of its founders. In September the organizers of SLIM Brand Excellence 2018 announced that there wasa record-breaking number of applications entered for the awards this year. This is a testament to the growing popularity of SLIM Brand Excellence as a prestigious awards campaign that serves as a platform of development for brands, brand managers and entrepreneurs. It has been observed that SMEs are the driversof business in the nations economic activity.As the national body of marketing, SLIM supports the development of this sector via SLIM Brand Excellence. It is hoped that the awards campaign will present members of SMEs with the opportunity to gain vital knowledge and encouragement to become a more significant part of the marketing fraternity of Sri Lanka. In a bid to increase the number of entries from the SME sector, the SME entry kit has been revised and simplified. The Sinhala SME entry kit was also introduced for the first time this year. SLIM Brand Excellence has been revamped over the past few months by a group of expert marketers. Also the International Brand Award has been included in the main awards category. Such strategic moves serve as a means of motivating participation and thereby supporting the participants evolutionto the next level in their business. Thisensures the development of the countrys marketing fraternity in the long term. The awards stand upon four primary pillars, which are intent, content, process and performance. The judging process consists of two stages desk evaluation and the presentation of the brand story. The latter gives the judges an opportunity to assess the passion and creativity behind the efforts, recognize the individual behind the concept and to consider it a career achievement by recognizing the brand and the brand custodian. As the national body for marketing, SLIM serves to use events such as, the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, NASCO, the Effies and the Peoples Awards in order to encourage strategic and result-oriented thinking in the fields of brand development, sales, advertising and research. TOKYO AFP Oct1, 2018 -Two people have been killed in a powerful typhoon that battered Japan over the weekend, officials said Monday, as the storms aftermath brought travel chaos to Tokyos morning commute. By Monday morning, Typhoon Trami had cleared Japan, but its powerful winds and heavy rainfall caused damage that blocked roads and train lines. Local officials and police said two people had been killed in the storm. One was engulfed by a landslide in western Japans Tottori and the another drowned in high waters in Yamanashi, west of Tokyo. WASHINGTON AFP, Oct1, 2018 - Negotiators from Canada and the United States went down to the wire but were able to reach an agreement on a new free trade pact that will include Mexico, the governments announced late Sunday night. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) updates and replaces the nearly 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which President Donald Trump had labeled a disaster and promised to cancel. The rewrite will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region, according to a joint statement from US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadas Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. The Central Bank has released US$157.7 million to the market within four days to stabilise the rupee which stands at Rs.170 against the US dollar, joint opposition (JO) MP Bandula Gunawardana today said. When the IMF is releasing US$169 million to Sri Lanka as loans, he said the evaporation of US$157.5 million to stabilise the rupee would only result in a further increase in the cost of living. This move may lead to a price increase of essential items and services such as fuel and bus fares. The rapid depreciation of the rupee is the result of the fiscal mismanagement by the government and there is no point in blaming the Rajapaksa government, he told a news briefing. Meanwhile, he said the President had invited him to attend a special discussion on the current state of economic affairs but said he was unable to take part because he had not received the consent of JO party leaders. He said both the economic affairs meeting and the JO party leaders meeting were scheduled at the same time on Tuesday night. I cannot attend the discussion on economic affairs without the consent of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the other party leaders, he told a news briefing. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Video by Amantha N. Korea, (Daily Mail), 30 September 2018 - North Koreas foreign minister on Saturday told the United Nations there was no way that his country would disarm first as long as the United States continued to push for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, Ri Yong Ho accused Washington of creating a deadlock in talks on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The recent deadlock is because the US relies on coercive measures which are lethal to trust-building, Ri told the assembly. Without any trust in the US, there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances, there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first. A landmark summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June led to a warming of ties and a halt in Pyongyangs missile launches, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearization. Oops....! We couldn't find that... 404 error Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist. Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site. ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump lamented the safety of young men in America, amid an FBI investigation into his Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who faces allegations of sexual assault. I say that it's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of, Trump said. This is a very difficult time. Whats happening here has much more to do than even the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice. The presidents comments were in response to questions about an interview the Daily Mail released with his son Donald Trump Jr. Monday, who similarly said that he fears more for his sons than his daughters and the chance theyll be victims to false accusations of sexual misconduct. Trump spoke to reporters on the South Lawn for roughly nine minutes before his departure for Philadelphia. Asked if there was a message right now for this moment in our culture, the president answered, theres not a message right now but you may have a message by the end of the week. Asked what his message is for young women, the president answered: women are doing great. The president again expressed hopes for a positive vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh by the end of the week, in line with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells publicly stated desire, but the president added Kavanaughs fate is dependent on what comes back from the FBI. In response to a question of whether its ever acceptable to lie to Congress, Trump answered it would not be acceptable. I don't think you should lie to Congress and there have been a lot of people over the last year that have lied to Congress and to me that would not be acceptable, Trump said. Trump said he will talk later this week with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, but expressed trepidation that meeting him before the Kavanaugh nomination is settled could interrupt the process. We going to talk later I don't want to do anything to interrupt what's happening with this process that's fine but I don't want to do anything to interrupt the process. Trump also predicted that Kavanaugh could be a rallying cry for Republicans as the GOP works to motivate voters to turn out and cast a ballot. I was in Tennessee last night and I want to say that those people we had a sold-out arena with thousands of people outside, everywhere I go I'm going to Pennsylvania to the same thing they are so in favor of Judge Kavanaugh youve never seen anything like it. I actually think it's like a rallying cry for the Republicans they are so in favor of Judge Kavanaugh. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Here is what's changing with NAFTA 2.0 Economists, trade attorneys and businesses are still parsing the agreement. But here's an early look at what it means for different players. By PAUL WISEMAN AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON American dairy farmers get more access to the Canadian market. U.S. drug companies can fend off generic competition for a few more years. Automakers are under pressure to build more cars where workers earn decent wages. The North American trade agreement hammered out late Sunday between the United States and Canada, following an earlier U.S.-Mexico deal, shakes up but likely won't revolutionize the way businesses operate within the three-country trade bloc. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaces the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which tore down trade barriers between the three countries. But NAFTA encouraged factories to move to Mexico to take advantage of low-wage labor in what President Donald Trump called a job-killing disaster for the United States. Sunday's agreement is meant to bring manufacturing back to the United States. The president, never known for understatement, said the new deal would transform North America back into a manufacturing powerhouse. But America had to make some concessions, too. For example, it agreed to retain a NAFTA dispute-resolution process that it wanted to jettison but Canada insisted on keeping. Overall, financial markets were relieved the countries reached a deal. For a time, it had looked like Trump might pull out of a regional free trade pact altogether or strike one without Canada, America's No. 2 trading partner. The Dow Jones industrial average closed 192 points higher on Monday. Economists, trade attorneys and businesses are still parsing the agreement. But here's an early look at what it means for different players. DAIRY FARMERS Trump has raged about Canada's tariffs on dairy imports, which can approach 300 percent. American dairy farmers have also complained about Canadian policies that priced the U.S. out of the market for some dairy powders and allowed Canada to flood world markets with its own versions. The new agreement ends the discriminatory pricing and restricts Canadian exports of dairy powders. It also expands U.S. access to up to 3.75 percent of the Canadian dairy market (versus 3.25 percent in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement the Obama administration negotiated but Trump nixed his first week in office). Above that level, U.S. dairy farmers will still face Canada's punishing tariffs. And the supply management system Canada uses to protect its farmers is still largely in place. Still, trade attorney Daniel Ujczo of the Dickinson Wright law firm said that the U.S. dairy industry seems happy ... for now. AUTOMAKERS NAFTA remade the North American auto market. Automakers built complicated supply chains that straddled NAFTA borders. In doing so, they took advantage of each country's strengths cheap labor in Mexico, and skilled workers and proximity to customers in the United States and Canada. The new agreement changes things up. For one thing, the percentage of a car's content that must be built within the trade bloc to qualify for duty-free status rises to 75 percent from 62.5 percent. A bolder provision requires that 40 percent to 45 percent of a car's content be built where workers earn $16 an hour. That is meant to bring production back to the United States or Canada and away from Mexico (and perhaps to put some upward pressure on Mexican wages). The provisions could drive up car prices for consumers. The new deal also provides some protection to Canada and Mexico if Trump goes ahead with his threat to slap 20 percent to 25 percent taxes on imported cars, trucks and auto parts. It would exclude from the proposed tariffs 2.6 million passenger vehicles from both Canada and Mexico. MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES Like other U.S. trade agreements, NAFTA allowed multinational companies to go to private tribunals to challenge national laws they said discriminated against them and violated the terms of the trade agreement. Critics charged the process gave companies a way to get around environmental and labor laws and regulations they didn't like, overruling democratically elected governments in the process. U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, who negotiated the new deal, had another complaint: The tribunals took some of the risk out of investing in unstable or corrupt countries such as Mexico. Why, Lighthizer argued, should the United States negotiate deals that encourage investment in other countries? The new pact scales back provisions protecting foreign investment. Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch and a sharp critic of NAFTA, praised the new agreement for reining in what she called NAFTA's outrageous tribunal system that had allowed big companies to launch attacks on environmental and health policies. DRUG COMPANIES The new trade pact delivers a windfall to pharmaceutical companies that make biologics ultra-expensive drugs produced in living cells. It gives them 10 years of protection from generic competition, up from eight the Obama administration had negotiated in the TPP. But good news for the pharmaceutical industry could be bad news for users of the drugs and for government policymakers trying to hold down health-care costs. New monopoly privileges for pharmaceutical firms ... could undermine reforms needed to make medicine more affordable here and increase prices in Mexico and Canada, limiting access to lifesaving medicines, Wallach said. RETAILERS The United States pressured Canada and Mexico to raise the dollar amount that shipments must reach before they become subject to import duties. Canada, for instance, will allow tax- and duty-free shipments worth up to 40 Canadian dollars (about $31), up from 20 Canadian dollars ($16) under NAFTA. The change makes U.S. products more competitive in Canada because they will be subject to less tax at the border and delivers savings to Canadians who shop online. However, trade attorney Ujczo notes, the higher threshold poses a threat to Canadian retailers. Subscriber content preview ISSAQUAH A medical office building at 1040 12th Ave. N.W. in Issaquah has sold for $15.7 million, according to King County records. The seller was Redstone Newport LLC, which acquired the property in 2013 for $10.2 million. . . . China to end restrictions on area where second swine fever outbreak struck On September 30, China's agriculture ministry announced the possible lifting of restrictions on an area in central Henan province, where the country's second African swine fever took place, Reuters reported. The local government in Zhengzhou intends to end the blockade on October 1. However, it is required to implement measures which should prevent the recurrence of the disease, the ministry said. Meanwhile, restrictions imposed in Shenyang, Liaoning province - where the first outbreak of African swine fever was reported - were removed, according to the ministry. Since the first outbreak in early August, Chinese authorities have suspended the transport of live hogs and pig products from regions bordering provinces where African swine fever had been reported. Live markets are also closed while the use of pig blood to produce feed is banned. - Reuters TAPOL and the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) condemn yet another wave of mass arrests[1] during the opening week of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The mass arrests clearly contradict the statement of the Republic of Indonesia in their first right of reply during the General Assembly that there are not frequent and systematic human rights violations in West Papua.[2] We also disagree with Indonesias claim that UN Resolution 2504 of 1969[3] has settled the issue of West Papuas political status In late September, Indonesian security forces arrested 89 West Papuans and many more were beaten.[4] One West Papuan is being investigated for treason. Their alleged crime was to have peacefully demonstrated their support for the United Liberation Movement of West Papua and for the Republic of Vanuatu which planned to speak about human rights and the right to self-determination at the UNGA session. (An additional 39 Papuans were detained in Malang, East Java on 30 September for demonstrating in support of self-determination.[5]) This problematic trend of unlawful mass arrests of peaceful protesters was highlighted two years ago, when the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination delivered two early warnings to Indonesia.[6] These warnings arose from 5,361 unlawful arrests of West Papuan peaceful protesters in just one year alone.[7] No other group has suffered such treatment at the hands of the Indonesian state. Hence, there have been systematic human rights violations in West Papua in the past, but they continue. The mass arrests clearly contradict the statement of the Republic of Indonesia in their first right of reply during the General Assembly that there are not frequent and systematic human rights violations in West Papua. A total of 221 West Papuans were arbitrarily arrested this past September.[8] Five people were tortured by Indonesias security forces,[9] including one killed while in police custody in the same month.[10] West Papuans are not only discriminated against in their own ancestral territory of Papua, but in other provinces of Indonesia. There have been racially motivated attacks by state-backed gangs against West Papuan student dormitories in Surabaya,[11] Yogyakarta[12] and Malang,[13] as well as assaults by security forces in Manado and Tomohon.[14] West Papuans are routinely prevented from holding public discussions and peaceful protests in Java and other non-Papuan parts of Indonesia. Those who seek to document violations and defend the victims of human rights in West Papua live in fear. These human rights defenders face a range of physical threats and other measures, aimed at obstructing their work. Indigenous human rights activist, seeking to protect ancestral lands in South Sorong[15] or Boven Digoel[16], expose illegal mining in Koroway, or publicising military sweeps, house-burnings and other severe human rights violations in remote villages in Mimika or Nduga risk criminalization by Indonesian authorities.[17] Several past cases of serious human rights violations in West Papua have been highlighted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo for resolution. These have been investigated by Indonesias own National Commission on Human Rights, yet those responsible have gone unpunished. These include the 1998 Biak Massacre of more than 150[18]; the torture, rape and killing of 50 West Papuan in Wasior in 2001[19]; and the military sweeping of villages in Wamena in 2003[20]. Indonesia has also failed to protect the social, economic, and cultural rights of West Papuans. Five tribes in Papuas Keerom Regency were declared extinct in August.[21] Earlier this year, the Indonesian government reported that almost one hundred West Papuan children had died from malnutrition[22] and an estimated 15,000 West Papuans currently suffer from malnutrition.[23] A BBC journalist was expelled from West Papua while she was covering this tragedy.[24] Not long after that, an Australian student was blacklisted from entering Indonesia due to her previous study on West Papua.[25] A Polish tourist charged with treason is currently sitting in jail in Jayapura awaiting trial[26], and a West Papuan is facing the same charge merely for meeting him.[27] Indonesia has still not fulfilled its promise to invite a team of UN Human Rights investigators to visit West Papua. Self-Determination It is long-overdue for the UN to revisit its unfulfilled obligation to ensure a proper decolonization of all peoples with regards to West Papua. Contrary to Indonesias delegate claim, the 1969 UN Resolution on West Papua[28]did not have universal support. It was debated at great length over three sessions and the final vote was marked by 30 abstentions. This was because the coerced Act of Free Choice[29] was recognised to have been It is long-overdue for the UN to revisit its unfulfilled obligation to ensure a proper decolonization of all peoples with regards to West Papua. procedurally flawed. UN members voted to acknowledge the agreement between Indonesia and the Netherlands regarding West Papua. The process allowed West Papuas fate to be dictated by two foreign colonising governments. The West Papuans were props in a charade; no real effort was allowed to ascertain their true wishes. The UN has an obligation to revisit this morally unacceptable outcome, arrived at through an event in which only 1,026 handpicked West Papuans were pressured to raise their hands in assent to a proposition they had no hand in drafting. That deeply flawed process was a stark abrogation of the United Nations Temporary Executive Authoritys responsibility to oversee a just decolonisation. The UN should have ensured that process adhered to the universally recognised standard of one person, one vote. TAPOL and ETAN take no official position on the political status of West Papua. We support the right and aspirations for West Papuan people to decide their own future. TAPOL info@tapol.org ETAN etan@etan.org TAPOL - promoting human rights, peace, and democracy in Indonesia 86 Durham Road London N7 7DT +44 (0) 20 7561 7485 www.tapol.org | facebook.com/TapolUK/ | twitter.com/TapolUK East Timor and Indonesia Action Network - supporting human rights, justice and democracy PO Box 1663. New York, NY 10035-1663 USA +1-917-690-4391 www.etan.org | Facebook.com/ETANUSA | https://twitter.com/etan009 Written by ACM *Strasbourg/+RPUniversity/Angelo Marcopolo/- While Ideological and Political Movements preparing the Crucial EU Elections of May 2019 are currently Starting throughout Europe, the Leader of France's mainstream Center-Right Opposition, Laurent Wauquiez, New President of the "Republicans"' Party, (Founded by Sarkozy, as successor of Chirac's "UMP/RPR", etc), pleaded for a Wide Political Area between so-called "Populist" Rightists/EuroSceptics and an Establishment's Center-Left. He Topically evoked that on the occasion of a TV Debate with the Prime Minister of France, Edouard Philppe (Centrist), earlier this week, on the recent Mass Migration Issue, as well as Europe's current situation. + Shortly Afterwards, a similar Position was also Expressed, in even more Concrerte Terms, by the President of the "Republican" Party in Strasbourg's Department, Laurent Furst, mainly in Reply to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question, (See Infra), during "RP"'s Annual "Summer University" 2018 for Strasbourg's Region, at a Collective Meeting Yesterday Evening, (where "Eurofora" had been Invited for Press coverage, by the main Organiser, vice-President of Lower-Rhine's Department, in charge of Strasbourg, and former MP, Jean-Philippe Maurer, as well as the "Republicans"' regional Secretary General, Mayor Georges Schuler). ------------------------------ - In particular, Wauquiez strongly Denounced the overall Presentation, made by some, between so-called "Populists/Rightists/EuroSceptics" and alleged "Progressists", in view of the forthcoming EU Parliament Elections, as giving a largely Fake Image of the current Political Debates, specially on Mass Migration and Europe : - In Fact, "among those who Ask for Monitoring EU's External Borders are also many Convinced pro-Europeans", the President of France's Mainstream Center-Right Opposition Party stressed from the outset. - In this regard, he Criticized f.ex. the attribution of about 250.000 various New Authorisations of Foreigners to Enter and Stay in France on 2018, to which should be Added also around +300.000 more Irregular Immigrants : Do we really have enough Means to Integrate them ?, he Wondered. + In Parallel, Europe is Threatened by some Break-Down/Disintegration Tensions and Divisions, (around BREXIT, VISEGRAD Countries, etc+), while, at the Same Time, there are also Risks of Growing Distance vis a vis its Citizens, Warned the French Top Politician, (who has also served as former Minister for EU Affairs). - Prime Minister Philippe mainly reacted by pointing out that, among the above-mentioned Entry/Stay Authorisations this Year, were also about 80.000 Foreign Students, etc., while Aknowledging the existence of more than 100.000 new Mass "Asylum Seekers" who arrived on 2018. The Government has recently adopted a Law to Accelerate the Investigation of such Mass Asylum Demands and eventual Expulsions of rejected irregulars, he added, while also Accusing Wauquiez for having Chosen the Issue of Mass Migration in order to Criticize his policies, as did also the Rightists, he pointed out. But Philippe Avoided to mention the Fact that it's All the Center-Right Christianemocrat/EPP mainstream Party, throughout Europe, which is reportedly Heading towards Tackling the Issue of Mass Asylum Seekers/Irregular Migrants as the Major Topical Debate of the forthcoming 2019 EU Elections, (which, Meanwhile, was reportedly also Discussed between Wauquiez and German Chancellor Angie Merkel, during a Visit that he made, Meanwhile, in Berlin)... ------------------------------ + In Addition, Replying to a relevant "Eurofora"s Question, the experienced President of the "Republican" Party in Strasbourg's Department, MP Laurent Furst, observed from the outset that it's mainly the Historic Founders of his Center-Right, ChristianDemocrat/EPP Political Movement who were among the most Important Actors who have Build Europe. - So, it has Nothing to do with any eventual Far-Right Euro-Scepticism if we find, Despite the Humanism with which have to be treated Real Refugees, that, Recently, some Changes are needed, and some "Technocrats" should be Criticized, when a Great Number among some 250.000 Authorisations to Enter/Stay in France on 2018, added to about 300.000 more Irregular Migrants this Same Year, may present a Real Problem, which has to be Tackled, (particularly in the Transit and/or Origin Countries), in order to Protect also the European Society and even the Safety of EU Citizens, he Concluded in substance. => Furst was lively Applauded by the People, when he made that Point on such a Topical Issue, given also a New Trend of Deadly Knife or Car Attacks by Islamist irregular Migrants (most of whom Arrived through Turkey since 2015-2016), cowardly Targetting innocent Civilian People in Europe, (in France, the Netherlands, UK, and particularly Germany, etc), anew Recently. -------------- + In Addition, the experienced President of Strasbourg Department's "Republicans" seized even anOther concrete Chance to illustrate the overall Fact that, Between the Center-Left and the Far Right EuroSceptics there is a Wide Area for Real pro-Europeans of the Center-Right, when he went on to Reply also to anOther Topical Question on BioEthics : - Asked about the French mainstream Center-Rights' position on current Threats, f.ex. in Francen etc., to Impose, if not yet the Horrible Tragedy of so-called "Surrogate Mothers" (alias "GPA" in France), at least that of Artificial Births' Technologies, through "In Vitro" Fertilisations, Transplantations, PreNatal Genetic Tests, Sperm/Eggs' and/or Frozen Embryo's "Banks", etc., in order to produce, (thourgh Tools which may be Controlled by Technocratic Lobbies, with Obvious Dangers for Humankind), artificially Babies for LGBTI Couples, starting by Lesbians, etc., (as some "Leftists" notoriously Push to do Nowadays), President Laurent Furst clearly Expressed his Refusal : - Even if I'm personally Not Against "Same Sex" Unions, ("Marriage" included, as he said, speaking for his own views), because Everybody, Homosexuals included, has a Freedom to Live his/her own Private Life as he/she believes better, Nevertheless, this Should have Never been Mixed up with the "Different" Issue of "Children", he stressed : => Because, to the Question whether Everybody has "a Right to a Child", or, if, on the Contrary, "Every Child has the Right to have a Father and a Mother", I stand Firmly in favor of every Child's Right to have a Father and a Mother, Furst sharply Concluded, lively Applauded by the People, once again... In other words, both Wauquiez and Furst pleaded for a French Right which wants to be Both Critical and European. (../..) ----------------------------------------------------- *** (NDLR : "DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora"'s Subscribers/Donors, Earlier. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be Published asap). *** Benedict's "Source" to revitalize Europe : - "The World needs Hope", Pope says, calling to relaunch E.U. via Human Rights ! Paris - Lourdes - Strasbourg : 12 - 17 September 2008. The vital need to re-launch Europe can be succesfully met by defending fundamental Human Rights of the People, said Pope Benedict XVI in his 1st speech in France, at his meeting with President Nicolas Sarkozy, who currently chairs the EU. Sarkozy replied by welcoming Christian and other religions' contribution to indispensable Public Debates on crucial issues which affect Human Dignity, Europe, even Humankind, as BioGenetics. - "When Europeans will see and personally experience that the inalienable Rights of the Human Person .., those of their free Education, their Family life, their Work, ..their Religious Rights, ..are respected and promoted, then, these Europeans will fully understand the greatness of the European construction and will be actively involved in it", Benedict XVI stressed. - "It's important that during France's EU Presidency, there is, indeed, a desire for the Church to contribute to protect Human Person's integrity, and I think that there is also a growing Conscience, beyond any polemics, to defend Human Rights, and, thus, contribute to ensure respect for Human Dignity", added to "EuroFora" the Pope's Spokesman, Vatican's Press Director Federico Lombardi. - "Nobody really told us here that Lisbon Treaty was good for this or that reason to the People. They only told us that we "had" to ratify it, and tried to scare us, but failed", said 2 Irish pilgrims to "EuroFora", after 2 Majority Abstentions in 1999 and 2004 EU Elections and 3 "NO" to Referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005, followed by the Irish "No" in 2008, during a Decade of EU Crisis since the controversial Turkey EU- bid (1999-2008). More than .."224 cases of Murders, Torture, "Disappearancies" or Destructions" by "agents of Turkish Security forces", where all those responsible for so heavy Crimes still remain scandalously unpunished, despite regular condemnations of Ankara by Strasbourg''s European Court of Human Rights from 1996 to 2008, were examined the same week by CoE's Ministers, who decided to launch a fresh call "urging" the Turkish Authorities to end this dangerous "virtual Impunity" of criminals, without comparison to European countries. - "Why not Ukraine, instead of Turkey ?", asked EuroFora a Journalist from "Kiev : the city where it's enough to cross the streets in order to realize that it's a European town", as Sarkozy recently said, before solemnly declaring this week, together with Ukranian President Jushenko and EU Commission's chair Baroso, EU's "recognition that Ukraine is a fully European Country, linked to Europe by culture and History". Europe's "Christian roots" and Values, with "openess and mutual respect" to other cultures and beliefs, were highlighted by Sarkozy in harmony with Benedict XVI. The Human person should be protected "from his inception until his natural death", added the Pope, faithful to BioEthic principles defended by his predecessor and collaborator, John Paul II, of topical importance in France, Europe and the World today, as Sarkozy announced : - "Fast and important progres in Genetic Science and procreation raise delicate BioEthical Questions to our Democracies", which "involve our view of Humans and Life, and can lead to Social Mutations. That's why they cannot remain only a business of experts", hestressed. - "It's Politician's responsibility to set a proper framework for such Public Debates", as "France will do on BioEthics in 2009". "Religious and Philosophic traditions must take part, with their ideas and centuries' long experience : A positive Laicity is an open invitation to Dialogue", he said. - "France engaged in Europe at another Debate on how to make Financial Capitalism more moral", and the "Social doctrine of the Church fits well what is at stake in modern Globalized Economy" - "But, a "Real Dialogue is not for an elite of a Globalized world : It penetrates deep into the People : That's why Churches should actively participate : .. It's bringing New Oxygen to Public Debates", stressed Sarkozy. - "Democracy must not be cut off Reason", which is "compatible with Faith", thanks to "the meeting between Christianism and Greek philosophy ", he added, referring to Pope's views. "It means to advance with logic arguments, search what's best and respect common principles of thinking :... It's an everyday need for Public Administration and the Political Debate", he added. ---------------------------- Pope Benedict's 1st visit to France looked like the start of a brillant, manifold demonstration that this was well-founded and could become true in the lives of the People : After its Theoretical foundations unfolded at a "speech to the world of Culture", inaugurating Bernadins' cultural centre, and its dogmatic instrument shaped at an address to the Clergy in the Historic Notre Dame' Cathedral, he started to resolutely reach out to the People : The move went upwards like Bach's music : Begining with a call to more than fifteen thousand enthousiastic Youngsters gathered at Notre Dame's parvis with overnight celebrations, it gained strength in an impressive open-air Mass at Paris'central Invalides'area facing Alexander III's bridge, attended by more than 150.000 people, French Prime Minister Fillon, many Ministers, Foreign Ambassadors, etc, and culminated in a series of pan-European Mega-meetings at Lourdes 150th anniversary, together with all French Bishops, EU Commission's vice-Chairman Barrot, and some 200.000 enthousiastic People from all over Europe and beyond : After a Sea of Lights astonishingly braved Saturday Night's rain, an open-air mass at riverside fields among Pyrenees' Mountains Sunday Morning, was followed on Monday by a Sea of "Compassion" to those facing Health or Life threats, surrounded by an endless gathering of People, whose gigantic dimensions obviously surprised the organisers.. Meanwhile, Benedict had the occasion to speak to the French Priests at Notre Dame of Paris, and with the Bishops at Lourdes, where they prepare a crucial November plenary meeting, due to take important decisions on imminent EU debates and choices about Europe's identity, BioEthics, etc. ------- - "A new way of thinking about Laicity has become necessary", agreed the Pope with President Sarkozy at Elysee. While keeping the "distinction between Politics and Religion, to guarantee Citizens' Liberty", "religion is important for shaping Consciousness and contributing, together with others, to create a basic Ethical Consensus in society". - "Searching Essential realities", (as "God" for christians), needs "Speech : "Logos" in greek, i.e. Reason", "able to shape a Community","with creative work transforming Human History". But "Dialogue" is instrumental for "Reason", because it's the way to "search" for Truth", in "Liberty", according to Greek Platonic Philosophy, with Socrates' dialectics. "Reason" implies "Spirit and Liberty", hence the polyphonic "Music" of "Dialogue", in a responsible, "well balanced" way, to avoid "destruction". Starting with a "Dialogue between christians and intellectual or artistic movements" highlighted at Bernardins' Cultural Center. with former Presidents Chirac and Giscard d'Estain, UNESCO's chair Anastassopoulos, etc., as well as representatives of Muslim Communities, (including a separate Turkish), after contacts with Jews at Vatican's Embassy, the Pope turned towards the People : ------------------- To French Priests : "Church built on the rock" ! --------------------- - Speaking to thousands of French Priests at Notre Dame's Cathedral, Benedict highlighted a solid "Church built on the Rock" of conscious and active persons, transmitting "a lively, energetic and sharp" "God's Speech, actively working on Human History". "Praying together" with "representatives of Christian Churches and ecclesiastic communities", (as Orthodoxes, Armenians, Protestants, etc), he called "to reinforce the Unity of the church", against "any form of Division", around Holy Spirit', "the Word","Christ's Justice", and "Love" to fellow- humans : Essentials which "resume all holy scripts", as he said. ----------------------- To Young People : "New Horizons" ------------------------ To some 15.000 enthousiastic Young People at Notre Dame's parvis, along Seine's river, Benedict spoke about "the Energy of the Holy Spirit" and "the Mystery of the Cross" : - "The Holy Spirit opens New Horizons to Human Intelligence .. and makes it conscious of the real greatness of Christ's sacrifice, dying and resurecting for World's life". Some "may slander you as crazy, laugh at you, or even persecute you. But, "the Holy Cross is a symbol of God's love", and "givesmoral strength" : "Witness of People's pains, it's at the same time, a precious, unique expression of their Hopes", he told them at Paris' dawn. ---------------------------------- Invalides' plateau : "People chosen to become God's friends" --------------------------------------- At the 1st open-air Mass in Paris' center area of Invalides, facing the Grand Palais, along the river Seine, during an impressive gathering of more than 150.000, French Prime Minister Fillon, Ministers Alliot-Marie, Bachelot, Dati, Jouyet, Assembly's President Accoyer, Senate's Chair Poncelet, former 1st Lady Bernadette Chirac, former Prime Minister Raffarin, many foreign Ambassadors, and other political personalities were present. (While earlier, from the Socialist opposition, Paris' Mayor Delanoye, artist Robert Hussein a.o. assisted at the Elysee meeting). But the "Entry Song" focused on the "People chosen to become God's Friends". The September 11 mass was Dedicated to "Saint Chrysostomus, that great priest of Constantinople", with his "wonderful eloquence and great courage to face challenges", who "made out of despaired and godless people, a people of brothers", opening a possibility to "become all one complete entity", as Pope Benedict reminded. - "Reason never enters in real contradiction with Faith", stressed Pope Benedict, who prepared his speeches for France during a short Summer rest at Brixen/Bressanone's Seminar, whose Library honors both "Faith and Science".. - "We must use not only our Reason, but also our Faith" : "Get away from Idolatry", "cupidity", "avidity for money, power or even knowledge deviating from essential aims", and other "falses appearances". and "build your Home on the Rock", "with the force that Holy Spirit gives to those who let it act in them", he said to the People of Paris. -------------------------------------------------- Benedict at Lourdes : - "Become Light (even) in the Dark !" ------------------------------------------------------------------ - "Our World needs Hope", stressed Pope Benedict, addressing an impressive TorchLight procession at Lourdes' sanctuaries, where a Sea of Lights held by Hundreds of Thousands of People gathered at Pyrenee's Mountains from all over Europe astonishingly kept their flames despite a heavy Rain at a windy Dark Night... - "150 years earlier (1858 - 2008), ..here, in the cave, ... a simple young girl, Bernadette .. saw a Light". "The everyday life of her Family was, however, made of Misery, Sadness, Sickness, Misunderstandings, Rejection and Poverty... It was hard to live in Jail". Today, "we think to all Human Beings who suffer : The innocent Victims who face Violence, War, Terrorism, Hunger, Injustices, Catastrophes, Hate and Oppression, Violations of Human Dignity and of their fundamental Rights, of their Liberty to act and think. We also think to those who face Familial problems, sufferings from Unemployment, Sickness, Infirmity, Isolation, or their situation as Immigrants, without forgetting those who suffer and die for the name of Christ", he said. - "But the Shadows of the Earth, did not hinder Sky's Light to shine : <>" ..."A Way full of Light opens in Human History even in its Darkest moments" : ..."As Night falls, Christ tels us : <<- Keep your Lamps alight !>>."Hold a Light while walking in the Night .. sums up our condition as Christians on their way : "We need light, and we are called to become Light !", Benedict stressed to People setting in motion Lights, Flags and Songs with enthousiasm. "<<- She looked at me as a Person, who speaks to another Person>>, the poor girl had noted."Light emerges from such a Dialogue", stressed the Pope : "A small Flame called Hope, Compassion and Tenderness dwells inside those who return after being moved by Lourdes' experience". "Christ .. entrusts us with the Mission to let the Light of Charity shine : To make of our Prayers an Act of Love to our brothers and to Fraternal Charity", he concluded. (../..) BERLIN, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New research shows healthcare services and public health strategies aimed at reducing the burden of type 2 diabetes may prove ineffective, unless they address social and cultural factors.[1] Researchers linked factors such as food traditions and traditional gender roles to increasing vulnerability to diabetes in cities[1], where three-quarters of people with the disease are set to live by 2045.[3] The findings from the Cities Changing Diabetes research were presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD 2018) in Berlin, Germany. "For many years, diabetes has continued to rise at an alarming rate despite the best efforts of policymaker and healthcare providers," says David Napier, professor of Medical Anthropology at University College London (UCL). "In order to turn the table on this devastating and costly disease, we need to think differently and adopt new approaches. When public health strategies and individual care plans take into account the prevailing local cultures and associated conventions and behaviours, they are much more likely to be successful." Fuelled by rapidly increasing rates of obesity, diabetes could affect one in nine adults by 2045 - more than 730 million people.[2] Within the same time frame, annual diabetes-related healthcare costs are expected to increase by 39% from 775 billion US dollars to more than 1 trillion dollars, further highlighting the urgency for action.[4] Within their findings, researchers pointed to a number of social and cultural factors contributing to the rise of diabetes in cities around the world, including:[1] - In Copenhagen, standard medical referral practices acting as barriers to preventive care and services for diabetes - In Houston, food traditions becoming entwined with heritage and culture and often being perceived as providing 'comfort' - In Mexico City, traditional gender roles limiting effective self-care in male-only households, as some men are unable or unwilling to provide diabetes support to others A second study presented by Cities Changing Diabetes researchers at EASD 2018 demonstrated that rates of diabetes and obesity are accelerating in every region of the world today. North America and Europe, where obesity has been rising for decades, are expected to have the highest future type 2 diabetes prevalence but also the slowest future increases.[5] Africa, on the other hand, is projected to see a near-threefold increase in the number of people living with diabetes as the population ages and obesity prevalence increases.[5] Achieving a 25% reduction of obesity prevalence on the continent would result in 15.3 million fewer people with type 2 diabetes in 2045.[5] "Whether it's by initiating door-to-door care provision, relocating clinics within urban communities or through enabling peer support among religious faith groups, the many partners in the Cities Changing Diabetes programme are already acting to great effect on these research findings," said Niels Lund, vice president for Health Advocacy, Novo Nordisk. "However, halting the rise of diabetes requires others to learn from their approach and to develop strategies that reflect local needs. To this end, the Cities Changing Diabetes programme is an open and inclusive partnership in which anyone with a stake in the prevention and treatment of diabetes is welcome to participate." About the studies The first study carried out Vulnerability Assessments in five highly diverse cities - Copenhagen, Houston, Mexico City, Shanghai and Tianjin - to assess the impact of cultural factors on vulnerability to type 2 diabetes. This included traditions and conventions, health beliefs and food practices, gender attitudes, and local practices to care seeking. Using semi-structured interviews, assessments were conducted with a total of 740 people.[1] The second study investigated the regional prevalence of type 2 diabetes from 2017-2045, using past and target trend scenarios. The past trend scenario assumes that future increase in obesity prevalence is extrapolated linearly, and in a target scenario obesity prevalence is reduced by 25% in 2045. BMI data for all countries worldwide 2000-2014 were obtained from the Non-communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration, and the share of people in each age and BMI class were projected depending on scenario.[5] About Cities Changing Diabetes Cities Changing Diabetes is a first-of-its-kind partnership programme with an ambitious global goal to reduce obesity by 25% so that only 1 in 10 people live with diabetes by 2045. More than 100 local partners - including city leaders and ministries, academia, diabetes associations, health insurers, community groups and business corporations - collaborate across disciplines and in new forms of public-private partnerships to map the diabetes problem, share solutions and drive actions to bend the curve on urban diabetes. The programme was initiated in 2014 by three global partners: University College London, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen and Novo Nordisk. Today, 17 cities representing more than 130 million citizens are active partners: Beijing, Beirut, Buenos Aires, Copenhagen, Hangzhou, Houston, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Koriyama, Leicester, Merida, Mexico City, Rome, Shanghai, Tianjin, Vancouver and Xiamen. About Novo Nordisk Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with 95 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. This heritage has given us experience and capabilities that also enable us to help people defeat obesity, haemophilia, growth disorders and other serious chronic diseases. Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk employs approximately 43,100 people in 79 countries and markets its products in more than 170 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook [http://www.facebook.com/novonordisk ], Twitter [https://www.twitter.com/novonordisk ], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/novo-nordisk ], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/novonordisk/custom ] References 1. Volkmann A-M, Hesseldal L, Bagger M, et al. Local traditions and conventions impact vulnerability to type 2 diabetes. Abstract presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Berlin, Germany; 1-5 October 2018. 2. Moses A, Lund N, Jensen BB, et al. Illustrating the pivotal role of obesity as a driver of diabetes. Abstract presented at the 25th European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2018), Vienna, Austria; 23-26 May 2018. 3. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 7 ed. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation; 2015. 4. Cities Changing Diabetes. Diabetes Projection Model, Global. Data on file. Novo Nordisk. In: Incentive, ed. Holte, Denmark; 2017. 5. Nielsen S, Napier D, Jensen BB, et al. Regional burden of obesity and diabetes in adults - projections from 2017-2045. Abstract presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), Berlin, Germany; 1-5 October 2018. Further information Media: Katrine Sperling, +45-4442-6718, krsp@novonordisk.com Lykke Lyngs, +45-3075-0211, lyly@novonordisk.com Investors: Peter Hugreffe Ankersen, +45-3075-9085, phak@novonordisk.com Anders Mikkelsen, +45-3079-4461, armk@novonordisk.com Valdemar Borum Svarrer, +45-3079-0301, jvls@novonordisk.com Hotel Kilmore has become the first venue in Cavan to complete Failte Irelands Accredited Services Excellence Programme. The Programme is aimed at helping tourism attractions and businesses reach the highest standards in customer care, which can result in major benefits such as business growth, additional repeat business, increased visitor spend and positive recommendations. Speaking at the presentation of the accreditation to Hotel Kilmore, Shane Raftery, Irelands Ancient East Officer at Failte Ireland said that the Programme is an important aspect of Failte Irelands business development and training supports. The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is aimed at helping tourism businesses strengthen competitiveness and to help differentiate Ireland from its international competitors as a location where the customer is at the centre of everything a business will do. It provides an opportunity for the Irish tourism industry to be recognised for best in class customer service and great visitor experiences and we are delighted to present Hotel Kilmore with its accreditation. Kate Mealiff owner of Hotel Kilmore added: The Accredited Service Excellence award has been completed by over 75% of our front facing staff. We are most fortunate to receive very positive feedback about our staff and we were delighted to get the opportunity to offer this programme to so many of our staff with the assistance of Failte Ireland. We hope to continue to work with Failte Ireland on programmes like this to ensure we offer the best possible service to our very valuable customers. The Accredited Service Excellence Programme is suitable for all management and front facing staff in a tourism related business who come into contact with visitors. The Award can be achieved in three ways: Individual Award for individual staff upon completion of a full day or online workshop; As a Business Award whereupon 75% of front facing staff have completed the Programme; As a Destination Award - where a number of set criteria are met and where an agreed level of key businesses in the area have achieved the business award. Jump to top The English Court of Appeals decision in SFO v. ENRC has reset the boundaries of litigation privilege in investigations under English law. Heres a summary of the decision and some key practical takeaways. Litigation privilege. Under English law, documents are protected by litigation privilege where adversarial litigation is reasonably in contemplation and the documents in question are created for the dominant purpose of use in that litigation. The appeal sought to overturn the lower courts decision that various communications connected with an internal investigation (including notes of interviews and forensic accounting materials) were not protected by litigation privilege because: (i) a Serious Fraud Office investigation was not sufficiently adversarial, (ii) litigation was not in contemplation, and (iii) that in any case the documents were not created for the dominant purpose of use in the litigation. The Court of Appeal reversed the lower courts decision, holding that litigation was in reasonable contemplation from the outset of the internal investigation and that the materials in question were created for the dominant purpose of resisting or avoiding contemplated criminal proceedings, and so privileged. The Court of Appeal held that: The Judge in the lower court had been wrong to suggest a general principle that litigation privilege cannot attach until either a defendant knows the full details of what is likely to be unearthed or a decision to prosecute has been taken. Not every SFO manifestation of concern would constitute adversarial litigation, but when the SFO specifically makes clear to a company the prospect of criminal prosecution, and legal advisers are engaged to deal with that situation, there are clear grounds for contending that prosecution is in reasonable contemplation. Where there is a clear threat of a criminal investigation, even at one remove from the specific risks posed by the SFO should it start an investigation, the reason for the investigation ofallegations must be brought into the zone where the dominant purpose may be to prevent or deal with litigation. Legal advice privilege. The appellant also claimed that certain of the documents were covered by legal advice privilege. The Court of Appeal declined to interfere with the narrow definition of client under English law (i.e. that only communications between lawyers and those individuals at the corporate client authorized to seek and receive legal advice on behalf of the corporate would be protected by legal advice privilege), holding that it is properly a matter for the UK Supreme Court. Key takeaways 1. Companies faced with allegations of wrongdoing can conduct investigations with greater confidence that documents relating to the investigation will be protected by litigation privilege under English law. The Court of Appeal stressed that it is in the public interest for companies to be able to investigate allegations prior to reporting to a prosecutor without losing the benefit of legal professional privilege (they otherwise might be minded not to investigate at all). 2. The decision does not mean there is blanket protection for internal investigations under English law: the party asserting litigation privilege will still have to show that the dominant purpose of the communication in question related to adversarial litigation that is in progress or reasonably in contemplation. 3. Documenting the purpose and scope of an internal investigation and the justification for documents being covered by privilege is vitally important at the outset of and throughout an investigation. When assessing whether or not privilege applies, the court will consider carefully the nature, quality and content of the evidence supporting the claim for privilege. 4. The narrow definition of client for the purposes of legal advice privilege under English law still stands (although the Court made clear that it views this narrow definition as unworkable). Notes of interviews with witnesses who do not constitute the client will therefore only be privileged where litigation privilege applies. 5. Lawyers working papers will only be covered by legal advice privilege to the extent that they betray the tenor of legal advice. As a result, notes taken by lawyers of investigation interviews will not automatically be privileged by virtue of the fact the notes were taken by a lawyer. For a more detailed summary, please see our firms briefing here. _____ Andrew Reeves, pictured above, is a Senior Associate based in Norton Rose Fulbrights London office. He represents corporates, financial institutions and senior executives in relation to a range of major regulatory and criminal investigations, including those brought by the UK Serious Fraud Office, Financial Conduct Authority, and Information Commissioners Office, as well as U.S. and various local regulators and prosecutors. He can be contacted here. I was bemused when I read that the head of the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA), Donald Toon, had bitterly complained about the tardiness of the Cayman Islands authorities in responding to information requests about the identities of ultimate beneficial owners (UBO) of Cayman companies. Whether this reticence from the Cayman Islands was a passive or active form of resistance, as alluded to by Mr. Toon, remains to be seen. But what grabbed my attention was this statement attributed to him: The NCA said there were now signs that criminals were finding new tax havens where they could exploit lax regulation and hide their links to corrupt assets. These were in jurisdictions: well beyond the British Overseas Territories small island nations [where] people are able to register companies but are much more difficult to penetrate in terms of getting access to the information on beneficial owners. I have written repeatedly about the risks that open public registers for UBO information present. I have explained that many campaigners are seriously flawed in pushing for such open registers: they have failed to appreciate that crooks do not play by the rules which is what makes them crooks, after all and the money launderers and bad guys will simply elude the new systems being demanded. If Caymans authorities are engaging in passive resistance (in order to fight back against panicked calls for a public UBO register), then I would implore them to comply with the official requests being made: otherwise they are playing into the hands of these activists. I have explained countless times that forcing so-called open registers across Britains overseas territories will lead to fraudsters and other neer-do-wells masking their identities with nominee straw men to front their companies. Their businesses will also migrate to jurisdictions that care nothing about compliance and combating money laundering. This will inevitably lead to the loss or destruction of extremely valuable and substantially accurate UBO identification material housed in controlled systems of transparency, such as here in the BVI. My position would appear to have been accepted by the head of the NCA. Donald Toon said, referring to crooks seeking new havens: This is not quick work because rich criminals are experts at hiding their ownership of corrupt assets. You do not have to be the sharpest detective since Sherlock Holmes to arrive at this conclusion. In fact, I would welcome a chat with Mr. Toon (should he wish) to offer my opinions as to what we are up against and what I would be doing as an investigative lawyer to try and level the playing field. I have no problem at all with outing fraudsters or corrupt dealers. But this is the job of law enforcement, not campaigners. If Mr. Toon had contacted the Government of the British Virgin Islands, he could have accessed all the UBO identification material he needed within two hours (in an emergency), and in 24 hours for a routine request. Also, in well-regulated financial centers (such as the BVI and Cayman), the UBO identification data is collected and housed en-mass, under a multi-layered regulatory system involving scores of AML compliance officers employed by regulated trust companies (or licensed company formation agencies); plus a regulator supervising those trust companies by means of regular AML compliance field audits; as well as the courts. In contrast, the UKs open UBO register is a complete free-for-all any old rubbish can be filed as a UBO and only six employees at Companies House check the accuracy of such UBO data against four million companies. That is a completely ludicrous model of AML compliance. That is why open UBO registers are not the panacea to the problem of preventing the ethically-challenged from exploiting offshore companies. Politicizing the issue of public UBO registers, as the campaigners have done, has simply made the problems they are seeking to address worse and likely insurmountable. These efforts will frustrate the task of law enforcement (such as the NCA), plus make the job of professionals in the field, asset recovery lawyers such as myself working on behalf of victims, more difficult. ____ Martin Kenney, pictured above, is Managing Partner of Martin Kenney & Co., Solicitors, a specialist investigative and asset recovery practice based in the BVI and focused on multi-jurisdictional fraud and grand corruption cases www.martinkenney.com |@MKSolicitors. In 2014 he was the recipient of the ACFEs highest honor: the Cressey Award for life-time achievement in the detection and deterrence of fraud. He was selected as one of the Top Thought Leaders of the Legal Profession in 2018 by Whos Who Legal International and as the number one offshore lawyer for asset recovery in 2017. Arcadia Data, a San Mateo, Calif.based provider of visual analytics software native to Apache Hadoop and the cloud, raised $15m in Series B funding. The round, which brought total equity raised to $27m, was led by Pelion Venture Partners with participation from existing investors Intel Capital, Mayfield Fund, and Blumberg Capital. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate global organizational expansion, go-to-market strategies, and continue to focus on product innovation. Led by Sushil Thomas, CEO and co-founder, Arcadia Data provides a visual analytics and BI platform native to big data for business users to discover and productionize real-time insights. Its flagship product, Arcadia Enterprise, was built from inception to run natively within big data platforms, in the cloud and/or on-premises, to streamline the self-service analytics process on data in Apache Hadoop, Apache Spark, Apache Kafka, and Apache Solr. It enables real-time, high-definition insights in use cases like data lakes, cybersecurity, connected IoT devices, and customer intelligence. Arcadia Enterprise is deployed by leading brands such as Citibank, Cisco, HPE, Kaiser Permanente, Komatsu, NHL, Nokia, Nordea, Procter & Gamble, Turner Broadcasting, Pizza Hut, and the USDA. FinSMEs 02/10/2018 By George Mangula Ugandas coffee exports for 12 months (September 2017 to August 2018) totalled to 4.35 million bags worth $472 million, the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says in the latest report. According to the report, Robusta coffee which was 3.25 million bags fetched $333 million while Arabica coffee which comprised 1.10 million bags brought home $139 million during the period under review. Stories Continues after ad Cumulatively, coffee exports for 12 months (September 2017- August 2018) were less than 4.47 million bags worth $529 million in the previous year (September 2016-August 2017), representing a decrease of 2.67 per cent and 10.81 per cent in quantity and value respectively. A total of 348,952 60-kilo bags of coffee valued at US$35.68 million were exported in August 2018. That comprised 296,901 bags ($ 29.29 million) of Robusta and 52.051 bags ($6.40 million) of Arabica. But that was a decrease of 16.59 per cent and 24.18 per cent in quantity and value respectively from the same month last year. By comparing quantity of coffee exported by type in the same month of last year (August 2016/17 and 2017/18), Robusta registered a percentage decrease in both quantity and value which was 22.38 per cent and 30.75 per cent respectively. Arabica registered a percentage increase in both quantity and value of 45.31 per cent and 34.05 per cent respectively. Coffee exports in 11 months (Oct-August) were 5.92 percent and 14.41 per cent lower than the previous year. According to the report, some of the factors that led to the decline were: Low global prices on account of higher crop in Brazil which affected export prices as well as lower production from the main harvest in Masaka and South-Western regions compared to the previous year, new trees coming into production notwithstanding. Destination of Ugandas coffee in August The destinations of Ugandas coffee exports during the month of August 2018 showed that: Exports to EU countries amounted to 224,035 bags lower than 253,142 bags exported in the previous month. This represented a 64.20 per cent of total exports. EU was followed by Sudan with 42,227 bags (12.10 per cent) compared to 65,037bags (16.55 per cent) the previous month. India imported 18,520 (5.31 percent) compared to 18,960 (4.82 per cent), USA 14,513 bags (4.16 per cent) compared to 16,760 (4.82 per cent) and Morocco 14,292 (4.10 per cent) compared to 11,535 (2.93 per cent). Coffee exports to Africa amounted to 60,437 bags, a market share of 17.32 per cent compared to 80,804 (20.56 per cent) bags the previous month. Global situation Global coffee exports for July 2018 were 10.11 million bags, which was 4.6 per cent higher than in July 2017. Total exports for the ten months of coffee year 2017/18 were 101.20 million bags, which was an increase of 0.9 per cent. But the 2017/18 global production is still estimated at 158.56 million bags compared to 159.05 million bags, a decrease of 0.3 per cent from last year. Arabica production is estimated to reduce by 6.6 per cent to 97.16 million bags while Robusta is projected to increase by 11.5 per cent to 61.40 million bags. Africas production is expected to increase by 5.3 per cent from last year with an output of 17.30 million bags. Global consumption is projected to increase by 2 per cent at 162.12 million bags with major increases noted in Asia and Oceania countries and South America. . ? Pfizer , , , - - , . Cobionix, ,... Montevideo, Oct 2 (EFE).- A member of Uruguay's Primary Education Council said Tuesday that the arrival of immigrants helps build "respect and tolerance" among students. "It's hard to think of actions and international understanding of peoples where there are no experiences of diversity, where there is no respect for what is different, where there is no comprehension that democratic construction is based and ground on the existence of profiles, people, wills and cultures that are different," Hector Florit said at an event in Montevideo. He advocated the restoration of the principles that lay behind what Florit described as the "institutional matrix of the Uruguayan school." Another speaker at the event, Cultural Heritage commissioner Elena Pareja, who highlighted the importance of migration to the formation of Uruguay's national character. Discover Warframes Thrilling All-Out-War Action and Assemble the Prime Vanguard with the Prime Resurgence to Prepare for a New War with Old Enemies this December State funding will create this new workforce development program with the affects of climate change in mind. Suspect apprehended : 27-year-old attacks young people at Alter Zoll Bonn Two 17-year-old young women were attacked and injured at the Alter Zoll in Bonn in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police apprehended a 27-year-old suspect. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A 27-year-old man has attacked and injured two 17-year-old young women at the Alter Zoll. Police said the two young women were at the Alter Zoll with a 25-year-old acquaintance around 3.45am in the early hours of Tuesday when a stranger approached them and suddenly hit one of the 17-year-olds on the head with a bottle. When the other woman wanted to dial the emergency services, the stranger reportedly tore the phone out of her hand and threw it away. He also pushed her against a wall. Their 25-year-old companion then tried to bring the attacker to the ground. He fought back violently and ran off. The two young people were injured in the attack and taken to hospitals but were able to leave again during the night. The police initiated a search and later found the man, who lives in Remagen, a short time later in Belderberg. The 27-year-old, who appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol, was apprehended and taken to police headquarters. The criminal police have taken over further investigations. It is common for companies to organize various informal events where workers can come with their partners. One of those... 26-year-old dies in Mehlem : Accident with emergency doctor vehicle to be closely investigated Bonn The search for evidence continues after a 26-year-old pedestrian was fatally injured in the collision between an emergency doctor vehicle and a taxi in Bonn on Saturday. How did the accident happen? Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Many of the details surrounding the accident between an emergency doctor vehicle and a taxi in Mehlem, in which a 26-year-old woman died on Saturday, are still unclear. An expert has been called in and is investigating the difficult circumstances of the accident, in consultation with the police and the public prosecutors office, police spokesperson Robert Scholten told the GA on Monday. Data recorded by the emergency doctor vehicle during its journey is also currently being evaluated. It was on the B9 on the way to an emergency with its blue light and siren on. When it drove through a red light at the junction with Drachenburgstrae, it collided with a taxi. The young woman was hit by the skidding emergency doctor vehicle. Three passengers suffered serious injuries. Paragraphs 35 and 38 of the Road Traffic Regulations regulate the special rights of emergency vehicles. These state they can drive through a red light, for example, if the utmost urgency is called for, to save human lives or avert serious damage to health. However, this does not absolve the emergency services from the need to be cautious, says Scholten. It is usual to drive cautiously into intersections even if the blue light is switched on. Daily experience shows that road users do not notice the warning signals in time, For example, if they are listening to loud music in the car. Nextbike service started : Heres how the bike rental service works in Bonn Bonn Nextbike has started its bike sharing system in Bonn. By the end of the month, 900 bikes should be positioned at 100 stations. We answer the most important questions. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken Nextbike, the Leipzig bike rental company, started its service in Bonn on Monday. 200 bikes will initially be available at 20 stations this week. The remaining 700 bikes will be distributed to a total of 100 stations by the end of October. During this time, we are offering each user 30 free minutes per day to get to know the system, says Nextbike project manager Dennis Steinsiek. Compared to other cities, the station network in Bonn is particularly dense: Cologne has three times as many inhabitants as Bonn but a total of only 1400 Nextbikes. How can I rent a Nextbike? Customers can rent the bikes around the clock. To do so, they need to register with the bike rental system. Bookings are made using the Nextbike mobile phone App or by calling 030/6 92 05 046. Each bike has an individual number and a lock, which is opened when you have booked. From mid-October, this should also be possible using the Bonn-Mobil-App, which the Stadtwerke Bonn is launching. Each bike has an integrated lock, which opens automatically at the start of the rental. When returning the bike, all you have to do is press down the lever to end the rental. What does it cost? One Euro per 30 minutes or part thereof. VRS subscribers receive 30 free minutes per day, divisible throughout the day so you can also book for ten minutes three times in a day. The same applies to those who pay the Euro 48 Nextbike annual tariff. The maximum rental price per day is Euro 8, for which you can bike for 24 hours. The city of Bonn is also funding part of the costs of the bike rental system. These are well under a million Euros, according to Lord Mayor Ashok Sridharan. He is not allowed to give concrete figures for contractual reasons. Is there a pupil or student discount? Like VRS subscribers, students at Bonn University have 30 free minutes per day. They need to register for this with their university email address. As yet, there is no similar service for school pupils. In general, you can only use Nextbike from the age of 16. Can I reserve a bike? Yes, but only 15 minutes in advance - for example, if you are on the train and want to get on a bike at the next stop. Do I have to bring the bike back to the same station? No, because in the Bonn city area, with the exception of the forests, there is a so-called Free-Float-Zone, within which you can leave the bike in any publicly accessible area. This generally costs an additional Euro. Parking is free at the stations and on some main streets, such as Kolnstrae and Oxfordstrae. These zones could still be extended, explains Nextbike spokesperson Mareike Rauchhaus. This will be decided in a few weeks once the rental system is up and running. What happens if I dont give the bike back? Every Nextbike has a GPS transmitter to locate it. If it is not returned or is left in another city, for example, a penalty fine is payable. Nextbike has its own workshop with employees in Poppeldorf, who collect the bikes daily and take them back to the stations. Do the bikes have gears? The Bonn Nextbikes are equipped with seven gears, 26-inch tyres and lights. The Cologne bikes only have three gears, because there arent as many steep hills there as in Bonn, says Steinsiek. Will there also be delivery bikes and E-bikes? So far, there have only been pilot projects for these in a few cities. There are no concrete plans for Bonn yet. Will there be more stations? It is possible for institutions and companies to set up their own stations, says Dennis Steinsiek. However, they must bear a portion of the installation costs themselves. Nextbike wants to continuously extend the system. Additional bikes will also be used during large conferences. Vietnamese medical doctors of the field hospital to be deployed in South Sudan offer incense in tribute to late President Ho Chi Minh at the Nha Rong Port in HCM City before participating in the UNs peacekeeping force. (Photo: VNA) On November 25th, 2014, the Defence Ministry issued a decision to establish the level-2 field hospital with a 70-strong staff, a step to realise the Party and States policy on joining the United Nations peacekeeping activities in the field of humanitarian activities. Since then, the hospitals staff have engaged in intensive training in accordance with the UNs standards. Lieutenant Colonel Bui Duc Thanh, director of the level-2 field hospital, affirmed that all staff members of the hospital have met the UNs requirements on both professional ethics and skills, and are ready for their mission. Thanh said besides fulfilling the tasks set by the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, the hospitals staffers also aim to serve as messengers of peace from Vietnam and promote the countrys image. Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Vietnams deployment of a field hospital to South Sudan in New York on September 26th, UN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare expressed his belief that Vietnam will deploy a high-quality hospital that can effectively contribute to the UNs peacekeeping activities, and his hope for more contributions from Vietnam to this important mission./. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anfield Energy Inc. (TSX.V: AEC; OTCQB: ANLDF; FRANKFURT: 0AD) (Anfield or the Company) is pleased to learn that Wyoming Governor, Matt Mead, signed an agreement with the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which gives the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) the authority to regulate uranium recovery operations in Wyoming. With this approval, Wyoming becomes the 38th state to receive Agreement State status. Governor Mead stated, Wyoming DEQ has done a great job ensuring that all the program requirements have been met and will continue to be effectively implemented. I thank the NRC and DEQ for standing this program up quickly and cost efficiently. This is a significant and positive development for Anfield. Under the Wyoming DEQ approval process, the Company will be able to advance the Charlie Project more quickly upon the expected closing of the transaction with Cotter Corporation. As reported in our previous news release, dated September 5, 2018, the recently-announced resource estimate for the Charlie Project includes: an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,260,000 tons of mineralized material with an average grade of 0.123% eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Indicated Resource of 3,100,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ); and O (equivalent to an Indicated Resource of 3,100,000 pounds of eU O ); and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 558,000 tons of mineralized material with an average grade of 0.125% eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Inferred Resource of 1,400,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ); and O (equivalent to an Inferred Resource of 1,400,000 pounds of eU O ); and an Exploration Target ranging from 280,000 to 680,000 tons with an average grade ranging from 0.090 to 0.151 %eU 3 O 8 (equivalent to an Exploration Target ranging from 500,000 to 1,300,000 pounds of eU 3 O 8 ). Corey Dias, Anfield CEO, states, We are very pleased to see Wyoming achieve Agreement State status. This is critical as it will allow for an even faster path to the licensing and permitting of projects, similar to what we have experienced in Utah. Moreover, it creates a much more straightforward path towards potential production for our 25 Wyoming-based uranium projects, including the Charlie Project, as the timeline for licensing and permitting is expected to decrease in this new environment. As a reminder, Charlie is the focus of Anfields near-term ISR production strategy. Anfields near-term goal of creating a uranium production complex in Wyoming through the combination of Charlie and Anfields resin processing agreement with Uranium One is strengthened by this news. About Anfield Anfield is a uranium and vanadium development and near-term production company that is committed to becoming a top-tier energy-related fuels supplier by creating value through sustainable, efficient growth in its assets. Anfield is a publicly-traded corporation listed on the TSX-Venture Exchange (AEC-V), the OTCQB Marketplace (ANLDF) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (0AD). Anfield is focused on two production centres, as summarized below: Wyoming Irigaray ISR Processing Plant (Resin Processing Agreement) Anfield has signed a Resin Processing Agreement with Uranium One whereby Anfield would process up to 500,000 pounds per annum of its mined material at Uranium Ones Irigaray processing plant in Wyoming. In addition, the Company can both buy and borrow uranium from Uranium One in order to fulfill some or all of its sales contracts. Anfields 24 ISR mining projects are located in the Black Hills, Powder River Basin, Great Divide Basin, Laramie Basin, Shirley Basin and Wind River Basin areas in Wyoming. Anfields three projects in Wyoming for which NI 43-101 resource reports have been completed are Nine Mile Lake, Red Rim and Clarkson Hill. The Charlie Project is located in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming near an existing uranium ISR mine and operating oilfields which have an infrastructure of roads and power lines. Previous owners and operators of the Charlie Project have conducted sufficient exploration drilling to delineate a portion of a major roll-front system which crosses the property and continues on to adjacent lands. As a result of this previous work, a database of over 1,300 drill holes is available as well as several hydrological, analytical and mineralogical reports. Previous reports have shown that the uranium mineralization underlying the Charlie Project exist as narrow and sinuous multiple roll-fronts which are commonly developed in the Tertiary sedimentary formations of the Powder River Basin. Roll-fronts of this type are currently mined by ISR methods on the adjacent Christensen Ranch Project and further south at Smith Ranch/Highland. Arizona/Utah Shootaring Canyon Mill A key asset in Anfields portfolio is the Shootaring Canyon Mill in Garfield County, Utah. The Shootaring Canyon Mill is strategically located within one of the historically most prolific uranium production areas in the United States, and is one of only three licensed uranium mills in the United States. Anfields conventional uranium assets consist of mining claims and state leases in southeastern Utah and Arizona, targeting areas where past uranium mining or prospecting occurred. Anfields conventional uranium assets include the Velvet-Wood Project, the Frank M Uranium Project, as well as the Findlay Tank breccia pipe. An NI 43-101 Preliminary Economic Assessment has been completed for the Velvet-Wood Project. All conventional uranium assets are situated within a 125-mile radius of the Shootaring Mill. On behalf of the Board of Directors ANFIELD ENERGY INC. Corey Dias, Chief Executive Officer 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. Contact: Anfield Energy, Inc. Clive Mostert Corporate Communications 780-920-5044 contact@anfieldenergy.com www.anfieldenergy.com Safe Harbor Statement THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS IN THIS NEWS RELEASE THAT ARE NOT PURELY HISTORICAL ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INCLUDE ANY STATEMENTS REGARDING BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE. EXCEPT FOR THE HISTORICAL INFORMATION PRESENTED HEREIN, MATTERS DISCUSSED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE CONTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SUCH STATEMENTS. STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL FACTS, INCLUDING STATEMENTS THAT ARE PRECEDED BY, FOLLOWED BY, OR THAT INCLUDE SUCH WORDS AS ESTIMATE, ANTICIPATE, BELIEVE, PLAN OR EXPECT OR SIMILAR STATEMENTS ARE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES FOR THE COMPANY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MINERAL EXPLORATION AND FUNDING AS WELL AS THE RISKS SHOWN IN THE COMPANYS MOST RECENT ANNUAL AND QUARTERLY REPORTS AND FROM TIME-TO-TIME IN OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPANY. OTHER RISKS INCLUDE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH SEEKING THE CAPITAL NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THE REGULATORY APPROVAL PROCESS, COMPETITIVE COMPANIES, FUTURE CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AND THE COMPANYS ABILITY AND LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR ITS EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THAT THE COMPANY WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, THAT THE COMPANYS EXPLORATION EFFORTS WILL SUCCEED OR THE COMPANY WILL ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE MADE AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, AND THE COMPANY ASSUMES NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, OR TO UPDATE THE REASONS WHY ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. ALTHOUGH THE COMPANY BELIEVES THAT THE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS AND INTENTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE ARE REASONABLE, THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCE THOSE BELIEFS, PLANS, EXPECTATIONS OR INTENTIONS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE. INVESTORS SHOULD CONSIDER ALL OF THE INFORMATION SET FORTH HEREIN AND SHOULD ALSO REFER TO THE RISK FACTORS DISCLOSED IN THE COMPANYS PERIODIC REPORTS FILED FROM TIME-TO-TIME. THIS NEWS RELEASE HAS BEEN PREPARED BY MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY WHO TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS CONTENTS. LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- La Mancha Holding S.a r.l. (La Mancha), a Luxembourg-incorporated private gold investment company, is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of 163,210,500 common shares (the Shares) of Golden Star Resources Ltd. (NYSE American: GSS; TSX: GSC; GSE: GSR) (Golden Star) in connection with its previously announced strategic investment of US$125.7 million in Golden Star. La Mancha beneficially owns and has control and direction over an aggregate of 163,210,500 common shares of Golden Star representing approximately 30% of the issued and outstanding common shares. La Mancha acquired the common shares of Golden Star for investment purposes. In the future La Mancha may, from time to time, increase or decrease its investment in Golden Star through market transactions, private agreements, treasury issuances or otherwise at any time subject to the terms of an investor rights agreement between La Mancha and Golden Star and other applicable restrictions. La Manchas head office is located at 3133 avenue Pasteur L2311 Luxembourg. Golden Stars head office is located at 150 King Street West, Sun Life Financial Tower, Suite 1200, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 1J9. La Mancha will file an updated early warning report in accordance with applicable securities laws, which will be available under Golden Stars profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com, and may also be obtained by contacting: Andrew Wray Chief Executive Officer of the La Mancha Group T: +44 203 6678755 Email: contact@lamancha.com About La Mancha Group La Mancha is a privately held international gold company with investments in Endeavour Mining, Evolution Mining and Golden Star Resources, having operations in West Africa (Mali, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire and Ghana) and Australia, respectively. La Mancha was taken private in 2012 by the Sawiris family. Under the Sawiris family ownership, since 2012, La Mancha has expanded its exposure to mining operations in Africa and Australia, and with this investment in Golden Star, is invested in three mining companies with total production exceeding 1.8 million gold equivalent ounces per annum. Mrs. Yousriya Loza-Sawiris owns all of the issued and outstanding shares of Marchmont Limited, the holding company of La Mancha Holding S.a r.l. Mrs. Loza-Sawiris is the mother of Mr. Naguib Sawiris, Chairman of the Advisory Board of La Mancha Holding S.a r.l. For more information, please visit www.lamancha.com. The delegation visit the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (Photo: VNA) In the solemn atmosphere at the Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, the teachers offered incense and flowers to express their gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh. At the Presidential Palace relic, which preserves artifacts and documents on the process of work and life of President Ho Chi Minh, 81 teachers were introduced to the relic and historical stories about Uncle Ho. "Nakhon Phanom province also has Uncle Ho's memorial site in Thailand. We, in general, and younger generations in particular, come to the memorial site not only to visit but also to follow his thought," said Ms. Tran Thi Thao, a former teacher from Nakhon Phanom province. Mr. Nguyen Van An, Deputy Head of the Thai-Vietnamese Association of Nakhon Phanom province, said that he was very moved when listening to stories about Uncle Ho. For Vietnamese people in Thailand, Uncle Ho is very close because he had done revolutionary activities in Thailand. In spite of old ages, they always look toward the homeland and will continue to carry out his teachings well to build the homeland to develop and preserve the cultural identity for future generations. The overseas Vietnamese community in Thailand has a large number of people and has made efforts to teach mother tounge to Vietnamese children in the country. To honour and encourage their effort, since 2016, the State Commission for Overseas Vietnamese has organized for former Vietnamese teachers in Thailand teaching Vietnamese language for many years to visit the homeland./. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people worldwide will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives. Mental illness does not discriminate. It's not relegated to the inner city. It doesn't favor people of a certain age. It transcends demographic and socio-economic lines. And too often, mental illness manifests itself in suicide: It's the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, just behind influenza, pneumonia and kidney disease. And, as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports, for every suicide there are 25 attempts.Vast amounts of money have been poured into research into the prevention and treatment of influenza, kidney disease and the other illnesses that make up that top-10 list. But while mental illness is slowly crawling to the forefront of public consciousness, there is nowhere near the level of financial and community support for people struggling with it.The scope of the issue didn't hit home in our safe, suburban community -- we topmagazine's list of best places to live in the United States -- until 2014, when we began looking at some troubling numbers in a systematic way. Fishers, Ind., has a population of nearly 92,000. In the last 20 years, we have had only three murders, but in the last three years alone 31 of our residents have died by suicide. Another three to four times as many have attempted suicide but were rescued by first responders. To further exacerbate our risk, Fishers matches nearly every indicator for communities that have experienced a school shooting.Sensible regulations for gun ownership could reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts as well as the risk of school shootings, but uncompromising ideologies on both sides mean that issue won't be settled anytime soon. And waiting is not an option: People are struggling, hurting and dying as communities grapple with what to do. So we asked ourselves a simple question: if we were to marshal our collective resources toward the issue of mental illness, whatwe do and whatwe do? The answer, and the effort over the last three years, has been substantive and systemic.The city, our school district, clinicians, religious leaders and public-safety officials have accomplished 97 percent of the tactical objectives that we set out to accomplish. In one school year, the number of students who received mental health services increased more than 1,000 percent. Our public-safety officials report that immediate detentions of those at risk of hurting themselves or others have decreased by more than 30 percent since 2015. We are working diligently to change the culture and stigma around mental illness. We are committed to creating a community that encourages those living in quiet despair to get the help that they need.We've learned a lot on our three-year journey. If you have a desire to address mental health in your own community, here are some pragmatic, actionable steps to help you get started:Key stakeholders may include your schools, religious leaders, policy makers, police and fire personnel, and social-service providers. Identify those you have strong relationships with and bring them to the table early. You will need them.Do not be afraid to take a considerable amount of time -- we took a year -- to truly understand the complexities and challenges of mental health in your community before rolling out a program to address it.Do a thorough assessment of your public-safety tactical responses to those in crisis and fill the gaps. For us, this meant combing through historic data to ensure we were properly addressing sensitive circumstances around mental health crisis situations.The conversation about mental illness must be brought into the light, and it needs to be community-wide. Focus on bringing down the stigma.This is an issue with life-and-death consequences. Understand that you will not make substantial progress on it overnight. Be committed to seeing it through even though the impact may not come to fruition immediately.We've found that building up our students and giving them a voice in our fight for mental health not only has made an impact on reducing the stigma in our youngest generations, but also has motivated parents and other adults to begin learning more about mental illness, further breaking down the stigma.This pragmatic approach is well documented, and I encourage anyone to review the Fishers Mental Health Task Force website as a resource. As with any initiative to bring about systemic change, patience and persistence is required. Your goals will likely take several years to accomplish and you must commit to continue striving toward them. Victory will never be complete, but there will always be progress to be made. 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. Madison v. Alabama Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. v. Albrecht Mount Lemmon Fire District v. Guido Nieves v. Bartlett Knick v. Township of Scott Gamble v. United States The U.S. Supreme Court began a new term on Monday amid the ongoing confirmation fight over President Donald Trumps latest nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. The U.S. Senate is expected to hold a floor vote on the judge after the FBI completes an investigation this week into sexual assault allegations against him.In the meantime, the eight current justices face a quiet docket without any headline-grabbing blockbuster cases. Still, there are several cases with implications for state and local governments.State sovereignty is a really big issue this term, says Lisa Soronen, executive director of the State and Local Legal Center. Chuck Thompson, executive director of the International Municipal Lawyers Association, adds that several of this terms cases have the potential to expand the amount of litigation against local government.Here's a rundown of the most important cases for state and local government officials to watch:Tuesday will bring oral arguments in a death penalty case about whether states can execute people whose mental disabilities leave them unable to remember their crimes. Vernon Madison has been on death row for three decades after killing a police officer but has developed dementia with severe memory loss and cognitive impairment. Though he claims not to remember committing murder, a court-appointed psychologist concluded Madison does understand he is to be executed for this crime, which the state says makes it constitutional. Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative is leading Madisons legal team, which argues that no penological justification or retributive value can be found in executing a severely impaired and incompetent prisoner.The court will consider overruling its 1979 decision in Nevada v. Hall, which permitted a state to be sued in another states court system without its consent. More recently, Gilbert Hyatt sued Californias Franchise Tax Board (FTB) through Nevada's courts, and FTB argues Nevada was mandated to grant it immunity. Fundamentally, the issue now is that FTB believes Hall was wrongly decided, arguing that the '79 ruling stands in sharp conflict with the Founding-era understanding of state sovereign immunity. Before the adoption of the Constitution, it was widely accepted that the States enjoyed sovereign immunity from suit in each others courts.This will tackle whether a state-level failure-to-warn claim is preempted if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejects a drug manufacturers proposal to warn consumers about the risk of its product based on scientific data. In this instance, the Merck company gave the FDA data supporting a change to warning labels, with the goal of warning about the risk of atypical bone fractures. The FDA didnt buy the justification for new language. Then plaintiffs sued Merck, alleging that its drug caused them severe bone fractures and that Merck didnt do enough-- under state law --to warn them. If a drug manufacturer candidly brings a risk to the FDAs attention and proposes an on-point warning, the FDAs rejection should suffice as a matter of law to preempt claims alleging failure to warn of that risk, Merck argues.This case, which was argued today, concerns whether the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act covers state and local government employers with fewer than 20 employees. Two of the oldest employees at a small Arizona fire district were laid off , and theyre claiming discrimination. CNBC reports that the fire district has said that the layoffs were forced by a budget shortfall so intense the district resorted to bake sales. It will argue that the age discrimination statute doesn't apply because it has so few employees.This Alaska case involves Russell Bartlett, who declined to talk to a police officer named Luis Nieves at a snowmobile race. Later that day, Nieves arrested Bartlett for yelling at another police officer and, Nieves believed, posing a threat. Bartlett claims Nieves said bet you wish you had talked to me now while arresting him, alleging that the arrest violated the First Amendment's retaliatory-arrest claims. The court will decide whether probable cause makes those type of claims moot.Oral arguments involving Scott, Pa., begin Wednesday. The central issue here is takings claims made when government uses, regulates and seizes private property. Specifically, the court will decide whether to overrule its previous holding that people challenging government taking must go through state court before federal court. The case revolves around property owner Rose Mary Knick, who filed a federal lawsuit to challenge a local cemetery ordinance permitting town officials to enter any property in search of grave sites. The town believes stones on Knicks property are grave markers, which would mean -- under the ordinance -- that her property would need to remain open to the public during the day. A federal judge dismissed her case, and a Philadelphia appeals court told her she must first seek justice at the state level. Knick is appealing that ruling.This case involves the Fifth Amendment, specifically its separate sovereigns exception, which bars the federal government and states from convicting and sentencing someone for the same crime. The court is being asked to overrule this exception by Terance Gamble, a felon convicted of illegal firearm possession under both Alabama and federal law.The State and Local Legal Centers full preview of this falls Supreme Court term is available here Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey was asked this morning if she supported the confirmation of U.S. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.Ivey spoke with reporters this morning after a press conference about the state's new Security Operations Center and cybersecurity website.Ivey was asked if she supported Kavanaugh's nomination based on what she knows now and if she supported the FBI investigation announced after Friday's vote by the Judiciary Committee."The Senate has a job to do and that is to confirm a Supreme Court justice," Ivey said. "And I surely hope they will get the information that they already have, evaluate it, and make the right decision for the best interests of the country."Asked later to elaborate on her answer, Ivey said she supports Kavanaugh's confirmation based on what she knows, but said senators are in a better position to decide that."I think he should be confirmed," Ivey said. "But see, I'm not there to see it eyeball-to-eyeball. So that's not a fair question. It's the role of the senators in the Senate to evaluate the information they have and to exercise their good judgment." New Maryland laws taking effect Oct. 1: "Sextortion and revenge porn": Using threats of shame or economic harm to coerce a person into having sex will become a misdemeanor carrying a penalty of up to 10 years and a $10,000 fine under the "sextortion and revenge porn" legislation. "Gay conversion" therapy ban: A law bans "gay conversion" therapy as a medical specialty. "Bump stock" ban: A ban on "bump stocks" that can increase the firing rate of weapons is taking effect. Tracking suicides: The state is required to track suicides by members of the military and veterans. "Red flag" legislation: "Red flag" legislation will allow a court to issue an "extreme risk protective order" for the seizure of guns from their owners when a judge finds credible evidence that they are a danger to themselves or others. "Move-over" law expands: The state's "move-over" law requiring motorists to change lanes or slow down for tow trucks and emergency vehicles is expanding to cover emergency maintenance vehicles, garbage trucks, highway or utility trucks and other service vehicles. Expanding victims' rights in college: An expansion of victims' rights in college disciplinary actions over allegations of sexual assault becomes a new law. Sexual activity with person in custody prohibited: Law enforcement officers are not allowed to engage in sexual activity with a person in custody. Sexual harassment in the workplace: One law prohibits employers from imposing nondisclosure agreements on women reporting sexual harassment and requires large employers to disclose information about their records in maintaining harassment-free workplaces. Sexual harassment prevention training: State employees are required to receive sexual harassment prevention training. Breast pump law: A new law requires that the state provide employees with appropriate places and time for them to pump breast milk. Laws protecting pregnant inmates: A new law requires jails and prisons to adopt policies on how to deal with pregnant inmates and to inform them of those policies as soon as they test positive for pregnancy. Menstrual products bill: Incarcerated women will have access to enough feminine hygiene products with the passage of the menstrual products bill. Domestic violence protective orders: Victims of domestic violence will find it easier to obtain permanent protective orders in cases in which their assailants have been convicted of crime. Informing convicted domestic violence defendants not to own guns: Defendants convicted in domestic violence cases must be informed of an existing requirement that they not possess firearms. The law sets a procedure for them to surrender their guns. Using threats of shame or economic harm to coerce a person into having sex will become explicitly illegal in Maryland under one of the hundreds of new laws that take effect Monday in the state.While officially gender-neutral, the bill is one of many the General Assembly passed this year with a focus on protecting or otherwise enhancing the quality of life of women. They address a variety of concerns -- including sexual assault, workplace harassment and the rights of female prisoners.The bills are going on the books at a time when women's rights to be protected from assault and harassment are at the forefront of a national debate over the #MeToo movement and the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh as a U.S. Supreme Court justice.Lisae Jordan, executive director of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault, said 2018 -- like 2017 -- was a very good year for women's issues in Annapolis. And she said the national backlash against powerful men who harass and assault women was part of the reason."#MeToo definitely helped keep the momentum going, and it helped focus the attention of legislators as they approached the election," Jordan said.All of Maryland's General Assembly seats are up for election Nov. 6.Oct. 1 is the day when most Maryland bills become law. Others, many of them with budgetary implications, take effect July 1 to coincide with the start of the fiscal year.There are significant new laws taking effect Monday that wouldn't be considered primarily women's issues.There's a ban on so-called "gay conversion" therapy as a medical specialty, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Richard Madaleno of Montgomery County. There's a ban on "bump stocks" that can increase the firing rate of weapons, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Victor Ramirez of Prince George's County. There's a bill by Republican Sen. Bryan Simonaire of Anne Arundel County and Democratic Del. Pat Young of Baltimore County requiring the state to track suicides by members of the military and veterans.Another bill relating to guns that is becoming law is the so-called "red flag" legislation. It will allow a court to issue an "extreme risk protective order" for the seizure of guns from their owners when a judge finds credible evidence that they are a danger to themselves or others. Gun rights groups and most GOP lawmakers strongly opposed the bill, while Republican Gov. Larry Hogan signed it.One measure affecting drivers is an expansion of the state's "move over" law, which requires motorists to change lanes or slow down for working tow trucks or emergency vehicles. It will now cover emergency maintenance vehicles, garbage trucks, highway or utility trucks, and other service vehicles. It was sponsored by the late Sen. Wayne Norman, a Harford County Republican who introduced it before he died in March, and Del. Anne Healey, a Prince George's County Democrat.But Sen. Bobby Zirkin's legislation dealing with "sextortion" and "revenge porn" is a prime example of the laws responding to women's concerns.Jordan said the impetus for the bill came from a growing problem of people using the internet to build relationships, gain others' confidence and persuade them to provide increasingly more explicit pictures. Then, the so-called "sextortionists" threaten to share the images to coerce the victims -- usually women -- into appearing in pornography or having sex.Under the new law, such actions will be a misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.Jordan and Zirkin, a Baltimore County Democrat, said the law takes in more than internet activity. It prohibits threats to cause emotional distress or economic harm, or to accuse the victims of committing crimes, in order to coerce the victim into sex or participation in pornography. For instance, Zirkin said, it would cover someone who threatened to call authorities about a person's immigration status to coerce them into sexual activity.Zirkin said the legislation closes a loophole in Maryland's extortion law that excluded sexual activity because it was not technically considered a thing of monetary value."It's an important new tool in prosecutors' arsenals," Jordan said.Most of the other new laws that largely affect women are sponsored by Democrats, which reflects both that party's domination of the legislature and the greater percentage of Democratic lawmakers who are women.The laws include an expansion of victims' rights in college disciplinary actions over allegations of sexual assault, sponsored by Sen. Joan Carter Conway of Baltimore and Del. Aruna Miller of Montgomery County.Another, sponsored by Baltimore Del. Brooke Lierman, prohibits law enforcement officers from engaging in sexual activity with a person in their custody.Two of the laws deal with sexual harassment in the workplace.One, sponsored by Sen. Craig Zucker of Montgomery County, and Del. Kris Valderrama of Prince George's County, prohibits employers from imposing nondisclosure agreements on women reporting sexual harassment and requires employers with 50 or more workers to disclose information about their records in maintaining harassment-free workplaces. The other, introduced by Del. Shelly Hettleman of Baltimore County, requires sexual harassment prevention training for state employees.Several of the new laws are specific in their application to women, including one by Del. Carol Krimm of Frederick County, that requires the state to provide employees with appropriate places and time for them to pump breast milk.Two deal with the rights of female inmates. One, sponsored by Sen. Delores Kelley of Baltimore County and Del. Kathleen Dumais of Montgomery County, requires jails and prisons to adopt policies on how to deal with pregnant inmates and to inform them of those policies as soon as they test positive for pregnancy.The other, by Del. Pamela Queen and Sen. Susan Lee, both of Montgomery County, is intended to ensure that incarcerated women have access to enough feminine hygiene products. Alice Wilkerson, a lobbyist who worked for passage of the menstrual products bill, said advocates heard reports that some jails had policies limiting the number of feminine hygiene products issued to five a month. She said that forced some women to spend their limited funds at the institution's commissary to buy the supplies they needed.While women can be on both sides of domestic abuse, victims of such crimes will find it easier to obtain permanent protective orders in cases in which their assailants have been convicted of abusing them and imprisoned, under legislation sponsored by Kelley and Del. Vanessa Atterbeary of Howard County.Another Atterbeary bill will require defendants convicted in domestic violence cases to be informed of an existing requirement that they not possess firearms and sets a procedure for them to surrender their guns. On Friday, in the morning, at St Johns Cathedral, Brisbane City, His Excellency the Honourable Paul de Jersey AC and Mrs Kaye de Jersey attended the National Police Remembrance Day Church Service, and the Governor laid the first wreath. In the afternoon, at Government House, His Excellency received the Clerk of the Parliament, Mr Neil Laurie, for the presentation of two Bills for Assent. In the evening, at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre, South Bank, His Excellency and Mrs de Jersey attended the opening night performance of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Description GIS 02 October, 2018: The use of OSS (Open Source Software) is increasing in Mauritius as citizens become more and more dependent on the Internet, on appliances and the cloud. However, challenges are also increasing and one of them is knowledge of Open Source Solutions, their features, usage and availability. The Minister of Technology, Communication and Innovation, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, made this statement yesterday at Cyber Tower 1 in Ebene Cyber-city. He was speaking at the launching of a two-day workshop on Open Licensing for Open Source Software, Open Content and Open Data. It is organised by the National Computer Board with a view to enlightening software developers on the legal aspects of Open Components. In his opening address the Minister spoke of Governments willingness to ensure that Mauritius fully benefits from the use of Open Source Initiatives while also contributing to it and promoting creativity, innovation and socioeconomic development. There is a need to educate people, including IT professionals on the benefits of OSS, he said. Like many Governments, Mauritius too has embraced Open Source Software, Open Content and Open Data through the elaboration of a National Open Source Policy and Strategy. On that score a National Open Source Action Plan has been developed with the support of the European Union. The objective of the Action Plan is to create the right environment for the adoption, development and pervasive use of Open Source Initiatives in the public, private and educational sectors as well as by the civil society, the Minister recalled. About the workshop Four sessions are scheduled on the following themes: Open Source Software Licensing with focus on the history of the free software and open source Software movement as counter-reaction to restrictions in businesses and Copyright Law; Open Source Licenses in Detail. The aim is to offer an understanding of the most important and widespread licenses (Apache, BSD, MIT, MPL, AGPL, GPL, LGPL); Legal Pitfalls when using Open Source Software: Big global players and their suppliers take considerable efforts to avoid copyright infringement and other legal risks; and Transfer of the Open Source Concept to other Works, Data and Hardware. The workshop, which mainly brings together IT professionals working in public and private institutions, is conducted is Dr Till Jaeger, Attorney at Law, JBB Rechtsanwalte, in Germany. (TNS) - Aid workers described scenes of destruction and desperation Monday in areas of Sulawesi they reached for the first time since a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunami leveled parts of the Indonesian island, blocked roads and turned solid ground into mud.Just outside the hard-hit town of Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province and hub of the relief effort, volunteers retrieved the bodies of 34 students from a Bible school in the town of Sigi Biromaru, said Aulia Arriani, head of communications at the Indonesian Red Cross.The Red Cross team had a hard time to evacuate the bodies as they had to walk through mud for one-and-a-half hours, Aulia said.At least 1,203 people were killed after Fridays quake, according to an unofficial count by volunteers, nongovernmental groups and hospitals in Palu. The tremor unleashed a tsunami as high as 20 feet crashing into the coastline, destroying roads and bridges, downing cellphone towers and washing away thousands of houses.Indonesian officials said they had tallied 844 dead, but warned that number would increase as information continued to emerge from hard-to-reach areas. Relief agencies said more than 300,000 people were thought to be homeless, many sleeping in the streets of Palu as aftershocks rattled the region.Terrifying videos shot on cellphones and disseminated via social media showed the earthquake apparently turning solid ground into mud, a phenomenon known as liquefaction. It is feared that hundreds of people remain buried in mud and debris in Palu after homes collapsed as the earthquake caused the ground to give way.We dont know how many victims could be buried there, its estimated hundreds, Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster agency, told reporters in Jakarta, the capital.With bodies piling up at medical facilities and concerns rising about disease, authorities in Palu began a mass burial, lining the dead side-by-side in a giant, freshly dug grave that could accommodate hundreds.The burials would reduce the risk of cholera and other illnesses spreading, officials said, and were in line with Muslim custom, which requires burials soon after death.The earthquake ranks as the deadliest since a magnitude 7.8 quake struck Nepal in 2015, killing more than 8,000 people. Aid groups say that more than 1.5 million people have been affected by the disaster, with one-third having lost family members, houses or livelihoods, according to international agencies helping in the response.We are shocked by the number of people that have perished, and we fear this number will get much worse, said Helen Vanwel, the Indonesia country director for the CARE relief agency.Sulawesi lies roughly 1,000 miles from Jakarta and is one of more than 17,000 islands that make up Indonesia. The archipelago nation lies on an area of heavy tectonic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, and has suffered a series of deadly earthquakes over the past two decades.Relief supplies were going into Palu on a limited number of military flights from Jakarta and arriving slowly by road from Makassar, 500 miles away in the islands south. Other roads around the city were damaged by the earthquake or blocked by ensuing landslides.Without excavators or other heavy equipment to move debris, people in Palu were seen digging by hand to try to free victims trapped under downed buildings, including hotels and malls. Efforts have focused on the Roa-Roa hotel, an eight-story building in Palu where relief workers briefly heard voices coming from beneath the rubble on Saturday.Two bodies were retrieved from under the downed hotel on Monday, Rafiq Ashori, the Indonesian Red Cross disaster preparedness head, said by phone from Palu.According to footage shared on social media, survivors were stopping relief convoys and crowds were gathering at Palus airport demanding to board flights to Jakarta.A statement from a network of volunteers helping to dig through rubble in the hope of finding survivors in Palu described a dead city where water and gasoline are rare, adding that there was looting everywhere.There is still no aid received yet, except for several boxes of instant noodles from some volunteers, Sukmawati, a 50-year-old woman whose brother died in the disaster and whose aunt is still unaccounted for, said by phone from Palu. Sukmawati has only one name.Drinking water is also very limited, she said, adding that those left homeless have to be self-sufficient.Convoys of aid destined for previously hard to access regions were expected to leave from Palu early Tuesday, with government security support due to fears of looting.Authorities have so far turned a blind eye to people taking what they need from damaged shops to survive, saying that business owners will be compensated.But the Indonesian Retailers Assn., a trade group, lashed out at the government.We are concerned about the government's arrogance in allowing people to loot goods from retail outlets without coordinating with their owners or management, or with the association, chairman Roy Nicholas Mandey told Kompas, an Indonesian newspaper.Visiting the stricken region Sunday, President Joko Widodo asked survivors to be patient given the damage to transport and communications inflicted by the disaster.By Monday, as the clamor for help grew louder, Widodo, who is up for reelection in April, said the government would immediately send as much food as possible. His investment minister Thomas Lembong announced that the government would accept aid from foreign governments to help with the response.11:45 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with staff reporting.This article was originally published at 8 a.m.2018 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Scene of plane crash in Micronesia (Photo: VTC/Reuters) The Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with the Vietnamese Embassies in Indonesia and the Philippines and other internal and external relevant agencies to support and complete necessary procedures to soon return the four citizens to Vietnam. Currently, Air Niugini provides accommodation and meals for four Vietnamese passengers during their stay in Micronesia./. I've seen several reports in the news lately questioning the actual number of school shootings. Here, two enterprising people put together a data base of K-12 School Shootings. Check out the interactive map by clicking on the dots to get details on each incident.See the details below for who, how and what is contained in the database."In August 2018, NPR Morning Edition asked the question, How many times per year does a gun go off in an American school? We should know, but we dont. The story highlighted a lack of accurate and consolidated statistical data on school shootings.To address this data void, the K-12 School Shooting Database (www.chds.us/ssdb) has been created as a research product of the CHDS Advanced Thinking (HSx) program by David Riedman (CA-1402, HSx) and Desmond ONeill (CA-1506, HSx). Although a number of other school shootings lists currently exist, they have different criteria, making their collective utility for global analysis severely limited.The K-12 School Shoot Database contains more than 1,300 incidents from 1970 to present in which a gun is/was brandished, fired, or a bullet hit(s) school property for any reason, regardless of the number of victims (including zero), time, day of the week, or reason. This definition, which is purposely more inclusive than exclusive, enables users to filter between subsets within the data (e.g., cause, number of victims, pre-planning, type of weapon(s) used, demographics, location) to conduct a more detailed analysis of incidents within their area of interest to make better informed decisions and generate more accurate reports.The data was collected from 25 different sources including peer-reviewed studies, government reports, mainstream media, nonprofit entities, private websites, blogs, and crowdsourced lists. Prior to being included in the database, each incident has been filtered, cross-referenced and, when possible, validated against official records, such as police reports and court records. As new incidents occur or historical shootings are discovered they are added to the database using the same validation process.Please submit questions, corrections, or information about other incidents to the research team (dariedma1@nps.edu and dsoneill@nps.edu). Feel free to share this link and the fact sheet with your colleagues that would be interested."The information above was shared by Heather Issvoran. (TNS) - Tens of thousands of phones throughout Colorado will buzz almost simultaneously Wednesday as national emergency officials test a system that allows the president to contact the nation through cell phones in case of an emergency.The Federal Emergency Management Agency will send a text to all cell phones connected to the Wireless Emergency Alert system at 12:18 p.m. Wednesday. The nationwide test is the first of its kind for the program that will allow the president to contact tens of millions of people across the country.Officials in Vail conducted a local test of the system in May, one of a handful of locations to do so. Denver emergency management staff also tested the system on Sept. 5, and they expected to reach about a million people.The Vail test was a success and an opportunity to learn valuable lessons, said Jennifer Kirkland, 911 operations administrator at the towns Public Safety Communications Center.The test showed that not everyone in the designated area received the text. Kirkland was standing in the communications center in the middle of Vail when the message was sent. The phones of the people around her started to buzz and emit a loud blare.Everyone around me got the text, but I didnt, she said.Others in town also didnt get the message, she said, but the agency couldnt determine why.There was nothing that we could pinpoint about why or why not you get the text, she said.Other recipients heard the tone but did not get the text, according to a survey conducted by Vail Public Safety Communications after the test. A number of people outside of the test area also received the messages.It reached a majority of people, but for us the key finding was that its like any other tool you cant use it just by itself, Kirkland said.The nationwide text on Wednesday will have a header that reads Presidential Alert and a brief message about the test, according to FEMA. Phones that are not on silent will make the same tone as they do when they receive tornado warnings or an AMBER alert.The test was originally scheduled for Sept. 20 but officials postponed it until Wednesday due to Hurricane Florence.Here are some things to know before Wednesdays test:No, you cant opt out. While you can decide to no longer receive regional notifications, a 2006 law prohibits users from opting out of a presidential alert.A Presidential Alert has never been sent before. Text alerts have been sent for regional weather and other emergencies, but a president has never used the system to send a text to the entire country about an emergency of national consequence. The national system will be tested for the first time Wednesday.FEMA activates the alert. The president has to direct the agency to send an alert, but FEMA officials have to activate the message and send it out.Receiving the alert does not allow the government to know your location.2018 The Denver PostVisit The Denver Post at www.denverpost.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) WILEY FORD, W.Va. The Potomac Highlands Airport Authority plans to draft a letter expressing interest in a seat on the governor's new work group that will study a possible autonomous technology center.In July, the authority approved funding half of a feasibility study for the center, which it hoped would be located at a proposed business park at the Greater Cumberland Airport. The Appalachian Regional Commission funded the remainder of the study.Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced on Sept. 20 that a work group will pursue recommendations in the study regarding the development of a Western Maryland Autonomous Technology Center."I feel like we sort of got bypassed by the governor," said Kevin Clark, authority member and executive director of the Mineral County Development Authority. "We were an instrumental part of this. The airport should still have a seat on that work group."The center will likely be located in Frostburg, Md., and will focus on autonomous vehicles, according to Dave Weimer, authority chairman."We paid for the feasibility study and we were looking for drones, something that would be conducive to the airport," said Weimer. "I think that the study still identifies that the airport would be a good location to facilitate drone activity. I think we can still solicit business to incorporate that type of technology here."The work group will partner with Frostburg State University and local community colleges to create workforce training programs and collaborate with local private sector employers.As part of the feasibility study, the Maryland Transportation Institute at the University of Maryland evaluated the technical, economic and regulatory feasibility of a potential training center in Western Maryland. The study included identifying industry interest, analyzing market potential, selecting technology areas and determining facility needs.The final report for the feasibility study is expected to be completed soon.Creade Brodie Jr., authority member and Allegany County commissioner, also suggested that FSU be sent a letter reminding them that it has an unfilled ex officio seat on the airport authority board.The seat can be filled by a combination of representatives from Potomac State College of West Virginia University, Allegany College of Maryland as well as FSU, said Ryan Shaffer, airport manager."I do still believe the airport is going to be a part of this moving forward," said Brodie. "The main thing is we want recognition to this area." What is 5G? What is Verizon offering, exactly? Where is it offered? How do costs compare? So why the fuss, then? Why else should I care? How did Sacramento end up as one of the four pilot cities? (TNS) Verizon on Monday will roll out 5G wireless broadband to parts of Sacramento, making the city one of just a handful in the world to boast the first revolutionary, at-home internet service of its type from a major provider.Customers in some Sacramento neighborhoods, who could sign up starting Sept. 13 , can get a three-month free trial period before paying $70 a month (or $50 a month, for customers already paying for a Verizon wireless phone plan) for network speeds advertised at 300 megabits per second. Thats anywhere from about 25 to 60 times higher-speed than existing 4G LTE Verizon coverage, which ranges from 5 to 12 Mbps.Sacramento, Houston, Indianapolis and Los Angeles are the first cities getting access, with service available Monday, Oct. 1, as Verizon and the city of Sacramento proudly announced earlier in 2018.Access will later expand to the rest of Sacramento, the city announced earlier this year, with a goal of early 2019.So heres a crash course in 5G, and how it will affect the Sacramento region and beyond.5G denotes the fifth generation of wireless/cellphone technology.1G, the first generation, was introduced conceptually back in 1979, and relied on analog standards via radio signals.2G moved the signal type from analog to the digital age, and also introduced SMS (aka text messages).3G technology introduced faster data transfer rates. As archived news stories from the early 2000s indicate, 3G service launched commercially in Japan in 2001 with some apprehension from critics. Later in the decade, improved 3G technology allowed for data transfer quick enough for the feasibility of smartphones, as the second-generation iPhone released in 2008 used 3G to offer internet access.4G and 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) further improved network speeds, with coverage areas expanding for high-speed mobile internet access. Verizon says on its website that its 4G LTE service, which it launched commercially in December 2010, carries 90 percent of its users data traffic. More than 98 percent of the U.S. has 4G LTE access, Verizon says.That makes 5G the next jump, with its early implementations and commercial uses offering high performance at lower costs and energy consumption, as explained by wireless providers, and hardware-makers like Qualcomm and Intel. Later developments in the 5G lifespan could massively boost wireless internet speeds available via modems and phones (more on that later).Verizons product is known as 5G Home. The companys website bills it as the first ever 5G-powered home internet that can connect all your devices.With an appearance similar to Google Home or Amazon Echo smart speakers, Verizons device will take in signals from small-scale antenna/radios mounted on Sacramento light poles or utility poles, according to a news release by the city With the antennas installed and devices set up, service is set to go online Monday for Sacramento and the other three U.S. cities.It should be noted that unlike currently available 4G LTE, the 5G plan Verizon is unveiling in October is an at-home-only service for now, not citywide roaming coverage. Therefore, you wont be able to use those new antennas in Sacramento unless youre at a home with 5G installed.The city of Sacramento has provided a map roughly outlining the areas and neighborhoods in which Verizon 5G will launch Monday.Verizon additionally offers a webpage in which users can input their street address to find out if they qualify.According to the rates advertised by each company for standalone internet plans, Verizon 5G will give eligible households a slightly better deal in terms of value than one of its main Sacramento region competitors, Comcast Xfinity.Comcast Xfinitys Blast! Pro standalone package offers 250 Mbps download speeds starting at $70 a month, the same price as Verizons 300 Mbps 5G service.The regions other major provider, AT&T, offers a 300 Mbps plan for $70 a month, according to its website.Wait, its comparable to AT&T and Comcast speeds at the same price point? I thought 5G was supposed to be blazing fast.Examining raw download speeds, one will notice that Verizon 5G Home in Sacramento wont immediately offer anything that blazes past options provided by competitors via traditional Wi-Fi modems.As noted, 300 Mbps is currently offered by AT&T, and Xfinity doesnt lag too far behind at 250 Mbps for $70. And both companies offer 1,000-plus Mbps plans for higher prices.Verizon 5G will, according to the company and the city of Sacramentos statements, provide necessary infrastructure and a customer base for improved 5G networks down the road.It may take a matter of years for 5G to grow to the anticipated blazing fast levels, as technology continues to improve. Sacramentos status as a pilot city should give it a head start over most U.S. cities, for Verizon customers at the very least.Widespread Verizon 5G coverage across Sacramento is expected by early 2019, the city says.How will the faster internet speeds affect me day-to-day?Conceptually, the foundation for faster internet that plans to be built using Sacramentos 5G infrastructure could have a big impact for everyday consumers.The first phase of 5G will only be capable of boosting current connection speeds by about 15 to 50 percent, real-world tests of the existing technology show. However, improvements within a few years could be dramatic.The most ambitious estimates by tech news outlets predict speeds of 20 gigabits per second being reachable in the 2020s. In theory, thats fast enough for the wireless download of a feature-length, HD movie in about two seconds.Put another way, 20 Gbps is about 4,000 times faster than the 5 Mbps at the low end of Verizons 4G LTE coverage.Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said in a recent interview with Bloomberg that 5G phones with faster wireless speeds will be available in the first half of 2019.Wireless internet speeds that quick could transform the workplace, some say. A blog post by Tech Radar speculated that 5G innovations could increase business productivity so greatly, it may usher in the standard of a four-day work week. Widespread access to fast wireless speeds and an early foundation set for 5G internet has other implications for Sacramento.For instance, Phantom Auto, an autonomous vehicle technology company, recently agreed to begin testing driverless cars in Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg said. Faster wireless connections means quicker communication between the car and the backup driver.Introduction of 5G will expand digital access for underserved communities and boost the citys efforts to establish itself as a center for autonomous vehicle testing, Steinberg said in a news release. detailed article published this April, penned by tech blog Fierce Wireless Editor-in-Chief Mike Dano, and previous stories by The Bee explain how the city landed a pilot 5G program from a major provider like Verizon.Wireless network providers wanted to install small antenna cells on city-owned structures like light poles and utility towers many of them downtown, where carriers need additional network capacity to handle the growing demand created by increased network traffic, Dano wrote.There was a definite need to build out more capacity, the citys IT operations manager Darin Arcolino told Fierce Wireless.The city entered into a contract with a startup company called XG in 2016, Fierce Wireless reports. XG was chosen to handle the citys small cell operations and author its wireless master plan.In other words, XG was contracted by the city to set up the infrastructure that would allow a major provider like Verizon to introduce 5G service. Instead of direct payment, XG receives a percentage of leasing revenue from the city, Dano wrote.As The Bee reported at the time, the City Council in June 2017 reached a public-private partnership agreement with Verizon. Council members unanimously approved the plan, and Steinberg at the time called it a new era of Sacramento.In addition to 5G, the citys contract with Verizon calls for the company to provide free Wi-Fi in 27 of Sacramentos parks; provide internship and career opportunity programs for area STEM students; utilize technology to improve public safety and improve traffic congestion at city intersections; and build multipurpose digital kiosks.Whats in it for Verizon? As The Bee reported then, a memo in 2017 regarding the partnership said Verizon would get free use of 101 small cell towers for 10 years and low-cost rates for 5G cell locations when the technology goes commercial as it will, officially, starting Monday.Will the new antennas or signals make me sick or turn me into a mutant with superpowers?Probably not. The city of Sacramento in a news release cites Federal Communications Commission safety standards and World Health Organization projects that support very low risks to human health. Utahs Take Michigan. Georgia. Colorado. New Jersey. And now Utah. The list of states with a broad coalition of cybersecurity stakeholders united in one physical space has grown steadily over the past few years. Surveys from a wide array of organizations reveal that the No. 1 priority on the minds of tech leaders in state and local government is cybersecurity. Nobody wants news of a breach to break in their jurisdiction. And as cyber has worked its way to the top of the agenda, so has the realization that the CIOs office cant tackle it alone.Increasingly, cybersecurity has become a concern that transcends the CIOs office.has tracked the growing frequency with which cybersecurity is now a part of the biggest policy speech most governors give each year: the State of the State address.Were doing all we can within our existing management structure to defend our state resources, and more importantly to keep our citizens personal information safe from hackers, criminals or worse, said Idaho Gov. Butch Otter, pointing to the appointment of the states first director of information security, Jeffrey Weak. Among Weaks activities, as outlined by Otter, is enacting strict cybersecurity standards, Internet security controls and training for every employee. In another common practice, Idahos efforts, which include a partnership with the Idaho National Laboratorys Cybercore Integration Center, are also aimed at luring cybersecurity-related industry to the state.As for models to emulate, many, including officials in Utah, refer to the recently opened Hull McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Innovation and Training as the gold standard. A pet project of Gov. Nathan Deal, now nearing the end of his second term, the $100 million center stands as a physical monument to the ever-broader way government is approaching cybersecurity. The 17-acre campus, when complete, will offer more than 330,000 square feet of space for various government and law enforcement agencies, academia and the private sector. Its just this kind of broad collaboration that will position states to take on the enormity of the cybersecurity challenge.We have many different players focused on different pieces, and it seemed we could get a lot more done if we brought all those groups together, said Georgia CIO and Georgia Technology Authority Executive Director Calvin Rhodes, tasked by Deal with overseeing the undertaking.As for Utah, its cybercenter uses office space in the basement of the capitol building on State Street in Salt Lake City. It opened on the eve of the states primary election in June just in time to help ward off the influx of intrusion attempts that Utah, and so many other jurisdictions, are experiencing this election season. Its a proof of concept, of sorts, CIO Mike Hussey explained, estimating that the current space represents about 20 percent of what they need.In answer to the question of why now? Utah Chief Information Security Officer Phil Bates admits that the state feels a bit behind the curve. Five years ago was the right time, said Bates.Long lauded as a digital leader among state governments, Utah consistently receives an A grade in the Center for Digital Governments* bi-annual survey of state technology practices. With a consolidated IT environment, a lean state workforce (smaller today than in 2002), transparent, data-driven operations, and an openness to experimenting with emerging technologies, other states routinely consult Utahs example in making tech-driven improvements.But when it comes to a multi-agency cybersecurity facility, funding has proven a challenge. Hussey estimates that the new space, about 25,000 square feet in total, would cost between $15 million and $18 million. If his team can secure support from the governors office, theyll make the pitch to the Legislature early next year. Even with the funding in hand, building on Capitol Hill requires the approval of the Capitol Preservation Board, hesitant to make any changes to the areas historical facilities. It wont be a simple process.For now, the small-scale center unites the Department of Technology Services, the Department of Public Safety and the State Bureau of Investigation. It recently played host to a tabletop exercise that cast a much wider net: elections staff, public safety, Homeland Security and the Department of Emergency Management and more.Ultimately, though, they envision a number of additional uses for a larger cybercenter on Capitol Hill. A bigger space would allow the state to develop partnerships with academia, establish internships to contribute to the workforce pipeline and share expertise with local governments. One place where the need is particularly acute is with counties, which are responsible for administering elections in the state.Counties have expressed interest in getting into the cybercenter and learning how to improve their cyberposture and we think thats a good idea, Hussey said.An expanded cybercenter would also better position the state as a one-stop resource for Utah businesses needing guidance on their cybersecurity practices in order to prevent or respond to a breach. A few larger jurisdictions have started to serve this role as cyber-related concerns have increasingly permeated the private sector. Los Angeles, for example, opened its Cyber Lab in August 2017 in a partnership with Cisco to share threat information with local businesses.Every state needs to be looking at something like this, Hussey said, adding that when he came on board as CIO in late 2015, the state was blocking 130 million intrusion attempts daily. That number is closer to 1 billion today.Its not going backward. Its going to continue on this trajectory, and we need to get in front of this as soon as possible, he said. We really need to respond now.Government Technology's Charles Leclerc will give Sebastian Vettel a run for his money at Ferrari next year. That is the view of two experienced former Ferrari drivers. Gerhard Berger told Tagesspiegel newspaper that the Maranello team's 2019 lineup is "very interesting". "Leclerc is an excellent driver. However, I think in the first year it will be above all a learning phase. With his experience, Vettel should have his nose ahead," said the F1 legend. Felipe Massa, meanwhile, does not think Ferrari is taking too great a risk by promoting its 20-year-old junior from Sauber. "No, they've done well," he told Corriere della Sera. "Besides his talent, Charles has an incredible head and in my opinion is even more mature than Max Verstappen. "I am convinced that one day he will be able to become world champion. And with Sebastian Vettel at his side they will push each other. "I think Ferrari has a great driver pairing for 2019," the Brazilian added. (GMM) Hankook appears determined to become F1's next tyre supplier. The South Korean company has joined Pirelli in responding to the FIA's tender for the role of official tyre supplier starting in 2020. Auto Motor und Sport reports that experienced F1 engineer Hirohide Hamashima, formerly of Bridgestone, has been retained as a consultant. The FIA is said to be impressed with Hankook's headquarters in Daejeon, having passed the first technical stage of the tender process. "Now there is the commercial discussion with F1," Pirelli boss Mario Isola revealed at Sochi. Hankook is also preparing to develop and test its proposed 2020 tyres on the track. The Korean company has reportedly bought a Cosworth-powered 2011 Williams car and a converted Formula 2 car, and retained the services of a former Formula E test driver. Pirelli's Isola says he doesn't know how long the FIA will take to make its decision. "There is no deadline for that so I cannot tell you how long it will last," he said. (GMM) After 12 years developing hydrogen propulsion systems for small unmanned aircraft (earlier post), HES Energy Systems is unveiled its plans for Element One, the first regional hydrogen-electric passenger aircraft. Designed as a zero-emissions aircraft, Element One merges HES ultra-light hydrogen fuel cell technologies with a distributed electric aircraft propulsion design. With virtually no change to its current drone-scale systems, HES distributed system allows for modularity and increased safety through multiple system redundancies. Element One is powered by HESs Aeropaka combination of its extremely lightweight fuel cells with high energy density hydrogen energy storage, allowing flight duration extensions by several orders of magnitude compared to lithium batteries. The swappable hydrogen propulsion system scales from single systems for drones to multiple systems in parallel for manned electric flight. Element One is designed to fly 4 passengers for 500 km to 5000 km (311 miles to 3100 miles ) depending on whether hydrogen is stored in gaseous or liquid form. This performance is several orders of magnitude better than any battery-electric aircraft attempt so far, opening new aerial routes between smaller towns and rural areas using an existing and dense network of small-scale airports and aerodromes. Originally from Singapore, HES has been working with a number of fast-moving start-ups and SMEs in France over the past year and exploring various locations to execute its Element One vision, including Aerospace Valley, the global aviation R&D hub located in Toulouse. Parent company H3 Dynamics has been a symbol of intensifying technological cooperation between the two countries as part of the 2018 Year of Innovation. Its now possible to break past the endurance limits of battery-electric flight using HES ultra-light hydrogen energy storage in a distributed propulsion arrangement. Element Ones design paves the way for renewable hydrogen as a long-range fuel for electric aviation. Taras Wankewycz, founder of HES Refueling Element One will take no more than 10 minutes using an automated nacelle swap system that applies AGVs (automated guided vehicles) and automated warehouse operations such as those used by Amazon and Alibaba. Last week, HES announced its plans to begin associating on-site hydrogen generation with fuel cell powered unmanned aircraft across a network of hydrogen-ready airports, in preparation for larger-scale electric aircraft such as Element One. HES is now in discussion with industrial-scale hydrogen producers to explore energy-efficient refueling systems using renewable solar or wind energy produced locally. In an effort to explore new business models that help position Element One into new travel segments, HES has aligned its zero-carbon aviation roadmap with Wingly, a French startup that offers flight sharing services for decentralized and regional air travel. We analyzed the millions of destination searches made by the community of 200,000 pilots and passengers on our platform and confirm there is a tremendous need for inter-regional transport between secondary cities. By combining autonomous emission free aircraft such as Element One, digital community-based platforms like Wingly and the existing high density network of airfields, we can change the paradigm. France alone offers a network of more than 450 airfields but only 10% of these are connected by regular airlines. We will simply connect the remaining 90%. Emeric de Waziers, CEO of Wingly Targeting a first flying prototype before 2025, HES is in the process of building a technical and commercial consortium involving both the aviation and hydrogen eco-systems. HES parent company H3 Dynamics Holdings is backed by Japans SPARX representing Toyota Mirai Creation Fund, ACA Partners, and Capital Management Group. SKODA, a member of the Volkswagen Group, is unveiling the VISION RS plug-in hybrid concept at the Paris Motor Show. The study provides the first glimpses of the next evolutionary stage of SKODAs sporty RS models and the design of a future compact vehicle. SKODA is also demonstrating the use of sustainably produced Vegan materials. The SKODA VISION RS plug-in hybrid drive combines the 1.5-liter TSI engine with an output of 110 kW (150 hp) and an electric motor providing 75 kW (102 hp). They unite to deliver a system output of 180 kW (245 hp), which accelerates the concept study from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds, and which makes the intermediate sprint from 80 to 120 km/h in 8.9 seconds. The plug-in hybrid drive for the SKODA VISION RS transfers its power through a six-speed DSG. In total, the compact athlete emits only 33 g of CO 2 per kilometer. On battery power alone, the model can cover distances of up to 70 km (43 miles), ensuring zero-emission local driving. The 13 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (9.9 kWh usable) can be charged by cable in 2.5 hours at a charging station. Alternatively, the SKODA VISION RS can be plugged into any household socket or charged while driving through energy recovery. The driver can choose from three driving modes: Normal, EV or Sport. The Normal mode is used for the best combination of gasoline drive and electric engine. The EV mode is used for purely electric drive. The Sport mode is used for a speedy ride, on a circuit for example, where maximum power is needed. Xirallic crystal sparkle effect paint makes the brilliant white finish of the SKODA VISION RS shimmer with a subtle blue effect. Organic components in the paint reflect heat, thereby reducing the interior temperature. Numerous black carbon elements affixed to the body create distinctive contrasts to the white paint. The high-tech material widely used in motorsport is featured in the redesigned radiator grille, front and rear spoilers, exterior mirrors, side sills, air inlets and outlets, and the rear diffuser. A carbon textile made from 100% recycled polyester thread is used for the upper part of the floating Alcantara covered seats which bear signature Czech flags on their side bolsters celebrating Czechoslovakias foundation 100 years ago. Another example of sustainability are the floor mats which use Pinatex textile in a carbon weave; the high performance material extracts its fibers from the leaves of a pineapple tree. It is not a bad thing for us, that the route known as the Goldene Strae or the Golden Road as we will get to know it- has escaped the attention of so many. It has been spared being overrun by hordes of tourists and as you will discover Culture VIDEO: Nancy Ajram and Ragheb Alama light up Expo 2020 Dubai with blitzkrieg performance The concert started in the presence of an unprecedented lyrical compass by Ajram, accompanied by her band, and entered the stage singing "I do not live except with you", with which the audience went crazy, and sang several of the songs without music. Haiti - Justice : Haiti tops the list of people imprisoned without conviction A report published by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) reveals that between 1999 and 2017, 79% of prisoners in Haiti were detained without a sentence, well above the regional average of 44% for the same period. The report points out that in the last 10 years the region has introduced major criminal reforms to speed up procedures and speed up judgments that in most cases have led to a downward trend in relative terms. However, the number of persons deprived of their liberty without conviction remains high. On a list of 24 countries, Haiti is in first place with 79% of people detained without conviction followed in TOP 5 by : Paraguay 2nd (78%) of Bolivia 3rd (72%), Dominican Republic 4th (72 %) and Uruguay 5th (69%). The 5 countries with the least number of people in non-sentenced custody are: Belize 20th (23%), Panama 21st (7%), Jamaica 22nd (6%), Nicaragua 23rd (6%) and Trinidad and Tobago 24th (3%) The IDB report explains that pre-trial detention is used to mitigate three potential risks to the accused : harm to the community (danger), interference in an investigation or escape "Unfortunately, most judges in Latin America use a criterion subjective "to interpret these three risks" adding "The high levels of impunity and pre-trial detention are related to the low ability to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators (effective investigation), as well as to try and punish the accused (judgment effective)." For the report, the profile of each country was compared and it was observed that countries such as Argentina and Jamaica spend more on the police, while Brazil and the Dominican Republic focus more on justice. The report highlights that "To achieve better spending in criminal justice services, the region needs more jail time and harsher sentences for the most dangerous criminals." However, the IDB wonders if the region is moving in the opposite direction. Between 2002 and 2014, the penitentiary population of the region doubled in 17 countries, totaling nearly 600,000 to 1.2 million, with an annual growth rate of 8%... "If the prison population continues to to increase at the current rate, in 2030, the region will have about 3.4 million people deprived of their liberty and an additional public expenditure of at least 13 billion additional dollars" estimates the IDB. The report suggests that the reduction of unjustified prolonged pretrial detention is the most advantageous measure to improve the quality of public spending on the security of citizens. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25695-haiti-politic-opening-of-the-new-judicial-year.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25682-haiti-justice-at-the-dawn-of-a-new-haitian-penal-law.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25678-haiti-justice-damning-report-of-rnddh-on-the-haitian-judiciary-2017-2018.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25602-haiti-justice-74-of-detainees-in-haiti-have-never-been-tried.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23647-haiti-justice-more-than-75-of-prisoners-in-haitian-prisons-have-never-been-tried.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23416-haiti-justice-the-minister-fortunate-blames-the-government-commissioner-dameus.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23393-haiti-justice-the-opc-wants-to-tackle-prolonged-pre-trial-detention.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20317-haiti-justice-gustavo-gallon-harshly-judge-the-haitian-prison-system.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13254-haiti-justice-89-of-the-inmates-of-the-national-penitentiary-in-prolonged-pretrial-detention.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-14401-icihaiti-justice-fighting-against-prolonged-preventive-detention.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - RD : 71% of Haitians controlled illegal, 820 Haitians deported After the control of 1,600 Haitians there are ten days of which 60% had been deported https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25598-haiti-dr-1-600-haitians-controlled-in-less-than-24-hours-more-than-60-deported-to-haiti.html the General Directorate of Migration (DGM) reports the migratory control of 1,143 Haitians, during several simultaneous operations that allowed to detect 820 compatriots (71%) illegally residing in the Dominican Republic. These Interdiction Operations were conducted in the provinces of Espaillat, Montecristi, Santiago de los Caballeros, Puerto Plata, Valverde the municipalities of Santo Domingo North, East and West. The migratory control teams were composed of inspectors, agents of the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) with the support of the military, the National Police in coordination with the Public Ministry of the Provinces concerned. After these checks, our compatriots were transferred to the border posts of Dajabon and Elias Pina, to be registered there before being deported to Haiti. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25598-haiti-dr-1-600-haitians-controlled-in-less-than-24-hours-more-than-60-deported-to-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25188-haiti-dr-a-little-more-than-80-000-haitians-deported-or-turned-back-in-7-months.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25105-haiti-dr-more-80-of-haitians-controlled-in-santiago-illegal.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25004-icihaiti-social-our-compatriots-stalked-relentlessly-in-dr.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24740-haiti-dr-vast-operations-of-migration-control-at-the-border-700-haitians-deported-in-24h.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21503-haiti-flash-deportations-recommendations-of-the-consulate-of-haiti-to-the-haitians-in-dr.html SL/ HaitiLibre Ive known Tapp Francke since I was ten years old, she was my older sister's best friend when they were in high school in East Hampton. Today she is the owner of STANDwellness, a wellness company located in Water Mill that offers a tremendous resource for those with health issues related to diet. Like almost all of us, Tapp herself experienced terrible symptoms in her 20s that she was able to resolve with her diet. After she did this, she went back to school to study nutrition and then started STANDwellnes, which has an incredible reputation in the Hamptons. (HedgeCo.Net) The Securities and Exchange Commission has announced charges against clearing firm COR Clearing LLC for failing to report suspicious sales of penny stock shares totaling millions of dollars. As part of the settlement, COR has agreed to exit a key penny stock clearing business by significantly limiting the sale of penny stocks deposited at COR. Broker-dealers are required to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) for transactions suspected to involve fraud or with no apparent lawful purpose. According to an SEC alert dated March 29, 2016, microcap securities are more susceptible to manipulation and it is often easier for fraudsters to manipulate the price of microcap stocks because microcap stocks historically have been less liquid than the stock of larger companies. The SECs order finds that in 2016, COR ranked second among all broker-dealers in the total dollar value of sub-$1 penny stocks that it cleared, and from January 2015 to June 2016, COR cleared for sale a significant amount of penny stock on behalf of customers of its introducing broker-dealers. The SEC finds that approximately 193 customer accounts deposited large blocks of low-priced securities, quickly sold these securities into the market, and then withdrew the cash proceeds. The SEC further finds that in some instances the same customers engaged in this suspicious pattern with multiple securities. According to the order, COR failed to file SARs with respect to a subset of the foregoing transactions and, as a result, violated the securities laws. SAR filings by both introducing and clearing brokers, especially those who transact in the microcap space, are critically important to the regulatory and law enforcement communities, said Marc P. Berger, Director of the SECs New York Regional Office. The penalty imposed and the limitation placed on CORs business reflect how seriously we take the failure to file SARs in the face of numerous red flags. Without admitting or denying the SECs findings, COR agreed to a settlement that requires it to not sell penny stocks deposited at COR with certain narrow exceptions and pay an $800,000 penalty. COR also consented to a censure and to cease and desist from similar violations in the future. The festival brings together films and filmmakers from all over the world. This years honorary guest was none other than Spike Lee , who came to present his latest film, BlacKkKlansman . In addition to the screening of his Cannes Grand Prix-winning film, his 1989 film Do the Right Thing was presented in combination with a Masterclass on September 22 at the newly renovated Korjaamo Kino Bio Rex theatre. THE 31 st HELSINKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL , also referred to as Rakkautta & Anarkiaa (Love & Anarchy), came to a close on Sunday, having drawn in record breaking numbers. This years film festival attracted more than 60,000 visitors and featured almost 500 screenings. The numbers reveal how the festivals popularity continues to grow, this year one out of every four screenings was sold out. Other guests included Australian director Stephan Elliott, known for his film Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, who returned to HIFF to present his latest film Swinging Safari, a satire of Australian suburbia set in the 1970s. Actor Shia La Beouf also featured on this years list of guests presenting #TakeMeAnywhere, a documentary produced by art collective La Beouf, Ronkko and Turner. The film documents the trios digital road trip where strangers were invited to pick up the artists from coordinates posted on the projects website and take them to a location of their choosing. German-French-Iranian director Emily Atef also visited the festival to present her film, 3 Days in Quiberon, a depiction of actress Romy Scheiders final interview. Local talent was also celebrated during the festival. Finnish films that were featured at the festival included Selma Vilhunens Stupid Young Heart (2018), Anna Erikssons M (2018), and Teemu Nikkis Euthanizer (2017). Finnish actress, Laura Birn, won this years Nordic Flair Award, an award granted to those who have helped draw international attention to Nordic talent. The festival also features an industry sidebar, Finnish Film Affair, which presents Finnish films to international buyers and journalists. This years winner of the Best Pitch Award, given to works in progress, was Tuffi Films One-Off Incident, a project directed by 15 female writers and directors. To those who missed out on the festival you still have a chance to catch some of the films featured. Yle will feature a selection of the festivals films on its channels. In addition to this, the Love & Anarchy Tour will present the festivals most popular films to selected locations including Turku, Kuopio, Joensuu and Vaasa. MARIA TIMKO Source: HIFF Photo: Mari Mur/Rakkautta & Anarkiaa Toivola has recently come under severe criticism for misusing the expense allowance system, racking up extensive taxi expenses and charging substantial fees for visiting schools. Krista Mikkonen, the chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group, announced last week she has issued a serious reprimand to Jani Toivola, a second-term Member of the Finnish Parliament from Uusimaa. The Finnish Parliament had paid the second-term representative an additional 329 euros a month in expense allowances on grounds that he was registered as a resident of Riihimaki, a town located some 80 kilometres north of Helsinki. Iltalehti, however, reported last week that he has not used the house for approximately two years and has effectively lived in Helsinki. Members of the Parliament are entitled to a monthly expense allowance of roughly 987 euros a month if they live within 30 kilometres of and an additional 329 euros a month if they live further away from Helsinki. Mikkonen on Thursday reminded that fostering trust is among the key responsibilities of Members of the Parliament. It is obvious that there can be no room for carelessness and negligence when it comes to using the benefits that come with the responsibilities of Members of the Parliament. The actions are reprehensible even if no parliamentary rules have been broken, she stated. For their part, incidents such as this erode public confidence in politics and decision makers. Toivola has both recognised and admitted his mistake, as well as taken action to remedy the situation, highlighted Mikkonen. Toivola on Thursday told reporters that he will return the reimbursements received for his taxi expenses. It is of utmost importance to investigate the issue and remedy any mistakes, said Mikkonen. Olli-Poika Parviainen, a deputy chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group, stated earlier that the parliamentary group will devise clear ethical guidelines in order to prevent similar cases from emerging in the future. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi RESIDENTS of Henley will be asked to help fund the restoration of a mermaid statue at the riverside. The 6ft 6in bronze sculpture on Red Lion Lawn has been on loan to the council since 2013 and was supposed to be sold after five years and replaced with another piece. Henley Town Council contacted the owners about the cost of re-instating the statue after it was vandalised in November and was told they would prefer the council to buy it. The bronze was ripped out of the ground and thrown into the river before being hauled out several days later. Since then, it has been kept in storage pending its restoration. The statue was originally supposed to be sold for at least 15,000 euros with 5,000 going to a local charity but this has now been reduced to an overall total of 5,000 euros, about 4,455, and the council will to try to raise this by crowdfunding online. It is hoping local people will donate small amounts in return for a certificate which says that they own part of the sculpture, or ama. Councillor Sam Evans told a meeting of the councils town and community committee that there was a genuine feeling of love for the mermaid and people wanted to save it. She said: Its quite obvious that the people of Henley want the mermaid to return and the best way of doing that is to encourage as many people as possible to buy a little bit of her. It will give the town a sense of ownership and make people a bit more protective of her and aware if people are doing anything dodgy. Whether you give 50p or 50, you will get a certificate saying youve helped save the mermaid. Well make it a bit of fun. Lets get the shops involved they can put up posters in the window and certificates if they donate. Councillor Will Hamilton said: I think its a great idea and crowdsourcing is a great initiative. Lets give it a go and make it happen. Councillor Lorraine Hillier said: Its worth a try but if you dont reach the target we are back to square one. Niki Schafer, who chairs the Henley Business Partnership, said: The partnership is happy to promote the idea to local businesses. Its a beautiful statue so Id hope that businesses would support it. Im sure they will offer window space for posters and promote it to the community. The town council agreed a contract with Koh i Noor, a German company that donated the sculpture, in February 2013. The 370lb statue was designed by French artist Amaryllis Bataille and has an engraved plaque which reads: Ama of the Thames, Henley-on-Thames. Latitude 51.537699, Longitude. 0.901276. Ama is the name given to the Japanese and Korean women divers, or ladies of the sea, who are famous for diving and collecting pearls. Henley was one of 20 locations around the world chosen to have a statue as a place of beauty near water. The statue was first offered to the town in 2012 but caused a split among councillors and residents. It was vandalised last year when it was dumped in the river together with umbrellas and awnings on the lawn, while tables were left upended and broken. Staff from Hobbs of Henley retrieved the awnings and umbrellas but were unable to pull out the statue as it was too heavy. Experts from Cook Piling, of Hurley, had to pull out the sculpture using specialist equipment. It was then taken away by the councils parks services team. Earlier this year, the council was offered the statue at a reduced fee of about 8,800, minus 780 salvage costs. The owner indicated that the change of heart was due to personal reasons. What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley or email letters@henleystandard.co.uk In 1792 President George Washington and Secretary of War Henry Knox invented a new kind of army to fight Indians in the west. They called it the Legion of the United States. On a frigid December evening in 1791, a messenger arrived at the Presidential Mansion in Philadelphia, where George and Martha Washington were entertaining some guests over dinner. Tobias Lear, the presidents personal secretary, sat at the table with them. The conversation was interrupted when a porter informed Lear of a visitor. Lear left the room and walked down the hall, intending to inform the man at the door that he should call at another time. But this was no inconsequential message. The uniformed officer explained nervously that he bore an urgent dispatch from Major General Arthur St. Clair, the commander of the western army. Lear welcomed the man in and had him wait while he fetched the president. Begging his guests pardon, Washington excused himself from the dining room. He returned a few minutes later, apologizing for having left but making no mention as to the reason. The president seemed to enjoy the rest of his meal, and by 10 oclock he had politely said goodbye to his guests and goodnight to his wife. Only he and Lear remained. Washington paced back and forth across the room. Eventually he sat down on a sofa, and, his emotions visibly churning, said: Its all over! St. Clairs defeatedrouted; the officers nearly all killed. The president suddenly rose from his seat, took a few steps, and then erupted in an anger that Lear had never before witnessed. Here on this very spot I took leave of him! I wished him success and honor; you have your instructions, I said, from the secretary of war, and I will add but one thingbeware of a surprise. I repeat it, beware of a surprise! You know how the Indians fight us. And yet, to suffer that army to be cut to pieces, hacked, butchered, tomahawked, by a surprisethe very thing I guarded him against! Oh God, oh God, hes worse than a murderer. How can he answer it to his country? The cause of Washingtons distress? In the early hours of November 4, the United States only standing army had been nearly destroyed by Indian warriors in the Northwest Territorya vast region north of the Ohio River, east of the Mississippi River, and southwest of the Great Lakes. It was an unmitigated military disaster, and it was up to Washington and his secretary of war, Henry Knox, to recover and retaliate. The governments heavy reliance on paid-by-the-day militiamen, both of them realized, would no longer do. Their response to St. Clairs defeat and the Indian menacefueled by support from Britainwould be a pivotal moment in U.S. military history. Washington and Knox designed, from scratch, a new armya modern reinvention of the famous Roman Legion of antiquity. The product of classical military theory adapted to contemporary American conditions, it was called the Legion of the United States. After the American victory in the Revolutionary War, the 1783 Treaty of Paris explicitly stated that Britain was to evacuate the Northwest Territoryalso known as the Ohio countryand cede it to the United States. But in a clear breach of the treaty, the British kept their forts and forces in Detroit, Michilimackinac, Niagara, Oswego, and Presque Isle, and from these positions armed and instigated the Miami, Shawnee, Delaware, Ottawa, Kickapoo, and Illinois tribes to attack the American settlers moving into the region. Indian war parties slaughtered some 1,500 men, women, and children in the Northwest Territory, and the calls for vengeance steadily intensified. Born in Scotland, Arthur St. Clair had served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania and rising in rank to major general in the Continental Army. A friend of Washingtons, St. Clair had secured the governorship of the Northwest Territory through his tenure as president of the Continental Congress in the years immediately preceding the Constitutional Convention. He had succeeded Josiah Harmar as commander of the U.S. army in the Northwest Territory after an ill-conceived punitive campaign against the Indians along the Indiana-Kentucky border ended in defeat in 1790. Determined to wrest control of Ohio from the Indians, St. Clair prepared for another expedition into the territory. St. Clair gathered a little more than 1,000 soldierstwo understrength infantry regimentsand nearly 300 militiamen to disperse the buildup of Indian warriors and British agents in Indiana near Kekionga, one of the Miami villages. They brought along more than 200 of their wives and children and hundreds of livestock. From Fort Washington at Cincinnati the column slowly moved north, pausing for weeks to build Fort Hamilton, north of Cincinnati, and Fort Jefferson, near present-day Darke County. Discipline was nearly nonexistent, morale pitiful. Many of the soldiers had been recruited from the streets and jails of the nations eastern cities and had not been trained to follow orders or even fire their weapons, let alone fend off Indian assaults. Desertion was a major problem. Nearly a quarter of the entire force vanished before any hostilities; one group of deserters even plotted to plunder their own armys supply train. On the night of November 3, 1791, St. Clairs motley army was bivouacked without adequate defenses, and soon paid the price for its carelessness. The army made camp near the headwaters of the Wabash River, with only a few sentries posted. Some 1,000 to 1,500 Indian warriors, led by Miami chieftain Little Turtle, slowly encircled the unaware Americans. Lieutenant Ebenezer Denny, who served as St. Claires aide-de-camp, would later write in his diary that the Indians seemed to brave everything, and when finally fixed around us, they made no noise other than their fire, which they kept up very constant. What transpired at St. Clairs unfortified camp could hardly be called a battle. Of the 52 officers present, 39 were killed and seven wounded. Of the 920 enlisted, only 24 soldiers would emerge unhurt. Scores of women and children were also killed, while Indian casualties were negligible. In terms of casualties, it was the armys worst defeat to date at the hands of Indians. While St. Clair managed to escape to Cincinnati on one of the few surviving horses, his army had been utterly destroyed. Weeks later the calamitous news reached the president. St. Clair was eventually cleared of wrongdoing by Congress, but his military career was over. As the news of St. Clairs defeat reached the capital, a pantribal council of Indians was meeting to decide whether to continue waging the ad hoc war against settlers or to pursue terms of peace from a position of strength. The council disbanded for the winter without having reached a decision. While Indian forces made several raids on Fort Jefferson in 1792, the Indian confederacy remained largely inactive militarily, and a temporary peace held as the pantribal council debated the situation through most of 1793. Taking advantage of the brief cessation in hostilities, Washington began building a real army. He had long wanted a standing army, a peacetime force of 3,000 men, but Congress, which just 10 years earlier had called such an army dangerous to the liberties of a free people and wary of imposing the taxes needed to pay for one, had foiled him at every turn. But with St. Clairs defeat the opportunity for a new military approach presented itself, and Washington and Knox seized it. Henry Knox had been one of Washingtons most capable lieutenants during the Revolution. But now, as secretary of war, he was navigating a treacherous political and military landscape. Britain continued to violate American sovereignty, disagreement and turmoil divided the founders, and Indians raided with impunity along the frontier. Knox had a clear vision of how the government should respond to St. Clairs defeat. Years earlier, as a Boston bookseller, he had immersed himself in the literature of war, to the point that he could accurately be described as a scholar of military strategy and tactics. For political theorists, Rome served as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale. But for Knox, the Roman Legion was the progenitor of army organization. The French political philosopher Montesquieu wrote that the main reason for the Romans becoming masters of the world was that, having fought successively against all peoples, they always gave up their own practices as soon as they found better ones. Knox certainly agreed; he saw the Roman Legions success as a mark of its syncretic abilities, which, now that he was secretary of war, he hoped to emulate in the form of a Legion of the United States. Knox was far from alone in his admiration of the Roman Legion. While fascination with the Roman war machine went back centuries, the study of classical military theory reached new heights during the Enlightenment. One of the greatest of the 18th-century visionaries was Maurice de Saxe, an eccentric French general and military theorist. Born in 1696, Saxe was one of the 354 acknowledged illegitimate children of Augustus II (Augustus the Strong), king of Poland and elector of Saxony. A career mercenary, Saxe settled permanently into French service, and in 1743 King Louis XV named him marshal of France. Saxes successful military career culminated in Mes Reveries, a stunningly original treatise on the science of war that was published posthumously in 1757. Written in 13 nights in 1732 while Saxe was sick with fever, Reveries advanced weapon technology, adapted existing battle formations, and reintroduced a military practice that had been lost since the Romans: marching in cadence. As one of the first true proponents of combined-arms doctrine, Saxe suggested grouping all combat armsinfantry, cavalry, artilleryin multiple standardized units that he called legions. It is no coincidence he chose that name. The Romans vanquished all nations by their discipline, he wrote. Their legion was a body so formidable as to be capable of undertaking the most difficult enterprises. Knox drew on the writings of two contemporary military leaders with personal connections to WashingtonHenry Bouquet and Friedrich Wilhelm, Baron von Steubenfor additional inspiration. Bouquet, born in Switzerland in 1719, served in the Dutch and Sardinian armies before being granted a commission in the British Army. Deployed to North America in 1756, he fought in the campaign to capture Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War but rose to greater prominence in its aftermath, as Indian tribes from the Great Lakes region and the Ohio River Valley challenged British colonization in North America. In 1763, in what would become known as Pontiacs War, a loose confederation of tribal factions launched attacks on British forts and settlements west of the Appalachians. As Bouquets column marched to relieve the besieged Fort Pitt in western Pennsylvania, several hundred Indian warriors attacked. Bouquets men fought them off, with minor casualties, and continued on to end the siege. In 1764 Bouquet published Reflections on the War with the Savages of North America, which he intended to serve as a blueprint for future Indian wars. In it he discusses the American terrain, the nature of Indian tactics, and the ideal military unit to take advantage of both. Calling the Romans our masters in the art of war, Bouquet proposed a mobile combined-arms unit that would replicate the Roman Legions flexibility and hitting power. The treatise was the last of Bouquets contributions to 18th-century warfare, as he died a year later from yellow fever. But it was Steuben, Washingtons famous drillmaster, whose Letter on the Subject of an Established Militia, and Military Arrangements, Addressed to the Inhabitants of the United States influenced Knox the most. In his essay Steuben explained why a combined-arms adaptation of the Roman Legion, as both Saxe and Bouquet had proposed, was the ideal structure for the American military. As Steuben saw it, each unit, being a self-contained army of all arms, could begin operations at a moments notice and respond to every species of war. Steubens treatise was mostly ignored after it was published in 1784. Few in Congress wanted a professional military establishment, especially since memories of abuse by British regulars were so fresh in the minds of their constituents. That attitude changed, however, the moment St. Clairs army was decimated at Wabash. The idea of a flexible, combined-arms force that could effectively fight the Indians finally started taking hold. Soon, Congress agreed to let Washington and Knox have their way, authorizing the president to restructure the nations military as he deemed expedient until the United States shall be at peace with the Indian tribes. On December 27, 1792, the U.S. Army was reorganized as the Legion of the United States. Washington and Knox incorporated everything they had learned into the new fighting force. From Rome they took logical structure and the power of adaptable, standardized units. From Saxe they took the combined-arms concept, from Bouquet mobile, open-order formations designed for the American terrain. In reforming the army, Washington and Knox abandoned the traditional regimental structure. Instead of relying on large regiments of infantry, cavalry, or artillery, the Legion of the United States was a single cohesive unit made up of four self-contained armies. The armies, called sublegions, each contained 1,280 soldiers, with two infantry battalions, one rifle battalion, an artillery company, and a cavalry company. Although conventional European-style regiments may have been effective when massed in huge armies on open terrain, they were wholly ineffective when traversing the American wilderness and battling irregulars. The Legion attempted to address the failures of regimental design while underscoring the benefits of each combat arm. The result was an adaptable, standardized force of 5,120 menexactly the size of the famed legions of Julius Caesar. But who was the right man to lead the new legion? At the top of Washingtons list was Charles Coatesworth Pinckney of South Carolina. Pinckney had turned down Washingtons two previous offers to join his cabinet, but the fact that he had never commanded men in the field ultimately disqualified him. After ruling out 15 others, Washington selected Anthony Wayne, the last man on his list, to command the Legion. Nicknamed Mad Anthony for his brutal, bayonets-only night attack on a British garrison at Stony Point, New York, in 1779, Wayne was known for his coolness under fire and his ability to inspire his men. Despite his volatile temper and sense of invincibility, Wayne was supremely loyalsomething Washington needed. But Wayne had struggled to find his place after the war. He won a seat in Congress but was forced out amid allegations of voter fraud. Nonetheless, Washington believed that Wayne was the right man for the job of confronting the Indians to the west. The letter that arrived asking him to take command of the Legion was a lifeline. Wayne once again had a purpose. By November 1792, even before Congress had officially approved Washingtons plans, Wayne was drilling his legionaries in western Pennsylvania. The new army was beginning to take shape. In adapting to the irregular forest fighting that he knew was to come, Wayne required that musket cartridges contain a ball and at least three small buckshot, and he issued improved, faster-firing muskets to his riflemen. It was clear that Wayne, a professional soldier, meant business. He ordered seven deserters executed, and those who had committed smaller offensesfalling asleep on duty, for example, or marching in soiled uniformswere lashed or cashiered. Wayne even set up mock combat exercises, having some of his men strip off their shirts, streak their bodies and faces with war paint, and whoop as they attacked by firing blank cartridges. As the legion was drilling in the fields of Pennsylvania, the briefly held peace between the U.S. government and the Indian confederacy began to come apart. Aware that Waynes forces had landed by boat in Cincinnati, the Indians accused their adversaries of speaking with a double tongue, and perhaps they were. While the government negotiators were talking peace, Wayne and his men were preparing for war. In 1793 disagreements within the Indian confederacy had broken out as representatives of the various tribes debated the U.S. governments representatives at the peace conference known as the Grand Council on the Sandusky River. The Shawnee and Delaware insisted that the United States acknowledge the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, which in 1768 had set the Ohio River as the boundary of the United States, and argued that U.S. land claims were based on treaties with Indian nations that did not live there. But the tribes couldnt agree on how to pursue a peace. Joseph Brant, a Mohawk military and political leader, argued that the tribes had nothing to gain from the Stanwix treaty and should not concede the Ohio River boundary. Meanwhile, the government proposed that the tribes relinquish their rights to the lands at issue, sparking outrage among the Indians and triggering renewed fighting in the territory. This time, however, the U.S. military forces under Wayne would be ready. Wayne, noting that he was under orders from Knox and Washington to make those audacious savages feel our superiority in Arms, had whipped his men into shape with months of rigorous preparation. Hed started training his men at Fort Fayette, near the town of Pittsburgh, but moved them 22 miles down the Ohio River after concluding that Pittsburgh was nothing less than a frontier Gomorrah. He christened the new camp Legionville and amped up his training regimen, using Steubens Blue Book, the legendary drill manual from the Revolutionary War. In the spring of 1793 the Legion marched to a staging ground near Cincinnati and from there methodically advanced north. St. Clair had left his flanks unprotected, but now, in keeping with Roman practices, Waynes men built fortified camps each night. The camps served the dual purposes of defending against surprise attacks and laying the infrastructure for a major military road. On Christmas Eve 1793 the men reached the site of St. Clairs defeat two years earlier and began the construction of what Wayne christened Fort Recovery. They also scoured the area for abandoned supplies and proceeded to bury the skeletons that were spread across the battlefield. The new year brought intermittent attacks on Waynes convoysthe largest just outside the gates of Fort Recovery on June 30, 1794. Some 2,000 Indians, led by the Shawnee war chief Blue Jacket, attacked Major William McMahons supply column, along with approximately 90 riflemen and 50 dragoons. McMahons men hastily retreated to Fort Recovery, but not before 32 of them were killed and another 30 wounded. A full-scale attack on the fort followed, but after two days the Indians retreated. The next two months saw additional skirmishes, as the final battle for the Ohio territory loomed. What would become known as the Battle of Fallen Timbers broke out on August 20, 1794. Named for clearing in a heavily forested area near the lower Maumee River, the action began with an Indian charge against the legions vanguard, which immediately fell back to join the advancing sublegions. Now, the full force of the Legion of the United States was brought on the enemy. Unleashing an initial volley, the legionaries then fixed bayonets and launched a countercharge. After 45 minutes of fierce hand-to-hand fighting the Indians retreated to Fort Miami, a British garrison with 400 redcoats. The British officer at the fort refused to let the fleeing Indians in, and the remaining resistance swiftly collapsed. The legions decisive victory at Fallen Timbers opened the way for white settlements throughout Ohio and the rest of the lower Great Lakes region. With Wayne and his men remaining in Ohio after the battle, Indian resistance dissipated and then disappeared. But perhaps even more significant was Britains withdrawal from the area in the face of the American show of power. After years of providing arms and other support to Indian tribes, Britain began abandoning its forts in U.S. territory. Thus, for the United States, the Northwest Indian War of 1794 brought not only victory over Indian tribes going to war over their ancestral lands but a final victory over Britain. Several years before he became president, Theodore Roosevelt would call Waynes victory one of the most striking and weighty feats in the winning of the West. In his 1896 book, The Winning of the West, Roosevelt wrote: The battle of the Fallen Timbers opened the eyes of the Indians to the fact that, though the British would urge them to fight, and would secretly aid them, yet in the last resort the Kings troops would not come to their help by proceeding to actual war. Accordingly, all their leaders recognized that it was time to make peace. In January 1795 representatives from the various tribes met with Wayne at Fort Green Ville. They spent the next eight months hammering out the terms of an agreement that called for the Indians to relinquish all claims to large swaths of modern-day Ohio and parts of Illinois and Michigan in exchange for annuitiesgrants of federal money and supplies such as blankets, utensils, and domestic animals. On August 3, 1795, leaders of 12 Indian tribes formally signed the Treaty of Greenville. A few months later the British agreed to abandon all the forts they had established on U.S. territory. In the years immediately following the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the Legion of the United States lapsed into American lore. All four of its chief proponents were gone. Steuben had died in November 1794 at his estate in Oneida County, New York. Knox had left government service in January 1795 and returned to his home in Thomaston, Maine; he died in 1806 after swallowing a chicken bone. Washington, near the end of his second term of president, had bid farewell to his friends and fellow-citizens in September 1796 and retired to his home at Mount Vernon in Virginia; he died there three years later. As for Wayne, he had died of complications from gout in December 1796 during a return trip to Pennsylvania from a military post in Detroit. Waynes second in command, Brigadier General James Wilkinson, succeeded him as senior officer of the U.S. army. Wilkinson had been openly contemptuous of Wayne, criticizing his actions during the Battle of Fallen Timbers and proceeding to file formal complaints against Wayne afterward. Wayne fought back by launching an investigation into Wilkinsons relationship with the Spanish governmentfor whom he was spying, it turned outand attempting to court-martial him. With Wayne gone, Wilkinson immediately set about dismantling the legion that he had led. When a tightfisted Congress sharply reduced the size of the army, Wilkinson ordered the four sublegions that had served under Wayne to be folded into the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Regiments of the U.S. Army. And so the Legion of the United States disappeared, never to be resurrected. In his 1973 classic, The American Way of War: A History of United States Military Strategy and Policy, historian Russell F. Weigley called Wayne the father of the regular army. No doubt he was. He and the legion he commanded changed the course of American history not only at Fallen Timbers but today, more than 200 years later, may continue to do so as the U.S. Army more aggressively embraces expeditionary warfare. MHQ Brandon Quintin, a former editorial assistant at MHQ, works for the Heritage Museum in Dayton, Virginia. The ideas of an obscure Italian naval architect ignited an arms race that involved the worlds great and not so great naval powers. The early 1900s was a dynamic era in the annals of naval warfare. When Fred T. Janes respected annual, Fighting Ships, published an article in 1903 by Italian naval architect General Vittorio M. Cuniberti describing an innovative battleship design, naval thinking was energized around the globe. The new design would ostensibly change forever the capabilities of such vessels. His concept was controversial, but Cuniberti was not a mere academic dreamer. He was chief constructor for the Italian navy, and his designs had already been tested in four light battleships of the Vittorio Emanuele class. Cuniberti urged that all-big-gun battleships be built with numerous 12-inch guns and reduced secondary batteries, accompanied by 12-inch armor to withstand enemy fire. He argued for an abundant ammunition supply and high speed, superior to that of any battle ship then afloat. Navy departments with little to lose in terms of obsolescent vessels, such as those in Washington and Tokyo, embraced the concept. But many senior officers who had begun their careers under mast and sail were less enthusiastic, as was the French Ministry of Marine. Two years later, however, one pivotal incident swung the tide of naval opinion firmly behind the controversial theories advanced by Cuniberti. That was the May 1905 Battle of Tsushima Strait, in which the fledgling Japanese navy nearly annihilated the opposing Russian fleet. The battle was, up to that time, the most significant exchange of gunfire between relatively modern battleships, and it provided telling evidence that Cunibertis revolutionary ideas were sound. Based on combat experience gleaned from that crucial battle, both Russian and Japanese naval architects concluded that the 12-inch gun was the minimal weapon likely to prove decisive in future fleet actions. They argued that smaller caliber guns used space and personnel that could be better allocated for bigger guns. Japan promptly began construction on its first modern all-big-gun battleship, while Russia soon invited Cuniberti to design a similar warship. In the early 1900s, of course, it was Britains Royal Navy that reigned as the worlds most powerful fleet. Accordingly, many of the leading rival naval powers anxiously watched to see whether the British Admiralty would exploit Cunibertis ideas. They did not have long to wait. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir John A. Fisher became an ardent exponent of the all-big-gun battleship, and he used his formidable resolution and drive to design and procure such vessels for the Royal Navy. Fishers design encompassed two features beyond those advocated in print by Cuniberti. First, increased compartmentalization and solid, unpierced bulkheads would enhance the new vessels survival probability. Second, revolutionary steam turbines would replace noisy, heavy, inefficient reciprocating steam engines. Less than one year after Fisher took office, the first innovative British battleship, Dreadnought, was laid down at Portsmouth. Thanks to Fishers determined efforts, the ship was launched only 100 days later. She was commissioned in 1906 and immediately became the paragon for early 20th-century battleships and the most feared naval weapon at sea. Dreadnought made every other existing battleship obsolete, and her name became generic for similar fast, mod ern vessels. All battleships laid down before her were pejoratively labeled pre-dreadnought. Meanwhile, Britains political rival on the Continent, Germany, was also pushing to establish a naval force of global stature. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz had become state secretary of the Imperial Navy Office in 1897, and by 1902 he made evident his intention of transforming the German navy, formerly perceived as a coastal defense force, into the worlds second most powerful blue-water fleet. The German Reichstag had authorized a buildup to 38 battle ships, including reserves, when details of Dreadnoughts awesome firepower and armament reached Germany. Tirpitz promptly suspended construction on Germanys first competitive battleship, SMS Nassau, until she could be modified into a more formidable opponent. For Tirpitz and his supporters in Germany, the only possible response to Dreadnought was to imitate, then excel; concession of superiority was unacceptable. Thus began a naval arms race for battleship superiority that continued until the beginning of World War I. But Germany and Britain were not the only participants. By 1907 the great power rivalry in Europe had resulted in a web of alliances. The Triple Entente of Russia, France, and Britain stood opposed to the Central Powers of Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary. Both sides pushed to expand their military might. And the dreadnought construction race was an inherent part of preparation for war. All six powers comprising the two European military alliances constructed dreadnoughts, including four built and operated by Austria-Hungary. Although never regarded as a great naval power, the Austro-Hungarian Empire encompassed much of the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, ranging more than 250 miles along the Dalmatian coast from Trieste to Kotor. The main Austro-Hungarian naval base was located at Pula, while subsidiary bases with useful docking facilities were at Trieste and Rijeka. Farther to the southeast were fleet anchorages at Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, and Kotor, the latter being one of the best in the Adriatic Sea. The four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts were designed in 1909. Construction of the first three, all of which were built in private Austrian shipyards, began the following year. In order to induce the Hungarian parliament to approve the 1910 Austro-Hungarian naval budget, the fourth battleship, christened Szent Istvan (Holy Stephen), was laid down in a small littoral region of Hungary, at a shipyard near Rijeka. The first Austro-Hungarian dreadnought was put into service in 1912. Named Viribus Unitis (With United Strength) after the personal motto of the emperor, she was followed by sister ships Tegetthoff and Prinz Eugen. In 1915 Szent Istvan was commissioned, the last of the four dreadnoughts of the Tegetthoff class. These vessels were modern battleships. They each carried 12 guns in four triple turrets, located two forward and two aft. Overall length was 498 feet, and the ships displaced 20,000 tons. Like Britains Dreadnought, the new Austro-Hungarian battleships were powered by steam turbines instead of reciprocating steam engines. There were four of these turbines in each vessel, producing 25,000 shaft horsepower and generating a speed of 20 knots. The four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts of the Tegetthoff class were formidable warships, a quartet that created a potentially powerful foe for Triple Entente naval vessels in the Adriatic and Mediterranean. But geography and lack of initiative on the part of the Austro-Hung arian naval staff limited the effectiveness of the four dreadnoughts. The empires principal naval base was at Pula, near the north end of the Adriatic Sea. Until Italy reversed its previous alliance with the Central Powers and declared war on Austria-Hungary in May 191 5, there were few worthwhile targets for the battleships in the Adriatic or its surrounding littoral area. In addition, Triple Entente forces, now expanded in number and known as the Allies, built a strong barrier across the Strait of Otranto, using permanent nets, minefields, and patrolling trawlers to stop Austro-Hungarian and German submarines from breaking out into the Mediterranean Sea. As a result, the empires four dreadnoughts spent most of their wartime lives moored to buoys inside Pula Harbor. Limited sorties were conducted for gunnery practice or torpedo firings normally less than one hours steaming from their moorings. Fear that the battleships would be damaged by mines, torpedoes, or air attack seriously limited their employment in bombardments of Italian coastal cities. These bombardments against Rimini, Ancona, Bari, and other Italian ports were conducted almost daily for several months by smaller Austro-Hungarian vessels after Italy entered the war. But the stationing of six British B-class submarines at Venice in October 1915 essentially curtailed the Austro Hungarian bombardments for the remainder of hostilities. The upshot of all this was that the four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts spent a disproportionate amount of time sitting idle. For example, the log of Szent Istvan reveals she spent nearly 95% of her days idle at buoy 33. Such inactivity undoubtedly proved boring to the dreadnoughts crews and affected their morale. Perhaps more important, it suggests that the battle ships and their crews never became really prepared for combat. Most likely their crews remained inexperienced in many aspects of fleet gunnery, tactics, and especially damage control. None had been confronted with actual battle damage or wartime emergencies threatening the safety of their ship. But the relative inactivity of the four dreadnoughts ended following a change in leadership at imperial naval head quarters. In February 1918, Nicholas Horthy, then commanding officer of Prinz Eugen, was promoted to rear admiral and made commander in chief of the Austro-Hungarian Adriatic Fleet. Based on his experiences aboard Prinz Eugen, Horthy realized morale of dreadnought crews was low, primarily due to their inactivity. He resolved to correct this situation and restore discipline to the fleet by taking his ships to sea with the objective of breaking the Allied barrier at Otranto. Such an assault would also partially avenge previous losses of Austro-Hungarian and German submarines to Allied forces there. After several months of planning, Horthy and his staff conceived a surprise attack on the Strait of Otranto barrier by Austro-Hungarian cruisers and destroyers. His four dreadnoughts would provide support for withdrawal by engaging enemy ships that might come out in opposition from Valona or Brindisi. All imperial naval forces were to be in position for the assault by dawn on June 11, 1918. According to Horthys plan, the four battleships would sortie from Pula in two separate groups. The first would be led by flagship Viribus Unitis, with Horthy and his staff aboard accompanied by a selected group of journalists. Prinz Eugen would be the second dreadnought in the first group, which sortied from Pula on June 8 under the pretext of going out for gunnery practice. Viribus Unitis, Prinz Eugen, and their assigned escorts anchored in a remote bay during the daylight hours of June 9 and proceeded the following night to a fjord north of Dubrovnik. The remaining two dreadnoughts, Szent Istvan and Tegetthoff, sortied from Pula at 10:15 on the night of June 9, accompanied by one destroyer and six torpedo boats. This force was delayed by the unplanned late opening of the Pula harbor defense barrier and overheating of the starboard main turbine bracket in Szent Istvan. The two dreadnoughts were thus about 90 minutes behind schedule when they encountered unexpected Italian opposition in the Adriatic Sea. The hostile Italian naval force was comprised of only two small torpedo boats, MAS (Motoscafo antisommergibili) 15 and MAS 21, and a unit led by Commander Luigi Rizzo aboard MAS 15. Rizzo was a colorful officer with a some what checkered career. In December 1917 he had led a pair of MAS boats into a protected harbor near Trieste, where they torpedoed and sank the old Austro-Hungarian coast-defense battleship Wien. For this successful attack, Rizzo was awarded the Gold Medal and Knights Cross of the Order of the Military Service. Only four months later, however, Rizzo was imprisoned for seven days because he failed to take sufficient precautions to protect his base at Ancona against enemy attack, even though an Austro-Hungarian landing detachment was reported to be in the vicinity. It seems logical to assume that former naval hero Rizzo was anxious to restore his good name when he set out to sea with his two MAS boats on the night of June 9, 1918. The typical modus operandi for the short-range Italian MAS boats was to be towed to their operating area after dark by destroyers or torpedo (OS) boats, at which point they were cast free to begin their patrol. Before dawn, they would again rendezvous with their towing vessels and return to port. On the night of June 9, Rizzos two MAS vessels were towed by torpedo boats 18 OS and 15 OS to Dalmatian coasts inland waters, near the customary Austro-Hungarian shipping lanes from Rijeka to Kotor. But the MAS boats sighted no worthwhile targets, and they proceeded back to the prearranged rendezvous with their towboats, which they were scheduled to reach before sunrise at 4:17. At 3:15, lookouts aboard Rizzos MAS boats spotted smoke off their starboard rear. Rizzo reversed course and approached the potential target, which proved to be the dreadnought force of Szent Istvan, Tegetthoff, and their accompanying escorts. Without delay, Rizzo penetrated the Austro-Hungarian torpedo boat screen and attacked the first dreadnought in column. At 3:25, MAS 15 fired two torpedoes at a range of about 800 meters toward the un identified battleship, which was Szent Istvan. Concurrently, MAS 21 attacked Tegetthoff, but her torpedoes failed. Szent Istvan was not so fortunate. Both Italian torpedoes exploded against her hull, starboard side amidships. Her after boiler room quickly filled with water, and the dreadnought took on a 10-degree list to starboard. Meanwhile Tegetthoff left formation to port and commenced zigzagging, presuming Szent Istvan had been torpedoed by a submarine. In the ensuing chaos, the two attacking Italian MAS boats evaded pursuing Austro-Hungarian torpedo boat TB 76 by dropping depth charges in their wake. Both MAS boats escaped and were towed back to their base at Ancona. For this exploit, Rizzo was awarded his second Gold Medal and Knights Cross of the Order of the Military Service. His proud countrymen later put his famous MAS 15 on display at the Museo di Risorgimento in Rome. Meanwhile, conditions aboard Szent Istvan degenerated. Because of poor riveting, her transverse bulkheads could not stand the strain created by flooding, and rivets popped from their holes like bullets. Szent Istvan stopped so that steam from the forward boiler room could be supplied to her pumps, which theoretically could discharge 6,000 tons of water per hour out of the hull. Shortly thereafter, however, the forward boiler room also partially filled with seawater, as did one ammunition magazine. Counter flooding was at tempted, and the dreadnought trained her entire main battery to port in a fu tile attempt to reduce her increasing starboard list. At 4:45, Tegetthoff approached to take her stricken sister ship in tow, without success. The rising water in Szent Istvans forward boiler room soon extinguished all boilers except the two outboard to port. This incapacitated the pumps and left only enough electricity for lighting purposes. Attempts by her crew to patch the torpedo damage failed. The combined effects of increased flooding, lack of power for the water discharge pumps, and structural weakness of bulkhead riveting caused the sequential collapse of supposedly watertight transverse bulkheads. When the starboard list increased to such an extent that hatches for the secondary battery were submerged, the order was given to abandon ship. At 6:05, less than three hours after being struck by the Italian torpedoes, Szent Istvan rolled over to starboard and briefly floated upside down in the sea. With hundreds of her crew in the water nearby or attempting to scramble up on her inverted hull, the crippled dreadnought sank at 6:12. Fortunately, escort vessels rescued 1,005 of her crew from the calm seas, but 89 men died as a result of the sinking. A motion-picture team and an officer aboard nearby Tegetthofboth took extensive film footage of the listing and sinking of Szent Istvan. The film was later spliced together, sold commercially, and widely shown around the world after the war. When he received word of the torpedoing of Szent Istvan, Admiral Horthy realized immediately that his force had lost any chance of making a surprise attack on the Otranto barrier. He therefore ordered an immediate return to Pula. Back in port, the Austro-Hungarians suspected that the Italians had probably been alerted to the supposedly top-secret plans for the attack on the Otranto barrier. In retrospect, however, those suspicions are difficult to confirm. No evidence has ever been produced regarding broken Austro-Hungarian codes or other successful Italian intelligence gathering. And the unplanned delays experienced by Szent Istvan placed her far behind her expected position when she was attacked. Given the primitive command, control, and communications possessed by the tiny Italian MAS boats, it seems highly unlikely that Rizzos small force could have been pinpointed, much less prepositioned itself, for the attack. Finally, Rizzo makes no claim in his memoirs that the Italians had advance knowledge of Szent Istvans advance. Thus, it seems that it was merely luck that allowed the dreadnought to be located and sunk. But Szent Istvan was not the sole representative of the four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts to reach a grisly end. Flagship Viribus Unitis was soon to follow. By September 1918, the Austro Hungarian empire was disintegrating . That month the Hungarian parliament demanded a recall of all national troops for defense of the homeland. Austro-Hungarian ground forces evacuated Albania the next month. In early October, a Southern Slav National Council was formed to lead a new Yugoslavian state that would encompass the entire Dalmatian coast, there by cutting off Austria-Hungarys access to the Adriatic Sea. As his empire splintered under nationalist centrifugal forces, Emperor Charles sued for peace in late October. On October 28, 1918, Admiral Horthy was ordered to turn over his entire fleet to the newly created National Council of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, which he did aboard Viribus Unitis, moored to its buoy at Pula, on October 31. Horthy left his command that day, as did many of the officers stationed aboard Viribus Unitis, together with most Austrian and Hungarian crew members. Although Horthy left his flag captain, Croat Janko Vukovic, in command of Viribus Unitis, the dreadnought was now manned primarily by an inexperienced crew of Yugoslavian sailors, unprepared to defend their ship. With the end of the war clearly imminent, harbor defenses at Pula were either relaxed or nonexistent. But the Italian navy was unaware of the transition within Pula Harbor. Early the following morning, two young Italian naval officers, Raffaele Rossetti and Raffaele Paolucci, approached the lax defenses of Pula Harbor riding a new underwater weapon-a veritable human torpedo called Mignatta. Built from a salvaged and redesigned German torpedo, it was loaded with two limpet mines carrying 200 kilograms of explosives apiece in place of its original warhead. Powered by a compressed air engine, Mignatta successfully penetrated the now lax barrier around Pula Harbor and steamed quietly toward the moored Viribus Unitis, which was fully illuminated and had many of her water tight doors open. The two daring Italian attackers succeeded in attaching their mines be neath the hull of the unsuspecting dreadnought. Before they could effect their escape, however, Rossetti and Paolucci were spotted by a petty officer aboard Viribus Unitis, who pursued and captured them in a small boat. Upon being brought aboard the former Austro-Hungarian dreadnought, the two Italian officers demanded to speak to Captain Vukovic, and they warned him that mines had been attached to his ship and would detonate in about 15 minutes. Acting prudently, Vukovic gave the immediate order to abandon ship, but many of the sailors among his green crew panicked, and near chaos ensued aboard Viribus Unitis as lifeboats were hastily lowered into the water. Meanwhile, Captain Vukovic ascended to the bridge and awaited the explosion, which occurred on schedule. At 6:30, both mines exploded, and Viribus Unitis sank within 15 minutes. Nearly 400 crew members died in the sinking, including Captain Vukovic, who chose to go down with his ship. Thus two of the four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts were sunk as a result of daring combat assaults by the Italian navy. The remaining two survivors, Tegetthoff and Prinz Eugen, also had short lives. After the treaties were signed that ended World War I, Prinz Eugen was ceded to France and steamed to Toulon. There she was stripped of her main battery guns and other salvageable equipment. In early 1922, the hulk of the once formidable Austro-Hungarian dreadnought was towed into the Mediterranean Sea and sunk after being used as a floating target ship by the French battleships France and Bretagne. Tegetthoff had an even more prosaic demise. Transferred to Italy via the peace treaty, she was scrapped at La Spezia in 1925. Meanwhile, the sunken wreck of Viribus Unitis was broken up in the harbor of Pula before 1930. Szent Istvan reappeared briefly in the news during 1975, nearly 57 years after her sinking. A Yugoslavian navy diving team located the wreck that year and filmed video footage later shown on Serbian television. The sunken dreadnought was also filmed by an Italian television crew three months later. In later years, Hungarian, Austrian, and Croatian teams all dived on the hulk. Szent Istvan remains an irresistible magnet for divers, although exploration of the dreadnought is fraught with peril. The wreck is located in nearly 65 meters of water. At that depth, exploration time on site, even for skilled scuba divers, is normally only about 12 to 15 minutes. While the lure of souvenirs remains strong, many today feel that the wrecks should be left intact. In retrospect, the four Austro-Hungarian dreadnoughts were relatively impotent as weapons of war during their short lives. But, in a larger sense, they epitomized the disappointing impact of this class of vessels on naval warfare . Although the commissioning of HMS Dreadnought in 1906 sparked a worldwide naval arms race, and the ships themselves became the most significant measure of a nations maritime strength, dreadnoughts rarely lived up to their proponents claims that they would be the major element of sea power. For example, neither Britains Dreadnought nor Germanys Nassau played a major role in World War I. Dreadnought missed the Battle of Jutland in 1916, was sold for less than 3 percent of her original cost in 1921, and scrapped two years later. Although Nassau rammed a Royal Navy destroyer at Jutland, she was ceded to Japan at the end of the war and scrapped in 1920. As the short lives of the four Tegetthoff-class ships tend to suggest, rarely did the money, materiel, and personnel expenses of dreadnoughts justify the massive expenditures made on them. They were, in essence, exemplars of a futile naval arms race. WILLIAM H. LANGENBERG is a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Naval Reserve and frequently writes on naval matters. This article originally appeared in the Winter 1999 issue (Vol. 11, No. 2) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: Rise and Fall of the Dreadnaught Want to have the lavishly illustrated, premium-quality print edition of MHQ delivered directly to you four times a year? Subscribe now at special savings! W hen Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton called Joseph Holt into his office on July 18, 1862, it was almost certainly to offer him a powerful post that had just been authorized at the War Department. The previous day President Abraham Lincoln had signed legislation creating the new office of judge advocate general, the nominal function of which would be to review army courts-martial. To that duty Stanton would add some interesting assignments of a more political nature. Holt was interested, but before recommending him for appointment Stanton would have to exercise some suasion on the president, who already had someone else in mind. Brevet Major John F. Lee, one of Robert E. Lees many loyal cousins, had served as judge advocate for the U.S. Army since 1849, reviewing court-martial findings and offering legal recommendations to five presidents. Major Lee was a brother-in-law of Lincolns postmaster general, Montgomery Blair, whose entire family expected Lee to get the expanded office. Blair later confirmed that the post had been created for Lee, and had been promised to him. Lee, however, was a conservative. He championed nonpartisan justice and disliked the idea of using military courts to prosecute civilians. As Stanton could have predicted, Holt would readily subordinate justice to politics, and he quickly became an enthusiastic advocate of military tribunals, which provided a more certain means of obtaining convictions. Stanton knew Holt from having served with him in President James Buchanans Cabinet, where Stanton served as attorney general during the last weeks of Buchanans term. Holt, a sometimes lawyer and Democratic activist from Kentucky, had run into such financial straits by the age of 50 that his wife begged her brother to take Holt into his law firm to give him an income. At the same time, Holt solicited a government post through Democratic friends, and in September 1857 he accepted the office of patent commissioner after initially scorning it for its small salary and relative obscurity. Never again would he be employed outside the federal government. When Buchanans postmaster general died in March 1859, Holt moved into to that vacancy, and in the waning days of 1860 he became secretary of war. H olt, who was growing stout when he came to Washington, brought with him a longstanding habit of cultivating clandestine extramarital relationships. His wife, Margaret, was suffering from what appears to have been tuberculosis, and he often lived apart from her. Sometime in 1858, Holt lodged her in her sisters home in Frederick, Md., and that allowed him more time for the attention of women whom he had given employment in the Patent Office. Their letters to him began just before Margaret moved to Frederick, and during her absence Holt took the opportunity to engage one young lady in a flirtationor something morethat lasted for most of a year. Holts tendency was for angry denials of improbity in one controversy after another As in a previous affair of his, the letters that document this one were all written in French, and they drip with passion. Come[,] come oh come, wrote the woman who alternately signed herself Amelie, Aglai Lapsley, and Darling. She wrote once that I await you with impatience, and when he failed her in a rendezvous she chastised him as cruel. Often she assured him that she was all his, declaring herself your Darling, who loves and thinks of no one but you. Holt evidently supplied her with franked envelopes for their correspondence, but he wore the mask of an honest public servant with Margaret, who had to stamp the letters in which she pleaded for permission to visit him. Consequence of a Defeat: Confederate troops, short of ammunition, hurl rocks at attacking Union troops during the Second Battle of Bull Run. The Federal defeat at that fight put Maj. Gen. Fitz John Porter between a rock and Judge Holt, and led to the generals demise. (Universal Images Group/Bridgeman Images) Holt began neglecting his paramour toward the end of 1859, as Margaret entered the final stages of her illness. He addressed his wife as My precious Maggie, and throughout the dalliance he indignantly dismissed her hinted suspicions with assurances that he was unflinchingly faithful to her. Judging by his correspondence from other women, including at least one who was obviously married, Margarets death in the summer of 1860 did not end Holts fondness for covert liaisons. The duplicity Holt showed his wife carried into his public service, as did his tendency for angry denials of improbity in one controversy after another, most of which involved suspiciously similar circumstances. Those traits made him an excellent match for Edwin Stanton, perhaps the most deceitful man in Lincolns Cabinet, who immediately went to work on changing the presidents mind about Major Lee. Within a week, Lees family knew that Stanton did not want the conservative major, who later learned that Stanton had carried malicious tales about him to Lincoln. Both Holt and Stanton had come out of the Buchanan administration with reputations as conservative Democrats. Holt, for example, had defended the legality of slave-state laws against mailing abolition literature, and both men had supported John Breckinridge for president in 1860. As Radical Republicans gained strength, Stanton reversed course, abruptly siding with them in their war against George B. McClellan and conservative generals like him. By the summer of 1862, Holt had made the same metamorphosis. That made Stanton all the more anxious to have Holt sitting as the Armys chief legal officer when an opportunity presented itself to court-martial McClellan and some of his favorite subordinates. General in Chief Henry Halleck had ordered McClellans army back from the Virginia Peninsula early in August 1862, and on August 28 Stanton formally asked Halleck if he thought that order had been obeyed as promptly as the national safety required. The question foreshadowed a court-martial, and over the next 72 hours Stanton strove mightily to persuade the rest of the Cabinet to sign a petition for the president to remove McClellan from command. Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. John Pope, commander of the newly created Army of Virginia, had lost the Second Battle of Bull Run, in which McClellans Army of the Potomac comrade and confidant Fitz John Porter had participated. By the time Pope reached Washington on September 3, he was blaming Porter for the defeat. That same day, Stanton finally succeeded in convincing Lincoln to appoint Holt as judge advocate general, prompting the understandably offended Lee to resign from the Army. Lincoln stymied Stantons plans for removing McClellan when the president permitted Army of the Potomac regiments sent to the Army of Virginia to return to the generals command, and then take the field under McClellan in the pursuit of the Army of Northern Virginia as it moved into Maryland. But by September 5 Stanton used Popes complaints to order a court of inquiry into Porters alleged conduct at Bull Run. That also had to wait until November, when Lincoln removed McClellan from command. Then the team of Stanton and Holt immediately pounced on Porter. Stanton appointed a court-martial heavily weighted with generals hostile to the McClellan clique or to Democrats in general, and he named the most hostile of them as president. Two of the judges bore some military responsibility in the defeat for which Porter was blamed, and one of them acted as a witness against the defendant. Holt took the prosecutorial role that would normally have gone to one of his subordinate judge advocates. Stanton also took the unprecedented step of ordering the court to hurry the process once the prosecution had concluded its case, thus cutting the defense short. Nevertheless, journalists and other spectators who heard the testimony expected acquittal, but Holt was so certain of his judges bias that he did not even deliver a summation. The verdict of Porters guilt surprised all who had expected impartiality. The president would have to approve the result. To be certain that he would do so, Stanton prepared an order removing Porter for the president to sign before even receiving the record of the trial. He also called on Holt to summarize the proceedings and report on any potential legal questions. Holt ignored all legal improprieties that had occurred, such as having a hostile witness serve as a judge and Stantons order curtailing the defenses presentation. His summary consisted only of the final prosecution argument he had foregone delivering in court. He included none of the testimony that contradicted the charges against Porter, and he cast those charges as virtually unquestionable. Lincolnwho was known to intervene in the cases of contractors convicted of fraud and second lieutenants cashiered for absence without leavedishonorably dismissed Porter solely on the basis of Holts deliberately jaundiced review. Holt then went further in his chosen role as a propagandist. He took his one-sided review to a private printer, personally examining the proofs before it was published in pamphlet form for mass distribution. Bundles of that indictment were delivered to officers in the Army and to the public, eliciting contempt even among those of Porters old acquaintances who knew nothing of the political intrigue behind his downfall. The disgraced general petitioned to have the entire record of the trial published, including the defense testimony and argument, but that request was not granted. To reward Holt for performing as expected, Stanton asked the president to submit the new judge advocate generals name to the Senate on January 19, 1863the day Holt submitted his hatchet job on Porter. The Senate confirmed his appointment in February, affording him a lucrative sinecure that he retained until his retirement 13 years later. S tanton never had cause to regret his choice of Holt, whose review process gave a semblance of judicial propriety to the practice of War Department orders for civilian arrests, which Stanton had just begun to escalate. The new judge advocate general immediately began routinely approving those arrests, most of which involved nothing more criminal than dissident political speech. Less than a week into his tenure, Holt looked into the case of an elderly New Hampshire physician imprisoned for accusing volunteers of harboring more interest in the generous new enlistment bounties than in their country. Holt concluded that if any crime deserved arrest, it was the doctors. Porters Court: This Harpers Weekly engraving illustrates the close quarters of Porters court-martial. Clean-shaven Holt sits at the far right of the table, while the accused general stands in uniform to Holts right. (Harpers Weekly) The results of Holts reviews were so inconsistent, they seemed altogether arbitrary. On the presidents broad hint, only a week after submitting the biased screed that had ruined Porters life, Holt recommended remitting far lighter punishment of a much less competent officer, who against orders had initiated a losing battle. For that offense Henry Benham, a Regular Army major and volunteer brigadier, had had his volunteer commission revoked. With incredible hypocrisy, Holt deemed that as unfair to a man who has now given twenty-five years of his life to his country. Not only was Benham reinstated, he was given command of the Army of the Potomacs Engineer Brigade. Three months later, he had to be temporarily removed from the field during the Chancellorsville Campaign, where his drunken bellowing threatened to reveal a secret bridging operation of the Rappahannock River by Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick. The Porter case made it obvious that Holts opinion could redeem or destroy a defendants future. It would be remarkable if that enormous power failed to elicit some form of bribe offer among the many thousands of cases he was supposed to review, but if he reported any such offer, the complaint has not yet come to light. Unlike many of his counterparts in federal office, however, Holt saw his fortunes improve dramatically from the pecuniary embarrassment of 1857. In 1860, when median wealth in Washington, D.C., came to only $100 and the average estate amounted to $1,913, Holt claimed $88,000all but $8,000 of which was in the form of personal property that would include cash and bonds. By 1870, he was worth $155,000. Holt reprised his role in a replay of the Porter inquisition when Stanton set out to install a favorite in place of his infuriatingly independent surgeon general, William Hammond. Stanton convened a court composed of his political allies and personal friends, aged officers unsympathetic to the upstart Hammond, and a couple of generals who needed to work their way out from under a cloud. That panel obligingly convicted Hammond of accusations that ranged from picayune to perfectly false, whereupon Holt went to work as before, doctoring his review for the president to avoid exculpatory evidence or testimony. He possibly even removed Hammonds defense statement from the court record, lest the president ask for the complete record, for that remains the only missing part of the document today. Then, having once again obtained Lincolns approval for the dishonorable dismissal of a Stanton victim, Holt subjected Hammond to public disgrace, as he had Porter. In another pamphlet published at War Department expense, he detailed only the prosecutions caseincluding charges and specifications on which Hammond had been found innocent, as though he had been convicted of those as well. In a typographical error that survived his proofreading, he added two zeroes to an amount of disputed medical costs, implying that Hammond had been accused of misusing $3,531,400 instead of $35,414. With the presidential election looming in 1864, Stanton sent Holt on a junket that allowed him a vacation at his Kentucky home on the pretext of investigating subversive activities in the West. The investigation consisted of little more than picking up documents designed to discredit the Democratic Party as a network of treasonable conspirators. Brigadier General Henry Carrington, who had contributed to the Republican recovery of 1863 with similar propaganda about Copperhead intrigues in and around Indiana, had collected another trove of incriminating material. In St. Louis, Colonel John Sanderson did the same in interviews with characters of notorious reputation, and he accepted as gospel a host of preposterous allegations that he said had been submitted anonymously, by mail. Holts opinion could redeem or destroy a defendants future Holt brought that imaginative literature back to Washington, gathering it in a report that Stanton published four weeks before the election and disseminated nationwide. To buttress such claims, Holts subordinate judge advocates conspicuously prosecuted a handful of accused conspirators in trials followed daily by the press. In each instance, the prosecutors kept a cavalcade of government witnesses on the stand until after the election, to avoid the publication of any rebuttal by defense witnesses until the primary object of the trials had been achieved. W ith the end of the war, Holt grew even bolder at manipulating the judicial process. Stanton made sure that Holts bureau oversaw the trial of the Lincoln conspirators, and it was Holt who took the trial record to President Andrew Johnson for approval of the death sentences. Johnson was in bed at the time, quite ill. Two years later, when the courts recommendation for mercy to Mary Surratt was mentioned in news about her sons trial, Johnson said he had never seen it. In curiously awkward phrasing, Holt insisted that he had pointed out the document, and he spent years soliciting testimonials purportedly supporting his claim, publishing them as the Vindication of Hon. Joseph Holt. Holt had nonetheless habitually withheld anything from Abraham Lincoln that might have been favorable to a defendant, and he also omitted the clemency petition when he had the court record published. A historian who found the clemency plea attached to the court record in the 1920s concluded that it had been bound with the record, torn out, and then reinserted. The surviving microfilm comports with that interpretation. In his and Stantons zeal to connect the assassins to the Confederate government, Holt retained a professional con artist known sometimes as Sandford Conover to provide witnesses willing to perjure themselves. Major General John Dix had already warned how dishonest Conover was, but Holt spent another year seeking Conovers assistance. When a congressional committee summoned Holt to explain why he was colluding with such a rascal, Holt fell back on a defense of ignorance, claiming that Conover had duped him completely. That controversy produced another of Holts self-exculpating pamphlets, this time titled Vindication of Judge Advocate General Holt, from the Foul Slanders of Traitors, Confessed Perjurors and Suborners, Acting in the Interest of Jefferson Davis. With the end of the war, Holt grew bolder at manipulating the judicial process None of that stopped Holt from recommending, a year later, that President Johnson pardon Conover, who had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for perjury. In his recommendation, Holt claimed that Conover had contributed materially to the prosecution of John Surratt, which was not at all true. Instead, Holt and Radical Republican Congressman James Ashley hoped that Conovers pardon would persuade him to offer testimony, or witnesses, who might connect President Johnson himself to Lincolns assassination. Conovers wife provided the White House with correspondence on that intrigue, including a script of the desired testimony in the handwriting of a clerk from the House Judiciary Committee, which was considering impeachment. Was Holt Merciless?: At far left, Mary Surratt dangles at the end of a rope on July 7, 1865, the day she was hanged with other Lincoln assassination conspirators. Circumstantial evidence suggests that Holt may have intentionally failed to notify President Andrew Johnson about the courts recommendation for mercy for Surratt. (Library of Congress) T he power of Holts Bureau of Military Justice waned sharply when the Supreme Court ruled his military tribunals unconstitutional. After Stanton left the War Department, Holt was forced to abandon his politically motivated investigations, reverting to the mundane duty of judicial review for which his post had nominally been created. Late in 1875, he finally retired on an Army pension at the rank of brigadier general. He spent his remaining years in idle comfort in Washington, stirring occasionally to refute the reputation for skullduggery he had developed under Stanton. That pair had always confirmed each others virtue in every scandal. When Stanton was suspected of removing the missing pages from John Wilkes Booths diary, Holt asserted it was absolutely certain that he had notalthough, as the last person to come into possession of it, Holt had no way of knowing. When Holt sought to be exonerated from complicity in the Conover affair, Stanton dismissed the imputations on Holts character as entirely groundless. Holt nevertheless turned on Stanton after he died, allying with another Radical colleague to accuse the late war minister of suppressing testimony that Holt had shown President Johnson Mrs. Surratts clemency petition. The 87-year-old Holt died on August 1, 1894, at his Washington home on the corner of C Street and New Jersey Avenue. In an ironic historical twist, four blocks away, near Seward Square, Anna Hoover was then pregnant with a child she would name John Edgar. Thirty years later Mrs. Hoovers son would take charge of an agency not unlike the one Joseph Holt had headed in the 1860s, and he would rule it with a similar ethic. Historical iconoclast William Marvel is the author of numerous books, including A Place Called Appomattox: Community at the Crossroads of History, Lincolns Autocrat: The Life of Edwin Stanton, and most recently, Lincolns Mercenaries: Economic Motivation Among Union Soldiers in the Civil War, which will be released in November 2018 by LSU Press. He lives in New Hampshire. Genevieve de Galard cared for the most gravely wounded Known as lange de Dien Bien Phu, Genevieve de Galard is Frances greatest living military heroine and a recipient of the countrys highest honor. An air force flight nurse, she volunteered for service in French-controlled Indochina and arrived in Vietnam in April 1953. Nearly one year later, at about 4 a.m. on March 28, 1954, she flew in a Douglas C-47 transport plane to the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu, under siege by the Viet Minh, a communist-supported group fighting for independence from France. It was de Galards 40th flight to evacuate wounded soldiers at Dien Bien Phu and her 149th medical evacuation in Vietnam. The C-47 faced heavy flak from Viet Minh artillery but landed safely. While taxiing in the dark on the runway, however, the plane ran into a barbed-wire entanglement and developed an oil leak in one of its engines. The aircraft would have to be repaired before it could carry out the 25 wounded soldiers lying on stretchers in a ditch alongside the runway. At daybreak, the Viet Minh opened fire with American-made 105 mm howitzers the Chinese had captured in Korea and destroyed the medevac plane. There would be no flight out for the wounded or de Galard, the only European woman in a garrison of some 11,000 French and French Union troops. Under hellish, brutally primitive and unsanitary conditions, the combat nurse worked with Dr. Paul Grauwin, the chief French medical officer. Eventually de Galard was put in charge of a 40-bed, muddy underground bunker where she cared for the most gravely wounded. On April 29, the garrisons commander, Brig. Gen. Christian de Castries, awarded de Galard the Croix de Guerre, which honors military acts of valor, and made de Galard chevalier (knight) of the Legion of Honor, Frances highest decoration. The following day, she was inducted into the French Foreign Legion as an honorary private first class, a distinction the Legion confers sparingly. After Dien Bien Phu fell on May 7, the Viet Minh allowed de Galard to continue treating the wounded, but they also a tried to pressure her into signing a letter to Ho Chi Minh congratulating him on his birthday and praising him for the wonderful treatment the French prisoners were receiving. She resisted for 10 days until the Viet Minh threatened to retaliate against the wounded, and then Grauwin ordered her to sign the statement, which the communist leader flaunted in front of a Soviet film journalist. De Galard was released on May 24, alongside the more severely wounded. She at first refused to go because she wanted to stay with her other patients, but was ordered to leave. By the time de Galard arrived in Hanoi, she had become a media celebrity, with her picture on the cover of Paris Match magazine. She was invited to the United States by Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, given a ticker-tape parade down Broadway and recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives. On July 29, President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded her the U.S. Medal of Freedom, the antecedent to the Presidential Medal of Freedom established in 1963. In 1956, de Galard married Jean de Heaulme, a French Special Forces officer who had parachuted into the area north of Dien Bien Phu in an attempt to rally the Montagnard hill people to launch a counterattack against the Viet Minh. Later, she served for many years on the Paris city council. In 2014, de Galard received the Legion of Honors Grand Cross, the highest of five levels of recognition for holders of the medal. The 2010 English translation of her memoir, The Angel of Dien Bien Phu, was published by the Naval Institute Press, in partnership with the Association of the United States Army. Retired Army Maj. Gen. David T. Zabecki is Vietnam magazines editor emeritus. This article was published in the December 2018 issue of Vietnam. In 1914 Caspar Rene Gregory, an internationally known biblical scholar, decided to go to war for his adopted homeland. On August 11, 1914, His Majestys Regular Army took out a full-page advertisement in the London Daily Telegraph seeking the immediate enlistment of an additional 100,000 men, ages 19 to 30, to help with the grave National Emergency unfolding beyond the borders of Great Britain. Nine days earlier, Europe had begun fraying at its seams. Germany invaded Luxembourg and then Belgium after the Belgian government denied German forces passage across their nation for a planned assault on Paris. The British government pledged its military support to the historically neutral Belgium, and the budding Great War went into overdrive. In Liege, for example, some 30 miles southwest of the German border, the American war correspondent Granville Roland Fortescuea Rough Rider who had been wounded in Cuba fighting alongside cousin Teddy Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan Hillwitnessed the precision with which invading troops bombarded a trio of strongholds, leading to the capture of the Belgian city. The artillery practice was perfect, he wrote in an eyewitness scoop. Shell after shell was exploded fairly on the ramparts of the forts. Shortly thereafter, a German counter-attack at the Battle of Mulhouse, 300 miles to the south, wrested from the French this sliver of Alsace its troops had briefly occupied. With hostilities escalating, British men of fighting age heeded the urgent call for service by Lord Horatio Kitchener, a colonial administrator and veteran of military campaigns who had reluctantly accepted the position of secretary of state for war. In one weekend alone, about 6,000 recruitsmany of them with previous military serviceanswered the call to arms. Meanwhile, Germanys elaborate conscription system was providing its military with an enormous pool of draft-age men to call on. In August alone the army had expanded its fighting forces from 808,000 to more than 3.5 million in less than two weeks. Among that massive contingent was an American emigre who volunteered on the very day that Fortescues dispatch from Liege and Lord Kitcheners full-page adcapped with an emphatic Edwardian-style God Save the Kinggraced Britains newspaper of record. Caspar Rene Gregory, an American expatriate, high-profile social reformer, and internationally known biblical scholar enlisted as a private in the 1st Reserve-Battalion of Infanterie-Regiment Konig Georg No. 106 of the Imperial German Armys 24th Division. By any measure, Gregory was an unlikely enlistee. But one characteristic in particular gave him exalted status in his adopted homeland: At nearly 68 years old, he was the oldest volunteer in Kaiser Wilhelm IIs forces. Caspar Rene Gregory, born of Gallic extraction, was a descendant of Abbe Henri Gregoire, a prominent leader of the French Revolution who championed such causes as abolition of slavery and universal suffrage. Gregorys grandfather followed the Marquis de Lafayette to North America, anglicized the family name, and fought in the Revolutionary War. His son, in turn, founded a private school in his hometown of Philadelphia, which Caspar Gregory attended until he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania. By all accounts a brilliant student, he went on to study at Princeton Theological Seminary. But what most impressed Gregorys friends was his strong sense of purpose and commitment to civic duty, much in keeping with his patriotic heritage. Gregory was a student at Penn during the American Civil War, and he was an active participant in the military training provided there. Assigned to the ordnance corps, he later volunteered for the First Regiment of Pennsylvania Gray Reserves. After graduation Gregory went abroad to pursue a new form of biblical studies called textual criticism, which had been pioneered by Professor Constantin von Tischendorf at the University of Leipzig. Tischendorf died a year after his arrival, but Gregory showed such talent and promise that the university asked him to continue his mentors work. Gregory finished his doctoral studies in 1884, was admitted to the faculty, and became a full professor in 1891. Over that time, he made an important discovery that helped scholars evaluate biblical manuscripts: He determined that ancient scribes arranged their parchment leaves so that the grainy sides of the pages faced grainy sides, while smooth sides also faced one another. That simple discoverydubbed Gregorys Lawgave textual scholars a valuable new method to evaluate manuscripts. Gregory became so respected in the world of New Testament studies that he later participated in high-level discussions to determine which books should appear in the Biblical canon. The longer Gregory lived in Leipzig and worked at the university, the more he came to admire German culture. He became a naturalized citizen of Saxony in 1881, and thereafter returned to his native land infrequently and briefly. To enrich his teaching, Gregory traveled incessantly, especially around the Mediterranean Sea, during summer breaks. After studying in Athens, Cairo, Jerusalem, and Constantinople, he expanded his scholarly journeys to include St. Petersburg, Odessa, Kiev, and Moscow, invariably finding his way to each citys preeminent theological library. But his base remained Leipzig, and when the autumn term rolled around, he could always be found at the lectern and in the streets and halls of the industrial city. His acquaintances came to believe that he was determined to become more German than the Germans, although he embraced the life of his adopted land with a notable twist: He infused a firm commitment to Christian charity into traditional German efficiency. As a result, he greeted everyone on his walks through Leipzig and distributed money to the needy, even paying tuition for a student no longer able to afford it. His kindnesses were so many that he became known as a national treasure of Saxony. Or as the Germans put it, a property of the people. Gregorys commitment to the fatherland and strong sense of duty made his decision to volunteer for military service a principled one, despite his looming 68th birthday. He said he believed that Germany had been forced into war against English imperialism, Frenchmen, and Russian [Cz]arism. And then there was the solidarity he felt with his fellow citizens. I could not let them go alone [into the army], could I? he said. It was my social duty to join. I joined to help my neighbor who was now my comrade. Gregory firmly believed in Kaiser Wilhelms optimistic promise that the troops would return home before the leaves fell from the trees, so on that second Tuesday in August of 1914, the physically fit, sweet-faced sexagenarian offered himself for service. And true to his concept of duty, Gregory did not seek the protection of rear areas, but reportedly soldiered in the front lines at Dinant on the Meuse, the Somme, Lille, Flanders, and eventually the muddy hell of Ypres. In each of his assignments, in fact, the physically fit scholar professed an urgent desire to be deployed in the trenches. Gregory was soon promoted to sergeant, and he became famous across Germany. On the battlefield, where his brethren always kept close tabs on his wellbeing, his tasks included supervising the construction and maintenance of military cemeteries. Gregorys commanders seemed to particularly value both his wisdom and his inspirational influence on younger soldiers, whom he treated with his customary kindness and understanding. He was held in such high regard, in fact, that the entire nation celebrated his 70th birthday to honor him as an exemplar of service. To mark the occasion, the kaiser awarded him the Iron Cross Second Class, while the Kingdom of Saxony presented him the Friedrich August Medal in Silver, awarded for meritorious army service. By 1916 Gregorys adopted nation was beginning to suffer from a depleted economy at home and exhaustion at the front, and it would not be long before American doughboys began arriving in large numbers. In October Gregory was reassigned to the 47th Landwehr Division in northeast France, where he immediately pressed superiors for a post at the front. His captain offered him a choice: return to the trenches at his rank of staff sergeant, or be promoted to lieutenant in recognition of his service to the fatherland. I dont care for a promotion, Gregory replied. It is to me the job that counts, and I will return to the trenches. Ultimately, the captain dismissed Gregorys wishes by promoting him, 10 days after his 70th birthday, to lead Kommando Gregory, a unit charged with the registration of graves and military burials. The assignment was clearly designed to keep him out of harms way, but thanks to the inscrutable logic of the battlefield, it actually led to his demise. Although some reports contend that the aging lieutenant was felled in battle leading his troops, more-credible accounts suggest that while supervising grave digging behind the front lines, Gregorys horse, Nina, was killed in a French bombardment and fell on him, badly injuring his left knee. Gregory was taken to the field headquarters near Neufchatelsur-Aisne, but unable to move from his bed during a subsequent Allied artillery barrage, he was struck by shrapnel. Lift my stuff carefully, he reportedly told an attendant before losing consciousness. He died one day later. Nearly three years earlier, the noted theologian had penned the two-paragraph death notice that was to eventually appear with the proper date inserted: Caspar Rene Gregory, professor at Leipzig University, fell in battle for the German cause April 9, 1917. His family must not wear mourning or lament his loss, but should be happy that he is resting in God. Visits of condolence ought to be omitted. He extends a hearty farewell and a hopeful auf wiedersehen to all his friends and acquaintances. The city of Leipzig erected a memorial to Gregory near his home, which stands today. But the most poignant memorials no doubt came from his American friends, who grieved their loss profoundly, even as they admitted puzzlement at his choice to serve a ruler they perceived as a dictator and a nation they believed was an aggressor. An old friend from his college days wrote, At least our American-German Gregory, of Leipzig, took refuge behind neither age nor class nor scruple, but threw himself with all the boyish energy we remember so well into a course he believed in, though we think it false and lost, and so tragically died in the land of his forefathers, but with the army of its foes. MHQ William Walker lives in Staunton, Virginia. He is the author of Betrayal at Little Gibraltar: A German Fortress, a Treacherous American General, and the Battle to End World War I (Scribner, 2016). 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Participants in the Walk a Mile event hold up signs for Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien who was murdered in North Adams in January. Her death, in which her husband was charged, sparked an ongoing conversation in the city about domestic violence and sexual assault. The new 'Men Initiating Change In North County' march in the walk for the first time. PreviousNext North Adams Continues to Address Domestic Violence Prevention Elizabeth Mitchell of the Elizabeth Freeman Center joins Mayor Thomas Bernard last week to tell the City Council how the center is training and resources. NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The city has recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. But the official efforts aren't ending this year with a simple proclamation. After the murder of Christa Leigh Steele-Knudslien only days into the new year, City Councilors Marie T. Harpin and Benjamin Lamb submitted a communication asking that the council work with the mayor's office and community partners to create " a multi-pronged approach" to the issue of domestic violence within the community. That's resulted in a close partnership with the Elizabeth Freeman Center and the development of a communitywide conversation on relational violence in North County. "The community responded to this tragedy by engaging the city administration, the City Council, the Police Department, the public schools, health-care providers, community-based agencies including the Elizabeth Freeman Center and the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition and the Northern Berkshire United Way as well as residents affected by and concerned about domestic violence," read Mayor Thomas Bernard last week from his proclamation recognizing the month. "We, all of us, should not stop until we as a society has zero tolerance for domestic violence and until all citizens and survivors can be heard." North Adams had reports of 152 assaults and 20 rapes in 2016, and 15 rapes in 2017. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports that nearly one in three women in Massachusetts experienced some type of violence or stalking by a partner and nearly 25 percent of men experienced non-rape sexual assault. Relational assault can range from verbal, emotional and psychological abuse to murder and intimate partner violence accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime in the United States. Bernard's proclamation also pointed to the links between partner abuse and violence against children, seniors and pets. with the Elizabeth Freeman Center, a nonprofit resource for people suffering from domestic violence and sexual assault, thanked the councilors for their advocacy. Elizabeth Mitchell, a SAFEPLAN advocate with the Elizabeth Freeman Center, a nonprofit resource for people suffering from domestic violence and sexual assault, thanked the councilors for their advocacy. Since bringing the issue to the forefront last January, the center has completed a training for law enforcement personnel in North County, hosted the first of two planned community forums on regional violence and established a "substantial presence" in all the North County high schools and Drury Middle School. The center is also planning informational presentations and trainings for businesses, emergency medical personnel, health-care professionals and groups of community members this fall. It's also seen the formation of Men Initiating Change In North County (MIC INC), described by Mitchell as "an incredible group of men from North County who are committed to organizing a men's group willing to role model and take steps to improve the culture in North County as it pertains to relationships. The group, including Lamb and City Councilor Jason LaForest, recently marched with the mayor at the Freeman Center's annual fundraiser, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, last month in Pittsfield. MIC INC will also be having a standout at City Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 16, and the second community forum, "A Call to Action: A Community Response to Relational Violence," will be held Friday, Oct. 12, from 10 to noon at Terra Nova Church's The Green at 85 Main St. "We're aiming to connect with others who are passionate about changing statistics of relational violence in our community," Mitchell said. The mayor said he wanted to thank the team at the Elizabeth Freeman Center. "They have been really terrific partners with the administration and the city over the past nine months," he said. "I'm grateful to you." Anyone dealing with issues of domestic or sexual violence or interested in finding out more about resources at the Elizabeth Freeman Center and the work it does can call the North Adams office at 413-663-7459 or the 24-hour hotline at 866-401-2425. Addressing the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh described Vietnams engagement in the UNs peacekeeping activities as a breakthrough to consistently implement the Partys foreign policy. It also marks a change in both the quality and quantity in multilateral cooperation in general and in defence and security in particular, he stressed. The participation of the Vietnam Peoples Army in UNs peacekeeping missions demonstrates its role in the countrys revolutionary cause and in implementing its international duties, he stated. He asked the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department and agencies of the Ministry of Defence to closely coordinate with the ministries and sectors concerned in managing the operation of the hospital. He requested that the hospital staff promote solidarity and fulfil their assigned tasks, deserving the trust of the Party, State, army and people, while promoting the image of Vietnamese soldiers in the eyes of international friends. The staff were also demanded to strictly follow the Party, State and Armys foreign policy, as well as the regulations of the UN and the Mission, and the laws of Vietnam and the host country. Watching the send-off ceremony online, from the UN headquarters in New York, UN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, sent his congratulations and highly appreciated Vietnams direct engagement in UNs peacekeeping activities. The level-2 field hospitals participation in the mission not only illustrates Vietnams goodwill and responsibility in UN peacekeeping activities but also demonstrates the countrys efforts and capacity in the work, contributing to bringing stability and peace for the people in countries and regions of instability, conflict, poverty, backwardness and diseases, he said. Selected photos at the event: (Photo: nld.com.vn) Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh (centre) at the event \ iciHaiti - Security : Monitoring and maintenance of the MICT building Monday, Fednel Montchery, the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior and Territorial Communities MICT, met the technicians in charge of the management of the building of the Ministry located at the corner of the streets Monseigneur Guilloux and of Casernes. Accompanied in particular by the Director of Human Resources and the main manager of the building, Montchery intends to strengthen the control of the building, which is a modern and new structure, requiring monitoring and ongoing maintenance https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-23083-haiti-reconstruction-the-new-building-of-the-ministry-of-the-interior-is-finally-ready.html At this meeting, which brought together some 40 technicians, ranging from elevator operators, electricians, surveillance officers via cameras to security guards, among others, the working conditions of the maintenance staff were also discussed, whose some of whom work nearly 12 hours a day and provide night service. At the end of the meeting, a Committee was set up to ensure the necessary follow-ups for the overall management of the building. This Committee also has the mandate to discuss with the hierarchy, in order to find solutions on the points forming part of the specifications of these technicians. IH/ iciHaiti iciHaiti - Social : Worrying and critical situation of seniors in Haiti As part of the International Day of Older Persons (1 October), the Office of Citizen Protection (OPC), reminds that this is an important date that must appeal to the conscience of humanity as a whole. On this day, UN Member States committed to implement the recommendations according to which the independence, health care, development and dignity of older people must be taken into account in the definition of public policies. In Haiti, the situation worrying see critical, as the elderly in large numbers live in difficult conditions and high vulnerability. The OPC takes this opportunity to underline and reaffirm that the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development, are indispensable for the creation of a society for all ages, in which people older people participate on the same footing. The OPC recommends that the Government, through the Ministries concerned, take all the necessary measures to strengthen the structures responsible for the protection of the elderly so that they can have access to basic social services under conditions respecting their dignity in accordance with the legal provisions relating to the protection of this very vulnerable social category. IH/ iciHaiti Former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has won a six year legal battle of libel against an online newspaper, Pointblanknews. An Abuja High Court of FCT has ordered Pointblanknews to pay a total of N200m in damages to the plaintiff over a libelous story it published. Point blank news had published a false story against Okonjo-Iweala in 2012, and refused to retract, even after it was proved to be false. The judgment by Justice Chizoba N. Oji in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/2602/12 also included an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants the platform and its founders Jackson Ude and Churchill Umoren from defaming Dr Okonjo-Iweala in the future. Pointblanknews had published the false story, OKONJO-IWEALA BUYS N1.2 BILLION ABUJA MANSION in its edition of January 10, 2012 in which it alleged that Okonjo-Iweala had purchased a massive home in Maitama, Abuja for a whopping N1.2 billion. According to the news platform, Okonjo-Iweala was also pocketing $2 billion (two billion dollars) in commission in the last debt buy-back deal under the presidency of the Olusegun Obasanjos administration (sic) without any proof. The story according to investigation proved to be false as the owner, Mr Fabian Nwaora, who was mentioned in the report denied selling any property to Dr Okonjo-Iweala. The court in its judgement imposed general damages in the sum of N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) and Exemplary damages in the sum of N150,000,000 (One hundred and fifty million Naira) against the Defendants jointly and severally. Reacting to the news, the former minister expressed her joy at the judgement, stating that it was important for the media to maintain professionalism and transparency always. She wrote via her twitter handle on Tuesday, thus: Happy to finally get justice in the libel case against PointBlank News. It is important our media maintain high standards of accuracy, transparency and professionalism. Wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, visited the family of late Mohamed Baba-Ari, the Nigerian Air Force pilot, who died in a F-7Ni aircraft crash in Abuja on Friday. The late Baba-Ari, was a Squadron Leader, and was one of the three pilots in the Katamkpe Hill accident in Abuja. The event drew Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Commander of the Son La Border Guard High Command Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Hoang Van Chat, and representatives from the Police Department for Investigation of Drug-Related Crimes and other central and provincial departments and agencies. Participants evaluated the results of the work over the six months since the plan 892/KH-BTL was issued on March 26, 2018 by the Border Guard High Command, while working to draw lessons from such experience. Over the past few years, Son La, especially the districts of Moc Chau and Van Ho, has seen complicated developments in drug transportation to Vietnam due to tough terrain and coordination between local and Lao traffickers. The drugs trafficked are mostly heroin transported from the Golden Triangle to Vietnam through Laos. In the past six months, the provincial Border Guard High Command worked with their peers in the neighbouring province of Dien Bien and Lao police on 13 cases, arresting 34 suspects and seizing 169 bricks of heroin, 65kg of crystal meth, 422,000 tablets of meth, 17kg of opium, 18 guns, seven grenades, and seven automobiles. Son La border guards coordinated with the Lao side to finish five cases in the Houaphan province of Laos, while cooperating with Dien Bien border guards to successfully deal with nine cases, arresting 11 suspects, 19 bricks of heroin, 15kg of crystal meth, 39,000 tablets of meth, 5kg of opium, 20 bullets, and many other exhibits. The efficiency of combating drug-related crime has been enhanced, while the coordination between border guards and locals has become even stronger, greatly reducing activities of drug trafficking from the Golden Triangle to Houaphan and other bordering areas of Vietnam. So far, activities by drug rings and armed criminal organisations have decreased by up to 80 percent, significantly reducing the quantity of drugs trafficked from Laos to Vietnam. At the conference, Acting President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh presented gifts to the Tan Xuan border post of Van Ho and the Long Sap border post of Moc Chau. Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien also presented certificates of merit to eight collectives with outstanding performance in combating armed drug traffickers along the border. The Vietnam Fund for the Support of Children presented VND 200 million to poor children in Son La. Earlier the same day, Acting President Thinh attended the inauguration of government headquarters in Tan Xuan of Moc Chau, and presented five houses and breeding cows to policy beneficiaries families, as well as 200 scholarships to poor children in Moc Chau and Van Ho. National leader of the All Progressives Congress(APC) Bola Ahmed Tinubu got a huge welcome when he arrived at ward C, Alausa, Ikeja, to participate in the ongoing governorship primary election of his party. After voting, Tinubu who spoke with journalists shortly after said that he was beneath whatever was going on today as it was necessary for democracy. The former Lagos state governor also described as an insult, insinuations that he has any rift with the present Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode. According to Tinubu, he brought Ambode to power and has no reason to have a rift with him. In his words : It is a democracy day for us. It is even beyond me as a leader. Whatever is happening today, I have to submit myself to the party wishes. He performed very well as a civil servant and when he showed interest in politics after the leadership we gave him the opportunity. Vanguard GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, yesterday, alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari has damaged the country beyond control, saying Nigerians are tired of his misrule. Thisday President Muhammadu Buhari last night met with the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, and the partys former National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, over the brewing succession crisis in Lagos State. The Sun Two people have been confirmed dead and no fewer than 15 others were crucially lying in the hospital following clash between APC supporters of two House of Representatives aspirants in Suleja, the headquarters of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State ahead of Tuesdays party primary. Daily Times Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam nuhu Ribadu has indicated interest to participate in the rescheduled Adamawa APC governorship primaries election, hours after he withdrew from the race. Leadership Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam nuhu Ribadu has indicated interest to participate in the rescheduled Adamawa APC governorship primaries election, hours after he withdrew from the race. Daily Trust Ahead of the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun, three members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state House of Assembly on Saturday defected to the Action Democratic Party (ADP). The Nation The Southwest leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to abide by the traditional culture of discipline, fair play, respect for order and equity in the affairs of the country. Tribune Senator representing Bayelsa East under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ben Bruce, has annouced that he would not be returning to the Senate because he wants to honour an existing arrangement. Jeremy D. Morley concentrates on International Family Law. The firm works with clients around the world from its New York office, with a global network of local counsel. Mr Morley is the author of "International Family Law Practice", the leading treatise on international family law in the U.S., and "The Hague Abduction Convention", published by the American Bar Association. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and a former law professor. Portobig However, recent decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) e.g. the Euro Tyre II case (C-21/16) and Portuguese tax courts (notably the Supreme Administrative Court, or SAC), mean this trend may be about to change. Background As a rule, the PTA have been challenging the exemption applied to ICS, mainly for the following reasons: (i) lack of proof of the expedition of the goods to a EU country other than Portugal (notably in takeaway transactions ie the goods transportation is dealt with by a non-established acquirer); (ii) the acquirers VAT number is not registered in the VAT Information Exchange System (VIES); and (iii) the acquirer is not registered for the purpose of carrying out intra-EU acquisitions of goods in the EU country that issued its VAT number. More recently, however, the PTA has been refusing to exempt ICS on the grounds that the acquirer is not registered for VAT purposes in the country of destination of the goods. Under this context, several judicial disputes have arisen between the PTA and Portuguese VATable persons; in the majority of these, the non-established VATable person failed to register in VIES despite having VATable person status for domestic transactions. In this regard, Euro Tyre II (case C-21/16) constitutes a landmark case for Portugal. In this case, the CJEU was called upon to rule on the conformity of the domestic rules setting the conditions for ICS exemptions to apply with Article 138(1) of the VAT directive. In a nutshell, when answering questions, the CJEU referred to its past decisions on Mecseck-Gabona, VSTR and Plockl; it said that where material conditions for VAT exemption are met and there is no evidence of the VATable person intentionally participating in tax fraud (ie there is no reason not to qualify the acquirer as a legitimate trader), or that it knows or should have known that it is participating in tax fraud, the tax authorities of a member state cannot refuse said exemption due to the failure to comply with formal requirements, in particular solely on the grounds that the acquirer does not hold a VAT number for the purposes of ICS and is not registered in the VIES. Recent developments As stated above, notwithstanding the path that has been pursued by the CJEU when analysing the legal requirements for the ICS, with Euro Tyre IIbeing the most recent example, the PTA has failed to fall back on its understanding of the application of the aforementioned exemption. This is mainly because the domestic VAT provision ruling on the legal requirements for the VAT exemption to apply remains unaltered [see Article 14(a) of the RITI]. Nevertheless, the Portuguese Tax Arbitration Tribunal, when faced with disputes identical to that portrayed in the Euro Tyre II case (C-21/16), in which the PTA denied the application of a VAT exemption for ICS due to the acquirer failing to register in time in the VIES, it has not shied away from replicating the main findings developed by the CJEU in this decision, thereby ruling against the PTA. Additionally, the SAC has been confronted with similar disputes, between the PTA and Portuguese VATable persons, in granting exemptions in the ICS. In this regard, the PTA recently refused to grant an exemption in an ICS on the grounds that although the goods had been dispatched outside Portugal (to a Latvian VATable entity that used its VAT number issued by Latvian authorities for the acquisition), the goods were delivered in France to a French representative of the acquirer, where the latter was not registered for VAT purposes (notably, it was not registered for the purpose of performing intra-EU acquisitions of goods therein). As a result, the PTA decided to reject the application for VAT exemption, accounting for the Portuguese VAT due. Furthermore, in an awkward application of the safety net principle (please see Article 40 and 41 of the VAT Directive), to further support this line of reasoning, the PTA argued that the Portuguese supplier had failed to demonstrate that the transactions at issue had been liable to VAT in the country of destination and in the country that issued the VAT number used for the acquisition of the goods. Once more, the Euro Tyre II case (C-21/16) doctrine was advocated to conclude that the VAT registration of the acquirer of goods represents a mere formality that cannot justify, per se, the denial of the benefits of the VAT exemption for an ICS. As such, should the substantive conditions of an ICS be satisfied, that is to say, the delivery of goods in another member state to a taxable person acting as such, as established in Article 138 (1) of the VAT directive, the supplier cannot be deprived of the right to apply the VAT exemption on such operations. In this context, the PTA has yet to fully comply with the CJEUs understanding of the application of the VAT exemption provided for by the ICS, mainly because the relevant domestic provisions have not yet been revised; nonetheless, the recent rulings by Portuguese courts offer reassurance and are a testimony that we may be on the brink of a paradigm shift in what concerns the practical application of the legal requirements for the VAT exemption at issue. This article was written by Mario Silva Costa, senior associate lawyer, and Joao Garrinhas, tax, at Cuatrecasas, Goncalves Pereira & Associados in Portugal. Mario Silva Costa Senior associate lawyer Cuatrecasas Joao Garrinhas Tax Cuatrecasas The material on this site is for financial institutions, professional investors and their professional advisers. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQ. Share this article 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. Deputy Minister Vinh congratulated China on the 69th anniversary of the National Day and affirmed that the Vietnam China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership has been growing strong with the bilateral defence ties being one of the key pillars. The partnership between the two countries armed forces has achieved positive and practical results, he said. The two sides have been active in exchange of visits at all levels, joint medical checkup for border communities, border cooperation, military history studies, providing Vietnamese and Chinese language courses for military personnel from both sides and experience exchange in United Nations peacekeeping missions, he noted. The two nations have supported each other at multilateral forums, particularly the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+). Vietnam will participate in an ASEAN-China Maritime Drill at Chinas Zhanjiang naval base in late October. The deputy minister spoke highly of the visit to China by Sen. Lieut. Gen. Luong Cuong, head of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam Peoples Army in July, saying that the successful visit has greatly contributed to the relations between the two Parties, States and armies. He suggested the two sides further discuss details of their plan to deepen the bilateral defence cooperation in the time ahead, including the fifth Vietnam China border defence friendship exchange to take place in Cao Bang this November, the deputy minister-level defence policy dialogue and exchange of high-level visits between the two armies. Yin, for her part, thanked Vinh for his reception. She agreed with her host on the significant development of the two nations Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership as well as defence relations. She pledged that she will report his proposals to her higher authority at the earliest. Apple expanded upon the functionality of iMessage with what it calls Business Chat with the launch of iOS 11 last year, but its launch, when the feature did finally arrive, was limited in availability. That is starting to change now, though, as a variety of different international companies have announced recently that they are now in full support of Apples Business Chat feature. Beginning now, the feature is available in the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Singapore, and many other countries. Officially, Business Chat launched in the United States earlier this year, so the international expansion didnt actually take that long. In Japan, the wireless carrier KDDI is offering support for Business Chat. Lithia Motors in the United States is also offering support. Credit Suisse in Hong Kong and Singapore is now supporting the feature, as is Harvey Norman in Australia. Wireless carrier Vodafone is offering Business Chat support in Germany. NH Hotels has begun offering Business Chat support in a variety of countries, as has the luxury brand Burberry. Apples Business Chat officially arrived on the market with the public launch of iOS 11.3. With the feature, folks who want to talk to a specific business that offers support for the feature must initiate the conversation on their iPhone. Once that has begun, they can continue the conversation on their iPad, Mac, or the Apple Watch. With Business Chat, customers can quickly learn about prices and other aspects of a business before they deal with them directly. In the United States, Apples Business Chat is already supported by T-Mobile, 1-800-Flowers, American Express, The Home Depot, Lowes, Wells Fargo, Ameritrade, and others. You do need to be running at least iOS 11.3 to get Business Chat support. Our Take This is one of the features that can really come in handy in certain situations, especially for planning a trip. While searching for what youre looking for works more often than not, a specific question you might want to ask a hotel chain might not be so easy to find, and using Business Chat to discover that is pretty handy. Its good to see that the feature is finally expanding to international markets. [via NH Hotels Preliminary tests have shown the Gigabit LTE modem inside the iPhone XS being faster than the iPhone X by a significant margin. However, when compared to Qualcomms X20 modem which is found inside the Galaxy Note 9 and other Android flagships, Apples latest iPhones still fall short. Now, Cellular Insights and Ooklas Speedtest have provided more data about the iPhone XSs LTE performance after advanced testing and compared it to other Android flagships. Apple uses Intels latest XMM7560 modem inside its latest iPhones. Apart from supporting Gigabit LTE speeds, it is also the first modem from Intel to support all four major U.S. carriers and has simultaneous support for GSM and CDMA networks. This has allowed Apple to entirely drop Qualcomm for its modem requirements this year in the U.S. As the results show, the new Intel modem allows the iPhone XS Max to go compete against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Google Pixel 2. The Note 9 comes with Qualcomms X20 1.2Gbs LTE modem, while the Pixel 2 uses Qualcomms X16 modem which supports Gigabit LTE speeds. When compared to the iPhone X, the addition of 44 MIMO support on the iPhone XS translates into LTE performance nearly doubling under ideal conditions. In ideal network conditions, the iPhone XS Max is still a bit behind the Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2, though the difference is not as big as last year. Plus, as the network conditions weaken, Apples offering is able to reduce the gap even further. In comparison, the iPhone X from last year is simply not competitive enough. As per Speedtest data for the week of September 24, the iPhone XS offered 6.6Mbps faster download speeds on average across all US carriers when compared to the iPhone X. AT&T subscribers, on average, saw an 8Mbps jump in LTE performance, with T-Mobile subscribers seeing a 6.6Mbps improvement. When compared to the iPhone 7, the difference is even bigger with a jump of 9.9Mbps in the United States and 31.6Mbps in Canada. The difference is even bigger in Canada at a staggering 20.2Mbps. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with its X20 LTE modem still performed better though, with an average mean LTE download speed of 43.2Mbps vs 38.9Mbps for the iPhone XS for the September 24 week. The PCMag article also addresses the poor LTE and Wi-Fi issues plaguing certain iPhone XS owners. They claim in their testing that the hardware itself is fine, with the issue likely being caused by a software bug. Apple is likely to resolve this bug sooner than later and roll out a fix for it as soon as possible. [Via PCMag Luu said the visit will strengthen ties between the two parliaments agencies and legislators, thereby promoting the bilateral strategic partnership between Vietnam and the UK. He suggested reinforcing collaboration in culture, education, and workforce training especially in the fields of law, finance-banking, insurance, high technology, and teaching English in Vietnam. Hailing the outcomes of talks between the UK delegation and the Vietnamese NA Committee on External Relations, several other NA committees, and the Vietnam-UK Friendship Parliamentarians Group, Vice Chairman Luu expressed support for the strengthening of comprehensive cooperation between the two law-making bodies; the facilitation of visits by parliamentarians to raise mutual understanding, share information and experience in parliamentary activities; and maintaining consultation and mutual support at multilateral parliamentary forums. Wayne David expressed his profound condolences over the passing of President Tran Dai Quang, and most recently, former Party General Secretary Do Muoi. Briefing the host about the outcomes of meetings with the Vietnamese NA committees and agencies, he said that Vietnam-UK ties are growing in all areas. He asked the two countries to further boost all-round ties to bring practical benefits to their people, especially in training and other fields of their respective strength to match the bilateral strategic partnership. We highly value the achievements and great contributions of Comrade Do Muoi during the struggle for national independence in the past, as well as in the nation-building and construction of the country during the 80 plus years of his revolutionary career, read the message. It also highlighted the contributions that Do Muoi made to the reinforcement of friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, and peoples. The passing away of Do Muoi is a loss of a close friend of the Party, State, and people of Laos, it added. The Lao side also extended deep condolences to the family of Do Muoi. Do Muoi was also a member of the CPV Central Committee in the third to eighth tenures and member of the Politburo for the fifth to eighth tenures. He served as the General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee from June 1991 to December 1997. He was born on February 2, 1917, and passed away at 23:12 on October 1 at Military Hospital 108 in Hanoi. KLAMATH RIVER, Ore. UPDATE: A body found in the wilderness near Beaver Creek in Siskiyou County appears to belong to missing man Jason Cantrall, according to Sheriff Lopey with the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office (SCSO). Search and Rescue found Cantrall's body this afternoon just a few hundred yards from where his pickup truck was found on Tuesday, Lopey said. This is a developing story and NewsWatch 12 will updated this article with more details as they emerge. (Updated 10/5/18 at 4:20 p.m.) UPDATE: Rescuers have found Jason Cantrall's pickup truck along Forest Road 40N44 south of Wards Fork Gap, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office. The truck was unoccupied, and the search for Cantrall continues. (Updated 10/2/18 at 4:35 p.m.) INITIAL REPORT: An "at-risk" Siskiyou County man is missing from an area near the community of Klamath River, California according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office (SCSO). 46-year-old Jason Cantrall was last seen on Sunday in the Beaver Creek area. He is a Type 1 Diabetic and is insulin-dependent, said SCSO. Cantrall was last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and a black hat. He was seen driving his silver 2012 Dodge Ram 1500, with California plates reading "38356H2." Cantrall is described as a white man with red hair, blue eyes, about 5'11" and 145 lbs. SCSO says that they have an active Search and Rescue operation ongoing in the area. Anyone with information regarding Cantrall or his location should contact Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office Dispatch at (530) 841-2900. Policy makers and experts gathered at a talk show held in Hanoi on October 1 afternoon to discuss measures in response to population ageing in Vietnam. The event, held to coincide with the International Day for Older Persons, was co-organised by the Vietnam National Committee on Ageing, the Vietnam Association of the Elderly, the General Office for Population and Family Planning, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and HelpAge. Reports at the event showed that Vietnam officially entered the stage of an "ageing population" since 2011 and is one of the fastest ageing countries in the world. In 2017, the number of elderly people accounted for 11.9% of the total population, meaning one in every nine people is aged 60 or over. According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, by 2038, people aged 60 and over are estimated to be at over 21 million, accounting for 20% of the total population. Le Tan Dung, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, emphasised that population ageing is a global trend, becoming a social issue that has a great impact on various aspects of social life. However, the time for Vietnam to change from the "ageing" population stage to the "aged" population structure would be much shorter compared to other developed countries, Dung said, for example it took Sweden 85 years, Japan 26 years, and Thailand 22 years, while only about 17-20 years are predicted for Vietnam to turned into an aged nation. Therefore, there should be appropriate policies and strategies prepared to deal with the ageing issues in the future. According to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Le Tan Dung, as population ageing is a global trend, there should be appropriate policies and strategies prepared to deal with the ageing issues in Vietnam in the future. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung) According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh from UNFPA, the working-age population will begin to decline by 2038, while the elderly will increase, and this population structural change will adversely affect socio-economic development if there arent any proper intervention policies. Population aging is inevitable, therefore Vietnam needs timely policy interventions to maintain a reasonable population structure. In addition, the women-dominated tendency in ageing also takes place in all countries, including Vietnam, requiring taking gender into account in making policies and programmes to adapt to population aging. Stressing the need for ending age discrimination, Country Director of HelpAge International in Vietnam, Tran Bich Thuy, urged for more drastic action to eliminate the thought that the elderly are a burden, or are passive and dependent people, as age discrimination is one of the root causes of halting active aging, which impedes the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Delegates at the forum agreed that the elderly and young people have the same values in life. Regardless of their age, the majority of the elderly are still active and look forward to contributing more to their families, communities and society. UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, Astrid Bant, said that as older persons can be active and forward-looking participants in society, it is important to no longer treat older people as passive recipients of social services. As stepping towards a better future for all, Leaving no one behind will mean making space for the contributions of older persons, the UN official stated, calling for the promotion of the rights and ensuring the full participation of older persons to build better societies for all ages. UNFPA Representative in Vietnam, Astrid Bant, calls for the promotion of the elderlys rights and ensuring their full participation to build better societies for all ages. (Photo: NDO/Trung Hung) Participants at the event discussed policy recommendations for Vietnam in dealing with the ageing population, with the focus on mainstreaming population ageing in the policies and indicators related to SDGs in Vietnam. It is necessary to continue implementing and adjusting laws and policies related to the elderly to ensure a better settlement of elderly issues, as well as achieving a reasonable population size and limiting the increase in the population ageing rate. They suggested developing infrastructure and promoting social services to ensure that the elderly can participate in socio-economic activities, while encouraging the replication of the elderlys clubs and community-based care centres. Another requirement is to increase communication to change public awareness towards the elderly and create a suitable environment for communities with a large number of elderly persons, as well as regularly educating young people to eliminate discrimination and violence against the elderly. ROSEBURG, Ore. Monday marked three years since the mass shooting inside Snyder Hall at Umpqua Community College a tragedy that took the lives of eight students and one teacher. The flag flew at half-staff on the campus as UCC held a "Day of Remembrance" event. Starting at 10 a.m. Monday, a private event for UCC staff and students, affected family members and the law enforcement community were set to take place on the UCC campus grounds. They also planned to hold a moment of silence at 10:38 a.m., marking the time shots were fired three years ago. During the memorial ceremony Monday morning, people had the opportunity to listen to bagpipes and see a memorial presentation at the campus Welcome Center. Flowers and pictures with names of all the victims were on display there. A separate gathering around the campus flag pole will remain open to the entire Roseburg community from sunrise to sunset. Locally, Rogue Community College joined UCC in lowering their flags to half-staff in honor of the fallen. On October 1, 2015, a deranged student gunman opened fire in UCC's English and writing classrooms, killing nine people and wounding eight more before being wounded by a police officer and turning the gun on himself. UCC still has web pages dedicated to each of the victims: Lucero Alcarez Treven Taylor Anspach Rebecka Ann Carnes Quinn Glenn Cooper Kim Saltmarsh Dietz Lucas Eibel Jason Dale Johnson Lawrence Levine Sarena Dawn Moore We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form EUGENE, Ore. -- With cyber security in the news a lot lately, a lot of people are asking how to protect their information. KEZI 9 News spoke to Oregon Pacific Bank President and CEO Ron Green to learn more. What advice would you give for using my banking app in public? Public Wi-Fi is everywhere and makes it very convenient to access the internet and all the apps and services that you want to see. Green said to be cautious if the public Wi-Fi is at a public coffee shop where there isnt a password. Theres a risk that you could be compromised by attaching yourself to a non-secure Wi-Fi. Its always best to connect to a Wi-Fi in a secure, password-encrypted network at home. Green likes to use a hotspot off his cell phone, so he has his laptop and tablet connect to that hotspot. Its not likely that someones going to get into your computer, but Green said to always take the route of being super cautious. If you have banking or finance questions for Ron Green, click here. You can also leave a question on our Facebook page. The journalist wrote that Australian chef Luke Nguyen will host a cruise on the Mekong from Vietnam to Cambodia next year. He will guide you around Old Saigon, where his parents used to live, then teach you some of his favourite dishes at his cookery school. On board luxury AmaLotus, Australian chef Luke Nguyen will take charge of the galley to create a welcome dinner. Over the next seven days youll see the differences between busy Vietnam and slower-paced Cambodia, exploring ashore on foot, in rickshaws and ox carts. Seeing the sun rise behind Angkor Wat is a special occasion, so champagne corks will pop for a toast to the dawn., the Mail on Sunday wrote on its website. The 16-day trip, including a seven-night cruise and three-night hotel stay in Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap starts on November 28, 2019. The list also includes a seven-night cruise around France that starts in Lyon; a cruise of the Nile in Egypt; a one-week cruise from Vienna to Belgrade; a six-night cruises aboard Loire Princesse sail round-trip from Nantes; a cruise to the German towns of Boppard, Rudesheim and Mannheim; and a new ultra-luxury boat sailing from Bordeaux on the Garonne, Gironde and Dordogne rivers. LEBANON, Ore. -- Lebanon police have arrested three minors in connection with the vandalism of Lebanon High School's concession stand. RELATED: Lebanon Police investigate vandalized concession stand They have been arrested on charges of burglary, criminal mischief and theft and are being held at the Linn-Benton Detention Center. Police said the damage is estimated to be $1,500, not including man hours for the repairs needed. EUGENE, Ore. -- After going extinct 13,000 years ago, Columbian mammoths have returned to Oregon. A pair of life-sized sculptures arrived at the University of Oregons Museum of Natural and Cultural History Monday. The sculptures will be installed in the museum courtyard and will be previewed to museum members, campus leaders and other invited guests Friday. On Oct. 6 and 7, the museum will hold A Mammoth Celebration, a weekend-long event featuring a meet-and-great, talk and paleo-sculpting workshop with the artist, Gary Staab. The 12-foot-tall adult female and her calf are constructed of steel, resin and fiberglass. Staab is known for blending art and science to bring extinct species back to life and his works have appeared in museums around the country. Executive director Jon Erlandson said the sculptures reflect the museum's intent to bridge the past, present and future using science. The Columbian mammoth is an iconic monument to Oregons dynamic environment and natural history, Erlandson said. Greg Retallack, director of the museums Condon Collection of Fossils, discovered one herds footprints at Fossil Lake in 2014, and those footprints from 43,000 years ago are the focus of ongoing studies. At 1 p.m. Sunday, Retallack will discuss the trackway and what it may reveal about family dynamics in mammoth herds. For more information about the event, including admission and workshop registration, click here. EUGENE, Ore. -- The Susan G. Komen organization is putting on a breast cancer forum next Tuesday in Eugene to talk about reducing the risk of cancer coming back and maximizing your quality of life. KEZI 9 News spoke with Community Programs Manager Bridget Jamieson. Jamieson said this year the focus is on exercise and what to do following a cancer diagnosis. The keynote speaker is exercise scientist Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D. The event begins at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 9 at the Valley River Inn: 11:30 a.m.: Check in and visit exhibitor booths Noon: Lunch and presentation 1 p.m.: Q&A with speaker 1:15 p.m.: Closing remarks Jamieson said its good for survivors to get together and hear from other peoples experiences. One in eight women are diagnosed in their lifetime in the United States. Registration for the event closes at noon Tuesday, Oct. 2. The cost is $15, but the event is free for those who have survived or are fighting breast cancer. To learn more about the forum or to register, click here. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) A judge has sentenced a former Sioux City special education teacher to probation after she admitted to stealing from a school account for Special Olympics and other programs. The Sioux City Journal reports District Judge Steven Andreasen on Monday sentenced 49-year-old Melissa Dickerson, of Sioux City, to five years of probation. She also must repay $5,063 to the Sioux City school district and complete 100 hours of community service. Dickerson pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree theft. Court records show that for nearly a year beginning in August 2016, she withdrew money from accounts she set up under the names of East High School Special Olympics and the Friendship Connection. She acknowledged Monday using the money to pay personal bills. Dickerson later resigned from her teaching position. ___ Information from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com CEDAR FALLS, Iowa A former Mason City teen accused of sexual extortion is pleading not guilty. Christian Albert Gossweiler, 18, entered that plea Tuesday in Black Hawk County District Court. Authorities say Gossweiler communicated with a Scott County woman through Snapchat while attending the University of Northern Iowa. The victim reportedly sent Gossweiler nude photos and videos after he asked for them, then authorities say he demanded more or he would post the images online. The victim claims Gossweiler then offered to stop demanding more videos if she had sex with him. Gossweiler was arrested by UNI police on August 22 after they say he showed up to have sex with the victim. Trial is set to begin on November 27. Gossweiler graduated from Mason City High School in 2018. SHEFFILED, Iowa- A Future Ready Iowa summit was held at Sukup Manufacturing in Sheffield on Tuesday. Hundreds of educators and employers from our area learned how they can team up to help fill their communitys employment needs. Iowa Lieutenant Governor, Adam Gregg, also had a firsthand experience at welding. It is one of the jobs done at Sukup. He said initiatives like the Future Ready Iowa will help fill the employment gap many businesses throughout the state are experiencing. There are tens of thousands of jobs available and many of them dont require a four year degree, Lt. Gov. Gregg said. They do require more than high school education though and getting students and Iowans interests aligned and getting them to fill those positions are a must. Lt. Gov. Gregg said that if elected in November Future Ready Iowa will be at the top of the priority list for the Governors Office. MASON CITY, Iowa A plea deal has been struck in the theft of an expensive piece of construction equipment. Brett Gerald Wetter, 43 of Mason City, has agreed to plead guilty to 4th degree theft. Mason City police say he stole a DigiTrak drill locator unit from a construction site in the Southbridge Mall parking lot on February 15. The unit is worth around $17,000. A DigiTrak drill locator unit. A DigiTrak drill locator unit. Wetter was arrested after authorities say he tried to sell the stolen unit to a company in Florida. Wetter was originally charged with 1st degree theft. No sentencing date has been set. ROCHESTER, Minn. Rochester mayoral candidates Kim Norton and Charlie OConnell mean business, or are actually talking business at a debate on Tuesday, Oct. 2. RACC is hosting the debate with a business focus. Candidates will answer questions from area businesses about what challenges they face in the growing city. Christian Holter is the Commuter Services Manager at Rochester City Lines, which is just one of the businesses attending. He said he wants hear the candidates positions on implementing or avoiding local labor laws. Holter explained it can determine whether the business is large, small, or a sole proprietorship. There's things about these different laws and regulations that would have an impact here in Rochester. So, I think the answers to these questions is going to be something the business community should particularly pay attention to, Holder said. The event costs non-chamber members $35 and chamber members $25 to cover a lunch provided at the debate. Holter said he doesnt mind paying the fee since a debate specifically addressing area businesses may be needed. There has been such stable leadership in Rochester for such a long time. So, I think the growth in the business community, and growth in Rochester, and the variety of employers...there's interests and issues that are of particular importance to the business community, he said. The event is scheduled to run 11:30am-1:30pm at Canadian Honkers events. If space allows, people can register for the debate up until it opens. If people are looking for a free debate to hear from mayoral candidates, the League of Women Voters in Rochester is hosting a debate at the Rochester Public Library on October 16th. WAUKON, Iowa Killing his step-father is sending a northeast Iowa man to prison for at least 35 years. John Michael Quanrude, 32 of Waukon, was found guilty of 2nd degree murder after a three-day trial in September. Authorities say Quanrude shot his step-father, Dean Elliot Russell, in April in a Waukon mobile home the two shared. Quanrude was sentenced Tuesday to a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 50 years in prison, with credit for time already served, and must pay $150,000 of restitution to the estate of Dean Russell. Quanrude must also avoid contact with Russells family for five years. BELMOND, Iowa Nobody was hurt after a student pulled out a knife Monday at Belmond-Klemme High School. A teacher assistant was allegedly shown the knife, and the student allegedly made inappropriate comments and gestures toward her, the school posted on social media. No one was hurt in the incident. The school said the student was removed from the classroom. "We recognize this was unacceptable behavior, and we needed to first ensure the safety of all our students and staff, Principal Greg Fisher said. The incident remains under investigation. The name of the student with the knife has not been released. We have deep and abiding concern for how an incident like this could affect our students. The welfare of our students comes first, and we will respond with their best interests at the forefront, Fisher said. "The student has been excluded from the school while the investigation is on-going." The film "Beast" from producer Simon Hesse was declared the winner by the jury. The award, which is worth CHF 100,000, supports outstanding Swiss film projects that are in the production or post-production stage. The Filmmaker Award was established by the Verein zur Filmforderung in der Schweiz (Association for Film Funding in Switzerland). This association includes the co-founders of the ZFF, Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, Ringier CEO Marc Walder and IWC CEO Christoph Grainger-Herr among its members. (Picture above: Zurich Film Festival director Karl Spoerri, CMO IWC Schaffhausen, Franziska Gsell, award winners Lorenz Merz and Simon Hesse, and British actor Dev Patel). Dev Patel achieved his international breakthrough in 2008 with the modern Bollywood fairy tale "Slumdog Millionaire". The British actor received numerous "Best Newcomer" awards, including the British Independent Film Award and the National Board of Review Award, for his portrayal of the title role of Jamal. For the drama "Lion", he won the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) for Best Supporting Actor in addition to being nominated for an Academy Award. Dev Patel IWC Schaffhausen During an exclusive IWC dinner, which took place as part of the 14th Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), the charismatic actor was now presenting the 4th Filmmaker Award. IWC had invited representatives of the national and international film industry, as well as personalities from the world of media, arts, commerce and politics (including IWC brand ambassadors Fabian Cancellara and Patrick Seabase), to the awards ceremony. This year marks the fifth time that IWC has been a co-partner of the ZFF. Beast A total of 37 projects were submitted. The emotional coming-of-age film tells the story of a teenager called Gabriel who is selflessly and devotedly bringing up his two-year-old son alone. One summer's night, Gabriel, his friend Joel and Joel's girlfriend Cory break into the zoo and release a horde of wild animals, in the belief that they are setting them free. This event turns the world upside down for the three youngsters. The film is currently in post-production and is expected to be released in spring 2019. It is being directed by Zurich's own Lorenz Merz, who has already received multiple international awards, including the Pardino dargento, for his previous work. In addition to the Filmmaker Award, producer Simon Hesse also received a Portugieser Automatic (ref. IW500703). MASON CITY, Iowa A Winnebago County man is facing an arson charge for allegedly dumping gasoline on a firewood that was for sale outside a convenience store. Cedric Harris, 20, of Forest City, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail. Harris is accused of dumping the gasoline on the wood in front of Yes Way at 1224 N. Federal Ave. on Sept. 22 at 1:03 a.m. Authorities said there was an employee inside the building at the time and there were other persons near the building. (Adds details on the case, Scotiabank comment) WASHINGTON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Canada's Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) will pay $800,000 to settle charges filed by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission that it engaged in spoofing in gold and silver futures contracts, the CFTC said on Monday. The regulator said in a statement that traders on Scotiabank's precious metals trading desk placed orders to buy or sell futures contracts on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange with the intent to cancel the orders before execution. The traders engaged in the spoofing from at least June 2013 through June 2016, the agency said. Spoof orders create the impression of greater buying or selling interest than otherwise would have existed, it said. Scotiabank said in a statement it was pleased to have resolved the issue. "The bank takes the proper handling and adherence to regulatory requirements and compliance policies regarding trading very seriously. With this in mind, the bank self-reported the trading activity and showed significant cooperation with the government's investigation," it said. In addition to the $800,000 civil penalty, the bank has agreed to implement training programs and controls to detect and deter spoofing, the CFTC said. The bank reported the misconduct to the CFTC after the company's futures commission merchant raised concerns, the agency said. "In recognition of its self-reporting and cooperation, the commission imposed a substantially-reduced penalty," James McDonald, the CFTC's director of enforcement, said in the statement. (Reporting by Eric Beech; editing by Mohammad Zargham and Rosalba O'Brien) Messaging: eric.beech.reuters.com@reuters.net)) CHICAGO (Reuters) - Chinas absence from the U.S. soybean market has put tremendous pressure on both soybean growers and Chicago-traded soybean futures over the last several months. But the United States new trade pact with Mexico and Canada may offer some hope for a similar outcome with major U.S. trade partner China. The United States and Canada reached a deal late on Sunday to salvage the three-country, $1.2 trillion open-trade zone agreement with Mexico that was on the verge of collapse after more than two decades. The agreement is expected to be signed at the end of November and will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The deal has been viewed as a win for President Donald Trump and his strategy in the international trade arena. Trump had been an open critic of NAFTA even before his November 2016 election, and he vowed to supplant it if elected. But U.S. soybean farmers might be having trouble seeing the end game of Trumps trade actions with China. The ongoing U.S. harvest will surge to a new record partially due to the assumption that China, which usually accounts for about 60 percent of U.S. soybean exports annually, would continue to participate in the U.S. market. The United States slapped $200 billion in tariffs against Chinese goods last month and China still refused to make concessions. Beijings July 6 imposition of a 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybean imports has perhaps been the biggest burden on U.S. agriculture resulting from trade disputes. But Trump has confidence these harsh tariffs will ultimately pave the path to a deal, and Sundays agreement certainly supports his claims. The U.S. president said on Monday that a trade deal would not have been reached with Canada and Mexico without the strong leverage created by the tariffs. So, could the tariffs eventually bring China to the negotiating table? Perhaps, but Trump thinks it is too soon to talk with China on trade because a forced decision may not end up being the best one for the country. China has been largely absent from the U.S. soybean market since early April when Beijing initially threatened to target U.S. beans with tariffs. The lack of Chinese demand and the record-yielding U.S. crop may push domestic soybean supply close to 900 million bushels by next August, well above the previous record carryout of 574 million in 2006-07. Trump noted on Monday that signs of economic weakness in China and its sliding stock markets are proof that the U.S. tariffs are impacting the Chinese economy. But just how long can China hold out, especially when it comes to soybeans? CHINAS TOOL CHEST The next interaction between the United States and China could come at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires on Nov. 30, though economic adviser Larry Kudlow said a pact with Beijing was not imminent. Chinas peak weeks for buying U.S. soybeans typically fall in October and November. On average over the last five years, China has secured roughly 77 percent of its annual U.S. soybean purchases by Nov. 30. Through Sept. 20, it has 1.3 million tonnes on the books for 2018-19 compared with 8 million on the same date a year ago. As of Sept. 30, soybean stocks at Chinese ports were at an all-time high of 8.8 million tonnes, some 30 percent more than a year ago. Given the average rate at which China consumes soybeans, these stocks would last just over four weeks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture puts current Chinese soybean supply at 22.5 million tonnes, not including the expected crop of 15 million, which together would last the country through at least January. However, soybeans are grown very far from the countrys crushing facilities, which is a huge cost consideration for the users. Market participants are not entirely clear on Chinas stock situation. But assuming the USDA numbers are in the ballpark, Chinese buyers could theoretically remain sidelined from U.S. soybeans through most of their primary exporting season, though it may be difficult and costly. Top supplier Brazil could start shipping larger volumes of soybeans as early as late February if the harvest is large enough and without delay. One key difference between Mexico and China was that as trade tensions escalated with Mexico earlier this year, political pressures or other barriers did not prevent Mexican buyers from snatching up cheap U.S. corn and soybeans. Soy purchases rose well above record levels beginning in March, and corn sales also started pulling away. Mexico is the top buyer of U.S. corn and is usually No. 2 in U.S. soybeans, though through late September it had purchased more beans than China for delivery in 2018-19. Through Sept. 20, Mexico had 1.97 million tonnes of U.S. soybeans on the books. Canada, China and Mexico are the top three destinations for U.S. exports of agricultural and related products, amounting to $68.2 billion last year, some 43 percent of the total. Canada accounted for $16.4 billion in consumer-oriented products such as prepared foods, fresh produce, and meat, while China took in $12.3 billion in soybeans. COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - A whistleblower who helped reveal suspected money laundering at Danske Bank (DANSKE.CO) will consider an invitation from an EU parliament committee, his lawyer said on Tuesday, adding there is a good chance he will attend a hearing next month. Last week, Danish newspaper Berlingske named the whistleblower as Howard Wilkinson, a former head of Danske Banks trading business in the Baltics. Wilkinsons lawyer Stephen Kohn of Kohn, Kohn & Colapinto said he had not yet received the invitation. Wilkinson is not obliged to accept the European Parliaments invitation. Danske last month reported that 200 billion euros ($235 billion) of payments moved through its Estonian branch between 2007 and 2015. It said that many of the transactions it had analysed appeared suspicious. ROME (Reuters) - Italy defied pressure from Brussels and its euro zone partners on Tuesday to water down ambitious budget plans, threatening to sue EU officials it said were to blame for a deepening sell-off on Romes financial markets. The government last week set a deficit target of 2.4 percent of economic output for the next three years. That tripling of its predecessors goal by the EUs second most indebted nation unnerved investors and prompted criticism and calls for a rethink from the European Commission. We are not turning back from the 2.4 percent target... We will not backtrack by a millimeter, Luigi Di Maio, deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said on RTL radio. As Italian bonds and banking shares sold off sharply, Di Maio said there was no doubt the leaders of France and Germany wanted the Italian government to fall, while one lawmaker suggested the country would be better off without the euro. Euro zone finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg said Italy, whose representative Giovanni Tria was a notable absentee, needed to toe the fiscal line. The majority of the member states will clearly ask and demand that these (EU budget) rules are observed, Austrian minister Hartwig Loger, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told a news conference. European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said the current draft appeared not to comply with the rules, though Brussels was open to dialogue. Italys ruling coalition, which joined forces in June on promises to slash taxes and boost welfare spending, directed anger at Brussels. Its other deputy Prime Minister, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini, said it might seek compensation from the EU over Italys rising borrowing costs. The words and the threats of Juncker and other high EU bureaucrats continue to raise the spread (between Italian and German bond yields). We are ready to seek damages from those who want to harm Italy, Salvini said. Italian 10-year bond yields peaked at a 4-1/2-year high on Tuesday and shares in Italian banks .FTIT8300 at a 19-month low. Both assets later trimmed those losses. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker drew parallels on Monday between Italys budget plans and the finances of Greece, which emerged from its third international bailout as recently as August. While the headline deficit of 2.4 percent that Italy is proposing would be within the Commissions 3 percent limit, under the current plan the structural - or underlying - deficit would rise, which runs contrary to EU rules. The Commission is also concerned the proposal will increase Italys huge public debt, proportionally the EUs second highest after Greeces. The government says the debt will fall as the expansionary budget spurs economic growth. STRICT WITH ITALY TO SAVE EURO On Monday, Juncker said the EU must be strict with Italy to avoid putting the euro project at risk. Salvini called that a threat that no-one in Italy is taken in by. He said the governments priority was to respond to its citizens needs and criticism of its budget will not stop us. The governments task is made harder by pressure on Italian bonds, intensified when euroskeptic League lawmaker Claudio Borghi said the countrys economic situation would improve outside the euro zone. Borghi did not suggest the government planned to drop the euro, and Di Maio and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte later reiterated that Rome has no intention of leaving either the euro zone or the EU. The euro is our currency and for us it is unrenounceable, and declarations suggesting otherwise had nothing to do with government policy, Conte said on Facebook. Di Maio said Romes adversaries were hoping to use markets to weaken the coalition, but their bid would fail because the 5-Star/League alliance was more united than ever. Economy Minister Tria, a moderating but seemingly increasingly isolated voice in government who is a member of neither party, left Luxembourg late on Monday for Rome to put the finishing touches to the budget plan. The document is expected in coming days but could be published as soon as Tuesday. PARIS (Reuters) - Governments should not expect the European Central Bank to let fiscal issues take precedence when it sets its monetary policy even if financial stability is at stake, ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Tuesday. Villeroy, who is also governor of the French central bank, did not single out Italy, but Romes decision to ditch previous deficit targets agreed with the European Union has put Italian assets under pressure, raising financial stability questions. There can be no fiscal dominance and no influence of any national fiscal policy on our common monetary policy, Villeroy, who is also governor of the Bank of France, told a conference in Paris. He added that ECB policymakers primary mandate was to guarantee price stability in the euro zone and that financial stability had to be ensured through regulatory measures. Financial market angst about Italy, which has weighed on the euro and has sparked a spike in Italian bond yields, is focused on the countrys vast debt burden. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker drew parallels on Monday between the budget plans of Romes populist-led government and the finances of Greece, which only recently emerged from its third international bailout. Let me stress it, in the cyclical upturn we are still in, more public debt is not a cure, its a disease, Villeroy said. I stress it for my own country, France, its true for France, but its true also for Italy and its true even for the United States of America. * Randgold second major miner to announce departure from London* No gold companies have listed on LSE so far in 2018* Miners vs FTSE 350: By Clara Denina and Zandi Shabalala LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A tie-up between Randgold Resources and Barrick Gold will leave a void in the London market for investors seeking exposure to gold via companies that produce the precious metal. Canada's Barrick Gold has agreed to buy Africa-focused Randgold for $6.5 billion to create the world's largest gold producer. It intends to list its shares in the new, enlarged company in New York and Toronto. Randgold, listed in London for 21 years, is the second mining company to announce its departure from the British capital's stock exchange in three months following Vedanta Resources. "For a London investor in the gold sector, Randgold would be the only real option of a company with a good track record and enough liquidity," a fund manager at Old Mutual said. "Randgold is going from one-of-a-kind investment in London to the biggest of a group of investments in Canada and New York," the fund manager added. "It is the most liquid, so that will potentially give it a premium in those markets." Gold companies in recent years have come under fire for poor performance and use of capital from investors who have preferred management to focus on costs rather than acquisitions. Randgold has been a beacon for equity investors looking for a liquid exposure to gold, often used as a safe haven during times of financial, political and economic uncertainty. It was among the best-performing stocks in London immediately after Britain voted in 2016 to leave the European Union, partly because the firm is seen as well managed with good relationships with governments, one UK fund manager said. Mark Williams of London gold fund Charteris said the Randgold delisting would be a "sad day" for investors in the UK capital, noting that London-listed Fresnillo , also a precious metal producer, was not a pure gold play. The Mexican miner also produces silver, lead and zinc. So far this year, five new companies have listed on the London Stock Exchange, raising just 167.58 million pounds ($217.27 million), compared to four in the same 2017 period that raised around 440 million pounds. None of the new firms listed this year were gold companies, compared with two last year, stock exchange data showed. Overall, new listings in North America have been strong compared to Europe, Asia and emerging markets, said Roger Jones, head of equities at fund manager London & Capital. "This has undoubtedly encouraged corporates to focus on North America, where valuations are higher and investor sentiment more positive," he said. On a wider scale, the uncertainty over divorce negotiations between Britain and the EU is seen as a temporary dampener to the British financial sector. "The London stock market could do with all the help it can get and Randgold delisting is not helping," said Alastair Winter at Daniel Stewart, economic adviser to the Dynamic Opportunities Fund, which invests in Randgold. London hosts the world's biggest mining companies, including Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. The FTSE 350 mining index has fallen 5.4 percent this year compared to a drop of 2 percent in the wider FTSE 350 index Gold companies are struggling more than their diversified peers and have seen their stocks shorted as the gold price sank to 1-1/2-year lows and short positions on the yellow metal climbed to records. ($1 = 0.7690 pounds) (Reporting by Clara Denina and Zandi Shabalala; additional reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Pratima Desai and Dale Hudson) Messaging: clara.denina.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)(Twitter: @claradenina)) Ulysse Nardins Diver Chronometer collection has been revealed at the Monaco Yacht Show which was held in the Port Hercules of the Principality of Monaco, 26-29 September 2018. Already a favorite among free spirits, the Diver has a new, contemporary and eye-catching appearance both outside and in. In addition to the deep blue and all-black versions, this fresh line includes the Diver Great White and a Monaco Limited Edition. These robust, elegant timepieces have benn presented by Ulysse Nardin's own armada of modern-day Ulysses at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show, marking the beginning of the countdown to an exhilarating new adventure in diving watches. Diver Chronometer, titanium, blue and black dials Ulysse Nardin The new Diver Chronometer redefines functional elegance with its audacious design. This 44 mm diving watch crafted to withstand up to three hundred meters of water pressure has a concave bezel with domed sapphire glass and houses the UN-118 movement with its silicium technology - a specialty of the Manufacture - visible through the open back. Superluminova on the indexes and hands makes the hours and minutes visible not only in the dark of night but also at great depths. The face is adorned with a power reserve indicator at 12 oclock and a date and small seconds at 6 oclock, all nestled within the unidirectional rotating bezel. The numbers on the face have been redrawn to read 0-15-30-45. Even the rubber and titanium strap of the Diver has been reworked with the clasp replaced by a pin buckle and streamlined with just one easily identifiable Ulysse Nardin signature element. Sturdy, blue rubber guards protect the crown. Diver Chronometer Great White Limited edition Diver Chronometer Great White Limited edition Ulysse Nardin The Diver Great White is adorned with a great white shark stamped on the case back. The shark represents stealth, strength and strategy and the Diver Great White embodies these qualities in contemporary adventurers of the land and sea. The Diver Great is a limited edition of 300 pieces. Diver Chronometer Monaco Limited edition Diver Chronometer Monaco Limited edition Ulysse Nardin The instantly recognizable Monaco Limited Edition has an image of the Monegasque flag at 12 oclock. The unique calendar disk has a specificity that corresponds directly to the Monaco Yacht Show; the numbers 26, 27, 28 and 29 in red mirror the dates of the 2018 event. The case back also discreetly bears the Monaco coat-of-arms. The Diver Monaco is a limited edition of 100 pieces. Fred Buyle Fred Buyle Ulysse Nardin Free diver and Ulysse Nardin ambassador Fred Buyle explains why Ulysse Nardin is a key partner on his expeditions. The main advantage of freediving is that we dont have a lot of gear. I basically only travel with a wetsuit, dive watch, a pair of fins, a mask, and of course my photo equipment. A dive watch is the most crucial accessory for a free diver. When youre freediving, you have a special relationship to timesometimes it passes fast and other times it seems to slow down or even stop. Your watch almost becomes a friend, so I am always wearing my Ulysse Nardin Diver timepieces. I rely on my watch to monitor my perception of time. An automatic watch is key as it gives you the peace of mind that you wont run out of battery in the middle of a remote expedition. By Lee Min-young Girl group Mamamoo will make its official Japanese debut Wednesday with the Japanese version of its hit song "Decalcomanie" and a new song "You Don't Know Me." After the songs' release in Japan on Oct. 4, the group will perform in Osaka on Oct. 5, Tokyo on Oct. 7 and Nagoya on Oct. 9, according to agency RBW. The four member K-pop act made its debut in 2014 with "Mr. Ambiguous." Its hits include "Decalcomanie," "Piano Man," "Um Oh Ah Yeh,""Yes, I am," and "Starry Night." By Kwak Yeon-soo Lee Soo-eun By Jung Min-ho Cathay Pacific painted its name as "Cathay Paciic" on the side of its jet, a Boeing 777-367. Photos on social media show the plane at Hong Kong International Airport. The Hong Kong-based airline said Wednesday that it noticed the error and sent the plane back to be repainted. "Oops this special livery won't last long! She's going back to the shop!" the company said on Twitter. The airline said it was a genuine mistake, but some people in the industry doubted the claim. "The spacing is too on-point for a mishap. We have stencils. [There] should be a blank gap in between letters if it was a real mistake," an engineer for Haeco, a Cathay Pacific sister company, told the South China Morning Post. A Cathay Pacific spokesperson told CNN Travel that the airline did not intend to make a big fuss, but the photos went viral quickly. "So we just shared the hilarious moment with everyone," the official said. By Kim Jae-heun North Korea's Kim Il Sung University has signed an agreement with the Free University of Berlin on cooperation and education exchange programs in the humanities and sociology, the German school announced, Monday. It said it had exchanged documents with the university in Pyongyang last Thursday. It is rare for the North Korean university to form an official cooperative relationship with an institute from a country that is not a socialist state. Kim Il Sung University President Thae Hyong-chol and the head of the Institute of Korean Studies at Berlin Free University, Lee Eun-jeong, attended the ceremony. "The Free University of Berlin has long been making educational exchanges with Kim Il Sung University, which brought us to establish an official relationship to cooperate at this stage," Lee said during her speech at the ceremony. "We can now conduct more research in the fields that have not been much studied in North Korea." The two schools will carry out joint research in the humanities and sociology. Also, the German language department at Kim Il Sung University signed a memorandum of understanding with the German university's Institute on Collaborative Works. At first, Kim Il Sung University will help the institute's studies on "seowon," a lecture hall where scholars gathered for learning during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom. Researchers from the German school will have access to ancient documents at the North Korean university related to seowon. During her stay in the North, Lee also visited several well-preserved seowon sites including Sungyang Seowon. She also participated in an international conference at the North Korean school, where scholars from 10 countries including China, Russia, England, Vietnam and Germany shared their knowledge in politics, economics, medical science and history. Lee said it will be possible one day for South Korean universities to collaborate with the North Korean school if they try to build relations step by step. "It was possible for the Free University of Berlin to establish an exchange and cooperation relationship with Kim Il Sung University because we've been developing ties for a long time. It is important not to be hasty but start with small exchanges in particular fields," she said. By Matt VanVolkenburg In a July 26, 1970, Korea Times column titled "Our own culture," university student Ahn Young-ha wrote of the "influx of excessive Western culture" and complained of the deterioration of Koreans' "wholesome folk spirit." The solution, he said, was to "try hard to build more inner strength with pride in our nation and self-confidence as Koreans. In order to do this, we must try to have subjectivity to evaluate our culture first before imitating others." An American columnist with the paper also saw the word "subjectivity" used a week later to glowingly describe a new Korean history book. Confused by such praise, when asked what the virtues of subjectivity were, he was told "that author had an independent attitude, free of the old manner of regarding Korean history." To this columnist, however, that was not what "subjectivity" meant, since in the West the term was the disparaging opposite of "objectivity" and referred to a person's prejudice. In an Aug. 7 letter to the editor, Lee Kyung-shik cleared up the confusion by explaining that "jucheseong" was often mistranslated as "subjectivity," which has a different meaning in English. Thus "This book of Korean history is based on jucheseong" had the connotation instead that the author "refused to follow blindly the Japanese colonial view of Korean history." He ended his letter by wondering if there was a better translation into English of "jucheseong." Because "juche" meant "main body" (or "subject") and "jucheseong" meant "the quality of being the main body," the term was not easy to translate. As the author of an Aug. 30 article titled "Coined word causes problems in translation," Han Nae-bok remembered that "the root word juche came into vogue for the first time during the initial days of the May 16, 1961, military revolution." The military officers who staged the coup called themselves "Hyeongmyeong Juche Seryeok," or "the main body of the revolutionary force," which, he said, was better translated in the English-language press as "the revolutionary mainstream." When the generals began to emphasize that "Koreans must have minjokjeok jucheseong," he found himself at a loss as to how to translate it. A direct translation like "the quality of being the main nationalistic body" was nonsensical. The first time he saw the term "national subjectivity" as a translation, he struggled to come up with something better, ultimately settling on "a spirit of national independence" or "national identity." He was still unsatisfied. He also felt the original Korean term "smacked of chauvinism, and even of xenophobia." Despite this, he noted that the term "had much appeal to the general public _ at least to the Korean press," and that he himself once impulsively used "jucheseong" in a way that he retrospectively realized meant "independent." He later discovered that in English "subjective" has another meaning, in an active, Marxist sense ("the proletariat is the subject of the revolution"), and was forced to use the term "national subjectivity" when translating an article. On Sept. 5, 1970, author Chu Yohan wrote a letter clarifying the meaning. "In most cases it is used as an antonym for the subservient attitude to Chinese culture in olden times and towards Western or Japanese in recent years." If one were to search the dictionary after the word "self," he suggested, expressions like "self-confidence" or "self-consciousness" might be suitable. Or, he offered, "why not use just "jucheseong" as it is?" To be sure, that is what North Korea has done with the term "juche," though the academic B.R. Myers has argued this was done with the intent to obscure rather than reveal. As can be seen from the above articles, however, the term "jucheseong" was commonly used in the South in the 1960s perhaps even more than "juche" was in the North. During a 2003 "self-reporting" grace period for foreigners illegally employed here, migrant workers queue in Munrae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, to report to the authorities. Korea Times file By Ko Dong-hwan Starting Monday, more than 335,000 illegal migrants will have six months to report to the authorities to avoid penalties, including a possible maximum 10-year entry ban, if they are caught. The Ministry of Justice is offering the special grace period as a "carrot" rather than a "stick" to deal with the growing number of foreign residents with expired visas. According to a statement from the ministry's Investigation and Enforcement Division, the figure has risen, from 208,971 in 2016 to 251,041 in 2017 and 335,455 as of August this year. The influx is at odds with the number of illegal migrants deported, around 30,000 annually. The authorities have raided construction sites, bars and other workplaces frequented by foreign workers, but caught only a fraction of the people without visas. Illegal migrants who report themselves during the grace period will avoid being banned from re-entering the country. At the same time, people caught by the authorities during this period will be banned from re-entering Korea for up to 10 years. The grace period is "in consideration of the difficulty of the present reality where raiding, policing and deporting have proven ineffective," according to the immigration division, Monday. The measure comes after Justice Minister Park Sang-ki met Thailand's Labor Minister Adul Sangsingkeo in Seoul, Friday, when they discussed the rising number of illegal Thai workers in Korea. Park asked his counterpart to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to share information about brokers who send illegal workers to Korea. The Thai Labor Ministry said that as of May this year, 174,443 Thai nationals were living legally in Korea, plus 55,637 illegal workers. Sangsingkeo visited Thai laborers working in Korea and discussed with the government how to find solutions to the problem of illegal workers in Korea, the Thai ministry said. The minister also discussed expanding the Thai labor market in Korea. With above leaflet, the Justice Ministry encouraged foreign residents in Korea with illegal employment to self-report themselves and take voluntary departures so they wouldn't get penalized with a future entry ban. Courtesy of the Ministry of Justice By Jung Hae-myoung School violence is getting serious but also harder to notice because many bullying incidents are taking place online. Cyberbullying is harassment in online spaces such as the internet and mobile phones. The offenders commit verbal abuse or spread personal information or rumors about the victims. According to a recent survey by the Ministry of Education, among 50,000 students from elementary to high school who have suffered from school violence, 10.8 percent experienced cyberbullying. The ratio was higher than those who suffered physical violence, 10 percent. On Sept. 2, a high school student in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, committed suicide after receiving constant threats from her peers. Police booked six of them, who were classmates and senior students at her school, for allegedly harassing her through social media and will refer the case to the prosecution soon. A middle schooler in Incheon also committed suicide on Aug. 13, after constant verbal abuse and sexual harassment. After her death, her sister claimed the victim was raped by two boys in her class, who talked about the incident to others. Then the victim had to suffer from Facebook messages from other students and even strangers who asked her to have sex with them, according to the sister. The method of cyberbullying varies by platforms, such as leaving a student out from a KakaoTalk group chat room among classmates, ordering students to do something through text message, spreading personal information to others through social media or verbally abusing others during online games. Recently cyberbullying has "evolved" with many new features on smartphones giving bullies an advantage. "Unlike the initial-stage cyberbullying that was done anonymously on the internet, smartphone cyberbullying is usually done by an acquaintance," said Lee Chang-ho, a senior research fellow at the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI). In Korea, many bullies make ill use of KakaoTalk, a national chat platform with 4 million users. Teenagers make a group chat room leaving out a specific person to intentionally make them feel left out, or the victims are added to a chat room without their consent only to be verbally abused. Those who are picked on cannot escape from the "cyber jail," because their peers continuously "invite" them again. On Facebook, bullies often spread rumors or composite photos with sexual content to shame victims publicly. Such data, photos and videos remain online and continue to humiliate them, leaving the victims with psychological trauma. "Adolescents feel more sensitive to the issue, because they cannot control their emotions as easily as adults. Sometimes victims become the attackers as revenge," he said. Teenagers who are bullied by their peers find it hard to seek help. According to the NYPI, 23.8 percent of victims respond by blocking the bully from online platforms, but an equal percentage of students "do nothing about it." Only 5.3 percent of students reported incidents of bullying to police and even fewer told their parents. Schools are ignorant of what is going on between students because teachers do not see any physical harassment in class. But online school violence happens beneath the surface. After the student in Jecheon committed suicide, the school teachers claimed they did not know the student had been bullied until they saw the news. Social media platforms have been trying to come up with countermeasures against cyberbullying, but their efforts have been limited. "One of the key features that KakaoTalk can introduce is asking for consent of the person who is invited to the group chat room," Lee said. Currently KakaoTalk allows a person to invite anyone to a group without their consent. Facebook administrators are supposed to delete comments or posts that could cause psychological distress to an individual upon their report. Instagram also distributed guidelines for parents in Korea to monitor their children and increase their media literacy. Experts say schools need a better counseling system to provide a culture in which students feel comfortable to speak about their situation. "In the United States, schools have three to four counselors for students to share their distress, but Korean schools do not have a proper system for students to talk about their emotions. School counselors' jobs are largely limited to career counseling," Lee said. Students who are cyberbullied can call counseling agencies in their region or call a police department for children, women and the disabled (117). Cyberbullies aged over 14 can also be punished under the juvenile law. Egypts foreign ministry is set to appoint a new spokesman in a few days, state owned MENA agency reported on Monday. Current foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid told reporter minister Sameh Shoukry would announce the name of the new spokesman soon. Abu Zeid, who is leaving his post which he has undertaken since 2015, was named the new ambassador to Canada as part of the annual diplomatic reshuffle by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He told journalists the spokesman has a major responsibility in delivering Egypts foreign policy to the public through transparent and credible reporting to ensure that facts are delivered correctly. Search Keywords: Short link: By Park Si-soo A teenage student was found dead at an elementary school in Eunpyeong-gu, northern Seoul, with a presumed death note, police said Tuesday. The student's parents found the body in the playground at 8:30 p.m., Monday. They were searching for their daughter, who had not come home from school, according to police. The parents took their daughter to hospital, but it was too late. There were no signs of foul play, police said. "A presumed death note was found inside clothing near the body," said an investigator. An investigation is under way. President Moon Jae-in was set to appoint a new education minister Tuesday despite objections from the main opposition party. "The president just approved the appointment of Yoon Eun-hae as education minister," Kim Eui-kyeom, spokesman for the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, told a daily briefing. An appointment ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at Cheong Wa Dae, the spokesman added. Yoo, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party, will be appointed the new education minister and deputy prime minister for social affairs, one day after the National Assembly again failed to meet the deadline for issuing a report on the outcome of her confirmation hearing last month. The report is considered the parliament's blessing for a new minister, though a minister does not require parliamentary confirmation to be appointed. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) objected to her appointment, citing her ethical lapses. The party has also accused the president of disregarding the opposition's voices despite his offer to form what he calls a quasi-coalition government with the opposition. Yoo was nominated in late August, along with four other new ministers, including new Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. Jeong and the three other new ministers were appointed Sept. 21. They are Commerce Minister Sung Yun-mo, Labor Minister Lee Jae-kap and Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jin Sun-mee. (Yonhap) Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon ordered government officials Tuesday to sternly tackle the spread of fake news that he said is disturbing democracy in the name of free speech. At a Cabinet meeting, Lee raised the need to hold accountable those who produce fake news and spread it intentionally. "(Fake news) is disturbing democracy by sparking hatred against other groups, hampering social integration and dividing public opinion," Lee said. "The government and the private sector have tried to stem fake news, but to no avail. We cannot overlook this anymore ... Those who produce fake news with malicious intent and spread it systemically should be handled according to law," he said. As part of countermeasures, the prime minister raised the need to create a cooperation channel between prosecutors and police to swiftly probe those involved in producing fake news. He also ordered government officials to immediately tackle fake news to prevent people from being distracted by disinformation and to ask for investigations in cases where fake news is found. Last week, the prime minister warned of the spread of fake news, as his message aimed at paying tribute to late Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang was mistakenly regarded online as being for North Korea's leadership. Meanwhile, Lee expressed concerns about a report that Japan is considering unleashing water contaminated by radioactive material in the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster into the sea after treatment. "We express grave concerns about Japan's possible move as its neighboring country. We want the Japanese government's explanation and its wise decision," he added. (Yonhap) By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in is expanding communication with chaebol in an apparent bid to seek their participation in future inter-Korean economic projects. The main concern in doing so is the existing U.N. sanctions on the North and a possible rift with the United States. Given the continued economic sanctions on the North, Seoul needs to receive an exemption from the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) if it wants to expand joint economic projects with the North. Despite such challenges and uncertainties, President Moon has high hopes of resuming economic projects with the North. And he badly needs chaebol participation to make the projects more successful and sustainable, said Cheong Wa Dae sources. Moon has increased interactions recently with leading conglomerates Samsung, SK, LG and Hyundai. President Moon plans to attend an event to mark the operation of a new memory chip fabrication facility constructed by SK hynix in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, a source familiar with the issue said. "Moon wants to improve communications with big businesses in a way to jointly develop inter-Korean business projects after the easing of economic sanctions on the North," another industry source said. Cheong Wa Dae said it was too early to talk about any specific business plans as the two Koreas are in the process of reducing military tension and normalizing rather symbolic inter-Korean business projects that were stopped previously due to the North's nuclear provocations. "It's unlikely for big businesses to announce their specific North Korea-centric business plans anytime soon because we are watching the political developments in North Korea. Lots of issues and uncertainties should be addressed before we make any meaningful decisions on investing in North Korea," an executive at Samsung said. Many specifics for potential investments in the North would be discussed if the UNSC lifts sanctions on the country. Under UNSC Resolution 2375 issued in September 2017, "forming joint ventures or cooperative entities, new and existing, with North Korean entities or individuals" is prohibited. Because of that, some Korean companies are brainstorming possible business ideas. KT, the country's dominant fixed-line operator, said it has keen interest to start its North Korean business as it wants to set up telecom infrastructure there, a KT official said, adding the telecom firm acknowledges President Moon's renewed push for businesses to have an increased role in inter-Korean projects. By Kim Yoo-chul President Moon Jae-in appointed Yoo Eun-hae, a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, as new education minister despite protests from opposition parties. "It would have been much better if the National Assembly had passed a report on the outcome of then Minister-designate Yoo from a confirmation hearing last month. I feel sorry about that, but given Yoo's proven track record of handling complex education-related issues, I think Yoo is the most qualified to address various challenging issues," President Moon said at an appointment ceremony in Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. "Education issues are in a constant state of flux and reform. Setting up and handling education policy is hard to manage because views are different between teachers, students and parents. I want you to find a middle ground when you set up education policies." The appointment of the new education minister immediately drew criticism from the main opposition party as the Liberty Korea Party (LKP) claimed Yoo should be disqualified for the position because of some ethical issues such as the false registration of her daughter's home address to get her admitted to a better school. Due to the opposition, the Assembly failed to issue a report on the outcome of Yoo's confirmation hearing last month. It's not required for a minister-nominee to pass an Assembly confirmation hearing but the report is widely considered as the Assembly's backing for a new minister. "You have to show your ability as a minister. I want you to shrug off controversy relating to your qualifications for the job," President Moon said. Yoo was nominated in late August, along with four other new ministers, including Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo. Jeong and the three other new ministers were appointed Sept. 21. They are Commerce Minister Sung Yun-mo, Labor Minister Lee Jae-kap and Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jin Sun-mee. By Casey Lartigue, Jr. After I began my professional career back in 1998, it didn't take long before I started receiving angry letters from readers. Through my two decades as a writer, speaker, talk show host, commentator, columnist, researcher, analyst and activist, I have been attacked from more angles than enemy troops at MacArthur's landing at Incheon. Donald Trump's approach of countering every slight with attacks looks like fun, but I go the Mother Teresa route (attributed): "No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work." Over two decades I have seen different phases when it comes to comments from angry readers. Phase 1: Letter writing. Back in the stone ages before the late-1990s, angry critics would write letters. Sometimes they would send a letter to the editor of a newspaper or track down your mailing address. Some hand-writing was scrawled so I couldn't decipher every curse word and insult. I swear that I could see tears on some of the letters I received. I would politely respond to those with a mailing address, dismissing them as H.L. Mencken supposedly did with pre-printed cards to angry letter writers, with a curt "Dear Sir or Madam. You may be right. Sincerely, Casey Lartigue, Jr." Anyone reading between the lines could also guess it really meant: But you're probably wrong. Phase 2: Email. Starting in the mid-1990s, more people were getting on the internet, making it easier for critics to find opposing and offending voices. I usually respond politely, even to the people who have tried to get me fired from various jobs and told them which supervisor or editor they should contact. I rarely heard from angry letter writers more than once, but when I politely responded to emails, I often received apologetic responses in return. Phase 3: Internet. That changed everything. No longer at the mercy of newspaper editors who could edit or ignore their letters or mailmen who might lose the letters, the energetic critics on the internet even set up their own podcasts, YouTube channels or blogs. It isn't enough for them to focus on their own activities and lives, they engage in some of the most popular hobbies in history: Criticizing and blaming others. With so many disgruntled netizens ready to share their unsolicited opinions about everything, the occasional useful point, insight or action item is like searching for a $100 bill of wisdom in a huge pile of manure. Yes, I wouldn't mind the $100, but the process of getting it isn't worth the trouble. Not only has the internet made it easier for disgruntled people to find you, it also makes it easier for disgruntled netizens to unite in a conspiracy of imbeciles. I can't help but smile watching them, like observing six-year-old debaters finding a common enemy. Sometimes they will try to troll me directly, but I'm probably a boring target because of my "whatevah" responses. Like Pavlov's angry dog we don't hear about, some critics still bark wildly at the mention of my name. There were a few times that I responded, and they over-reacted like I had stabbed them, so I moved on and got back to work. I have now blocked enough people on the internet that they could start their own village of idiots, rather than being a solo village idiot. There are more than 7 billion people in the world, I don't need to interact with trolls or conspiracy theorists. There are many pleasant people in this world, why waste time with trolls? When they discuss their interactions with me, I like the story to include the finale, "and then he blocked me on Facebook!" Not everyone agrees with my approach, some people have criticized me for blocking others on the internet. I'm not going to waste my time hoping for a $100 bill of wisdom from a troll's pile of manure. At times, to make a point, I would go on a rampage against such reasonable people until they blocked me. I shouldn't admit it, but I do read what the critics say, mainly after being forwarded messages from concerned friends or colleagues. I even give credit to one critic for getting me started in my professional career. A columnist had written a series of columns accusing me of angling to work at a "right-wing" think tank like Cato. The thought had never crossed my mind, but because he was so concerned, I sent a letter to Cato introducing myself. When I was hired, I sent the angry columnist a thank-you note. If I ever write an autobiography, I will have an acknowledgements section mentioning him and other clowns who indirectly inspired me. Or perhaps it should be an entire chapter with the title: "Dear critics, You were right. Sincerely, Casey Lartigue, Jr." Casey Lartigue, Jr., co-founder of the Teach North Korean Refugees Global Education Center (TNKR), is the 2017 winner of the "Social Contribution" Prize from the Hansarang Rural Cultural Foundation and the 2017 winner of the Global Award from Challenge Korea. He can be reached at (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu). By Keyu Jin BEIJING The world's two largest economies China and the United States are engaged in a full-blown trade war, and what U.S. President Donald Trump hoped would be a blitzkrieg has turned out more like trench combat. Many fear that this is only the beginning of a long conflict that could include weapons and casualties far outside the realm of trade. Since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, the U.S. has taken issue with China's large current-account surplus and the undervalued renminbi. But over the last 10 years, that surplus has pretty much disappeared, and the renminbi has largely been appreciating. Now, the U.S. has shifted its attention to China's inadequate protection of intellectual-property rights and its policy of appropriating foreign technology in exchange for market access. Yet, in China's view, what the U.S. is really reacting to is not only the specifics of its trade policy, but also its overall development model and its aspirations to become a major global power aspirations that are not out of reach. In fact, the Chinese believe, Trump's trade war effectively proves that China has become a real and present threat to American hegemony. Whether this is true or not is irrelevant; what matters is Chinese perception. Whereas in the past, only a few conservatives warned of U.S. attempts to "contain" China, virtually everyone in China now buys into this narrative, including a growing number of young people. Having grown up amid prosperity and confidence, exposed to Western lifestyles and educations, China's millennial generation born in the 1980s and 1990s were supposed to usher in an era of even greater openness and freedom. Yet these young people who have previously reported much warmer feelings toward Western countries and Japan than their parents and grandparents are having their faith in Western ideas tested by Trump's actions. The real danger is that rising nationalism could embolden a contingent of the Party, known in China as the New Left, that denounces capitalism and its Western proponents, and calls for a return to the Maoist socialist order of 40 years ago. On the positive side, it is likely to produce the political cohesion needed to implement structural reforms that shift the economy away from trade and manufacturing and toward domestic consumption. As different interest groups and factions unite against a common foe, President Xi Jinping will gain even more political capital, facilitating the shift from export-led economic growth to a trade-neutral model. Tax cuts and the redistribution of wealth toward households are also possibilities. This is not to say that China is not continuing to pursue its plans to open up further. Even as China raises tariffs on U.S. imports, it is lowering tariffs for other countries, in order to fulfill its promise to increase overall imports and bolster domestic consumption. And its impending liberalization of its financial-services sector will amount to its biggest step toward openness since its accession to the WTO. Areas that will become open to foreign participation include banking, securities, insurance, payments, and ratings services. Restrictions on foreign investors' equity holdings or investments in services are being sequentially eliminated. Reflecting Xi's belief that "sooner is better than later, and faster is better than slower," at least seven of the 11 measures the central bank announced in April have already been completed. Even as China continues its economic opening, however, it is looking increasingly inward, at its citizens to serve as consumers and at its businesses to adopt and advance new technologies. Many companies have already redoubled their efforts to increase their value-added and innovation capacity. Whether Trump's trade war is about containing China or just about punishing it for its trade practices, the unintended consequence is that China is now fortifying itself for a new era of political and economic challenges. Yes, the country will find it more difficult to pursue the "Belt and Road Initiative," for example, or to export its excess capacity. But in the longer term, reducing its reliance on foreign trade and imported technologies will leave China stronger, more resilient, and possibly less willing to acquiesce to U.S.-designed rules. Sometimes the "loser" of a trade war ends up better off than the "winner." In the 1980s, when President Ronald Reagan imposed restrictions on the number of cars Japan could export to the U.S., Japan suffered. But, over time, it developed its auto industry so that it could export more expensive cars. Trump thinks that attacking China through trade will help to "Make America Great Again." But it is more likely to make China stronger. Keyu Jin, a professor of economics at the London School of Economics, is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a member of the Richemont Group Advisory Board. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate ( ). No military parade to mark 70th Armed Forces Day The 70th Armed Forces Day was celebrated in an unusual way, Monday. There was no military parade, which is usually held every five years. Instead, an indoor celebration was held at night at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan with a performance by the YouTube sensation Psy, a taekwondo demonstration and a "Black Eagles" air show. The absence of a military parade triggered criticism from the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, which saw it as a sign the Moon Jae-in administration was being too careful not to agitate North Korea, and claimed that holding a low-key celebration was bad for the military's morale. Compared to the past landmark anniversaries such as the 60th Armed Forces Day in 2008, this year's event was rather subdued as there was no large-scale military parade in the heart of Seoul as on previous occasions. Cheong Wa Dae explained the parade was not arranged this year because it would place too much burden on the military to prepare for such an event. But the explanation is not really convincing since it has been done routinely in the past. Most likely, the Moon administration was taking into consideration that North Korea also held a quieter anniversary last month to mark the 70th anniversary of its founding, leaving out its ICBMs during its own military parade. Even without a parade, the 70 anniversary of the Armed Forces was marked in a memorable way, particularly with the repatriation of 64 South Korean soldiers killed in North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War at a ceremony presided by President Moon at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. It is wrong for the main opposition to politicize the absence of the military parade at a time when the two Koreas are trying to carry on the momentum for peace created by a series of summits between President Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In the third inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last month, the two leaders agreed to reduce military tension. Against such a background, the subdued celebration was befitting of the reconciliatory mood between the two Koreas. During a speech to mark the occasion, Moon lauded the men and women in uniform for their tireless service to the nation over the years and stressed their role in achieving and maintaining peace. "Peace does not come at once," Moon said. "Now it is time for the military to be at the forefront of peace on the Korean Peninsula. Peace through strength is the mission of our military." The President should exert all efforts to make our military a stronger one even as he continues his journey toward peace. At the same time, measures should be implemented to significantly improve working conditions for those serving in the Armed Forces. By Lee Seong-hyon China is fully aware the U.S. is reluctant to announce an end-of-war declaration with North Korea because of China itself. Both the U.S. and China view such a declaration in terms of their geopolitical competition, which boils down to the question of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). As the negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington have stagnated with the issue of the end-of-war declaration, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un displayed willingness for a significant concession. He told Chung Eui-yong, director of South Korea's National Security Office and a special envoy to North Korea, that "the declaration has nothing to do with the withdrawal of the USFK and the U.S.-ROK military alliance." The real problem lies with China that competes with the U.S. in East Asia. Geopolitically, strategically and structurally, the presence of the USFK is a "dagger" to China's throat. The U.S. seems uncertain about the future consequences of it endorsing an end-of-war declaration with North Korea because doing so, by design, it gives a convenient "justification" for China to demand the withdrawal of the USFK. In justifying the presence of the USFK, the U.S. has referred to the "North Korean threat," which was also cited when it deployed a THAAD missile battery in South Korea. Despite this, China opposed the deployment at the very top leadership level because it believed the missile shield would jeopardize China's regional strategy. Similarly, the U.S. recognizes a formal end to the war would seriously undermine its strategy in the Korean Peninsula, which has become "East Asia's Balkans," where powerful countries' interests converge and collide. The end of the war would signify that "peace" will replace the "war" and the war game scenarios on the Korean Peninsula, as part of joint contingency plans by the U.S. and South Korea, will no longer be needed. Following this logic, China is likely to demand the USFK withdraw, by raising a very powerful question that "Now peace is settled on the peninsula, why would the U.S. troops wish to stay?" During the summit between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong-un in the Chinese city of Dalian, it was understood that Xi requested Kim to side with the Chinese stance on the issue of the USFK (And this is also consistent with Trump's loud and open speculation that "China was behind"). When it comes to the declaration of the end of war, China has never changed its stance that it must be included, despite Xi's reported remarks at a recent forum in Vladivostok that some observers misinterpreted. As a party to the Korean War, China wishes to be engaged with the "entire process" of peacemaking on the Korean Peninsula from the symbolic declaration to the formal peace treaty. The reason China is obsessed with the declaration stems partially from its deep emotional attachment to the Korean War. The key question, however, should be whether China would be a "disruptor" if Seoul and Washington decide to include it. This should be at the heart of policy analysis for South Korea that has developed discord with China regarding the latter's participation in the peace process. The common view is that China wishes to participate in the peace process because it seeks to raise its voice and maximize its influence by complicating and delaying the negotiation process. The more fundamental question that deserves greater attention is whether China itself supports an end to the war. Surprisingly, the Chinese government remains reticent. In his visit to New York last week, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi remarked that "the declaration would help build basic trust between the U.S. and North Korea and facilitate denuclearization" but did not clarify where China stands. Perhaps the answer is right there, in China's keeping a low profile about the issue. In other words, China believes the end of the war is beneficial to its own strategic gains. That is the reason that China does not say as much. China believes the end-of-war declaration, albeit symbolic, would serve as a prelude to reduction of regular U.S. drills and downsizing of U.S. military deployment. China would expect that the "diminished" presence of the U.S. power projection would benefit China's broader and fundamental strategy in the region. It would therefore go against China's interest to disrupt the peace process. China would be very much content as long as it is invited to be in the room as a quiet "observer," yet without labeling as such. That would suffice to save face to the domestic audience. But for China to participate in the peace negotiations, it must also yield something. The U.S. says North Korean steps for denuclearization so far are not adequate. The U.S. deliberately delays declaring an end to the war with China in mind, in order to give another implicit signal to Beijing. Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is the director, Center for Chinese Studies; and also the director, Department of Unification Strategy at Sejong Institute. By Younghoon David Kim With three inter-Korean summits this year and the possibility that North Korea may denuclearize and come out of the cold, political leaders and energy experts in Seoul and Moscow are blowing the dust off an old plan to build a natural gas pipeline from Vladivostok to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Indeed, President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin have already agreed to start joint feasibility studies. The flow of Russian gas overland through North Korea to South Korea could be a flagship project of inter-Korean cooperation. But it could also be even more significant. It is possible the pipeline could represent the first small step towards eventual regional East Asian economic integration. The argument for that conclusion is quite simple. Until now, this project has not gone ahead because of politics. When it came up a generation ago following the state visit of then President Kim Dae-jung to Russia, the government of North Korea at that time could not ideologically justify welcoming outside experts to visit North Korea for a feasibility study on its territory and the pipeline died a natural death. But times are changing. If the age of ideological confrontation on the Korean Peninsula is ending, as we hope it is, all players will be motivated by their respective national self-interest. What are those interests? Consider first the three main players Russia, and North and South Korea. Russia wants the pipeline because it is looking to diversify its gas markets from Europe to Asia. It aims by 2030 to be selling 25 percent of its natural gas to Asia. South Korea takes 1.5 million tons of Sakhalin gas a year now and this could increase to 7 million with a pipeline. This will allow Seoul to reduce dependency on current suppliers. Another attraction is that piped gas is cheaper than LNG, which has to be liquefied, shipped and then re-gasified at importing terminals. As for North Korea, once the pipeline is built, it would be able to charge transit fees. These could be around $150 million a year. Consider also the interests of the other concerned regional powers. They, too, could benefit, albeit less directly. It is possible, for example, that Japan might be interested in an extension of the pipeline, from Busan under the sea to Kyushu and even to Honshu. China is looking for energy security. It now gets its gas from Turkmenistan to the west and Siberia to the north. Were the trans-Korean pipeline to be extended under the sea to China, it would receive gas from the east, so to speak. That all said, there is another issue in the way and that is the geopolitical standoff between the United States and Russia. Contrary to the general assumption that the gas pipeline will proceed as soon as the relationship between North and South Korea improves, based on a reliable denuclearization scheme, the U.S. still might be unhappy because the project would raise Russia's political and economic clout in the Far East. On the plus side, it is possible the U.S. could benefit economically, if it were able to ship gas from Alaska to Korea's east coast and feed it into the East Asian loop of the gas network. But, clearly, the political aspect of the U.S.-Russia relationship is a consideration. It is possible that the parties involved may iron out the various issues and practical considerations at the next World Energy Congress. The triennial event of the World Energy Congress is being held next in Abu Dhabi in 2019. Besides North Korea, the concerned countries are active members of the organization. (North Korea was a member and is now expressing interest in rejoining). As an interesting historical note, the World Energy Council, which is a non-political and non-commercial global forum, was originally formed to rebuild the electricity grid in Europe after World War I. Three decades later, in 1951, the European Coal and Steel Community was established and it later evolved into today's European Union. In a similar way, with the right leadership, the cooperation and investment required to create the infrastructure to feed gas into the grids of China, Japan and South Korea, with add-ins from the United States, could form the basis for East Asian economic integration that would eventually reshape our region. Younghoon David Kim is the chairman of the London-based World Energy Council and chairman and CEO of the Daesung Group. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has sent a letter to the House of Representatives expressing his objection to some articles of a draft law on clinical trials, which governs the organisation of medical research in Egypt. The draft law was passed last May and has raised ethical and legal concerns among medical researchers. "Some of the most controversial articles of this law have sparked serious reactions and divided public opinion into either strong sceptics or feverish supporters," said El-Sisi's letter, adding that "the president's office has also received important remarks from some scientific and professional circles and all indicate that some of the law's articles are still a matter of severe controversy." El-Sisi's letter said articles 4, 5, 9, 11, 19, 20, and 22 need a new debate that takes all different points of view into consideration. House Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal praised the president's comments on the law, saying that they reflect an active political life and atmosphere in the country. Abdel-Aal noted that this is the second time in the country's history and the first time for the current parliament that the president has objected to a draft law approved by parliament. The president urged parliament to reconsider the draft law. The clinical trial law, which consists of 18 articles, was first discussed by parliament in 2006, but was suspended after public backlash. Clinical trials are tests conducted on human volunteers to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of newly developed medications or medical devices. Egypt has been witnessing a steady increase in the number of trials it hosts, which has pushed parliament to discuss this law, potentially putting restrictions on experiments that are conducted in hospitals. In February 2016, there were 57 active clinical drug trials, half of which were to assess cancer treatments, according to the independent Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). Search Keywords: Short link: By Doug Bandow China's extraordinary transformation over the last four decades has been among the most dramatic events in history. One aspect of the PRC's rise was to create personal and institutional relationships around the globe. Multiple ties bind Chinese to people in nations, such as America and South Korea, which only a few decades ago considered Beijing to be a reckless, dangerous enemy. However, relations between China and much of the West appears to be moving in reverse. The PRC risks losing its best friends in other nations, which could result in more contentious and destabilizing future relations. Obviously, Beijing is empowered to make its own decisions, based on what it believes to be its people's best interests. And there is no reason to assume such judgments will match the preferences of Washington, Seoul, or elsewhere. However, when the PRC's policies inflame foreign sentiment, they risk creating costly blowback. Consider trade. President Donald Trump can be criticized both for his focus on trade deficits which are a largely irrelevant accounting measure and confrontational approach. Nevertheless, the PRC has taken advantage of the West's more liberal economies to benefit Chinese firms and, most important, the Chinese state. Chinese laws and rules have been applied in ways that hinder American and other foreign enterprises. American and European technology has been acquired through means both fair and foul. As a result, many U.S. firms, once strong advocates of the bilateral economic relationship, have turned hostile. Some welcome the administration's economic truculence. The result is to put at risk vast financial, product, and service flows which have been mutually beneficial. The danger goes beyond economics, however. For years, commercial ties have undergirded the American-Chinese relationship. If that foundation deteriorates, other disagreements will loom even larger, putting the entire relationship at risk. Beijing's crackdown on academic and other exchanges also concerns the West. Until recently Americans could work with Chinese to explore issues of common interest. The willingness of Chinese scholars, thinkers, and activists to engage those from around the world was an important sign that the PRC saw itself as a member of a shared international community and system. While Chinese authorities might dislike some of the influences coming from the West, Chinese participants in turn acted as informal ambassadors for their country. Hindering such exchanges suggests fear, the belief that Beijing cannot withstand free contact among peoples. Indeed, today's policy appears to be an indirect attack on Westerners who once visited and interacted freely with Chinese citizens. Disagreements over the PRC's treatment of Hong Kong and Taiwan may be inevitable but need not pose insurmountable differences. The PRC's treatment of the two lands acts as a measure of Beijing's willingness to respect their unique characteristics. Particularly important is China's commitment to peace. However, Beijing's recent policies suggest a dangerous impatience. Coercion and violence would undermine the relationship and, especially if used against Taiwan, risk broader conflict. Western governments recognize the challenge of dealing with Muslim extremists. However, Beijing's extraordinarily harsh policies imposed in Xinjiang against the Uyghur population are seen as not just overbroad, but neo-totalitarian. That suggests a return to an earlier era when the Chinese government sacrificed the Chinese population to satisfy ideological imperatives. The PRC also appears to be reversing what had until recently been a more tolerant policy toward people of faith, protected by China's constitutional guarantee of the "freedom of religious belief." For many in the West, the willingness to respect people who exercise their faiths in ways that do not harm others is an important standard for assessing other governments. Another reminder of an unpleasant past comes from recent criticism of the role of the constitution and rule of law. These concepts were helping to create accountability and predictability in governance. The seeming abandonment of these objectives brings to mind the PRC's previous experiences with excessive political power. Overall, China appears to be racing backwards toward future hardship. Most Chinese citizens understandably are sensitive about foreign criticism. But many of China's best friends in other nations fear that ongoing changes will badly undermine international relations. Indeed, the PRC's policies have encouraged its neighbors to increasingly cooperate with other, more distant powers, such as America and India, against China. Even further abroad, some of Beijing's good friends have turned into critics. The PRC has changed much in recent decades. It would be a tragedy if China retreated from the freer, more open society which it appeared ready to become. Beijing should listen to its friends as it moves into the future. Doug Bandow ( chessset@aol.com ) is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is author of "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire." A Varram System employee introduces appbot-Riley at COEX in Seoul, Tuesday, for the Startup Open Innovation jointly hosted by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and GS Group. The mobile robot equipped with a camera helps pet owners monitor their pets via smartphone app when the animals are left alone at home. / Yonhap Yun Kyoung-lim, second from right, head of KT's Global Business Office, poses with Ulugbek Mustafoyev, second from left, head of Uzbekenergo, after signing a contract to install smart meters in Uzbekistan during a ceremony held in Tashkent, Wednesday. / Courtesy of KT By Baek Byung-yeul KT will install 30 billion won worth of smart meters in Uzbekistan, according to the company Friday. The Korean telecommunications firm said it secured the deal with the state-run power electricity supplier Uzbekenergo. With the deal, KT will install its smart meters in 360,000 households in the Jizzakh, Samarqand and Bukhara regions over the next two years. The Korean company has implemented its smart meter business in the central Asian country since it won a 120 billion won contract in 2015. It has so far installed the systems in 1 million households there. A smart meter is an electronic device that records consumption of electric energy and has a two-way communication feature between the device and the electricity grid operator. The smart meters enable Uzbekistan's power authority to monitor energy use in real-time. With the smart meters, the power authority can disconnect the power supply to households that have not paid their electricity bills, KT said. The company also said the smart meters allow the authority to control electric loads at peak times so that it can apply progressive rates for residential power use. "KT has successfully carried out the smart meter installation business in Uzbekistan since 2016 and the smart meters have produced good results in effective energy management," Ulugbek Mustafoyev, head of Uzbekenergo, was quoted in a statement released by KT. "We also requested the company build an integrated smart meter system that can control the entire state." Following the deal, the Korean telecommunications firm said it hopes to expand its smart meter business to nearby countries. "The contract could be possible as KT has been recognized for its technological superiority in Uzbekistan and has built trust from the previous projects we have faithfully done," Yun Kyoung-lim, head of KT's Global Business Office, said. "Based on the know-how and experience we accumulated in Uzbekistan, we will accelerate our efforts to provide smart meter systems in the entire Eurasia region." Seen is a concept image for Samsung Electronics' foldable smartphone. / Captured from GSMArena By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Electronics may provide a sneak preview of its upcoming foldable phone, an official from the tech giant said Tuesday. "We may provide partial information of the foldable phone at the Samsung Developer Conference (SDC) in November, but the finished product won't be available there," a Samsung official said. This year's SDC event will be held in San Francisco for two days on Nov. 7 and 8. The company previously announced it will deliver on its strategies about its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant Bixby and internet of things (IoT) products. Taking it as a new growth engine for the sluggish smartphone business, Samsung has been developing a new kind of smartphone that can be folded. The foldable phone will have a 7-inch OLED screen unfolded and be about 4.5 inches folded, according to industry watchers. Previously, Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung's IT & Mobile Communications division, said the company will unveil the world's first foldable phone within this year. In August, he told reporters he will not let other phone makers get the chance to become the world's first company to introduce a foldable smartphone. After his remark, there has been growing expectations that Samsung will make its first foldable phone public at the upcoming SDC event. Samsung was expected to announce its foldable phone early next year, but the company is said to have moved up the date as Chinese competitors such as Huawei and ZTE are speeding up their efforts to release their own foldable phones. Samsung Display, which has provided display panels for Samsung Electronics' premium smartphones, said the company has no official comments on the phone. By Park Si-soo Low-skilled engineers and interns cover nearly 10 percent of Asiana Airlines' aircraft maintenance works, a lawmaker says. Rep. Min Kyung-euk of the main opposition Liberal Korea Party (LKP) revealed this on Tuesday based on an audit report from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The shortage of maintenance workers could be blamed on the company's slashing of high-paid experienced engineers to save money. Low-skilled engineers refer to those preparing to win a master aircraft maintenance license after a two-year internship. Five years' field experience is a precondition to take a test for a master license. Min said Asiana's reliance on low-skilled engineers was higher than other airlines. The lawmaker said this had left Asiana "vulnerable to repeated errors in electronic systems and other programs in the aircraft cabin." Over the past five years, the company has slashed 30 percent of its maintenance workers at overseas airports _ from 47 workers at 36 airports in 2014 to 33 workers at 25 airports, according to Min. This led to a delay in 22 percent of maintenance/repair work (5,844 out of 26,247) over the past year. For more information: visit Min's . A salesclerk selling luxury cosmetics at a department store in Seoul sits on a chair at her store, Monday, to protest her employer who forces workers to stand during working hours. / Korea Times photo by Park Seo-gang By Park Jae-hyuk Employees of Chanel, L'Oreal and Bluebell Korea, who sell luxury cosmetics at department stores and duty free shops, have been staging a "sit-in" to protest company policies that force them to stay on their feet during working hours. The Korean Federation of Service Workers' Unions (KFSWU) said Tuesday salesclerks at global luxury brands sat on their chairs at department stores and duty free shops nationwide at 3 p.m. Monday. The salesclerks said they have to work standing for over seven hours a day, despite government guidelines that urge employers to offer chairs to salesclerks. The regulation, which took effect in 2008, states employers must put chairs in their shops so employees working in a standing position can sit down when they are not busy. However, the workers claimed they have had to put their chairs aside during their entire shift, because management regards working in a sitting position as damaging to the luxury brands' image. Even if employers force their workers to stand, they are not punished, according to the current law. Although a revised bill was proposed in December 2017 to punish employers who deprive their employees of their right to sit, lawmakers have yet to approve the revision. Workers of the imported luxury brands therefore complained of bunions they suffered during a National Assembly audit in 2017. Back then, Chanel's union head Kim So-yeon said most of her colleagues were also having difficulties in pregnancy and delivery. The Ministry of Employment and Labor promised to come up with guidelines for the salesclerks and conduct on-site inspections in September and October. However, the workers said their conditions have not improved since then. "As employers deprived service workers of their rights to sit and rest, they have had to endure working in poor conditions," a KFSWU spokesman said. "Starting from the recent collective action demanding the right to sit, we will demand improvements in staff lounges, restrooms and warehouses." From Sept. 27 to 29, the cosmetics salesclerks checked the shapes of chairs at staff lounges in their workplaces, so as to highlight their small sizes and insufficiency of places to rest. The workers also checked distances between their cosmetics shops and restrooms in department stores and duty free shops. Plus, they inspected conditions at their stores' warehouses, where they should store and find items while wearing high heels and tight uniforms. They will disclose the results of their survey during an upcoming Assembly audit which will take place from Oct. 10 to 29. Angola, IN (46703) Today Rain and snow this evening transitioning to snow showers overnight. Low 31F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 50%.. Tonight Rain and snow this evening transitioning to snow showers overnight. Low 31F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 50%. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow showers this evening. A few snow showers overnight. Low 31F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow showers this evening. A few snow showers overnight. Low 31F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 50%. Egypt's parliament ended a two-month summer recess on Tuesday, with MPs returning to a new session with a different legislative agenda. In an opening procedural sitting on Tuesday, parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal informed MPs that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has asked parliament in an official letter to open new debates on a law regulating clinical trials and medical research. El-Sisi's letter said that the implementation of the law, passed by parliament last May, has exposed fundamental flaws. "Some of the most controversial articles of this law have sparked serious reactions and divided public opinion into either strong sceptics or feverish supporters," said El-Sisi's letter, adding that "the president's office has also received important remarks from some scientific and professional circles and all indicate that some of the law's articles are still a matter of severe controversy." El-Sisi's letter said articles 4, 5, 9, 11, 19, 20, and 22 need a new debate that takes all different points of view into consideration. "One of these articles, for example, stipulates the approval of the general intelligence, and the national watchdog authorities on research, a task which is very difficult to implement, noting that number of researches in this respect exceed 16,000 per year," El-Sisi's letter said. In response, speaker Abdel-Aal said that as the president is authorised by the constitution to refer laws back to parliament to open new debates on them, the law regulating clinical trials and medical research will be referred to parliament's general committee. "It will open a new debate on it and prepare a report to be discussed and voted on in a plenary session," said Abdel-Aal. Abdel-Aal urged MPs to put national interests above all considerations. "This does not mean we are against criticism as long as it aims to correct positions and pushes the country forward," said Abdel-Aal. Deputy parliament speaker El-Sayed El-Sherif told reporters that "the two laws regulating local councils and criminal procedures will feature prominently on parliament's agenda in the new session." "We have other laws on traffic regulations and new education systems, in addition to the amendment of the clinical trials law," said El-Sherif. Abdel-Hadi El-Qasabi, the newly-elected head of parliament's majority coalition Support Egypt, told MPs that the majority is ready to open its heart and mind to all, particularly opposition and independent MPs. "But all should know that we are in a critical stage and so we say welcome to all views as long as they aim to push Egypt forward," said El-Qasabi. Speaker Abdel-Aal said that MPs can change their membership in parliament's 25 committees until 2pm Tuesday. "MPs can lodge official requests with parliament's secretary-general, asking to change their positions from one committee to another, but only until 2 pm," said Abdel-Aal, indicating that "the election of the leading posts of the 25 committees will be held on Wednesday afternoon." Abdel-Aal referred a number of foreign agreements and one law to committees to review and prepare reports. Topping the list is an agreement on the implementation of Russia's industrial area in the Suez Canal zone. Another agreement is on Egypt joining the Arab League's Charter on Human Rights. A law regulating the performance of the Public Organisation of National Archives and Documents was referred to the culture and budget committees to be discussed. In its procedural sitting on Tuesday, parliament approved President El-Sisi nominating three officials to the post of deputy ministers. Parliament endorsed the appointment of ambassador Hamdy Loza as deputy foreign minister; Amr Abdel-Salam as deputy transportation minister; and Tamer El-Sayed Essam as deputy health minister. At the end of the debate, MPs, upon an invitation from Minister of Defence Mohamed Ahmed Zaki, moved to visit the headquarters of the Egyptian air force in Nasr City east of Cairo. Deputy speaker El-Sherif said MPs will review the latest modernisation of Egypt's air force. "This includes new weapons, buildings and techniques," said El-Sherif, adding that "MPs will seize the opportunity to congratulate the minister of defence on the anniversary of the 6 October War of 1973." Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Ryan Fonseca and Caleigh Wells Cyclists converged outside a high-profile transportation conference Tuesday morning to criticize Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's program to eliminate traffic deaths, saying it hasn't had the desired effect. "Our sad experience is that you can't really rely on drivers to not hit cyclists," said Cristy Stiles. Civic leaders and transit officials from dozens of North American cities are in L.A. for this year's National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) symposium, where they're sharing ideas and insights into urban mobility and transportation practices. Outside the InterContinental Hotel downtown, demonstrators donned bright green shirts and formed a human bike lane buffer. Their shirts read "L.A. needs safe streets not lip service." Cyclists want protected bike lanes, so theyve made one using their bodies this morning. Theyre protesting Mayor Garcettis Vision Zero, which aims for fewer traffic deaths. But they continue to increase. @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/HHAzLgl9ae Caleigh Wells (@cgrey307) October 2, 2018 The protesters were speaking out against Vision Zero, which they say hasn't done nearly enough to protect cyclists and pedestrians in our car-centric city. The signature program for Garcetti was launched with ambitious goals of reducing to zero the number of people killed by cars in L.A. while walking or biking. His aim was for no fatalities by 2025. But the plan has been falling behind. From 2012 to 2017, a total of 71 cyclists died on Los Angeles streets, according to city data. Cyclist deaths were down last year, according to the city's statistics, but pedestrian deaths rose 80 percent in the first two years of Garcetti's program. Within the first four months of 2018, six cyclists were killed in traffic collisions, up from two deaths during that time period in 2017, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. "We attribute a lot of that to Mayor Eric Garcetti's failure to take any political risks to implement the policies that are necessary," Stiles said at the protest. A protester holds a sign outside the NACTO conference in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, as demonstrators call for the city to do more to reduce cyclist and pedestrian fatalities in the city. (Caleigh Wells/LAist) Speaking at the conference Tuesday, Garcetti said the city has implemented "over 1,200 Vision Zero improvements" but said he recognizes that not all of them will work out as planned. Garcetti allotted roughly $91 million for traffic safety improvements in L.A. in the current city budget, with about $37 million of that for Vision Zero. During a Q&A session at the NACTO conference, Garcetti addressed the criticism lobbed at the intiative and defended his plan. "They're like, 'Oh, it's not done yet, people are still dying'," Garcetti said. "Well, we had a 7 percent reduction last year (and a) double-digit reduction in pedestrians this year -- those are real people that are still living. You can't quantify who they are, but that is worth it ... because those are people wo are going to be alive for decades from now because of those improvements. So our reach must always exceed our grasp." According to the mayor's office, Garcetti was referring to LAPD statistics, including a report released last week that noted a 10 percent decrease in fatal vehicle-pedestrian collisions. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation reported overall traffic deaths were down 6 percent in 2017 from the previous year. But the number of pedestrians killed rose to 135 last year, up from 115 in 2016. UPDATES: 1:27 p.m.: This article was updated with additional quotes from the protest. Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. 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 What happens when an all-female society meets toxic masculinity? Wonder Woman's new book explores that idea, with enemies ranging from classic to contemporary to once-classic-now-contemporary. Her top opponents in Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2 include a Nazi superwoman, reawakened in the modern age -- and a sleazy expert on pick-up artist techniques. Legendary comic book writer Grant Morrison (who's lately taken to television writing with his own show Happy) told us about what he's trying to do with this story, serving as the Empire Strikes Back of his take on Wonder Woman. The cover to Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2. (Courtesy of DC Comics) PUTTING WONDER WOMAN'S ORIGINS INTO THE MODERN WORLD Like many comics, it may seem like there's not much subtlety in the post-Charlottesville imagery -- but Morrison said that his and artist Yanick Paquette's work wasn't about that, and was actually written before these issues were so much at the fore. "It wasn't even so much trying to be timely -- it was about trying to honor [Wonder Woman creator William Moulton] Marston's original vision," Morrison told journalists at DC Comics' Burbank headquarters. "And those are very strange ideas. And you put them in the context of today's politics, and today's gender politics, the whole thing that we're dealing with -- they become quite provocative." Marston was a complicated figure. He was the real-life inventor of the lie detector, and he put the idea of being able to force people to tell the truth in his comics -- while also tinging them with themes of bondage and other strongly sexual implications. Now Morrison's trying to confront all those ideas and what they would mean in a real-life scenario. "To put it in this setting that we're currently in, where I think we're all being mind controlled a certain degree by all kinds of forces," Morrison said. WHAT WONDER WOMAN HAS TO SAY ABOUT GENDER TODAY While trying to be contemporary wasn't the explicit goal, the combination of Marston's ideas with the modern world mean the book deals with hot button issues ranging from whether trans women can be accepted in cis female movements, body image, sexuality, women's rights, and more. Art from Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2 by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette, showing Wonder Woman with Steve Trevor. (Image courtesy DC Comics) The Earth One line of comics tries to set the heroes in more realistic environments, drawing inspiration from the past but giving their origins a modern spin. In the case of Wonder Woman, Morrison has tried thinking about what the Amazonian society she hails from would be like if it was truly all female, free from the influence of men. "Here's a separatist race of technologically advanced superwomen, but they're quite happy to use mind control on their enemies -- that's their idea of weapons of peace," Morrison said. That prompts deep discussions of fighting for peace versus the use of military, a theme that's permeated modern Wonder Woman stories. The book also tries to set up traditional Wonder Woman love interest Steve Trevor as something more than that -- a friend. "We don't need to do Steve Trevor as a romantic interest," Morrison said. "It's more that this guy looks out for her, he cares about her. He's like when you have a really good best friend, it doesn't have to be a sexual partner." WONDER WOMAN VS. PICK-UP ARTISTS One of the book's villains, codenamed Doctor Psycho, was presented in his 1940s origins as an obvious bad guy. This time, Morrison's taken that early interpretation and infused it with the modern idea of the pick-up artist community. Morrison spoke with a female expert on pick-up artist techniques to use them in the new interpretation of the character. "The Doctor Psycho sequence where he sits and talks to Diana [Wonder Woman] is actually based on the script used by pick-up artists," Morrison said. "Even the movements he makes -- he mirrors all her gestures, he makes these casting off gestures every time he talks about something that he wants her to perceive as negative." The new Doctor Psycho is, as Morrison describes him, "ugly handsome," with a look inspired by rocker Nick Cave. "I think there are natural sociopathic narcissists in the world who are really good at it, but there are also nerds who thought, 'I could weaponize this. I could learn all of these techniques -- I could turn it into a set of instructions that will always work,'" Morrison said. It's a sequel to the first Wonder Woman: Earth One book, where she had to face down the toxic masculinity of Hercules. Morrison said that Doctor Psycho is the modern version of that. "In the world that we live in of fake news, of simulation, of AR, of all of these things things that are blurring the divisions between what is real and what is fantasy ... this went right to the root of the Wonder Woman concept," Morrison said. "She's an avatar for truth in a world where truth has become impossible to detect. ... Videos can be faked, words can be faked. People can do something right in front of you, then deny it." OH YEAH -- THE NAZIS Art from Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2 by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette. (Image courtesy DC Comics) The book is framed around Nazi superwoman Paula von Gunther who leads German forces to invade the Amazonian island of Themyscira during World War II, before having to be dealt with again in modern times. The book was written before Nazis were receiving as much renewed mainstream attention, but Morrison said there's something very basic behind his approach. "Everybody loves seeing a Nazi getting punched," Morrison said. "Most people don't punch anything. Most people don't get into fights. Most people -- there are a few activists who will go out and try and punch one of them, but most of us just love the idea." After the World War II attacks, the Nazi superwoman is captured and has her mind wiped, her Nazi beliefs taken away from her. "There's a sadness to the character," Morrison said. "I find it quite horrific almost when we see the Amazons reducing her and taking away her sense of self, and suddenly she's admitting to this inferiority and she's on her knees." She's still a Nazi -- the power of that hatred ends up playing a role in our own times. But some measure of redemption appears possible -- Morrison said he's stopping short of saying "hug a Nazi," but that Diana tries to reach out. "I just realized this is a woman who's been controlled by everyone," Morrison said. "And at the end for Diana to show compassion, and not to beat her into the ground, and to actually say, 'don't worry, we'll make this better, we'll make this better' -- even after what she does in the book, which is a fairly horrific act." Art from Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2 by Grant Morrison and Yanick Paquette. (Image courtesy DC Comics) WHAT'S NEXT FOR WONDER WOMAN The seeds are planted in this book for Wonder Woman to face one of her greatest enemies, Maxwell Lord, in the third part of this trilogy. In previous comics, she snapped his neck (it's comics, so he got better) -- whether this version of the character will do the same remains to be seen. Morrison said he plans to use Lord as an avatar of the Greek war god Ares, Wonder Woman's longest time nemesis. "It's saying here are two cultures, and one culture thinks it has this power -- this masculine, this military power," Morrison said. "And it comes up against something ... peace-loving. She says 'Love is our weapon, peace is our shield.' What does that mean? Well, it means they will destroy you in other ways. ... So we're not saying the Amazons are the good guys in this." While this version of the Amazonian princess has relied on peace more than almost ever before, her warrior nature will be tested. "The assumptions of this strutting military culture are suddenly undone by something they dare not imagine," Morrison said. "And that applies to current strutting military culture as well." Morrison promises an ending to the story that leaves the world itself completely changed, offering a conclusion to the world's male-led society. Wonder Woman: Earth One Vol. 2 is available from comic book stores this week and booksellers starting Oct. 9; Volume 3 is in the works. You made it! Congrats, you read the entire story, you gorgeous human. This story was made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism costs $$$$$. And now that LAist is part of KPCC, we rely on that support. So if you aren't already, be one of us! Help us help you live your best life in Southern California. Donate now. Egypt's government approved on Tuesday a $1.2 billion agreement with the United Nations Partnership Development Framework. The deal was originally signed in March in Cairo between Egypt and the UNPDF. The deal covers the period from 2018 to 2022 and is focused on inclusive economic development, social justice, women's empowerment, and sustainable management of natural resources. The main objective of the agreement is to support the Egyptian government in its quest to achieve national development. Search Keywords: Short link: Sewell Chan is the former editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times. From April 2020 to September 2021, he oversaw the editorial board and the Op-Ed and Sunday Opinion pages of the Los Angeles Times. Chan previously served as a deputy managing editor, overseeing foreign and national news coverage; the front page; the Data and Graphics Department; the multiplatform copy desks; newsletters; and the editorial library. He also supervised the home page and audience engagement teams and helped reorganize them into an integrated News Desk. Before joining The Times in September 2018, Chan worked for 14 years at the New York Times, where he was a metro reporter, Washington correspondent, deputy Op-Ed editor and international news editor. Chan began his career in July 2000 as a reporter at the Washington Post, reporting on local government, education and social services. He has also written for the Wall Street Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer. A native New Yorker, Chan grew up in an immigrant family and was the first in his family to finish college. He graduated from Harvard with a degree in social studies and received a masters degree in politics from Oxford, where he studied on a British Marshall scholarship. Advertisement Chan is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Pacific Council on International Policy, and PEN America, which defends free expression. He serves on the board of the News Leaders Assn. (formerly the American Society of News Editors) and the Board of Incorporators of Harvard Magazine. He was previously a member of the national advisory board at the Poynter Institute. A literary festival in Burlington, Vt., has cancelled a planned fundraiser featuring author and radio personality Garrison Keillor after a public backlash. Keillor was accused of inappropriate behavior last year and fired from Minnesota Public Radio, home to the nationally syndicated show he created, A Prairie Home Companion. The Burlington Book Festival told Vermont Public Radio on Monday that the fundraiser would not be held, after backlash from Vermonters who were concerned about accusations of sexual misconduct that women have levied against Keillor. The festivals founding director, Rick Kisonak, said that he didnt mean to be insensitive by inviting Keillor to the fundraiser. The unexpected reaction on social media made it apparent some people viewed his booking as our condoning of sexual harassment, Kisonak said. Nothing could be further from the truth. Advertisement Keillor was fired by Minnesota Public Radio in November following an allegation of inappropriate behavior by a woman who worked with him. Keillor has said he was dismissed for touching a womans bare back, which MPR countered, later stating that an investigation found that the host had engaged in a years-long pattern of behavior that left several women who worked for Keillor feeling mistreated, sexualized or belittled. The Burlington Book Festival fundraiser drew ire from people who thought it was tone deaf for the festival to host an event featuring Keillor. The festival initially defended the event in a Facebook post on Sunday written by Kisonak. I have never invited a sexual predator to the Burlington Book Festival and never would, Kisonak wrote. As Garrison Keillor, a man who has devoted his life to literature and made incalculable contributions, is not (as some of you allege) a sexual predator and as the matter is more nuanced, please look into all this a bit further and let me know what you believe would be fair. Comments in reply to the post were almost all negative, with one writing, Predatory, inappropriate. not much of a difference. Either one is an attack on women. Tell him to stay where the hell he is. Another wrote, In this fraught time, youre actively taking the side of a serial abuser by giving him a platform. History will judge your actions. Kisonak backtracked on Monday, telling the newspaper Seven Days that he was taken aback by the response. Theres a lot of very positive feeling for [Keillor] out there, he said, but theres a lot of anger and a lot of hurt, and I certainly didnt want that, and certainly didnt expect that. And now that that really has sort of reached the kind of critical mass that it has ... were certainly not people that are insensitive to these issues. Tucker Carlson has been a successful journalist for nearly 30 years. But in the world of cable news, he is the definition of a late bloomer. Before his slow build to prime-time prominence on Fox News Channel, the 49-year-old conservative commentator was fired from stints at CNN and MSNBC. There were insults along the way. Comedian Jon Stewart ridiculed Carlson on CNNs Crossfire, saying his debate program was hurting America. One of Carlsons network bosses told him he was too fat. Second chances happen all the time in the TV business. Getting a third shot is rare, and Carlson has taken advantage of it. He is prospering in the heated partisan atmosphere surrounding the Trump White House, an era in which cable news audiences have demonstrated tribal allegiances to their sides. Advertisement As the Trump-friendly alternative to CNN and MSNBC, Tucker Carlson Tonight has ranked first among cable news audiences in its 8 p.m. Eastern time period every night since its premiere in April 2017. The program averaged 2.8 million viewers in the third quarter of 2018, according to Nielsen data, making it the third-most-watched cable news show, behind Fox News Channels Hannity and MSNBCs The Rachel Maddow Show. Advertiser demand for Carlsons program is strong. According to Standard Media Index data, the average price for a 30-second spot is $12,363 this year, the most expensive of any prime-time cable news show. The show has taken in more than $50 million through the first eight months of 2018. Carlson who calls his program the sworn enemy of lying, pomposity, smugness, and group think is less of a Trump defender than a true believer in the issues that energize the presidents supporters, such as stricter immigration policies, anger over political correctness, and skepticism of military intervention abroad. The host does not always adhere to the Republican Party line. He is not a big fan of the Trump administrations tax cuts, which he believes the Republicans in Congress used to placate their rich donors. After years of being a libertarian, he now rails more about the power of tech companies than the government. Who knows more about you, the Social Security Administration or Google? Carlson said during a long conversation over a recent lunch at a Washington, D.C., restaurant near the Fox News bureau. Its not even close. Carlson expands on his nightly talking points in his new book, Ship of Fools: How a Selfish Ruling Class Is Bringing America to the Brink of Revolution, published by Simon & Schuster. (Another benefit of being a Fox News host is having a nightly TV platform to promote your latest tome onto the bestseller list.) (Simon & Schuster) Carlsons political bent clearly makes him a better fit at Fox News than at the previous outlets where he toiled. But he believes it was arrogance that kept him from ascending sooner as a TV host. I didnt take it seriously, Carlson said. I had a bad attitude about TV people. I thought that they were shallow, and I thought it was really easy. I thought, These people dont read books, and they dont understand language, and theyre not interested in history, and Im really smart and theyre not. And then after failing a number of times I realized actually that Im not that good at it, and Im not trying that hard. The former La Jolla resident and son of onetime Los Angeles TV anchor Dick Carlson, Tucker Carlson established himself as a writer for the Weekly Standard, New York magazine and other publications while in his 20s and early 30s. Voluble and witty, he became a sought-after cable news talking head during the Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandal in the late 1990s. His TV career faltered when MSNBC took a political left turn in prime time and cut him loose in 2008. It was at the height of the financial crisis, and he had no savings as his four children were in private school and approaching college age. I didnt have to borrow money from anybody, he said. But I did wind up sweating for a number of years and thinking about what I had done wrong. He signed on as a contributor to Fox News in 2009, the start of a slow road back to prime time. As a weekend co-host for the networks freewheeling morning show Fox & Friends, Carlson fell asleep on the air, a moment that lives in infamy on YouTube. But Carlson had a supporter in Rupert Murdoch, the executive chairman of Fox News parent 21st Century Fox. In November 2016, he gave Carlson the daily hour held by former Fox News longtimer Greta Van Susteren. After the channels top-rated star, Bill OReilly, was fired over sexual harassment allegations, Carlson took over the high-profile 8 p.m. time period. Tucker Carlson is less of a Trump defender than a true believer in the issues that energize the presidents supporters. (Jennifer S. Altman / For The Times) Whereas OReilly used a tough-guy tone in discussing issues as if he were sitting on a bar stool, Carlson has a more sophisticated on-air presence that reflects his time at prep schools, political journals and a Washington think tank. (He also has a thicker skin than the temperamental OReilly.) Nielsen data show the approach is bringing an upscale audience to Fox News. His viewers have a median annual income of $70,000, which in cable news is second only to $71,000 for Maddows audience. Carlson welcomes opposing viewpoints on his program. But guests who come on the show risk being verbally smacked down by the highly caffeinated host (he drinks eight cups of coffee a day). Although Carlson is nicer than he was when his program first launched (early on he provoked Teen Vogue writer Lauren Duca into calling him a partisan hack), he wont hide his distaste for some visitors, such as Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels, who was paid by the presidents lawyer to remain silent about an alleged 2006 tryst she had with Trump. When Avenatti accepted an offer to come on Carlsons program Sept. 13, the host agreed not to call him a creepy porn lawyer, the pejorative moniker he often used when covering the Daniels story. But it turned up on the screen during their testy exchange, which led Avenatti to later call Carlson a liar on Twitter. Carlson said he went back on his word to Avenatti because he was going for a laugh, which he admits can be a weakness on his part. Ive made a number of questionable decisions because I thought they were funny, Carlson said. The same could be said of Carlsons recent use of a clip of the movie of Arthur Millers The Crucible when he opined on Palo Alto professor Christine Blasey Fords sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. After the clip, Carlson said he was kidding. Although he believes Kavanaugh has been treated unfairly by Democrats and other media outlets, he does not consider the investigation into the matter a witch hunt. To some observers, Carlson epitomizes how cable news outlets are exploiting the political divide to drive up ratings. I do think Tuckers getting swept up in the rhetoric sometimes, said Rick Kaplan, a veteran news producer who hired Carlson at CNN and MSNBC and remains a fan. There are times he says things and I just shake my head because hes a levelheaded guy and he doesnt always come off that way. Carlson does engage in productive debates, such as those with former Bill and Hillary Clinton campaign advisor Richard Goodstein, a frequent guest. Goodstein believes its worthwhile to reach Carlsons large audience, even if it means serving as a foil to reinforce the views of the Fox News prime-time audience members who believe the political left is misguided and often wrong. I feel like Im the Washington Generals playing the Harlem Globetrotters, he said. They need a second team to make it a game but its not on the up and up. Every time I can walk off the set and keep my dignity, I feel like Ive done OK. Carlson maintains that Fox News management never dictates editorial content, and that what his viewers are seeing each night is authentic. Falseness of any kind is too obvious, he said. And it destroys your soul too. I only have one show, and thats the show Im doing. Success as a cable news provocateur has its drawbacks. Since emerging as a prime-time star, Carlson frequently receives threats, requiring Fox News to provide him with security. You cant really go anywhere, he said. His social circle is largely limited to family members who live in his neighborhood and share a summer home with him in Maine. Like other Fox News commentators, Carlson has drawn the wrath of liberal watchdog groups such as Media Matters, which recently criticized his description of a land redistribution policy in South Africa as the race-based seizing of property from white farmers (prompting a tweet from Trump, an avid Fox viewer, to ask the State Department to investigate it). The ever-facile Carlson has managed to walk the high wire of drawing viewers and attention without alienating sponsors who at times have pulled out of other Fox News programs such as Hannity and The Ingraham Angle. But he knows better than most how fragile success on television can be. Theres a reason that people on TV go crazy, Carlson said. Its very intense. stephen.battaglio@latimes.com Twitter: @SteveBattaglio Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry appointed on Tuesday Ahmed Hafez as the new spokesman for the ministry, a statement by the FM read. Hafez recently returned from Ramallah, where he served as deputy head of Egypt's Representation Office to the Palestinian National Authority. He also worked abroad at the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, DC, as well as at the Egyptian Embassy in Tel Aviv. Hafez also worked in the foreign minister's office handling the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, as well as serving as the director of Syria and Lebanon affairs during his tenure at the Ministry's General Directorate. Hafez also worked in the multilateral economic relations sector early in his diplomatic career. Hafez started his diplomatic career in 1999. Ahmed Abu Zeid, the previous ministry spokesman, has been appointed as ambassador to Canada, according to a presidential decree in August. Search Keywords: Short link: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by a California fruit grower to weigh the constitutionality of a state law that allows a mediator to impose an agricultural labor contract on deadlocked parties. The courts refusal to hear the case ends a long-running fight with the states Agricultural Labor Relations Board by Dan Gerawan, a Reedley, Calif., grower who was forced in 2013 to accept a contract covering about 3,000 of his workers after collective bargaining with the United Farm Workers had reached an impasse. The action by the nations highest court comes less than a week after the Agricultural Labor Relations Board validated a 2015 election by Gerawan workers ousting UFW, which made the contract moot. We knew it was an uphill battle, Gerawan said of the courts rejection of his petition to consider the case. Im certain they will eventually overturn it, but without the forced contract in effect, we dont have standing. Advertisement The workers at the states largest grower and packer of peaches, nectarines and other stone fruit now have neither a union nor a labor contract and wont have to pay 3% dues to UFW. The union had first organized Gerawans workers in 1990, and was certified as their collective bargaining representative two years later. Talks stalled, then stopped, and UFW shifted its tactics to pushing for more favorable labor laws in Sacramento. The state responded in 2002, expanding Californias landmark Agricultural Labor Relations Act to allow a mediator to impose a contract on stalemated parties under certain conditions. That law was amended in 2011 to make it easier to request mediation. Eight months later, the UFW reasserted its right to negotiate on behalf of Gerawans workers, most of whom had not voted in the original 1990 election. When renewed talks stalled, UFW requested a mediator, who imposed a contract that was approved by the agricultural labor board in the fall of 2013. Gerawan has contended that the UFW never contacted him about renewing talks for 18 years, then returned to the table with the intent to let time expire so a mediator could impose a contract and allow the union to collect 3% dues from his workers. The UFW has said that it made 14 contract offers between 1995 and 2012, but did not specify when those overtures were made. The contract imposed by the mediator called for yearly wage increases, vacation benefits, a grievance procedure and tightened rules for terminating workers. Gerawan sued, claiming that the state law unconstitutionally deprived him of equal protection under the law. A state district court agreed in 2015, but the state Supreme Court overturned the decision two years later, leading Gerawan to appeal to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, Gerawan workers organized and won the right to hold an election on whether to keep the UFW as their collective bargaining representative. The vote was held in 2015, but the Agricultural Labor Relations Board invalidated the election, saying unfair labor practices by Gerawan had tainted the process. Ballots were impounded until a state appeals court judge ordered the board to count the ballots and reconsider its ruling that Gerawans actions favoring the vote effort had affected the outcome of the election. Last Thursday, the board found that Gerawans actions didnt affect the outcome, which showed 1,098 workers rejected the union and 197 supported it with 660 other ballots in dispute and 18 nullified. geoffrey.mohan@latimes.com Follow me: @LATgeoffmohan President Trump has repeatedly condemned U.S. immigration policy, arguing that many immigrants pose a threat to the nation and drain U.S. resources. But a study released Monday about health insurance challenges the presidents portrayal. The study in the journal Health Affairs found that immigrants covered by private health insurance and their employers contributed nearly $25 billion more in premiums in 2014 than was paid out on their behalf. Those in the country without legal status contributed nearly $8 billion toward the surplus. In contrast, U.S.-born enrollees received from insurers nearly $25 billion more than they paid in premiums. In California, where about a fourth of residents are foreign-born, immigrants and their employers contributed close to $28 billion more than they received from insurers from 2008 to 2014. During the same period, U.S. natives in the state received about $28 billion more from insurers than they contributed. Advertisement According to the researchers, this reflects a relatively young and healthy immigrant population, as well as this groups reluctance to seek care. These findings surface as the Trump administrations immigration policies including a plan to tie migrants efforts to get permission for permanent residency to their use of federal benefit programs have come under scrutiny. Earlier studies also found that immigrants contribute more to Medicare than they receive what is spent on their care, but the authors of this study say it is the first to look at the effect in private insurance plans. Leah Zallman, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the study, said her findings allude to the potentially negative consequences that tighter immigration policies could have on the healthcare industry. I think in todays era theres so much concern about immigrants and immigration really sort of draining our resources in the U.S., Zallman said. This really points to the critical role that immigrants have in actually subsidizing and maintaining our current systems. Researchers calculated the financial contributions and expenses of enrollees and their employers using two surveys created by the federal government. Plans sold on the Affordable Care Acts insurance exchanges were not included because they differ from other private insurance in important ways and are unavailable to undocumented people, the study authors noted. Anyone born outside the United States was categorized as an immigrant. However, the surveys did not ask non-citizens with private coverage about their legal status. Researchers used national data on undocumented immigrants to estimate how many people in the study group illegally resided in the country. In 2014, immigrants and their employers contributed $88.7 billion in private insurance premiums, but insurers spent $64 billion for their care, according to the studys findings. Of that group, undocumented immigrants alone paid more than $17 billion to private insurers but received $9.4 billion from insurers. Native-born consumers paid $616 billion in premiums and received nearly $641 billion in insurers payments for care. Their insurer payments consistently exceeded those of immigrants across all age groups. Among enrollees 65 and older, the U.S.-born made a net contribution of nearly $10,000 more toward their care than those born overseas, according to the study. The researchers reported that, on average, individual immigrants nationally paid $1,123 more for premiums in 2014 than they received in insurance-covered care. U.S. natives instead cost insurers $163 on average. In California, per enrollee, immigrants contributed an average of $795 more to private insurance than the benefits they received, Zallman said. U.S.-born Californians contributed $245 less than insurers spent on their care. Our findings demonstrate that immigrants spending subsidizes the care of U.S.-born Californians in the private insurance market, Zallman and her research partners said in the study. Their findings, they added, also raise questions about the effect more restrictive immigration policies will have on the private insurance risk pool. Leighton Ku, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University who was not involved in the study, said several factors contribute to immigrants low healthcare expenses. The group tends to be healthier and younger when they arrive in the United States. Cultural and language differences also hinder them from accessing care. The study noted that immigrants healthcare expenditures increased the longer they remained in the country. But it added that because their premiums also increased at the same time, they continued to make a net contribution to their private health plans. The findings come about a week after the Department of Homeland Security proposed redefining how it would determine public charge, a term used to describe a person likely to become dependent on the government for assistance. The proposal would make it harder for immigrants to live and work permanently in the U.S. if they receive certain types of federal assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing subsidies. Trump has vowed to be tough on immigration standards. During his campaign, he berated U.S. health expenditures on immigrants, arguing that the U.S. spent $11 billion to care for people who were in the country without authorization, the studys authors note. But they point out that earlier research shows that immigrants have low rates of healthcare use and spending, compared with native residents. Their payments to private plans and Medicare in essence prop up care for patients who are U.S.-born, the authors say. A study Zallman published earlier showed unauthorized immigrants contributed $35.1 billion more to Medicare from 2000 to 2011 than they used in services. Benedic Ippolito, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, cautioned using the studys findings to draw conclusions on a large scale about immigrants and their role in health insurance. An estimated 20% of immigrants including nearly half of the undocumented population are uninsured, according to the study. Ippolito said the cost of their uncompensated care affects whether immigrants financial contributions actually lead to surpluses for healthcare overall. I would be careful about how much I extrapolate these results to a) other parts of the health insurance market and b) even further to what this means for immigration policy, Ippolito said. This paper alone does not tell us everything we need to know. Carmen Heredia Rodriguez is a reporter for Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent publication of the Kaiser Family Foundation. Ana B. Ibarra of Kaiser Health News contributed to this report. This study was funded in part by the California Health Care Foundation. A San Diego man has settled SEC allegations that he and another man ran a $61.5-million Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 350 investors across multiple states. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Diego last week, accuses Jonny Ngo, 32, and Donato Mick Baca Jr., 36, of raising money from investors between 2013 and 2017 that was supposedly to be used to buy bulk electronics such as iPhone screens and drone aircraft overseas. These products were then to be distributed in the U.S. and sold at a substantial profit, investors were allegedly told. According to the SEC, the men promised investors returns of 5% to 15% every two weeks to 45 days through Ngos wholesale technology import business, NL Technology. NL Technology has a storefront in San Diego offering cellphone and computer repairs, but it engaged in little or no wholesale import business activity, according to the SEC. Advertisement Ngo has settled with the SEC without admitting wrongdoing. The final judgment prohibits him from raising money in connection with any offering of securities, and orders him to repay $4.5 million. He also must pay a $480,000 civil penalty and $245,726 in prejudgment interest. The complaint alleges Ngo and Baca used money raised by new investors to pay prior investors in a classic Ponzi scheme. About $52 million was distributed in this way. The SEC claims the rest went to fund Ngos and Bacas extravagant lifestyles, including gambling and purchasing luxury cars, watches and homes. To conceal the scheme, Ngo fabricated bank statements and financial records, forged invoices and created phony email addresses, the SEC claims. He also impersonated people with whom NL Technology was supposedly doing business. Baca owned a company called MR Media and claimed to be an investor who helped gather other investors. Later, he said he held various executive positions at NL Technology. The scheme began to fall apart in April 2017, according to the SEC, when Ngo and Baca stopped paying most investors, claiming delays were due to switching banks, supplier problems and an SEC audit. When confronted by a suspicious investor in May 2017, Baca disavowed knowledge of the scheme but did not inform other investors. Instead, Baca told investors that he was leaving NL Technology but that they could invest directly with Ngo, according to the complaint. According to the SEC, Baca personally misappropriated at least $4.7 million of investor funds, including funds paid to MR Media. The SEC claims the money was used for rent, luxury watches and payments on personal credit cards. Investor funds also were used for a down payment on a $3.5-million home. The SEC lawsuit seeks return of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties and interest and an injunction to prevent fundraising from investors. Freeman writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @TechDiego A modest proposal for air travelers: Netflix. No, Im not suggesting you watch that or some other pay-TV service to distract from the misery of being crammed into a too-small airline seat with leg room sufficient only for Tattoo from Fantasy Island. What Im suggesting is that people stop pushing airlines to offer worse and worse service in the name of lower fares, which is a racket anyhow since carriers will still fleece you with extra fees for everything from checked bags to assigned seating. Instead, we should give air travel the same consideration we give TV viewing that is, an acknowledgement that you get what you pay for, and its worth paying a little extra for the experience we desire. Advertisement This thought occurred to me Monday after JetBlue became the latest carrier to announce it was introducing a no-frills basic economy fare to compete with bargain-basement airlines such as Spirit and Frontier. JetBlue joins Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines in seeking to make air travel even more miserable. And whats really beautiful here is JetBlue is fully aware that this no-frills thing treats passengers with contempt. At JetBlue, we never liked the no frills approach, the airlines president, Joanna Geraghty, said in a note to employees posted on the companys blog. But with these competitors now offering basic economy on many routes we fly, customer behavior suggests our success is at risk if we do not disrupt this market by lowering fares without sacrificing the experience, she said. That last part about not sacrificing the experience is, of course, wishful thinking. If you could lower prices by reducing service quality without making air travel even crappier, every airline would have done it years ago. I spoke with several experts in consumer behavior and psychology about what seems at first glance to be irrational behavior on our part. Consumers believe saving maybe about $30 on an airline seat in return for a dreadful experience is somehow shrewd thinking, yet well happily shell out $132 a year for a standard Netflix subscription or $144 annually for a commercial-free Hulu plan. Mita Sujan, a marketing professor at Tulane University, said if this is irrational behavior, shes guilty of it herself. She routinely seeks the lowest possible fare when flying, even if that means a lesson in contortion. Its not an experience, Sujan explained. Its just a process of getting to a destination. Were not interested in maximizing it. Watching TV, on the other hand, is an experience, one that were eager to maximize. We treat it as a reward for all that we do during the day, Sujan said. Eva Buechel, an assistant professor of marketing at USC, noted that a key difference between consumers approaches to air travel and TV viewing is one of longevity. The limited duration of a basic-economy flight makes the discomfort and inconvenience tolerable, she said, whereas most of us perceive TV viewing as a lifelong pursuit. Whenever I fly, I always feel like it will be a miserable few hours but Ill just suck it up, Buechel said. The reason no-frills fares are cheaper is because passengers get less bang for their buck. And if youre truly going to get a deal, youll have to dodge all the sneaky add-on charges airlines want to hit you with, which means youll have the least-comfortable, least-convenient, least-pleasant flight imaginable. Customers who opt for this fare will agree to some limits, which might include things like boarding order, seating and change/cancellation flexibility, but we will not make them feel like second-class citizens, JetBlues Geraghty said. Again, wishful thinking. Moreover, she said the airline is determined to keep our mission of humanity front and center. Mission of humanity? What is this, the March of Dimes? The sole mission of basic-economy fares is to give you a sense that youre somehow beating the system, which youre not. Youre not arriving at your destination any sooner than anyone else. Youre just guaranteeing that youll like the trip less, all for the sake of having $10 or $20 more in your pocket than the guy sitting next to you. Weve all heard the horror stories from customers about ultra-low-cost travel, Geraghty acknowledged. JetBlue can do better for them. If we add a fare that saves customers money but still delivers the JetBlue experience, I cant imagine why a traveler shopping on price would ever choose another airline over us. Good luck with that. This trade-off of nasty service for a modest savings is exactly like a TV station interrupting a program every few minutes for commercials but insisting that youve come out ahead because youre watching for free. If that were a bargain consumers truly appreciated, premium channels such as HBO and Showtime, not to mention the entire cable-TV industry, never would have found their footing. The reason people willingly pay for an improved TV experience is because the alternative gradually became that bad. Id say the same now applies to air travel. Whats needed is some visionary entrepreneur whos willing to adapt a proven business model pay TV to the airline industry. Give me HBO Air or Starz Airways. Charge a reasonable flat rate for reasonably high-quality service, with no hidden tricks or traps, and Ill keep coming back for more. Do I watch everything HBO puts on? Hardly. But what I do watch is so much better, and provides such a better viewing experience, that I can absolutely say its worth $15 a month. Ill say the same about commercial-free SiriusXM satellite radio, for which I pay $11 monthly. So, Ms. Geraghty, you say you never liked the no-frills approach? Youre not alone. Instead of becoming just another Spirit Airlines, offering passengers just another soul-crushing travel experience, take a step in the other direction. Be the Netflix of carriers. David Lazarus column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com. In fall 1928, John Cage entered Pomona Collage a serious young man intent on becoming a Methodist Episcopal minister like his grandfather. When he dropped out after his sophomore year, he was well along the road to being John Cage. A story merrily told (and no doubt embellished over the years) was that one day he subversively picked from the library shelf the first volume by an author whose name began with Z and read that book instead of the one assigned for a class. He got an A. At that point he decided there was no point in staying in school and headed to Europe with an older, cosmopolitan lover. That anecdote was all that the Claremont Colleges Library needed last week to put on a conference about Cage at Claremont, and it ended Friday night with a performance of one of his most puzzling works, Electronic Music for Piano, in Mabel Shaw Bridges Hall. The piece, written 45 years after Cage ended his college career and he had become the most radical major composer of the 20th century, and the concert seemingly had nothing remotely to do with Pomona College. The four improvising performers at the concert might have seemed to be even further distant to the world of Cage. All four are closely connected with progressive rock music, a genre with which he was little enamored when he wrote this piece in 1965. Advertisement The biggest draw Friday night was former Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore. Joining him were David Toop, once in Flying Lizards and the author of stimulating books on hip-hop and various forms of experimental noise; electronic musician Jon Leidecker, an electronic musician better known as Wobbly and for his work with the multimedia collective Negativland; and Gino Robair, a pianist, composer and noted record producer. Be that as it may, all four musicians happen to be devoted and experienced Cageans who have thought long, hard and controversially about a piece that no one really knows what it should be. The score was sketched out by the composer on hotel stationary in Stockholm two days before his 52nd birthday. He was gloomy, he wrote in a letter to painter Jasper Johns. He was in the middle of a grueling six-month world tour with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company; morale was low; money was lower; the dancers were fighting with Cunningham, and Cage was fighting with Robert Rauschenberg, the troupes art director. The Stockholm leg of the tour just happened to be at the invitation of Pontus Hulten, who was head of the citys modern art museum and who 16 years later would come to Los Angeles as the short-lived founding director of MOCA, the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you are looking for coincidences, MOCA is not only a mile from the hospital where Cage was born but also across the street from the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which is devoting part of its just-begun centennial season to Cage and the Fluxus movement, which works like Electronic Music for Piano helped inspire. And you need to be looking for coincidences to properly perform, as well as receive, Electronic Music for Piano, which Cage jotted down as something he and pianist David Tudor could perform at a quickly arranged concert in Stockholm. Cages vague instructions were shorthand for ways he might spice up his Music for Piano, 4-84, a Tudor specialty, with electronics. In those original piano pieces from the 1950s, Cage derived his pitches from imperfections in the paper he was using. But he left enough out to require pianists to create their own scores from complicated instructions. The electronic version adds extra parameters. But without full documentation of what Cage and Tudor were up to, performers today have little to go on and a lot to avoid. Cage was troubled by improvisation as an art of self-expression, rather than letting chance procedures lead to unexpected discovery. He also had issues in indeterminate music with performers getting carried away interacting, again for similar reasons. Robair, who replaced the original pianist, Tania Chen (he also produced her recent recording of the score with the other three musicians), in a pre-concert talk described carefully acknowledging Cages specifications. Toop relied mainly on lo-fi material, playing bass recorder and other exotic wind instruments while getting heavily into feedback. Moore, who approached the score as a poem, picked at the electric guitar on his lap and had his own loving episodes of feedback by placing his instrument in front of a loudspeaker. Leidecker used iPads programed to listen and acoustically act. As accomplished and here, inspired improvisers, the players made it clear that although they felt a strong compulsion to be true to Cages spirit, they were going to do it in their own way. That meant maybe not group improvisation, but improvisation nonetheless. As Toop said earlier, Music changes according to common conditions. By insisting on being of his time, he argued with Cage. And pretty much won. From the audience, of course, you have no real way of knowing exactly what anyone onstage is doing. Every inch of piano and guitar were understood to be sound-producing surfaces. Electronics of one sort of another, as well as Toops blowing into tubes and crinkling paper (something Cage like to do himself), created waves, and maybe that makes an ocean metaphor permissible. Within this audible liquidity, I never experienced two sounds sounding the same; under it all was a sense of unseen weird life below the sonic surface. Gorgeous momentary plinks and planks, sinuous oohing and aahing of oscillating sine waves or whatever had lives of their own. Unlike music that forces upon you a narrative, a listener felt entitled to admire or ignore instances as desired. Even so, I sensed a collective acoustic breathing from the players that managed to convey the character of being produced by chance, not romance. But there was no lingering. Everything seemed to mean something only while sounding, losing meaning immediately once the sound dissolved. Later, I searched Amazon books by entering the letter Z. What popped right up was Secrets & Chance by Z.L. Arkadie. mark.swed@latimes.com For more than a year, Laura Krantz searched for Sasquatches and the people who love them. She tromped through the Pacific Northwest looking for Bigfoot nests, frequented Sasquatch-enthusiast chat rooms, and talked to scientists about how DNA testing may be able to be used to help prove or at least explain the hairy fellas existence. Krantzs new podcast, Wild Thing, a nine-part series whose first episode launches today, combines on-the-forest-floor reporting with eyewitness accounts and expert testimony on the theories behind the famous, hairy biped. But Wild Thing isnt just the story of her search for one of the worlds favorite mysterious creatures, its a look into something just as surprising: her family history. Krantz is Bigfoot royalty. Peter Byrne and Laura Krantz pose for a photo outside Byrnes riverside cabin in Pacific City, Ore. Byrne is a 93-year-old writer and adventurer whos spent the better part of his life searching for the yeti and for Bigfoot. (Kelsey Ray) Advertisement A paranormal pioneer For Krantz, it all started in 2006, when she was reading a Washington Post article about a seemingly eccentric man by the name of Grover Krantz. Skeptical yet intrigued by a possible familial relation, she pursued the connection and discovered that the esteemed anthropology professor widely regarded as a pioneer of Bigfoot research was her grandfathers cousin. He was also one of the first scientists to advocate for the creatures existence, says Krantz. Soon, she began spotting references to Grover online and in articles, and another name began popping up with unrelenting frequency as well: Bigfoot. He just kept reappearing sort of in my peripheral view, she said. Once you start thinking about Bigfoot, Bigfoot is everywhere. Following a few more twists of fate such as finding out her home in Denver was only about 30 miles from the late Grovers widow Krantz decided to combine her unique personal connection to Bigfoots timeless lore by launching a podcast on the topic. Using her experience as a veteran radio producer she was once the editor of a public radio show on L.A. station KPCC she creates a visceral audio narrative based on rather rare access to some of the most seasoned experts and secretive locations associated with Bigfoot. All thanks to the legacy of Grover, who is a big deal for Bigfoot fans. Her family ties to Grover, Krantz says, helped ease her entrance into a community of Bigfoot believers that is often wary of outsiders. I think saying I was related to him definitely opened doors that might not have opened otherwise, she said. Gunnar Monson, left, Megan Whitehead and Shane Corson lead the way to a campsite in the Mt. Hood National Forest for a Bigfoot outing. (Kelsey Ray) The science of Sasquatch Krantz, a self-identified skeptic, says she approached the story from a scientific standpoint like Grover would. For instance, she opted not to talk to people who thought Bigfoot was brought to Earth by aliens or had the ability to move through different dimensions of space and time. Instead, she delves into topics such as evolution, e.g. where Bigfoot would fit on the tree of life. Ultimately, it was the steady stream of wildlife biologists and seasoned outdoorsmen recounting their own Bigfoot sightings that moved the believability needle for Krantz. I kind of expected a lot of the Oh-I-saw-Bigfoot stories to be hard to swallow, and they ended up being one of the most compelling things for me to hear, she said. In the first episode of Wild Thing, Krantz not only sets the course for the rest of the series, but addresses some quick-hit trivia such as: What does Bigfoot prefer to eat? Fruit-filled pastries, apparently. Also, can there be a lady Bigfoot? Yes, according to the podcast. To better answer where they may sleep, Krantz visits a secret location on Washingtons Olympic Peninsula. Two-and-a-half miles behind a locked gate, there appears to be a collection of large nests that her guides say were made by Bigfoot. This is this this is crazy, says a bewildered Krantz in a field recording as she traipses through the forest. Krantz gained access to this highly off-limits location with the help of Shane Corson, a longtime Bigfoot believer (who had his own sighting while on a fishing trip in 2011) and one of only two people with a key to the areas gate. Corson is the co-runner of the Olympic Project, a group of researchers who explore the science behind the Sasquatch by employing methodical data collection. For example, in an attempt to identify the source of the large, bird-like ground nests Krantz visited, the Olympic Project has collected and cataloged hair samples found on site. After thorough examination, some of these hairs have been connected to known animals in the area, said Corson; but many others have not. Something is making these nests, he says . And its undocumented and its unknown. Laura Krantz interviews Bobby Green, co-owner and creator of the Bigfoot Lodge on Los Feliz Boulevard in Atwater Village. The log cabin-themed bar opened in 1999; its sister establishment, Bigfoot West, opened in 2009. (Scott Carney) Beyond Bigfoot Krantz also delved into the public fascination with Bigfoot. The nine central story episodes of Wild Thing will be supplemented with intermittent bonus installments, which include in-depth conversations with writer Virginia Wade, who at her peak made about $20,000 a month writing Bigfoot erotica, says Krantz. She also talks with William Dear, writer and director of feel-good family flick, Harry and the Hendersons. Krantz traveled to Northern California for the 50th anniversary of the quintessential Patterson-Gimlin film, in which grainy imagery captures an up-close Bigfoot sighting thats long been the source of debate. She also headed back to Los Angeles to speak with experts about the psychology of belief and the business of Bigfoot like why companies use its name and imagery for branding. While working on Wild Thing, Krantz underwent a bit of a personal evolution herself. When she started the project, she saw Bigfoot mostly as tabloid fodder. Finishing it, I still dont necessarily buy that Bigfoot is out there, but Im a lot more open to the possibility of that than I was before, she says. At least, Krantz adds, I certainly hope Bigfoot is out there. calendar@latimes.com Macon Blair was playing a skinhead in Green Room for frequent collaborator Jeremy Saulnier when he picked up William Giraldis 2014 novel, Hold the Dark, and devoured it in two sittings. The tale of a naturalist summoned to a remote Alaskan village to track down child-murdering wolves was an emotional gut-punch, says Blair, who starred in Saulniers 2007 debut, Murder Party, and 2013 breakout, Blue Ruin. The longtime friends teamed up to adapt the story and secured Giraldis blessing, promising not to sand off the edges of the novel and turn it into a big action movie. The resulting psychological thriller, adapted by Blair and streaming now on Netflix, is unflinching in its horrors as it illuminates the dark corners that reside within the souls of Giraldis cast of characters. It is Saulniers most ambitious work yet in scope and tone, a film that darts away from providing too many answers. For those, you can read the book. Theres a lot more material in the book, and some things that take place inside some of the characters heads, Blair explained by phone from his home in Austin, Texas. In the movie we deliberately tried to scale some of that back. Advertisement The tone of the whole thing was dependent on people not being totally sure of what was going on, he added, and telepathically picking up on the things that were going on. Filming in freezing temperatures among the snowscapes of the Canadian Rockies (standing in for northern Alaska) added a bone chill that leaps off the screen with visceral atmospheric force, bringing the novel, set within a community seemingly on the edge of the world, to life. But in cinematic form, Giraldis story begged a slightly different narrative structure. In contrast to the books fractured multistrand narrative, the film focuses primarily on the perspective of a single character, observer Russell Core, the outsider who bears witness to the mystery that unfolds. Jeffrey Wright in Jeremy Saulniers Hold the Dark (Netflix) Theres wonderful symbolism in the film, very subtle but very specifically layered into this journey, said Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), who plays Core, during a visit to the L.A. Times studio at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Hold the Dark premiered. Hitting notes in the right way so that theyre legitimate and organic, but also reflect that symbolism, was a little bit of a challenge. That, and walking in the wrong snowshoes, he laughed. His grizzled character begins a snow-blanketed, blood-spattered odyssey when he is summoned to the fictional northern Alaskan hamlet of Keelut by a distraught woman named Medora Slone (Riley Keough), who tasks him with tracking down the wild wolves that took her young son before her soldier husband, Vernon Slone (Alexander Skarsgard) returns home. There in Keelut, a rash of child disappearances in the predominantly indigenous community have left a cloud of grief hanging in the air, along with the specter of local customs and beliefs bewildering to Cores outsider eyes. Its not just the focus on Core that sets the film apart from the book; in casting Wright, the character became African American adding a subtle new layer that draws attention to the invisible lines that divide the insular community of Keelut, where longstanding frictions simmer between native Alaskan villagers and a predominantly white local police force. Review: Brooding thriller Hold the Dark will chill you to the bone Core was written in the screenplay with his emotional qualities in mind, leaving the ethnicity of the character unspecified. In the script it was more like, Salt beard, hes very tired, said Blair, adding that Wright was simply perfect for the role of Core, whose understanding of wolves makes him uniquely attuned to the behavior of humans living on the fringes of traditional society. He is quietly present, ever-reaching for an understanding that lies just beyond his grasp, as a terrible discovery sets off an even more devastating chain of events involving the Slones, local cop Donald Marium (James Badge Dale) and Vernons childhood friend Cheeon (Julian Black Antelope). On the surface of things, these characters are doing things that you could very easily classify as evil, or wrong, or bad, and they certainly are those things and theyre causing great damage. There was something [in the book] that was kind of removed from that, while keeping the horror of all of that violence intact, said Blair. It was not judgmental somehow. Keough, tasked with the challenge of bringing one of the films more enigmatic characters to life Medora Slone, a mother lost in her grief and haunted by unseen forces echoed the sentiment. The most difficult thing for me [was] just being in the head space of somebody thats gone through what shes gone through and also figuring out who she is and caring for her, she said. Keeping the film grounded in the present, Blair and Saulnier chose to maintain ambiguity around certain characters backstories. Specifically, they decided not to make explicit one of the books more explosive reveals regarding the motivations and backgrounds of two key characters, although Blair says its there onscreen for those who seek it. There can be a mystical reason, there can be a sociological reason [for what they do] however people want to interpret it is cool, said Blair, who also pops up in a small but memorable role. For genre favorite Saulnier, whos made a name out of probing the human impulses behind brutality and revenge, the film marks his most ambitious undertaking yet after a pair of acclaimed smaller films Blue Ruin, in which a man exacts intimate retribution for his parents murders, and Green Room, in which a punk band battles their way out of a neo-Nazi compound. Hold the Dark is a lot of atmospheric storytelling, Saulnier explained. Its deeply layered, it has a mytho-poetic vibe to it that was something I hadnt tackled before. It is the most intimate film Ive ever done but also expands on the level of mayhem and violence. That violence punctuated in a series of striking scenes, including a Peckinpah-esque standoff set piece that tears its way through a battalion of bodies and rattles with Saulniers signature visceral intensity explodes when Vernon Slone, an outsider in unspoken ways within his own community, returns from the Iraq War driven by grief, seeking his own version of justice. That storyline took Saulnier and his crew from the sub-zero Canadian winter to the crushing heat of the Moroccan desert for scenes depicting Slones deployment to Iraq, where he stalks the desert with the same apex predator menace he moves with through the icy darkness back home. In a way, Vernon Slone exists in a vacuum; it doesnt really matter where he is, Skarsgard said of his character. Often as an actor you try to find an arc, a cause and effect, and it was scary to avoid that here: I wanted him to cut through the story and just be Vernon Slone the whole time, to not change too much. Slone is not governed by our laws or our codes; he is just there, said Saulnier. He has his own code which he operates by hes not fighting anyones war but his. I didnt want to over-explain it to myself even. I wanted him from the first scene to the last to be an arrow in a way, added Skarsgard. He too was taken by Giraldis source material. If you havent read the novel, read it. Its exceptional, he said, noting with a smile that uninitiated viewers may want to wait until they see the film to dive into the novel. Read it after. jen.yamato@latimes.com @jenyamato Los Angeles-based designers Mary Alice Haney, Tyler Ellis and Adina Reyter have joined forces to launch their first pop-up at the Brentwood Country Mart from Oct. 1 to 15. On Tuesday, the ready-to-wear, handbag and fine jewelry designers, respectively, will host an event with friends Molly Sims, Katie Lee and Ali Larter, among others. The 3,000-square-foot space, designed by Tim Clarke Designs, draws influence from California modernism and nature, as well as from the best beach resorts around the world. Each designer has her own Hollywood story. Reyter founded her namesake brand, known for classic, accessible, everyday fine jewelry pieces, in 2001. She got her start when Demi Moore and Jennifer Aniston spotted her first designs at a salon in Beverly Hills and immediately purchased them. Reyter gained a very prominent fan in Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, who favors the designers 3 Diamond Amigos earrings. The Duchess purchased the earrings herself and has been seen wearing them on multiple occasions. Additional celebrity fans include Lady Gaga, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz, Miley Cyrus, Lauren Conrad, Emmy Rossum and Zoe Saldana, among others. I design my collections for everyday wear, so hosting a pop-up on the West Coast was a natural fit. I grew up going to the Brentwood Country Mart with my grandparents so the location is not only one of my favorite shopping destinations but also holds great sentimental value. When the opportunity arose to join forces with two amazing women, with two other brands I love, I jumped at the chance, said Reyter. Advertisement Haney ready-to-wear was launched in 2013 by former celebrity stylist and GQ fashion editor Mary Alice Haney, who describes her brand as sexy California glamour. Haney also has a large celebrity following including Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, Jane Fonda and Scarlett Johansson. I wanted to created Haneys first pop-up with other Los Angeles female designers in an effort for each of us support one other and create a unique shopping experience. Haney is made in Los Angeles and I work hard to support women-owned businesses including the factory that makes our clothes. I love Tylers bags and Adinas jewelry and this pop up is an great example of women working together to create opportunities that are mutually beneficial, said Haney. Tyler Ellis bags in the Brentwood Country Mart pop-up. (WWD) Ellis is the daughter of Perry Ellis, and first launched her handbag line in New York in 2011. It is now based in Los Angeles, where Tyler grew up and currently resides. Her bags, which are handmade it Italy, have been carried by everyone from Oprah Winfrey and Witherspoon to Kylie Jenner and Gigi Hadid. We are three independent women coming together to celebrate and support each other as we build our businesses from the city that we love, Ellis said. Offerings at the pop-up will include Reyters full collection and bestsellers, the Amigos collection, Pave Evil Eye and Scattered Diamonds and Stripes; Haneys Green Label, an eco-conscious collection established this year using repurposed luxury fabrics from previous seasons; and Tyler Ellis classic styles and exclusive items from the upcoming SS19 Belgravia collection. The shop will also carry the Tyler Ellis X Elizabeth Stewart Ivy Tote and offer Bespoke by Tyler Ellis, a service enabling clients to work directly with Ellis to create a custom bag. A woman says she was sexually assaulted in high school by a hard-drinking kid who has grown up to become a Supreme Court nominee. Her story gets out. A second accuser comes forward. Then a third. His nomination is imperiled. What happens next? Time for another round of Lets Blame the Women! Advertisement But this time, theres a twist. With the #MeToo movement making mincemeat out of so many misbehaving mens careers, you cant directly slam a credible accuser such as Christine Blasey Ford anymore. You cant just come out and say shes a liar. You cant say, the way a Clarence Thomas supporter said about Anita Hill, that she is a little bit nutty and a little bit slutty. Or wonder aloud whether she is a scorned woman. Instead, you must discredit her in every other possible way: She must be mistaken about who attacked her. Her story cannot be corroborated. She is an unwitting pawn of power-hungry Democrats. Its all Sen. Dianne Feinsteins fault and she is the one who must be investigated. And wait for it! the nominee is the real victim here. :: For many of us, the Kavanaugh confirmation spectacle has confirmed that the experiences of women, even now, even after the falls of so many high-profile men of seemingly impeccable credentials, are to be trivialized or politicized. That is, when they are not being ignored. In the New York Times last week, the author Kate Manne, an assistant professor of philosophy at Cornell, described this believe-men-at-all-costs phenomenon as himpathy. She defined it as the inappropriate and disproportionate sympathy powerful men often enjoy in cases of sexual assault, intimate partner violence, homicide and other misogynistic behavior. At its most extreme, she wrote, it is a pathological moral tendency to feel sorry exclusively for the alleged male perpetrator it was too long ago; he was just a boy; it was a case of mistaken identity while relentlessly casting suspicion upon the female accusers. When I have to explain over and over again why victims of sexual abuse or harassment dont come forward, I feel like hitting my head against a wall. Why do we even have to have this conversation anymore? Lets just stipulate, please, that women are often afraid to come forward because they wont be believed or the powerful man who assaulted them might damage their career, or they are ashamed or embarrassed or consumed by guilt. And can we also stipulate that just because a man has gone through six background checks does not mean he didnt drunkenly assault one or two or three women in his youth? Sometimes these transgressions come to light only when the stakes are as high as they ever get like, say, when a man is nominated to a lifetime position on the Supreme Court and will have dominion over the fates of millions of Americans. Dont you think that might be the very moment a victim weighs her privacy against her civic duty and concludes her civic duty tips the scale toward disclosure? :: In 1997, University of Oregon psychologist Jennifer Freyd coined the acronym DARVO to describe how some perpetrators of sexual violence respond to being called out for their transgressions. DARVO stands for Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender. As Freyd explains it in an online primer, The perpetrator or offender may Deny the behavior, Attack the individual doing the confronting, and Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender such that the perpetrator assumes the victim role and turns the true victim or the whistleblower into an alleged offender. I wouldnt say that Trump, Graham and Kavanaugh have gone full DARVO on us yet, but theres a concerted effort to make the accused into a victim. Brett Kavanaugh is no victim. If the confirmation process has been hard on him, too bad. And if its been hard on his family as Trump says repeatedly its because he dragged them into it. He brought his wife to an interview on Fox News, then interrupted her when she tried to answer a question. In Senate testimony, he divulged the private prayers of his daughter for all the world to hear. If the confirmation process has been hard on him, imagine what the process has been like for the women who have come forward to say he drunkenly assaulted them. They have nothing to gain. Absolutely nothing. With an infinitesimal number of exceptions, men who are accused of sexual harassment and assault are not victims. And yet we have seen an outpouring of anxiety from men that they will be unfairly accused. Donald Trump Jr. told the Daily Mail over the weekend that hes far more worried about his sons than his daughters after the he said/she said accusations against Kavanaugh. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham he of the Academy Award-worthy tantrum last week darkly warned last week that Democrats would be sorry if they manage to kill Kavanaughs nomination with these last-minute revelations. Let me tell my Democratic friends, Graham said, if this becomes the new norm, you better watch out for your nominees. Likewise, Trump said. Itll be a horrible, horrible thing for future political people, judges, anything you want, itll be a horrible thing. It cannot be allowed to happen. This assumes that every potential judge or appointee can credibly be accused of sexual misconduct. If thats the case, theres a simple fix: Nominate women. robin.abcarian@latimes.com Twitter: @AbcarianLAT Soon after a young Guatemalan immigrant climbed over a border fence into California last year, he was detained, processed as an unaccompanied minor and placed in a youth shelter. That changed when a dental exam showed an 85.8% probability that the young man was 18. At that point, the Office of Refugee Resettlement turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which held him in Orange County jails with adult immigrant detainees. After nearly a year, a birth certificate proved what lawyers had said for months: Jose is 17. Although he is back in the refugee offices custody, his case has renewed concerns over the use of dental forensics to determine age and the mistaken placement of juveniles in adult detention. The fact that were saying that the safety of these particular minors rests on a flawed probability is really concerning, said Lindsay Toczylowski, executive director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, which is representing Jose pro bono. Its criminal to be taking kids and putting them potentially in danger. Advertisement Jose, whose lawyers asked that he not be identified for safety concerns, is among an unknown number of minors in the last decade who appear to have been placed in adult detention centers based on forensic testing, an issue raised in a report published in May by the news organization Reveal. The practice has long been controversial. In 2007, a House Appropriations Committee report directed the Department of Homeland Security to cease its use of and reliance on unreliable forensic testing of childrens bones and teeth to determine their age. A year later, the committee again expressed concerns that the practice has led to the erroneous placement of children in facilities commingled with adults who may seek to prey upon them. The committee directed Homeland Securitys inspector general to review ICEs age determination practices. Using radiographs of a persons bones or teeth cannot produce a specific age due to a range of factors affecting an individuals growth, the Office of Inspector General report stated. Despite those reservations, the forensic practice has persisted. Federal officials said they currently dont have the data in an appropriate format to release regarding how often the assessment procedure has been used in the last year. In a report for an attorney this year opposing the use of third molar estimates, Dr. Mike Bowers, a dentist who practices forensic odontology, stated that dental aging should be considered an indicator of the biological maturity of a growing child. It was not developed to be used for individual age identification. The court system demands a clear determination, and the tool theyre using is not capable of doing that, Bowers said. Unaccompanied minors are given greater protections than adults when they are apprehended by immigration agents, including the right to have their case heard by an asylum officer, Toczylowski said. As a minor, Jose would have had access to legal services in the youth shelter to assist in applying for a special immigrant juvenile visa and asylum. For Jose, being declared an adult had legal ramifications. Jose told U.S. officials that he fled Guatemala seeking protection from gang members who had shot him in the stomach after he repeatedly refused to join. According to a Department of Homeland Security report, the teenager has a scar on his abdomen. When he crossed the border into Calexico on Oct. 27, Jose did not have a birth certificate. He provided two different birth dates to the Guatemalan consulate in Los Angeles, neither of which showed up in the countrys birth registry. The Office of Refugee Resettlement turned to a dental exam. (Los Angeles Times) Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Department of Health and Human Services worked with Homeland Security to develop age determination policies and procedures. The government is required to take into account multiple forms of evidence, including the non-exclusive use of radiographs. A medical professional experienced in age assessment methods is supposed to perform the exam, taking into account the individuals ethnic and genetic background. In the case of a skeletal X-ray, an examiner estimates an age based on bone development in the hand and wrist area. Dentists will make assessments based on development of third molars, or wisdom teeth, in both upper and lower jaws. If an individuals estimated probability of being 18 or older is 75% or greater, and is considered along with other evidence, the Office of Refugee Resettlement may refer them to DHS, according to its policy guide. As no current medical assessment method can determine an exact age, best practice relies on the estimated probability that an individual is 18 or older, according to the office. It is unclear what evidence aside from the dental exam was used to determine that Jose was an adult. As a matter of policy, in order to protect the privacy and security of the unaccompanied alien children [HHS] will not comment on specific cases, an agency spokesperson said in a statement. Beginning in November, Jose was held in the James A. Musick and Theo Lacy jails in Orange County, afraid to tell other immigrant detainees that he was a minor, Toczylowski said. In December, without the aid of legal counsel, the teen told a judge he feared returning to Guatemala and was given an asylum application to fill out in English. Because he did not fill it out, the judge ordered him removed in January. Jose, who does not speak English, was not prepared to apply, Toczylowski said. At the end of that month, he attempted to appeal the judges decision, asking a fellow detainee to help him fill out the paperwork. I in desagree with the decicion of honorable Judge because when I am deteinee I am a minor and I do not get asylum interviw, he stated. In his appeal to an immigration judge, Jose states that he is a minor. (Immigrant Defenders Law Center) The case reached Toczylowski after Joses cousin in San Francisco shared the story with a lawyer. By that time, Jose had already been ordered removed from the country. But because his mother had never registered his birth, the Guatemalan consulate could not issue a travel document for ICE to deport him. Joses family spent months working to obtain the birth certificate, which was authenticated by the L.A. consulate last Monday. It says Jose was born Oct. 26, 2000. After wrongly spending a year in adult detention, Toczylowski said, Jose is in danger of being re-detained by ICE once he turns 18 if were unable to reopen his case. If he had been in [Office of Refugee Resettlement] custody, we would have already applied for asylum for him a long time ago and hed probably already have his decision, Toczylowski said. It would have all been totally different. brittny.mejia@latimes.com For more California news, follow @brittny_mejia U.S. First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Ghana's capital Accra on Tuesday on her first solo international trip in Africa, during which she will visit child health facilities, orphanages and meet caregivers. The stop is Trump's first on a four-country tour that will include visits to Kenya, Malawi and Egypt. Search Keywords: Short link: A Los Angeles police officer did not use excessive force when he fatally shot an armed 18-year-old man in the back, a jury decided Monday. Attorneys for the family of Kenney Watkins had filed a civil lawsuit, arguing that the officer, Evan Urias, should have stopped and waited for backup when Watkins ran from him on Aug. 16, 2016, on Century Boulevard near Figueroa Street in South Los Angeles. Watkins was not a threat to the officers life, one of the attorneys, Michael Curls, said in an interview. Curls acknowledged that Watkins was armed with two guns. But the young man was turning to look at the officer while sprinting away and was not about to shoot, the attorney said. Advertisement Thats the standard golden ticket cop answer that he feared for his safety and thats the impossible mountain to climb, Curls said. Thats why we have all these people dying, and nothing happens. After a five-day trial, the jury began deliberating Thursday, siding 10-2 with Urias and the LAPD and giving no financial award to the plaintiffs in a verdict announced Monday. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by Watkins estate and his mother, Prescious Sasser, sought damages for wrongful death, negligence and other alleged violations. The Los Angeles Police Commission, a civilian panel that oversees the department, had also ruled in Urias favor last July, finding that his use of deadly force was reasonable and complied with the LAPDs policies. Urias, a motorcycle officer, was assigned to a robbery suppression detail and tried to pull over a car with tinted windows and no front license plate, the commissions report said. The car did not stop, dropping off a passenger before speeding away. The passenger was Watkins, who appeared to be holding something under his sweatshirt that could be a gun, the report said. Urias ordered him to stop and show his hands, but Watkins ran, according to the report. Urias radioed that he was pursuing a man with a gun, then followed Watkins on his motorcycle. Urias noticed that Watkins was holding a small semi-automatic handgun in his left hand and another handgun in his right hand, the report said. According to the report, Watkins turned toward Urias, pointing one of the guns at the police officer. Urias believed that Watkins was going to shoot him, the report said. While seated on the motorcycle, Urias fired twice at Watkins, striking him once on the left side of his back. An unnamed witness cited in the report also saw Watkins holding a gun in each hand. The witness, who was driving in the same direction as Urias, then saw the officer pull up between him and Watkins. Watkins looked over his left shoulder, and the officer raised his right arm, the witness said. Two shots rang out. Shortly after her son died, Watkins mother told The Times that he was involved in his church, ran track in the Junior Olympics and was going to graduate from high school soon. Since he was a baby, he had been known for his winning smile, she said. cindy.chang@latimes.com For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLA A Nicaraguan man who was detained at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center died in March 2017 after he was found hanging in his cell from his bedsheets. Not long after, two other detainees also used sheets in an attempt to hang themselves. When federal officials arrived in May of this year for a surprise inspection of the privately run immigration detention facility, they found nooses made from bedsheets in 15 of 20 cells. When we asked two contract guards who oversaw the housing units why they did not remove the bedsheets, they echoed it was not a high priority, officials with the Department of Homeland Security inspector generals office wrote in a scathing report made public Tuesday detailing dangerous conditions found at the facility during their unannounced visit. The nooses are just one of many problems posing significant health and safety risks identified by federal inspectors at Adelanto, which can house nearly 2,000 detainees as they await the outcome of their immigration cases. Advertisement Detainees reported waiting weeks and months to see a doctor, and inspectors met with a dentist who dismissed the necessity of fillings, and suggested that detainees use string from their socks to floss, the report said. Inspectors also said they found that detainees were commonly subjected to disciplinary segregation before being found guilty of violating rules. The report is the latest from government inspectors to document significant deficiencies at Adelanto since it opened in 2011. It comes one year after immigrant advocates raised alarms about conditions at the facility following the deaths of three detainees in a three-month period in 2017. The Times reported in August 2017 that there had been at least five attempted suicides at the facility in less than one year, according to a review of 911 calls. Lori Haley, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in a statement that immigration officials take the findings seriously and have agreed to conduct a full and immediate review of the center to ensure compliance with detention standards and expedite necessary corrective actions. Tens of thousands of ICE detainees have passed through the Adelanto facility since it opened seven years ago. It is owned and operated by the GEO Group, which runs dozens of private prisons and detention centers around the country. Among those held in the facility are asylum seekers, people caught in immigration sweeps and those identified by authorities as potentially deportable after landing in jail. Some detainees arrive at the facility soon after crossing the border; others after having lived in the U.S. for decades. They can stay in detention for months, and in some cases years, as their cases are decided. Pablo Paez, a spokesman for GEO Group, referred questions about the inspector generals report to ICE. According to the report, in the months after Osmar Epifanio Gonzalez-Gadba, 32, of Nicaragua was found hanging from bedsheets in his cell and later died, ICE compliance reports documented at least three suicide attempts by hanging at Adelanto, two of which specifically used bedsheets. Still, when inspectors visited the facility, they found braided sheets that both staff and detainees referred to as nooses hanging from the vents in 15 of the approximately 20 male detainee cells that they visited in four housing units. The guard who escorted the inspectors began removing the nooses but stopped after realizing how many there were, the report says. Some detainees said they use the unfurled sheets for privacy, while others said they used them as clotheslines. One detainee, however, told inspectors that he had seen a few attempted suicides using the braided sheets by the vents. The guards laugh at them and call them suicide failures once they are back from medical, the detainee told officials. Inspectors also found during their visit that all 14 detainees who were in disciplinary segregation at the time were put there before being found guilty of a prohibited act or rule violation. And though ICE standards require face-to-face medical assessments of all detainees in segregation at least once a day, inspectors observed two doctors in the unit stamping their name on detainee records outside their cells without having any contact with 10 of the 14 detainees in disciplinary segregation. The report also notes that some detainees reported waiting weeks and months to see a doctor and said that appointments were canceled without explanation, with detainees placed back on the waiting list. From November 2017 to April 2018, detainees filed 80 medical grievances with the facility for not receiving urgent care, not being seen for months for persistent health conditions and not receiving prescribed medication, according to the report. Inspectors also highlighted serious problems with dental care at the facility, saying detainees are placed on wait lists for months and, sometimes, years to receive basic care, resulting in tooth loss and unnecessary extractions in some cases. No detainees have received fillings in the last four years, according to the report. One detainee reported multiple teeth falling out while waiting more than two years for cavities to be filled. One dentist at the facility told inspectors he did not have time to complete cleanings or fillings, according to the report. The dentist dismissed the necessity of fillings if patients commit to brushing and flossing, the report states. Floss is only available through detainee commissary accounts, but the dentist suggested detainees could use string from their socks to floss if they were dedicated to dental hygiene. This is not the first time government inspectors have noted problems often related to medical care at the Adelanto facility. An annual review in November 2011 found that medical officials were not conducting detainee health appraisals within 14 days of arrival, and nurses were performing health assessments without proper training or certification. A 2012 report by ICEs Office of Detention Oversight found that many requests for medical care were delayed. That report also said the death of detainee Fernando Dominguez Valdivia in March of that year followed egregious errors by medical staff and that a review found it could have been prevented. A report on the 2015 death of Raul Ernesto Morales-Ramos, also prepared by the Office of Detention Oversight, said Adelanto failed to provide Morales-Ramos with timely and comprehensive medical care, among other lapses. More recently, the Office of Detention Oversights review of Gonzalez-Gadbas 2017 suicide also faulted Adelanto for failing to meet national standards. That report said that in the days before his death, Gonzalez-Gadba reported he had been sexually assaulted at Adelanto, but medical staff did not conduct a medical assessment in response to that allegation. It also said that guards failed to check on Gonzalez-Gadba, who was being held in segregated housing, at least every 30 minutes, as required. He was found hanging in his cell 37 minutes after an officers last logged security round, according to the review. In its report, the inspector generals office also noted the medical care deficiencies that were found at Adelanto following the deaths of detainees and urged immigration officials to fix the problems. ICE must take these continuing violations seriously and address them immediately, the report says. Haley, the ICE spokeswoman, said a contracted inspection firm is scheduled to inspect Adelanto again this month. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment detainees arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay, she said. Speaking about the nooses, she said ICE recognizes that this can present a dangerous safety vulnerability and will intensify efforts to address this issue. paloma.esquivel@latimes.com Twitter: @palomaesquivel brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @brittny_mejia UPDATES: 6:45 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reporting and background. This article was originally published at 1:15 p.m. A 2-month-old boy was hospitalized Monday after he was mauled by the family dog at a home in Woodland Hills. The animal, a pit bull, became agitated when someone knocked on the door of a home in the 22600 block of Clarendon Street about 12:45 p.m., said Los Angeles Police Officer Greg Kraft. The baby, who was in a car seat on the floor, began to cry. The dog escaped from a gated pen area and bit the child, Kraft said. The extent of the boys injuries was not available Tuesday, but authorities said he is expected to survive. Advertisement Los Angeles Animal Services responded to the home Monday to investigate. The dog has been quarantined in the West Valley Animal Shelter in Chatsworth to confirm that the canine is healthy and does not have any diseases that could be transmitted to the infant, said Ashley Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for animal services. The quarantine period will likely last about 10 days. After that, the dog will be returned to its owner, Rodriguez said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry UPDATES: 11:25 a.m.: This article was updated with information from Los Angeles Animal Services. This article was originally published at 7:25 a.m. A prominent Pasadena obstetrician is facing the possible loss or suspension of his medical license following an accusation by state regulators that he made inappropriate comments about a patients appearance and sex life. The allegation lodged last week by the Medical Board of California marks the fifth time Dr. Patrick Sutton has been accused of sexual misconduct, according to a review by The Times of court records and medical board files. The series of accusations have not been previously reported or widely known, even though they were contained in publicly available records. Sutton has denied wrongdoing in prior cases and has not yet responded to the most recent claim. Advertisement The 64-year-old physician is well-known in the Pasadena area, where he has practiced since 1989. He serves as chair-elect of the obstetrics and gynecology department at Huntington Memorial Hospital and has said he has delivered more than 6,000 children over his career. Sutton did not respond to emails, phone calls or texts. An employee said Monday that the doctor was out of the office, but that she had relayed the newspapers inquiries to him. In response to questions from The Times, Huntington President and Chief Executive Dr. Lori J. Morgan said in a statement, I am very troubled by these allegations. Huntington Hospital takes seriously all issues of patient health and safety, and we are working closely with Medical Staff to receive updates in this matter. The hospital did not answer questions about why Sutton was allowed to continue practicing at the facility and whether administrators had disciplined him internally over the years. Eileen Neuwirth, Huntington Hospitals director of communications and brand strategy, said in a statement that under state law, internal evaluations of physicians were confidential and that Huntington is not permitted to disclose any details about the peer review. Medical board and court records reviewed by The Times show complaints against Sutton dating back 20 years. They include allegations that he touched patients in a sexual manner during exams and pressed them for information about their sexual habits in graphic terms. All of the cases ended in settlements and without any admission by Sutton of sexual harassment or misconduct. The most recent allegation against Sutton concerns a patient who sought treatment for a cyst in 2016. In a Sept. 24 medical board filing, a lawyer for the agency wrote that Sutton initially told the woman that he really could not see down there because she was really hairy, a remark that made the patient uncomfortable. After a female employee assisting Sutton left the exam room to answer a telephone, according to the medical board filing, the doctor asked the woman, Do you have sex? She replied, No, adding that she had an abusive relationship and now dedicated her life to her kids, a medical board lawyer wrote. Sutton then asked her, according to the court papers, Do you enjoy orgasms, you are a very beautiful woman? The patient, who was wearing a paper gown, was intimidated and did not know how to get out of the situation, the medical board filing said. Commenting on a patients appearance is never appropriate in the field of gynecology, the board lawyer wrote. In an interview with medical board investigators referenced in the filing, Sutton acknowledged having a brief conversation with the woman about sexual function and said she cut the discussion short. Sutton has faced similar accusations by the board over the last two decades. In 1998, a pregnant woman identified in medical board records as Consuelo G. reported Sutton to the state after a series of prenatal exams. As later outlined in a board filing, she alleged that Sutton pressed her for information about her sex life in an unprofessional manner. On one visit, while Sutton was performing an ultrasound, Consuelo expressed concern about vaginal dryness, according to the filing. He responded by reaching his hand into her pants and inserting two ungloved fingers inside her, the filing said. The medical board investigated and accused Sutton in 2002 of gross negligence and sexual misconduct for needlessly and inappropriately sexualizing her physical examination. He reached a settlement under which he admitted to another charge involving a different patient failure to keep and maintain adequate and accurate records and was placed on probation for four years. The agreement required him to have a third party chaperone exams whenever a patient was not fully clothed and to take a class on maintaining professional boundaries. In 2005, while he was still on probation, two patients filed a sexual battery and sexual harassment suit against him in Los Angeles Superior Court over his alleged conduct during office appointments. The case file was destroyed by the Superior Court in 2016. The Times obtained a draft copy of the lawsuit, in which the women alleged inappropriate touching, lewd comments and unnerving questions about their bodies and sexual habits. It was unclear whether and how Sutton contested the claims. He settled the suit out of court in 2005 for an undisclosed sum. Both women declined to comment, citing a confidentiality clause in the settlement. An attorney for the patients, Timothy Black, said he notified the medical board of the allegations and forwarded a deposition to the board in which one patient detailed Suttons alleged conduct. The complaints did not result in a medical board accusation. A spokesman for the agency said it was unable to provide any information on complaints where disciplinary action has not been taken. Complaints are confidential. Less than three years after the lawsuit settled, another patient complained to the medical board. The woman, identified only by the initials W.C. in medical board papers, alleged that after a nurse left the exam room at a 2008 checkup, Sutton gave her unsolicited sex advice and instructed her to call him later if she had a fantasy or any new sexual adventure. At the time, the woman was naked under an exam gown and Sutton was patting and rubbing her bare thigh, according to the medical board. Sutton told the patient she should feel free to fantasize about anything, whether you like it from behind or the front, with another woman or another man, a lawyer for the medical board wrote in a 2010 accusation seeking to revoke or suspend his license. During the conversation the patient attempted to direct [Sutton] to discuss the menopause issue, his family or her husband, but [Sutton] kept talking about sex, repeatedly using crude terminology for male genitalia, the board lawyer wrote. Sutton again reached a settlement with the board under which he admitted failing to maintain medical records while allegations of sexual misconduct and repeated negligent acts were dropped. He was placed on probation for three years and ordered to attend another professional boundaries course, enroll in psychotherapy, and have chaperones monitor any exams of female patients. He completed probation in 2014. Asked by The Times why Sutton had not been stripped of his license after the second, third or fourth patient allegation, the medical board spokesman wrote in a statement that consumer protection is the agencys highest priority, but noted that state law requires that the board wherever possible, take action that is calculated to aid in the rehabilitation of the doctor. When the rehabilitation of the doctor is in conflict with consumer protection, the Board will prioritize consumer protection over rehabilitation, the spokesman said. A 45-year-old man was found guilty this week of fatally shooting his wifes parents in his West Covina home, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. After three hours of deliberation, a jury found Caminero Wang guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. Jurors also found true a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and special allegations of using a handgun, causing great bodily injury and death. A report of several gunshots and the sounds of children screaming had led West Covina police to a condominium in the 1300 block of East Oahu Avenue on April 13, 2016. Aiping Diao, 60, and his wife, Shu Zhang, 60, both of China, were found dead inside the building. The couple had been visiting their daughter at the time of their death, according to police. Advertisement Three children, ages 3, 6 and 8, had been found hiding in a restroom and were not physically injured. Wang previously had threatened his wifes life and the lives of her parents, according to the prosecutor. Wang, who faces life in prison without the possibility of parole, is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 8 brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia An attorney who once represented Marion Suge Knight in the rap moguls murder case was arrested Monday and charged with cashing more than $1 million in stolen federal tax return checks, authorities said. Thaddeus Culpepper who is already awaiting trial on charges that he tampered with witnesses during Knights case was arrested at his home Monday without incident, the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles said in a news release. According to a criminal complaint, Culpepper deposited a U.S. Treasury check worth $1,003,814 at a Wells Fargo bank branch in Pasadena in August 2017. The check was payable to two unidentified people, but Culpepper allegedly told a bank representative that the payees were clients and had endorsed the check to him, the statement read. From April 2015 to August 2017, Culpepper deposited 21 Internal Revenue Service tax refund checks in a Wells Fargo account, the criminal complaint said. Advertisement The individuals named on the checks, however, told federal investigators that they never received their tax refunds and did not know Culpepper, according to the affidavit. Investigators believe the checks were stolen from the U.S. mail, though it is unclear who actually stole them, the affidavit said. Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office, said Culpepper had not been accused of the thefts. Culpepper, 44, originally attempted to represent himself during an appearance in federal court in downtown Los Angeles on Monday afternoon, but was later assigned Deputy Federal Public Defender Charles Brown, Mrozek said. He was to be held without bond or bail until another hearing Tuesday, Mrozek said. A call to Brown seeking comment was not immediately returned Monday. Culpepper was arrested by investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department earlier this year and indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, conspiracy to commit subornation of perjury, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice and serving as an accessory after the fact to the 2015 murder of Terry Carter in Compton that Knight had been accused of. Culpepper also represented Knight on an unrelated robbery charge. Matthew Fletcher, a Long Beach criminal defense attorney who previously represented Knight on the murder charge, was also arrested in the tampering case. Culpepper was allegedly caught on tape agreeing to pay a man to provide testimony favorable to Knight, according to a state court filing made public last year. The man, who was an informant for the Sheriffs Department, had previously told Culpepper that he was not at the crime scene, but would testify on Knights behalf, the court documents said. Culpepper, who is representing himself in the tampering case, previously told the Los Angeles Times that any discussion of money he had with potential witnesses referred to expenses, not specific payment for testimony. Culpepper and Fletcher are scheduled to return to court in connection with the tampering charges on Oct. 22, records show. Mrozek said it was unlikely the state case against Culpepper would be slowed by federal court proceedings. Last month, Knight pleaded no contest to manslaughter in connection with Carters death, and he could face up to 28 years in state prison when he is sentenced Thursday. james.queally@latimes.com Twitter: @JamesQueallyLAT UPDATES: 7:10 p.m.: This article was updated with details from Culpeppers first appearance in federal court on the bank fraud charges. This article was originally published at 4:20 p.m. Why is Brett Kavanaugh so upset? Its a question few ask because so many already think they know the answer. The most common explanation, the hot take so hot it melted the conventional wisdom and forged a new concrete group think, is that Kavanaugh was so angry because he represents White Male Entitlement. The WME explanation is a form of allegory, not argument. In allegories, the characters arent real people so much as metaphors for certain ideas. For instance, in The Pilgrims Progress (1678), the main character is named Christian, and on his trek he encounters other abstractions in human form, such as Mr. Worldly Wiseman. Advertisement Brett Kavanaugh is now Mr. White Male Entitlement, and as such, he is by definition wrong because that is his assigned role. Brett Kavanaugh is now Mr. White Male Entitlement, and as such, he is by definition wrong because that is his assigned role. Over the weekend, Martha Nussbaum penned an essay inspired by her book The Monarchy of Fear: A Philosopher Looks at Our Political Crisis and pigeonholed Kavanaugh into her preconceived theories of whats wrong with the world. In her telling, Kavanaugh is simply the incarnation of her theory that men are brimming with misogyny driven by fear of, and anger at, women making demands, speaking up, in general standing in the way of unearned male privilege. For Washington Post columnist Jonathan Capehart, Kavanaughs manifest white entitlement and his smug, rude and petulant behavior were part of one long but you promised tantrum of a grown man denied what he seems to believe is his. According to the New York Times Maureen Dowd: It was a cri de coeur custom-made for the age of Trump and custom-designed to please Trump himself: entitled white men acting like the new minority, howling about things that are being taken away from them, aggrieved at anything that diminishes them or saps their power. This is all emblematic of one of the chief problems with our politics today, on the left and the right. We follow politics as if it were a movie, or, in this case, an allegory, in which characters are denied human agency and assigned the task of merely personifying an idea or theme. Thus Christine Blasey Ford isnt a specific human being making specific charges, but an avatar for an idea about all women at a moment when all women must be believed. I do not deny that Brett Kavanaugh believes he is entitled to certain things. He may even at some deep psychological level think some of his entitlement stems from the fact that he is male or even white, though there is no evidence for that explanation. It has simply been asserted over and over until it has become a kind of dogma. But couldnt the more plausible explanation be that he feels entitled to the job because, by all accounts, he is one of most qualified judges in America and has spent a dozen years on the second-highest court in the country? Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Could he not also feel entitled to some measure of fair play? Before these allegations surfaced, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) insisted that Kavanaughs nomination was evil. Since then, Kavanaugh has been accused of orchestrating rape gangs. And yet were supposed to believe his anger derives not from such accusations but from some abstract idea of white male powerlessness? Kavanaughs critics have fallen into an argument built on a narrative of bigotry. Men from his background have done bad things in the past, and since he fits the stereotype, he is a symbol of their collective guilt. Women have been treated horribly when theyve made allegations, so now we must believe all women. Never mind that there were times in America when believe all white women was the rule. When they made allegations against black men, it led to some unspeakable evils. To Kill A Mockingbird is in many ways a modern allegory about those times. I am not trying to say that Brett Kavanaugh is a contemporary, real-life Tom Robinson, the black man falsely accused of rape in that book. I am trying to say that Kavanaugh is an actual human being. Appeals to historical grievances, highbrow theories of the male psyche and pent-up resentments as interesting or as emotionally powerful as they may be are not all that relevant here. This isnt an allegory. Its the real world. jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook. If you want to make money in California, stake out a foreclosure sale. A decade after the housing collapse crippled the global economy, there are still thousands of Californians who cant make their mortgage payments and lose their homes. Shrewd investors can buy these properties at auction for far below market value, make a few improvements and then resell to make a fortune. The plan only has one minor hitch: Many properties lost to foreclosure in California are occupied by tenants of the former owner, including tenants protected from eviction by state and local law. And no one wants to buy a flipped house with a bunch of tenants still living in it. Under California law, getting a former owner out is no problem: all it takes is a three-day notice to quit and a modest fee to an eviction lawyer. But even in a state with minimal tenant protections, California renters in flipped properties have some rare and welcome insulations from immediate displacement. Advertisement Month-to-month tenants get between 30 and 90 days to leave a rental unit sold at foreclosure. Those on a fixed-term lease get to stay to the end of their term however long that may be. Most importantly, tenants in rent-stabilized units in Los Angeles can never be evicted as a result of a foreclosure sale.The new owner is stuck with those tenants so long as they pay their rent and comply with their leases. Property flippers are exploiting the misfortune of others. They shouldnt be allowed to spread that misfortune to tenants. Cagey flippers, however, have discovered a way around these foreclosure rules that is forcing tenants in affordable, and even rent-stabilized housing onto the streets. When an eviction notice is served at a foreclosed property, flippers address it directly to the former owner regardless of who lives there. Three days later, the flipper can file an eviction lawsuit against the former owner and unnamed Doe defendants. To avoid being evicted, tenants have to realize that they, and not just the former owner, are being sued and fight the case. They must file a prejudgment claim of right to possession, add themselves by name as defendants to the lawsuit, pay a filing fee, and go through litigation. Not surprisingly, few tenants engage in this process. Because it is extremely difficult to find new housing once you have been previously evicted, most renters wont risk naming themselves as defendants in an eviction proceeding. Instead, after the eviction suit is filed, they let flippers buy them out cheaply for a few thousand dollars of relocation money. Better to leave the property with some money and a clean record than get blackballed in the rental market. Flippers get away with this because they have almost no enforceable legal obligation to investigate who actually resides at a property they purchase and the speed of the eviction process leaves little room for courts to investigate, either. Since January 2017, about 10,000 rental properties have been sold at foreclosure in California. Based on the state occupancy average of 2.5 occupants per unit, we can estimate that at least 25,000 California tenants have been affected by the threat of post-foreclosure eviction since the start of last year. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Many of these tenants are in Los Angeles County, where 2,238 rental properties were sold at foreclosure in the past 21 months alone. Our client, Beatriz Salazar, lives in one of them. Salazar received an eviction notice at her rent-stabilized duplex in Boyle Heights. It was addressed to the former owner of her unit, the person who had lost the property in foreclosure. The new owner encouraged Salazar to move out, even though he had a legal obligation to accept her as a tenant. Instead, she sought legal representation, added herself as a defendant to the lawsuit and convinced the new owner to dismiss the case. Unfortunately, Salazars case highlights a secondary problem for tenants in foreclosure: if they are somehow able to withstand an eviction action, they may be left with an absentee landlord who has no interest in maintaining the building for the people who live there. The new owner of her unit has received citations for nearly 60 city code violations at the property since early this year that remain uncorrected. Los Angeles could protect tenants in rent-stabilized properties by assessing high penalties against foreclosure buyers who take action to prematurely evict tenants of the former owner especially if the buyer was presented with proof of tenancy early on. The state should also require proof that flippers have attempted to make face-to-face contact with occupants of the property before they are allowed to file an eviction lawsuit in a foreclosure purchase. Finally, local and state governments should supplement existing tenant protections and pass legislation that prevents foreclosure buyers from evicting tenants after foreclosure without just cause. Property flippers are exploiting the misfortune of others. They shouldnt be allowed to spread that misfortune to tenants. Noah Grynberg and Tyler Anderson are co-directors of the Los Angeles Center for Community Law and Action, a community organization that provides legal services to poor people in Los Angeles. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook America witnessed a genuine Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moment last week. Shortly after announcing his yes vote to move Brett Kavanaughs Supreme Court nomination forward, Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake was confronted in the elevator of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. On live television, Ana Maria Archila and Maria Gallagher told the Republican senator in raw and direct language about their own experiences with sexual assault. Dont look away from me, Gallagher said. Look at me and tell me that it doesnt matter what happened to me, that you will let people like that go into the highest court of the land. Flake was visibly affected. In a subsequent interview on 60 Minutes Sunday, he said that interaction made him hit the pause button and call for the FBI to further investigate the assault allegations against Kavanaugh. What I was seeing, experiencing in an elevator and watching it in committee [I was] just thinking, this is tearing the country apart. This is how democracy should work but it seldom does. In this age of emails, texts and tweets, citizens might legitimately wonder whether buttonholing a public official retains any contemporary relevance. This elevator moment is a reminder that in-person petitions not only work, but that they are essential for democratic self-government. Still, too often, people seeking to speak truth to power are kept at a distance so that politicians dont lose control of their messaging or optics. Yet the 1st Amendment safeguards the right of petition and this right should be understood to encompass a right to access, in person, our elected representatives. Indeed, the Petition Clauses English historical antecedents involved, quite literally, laying a petition at the foot of the king; doing so in person was required for a petition to be received, heard and answered. Advertisement While we must be sure that public officials are kept safe from harm, they should not be insulated from fierce political disagreements with their constituents. Petitioning is no less central, or important, to American democracy than the freedom of speech. It enables a feedback loop between elected officials and We, the People, which is how citizens hold government officials accountable. Even so, a shrinking number of opportunities exist for ordinary citizens to express their concerns directly. For those who cant hire a lobbyist or afford a hefty campaign contribution, access to a senator or representative is, at best, quite limited. Most messages sent via email, voice mail or social media are never seen or heard by those who shape laws or policy. When such communications are considered at all, they are simply tallied up by low-level staffers as responses for and against a particular nominee or bill. Individual members almost never know the source of these opinions, much less how a specific constituent articulated her views and concerns. The ability to use social media to propagate a message is certainly important and empowers everyone to have a voice. But just because everyone can speak publicly doesnt mean anyone is truly being heard. Suppose that Archila and Gallagher had simply sent out a tweet with a clever hashtag. Or emailed Flakes office. Or even led a protest outside the building. Would Flake have had his change of heart then? Because they confronted him face-to-face, a case can be made that these women altered the course of these proceedings and potentially the course of history. No matter how Kavanaughs confirmation goes from here, investigating the sexual assault allegations against him provides an important signal that the government must take victims experiences seriously. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Archila and Gallagher werent alone, of course. Last week, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of women and men went to Capitol Hill to make their voices heard in person. A group of women from Maine, for instance, refused to leave Sen. Susan Collins Washington, D.C., office until she met with them which she did. There are frequently mass campaigns to have people call or email their representatives, but Washington has not seen this intensity of organic petitioning activity for a very long time. Because this grass-roots lobbying has been so visibly effective, theres a risk that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) might try to squeeze off public access to the senators just as hes pushing for a final vote on Kavanaugh. He could, for example, pressure security officers to significantly limit public access to the Senate Office Building, or close it to the public entirely citing security concerns. Thats already the case over at the U.S. Capitol. In times past, ordinary people could wander the halls of this temple of democracy. Not so today. The imperatives of security led to severe access restrictions. Likewise, many state capitols, courthouses and other government buildings have deeply curtailed public access. But if ordinary people cannot enter the places where government officials work, then they cannot effectively petition their government for a redress of grievances. While we must be sure that public officials are kept safe from harm, they should not be insulated from fierce political disagreements with their constituents. It is essential that ordinary citizens have the ability to share their thoughts, views and concerns with those who hold the reins of government power. And the Kavanaugh fracas shows us why. Ronald J. Krotoszynski Jr. is a law professor at the University of Alabama and author of Reclaiming the Petition Clause. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook To the editor: Virginia Heffernans column on Judge Brett Kavanaughs temperament and partisanship disqualifying him for a seat on the Supreme Court is outrageously bad. Kavanaugh became the victim of a scheme by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), in which she denied both Kavanaugh and his accuser Christine Blasey Ford privacy in dealing with these allegations. This riled up Kavanaugh, and understandably so. For Heffernan to display her holier-than-thou attitude, by using Kavanaughs understandable anger over having his life ruined, against him betrays a strategy that many people who have been bullied out of a workplace know: Make a person angry with public accusations, and when he or she reacts, feign astonishment about the persons behavior and conclude that he or she has unfortunately become unacceptable for the work environment. Michael Esser, Los Angeles Advertisement .. To the editor: Kavanaugh applied for a job. He went through a long interview process with a hiring committee. Information was provided to the committee suggesting that there was some disqualifying behavior in his past. He was asked to testify about the disqualifying behavior. Instead of providing information, he denied the behavior and then proceeded to complain very publicly about the hiring committee members and the hiring process. He still wants the job. If that were you or me, would we get hired? Pamela Ford, Redlands .. To the editor: I fully understand that many have concerns about Kavanaughs temperament during his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Sept. 27, but I do not understand why his opening statement is being interpreted as excessively partisan. In my view, he was calling out the Democrats for being politically motivated, and I dont think it is partisan to oppose partisanship or, if it is, how could one ever oppose it? Peter Marston, Glendale .. To the editor: Though I would not characterize the Supreme Court as magic, I agree with Heffernan that adding Kavanaugh to it would only magnify its partisanship, right-wing power, disregard for women and underrepresented persons, and protection of corporate interests at the expense of ordinary citizens. The United States is at a disturbing point in its history. We have an almost useless, hopelessly divided and rancorous Congress. We are stuck with a profoundly erratic, mendacious president who is at once authoritarian, corrupt and narcissistic. To be blunt, we are teetering toward banana public status. Confirming Kavanaugh would only worsen what Congress and the president have been doing. Indeed, he would be a compliant handmaiden for future disastrous actions by GOP leadership in both those branches. Given his intemperate tendencies and dubious character traits, the court would be further weakened by his presence. Kavanaugh would not be a beacon for truth, justice, fairness or any magical enlightenment in this dark age for America. Joseph DeVitis, Rancho Mirage Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Palestinians called a general strike for Monday in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem in support of an the protests of Arab-Palestinians in Israel against Israel's Nation State Law. Leaders of the Arab palestinian minority community have called for their private sector to strike against the recently-passed Nation State Law, which declares that only Jews have the right of self-determination in Israel. The strike will have limited effect on the country as a whole as Monday is a holiday for Israel's Jewish majority as they mark the end of the Sukkot festival. Factions in the Palestinian territories have said schools, universities, government offices and shops will close in solidarity. The law has come under fierce criticism at home and abroad and has provoked anger among the 1.8 million Palestinian Arabs who make up a fifth of Israel's 9 million citizens. Mohammed Barakeh, a former Arab-Palestinian lawmaker in Israel who heads a committee that monitors Israeli policy concerning Israel's Arabs, said the strike had been called in coordination with groups in the Palestinian territories. "The strike is a message to the world that the cause of apartheid and racism is something that should not only be dealt with internally but it should be talked about globally," Barakeh said. This story was edited by Ahram Online. Search Keywords: Short link: To the editor: As a nearly 50-year subscriber of the Los Angeles Times, I say respectfully that for many of us, the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation spectacle has confirmed the damage done to accused persons whom columnist Robin Abcarian and others have determined are guilty before they are proven so. Kavanaugh is indeed a victim, as is his sexual assault accuser Christine Blasey Ford both at the hand of the Democrats. Republicans, for their part, allow this charade to go on and on. Americans deserve better. Abcarian can learn a great deal from Opinion section columnist Jonah Goldberg, who wrote an article in the same days newspaper that asked, Could Brett Kavanaugh be angry because maybe just maybe he has been wrongly accused? Jan Wader, Pasadena Advertisement .. To the editor: Kavanaugh supporters lament the possibility that false accusations of sexual improprieties might ruin some innocent mans career. That fits with GOP hand-wringing over the infinitesimally small chance that some illegal voters ballot might decide an election. Reality check: Any given elections outcome is exponentially more likely to be affected by cynical voter suppression laws than by illegal votes. Similarly, the chance that an alleged victims account is truthful vastly exceeds the chance that an accused sexual predator is being truthful. But never mind inconvenient realities. Just as Republicans will stand by President Trumps denial of sexual misconduct against any of his accusers, they will take Kavanaughs side over Fords. Look for this countrys women to resoundingly rebuke the GOP in next months election. Devra Mindell, Santa Monica .. To the editor: Abcarian asserts, With an infinitesimal number of exceptions, men who are accused of sexual harassment and assault are not victims. Who are these exceptions? If we adhere to Abcarians hyperbolic denouncement of all men accused of sexual assault backed by todays fervent #MeToo movement, there are no exceptions. She caustically intimates that female accusers dont lie; unless, naturally, if its proven in court, after dragging the accused through the endless mud of denunciations, that the accuser did indeed lie, as was the case with the three Duke University mens lacrosse team players. Giuseppe Mirelli, Los Angeles .. To the editor: The idea that Kavanaugh must be proven guilty of criminal conduct for the Senate to reject his nomination to the Supreme Court is way off the mark. The confirmation process for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court is not like a criminal jury trial. The applicable standard for approval is not whether the nominee can be proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but whether his integrity, temperament and honesty are above question. In addition, a candidate who would have to recuse himself from a whole host of cases involving parties or issues against which he has previously expressed a strong negative bias should not be confirmed. These are the standards that are and must be applicable to the evaluation of Supreme Court nominees. Ray Bourhis, Santa Barbara .. To the editor: Theres no need to investigate whether Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) leaked Fords confidential letter. There is proof positive she did. All you need to do is simply use the standard of evidence set forth by the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee. First, Feinstein had the motive: stopping Kavanaughs confirmation. Second, Feinstein cannot prove she did not do it. Robert Flaxman, Beverly Hills Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. Early voting begins this week, and Californians will again choose between two Democrats to represent them in the U.S. Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein is seeking a fifth full term in the Senate. State Sen. Kevin de Leon is challenging her from the left. With Feinstein leading by a large margin in most polls and with millions of dollars in the bank, the race has garnered few fireworks and little attention over the last few months, but De Leon is hoping a grass-roots campaign and an anti-establishment fervor in the state might help him come election day. The Times asked each candidate to answer questions about where they stand on a variety of state and local issues. Their answers have been edited for length. Advertisement If elected, in what ways do you intend to stay connected with Californians? Will you commit to a certain number of town halls each year? Feinstein: Staying in touch with Californians is one of the most significant parts of my job. I speak at public events up and down the state year-round, respond to tens of thousands of letters each week and host breakfasts in Washington with visiting Californians. Its vitally important. De Leon: The real work for the people of California starts in town halls, not in the halls of power. Thats why Ill commit to regular town halls and public forums. If elected, I will spend my time at home engaging with the people of this great state so I can represent their interests more accurately in Washington, D.C. As a U.S. senator, would you support the Delta tunnels? What other specific proposals do you have to deal with Californias water needs before the next major drought? Feinstein: The plan is still evolving, and I will continue to review the proposal as it changes. In the meantime, Ive secured more than $500 million in federal funds to invest in Californias water infrastructure. Modernizing our system is vital to cope with future droughts. De Leon: I did not support the Delta Tunnel Project when it would have meant the construction of a massive infrastructure project that cuts through the Central Valley, and I am still not sure we should move forward on the project in its current form. What changes to Social Security benefits would you support to keep the system solvent for the next 50 years? Feinstein: The National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare has endorsed me for working to protect these programs, rather than cutting or privatizing them. The Republican tax cut for the wealthiest corporations and individuals should be reversed, with savings invested in these programs to ensure their stability. De Leon: Social Security is a promise, and I for one, intend to keep that promise to our seniors. The bottom line is this, too many even in our own party are willing to sell out our seniors as part of some grand bargain that lets the powerful off the hook and balances the budget on the backs of our seniors. How would you maintain clean air and energy requirements in California in excess of national standards? Feinstein: We cant let President Trump reverse our progress in raising fuel economy standards. I was proud to author the landmark fuel economy legislation that allowed President Obama to drastically raise [miles per gallon] requirements. That law has saved drivers nearly $60 billion and is a huge victory in our fight against climate change. De Leon: Ill take on the fossil fuel industry like I did this year when I authored and passed legislation to set California on the path to 100% clean energy. We must also curb tailpipe emissions by continuing to make zero-emission vehicles more available to all Americans, which includes expanding charging stations to under-served communities. How will you seek to address the legal status of people brought to the country illegally as children? Feinstein: California is home to more Dreamers than any state in the country and I wont rest until they have a path to citizenship. I have long supported the Dream Act and was proud to write legislation to end the separation of children from their families at the border. De Leon: I authored Californias sanctuary state law, which prevents our precious law enforcement resources from being commandeered by ICE. I support codifying the Obama executive actions known as DACA and DAPA. We must end family detention and close private immigration detention centers. I support comprehensive immigration reforms that treat every person with dignity, fix the family visa backlog and bring millions of hardworking people into the formal economy. What is your position on Californias high-speed rail? Feinstein: I support Gov. Browns high-speed rail project because it will reduce traffic, air pollution and strains on our housing supply, as well as create jobs. As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I secure federal dollars for Californias transit programs, including L.A.s new Metro lines and other rail projects. De Leon: While the voters did approve a high-speed rail that improves access to two of Californias most populous cities, the escalating costs associated with building the train are concerning. We should focus first on integrating public transportation systems in our local communities [that] would lay the necessary groundwork for a high-speed rail system that would then rely on existing infrastructure, instead of building the entire system from the ground up. What is your position on repealing the increased gas tax in November? Feinstein: Im voting no on Prop. 6. We need to invest in our states infrastructure, not cut funding for 6,500 road-safety, bridge and other transportation projects currently underway throughout California. De Leon: That historic investment in our infrastructure will make our commutes shorter and less aggravating, lower our car repair bills and create new jobs for Californians up and down the state. I will vote no on the gas tax repeal, and I urge all Californians to vote no too. What gun control and safety efforts does Congress need to pass? Feinstein: I authored the landmark federal assault weapons ban that reduced the frequency and deadliness of mass shooting. Reinstating it is deeply personal to me, and our current bill has 31 Democratic cosponsors. We also need to require universal background checks and take guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. De Leon: I support an assault weapons ban, expanded background checks to close the gun-show loophole, barring domestic abusers from buying and owning guns, harsher gun trafficking penalties, expanding funding for gun violence research, and increasing investments in community programs in areas most impacted by gun violence. Why should conservative-leaning Californians vote for you? Feinstein: Ive always focused on solving Californias problems, which should be something that conservatives, liberals and all voters look for in their elected representatives. We need to fix our immigration system, create jobs, make healthcare more affordable and reduce gun violence. Those are universal priorities. De Leon: If you think the status quo in Washington, D.C. is working for Americans, I recommend you vote for my opponent. Im fighting for a better life for everyone in this state I dont care who you supported in 2016. Whether you are a liberal or a conservative, you do deserve to make a living wage, to put a roof over your childs head, clothes on their backs and food on the table. You deserve Medicare-for-All, not just Medicare-for-Some. You deserve a better quality of life. You deserve a dignified and secure retirement. The latest from Washington More stories from Sarah D. Wire sarah.wire@latimes.com Twitter: @sarahdwire Sen. Elizabeth Warrens gestures grew more emphatic and her light Southern accent more pronounced as the Massachusetts Democrat moved toward a crescendo before an audience in her native Oklahoma. She ticked off the villains: billionaires, giant corporations, hungry politicians and their rigged system. Yeah, we got a fight on our hands, she said, stirring a mostly female crowd that was already on its feet. A tough fight. And heres the deal, she continued. They have more money than we do. They already run big chunks of government. But heres the thing I want you to think about: Theres a whole lot more of us than there is of them. This was the Elizabeth Warren that many liberals were clamoring to see on the presidential stump in 2016, a Democrat who would go to the countrys deep-red middle and sell her progressive version of prairie populism. Instead, Vermonts independent Sen. Bernie Sanders swooped in to capture the partys left while Donald Trump claimed populism for the right. Advertisement Warren now sounds like a candidate who wants back in the fight. In that recent 30-minute speech to teachers union activists and a 20-minute interview, she seemed to use the word fight at least once a minute. Back in Massachusetts days later, on Saturday, she would tell constituents in Holyoke that she would take a hard look at running for president her strongest statement to date on the question. Times up, she said in Holyoke, promising to make a decision after the Nov. 6 midterm election. Even before Saturdays acknowledgement, Warren had done everything short of erecting a billboard to suggest she is running for president, in stark contrast to her posture before 2016, when she repeatedly said she was not running. Her trip to Oklahoma, to speak at a rollicking rally sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers at her high school alma mater, was an opportunity to seize upon progressives excitement following a nine-day strike this spring that coincided with successful teacher protests in other conservative states. It also felt like something of a personal reclamation mission. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, at her former high school in Oklahoma. (Noah Bierman / Los Angeles Times) This was Warrens first public speech in the city where she grew up since she entered the Senate in 2013. A low-profile Republican into her adult life, she became an East Coast liberal in recent decades, coinciding with her rise as a Harvard Law School professor, critic of big banks and a consumer crusader who became a top aide in the Obama administration. She entered electoral politics in her 60s. Warrens modest upbringing among the oil derricks and flatlands of Oklahoma the source of her connection to the heartlands working-class voters and a potential selling point in a national campaign has been clouded by the controversy that erupted during her 2012 Senate race over her undocumented claims to Native American ancestry. President Trump uses derisive shorthand to rehash the issue, calling her Pocahontas despite tribal groups complaints that the nickname is racist. Here within the white and purple brick walls of the cafetorium at Northwest Classen High School, Warren was known as Liz to her classmates when she graduated 52 years ago (Betsy to her family). Hello Okies! she shouted to howls of approval from the unionists who had turned her old school into a tiny island of progressivism within a state that voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton by a more than 2-to-1 margin. Warren was greeted with a flashing Welcome Home sign. She recalled the elementary school teacher in nearby Norman who inspired her, Mrs. Lee, the Methodist church where Warren learned she couldnt sing and the high school debate team that taught her how to argue. Students at the public high school were known as silkies because they came from the fancy part of town. Warren, however, has said her family struggled along the ragged edge of the middle class, uncertain at one point whether they would keep their home after her father suffered a heart attack. Some in the crowd here wore shirts reading Nevertheless, she persisted, recalling Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells admonishment of Warren last year when he moved to silence her for disparaging Jeff Sessions during the Senates debate over his confirmation as attorney general. Among the handful of gifts collected by her aides was a patterned blanket that came, they said, from the governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. In recent months Warren has tried to lay to rest questions about whether her ancestry claims aided her career, reflecting her moves toward a possible presidential run. She gave the Boston Globe extensive access to her personnel records for a story last month and the newspaper interviewed dozens of people involved in hiring decisions throughout her career. The lengthy investigation concluded that her ethnicity claims played no role in her hiring at a series of law school jobs, including at Harvard. Warren also has released 10 years of income tax returns a rejoinder to Trumps failure to release his. Shes begun granting Capitol Hill reporters more attention, ending her longtime practice of refusing to respond to impromptu questions in Senate hallways. She has sent $5,000 donations to all 50 Democratic state parties this year, spoken for candidates in Nevada, Ohio and other states key to presidential contests and raised $15 million for Democratic candidates since she took office, according to aides. And she has taken a slew of positions intended to curry favor with the left including support for a movement to abolish the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and for proposed environmental legislation and a pledge to refuse donations from federal lobbyists. Warren has a mixed reputation in the Senate. Her Democratic colleagues appreciate her fundraising prowess, her hold on the partys activists and her ability to turn a sleepy committee hearing into a viral moment on social media. Yet she has failed to assemble a roster of legislative accomplishments. Warren has at times rankled fellow Democrats, opening herself to accusations of grandstanding. Earlier this year, she went after politically vulnerable colleagues who voted with Republicans to roll back provisions of the Dodd-Frank financial regulation law enacted after the 2008 financial crisis. In 2014, she brought the government to the brink of a shutdown over a similar issue, before relenting. Ive gone out and worked for the team and Ill continue to do that, Warren said in an interview. But at the same time, Im going to fight hard for what I believe in. Its not good for American families when Wall Street calls the shots in Washington. Senator Elizabeth Warren talks to demonstrators opposed to the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill on Sept. 27. (Olivier Douliery / TNS) In a presidential primary, Warren would loom large in a fierce party debate between those like her who want to move the party to the left and those who believe they can peel off Republican moderates and even some Trump supporters with a more centrist message. If we get more people to turn out and vote, we win, Warren said. This is all about giving people a reason to turn out, a reason to get in the fight, a reason to knock on doors, a reason to run for office, a reason to drag your friends and your family and your neighbors and your co-workers down to the polls on election day. Warren mentions Trump only once in her speech here, in a joke about being his favorite sparring partner on Twitter. In the interview, she resists joining calls from some Democrats for impeachment, saying that lawmakers need to focus on protecting special counsel Robert S. Mueller III from any Trump attempt to fire him. Still, she harnesses the anti-Trump anger on the left to bolster her argument for a more activist party. Theres no more, you know, Youre a good citizen because once every two years you show up there and vote, she said. Nope. Citizenship in the Trump era has changed. People are coming off the sidelines saying my country needs me and my voice will be heard in Washington. Warren wont answer whether she should have come off the sidelines in 2016, and whether that might have forestalled the same Trump era that she and other Democrats call an existential threat to the country. Nothing good will come of it, Warren said of looking backward. We are where we are and weve got to put everything into the fight going ahead. Her allies have said she wasnt ready then, and that she believed she wouldnt have wrested the nomination from Clinton. Even so, in a business said to be all about timing, there are questions whether Warren may have missed her moment. Colin Reed, a Republican consultant who has watched Warrens career closely as an aide to her 2012 opponent, former Sen. Scott Brown, and as leader of an opposition research group that targeted her, said she had improved as a candidate. He gives her credit for moving her party. But sometimes, you only get one chance at this, he said, adding, In 2016, she would have had more of the left-wing populist lane to herself, whereas in 2020 she would have to share that lane with Sen. Sanders and slew of other candidates. The crowd at her high school nodded and clapped as Warren recalled the dramatic teachers strike. Its mobilization has fueled progressives beliefs that they can field more candidates in the Trump-friendly state. Several of those running for state and local office privately chatted with Warren before her speech. The visit, which drew attention in the local media, could help cement her relationship with the AFT, the first national union to endorse Clinton in 2016. She also caught up with family. One of her three brothers attended and later they joined other relatives for dinner. Belying a public image as hard-charging and at times unapproachable, Warren posed for cellphone pictures for more than an hour, whispering into the ears of teenagers, crouching to throw her arm around people in wheelchairs and nodding agreeably to people who brought her books and even an Elizabeth Warren action figure to autograph. (The owner was tickled that the doll was dressed just like Warren, in black pants and a red blazer.) Despite some supporters declaring themselves beyond excited for a Warren 2020 run, others wore Sanders shirts a pink one said Talk Bernie to me and a few expressed concerns about Warrens age and electability. If she ran I would vote for her, but I think its time for us old folks to step aside and let the young crop have a chance, said Lisa Lunsford, a 58-year-old Oklahoma City banker. She called Warren a hero but approvingly named two other Democratic senators who are prospective candidates Cory Booker, 49, of New Jersey and Kamala Harris, 53, of San Francisco. Warren, at 69, is still younger than Trump, 72, as well as Sanders, 77, and former Vice President Joe Biden, 75. But she would certainly be on the older side of what is expected to be a crowded field. Right now, I know who I dont want to be president, but Im not sure I know who I do, said Eve Cohn, a chiropractor at Warrens event. What many Democrats do want is Warrens impassioned message. Randi Weingarten, the influential AFT president who introduced Warren, said that in the Trump era, People dont believe that the world is normal or that our leadership is normal. And they believe that you need the fight. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington noah.bierman@latimes.com Twitter: @noahbierman UPDATES: 9 a.m.: The initial post incorrectly referred to the National Federation of Teachers. The text was corrected to American Federation of Teachers. This story was published at 3 a.m. Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch Live: White House holds surprise news briefing amid government shutdown Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause. #Georgia Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush. The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump as recently as Tuesday continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops You really are our heroes, he said as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see. James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes he last won reelection by a 14-point margin suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election again, in blowout fashion but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10. Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history. Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters... Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice. Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children the older ones are 5 and 2 about the presidency and the government since Trumps election. Together, they worked on homemade Katie Porter lawn signs and put them up around town. This is the first time its felt like a big deal and there isnt a president up for election, she said. Because her city is a mix of conservatives and liberals her next-door neighbor is an NRA-supporting Republican she the race felt m The Trump administration botched the implementation of its zero tolerance border policy earlier this year and failed to adequately prepare for the consequences of separating immigrant children from their parents, according to a report released Tuesday by federal investigators. The Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general found that separated children were routinely held for five days or more in detention centers that were not equipped for long-term stays. In one case, a child remained in such a detention center for 25 days. Once families were detained, the report says, the administration routinely lost track of the locations of separated parents and minors. A central database the administration said it built to help reunify families was, in reality, a hastily thrown together spreadsheet that was incomplete and full of errors. Homeland Security struggled to identify, track, and reunify families separated under zero tolerance due to limitations with its information technology systems raising questions about the governments ability to accurately report on separations and subsequent reunifications, the report found. Advertisement It marked the federal governments first independent assessment of the ill-fated zero tolerance policy and resulting fallout, which sparked widespread protest earlier this year when more than 2,600 immigrant children were separated from their parents and placed into government custody. The outcry was so loud that President Trump issued an executive order halting the practice on June 20. Soon after, a federal court ruled the separations were illegal and ordered families reunified within 30 days. But even then, the administration struggled to comply. By late last month, hundreds of detained children were still were not back with their parents. In a written response to the investigators, the Department of Homeland Security took issue with several of the findings. It said investigators did not take into account complicating factors that delayed the placement of children into long-term facilities, such as medical issues. And the department objected to the reports characterization of its efforts to keep track of families and reunify them as disorganized and technologically incompetent. It argued the administration took exhaustive efforts to overcome its challenges and stand up a process to safely reunify families expeditiously. The inspector generals office also undermined the administrations insistence that it did not have a policy designed to separate families, even though several administration officials acknowledged they hoped separation would deter illegal immigrants. The report noted that prior to the implementation of zero tolerance, asylum seekers were generally released pending their hearings or placed into custody with their children in family detention centers. By treating asylum seekers who do not come into the country through official ports of entry as criminals, the report said, the new policy fundamentally changed DHS approach to immigration enforcement. Because minor children cannot be held in criminal custody with an adult, alien adults who entered the United States illegally would have to be separated from any accompanying minor children when the adults were referred for criminal prosecution, the report said. At the same time, the administration had created a bottleneck at official ports of entry, where asylum seekers were directed to go, by limiting the number it would process. That drove many of them to take other routes into the country, at which point they were prosecuted and had their children taken from them. One woman said she had been turned away three times by an officer on the bridge [at a port of entry] before deciding to take her chances on illegal entry, the report said. Once detained, hundreds of children were kept in short-term holding facilities for far longer than the maximum 72 hours that federal law allows. In some cases, these facilities were designed as mere holding pens. They are not designed to hold people for long periods of time, according to the report. But the Department of Health and Human Services, which was responsible for placing the children in long-term facilities, struggled to keep up with the demand the zero tolerance policy created. Federal officials proved to be ill-equipped to process all the necessary paperwork and coordinate transportation for all the children needing placement. The computer systems they were using were so inadequate that investigators continue to have doubts about the data the federal government is reporting about the detentions and its reunification efforts. One agency would enter data about a family into its system, but then another agency involved wouldnt be able to access it. At the Port Isabel Detention Center in Texas, the administration lost track of which adults in custody had been separated from children and initially made no reunification efforts when the adults were released. After Homeland Security announced in June that it had built a central database that agencies could use to keep track of where members of separated families were being detained, the federal investigators found no evidence that such a database exists. Instead, they found a makeshift spreadsheet. When investigators asked for a list of every child separated from their parents as a result of zero tolerance, the administration balked for weeks and then provided data that was incomplete and inconsistent. After Homeland Security announced in July that it had reunited all of the adults in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with their children, the investigators found a child who had not, in fact, been returned to their parent. That reunion did not happen until September. As children were pulled away from their parents, according to the investigators, officers often failed to fully explain to parents what was happening and how the adults could get in touch with their kids. Some were given the toll-free number to call to get information, but not the unique code they needed to get through on it. The investigators interviewed a dozen parents who were separated from their children and found that half of them were unable to contact their kids. The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington More stories from Evan Halper evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalper At a recent backyard meet-and-greet, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher pivoted from a campaign pledge that was eliciting silence new-generation nuclear energy to one sure to rile the Huntington Beach crowd. We went surfing down at Brookhurst, and Newport the day before, the Republican congressman said, pointing out his teenage son and daughter. What a wonderful place to live. We should all be grateful to God that we have this quality of life. But the quality of life will not survive if we have open borders and millions of Applause drowned out the rest. More than 300 miles north, in Modesto, another Republican congressmans relationship with Californias growing Latino population is more welcoming, even personal. Rep. Jeff Denham often speaks of his father-in-law, a Mexican immigrant who became a citizen. He talks about a young relative who benefited from an Obama-era program that allowed people brought to the United States illegally as children to study and work. Advertisement I am not going to take a back seat on any issue that is critical for my community, especially one that is as personal as this one, he said at a debate last month, pledging to work toward immigration reform. The contrasting views reflect the long-running tension over immigration in California, which has wrestled with the highly charged issue from practically the moment the state was founded. The debate could help decide two hotly contested congressional races Rohrabachers in Orange County and Denhams in the Central Valley that both parties see as key to control of the House. DECISION CALIFORNIA: Full coverage of 2018 elections One wing of the Republican Party saying that former Gov. Pete Wilson hobbled the GOP with his policies targeting illegal immigrants subsequently softened the tone. But the hard-liners never went away and have been thrilled to see President Trump take up the issue with renewed vigor and a much harsher tone than Wilson ever used in the 1990s. With the president at full roar, lawmakers such as Rohrabacher and Denham cant avoid the question: Are they with him or not? Rohrabacher steadfastly stands with Trump. The top of his campaign website is a video of him railing against Californias sanctuary law, calling it an invitation for criminals from all over the world to come here. He talked about a massive flow of illegal immigrants changing our quality of life. Unlike Denham, he doesnt have to answer to a sizable Latino community his district is 18% Latino, 56% white or constituents fear of a labor shortage. He has suggested that prisoners could pick Californias crops instead of foreign-born workers. Rohrabacher is tapping into a nebulous fear of outsiders in an area teeming with walled and gated communities that has been at the heart of politics in coastal Orange County for decades, cementing an almost unbreakable Republican hold of the area. I want to see the border locked down and all the illegal aliens, get them out, said Rabin Rajkumar, 54, a medical supply salesman on disability, watching the waves by the Huntington Beach Pier with his dog one afternoon. Rajkumar, who supports Rohrabacher, said his father immigrated legally from Trinidad and served 10 years in the Army to get his citizenship. People should come to our door and knock, apply for a visa, Rajkumar said. Adam Probolsky, a longtime political consultant based in Newport Beach, said he isnt surprised Rohrabacher is still making the issue central to his campaign when talking to his base, but doubts hed put out a television commercial with him at the border talking about the wall. The family separations, he said, have made it riskier for Republicans to openly back Trumps immigration policies. In a time machine going back three months, it was a really clear-cut issue and much easier to use, Probolsky said. Rohrabacher has handily won 15 elections in the 48th Congressional District, stretching from Laguna Niguel up the coast through Newport Beach to Seal Beach, with parts of Fountain Valley and Westminster. But the race this year between him and his well-financed challenger, Democratic real estate investor Harley Rouda, is widely seen as a tossup, in part due to Rohrabachers affinity for Russia and its strongman president, Vladimir Putin. The district has significantly more Republicans than Democrats. In 2012, voters backed Mitt Romney over President Obama, 55% to 43%. But like other conservative districts with higher levels of education, voters did not take to Trump, who lost in the region in 2016 to Hillary Clinton by a percentage point. This fear of a Democratic tipping point hasnt toned down the 71-year-old Costa Mesa congressman even as GOP candidates and incumbents in neighboring districts take more moderate paths. In Fullerton, Young Kim is a South Korean immigrant whose views on immigration are similar to Denhams. To Rohrabachers south, Diane Harkey is running as a tax fighter who says children brought here illegally should be allowed to stay with visas. Rep. Mimi Walters, to the east, is largely doing the same. Republicans in the Central Valley, however, often have to tread a tricky suburban-rural divide on the issue. Their base voters want to hear the full-throated build that wall rhetoric of Trump. But farmers like those in Denhams district where agriculture is central to the economy want to ensure their crops get picked. The problem from a political perspective is that fiery anti-immigration rhetoric could provoke a high Latino and Democratic turnout on election day, sinking the GOP in many places. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) arrives for a closed-door Republican meeting in the basement of the Capitol as the GOP leadership tries to reach a policy agreement between conservatives and moderates on immigration. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP) Farmers believe any crackdown on immigration will cause an immediate and painful problem for their ag businesses to find labor, said Ted Howze, a large-animal veterinarian who ran against Denham in the primary after campaigning for him in the past. They are in every elected officials ears that this would be a problem. Immigrant rights activists have already been targeting the events, homes and district offices of Republicans in competitive races across the state. In August, students interrupted a low-key appearance by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in Sacramento, condemning the family separations and shouting Wheres your heart? Since 2012, Denham has represented the 10th Congressional District, where his constituents are more than 40% Latino and Democrats outnumber Republicans. He was reelected with a narrow 3-percentage-point advantage over his Democratic opponent in 2016, and his race this year against former venture capitalist Josh Harder is considered a tossup. Marco Moreno, a former secretary and treasurer for the Latino Community Roundtable of Stanislaus County, says he remembers hearing the personal stories of Denhams Latina wife and her father in the congressmans campaign ads over the years. The central message of those ads, he said, has been the same: He is very sensitive to immigration issues since he learned from his own family how difficult it is to deal with immigration agencies to get citizenship. Even before Trump way before Trump Denham has stated the same political position on immigration. In Congress, Denham authored legislation to help immigrants in the military get citizenship and broke with his partys leadership to try to salvage some form of the Obama program for illegal immigrant children. He penned an op-ed in support of the effort. In July, the 51-year-old congressman criticized the separations of nearly 3,000 families at the border and pressed the government on its reunification process. He was turned away when he knocked on the door to get a tour of a detention facility holding immigrant children in a San Francisco suburb. Asked on CNN if he got answers, he proclaimed, Zero! But Denham has voted in favor of legislation to fund a border wall, make steep cuts to legal immigration and give federal officials more power to penalize and deport suspected gang members and immigrants with certain criminal convictions who illegally reenter the country. He opposes city and state sanctuary laws. In a Spanish-language ad released last week, national Democrats accused Denham of acting pro-immigrant to Latinos at home while supporting Trumps anti-immigrant agenda in Washington. On a September morning at a Starbucks in Denhams hometown of Turlock, Karen Cuaresma, 52, worked on her book about a changing America. Cuaresma, a Vermont native who has lived in Turlock since 1998, said she, like Denham, wasnt in favor of the family separations. But she said he needed to take a stricter stance on immigration enforcement. I dont think the middle of the road is going to work, she said, looking over her laptop and yellow legal pads of notes. The Republicans I know are for stricter laws. If he wants their vote, he will have to crack down on immigrants if they are here illegally. Its like any other law, like anyone doing anything illegally. Several tables away, Rosie Schlenker, a 46-year-old Republican turned independent, said she had voted for Denham three times but doubted she would again. Although she believes in the need to tighten immigration into the country, she said, the Trump administration was going too far and Denham doesnt seem to have a steady position. Videos of immigrant children being reunited with their parents, including one of an 8-year-old boy who didnt recognize his mother, left her rattled. That still bothers me, said Schlenker, a Turlock resident. The fact that there are still children separated from their families today, and that the children who have been reunited have been traumatized. Back in Huntington Beach, Arturo Sanchez, 82, also did not like the separations or the harsh rhetoric about undocumented immigrants. He escaped Castros Cuba in 1964 by forging a visa to get to Mexico, before legally entering the United States as an exile. This is a very complex problem, he said. People from Mexico need work. Thats why they come here to get a new life. But like most Cuban exiles of his generation, he is a die-hard Republican and otherwise supports Trump. And for this alone, he plans to vote for Rohrabacher in November. joe.mozingo@latimes.com | Twitter: @joemozingo jazmine.ulloa@latimes.com | Twitter: @jazmineulloa A woman recanted her allegation of sexual harassment against a Democratic House candidate on Monday, blunting a major line of attack that a conservative super PAC had been using against Gil Cisneros in a key California race. Melissa Fazli, who had accused Cisneros of making inappropriate comments to her at a state party convention in February, tweeted Monday that she met with the candidate over the weekend and realized there had been a HUGE misunderstanding. She demanded that the Congressional Leadership Fund take down its vile ads that were partly based on her accusation. Fazli published the allegation in an open letter in May, when she was running as a Democrat for a state Assembly seat in the area. Fazli alleged at the time that Cisneros had suggested they go to a hotel room together and that he later made comments that could have been interpreted as pay for play. The development could kneecap the Congressional Leadership Funds main attack strategy in the 39th Congressional District, where Cisneros is running against Republican Young Kim for a House seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton). Advertisement The outside group has been blanketing the airwaves in Orange County with ads highlighting the alleged incident, calling it wrong and disgusting and borrowing #MeToo movement mantra by declaring, Gil Cisneros, your times up. The group has spent more than $1.5 million on ads in the district so far, according to campaign finance records. Attorneys for the Cisneros campaign on Monday sent cease-and-desist letters to Facebook and TV stations where the ads are running. In a joint statement released by the Cisneros campaign, Fazli denounced the ads and accused the super PAC of lying and weaponizing my story for their own political gain. The statement raised questions over the about-face by Fazli. As recently as two weeks ago, Fazli called the advertisements accurate and said Cisneros and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee refused to take me seriously in May and this is a price they will pay. Last week, Fazli emailed Cisneros opponent, saying I would rather have a Republican Woman win than a creep like Gil. Fazli said she sent the email out of frustration over Cisneros failure to respond but no longer feels that way after airing her concerns with Cisneros. Not everyones buying that explanation. Congressional Leadership Fund spokeswoman Courtney Alexander released a statement questioning whether it was another example of a rich and powerful man using his power to intimidate a victim and accused Cisneros of not taking the claims seriously until now. Others on social media wondered whether Fazli had been pressured or paid to recant. There was no payoff, there was no bribe, said Nic Jordan, Cisneros campaign manager. This was just an agreement of a misunderstanding. Fazli confirmed to The Times that there was no discussion about money, campaign donations or endorsements for any future race. In a phone interview, Fazli declined to elaborate on how her original allegation could be chalked up to a misunderstanding. When somebody doesnt communicate with you, it makes you even angrier and upset, Fazli said. Fazli said she is a sexual assault survivor, an experience she suggested helped color how she perceived Cisneros actions. In his mind it was one thing, and in my mind it was something different. Asked to elaborate, Fazli referred The Times back to her joint statement with Cisneros. Jordan said the six-month episode had been a costly lesson in how not to handle such a situation, particularly in light of the intense national focus on the hearings over sexual assault allegations against a Supreme Court nominee. Until this week, under the advice of former campaign manager Orrin Evans, Cisneros had maintained a laser focus on denying Fazlis accusations from afar and offering testimonials from a list of witnesses who said her version of events could not be true. The candidate never met with Fazli or addressed her claims directly. But after watching the hearings in which high court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh and accuser Christine Blasey Ford testified, Cisneros came to a realization that he felt wrong for essentially not allowing Melissa the courtesy to meet and speak, Jordan said. Seeing the hypocrisy of how things were handled at the national stage led to an internal realization that we cant also seem to be hypocritical and ignore this. So when a supporter agreed to arrange a meeting between the two of them, Cisneros accepted. Ultimately, I thought it had gone too far, said Mirvette Judeh, a realtor and Democratic operative who had previously criticized the Congressional Leadership Fund for running the Cisneros ads online, where her children saw them multiple times. It was purely me being disgusted by the fact that my children had seen these ads. Judeh said that because she knows Cisneros well, she concluded the situation must be a complete misunderstanding and decided to reach out to Fazli. When she realized the two had not spoken in person, she brokered a meeting between Fazli and Cisneros at her home Sunday evening. She was just hurt, because she felt completely ignored, Judeh said of Fazli. We sat down and heard each other, found a clear case of misunderstanding and are both ready to move forward, Cisneros said in the statement released by his campaign. Evans stepped down as his campaign manager Monday. Coverage of California politics Will California flip the House? The key races to watch christine.maiduc@latimes.com For more on California politics, follow @cmaiduc. UPDATES: 7:10 p.m.: This article was updated with an email Fazli sent to Young Kims campaign last week and Fazlis comment about it Monday. This story was originally published at 6:15 p.m. Californias Legislature revved into high gear when it came to writing laws in 2018, sending the most bills to the governors desk in more than a decade. In all, Gov. Jerry Brown weighed in on 1,217 pieces of legislation passed by the state Senate and Assembly. He signed 1,016 into law, and most will take effect on Jan. 1. Some of the new laws are momentous, others minuscule. Taken together, they are a grab bag of limitations and expectations on the personal and professional lives of Californians. Few residents will agree with all of them; some might not pass legal muster. And of those Brown vetoed, some are expected to be reintroduced when a new governor takes office in January. Advertisement Here are a few key themes from the work of state lawmakers in 2018. California will keep jabbing Trump, Republicans The ink from Browns signature was barely dry on Sunday when the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to block a state law that regulates internet access provided by national companies. Californias effort to establish its own net neutrality rules generated controversy all year in Sacramento and was the focus of intense lobbying by the telecommunications industry. The governor issued no statement explaining why he signed Senate Bill 822. But his decision seemed to mirror last years pushback to President Trump over law enforcement cooperation with immigration agents culminating in a sanctuary law that was challenged in federal court. Legal challenges are also expected over a decision focused on the national conversation about gender equity: a law requiring publicly held corporations based in the state to include women on their boards of directors. Brown made it clear in a brief signing message that he wasnt sure the law would survive in the courts. But he embraced its message, sending a copy of his signing statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee that last week recommended Judge Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court. It was recent events, he wrote, that convinced him many are not getting the message about giving women the chance to be heard. Gun control advocates scored major wins again Few topics seem to divide California lawmakers more than whether the state should impose additional gun control laws. But because Democrats hold overwhelming majorities in both houses of the Legislature, the real question for almost any bill in recent years on the topic has been will the governor support it? Perhaps most striking from 2018 will be Browns decision to sign a bill requiring rifle and shotgun owners to be at least 21 years old; state law already sets the same age restriction for handgun possession. Also notable is a new law that imposes a lifetime weapons ban on most who are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence and new restrictions on those treated for mental health problems. But Brown vetoed an effort to make it easier for employers and workers to obtain gun restraining orders, saying it was best to ask law enforcement for help in those situations. Polling has consistently shown strong support among Californians for gun control, and voters enacted sweeping ammunition rules in 2016. Brown has frequently split the difference between signing and vetoing gun-related bills in years past; the candidates vying to succeed him, Democrat Gavin Newsom and Republican John Cox, are likely to be far more rigid in their views. California lawmakers on Aug. 29 sent the governor a bill that would raise the minimum age for buying long guns in the state from 18 to 21. (Dmytro Tolmachov / TNS) #MeToo sparked new laws on workplace conduct One closely watched bill on the topic of workplace sexual harassment was vetoed by the governor on Sunday, a proposal strongly opposed by business groups. But several other major bills that sprang from the #MeToo movement became law. The rejected proposal would have banned employment agreements with mandatory arbitration in the event of complaints like workplace harassment. Brown, apparently willing to gamble on the legality of other bills, said this one would not stand up to a recent federal court ruling. On the other side were bills signed into law banning secret settlements of harassment allegations and placing new limits on nondisparagement agreements, which limit a person from speaking out about workplace misconduct. And with so many complaints lodged about the workplace culture inside the state Capitol itself, there was also a focus on the rights of legislative employees. A new law in 2019 will prohibit retaliation or discrimination against any Capitol worker or lobbyist who reports sexual misconduct. But legislators declined to ensure public access to sexual harassment records from the Legislature, refusing to pass a bill to mandate such disclosure. Sexual assault victims and their supporters at a #MeToo Survivors March in Los Angeles on Nov. 12, 2017. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) Business groups and organized labor both notched victories The conventional wisdom in California political circles is that labor unions win more often than business groups at the state Capitol. But that scorecard misses a key fact: While labor seeks to create laws, business usually declares victory by killing bills. Organized labor had its victories this year. The governor signed a bill that will make some retailers liable when a for-hire trucking company violates labor law, such as failing to pay wages to drivers or to pay workers compensation. And he signed a bill that could help public employee unions enlist new members by providing contact information for government-paid home care aides a potential boost in the wake of Junes Supreme Court ruling that outlawed charging fees to nonmember government workers. But the states most powerful alliance of employers fared pretty well in 2018, too. The California Chamber of Commerce compiles a list of bills each year that it calls job killers. On Sunday, the group boasted that all 29 bills that received its economic scarlet letter in 2018 had fizzled, with most failing in the Legislature and the rest vetoed by Brown, as has been his tendency regarding chamber-opposed bills over the years. The alliance between the iconic Democratic governor and big business comes with a dose of irony: The state Chamber of Commerce endorsed and spent money for Browns opponent in 2010. On energy and wildfire, the path forward is daunting While creating political consensus in Sacramento on bills may seem like the hardest part of the process, implementation will be the major hurdle facing two measures signed into law. Democrats hailed the new mandate for California to move to 100% clean energy by 2045, boasting that its another example of the states environmental leadership in the face of climate inaction by the Trump administration. But the new law only sets a goal and doesnt specify how state regulators will accomplish it. Many more details were included in the summers landmark law to combat and prevent deadly wildfires a $1-billion proposal that also shifts some future fire costs away from utility companies and onto consumers. But the hard work lies ahead, as the state will have to determine which tree and brush removal programs are most effective, whether wood-burning biomass plants are clean enough to rely on for part of the solution and whether utilities are doing their part to keep power lines from toppling and sparking blazes. Brown sticks to his locals know best philosophy Throughout his second tenure as governor, Brown has frequently extolled the virtues of a Catholic teaching known as the principle of subsidiarity. Simply put, its the idea that the level of government closest to the people usually governs best. A sleepy student rubs her eyes at Buffalo Grove (Ill.) High School in 2014. (Brian Cassella / MCT) While the governors Jesuit seminary education may play some role in that default deference to local governments, its important to note that Browns political career was revived by serving two terms as mayor of Oakland from 1998 to 2006. And hes wont to only go so far in exerting state control in some key areas. One of those is public schools. He pushed for more local control over school dollars through a far-reaching law in 2014. This year, Brown vetoed a bill to mandate later start times for teenagers in public school. Even in the face of scientific data showing students need more sleep, the governor refused to make the decision from Sacramento. These are the types of decisions best handled in the local community, the governor wrote in his veto message. Brown also refused to sign a bill banning suspension or possible expulsion of students as young as third grade for behavior deemed to be willful defiance. Critics said children at that age needed more help, not more punishment. The governor was not persuaded. Teachers and principals are on the front lines educating our children and are in the best position to make decisions about order and discipline in the classroom, he wrote in a veto message on Sunday. Less mandatory criminal punishment, more law enforcement transparency For a state with a reputation in the 80s and 90s for being tough on crime, Californias rethinking of criminal justice policy is a major change. Two key drivers of that change have been its chief executive and well-publicized incidents involving law enforcement and unarmed African Americans. Brown, who championed a major move toward additional parole for adult prisoners with Proposition 57 two years ago, joined Democrats in signing several significant new laws affecting both those with existing convictions and those charged with serious crimes in the future. That included a nationally watched new law signed in August to eliminate cash bail for criminal defendants. And last week, the governor signed off on the end of felony murder charges for those who are accomplices to crimes that end in a death. Another new law will give judges discretion to strike prior serious felony convictions that would add an additional five-year sentence for some crimes. A third new law will offer additional services for those who were wrongly convicted and are transitioning back into society. For juveniles, two new major laws are now on the books: a measure prohibiting courts from trying 14- and 15-year olds as adults and, except for the most serious crimes, a ban on prosecuting most minors younger than 12 in juvenile court. On the policing side, there will be significant discussion of new laws designed to increase accountability one allows greater access to body camera footage, and a second opens up records on police shootings and officer misconduct investigations. A third closely watched proposal, to change the legal standard for police use of force, failed to clear the Legislature in August. Democratic state Sens. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley and Bob Hertzberg of Van Nuys talk at the Capitol. Hertzbergs SB 10 ends money bail for suspects awaiting trial. Skinners SB 1437 narrows the states felony murder rule. Both bills were signed by Gov. Brown. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Fewer plastic straws and kids meal sodas. Same bar-closing times California draws national attention almost every year for a few laws that, rightly or wrongly, reinforce the states reputation for trailblazing or wrongheaded, depending on your politics public policy. Tops on the list for 2019 will be the nations first ban on unrequested plastic straws in dine-in restaurants. In other words: You only get one if you ask for it. Agreeing with supporters of the law who pointed out the abundance of plastic straws floating in the ocean, Brown said the new law wont be that big of a deal. Its a very small step to make a customer who wants a plastic straw ask for it, he wrote in a signing message. California will also require that kids meals come with a water or milk-based drink as the standard option. Like with straws, a soda would have to be requested. But the governor, who vetoes relatively few bills and hasnt been challenged by a veto override in decades, decided that a pilot program to allow some cities to keep bars open for an extra two hours into the early morning was a bridge too far. California laws regulating late night drinking have been on the books since 1913, wrote the governor in his veto message. I believe we have enough mischief from midnight to 2 without adding two more hours of mayhem. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast Three physicists whose pioneering work transformed lasers from science-fiction fantasy into powerful tools were awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in physics. Arthur Ashkin, a researcher at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey, receives half of the $1.01-million prize for inventing optical tweezers focused beams of light that can be used to grab particles, atoms and even living cells and are now widely used to study the machinery of life. Gerard Mourou, of Ecole Polytechnique in France and the University of Michigan, and Donna Strickland, of the University of Waterloo in Canada, share the other half for work that paved the way for the most intense laser beams ever created by humans. Billions of people make daily use of optical disk drive, laser printers and optical scanners ... millions undergo laser surgery, said Nobel committee member Olga Botner after the award was announced Tuesday in Stockholm. The laser is truly one of the many examples of how a so-called blue sky discovery in a fundamental science eventually may transform our daily lives. Advertisement Strickland is the first woman to be awarded the physics prize since 1963, when Maria Goeppert-Mayer was recognized for her work on the structure of nuclei. Marie Curie won the physics prize in 1903 and the chemistry prize in 1911. When asked how it felt to become only the third woman to win the physics Nobel, Strickland reacted with surprise. Really? Is that all? I thought there might have been more, she said. Obviously, we need to celebrate women physicists, because were out there. I dont know what to say. Im honored to be one of those women. Ashkin, 96, is the oldest person to be awarded the Nobel Prize. He would not be available for interviews, the committee said Tuesday morning, because he was too busy working on his next paper. In a laser beam, light waves are tightly focused, rather than mixing and scattering as they do in ordinary white light. Since the first laser was built in 1960, scientists speculated that the energy of these focused beams could be put to work to move and manipulate objects a real-life version of Star Treks tractor beams. But this was science fiction for a very long time, committee member Mats Larsson said. Ashkin spent two decades studying the properties of lasers. He recognized that objects could be drawn toward the center of a beam, where the radiation was most intense. (A committee member demonstrated this phenomenon during the news conference by using a hair dryer to suspend a ping-pong ball in the air.) By further focusing the beam with a lens, he developed a light trap that could suspend a small spherical object at its center. Arthur Ashkin pictured in 1998 in his laboratory in Holmdel, N.J. Ashkin, 96, became the oldest Nobel laureate Tuesday by sharing the physics prize for his work on lasers. (Nokia Labs via AP) Ashkin used his new tool to hold a particle in place, then an atom, and, eventually, in 1987, a living bacterium. Ashkin even demonstrated that the tool could be used to reach into a cell without damaging the living system. The tweezers are extremely important for measuring small forces on individual molecules, said David Haviland, a member of the Nobel committee. This has been very interesting in biology, to understand how things like muscle tissue work. Atomic physicist Bill Phillips, who shared the Nobel Prize in 1997 for his work on cooling and trapping atoms with lasers, said Ashkins discoveries were vital to his own research. I feel like I owe a great debt to Art, he said. Also in the 1980s, Mourou and Strickland were working together at the University of Rochester to overcome a problem that had dogged laser research for decades: High-intensity laser beams tended to destroy the material used to amplify them. It was as though scientists were trying to boil water in a pot that couldnt handle such high temperatures. French scientist Gerard Mourou in his laboratory at the Ecole Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France, after winning the Nobel Prize for his work on lasers. (Christophe Ena/AP) The Rochester researchers developed an elegant workaround, which they called chirped pulse amplification, or CPA. First they stretched out the beam with a mile-long fiber optic cable, reducing its peak intensity. Then they amplified the signal to the desired level before compressing it into an ultrashort, ultrapowerful pulse lasting a tiny fraction of a second. Different people were trying to get short pulses amplified in different ways, Strickland said. It was thinking outside the box to stretch first and then amplify. CPA has been used to take images of split-second processes, such as the interactions between molecules and atoms. Its also fundamental for laser eye surgery. The technique is just as important to basic research. Fast pulse, high-energy pulses is ... one of the key things that characterizes modern atomic physics, Phillips said. Theres so much you can do with [them] to study how atoms behave. Strickland was a graduate student at the time of the CPA research; the 1985 article that announced the achievement was her first scientific publication. Noble Prize winner Donna Strickland smiles as she receives a standing ovation at the University of Waterloo in Canada. She is the third woman to win the physics prize. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP) Students have historically not been recognized by the Nobel Committee, something that critics say overlooks the work done by young scientists who are more frequently women and underrepresented minorities. But graduate students are the backbone of most scientific research, often running experiments and doing the detailed data analyses that lead to major discoveries. The prize-winning discovery of pulsars swiftly spinning cores of collapsed stars would not have been possible without Jocelyn Bell Burnell, who built the telescope and spotted the first signal when she was earning her PhD. But Burnell was not among the list of laureates for that prize. The journal Nature reported that the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences would explicitly call on future nominators to consider gender, geography and topic for the 2019 prizes. Goran K. Hansson, secretary general of the academy, said Tuesday that the academy is taking these measures because we dont want to miss anyone. But they did not affect this years prize: Its important to remember that the Nobel Prize is awarded for discoveries and inventions, and those who receive it have made major contributions to humankind, and thats why they get the prize. In a phone interview with the Swedish Academy, Strickland said her favorite application of high-power lasers is something she still demonstrates to undergraduate students in physics lab: white light generation. With this technique, a beam containing a narrow range of wavelengths is shot into a medium such as water, causing the waves to spread out into a rainbow. This is more advanced than Newtons famous experiment with a prism; whereas he simply spread out light into its component colors, white light generation broadens the spectrum contained within a beam, creating the colored light. Its a remarkable thing to see, Strickland said, and it took decades for physicists to understand how it worked. But thats what scientists like to do, is puzzle over something. Kaplan writes for the Washington Post. The Associated Press was used in compiling this report. UPDATES: 1 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional comments from scientists and more detail about the prize-winning work. 6:20 a.m.: This article was updated following interviews with the scientists, as well as more information about their work with lasers. This article was originally published at 3:25 a.m. France said on Tuesday there was no doubt Iran's intelligence ministry was behind a June plot to attack an exiled opposition group's rally outside Paris and it seized assets belonging to Tehran's intelligence services and two Iranian nationals. The hardening of relations between Paris and Tehran could have far-reaching consequences for Iran as President Hassan Rouhani's government looks to European capitals to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal after the United States pulled out and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. "Behind all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our (intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the Iranian intelligence ministry," a French diplomatic source said. The source, speaking after the government announced asset freezes, added that deputy minister and director general of intelligence Saeid Hashemi Moghadam had ordered the attack and Assadollah Asadi, a Vienna-based diplomat held by German authorities, had put it into action. The ministry is under control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, "We deny once again the allegations against Iran and demand the immediate release of the Iranian diplomat," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. The incident was a plot "designed by those who want to damage Irans long-established relations with France and Europe," he said. The plot targeted a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) outside the French capital. US President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and several former European and Arab ministers attended the rally. It unravelled after Asadi, an accredited diplomat in Austria, was arrested in Germany, two other individuals were detained in Belgium in possession of explosives, and one other individual in France. On Monday, a court in southern Germany ruled the diplomat could be extradited to Belgium. "We cannot accept any terrorist threat on our national territory and this plot needed a firm response," the diplomatic source said. Targeted Asset Freezes The asset freezes targeted Asadi and Moghadam. A unit within the Iranian intelligence services was also targeted. The French government gave no details of the assets involved, describing its measures as "targeted and proportionate". The diplomatic source said the freezes covered assets and financing means in France, although neither individual at this stage had any assets in the country. "We hope this matter is now over. We have taken measures and said what we needed to say," the source said, suggesting Paris was seeking to turn a page on the issue. France had warned Tehran to expect a robust response to the thwarted bombing and diplomatic relations were becoming increasingly strained. French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke to their Iranian counterparts about the issue at the UN General Assembly after demanding explanations over Iran's role. An internal French foreign ministry memo in August told diplomats not to travel to Iran, Reuters revealed, citing the Villepinte bomb plot and a toughening of Irans position towards the West. Paris has also suspended nominating a new ambassador to Iran and not responded to Tehran nominations for diplomatic positions in France. While not directly linked to the plot, the diplomatic source said a French police raid on a Shia Muslim faith centre earlier on Tuesday was aimed at also sending a signal at Iran. The deterioration of relations with France could have wider implications for Iran. France has been one of the strongest advocates of salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Tehran agree to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for a lifting of economic sanctions. US President Donald Trump's administration has said it expects renewed sanctions to hurt the Iranian economy hard. Search Keywords: Short link: By the time surfers hit the water Monday morning in Newport Beach, Hurricane Rosa had been downgraded to a tropical storm as it crawled from northern Baja California toward Arizona. But the storms swells made local waves big and enticing nonetheless. Spectators gathered Monday as surfers took on Newports famed Wedge, which had waves in the 8- to 10-foot range. About 2 miles away at the Point near 18th Street, waves were 6 to 8 feet with some 10-foot sets, lifeguard Battalion Chief Mike Halphide said. That was less than the forecast 15 feet Halphide had prepared for with extra staffing, though he said he wasnt disappointed. Its just not as big as they thought itd be, he said. The waves were clean and the crowd seemed prepared lifeguards had made only three rescues as of late Monday morning, Halphide said. The high surf could be followed by rain late in the day Tuesday. A low-pressure system moving through Southern California is expected to spread rainfall from the coast to the mountains until early Thursday, said Samantha Connolly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Up to a half-inch of rain could fall in areas of Orange and Los Angeles counties, forecasters said. As for Rosa, remnants of the storm are expected to bring heavy rain and thunderstorms to parts of San Diego and Riverside counties beginning Tuesday. Los Angeles Times staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD The fate of a push to prevent a hotly contested mobile needle-exchange service proposed for specified areas of Orange County, including Costa Mesa, remains up in the air after a San Diego County Superior Court judge Monday directed the opposing sides to return next month for an evidence hearing. Judge Joel Wohlfeil said that hearing scheduled for Nov. 13 will focus on the staffing proposed for the Orange County Needle Exchange Program and whether the operation could safely recover and dispose of used syringes and other waste. Im a little concerned that I havent yet had the time to go through everything and appreciate the nuances of your respective positions, Wohlfeil told attorneys Monday in San Diego. Wohlfeil said hes confident that after the upcoming hearing hell have the information necessary to rule on a motion that attorneys representing Orange County, the county Flood Control District and the cities of Costa Mesa, Anaheim and Orange filed in August seeking a preliminary injunction to keep the state-approved needle exchange from operating. The motion, which is part of those agencies lawsuit against the program, cited public health and safety concerns and asserted that the proposed exchange would lead to tens of thousands of dirty needles throughout the county, creating a significant public nuisance with serious risk of injury to the countys residents and water quality. It is our position that the application here is extremely deficient and vague, particularly in the area of the proper disposal of syringes, Rebecca Leeds, an attorney for Orange County, said Monday. However, state Deputy Attorney General Chara Crane said the proposal was subject to a lengthy public review and comment period and that the California Department of Public Healths approval was crafted specifically to address the needle litter concerns. Officials with the Orange County Needle Exchange Program, a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization, have said they plan to delay launching until after the legal proceedings. Ultimately, were here to work with the community and for the community, not against them, Kelley Butler, a steering committee member for the program, said in an earlier interview. She added that program officials are just really excited and equipped and ready to work with law enforcement, elected officials and other community stakeholders to arrive at the best situation to treat all residents equally. The Department of Public Health approved an application in July to allow the program to operate for two years in certain areas of Costa Mesa as well as Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana. Advocates of such programs say they are intended to help prevent the spread of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C by providing clean needles and other supplies to intravenous drug users. However, the states decision incited immediate and fierce blowback from residents and elected officials in the cities where the program is proposed. In Costa Mesa, officials swiftly condemned the idea and said the chosen operating area in the city on West 17th Street between Whittier Avenue and the city boundary with Banning Ranch was inappropriate because of its proximity to homes, schools and businesses. Along with joining the lawsuit, the Costa Mesa City Council adopted an urgency ordinance prohibiting the establishment or operation of needle exchanges anywhere in the city. The Orange County Needle Exchange Program used to operate out of the Santa Ana Civic Center and was the only one of its kind in the county. However, Santa Ana denied its permit in January, citing an increase in the number of discarded syringes in the area. luke.money@latimes.com Twitter @LukeMMoney The rescheduled featherweight title fight between champion Max Holloway and Harbor Citys unbeaten challenger Brian Ortega will take place at UFC 231 on Dec. 8 in Toronto, the UFC announced Monday night. Hawaiis Holloway (19-3) was forced to withdraw from a planned July title defense against Ortega (14-0) after suffering through concussion effects. Cleared medically, he now meets a 27-year-old skilled submission specialist coming off a stirring first-round knockout of former UFC champion Frankie Edgar in March. lance.pugmire@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @latimespugmire Twenty Los Angeles Times employees died in the Oct. 1, 1910, bombing of the newspaper. The Times staff declared the attack as the Crime of the Century. Daily, the paper reported on the manhunt. Eighteen of the dead were buried next to a monument at Hollywood Memorial Park now Hollywood Forever. For years, surviving employees attended remembrance ceremonies at the the Los Angeles Times Bombing Memorial. Following the bombing, the city of Los Angeles hired private detective William J. Burns to find the suspects. His work led to the arrest of the McNamara brothers John J. and James B. Clarence Darrow defended the McNamaras, but lost when the brothers changed their pleas to guilty. James McNamara received a life sentence. John received 15 years. After the trial, Darrow was twice tried on charges of jury tampering. The first trial ended in acquittal, the second in a hung jury. Darrow went on to defend John T. Scopes in the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, over the teaching of evolution in schools in Tennessee. There were two additional trials related to the Los Angeles Times bombing. In December 1915, Matthew Schmidt was convicted of murder. In December 1916, David Caplan was convicted of second degree manslaughter. An earlier version of this photo gallery appeared on Sept. 30, 2011. Los Angeles Times illustration of the Oct. 1, 1910 bombing. This illustration appeared in the Oct. 15, 1929, Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times October 1910: Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, president and general manager of the Los Angeles Times, inspects the ruins. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Oct. 3, 1910: Main entrance of destroyed Times building at First and Broadway. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Caskets at funeral services for the dead in the bombing of the Los Angeles Times building. The huge floral display is a reproduction of the Los Angeles Times building. The background is a painted mural of a forest scene. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Oct. 5, 1910: At the funeral of night editor Churchill Harvey-Elder, the casket is taken from the funeral home. Harvey-Elder was not buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Oct. 9, 1910: Burial of bombing victims at what is now Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The monument in the background is to Gen. Harrison Gray Otis' wife, Eliza. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library May 30, 1917: Friends and family of Los Angeles Times employees killed in the Oct. 1, 1910 bombing, spend Memorial Day decorating and cleaning plots at the Los Angeles Times Bombing Memorial at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Los Angeles Times Oct. 1, 1938: Dr. J. Whitcomb Brougher Sr. reads at a memorial service for the score who perished in the bombing of of the Los Angeles Times building on Oct. 1, 1910. Gordon Wallace / Los Angeles Times Dec. 1, 1911: Evidence against the McNamara brothers. The bag on the left was identified as belonging to John McNamara. In the center is bomb-making equipment. On the right is a pistol said to be used to shoot watchman. Los Angeles Times An undated photo of John J. McNamara, left, secretary-treasurer of the International Assn. of Bridge and Structural Iron Workers, and his brother James B. McNamara, who placed the bomb that destroyed The Times Building. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Dec. 4, 1911: Handwritten confession by James B. McNamara to the bombing of the Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies escort the McNamara brothers to court in an undated photo. Los Angeles Times Collection / The Huntington Library Oct. 9, 1911: Photo from courtroom during jury selection for McNamara brothers trial. The jury pool was reduced from 125 to 40 during the day's proceedings. This image was published in the Oct. 10, 1911, Los Angeles Times. Many of the faces were touched up by a Times artist. Los Angeles Times Sept. 29, 2015: Los Angeles Times Bombing Memorial at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Scott Harrison / Los Angeles Times See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here In the space of a few months, Indias Supreme Court has sought to wipe out generations of prejudice. In September, judges decriminalized gay sex, told a Hindu temple it couldnt bar entry to women of menstruating age and overturned a 158-year-old adultery law that treated wives as their husbands property. Judges in March had upheld the marriage of a woman who converted to Islam, her husbands religion, against the wishes of her Hindu parents, ruling that consenting adults had the right to choose whom they wed (although gay marriage remains illegal). While much of the U.S. last week was fixated on the spectacle of a Supreme Court nominee angrily defending himself against allegations of a drunken sexual assault, the Indian courts affirmations of womens rights and the lofty language in which the judges couched their rulings had the feel of a progressive wind blowing through New Delhi. Advertisement To treat women as children of a lesser god is to blink at the constitution itself, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud wrote in the verdict on menstrual taboos. In a complex, chaotic and generally conservative country led for the last four years by a Hindu majoritarian party Indias highest court has long battled charges of being too beholden to politicians in power and willing to trample on civil liberties when the government demands it. With its recent rulings, the courts defenders said it had reasserted itself as a protector of the individual rights promised by Indias nearly 70-year-old constitution. These judgments are not necessarily hugely popular, but they show that the court takes its job of providing constitutional justice seriously, said Menaka Guruswamy, a lawyer who helped lead the challenge to the gay sex ban. The judges do see themselves as a modernizing force, and I give credit to them for that, because we dont have a political class today that will pass legislation on social practices. The Indian Supreme Court building in New Delhi. (Money Sharma / AFP/Getty Images) For decades, Indias executive and legislative branches now tightly controlled by Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party but in past decades dominated by the secular, left-leaning Indian National Congress have ignored sensitive social issues that could cost them votes. Notions of individual liberty, equality and freedom of choice are rarely discussed by politicians in the worlds largest democracy. The gay sex ban and the adultery law vestiges of British colonial rule that rarely led to prosecutions remained on the books in India even though Britain scrapped them long ago. I wouldnt say the court is progressive, but I would say that they are trying to bring notions of equality and citizenship into a country that is completely tied to hidebound patriarchal norms, said Shylashri Shankar, a senior fellow at the Center for Policy Research, a New Delhi think tank. In the 1970s, the court surrendered its independence and endorsed the absolute powers declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during a 21-month state of emergency. Since then, to reassert its authority, the court has dramatically expanded the types of cases it will hear directly or on appeal from lower courts, whose judgments are often flawed. Designed only to consider constitutional matters, the court now entertains cases involving taxation, corporate law, land acquisition, corruption scams, criminal investigations, even bail applications. It has weighed in on the most mundane municipal questions, from banning tinted windows on cars to issuing traffic safety guidelines. Despite increasing its roster of judges from eight in 1950 to 31 today, usually sitting in two- to five-judge panels the court had more than 54,000 cases pending as of May. It has expanded beyond measure because other institutions dont work as intended, said Alok Prasanna, senior resident fellow at the Vidhi Center for Legal Policy, an independent advocacy group. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays his respects to Mahatma Gandhi during the late independence leaders birth anniversary, Oct. 2, 2018. (Manish Swarup / Associated Press) On a recent morning outside the Supreme Court of Indias stately pink-and-white domed courthouse, scores of lawyers in black robes rushed through the narrow corridors and sought shade in the colonnaded veranda, giving the place the feel of a college campus on commencement day. Inside a wood-paneled courtroom where fans hung from the high ceiling like spiders, two judges in imposing chairs heard arguments in three cases involving a land dispute, a suicide and an alleged fraud in a span of 15 minutes. There were 56 cases on the two judges docket that day, and nearly all would be heard over multiple days. Some cases have lasted decades. There is something about the Supreme Court which reminds you of the reality that is India, Guruswamy said. Its an overcrowded country, we have very few institutional checks, law and order is on the wane, you have these judges in despair. Its very difficult not to feel sympathy for them. But not everyone views the court as a force for progress. Privacy advocates were dismayed last week when the court upheld the legality of a mammoth biometric database that has raised fears of a surveillance state. Lawyers had argued that problems with the database had prevented some poor Indians from receiving welfare benefits. A few had died of hunger, according to court submissions. The judges dismissed those concerns, ruling that the wider benefit to society cannot be denied due to exclusion of a few. An Indian woman looks through an optical biometric reader to register for her Aadhaar card. (Narinder Nanu / AFP/Getty Images) In another case, the court declined to appoint a special investigation team to probe the arrests of five activists who had been accused on little to no evidence of a plot to overthrow Modi. Unlike the gay sex ban, whose repeal the government did not challenge, these two cases were highly sensitive: Indian officials are deeply invested in the database, known as Aadhaar, and Modis government has been accused of muzzling critics ahead of elections next spring. The court has not rubbed the government the wrong way on anything that matters, frankly, said Anuj Bhuwania, author of a book on public interest litigation in India. Civil liberties has never really been that important for it. The decisions also came at the end of one of the most tumultuous periods in the courts history. In January, four senior judges accused Chief Justice Dipak Misra who has the task of assigning cases to particular benches of manipulating the roster to keep certain judges away from politically sensitive cases. Dipak Misra, at right, attends a farewell event to mark the end of his tenure as chief justice of the Indian Supreme Court, alongside his successor Ranjan Gogoi. (EPA/Shutterstock) In one, a bench headed by Misra rejected appeals for an independent investigation into the death of a lower court judge who was hearing a murder case involving Modis top lieutenant, Amit Shah. The Supreme Courts ruling left gaping holes of unanswered questions and will remain a low point in Indian judicial history, wrote Manu Sebastian, a lawyer and commentator. Sebastian said the most recent verdicts served as an image makeover for Misra, who retired this week. His successor, Ranjan Gogoi, took over a court beset by internal challenges and a seemingly unending caseload. If you just read these last few judgments, youd think, Wow, the Supreme Court is amazing, but its an institution facing a very grievous crisis, Prasanna said. The next chief justice has an unenviable task. Special correspondent Niha Masih contributed to this report. shashank.bengali@latimes.com Shashank Bengali is South Asia correspondent for The Times. Follow him on Twitter at @SBengali Germany will next year end its reconnaissance and air-to-air refuelling missions that are part of U.S.-led operations against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the government decided on Tuesday, a document seen by Reuters showed. Germany, whose Nazi past makes military action a sensitive issue, has mainly carried out limited engagements abroad since World War Two, focusing on training, surveillance, medical rescue and peacekeeping, although it participated in the 1999 air offensive on what was then Yugoslavia. Germany's air force will end the flights by Oct. 31, 2019, the document showed, without giving a reason for the decision. Parts of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, have raised scepticism towards the flights. The German cabinet set no end date for a mission by German troops to train Iraqi military personnel, but it is due to be reviewed by April 30, the document showed. The lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, will have the final say on the continued deployment of up to 800 German troops in the region. The German aircraft taking part in the reconnaissance and refuelling missions are currently stationed at Azraq air base in Jordan. German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said last month during a visit there that she could not rule out a longer-term deployment of her country's forces in the Middle East, amid a broader debate about a role for Germany in possible military action Syria. Search Keywords: Short link: Stock Market News UK Shares News - Aston Martin investors told to pay 19 per share for IPO orders or risk losing out 02-10-2018 04:13 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 At least 34 migrants have died in a shipwreck in the western Mediterranean, which 26 people survived, the U.N. migration agency said on Tuesday, citing the Moroccan navy and a Spanish aid agency. Joel Millman, spokesman of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), told Reuters: "The boat was adrift since Sunday with 60 people aboard. At least 34 have drowned, it looks like there were 26 survivors." The information came from the Moroccan navy and a Spanish non-governmental oragnisation Caminando Fronteras, he said. A Moroccan official, asking not to be named, said 11 bodies had been recovered, adding that the dead were all migrants, not Moroccan nationals. Search Keywords: Short link: Kochi : Renowned musician and violinist Balabhaskar, who was critically injured in a car accident last week, passed away at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning. He was 40. Balabhaskar's two-year-old daughter Tejaswini had died in the car accident. The musician, who had suffered brain and spine injuries had undergone surgeries since in the accident in Pallipuram. His wife Lakshmi and driver Arjun are still undergoing treatment. His body will be kept for the public to pay their last respects at the University College, Thiruvananthapuram, where he studied. The last rites would take place later on Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his deepest condolence over the demise of the musician. Alpha is set against the backdrop of the Philippine governments war on drugs. Director Brillante Mendoza (right) and Alpha lead actor Allen Dizon at the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain. Award-winning director Brillante Mendozas film Alpha, The Right To Kill won Special Jury Prize the second most important award at the 66th San Sebastian International Film Festival.The San Sebastian International Film Festival is an annual international film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastian in the Basque Country. Since its creation in 1953, it has been established itself as one of the most important cinema festivals in the world, being one of only 14 A category competitive festivals accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations). This is the first time that a Filipino film is selected as a Main Competition film in this prestigious festival. It is also a first time for Mendoza to participate in San Sebastian. We would like to extend our congratulations to team Alpha, specially to Director Brillante Mendoza who has always been bringing honor to our country through his films. We won in San Sebastian Film Festival and I am excited for our Filipino films as they compete in international film festivals. FDCP is here to support Filipino films and filmmakers. Lets continue to be bold and share our stories to the world, said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Dino.Last year, the Philippine entry in the New Directors Section, Pailalim directed by Daniel Palacio won Special Mention Fedeora Award in San Sebastian International Film Festival.Alpha, The Right To Kill is included in the special screening at the 23rd Busan International Film Festival this October in Busan, South Korea. Cagayan de Oro CityA bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente has cried foul after their chapel was vandalized by unknown suspects in an apparent case of red-tagging. IFI Bishop Antonio Ablon said that Reverend Felix Espra, Jr., IFI parish priest of Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur, reported malicious markings painted the fence of their chapel on Sept. 30 that said: IFI=NPA. NPA commonly stands for the communist New Peoples Army. The chapel is in Gitub, Lakewood town. The markings on the wall of the chapel, which lies along the national highway leading to Zamboanga City, is visible to all passersby, Ablon said. Ablon said that Espra, Jr received a text message of Sept. 28, 2018 informing him of the incident. Ablon said that the incident was reported to barangay officials to the police. The bishop said other markings can be found in three different locations in Zamboanga del Sur. Three areas were vandalized. One is the IFI chapel in Gitub, Lakewood, the other one is a slope protection concrete wall in Barangay Lacupayan, Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur, and [the third] one along the boundary of Gatub and Kumalarang in Zamboanga del Sur, Ablon said.The marking in these locations equate various groups to the NPA, such as Bayan Muna, the Communist Party of the Philippines, the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, the League of Philippine Students, and other organizations. Bishop Ablon said he was singled out in the markings because he led a fact-finding mission on alleged aerial bombings in Barangay Saad, Duminorog, Zamboanga del Sur last May. The area is a highly militarized lumad community, he said. In a Pastoral Statement, The Most Reverend Rhee M. Timbang, Obispo Maximo, Iglesia Filipina Independiente, said the incident is a very disgusting if not revolting report about the labelling and tagging of the IFI and its clergy, specifically, Bishop Ablon, as NPAs. This incidence is highly alarming considering that these tagging and labelling do not only grossly malign and vilify the IFI and its ministry, they likewise irresponsibly place the life and security of Bishop Antonio Ablon and other IFI bishops and clergy in danger, Timbang said. Red-tagging and labelling serve to harass, intimidate and threat persons who are considered as enemies of the state, but worst these serve as license for their liquidation or neutralization, to borrow military terms, as state security officers (or the organized rogue military/police elements under their command) are given the open permission to shoot and kill those whom listed in their order of battle, Timbang added. Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez on Monday appealed to the Senate to prioritize the approval of the proposed Department of Disaster Resilience following the bills approval on third and final reading at the House of Representatives. I appeal to the Senate leadership to also fast-track the passage of the DDR bill as this would help drastically reduce, if not totally eliminate, the bureaucratic red tape that has caused many delays in the delivery of immediate assistance needed by disaster and calamity victims, Romualdez, chairman of the House committee on accounts, and principal author of the bill, said. The bill was approved on third and final reading Monday by a 181-5-2 vote. Romualdez acknowledged the commitment of the House led by Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to support the measure. I thank my colleagues and Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for their strong commitment to pass the DDR that guarantees a unity of command, science-based approach, and full-time focus on natural hazards and disasters, Romualdez said. With Speaker Arroyos competence and sterling qualities as experienced leader, we can be assured that the measure will also be approved in the Senate and becomes a law very soon, she added. Speaker Arroyo has a clear vision for the country and has a great ability to get the job done, she added. The proposed DDR is solely dedicated to concerns on disaster mitigation and quick response. The measure guarantees fast and responsive procurement process to ensure the swift delivery of assistance. Guaranteeing disaster resiliency through closer coordination and stronger management synchronization at all levels of the countrys disaster risk reduction and management system cannot be delayed any further. With the lives, safety and the welfare of our people at stake, Romualdez said. Romualdez said it is high time that we create a truly empowered department that will focus on natural hazards and disasters; and characterized by unity of command, a science-and ICT-based approach, and the wherewithal to take charge of three key result areas: (a) disaster risk reduction; (b) disaster preparedness and response; and (c) recovery, rehabilitation and building forward better The DDR will effectively improve the institutional capacity of the government for disaster risk reduction and management, reduce the vulnerabilities surrounding the affected local population as well as build the resilience of local communities to calamities, Romualdez said. Another author of the bill, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, echoed Romualdezs appeal. Villafuerte said the trail of death and destruction left by Super Typhoon Ompongthe strongest typhoon thus far to hit the country this yearshould prompt senators to write new legislation creating a Cabinet-level department that would institutionalize the governments disaster preparation, risk reduction and relief and rehabilitation efforts. A new Cabinet-level department would put in place and oversee disaster preparation, risk management, and post-disaster relief and rehabilitation operations in lieu of the ad hoc nature of current government efforts, which has now become untenable with climate change, Villafuerte said. Several similar bills filed in the Senate, including one submitted by Senate President Vicente Sotto III last August, remain pending at the committee level. These measures were read on first reading and were referred to the Senate committees on national defense and security; civil service, government reorganization, and professional regulation; and finance. In relation to this, I am supporting the Presidents directive to build permanent evacuation centers to replace the usual practice of converting public schools into temporary shelters for calamity victims. This should be the first order of business for the would-be Department, Villafuerte said. House Bill 8165 proposes to create DDR, which shall be the primary government agency responsible for leading, organizing and managing the national effort to reduce disaster risk, and prepare for and respond to disasters, recover and rehabilitate. The bill also provides that the DDR shall oversee and coordinate the preparation, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of disaster and climate resilience plans, programs, and activities.The DDR shall also provide leadership in the continuous development of strategic and systematic approaches to disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation, and anticipatory adaptation strategies, measures, techniques and options. It shall also augment the capacity of local government units (LGUs) in collaboration with relevant national agencies and other stakeholders to implement disaster risk reduction and management and climate change action plans, programs, projects and activities. Romualdez is the wife of Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) President Martin Romualdez, the original proponent of the bill during the previous 16th Congress where he served House Independent Bloc leader as congressman of Leyte. Meanwhile, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III exhorted the public to assess their readiness to respond and to provide needed disaster relief and assistance in times of natural calamities. Our education drives and simulation drills should be sustained and continuous. An alert and informed citizenry is best equipped to deal with emergencies, he said. He made the remark as the Philippine government sent its condolences to the Indonesian government in the aftermath of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami that caused the death of at least 800 people. The death toll continues to rise as more responders reach affected areas. Meanwhile, a severe tropical storm, codenamed Kong-Rey was reported to be entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the coming days. This comes after Typhoon Ompong lashed out at Northern Luzon two weeks ago, destroying crops and livestock estimated at P26.7 billion according to the Department of Agriculture. Human casualties reached close to 70. We cannot prevent natural calamities from happening, but we can prepare well, especially considering we belong to the same earthquake and volcanic zone. Typhoon-wise, were actually more prone to be hit by storms compared to our ASEAN neighbors. Pimentel called on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to hold more nationwide drills, apart from the quarterly exercises, to better prepare citizens. NDRRMCs closer coordination with the Department of National Defenses Office of Civil Defense as well as the DILG and DepEd is direly needed. Schools at all levels should be a particular focus for earthquake drills because of the large concentration of young citizens in school zones, the lawmaker said. The Mindanao senator discussed the idea of possibly creating a separate Department of Disaster Preparedness and Resiliency to address year-long disaster management concerns. The name, of course, can be modified, but the important aspect here is preparedness at the highest executive level. We need a full-time and dedicated bureaucracy for disaster management. Pimentel likewise said he was studying the economic viability of earthquake, typhoon and similar insurance coverage, focusing on aspects of affordability and how Filipino households can be conditioned to consider insurance coverage as necessary expenses. We still have a long way to go in terms of maturity and openness to spending on insurance, especially since its an added cost that competes with more basic living expenses, he said. Eventually, however, we must deal with this issue of coverage because our country experiences damaging weather and natural disturbances quite regularly. Insurance is in itself a form of preparedness, the senator said. 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Expertise You find that most of the tech experts that we have are also traders. And that gives them first-hand information on what needs to be improved or amended on the stock trading software. With the ETNA Broker Back Office platform, know that your business is covered. White label You can seamlessly add your logo, pick the preferred language for your trading terminal, and even create your own customized themes for your online trading terminal. You also can create sub-instances and trading groups within the trading platform. The online trading terminal is essentially a 100% white label software. To mean that you can just as easily customize and even launch a branded instance. Easily customizable You can also create and also save an unlimited number of custom dashboards and widgets on the online trading platform. Essentially, you have the capacity of creating any unique trading experience that you prefer. Plus, you do not need to have any programming skills to use the platform. The online trading ETNA Broker Back Office simulator Using our platform offers you seamless access to the markets without the need to download or even update any software. You can access the markets using any web browser and even the handheld mobile devices and enjoy risk-free trading. The streaming simulated quotes and charts also make the simulation process flawless. The best thing about the simulator process is that you can now include your trading data to the ETNA Broker Back Office platform and let it do the rest. It is now possible to share your data with your colleagues and friends or students from the chat rooms and third-party apps. Try the ETNA Broker Back Office platform and its software and many other features and see how it works for you. By Sumeet Manhas 2018 Copyright Sumeet Manhas - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday she was continuing to work on a new proposal for the so-called Northern Irish backstop when asked whether comments by her partners in parliament, the DUP, would prevent that from happening. Earlier, Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) warned Brussels the European Union cannot be allowed to "annex" the province by having it accept different regulations from those that apply in the rest of the United Kingdom. "We are continuing to work on that new offer and we will put a new offer before the European Commission," May told ITV news. "This concept of introducing no changes in that regulatory environment without the consent of the people of Northern Ireland was in that December joint report," she said, referring to a report agreed by Britain and the EU on a backstop plan to prevent a return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. Search Keywords: Short link: The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Montana funding to stimulate STEM research and innovation with commercialization potential. The three-year grant is expected to total $218,000 and will establish the University of Montana as an I-Corps Site. "The UM I-Corps Site will capitalize on the success of the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars entrepreneurship program at the University of Montana," said Blackstone LaunchPad Director Paul Gladen, who will serve as one of the UM principal investigators. "It will foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem at UM and continue to develop the strong entrepreneurial culture and community in Montana." http://news.umt.edu/2018/09/092718stem.php Next Frontier Capital http://www.nextfrontiercapital.com/ is proud to participate with the Chernin Group in investing in the http://www.themeateater.com. Very pleased that Kevin Sloan is CEO. Chernin Group has become the principal investor in MeatEater Inc., a new outdoor-lifestyle company founded by Steven Rinella, author, podcaster and host of Netflixs "MeaterEater" series. The Bozeman, Montana-based media company, formed in February 2018, caters to an audience of wildlife enthusiasts, providing a hub for hunting, fishing, food and conservation. MeatEater will center on Rinellas popular show and podcast, but will develop additional content that appeals not just to hunters and anglers but all fans of outdoor lifestyle and sustainable eating, execs said. Fans of the MeatEater brand span all walks of life, and notwithstanding the name even includes some vegetarians, according to Rinella (pictured above). "We felt there was real potential to expand MeatEater with other voices and into different platforms," said Rinella, who recently relocated to Bozeman from Seattle. "Its very contemporary its grounded in historical awareness of our long-term relationship with wildlife in our country." Chernin Group Acquires Controlling Stake in Steven Rinellas MeatEater Inc. Her Excellency Mrs. K. Nandini Singla, High Commissioner of India paid a courtesy call to the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation, The honorable Stephan Toussaint on the 08th March 2021. During the consultation, the High Commissioner uttered her appreciation for the cordial and mutual relations between Mauritius and India. She also expressed great interest in increased collaboration between the high commission of India in Mauritius and the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports, and Recreation. The discussions focused on the avenues of cooperation that can be further developed in the sports sector, youth development, and recreational activities. In this context, 10 Mauritian youngsters will be invited to participate in next years national day celebration of India. The cost and accommodation will be borne by the government of India. Finally, both sides have also expressed the willingness to review the existing MoU between the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Recreation and the High Commission of India signed in 2012. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Nous vivons une periode inedite, faite a la fois de petits bonheurs et dincertitudes. Certains ont nomme cela The Great Pause : une opportunite pour reflechir, sur la vie et le monde qui nous attendent apres le Covid-19. Quavons-nous appris, durant cette periode ? Nos relations vont-elles changer ? Nos priorites egalement ? Saurons-nous redefinir nos envies de bonheur ? Le Covid-19 est-il notre wake up call ? Lequipe dINSPIRE a decide dorganiser durant le confinement une serie de 4 debats, diffuses sur les reseaux sociaux. Des conversations en toute simplicite afin de partager les lecons apprises et reflechir ensemble a notre futur mode de vie post Covid-19. INSPIRE a donc lance le concept dINSPIRED TALKS une serie de 4 webinars sur la plateforme zoom, retransmise en streaming live sur facebook. Cest un format de 40 minutes a 20h30 lorsque les enfants sont couches J vu quon est plus que jamais multi taches en ce moment , nous explique Valerie Imbert Kerambrun, la fondatrice. Trois intervenants sont invites a converser autour dun theme avec une facilitatrice tel un plateau ou une table ronde. Parmi les themes abordes, le premier tournait autour de ce que nous voulons au niveau personnel (relations/individuel/couple/famille), le second autour de la consommation (les messages des marques vont-ils changer, notre facon de consommer va-t-elle evoluer et vers quoi ? de lorganique, du smart, du local ? quel sera le role de le commerce ?). Le 28 mai, le theme aborde etait le changement dans le milieu professionnel et le jeudi 30 mai, les repercussions de la crise sur notre environnement et le monde qui nous entoure plus philosophiquement. Inspire accorde une grande importance au choix de ses invites. Nous faisons de sorte quils soient non seulement competents dans leurs domaines, de vrais leaders dopinions qui partagent nos valeurs et nont pas peur de le faire differemment. De ce fait, nous avons pu entendre Emilie Duval, psychologue, Dr Mita Ballysingh, Nicolas Ragodoo, Nathalie Job, Lawrence Wong, Ravi Ramjutton, Heba Jangeerkhan, Diane Maigrot, Kevin Teeroovengadum, Catherine Gris, Patrick Belcourt et Daniella Bastien. Avec le prolongement du confinement, lequipe dInspire effectuera cette semaine une petite etude de marche afin de savoir quels autres themes seraient susceptibles dinteresser leur audimat. Leducation et la culture semblent etre deux aspects qui ont ete fortement demandes pour le moment. Qui est derriere cela ? INSPIRE est une nouvelle plateforme digitale dinformation et de communication mettant en avant le Mindstyle mauricien et sadressant aux hommes et aux femmes qui veulent mieux vivre. Ceux qui choisissent la serenite, le developpement personnel et le bonheur. Nous voulons vous inspirer dans votre quete vers lepanouissement , nous explique Valerie Imbert Kerambrun, consultante en marketing et brand strategist. INSPIRE est un projet issu de lincubateur Turbine. Je travaille sur ce projet a la Turbine depuis plus dun an, jai ete rejointe recemment par Marie Noelle Elissac- Foy, comme directrice editoriale et Winley Vellin, comme directeur technique web et digital. Lequipe est maintenant armee pour faire front. Le Covid nous a pousse a nous re inventer et a adapter le projet qui se developpera comme une start-up agile des que les conditions sanitaires et economiques le permettront. Pour linstant, INSPIRE est present sous forme de blog, dune page Facebook hebergeant nos webinars. La prochaine edition sera autour de Les artistes, chanteurs et musiciens ont contribue a attenuer les effets du lockdown. Que faut-il aujourdhui pour relever lindustrie culturelle et creative mauricienne? Quel role doivent jouer les artistes dans notre monde post-covid? Les intervenants seront Nirveda Alleck, plasticienne, Stephan Rezannah, directeur de Jorez Box et Astrid Dalais, directrice de Move for Art . Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn MAFF says they are "keen to ensure that the Egyptian cinema is strongly present in all the activities and programs of this years edition" The Malmo Arab Film Festival (MAFF) is kicking-off its 8th edition in the Swedish city between 5 and 9 October, honoring Egyptian cinema with two movies screened in the opening and the closing nights, in addition to two other films. "Egyptian cinema has been one of the most important cultural tributaries that have shaped the thoughts of millions of Arabs over generations in more than a century," stated the MAFF on their official website praising the "huge heritage" of the Egyptian cinema, calling it '"the oldest cinema in the Arab world, and even the planet." The MAFF added that they are "keen to ensure that the Egyptian cinema is strongly present in all the activities and programs of this years edition." The Egyptian feature film Talq Senay, or Induced Labor, will be screened on the opening night while Karim El Shenawy's Eyar Nari, or Gunshot, will be screened on the closing night. The 2017 production Induced Labor features a famous cast including Horeya Farghaly, Maged Elkedwany, Abdelrahman Abo Zhra, Sayed Ragab, Mostafa Khater, Mai Kassab and Bayoumi Fouad. The film tells the story of an expecting Egyptian married couple who have desperately dreamed of getting a visa to the U.S. and come up with a hilarious idea to storm into the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and give birth on its premises. Starring Ahmed El-Fishawy, and Ruby and Mohamed Mamduh, Gunshot follows a mysterious murder that connects the destinies of the protagonists and changes their beliefs about the concept of truth. Gunshot is written by Haitham Dabbour and is director Karim El-Shenawy's debut feature-length film after a series of award-winning short films. The MAFF will also screen another two Egyptian feature films; Photocopy, directed by Tamer El-Ashry, and Kiss Me Not, directed by Ahmed Amer. Egyptian film Poisonous Roses, directed by Ahmed Fawzi Saleh, is participating in the long feature competition, while Noha Adel's Into Reverse competes in the short. Directed by Lebanese Reem Saleh, What Comes Around is competing in the long documentary category while Youssef Nasser's Sculpting In Time and Mohammad Homouda's Manicure are competing in the short. "The festival also organized a seminar about the issues of Egyptian cinema. Moreover, we are honored this year to host prominent Egyptian stars and filmmakers," said a festival statement. MAFF was founded in 2011 by general manager and artistic director Mouhamad Keblawi, and grew to become one of the largest Arab film festivals and platforms for Arab culture in the world. The event is the largest film festival in southern Sweden, which also includes exhibitions, workshops, seminars, and celebrations. It will screen around 120 feature films, documentaries, and short films. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: The media center for the Egyptian cabinet denied reports on Tuesday that claimed that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism in children, according to a statement. The center asserted that it has contacted the Ministry of Health and Population, which has categorically denied the reports and asserted that children vaccines in Egypt comply with international standards. The ministry also noted that all vaccines in Egypt are approved by the World Health Organization and are stored and handled in line with international regulations to ensure their safety. The ministry called on media outlets, especially social media, to be accurate in their reporting in order to avoid spreading false news. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. "This was not a referendum on my eight years as Mayor of North Wales Borough. If it was, the margin of defeat would have been much more than six votes. Rather, I believe this loss was the result of the... By By: Dr. Francis R. Souder, 85, formerly of Telford, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007 in the skilled nursing unit of Peter Becker Community, Franconia Township. He and his wife Marion R. (Parker) Souder celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary in July. Born in Souderton, he was a son of the late Elvin B. and Mary (Rittenhouse) Souder. A 1938 graduate of Souderton High School, he received his undergraduate degree in 1941 from the University of Pennsylvania where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Souder went on to receive his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College in 1944 and completed his internship at Hahnemann Hospital from Oct. 1944 July, 1945. He served with the U.S. Navy Medical Corps for 30 months in San Diego and Long Beach, Calif. during WW II and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant prior to his discharge. He entered his second tour of duty during the Korean War where he served in Panama City, Fla. as the medical officer for the Panama City Naval Air Station and the Tyndal Air Force Base. Dr. Souder owned and operated his family practice on Main Street in Telford from 1947-1989. He served on the staff of Grand View Hospital, and as its president, and taught at the Grand View Hospital Nursing School. He was a member of the Pa. Medical Society, the Bucks County Medical Society, Diplomat American Academy of Family Practices, and served on the board of trustees at Grand View Hospital, Sellersville. He was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Telford, where he sang in the church choir. He was also a member of the MacCalla Lodge #596 in Souderton, the Raja Shrine, and Lehigh Consistory. In addition to his widow, he is survived by a son, Dr. Ronald L. Souder, and his wife Susan L. of Green Lane; a daughter, Susan J. Souder, and her husband Stephan Russo of New York, N.Y.; five grandchildren: Jennifer A. Souder of Philadelphia; Emily E. Souder of Philadelphia; Kathryn A. Souder of Washington, D.C.; Noah Russo of New York, N.Y., and Rebekah Russo of New York, N.Y., and two brothers: Attorney Elvin B. Souder of Souderton and Dr. Lawrence Souder of Souderton. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. in Trinity United Church of Christ, 101 S. Main St., Telford, with calling hours following the service. Interment will be private in Trinity UCC Cemetery Telford. Memorial contributions may be made to Grand View Hospital, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, Pa. 18960. Arrangements are by Sadler-Suess Funeral Home, Telford. October 02, 2018 Note To NATO - You Don't "Take Out" Missiles Without Having A War Earlier today the U.S. ambassador to NATO threatened to "take out" a new kind of Russian missiles: The U.S. envoy to NATO on Tuesday said that Russia must halt development of new missiles that could carry nuclear warheads and warned that the United States could take out the system if it becomes operational. The U.S. and Russia have for some time disagreed about the INF treaty. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed in 1987 between the Soviet General Secretary Gorbachov and U.S. President Reagan. It prohibits land based (not sea based) nuclear capable systems with a range of more than 500 kilometers and less than 5,500 kilometers. The agreement came to pass after the Soviets stationed SS-20 missiles in East Europe. NATO responded with the Pershing II deployment. The problem with these missiles was warning time. Fired at a relative short range they threatened to overwhelm one side before it could respond. The missiles thus destroyed the equilibrium of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD). The INF treaty banned these missiles. Russia said for years that the U.S. broke the INF agreement when it stationed missile defense systems in Europe to allegedly take out North Korean and Iranian intercontinental missiles. The missile defense missiles could be armed with nuclear warheads and could probably be used in a surface-to-surface mode. Previously deployed U.S. Nike-Hercules 'air defense' missiles had such capabilities. The National Defense Authorization Act for the year 2018 calls for (pdf, pg 240): ... evaluating existing U.S. missile systems for modification to intermediate range and ground-launch, including Tomahawk, Standard Missile-3, Standard Missile-6, Long-Range Stand-Off Cruise Missile, and Army Tactical Missile System. Any such modification would be undetectable from the outside, especially when the missiles are stored in launch canisters or silos. It would also clearly be in breach of the INF treaty. The U.S. denies that its current missile defense systems break the INF and accuses Russia of breaking the treaty by testing a land launched version of its sea launched Kalibr cruse missiles. Russia denies that it is testing anything that is not compatible with the INF treaty. If there is a land launched version it is likely confined to a range below 500 kilometers and thus in compliance with the INF. The sea launched version has a reach of up to 2,500 kilometer, but its export variant is limited to 300 kilometer. The possibly land launched version, which is said to be shorter than the original Kalibr missile (see comments), might well have a much shorter range than the sea launched system. The missiles have, as far as is publicly know, non-nuclear warheads. The U.S. ambassador to NATO is Kay Baily Hutchinson, a long-term Republican politician with no military experience. Her choice of words in today's press briefing was clearly unprofessional: Question: [...] Maam, can you be more specific what kind of new information that you are bringing to the table regarding the breach of the INF Treaty? And more explicitly also, what kind of countermeasures that you are considering. Ambassador Hutchison: The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually. We are trying not to do anything that would violate the treaty on our side, which allows research, but not going forward into development, and we are carefully keeping the INF Treaty requirements on our side, while Russia is violating. ... The reporters in the room were in disbelieve over such aggressive wording and followed up: Question: Thanks, Ambassador. Lorne [Inaudible], Associated Press. Just to clarify a little bit when you said to take out the missiles that are in development, we are a little excited here. Do you mean to get those withdrawn? You dont mean to actually take them out in a more [inaudible]? Ambassador Hutchison: Well, withdrawing, yes. Getting them to withdraw would be our choice, of course. But I think the question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering. And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska. So it is in all of our interests, and Canada as well, I suppose. So we have our North Atlantic risk as well as the European risk. So what is the ambassador going to do? Bomb Russia over a disagreement about the technical specification of a potential new missile that is not even deployed yet? This nonsense comes just days after the U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke suggested that the U.S. Navy might blockade Russia's energy trade. When the INF treaty was signed NATO was far from Russia's border. Now it is directly at it. The Russian government takes such threats seriously. Its spokesperson was not amused (Ru, machine translation): The North Atlantic Alliance does not realize the degree of its responsibility and the dangers of aggressive rhetoric, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday when commenting on the words of US Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison about the possibility of shooting down Russian missiles. ... "It seems that people making such statements do not realize the degree of their responsibility and the dangers of aggressive rhetoric. Who authorized this woman to make such statements? The American people? Are the people in the US aware of the fact that so-called diplomats are paid aggressively and destructive? It is very easy to break and destroy everything. It is difficult to repair and repair. American diplomacy has a lot to do to recover from the consequences of its inherent errors, "Zakharova told reporters. One hopes that the ambassador erred in her "take out" response. Otherwise Russia will probably consider to "take out" the ABM assets the U.S. deploys over Europe. That would surely produce a lot of frightening content for the Express' "World War3" category. Posted by b on October 2, 2018 at 18:15 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. Home Price Gains at Two-Year Lows The take-away from CoreLogic's report on its August Home Price Index is that home price appreciation during the month was the slowest in two years. The national index was up 0.1 percent compared to July while the year-over-year gain, while also indicating a slowdown, was still a strong 5.5 percent. Price gains were highest by a huge margin in Nevada with a 13.0 percent annual increase. Washington State prices rose 9.1 percent and in Utah the increase was 8.9 percent. Five other states posted gains of 7 percent or more including one surprise entry, West Virginia. "The rise in mortgage rates this summer to their highest level in seven years has made it more difficult for potential buyers to afford a home," said Dr. Frank Nothaft, chief economist for CoreLogic. "The slackening in demand is reflected in the slowing of national appreciation, as illustrated in the CoreLogic Home Price Index. National appreciation in August was the slowest in nearly two years, and we expect appreciation to slow further in the coming year." CoreLogic's forward looking forecast is for home prices to increase by 4.7 percent over the 12 months ending in August 2019 and by 0.4 percent from August to September 2018. The deceleration in price gains, which has been noted by other major prices indices including those from S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, may be a little past due. CoreLogic also notes that its Market Condition Indicators (MCI), an analysis of housing values in the 100 largest metro areas (MSAs), finds 38 percent are now considered to have an overvalued housing market. The company puts MSAs in three categories, undervalued, overvalued, or at value, compared to each area's long-run sustainable levels. These are levels with local fundamentals that support home prices such as disposable income. An overvalued market is one in which prices are 10 percent higher than those long-run values; an undervalued market is down 10 percent from those levels. In August CoreLogic considered only 18 percent of the markets as undervalued and 44 percent were at value. When the universe was narrowed to the 50 largest areas that percentage that were overvalued jumped to 46 percent and the undervalued group dropped to 12 percent. At value areas ticked down to a 42 percent share. An August study by CoreLogic and RTi Research to look at consumer housing sentiment found that home prices are still rising in most markets, albeit at reduced rates. One reason that home sales are declining in some places is that sellers believe this will continue and, by waiting, they may be able to achieve a better price. The research found that many potential sellers intend to use cash from selling their current home for the downpayment on their next one, and 66 percent of those who intend to buy over the next ten years will need to sell their current homes to finance their next one. Thirty-five percent of those who bought recently used sales proceeds to do so. "In some markets, homebuyers and sellers are remaining cautious and taking a pause as price appreciation continues to rise," said Frank Martell, president and CEO of CoreLogic. "By waiting to sell, homeowners believe they will get the greatest return on their investment; the more money they have for a downpayment, the easier the purchase payments will be for their next home." Four years ago, said Claudio Domenicali the CEO, Ducati launched its first Scrambler at Intermot here in Koln, which was really like starting a new brand for Ducati. A brand to make Ducati more accessible, and a really successful one so they say, with more than 55,000 units sold since 2015. Since then theyve been introducing two new Scramblers a year, but for 2019 I count four. The first one would be the Icon Ryan rode a couple of weeks ago. The three new models get all the improvements of that bike the hydraulic clutch, the cornering ABS, the other things. Domenicali makes the point that people who dont know what cornering ABS is, like many Scrambler newcomers, are the ones who probably need it most. Smart man. Other updates include new headlights with daytime running light, updated switchgear for improved ergonomics and a revised hydraulic clutch that offers a softer feel. After the obligatory hipster video, Ducati unveiled: Scrambler Cafe Racer, with a sweet blue frame, spoked wheels, and inspiration by the 125 Grand Prix Desmo of yore. Features include aluminum bar-end mirrors, 17-inch spoked wheels, small fairing and a stubby fender, giving it a 60s cafe feel. The number 54 is in honor of former Ducati race Bruno Spaggiari. Scrambler Desert Sled, with a 19/17 wheel combination and Domenicalis testimonial that this one underwent serious testing and will walk the walk as well as talk the talk. The Desert Sled comes with an off-road riding mode that disables ABS for when you want to take it out in the dirt. Scrambler Full Throttle, inspired by the US hooligan racer Frankie Garcia. Read more from our 2018 Intermot Show Coverage We are still far from where ... HARTFORD State Sen. Len Suzio continued to spar over Gov. Dannel P. Malloys Earned Risk Reduction Credit program Tuesday, saying the governors policy is a catastrophic failure that should be suspended and studied. Suzio, R-Meriden, also shared data he obtained from the Department of Correction that he said backs up his claim that the program isnt working. A Malloy spokesman called Suzios information alternative facts, however, and said drops in the crime rate and recidivism show that the program is accomplishing its goal. Suzio said the data he obtained from the DOC indicates 40,814 sentenced inmates have been discharged from prison with at least one credit since the program first took effect in September 2011. Suzio said that during that same timeframe, 14,008 crimes of a violent or serious nature were committed by inmates released with risk reduction credits. This continuing high degree of recidivism and the shocking number of 14,008 violent crimes committed by early release convicts who were supposed to reform their behavior is glaring testimony that the program is not working, he said. Leigh Appleby, a spokesman for Malloy, said Suzio was sharing alternative facts and there is no disputing that Connecticut is safer today than when Governor Malloy took office. He shared data that showed Connecticuts recidivism rate within three years of release was 34 percent, down from 35 percent in 2011 and 37 percent in 2005. Appleby also noted that violent crime has dropped by 19 percent since 2011, Malloys first year in office, and the states crime rate is at its lowest level since 1967, according to the FBI. There is no disputing that Connecticut is safer today than when Governor Malloy took office, Appleby said. That is an objective fact, backed up by FBI data. Senator Suzios end game would see more people mostly people of color locked up for longer periods of time, and our state would only be less safe. Mary Daugherty Abrams, the Meriden Democrat running against Suzio, also accused Suzio of misrepresenting the information. "We need laws that keep our residents safe, but politicians like Len Suzio manipulating numbers is exactly whats wrong with Hartford, she said in a statement. Suzio said he didnt see the drop in crime as a sign that the program was working, and argued that the drop in Connecticuts prison population was the result of the Malloy administrations early release policy. Thats irrelevant, Suzio said. The Risk Reduction program began in 2011, replacing the states previous method of early release credits. The program allows convicted inmates certain serious offenses make participation ineligible to shave time off their sentences by completing programs and displaying good behavior. All eligible inmates were initially able to receive a reduction of five days per month, but legislation changed the program beginning Feb. 1, 2016, to allow between one and five days based on an inmates risk level. The goal was to motivate inmates to seek a lower security level to get more time off their sentences. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz By PTI NEW DELHI: Flipkart has significantly expanded its infrastructure and delivery operations ahead of the festive sale, an investment that the Walmart-backed company believes will help further strengthen its capabilities in the long-term. ALSO READ | Flipkart acquires Israel's Upstream Commerce Flipkart, which will host its Big Billion Days (BBD) sale from October 10-14 this year, has doubled its warehousing capacity and now has over 65 fulfilment centres and more than 60 'mother hubs' that will cater to the expected spike in demand during the festive sale. "BBD pushes us to innovate in every area, including supply and logistics. It helps us build capabilities for long-term. Each BBD is bigger than the previous one and sets a new normal -- for both business and innovation -- for the future," Flipkart Senior Vice President of Engineering (Supply Chain) Krishna Raghavan told PTI. "We have been working multiple months in advance and have doubled our storage capacity this year. This not only helps in speedier delivery to customers but also enables sellers to stock and better plan their inventory in advance," he said but declined to comment on investment details. Raghavan added that the cumulative capacity now stands at about 9.5 million sq ft. The company has also expanded its network of delivery hubs from 600 to over 900 this year to enable 1.8X delivery capability per day compared to a normal day. Besides, about 30,000 new delivery staff have been added over the past many weeks, including freelance workers who are part timers. These personnel were inducted after a proper background screening and given training for 1-4 weeks. "While the hiring number does see a ramp-up ahead of BBD, it is also important to note that we have been expanding 'Fquick' or the freelance network, which now has affiliates from 40 cities. This provides us capacity flexibility at our last mile delivery hubs, leading to spillage reduction and cost efficiency -- not only during sale period but beyond that as well," he said. He also cited an example of geo-coding of addresses using machine learning, artificial intelligence and data science to ensure faster and effective delivery even in remote parts of the country. Raghavan said the focus of all these initiatives is to ensure fast and efficient delivery across categories, be it large appliances or grocery. The network has also been strengthen to support Flipkart's product exchange programme that has been expanded aggressively, especially in tier II cities and beyond. About 20 million people are expected to shop on various e-commerce platforms during the festive sale next month, translating into sales of around USD 3 billion for players like Amazon and Flipkart, according to a report by research firm RedSeer. Flipkart's rival Amazon India will kick off its festive sale from October 10-15. The RedSeer report states that the share of items like electronics and furniture during the sale could be higher this year due to various affordability initiatives being undertaken by the e-commerce players. Mobile phones currently account for a lion's share of sales on the two leading e-commerce platforms. Like in offline retail, e-commerce companies see a significant jump in sales during Dussehra and Diwali. The September-November period typically generates a majority of the annual sales of these companies, which prepare months in advance for the sale event. The festive sale not only brings in discounts and deals for customers but is also an annual showdown of sorts between the two largest players -- Flipkart and Amazon India. ALSO READ | Flipkart eyes stake in Star's Hotstar The competition between Flipkart and US-based Amazon this year is expected to be even fiercer as both companies have invested significantly through the year to ramp up product offerings as well as logistics infrastructure to ensure speedier delivery. While Flipkart now has the backing of US retail giant Walmart (via a USD 16 billion deal signed earlier this year), Amazon India too has received funding through the year from the US parent across operations like marketplace and payments. By Reuters LAHORE: Islamabad has cut the size of the biggest Chinese "Silk Road" project in Pakistan by $2 billion, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Monday, citing government concerns about the country's debt levels. The megaproject to revamp the colonial-era line stretching 1,872 km (1,163 miles) from Karachi to the northwestern city of Peshawar was initially priced at $8.2 billion, but wrangling over costs has led to delays. The changes are part of Islamabad's efforts to rethink key Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Pakistan, where Beijing has pledged about $60 billion in financing but the new government of populist Prime Minister Imran Khan appears to be more cautious about the Chinese investment. "Pakistan is a poor country that cannot afford huge burden of the loans," Rasheed told a news conference in the city of Lahore. "Therefore, we have reduced the loan from China under CPEC for rail projects from $8.2 billion to $6.2 billion," he added, referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). READ HERE: Fearing debt trap, Pakistan rethinks Chinese 'Silk Road' projects Rasheed said the government remains committed to the Karachi-Peshawar Main Line-1 (ML-1) project but added that he wishes to further reduce the cost to $4.2 billion from $6.2 billion. Islamabad has balked at the financing terms and has pushed for deeply concessional loans for ML-1. It also invited third countries to join or for the Chinese to be investors in the project through the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model that would rely less on debt. The United States has criticised BRI projects, warning that the loans could turn into debt traps for poor countries unable to pay them money back. Beijing denies the claims, saying the loans are a win-win situation for both countries. "CPEC is like the backbone for Pakistan, but our eyes and ears are open," Rasheed said. The ML-1 is the spine of the country's dilapidated rail network, as well as the biggest source of revenue. Pakistan's rail system has struggled to break even for decades as passenger numbers plunge, train lines close and the vital freight business nosedives. ENS Economic Bureau By Express News Service NEW DELHI: A day after the government superseded the board of debt-ridden IL&FS, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) sprung to action on Tuesday searching the premises of the company and questioning its top executives. Among those questioned are ousted Vice Chairman and Managing Director Hari Sankaran and joint MD and Chief Executive Officer Arun Saha who were asked about the boards role in the financial mismanagement. According to sources, more agencies may join the probe in the coming days.. According company sources, a team of SFIO officials swarmed into its landmark building in Mumbai and took charge of the ninth floor which houses the top management, taking control of the server to ensure that no documents would be destroyed. After few hours of search, they collected many documents and pen drives, and also questioned its top management who were present in the building, including ousted Vice Chairman and Managing Director Hari Sankaran and Arun Saha, the joint MD and Chief Executive Officer. According to the sources on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the probe will also include the directors and top management, which were appointed or have left or had been sacked in last one year. We are looking at all the angles. All appointments, contracts, especially the international one are being probed. We will question the auditors and the financial officers of all the group companies. Also the siphoning of funds to overseas is being examined. If required we may take help of other agencies, a senior official told TNIE. The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has already requested ICAI for hiring more Chartered Accountants for the probe. Late on Monday evening, lookout notices have been put out at airports to prevent the top brass, including former vice-chairman Hari Sankaran, former managing director of IL&FS Financial Services Ramesh Bawa, and director K Ramchand, by issuing a lookout notice for them at the airports. Ravi Parthsarthy, the former chairman, has already left country and is in London for medical treatment. The official sources claimed that in the coming days few more executives will come under scanner. On Monday, the government said that the board members and management rather than exposing the mess, put a lid on the mess and kept on misguiding investors and the regulators. Ravi Parthasarathy resigned in July, while Bawa, non-executive director Vibhav Kapoor, and four independent directors of IL&FS Financial Services resigned after a default last month. Meanwhile, five former independent directors, including former Chairman SB Mathurand independent directors RC Bhargava, Michael Pinto, Jaithirth Rao and Rina Kamath has written to newly appointed non executive chairman Uday Kotak extending all their support. B Anbuselvan By Express News Service CHENNAI: In a couple of days, train lovers will have a designated safe point for taking selfies with the countrys one of oldest steam locomotives in Chennai.PL 691, a 112-year-old steam loco plinthed at the entrance of the Southern Railway headquarters building, one of the British-era structures in the city, is likely to be thrown open for public for taking selfies with the mobile phones, according to official sources. The move is mainly aimed at preventing the train passengers and train enthusiasts from taking selfies at tracks and also promoting railway tourism, said sources. A loudspeaker has been established in the building complex. A two-minute automatic voice-over will be played in Hindi, English and Tamil explaining the key features and history of legendary steam engine, explained a senior railway official. The visitors will not be allowed to go inside the locomotive. A space will be earmarked for visitors around the locomotive to enable them for taking selfies. As of now, no decision is taken on charging the visitors, added the railway official. The steam loco weighing 20 tons was one of the two locomotives built in 1905 by Kerr, Stuart and Company Limited, a locomotive manufacturer in England for Mayurbhanj State Railway (present day South Eastern Railway). The loco was put into operation since 1906 and it hauled the trains in narrow gauge line (760 mm) between Rupsa and Baripada towns in Odisha. When the Mayurbhanj State Railway was converted to diesel locos, in 1928 four steam locos including the PL 691, were shifted to Naupada shed of Parlakimedi Light Railway (PLR), which connected a narrow gauge line between Naupada and Gunupur in Odisha. After the lines were converted to diesel, the loco was taken off from the service in 1992 and was plinthed at General Managers office in Chennai in 1998. During the centenary celebrations of the South Eastern Railway in 1987, the Union government released a stamp of PL 691. By Express News Service CHENNAI: After traversing 3,575 nautical miles, Vietnam Coast Guard ship CSB 8001, on its maiden visit to India, reached Chennai Coast on Tuesday, to strengthen international cooperation with Indian Coast Guard. Commandant of Vietnam Coast Guard Major-General Nguyen Van Son and Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), Inspector-General Paramesh Sivamani, welcomed the vessel, which had travelled from its base port at Hanoi, at Chennai Port. This visit provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and address maritime security threats, including human trafficking, smuggling of drugs and firearms and piracy. During the stay, Indian Coast Guard and Vietnam Coast Guard Ship will take part in Indo-Vietnam joint exercise Sahyog-Hop Tac 2018 on Thursday, off Chennai, to promote interoperability between the two maritime forces. A total of three ships, one helicopter, one Dornier from Indian Coast Guard and visiting ship of Vietnam Coast Guard will participate in the joint exercise. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) vessel Sagar Manjusha will also participate in the joint exercise. A six-member delegation headed by Commandant of Vietnam Coast Guard also arrived here on Monday for interaction with Indian Coast Guard and to witness the joint exercise and participation in various events organised between the two forces. Relations between the two Coast Guards go a long way with ICG Ships calling on ports in Vietnam for professional interactions since 2001. This maiden visit and joint exercise is in continuation of the efforts by the governments of both countries to enhance cooperation between the two Coast Guards in areas of maritime safety and security. To enhance ties This visit and joint exercise are in continuation of the efforts by the governments of both countries to enhance cooperation between the two Coast Guards in areas of maritime safety and security Anil Kumar By Express News Service WARANGAL: To commemorate Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary, renowned micro artist of the State Mattewada Ajay Kumar has created a miniature image of famous Dandi March in the eye of a needle to pay homage to the Father of the Nation. The miniature image of Gandhi is 1.09 mm in height and 0.27 mm wide, whereas other images are 0.76 mm to 0.58 mm in height and 0.21 mm to 0.18 mm wide. The intricacies of the creation can be seen only with the help of a microscope. I wanted to do something to commemorate Gandhijis 150 birth anniversary. So, I decided to make a miniature image of Dandi March. It took me 11 days and over 30 hours to create this image, Ajay told Express. Ajays father, Mattewada Venkatachary, who was a freedom fighter and himself a miniature artist, served as an inspiration for the former to take up this art form. Ajay is the third micro artist in the world, who creates miniature images in the eye of a needle. The other two are Willard Wigan of London and Yury Deulin of Russia. The massive black sculpture of the Dandi March located in the heart of Delhi served as an inspiration for the artist. When I decided to make this art, I was in a fix how to do it and then I remembered the statues built at Delhi to commemorate the historical event. I immediately surfed for the picture in the internet and then selected it. But again I thought if I make the similar one then all the images cannot be visible properly as the statues in Delhi are of crowd. So I decided to make the miniature in single row so that all the images are clearly visible, he explained. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP spokesman M S Kumar has demanded the LDF to clarify its liquor policy. He told reporters here the LDF should introspect whether it is indeed implementing the liquor policy which they had placed before the public during the election period. Kumar said the UDF had lost power mainly due to bar bribery and when the LDF came to power, the government reduced the distance of bars from educational institutions and religious places and opened more bars. Now, they are granting licence to open breweries, he said. The BJP leader said the Chief Minister is keeping mum on the issue while the Excise Minister is defending himself on the allegations. He said none has given a specific answer on the issue. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: BJP MLC Somu Veerraju has been made the president of election canvassing committee for the 2019 elections. The decision was taken by party chief Amit Shah during the party State core committee meeting held in New Delhi on Monday. Speaking to media persons, Veerraju said Shah told them about the steps to be taken in the next polls and how to counter the ruling TDP. It is a fact that without the support of BJP and Pawan Kalyans Jana Sena, the TDP would not have got a majority and formed the government in 2014. Without the support of the BJP, no government can be formed and functioned in the State, he said and asserted that the BJP will ensure that TDP is limited to only 30 seats in the next elections. Earlier, Sanchaita Gajapati Raju, granddaughter of former Maharaja of Vizianagaram late PVG Raju and daughter of Uma Gajapathi Raju, joined BJP in the presence of the BJP chief. She was cordially welcomed into the party by Shah and others. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: The temple of Mahatma Gandhi, which was constructed on the premises of Syed Appalaswamy College opposite milk factory in the city, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday. The temple for which the chairman of the college, Rampilla Jayaprakash, donated land, will be inaugurated on the occasion of Gandhis 150th birth anniversary. Grandsons of freedom fighters Rampilla Syed Appalaswamy and Golla Narayana Rao constructed the temple to spread the values Mahatma Gandhi stood for. The temple is like any other temple, with an idol of Gandhi. A prayer session will be held in the college everyday and teachings of Gandhi will be imparted to students through slokas. Vijayawada Municipal Commissioner J Nivas inspected the arrangements for the Chief Ministers visit at the venue. A Sharadhaa By Express News Service Even as Prajwal Devarajs Gentleman is ready to kickstart shoot this month, the makers are yet to finalise the films heroine. But CE has learnt that the team has approached Nandita Swetha for the role. The films story revolves around a hero with a sleeping disorder who goes in for therapy to a psychiatrist, the role of which the makers are said to have offered Swetha. Our source tells us, The team has approached Swetha, who has liked the subject and is keen to be part of it, provided it doesnt clash with the dates of her other films. Prajwal Devaraj An established heroine in Tamil and Telugu, Swetha is part of Prabhu Devas Devi 2, for which she is off to Mauritius to be part of the current schedule. She made her comeback in Kannada with Yash-starrer My Name is Kirataka, which is directed by Anil Kumar, and is currently rolling. The team is in talks with the heroine, and it is just a matter of time before the agreement is signed. This, provided her dates suit the films schedule, our source adds. In Jadesh Kumars directorial, producer Guru Deshpande will trying his hands at production for the first time. By Online Desk Actor Vijay took everyone by surprise with his politically laced statements at the Sarkar Audio Launch, which was held at the famous Sairam engineering college in Chennai. After addressing the gathering and praising his team, 'Thalapathy' Vijay compared Sarkar to his previous hit 'Mersal' saying, "the special thing about Sarkar is that 'Mersal' had a bit of politics while the politics shown in Sarkar will be 'mersal' (meaning amazing)." Hinting his interest in entering into politics, actor Vijay said, "People will contest in the elections to form government but we have formed our Sarkar (government) already and now we are going to contest in the elections." Fans went crazy as the actor spoke of elections, but he immediately clarified that he was talking about the film and asked people to vote for the movie if they like it. When the event host asked him about the rumours that he is playing a Chief Minister role in the movie, he jokingly replied that he is not playing the role of CM in the movie. "If I ever become a CM in real life, I won't be acting as a CM but do my duties honestly," he added. This is the first time that 'Thalapathy' has openly spoken about his ambitions to become a CM, even hypothetically. "We have to pay for even our death certificates now. If the leader is just, his government will flourish. Justice will always win, but it takes time," he concluded his speech. Directed by A R Murugadoss, 'Sarkar' stars Vijay, Keerthy Suresh, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Radha Ravi in lead roles. AR Rahman has composed five songs for the movie, Simtaangaran, Oruviral Puratchi, Toptucker, OMG Ponnu and CEO in the House. Simtaangaran and Oruviral Purtchi, released as singles earlier, have already taken the internet by storm. Of late, the actor has been actively lending support to social issues like Jallikattu and had also visited Medical aspirant Anita's house, who committed suicide as she could not clear the NEET exam. Vijay's father SA Chandrasekhar had admitted in an interview that Vijay had plans to join politics. With all this, the question is, will the actor make 'oru viral puratchi' in the near future in politics? Siddhanta Mishra By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Today it is proved that true and honest words have more power than bullets and abuses, said activist Gautam Navlakha in a written statement on Monday. Navlakha, who was among the five rights activists arrested by Pune police in a multi-city raid on August 28, was released after over a month of house arrest.In a statement issued after the Delhi High Court rejected the Maharashtra Polices plea for his transit remand, Navlakha said: I cannot forget my co-accused and tens of thousands of other political prisoners in India who remain incarcerated for their ideological convictions or on account of false charges filed against them, and/or wrongful conviction under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. I have won my freedom, it thrills me no end. Once again, Navlakhas ground floor house at R3 complex in Nehru Enclave was under the media glare on Monday. But unlike the earlier occasion after his arrest the mood was cheerful this time. Around a dozen friends, well-wishers and family members of the activist had gathered.Navlakha refused to talk to the mediapersons as he wanted to give time to loved ones first, he said with a smile. Four Delhi Police barricades, which earlier blocked the entrance of his residence, had been removed. We are very happy. The police need to learn their own rules. In the last 35 days, they barged into our house, into our neighbours houses. After two days of the arrest, police even banned entry of close family members into the house. I hope UAPA is thought over again and that it is repealed because it is really a draconian law. I hope this development impacts the cases of others, said Sehba Hussain, who issued the statement on behalf of Navlakha. The way Maharashtra Police took him that day, it felt that they do not care about any standard operation procedures, said Kavita Srivastava of the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL).CPI(ML) member Kavita Krishnan tweeted: Welcome news Delhi HC ordered Gautam Navlakha to be released from house arrest, holding his arrest to be illegal and magistrates order for his transit to Pune to have been issued without application of mind. Looking forward to meeting him. In his statement, Navlakha also welcomed the decriminalisation of Section 377 and the release of Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Ravan and congratulated the Left Union for its victory in JNU Students Union elections. Statment by the activist I cannot forget my co-accused and tens of thousands of other political prisoners in India who remain incarcerated for their ideological convictions or on account of false charges filed against them, and/or wrongful conviction under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act UAPA. I have won my freedom, it thrills me no end... Today it is proved that true and honest words have more power than bullets and abuses. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service CHATTISGARH: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a ten-day-long 'Jhadu Chalao-Bhrashtachar Bhagao' yatra on Tuesday in Chhattisgarh, which will cover 45 Assembly constituencies, where the party has already declared its candidates. The yatra, kicked off by four senior party leaders in different districts of the state on Gandhi Jayanti, is aimed to target the BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh government on the issues of "corruption and poor governance". The state AAP in-charge and a Cabinet minister in the Delhi government Gopal Rai in a blistering attack on the Raman Singh government alleged that the people were frustrated as they were suffering owing to "misrule, corruption and administrative terrorism for 15 years". "Its unfortunate for the state, as the opposition Congress is hand-in-glove with the BJP and is ignoring serious issues faced by the common man on corruption. People are struggling to access basic amenities like better education, health, clean water, power and roads, Rai asserted. Besides Rai, the other leaders who arrived in Chhattisgarh to participate in the party campaign are Rajya Sabha member Sushil Gupta, Sanjay Singh and Delhi MLA Alka Lamba. The AAP leaders dubbed their 'Jhadu Chalao yatra' as an anti-corruption movement that will facilitate the party's reach to the masses as it equally attempts to zero in on other local issues of the state. "During the yatra, the AAP will highlight the corruption and scams of the Raman Singh government and state ministers, the Dantewada land scam of former Collector O P Choudhary, the AgustaWestland chopper deal, various land scams, properties acquired beyond known source of income. We will also highlight the shocking case where a proxy wrote an MA (English) paper for the education minister's wife impersonating her, the AAP leaders said in a joint Press conference at Raipur. The AAP also plans to highlight the good governance being done by the Delhi government during the campaign across the state. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The autopsy report of slain Apple executive Vivek Tiwari and the version of lone eyewitness Sana Khan ripped apart the claim of accused police constable Prashant Chaudhary that he fired in self-defence as Tiwari had tried to run him over in the wee hours on Saturday. Tiwari, 38, was shot dead in the posh Gomti Nagar Extension area here when he was on his way to drop ex-colleague Sana Khan home in his SUV. The post-mortem report said the entry and exit wounds on Tiwari suggest the shot was fired from a height, as the direction of the bullet was downwards and backwards. Chaudhary though claimed he pulled the trigger as Tiwari tried to run him over thrice to kill him. If it was so, the autopsy report ought to have given some indication. Instead, it said the person who fired the shot was neither bent nor leaning towards any side. If the deceased was trying to run over the accused, the latter would have fired in frenzy and in that case the angle and impact of the bullet would have been different, explained a private forensic expert. The autopsy report tallied with Khans version, who claimed Chaudhary was standing on the road divider when he fired the shot, which gave him the advantage of height. The bullet pierced the windscreen and hit Tiwari on his chin. Crime scene footage to be handed over to SIT probing Apple techies killing Standing on the divider, Chaudhary used filthy language and pulled out his revolver, Khan said. He used both hands to hold the weapon and pull the trigger. Chaudharys colleague Sandeep Kumar was standing on the left of the SUV. None of them was injured, Khan told the police. Narrating the sequence of events, Khan said while they were in conversation Tiwari had parked the vehicle on the roadside around 1.15 am on that fateful night. That was when two constables approached them, inquired about their names and addresses and asked why they were in a parked car so late into the night. They the cops started hurling invectives, which was why Tiwari tried to reverse the vehicle and leave, by Chaudhary fired at him. Meanwhile, the parallel magisterial team, headed by Additional City Magistrate Salil Patel, collected the footages of five CCTV cameras installed on a government building Uttar Pradesh Rajya Nirman Shahkari Sangh (UPRNSS) in the vicinity. While sifting through the footages, the probe team spotted Tiwaris SUV moving slowly in the area near the crime scene at 1:19 am of Saturday. The murder, according to investigators, occurred around 1:30 am. The video footage of CCTV cameras on the UPRNSS building may be able to reveal what happened in the 11 minutes in between. ACM said that the footages would be handed over the SIT, led by IG Lucknow Sujeet Pandey, for examination.The SIT team had visited the crime scene with ballistic and forensic experts on Saturday and examined the spot. Meanwhile, refuting claims in some sections of the media that the accused constables were not posted in the area where the murder took place, police officials confirmed that they were posted Maqdoompur police outpost and were on night duty.The crime spot falls under the same police outpost. CCTV cam footage of crime scene A magisterial team collected footage of five CCTV cameras in the vicinity. They show Tiwaris car moving at 1.19 am. The footage has been shared with the SIT Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: Bihars health department is considering a ban on the entry of fish from Andhra Pradesh into the state after two tests on samples found the presence of carcinogenic material used for their preservation. Pashupati Kumar Paras, the minister for animal husbandry and fisheries in Bihar, said the results of the chemical analysis have been referred to the state health department along with a request to consider banning the import of fish from Andhra Pradesh to ensure public health. We took the decision after the tests confirmed that fish coming from Andhra Pradesh and being consumed by people in Bihar has layers of preservatives containing high doses of formalin and other material that can cause cancer, said Paras on Tuesday. The health department is empowered to issue a ban, and they will take an appropriate decision, he added. As many as 38 samples of fish coming to Bihar from Andhra Pradesh were picked from 25 districts, including Patna, and sent for a chemical analysis at Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi, said sources in the animal husbandry and fisheries department. Samples of the same fish were also sent simultaneously to Food Testing Laboratory (FTL) in Kolkata for a chemical analysis. The samples were sent on July 23 and the results were received on August 31, said officials. Reports from both the institutes have confirmed that these fish samples from Andhra Pradesh have layers of preservative containing high doses of formalin, lead and cadmium. Intake of these chemicals along with the fish can lead to cancer, said a senior official of the animal husbandry and fisheries department. Bihar health minister Mangal Pandey said his department would consider the issue carefully before taking a decision. Ensuring public health is of paramount importance, he said. Consignments of fish from Andhra Pradesh regularly reaches Patna, Muzaffarpur, Katihar and Rohtas districts, from where they are sent to other parts of the state. An estimated 55,000 metric tonnes of fish imported from Andhra Pradesh is consumed in Bihar every year. Bihar produces 5.87 lakh tonnes of fish annually against a requirement of 6.42 lakh tonnes, said officials. By IANS PATNA: In the past two and half years, more than 1.61 lakh persons have been arrested for violating the liquor ban imposed by the Bihar government but only 141 have been sentenced so far, an Excise and Prohibition Department official said on Tuesday. More than 1.33 lakh cases in connection with violation of the prohibition have been recorded since the ban was imposed in Bihar by Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United government on April 5, 2016. The police have conducted raids on over 4 lakh locations while the Excise Department conducted raids on more than 2 lakh locations and seized over 16 lakh litres of foreign-made liquor and nine lakh litres of country-made liquor. Besides, police have seized thousands of litres of spirit and hundreds of beer bottles during the raids. "The law enforcement agencies have been directed to act tough against violators," Kumar said. In July 2017, Bihar Assembly passed amendments to the prohibition law to curb its misuse. By PTI HYDERABAD: All India Students' Federation leader Kanhaiya Kumar launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government Tuesday, alleging that it was following a "divisive" agenda. The former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president also alleged that a "corporate loot" was taking place in the country. "The present government is a government of corporate loot. It is our primary responsibility to remove it. We are forming a united front for it," he said, without elaborating. Kumar said no decision had been taken on his contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "Whenever this question is asked, I reply that this is not decided yet," he said at a "Meet the Press" event organised by the Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ) here. Kumar claimed that the common people of Begusarai in Bihar wanted him to contest the parliamentary polls, but neither his party CPI nor its allies had announced him as a candidate, nor was there any direct talk with him on the issue. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was following a "divisive" agenda. Asked about the case against him, Kumar claimed that no charge sheet was filed even after more than two-and-a-half years. The Delhi High Court recently set aside an order of the Jawaharlal Nehru University's appellate authority imposing a penalty on Kumar in connection with a 2016 incident, in which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised at an event. Kumar claimed he was not involved in the event. "By taking JNU's name, they (government) tried to raise a grand narrative in the country that whoever speaks against the government is a naxal, jihadi, anti-national and Pakistani," he said. The charge of sedition against him was slapped in an "unknown FIR", Kumar claimed, adding that the court had freed him, dismissing the fine imposed on him. "We ask the Home Minister (Rajnath Singh), why don't you put me in jail if I have links to Hafiz Saeed (terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's founder). If no, you have to take responsibility and resign from your post, because you have unsuccessfully tried to portray an ordinary student as a 'deshdrohi' (anti-national) in the eyes of the people of the country," Kumar said. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday likened the rule of Prime Minister to that of the British Raj and said his partys chief Rahul Gandhi would walk Mahatma Gandhis path to Indias freedom. The situation prevailing in the entire country today can be summed up as loot, jhoot, batware se mukti ka sangram. Phir se Sewagram, Surjewala said while speaking to the media ahead of Tuesdays Central Working Committe (CWC) meeting at Wardha. He stressed that the Congress is holding its working committee meet at Sewagram after 76 years.Thinking of the RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] is on the lines of Pakistan which is responsible for Partition... The BJP government is similar to British Raj. RSS had enslaved itself to British. The basics of this organisation are violence, divide, and hate, Surjewala said. However, he added, The Congress respects Dr Mohan Bhagwat as an elderly person and for his recent statement at Future India programme where he credited the Congress for the partys contribution in the freedom struggle. This is the truth. Everybody should accept it, he said. He further said the partys Sewagram meeting is aimed at liberating the nation from widespread fear, loot, falsehood, and communal disharmony.The situation today is similar to 71 years ago during the British rule. The Congress gave the Quit India Movement slogan from the soil of Sewagram. The party is again organising a mega meeting for ridding the nation from the misrule of Modi Government. The meeting, on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, therefore holds special significance, he added. By PTI TEZPUR: An Indo-China Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) on the occasion of Chinese National Day was organised at Bumla in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian delegation was led by Brig Zubin Bhatnagar, Commander of Tawang Brigade and the Chinese side by Sr Col Yao Shi Chen of Tsona Dzong Garrison, according to a defence spokesman here. The Border Personnel Meeting on Monday was marked by the unfurling of the national flags of both the countries, followed by a formal address by the delegation leaders. The Chinese side presented a colourful cultural programme at the function. The proceedings reflected the increasing mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at the border in consonance with the desire of the national leaders of the two countries, the spokesman said. The delegations parted amidst a feeling of friendship and commitment towards enhancing the existing cordial relations and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control, the spokesman added. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Course fees in many central universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and Banaras Hindu University, among many others, is set to increase substantially from 2019. Sources in the Union Human Resources Development Ministry said these varsities had entered into an agreement with the University Grants Commission and the ministry to raise internal revenues under the autonomy scheme. The development comes even as the government had earlier this year insisted that greater autonomy granted to these institutions would not result in unrestrained tuition fees. In March, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar had categorically said that varsities being granted greater autonomy to function in a better way would not mean that it was the start of any privatisation of higher education. Now, however, the ministry is insistent that the central universities sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on managing finances, which urges these institutions to ensure a gradual annual increase in fees for various courses and facilities.The ministry, which sent out the MoU last year, has now warned the universities which are yet to sign it that they could lose out on annual grants. Sources said the MoU had already been signed by many central universities such as the Vishwa Bharti University, Hyderabad Central University, Dharmshila University and Aligarh Muslim University, apart from JNU and BHU. But Delhi University has expressed its inability to do that anytime soon. Sources said these universities had already set in motion the process to hike fees. There is speculation that JNU and Hyderabad University are contemplating fees hike of around 20 per cent every two years. The ministry had set a deadline of June 2018 for these universities. Officials said a review meeting in this regard was held last week. By PTI SEVAGRAM: Invoking Mahatma Gandhi's 'Quit India' call on his birth anniversary, the Congress Tuesday called for a "new freedom struggle" against what it called the Modi government's politics of "polarisation and intimidation". At a meeting of its apex decision-making body CWC at a venue where 'Quit India' resolution was adopted in 1942 under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership, the party also resolved to fight the RSS's "blatant hypocrisy", saying it vilified and rejected the father of the nation during his lifetime, but was now brazenly proclaiming itself to be his champion. "Its (RSS's) ideology that was responsible for spreading the atmosphere of hate that led to the Mahatma's tragic assassination," Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said quoting the resolution. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), under the party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership, adopted a resolution urging the partymen to spread the message that it was only the Congress that truly embodies the ethos of a liberal, secular and an inclusive 'Bharat'. In another resolution, the CWC condemned the use of force against protesting farmers on the outskirts of the national capital. Congress President Rahul Gandhi former Congress president Sonia Gandhi former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior leaders at the Congress Working Committee CWC meeting on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi at Sevagram WardhaTuesday Oct 2 2018. | PTI The CWC meeting at Maharashtra's Sevagram, the abode of Mahatma Gandhi during his last 12 years of his life, assumes significance as it comes more than 75 years after the first meeting convened in 1942 under the Mahatma's leadership to adopt the 'Quit India' resolution. Another CWC meeting was held here in 1948. The meeting was attended by several top party leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The CWC resolved that "a new freedom struggle is the urgent need of the hour". It called for "a massive movement to combat the forces of divisiveness and prejudice, to confront the Modi government whose politics is the politics of threat and intimidation, the politics of polarization and divisiveness, the politics of crushing debate and dissent, the politics of imposing an artificial uniformity in a nation of extraordinary diversity, the politics of hate and vendetta". The CWC also called upon the entire nation to fearlessly defend and uphold India's foundational values and idea of India, which Mahatma Gandhi stood for, lived for and even sacrificed his life for. The committer resolved to call upon "all countrymen and women, particularly the young, to determinedly fight the politics of fear, intimidation, lies and deception- to never bend, to never stop; till we achieve our goal. " It said the 'Mahatma' sacrificed his life to neutralise the venom of communalism and it was only the Congress that truly follows his path. In a veiled reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, the resolution said "appropriating" Mahatma's legacy may be politically expedient for some, "but imbibing his principles and values in thought, word and deed is impossible for those who see in the Mahatma only electoral opportunities". "One may borrow the Mahatma's spectacles for publicity campaigns, but implementing his vision will remain unfulfilled unless his principles are followed," the resolution said in an apparent reference to the logo for the government's 'Swachh Bharat' campaign The CWC resolved to "expose the hollowness and doublespeak of the ideologies and organisations who have never believed in, let alone followed the Gandhian path of truth, tolerance, harmony and non-violence". The party said the CWC underlined that it is only the Congress that truly embodies the ethos of 'Bharat' that is fundamentally inclusive, liberal, secular and assimilation of India's plurality and diversities. "It is only the Congress that is deeply committed to the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, laid down in the Preamble of the Constitution," the resolution said, asking party members to propagate it, especially to the youth. It said the CWC draws inspiration from the Mahatma's unyielding commitment to listen to every voice, "to defeat the forces that are today dominating the will of the people". "Elections will come and go. But the ideological battle has to be relentless and unswerving. The CWC rededicates the Indian National Congress to this sacred task," the CWC said. In a press conference later, Surjewala said the CWC passed two resolutions recalling Gandhi's contribution to the "Indian thought process, its soul and body". The CWC paid tributes to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. He said "the call of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' is not just a slogan but a way of life and his party will continue to fight for farmers' rights. He said the "second freedom struggle" will be against the Modi government for practising politics of "hatred, divisiveness, fear, polarisation, crushing dissent and debates". "The Modi government is against India's plurality and is indulging in politics of revenge, falsehood and betrayal. It is easy to talk about Gandhiji in speeches. It's just political opportunism," he said. "Mahatma Gandhi is in the soul of the Congress, its thinking, path and vision. Ideology of (Nathuram) Godse which had killed Gandhiji cannot imbibe his thought," he said. Referring to the police action on farmers on the Delhi-UP border, Surjewala said, "We condemn the autocratic Modi government and the prime minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power." He said CWC's call will serve as a "roadmap and guiding light" for the party to frame policies. Sana Shakil By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Death penalty is shrinking budget for crime prevention programs, the Centre for Criminology & Public Policy (CCPP) has said, in a recently released policy paper. The think-tank has criticized the expansion of death penalty to child rapists, saying the move will "result in more acquittals than convictions." CCPP's Director and the paper's author Rochin Chandra said that the document has been prepared in consultation with several experts, including legal researchers, police officers, advocates, child and adolescent psychiatrists, and rehabilitation consultants. The paper has opined that before expanding death penalty to child rapists, the government should have carried out a scientific assessment to check whether death penalty has acted as a deterrent for crimes. The paper has highlighted the need for stricter implementation of laws, and diversion of public expenditure into child sexual-abuse prevention programs such as schemes for relief and rehabilitation of child victims. In its paper, Udaipur-based CCPP has also cited data to show the ineffectiveness of cost of death penalty as compared to its closest alternative-life imprisonment without parole. The paper mentions that during 2004-2015, about 1300 prisoners were put on death row, but of those, only four cases resulted in execution. "These figures show that legal process for death penalty is significantly longer and more complex than for life imprisonment, and applying such a punishment for child rape will only result in more acquittals than convictions", states the paper. Stating that there are loopholes in the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2018-which prescribes death penalty for child rapists-the paper calls the expansion of death penalty a "fiscally irresponsible decision." Emphasizing that the matters of death penalty take more time to be disposed of by courts, the think tank has said that expansion of death penalty will lead to increase in the cost of prison management. "The government will have to bear the expenses of locking up death row convicts, while also paying a team of judges, defence lawyers and prosecutors for many years - often decades - to debate whether a sentence of death should be imposed on them," according to the paper. Another argument cited by CCPP against expansion of death penalty is that the fear of death penalty may encourage rapists to kill their victim in order to cover up the crime and eliminate the prime witness. Elaborating on how execution of death penalty is shrinking the budget for crime prevention programs, Chandra cited the example of a public-police outreach program of Ahmedabad police "whose budget got shrunk on this account." "Because of government's heavy reliance on death penalty, the budget for such innovative and workable programmes is shrinking," said Chandra. Chandra added that CCPP will soon send the policy paper to the government for consideration. Aishik Chanda By Express News Service KOLKATA: An eight-year-old child was killed and 11 others were injured in a bomb blast outside a Trinamool Congress party office at Nagerbazar area of north Kolkata on Tuesday morning. The intensity of the blast ripped apart shutters of shops on the other side of the road and shattered windows of the multi-storeyed buildings in the area. The deceased child Bibhash Ghosh, was going with his mother during the explosion. His mother is also undergoing treatment. Of the 11 injured, four people have been released after primary treatment. The remaining eight people are critical and are being operated upon in state-run and private hospitals. A black-coloured bag and a diary was found from the spot. Bomb disposal squad and state Crime Investigation Department (CID) teams cordoned off the area swept it looking for more hidden bombs. South Dumdum municipality Panchu Roy, who sat at the TMC office, claimed that he was target of the attack. Barrackpore commissioner of police Rajesh Kumar Singh said: "We are yet to ascertain the cause of the blast. The intensity was pretty high which has caused damage to buildings in the vicinity. We have not found any gas cylinder or found any smell of gunpowder. We have found some splinters and a tattered black bag. The CID team is investigating the matter," he said. By PTI GHAZIABAD: Thousands of farmers held fort at the Delhi-UP border here Tuesday after police stopped their protest march to the national capital with several including the security personnel getting injured in sporadic violence, as the protesters refused to go back and rejected the government's assurance to look into their demands. As the night drew on, the protesters put their mattresses on the roads itself and proceeded to sleep, while policemen maintained vigil. While the Opposition blamed the Modi government for what they called a "brutal police action" against farmers on way to Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti for a peaceful protest, the police said it used "minimal force" to disperse the crowd and to maintain law and order in the national capital. #WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The protesters, many of whom said they have come from as far as Haridwar over 200 kms away after a week-long march, appeared ready to stay put at the border with hundreds of tractors and trolleys with food, water, mattresses and even generators parked alongside the roads for over a kilometre of distance. The protesters, which included women and elderly men as well, tried jumping barricades from time to time, prompting the police to use water cannons and tear-gas shells, and kept raising slogans against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border try to break through a police barricade during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. | PTI Delhi Police deployed over 3,000 personnel to stop the protesters from crossing over to the national capital and check any violence, even as traffic situation turned chaotic in various border areas. As leaders from opposition parties accused the government of adopting an "anti-farmer" stand by stopping the protesters, the central government went into a huddle to find out ways and an emergency meeting was called under chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was rushed to meet the protesting farmers. While some farmer groups agreed to consider the assurances given by the government, others said they were not "satisfied" and decided to continue with their protest, call for which has been given by Naresh Tikait-led Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) demanding loan waiver, higher support price and steps to safeguard farmers against rising fuel prices, among other demands. The government said a review petition will be filed against the National Green Tribunal's order to ban diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old and several other measures will be taken to pacify agitating farmers and address their concerns. The Centre also assured farmers that it would fix the minimum support prices (MSP) of rabi (winter-sown) crops like wheat at least 1.5 times of the production cost. It would also try to restrict imports of agri items that are produced abundant in the country. Shekhawat said a committee of chief ministers will also look into the farmers' demand, as he sought to assure the protesters that the government will take forward their cause. "Representatives of farmers along with ministers of UP government Laxmi Narayan and Suresh Rana held discussions on a range of issues at Rajnath Singh's residence. After that a consent was reached on some issues. The government has agreed to some of your demands," Shekhawat said. The minister said he has been associated with farmers' issues and he could say with "certainty" on Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversary that there have been only a few successful agitations like this in the past. BKU chief Naresh Tikait, however, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "This has not been a good decision. All important demands have not been accepted and we are not satisfied with this assurance," he said. The farmer leader, whose father Mahendra Singh Tikait had led a massive farmers' rally in the national capital about three decades ago, said sufficient talks have not been held so far on key issues faced by farmers even as the government has given assurances on some demands. "But, our main demands of electricity, sugarcane recommendations of Swaminathan report remain as it is. These were among main demands of the farmers," Tikait said. On the next step, he said, "We are sitting here as of now and this only is our next step." "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cannot decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. An elderly farmer clashes with police personnel during a protest at Delhi-UP border during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' in New Delhi Tuesday Oct 2 2018. | PTI Delhi Police officials said seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, which have been in place since yesterday. As it drew flak for what the opposition parties termed as "brutal" action against the protesters, the police said it used only "minimum required force" to control the situation. Police said a section of protesters suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Some farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Inspector General Meerut Zone Ram Kumar said the UP Police was coordinating with the Delhi Police to ensure there is no law and order situation. Adjoining Gautam Buddh Nagar was also exercising caution with the district magistrate B N Singh saying nothing untoward has been reported there and preventive measures were being By PTI NEW DELHI: Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, Delhi Police claimed on Tuesday. As it drew flak for what the parties termed as "brutal" action against the protesters, the police said they used only "minimum required force" to control the situation. Police said a section of protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) march, suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". As many as 3,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure that the farmers were not able to enter Delhi. Since morning, the farmers gathered at Ghazipur border between Delhi and Ghaziabad in several thousands. Farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' in New DelhiTuesday Oct 2 2018. | PTI Senior officers including Special Commissioners of Police(Law and Order), joint commissioners of ranges and district deputy commissioners of police were personally supervising the arrangements, and maintained constant liaison with their UP counterparts, the Delhi Police said. Announcements were regularly made on public address system about promulgation of prohibitory orders and requests were specifically made not to attempt entry into Delhi forcibly on tractor-trolleys since there was no permission for the same, they said. "The protesters were also assured through their leaders that their demands are being projected at appropriate levels, and their movement will be duly facilitated in an orderly fashion without tractor- trolleys," the police said, adding it had specially deployed buses for ferrying the farmers to the city. Talks were also going on in this regard with the leaders of various factions of the protesters, they said. Despite requests that the protesters wait for the outcome of the talks between their leaders and the government, a section of the crowd suddenly turned violent and tried to break the barricades with tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis, they added. Police use water cannons to disperse farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' in New Delhi on Oct 2 2018. | PTI "Tractor-trolleys were used with violent force by this aggressive section to break down three layers of strong barricading. Some protestors also resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty," the police alleged. "Under these circumstances, only the minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestors. "However, after using water cannon and tear gas shells on a limited scale, the situation was brought under control, and thereafter use of any force was discontinued forthwith, resorting again to persuasive tactics," they added. Seven police personnel, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured during this process. The ACP suffered a shoulder dislocation after he was roughed up by some of the protesters, the police said. No other serious injury was reported to Delhi Police, they said. Police use water cannons to disperse farmers protesting at Delhi-UP border during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' in New Delhi on Oct 2 2018. | PTI The situation was brought under control and was closely monitored thereafter so as to facilitate talks between leaders of the farmers union and the government. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU headed for Delhi. The main demands of the agitating farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the use of tractors which are more than 10 years old, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: In BJP-ruled Tripura, Opposition CPI-Ms mouthpiece Daily Desher Katha, a Bengali daily, has been banned for allegedly violating the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. The 40-year-old newspaper was served a notice in this regard by the office of Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI). In the notice sent to its publisher, additional press registrar, K Satish Nambudiripad, wrote: The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India is in receipt of an email from the office of the district magistrate (DM) and collector, West Tripura, Agartala, enclosing a communication from sub-divisional magistrate, Sadar, West Tripuracancelling the authentication as recorded by him over the declaration made in form 1 by (editor) Shri Samir Paul, s/o Late Sudhir Paul, regarding the Bengali daily newspaper Daily Desher Katha. Accordingly this office is treating the certificate of registrationas invalid and the certificate of registration so issued stands withdrawn. Earlier, a local, Shyamal Debnath, lodged a complaint with the DM of West Tripura alleging that the newspaper had violated the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. When we received the complaint, we issued notices to both parties. We conducted hearings for four times. Accordingly, we told the opponent parties to bring all documents regarding the change of ownership, printer, editor as well as revised certificate. We asked them to produce documents but they failed to produce the declarations of change of ownership from CPM party to Desher Katha Society. The lawyer pleaded that this is a serious violation of provisions of the Press and Registration Act. Without proper declarations and change, they cannot print the name of the owner in the newspaper We found that Sections 5 (1) and 5 (2e) were grossly violated. Accordingly, the declarations were cancelled and after the cancellation of the declarations, the RNI cancelled the certificate of registration. The RNI took the action immediately, West Tripura DM Dr. Mahatme Sandeep Namdeo told TNIE. He said the changes in the daily were made in 2012 and 2015 but without following appropriate procedures. Their certificates are not updated, Namdeo said. He added that the newspaper could now move the appellant board for redressal of grievances. Meanwhile, terming the ban as illegal, the newspaper said the DM had acted according to the political orders of the BJP government. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: Hidayatullah National Law University (HNLU) Vice-Chancellor Sukh Pal Singh, who faced strong protests from students for nearly a month, tendered his resignation on Monday. Principal Secretary (Law) Ravi Shankar Sharma and HNLU Registrar Ayan Hazra confirmed the high-profile exit. Yes, its moral victory for us and in the larger interest of the prestigious institution. The V-C has tendered his resignation late evening and it has been accepted, Students Bar Association (HNLU) president Snehal Ranjan Shukla told TNIE. Singhs appeal to call off the protest was rejected by agitating students who passed a no-confidence resolution against him demanding his resignation and furnishing the audit report by the Auditor General of Chhattisgarh. The resolutions alleged that Singhs seven years at the office led to a continual damage to the image and academic environment of the University. Earlier in the day, Singh had refused to acknowledge the students protest as peaceful, saying that none of the activities of those protesting is in accordance with the law. I am still open for dialogues. If students do not call off the protest immediately and resume their classes from Monday, the university shall be compelled to take appropriate course of action, including closure of the university sine die, Singh had said on Sunday. China reiterated Tuesday that it opposes any operation that threatens its sovereignty after a Chinese navy ship drove away a US navy destroyer in the South China Sea. "The US repeatedly sends military ships without permission into seas close to South China Sea islands, seriously threatening China's sovereignty and security, damaging Sino-US relations as well as military ties and harming regional peace and stability," said Wu Qian, spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense. Wu said the Chinese navy ship conducted an identification and warning process to drive the USS Decatur away on Sunday, a day before China's National Day. China has irrefutable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the waters around them, and the situation there is progressing well thanks to the hard work of China and countries in Southeast Asia, Wu noted. The Chinese armed forces will continue to take all necessary steps to protect the country's sovereignty and security, Wu said. In a separate statement on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry said it strongly urges the US to stop such provocative actions and to correct its mistakes immediately. The incident comes as military ties between the two countries have ebbed, with Beijing angered over Washington's arms sales to Taiwan. The two countries are in a trade war, in which they have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each other's imports. By PTI SRINAGAR: Separatist leader Yasin Malik was taken into preventive custody by police on Tuesday from his office at Abi Guzar in the city, officials said. They did not cite the reason for Malik's detention but the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF)claimed the action was taken due to the urban local bodies polls which are beginning on October 8. Separatists including Malik have called for a boycott of these elections. In a statement issued by JKLF, Malik said in a democracy people are given space to expresses their views and participation in or boycotting elections is also a democratic right. By PTI LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday termed the police lathi-charge on agitating farmers the "height" of anarchy and warned that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party should be prepared to bear its consequences. Chaos prevailed at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border as thousands of protesting farmers attempting to enter the national capital were stopped by the police, who resorted to water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. Condemning the police action, Mayawati said, "This is the height of the BJP government's anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences." "The BJP, which came to power promising to bring the good days of the farmers' by doubling their income, has targeted them with tear-gas shells, lathis when they only wanted to march to the Gandhi sthal on Gandhi Jayanti and hold protest demonstration over their problems" the Dalit leader said. Stressing that every section of the society has been hit by the "anti- poor and anti-farmer" policies of the BJP-led central and state governments, the BSP president said the farmers, particularly, were facing immense problems. Like the other announcements of the BJP governments, the one pertaining to the loan-waiver has also proved to be a mere eyewash, she added. Sumi Sukanya dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: A mega scheme launched recently by the Narendra Modi government to ensure that about 50 crore Indians are saved for catastrophic healthcare expenditure, has reached out to the Union Finance Ministry after running out of the initially allocated money. National Health Agency, which has been tasked to implement Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana has asked the Finance Ministry to allocate additional Rs 4,500 crore for the remaining fiscal of 2018-19 after using Rs 2,000 crore that was allocated for the programme in the budget this year. Sources in the NHA said most of the money has been spent on initial operations already but asserted that money will not be a problem in ensuring successful implementation of the programme. "We have already sent the revised estimate to the Finance Ministry and are now waiting for their approval," said a senior NHA official. The government's new National Health Protection Scheme, under Ayushman Bharat plan, will cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families . (EPS Photo) "We are facing some teething trouble but the government is determined to ensure that fund crunch is not an issue in this ambitious scheme." The scheme is meant to provide cashless hospitalisation worth up to Rs 5 lakh to 50 crore Indians with low socioeconomic status and was launched by Modi on September 23. Since the scheme was announced in February this year, many health economists have pointed out that the allocation meant for the comprehensive health insurance scheme is not adequate enough. An analysis published in Indian Journal of Community Medicine by community medicine specialists Harsh Bakshi, Rashmi Sharma and Pradeep Kumar, "Ayushman Bharat Initiative (2018): What we Stand to Gain or Lose",too, noted that allocation for the scheme is not sufficient. "In the current scenario, the annual premium of AB NHPS (the scheme was called Ayushman Bharat- National Health Protection Scheme earlier) would be around Rs. 2000 per family to start with and would entail an expenditure of Rs. 20,000 crores (@ Rs. 2000 per family for 10 crore family)," the paper said. "Yet, another estimate from Niti Aayog puts this annual requirement at Rs. 10,000 crores." "Even though the scheme is based on cooperative federalism and the costs would be shared between Centre and states, the government should have allocated the required amount-at least Rs 6,000 crore-before launching the scheme," said a public health expert with the New Delhi based Public Health Foundation of India. "The government had imposed health cess starting this year which was expected to generate about Rs 10,000 crore but where is that money?" he asked. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: The general secretary of Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagaland or NSCN-IM has been hospitalised in New Delhi. Confirming it, NSCN-IM leader Karaiba Chawang told TNIE that the 84-year-old Muivah was admitted to the hospital after he had complained of an upset stomach. Chawang did not reveal the hospitals name but it was said to be a private hospital. It was learnt that most NSCN-IM leaders swarmed to the national capital to be by Muivahs side. There is nothing serious about his illness. He was admitted yesterday (Monday) morning as advised by the doctors. He is most likely to be released by today (Tuesday), Chawang said. Sources in Nagaland said Muivah, who is the Ato Kilonser (Prime Minister) of the Government of the Peoples Republic of Nagalim, was admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital as he had complained of uneasiness. Like all other Naga insurgent groups, the NSCN-IM runs a parallel government with various ministries. The name of the NSCN-IM-run government is Government of the Peoples Republic of Nagalim. A veteran in the Naga insurgency movement, Muivah is the face of the NSCN-IM which is arguably the most powerful rebel group of the Northeast. It was he who had led the extremist group in most peace parleys with representatives of the Central government in India and abroad and signed the Framework Agreement with the Centre in 2015 which is seen as a prelude to the final Naga peace accord. Prasanta Mazumdar By Express News Service GUWAHATI: Nagaland celebrated Gandhi Jayanti on Tuesday without its Gandhi. Natwar Thakkar, widely known as Nagalands Gandhi, is sick and hospitalised in Assam capital Guwahati. The 86-year-old Thakkar, a Gandhian and Padma Shree, is the founder of Nagaland Gandhi Ashram at his workplace Chuchuyimlang in Nagaland. His efforts to spread Gandhian philosophy and peace in the insurgency-ravaged state earned him the sobriquet Nagalands Gandhi. Thakkar, who married a Naga lady, Lentina Ao, who too is a Gandhian and a Padma Shree, fell ill on September 9 and was hospitalised in Nagalands commercial hub Dimapur. On September 19, he was shifted to the Apollo Hospital in Guwahati. He is recovering. He has been put out off ventilator. He is slowly regaining his senses. It started with high fever and then there were other complications including chest congestion etc. He is now breathing by himself, Thakkars son Aotoshi told TNIE. Natwar Thakkar (Photo | EPS) Thakkar is a member of the countrywide year-long celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. This Gandhi Jayanti, he wanted to invite some renowned personalities and make the occasion the launching pad of the year-long celebration at Chuchuyimlang. So, that was the plan and we were in the process of discussing whom to invite. Suddenly, he fell sick, Aotoshi said. As the Gandhian is admitted to the hospital, it was a low-key Gandhi Jayanti celebration in Nagaland on Tuesday. People at Chuchuyimlang offered prayers for his speedy recovery. Chuchuyimlang celebrated the day even though he was not there. The Nagaland Gandhi Ashram and the two institutes National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology and Mahatma Gandhi Academy of Human Development he founded celebrated the day. Since the time he landed in Chuchuyimlang, there has not been a single year when Gandhi Jayanti was not celebrated in the town, Aotoshi added. When Thakkar came to Nagaland in 1955, the Naga insurgency movement was getting strengthened. Those days, the militants viewed every non-local in Nagaland as a spy of India. They threatened him to leave the state but he was least perturbed. He kept himself busy by assisting the locals in various development and income-generating activities. The locals appealed to the militants not to harm him while the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru encouraged the Gandhian to keep staying in the village and continue his work. Nehru also allotted funds to promote his initiatives. By Express News Service KOLKATA: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday discussed issues related to the National Register of Citizenship (NRC), inter-state Maoist activities and the issue of entry of people from other states to create disturbances in West Bengal. At the 20-minute-long meeting held after the 23rd Eastern Zonal Council meeting here on Monday, the West Bengal Chief Minister pressed on the issue of involvement of residents of Bihar and Jharkhand in violent incidents in the state, sources privy to the discussion said. The Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government has been accusing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cadres from neighbouring states of fomenting trouble, including communal incidents, in the state. A financial package demanded by West Bengal government and the states proposal to change its name were also discussed in the meeting, sources said. Earlier, Rajnath had asked representatives of the Northeastern states to collect biometrics of illegally-settled Rohingya refugees so that the issue of their deportation could be taken up through diplomatic channels with Myanmar. The states have been told to identify the Rohingyas, collect their biometrics and send reports to the Centre after which the issue would be taken up through diplomatic channels with Myanmar, he said. The move comes after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to ensure that illegal immigrants are not issued unique identification cards. The West Bengal unit of the BJP had attacked the state government for allowing Rohingya refugees to settle in the South 24 Parganas district.Rajnath reached Kolkata on Sunday evening where state BJP leaders met him. By Express News Service MUMBAI: Actress Tanushree Dutta, who had earlier levelled allegations of sexual harassment against actor Nana Patekar, on Monday accused Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray of having links to the attack on her. The criminal minded leader wanted to replace Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and he resorts to violence every now and then since he couldnt get the position, she has said. Dutta had levelled allegations of harassment against Nana Patekar while they were working together in a film in 2008. She had alleged that her car was attacked by goons when she tried to leave the sets of the film in protest against the alleged harassment. A video of her car being attacked was made public earlier this week and has caused massive public outrage. She levelled charges against Thackeray on Monday. Raj Thackeray is a goon and has got several like him in his party. A leader is one who protects the weak and not bullies them. A person who attacks women cant be called a leader, Dutta said. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Seven passengers were killed and two others were injured after a speeding truck rammed into a roadways bus in Uttar Pradesh's Basti district. While six people died on the spot, one succumbed to injuries at a hospital. The incident took place near Bhadohi village in Chhavani area when the UPSRTC bus going to Gorakhpur from Allahabad developed some snag. The passengers got down and were pushing the bus when the loaded truck rammed into the vehicle. The truck driver fled the spot, abandoning his vehicle. CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives. He asked officials to ensure that financial assistance be provided to the families of the deceased and injured people. By Express News Service MUMBAI: In a sharp contrast to his previous stand, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said he never defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal and that he has always supported the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to make the facts public. The Rafale warplanes that were priced at Rs 650 crore earlier are now said to be priced at Rs 1,600 crore. I said there should be no escape by giving technical reasons and the government needs to announce the current price of the warplane. I have also demanded all-party inquiry and making public the relevant documents, Pawar said on Monday at the NCPs first Vijay Sankalp rally at Beed in the Marathwada region. "The decision to purchase the jets was taken when the Congress-led UPA was in power. The price of jets was decided at Rs 650 crore under (then prime minister) Manmohan Singh. These jets were purchased at Rs 1,600 crore by Modi. I never supported this and would never do," he said. Last week, Pawar in an interview to a Marathi news channel, had defended the PM. Nobody doubts the intention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The former defence minister also said the Oppositions demand to share technical details related to the fighter jets made no sense, but added there was no harm for the government to disclose the prices. Soon, there were a string of resignations from the party the most notable being NCP co-founder Tariq Anwar and general secretary Munaf Hakim. Sensing the brewing revolt in his party over his statement, Pawar used the partys rally to clarify his stand. While Anwar and Hakim resigned saying Pawar weakened the voice of the opposition, the likes of Supriya Sule and Praful Patel sought to downplay it. In an official statement, the NCP had clarified that Pawar did not give a clean chit to Modi. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik had reiterated the partys demand that the Centre disclose the price of the fighter jets and a JPC probe in the matter. On Monday, Pawar also criticized the government over several other issues, including fuel prices. If the state faces drought this year, the government will have to declare complete loan waiver, he added. Addressing a party meeting in Beed in the Marathwada region earlier in the day, Pawar said, "Some people have criticised me saying I supported him (Modi). I have not supported him. I did not (support Modi) and will never (do that)". He said, "They (the government) bought the aircraft. I am saying this clearly that the government should explain to Parliament why the cost of the aircraft rose from Rs 650 crore (per plane) to Rs 1,600 crore". In a tweet in Marathi, Pawar said, "(Former Prime Minister) Rajiv Gandhi had faced an enquiry when allegations were raised in the Bofors matter (in the 80s), but nothing came out of that probe. Those who had demanded a probe at that time are now in power, but they are keeping mum on Rafale deal. The country is looted in this deal." "The Centre should explain to Parliament the escalation of the price of Rafale aircraft from Rs 650 crore to Rs 1,600 crore. This episode need to be probed and the documents of the deal should be placed before all parties," he said in another tweet. Pawar's previous statement that people had no doubt about Modi's intentions in the Rafale deal had came at a time the Congress has launched a pointed attack on the prime minister over the issue, and is trying to forge an alliance with the NCP for future polls. Objecting to Pawar's remark, NCP founder member Tariq Anwar and general secretary Munaf Hakim had quit the party last week. Pawar's recent comment which was inferred as defence of Modi was welcomed by the BJP and party president Amit Shah had thanked Pawar for the same. However, the NCP had claimed that Pawar was quoted out of context by the media. The NCP chief on Monday reiterated the demand for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) into the Rafale deal and demanded the government share details of the prices of the 36 fighter jets. The former defence minister also said there was no need to make public the technical details relating to the aircraft. Pawar, who served as agriculture minister under the erstwhile Manmohan Singh government, also hit out at the Central and Maharashtra governments over agrarian issues. Hailing the previous UPA government's decision to write off farm loans worth Rs 71,000 crore, he alleged that the Maharashtra government is insensitive to the plight of farmers. "Thousands of farmers are committing suicide in Maharashtra including in Beed district. Indebtedness is one of the reasons behind the farmers taking the extreme step," Pawar said, adding crops are dying due to lack of rains. Addressing the rally, he questioned the government over the quota demands being raised by various communities like Dhangar, Muslims and Maratha. Pawar alleged that the government was misusing its power to harass workers and leaders of other parties. "The prime minister speaks his 'Mann ki Baat' but not 'Jan ki Baat'. He never listens to the grievances of farmers, minorities and youths," the NCP chief said. (with PTI inputs) By Express News Service BHOPAL: Assembly poll-bound Madhya Pradesh witnessed twin developments on Tuesday which would play a significant role in the politics of the state in the days to come. The first of the two development happened in state capital Bhopal, where the anti-SC/ST Act outfit SAPAKS (Samanya Pichhra Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj) announced launching its political party, the Sapaks Samaj Party (SSP), which will contest all 230 seats in the upcoming polls. The newly launched political platform will not only have members from the SAPAKS, but also have onboard representatives of dozens of other organizations which have been holding protests across the state against the amended SC/ST Atrocities Act and demanding economic criterion-based reserved system in the country. Initially, formed as the body of state government employees opposed to the issue of departmental promotion based on caste-based reservations, the SAPAKS has recently emerged as the umbrella outfit which has been spearheading the protest by around 70 outfits of general category and OBC segment against the amended SC/ST Atrocities Act. On Tuesday, SAPAKS patron and retired IAS officer Hiralal Trivedi was declared the president of the new political party, while names of its four vice-presidents and other office bearers were also finalized. The official flag of the party was also launched on the occasion." Shortly we would set up our organisational structure at district level and would shortlist candidates for assembly polls," party president Hiralal Trivedi said. On being asked whether there would be any criterion for distribution of tickets, Trivedi said they would accept names suggested by the society collectively. Party symbol would be announced soon after receiving a nod from the Election Commission, he said adding opposition to the amended SC/ST Act and reservation in promotion would be among key points of the party agenda. Just a few hours after the launching of the new political party in Bhopal, another significant development happened 370 km away in Kukshi town of tribal dominated Dhar district. A massive gathering of tribals took place at the Kisan Mahapanchayat of tribal outfit JAYS (Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti). The gathering which was attended by cross section of society, including Vyapam scam whistleblower Dr Anand Rai and the Shahar Qazi of Indore, saw Bollywood actor and ex-Lok Sabha member from Mumbai North seat, Govinda being the star attraction. While maintaining that he wasn't there to support any political cause, but only to attend a social event, the Bollywood actor entertained the gathering with his signature dance moves. Later, addressing the gathering, the JAYS chief Dr Hiralal Alawa announced that the outfit will contest 70-80 seats in the coming assembly polls and will strive for the government of tribals headed by a tribal CM. He added that the process of finalizing the candidates is underway and shortly the list of candidates will be declared. The party is focusing on around 80 tribal dominated seats, including the 47 seats reserved for the scheduled tribes. Importantly, two prominent leaders from opposition Congress, including local MLA Surendra Singh Baghel and Suraj Bhanu Solanki (son of ex-deputy CM Shivbhanu Solanki) too were present at JAYS program. The twin political developments are significant for the ruling BJP and opposition Congress. While the newly launched SSP is likely to eat into the ruling BJP votes, particularly the Gwalior-Chambal and Vindhya region which have been witnessing widespread anti-SC/ST Act protests, the emergence of JAYS as a serious political player in tribal-dominated seats, especially the Malwa-Nimar region could dent the Congress' traditional tribal vote bank. The Pentagon has canceled plans for U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to visit China after his counterpart in Beijing could not be made available, a U.S. defense official told VOA on Monday. The trip was never finalized or formally announced. The Pentagon decided not to participate late last week after trying to schedule security talks with General Wei Fenghe, the defense official said. Trip plans for cabinet officials do fall through from time to time and are usually unreported. The trip cancellation comes after China last week recalled its naval chief, Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong, from a planned meeting in Newport, Rhode Island, and denied a Hong Kong port visit request from the USS Wasp warship. It also comes as the U.S. military has conducted several freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. The United States frequently conducts freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to dispute China's claims and to promote free passage through international waters that carry half the world's merchant fleet tonnage, worth trillions of dollars each year. Ramananda Sengupta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin will get a rather unusual gift of three Make in India MiG 21 fighter jets when he arrives for the 19th India-Russia Summit in Delhi from October 4 to 5. In the early 1960s after the US and the UK refused to sell supersonic fighter jets, India bought more than 1,200 MiGs from the former Soviet Union. It subsequently got full tech transfer to indigenously build the aircraft. After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Russia picked up the mantle of being India's largest defence partner, with Russian equipment and platforms still forming India's military backbone. But the symbolism of the gift underlines a growing unease and uncertainty in the "time tested" relationship between the two nations, caused by the increasingly tighter strategic embrace between New Delhi and Washington. The US decision to impose sanctions on Russia for meddling in the 2016 US election further complicates the relationship. In September, the US State department announced immediate sanctions on China's Equipment Development Department (EDD), responsible for weapons and equipment, and its director Li Shangfu for Beijing's purchase of 10 SU-35 combat aircraft in 2017 and S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile system. New Delhi's decision to defy the possibility of US sanctions and acquire the S-400 system from Moscow, along with a host of other military deals likely to be signed during Putin's visit, is likely to allay some, but not all Russian concerns. "In October last year, just after the 4th meeting of the US-India Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation, a Russian paper reported that the Indian Navy had given the visiting American delegation access to INS Chakra, the Akula-II-class Russian nuclear powered attack submarine on lease with India," recalled a senior Indian official. "It took a lot of convincing on our part to reassure the Russians that no such access had ever been granted, to the Americans or anybody else," he said, underlining the Russian anxiety over India's growing military collaboration with the US. The signing of Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) further fuelled Russian anxiety. There are reports that Moscow now wants similar agreements with New Delhi in order to protect its military technology now available to India. An Indian official, however, played down these concerns, saying that most of these were addressed during the Sochi 'informal summit" between PM Narendra Modi and Putin in May. "In fact, though defence still remains the key driver of our long relationship, we are actively seeking to expand cooperation and trade during this visit," he said. "These include energy, both nuclear and fossil, space - our astronauts are being trained for their first manned mission to space in Russia - and the ramping up of the north south trade corridor, which will connect Moscow to Mumbai through Central Asia." DEALS IN THE PIPLEINE: Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: In the wake of the boycott of civic polls by two major political parties and boycott call by separatists and militants in Kashmir, at least 143 candidates have been elected uncontested in the first two phases of 4-phased Urban Local Bodies (ULB) polls in strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir. According to officials, 143 candidates have been elected uncontested in the State for the first two of the 4-phased ULB polls. 130 candidates have been elected uncontested in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu region. They said 78 candidates have been elected uncontested in the State for the first phase of the ULB polls scheduled to be held on October 8. "The nomination papers, scrutiny of documents and withdrawal of candidates for the first phase of polls has ended. The 69 candidates from Kashmir and 9 from Jammu have been elected uncontested for the first phase," they said. According to the officials, 1283 candidates are contesting 422 ULB wards going to polls in the first phase. Of the 1283 candidates, only 207 are contesting polls in Kashmir. Of the 422 ULB wards, 149 are in Kashmir and since 69 candidates have been elected uncontested, now 138 candidates would be fighting for 80 wards in the Valley. The state's two major political parties National Conference and PDP have boycotted the civic polls in the State by linking their participation in the polls with central government's stand on Article 35A, which grants special privileges to residents of Jammu and Kashmir. The smaller Kashmir-based parties have also followed NC and PDP and boycotted the polls. The officials said the process for the second phase of ULB polls, scheduled to be held on October 10 has also been completed. "As the last day for withdrawal of candidates for the second phase of polls has ended, 65 candidates have been elected uncontested for the phase II," they said. Of the 65 candidates elected unopposed, 61 have been elected uncontested from strife-torn Kashmir. Of the 384 wards going to polls in the second phase, there are 1095 candidates. Of them, only 209 candidates are contesting in Kashmir while rest are contesting from Jammu region. According to officials, there is no candidate for 13 wards in Frisal area of south Kashmir's Kulgam district as none has come forward to submit the nomination papers. The south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Shopian, Anantnag and Pulwama have emerged as a stronghold of militants after the five-month-long unrest in Valley over the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016. The last municipal election in the State was held in January 2005 after a gap of 23 years. The civic polls could not be held since 2011 due to security concerns. The separatists have called for a boycott of the civic polls while the militants have warned those contesting the polls of "dire consequences". In view of the threat perception, about 400 additional companies of CRPF would be deployed for security for smooth conduct of the 4-phase ULB and 9-phase panchayat polls in the State beginning October 8. By PTI PATNA: Disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Tuesday asserted that he belonged to the "Bharatiya Janata" (Indian public) before he owed allegiance to any party. Addressing a function in his Lok Sabha constituency of Patna Sahib, the actor-turned-politician lamented that the party (BJP) had become a "one man show two man army" a jibe aimed at Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, who announced severing of his ties with the BJP earlier this year, speaking at the function said anybody speaking the truth nowadays was being dubbed an "anti-national" and asserted that "if that is the case, please count myself and Shatrughan Sinha as topmost among anti-nationals." "Try asking anybody to name three ministers in the current regime. He will take the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi first, followed by Amit Shah who is not a minister. Thereafter he will start fumbling," the former Union minister said at the function organized on the occasion of birth anniversary of former Premier Lal Bahadur Shastri. "The entire nation was thrown into turmoil by demonetisation. And even before the people could fully recover from the shock, they came up with the complicated GST. The tax regime was introduced with much fanfare, the announcement coming at the stroke of midnight as if we were getting Independence anew," the filmstar turned politician said. "But instead of the much-touted one nation one tax, it has become one nation many taxes. When I speak about such things, many try to stop me reminding that I am a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. But I say before the party, I belong to the Bharatiya Janata," he said. The Patna Sahib MP also asked the regime to "come clean" on the Rafale deal a demand he has been raising for quite some time on the social media besides expressing displeasure over shoddy treatment given to veterans like Yashwant Sinha, L K Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Arun Shourie. "And those with darbari (sycophantic) mentality have the temerity to say that these people are speaking uncomfortable truths just because they were not given a ministerial berth," Sinha said. Yashwant Sinha said "it is our right to point out wrongdoings but we see very little tolerance for the same. We would however continue to do so even if we are dubbed as being agents of China and Pakistan. If stating the truth, calling a spade a spade makes one an anti-national I would proudly say count me and Shatrughan Sinha, jointly, as among the front-rankers." By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Fearing threat to his life in view of Maoists killing TDP MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and ex-MLA Siveri Soma at Araku in Visakhapatnam district on September 22, former minister and YSR Congress general secretary Dharmana Prasada Rao has moved the Hyderabad High Court seeking directions to the Andhra Pradesh police authorities to provide 2+2 security cover to him at the earliest. AP state chief secretary, principal secretary to home, state-level security review committee, Srikakulam district SP and Intelligence additional director general were named as respondents. When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, Justice A Rajasheker Reddy directed the court registry to tag the present petition with the one filed earlier by Dharmana seeking security cover and posted the matter to Wednesday for hearing and to pass appropriate orders. The government counsel told the court that there was no threat perception to the petitioner. He has approached the court following the recent incident of killing the MLA and former MLA by Maoists. If a representation was made by the petitioner, then the State-level security review committee would examine it, he added. By Express News Service BENGALURU: The JD(S)-Congress coalition government hopes to fill up the seven vacant cabinet berths by October 12, if Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamys statements are anything to go by. While the expansion was scheduled to take place in September, various reasons led to its postponement. With aspirants in both parties running out of patience, the expansion may take place before October 12. The JD(S), which has just one more berth in its quota, is still contemplating whether to induct an MLC as a minister. The party had decided to induct only MLAs as ministers much to the dismay of senior leaders and MLCs like Basavraj Horatti. We have requested that MLCs be considered for cabinet berths too. We will accept any decision taken by the party leadership, said T A Sharavana, MLC, JD(S). Sharavana, Horatti and B M Farooq are the key aspirants for cabinet berths among all JD(S) MLCs. Kumaraswamy, who met party national president H D Devegowda on Monday, is said to have discussed the pros and cons of inducting an MLC. While JD(S) state chief A H Vishwanath has been given a free hand in choosing new office-bearers, the decision on whether MLCs should be considered lies with Devegowda. Party sources suggest that the JD(S) intends to vote in Horatti, who is the pro-tem Chairman of the Legislative Council as a permanent chairman will be elected in the next session. Horattis prodigy Venkatrao Nadagoud was inducted into the cabinet instead of the Lingayat strongman. Considering his seniority, the JD(S) is hoping to keep Horatti as Chairman. Rashmi Patil By Express News Service BENGALURU: Mahatma Gandhi is one person who is remembered worldwide. One of the people who is keeping his memory alive is a Vemagal Somashekar, 74-year-old Gandhian who has penned many books on Bapu and collected some rare photographs of the freedom fighters travels in Karnataka. Once a wireman for the Indian Telephone Industries, Bengaluru-based Somashekar is now a freelance research scholar and an author. On being asked how he developed an interest in Gandhi, he said, I read many books on Gandhi, his freedom movement and his visits to Karnataka. The dates of his visits to Karnataka, especially Bengaluru were different in every book. So in the 1980s, I took voluntary retirement from my job and started visiting libraries in the city and Gandhi Bhawan to do my research. He added, My friend Thirumale Thitacharya Sharma was an editor at Vishwa Karnataka, a weekly Kannada newspaper. I thought this paper was the best source to get the dates right. I visited Rashtrothana Parishat library at Chamrajpet which has the newspaper clippings from 1927 and even before that. These have the first-hand information on Gandhi and his speeches. Getting historical facts right and putting them in the form of a book takes months and sometimes even years. Somashekar worked as a foot soldier to get in touch with people who had met Gandhi during his visits to Bengaluru. For my first book, Nandi Giridhamadalli Mahatma Gandhi, I visited Nandi Hills several times. I have collected at least 80 photos of Gandhis visits, most of them black and white. The rarest in my collection is the one where Gandhi held a prayer for two minutes with other people when he got down at Yeshwanthpur Railway Station. I got this photo from my editor friend. There is one more photo in my collection. It is of a well in Kengeri which was inaugurated by Gandhi. A rare picture of Gandhi holding a prayer with others when he got down at Yeshwantpur Railway Station. His collection also has a photo of Gandhi touching the cheek of a five-year-old boy who had given him Rs. 5 during one of his campaigns in Bengaluru. Somashekar traced the boy whose name is Balasubramanium and who is now a former scientist of Indian Institute of Science. Somashekar has exhibited these photographs many times at Rangoli Metro Art Centre. He along with his son Deepak, who lives in Dubai, has unveiled a bust of Gandhi at the India consulate. On such occasions, Somashekar even dresses up like Gandhi and sits meditating for an hour or so. Freedom fighter lends a helping hand With no money to publish his first book - Nandi Giridhamadalli Mahatma Gandhi - Somashekars friend Suryanath Kamath, a historian, helped him get money. Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy had given Rs 3,000 to get copies printed and I spent Rs1,000 from my pocket. We were able to print 1,000 copies and from then there has been no looking back. Now I am writing a book called Gandhiji Samakaalenaru meaning people who have spent time with Gandhi. The book is likely to publish next year. he said. Gandhi visited Bengaluru five times Ashwini M Sripad By Express News Service MODAKU HOSAHALLI (NANDI GRAM PANCHAYAT), CHIKKABALLAPURA: Every morning, before sunrise, we head out to the fields to answer natures call. Women and girls like me go with pots of water. Even if we are unwell, we are not allowed to use our neighbours toilets. We dont even go to their houses because we belong to a lower caste, Amrutha (name changed), a young girl from this village, said. Gandhi had said sanitation is more important than political independence, but while the nation is celebrating his 150th birth anniversary, many houses in this village of Modaku Hosahalli in Chikkaballapura do not have toilets. Unfortunately, nothing has changed here in terms of untouchability either. Modaku Hosahalli, also known as Gandhipura, is a small village near Nandi Hills. When Gandhi was ailing with high blood pressure, he was advised to rest at any hilly region and he chose Nandi Hills. In 1936, when Gandhi lived at Nandi Hills for 50 days and he would often visit Modaku Hosahalli. As part of his Harijan campaign, he would visit this village, eat and spend nights interacting with people. The village today has close to 60 houses and most of them are without toilets. Roads too are hardly motorable here. There is one government school that teaches children only till Class 4. Under Swachha Bharath Mission, `15,000 has been allotted for every toilet, the funds of which have been shared by the state and the Central governments. In the absence of a proper drainage system, pit latrines have been set up in some places. These are toilets made of cement rings that are inserted underground and the sanitary sludge is cleaned once in two or three months using tankers. Many of these cement rings, however, are unused. While some villagers use it to dry their clothes, others use it as dustbins. In some houses, children have turned them into their play areas. Poojappa (64), his wife, son and daughter-in-law use an empty plot, which is some 1km away from their house, as their toilet. We were told to get a bank loan to avail the cement rings that are used for sanitary pits. We were told that the amount will be reimbursed. But we do not have the money to invest in the first place. And we do not want to run from pillar to post to get reimbursed, he said. Akash, who lives with his brother and parents, too defecates in the open. It is only a 10-minute walk. We fill water in pots and go to the field, he said. And what happens if it rains? We take an umbrella with us, he added. Roopa, a housewife, said, Ours is a family of five members and we have a small house. Where is the space to construct a toilet? We only spend 10 minutes to attend natures call. Why do we need a toilet for that? Only some people in the village have toilets. Sumithra, came to the village nine years ago, said they constructed a toilet only two years ago. My mother-in-law and I used to walk to the open field. Thankfully, there is no need to do that now, she said. Stories about Gandhis visit are still spoken about among the villagers here. The youngsters recall what their elders narrated. Susheelamma, a farmer, said, My mother-in-law would say that Gandhi used to eat raagi mudde and sambar and only vegetarian food at our house. He would also come here to drink goat milk. Gandhis stay at Nandi Hills: During the summer of 1927, as his khadi campaign was in Mysuru, Gandhi chose to stay at Nandi Hills. He reached Yeshwanthpur railway station on April 20 and was taken to Sulthanpete (a small village near Nandi Hills) in a palanquin, from where he was taken to Nandi Hills. He left on June 5. In 1936, Gandhi was attending an event in Chennai when his blood pressure shot up. He again came back to Nandi Hills to rest. This time, he did not take a palanquin but walked for almost three hours from Sulthanpete. He stayed here for 50 days. Chetana Belagere By Express News Service BENGALURU: A 53-year-old civil engineer from Bengaluru, on a vacation in New Zealand with his wife and cousins, was found dead on Tuesday morning local time. Authorities in New Zealand suspect that the victim Satish Babu could have died due to cardiac arrest. Satishs body was found on Mount Tongarrio in North Island of New Zealand by the Police and Land Search and Rescue team. He had reportedly gone missing on the Tongarriro Alpine Crossing amid blizzard-like condition. According to a family friend, Satish was a resident of Malleswaram. Satish, along with his wife Preethi and three more families, had left to New Zealand on Monday morning. According to friends of the family, Satish was trekking with his family when he felt a little discomfort in the chest and asked them to continue and that he would catch up. Satish is survived by his son Nihal, wife Preethi and his mother. Nihal is a second-year engineering student and has reportedly gone on a road trip with his friends as his parents were on a vacation. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of reports that indicated massive influx of Rohingya refugees to the state, a five-member family from the restive Southeast Asian state was apprehended by Vizhinjam police from Vizhinjam near here on Tuesday. The group comprising a man, his wife, their six-month-old child and two more adults had reached the city from Hyderabad in Sabari Express on Monday night. Vizhinjam police said the group had refugee cards issued by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and hence there won't be any legal actions against them. The State Intelligence machinery said they were questioning the group and so far they haven't come across any information that hinted the group had any mal intentions. "They came as a family and upon questioning they said financial implications had prompted them to board train to the the Southern most state. They were underpaid in Hyderabad and wanted to earn a bit more working here," State Special Branch officials said. Though arrest and prosecution is unlikely as the apprehended Rohingyas possess refugee cards, they would be sent out of the state to the place where the refugee card was issued, police sources said. By Express News Service KOCHI: International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Christine Lagarde on Monday appointed Gita Gopinath as its chief economist. An IMF release said she would be the Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMFs Research Department. Gita, a Keralite, currently serves as the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University. She will succeed Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld, who announced in July that he would retire at the end of 2018. Gita has been serving as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayans economic advisor since July 2016. Gita is one of the worlds outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience, Lagarde said, in a release issued by the IMF. All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our Research Department at this important juncture. I am delighted to name such a talented figure as our chief economist. The leader of the minor opposition Justice Party on Monday called for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to deliver a speech at the National Assembly if he visits Seoul. "I'm asking you to give positive thought to my proposal, so that we can give a reciprocal response to the boldness with which North Korea allowed President Moon Jae-in to address an audience of thousands in Pyongyang," Lee Jeong-mi said. Bareun Mirae Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung expressed support. "The National Assembly too can play a role in changing North Korea," he said. "We should invite [Kim] to the National Assembly." Liberty Korea Party spokesman Lee Yang-soo was more cautious in his support, pointing out that Kim's visit has not been decided but adding, "There's no reason to deny him a chance to speak here, but only if he takes substantial measures to denuclearize and dismantle his nuclear stockpile." National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang had lunch with the leaders of five political parties that day, asking them to help with inter-Korean parliamentary talks. "We're thinking of holding the talks in November, with a South Korean parliamentary delegation of about 30," he said. Meanwhile, Minjoo Party lawmaker Lee Hae-chan said he will travel to Pyongyang on Thursday for a three-day visit to attend an event commemorating the Oct. 4, 2007 Joint Declaration on behalf of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, which he chairs. The declaration was signed by then-President Roh and former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: The NIA probe into the deportation of a youth from Afghanistan while attempting to join the Islamic State (IS) has revealed the accused had given Jihadi classes to his friends in Wayanad. Intelligence agencies have also launched an inquiry against persons who attended the class by Nashidul Hamzafar, a 26-year-old hailing from Mundari near Kalpetta in Wayanad. Nashidul was deported by Afghanistan after he was intercepted by security agencies from Kabul while on his way to the IS territory there. He was accompanied by another youth hailing from Emily near Kalpetta. The Emily native decided to return following family reasons after the two reached Iran. Nashidul and the unnamed Emily native were turned 16th and 17th accused in the NIA case related to the migration of 14 persons from Kasargod to Nangarhar in Afghanistan. Nashidul, before moving to Afghanistan via Iran, propagated IS ideology to his friends in Wayanad. He had given secret classes to his friends in support of IS at Kalpetta during April-May 2017. The 17th accused hailing from Emily took part in the classes. Later, both conspired to join IS and left the country in October 2017, sources said. The Central and state intelligence agencies are monitoring the youth who had attended the classes. Even though IS sympathisers attempted to radicalise other youths in Wayanad, they couldnt succeed fully. We are monitoring the situation and the people associated with Nashidul in Wayanad, an intelligence officer said. After the arrest, NIA recovered a mobile phone, 450 US dollars and 1,260 Afghani from the accused. Several Jihadi books were retrieved from his email account. The mobile phone is currently being examined by C-DAC. The NIA investigation found there was frequent communication between Bestin alias Yahiya of Palakkad who joined IS in Afghanistan and Nashidul.Bestin and Nashidul knew each other for a long time. From the interrogation, NIA will receive more information about people who have joined IS in Afghanistan, the Intelligence officer said. Deported, held Nashidul was deported by Afghanistan after he was intercepted by security agencies from Kabul while on his way to the IS territory there. He was accompanied by another youth hailing from Emily near Kalpetta Nashidul, the first IS sympathiser to be arrested by NIA after having left for Afghanistan, is currently lodged in Ernakulam sub-jail. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala has petitioned Governor P Sathasivam seeking approval for inquiry against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan under Section 17A(1)C of the Prevention of Corruption (amendment) Act 2018. Chennithala told reporters at the Cantonment House, his official residence, his petition is for an inquiry against criminal misconduct and conspiracy hatched in illegally sanctioning three breweries and a distillery to private individuals in violation of Abkari rules and policy. The Opposition Leader alleged crores of rupees have changed hands in the brewery and distillery deals and that the conspiracy was hatched at the top level of the CPM leadership. The primary proof is that, when breweries and distillery were sanctioned after a gap of 19 years, it was done in total secrecy, he said. This was neither discussed in the LDF liaison committee nor in the Cabinet. In the application of Sree Chakra Distillery, the Excise Commissioner had called for an amendment to the order of 1999 but someone has overcome this and given sanction, Chennithala charged. He called for the identity of the person to be revealed. The Opposition Leader also mocked at the lightning speed to sanction 10 acres of land in Kinfra Park, Ernakulam, to Power Infratech for opening a brewery as the sanction was given within 48 hours of receiving the application. Chennithala said this was sanctioned by Kinfra general manager (projects) who, incidentally, is the son of a top CPM leader. He, however, refused to name the officer or the CPM leader. Chennithala also said the last distillery in the state was given permission by the E K Nayanar Government in 1999 and not the A K Antony Government as alleged by the LDF convenor and the Excise Minister. The Opposition Leader said no one will believe Antony, who had banned arrack, will give permission to a distillery in the state and asked both the LDF convenor and the Excise Minister to tender apologies. Chennithala asked the government how it was possible for the Excise Department to issue a statement against him, a Cabinet ranking state Opposition Leader. He said K C Joseph, the Congress Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader, has already moved a privilege motion against this. He said the Excise Minister replying to him is an entirely different matter but questioned the Additional Chief Secretary giving an open statement on the Leader of the Opposition. Ban all liquor from outside the state Chennithala called upon the state government to ban all liquor from outside the state, asking it to overcome the 8 per cent shortage of liquor by producing it in the distilleries under the state government which are now closed. P Rama Varma Raja By Express News Service A visit to Sabarimala is not like a visit to many other temples, say, like Guruvayur. One makes a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Over time, the importance of vruthams has only grown. Even the judges, who delivered the 4:1 majority judgment in the matter of womens entry into the Sabarimala temple, would agree their order is sure to shatter the hopes and prayers of millions of devotees. Do we feel disappointed? The truth is the arguments, for and against, have reduced the litigation to a simple womens entry issue. One fails to digest the observation by the Chief Justice the devotees of Lord Ayyappa are exclusively Hindus, because the fact is people, cutting across religions, states and countries, visit the forest temple. Even accepting all pilgrims are Hindus, to worship God in different forms and the same form under different concepts is a fact in Hinduism and so also are the devotees religious right. It is based on this different temples with variations in installed idols and connected practices were/are built. It would be a conflict of belief if some believers/non-believers demand to change the form/concept around an existing temple on any ground. It is for the law to maintain the status quo. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court order has negated the centuries-old right and practice of a section of devotees to pay obeisance to Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala as naishtika brahmachari. If nothing else, it is the practice. Legal intricacies Common souls also fail to understand the legal intricacies in the observation that a deity can sue and be sued but has no constitutional rights.One really expected the practice would be protected under Article 25(1) of the Constitution which is justified by the minority judgment. Article 14 came into the picture only because the question was reduced to discrimination against women. Nobody fears the Hindu religion will be fundamentally altered if women are allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple. One makes a pilgrimage to Sabarimala. There are certain strong beliefs about why it should be undertaken and how. The trek through the dense forests is in commemoration of Lord Ayyappas journey to kill forest thug Udayanan. While on his mission, he wore particular costumes, carried weapons and was accompanied by his army. Subsequently, the pilgrimage was intended to pray to him at his abode and was logically restricted to healthy males. Rewriting beliefs The participants followed strict vruthams (lifestyle). Over time, the importance of vruthams only gained but probably it was decided all who can follow them (vruthams) could make it to him, permitting girls below 10 and women above 50. If vrutham is dispensed with, the legends and beliefs on Ayyappa have to be rewritten to match the Supreme Court order. The genuineness of the restrictions on women, though now interpreted as discrimination against women, in the menstruation age, is evident. How can any social or religious practice be abandoned for the reason that a few men or women felt it a smear on their dignity? The Pandalam royal family which constructed around 40 temples and allowed unrestricted entry of women in all, except in Sabarimala, cannot be described as male chauvinists. Women, during menstrual periods, are subject to various restrictions, though not excluded from everything, might be of varying degrees from individual to individual. It is a strong belief menstruation is a very inauspicious period to visit temples and spiritual functions. Biological factors like birth and death disallow the entry of men, women and children into temples and its precincts. If some men or women bypass the customs, other devotees cannot be blamed for it. As for Sabarimala, the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board are bound to ensure adherence to the rituals and practices. One thing is for sure: Once vrutham is given a go-by, the Sabarimala pilgrimage would reduce the visit to a tourism project. (The author is chairman of the Pandalam Kottaram Nirvahaka Sanghom) By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Popular violinist and fusion musician Balabhaskar, who sustained serious injuries in a car crash on September 25, died here on Tuesday. He was 40 and under treatment at a private hospital in the state capital. Read: The journey of Balabhaskar The young musician, who had shown signs of improvement, succumbed in the early hours of Tuesday following a heart attack. His two-year-old daughter Tejaswini Bala had died in the accident. Balabhaskar's wife Lakshmi and car driver Arjun, who were also injured in the crash, are still in hospital. The musician and his family were returning home from Thrissur after offering prayers at the Vadakkunnathan Temple when the car spun out of control and crashed into a tree at Pallipuram in Thiruvananthapuram district in the early hours of September 25. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at University College in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday paying tribute to musician Balabhaskar. ( Photo | B P Deepu/ EPS) Also Read: Balabhaskar, the mastermind behind the theme song of Soorya festival A familiar face on stage and TV shows, Balabhaskar has directed music for a number of films as well. He will be best remembered for popularising the electric violin among youngsters in Kerala and for making the string instrument the main event in stage shows. Violinist Balabhaskar, wife Lakshmi and daughter Tejaswini. Born to K S Unni and B Santhakumari, Balabhaskar began his music studies under his uncle B Sasikumar when he was three years old. The youngster first appeared on stage with his violin at the age of 12. Five years later, he debuted in Malayalam cinema by directing music for 'Mangalya Pallakku.' During his college days, he had been a multiple winner in violin at the Kerala University arts fest. His later albums 'Ninakkayi' and 'Aadyamayi,' were immensely popular with the young crowd. Balabhaskar was also music director for films like 'Moksham,' 'Panchajanyam' and 'Kannadikadavathu.' On Tuesday, music lovers united in their grief on social media after the news of his untimely death broke. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a condolence message, said that the music world has lost a talented artist. Balabhaskar gifted a new face to fusion music and brought to it a new level of appreciation, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said. ''Wielding his electric violin, he was a favourite with the hip crowd, but he was also equally loved by the classical music buffs,'' Culture Minister A K Balan said. Balabhaskar chose to seek his own path in music. The untimely death of the violin prodigy has caused a deep loss to the world of music, CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan said. ''Deeply saddened by the passing of violinist Balabhaskar. A loss for the world of music & for Thiruvananthapuram,'' Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor tweeted. ''My heart goes out to his grieving family,'' Tharoor said. ''Magical fingers which created wonder...The music never dies,'' actor Mohanlal tweeted. Singer and music composer Shankar Mahadevan took to Twitter to express grief over Balabasker 's death. "Very sad. Very unfair! Just not able to come to terms with it. Our dearest #Balabhaskar has left us ... deeply saddened.. a very sad day for music ... our prayers are with the family," wrote Mahadevan. Very sad. Very unfair! Just not able to come to terms with it. Our dearest #Balabhaskar has left us ... deeply saddened.. a very sad day for music ... our prayers are with the family Shankar Mahadevan (@Shankar_Live) 2 October 2018 Balabhaskar's body was kept at the University College for the public to pay homage. The body would be kept at the Kalabhavan Theatre also before being taken to his home at Thirumala. The cremation will be held at the Santhi Kavadam on Wednesday evening. SV Krishna Chaitanya By Express News Service CHENNAI: In a controversial move, the state Forest Department has decided to clear and auction over 10,000 fully-grown dead trees lying inside Kanniyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a tiger habitat and one of the most diverse wildlife locations in the country. These trees were uprooted during cyclonic storm Ockhi last December. The justification the Forest department is giving to undertake such a complex exercise was that this fallen material may activate timber smuggling gangs and with acute staff shortage it was becoming increasingly difficult for the department to safeguard the property. A majority of fallen trees are rosewood and teak that have high market value. It is estimated to generate several crores of rupees of revenue. However, the wildlife activists in the region fear that such a move would delay the forest regeneration and disturb the ecological balance. The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has considered the request of the Tamil Nadu Chief Wildlife Warden and State Board for Wildlife and granted approval for auctioning the fallen trees. The minutes of the 50th meeting of the NBWL held a few days ago, accessed by Express, say, The standing committee decided to recommend the proposal with the condition that the revenue generated be used for the benefit of local people and conservation of the Kanniyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary. Also, the NBWL said removal of the fallen trees should be done in a phased manner so as to keep the anthropogenic disturbance at a minimum level. The state government should prepare a habitat improvement plan, wildlife conservation plan, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation plan which shall be implemented simultaneously from the above-generated income. A senior forest official told Express that it was completely legal to auction the wind-fallen trees inside a sanctuary with the approval of the NBWL. Under Section 29 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, the Chief Wildlife Warden is authorised to grant such permit, provided the forest produce removed from a sanctuary be used for meeting the personal bona fide needs of the people living in and around the sanctuary and shall not be used for any commercial purpose. The NBWL clearance was needed as there is a Supreme Court order which states that no permission under Section 29 be granted without getting the approval of the NBWL, the official said. S Anand, District Forest Officer (DFO), Kanniyakumari, told Express that the purpose was to prevent illegal theft. The number of tree fallen during Ockhi is still inconclusive and 10,000 trees was only a rough estimate. We will ensure safe collection without any pilferage and minimum disturbance, he said. Disputing the decision, SS Davidson, managing trustee of the Tribal Foundation, Nagercoil, says, I visited parts of Kanniyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary post-Ockhi cyclone and the damage caused was huge. There would be a minimum one lakh trees uprooted. The teak and rosewood we find here are of first grade quality. So, its huge money. But, the decision to remove them will create a disconnect in the forest recycle. Dead trees are abode for several microorganisms; many amphibians depend on them and they are like biological capital for the forest, he said and added that such move would also set a wrong precedent. What Section 29 of Wildlife Act, 1972 says The Chief Wild Life Warden is authorised to issue a permit: Provided the forest produce removed from a sanctuary be used for meeting the personal bona fide needs of the people living in and around the sanctuary and shall not be used for any commercial purpose By Express News Service HYDERABAD: State Chief Electoral Officer will conduct mock polling sessions to create awareness among the public on right ways to vote using the electronic voting machine. As many as 10 mobile vans have been allocated to each constituency to reach out to the public and educated them also on the VVPATs which help voters verify if their votes were registered correctly. Each mobile van will have an EVM with a ballot unit, control unit and one VVPAT. The vans will be sent to every nook and corner of the State, said Rajat Kumar, the Chief Electoral Officer. Kumar inaugurated the State Awareness Centre on EVMs and VVPATs at the Rangareddy District Collectorate on Monday. He said the idea behind the vans was to clear doubts and apprehensions on the voting process. The third generation EVMs that are currently in use have many modern technologies and security features, Rajat Kumar said, dismissing possibilities of the machines, made by ECIL and BEL, being tampered with. Rajat Kumar also said that required EVMs and VVPATs have reached the State but about 9-10 per cent of them have been rejected because they were found to be malfunctioning. They are currently being replaced. He added that generally the rejection rate is about 30 per cent but this time its much lower at 10 per cent. The first level checking of the machines is about 85 per cent complete, the CEO said. The first level is done in the presence of representatives of political parties. The first level would be fully completed by October 4. Meanwhile, much to the delight of TRS party leaders, the CEO made it clear that the previous schemes which are in vogue can be implemented without any issue. Speaking earlier, Kumar also clarified that distribution of Rythu Bandhu cheques and Bathukamma sarees could go ahead as planned since they were old schemes. Naveen Kumar Tallam By Express News Service JAGTIAL: Two lovelorn teens who set themselves ablaze on Sunday night at Mission Compound was inspired by recent Tollywood flick RX 100, said police. Contrary to earlier reports, police on Monday confirmed that Kusari Mahender and Bantu Ravi Teja were in love with two different girls and burnt themselves to death as they felt they had failed in their romantic relationship. They were heartbroken by the humiliation they suffered at the hands of the girls parents who had warned them to stay away from them.The duo fell in love with the minor girls and would chat with them, but the girls parents got a whiff of the affairs and warned the boys. They were heartbroken and taking a cue from the movie RX 100, committed suicide, said DSP Venkataramana and circle inspector A Prakash, while briefing the media on the sordid incident here on Monday. The protagonist of the movie is a jilted lover and just like in the real hero's case, the boys romantic endeavours too had failed. The preliminary inquiry by police also revealed that the boys would often tell their friends about the things they could do for their female friends. The CCTV footage shows the students purchasing petrol from a local petrol pump. When they immolated themselves there was no other person there. We suspect it was a suicide but we are continuing our investigation, said DSP Venkatramana. Meanwhile, SP Ch Sindhu Sharma on Monday visited the secluded spot where the students committed suicide. While Mahender died on the spot, Ravi Teja succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the Karimnagar Civil Hospital on Sunday around midnight. According to the officials, Teja was earlier found taking a drug, suspected to be ganja, but had been released by the police after being given the required counselling. Meanwhile, Shubha, correspondent of St Johns School where the boys were studying, told Express that while Mahender was a regular student at the school, Ravi Teja was often skipping classes. By PTI ISLAMABAD: A minister in Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Cabinet has shared the dias with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed at an event in Islamabad, hours after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured the world that his country has "turned the tide against terrorism". Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noor-Ul-Haq Qadri was seen seated near Saeed as he addressed an All Parties Conference organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council on Sunday, according to media reports. A banner in the background said the conference was in "defence of Pakistan", and mentioned "Kashmir" as well as "threats from India". The Difa-e-Pakistan Council is a coalition of over 40 Pakistani political and religious parties that advocate conservative policies. Qadri's presence at the event with Saeed vindicated India's stand that there is no change in Islamabad's attitude towards terrorism after Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday said Pakistan's commitment to terrorism as an instrument of state policy has not abated one bit. She asked the world leaders how India can pursue talks with a nation that "glorifies killers" and allows the Mumbai attack mastermind to "roam free" with impunity. Qureshi in his address to the UN General Assembly said Pakistan had turned the tide against terrorism. With the deployment of 200,000 troops, Pakistan has conducted the largest and most effective counter-terrorism campaign in the world. Peace and security have returned to our cities and towns, he had claimed. The US has named Saeed as a specially-designated global terrorist and announced a USD 10 million bounties for information that will help bring him to justice. By PTI PALU: Desperation exploded into anger Tuesday in the town closest to the epicentre of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit parts of Sulawesi island four days ago, with residents begging Indonesia's president to help them as hungry survivors crawled into stores and grabbed boxes of food. "Pay attention to Donggala, Mr Jokowi Pay attention to Donggala," yelled one resident in footage broadcast on local television, referring to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. ALSO READ | Dozens of students found dead as Indonesia rescue ramps up, more feared trapped "There are still a lot of unattended villages here. Most of the attention so far has focused on the biggest affected city, Palu, home to 380,000 people with considerable damage. People queue for gasoline following a massive earthquake and tsunami at a gas station in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. ( Photo | AP) The confirmed death toll was raised to 1,234 on Tuesday afternoon, but national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at a news conference in Jakarta that the communities of Sigi and Balaroa have not been counted yet, meaning the toll is likely to rise. Donggala and other outlying areas have received little assistance largely due to impassable roads. Donggala's administration head Kasman Lassa said residents should take only food staples from shops. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer. Desperation was visible everywhere among victims receiving little aid. In Palu, signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for fuel. Teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel in the city, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently, Nugroho said. "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding her house was destroyed. In the Petobo neighbourhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy mud that resulted in massive damage. ALSO READ | Indonesia: Father, daughter hugging corpse found among debris "In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud," Nugroho said. Residents who found loved ones alive and dead over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 6 metres (nearly 20 feet) in places. About 3,000 residents flocked to Palu's airport Monday, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights using the facility only partially operating due to damage. Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. "We have not eaten for three days!" one woman yelled. "We just want to be safe!" Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Nugroho said, and hospitals were overwhelmed. The Indonesian air force confirmed that a Hercules aircraft carrying an unspecified number of survivors was able to leave Palu for South Sulawesi's capital of Makassar. In addition, more than 100 police officers from the capital, Jakarta, were sent to Palu and additional Hercules aircraft carrying soldiers and supplies, including food and water, from east Java were en route, local television reported. President Widodo authorised the acceptance of international help, Nugroho said Monday, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and about 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States and China, he said. People survey the damage following a massive earthquake and tsunami at Talise beach in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Photo | AP) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tuesday that his government had given 360,000 dollars to help victims and was in talks with Indonesian authorities about the second round of aid. The initial funds would go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. The coastline at Palu was strewn with rubble and a few brightly coloured cargo containers poking out of the water. Buildings near the water were ruined shells. The arches of a large yellow bridge rested in the water and eerie drone footage showed a Ferris wheel, untouched, on a beach scraped bare by the waves. Rescuers searching a collapsed building Monday night were able to remove 38-year-old Sapri Nusin alive from the rubble. He was talking to his rescuers as they took him away but his condition was not known. In the Petobo neighbourhood, Edi Setiawan said he and his neighbours rescued children and adults, including a pregnant woman. His sister and father, however, did not survive. "My sister was found embracing her father," he said. My mother was able to survive after struggling against the mud and being rescued by villagers. " Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August, and two moderate quakes occurred near an eastern island on Tuesday. By PTI WASHINGTON: Former chief justice of Bangladesh Surendra Kumar Sinha, who has sought political asylum in the US, has urged India to support the rule of law and democracy in his country, saying the Indian government should not ignore the will of people by backing the "autocratic" Awami League-led government. Sinha, 67, the first Hindu Chief Justice of Bangladesh, alleged that he was forced to resign because he opposed the "undemocratic" and "authoritarian" regime. The Bangladeshi government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has refuted Sinha's allegations and charged him with corruption. At the launch of his book 'A Broken Dream: Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy' here, Sinha told PTI that the Indian government is ignoring the will of the Bangladeshi people by standing solidly behind the Hasina government, which he allegedly got itself elected in a "farce election". "If India supports an autocrat and this autocracy, this terrorism (suppression of people's voices) continues, then one day people will revolt," Sinha said. The ruling Awami League has accused him of corruption and misuse of power. Sinha denies those allegations. ALSO READ | India provides relief supplies to Bangladesh for Rohingyas "India should not encourage a government which is actually an authoritarian. They should not, because the people are hostile against the government. They (the ruling party) can dominate for one term or two terms. But when the time comes, people will revolt, then certainly India will lose ground (in Bangladesh)," Sinha said. He acknowledged that India is concerned about the Muslim fundamentalist groups and leaders in Bangladesh. Responding to the allegations that he is politically motivated, Sinha said he does not have any political ambition. "What I want in Bangladesh is that there should be democracy. There should be rule of law," he said. In his book, Sinha described in detail the circumstances under which he had to leave the country and resign as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. Responding to a question, Sinha said he reached out to the Modi government and other leaders of the ruling party with his issues of concern. "I went to India and explained to him (Modi) the problems I am facing. I don't know who advised him, he sided with the autocratic government of Bangladesh. In the long-run, India will pay a price for it," Sinha warned. Sinha claimed in his meetings with the Indian leader, including Modi, he explained to them the problems being faced by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and the frequent demolition of temples in the country. "They think if they back Justice Sinha, they may lose Awami League. But ultimately, India may lose Bangladesh," he said, claiming that the ruling party would be handsomely defeated in the event of a free and fair election. U.S. citizens' support for the American troop presence in South Korea has risen to a record 74 percent, a survey by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs released Monday suggests. The figure rose from 60 percent in 2012 and 70 percent in 2016. But asked what their position would be if North Korea agrees to complete denuclearization, 54 percent said they would favor a partial withdrawal of the U.S. Forces Korea, while 18 percent supported complete withdrawal. President Moon Jae-in said during a luncheon celebrating the 70th Armed Forces Day at Cheong Wa Dae on Monday, "The USFK will continue to serve as peacekeepers in Korea and contribute to stability and peace in Northeast Asia." His speech seems to be aimed at quelling fears of a U.S. withdrawal being on offer in return for North Korea's denuclearization. In the poll, a record 64 percent also said the U.S. must protect South Korea if North Korea attacks, compared to only 26 percent in the 1990 survey. Support seems to have grown as North Korea appeared on the radar of ordinary Americans, who typically have little curiosity about the outside world. Even if North Korea agrees to a denuclearization program, 51 percent said joint military drills between South Korea and the U.S. must continue, while 44 percent said they should stop. Also, 77 percent called for stronger economic sanctions against North Korea in case denuclearization does not happen, while 37 percent said they support military action against North Korean nuclear facilities and 25 percent said they would back the overthrow of the North Korean regime by military force. This survey was conducted on 2,016 adults from July 12 to 31. By AFP WASHINGTON: A one-time classmate of President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee said Monday that Brett Kavanaugh was a habitual heavy drinker, challenging the judge's Senate testimony to the contrary. The comments came days after the FBI opened a Senate-requested probe into allegations by three women that a drunken Kavanaugh sexually abused them or engaged in sexual misconduct while they were students in the 1980s. "I can unequivocally say that in denying the possibility that he ever blacked out from drinking and in downplaying the degree and frequency of his drinking, Brett has not told the truth," Chad Ludington told reporters. The North Carolina State University professor, who said he had contacted the FBI with his information, indicated in a statement Sunday that Kavanaugh was "belligerent and aggressive" when he drank. ALSO READ | Brett Kavanaugh's Yale University classmate recalls him as frequent, heavy drinker Earlier, Trump had defended his pick but admitted that the appeals court judge has had a "bit of difficulty" with alcohol. In a White House press conference, the US president sought to excuse excessive drinking by teenagers, while going beyond Kavanaugh's own testimony on his past use of alcohol to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week. "I was surprised at how vocal he was about the fact that he likes beer," the president said. Donald Trump. (Photo | AP) "He's had a little bit of difficulty. He talked about things that happened when he drank. This is not a man that said... he was perfect with respect to alcohol." He also questioned why investigators needed to examine the 53-year-old Kavanaugh's high school record. "I think it's very unfair to bring up things like this," Trump said. "I graduated from high school and while I did not drink, I saw a lot of people drinking," he said. "They drink beer and go crazy and they were in high school... Does that mean that they can't do something they want to do in their life?" He returned to the theme during a campaign rally in Tennessee, where he accused opposition Democrats of being motivated by politics. "They have been blind in a blind rage ever since they lost the 2016. They have gone loco," he told supporters. I like beer In Thursday's extraordinary hearing, Kavanaugh vehemently denied the sexual abuse allegations, and also aggressively challenged suggestions he had a drinking problem at the time. "I drank beer with my friends. Sometimes I had too many beers," he told the panel. "Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. I still like beer," he said. "If every American who drinks beer or every American who drank beer in high school is suddenly presumed guilty of sexual assault, it will be an ugly, new place in this country." ALSO READ | I never had a beer in my life, says Donald Trump; asks world to imagine him drunk The New York Times also reported that Kavanaugh was questioned but not charged by police after a 1985 bar fight in New Haven, Connecticut where he was accused of throwing ice on a fellow patron. A witness said that a friend of Kavanaugh's then threw a glass that hit the same patron in the ear, causing bleeding. US media meanwhile reported that the FBI had begun their interview of Mark Judge, Kavanaugh's former best friend and a key figure in the misconduct allegations leveled by Christine Blasey Ford. Judge's interview started but "has not been completed," his attorney said in a statement quoted by Fox News. In last week's hearing, Blasey Ford said Judge witnessed Kavanaugh's alleged assault and jumped on top of them as it happened, sending all three tumbling and allowing her to escape. Clock ticking Trump meanwhile said the White House would not restrict the new FBI probe, requested by senators before they take a final vote on Kavanaugh. "I think the FBI should do what they have to do to get to the answer," Trump said. "I want it to be comprehensive... With that being said, I would like to go quickly," he added. "We don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?" Senators, including Republican Jeff Flake, struck a deal Friday that gives the FBI one week to conduct its investigation and deliver its report. Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., listens to a question during an appearance at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018, in Boston. (Photo | AP) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate, made up of 51 Republicans and 49 Democrats, will be "voting this week" on advancing the Kavanaugh nomination, setting up a possible final confirmation vote this weekend or early next week. "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close," McConnell said. Last week, Flake expressed eagerness to see Kavanaugh confirmed but said he wanted a "better process" for assessing the allegations. Flake said over the weekend that he would vote for Kavanaugh unless the FBI finds something in its investigation. By AFP PARIS: France accused Iran's intelligence ministry on Tuesday of being behind a foiled plot to bomb an exiled opposition group near the French capital in a move that risks straining already complicated ties between Paris and Tehran. The French government announced it was freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives, as well as others belonging to Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. The decision to take retaliatory measures and go public with the accusations was taken three months after the alleged plot to bomb a meeting of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) in a suburb of Paris. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," France's interior, foreign and economy ministers said in a rare joint statement. "In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory." A French diplomatic source told AFP that the security forces had concluded that "the head of operations at the (Iranian) intelligence ministry ordered it". Iran immediately denied any involvement, as it did in July when the MEK accused it of being responsible. Raids across Europe The alleged bomb plot came to light two days after thousands of Iranian opposition supporters gathered at an exhibition centre outside Paris on June 30. The meeting was attended by two allies of US President Donald Trump, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The People's Mujahedin was formed in the 1960s to overthrow the Shah of Iran and it continues to organise opposition to the current leaders of the Islamic republic who took power following the 1979 revolution. Belgium announced in July that it had arrested a couple in a Brussels suburb who were suspected of preparing to drive a car packed with explosives to the French rally. But a total of six people were then detained in coordinated raids by European police. One of the detained men was an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna who was stopped by German police. The diplomat, Assadollah Asadi, was targeted by the asset freezes announced by French authorities Tuesday, as well as Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who the French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. Asadi is set to be extradited to Belgium to face trial, German authorities announced on Monday. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release," a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Diplomatic strains The measures announced Tuesday come as French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani are at odds on a host of issues. Macron, who hoped to improve ties with Tehran at the start of his presidency last year, has allied with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which limits the Islamic Republic's atomic programme. While US President Donald Trump has pulled out of the agreement and denounced it, Macron has been vocal supporter and has worked to keep the accord alive despite US sanctions. But Macron is at loggerheads with Rouhani over the wars in Syria and Yemen, in which Iran is a major player, and has raised concerns about the country's ballistic missile programme. The US considers Iran to be the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism because of its links with a host of armed groups, particularly the powerful Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, as well as other networks in Iraq and Yemen. Iran has been blamed in the past for carrying out attacks in countries as far afield as Argentina, India and Thailand. The French diplomatic source said Iran was suspected of carrying out "several" assassinations of opposition figures in the European Union since 2015. Also Tuesday, around 200 French police launched a dawn anti-terror raid on one of the biggest Shiite Muslim centres in France, the Zahra Centre France, as well as the homes of its directors. Eleven people were questioned -- three of them arrested, security sources told AFP, including for the illegal possession of firearms. The Zahra Centre France was founded in 2009 by Yahia Gouasmi, a pro-regime activist and religious figure who has spoken in support of Hezbollah. Gouasmi is also the founder of the Anti-Zionist Party in France and an associate of controversial comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, a convicted anti-Semite. By AFP Suspected cholera cases have nearly tripled in the past three months in Hodeida, the Yemeni port city on the front line between a pro-government alliance and rebels, Save the Children said Tuesday. "Health facilities supported by Save the Children across (Hodeida) governorate recorded a 170 percent increase in the number of suspected cholera cases, from 497 in June to 1,342 in August," a report by the London-based NGO said. In late July, "airstrikes resulted in the damage of a sanitation facility and water station that supplies Hodeida with most of its water", the report said. "After this incident, suspected cholera cases almost doubled" between July and August in health centres supported by the NGO, it said. The United Nations and World Health Organization have warned Yemen faces a third cholera epidemic as autumn rains have increased the risk of infection. Yemen has already been hit by two major cholera outbreaks in the past two years. The WHO says 2,451 people have died of cholera across Yemen since April 2017, while more than a million suspected cases were reported during the same period. In this Sept. 23, 2018 photo, men deliver aid donations from donors, in Aslam, Hajjah, Yemen. | AP More than 120,000 suspected cases were reported between January and mid-August 2018, according to the UN, as a pro-government military coalition led by Saudi Arabia battles Iran-backed Huthi rebels. The coalition launched a major operation to retake Hodeida from the rebels in June, which was put on hold for 11 weeks as the UN struggled to bring warring parties to peace talks in Geneva. But the talks failed to get off the ground after the Huthis refused to attend over what they said was the UN's failure to guarantee a safe return to Sanaa. Hodeida's port is a vital lifeline for aid shipments to Yemen, the most impoverished country in the Arab world. Yemen's conflict has left nearly 10,000 people dead since the Saudi-led coalition joined the government's fight against the Huthis in 2015, pushing eight million Yemenis to the brink of famine. By AFP STOCKHOLM: Three researchers on Tuesday shared the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize for inventions in the field of laser physics which have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye surgery and industry, the jury said. Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one half of the nine million Swedish kronor (about USD 1.01 million or 870,000 euros) prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other half. ALSO READ | US, Japanese pair win Nobel Medicine Prize for cancer therapy Ashkin, 96, was honoured for his invention of "optical tweezers" that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. With this he was able to use the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects, "an old dream of science fiction," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. Meanwhile Mourou, 74, and Strickland -- only the third woman to win the Physics Prize -- won for together developing a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses, "the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind," the jury said. Their technique is now used in corrective eye surgery. Last year, US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss won the physics prize for the discovery of gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity. On Monday, two immunologists, James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, won this year's Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the body's natural defences can fight cancer. The winners of the chemistry prize will be announced on Wednesday, followed by the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize will wrap up the Nobel season on Monday, October 8. ALSO READ | Japan Nobel winner vows to continue research to 'save more patients than ever' For the first time since 1949, the Swedish Academy has postponed the announcement of the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize until next year, amid a #MeToo scandal and bitter internal dispute that has prevented it from functioning properly. By AFP DUBLIN: The leader of Northern Ireland's highly influential Democratic Unionist Party on Tuesday warned British Prime Minister Theresa May against any Brexit compromise with Brussels that could increase checks on trade between the province and the rest of Britain. The DUP are key allies for May, providing her Conservative government with a slim parliamentary majority after the Tories lost their overall majority in the 2017 general election. ALSO READ | UK says EU immigrants won't get priority after Brexit "We cannot have either a customs border down the Irish Sea or a regulatory border, because that would make us separate from the rest of the United Kingdom", DUP chief Arlene Foster said in an interview with Bloomberg. "That doesn't work from a constitutional perspective and that doesn't work from an economic perspective either." The European Union has proposed that Northern Ireland be allowed to remain in Europe's single market for goods in order to keep the border with the Republic of Ireland open. ALSO READ | Boris Johnson assaults Theresa May's Brexit plan at fractious party meeting London has countered that this would breach the integrity of the United Kingdom. Earlier on Tuesday, May said on BBC radio that a new proposal would soon be put to the EU, which would preserve trade between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain whilst also satisfying the requirement for some form of checks. "We believe that there is a way that this can be done which does preserve our integrity -- that's the proposal that we're working the details on," May said in an interview, adding that the plan would be revealed "in due course". ALSO READ | UK Brexit chief says no deal better than being tied to bloc After a bruising summit in Salzburg, during which her Brexit proposal was roundly rejected by EU leaders, there have been reports that May's latest plan offers a compromise by allowing for some form of regulatory checks in the Irish Sea in exchange for avoiding a customs border. A hard border in Ireland is forbidden under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brokered peace in the region after decades of border clashes between nationalists, unionists and British troops. However in a separate interview published Tuesday, Foster claimed the terms of the accord -- also known as The Belfast Agreement -- could be altered to shape Northern Ireland's relationship with the EU. "It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted 'Remain' (in the EU) and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can't touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context," she said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. "There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation." Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the all-Ireland nationalist party Sinn Fein, said the comments "reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress". By AFP MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee the signing of a USD 5 billion deal this week to supply Delhi with S-400 air defence systems, a top Kremlin aide said on Tuesday ahead of Putin's trip to India. "The president is leaving for India on October 4," Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters. ALSO READ | Vladimir Putin to get MiG 21s as welcome gift during 19th India-Russia Summit in Delhi "The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems," he said. "The value of the contract will be more than USD 5 billion." Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months. The sale has irked India's defence partner Washington, which has wanted to wean India off Russian technology, and a senior Pentagon official said in August that sanctions against India would come under consideration if its purchase goes through. India has signalled it will ask Washington for a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week said there is no guarantee it would do so. When one reporter pointed out that some people feel uncomfortable watching the eerily synchronized display of conformity, Park said, "That's because it's their first time. We should be able to resolve [differences] if we see each other more often." After watching the notorious mass games with Moon in the North Korean capital, Park said, "I thought that we must preserve Pyongyang. It took almost 10,000 people just a few seconds to flip from one scene to the next. This is something you can see only in North Korea." Park, who is on a trip to three European countries, told reporters in Barcelona, "North Korea is changing a lot more than we think. There's a chance that it will attempt technological innovations we haven't even tried. We should take advantage of that." Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon on Monday shared some notes with the press that he took during his visit to North Korea last month as part of President Moon Jae-in's entourage. Park said North Korea's economic potential should not be underestimated, citing China's rapid economic growth and technological innovations like Wechat and Alipay as examples. "If North Korea were to focus on developing AI and other areas of the fourth industrial revolution, it has the capacity to follow in the footsteps of advanced countries," he said. He added that he told a North Korean official that the North could catch up with China in 20 years. "Look at Ryomyong Street," the official replied, referring to an avenue of relatively glitzy apartment blocks for the elite. "We could do it in 10 years." Park also said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's younger sister, Yo-jong, was so popular among South Korean delegates "that many of us volunteered to lead her fan club. She seems to be handling all of the administrative work. I'd worry about North Korea without the siblings." During a state dinner in Pyongyang, Park said Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, asked him about his experience living in a small rooftop room this summer in the sweltering heat in a working-class suburb of Seoul to learn first-hand about the difficulties ordinary citizens have. Park said it was extremely meaningful that the head of Moon's security sat in the same car as the two leaders during their parade through Pyongyang. "Which leader would he protect in an emergency? This could not happen without trust," he said. "It was a big symbolic incident." Park added that he is asked a lot of questions about the North Korean leader's upcoming visit to Seoul. "Some 150,000 North Koreans gathered at a stadium [to welcome President Moon], but we can't do that [in a democratic society] even if we try to," he said. "I'm just concerned about far-right protesters." Champaign, IL (61820) Today Cloudy. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Rain and snow this evening. A few rain showers overnight - otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low 33F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precip 30%. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping for China's 69th National Day on Oct. 1, the official [North] Korean Central News Agency said Monday. Kim has shown his commitment to amicable ties with China, sending senior official Choe Ryong-hae to a National Day party hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Pyongyang on Sept. 27. Meanwhile, the North Korean Workers Party ordered officials to stay alert as ties with South Korea thaw. "In a series of lectures to discipline North Korean officials, they were told that even if the political situation changes they must not fall for the blandishments of the enemy, especially words like 'peace,'" a source said. "Do not entertain any fantasies about South Korea," officials were told according to the source. "We must never forget that we should build a strong nation with our own means." Install the Newser News app in two easy steps: 1. Tap in your navigation bar. 2. Tap to Add to Home Screen. Jobs are declining in the Korean car industry as both exports and domestic sales dwindle. In August, Korean carmakers hired 391,000 workers, down 9,000 compared to the end of 2017 and the biggest decline in any industry except the ailing shipbuilding sector. Korea's car production peaked at 4.56 million vehicles in 2012 but fell to 4.11 million last year as more and more Korean cars are being made abroad. Total output at home is expected to reach barely four million this year, a level last seen in 2010. The operating margins of Hyundai and affiliate Kia have dropped to the two to three percent, which means they are barely able to cover interest on their debts. GM Korea nearly went bankrupt before it was resuscitated by emergency funding from the government and GM headquarters. Parts suppliers are facing a domino effect of bankruptcies as the minimum wage hike and shorter working week bite into earnings. A study by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade showed that the operating profits of 82 out of every 100 Korean car parts makers halved in the first half of this year, while 31 posted operating losses. (Newser) A tense encounter unfolded Sunday between US and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. Per CNN, the American destroyer USS Decatur was aggressively approached by a Chinese warship while conducting what are called freedom of navigation operations in the Spratly Islands. in a statement, Capt. Charles Brown with the US Pacific Fleet said a Chinese Luyang destroyer approached the US vessel in an "unsafe and unprofessional" maneuver. According to CBS News, the Chinese vessel came with 45 yards of the Decatur, a dangerous proximity that forced the Decatur to maneuver away in order to prevent a collision. story continues below The encounter is an extreme example of the recent tense US-China relations in the region. Just last week, China refused a request for the US Navy's amphibious assault ship, the USS Wasp, to dock in Hong Kong next month. In spite of these and other setbacks, including his own canceled state visit to Beijing, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Monday that US-China relations are not worsening, per the AP. "There's tension points in the relationship, but based on discussions coming out of New York last week and other things that we have coming up, we do not see it getting worse," Mattis told reporters in Paris. "We'll sort this out." Back in the Pacific, Capt. Brown affirmed that US forces will continue to operate "anywhere international law allows." (Read more South China Sea stories.) (Newser) A judge has ordered the state of Utah to pay more than $475,000 in legal fees after it lost a court fight over a law that banned serving alcohol during the racy, foul-mouthed superhero film Deadpool. US District Judge David Nuffer handed down a strongly worded decision denying state arguments that the price was too high, the AP reports. "The political judgment of the state that it will enact a statute contrary to existing law and risk payment of legal fees is a legitimate choice, but it has consequences," he wrote. Lawmakers and the governor in the conservative state had backed a law that's largely aimed at strip clubs, but also prohibited serving booze during films with simulated sex or full-frontal nudity. story continues below The Brewvies movie theater in Salt Lake City sued in 2016 after regulators threatened to fine it up to $25,000. The state defended the measure in court, calling liquor and sex an "explosive combination." Nuffer struck down the law last year as a violation of First Amendment rights, ruling the theater is not an adult-oriented establishment and Deadpool is a mainstream movie. The theater's attorney argued that the law was so vague it would apply to Michelangelo's "David." His office was awarded about $475,000 in attorneys' fees and an additional $3,800 in other legal costs. Nuffer deducted $22,000 in proceeds from an online fundraiser that attracted a donation from Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. (Read more Utah stories.) (Newser) A young mine worker was fatally mauled Monday on an Alaskan island where bears outnumber people, authorities say. The victim, who was working at a remote drill site accessible only by helicopter, has been identified as Anthony David Montoya, an 18-year-old from Hollis, Okla., the AP reports. Authorities say Montoya was killed by a brown bear and her two cubs. "All three bears were killed prior to troopers arriving on scene," Alaska state troopers said, though it was unclear who killed the bears. There are believed to be around 1,500 brown bears on Admiralty Island, 18 miles southwest of Juneau. story continues below Hecla Greens Creek Mining Co. spokesman Mike Satre said Montoya was a contract employee who worked for a drilling company based in Idaho, the Anchorage Daily News reports. "This is a tragic incident. Bears are regular visitors in and around our workplace, however this is the first time since the mine opened almost 30 years ago that a bear encounter has resulted in an injury of any kind," Satre said in a statement. He said employees and contractors receive training on how to deal with bears and workers generally carry bear spray, especially when working in remote areas. (A soldier was badly injured elsewhere in Alaska on Saturday when the bear he shot fell on him.) (Newser) An Oregon man resisting the sale of his home left booby traps on the propertyincluding one apparently inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark. Gregory Lee Rodvelt rigged up a hot tub to roll down a hill when a tripwire was triggered, much like the scene where Indiana Jones is "forced to outrun a giant stone boulder," according to court documents. At the property in Williams, southern Oregon, an FBI agent and three bomb squad technicians avoided the hot tub and other hazards, including a minivan booby-trapped with animal snares, but the agent was shot by an empty wheelchair inside the home; it had been rigged to fire shotgun ammunition when it was pushed, the Oregonian reports. story continues below The agent was hospitalized with a shotgun pellet lodged in his leg. Rodvelt, 66, faces a felony count of assault on a federal officer over the Sept. 7 incident, the Mail Tribune reports. He had been ordered to sell the home as part of a $2.1 million judgment against him in an elder abuse case involving his 90-year-old mother. He had been in jail in Oregon after an armed standoff with authorities in April last year but was released for two weeks in August to prepare the property to be turned over, according to court documents. Authorities were contacted when the estate's acting receiver saw a sign saying the property was "protected with improvised devices." (Read more FBI stories.) Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday urged the U.S. to "take corresponding measures" before North Korea hands over its nuclear stockpile so that Pyongyang can take denuclearization steps without anxiety. "What North Korea is demanding is a regime security guarantee," Kang said in a Q&A session at the National Assembly. "So guaranteeing regime security goes hand in hand with denuclearization." She added Washington "should take reciprocal measures for North Korea to build trust" as the regime has carried out some of its promises and reaffirmed its willingness to denuclearize. She suggested the U.S. should take a step like declaring a formal end to the Korean War. One opposition lawmaker accused her of acting like "a spokeswoman for North Korea." Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon also told the National Assembly, "There seems to be sincerity in North Korea's willingness to denuclearize. It's now difficult for the North to turn back to a past when it would have endured poverty and isolation with nuclear weapons in hand." Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Ahn Sang-soo said, "It seems that presidential staff are on the brink of doing harm to their own country in cahoots with the enemy." But Lee replied, "I think that the president is following the spirit of the Constitution, which aspires to peaceful reunification." (Newser) Remember the "Curvy Wife Guy," aka Robbie Tripp, who made a name for himself when his Instagram post about how much he loves his wife's "thick thighs, big booty, cute little side roll, etc." went viral (and led to unimpressed reactions)? Well, he's back in the news, threatening to sue Babe.net, the website perhaps best known for publishing the Aziz Ansari accuser's account of her date with the actor. Babe "has been covering Tripp in detail," BuzzFeed News explains, and one of its writers reviewed Tripp's book, Create Rebellion. The book bills itself as a "true manifesto" for the "disruptive soul," but Babe writer Harry Shukman said that it reads more like the "Unabomber manifesto"; Shukman pulled out excerpts from Create Rebellion as well as domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski's manifesto and dared readers to see if they could tell which one was which. story continues below Well, that didn't go over well with Tripp: In a follow-up post, Shukman revealed Tripp sent Babe a letter to warn that he has consulted his lawyer and is considering suing the site for defamation, false light, and copyright infringement. "The website has deliberately and negligently violated my copyright in multiple articles, and has exhibited a pattern of targeted harassment of me and my reputation," the letter says. Tripp told BuzzFeed that full pages of his book were photographed and published without permission. Babe assures readers it will not be silenced by Tripp; in a statement, it declares, "Congress shall make no law preventing the trashing of a dumb book ... or the right of babe dot net to peaceably critique abstract manifestos for disruptive creativity written by an Insta-famous weirdo obsessed with talking about his wifes thiiiiccness." (Read more lawsuit stories.) (Newser) When first Mississippi responders came upon Jessica Chambers, she had been set on fire and was covered in second- and third-degree burns; she reportedly uttered "Eric did this to me," before dying. Attorneys for Quinton Tellis, the man on trial for her December 2014 death, argued that made for reasonable doubt, reports BuzzFeed. At least some members of the jury apparently had it: A judge on Monday declared a mistrial in the case. Tellis' first trial, in 2017, ended in a mistrial as well. Tellis was arrested in early 2016 after the local DA said a break in the perplexing case came via "technological data" like cellphone records; a DOJ analyst told the court Saturday that Tellis' phone data indicates he was with Chambers the night she died and that he wiped Chambers' texts and info from his phone after her death. story continues below BuzzFeed notes that Chambers' father had previously said Tellis' name wasn't known to the family, and the prosecution in this trial described a relationship between Chambers and Tellis that was only a week old. The Clarion Ledger reports the prosecution sought to chip away at the "Eric" detail: The medical director at the Firefighters Burn Center estimated she had been on fire for as long as five minutes, and he and a speech pathologist both testified that they don't believe the 19-year-old was capable of intelligible speech based on the severity of her burns. Tellis' attorney, Alton Peterson, thought doubt remained: "When you have eight trained first responders who were there on the scene ... it's hard to get around her telling them with her dying breaths that someone else did it." FOX13 reports prosecutors plan to "assess things" and then announce if they'll try Tellis a third time. (Read more Jessica Chambers stories.) (Newser) It may not be clear who won Monday's debate between Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and his Republican challenger, Scott Wagner. But one thing seems clear based on Tuesday morning's reaction: Moderator Alex Trebek lost. Yes, the Jeopardy! host took on that unusual duty, and the reviews have not been kind, with most of them centering on the same complaintTrebek talked too much. He even got booed. Examples: The debate was "an absolute Dumpster fire," complains an editorial in the York Daily Record. Trebek "barely let the candidates get a word in edgewise" as he went off on tangents. "What we got was an egomaniacal game show host hogging the spotlight." The worst part is that this was the only scheduled debate in the race, prompting the newspaper to request a do-over. Trebek should "be commended for his obviously rigorous preparation for this event, but he is not running for Pennsylvania's governor," Jill Greene, executive director of the state's League of Women Voters, tells the Reading Eagle. His "opinions and the opinions of the audience should have played no role in this debate, and Pennsylvanians have not gained anything through this exercise." story continues below "To the frustration of people who'd tuned in to watch the candidates duke it out over key issues, his frequent soliloquies and long-winded questions took up a significant chunk of the 45-minute debate," writes Antonia Noori Farzan in the Washington Post. "Trebek prefaced one question by informing viewers that California has 40 state senators and 80 state assembly members, adding up to one legislator for every 325,000 citizensa piece of trivia not particularly germane to the Pennsylvania governor's race." At the Week, Kathryn Krawczyk points to a "downright embarrassing moment" when Trebek went on a "confusing tirade about partisanship" and then cut off Wagner when he tried to make a point about taxes. The move drew boos from the audience. See a taste of the above moment via C-SPAN. The boos come toward the end. More boos came when Trebek made an iffy joke. Referring to the state Legislature, he said "the only thing with a lower rating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the Catholic Church," per Fox News. (It's a reference to priests' abuse of children in the state.) "Don't go there," Trebek then told the booing audience. "I was born and raised Catholic and I'm just as ticked off as everybody else is over what has happened with the Church." Trebek then kept on going about his Catholic upbringing in what might have been the moment that stands out the most in a strange debate, writes John L. Micek at PennLive. "When I was a young teenager I attended a Catholic boarding school run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate," he said. "Two-hundred and fifty students, other boys and I, spent three years sharing the same accommodations 24/7 with 44 priests and not once in those three years was there any sexual misbehavior. ...." Etc. As for the gubernatorial race, the Democratic incumbent, Wolf, has a comfortable lead in the polls, per the York Daily Record. (Read more Alex Trebek stories.) (Newser) A Domino's driver is getting credit for helping save a woman from a dangerous predicament in Wisconsin. Joseph Grundl tells NBC News that as he was handing over pizza to a couple in Sheboygan County, he saw the woman mouthing the words, "Help me." And as the man was getting the money together, she mouthed, "Call the police." That's just what Grundl did when he arrived back at the restaurant minutes later. Police officers soon arrived at the home and arrested 55-year-old Dean Hoffman, reports USA Today. story continues below Hoffman used to be in a relationship with the woman, and police say he entered her home, punching her and tying her up as he tried to convince her to get back together. The woman told authorities that "she was sure she was going to die tonight," according to the police report. At some point, however, the pizza order was made, and Grundl spotted the woman's plea for help. Hoffman faces charges on suspicion of kidnapping, false imprisonment, strangulation and suffocation, felony intimidation of a victim, and burglary. (Read more uplifting news stories.) (Newser) There is a single doctor in America who has been sentenced to life in prison in connection with the harm he has done to patients during surgery, reports Laura Beil. In a piece for ProPublica, she unpacks just how neurosurgeon Christopher Duntsch managed to keep operating for as long as he did. The upshot is that the safeguards in place to prevent that very thing can be circumvented. She found that 33 of the 37 patients he operated on over the course of about two years in Dallas had "almost unheard-of complications"; two died. But neurosurgeons bring in millions for hospitals, and that golden-goose quality allowed Duntsch to secure operating privileges at a number of facilities in the area (one gave him a $600,000 advance). When problems emerged, most decided to avoid the legal headache of firing him and permitted him to resign. story continues below Two of them didn't submit his name to a federal Health and Human Services database that can alert would-be employers to problem doctors. The state medical board wasn't notified until six months' worth of botched surgeries had occurred; an investigation took a year, and Duntsch practiced during that time. His final patient to undergo surgery, in 2013, was Jeff Glidewell, and Beil offers this description of the surgery: "Duntsch mistook part of his neck muscle for a tumor and abandoned the operation midway throughafter cutting into Glidewells vocal cords, puncturing an artery, slicing a hole in his esophagus, stuffing a sponge into the wound and then sewing Glidewell up, sponge and all." He survived, but with serious consequences. It's far from the only ghastly surgery she describesand prosecutors finally took notice. Read the full story here. (Read more Longform stories.) Following Amazon Web Services announcement to set up a data center in Bahrain, another global technology company has also announced a similar decision. Cloudflare, a top global US-based company, has also said that it will be setting up a data centre in Bahrain. This was announced by Dr. Michael Nelson, a senior executive from the company. Cloudflare is one of the top cloud computing companies with more than 150 data centers around the world. Dr. Nelson was in Bahrain to give a keynote presentation at the Innovation Forum organized by The MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab in partnership with the Bahrain Economic Development Board and with the support of Internet Society yesterday. Speaking to Tribune he said that no timescale has been established for the data center, adding that it will be done soon. We are still working to develop a data center here. We work with the local phone companies, the local Internet companies or the local data center companies to establish the data center, he told Tribune. Kathmandu, October 2 Food quality inspectors from the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control have sealed the production and sales outlets of Sangam Sweets, one of the popular cafes in Kathmandus New Banewshwor area. Sangams shop in New Baneshwor and production facility in Milan Chowk were sealed after food inspectors, representatives from the District Administration Office and consumer rights activists inspected its facilities on Tuesday afternoon. During the course of the inspection, Sangam was found to have used banned chemicals and expired ingredients in its sweets said inspector Iswar Subedi. The flour found in its warehouse was also not labeled, he added. The shop has been sealed and the owner summoned to the department. A Bahraini man will spend the next one year behind bars for attempting to kiss two female colleagues after he was found guilty by the High Criminal Court. The defendant was put on trial after he was accused of harassing two women in the first 30 days of joining the company. In her complaint, the first victim told police officers that she was frightened after the accused called her to his cabin under the pretext of performing an official task and attempted to misbehave with her. I got the job in the company through a friend of mine. And after one month of starting my work, he called me to his cabin to complete some tasks on the computer. He locked the door and tried to kiss me, the victim said. After a few hours, he rang me to apologize. However, he continued to engage in a flirtatious conversation. I disconnected the line and since then never answered his phone calls. The second victim also allegedly had a similar experience with the accused. It was only ten days since I joined the job. He called me to his cabin and began misbehaving with me. He said he wanted a chocolate and this was the phrase he used while making sexual advances to female colleagues, she told prosecutors. The High Appeals Court will issue its verdict on the appeals of 14 men convicted in connection with the murder of two police officers in Sitra on October 29, 2018. The appellants were among 22 Bahraini nationals held guilty in connection with an explosion that targeted a police bus in Sitra on July 28, 2015, killing officers Hamed Rasool Aref and Naweed Ahmed Nazer. Two of them, namely Mohammed Ebrahim Al Touq and Mohammed Radhi Abdullah were handed down the death penalty for orchestrating the attack while five others have been sentenced to life behind bars for premeditated murder, joining a terrorist group and detonating a bomb. Another six, including former MP Hassan Marzooq, were jailed for 10 years each for being part of the terror cell responsible for the blast outside Gurnata Primary School for Girls. One man was jailed for five years, two were sentenced to three years in prison, another two were jailed for two years, and four defendants received six-month jail terms for their role in the attack. However, the court acquitted two men of all charges due to lack of proof. The High Appeals Court upheld the sentence issued against a Bahraini man convicted of attacking Al Nabih Saleh Police Station in 2012. The defendant was sentenced to five years in prison for the crime. The Bahraini man was among 18 held guilty in connection with the case. Fifteen of them received seven years in prison each, while the rest were given five years behind bars each. The defendants involvement got established after cameras installed at the station caught them while carrying out an attack against the police using firebombs and iron rods. According to court files, one police officer got injured as a result of the attack, while the thugs fled after cops arrived to restore order. A Bahraini man suspected of peddling drugs attributed BD41,000 discovered from his house to selling prawns while his twin brother denied links to BD15,000 found hidden in his room. Their house was raided after the police received a tip-off about the twins possessing drugs with an intent to sell and consume. Police officers are said to have attempted to nab the twins many a time but several undercover agents failed to convince them to sell drugs. And the Public Prosecution issued a warrant to search their home to determine the validity of claims. When we arrived, one of the twins (the second defendant) tried to flee after serious resistance. When we searched we found that he had hashish with him. His car had three big covers of hashish weighing about three kilograms, one of the police officers who inspected their house told prosecutors. Envoys from five Allied countries marked Saturday the first armistice of World War 1 in Thessaloniki, 100 years after Bulgarias defeat hastened the end of the Great War. The Allies first triumph led progressively to the final victory, French state secretary Genevieve Darrieussecq noted during a ceremony at the Zeitenlik military cemetery in northern Greece. Representatives from Britain, France, Italy, Russia, and Serbia attended the event, which celebrated the armistice of September 29, 1918, at the final resting place of 20,000 Allied soldiers. The unsung victory came almost three years after a Balkans front was launched to support Serb forces against Bulgaria, a German partner, with Allied troops forced to battle malaria and overcome logistic nightmares and inter-Balkan conflicts. eTransformation in Public Sector will be the focus of the upcoming Bahrain International eGovernment Forum on its first day. The ministerial panel discussion in the forum taking place on 7th & 8th October will be led by Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Minister of Justice & Islamic Affairs along with Zayed bin Rashed AlZayani, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The Panel will address public entities experiences in the digital transformation in the country along with the positive impact of employing technology to improve quality, efficiency and effectiveness in government service. The event will be held under the patronage of Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa - Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information & Communication Technology. Commenting on the forum, Mohamed Ali AlQaed, the Chief Executive of Information & eGovernment Authority, said that the authority is keen on dedicating part of the forum to highlight public entities which made a significant progress within the eTransformation field. In this regard, he also pointed out the contributions made by Ministries of Justice & Islamic Affairs as well as Industry, Commerce and Tourism. The fruitful outcomes of adapting technology to support Bahrains efforts in the eTransformation field are seen today in several sectors and has certainly contributed in speeding the process of eTransformation in the country, he added. The Chief Executive continued that eTransformation requires understanding necessary changes to successfully implement the process and enter a new era of faster, better-performing performance for the public in terms of businesses and processes. The Panel will be followed by a related eTransformation session delivered by international experts from the United Kingdom represented by Government Digital Service Cabinet Office Director Dr Chris Ferguson, from UAE Deputy General Manager, Information & eGovernment Sector Salem AlHoseni, together with Omans Information Technology Authority Acting Director General of eServices Ibrahim Talib AlWardi. This years forum will gather nearly 20 local, regional and international elite speakers who will enrich the Forum with their views and experiences in this arena. All those concerned in this sector may participate in the Forum by visiting www.egovforum.bh. Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba) announced that its Line 6 Smelter Project recorded 20 million man-hours without Lost Time Injury (LTI) in the first week of September 2018. Alba Line 6 Smelter Project held a celebratory ceremony to mark this occasion with the attendance of the Line 6 Alba as well as contractor teams. This milestone was dually-achieved by employees and contractors partnering on the Line 6 Smelter Project with Safety as a core common value. Commenting on this occasion, Albas Chief Executive Officer Tim Murray said: I commend the Line 6 Smelter Project teams on achieving this Safety milestone. Through our commitment and dedication to safe best practices, we are confident to deliver the First Hot Metal on 01 January 2019. Small children fleeing burning homes being tossed back inside to their deaths by Myanmar Army soldiers; women tied by their hair to trees and brutally and repeatedly raped; landmines deployed at escape routes to villages for dismembering terrified, fleeing citizens; forced labour until exhausted workers are put out of their misery with a gunshot; systematic torture. Every paragraph of a new 440-page UN report bleeds with myriad incomprehensible horrors endured by the Rohingya people over recent months. I have never been confronted by crimes as horrendous and on such a scale, lamented the UNs chief investigator. Genocide is not a word the UN deploys lightly. Indeed, it steadfastly refused to apply the term for numerous other horrific conflagrations around the world. Yet, when an entire people faces extermination and the gravest crimes under international law have been committed, what other label could be legitimately applied? The UNs report describes a toxic command climate within the Myanmar military, where gruesome, systematic violations were used routinely against defenseless villagers. A death toll of 10,000 killed within a twomonth period was a conservative figure. The actual toll is probably several times higher; along with vast numbers of displaced 750,000 in Bangladesh alone. Rape was deployed with particular regularity and ferocity as a weapon of war: The forests of Rakhine province are littered with the bloodied bodies of murdered women, visibly subjected to severe sexual violence before being slaughtered. Thousands of traumatized women cower in refugee camps, scarcely able to discuss their dehumanizing experiences. The report calls for military commanders to be prosecuted for crimes against humanity, describing this catastrophe as planned, foreseeable and inevitable. The genocide followed a protracted campaign of media demonization, portraying the Rohingya as foreign, subhuman terrorists who stole land. Facebook came in for particular criticism for hosting a brutal campaign of hate speech and incitement, with the company initially refusing to remove comments calling for the killing of those who cooperated with the UNs investigation, as such posts did not contravene Facebook guidelines. Such horrors may be the tip of the iceberg because the UN research team was banned from entering Myanmar. Two Reuters journalists who reported from inside the country about arbitrary killings were sentenced this month to seven years in jail, based on concocted evidence. This is how the regime seeks to terrorize and silence those who tell the truth about their murderous campaign. I recall unsuccessfully seeking to interview Aung San Suu Kyi, seeing her as a human rights heroine who risked everything to resist a terrible military regime. Now she is part of that regime. I appreciate that she enjoys little power compared to the generals who really run Myanmar. However, by engaging in anti-UN conspiracy theories and denying reality, she has made herself an apologist for war crimes, betraying those who looked to her as an evangelist for reform. Suu Kyis fall from grace is an appropriate metaphor for how the global cause of human rights has been trodden underfoot in recent years. Countries that once noisily advocated for human rights have today fallen into shame-faced silence. The collective sense of shame at Europes failure to prevent Rwandas 1994 genocide was felt so deeply because these atrocities were omnipresent in the media and a constant subject of debate for years afterwards. To be properly aware of the Rohingya genocide in the West today means being one of the small minority who conscientiously read the foreign news sections of high-brow newspapers. There have been some powerful exposes of the Myanmar carnage, but these bring up the rear in a long queue of horrors Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and a list of African conflicts that themselves fail to gain meaningful attention. An additional horror most people havent heard of is the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims herded by the Chinese authorities into re-education camps to eradicate the virus of their religious beliefs and cultural practices. While such primitive attempts at brainwashing may have the paradoxical effect of reinforcing the Uighurs sense of cultural distinctness, it has been decades since the world has seen such a comprehensive, totalitarian and large-scale attempt to purge an entire culture and religion. As one expert argued, the Uighur ethnic identity has been singled out as this kind of pathology. A tenet of international law is that new legal norms and precedents can become established by nations failing to take action against them. With the Rohingya genocide, the Uighurs cultural eradication and the Syrian bloodbath, such abominations are becoming normalized. Meanwhile, the occupant of the White House has nothing but praise for dictators with blood on their hands in North Korea, the Philippines and Russia, while undermining the principal global institutions for justice, peacekeeping and humanitarian aid. The actions of bloody dictators have always been predicated on what they can get away with, without having their foreign bank accounts frozen or being carted off to The Hague. When the next bouts of mass unrest break out in Tajikistan, Nicaragua, Chad or even China, it will be the precedents of Myanmar and Syria that panicked leaderships anxiously study in order to understand what levels of violence they can deploy without worrying about annoying obstructions from the UN and supposedly civilized nations. Ladies and gentlemen in governments around the world, and national leaders gathering for the 2018 UN General Assembly, by not taking concrete action against leaderships whose strategies for managing popular strife read like a shopping list of the most abominable crimes against humanity in Myanmar, Syria and South Sudan you are today establishing new de facto norms. History is waiting to judge you all. The inconceivable has become routine. Mass rape, genocide, systematic torture, the deliberate slaughter of children: This is the new normal. The city government of Osaka said Tuesday that it has sent a document to officially end its 61-year-old sister-city ties with San Francisco over a statue in the U.S. city symbolizing the issue of "comfort women" for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Speaking to reporters at the city hall, Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura reiterated criticism of the comfort women statue and its inscription reading that hundreds of thousands of women were sexually enslaved between 1931 and 1945. "It's not based on facts. It's Japan bashing," Yoshimura said. "We shouldn't continue the sister-city relations after we lost mutual trust." The Japanese city took a decision last December to sever the ties with San Francisco. But it refrained from sending the official documents for the breakup, following the sudden passing of the U.S. city's mayor at the time. After new San Francisco Mayor London Breed took office in July, Osaka sent a letter requesting her to remove the statue. But the new mayor has not responded to it. Broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Tuesday have priorities a variety of issues on their front pages. While reports on the environmental aspects of building Far-west Provinces new capital has received considerable attention, the government decision to award an EPCF contract to a Chinese firm to build the outer ring road in Kathmandu has also been highlighted. Heres a summary of important, ignored and interesting reports that made it to the front pages on Tuesday. Important 20,000 trees felled of Fast Track rots Republica and Nagarik report that around 20,000 trees felled for the construction of the Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track is rotting as agencies responsible for the sale and supply of timber play the blame game. The report says that although the Nepali Army handed over 20,000 logs to the division forest offices and community forest user groups, the division offices and the groups say they cant auction the logs until they receive detailed information about the logs from the army. The report also says that dispute between the provincial government and the Centre has also hampered the process. Chinese company set to get Outer Ring Road contract The Himalayan Times reports that the government is planning to award the contract to prepare the detailed project report and eventually carry out the construction of the 71.92-km Outer Ring Road in Kathmandu Valley. The agreement violates the provisions of the Public Procurement Act as the contract is being awarded without competition. The Ministry of Urban Development and China Energy Engineering Corporation are to soon sign an agreement which will see CEEC prepare the DPR in three months and finish construction in five years. The report says that the Chinese firm has agreed to provide a 30-year payback period for the cost incurred during the development of the project, which is estimated to cost around Rs 125 billion. Ignored Kantipur reports that the decision by Far-western Province (Province 7) to build its capital in Godavri is not sound if environmental factors are to be weighed in. The paper reports that more than 196 landslide-prone points have been identified near the area. Nagarik reports that the proposed capital sits on a reservoir of groundwater. The report says that the proposed capital lies in the Bhawar area of the Chure Hills and felling trees there could undermine the hydrological cycle in the area. 45 per cent bank accounts inactive Arthik Abhiyan reports that more than 45 per cent of bank accounts in Nepal are inactive. The paper says that of the 191 million bank accounts in the country, only 104 million are in operation. The paper quotes experts as saying that people have multiple accounts in different banks, but only use one or two for regular transactions. Interesting Water transport authority in the making Karobar reports that the government is preparing to set up a water transport authority to expedite work to build cross-border water transport links with India. The report says that Nepali and Indian officials are looking at Narayani, Koshi and Gandaki rivers for the development of waterways. Kathmandu, October 2 A Korean firm has been awarded the contract to prepare the Kathmandu-Nijgadh Fast Track being developed by the Nepali Army. Soosung Engineering will prepare the DPR in 105 days and will be paid Rs 102 million for the work, says an agreement signed by the companys chair Keehyun Hwang and the Nepali Armys Major General Yogendra Bahadur Khand. The Nepali Army was negotiating the procurement of a DPR prepared by the Indian firm IL&FC, which was initially awarded the contract to develop the project. However, negotiations failed after the two sides could not agree on the price tag. Almost 90 per cent of the land needed for Fast Track has already been evacuated and 20,000 trees felled to make way for the road. Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed, brother to President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, has written a petition to the national chairman of All ... Dr. Mahmood Halilu Ahmed, brother to President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, has written a petition to the national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole demanding reconstitution of Adamawa Gubernatorial Election Committee. Ahmed is contesting for governorship ticket against Governor Jibrilla Bindow. Ahmed said if his observations were not addressed, he might not participate in the primary scheduled for Tuesday. The petition read in part: Whilst we confirm that all necessary avenues and options were considered in the meeting held in respect of the state gubernatorial primary election, to enable the conduct of free, fair and acceptable outcomes, we hereby wish to notify your office of the following violations against the internal democratic process of our party-the APC The delegate tags were printed by the state government. The delegate list has not been made available for our scrutiny and confirmation. The venue of the primary elections is not well-secured and illuminated. Contrary to the directive of the National Working Committee of the party, which suspended the State Executive Committee for six months, it is to our greatest dismay that some of the suspended State Executive Committee members are parading themselves in acting capacity; and were constituted by the state government as the Local Organizing Committee, in which the interest of other candidates were not considered as directed by NWC. Finally, it is worthy of note that all the above issues were presented to the Primary Election Committee but are not taken into consideration as they were blatantly ignored. It is therefore our candid observation that this election cannot be conducted properly; neither will this exercise be free, fair and credible. The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, struck out a suit the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, filed to challenge the powers of the Senate to insist on his personal appearance before it to answer questions from lawmakers.The IGP had in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/ 457/2018, argued that he was permitted under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Police Act, to delegate a Deputy Inspector General of Police to appear before the Senate on his behalf.He queried the insistence of the Senate that he must personally appear before it with respect to a face-off that existed between the Nigerian Police Force and Senator Dino Melaye who is representing Kogi West.The Senate had in two separate letters dated April 25 and 26, summoned the IGP to appear and brief it on circumstances that surrounded alleged inhumane treatment that Senator Melaye suffered in the hands of police officers.However, the IGP, failed to appear on both dates, even though he sent a delegate to represent him, an action that was condemned by the lawmakers who insisted he must appear personally.In a counter move, the IGP dragged both the Senate and its President, Dr. Bukola Saraki before the high court, and sought for an order to restrain them, their assigns, agents or any committees from insisting that he must appear in person, to the exclusion of any of his subordinate officers.On why he could not honour the invitation in person, the IGP told the court that he accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari on a trip to Bauchi State and was therefore on official assignment when the first invitation was issued.That as a result of the above development, he then directed and delegated the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, an Assistant Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State, who had adequate knowledge of the two subject matters which the Senate required briefing, to appear before the Senate on April 26, 2018 on his behalf, the IGP told the court in his 11-paragraphed affidavit.He urged the court to among other things, determine, Whether the letters dated April 25 and 26, 2018 by the 1st and 2nd defendants (Senate and Senate President) to the plaintiff to appear before it on 26th April, 2018 and 2nd May, 2018 or any other date do not relate to the office of the plaintiff by virtue of section 215 (1) (a) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice John Tsoho struck out the suit on the premise that it amounted to an abuse of court process.The court held that the IGP failed to show a reasonable cause for his inability to personally respond to the second invitation dated April 26.Justice Tsoho said it was not in doubt that as at the time the Senate summoned the IGP, the subject matter for his appearance which involved Senator Melaye, was already a case before a competent court of jurisdiction on the issue.He held that the IGP ought to have appeared before the lawmakers and explained to them that the matter was subjudice.The court further observed that the heading of the letter to the IGP, Invitation to brief the Senate on the inhuman treatment of Senator Dino Melaye over a matter that is pending in Court, indicated that the Senate was already aware that the case was in court.Besides, Justice Tsoho held that the IGPs reason that he went to Birnin Gwari with the GOC on April 26, was not tenable.I did not see any harm that would have been caused if the IGP honoured the Senates invitation.I uphold the defendants argument that the plaintiffs suit is intended to prevent the exercise of Senates Legitimate responsibility and therefore amounts to an abuse of court process.I hold that the Plaintiff should have appeared before the Senate to brief it on the action of the Police in a matter before a court.The plaintiff ought to have briefed the Senate instead of running to the court to stop the Senate from investigating him.The action amounts to an abuse of court process and it is hereby struck out, the court held.In a related development, Justice Tsoho, disqualified himself from deciding another suit the IGP filed to quash a resolution the Senate passed on May 9, which declared him as an enemy of democracy who is unfit to retain his position.The Police boss had in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/554/2018, prayed the court to bar the Senate from taking further steps to gazette the resolution which followed his refusal to appear before it.Justice Tsoho held that since the matter was related to the one he struck out, it would serve the end of justice for the case file to be returned to the Chief Judge for re-assignment to another Judge. Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, who is jostling to oust Governor Akinwumi Ambode from Lagos state government house, on Tuesday stormed Island to the warm embrace of supporters.The aspirant of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was in his ward in Lagos Island where he pledged to be loyal to the people.In his tweet, he told the crowd: Today at my ward in Lagos Island. Thank you Lagosians for the massive support and endless outpouring of affection. I pledge to be loyal to you, the people of Lagos. Your mandate is sacred and it must be to the benefit of the generality of our people.The aspirant had also tweeted warning amorphous groups to desist from tarnishing his reputation.Good morning dear Lagosians, it has come to my attention that a group by the name Sanwoolu Support Group has been claiming to speak for me. While I hope to be the governor of all, I denounce the activities of any amorphous groups. Their opinion does not represent me. Thank you.He came out apparently for the governorship primary which held in many local governments in Lagos state on Tuesday, an exercise some described peaceful, fair and credible.Aye Dee @MrAyeDee tweeted that contrary to what @AkinwunmiAmbode was hoping and praying for, APC Lagos primaries have been Credible, Free, Fairand devoid of Violence.No one can come forward later and say @JideS did not get the legitimate mandate of the people Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said he will return peace and tranquility to all trouble spots in the country if elected president.In a message to Nigerians to mark the countrys 58th independence yesterday, Kwankwaso noted that the occasion should have been that of pomp and merriment but the humongous perils confronting the country called for sober reflections and deep introspection.I know how you feel. I know your pains, your expectations and your joys, he said.It is incontrovertible that millions of our compatriots can no longer feed themselves because of biting hunger and excruciating poverty in the country. Before you are done reading this, at least, 28 more persons in our country would have entered into extreme poverty. Before this time tomorrow, over 10,000 more would become extremely poor.Saying the northeast is now a pathetic shadow of its glorious past due to Boko Haram insurgency which is still thriving because of the insincerity of our leaders in giving the insurgents a bloodied nose, Kwankwaso told Nigerians: It is not your job to protect yourself, that is the job of your government.The aspirant said he was sad to observe that unemployment had now skyrocketed beyond what it used to be in the past.According to him, there has never been a time the country has ever been this divided along tribal and religious lines thus making some folks to question the very basis of our continued existence as a collective unit bound together in our diversity. The voting process of the All Progressives Congress governorship primary was disrupted for a while at Ward G North, Abesan, in Alimosho Local Government Area as thugs chased away members of the party.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the thugs numbering about 15 invaded the Abesan High School, venue of the exercise at 9.45am on Monday, flogging members, preventing them from getting accredited.The motive of the hoodlums, as well as their sponsors, could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.Some policemen at the venue later responded to the situation by arresting some of the hoodlums and restoring normalcy.NAN, however, observed that there was a large turnout of party members waiting to cast their votes for either Governor Akinwunmi Ambode or Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, has expressed confidence in the ability of the panel conducting the governorship primary el... Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state, has expressed confidence in the ability of the panel conducting the governorship primary election in the state. Speaking when he received members of the panel headed by Clement Ebri, Ambode said he believes that the election would be free and fair, adding that he would accept the outcome of such exercise. He appealed to the committee to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants in the contest, saying it is only under such circumstance that democracy is entrenched. This is a very star-studded election team, they are distinguished Nigerians in their individual and collective rights, he said. There cant be any better collection of a team to any state election monitoring in this country than the distinguished personalities brought to Lagos and it only shows us the important that the national chairman of our great party attaches to what is happening in Lagos. I must tell you that what you have taken up, may look like a political assignment, but history is on your side that at this very moment in the annals of this history of this country, today marking our 58th Independence anniversary celebration, you are being called upon to discharge a selfless service that would determine the future of this country and the greatness of this particular state. I receive this election team as being acceptable and credible to me enough to discharge their civic responsibility to the best of their abilities and to also to say that whatever it is that is the outcome of the primaries, your presence has also shown that this will be credible and this will be acceptable by me. The governor recalled that he had gone through the same process with 12 other aspirants to emerge as governorship candidate of the APC in 2014. He said it was not out of place to have other aspirants contest for the same ticket this time, however, the eventual process of choosing who flies the partys flag must be seen to be fair to all concerned. So its very clear to me, all I seek is credible primaries, transparent primaries and level playing ground that we will all be proud of at the end of the day for the outcome, he said. There were issues that we have raised that we are also trying to correct. The bottom line is this, we are family, we must not go into the elections divided because this is the very first time that our party is controlling the centre and also the state, that is what I want us to continue. The issues that I raise have been put in form of a letter which I would pass to their chairman and I believe the committee will look into it judiciously and also I welcome the stakeholders meeting which will allow you feel the pulse of what is going on in the state. He also urged the panel to use its prerogative to decide the best possible time for the primaries election and make a public announcement on the time, date and venues of the exercise to enable members of the party partake in the process. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accepted the withdrawal of Senator Ben Bruce from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District race. ... The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accepted the withdrawal of Senator Ben Bruce from the Bayelsa East Senatorial District race. Chairman of the PDP in Bayelsa, Chief Moses Cleopas, while accepting the senators letter of withdrawal from the race, said his action was in adherence to a 20-year subsisting unwritten power rotation arrangement in the district. He described the action as exemplary and worth emulating by other leaders. He told journalists in Yenagoa on Tuesday, that the action of the common sense senator was exemplary and worthy of emulation by all politicians. He said: The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has received the letter of withdrawal from the Bayelsa East Senatorial contest by Senator Ben Murray Bruce. The party has accepted the decision which the distinguished senator said was as a result of a subsisting arrangement on power rotation among the three local government areas making up the district. Senator Ben Murray Bruce is a respected leader of the PDP whose services are valued by the party. President Muhammadu Buhari has assured of Nigerias preparedness to help in bringing about political and economic stability in South Sudan.Receiving Mr Ezekiel Gatkuoth, Special Envoy of the South Sudanese President at State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, President Buhari noted that the two countries have a lot in common in the area of developmental aspirations, adding: It has not been smooth sailing for us all the way, too.But since South Sudan wants to share from our experience, we will support where we can, and pray hard for your stability.The President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, ChiefFemi Adesina, yesterday advised the leaders of South Sudan to keep making sacrifices till the environment is completely stabilized, stressing that stability should always be number one priority.You cant manage a country efficiently till you have first stabilized it. Then, the economy must follow. You must provide jobs for the people, particularly the youths. Also, you need to check corruption. Guide your national resources jealously. We will do our best to support.Mr Gatkuoth, who is also his countrys Petroleum Minister, said President Buhari was widely admired across the continent for his role in fighting corruption, noting that it was the reason the African Union made him a champion of the anti-corruption crusade in Africa.He said South Sudan was putting its house in order, but needed assistance from Nigeria in the areas of security transformation, constitutional reforms, and infrastructural development. Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says there is no rift between him and Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of... Bola Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says there is no rift between him and Akinwunmi Ambode, governor of Lagos state. WATCH VIDEO BELOW Speaking at his ward in Alausa during the APC governorship primary on Tuesday, Tinubu said he considers report of a rancour between him and Ambode as an insult. He said the governor had worked under him as a civil servant and was given the opportunity to govern Lagos. Rancor between us? I will regard that as an insult. I brought Ambode to the people. He was a civil servant under me, he said. He performed very well as a civil servant and when he showed interest in politics after the leadership, we gave him the opportunity. I introduced him to the party. The party accepted him, he became the governor. Now if the party now say they want either a change or they want to reaffirm the governorship through open exercise. and they elect him today, so be it. You will remain relevant as a leader if you submit yourself once in a while to what your people want. Describing the exercise as a celebration of democracy, Tinubu said the massive turnout of APC members across the state is not his making. He said members of the party had come out en masse to choose their preferred candidate. It is a democracy day for us. Elections are supposed to be a celebration of democracy and we have tried to show the world and the Nigerians that we are democrats because democracy is present in us, he said. What an open election means is elimination of corruption in any delegate system, transparency in the true sense of it so that the party faithful as you have seen them here- you cant buy all these people, you cannot. This is the committed commitment to party supremacy. It is even beyond me as a leader. Whatever is happening today, I have to submit myself to the party wishes. San Jose, October 2 Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado Quesada have discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to bilateral relations and the two countries outlook of the world. Prime Minister Oli told President Quesada that Costa Rica has made commendable progress in achieving economic growth and protecting the environment and human rights, the Nepali PM said during a joint press conference after the meeting. Similarly, issues related to poverty reduction, sustainable development, environment protection, and clean energy were also on the agenda of the meeting, state-owned news agency RSS reported. Earlier in the day, the First Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Minister of Costa Rica Epsy Campbell Barr, welcomed Prime Minister Oli to the Museum of Costa Ricans Art, where the meeting with President Quesada was to take place. Following the bilateral meeting, President of Costa Rica Quesada and the first lady, hosted a banquet in honour of Prime Minister Oli, his spouse Radhika Shakya and the Nepali delegation. #KCTU Umbrella union holds rally of 20,000 people near Dongdaemun market The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), a major umbrella labor group, on Saturday pushed ahead with a rally of 20,000 members from across the country in Seoul despite the ... #stocks KOSPI may face selling pressure next week on inflation risk South Korea's benchmark stock index is likely to come under selling pressure next week as uncertainties from the fast-growing inflation continue to fan expectations of a quick rate... Roseburg, OR (97470) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 70F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 52F. Winds light and variable. Baylor Scott & White Health, Memorial Hermann Health System Sign Letter of Intent to Create New Combined Health System DALLAS and HOUSTON (Oct. 1, 2018) The boards of Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann Health System have signed a letter of intent to merge into a combined system to further strengthen communities, advance the health of Texans and transform the delivery of healthcare. As two of the most comprehensive not-for-profit health systems in Texas, Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann, both founded as faith-based organizations, share similar missions and values. Equally important, they share like-minded, forward-thinking visions for the future. This proposed combined health system is positioned to become a national model for integrated, consumer-centric, cost-effective care. This is about two mission-driven organizations both committed to making safe, high-quality healthcare more convenient and affordable building something transformative together, said Jim Hinton, CEO, Baylor Scott & White Health. We must lead the change in our industry, while insisting we continue to fulfill our unwavering commitments to meeting the needs of all Texans. The health systems, both nationally recognized and dedicated to improving access and continuity of care, serve as vibrant, economic engines in more than 30 Texas counties, employing more than 73,000 across the state. Both have strong ties to the academic medical community, and together will be positioned to expand those affiliations to advance medical training and research programs, while continuing to attract and retain the very best talent. - Furthering century-long missions to transform the future of healthcare to benefit millions of Texans - Together, we believe we will be able to accelerate our commitments to make care more consumer centric; grow our capabilities to manage the health of populations; and bend the unsustainable healthcare cost curve in the state, said Chuck Stokes, president and CEO, Memorial Hermann. Through this combined system, we have a unique opportunity to reinvent healthcare and make a profound difference in the lives of millions of Texans." The details of the letter of intent include: Unified Board: A unified board will be comprised of an equal number of appointees from both organizations. Ross McKnight, the current chair of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees, will serve as the first chair of the proposed combined systems board. A vice chair, selected by the Memorial Hermann Health System Board of Directors, will be named prior to closing and will become chair at the end of McKnights two-year term. A unified board will be comprised of an equal number of appointees from both organizations. Ross McKnight, the current chair of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees, will serve as the first chair of the proposed combined systems board. A vice chair, selected by the Memorial Hermann Health System Board of Directors, will be named prior to closing and will become chair at the end of McKnights two-year term. Leadership: Jim Hinton, CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health, will be the CEO of the proposed combined system and will be joined in the proposed Office of the CEO by Chuck Stokes, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann and Pete McCanna, president of Baylor Scott & White Health. Other members of the executive leadership team will be comprised of leaders from both Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann. Jim Hinton, CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health, will be the CEO of the proposed combined system and will be joined in the proposed Office of the CEO by Chuck Stokes, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann and Pete McCanna, president of Baylor Scott & White Health. Other members of the executive leadership team will be comprised of leaders from both Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann. Operations: The proposed combined system will have executive and support staff based in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Temple. The proposed combined system will have executive and support staff based in Austin, Dallas, Houston and Temple. Name: The proposed combined system will have a new name to be determined before closing; however, Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann will continue to operate under their strong, highly regarded brands in their respective service areas. Baylor Scott & White was founded as a Christian Ministry more than 100 years ago; ever since, it has advanced health and driven change in North and Central Texas, said Ross McKnight, chair of the Baylor Scott & White Holdings Board of Trustees. This proposed combination starts the next chapter in the legacies of service and innovation for both systems. It will not only make a positive difference in the lives of millions here, it will become a national model. Together, the two systems include 68 hospital campuses, more than 1,100 care delivery sites, nearly 14,000 employed, independent and academic physicians and two health plans; and they currently record nearly 10 million patient encounters annually. Memorial Hermann has proudly served the Greater Houston area for more than 110 years with nationally recognized, high-quality patient care, said Deborah Cannon, chair of the Memorial Hermann Health System Board of Directors. Our mutual history of providing accessible and leading-edge healthcare for all people has laid a strong foundation for our shared vision to build a future together for the benefit of all Texans. With approval of the letter of intent, the two organizations have entered into a period of exclusive negotiations, due diligence and the standard regulatory review processes. The next stage in the transaction a definitive agreement is anticipated to be complete in 2019. For more information, visit www.TransformingHealthTogether.com. About Baylor Scott & White Health Baylor Scott & White Health promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. An integrated care delivery network, the system includes the Scott and White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance. Through 49 hospitals and more than 1,000 access points including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care, throughout Texas, and via virtual touchpoints. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing, Baylor Scott & White is proud to honor its century-long legacy through its commitment to improving accessibility, affordability and the customer experience for all. For more information, visit BSWHealth.com. About Memorial Hermann Health System At Memorial Hermann, we are all about advancing health. Yours. It begins by redefining healthcare. Our 6,400 affiliated physicians and more than 26,000 employees practice evidence-based medicine with a relentless focus on quality, safety and exceptional service for all patients, consumers and Health Plan members. Our efforts continue to result in national awards and recognition, including for our nationally acclaimed Accountable Care Organization. With a focus on providing enhanced access to care, Memorial Hermann offers Virtual Clinic for digital access and has 300 care delivery sites conveniently located across the Greater Houston area, including our flagship hospital in the world-renowned Texas Medical Center, which serves as the teaching hospital for McGovern Medical School at UTHealth. We have proudly served this community for more than 110 years, and we contribute more than $588 million annually through school-based health centers and other community benefit programs. Because at Memorial Hermann, the health of our community is always at the center of what we do. Learn more about Memorial Hermann Health System. 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. Time's Up, the anti-harassment movement founded on January 1 this year as a response to #MeToo, has announced they'll hire Lisa Borders as the first official president and CEO. Borders discusses her role in a new interview with Vanity Fair, recalling how moved she felt to be an agent of change upon reading last fall's The New York Times' expose detailing the explosive accusations of sexual assault and misconduct against disgraced film executive Harvey Weinstein. She also mentioned Oprah Winfrey's powerful Golden Globes speech as further inspiration. "I was being not just invited, but encouraged implored to step forward and be part of this transformational change for women," Borders said. To secure her new role, Borders was interviewed by 10 members of Time's Up's president and CEO Search Committee, which included Shonda Rhimes, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and Kerry Washington. Borders, who was previously president of the WNBA, executive vice-president of global community affairs at Coca-Cola, and mayoral candidate for Atlanta, was recommended by Time's Up founding member Wendy Clark. Elsewhere in the feature, Borders also refuted the notion that Time's Up is an organization by, for, and about women working in Hollywood. "It's out here for everybody. This is not a club," she says. "I would just offer the invitation to everyone, right here, right now... Come join us on this journey." Most recently, Time's Up called for action at CBS surrounding the departure of the network corporation's former chairman and CEO Les Moonves after sexual harassment allegations surfaced. Learn more about what you can do support Time's Up's ongoing initiatives, including their Legal Defense Fund, here. Photo via Getty When it comes to computer designs, Apple turned the PC market on its head under Steve Jobs with the MacBook Air, the iMac and of course iDevices such as the iPhone and iPad. Many years after the passing of Steve Jobs, the iPhone X came to light. It was the first refreshing design shift under Cook worth applauding and hopefully their next generation iPads will follow the very same lines by eliminating the classic but outdated Home Button. The PC industry was asleep while Apple was blazing trails with thin aluminum styles and finishes instead of bulky old plastic designs from PC companies. But that's been changing over the years with the Surface Studio desktop, the Surface Book and some really nice thin notebooks from most PC makers in the U.S. and abroad. Now HP is stepping up their creative side with an all-new leather bound convertible notebook that they call the HP Spectre Folio that's exudes class. It will be in stores in the States at the end of the month. Of course it's one of those products that you'll have to test out in the store yourself to get a feel if HP has hit a home run here or not. But on design alone, it's a winner. Check out the video below. Going by our cover graphic and the rave review from PCMag's Mellissa Riofrio, it's very possible that this leather design may be trying to appeal to professionals in general though women specifically. Riofrio says that from someone who loves leather handbags, she loved the softness and the smell of the leather that makes it feel like a premium product. Let's face it guys, women have more experience with leather accessories, handbags, shoes and boots and a nice leather notebook in the office will be a natural choice over metal. (Click on image to Enlarge) Riofrio was quite impressed with this first-to-market thin laptop using full-grain leather bonded to a metal frame that offers three different modes; laptop, movie and tablet. The tablet mode is finally smartly designed to cover the keyboard so the leather finish will be on your lap in tablet mode instead of feeling keys like most 2-in-1 convertibles. The new unit offers an LTE antenna that runs across the top of the display and you can either use the built in eSIM or add a SIM card as there's an accessible but hidden slot built in. As thin as this unit is, they were able to include 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports and 1 USB 3.1 Type-C slots along with an audio jack. You could check out the PCWorld review for all of the other specifications and a walk through of the unit here. You could also check out the Wired's initial review here and the USA Today review notes that Sprint is waiving unlimited data charges for the first six months. For Apple fans who live in a Windows World and can appreciate hardware beyond Apple's, the new HP Spectre Folio may appeal to some professionals looking for a little class beyond everyday aluminum finishes. In the end it's great to see a PC company trying something refreshing in terms of design that stands out. With 7nm AMD and 10nm Intel processors coming to market in 2019, lighter and cooler running notebook and All-in-One designs should be able to take on new form factors to excite the market once again. Apple fans are looking forward to a next generation modular computer system for pros, so overall 2019 could be a winning year for PC fans. For today, HP's new Spectre Folio is an eye-opener in respect to design for a convertible notebook and HP should be able to easily find a new professional niche for it. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. The Islamic Republic Is On Its Deathbed, Say Two Influential Iranian Activists 10/02/18 Source: Radio Farda Two prominent pro-reform activists and former political prisoners say Velayate-e Faqih or the Governance of the Supreme Leader in Iran is not compatible with a republican system. In a statement published on Sunday, September 30, Abolfazl Qadiani and Alireza Rajaee have insisted that Velayat-e Faqih was a deviation from people's demands at the time of the 1979 revolution that ended the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Qadiani, a former regime insider, has recently called on Khamenei to step down, and Rajaee, a prominent reformist journalist and a "nationalist-religious" activist, suffered a serious illness and underwent invasive surgical operations as a result of prison wardens' negligence while he was spending six years in custody for anti-regime activity. "The Islamic Republic currently clambering in a sea of crisis and pretending to be in control and enjoying self-confidence will never heal even one of the thousands of ills it is suffering from," Qadiani and Rajaee said in a statement published by several news outlets, including Kalemeh, a website supporting the Green Movement of Iran. Insisting that the Islamic Republic is on its deathbed, the two have admitted that Iran's current tribulations have older origins, rooted in the early post-revolution days. The Islamic Republic, from its very beginning, fell victim to deviations when the concept of republicanism and its genuine meaning was misconstrued. Lambasting the amendment to the first version of the Islamic Republic's Constitution, Qadyani, 73, and Rajaee, 55, have argued, "By adding an article concerning the rule of the Shi'ite jurisprudence [Velayat-e Faqih] to the constitution, the national will was ignored and enslaved." Article 110 of the Islamic Republic's Constitution, which gives the Supreme Leader unlimited powers has always been a controversial issue since the downfall of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Since then, whoever dares to question that article is ruthlessly punished by the numerous security and intelligence organs. The signatories of the recent statement are among hundreds, if not thousands of people who had experienced life behind bars for criticizing the Supreme Leader and his unlimited powers. Qadiani and Rajaee have maintained that a mighty oligarch has monopolized power in Iran, while the republican system is undermined in the country. Abolfazl Qadiani, a senior member of the reformist Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution of Iran Organization, was charged with "insulting the Supreme Leader" and "propaganda against the system", and arrested during widespread protests against the re-election of former hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. He was initially sentenced to five years. Later, in 2012 he was first sentenced again to one year, which was later changed to two years plus forty lashes. Qadiani had harshly criticized the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, previously, once in a letter from his prison cell in 2012, and once again in an open letter in April 2018, when he likened Khamenei to Joseph Goebbels, a German Nazi politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 1945. He accused Khamenei of telling "big lies" about freedom of speech in Iran. Until 2012 Qadiani still directly was sending letters to Khamenei and calling on him to correct his path, but later, he addressed the nation and political groups demanding a change in the country's constitution that would put an end to the role of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Supreme Shi'ite Jurisconsult) officially known as Supreme Leader. According to Qadyani, the Iranian Constitution, allows a change that would turn the Islamic Republic into a democratic system with no figurehead such as the Supreme Leader. In an article published by Kalemeh, on Saturday, July 7, Qadiani explicitly said Iran's Supreme Leader, "Ayatollah Ali Khamenei should step down as a final solution to the Islamic republic's problems." Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran (source: Payam Zaman daily) Qadyani's public call for Khamenei to step down was interpreted as one of the most unexpected manifestations of how Khamenei's rule is losing its base of support among those who were once fervent devotees of the system. Alireza Rajaee, journalist and prominent member of Nationalist-Religious Alliance was also detained during the uprising against the official outcome of the presidential election in 2009. Charged with "Propaganda against the Islamic Republic's system", Rajaee was placed behind bars for more than six years. Rajaee lost one of his eyes in custody for being deprived of having access to medical facilities. Government has announced that the producer price of GH7,600 per tonne of cocoa for the 2017/2018 crop season has been maintained for this season. Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto made this known yesterday in Accra at a grand durbar to mark the 2018 edition of Cocoa Day Celebration, which was held at the forecourt of the State House under the theme, Cocoa Consumption Business and Health. He stated that this would translate into GH475 per bag of cocoa for the current season, adding that the price takes effect from today. The minister said the price was maintained to reduce the drastic impact of the reduction in the price of cocoa on the world market. According to the minister, cocoa continues to play a critical role in the socioeconomic development of the country. The minister indicated that government was taking steps to revive the countrys cocoa sector. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen-Aidoo, in a statement, encouraged Ghanaians to consume more cocoa products. He indicated that cocoa has anti-ageing properties and can fight against diabetes, cancer, hypertension, among others. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Rebased economic figures released by the Ghana Statistics Service (GSS) indicate that the countrys economy expanded by 24.6 percent in 2017. This means that Ghanas economy increased to GH256 billion from GH205.9 billion recorded earlier. The rebasing involves replacing the old base year (i.e. 2006) used for computing the constant price estimates to a more recent base year 2013. The GSS further disclosed that change in the base year has also been influenced by a change in the structure of the economy since 2006, adding that certain activities, which had little economic importance in 2006 have gained prominence now and may contribute more to the economy than before. Given the current population size of 28.96 million, every Ghanaian would be entitled to GH8,863 as their share of the national cake with respect of the new figure. According to the GSS, the expansion recorded last year in the economy was moderately lower when contrasted with earlier years. This was because in 2013, the economy grew by 32.4 percent. In 2014, it increased to 37.1 percent after which it slowed down to 31.7 percent in 2015, and further to 28.5 percent in 2016. Looking at the economic expansion sectorally, the services sector grew by 3.3 percent in 2017, while industry grew by 15.7 per cent and agriculture by 6.1 percent. Regarding contribution to gross domestic product (GDP), the agriculture sector currently contributes 21.2 percent while industry and the services sectors registered 33.2 and 45.6 percent in that order. The GSS pointed out that before the rebasing exercise, the afore-mentioned sectors contribution to the economy stood at 18.3 percent, 25.5 percent and 56.2 percent respectively. Government stated that the rebasing is expected to expand the countrys economy by some 20 percent and help reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Fred Nantogmah, Knowledge and Communication Officer of Basic Needs Ghana, a health centered non-governmental organisation, has called for adequate budgetary allocation in the 2019 national budget to effectively tackle mental health problems in the country. Currently, only 1.5 per cent of the total budget of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is set aside for mental health, he said. Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Sunyani to validate a checklist for resource support for community mental health, Mr Nantogmah said the issue of mental health remains a national worry which requires strong budgetary support. The meeting, which was organized by the MIHOSO International Foundation, another health inclined NGO, and attended by District and Municipal Directors of Health, was also aimed at sensitising the participants on a mental health project being implemented by the two NGOs in the Brong-Ahafo Region. With support from STAR Ghana and its development partners, the 36-month project titled: Accessible and Quality Mental Health Care for Poor and Marginalised Persons with Mental Disorders, is aimed at improving community mental health treatment through increased funding to the mental health service. It is being implemented in Tano North, Sunyani, Techiman and Berekum Municipalities as well as Techiman North and Sunyani West Districts of the Brong-Ahafo Region. Mr Nantogmah expressed regret with the lack of a Legislative Instrument (LI) to support the Mental Health Act 2012 (Act 846). He said since the Act was passed in 2012 successive governments have not shown any political will to pass the LI to give a realistic interpretation of the Act, saying the lack of the LI remains a key impediment in funding mental health. Mr Nantogmah appealed to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to direct the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to commit and allocate resources to community mental healthcare. This, he said, would enable mental health patients, who have gradually become a burden in communities to easily access quality medical care for their treatment. Dr Gabriel Gbiel Benarkuu, the Chief Executive Officer of MIHOSO International Foundation, said mental illness could be treated if patients strictly adhered to directions with regards to their drugs. Mental health problem, he said, was not a curse but a disability and advised care givers to ensure that patients take their drugs at the stipulated periods. Mr Joseph Yere, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Mental Health Coordinator, expressed worry that intermittent shortages of drugs were impeding the recovery of many of the mental health patients in the region. He said because of drug shortages, many care-givers and patients have relaxed and were not visiting health facilities for treatment. Mr Yere said because drugs for mental illness were expensive, care-givers could not afford to buy them and appealed to NGOs and philanthropists to help in stocking the drugs. Mr Thomas Benarkuu, the Director of Programmes of MIHOSO, said the project targeted men, women, boys and girls living with all forms of mental disorders and appealed to the Municipal and District Assemblies in the project areas to provide the needed support. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister of Communications, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has stated that Ghana is positioning itself as the cyber security hub in West Africa. This, she said, follows some key policies the government has instituted to boost the countrys cyber security ecosystem. She said the Ministry of Communication was collaborating with local and foreign partners to develop Ghanas cyber securityinfrastructure. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful was speaking at the launch of the National Cyber Security awareness month 2018 and the launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Programme at the Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT in Accra Monday Morning. The event was on the theme: A safer digital Ghana. The National Cyber Security Awareness programme is intended to raise awareness on cyber crimes and cyber security among children, the public, businesses and government. Additionally, the programme is also meant to encourage reporting of cyber crimes and cyber security incidents to facilitate knowledge and information sharing among all stakeholders as well as to promote a culture of cyber security among the youth and the general public to encourage essential cyber hygiene practices. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said as part of governments effort to strengthen the countrys cyber security ecosystem, it has established the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) to oversee and coordinate the national cyber security programmes. She explained that other interventions government has instituted concerning cyber security development included the development of the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) ecosystem and also the yearly organization of the national cyber security awareness programmes. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said the initiative is expected to increase the understanding and awareness of cyber risks and to empower the public to live a responsible and safer digital life. In a keynote address, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, said government recognizes the importance digital ecosystem plays in the countrys development, hence the major initiatives the government has taken to digitise the countrys economy. He said digital economy was not only useful to the government alone, but that of all individuals, agencies and organisation. He said government would continue to invest in the countrys digital space to ensure that it becomes safer for all to use. Dr Bawumia explained that many cyber crimes are being directed at the financial sectors, adding that such attacks when successful, could result in fatal loses. He has, therefore, urged the public to be cautious with their use of the internet, stressing that no one is immune to cyber threats and that it was only when people recognizes cyber threats that they would be able to deal with such issues appropriately. The National Cyber Security Advisor, Mr Albert Antwi-Boasiako, said Ghanas cyber security is still at the formative stage of development and needed more efforts and investments in the area. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The First Lady of the United States, Mrs Melania Trump, arrives in Ghana today on the first leg of her four-nation African tour to promote her child welfare agenda. It is the first-ever visit by Mrs Trump to Africa, which will also see her make stops in Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. Mrs Trump will undertake a number of activities while in the country today. Be Best initiative In May this year, she launched her Be Best initiative which seeks to combat some of the critical issues that children face today. The initiative puts the spotlight on successful programmes and organisations that share her goal to apply the tools and skills necessary to tackle the emotional, social and physical well-being of children. The 48-year-old First Lady, mother of a 12-year-old son, has made child welfare a major focus and she is using the African tour to advance her initiative abroad. Thank Ghanas First Lady She spoke on her visit to Africa on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting last Wednesday, in the presence of Ghanas First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo. Id like to take a moment and thank the First Lady of Ghana for being with us today. Mrs Akufo-Addo, I look forward to visiting your country and know we will find ways to continue working together even after my visit, she said at the UN Headquarters in New York. She said in Ghana, the USAIDs programmes had focused on health care by supporting efforts to expand the coverage and quality of health care for mothers and newborns and educating women and young children on the importance of proper nutrition. Other countries Touching on the other African countries, she said she was very excited to have the opportunity to visit Malawi and better understand how the US and Malawi could continue working together for a prosperous future. With regard to Kenya, she said she looked forward to using the visit to know that together we will be able to do great things on behalf of children. For the Egypt visit, she stated: We have worked with the people of Egypt to promote an environment in which all groups of society including women and religious minorities can lead productive and healthy lives. In fact, their programmes have directly supported a reduction in infant and maternal mortality rates, improved early-grade reading and restored and preserved historical sites vital to Egypts tourism. Source: Graphic.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. An aide to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling New patriotic Party, Mr. Andy Owusu, over the weekend cast serious doubt over the Presidential ambition of one-time disgraced Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Kojo Bonsu. In the estimation of Andy Owusu, though he has no interest in the internal political arrangements of the NDC, he sees the former KMA boss as unfit for the position he intends to vie for in the party. Speaking to newsmen, the Founder and leader of Free SHS movement Group, noted that it was not long ago that the Kumasi Traditional Council banned the then Kumasi mayor from Manhyia, over what they termed as gross insubordination to the Asantehene and Asanteman. According to Mr. Owusu, Kojo Bonsu, in 2016, incurred the wrath of authorities at the Manhyia Palace, following a letter he wrote, questioning the legitimacy of a representative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in the process involving the yet-to-be completed Kejetia/Central Market Redevelopment Project. And, after several failed attempts by the KTC to get the former mayor, to appear before them, they then held rituals, killed a ram and used its blood to excommunicate Kojo Bonsu from the palace, a move which subsequently forced him to resign from his post as the KMA boss. The excommunication tag hanging on his neck will make it highly impossible for the NDC to introduce him to the Asantehene, at Manhyia, should the opposition party elect him as their flagbearer. I see the ambition of Kojo Bonsu as laughable because how can he be at Manhyia to introduce himself as a flagbearer of his party when he has been banned from entering the palaceand you know for any government or party to succeed, it needs the backings and blessings of Otumfuo, as well as the Manhyia palace, and in this case of the Mr. Bonsu, he does not have such privilege, Andy Owusu stressed. Mr. Owusu continued that I strongly think Kojo Bonsu is not fit to lead the NDC. Disclosing what eventually pushed the embattled former boss of KMA into the NDC presidential race, Mr. Owusu alleged it was as a result of betrayal from former President Mahama, who, according to Andy, had promised to make Kojo Bonsu his running mate going into the 2020 elections. This arrangement was later secretly truncated by former president Mahama, according to Mr. Owusu. He stated that the former president would either settle on Kofi Armah Boah, former Energy minister, Julius Debrah, former Chief of Staff or Victor Smith as his running-mate. In spite of the developments, Mr. Owusu stated that Kojo Bonsu still remains unfit for the position he is vying for. 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 A youth group in the Northern Region has backed Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, who is vying for the chairmanship position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the impending primaries. According to the group, the party needs a neutral person who can unify members of the party. They indicated that Lawyer Hudu Yahaya can unify the rank and file of party for a common purpose. The youth, therefore, appealed to delegates to give Lawyer Hudu Yahaya the mandate to steer the affairs of the party and ensure ethnic balance. At a press conference held in Tamale, the Director of Communications of the coalition of youth group, Seidu Fiter said the party would need a Muslim to run the affairs of the Muslim community. Its obvious that Mahama will be the flagbearer of the NDC and the running mate will be a Christian so we will need someone to speak and represent we, the Muslims in the country. Lawyer Hudu Yahaya served as the first General Secretary of the NDC from 1992 to 2002. Under his leadership, the NDC won the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections. At age 27, Hudu Yahaya was appointed the Northern Regional Minister. He later became the Minister for Trade and Tourism and Mobilization, running both ministries concurrently. He currently serves as a member of the legal committee and chairman of the conflict resolution committee of the party. Having served the party from 2002 to 2014, Lawyer Hudu Yahaya is the longest serving vice chairman of the party. The National Delegates Congress of the party is expected to take place in November. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Audio Attachment: Listen to Johnson Asiedu Nketia at the Press Conference The Opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Akufo-Addo administration of "witch hunting" former government appointees and allegedly squandering over $6.8 million UNDP fund on private investigations aimed at nailing appointees in the erstwhile Mahama government. According to the NDC, the investigations are being done by private investigators at a staggering cost to the state and also meant to harass former government appointees who are already co-operating with state institutions for investigations. The NDC has credible information that an amount of at least $6.8million has so far being paid by the NPP government under President Akufo-Addos watch to these private firms to carry out work thats already being done or has been completed by state agencies, General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said on Tuesday at a press conference. Meanwhile, state agencies like the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, the Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO), the Special Prosecutors Office, the Auditor Generals Department and the Attorney Generals who could have carried out these audits are poorly resourced. He said the party has evidence from some former appointees that they have been or are being subjected to EOCOs investigations and while they have submitted themselves to regularly reporting to EOCO, they have also received letters from some of these private firms to answer the same questions they have already answered at EOCO. "But we are asking all former appointees not to honour those invitations since these so called audit firms are not credible and are not mandated to carry out such audits," he said. The NDC questioned the intergrity of the Chairman of the audit board, Mr. Edward Dua-Agyemang who Mr. Asiedu Nketia described as a fraudster who has over the years, concocted audit reports eventually leading to his suspension from the audit service association. "We wish to draw the attention of the UNDP to the fact that Dua-Agyeman does not have the integrity of character to undertake such an assignment. We therefore urge the UNDP to conduct a research into the background of the character called Edward Dua-Agyeman and it will be amazed at what it will uncover. The reputation of Edward Dua-Agyeman as a trickster and a hatchet man precedes him, and the slightest investigation into his background would have revealed the following facts about him, It was Mr. Edward Dua-Agyeman who, in 1983, was banned by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, from practising accountancy and auditing in Ghana for forging an audit report for a private firm whose accounts he had neither seen nor audited". NDCs accusation follows the uncovering of some procurement irregularities amounting to a whopping US$137,861,127.15 at Ghana National Gas Company during the erstwhile administration of John Mahama by a private firm Morrison and Associates. Read Below Full Statement STATEMENT BY THE NDC ON THE NPP GOVERNMENTS FAKE AUDIT REPORTS ON THE OPERATIONS OF FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken note of a certain document purporting to emanate from a Cabinet Committee said to be responsible for the Coordination of Investigations/Forensic Audits. This document has been published widely in a number of pro-Government newspapers and tabloids in a denigrating and defamatory manner. The intent, obviously, is to tarnish the hard-won reputation of ex-appointees of the former NDC Government and, by extension, the NDC. We note, rather curiously, that the purported Cabinet document is signed by a former Auditor General, Edward Dua-Agyeman, as Secretary to the Cabinet Committee. Incidentally, Edward Dua-Agyeman is also the Chairman of theBoard of the Audit Service and is engaged in a duel to the death with the Auditor General, Mr. Daniel Yao Domelevo, who has accused him of undermining his authority. We also note that the Cabinet document lists certain private firms that are supposed to have audited the State Agencies in question. We have credible information that these private firms were not legally engaged since they were not officially authorized by the Auditor General to conduct these audits. Under the 1992 Constitution, it is only the Auditor General who is authorized to carry out audits of State Agencies. Where, for some good reason, such audits have to be carried out by private firms, the Auditor Generals consent has to be sought. Indeed, it is the Auditor General who is supposed to choose the firms and authorize them on their mandate. Our information is that this did not happen in this case, and that these privatecompanies were sole-sourced by Edward Dua-Agyeman, who also works in the office of the Senior Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo. We also have information that it was Mr. Osafo Maafos idea to convert the illegal reports of the unauthorised private firms into a supposed Cabinet Committee Report. This was after the Auditor General had, on grounds of professional ethics, refused to own the audit and issue a report on them to legitimize the procurement of the firms and their reports. We therefore wish to ask Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo and the Secretary to the Cabinet, Madam Debrah-Karikari, when the said Cabinet Committee was set-up, who set it up, who the members of the Committee are, details of their meetings and why and how a non-Cabinet Member, Mr. Edward Dua-Agyeman, came to be appointed Secretary of the Cabinet Committee. The NDC has further credible information that an amount of at least US$6.8 million has, so far, been paid by the NPP Government under President AkufoAddos watch to these private firms to carry out work that is already being done or has been completed by State Agencies. Meanwhile, the tax-payers money is being spent on State Agencies like the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Special Prosecutors Office, the Auditor Generals Department, and the Attorney Generals Department, any or all of which could have carried out those audits. We have evidence from some former NDC appointees that while they have been or are being subjected to EOCO investigations and while they have submitted themselves to regularly reporting to EOCO, they have also received letters from some of these private firms to answer the same questions they have already answered at EOCO. The NDC therefore wants to ask: What is the justification for these parallel investigations? What is the justification for the misuse of our taxpayers monies? What is the justification for paying huge amounts to private firms to do exactly what the state agencies are in the process of doing when these state agencies are under resourced? Who are the real and ultimate beneficiaries of these huge payments? These questions must be answered by President Akufo-Addos Government and must be answered now.The NDC has gathered from the document in question that the UNDP Office in Ghana has been funding or is being requested to fund Dua-Agyemans so-called Cabinet Committee to carry out these dubious audits. We wish to draw the attention of the UNDP to the fact that Dua-Agyeman does not have the integrity of character to undertake such an assignment. We therefore urge the UNDP to conduct a research into the background of the character called Edward Dua-Agyeman and it will be amazed at what it will uncover. The reputation of Edward Dua-Agyeman as a trickster and a hatchet man precedes him, and the slightest investigation into his background would have revealed the following facts about him: It was Mr. Edward Dua-Agyeman who, in 1983, was banned by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana, from practising accountancy and auditing in Ghana for forging an audit report for a private firm whose accounts he had neither seen nor audited. It was the same Edward Dua-Agyeman who, in 1986, led a team to conduct special investigations and at the end of the exercise presented a false report causing some Heads of Department to suffer unjustly even though they were innocent, leading to Dua-Agyeman being sacked. It was the same Edward Dua-Agyeman who, on assuming office in 2001 as Auditor-General, sent BNI officials to arrest his predecessor Mr. Osei Tutu Prempeh in church, on false allegations of possessing confidential state documents. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who hauled Mr. Prempeh to the police station on another false allegation that Mr. Prempeh had unlawfully appropriated a Government vehicle on his retirement, only for it to turn out that the vehicle had actually been duly valued and sold to Mr. Prempeh by the state. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who falsely described a Final Report of an audit, into Castle renovations during President Kufours term that implicated some of his Ministers and officials, as an Interim Report. He then formed a bogus Committee, which doctored the report to exonerate some of the Ministers and officials and fraudulently described the doctored report as the Final Report. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who awarded himself End of Service Benefits and illegally took two luxurious state vehicles home and hid them in his Teshie-Nungua residence while on his terminal leave, even though the vehicles had neither been valued nor purchased by him. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who, in 2005, leaked what was supposed to be an audit report on the publishers of Kwesi Pratt Jnrs Insight newspaper, deliberately quoting concocted tax liability figures. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is trite knowledge that the Commissioner for the then Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not report to the Auditor General on tax positions of companies and neither is the Auditor Generals office a debt collection agency for the IRS. The reason Edward Dua-Agyeman did this was that the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) of which, Kwesi Pratt Jnr was a prominent member, had announced an imminent major public demonstration agitating for a downward review of the prices of petroleum products in the country. His clear intention was to intimidate Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr and the CJA in a bid to frighten them and induce them into calling off the planned demonstration. Ladies and Gentlemen, The following are more of the antecedents of the man Edward Dua-Agyeman: It was Dua-Agyeman who was appointed Acting Auditor General in 2001 when he was already past the mandatory retirement age of sixty years, and who stayed in office till mid-November 2009 when his terminal leave ended, even though the maximum duration beyond sixty years for his tenure under the Constitution is five years. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who the then Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Honourable Sam Sallas Mensah, then MP for Upper West Akyem constituency, accused of dishonestly staying in office after the expiration of his constitutionally permitted term and questioned the legitimacy of audit reports signed by him after 2006. It was the same Dua-Agyeman who hounded Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, running mate of the then NDC Presidential Candidate Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the former Chairman of the Electoral Commission and others when they criticised the NPP Government of the day under President J. A. Kufuor. It was the same greedy Dua-Agyeman who harassed President Mills Government, claiming that he (Dua-Agyeman) was entitled to salaries from the state for the rest of his life after he had been paid ex gratia award as well as his emoluments. Ladies and Gentlemen, You will recall that this same Dua-Agyeman is the subject of a recent petition by the incumbent Auditor-General, Mr. Daniel Yao Domelevo, addressed to the President of the Republic, complaining about the unlawful and unconstitutional interference of Mr. Dua-Agyeman in his work as Auditor-General and calling on the President to call Mr. Dua-Agyeman to order. The President is yet to respond to the petition. Ladies and gentlemen! This is the same Dua-Agyeman who has been recruited by Nana Akufo-Addos NPP Government to do hatchet jobs on former appointees of the previous NDC Government. This is the same Dua-Agyeman who is being paid by the State to leak false audit reports. This is the same Dua-Agyeman who is requesting extension of donor support from the UNDP and logistics for his hatchet agenda. This is the same Dua-Agyeman who has signed a letter to the Cabinet describing himself as Secretary of a so-called Cabinet Committee when he is neither the Secretary to the Cabinet nor a member of the Cabinet. This is the same Dua-Agyeman who has designed his own letterhead for the so-called Cabinet Committee with the title Cabinet Committee for the Coordination of Investigations/Forensic Audits. This is the same Dua-Agyeman whose so-called forensic audit reports allege that the GNGC, under the previous NDC Government, caused financial loss to the state by purchasing helicopters. Yet it is on record that those helicopters are stationed at the Ghana Air Force base, being actively used by the Ghana Air Force, and that it was one of those helicopters that was used recently to convey Vice President Mohamadu Bawumia to Wa, where he went to distribute expired relief items for which his brother-in-law, who is the Deputy National Coordinator of NADMO, has been suspended. Ladies and gentlemen, It is the same hatchet man Dua-Agyeman, acting in the irresponsible, egotistic and sleazy manner that he has become infamous for, who has been responsible for all these acts of mis-governance and illegality. Shoddiness is his first name, dishonesty is his middle name and vindictiveness is his surname. In 2005, the Chronicle newspaper in one of its editorials wrote: Mr. Dua-Agyeman has already been retired and therefore let us see him back home where he belongs, so he does not continue to denigrate this important office, so it does not become a national embarrassment, such that nobody would place any value on reports they spend the taxpayers money to come up with. Against the background of all that we have enumerated so far, the NDC leadership has advised former NDC Government appointees not to subject themselves to so-called investigations of these private companies with dubious mandates. We call on President Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP Government to stop the incessant harassment and witch-hunting of former NDC Government appointees. The Government must concentrate on the unbridled thievery and corruption of today. In particular, the Government must concentrate on fighting the menace ofOne Day, One Corruption Scandal; by speedily, thoroughly and properly investigating the following alleged corruption scandals and maladministration of the NPP Government: The $178 million Kelni GVG and Ministry of Communication corruption scandal The $1.5 million Startimes-Rebecca Akuffo Addo bribery scandal The $1.2 billion National Identification Authority Scandal The $ 2.5 million Bawumia-GPS scandal The 5 million liters contaminated fuel scandal involving BOST, Movenpinna and Zup Oil The 230 cases of premix fuel diversions by the Ministry of Fisheries The GH800,000.00 website development scandal at the Ministry for Special Development and Initiatives The $700 million AMERI Novation scandal The $ 8million Nyantakyi/Akuffo Addo/Bawumia bribery Scandal from Anas investigations and so on. These allegations must be properly investigated by the constitutionally mandated state investigative agencies and proper independent reports of their findings published and appropriate sanctions applied. Ladies and Gentlemen, In 2009, the NPP, in opposition, threatened that they would refuse to cooperate with EOCO and other state investigative authorities. They carried out their threat. The NDC is a law-abiding party so we will not stop our former appointees from cooperating with the state investigative authorities, provided that those investigations are not fishing expeditions designed to frame them up. We hereby call on President Akufo-Addo and his NPP Government to render account for the US$6.8 million that is supposed to have been spent on the illegal and ghost audits and to justify to the Ghanaian public why those amounts were paid when the state investigating agencies are mandated to do this work, and when the monies could have been better utilized in funding those agencies. We also call on Messrs Osafo Maafo and Dua-Agyeman to clarify their ownership interests in some of the private audit firms that conducted the ghost audits, in particular, Baffour Awuah & Associates. We further call on the Secretary to the Cabinet, Madam Debrah-Karikari, to make public her findings on the culprit who leaked the bogus Cabinet Committee report to the NPP press, or otherwise resign from office for violating her constitutional oath of office and the provisions of the State Secrets Act. We finally call upon President Nana Akufo-Addo to call his hounds to order, fix the economy and address the serious issues of mis-governance, incompetence and un-kept promises. We thank you very much for your attendance. Long live the NDC. Long live Ghana. Hon. Johnson Asiedu-Nketia (General Secretary) 2nd October 2018 Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The First Lady of the United States of America, Mrs. Melania Trump, has arrived in Ghana today Tuesday, October 2, 2018 to start a four-country tour of Africa. Mrs Trumps plane touched down at the Jubilee lounge of the KIA at exactly 10:06 am on Tuesday. The US first lady was welcomed by the First Lady of Ghana Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo with traditional drummers and dancers at the Kotoka International Airport in the capital, Accra. But another compared her unfavourably to former First Lady Michelle Obama who was warmly received with her husband on a trip in 2009. She will leave Ghana on October 4 and visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt, to promote the First Ladys Be Best campaign, which she launched in May 2018. The campaign is aimed at promoting the well-being of the youth and also advocates against cyberbullying and drug use, in Africa. Mrs Trump announced her visit at a reception for spouses of world leaders, held on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly, in New York. The visit is being organised in partnership with the United States Aid Agency (USAID) and will involve the four countries, described by Mrs Trump as four beautiful and very different countries in Africa, who have worked closely with the USAID in various areas. On March 20, she met with top executives of technology companies including Amazon, Google, Twitter, Snap and Facebook, to discuss the issue of cyberbullying and how it affects children. Mrs Trump, born Melanija Knavs in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, on April 26, 1970, is the wife of Donald Trump, who was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America in January 2017. Melania moved to the US in 1996 to pursue her modelling career and became a US citizen in 2006 after she married Donald Trump in 2005. She is the first naturalized and second foreign-born US citizen to become the First Lady, after Louisa Adams, wife of the sixth president, John Quincy Adams. Mrs Trump came from a humble background, born to an Austrian father, Viktor Knavs, who worked as a car dealer, and a Slovenian mother, Amalija, who worked as a patternmaker at childrens clothing manufacturer, Jutranjka, in Sevnica. See more photos from her arrival below: Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/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 Dr. Michelle Oakley, centre, poses for a photo flanked by her two oldest daughters Maya, left, and Sierra in an undated handout photo. Oakleys love of animals began in her native Indiana where she spent summers on her uncles dairy farm. She grew up a big fan of Jane Goodall, watching the famed anthropologists TV specials over and over again. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-National Geographic Wild, *MANDATORY CREDIT* Poland's first original Netflix series, '1983', is shaping up to something pretty special if this teaser is anything to go by. Directed by Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland, '1983' follows a fascinating premise that's not a million miles away from the likes of 'The Man In The High Castle' or Robert Harris' 'Fatherland'. Set in an alternative Poland twenty years after a terrorist attack changed the course of history and kept the Iron Curtain standing across Europe, an idealistic law student stumbles across a decades-long conspiracy that threatens to upend years of totalitarian rule in the country. Written by Joshua Long, the eight-part series is currently being filmed in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Lublin, and Silesia, and will arrive on Netflix later this year. Here's the teaser. NASA hasn't formally searched for technosignatures since 1993, when a Nevada Senator axed a $60 million program he derided as "Martian hunting season at the taxpayer's expense." Since then, the agency has focused on biosignatures, which include possible microbes on other solar system bodies or Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. As a result, the private sector picked up the technosignature baton and carried it forward via groups like the SETI Institute, Berkeley's SETI Research Center, a SETI group at Harvard University, and The Planetary Society. More recently, Breakthrough Listen began conducting SETI searches using giant telescopes like the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia and Parkes Observatory in Australia. Pete Worden, the executive director of Breakthrough Initiatives, said the group has surveyed about 1,000 stars thus far. With MeerKAT's 64, 13.5-meter-wide wide dishes, they expect that number to increase to about a million over the next 5 years, completing a goal to see if any nearby extraterrestrial societies have noticed Earth and are deliberately trying to get in touch. "We really want to do a bang-up job on, 'Is anybody signaling us?' Worden said. MeerKAT, which was built and is operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, or SARAO, is the southern hemisphere's largest radio telescope array. It was finished in July 2018, and Worden said it should be fully operational around the end of the year. Berkeley engineers are installing new technology on the dishes that allows Breakthrough to "piggbyback" and collect SETI data during traditional science observations. That technology, in turn, can also be used by other observors. "It's a win-win situation. We're not interfering with their main observing programs," said Worden. He did not have an exact estimate on the project cost, but said it was likely in the millions. Groups like Breakthrough may soon get support from NASA, thanks to a pair of House of Representatives bills directing the agency to spend $20 million working with private organizations on the search for technosignatures. A 2018 NASA Authorization bill introduced in June, which has not been acted upon by the full House, was the first to include that directive from Texas Rep. Lamar Smith. Smith, who chairs the House science committee and will not seek re-election this fall, has a long-held fascination with SETI, and has held several hearings on the topic. "I have, over the years, I think, read every single book on the subject," said Smith in an introductory video played at the NASA technosignature workshop hosted by the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. The technosignatures mandate showed up again in a House appropriations bill sponsored by Rep. John Culberson, another Texan interested in life beyond Earth. That bill passed the full House, but its Senate counterpart does not include the same language. A final, reconciled version of the bill is yet to be finalized. Linda Billings, a consultant to NASA's astrobiology program and self-described "SETI skeptic," said she isn't sure how the science community at large feels about NASA's possible technosignatures directive. She said the SETI community itself, however, is certainly enthusiastic. "From where I've stood, I've observed that the SETI community has been relentlessly pressing NASA to get back into the SETI game pretty much ever since Congress cancelled the program," said Billings. To hear NASA tell it, that game never really ended. Michael New, NASA's deputy associate administrator for research, said at the technosignatures workshop that the agency has no outright ban on proposals for SETI technology development, though NASA has, until now, preferred to leave actual searches in the hands of the private sector, citing strong progress made there. Several scientists at the workshop objected, saying NASA has not been welcoming of SETI proposals since the early 1990s. Worden, who is the former head of NASA's Ames Research Center, agreed with that assessment. "It was clear to me that you weren't going to get funded if [SETI] was your primary purpose," he said. New vowed that the agency would make it clear in future proposal calls that SETI is not a taboo subject, whether or not the technosignatures legislation survives the congressional budget process. "Regardless of what happens with the appropriations bill, that language will get fixed," he said. KAMPALA- As Uganda Marks 56 years of independence on Tuesday, October 9 in Kyotera district, there are series of events lined up. Independence night at Namboole stadium on Friday, October 5, 2018, organised by House of prayer Ministries under the leadership of Pastor Aloysius Bugingo of Salt Media. Believers are expected to flock the stadium as early as 6 am on Friday until Saturday morning thanking God for the great things he has done and praying for our country Uganda. On October 8 we shall have three major shows for the party lovers and this will weigh the strength of the organizers Comedian Patrick Idringi, aka Salvado will be entertaining lovers at the fourth edition of Africa Laughs scheduled to take place at Serena Hotel, Kampala. This will be a cocktail of comedians both, local and international. They will include :Daniel Omara, Prince Ehma, Ronnie Mc Vex, Agnes Akite and Madrat and Chiko for international acts we shall have, Prof Hamo (Kenya), Kevin J (UK), Basketmouth ( Nigeria), Eddie Kadi (Congo), Alfred Kainga (Zimbabwe) and Arthur Nkusi ( Rwanda). The show will have some surprise artists to grace the event. For those who enjoy dancing and Dj mixes should brace themselves for the Major Lazer show at Sheraton Hotel come 8th Monday 2018. Kenneth Mugabi Ugandas humorous poetic artist will treat his fans to Afro-soul Music. Mugabi came to the music scene after his great album of Kibunomu a very soulful song with a perfect touch of vocals and guitar. Mugabi has songs like Katambala, Nambi, Nkwegomba Olugendo featuring Irene Namubiru and many others. He will be performing live at National theatre on October 8. Related Ami Barer pockets $1.6 million for winning 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event No player from Canada has ever claimed the Southern Hemispheres most prestigious poker title, but once there were only two players remaining at the 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event final table, it was guaranteed that a Canuck would be the champion. Ami Barer, known online as UhhMee, ultimately overcame a total field of 668 players after defeating fellow Canadian Sorel Mizzi heads-up to claim the $1.6 million first-place prize, all the glory and the beautiful Aussie Millions gold bracelet. When the final table began it was Barer who had the chip lead, but he was faced with stiff competition from the likes of Vincent Rubianes, Sorel Mizzi, Jake Balsiger, Scott Seiver and Darren Rabinowitz. Below is how they stacked up at the beginning of play. 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event - Final Table lineup Seat 1: Jake Balsiger (USA) - 2,385,000 Seat 2: Darren Rabinowitz (USA) - 2,365,000 Seat 3: Scott Siever (USA) - 855,000 Seat 4: Vincent Rubianes (USA) - 3,865,000 Seat 5: Ami Barer (Canada) - 6,570,000 Seat 6: Andrew Phaedonas (Australia) - 1,105,000 Seat 7: Sorel Mizzi (Canada) - 2,830,000 Seiver, one of the most accomplished players at the final table, started with the shortest stack and struggled to win chips early. Then he doubled up when he found the cards he needed holding preflop against Balsigers . From there Seiver hung onto life, doubling up once again when he woke up with pocket kings, which helped him survive to the dinner break. When the players returned Seiver three-bet shoved holding after Darren Rabinowitz had opened. Rabinowitz called with his and Seiver couldnt win a flip. Finally, after around three hours, the first player had been eliminated. Seiver pocketed $170,000 for that effort. Just a short while after Seivers elimination and the lone Aussie at the final table, Andrew Phaedonos, was sent home in 6th place for a $250,000 score. He was short stacked when he shoved preflop holding and couldnt improve against Sorel Mizzis . Up to this point Mizzi was the biggest chip mover, while start-of-day chip leader Ami Barer had got unlucky in a few spots and had fallen down the leader board. Rabinowitz started catching up to Mizzi when he dealt the fatal blow to Vincent Rubianes in 5th place. Rabinowitz woke up with when Rubianes shoved preflop holding . The board gave Rubianes a flush-draw sweat, but ultimately he was eliminated with $335,000 for his time. Following a couple of relatively fast eliminations it was back to grinding. It wasnt until around 2:45am that the final table would lose another player. Unfortunately for Rabinowitz, it was he who would fall in 4th place. Rabinowitz was quite short stacked when he four-bet shoved holding against Barer, who held . No help for Rabinowitz and it was three-handed. It would be just 20 minutes after Rabinowitzs elimination that we would lose Jake Balsiger in 3rd place. Balsiger was lucky to wake up with and get all his chips in against Barer who held . However, the board meant that Barer had made a miracle straight and with that Balsiger was sent home in 3rd place. Two players remained as the heads-up battle began at around 4:00am. Heads-Up Chip Counts Ami Barer 13,850,000 Sorel Mizzi 6,150,000 Two Canadians fighting it out for $1.6 million and the beautiful Aussie Millions Main Event gold bracelet! Barer began heads-up with more than a 2-1 chip lead and would increase that lead during the first few hands of action. Barer was doing everything he could to stop Mizzi from winning the title and eventually would send Mizzi home as the bittersweet runner-up. After eight days of poker, the final hand of the 2014 Aussie Millions began with Ami Barer opening the button with a raise. Sorel Mizzi then shoved his short stack all in from the big blind and Barer instantly called and tabled the best looking starting hand in poker . Mizzi held just and would need some help. The board ran out and it was all over! For his 2nd place finish Mizzi takes home $1 million. This result is added to Mizzis already impressive record in the Aussie Millions Main Event. He finished 16th, 9th and 3rd in three consecutive years from 2009 through 2011 and now adds a runner-up finish to his resume. Mizzi is also the only player to make the final table on two separate occasions. This runner-up finish will surely make Mizzi even hungrier to win the title next time around. Congratulations to Ami Barer for winning what is his breakout major live tournament result. Prior to the $1.6 million Barer received for winning the Aussie Millions Main Event, his largest result was US$180,064 and his total live earnings were well under $500,000. He does, however, already have a very impressive online poker resume as he has posted just under US$6 million in results. 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event - Final Table Results 1st: Ami Barer - $1,600,000 2nd: Sorel Mizzi - $1,000,000 3rd: Jake Balsiger - $650,000 4th: Darren Rabinowitz - $450,000 5th: Vincent Rubianes - $335,000 6th: Andrew Phaedonos - $250,000 7th: Scott Seiver - $170,000 Click here for full 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event results **Special thanks to official Crown Casino photographer Shannon Morris for use of his images.** Ami Barer is not the only one that needs congratulating. The team at Crown Poker, in partnership with the Asia Pacific Poker Tour, have done a marvellous job running another world class Aussie Millions Main Event. Its the first time the field size has increased in three years and can only be a sign of bigger and better things to come! Make sure to keep your browser locked to Poker Asia Pacific and like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or join our Asia-Pacific and Australian poker forum to stay up to date with all the latest news and results from the 2014 Aussie Millions Poker Championship. Tweet John Girvan wins 2014 New Zealand Deaf Poker Championship June 23rd 2014 Australias John Girvan was crowned the victor of the 2014 New Zealand Deaf Poker Championship over the weekend as he will now forever be remembered as the player to win the first-ever Deaf poker tournament to be hosted by a New Zealand casino. Find out all about the event, right here, at Poker Asia Pacific. ... Read more Didier Guerin is a professional poker player from Sydney who currently sits 3rd in the 2012 ANZPT Player of the Year rankings. In 2012 he made back-to-back ANZPT final tables before becoming the youngest Australian to ever cash in the World Series of Poker at the age of just 21. It's Repechage Time! Hey everyone! Its been a while since I last released a blog here on Poker Asia Pacific and Im excited to be writing again. ..Read more Faction Hopping: State of Origin and how to represent four countries in one year It all started this year at the World Series of Poker when just about every Australian bar Joe Hachem- went on record as hailing from Austria. Somewhat of a mistype you could say. Austria had never relished such bright chances of shipping multiple WSOP bracelets. ..Read more Recapping Season 4 of the ANZPT Well, the ANZPT Grand Final in Melbourne has officially finished off Season 4 of the ANZPT and I have to say it was a really exciting year. ..Read more The life of a "live-pro" (small sample size) Hey guys, I just wanted to quickly say that Im really excited to be writing my first blog here at Poker Asia Pacific. If you guys have any thoughts or opinions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @diddyg91 or leave comments below. ..Read more Grant Levy was the first Australian to win one million dollars on home soil with an historic victory at the 2007 APPT Sydney Main Event. Since then, Levy has gone on to become one of Australia's most successful and respected players. The poker perception I was recently linked to a story by a poker acquaintance about an unfortunate and unsavoury series of events carried out by a well-known member of the poker community. The circumstances surrounding this story certainly made for interesting reading and look to have had far reaching ramifications for many people involved. The story even carried enough weight that it showed up in mains ..Read more The latest news and results from the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT). 2014 ANZPT Melbourne: Full schedule announced April 15th 2014 The fourth stop on Season 6 of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour is ANZPT Melbourne. The full 2014 schedule for what is sure to be a massive event was released this week. ..Read more ANZ Player of the Year: Minor changes following ANZPT Sydney March 27th 2014 The third stop on Season 6 of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour has entered the record book and with it means there have been a few changes to the 2014 ANZ Player of the Year leader board. ..Read more ANZPT Sydney: Josh Redhouse takes the title! March 24th 2014 The ANZPT Sydney Main Event has come to an end with Josh Redhouse crowned champion. Redhouse overcame a field of 458 entrants and defeated popular local Peco Stojanovski heads-up to claim the trophy, a giant novelty cheque and $133,360 in prize money following a four-handed deal. ..Read more ANZPT Sydney: Mathers bookends Day 3 to lead final table March 23rd 2014 The penultimate day of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) Sydney Main Event came to a close in The Star poker room on Sunday night as the 37 returning players, of the 458 original starters, were whittled down to a final table of nine. ..Read more ANZPT Sydney: Alex Lee crushes Day 2 March 22nd 2014 Day 2 of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) Sydney Main Event would see 168 survivors return to The Star poker room on Saturday for another eight levels of play. It was an exciting day with plenty of suckouts and bustouts, and a dramatic bubble period, as 37 survived to reach Day 3 of play. ..Read more ANZPT Sydney: Pinzone nails Day 1b chip lead March 21st 2014 The Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT) Sydney Main Event continued on Friday at The Star with Day 1b of the $2,200 Main Event attracting a strong field of 247 entrants. That took the total number to 458 players, which is another solid number for this event. ..Read more ANZPT Sydney: Jazz Mathers hits the right notes on Day 1a March 21st 2014 With events in Macau and Noumea dominating the recent headlines, the attention of the poker community returned back to Australian shores today as Day 1a of the ANZPT Sydney Main Event kicked off at The Star. ..Read more ANZPT Perth: Patrick Mahoney takes the title March 3rd 2014 The ANZPT Perth Main Event has come to an exciting conclusion with American Patrick Mahoney defeating a field of 256 entrants to claim the title and $120,000 in prize money. ..Read more ANZPT Perth: Murray on top as final table forms March 2nd 2014 The ANZPT Perth Main Event has reached the final table of nine with Perth local Paul Murray stunning his high-profile rivals to grab the end-of-day chip lead. ..Read more Planetfruity.com one of the leading PayPal casinos sites for 2018 Using PayPal to source your funds when playing at some of the top-rated PayPal casinos is a great choice for many reasons. PayPal is an e-wallet which began 1998 and in 2002 became a full subsidiary of the online marketplace giant, Ebay. Therere a few reasons as to why PayPal has grown into the company that it is today and their customer service being nothing short of exceptional, is a massive factor. Some of the best online casinos have noticed that people enjoy the high level of security attributed to online payments through PayPal and this is why theyve started to accept them as a valid banking method when depositing and withdrawing funds from your casino account. Using PayPal Casinos: If you are keen to use PayPal as a solution to your casino banking desires, its a very simple process to set up. The first thing youll need to do is create an account with PayPal. Once this has been completed, youll be required to add and verify your bank cards that you plan on using. The verification process might take a few mins, but it isnt required for you play at your favourite PayPal casinos. 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Make sure to keep your browser locked to Poker Asia Pacific and like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest news and results from poker in the Asia-Pacific, Australia and the world. Tweet A Kansas McDonald's worker stands accused of allegedly putting a peroxide-based cleaner in an Allen County Sheriff's deputy's drink at the drive-through window. According to Fox News, 22-year-old Trevor Hockaday has been charged with one count of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer for the incident on September 12, 2018. Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy told the Wichita Eagle that the deputy had displayed flu-like symptoms after consuming the beverage. "He thought he caught the bug, but we found out two weeks later when an employee came forward and told the police department," Murphy said. Under Kansas law, adulterating or contaminating "any food, raw agricultural commodity, beverage, drug, animal feed, plant or public water supply" is a felony. Embed from Getty Images California Governor Jerry Brown rejected a proposed plan to allow safe injection facilities for consumption of illicit drugs in San Francisco. AB 186 would have created a four-year pilot program in San Francisco aimed at reducing opioid overdoses and encouraging users to go into treatment by giving them supervised facilities to inject themselves and ride out the high under clinical supervision, according to SFGate.com. Brown said that he was concerned about exposing local officials and health care professionals to potential federal criminal charges. "After great reflection, I conclude that the disadvantages of this bill far outweigh the possible benefits," Brown said in a statement. Brown added that "enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work. The community must have the authority and the laws to require compassionate be effective mandatory treatment. AB 186 is all carrot and no stick." Julie Kraemera school superintendent in Illinoisbecame a law enforcement officer so she could carry a concealed weapon at school in order to respond to an active shooter if necessary. According to TIME, Kraemer began her training in January of this year because her school district did not have funding to hire a full-time school resource officer. As a newly sworn law enforcement officer, Kraemer can now carry a gun on school grounds without violating state law. "If somebody comes in to try to hurt my kids, we have something other than a stapler to throw at them," the 51-year-old educator said. "We're no longer a soft target. We have some options." A Louisiana state trooper has been accused of using his access to law enforcement databases for "unauthorized activities," according to WAFB-TV. State police said in a press release that 34-year-old Trooper John Kelly of Troop G in northwest Louisiana faces a charge of felony abuse of office. Kelly was reportedly booked into Bossier Maximum-Security Facility on Monday. His bond was set at $10,000. Authorities have released no further details about Kelly's alleged "unauthorized activities." Patrolman James White, 35, and Cpl. Zach Moak, 31, were both taken to Kings Daughter's Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead. (Photo: Brookhaven PD) Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has ordered State and American flags on public property to fly at half-staff to mourn the loss of three law enforcement officers killed over the weekend, according to WLOX-TV. "State and American flags on public property will fly at half-staff from sunrise on October 2 until sunset on October 4, to mourn the loss of Brookhaven PD Officers James White and Zach Moak and MHP Trooper Josh Smith," the governor said in a Tweet. "Please continue to pray for the families of these men." Patrolman James White and Cpl. Zach Moak were shot and killed responding to a shots fired call early Saturday morning. Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Josh Smith was shot and killed while off-duty in north Mississippi. New York Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch called on state lawmakers to fix what he said was a "broken" parole system that has allowed killers to walk free. Earlier this year Herman Bella former Black Liberation Army member who spent four decades in prison for the murders of two New York City police officerswas freed despite protests by the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association urging the state parole board to reconsider its decision. Lynch made the comments at a state Senate Republican committee hearing looking into the Parole Board, according to the New York Daily News. There are currently 59 prisoners convicted of murdering New York City police officers appearing regularly before the Parole Board. Hungary debt target attainable despite weak forint - AKK chief Hungarys Government Debt Management Agency (AKK) has large enough buffers to cover the budget deficit accumulated due to lagging EU fund payments, CEO Gyorgy Barcza told Reuters. He added that even the weak forint will not make it difficult to reach the 73.2% of GDP debt target by the end of the year. Hungary has around HUF 730 billion forints billion) worth of buffers from debt issuance to finance a budget deficit which is widening due to a lag in payments of EU development funds, AKK Chief Executive Gyorgy Barcza told Reuters on Monday.He said the figure included 1 billion euros in proceeds from a euro bond issued last week. The AKK will decide only later this year on how to use this money.A dispute between Hungary and the European Commission about some EU-funded projects may not be settled this year which could delay payments from the European Union, a Commission source said last month.According Finance Ministry data, in the first eight months the cash-flow deficit widened to HUF 1.646 trillion, exceeding the full-year target of HUF 1.361 trillion in the 2018 budget largely due to a delay in payments from Brussels.Barcza said the AKK was running about 200 billion forints above plan with forint-denominated government bond issues, and 200 billion ahead with issues of government securities to retail customers. This, together with the proceeds from the euro bond amounts to a total of 730 billion forints, he said. This (EU funds' lag) has been a recurring issue for years. The scale and amount changes, as there was a pre-financing gap last year and the year before, but this year it could be bigger , Barcza said in an interview.He said the AKK was not planning to exceed its 20% target for the proportion of debt denominated in foreign currency within total debt. At the end of August it stood at 19.5%. Barcza said the end-year public debt target of 73.2% of economic output was reachable even with the current weaker forint levels. Barcza said Hungary can issue a further 2 billion renminbi worth of bonds in the Chinese market under a current programme that runs until the end of June 2019, and the AKK would like to use this possibility. Last year Hungary issued 1 billion renminbi worth of three-year "Panda" bonds."Slowly but continuously, we can establish our presence there," Barcza said. To celebrate the occasion further, all proceeds collected from the sales at NESCAFE HUB @ BTS Chidlom on October 1 will go to fund the education of Thai coffee farmers' children in "Junior Coffee Farmer" project. The project has been established by NESCAFE to provide educational supports for local junior coffee farmers who are expected to become the future key assets in Thai coffee farming. It is also the result of NESCAFE's commitment to supporting the community to grow together with the business and encouraging the public to recognize the significance of coffee farmers. Notes to the Editor Nestle is the world's largest food and beverage company. It is present in 191 countries around the world, and its 328,000 employees are committed to Nestle's purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. Nestle offers a wide portfolio of products and services for people and their pets throughout their lives. Its more than 2,000 brands range from global icons like NESCAFE or NESPRESSO to local favourites like BEAR BRAND or MINERE. Company performance is driven by its Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Nestle is based in the Swiss town of Vevey where it was founded more than 150 years ago. Products under the NESCAFE brand are distributed by Nestle (Thai) Ltd., which is a company that is 100% owned by Nestle S.A. in Switzerland. The NESCAFE product portfolio includes NESCAFE RED CUP, NESCAFE BLEND & BREW, NESCAFE GOLD, NESCAFE Can Ready-to-Drink, NESCAFE PROTECT PROSLIM, and NESCAFE DOLCE GUSTO. For more information about Nestle (Thai), please visit: Website: https://www.nestle.co.th Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodfoodgoodlifebyNestleThailand SOURCE NESCAFE PALM BEACH, Florida, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary The legal Cannabis industry is poised for tremendous growth both in the United States and abroad as a more progressive society continues to open its arms to the multi-billion dollar market. According to a recent study by BDS analytics, spending in the space is rapidly increasing, with consumers projected to dump nearly $60 billion into the space by 2027. The North American Market was already valued north of $9 billion in 2017. The impressive growth has been fueled by a number of factors including, but not limited to, decreased legal restrictions, increased consumer acceptance of alternative products, and a rising global supply level. Active cannabis companies in the markets this week include Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE:GHG) (OTC:GBHPF), HEXO Corp. (TSX:HEXO) (OTC:HYYDF), Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE:GLH) (OTC:GLDFF), Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS) (OTC:LHSIF), CV Sciences Inc. (OTC:CVSI). Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE:GHG.CN) (OTCPK:GBHPF) BREAKING NEWS: Global Hemp Group and its joint venture partner Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (MCOA) (the "Partners") are pleased to provide an update on their high yielding CBD hemp project in Scio, Oregon. Harvest - Harvest has begun at the farm. Over the next 10 days the team in Scio will harvest this year's crop, which consists of approximately 36,000 high yielding CBD hemp plants that were grown in an orchard style cultivation on 33 acres. The team planted six different cultivars this year to determine which would be the optimal hemp variety to grow in the coming year. The team continues to evaluate hemp cultivars that will provide higher CBD yields and a reduced flowering period, which will allow the team to complete the harvest earlier in the year prior to the fall rains. Preparation for Extraction - Once the hemp is harvested, it will be dried in preparation for storage prior to processing. Drying this season will take place in the project's four recently completed greenhouses on the farm and will utilize a traditional hanging method, as well as testing an innovative rack drying system. Prior to next season's harvest, the Partners will construct a permanent drying facility on site. Once the hemp is dried to a 10-12% moisture content, it can be stored with little or no cannabinoid/plant matter degradation, prior to extraction. Greenhouses - The team has now completed the setup of the first four of five greenhouses, giving the project 15,000+ sq. ft. of active greenhouse space for its drying and cloning operations. A fifth greenhouse (already purchased) will be installed after the drying of this year's crop is complete. This will increase the active greenhouse space at the project to over 19,000 sq. ft. An additional 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space will be purchased in October as part of further project expansion, with the vision of implementing a year-round perpetual harvest model to enhance revenue generation and cash flow, and increasing the size of the cloning operation to be able to supply clones to the local farming community. The team has now started its cloning operations for the winter crop which will utilize the current and future greenhouses. Management is exploring opportunities to maximize production by developing beneficial relationships that will help optimize the Project's profit potential through R&D, data collection and analysis. Read this and more news for Global Hemp Group at http://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-ghg Other recent developments in the cannabis industry include: HEXO Corp. (TSX:HEXO.TO) (OTCPK:HYYDF) recently announced that it has shipped its first order for the Canadian adult-use cannabis market. The shipment is yet another example of the Company executing its commitment to shareholders and consumers to supply innovative and easy-to-use products, powered by HEXO, across Canada. "This is a historic moment for HEXO," said Sonia Isabel, Vice-President of Sales for HEXO. "We are so proud of all of our teams for the hard work that they have put in leading up to this moment, but it doesn't stop now. We look forward to continuing to provide high-quality products and client experiences as we continue our expansion throughout Canada and beyond." Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE:GLH.CN) (OTCQB:GLDFF)last week announced its 100 percent-owned Canadian subsidiary Medical Marijuana Group Corporation ("MMG"), a Licensed Producer in St Thomas, Ontario received its Sales License from Health Canada on Friday September 21, 2018. The news is a significant milestone for the Canadian LP. Asked for comment, President of MMG Phillip Millar said, "We are thrilled with the news. All of our product in inventory will move immediately to buyers and could contribute approximately US$900,000 to third quarter GLH revenue. All 2018 product we can grow is already pre-sold under very favourable wholesale pricing. Our plan for 2019 is to secure direct-to-customer licensing and supply the profitable medical patients' market with the assistance of our sister company MMC, also 100 percent-owned by GLH, which currently has patient lists that can account for 100 percent of our production capacity. We expect the complete value chain of seed to consumer will result in high profit margins. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS.CN) (OTCQX:LHSIF) recently announced that they have entered an exclusive partnership with AdaViv Inc., a hardware-enabled, predictive agriculture company, to improve production of cannabis at its Liberty Health Sciences 360 Innovation Campus in Gainesville, FL. AdaViv will integrate its adaptive Computer Vision software and Machine Learning platform into Liberty's 360 Innovation Campus and, together, will look to push the state-of-the-art in greenhouse technology and precision growing to new levels of productivity and efficiency. AdaViv's technology enables 24/7 plant-level inspection as well as AI computer vision to uncover hidden plant biometrics that translates data into actionable insights for growers like Liberty. Founded by an interdisciplinary team of MIT researchers and alumni, AdaViv is led by Dr. Ian Seiferling (CEO), Julian Ortiz (COO, MBA MIT Sloan '19) and Dr. Thomas Matarazzo (CTO). AdaViv emerged from MIT Delta V, the capstone entrepreneurship accelerator at MIT, and the MIT DesignX accelerator. In 2018, AdaViv was selected as one of the first grantees of Microsoft AI for Earth. CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB:CVSI) recently announced last week that it has introduced PlusCBD Oil Gummies at the Natural Product Expo East 2018. A new category of PlusCBD Oil products, PlusCBD Oil Gummies are offered in two tasty flavors, Cherry Mango and Citrus Punch. A line extension of our Gold Formula line with no artificial ingredients, each gummy contains 5 mg of CBD and a mere 1.5 g of sugar. Gluten free, vegan friendly, and non-GMO, these new products support healthy balance of the body and mind. "We are pleased to introduce PlusCBD Oil Gummies to our existing line of industry leading hemp extract products that include balms, sprays, drops, capsules, and softgels," stated Joseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. "We are committed to innovation of our PlusCBD Oil products, and as the demand for CBD infused products continues to grow, it is important to expand our wide variety of products to suit all customer preferences. We foresee PlusCBD Oil Gummies being a solid revenue driving category for our Company.". DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. 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Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 SOURCE FinancialNewsMedia.com TSX-V:WAR Introduces Name Change Announces Completion of Tres Marias Sale Transaction VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Warrior Gold Inc. (TSX-V - WAR) ("Warrior Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to provide shareholders with updated corporate information with regards to the Company's name change and final transaction on the Tres Marias zinc mine in Mexico ("the Transaction"). Name Change Warrior Gold Inc. Effective September 28, 2018, the Company changed its name and began trading October 1, 2018, under the new name Warrior Gold Inc., (formerly War Eagle Mining Company) pursuant to a resolution passed at its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on September 5, 2018. Shares of Warrior Gold will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "WAR". The Company was required to obtain a new CUSIP number for its common shares in conjunction with the name change. The new CUSIP number for the Company's common shares is CA9362641008. Tres Marias Sale Transaction As of September 29, 2018, the Company completed the sale of its 100% interest in its former Mexican subsidiary, Tombstone Exploration de Mexico S.A. de C.V., owner of its Tres Marias zinc mine located in Chihuahua State, Mexico to Contratista Y Operaciones Mineras S.A. de C.V. ("COMSA"). Warrior Gold and COMSA agreed to amend the agreement dated August 27, 2016, to sell all interests, including royalties, in the Tres Marias Zinc mine for additional proceeds of US$250,000. On September 29, 2018 the Company received the final payment from COMSA. The parties are currently preparing a formal agreement to conclude the Transaction. Other: Warrior Gold continues to roll out the first phase of an extended three phase exploration program on its Goodfish-Kirana Property located near the town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Phase I is focused on targeting and defining drill ready targets and developing a deeper understanding of the structural deformation zones on the property. The Company expects to announce the details of its exploration campaign within the coming weeks. About Warrior Gold Inc. Warrior Gold is a TSX-V listed Company and owns the Goodfish-Kirana Property located 5 kilometers from the town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The Property is located in the historic Kirkland Lake Gold Camp which is situated in the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt; recognized as one of the world's highest-grade greenstone belts with over 200 million ounces of gold produced to date. The Goodfish-Kirana Property is 10 km long by 3 km wide (34 km2) and contains two major structural trends; the East West trending Kirana Deformation Zone and the North East trending Goodfish Deformation Zone. The Property contains numerous historical gold showings, including 18 historical pits and shafts. The Company is exploiting this largely untapped potential with a combination of modern exploration technology and regional geological expertise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although Warrior Gold believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Warrior Gold can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. In addition to other risks that may affect the forward-looking statements in this press release are those set out in the Company's management discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations for the year ended March 31, 2018 and the first quarter ended June 30, 2018, which are available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Warrior Gold undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Daniele Spethmann, P.Geo, President & CEO, Warrior Gold Inc., 647 344-3433, dspethmann@warriorgoldinc.com; Malcolm Burke, Director, Warrior Gold Inc., 604 220-2000, mburke@warriorgoldinc.com; Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer, Warrior Gold Inc., 647 964 0292, info@warriorgoldinc.com SOURCE War Eagle Mining Company Inc. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? 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: Marathon 2021 Runners of all racing stripes took part in the 2021 TCS New York City Marathon on November 7. Racing categories in this, the largest marathon... Mount Sinai Queens Opening New Infusion Center The last week of October was marked by an expansion of health care capacity in the borough, as Mount Sinai Queens celebrated the opening of... The Unofficial Election Results The unofficial election results from the general election on November 2, 2021, with well over 90% of scanners reported: MAYOR: Eric Adams (D) decisively... Rantoul, IL (61866) Today Cloudy. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies. A shower of rain or wet snow possible. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Moscow court to review sentence in Vostochny Cosmodrome embezzlement case RIA Novosti, Sergey Mamontov 12:59 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court will review the merits of a lower court ruling, sentencing four defendants in a criminal case over embezzlement of 1.3 billion rubles ($19.8 million) to prison terms varying from 4.5 to 8 years, the press-service of the court has told RAPSI. On February 21, the Simonovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced former CEO of Volga-Vyatka construction company (VVCC) Yevgeniya Degtyareva to 4.5 years in prison; her father Sergey Degtyarev, who is believed to be the real owner of the company, received an 8-year prison term; ex-VVCC managers Alexander Bazankov and Murat Matuyev were given 6 and 5.5 years in prison respectively. Additionally, Degtyareva, Bazankov and Matuyev were fined 1 million rubles (about $15,200) each, and Sergey Degtyarev was fined 1.5 million rubles (about $22,900). Investigators claimed that in 2014, managers of Volga-Vyatka construction company (VVCC), a subcontractor for construction of roads to Vostochny Cosmodrome, received 300 million rubles ($4.5 million) as a down payment and expend the money for purposes other than that intended. Moreover, they channeled the public money to affiliated firms and individuals at a charge. According to the indictment, the total damage caused by the defendants is estimated at over 1.3 billion rubles. The construction of the space center, due to become Russia's main launch site, began in 2012. The first launch vehicle operation was carried out on April 28, 2016. Dozens of cases over embezzlement during the construction of Vostochny Cosmodrome have been launched in several Russian regions. Former Russian anti-corruption official gets 6 years for evidence tampering RIA Novosti, Vladimir Fedorenko 13:59 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) Moscows Meshchansky District Court on Tuesday sentenced Alexander Sobol, a former officer of the Interior Ministry's Economic Security and Anti-corruption Department, to 6 years in prison for evidence tampering, RAPSI correspondent reported from the courtroom. Sobol was also prohibited from holding public positions for 2 years and deprived of his rank of police colonel. Another defendant in the case, ex-lead investigator of the Interior Ministrys anti-corruption department Sergey Abramov received a 5-year prison term. Prosecutors earlier asked the court to sentence Sobol and Abramov to 7 and 6 years in prison respectively. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. According to the court ruling, ex-officers abused their authority by falsifying evidence received during operational and investigative activities against the director of Zemlyane (People of Earth) rock band Sergey Cherenkov and his acquaintance Sergey Pohilyuk, who were illegally held in detention for a long time on embezzlement charges. Defendants in high-profile theater embezzlement case to go on trial RIA Novosti, Ramil Sitdikov 16:33 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) A high-profile embezzlement case involving the Gogol Center theater director Kirill Serebrennikov has been forwarded to Moscows Meshchansky District Court for hearing, the press service of Russias Prosecutor Generals Office reports. Prosecutors have approved indictment in the case, the statement reads. Serebrennikov was arrested in late August 2017 and then placed under house arrest. In early November, Moscows Basmanny District Court seized assets belonging to Serebrennikov including apartment, car, and money in the amount of more than 360,000 rubles ($5,300), over 60,000, and $4,000. Investigators believe that he was an organizer of the budget money embezzlement. He allegedly created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize the Platforma project for promotion of art and called alleged accomplices into the organization. He pleaded not guilty. Other defendants in the case are ex-head of Seventh Studio stage company Yury Itin, ex-general producer Alexey Malobrodsky, and former Seventh Studio chief accountant Nina Maslyayeva, ex-official of Russias Culture Ministry and current director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater Sophia Apfelbaum. Producer Yekaterina Voronova, has been put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia as part of the case. According to investigation, the defendants have embezzled 133 million rubles ($2 million) of 214 million rubles ($3.2 million) allocated from the budget to Seventh Studio for promotion of Russian contemporary art. Investigators claim that Itin, Malobrodsky, and Maslyayeva were falsifying data for the Platforma projects plans in 2011-2014 on the theater directors request. This data was provided to the Ministry of Culture as the rationale for financing from the state budget. Maslyayeva has testified against Serebrennikov. She said that Serebrennikov, Malobrodsky and Itin organized embezzlement of money allocated for a cultural event. Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky cashed the money with the assistance of Maslyayeva. The woman also said that she entered falsified data in financial reports. Apfelbaum, according to investigators, signed contracts on state grants in the amount of more than 214 million rubles with Serebrennikovs stage company on behalf of the Russian Culture Ministry, and provided further agreement of received reporting documents, which contained overstated information on quantity and cost of the held events, thus abetting the embezzlement. Apfelbaum admitted that she controlled the movement of cash but denied involvement in the crime. Ex-Makhachkala mayor Musayev pleads guilty to abuse of office RIA Novosti, Sergey Rasulov 17:39 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) Ex-mayor of Dagestan's capital Makhachkala Musa Musayev, who stands charged with abuse of authority resulted in grave consequences, has pleaded guilty, a spokesperson of the Sovetsky Court in Makhachkala has told RAPSI. The court will therefore hear his case using a special procedure without examination of evidence. Investigators claim that in March 2016, the defendant transferred a municipal land plot with an area of about 17,500 square meters to the Construction and Industrial Joint-Stock Complex for 1.1 million rubles ($17,000). According to an expert opinion, the market value of this plot reaches over 81 million rubles (about $1.3 million). Musayev has violated legally protected interests of the state and caused damage to the budget of Republic of Dagestan estimated at around 80 million rubles, the investigators statement reads. As part of the case, investigators conducted searches at Musayevs subordinates. "This will give confidence to the investors, and also help the company tide over rough times.' "Clearly, the problem is that the assets, though good, are illiquid. However, the liabilities are immediate.' "Pumping in some liquidity in the company will ensure that debt funds arent too concerned.' Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) recent default on debt papers has spooked the market, and with other obligations coming up in the next few weeks, there are fears that there could be a contagion if the company continues to default. Keki Mistry, bottom, left, vice-chairman, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), tells Joydeep Ghosh that debt fund investors could become risk-averse, leading to problems for other non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). HDFC was one of the original promoters of IL&FS and still holds around 9 per cent stake in the company. Edited excerpts: How serious is the IL&FS problem? Can it spread and hurt debt markets? I do not know the size of the problem. But any large default by any borrower could result in debt fund investors becoming risk averse. And if they start withdrawing from mutual funds, there could be redemption pressure on fund houses. They would be forced to sell papers at a discount to meet liabilities. Consequently, fund houses would be unwilling to renew and invest in commercial papers. If this risk aversion sets in, then it is definitely a worry. However, unless there is panic among debt investors, there will be no major problem. Defaults have happened in the past and may happen in the future also. Is asset monetisation a solution? As far as I can see, the main problem seems to be long-term assets vis-a-vis short-term liabilities. When a lot of long-term projects are financed with short-term liabilities, it can become a liquidity issue for the company. The company has assets, and these must be good assets. But it will need time to sell them. In the interim, the liquidity crunch has to be resolved. Is this problem widespread among NBFCs? A lot of NBFCs have long-term assets that have been financed through short-term liabilities. So, the worry is that if there is one big default, others who are not defaulting will also bear the brunt of the market mood. Are investors in NBFCs worried? I dont think so. As I have said, these things have happened in the past, and are quite likely to happen again. But it does not take too long for the mood to change. Like we saw on Friday, there was a sudden change in market mood and many NBFC stocks were hammered down on news that a fund house had sold papers of an NBFC. What is the way out for IL&FS? The only way out, I believe, is that someone like Life Insurance Corporation of India - the biggest shareholder in the company - bails it out by pumping in the short-term liquidity. This will give confidence to the investors, and also help the company tide over rough times. Clearly, the problem is that the assets, though good, are illiquid. However, the liabilities are immediate. Pumping in some liquidity in the company will ensure that debt funds arent too concerned. Air Indias debt burden is estimated to be more than Rs 50,000 crore, besides huge accumulated losses. National carrier Air India on Monday sought bids for the sale of 14 properties, through which the debt-laden airline aims to raise Rs 250 crore, a senior airline official said. The government is looking to bolster the fortunes of the state-run carrier after the proposed strategic stake sale failed to take off in May. Against this backdrop, efforts are continuing for the sale of the airline's non-core assets. The properties, spread across Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Amritsar, include commercial and residential land as well as residential flats, according to an advertisement in a business daily. The last date for participating in the bids is November 1, according to the advertisement. We expect to mop up around Rs 2.5 billion from sale of these properties, the official told PTI. Union minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, on the other hand, said a revival package of the debt-ridden carrier was at final stages and would be announced soon. Please wait for some more time. It is in its final stages and will be known soon. Its a complicated analysis, he said in Kolkata on the side lines of the annual general meeting of the Calcutta Chamber of Commerce. Air Indias debt burden is estimated to be more than Rs 50,000 crore, besides huge accumulated losses. According to its audited accounts, the airline's total losses stood at Rs 47,145 crore in 2016-17. The Centre had in 2012 approved monetisation of real estate assets in Air India to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore over the next 10-year period, with an annual target of Rs 500 crore from FY13 onwards. The government had in May said Air India has mopped up Rs 543 crore from monetisation of its assets in prime locations such as Mumbai and Chennai. The carrier had also collected Rs 291 crore as lease rentals from its iconic 23-storeyed building, its erstwhile headquarters, at Nariman Point in the city, between FY13 and January 2018, it had said. Additional inputs from PTI Photograph: Regis Duvignau/Reuters What's the mantra for reviving ghost malls? Most important, a right mix of products. They also need to transform into community spaces. Atria Mall, Worli, Mumbai, is a case study for a mall that is steadily turning itself around. Its new bowling alley is certainly a draw. Photograph: Atria Mall Worli/Instagram. Before he signed off on a store at the struggling Atria Mall (in Worli, central Mumbai), Tata Starbucks Chief Executive Officer Sumitro Ghosh engaged in a little road test. He drove towards the mall from Marine Drive, imagined a Starbucks on his right and took a U-turn to get there. It took four minutes. He then added a couple of minutes in ordering a beverage and, when he saw that the exercise didn't set him back more than seven or ten minutes, he opened a store there. A few months ago, Inox kicked off a multiplex theatre along with a cocktail lounge on the top floor. It helped even more when French sporting company Decathlon launched, bringing in even more footfalls and boosting the product mix. The Atria Mall, Worli, outlet of Starbucks is one of the stores helping the mall revive itself. Photograph: Courtesy @StarbucksIndia/Twitter. According to Anuj Kejriwal, CEO of Anarock Retail, in the next four years, 17 new malls will launch in Mumbai Metro with locations in Bandra, Worli, Juhu and Bandra Kurla Complex, and the trick for all of them will be to getting the formula right first and fast or risk years of low performance. Malls that have failed to perform have been converted into commercial office spaces or developed into residential buildings, he says. City Centre, Centre One and Palm Beach Galleria in Vashi have been made into residential buildings, for example. The failed Palm Beach Galleria Mall, Vashi, outside Mumbai, one thriving (above) has become residential. Photograph: Courtesy @VijayGajra2017/Twitter. Others like Ansal Mall in Khel Gaon were so busy with activity when they first launched that they even levied an entrance charge. Until of course swankier peers like Saket Mall arrived and took the wind out of their sails. In recent years, Ansal has undertaken a make-over and refreshed the mall. Research by Anarock indicates that Indias share of organised retail compared to total retail is at 9 per cent compared to Thailand at 40 per cent and the USA at 85 per cent, suggesting that brand mix evolution will be the missing link operators will have to perfect if they are to avoid ghost malls. Shopping can't be the prime source of revenue-generation and footfalls. Malls also need to transform into community spaces and become shoppertainment locations. Inorbit Mall, Malad, Mumbai, got off to a great start till competition arrived in the shape of a new mall nearby. Its footfalls were languishing till it added a few new peppy shops. Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/Reuters Atria Mall languished for years for multiple reasons despite being a great catchment for footfalls because its product was weak. Mostly it lacked the right mix of brands and that there were larger more vibrant malls in the form of Palladium and High Street Phoenix barely a few kilometres away in Lower Parel. All reasons why premium brands like Rolls Royce, BMW Motorade and Ducati exited Atria, along with apparel brand Mango, watchmakers Tissot and Swatch, and an Apple retailer. Location and infrastructure aside, the real success for malls hinges on tenant mix, says Sudip Mullick, partner with law firm Khaitan & Co, who specialises in real estate. The classic formula warrants a multiplex and an anchor tenant. Absent those two, and it means failure, he says. The Rolls Royce showroom that is no longer at Atria Mall, Worli, Mumbai after the mall started heading towards ghosthood. Photograph: Courtey Atria Mall Worli/Instagram.. If Atria is a case study, Inox is its multiplex operator and the anchor tenant French sporting goods retailer Decathlon. Other malls that experts say are struggling include the 220,000 square foot DLF Mall on MG Road in Gurugram, which features department stores Westside and Landmark as its anchor tenants. Mukesh Kumar, CEO of Infiniti Mall, says if a mall flounders it doesn't mean its the end of the road but getting the right anchor tenant, however, isn't a guarantee of success. The formula entails catchment, product mix as well as infrastructure. The new Inox at Atria Mall, Worli, Mumbai is contributing to its revival. Photograph: Courtesy @INOXMovies/Twitter. In some cases, its also live activity that helps draw in footfalls. Gulam Zia, executive director, Knight Frank India, says the Inorbit Mall in Malad was a great example that started out strong, and then slumped when competition came along in the form of Infinity Mall, which had newer brands and more stores, which drew business away, leading rentals to drop by 25 per cent to around Rs 1,200 per square foot. When Godrej opened its outlet at Inorbit Mall, Malad, Mumbai, it was one of the stores that added fresh spark to the mall that was losing its shine. Photograph: Courtesy @NaturesBasket/Twitter. Inorbit has since improved food offers on the second floor, added as many as nine escalators to improve access, a Godrej Nature's Basket, and a 12-screen multiplex, and renewed its focus on women shoppers. Today, Zia says rates (monthly rental) are at around Rs 1,700 per square feet. Zia says usually malls under half a million square feet will not be an easy sell. In Mumbai, the Atria is 330,000 square feet, while its neighbour, the High Street Phoenix, is 650,000 square feet and the adjoining Palladium mall is around 880,000 square feet and that makes a world of difference because of the wide range that becomes feasible. The bigger the mall the more the footfalls. Actors Amitabh Bachchan and Tapsee Panna at an event at the enormous Quest Mall, Kolkata. Photograph: Courtesy @rahul1021986/Twitter. In Kolkata, for example, the Quest Mall is approximately 800,000 square feet and features a multiplex, premium restaurants, and high-end shopping. Inside most malls that work well, the life-cycle goes like this: Suburban shoppers come to watch a movie, after which they grab a coffee, shop, eat dinner and then head home after they pick up their cars from underground parking or call an Uber. If any of that becomes hard to pull off, write the mall off. The NCLT said the new board must hold its meeting by October 8 and come out with a road map before the next hearing on October 31 The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai, superseded the board of beleaguered infrastructure financier Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) with six new directors after the government moved a petition to remove the previous board of directors. The NCLT agreed to a new board, which includes Kotak Mahindra Bank managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) Udak Kotak, former Securities and Exchange Board of India chairman G N Bajpai, ICICI Bank chairman G C Chaturvedi, former Tech Mahindra vice-chairman Vineet Nayyar, director general of Shipping Malini Shankar and former Indian Administrative Service officer Nand Kishore. The government wants to have a 10-member board. The board in its next meet is likely to elect Kotak chairman. After considering the impacts of the case as filed in the petition by the Union of India, this Bench is of the considered view that this is a fit case to invoke the jurisdiction prescribed under Section 241 of the Companies Act, 2013. "And to declare that the conduct of the IL&FS management was prejudicial to the public interest, said the NCLT Bench of Justices M K Shrawat and Ravi Duraiswamy. The NCLT said the new board must hold its meeting by October 8 and come out with a road map before the next hearing on October 31. The NCLT also asked the new members to elect a new chairman of the company. The NCLT said the suspended board members would not represent. IL&FS in any case. All previous directors, including independent directors, have been made respondents in the case by the government. The old directors, who have been removed, include former IL&FS chairman S B Mathur, retired IL&FS chairman Ravi Parthasarathy, vice-chairman and MD Hari Sankaran, joint MD and CEO Arun Kumar Saha, and independent directors R C Bhargava, Jerry Rao, Michael Pinto, and Rina Kamath. The governments swift move came after the IL&FS and its subsidiaries started defaulting on their loan payments in the last one month. There was a fear in the market that the collapse of IL&FS, which has a consolidated debt of Rs 91000 crore, would lead to a contagion with many mutual funds and pension funds losing money. Its a positive move and we welcome it. IL&FS has a very complex organisational structure and the governments move will have a positive impact on the markets and give confidence to investors, said State Bank of India (SBI) MD Arijit Basu soon after the announcement. SBI is expected to participate in the Rs 4,500 crore rights issue of IL&FS along with Life Insurance Corporation of India to bail out the company. The government alleged that there was a mismatch in the books of IL&FS and there was a significant liquidity crisis in the company and its 150-plus subsidiaries. The government said it has initiated a probe by the SFIO and an enquiry by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs brought out the deficiencies in the company, the governments counsel informed the court. A change in management was absolutely necessary to prevent a collapse of the company, the government said. Insiders said the dramatic move by the government was approved by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who held a meeting of the top finance ministry officials on Sunday morning in Delhi. The government action was initiated despite IL&FS shareholders on Saturday clearing a turnaround plan for the company, which includes raising funds via a rights issue. The finance ministry swung into action following a nudge from the Prime Ministers Office to resolve the issue. In a statement, the finance ministry on Monday said the confidence of the financial market in the credibility of the IL&FS management and the company needed to be restored. There appears to be a significant liquidity gap in the company as estimated liabilities might not have any corresponding revenues/capital flows presently. "In the circumstances, replacement of the existing management by the new management appeared to be most necessary and immediately required to be done for restoring that confidence and to avoid any sub-optimal liquidation of assets, the statement said. Justifying its stand to remove the board, the finance ministry said the financial mismanagement of the IL&FS is apparent from its rapid debt build-up and misrepresentation of true state of financial fragility, which is being reflected in unprecedented rating downgrade from highly rated to a default category. Considering the capital base of the group, the leverage is very high, it said. The IL&FS group is involved in many infrastructure projects, including through equity and debt financing. Any impairment in its ability to finance and support the infrastructure projects would be quite damaging to the overall infrastructure sector, financial markets and the economy, considering its systemically important nature, the ministry said in a statement. The government stands fully committed to ensure that needed liquidity is arranged for the IL&FS from the financial system, so that no more defaults take place and the infrastructure projects are implemented smoothly, the ministry said. Besides, the fact that the company continued to pay dividends and huge managerial payouts regardless of the looming liquidity crisis shows that the management had lost total credibility. "There have also been serious complaints on some of the companies for which an SFIO investigation has been ordered into the affairs of IL&FS and its subsidiaries, the statement said. The SFIO swung into action and began investigations in the IL&FS office in Mumbai on Monday. An investigating officer with the SFIO said they are checking and examining the books of the company to find potential discrepancies. It will also examine the role of senior executives and some board members for not raising alarm about severe liquidity crisis. The SFIO may also question rating agencies for not being more vigilant, accountable, and red-flagging the situation much in advance. The SFIO will also consult other investigating agencies and may engage them to widen the probe. With inputs from Shrimi Choudhary Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters A seven-year-old child was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building at Nagerbazar in Kolkatas northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. The ruling Trinamool Congress held the Bharatiya Janata Party responsible for the blast and alleged that the saffron party was aiming to kill South Dum Dum Municipality chairman and TMC leader Panchu Roy. But the BJP rubbished the charges. As per the initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in the low-intensity blast outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum police station around 9 am, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said. A child, who was severely injured in the blast, died in hospital. A total of nine persons are injured, he said. A police officer said, It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of criminal investigation department are examining the spot. We have started further investigation. A socket bomb is an improvised explosive device. Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder, another senior police officer said. Panchu Roy, whose office is at the building, claimed that he was the target of the blast. Stopping short of naming any political party, he said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, were behind the attack. It was a pre-planned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area, Panchu Roy said. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, he said there was no such issue in south Bengal. TMC North 24 Parganas district president and state minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, who visited the spot, held the BJP responsible for the blast and said it was aimed to harm Panchu Roy and other party members. The blast is an example of deep conspiracy to kill Panchu Roy. This was a very well-planned one. It was a ploy to kill Panchu Roy. They (the BJP) is trying to create unnecessary problems among the people throughout the state. The BJP is trying to play divisive politics. They are shouting against the incident in Islampur but trying to kill Roy here, Mullick said. Two students died in a clash with the police at Islampur in North Dinajpur district on September 20 over appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhita High School. The state government has ordered CID inquiry into the incident. BJP had called a state-wide shutdown over the incident on September 26. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh rubbished Mullicks allegations and said it has become a mania for the TMC to blame the saffron party for every incident that happens in the state. He alleged that the TMC party offices have become a storehouse of bombs and hence in every blast the name of the ruling party surfaces. Ghosh questioned the security measures in the city as well as in the state. The party will launch its Sevagram Se Sangram likening its fight against Modi-led government to the freedom struggle against the British, reports Archis Mohan. The Congress will mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on Tuesday by embarking on a campaign to challenge what it sees as Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts at appropriating the legacy of the father of the nation. The Congress Working Committee, its highest decision-making body headed by party president Rahul Gandhi, is also set to recast the contours of its criticism of the Modi government. The meeting will see the party present a blueprint to revive Congresss cadre base, spread the message of ideology and of Modi governments failures, and unveil strategy of collecting donations. After an internal review found that the controversy over Rafale fighter jet deal has limited resonance in rural areas, the Congress has decided that it should concentrate on campaigning about peoples issues, particularly price rise, steep increase in fuel prices, agrarian distress and urban unemployment. It isnt that the Congress criticism of Modi governments crony capitalism, of which it says the Rafale deal is an example, will not continue. But the party leadership could tone down its recent campaign of calling the PM thief. This personal attack on Modi was to convince some of the PMs support base among the youth that their leader had feet of clay, but the feedback from the ground has indicated that its older supporters didnt appreciate the Congress indulging in such name calling. The CWC will be meeting at the Mahatmas Sevagram ashram, situated in a village in Maharashtras Wardha district. The Congress will also launch its Sevagram se sangram campaign -- likening its fight against Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party, as also the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, in the run up to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls to the freedom struggle against the British. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the Mahatma-led CWC had launched the Quit India Movement against the British Raj on July 14, 1942. The BJP has taken the place of the British Raj, Surjewala said. The Congress has attempted to draw 10 similarities between the British rule and Modi government. It says the Modi government has followed in the footsteps of the British Raj by pursuing a policy of divide and rule by engineering divisions between religions, regions and caste. If the British looted Indias resources, the Modi government has allowed those who have looted the exchequer to escape, the Congress says. It has likened farmer suicides due to agrarian distress to the forced indigo cultivation during the British rule. As the Modi government will observe 150-years of Gandhis birth for the next one year, the Congress says it will showcase the real Mahatma to the world who has been reduced to swacchata, or cleanliness, by the PM. For the next one year, the Congress will tell people about the Mahatmas fight against untouchability and for temple entry of Dalits in 1932-33, his fights for the rights of farmers in Champaran and industrial workers in Ahmedabad and his lifelong commitment to communal harmony. James Allison, the winner of the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize, has said he never dreamed that his research would take the direction it has. IMAGE: James Allison and Tasuku Honjo of Japan jointly won on Monday the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the bodys natural defences can fight cancer. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters The American immunologist and Tasuku Honjo of Japan jointly won on Monday the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the bodys natural defences can fight cancer. Allison, PhD, chair of Immunology and executive director of the Immunotherapy Platform at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for launching an effective new way to attack cancer by treating the immune system rather than the tumour. He is the first MD Anderson scientist to receive the worlds most preeminent award for outstanding discoveries in the fields of life sciences and medicine. By stimulating the ability of our immune system to attack tumour cells, this years Nobel Prize laureates have established an entirely new principle for cancer therapy, the Nobel Assembly of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm noted while announcing the award to 70-year-old Allison and 76-year-old Honjo, MD, PhD, of Kyoto University in Japan. Allison said: Im honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition. A driving motivation for scientists is simply to push the frontiers of knowledge. I didnt set out to study cancer, but to understand the biology of T cells - these incredible cells travel to our bodies and work to protect us. He started his career at MD Anderson in 1977, arriving as one of the first employees of a new basic science research center located in Smithville, Texas. Allisons accomplishments on behalf of patients cannot be overstated. His research has led to life-saving treatments for people who otherwise would have little hope. The significance of immunotherapy as a form of cancer treatment will be felt for generations to come, said MD Anderson President Peter WT Pisters. The prize recognises Allisons basic science discoveries on the biology of T cells, the adaptive immune systems soldiers, and his invention of immune checkpoint blockade to treat cancer. Allisons crucial insight was to block a protein on T cells that acts as a brake on their activation, freeing the T cells to attack cancer. His work led to the development of the first immune checkpoint inhibitor drug. His drug, known commercially as Yervoy, became the first to extend the survival of patients with late-stage melanoma. I never dreamed my research would take the direction it has. Its a great, emotional privilege to meet cancer patients whove been successfully treated with immune checkpoint blockade. They are living proof of the power of basic science, of following our urge to learn and to understand how things work, Allison said. Science advances on the efforts of many, he said. A succession of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and colleagues at MD Anderson, the University of California, Berkeley, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center played important roles in this research, he said. Allisons ongoing leadership at MD Anderson focuses on improving knowledge of how these drugs work to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to more patients with more types of cancer. He leads the immunotherapy platform for MD Andersons Moon Shots Program, which conducts immune monitoring by analyzing tumour samples before, during and after treatment, aiming to understand why these drugs work for some patients but not for others. The platform works with more than 100 immunotherapy clinical trials at MD Anderson addressing a variety of cancers. The platform also collaborates with pharmaceutical companies to help them develop new drugs and combinations to better treat cancer. We need these drugs to work for more people. One challenge is that the clinical success has outrun our scientific knowledge of how these drugs work and how they might best be combined with other therapies to improve treatment and reduce unwanted side effects. We need more basic science research to do that, Allison said. He has collaboratively worked with scientists around the globe to expand the field of immunotherapy. Allison will be honoured at Nobel ceremonies in Stockholm in December. The Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded 108 times to 214 Nobel laureates between 1901 and 2017. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, praised Monday the work of Allison. Chaos prevailed at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border on Tuesday as thousands of protesting farmers attempted to enter the national capital, prompting the police to resort to water cannons and tear-gas shells to disperse them, evoking a sharp criticism from opposition parties. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not satisfied with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers issue, after which Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharat Kisan Union, which has given the protest call, however, said the farmers are not satisfied with the governments assurance. We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cant decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision, he added. Some of the protesting farmers claimed that a few Delhi Police personnel had resorted to lathi charge against some of them. The Delhi Police, however, denied the charge. A posse of security personnel have been deployed, including from Delhi Police and the paramilitary forces. Nearly 2,500 personnel from Delhi Police, besides paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force, have been deployed, a senior police officer said. Farmers marching towards Delhi under BKUs protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, as they tried to run through the border, surmounting the barricades. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer earlier said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protesters, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The main demands of the farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the usage of tractors above 10 years, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. Amar Pal, 35, a farmer from Muzaffarnagar alleged that some police personnel resorted to lathi charge on some of the protesting farmers. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the national capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. The incident has drawn sharp reactions from Congress while the Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal batted for the farmers and questioned why they were not allowed to enter Delhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of brutally beating up farmers at the Delhi border on International Day of Non-Violence and said they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. National Highways leading to the national capital were swamped with farmers who came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right, said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut. Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, Aap ko 500 rupiya ka gas theek lagta hai? (Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you, a farmer asked. Kejriwal said preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was wrong and pitched for their entry into the city. Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi? It is wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. WATCH: Kisan Kranti Padyatra turns violent ACP among 7 cops injured during protest Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, Delhi Police claimed on Tuesday. As it drew flak for what the parties termed as brutal action against the protesters, the police said they used only minimum required force to control the situation. Police said a section of protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union march, suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was minimum required force. As many as 3,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure that the farmers were not able to enter Delhi. Announcements were regularly made on public address system about promulgation of prohibitory orders and requests were specifically made not to attempt entry into Delhi forcibly on tractor-trolleys since there was no permission for the same, they said. The protesters were also assured through their leaders that their demands are being projected at appropriate levels, and their movement will be duly facilitated in an orderly fashion without tractor- trolleys, the police said, adding it had specially deployed buses for ferrying the farmers to the city. Talks were also going on in this regard with the leaders of various factions of the protesters, they said. Despite requests that the protesters wait for the outcome of the talks between their leaders and the government, a section of the crowd suddenly turned violent and tried to break the barricades with tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis, they added. Tractor-trolleys were used with violent force by this aggressive section to break down three layers of strong barricading. Some protestors also resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty, the police alleged. Under these circumstances, only the minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protesters. However, after using water cannon and tear gas shells on a limited scale, the situation was brought under control, and thereafter use of any force was discontinued forthwith, resorting again to persuasive tactics, they added. Seven police personnel, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured during this process. The ACP suffered a shoulder dislocation after he was roughed up by some of the protesters, the police said. Photographs: Ravi Choudhary/PTI Photos, Reuters Invoking Mahatma Gandhis ideals of adherence to truth and communal harmony, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing the country and making false promises. Addressing a rally in Wardha to kick off the Congresss programmes in the 150th birth anniversary year of the father of the nation, Rahul Gandhi once again targeted Modi over the Rafale fighter jet deal. Every day the prime minister fights against those things (ideals) for which (Mahatma) Gandhi sacrificed all his life, took three bullets. Gandhiji talked about uniting the country. Modiji talks about breaking up the people of the country, the Congress chief said at Wardha in Maharashtra, where Mahatma Gandhis Sevagram Ashram is located. The prime minister pitched one religion against another, one community against another and spread hatred among people, Rahul Gandhi alleged. Gandhiji insisted on (always) speaking the truth... I want to ask you, when Modiji made the promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the account of every person, was he speaking the truth or did he lie? he asked the crowd. Modi lied by promising to create two crore jobs every year and giving a fair price for farm produce, the Congress chief alleged. He asked the prime minister to explain why the offset contract in the Rafale deal was awarded to Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence, snatching it from the State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Modis friend Ambani was given the contract, despite his firm not having manufactured a single aircraft and carrying a debt of Rs 45,000 crore, Rahul Gandhi alleged. He also referred to former France president Francois Hollandes remarks that his government had no say in choosing Ambanis company in the Rafale deal. When I asked Modiji about the Rafale deal (in Parliament), Modiji avoided eye contact. He would look here and there, up and down. But Modiji could not speak by looking the nation in the eye, because he was lying, the Congress chief alleged. Ambani has denied Rahul Gandhis allegations over the Rafale deal. The Congress chief also accused the National Democratic Alliance government of writing off loans worth Rs 3.2 lakh crore of 15-20 richest people, but not granting loan waiver to farmers. He promised that his party would waive farm loans if it was elected to power. On demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi said, all the friends of the prime minister entered the banks through the back door and turned their black money into white, while the common people lined up outside the banks to deposit the scrapped currency. The thieves of India, with the help of Narendra Modi, turned lakhs, crores of black money into white. Modiji took money out of your pockets and put it in the pockets of (fugitive businessmen) Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya, he said. On the soaring fuel prices, the Congress chief accused Modi of taking money from the pockets of the common people and putting it in the pockets of 15-20 richest individuals. The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime), he alleged. You tried Modiji (gave a chance to him). The vehicle (the Modi government) failed, got punctured, its engine exploded, it did not work. He broke your trust...now you trust the Congress, the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to take India forward, Rahul Gandhi said. By stating in his August 15 address that nothing had happened in India before he became the prime minister, Modi had insulted Gandhiji, every citizen of the country, every farmer, every mother and sister..., he added. All photographs: @INCIndia/Twitter Young and old, rich or poor, Indians across the country paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 149th birth anniversary. In fact, even Twitter has unveiled a 'Gandhi Emoji' which users around the world can use in their tweets to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birthday. Students dressed as Mahatma Gandhi take part in an event to mark Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, at a school in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters A child touches a statue of Mahatma Gandhi during an all-religion prayer meeting to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary at an Ashram in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Youth wearing masks of Mahatma Gandhi pose for a photograph in front of a Gandhi statue during his birth anniversary celebrations in Kolkata. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI Photo Students create a shape of Mahatma Gandhi ahead of 150th Gandhi jayanti celebrations at outskirts of Chennai. Photograph: PTI Photo United States President Donald Trump has strongly defended his Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who is facing sexual assault allegations, and has ordered a time-bound Federal Bureau of Investigation probe in the case, saying that has an "open mind" if new information emerges. The FBI has been asked to complete an investigation against Judge Kavanaugh, who is facing allegations of sexual assault from at least three women. The FBI, which has been asked to complete its investigations within a week, he said is free to talk and interview anyone it deems fit as part of its investigation. But till then, he does not has a plan B, Trump told reporters in response to a question. "I don't want to talk about Plan B, because I hope that he gets approved. I hope that the report comes out like I really think it should. I think it will. I hope. I hope," he said. "But look, I'm waiting just like you. Certainly, if they find something, I'm going to take that into consideration. Absolutely. I have a very open mind. The person that takes that position is going to be there for a long time. I have a very open mind. I just think he's an outstanding person," he said. Trump said Kavanaugh has been treated horribly. "Even if you were going to bring up some of the subjects that were brought up, they didn't have to treat him so viciously and so violently as they've treated him," he said. The FBI, he said, should do what they have to do to get to the answer. "At the same time, just so we all understand, this is our seventh investigation of a man who has really... ....you look at his life until this happened, what change he's gone through, what his family's gone through," he said. "The trauma for a man that's never had any accusation, he's never had a bad statement about him. He was number one in his class at Yale, he was number one in his law school at Yale, and then what he's gone through over the last three weeks is incredible," he said. Trump said he wants the FBI to do a very comprehensive investigation, whatever that means according to the senators and the Republicans and the Republican majority. "I want them to do that. I want it to be comprehensive. I actually think it's a good thing for Judge Kavanaugh. I think it's actually a good thing. Not a bad thing, I think it's a good thing," he said. At the same time, he asserted that he wants this investigation to be over quickly. "Now with that being said, I'd like it to go quickly. The reason I'd like it to go quickly, very simple. It's so simple. Because it's unfair to him at this point. What his wife is going through, what his beautiful children are going through is not describable. It's not describable. It's not fair," he said. "I think it's fair to do it to me, I've been going -- from day one, I've been at -- from long before I got to office you've been doing it. It's almost became -- I -- I think for me it's, like, a part of my job description to handle this crap," Trump said. He was apparently referring to the series of sexual allegations against him. Trump said the charges of sexual assault against Judge Kavanaugh were made 36 years ago. "I mean, a charge made -- was said to have occurred 36 years ago, and nothing happened since then. And look, I feel badly for all parties. I feel badly for everybody. I feel badly for our country. This is so bad for our country," he said. "I watched those senators on the Democrat side, and I thought it was a disgrace. And partially because I know them. I know them too well. And you know what? They are not angels," Trump said hinting that there were a lot of skeletons against the Democratic senators who are opposing Kavanaugh. Australia will on Wednesday see August figures for building approvals, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Approvals are expected to add 1.0 percent on month and fall 2.5 percent on year. That follows the 5.2 percent monthly drop and the 5.6 percent yearly decline in July. Australia also will see September results for the Performance of Service Index from AiG; in August, the index score was 52.2. New Zealand will release September numbers for commodity prices; in August, commodity prices were down 1.1 percent on month. Japan will see September figures for the services and composite indexes from Nikkei; in August, their scores were 51.5 and 52.0, respectively. Singapore will see September results for the private sector PMI from Nikkei; in August, the PMI score was 51.1. Finally, the in China remain closed all week for the National Day holiday and will re-open on October 8. 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. Activist investor Legion Partners has built up a stake in Papa John's International Inc. (PZZA), the pizza chain that has been embroiled in a dispute with its founder for the last several months. Legion owns 5.46% of shares in the company through various affiliates, while the California State Teachers' Retirement System owns about 34,000 shares. The two investors said in a joint securities filing Monday that the company's share price "does not reflect the Issuer's intrinsic value" and that "multiple potential paths to significantly higher valuations exist for [Papa John's] through strategic partnerships or improving operations as a stand-alone company." Legion and CalSTRS, as the pension fund is also called, said in the filing that the pizza company could boost profits by cutting costs and relying more heavily on franchises. In July, Papa John's founder and longtime chief executive John Schnatter stepped down as chair of the company's board, after it was reported that he used a racial slur and other inflammatory language during a call with marketers in May. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News French stocks tumbled on Tuesday as a cold war loomed between the U.S. and China and an Italian lawmaker said the country's problems would be solved if it returned to its own currency. Italian 10-year bond yields hit a new 4-1/2 year high on concerns the new coalition government could ramp up its anti-euro rhetoric. The benchmark CAC 40 was down 62 points or 1.13 percent at 5,444 in opening deals after rising 0.2 percent on Monday. Banks fell across the board, with BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Societe Generale all falling around 1 percent. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis European stocks tumbled on Tuesday, as the initial euphoria over the re-negotiated NAFTA deal faded and U.S. President Donald Trump stepped up his trade war with Beijing by saying it was "too early" to negotiate with China. Brexit worries and renewed concerns about heavily indebted Italy's budget also dented investors' appetite for risk. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was down 0.8 percent at 381.01 in late opening deals after closing 0.2 percent higher the previous day. The German DAX was losing 0.9 percent, France's CAC 40 index was declining 1.1 percent and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 was down 0.6 percent. Italian banks Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit and Banco BPM fell 2-3 percent after anti-euro rhetoric from a senior official from Italy's ruling party sparked a sell-off in the country's sovereign bonds. Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole dropped 1-2 percent as Italian 10-year bond yields hit a new 4-1/2 year high. German conglomerate Siemens lost 2.8 percent after a downgrade from HSBC. Ferguson shares slumped almost 5 percent. The British heating and plumbing products supplier has warned of challenging market conditions in the U.K. after reporting better-than-expected full-year trading profit and revenue. Royal Mall plunged 10 percent to extend losses after slashing its profit guidance for this year. Swedish home appliance manufacturer Electrolux rose half a percent after it acquired SPM Drink Systems, an Italian manufacturer of professional dispensers of frozen and hot beverages and soft ice-cream. In economic releases, U.K. house prices logged steady growth in September, data from Nationwide Building Society showed. House prices grew 2 percent year-on-year in September, the same rate as seen in August. Prices were expected to climb 1.9 percent. U.K. construction sector unexpectedly grew at the weakest pace in six months in September, as all three sub-sectors lost momentum, survey data from IHS Markit showed. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK construction purchasing managers' index fell to 52.1 from 52.9 in August. In contrast, economists had expected the index to rise to 53. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Oil prices fell from four-year highs on Tuesday as U.S.-China trade tensions coupled with increasing uncertainty over Italy's finances reignited concerns about global trade in general. The downside, however, remained limited as investors brace for U.S. sanctions on Iranian crude oil that go into effect next month. Global benchmark Brent crude oil was down 48 cents or 0.60 percent at $84.48 per barrel after hitting as high as $85.45 in the previous session, the highest level since November 2014. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were marginally lower at $75.25 a barrel. With the initial euphoria over the North American free trade deal fading, investors have shifted their focus back to heightened U.S.-China tensions over a broad range of issues. As both the United States and China dig in on their trade dispute, some analysts believe the tensions would curb consumer purchasing power, crimp productivity growth and limit global economic expansion. China has reportedly called off security talks with the U.S., the latest in a string of warning signs that the bilateral relationship is deteriorating. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Opposition to the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has increased following sexual assault allegations against the federal appeals court judge, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University National Poll. Forty-eight percent of voters said the Senate should not vote to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in the latest poll, up from 42 percent in a poll conducted early last month. The percentage of voters that support Kavanaugh's confirmation was largely unchanged, inching up to 42 percent from 41 percent. The increase in opposition comes after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her when they were both teenagers in the early 1980's. The poll showed a significant swing in views among independent voters, who now oppose Kavanaugh's confirmation by 49 percent and 39 percent after supporting his confirmation 45 percent to 39 percent in the previous survey. Majorities of women, black, and Hispanic voters oppose confirming Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, while the conservative judge has seen an increase in support among men and white voters. The survey was conducted after Ford and Kavanaugh both testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about the allegations last Thursday. Forty-eight percent of voters said they tend to most believe Ford's accusations, while 41 percent most believe Kavanaugh's categorical denial. During last week's hearing, Kavanaugh claimed the accusations of sexual misconduct are a "calculated and orchestrated political hit." The Quinnipiac poll found that 49 percent of voters agree that Kavanaugh "is the target of a politically motivated smear campaign," although 45 percent disagree. The survey also showed 68 percent of voters support reopening the FBI background check into Kavanaugh to investigate accusations of sexual misconduct. Just 28 percent are opposed. President Donald Trump agreed to allow the FBI to conduct a supplemental background investigation of Kavanaugh last week after undecided Senators indicated they would withhold their support for the Supreme Court nominee without a new probe. Unless the investigation turns up evidence corroborating the claims against Kavanaugh, Trump's second Supreme Court nominee is likely to be confirmed, although the plurality opposed to his confirmation suggests that may hurt Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections. The Quinnipiac survey of 1,111 voters was conducted September 27th through 30th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News In response to its critics, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) said Tuesday that it is increasing its minimum wage to $15 for all full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees across the U.S. The new minimum wage is effective from November 1, and includes associates employed by temporary agencies. The increase in minimum wages comes just ahead of the busy holiday season. The $15 minimum wage will benefit more than 250,000 Amazon employees, as well as over 100,000 seasonal employees who will be hired at Amazon sites across the country this holiday. "We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead. We're excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO. Amazon and Bezos had come under intense criticism for pay disparity at the company. In early September, Amazon briefly joined tech giant Apple Inc. (AAPL) in the elite club of U.S. companies with a market capitalization of $1 trillion. Bezos is currently the richest person in the world with a net worth of an estimated $166 billion. In September, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the "Bezos Act" legislation, which is intended to tax corporations for every dollar that their low-wage workers receive in government -care benefits or food stamps. Amazon said Tuesday that it's public policy team will also begin advocating for an increase in the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 that was set nearly a decade ago. The company added that its employees will continue to receive other benefits, including comprehensive healthcare, company-paid life and disability insurance, up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave, and 401k matching. Among Amazon's rivals, Target Corp. (TGT) has said it is committed to increasing the minimum hourly wage to $15 by the end of 2020. Walmart Inc. (WMT) said in January that it plans to increase the starting wage rate for all hourly associates in the U.S. to $11, expand maternity and parental leave benefits and provide a one-time cash bonus for eligible associates of up to $1,000. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Closely watched Senate races in Missouri and Nevada are likely to go down to the wire, according to the results of new CNN polls released on Monday. In Missouri, Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., leads the state's Attorney General Josh Hawley 47 percent to 44 percent among likely voters. McCaskill's 3-point advantage among likely voters is within the poll's margin of error, and the incumbent has an even narrower 43 percent to 42 percent lead among a broader group of registered voters. Among likely voters, McCaskill and Hawley both have modestly positive favorability ratings, although McCaskill's favorability rating among registered voters is split. Missouri has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in the past five elections, with President Donald Trump winning the state by nearly 20 percentage points in 2016. McCaskill is subsequently seen as one of the top targets for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections, as the GOP seeks to maintain control of the Senate. A separate survey showed Democratic Congresswoman Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., with a 47 percent to 43 percent lead over Republican Senator Dean Heller, R-Nev., among likely Nevada voters. Rosen has a slightly narrower 43 percent to 40 percent lead over Heller among a broader group of registered voters, although both gaps are within the margin of error. The poll showed Rosen with a positive 43 percent to 38 percent favorability rating among likely voters, while 46 percent view Heller unfavorably and 43 percent view him favorably. Nevada has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate in the past three elections and is widely seen as Democrats' best Senate pickup opportunity in this election cycle. With Election Day a little over a month away, the polls showed about one-in-five voters in both states that have picked a candidate might change their mind, suggesting both races remain up for grabs. The CNN polls in Missouri and Nevada were both conducted by survey research firm SSRS from September 25th through 29th. In the Missouri survey, the margin of error for results among 906 registered voters was plus or minus 3.9 percentage points and for results among 756 likely voters was plus or minus 4.3 percentage points. The margin of error for results among 851 registered Nevada voters was plus or minus 4.1 percentage points and for results among 693 likely Nevada voters was plus or minus 4.6 percentage points. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Demitting office after a tumultuous tenure, Chief Justice Dipak Misra on Monday said the Supreme Court will stand supreme not just for now but for all times to come and that judicial independence cannot be taken away. Speaking at a farewell ceremony hosted by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), he said justice must have a humane approach and should be insulated from "disruptive action". "Independence of judiciary, the collegiality of brother and sister judges should be supreme. The Supreme Court stands supreme not just now but for the all times to come. Any kind of craftsmanship cannot steal away judicial independence. I must add that truth has no colour," Justice Misra said. "Law is not static, jurisprudence is not static....I tell you justce must have a humane face and a humane approach. The artificial divisions and barriers of caste, creed, religion and gender tend to divide us. Justice must be insulated from disruptive action. Scales of justice have to be balanced as far as possible. That is the essence of justice," he said. Justice Misra, who delivered a slew of judgements in the company of brother judges on individual freedoms and other important issues, had his last working day on Monday. Chief Justice-designate Ranjan Gogoi will be sworn in on Wednesday. Justice Misra said neutrality in each case, whether involving greater or smaller ramifications "is same for us (judges)". "Tears are tears. Popular perception or capacity to building narratives for any particular leanings can never guide the course of justice." He said the constitutional promises are to be fulfilled and their fruits must reach the common man on the ground, saying equity and justice can't be disassociated. Judges in India were ahead of their counterparts in other countries. Maintaining that justice delivery system should be geared to fulfil the constitutional promises and they must reach the common man on the ground, Chief Justice Misra said that he has not "disassociated the lady of equity from the lady of justice." The outgoing Chief Justice said there was no difference between tears of a poor man or those of an affluent person. He said sometimes history can be kind and unkind as well but "I judge people not from history but by their activities and perspectives." Complimenting CJI Misra for his various judgements upholding the liberty and gender justice, Justice Gogoi said, "In times of great political churning, alongside huge diversity of thought and opinion, we are divided, perhaps more than ever, by lines of caste, religion, ideology. These are issues that cut and divide us. They make us hate those who are different. The challenge is to protect a common world view." He said that inadequacies accompany the system of justice delivery, pointing to the "exemplary erudition and exemplary fortitude' with which the judicial system has functioned. Telling the gathering that "we are living in the times where what we should eat, wear have stopped being little things of our personal lives," Justice Gogoi said, "There is lot to look ahead. System has done well." "We must allow constitutional morality to prevail whenever we have doubts. Constitutional moral views must prevail because that gives us the most balanced views, he said. The Chief Justice-designate said, "If we fail in this endeavour to hold true to our Constitutional ideals, we will continue to kill, hate each other. "It is in times like this that our resilience to the ideals of the Constitution is tested." Attorney General K.K.Venugopal again batted for increasing the retirement age of the top court and High Court judges including four to five fold increases in their remunerations. The AG disapproved of an oft-repeated suggestion that after retirement, judges should not accept post-retirement positions in places requiring their expertise. Recalling the turbulent phase which the top court saw during the stewardship of CJI Misra when Supreme court Bar Association President Vikas Singh took exception to the manner in which "some members of the bar tried to take advantage of the situation to the detriment of the institution". Advocating that the judges should continue to get for the rest of their lives the salary they were drawing, Vikas Singh said the judges were the most vulnerable target of attacks based on conjectures. Complimenting the legal fraternity for rallying around the institution in the period of its crisis, Singh said that things would not have been set right if the bar had not stepped in. Justice Misra visited press lounges in the Supreme Court complex where he interacted with journalists, a first such interaction by a retiring CJI. United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that he has a "great" relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has told him that India is going to reduce substantially the tariffs on imports from the US. He said that "tariff king" India on its own has reached out to the US to make a trade deal, without Washington calling New Delhi for negotiations. He was speaking at a White House news conference on the revised North American Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico -- a landmark deal that fulfills one of his election promises. Answering a question from a reporter, he said, "I have spoken Prime Minister Modi and he is going to reduce them (tariffs) very substantially." He added, "My relationship with India is great, with Prime Minister Modi is great. And they are going to start doing a lot." Scoring a domestic political point, he asserted that as in the case of the NAFTA and and other trade issues, none of the previous presidents or trade representatives had spoken to India about the high tariffs. He quoted Modi as telling him, "Nobody every spoke to me" about the high tariffs. "They (India) have called us to make a deal, we didn't even call them; they called us to make a deal, which is like shocking to people," he added. Trump explained that he called India a "tariff king" because "it charges us tremendous tariffs." He cited the example Harley Davidson motorcycles, which would resonate with bikers who are a section of his electoral base, saying that India charged 100 per cent duties on it. He said, "That is so high that it is like barrier, in other words who is going to buy it if it costs you so much." "Now they have reduced that substantially, but it is still too high," he asserted. The Vice Chancellor of the National University of Samoa, Professor Fui Asofou Soo, has defended the high salaries for senior staff at the institution. For instance, the salary of a deputy Vice Chancellor is almost equivalent to that of a Ministrys Chief Executive Officer. An advertisement published in August put the salary level of a deputy Vice Chancellor at $101,908 per annum plus benefits, which is pretty close to a Chief Executive Officers base salary of $112,000 - $115,000, depending on a ministrys budgetary appropriation. Asked why the salary of the Deputy Vice Chancellor and other senior position holders are relatively high compared to other Government bodies, Professor Fui said the salary of the deputy Vice Chancellor is determined by an individuals qualifications and skills. Fui told the Samoa Observer that a deputy vice chancellor has a lot of work he or she oversees, hence why the salary is at this level. In comparing of salaries, I will leave other government organisations but I will compare it to the salary of the Vice Chancellor, he said. The vice chancellors salary is $20,000 more than the deputy vice chancellors salary and it is the same as a C.E.O. salary of any government organisation. Fui also elaborated on the work the deputy Vice Chancellor is required to do. Our university is such a massive one and in here the main objective behind the establishment of the university is to have the childrens education." The reason our university is here is because of the students and then comes another question what are the programmes that are being taught in the university?" This is where we come in with traits or programme such as plumber, electrical and so forth and then we move on to another programme called foundation level, after that then we move on to the next level which is the higher education where we talk bachelors, masters and P.H.Ds. Fui said when all of these programme are put together it requires a lot of work and it also requires someone who has the skills as well as the qualifications to handle the work. He added this is also why the university has two deputy vice chancellors. There is a deputy vice chancellor in academic and research who deals with all the programmes that are being taught in the university, he said. The deputy vice chancellor has to check whether these are the proper subjects for this programme and so forth." Fui said the other deputy vice chancellor is for corporate services and the person deals with the students and whether each lecture rooms have enough desks, chairs etc. This deputy vice chancellor has to see whether the internet is okay whether it is connected to the broadband and whether there are people who have the skill in this area or not." There are also works that have been divided for example there is a division who deals with chairs and desks and they have their own director, there is the finance division and their director and so forth." So all these directors they work to ensure that the university is at its standards that people expected and all of them they are under the deputy vice chancellor in corporate services." So that is the workload that our deputy vice chancellors deal with. Fui said the increasing number of enrolments prompted the construction of new buildings. Parents should take more responsibility to ensure their children under 21 years of age do not participate in TV Bingo. The Gambling Control Authority Manager (licensing regulation and compliance), Auimatagi Karanita Ah Kuoi, said this, in response to increasing public concerns at the policing of the law that prohibits underage children from participating in gambling. Gambling by minors is prohibited under Sect 8 (1) (2) of the Act. A person under the age of 21 is prohibited from gambling. Beyond that it is a parenting issue that is out of our control, she said. According to Auimatagi, the Sinaupualofa Foundation Trust is authorised by the Samoan Gambling Control Authority to operate TV Bingo on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 11.00 pm as a fund raising activity for their Trust. The Sinaupualofa Foundation Trust is licensed by our office pursuant to Sect 4 (3)(1)(b) of the Gaming Control Act 2017 (Act) on 10th September 2018. Gambling by minors is prohibited under Sect 8 (1) (2) of the Act. A person under the age of 21 is prohibited from gambling. The above age restriction relates to any form of gambling and gaming i.e. casino, totalisator, bingo, bonus, raffles, sales promotion scheme, gaming equipment supplier and gaming by telecommunication service providers. Broadcasting TV Bingo at the above time enables parents and guardians to ensure that minors are not watching and playing and should by then be in bed. Beyond that it is a parenting issue that is out of our control, she added. Sinaupualofa Foundation Trust, Kuinimary Tamati, said the purpose of TV Bingo is to assure everyone that mothers and adults are at home to watch the draw and keep an eye on the children. Instead of going out to the Bingo sites, they can play on the T.V. and we have taken every precautionary measure to assure that TV Bingo is not for kids under the age of 21. If you see on TV, we have banners outlining that message and we also announce that prior and during the program, she said. ACCRA, Ghana (AP) Melania Trump opened her first big solo international trip as U.S. first lady on Tuesday with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The first lady saw how babies are weighed they're placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Mrs. Trump also cradled an infant and declared the baby a "beautiful boy" as she handed him back to his mother. Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of "Be Best," the child well-being initiative Mrs. Trump launched last May. With the Africa visit, the first lady aims to take "Be Best" and its focus on opioid abuse and online behavior to an international audience. The first lady also had a private tea with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by "First Lady Melania Trump" for Akufo-Addo, and Kente cloth and artifacts for Mrs. Trump, according to Grisham. The first ladies met privately for about a half-hour at Jubilee House, Ghana's presidential palace. The two first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, where Mrs. Trump spoke about her upcoming trip. Mrs. Trump's visit opened in low-key fashion. Several Ghanaians interviewed said they knew little about it. "Did you say President Trump's wife just arrived in Accra?" street vendor Awo Yeboah asked. "I don't think I have ever heard her name, Melania." Other locals said they knew about the visit but didn't know what Mrs. Trump was doing. Mrs. Trump landed in the capital, Accra, on Tuesday morning after a more than 12-hour journey from Washington. She was welcomed at the airport with dancing and drumming, schoolchildren waving mini U.S. and Ghanaian flags and the gift of a flower bouquet. Akufo-Addo was at the airport to welcome her. President Donald Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday that he saw television footage of her landing in Africa. "It was beautiful," he said. "She's really doing a great job as first lady." The president later tweeted: "Proud of our great First Lady - and she loves doing this!" Mrs. Trump also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. In 2006, a few hundred mostly local researchers gathered in La Jolla to discuss the emerging but still science-fictiony field of stem cells. Since then, stem cells, enhanced by gene therapy, have progressed to yield breakthrough treatments, most spectacularly in cancer. Likewise, the conference known as the Cell & Gene Meeting on the Mesa has mushroomed into an international event. (The mesa is Torrey Pines Mesa, the epicenter of San Diegos life science sector). About 1,200 scientists and business executives are expected to attend the three-day conference, up from about 900 last year. On Wednesday and Thursday, investors and potential partners are to hear from 69 listed companies. Theyre developing therapies for a gamut of diseases, from rare genetic conditions to big killers such as heart disease and cancer. Advertisement Thats nearly double the 35 presenting companies in 2012. Theres a lot of companies now doing a lot of interesting work, and at later stages in the development process, than there have ever been before, said Janet Lambert, CEO of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine. The Alliance holds the conference along with the Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center at UCSD Health. On Friday, the scientists get their turn. Topics include genetic editing of human embryos; the use of mini-brains organoids to model human brain development and diseases; and rejuvenation of old muscles. The conferences growth has diluted its early focus on San Diego. Of the 69 presenting companies, only two are from San Diego. They are ViaCyte, a diabetes treatment developer; and Organovo, a maker of bioprinted tissues. And 14 are from other countries, including Australia, Chile, Japan, and the United Kingdom. There was pretty intense competition, Lambert said. Theres not only competition to attend, but also for space, she said. The hosting hotel, the Estancia, has been popular for its intimate setting. But the conference has maxed out the Estancias capacity. The hotel can only house only about half of the guests. So next year the business side of the event will move to the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, which the conference has fully booked. That hotel will provide double the space for attendees, Lambert said, along with 78,000 square feet of meeting space, more than double that of the Estancia. On the scientific side, researchers have grown more adept and comfortable working with cell therapies, said Alysson Muotri, chair of the conferences scientific symposium steering committee and co-director of UC San Diegos stem cell program. Previously, there were concerns that if any rogue stem cells were transplanted into a patient, they could become cancerous, or that they would migrate away from where they were intended to go, he said. Scientists now know much more about how to identify and grow stem cells, he said. Moreover, genome editing technologies such as CRISPR makes it easier to genetically alter cells with precision. Now we can manipulate those cells the way we want, Muotri said. Another advance is in the use of stem cells to develop disease models not otherwise feasible, such as by producing human brain cells with mutations linked to Alzheimers or other diseases. And Muotris own lab studies the brains three-dimensional nature by growing brain organoids, small, rudimentary structures that model some of the brains circuitry. Last month, Muotri and colleagues published a study about an improved method of making brain organoids directly from a persons cells, such as people with autism spectrum disorder. The science event, hosted at the nearby Salk Institute, is also wrestling with growing pains, Muotri said. So it, too, may have to move. We are debating that now, he said. More information on the conference is available at www.meetingonthemesa.com. Related reading Building a Better Brain-in-a-Dish, Faster and Cheaper Gene therapies save lives, but how to pay for them? Japan seeks leadership role in stem cell medicine Stem cell meeting focuses on business Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa 2006 Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1020 In the high stakes battle for skilled workers across the nation, San Diegos technology sector may have a secret weapon loads of millennials. About 24.3 percent of the San Diego metropolitan area were millennials in mid-year 2018, the third highest of any of the 25 tech cities studied in a new report from real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. The firms Tech Cities 2.0 report focused on the top areas for tech growth, seen as a main driver of economic growth in North America, and ranked regions against each other based on several factors. Out of all cities in the report, San Diego had the ninth highest percentage of tech jobs when looking at the overall employment makeup. But the city fell behind San Francisco, Boston, Seattle and others by most other measures, including tech job growth over time. Yet Robert Sammons, senior director of research for Cushman & Wakefield, said the millennial population could be a significant factor for future growth. Advertisement It already has that young workforce, which tech companies crave, he said. The citys millennial population also appears to be more educated than cities of similar size and makeup, said Mark Cafferty, president and CEO of The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp, or EDC. In a 2016 EDC study, the city had the second-highest growth rate of degree-holding millennials when compared to peer cities surpassed only by Austin, Texas. San Diego is starting to hold its own with top major metropolitan areas in the U.S., Cafferty said. Now its seen as a place you can find young tech talent. Sammons said San Diegos technology growth, in part because of a younger population, could mean more startup companies. The lower cost of living here compared to the San Francisco Bay Area means established tech companies also have their eye on San Diego, he said. The tech cities with more millennials were Provo, Utah, with 26.8 percent and Austin with 24.5 percent. Provo is a smaller city near Salt Lake City that has become a major hotbed for tech jobs, and is home to a ready workforce from Brigham Young University. How San Diego measures up In other categories, San Diego is still blown out of the water by most measures. In terms of tech job growth from 2010 to 2017, the top cities were Provo, San Francisco, Vancouver and Austin. San Diego ranks as one of the slowest at No. 19. Silicon Valley has the highest tech share of total employment by mid-year 2018 at 27.5 percent, followed by San Francisco (12.3 percent), Raleigh/Durham (10.9 percent) and Provo (10.8 percent). San Diego has 8.4 percent tech jobs, higher than the national average of 4.8 percent. In terms of total numbers, New York City had the most tech workers at the end of 2017 with 424,850. It was followed by Washington, D.C., at 312,430 and greater Los Angeles at 269,750. San Diego had 96,810. In a possible sign of things to come, San Diego had the eighth-most venture capital spending from the third quarter 2017 to second quarter 2018 with $2.2 billion, beating out peer cities like Austin and Denver. Still, it isnt as much as San Franciscos $33.8 billion, New York Citys $14.9 billion, Bostons $10.9 billion and Los Angeles $6.2 billion. Youre ranked No. 8, Sammons said. That drives the point home more than anything. It shows the money flowing into your market. Part of the reason why Cushman & Wakefield is so interested in the tech industry is its demand for office space. Since the beginning of 2017, tech companies have accounted for 42 percent of the square footage in the top 100 leases in North America. Thats more than double its closest industry, financial services. It used a list of 52 occupations to determine tech occupations, including biochemists, computer hardware engineers, chemical engineers, hydrologists, life scientists, microbiologists, geological engineers, petroleum engineers and physicists. Recruiting for tech is changing Recruiting workers to come to the San Diego region is tougher than it might seem. The EDC launched a campaign in May to help employers attract science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, workers to the region. One issue recruiters face: Many job applicants worry that outside of Qualcomm, there arent as many employment options here compared to the Bay Area or elsewhere. But tech recruiter Jared Sanderson, a director at Sayva Solutions, said that vibe is starting to change thanks to the expansion of large enterprise employers into the city. For example, Walmarts technology arm Walmart Labs is more than doubling its local presence and Amazon is expanding its San Diego satellite to employ 300 more people. That doesnt just improve the tech talent pool, but also boosts the startup scenes recruitment efforts, Sanderson said. Having more enterprise employers around allows tech workers to feel more confident to take risks, Sanderson said. They can try something in the startup community and if it doesnt pan out they can know they can still find a job at a larger company. Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO San Diegos new single-family homes are pricey, modern and in short supply Tijuana condo craze continues in to 2018 Last years housing market broke records The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it seized more than 1,000 pages of documents from Juul Labs Inc. during an unannounced inspection of the dominant e-cigarette brands San Francisco headquarters. The FDA said the inspection, which it completed Friday, sought documents related to Juuls sales and marketing practices, among other things. The inspection came weeks after the agency announced a comprehensive crackdown on e-cigarette manufacturers, citing an epidemic of nicotine addiction among U.S. youths. It directed the industrys giants to draw up detailed plans for halting sales to minors and threatened to pull a wide range of products, including flavorings that appeal to underage buyers. The FDA would not answer questions about whether Juul willingly handed over the documents collected from its headquarters last week or whether the company was being accused of wrongdoing. Advertisement Juul Chief Executive Kevin Burns said Tuesday in a statement that last weeks interactions with the FDA enabled his company to provide information about a variety of topics, including its marketing strategy and online age-verification protocols. He said Juul has released more than 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements. It was a constructive and transparent dialogue, he said in the statement. We are committed to preventing underage use. The FDA said that in April, it asked Juul for documents, including those related to marketing and product design, that would help it understand the appeal of Juul products and those products reportedly high rates of use among young people. The agency had also conducted inspections of several of Juuls contract manufacturing facilities to see if they complied with regulatory requirements. Burns said in his statement that Juul will release a plan to address youth access in 60 days, as outlined by the FDA. E-cigarettes started to gain popularity in the last five years. The battery-powered, handheld devices heat nicotine-infused liquid into an inhalable mist, which users puff as if smoking a cigarette. Most e-cigarettes use replaceable, liquid-filled cartridges that come in a variety of flavors. Juul flavors include mango, cucumber and Virginia tobacco. Flavors are of particular concern to the FDA. Scott Gottlieb, the agencys commissioner, said last month that certain flavors are one of the principal drivers of the youth appeal of these products. Analysts at Wells Fargo estimated that Americans bought more than $2.3 billion worth of e-cigarettes from August 2017 to August 2018, and they expect annual sales to reach nearly $4 billion this year. Juul hit the market in 2015 and has become the clear leader among e-cigarette brands, with $454 million in sales over the 12 months that ended in February, according to the Wells Fargo report, which cited market data from the research firm Nielsen. In July, the company had a funding round that valued it at about $15 billion, according to multiple news outlets. Juul sold 16.2 million devices last year, more than seven times as many as it sold the previous year, according to an analysis of retail sales data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Add in other vaping products including vapor cartridges and related items sold at specialty shops and analysts say the entire market could be worth $6.6 billion this year. Times staff writer James Rufus Koren contributed to this report. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com Twitter: @smasunaga UPDATES: 2:55 p.m.: This article was updated with Juuls reported valuation in July. 12:50 p.m.: This article was updated with information from a CDC analysis of retail sales data of e-cigarettes. 9:50 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Juul CEO Kevin Burns; more information about the FDA crackdown on e-cigarettes and interactions with Juul; and details about the rise of vaping in the United States. This article was originally published at 9:15 a.m. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a civil complaint against two San Diego men for allegedly running a $61.5 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded more than 350 investors across multiple states. The lawsuit filed in San Diego federal court last week accuses Jonny Ngo, 32, and Donato Mick Baca Jr., 36, of raising money from investors between 2013 and 2017 that was supposedly used to buy bulk electronics such as iPhone screens and drones overseas. These products were supposedly distributed in the U.S. and sold at a substantial profit. According to the SEC, the men promised investors returns of 5 percent to 15 percent every two weeks to 45 days through Ngos wholesale technology import business NL Technology LLC. NL Technology has a storefront in San Diego offering cellphone and computer repairs, but it engaged in little or no wholesale import business activity, according to the SEC. Advertisement The complaint alleges Ngo and Baca used money raised by new investors to pay prior investors in a classic Ponzi scheme. About $52 million was distributed in this way. The SEC claims the rest went to fund Ngos and Bacas extravagant lifestyles, including gambling and purchasing luxury cars, watches and homes. To conceal the scheme, the SEC claims Ngo fabricated bank statements and financial records, forged invoices and created phony email addresses. He also impersonated people with whom NL Technology was supposedly doing business. Baca owned MR Media and claimed to be an investor who helped gather other investors. Later, he said he held various executive positions at NL Technology. The scheme began to fall apart in April 2017, according to the SEC. Ngo and Baca stopped paying most investors, claiming delays were due to switching banks, supplier problems and an SEC audit. When a major investor uncovered the scheme in May 2017, Baca disavowed knowledge but did not inform other investors. Instead, Baca told investors he was leaving NL Technology but they could invest directly with Ngo, according to the complaint. Ngo has settled with the SEC without admitting wrongdoing. The final judgment prohibits him from raising money from prospective investors in connection with any offering of securities, and it orders him to repay $4.5 million. He also must pay a $480,000 civil penalty and $245,726 in pre-judgment interest. According to the SEC, Baca personally misappropriated at least $4.7 million of investor funds, including funds paid to MR Media. The SEC claims the money was used for rent, luxury watches, and payments on personal credit cards. Investor funds also were used for a down payment on a $3.5 million home. The SEC lawsuit is seeking return of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties and interest and an injunction to prevent fund raising from investors. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 Satellite Internet provider Viasat has inked a deal to supply high-speed, in-flight Wi-Fi to 18 new Boeing 737 Max jets ordered by Aeromexico. Antennas and other equipment for Viasats Wi-Fi service are being installed now on Boeings factory floor, the Carlsbad company said last week. Aeromexico has an option to include Viasats broadband technology on another 60 new aircraft orders in the future. The deal comes after Viasat launched its second Internet satellite in mid-2017, which expanded its coverage footprint to include all of Mexico, as well as Central America and parts of South America. By bringing Viasat in-flight Internet on board, we will deliver a top class in-flight Wi-Fi experience for our passengers, said Andres Castaneda, chief marketing officer of Aeromexico, in a statement. We want all of our clients to enjoy a high-quality Internet experience in the air, and partnering with Viasat will accomplish that. Advertisement Viasat will become the second provider of in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity to portions of Aeromexicos fleet, which totals 133 planes. Over the past two years, Chicago-based Gogo equipped 29 Aeromexico jets with antennas for its satellite-based broadband Internet service called 2Ku. Efforts to reach Aeromexico by email were unsuccessful. Meredith Payette, manager of media relations at Gogo, said airlines make choices on in-flight Wi-Fi technology for a variety of reasons, including supplier diversity, cost, timing, installation type and so on. Gogo is the market leader, supplying 3,000 commercial aircraft with in-flight connectivity, she said. But competition to provide in-flight Internet connectivity to commercial airlines is heating up. Viasat, which entered the market about five years ago, disrupted the industry by delivering faster speeds, enabling passengers to stream music or video at 35,000 feet. American Airlines, United Airlines and JetBlue are among the commercial airlines that have signed up with Viasat. As of the end of June, Viasat powered in-flight Internet to 757 commercial jets, with more than 950 in backlog for antenna/equipment installation. Gogo supplies in-flight connectivity to more commercial planes, but many of those aircraft tap into Gogos cellular-based, ground-to-air technology, which delivers less bandwidth and slower speeds to each plane than satellite. Gogo is working to migrate customers to a faster satellite service 2Ku which has been installed on more than 800 planes worldwide as of July, according to a presentation to investors posted on the companys website. 2Ku hit a snag last winter when de-icing fluid degraded the performance of some antennas, requiring repairs and limiting availability. The company has taken steps to fix the problems ahead of this coming winter. Gogo rents space on existing satellites to power its service, which gives it global coverage. Viasat designs and operates its own fleet of satellites. The company expects to launch at least two additional broadband satellites a constellation it calls ViaSat-3 -- as early as next year that will significantly boost bandwidth and global coverage. With ViaSat-2 and subsequently ViaSat-3, we will bring even greater speeds and reliability with built-in scale and flexibility to serve millions of passengers daily as they fly across multiple continents, said Don Buchman, vice president of commercial aviation for Viasat. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 La Jolla resident Fary Moini has made a life of helping others. Working as a volunteer with refugees in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 2002, Moini has helped in the fundraising and development of a school for first-graders through seniors in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. She worked to create an internet computer lab for faculty at Nangarhar University in Jalalabad and oversaw the training of a group of Afghan doctors to use fetal monitors. To touch the past, touch a rock; to touch the present, touch a flower; to touch the future, touch a life, Moini told a crowd of more than 300 on Friday at the Town & Country Convention Center in Mission Valley. Moini arrived in San Diego in 1984, after working as chief nurse at the Iranian Medical Center in Dubai. Through her membership in the La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club, she was also honored for her efforts at establishing a sister city relationship between San Diego and Jalalabad. Advertisement Moini was one of six San Diego County women honored by the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce at its 16th annual Women in Leadership Luncheon awards. The events keynote speaker was Fanny Miller, publisher of the top Hispanic newspaper in San Diego County, El Latino, and creator of the Celebrando Latinas Conference. The WILL event honors women for their outstanding leadership, exemplary character and integrity in the community, as well as their efforts to empower women to succeed and prosper in life and business. The other honorees were: Kathryn Cloward of Kandon Unlimited, Inc., a media company Kristin Dreesen of East County Young Life Laura Koval of Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve Lucia Washburn of Grossmont Union High School District Bethany Warren, University of Phoenix Postpartum Health Alliance Cloward, an author, entrepreneur and performing songwriter, has received recognition for her Kathryn the Grape series, including the San Diego Book Associations Best Childrens Fiction Book award for Kathryn the Grapes Kindness Confetti. In 2009, Dreesen began volunteering with Young Lives, East County Young Lifes ministry to teen mothers, and joined Young Lifes staff in January 2017. Koval has served since 2014 as the Director of Park and Recreation for Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, operated by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District. She launched the parks Dynamic Vision Plan, which has guided a $2 million reinvestment into the park and campgrounds over the past two years. Washburn, a former teacher and principal, is GUHSDs director of student support services, alternative education. Washburn implemented the Sandy Hook Promise throughout the district, receiving in 2017 the Administrator of the Year award from the Association of California School Administrators, Region 18. Warren, an adjunct professor at the University of Phoenix, specializes in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. She also works with women experiencing birth trauma, pregnancy loss, infertility or facing adoption or surrogacy. She serves as the board president of the Postpartum Health Alliance, a local nonprofit dedicated to spreading awareness of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Three dozen women from around the county were nominated by people in the community, who shared their choices via the East County Chambers website. Eight Chamber members acting as judges pared that list and gave the nod to the six in early September. Kristine Costa, one of the Board of Directors for the East County Chamber, and the WILL event chair, said Moinis story moved those looking at the nominee choices. She is one of the strongest choices weve had, Costa said of Moini, who in 2012 was recognized by President Barack Obama as a Champion of Change. Her biography is incredible. Shes not just a hero locally, but internationally. Costa, a public sector account executive at Waste Management, Inc., was a 2017 WILL recipient. She is on the boards of several local groups in addition to the East County Chamber, and has been an advocate for Mothers Against Drunk Driving since her husband was killed by a drunken driver in 2008. karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com Signature-gatherers have fanned out across the county to collect signatures in hopes of qualifying a referendum for the March 2020 ballot that would overturn the approval of the Newland Sierra housing project in North County. The task is formidable. About 110,000 signatures must be gathered within one month in order to challenge last weeks decision by the Board of Supervisors allowing 2,135 homes to be built west of Interstate 15 near Escondido. Earlier this year, backers of a referendum to require countywide votes for almost all big housing projects failed to place the measure on the November ballot after spending six months to gather 107,000 signatures. Instead, the Save Our San Diego Countryside (SOS) question will appear on the 2020 ballot. But the situation was different. When the SOS petitions were being circulated, they were competing against numerous other measures seeking signatures. The backers of SOS didnt have the funds to pay gatherers nearly as much per signature as some of the others did. The result was that gatherers focused on petitions that would bring them the most money. Advertisement 110,000 (signatures) in 30 days? No problem, said Bob Glasser, a political consultant who is organizing both of the signature drives. Its going to be tough. Were working hard. Its going to be a record, but were going to do it. Complicating matters is that Newland has hired what Glasser calls blockers to convince people not to sign the petitions. He said the blockers Newland far prefers the terms truth team members or voter education advocates will say things like the gatherers are lying about their intentions and suggest the information they are gathering will be used for nefarious purposes. Theyll say anything that scares the citizen from walking up and talking to the signature-gatherers, he said. Clifton Williams, a land-use advocate for the Golden Door luxury spa, which is funding the petition drive, says 10 years of construction and the added traffic of 6,000 people would destroy the serenity that is crucial to the businesss success. The Golden Door sits just south of Deer Springs Road, across the street from where Newland Sierra would be built. Golden Door officials have said they will fight the project with whatever it takes in the courts and with the referendum, which has been planned for more than a year. Newland on Tuesday issued a statement concerning the Golden Door and the blocking allegations. Rita Brandin, vice president of Newland Communities, said the project has won the approval of the countys professional staff, the Planning Commission and the unanimous support of the supervisors. Now, in an act of pure selfishness, the East Coast billionaires who recently purchased the Golden Door luxury spa have launched an assault on what has been a fair and transparent public process, Brandin said. We encourage the people of San Diego County to resist these out-of-town paid signature-gatherers by not signing their petitions, and instead support their family and friends here who have been unable to purchase a home because of our chronic housing shortage. For every 10 signature-gatherers being paid by the Golden Door, Brandin continued, We have one voter education advocate who is sharing with voters the impact of signing this misleading petition. Because these out-of-town signature-gatherers hired by the Golden Door are purposely spreading false information about our proposed community, we have dispatched truth teams to help educate voters before they decide whether to sign this misleading petition. We have heard that these signature-gatherers are extremely angry as we are not only calling out their lies, but also cutting into their profits. Backers of the SOS petition, struggling for financing, were only paying gatherers about $3 a signature earlier this year. The Committee Against Newland Sierra and Bad Development signature-gatherers are getting a base pay of $4 per signature but can make up to $8 per signature depending on how many they turn in, several gatherers said Monday. Currently, there are only two petitions being circulated in the county. One is a statewide petition to overturn recently approved landmark legislation to dismantle the bail-bond industry. The other is the countywide anti-Newland referendum, which must have all signatures gathered by Oct. 26. San Diego Registrar of Voters Michael Vu said 67,837 signatures must be gathered and verified. The 110,000 signature goal is to create leeway as some who sign petitions arent registered to vote, have signed more than once, or will be disqualified for other reasons. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones An employee at KPBS, the San Diego member station for the national Public Broadcasting Service, sought a temporary restraining order against a coworker and his family members including an appellate court judge saying he fears for his safety after being attacked at work. Kevin Schrader, a senior engineering manager, told a Superior Court judge in El Cajon that he was assaulted last month at the KPBS facility on the San Diego State University campus. The request was filed against longtime KPBS studio technician Donald Benke, his adult son, Peter Benke, and his wife, Judge Patricia D. Benke, an associate justice on the 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego. This person attacked me and I want to protect my family, Schrader wrote in his request for the stay-away order, dated Sept. 11. He is the son of a coworker who attacked me at work. Advertisement Judge Roger W. Krauel granted the order against Peter Benke but declined to approve the restrictions against his parents. The order requires the younger Benke to stay at least 100 yards away from Schrader, as well as his home and workplace. Donald Benke referred questions to his sons attorney, who did not return messages seeking comment about the altercation. KPBS spokeswoman Heather Milne Barger said there is little she could say about the incident. Its a personnel matter and we cannot comment, she said. It is an ongoing investigation. Schrader similarly declined to discuss the incident when reached Monday. According to four witnesses and KPBS employees who did not want to be identified because station officials told them not to discuss the episode publicly, the incident began on the morning of Sept. 6 during the taping of a private video production inside the studio. As two hosts and their guest were discussing political developments in Washington D.C., Donald Benke grew angry and confronted the men over their criticism of President Donald Trump, the witnesses said. The guest, a professor emeritus in the School of Communication at SDSU named Peter Andersen, replied by stating something to the effect of This is not the Third Reich; you can say what you want, one witness said. Soon thereafter, Donald Benke announced he was not feeling well, employees said. He said he was taking a sick day and immediately left the studio. About 20 minutes later, Peter Benke, a 35-year-old photographer who lives with his parents, apparently bypassed two security doors and appeared inside the television studio, witnesses said. He slammed a heavy book onto a table and demanded to know who in the studio had called his father a Nazi, they added. Andersen replied that he had not called anyone a Nazi but again defended his First Amendment rights to free speech, one witness said. At that point, Peter Benke jumped toward the professor and grabbed ahold of his arm, tearing the skin and causing Andersen to bleed, the witnesses said, as others in the room came to help and began escorting Peter Benke by both arms out of the studio and off the premises. University police responded to the scene and at one point Peter Benke was detained but later released, witnesses said. He said he was the victim of a head injury and was transported by ambulance away from the studio, they added. KPBS management dispatched a company-wide email reminding employees to be careful about letting people through security doors, employees said. The public broadcasting station also retained a law firm to investigate what happened. Donald Benke has not returned to work in the weeks since the altercation. A hearing to consider making the temporary restraining order permanent is scheduled Oct. 30. 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 You can see through the cups, so the quality is very good, said Polly Liew, pointing at the tea sets displayed at the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, where Liew is on the board of directors. Look how thin that is. Thats amazing, acknowledged Yen Tu, the museums interim executive director. Even more amazing is that these delicate cups are nearly 300 years old and still flawless. They are part of World in Porcelain, an exhibition of Chinese porcelain plates as well as cups, tea pots, bowls and vases created for export along the Maritime Silk Road from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Trade between China and European countries began in the early 1600s during the Ming Dynasty mainly through the establishment of East India Companies, who monopolized Chinese trading goods that also included spices, tea and silk. Advertisement Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, France and Sweden all set up trading companies, which flourished for 300 years until conflicts between China and Britain over British opium imports from India started the Opium Wars in 1839. This is a unique period in history, Liew said, because the porcelain gives a glimpse of the opening of the world and the connecting of two cultures. Many of the colorful pieces, mainly plates, were commissioned by wealthy European families. Family crests from England, coats of arms from Portugal, the London Bridge and religious scenes are interspersed with Asian decorative motifs. In the beginning, people wanted a European look. They wanted the Chinese porcelain because of the quality, Liew said. These are hand-painted, so there is a lot of work in there. Every piece has a story behind it. The trade set off a fascination with Chinese culture among the upper class, and Asian scenes became in demand. A set of plates made with egg shells depicts Chinese women and children surrounded by symbols of good wishes and prosperity. Many of the exhibitions plates include auspicious symbols such as roosters and oranges, which were considered lucky; fish, which were a sign of plentiful; and phoenixes, which were considered imperial, Liew said. All the pieces are from the private collection of Chunming Yu, an artist and professor at Nanchang University in Nanchang, China, who also has a home in La Jolla. The exhibition, which represents about half of his collection, consists of 88 pieces. Thats a big coincidence, Liew said. Chinese love the number 8. It means prosperity. The exhibition starts with a display known as Kraak porcelain. The blue and white pieces are the earliest trade pieces and were named for the Dutch term for caracca, a Portuguese merchant ship. In the early 1600s, the Netherlands captured a Portuguese ship with porcelain on board, which was sold in Amsterdam with great success. The famous blue and white Dutch Delft ware traces its roots to these Kraak pieces. Chinese porcelain influenced the rest of the world. It spread to Japan and Europe. They used Chinese technology, Tu said. The pieces the Europeans bought were very expensive and considered mainly conversational pieces, she said. It sometimes would take years for an order to arrive, but Tu said in Europe at the time no one could make this kind of porcelain. Theres a reason why its called china. World in Porcelain When: Through Jan. 19. Where: San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Extension Building, 328 J St., downtown Tickets: $5; children under 12 free Phone: (619) 388-9888 Online: sdchm.org Schimitschek is a freelance writer. Tens of thousands of students returned to the Westwood campus of University of California, Los Angeles, on Sept. 27 for the first day of classes. However, third-year student Justin Feldman, 20, a political science and Middle Eastern studies double major, wasnt there. Instead, he spent the morning addressing the University of California Board of Regents during its board meetings public comments section regarding the upcoming eighth annual National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) Conference. UCLA is slated to host the event from Nov. 16-18. The pro-Palestinian organization bills itself as being at the epicenter of a young, intersectional social-justice movement. The upcoming conferences theme appears innocuous: Radical Hope: Resistance in the Face of Adversity. Speaking before the board, Feldman painted a different picturea disturbing one. Advertisement Every year, SJP invites speakers with proven connections to terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, he said. Some are even convicted terrorists themselves, like Rasmea Odeh, who was convicted and jailed for the murder of two Israelis and many more wounded. These are SJPs role models. Does this sound like a human-rights conference to you? Established in 2010, NSJP (per its website) has nearly 200 chapters on college campuses across the nation and claims to stand against homophobia, misogyny, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, classism, colonialism, ableism, and bigotry and discrimination of any form. Jonathan Harris, executive director of the Israeli-American Coalition for Action, disputed this notion before the board. He was also on hand to deliver a statement, invoking paragraph C of the UC Regents Principles Against Intolerance Anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination have no place in the University to demonstrate why NSJPs conference has no place on UCLAs campus. SJPs hatred of Jews and Israel is racismviolent, rationalized racismand this conference in Los Angeles sends one clear signal to anti-Semites everywhere: Come to UCLA, you are welcome here, he said. Prior to his statement, Harris distributed copies of an 18-page report detailing instances of NSJP-inspired anti-Semitism to the board. The document included dozens of screenshots from NSJP member twitter accountsgems like Every time I read about Hitler I fall in love all over again, How do you get a Jewish girls number? Roll her sleeves up and Lets stuff some Jews in the oven. Harris read some out loud for the Regents, adding that theyre all real, preserved and documented. One of the troubling details about the conference itself, Feldman noted in his statement, is that it wont be open to all students. It is crucial that this conference be open to all students to ensure that pro-Israel students can defend their views, and that instances of anti-Semitism, which violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and other federal laws, are documented and referred to the relevant authorities, he said. Closed vs. open conference What appeared to strike a chord with the board was the notion of a closed conference. Almost immediately after statements from Harris and Feldman, Regent Sherry Lansing expressed surprise regarding the policy. I thought conferences had to be open, she said to her fellow Regents before calling the possibility of a closed conference very concerning. Lansing, along with Regent/Vice Chair John Perez, asked for a speedy inquiry into governing legislation of board policy applicable across UC campuses with regards to the issue of closed versus open conferences. I was a little shocked myself, Harris told JNS after the board meeting, that a group like this, thats at the very least controversial, could hold a closed conference at a university and not invite greater scrutiny. Thats troubling. But it does look like theyre going to take it seriously. He added that, although hed like the pernicious event not to be allowed to take place at all, an open conference could work to the advantage of truth in having the whole thing exposed. After the board meeting, Harris acknowledged that he wrestled with whether or not to speak out publicly in condemnation of NSJP and its activities on campus. Its a tough call because we dont want to give [NSJP] more press than what they deserve, but at the same time, you want to call attention to it when anti-Semitism is being used out in the open and being broadcast to indoctrinate a next generation, he told JNS. So we feel like we have to be here, we have to call this out. For Feldman, a member of Students Supporting Israel, a grassroots pro-Israel organization active on UCLAs campus, the decision to speak emanated, in part, from his personal dealings with SJPs UCLA chapter. Feldman has already filed a criminal case against several SJP members with the UCs police department in connection to alleged incidents of vandalism, battery and disruption at a May 17 event. In order to change the tide of things, we need to make clear denunciations of their misconduct, he said. And thats not just on a local level, but also nationally. Thats why it was so important for me to bring this to the attention of the Regents, and continue to address the illegality or illegitimacy of their actions. As of this writing, NSJP and UCLAs branch of the organization have not yet responded to requests for comment from JNS. A Chinese destroyer made a series of aggressive maneuvers toward the San Diego-based guided-missile destroyer Decatur early Sunday in an incident the Navy called unsafe and unprofessional. A statement from the U.S. Pacific Fleet said the incident, which occurred near the Gaven Reef in the South China Sea, involved a Chinese Luyang class destroyer. The Chinese vessel issued warnings to the American ship to leave the area before sailing within 45 yards of the Decaturs bow. The (Chinese) destroyer conducted a series of increasingly aggressive maneuvers accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area, said Navy Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Pacific Fleet spokesman. The (Chinese) destroyer approached within 45 yards of Decaturs bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision. Gaven Reef is close to the disputed Spratly Islands, where China has made several territorial claims not recognized by the U.S. and other nations in the region. Advertisement The U.S. Navy has made a point of sailing through the contested waters in defiance of Chinas claims. The Decatur was apparently involved in such freedom of navigation operations when Sundays incident occurred. China has built airstrips and artificial islands in the South China Sea, actions condemned by Defense Secretary James Mattis in Singapore in June. So make no mistake: America is in the Indo-Pacific to stay, Mattis said at the time. This is our priority theater. Our interests and the regions are inextricably intertwined. Mattis characterized Chinas militarization in the South China Sea as being for intimidation and coercion. China views American operations in the vicinity of its claimed territory as provocations. However, in 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinas territorial claims in the Spratly Islands a ruling the country rejected. The islands are mostly uninhabited but are close to busy shipping lanes lanes which the U.S. has an interest in protecting. U.S. Navy ships and aircraft operate throughout the Indo-Pacific routinely, including in the South China Sea, Christensen said. As we have for decades, our forces will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows. Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter. Two suspects were arrested Monday evening after leading police on a wild pursuit through North Hollywood that ended with a carjacking and a collision with a police cruiser, authorities said. Los Angeles gang officers began chasing the suspects, at least one of whom was possibly wanted for murder, about 7:20 p.m. at Lankershim Boulevard and Saticoy Street, said LAPD Officer Mike Lopez, a spokesman for the department. The driver sped through red lights and stop signs, almost colliding with other vehicles and sometimes driving on the wrong side of the road. Toward the end of the pursuit, the driver pulled onto a curb and ran away. Soon after, he carjacked an SUV on live television in what appeared to be a parking lot near Sherman Way and Whitsett Avenue. The victim escaped unharmed. Advertisement The suspect drove the stolen car a few hundred yards before colliding with a police cruiser while trying to exit the lot. Thats when we pinned him, Lopez said. The driver and a passenger, neither of whom was identified, were taken into custody. Its unclear if they were armed. UPDATE: The murder suspect has surrendered following a wild finish to a car chase that led to a foot pursuit, carjacking and crash. https://t.co/CWh2BVViZi pic.twitter.com/Z9g2jW9TMK NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) October 2, 2018 alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek A woman who was arrested in connection with a stabbing death at a Rolling Hills Estates mall and was later released says Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell and other officials falsely named her as a suspect as part of what she says was a racially charged homicide investigation. Cherie Townsend said at a news conference Monday that she is filing claims against Los Angeles County, the Sheriffs Department and the cities of Rancho Palos Verdes and Rolling Hills Estates over her arrest in the killing of 66-year-old Susan Leeds. Leeds, a retired nurse from Rancho Palos Verdes, was found stabbed to death inside her Mercedez-Benz SUV parked at the Promenade on the Peninsula shopping center at 12:22 p.m. on May 3. No charges have been filed in the killing, said Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Advertisement At a news conference May 18, McDonnell named Townsend as the murder suspect and said investigators believed Leeds was randomly targeted in an attempted robbery. Townsend said the public statements, along with a quote in a newspaper by Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Susan Brooks about the arrest, have ruined her reputation and brought her family unfair scrutiny. I live my life in hiding, afraid that the police are going to come or that Im gonna be unjustly targeted like I was before, Townsend said. The 40-year-old said she used to work as an L.A. County probation officer but fears she will not be able to return to that job. Townsends claim, the precursor to filing a lawsuit, seeks at least $12 million in damages. Townsend was the second person to be arrested and released in connection to the crime. A 62-year-old homeless man was seen in surveillance photos near Leeds SUV and was held on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance but was later eliminated as a suspect. The Sheriffs Department has not made any other arrests. Townsend said she was pulled over while driving to a friends house in Victorville on the night of May 16 and held at gunpoint by several officers who said her Chevy Malibu was suspected of being linked to Leeds slaying. The single mother of two said she was shopping at the mall for her sons prom after dropping off her daughter at a friends house nearby. Her car was parked on the same level as the SUV and her cellphone was found somewhere on the malls premises. She said she has no idea who may have killed Leeds. Townsends attorney, Nazareth Haysbert, said detectives told his client, who is black, that she didnt have enough money to shop at the mall and didnt belong in the area. The crime occurred in a largely white, affluent community. Haysbert said detectives obtained Townsends DNA and fingerprints but have yet to return her car and other possessions. Townsend was held in jail for five days and released May 22 after the district attorneys office declined to file charges against her. The Sheriffs Department said in a statement that detectives are still receiving tips and following leads in the very complex, yet active investigation. There are no witnesses to the crime, the agency said. This was a very traumatic experience, for a city thats known for being one of the safest in California, to have this violent crime take place in midday, Rolling Hills Estates Mayor Britt Huff said at the time about the slaying. In a statement, the city said it had not received Townsends claim and could not comment on a sensitive legal matter. A spokesman for Rancho Palos Verdes said that city also had not received a claim and said the Sheriffs Department is still investigating the homicide. Department spokeswoman Nicole Nishida did not respond to questions about whether Townsend is still considered a suspect and referred the queries back to the agencys statement. Haysbert accused McDonnell of authorizing a hasty arrest in a community served by his deputies in order to boost his image ahead of the June 5 primary election, when the sheriff was pushed into a runoff. He appears on the ballot again on Nov. 6. The sheriff never makes any department decisions based on campaigns or elections, McDonnells campaign manager, Steve Barkan, said in an email. Risling, of the district attorneys office, said the Sheriffs Department was asked to do more investigating but has not presented a new case to prosecutors. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau When Jorie and Dan Fischer attended a wedding in a Northern Ireland castle, the La Jolla couple had no idea that they would be walking down the halls of her familys history. Seems the castle randomly chosen by their San Diego friend, Sarah Brusch, for her marriage, was linked to Maria Fitzherbert. In 1785, Maria Fitzherbert married George Augustus Frederick, the Prince of Wales (later crowned King George IV) in a ceremony that was never blessed by the sitting monarch. She was Roman Catholic and the wedding, if recognized, would have disqualified Prince George from succeeding to the throne. While keeping their marriage a secret, Fitzherbert reportedly had children by the future king who were raised by other families. A son, James Ord, was raised in Spain and later relocated to America. Jorie Fischers great great grandmother, Mary Ord Preston, was a descendent of James Ord. Advertisement Fitzherbert purportedly had a daughter with Prince George who was raised by the family of Lord Hugh Seymour. She, in turn, gave birth to a daughter, Constance, who married into the Leslie family. This brings us to Castle Leslie, still owned by the family, where portraits of Maria, her alleged daughter and Constance hang on the walls. It was the craziest thing, says Jorie, who learned of the history from a castle tour guide who alluded to rumors of Fitzherbert having a son named James Ord. Dan and I just looked at each other and our jaws dropped. Her family had traced their roots back to Ord and were aware of the purported Fitzherbert connection but not the Irish castle tie. She has since relayed information to the castle guide about the possible missing family link. Castle Leslie, incidentally, was in the public eye in 2002 when Sir Paul McCartney married his former wife, Heather Mills, in the estates family church. A memorial bouquet of flowers and a message marked the anniversary of the PSA Flight 182 crash in 1978 in North Park in this file photo. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) More to the story: This past week brought numerous reminiscences about the tragic collision of the PSA jet and a small plane 40 years ago over North Park. But Marilyn Brayman recalls an unmentioned side story that shook up her family. On that fateful morning, her mother, who was visiting, watched the crash coverage on TV in the Braymans South San Diego home. She had a ticket on a PSA flight to Seattle leaving later that morning. Her face was ashen but, nevertheless, Brayman said her mother insisted on flying home. So she drove her to Lindbergh Field and stayed to watch the plane depart. It taxied down the runway but suddenly did a U-turn and returned to the gate. Passengers were asked to de-plane and await clearance for takeoff, but the reason for the delay wasnt announced, Brayman recalled. About 30 minutes later, the passengers re-boarded, and the plane left. Brayman asked the gate attendant what had triggered the delay and was shocked by the agents answer: Someone had called in a bomb threat. U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson smiles after landing in a remote area of Kazakhstan on Sept. 3, 2017. The Soyuz capsule also carried Jack Fischer, of NASA, and Russian astronaut Fyodor Yurchikhin. Whitton will be inducted into the S.D. Air & Space Hall of Fame on Oct. 3. (Sergei Ilnitsky / AP) Air pioneers: The Oct. 3 date for induction of new members to San Diego Air & Space Museums International Hall of Fame wasnt determined by its staff but rather by incoming honoree Peggy Whitson. We let Peggy pick the date, explained museum President Jim Kidrick, noting that she has spent more time in space than any other NASA astronaut 665 days. Inductees also include San Diego State grad Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic woman in space, Alaska Air Group CEO Brad Tilden, late ace fighter pilot Richard Bong and Lloyd Newton, the first African-American to fly for the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds. diane.bell@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1518 Twitter: @dianebellSD Facebook: dianebell.news Two of three new accusers who allege on-the-job sexual misconduct by a sheriffs deputy testified against him in a Vista courtroom Monday. One of the women said Deputy Richard Fischer repeatedly showed up uninvited at her Vista home in 2017. The encounters included unwelcome hugging, kissing and groping, and culminated with him forcing her to perform a sex act. I was scared to say or do anything, the 51-year-old testified, because who is going to believe me? You cannot call police on a police officer. Fischer, 32, was in court for the start of his preliminary hearing for the felony sexual assault charge by far the most serious allegation against him as well as charges of groping or fondling two other women. Advertisement In all, he faces criminal charges linked to accusations from 16 women. He has pleaded not guilty, and has vigorously denied the allegations. Fischer, who was a Marine reservist and who was once deployed to Afghanistan, is on unpaid leave while the investigations continue. He is also out of custody. There are two cases one involving 13 women, and a second case, filed in August, involving three more accusers. That second case was the subject of the hearing that began Monday. At the end, Superior Court Judge Daniel Goldstein will determine if there is enough evidence to order Fischer to stand trial in the second case. First on the stand was a woman who runs group homes, and most of her clients have mental illnesses. She said it was not uncommon for someone to call 911 about once a week for help at the homes, located on a Vista cul de sac. Fischer was one of two deputies who responded to one such call from a resident on New Years Eve 2016, she said. She said the trouble was over when she arrived, but that Fischer whom she was meeting for the first time asked her for a hug. She obliged, thinking nothing of it because it was a holiday. Over the next few months, her clients told her that the deputy with the dog kept coming around, asking for her. On occasion, he would come to her office in the garage in her home on the cul de sac close the garage door and hug her, she said. One night in early spring 2017, she was getting ready for bed when a bright light shined inside her home. It was Fischer, she said, asking to come in to talk with her. She let him in, thinking he wasnted to discuss something related to the group homes she owned and managed. Once inside, she said, the deputy kissed her and groped her, then grabbed her wrist and led her to her bedroom. There, she said, the deputy put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her to a sitting position at the edge of the bed. Then, she said, he unzipped his pants and forced her to perform a sex act. Asked what else she remembers, she said she recalled hearing the deputys dog barking, very loud, from his car. She also remembered the image of his gun on his duty belt. After a few minutes, she said, the deputy stopped and pulled away. She said he told her he had a wife and child, and then left. On cross examination, defense attorney Manny Medrano delved into the alleged encounters. You understand that your testimony is being used to incriminate my client? Medrano asked near the start of his questioning. He also asked the woman about her encounter with Fischer when she first met him on New Years Eve 2016. The woman told Medrano that when Fischer asked her for a hug during that initial encounter, another deputy was a couple of steps away, within earshot. A second women took the stand late Monday and said she found herself in the back of Fischers car after a drunken driving crash when she was 24 in September 2017. She said Fischer rubbed her thighs she was wearing shorts as she sat in the car with her seatbelt on, her hands cuffed behind her back. Testimony in the hearing is expected to resume Tuesday. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com (760) 529-4945 Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT The former CEO of the Freedom Fighters Foundation, a civil liberties organization that ran a private shooting range in North County that drew the ire of many neighbors, pleaded guilty Monday to felony gun trafficking. Chad Clay Kipper, 34, admitted to falsely claiming to be an Arizona resident when he bought 14 firearms there in 2016, according to his plea agreement. According to prosecutors, he quickly resold the guns in California for a profit. It is against the law to lie on an application during the purchase of firearms. Only licensed firearms dealers can buy a gun in one state and transport it back to a home state. Kipper was sentenced to three years probation on Monday after pleading guilty. As a convicted felon, he is now prohibited from possessing firearms under state and federal law. As part of the plea agreement, Kipper forfeited 16 guns. Advertisement NBC 7 investigated the 22-acre private shooting range in the Rancho Pasqual neighborhood after viewing complaints on Nextdoor.com and from nearby residents. The residents were concerned about fire danger and complained about constant noise from the shot, including what sounded like the firing of fully automatic weapons. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives began investigating in January and found that Kipper was listed with the California Secretary of State as the CEO of Freedom Fighters Foundation, which owned the range. Checks revealed that Kipper, who lived in Carlsbad, was not registered to own any automatic weapons in the state. His Arizona purchases were then uncovered, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. According to the Freedom Fighters website, the groups aim is dedicated to the core principles of constitutionally limited government, conservative family values, free markets and individual liberty. To accomplish its mission, it blends civics and firearms education. In cooperation with NRA certified instructors, law enforcement, and every day patriots, Freedom Fighters Foundation provides a free basic firearms safety instruction and civics course to underprivileged citizens in our society. (underprivileged defined as having no civics or firearms education), the website states. The course emphasizes the importance of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, acting responsibly when exercising rights, and the original intent of the Founding Fathers. kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @kristinadavis San Diego County public schools continue to outperform the state average on test scores, but scores have been slow to improve in the past three years, according to state testing data released Tuesday. About 56.3 percent of San Diego County students who took state tests this past spring met or exceeded state standards in English, while 44.3 percent did so in math. Thats an improvement of 5 percentage points in English and 4 percentage points in math since 2015. Compared to 2016, the improvement is 0 percentage points in English and one percentage point in math. In San Diego Unified, the states second-largest school district, 56.4 percent of students tested met or exceeded state standards in English and 47.2 percent did so in math this year. Advertisement San Diego Unifieds scores have risen by 5 percentage points in English and 6 percentage points in math since 2015. Its English performance is the same as it was in 2016, and math is up three percentage points. Still, San Diego Unified School District officials noted that the district has the highest English scores among the states five largest urban districts and the second highest math scores. Those other districts are Los Angeles Unified, Long Beach Unified, Fresno Unified and San Francisco Unified. I think the data shows pretty clearly that San Diego Unified is headed in the right direction and that there is growth, albeit modest, San Diego Unified School Board President Kevin Beiser said. Statewide, 49.9 percent of students met or exceeded state standards in English this year and 38.7 percent of students met or exceeded math standards. Fifteen San Diego County school districts and the San Diego County Office of Education did worse than the state average in English, and 21 school districts and the county office did worse than the state average in math. The county has 42 school districts. The table below shows the percentage of students that met or exceeded state standards on mathematics and English/language arts tests in 2017 and 2018. Local education officials say they are happy that there has been incremental improvement over time, but there always needs to be more. In an ideal world, right, we would have all students meeting standards. That would be the expectation, said Steve Green, senior director of assessment, accountability and evaluation for the San Diego County Office of Education. Fifty-six percent, while thats great that theres improvement, that means that half the kids arent on standard yet. So theres a sense of urgency there. Even among the countys highest-performing school districts, there are significant achievement gaps among different student groups, such as low-income students. For example, while Encinitas Union Elementary had the countys sixth highest scores among districts in the county, it had the widest achievement gaps between poor students and students who were not poor a 42 percentage point gap for English and 45 percentage point gap for math. While Rancho Santa Fe Elementary had the countys second-highest math scores and third-highest English scores, the district didnt have a single poor student who took state tests. In San Diego County overall, there was a 30 percentage point gap between poor students and students who were not poor for English and a 32 percentage point gap for math. In San Diego Unified, there was a 34 percentage point gap for English and a 36-percentage point gap for math. Those district gaps have not changed since 2015. I think everybody in education realizes the incredible challenges of children in poverty, Beiser said. We need to continue to redouble our efforts to support all of our students. The table below shows the percentage of students that met or exceeded state standards on mathematics and English/language arts tests in 2017 and 2018. This is the fourth year that California has used the Common Core-based Smarter Balanced tests to measure student performance statewide. Test scores cannot be accurately compared to scores before 2015, the first year that the tests rolled out. Students in third through eighth grade and 11th grade take the state tests in English and math. Officials at school districts that had lower scores emphasized the fact that test scores are just one measure of school quality. We pay attention to them, but its not what drives us, said Superintendent David Miyashiro of Cajon Valley Union School District, which had scores that were lower than the state average in English and math. If those are the goals, then test scores matter, but other things matter more. Miyashiro said he focuses more on whether Cajon Valley students are engaged in school and whether students develop the soft skills that will make them successful in future careers, such as interpersonal skills and self-awareness, which cannot be shown with standardized test results. The district has integrated a World of Work program across schools that shapes learning around careers starting at a young age. Test scores by themselves also do not show whether a student came in to a school already years behind in academics, nor does it show how much a student has grown in a year, Miyashiro pointed out. For example, test scores wouldnt show if a fifth-grader started the year at a first-grade reading level and finished the year at a fourth-grade reading level. Many schools also educate larger numbers of students who are still learning English or bring hardships such as poverty, trauma or homelessness that other schools have less of. Cajon Valley, for instance, has about 2,000 refugee students, Miyashiro estimates. Its just one assessment, Beiser said. Its just one snapshot in time and weve got to remember our children are more than just one test score. Lower-performing school districts said they have plans to raise test scores in the future. For example, Valley Center-Pauma Unified, where less than a quarter of students who took state tests passed math, adopted a new curriculum in the last year that is more aligned to state standards, which Superintendent Ron McCowan expects will gradually raise test scores. Were attacking the work that needs to be done to improve student performance, McCowan said. Lemon Grove School District showed some of the highest overall gains since 2015 among San Diego County districts, even though its current scores are still below the state average. Lemon Groves English scores rose by 12 percent and its math scores rose by 9 percent since 2015. We are on an upward trajectory, so thats what were pleased to be seeing, Superintendent Kimberly Berman said. Are the scores high enough? Not yet, but were really proud of the work that our staff and students have been part of. The state will incorporate these test scores into its annual school dashboard ratings, which will provide a more comprehensive picture of school performance based on more than just academics and test scores. The dashboard includes measures such as graduation rates, suspension rates, English learner progress and chronic absenteeism. Thats a much bigger picture of the overall system, Green said. This is just one slice. The California Department of Education calculates percentages using the total number of students with valid test scores. Some schools or districts reported no students meeting or exceeding state standards, while others have so few students in that category, the percentage is not reported. Kristen Taketa Email: kristen.taketa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @Kristen_Taketa Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested 84 people across San Diego County in a large-scale enforcement operation over the past two weeks. ICE reported similar enforcement efforts across the country. ICE officers arrested 150 people around Los Angeles, 98 people in North Texas and Oklahoma, 105 in Michigan and Ohio and 83 in Wisconsin. The timing of these operations was coincidence and not a coordinated effort, according to Gregory Archambeault, director of San Diegos ICE field office. Our operations teams are out there on a daily basis targeting these folks, Archambeault said. If we get a backlog of cases, well try to crack down a little bit and put more resources toward it so we can arrest these folks. Advertisement It took a few weeks to plan this most recent operation, he said. He attributed some of ICEs case backlog to people who were released from jail instead of being turned over to the agency because of a California law that limits cooperation between local law enforcement and immigration officials. Twenty-two of the people arrested in the operation, about 26 percent, fell into that category, he said. About 30 percent of those arrested 25 people had criminal convictions, according to ICE. Another 55 percent 46 people had been ordered deported and either hadnt left the U.S. or had been removed and came back. They had their day in court and failed to leave the country, Archambeault said. Were going to to continue targeting those people. Two of the people arrested were not targets of the operation, Archambeault said. They were collateral arrests, meaning that ICE officers found them while looking for someone else and found that they were in the U.S. without authorization. Most of those arrested were from Mexico, according to Archambeault, and people from Brazil, China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Vietnam, Israel and Yemen were among those arrested. In the agencys announcement about the operations results, ICE highlighted the criminal histories of three people its officers took into custody, including a 38-year-old man from Mexico who has been removed from the U.S. four times. His criminal convictions include drug trafficking and driving under the influence, ICE said. The man was charged with illegal re-entry and will be prosecuted in federal criminal court. Two others arrested during the operation will be prosecuted, Archambeault said. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter Scientists and patients whove long held that marijuana can be used to treat illness and disease are finally getting some backing from the federal government. The Drug Enforcement Agency currently lists marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that it has no known medical use and a high potential for abuse. But in a very narrow ruling, the DEA recently said that patients who suffer from two specific types of epilepsy could benefit from taking Epidiolex, a new anti-seizure medication derived from marijuana. Epidiolex largely consists of cannabidiol, or CBD, a compound in cannabis that does not get people high. Advertisement The DEA decided to classify Epidiolex as a Schedule 5 drug, which would rank it with cough medicines. The move has caused some confusion. The Union-Tribune sought clarity from Dr. Igor Grant, a psychiatrist who helps lead UC San Diegos Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research. Q: The DEA says marijuana does not have proven medical value, but that Epidiolex does, and that it has a low potential for abuse. Isnt that a contradiction? A: It is a contradiction. The DEAs thinking has been that anything that directly comes from the marijuana plant the flowers and leaves is automatically a Schedule I drug. Epidiolex comes from the plant. It is highly purified. But it is not a synthetic compound developed in a chemistry lab. What may have motivated the DEA is that there is pretty compelling evidence that Epidolex which is mostly CBD helped treat epilepsy in children. The DEAs ruling is highly restricted to one product. Q: OK. But it seems that the government thinks there might be broader medicinal value in CBD. Didnt the government recently give UC San Diego permission to import CBD from Canada for a clinical trial in humans who suffer from essential tremor? A: Yes. There is a company Tilray that distributes medicinal cannabis products and formulations in Canada. They have an oral formulation thats mostly CBD. One of the researchers here at UC San Diego Dr. Fatta Nahab worked with Tilray and the government to get approval to have it imported. If Dr. Nahabs study shows that this particular CBD product is effective in controlling essential tremor in older people, I think there will be a push to have the drug approved for that purpose. Q: Does this indicate that CBD is becoming more acceptable to the US government? A: There is a growing consensus in the medical community that CBD should be tested for several conditions. And I think there is a growing political consensus that CBD is unlikely to be dangerous that it wouldnt cause addiction. It doesnt get people high. I think that CBD eventually will be legalized and reclassified as a Schedule 5 drug. Some would argue that this should have been done long ago. Q: What about marijuana itself? Do you think that the DEA will eventually downgrade it from a Schedule 1 drug? Its now on the same list as heroin and LSD. A: I think that is a political decision. If it were a medical and scientific decision, it would already have come off Schedule I. Marijuana should be Schedule 3, which is where you would find drugs like the lower doses of codeine. It is also where synthetic THC is listed. I dont think its likely that marijuana, overall, will be reclassified in the next year or two. But its more likely that that will happen to some of the constituents of cannabis. Q: How should consumers regard CBD? I see it advertised everywhere. You can buy it in many places. But it is not regulated by the FDA. How does anyone know if it is safe or effective? A: We should be cautious because we still dont really know what CBD does do and doesnt do, or what the right dose is. There havent been enough studies. And we dont really know how much CBD is in the products people buy in unregulated places. The advertisement could say that it has a certain level (of CBD) and it might not have any at all, and there could be other ingredients like THC (which makes people high), or other chemicals. The State Department has stopped issuing visas to the same-sex partners of foreign diplomats sent to the United States or the United Nations in New York unless they are legally married, officials said Tuesday. The shift, which began Monday but was announced Tuesday, is likely to make it difficult for some diplomats to bring their partners to postings in the United States because few countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East recognize or allow same-sex marriages. The State Department said waivers would be granted in hardship cases. It said the change would affect about 105 couples or families now in the United States, including 55 that work for the United Nations or other international organizations. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo has pushed for religious freedom to be paramount among human rights that the United States advocates overseas, a shift from previous administrations. Advertisement Some activists worry that religious liberty is often used to deny rights to gay, lesbian and other non-heterosexual people. David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Council, which advocates for gay rights, said the State Department decision was unnecessary, mean-spirited and unacceptable. This is an unconscionable, needless attack on some LGBTQ diplomats from around the world, Stacy added. State Department officials defended the move, saying it was a matter of parity because under the new policy, U.S. diplomats in same-sex relationships also had to be married in order to receive benefits and be posted abroad together. The purpose of the policy is to promote the equal treatment of all family members and couples, a State Department official said, briefing reporters anonymously in keeping with department protocols. This is certainly not an attack, another State Department official said. It is not meant to be punitive. It is a recognition and a codification of the fact that same-sex marriage is legal in the United States. The new policy reverses an order by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who required all domestic partners of foreign diplomats or U.N. envoys to be given visas. The State Department became increasingly receptive to gay members on its staff and LGBT rights around the world. A special LGBT envoy was appointed under the Obama administration, but the Trump administration has not filled that slot. Same-sex marriage is legal in the United States, one of about 25 countries that grant marriage equality, according to activist groups. In countries where gay sex violates the law, or gays are openly persecuted, same-sex couples obviously cannot marry before traveling to the United States. The State Department said they could marry after they arrive, but that would require the non-diplomatic partner to obtain a separate travel visa to enter the United States. This will have an insidious impact on same-sex couples from countries that ban same-sex marriage or only offer civil unions, said Akshaya Kumar, deputy U.N. director at Human Rights Watch. tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com Twitter: @TracyKWilkinson Texas police officers turned a calm situation into a nightmare and needlessly tased a 20-year-old man after they responded to a call in August, family members claim. DeSoto resident Sammie Anderson had called the cops after two of her sons began to argue. It was the worst decision Ive ever made as a mom, Anderson told the Dallas Morning News. Video released by the department on Monday appears to confirm some of the familys claims. Anderson has filed an excessive force complaint against the DeSoto Police Department. Advertisement She claims that her sons had stopped arguing when cops arrived, but the officers still apparently ordered everyone to lie face-down on the street. She says she was slammed to the ground and as a result sprained her shoulder and ankle, according to the Morning News. An officer explained, were just detaining everybody, despite the plea of a family member that no one is fighting. It had been like 110 degrees that day, Sammie Anderson told WFAA. The ground was so hot ... I dont understand how you go from us calling you to us needing to get on the ground. Witnesses say Grant Bible, one of Andersons sons, was tased while he was on the ground. All I know was I kept feeling electricity go through my body, he told the Morning News. And Im like, Why am I being tased? Bible and another son were arrested for interfering with police, and another person was busted for domestic violence, according to the Morning News. It was the worst nightmare I could ever imagine, Sammie Anderson told WFAA. Officers at the scene can be heard admonishing family members in the dashboard video: This could have been handled a whole lot easier. We go to calls all day, families fight, it never gets like this. This turned like this because of you all and how you all handled the situation. At one point an officer says, yes, thats how s--t in the media happens. The dashboard video does not show the entire incident, but Police Chief Joe Costa said the officers at the scene acted appropriately, according to WFAA. Costa admitted to the Morning News that the scene was calm, but said the officers needed to take control because a 911 caller said someone had a sledgehammer. He also said some members of the family resisted. He said the family, and the public, should comply now, complain later in such situations. If you comply now, most of the time, well get it resolved without anyone getting hurt, he told the Morning News. PORTLAND, Ore. A former southern Oregon property owner has been charged with assault on a federal officer after authorities say an FBI agent sent to the property was shot from a booby-trapped wheelchair. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that authorities responded to the home in Williams on Sept. 7 at the request of a lawyer tasked with selling the property. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Medford says officers found multiple traps and that the agent was wounded in the leg when he entered the home. Authorities say the makeshift weapons were created by Gregory Rodvelt, who was forced to forfeit his property as part of an elder abuse case. Advertisement The Mail Tribune reports Rodvelt is in Arizonas Maricopa County Jail, where hes in the midst of an assault trial in a separate case. Court records show he has refused a court-appointed defense lawyer. French photographer Jean-Claude Arnault, who was at the center of a scandal that caused a major rift in the Nobel Committee, was sentenced to two years in prison Monday after being found guilty of a 2011 rape. At least 18 women accused Arnault, 72, of sexual assault last year at the onset of the #MeToo movement, but only one investigation moved forward: a woman who claimed the famous photographer had forced her to perform oral sex and to have sex with him in October 2011. She also accused him of raping her while she was asleep in December of that year. Judge Gudrun Antemar and three lay judges unanimously found Arnault guilty of the October assault. The evidence in this case has mainly consisted of statements made during the trial by the injured party and several witnesses, Antemar said in a statement released by the court. The court has made a thorough evaluation of the evidence and the courts conclusion is that the evidence is enough to find the defendant guilty of one of the events for which the prosecutor has brought charges. Advertisement The victims attorney, Elisabeth Massi Fritz told the New York Times that the verdict is a big relief for my client and a victory for justice. She also said she hopes it undermines the culture of silence that surrounds rapes and sex crimes. Arnault has denied all allegations of misconduct. The rape scandal also tore apart the Nobel Committee for literature, where his wife, Katarina Frostenson, served as a member. The committee refused to expel Frostenson from its ranks, at which point three of its members resigned in protest. Sara Danius, The head of the Swedish Academy, the group that awards the prize, also stepped down. Members of the committee, which is a lifetime designation, cannot officially quit, but can refuse to vote. As a result of the exodus, the Nobel Foundation announced that no prize for literature will be awarded in 2018. The crisis in the Swedish Academy has adversely affected the Nobel Prize. Their decision underscores the seriousness of the situation and will help safeguard the long-term reputation of the Nobel Prize. None of this impacts the awarding of the 2018 Nobel Prizes in other prize categories, chairman Carl-Henrik Heldin said in May. The Nobel Foundation presumes that the Swedish Academy will now put all its efforts into the task of restoring its credibility as a prize-awarding institution and that the Academy will report the concrete actions that are undertaken. We also assume that all members of the Academy realise that both its extensive reform efforts and its future organisational structure must be characterised by greater openness towards the outside world. Arnaults convinction was announced the same day that the Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to American James Allison and Japans Tasuku Honjo. two cancer immunotherapy researchers. As well as the sexual assault, Arnault was also accused of leaking the names of the Nobel laureates in literature ahead of the official announcements. A 47-year-old Maine woman has been missing since Sunday evening and police are looking for help to find her. Kristin Westra, an elementary school teacher, was last seen on an evening jog in North Yarmouth, police said. Her husband, Eric, reported her missing around 9 a.m. Monday when he woke up and realized she never came home, Capt. Scott Stewart said at a press briefing Tuesday afternoon. Its critical that we find her, Captain Scott Stewart said. We are not ruling out foul play. Advertisement Westras brother, Eric Rohrbach, told ABC News that his sister is the last person that would do something like this. This is very abnormal, he said. He told the outlet that she was stressed at work and was having trouble sleeping, while Eric Westra said she had gotten up at about 3 a.m. Monday because she couldnt fall asleep. Police described Westra as 5'10, 140 lbs with brown hair and brown eyes. Its unclear if she has a vehicle or why she disappeared. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Cumberland County Regional Communications Center at 207-893-2810. The manhunt for a Tennessee criminal accused of killing two people in a week-long crime spree entered its third day on Tuesday. Officials are frantically searching for 53-year-old Kirby Gene Wallace, a 10 most=wanted fugitive on the run since he allegedly attacked a couple on September 23. Police said he tied them before setting their home in Stewart County on fire, killing 63-year-old Brenda Smith and seriously injuring Teddy Smith, the Tennessean reported. The couple had just returned from church Sunday to find the intruder inside their home. A few days later, Wallace allegedly tied up an elderly woman and robbed her home in nearby Montgomery County. Advertisement Authorities ramped up their search efforts for Wallace on Monday, the same day the suspect allegedly shot and killed a man before stealing his pickup truck. Given the vehicle was found crashed and abandoned a few miles away from the crime scene, law enforcement believe the suspect is traveling on foot and likely sporting camouflage. Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson said that while Wallace has yet to be positively identified, authorities believe it is him based on evidence discovered on the scene. Several roads remained closed and schools in the area were placed on a soft lock down Tuesday as law enforcement continued to comb through the rugged and rural terrains surrounding the multiple crime scenes. At least 20 agencies are assisting in the manhunt, including 20 agents with Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, according to CBS News. Wallace is wanted on charges including first-degree murder, felony murder, aggravated arson, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary and theft of property. Police warned that Wallace is likely armed and dangerous and described him as 5 feet 10 inches tall with gray and brown hair. He weighs around 160 lbs., has hazel eyes and may have some sort of facial hair. A reward of $7,500 is being offered for information leading to Wallaces capture. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-800-TBI-FIND. Four white supremacists have been arrested in connection with Charlottesvilles Unite the Right rally, which killed one and injured more than 30 people in August 2017, federal authorities announced Tuesday. Cole White, Benjamin Daley, Michael Miselis and Thomas Gillen were hit with federal conspiracy charges, Western Virginia U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen and FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Thomas Chadwick said at a news conference. The charges are not related to the death of counterprotester Heather Heyer. Heyer, 32, was killed Aug. 12, 2017, when white supremacist James Fields drove his car through a large crowd of people protesting against the Unite the Right rally. He was charged with first-degree murder, and in June, was indicted on more than two dozen counts of federal hate crimes. Advertisement The four new cases were of men who had traveled to Charlottesville, Va., from California, where they were all arrested Tuesday. These four committed particularly violent acts in Charlottesville (and) they committed violent acts in California, Cullen said. They were essentially serial rioters. . . . This wasnt the lawful exercise of First Amendment rights. These guys came to Charlottesville to commit violent acts, and it wasnt the first time theyd done it. Cullen said the group participated in rallies in Huntington Beach, Calif.; Berkeley, Calif., and other cities, and that they were identified thanks to extensive digital evidence captured by phones and surveillance video. Daley, Miselis, Gillen and White attended the tiki torch march Aug. 11, and were caught on film engaging in acts of violence. They returned the next day and, according to Cullen, assaulted an African-American man, two women and a minister wearing a clerical collar. The rally, which made national headlines, was organized by white supremacists with the intention of uniting the white nationalist movement as well as to fight the potential removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a Charlottesville park. A Washington woman accused of killing her allegedly abusive mother spent the hours after her death digging a grave instead of calling police. Asenka Miller Wilber, 50, claimed that she and her 75-year-old mother Carole Hardin had a fight last week that resulted in Weber repeatedly punching Hardin in the head, according to a probable-cause affidavit. Once she checked Hardins pulse and confirmed that she was dead, Wilber grew confused and started digging Hardin a grave in the backyard of the Vancouver, Wash. house they shared, according to KPTV. The hole was several feet deep, and Wilber reportedly only stopped digging because she became physically exhausted. Advertisement She headed to a neighbors house Thursday, 24 hours later, to finally alert authorities. Wilber allegedly told detectives that Hardin had been physically abusive her entire life, according to the affidavit. Wilber appeared in Clark County Superior Court Monday, and is facing a charge of second-degree murder. I want the death penalty, lethal injection please. The court does not want me alive and neither do I, she said in court, according to KPTV. She was ordered held on $500,000 bail, though prosecutors had called for more, citing public safety. Hardin had previously obtained a restraining order against Wilber, but had not renewed it. It was eventually dropped when neither woman appeared at a court hearing. With Wire News Services The Republican senator who suddenly sits at the center of the explosive debate over President Trumps Supreme Court pick was set to address New Hampshire voters on Monday ahead of a possible run for president. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake was scheduled to speak in New Hampshire Monday evening, his second appearance this year in the state that hosts the nations first presidential primary election. Three days earlier, Flake single-handedly delayed Brett Kavanaughs confirmation proceedings by insisting on an FBI investigation as a condition for his support. Flake told CBS 60 Minutes on Sunday that he believed the woman accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault and said the conservative judges nomination would be over if federal investigators determine he lied to the committee. Advertisement Flake, a 55-year-old lifelong conservative who is retiring from the Senate at the end of the year, has quickly emerged as the centerpiece of a passionate lobbying effort from the right and left. Organizers said a separate Flake appearance in Boston earlier in the day was moved to City Hall after security concerns emerged about the original location. Hundreds of liberal protesters, victims of sexual assault among them, pleaded with Flake to block Kavanaughs nomination outside the venue. A similar demonstration was planned for New Hampshire. New York congressional candidate Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez warned Flake and other elected leaders that voters would end their careers should they support Trumps Supreme Court nominee. We are going to keep pushing because justice in America is not just about protecting the powerful, Ocasio-Cortez charged. It is about uplifting the voices that have been victimized. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh offered a direct message to the Republican senator from Arizona. I guess I want to say, Thank you, Walsh said. But thats your job. Thats your job to vet the nominee. The true test for Flake would come once the full Senate votes on the Kavanaugh nomination in the coming days, Walsh said. He has an opportunity to do something very special at some point next week, the mayor said. Flake was set to address New Hampshire voters later in the day. In March, Flake told New Hampshire Republicans that someone needs to stop Trump in the 2020 presidential contest. Flake said he may run either as a Republican or an independent if no one else does. It has not been in my plans to run for president, but I have not ruled it out, Flake said at the time. I hope that someone does run in the Republican primary, somebody to challenge the president, Flake said. I think that the Republicans want to be reminded what it means to be a traditional, decent Republican. The mystery of what New York resident Tad Low claims he saw inside Brett Kavanaughs Yale fraternity house back in the 80s has been solved. During the 1987-88 school year, I was an eyewitness to a shocking ceremony taking place inside the DKE fraternity house that involved a semi-circle of cheering frat brothers watching a local prostitute perform a public sex act, Low said in a letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley obtained by the Washington Examiner. This could be the big one! Yalie sends Sen. Coons a new Kavanaugh allegation. Coons forwards to Chairman Grassley... pic.twitter.com/5Lu7DLY4We Byron York (@ByronYork) October 2, 2018 Speaking to the Daily News on Monday, Low declined to give details of the shocking incident but said the difficulty he encountered trying to report his tip to the FBI was frustrating. Advertisement A Yale alum who was a year behind Kavanaugh at the prestigious Ivy League, Low said he wasnt sure if the Supreme Court nominee even attended the party in question, but he felt compelled to report the event. He figured the FBI with its vast resources might be able to quickly determine whether Kavanaugh was present that night by checking the judges oft-discussed calendars and checking with a witness inside the party whose identity Low provided. Yale alum calls FBI with tip for Brett Kavanaugh probe, gets embarrassing runaround, no response, he says Low told The News he went out of his way to report the tip on Saturday but was placed on long holds with the FBI and never received a return call. He said his frustration led him to also write letters to Grassley, who is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Democratic Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chris Coons. Coons apparently forward his version of Lows letter to Grassley, and Grassley responded with withering criticism in a reply also obtained by the Washington Examiner. The purpose of this allegation is plain: to smear Judge Kavanaughs name by associating him with the partys hosts, Grassley wrote. This guilt-by-association tactic is the basest form of political attack and deserves unqualified condemnation. Chairman Grassley responds to Sen. Coons' new allegation: pic.twitter.com/9zy1jUzrbJ Byron York (@ByronYork) October 2, 2018 Grassley said his investigators have serious work to do and suggested they wouldnt be spending any of their valuable time investigating Lows tip. It deserves unqualified condemnation? How about we focus on unqualified FBI resources? Low told The News in a phone interview Tuesday. I dont understand why they set the one-week time period if they had no intention of following up on things, Low said. This is worth looking into. We know he likes a good party, and we know he keeps great records. Low, 52, told The News he reported the incident out of a sense of civic duty and was surprised by how frustrating the process was. He said while he didnt know Kavanaugh personally, he felt it was within the realm of possibility Kavanaugh attended the party he witnessed. Trump claims its a very scary time for young men as assault allegations amass against Brett Kavanaugh A member of DKE before receiving his undergraduate degree in 1987, Kavanaugh was still involved in campus life at the time, attending Yale Law. Low said the party in question was at the frats newly purchased, first standalone residence, which might have been an added draw. Speaking to The News on Monday, Low steadfastly refused to describe what he saw peeking through the window at the DKE house. He didnt want to make it harder for investigators to corroborate the wild story with other witnesses, he said. He would only say it was disturbing enough that he went the extra mile to proactively call the FBI and the invite the scrutiny and possible penalties of an FBI interview into his life. He said he repeatedly waited on hold at least 15 minutes at one point and got transferred around. When he finally reached a low-level employee who took his information, the staffer asked no follow-up questions and ended the call without so much as a reference number, he said. After hours passed with no return call, Low tried a different FBI office and was told agents werent working over the weekend, he said. Low said he called the FBI again Monday and was still waiting for a reply on Tuesday. They at least acknowledged they had a record of my call and said it has been submitted out accordingly. I dont know, maybe they threw it in trash, he told The News. They wont even send me an email confirming I submitted my claim. They said if Id like to add additional information, I could wait on hold for another 30 minutes. 1 / 26 Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies after he is sworn in before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Kavanaugh is claiming his innocence after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused him of sexually assaulting her in high school. (Saul Loeb / AP) 2 / 26 Ashley Kavanaugh listens to her husband, SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh, give his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27, 2018. (Win McNamee / AP) 3 / 26 Brett Kavanaugh speaks as his family listens his the Senate Judiciary Committee following Dr. Fords testimony on Capitol Hill on September 27, 2018. (MICHAEL REYNOLDS / AFP/Getty Images) 4 / 26 Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gets emotional as he testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. (Win McNamee / AP) 5 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford swears in at her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. Dr. Ford is testifying against SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh following her accusations that he sexually assaulted her in high school. (Pool / Getty Images) 6 / 26 Rachel Mitchell ask questions to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford during the Fords and Kavanaughs Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Pool / Getty Images) 7 / 26 Sen. Kamala Harris, D-CA, listens as Christine Blasey Ford testifies before the US Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on September 27, 2018. (Pool / Getty Images) 8 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford, left, next to one of her lawyers Michael R. Bromwich, tears up during her Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on September 27, 2018. (Pool / Getty Images) 9 / 26 Senate Judiciary Committee members (L-R) Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) listen to the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 10 / 26 U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) reacts during testimony from Christine Blasey Ford at a Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Sept. 27, 2018. (Pool / Getty Images) 11 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford is hugged by her attorney Debra Katz after she finished testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27, 2018. (Andrew Harnik / AP) 12 / 26 A Capitol Police Officer tell supporters of Christine Blasey Ford to disperse as they sit down and block traffic on 1st Street, NE, between the Supreme Court and Capitol in Washington, DC on Sept. 27, 2018. (Cliff Owen / AP) 13 / 26 A protester opposing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh yells as she is arrested while blocking traffic in Washington, DC on Sept. 27, 2018. (Patrick Semansky / AP) 14 / 26 Emily Brown, from Washington, DC, raises her fist as she protests against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh outside the Supreme Court on September 27, 2018. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) 15 / 26 Protestors gather in the Hart Senate Office Building on September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC, in support of Christine Blasey Ford, who is testifying against Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. (JOSE LUIS MAGANA / AFP/Getty Images) 16 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford listens to her attorney Michael Bromwich as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 27, 2018. (Win McNamee / AP) 17 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford prepares to take a break as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 27, 2018. (Andrew Harnik / AP) 18 / 26 Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) (l.) brings coffee to Christine Blasey Ford (r.) as she testifies before the committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) 19 / 26 Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) listens to Senator Dianna Feinstein (D-CA) speak at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Pool / Getty Images) 20 / 26 Christine Blasey Ford, the woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in 1982, testifies during their US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on September 27, 2018. (SAUL LOEB / AFP/Getty Images) 21 / 26 SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh received his own share of support of the day of the hearing: here, his supporters gather inside the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. (Patrick Semansky / AP) 22 / 26 (l-r) Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), ranking member, Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), and Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) speak before Dr. Fords and Kavanaughs Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Pool / Getty Images) 23 / 26 Protestors rally against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and in support of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford outside the Supreme Court, September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) 24 / 26 Men and women march against US Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on September 27, 2018. (CHET STRANGE / AFP/Getty Images) 25 / 26 Protesters demonstrate in the Hart Senate Office Building as the Senate Judiciary Committee hears from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford on Capitol Hill on Sept. 27, 2018. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP) 26 / 26 Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) (r.) and actress and sexual assault survivor Alyssa Milano are interviewed in the hearing room where Christine Blasey Ford will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill September 27, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) Low said he understood his tip might be a red herring, but it might also lead to something relevant, in his opinion, and the clock is ticking. The phone thing was really embarrassing all the waiting on hold, listening to the bad elevator music, Low said Monday. If its true the White House and (Senate Judiciary) Committee are truly serious about learning all they can, why not at least set up a special Kavanaugh hotline or dedicate some agents? If its just one week, can we get some manpower? he asked. A nomination tee-totaled: Why Trump may be praying the FBI blows up Kavanaugh President Trump nominated Kavanaugh over the summer to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. The bid seemed like a lock until multiple women stepped forward to say Kavanaugh sexually assaulted them while intoxicated at parties in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has disputed the claims and testified under oath last week that while its true he very much likes beer, he has never blacked out from drinking too much alcohol. President Trump reopened the FBI investigation of Kavanaughs background on Friday, giving it the seven-day time limit. Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox on Monday closed out his statewide bus tour in San Diego with a visit to one of the citys largest homeless services providers. During the visit Cox, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, toured Father Joes Villages and got a firsthand look at the many services and housing used to support homeless people in the city, all while discussing a variety of homelessness related topics with staff including the sanitation conditions of shelter facilities, the role of healthcare in helping populations and the causes and scope of last years Hepatitis A outbreak. It is a human tragedy on many levels, and it certainly is a tragedy for people that are homeless, said Cox of the states homelessness crisis, adding that it also affects the health of residents in the area and the economic future of California. One of the main issues that I am going to be focused on as governor is housing I am learning that the presence of so many homeless is also the function of the cost of housing in the state. The trip to Father Joes was just one of several visits to homeless services facilities Cox has made in the past week and marked the end of the candidates statewide Help Is On The Way bus tour that began nearly a week ago. Advertisement Over the course of the tour, Cox made more than 30 stops with the hope of connecting with Californians throughout the state, meeting them everywhere from the DMV in Fremont and gas stations in Chico to a car show in Stockton and a farmers market in San Luis Obispo. The tour has played well into the central message of Coxs campaign as he seeks to upset Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom, who has long been the favorite in the race. Throughout his campaign Cox has presented himself as a champion for working Californians and positioned himself as an outsider to a California political establishment in serious need of change. As such, much of Coxs campaign has focused on homelessness and more narrow issues such as Californias high cost-of-living and the states gas tax. In contrast, Newsoms campaign has pushed larger issues such as healthcare and climate change, as well as his potential role as a state leader resisting the policies of President Donald Trump. Ill support the president when he does things that are good for California and Ill speak up when he might do things that are against the interest of Californians. But he is not the issue in this race, even if thats what my opponent would like me to do, Cox said Monday. The issue in this race is the affordability of this state, the failure of our schools, the failure of our fire protection, the failure of our security. The difference in the approach and messaging of the candidates was even reflected in their respective bus tours. Newsoms tour featured larger crowds and made several stops on behalf of Democratic candidates in more tightly-contested congressional and legislative races, whereas Coxs tour really emphasized trying to connect with residents in more individual settings. That messaging and approach seem to have served Cox well as hes narrowed the gap with Newsom. A recent poll by Probolsky Research found Newsom leading 44 percent to Coxs 39 percent, a change from the double-digit lead Newsom had in polls in early June. It is all about the quality of life, Cox said of his recent surge in the polls. My opponent wants to be a partisan, Im not a partisan. I want to provide help to people, I want to get the quality of life back up in the state. It is also the basic working people of California, the forgotten Californians who are just living day to day trying to pay their bills I think thats why this campaign has built momentum, and frankly its why I think Im going to be the next governor, Cox added. Cox and Newsom are scheduled to debate at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 on KQED-FM radio. Authorities on Monday identified a 21-year-old driver and her 53-year-old passenger who were killed Thursday in Lakeside in a head-on collision that threw them from their sedan as it split in two. The driver was Ashley Olivia Kay and her passenger was Gregorio David Hernandez, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiners Office. Both lived in El Cajon. Kay was speeding in a 1992 Honda Accord around 6:30 a.m. Thursday on Wildcat Canyon Road north of Willows Road when the car veered into the opposite lane of travel, the Medical Examiners Office said in a statement. The driver of a (2013 Porsche Cayenne) travelling in the opposite direction had no time to avoid the collision and the vehicles collided head-on, according to the Medical Examiners Office. Advertisement The force of the collision was so great it caused the Honda Accord to be cut in half, California Highway Patrol Officer Travis Garrow told OnScene TV last week. The two halves of the Honda were found roughly 100 feet apart. Despite wearing seat belts, Kay and Hernandez were both launched from the car, authorities said. Hernandez died at the scene, while Kay was airlifted to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where she died just minutes after arrival. The 43-year-old woman driving the Porsche was taken to a hospital with major injuries, according to Garrow. Investigators asked last week for anyone who witnessed the crash to call the CHP at (619) 401-2000. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com A motorcyclist was fatally injured in a collision with an SUV early Monday morning at a San Marcos intersection, authorities said. A passenger in the SUV was seriously injured in the crash, but expected to survive, San Diego County sheriffs Sgt. Nicholas Maryn said. It happened about 5:45 a.m. on Twin Oaks Valley Road at Equestrian Court, just north of Buena Creek Road, Maryn said. The circumstances of the crash were not disclosed, but a rider aboard a 2002 Suzuki collided with the passenger side of a 2001 Ford Explorer. Medics took the 45-year-old motorcyclist to Palomar Medical Center in Escondido, where he later died from his injuries, Maryn said. His name was not released pending his family being notified. Advertisement A 49-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Explorer was airlifted to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, where doctors said her injuries were serious, but not expected to be life-threatening, Maryn said. The 46-year-old man driving the Explorer sustained minor injuries. Sheriffs officials do not suspect alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash, and a sheriffs accident reconstruction team is investigating the collision. Anyone with information about the deadly crash was asked to call Deputy Yvan Rogers at (760) 510-5200. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com La Mesa police on Monday evening were searching the Walmart at Grossmont Center after the store received a vague bomb threat, a police sergeant said. Management at the two-story Walmart at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive chose to evacuate the store, although they were not directed to do so by police, Sgt. Dan Herrin said. The vague threat was made over the phone a little before 6 p.m. On Twitter, the Police Department asked people to avoid the area. Police activity at Walmart in Grossmont Center, La Mesa. Avoid area. https://t.co/O0vpKh5tPu La Mesa PD (@LaMesaPD) October 2, 2018 Advertisement As of 7 p.m., La Mesa police officers were helping store employees to search the premises but had not found anything suspicious, Herrin said. It was unclear how long the search would last, but if nothing was found, Walmarts management was expected to have the final say when the store would reopen. No other stores in the mall were closed, Herrin said. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com Parishioners at a Catholic church in University City got the first opportunity Monday night to tell Bishop Robert McElroy how they feel about the ongoing scandal involving sexual abuse by priests. They didnt seem happy. The session drew an overflow crowd of 335 people to the parish hall at Our Mother of Confidence church. Seven other time to listen sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks. In his opening remarks, McElroy said, We are in a terribly wrenching moment in the life of our church, and he encouraged the parishioners to help point the way forward. Advertisement But he quickly ran into rough waters and some booing from audience members who felt he was downplaying the abuse case of recently resigned Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and mischaracterized a scathing letter by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano that accused higher-ups in the church of protecting McCarrick. More cover-up, one of the audience members said out loud. Many of the questions from parishioners were heated. Several asked when bishops would be held accountable for failing to root out and remove abusive clergy. We have no confidence that the bishops can police themselves, one woman said. Others wanted to know what the church is doing to make sure seminarians arent being compromised by priests, and several criticized what they called a homosexual subculture in the Vatican that encouraged abuse of young boys. McElroy said he supports more accountability from bishops, including himself. But he challenged the idea that sexual orientation has anything to do with clergy abuse. Abuse is not about sex, he said. It is about power and domination. Thank you, a woman in the audience said. Thank you. McElroy outlined zero tolerance reforms the diocese adopted in 2003 that are designed to curb abuse, including reporting credible allegations to police or social-welfare authorities and appointing an independent review board to evaluate the accusations. He said there have been no credible allegations involving a living priest in more than three years, although there have been a handful of valid cases against lay employees. I think were in an OK place... he started to say. Thats the problem, an audience member shouted. ...in the structures we have put in place for the protection of minors, McElroy said. For all the hostility in the room, the nights loudest applause came when a parishioner said she wanted to thank all the good priests in the diocese. McElroy announced the listening sessions on Sept. 13 to address what he called the terrible moment we are in. He pointed to a 1,400 page report released a month earlier by a grand jury in Pennsylvania that said more than 300 priests across the state had sexually abused at least 1,000 children over the past seven decades and that the church hierarchy had covered it up. The individual stories of abuse that robbed the souls and violated the bodies of so many innocent children and young people during the past 70 years are shattering, McElroy wrote in a letter to San Diego County parishes. For me as a bishop there is an additional level of shame, because in many instances, this abuse was magnified by the leadership of the church that placed fear of scandal and the culture of clericalism ahead of the protection of young people. Outside Our Mother of Confidence church a group said the rosary before Catholic Bishop Robert Walter McElroy spoke with the parish. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) At the same time, the local diocese added eight names to its own list of priests believed to have molested children. They joined 48 priests and one lay employee who had been named earlier as part of a massive lawsuit involving 144 claims of sexual abuse. The suit ended in September 2007, when the diocese agreed to pay $198.1 million, the second-largest settlement by a Catholic diocese in the United States. In his letter to the San Diego-area parishes, McElroy said the grand jury in Pennsylvania had identified zero tolerance reforms that were working there, including consistent reporting of allegations to civil authorities, the creation of lay boards to evaluate the allegations, and the education of children about abuse. Similar reforms in San Diego are based on an unswerving focus on protecting minors and vulnerable adults and a binding voice for the laity in determining whether an allegation is true. Any genuine reform must forcefully integrate these principles in a framework of accountability that applies to bishops in their personal lives and administrative actions. Mondays session will be followed by four more this week, two later in October, and a final one in November. McElroy said church leaders areseeking input from people in the pews on the pathway to such reform, listening to those who have been victimized by clerical sexual abuse either directly or in their families, and praying for Gods grace to be our only guide. The schedule of other listening sessions: Oct. 3, 7 p.m. : St. Joseph Cathedral, 1535 Third Ave., San Diego. Oct. 4, 7 p.m.: Our Lady of Grace, 2766 Navajo Road, El Cajon. Oct. 5, 7 p.m.: Saint Charles Parish, 990 Saturn Blvd., San Diego. Oct. 6, 9 a.m.: Saint Mary Parish, 795 La Brucherie Road, El Centro. Oct. 17, 7 p.m.: Church of the Nativity, 6309 El Apajo Road, Rancho Santa Fe Oct. 18, 7 p.m.: St. Gabriel Parish, 13734 Twin Peaks Road, Poway Nov. 5, 10 a.m.: University of San Diego, Joan B. Kroc Institute, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com Jason Kander, the former Missouri secretary of state and Democratic Party darling, announced Tuesday that hes ending his campaign for Kansas City mayor in order to seek treatment for PTSD. The 37-year-old politician, who almost ousted the incumbent Republican Roy Blunt in the 2016 Missouri Senate race, revealed in a Medium post that he first contacted the VA four months ago because he was struggling to deal with the impacts of his time as an Army Intelligence Officer in Afghanistan 11 years ago. I cant have PTSD, I told myself, because I didnt earn it, he wrote. But he went to the VA anyway, saying that he knew he needed help. Advertisement I went online and filled out the VA forms, but I left boxes unchecked too scared to acknowledge my true symptoms, he wrote. I knew I needed help and yet I still stopped short. I was afraid of the stigma. I was thinking about what it could mean for my political future if someone found out. Last week, Kander said, he called the crisis line with suicidal thoughts. Im done hiding this from myself and from the world, he wrote. When I wrote in my book that I was lucky to not have PTSD, I was just trying to convince myself. And I wasnt sharing the full picture. I still have nightmares. I am depressed. Kander also said hell step back from his political action organization, Let America Vote, which fights to end voter suppression. Since 2016, when Kander ran a pro-gun control campaign ad that showed him assembling an AR-15 rifle blindfolded, he has been considered a target for the 2020 Democratic presidential race. In June, he met with former President Barack Obama in a casual sit-down to talk about the race and how to campaign against President Trump. Obama was holding D.C. meetings with several potential contenders, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, former Vice President Joe Biden, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, former Attorney General Eric Holder, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and South Bend, Ind. Mayor Peter Buttigieg. Former President Barack Obama threw his weight behind dozens of Democrats running in midterm elections next month including 11 New York nominees hoping to represent their constituents in Congress and the state legislature. The endorsement announcement was Obamas second, as he steps up his campaigning ahead of the high-stakes elections on Nov. 6. Im proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who arent just running against something, but for something to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service, Obama tweeted along with a list of the candidates he is endorsing. They deserve your vote. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Bronx-bred democratic socialist who edged out longtime Rep. Joe Crowley to represent New Yorks 14th district in a stunning upset in July, made Obamas congressional endorsement list. Advertisement Thank you, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted at Obama. Time to bring it home this November. Help us organize for healthcare, housing, education, and justice for all. Obama also endorsed Staten Island congressional contender Max Rose and upstate nominee Dana Balter. The ex-commander-in-chief also announced his support for a number of Democratic state legislature candidates: Long Islands Louis DAmaro, Jim Gaughran and John Brooks; Queenss James Skoufis; Hudson Valleys Karen Smythe and Jen Metzger; and upstates John Mannion and Rachel May. The state tax department launched a review Tuesday of allegations that President Trump committed fraud by dodging millions of dollars in taxes over the course of several years. The announcement by the Department of Taxation and Finance came within hours of a bombshell New York Times report detailing dubious tax schemes that Trump participated in with the help and blessing of his late father, Fred Trump, in the 1990s. The Tax Department is reviewing the allegations in the NYT article and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate avenues of investigation, a spokesman for the department told the Daily News. The Times story, which is based on a cache of confidential tax returns and financial records, states Trump has received at least $413 million from his fathers real estate empire over the course of his life a drastic departure from the small loan of a million dollars the President has claimed was the only source of financial help his dad provided. Advertisement Trump claims its a very scary time for young men as assault allegations amass against Brett Kavanaugh A significant chunk of the cash came into Trumps possession because he set up sham companies to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from his dad while also helping him take improper tax deductions by undervaluing his real estate holdings. Several of the machinations amounted to outright fraud, according to experts. Over the course of decades, Trumps parents reportedly funneled well over $1 billion to him and his siblings in gifts a figure that should have been subject to the states 55% tax rate on such transactions. Instead, the Trumps paid a mere $52.2 million, or roughly 5%, in taxes, according to records. The newly unearthed financial records and tax returns make clear that Trumps business ventures and financial well-being was deeply dependent on his dads wealth a revelation that undercuts the Presidents longtime depiction of himself as a brilliant deal-maker and self-made billionaire. Charles Harder, who represents Trump in a variety of personal capacities, claimed the allegations are extremely inaccurate and said the President had no direct knowledge of any given tax scheme. President Trump had virtually no involvement whatsoever with these matters, Harder said in a statement. The affairs were handled by other Trump family members who were not experts themselves and therefore relied entirely upon the aforementioned licensed professionals to ensure full compliance with the law. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders claimed the Internal Revenue Service reviewed and signed off on these transactions, seemingly ignoring the fact that the Trumps reportedly hid and mischaracterized large sums of money. Fred Trump has been gone for nearly twenty years and its sad to witness this misleading attack against the Trump family, Sanders said in a statement. A state law enforcement source told The News that its unlikely the tax department will be able to bring a criminal case against Trump over the fraud allegations, since the statute of limitations for such charges expired long ago. However, authorities can likely still slap Trump with civil fines for tax fraud. There is no civil statue of limitations for fraud, said Nicholas Gravante, a longtime white collar defense attorney in New York. On the eve of last weeks dramatic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, legislative staffers questioned him privately about an anonymous letter purportedly from an Oceanside woman saying Kavanaugh and a friend raped her. The hand-written letter was sent to the downtown San Diego office of California Sen. Kamala Harris two weeks ago. Staffers read the two-and-a-half page letter to Kavanaugh and questioned him about it at 8:07 p.m. Wednesday, according to a transcript of the telephone interview released on Monday. The letter was signed Jane Doe, Oceanside, California. Advertisement According to the transcript of the 21-minute interview, Kavanaugh denied the allegation outright, insisting that he never sexually assaulted anyone in a car or elsewhere. The whole thing is ridiculous, Kavanaugh told his interviewers. Nothing ever -- anything like that, nothing. I mean that. The whole things just a crock, farce, wrong, didnt happen, not anything close! Mondays release of the interview transcript shows the kinds of information that senators, attorneys and the nominee have been sorting through, some of it behind the scenes, as they assess Kavanaughs fitness for the highest court in the land. The Oceanside letter is undated and offers few clues about where or when the alleged assault occurred. Kavanaugh kissed me forcefully. I told him I only wanted a ride home, the author wrote. Kavanaugh continued to grope me over my clothes, forcing his kisses on me and putting his hand under my sweater. No, I yelled at him. The transcript makes reference to the Oceanside woman becoming the sixth allegation against Kavanaugh late in the proceedings. The latest accuser said Kavanaugh continued to grope her despite her pleas for him to stop. At the same time, the boy in the back seat covered her mouth so she could not scream, she wrote. According to the accuser, who said she is a teacher who was afraid to come forward because of the potential impact to her and her family, she had been attending a party with a friend who left with a different boy, leaving her to find her own way home. She acknowledged she had been drinking at the gathering. Join the discussion on Facebook The letter, which was marked urgent across the envelope, concludes with an explanation for why the alleged rape was not reported. She said times were different at the time of the attack. She also said she has grown up to receive an education and start a family and a home. Just because something happens a long time ago, because a rape victim doesnt want to personally come forward, does not mean something cant be true, she wrote. Harris spokeswoman Lily Adams said the correspondence came with no return address. As soon as our office received the letter, we turned it over to the chairmans office and to the FBI, which is the standard practice, Adams said in a telephone interview late Monday. At the end of the interview, the staffers said to Kavanaugh, This call is not part of the FBI background investigation because we received these allegations outside of the FBI background investigation. But we want to just find out from you, do you object to the public release of what you have said today on this phone call, including the public release of the transcript? Kavanaugh replied, I do not object. It is not clear whether the latest accusation will become part of the limited, reopened FBI investigation, launched after Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, requested it on Friday as a condition of his support for moving the nomination from the committee to the full Senate. A San Diego County shelter for immigrant minors failed to provide children adequate food including options when they dont like the main course, according to the findings of an investigation by the states Department of Social Services. The July investigation instructed the facility, run by Southwest Key Programs San Diego, to correct the deficiency or face civil penalties. Interviews with witnesses confirmed residents are not receiving a sufficient amount of food and are not offered options, the Department of Social Services report stated. A Southwest Key spokesman said Tuesday that the deficiency has been corrected and the children can now request an additional serving of protein, if they remain hungry. Advertisement Kids receive three meals a day and two snacks, and the meals follow the same nutritional guidelines as in any public school, Southwest Key spokesman Jeff Eller said. Southwest Key operates a network of federally-funded shelters across the southwest for unaccompanied migrant children, including those separated from their parents. The report documenting the violation is routine for facilities inspected by the state but provides a rare glimpse into the federal system supervising migrant children at more than a 100 undisclosed sites across the country. Southwest Key operates 27 such shelters in California, Arizona and Texas. Human rights advocates, journalists and lawmakers have raised concerns about conditions at the facilities and being denied access to check on the welfare of the children. The federal Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement places the unaccompanied minors in shelters across the nation, and the facilities are licensed through the state like any other group home, according to a state spokesman. In California, complaints about group home facilities are made to the Department of Social Services, which licenses and routinely inspects 65 shelter facilities in San Diego. When an allegation is made, it is investigated and determined to be substantiated, inconclusive, or unsubstantiated, the state spokesman said. Rarely is a complaint found to be substantiated. Between January and June 2017, the state agency received about 115 complaints for facilities in San Diego serving foster youth, runaway youth and children removed from their home for alleged abuse. Nine of those allegations were substantiated, state data shows. In December 2017, the Department of Social Services received a complaint that Southwest Key staff were not providing children with enough food at one of the nonprofit groups three San Diego locations. A state inspector arrived unannounced six months later, in late July, to investigate and interview staff and children about the food, according to a state investigative report. State employee Gloria Meza concluded the allegation was substantiated and said the lack of adequate food posed a risk to the childrens health and welfare. The facility does not serve adequate amount of food for the residents in the facility therefore poses a potential risk to the health and welfare of the residents, the report stated. Meza noted children were not offered options if they disliked a meal. The deficiency we were asked to correct was to provide kids with more options if they didnt like what was being offered, Eller said. We addressed the issue and submitted our plan of correction to state licensing. Now if kids dont like part of a meal, they can choose between several options. Eller provided The San Diego Union-Tribune with a supplemental menu that included items such as tofu soup, pinto beans and rice, spinach cream soup and rice and corn. It offers the option of substituting proteins of beef, chicken and fish. A state spokesman said the six-month gap between the complaint and when an investigator arrived at the facility was the amount of time it took to complete the investigation. The time it takes to complete an investigation varies depending on the complexities of the issue, said Michael Weston, a spokesman for the state agency. Weston said there is no fine or penalty for a first citation. A second citation for the same issue can result in a $150 per day civil penalty. The complaint was listed on the facilitys record as a Type B violation, or the less serious of two categories used by the agency tasked with overseeing the states most vulnerable youth. Type B violations include faulty record keeping and inadequate training, whereas Type A citations are for more serious safety violations like failing to prevent sexual assaults. The location and name of the facility was not revealed on the report. But the shelter capacity listed on the report 65 matches the number of children served by Casa San Diego, a Southwest Key facility in El Cajon. Southwest Key is among the largest child migrant shelter providers nationwide, having served 24,877 children last year, according to information the company provided during a media tour of Casa San Diego earlier this year. Staff members must be bilingual and receive 80 hours of training before they can work with children. Earlier state visits and inspection reports say the shelter serves children aged 6 to 17 years old. An investigator with the Department of Social Services has visited the facility nine times since it was licensed in February 2016, records show. Contributor Wendy Fry can be reached at wendym.fry@gmail.com. Let Newland build the homes North County needs Re Newland Sierra housing project wins supervisors approval (Sept. 26): The referendum efforts to overturn the Board of Supervisors approval of the Newland Sierra project are ridiculous and should not be signed by anyone that seriously is considering to be able to afford to live in San Diego County for themselves, their children or grandchildren. The effort is being funded by the current billionaire owner of the Golden Door. The previous two owners were also billionaires. Since when do billionaires hold hostage all us regular folks that need homes? The Golden Door is now 60 years old. How many of us own homes for 60 years and demand that nothing be built within a two-mile radius that will disturb our peace and tranquility. Only billionaires can expect that kind of special treatment. The Golden Doors claim that it cannot co-exist with us normal folks is not true as hundreds of luxury spas throughout the world exist in heavily populated areas. Advertisement David Shibley Escondido If this is what the U-T wants, (more density), then it had better editorialize for more routes to the coast from inland North County. The Rancho Santa Fe/Palomar Airport corridor is over-inundated with cross-county traffic at rush hour, making San Marcos a nightmare traffic problem. The Deersprings Road interchange is a mere drop in the bucket compared to the cross-county traffic ( east-west) problem, which will be more complicated by the Sierra project. Where is the vision here? Either the Hwy 78 needs to be broadened, or a new inland freeway from the I-5 need to be built, heading inland from Del Mar race track, connecting to I-15. Chet Chebegia San Marcos Newland Sierra is not what we need We have a fine general plan. People from all sides created a plan to allow tens of thousands of new homes all over the county in over a dozen village nodes with highways, energy and water. Ignore the bogus claim that Newland Sierras homes solve our housing needs. San Diego County needs starter homes, not McMansions. Developers try to build on land that isnt near village nodes, and is cheaper, so they make more profit. Their greed costs the public: fire risks, worse C02 output, unplanned traffic, lack of police, groceries, schools, hospitals, and loss of watershed to refill groundwater. Newland Sierra is has an especially bad feature: it would break a link in the carefully-planned wildlife survival network in our county. Supervisors, thank developers for their donations, but please, serve us, your constituents, not them. We have a General Plan. Your job is to implement it, not amend it. Kay Stewart San Diego Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/01/2018 -- Global Candy Melting Pot Market A candy melting pot is used for melting candies and chocolates at high temperature in minimum time. A candy melting pot consists of removable silicon or stainless steel pot and a heat-resistant handle to carry the container. Candy melting pot offers multiplicity of uses, and candy melting pot also has temperature setting regulator to adjust heat setting from warm to melt. Candy melting pot are generally power operated, but the battery operated candy melting pot is trending nowadays. The rising demand from the mix flavor candies and fresh sweets and chocolates is expected to boost the growth of the candy melting pot market over the forecast period. The candy melting pot market in the bakery industry is majorly driven by the space crunch factor and easy utility. The candy melting pot market consists of small players with a high number of Chinese players dominating its sales; very few brands are focused on candy melting pot. Majority of the candy melting pot market operates through e-commerce websites like Walmart, Target, E-Bay and other online sales channel. Request For Sample @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1061 Low cost of cable free candy melting pot with the small built-in features is expected to create growth opportunities for the candy melting pot market. Besides, the candy melting pot can be utilized for a variety of tasks such as chocolate melting, fondue preparation, and others. Alternate factors driving the global candy melting pot market is the growing preference for chocolate fondue and candy melts by the consumers. Thus, manufacturers of candy melting pot are concerned about the aesthetics and design of candy melting pot so that it can be served directly on tables from which candy and the chocolate melt can be consumed. Manufacturers' focus on resilience and durability of product (candy melting pot) drives the stronger consumer base for the candy melting pot market. Market players for candy melting pot market are also facing some limitations, such as shipping and transportation costs remaining a prime concern for candy melting pot manufacturers. Also, the price of the product varies highly in international candy melting pot market, the difference is mainly due to the growing penetration of Chinese players. Thus, candy melting pot manufacturers face problems of forward as well as reverse logistics. Further, increasing preference for online sales has invited buy-back approach without taking transportation cost from consumers. Candy melting pot market can be segmented by geography into six regions, namely North America, Europe, CIS and Russia, Latin America, Japan, Asia Pacific excluding Japan and the Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to account significant share in the global candy melting pot market. North America consists of market leaders operating in the candy melting pot market and have the highest share in the region and across the globe. It is followed by Asia Pacific and Europe due to the popularity of homemade chocolate. The candy melting pot market in North America and Europe is increasing owing to the adoption of innovation in kitchen and bakery equipment and growing consumer demand for small and compact candy melting devices. The majority of the candy melting pot demand in Asia Pacific region is served by a large number of small candy melting pot manufacturers constituting sizeable unorganized manufacturing sector of Asia Pacific. In MEA, the briskly growing economies in Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain present lucrative opportunities for candy melting pot market during the forecast period. Latin America is also expected to register significant growth during the forecast period. Request Brochure Copy of the Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1061 A large number of manufacturers of candy melting pot are present in China due to growing consumer goods market and high penetration of small SKUs in the region. Wilton is one of the leading manufacturers of the candy melting pot. The company has high penetration in the market due to high quality and low cost of the product. The company also has a wide distribution networks, and its candy melting pot is readily available on online consumer retailers' website for international customers. Some of the key players in the Candy Melting Pot market are, Wilton, PME, Farberware, Koolatron, Royston, Chocolatiere etc. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/02/2018 -- The latest report, Fibre Bars market enables stakeholders to gain insights into their potential consumers to construct more effective marketing strategies for the forecast period, 2018 to 2025. Most importantly, the document empowers business owners to seek information about potential consumers and where they can find them. With an exclusive coverage of the top vendors, the study enables business owners to know more about the local market and locate potential consumers. Download Sample Copy of Fibre Bars Market @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/19608 The comprehensive study offers an overview of the current state of development of the business as well as predicts the course of progress across different regions. A large number of factors including the major driving forces, threats and opportunities are taken into account to present an analytical picture of the industry portrayed in the report. The research further examines and provides data on the market by type, application and geography interspersed with illustrations and other graphical representations. The market analysis not only determines the attractiveness of the industry but also the evolving challenges and opportunities and their association with the weaknesses and strengths of prominent market leaders. Market Segment by manufacturers, the report covers the following companies: - Fibre One - Pepsico Canada ULC - Freedom Nutritional Products - Nestle - Wheyless Market Segment on the basis of Product, the report covers: - Gluten Free Protein Bars - Vegetarian Protein Bars - Others Order a copy @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/19608 Market Segment on the basis of application, the report covers: - Supermarket - Convenience Store - Online Stores - Others Key Topics Covered: - Fibre Bars Market Overview - Global Fibre Bars Market Competition by Manufacturers - Global Fibre Bars Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018) - Global Fibre Bars Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018) - Global Fibre Bars Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type - Global Fibre Bars Market Analysis by Application - Global Fibre Bars Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis The study segments the complete Fibre Bars market on the basis of different application, end-use, end-user, and production capability. From a business standpoint, the industry has been thoroughly examined across various countries located in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and others. The size of the industry for the forecast period 2018 - 2025 is evaluated on the basis of current sales figures and past financial report can be used to forecast the future sales. Complete report is available now @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/fibre-bars-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact US: 40 Wall St. 28th floor New York City NY 10005 United States sales@marketexpertz.com +1-800-819-3052 Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/01/2018 -- The global genetically modified food market has been significantly growing due to the rise in demand for healthy and nutritional food products by consumers of different age group. Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods which are derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in such a way that it does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms). Foods produced from by using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods. The major advantages of genetically modified foods are better texture, flavor and high nutritional value along with longer shelf life. However, unusual taste over non-GM food and safety concerns as it might interfere with the body normal functioning are some of the disadvantages of genetically modified food. Genetically Modified Foods: Drivers and Restraints: The major factors driving the genetically modified food market are high nutritional content in the food, high production quantity and less requirement of pesticides. However, damage to beneficial insects and soil fertility coupled with genetic pollution, absence of any centralized government regulation and lack of awareness about the benefits of GMO are factors which are restraining the market potential growth. Rising demand for healthy food products, year round and easy availability of genetically modified food are main trends in the genetically modified food market globally. Genetically modified food market is segmented on the basis of type and region. On the basis of type genetically modified food is segmented into crops, vegetables, fruits and animal products. Corn and Soya are widely cultivated in genetically modified form as compared to other crops in the US. Furthermore, on the basis of region the market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan and Middle East and Africa. Request for Table of Contents @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-889 Major players operating in this category are Monsanto US, DuPont US, Syngenta Switzerland, Bayer Crop Science Germany, Sakata Japan, BASF Gmbh, Group Limagrain France to name a few. The global players are focused on partnership and collaboration with other companies in order to increase its product portfolio, industry offering and global presence. The global giant in genetically modified food are actively involved in collaboration with the Advanced Research Institutes (ARIs) in the industrial countries such as Brazil, Argentina, China, India, Malaysia and the Philippines for significant R&D program in biotechnology and transgenic crops. Companies are also increasing their R&D in some of the African countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt and Uganda in order to cater the growing demand for genetically modified food in Africa In 2014, North America was the largest market for genetically modified food and likely to remain as market leader in terms of revenue during the forecast period. China and India are the major countries in Asia-Pacific which is expected to emerge as major market for genetically modified food market. Also, other developing countries such as Brazil is anticipated to growth at a robust CAGR over the forecast period. The US government is focused towards the safety of GM products. The industry is regulated by the Department of Agriculture, for farm biotechnology, and the Food and Drug Administration, which governs food and its ingredients. The developers of the genetically modified food products are intensely involved in certifying their safety. For instance, FDA depends on a consultative process with developers who voluntarily present their plans to the agency before marketing the products Request For Report Sample: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-889 Reading, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/02/2018 -- Motor vehicle accidents can cause severe injuries and result in excessive medical bills and lost wages for the victim. The skilled teams of truck, motorcycle, and car accident attorneys that serve Schuylkill County, at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., handle the full range of motor vehicle injury cases for clients throughout Pennsylvania. They are available to help victims and their families put the pieces of their lives back together as much as possible when confronted with the sometimes devastating effects of being involved in an auto accident. The firm's automobile accident attorneys have won numerous awards and settlements, including many multi-million dollar ones, for victims of car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, and bicycle accidents. The awards and settlements obtained by Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., include cases involving drunk drivers, road defects, and dangerous and unqualified truck drivers. The motor vehicle accident cases handled by the firm have involved serious and fatal truck collisions on the Pennsylvania Turnpike as well as neighborhood car accidents in Reading, PA, that resulted in injury and wrongful death. The lawyers at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C. can immediately evaluate a collision case and deal directly with the insurance companies and doctors and hospitals. Every auto accident case has its own set of facts and circumstances. In a number of cases the car accident attorneys at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., discovered the blame to be far-reaching and might include PennDOT or municipalities responsible for highway maintenance and design or liquor sellers at bars and restaurants if there is drunk driving. To consult with one of the lawyers at the firm about an auto, truck, or motorcycle accident, contact the team at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., by phone at 610-370-6682 or 570-799-5017. About Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C. The attorneys at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., have won thousands of awards and settlements involving personal injury cases, including many multi-million dollar ones, for their clients since the firm opened in 1959. Since its founding, the law firm of Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., has been a leader in wrongful death, workers' compensation, medical malpractice and personal injury claims. They handle only these types of cases and have a combined 115 years of practice fighting for the rights of clients and their families. Please visit http://www.lieverhymanpotter.com for more information. Canal Fulton, OH -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/02/2018 -- Serviscapes is offering all its lawn care and landscaping clients in Canal Fulton, OH, three discounted service packages to cover the spring, summer and fall seasons. Interested clients can visit the company's website to view the offers and to book online. Serviscapes has slashed the service fees of all its lawn care and landscaping services for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. The company is offering all its residential and commercial lawn care and landscaping clients in Canal Fulton, OH, three discounted service packages for each of these seasons. Serviscapes realizes that most clients require the company's services during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. That is why the company is offering three discounted service packages for these three seasons. Starting from $126.00, the spring offer is the cheapest and most popular. The summer offer is the second most popular among lawn care and landscaping clients and it starts at $205.00. The fall offer is now in demand and it starts at $250.00. Interested clients can request for free quotes for any type of lawn care and landscaping project. Serviscapes is offering discounted service packages for the spring, summer, and fall seasons on its website. Interested clients can view all these offers by visiting the company's website and scrolling down the homepage. Choose one of the three featured packages and then click on the "Book Now" button. A fill-in form for booking will immediately appear. The client is required to fill in various personal details including the name, email address, phone number, and personal address. The client should then select the service required from the dropdown menu provided. The choices include Lawn Care Service, Tree Service, and New Tree Planting. There is also a space for additional details below the dropdown menu. Click the "Get A Quote" button to submit the fill-in form. After submitting the fill-in form, the client will receive a free quote within 24 hours. The company provided further information for clients in their post http://serviscapes.com/what-to-look-for-in-a-lawn-service/. About Serviscapes Serviscapes is a lawn care and landscaping company based in Canal Fulton, Ohio. With over 28 years experience in the landscaping industry, Serviscapes is one of the leading landscapers in the county. The company maintains a highly trained team of lawn care specialists, landscape maintenance experts, and irrigation managers. Serviscapes provides all kinds of lawn care and landscaping services including lawn mowing, lawn cleanup, hedge trimming, plant pruning, weed control, lawn fertilization, landscape lighting, patio and fire pit paving and more. Other services include excavation, mulch services, gravel services, retaining walls, tree services, sod services, and all kinds of yard work. The company can be found at https://www.tuugo.us/Companies/serviscapes/0310006436380. Name: Serviscapes LLC Contact: Curt White Address: Manchester Rd. Canal Fulton, Ohio 44614 Phone: 1-330-641-0704 Email: serviscapeslandscaping@gmail.com Website: http://serviscapes.com/ Colonies of the red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus) forage in the desert for seeds that provide both food and water. Foragers lose water while out in the desert Sun, and the rate of water loss is higher in dry conditions. To manage the tradeoff between food accumulation and water loss, colonies adjust foraging activity to changes in ambient conditions, especially humidity. In a new study, Stanford University researcher Daniel Friedman and co-authors examined the neurophysiological basis of variation among colonies in how they regulate their collective foraging behavior. An ant colony acts almost like a multicellular organism; the colony is the evolutionary unit, Friedman said. We wanted to see if collective behavioral variations among colonies were associated with differences in individual forager brain chemistry. First, Friedman and his colleagues from Stanford University, the University of Virginia, the Universities of California, Los Angeles and San Diego collected foragers from six previously studied colonies of red harvester ants in the Arizona desert. Half of the colonies foraged often in dry weather, while the others kept their foragers home on drier days. When the researchers dissected the foragers brains and measured gene expression with RNA sequencing, they found differences between the two groups in the expression of genes related to neurotransmitter signaling and metabolism. Seeing these results, they wondered whether manipulating brain levels of a neurotransmitter called dopamine would influence forager behavior in the field. The team decided to study a new set of nine colonies in Arizona. For each of these colonies, the scientists treated some nest-mates with dopamine and some with a control solution. They color coded the ants by group with paint. The day after administration, they observed that dopamine-treated ants went on more foraging trips than their control-treated nest-mates. They also found that the dopamine-affected colonies seemed naturally more sensitive to humidity, foraging more on muggier days and staying home on drier days. To verify their results, the study authors repeated the experiment but added a group treated with 3-iodo-tyrosine, a chemical that inhibits dopamine. They saw the opposite effect: the inhibitor of dopamine synthesis caused treated ants to forage less. The increases in forager brain dopamine seemed to increase individual ant foraging. That supports the idea that behavioral differences between nest-mates might be related to differences in brain dopamine levels, Friedman said. We know that the individual risk that the foragers take relates to the collective decision-making of the colony, but theres a lot more to learn there. The study was published in the journal iScience. _____ Daniel A. Friedman et al. The Role of Dopamine in the Collective Regulation of Foraging in Harvester Ants. iScience, published online September 27, 2018; doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2018.09.001 New evidence from Karnatukul (Serpents Glen), a rock shelter site in the Australian Western Desert, indicates that Aboriginal people lived in this interior desert from very early in the settlement of the continent and that they remained in these ranges during the last Ice Age. Occupation of Australia is now accepted as having occurred prior to 60,000 years ago with increased evidence for arid-zone occupation prior to around 40,000 years ago. The Karnatukul site retains its significant position as the earliest rock shelter to be occupied in the Australian Western Desert, with new excavations demonstrating that this site was first visited by at least 43,000 years ago. University of Western Australias Professor Jo McDonald and colleagues found in deposits dating back around 43,000 years ago an early backed microlith, a hafted multifunctional tool which could be used as either a spear barb or for wood-working. This is more than 15,000 years earlier than other known Australian examples of this tool type, Professor McDonald said. Residue found on the tool indicates that hafting technology was practiced much earlier than had been previously demonstrated in Australia. Tools such as this are found across most of southern and eastern Australia, but most are dated to the last 4,000 years. The finding supports the notion that the first Australians adapted with ingenuity and flexibility as they dispersed into every bioregion of Australia within 10,000 years after arriving on this continent. The fact that we have also been able to demonstrate a range of symbolic behaviors in the last 1,000 years with rock art production and extraordinarily high levels of site use at this same time demonstrates the continuity and complexity of long-term connections by Australian desert peoples, Professor McDonald said. The finding represented a revolution in understanding the adaptive and technological sophistication of early Aboriginal peoples living in the interior deserts of Australia, said University of Western Australias Professor Peter Veth. Its enthralling to see scientific and Aboriginal narratives working together to create an extraordinary new canvas for the vast desert landscapes of the Australian imagination. The research is published in the journal PLoS ONE. _____ J. McDonald et al. 2018. Karnatukul (Serpents Glen): A new chronology for the oldest site in Australias Western Desert. PLoS ONE 13 (9): e0202511; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202511 Press Release October 2, 2018 GORDON SEEKS DFA ASSISTANCE IN SHABU SMUGGLING PROBE In connection with the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee's ongoing probe into the importation of electronic magnetic lifters containing shabu, Senator Richard J. Gordon has sought the aid of the Department of Foreign Affairs in gathering information that would throw light upon the investigation. In a letter dated 24 September 2018, Gordon has asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano for assistance from the Philippine Embassy and Consulate in China and Hong Kong in coordinating with pertinent Chinese authorities to gather information about KC Chan, a.k.a Chan Fhonie or Chan Yee Wah Albert; and Fung Ping Cheung, a.k.a. James Fong. Chan is reportedly a resident of Shenzhen City, China, while Fung is a holder of a Great Britain passport issued in Hong Kong. "In this regard, we would appreciate the assistance of the Philippine Embassy and Consulate in China and Hong Kong, in coordinating with the appropriate authorities in their respective jurisdictions to gather any pertinent information on any official action, investigation or cooperation with local authorities that may have undertaken regarding the abovementioned individuals including criminal records, if any," he said in the letter. "The PDEA seems to have arrived at the same conclusion that we have - that international drug syndicates, mostly run by Chinese, are operating in our country. It is also possible that Andy Cheng, the Hong Kong man they are looking for, who had been tagged as the local mastermind behind the shipment in Cavite, is also our guy. The PDEA can use any information that may come out in our investigation to strengthen cases they file to ensure that the perpetrators will be nailed," the senator said in the wake of reports that the alleged Chinese local mastermind is now the focus of the PDEA's investigation. The Blue Ribbon Committee, which Gordon chairs, is investigating the importation to the Philippines, through the Bureau of Customs (BOC), of magnetic lifters containing drugs. A joint operative of the BOC and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency seized an abandoned container at the Manila International Container Terminal. Inside were two electronic magnetic lifters found to have 355 kilos of shabu concealed inside them. Similar magnetic lifters were also discovered in a warehouse in Cavite with indications that they were also used to store drugs. To further shed light on the operation of the syndicate smuggling illegal drugs in the country, Gordon also asked Cayetano to direct the Philippine Embassies in Hanoi, Vietnam and in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to contact the shipper companies used to transport the magnetic lifters to the Philippines to get information about the said shipments. Among the information Gordon wanted was the name and contact details of the person or company in the Philippines who placed the order for magnetic lifters. He also wanted embassy officials to ask for the name and contact details of persons or companies who booked and paid for the shipments of the said industrial equipment. Press Release October 2, 2018 As women's group turns 60, Koko urges women to achieve more in nation building Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III today said women have a unique leadership role in nation-building as he cited empirical data showing their "positive influence" when elected to government positions. At the recent 23rd convention of the Federation of Asia-Pacific Women's Association, Pimentel urged FAPWA to continue partnerships that are geared towards the economic uplift of the poor and lasting peace and stability. "It will be a pleasure and beneficial to hear from women's groups valuable inputs to form part of my legislative agenda," said Pimentel, president of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban). He provided examples of outstanding Filipino women who blazed their own trail in legislation, executive leadership and local governance. Pimentel said Sen. Geronima Pecson, founder of FAPWA, was the first Filipina elected not only to the Senate but also to the UNESCO. Sen. Leticia Ramos-Shahani, a career diplomat, rose to become the Senate President pro tempore, the first Filipina to hold that post, and Sen. Santanina Rasul the first Muslim woman elected to the chamber. The late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was the first Filipino and Asian elected judge to the International Criminal Court, Pimentel said, while Sen. Loren Legarda, the first woman Majority Leader, has been an activist for the environment and Sen. Pia Cayetano, at 38 years old, was the youngest woman elected to the Senate. Pimentel challenged the 60-year old organization, headed by former three-term mayor Mary Jane Ortega of San Fernando, La Union, to work towards a Philippine society that is just and fair, educated, healthy and productive, free and democratic, and happy with overflowing love of God and country. "Our task is to sustain and expand what we have started," said Pimentel. He raised hope that the new millennium will see our society liberated from extremist violence and fear. He said the world "hopes to see the hungry no longer hungry; the homeless no longer homeless; the unemployed no longer unemployed; the sick and disabled no longer unattended; children deprived of school get educated; and that everyone becomes a steward of the environment where everyone enjoys the protection of life." Press Release October 2, 2018 Senate oks regional investment, infrastructure coordinating hub in Central Luzon The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill seeking the creation of a Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) of Central Luzon, in a bid to bring in jobs and capital to the region and help decongest Metro Manila. Senate Bill No. 1997 was authored and sponsored by Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, and was co-authored by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon. Apart from Gordon, Zubiri and Drilon, the bill was also co-sponsored by Senators Sonny Angara, Loren Legarda, Sherwin Gatchalian and Nancy Binay. The measure received 18 affirmative votes, no negative votes and zero abstention. "The name of the bill reflects its aim to enrich the people by encouraging and promoting investments and infrastructure in Central Luzon, as well as addressing bottlenecks, laying the foundation for long-term growth in the region, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of Filipinos," Gordon said. Under the bill, the new Regional Investment and Infrastructure Coordinating Hub (RICH) would replace the existing Subic-Clark Alliance for Development Council. The hub would be composed of 9 members. Citing how the La Guardia, JFK and Newark airports as well as the ports authority of New York and New Jersey in the US helped promote economic and business opportunities, Gordon said that the RICH bill seeks to create a similar boom in Central Luzon, which is also strategically near Manila and has excellent infrastructure from interconnecting roads to airports and seaports. He said the RICH bill is envisioned "to maximize the presence of the Subic, Mariveles and Manila seaports along with the airports and the North Luzon Expressway, TPLEX, SCTEX and Olongapo-Gapan Highway to enhance business and employment opportunities, which in turn, will serve as a model for the rest of the country." Gordon added that another key goal of the bill is to decongest Metro Manila, by "dispersing industries and population to Central Luzon." He lamented that at present, the country's capital has become very congested with its heavy population and traffic, and pointed to the embarrassment caused by the inoperative runway at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last August. To help address the problem, Gordon said that the proposed RICH would help develop sustainable communities where residents live near their places of work, schools, hospitals and other key areas, so they "would maximize their disposable income, need less time for travel and have more time for their families." Gordon noted that the RICH bill is supported by governors, mayors and other local officials from Bulacan, Pampanga and Tarlac, and that counterpart versions of SBN 1997 are currently pending in the House of Representatives. Seeka, New Zealands biggest kiwifruit grower, says it may have found the fruit disease PSA in an orchard it is developing in Australia. It has notified Agriculture Victoria of unusual bacterial symptoms and is removing suspicious plant material pending further test results. While the presence of the disease has not been confirmed, the symptoms are consistent with PSA, Seeka said. The affected plants are in a non-producing part of the orchard at Shepparton. As part of our preventative measures, Seeka has removed the grafted canopy from 4.5 hectares of the two-year-old vines, with the remainder under watch. The Hayward variety in production does not appear to be affected and our experience in New Zealand is that Hayward can tolerate PSA. PSA, found in New Zealand in 2010, is estimated to have infected 80 percent of the countrys kiwifruit orchards nationwide and cost the industry up to $1 billion in lost exports. Seeka shares fell 10 cents to $6. They are down about 8 percent this year. Australia, where Seeka also grows nashi and pears, contributed about 9 percent of the firms $29.4 million of operating earnings in the six months ended June 30. The company is planning significant expansion there from 2021. The Te Puke-based company said it doesnt expect any material financial impact on the current years business and left guidance unchanged. It previously forecast full-year net profit of $6.5 million to $7.2 million, an increase of at least 12 percent. Seeka has about 250 hectares of orchards in Australia. About 154 hectares of that is in kiwifruit, of which 93 hectares are the green Hayward variety and in production. The remaining 61 hectares are in development, with 47 hectares planted in root stock and ungrafted, and 14 hectares grafted two years ago. (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. 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Related News: Contact Energy Limited (NZX: CEN) Sets Interest Rate for Green Capital Bonds Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) Upgrades Earnings Guidance 12th November 2021 Morning Report The Warehouse Group Limited (NZX: WHS) FY22 First Quarter Sales Update Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) Interim results for the period ended 30 September 2021 11th November 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) Delivers Interim Profit Before Tax of $570 Million Mainfreight Limited (NZX: MFT) Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2021 Arvida Group Limited (NZX: ARV) Completion of Shortfall Bookbuild Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces Interest Rate for Retail Bond Issue OMV is planning to drill two exploration wells off Taranaki in the 2019-20 summer. The company, which is currently awaiting a marine consent from the Environmental Protection Authority, said it may drill an additional two wells that summer, subject to funding and the contracting of a suitable rig. The public can be assured that any drilling we carry out will be done in accordance with industry best practice, Gabriel Selischi, OMVs vice-president for Australasia, said. We stand by our safety and environmental record. OMV New Zealand is an established operator with a long and safe track record of exploration off the Taranaki coast. OMV operates the Maari oil field and has stakes in the Maui and Pohokura gas fields. It also has interests in seven exploration permits off the Taranaki coast, off the Wairarapa coast and in the Great South Basin. It is the second firm to announce offshore drilling plans for next year. Tamarind Resources has booked the modern Hai Yang Shi You 982 semi-submersible rig for a development drilling programme at its Tui oil field from early next year. OMV didnt detail the wells it plans to drill in the coming campaign. The consent it is seeking from the EPA is for up to nine exploration wells and three appraisal wells across six permits including Maari any time out to 2025. The earliest commitment OMV faces is at its Matuku permit PEP 51906 - where the firm has indicated it plans a well roughly half way between its Maari field and the western part of the Maui field to the north. The terms of the permit, in which Malaysias Sapura Energy is also a partner, require a well be drilled next year, with a second contingent well due in 2021. A well is also due in OMVs Te Whatu permit, which lies south-west of Maari, by 2020. The firm also needs to drill a well in one of its more northerly permits Cloudy Bay that year. Selischi said OMV will try and work with other operators to share the cost of any rig it uses. Final approvals for the programme are not likely from the board of Vienna-based OMV until next year, he said. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Contact Energy Limited (NZX: CEN) Sets Interest Rate for Green Capital Bonds Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) Upgrades Earnings Guidance 12th November 2021 Morning Report The Warehouse Group Limited (NZX: WHS) FY22 First Quarter Sales Update Infratil Limited (NZX: IFT) Interim results for the period ended 30 September 2021 11th November 2021 Morning Report Goodman Property Trust (NZX: GMT) Delivers Interim Profit Before Tax of $570 Million Mainfreight Limited (NZX: MFT) Half Year Financial Results 30 September 2021 Arvida Group Limited (NZX: ARV) Completion of Shortfall Bookbuild Auckland International Airport Limited (NZX: AIA) Announces Interest Rate for Retail Bond Issue 96 review: Poignant and Powerful 96 will make you laugh and cry and we insist that you watch it Source: SIFY By: Moviebuzz Critic's Rating: 4/5 Tuesday 02 October 2018 Movie Title 96 review: Poignant and Powerful Director Prem Kumar Star Cast Vijay Sethupathi, Trisha, Aditya Baskar, Gauri By Moviebuzz 96 is a charming, old-fashioned love story that takes us back to the nostalgic school days. Most of the love stories that bloom in school days never ends up in marriage and 96 doesnt have any cinematic cliches... so it will surely strike a chord among the audiences.The unseen hero of this delicious love story is writer-director C Premkumar who pulls off a near perfect script. Ramachandran aka Ram (Vijay Sethupathi) is a travel photographer who comes back to his hometown. He is smitten by the smell of Tanjore soil, his school building, and the old watchman (Janakaraj). Obliging the request of the watchman, Ram calls his school friend (Bagavathi Perumal) who adds him to the WhatsApp group of their schoolmates. Chekka Chivantha Vaanam review: All about family feud, greed, thirst for power and revenge! | DevaDas review: An interesting first-half | Pataakha review: Fire-cracker performances light up the screen Two months later, all the 96 batch students meet in Chennai for a reunion where Ram gets to meet his childhood love Janu (Trisha). Ram walks down the memory lane and spends a whole night with Janu, talking about the past and the situations that they went through in life. Janu is now married and settled down in Singapore. From the first frame to the last, the film arrests us with the varied emotions of the characters. The visuals are glossy but it doesnt overshadow the expressions of the characters, 96 is an unadulterated, mature love story. Both Ram and Janu is never vocal about their love, they dont argue for silly reasons, there is no breakup, intimate scenes, rebound, and ego trip but still, they express pure love, feel for each other and makes us root for them. Vijay Sethupathi is its backbone. He adds another inspired performance to his extraordinary repertoire. His gait, eyes, even his slight smile arrests you. Trisha has delivered an outstanding performance and she doesnt take one wrong step. She makes Janu real and lovable. While Vijay Sethupathi had acted as an aged man in the past, Trisha playing a 37-year-old woman in the film shows her maturity and she has elegantly carried her role with so much class! Sethu, as usual, steals the show with his witty one-liners, innocent smile, and inimitable performance. Dhevadarshini is a riot. Aditya Bhaskar and Gouri Kishan who played the childhood of the protagonists are just brilliant and flawless. Gouri is a promising find while Aditya (son of MS Baskar) performs well as the timid schoolboy and there is a scene where he should walk like a brave young man in which he proves his versatility. The casting of child actors of Dhevadarshini (her real daughter), Aadukalam Murugadoss, and Baghavathi Perumal is also brilliant. The first half of the film is predominantly carried by Aditya and Gauri, only in the second half we get to see Trisha and Vijay Sethupathis combination scenes. The chemistry between them and their admiration for each other is a gem. All the S.Janaki vintage classic songs sung by Gauri (childhood Janu) are effectively placed to take the story forward, the importance of Yamune Aatrile and the scene where it was sung by Trisha in the second half are clap worthy moments. Those Janaki songs composed by Ilaiyaraaja also tells us how their music created spark in the teenagers during 90s. Technically, Govind Vasanths music and songs are a biggest strength. The camerawork (Mahendran Jayaraju and Shanmuga Sundaram) is awesome, as it captures Chennai city, metro rail, airport and the flyovers in a poetic manner. The climax of 96 should actually melt everyones heart. The greatest love stories are the ones that make you root for the protagonists to come together, despite their destinies. This is one of the best films in a long time. It will make you laugh and cry and we insist that you watch it. 96 review: Verdict: poignant and powerful Tesla meets Model 3 target, bemoans China tariffs New York, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 Tesla Motors said Tuesday it was accelerating plans to open a Shanghai factory in light of the ongoing US-China trade fight, saying new tariffs put its vehicles at a disadvantage on the Chinese market. The electric automaker, which has been shaken by CEO Elon Musk's recent antics and legal woes, also announced it had met a key auto production target. The company said the higher deliveries came despite a 40 percent tariff imposed by Beijing on US cars. The difficult economics make for "a challenging competitive environment, given that China is by far the largest market for electric vehicles," Tesla said in a statement. "To address this issue, we are accelerating construction of our Shanghai factory." Tesla unveiled plans for the Shanghai factory in July. Musk said at the time he hoped the plant would be "completed very soon." Tesla reported total third-quarter deliveries of 83,500, up from 26,137 in the year-ago period. Production of Tesla's Model 3 vehicles came in at 53,239, in line with the company's forecast and a number closely watched by Wall Street. The report came three days after Musk reached a settlement with US securities regulators over fraud allegations connected to Musk's claims about a short-lived effort to take the company private. The settlement required Musk to step down as chairman and pay a $20 million fine but he was permitted to remain chief executive. Shares of Tesla fell 1.5 percent to $306.00 in late-morning trading. Page Content Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Miklos Giterson recently returned from a working visit to the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning (VVRP) in Curacao. Mr. Harry Huisden and Ms. Cidy Do Rego of the SOAB organized the visit, with the objective of receiving information and guidance on best practices from the recent successes that VVRPs Permits and Domain Affairs departments have experienced. In Curacao, these departments have initiated comprehensive projects that have yielded positive results within the previous two years, in spite of the variety of challenges facing them. In addition to Minister Giterson, the St. Maarten delegation consisted of the acting heads of the Departments of Permits and Domain Affairs, Mr. Charlon Pompier and Mr. Raeyhon Peterson, respectively. Giterson took the opportunity to meet with his counterpart at VVRP in Curacao, the Honorable Minister Zita Jesus-Leito, where they discussed several ministry-related topics. Similar to the current situation in St. Maarten, Domain Affairs Curacao has a significant backlog with regards to the collection of payments for long-lease land. Director Jairo Martis provided some insight to the delegation with a presentation of their current challenges and site visits to various key areas for the department. Within the last year, there have been information campaigns implemented by the department with the intention to inform the public of recent developments within the department. Mr. Martis demonstrated how current challenges, such as the backlog and illegal land occupation in Curacao, were being tackled by his department, most notably the creation of a task force specifically created to target these two issues. These initiatives were handled in cooperation with the SOAB, which has actively contributed to the realization of these projects within VVRP. It was surprising to see that the department is significantly larger in number when compared to Domain Affairs in St. Maarten, Peterson offered in a statement. I was impressed with the progress they have been able to make in such a short amount of time. VVRPs presentation showcased how the Permits Department on Curacao functions and how the country intends to streamline and digitize the building permit process, a move that will significantly reduce the time between submission and approval for applicants. This was of particular interest to the delegation as locally, Permits has been dealing with a backlog for a number of years which has only been complicated by the post-Hurricane Irma construction boom. Until adequate funding can be secured for a large-scale improvement project, decisions to curb waiting times and improve productivity have been made. Immediately following Hurricane Irma and until the start of the 2018 season, we implemented a fast track permit process for roof reconstruction, which many have benefitted from, Pompier explains. Whenever possible, zero-cost decisions have been made in an effort to increase overall output. The Ministry has also requested and has received approval from the Government of the Netherlands to have three technical workers transferred to St. Maarten for a period of four months to assist with the backlog, as well as improve the financial management of the department. The delegation was able to visit the site of waste authority company Selikor N.V., where they received a tour and presentation of the organization and its operations. Minister Giterson expressed interest in the companys modernized waste collection and waste management activities, and their growth from government department into privatized waste collection agency. Minister Giterson expressed gratitude to Honorable Minister Jesus-Leito and the entirety of the Ministry of VVRP for their hospitality, the SOAB for their facilitation of the trip and to Selikor N.V. for their insightful presentation and tour. I am very satisfied with this visit, he noted, and the information we were able to collect. Permits and Domain Affairs are the primary income-generating departments for the Ministry; it is imperative that they achieve an optimal level of functionality. We aim to remain in close contact with our sister departments and continue to share best practices, while also investigating additional knowledge-sources to improve these departments and VROMI as a whole. Within the coming week, Minister Giterson will debrief senior staff at VROMI, sharing his impressions on the trip and deciding on initiatives and implementation strategies. 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: 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: 28: 29: ... 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(0x7f3fdadf34c8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdacfe9b8)', '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(0x7f3fdadf34c8)') 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(0x7f3fdacfe9b8)') 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(0x7f3fdae38270)') 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(0x7f3fdacfe9b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdacfe9b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fda90efa8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fda90d768)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fda90d768)') 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: 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: 28:
29: ... 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(0x7f3fdae28228)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdacfe958)', '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(0x7f3fdae28228)') 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(0x7f3fdacfe958)') 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(0x7f3fdae35570)') 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(0x7f3fdacfe958)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdacfe958)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fda90efa8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd065b2e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fd065b2e0)') 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: 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: 28:
29: ... 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(0x7f3fdb2c3c60)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdb1387a8)', '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(0x7f3fdb2c3c60)') 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(0x7f3fdb1387a8)') 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(0x7f3fdb1385c8)') 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(0x7f3fdb1387a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdb1387a8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fda90e438)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdb146f98)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdb146f98)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 India-led solar alliance will outshine OPEC: PM Modi New Delhi, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 An India-led coalition to harness solar energy will eventually replace the OPEC oil cartel, India's premier predicted Tuesday, as he opened the International Solar Alliance's first assembly with UN chief Antonio Guterres. "The role of the oil wells today will be that of the Sun's rays tomorrow," Narendra Modi said at the meeting in New Delhi. "In the coming years, when the world discusses initiatives for the welfare of humanity in the 21st century, ISA's name will be at the top. We have prepared everyone to ensure climate justice through this ISA forum," he said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumps around a third of the world's oil and over decades has been able to influence the global energy market by controlling the price of crude. The ISA, launched by Modi and then French president Francois Hollande in 2015 and based in India, is an alliance of countries mostly between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn that receive plentiful sunshine. It aims to reduce the costs of financing solar power and the required technology, and to mobilise more than a trillion dollars to build solar facilities and infrastructure by 2030. "The International Solar Alliance represents exactly what needs to be done and represents the future," Guterres said at the event. "We know what we need to do, and by large, we have the tools to do it. What we still lack, fortunately not here in this room... is the political commitment to make the transformative decisions that will lead us onto a safer path," he said. With only a single degree Celsius of warming so far, the world has seen a climate-enhanced crescendo of deadly heatwaves, wild fires and floods, along with superstorms swollen by rising seas. India's population of 1.3 billion is particularly vulnerable to climate change. In August, once-a-century rains pounded the southern state of Kerala, displacing 1.3 million people, with climate scientists warning that worse is to come if global warming continues unabated. The ISA's first assembly, involving member countries, banks, development funds, the corporate sector and civil society groups, is due to run until Friday. bb-stu/rma Chinese destroyer extremely close to US warship: US Washington, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 A Chinese warship sailed within yards of an American destroyer -- forcing it to change course -- in an "unsafe and unprofessional" encounter as the US vessel was in contested waters in the South China Sea, an official said Monday. The USS Decatur guided-missile destroyer was conducting what the military calls a "freedom of navigation operation" Sunday, when it passed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the remote Spratly Islands. The 12-mile distance is commonly accepted as constituting the territorial waters of a landmass. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing claims all of the Spratlys and has built a number of military installations on the islands. During the operation, a Chinese Luyang destroyer approached the USS Decatur in "an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea," US Pacific Fleet spokesman Commander Nate Christensen said. The Chinese ship then conducted a series of "increasingly aggressive maneuvers, and warned the Decatur to depart the area," he added. The Chinese "destroyer approached within 45 yards (meters) of Decatur's bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision." In a statement, the Chinese Ministry of Defense said that its ship had "given a warning to leave" to the vessel after it entered the area "without permission." "The US has repeatedly sent warships into the territorial waters near Chinese reefs and islands in the South China Sea," it said. The behavior "gravely threatens China's sovereignty and security, gravely damages relations between China and the US and their militaries, and gravely injures regional peace and stability." US-Chinese relations have been strained on multiple levels since Donald Trump became president in 2017. A trade war launched by Trump has infuriated Beijing, as did his authorization of a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which China considers a rebel province. Washington last week enacted new tariffs against China covering another $200 billion of its imports. China has taken a series of retaliatory measures, including scrapping a US warship's planned port visit to Hong Kong and canceling a meeting between the head of the Chinese navy and his American counterpart. On Monday, a US defense official said that security talks due to take place later this month in Beijing between Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart had been canceled. N. Korea says peace treaty no bargaining chip for denuclearisation Seoul, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 North Korea on Tuesday ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying a peace treaty should "never be a bargaining chip." The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula. At a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in last month, the North's leader Kim Jong Un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes "corresponding measures". Kim did not elaborate on what those measure might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation. It flatly described that as only the "most basic... process" to restore ties, not a point for negotiation. "The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised," it said, using the North's full name. KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take "such... steps as eternal dismantlement" of its nuclear complex "if the US takes a corresponding measure" but again did not elaborate. Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washington's room for manoeuvre. "The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washington's potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that 'it's not good enough to make us denuclearise'," he told South Korea's news agency Yonhap. A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation. The North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho also told the UN last month that there was "no way" his country would disarm first as long as the US pushes for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. Trump however lauded Kim, saying last week the pair had fallen "in love" -- their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he recently received from the young leader. The ceasefire that halted the bloody conflict that sealed the division of the Korean peninsula was signed by the North, its military ally China and the US -- which fought on the side of the South. The South did not take part as its then-leader refused to end the war unless the whole peninsula was unified. Mattis vows 'iron-clad' US support as NATO plans huge drills Paris, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday sought to reassure rattled European nations of America's "iron-clad" commitment to NATO, as the transatlantic alliance announced its biggest military exercises since the Cold War. If US allies have been unnerved by President Donald Trump's comments on the 69-year-old military alliance, massive manoeuvres at the end of October are intended as a show of force and unity in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia. The Trident Juncture 18 exercise will draw in 45,000 troops, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said -- the biggest movement of NATO personnel and vehicles since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Speaking shortly before the announcement at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Mattis told reporters in Paris that the US was "keenly aware of the dangers close to your home". "Every NATO ally is awake today to the reality of Russia's malicious behaviour. Every ally has now increased defence spending," he said. Eastern European countries have grown increasingly worried since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 that Moscow is eyeing their territory. NATO allies have beefed up their presence in the region over the past four years, operating rotating garrisons in eastern Europe and the Baltic states. The forthcoming military exercises are set to simulate the defence of a NATO member state from a "fictional" adversary, according to Stoltenberg. But the troops, tanks, ships and planes are headed for Norway, the North Atlantic and the Baltic -- opposite Russia. While huge in scale, the Juncture 18 operation will be far smaller than the Vostok-18 exercise staged by Russia and China last month, which involved 300,000 troops and 1,000 aircraft. NATO's effort will involve troops from Britain, North America and continental Europe, equipped with 150 aircraft, 70 vessels and around 10,000 land vehicles. - 'Actions speak loudest' - In a possible veiled reference to Trump's repeated verbal attacks on NATO, Mattis told reporters that when it comes to America's relationship with the alliance, "actions speak loudest". "The US has acted, showing that our commitment to the transatlantic alliance remains iron-clad," he told a press conference alongside his French counterpart Florence Parly. He noted that in defence spending plans for 2019, US lawmakers have not cut military spending in Europe "by a single cent, instead maintaining once again the highest levels of commitment since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall". Washington has maintained the number of US troops permanently stationed in Europe -- more than 60,000 -- "while adding additional capability", he said. Mattis' words of reassurance come a day ahead of a gathering of NATO defence ministers in Brussels. Trump has repeatedly taken European allies to task for not spending enough on their militaries, particularly Germany. Before taking office, he called NATO "obsolete" and soon after a tumultuous summit last July he questioned whether the US would honour the alliance's founding principle of mutual defence for newest member Montenegro. Parly told reporters that "Europe is not part of the problem, Europe is part of the solution". "The United States is making sharing the burden a priority. It is also a French priority," she said. "It's a question of making the whole Atlantic alliance function better." Despite tensions between Trump and US allies in Europe, NATO foreign ministers are set to mark the 70th birthday of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Washington in April. Luanda, October 2, 2018 (SPS) -The President of the Republic, Mr. Brahim Gali, received a letter of thanks from the Angolan President, HE Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, in response to the message of congratulations sent by the Saharawi leader on the occasion of his election as president of the Popular Liberation Movement of Angola (MPLA). President Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco conveyed his thanks for the congratulations and the signs of brotherhood and solidarity linking both people for a long time Angola recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on March 11, 1976 and since then the two countries maintain excellent diplomatic relations at a high level. The Angolan nation has also shown during these four decades its support for the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination. SPS 125/090/TRA TO VIEW MORE NEWS STORY, PLEASE CLICK ON NEWS TAB ON MAIN MENU BAR 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. Richard Cant in Maydays at the The Other Place, RSC. Photo by Richard Lakos THERES something tremendously likable about Richard Cant, who is appearing in the RSCs production of Maydays, which opens tonight, Tuesday. He has a lovely manner, friendly and engaged; he has pale blue eyes that frequently crinkle in merriment; and when he speaks his tones are polite old school English but without pomposity. Richard Cant during rehearsals for Maydays It seems perfectly unsurprising that he is the son of a similarly charming man, the late Brian Cant, the beloved actor and childrens presenter who ruled the telly airwaves fronting such shows as Play School (1964 to 1988) and Play Away (1974 to 1984). Richard's dad, children's TV presenter and actor Brian Cant More of the lovely Brian later. For now, as Richard has taken a short lunch break from the Maydays rehearsal to meet me in the marketing offices of the RSC for our chat, we press on with talk about the play. David Edgar (the RSCs most produced living playwright it says in my notes) wrote political drama Maydays in the early 1980s and it was performed to great acclaim at the Barbican by the company in 1983. Edgar has also had success with the RSC presenting his plays Destiny, Nicholas Nickleby, Pentecost, The Prisoners Dilemma, Written on the Heart and, most recently, A Christmas Carol. A story of defection from east to west as well as from left to right, Maydays tells the interlocking stories of a vicars son turned student radical, a young communist who becomes a conservative ideologue, a single mother and political activist, and a Soviet army officer who ends up as a dissident. It is being performed as part of the Mischief Festival at the Other Place. It doesnt exactly sound bright and breezy, but what is Richards take on it? The play works on very different levels. Everyone can identify with the play, even if you know nothing about politics you are carried along on Martins journey. Likewise the Soviet story its very revealing about how people live. So theres that human interest side of it, but then for me its about what influences peoples thinking, and how the power of one idea can rule the lives of millions of people and how extraordinary that is how someone says something, someone takes it up and it becomes a system. It could be communism, fascism, conservatism, socialism any of those. When Maydays was performed in London in 1983 it was hailed as an outstanding play for our time. Since then it has sat on a dusty shelf; presumably its touchstone of 1960s idealism as a reaction to a Britain beset by Thatcherism seemingly too much of its time. Now the play is being revived, as the RSC is keen to point out, on the 50th anniversary since the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. How relevant is it today? It feels absolutely current, says Richard. Because generally people are quite polarized, and with nobody shifting much I think it is the perfect time for doing it. It covers a lot of ground and a lot of themes; a lot of political persuasions and extremes of all of them. Apparently David Edgar has been working in the rehearsal room with the cast and director, changing the script as they work. David is tinkering as we go, explains Richard. The essence of the play is still there but a lot has changed. For example the female perspective in the play has been broadened and enhanced; some characters who were male are now female. The original cast of 34 has been whittled down to ten, and features a stellar bunch, including Mark Quartley, who played Ariel in the RSCs 2016 Tempest, as Martin, and Gillian Bevan, last seen in Stratford as Cymbeline. Owen Horsley is directing, who took the helm of Salome at the RSC recently, and with whom Richard has done a lot with working with theatre company Cheek By Jowl. Richard describes Edgars play as beautifully elegant and defends it readily when I suggest it sounds a bit heavy. It is entertaining, says Richard. Also because its an intimate space, and the audience are everywhere, they are very close to the actors, which I think makes it exciting. The sets are simple but there are hundreds of costume changes and we are all playing different parts; theres different accents and countries theres always something happening in it. He continues: Its very clear and I think thats something that Owen gets from Cheek by Jowl; when they do Shakespeare its all about clarity, hes very good at getting you to focus on a scene then click [snaps fingers] taking you somewhere else it happens in a heartbeat. Plus theres a chorus and we address the audience, giving times and places. What does Richard think the audience will make of the play? I dont think that when people come out they are necessarily going to have an immediate response. Its the sort of play that you need to think about over a glass of wine. It would be great if it gives the audience a new perspective or maybe they will learn something about the Hungarian Revolution and look at what is happening there now it all seems very relevant and important and to at least know what these things are about. Richard is playing the part of Jeremy who he describes as fascinating. He explains: Hes born in Mansfield and grows up in the 1930s, experiencing poverty and misery, and at 17 becomes a communist he leaves the party when they invade Hungary and suppress the population. He starts teaching at a public school which is the start of a weave off politically to the right, then he meets Martin as a young boy who he influences. Again it may sound heavy but Richard assures me the psychology of the characters makes the drama real and compelling. He observes: The thing that interests me about people with very strong opinions, including a lot of politicians today, is what is it thats made you like that? what makes you change and develop and change your ideas? How people completely jump from one extreme to another is very interesting psychologically. Richard is also positive that despite its historical references, Maydays will appeal to a young audience too. I saw the play in 1983 at the Barbican when I was 17 and I wasnt politicised in any shape or form. I think now young people seem much more interested. Because its the youth that are joining the Labour Party and that voted for Remain and look how much worse off they are now than before, what with debt, student grants and unaffordable housing. We have a long chat about the politics of the 70s and 80s; Richard and I were both born in the same year and can remember the long nights of the Winter of Discontent and the rise of Thatcherism. We ponder, like his character in the play, whether growing more right wing as you age is a thing. Personally thats not whats happened to me, says Richard. And I was talking about this to my mother and she sounded quite indignant Well thats not whats happening to us, I know plenty of left-wing people! Richards mum is former actress Sylvia Gibson, she had two sons, Richard and his older brother Nicholas (He works in finance thank God someone in the family is earning some money!), with Brian, who died from Parkinsons disease last year. In 1984 Brian remarried Cherry Briton (daughter of actor Tony Britton) and had three children, Richards half-siblings one of whom is Christabel, a scenic artist and regularly at the RSC and whos coming to opening night, says Richard. Richard grew up in Kent, where he still lives, and followed in his actor parents footsteps, going to Bristol University then Central Drama School. I wonder if having such a well-known actor dad is a blessing or a curse? He was very famous but in the end your parents just do what they do, it doesnt seem remarkable in any way. They just go to work and come home like anyone else. And it was definitely a blessing rather than a curse, it meant I could always talk to him about acting he was a stage actor before the TV work; in fact when he stopped doing the childrens stuff he went back into touring and a bit of directing. So in a way we were in the same world, but in another way our interests were quite different. What he did was very much his thing, but it wasnt where my skillset lay. A quick Google of Richard and the range and quality of his work is quite dazzling. He was first at the RSC 20 years ago in Cymbeline, Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing, and has enjoyed numerous acclaimed stage and screen appearances, including a notorious turn in Midsomer Murders as vile undertaker Dennis Rainbird (episode Dead Letters a must-see) and the part of Degsy in the hilarious cult sitcom Gimme Gimme Gimme. When hes not acting Richard teaches at drama school currently Mountview. Its a great thing for me to try and pass on to young actors how I like to work, he says. As our chat winds up, Richard tells me if he were to be asked back to the main house to perform in a Shakespeare play, he would quite like a comic role, a character part like Peter Quince. Hes also got his eye on Jaques (As You Like It) or perhaps Polonius in a few years Of his Midsomer appearance, Richard muses: It wasnt profound but it is entertaining and people need it like watching Strictly and then coming to Maydays, they balance each other out! When and where: Maydays is being performed as part of the Autumn Mischief Festival in The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon from 27th September to 20th October. There will also be three performances of David Edgars one-person solo show Trying It On at The Other Place on 18th, 19th and 20th October. Aged 20 in 1968, Edgar was caught up in the student revolt of the time, which defined his politics and gave focus to his playwriting. In Trying It On he confronts and is confronted by his 70-year-old self today. Do they still share the same beliefs? Has the world changed, or has he? Why did his generation supposedly so radical in its youth - vote Brexit? 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Twin quakes send residents fleeing on Indonesia's Sumba Jakarta, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 Two quakes struck in quick succession off the southern coast of Indonesia's Sumba island on Tuesday morning, sending startled people into the streets for safety. A shallow and moderately strong 5.9 quake struck at 2359 GMT, around 40 kilometres (25 miles) off Sumba, an island of some 750,000 people, the United States Geological Survey said. It was followed up some 15 minutes later by a stronger 6.0 magnitude quake in the same area at a depth of 30 kilometres. There were no immediate reports of serious damage. "We felt four shakes. People were panicking when the first quake happened and ran out of the hotel, about 40 of our guests," Defis Rinaldi, a worker at the Padadita Beach Hotel told AFP by telephone. "It was only a few seconds and the geophysics agency didn't issue a warning, everything is back to normal now," he said. Sumba lies some 1,600 kilometres south of Sulawesi island which was struck by a devastating quake and tsunami on Friday, killing more than 800 people. burs-rws-arb/amz Indonesia clamps down on looting as quake-tsunami toll tops 1,200 Palu, Indonesia, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 More than 1,200 people are now known to have died in the quake-tsunami that smashed into Sulawesi, Indonesia said Tuesday, as police pledged to clamp down on looting by survivors taking advantage of the chaos. There were reports of officers firing warning shots and tear gas to ward off people ransacking shops in Palu, a coastal city ravaged by a 7.5-magnitude quake and the tsunami it spawned. Almost 200,000 people are in need of urgent help, the United Nations says, among them thousands of children. Survivors are battling thirst and hunger, with food and clean water in short supply, and local hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured. Police said Tuesday that they had previously tolerated desperate survivors taking food and water from closed shops, but had now arrested 35 people for stealing computers and cash. "On the first and second day clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. That's not a problem," said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto. "But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law." "There are ATMs. They are open," he added. "If people steal, we catch and investigate." Despite official assurances, desperation was evident on the streets of Palu, where survivors clambered through wreckage hunting for anything salvageable. Others crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have electricity, or queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. "The government, the president have come here, but what we really need is food and water," Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, severed transport links, the scale of the damage, and the Indonesian government's reluctance to accept foreign help. As if to remind the world of the tectonic fragility of Indonesia, a series of quakes hit the island of Sumba on Tuesday, albeit hundreds of kilometres from Palu. The official death toll from the tragedy in central Sulawesi stood at 1,234, according to the government. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, international NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. Among the dead are dozens of students whose lifeless bodies were pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi. "A total of 34 bodies were found by the team," Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP after the grim discovery, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre. Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. "The most challenging problem is travelling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance," she said. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. - Urgent need - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderly -- many in areas that aren't the focus of government recovery efforts. The dead -- many yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings -- are also a source of concern for authorities. In Indonesia's hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya -- in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Palu -- volunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. - 'I lost her' - There were glimmers of hope among the countless tragedies. Two people have been plucked from the 80-room Hotel Roa-Roa, Indonesia's search and rescue agency said, and there could still be more alive. And for Azwan, who -- like many Indonesians -- goes by a single name, there was joy when he was reunited with his wife, Dewi, after 48 hours of fearing the worst as he searched hospitals and morgues. The 38-year-old civil servant struggled to keep his emotions in check as he told how the couple had been reunited two days after Dewi had been swept away by the tsunami. "I was so happy, so emotional -- thank god I could see her again," Azwan told AFP. But for some, the search yields only sorrow as they trudge around open-air morgues, where the dead lay in the baking sun -- waiting to be claimed, waiting to be named. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was working to reunite families who had become separated during the disaster and was providing "forensic services" to those carrying out the grim task of identifying victims. Indonesia clamps down on looting as quake-tsunami toll tops 1,200 Palu, Indonesia, Oct 2 (AFP) Oct 02, 2018 More than 1,200 people are now known to have died in the quake-tsunami that smashed into Sulawesi, Indonesia said Tuesday, as police pledged to clamp down on looting by survivors taking advantage of the chaos. There were reports of officers firing warning shots and tear gas to ward off people ransacking shops in Palu, a coastal city ravaged by a 7.5-magnitude quake and the tsunami it spawned. Almost 200,000 people are in need of urgent help, the United Nations says, among them tens of thousands of children. Survivors are battling thirst and hunger, with food and clean water in short supply, and local hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured. Police said Tuesday that they had previously tolerated desperate survivors taking food and water from closed shops, but had now arrested dozens of people for stealing computers and cash. "On the first and second day clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. That's not a problem," said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto. "But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law." "There are ATMs. They are open," he added. "If people steal, we catch and investigate," he said. Despite official assurances, desperation was evident on the streets of Palu, where survivors clambered through wreckage hunting for anything salvageable. Others crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have electricity, or queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. "The government, the president have come here, but what we really need is food and water," Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. Queues to get a few litres of petrol lasted more than 24 hours in some places. Sanitation is also a growing problem. "People everywhere want to go to the toilet but there's no toilet. So we do it along the road at night," said 50-year-old Armawati Yarmin. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, severed transport links, the scale of the damage, and the Indonesian government's initial reluctance to accept foreign help. Along the road to Donggala -- a large town close to the epicentre of the quake -- there were more scenes of destruction. The town itself appeared relatively unscathed, but in the worst affected areas it was difficult to find a single vertical surface. Donggala resident Farid, aged 48, pleaded for help: "Don't centre all the aid on Palu," he said. "We in Donggala have nothing." As if to remind the world of the tectonic fragility of Indonesia, a series of quakes hit the island of Sumba on Tuesday, albeit hundreds of kilometres from Palu. The official death toll from the tragedy in central Sulawesi stood at 1,234, according to the government. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, international NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. Among the dead are dozens of students whose lifeless bodies were pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi. "A total of 34 bodies were found by the team," Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP after the grim discovery, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre. Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. "The most challenging problem is travelling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance," she said. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. - Urgent need - The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderly -- many in areas that aren't the focus of government recovery efforts. The dead -- many yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings -- are also a source of concern for authorities. In Indonesia's hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya -- in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Palu -- volunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. - 'I lost her' - There were glimmers of hope among the countless tragedies. Two people have been plucked from the 80-room Hotel Roa-Roa, Indonesia's search and rescue agency said, and there could still be more alive. And for Azwan, who -- like many Indonesians -- goes by one single name, there was joy when he was reunited with his wife, Dewi, after 48 hours of fearing the worst as he searched hospitals and morgues. The 38-year-old civil servant struggled to keep his emotions in check as he told how the couple had been reunited two days after Dewi had been swept away by the tsunami. "I was so happy, so emotional -- thank god I could see her again," Azwan told AFP. But for some, the search yields only sorrow as they trudge around open-air morgues, where the dead lay in the baking sun -- waiting to be claimed, waiting to be named. if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi... From 1957 on, our planet began to warm, seismic and volcanic activity began increasing, as did natural disasters and our wildlife began to die, slowly at first but increasing all the time, culminating into the unlivable hell-hole many people are experiencing at the moment. OTTAWA, Oct. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The national leader of Canadas food workers union says the trade deal with U.S. and Mexico will weaken Canadas food system and create uncertainty for workers and their communities. There is good reason for food workers to feel betrayed by more concessions forced on Canadas dairy and poultry sectors, says Paul Meinema, the national president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada). The USMCA concessions will combine with previous giveaways in CETA and the TPP, to undoubtedly impact national production levels, and thereby have an effect on good union jobs across the country, adds the national labour leader in reference to a further 3.7 percent concession on dairy, and more than double the previous concessions for poultry. As Canadians, we need to be very mindful of the fact that most of these dairy and poultry facilities are in small to mid-sized communities where more than 220,000 people earn their livings. Their hard-earned dollars play a central role in those local economies. It should also be noted that food processing is the single largest segment of the Canadian manufacturing sector, adds Meinema. Maintaining the strength of Canadas food production system is central to Canadas national interest. Its hard to see how weakening our domestic food production system is something to celebrate, and we should all be wary of trade concessions that diminish Canadas capacity to make its own foodstuffs. With that in mind, UFCW notes that supply management will survive in a weakened state for now. UFCW shares the sentiment of dairy producers who view USMCA as a step in the wrong direction and that cumulative concessions if allowed to continue will result in the systems death by a thousand cuts. There is no question that the interests of food workers were overlooked in closing this flawed deal, adds Meinema. And for us, this reaffirms the central role that food workers must hold in developing policies that impact and protect the Canadian food system. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) is one of Canadas largest trade unions, representing more than 250,000 people across the country, and 1.3 million internationally, who work in every aspect of the food chain, health care, security, and many other key economic sectors. To find out more about UFCW and its ground-breaking work, visit www.ufcw.ca . TORONTO, Oct. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magnolia Colombia Limited. (Magnolia or the Company) (TSXV: MCO) is pleased to welcome Mr. James Lanthier as the Companys new President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Lanthier will also join the Magnolia board of directors. Mr Lanthier is a seasoned technology and media executive with a strong background in M&A and finance. His prior public company roles include CEO of Tangelo Games, as COO and a member of the founding management team of Mood Media, and COO / CFO of Fun Technologies, sold to Liberty Media. Mr. Lanthier has extensive capital markets and M&A experience and, additionally, has served as Non-Executive Director of a number of public companies. The appointment of Mr. Lanthier follows the resignation of Mr. Jaime Lalinde as a director and President and Chief Executive Officer of Magnolia. The management and board of Magnolia would like to thank Mr. Lalinde for his service and the contributions he has made to the Company and wish him well in the future. Magnolia also announces that it has granted a total of 1,700,000 stock options to various directors, officers and consultants of the Company. The options vest immediately, have an exercise price of $0.105 and expire five years from the date of grant. The grant of options remains subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. About Magnolia Colombia Limited: Magnolia Colombia Limited is a Canadian independent oil exploration company. For further information, please contact: James Lanthier, President & CEO Email: james.lanthier1@gmail.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the appointment and resignation of officers and directors of the Company and the grant of options. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: financing not being available at desired prices; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations; competition; future prices of mineral prices; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; and, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or required financing or in the completion of activities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, Oct. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada House Wellness Group Inc. (CSE: CHV) (Canada House or the Company) is pleased to report its financial results for the three months ending July 31, 2018. All amounts are stated in thousands of Canadian dollars. Financial Highlights: Cash position was $5,844 compared to $8,953 as at April 30, 2018. During the quarter, a $588 licensing fee was paid to Medicine Man Technologies, capital expenditures on the production facility were $379 and working capital declined by $931 Working capital was $4,491 compared to $6,670 as at April 30, 2018 Revenue for the three months ending July 31, 2018 was $1,231, an increase of $405 or 49% compared to $826 in the prior year EBITDAS (1) for the three months ending July 31, 2018 was a deficit of ($906) during the three months ending July 31, 2018, a 15% improvement compared to ($1,060) in the prior year Loss and Comprehensive loss for the year was ($2,028) for the three months ending July 31, 2018 compared to ($1,580) for the same period in the prior year (1) EBITDAS is comprised of Loss and Comprehensive Loss for the Year plus Depreciation and amortization plus Interest, Taxes, Impairment and Stock Based Compensation. EBITDAS is considered by the Company to be a useful measure of cash-flow from operations. The increase in revenue compared to the same quarter last year shows our medical cannabis clinic model is working, says Chris Churchill-Smith, CEO. During the last few months we have increased clinic efficiency and expect to make further improvements as a result of our proprietary clinic software resulting in further and sustained growth to our patient base. We have expanded the number of Licensed Producers servicing our clients and will soon be able to offer our own brand of cannabis tailored to their individual needs which will dramatically improve Canada Houses profitability on a go-forward basis. concludes Mr. Churchill-Smith. Business Highlights for the Quarter: Appointed a new President of Marijuana for Trauma (MFT) Abba Medix Corp. (Abba) completed its Health Canada pre-sales inspection and received an amendment to its Producers Licence from Health Canada to include the sale and provision of cannabis seeds Through its wholly owned subsidiary Abba Medix Corp., entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Medicine Man Technologies Inc. for deployment of its intellectual property and product lines (Three a Light, Success Nutrients, General Intellectual Property) into the Canadian marketplace. Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The University of New Brunswick (UNB) to provide researchers with opportunities to pursue the health benefits of cannabis. Abba Medix Corp. (Abba) subsidiary planted its first crop of high grade medicinal cannabis seeds at the Companys Health Canada Licensed (LP) Pickering grow facility. Eight strains were chosen for this first planting to meet the medicinal needs of its sister firm Marijuana for Trauma (MFT) and their thousands of clients across Canada. Canada House Wellness Group Inc. Canada House is the parent company of Marijuana for Trauma Inc., Knalysis Technologies and Abba Medix Corp. The Company's goal is to become a marketplace leader through strategic partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions to create a fully integrated cannabis therapy company. For more information please visit http://www.canadahouse.ca or www.sedar.com. For further information, please contact: Boom Capital Markets Steve Low 647-620-5101 steve@boomcapitalmarkets.com Canada House Wellness Group Inc. Chris Churchill-Smith CEO 514-313-0102 chris.smith@canadahouse.ca Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information. This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements that relate to, among other things, the Companys clinic, production and technology businesses, its future plans, the Companys markets, objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and can generally be identified by the use of words such as may, will, could, should, would, likely, possible, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe, plan, objective and continue (or the negative thereof) and words and expressions of similar import. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Material assumptions used to develop forward-looking information in this news release include, among other things, the regulations related to cannabis use under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations and the act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts, passed by the Canadian Federal government, making cannabis legal for recreational use by October 17, 2018; Company liquidity and capital resources, including the availability of additional capital resources to fund its activities; level of competition; the ability to adapt products and services to the changing market; the ability to attract and retain key executives; and the ability to execute strategic plans. Additional information about material factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations and about material factors or assumptions applied in making forward-looking statements may be found in the Companys most recent annual and interim Managements Discussion and Analysis under Risk and Uncertainties as well as in other public disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements contained in this document, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Colorado Springs, Colorado, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Air Force Research Lab Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV) Catalyst Accelerator, at the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation in downtown Colorado Springs, is proud to announce that four of the six companies in the Accelerators Terrestrial Weather cohort, who attended the inaugural session of the program from January to April 2018, have together won a total of seven Small Business Innovation Research awards (SBIRs). Most of the SBIRs awarded were new Special Topics Phase I SBIRs, typically bringing up to $50,000 in non-dilutive funding for each company selected. This new fast-funding mechanism means awards occur within 60 days of application as part of the Air Forces commitment to acquiring new technologies rapidly. The performance period is short, as well three months to develop the basic blueprint for each companys innovative technology. *** CEO and Chief Scientist of Adaptive Systems LLC, Rob Lancaster, is thrilled about the $50,000 SBIR awarded to his company to further develop their weather intelligence support environment software. Adaptive Systems first heard about Catalyst Accelerator from their Intellectual Property (IP) lawyer, who was helping them with a dilemma. At that time, Rob emphasized, We were stuck. Our issue was that we didnt want to take on any investment money and lose the [rights to the] IP for the technology we were developing but we had to maintain full-time jobs. We just couldnt afford to put in our own funds and do it full time to really accelerate the technology ourselves. Catalyst Accelerator changed all that. Catalyst offered us a great opportunity by giving us seed money; not only that, it opened so many doors to potential customers. But I thought the most beneficial part of the whole program was that it taught us the ropes, how to really market your product. They gave us access to services and help that we didnt know existed! Marketing support, customer discovery, how to actually build a solid business plan and how to get it out there to actually make it happen those services were invaluable. Winning the SBIR award brought more than just excitement: The fact that AFRL did indeed see value in what we were doing validated our whole vision Yes, finally, somebody sees something! *** Guidestar Optical Systems is the recipient of four recent SBIRs, with a value of $500,000. Troy Rhoadarmer, Founder & Principal Scientist, explained, We were only expecting maybe two out of four! Its exciting in that these programs are going to provide a little more stability for our company. Three of the [award] topics are related to the technology we brought with us into the Catalyst Accelerator. We shifted a little bit as we went through the Catalyst program and modified what we ended up pitching. Through the Catalyst Accelerator process we talked to potential customers who gave us a better understanding of what they are looking for and how and where our technology can be applied in what they are doing. When the last round of SBIRs came out, we saw several topics where our technology could provide a solution. Were very pleased and a little shocked that we got all four of them. Troy went on to say, Because we went through the customer discovery [at Catalyst Accelerator], we used some of the techniques we learned when we talked to the SBIR customers ahead of time, even the ones where we thought, Okay, weve never talked to these guys before but we could probably do what they are asking. Catalyst also opened up a new market area for us to look at. One of the SBIRs we went after, we probably wouldnt have except for being at Catalyst and talking through the technologies and the customer requirements. The bottom line? According to Troy, We are using a lot of what we learned at the Accelerator to adapt how we are doing business. We are a little more intentional, which has helped us become more stable and less of a roller coaster. As an exciting postscript, Troy also announced that they have recently been awarded a Phase II SBIR, which will encompass prototyping their proposed technology. *** Advanced Radar Company (ARC) spun off from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, according to Director of Strategy Ben Tarr, and has been primarily selling weather radar and weather radar processing software systems to international customers, focusing on the commercial market. We havent done any business with the DoD or the US military, so the big reason we were excited to get involved with the Catalyst Accelerator program was the significant amount of [government] work related to meteorology, weather forecasting, and weather radar specifically; right now, we see a big opportunity to diversify who the DoD goes to when it comes to achieving their goals and meeting their needs related to these types of activities. Ben went on to explain, As a small business, it is really hard to jump into a new vertical. We have established pipelines and customer relationships around the world for the commercial work we do, but to launch into a campaign to make the DoD community even aware of the fact we exist takes a considerable amount of time and resources. What the Accelerator program really did for us was jump-start that entire process. The ability to talk directly to the user and the acquiring customer on the DoD and Air Force side was really powerful. We were directly introduced to the right set of people at the right time and were able to establish exactly what our offering would be. It became clear to us when talking to the DoD that our open-source AregnTM software product could be very advantageous to what the DoD is doing in the weather community. As for winning the SBIR, Ben and his co-workers at ARC are eager to get going on the work it requires: We proposed doing a feasibility study to look at what it would do to take the open source Aregn product and cyberharden it so it could be deployed as a toolset that the Air Force could use. Because Aregn today has the ability to bring in more than just weather data; the DoD is very interested in how they can leverage existing sensor assets that are on orbit exploring the ability to ingest some of those existing sensor datasets and looking at what Aregn can do to merge them with radar data to create standard meteorological data products. *** When asked how he felt about winning a SBIR, SaraniaSats CEO Tom George immediately said, I am very grateful! He followed that exclamation with this explanation: The SBIR award is extremely important to us because it is the first key step to getting the DoD as a customer. SaraniaSat thanks the Air Forces Special Topics Phase I SBIR program for making our DoD engagement possible. SaraniaSats advanced remote sensing technology is so unusual, SaraniaSat was recently written up in VentureBeat as a Unicorn with a unique solution. Using satellites, drones and aircraft, SaraniaSat acquires high-temporal and high-spatial resolution, hyperspectral imagery of vast areas that they then process rapidly so that clients may receive early warning of remotely-detected changes for their application. Tom explained that, thanks to the SBIR award, his proposed technology now has Air Force Weather and two organizations within the Armys Engineer Research and Development Center as potential end customers. What Catalyst did is prepare us really well, especially with the customer discovery process. We got a really good appreciation for how our tech could dovetail into their requirements, so even before the SBIR Phase I call came out we had a lot of our homework done. The preparation and training we got at Catalyst was invaluable in that it was a no-brainer to write the proposal when the SBIR came out because we had all the elements in place. Responding cold to an opportunity that came out, I doubt that our chances would have been as good. Ultimately, according to Tom, the SBIR award is a very important foundational steppingstone for SaraniaSats engagement with the DoD. There is an ancient Chinese proverb: A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Nowhere can that be truer than with this SBIR. * ABOUT AFRL SPACE VEHICLES DIRECTORATE CATALYST ACCELERATOR The AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate Catalyst Accelerator is a defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Accelerators mission is to promote technology advancement for the warfighter and guide technology transfer from the government to the commercial market and vice versa. Catalyst Accelerator partners with the Center for Technology, Research and Commercialization (C-TRAC), Colorado Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) of Boulder and the Pikes Peak Region, and Colorado Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for Accelerator teams. Visit www.cataystaccelerator.space for more information. * ABOUT CATALYST CAMPUS FOR TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation is a research and development campus focused on aerospace and defense technologies headquartered in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The vision of Catalyst Campus is to create an economic development cluster to expand the aerospace and defense industrial base in Southern Colorado through a collaborative infrastructure platform that supports entrepreneurs and small businesses. This unique, cluster environment stimulates economic growth and accelerates the development of new companies; promotes industry innovators, entrepreneurs, and start-ups; supports business training and workforce development; offers access to an applied research and development laboratory; and provides business development, support services and venture capital investment to accelerate innovation and the commercialization of technologies. Visit www.cataystaccelerator.space for more information. Attachment Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Aileen Reyes (The Jakarta Post) Manila Tue, October 2, 2018 17:07 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775a40c2 3 Opinion cryptocurrency,Asia,digital-economy,finance,tech-companies,fintech,blockchain Free Theres a race going on in Asia. Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines are each trying to build the Crypto Valley of Asia within their own borders, and other countries in Asia Pacific will no doubt soon enter the fray with their own sponsored cities. The goal of these countries is ambitious. Crypto Valley is supposed to be to crypto what Silicon Valley is to tech: The very best companies in the cryptocurrency space are supposed to congregate there, do business with one another, and elevate one another through both collaboration and competition. This thinking is sound. Even if the technologies we use are decentralized, it is still ideal for the cryptocurrency industry to be centralized to a particular city. Being able to have face-to-face meetings, work in-person, and even get the serendipitous encounters that happen regularly in Silicon Valley is crucial. The foundation of any company, even one on the bleeding edge of technology, is people. While the impetus to build a Crypto Valley here in Asia is a blessing to the industry, I would encourage the public and private leaders responsible for these initiatives to be even more ambitious. Try to look at it this way: What would a successful Crypto Valley in Asia look like? In the very best scenario, it would have the regional offices of the top crypto companies from the west, along with branches from some homegrown companies. At the very beginning, this might amount to a few dozen companies. The companies would create high value jobs for the local economy, patronize small businesses already in the area, and pump money back into the city via taxes. As these benefits would largely be confined to the host city of each countrys Crypto Valley, I think the countrys economic leaders can think even bigger. Just what can the public and private leaders in these countries realistically aim for thats even greater than a Crypto Valley? I have two words for them: crypto tourism. Right now, the phrase has a very specific connotation, referring usually to traditional tourist getaways, like resorts, that you can pay with cryptocurrency; trips with crypto high-rollers (i.e. people who struck it rich betting on the right digital currency); or in some cases both. Some of the companies in this crypto tourism space include Airbnb-like CryptoCribs and BlockChain Cruise. But crypto tourism can be so much more, as some countries, like Switzerland, are also starting to realize. The best analogy is not Silicon Valley, but Hollywood. At the most immediate level, Hollywood is a hub, a collection of talent across acting, directing, editing, special effects, and other aspects of production unrivaled anywhere else in the world. But Hollywood is also an ideal, and its why so many people from all over the world flock to see the Hollywood sign, the walk of fame, and other landmarks in the area: They want to experience the place where dreams are made. The countries gunning after the Crypto Valley of Asia should aim for something similar: They should try to attract domestic and international tourists with the promise of the future. Doing so will expand their reach from a handful of cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and professionals to anyone with a passing interest in what the world will bring, which is to say everyone. Attracting the wider public will hinge on the successful implementation of cryptocurrency tech across these hubs. It must be omnipresent. Fortunately, there are some notable tech companies in Asia whose products can populate a tourist-friendly Crypto Valley. To begin, the Crypto Valleys can deploy Bitcoin ATMs courtesy of Bitcoin Exchange from Singapore, along with machines from other providers that dispense other currencies, much in the same way that every city is filled with normal ATMs from multiple banks. The feeling they would give is one of ubiquity: You can get any cryptocurrency everywhere you turn. Crypto Valleys must of course also give you a place to spend your crypto. Pundi X from Indonesia gives us a handy solution in this regard: Their Pundi XPOS devices are already being rolled out in different parts of the world, and enable anyone to transact with crypto using the Pundi XPASS card. While the company has deployed their tech at diverse locations, including the FAMA Group in Hong Kong and Ultra Taiwan 2018, the most striking deployment could be at a Crypto Valley. Imagine walking up to a street vendor or entering any small business in the area and being able to pay using crypto via a Pundi XPOS. The juxtaposition between cutting-edge technology and its adoption by everyone in the area is a tourist destination in of itself: Youre parachuting straight into the future. I share what a tourist-friendly Crypto Valley might look like as a challenge to the public and private leaders currently building these hubs across Asia. Getting top crypto companies to locate their offices there is a great start, but we can do so much more. We can use them as a living example on how cryptocurrency will shape the world. This idea is one that Im sure will draw people from all corners of the globe to see. *** The writer is Manila-based cryptocurrency enthusiast, and works as a financial risk management analyst at Manulife. The views are personal. 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 Christine Lagarde (The Jakarta Post) Washington D.C. Tue, October 2, 2018 Our event today is the penultimate leg of what we call our Voyage to Indonesia the final leg being our annual meetings to be held next week in Bali. This is a challenging moment for Indonesia, a country that has transformed itself in recent decades, unleashing its economic dynamism and harnessing the incredible ingenuity and diversity of its people. A country that is so often dealing with the hardship of natural disasters. Before I get to the challenges, let me present a brief lay of the land on the eve of our annual meetings. First, the good news. Global growth is still at its highest level since 2011 when economies were rebounding post-crisis. Unemployment is still falling in most countries. And the proportion of the global population living in extreme poverty has dropped to a new record-low of less than 10 percent. But for most countries, it has become more difficult to deliver on the promise of greater prosperity, because the global economic weather is beginning to change. A year ago, I said, the sun is shining fix the roof. Six months ago, I pointed to clouds of risk on the horizon. Today, some of those risks have begun to materialize. Indeed, there are signs that global growth has plateaued. It is becoming less synchronized, with fewer countries participating in the expansion. In July, we projected 3.9 percent global growth for 2018 and 2019. The outlook has since become less bright, as you will see from our updated forecast next week. Meanwhile, challenges have been mounting in a number of other emerging market and low-income countries including in Latin America, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Many of these economies are facing pressures from a stronger US dollar and a tightening of financial market conditions. Some of them are now facing capital outflows. To be clear, we are not seeing broader financial contagion so far but we also know that conditions can change rapidly. If the current trade disputes were to escalate further, they could deliver a shock to a broader range of emerging and developing economies. My key message today is that we need to manage the risks, step up reforms, and modernize the multilateral system. Or, to put it in shipping terms, we need to steer the boat, not drift! Simply put, countries need to work together to build a global trade system that is stronger, fairer and fit for the future. The stakes are high because the fracturing of global value chains could have a devastating effect on many countries, including advanced economies. That is why we need to work together to de-escalate and resolve the current trade disputes. Going forward, what we need are smarter rules for trade that ensure all can gain. We need to fix the system, not destroy it. Our latest analysis shows that by reducing trading costs for services by 15 percent, we could boost total gross domestic product (GDP) of G20 countries by more than US$350 billion this year. That would be the equivalent of adding another South Africa to the G20. My second challenge is guarding against fiscal and financial turbulence. We must push on with the financial regulatory agenda and resist backsliding. Moreover, after a decade of relatively easy financial conditions, debt levels have reached new highs in advanced, emerging, and low-income countries. In fact, global debt both public and private has reached an all-time high of $182 trillion almost 60 percent higher than in 2007. We estimate that emerging economies excluding China could potentially face debt portfolio outflows of up to $100 billion which would broadly match outflows during the global financial crisis. Emerging economies can create this room by reducing risks from high corporate debt, while greater efforts are needed to make government borrowing more sustainable in low-income countries. In many cases, creating more room means allowing flexible exchange rates to absorb some of the pressures from capital flow reversals. On that point, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) analysis shows that countries with greater exchange rate flexibility experienced smaller output losses after the global financial crisis. At the same time, countries should not overlook another aspect of their balance sheets the public wealth that is tied up in government financial assets, public companies, and natural resources. Here we have new IMF analysis of 31 countries showing total public assets of more than $100 trillion, well over twice their GDP. Improving the management of these public assets could deliver additional revenues of about 3 percent of GDP per year. Guarding against turbulence also requires a strong global financial safety net, which in turn means a well-equipped and well-resourced IMF at its center. This is key to ensure that the Fund can play its unique role in helping countries deal with future crises. My third challenge is rebuilding trust in institutions and policymaking. This is essential for durable and more widely shared growth. Foremost among the causes of the decline in trust is that far too many people remain on the margins. A third factor is corruption an economic and social plague that makes it hard for countries to take the right collective decisions. This is bound to inhibit economic dynamism, which further undermines trust and sets in motion a vicious cycle. And, of course, in an age of rapid technological change where digitalization and artificial intelligence are sweeping across industries we will need even higher levels of public trust. *** The writer is the International Monetary Fund managing director. This article is based on her speech on Oct. 1 in Washington, DC, in welcoming the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in Bali on Oct. 8-14. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yeyen Yenuarizki and Rizky Loviana Roza (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 11:42 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087758b4c3 3 Opinion child-marriage,children,stunting,childrens-right Free Netizens were shocked last April by news of teenagers in Bantaeng, South Sulawesi, who said they wished to wed. Their parents allowed the bride, 14-year-old Fitrah, and the groom, Syamsuddin, 16, to rush the wedding with the blessing of the local religious affairs office, citing it was the best measure to prevent premarital sex between the sweethearts. Outside cities like Jakarta, child marriage is still a common practice. Some village communities prefer to marry their children at a young age, believing child marriage is a way out of poverty. Others believe child marriage is the most effective solution to minimize extramarital sex, which many consider sinful. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Indonesia has ratified, defines a child as a human being aged below 18; thus, a marriage involving someone under 18 is internationally categorized as child marriage, although Indonesias marriage law permits girls even under 16 to wed with parental consent. According to Amnesty International, child marriage impacts 41,000 girls in lower-income countries every year. The 2015 National Social and Economic Survey (Susenas) also revealed that one out of five women aged 20 to 24 years old in Indonesia were married for the first time before they turned 18. A study from Harvard Medical School on sub-Saharan Africa countries indicated intergenerational consequences for girls who get married and their development, including in health. In Indonesia, a comparison between provincial-level data on child marriage and stunting by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in 2015 revealed that provinces with a high percentage of child marriages simultaneously recorded a high prevalence of stunting. The report, which was based on the 2012 Susenas, revealed that West Sulawesi had the highest prevalence of child marriage at 37.3 percent, followed by Central Kalimantan at 36.7 percent and Central Sulawesi at 34.4 percent. This somewhat aligned with data that showed these provinces ranked among the top 10 provinces for stunting prevalence with 39.7 percent in West Sulawesi, 34.1 percent in Central Kalimantan and 32 percent in Central Sulawesi. As for Central Kalimantan, the figures supported findings of a youth-led primary healthcare intervention program, Pencerah Nusantara (Light of the Archipelago), which found that the median age of pregnant mothers at the community health center (Puskesmas) of Tumbang Miri, Gunung Mas regency, was below 18 years old. Little have people realized that child marriage both induces lower economic income and a low education rate. It also accounts for the alarming rate of stunting in Indonesia, where two out of five children under 5 experience impaired growth from poor nutrition, repeated infection and inadequate psychosocial stimulation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Puskesmas Tumbang Miri detected that a significant 44 percent of children under 5 in Kahut municipality were stunted. Stunted children tend to experience greater difficulty in studying compared to those with sufficient nutritional intake. They are also likely to experience slow physical and mental development, reduced productive capacity and poor health, as well as have a higher risk of developing at an earlier stage non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer during adulthood. If stunting continues, the World Bank estimated it could lead to a 2 to 3 percent loss of national gross domestic product. Established to improve public nutrition, Pencerah Nusantara has been carrying out a longitudinal study in Gunung Mas regency for almost three years. It has thus far concluded that the prevention of stunting can be started by minimizing child marriage as it triggers teenage pregnancy, which increases the risk of maternal and infant death. Together with Puskesmas Tumbang Miri as the local primary healthcare service, they initiated the Young Borneo program to boost the participation of young health volunteers, in instilling an understanding of reproductive health to their peers at schools. In other areas with a relatively low amount of resources, local regulations better ensure the consistent implementation and monitoring of child marriage cases. This action mirrors what the mayor of Gunungkidul, Badingah, chose to do, as he prioritized childrens education over early marriage through a 2015 bylaw on child marriage. This policy has been enforced in several villages, with Desa Mertelu having succeeded in suppressing child marriage. Five years since implementing the bylaw, Mertelu saw zero child marriage cases. This achievement is the real deal as Gunungkidul holds the highest child marriage rate in Yogyakarta province. All relevant stakeholders, including religious leaders, village governments, educational institutions, NGOs and even local businesses, should work together in eliminating child marriage, which has contributed to high rates of stunting. There should be no more Fitriahs or Syamsuddins as children deserve a better quality of life through better education, healthcare access and working opportunities. Furthermore, we all have the responsibility of ensuring that stunting ends here and now. It can be started by eliminating child marriage. *** Yeyen Yenuarizki is a communication for development specialist at the Center for Indonesias Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI). Rizky Loviana Roza is a physician deployed in Gunung Mas regency, Central Kalimantan province, under the Pencerah Nusantara program. Pencerah Nusantara is a youth-led social movement that aims to improve primary healthcare services managed by CISDI. 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 Jossa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 08:57 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877584531 1 Lifestyle batik,fashion,traditional-fabrics,fashion-designers Free Renowned designer Edward Hutabarat once likened batik to a beautiful remnant of a civilization and called it the textile of Indonesian culture. The batik industry has been developing well in the last decade because we continue to train young batik artisans who are very well-versed in their art, Edward told The Jakarta Post on Monday. Its been nearly 10 years since batik was inscribed by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, freeing it from the domain of elders who wear it to stuffy, formal events. Yet, the traditional textile has yet to achieve a firm foothold in the sartorial choices of young Indonesians in the face of cheaper products. The market is too saturated with batik, so people tend to think that authentic batik can come across as expensive for no reason, said final year fashion major Canissia Leo Bunga, who is currently doing her thesis on local textiles. She found that people who think batik is expensive do not fully comprehend and appreciate the cultural value and the long process required to create batik. Based on the research that I did for my thesis, many local fashion businesses who make modern clothes are more successful than those who specialize in local fabrics, because customers are apparently looking for cheaper versions of high street brands, Canissia said. When one takes into account the painstaking process of creating batik, a premium is to be expected. Iwan Tirta Private Collection X Kraton Auguste Soesastro (Left), Batik Berkah by Barli Asmara (Right) (Courtesy of Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week/-) The traditional handmade technique, or batik tulis, sees the artisan draw the intricate pattern on both sides of the fabric, a process that can take months to complete for finer results. Because of the process alone, a piece of batik tulis fabric can fetch prices well into the millions, with ready-to-wear clothing cut from batik tulis even more expensive due to the care needed to ensure the patterns look seamless on the finished garment. Alternatively, the method of batik cap (stamped batik) is also used, yielding a more even distribution of patterns at a faster pace than batik tulis, at the cost of losing the small imperfections that so defines the latter. Its likely due to these high costs that buyers then seek for more economical alternatives, the so-called printed batik, which, despite what its name might imply, is not authentic batik as it is simply batik patterns printed on regular fabric. Despite the ubiquity of batik-patterned fabrics and clothing, traditional capand tulis batik are still considerably represented in the Indonesian fashion industry, as championed by renowned brands that showcase their designs. Batik was also the highlight of several labels that graced the ninth Plaza Indonesia Mens Fashion Week (PIMFW) in Central Jakarta, which presented the latest collections of 19 homegrown and international designers from Sept. 24 to 28. The event opened with the latest batik pieces from Alleira Batik X Michael Ong, Parang Kencana and Bateeq. Meanwhile, in the Batik Expose held at Galeries Lafayette in Pacific Place, South Jakarta, on Sept. 27, Galeri Batik Jawa showcased a line of natural indigo-dyed clothes and silk scarves fit for a summer soiree, featuring traditional patterns such as Sekar Jagad, Kawung and Parang, each carrying their own distinct message and meaning. Another label, POPULO Batik, decidedly took a different approach by creating its own patterns, creating a more contemporary spin on batik. POPULO Batiks latest collection, titled Tattoo, was done in collaboration with Berlin-based tattoo artist Tobias Vetter and hairstylist Viktor Leske, resulting in original patterns featuring playful elements like umbrellas, combs and abstract-looking veins contrasting against deep, almost black navy hues. Bateeq (Courtesy of Plaza Indonesia Mens Fashion Week/-) The brands marketing director Karina said these patterns were designed in a way that would attract the younger generation who would not otherwise wear batik. Of course, there is still the issue of price. All of our batik use the cap method with indigo dyes, so its hard for us to push down on prices when the batik process itself is the most complicated step, Karina said, adding that POPULO Batiks fabrics can take around a week to finish. Even when batik becomes exclusionary due to its prices, the government continues to promote the textile through initiatives like National Batik Day, held on Oct. 2 each year to its inclusion as a UNESCO national heritage in 2009. As that day also fell on a Friday, the then-administration also sent a request to government offices as well as private companies for all their employees to wear batik on Fridays. Gradually, batik was no longer the domain of elders wearing them to formal events, as employees and students found a way to wear their culture on their sleeves literally. Agatha Aprilia, a fashion school graduate and a fashion designer who runs her own eponymous brand, said she gained a newfound respect for batik after learning the arduous process behind its creation. Its not easy to create batik, and the process takes a long time. It can also intensely pollute the environment if chemical dyes are used. Even when theres a more sustainable method to producing batik, it still creates waste even in reduced forms, Agatha said. She said she would like to further explore batik for her designs, but has yet to find an artisan with whom to collaborate. I want the patterns to be from myself. Lots of designers create their own pattern, so theres a sense of modernity instead of using traditional patterns, which are worn on special occasions due to the meaning behind them, Agatha added. For design school graduate Putriadinda Kirana, she believes buyers should support local artisans whenever they can by choosing authentic batik if they can afford it. I also want to see young fashion designers modernize batik because I love wearing batik, but I feel like some of the good ones are made into very gender-biased pieces. I want to wear my dads gold silk batik shirt but its very boxy and wont work on my figure, she said. Putri, who hails from Bali and mainly prefers Balinese songket designs over well-known Javanese batik, said batik is a good representation of Indonesian culture as a whole. Traditional patterns are just so good and Indonesians need to get in on this, like right now. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Philippe Schwab (Agence France-Presse) Vienna, Austria Wed, October 3, 2018 03:03 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775b1499 2 Art & Culture Vienna,Austria,art,exhibition,Pieter-Bruegel,painting,Painter Free The world's first-ever monograph exhibition dedicated to 16th century Flemish master Pieter Bruegel the Elder opens Tuesday in Vienna, bringing together half of all of his extant works, organizers said. Ahead of the 450th anniversary of his death next year, the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) is hosting an unparalleled exhibition of 27 of his paintings and 60 drawings and prints. And it will notably reunite for the first time two versions of Bruegel's iconic "Tower of Babel" masterpiece and four from his cycle of "Seasons". Bringing together Bruegel's masterpieces into a single exhibition that has been six years in preparation was "something of a miracle", co-curator Sabine Penot told AFP. Many of the international loans were so old and fragile that they hardly ever traveled and many of the works to go on show had never before left their hometowns. "Everyone knows Bruegel, whether it be from reproductions on calendars or on biscuit tins. But never before have so many of his works been gathered in one place," Penot said. The KHM had something of a head start, as it already owned 12 Bruegel paintings, including one of the "Tower of Babel", "Peasant Wedding", "Children's Games" and three of the "Seasons". That was because Bruegel's works "were collected very early on by two members of the Habsburg family, Archduke Ernest, who ruled the Netherlands, and his brother, Emperor Rudolf II", said art historian Alice Hoppe-Harnoncourt. In 2012, the KHM began an in-depth technical examination of the paintings, using X-ray and infra-red technology, that had never previously been carried out on Bruegel's works. And from there, a number of institutions, particularly in Belgium, agreed to collaborate for this exhibition, Penot said. Read also: Abstract Zao Wou-Ki painting fetches $65m: Sotheby's - 'Cinematographic field of vision' - The show brings together pieces from around 30 private and public collections all over the world, from Antwerp and Madrid, to New York, Paris, Prague and Rotterdam. And among the highlights is "Adoration of the Kings in the Snow" from Winterthur, which required a special law to be able to leave Switzerland, as well as "The Port of Naples" which was recently authenticated after being restored in Rome. Unfortunately, the Metropolitan Museum of New York decided not to loan the "Harvesters" which would have rounded off the five "Seasons" paintings known to be still in existence, said Penot. Another co-curator, Manfred Sellink, director of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, said Bruegel's works continued to fascinate because "he succeeds in portraying astonishingly precise detail with a literally cinematographic field of vision". Parallel to the real exhibition is an accompanying website, which allows the user to zoom in on details in the paintings that are not easily visible to the naked eye. Already famous during his own lifetime and the head of a long dynasty of painters, the popularity of Bruegel (1525/30-1569) has come and gone across the centuries. "In the 18th century, most of his work had been put into storage and was only really rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century," said Hoppe-Harnoncourt. "Every generation has tried to unravel the mysteries of Bruegel, but none has really succeeded, since his work is so rich," said Penot. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Lee Mannion (Reuters) London, United Kingdom Tue, October 2, 2018 17:04 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775a3179 2 People Emma-Watson,actress,abortion,Ireland,India,health,abortion-laws Free Actress Emma Watson called for action to end restrictive abortion laws on Monday as she paid tribute to the Indian woman whose death helped overturn Ireland's 35-year ban. Savita Halappanavar died in 2012 from a septic miscarriage after she was refused a termination in an Irish hospital, sparking a huge outcry that helped galvanize the campaign to legalize abortion in the Catholic country. In an open letter, Watson credited the 31-year-old dentist with helping to bring about a "historic feminist victory that emboldens the fight for reproductive justice everywhere". "There is still more work to be done. Free, safe, legal and local abortion care is needed across the globe," Watson wrote in the letter, published on the fashion website Porter. Abortion is highly restricted in 125 countries, affecting 42 percent of women globally, the majority of them in the developing world, according to research published this year by think-tank the Guttmacher Institute. A total ban on abortion exists in 26 countries. Read also: Emma Watson gives 1m to UK women's justice fund ahead of Baftas Irish voters backed to change a law that gave an unborn child and its mother equal rights to life by two-to-one in a referendum in May this year. For decades, the law forced more than 3,000 women to travel to Britain each year for terminations. The Irish government is expected to pass laws allowing abortions with no restriction up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy by the end of the year. Watson, famous for her roles in the Harry Potter series of films, first spoke out in favor of gender equality as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador in 2014. Earlier this year she donated 1 million pounds to the UK Justice and Equality Fund, a crowdfunding campaign to fight sexual harassment. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Reykjavik, Iceland Tue, October 2, 2018 11:02 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877589191 2 Entertainment Sigur-Ros,music,Iceland,band,rape,united-states,Orri-Pall-Dyrason Free The drummer with the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Ros announced his resignation Monday after being accused of rape in the United States. Local media said American artist Meagan Boyd had accused Orri Pall Dyrason of raping her twice in Los Angeles in 2013. He denied the allegations. "In light of the scale of this matter, I have decided to leave Sigur Ros," the drummer wrote on Facebook, denying the allegations. "That is a difficult decision for me, but I cannot have these serious allegations influence the band," he said. The Reykjavik group also took to Facebook saying his resignation had been accepted. Read also: Johann Johannsson, composer of haunting film scores, dead at 48 "In the wake of the extremely serious and personal allegations made against him in recent days we have today accepted the resignation of our bandmate Orri Pall Dyrason to allow him to deal with this privately," the band said. The rape allegations were reportedly made on Boyd's Instagram account which has since been shut down. The drummer pledged to "do anything in my power to get myself out of this nightmare, but out of respect for those actually suffering from sexual violence, I will not take that fight public". Sigur Ros formed in 1994 and won international acclaim for their album Agaetis Byrjun, released in 1999. Orri Pall Dyrason joined the band before their third album came out in 2002 titled (). Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syofiardi Bachyul Jb (The Jakarta Post) Padang Tue, October 2, 2018 09:32 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877585ce4 4 Art & Culture mentawai,tattoo,tradition,indigenous-people,political-oppression Free The indigenous Mentawai people populate the islands of Siberut, Sipora, North Pagai and South Pagai. Today, only Siberut still has a fairly large number of tattooed islanders, though estimated at less than 100. On the other three islands, only one to four people aged above 80 are tattooed. Among South Pagais population of around 9,000 people, just one woman is left with traditional tattoos on her body. She is 87-year-old Siboirot Tubu Sakeru. Siboirot, the last tattoo bearer on South Pagai, was saved by her grandchild when huge waves devastated their village on Oct. 25, 2010. Now, she lives in a house built for victims of the tsunami in Kinumbu hamlet, Bulasat village. While her vision is blurred, her memory is still sharp. Speaking only in the Mentawai language, Siboirot said she was educated at a Dutch church-run primary school before dropping out in third grade during the period of Japanese occupation. As a dropout at 10, I was tattooed, along with a friend, by a village tattooist without any payment or ritual, she told The Jakarta Post. Most boys and girls above ten had their bodies tattooed for the sake of tradition. Widespread traditional values had it that those who had no tattoos did not belong to the Mentawai community, she added. Siboirot was first tattooed on the back of one of her hands, followed by the other and then her arms, neck, back and chest, at a weeks interval between body parts. The weeklong break was enough to heal the bleeding skin and relieve the pain, she said. Survivor: Siboirot Tubu Sakeru, 87, a resident of Kinumbu hamlet in Bulasat village, is the only one of more than 9,000 Mentawai people living on the island of South Pagai who still bears traditional tattoos. (The Jakarta Post/Syofiardi Bachyul Jb) Traditional Mentawai tattoo artists draw their tattoos by using a needle that they beat with a small mallet. The tip of the needle is dipped into ink made from sugarcane fluid and soot. A strict ban on Mentawais tattooing tradition was imposed by Protestant missionaries during the Dutch colonial time. More Mentawai traditions were banned after Indonesia gained independence, with government restrictions on Mentawai cultural practices seen as primitive, such as men having long hair or sharpening their teeth and sikerei(shaman) practices. Siboirot recalled police or military personnel often capturing tattooed Mentawai people and later imprisoning them in Sikakap, a town on North Pagai Island. Im the oldest of four siblings. My younger sister was caught by the police when being tattooed on the chin and was taken to Sikakap, where she was jailed for a year. I escaped by fleeing into the woods, Siboirot said. Due to the pressure from the Javanese-centric government, Siboirots other siblings and most of the indigenous Mentawai people decided to no longer get tattoos. Consequently, the next generation of the Mentawai people during Siboirots youth has no more tattoos, and South Pagais tattoo art has practically vanished. Meanwhile, the last tattooed men on North Pagai Island, separated just by an 800-meter strait from South Pagai, are also above 80. Data collected by the Post show that two years ago, four tattooed people were left on North Pagai, aged 82 to 85, three of whom live in Sikakap district with only hand to elbow drawings and no sharpened teeth. Another man, 82, lives in North Pagai district. Where it begins: The back of the hands of Siboirot Tubu Sakeru were the first to be tattooed, followed by parts of her body. (The Jakarta Post/Syofiardi Bachyul Jb) Leo Marsan, a Sikakap resident, said his grandmother Sanna Sagugurat belonged to the last generation having tattoos all over her body and sharpened teeth in Saumanganya village. But she died in June 2015 at the age of 86. The following generations no longer had full tattoos, because after the Protestant faith entered Pagai on June 16, 1916, a ban was enforced on everything connected with the local arat sabulungan faith, from tattooing to the sharpening of teeth, he added. On Sipora Island, the only man with tattoos covering almost the entire body is aged over 80. J. Sababalat is a resident of Minga Sibagau hamlet in mara village. Several others who are some years younger have smaller tattoo designs. One who has just one tattooed spot, namely on his right ankle, is Salum Sababalat, 76, a resident of Sibagau village, Sipora district. As a first-grader aged seven, he and two friends were tattooed by his father, who was a tattoo artist. There were sketches for tattoos to go on both of my ankles and hands, but when my father began his tattoo work on a spot of my ankle, it felt very painful, so I kicked over the coconut shell containing the tattoo ink and ran away, Salum told the Post. From then on, he fell ill for a month, which was regarded as a consequence of violating the taboo tradition by kicking the equipment. It took two big pigs to invite a sikerei to treat him, after which he recovered. Salum still remembers when, in 1954, two boats carried groups of the Mentawai people from Sipora to Siberut as part of the ritual to visit their land of origin. They turned out to be the last group of people conducting the journey. Two weeks after returning to Sipora, the government with police and soldiers burned all our ritual tools and equipment; whoever dared to resist would be arrested and sent to prison, he said. A little too late: Salum Sababalat, 76, a resident of Sibagau village, Sipora district, has only one area tattooed on his body, namely his right ankle. (The Jakarta Post/Syofiardi Bachyul Jb) Siberut Island is the cradle of the Mentawai culture. Unlike Pagai and Sipora, where the Protestants arrived earlier, Siberut was subjected to a massive ban on what the government called primitive culture much later. Traditions on the big island, where most of the ethnic people live in dense forests, survived longer. However, even here the people still bearing tattoos are more than 40 years old. Those who are more senior have stories to tell of resistance to the cultural restrictions. Aman Lau Lau Manai, whose full name is Josep Teuki Ogok Salakirat, 62, is a famous community figure from Siberut. The man, who is also a shaman and tattooist, is a familiar face in the media for being often used as a model of a Mentawai native. The local tourism office has frequently invited him to art and cultural programs. He has been struggling for the preservation of Mentawai culture in its homeland, after witnessing how government authorities burned sikerei paraphernalia like the jejeneng (clock), necklaces, the bakkat katsaila (place of offerings) and skulls from hunting. In the mid-1980s, assisted by Charles Lindsay, a San Francisco born ethnographic photographer and naturalist who entered the forest of Siberut in 1984, he was taken to meet with the West Sumatra governor in his kabit (loin cloth) with a tattoo-covered body and long hair. He conveyed his protest against the ban on Mentawai culture. Based on his complaint, the governor finally issued a letter lifting the ban on Mentawais customs and traditions, because they constitute the faith of the community. Before long, he and a group of 12 people were invited to Jakarta to present Mentawai dances in a program attended by then-president Soeharto. But as a result of the repression, some cultural instruments are hard to find at present, and our children wear clothes for adjustment [to modern life], but I must admit that todays garments are very practical, as they arent difficult to put on, Aman said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Jakarta, Indonesia Tue, October 2, 2018 17:40 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775a6315 2 Environment tsunami,natural-disaster Free Scores of people have been killed after a powerful quake sparked a tsunami with waves as high as 1.5 meters (five feet) that smashed into the Indonesian city of Palu. Harrowing video showed waves of water bringing down several buildings and inundating a large mosque. AFP takes a look at the five deadliest tsunamis recorded over the past century. - 'Megathrust' quake in Aceh - On December 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude "megathrust" earthquake hit Aceh on the northern tip of Sumatra island in Indonesia, causing a tsunami that reached coastal areas as far away as Somalia. The waves pounded several countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 in Indonesia alone, the vast majority in Aceh province. The tsunami killed about 50,000 people in other countries, bringing the total fatalities to approximately 220,000, making it one of the worst natural disasters in human history. There was no warning of the impending tsunami, giving little time for evacuation, despite the hours-long gaps between the waves striking different continents. The earthquake unleashed energy equivalent to 23,000 of the atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Read also: Sites in Aceh for remembering the 2004 tsunami - Tsunami, meltdown in Japan - On March 11, 2011, Japan was struck by an enormous 9.0-magnitude earthquake, unleashing a towering tsunami that levelled communities along the country's northeastern coast. About 19,000 people were left dead or missing as the terrifying wall of water that travelled at the speed of a jet plane swallowed up everything in its path. The water swamped reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, sparking reactor meltdowns in the worst atomic accident since Chernobyl in 1986. The disaster is still deeply engrained in the nation's collective psyche and to this day, there are people from ravaged communities still living in temporary accommodation. - Chile: World's worst quake - The most powerful earthquake ever recorded -- at magnitude 9.5 -- devastated Chile in May 1960 and the resulting tsunami tore around the world. More than 5,700 people were killed in Chile and 61 in Hawaii when the waves reached the coast there. The destruction spread as far as Japan, where 142 people were killed and 1,600 buildings damaged. Survivors in Japan said the 1960 tsunami reached heights of up to five metres (16 feet). - Moro Gulf - Just after midnight on August 17, 1976, a quake measuring 7.9 struck near the Philippine islands of Mindanao and Sulu and the resulting tsunami with waves of five meters at the highest point swept thousands away as they slept. Between 5,000 and 8,000 people were killed, according to official estimates, making it one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the Philippines. - Papua New Guinea - On July 17, 1998, Papua New Guinea was rocked by two quakes, each of 7.0 magnitude. The twin quakes prompted a tsunami that ravaged 30 kilometers (18 miles) of the northern coastline of the country, sweeping away seven villages in its path. According to official statistics, more than 2,000 lives were lost but local sources put the death toll at between 6,000 and 8,000. More than 12,000 were made homeless by the disaster. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Panca Nugraha (The Jakarta Post) Lombok Tue, October 2, 2018 07:32 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877581ef8 2 National Lombok,narcotics,drug-possession,Lombok-airport Free West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police arrested a French national on Monday for drug possession at Lombok International Airport. The suspect, DF, reportedly hid 2.9 kilograms of amphetamine and ketamine as well as 850 ecstasy pills inside his luggage. The drugs were valued at roughly Rp 1.3 billion (US$ 87,191). According to NTB Police narcotics unit head Sr. Comr. Yus Fadilah, DF arrived at the airport at 11.45 a.m. local time using a flight from Singapore. A customs officer, Fadilah, said he suspected the French man after the airports baggage scanner showed a suspicious image inside his luggage. We found out that DF was keeping several packages of narcotics [in] his luggage, Fadilah told reporters on Monday. He added that DF was currently being interrogated at the NTB Police headquarters. DF has officially been named a suspect. He is being charged under Article 112 of Law 35/2009 on narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. HOUSTON, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carnelian Energy Capital Management, L.P. (Carnelian) is pleased to announce the promotion of Preston Powell to Managing Director and Matt Kelly to Vice President. Mr. Powell joined Carnelian in 2015, most recently serving as Principal. In this role, Mr. Powell has been responsible for sourcing investments, transaction due diligence and execution and monitoring of active portfolio companies. Prior to joining Carnelian, Mr. Powell was a Vice President in the Oil and Gas Group at Denham Capital Partners. Prior to Denham, Mr. Powell worked in the Energy Group of KKR & Co. and the Mergers and Acquisitions Group of Greenhill & Co. Mr. Powell grew up in Dallas, Texas, and received a B.B.A. in Finance with honors from the Business Honors Program from The University of Texas at Austin. Tomas Ackerman, Carnelian Partner, said: Preston is a talented investor and a great partner to our portfolio company management teams. He has been integral to Carnelians success to date, and we are excited to recognize Prestons meaningful role in our organization as we continue to grow the firm together. Mr. Kelly joined Carnelian in 2015 as one of the firms first employees. In his prior role as Senior Associate, he was responsible for transaction due diligence, analytics and execution and monitoring active portfolio companies. Prior to joining Carnelian, Mr. Kelly worked in the Energy & Power Investment Banking Group at Wells Fargo Securities. Mr. Kelly grew up in Houston, Texas, and received a B.B.A. and an M.P.A. in Accounting from The University of Texas at Austin. Daniel Goodman, Carnelian Partner, said: Matt has been with Carnelian since our founding and has positively impacted every facet of the firm. His passion for the oil and gas industry and work ethic are truly unique. We are proud to recognize Matts contributions to Carnelians success. About Carnelian Energy Capital Management, L.P. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rizal Harahap (The Jakarta Post) Pekanbaru Tue, October 2, 2018 09:04 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877585477 2 National forest-fires,Riau,peatland,environment Free Some 270 hectares of land in Indragiri Hilir regency, Riau province, were burned on Sunday, spreading haze to its surrounding areas, according to Indragiri Hilir Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Christian Rony Putra. The area comprised peatlands and mineral soil that had mostly been used by residents as oil palm and rubber plantations. Some parts of the forests scrubland had been burnt as well. According to Rony, 200 joint personnel from the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) as well as the Manggala Agni Fire Brigade and local communities were deployed to put out the fire. However, the process was hindered by difficulties in reaching water sources as well as strong winds. To overcome this issue, Rony said, the team dug a small canal to find a water source. We thank the community for helping us put out the fire and giving us helpful information on which dangerous areas we have to avoid, Rony said on Sunday. Meanwhile, the resulting haze has affected Pelalawan regency, which is located next to Indragiri Hilir, and reduced visibility in the area to 300 meters in the morning. (dpk) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 13:18 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775970b0 1 City Fraud,fraud-cases,trial,Bekasi,crime Free The Bekasi District Court in West Java sentenced a new mother to five months and seven days imprisonment on Monday for online business fraud worth Rp 2.5 million (US$171). The defendant, identified as FT, who had given birth just four days prior, was accused by one of her online shop customers DW, a wife of a one-star military general. Reading out the courts verdict, presiding judge Lutfi said FT had been declared guilty of fraud in connection with her business selling clothes online. I accept [the verdict], FT said on Monday, as quoted by kompas.com. FTs lawyer, Romy Leo, said the verdict was fair enough because the defendant would only have to be imprisoned for another 10 days, as she had been detained since May 4 in Pondok Bambu Womens Penitentiary in East Jakarta. The verdict was less than the prosecutors demand of eight months imprisonment. The prosecutors said they would wait a week before announcing whether they would file an appeal. A lawyer from the Legal Aid Foundation of the Indonesian Women's Association for Justice (LBH Apik), Uli Pangaribuan, previously explained that FT, who was pregnant with her second child at the time, sold batik clothes through a Facebook account. Among her customers was DW, who ordered 10 items of batik clothing worth Rp 2.5 million and paid in advance. It turned out that FT could not fulfill the order on the designated date. DW gave FT a one hour deadline to return her money. FT had agreed to return the money. However, DW still reported FT to the police for fraud. Not long after receiving the report, the police arrested and detained FT. Uli further said the case should have been settled through a mediation mechanism, as regulated in Supreme Court Regulation No. 2/2012, which regulates the boundaries of what constitutes a misdemeanor and the corresponding fines. (sau) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 12:32 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877594e60 1 National #CentralSulawesiQuake,#ForeignAid,foreign,aircraft,restriction Free Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi, remains closed off to foreign airlines seeking to provide aid for the thousands of earthquake victims, an official has said. Several foreign airlines have requested permission to deploy their aircraft, but we did not allow them because it is still a sensitive area, said Transport Ministry airport director Polana Pramesthi on Monday as reported by kontan.co.id, mentioning a French airline as a recent example. Read also: Jokowi declares Indonesia open to foreign aid Polana assured that Indonesian airlines were capable of carrying out all necessary aid work. There have been at least four commercial local airlines operating flights in Palu since the earthquake struck on Friday: Garuda Indonesia, Wings Air, Nam Air and My Indo as well as several military-operated Hercules aircraft. There have been six return flights by Hercules aircraft so far, he said. However, current airline activity is below average because authorities are prioritizing aid-related flights and will remain selective of foreign aid. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said government priority would be given to Australia, the United States, Morocco, South Korea, the European Union, China, Singapore, Turkey, the Philippines and Switzerland. So far, South Korea has donated US$1 million, the EU Rp 25 billion ($1.6 million) and China $200,000 (via the Red Cross). Sutopo added that only President Joko Jokowi Widodo had the authority to authorize foreign aid. (nor) TheJakartaPost Please Update your browser Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below. Just click on the icons to get to the download page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 08:24 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877582e9d 1 Business Tourist,arrivals,Lombok,West-Nusa-Tenggara,decline,August-2018 Free The recent earthquakes in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, have taken a serious toll on tourism, as arrivals to the island plummeted 69 percent in August, according to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The number of tourists visiting Lombok dropped from 13,980 in July to only 4,306 in August, BPS head Suhariyanto said on Friday. The earthquake was the reason for the drastic decline in tourist arrivals in August, he said in a press conference, adding that the average hotel occupancy declined from 60.44 percent in July to a rate of 28.18 percent in August. Nationwide, tourism arrivals in August were down 1.93 percent from the previous month. However, the BPS revealed that tourist arrivals were still up on the year, rising by 8.44 percent from 1.39 million in August 2017 to 1.51 million in August 2018. Suhariyanto said tourist arrivals from January to August 2018 had reached 10.58 million, or 12.30 percent higher than in the corresponding period last year. Indonesia targets to welcome 17 million tourists this year and 20 million next year. The government expects next weeks IMF-World Bank Meeting 2018 in Bali to bring in more tourists to Indonesia. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rizki Fachriansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 10:31 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775875bd 1 National #earthquake,#EastNusaTenggara,earthquake,EastNusaTenggara Free A string of fresh earthquakes of varying magnitudes shook East Nusa Tenggara on Tuesday morning, sending residents into a panic. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) posted a tweet on its official Twitter account, confirming that at 7:16 a.m., a 6.3-magnitude earthquake occurred 66 kilometers from the southwestern part of East Sumba regency, East Nusa Tenggara at a depth of 10 kilometers. In a written statement, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the moderately powerful quake had lasted for about three to five seconds. Residents fled their houses and other buildings in panic, while students who had just arrived at elementary schools were picked up by their parents. However, the agency has yet to disclose the extent of damage the region has suffered in the wake of the quake. In addition to the 6.3-magnitude quake, a series of brief quakes with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 also jolted the region. According to the official BMKG app, the first quake, with a magnitude of 5.2, hit East Sumba at 6:12 a.m.. Subsequent quakes with magnitudes of 5.3 and 6.0 occurred minutes later at 6:27 a.m. and 6:59 a.m. respectively. The agency later issued a statement, saying the quakes would not cause a tsunami. The East Sumba earthquakes are the latest in a spate of similar natural disasters striking other parts of the country. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 15:23 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087759e076 4 Business Garudafood-Putra-Putri-Jaya,IPO,price Free Food products company PT Garudafood Putra Putri Jaya decided on Monday that its initial public offering (IPO) share price would be set at Rp 1,284 (8.5 US cent) per share. The company, a major food and beverage producer, known for its peanut-based snacks, previously offered an IPO price of between Rp 1,100 and Rp 1,400 per share, kontan.co.id reported on Tuesday. With the above price, the value of the company's IPO is Rp 979.49 billion (US$64.97 million) with the assumption that the company will release 762.84 shares. However, Garudafood is set to offer only 35 million shares worth Rp 44.94 billion. The remaining 727.84 million shares will be reserved as mandatory convertible bonds. Garudafood received a pre-effective statement from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) on Aug. 27 and, therefore, it should become publicly listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) by mid-October. (nor/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 13:58 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087759a09d 4 Business Go-Jek,the-philippines,operation Free Indonesias ride-hailing app Go-Jek has said it would wait for the issuance of accreditation from the Philippine government before operating in the country. Nila Marita, Go-Jek chief of corporate affairs, said in Jakarta on Monday that the company would abide by the regulations of the Philippines. We will first focus on securing accreditation in the Philippines before expanding business, she said on Monday as reported by kontan.co.id. Previously, Martin B. Delgra III, head of the Philippines Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) -- a government body that issues accreditation for transport companies, said Go-Jek registered too late with the board to enter the country. Go-Jek sent its application on Aug. 13, whereas the moratorium was effective starting from Aug. 9. Go-Jek kicked off its full operation in Vietnam on Sept. 12, the first step in the companys plan to expand into Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, Go-Jek is collaborating with a local team led by digital entrepreneur Nguyen Vu Duc under the brand Go-Viet. Go-Viet launched a pilot operation on Aug. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, which is home to around 3 million people. The Indonesian startup unicorn said it also looked into Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand but was experiencing difficulties in entering each of these countries. (nor/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 10:40 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877588c91 1 World #CentralSulawesiQuake,#ForeignAid,Indonesia,foreign-aid,non-cash-assistance Free The Foreign Ministry has briefed envoys from countries that have offered help following the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi that the Indonesian government will accept assistance in the form of supplies, expertise and equipment but suggested that cash donations be directed to the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI). On Monday evening, ambassadors from around 20 countries and representatives from international organizations met with Deputy Foreign Minister AM Fachir, who said the country had identified priorities for foreign assistance. There are at least three forms of assistance, supplies, expertise and equipment, so were identifying them and if they want to help, they can let us know what they can offer, Fachir told reporters after the meeting. The foreign aid, once compiled in an inventory by a team that reports to Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, will be distributed through the relevant ministry channels into the region, with a number of officials stressing the need to vet what is actually required. Meanwhile, he said the PMI was the best option to direct cash donations. PMI is very reliable in distributing aid according to needs, he said. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) said in an assessment published on Monday that 191,000 people were in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Central Sulawesi on Friday. The earthquake, followed by several aftershocks, a tsunami and soil liquefaction, flattened buildings and killed upwards of 1,200 people, according to figures from the BNPB. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2 2018 Thamrin City shopping center in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, is celebrating one of Indonesias most popular cultural heritages, batik, with a series of events from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2. Batik Day falls on Oct. 2, following the recognition of batik as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2009 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Thamrin City general manager Adi Adnyana said, in addition to a batik exhibition featuring various types of the traditional textile, visitors would be able to participate in the Trade in Batik event. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login ATLANTA, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, employee benefits brokerage and HR services company Decisely unveiled a new solution to help small businesses quickly, easily and affordably offer compelling retirement benefits plans for employees. Designed to deliver on the promise of emerging association retirement plans that leverage economies of scale to help small businesses offer attractive retirement options for small business employers and their employees, Decisely Retirement Solutions includes a suite of IRA and 401k solutions that meet the needs of employers and employees while satisfying emerging state and city requirements for small business retirement solutions. Historically, many small businesses have not offered retirement benefits or plans because of prohibitive costs and administrative difficulties. In fact, 90% of larger companies offer a retirement plan, compared to 45% of companies with less than 100 employees and only 20% for those with less than 50 people. This leaves employees dangerously unprepared for life in retirement. A recent study from Northwestern Mutual found that the average retirement savings for an individual is only $84,000, far below the needed level for a well-funded, secure retirement. Decisely Retirement Solutions makes it simple and affordable to initiate a plan for small businesses by reducing the administrative burden of launching one and minimizing the ongoing fiduciary risk and responsibilities of operating it. In addition to helping employees prepare for financial needs in retirement, it also enables businesses to better compete for talent in a full-employment market. Decisely Retirement Solutions is designed with small employers in mind, taking the hassle and risk off their shoulders so they can focus on running their businesses, said Decisely CEO Kevin Dunn. Our unique approach reverses the traditional dynamic for retirement planning, giving small businesses and their employees affordable and desirable ways to plan for retirement. Decisely Retirement Solutions allows multiple, unrelated employers to combine forces to deliver cost effective scale in 401k benefits sourcing. Companies simply sign up and adopt the plan. Decisely Retirement Solutions and its partners manages all compliance and oversight. Companies and their employees can take advantage of a simple online enrollment process and access to a variety of investment options for easy interactions and peace of mind. For small businesses that arent ready for a 401k, Decisely Retirement Solutions offers affordable employee funded IRA solutions as well. Decisely Retirement Solutions are well timed to help companies looking to take advantage of potential regulatory changes. On August 31, 2018, President Trump signed an executive order designed to reduce the cost of retirement plans by lowering regulatory burdens and enabling small businesses to pool their resources to obtain more affordable retirement plan options for their employees. At the same time, many states and cities now require all small businesses to offer a retirement savings solution for employees. Like with Deciselys leading Association Health Plan offering that is helping companies collectively source medical and other benefits for Associations and Franchises, Decisely Retirement Solutions is poised to shape the future of small business retirement planning. At Decisely we have always been a champion of small businesses and our Retirement Solutions are just one more example of this, continued Dunn. We are excited for potential Administration changes that will benefit even more small businesses and their employees and look forward to the role Decisely Retirement Solutions can play in empowering American employers and workers. For more information about Decisely Retirement Solutions please visit decisely.com/retirement. About Decisely Decisely improves the health of businesses and their employees. Decisely is a benefits brokerage and HR services firm specializing in integrated technology solutions for small businesses. With the right mix of recruiting, benefits, HR, compliance, payroll, retirement & licensed support, Decisely technology brings your most essential HR activities onto one platform. Learn more at https://Decisely.com . Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2 2018 The Jakarta administrations decision to revoke permits for Jakarta Bay land reclamation projects is in line with the central governments stance on the matter, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has said. The minister told Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan during a meeting with him that his decision aligned with the ministrys recommendation to rearrange the spatial layout of the four islets that had already been built. I said the islets needed to be rearranged so that they reflect the social dimension, Siti said on Sunday as quoted by kompas.com. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bambang Nurbianto (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 10:48 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877588d59 4 Business Kertajati-Airport-Majalengka-WestJava,runway,extension,umrah Free The West Java administration plans to extend a runway of Kertajati International Airport in Majalengka, West Java, from 2,500 meters to 3,000 m. The extension of the runway at Kertajati Airport will allow larger aircraft to land there, said West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil after meeting with Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Jakarta recently. He said the extension project was planned to be completed by the end of 2018. He said the airport, which began operations on May 24, would be used by umrah (minor haj) pilgrims from Oct. 13 in cooperation with Lion Air Group. Everything has been clear. God willing, the first umrah flight will be on Oct. 13, Ridwan said as quoted by tribunnews.com. The governor said the umrah flight was opened to accommodate the large number of pilgrims from West Java. More and more West Java people want to go on umrah. This indicates the improvement of the province's economy, he added. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 15:26 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087759f485 1 Politics 2019-elections,2019-legislative-election,2019-presidential-election,KPI,broadcasting-commission,campaign,#2019-elections Free As part of an effort to maintain media neutrality in anticipation of next year's presidential and legislative elections, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) has organized a joint media supervisory team comprising several divisions. KPI deputy chairman Sujarwanto Rahmat M. Arifin said the commission would cooperate with the General Elections Commission (KPU), the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the Press Council to watch over media neutrality during campaign season. "We have inked an agreement to organize a joint supervisory team. The team will hold regular meetings to discuss decisions," Sujarwanto said on Monday, as quoted by tempo.co. In accordance with the agreement between the KPI, the KPU, Bawaslu and the Press Council, the Joint Supervisory Board for News, Broadcast and 2019 Election Advertisements is tasked with monitoring news and other types of media products including political ads through coordination with media companies. The supervisory team comprises several divisions, with each focusing on media companies, broadcasting companies, national press, broadcast or publication time, political TV spots and other forms of political ads. Read also: 'Jokowi ad' in cinemas irks opposition, moviegoers Regarding political ads for the ongoing campaign season leading up to next year's elections, the agreement has stipulated that each candidate is only allowed a total of 10 TV spots, each with a maximum duration of 30 seconds for every TV station every day. Furthermore, candidates are advised against publishing advertorials. Violations of the rule will result in a verbal warning and a ban on the ads, depending on the decision of the supervisory team. Media moguls have entered the political scene during this campaign season. Among them are Metro TV owner Surya Paloh, MNC Group owner Hary Tanoesoedibjo and Mahaka Group owner Erick Thohir -- all whom support incumbent President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. (rfa) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sebastian Smith and Jerome Cartillier (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States Tue, October 2, 2018 08:38 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877583b1c 2 World #DonaldTrump,#MelaniaTrump,MelaniaTrump,visit,Africa,DonaldTrump Free Melania Trump left Washington -- and her husband's shadow -- Monday for a four-country tour of Africa that will give the glamorous and at times enigmatic first lady a chance to carve her own diplomatic path. The trip to Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt, which sees Trump returning to Washington early October 7, will be her first big solo international trip. She boarded her plane late Monday from Andrews Air Force base, wearing a camel trench coat, large sunglasses and leopard-print stilettos. Unlike her popular predecessor Michelle Obama, former fashion model Melania has kept largely to the background as Donald Trump alternately wows and dismays in a presidency he has turned into the biggest show on earth. Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Melania Trump's Africa tour will be a "diplomatic and humanitarian visit" focused on her #BeBest campaign for "children and their well-being." There was little other information available about the trip, with only hours to go. In typical fashion, it was Donald Trump who seized the headlines, telling journalists last week that his wife was "making a big trip to Africa." "We both love Africa. Africa is so beautiful, the most beautiful part of the world, in many ways," continued the president, who was once reported to have dismissed the continent as a collection of "shithole countries." But even if Donald Trump stole her thunder, there's no doubt that Melania Trump means to take ownership of the visit. At a time when her husband's government is pushing for radical reductions of US aid around the world, Melania will "showcase" the work of the huge US Agency for International Development, or USAID, Grisham said. "This is her trip, her initiative," Grisham added. - She cares - Melania Trump held a #BeBest event at the United Nations last week, during the world body's annual gathering. However, the 48-year-old first lady has been more noted for her absences during a hectic presidency in which Donald Trump is almost omnipresent on social media, television and front pages. With little more than a month to go before the Republicans risk major losses in Congressional elections, Trump is holding rallies around the country several times a week. But Melania Trump is not by his side. When he made a heavily publicized trip last month to North and South Carolina to assess damage from Hurricane Florence and to comfort locals, she was also missing. "We haven't seen a sign that she is willing to embrace being a political asset," said Anita McBride, a former chief of staff for Laura Bush, the wife of president George W. Bush. "The ability and the opportunity is there. Whether she chooses to use it will be another question." Even what was arguably Melania Trump's most memorable public appearance came wrapped in mystery and controversy, yet again raising the question of what kind of first lady occupies this controversy-filled White House. It was June and her husband's policy of discouraging illegal immigration by separating children from their parents at the Mexican border had turned into a political firestorm. Melania Trump made a surprise visit to Texas to visit some of the children, and even more unexpectedly the back of her jacket bore these words scrawled in white: "I really don't care. Do U?" No one knew what she meant. "She's a woman of few words," McBride said. "The one exception is when she wore that jacket. I will never understand that." But with the Africa trip, it seems clear what the first lady wants to show: she does care. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 15:23 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b3087759ef22 1 City MRT-Jakarta,vandalism,public-facility,jakarta,public-transportation Free PT MRT Jakarta, which operates the city's MRT, has said the identity of an alleged trespasser who vandalized its train car on Sept. 21 has been identified. In a statement issued on Monday, MRT Jakarta's secretary Tubagus Himatullah cited a report from the Central Jakarta Police that the alleged perpetrator "could be a popular figure among street artists." "According to the police's investigation, the vandal allegedly distributed stickers to people around the scene before the incident," Tubagus said. A train car of the brand-new MRT was spray-painted in Lebak Bulus depot in South Jakarta on Sept. 21, sparking outrage from Jakartans who have been waiting for the operation of the service to ease congestion in the city. The perpetrator had allegedly entered the depot, where the trains were housed and cleaned, by climbing over the wall. Tubagus assured that the incident would not hamper the plan to launch the service, which is expected to begin commercial operation in March next year. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 17:47 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775a6ead 1 Politics Ratna-Sarumpaet,Prabowo-Sandiaga,politics,assault,Jokowi,presidential-election Free Outspoken antigovernment activist Ratna Sarumpaet reportedly suffered injuries to her face after being assaulted in Bandung, West Java. Pictures purportedly featuring swollen eyes and bruising to her face spread on social media on Tuesday. Yes, we received information that she was attacked in a car when she arrived at the airport in Bandung, West Java. That occurred on Sept. 21, said Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, a spokesman of the campaign team endorsing presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Sandiaga Uno. The actress-turned-activist, who has frequently made headlines for her fierce criticism of President Joko Jokowi Widodo, is part of the Prabowo-Sandiaga campaign team. Dahnil said Ratna did not tell anyone when the incident took place because she was scared and traumatized. She has yet to report it to the police. The Prabowo campaign team has yet to receive any details about the incident. Prabowo himself is scheduled to visit Ratna at her house in South Jakarta later on Tuesday. Politician Ferdinand Hutahaean of the Democratic Party, one of the political parties in the Prabowo coalition, argued that the attack was political as it took place during the presidential campaign period. If it is related to her political activities, then this country is getting far away from democracy. We call on the police to take action and find the attackers, Ferdinand said. In December last year, Ratna was questioned by the Jakarta Police in relation to a treason case implicating political activist Sri Bintang Pamungkas, who was named a suspect in an alleged plot to overthrow Jokowi. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Madrid, Spain Tue, October 2, 2018 21:49 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b308775ad1c5 2 World #Spain,#Terrorism,Spain,raids,jihadists,prison Free Police in Spain have dismantled a jihadist recruitment ring which operated in 17 prisons and included two men convicted over the deadly 2004 Madrid train bombings, officials said Tuesday. The members are suspected of links to the Islamic State (IS) group, also known as Daesh. Police have questioned 25 prisoners who are "accused of being part of a group close to Daesh which was dedicated to radicalising other prisoners," the interior ministry said in a statement. Most were Moroccans, or Spanish nationals of Moroccan origin, a Spanish anti-terrorism source told AFP. One was a Danish national and the rest were Spanish nationals who had converted to Islam. Two of them were sentenced to jail in 2007 for their roles in the 2004 Madrid train bombings, the anti-terrorism source said. Those attacks killed 191 people and injured over 1,800 others. It was Europe's worst jihadist attack. The ring sought to unite prisoners jailed for terrorist crimes in a so-called "Prison Front". The anti-terrorism source said the ring did not have a "concrete plan" to carry out an attack but created a "belligerent state of mind towards prison staff". Some of the members of the group were to be released from prison soon. International studies show that prison radicalisation is a problem in various countries including Britain and the United States. Sixteen people were killed on August 17, 2017 when a van drove into crowds on Barcelona's popular Las Ramblas boulevard and in a knife attack in the nearby resort of Cambrils. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for those attacks, Spain's worst since 2004. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, October 2, 2018 10:59 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877588f26 1 National Indonesian-politics,social-media,house-of-representatives,millennials,PSI,PDI-P,PKS Free Towering billboards, colorful banners, tacky posters: these are the usual hallmarks of the political campaign season in Indonesia, but a new generation of legislative candidates is looking to change things up. About 21 percent of the 7,991 candidates running for a seat in the House of Representatives are aged 21 to 35 years old. Many of them are eschewing traditional forms of campaigning for social media, opting for a refreshing and interactive campaign style as they allow voters to ask questions through various platforms. Take 31-year-old Kirana Larasati, a popular television actress-turned-political novice who is now running for a seat in West Javas first electoral district for the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). In a video posted on her Twitter account, Kirana answered questions from her followers about her foray into politics. The video, edited with YouTube vlog-like jump-cuts and spiced up with many popular memes, drew praise from both young voters and more senior politicians. [This is] the campaign style of the millennial era, fellow PDI-P member and Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo commented as he retweeted the video. Kiranas followers commented on the video with questions and suggestions that she was quick to answer, such as who her political role models were (President Joko Jokowi Widodo and former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama), whether she would leave show business if she was elected (definitely) and whether it was expensive to make the video (she was helped out by friends in the creative industry). Thirty-four-year-old Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) politician Pipin Sopian has also used Facebook and Instagram as a low-cost way to reach out to voters in his West Java seventh electoral district, which covers Purwakarta and Karawang regencies. In the past, we might have had to rent billboards or print banners, which can cost quite a lot. But now, we can raise our public profile and popularity through the digital medium, he said. The use of digital campaign methods, he said, meant that he did not have to spend as much time commuting to his electoral district from his home in Bogor. My strategy is about 60 percent social media and 40 percent going to the field, he added. Indonesia Solidarity Party (PSI) House candidate Dedek Prayudi, 33, said social media was a great way to maintain contact with voters he had met in person. Last week, I participated in a discussion about how to combat hoaxes and I gave out my business card to the people I met there, he said. I noticed that they had followed my social media accounts. Bukan kepada mereka, tapi kepada diri sendiri saya berjanji untuk sering mengunjungi mereka. Mereka tidak butuh uang, mereka butuh didengarkan. Wajah-wajah ini yang menjadi kekuatanku untuk amanah. #PSInomor11 #PSI #beraniseadaadanya #blusukan#caleg0rupiah pic.twitter.com/dVKgOxQYNk Dedek Prayudi | ig: @uki_dedek (@Uki23) September 22, 2018 Social media observer Agus Sudibyo cautioned, however, that while the medium could be a useful campaign tool, young candidates should not put all their eggs in the social media basket. Its not possible to succeed by just using one form of media alone, he said. Young candidates have to combine other methods because not everyone has access to social media, especially in less urban areas. According to an annual digital report released by We Are Social and Hootsuite, there are around 130 million active social media users in Indonesia, making up about 49 percent of the population. A recent survey by the Indonesian Survey Circle suggests the number may be far lower, with only 28.5 percent of 1,200 respondents saying they had a Facebook, Instagram or Twitter account. Dedek said there were limitations to the medium. I think the most effective way to get someone to vote for you is to form an emotional connection, and that is best done face to face. State-owned infrastructure financing company PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur president director Emma Sri Martini (center), accompanied by special adviser to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Mohamad Al-Arief (right) and SMI corporate secretary Ramona Harimurti, explains the companys performance during a visit to The Jakarta Post on Monday. SMI has funded projects with a total value of Rp 485.1 trillion (US$32.25 billion) since its establishment nine years ago. (JP/Charisa Vanessa G)(center), accompanied by special adviser to Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Mohamad Al-Arief (right) and SMI corporate secretary Ramona Harimurti, explains the companys performance during a visit to The Jakarta Post on Monday. SMI has funded projects with a total value of Rp 485.1 trillion (US$32.25 billion) since its establishment nine years ago. (JP/Charisa Vanessa G) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gemma Holliani Cahya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, October 3 2018 New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recorded that shackling is on the decline in Indonesia, two years after releasing the report Living in Hell, which exposed thousands of cases of people with psychosocial disabilities being shackled in confined spaces. According to the Health Ministry, the number of people with mental health disorders decreased to 12,800 in July 2018 from 18,800 in 2016. The Health Ministry has taken a very promising step to provide mental health services in the community [...] We have found that [some] people who were chained two years ago have been released thanks to support and services through community-based government programs, Kriti Sharma, a researcher in the disability rights division at the HRW, said on Tuesday. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login MONTREAL, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Resources Inc (HPQ) (TSX VENTURE:HPQ) (FRANKFURT:UGE) (OTC PINK:URAGF) is pleased to inform shareholders that a newly completed geophysical and geological studies along the Rang VI road on HPQ Beauce Gold Fields subsidiary Gold property located in St-Simon-Les-Mines, Quebec has identified a 1.5 km northeastern extension of the previously identified major fault line (May 11, 2017 release) beneath the Beauce placer gold channel. Furthermore, the geophysical and geological study along the road has also identified additional exploration targets for gold and base metal sulphide mineralizations. Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of HPQ Beauce Gold Field stated, This is another strong line of evidence that narrows our search to find the hard rock source of the St-Simon-Les-Mines gold placers. Mr. Levasseur also stated, Were also very excited by the potential for discovery of massive sulphide deposits within the volcanoclastic rocks of the Beauceville Formation. MAJOR FAULT LINE UNDER PLACER GOLD CHANNEL, AN INDICATOR OF HARD ROCK SOURCE The Gilbert River basin (about section 3,200m on Figure 1) is marked by a strong contrast of electrical resistivity values on both sides of the river believed to represent a thrust or shear contact between sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Rocks south of the river are dominantly sedimentary and show the presence of formation conductors present mostly in synformal fold structures while north of the river the rocks are generally volcanic in origin, including volcaniclastic strata, are generally more resistive, and the conductive units narrower and shallower. This discontinuity corresponds also to the position of a linear anomaly of the total magnetic field and its tilt derivative field, which suggests the presence of a magnetic discontinuity related to the presence of a major fault zone, which the Gilbert River follows (Point F3 on Figure 1). Parallel to the Gilbert river, under 15 to 40 meters of overburden, hosts a placer channel that is a six kilometre long unconsolidated gold-bearing sedimentary unit (a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite). Textural observations (angularity) of gold nuggets suggest a relatively proximal source and therefore a short transport distance (NI 43-101 Beauce Gold Property Report, Violet July 4 2018). POTENTIAL FOR POLYMETALLIC MASSIVE SULPHIDE MINERALISATION The survey data shows the presence of several conductors in the rocks from the Beauceville Formation (C3, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10 and C11). Some of these conductors are related to graphitic shales (C3, C6, C7) but other are associated with magnetic anomalies (C8, C9 and C11) and could be exploration targets for massive sulphide mineralization. The rocky outcrops present along the Rang VI Road have also been mapped. Several generations of quartz veins, sometimes associated with sulphides, intersect the rocks of the Beauceville Formation in the northern part of the Rang VI road. These veins testify to hydrothermal processes affecting the sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the area. In addition to specifying the structural context of the St-Simon-les-Mines gold sector, the geophysical work of 2016 was extended in 2017 to the north-east to document the deep geology of the northern part of the Beauceville Formation. This area is characterized by a greater proportion of volcanoclastic and volcanic rocks and a geological context similar to that of the Champagne massive sulphide deposit in the St-Magloire area (Bellechasse gold belt). The audiomagnetotelluric data of the St-Gustave road section suggest the presence of a large conductor (conductor IV) with an estimated thickness of about 50 m and vertical extension in the order of 400 m (Fig. 1). This structure could correspond to a massive polymetallic sulphide mineralization. Additional work is planned to specify the geometry of this conductor. Audiomagnetotellurics (AMT), Frequency Domain Electromagnetic (FDEM) Surveys The work, carried out under the supervision of Professor Marc Richer-LaFleche, Ph.D., P. geo, from INRS-Center Eau Terre et Environnement of Quebec conducted a multidisciplinary geophysical and geological study to document the deep geological context of the Magog Group and, more specifically, of the Beauceville Formation (Bellechasse gold belt) under the St-Simon-les-Mines gold placer. A 5.6 km long Audiomagnetotellurics (AMT) survey (113 stations per 50m) was conducted as well as a Frequency Domain Electromagnetic (FDEM) survey (112 stations) along Rang VI road. The purpose of this survey was to assess the deep geology of this area and to verify the probable northeasterly extension of deep structures detected during the AMT survey conducted in 2016 on St-Gustave Rang Road (May 11 2017 PR). The study of the geology and deep geophysics of rocks of the Beauceville Formation in order to improve the structural and metallogenic understanding of the region using AMT and FDEM method is used to locate potential fluid circulation corridors (faults) responsible for the emplacement of orogenic gold mineralization and to detect strong magnetic conductors potentially related to VMS or SEDEX mineralizations. Marc Richer-LaFleche PhD, P. Geo, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this press release. Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon stated, We are very excited by the confirmation of the extension of the fault line beneath the Placer Channel. Once listed, Beauce Gold Fields will represent a unique opportunity for HPQ investors to have shares in two dedicated companies focused on building market awareness for their projects, progress, plans and success. About Beauce Gold Fields BGF is a wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon into which HPQ gold assets were transferred. Subject to approval by TSX-V, HPQ is in the process of listing BGF as a new public junior gold company, following the approval by shareholders during HPQ AGM held on Aug. 10, 2018, of the proposed terms of the plan of arrangement. The Beauce Gold Fields project is a unique, historically prolific gold property located in the municipality of Saint-Simon-les-Mines in the Beauce region of Southern Quebec. Comprising of a block of 152 claims 100% owned by HPQ, the project area hosts a six kilometre long unconsolidated gold-bearing sedimentary unit (a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite). Textural observations (angularity) of gold nuggets suggest a relatively proximal source and therefore a short transport distance. The gold in saprolite indicates a close proximity to a bedrock source of gold, providing possible further exploration discoveries. The property was also hosts numerous historical gold mines that were active from 1860s to the 1960s (see HPQ SEDAR-filed report). A Beauce Gold Fields presentation is available and can be downloaded via the following link. http://www.hpqsilicon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/BGF-Presentation-V-Jul-2017.pdf About HPQ Silicon HPQ Silicon Resources Inc. is a TSX-V listed resource company planning to become a vertically integrated and diversified High Purity, Solar Grade Silicon Metal (SoG Si) producer and a manufacturer of multi and monocrystalline solar cells of the P and N types, required for production of high performance photovoltaic conversion. HPQs goal is to develop, in collaboration with industry leaders, PyroGenesis (TSX-V: PYR) and Apollon Solar, that are experts in their fields of interest, the innovative metallurgical PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactors (QRR) process (patent pending), which will permit the transformation and purification of quartz (SiO 2 ) into high purity silicon metal (Si) in one step and reduce by a factor of at least two-thirds (2/3) the steps required to transform quartz (SiO 2 ) into SoG Si. The pilot plant equipment that will validate the commercial potential of the process is on schedule to start mid-2019. Disclaimers: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information contact Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President and CEO HPQ Tel (514) 907-1011 Patrick Levasseur, COO HPQ, President and CEO BGF Tel: (514) 262-9239 www.HPQSilicon.com Shares outstanding: 222,284,053 Three photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/12f1f29d-dafe-4a80-9313-e98ab7f46ec2 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c24db851-7af8-484c-ab1c-ed8c17ac268e http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4611ec3e-3918-4e7b-984b-2dcc1a63c771 Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ye Zizhen (China Daily/Asia News Network) Tue, October 2, 2018 07:02 1138 882ab4bc56dbda08a069b30877581410 2 News Miss-Tourism,pageant,beauty-pageant,travel,destination,tourism,Zhongwei,China Free The final of this years Miss Tourism of the Globe contest will take place in Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, from Oct. 7 to 14 the first time for the event to be held in China. In fact, the city will stage the final of the event for the coming five years. In doing so, the government of Zhongwei aims to promote the city internationally and expects the event to give the local tourism industry and the economy a strong boost. Forty contestants from 70 different countries and regions will take part in this years event, said the spokeswoman for the organizers Li Mushuang, herself a contestant two years ago. Fan Jiahong, head of Zhongwei Tourism Development Committee, said the final will be held in Shapotou, a national five-A level tourism site and desert reserve. Read also: Fan Bingbings disappearance puts perils of China showbiz in spotlight Shapotou, renowned for its achievements in desertification control, was granted a Global 500 Roll of Honor for Environmental Achievement award by the United Nations Environment Programme in 1994. Shapotou is endowed with unique tourism assets such as deserts, mountains and the Yellow River, Fan said. With the staging of the event there, we can look forward to a great spectacle that takes in natural scenery and combines that with a high-tech presentation. The competition aims to select an ambassador of tourism in each country and region and boost tourism exchanges internationally. Topics : This article appeared on the China Daily newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post A group of men wearing the traditional Javanese kasatriyan were singing songs known as geguritan expressing hopes and praises to God. The ritual took place at a natural spring called Ngancar in Purwoharjo village of Kulonprogo regency, Yogyakarta. They took a little bit of water and poured it into a jug and later carried the jug, along with flowers and food for offerings, to the top of Kleco hill, 700 meters above sea level. Following the procession, residents and tourists feasted on nasi tiwul (cassava rice) and boiled vegetables. Performances comprising the classic jathilan (toy horse) dance, traditional music, a poetry reading and more dances were staged to entertain residents and tourists. This procession is a form of appreciation to God, as the spring of Ngancar keeps giving water year-round to fulfill the needs of residents around Kleco hill, the guardian of Ngancar spring, Wargilan, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. Local residents also helped to preserve the water source by planting trees at Kleco hill. Wargilan said whoever cuts trees down must plant new ones to make up for it. Wahjudi Djaja, an initiator of the Kleco Peak tourism initiative, said residents had been carrying out the procession in a modest way since 1942, but in the past two years, there were efforts for a more sophisticated procession. The idea is to promote Purwoharjo as a tourist village managed by its residents, with Kleco hill as the main attraction. Visitors can indulge in the panoramic view from the peak of Kleco hill, overlooking Tinalah River that curves through the trees and villages, green rice fields and the landscape of the Menoreh hills. Read also: School of Javanese Culture in Senden opens doors to students across Asia Prince Diponegoro, one of Indonesias national heroes, is said to have stopped at the summit of Kleco during his guerilla struggle in the 1820s. He is believed to have worked on his strategy to fight the Dutch colonial forces while stopping by at the summit. Kleco summit is therefore a tourist site with an attractive combination of panoramic views and historical background, said Wahjudi. He went on to say that the tourist village was about more than just augmenting residents income. The tourist village was a gateway to enliven the historical site as well as preserve local culture and tradition. Wahjudi expressed concern over modernization rapidly invading Kulonprogo, not least because of the construction of the new airport, New Yogyakarta International Airport (NYIA). He is worried that consumerism will corrupt the cultural identity of residents in the regency. If their [original] culture is left behind, what else is there to be proud of? Wahjudi voiced his worry. His response is the establishment of tourist villages in four districts, namely Nanggulan, Kalibawang, Samigaluh and Girimulyo. The names of the four districts have been merged into the portmanteau Dewi Nawangsari, a half-goddess character of Javanese folklore. That day, the Among Budoyo group performed to remind the residents of their roots and history. (mut) Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer as an MI6 agent and a psychopathic assassin. BBC , CC BY-NC-SA Flawed, thrilling women Exploding female stereoptypes Its young female antagonist Villanelle ( Jodie Comer ) is a Russian assassin working for a mysterious group of international power players called The Twelve, whose aim is to destabilise the world order through murder, mayhem and chaos. The protagonist is blundering but intuitive MI6 operative Eve Polastri (played by Sandra Oh , who has expressed surprise that she landed a part normally reserved for non-ethnic actresses). In the course of her covert investigation the two become obsessed with each other, engaging in a brutal but often hilarious dance of seduction and aversion while dismantling stereotypes about what women should look like, sound like, dress like (and for), and who they should find sexually attractive.Killing Eves characters may be painted in broad strokes but the themes explored are both relatable and profound the nature of human connection, and the foundations of attachment and trust. Villanelle and Eve are not good at relationships and both destroy the intimate connections they have with others. Both are focused and good at their jobs (murdering and catching murderers), and neither looks for male validation (Eve is disgusted when she has to dress up for a restaurant meeting with a contact, but is both terrified and excited to wear a hot dress during a twisted romantic dinner with Villanelle). Neither is willing to be a victim. Both have little regard for authority and strive to dominate. Both are smarter than the men around them and each is capable of being exceptionally cruel and unfeeling at one point Villanelle drives a hairpin through the eye of a mafia boss while his grandson is locked in the nearby bathroom. In another scene she shoots her former handler in the presence of his daughter. Eve, too, can betray a persons trust by stabbing them (literally and metaphorically) at their most vulnerable.Their fascination with each other has an obvious Freudian complexion: the orphan Villanelle is searching for a mother, while Eve who is childless exhibits maternal feelings. Eve is messy and unpredictable, and her sharp intelligence means she is easily bored. Her husband Nikos attempts to protect her only result in her neglecting and abandoning him she seeks challenge and danger, and is burdened by the security of her life, resenting her desk-bound job. Villanelle has her own problems. A wounded child unable to trust, she connects via what psychology calls mirroring by turning the world into her mirror and the people around her into copies of herself, or by imitating elements of other peoples identities. She does this by demanding praise, stealing her victims and lovers clothes and replacing them with clothes of her own choice usually very expensive. She has a curious habit of sending lavish presents as part of her seduction ritual, as a way of connecting with the people she likes. Mirroring often looks creepy because its aim is erasing the boundaries of personality and identity the lines that separate us from other people, that make us unique. This superficial and fetishised way of relating cannot stand the test of reality. Eve and Villanelle cannot be with each other despite the powerful attraction: neither can drop their guard because they see emotional dependency as a weakness, and treat attachment as an impediment to their professional success. Ultimately, they dont trust each other so their obsession is destined to end up in sexual frustration and a bloody collision of egos.So far, so good in terms of jettisoning stereotypes of the cosy mother and a fragile young woman looking for male protection. There is one stereotype that remains, though - that of a hot Russian assassin. Villanelles real name Oksana is an obvious nod to Bonds arch-enemy in Goldeneye, the comically named dominatrix Xenia Onatopp. Like Onatopp, Villanelles character is a femme fatale whose sexuality is so powerful that many of her lovers end up dead. Villanelle possesses a combination of traits which have featured in Western representations of Soviet women for decades: unpredictable, dangerous, attractive. Shes had a difficult childhood, served a sentence in a brutal Russian prison and is trained for special missions, yet remains unbroken. She is bright, hardworking and speaks several languages. In other words, she is the ultimate survivor. But despite her incredible mental focus, resilience, and physical strength, she is vulnerable because she yearns for a human connection in a world of murder and betrayal.Villanelle is simultaneously feared and objectified, and her allure as a character lies in the contrast between the terrifying other (powerful, tough, Russian) and the vulnerable abandoned child. She is both familiar and unfamiliar, human and inhuman. What truly fascinates here is the line between similarity and difference. Her adversaries cannot decide whether they want to destroy her, cuddle her, or fall under her sexual spell. The hot Russian assassin stereotype is not new, and has been used and abused for decades in numerous Bond films as well as in more recent blockbusters such as The Red Sparrow . Unlike these female characters, all of whom are used to underscore the brilliance of heroic (Western) men, Villanelle is used to explore a whole new world of attachment, complexity and the intricacies and dangers of sexual desire. The main stereotype that Waller-Bridge dismantles, however, is that of the perfect woman. Her trademark sarcasm is all over the script, and is particularly felt in the portrayal of family life and professional behaviour, the two conventions of everyday existence being too busy for sex, noisily eating a croissant at an important meeting, feeling uncomfortable rather than glamorous in a hot dress, pulling silly faces, being goofy. Waller-Bridges female characters are messy, complicated, imperfect, relatable. And women want to see more of them on screen. Helena Bassil-Mozorow , Lecturer in Media and Journalism, Glasgow Caledonian University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page Washington, DC, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Convene. Converse. Commit. Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nations largest nonprofit organization for childrens literacy, today gathered leaders in education, community, non-profit, government and corporate America to advance the cause of childrens literacy during the first annual National Reading Coalition. With 25 million children in the U.S. not reading proficiently, the day-long forum brought together Americas thought leaders to share solutions, develop connections and take action to ensure every child has the tools needed to read, succeed and become contributing members of society. Coalition participants took a pledge to advance their organizations efforts in supporting childhood literacy. RIFs National Reading Coalition is inspired in part by the 2016 report published by the Business Roundtable entitled, Why Reading Matters and What to Do About It: A CEO Action Plan to Support U.S. Literacy Rates. Dane Linn, Vice President of the Business Roundtable, served as the keynote speaker for the National Reading Coalition event. Reading Is Fundamental has the privilege of working with individuals and organizations striving to tackle the serious issue of childrens literacy, said Alicia Levi, President and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental. By uniting change makers to share solutions and foster collaboration, the Coalition can collectively strengthen our countrys ongoing commitment to childhood literacy and foster substantive action that will help prepare every child to succeed and thrive. RIFs 2018 Champions of Childrens Literacy were honored during the event, which was held in Washington, D.C. The annual Awards recognize the contributions of individuals who are committed to childrens literacy. The 2018 honorees include Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington), and Lulu Delacre, childrens book author and illustrator. In a lunchtime conversation Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Lulu Delacre discussed the Justices new childrens book, Turning Pages: My Life Story, which was illustrated by Lulu Delacre, and theTheyY The role of reading in their personal and professional journeys. The first annual National Reading Coalition gathered leaders and pioneers across different sectors to address the issue of childhood literacy from their vantage point and to provide tangible and actionable tactics that attendees can implement within their own organizations. Each shared a case study and led panel discussions with participants representing the public and private sector, who have shown leadership around the issue of childhood literacy and related educational issues, and created successful partnerships and programs to address it. These organizations and associations have led the way in defining successful models that address the link between literacy and the future workforce. For a full list of speakers and participants please go to https://www.rif.org/nrc. About Reading Is Fundamental: Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is committed to a literate America by inspiring a passion for reading among all children, providing quality content to create impact, and engaging communities in the solution to give every child the fundamentals for success. As the nations largest nonprofit organization for childrens literacy, RIF has provided more than 415 million books to 40 million kids in all 50 states, inspiring generations to read, learn and grow. Attachments Liberias march to democracy has been a bloody one, just as it was in France, America, Nicaragua, Iraq and so on. This generation can boasting of having changed the political landscape. At the cost of 250,000 lives and a country destroyed beyond imagination. The nation survived through the resilience of a people who have been subjected to more than a century and half of the misrule. 2006 was a turning point. 2018 is a crossroad. The CDC administration has inherited a nation at peace, full of hope, forward-looking and respected in the international community. That legacy is the greatest gift any of good institutional frameworks, forward-looking and hopeful. This is the best any outgoing administration can leave to a successor The CDC administration has made many moves that could be forgiven and seen as learning curves. Some of these challenges could sometimes be overlooked. However, every political act has consequences for the nation. Liberians are still wondering what happened to the billion dollars deal with EBOMAF and ETON. What happened to the five hundred million dollars promised by the World Bank to make up for the loss of the EBOMAF and ETON deals. The people never forget a promise. Liberians are still awaiting action on the recommendations of the first investigative body he set up to look into illegal payments made to the former board members of the the national oil company (NOCAL). When you break grounds, the yellow machine must be ready to plow. The Administration cannot say it will defend the Constitution when it violates the Code of Conduct, a law of the land. Liberians have endured a lot and the last they need is a litany of pipe dreams. In a recent article on China and Africa, I thought it was a blessing in disguise- that President Weah did not negotiate away Wologisi and Putu to the Chinese for a fistful of silver dollars. But according to the Minister of Finance and Development, Liberia went beyond that bleak situation: the administration has negotiated away natural resources of Liberia for two billion dollars to China. The Chinese will send people to determine the value of Liberia resources worth $2 billion dollars. On land, underground, and in the seas. If they had negotiated Bomi or Sinoe counties for $25 billion, ok but the resources of the nation for $2 billion? Does anyone know what is in the waters of Liberia? Three decades ago nobody was mining gold and diamond in the southeast. For $2 billion dollars, China will come for the trees, the fish, the water, the sand, the gold, the diamond, the iron ore, the bauxite, the rocks and will send in thousands of Chinese engineers, architects, technicians to machines to carry out the process. And to access resources, China will build roads and rails paid for by Liberia with the loans it got from China. The second issue is the impeachment of Associate Justice Kabineh Janeh. I once thought this was a beef between Honorable Acarious Gray and Justice Cabinet but then, the never-keeping-secret Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba said that President had asked for his vote and that of Senator Thomas Gruppee to impeach Honorable Janeh and in exchange, he would stall the War Crimes Court issue. This was in the first paragraph in another newspaper on August 31, 2018. In any other democracy, this should have put an end to the whole halahala. Is the President using the Legislature to impeach a member of the Supreme Court? Is Prince Johnson telling the truth? If that is the case, the jury has been tampered with. Finally, there is the communication snafu, with high ranking members of the government playing tic-tac-toe about $15 billion Liberian dollars that have disappeared or were taken away or were put on the marketplace. Nobody can say for sure if there was missing, how much was missing and so on. The chief financier of the nation, the minister of finance and development planning said that people should not listen to the spokesperson of the government who happened to have been part of the past government. If anyone should know, it must be him as he And finally, this unwarranted attack on former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in a 15 billion dollars story that has no tail and head s mind-boggling. What is there to gain in attacking a former leader who is blamed for helping you get to where you are? Liberia is on an economic slope and it will take a lot of work to get it back running. The confidence of the international community becomes important when you want to attract tourists, investors, and goodwill. Like her or not, Madam Sirleaf is the best spokesperson today for Liberia as far as the international community is concerned and attacking her in any way is an act of political blindness perpetrated by political hooligans. She could be the best goodwill Ambassador for the Weah administration because its failure would be a blow to every institutional reform she put in place. Transparency? Integrity? Honesty? The day everyone in the administration goes out to declare their assets and make it public, then this claim to fight corruption and impunity could be taken with a bit more seriousness. But finally, the new trend of removing civil servants from their jobs because of the political association and opinions is a stressful reminiscence of the 1980s and 1990s when the nation was run lawlessness. This is a danger to the health of the state. There is a rush on the part of this administration to want to do things quickly, to repair 171 years in 6 months. It took 172 years to get Liberia where it is today. Its hard to say if people are trying to build the nation or simply cut a fast deal and get their cut. There are many challenges but there are many good things to be proud of. The CDC can build on the positives it inherited and find local solutions to the many problems it will encounter on its path. It hasnt been a year yet imagine six! It is not going to get any easier. Just stay on track and Liberia will be OK. No need to re-invent the wheel There was a roadmap. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Clear skies. Scattered frost possible. Low 31F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Scattered frost possible. Low 31F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Herndon, VA, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), in partnership with the National Telecommunications and Information Administrations BroadbandUSA Program, will host the Virginia Broadband Summit in Roanoke, Virginia on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. The Summit will focus on engaging with Virginias public and private stakeholders to accelerate broadband connectivity, improve digital inclusion, and support local priorities. The Summit will provide information on topics including local broadband planning, funding and engagement with service providers. Speakers and attendees from Virginia, federal agencies and across the country will come together to explore ways to facilitate the expansion of broadband capacity, access and utilization. The Summit will take place at the Roanoke South County Library and will feature an agenda full of engaging speakers, panels and lively discussion: 8:00 a.m. - Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:30 a.m. - Welcome and Opening Remarks 8:45 a.m. - The Power of Partnerships: Working Together to Strengthen Broadband Infrastructure 10:15 a.m. - Planning a Community Broadband Roadmap 11:30 a.m. - Lunch Break 12:30 p.m. - Proactive Broadband Planning 2:15 p.m. - Broadband Programs and Funding Opportunities 3:15 p.m. - What Does the Future Hold for Virginia Broadband? The event is open to the public but pre-registration is required as space is limited. Registration information, meeting updates, including changes in the agenda, and relevant documents will be available online. For additional information, please visit the Virginia Broadband Summit website, https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/VirginiaBroadbandSummit2018. About the Center for Innovative Technology, www.cit.org MONACO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Only three weeks after the partnership with Huawei, Monaco Telecom unveiled its nationwide 5G mobile network at the Monaco Yacht Show. Monaco Telecom and Huawei finalized the agreement early September, in Beijing, in the framework of the State visit of H.S.H. Prince Albert II to China. On September 27th, A 5G-connected UAV (Unmanned aerial vehicle) flying over the world's first yachting market broadcasted live 360 High Definition footage to a virtual reality headset. The first antennas are already installed in the pilot area of Port Hercule. The network will be completed in the coming months on 100% of the territory. It will be ready to welcome the first smartphones able to support this new technology running in 2019. The agreement was signed by Martin Peronnet, CEO of Monaco Telecom and Shi Weiliang, CEO of Huawei France and Monaco. Frederic Genta, Country Chief Digital Officer was also present to support this collaboration, aiming to give Monaco full 5G coverage. This will contribute to the rapid implementation of the Principalitys Smart City projects, it will offer incomparable performance in Internet usage and it will advance the countrys economic development. Areas as diverse as the automobile (autonomous cars), smart cities, health (3D imaging and holograms), gaming (interactive games) or communication (assisted translation) will take full advantage thanks to the 5G. Martin Peronnet, CEO of Monaco Telecom said: This collaboration aims to shape the face of Monacos digital future. The 5G network will be a key driver for digital economy and for the development of the smart-city. This partnership will facilitate and accelerate the process of offering Monaco the best quality of life in the world via digital technology. Added Shi Weiliang, CEO of Huawei France and Monaco: It marks a new step in our collaboration which began more than five years ago, confirming the position of the Principality of Monaco as a world leader in terms of telecommunications networks. It is going to pave the way for a more rapid development of new Smart Nation type services for our citizens. Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Light rain transitioning to a few showers by morning. Low 8C. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Light rain transitioning to a few showers by morning. Low 2C. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 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. New York, New York, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond Cruises by Group IST announced new small-ship itineraries in Asia in their 2018/2019 brochure including India, the Mekong River, Thailand, and Vietnam. Beyond Cruises is also adding a new river cruise itinerary, Marne-Rhine Canal, to their 2018/2019 portfolio. Beyond Cruises by Group IST combines people-to-people experiential travel with the special delights of small-ship cruising, enabling guests to stay in ports not easily accessible to travelers. New Asia Program Highlights Mekong- Aboard the 24 Cabin R/V Indochine The Mekong is one of the world's most immense river systems, flowing through six countries. With a biodiversity rivaled only by the Amazon river, the Mekong supports not only innumerable species but thousands of people as well. Aboard the R/V Indochine barge, travel through Cambodia and Vietnam, and discover the wonders of Southeast Asia as you visit archetypal villages, sample local cuisines, explore historical cities, and revel in the tropical climate. Cruise Highlights: Navigate through the gorgeous Chao Gao Canal Marvel at the awe-inspiring Angkor Temples Visit the Royal Palace and its opulent Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh Tour the impressive Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho-Chi-Minh City Participate in 3-day land excursion to Hanoi, one of the most ancient capitals in the world India- Aboard the 22 Cabin ABN Rajmahal Separated from most of Asia by the Himalayan mountain range, India possesses a distinct history wrought with turmoil and ultimate triumph. Witness impressive feats of architecture, both modern and historical, and interact with congenial locals in villages virtually untouched by modernity to learn more about their way of life. Discover a nation that overwhelms the senses and leaves a lasting impression on all who visit. Cruise Highlights: Tour the former French colony of Chandernagore Visit the Hooghly Imambara mosque, built in 1841 Sail along the Lower Ganges, through mustard fields and mango orchards Explore the Hazarduari Palace Museum and its stunning collection of antiquities Interact with the locals in the charming brass-working village of Matiari Thailand- Aboard the 25 Cabin M/S Panorama II Embark on a journey along the spectacular west coast of Malaysia and Thailand. Splendid Buddhist temples, celebrated food vendors, pristine beaches and a welcoming culture are just some of the alluring aspects of this South-East Asian paradise. Cruise Highlights: Experience a home-cooked Thai dinner with a local family at Bung Ae House Homestay Visit the breathtaking Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls Tour the UNESCO site of Penang Old Town Ride a cable car to the highest point on Langkawi for a spectacular 360 degree view of the sea and surrounding islands Spot colorful tropical fish on one of the many snorkeling opportunities Vietnam- Aboard the 25 Cabin M/S Panorama II With miles of beautiful coastline, Vietnam is an ideal cruising destination. Under colonial rule until the 1970's, Vietnam has a rich and uniquely blended culture. Embark on a memorable journey from the northern city of Hanoi, the nation's capital, to the southern Ho Chi Minh City, more commonly known as Saigon. Experience a blend of old-world tradition and new age modernity. Cruise Highlights: Enjoy the scenery of Ha Long Bay, Vietnams must-see natural wonder of limestone islands Venture to remarkable Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, known for vast cave systems and rich wildlife Visit the sand dunes of Mui Ne and the nearby Fairy Spring Gain insight into the American-Vietnam War in the Vinh Moc Tunnels and the Khe Sanh Combat Base Visit the famous pottery craft village of Bau Truc New European River Cruise Marne-Rhine Canal Aboard the 11 Cabin M/S Madeleine A journey along the Canal de la Marne au Rhine between Alsace and Lorraine. Embark on the M/S Madeleine barge and cruise on the crossroads of many cultures, combining unspoiled nature and exceptional architectural heritage. Cruise Highlights: Embark on a wonderful journey through charming towns and historic sites Enjoy lunch by candlelight, while passing through Arzviller and Niderviller Tunnels Enjoy a leisurely hike through hop fields followed by beer tasting Experience the beauty of the Zorn Valley Visit Sarrebourg and Chagall trail, located at the foot of the Vosges and the region of Alsace These new itineraries will serve to compliment Beyond Cruises already enticing roster of iconic and exotic destinations including Cuba, Iceland, the Adriatic Sea, Greece, Dubai, Bali, Costa Rica and Panama, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Seychelles. Beyond Cruises offers a crowd-free environment while fostering socialization, whether at the deck bar or the open seating dining. Each yacht has an intimate ambiance and a community of like-minded fellow travelers. Known for its high passenger-to-crew ratio, almost two to one, Beyond Cruises staff is able to cater to the needs of all its guests. Beyond Cruises by Group ISTs New 2018/2019 Brochure- https://www.beyondcruises.com/images/Brochures/Beyond%20Cruises%20Brochure%20Web%209-27-18.pdf For more information and reservations contact your local travel agent or call 1 (800) 833-2111, and refer to booking code: BEYFALL18. -Ends- About Beyond Cruises by Group IST The Group IST passion remains unchanged since its inception: an alchemy that blends enriching oneself educationally and exploring the true identity of a destination, while enjoying the comforts and unique benefits of a small ship-sailing the seas. Follow Group IST on Social Media: @GroupIST @groupistvoyages @groupistTravel Group IST/ US Editorial Contact: The Bradford Group Bianca Pappas/Daniel Kastanis Tel: (212) 447-0027 Fax: (212) 725 8253 E-mail: info@bradfordglobalmarketing.com Attachments Vancouver, British Columbia , Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel ushers in a new era for event and meeting planners looking to gather or celebrate in Vancouver. The hotel recently unveiled the finishing touches on its newly-renovated event space, which features custom modern furnishings, the latest in audiovisual equipment and technology and a revitalized ballroom for captivating conferences or celebrations. Boasting 13 newly updated Vancouver hotel meeting rooms in the heart of downtown, the Marriott provides an ideal home base for meetings, with an experienced team dedicated to helping planners realize their dream vision. The Pinnacle Ballroom can easily accommodate up to 600 guests for conferences, special events and gatherings, with professional catering that can be customized to suit any needs. Planners can work with the hotels seasoned culinary staff to craft a menu that will energize and invigorate their meeting participants. Travelers can also plan creative breakout meetings or VIP cocktail receptions in the hotels charming outdoor patio which overlooks vibrant Vancouver below. All the hotels newly-renovated meeting rooms benefit from the latest audiovisual technology, Wi-Fi and offer plenty of natural light for inspiring gatherings in Vancouver British Columbia . You can also manage your event without ever leaving your seat, with Marriott's Meeting Services App. It handles the details so that you can get back to what matters most the people. Our app relieves the stress of time, space and language barriers by connecting planners and hotel teams on any web-enabled device in real time, 24/7. And it creates more time to empower, showcase and personalize every event from planning through billing. If you have a list of guests available, the hotel can also book group accommodations at the best available rate. The hotel has 438 guest rooms, including many facing Vancouvers beautiful, world-renowned, mountain skyline, including two newly renovated premium suites to ensure your meeting attendees are relaxed and recharged for their meeting. Planners can have access to a report showing which of your guests have reserved rooms and when they plan to arrive. The hotel also offers a modern mobile check-in service for all attendees. Guests can check in before their stay and receive instant alerts when their room is ready. When its time to check out, they can even skip the front desk. The hotels newly-unveiled downtown Vancouver event rooms provide a prime hub for inspiring meetings, events, receptions or corporate gatherings in the heart of one of the worlds most dynamic cities. For more information, call +1 604-684-1128 or join the hotel on social media via Facebook or Instagram . About Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel Vancouver Marriott Pinnacle Downtown Hotel welcomes guests traveling through British Columbia with superb service and deluxe amenities. Relax in the hotels spacious accommodations and enjoy the plush bedding, flat-panel TVs, 24-hour room service, ample desks and large windows revealing Vancouver or harbor views. Concierge-level rooms grant access to exclusive lounge benefits, such as free continental breakfast and hors d'oeuvres. Suites feature wet bars with mini-refrigerators, separate living areas and plentiful entertaining space. Keep up with your fitness regimen in the gym or indoor lap pool. Delicious international cuisine and local beers and fine wines are available at the popular Showcase Restaurant & Bar. Meeting and wedding planners value the hotels recently redesigned venues, including the outdoor patio and Pinnacle Ballroom. And the hotel is conveniently located near the convention centre, Canada Place, Stanley Park, Historic Gastown and Vancouver Cruise Port. # # # Attachments MBABANE - Bigger and better! While SWAMA announced the extension of the MTN SWAMA Awards voting deadline, votes have improved by over 25 per cent since the last update was released over a week ago. The Swaziland Music Association (SWAMA) PRO Thabile Mdluli confirmed that as at September 25, a total of 13 237 votes had been amassed, from 9 907 previously. This is an increase of over 3 000 votes. The Song of the Year category has shown massive improvement, from 161 votes in the previous tally to 889, an increase of approximately 82 per cent. This is the only category that is wholly-reliant on public votes. Also showing some improvement was the Best Newcomer, Best Collaboration and Best Jazz Artist or Group categories, while Best Artist in the Diaspora, Best Afro-Pop, Best Video, Best Male and Best Female Artist categories remain at the bottom with little or no improvement, she added. Dusty Simelane of Dusty and Stones, the country music duet, said seeing their song being nominated for song of the year was humbling. Nothing compares to getting recognition right here at home. It is encouraging to know there are people out there who love and appreciate what we do, simelane said. Working He added they would keep on working hard, while extending appreciation to the organisers of the event. Moreover, hardworking rap artist Illa Penboy said he was hoping for the best. I encourage people to continue voting for their favourites. I did not do much this year; I think others deserve the award better than me. So I will vote for others instead, he said. The second Annual MTN SWAMA Awards is expected to take place at the Royal Swazi Sun Convention Centre on December 1. SWAMA would like to encourage fans to continue voting for their favourite artists by SMSing the Category and Name of the Artist (e.g. Artist of the Year, Dynamic Trio) to 6161. Each vote costs E1, Mdluli encouraged the public. MBABANE Was senior lawyer Attorney Stanley Bongane Mnisi robbed in his death? Information has emerged that while his lifeless body lay on the ground, a man suspected to be from his neighbourhood took advantage of the situation and stole his firearm. This is believed to be the same firearm Mnisi allegedly used to end his life. Besides looking into more circumstances leading to his death, police are now investigating a case of robbery. Mnisi reportedly ended his life by shooting himself with his licensed firearm in the head last Friday while at his place of abode at Ngwane Park in Manzini. Reports are also to the effect that some of his valuables were stolen by the heartless thug who had the audacity to steal from a dead man before his corpse was even cold. The thief was spotted leaving the scene by one of the witnesses who had gone to ascertain what had happened after hearing the gunshot. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that Mnisis gun was missing. Vilakati, during an interview, was asked whether police had any leads in the case, to which she responded to the affirmative. She said police were still investigating the matter and they were following up on potential leads. At the time of the interview, Vilakati could not confirm the type of gun that was used during the alleged suicide. Yesterday, this publication reported that Mnisi, who was a covenyancer, allegedly ended his life using a firearm while inside his house at Ngwane Park in Manzini. Mnisi, who was previously a partner in one of the reputable law firms in Mbabane, is said to have shot himself dead after a misunderstanding with a relative. Besides the misunderstanding with the close relative, he was going through a lot, said an impeccable source. According to another credible source, the lifeless body of the attorney was discovered by a neighbour, who had rushed to his house to investigate after hearing the sound of a gunshot. Mnisi, who was now operating his own law firm in Mbabane, recently hogged newspaper headlines after he was arrested for an alleged fraud. He was also on the list of 22 lawyers whom the attorney general wanted suspended for failing to comply with the Legal Practioners Act in that they allegedly failed to provide documents reflecting how they handle clients monies. CLEVELAND, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPR Therapeutics, Inc., a leader in neurostimulation technology for pain management, has been awarded two new grants and one new contract from the U.S. Department of Defense totaling $10M to further develop its percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) therapy, the company announced today. The SPRINT PNS System offers a non-opioid pain relief therapy that is FDA-cleared for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. In addition to a previous contract and grants from the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense, these latest awards from the Defense Department bring the total amount of grants and contracts to $30M to support the advancement of SPRs neurostimulation technology for pain. We are honored to receive this additional Department of Defense funding to advance research in support of broader use of our SPRINT percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation therapy for pain, said Maria Bennett, Founder, President and CEO of SPR Therapeutics. The management of chronic and post-operative pain continues to be a challenge among U.S. Military, Veterans and the general public. In the midst of the opioid crisis and the need for non-opioid pain treatment options, product refinements and data from additional studies of percutaneous PNS will support the independent, appropriate and effective use of our SPRINT PNS System for pain management. The largest of the awards, a grant totaling $6M, will support a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the SPRINT PNS System to conventional medical management, to reduce pain and opioid use while enabling improvements in function among Service members, Veterans and civilians with chronic back pain. Chronic back pain interferes with function and daily activities (such as walking, work and personal care), and decreases quality of life. As the leading cause of morbidity in the U.S. military, back pain is the most commonly diagnosed injury or reason for seeking medical care and has the highest 5-year risk of permanent disability. A second RCT, supported by a $3M grant, will focus on improving pain management following surgery for combat and non-combat related orthopedic trauma. Designed based on encouraging results of a previous study, it will further evaluate the use of percutaneous PNS to relieve pain, reduce or eliminate use of opioids, and accelerate functional recovery. A $1M contract will fund continued advancement of the companys PNS platform while enhancing the systems ability to support independent use by healthcare providers. These improvements are intended to enable a wider range of interventional pain management physicians to offer the system with minimal training and enable simpler self-management of therapy, thereby allowing more patients to receive effective, non-opioid pain relief. The need among pain management physicians for non-opioid, minimally invasive and user-friendly treatment options is great. The funding provided by the Defense Department will provide additional data and insight regarding the SPRINT Systems ability to improve quality of life, enable faster post-operative recovery and provide long-term pain relief, said Dawood Sayed, M.D., President, The American Society of Pain and Neuroscience. About the DoD Awards The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office for the awards. This work will be supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program and the Peer Reviewed Orthopaedic Research Program under Grant Nos. W81XWH-18-1-0800 and W81XWH-18-1-0799, respectively. The contract is supported by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, US Army Medical Research Material Command/Clinical Rehabilitative Medicine/US Army Research Institute of Surgical Research under SBIR Phase II Contract No. W81XWH-18-C-0329. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense. About SPRINT PNS System The SPRINT Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System is the only percutaneous PNS device that is FDA-cleared for both chronic and acute pain, including post-operative and post-traumatic pain. The next generation device, endura (single-lead) and extensa (dual-lead) is the first and only dual-lead percutaneous PNS system. The SPRINT PNS System lead(s) are placed by a physician during an outpatient procedure without surgery, incisions, tissue destruction or anesthesia, and are connected to a wearable stimulator that delivers stimulation for up to 60 days of therapy. The lead is then removed. In multiple studies, SPRINT has demonstrated significant and sustained pain relief post-60-day treatment. Physicians have used SPRINT to treat post-amputation pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and post-operative pain following joint replacement (partial listing). For additional information regarding safety and efficacy visit www.sprtherapeutics.com . About SPR Therapeutics SPR Therapeutics, Inc. is a privately-held medical device company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing non-opioid, minimally invasive treatment options that improve quality of life. The companys SPRINT technology is the only percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation (PNS) System FDA-cleared to treat both chronic and acute pain. More information can be found at: www.sprtherapeutics.com . SPR Contact: Mark Stultz Senior Vice President mstultz@sprtherapeutics.com 612-770-0390 Media Contact: Helen Shik Shik Communications ShikPR@sprtherapeutics.com 617-510-4373 Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e8f37077-eae8-49ef-9466-1f6a1a1987dc http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/496f31de-7959-4e83-9061-0023e29ac557 SIPHOFANENI The community here is grieving after a horrific crash killed a mother, her lover and a friend as they drove home from Manzini City on Friday night. The three people, Martha Nsimbini (45), who is a businesswoman, her boyfriend, Samkeliso Magagula (32) and an unidentified friend (43), were killed on Friday after their vehicle, a Toyota Vitz, collided head-on with a truck pulling two trailers and ferrying sugar, reportedly to the Lubombo Region. The accident occurred along Siphofaneni-Hhelehhele Public Road near Mhlaleni at about 6pm. Claims are that the Toyota sedan, which was driven by Magagula, veered off its lane into the lane of the truck, killing all three passengers on the spot. The vehicle was over speeding and drove straight into the lane of the oncoming truck. The truck driver tried his best to avoid the speeding vehicle, however, it rammed into it, an eye- witness said. According to Marthas sister-in- law, Jabulile Nsimbini, the deceased had been in a love relationship with Magagula for years, however, they were not married. Jabulile said the two stayed together and had left a six month-old baby. This is tragic and as a family we are still traumitised by the accident. We were informed at the time it occurred and immediately rushed to the scene. Upon arrival, the road was closed and the police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel were trying to get their bodies, which were unidentifiable at the time, out of the vehicle, which was extensively damaged, Jabulile said yesterday. She mentioned that the couple had seven children, and they had been also informed about the tragic incident. Jabulile further said the family was disappointed with members of the public, who instead of assisting the police, immediately went to grab packets of sugar from the truck. It was during the evening and the accident was bad, however, people went for the sugar instead of concentrating on the accident or helping out, it was shocking. The accident was a gruesome one as the occupants body parts were crushed into pieces. As a family, we had to take some of the parts home as others had been already taken to Good Shepherd Hospital. We are hoping that we will manage to differentiate which parts belong to our family member, however, it will be difficult, Jabulile also said. Allegations are that the couple and the friend, who was a construction worker, were coming from a certain celebration, which was held around the Manzini Region when the accident occurred. Well-placed sources insisted that excessive speed was likely the primary factor in the crash even though there were signs of braking on the public road before the vehicle crashed into the truck. It was gathered that both sides of the public road were temporarily closed following the tragic accident as police officers and the Fire and Emergency Services personnel tried their best to remove the bodies and some body parts from the wreckage. It took them six hours to manage to remove the body parts from the vehicle, it was a bad sight and the occupants would not have survived the incident. After everyone had left, members of the public discovered parts such as fingers and parts of intestines in the vehicle, the police had to be called again, another eyewitness said. The cleanup crew from the Fire departments were on scene until 1am, removing the debris of the horrific crash. The vehicle was extensively damaged and the top completely removed when the accident occurred. It was later towed to a garage situated just before the city, in Moneni. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed the accident and said the Siphofaneni police were still conducting investigations. SITEKI Head teachers in schools around Lubombo had to calm pupils and allay any fears when armed police officers arrived for the commencement of examinations yesterday. In most of the school, head teachers addressed pupils during the morning assembly and tried to explain the rationale behind the deployment of the police. It was gathered that in some schools, only the Form V pupils were informed about the deployment of the police. However, despite the attempts by head teachers, most pupils could not understand what armed officers were doing in the premises of their schools. Bebanako kusaba but sase siyabakhulumisa (They had a little bit of fear but we then talked to them), said Mpolonjeni High Head teacher, Matry Dlamini. She further mentioned that teachers were also taken by surprise by the arrival of the police as they had not been notified prior by education officials in the region. Nevertheless, Dlamini said the examination process proceeded well at her school, further expressing hope that the uncertainty created by teachers threats to disrupt the examination process would pass. At Malindza High School, pupils were reportedly shocked by the arrival of the police. As such, Head teacher Makhosazane Mkhonta had to explain what the officers were doing within the school premises. I told them police we here to monitor the examination and not to arrest them for any petty offences they may have committed, said Mkhonta. She mentioned though that the examination proceeded well at her school. Lusoti High Head teacher, Thamsanqa Masuku said he did not think pupils at the school were intimidated as he did explain to them why armed police were in the school premises. He also said the examination went accordingly, adding that there were no disturbances. Meanwhile, Lubombo Central Head teacher Pilate Vilane, said there was less intimidation since only plain clothes police came closer to the examination rooms. The ones in uniform are at the gate, away from the exam room, he stated. However, pupils at his school said they felt intimidated when they saw a police officer accompanying invigilators to the examination room. MBABANE The first day of examinations for Form Vs was marred by heavy police presence, who in some of the schools took over the invigilation. As early as 7:30am, officers from Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) and His Majestys Correctional Services, who were in uniform and plain clothes, were deployed to almost all the schools in the country. Concerns of police officers taking over the invigilation process in some of the schools were raised by head teachers in the four regions of the country, who reported to the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT). The officers were driving in private white vehicles believed to be those hired by government to be used by the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) during the national elections. SNAT Secretary General Zweli Mndzebele alleged that police officers forcefully took over the invigilation job in some of the schools. Mndzebele blamed government, adding that they had planned for the exams to carry on in the manner things were happening. He said in other schools, police officers were guarding by the gates, while head teachers and invigilators continued with their responsibilities during the examinations. Mndzebele said following what happened, they would be having a meeting today to find out which schools became victims of the security officers, as they had to submit a complete report to the Ministry of Education. He said they could not dwell much on the consequences of what penned out during the examinations but what they could confirm was that their strike action will take place on November 23, 2018. Mndzebele said government was well aware of what would happen after the strike. Eswatini Principals Association (EPA) President Welcome Mhlanga reiterated Mndzebeles statement. Mhlanga said some of the schools confirmed that there was an alleged altercation between officers and head teachers on the responsibilities and roles to be played by each. Head teachers received reports from officers who talked in harsh tones that they will be coming to run exams in their schools, said Mhlanga. According to Mhlanga, the officers told the head teachers that they were currently on strike and they had come to run the examinations. The head teachers were disillusioned by the turn of events and did not know what to do next. He said head teachers did not like the approach from some of the security officers. However, Mhlanga said the general report was that examinations went well across the country, except the few concerns from Shiselweni and Lubombo Regions. This confusion, he attributed to the security officers not understanding their roles in the different schools they had been assigned to. He said the officers had no clue whether to run the invigilation while head teachers took a back seat. Mhlanga said following the reports, he had personally informed the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training Dr Sibongile Mtshali to correct the anormally. Invigilation Further, he said when the head teachers continued to be subjected to such treatment, they would eventually take a back seat. Mhlanga also said the invigilation exercise would be expensive for government as they had to hire a lot of people. When sought for comment, Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, said they had not received any report of officers taking over the invigilation job. Vilakati said police officers were deployed to maintain peace and order and ensure that it prevailed in all the schools following the strike action She said schools knew where to report if there was an anormally which they experienced. English French Closure of 13th farm latest milestone in fight to end dog meat trade campaign experts, rescuers available for comment MONTREAL, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HSI/Canada, together with our international affiliates, will rescue nearly 200 dogs from a horrendous dog meat farm in South Korea Humane Society Internationals 13th to date. Notably, the first day of the rescue falls on October 4th, World Animal Day. Rescuers and campaign experts are available for comment prior to departure as well as on location (email or call media contact below). Media is invited to view the arrival of the rescued dogs at Pearson International Airport on October 9th, visit the rescued dogs at the HSI/Canada temporary shelter in Cambridge, Ontario on October 10th and 11th, and observe the arrival of 86 of the rescued dogs at our Montreal emergency shelter on October 12th. WHAT: Closure of a large scale dog meat farm in South Korea. Arrival of rescued dogs at Pearson International Airport. Arrival of rescued dogs at the HSI/Canada temporary shelter in Cambridge, Ontario. Arrival of rescued dogs at the HSI/Canada emergency shelter in Montreal. WHERE, WHEN: Dog meat farm closure: Namyangju, South Korea. OCTOBER 4 th TO 11 th . TO 11 . Air Canada Cargo: 2580 Britannia Road East, Mississauga, Ont. L4W 2P7. OCTOBER 9 th , 8:30pm. Click here for the Google Map. , 8:30pm. for the Google Map. HSI/Canada temporary shelter, Cambridge, Ontario. OCTOBER 10 th & 11 th . Call media contact below to schedule an appointment. & 11 . Call media contact below to schedule an appointment. HSI/Canada Montreal emergency shelter: 7314 Mountain Sights Ave (south of Jean-Talon West), Montreal, Quebec H4P 2A6. Click here for the Google Map. OCTOBER 12th, evening (time TBC). WHO: HSI/Canada rescue workers and campaign experts. High-resolution photos and video are available here . Media Contact: Christopher Pare office: 514 395-2914 x 206 / cell: 438 402-0643, email: cpare@hsi.org Cyprus, Greece and Egypt are planing their next joint events to be held in London and Athens, in the framework of the program Nostos, the Return that aims to bring the respective Diasporas closer. Presidential Commissioner Photis Photiou and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Terens Quick, have also announced that the next trilateral meeting with Armenia on Diaspora matters will be organized soon. Quick and Photiou met on Tuesday in Nicosia in order to evaluate the course of implementation regarding the Memorandum of Understanding they signed in late 2016, the Presidential Commissioner noted after the meeting. Read more at CNA 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: Nzeemin License: CC-BY-SA Abu Dhabi's foreign trade in goods accounted for 12.8 per cent of the GDP in 2017, reported state-run Wam, citing the Statistical Yearbook of Abu Dhabi 2018, released by the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). Reflecting the contribution of foreign trade to the economy in general, the non-oil merchandise trade statistics presented in the document comprises trade in goods which entered or exited the territory of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi through the ports of Abu Dhabi (comprising air, sea and road ports). It should be noted that foreign trade data presented in this report do not cover non-oil exports, re-exports and imports through ports of the other emirates in the UAE. Commodity imports in goods through the ports of the Emirate Abu Dhabi were valued at Dh112.1 billion($305 billion) in 2017 compared with Dh117.8 billion in 2016. The main imports during 2017 were 'Machinery, sound recorder, reproducers and parts', which accounted for 24.9 per cent of the total value. The United States of America was the main country for imports, from which the Emirate received goods worth Dh16.9 billion. Non-oil exports were valued at Dh22.3 billion, with 'Plastic, rubber and articles thereof' contributing 42.7 per cent of the total. China was the top destination of Abu Dhabi non-oil exports, receiving goods worth Dh4.1 billion from the Emirate in 2017. Re-exports in 2017 were valued at Dh21.8 billion compared with Dh24.8 billion in 2016. The top category during 2017 was 'Machinery, sound recorders, reproducers and parts', which contributed 24.9 per cent of the re-exports total. China was the top country destination for re-exports with goods valued at Dh 3.4 billion. The value of imports in goods from Asian countries through the ports of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was Dh54.3 billion during 2017 compared with Dh55.2 billion in 2016. The value of non-oil exports in goods to Asian countries through the ports of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was Dh15.6 billion while re- exports to Asian countries amounted to Dh18.1 billion. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi exported 0.48 billion barrels of crude oil in 2017. Japan was the top importer receiving around 31.4 per cent of the Emirate's total crude oil exports. In 2017, the Emirate exported 32.5 million metric tons of refined petroleum products, of which Japan bought 14.2 per cent, followed by Netherlands, which purchased 12.0 per cent. The Emirate imported 754.5 billion cu ft of natural gas in 2017, at a daily average of 2.1 billion cu ft. Turkey based Investrade Portfoy Yonetimi AS (IPY) has appointed Shariyah Review Bureau (SRB) to help ensure Sharia compliance for its Investments Funds, portfolio management and distribution services business. IPY seeks to provide end-to-end real estate fund, pension and private mutual funds, discretionary portfolio management services including sourcing, structuring and arranging finance for assets. It will also focus on creating efficient ways to achieve goal as per the targeted acquisition assumptions. We are proud of our teams experience in delivering superior investment opportunities, yet we are still committed to improving every phase of our portfolio management process with our investors, said Dr. Hakan Berooglu, board member & CEO of IPY. He added: Sharia compliance experience is important to our investors. Thats why we selected Shariyah Review Bureau; they have the capabilities to manage our Sharia compliance touchpoints so we can deliver great experiences in our services by helping us build authentic Sharia compliant transactions for our sophisticated customers. Under the Sharia Advisory agreement, SRB will provide IPY with Fund structuring support, documentation certification, Sharia audit maintenance, consulting and Sharia advice on portfolio management services for its Turkey office. The agreement, is intended to help IPY reduce the Sharia compliance costs of its transaction, with the savings used to help the company enhance its sourcing resources and distribution capabilities and deliver tangible business value. As a luxury-based Investment company, our goal is to contribute to more vigorous opportunities through improved positions, said Dr Halil Arslan, senior portfolio manager at IPY. Through our initiative with Sharia compliant acquisitions, we will streamline screening, leveraging and investment operations with SRBs Sharia certification services, enabling us to respond quickly to the evolving real-estate and equity based opportunities in Turkey. Yasser S Dahlawi, founder and CEO of SRB, said: We are excited to help Investrade Portfoy Yonetimi implement its Sharia compliant strategy. Leveraging our expertise in the investment industry, our knowledge and experience gained by serving scores of companies around the world, and our Sharia advisory processes, we will help support their growth in innovative projects in Turkey. TradeArabia News Service GFH Financial Group (GFH) has announced that it has agreed to acquire $200 million of Villamar Sukuk Company Limited sharia-compliant sukuk certificates from Al Rajhi Bank. It is to be noted that the sukuk was issued to finance the iconic Villamar residential complex project at the Bahrain Financial Harbour in Bahrain. The acquisition is expected to reflect positively on GFHs financials during the second half of 2018, due to preferential pricing obtained by the group, said a statement. Hisham Alrayes, CEO of GFH, said: We are pleased to announce this important acquisition for the Villamar Sukuk by the group. The acquisition will allow GFH to complete the flagship Villamar project and achieve higher financial returns. Villamar will soon be in partnership with one of the most recognised hospitality groups that will set new standards for premium living in Bahrain. We plan to reap the fruits from this unique project on its completion, which is expected over the next 12 to 18 months, he said. - TradeArabia News Service The district heating and cooling market is poised for solid growth over the next six years with its market size likely to exceed $400 billion by 2024, said a new study by Global Market Insights. Increasing implementation of regulatory policies pertaining to carbon emissions coupled with growing adoption of sustainable energy technologies will stimulate the district heating & cooling market share, it stated. The district heating includes CHP, Geothermal, Solar, Heat only Boilers, while the district cooling involves use of free cooling, absorption cooling, heat pumps and electric chillers. According to the study, commercial district heating and cooling market will witness a growth on account of growing adoption of building codes and standards coupled with the development of combined heating and cooling technologies to provide sustainable energy solution. In addition, the flourishing service sector across the developed nations along with rising investments toward real-estate industry will encourage the product adoption. Ongoing expansion of efficient heating infrastructure, innovative energy efficiency solutions and energy management systems will further accelerate the industry growth. Solar district heating and cooling market was valued at over $4 billion in 2017. Ease of installation, lower operating cost, economic viability and environmental performance are some of the major factors which will propel the technology adoption. The European Commission, as per its SDH plan aims at deploying and promoting of SDH systems across Italy, Denmark, Germany and Czech Republic. The plan further aims to add a capacity of around 8 GW by 2020, said the study. Changing climatic conditions on account of accelerating surface temperature range will boost the industry growth. For instance, the US EPA under its Clean Air Act controls the release of air pollutants including NOx, SO2 and CO2 emissions, it stated. China district heating and cooling market is set to exceed the consumption of 5,000 PJ by 2024. Rapid economic growth along with large scale deployment of heating & cooling systems will encourage the product adoption, it added. Escalating urbanization & industrialization on account of rising infrastructure development will influence the industry landscape. In 2016, the World Bank approved a loan of $100 million for the development of sustainable heating infrastructure across the Hebai province, said the study. Increasing investments toward the development of residential & commercial establishments across the emerging economies along with favorable regulatory policies pertaining to energy efficiency will propel the district heating and cooling market size. Technological advancement, ease of compatibility with various sources, lower thermal loses, and high operational efficiency are some of the underline parameters which makes its adoption preferable when compared with other conventional technologies, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 90% of the U.S. population has flown on a plane in their lifetime up from 35% in 1990. Thats even with the current pace of life whcih could be described as hectic at best. As a culture, we place a lot of emphasis on being busy, successful, and accessible at all times. This is why it's more important than ever before to take those breaks and see the world. We need to remind ourselves that there is more to life than working and the pressures of hectic schedules and social media. Take a Break Travel has made a business out of creating an exclusive travel club to help people do just that: take a much-needed break. Through their voucher deals, members of Take a Break Travel can see and experience some of the world's premier travel destinations like Las Vegas, Nevada. Why Join Take a Break Travel? You've likely heard of a number of travel groups making big promises. Take a Break Travel makes and follows through with their promises, which is why they have been voted America's best travel club and received a number of travel accolades and awards. For a nominal $50 yearly fee, members benefit from numerous perks and features of the exclusive club. Through their partnering with Wyndham Resorts, Take a Break Travel members get the very best of what the resort experience has to offer. Through superior accommodations and dining, travelers can enjoy fully customizable all-inclusive packages. Take a Break Travel Agents and Representatives In addition to the premium-quality resort experience Take a Break Travel offers, their knowledgeable and experienced travel agents are perhaps the next biggest perk to club membership. These agents are known as the best in the industry. Your membership secures you individualized one-on-one assistance with your vacation planning from initial research all the way to final booking. These agents have access to the best accommodation deals in the business, and it is their job to share these inside perks with each and every one of their members. The agents are also privy to the experiences of travelers just like you, so they know which seemingly small details are the most important when it comes to successful vacation planning. These agents will listen to your needs, assess which types of vacation packages will exceed your expectations, and help you make your vacation dream a reality. Las Vegas Excalibur Take a Break Travel Deals If you are considering a trip to the world-famous Las Vegas Luxor Hotel, Take a Break Travel can offer you an amazing package with their travel voucher deals. Las Vegas Accommodation and Dining While many travelers simply opt for an online search of the best and cheapest Las Vegas hotels, this is not the best way to ensure the ultimate Las Vegas travel experience. The Take a Break travel agents have planned hundreds of Las Vegas vacation packages, and they know exactly which hotels will best suit your travel needs and expectations. They will know exactly which accommodations put you close to the sights you plan on seeing; they will also know which accommodations offer the best dining and have added benefits like swimming, Internet, gyms, and other desirable facilities. Take a Break Travel has connections with all the top-quality Las Vegas hotels like the Luxor, and as a valued member, you too have access to these voucher deals, perks, connections, knowledge, and travel deals. Most of us are busy, sometimes too busy to thoroughly research all the aspects of vacation planning that need to be considered to result in the ultimate getaway. Take a Break Travel membership ensures that despite your own limitations, whether you are traveling by yourself, as a couple, or a family with children, you too can experience those perfect vacation packages and deals you always hear about and envy. The voucher travel deals you have access to as a member offer some of the best travel package deals in the industry and have helped set the industry standard when it comes to customer service and customer satisfaction. If you've been thinking that a trip to Las Vegas is just what you need, take advantage of the enormous benefits of the Take a Break Travel Excalibur Company voucher deals and take the guesswork, time, and stress out of vacation planning by putting it into the hands of the professionals. The 17th edition of Cityscape Global officially opened its doors today (October 2), welcoming local and international real estate organisations and professional who have gathered in Dubai for the three-day exhibition, which runs until Thursday (October 4) at Dubai World Trade Centre. The high-profile event was inaugurated by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, in the presence of Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Emirates Group; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and other senior officials. With up to 300 exhibitors competing for attention, international developers from Egypt and Malta, supported by government agencies are vying for UAE investors by offering sound prospects and the option to earn citizenship for their respective country. UAE, Egypt and Malta are among the countries featured at this years exclusive Cityscape Business Hub and Hosted Investors Programme, which aims to boost the relationship between investors both local and international and developers, government authorities from around the world, and real estate professionals to drive investment. After the inauguration ceremony, Sheikh Hamdan was given a whistle stop tour of the stands on display at Cityscape including country pavilions of Egypt and Malta. Billed for discussion at the Business Hub is the panel discussion: Benefits of investing in Menas most transparent real estate market, which looks at Dubais Global Real Estate Transparency Index, the importance of transparency for Dubai market and how this affects the level of investment it attracts and examining the initiatives to improve transparency and quality of information available to real estate investors. Representatives from Malta, Egypt and Georgia will sit on the panel discussion on international investment opportunities at the Business Hub. Named as the events Country of Honour, Egypts Ministry of Housing has brought 18 of its top developers to their pavilion, showcasing ambitious master developed projects such as the New Administrative Capital, Central Business District, New Al-Alamein City and New Mansoura City. Engineer Khaled Abbas, Vice Minister, Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, said: Egypt has witnessed a dramatic shift and increase in the real estate market; seeing a significant and robust demand for real estate. As a result, the country has begun to introduce new cities with impressive real estate projects. Public and private developers are now looking to attract foreign investment into the Egyptian real estate sector, and at Cityscape Global we aim to demonstrate these investment opportunities and to present the strength of the Egyptian market to an international audience. Egypts appeal as a competitive market for foreign investment has been strengthened following an announcement offering citizenship to foreigners who deposit at least E7-million ($392,000) in the country, if they surrender the deposit after five-years. Backed by Maltas Tourism Authority and Economic Development Agency, the countrys pavilion will have its largest participation on the show floor to date. Under the umbrella of the Property Malta Foundation, Maltese exhibitors are set to attract investors with the combination of a mature real estate market and their Individual Investor Programme, which puts property owners on a path to earning European citizenship. Sandro Chetcuti, the chairman of Property Malta Foundation, said: With just over 300 sq km of land area and substantial population growth, the country has a finite supply of quality real estate with investment returns that compare very favourably with anywhere else in Europe. It is all this that ensures that Malta remains a sound real estate investment for today and in the future. In 2014, Malta introduced the Individual Investor Programme, which allows for the granting of Maltese citizenship to any foreign individuals and their families who contribute to the economic development of Malta, observed Chetcuti. Many exhibitors are eager to stand out above their competition and with the ability to sell units onsite, launches of attractive payment plans, fee waivers, and additional bonuses and incentives are some of the offers that visitors can take advantage over the next three days. Cityscape Global returns with support from Foundation Partners: Dubai Holding and Nakheel; Platinum Sponsors: Eltizam Asset Management and Marjan Island; Silver Sponsors: Noyanlar and Tamleek Real Estate; and Strategic Partner: Dubai Land Department.-TradeArabia News Service Oman has announced plans to build a 5.5-m-tall groundwater recharge dam at Al Mudhaibi in the North Sharqiyah region of the sultanate, said a report. The Al Ayoon dam, which will run 2.86 km long, is set to be constructed with treated soft soil and a border of sand and stones, reported Times of Oman, citing officials from the Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources. On completion, it will be able to hold 734,000 cu m of water, they added. Having inaugurated its new campus in July, the UK College of Business & Computing Dubai (UKCBC) welcomed its first batch of students on September 23 for their inaugural week. UKCBC has secured a culturally diverse maiden cohort with students coming from different countries. "We have seen a great interest in our qualifications from both local and international students. We are extremely delighted to report 35 per cent international students for our first cohort and attracting students from GCC, China, UK, Uzbekistan and West Africa in addition to UAE nationals and other expat communities in UAE such as India, Philippines & France," said Ttina Narsian, head of sales and marketing for Dubai Campus. The College currently has six campuses in Central & Greater London, including the English language arm UK College of English (UKCE), and caters to more than 3,000 students. The UK campuses offer courses in business management, computing, health and social care, travel and tourism as well as accounting courses. Located in the heart of Dubai International Academic City (DIAC) and with a campus spanning around 19,000-sq-ft, the Dubai Campus will initially deliver Pearson BTEC qualifications in business management, computing, travel & tourism, and health and social care, eventually expanding to other qualifications that suit the UAEs higher education and employability needs. Jonathan Sandling, director of studies at UKCBC, said: "We believe we have the right mix of courses and credibility that will help our students progress in their academic journey. Our courses are carefully designed to suit the needs of all learners. Back in the UK, we have experienced faculty to deliver BTEC qualifications across age groups so that our learners can benefit as well as manage their work-life commitments. Since UAE is a diverse and culturally rich country, we have taken every effort to curate the curriculum for the broader needs of the youth. We are looking forward to welcoming both local and international students to our new Dubai Campus." All the BTEC courses offered by UKCBC are awarded by Pearson, the worlds largest learning company. - TradeArabia News Service Close to 4,000 delegates are expected to attend the 2018 Building Healthcare Innovation and Show, the Mena regions largest for the healthcare infrastructure and management industry, which kicks off today (October 2) at the Dubai World Trade Centre. With the theme Delivering fit-for-purpose healthcare facilities, the congress will offer five sessions spanning the entire lifecycle of a healthcare facility build: Vision & Masterplan; Invest; Design & Build; Equip; and Operate. The conference is structured to align with the holistic nature of current healthcare developments and provide an all-encompassing view of the key challenges and best practices involved throughout, said Susan McKeen, exhibition director, Informa Life Sciences, organisers of the event. Special focus sessions on PPP and regional healthcare infrastructure projects will home in on the current state of the healthcare market. Information will be provided on both current and upcoming projects, investment opportunities and gaps in the market to give you the knowledge you need to expand your business throughout the Mena region. The PPP session will take a more in-depth look at the intricacies and nuances of PPP in the GCC healthcare build market. Over the last decade, GCC markets have witnessed an exciting stage of growth and development in the healthcare sector, with increasing emphasis from our governments to make international standards of care locally available and position the region as a leading global player for healthcare delivery. This growth is also fuelled by the need to tackle the rapid increase of non-communicable diseases which afflicts the region at large, said Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare, who is among the featured speakers at the event, along with experts from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and international healthcare specialists and stakeholders from the UK, USA, Portugal and others. The need is for a sustainable healthcare delivery model that provides quality care for all at affordable costs. As an integrated healthcare service provider, we at Aster DM Healthcare, are at an advantage of having introduced a successful healthcare delivery model 30 years ago, which identifies the need of the local population and introduces innovative solutions to meet those needs. We are on the cusp of a technological transformation that will improve access to quality care and modern tools like telemedicine, online prescriptions, mobile monitoring apps will continue to enhance the doctor-patient interaction, he added. Alongside the conferences is the free-to-attend Building Healthcare Exhibition which will showcase the latest solutions and services for design, build and innovation of healthcare facilities. The show is free-to-attend. TradeArabia News Service Batelco, a leading digital solutions provider in Bahrain and Arab Financial Services (AFS), the regions foremost FinTech enabler, were recently honoured with the Smart Finance Solution award at the Bahrain Smart Cities 2018 Conference. The award was presented for bwallet, the Kingdoms first digital mobile wallet and payment solution, which was launched by Batelco and AFS early in 2018. The service has since been rolled out across leading retail businesses throughout the Kingdom and is being utilised daily by an ever-growing customer base. bwallet users can simply scan a QR code for seamless transactions and enjoy quick, secure and easy cashless payments with exclusive benefits through their mobile phones. Batelco chief marketing officer Abderrahmane Mounir said: By entering the realm of FinTech and supporting in the development of digital financial solutions, Batelco strives to enhance its related offerings in this field, and contribute to the advancement of smart cities. Batelco is pleased with the increase in the number of bwallet subscribers. The bwallet services are not limited to Batelco customers only, and extend to all mobile users from other network carriers in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in an effort to provide digital services to the entire community, he added. AFS chief executive officer B Chandrasekhar said: We are honoured to receive this award which recognizes bwallets game-changing role in how customers transact throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain. bwallet is one of AFSs many FinTech solutions geared towards supporting the Kingdoms growing digital economy and supporting the move to a cashless digital society. The award was presented by the Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning Essam bin Abdulla Khalaf and accepted on behalf of Batelco by senior product marketing manager Ameer Nasralla and on behalf of AFS by CEO of AFS FinTech Business Shiraz Ali. TradeArabia News Service Qatar Airways has upsized five A350-900s currently on order to the bigger A350-1000 version. This latest endorsement for the largest member of Airbus A350 XWB family reflects the airlines need for growth at the best comfort and efficiency levels available. The amended order reinforces Qatar Airways position as the largest A350-1000 customer with a fleet of 42 aircraft. The A350-1000s fuselage is seven metres longer than its smaller brethren, providing greater capacity (44 more seats in Qatar Airways cabin configuration) that perfectly matches airlines needs on their growing long-haul routes. Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: Qatar Airways is delighted to have upgraded five of its previously ordered A350-900 to the more recently launched A350-1000. Since taking delivery of the worlds first A350-1000 in February 2018, we have been extremely pleased with the aircrafts performance, which has prompted us to update our original order. The A350-1000 has been a welcome addition to our fleet and very well received by our passengers who enjoy the new generation aircrafts unprecedented levels of comfort and technology. Since its entry into service, the A350 Family has proven outstanding reliability and efficiency. We are delighted to see launch customer Qatar Airways extend its confidence in the A350-1000, said Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft. Qatar Airways is renowned for its standards of excellence, and we are pleased the A350-1000 delivers to their expectations, being the aircraft of choice to seamlessly increase capacity in unprecedented comfort on its growing long-haul routes. Qatar Airways A350-1000s features the unique Qsuite the airlines signature business class seating that offers a new level of innovation for in-flight comfort. With 76 aircraft on order, Qatar Airways is the largest A350 XWB customer and currently operates 30 A350 XWBs comprising of 27 A350-900s and 3 A350-1000s. Since its entry into service, the A350-1000 has demonstrated unsurpassed efficiency, economics and remarkable operational reliability. The A350 XWB is an all new family of mid-size wide-body long-haul airliners shaping the future of air travel. The A350 XWB features the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, plus new fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines. Together, these latest technologies translate into unrivalled levels of operational efficiency, with a 25 per cent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. The A350 XWB features an Airspace cabin which, on top of the aircraft spaciousness and quietness, provides better ambience, design and services, contributing to superior levels of comfort and well-being, and setting new standards in terms of flight experience for all passengers. To date, Airbus has recorded a total of 890 firm orders for the A350 XWB from 46 customers worldwide, already making it one of the most successful widebody aircraft ever. TradeArabia News Service Marriott International announced on Monday its rapid expansion plans across Africa, expecting to increase portfolio by 50 per cent with over 200 hotels and 38,000 rooms by 2023. The group has signed five new hotel projects, which will drive investment of over $250 million by the property owners and will generate substantial economic activity. The new signings will further consolidate Marriott Internationals presence in Ghana, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa and mark the companys entry into Mozambique, the group announced during the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi, Kenya. According to the company, strong demand for select-service brands and conversion opportunities are driving its momentum of growth. African economies have sustained unprecedented rates of growth, which have mainly been driven by a strong domestic demand, improved macroeconomic management and increased political stability. The continent is still under capacity as far as branded hotel supply is concerned, presenting us with a fantastic opportunity to grow our brands and enhance our footprint, said Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International. Today, Marriott International is present in 21 countries on the African continent and is set to expand into new markets including Benin, Botswana, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Mozambique and Senegal. Conversion strategy spurs growth Marriott International continues to see increased interest from owners looking to maximise the value of their assets quickly, with many conversion opportunities across Africa. We've developed a conversion-friendly strategy, which allows us to deliver value to our partners through a flexible, cost-efficient process that yields almost immediate results. That strategy gives our partners access to world-class reservation systems and our loyalty programme, said Kyriakidis. Recent conversions to the companys brands include Four Points by Sheraton Nairobi, Hurlingham, Four Points by Sheraton Arusha, The Arusha Hotel, Tanzania and the iconic Mena House, Cairo which joined the Marriott Hotels and Resorts global brand portfolio earlier this year. Amongst new conversion deals, Marriott International has signed the Marriott Marrakech Hotel in Morocco. With over 360 rooms, the hotel is slated to be rebranded in 2020. Select-Service brands in high demand Marriott Internationals select-service brands, including Four Points by Sheraton, Protea Hotels by Marriott and AC Hotels by Marriott, are experiencing unprecedented demand with vigorous expansion in both mature and emerging markets. Marriott International has signed two new hotels under the Protea Hotels by Marriott brand including Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport, Ghana and Protea Hotel by Marriott Nairobi, Kenya. Protea Hotel by Marriott Accra Kotoka Airport is planned to be a 200-room hotel strategically located in the prestigious airport residential area of Accra, offering a restaurant, a lobby bar and lounge, small conference and meeting facilities, an air crew lounge, a gym and a roof-top pool bar and lounge with uninterrupted views of the city. Protea Hotel by Marriott Nairobi will be located approximately 5 km from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Mombasa Road. Expected to open in 2021, the 250-room hotel will include a restaurant, a bar, a fitness centre, a pool and 600-sq-m of meeting space. Earlier this year, Marriott International signed Protea Hotel by Marriott Pretoria Loftus Park, South Africa, which is slated to open later this year. The company also signed Four Points by Sheraton Nampula, Mozambique, which will be its first hotel in the country. The hotel, expected to open in 2023, is part of a mixed-use development comprised of a shopping centre, apartments, residential homes, a hospital, offices and the hotel. The 185-room property includes 100 hotel rooms and 85 extended stay units, food and beverage facilities, conferencing facilities, a fitness centre and a pool. Later this year, Marriott International will debut the AC by Marriott brand into Africa with the opening of the 188-room AC by Marriott Cape Town, Waterfront, conveniently located just minutes away from the buzzing Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and just a 25-minute drive from Cape Town International Airport. The company has also signed its second AC by Marriott hotel in Africa, AC by Marriott Umhlanga Ridge, Kwazulu Natal, Durban. The 205-room hotel will be a part of a mixed-use development comprised of offices and high-end residential apartments and boasts dramatic views of the Indian Ocean. Slated to open in 2023, the hotel is within easy access from major highways and in close proximity to the King Shaka International Airport. The company expects to introduce some of its other well-known select-service brands like Aloft Hotels, Element, Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott with hotels already under development. It is also looking for opportunities to bring Fairfield by Marriott to the continent. Speaking on the increased interest in mixed-use development projects, Kyriakidis said: As cities evolve and grow into flourishing urban centres, we will continue to see a lot of activity in this space. An international hotel brand can bring cachet to a project that positions it significantly above its peers. Our portfolio of diverse brands lends itself to grow in all markets providing developers with the flexibility and choice to identify the right brand for the right location. We believe this also provides an incredible opportunity to develop branded residences with our luxury brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and W Hotels and we are actively pursuing this. Today our brands account for nearly 60 per cent of the global hospitality-branded residences market. Africa is a very compelling story for us. With our history on the continent, our footprint and strong pipeline, a diverse portfolio of brands and a robust management infrastructure, we believe that we enjoy the trust and the confidence of Africas hotel development community, he added. Marriott International is enjoying a strong year of new hotel openings in Africa, which includes its first hotel in Mali - Sheraton Bamako - as well as the first Marriott Hotel in Accra. The company also debuted the Protea Hotel by Marriott brand in North Africa with the opening of Protea Hotel by Marriott Constantine. - TradeArabia News Service TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Media are invited to attend an exclusive Toronto municipal election mayoral event hosted by Toronto Real Estate Board on real estate related issues on October 3, 2018 at Parkview Manor. What: TORONTO MUNICIPAL ELECTION MAYORAL EVENT ON REAL ESTATE Presentation Moderator: John Moore Host of Newstalk1010s Moore in the Morning 1:15 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Mayor John Tory What's in store for the next four years, if elected, and in particular, his housing platform including how he plans to deal with housing affordability, housing supply and demand, transit/transportation issues, and infrastructure challenges. 2:00 p.m. 2:45 p.m. Jennifer Keesmaat Highlighting her priorities for the City of Toronto, with particular reference to housing affordability, supply and demand, transit/transportation issues, and infrastructure challenges. When: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 1:00 p.m. 2:45 p.m. Where: Parkview Manor (map) 55 Barber Greene Rd #1, North York, ON M3C 2A1 Media Registration Required: Mary Gallagher, Senior Manager Public Affairs (416) 443-8158 maryg@trebnet.com Greater Toronto REALTORS are passionate about their work. They are governed by a strict Code of Ethics and share a state-of-the-art Multiple Listing Service. Over 50,000 residential and commercial TREB Members serve consumers in the Greater Toronto Area. TREB is Canadas largest real estate board. www.TREBhome.com https://www.facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard https://twitter.com/TREBhome https://www.youtube.com/user/TREBChannel https://www.pinterest.com/trebhome/ http://www.linkedin.com/company/treb http://www.trebwire.com/ https://plus.google.com/+trebchannel https://www.trebhome.com/rssfeed.htm https://www.instagram.com/trebhome https://soundcloud.com/trebhome/tracks SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoverHound and CyberPolicy today announced that Keith Moore, the companys CEO will be a featured speaker and moderator at InsureTech Connect 2018. This leading insurance technology conference features more than 250 experts and entrepreneurs as part of the largest global gathering of insurance innovation. Speakers and sessions are designed to explore current trends, innovation and opportunities in insurtech, while participating attendees receive the unique opportunity to engage with key influencers from across the industry. Key themes at this years event include partnership case studies, consumer engagement, practical applications of AI, blockchain, cyber defense, and much more. As an expert in Personal and Commercial P&C Insurance, Moore will join other distinguished panelists to moderate The Future of Innovation is Collaboration panel, which will discuss how both collaboration and a partnership first mindset improves the industry. Moores panel includes, Chinedu Eleanya, CEO of Mulberry; Michael Kalen, CEO of Covr; Werner Kruck, COO of Security First; Wayne Slavin, CEO of Sure and Lauren Pollock, Accelerate Partner at AXA XL. Being part of InsureTech Connect allows us to further collaborations and partnerships with like-minded entrepreneurs and investors across the globe, said Moore. Having the opportunity to moderate a panel of esteemed individuals who, like Coverhound and CyberPolicy, are leaders in this trade is a privilege. We look forward to sharing what we do and how we are innovating the insurtech industry. Moore founded CyberPolicy to leverage CoverHounds leading digital distribution platform to bring industry-first Cybersecurity and Cyber Insurance options to the United States. In just two years, CyberPolicy covers over 700 business classes in all 50 states. Were honored to have such an influential group join us for InsureTech Connect 2018, helping make this the largest insurtech gathering in the world, said Jay Weintraub, Co-Founder & CEO of InsureTech Connect. With great care, we hand-selected an exclusive group of insurtech pioneers who offer expert-level insight into the world of insurance and technology. Stop by the CoverHound booth (# 307) and CyberPolicy booth (#306) during ITC to meet the team and learn more about the products. InsureTech Connect 2018 is held at the MGM Grand Las Vegas on October 2nd and 3rd in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, or to see the full agenda, visit www.insuretechconnect.com. About CoverHound CoverHound is an insurtech company for consumers and businesses to easily compare and purchase insurance, built to deliver fast, accurate and actionable rates from leading US carriers based on their specific needs. Some of the top carriers include Chubb, Hiscox, Progressive, Liberty Mutual, biBerk, Safeco, Nationwide, Mercury, Hartford Steam Boiler and others to offer the most competitive rates in 50 states. Developed by a team with deep insurance and online financial services experience, CoverHound is dedicated to providing the best in class customer experience. CyberPolicy: In 2016, CyberPolicy (a subsidiary of CoverHound) became the world's first marketplace to help small businesses compare, quote, and buy cyber insurance online in minutes. Since then, CyberPolicy has expanded its cyber insurance offerings to cover 98 percent of small business types with up to $250 million in revenue. CyberPolicy partners with market leaders including Chubb, Hiscox, UpGuard, SecurityScorecard and others to develop extensive bundled cybersecurity offerings to help small businesses "Plan. Prevent. Insure." against cyberattacks. CyberPolicy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CoverHound Inc. About InsureTech Connect: InsureTech Connect is the worlds largest insurtech event, offering unparalleled access to the largest and most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors and insurance industry incumbents from across the globe. Founded by Jay Weintraub and Caribou Honig in 2016, ITC has grown to more than 6,000 attendees, hosting 250 speakers, and representing 50+ countries worldwide. InsureTech Connect 2018, presented by Oliver Wyman, will be held October 2-3 at MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. Media Contact: Laura Metzger Upright Communications (339) 788-0128 laura@uprightcomms.com | By Laura Lee Addressing an influential crowd of technology and life sciences professionals at the Bio+Tech 18 Conference, University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Jay A. Perman, MD, noted that in addition to recruiting top scientists from around the country and the world, UMB closed the academic year with a record $667 million in grants and contracts. (From left) Nicole Palya Wood, senior regional director for state advocacy, PhRMA; Jay A. Perman, MD, president, UMB; Freeman Hrabowski, PhD, president, UMBC; Sunil Kumar, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Johns Hopkins University. It speaks to the fact that we understand the importance of our science, but most importantly of getting our science out to the bedside, he said at the Sept 20 event at the Hilton Baltimore. Reflecting on his work as a pediatric gastroenterologist, Perman said technology research is not just about business. This is about all of us he said, gesturing to the audience, improving the human condition. Perman was joined on a panel titled Innovation in Baltimore by University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) President Freeman Hrabowski, PhD, and Johns Hopkins University Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Sunil Kumar, PhD. Each leader discussed how their top-tier research institution contributes to Marylands status as an innovation hub and how collaboration is driving the creation of incubators and startups. The panel was moderated by Nicole Palya Wood, senior director of state advocacy for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Presented by the Maryland Tech Council, the Bio+Tech18 Conference brought together more than 400 professionals in life sciences and technology to network and build partnerships that will lead to future discoveries. Partnership and collaboration were important themes for the panel members, who discussed how working together benefits each institution and the region as a whole. We really are a strong region, Hrabowski said. From my campus, you can see downtown Baltimore. Theres a real connection here. One of those connections is Anchor Ventures, a series of networking events that is a collaboration among University of Maryland Ventures, the University System of Maryland, and Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. Other collaborations include the Annual UMB-UMBC Research and Innovation Partnership Grant Program that connects investigators across universities and disciplines. The two institutions together produce many of the biomedical scientists that fertilize what were doing here, Perman said. When searching for ideas to innovate, Perman said he goes to the source students. He humbly shared with the crowd that the recently opened Graduate Research Innovation District, known as the Grid, wasnt his idea. Located in the Lion Brothers Building in the UM BioPark, the Grid is an entrepreneurial innovation space where University startups can interact with UMB students, get help from UM Ventures staff, and engage with on-site experts, including UMB entrepreneurs in residence, Maryland Small Business Development Center advisors, and faculty and students working in the Intellectual Property and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, and attend open lectures that are offered through UMB. It was created in conjunction with the University of Maryland, College Park at the request of business-minded students who wanted to be pharmacists, doctors, and engineers as well as entrepreneurs. The BioPark, which was named Outstanding Research Park by the Association of University Research Parks in 2017, is UMBs primary vehicle for connecting academia to industry. BioPark tenants represent a variety of innovative life science companies, from research and development to diagnostics and therapeutics. and have created a robust community of innovation while being an integral participant in the rejuvenation of West Baltimore. Perman said accelerators like the Grid will help support the Maryland Tech Councils vision of positioning the state as a top-three innovation economy for technology and life sciences. It brings our graduate students and our professional students into an environment where they learn how to pitch, they learn how to market, and they learn the world of business, Perman said. Its a very deliberate strategy to say, I started this in Baltimore and Im going to stay here and pursue this.' Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, speaks during the sixty-ninth session of the Executive Committee. UNHCR/Jean-Marc Ferre As delivered Madam Chair, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am at the midpoint of my mandate. I look back, and the state of the world does not look good. In the last two and a half years, the principles and values of international cooperation have come under immense pressure. Internal conflicts have escalated, fueled by regional and global rivalries. Crises have intensified, driven by poverty, exclusion and the growing impact of climate change. Governance failures have created space for extremists and criminals. The language of politics has become ruthless, giving licence to discrimination, racism, xenophobia. Refugees and migrants have become targets and casualties of power-driven agendas. Political leadership should strive to unite, but now - too often - prides itself on dividing. And the number of refugees globally has risen by almost one fifth, going beyond 25 million for the first time ever. Yet, amidst so much adversity, multilateralism has held its ground. But as the Secretary-General said in New York last week, we must reinvigorate it. I am proud that we at UNHCR are part of this effort, every day. I am proud of what UNHCR has achieved through the immense dedication of my colleagues, and our partners, and of course with your support. The New York Declaration, too, was a milestone - a political commitment at the highest level, grounded in international cooperation and refugee protection standards. And the global compact on refugees charts a clear way forward - through a stronger, fairer, better response model. This, I believe, is where multilateralism has strength as a practical counterpoint to the rhetoric and electoral grandstanding that often pervades public debates on refugees and migrants. And as a rallying point for solidarity - that places the dignity, rights and aspirations of refugees and their hosts at the centre of a shared endeavour. *** When I took office in January 2016, global displacement was already at record levels. The Syrian crisis was in its fifth year, with the number of Syrian refugees approaching five million. Conflicts in Iraq and Yemen were escalating. Europe was struggling to chart a common response to the arrival of one million refugees and migrants. In Africa, a series of crises had recently affected Burundi, the Central African Republic, Nigeria, and South Sudan, triggering large refugee movements. In northern Central America, a complex flow, driven by poverty, exploitation and gang violence, was gathering pace. Conflict in Ukraine had uprooted hundreds of thousands of people. And millions remained trapped in exile or internal displacement by protracted conflicts in Afghanistan, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Somalia. Almost three years on, all these situations have continued to evolve. Some - as in South Sudan and Yemen - have escalated. Elsewhere - as in Syria - repeated military operations have led to massive waves of new displacement and return, with geo-political shifts playing a pivotal role. Other situations, such as in Iraq, and in the Lake Chad region, have moved towards greater stability, but without definitive resolution. New crises have emerged, with harrowing consequences. A brutal security operation drove almost 700,000 Rohingya from Myanmar's Rakhine State into Bangladesh. Some 5,000 people are now leaving Venezuela daily the largest population movement in Latin Americas recent history. And thousands continue to cross the Sahel into Libya and across the central Mediterranean - driven by despair, and exposed to unthinkable cruelty and dangers. Global forced displacement has climbed - reaching 68.5 million in 2017. Forty million of those are internally displaced. Neighbouring countries have largely - although not invariably - kept their borders open, receiving and hosting refugees with generosity, despite enormous constraints. Yet further afield, often in rich countries, the trend is towards making it difficult for people to seek asylum - even by closing borders and pushing people away. Children separated from their parents, leaving psychological scars that will last a lifetime. Asylum-seekers stranded at border fences, or detained indefinitely, having committed no crime. Refugees dehumanised, treated as a commodity, passed from one state to another. Today, when I engage with the leaders of countries neighbouring those in crisis, how am I to tell them to take more people, when some in richer countries are discussing how to close their doors? *** In the first year of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious exercise to chart key orientations to guide our work in the coming five years. The result was our Strategic Directions - including the core elements of protect, respond, include, empower and solve . Let me review them briefly. Over the last three years, our work to protect has remained grounded in international standards. But to be an effective custodian of principles, we need to show practical ways of applying them. Protection work - preserving human dignity and rights for refugees, and access to asylum - has given rise to new complexities in the context of todays increasingly mixed flows. The movement of refugees and migrants from Africa through Libya, for example, has presented very difficult challenges. Libya itself is the theatre of a conflict where solutions continue to be elusive. Meanwhile, international concerns have focused on reducing arrivals in Europe. The Libyan Coast Guard has been reinforced, but not other institutions. And boats carrying migrants and refugees are brought back to Libyan shores. That means more and more people exposed to exploitation and detention in horrific conditions. The first priority, clearly, is an all-out effort to bring stability back to Libya. Meanwhile, emergency solutions must be pursued. The Abidjan agreement between the African and European Unions and the UN offered a good framework, in which IOM and UNHCR have been able to operate - IOM by helping thousands of migrants return home, and UNHCR trying to evacuate the most vulnerable refugees whilst getting people out of detention. Close to 1,850 asylum seekers and refugees have now been flown to safety so far - mostly to Niger - with the aim of onward resettlement. Many partners have mobilised - I am especially grateful to the Government of Niger, and to the 15 countries that have offered resettlement places. But working in Libya continues to be extremely dangerous, and insecurity limits our scope of action. With tens of thousands asylum-seekers and refugees in the country, and numbers rising, more solutions are needed, and quickly - alternatives to detention in Libya; other evacuation options; more and faster resettlement; genuine, targeted investments in countries of asylum and transit; and of course tackling much more strategically and with substantive resources the root causes of these movements, especially conflicts and significant development challenges. Preserving asylum in Europe remains equally crucial. Recent events in the Mediterranean have been deeply troubling. More than 1,700 people have died or gone missing while trying to reach Europes shores this year. Rescue at sea a marker of our shared humanity has been taken hostage by politics. Responsibility-sharing has been replaced by responsibility-shedding. So, rescue at sea must be restored. Pushing people away cannot be the answer - and negotiating disembarkation boat by boat, even when successful, is not a good option. Together with IOM, we have offered a concrete, practical proposal for a regional disembarkation arrangement. This would complement the much needed reform of the Common European Asylum System. The outflow of Venezuelans across Latin America and beyond is another example of protection challenges amidst complex population flows. With more than 2.6 million people now outside the country, a non-political and humanitarian approach is essential to help States receiving them in growing numbers. I welcome the regional approach adopted in the Quito Declaration, and commend States in the region for keeping their borders open and providing access to asylum or alternative legal stay arrangements. Yet more work is needed on ensuring regional coherence in the protection response. We know that more operational support is also needed. Again, working with IOM has been crucial. We have established a regional inter-agency coordination platform and we have appointed a Joint Special Representative, Eduardo Stein, who will work with Governments and partners, to build regional alliances and foster support for hosting countries. *** Our second core strategic direction committed us to respond quickly, reliably and effectively in emergencies, laying the ground for solutions from early on. The massive outflow of refugees into Bangladesh last year called for an 'all of UNHCR' response. Refugees who had endured unspeakable hardship and trauma arrived destitute, and in shock. Local people were the first to respond, with profound generosity and compassion. As the monsoon season approached, the Government of Bangladesh steered a large-scale emergency preparedness exercise, together with humanitarian partners, national and international NGOs, and refugees themselves. This was relatively successful. Shelters were strengthened, bridges built and reinforced, new land made ready, and tens of thousands of people relocated. This massive effort reaffirmed what we are collectively capable of, when people desperately need our help. We now require investments in medium term arrangements in Bangladesh, to reinforce economic opportunities, local infrastructure and essential services for refugees and host communities - the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank must be thanked for their contributions. But solutions to this crisis lie in Myanmar. Its root causes including entrenched discrimination, arbitrary denial of citizenship, and lack of development must be addressed. Addressing them is the responsibility of the Government of Myanmar. Together with UNDP, we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the government in this work. Phase one of the planned assessments has been conducted, but access remains slow and constrained. Phase two must urgently start. The government of Myanmar must show the commitment required to bring far reaching changes. These are necessary to build the confidence of refugees that they have a safe and dignified future back in Myanmar. Improving conditions for the Rohingyas still in Rakhine State, granting freedom of movement and pursuing suitable solutions for internally displaced people, would be compelling first steps. This crisis has proven that humanitarian action is crucial to save lives, but a broader solidarity approach, encompassing bilateral and multilateral development aid and supporting sustainable solutions, is equally needed. In Syria, too we need to retain the ability to respond, with the flexibility to adapt to new developments. We must hope that recent agreements regarding the situation in Idlib will prevent further, massive loss of lives and forced displacement. And as the conflict continues to evolve, the prospect of refugee returns has emerged prominently in discussions around the future of the country. Let me be clear. Refugees have the fundamental right to return home, in safety and dignity, at a time of their choosing. We support all action that contributes to the full exercise of that right. Free and informed decisions are key, as is action by those responsible to remove obstacles to return. This position is not dictated by political circumstances. It is consistent with established international standards, and with our position on refugee returns elsewhere. More than 750,000 Syrian internally displaced people are estimated to have returned home this year, particularly to areas where destruction has been contained. But the number of refugee returns has been low less than 1% of refugees last year, and even fewer in 2018. The direction the conflict takes in the coming months, and the way in which hostilities are conducted, will be important factors in decision-making by refugees. Security, they tell us, is a big concern, along with basic needs shelter, health care, education for the children, and jobs. But they also have other concerns, of a legal and administrative nature. Civil documentation; conscription; land and property; amnesties; and for some, citizenship issues. Unfettered access by UNHCR and humanitarian agencies will be critical, to help build confidence. We are engaging with the Government of Syria on these matters, and providing legal support with civil documentation, as part of humanitarian and reintegration assistance given to those returning. But we must not forget that neighbouring countries host 5.6 million refugees across the region, and will continue to do so. Donors have been generous, but funding and resettlement places are insufficient, and I am worried by signals of declining support. Commitments made at recent conferences in London and Brussels must be fully honoured and sustained. In this context, two general points must also be made. Cash-based interventions are playing an important role - in countries hosting Syrian refugees, and elsewhere. This year, we are providing cash in 100 operations globally, up from 42 in 2015, with a total value of half a billion US dollars. Not only does this require donor support, but it calls as well for increased cooperation with other organizations engaged in cash-based interventions, especially the World Food Programme. We are working on that. Supporting Syrians illustrates also the synergies between UNHCRs refugee responsibilities and our engagement with the internally displaced. Stepping up that engagement was an important commitment in our Strategic Directions. I would like us to develop the same reflexes in situations of internal displacement that we have for refugees. In 2017, we completed an operational review, and we are now working on policies, preparedness and early engagement, data management, and building versatility and specialization in our workforce. We are also working with OCHA and partners in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee to develop more coherent approaches, oriented towards solutions. We now lead, or co-lead, 24 of 26 protection clusters in the field, working to have protection as an overarching objective in humanitarian operations. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, we stepped up our capacity in protection and shelter in Kasai, South Kivu and Tanganyika, as political violence continues to drive massive internal displacement, and to prompt significant cross-border movements. *** Our third and fourth Strategic Directions - include and empower - have taken centre stage in a transformation which Kristalina Georgieva will speak about this afternoon, and which has been accelerated by the application of the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework. The leadership and expertise of the World Bank have helped trigger a fundamental change in how development entities engage with large-scale refugee flows and internal displacement. We begin to have a deeper understanding of the development challenges posed by displacement - especially when this becomes protracted. We are keen to collaborate on a Joint Data Centre which will be established soon in Copenhagen. The World Bank is also paving the way in developing innovative financial instruments that build the resilience of refugees and their hosts - partnering with States and UNHCR to leverage their potential and facilitate refugee inclusion. The IDA18 refugee sub-window, and the Global Concessional Financing Facility are truly trailblazing. Millions of refugees and members of local communities stand to benefit from the resources being made available. But other investments by bilateral development entities and regional and international financial institutions are also growing. Notable examples include the work of the European Commission, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom, as well as the African Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Through these collective efforts, some 6.5 billion USD of development funding has been mobilised in support of refugees and their hosts a substantial expression of solidarity. Now we must ensure that resources are disbursed rapidly, and programmes implemented. The full effects will take time to emerge, but some changes are already visible. These resources - I wish to stress - are and must remain additional to humanitarian funding. Humanitarian action, in fact, will remain vital. I am deeply grateful for the strong confidence that UNHCR continues to receive from its donors. Funds available this year are estimated to reach again 4.5 billion US dollars. I wish to thank the United States, the European Union and Germany for their particularly strong support; and Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway and the Netherlands for providing critical substantive unearmarked funding. However the gap between requirements and available resources continues to grow and will reach 45% this year. *** A few more thoughts on include and empower . Too often, we see sobering examples of refugees and asylum seekers being excluded and pushed away. Sometimes these have overshadowed a quieter, yet profound transformation in which decades of keeping refugees apart, consigned to camps, or on the margins of society, are giving way to a fundamentally different approach: of including refugees in national systems, and the societies and economies of their host countries, for the time that it is necessary; and enabling them to contribute to their new communities and secure their own futures, pending a solution to their plight. I wish to acknowledge the many States which have taken humane and sometimes courageous decisions to review their laws and policies, reinforce refugee rights, expand access to national programmes, labour markets and social protection systems. The private sector is also playing a prominent role, along with faith groups, sport organisations, and cities. There has been important progress on financial inclusion, as the financial sector increasingly recognises that refugees offer a viable market for services such as bank accounts, business loans, remittance and savings facilities. The Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework has provided a vehicle for these efforts in the 15 countries where it has been applied, and will grow in significance as an integral part of the global compact on refugees. At the General Assembly last week, there was a notable focus on refugee education. Here, there has been progress thanks to the many states who have opened access to their national systems, and to innovative initiatives, such as the Global Partnership for Education and Education Cannot Wait, that have mobilised resources and support. These investments must be sustained and accelerated. Primary school enrolment for refugee children rose from 50% in 2015 to 61% in 2017. But this is still far below the global rate of 92%. One million refugee children who were previously out of school have now been enrolled in primary education, through our Educate A Child programme, supported by the Education Above All Foundation. In tertiary education, Germanys valuable DAFI programme has almost tripled in size in the last three years. And digital learning platforms, such as the Instant Schools Network, are also playing an increasingly significant role. *** Our final core strategic direction relates to the search for solutions . Sadly, paths to solutions are becoming more and more complicated. Peace is seldom achieved in a thorough, complete way, and where greater stability emerges, this is often linked to military or security operations that are not always accompanied by measures that address root causes. Pursuing a constellation of solutions, and building the resilience that can pave the way towards these, are important aspects of the Comprehensive Refugee Response model. These have inspired its regional application to Somali displacement by IGAD, and in northern Central America through the approach agreed upon in San Pedro Sula last year the MIRPS. This has also proven to be adaptable to new contexts, including a recent outflow of Nicaraguans in this region. Attention to other protracted situations, including Afghanistan, must also be sustained. On a recent visit, for example, I saw how the countries in the region are taking important steps to look at Afghan displacement in a holistic manner, with a renewed interest in solutions. I welcome recent developments in the Horn of Africa, including dialogue between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and hope that they will act as a catalyst also towards finding solutions to displacement in the region. In South Sudan, the revitalised peace agreement re-opens the door for some hope. International attention must be sustained, and the rights and perspectives of refugees and the internally displaced considered as part of the peace process. I was encouraged to learn that the President of South Sudan signed last week the instrument that will pave the way to accession to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol. We were also pleased to facilitate a dialogue in Khartoum between South Sudanese refugee representatives and signatories of the peace agreement. It is important that this dialogue continues, as part of the effort to avoid a new, catastrophic failure of peace. Resettlement, too, must be restored and reinforced - as a tool for solutions, and an instrument for international responsibility sharing. The drop in available places is of deep concern. We need to seize this moment to make resettlement a truly global instrument, engaging as many states and communities as possible. Creative efforts like the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative are welcome in this regard. We must also boldly follow through on our commitment to end statelessness. I was delighted to be present in New York when Spain acceded to the 1961 Convention on Statelessness, and I also wish to congratulate Haiti, which acceded to both statelessness conventions last week. This makes 20 accessions since the launch of the campaign. Next year, we will mark the mid-point in the ten year #IBelong Campaign through a High Level Event at ExCom to take stock of achievements and encourage progress, including through specific pledges. *** Ladies and gentlemen, Pursuing our Strategic Directions requires UNHCR to adapt to new dynamics and opportunities including those presented by the global compact on refugees. This relies first and foremost on flexibility and agility in the field, and is why as you know we initiated a new reform process in 2016. The first changes, to realign Headquarters functions in support of the field, are well under way. We established a new Division of Resilience and Solutions, reconfigured our partnership and communications functions, and are transforming our human resources capacities. We are now about to embark on a decisive new phase, moving towards a truly decentralised model in the course of 2019. Its main purpose will be to build strong, empowered country offices, by moving authority closer to the point of delivery while remaining coherent and effective in upholding refugee protection principles and standards. Regional Bureaux will be moved from Geneva to their respective regions, and redesigned and equipped to provide effective support and oversight to country operations. Key systems and processes will be realigned and simplified to devolve further authority to the field. At Headquarters, executive management - supported by streamlined functional divisions - will ensure leadership, global coherence and guidance, and I take this opportunity to say how grateful I am grateful to the Deputy and Assistant High Commissioners for helping me to shoulder this responsibility. Over the next three months, we will develop a road map to take these decisions forward, including costing and other aspects that are of interest to you. We will continue to consult with you, in a transparent manner, as we move forward. This work is in line with our strong commitment to the Grand Bargain. It is also in sync with broader UN reforms. As part of this commitment, I am proud to co-chair the Business Innovations Group together with the Executive Director of the World Food Programme. The BIG is the fastest moving and most concrete piece of the reform. We are striving to transform UN business operations and back offices to create efficiencies and re-focus resources on our core work. UNHCR is also a value-based agency, with a strong commitment to integrity. But as you know, we operate in fluid, high-risk environments, in which the potential for fraud, corruption, exploitation and abuse is sometimes heightened. We have experienced recent instances in which the actions of some colleagues and some partners have fallen short of our principles and values. This has very harmful consequences for the people we serve, and the credibility and legitimacy of our programmes. I am firmly committed to tackling fraud, corruption and other forms of misconduct - robustly, transparently and effectively, and this starts with prevention. At last year's ExCom, I announced the launch of our Risk Management 2.0 initiative. This temporarily embeds additional risk management expertise in selected operations, to help strengthen systems for identifying and managing risk, build the integrity of our programmes, and address root causes. The approach is now being rolled out in six countries this year. We have continued to improve our oversight architecture, including through new strategic oversight capacity in the Inspector Generals Office. We have intensified our emphasis on ethical conduct in UNHCR - striving to embed values such as tolerance, respect, diversity and gender equality into our institutional culture, and personal attitudes. As awareness has grown, with more allegations being filed, the system has also been reinforced in response to the increased volume of complex investigations. Tackling sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment, has been a key pillar of this work, and a senior coordinator is now steering these efforts across UNHCR. Alongside other measures, we have instituted an independent review of our policies and processes, strengthened protection against retaliation, and launched a new 'Speak Up' helpline. Allegations of sexual misconduct are prioritised and assigned to trained investigators. We are working closely with partner agencies, and in June next year I will succeed Henrietta Fore, the Executive Director of UNICEF, as IASC Champion on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment. I am personally committed to steering real change on these matters. Together with senior colleagues, we are taking every opportunity to convey that sexual misconduct has no place in our organisation, and that our working environment must not be defined by the use of power, which legitimizes abuse, but by the exercise of authority, which is founded on respect. *** Now, before I conclude, back to where I started, the crucial importance of international cooperation. We have undertaken an important journey together, in developing the global compact on refugees. I wish to thank you all for your diligence and commitment, and for our rich exchanges over months of consultations. The final document reflects a realistic balance of the interests and aspirations of hosting countries, of donors and others, and is informed by decades of experience in addressing refugee crises. As we move towards its validation by the General Assembly, let me make an important plea: when the time comes, and given your investment in crafting the global compact, I very much hope you will welcome and strongly endorse it, as the culmination of our collective efforts. This will add to the strength and credibility of the compact. And that strong spirit of partnership will be vital, too, as we start implementing it in 2019. When adopted, this historic compact will be the first of its kind in more than half a century a powerful expression of multilateralism in todays fragmented world. For too long, refugee hosting countries have borne the brunt of what is a collective responsibility. And too many refugees have had their lives on hold: confined to camps, just scraping by, unable to flourish or contribute. The compact recognises that in delivering protection and support, host countries and their citizens act on behalf of us all delivering a global public good, contributing to regional and international peace and security, helping refugees find a renewed sense of stability, easing the quest for solutions. The compact is a rallying point for humane, practical people from all parts of society, ready to express their solidarity through concrete actions, like the citizens of Coxs Bazar providing the first assistance to Rohingya refugees; the people of Valencia welcoming in their thousands the survivors of the Aquarius; the Ugandans sharing farmland with refugees. Granting asylum is one of the most ancient and shared gestures of solidarity in the history of humankind. It has helped save lives, build and rebuild nations, and preserve our sense of humanity. The compact will help us translate the values upholding this noble tradition into concrete measures, shielded from the vagaries of politics, adapted to our challenging world. It will be up to all of us to make it work; to ensure that its promise becomes a reality for the millions who are counting on it. Thank you. EU approves anti-dumping duties on pipe imports from Russia, Ukraine: Reports Brussels, Oct 2 (UNI) The European Union (EU) has finally approved anti-dumping duties on steel pipes originating in Russia and Ukraine, Official Journal of the European Union on Tuesday reported. "The EU Council [is] imposing a definite anti-dumping duty on imports of certain seamless pipes and tubes, of iron or steel, originating in Russia and Ukraine," a statement in the Official Journal said. The duties have been set in the range of 24.1 per cent to 35.8 per cent for various producers in Russia, and from 12.3 per cent to 25.7 per cent for Ukraine. IIT Bombay initiates 1.25 lakh school students to become student solar ambassadors Mumbai, Oct 2 (UNI) This year, Gandhi Jayanti was celebrated by IIT Bombay in a special manner. The SoULS initiative of IIT Bombay led by Professor Chetan S Solanki achieved a landmark feat on Tuesday. Over 1,25,000 students of class 8th to 12th from more than 850 schools across the country took a pledge of non-violence towards the environment by participating in the Solar Student Ambassador (SSA) workshop. The students, spread across the country were trained today on solar lamp assembly by over 1500 trainers at 823 training centres. The scale of the event was large drawing students from across the country including Punjab to Kerala. It also saw the presence of differently-abled children. This was organized jointly by MNRE, IIT Bombay, State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLM), SoULS and Techfest, IIT Bombay. New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) Lashing out at the Congress, BJP on Monday said for the first time, a senior leader of the Congress party has directly criticised the statement given at the United Nations by External Affairs Minister Minister Sushma Swaraj. 'This is not only opposed to the tradition of India but seems like they are walking along with Pakistan, and Mr Shashi Tharoor, who had used Hindu Pakistan words earlier, seems to be standing with Pakistan today,' said senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi addressing a press conference here. On External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's speech at the UNGA, Mr Tharoor has said in a tweet, 'We get the sense that everything is about the political environment in India & this was a speech aimed at BJP voters & sending a message to them particularly on subject of Pak rather than constructing a positive & constructive image of India in the world.' The Congress must think that while opposing BJP they go on opposing India, Dr Trivedi said. They must make their stand clear, Dr Trivedi said, demanding that Mr Tharoor apologise to the nation. Congress party has lost it right to call itself 'Bharatiya Rashtriya Congress', he stated. 'Don't you understand the difference between the political opposition and opposing the nation? The thinking of Congress has become completely distorted,' he said. 'This was not an isolated case. This has been happening regularly. Congress and Pakistan were talking with same intent, language and style,' he said. Pakistan also asks for evidence on surgical strike and Congress asks the same, he said, adding that Congress was using the same words and language used by the powers opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the international level. 'The RSS was first criticised by Pakistan then Mr Gandhi did the same and likened the Sangh to 'Muslim brotherhood'. Take the case of Rafale, first Pakistan criticises it then Congress repeats it,' Dr Trivedi said. Whether in rule or in opposition, Congress speaks in the same tone, he alleged. 'Our leaders whether Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Narendra Modi, when they were in opposition have defended the ruling dispensation on the international arena,' he said. He said there was news that in Prayag, three Congress workers has been expelled from the party for raising slogans 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bham Bham Bhole', it means Rahul Gandhi's entire projection of being a Shiv Bhakt was a farce. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who claims to be Shiv Bhakt and travelled Mansarovar to Prayagraj has categorically shown his real colours, the BJP leaders.'He has been transformed from so-called Shiv Bhakt to a real 'bagoola bhakt',' said Dr Trivedi. UNI RSA SHK1847 Over 190,000 need humanitarian help after quakes, tsunami in Indonesia : UN Jakarta, Oct 2 (UNI) United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) on Monday said that a total of 191,000 people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance after multiple quakes and an ensuing tsunami devastated Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province. A total of 56 per cent of the figure were classified as rural population and the rest are urban population, Chinese news agency, Xinhua stated, quoting the relief agency. Among the assistance desperately needed were foods, clean water and shelters, it added. Tripura imports more than export from Bangladesh: Industries Dept Udaipur, Oct 2(UNI) Tripura, a northeastern state which shares its international border with Bangladesh, is about 856 km and it is about 84 per cent of its total border but the state exports goods and services to Bangladesh worth Rs 4.60 crore and imported Rs 300.23 crore which is more than export, informed a report published by the Industries Department, Government of Tripura. According to report of Agriculture Today, published by Indian Council of Food and Agriculture (ICFA), the seven states of Northeastern India along with Sikkim, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura cover 255.79 lakh hectares, constituting 7.92% of total land area of the country. The region has diverse hill ecosystems covering more than two-third of total geographical area. Agriculture is the dominant economic activity followed by animal husbandry. The region has 3.73% of the total population of the country and contributes 2.6% to the Net Domestic Product. It has a forest cover of more than 66.1% against the national average of 21.1%. LONDON, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internationally renowned opinion leaders and policymakers representing a diversity of views, dignitaries and politicians are gathering in Istanbul for one of the most significant forums on conflict resolution and humanitarian issues of 2018. The TRT World Forum 2018 takes place over the next two days, tackling topics around the theme of Envisioning Peace and Security in a Fragmented World. Turkeys public broadcaster, TRT, has secured top global speakers for the World Forum which will conclude with a keynote address by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan is also making a keynote speech on Fostering Global Consciousness. Other speakers include: Ivo Josipovic (Former President of Croatia); Franco Frattini (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy); Hamid Karzai (Former President of Afghanistan); Staffan de Mistura (UN Secretary-Generals Special Envoy to Syria); Ali Asghar Soltanieh (Irans Former Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency); and Brge Brende (President of the World Economic Forum). Ibrahim Eren, Director General and Chairman of TRT said: We welcome such esteemed speakers and guests. It is appropriate that Istanbul should be the location for such a high-level dialogue on humanitarian issues because the city is an historic bridge between the East and West and the geographical proximity to conflict zones means that Turkey is currently coping with more than three million refugees. Many of the issues being addressed at the World Forum are particularly relevant to the most pressing challenges in the world and TRT World is proud to promote wider understanding of these issues. Running parallel with the World Forum is the World Citizen Awards which recognise exceptional individual contributions to humanity. The TRT World Forum is being held at the Swissotel, Istanbul, on October 3rd and 4th. Note to editors Please find the links to our live stream content below: Research Centre website (via YouTube): researchcentre.trtworld.com Facebook: facebook.com/trtworldrc Periscope: pscp.tv/trtworldrc YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn5Zi9GHEKufp1JRoOaR4Dg For more information contact: Turkey: Aslihan Amir, Acting Head of Global Affairs Tel.: +90 212 326 30 00 / Ext.: 3229 Mob.: +90 530 069 74 56 Email: corporate.comm@trtworld.com UK: Malcolm Munro, PGC Tel.: +44 (0)20 3143 3595 Mob.: +44 (0)7795 013 006 Email: mmunro@pagefieldglobalcounsel.com Published: October 02, 2018 UT Damron Concert Artist Series Begins with Organist Haig Mardirosian Oct. 7 On Sunday, Oct. 7, organist Haig Mardirosian will present A Program of Firsts as part of The University of Tampas Damron Concert Artist Series in the Sykes Chapel and Center for Faith and Values. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public. His program will include Louis Viernes Symphonie No. 1 pour orgue, op. 14, Jose Lidons Sonata de primo tono and Herbert Howells Organ Sonata No. 1 in C Minor, op. 2. Mardirosian is dean emeritus of UTs College of Arts and Letters and professor emeritus of music at American University in Washington, D.C. As a concert organist, Mardirosian has earned international standing. In 1977, he was the first American chosen to play in the International Organ Week in Bonn, Germany. In 1989, Mardirosian was one of two Americans to perform in the first Soviet/American Organ Festival. The Nachtrichter (Aachen, Germany) said he is a masterful interpreter of organ music, an artist with a reliable and sure technique as well as a distinctive appreciation of style and the ability for emotional penetration. In various capacities as soloist, conductor and composer, he has 22 recordings to his credit on various labels. In addition, as a writer and critic of recordings, scores, books and new media, Mardirosian has contributed nearly 1,500 reviews and features to a variety of publications. The concert is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Doors will open 30 minutes before the performance. Parking is available on campus. For more information, go to www.ut.edu/sykeschapel or contact sykeschapelconcerts@ut.edu. Woods received his masters degree and doctorate in educational leadership from UTSA. (Oct. 2, 2018) UTSA alumnus and Northside ISD Superintendent Brian Woods '98, '12, a longtime educator and vocal advocate for public education, has been named the best superintendent in the state by the Texas Association of School Boards. The announcement of Dr. Woods selection as the statewide Superintendent of the Year was made Friday afternoon in Austin at the joint convention for TASB and the Texas Association of School Administrators. Earlier this year, Woods was named the Region 20 Superintendent of the Year and then selected as one of five finalists. "I am overwhelmed by this honor," Dr. Woods said. "It's really a recognition of the thousands of Northside employees and all that they do for students." This is the second time that Northside ISD can boast having the state Superintendent of the Year. Dr. John Folks, currently a senior lecturer in the UTSA College of Education and Human Development, claimed the honor in 2011. Dr. Woods has been an educator for 26 years beginning his career in Northside in 1992 as a social studies teacher at Marshall High School. Woods then helped open OConnor High School as an Assistant Principal. He was later named Vice Principal and Principal at Clark High School. Dr. Woods has also worked in Northside as Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Administration and Deputy Superintendent. "It takes lots of people to make NISD the successful school district that it is, but the man at the helm provides the leadership, inspiration and guidance needed to be successful," NISD Board President MLissa Chumbley said. "People all around Texas know about Northside ISD and they know about our quality leader. Dr. Woods also is recognized throughout the state for his leadership and advocacy of issues that affect all public school children in Texas. Throughout the last legislative session, Dr. Woods made regular trips to Austin, often daily, to testify on the impact of legislation to Texas school districts, both large and small. He also spent hours on the phone and in Austin, talking one-on-one with legislators about the very real repercussions of a drastic reduction in education funding. We are so proud of Dr. Woods, his leadership and his passion for our students, Chumbley said. Candidates for Superintendent of the Year are chosen for their strong leadership skills, dedication to improving the quality of education in their school districts, commitment to public support, involvement in education and ability to build good employee relations among teachers and staff members. Dr. Woods has a bachelors degree in political science from the University of Texas at Austin and a masters degree and doctorate in educational leadership from UTSA. He serves as Vice President of the Texas Association of School Administrators and is a past Chair of the Regional Advisory Executive Committee for Education Service Center, Region 20. He is a member of the Go Public Steering Committee, the Board of P16Plus Council of Greater Bexar County, and the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as President of the Board of Texas Academic Decathlon and is a member of the Superintendents Advisory Board of the Principals Institute, the steering committee for Fast Growth School Coalition, the Superintendents Advisory Council for the Holdsworth Center, and an officer in Texas School Alliance.Northside Superintendent Brian Woods, a longtime educator and vocal advocate for public education, has been named the best superintendent in the state by Texas Association of School Boards. UW Business Students Get Close Look at IRS Criminal Investigations Students in the University of Wyoming accounting program will get a firsthand look at Internal Revenue Service criminal investigations during an exercise Friday, Oct. 12, on the UW campus. The Adrian Project, developed by the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS, is a daylong interactive experience in which students participate in mock criminal investigations. UW students will work alongside about a dozen IRS special agents to crack simulated white-collar crime cases, including identity theft and money laundering. The request for this program at UW came from Mac Festa, an assistant professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance. Students will conduct interviews, review financial documents, perform surveillance, carry out undercover operations, and execute search and arrest warrants -- including the use of mock firearms, handcuffs and bullet-proof vests. The exercise demonstrates how to detect fraud and the investigation skills used by IRS criminal investigators every day in solving real financial crimes. All activities will take place in and around the College of Business Building. The Department of Accounting and Finance is excited to welcome the IRS and the Adrian Project to the UW campus, Festa says. This experience will allow our students to gain practical experience investigating financial crimes; to put their critical-thinking skills to the test; and to learn about different career paths in the accounting and finance fields. Students will use forensic accounting techniques to solve the cases. Students also will learn interviewing and surveillance techniques, document analysis and participate in defensive training. The IRS started the role-playing event in 2002 as a way of introducing college accounting students to the agency and its work. The event is named after Michigans Adrian College, where the first event took place. For more information, call Festa at (307) 766-5438 or email mfesta@uwyo.edu. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSE:GOR, Frankfurt:GOJ, Pink Sheets:GORAF Goldrea Resources Corp. (Goldrea or the Company) announces that it has entered into a property sale agreement with Durango Resources Inc where Durango will acquire the Companys mineral tenures in the Windfall Lake area of Quebec, a gold prospect commonly known as the Argos Property. Argos is located adjacent to Durangos East Block and to a mineral property held by Osisko Mining. In compensation for this purchase, Goldrea will receive 500,000 shares of Durango Resources Inc. (TSXV: DGO). The transaction is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange and the shares will have a four month hold upon such acceptance. Jim Elbert, CEO of Goldrea stated, This agreement works well for both companies in that Durango has a key position in Windfall Lake and can efficiently incorporate exploration of this very promising acreage into their existing program. For Goldrea, we can share in the reward of what we believe will be Durangos success, while focusing on our other projects and the Companys evolving of new directions. The Company has completed preliminary due diligence on XChemistry and is working toward a definitive agreement. XChemistry is a group of companies seeking to establish a partnership with Goldrea to build laboratory facilities in California. This lab would test cannabis products as required by the state for the legal sale and distribution of a myriad of cannabis applications. For more information, please contact: James Elbert, President and CEO Telephone: (604) 559-7230 Email: jelbert@goldrea.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements, which are statements about the future based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate or true. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law. Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Law Journal has recognized Husch Blackwell partner Steve Levine among its inaugural listing of Cannabis Law Trailblazers. The list contains 39 cannabis law attorneys who are shaping this fast-growing industry. Levine is one of 10 lawyers on the list practicing at an AmLaw 100 law firm. Levine leads Husch Blackwells Cannabis Law practice group and has worked alongside cannabis cultivators, infused-products manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in Colorado since that state legalized medical marijuana in 2010. He led the firms effort to open a Sacramento office in 2017 and now splits time between Denver and Sacramento, California. He is the editor of and chief contributor to the Cannabis Law Now Blog. # # # About Husch Blackwell Husch Blackwell is an industry-focused law firm with offices in 18 cities across the United States. The firm represent clients around the world in major industries including energy and natural resources; financial services and capital markets; food and agribusiness; healthcare, life sciences and education; real estate, development and construction; and technology, manufacturing and transportation. For more information, visit huschblackwell.com. Despite appearances, the procession of the heads of State and government, or Ministers for Foreign Affairs, at the General Assembly of the United Nation was not without purpose. Its true that most of them, having little to say, addressed their interior public opinions by blaming UNO incompetence and calling for a respect for the law. But many of their interventions went straight to the heart of the matter how to resolve the disputes between States and guarantee peace? The first three days were marked by the speech by Donald Trump (United States) and the responses by Emmanuel Macron (France) and Hassan Rohani (Iran). But all these complications were shattered on the fourth day with the intervention by Serguei Lavrov (Russia), when he presented the map of the post-Western world. World collapse according to Donald Trump President Trump, whose speeches are usually extremely disorganised, had on this occasion prepared a finely structured text [1]. Distinguishing himself from his predecessors, he affirmed that he gave privilege to independence and cooperation , rather than governance, control and international domination (in other words, his national interests rather than those of the American Empire ). He followed by enumerating the readjustments of the system he had set in motion. The USA has not declared commercial war on China, but is in the process of re-establishing its balance of payments. Simultaneously, the US is trying to restore an international market founded on free market competition, as demonstrated by their position in the energy sector. The US has become a major exporters of hydrocarbons, and would therefore benefit from high prices, but it opposes the existence of an intergovernmental cartel, the OPEC, and is calling for lower prices. It is opposed to the structures and treaties of globalisation (that is to say, from the point of view of the White House, transnational financial imperialism), notably the UN Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court, and UNRWA. Of course, this is not a claim for torture (which was legitimised by George Bush Jr. in his day) nor crime, nor starving the Palestinians, but the destruction of the organisations which instrumentalise their object in order to achieve other goals. Concerning the migrations from Latin America to the United States, and also within the interior of the South American continent itself, the US intends to end them by treating the problem at its roots. For the White House, the problem results from the rules imposed by globalist Treaties, notably NAFTA. President Trump has therefore negotiated a new agreement with Mexico which links exports to respect for the social rights of Mexican workers. He intends to return to the original Monroe doctrine meaning that the multinationals will no longer be able to interfere in the governing of the continent. The reference to the Monroe doctrine merits an explanation, since the expression suggests US colonialism at the beginning of the 20th century. Donald Trump is an admirer of the foreign policies of two very controversial personalities, Presidents Andew Jackson (1829-1837) and Richard Nixon (1969-74). The Monroe doctrine (1823) was elaborated during the intervention of a man who at that time was no more than General Jackson in the Spanish colony of Florida. At that time, James Monroe wanted to protect the American continent from European imperialism. It was the era of good feelings . He therefore pledged that the United States would not intervene in Europe if Europe stopped intervening in the Americas. It was only three quarters of a century later, notably with Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), that the Monroe doctrine would be used as a screen to hide US imperialism in Latin America. The defence of the old world by Emmanuel Macron and Hassan Rohani In a strange inversion of roles, French President Emmanuel Macron presented himself as the European Barack Obama facing up to the US Charles De Gaulle, as played by Donald Trump. Macron symbolically declared war, stating: Let us sign no more commercial agreements with powers which do not respect the Paris Agreement (which means no more agreements with the United States) an odd way to defend multilateralism! The French President began with Donald Trumps implicit assessment the crisis of the current liberal Westphalian order [2]. This means the crisis of nation-States who are badly shaken by economic globalisation. But this strategy was only intended to more efficiently oppose the solution proposed by the White House, which he qualified as the law of the strongest . He therefore described the French solution, based around three principles - the first is the respect for sovereignty, the very foundation of our charter; the second is the reinforcement of our regional cooperation; and the third is the implementation of more robust international guarantees . But then his speech zoomed off into the stratosphere to end in a lyrical exaltation, during which Emmanuel Macron allowed himself a moment of juvenile hypocrisy reaching to the limits of schizophrenia. As an example of the respect for sovereignty , he called for a refusal to substitute oneself for the Syrian people when we decide who will become their leader while at the same time forbidding President el-Assad to present himself for election by his compatriots. Concerning the reinforcement of regional cooperation , he mentioned the support offered by the African Union to the French anti-terrorist operation in the Sahel. But this operation was in reality only the land-based wing of a larger plan directed by AfriCom, for which the US army supplied the airborne wing. The African Union itself has no real army as such, and acts only to legalise a colonial operation. Similarly, the sums invested for the development of the Sahel - which the French President quoted not in Euros, but in dollars - mixes true African projects with foreign aid for development. The impotence of this endeavour has long been clear to all. Concerning the implementation of more robust international guarantees , he announced the struggle against inequalities which should be addressed by the G7 summit in Biarritz. This was simply a way of affirming, once again, Western leadership over the rest of the world, Russia and China included. He claimed that the time when a club of rich countries could alone define the balance of the world is long over , and promised to present a report of the decisions taken by the major Western powers before the next General Assembly. Again, he proclaimed that the G7 should be the motor of the struggle against inequality undertaken by the UNO. Speaking in his turn, Iranian President Cheikh Hassan Rohani described in detail the way in which the White House is destroying, one by one, the principles of international Law [3]. He reminded us that the 5+1 agreement (JCPoA) had been validated by the Security Council, which had called upon numerous institutions for their support (resolution 2231), and that Donald Trumps USA had withdrawn from the agreement, negating the signature of his predecessor and the principle of the continuity of state. He emphasised that, as attested by twelve consecutive AIEA reports, Iran has conformed and is still conforming to its obligations. He expressed his indignation at President Trumps call to disobey the UNO resolution and the threat he has addressed against those who respect it. He finished by recalling a few facts - Iran fought Saddam Hussein, the Taliban and Daesh before the United States (which was at that time supporting them) - one way of emphasising the fact that for a long time, the about-faces by the USA do not correspond to the logic of Law, but to the logic of its own hidden interests. Serguei Lavrov presents the post-Western world This debate, not for or against the United States, but for or against Donald Trump, was organised around two main arguments: The White House is destroying the system which has so well benefited the international financial elites (Macron). The White House is no longer even pretending to respect international Law (Rohani). For the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Serguei Lavrov, this debate hides a problem which goes even deeper. On one hand, we see the reinforcement of the polycentric principles of the world order , () the aspiration of the people to preserve their sovereignty and work with models of development which are compatible with their national, cultural and religious identities. On the other, we see the desire of several Western states to preserve their self-proclaimed status as "world leaders" and to hinder the objective and irreversible process of the establishment of multipolarity , he stated [4]. From that point, it is no longer pertinent for Moscow to argue with President Trump, nor even the United States, but with the Westerners in general. Serguei Lavrov went as far as drawing a parallel with the Munich Agreements of 1938. At that time, France and the United Kingdom signed an alliance with Germany and Italy. Its true that this event is remembered today in Western Europe as an act of cowardice on the part of France and Britain faced with the demands of the Nazis, but it remains engraved in Russian memory as the decisive step which triggered the Second World War. While Western historians seek to decide who took this decision and who followed the movement, Russian historians note only one thing that none of the Western Europeans assumed their responsibilities. Extending his study, Serguei Lavrov no longer denounced the infringements to the Law, but to international structures. He observed that the Westerners attempt to force the people to enter into military alliances against their will, and threaten certain States who wish to chose their partners themselves. Alluding to the Jeffrey Feltman affair [5], he denounced the attempts to control the administration of the UNO, and force it to assume the role which should be played by the member-States, and finally, to use the General Secretariat to manipulate them. He noted the desperate nature of these attempts, observing, for example, the inefficiency of fifty years of the US blockade of Cuba. He stigmatised the British desire to judge and condemn without trial by using their rhetoric of highly probable . Serguei Lavrov concluded by emphasising that all this Western disorder did not prevent the rest of the world from cooperating and developing. He recalled the Greater Eurasian Partnership , mentioned at the Valdai Forum in 2016 by President Putin to complete President Xis Belt and Road Initiative . This vast initiative, which was at first given a chilly reception by China, is now supported by the Collective Security Treaty, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Counter-propositions by Australia, Japan and the European Union were still-born. While Western representatives have the habit of announcing their projects in advance, and discussing them, Russian diplomats only speak of them when they are already under way and are sure to succeed. To sum up, the strategy of the containment of Russia and China, dreamed up by British deputy Halford J. Mackinder [6] and clarified by US National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski [7], has failed. The worlds centre of gravity is being displaced to the East, not against the Westerners, but by their fault [8]. Drawing the first practical conclusions from these analyses, Syrian Vice-Prime Minister, Walid al-Moallem, demanded on the following day at the tribune of the General Assembly the immediate withdrawal of the occupying troops of the United States, France and Turkey [9]. Govt - Partido Popular MEP Rant Against Gibraltar is Disgraceful Government reacts to Spanish MEP comments by issuing the following statement: "The latest rant against Gibraltar by Partido Popular MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons is absolutely disgraceful. Mr Pons gives the impression of having been educated in the General Franco school of politics when it comes to his views on Gibraltar. He clearly has absolutely no understanding of the situation and the reality of modern Gibraltar itself. It is quite incredible that someone who has been elected to the European Parliament should show such scant regard for democracy or human rights. He should understand that under international law, the people of Gibraltar have the right to self-determination and his opinion cannot change that. Gibraltar voted by 99% to remain British in 1967 and we voted 98% to reject any form of shared sovereignty with Spain in 2002. Mr Pons should respect that democratic choice. Moreover, it is also curious to note that his extreme views appear to be out of step with those of his own party in Government. It was the Partido Popular Government that rightly set aside the question of sovereignty from the negotiations to leave the European Union. It was also the Partido Popular Government that started the engagement directly with the Government of Gibraltar in order to address issues arising from our EU departure together with the United Kingdom. It is not surprising, given his track record in the past, that Mr Pons should make a series of unfounded, wild allegations against Gibraltar in almost every conceivable area from financial services to the environment. These are completely untrue and nothing more than a smokescreen designed to give credence to his extremist right-wing views on this issue. He does not care about the principle of consent or the democratic choice of the people of Gibraltar. All he cares about is his quixotic attempt to tilt at Gibraltar's sovereignty as if it were the windmill in Cervantes' novel of a knight who, like Mr Pons, had seen better days and needed to hang up his suit of armour. In this day and age the wishes of people must come first." Tonight, tonight, the baby drives tonight! Photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Somethings coming, and that something is Ansel Elgort? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor-slash-DJ-slash-frequent user of the Instagram stories feature has nabbed the lead role of Tony in Steven Spielbergs remake of West Side Story, which Tony Kushner is adapting. Elgort can sing (he was a Stagedoor kid), but still, considering Spielbergs extensive casting search, its a surprise he didnt go with more of an unknown. According to THR, the films set to start production in the summer of 2019. Now, give us a good Maria! NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ExGen Resources Inc. (TSX.V:EXG) (OTC:BXXRF) (ExGen, the Company) is pleased to provide an update in respect of Phoenix Global Mining Ltd.s (Phoenix) exploration and development activities at the Empire Mine Project in Idaho, USA. Further to previous ExGen news releases, ExGen owns 20% and Phoenix owns 80% of Konnex Resources, Inc. (Konnex), which holds the leases and claims to the Empire Mine Project. ExGen further has a 2.5% NSR royalty on the Empire Mine Project and is one of Phoenixs largest shareholders, owning 1,330,000 common shares (4.18% of Phoenix). ExGen is pleased to announce the results from the Companys ongoing channel sampling program at the Empire Copper Mine in Idaho, USA (the Empire Mine). Highlights: Significant copper grades exhibited in outcroppings and road cuts. Channel samples will be tied to near surface drill hole intercepts and included in the next Empire resource update. The copper equivalent grade (Cu Equ) is calculated on the basis of metal prices as follows copper $6,000/tonne, zinc $2,325/tonne, gold $1,200/oz and silver $14.0/oz. CH18-02 7.6 metres (m) of 5.08% copper equivalent on surface CH18-09 24.4 m of 0.86% copper equivalent on surface including 11.0 m of 1.21% copper equivalent on surface CH18-12 21.3 m of 0.73% copper equivalent on surface CH18-16 6.1 m of 6.34% copper equivalent on surface, including 1.5 m of 9.26% copper equivalent on surface CH18-21 21.3 m of 4.19% copper equivalent on surface, including 3.0 m of 6.70% copper equivalent on surface and 1.5 m of 10.78% copper equivalent on surface CH18-22 32.0 m of 2.19% copper equivalent on surface, including 15.2 m of 2.89% copper equivalent on surface and 1.5 m of 10.33% copper equivalent on surface CH18-23 9.1 m of 1.42% copper equivalent on surface Elevated gold and silver values are associated with the copper intersections. Grades of up to 9.45% copper, 7.63 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 100 g/t silver. Assay results from a further 19 drill holes and 25 surface channel samples from the newly discovered Red Star zone are pending and will be reported shortly. Dennis Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, said, It is our pleasure to present the assay results from the initial phase of the Empire surface channel sampling programme. The copper skarn comprises a significant portion of the exposed rock at the Empire Mine so these surface results were expected. Moreover, we are pleased with the overall grades that we are seeing at the surface in the latest assay results. The extended intervals of 21.3 metres of 2.73% copper in CH18-21 and 32.0 metres of 1.60% copper in CH18-22, along with the extremely high-grade 1.5 metre intervals of 8.97% copper (CH18-21) and 9.45% copper (CH18-22) are just a few examples of the exceptional grades exhibited at the surface. The copper grades in the channel samples are consistent with near surface drilling results around the property. We have also reported material gold and silver grades in the channel sample results. . We are now more encouraged than ever to see the grades associated with the surface outcroppings and the consistency of these grades compared with near surface drill hole intercepts elsewhere on the property. Thus far, the infill drilling programme and channel sampling programme results are encouraging and will be used to update the resource model, in which the current average grade of the measured and indicated resource is 0.52% copper. Our hope is that continued results, similar to those reported here and previously, both drilling and channel sampling, will have a positive effect on the overall grade and tonnage, which will materially enhance the economics of the project. We look forward to keeping the market updated on our progress. Mr. Jason Riley, CEO of ExGen commented: We are very pleased with this first round of assays from the 2018 surface channel sampling program. The assay results continue to deliver impressive grades of copper and gold. We eagerly await the next drilling and sampling results and look forward to the follow up work at the numerous additional possible mineralized extensions, including Red Star before year end. CHANNEL SAMPLING 23 channel samples composed of 298 1.5 metre samples were collected from outcroppings and road cuts on the Empire property and inside the current resource. The channels ranged from 6.1 metres to 51.8 metres in length with the individual samples connected end-to-end. Only those outcroppings and road cuts orientated perpendicular to the dip of the skarn body were sampled to mimic the interception of a drill hole oriented perpendicular to the dip of the skarn, providing a better indication of true thickness. Of the 23 channels, 14 contained composite intervals greater than 0.20% copper, and 19 of the 23 contained composite intervals of greater than 0.20% copper equivalent. Additional channel samples will be collected as new road cuts and outcroppings of skarn present themselves. The samples comprising each channel were composited and are presented in the following table. Copper equivalent grades (CuEquiv) were calculated based on metal prices as follows copper $6,000/tonne, zinc $2,325/tonne, gold $1,200/oz and silver $14.00/oz. All channel samples are within the current resource. Channel Composite % g/t % Number Length (metres) TCu Zn Au Ag CuEquiv CH18-01 3.0 0.04 0.05 0.42 1.80 0.34 CH18-02 7.6 0.12 0.06 7.63 3.42 5.08 and 3.0 0.23 0.03 0.10 5.65 0.35 CH18-03 9.1 0.11 0.08 0.28 4.75 0.36 CH18-04 21.3 0.34 0.09 0.05 10.59 0.49 CH18-05 10.7 0.57 0.24 0.07 18.86 0.85 CH18-06 13.7 0.34 0.11 0.01 9.98 0.46 CH18-07 4.6 0.56 0.09 1.55 28.57 1.81 CH18-08 7.6 0.53 0.07 1.26 35.64 1.63 CH18-09 24.4 0.68 0.12 0.16 4.61 0.86 including 11 1.03 0.16 0.15 3.33 1.21 including 1.5 2.72 0.02 1.53 25.60 3.90 CH18-10 3.0 0.06 0.03 0.04 5.40 0.14 CH18-11 1.5 0.03 0.02 0.01 1.30 0.05 CH18-12 21.3 0.51 0.09 0.19 7.88 0.73 including 7.6 1.08 0.07 0.09 4.96 1.20 CH18-13 3.0 0.02 0.74 0.02 1.30 0.33 CH18-14 3.0 0.12 0.14 0.03 2.40 0.21 CH18-15 1.5 0.09 0.01 0.02 2.60 0.13 CH18-16 6.1 5.39 0.12 0.29 95.43 6.34 including 1.5 8.13 0.16 0.49 100.00 9.26 CH18-17 12.2 1.05 0.10 0.13 13.74 1.28 CH18-18 4.6 0.20 0.11 0.06 8.53 0.35 CH18-19 4.6 0.01 0.01 0.01 4.80 0.06 CH18-20 6.1 0.45 0.01 0.26 7.00 0.67 CH18-21 21.3 2.73 0.20 1.35 68.44 4.19 including 13.7 3.45 0.20 0.57 76.18 4.47 including 3.0 5.53 0.19 0.54 100.00 6.70 and 1.5 8.97 0.26 1.49 100.00 10.78 CH18-22 32.0 1.60 0.12 0.41 37.20 2.19 including 15.2 1.96 0.10 0.67 61.62 2.89 and 1.5 9.45 0.17 0.56 60.30 10.33 CH18-23 9.1 0.85 0.07 0.30 46.30 1.42 including 3.0 1.74 0.15 0.53 100.00 2.89 Reported lengths are sample lengths, true widths have not been determined Copper, zinc and silver were determined by the ICP method. Copper and zinc >1%ICP are assayed using four-acid digestion and silver >100ppm by four acid digestion, whereas gold was determined by a 30gm fire assay followed by atomic absorption. The QP for this news release notes that Phoenix inserts at least 2 blanks, duplicates, or standards for every 20 samples submitted to the ALS assay laboratory in Nevada. Core samples are saw cut in half and stored in a secure facility. RC chips and channel samples are stored in the same secure facility. All samples are delivered to the laboratory under chain of custody protocol and submitted using sub-form sample numbers. OTHER RESULTS PENDING ANALYSIS There are currently 5 RC holes and 14 diamond drill holes awaiting assay results, as well as 25 surface channel samples from the new Red Star trend at Empire. The samples are at the ALS assay laboratory in Nevada. Red Star is 330 metres north-west of the northern end of the current resource and is a 20 metre-wide surface outcrop across the structure and is a mix of copper oxides and sulphide. These results will be announced following the receipt of assay certificates and QA/QC sign-off. The Company also plans additional drilling and surface channel sampling over the next several months. Assay results from this late 2018 work are anticipated to be available in October, November, and December. QUALIFIED PERSON Roger Turner A.C.S.M., M.Sc., M.I.M.M.M., C.Eng., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, and Chief Technical Officer and Director of Phoenix Global Mining, has reviewed and verified the technical mining information provided in this release. Mr. Turner is a graduate mining engineer from the Camborne School of Mines with an MSc in Economic Geology from Leicester University with more than 40 years experience in mine development, construction and operation. SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS ExGen is also pleased to announce that it recently became a member of the 8020 Connect Inc., ("8020 Connect"), investor community. We invite all shareholders and stakeholders to join the ExGen Resources Inc. portal on 8020 Connect. Connect here http://bit.ly/8020exgen Through the 8020 platform, ExGen will engage with open lines of communication to ensure each shareholder and interested investor can stay up to date with corporate developments as well as have an opportunity to be engaged through a social media portal. The interactive structure of the portal provides for an opportunity for shareholders to become a part of the communication process and support the development of the Company's investor audience. 8020 Connect actively ensures timely and regulatory compliant information dissemination while providing one-stop access to company executives, news, and educational materials. 8020 Connect is the first social media platform directly connecting existing and potential investors to the Executive Management teams of the savviest publicly traded companies. ABOUT EXGEN RESOURCES INC. ExGen, formerly Boxxer Gold Corp, is a project accelerator that seeks to fund exploration and development of our projects through joint ventures and partnership agreements. This approach significantly reduces the technical and financial risks for ExGen, while maintaining the upside exposure to new discoveries and potential cash flow. The company intends to build a diverse portfolio of projects across exploration stages and various commodity groups. ExGen currently has 6 projects in Canada and the US. For more information on ExGen please contact ExGen Resources Inc. Jason Tong Chief Financial Officer Email: jason@catapultgroup.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: the Empire Mine Project and the exploration and development of the Empire Mine Project; the earning of the Option by Phoenix and the potential transfer back to ExGen of the Konnex shares; the exploration and development strategy of the Empire Mine Project, including the exploration program, drilling, mine development, completion of a potential feasibility study in compliance with NI 43-101, and the timing for completion of these events; the timing for the completion of exploration drilling and the receipt of exploration information and drill assays; the potential of the underground sulphide mineralization and the potential re-opening of the 700 and 1100 level portals to assist in the analysis of the potential sulphide mineralization. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. There can be no assurance that the development of the Empire Mine Project will be completed, and if development is completed, that such development will result in a producing mine. In the forward looking information contained in this news release, ExGen has made numerous assumptions, based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with the mineral industry. In addition, ExGen has assumed: the continued market acceptance of its joint venture partnership model; the ability of ExGen to raise future equity financing, if needed, at prices acceptable to ExGen; ExGen's current and initial understanding and analysis of the Empire Mine Project; the ability of ExGen or third parties to discover viable exploration targets and the results of exploration on the Empire Mine Project; the ability of Phoenix to explore and develop the Empire Mine Project; the cost of exploration, including sampling, drilling and assaying, on the Empire Mine Project, the costs of developing the Empire Mine Project and the costs and the ability of Phoenix to produce a feasibility study in compliance with NI 43-101; the costs and work required to re-open the 700 and 1100 level portals; and ExGen's general and administrative costs remaining sustainable. While, ExGen considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause ExGen's observations, actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: there is no certainty that the Option will result in significant exploration of the Empire Mine Project or development of the Empire Mine Project into a producing mine; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineralization and uncertainty as to the actual results of exploration and development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; ExGen may not be able to comply with its ongoing obligations regarding its properties; the early stage development of ExGen and its projects, and in particular, the Empire Mine Project; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions and market prices for securities, junior market securities and mining exploration company securities; commodity prices, in particular copper, gold, silver, and zinc prices; competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents and other risks inherent in the mining industry; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting ExGen; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals. A description of additional assumptions and risk factors used to develop such forward-looking information that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in ExGen's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although ExGen has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. ExGen does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Better Call Saul Wiedersehen Season 4 Episode 9 Editors Rating 5 stars * * * * * Previous Next Photo: Nicole Wilder/AMC/Sony Pictures Television/AMC Network Entertainment LLC. and Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved. Those poor souls at Hectors nursing home, doomed to hear him ring that stupid concierge bell for potentially the rest of their days. It would come as cold comfort to know that Lalos gift a souvenir he retrieved from a smoldering hotel Hector vengefully lit ablaze would one day trigger an explosion that would obliterate New Mexicos regional meth kingpin (Gus). Though, truth be told, its doubtful Lalo would relish the irony that his uncle blew himself to bits via a contraption rigged by Walter White, whos just the kind of egghead academic the Salamancas despise. Odds are Lalo wont survive long enough to ever hear mention of the name Heisenberg, but if this franchises track record (not to mention Lalos own onscreen family) is any indication, the man some call Eduardo will meet his maker in spectacular fashion. An optimist might reason that Werners on a different journey, one where he cheats an untimely death despite taking the extraordinary measure of putting romance ahead of duty. But thats not how Better Call Saul operates, and if anything, the show is hardening the hearts of its central characters as they evolve into the pragmatic self-preservationists taking care of business in Breaking Bad. This will not end well for Werner, even if Mike has to travel to Germany. Kai, as it turns out, was a kind of red herring. After blasting their way through a final barrier of rock, the crews lead demolition bad boy is all smiles and team spirit. Werner, his mood ever darkening and composure rattled on and off the job, was the one who merited extra monitoring. No money could make up for a year of his life with his wife lost. He was broken, and he fled, and as for what Mike needs to do next well, we know what kind of measures the man does and doesnt take. As has been regularly noted in this space, Jimmy has traveled a similar, morally suspect track to Mikes since they met, even if their routes have formally diverged (for now). Jimmy cant necessarily relate to letting sentiment cloud his judgment, thus jeopardizing a massive drug-manufacturing engineering project, but the bars rejection for reinstatement hits him hard. On the roof of Schweikart & Cokley (a nice callback there to a landmark site of Kims earliest personal crossroads in season two), he and Kim have it out, a confrontation that was briefly averted amid the rush of their Huell scam and subsequent coitus. Jimmy accuses her of staring through him with judgmental eyes, lashing out about her reticence to reopen a law office together. She knows hes projecting, but its no less of an opportunity to vent about her selfless devotion to his happiness, no matter his lack of perspective and gratitude. Theyre both being a bit disingenuous no one forced Kim to dupe the Lubbock Building Department to further Mesa Verdes ends, as he points out during their post-con celebratory dinner and in the end have a nominal wiedersehen (reunion) at Kims condo, resolved to start from the beginning and get Jimmy back on his feet. The aforementioned Lubbock scheme, it should be said, rivaled the duos unraveling of ADA Ericsen for creativity and somewhat mundane convolutedness. Their shared affinity for escapism and relatively victimless mischief, whether as Viktor and Giselle or Bill and Lizzie, is as solid an explanation as we get for Kims background in bamboozling. Maybe she was a drama student in high school or does, as Jimmy suggests, carry around a latent anti-authoritarian streak that widens when theyre together. Theres so much more of Kim to get to know, and shes all thats left standing between Jimmy and a career helping irredeemable misfits jump bail as Saul Goodman. Shes also the only hope of us ever gleaning insight into how Jimmy really feels about Chucks death, and why he had so much trouble being sincere about it when at that reinstatement hearing gone awry. So fear not, that iconic ponytail wont (we hope) be bobbing out of frame anytime soon. If Gus had his druthers, Lalo and his mustache would make exactly zero more appearances inside his flagship Los Pollos Hermanos location, particularly when it alarms poor Lyle, still traumatized from Hectors appearance the previous year. After hyperbolizing about Guss chicken (does anyone savor food like this guy?), Lalo gives his Chilean counterpart a spiel about how their tandem operation could or should be running, and how they should or shouldnt abide by Don Eladios dictatorial rule. His motives arent totally transparent, but given his itch to see where Gus stores the product and the general M.O. of men like Lalo, a self-interested coup cant be far from his mind. Too bad he underestimates his adversary, a true silent psychopath capable of out-willing wily coatis and gorging on gregarious hedonists like Lalo for breakfast. All Nacho can do is throw up his hands, keep his mouth shut, and hope enough money funnels in for him to pull his own Werner-worthy great escape. Maybe hell be different than all the others. Maybe hell make it. Everyones gotta take a shot at freedom and control when it presents itself, so long as they know it when they see it. Apart From All That Kudos to director Vince Gilligan and writer Gennifer Hutchison. This episode has taut suspense and unexpected, intelligent release for days. If only Jimmy had marched back into that boardroom sooner, like he did with Mr. Neff. There are a lot of Hotel Tulipans. Marceline Hugot (aka Shirley) is really making the rounds, fresh off The Sinner and, before that, a notable role in The Leftovers. I never got enough of this shows affinity for numbers. Werner married 26 years, Mike for 22, 8783 Baylor Street, six keys a week, etc. Lot of references occur for that wide shot of Mike outside the warehouse, though it struck me as a reverse Conversation. Im more of a Potter Stewart guy than a Scalia man myself. Oh, and go Land Crabs! Brad Kern. Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images CBS Television Studios has fired NCIS: New Orleans producer and former showrunner Brad Kern amidst allegations of sexual harassment and insensitive behavior. We have ended Brad Kerns role as consulting producer on NCIS: New Orleans, CBS Television Studios said in a statement, and his overall deal with the Studio. The allegations against Kern first came out in public in December 2017, when Variety reported that Kern then the showrunner of NCIS: New Orleans had been investigated twice for sexual harassment and that he allegedly continued a pattern of inappropriate behavior in the workplace, making sexist and racist remarks and mocking a nursing mother. CBS signed Kern to a new two-year deal this spring, though he later stepped down from his role as a showrunner to become a consulting producer on NCIS: New Orleans. In June, CBS opened a third investigation into Kern and hired outside counsel, looking into recent allegations as well as those from Kerns past, which includes work on Beauty and the Beast, Human Target, and Charmed. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that inquiry ended in the past few weeks, and according their sources, many believe that Kern would still have a job if Les Moonves had not recently been forced out after allegations of sexual harassment and assault. High Life director Claire Denis. Photo: Juan Naharro Gimenez/WireImage Novelist and essayist Zadie Smith was once onboard to collaborate with her husband, Nick Laird, and Claire Denis on the script for Deniss new movie, High Life. Eventually, Smith and Laird dropped out of the project due to creative differences, though Laird remained as a script consultant. High Life was ultimately written by Denis, her long-time collaborator Jean-Pol Fargeau, and Geoff Cox. At a press conference ahead of the movies premiere at the New York Film Festival on Tuesday, an audience member asked Denis what happened to the collaboration. I met Zadie in London with a producer. I met her with her husband, because she wanted to share the work with Nick Laird, her husband, Denis began. She was beautiful and half from the Caribbean, and I thought yes! I was impressed by that. As soon as they started working together, though, Denis realized that she and the acclaimed novelist were not on the same page. We were so opposed on every idea, said Denis. There was not a word we could share. Specifically, Denis said she and Smith disagreed over a fundamental plot point: Smith wanted the films main characters a group of criminals who are deceived into joining a space mission in exchange for their freedom to return home to Earth. Nothing against her, but she wanted the people of the ship to she wanted them to return to Earth. Going home, she kept telling me. I said, What the fuck do you mean, going home? There is no one alive there, you know? Denis also said that Smith wanted to retitle the movie A New Life, but that ultimately their collaboration fell apart. I really tried, honestly tried. But sometimes people, they have different perceptions of the world, Denis told the crowd. And Ive read her books, in French, in English. And I know why. We are on the same planet, but not living the same life, for sure. Reporting by Emily Yoshida. Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images George Carlin was perhaps best known for his Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television bit, but this is a movie were talking about, so they should feel free to go absolutely nuts with this thing. Really take it to the limit, motherfucker-wise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the late comedians half-century-long career is being transformed into a biopic by screenwriter Stan Chervin, who, along with Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, received a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nom for 2011s Moneyball. The biopic is in development at the Jackal Group with Carlins former manager and the executor of his estate, Jerry Hamza, attached to produce. Said Hamza in a statement, It wasnt until after George died, I realized he was a hero. As a performer, George would never sell out, and never compromise his beliefs I learned so much from him. I think the public will be very happy to learn about Georges life. He was truly the top of the ladder in his field. While we shouldnt assume the film will feature any Jim Carrey Man on the Moon-style comedian-portraying-comedian meta-casting, it seems like a real shame to waste all this wild speculatin time not fantasy-casting it. Related Is Teairra Mari our generations Maya Angelou? Absolutely not. In fact, Maya is rolling in her grave because of that insulting comparison. But I stand by the notion that Teairra Mari is the Maya Angelou of Love & Hip Hop franchises based in Hollywood because she is rife with well-worded wisdom this season. We begin this episode with Teairra Mari declaring that, Abuse is abuse is abuse. While this is a simple statement, it bares repeating. Teairra could not be clearer on the abuse she suffered at the hands of Akbar and his cult of sister wives. Anyone who chooses to associate with him is trash of the highest order (think the garbage island off the coast of California). Thus, Kimberly Michelle is garbage. This is why you never trust a person with two first names (case in point: Paul Ryan). K. Michelle has been flirting with Akbar via Instagram Live which is a sentence that did not exist five years ago. Teairra isnt entirely surprised but she is definitely hurt, and she hopes that when she sees Kimberly in the streets, she keeps the same energy. For those readers that dont listen to rap music, read Twitter, or know any black people (but do happen to read the Love & Hip Hop recaps!) understand that keep the same energy means to be consistent with your behavior. For example, I think Nickelback is the worst band in human history. To keep the same energy, if I ever met Chad Kroeger I would have to tell him I think hes untalented. But I would never do this, thus I am not keeping the same energy. But I digress Point is K. Michelle is a bad person for seeing Akbar, and if Moniece defends her friend, shes not a very good person either. At a restaurant somewhere in downtown L.A., Ray J and Roccstar bond over being parents. Ray J invites Rocc to Father Figure Friday, an event where grown men act like children and go go-kart racing. There is truly nothing mature about this event. Solo Lucci, who is someones parent, gossips about having sex with Nikki Baby a detail that he brought up literally out of nowhere. RoccStar, who is someones parent, brags about riding another mans wife. Ray J, who is a new parent, jokes about the paternity of Lyricas unborn child. Now, I am in no place to judge these men, I dont have children and I know that no parent is perfect but, I do have a keyboard and many opinions! These men are not behaving like shining examples of fatherhood. If I had to rate them on a scale of Uncle Phil to Darth Vader, I would give them a 7. The only glimmer of hope is Marcus Black, the man I previously thought existed as exclusively a foil to Brookes insanity, whom I now embrace as the sole moral code of the men on this show. He has the dignity to say hes not going to laugh about the paternity of a friends unborn child because its mean. Instead, he chooses to remove himself from the conversation to do some go-karting. Again, this is not the most mature scenario for these men I would like to personally thank Marcus for doing the bare minimum. I dont mean this to come off as rude. All these men had to do to seem like upstanding father figures was literally not mock a pregnant woman. Unfortunately, they couldnt even do that. So Marcus, thank you, you are a beacon of hope in a sea of assholes. Still in London, the ladies decide to attend a high tea. A pleasant afternoon of eating finger foods goes left when for some reason (read: a good producer), LaBritney suggests they play a game of Never Have I Ever. Now, why would these grown women play a game designed for teenagers discovering their sexual competency? I have no idea. And in true fashion with every game of Never Have I Ever thats ever been played, someone leaves with their feelings hurt. Nikki tries to get Brooke to say she has had a threesome Brooke refuses. Brooke tries to get Nikki to say shes sleeping with Solo Lucci Nikki refuses. Tea time ends when Moniece complains about the women always going for the jugular when they are supposed to behave like friends. Moniece is right. I would never entertain friends that treated me the way the cast of Love & Hip Hop treats each other. Hell, I would cut off a friend that didnt tell me they liked my new bangs as soon as they noticed I got a haircut. But this is not how Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood works. If cast members dont try to hurt each other, there is no conflict. I dont make the rules, I just write recaps on a weekly basis. If Moniece doesnt like the tension, she should develop a show for HGTV where the biggest drama is if a first-time home purchaser with generational wealth will be able to afford a new home. (Spoiler alert: The answer is always yes!) This same advice goes for Nikki, who decides to leave the trip early following the high teas low drama. Her brother passed away three years ago and shes still reeling from this. I sympathize with Nikki, Im sure its not easy to deal with the death of a family member. However, its alarmingly clear that she is not as invested in this season of LHHH. Thats okay! Octavia Butler was never invested in a reality show, and she went on to do great things. Maybe its time for Nikki to call it quits and go on to write the greatest speculative fiction of a generation. (Okay, I dont think Nikki is capable of that, but my point is she doesnt have to be on this show, and if its too hard for her emotionally she shouldnt!). Americas Sweetheart, Apple Watts attends therapy where she opens up about being abused while she was in foster care. As a result, she doesnt feel ready to build a relationship with her father because it was his fault she was in foster care in the first place. I see no lies here. Apple Watts deserves to take as much time as she wants to heal from these past traumas. She doesnt owe her father an explanation for why she lashes out, and he would be lucky if she let him back in her life. These scenes are so dark and heavy but I hope they encourage viewers to seek mental-health treatment, because therapy works. Finally, at some beach house rented by Mona Scott Productions, A1 and Lyrica work to get their mothers to mend their relationship. Although mending a relationship would suggest that these women have ever liked each other, and they havent. Before we get into the nonsensical reason these mothers-in-law are beefing like a well-done cheeseburger, I should note the Jay-Z lyric in Family Feud: A man that doesnt take care of his family cant be rich. (Im sure this quote is from several other places including all three Godfather movies, but I heard it first on 4:44). Lyrica G and Pam have Party City wigs. I say this with love, not to point out their shortcomings but to point out the malicious neglect from their children. Lyrica and A1 have no business having their mothers on TV if they cant make sure to get them proper hair and makeup. Its shameful and its borders on elder abuse. Especially since all Lyrica G and Pam do is wrestle. This time, the mamas agreed to get along for the sake of their new grandchild. Now for most well-adjusted adults, this would be the conclusion of their arguing. But, nay, this is Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood where conflict is yas queen! The two middle-aged women start physically fighting again when A1s mother asks for the 17th time whether Lyricas child belongs to him. This makes me sad not because this family cant get along but because Lyrica and A1 have their parents on TV looking an absolute hot mess. But I guess, they make good TV and thats what all this is about right? Until next week! The Romanoffs. Photo: Christopher Raphae/Amazon Prime Video The light, sweet tone of The Romanoffs is perfume covering the stench of cultural rot. Matthew Weiners first TV project since Mad Men is another portrait of white people in decline, exuding a malaise that often mingles with guilt over wanting more when they already have plenty. The title refers to the Romanov clan, one of the driving forces in Russian history until the Russian civil war, when the recently dethroned czar and his family were killed by Bolsheviks in 1918. The descendants are defined and yet not defined by their lineage. As overseen by Weiner, who wrote or co-wrote many episodes and directed them all, The Romanoffs is an anthology series, with each installment the length of a short theatrical feature. There are no ongoing characters or plotlines carrying you through the first season. The only obvious connective tissue is the Romanov family itself, and, in a more general sense, the idea of being descended from finer people, royals forced to live among commoners. The family name doesnt explicitly equal the idea of whiteness here, but the way the characters invoke it invites the association. No matter what misfortune befalls them, they can console themselves that their ancestors were royals; that they ultimately deserve the best life offers; and that the right to rule still runs in their veins, even though their kingdom fell a century ago. Unlike Mad Men, this show is set in the present with fleeting glimpses of the past (the second episode includes a historical play staged during a cruise for Romanov-family descendants with a cast of little people, while the third episode concerns the production of a film about the Romanov family). The first two episodes are content to operate on perhaps two levels simultaneously, where Mad Men rarely settled for less than five, and the third episode is a satirical horror movie that plays like an unholy fusion of The Shining, Roman Polanskis Repulsion, and Francois Truffauts film-about-filmmaking Day for Night, starring Mad Mens Christina Hendricks as a troubled star playing Alexandra Feodorovna, the last czarina; Jack Huston as Rasputin; and Isabelle Huppert as their director, who, lets just say, is a piece of work. (Amazon forbids me from saying more.) I have no idea where the rest of the series is going. Weiner is doling out plotlines on a need-to-know basis, just as he always has, and what details you can glean from IMDB wont be much help to spoiler detectives. If the first episodes are representative, The Romanoffs is looser and more relaxed than Mad Men in ways that both please and frustrate. The women tend to be beleaguered and sometimes abused; the men weak, petty, and conniving; the sets and costumes sumptuous; and the music (a mix of classical and pop) very effective, if on-the-nose in a way that Mad Men rarely was. The first episode focuses on Greg Moffat (Aaron Eckhart), an American who helps run a small hotel in Paris. He and his much younger girlfriend, Sophie (Louise Bourgoin), are trying not to seem too ghoulish as they wait for Gregs aunt Anushka (Marthe Keller) to die and will Greg a fabulous apartment with a rich history. The first inhabitant of the place was the emperor Paul, who in Anushkas words liked it because he said he could hear the guillotine. After World War II, it was bought by her grandfather as a gift for his mistress; for collateral on a loan, he used a Faberge egg smuggled out of Russia and treated as a de facto savings account by the clan. Anushka wants to keep the apartment in the family but wants assurance that the family bloodline wont die out. Greg, judging from the endearing way he dotes on children, would like to be a father, but Sophie doesnt want kids and Anushka finds her hostility and greed off-putting, even though Anushkas no prize herself. On top of all the talk of inheritance and genetic succession, theres an ongoing argument about national identity, incarnated mainly by Anushkas unpleasant relationship with her new caretaker, Hajar (Ines Melab), a young Muslim woman. Hajar is expected to absorb her unrelenting stream of racist invective. Anushka calls her a terrorist, demands that she taste the food she serves her to prove it isnt poisoned, and tells friends (in earshot of Hajar at a produce market) that France is not a breast with so much milk it can nurse the world. Greg finds her rants offensive but doesnt complain too loudly for fear of jeopardizing the prize he assumes hell claim when his seemingly indestructible aunt finally kicks it. Weiners touch is a lot more sure when hes detailing the curious ways of white folks than when hes portraying people of color: Hajars family is barely developed, theres an unfortunate echo of Driving Miss Daisy in her scenes with Anushka, and despite Melabs naturalistic charm, the character rarely registers as much more than wryly stoic. But its still exciting to see characters on a lavishly produced American drama working an earnest discussion of right-wing nationalism and white identity politics into what might otherwise have felt like one of those touristy comedy-dramas that Woody Allen started making after he went to Europe to chase subsidies. Theres even a side trip into class consciousness, courtesy of a scene where a professor friend of Greg and Sophies laments how the middle class has disappeared from Paris, leaving only moneybags like Anushka and struggling poor people like Hajar. This episode resolves on a note that seems like it was supposed to play as an audacious punch line tying off all of Weiners rhetorical strands at once the message seems to be, The future is coming whether you like it or not but it mainly comes off as tone-deaf. The second episode is much stronger, maybe because it returns Weiner to the United States and to a facsimile of his old stomping grounds. Corey Stoll plays Michael Romanoff, a standardized-testing consultant wasting away in suburbia. Halt and Catch Fires Kerry Bishe is his wife, Shelly, who supports him and (according to Michael) sets the terms of their relationship. The tale begins in couples therapy and never entirely leaves it, even when the characters split off into separate but parallel stories. Michael accepts an invitation to serve as a juror in a murder trial and contrives to prolong deliberations so that he can chase a beautiful fellow juror (Janet Montgomery) and avoid going on the aforementioned Romanov-themed cruise with Shelly. Despite the looming gaudiness of 7-Eleven and Subway in the backgrounds of shots, this episode reaffirms Weiners affinity for John Cheever, a primary influence on Mad Men, whose stories were often populated by upper-middle-class whites who were frustrated by the (sometimes imaginary, sometimes real) constraints they felt. Stoll makes a powerful impression here and not just because he has the best-written role in any of the episodes made available for review: By turns courtly, swaggering, insecure, and ominous, his performance is a lightning rod for many of Weiners preoccupations, including unearned entitlement, unarticulated depression, and the type of free-floating male rage that tends to unleash itself on convenient but undeserving targets. Bishe has less to work with shes defined mainly by how much she resents her mopey, pain-in-the-tuches boyfriend but shes beguiling going on the cruise by herself, and her scenes with another guest, Ivan Novak (ERs Noah Wyle), ring true. A ship of fools is a perfect setting for a romantic comedy-fantasy about characters who are culturally adrift. Where are your people from? he asks her. Scottish, Irish, whatever, she says flippantly. Who gives a shit? The Romanoffs do. The past is their present. *This article appears in the October 1, 2018, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! The Circus co-host Mark McKinnon. Photo: Larry French/Larry French/SHOWTIME On Sunday night, Showtimes The Circus leapt into the fray of the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation drama with characteristically dry, detached aplomb. The notable event of the episode was co-host John Heilemanns interview with Julie Swetnick, a woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of being present while she was drugged and gang-raped at a high-school party. For what appears to be a scarce few minutes in a public airport terminal, Heilemann asks Swetnick about her story. She did not intend for this to be an eleventh-hour accusation, she tells him. Kavanaugh should not be a Supreme Court justice, she adds. Someone with that history should not have the power to make decisions about womens lives. She very much hopes theres an investigation into Kavanaughs past. This is a review of The Circus, but its also, inevitably, a story about the news. In moments like Heilemanns interview with Swetnick, its useful to try to extricate the one thing (the news) from the other (how The Circus presents the news). That second part is just as appealing as its always been. The docuseries presentation, its signature shots of lovely food laid on a table to be devoured by hungry political commentators, its insider-access aesthetic, its immediacy, its familiarity, the casual closeness with its hosts and guests: All that stuff helps set The Circus apart from the mannered, stiff, many talking heads yell at one another model of most TV news. Lets not obviously perform for a camera, The Circus says. Lets just be people, covering the news. As befits the shows ethos, the introduction to the Swetnick story is John Heilemann walking into a nondescript chain hotel in Alabama, where her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, is frantically trying to find a way to print out a Microsoft Word document containing her sworn statement. Swetnick is upstairs, Avenatti tells Heilemann, but shes still debating about whether she wants to sign the statement and shes not sure shes ready for a conversation yet. Avenatti gives Heilemann the statement, and he sits down in a corner of the hotel lobby and begins to read it aloud. I witnessed efforts by Mark Judge, Brett Kavanaugh, and others to cause girls to become inebriated and disoriented so they then could be gang raped in approximately 1982, I became the victim of one of these gang rapes. As Heilemann reads from the paper, the camera is positioned behind a partition so that his face is partially obscured. It creates the impression that we, the audience, are looking in on a private, intimate scene. We are gaining access to a secret. It looks like a secret. But its footage of Heilemann, one of the three hosts of this Showtime docuseries, reading a statement given to him by a lawyer for public consumption. He could have read that same statement sitting behind a desk in a studio, or standing in front of a carefully selected background while holding a mic in his hand and staring straight at the camera. The Circus packages this as an elite, private bit of information, while also showing us footage of Avenatti tweeting an image of Swetnick along with the same statement Heilemann just read. Last Wednesday, anyone with internet access couldve seen that same image of Swetnick and read that same statement. How much does it matter that you can see Avenatti compose the tweet on The Circus on Sunday evening, if you already read the tweet days earlier? How much does it matter that you can watch small snippets of Ana Maria Archila and Maria Gallagher facing down Jeff Flake in an elevator on Sundays episode of The Circus, if you already saw the viral footage of that same event within hours of its occurrence on Friday? (Especially if the viral version is more complete and has a wider frame so you can see more of the scene?) How much does it matter that you can watch a half-hour summary of the week in politics, when were living in a time when anyone with any interest in politics at all is so tuned to breaking news that every hour feels like a week, and every week feels like a geologic era? I dont know, and it means that Im not entirely sure who The Circus is for. But I enjoy The Circus. I have liked it since it first premiered in the run-up to the 2016 election, back when it was following Republican presidential candidates. I liked it when Mark Halperin was one of the hosts and I didnt know any of the rumors about him, long before he admitted to sexual misconduct and was fired from the show. I liked it back when I was more naive about the cynical emptiness of horse-race politics coverage. And The Circus is unquestionably better now. In the three episodes aired since its return this fall, its been more focused on balancing punditry with a depiction of current protest movements. New co-host Alex Wagner is a welcome break from the too-familiar visage of bland white dudes. Its worth noting, however, that although The Circus wants to seem casual, its not interested in introspection. At no time does it delve into the self-reflection of any parallels between Kavanaugh and, say, its former host Mark Halperin. Still, I like the aesthetic and The Circuss implicit inside the journalism point of view. Its shot and framed as though you, too, are a reporter standing in a crowded Senate hallway thrusting your recorder in the direction of some unremarkable elected representative, yelling, What do you think about Rubios comments this morning? That same framing feels a little silly when its Heilemann sitting by himself reading a sheet of paper aloud for a camera, but it works well when its used to show us more unusual perspectives. Its great when its showing us embattled swing vote Senator Lisa Murkowski gesturing to the mob of reporters to move aside because shes afraid someone might get hurt. Its fantastic when its used to show all the faces of the protesters outside the Capitol men holding Stand with Brett signs, women with in black with tape over their mouths being pulled away by the police. But in spite of its impressive access and slick visual identity, Im not sure what The Circus adds to our understanding of current events or the way the news cycle works. If anything, being forced to relive an entire weeks worth of news compressed to a half hour feels like it should come with a trigger warning, particularly after the exhausting last few weeks. However, one segment in these three episodes suggests the shows potential. When Heilemann talks to Steve Bannon, a powder keg of an interview if ever there was one, he needles the former White House adviser again and again, rather than simply nod and listen. Jesus, gimme a break, Heilemann scoffs, when Bannon tries to insist that Trump is actually very intelligent. The interview (and the pro-Trump film that Bannon just made) are merely efforts to get back in Trumps good graces, Heilemann says aloud, pinning the motive on his subject. Bannon does not deny it. Heilemann calls Bannons film a cinematic reach-around, and if Bannon has a retort, The Circus does not include it. Its the one moment from these three episodes of The Circus that feels new, like a useful contribution to the cultural conversation rather than a pleasant chitchat about previously known quantities. Heilemann does a seemingly impossible thing: He conducts a good interview with Steve Bannon. But it happens on a premium cable docuseries, presumably watched by political junkies who arent ignorant to Bannons strategy, so the question remains: Who is this for? I dont know the answer. But if the show ever figures out how to anchor its aesthetic to something more solid, it has the potential to jump from a pretty-looking news recap to an illuminating documentary. Michael B. Jordan. Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence As Michael B. Jordan is busy being the next Leo DiCaprioMatt DamonDenzel WashingtonWill SmithTom Cruise (he has two blockbusters this year, plus about a dozen projects in development) hes still figuring out how to answer questions about his personal life. Speaking with (and smoldering on the cover of) Vanity Fair, Jordan discussed persistent Instagram chatter suggesting that he only dates white women, or that hes gay. Navigating and learning how to deal with this shit, theres nobody that really helped me, he told VF about handling the rumors. He added that he recently sought advice from Will Smith. Jordan doesnt go into detail about his dating life, but he does say that hes focused on being Michael B. Jordan, the brand. These people you see with these legacies, they dont ever talk about what they sacrificed to get there, he said. People think these things just happen. Its not like that. They give up so much of their personal life, their love life, whatever, this, that, and personal things. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a key swing vote on Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, on Tuesday expressed confidence that the FBI is conducting a thorough investigation into allegations against the nominee and indicated that she plans to "wait and see" what the review finds before making any judgment. "I think the FBI is doing what we've tasked the FBI to do -- that's all I can ask for right now," the Alaska Republican told reporters, noting that she has spoken to White House counsel Don McGahn and has received assurances that the investigation will be allowed "to take its course." Murkowski backed a last-minute push by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake who asked for the FBI investigation on Friday. Murkowski and Flake as well as Maine Sen. Susan Collins are seen as three key undecided GOP senators who could determine the future of whether Kavanaugh will be confirmed, given Republicans control 51 seats in the chamber to the Democrats' 49. Murkowski said Tuesday, she is waiting to see what the probe finds. "What I think we all need to do now is to wait and see exactly what comes back. I don't know what's going to be in it. I don't know that anybody knows what's going to be in it so I'm not going to speculate. I'm going to wait," she said. The Alaska Republican is one of several closely watched senators, along with Flake, Collins and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who could be a pivotal vote in determining whether Kavanaugh is confirmed. With a razor thin majority, Senate Republicans can only afford to lose one GOP vote on the nomination if all Democrats vote against Kavanaugh. Despite the fact that the FBI review of allegations against Kavanaugh has not yet concluded, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said that he plans to hold a vote on the nomination this week. Flake's request came after wrenching testimony from professor Christine Blasey Ford before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday in which she outlined allegations that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a social gathering in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh vehemently denied the allegations in his own testimony. Republican Sen. John Cornyn, the majority whip and second ranking GOP member in the chamber, told reporters on Tuesday that he believes McConnell wants senators to have the opportunity "to review the results" of the investigation "before they have to vote." The 35th annual "National Night Out" will be hosted by Huntsville Police Tuesday evening, and people who live throughout Madison County are encouraged to attend the multi-agency event. The purpose of the event is to teach Madison County residents how to be proactive in their community and to give them a glimpse into what local enforcement does. The event will be held at the old Grissom High School off of Bailey Cove Road in south Huntsville. WAAY 31 learned that a big part of the event is to celebrate the community watch and explain how volunteers are keeping the community safe. "You can do it walking your dog, you can do it coming and going from work, you can do it just taking your afternoon walk if that's what you like to do," said Rheajoela Caldwell. "As long as you remember: if you see something, say something." Caldwell has been a part of Huntsville's community watch for about 16 years and, during that time, she's helped catch criminals. On Tuesday, Huntsville Police will thank people like Caldwell who help them do their job. "They give countless voluntary hours to the department every year," said Sgt. Tony McElyea with Huntsville Police. "It's our chance to celebrate them and say goodbye to crime." The event isn't only for community watch---but for everyone who lives in the area. Police are providing free food and information for the entire community to teach them more about what police do and how to get involved in programs like community watch. "We want to be in every community, but we can't be," McElyea said. "It's not feasible to be--given it's 250 square miles in Huntsville." And Caldwell explained to WAAY 31 just how easy it is to become an active part of your community. "Living in your neighborhood, you know who belongs, how things are supposed to look. If you're keeping an eye out on that and you notice something suspicious or something changes then you can call the police, and they will come out and take care of it," Caldwell said. The "National Night Out" event will last from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. 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. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Bar Association, BC Branch (CBABC) today released An Agenda for Justice Platform Updates 2018. This document, an update to An Agenda for Justice 2017, acknowledges increased government investment in key areas and details several issues still needing support. We are pleased to spotlight the work government has done, including increased funding of legal aid for family law services in British Columbia, said CBABC President, Margaret A. Mereigh. The BC government also added annual funding for Parents Legal Centres, allowing the two in Surrey and Vancouver to continue operating, and the expansion to more BC locations. Ms. Mereigh continued, As we thank government for increased support, we also continue our call for legal aid to remain a priority, including the tariff that sets compensation for representing legal aid clients in BC. An Agenda for Justice Platform Updates 2018 outlines areas still lacking support including Indigenous justice, the BC Mental Health Act, Court Services staffing and the establishment of a Unified Family Court in BC to eliminate redundancies and delays in the current parallel systems of court. Further, the updated document identifies emerging issues including legislative changes that are an attempt by government to improve finances at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. These issues have a meaningful and lasting impact on BC communities, because residents and the legal professionals who serve them, are all affected, said President Mereigh. Our goal is to not only bring these issues forward, but to see our recommendations become action on the part of our elected representatives in the BC government. An Agenda for Justice Platform Updates 2018 is written in plain language for wide accessibility and to expand public understanding of how issues within the justice system affect day-to-day life in BC. To learn more about the issues and to view An Agenda for Justice, please visit cbabc.org/A4J . The Canadian Bar Association is the professional organization representing more than 38,000 lawyers, judges and law students across Canada with over 7,000 members in British Columbia. To arrange an interview about An Agenda for Justice, contact: Kent Hurl Member Communications Officer 604.646.7868 media@cbabc.org Charles Jordan, the man accused of shooting and killing a man in Lauderdale County over an argument about loud music, has been charged with murder. The incident happened in June and witnesses told deputies Jordan shot and killed Michael Watson as an act of self-defense. Deputies say Watson moved towards Jordan aggressively, and Jordan fired into the air once before shooting him. Jordan is out of the Lauderdale County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. Update: According to court documents, the case was dismissed in April with conditions that a restitution payment of $1,170 be paid along with court costs. Court documents show that amount was paid in full (Read the documents here). --------------- Original story: A New Jersey resident, Adebayo Adeleke, is being extradited to the Limestone County Jail on a charge for Financial Exploitation of the Elderly 2nd Degree. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of a second suspect in the case, Sacha Maithland, who is wanted for the same charge. Deputies filed a report on September 21 from a 77-year-old victim who was scammed on Craigslist. The victim's family member posted an ad to sell farm equipment, and he received a message on September 15 from a "buyer" offering a larger amount than asked for. The "buyer" said the extra amount would pay to ship the equipment to New Jersey. The victim cashed the check when he received it and sent postal money orders to the people alleged to be movers. The bank reported to the victim that the check was forged, and investigators discovered the address to which the victim mailed the money orders had an incorrect zip code. The package was picked up at a post office in Easthampton, New Jersey. Postal Service investigators and the Easthampton Police Department investigators were able to identify the suspect who picked up the money orders, Adeleke, and the suspect who cashed them, Maithland, after obtaining security photos and other evidence that connected them to the crime. Investigators believe the two suspects had accessed banking information for a business in New York and were able to create forged checks, which they used to scam people throughout the country. According to the Limestone County Sheriffs Office, the scam may have begun in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where Adeleke said he lived before relocating to the U.S. Investigators urge the public to be wary when doing business online and to protect private information. The Federal Trade Commission offers free scam alerts. To report a scam, visit www.ftc.gov/complaint . For better or worse, Tesla vehicles continue to garner plenty of attention around the world - sometimes for awards and accolades for technology, other times for issues with the self-driving mode or the recent fines against founder Elon Musk. However, anyone in Alabama wishing to purchase a new Tesla must cross state lines to do so. While you can build and order a Tesla online, you can't legally purchase one in Alabama. A state law prevents car manufacturers from directly selling their vehicles to consumers, the business model of Tesla. Instead, cars must be sold through a franchised dealership. "I think it is to create a level playing field between automobile dealers and the companies they represent," said Tom Dart, president of the Automobile Dealers of Alabama Association. However, Tesla owner Scott Hammond said he'd like to see at least one showroom open up in Alabama. He enthusiastically showed off the technology in his Tesla Model 3, for which he waited two years to take delivery. He picked his up this past spring at a showroom near Nashville. Multiple states had similar stipulations in place as Alabama, but Tesla or lawmakers successfully lobbied for changes to allow limited sales. We contacted Tesla and asked if they plan on trying to lobby for changes in Alabama, but only received a statement where they declined to specifically comment. Hammond has an idea he believes is a compromise - service centers in Alabama. "Personally, just having a compromise where you allow them to have brick and mortar service centers in the four major cities - that'd be huge," said Hammond. Dart's response? "The last time I checked, maybe a year ago or so, there were no more than 200 or so Teslas in Alabama, so it isn't enough to justify the construction of service centers. I don't think that is much of an issue." He also said he tried to run current numbers of Teslas registered in the state, but they weren't available. He estimated the number is now up to maybe 500. Multiple other car manufacturers build and sell electric vehicles through their dealerships in Alabama. Mainstream companies like Honda, Toyota, Ford, and Chevrolet abide by the laws to market their product. "Chevy Volt, Nissan, there are others - everyone is run through a dealer network," said Dart. "They have facilities in place to repair the models. We just think that is a better model." The state does not lose any money if someone purchases a Tesla in another state, because you must still pay tax and fees to register it in Alabama. CHICAGO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) announced that it will report results for the 2018 third quarter prior to market open on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. GATX will hold a conference call to review the results later that morning. Investors may listen to the call via telephone or over the Internet as follows: Live Teleconference Date: Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Time: 11:00 AM (Eastern Time) Domestic Dial-In: 1-800-682-0995 International Dial-In: 1-334-323-0509 Live Webcast: www.gatx.com To participate by phone, please dial in approximately 15 minutes prior to the start time and reference the GATX conference call. To listen via webcast, click the link on GATXs homepage, www.gatx.com. Replay Information Time: Starting at 2:00 PM (Eastern Time), October 23, 2018 Domestic Dial-In: 1-888-203-1112 International Dial-In: 1-719-457-0820 Access Code: 1176696 Web Access: The replay will also be available at www.gatx.com COMPANY DESCRIPTION GATX Corporation (NYSE:GATX) strives to be recognized as the finest railcar leasing company in the world by its customers, its shareholders, its employees and the communities where it operates. As the leading global railcar lessor, GATX has been providing quality railcars and services to its customers for 120 years. GATX has been headquartered in Chicago, Illinois since its founding in 1898. For more information, please visit the Companys website at www.gatx.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer McManus Director, Investor Relations GATX Corporation 312-621-6409 jennifer.mcmanus@gatx.com Investor, corporate, financial, historical financial, and news release information may be found at www.gatx.com. English French Spanish MONTREAL, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bombardier Business Aircraft invites media to attend a press conference in Miami-Dade County for an announcement regarding its services and support network. Bombardier executives and Miami-Dade County government officials will be among the distinguished guests attending. Date: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 Time: 1:30 pm Registration 2:00 pm Press conference begins 2:30 pm Cocktails/refreshments Location: Fontainebleau Aviation, 14200 NW 42nd Ave, Opa-Locka, FL 33054 Participants: Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience, Bombardier Business Aircraft, Honorable Carlos A. Gimenez, Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Lester Sola, Director and CEO, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Barbara J. Jordan, Commissioner, Miami-Dade County, and fellow Honorable Board of County Commissioners RSVP: Please use the link below to confirm your attendance. The press conference is open to accredited media only: https://businessaircraft.bombardier.com/en/events/media_event_oct_03_2018 NOTE: For television crews, only wireless equipment is allowed About Bombardier With over 69,500 employees across four business segments, Bombardier is a global leader in the transportation industry, creating innovative and game-changing planes and trains. Our products and services provide world-class transportation experiences that set new standards in passenger comfort, energy efficiency, reliability and safety. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Bombardier has production and engineering sites in 28 countries across the segments of Transportation, Business Aircraft, Commercial Aircraft and Aerostructures and Engineering Services. Bombardier shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD). In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, Bombardier posted revenues of $16.2 billion US. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier . By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 02, 2018 | 10:30 AM | PADUCAH Medicare enrollees in Kentucky will soon be getting their new cards in the mail.Paducah Senior Center Senior Medicare Patrol Coordinator Kathie Hunt says the new cards are on the way to Kentucky residents, and encouraged everyone to carefully go through their mail before discarding any items. She said it's important to keep the new cards in a safe location, and urged Medicare recipients to shred their old cards upon receipt of the new ones."The new medicare cards will no longer have a Social Security number on them, which will go a long way toward helping people avoid medical identity theft and fraud," Hunt said. "The mailing will be in a windowed envelope. Anything you get from Medicare, you always should open those envelopes, because usually they have important information."Hunt added that in addition to the extra security of no longer using Social Security numbers, the new cards will be printable. This means if you lose your card it will be very easy to replace.Hunt says the envelopes will say "Center for Medicare Services" on the front. She added that it will take some time for all residents to get their cards, and not all will receive them at the same time."Mailing will take time, so if you don't get it in the next week or two don't be concerned," Hunt said. "Each person will receive their own [card], so spouses may not receive their cards at the same time. Don't be alarmed if you don't get it in October, or even November."Check out the link below for more information on the new medicare cards. On the Net: 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. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 01, 2018 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 01, 2018 | 07:17 PM | PADUCAH While some cases of graffiti have been reported in Paducah and McCracken County, local law enforcement says it is not a major problem. McCracken County Sheriff Matt Carter told West Kentucky Star that very few cases of graffiti have been reported this year in the county. He said when they do get reports, it is usually a bridge that has been spray painted. He gave an example of the John Puryear bridge on the south side, which has had some graffiti over the past year. Paducah Police Department Crime Analyst Michael Zidar also told West Kentucky Star that graffiti has not been a major problem within the city of Paducah. He said, however, it is an under reported crime. According to Zidar, each month usually only has one to three graffiti reports, with the exception of this past July, which had 18 reports, and included several cars being spray painted. Many of these reports were in the Seitz Street-Center Street vicinity. He also said it is usually done by one or two people, or a small group wanting attention. Carter and Zidar both stressed that all graffiti needs to be reported, even though it may seem like a small matter. City residents should report it to the Paducah Police Department, while county residents should notify the McCracken County Sheriff's Department. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 29, 2018 | PADUCAH By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 29, 2018 | 04:24 PM | PADUCAH Paducah Police say a juvenile reported missing over the weekend has been found safe and sound. Sixteen-year-old Desmond Crumbaugh was reported missing Saturday afternoon and had last been seen the previous afternoon. Police said Tuesday morning that Crumbaugh was found and was in good health. Original Story: Paducah Police are currently searching for a missing teen and have asked for the public's help. Police say 16-year-old Desmond L. Crumbaugh was reported missing about 1 pm Saturday. He was last seen about 3:30 pm Friday at his home on South 9th Street. Crumbaugh is a black male, 5'6" tall and weighing 110 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair above the ears. He was last seen wearing a gray Chicago Bulls hoodie, blue jeans with red and black Jordan shoes. Police say Crumbaugh has ADHD and was last seen in an angry, defiant state of mind. Anyone with information about Crumbaugh should call Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8550. By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 02, 2018 | 11:39 AM | MARSHALL COUNTY A disturbance in Marshall County Monday night led to a Calloway County man's arrest on multiple charges. The Marshall County Sheriff's Office says deputies were dispatched to Union Ridge Road in reference to a disturbance. Deputies say David M. Freeman, of Murray, was reportedly threatening people with a knife. Deputies then received a report that Freeman had walked across the road and had broken into a home. Deputies responded and found Freeman inside the home. Freeman was arrested and charged with burglary, menacing, criminal mischief, alocohol intoxication in a public place and resisting arrest. He was also arrested on multiple warrants from Marshall, Graves and Calloway counties. He was lodged in the Marshall County Detention Center. By West Kentucky Star Staff Oct. 02, 2018 | 11:29 AM | WESTERN KENTUCKY Four local communities will receive infrastructure improvements thanks to a $1.5 million investment by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA). Kentucky will gain more than 200 new jobs with DRA investments that will support expansion of existing businesses and help an international manufacturer locate its U.S. headquarters in the state, DRA Chairman Chris Caldwell said. These investments demonstrate DRAs commitment to building infrastructure that adds new jobs and increases economic development opportunities across western Kentucky. Kentuckys record-breaking economic growth is changing communities across Kentucky, and we are grateful for DRAs $1.5 million investment to support projects that will create even more new economic development opportunities across the state, said Gov. Matt Bevin, R-KY. This investment will spur over $60 million in total investments and support at least 210 new jobs by furthering infrastructure development and business growth opportunities in six Kentucky communities. The City of Murray will receive $357,373. The Murray Calloway Economic Development Corporation will make infrastructure improvements at the Murray West Industrial Park to accommodate a South Korean auto-parts supplier that will build a new facility. The business will create 120 new jobs at a manufacturing plant that also will serve as the companys U.S. headquarters. The South Korean company will add manufacturing jobs as well as engineering and managerial positions. It will attract workers from Calloway county and surrounding areas. The City of Benton will receive $307,000. The Marshall County Fiscal Court will use DRAs investment to help purchase 300 acres that will be converted into the Southwest One Industrial Park. The park will be a multi-tenant site that will target small- or medium-sized businesses in the manufacturing, assembly, automotive supply, distribution and plastics industries, among others. A software and IT company will create 50 new jobs in Benton. The City of Princeton will $137,866. About 91 Princeton families who live along North Highway 139 in Caldwell County will realize enhanced water capacity with DRAs investment. The Caldwell County Water District will upgrade water lines to serve current residents and support a new eight-person group home for mentally disabled adults. And, the City of Eddyville will receive $112,626. The Eddyville Riverport and Industrial Development Authority will use DRAs investment to replace a conveyor belt that moves commodities from barge to storage at a facility located on Lake Barkley in Lyon County. Two jobs will be retained at the port, which is the only operating Kentucky public riverport along the Cumberland River. The conveyor belt is crucial to moving granular and break-bulk commodities, granular fertilizer and grain products to storage facilities at the site. The town of Henderson and the City of Sturgis also received funds. By The Associated Press Oct. 01, 2018 | 07:46 PM | FRANKFORT Kentucky has been granted an extension to comply with a federal ID law that affects plane travelers. The Department of Homeland Security has granted an extension for REAL IDs compliance. The extension means Kentucky licenses can be used for domestic flights through next July. Identification cards that comply with the REAL ID Act will be issued early next year. Kentucky is one of 18 states that don't comply with the act, which was enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Noncompliant IDs won't be sufficient for boarding airplanes or entering secure federal or military facilities starting in October 2020. Airline passengers can also use other approved forms of ID, including a passport. The states largest native organization strongly opposes Trumps court pick and it has the Republican senators ear.Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) was already under pressure from Alaska Natives to oppose Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.It just got more serious.The Alaska Federation of Natives a massive statewide Native-American organization that represents more than 20 percent of the states entire population went from taking no official stance on Kavanaugh to announcing its opposition on Sept. 12.The questions and colloquies that came out of Judge Brett Kavanaughs Senate Judiciary hearings last week have necessitated us taking a position, the group said in a recent statement. AFN joins our colleagues and friends across Indian country in strongly opposing Judge Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court because of, among other things, his views on the rights of Native peoples.On top of that, the Alaska House Bush Caucus, a group of state legislators focused on tribal and rural representation, wrote to Murkowski and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) urging them to vote no.It has become clear that his confirmation would threaten Alaskans access to healthcare, womens reproductive rights, and the United States special trust relationship with federally recognized tribes, said the Alaska lawmakers.Heres their letter:Julie Kitka, the president of AFN, told HuffPost shes been meeting with Murkowski one-on-one throughout Kavanaughs confirmation process, providing the senator with detailed information on why tribal communities are so concerned. She expects they will continue their private meetings all the way up until Kavanaughs final vote.Our opposition is significant because the issues that we raise are not just small issues that Congress can fix, Kitka said. Our concerns go right to the heart of what authority Congress has and the Supreme Courts interpretation of that authority with regard to Native Americans.In its statement, AFN raises red flags with Kavanaughs erroneous position on the Indian Commerce Clause in the Constitution. The clause gives Congress the power to regulate commerce with nations, states and Indian tribes, but AFN says Kavanaugh has challenged the clauses application to affairs beyond trade. The group also calls Kavanaughs view of the federal governments special trust responsibility with tribes misguided.Heather Kendall-Miller, an attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, told HuffPost last week that tribal communities are also extremely concerned about Kavanaughs record on climate change, voting rights and his views on states versus federal rights.Alaska Natives voices carry a lot of weight with Murkowski, who is currently undecided on how shell vote on Kavanaugh. She owes her re-election to them.The GOP senator unexpectedly lost her primary in 2010 to a tea party challenger. She responded by running as an independent, launching a write-in campaign and winning the race against all odds. Whose support didnt she have? The Republican Party. Whose support did she have? Alaska Natives, who turned out for her and helped fuel her victory.Murkowski spokeswoman Karina Borger said Tuesday that the senator is still vetting Kavanaughs background.She will review additional committee documents related to the concerns identified by Alaskans as she continues to exercise her due diligence, said Borger.Sullivan has already said that Kavanaugh has his support.Advocates for Alaska Natives have been flooding Murkowskis office in recent weeks, presenting her with as much information as possible to help her back up a potential opposition to Kavanaugh. One Alaska Native attorney involved in these conversations acknowledged the personal cost that Murkowski could face if she votes against President Donald Trumps court pick.Shes going to be out there alone, out in front taking these positions and facing repercussions from her party, said the attorney, who requested anonymity to speak freely. This is going to take active courage.I think she will do the right thing, the attorney added.In a joint statement, Walker and Mallott raise concerns with the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh and say there needs to be a thorough investigation into those claims before he gets a confirmation vote. They also say his record suggests he would weaken tribal protections, noting that that Alaska is home to 227 tribes nearly half of all tribes in the country.Mr. Kavanaughs appointment could ... jeopardize the Indian Child Welfare Act, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and other laws that enable tribal self-determination due to his overly narrow view of the relationship between federal and tribal governments, they said. Barcelona have struck a deal with American fashion designer Thom Browne to supply their off-field tailored fits and formal wear aeroplane clobber for the next three seasons. According to GQ magazine, Browne is famed as the architect of the shrunken suit jacket and above-the-ankle trouser, which is all well and good until you end up making Lionel Messi look like a particularly dishevelled end-of-the-pier Norman Wisdom tribute act Not that Pies can claim to have any great sartorial flair, but doesnt Leo just look a little silly here? Like a 10-year-old at his uncles wedding. New York, NY, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Weyland Tech Inc. (OTCQX: WEYL) (Weyland or the Company) announced today a further update regarding the spin-off of its Weyland AtoZ Pay subsidiary (WAI), which holds a 49% equity ownership interest in PT Weyland Indonesia Perkasa, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the Republic of Indonesia (WIP). WIPs primary business operations include a digital financial transactions app serving the rapidly growing Indonesia e-commerce and e-payment markets (eWallet). The Company continues to receive inquiries from shareholders and banks/brokers regarding the instructions for processing the spin-off (Spin-Off Processing Instructions), as banks/brokers have not yet received the Spin-Off Processing Instructions provided by the Company to DTC. The Company reached out to DTC yesterday, through its transfer agent, and was informed that DTC had not yet made the Spin-Off Processing Instructions available to the banks/brokers, as it was awaiting internal approval of the notification that will accompany the Spin-Off Processing Instructions. In light of the above timing issue, along with the fact that the Company is awaiting FINRAs reply to the Companys corporate action notification to FINRA, the Company has determined that it is in all parties best interests if the record date and other related dates are moved forward, in order to allow all parties involved sufficient time to process their respective aspects of the spin-off in an orderly manner. Accordingly, the new record date, distribution date and other relevant dates for the spin-off are now as follows: Record Date: October 12, 2018 Bank/Broker Deadline for Submission of Beneficial Owner Lists: October 26, 2018 Distribution Date: November 30, 2018 The Companys shareholders of record as of the close of trading on October 12, 2018, the new record date for the spin-off, will receive a pro-rata distribution of one (1) share of common stock of WAI for each five (5) shares of the Companys common stock held as of the record date. Fractional shares of WAI common stock will not be issued in the distribution, as fractional shares will be rounded up to the immediate next whole share. The spin-off is expected to be effective as of the end of the day on November 30, 2018, the new distribution date for the spin-off. As the spin-off shares are not DTCC eligible, and the spin-off is being processed outside of DTCC, the Spin-Off Processing Instructions will provide Banks/Brokers with instructions for receiving the distribution for their beneficial owners directly from the Company. The instructions provide, in part, that: In order to obtain the spin-off shares for their clients, each Bank/Broker must submit to the Company, no later than October 26, 2018, a beneficial owner list, as of the record date. The spin-off shares will be issued by the Companys transfer agent in physical certificate form. Certificates for each non-objecting beneficial owner (NOBO) will be issued in the name of the NOBO and mailed directly to the NOBO at their account address provided in the beneficial owner list. Certificates for each objecting beneficial owner (OBO) will be issued in the name of the Bank/Broker, for the benefit of the OBO, and mailed directly to the Bank/Broker. With respect to WEYL shares held in retirement accounts, the Company will issue certificates for the spin-off shares in the name of the respective Bank/Broker, as custodian for, and for the benefit of, the particular retirement account (e.g., Bank/Broker Name, Custodian FBO John Smith Roth IRA), and such shares will be mailed directly to the Bank/Broker. If you are a registered shareholder of the Company and hold your shares in WEYL, as of the record date, in certificate or book-entry form through the transfer agent you need not do anything to receive your spin-off shares, as the transfer agent will automatically issue your spin-off shares directly to your account and deliver the certificate to your address of record with the transfer agent. Banks/Brokers should refer to the full Spin-Off Processing Instructions, which will be made available by DTC on its Legal Notice System (LENS), for complete details regarding the spin-off processing procedures. Inquiries from Banks/Brokers or shareholders regarding the spin-off, can be directed as follows: Email: spin-off@weyland-tech.com Tel: 347.566.4334 If any Banks/Brokers are unable to download the Spin-Off Processing Instructions from LENS, they can also request a copy directly from the Company, by email to the above email address. Further details regarding WAI and WIP (and its Indonesia eWallet business) will be provided in a Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be filed on the SECs EDGAR reporting system prior to the distribution date for the spin-off. About Weyland Tech Inc. Weyland Tech is a global provider of mobile business applications. Its CreateApp platform offers a mobile presence to businesses in emerging markets, with partnerships on 3 continents and growing. This DIY mobile application platform, offered in 14 languages with over 35 integrated modules, enables small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to create native mobile applications (apps) for Apples iOS and Google Android without technical knowledge or background, empowering SMBs to increase sales, reach more customers and promote their products and services in an easy, affordable and efficient manner. In May 2018, the Company expanded its portfolio to fintech applications with the launch of its AtozPay mobile payments platform. The mobile wallet launched in the worlds 4th most populous country, Indonesia, and is already experiencing rapid growth in transactions taking place on the platform. Follow Weyland Tech online at: Weyland Tech Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/weylandtech) Weyland Tech Twitter Feed (https://twitter.com/weylandtechinc) Weyland Tech LinkedIn Page (https://linkedin.com/company/weylandtech) Brent Suen, CEO Public Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/BrentSuenWEYL) Brent Suen, CEO Public Twitter Feed (https://www.twitter.com/BrentSuenWEYL) Safe Harbor Statement This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward-looking statements including statements regarding: the continued growth of the e-commerce segment and the ability of the Company to continue its expansion into that segment; the ability of the Company to attract customers and partners and generate revenues; the ability of the Company to successfully execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as believes, expects or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Companys periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Handa Mining Corporation ("Handa Mining" or the "Company") (TSX-V: HAND) is pleased to announce that further to its news release of August 28, 2018, it has closed a first tranche of its non-brokered private placement, by the issuance of 7,800,000 Units at $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of $390,000 (the Financing). The second and final tranche of the Financing in the amount of $310,000 is expected to close within the next two weeks. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant, whereby each warrant, (subject to acceleration provisions), entitles the holder thereof to acquire one additional common share of the Company for a total period of 24 months, at a price of $0.075 per share for the first six months following the date of issuance and at a price of $0.10 per share for the subsequent 18 months from the date of issuance. The expiry date of each Warrant is subject to acceleration such that if the volume weighted average price of the Companys common shares is equal to or above $0.25 for a period of 20 consecutive trading days (the Triggering Event). In such event, the Company may accelerate the expiry date of the warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date on which it sends notice to all warrant holders of the new expiry date (the Notice Date). The Company shall also issue a news release on the Notice Date and provide notice of the early expiration date within 10 calendar days of the Triggering Event. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes. Directors of the Corporation purchased an aggregate of 1,740,000 Units and, accordingly, the Financing is a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The participation of the directors is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements provided under 61-101 in accordance with sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101. The Company is relying on an exemption from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 available because the fair market value of the participation in the Financing by the director does not exceed 25% of the Corporations market capitalization, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Corporation did not file a material change report related to this Financing more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Financing as required by MI 61-101 since the details of the participation by the directors was not settled until shortly prior to the closing of the Financing and the Corporation wished to close on an expedited basis for sound business reasons. The securities issued pursuant to the Financing are subject to a hold period under applicable securities laws, which will expires February 2, 2019, being four months plus one day from the date of closing of the Financing. About Handa Mining Corporation Handa Mining is in the process of acquiring a 100% interest in the Mejillones Phosphate Project (the "Project") in Chile, pending approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Project consists of 13 exploration and 8 exploitation concessions believed to be highly prospective for phosphate production. The Project covers a contiguous area of approximately 8,200 hectares situated south of the town and deep-water port of Mejillones approximately 60km north of Antofagasta. For further information, contact: Jan Nelson Chief Executive Officer Handa Mining Corporation Tel: (604) 428-7050 Email: jan@handamining.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. Creating collective memory Creating a collective memory in a country with a fragmented past and persistent inequality needs money, skills and political will to preserve its history. The recently launched WITS-NRF Digitisation Capacity Development Initiative at Wits University is driving efforts to digitise and make available online South Africas vast historical collections, including a comprehensive Mandela Archive. Since the early 90s, varying materials related to former President Nelson Mandela, held in galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAMs) in institutions such as the Nelson Mandela Foundation or the Historical Papers Research Archive at Wits, have been collected and digitally preserved in individualised efforts to digitise Mandela and to make these collections available to the public to enhance a collective memory. The next step is to bring these archives together. This goal has been set as one of the first three outcomes of the new WITS-NRF Digitisation Capacity Development Initiative: To establish a National Digital Library Aggregator Pilot Project a central online portal from where viewers can access South Africas precious collections, including the possibility of a digital Mandela Archive. Similar projects have already been done in Europe, for instance, with the Europeana Collections a portal where thousands of GLAMs share cultural heritage for enjoyment, education and research, says Gabriele Mohale, archivist in the Historical Papers Research Archive situated in the Willem Cullen Library on Wits Braamfontein East Campus. It is very costly and European countries have more money. Most institutions in Africa are inhibited by their lack of funding and as such have only taken baby steps towards purposeful digitisation for access and preservation of South Africas rich historical heritage, she adds. Now, with the WITS-NRF Digitisation Capacity Development Initiative, participating institutions could combine their efforts in implementing such a pilot project between five institutions: the Historical Papers Research Archive at Wits, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, the University of Cape Town, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, and the National Archives of South Africa. These institutions are already applying main archival and international standards of description and it will allow us to link our institutions archival collections and create a multi-institutional repository, endorsed by the International Council on Archives, in a portal or aggregator where the user can put in one search term and get the output from these five participating institutions, Mohale says. Search: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela+Nelson Mandela+Mandela+ Madiba Output: *searching* Given South Africas fragmented past, archives, preservation and the digitisation of material such as the Nelson Mandela Papers here at Wits, are some of the ways to create a collective memory and enduring legacy for Madiba, says Mohale. Established in 1966, the Historical Papers Research Archive at Wits is one of the largest and most comprehensive independent archives in southern Africa housing over 3 400 collections of historical, political and cultural importance, encompassing the mid-17th Century to the present. Its Nelson Mandela Papers is a collection of records in preparation of Mandelas two trials: the State vs Nelson Mandela in the Pretoria Regional Court 1962, and The State vs Nelson Mandela and Others (Rivonia Trial) in the Supreme Court (Transvaal Provincial Division) in 1963/1964. Digitising archives is important to not only preserve material for future generations or to create easy and open access to history, but also bring those forgotten materials back out into the current agenda. In South Africa we are historically fragmented in terms of understanding and knowledge of our histories, and digital archives play a role in accessing and enhancing memory, Mohale says. For the second time, a jury has failed to reach a verdict in the case of a Mississippi teenager who was burned to death four years ago. Panola County Circuit Judge Gerald Chatham declared a mistrial Monday when the jury could not reach a decision after nearly 12 hours of deliberations, according to CNN affiliate WREG. Accidents, disasters and safety Continents and regions Court trials Crime, law enforcement and corrections Criminal law Demographic groups Families and children Family members and relatives Fires Jessica Chambers Law and legal system Misc people Mississippi Mistrial North America Population and demographics Society Southeastern United States Teenagers The Americas Trial and procedure United States Quinton Tellis, 29, had been charged with capital murder because 19-year-old Jessica Chambers' death occurred during the commission of another crime: third-degree arson. He pleaded not guilty. Tellis' attorney could not be immediately reached on Monday. ATF: Teenager was set on fire with gasoline Chambers had left her mother's house in pajama pants on December 6, 2014, reportedly to clean her car. Later, firefighters responded to a report of a car fire and found her in the burning car on a rural road near her home in Courtland, a northwest Mississippi town of about 500 people in Panola County. Chambers was set on fire with gasoline, said investigators with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She suffered third-degree burns over 95% of her body. During the trial, eight first responders, including firefighters, testified they were at the scene when Chambers said, "Eric set me on fire." She didn't give a last name. Chambers died the next day in a Memphis hospital. Prosecutors: Tellis deleted phone communication with teen Local police, the FBI and an intelligence expert worked the case for months and looked at all people named Eric in the area after Chambers' death, authorities said. The prosecution said it used cellphone technology, text records, surveillance cameras and interviews to identify Tellis as a suspect. Tellis, who grew up in Courtland, had known Chambers for about two weeks, a friend said. At the time of Chambers' death, Tellis had deleted all communications with her from his phone and stopped checking on her, prosecutors said. Tellis was arrested in February 2016 while he was an inmate in a Louisiana prison being held on an unrelated charge. First mistrial In the first trial, the defense focused on the fact that Chambers didn't name their client. "She said Eric," Alton Peterson, one of Tellis' lawyers, said in closing arguments. "E.R.I.C. Eric." But District Attorney John Champion argued that the fire injured Chambers so severely that she could not pronounce words clearly, and she may have been trying to say "Tellis," the Clarion-Ledger newspaper reported. There appeared to be confusion among the six African-American and six white jurors before the judge declared the mistrial. The jury said it had reached a verdict and the court clerk read the not-guilty verdict recorded on a piece of paper. But at the prosecution's request, the judge polled the jury, and most jurors said their vote was guilty. The judge reread the instructions. More than an hour later, the jury said it was deadlocked and couldn't reach a unanimous verdict after about nine hours of deliberation. Champion said afterward that he didn't consider the mistrial a loss. "I've had hung juries many times ... and on the retrials we've come back and been successful on them. Some we have not," he told reporters. "You do this as long as I've done it, you're going to have days like this." SYRACUSE People are coming to the defense of a homeless man who had water dumped on him at a Syracuse Dunkin Donuts location. The mans name is Jeremy Youngs, and his aunt says he has mental health issues. Youngs aunt says he is humiliated by what happened, and by the video that is going viral. In the video, the employee who dumped the water on him talks about Youngs falling asleep, while another employee recording the video laughs. Protesters lined the street outside the North Salina Street shop on Monday, calling for the firing of the employees. Dunkin ended up suspending the employees, pending an investigation. Kimberly Wolak, Dunkin franchisee and COO of The Wolak Group, released the following statement on Monday: Dunkin has been a part of the Syracuse community for many years, and as the franchisees who own and operate the North Salina Street location, we were extremely disturbed by the behavior of our employees captured in the video. It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect. The employees involved in the incident have been suspending pending a complete investigation, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologize for the negative experience. Wolak also said they will work with local advocates to make sure their employees are better educated about how to interact with homeless people, and where to direct them for assistance. (Information/video from NBC affiliate WSTM in Syracuse) LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Monday marked the start of the 5th annual Manufacturing Week. Hosted by Greater Lafayette Commerce, students from nine Indiana counties are expected to attend the event. Manufacturing Week gives K-12 students an opportunity to learn about the manufacturing industry. "The intention for the week is to help people discover manufacturing, to understand what career opportunities are out there and available and to let them know what jobs there are, said Greater Lafayette Commerce Workforce Development Director Kara Webb. Nearly 2 thousand students from 9 different counties are expected to be in attendance. They will have the chance to learn about these opportunities at the Manufacturing Week expos. Webb believes the expo is a great way for students to discover what happens behind the scenes in some of the community's most recognizable companies. "We drive by these facilities so many times during the day and we may not even know what happens in there, said Webb. Companies such as Subaru, Wabash National and GE will be in attendance throughout the expo. They offer hands-on learning experiences through activities such as welding simulations and Virtual Reality- assisted assemblies. The expo also has a focus on employability skills. IN-Mac Director for Workforce and Education Sascha Harrell says those skills aren't all high-tech. "Dressing appropriately, talking through being confident, having good eye contact and not mumbling when speaking, said Harrell. Harrell hopes Manufacturing Week will continue to inspire students as they search for jobs. "This is something that can help them in the long run even through their high school career and as they move forward, said Harrell. The expo runs through Wednesday. Students will also be visiting facilitates across Tippecanoe and White Counties later this week. 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 Miami, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ocean Bank hosted a presentation by officials from Homeland Security Investigations Miami (HSI) on the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Advisory on Public Corruption in Venezuela, highlighting steps financial institutions can take to avoid falling prey of money laundering red flags and prevent proceeds from Venezuelan public corruption from moving through the U.S. financial system. The presentation by John Tobon, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for HSI, included how Venezuelan officials and Venezuelan state-owned entities attempt to manipulate the system through seemingly legitimate contracts, shell corporations and trading companies. Tobon oversees HSI financial crime and money laundering investigations in South Florida. Holding this event with HSI emphasizes Ocean Banks culture of complying with FinCEN rules and regulations, said President and CEO Agostinho Alfonso Macedo. Ocean Bank does not and will not open accounts for the Venezuelan government or officials of the Venezuelan government or anyone classified by the U.S. government as a Politically Exposed Person from Venezuela. In attendance at the seminar, moderated by Daniel Gutierrez, V.P, Regulatory Risk Manager for Ocean Bank and Chair of the Florida International Bankers Association's (FIBA) Anti-Money Laundering Committee, were Ocean Banks senior management team, officers who handle Venezuelan business accounts and the BSA/Regulatory Risk staff. At Ocean Bank we hold our officers and staff to the highest standard, Macedo said. This event continues to educate the Ocean Bank team on current global issues targeting our industry. The presentation included Red Flags banks should look for in dealing with Venezuela: Transactions involving Venezuelan government contracts that are directed to personal accounts. Transactions involving Venezuelan government contracts that are directed to companies that operate in an unrelated line of business. Transactions involving shell corporations, general trading companies, or companies that lack a general business purpose. Documentation corroborating transactions involving Venezuelan government contracts that include charges at substantially higher prices than market rates or that include overly simple documentation. Payments involving Venezuelan government contracts that originate from non-official Venezuelan accounts or from third parties that are not Venezuelan Government entities. Cash deposits instead of wire transfers in the accounts of companies with Venezuelan government contracts. Transactions for the purchase of real estateprimarily in the South Florida and Houston, Texas regionsinvolving current or former Venezuelan government officials. About Ocean Bank Ocean Bank is the largest independent, state-chartered commercial bank headquartered in Florida, with $3.8 billion in assets. Chartered in 1982, Ocean Bank operates its branch network throughout Miami-Dade and Broward counties. The community bank has received numerous awards and accolades from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, The Beacon Council and the Florida Department of Education, among others, for its support of our South Florida communities. For more information, log on to www.oceanbank.com. Attachment The campaign for public meetings in Sri Lanka this week celebrating 80 years since the founding of the Fourth International (FI) and the 50th anniversary of the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) is winning important support from students and academics. David North, Chairman of the World Socialist Web Sites International Editorial Board and of the SEP (US), will address meetings on October 3, at the University of Peradeniya in Kandy, and October 7 at Colombos New Town Hall. The events are being held amid ongoing university student protests against inadequate facilities and the privatisation of education. On September 12, thousands of Aesthetic University students in Colombo demonstrated to demand that government expenditure on education be lifted to 6 percent of GDP, and that compulsory exams for students who do not maintain an 80 percent attendance rate be abolished. As students step up their agitation, the Sri Lankan government is planning repressive measures against the demonstrators. Aesthetic University students discuss SEP anniversary meetings University students in Kandy and Colombo spoke with SEP campaigners about the mounting financial difficulties they face, their concerns about unemployment and their support for the forthcoming SEP meetings. Senuri and Samanthi, two science students from the University of Peradeniya, spoke about the rising cost of living. Its expensive buying meals from the university canteens, Senuri said. Even though they are cheap we have to spend about 200 rupees [$US1.18] per day for meals. To travel [once a week to our parents home] costs 500 rupees and lots of money is needed to get study notes photocopied. All together, we need a minimum of 15,000 rupees per month. I need a part time job but I dont have enough time for that. Senuri said science students found it difficult to get work in the industrial sector. Apart from a degree, these jobs require an additional professional qualification and that means doing a human resource management course, which costs around 40,000 rupees. My father is involved in the coconut trade, but because coconut prices are fluctuating we do not have enough income. Samanthi criticised the profit system and its ruling elites. Every government that comes to power puts the economic burden on the masses. The increasing cost of living makes it very difficult to live, she said. My father is a paddy farmer, but it is running at a loss because of the increasing cost of manure and agricultural chemicals. Two other female students from the Aesthetic University in Colombo said that free education existed in name only. Our parents have to spend large amounts of money for our education, from school to university, one of them said. The university has not granted any money for our research, but if we raise questions about that we face many problems. Sampath Sampath, a visual arts student, said that demonstrations against the governments attacks on public education over the past four years had failed to secure any student demands. University students have waged various protests against the privatisation of public education and other attacks but have gained nothing, he said. Without a struggle involving students and the entire working class, we cannot defend our rights or secure a decent future. The most important thing today is to prepare workers and youth for such a struggle. Ranjith Perera, a lecturer at the Aesthetic University, said David Norths public meetings in Sri Lanka were important and would examine critical historical issues. The crisis in the arts field is one aspect of the crisis of the whole capitalist system, he said. The government has cut funding for artistic creation and exhibitions. Art activities have been neglected in the schools. Education under capitalism has severe limitations. The only purpose of todays education system is to produce labour for the exploitation by the capitalist class. This is an international phenomenon. Workers and youth are eager to fight against this but the leaderships of the trade unions and student unions divert them from a united fight. Randula, a final-year management student at the University of Sri Jayawardenapura, agreed that the SEPs anniversary meetings were important. The lessons of history help workers and students understand what they should do. They must be familiar with the experiences of the October Revolution. After discussion with you, I now understand that the contradiction between the nation-state system and the global economy under capitalism is the root cause of war and the danger of a nuclear war conflict, he said. Three days after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and 3 meter high tsunami devastated the Indonesian city of Palu and surrounding areas on the island of Sulawesi, the death toll is continuing to climb. The Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that 1,203 people were confirmed dead as of Monday afternoon. The report was based on figures from Indonesian hospitals and agencies in Palu, with a population of 380,000, and nearby Donggala, home to 300,000 people, which was near the quakes epicentre. The toll does not include the dead from Parigi Mountong and North Mamuju, which were also badly hit. Accounts from the area paint a horrifying picture of the disaster and its aftermath, made immeasurably worse by the lack of civil planning and the impoverished condition of masses of people. The vast majority of dwellings in Indonesia are not built to withstand tsunamis and earthquakes, despite the frequency of these disasters. The countrys tsunami early warning system is in a shambles due to underfunding and failed to gauge the severity of the deluge. A warning delivered following the earthquake by the countrys geophysics agency, the BMKG, was lifted after only half an hour. Several buildings in Palu collapsed metres into the ground, including a residential complex in the neighbourhood of Balaroa that was home to 900 people. An eight-story hotel, with an estimated 60 guests, was also reduced to rubble. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, from the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB), told the Associated Press that in the Petobo district, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud. Rescue workers have begun to fill a mass grave in Palu, which has a capacity for over 1,000 bodies and can be expanded if necessary. Xinhua reported on Monday night: The stench of dead bodies was intense around Palus iconic Talise Beach, a popular tourism spot. Search and rescue efforts have been severely hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, with most of the digging being done by hand. Many people spent days trapped in rubble, while the region has been shaken by more than 200 aftershocks. Several villages are still inaccessible due to landslides. A Red Cross team found 34 bodies of students trapped inside a church in the village of Sigi, which they accessed only on Monday. At least 59,000 people are homeless or displaced and essential supplies are running out. The United Nations Office said on Monday that a total of 191,000 people in affected areas urgently need aid including food, fuel, drinking water, medical personnel and tents. Palu and Donggala are without electricity and there are lengthy queues for fuel. Doctors report that survivors are deeply traumatised and that there is a risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera, as well as malnutrition. BBC Indonesias Rebecca Henschke, who is in Palu, told CBC Radio today: The situation is very bleak. Theres no power to the entire town so hospitals and medical clinics cant do complicated operations. They are running out of medical supplies and in most of them, the ones that we have been to, theres rows of bodies in plastic bags. Henschke said people she had spoken to had not received the aid they need, and that in terms of an organized aid operation, theres nothing like that here now. Many people are furious at the lack of assistance. Thousands flocked to Palus airport following the disaster, but they were not allowed to leave. The AP reported: Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. We have not eaten for three days! one woman yelled. We just want to be safe! Many journalists sent to the region reported being stopped by people begging for drinking water and other items. According to the International Red Cross, the aid that has so far reached the area is a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed. President Joko Widodo told reporters on Sunday: Im aware there are a lot of issues that need to be resolved as soon as possible, and I hope the people will remain patient in this situation. The government has so far allocated just $38 million for disaster relief. Meanwhile, soldiers and police have been deployed to defend private property and suppress starved and desperate people who have entered shops looking for food and other supplies. The media and politicians have demonised such people as looters. The New York Times reported that Sarah Wati, a 20-year-old unemployed mother, was treated in hospital after being shot in the foot when police officers sprayed bullets at a group of people attempting to get access to an ATM with pickaxes, as well as several onlookers. According to the Jakarta Post police are reported to have ordered a shoot on sight policy against such robbers. Foreign governments have pledged a pittance in aid. Britain has made available $2.6 million, the European Union $1.7 million, South Korea $1 million and New Zealand $1 million. Australias government has said it is ready to help Indonesia but made no precise offer. US President Donald Trump said he offered warmest condolences to those affected by the tsunami, but so far Washington has not announced any specific aid. By contrast, the ruling elites of these countries are collectively spending trillions of dollars on wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the militarisation of the Asia-Pacific region. The worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Central Sulawesi is an indictment of capitalism. Fourteen years after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 167,000 people, the majority of them in Indonesia, the latest tsunami reveals that nothing whatsoever has been done to prepare for such events. It has rapidly emerged that the countrys antiquated tsunami warning system has not been functioning correctly since at least 2012, with 22 buoys designed to provide key information no longer operational. Rahmat Triyono, the head of the BMKGs tsunami and earthquake department, told BBC Indonesia this week that, Our tools are very lacking. In fact, of the 170 earthquake sensors we have, we only have a maintenance budget for 70 sensors. Sutopo, of the BNPB, likewise stated on Sunday: If we look at the funding, it has decreased every year. The buoys, and the warning system as a whole, failed in 2016, when a tsunami was triggered by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Sutopo explained afterwards that much of the systems infrastructure was no longer operational due to a lack of maintenance, caused by funding cuts and vandalism. In the two years since, nothing has been done to fix the system, or to upgrade it to a more advanced model designed in the wake of the 2004 tsunami. The new system has been in the testing phase for over a decade, with the countrys disaster agencies unable to raise the 1 billion rupiah ($A95,500) required to complete the project. The utter indifference of the Indonesian ruling elite, and its imperialist partners, to the safety of ordinary people is inextricably tied to the dramatic growth of social inequality and the super-exploitation of the working class in developing countries. Indonesia is the sixth most unequal country in the world. Its ruling elite has enriched itself through the exploitation of masses of workers and rural poor, which are offered up as ultra-cheap labour for local and transnational businesses. Even the most basic measures to mitigate the impact of natural disasters are seen as an unacceptable impost on profits. The United States, Canada and Mexico agreed late Sunday night to replace the quarter-century-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with a new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA. Sundays deal was reached after 13 months of tense negotiations and a final week punctuated by threats from Donald Trump and other top US officials that they would proceed without Canada and impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian auto exports to the US. Under the new deal, both Mexico, a country historically oppressed by US imperialism, and Canada, a lesser imperialist power that has long been a key US ally, made significant concessions in the face of US demands that the continental pact be refashioned to make it an even more explicit US-led protectionist trade bloc. Both the substance of the agreement and the manner in which it was negotiated were meant as a message to the more substantial global economic rivals of Wall Street and Washington, above all China, that the US will use all the means at its disposal, including ultimately its military might, to prevail in the struggle for markets and profits. The US was once the cornerstone of the post-World War II liberal order. Today it seeks to counteract economic decline and uphold its global dominance through America First economic nationalism and the ruthless assertion of its interests against ostensible allies and rivals alike. Tariffs, trade war and an insistence on bilateral negotiations, outside of the World Trade Organization (WTO), in which the US can more readily use its economic heft to threaten and bully, have become Washingtons modus operandi. With threats to abrogate NAFTA, Trump first cajoled Mexico into a bilateral deal, announced in late August, and then used this template and threats to exclude Canada from a new NAFTA to intensify pressure on Ottawa. At a White House press conference on Monday, Trump boasted that his imposition of 10 a percent tariff on aluminum and a 25 percent steel tariff, and his threat to introduce a 25 percent auto tariff, had proven crucial to the new trade pact. Without tariffs, we wouldnt be talking about a deal, declared the US president, who then went on to mock those critical of his willingness to employ trade war measures as babies. Significantly, under the USMCA deal Washington has not rescinded either the steel or aluminum tariffs on Canada or Mexico. These will be the subject of a further negotiation and remain in force, said Trump, until such time as we can do something that would be different, like quotas. Trump threatens China Underscoring the global implications of the new North American trade pact, Trump coupled his bragging with an attack on China and demands that countries around the world, from Brazil to India, cede to US demands for concessions on trade and investment. The US president, who has imposed tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods, claimed that Beijing wants negotiations very badly, but that the US needs to inflict more damage on the Chinese economy first. Cant talk now because theyre not ready, said Trump. Because they have been ripping us for so many years, it doesn't happen that quickly. The connection between USMCA and Washingtons economic war on China is underscored by one of the 12 side letters to the agreement. It grants the US effective veto power over any attempt by Canada or Mexico to negotiate a free trade pact with a non-market economy, a clear reference to China. This includes the right to transform USMCA into a bilateral agreement, excluding the third member if it has ratified such a free trade deal. USMCA will also give Washington further leverage over monetary policy in Canada and Mexico through the creation of a committee to review North American macroeconomic policy. At his press conference, Trump reiterated his threat to impose a 25 percent auto tariff under the same Section 232 national security provision that he used to implement the steel and aluminum tariffs. This included a specific warning to the European Union that if the US is unsatisfied with the progress of talks on a trans-Atlantic trade deal, Washington will sanction German and other European car exports to the US. The latter threat comes after Trump used the auto tariff threat last week to successfully bully South Korea into formalizing changes to the 2012 South Korea-US trade agreement and coerce Japan into giving up its opposition to bilateral trade negotiations with Washington. USMCA provides Canada and Mexico with exemptions from the auto tariffs, but not other future Section 232 tariffs. As in the 1930s, the eruption of trade war is paving the way for a military conflagration. Trump and his advisers regularly draw the connection. On Monday, Trump said that the US will continue to use Section 232 to defend industries that are strategic, i.e., necessary for waging war. His remarks were seconded by Commerce secretary Wilbur Ross, who said the aluminum and steel tariffs against Canada and Mexico required a separate negotiation from the USMCA because they relate to US national defense. Canada is the largest exporter of both aluminum and steel to the US, and in July it imposed $13 billion (CAN $16.6 billion) in retaliatory tariffs on US goods. Continued US enforcement of the tariffs was just one of several major concessions Canadas Liberal government accepted, with the clear support of the most powerful sections of Canadas ruling elite, in signing on to the new trade pact. With three-quarters of Canadas exports going to the US and Canadas global position dependent on its military-security partnership with Washington, Canadian big business views its alliance with the US as pivotal to upholding its own imperialist interests. Other concessions made by Canada include an extension from eight to 10 years of patent protection for pharmaceutical drugs, the opening up of Canada's supply management-controlled dairy and poultry markets to US imports, and the relaxation of restrictions on Canadians ability to buy products from foreign online retailers. US negotiators also achieved their goal of a sunset clause, although it was extended to 16 years from the original proposal of five years. For its part, the Trudeau government is touting the removal of Trumps threat to impose tariffs on Canadian-made cars and auto parts and the retention of a dispute resolution mechanism contained within Chapter 19 of the original NAFTA deal, which provides for a bilateral committee to rule on trade conflicts. The Canadian auto industry also expects to benefit from the changes the US dictated to Mexico on auto trade. These include raising the percentage of cars and auto parts that must be produced within North America from 62.5 to 75 percent before the vehicles can be traded tariff-free, and the phase-in of a stipulation that 40 percent of the value of a car must be built by workers making at least $16 per hour. At their respective press conferences on Monday, both Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau tried to promote their reactionary trade deal as a victory for workers and the middle class. The unions: allies of Trump and Trudeau In this, they have enjoyed the support of the trade union bureaucracy on both sides of the border. Top leaders of the AFL-CIO and many of its largest unions have met repeatedly with Trump. They have endorsed his reactionary economic nationalism and in August they praised his bilateral deal with Mexico. Jerry Dias, the president of Unifor, Canadas largest industrial union, hailed the unveiling of USMCA as a great day for Canadians. There are some incredible victories in this deal, enthused Dias, who has acted as a close and trusted adviser to the Trudeau government throughout the NAFTA renegotiations. Dias and his fellow union bureaucrats on both sides of the border have for decades connived in the big business assault on the working class, imposing wage cuts, layoffs and attacks on benefits and conditions. They are celebrating USMCA because they think it will swell their dues income by forcing the insourcing of production from Mexico, driving Mexican workers onto the streets and expanding the multiple-tier, low-wage sector they have helped create in the US and Canadian auto industries. This was spelled out by Dias, who, upon hearing of the initial agreement between the US and Mexico in August, stated: There is no question that Mexico will lose some of the jobs that they have managed to take over the years. So, I think this is a positive development for Canada. It is nothing of the sort. The reality is that trade war and the promotion of economic nationalism go hand in hand with an intensified assault on the working class. Trumps imposition of trillions in tax cuts for the corporate elite has been mirrored by a shift to the right within the Canadian political establishment, as exemplified by right-wing Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has vowed to outdo Trumps tax cuts to maintain Canadian competitiveness. Workers must oppose the unions and all those who seek to line them up behind their own bourgeoisies under conditions of deepening economic and military tensions. Instead, workers in the United States, Canada and Mexico must unite their struggles for decent-paying and secure jobs and develop a counteroffensive in alliance with their class brothers and sisters around the world on the basis of a socialist program. This statement is being distributed by supporters of the World Socialist Web Site at today's demonstration in the Dutch capital, The Hague. The World Socialist Web Site supports today's march in The Hague, in which thousands employed in the public sector, health and education will participate. The demonstration is part of a struggle for higher wages and better working conditions and against the years of cuts that have benefited the corporations and the rich. The protest is part of the growing opposition to such attacks around the world. Since the beginning of the year, tens of thousands of teachers in different states have been on strike in the US. On 15 August, almost 30,000 teachers in New Zealand held their first national strike since 1994. Other teachers' strikes, sometimes involving several hundred thousand participants, have taken place in Mexico, Argentina, Bangladesh and India. Resistance is also growing in other sections of the working class. Last Friday, cabin crews and pilots went on strike in six European countries against the low-wage policy of Ryanair. In the first half of the year, there have been strikes by metalworkers in Germany, railway workers in France, university lecturers in Britain and Amazon workers in Germany, Spain and Poland. Since the beginning of the year in the Netherlands, strikes are at the highest level since 1989. Most of those taking action have been primary school teachers who have repeatedly struck in their thousands against miserable wages and mounting work pressures. Break with the trade unions and build independent Committees of Action! There is an enormous gulf between workers and the organizations and unions mounting today's protest. While workers are determined to fight for an improvement in their wages and standard of living, the trade unions sell out these struggles and divert them into a nationalist dead end. A joint call from an alliance of 22 organisations and unions proclaims, "We jointly appeal to the cabinet to choose the police, defence, health care and education instead of foreign investors". Among the various groups involved are the various "in Actie" initiatives, the social democratic union alliance FNV, the military union ODB and the police union Malieveld 2.0. The claims by the unions that the liberal-conservative government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD) can pressured to change its ways through protests is fundamentally false. The governments abolition of dividend tax for financial institutions and large companies, while raising consumer taxes on medicine and food, shows that the ruling class intends to ram through its pro-corporate policies at the expense of working people. The Netherlands is already one of the most socially unequal countries in Western Europe. There are 112,000 millionaires among Holland's 4.8 million households containing two or more people. The richest 10 percent of the population control 68 percent of all wealth, or 726 billion euros, while the poorest 10 percent have debts of 65 billion euros. More than one million people are officially living in poverty in the Netherlands. Real wages are stagnating or falling. The unions are not opponents of this process but its pioneers. All the social cuts, job slashing and rotten labour contracts over the last decade were organised with their help. For example, the new collective agreement for primary school teachers provides an insulting increase of 2.5 percent and a single payment of 750 euros, which really amounts to a loss in real wages. The unions ignored the demands by primary school teachers for a wage increase of up to 30 percent and an improvement in working conditions. The new contract has also revealed the nature of the "in Actie" initiatives. They helped negotiate the sell-out and celebrate it as a success. After the dirty work was done, the leaders of "PO in Actie", Thijs Roovers and Jan van de Ven, announced their resignations on October 1. Neither of them represents the interests of ordinary teachers, but those of the trade unions and the government. Roovers has close ties to the FNV and the Christian Trade Union Confederation CNV and Van de Ven is a member of the governing party D66. Those who want to seriously fight against social devastation and for higher wages and better working conditions should form rank-and-file action committees, which are independent of the unions and the capitalist political parties they are aligned with. The committees, democratically controlled by and accountable to the rank and file, should establish contact with other sections of the working class in the Netherlands and internationally and organize strikes, protests and demonstrations against the assault of the global corporations and banks. The World Socialist Web Site, the online publication of the Fourth International, is published daily in 20 languages and offers its support in organizing resistance internationally. Fight for a socialist program! The fight for jobs, higher wages and better working conditions demands a broad political mobilisation of working people based on a revolutionary socialist program. The enrichment of a tiny minority, while millions of workers and their families go hungry, is the clearest evidence of the failure of capitalism. This is not only the case for the Netherlands. Worldwide, eight billionaires possess as much as the poorest half of the world's population, some 3.67 billion people. Protectionism, economic nationalism and militarism dominate world politics. Everywhere, the ruling class is encouraging extreme right-wing forces to push through its policy of militarism, increased state powers and social cutbacks against the resistance of the population. Under such conditions, those who claim that social achievements can be defended within the framework of capitalism, as do the unions and their political supporters, are lying. The fight for higher wages and better working conditions requires a socialist program that has as its aim the expropriation of the banks and corporations and their transformation into democratically controlled socialised property. The claim by the Rutte government that there is no money for social spending and education is an outright lie. On September 18, so-called "Prinsjesdag", when the King presented the government's program and budget for the coming year to parliament, a massive increase in military spending was proposed. The total budget for 2018-2019 of 10 billion Euros corresponds to approximately 1.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since the Netherlands, like all members of NATO, has committed itself to spending at least 2 percent of GDP on the military by 2024, defence spending will rise by another six billion in the coming years. Workers need their own party! Throughout Europe and internationally, the social democrats, Greens and official "left" parties have become an integral part of the bourgeois political set up. The Social Democratic PvdA has distinguished itself by pushing through social cuts over the last few years. In the wake of the international financial crisis in 2008, then party leader and Finance Minister Wouter Bos, handed more than 85 billion euros to the Dutch banks. The working class has been made to pay for this bailout through an orgy of cuts. The Social Democrats, whose vote collapsed in the last electionslosing 29 of their 38 parliamentary mandateshave played an active role in this social counter-revolution as a governing party. The last Rutte government contained six PvdA ministers, including Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who as chair of the Euro Group was responsible for organising the savage austerity measures imposed on Greece and throughout Europe. While the working class is moving to the left to find a way out of this morass, the entire political establishment is moving further to the right. This includes the Greens of GroenLinks, which held coalition talks with Rutte following the 2017 elections, and the ex-Maoist Socialist Party (SP), which increasingly orients itself to the nationalist and xenophobic extreme right. As in every country, the fight against social and political reaction demands one thing above all: the building of a new, independent socialist and internationalist party of the working class, a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). We stand in the tradition of the Left Opposition, which, under the leadership of Leon Trotsky, defended Marxism and socialist internationalism against the betrayals of Stalinism. 200 years after the birth of Karl Marx and 80 years after the founding of the Fourth International, only the world Trotskyist movement fights for a socialist program that unites the international working class in the struggle against social inequality, war and capitalism. We call on all workers, youth and progressive intellectuals to read the World Socialist Web Site and study the history of the Fourth International. Make contact with the European sections of the ICFI in Germany, Britain and France, and take up the fight to build a Socialist Equality Party in the Netherlands! Write to: sgp@gleichheit.de sep@socialequality.org.uk Across the United States, under cover of darkness, the government is rounding up immigrant children and sending them to a desert concentration camp in Tornillo, Texas, near the US-Mexico border. In recent weeks, hundreds have been transferred from foster shelters to Tornillo, where they live in tents, 20 to a room. The New York Times spoke with employees at shelters who described scenes that recall the most shameful episodes in American history, including the capture of fugitive slaves, the forced removal of Native Americans from their land, and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War Two. According to the Times, In order to avoid escape attempts, the moves are carried out late at night because children will be less likely to try to run away. For the same reason, children are generally given little advance warning that they will be moved. With the children in a panic, some shelter employees reportedly cry when officials descend upon their facilities. Others protest and raise concerns about the safety of the children at the desert concentration camp, to no avail. Children beg to know whether they will be taken care of at their new location. Phone numbers for their emergency contacts are written on belts tied around the childrens waists. Roughly 13,000 children are currently detained in shelters and immigration detention facilities nationwide, a record high. Conditions in immigration detention centers and shelters are deplorable, with children reporting cases of rape, sexual abuse and physical violence. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expanding the size of the Tornillo tent city, which currently houses 1,600 immigrant youth, to 4,000. Starting in November and extending through March, the average daily low temperature will be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The Trump administration will soon begin detaining children indefinitely, having pulled out of the Flores settlement, a court agreement that barred the government from detaining immigrant children for more than 20 days. The administration has also been arresting, detaining and deporting relatives of detained children who submitted official applications to sponsor the children. The midnight Gestapo-style roundup of children has been treated as a non-event by the two big business parties and the corporate media. Instead, the entire political and media establishment is focused exclusively on the allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford at a party in 1982, when they were both teenagers. The Democratic Partys focus on Kavanaughs alleged sexual assault is a deliberate effort to distract from his record as a defender of indefinite detention and torture under the Bush administration. Democrats have covered up the fact that in 2017 Kavanaugh ruled to deny a detained 17-year-old immigrant the right to abort a pregnancy on the grounds that immigrants are not entitled to basic rights. Speaking Saturday in Austin, Texas, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made revealing comments about the Democratic Partys midterm election strategy. She advised candidates not to focus on Trumps attacks on immigrants, explaining that calling for shutting down ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] merely serves the presidents purpose. According to the Texas Tribune, Pelosi said she has told Democratic candidates that focusing on the issue would waste energy. Despite its claims to be an anti-racist party, the Democratic Party is orienting itself toward Trumps anti-immigrant chauvinism. On September 26, nearly 70 percent of Democrats in the House of Representatives voted either yes or present on a resolution recognizing that allowing illegal immigrants the right to vote devalues the franchise and diminishes the voting power of the United States citizens. Keith Ellison, a leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, was among those who voted in favor of the anti-immigrant resolution. The same day as the congressional vote, Democratic California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a state bill that would have barred immigration officials from arresting immigrants at courthouses. Brown also extended the deployment of the states National Guard on the Mexican border. Following the Democrats lead, many political groups that call themselves socialist but in reality function as factions of the Democratic Party, have dropped the defense of immigrants. The International Socialist Organization has not published an article on the US governments attacks on immigrants since September 10. Socialist Alternative and Jacobin magazine, which is linked to the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), have not published articles on the US immigration situation since August 24 and August 22, respectively. The fall issue of the DSAs magazine Democratic Left does not include a single reference to the attacks on immigrants. The Socialist Equality Party views the defense of immigrants as an urgent question not only for immigrants themselves, but for the defense of the democratic rights of the working class as a whole. The attack on immigrants is an attack on the working class. There are 20 million undocumented immigrants in the US, comprising a significant section of the working population. While the ruling class seeks to divide different sections of workers against one another, the fight against corporate power and social inequality is impossible without the unity of immigrant and non-immigrant workers. Moreover, the police state methods currently employed against immigrants will be used against all workers and political opponents of the government. The federal government is building a network of concentration camps and empowering state agencies to break down doors, set up checkpoints, conduct military-style workplace raids and haul people off without due process. This is a powerful mechanism of state repression that the ruling class will use against striking workers and demonstrators. The defense of immigrant workers is necessary to establish the unity of the working class internationally. In almost every country, immigrants comprise a significant section of the working class, and everywhere their rights are under attack. In Germany, Poland, Hungary, Austria and across Europe, governments are adopting the anti-immigrant policies of neo-Nazi parties in an effort to pit workers against each other and block the growth of the class struggle. Nationalists like Bernie Sanders claim that immigrants weaken the position of the working class. To the contrary, the presence of large international populations within each country testifies to the global character of production and the global character of the working class. It reflects the objective identity of interests of workers of all countries and all national origins, who face the same conditions of exploitation at the hands of the same transnational corporations. Workers today have an unprecedented opportunity to open lines of communication between one another across national boundaries and strengthen their position against their common corporate enemies. The fight to secure the basic democratic and social rights of the working class requires a resolute defense of the rights of immigrants and unqualified opposition to all forms of racism and national chauvinism. The Socialist Equality Party demands: The immediate release all detained immigrants and the dismantling of immigrant concentration camps and prisons The abolition of ICE, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and all immigration-related enforcement agencies internationally The prosecution of all government officials responsible for jailing immigrants and immigrant children Immediate citizenship for all undocumented people wherever they reside The de-militarization of borders and dismantling of border checkpoints to allow free and safe passage The guaranteed right of workers to travel and move about the world as they please. Workers must revive the time-honored slogan An injury to one is an injury to all! This is a necessary prerequisite for the development of an international revolutionary socialist movement. Nearly a month has passed since top Stalinists associated with the Podemos leadership in Spain wrote an initial article endorsing the policies of the far-right-wing government in Italy. Since then, numerous members of Podemos have come out to defend this position, seeking to create a new movement based on nationalism, economic protectionism and appeals to the far right. Former Communist Party leader Julio Anguita, Podemos deputy Manuel Monereo, and law professor Hector Illuega published two articles in pro-Podemos online paper Cuarto Poder. The authors, all of whom are top associates of Podemos General Secretary Pablo Iglesias, hailed the Italian neo-fascists Dignity Decree as a remarkable effort to defend the Italian people against the lords of finance. They remained silent on Romes austerity policies, military intervention in Libya, terror campaign against the Roma and refugees, and threats of mass deportations. In a series of interviews, Monereo and Anguita defended their positions and denounced the political correctness of their critics. They have enjoyed wide press coverage in official media. In a Ctxt interview, Anguita asked how have the Spanish people benefited from the EU and called for an exit from the euro currency, saying: I want to regain sovereignty and the state, I want power to do something while cynically claiming not to be a nationalist. Similarly, Monereo told Cuarto Poder that the new movements aim is to change the [European Unions] fundamental treaties and the exit of the Euro, especially by the countries of the South. He attacked Germany, claiming that German Europe is breaking with a part of European history linked to the workers movement, to social rights, trade unions and popular sovereignty. Both Monereo and Anguita are quite open that the aim of their Initiative for the III Republic is to forge ties with the right and far-right. Monereo states that the III Republic will not only be for the left, it will be democratic federalist and defender of social rights and it will go beyond the left as we know it today. Similarly, Anguita says the new movement will be open to democratsbut not necessary from the left. The endorsements of xenophobic policies and far-right parties from within Podemos testifies to the bankrupt and reactionary character of Podemos, a coalition of Spanish Stalinism with Anticapitalistas, the Spanish allies of Frances Pabloite New Anti-capitalist Party (NPA). Stalinist, Pabloite and social democratic parties, as well as openly right-wing parties, have repeatedly enforced the interests of the financial markets and the European Unions (EUs) austerity diktat against bitter opposition from workers. This is again the case in Spain, where the Socialist Party (PSOE) minority government is supported by an alliance of the Stalinist-led United Left and Podemos. The PSOE government is adapting itself to EU budgetary austerity, military spending increases and the rapid turn to the right of the European bourgeoisie as a whole. Such policies have led to disastrous social conditions. More than 4 million people in Spain live in severe social exclusion, 40 percent more than 10 years ago, according to Caritas Spains latest report. There are 3 million unemployed, and a third of youth have no job. Across Europe, these betrayals have repulsed workers and youth, andabsent a visible socialist alternativedriven some angry and desperate sections of the population to vote for far-right parties. As far broader discontent provoked by deteriorating living standards and the extreme concentration of wealth emerges in the working class, sections of Podemos are responding by trying to channel this anger behind xenophobic Spanish nationalism. Even though Anguita and Monereo began by defending far-right Italian minister Matteo Salvinis policies, a number of Stalinists within Podemos have emerged to defend their position. The camp inside Podemos of what one Cuarto Poder reader aptly called the white-washers of the white-washers of Salvini is rapidly growing. Hugo Martinez Abarca, who was a member for two decades of the Stalinist-led United Left until he left to pursue a career within Podemos in 2015 as deputy in the Madrid regional assembly, posted an article under the title Republic or the Left: for a Patriotic Republicanism. He calls the left to abandon any left content related to a Third Republic demand, so it can be a transversal project for the country. Martinez, like Monereo and Anguita, makes clear that this new Republic will be compatible with right-wing politics: If there is an opportunity for the Republic to be the name of change, this passes through untying its identification with the left and fill it with content shared by large sectors [of the population]: to make political republicanism synonymous with institutional republicanism. The content would be democratic, ethical, modernising values, and above all, extraordinarily tied with the future. Clara Ramas, a professor at Complutense University of Madrid, which is close to Podemos, wrote a piece for Ctxt defending a new democratic patriotism, which speaks for law and order in a non-reactionary way, which offers security, welfare, belonging and protection. Salvador Arnal, another Stalinist university professor, defended Ramas in another article posted in Rebelion. He defends Ramass democratic patriotism, stating: Certainly in Spain a bloody counterrevolution triumphed, but not all the history of Spain in these last two centuries can be reduced to that triumph. That appeals to patriotism have been linked to repressive bodies such as the Civil Guard for about four decades [under the Franco dictatorship] does not mean that this has always been the case or that it always has to be so. He provides examples of democratic patriotism in the democratic-patriotic struggle of 1936-1939 against fascism and foreign intervention. He also hailed the supposedly progressive use of patriotism by Spanish Stalinists and Maoists under the Spanish fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco. These are anti-Trotskyist historical lies serving to cover up the rapid evolution of the Stalinist groups towards support for xenophobic positions and far-right organisations. The Stalinist promotion of nationalism during the Spanish Civil War, as well as during the fascist dictatorship that emerged from Francos victory in the war, was not a democratic and revolutionary policy. It was a defence of capitalist property against the repeated revolutionary uprisings of the working class during the Spanish Civil War and the workers deep opposition to the Franco regime. During the Civil War, based on their bloodthirsty opposition to socialist revolution, the Stalinists tortured, jailed and murdered Trotskyists and anarchists who opposed the Popular Front government of the Second Republic. Eighty years after the end of the Spanish Civil War, and a decade after the eruption of the 2008 global economic crisis, the calls for more nationalism and patriotism emerging from Podemos again reflect its bitter opposition to a political movement in the working class challenging European capitalism on the basis of a Trotskyist programme. While the working class is moving towards ever broader strike action and political opposition to the regime, Podemos and its allies are moving into the orbit of right-wing and even neo-fascistic tendencies. Workers at the US Steel Great Lakes Works in the Downriver Detroit suburb of Ecorse, Michigan stopped and spoke with Niles Niemuth, the Socialist Equality Partys (SEP) candidate for the 12th Congressional District in Michigan as they came off their shift Monday afternoon. Niles addressed the issues confronting steelworkers who have not had pay raises in years, and who face constant speedup and dangerous work conditions. Last month, 16,000 workers at steel mills across the country owned by US Steel voted unanimously to authorize the United Steelworkers union (USW) to call a strike. This was followed by a unanimous strike vote by 15,000 workers at ArcelorMittal, the worlds largest steel producer. The two companies made combined second-quarter profits of $2.1 billion, chiefly due to Trumps tariffs on foreign-made steel, corporate tax cuts and the wage freezes and other concessions agreed to by the USW in the last labor agreement. An estimated 1,400 workers are employed at US Steel Great Lakes Works, plus large numbers of lower-paid contractors who do not receive company-paid health care and other benefits. Niles with a steeworker We gave up huge concessions last time and we havent had a raise in three and a half years, one steelworker with 18 years at the mill told Niles. Its ridiculous. The companies are making billions. If it comes down to a strike, well do what we have to do. Ignoring the unanimous strike mandate by the membership, the USW has forced workers to labor for more than a month after the September 1 expiration of their contracts. The USW is telling workers that it must remain at the bargaining table even though the companies have doubled down on their concession demands, including sweeping cutbacks in health care benefits and the introduction of a second tier of lower-paid workers. Niles told workers that rank-and-file steelworkers should form factory committees, independent of the USW, to take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands. He said steelworkers should unite with autoworkers, teachers, UPS workers and others in a common fight. Niles explained that, as a socialist, he fights for US workers to unite with their class brothers and sisters internationally. I agree with uniting with workers all over the world, said Mary, another veteran steelworker. When I started here it was National Steel, she said, referring to the company that was owned by Japan-based Nippon Kokan before it went bankrupt and was sold off to US Steel. Things have changed drastically over the last two decades. Theyve combined lots of jobs and now one worker is doing the job that would have taken three workers before. Crane operators are always told to Hurry up, hurry up. But if you do one thing wrong they can fire you. That is the source of so many accidents. Here in Ecorse a contract worker was killed when his crane tipped over. One of our workers was crushed by a truck that was backing up on the loading dock. Management denied it but before her death they were always screaming, Get those trucks in and out of here as quick as you can. There have been so many accidents, you can hardly keep up with them, she concluded. A list of recent fatal accidents at the mill, including those noted by Mary, includes: In May 2017, a 32-year-old contractor for Mid-American Group fell to his death. On April 18, 2015, 41-year-old steelworker Heather D. Warren was killed as a semi-truck backing up with steel coils crushed her to death while she was acting as a spotter for another truck on the loading dock. Rather than holding US Steel accountable, the Wayne County prosecutor charged the driver, a contract worker, with manslaughter, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. On April 4, 2014, 36-year-old Chris Castro, a contractor with Connelly Crane and a father of three was killed when his crane tipped over near the number two oxygen furnace. In December 2013, Antonio Palazzolo, a 31-year-old US Steel employee and a father of two, was killed in an explosion when an oxygen furnace failed, causing 2,500-degree liquid metal to burn through a wall and onto a snowfield. Last year a Facebook post by a crane operator at the Ecorse mill who was hospitalized along with other coworkers after being exposed to deadly methyl mercaptan gas detailed the deadly conditions at the plant. The post by Nicolas Doyle, which was shared tens of thousands of times, exposed the callous indifference of management to health and safety, as well as the role of the USW, which functions as a tool of the corporation. SEP candidate at US Steel's Great Lakes Works Far from opposing these attacks, the USW has collaborated with the corporations Carnegie Way cost-cutting plans in the name of boosting US Steels competitiveness and profitability, while promoting the lie that Trumps trade war measures would benefit workers. During the last contract negotiations in 2015, the union blocked a strike by US Steel, ArcelorMittal and Allegheny Technologies workers and agreed to another sellout contract that further rolled back the living standards and conditions of workers. The USW is reprising its treacherous role in the current talks. On Saturday, afternoon, the USW reached a tentative agreement for a new four-year agreement with Cleveland Cliffs, North Americas largest producer of iron ore pellets. The company employs 1,800 USW taconite miners and iron ore processing workers in Minnesota and Michigan. The USW claims the new agreement is a landmark deal and Cleveland Cliffs compensated workers for the sacrifices the union agreed to in the last contract. CEO Lourenco Goncalves, however, sang a different tune, gloating in a statement that the deal provides Cliffs with a competitive cost structure for future success. He praised the USW, saying, This agreement once again reinforces that we have more in common with the USW than we have differences, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership. While full details are not yet available, this is no doubt another sweetheart deal that defends the corporation and the income and institutional interests of the USW bureaucracy. This is the first time the USW has settled with iron ore producers instead of the steelmakers first, and the concessions contained in the Cleveland Cliffs agreement will no doubt serve as a precedent for further cuts at US Steel and ArcelorMittal. Niles speaks to workers at shift change After speaking to workers at the US Steel mill, Niles told the World Socialist Web Site, Workers are angry that they are being kept on the job weeks after voting unanimously to strike. I made it clear to them that the United Steelworkers union was not on their side but was working with the company to push through another sellout contract. If workers are going to fight for good-paying and secure jobs and to end the deadly conditions in the steel mills, they are going to have to form rank-and-file factory committees to unite all steelworkers and other sections of the working class. Workers should also reject the America-First nationalism of Trump and the USW. Companies like US Steel and ArcelorMittal are transnational corporations and the only way they can be fought is through the international unity of the working class, the SEPs candidate concluded. Visit niles2018.com to donate and get involved in Niles campaign. TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bunker Hill Mining Corp. (the Company or Bunker Hill) (CSE: BNKR) announces that it is in default of its Lease with Option to Purchase Agreement (the Agreement) with Placer Mining Corporation, the lessor of the Bunker Hill Mine. The default has arisen as a result of missed property payments, totalling US$400,000, which were due at the end of September and on October 1, 2018. As per the Agreement, the Company has 15 days, from the date notice of default was provided (September 28, 2018), to remedy the default by making the outstanding payment. Bunker Hill is working with urgency to resolve this matter. About Bunker Hill Mining Corp. Bunker Hill Mining Corp. has an option to acquire 100% of the Bunker Hill Mine. The Bunker Hill Mine was the largest producing mine in the Coeur D'Alene zinc, lead and silver mining district in northern Idaho. Historically, the mine produced over 35M tons grading on average 8.76% lead, 3.67% zinc, and 155 g/t (4.52 ounces per ton) silver (Bunker Hill Mines Annual Report 1980). Information about the Company is available on its website, www.bunkerhillmining.com, or in the SEDAR and EDGAR databases. For additional information contact: Bruce Reid, Chief Executive Officer Nicholas Konkin, Marketing & Communications (647) 500-4495 (416) 567-9087 br@bunkerhillmining.com nk@bunkerhillmining.com Cautionary Statements Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as well as within the meaning of the phrase forward-looking information in the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 51-102 Continuous Disclosure Obligations. The forward looking statements made herein are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations or assumptions with respect to, among other things, the ability of the Company to successfully complete the acquisition of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the initial payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time, the Companys present and future financial condition, the Companys ability to secure financing, and the state of financial markets. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan, and may include statements regarding, among other things, the terms of the Bunker Hill Mine Complex acquisition and funding of the acquisition. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, project development, and the Companys financial condition and prospects, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: the inability of the Company to successfully acquire the Bunker Hill Mine Complex on the terms as announced or other satisfactory terms or at all, and fund the payments for which the Company does not have funds at this time; the inability of the Company to budget and manage its liquidity in light of the failure to obtain additional financing; the inability of the Company to develop or sustain an active public market for its securities; development of changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for precious metals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; operational difficulties encountered in connection with the activities of the Company; and other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements. These and other factors made in public disclosures and filings by the Company should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Companys forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. (CNN Money) -- Companies headquartered in California can no longer have all-male boards. That's according to a new law, enacted Sunday, which requires publicly traded firms in the state to place at least one woman on their board of directors by the end of 2019 or face a penalty. It also requires companies with five directors to add two women by the end of 2021, and companies with six or more directors to add at least three more women by the end of the same year. It's the first such law on the books in the United States, though similar measures are common in European countries. The measure was passed by California's state legislature last month. And it was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday, along with a trove of other bills that look to "protect and support women, children and working families," the governor's office said in a release. A majority of companies in the S&P 500 have at least one woman on their boards, but only about a quarter have more than two, according to a study from PwC. California state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson told The Wall Street Journal last month when the legislation passed that "one-fourth of California's publicly traded companies still do not have a single woman on their board, despite numerous independent studies that show companies with women on their board are more profitable and productive." "With women comprising over half the population and making over 70% of purchasing decisions, their insight is critical to discussions and decisions that affect corporate culture, actions and profitability," she told the outlet. Some see California's law as a crucial step toward establishing better parity in corporate leadership. But setting quotas can be controversial, Vicki W. Kramer, lead author of the landmark 2006 study, "Critical Mass on Corporate Boards," told CNN last month. Opponents argue that pressure from quotas will lead to unqualified female members and potential discrimination against male candidates. When quotas are not set, however, companies may fail to diversify their ranks. She points to more "aspirational" legislation in other states, like in Pennsylvania, where a 2017 resolution urged both public and private companies to have a minimum of 30% women on their boards by 2020. But without teeth in the law, Kramer said, better numbers won't follow. Kramer said California's legislation is weak compared to the laws in Norway and other European countries, which require a certain percentage of women on boards. For larger Norwegian companies, the legislation requires that women make up as much as 40% of the board. The-CNN-Wire & 2018 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. PARIS, Ill. (WTHI) - Employees at a Paris, Illinois restaurant were robbed at gunpoint. According to the Paris, Illinois Police Department, the employees at Wendy's were forced into a walk-in freezer, while two men robbed the store at gunpoint. It happened just before 10:00 on Monday night. Police say two men walked into the store and demanded money. Both men were described as being 5 foot 11 inches and 170 lbs, with medium builds. No customers were inside at the time. If you have any information, call Crime Stoppers at 812-238-STOP. Canadian high pressure will dominate our weather forecast for the weekend. This will bring our area some of the coldest mornings of the season so far. So, get ready for some frosty conditions. Radar Temperatures Severe Weather LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - Auto Parts Manufacturing Mississippi (APMM) is increasing production in Lee County and creating 50 jobs. This is a $100 million investment. The automotive supplier is located in Guntown and produces stamped auto parts, body weld parts and plastic parts. The companys expansion accommodates increased production for the 2019 Toyota Corolla, which is produced at Toyota Mississippi in Blue Springs. APMM is owned by Toyota Auto Body Co., LTD. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for workforce training. Lee County is providing assistance in the form of ad valorem tax exemptions. APMM currently employs approximately 400 workers in Lee County. The company expects to fill the new positions by December 2018. APMM is accepting applications through local employment agencies: Express Employment Professionals, Resource Manufacturing and Kelly Services. (CNN) -- Mature black bears can weigh up to 350 lbs., while brown bears can tip the scales at more than 1,000. But that did not stop two Alaska men from going after some big game over the weekend. It didn't go well. According to the state Department of Public Safety, the pair were hunting Saturday near Carter Lake south of Anchorage when they spied and shot a black bear on a ridge above them. The injured animal rolled down the slope, dislodging rocks along the way, straight for the two men. One hunter, 28-year-old William McCormick, was seriously injured when he was struck by both a rock and the tumbling bear, the DPS said. His 19-year-old hunting partner was unhurt. McCormick was rushed by helicopter to an Anchorage hospital with "life-threatening injuries," the DPS said. State officials said the bear, which weighed about 200 lbs., was killed. Both hunters are in the military and stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, an Air Force and Army base near Anchorage. According to the state Fish and Game Department, bears are "waddling fat" -- near the peak of their weight -- at this time of year as they prepare to hibernate in their dens during the winter. NORTH PORT, FL (WWSB) - A man who allegedly raped a woman at gunpoint then threw her off a bridge in Fort Myers has been arrested in Sarasota County. Melvin Williams was taken into custody in North Port after leaving a hotel in Port Charlotte. The sheriff's office says the 20-year-old registered sex offender was wanted on a warrant in Lee County for the alleged crime. Williams has a prior conviction from April 2017 of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12-years-old by an offender under 18-years-old. No further details were released. Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved. CLIMAX, Ga. (WTXL) - The Georgia Department of Transportation is reporting a fatal crash that is blocking all lanes on Old Pelham Road in Climax, Georgia. Officials say that all lanes are blocked on Old Pelham Road (SR 309 N) near Rob Dollar Road. They are encouraging drivers to find another route. There's no word on how many people were involved in the crash. GDOT reports that this is the second fatal crash in the southwest district within a matter of hours. In Donalsonville, GDOT reported a fatal crash on S.R. 91 N near Grady Cobb Road. That crash has since been cleared. "Too many families are going to be grieving," officials wrote. "Please slow down, wear your seat belt and pay attention to the road." (WTXL) - The Path 2 College 529 Plan is a college savings plan set up by the State of Georgia to help families save for college. There are even tax advantages. You get a state income tax deduction up to $4,000 per beneficiary per year for just putting money into the savings account. And then when the money is used for college, it comes out federal and state-tax free. TAYLOR COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - Troopers say a 78-year-old man was killed in Perry Monday night after his car hit a tree, overturned, and burst into flames. The Florida Highway Patrol says that the accident happened on Monday around 10:45 p.m. They say 78-year-old Frank Riston from The Villages, Florida was traveling southwest on Beach Road when he failed to turn with a curve where Adams Beach Road intersects. The car then traveling on the shoulder where it went into the woods and crashed head-on with a large tree. After the inital impact, the car spun around counterclockwise as it overturned onto its right side. FHP says the car somehow caught fire and was engulfed in flames. The Taylor County Fire Department responded to extinguish the fire. Riston was pronounced dead on scene. ROCKVILLE, Md., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Kidney Fund (AKF) will host its 10th annual gala, The Hope Affair, on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. The Hope Affair brings together patients, members of the kidney care community, advocates and policymakers to celebrate inspirational individuals whose lives have been impacted by kidney disease. With a theme of Empower-Fight-Honor, the event will highlight the transformative power of kidney transplants and AKFs lifesaving programs which have helped hundreds of dialysis patients across the country receive transplants so far this year. The Hope Affair will be emceed by Emmy Award-winning FOX 5 news anchor Shawn Yancy and will honor: Ronald Krokey, a kidney transplant recipient from Woodstock, Georgia. A dialysis patient for more than 16 years before his transplant, Krokey is a passionate advocate for patients as part of his regional ESRD Network and a member of AKFs Advocacy Network. He has helped patients overcome feelings of powerlessness and depression by writing them inspirational letters, and has provided training in his former clinic on physical fitness and preventing infections. Krokey, an AKF grant recipient who credits AKFs help in keeping him insured so he could get get his transplant, will receive the 2018 American Kidney Fund Hero of Hope award, one of the highest honors given to a kidney patient in the United States. a kidney transplant recipient from Woodstock, Georgia. A dialysis patient for more than 16 years before his transplant, Krokey is a passionate advocate for patients as part of his regional ESRD Network and a member of AKFs Advocacy Network. He has helped patients overcome feelings of powerlessness and depression by writing them inspirational letters, and has provided training in his former clinic on physical fitness and preventing infections. Krokey, an AKF grant recipient who credits AKFs help in keeping him insured so he could get get his transplant, will receive the 2018 American Kidney Fund Hero of Hope award, one of the highest honors given to a kidney patient in the United States. Juan Calle , an Atlanta restaurateur and entrepreneur who lost his sister Laura to kidney disease in 2017. Calle is honoring her memory by competing in IRONMAN triathlons to fundraise for AKF. He will receive the 2018 American Kidney Fund KidneyNation Excellence Award for raising awareness of kidney disease and the need for kidney donors in his community and raising over $38,000 to support AKF programs and services in Lauras memory. , an Atlanta restaurateur and entrepreneur who lost his sister Laura to kidney disease in 2017. Calle is honoring her memory by competing in IRONMAN triathlons to fundraise for AKF. He will receive the 2018 American Kidney Fund KidneyNation Excellence Award for raising awareness of kidney disease and the need for kidney donors in his community and raising over $38,000 to support AKF programs and services in Lauras memory. DeNahri Middleton, a 7-year-old from Jackson, Mississippi, who was born with a serious kidney condition and had a kidney removed when he was just five months old. Middletons drawing of a superhero named Kidney Man won the most votes in an online contest to select the cover art for AKFs 2019 calendar. Special guests to be recognized at the event include Kenneth Walker and Charles Ball, 1969 graduates from Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., whose improbable story of a living kidney donation began with an email plea. The story of Walker and Ballvirtual strangers who barely knew one another in high schoolwill be told by their transplant surgeon, Dr. Keith Melancon of George Washington University Hospital. As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Hope Affair, we once again pay tribute to some exceptional individuals who are changing peoples lives through their courage and selflessness in the fight against kidney disease, said LaVarne A. Burton, president and chief executive officer of the American Kidney Fund. Their inspirational stories are a fitting backdrop for an evening that is all about empowering people with knowledge, fighting kidney disease on every front, and honoring the strength, courage and heroic effort it takes to live with kidney disease every day. AKF gives real hope to people living with kidney disease and kidney failure, said Robert M. Tarola, chair of AKFs board of trustees and a transplant recipient who received a kidney from his brother 36 years ago. In addition to all AKF does in education, prevention, advocacy and clinical research, our financial assistance programs help make it possible for many patients to afford treatment, including kidney transplants--something that would be financially impossible for them without AKFs help. All proceeds raised through The Hope Affair will support the programs and services of the American Kidney Fund, the nations largest nonprofit serving people with and at risk for kidney disease. Kidney disease affects 30 million Americans, with many millions more at risk. In 2017, the American Kidney Fund provided treatment-related financial assistance to more than 93,000 U.S. dialysis and transplant patients, and provided free kidney health screenings to 12,000 at-risk people in 25 cities nationwide. We are so grateful to the generous sponsors whose support funds our education, prevention and financial assistance efforts, Burton said. We are proud to spend 97 cents of every donated dollar on patients and programs. The Hope Affair 2018 is made possible thanks to generous lead support from Gold Sponsor American Renal Associates and Silver Sponsor Satellite Healthcare, and many other corporate sponsors. A full sponsor listing can be found at TheHopeAffair.org. About the American Kidney Fund As the nations leading nonprofit working on behalf of the 30 million Americans with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund is dedicated to ensuring that every kidney patient has access to health care, and that every person at risk for kidney disease is empowered to prevent it. AKF provides a complete spectrum of programs and services: prevention outreach, top-rated health educational resources, and direct financial assistance enabling 1 in 5 U.S. dialysis patients to access lifesaving medical care, including dialysis and transplantation. AKF holds the highest ratings from the nations charity watchdog groups, including Charity Navigator, which includes AKF on its top 10 list of nonprofits with the longest track records of outstanding stewardship of the donated dollar, and GuideStar, which has awarded AKF its Platinum Seal of Transparency. For more information, please visit KidneyFund.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Attachment TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The final two employees accused of stealing more than $45,00 from the Tallahassee J.C. Penney store have been arrested. Khaleb L. Coleman, 19, and Anthony Lavone Forrest, 23, were booked into the Leon County Detention Center on Monday, and each was released on a $2,500 bond. They were arrested by Leon County Sheriff's deputies. The arrests of Coleman and Forrest follows those of three 18-year-olds arrested earlier in the case: Taylor Andrews, Rayanne Eckerberg-Wings and Kyle McMillian. Multiple JCPenny employees arrested after stealing more than $45k from store TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Multiple Tallahassee JCPenny employees were arrested after admitting to stealing money from the store, totaling over $45,000. Taylor Andrews, 18, and Ryanne Eckerberg-Wings, 18 were arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office and Kyle McMillian, 18, was arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department on Friday. Andrews' mugshot has been exempt due to Florida Statue 119.071. Anthony Forrest, 23, and Khaleb Coleman, 19, have not been arrested yet. On Sept. 10, an asset protection employee of JCPenny sent TPD an email listing the suspected employees involved in stealing money from the store. The next day, the employee told officers how the fraud was taking place. According to the employee, when a customer would come in and make a purchase with cash, the suspected employees would make a copy of the receipt. The following day, they would enter the information into JCPenny's system from the sale's receipt and pocket the refunds in cash. All of the suspected employees each had their own login for the system and JCPenny did not become aware of the situation until some customers returned to the store to return their items. When JCPenny checked the sold items, they learned they had already been returned with the refunds given back. JCPenny did reimburse the customers for the items. The asset protection employee turned over files for the five suspected employees, which included receipts, statements, and the amount of each person's theft, which are as follows: Andrews total amount of theft: $12,671 Eckerberg-Wings total amount of theft: $8,000 Forrest total amount of theft: $5,309 McMillian total amount of theft: $15,208 Coleman total amount of theft: $4,504 The total amount of theft from the five employees was $45,692. TPD then conducted interviews with each of the five employees. Andrews admitted to officers he took $7,671 in cash and either taking or giving to friends or family $5,000 in merchandise. Eckerberg-Wings admitted to either taking or giving friends $6,000 in merchandise and taking $2,000 in cash. According to Eckerberg-Wings and Andrews, the theft didn't start until June 2018 and continued to Sept. 11. Forrest admitted to taking $1,809 in cash, $2,500 in merchandise, and $1,000 worth of merchandise that he passed off to friends. McMillian admitted to taking around $4,000 in cash, $1,500 worth of merchandise, and giving away around $3,000 worth of merchandise. Of the $15,208 he's accused of stealing, McMillian only admitted to taking $8,500. Coleman admitted to taking $4,104 in cash theft involving returns and around $400 in merchandise. Based on their admission, they are all being charged with organized scheme to defraud under $20,000. Andrews, Eckerberg-Wings, and McMillian were all taken to the Leon County Detention Facility and placed on $2,500 bond. All three have since bonded out. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 05:50:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close OTTAWA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday said the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) signed Sunday night is a good deal for the three countries. The USMCA came in the final hours before the deadline for Canada to come on board a renegotiated trilateral deal. It will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) once fully ratified. At a press conference held in Ottawa Monday noon, Trudeau described the USMCA in principle as a preservation of many aspects of the NAFTA. He said the USMCA will modernize and stabilize the economy for the 21st century, and guarantee a higher standard of living for Canadians for the long term. Striking the deal was no easy feat and Canada got there by maintaining its focus and collective resolve, Trudeau said, defending his negotiating team's concessions on the dairy sector, and promising to address the "anxiety" with adequate compensation for affected farmers and to protect the supply management system. Noting that the agreement must still be ratified by the three countries, Trudeau said the tentative deal means economic stability for the continent. Before the press conference, Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who led the Canadian team of negotiators throughout the trilateral talks, spent Monday morning briefing premiers of Canadian provinces about the details of the new agreement which is expected to have an impact across industries and regions of the country. The Canadian prime minister is set to hold a cabinet meeting Monday afternoon. It will be the second cabinet meeting in less than 24 hours after Sunday night's 10:00 p.m.(local time) gathering of federal ministers when news began to break of a new deal on the table. Monday morning, Trudeau spoke by phone with U.S President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. In the talks, according to the Canadian Prime Minister Office, Trudeau and his North American counterparts praised the deal, and stressed how the deal will bring the countries closer and enhance North American competitiveness. The leaders of the three countries are expected to convene before the end of November to sign the deal, which will allow outgoing Nieto to sign the new agreement before his successor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office in December. | 2018-10-02 06:08:33|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ALGIERS, Oct 1 (Xinhua) -- A majority of the Algerian lower house of parliament decided on Monday to freeze all activities until the parliament speaker Said Bouhadja resigns. The request for Bouhadja to step down was signed by 351 lawmakers in the 460-seat parliament, mainly from five groups including the National Liberation Front and the National Democratic Rally, in addition to some pro-regime parties and independent parliament members. They claimed to have observed "overruns and violations" in the legislative institution, namely "intentional postponement of the adoption of the assembly's statutes, marginalization of the members of the Judicial Committee, mismanagement of the assembly's affairs, exaggerated expenses disbursed illegally, and dubious recruitment." The speaker of the lower house of parliament was elected by secret ballot. In an interview with the local El-Khabar newspaper on Monday, Bouhadja said the request was motivated by "incorrect and malicious purposes." "I will not resign unless I am convinced that I have made mistakes," he said, adding that "the dismissal could only be accepted when it comes from above," referring to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. | 2018-10-02 06:32:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TUNIS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A five-member cell involved in financing Tunisian militants operating in Syria was dismantled in the provinces of Kef and Zaghoua, the Tunisian Interior Ministry said Monday. The five individuals were detained with a large sum of money in foreign currency and Tunisian dinars seized with them, said the ministry. Kef Province is located in northwestern Tunisia and Zaghouan Province to the southeast of the capital Tunis. In 2017, the German research center Firil said in its annual reports that 12,800 Tunisians, of whom 5,100 were killed, had been fighting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since 2011, the sixth most among foreign terrorists in the war-torn country. | 2018-10-02 06:51:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close by Tao Jun, Thanh Xuan HANOI, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- In front of a monument with the inscription in red paint "Chinese martyrs are immortal," a group of around 40 people bowed their heads in silence. On Sunday, dressed in black and white, the representatives from the Embassy of China in Vietnam, Chinese enterprises, students and media, led by Yin Haihong, Charge d'Affaires of the embassy, accompanied by local officials, stepped upward in sequence to offer incenses in a memorial ceremony to mark the Chinese Martyrs' Day which falls on Sept. 30. At the cemetery in Gia Lam district, some 15 km from downtown Hanoi, rest in peace 49 Chinese martyrs, who were military advisors, members of a logistic detachment and bridge engineers that helped Vietnam during its war against foreign invaders. They were among over 1,400 Chinese martyrs laid to rest in different cemeteries in 22 provinces across northern and central Vietnam, according to the embassy. Some 60 years ago, more than 320,000 Chinese were sent to help Vietnam defend its independence and territory upon the request of Vietnam. In the shade of mango and litchi trees, the 49 graves staying in rows are all built with black granite. "We are extremely grateful for the sacrifice of Chinese martyrs who devoted their lives to Vietnam's independence and the precious friendship between the two countries," Tran Thi Phuong, 42, vice chairwoman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations told Xinhua on Sunday. Phuong noted that local authorities conduct regular maintenance every three to four months and large-scale upgrade every three to four years to ensure the cemetery is always in good condition. "Worshipping the graves is one way to show our respect to the heroes who gave us a helping hand during the country's darkest time," she said. Nguyen Xuan Canh, 55, a Vietnamese veteran who has served as a custodian at the cemetery for over eight years, told Xinhua that the work is meaningful to him. Canh leads a group of 15 people, all in their 40s or more, starting a day at 7:30 a.m. with sweeping and weeding the graves. Some of them are responsible for securing the cemetery. "We try to keep the cemetery as clean as possible, all year around," Canh said, with his eyes looking far beyond the graves, adding that he was happy as he could pay tribute to the Chinese comrades. Besides Chinese delegations who usually visit the cemetery on occasions like Chinese Martyrs' Day and Qingming Festival, Vietnamese people usually come to visit, offering incenses and fresh flowers on the 1st and 15th day of a lunar month or on lunar holidays, Canh said. "The current development of China-Vietnam relations has proved that blood of Chinese martyrs was not spilt in vain," Yin said. Nowadays, the two countries actively support each other, constantly strengthen the traditional friendship and promote the stable development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, she noted. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (L) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland (R) speak at a press conference to announce the new USMCA trade pact between Canada, the United States, and Mexico in Ottawa, October 1, 2018. (Photo by PATRICK DOYLE / AFP) VANCOUVER, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- After years of calling the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) the "single worst deal ever approved," U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration reached a deal to entrench NAFTA under a new name with marginal adjustments. On Monday, the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the U.S. announced a deal in principle called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The tri-lateral trade pact will replace and modernize the 24-year-old NAFTA. Following more than a year of tense and often cantankerous negotiations, the three countries reached understandings in key areas, including rules of origin for automotive manufacturing, agriculture, labor, intellectual property rights, culture, and dispute settlement. Canada lauded the deal at home for ensuring that no U.S. tariffs would impact Canadian auto and auto parts exports. Many elements of the original NAFTA were preserved and the deal doesn't have many big shocks, said John Ries, an international trade expert at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver - home to Canada's largest port. "A lot of the important issues were laid out in the [U.S.' s earlier] agreement with Mexico," he told Xinhua in an interview. He said one of the more significant elements of the deal from a Canadian perspective is the inclusion of 75 percent local content in the auto sector, which also guarantees that a certain number of vehicles must be built in high-wage factories. "That's a pretty big change for the auto companies and very much... hurts Mexico and helps the U.S. and Canada," he said. He said the deal will keep auto production alive in the Canadian and U.S. manufacturing hubs will likely keep prices high for consumers. Another sticking point had been Canada's supply-managed dairy industry, which has been mostly protected from U.S. products via production quotas and tariff program. The U.S. had routinely said they wanted the Canadian supply management system dismantled. In the new deal, American dairy producers will get access to only 3.6 percent of the Canadian market. "It was pretty obvious that we would have to give a bit on [dairy], and we actually gave on it in the original Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)," Ries said, referring to the 12-nation free trade pact that includes Japan, Vietnam, Canada and other Pacific nations. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the TPP last year. Chapter 19, the main dispute settlement process in NAFTA, was kept intact, but drafted under a different chapter. Ries said the Canadian negotiators had been insistent on that point. In Washington, President Trump said he plans to sign the new trade deal by the end of November. "It's my great honor to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand-new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA... with an incredible new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement called USMCA," Trump said at the White House. "I plan to sign the agreement by the end of November. I then will submit it for approval to Congress, where, in theory, there should be no trouble," he said. U.S. and Canadian negotiators made the final push this weekend to reach an agreement before a midnight Sunday deadline, allowing leaders from the three countries to sign the new trade pact by late November. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday called the deal good for Canada's middle class. "The agreement-in-principle we reached today is good for Canada, good for Canadian businesses, and most importantly, good for Canadian workers and their families," he said in a statement. "When this improved agreement is implemented, North American trade will be preserved and modernized for the 21st century - just as we set out to do." The U.S. administration said Monday, however, that it would keep in place tariffs against Canadian steel and aluminum imports, one of the key weapons the Trump administration used as leverage during the negotiations that took more than a year. "That kind of surprises me," Ries said. "I don' t think it would hold up to scrutiny that they' re necessary for U.S. national security. That is being challenged in the WTO." As for the name change from NAFTA, Ries said it probably has mostly to do with Trump's ego. "It just seems to be a thing Trump had about hating NAFTA, and the association of NAFTA being the worst trade deal the U.S. has ever made," he said. "I think it was just a Trump vanity thing that he wanted to give it his own name." The U.S. and Mexico are, respectively, Canada's first-and third-largest merchandise trading partners in the world, while Canada is respectively the second-and fifth-largest merchandise trading partner of the U.S. and Mexico - and the largest export market for the U.S. Last year, trilateral trade between the countries reached nearly 1.1 trillion USD, more than a three-fold increase since 1993, according to Canadian government figures provided to the media. English French GENFIT: New data to be presented at 2018 AASLD meeting, ahead of key results expected in 2018 and 2019 KOL event to be held ahead of expected data release with elafibranor in PBC by end of 2018 (Phase 2) and in NASH end of 2019 (Phase 3) Confirmation of the diagnostic performance of NIS4 algorithm in identifying NASH patients eligible to therapeutic intervention Elafibranor's potential as cornerstone drug in combination therapies for NASH confirmed with new data New data indicating elafibranor's potential in treating hepatic cancer (HCC) Bioinformatics approaches based on deep learning methods paving the way for automatization of histological NASH diagnosis Lille (France), Cambridge (Massachusetts, United States), October 2, 2018 - GENFIT (Euronext: GNFT - ISIN: FR0004163111), is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drug candidates and diagnostic solutions targeting liver diseases, in particular those of metabolic origin, and hepatobiliary diseases today announces its participation in The Liver Meeting, the annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in San Francisco, November 9-13, 2018. Abstracts are available on the meeting's website. The Liver Meeting is one of the most important congresses organized for the medical and scientific community specializing in hepatology worldwide. It brings together more than 10,000 scientists, gastroenterologists and hepatologists. Update on NASH landscape The 2018 edition of AASLD comes after the recent publication of a number of early-stage clinical study results, and importantly ahead of 2019, expected to bring significant catalysts in the NASH space. To date, only three programs globally have finalized the enrollment of their Phase 3 cohorts in NASH (Subpart H), paving the way for first late stage data readouts in 2019. GENFIT's elafibranor is one of the aforementioned programs having the potential to be part of a first set of marketing approvals to offer clinicians the first therapeutic solutions for treating NASH (other molecules may follow only a few years later). It is also ideally positioned to potentially cover the widest spectrum of NASH patients, based on compelling Phase 2 data (Ratziu et al., Gastroenterology, 2016) that have shown elafibranor's potential to combine: Efficacy on "NASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis" (26% vs 5%; p-value 0,02), the biopsy-based regulatory endpoint for market approval that addresses the underlying cause of disease progression; Beneficial cardiovascular profile (LDL, TG, HDL, insulin resistance), known to be crucial for NASH patients; Clean safety and tolerability, essential for a chronic and silent condition like NASH. Ahead of next year's data readout in NASH with elafibranor, GENFIT is expected to make several announcements over the next few months in the field of PBC, NASH and fibrosis: Elafibranor Phase 2 data readout in PBC by year end 2018; Launch of a Phase 2 proof of concept study of nitazoxanide in NASH fibrosis; Enrollment of the first pediatric NASH patient: elafibranor is the first and only molecule to be evaluated in pediatric NASH after having shown safety and efficacy in a Phase 2 trial on adult NASH patients; Regulatory and commercial development milestones of the In Vitro Diagnostic test aimed at identifying NASH patients to be considered for treatment. Events during AASLD Prior to the new Phase 2 clinical data for elafibranor in PBC by year end 2018, GENFIT will hold a NASH/PBC KOL Meeting during AASLD, providing financial analysts and institutional investors a unique opportunity to understand how medical and scientific opinion leaders approach the challenges posed by these diseases and how they evaluate the potential of diagnostic and therapeutic solutions currently under development. GENFIT will continue to engage with key stakeholders in order to move forward with the set up of its first Market Access Advisory Board that will be held in January next year. Early payer research already points to the strong differentiation of elafibranor. Following the success of the 1st International NASH Day, GENFIT will host the first steering committee aimed at preparing the 2019 edition. It will be organized together with learned societies and patients associations who are expected to play an increasingly important leadership role. Feedback from the satisfaction survey run over the summer will help further increase the scale of the next edition. From November 10 to 12, GENFIT will be present at the "Moscone North and South Convention Center" exhibition hall, allowing all scientific and medical staff attending the event to keep informed on the ongoing R&D programs. The institutional booth #635 and The NASH Education Program booth #244 will welcome meeting attendees. New data presented during the Liver Meeting: NASH Diagnostic: oral presentation, Sunday, November 11 The NIS-4 algorithm - non-invasive score combining circulating levels of miR-34a, Alpha2-macroglobulin, YKL-40 and HBA1c - is confirmed as a powerful NASH diagnostic tool to identify patients with active NASH (NAS>=4) and significant fibrosis (F>=2) irrespective of patient sex, age, obesity or type of diabetes. "NIS4 for the detection of active NASH (NAS>=4) and significant fibrosis (F>=2) in 714 patients at risk of NASH: diagnostic metrics are not affected by age, sex, presence of type 2 diabetes or obesity", R. Hanf et al. (Abstract 142) Treatment with elafibranor: "Poster of distinction" and poster, Friday, November 9 New anti-NASH treatment combinations, using elafibranor - "first-in-class" PPAR alpha and delta receptor agonist - as backbone, were studied in in vitro and in vivo NASH models, associating it with an acetyl-CoA carboxylase inhibitor. A complementary and synergistic action was observed on fatty acid catabolism accompanied by resolution of liver steatosis. In addition, elafibranor counteracted the ACC inhibitor-induced hypertrigliceridemia. "Elafibranor synergizes with ACC inhibitors to enhance fatty acid catabolism and reduce steatosis in the liver of a NASH model", V. Legry et al. (Abstract 732) As NASH is projected to become the most common risk factor for HCC, this in vivo study has shown that preneoplastic lesion development was prevented to a significant extent upon elafibranor treatment in rodent model. In addition, elafibranor directly reduced tumor cell proliferation. "Elafibranor administration prevents liver tumor development in mouse models of NASH", P. Parroche et al. (Abstract 737) NASH diagnosis through deep learning: Poster, Saturday, November 10 The study has shown that scoring systems based on deep-learning methods showed similar results as with human evaluation which could facilitate the analysis of preclinical and, in the future, clinical NASH patients' biopsies. GENFIT's technology could also assist experts in better interpreting certain specific regions of cells in histological samples that are difficult to interpret. "A rapid and reproducible quantification of ballooning and inflammation using a deep-learning approach and comparison with manual scoring", E. Perspicace et al. (Abstract 1298) About elafibranor Elafibranor is GENFIT's lead pipeline product. Elafibranor is an oral once-daily treatment, and a first-in-class drug acting via dual peroxisome proliferator-activated alpha/delta pathways developed to treat, in particular, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Elafibranor is believed to address multiple facets of NASH, including inflammation, insulin sensitivity, lipid/metabolic profile, and liver markers. Elafibranor also presents a particularly interesting profile to potentially treat PBC, a rare liver disease. About NASH "NASH", or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, is a liver disease characterized by an accumulation of fat (lipid droplets), along with inflammation and degeneration of hepatocytes. The disease is associated with long term risk of progression to cirrhosis, a state where liver function is diminished, leading to liver insufficiency, and also progression to liver cancer. About PBC "PBC", or Primary Biliary Cholangitis, is a chronic disease in which bile ducts in the liver are gradually destroyed. The damage to bile ducts can inhibit the liver's ability to rid the body of toxins, and can lead to scarring of liver tissue known as cirrhosis. About GENFIT GENFIT is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing drug candidates and diagnostic solutions targeting liver diseases, in particular those of metabolic origin, and hepatobiliary diseases. GENFIT's concentrates its R&D efforts in areas of high unmet medical needs corresponding to a lack of approved treatments. GENFIT's lead proprietary compound, elafibranor, is a drug candidate currently being evaluated in one of the most advanced Phase 3 studies worldwide ("RESOLVE-IT") in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), considered by regulatory authorities as a medical emergency because it is silent, with potentially severe consequences, and with a prevalence on the rise. It is also evaluated in a Phase 2 study in Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC), a rare liver disease. As part of its comprehensive approach to clinical management of NASH patients, GENFIT is conducting an ambitious discovery and development program aimed at providing patients and physicians with a blood-based test for the diagnosis of NASH, i.e. non-invasive and easy-to-access. With facilities in Lille and Paris, France, and Cambridge, MA (USA), the Company has approximately 130 employees. GENFIT is a public company listed in compartment B of Euronext's regulated market in Paris (Euronext: GNFT - ISIN: FR0004163111). www.genfit.com Forward Looking Statement / Disclaimer This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, these forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including related to biomarkers, progression of, and results of clinical data from, the RESOLVE-IT trial and the trial of elafibranor in PBC, review and approvals by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding in particular, elafibranor in NASH and PBC, as well as other drug candidates in other indications and biomarkers candidates, the success of any inlicensing strategies, the Company's continued ability to raise capital to fund its development, as well as those discussed or identified in the Company's public filings with the AMF, including those listed in Section 4 "Main Risks and Uncertainties" of the Company's 2017 Registration Document registered with the French Autorite des marches financiers on April 27, 2018 under n R.18-032, which is available on GENFIT's website (www.genfit.com) and on the website of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and as updated by the 2018 Half Year Business and Financial Report and available on the Investors page of GENFIT's website. Other than as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. This press release and the information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe to shares in GENFIT in any country. This press release has been prepared in both French and English. In the event of any differences between the two texts, the French language version shall supersede. CONTACT GENFIT | Jean-Francois Mouney - Chairman & CEO | +333 2016 4000 PRESS RELATIONS | Bruno Arabian - Ulysse Communication | +336 8788 4726 GENFIT | 885 Avenue Eugene Avinee, 59120 Loos - FRANCE | +333 2016 4000 | www.genfit.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 06:55:34|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, President of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, briefs the media at the UN headquarters in New York on Oct. 1, 2018. Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces on Monday concluded the General Debate of the UNGA's 73rd session, saying it was wrapped up on "a high note." (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces on Monday concluded the General Debate of the 73rd session of the assembly, saying it was wrapped up on "a high note." In her closing speech to the world leaders attending the debate, Espinosa said "each one of us could say with honesty that we are wrapping up this General Debate on a high note with the satisfaction of job well done." Expecting the past week to set the tone for the work and agenda of the assembly in the coming year, she summarized its seven outcomes, with the first one being the global reflection on the role of the UN and the reflection on the importance of multilateralism as the only viable response to the problems facing mankind. Secondly, she noted the UN had been a home for all nations this past week by creating a space for them "to deepen bilateral ties and to strengthen political and regional groups." Thirdly, the UNGA chief noted, the representatives of member states shared visions and experiences on issues of common interest, and more than 400 side events took place along the General Debate. In addition, she mentioned four other strategic outcomes of the assembly's high-level week: two political declarations on Tuberculosis and non-communicable disease, the progress in signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, member states' sharing of national or regional successes and challenges, and the participation of hundreds of activists. She also expressed gratitude to the 77 heads of state and 44 heads of government as well as other high-level representatives who participated in this year's discussions. Although the speakers sent diverse messages from the podium, there were many points of convergence and similarity as well as many shared concerns. Issues popping up repeatedly throughout the debate were defense of multilateralism, promotion of sustainable development, fight against climate change, celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and investment in conflict prevention and mediation. "This marks only the beginning of the 73rd session," said Espinosa, expressing her hope that "the enthusiasm and efficiency which have been the hallmark of this week will last the whole course of the year." The General Debate started last Tuesday and lasted until Monday with Sunday off. A total of 196 representatives, including 193 from member states and three from permanent observers, spoke at its podium. In the meantime, a number of high-level meetings were held during the week, including Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, as well as meetings of Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Action for Peacekeeping, Commemoration and Promotion of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Fight to End Tuberculosis, and Comprehensive Review of the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. World leaders also held bilateral and multilateral meetings to build ties and make headway in the multilateral agenda and strengthen regional and bilateral relationships. | 2018-10-02 07:39:04|Editor: ZD Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday announced the appointment of Joanne Adamson of Britain as his new deputy special representative in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Adamson succeeds Koen Davidse of the Netherlands, who completed his assignment on Sept. 30. "The secretary-general is grateful to Mr. Davidse for his important contribution to the work of MINUSMA," said a press release. "Ms. Adamson brings 30 years as a leader and policy specialist in peace and security, with extensive experience in diplomacy, political affairs and analysis, multilateral negotiations and conflict resolution with the European Union, the United Nations, and the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom," it said. Adamson used to serve as the deputy head of delegation of the European Union to the UN, and British ambassador to Mali and Niger. She has also served with UN peacekeeping, including at the headquarters and with the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Born in 1967, Adamson holds a Master's degree from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Cambridge. She is fluent in Arabic and French. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 09:22:13|Editor: ZD Video Player Close CANBERRA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Australia has experienced its driest September on record, extending the nation's drought. Blair Trewin, a senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), confirmed that the nation received less than a third of the average September rainfall and that the month was the second-driest single month on record behind only April, 1902. "Below average rainfall covered almost the entire country," Trewin told Fairfax Media on Monday night. The poor September means that Australia is on-track to record its third-driest calendar year on record behind 1902 and 1965. It came as much of the nation was desperate for rain to break the worst drought in five decades. Melbourne didn't have a single day with more than five millimeters of rain in September, the second time it has happened since 1855. In New South Wales (NSW), September brought less than half the normal rainfall. Trewin said that the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia's food bowl, was on track to have its driest calendar year since 1902. "The signal in the outlook (from October to December) that's really strong is warmth," Trewin said. Daytime temperatures in September were 1.41 degrees Celsius above the average between 1961 and 1990. Trewin said that 2018 was likely to be among top 10 years for average temperature. Bushfire season has begun early across much of Australia as a result of a warm, dry winter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 09:21:00|Editor: ZD Video Player Close CANBERRA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The value of Australia's coal exports is set to drop 18 percent by 2020, government projections have revealed. The September quarterly export report, released by the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science on Tuesday, found that Australia's export revenues would lead 11 percent to an all-time high 252 billion Australian dollars (182 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018-19. However, the boost will be short-lived with the value of the country's top export earners, coal and iron ore, set to decline. Projections in the report found that the value of coal exports would drop 18 percent from 60.8 billion Australian dollars (43.9 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018-2019 to 49.9 billion Australian dollars (36 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019-2020. Iron ore exports are expected to drop 7.8 percent from 60.4 billion Australian dollars (43.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018-2019 to 55.7 billion Australian dollars (40.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019-2020. "The iron ore price is forecast to decline modestly over the next two years, as Chinese steel output eases and world supply grows," the report said. The value of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports was projected to rise from 30.8 billion Australian dollars (22.2 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018-2019 to 42.4 billion Australian dollars (30.6 billion U.S. dollars) in 2019-2020 as a result of higher prices. It means that LNG was on track to overtake coal as Australia's second biggest export commodity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 09:30:03|Editor: ZX Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces on Monday urged member states to comply with the existing resolutions on the Palestinian issue and the peace process in the Middle East. "We are in debt with the Palestinians," Espinosa recalled what she said when she was still one of the two candidates for the UNGA president, adding that "the Palestinian people and I have called for the compliance of the existing resolutions on the matter." "The only way that we will find a sustainable and long-term peace in the Middle East and the well-being of the Palestinian people is through dialogue and peaceful means," the UNGA president said at a press conference shortly after the closing of the general debate of the 73rd session of the UNGA. The general debate of the 73rd session of the UNGA started on Sept. 25 and concluded Monday afternoon. Espinosa expressed gratitude to the 121 heads of state and government as well as other high-level representatives who participated in this year's discussions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 10:34:56|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JAKARTA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 6.0-magnitude rocked Sumba Island of central Indonesia on Tuesday, no tsunami alert was issued and no report of damages has so far been made, officials said. The meteorology and geophysics agency earlier said the quake was 6.3-magnitude and later revised the level, Budiman, an official with the agency, said. The quake jolted at 07:16 a.m. Jakarta time (00:16 GMT) with the epicenter at 66 km southwest Sumba Timur of East Nusa Tenggara province and a depth of 10 km under the seabed, the official told Xinhua via phone. About 17 minutes earlier, a revised 5.9-magnitude shock rattled the province, it was previously gauged at 6.0-magnitude, the official said. Spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua in a text message that the quake triggered panic but did not result in damages. Indonesia sits on a vulnerable quake-stricken areas called the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 10:38:28|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close People visit the booth of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation during the 69th International Astronautical Congress in Bremen, Germany on Oct. 1, 2018. More than 6,300 astronauts and representatives from space agencies and companies, as well as experts, scholars and students attended the conference which kicked off here on Monday. (Xinhua/Lian Zhen) Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 10:52:01|Editor: ZD Video Player Close SYDNEY, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Two bomb threats have forced the evacuation of a hospital in Australian city of Melbourne on Tuesday, with authorities moving about 60 patients to a nearby park. Patients and staff were evacuated from the Epworth Hawthorn following two telephone calls made to the hospital shortly after 08:00 local time, and an exclusion zone was established. Despite initial fears, a spokesperson for Victoria Police told Xinhua that officers had conducted safety checks and declared the area safe. "Police have conducted safety checks at a medical facility on Burwood Road, Hawthorn," the spokesperson said. "The area has been deemed safe and all occupants are able to return inside." Transport services were also disrupted including the nearby Hawthorn train station and the public were advised to avoid the area. "The matter is being treated as a hoax phone call and is under investigation," the spokesperson said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 11:13:40|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SYDNEY, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A pair of 14-month-old conjoined twins arrived in Australia on Tuesday, and will undergo separation surgery to drastically improve their quality of life in home country, Bhutan. Sisters Nima and Dawa Pelden who are joined at the chest and stomach, will undergo surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne following efforts by the Children First Foundation (CFF) to facilitate the undertaking. CFF chief executive Elizabeth Lodge told Xinhua that the operation is vital in ensuring that the girls are able to achieve independent mobility. "Currently the girls are facing each other and therefore have a minimal amount of movement," Lodge said. "So we're hoping that milestones such as rolling, crawling, jumping and running will kick in after the separation." RCH head of paediatric surgery, Joe Crameri told local media that the girls will both have fully functioning systems and that while doctors were prepared for longer, he hoped the operation would take no more than eight hours. "They have just a small area near the abdomen than the head," Crameri said. "We are hoping that will be a less complicated thing to divide, and ultimately when we divide we are still leaving them with a fully functioning system." Following the procedure, the girls will spend between up to six months at a CFF facility in Australia where they will undergo intense physiotherapy before returning home. To cover the costs of the surgery, the CFF needs to raise 180,000 U.S. dollars, as well as an additional 72,000 U.S. dollars to care for the girls post-surgery. Despite the fund-raising effort ahead of her, Lodge said she is glad to have managed as much as they have up until this point. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 11:29:43|Editor: ZX Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The General Debate, a high-level week of the UN General Assembly, concluded on Monday after representatives of all 193 member states had spoken, with most of them voicing support to multilateralism. To some extent, the forum was pretty much Donald Trump vs. the world. In his speech for which he was late, the U.S. president pit sovereignty against globalism. "America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism," he said. "Around the world, responsible nations must defend against threats to sovereignty not just from global governance, but also from other, new forms of coercion and domination," he added. Trump's words were immediately refuted by many world leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May said exactly the opposite. "In no way will I yield the principle of the sovereignty of peoples to nationalists or to those in the international community who advocate retreating inwards, who want to use the sovereignty of peoples to attack the universality of our values," said Macron shortly after Trump's speech. "I know that championing cooperation and multilateralism may no longer be in fashion. Then let's not be in fashion any more," he added. May of Britain said, "We have seen what happens when the natural patriotism, which is a cornerstone of a healthy society, is warped into aggressive nationalism, exploiting fear and uncertainty to promote identity politics at home and belligerent confrontation abroad, while breaking rules and undermining institutions." "And...delivering for your citizens at home does not have to be at the expense of global cooperation and the values, rules and ideals that underpin this," she said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was more sarcastic. He indicated that the attack on multilateralism manifested one's intellectual inability. "Confronting multilateralism is not a sign of strength. Rather, it is a symptom of the weakness of the intellect. It betrays an inability in understanding a complex and interconnected world," Rouhani said. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte taught Trump a lesson in philosophy. "Europe has proved to the world that multilateralism and sovereignty are not a contradiction in terms," said Maas. "On the contrary, in a world faced with immense global problems, we can only safeguard sovereignty if we work together." Rutte also said there is no conflict between multilateralism and the national interest. "I believe in constructive multilateralism. I believe in the power of principles and not the principles of power, to guide us toward a better future for more people." Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan made his case by pointing out that without a rule-based world order, small states like his country will not be able to survive. "Compliance with the agreed rules by all states is not only essential for global stability and the governing of the global commons, but is especially important to small states such as Singapore," he said. "Without the rule of law, the strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must." Another hot topic at this year's General Debate was climate change. Many world leaders reaffirmed their commitments to containing global warming, in particular to the Paris Agreement, from which the Trump administration withdrew last year. "It is an emergency. So let's comply with the commitments we've made," said Macron. "Let's sign no more trade agreements with powers that don't respect the Paris Agreement. Let's ensure our trade commitments include our environmental and social obligations. Let's more heavily mobilize sovereign funds, which finance this low-carbon policy strategy," he said. Appeals from small island states, whose very survival is threatened by global warming, were especially authentic. "Put simply, climate change poses the single greatest threat especially to small island developing states like Samoa, not through our doing or choice, and that the need to take effective action to mitigate against climate change impacts is urgent and real," Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi told the assembly. "Its impacts are worsening by the day. No one country, or single group of nations, and no single organization can solely win the war against climate change. The divergent, yet inextricably linked interests of member states demands that we work together," he stressed. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the alarm of climate change at the beginning of the General Debate. "We have reached a pivotal moment. If we do not change course in the next two years, we risk runaway climate change," he told the world leaders. With the participation of 77 heads of state and 44 heads of government this year, the General Debate is by far the largest gathering of world leaders. But the disengagement of the United States, a key international player, will take its toll on the collective course of humanity. TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Premier told the legislature today that he would scrap paid sick days, as provided in the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, known as Bill 148. Paid sick days and the other reforms in the Act from the legislated increase in the minimum wage to $15 to unpaid personal emergency leave and regulations that protect wages when workers face contract flipping, are improvements for workers across the province. There is no part of this Act that can be scrapped without hurting workers across this province. The reforms under Bill 148 improved conditions for workers across the board, updating shamefully outdated labour and employment laws. For our government to answer the call of big business by hurting the people he has promised to defend is shameful. The workers of this province will not rest until these protections in the workplace are guaranteed, said Ontario Federation of Labour President Chris Buckley. The Ontario Federation of Labour and community partners The Fight for $15 and Fairness held a press conference Friday which laid out the need to keep and enhance workers rights across the province, hearing from a minimum wage worker that the increase to a $14 minimum wage has meant pulling herself out of deep poverty, a doctor who spoke about the health benefits of decent work, and an Imam who talked about the benefit of fairer employment and labour laws on the members of his congregation. The government has not introduced any legislation or regulation that would cancel Bill 148. There is still time to change their plan. Its going to take more than a statement in the legislature to take away the rights that Ontarians have fought for, said Buckley. Workers in this province are entitled to the same rights that they were yesterday, and that includes the fact that the increase in the minimum wage increase is still scheduled to happen on January 1. Bill 148 includes important rights: 5 paid days for domestic and sexual violence survivors, 2 paid sick days, ten days personal emergency leave days, two of which are paid, and other workplace protections. Big business wants to increase its profits on the backs of workers in this province, said Buckley. Our Premier should be looking after vulnerable workers in this province by respecting Bill 148. Those gains in Bill 148 provide a direct benefit to the workers that Doug Ford calls the little guy. Cancelling Bill 148 will hurt, not help workers in Ontario. The OFL encourages the Premier to changes his mind on Bill 148 and asks that Ontarians act by calling PC MPPs to tell them to keep Bill 148, or email MPPs by going to myrights.ca . The Ontario Federation of Labour represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.ofl.ca and follow @OFLabour on Facebook and Twitter . To arrange interviews or for further information, please contact: Meagan Perry Director of Communications, Ontario Federation of Labour mperry@ofl.ca l 416-948-5720 Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 12:37:17|Editor: ZD Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Mexico, Canada and the United States fails to address the region's eroding competitiveness, according to a leading Mexican economist. Jose Luis de la Cruz, general director of the Institute for Industrial Development and Economic Growth, said the updated version of the 1994 trade pact, renamed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), lacks integral policies like what Asian countries instituted to boost competitiveness, such as promoting technological innovation. North America's loss of competitiveness in semi-finished product manufacture compared to other parts of the world, especially East Asia, is not going to be resolved through the agreement they have just reached, De la Cruz told Xinhua. That can be resolved by raising the capacity for technological innovation and generating greater productive integration, he added. It remains to be seen how the USMCA, reached Sunday night, impacts economic indicators over the next few years, but the trade deficits that led U.S. President Donald Trump to demand a renegotiated trade deal are likely to persist, said De la Cruz. That's because the new deal is still primarily concerned with maintaining the free flow of goods between the three partners, with exchange amounting to some 1.3 billion U.S. dollars a year, he said. "What we see here is that while the Asian model has been successful, is working and keeps moving forward, the North American model continues to be based solely on a free-trade outlook," said De la Cruz. "There is no state economic policy backing it to boost productive capacity, innovation, public-sector and private-sector investment, and greater cooperation between the two," the economist said. The biggest success of the NAFTA renegotiation, according to De la Cruz, is that it preserves the chapter on dispute resolution, which lets the partners settle trade conflicts on an equal footing. Santander Bank (Mexico), one of Mexico's leading financial groups, also hailed the inclusion of Chapter 19, which the Trump administration was looking to scrap, as a major coup of the year-long negotiations. "Chapter 19 grants NAFTA countries the capacity to appeal to a panel of experts when they believe there are unfair accusations of dumping and subsidies, which lead to anti-dumping tariffs and countervailing duties," Santander said in a report to clients. "The United States wanted to eliminate Chapter 19 because it considers it a violation of its sovereignty," the report said. The USMCA is to be submitted to each country's congress for approval, and U.S. lawmakers will probably enter into a "difficult and prolonged" debate that may not end until the first half of 2019, according to the report. A new president is scheduled to be inaugurated in Mexico on Dec. 1, and the incoming administration has indicated that it plans to follow a more Asian model by spending on education and technology to increase competitiveness. "Mexico needs to transition to a model of competitiveness based on human capital and the implementation of cutting-edge technology, in keeping with recent technological changes," the future minister of foreign affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, told reporters on Monday. In the meantime, North America's productive capacity is going to remain largely unchanged, predicted De la Cruz. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 12:51:27|Editor: ZD Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to a U.S. warship's entry into the neighboring waters of China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea. "On Sept. 30, without permission of the Chinese government, the U.S. destroyer Decatur entered neighboring waters of islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. The Chinese Navy identified the U.S. warship, warned and expelled it, Hua said, stressing that China has indisputable sovereignty of the Nansha islands and its adjacent waters. She said with joint efforts of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations members, the current situation in the South China Sea has continued to stabilize and get better, while repeated provocative U.S. moves under the pretext of the so-called "freedom of navigation operation" have threatened peace and stability in the region. She said that such U.S. moves are against the common will of countries in the region and the basic international norms. "The Chinese side strongly urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its mistakes and stop such provocative operations," Hua said, adding that China would take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 13:18:09|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two small planes crashed in 24 hours in southern California, killing two pilots and injuring one passenger, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday. Monday's accident occurred around 11:50 a.m. local time (1850 GMT), the airplane with one person aboard was about to touch down when it crashed. On Sunday, a 69-year-old man was killed and another person was injured after their small plane missed the same airport's runway and crash-landed in a private plant nursery nearby, it said. The two crashes occurred about 100 yards (91.4 meters) away near the Brackett Field Airport in La Verne, a city located 50 km east of Los Angeles downtown. A witness of Monday's tragedy, Francisco Juarez, told local ABC 7 news channel that he saw the plane making a whirring noise before it hit the ground. "There was a big explosion," Juarez said. Video clips posted by ABC 7 online showed flames and thick black smoke rose from the wreckage of Monday's crash. The plane crashed on Sunday is a single-engine Cessna 177RG plane, while Monday's fatal crash involved a six-seater, single-engined Beech Bonanza aircraft. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 13:19:02|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese military on Tuesday voiced firm opposition to a U.S. Navy warship's entry into waters around China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea. "The USS Decatur guided missile destroyer arbitrarily entered waters off China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea on Sept. 30," said Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense, noting that a Chinese navy vessel carried out identification and verification procedures in accordance with law and warned the U.S. vessel off. "China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. "Currently, with the joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is developing towards a stable and positive direction. "However, the U.S. side has sent warships into waters near China's islands and reefs in South China Sea time and again, which has posed a grave threat to China's sovereignty and security, severely damaged the relations between the two militaries, and significantly undermined regional peace and stability. "The Chinese military resolutely opposes such actions. "China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but resolutely opposes any illegal provocation in the name of 'freedom of navigation.' "The Chinese military will fulfill its defense duty and continue to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security of the country, as well as the regional peace and stability." Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 13:59:09|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KABUL, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- About 240 Afghan civilians were killed and 350 others injured in clashes and terrorist attacks in September, a monitor group reported Tuesday. "The massive civilian casualties occurred in 20 of the country's 34 provinces in September, at least 240 people were martyred and more than 350 others wounded," the independent Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG) said in a press release. In one incident, on Sept. 11, at least 68 people were killed and 165 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a protest rally in Muhmand Dara district of eastern Nangarhar province. The group said that despite targeted killings and attacks, most casualties were inflicted on civilians as a result of air-and-ground operations of security forces which have raised the concerns of the people. "CPAG in its latest monthly report said that nearly 123 civilians were suffered casualties in 12 provinces of the country as a result of Afghan and foreign forces air-and-ground operations. At least 103 people were martyred and 20 others wounded. Women and children are among the casualties," it said. CPAG has asked the government to stop harming civilians during nighttime operations and take serious steps to prevent civilian casualties, the press release noted. In August, 262 civilians lost their lives and 524 injured as a result of terrorist attacks and clashes across the country, according to figures of CPAG. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 14:32:49|Editor: ZX Video Player Close TIRIN KOT, Afghanistan, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 10 militants have been confirmed dead as a clash broke out between security forces and the Taliban militants in Khas Uruzgan district of southern Uruzgan province on Monday, an army spokesman in the southern region Ahmad Sadeq Eisa said Tuesday. Seven more militants have been injured as the fighting raged on Monday in the restive district, the official added. Without hinting at possible casualties of the security forces, the official asserted that the government forces backed by airpower would continue to pound the insurgents' positions in Khas Uruzgan district and adjoining areas. Taliban militants haven't commented. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 14:47:09|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A South Korean delegation will visit Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), later this week to jointly celebrate the 11th anniversary of the 2007 inter-Korean summit, Seoul's unification ministry said Tuesday. The delegation, composed of about 150 public and civilian delegates led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon and Lee Hae-chan, chief of the ruling Democratic Party, will make a three-day visit to the DPRK from Thursday. During the visit, the delegation will participate in the celebration event to mark the 11th anniversary of the summit in 2007 in Pyongyang between then South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader. It would mark the first time that the two Koreas jointly hold the celebration event for the 2007 summit, the second of its kind since the first-ever inter-Korean summit was held in 2000. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to hold a meaningful event to mark the 2007 summit during their third summit in Pyongyang last month. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 15:31:08|Editor: mmm Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Turkish prosecutors issued detention warrants for 417 people on Tuesday over their alleged involvement in money laundering transactions, local media reported. According to the Hurriyet daily, police launched simultaneous operations in 40 provinces across the country to capture the suspects who allegedly received commissions for sending money to 28,088 accounts abroad. The suspects have reportedly transferred some 2.5 billion Turkish liras (about 420 million U.S. dollars) to the accounts mostly belonging to Iranians living in the United States. The investigation, being conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, aimed at those "who targeted the economic and financial security of the Turkish Republic," Hurriyet said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 15:34:58|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's National Health Commission, along with five other departments, has vowed to further improve the mechanisms for settling medical disputes. Ma Xiaowei, head of the commission, called for comprehensive implementation of a government regulation on preventing and settling medical disputes, which went into effect Monday. Local governments and relevant departments should draw up measures to support the regulation, Ma said. The regulation, issued in August, asks health professionals to enhance compassionate care and observe relevant laws. It also stresses preventing medical disputes at the source by strengthening doctor-patient communication. Calling for better work in receiving complaints, judicial handling and insurance claim handling, Ma said relevant departments should enhance policy coordination and cooperate more closely. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 15:40:34|Editor: mmm Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian court has charged eight people with organizing a combat group and trafficking weapons, a court spokesman said on Tuesday. Authorities arrested them last week in separate operations in Phnom Penh City, Kampot province, and Pursat province, and seized a total of 28 AK-47 assault rifles. "The prosecutor has decided to charge them with participating in a combat group, organizing a combat group, and trafficking weapons and explosives under the Articles 485, 486 and 488 of the Criminal Code," Phnom Penh Municipal Court spokesman Ly Sophana told reporters. Under the charges, if convicted, the suspects can be jailed between 8 and 18 years. According to a police report, the suspects are allegedly linked to the Denmark-based Khmer National Liberation Front (KNLF), which has been branded a terrorist group by the Cambodian government. The KNLF is led by fugitive dissident Sam Serey, who received political asylum in Denmark in 2011. In 2016, a Cambodian court sentenced him in absentia to nine years in prison for allegedly plotting an attack. MEMPHIS, Tenn., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) will announce third quarter 2018 financial results in a news release prior to the market opening on October 16, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. CT (U.S.) during which management will review earnings and performance trends. There will also be a live webcast accompanied by a slide presentation. The news release, call, and slide presentation may involve forward-looking information, including guidance. First Horizon plans to make the news release, financial supplement and slide presentation available in the events and presentations section of http://ir.fhnc.com by 6 a.m. CT on October 16. Conference call information Callers wishing to participate may call toll-free starting at 8:15 a.m. CT on October 16 by dialing 888-317-6003 and entering access code 2143053. The number for international participants is 412-317-6061. Participants can also listen to the live audio webcast with the accompanying slide presentation through the investor relations section of www.fhnc.com . A replay will be available from noon CT on October 16 until midnight CT on October 30. To listen to the replay, dial 877-344-7529 or 412-317-0088. The access code is 10124852. The event also will be archived and available beginning October 17 by midnight CT in the events and presentations section of http://ir.fhnc.com . About First Horizon First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN) provides financial services through its First Tennessee, Capital Bank, FTB Advisors, and FTN Financial businesses. First Horizon operates approximately 300 bank locations across the southern U.S. and 28 FTN Financial offices across the entire U.S. Our banking subsidiary was founded in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country. Our First Tennessee and Capital Bank brands have the largest deposit market share in Tennessee and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. We have been ranked by American Banker as No. 5 among the Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Banks. Our FTB Advisors wealth management group has more than 300 financial professionals across our markets. FTN Financial is a capital markets industry leader in fixed income sales, trading and strategies for institutional customers in the U.S. and abroad. We have been recognized as one of the nations best employers by Working Mother and American Banker magazines and the National Association for Female Executives. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com . FHN-G CONTACT: First Horizon Investor Relations, Aarti Bowman, (901) 523-4017 First Horizon Media Relations, Silvia Alvarez, (901) 523-4465 Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 15:54:08|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows debris of houses in Balaroa village after earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The death toll of Indonesia's multiple powerful quakes that triggered tsunami in Central Sulawesi province on Friday soared to 1,249 people with 799 others sustaining serious injuries, a governmental disaster official said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Iqbal Lubis) JAKARTA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of Indonesia's multiple powerful quakes that triggered tsunami in Central Sulawesi province on Friday soared to 1,249 people with 799 others sustaining serious injuries, a governmental disaster official said here on Tuesday. At least 152 people are still being buried under debris or wreckage of buildings, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Three communication operators have resumed their services in the province, he added. The spokesman reaffirmed that planes which can land in a short runway of 2,000 meters, tents, water treatment, field hospitals and medical personnel are the urgent assistance required in the quake-hit areas. By far, a total of 26 foreign countries and two international organizations have offered relief aids to the Indonesian government, said Sutopo. A total of 122 foreign citizens have been evacuated from the quake affected areas, he said. Powerful and shallow under-earth quakes of 6.0, 7.4 and 6.1 magnitude followed by a tsunami devastated the province of Central Sulawesi with the hardest-hit area in Palu, the provincial capital and Donggala district. The tsunami with the height of 0.5 to 3 meters devastated coastal areas near Talisa beach in Palu city and Donggala district, the meteorology and geophysics agency said. Indonesia is prone to quake as it sits on a vulnerable quake-affected areas called the Pacific Ring of Fire. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:04:25|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KUNDUZ, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least six people including four Taliban affiliated insurgents have been killed as a clash flared up in Qara Hindi area outside Taluqan, the capital of northern Takhar province on Monday, provincial police spokesman Abdul Khalil Asir said Tuesday. The clash, according to the official, occurred after a group of Taliban militants attacked the pro-government militia in Qara Hindi area outside Taluqan city on Monday evening, triggering a gun battle. As a result, four Taliban fighters and two pro-government militia were killed. Three more pro-government militia sustained injuries in the fighting, the official said. Taliban militants haven't commented yet. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:10:42|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile and drone operation in Syria is the first stage of Tehran's retaliation on "terrorists" who targeted an Iranian military parade recently, top Iranian commander said on Tuesday. "There will be other stages of revenge as well," Major General Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, was quoted by Press TV as saying. The attack proved that security of the country is a red line for the Islamic establishment, Baqeri added. On Monday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps announced that it targeted bases of "terrorists" with six surface-to-surface missiles and seven drones in Syria. The attack came in response to the Sept. 22 terror attack on a military parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, in which at least 25 Iranians were killed and dozens were injured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:26:59|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIRUT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese security forces arrested four drug dealers on Tuesday in Rashaya, local media reported. The operation was carried on Dahr el Ahmar- Rashaya road. "The arrested people had around 4800 kg of hashish," according to a statement published by the National News Agency. After further investigations, they admitted to be dealing with three other people living in a rented apartment in Aaiha town. "Security forces broke into the apartment and arrested the three other people and they were all transferred to investigations," the statement said. Internal security forces found inside the house a gun, two hunting rifles, eight mobile phones and a big sum of money. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:25:16|Editor: mmm Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian authorities have arrested a 37-year-old Syrian man who had been stranded at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March, officials said Tuesday. Malaysian Immigration director-general Mustafar Ali confirmed that Hassan al Kontar had been detained on Monday for being in a "restricted" section of the airport. "Flight passengers with boarding passes at the boarding area are supposed to get on their flight. But this man did not do so. So he is situated in a forbidden zone, therefore the authorities had to take the necessary action," Mustafar was quoted as saying by the local Star Newspaper. He said the police would hand over Hassan to the Immigration Department, who would likely to be deported. "In this case, we will then communicate with the Syrian embassy to facilitate his deportation to his home country," Mustafar said. Hassan was reported to have been living in the United Arab Emirates since 2006, working as an insurance marketing agent. But his work permit expired as the war in Syria started. In 2017, he was deported to Malaysia, one of the countries where Syrian nationals are granted visa-free entry. He had then attempted but failed to make his way to South America. After his Malaysian visa expired, Hassan was not allowed to enter the country and was stranded at the airport until his arrest on Monday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:30:46|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran will not sit for talks with the United States over the existing issues as the conditions is not ripe, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV on Tuesday. "I'm not ruling out the prospect of talks (with Washington) provided the necessary conditions for talks, and that is reliability," Zarif said. "Reliability is that when you sign something you are bound by it. Otherwise, everything will fall apart," he said, adding that "we are waiting for some sense of realism." Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran will not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats and sanction pressures. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to quit the historic Iran nuclear pact on May 8, the United States vowed to reimpose sanctions lifted under the accord against Iran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Iran. Washington's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal was criticized across the world. Some of its major European allies have been working to prevent the 2015 deal from falling apart. Trump's administration has called for renegotiation of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal as well as Tehran's developing missile program. Iran has ruled out possibility of talks over defense plans. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:33:34|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Education and the State Language Commission have jointly released a work plan on the promotion of Chinese classics. According to the plan, the country will establish Chinese classics education bases and hold activities such as classics reciting, writing, public speaking and exhibitions to popularize Chinese classics and boost its research and education. The plan urges primary school and middle school teachers to participate in training sessions centering upon reciting, writing and teaching Chinese classics to students. The plan also requires systemized lessons and textbooks of Chinese classics, emphasizing the need to develop graded textbooks as well as lessons fit for different areas. The plan encourages the establishment of Chinese classics learning organizations and clubs to create a positive social vibe surrounding the reading of Chinese classics. Ancient Chinese classics are deemed important parts of Chinese culture. In the guidelines on preserving and developing excellent traditional culture released by China's central government in 2017, the learning of Chinese classics was listed as a major task. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:34:49|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Italy on Tuesday said it would not change its 2.4 percent deficit goal, despites calls from Eurozone finance ministers on Monday for Rome to reconsider its deficit-boosting plan. The Italian government on Thursday last week proposed the 2019 budget with increased deficit of 2.4 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), which, though still below the EU limit of 3 percent, is three times the previous administration's deficit goal. Concerned that Italy's deficit-boosting budget plan could tip the 19-country eurozone into crisis, fellow nations of the bloc are pressuring Rome to change course. "We are all aware of what is at stake. We are all bound by the euro and we need sound policies to protect it. It is up to the Italian government to show it has a sustainable and credible budgetary plan," said Mario Centeno, the head of the Eurogroup of euro zone finance ministers, on Monday following the Eurogroup meeting. The situation in Italy was not on the agenda of the meeting but recent announcements by the Italian government have raised concerns over its budgetary course. "Concerns that need to be addressed soon," said Centeno. Italy has yet to present its full draft budgetary plan by Oct. 15 when Eurogroup will have in-depth discussions. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:44:52|Editor: mmm Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A judge in Brazil has released previously held-back testimony by a former finance minister who accused former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of taking bribes. In the testimony, Antonio Palocci, who once served as finance minister in Lula's administration for three years and as chief of staff for the first six months of Dilma Rousseff's government, made several accusations. According to Palocci, the presidential campaigns to re-elect Lula in 2006 and to elect Rousseff in 2010 cost 1.4 billion reals (348 million U.S. dollars), an amount much higher than it was declared to the Electoral Court. Palocci also said Lula used the pre-salt oil exploration at Petrobras to get campaign money. In addition, Palocci stated that over 900 out of the 1000 decrees in four governments of the Workers' Party involved bribes. Palocci who has been in jail since 2016 testified in exchange for a leniency deal in which he agreed to pay a fine of 37.5 million reals (9.03 million U.S. dollars) and may have his jail sentence reduced. Both the offices of Lula and Rousseff responded to the allegations. Lula's defense team said that Palocci's testimony is not corroborated by any actual evidence. The defense team also pointed that Palocci's testimony was rejected by the prosecution's office due to its inconsistency and stated that judge Sergio Moro, who released the testimony, admits that it cannot be taken into consideration in a criminal process. In addition, Lula's defense stated that Moro's decision to disclose the testimony now, just a few days before the general election, "has the clear objective of trying to cause political damage to Lula and his allies." Lula, who is serving a jail sentence, has been barred from running for president again, but his replacement, Fernando Haddad, is rising quickly in recent polls. Former President Rousseff released a statement calling Palocci's testimony slander, demanding he reveal where all the supposed extra money from the campaign is. She also said the decision to release the testimony a week before the election has political objectives. The first round of voting in the Brazilian presidential election is set for Oct. 7. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 16:54:00|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Photo shows a piece of pottery shaped as a female head at the Bengbu Museum in east China's Anhui Province. (Xinhua/Anhui Bengbu Museum) HEFEI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A mysterious piece of pottery shaped as a female head sends a smile from 7,300 years ago, as its host museum in east China's Anhui Province starts a global naming bid for the ancient relic. Ji Yong, curator of the Anhui Bengbu Museum in the city of Bengbu, said the statue was among 600 pieces of pottery unearthed from a New Stone Age site at Shuangdun village in Anhui in 1985. Using Carbon 14 technology, the relics were dated back to 7,300 years ago. However, it is still unknown what the statue was used for and why it was the only one of its kind, with the rest being utensils bearing inscriptions of various symbols believed to be origins of Chinese characters. The statue, made with earth containing mica powder and quartz, is a flickering tattooed female face with marks emblazoned on her forehead that archaeologists have judged as a sun symbol. Measuring 6.5 cm in height and width, the relic is the earliest example of such pottery ever found in China. Zhang Dong, professor with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said international archaeological experts tended to link the inscriptions on the pottery items from Shuangdun to drawings in the Olmec civilization and hieroglyphic inscriptions in Mayan culture. Ji said that following the global naming bid, the museum would hold an international symposium on the the item. "I think it is the earliest and the most beautiful facial portrait, and suggests the humans had developed from emotional thinking to rational thinking," said Xu Xiaohong, a member of China Sculpture Society. He suggested naming the statue "The Goddess of the Huaihe River," since the ruins were found on the bank of the Huaihe, which is located in the midway of China's two largest rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers. Shuangdun culture appears in the same period as the late Neolithic group known as the Yangshao, which originated from the middle reaches of the Yellow River, and Majiabang culture where archaeologists excavated 6,000-year-old rice grains in the lower reaches of the Yangtze in present-day Shanghai. In the museum, the statue's caption says "pottery human head portrait with facial tattoos." Wang Jihuai, a researcher with the academy, said although a consensus had not been reached, those involved with Shuangdun archeological research tend to believe that the civilization was a matriarchy with a sorceress dominating the community. "The portrait might be the image of a sorceress," Wang said. There are four-handled kettles and cooking devices unearthed in ruins, where massive animal bones were also discovered. "The discovery of Shuangdun culture suggests that the Huaihe River Basin was one of the origins of Chinese civilization and Chinese characters," Wang said. Since the museum launched the bid to name the smiling portrait through media outlets and Chinese social media in September, it has received considerable feedback. "The portrait just has a head, and the decoration on the forehead suggests she was someone high ranking. Maybe we should name her Big Cheese," said Muhammad Firdaus Samijadi from Surinam. Enzo Hilbert from France said the portrait was certainly a female figure. "She must have been a flamen. I'd like to name her Watermelon Girl or Druidess," he said. Xun Yiran, a Bengbu local, said that since the portrait embodied the ancient culture of the Huaihe River, the name should carry its origin. "I suggest to name her the Mother of the Huaihe River," he said. (Video editor: Cao Ying) TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunwing Travel Group announced today that the Groups hotel division would begin operating six of Rex Resorts Caribbean hotels as part of a newly formed strategic alliance, effective December 01, 2018. As part of this landmark agreement, Sunwings growing hotel division plans to make significant improvements to each of the resorts over the coming years. We are excited to be entering into this partnership which reflects our commitment to the CARICOM countries of the Lesser Antilles. said Stephen Hunter, President & CEO of Sunwing Travel Group. He added, We look forward to increasing tourism in Grenada, Tobago and Barbados as we have recently done in St. Lucia and Antigua." Alison Palin of Rex Resorts also welcomed the news, This strategic alliance will enable us to rejuvenate and further enhance these popular resorts which are all situated in prime beach locations. Leveraging Sunwings distribution and scale will allow us to boost our occupancy and tighten our operational costs and ultimately position these properties to provide even more value to our guests. We look forward to the continued support of our valued employees, local suppliers and tour operators as we finalize this exciting and transformational agreement. The six Rex Resorts will be absorbed within two of the hotel divisions brands: the new luxury boutique hotel collection, Mystique Resorts and the popular mid-market chain, Starfish Resorts. Mystique Royal St. Lucia will be the second addition to the Mystique Resorts brand, with the first opening later this month in Holbox, Mexico. The Starfish Resorts brand will see five new additions: Starfish Discovery Bay Resort, Barbados; Starfish Halcyon Cove Resort, Antigua; Starfish St. Lucia Resort, St. Lucia; Starfish Grenada Resort, Grenada and Starfish Tobago Resort, Tobago. For the latest news and more information, visit www.sunwingtravelgroup.com About Sunwing Travel Group The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing Travel Group is comprised of two leading leisure tour operators, Sunwing Vacations and Vacation Express; Sunwing Airlines, Canada's premier leisure airline; SunwingJets, a luxury private jet charter service; together with the Groups own travel retail businesses, SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings. Blue Diamond Resorts is the Groups hotel division, an innovative organization that operates popular resort brands including Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts, Royalton Luxury Resorts, CHIC by Royalton Luxury Resorts, Memories Resorts & Spa, Starfish Resorts and Mystique Resorts across the Caribbean and Mexico; while NexusTours is a full-service destination management company offering affordably priced and reliable ground transportation, popular tours and excursions, as well as other travel management services. For media inquiries please contact: Rachel Goldrick Senior Corporate Communications Manager Sunwing Travel Group 1-800-387-5602 | media@sunwing.ca Patrick Creighton Rex Resorts 202-346-8832 | Patrick.Creighton@fticonsulting.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 17:32:30|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have launched a three-month-long campaign to crack down on radio and TV commercials violating laws and regulations. According to the State Administration of Radio and Television, the crackdown targets commercials with vulgar, exaggerated, false and misleading content, as well as those exceeding stipulated time limits and causing harm to juveniles' physical or mental health The watchdog called for strict enforcement of the laws on advertisements and juvenile protection, as well as relevant regulations. Radio and TV stations that fail to broadcast enough public service announcements will also be punished, the administration said. The campaign will focus on commercials including those for drugs, healthcare products, cosmetics and financial products. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 17:36:12|Editor: mmm Video Player Close PARIS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Police arrested 11 men suspected of supporting terrorist organizations in northern France during a dawn operation, according to local reports on Tuesday. The raid targeted the headquarters of the Center Zahra France and 12 homes of its members in an area near Dunkirk in the country's northern coast. "This operation is within the framework of the prevention of terrorism," prefect's office was quoted as saying by regional television France 3 Nord. "The activities of Center Zahra France are under particularly close watch given its leaders' clear support for several terrorist organizations and movements espousing ideas contrary to (French) republican values," it added. France has become a major target of terrorist attacks following its military operations in Syria, Iraq and the Sahel region. A wave of attacks, claimed by the Islamic State, had broken the calm several times in the country with the bloodiest one in Paris where a series of attacks resulted in 130 victims in Nov. 2015. On October 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron signed an anti-terrorism law which he said was necessary to beef up security to combat terrorism. The bill enshrines emergency security rules into ordinary law that allow police to have more power to search and arrest without court approval. An Iranian woman holds up a small portrait of the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during an anti-US demonstration following the weekly Muslim Friday prayer in the capital Tehran on September 28, 2018. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran will not sit for talks with the United States over the existing issues as the conditions is not ripe, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV on Tuesday. "I'm not ruling out the prospect of talks (with Washington) provided the necessary conditions for talks, and that is reliability," Zarif said. "Reliability is that when you sign something you are bound by it. Otherwise, everything will fall apart," he said, adding that "we are waiting for some sense of realism." Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran will not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats and sanction pressures. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to quit the historic Iran nuclear pact on May 8, the United States vowed to reimpose sanctions lifted under the accord against Iran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Iran. Washington's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal was criticized across the world. Some of its major European allies have been working to prevent the 2015 deal from falling apart. Trump's administration has called for renegotiation of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal as well as Tehran's developing missile program. Iran has ruled out possibility of talks over defense plans. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 18:09:11|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Monday marked the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, whose remarkable economic and social achievements have attracted global attention and praise from world leaders. Choe Ryong Hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and vice-chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), spoke highly of China's remarkable achievements in pursuing the "Two Centenary Goals" and the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. Sino-DPRK relations continue to develop soundly in line with a rapidly changing world, he said. The DPRK is willing to join hands with China in implementing key consensus reached by both leaders and work toward a deepened friendship, he added. Ivan Melnikov, first deputy chairperson of the Russian State Duma, extended a warm holiday congratulation to the Chinese people, saying that Russia and China are reliable strategic cooperative partners and each other's diplomatic priority. The two heads of state have completed three visits during the year, guiding the development of Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, Melnikov said. Vice-President of the French National Assembly Carole Bureau-Bonnard said over the past four decades, China has made remarkable achievements in its modernization. The international community is witnessing an increasingly open China with ever-improving living standards of the people and more progress in high-tech development and poverty alleviation, she said, expressing France's hope to strengthen bilateral cooperation with China. Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Yoshimasa Hayashi made an address on the 69th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-China Treaty of Peace and Friendship. He said he was impressed by the passion of both sides towards expanding and deepening exchanges in various fields during his visit to China in May this year, saying that a friendly bilateral relationship will benefit the Asia-Pacific region at large. Philippine presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday lauded China for being a model and an example for the developing world to successfully bring prosperity to the people. "I want to express our congratulations to you on the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China," Roque told Xinhua at the reception. Roque added that the Philippines values its friendship with China. "We hope for a closer partnership between the Philippines and China," which will bring more benefits to both peoples, Roque said. Myanmar's First Vice President U Myint Swe said on Wednesday that since the founding of the People's Republic of China, especially during the past 40 years since the reform and opening up, China has built a great economy. U Myint Swe vowed to continue efforts to create a long-standing concrete relationship between Myanmar and China, adding that the two sides will continue promoting the Belt and Road Initiative and the Myanmar-China Economic Corridor. Pakistani Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani said on Friday that Pakistan values relations with China as the bilateral relationship is the cornerstone of his country's foreign policy. "Political transition in Pakistan will not affect Pakistan's China policy and the new government will continue working closely with China to achieve our bilateral objections," Sanjrani told over 1,000 guests including government ministers, ambassadors to Pakistan and scholars at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad. The Senate chairman said the Pakistani people appreciate China's support for their country's national security and vowed his country will continue to stick to the one-China policy and support China on issues related to its core interests. He also hailed China as a model of economic growth for the low income countries in Asia, Africa and South America, adding that Pakistan appreciates and supports the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and vision of shared prosperity and win-win cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 18:15:40|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military said on Tuesday that its special forces conducted an airstrike in southern Somalia, killing nine al-Shabab terrorists and injured another. The United States Africa Command (Africom), which oversees American troops on the African continent, said the strike on Monday was conducted in coordination with the Somali government at about 40 km northeast of Kismayo. "We currently assess nine militants were killed in the strike. One other militant was wounded," Africom said in a statement. No civilians were injured or killed in the latest airstrike, the statement said. Washington has stepped up operations in the Horn of Africa nation in the past year, killing several militants. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 19:28:19|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows a damaged vehicle at the site of an attack in Kama district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. At least 13 people were killed and 30 others wounded after a suicide bombing ripped through an election rally in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday, a local official said. (Xinhua/Saifurahman Safi) JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people were killed and 30 others wounded after a suicide bombing ripped through an election rally in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday, a local official said. "The incident occurred at a parliamentary election candidate's house at around mid-day in Sangar Saray locality of Kama district east of provincial capital Jalalabad city. The initial information by district officials found that 13 people were killed and 30 others injured in the blast," the official who declined to be named told Xinhua. Candidate Abdul Nasir Mohmand was wounded after the explosion and the assailant was also killed on the spot, he added. The casualties were shifted to nearby hospitals by ambulances and police vehicles. Attaullah Khogyani, the provincial government spokesman, when approached by Xinhua, confirmed the incident, saying further details about the incident will be released after an ongoing investigation. The electoral campaign for the Oct. 20 Afghan parliamentary elections began Friday across the country. Around 2,691 candidates from 33 out of 34 provinces (excluding Ghazni) will run for the parliament's 249 seats, another milestone in the war-torn country's electoral history. More than 50 people, including seven election candidates, have been killed in election-related attacks across the country this year. About 240 Afghan civilians were killed and 350 others injured in clashes and terrorist attacks in September, a monitor group reported earlier Tuesday. On Sept.11, at least 68 people were killed and 165 others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a protest rally in neighboring Muhmand Dara district, the independent Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG) said in a press release. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:05:05|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MANILA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently foiled a bombing plot that might have killed civilians in the southern Philippines, a military spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. Colonel Noel J Detoyato, chief of Public Affairs Office of the AFP, said the government troops in Maguindanao province from the southern Philippines received a report that someone was planning to transport an improvised explosive device (IED) to launch an attack. The soldiers then stopped a passenger bus at a checkpoint in a town named Datu Odin Sinsuat from Maguindanao province and found the suspected IED inside the bus on Monday morning, said the spokesman. Detoyato said the military explosive ordnance disposal team immediately arrived in the area and safely disrupted the suspected IED. AFP declared, based on its source, the extremist group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were planning to transport the IED and conduct a terror attack in Cotabato City, a major city in the southern Philippines. Carlito Galvez, AFP Chief of Staff, said the military would continue to intensify the checkpoints and operations against all terrorist and extremist groups that pose a threat to the Philippines. He also called on the Filipinos to stay vigilant. The BIFF, a Daesh-inspired extremist group, was also blamed for conducting two terror attacks in the past two months which killed at least five people and wounded more than 40 people in the southern Philippines. However, the BIFF denied the accusations. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:06:25|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NANJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese space tracking ship the Yuanwang-3 departed Tuesday to carry out four maritime space monitoring and communication missions for the BeiDou-3 and other satellites. The missions will be conducted in the Pacific Ocean. On Aug. 7, the Yuanwang-3 returned to port and finished its last mission, maritime space monitoring and communication for BeiDou-2 and other satellites. The vessel prepared itself in terms of equipment maintenance and emergency response. As the second-generation space tracking ship of the Yuanwang series, Yuanwang-3 entered service in the mid-1990s. The Yuanwang-1 and Yuanwang-2 ships, China's first-generation space tracking vessels, entered service in 1979. BeiDou, named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper, is a Chinese-developed global positioning system. It currently has 38 satellites, the first of which was launched in 2000. BeiDou was listed on a global satellite search and rescue implementation plan in February by COSPAS-SARSAT, an international satellite system for search and rescue. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:12:07|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows a screen displaying the portraits of three awarded scientists Arthur Ashkin (L) of U.S., Gerard Mourou (C) of France and Donna Strickland of Canada, for the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics during a press conference at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden. The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) STOCKHOLM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday. The academy said the award is "for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics" with one half to Arthur Ashkin and the other half jointly to Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland. "It's crazy! I wonder if it's real! I am so happy! " Strickland said in a telephone interview with the academy at a press conference. Commenting on her achievements, she emphasized how she "sometimes tries to think outside of the box." Strickland said she looks forward to receiving the prize in Stockholm in December. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:32:00|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MANILA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A town mayor in the northern Philippines La Union Province was shot dead on Monday night by unidentified gunmen. Police said on Tuesday that Alexander Buquing and his wife, also the town's vice mayor, were on their way home from a wake when armed men peppered their car with bullets. Buquing, his driver and a bodyguard died on the site while his wife Wendy Joy Buquing was injured. Police said 39 bullet shells were found in the bullet-riddled car. Police are investigating the motive of the attack. Buquing, the 50-year-old mayor of Sudipen town, was the 12th mayor killed since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in June 2016. At least six vice mayors were also killed during this administration. Police said the killings could be related to the upcoming local elections in May next year. Washington, DC, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A controversial public lands bill that would affect more than 1.5 million acres of wilderness in Utah may advance to a full vote in both houses of Congress, following passage from a Senate committee on Tuesday and two House of Representatives committees last week, despite stiff opposition from conservation groups. The Emery County Public Lands Act of 2018, introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Representative John Curtis (R-UT3), would designate less than a million acres of wilderness and recreation areas in the San Rafael Swell and Labyrinth Canyon region of central Utah, an area rich in geological beauty, dinosaur bones, and Native American artifacts, while allowing oil and gas development, coal mining, and off-road vehicle use in other areas. Conservationists argue the bill falls short in protecting this iconic western landscape. The San Rafael Swell and Labyrinth Canyon are among the crown jewels of Americas public lands, and contain some of the largest intact wilderness landscapes in the continental United States, said Scott Groene, Executive Director of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). Yet this bill completely fails to protect huge swaths of Labyrinth Canyon, Muddy Creek, and the San Rafael Badlands. To leave these treasured landscapes out of the bill is to miss a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect these lands for all Americans. Rep. Curtis, who introduced the bill in the House of Representatives, says the bill reflects the wishes of local residents and elected officials. If they had stewardshipbelieve me, I would love to wave a wand and give them the land. But this is the next best thing to ask what they would do with the federal land in their area, he said during last weeks hearing in the U.S. House. Groene argues the federal public lands impacted by the bill belong to all Americans, and the bill should reflect broader conservation goals, not just local interests. With Congress set to return home to campaign through November 6, the bill is unlikely to face a full vote until after the election. Groene argues that delay is an opportunity to win the support of the conservation community. The public lands in Emery County deserve better, and this bill could pass if it were improved, Groene said. For more information, visit http://suwa.org/swell Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:32:36|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday responded to the second round of the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue with the United States being postponed. China and the United States had previously agreed in principle to hold the second round of their Diplomatic and Security Dialogue in mid-October, while the United States recently proposed putting off the dialogue, spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Hua's remarks came after some U.S. media outlets reported that China had proposed the postponement. "China and the United States will continue their communication on holding the second round of the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:43:01|Editor: ZX Video Player Close TAIPEI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's purchasing managers' index for the manufacturing sector dropped 2.1 points from August to 53.9 in September, a Taipei-based think tank has said. A PMI above 50 indicates expansion, while below reflects contraction. The expansion in September was the slowest since February 2017, according to the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER). Despite it being the high season for orders in electronic components, the island's business outlook in manufacturing is not optimistic. The CIER index that monitors the manufacturing business outlook for the next six months dipped 6.5 points to 47.6 in September, reversing a 30-month streak of expansion. Meanwhile, economic activity in the services sector is also losing steam. The non-manufacturing index, a service sector indicator, fell 1.8 points to 50.8 in September. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:48:05|Editor: mmm Video Player Close LONDON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Men and women in Britain are to be allowed to form legal civil partnerships as an alternative to marriage, Prime Minister Theresa May told the Evening Standard in London Tuesday. It will remove an anomaly in which same sex couples can opt for marriage or civil partnerships, but heterosexual couples only have marriage as their option. Around 3.3 million couples in Britain live together but are not married, nearly half of them with children. Despite fully sharing their financial responsibilities, the families lack the full legal rights offered by marriage or civil partnerships. May told the Standard that for the first time ever gay and straight people will have the same choices in life. Equality campaigners welcomed the pledge which means that, in future, both routes will be open to all couples, said the newspaper. The reform could also help cohabiting couples who have fewer rights to inheritance, pensions and support for their children. Martin Loat, chair of the Equal Civil Partnerships campaign group, hailed the announcement as an important step forward. As well as finally making the law equal, the change will open up a new option for millions of couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage but want full legal recognition of their relationship, which is vital to provide security for them and their children, said the report. May said: "This change in the law helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who want to commit, want to formalize their relationship but don't necessarily want to get married." Civil partnerships were first introduced by the then prime minister Tony Blair's Labour government in 2004 to give gay people a right to marry in all but name. Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt told the Standard the latest measure would be an important step forward for equality and promised legislation will be brought before MPs "as swiftly as possible". She said: "There are all sorts of reasons why people may choose not to marry. By giving couples this option we hope to give them and their families more certainty and security." Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:50:16|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BEIRUT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Tuesday that the international community's stance towards the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland is not clear, the presidency's website reported. "Lebanon wants to separate between the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland and the agreement on a political solution in this regard," Aoun said during his meeting with visiting Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl at Baabda Palace. "Reaching a political agreement in this regard may take a lot of time while Lebanon's economic, social and security situation have been negatively impacted by the flow of Syrian refugees to the country," he added. Meanwhile, Kneissl thanked Lebanon for its support to Syrian refugees in the past few years. She called for a gradual solution to end this problem and limit repercussions on Lebanon. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Lebanon hosts 976,000 registered Syrian refugees, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country is 1.5 million. Iranian military members mourn over the bodies during a public funeral ceremony for those killed during an attack on a military parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz on September 24, 2018. (AFP photo) TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's missile and drone operation in Syria is the first stage of Tehran's retaliation on "terrorists" who targeted an Iranian military parade recently, top Iranian commander said on Tuesday. "There will be other stages of revenge as well," Major General Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, was quoted by Press TV as saying. The attack proved that security of the country is a red line for the Islamic establishment, Baqeri added. On Monday, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps announced that it targeted bases of "terrorists" with six surface-to-surface missiles and seven drones in Syria. The attack came in response to the Sept. 22 terror attack on a military parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz, in which at least 25 Iranians were killed and dozens were injured. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 20:52:38|Editor: mmm Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen kidnapped a leading member of Yemen's Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islah party in the southern port city of Aden on Tuesday, a security official told Xinhua. "Abdullah Shuaina, an Aden-based politician and member of Islah's party in Aden, was kidnapped by masked gunmen from an area near his residential building in Mansourah district," the local security source said on condition of anonymity. The security official said that the whereabouts and safety of the kidnapped politician is still unknown. A source of the local police authority in Aden, confirmed the kidnapping, adding that investigation on the incident has commenced. Government officials, including high-ranking security commanders and intelligence officers, have been the prime targets of kidnapping incidents as well as armed attacks launched by unknown gunmen in recent days. The southern port city of Aden is considered as Yemen's temporary capital and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been based itself there since 2015. The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 21:15:14|Editor: ZX Video Player Close JAKARTA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Red Cross Society of China and Chinese enterprises have been actively taking part in emergency relief work in the quake, tsunami-affected areas in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province. Multiple powerful quakes which were followed by a tsunami struck Central sulawesi province on Friday, killing 1,249 people so far and displacing more than 60,000 others. The Red Cross Society of China has decided to donate a total of 200,000 U.S. dollars to its Indonesian counterpart, Palang Merah Indonesia, to help shore up relief works in the province, according to Chinese embassy officials in Jakarta. Meanwhile, Chinese mobile phone producer OPPO has donated 4 billion rupiah (some 266, 666.7 U.S. dollars) to survivors of the catastrophe, said Ivan Lou, CEO of the company. Chinese-invested company in Indonesia PT IMIP has sent three heavy machinery equipment to the disaster areas to help the evacuation of local residents, said Irsan Widjaja, director for operation of the firm, in a statement. "We have deployed a boom truck and two other heavy machinery equipment to the scene," he said. The tsunami with the height of 0.5 to 3 meters devastated coastal areas near Talisa beach in Palu city, capital of the province and Donggala district, the meteorology and geophysics agency said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 21:21:30|Editor: mmm Video Player Close MALE, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Maldives Civil Service Commission on Tuesday appointed a new director general of transition to coordinate the transfer of power after Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the recently concluded presidential elections. The commission appointed Ahmed Latheef as the new director general at an event attended by commission members and senior staff. Latheef previously served as the Maldives ambassador to China. According to Maldivian law, a transitional director general should be appointed immediately after the Maldives electoral watchdog announces the final polls results of a presidential election. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 21:27:59|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Road traffic around major tourist destinations in China has increased sharply on the second day of the week-long National Day holiday, the Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday. The ministry cited Mount Wutai, a famous Buddhist mountain in north China's Shanxi Province, and several other mountainous areas in eastern, central and southwestern China, which reported more than 50 percent rise of traffic flow over Monday. Traffic police across the country have been ordered to step up security control, publish the latest traffic information and dispatch more officers to major expressways and tourist destinations, the ministry said. As rains were forecast from Tuesday to Thursday in some parts of the country, the ministry also asked local police to prepare for emergencies. British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the General Debate of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 26, 2018. (Xinhua/Qin Lang) UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The General Debate, a high-level week of the UN General Assembly, concluded on Monday after representatives of all 193 member states had spoken, with most of them voicing support to multilateralism. To some extent, the forum was pretty much Donald Trump vs. the world. In his speech for which he was late, the U.S. president pit sovereignty against globalism. "America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism," he said. U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after addressing the General Debate of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) "Around the world, responsible nations must defend against threats to sovereignty not just from global governance, but also from other, new forms of coercion and domination," he added. Trump's words were immediately refuted by many world leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May said exactly the opposite. French President Emmanuel Macron addresses the General Debate of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) "In no way will I yield the principle of the sovereignty of peoples to nationalists or to those in the international community who advocate retreating inwards, who want to use the sovereignty of peoples to attack the universality of our values," said Macron shortly after Trump's speech. "I know that championing cooperation and multilateralism may no longer be in fashion. Then let's not be in fashion any more," he added. May of Britain said, "We have seen what happens when the natural patriotism, which is a cornerstone of a healthy society, is warped into aggressive nationalism, exploiting fear and uncertainty to promote identity politics at home and belligerent confrontation abroad, while breaking rules and undermining institutions." "And...delivering for your citizens at home does not have to be at the expense of global cooperation and the values, rules and ideals that underpin this," she said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was more sarcastic. He indicated that the attack on multilateralism manifested one's intellectual inability. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the General Debate of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) "Confronting multilateralism is not a sign of strength. Rather, it is a symptom of the weakness of the intellect. It betrays an inability in understanding a complex and interconnected world," Rouhani said. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte taught Trump a lesson in philosophy. "Europe has proved to the world that multilateralism and sovereignty are not a contradiction in terms," said Maas. "On the contrary, in a world faced with immense global problems, we can only safeguard sovereignty if we work together." Rutte also said there is no conflict between multilateralism and the national interest. "I believe in constructive multilateralism. I believe in the power of principles and not the principles of power, to guide us toward a better future for more people." Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan made his case by pointing out that without a rule-based world order, small states like his country will not be able to survive. "Compliance with the agreed rules by all states is not only essential for global stability and the governing of the global commons, but is especially important to small states such as Singapore," he said. "Without the rule of law, the strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must." Another hot topic at this year's General Debate was climate change. Many world leaders reaffirmed their commitments to containing global warming, in particular to the Paris Agreement, from which the Trump administration withdrew last year. "It is an emergency. So let's comply with the commitments we've made," said Macron. "Let's sign no more trade agreements with powers that don't respect the Paris Agreement. Let's ensure our trade commitments include our environmental and social obligations. Let's more heavily mobilize sovereign funds, which finance this low-carbon policy strategy," he said. Appeals from small island states, whose very survival is threatened by global warming, were especially authentic. "Put simply, climate change poses the single greatest threat especially to small island developing states like Samoa, not through our doing or choice, and that the need to take effective action to mitigate against climate change impacts is urgent and real," Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Malielegaoi told the assembly. "Its impacts are worsening by the day. No one country, or single group of nations, and no single organization can solely win the war against climate change. The divergent, yet inextricably linked interests of member states demands that we work together," he stressed. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the alarm of climate change at the beginning of the General Debate. "We have reached a pivotal moment. If we do not change course in the next two years, we risk runaway climate change," he told the world leaders. With the participation of 77 heads of state and 44 heads of government this year, the General Debate is by far the largest gathering of world leaders. But the disengagement of the United States, a key international player, will take its toll on the collective course of humanity. MONTERREY, Mexico, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fomento Economico Mexicano, S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA) (NYSE: FMX; BMV: FEMSAUBD) is pleased to invite you to participate in its Third Quarter 2018 Conference Call that will be held on: Friday, October 26, 2018 10:00 AM Eastern Time (9:00 AM Mexico City Time) Eduardo Padilla, Chief Executive Officer of FEMSA, will host the call and discuss FEMSAs Third Quarter 2018 financial results, followed by a question and answer session. The quarterly results will be released on October 26 before market opens. To participate in the conference call please dial Toll Free US: (866) 575 6539 International: +1 (323) 994 2082 Conference ID: 6746007 The conference call will be webcast live through streaming audio. For details please visit http://ir.femsa.com If you are unable to participate live, the conference call replay will be available on http://ir.femsa.com/results.cfm FEMSA is a leading company that participates in the beverage industry through Coca-Cola FEMSA, the largest franchise bottler of Coca-Cola products in the world by volume; and in the beer industry, through its ownership of the second largest equity stake in Heineken, one of the world's leading brewers with operations in over 70 countries. In the retail industry it participates through FEMSA Comercio, comprising a Retail Division operating various small-format store chains including OXXO, a Health Division, which includes all drugstores and related operations, and a Fuel Division, operating the OXXO GAS chain of retail service stations. Additionally, through its Strategic Businesses unit, it provides logistics, point-of-sale refrigeration solutions and plastics solutions to FEMSA's business units and third-party clients. Media Contact (52) 555-249-6843 comunicacion@femsa.com.mx www.femsa.com Investor Contact (52) 818-328-6167 investor@femsa.com.mx www.femsa.com/inversionista Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:01:46|Editor: mmm Video Player Close NAIROBI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 edition of Africa Hotel Investment Forum opened in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Tuesday with policymakers, industry leaders and investors giving a positive outlook on the future of the travel and hospitality sector in the continent. Kenya hosts the three-day forum that will help showcase investment opportunities in Africa's hospitality sector that has defied political and economic jitters to record positive growth. Jonah Orumoi, CEO of Kenya's Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC), said investment in Africa's travel and hospitality sector has a potential for growth thanks to macroeconomic stability and rising purchasing power among the continent's millennials. "Africa's hotel sector is adequately positioned to tap into new investments locally and overseas and this positive development should be sustained through enactment of friendly regulations and policies," Orumoi said. More than 300 delegates are participating in the forum. Besides showcasing emerging opportunities in Africa's hospitality sector, the forum will also feature high-level business-to-business networking and signing of new investment deals by major hotel brands keen to venture into Africa. Orumoi said Africa is the next frontier for investments in high-end hotels thanks to rapid economic growth that has tripled incomes of the continent's urban middle classes. "What is required to sustain investment flows into our tourism sector is continuous innovation and rebranding," said Orumoi. "This continent is on a growth trajectory that is an inspiration to investors in luxury hotels and suites." Africa's hospitality sector presents ideal investment opportunities thanks to its resilience in the face of global economic volatility, political uncertainties, insecurity and natural calamities, he said. Matthew Weihs, managing director of Bench Events, a co-organizer of the forum, said the world's second largest continent promises higher returns to global investors keen to venture into its rapidly evolving hospitality sector. "It is critical for all stakeholders to raise awareness on investment opportunities in Africa's hotel industry that has a role to play in generating wealth and new jobs for the continent's youth," Weihs said. Robin Rossman, managing director of international research firm STL, said global hotel chains are keen to expand their footprint in Africa against a backdrop of infrastructure modernization, political stability and youth bulge that is a source of less costly labor. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 21:59:20|Editor: mmm Video Player Close PARIS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- French authorities have frozen assets of two Iranians and Iran's intelligence services over alleged connection with an attack they were said to plan to carry out in late June, officials said on Tuesday. In a joint statement, France's top diplomat Jean-Yves le Drian, Interior Minister Gerard Collomb and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire stressed that "France has taken targeted and proportionate preventive measures" in response to the foiled plot. The seized assets targeted two men identified as Assadollah Asadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, in addition to the directorate of interior security of Iranian intelligence ministry, according to the statement. "An attempted attack in Villepinte was foiled on June 30. An incident of such gravity on our national territory could not go unpunished," the ministers added, without giving details on the planned assault. Le Drian noted that the foiled attack "confirms the need for a demanding approach in... relations with Iran." According to local media reports, the plot targeted a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in Paris suburbs. Officials from Iran embassy in Paris were not available to comment. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:21:32|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BERLIN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Antitrust regulators in Germany succeeded in imposing hefty fines against a further company in the so-called "sausage cartel" scandal on Tuesday. The sausage producer Wiltmann was found guilty by the Duesseldorf Higher Regional Court of colluding with 22 other producers on pricing and must hence pay a penalty of 6.5 million euros (7.5 million U.S. dollars). The court hereby rejected a legal appeal by Wiltmann against the fine, which was imposed against it earlier by Germany's Federal Cartel Office. Since the first launch of investigations into the widely-publicized "sausage cartel" scandal, the Federal Cartel Office has already ordered 22 companies involved to pay total damages of 338 million euros. However, several of those found guilty of unfair competitive practices were able to rely on what has become known as a "sausage gap" in German antitrust law which enabled their mother corporations to evade the fines by simply dissolving subsidiaries embroiled in the scandal. In the case, the Rheda-Wiedenbrueck-based Toennies Holding, a major meat producer in Germany, saved itself 128 million euros in fines by removing its subsidiaries Boecklunder Plumrose and Koenecke from the German registry of trading companies. The legal loophole concerning liability in antitrust procedures was subsequently removed on the basis of a proposal from the ministry for the economy in 2017. So far, the government has only received around a third of the 338 million euros sought in total damages following the loss of 238 million euros anticipated antitrust income due to the sausage gap. The Federal Cartel Office is currently seeking to at least recover an additional 25 million euros in fines from companies whose antitrust cases were still ongoing when the loophole was closed. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:34:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NAIROBI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is looking at Chinese and U.S. tourists in order to boost international arrivals in 2018, a senior government official said on Tuesday. Najib Balala, cabinet secretary for tourism and wildlife, told a media briefing in the capital of Nairobi that the country received about 1.4 million visitors in 2017. "We are projecting that increased international arrivals from China and the United States will push total tourist arrivals in 2018 to between 1.7 million and 1.8 million," Balala said. The introduction of direct flights between New York and Nairobi in October will boost American tourist arrivals into Kenya, Balala said. He said Kenya has intensified marketing campaigns in China to attract more Chinese tourists, with a goal of more than 100,000 Chinese arrivals a year in the next two years. Last year, about 70,000 Chinese tourists visited Kenya. China represents a key emerging tourism source market for Kenya that has largely been untapped, Balala said. "We want Sino-Kenya people-to-people exchanges to reach the level of bilateral cooperation in commerce and investments," he added. The official said the completion of the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) that links Nairobi to Mombasa has already had a huge impact on both domestic and foreign tourists. Once the SGR is extended to western towns of Kisumu and Malaba on the Kenya-Uganda border, it will further boost the tourism sector, he said. The government is also keen to prioritize the expansion of domestic tourism because it can help to cushion the sector from volatility of international tourist arrivals, Balala said. "We want to open up domestic tourism to the western and northern region of the country which has a rich cultural heritage that is unexploited," Balala said, noting that most of the domestic tourism is now concentrated in the coastal region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:44:22|Editor: yan Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A series of protests and demonstrations against the federal government's pension reform plans were organized Tuesday across Belgium by the "trade union common front" (CSC-FGTB-CGSLB). Thousands of affected workers and protesters are gathering in designated spots in Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders causing a substantive closure of all public transport services. More than 4,000 protesters gathered on Tuesday around 10 a.m. at Mont-des-Arts in central Brussels for the trade union's national protest. "We want to make clear to the government and parliamentarians that people do not agree with the current policy, which has no legitimacy," says Estelle Ceulemans, general secretary of the ABVV/FGTB Brussels (General Federation of Belgian Labour). "Young people, workers and pensioners are speaking with a unified voice that they do not agree with this policy. For young people, the priority must be the creation of real, good jobs," she said. A trade union delegation will also meet Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and Speaker of the House Siegfried Bracke, Belgian television station RTBF reported. Trade union demands include, among other things, end-of-career time credits at age 55 and a legal pension at age 65 maximum. Working until 67 years old is too painful and unfeasible, the unions say. In Brussels, the vast majority of metros are not circulating and this situation will progress throughout the day, according to the STIB (The Societe des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles). The Tec buses (Walloon Regional Transport Company) and De Lijn (Flemish Transport Company La Ligne) are also severely disrupted. Some schools and nurseries will also be affected by the protests, with only a minimum amount of students and children expected to attend, reported the RTBF. Only the trains of SNCB (National Railway Company of Belgium) are not affected by trade union actions. In the city of Liege in Wallonia, the FGTB called for a general strike on all public services including post offices, administrative posts, in some hospitals and in some companies. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:47:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close TOKYO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Osaka city said Tuesday that it has sent a letter to notify San Francisco of the termination of sister city ties between the two cities in protest of a statue in honor of "comfort women" set up on a public ground in San Francisco. Osaka Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura said on Tuesday that the installation of the statue "destroyed the two sides' relationship of trust." The statue, entitled Women's Column of Strength, was set up by private groups in San Francisco and was later given to the city as a gift. The late San Francisco mayor Edwin Mah Lee signed a resolution in November last year to accept the gift and turn the statue into a city monument. Yoshimura, for his part, threatened to scrap the sisterhood between the two cities by the end of that year in protest of the statue, but the decision was delayed as Lee suddenly passed away in December last year. Osaka city sent a new letter to San Francisco's new mayor London Breed this July to ask about his opinion about the statue, but did not receive a reply by September as it asked. Yoshimura's decision to cut the sister city ties has drawn much criticism, even when it was a verbal threat and before it was carried out. "This capricious act by 42-year-old Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura will not hurt nation brand Korea or nation brand America, but he is hurting city brand Osaka,"said an article on The Japan Times, a well-read newspaper in Japan, in Novemer last year. "Comfort women is an internet meme as much as a horrible episode in history....It's time for a change in Japan's demeanor regarding its position against the comfort women activism and memorials," the article said. Women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II were called "comfort women." The Japanese government has been refusing to acknowledge legal responsibilities for the "comfort women" issue. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:48:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) said on Tuesday more than 70,000 people have been displaced by communal violence in western Ethiopia's Benishangul Gumuz regional state. In a press statement, UN-OCHA said communal violence in the Kamashi zone of Benishangul Gumuz regional state since the weekend has left more than 70,000 people displaced inside the region or flee to the neighboring Oromia regional state. The recent communal violence was triggered by the killings on Wednesday of four high-ranking Benishangul Gumuz regional state officials in neighboring Oromia regional state, the statement said. The officials were reportedly heading back home attending an inter-regional security meeting between Oromia and Benshangul regional states. On Tuesday, Chief Communications Officer of Benishangul Gumuz regional state Zelalem Jaleta told state media that communal clashes in Benishangul Gumuz, near areas bordering Oromia regional state, has left at least 44 people dead and tens of thousands of others displaced. Jaleta said the federal army and police forces are currently deployed in the area in collaboration with local security forces to calm the situation. Benishangul Gumuz regional state witnessed a similar deadly unrest in May involving locals and other ethnic groups residing in the region, reportedly over access to land and state resources. Benishangul Gumuz hosts Ethiopia's largest development project, the 6,450 MW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which is under construction on the Blue Nile River. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 22:58:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 2, 2018 shows a screen displaying the portraits of three awarded scientists Arthur Ashkin (L) of U.S., Gerard Mourou (C) of France and Donna Strickland of Canada, for the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics during a press conference at the Royal Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, Sweden. The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) by Fu Yiming, Zhang Jiawei STOCKHOLM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three scientists working the field of laser physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced here on Tuesday. Half of the award "for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics" went to American Arthur Ashkin and the other half was awarded jointly to Frenchman Gerard Mourou and Canadian Donna Strickland. Strickland said in a telephone interview with the academy at a press conference that she was happy and surprised to be receiving the prize, which she looked forward to accepting in Stockholm in December. Commenting on her achievements, she emphasized how she "tries to think outside of the box." The inventions being honoured this year have revolutionized laser physics. Extremely small objects and incredibly rapid processes are now being seen in a new light. Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications, according to a statement released by The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Ashkin invented optical tweezers that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. This new tool allowed Ashkin to realize an old dream of science fiction -- using the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects. He succeeded in getting laser light to push small particles towards the center of the beam and to hold them there, according to the statement. A major breakthrough came in 1987, when Ashkin used the tweezers to capture living bacteria without harming them. He immediately began studying biological systems, and optical tweezers are now widely used to investigate the machinery of life, the statement added. Mourou and Strickland paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind. Their revolutionary article was published in 1985 and was the foundation of Strickland's doctoral thesis. Using an ingenious approach, they succeeded in creating ultra-short, high-intensity laser pulses without destroying the amplifying material. First they stretched the laser pulses in time to reduce their peak power, then amplified them, and finally compressed them. If a pulse is compressed in time and becomes shorter, then more light is packed together in the same tiny space and the intensity of the pulse increases dramatically. Strickland and Mourou's invented technique, called chirped pulse amplification (CPA) soon became standard for subsequent high-intensity lasers. Its uses include the millions of corrective eye surgeries that are conducted every year using the sharpest of laser beams. The statement said there are still innumerable areas of application that have not yet been completely explored. "This year's discovery is about making strong pulses, but also short pulses. They are so short that we can time them as never before. This is a big area of research at the moment. Many scientists are trying to figure out how can we do this, and if you can do that, you can learn a lot more about many basic processes, of for example, the chemical reactions, how they started. Since we get to know how they happened, we are able to steer it (the process), and we can use our knowledge to design what is going to happen." Eva Lindroth, member of the Class for Physics at The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, told Xinhua in an interview after the announcement. "I think it's really nice that Donna Strickland, as a female scientist, got the Prize this year. It's also important to know that she got this for her doctoral thesis work, so it's a good signal to young people, that you can do something very important very early in your career," Lindroth emphasized. "I hope more female scientists to win Noble science prizes in future. There are more and more women scientists, so I think it (male dominance) will change, and more female scientists are leading research groups, playing a bigger role, these are also important," Lindroth added. This year's prize is 9 million Swedish krona (about 1 million U.S. dollars). Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 23:14:15|Editor: yan Video Player Close SANAA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A family of three members were killed in a Saudi-led coalition airstrike in Yemen's rebel-held northwestern province of Hajjah on Tuesday, a local hospital official said. "A father, mother and their daughter were killed in a pre-dawn coalition airstrike on the family's house in Al-Hamra area," the official of Hajjah al-Jumohory hospital told Xinhua by phone on condition of anonymity. The Al-Hamra area is located in the Mustaba district, about two-hour drive to the north of Hajjah provincial capital city, which bears the same name. The area is also one-hour drive to the southern Saudi border of Jazan, where the fighting has intensified in the border front. The attack was the latest in a series of recent airstrikes launched by the Saudi-led coalition on Yemen. The International Committee of Red Cross said that 40 children were among 51 people killed on the Aug. 9 airstrike on a school bus in the nearby northern province of Saada. Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that has intervened in the Yemen war since 2015 to support the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The war has killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, mostly civilians, and displaced 3 million others, according to UN aid agencies. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 23:24:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close HARARE, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe will next week host the first international horticulture and floriculture trade show, HortiFlor, as the nation seeks to boost exports and become once again one of Africa's top horticulture exporters. "Zimbabwe will, in a relatively short time, become one of Africa's largest exporters of horticultural products," Dick Van Raamsdonk of HPP Exhibitions was quoted as saying by online agriculture publication, Farmers Voices, on Tuesday. He said the Oct. 9 -11 trade fair is open to players in the fresh flowers, vegetables and fruit industry. Over 50 Zimbabwean and international companies will showcase their products and services at the event, Van Raamsdonk said. After having been Africa's second largest exporter, the Zimbabwean horticulture industry is eager to climb back up the ladder and again become one of Africa's top exporters. According to Van Raamsdonk, the industry can achieve this within five to 10 years as they do not have to start all over. "They are not starting from scratch. The know-how is still there; surprisingly a lot of know-how actually is available," he said. One major factor that could hold back the country is high transport costs, Van Raamsdonk said. "They are high as the cargo volumes are low. However, if the cargo volumes increase, the transport costs will decrease and that is when the strength of Zimbabwe will show to its full extent," he said. Van Raamsdonk said Zimbabwe grows many summer flowers, expressing the hope that a good market for them could be established. However, he noted, Zimbabwe will not rise to become a fierce competitor for other African countries like Kenya and Ethiopia. "Zimbabwe will complement the assortment of Kenya and Ethiopia, as roses are their main product. I would sooner think that Zimbabwe can become a competitor for South America. The price of Zimbabwean flowers will be lower than those from South America," Van Raamsdonk said. Horticulture production, which used to be Zimbabwe's third largest agriculture export sector after tobacco and cotton, declined significantly over the past years due to disturbances caused by the land reform program. CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aspen Investment Holdings Ltd. (the Securityholder) has filed an early warning report dated October 2, 2018 advising the ownership or control, directly or indirectly, of 187,290,164 common shares of the Corporation, representing approximately 67.30% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation. There was no transaction that triggered the requirement for the Securityholder to file the early warning report. The Corporation was deemed to be a reporting issuer in the Province of Alberta effective as of October 2, 2018 pursuant to an Order of the Alberta Securities Commission issued on December 14, 2017. Prior to October 2, 2018, the Corporation was not a reporting issuer in any jurisdiction of Canada. The Securityholder was incorporated under the laws of Province of Alberta. Its principal business is to invest in the Corporation. The Securityholder is controlled by two of the Corporations directors, Mr. Yuan Jing and Mr. Le Bo, who indirectly hold 41.09% and 36.69% of the Securityholder, respectively. Pursuant to the Unanimous Shareholders Agreement dated December 18, 2015 and the First Supplemental Unanimous Shareholders Agreement dated April 29, 2016, the Securityholder, Mr. Yuan Jing, Ji Lin Hong Yuan Trade Group Limited, Mr. Le Bo, 1648557 Alberta Ltd., Changchun Liyuan Investment Co. Ltd. and Ms. Jing Hou (being spouse of Mr. Le Bo) become a group of the Controlling Shareholders (as defined in The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limiteds Listing Rules) acting in concert and are interested in under Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and therefore, the Securityholder is deemed to be interested in all the common shares of the Corporation in which Mr. Jing and Mr. Bo are interested in, which in aggregate represent approximately 67.30% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation. The Securityholder and its joint actors hold the common shares of the Corporation for investment purposes and may or may not purchase or sell securities of the Corporation in the future on the open market or in private transactions, depending on market conditions and other factors. Neither the Securityholder nor its joint actors currently have other plans or intentions that relate to its investment in the Corporation. This news release is being issued under the early warning provision of the Canadian provincial securities legislation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-02 23:47:34|Editor: yan Video Player Close BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Brunei will introduce new measures to control its enormous water wastage, the country's Minister of Development Haji Suhaimi said. "The ministry has several initiatives that have already been and will be introduced, such as new water tariffs and smart prepaid water meters, to reduce water wastage," the minister was quoted as saying by local daily the Borneo Bulletin on Tuesday. The implementation will be carried out in phases starting next year, he said during a dialogue session with members of the sultanate's Legislative Council. A local media report in 2016 said that with water sold to the public highly subsidized, Bruneians consumed the highest amount of water compared to people in other ASEAN member countries -- an average consumption of 420 litres of water per day. While In 2015, Malaysians used 212 litres of water per day, and Singapore residents consumed 151 litres of water per day. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 00:06:33|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A leading member of Yemen's Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islah party was found killed after being kidnapped on Tuesday in the southern city of Aden, a government official told Xinhua. Through continuous searching operations, the security forces supported by local citizens found the body of Abdullah Shuaina, an Aden-based politician and an Islah member, in Aden's district of KhorMaksar, the source said on condition of anonymity. "The security forces and investigators acted after receiving information from citizens who found a parked car with the politician's body inside it near Aden's beach," the source said. The Aden-based politician was found killed just hours after being kidnapped by masked gunmen near his residential building in the Mansourah district in Aden, the source added. Shuaina has worked as the chairperson for local charity organizations funded by the Islah party and participated in many decision-making activities in Aden, according to the source. Yemeni government officials, including high-ranking security commanders and intelligence officers, have been the prime targets of kidnapping as well as armed attacks by unknown gunmen in recent days. The southern port city of Aden, where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has based since 2015, is considered as Yemen's temporary capital. The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi rebels took over all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, from the government. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 00:36:46|Editor: yan Video Player Close NAIROBI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The hospitality sector in Africa that has defied tremors linked to political uncertainties, terrorist attacks and disease outbreaks to record positive growth, has attracted interest from global hotel chains, executives said on Tuesday. Speaking on the sidelines of the 2018 Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) in Nairobi, the executives from leading global hotel chains said that Africa's rapidly evolving travel and hospitality sectors promise a higher return on their investments. Olivier Granet, the CEO of AccorHotels, Middle East and Africa said the world's second largest continent present a huge opportunity for international hotel brands thanks to its sustained economic growth, relative stability and rapidly expanding middle class with disposable income. "We consider Africa an attractive investment destination as positive developments in the continent changes its image. AccorHotels is keen to expand the scale of our operations in Africa where we have invested heavily," Granet remarked. More than 300 delegates including executives from multinational hotel chains, investors and financial experts are attending the three-day forum taking place in Nairobi. The forum aims to showcase investment opportunities in Africa's hospitality industry while providing a platform for major hotel brands to announce new ventures in the continent. Alain Sebah, the president of Golden Tulip representing Francophone and the East African region, said that global hotel chains have seized on macro-economic stability in Africa to expand their footprint in the continent through franchises. "We have a growing investment portfolio in Africa having been persuaded by the vibrancy of the continent's hospitality industry," Sebah remarked. He said international hotel brands are committed to be part of Africa's socio-economic transformation through job creation and conservation of the continent's iconic wildlife species that are a major source of tourist dollars. Mossadeck Bally, the CEO of AZALAI Group of Hotels based in Mali said returns on investments in Africa's hospitality sector have tripled as the continent prioritize regulatory and policy reforms as well as good governance. "In some cases, the return on investments for hotel investors in many African countries is three times higher than in the stable markets in the North," said Bally. "But we must tackle challenges like poor infrastructure, limited electricity connection and a deficit of skilled workforce to attract more investments in modern hotels," he added. Bally said intra-Africa travel that has grown tremendously has stimulated investments in luxury hotels and lodges in popular destinations like Kenya, South Africa, Egypt and Tunisia. Daniel Silke, a South African risk analyst said the resilience of Africa's tourism industry in the face of external and domestic shocks has been an encouragement to investors. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:00:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani army said on Tuesday that security forces killed seven terrorists after they launched an attack on a post along the border with Afghanistan. An army statement said that three terrorists were also injured in North Waziristan, a district in northwestern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan. Terrorists from across the border fire raided Pakistani border post in North Waziristan. Fire was effectively responded by Pakistani border post. During exchange of fire seven terrorists were killed while three others were injured, a statement from the armys media wing Inter-Services Public Relations said. The army did not say as to which group was involved in the attack. Security officials said several groups of Pakistani Taliban operate from the Afghan sides of the border, which routinely launch attacks on Pakistani forces. The military had conducted a major operation against the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups, including foreigners in North Waziristan, in 2014. Many militants were killed and some fled to neighboring Afghanistan, according to the military. On Sept. 22, the Pakistani army said that at least seven soldiers, including an officer, were killed during an anti-terrorism operation in North Waziristan. Nine terrorists were also killed in the clashes when the security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in Gharlamai and Spera Kunar Algad in North Waziristan. A group of terrorists was reported to be have been infiltrated from across the Afghan border and were hiding in a compound, the army had stated. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:00:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday thanked the U.S. for a record military aid package deal that has just come into effect. On Monday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert confirmed in a statement that the 10-year deal, worth 38 billion U.S. dollars, came into effect Monday as the new fiscal year began. "I thank the American administration and Congress for their commitment to Israel and for providing aid funds in the coming decade," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. The aid deal was signed in 2016 by Israel with former U.S. President Barack Obama's administration. "Israel and the world face complex security challenges, first and foremost the Iranian aggression," Netanyahu said. "The unwavering support of the United States for Israel's right to defend itself is one of the pillars of the strong relationship between the two countries." Under the deal, Israel will receive from the United States 3.3 billion dollars annually in foreign military financing and 500 million dollars per year for cooperative programs for missile defense over the next 10 years. By confirming the deal, the U.S. "unconditionally affirms Israel's right to self-defense," Nauert said. This deal "is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to Israel's capacity to defend itself with a qualitative military edge over all potential regional adversaries," she added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:00:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close VIENNA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN nuclear agency on Tuesday said it would not change the manner of nuclear investigation of Iran's nuclear plan under the historic nuclear deal. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Yukiya Amano made the statement in response to Israel's call for going further to some Iranian sites to strengthen the nuclear inspection of Tehran's nuclear plan, saying the agency would not change the way of the verification of Iran's atomic plan. "It should be noted that under the existing verification framework, the Agency sends inspectors to sites and locations only when needed," the IAEA chief said in the statement. The IAEA sticks to work independently in the nuclear investigation under the nuclear deal, while using some credible information which need to be rigorous assessed by the agency. He stressed the agency would not take any information without considering the credibility of the intelligence. "The Agency uses all safeguards relevant information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," he said, noting all information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review and assessed together with other available information to arrive at an independent assessment based on the Agency's own expertise." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of holding a "secret atomic warehouse" during his speech at the UN conference on Thursday. He urged the IAEA to inspect the site. Iran on Friday denounced Netanyahu's allegations as "lies." Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on the "craft show" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Iran's nuclear program cannot cover up Israel's secret nuclear weapons program. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:17:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close BRATISLAVA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- To improve transport cooperation, the Visegrad Four (V4) countries -- Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia -- have signed a declaration on a high-speed rail network to run across Central Europe, local media reported Tuesday. The strategic development project came about at a meeting in northern Slovakia between Slovak transport minister Arpad Ersek, Polish infrastructure minister Andrzej Adamczyk, Hungarian foreign affairs and trade minister Peter Szijjarto and Czech transport minister Dan Tok. "I think that we'll consider it to be our priority to make travelling by train faster, more comfortable and especially the most preferred way of transport. Building a high-speed train line should thus be our common goal," stressed Ersek, adding that as part of its presidency of the V4 group, Slovakia would do its best to push this ambitious project forward. The high-speed rail network should link the cities of Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest in several years. Trains on this line are to run at a speed of 250 km/h. The project, which was initiated by Hungary, should significantly reduce travel times between the four countries, and is expected to be a viable alternative to road and air transport. The technical parameters of the new line as well as a preparatory report for a sustainability study should be clear by the end of the year. The V4 countries hope the European Investment Bank will fund the project. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:17:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close VILNIUS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian-flagged ferry Regina Seaways with 336 people on board is heading back to Lithuanian shores following a fire incident on Tuesday in the Baltic Sea. Regina Seaways, operated by Danish company DFDS, has managed to start its main engine and is sailing back to Lithuanian shores, announced Lithuanian Defense Ministry. On Tuesday afternoon, the ferry carrying 294 passengers and 42 crew members suffered a fire incident at its car decks while in Russia's waters at the Baltic Sea, informed Lithuania's Maritime Rescue Coordination Center. Later in the afternoon Lithuanian Army told local media the fire at the ferry has been extinguished, and no one was injured. DFDS press officers told local media there was no open fire, just smoke, which resulted in automatic shutdown of its engines. According to Lithuanian Army, five Lithuanian military ships have been sent to conduct passenger evacuation if necessary. Russia has also dedicated two ships for the rescue mission. The incident took place 110 kilometers from Klaipeda Seaport, Western Lithuania. The ferry was heading to Klaipeda from Kiel port in Germany. Lithuanian military ships will follow Regina Seaways back to Klaipeda seaport, said the Lithuanian Defense Ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:17:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank confirmed on Tuesday that it was withholding 50 million U.S. dollars of grant for Tanzania because the bank was deeply concerned about restrictions that the government has placed on freedom of speech concerning statistics. The grant was intended to support government statistical activities in Tanzania but latest reports indicated that this support may have to wait longer. "We are in discussions with the government of Tanzania on whether further support to building sustainable statistical systems is appropriate at this time," said the bank in a terse statement. President John Magufuli was expected to sign into law the new Statistics Act which was passed on Sept. 10 by Parliament in the capital Dodoma. The new act seeks to criminalize the collection, analysis, and dissemination of any data without first obtaining authorization from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The World Bank on Monday said it had "shared" its concerns with the Tanzanian government and was "in discussions" with officials about the new act. The new statistics law criminalizes the dissemination of "any statistical information which is intended to invalidate, distort or discredit official statistics." Offenses are punishable by a 6,000-dollars fine or a three-year prison term. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 01:36:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close MADRID, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 10.2 million international tourists arrived in Spain in August this year, a 1.9 percent decrease year-on-year, the National Institute of Statistics (INE) reported on Tuesday. The figure meant that for the first time since 2011, Spain does not register a record high in international arrivals. The INE also reported that in the first eight months of the year, Spain received 57.3 million international tourists, which represented a slight decrease of 0.1 percent when compared with the same period of a year earlier. Spain received 12.9 million tourists from Britain in the first eight months of the year, 8.3 million from France and 7.7 million from Germany, the INE said. As for August, international tourists spent 11.54 billion euros in the country, a 1.8 percent increase when compared with the same month last year. Spending per tourist reached 1,131 euros (1,307 US dollars), which meant a 3.7 percent rise year-on-year, and the average daily spending per tourist reached 139 euros, 10.7 percent more than in the same month of a year earlier. "It is very positive that tourist spending continues to grow even in those markets such as the British, which registered a lower dynamism in the number of travelers this year after an exceptional 2017", the State Secretary for Tourism, Isabel Oliver, said in a statement. "We focus on a quality tourism model rather than a quantity one and therefore spending should be the indicator with which we measure the strength of our sector", Oliver pointed out. Oliver's words are in line with the strategy of the government, which aims at encouraging spending per visitor, the secretary general of the Tourism Board of the Government, German Porras, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. "Spain is committed to transforming its tourism model and moving on from the huge number of visitors to an increase of spending", Porras said. (1 euro=1.15 US dollars) WATERTOWN, Mass. and BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Markforged and Desktop Metal today announced they have reached an agreement that resolves all outstanding litigation between the two companies. Both Markforged and Desktop Metal acknowledge that neither company, nor the individuals named in the litigation, misappropriated any trade secret or confidential information belonging to the other. Further terms and conditions of the settlement will remain confidential. About Markforged Markforged makes 3D printers that transform manufacturing. Businesses, engineers, designers and manufacturing professionals all over the world use Markforged machines to print strong parts in composites and metal for every aspect of manufacturing including prototyping, tooling, fixtures, and high-value end-use production. Founded in 2013 and based in Watertown, MA, Markforged has over 200 employees globally, with a total in $57 million in both strategic and venture capital. To learn more about Markforged, please visit http://markforged.com. About Desktop Metal Desktop Metal, Inc., based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is accelerating the transformation of manufacturing with end-to-end metal 3D printing solutions. Founded in 2015 by leaders in advanced manufacturing, metallurgy, and robotics, the company is addressing the unmet challenges of speed, cost, and quality to make metal 3D printing an essential tool for engineers and manufacturers around the world. Desktop Metal, which has raised $277 million in financing, was selected as one of the worlds 30 most promising Technology Pioneers by World Economic Forum and named to MIT Technology Reviews list of 50 Smartest Companies. For more information, visit www.desktopmetal.com. Source: Markforged Markforged markforged@highwirepr.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:16|Editor: yan Video Player Close BUDAPEST, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Something is quite wrong with the education of foreign languages in the Hungarian school system, according to a survey published here on Tuesday. "Pupils without motivation, lack of foreign language teachers, inadequate professional background, lack of technical tools, overworked children: the education of foreign languages is bleeding of several wounds," a survey by Hungary's first education portal "Eduline" announced in a report. Hungarian is a very time consuming language to learn and one of the most difficult languages in the world, but in return, Hungarians are also struggling to learn foreign languages. In the summer of 2017, the Hungarian government adopted a decree to improve the effectiveness of foreign language teaching, including the commissioning of the present survey. The government wanted to find out why the number of students obtaining language exams was decreasing. In 2008, 174,000 students obtained language exams, while in 2017 this number fell to only 116,000, and out of these, only 75 percent have been successful. "The issue of a more effective school language education is becoming more and more important, because in 2020, universities or colleges will only organize entrance exams for students who have at least one intermediate level language exam," the report underlined. Among the problems, the first one mentioned had been the lack of good teachers. The study revealed that the holders of successful language exams have paid an extra tutor to help children study foreign languages, and that the education received in the schools was not enough by itself. Eduline pointed: "The lack of teaching materials, such as online whiteboards or foreign language labs were also a major source of problems, just as the old concept of teaching, where teachers are speaking and students only listen and they have very little to zero opportunity to speak the foreign language they are learning." The survey showed that grammar schools performed better, while the technical schools underperformed. Eduline indicated that it had interviewed more than 8,000 students and over 1,000 teachers in close to 150 schools nationwide. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Five people were wounded on Tuesday when a Turkish driver crashed his car into pedestrians in Istanbul, local media reported. The incident happened at one of the busiest streets in the Bakirkoy district in central Istanbul, broadcaster Haberturk reported. The pedestrians reacted angrily toward the driver who reportedly battered a woman inside the car. The driver then crashed his car into the crowd and hit several people, before he was arrested by police. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Violence in Libya killed 18 civilians and injured 22 others in September, the UN mission in the North African country said Tuesday. Shelling, gunfire and explosions caused the majority of the casualties, who included women and children, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said in a report. The report demanded all fighting parties in Libya stop using mortars and other weapons in civilian areas, and keep fighters or other military objectives away from populated areas. "While not all actions leading to civilian casualties breach international humanitarian law, the UNSMIL reminds all parties to the conflict that they are under an obligation to target only military objectives," the UNSMIL said. Direct attacks on civilians as well as indiscriminate attacks, which do not distinguish between civilians and fighters, are prohibited, the report warned. Since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime, Libya has been plagued with escalating violence, unrest, and political division. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close PARIS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- French interior minister Gerard Collomb, one of President Emmanuel Macron's main backers, on Tuesday reaffirmed his will to leave the government despite the Elysee's refusal, at a time when Macron is struggling to appease discontent people. "Considering the rumours and the pressure, I don't want the fact I will be a candidate somewhere tomorrow to affect the way forward for the interior ministry," Collomb told Le Figaro. "The French people and the people of Lyon need clarity, so I maintain my offer to resign," Collomb added in an interview published on the daily's website. On Monday, local media reported that Collomb presented his resignation to the president who refused. Last month, the veteran socialist who joined the ruling camp in 2017, announced he would quit the government in mid 2019 to run for the upcoming municipal election in 2020. Cited by local media, source close to the Elysee said Macron regretted that Collomb "put himself in a situation leading him to have to resign." The president "keeps his friendship" with the minister and would receive "quickly" Prime Minister's proposals to replace him. The 71-year-old minister served as Lyon mayor from 2001 to 2017. He had left his post to join Macron's government after he emerged winner in last presidential election. His departure may further cloud the outlook of the 40-year-old head of state who is already on the hot seat due to unpopular reforms and resignation of two of most popular ministers a month ago. According to Odoxa's recent poll, seven French people out of ten disapproved Macron, with all the categories of population thought he was not a good president. "This is, of course, an absolute record of unpopularity of the President and it shows a vertiginous fall (of approval rating )in few months," the pollster said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denied the allegations that the Islamic republic was behind a foiled attack on an Iranian opposition group in Paris, France in June. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi warned in a statement against what he called a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging Iran's "long-standing relations" with France and other major European countries. On Tuesday, France announced that French authorities have frozen the assets of two Iranians and Iran's intelligence services over their alleged connection to a plot to attack a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran. "An attempted attack in Villepinte was foiled on June 30. An incident of such gravity on our national territory could not go unpunished," French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in a joint statement. Six people, including an Iranian diplomat identified as Assadollah Asadi, have been arrested for plotting the attack, media reports said. In response, Qasemi said that Iran once again rejected the accusations and allegations and expressed its "strong objection to the apprehension of the Iranian diplomat," said Qasemi. "The existing documents reveal the clear role of the dissidents, ill-wishers and saboteurs in this farcical show," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:09:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Brett Kavanaugh, the highly controversial U.S. Supreme Court nominee picked by President Donald Trump, has notified Harvard Law School that he will not teach his course as scheduled next semester, the Harvard Crimson reported Tuesday. Catherine Claypoole, associate dean and dean for academic and faculty affairs at the law school, told students the news in an email sent on Monday night. "Today, Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered," Claypoole wrote on behalf of the law school's Curriculum Committee. Hundreds of Harvard Law alumni signed a letter urging the university to remove Kavanaugh as a lecturer at the school, though the letter had not been submitted to administrators by the time of Claypoole's email, local media reported. Kavanaugh, who has been teaching the course titled "The Supreme Court Since 2005" at Harvard Law School since 2009, is under heavy fire over allegations of sexual assaults committed more than 30 years ago. Trump on Friday ordered a one-week probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into the allegations against the judge. Currently, three identified women have come forward to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual assaults or mistreatment of women during his high school and college years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:20:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel on Tuesday insisted that the UN atomic agency should check an Iranian site which Israel claims to be a "secret atomic warehouse" in the Iranian capital Tehran. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should visit the site in Turquzabad, Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, despite the IAEA's insistence earlier Tuesday that it had visited all the sites it "needed to visit," "The IAEA relates to inspections that it has carried out in various places in Iran but does not relate to the specific site in Turquzabad which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to in his UN speech," the statement said. "There is no reason to wait," the statement said, adding that the IAEA must inspect the site immediately and "the Prime Minister's words will be seen as verifiably true." In his address at the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Netanyahu accused Iran of holding a "secret nuclear warehouse" in Turquzabad. Iranian officials have denied the allegations, while accusing Israel of secretly developing and owning nuclear weapons, which should come under international inspection. On Tuesday, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano rebuffed Netanyahu's accusations, saying the agency had checked all relevant sites in Iran and found no breaches to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the U.S. has quitted. "As I stated in my reports to the IAEA Board of Governors, evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for Iran remain ongoing," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:20:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close BUDAPEST, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian government is planning extraordinary measures such as tax exemption for life for mothers with three children to stop the demographic decline of the country, local media reported on Tuesday. "The next national consultation will be an important milestone for government policy to address demographic problems," the Magyar Idok (Hungarian Times) daily newspaper reported, based on sources very close to the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban. "According to the government, families with children should be supported, and immigration is not the answer to demographic problems," the newspaper added. Hungary has seen its population decline from close to 12 million people in the 1970s to less than 10 million currently, and the death rate surpasses the birth rate each year by around 60,000 people. The fight against the demographic decline of Hungary has been stated as one of the most important goals of the Orban government for the period between 2018 and 2022. The Orban government, fiercely opposed to immigration in the European Union, has been conducting national consultations on a regular basis, asking the Hungarian population about its current policies. Magyar Idok explained that the government has already published its questions on demography for the next consultation, and these would be published in the near future. "Following the consultation, new government measures are to be expected, even the total exemptions of mothers with three children from income tax, for their whole life," according to the newspaper. The government also mulls the possibility of extending the parental leave for the father. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:40:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Metiga international airport of the Libyan capital Tripoli resumed work on Tuesday a few hours after an armed group targeted it with shells. In a video posted on Facebook, the armed group called itself "Tripoli Youth Movement" and claimed responsibility for the shelling. The group said the reason for the attack was to "expel the Special Deterrence Force occupying the airport" of the Interior Ministry. It also threatened to "defeat and expel the Force's commander Abdarraoof Cara." In 2018, Tripoli's only functioning airport was closed several times due to shelling, the last of which was later in September during the violence in the city between forces allied with the government and other armed groups. The violence killed and injured hundreds of people, mostly civilians, and forced many families to flee their homes. The fighting ended a few days ago with an agreement signed by the warring parties, according to the Ministry of Interior. Libya has been suffering insecurity and escalating violence since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:40:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close ALGIERS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Speaker of the Algerian National People's Assembly (lower house of parliament) Said Bouhadja on Tuesday suspended his activities amid protest which called him to resign, APS news agency reported. Bouhadja canceled all parliamentary diplomacy activities scheduled in his agenda, without specifying when he will resume work or whether he will resign, the report quoted sources in the parliament as saying. On Monday, heads of five parliamentary groups at the lower house of parliament decided to freeze all activities of the assembly structures until Speaker of the Parliament Said Bouhadja resigns. The five parliamentary groups are consisted of the ruling parties the National Liberation Front (FLN) and the National Democratic Rally (RND), in addition to some pro-regime parties and independent MPs. They denounced what they called "overruns and violations" observed in the legislative institution, namely "intentional postponement of the adoption of the assembly's statutes, marginalization of the members of the Judicial Committee, mismanagement of the assembly's affairs, exaggerated expenses disbursed illegally, and dubious recruitment." The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued the joint Donlin Gold Record of Decision (ROD), marking the completion of a multi-year federal environmental review process NOVAGOLD sold its 50% interest in Galore Creek to Newmont Mining Corporation (Newmont) for total consideration of up to $275 million With approximately $166 million in cash and term deposits as of August 31, 2018, NOVAGOLD is in an excellent financial position to continue advancing its Donlin Gold project up the value chain VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (NYSE American, TSX: NG) today released its 2018 third quarter financial results and updates for the Donlin Gold project in Alaska, which NOVAGOLD (the Company) owns equally with Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick). Details of the financial results for the third quarter ended August 31, 2018 are presented in the consolidated financial statements and quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q with the SEC that is available on the Company's website at www.novagold.com , on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov . All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated and all resource and reserve estimates are shown on a 100% project basis. During the third quarter 2018 and to date, NOVAGOLD achieved the following milestones: Donlin Gold received a Record of Decision and key Federal and State Permits with successful completion of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process: The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was released and Notice of Availability published on April 27, 2018 and the joint ROD was issued on August 13, 2018 by the Corps and BLM Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 10/404 (wetlands) permit and BLM Offer to Lease for pipeline right-of-way were also issued The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) special permit was issued on June 5, 2018 Alaska state permits were secured in parallel with the federal permits: The State air quality permit and APDES water discharge permit have been issued Title 16 fish habitat permits were received on August 30, 2018 The State issued the CWA Section 401 certification that the Corps Section 404 permit complies with state water quality standards NOVAGOLD sold its 50% share of Galore Creek to Newmont for a total consideration of up to $275 million: The Company already received $100 million in July; it is scheduled to receive an additional $75 million no later than July 27, 2021 and another $25 million no later than July 27, 2023; if a construction decision for development of Galore Creek is made, the Company would receive an additional $75 million NOVAGOLD and its partner Barrick continued to carry out optimization work to improve capital efficiencies at Donlin Gold and enhance the projects execution plan with the objective of updating the 2011 feasibility study The Company conducted a site tour for a diverse group of financial representatives and hosted a dinner with Alaska Governor Walker, key State agency commissioners and executives of Calista and The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC) The Company carried out several important initiatives in the Yukon-Kuskokwim region near Donlin Gold: Collaborated with our Native Corporation partners to visit multiple villages to provide updates on Donlin Golds recent achievements Participated in an environmental initiative that identified and removed hazardous waste from six Kuskokwim River villages Supported educational opportunities for more than 100 students Presidents Message After more than six years of diligent work focused on the strategy of taking NOVAGOLDs assets up the value chain, I couldnt be more pleased with the major milestones the Company achieved in the third quarter. From the receipt of the Donlin Gold ROD, as well as multiple federal and state permits, to the successful sale of our share of the Galore Creek project to Newmont, we have delivered on significant strategic milestones that were laid out for the Company when I joined in 2012. We now have a unique project permitted for development in Alaska, one of the most business-friendly jurisdictions in the world, which welcomes socially and environmentally responsible mine development. With its significant size, excellent grade and outstanding exploration potential, we believe that Donlin Gold has the potential to become a pacesetter in the precious metals mining industry for decades to come. Donlin Gold In looking back at the multi-year NEPA review and federal permitting activities for the Donlin Gold project, Im proud to say that it was a very thorough and transparent environmental review process, where stakeholders had opportunities to engage and make meaningful contributions throughout the process. The Corps, BLM and other cooperating agencies successfully navigated this complex process with support from Donlin Gold, Calista and TKC, whose unwavering commitment to the project has been truly remarkable. With the final EIS released and Notice of Availability published in April, which was followed by the issuance of a joint Corps and BLM ROD in August, the receipt of the wetlands permit, the issuance of the Offer to Lease for the federal portion of the pipeline right-of-way, and the receipt of the PHMSA special permit in June, we can proudly say that the third quarter was perhaps the most important in the Companys recent history. To celebrate the occasion of achieving these important milestones, the Corps, BLM, Calista, TKC, Barrick and NOVAGOLD had an official ROD signing ceremony that took place in Anchorage. During this event, the Corps and BLM celebrated a notable administrative first: two federal agencies issuing a joint ROD under Executive Order 13807. The ROD served as the foundation for issuance of the federal permits required for us to build a technically, environmentally, socially and financially responsible and sustainable operation. It was equally encouraging to see the Alaska state permitting agencies working in parallel with their federal counterparts. Four key state permitting milestones have been completed, including issuance of the state air quality, APDES water discharge, and fish habitat permits as well as state certification that the Corps CWA Section 404 permit complies with Alaskas water quality standards. In addition, the public comment periods closed for the draft waste management permit, and the closure and reclamation plan approval, which are expected to be issued by the first quarter 2019 along with the state portion of the pipeline right-of-way. For the first time in the history of the Donlin Gold project, with key federal and state permits in hand, the timeline for development is completely within the project owners control. We have moved Donlin Gold up the value chain and we look forward to the next chapter of further project advancements through optimization, technical enhancements and ultimately development of what we expect will become one of the best gold mining operations in the world. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated resource categories grading 2.24 grams per tonne1 and exceptional exploration potential along the eight-kilometer gold mineralized belt, located in Alaska, a state that welcomes responsible resource development, Donlin Gold has the potential to offer all its stakeholders incredible opportunities for many years to come. Galore Creek Sale The sale of our share of the Galore Creek project to Newmont in exchange for $200 million in guaranteed payments and an additional $75 million payable upon approval of the project construction, establishes a solid financial foundation on which NOVAGOLD will continue to advance its flagship Donlin Gold project toward a construction decision. For us, it was a momentous occasion. In August, I was honored to participate in the ownership transition ceremony with the Tahltan Nation, Teck and Newmont at the project site in British Columbia. We are delighted with the outcome and wish Newmont and Teck great success with the future development of the Galore Creek project. Path Forward As one of the worlds largest and highest-grade permitted undeveloped open-pit gold projects, Donlin Gold is well positioned to benefit from rising gold prices. Receipt of the ROD, as well as federal and state permits, represents a very important milestone in its development. Now, with the scoping-level optimization work largely wrapped-up, Barrick and NOVAGOLD can concentrate on integrating efforts from the optimization work into a study that should serve as a basis for an updated project development plan. Stakeholder Engagement We are proud of the extensive engagement efforts with our shareholders and local stakeholders in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) region. In the third quarter, Calista and TKC, our Native Corporation partners on the Donlin Gold project, have been conducting village meetings throughout the Y-K region to highlight the benefits of the project and respond to questions around permitting and project activities. The Green Star initiative, a successful environmental waste removal program, was launched in six middle Kuskokwim villages. The Green Star project works with local residents to identify, classify, package, and remove hazardous and other wastes via barges. An environmental workshop also took place in one the villages closer to the project site. Supporting educational programs and initiatives is another core focus for the Company, including: scholarship programs for Calista and TKC students; EXCEL Alaska, a non-profit that provides supplemental academic, career and technical education for rural youth and young adults across Alaska; training local residents as spill responders; purchasing new training equipment for a technical school in the Y-K region; and supporting career and job fairs in the Y-K region. Financial Strength At the end of the third quarter, NOVAGOLD had a very healthy treasury of $166 million in cash and term deposits. With an additional $100 million we expect to receive from Newmont in the next five years, the Company should not require any new funding before making a construction decision for Donlin Gold. NOVAGOLDs Board and management team is truly a patient and dedicated group that has been steadfast in executing on the Companys strategy, while having our shareholders and project stakeholders top of mind. The success in achieving these critical milestones would not have been possible without our team and partners, Barrick Gold, Donlin Gold, Calista and TKC, including the commitment and dedication from federal and state government professionals, as well as the cooperating agencies who contributed to the permitting process from the beginning. We are also very thankful for our Boards guidance as we navigated the permitting process and sale of Galore Creek. Gregory A. Lang President & CEO Financial Results in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for per share amounts Three months ended August 31, 2018 $ Three months ended August 31, 2017 $ Nine months ended August 31, 2018 $ Nine months ended August 31, 2017 $ General and administrative expense (1) 4,408 4,646 13,989 16,163 Share of losses Donlin Gold 2,514 3,165 7,260 7,794 Total operating expenses 6,922 7,811 21,249 23,957 Loss from operations (6,922) (7,811) (21,249) (23,957) Other expense (1,112) (1,903) (3,839) (3,836) Income tax expense (9) (67) (154) (218) Net loss from continuing operations (8,043) (9,781) (25,242) (28,011) Net loss from discontinued operations (80,582) (612) (81,229) (987) Net loss (88,625) (10,393) (106,471) (28,998) Net loss per share, basic and diluted Continuing operations (0.02) (0.03) (0.08) (0.09) Discontinued operations (0.25) (0.25) (0.27) (0.03) (0.33) (0.09) At At August 31, 2018 $ Nov 30, 2017 $ Cash and term deposits 165,956 83,954 Total assets 263,162 398,869 Total liabilities 97,639 114,840 (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $1,920 and $2,141 in the third quarter of 2018 and 2017, respectively, and $5,811 and $8,115 in the first nine months of 2018 and 2017, respectively. For the third quarter ended August 31, 2018, loss from operations decreased from $7.8 million in 2017 to $6.9 million in 2018 due to reduced permitting costs at Donlin Gold and lower general and administrative costs. Net loss from continuing operations decreased from $9.8 million ($0.03 per share) in the third quarter 2017 to $8.0 million ($0.02 per share) in the same period in 2018, primarily due to lower operating losses, higher interest income and lower foreign exchange loss offset by higher interest expense on the promissory note payable to Barrick. Net loss from discontinued operations of $80.6 million ($0.25 per share) in the third quarter 2018 results primarily from the loss on the sale of Galore Creek, net of $80.0 million in tax. The net book value of the assets disposed exceeded the net proceeds by $105.3 million and was partially offset by the reclassification of cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments of $13.8 million and a net deferred tax recovery of $11.5 million. For the nine months ended August 31, 2018, the loss from operations decreased from $24.0 million in 2017 to $21.2 million in 2018 due to lower general and administrative expense, and lower project expense at Donlin Gold. General and administrative expense decreased by $2.2 million, primarily due to lower share-based compensation costs for stock options and Performance Share Units (PSU) compared to the prior year. The Company extended the vesting period for new stock option grants and half of the PSU grants issued in the first quarter of 2018 to three years and eliminated the individual performance multiplier in the formula for calculating long-term equity compensation which had the potential to increase long-term equity incentive grants above the target amount. Net loss from continuing operations decreased from $28.0 million ($0.09 per share) in the first nine months of fiscal 2017 to $25.2 million ($0.08 per share) during the same period in 2018, primarily due to the reduction in share-based compensation. Lower operating costs in the current period were partially offset by a $0.9 million increase in interest expense on the promissory note payable to Barrick. Net loss from discontinued operations of $81.2 million ($0.25 per share) in the first nine months of fiscal 2018 resulted primarily from the loss on the sale of Galore Creek, net of tax. Liquidity and Capital Resources In the first nine months of 2018, total cash and term deposits increased by $82.0 million due to net proceeds of $99.3 million from the sale of Galore Creek, partially offset by $7.8 million used to fund Donlin Gold, $8.0 million for administrative activities, and $1.5 million to fund Galore Creek, prior to the sale. Cash used in operating activities decreased by $0.2 million in the third quarter 2018 due to increased interest income and changes in working capital. Cash used to fund Donlin Gold was $0.7 million lower than the prior year quarter due to lower permitting costs and no drill program in 2018. Cash proceeds of $100.0 million from the sale of Galore Creek were invested in term deposits. The term deposits are denominated in U.S. dollars and are held at Canadian chartered banks. Cash provided from investing activities of discontinued operations include $99.3 million in net cash proceeds on the sale of Galore Creek. For the first nine months of fiscal year 2018, cash used in operating activities increased by $0.5 million, primarily due to changes in working capital. Cash used to fund Donlin Gold was $0.2 million lower than the prior year period. The gross cash proceeds of $100.0 million from the sale of Galore Creek were invested in term deposits. No cash was used in financing activities in the first nine months of 2018. Cash provided from investing activities of discontinued operations include $99.3 million in net cash proceeds on the sale of Galore Creek, partially offset by project funding prior to the sale. NOVAGOLDs cash and term deposits are sufficient to fund anticipated technical work at the Donlin Gold project in addition to general and administrative costs. 2018 Outlook NOVAGOLD now expects to spend approximately $23.5 million in 2018, $4.5 million less than what was originally anticipated at the beginning of the year due to a reduction in permitting expenditures and optimization work at the Donlin Gold project, and the sale of Galore Creek mid-year. The revised forecast comprises $11 million for general and administrative costs, $11 million to fund our share of expenditures at the Donlin Gold project, and $1.5 million previously provided for the Galore Creek project. NOVAGOLD remains focused on four primary goals in 2018: advance the Donlin Gold project toward a construction/ production decision; maintain a favorable reputation of the Company and its project among shareholders, Native entities and other stakeholders; promote a strong safety culture maintaining a zero lost-time accident record at all project and office locations; and safeguard the treasury. Conference Call & Webcast Details NOVAGOLDs conference call and webcast, to discuss these results, will take place October 3, 2018 at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET). The webcast and conference call-in details are provided below. Webcast: www.novagold.com/investors/events/ North American callers: 1-855-475-2134 International callers: 1-661-378-9964 Conference ID: 4794546 The webcast will be archived on NOVAGOLDs website for one year. To request a transcript of the call, please email us at: info@novagold.com . About the Donlin Gold Project Donlin Gold is located in Alaska, the second largest gold-producing state in the U.S. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold grading 2.24 grams per tonne in the measured and indicated resource categories (100 percent basis),2 it hosts one of the largest and highest-grade undeveloped open pit gold endowments in the world. According to the Second Updated Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Donlin Gold has the potential to produce, on average, more than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life on a 100% basis. The Donlin Gold project has substantial exploration potential beyond the designed mine footprint which currently covers only three kilometers of an approximately eight-kilometer long gold-bearing trend. Current activities at Donlin Gold are focused on optimization work and community outreach. Donlin Gold LLC is an Alaska-based company owned equally by NovaGold Resources Alaska, Inc. (NOVAGOLD) and Barrick Gold U.S. Inc. (Barrick), which are wholly owned subsidiaries of NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC., and Barrick Gold Corporation, respectively. Scientific and Technical Information Some scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to the Donlin Gold project is derived from the Donlin Creek Gold Project Alaska, USA NI 43-101 Technical Report on Second Updated Feasibility Study prepared by AMEC for NOVAGOLD with an effective date of November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012 (the Second Updated Feasibility Study). Kirk Hanson, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining, North America, (AMEC, Reno), and Gordon Seibel, R.M. SME, Principal Geologist, (AMEC, Reno) are the Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report, each of whom are independent qualified persons as defined in NI 43-101. Clifford Krall, P.E., who is the Mine Engineering Manager for NOVAGOLD and a qualified person under NI 43-101, has approved and verified the scientific and technical information related to the Donlin Gold project contained in this press release. NOVAGOLD Contacts: Melanie Hennessey Vice President, Corporate Communications Allison Pettit Investor Relations Manager 604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, potential, possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results will, may, could, would or should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on several opinions, estimates and assumptions that management of NOVAGOLD considered appropriate and reasonable as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the advancement of optimization studies at Donlin Gold; potential opportunities to enhance or maximize the value of Donlin Gold; the timing and likelihood of permits; opportunities to reduce capital outlays and improve project economics; the potential completion of an updated feasibility study on the project; mine life and production estimates at Donlin Gold; the potential development of Donlin Gold; perceived merit of properties; mineral reserve and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; benefits of the Donlin Gold project and market prices for precious metals. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but instead represent NOVAGOLDs management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include the need to obtain additional permits and governmental approvals; the timing and likelihood of permits; the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for continued cooperation between NOVAGOLD and Barrick for the continued exploration and development of the Donlin Gold property; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, ore grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risk and uncertainties disclosed in reports and documents filed by NOVAGOLD with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The forward-looking statements contained herein reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections of NOVAGOLD on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This press release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this press release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (CIM Definition Standards). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource does not equate to the term "reserves. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources, "indicated mineral resources or "inferred mineral resources or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated resources will ever be converted into reserves. Investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Disclosure of "contained ounces in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by NOVAGOLD in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves under SEC standards. Donlin Gold does not have known reserves, as defined under SEC Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. 1 Donlin Gold data as per the second updated feasibility study effective November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012. Donlin Gold measured resources of 8 Mt grading 2.52 g/t and indicated resources of 534 Mt grading 2.24 g/t, inclusive of proven reserves of 8 Mt grading 2.32 g/t and probable reserves of 497 Mt grading 2.08 g/t. 2 Donlin Gold data as per the second updated feasibility study effective November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012 . Donlin Gold measured resources of approximately 8 Mt grading 2.52 g/t and indicated resources of approximately 534 Mt grading 2.24 g/t, each on a 100% basis. Mineral resources have been estimated in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 02:40:49|Editor: yan Video Player Close VIENNA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Austria wants to continue its support of Syrian refugees in Lebanon and other countries in the region, Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said, according to a press release from her ministry on Tuesday. Speaking during a visit to Lebanon where she met with senior leaders, Kneissl said Austria wishes to provide "consistent" support not just financially, but also in terms of backing political solutions and supporting Syrian refugees who voluntarily wish to return home. She said certain conditions must be met before much of this can be achieved, such as political reforms, demining, and ensuring an availability of clean drinking water. The minister said Austria supports Syrian refugees and Lebanon's status as a host country for them in particular through the EU Madad trust fund. Here it is the third-highest financial contributor amongst EU member states, having so far provided 11.5 million euros (13.3 million U.S. dollars). She said through providing this "help on the ground," both Austria and the EU are helping with humanitarian needs of the refugees, and are bringing about the necessary conditions to stem their migration toward Europe. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 03:13:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Doctors Without Borders (MSF), an international medical charity, said Tuesday it has suspended activities in Yemen's southern province of al-Dhalea following terror attacks on its headquarters. The MSF headquarters based in al-Dhalea was targeted for the second time in less than a week by explosives, but, fortunately, nobody was harmed, the MSF said in a statement. A security source told Xinhua that "unknown gunmen attacked the headquarters of the MSF with explosives and investigations are underway." The MSF strongly condemned the attacks on its compound and staff, adding that it was forced to withdraw its staff from al-Dhalea province and suspend its medical programs until further notice due to lack of safety. The attacks deprive people of much-needed healthcare, the statement said, calling on all warring parties, armed groups and individuals in Yemen to respect and ensure the safety of humanitarian and health workers in the country. The MSF remains committed to support the Yemeni people and is working in 15 hospitals and health centers in Yemen, while providing support to more than 16 hospitals or health centers across 12 provinces of the war-torn Arab country. The impoverished Arab country has been locked in a civil war since the Iranian-backed Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in 2014. Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 to support the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile. The United Nations has listed Yemen as the world's top humanitarian crisis, with 7 million citizens on the brink of famine. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 03:30:26|Editor: yan Video Player Close VIENNA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday said a peaceful Europe is only possible with Russia on board, ahead of a trip to St. Petersburg to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin. As part of the working visit on Wednesday, the two leaders plan to discuss bilateral relations as well as other regional and global issues, Austria Press Agency reported, citing sources in Kurz's chancellery. This will include the state of relations between Russia and the European Union (EU). In light of its current presidency of the Council of the EU, Austria would like to revive dialogue between the two powers, and is seen by some observers as being "Russia-friendly." The two leaders will reportedly also discuss the situation in Syria. Both leaders will also attend the opening ceremony of an art exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, arranged in conjunction with the Vienna Museum of Art History, and sponsored by Austria's largest oil and gas company OMV and Russian giant Gazprom. OMV and Gazprom are presently engaged in close cooperation on various projects including the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 04:19:02|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi (1st L, Front) is welcomed by supporters upon her arrival in Tunis, Tunisia, on Oct. 2, 2018. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi received Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi and her family Tuesday in Tunis. During his meeting with Tamimi, Essebsi said that Tunisia continues to support Palestinian people and their right to set up their independent state. (Xinhua/Adele Ezzine) TUNIS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian President Beji Caid Essibsi received Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi and her family Tuesday in Tunis, capital of Tunisia. According to a presidency press release, Essebsi said that his invitation to Ahed Tamimi and the tribute paid to her by Tunisia "are a form of recognition for the fight and sacrifices by several generations of Palestinians. It is also an acknowledgement of the justice of the Palestinian cause, and its value in the conscience of Tunisian people." During his meeting with Tamimi, Essebsi said that Tunisia continues to support Palestinian people and their right to set up their independent state. Tamimi expressed her gratitude to the Tunisian president for inviting her to visit this Arab country. This visit coincided with the 33rd anniversary of "the Wooden Leg Operation," a code name given to the Israeli Air Force attack on the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) south of capital Tunis on October 1, 1985, which killed dozens of Palestinians and Tunisians. Ahed Tamimi was detained by Israeli forces on December 15, 2017, after she was filmed slapping an Israeli soldier. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 04:26:20|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close The Non-Violence sculpture is pictured at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on the International Day of Non-Violence, Oct. 2, 2018. Despite the severe challenges the world faces, there is still hope as non-violence is part of humanity, said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, president of the UN General Assembly, on Tuesday. The International Day of Non-Violence is Oct. 2, the birthday of Gandhi. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Despite the severe challenges the world faces, there is still hope as non-violence is part of humanity, said Maria Fernanda Espinosa, president of the UN General Assembly, on Tuesday. "At its heart, humanity yearns for peace and harmony -- principles that Gandhi espoused, and recent developments have given us cause for hope," Espinosa told an event to celebrate the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and the International Day of Non-Violence. In July, the governments of Eritrea, Ethiopia and then Djibouti ended a decades-long conflict. The benefits have been profound: families reunited, borders opening to trade and investment, improved areas for cultural, social, economic and security cooperation, she said. On the other side of the world, on the Korean Peninsula, inter-Korean summits have led to an historic thawing in relations, she said. While only last year the threat of war had become a very real possibility, in a matter of months the tide had turned, so much so that the world watched this year as the two Koreas marched together into the 2018 Winter Olympics. For those countries still at odds, for those who would continue to pick up arms, the examples of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti, and of the Korean Peninsula, should serve as inspiration, said Espinosa. In the United States, Martin Luther King is celebrated as a student of Gandhi. Resisting opposition and insult, he took the long view. And he was right -- his dream has changed the trajectory of a whole nation and influenced others, she said. Over a week ago, world leaders at the UN General Assembly celebrated another icon of forgiveness and peace -- Nelson Mandela. "These leading lights of our recent modern times were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, whose example has proven the most durable and enduring," she said. Espinosa quoted Gandhi's words: "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean. If a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." The International Day of Non-Violence is Oct. 2, the birthday of Gandhi. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 04:26:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Four American men identified as members and associates of a militant white supremacist group have been charged with inciting a riot and assaulting counterprotesters at the fatal "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last year, according to court documents released Tuesday. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia identified the men as members and associates of the Rise Above Movement, a militant white supremacist organization based in Southern California, said a CNN report. The men are accused of traveling from California to Charlottesville for the rally "with intent (a) to incite a riot, (b) to organize, promote, encourage, participate in, and carry on in a riot, (c) as having 'participated in violent encounters in Charlottesville,'" the complaint said. The August 2017 rally attracted national attention when white supremacists, fascists and neo-Nazis violently clashed with counterprotesters. A 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 others were injured when an Ohio man associated with white nationalist groups drove a car into the crowd of counterprotesters. U.S. President Donald Trump drew a firestorm of criticism at the time when he said "both sides" were to blame for the violence. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 04:37:51|Editor: yan Video Player Close RABAT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Spain vowed Tuesday to strengthen cooperation in the area of migration. This pledge was made during talks between Morocco's Minister of Labor and Professional Integration Mohamed Yatim and visiting Spanish Secretary of State for Migration Maria del Consuelo Rumi Ibanez. During the talks, Rumi Ibanez said that Morocco and Spain should cooperate for better migration management, pleading for more support from the European Union. Describing Morocco as Spain's strategic partner, Rumi Ibanez reiterated her country's determination to fight illegal migration and human trafficking. For his part, Yatim called for consolidation of Moroccan-Spanish cooperation on circular migration (seasonal employment), highlighting the positive results in terms of recruitment of Moroccan workers by Spanish companies. He called for more efforts to consolidate this mechanism. Spain issues seasonal work permits for more than 10,000 Moroccan women annually to pick strawberries in Spanish farms. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's bike-sharing firm Mobike announced Tuesday through its Israeli franchise that it is expanding its service in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, while pulling out of three other cities in the state. Mobike signed an agreement with TLV Fashion, one of Tel Aviv's largest shopping malls, in which tens of bicycles were placed close to the mall for the use of the city's residents and visitors. Currently, the service operates successfully at Tel Aviv University, in the nearby city of Ramat Gan, and in several hi-tech companies in Israel, including Tel Aviv based "wix.com." Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan currently have 45,000 registered users in the Mobike app, which generate tens of thousands of bicycle rides per month. The service allows the user to take a bicycle through an application and leave it anywhere on the street. The price of using the Tel Aviv area is 3.90 new shekels (about 1.07 U.S. dollars) for half an hour. Alongside the expansion in the Tel Aviv area, Mobike decided to stop its service in the city of Rehovot in central Israel due to low usage, lack of cooperation from the municipality and damage caused to bicycles by users. Mobike's service was also stopped in the cities of Kiryat Bialik and Kiryat Motzkin in the northern part of the country. Last July, Chinese bike-sharing company Ofo pulled out from Israel as a part of its decision to stop operating in the Middle East. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned on Tuesday against the prospect of his country being forced to leave an international agreement on Iran's nuclear program. "I can assure you that if Iran is forced to decide ... to leave the JCPOA, and if Europe, China and Russia will not be able to guarantee Iranian benefits from the JCPOA, we will be in a position that we cannot continue -- not because we are in rush for anything, but because it will be a matter of national dignity," said Zarif, using the official name of the July 2015 deal -- The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal has complicated the complex international situation, Zarif told an event hosted by the Austrian mission to the United Nations on lessons from the Iran nuclear deal. "If we are forced to leave that agreement, I can assure you that we will not be able to get a similar deal. I can assure you that the United States will never be able to get a better deal -- and Iran will probably not get a better deal." He warned against attempts for a zero-sum game, obviously in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump's attitude toward the Iran nuclear deal that his predecessor Barack Obama entered alongside Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia. Trump decided in May to pull out of the deal and to re-impose sanctions on Iran. After the U.S. withdrawal, the remaining five powers have been trying to keep the deal with Iran afloat. The foreign ministers of the five powers and Iran met on Sept. 24 in New York to reaffirm their support for the deal. After chairing the meeting, EU's foreign affairs and security policy chief Federica Mogherini said the EU will set up a legal entity to circumvent U.S. sanctions. The EU action immediately drew fire from Washington, saying the EU move was unacceptable. Zarif on Tuesday called for a multilateral approach instead of a mentality of winning it all. "You go for zero sum, you go to win it all, you make yourself vulnerable to losing it all," he warned. "Those who wanted to win it all in Syria are now facing the prospect of losing it all in Syria. Those who wanted to win it all in Yemen are now facing the prospect of losing it all in Yemen." Any attempt to win at the expense of others can lead to losing -- and it doesn't mean the other side has won, it means the other sides has lost a bit less than you have, he said. "If we really truly believe in multilateralism, we need to cultivate this new paradigm that we have to work for a positive-sum game, that we have to put ourselves in the shoes of the other side, that we have to start listening," he said. "The more complicated the international scene would become, the more we would need to cultivate this mentality." Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close STRASBOURG, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Members of European Parliament (MEPs) voted Tuesday to cut 70 million euros (80.8 million U.S. dollars) in pre-accession funds earmarked for Turkey, claiming that Ankara had made no improvement in respect to EU values. The EU representatives backed redirecting the funds to aid programs related to migration. Meeting in Strasbourg for a plenary session, MEPs backed the resolution by 544 votes to 28 against, with 74 abstentions, arguing that conditions for the rule of law in Turkey had not improved in the past year. In November 2017, the European Parliament and European Council had agreed during budgetary negotiations to place 70 million euros in pre-accession funds in reserve for Turkey, but under the condition "Turkey makes measurable, sufficient improvements" in regards to core European values. An April 2018 European Commission report, however, concluded that "Turkey has been significantly moving away from the European Union", particularly in terms of the rule of law. In their resolution, the MEPs backed a draft budget amendment proposed by the European Commission in July 2018 in order to transfer the 70 million euros earmarked for Turkey in order to reinforce the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI). The ENI governs EU relations with 16 of the bloc's closest Eastern and Southern neighbors, and is designed to contribute to stabilization of the region. The transferred funds would particularly target programs within the framework designed to cover actions linked to the Central Mediterranean migratory route and to fulfill part of the EU pledge for Syria, as well as to boost Humanitarian Aid by 35 million euros. Toronto, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- World Wildlife Fund Canada welcomes the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Developments report highlighting shortcomings on the protection of marine mammals. The audit findings further point to the failure of the federal government to implement the urgent and mandatory actions that the Species at Risk Act requires to reduce threats to Canadas most threatened marine mammals. Canada has a poor track record in recovering species, with at-risk populations continuing to decline by an average of 28 per cent since the Species at Risk Act was introduced in 2002. WWF-Canada continues to call for more timely and effective actions to reduce threats to marine mammals to reverse those trends. Audit findings: The federal government (acting through Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Parks Canada and Transport Canada) has not fully applied existing policies and tools to proactively manage threats to marine mammals from commercial fishing and marine vessels. Threats include: entanglements, bycatch, depletion of food sources, noise and disturbance, oil spills and collisions with marine vessels. Underutilized tools include long-term planning and management in the form of recovery strategies and action plans under the Species at Risk Act, guidelines for planning and managing marine protected areas, and integrated fisheries management plans. James Snider, vice-president of science, research and innovation at WWF-Canada, said: Todays audit echoes a warning that WWF-Canada issued last year: the federal government isnt using the tools in the Species at Risk Act to act quickly to stop wildlife loss. The slow speed at which the government is moving isnt keeping pace with the steep declines were seeing in some marine mammal species, such as southern resident killer whales. The government has the tools to help marine mammals and it isnt using them. Wildlife cant wait. About marine protected areas Marine protected areas (MPAs) can be a powerful tool for protecting endangered species, however the Commissioners report highlights how endangered marine mammals are rarely explicitly considered in the planning of MPAs. Only three of Canadas 11 established MPAs have an objective to protect marine mammals. MPAs should have clear standards on industrial activities, including prohibition on oil and gas, and be part of a well-designed network to protect migratory marine mammals such as the North Atlantic right whale. About Southern resident killer whales Threatened by a depletion in food stocks (chinook salmon), underwater noise and disturbance, and pollution. Though listed as Endangered under SARA in 2003, a Recovery Strategy was delayed by four years, the Action Plan was also four years late, and it wasnt finalized until 2017. In this time period the threats continued to grow, leading to further population decline. Only in summer 2018 did the Department of Fisheries and Oceans begin to implement fisheries closures and reductions to address food scarcity for the whales by supporting the recovery of fish stocks. Voluntary efforts from shipping and other industries have been helpful, but more needs to be done for long term, permanent and sustained threat reduction. WWF-Canada, alongside Ecojustice, David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Raincoast Conservation Foundation, asked the Federal Court to review Ottawas failure to recommend an Emergency Order to protect the southern resident killer whales under the Species at Risk Act. About North Atlantic right whales Threatened by vessel collisions and gear entanglement. Listed as Endangered under SARA in 2005, a Recovery Strategy for this species was not produced until three years past its legal deadline, and the Action Plan was another two years late and has still not been finalized. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Transport Canada implemented meaningful regulations in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2018 for fishing gear restrictions and vessel slow-down zones in response to the deaths of 12 North Atlantic right whales in Canadian waters in 2017. However, these regulations require a large commitment in terms of time, effort and money to conduct constant aerial surveys of North Atlantic right whale habitat. Long-term, sustainable solutions are still needed to reduce threats and protect this endangered species. About World Wildlife Fund Canada WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. For more information, visit wwf.ca. For further information Rebecca Spring, senior communications specialist, rspring@wwfcanada.org, +1 647-338-6274 Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Russia has delivered to Syria S-300 air defense systems to improve safety of its military personnel deployed in the country, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday. "We have completed the delivery of S-300 systems. This includes 49 pieces of equipment: lighting locators, basic detection systems, control vehicles and four launchers," Shoigu said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the Russian Security Council, according to a Kremlin transcript. The delivery was completed on Monday, which was part of measures aimed at strengthening air defense systems in Syria and the protection of Russian military personnel, the minister said. In addition, the electronic warfare system in Syria was significantly strengthened and the delivery of equipment of the unified control system has also begun. The Defense Ministry has started training the selected personnel and specialists to use the S-300 systems, which will last for three months, Shoigu said. On Sept. 17, a Russian Il-20 surveillance plane was mistakenly downed by Syria's S-200 system when it was preparing to land at the Russian Hmeymim air base at a time when four Israeli jets were conducting an airstrike in the vicinity. Last week, Shoigu said that Moscow will strengthen Syria's air defense by providing it with modern S-300 missile systems and identification friend-or-foe (IFF) devices within two weeks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi lawmakers on Tuesday elected Barham Salih as the new president of Iraq after a protracted political wrangling, marking a crucial step in forming the government in the next four years. Salih gained 219 votes out of a total of 272 lawmakers who cast their votes in the second round of voting, advancing on his rival Fuad Hussein who gained 22 votes in the session. In the first round of voting, any of about 20 candidates, who were competing for the president post, had failed to win the two-third of the total 329 parliament members needed for the post. But Barham Salih gained the highest votes 165, while Fuad Hussein came in the second place with 89 votes out of about 300 lawmakers who cast their votes in the first round. According to the Iraqi constitution, the president-elect needs to gather at least two thirds of the votes of the 329 parliament members. If the parliament lawmakers fail to vote by a two-third majority, the two candidates with the highest number of votes shall compete with each other. The one receiving the majority of votes in the second round of vote shall be declared the president of Iraq. After being elected as the new president, Salih sworn in as the president of Iraq and told the lawmakers, "I will protect the unity of Iraq and its independence, and it is a great honor to be elected president of the Republic of Iraq." "I will be the president of Iraq and not for a certain group, entity or component," Salih pledged. "I will work according to the democratic system," he said, recalling "the martyrs of Iraq, victims of mass graves, Halabja and all the martyrs." Afterwards, the Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi adjourned the session to next Tuesday. According to the constitution, Salih will have 15 days after taking office to task the nominee of the largest alliance to form the government of the next four years. The Iraqi media reports said that the independent politician Adel Abdul-Mahdi will be the nominee of the largest alliance, after the contesting two alliances who previously claimed they were the largest alliance reached a consensus that they both nominated Mahdi as their candidate for the next prime minister post. Barham Ahmed Salih, 58, is a veteran Kurdish politician, born in the city of Sulaimaniyah in northeastern Iraq. He was former prime minister of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan from 2001 to 2004. Later, he became deputy prime minister of the federal government and occupied many ministerial posts in Baghdad and Erbil in the last 15 years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:08:42|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Palestinian biochemist professor Said Assaf, 80 years old, displays jojoba seeds at his farm in Arrabeh town near the West Bank City of Jenin, on Sept. 29, 2018. The jojoba trees, which are considered immortal and to have countless benefits, were first brought to Palestine in the late 1970's from Arizona in the United States by Said Assaf. He believes that jojoba makes a great plant for the region, under the current geographical and political conditions as Palestinians are allowed to make use of it in the occupied territory and the limited water resources. (Xinhua/Ayman Nobani) by Fatima Aruri JENIN, West Bank, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- While thousands of olive trees cover the sloppy hills of Arrabeh town near the northern West Bank city Jenin, hundreds of jojoba trees with slightly brighter leaves stand out amongst them. The jojoba trees, which are considered immortal and to have countless benefits, were first brought to Palestine in the late 1970's from Arizona in the United States by Said Assaf, an 80-year-old biochemist professor. The similarity between olive and jojoba trees makes them nearly twin trees, Assaf said, while explaining the process of planting jojoba by adapting the ancient methods of planting olive trees. "I feel that I put a tree that is permanent to help olives and not compete with olives. It produces medicinal oil that our people can eat if they want, or use as medicinal oil," said Assaf. The tree withstands drought and lack of rain during most of the year, and can be planted with olives, he added. Like olives, jojoba trees start giving produce nearly a decade after being planted, and there is a local proverb saying that the special tree is planted not for its own farmer to eat of, but for his children and forthcoming generations. Unlike anywhere else in the world, Assaf had started planting the jojoba as single or double stemmed trees, instead of multi-stem bushes. Assaf grew fond of the jojoba after he returned to Palestine with a mission to fund specialized academic programs in biochemistry at Palestinian universities. When he returned, he brought jojoba seeds to his small nursery in Jenin area. He succeeded in planting the first tree in 1981, in his own lot of land near his hometown Arrabeh. He believes that jojoba makes a great plant for the region, under the current geographical and political conditions as Palestinians are allowed to make use of it in the occupied territory and the limited water resources. Hasan Jum'a, a 51-year-old local farmer who has worked together with Assaf for the past 20 years in planting and harvesting jojoba, said that jojoba "is a desert plant and produces in the harshest conditions." He explained that it is "planted with stems of a male and a female separated, where the female bears that fruit that is a nut. Over 48 percent of its weight is oil, which is very rich and has many uses." Assaf and his wife, environmental scientist Karen Assaf, later established a scientific research center for his jojoba oil development and started planting in wider lots of lands. A jojoba nut contains about 50 percent oil and only one percent water. Its oil can be used for cosmetic and medical purposes. In addition to oil uses, the jojoba tree will protect the soil from erosion, and the land from confiscation by settlers, said Assaf. The jojoba oil produced by Assaf couple is of internationally credited high quality. However, it remains an unpopular nut, and the main challenge is marketing it. The Assafs' make around 1,500 kg of jojoba oil annually out of 12,000 trees they planted over the past three decades. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:11:10|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran announced on Tuesday that two state-of-art indigenous submarines have joined Iranian navy fleet in the country's southeastern coast of Makran, Tasnim news agency reported. The submarines joined the navy's fleet during a ceremony in the port city of Jask, attended by high-ranking officials, including Commander of the Iranian Navy Hossein Khanzadi. "Today, the strategic region of Jask is witnessing the addition of one of the world's most sophisticated technologies," Khanzadi said in reference to the submarines. A message of the submarines joining the navy's fleet is that Iran has achieved this success under the U.S. sanction pressures, Khanzadi was quoted as saying. The report did not elaborate on the specifications of the submarines. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has urged the Iranian army to develop defensive equipment despite West's discontent. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:46:04|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert addresses a press briefing in Washington D.C., the United States, on Oct. 2, 2018. Nauert said here on Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for further talks concerning the country's denuclearization. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for further talks concerning the country's denuclearization. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that Pompeo will talk with DPRK's top leader, Kim Jong Un, on Sunday. Pompeo would also travel to Japan, South Korea and China on Oct. 6-8 to brief them about his visit, she added. Noting that Pompeo is making his fourth trip to the DPRK in less than a year, Nauert said, "we have quite a ways to go but we look forward to the next steps in this conversation." Refusing to say that talks with the DPRK has been stalled, she said "the secretary and the president said we're not going to set arbitrary deadlines in the interim. We're hopeful." She added that "among the things that the secretary discussed were security assurances," referring to Pompeo's agenda in the DPRK. Nauert also said that "obviously these conversations are going in the right direction." The DPRK on Saturday demanded the United States take steps to secure Pyongyang's trust before its denuclearization. "Without any trust in the U.S. there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first," DPRK's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the UN General Assembly. The key to consolidating peace and security on the Korean Peninsula is to thoroughly implement the joint statement adopted at the historic summit between DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, said Ri. Speaking before a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in New York recently, Trump announced that himself and Kim will hold a second summit "in the not too distant future." After a meeting between Pompeo and Ri on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, the State Department announced that Pompeo will travel to the DPRK to discuss the second Trump-Kim summit. In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Trump thanked Kim "for his courage and for the steps he has taken." But he added that much work remains to be done and that the sanctions against the DPRK will stay in place "until denuclearization occurs." | 2018-10-03 05:46:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAIRO, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) has initiated a strategy to improve the social and health conditions of the people aged 60 or above in the Arab region, the Cairo-based pan-Arab organization said in a statement Tuesday. The statement was issued on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, which falls on Oct. 1 every year. "In appreciation of this important category of the society, the councils of Arab social affairs and health ministers prepared a strategy that focuses on their social and health conditions to secure a better life for them," said Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh, AL Assistant Secretary General for Social Affairs. She noted that the number of older persons in the Arab region, who are aged 60 or above, has reached about 26.53 million in 2015, constituting to 6.67 percent of the total Arab population. Citing a report jointly issued in November 2017 by the Council of Arab Social Affairs Ministers and the United Nations Population Fund, Abu-Ghazaleh said that the number of Arab aged people is expected to rise to about 100.27 million by 2050 to comprise 15.2 percent of the Arab world's population. Besides social and healthcare plans, the strategy includes national plans for educating aged people and it is expected to be submitted to the upcoming Arab summit that will be held in Tunisia in March 2019, said Abu-Ghazaleh. The UN said that the number of elder people in the world is expected to rise from 962 million in 2017 to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:46:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close GAZA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 360 brides and grooms were overwhelmed with joy on Tuesday during a mass wedding ceremony, sponsored by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The mass wedding was held at one of the local resorts on the seaside of Gaza. A large hall was ornamented with Palestinian flags and big posters of President Abbas and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat were hung on the walls. Izzat Shaqoura, a 27-year-old broom, expressed his happiness when he and other grooms stood on a stage waving Palestinian flags, while their brides carried white flowers and wore white traditional Palestinian dresses. "I'm very happy to celebrate marriage together with young men like me, and we all share hope for life and establishing happy families," said Shaqoura. He told Xinhua that the ceremony is a joy that Gaza needs in light of the hardships of the living conditions. His bride, Doha Joma'a, 24, told Xinhua that "the economic hardships in the Gaza Strip deprive so many youths from getting married. This mass wedding party is a mean of support that makes joy defeat sadness." Hundreds of guests, including relatives and friends of the couples as well as notables and officials, were invited to the wedding. During the ceremony, traditional Palestinian music was played. Ahmad Helles, member of the Central Committee of Abbas' Fatah Party, said in a speech on behalf of Abbas at the opening that "I hope this wedding will be an introduction for ending the internal Palestinian division." The Gaza Strip has been ruled by Islamic Hamas movement since its violent takeover of the coastal enclave in the summer of 2007. Since then, Israel has been imposing a tight blockade on the territory. Helles said that choosing the couples was made in accordance with certain terms, which included children of Palestinians were killed or wounded during the conflict with Israel. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:46:04|Editor: yan Video Player Close RABAT, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 illegal migrants have drowned and 31 others have been rescued after their boat sank off Morocco's northern city of Nador, local government said Tuesday. The rescued were sent to a local hospital to receive treatment, the government said, noting that the boat's sailor, who is a Malian national, was arrested. Search operations are underway to arrest another Malian citizen suspected of organizing this illegal migration attempt, it added. An investigation is also ongoing to determine the exact circumstances of the accident, it said. Morocco has become a hub for African migrants who seek to reach Europe for a better life. Thousands of migrants are trying to flee poverty and unrest in Africa each year via Morocco to Europe, either by land into Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish ports in the Moroccan territory, or by sea to Spain or Italy, often in flimsy vessels. In recent months, illegal migration attempts have further intensified. According to Moroccan authorities, security services thwarted at least 54,000 attempts to smuggle illegal migrants into Europe in the first eight months of 2018, compared with 39,000 attempts a year earlier. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:46:04|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close BERLIN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) will be an opportunity and an important gateway for German companies to enter the Chinese market, expert with Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) told Xinhua on Tuesday. "We are confident that CIIE is one of the first steps for making sure that there are good conditions for German companies to do business in China," said Thomas Koenig, Director East Asia of DIHK. DIHK assumes the role of CIIE's organizer in Germany and encourages German enterprises to showcase their competitive products and services through the new platform. It is a wonderful opportunity for German companies to celebrate their successes in China already. So lots of companies that are established in China will showcase their talent and their products, Koenig said. But it is also a wonderful opportunity for new German companies, which have so far not really discovered China's potential as a new destination for their products and ideas, he added. Koenig assured that there will be a wide variety of German companies that are going to be present. It is about showcasing the wide variety that the German economy has and its offer to China. "There will be a total of 170 German companies participating in this year's CIIE. We are very pleased to see such a large scale of participation, which underlines the German-Chinese friendship and partnership," Koenig said. In the German pavilion itself, it will be highlighting technologies, ideas and new products, which are relevant to the Chinese market, he continued. In addition, Koenig said that the CIIE is also about showcasing the new China, the new opportunities in China, and an open China for investment. "China does encourage more exchanges with foreign companies, and also it is very open for business. And that kind of spirit is something we DIHK of course very much support," Koenig added. CIIE, the first of its kind ever to be held by China in Shanghai, will be held on November 5-10. So far more than 2,800 companies from over 130 countries and regions have confirmed their participation in the event. Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 05:48:38|Editor: yan Video Player Close MINSK, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) urged conflicting parties in Ukraine to immediately begin demining, a special representative said on Tuesday. Martin Sajdik, the OSCE's special representative in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on Ukraine and Ertugrul Apakan, the head of the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine passed a joint statement, which called on the conflicting sides to start the immediate and complete humanitarian demining of settlements and checkpoints. Sajdik said that three children were killed and one injured by a mine near Gorlovka on Sept. 30. Unfortunately, too many of these cases have occurred and are happening as a result of the ongoing conflict, accompanied by the indiscriminate placement of mines and similar explosive devices along the contact line, the statement said. The statement reminds that under the Minsk agreements both sides have undertaken to clear mines. The next meeting of the TCG on Ukraine will take place on Oct. 16. The TCG is a group of representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE that was formed to facilitate a diplomatic solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Salt Lake City, UT, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- October 2, 2018 (SALT LAKE CITY) To commemorate October as National Bullying Prevention Month, Lice Clinics of America, the worlds largest network of professional lice treatment centers and the exclusive provider of the one and done heated-air lice treatment, is asking parents to help dispel the myths around head lice in an effort to end the stigma around this easily treatable ailment. Children face bullying in school when they get head lice, and according to a recent OnePoll survey of 2,000 U.S. parents conducted by Lice Clinics of America, 52 percent of parents feel judged by other parents when their children get lice. That is why Lice Clinics of America is launching #LetsGetRealAboutLice during National Bullying Prevention Month, in an effort to dispel the myths and end the stigma around this easily treatable condition. Lice Clinics of America is encouraging families to visit one of their 200+ clinics in the U.S., as well as share the #LetsGetRealAboutLice facts on social media to help end the ignorance and bullying around head lice. The truth about head lice is: A head lice infestation is not an indicator of poor hygiene, and head lice do not discriminate. Anyone can get head lice, regardless of ethnic background, socioeconomic status or hygiene. Head lice do not jump or flythey almost exclusively spread by direct head-to-head contact. Head lice do not carry any diseases, and they cannot make you sick. They are simply a medical nuisance. We have heard time and again from parents that misinformation about lice and trials of treating it lead to embarrassment and shame. Children should not have to endure any bullying, let alone be harassed about head lice, said Dr. Krista Lauer, medical director, Lice Clinics of America. At Lice Clinics of America, we pride ourselves in educating families on the truth about this all too common issue and the convenience of our proprietary heated-air technology that kills head lice and their eggs in one treatment. Kids and families deserve to get back to life without enduring the stigma of a long infestation. To learn and share the truth about lice, follow Lice Clinics of America on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and, the hashtag #LetsGetRealAboutLice. Families can also find more information and solutions at a local clinic by visiting www.liceclinicsofamerica.com. About Lice Clinics of America With more than 350 clinics worldwide in 36 countries, Lice Clinics of America (www.LiceClinicsOfAmerica.com) is the largest network of professional head lice treatment centers in the world. Its patented heated-air device, AirAlle, has effectively performed more than 400,000 head lice treatments. Lice Clinics of America and AirAlle (www.airalle.com) are brands owned by Larada Sciences, Inc., which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo provided by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 10, 2018 shows Kim Jong Un (R), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), shaking hands with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on May 9, 2018. (Xinhua/ KCNA) WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for further talks concerning the country's denuclearization. In a press briefing, State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that Pompeo will talk with DPRK's top leader, Kim Jong Un, on Sunday. Pompeo would also travel to Japan, South Korea and China on Oct. 6-8 to brief them about his visit, she added. Noting that Pompeo is making his fourth trip to the DPRK in less than a year, Nauert said, "we have quite a ways to go but we look forward to the next steps in this conversation." Refusing to say that talks with the DPRK has been stalled, she said "the secretary and the president said we're not going to set arbitrary deadlines in the interim. We're hopeful." She added that "among the things that the secretary discussed were security assurances," referring to Pompeo's agenda in the DPRK. Nauert also said that "obviously these conversations are going in the right direction." The DPRK on Saturday demanded the United States take steps to secure Pyongyang's trust before its denuclearization. "Without any trust in the U.S. there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first," DPRK's Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the UN General Assembly. The key to consolidating peace and security on the Korean Peninsula is to thoroughly implement the joint statement adopted at the historic summit between DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, said Ri. Speaking before a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in New York recently, Trump announced that himself and Kim will hold a second summit "in the not too distant future." After a meeting between Pompeo and Ri on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, the State Department announced that Pompeo will travel to the DPRK to discuss the second Trump-Kim summit. In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Trump thanked Kim "for his courage and for the steps he has taken." But he added that much work remains to be done and that the sanctions against the DPRK will stay in place "until denuclearization occurs." Source: Xinhua| 2018-10-03 06:43:22|Editor: yan Video Player Close ANKARA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of U.S. army troops have arrived in Turkey to join training for a joint patrol in Syria's Manbij, Turkish Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "Joint patrols will start after the completion of training," the ministry said in a statement. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis told reporters on Aug. 28 that Ankara and Washington are continuing to progress on a bilateral roadmap to rid the area of the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia. The training equipment has arrived in Ankara ahead of the commencement of joint patrols, according to Mattis. Source: Xinhua| 2018-09-30 18:18:01|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Eritrea on Saturday asked for the lifting of sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council since the country signed a historic peace deal with neighboring Ethiopia on 9, July. "The sanctions imposed on Eritrea for the last nine years have entailed considerable economic damage to the country and unnecessary hardships on its people," Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed said in his speech at the UN General Assembly. "As I stressed earlier, the people of Eritrea have not committed a crime or transgression that impels them to seek clemency. As such, they are not only calling for the immediate rescinding of the sanctions but they are also asking, and deserve, amends for the damages incurred and opportunities forfeited," Mohammed said. Ethiopia requested the lifting of sanctions on Eritrea after the two countries signed a historic Joint Declaration of Peace and Friendship on July 9 and agreed to normalize relations. But the Security Council has failed to do so as council members were not united on the issue. "Some countries are looking for procedural and other pretexts and preconditions. The apparent aim is to move the goalpost and maintain the illegal sanctions on Eritrea," said the foreign minister. The Security Council imposed sanctions on Eritrea in 2009 for its destabilizing role in neighboring countries, particularly its alleged support for Al-Shabaab militants in Somalia and its territorial dispute with Djibouti. Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and the two countries fought a war from 1998 to 2000. Although a peace agreement was signed in December 2000, tensions continued. The July 9 Joint Declaration officially put an end to war, and Eritrea and Djibouti later agreed to normalize relations. Im excited to announce that we are expanding the FLEX program to Hungary. This program is a fantastic opportunity for talented Hungarian high school students to study and live in the United States for one year. The expansion of this important exchange program to Hungary is part of our commitment to building stronger connections between Hungarians and Americans. Im confident that the American host families and high schools in this program will be very impressed by the Hungarian students, and all of the participants will greatly improve their understanding of the other country. Application information is available through the U.S. Embassy website. The application deadline for the 2019 - 2020 school year is October 31, 2018. Detailed Program Information Applications are now open for FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange,) a program fully funded by the U.S. Department of State , which has provided scholarships to over 27,000 secondary school students from 20 different countries in the last 26 years. Currently, 922 students are studying in the U.S. on the FLEX program. The aim of the program is to promote respect for cultural diversity and friendship between the United States of America and 20 different countries, including Hungary. S chool students aged 15-17 are provided the opportunity to experience the American way of life by studying in a U.S. high school and living with an American host family. Recruitment, selection, orientation, and travel arrangements for the FLEX program are organized by the American Councils for International Education. Founded in 1974, American Councils is an international organization working to improve mutual understanding between countries, exchange ideas among individuals, and enhance collaboration through education. How to apply? Applicants must be Hungarian citizens enrolled in high school. For more information on specific requirements, applicants should visit FLEX Hungarys Facebook page. The online application is available here The online application deadline for the 2019-2020 school year is October 31, 2018. Selection is based on merit and demonstrated preparedness for a year-long exchange experience. Students will be selected from all regions of Hungary and while English-language proficiency is important, it is not the sole element in selection. For more information, applicants should e-mail hungary@americancouncils.eu. Source: U.S. Embassy Budapest XpatLoop Media Partner Launched in January 2014, this newsletter published on week days covers 'everything you need to know about whats going on in Hungary and beyond', according to its publisher the state media agency MTI. The discovery of relatively unknown wine regions and vintners who ply their trade well off the beaten track is one of the great joys of being into wine. When friends, both Hungarian and foreign, noticed that Id been getting bibulous in the Bukk region, several actually asked if they even make wine there. The region sits silently, and all but forgotten, between the really rather famous, not to say legendary regions of Eger (to the west) and Tokaj (to the east), and was previously known in professional circles as a region to overlook, to put it mildly, for its paint-stripping, acidic excuses for wines. However, a number of boutique producers are now turning out some rather fine and subtle stuff, which often strikes a balance between vibrant aromas, ripeness of fruit and zesty (but not bitingly sharp) acidity. Bukk, with its broad range of soils and nicely positioned vineyards that gain ideal exposure to the sun for ripening, is, therefore, something of a hidden treasure, especially when the winemakers treat the terroir with respect. The bad news is that some of the winemakers know theyre onto a good thing and have priced their limited supply of wines accordingly. All regions need their own identity and grape varieties and a number of Bukk producers are backing Zenit for white and Zweigelt for red. Zenit is a Hungarian grape that was created by Ferenc Kiraly in 1951, when he crossed Ezerjo and Bouvier in Pecs, and is sometimes referred to as Badacsony 7, in reference to the wine region in which it was developed. It is one of several grapes made by the crossing of these two varieties the others being Zeus and Zengo. Like children that are conceived by the same parents, there are differences in the subsequent offspring, as well as similarities. Incidentally, the fourth Z of Hungarian white grapes Zafir is an unrelated crossing of Harslevelu and Leanyka. While the Ezerjo grape is associated in particular with the Hungarian region of Mor, where it can make some impressive wines, Bouvier (which has its origins in present-day Slovenia) has more pedigree as a parent of new grapes it was also crossed with Harslevelu to bring Tokajs exciting Kabar grape into being. Fresh and Well Made Back to Bukk, where Roland Hajdus Zenit 2017 (expected to cost around HUF 2,000 direct from the cellar) is a fresh, reductively made white wine with grape juice and lime aromas, and a floral feel on the palate. This wine comes from Bogacs, which is known for cellar rows with wines of questionable quality, but this is well made. Gallay Nyekladhaza 2015 (HUF 3,990 from www.onlinebor.hu), a wine made 100% from Zenit, comes from limestone and clay soils from Nyekladhaza and was vinified in oak with the fermentation carried out spontaneously at a higher temperature than usual for whites. It is concentrated with a nice creamy finish, with a touch of bitterness and good acidity; solid proof that you can make a big wine from an overlooked grape. Gallays wines are made by Roland Borbely, who is also the owner. He has worked in two wineries in Californias Napa Valley and has clearly brought back a wealth of winemaking knowledge to Bukk. Borbely also helps make the wine at K.T. Kezmuves Pince, another Nyekladhaza-based winery, whose Zenit 2016 exuded lime peel and grapefruit aromas and flavors, with exciting spicy and floral touches, and with good body. Zsolt Sandor, whose organic wines are made at his cellar (Sandor Zsolt Organikus Szolobirtok es Pinceszet, at Arnoti sor 115) on the atmospheric hill of Kis-Avas close to the center of Miskolc, made a semi-sweet wine with his Zenit 2016 (HUF 2,500 from the cellar). It actually comes from over in Nyekladhaza, from the Pittyen vineyard a mix of limestone, volcanic tuff and sandstone soil and was harvested on September 22 and has 29 g/l of residual sugar but long and subtle and not at all cloying. All the four Zenits were nice representations of the grape and easily identifiable, yet reveal their own nuances, with the winemakers individual styles strongly coming nicely across. Meanwhile, red Zweigelt is an Austrian grape, a crossing of Blaufrankisch (Kekfrankos) and St. Laurent, carried out by Dr. Fritz Zweigelt in 1922 at the Teaching and Research Center for Viticulture and Horticulture (LFZ) in Klosterneuburg, close to Vienna. It can almost be considered a local grape, due to one of its parents being the same grape as Kekfrankos, Hungarys most widely planted red wine grape. Some of the wines tasted from Gallay and Zsolt Sandor are worthy of being placed on the same table as the best of Austria. Gallays single vineyard Zweigelts, from the Lippa and Zugo vineyards, show how the grape can articulate its terroir. Zsolt Sandors Zweigelt 2013 is in fine shape and still retains a bright purple color. It has aromas of plum (suggesting a bit of age), sour cherry (retaining its youth), spices and potpourri, with the same on the palate which finishes with a chalky note. His 2015 (HUF 4,500) is still pumping out fresh and concentrated primary red fruit. Roland Hajdu also has a varietally pure and zesty Kekfrankos (HUF 2,150). The above merely serves as an introduction to a potentially very exciting region. Also check out, Zsolt Sandors nutty and rich Ezerfurtu 2017, a crossing of Harslevelu and Tramini; as well as his extremely elegant, expressive and rather expensive Irsai Oliver, called Lou Lee 2017 (HUF 6,500), as well as the whole Gallay range. For example, Bistronauta Feher 2015 (HUF 2,990), a blend of 60% Pinot Blanc, 40% Zenit, which has a yeasty, slightly cidery note and that spontaneous fermentation edginess in spades. Putting Bukk on the Map The two Rolands and one Zsolt are being joined by other similar minded people. These include Gabor Galuska, who makes wine for the organic Gajdos cellar in Eger, but also owns Palmetta Pinceszet in Bukk. Borbely says that the articles for the Association for the Bukk Wine Region has been signed by 14 members who: want to do something for the regions wine quality (including setting two levels such as Terroir and Classic Bukk); to list, protect and save the regions culture; and to help and teach the winemakers of the association, by sharing knowledge and experience. The artists invited to this festival from Hungary and abroad will demonstrate the modern, living face of tango in all its richness, interconnectedness and styles. In addition to the classical form still danced today, we will see tango nuevo, neotango, and contemporary tango, just as the music extends from classical tango and the works of Piazzolla to the music of the present day. The energy and sheer variety of the dances and music will help show that tango has a future. Let us open the door to the soul of this exciting dance form. Because what is tango anyway? Love? Perhaps this show will provide the answer. Tickets: HUF 2,050 - 4,500 Venue: Mupa 1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell u. 1. The Visegrad Group countries have decided to jointly build a high-speed railway linking Budapest, Bratislava, Brno and Warsaw, the Hungarian foreign minister said. The decision coincides with the political interests of all four members of the V4, Peter Szijjarto said after talks with the transport ministers of the other three members. The public procurement tender for drawing up a feasibility study for the project will be called as early as this week, he said. The next step will be to convene a V4 working group of officials representing the four countries in November, he added. The public procurement process will last for six months and the feasibility study will be completed in under two years. The new, two-track line would be suitable for trains up to a speed of 250 km/h. The trains will only stop in the three capital cities and Brno, he said. The talks were attended by representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB). The bank has so far financed lots of rail projects but only 14% of them were in central Europe, Szijjarto said, adding that loan offers will also be invited from other financial institutions, too. This will be a typical Visegrad project, with all the four countries involved in talks on funding, he said. MTI Photo: KKM Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... Miami, FL, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Crystal Cruises announced its Presidents Cruises for 2019 and 2020. Crystal President and CEO Tom Wolber will host the December 1, 2019, Panama Panorama sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Caldera aboard Crystal Symphony and the December 7, 2020, Icons of Southeast Asia aboard Crystal Symphony for an extended journey from Singapore. Wolber will be joined by his wife, Sharon, and will welcome Crystal guests for onboard receptions, Q&A sessions and special shore excursions. The Presidents Cruise is a long-held tradition for Crystal, one that I look forward to each year, as it is a fantastic opportunity to truly connect with our guests and enjoy our shared love of exploring the world with Crystal, Wolber said. Crystal Symphonys 10-day Panama Panorama Presidents Cruise sails from Fort Lauderdale and spends overnights in Cartagena, Colombia; Panama City, Panama; and Caldera, Costa Rica, also transiting the Panama Canal. The voyage highlights the outdoor pursuits of the warm Caribbean region, as well as the Old World influences of Spanish settlements and historic sites. In 2020, the 15-day Icons of Southeast Asia Presidents Cruise offers extended explorations of Thailand and Vietnam, overnighting in Singapore; Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam, plus calls in Ko Samui, Thailand and Sihanoukville, Cambodia, allowing for day trips to Angkor Wat. Guests continuing on the full 30-day Grand Far East Asia Celebration will spend two nights in Hong Kong and return to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for overnight stays, plus an overnight New Years Eve celebration in Singapore with calls in Da Nang, Vietnam and Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Book Now Savings fares for the 2019 Presidents Cruise begins at $2,405 per person while 2020 Book Now Savings fares begin at $4,099 for the 15-day voyage and $8,929 for the 30-day voyage. Current Book Now Savings expire on October 31, 2018. About Crystal The world-renowned Crystal Experience featuring global journeys with Crystal Cruises, Crystal River Cruises, Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, Crystal AirCruises and Crystal Luxury Air continues to be the distinctive choice of the worlds most discerning travelers. For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel professional, call 888.799.2437, or visit www.crystalcruises.com. Join the hundreds of thousands who subscribe to the Crystal Insider blog, follow Crystal Cruises Facebook page and @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram, and engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises. ### Attachment Soldat polonez mort la frontiera dintre Polonia si Belarus Un soldat polonez aflat in post la frontiera cu Belarus, unde sunt tensiuni din cauza valului de imigranti pe care Minskul incearca sa-i impinga catre UE, a murit impuscandu-se accidental cu arma din dotare, a anuntat sambata purtatorul de cuvant al serviciilor de securitate din Polonia, [citeste mai departe] Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediPharm Labs Corp. (formerly POCML 4 Inc., TSXV: POCM) (TSXV: LABS) (the Company or MediPharm Labs) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced business combination (the Transaction) with MediPharm Labs Inc. (MediPharm). The Post-Consolidation Shares (as defined below) of the Company are expected to commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) under the symbol LABS on October 4, 2018. As previously announced, the Transaction resulted in a reverse take-over of the Company by the shareholders of MediPharm and constituted the Qualifying Transaction of the Company as such term is defined in the policies of the TSXV. The Company now focuses on the business of MediPharm which provides contract processing and purification of cannabis to Canadian authorized licensed producers and appropriate international growers, and supplies pharma-grade cannabis oil to qualified companies for sale under their own brand, as well as supplying raw materials, product formulation and processing for the creation of ready-to-sell cannabis products. Our vision is to be an industry connector, unifying the value chain as a trusted partner to those focused on cultivating or end-product manufacturing, says Pat McCutcheon, CEO of MediPharm. Our public company status adds to our established leadership in extraction. Prior to the completion of the Transaction, the Company filed articles of amendment to: (i) effect a name change from POCML 4 Inc. to MediPharm Labs Corp.; and (ii) effect a consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one (1) new common share (a PostConsolidation Share) for every two old common shares then outstanding. The Transaction then proceeded by way of a three-cornered amalgamation pursuant to which MediPharm amalgamated with a whollyowned subsidiary of the Company, and the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding Class A common shares of MediPharm (the MediPharm Shares), in exchange for PostConsolidation Shares on the basis of 12.68 PostConsolidation Shares for every one MediPharm Share issued and outstanding (the Exchange Ratio). In addition, pursuant to the Transaction, all outstanding options, warrants and broker warrants to purchase MediPharm Shares were either exchanged for economically equivalent securities of the Company or have remained outstanding and now entitle the holders thereof to acquire equivalent securities of the Company in lieu of MediPharm on the same terms and conditions, in each case subject to adjustment in number and exercise price based on the Exchange Ratio. There are now an aggregate of 96,866,628 PostConsolidation Shares issued and outstanding (nondiluted), of which the former shareholders of the Company hold 5,000,000 PostConsolidation Shares representing approximately 5.2%, and the former shareholders of MediPharm hold 91,866,628 PostConsolidation Shares representing approximately 94.8%. In addition, an aggregate of 33,214,619 Post-Consolidation Shares are reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding convertible securities of the Company. An aggregate of 41,654,733 Post-Consolidation Shares held by non-principal shareholders will be subject to seed share resale restrictions (each, an SSRR) pursuant to TSXV Policy 5.4 - Escrow, Vendor Consideration and Resale Restrictions. This includes 11,405,941 Post-Consolidation Shares in addition to the number disclosed in the Companys filing statement dated as of September 24, 2018. SSRRs are TSXV hold periods of various lengths which apply where seed shares are issued to non-principals by private companies in connection with the Transaction. The terms of the SSRRs are based on the length of time such Post-Consolidation Shares have been held and the price at which such shares were originally issued. In addition, an aggregate of 18,703,416 Post-Consolidation Shares held by principal shareholders, directors and officers will be held in escrow pursuant to TSXV Policy 5.4 - Escrow, Vendor Consideration and Resale Restrictions. The securities subject to escrow shall be released as follows: 25% will be released on the date of the Final TSXV Bulletin (the Bulletin Date); an additional 25% will be released on the date which is six months following the Bulletin Date; an additional 25% will be released on the date which is twelve months following the Bulletin Date; and the remaining 25% will be released on the date which is 18 months following the Bulletin Date. Upon completion of the Transaction, all directors and officers of the Company resigned and were replaced by nominees of MediPharm. The board of directors of the Company is now comprised of Patrick McCutcheon, Keith Strachan, Christopher Hobbs, Maruf Raza and Miriam McDonald. The management of the Company is now comprised of Patrick McCutcheon (President and Chief Executive Officer), Keith Strachan (Business Development, Vice-President) and Christopher Hobbs (Chief Financial Officer). About MediPharm Labs Corp. Founded in 2015, MediPharm Labs is a pioneer in the cannabis industry and has the distinction of being the first company in Canada to become a licensed producer for cannabis oil production under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) without first receiving a cannabis cultivation licence. This expert focus on cannabis concentrates from our cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) and ISO standard clean rooms and critical environments laboratory, allows MediPharm Labs to work with its established, Health Canada-approved cultivation partners to produce pharmaceutical-grade cannabis oil with a competitive advantage. MediPharm Labs is research-driven and focused on downstream secondary extraction methodology, distillation, and cannabinoid isolation and purification. MediPharm Labs provides B2B contract processing of cannabis to Canadian authorized licensed producers and appropriate international growers, supplying integrity-assured cannabis oil to qualified companies for sale under their own brand. In addition, MediPharm Labs will supply raw materials, formulations, processing and packaging for the creation of ready-to-sell advanced derivative products. Through its subsidiary, MediPharm Labs Australia Pty. Ltd., MediPharm Labs has also completed its application process with the federal Office of Drug Control to extract and import medical cannabis products in Australia. Further Information For further information regarding the Transaction, please contact: Patrick McCutcheon, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, MediPharm Labs Corp. Telephone: 705-719-7425 Email: investors@medipharmlabs.com Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as expects, or does not expect, is expected, anticipates or does not anticipate, plans, budget, scheduled, forecasts, estimates, believes or intends or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results may or could, would, might or will be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, the anticipated trading date of the Post-Consolidation Shares. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and the delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change. At a time of dwindling resources for news, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and The Caucus, the state-government watchdog publication owned by LNP Media Group of Lancaster, are launching a joint investigative news project to collaborate on coverage of the state capital. The project, called Spotlight PA, will include more than a dozen multiplatform journalists, who will jointly scour public documents, build sources across the political spectrum, and follow the money to shed light on one of the most expensive state governing bodies in the nation. Its no secret that Pennsylvanias sunshine laws are some of the weakest in America, said Philadelphia Inquirer Executive Editor Stan Wischnowski, referring to the states public-disclosure rules. It takes more journalists feet on the ground to ensure that citizens are truly represented. There needs to be more transparency, and one of the primary goals of Spotlight PA is to provide more sunlight for the entire commonwealth. Spotlight PA will also partner with PA Post, a new policy- and civic engagement-focused news enterprise led by Harrisburgs WITF Public Media, an NPR affiliate, and with students and staff at Temple Universitys Klein College of Media and Communication under the direction of Aron Pilhofer, the James B. Steele Chair in Journalism Innovation. "In an era when so many important developments are occurring in the states, it is more vital than ever that we understand what is happening in these laboratories of democracy," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Executive Editor David Shribman said. Spotlight PA has secured commitments of more than $1 million toward a three-year goal of $2 million. Fundraising is ongoing. Initial commitments for Spotlight PA come from the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, the Philadelphia Foundation, and the Wyncote Foundation. Other funders include Berwyn-based Poor Richards Charitable Trust, operated by Lisa Roberts and David Seltzer, and the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, which supports press freedom. "Collaborative reporting initiatives like Spotlight PA help local news organizations maximize resources and expand coverage at a time when many are cutting back or eliminating beats," said Jim Friedlich, executive director of the Lenfest Institute, which owns the Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philly.com. Spotlight PA has begun its search for an independent editor-in-chief, who will report to Wischnowski, Shribman, and Robert M. Krasne, CEO of LNP Media Group. Once an editor-in-chief is hired, that person will assemble a team that is planned to be fully staffed by the end of this year, Wischnowski said. The team will include four full-time reporters from existing staff, and will hire seven or eight more journalists from the outside, including including the editor, creating a model that its foundation funders hope can be replicated. The journalism will initially appear on the three groups' websites. A newsletter will also be created once the full team is in place. And a more robust multi-platform plan will be drawn up once hiring is completed. The Spotlight PA joint venture will also hire a head of technology and a development officer focused on securing funding, building audiences, and organizing partnerships to share coverage with other outlets throughout Pennsylvania. "LNP Media Group is honored to join forces with two outstanding news organizations that are equally committed to exposing waste and fraud in the capital. This partnership brings together Pennsylvania's premier investigative journalists for that common goal," Krasne said. PA Post has also assembled commercial and noncommercial media organizations, including Philadelphias WHYY, to collaborate with Spotlight PA on some reporting. Similar media models include ProPublica Illinois and Texas Tribune, which partnered with other media outlets for statehouse coverage in those states. WEST JORDAN, Utah, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mountain America Credit Union has been named one of the 2018 Best Credit Unions to Work For. Credit Union Journal has partnered with Best Companies Group to recognize credit unions that have excelled in creating quality workplaces for employees. Ranked twelfth for credit unions over $1 billion in assets, Mountain America has consistently made the list since 2014. The full Best Credit Unions to Work For list was featured in the September issue of Credit Union Journal and is available online at cujournal.com . Mountain America is committed to promoting a culture that attracts and retains highly engaged and talented employees, says Trent Savage, senior vice president of human resources at Mountain America Credit Union. We pride ourselves in driving a culture that supports employees personal and professional life goals. Determining the Best Credit Unions to Work For involves a two-step process. The first step consists of evaluating each participating credit unions workplace policies, practices and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. This part of the process was worth approximately 75 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the best credit unions and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking. For more information on the Best Credit Unions to Work For program, visit bestcreditunionstoworkfor.com http://www.bestbankstoworkfor.com/ . Christina McLean stands outside her home in Collingswood. She said she received a cease and desist letter from the township in April. Read more Suzanne Cloud never expected to end up in her 1,600-square-foot house in Collingswood alone. She bought her charming, three-story twin in 1984, paying $46,000 with her husband to live along the borough's main drag. There, they raised three boys, launched careers, and witnessed Collingswood transform from a declining municipality filled with vacant storefronts and blight to one brimming with hip restaurants and artisan shops. Then, in 1999, her world inside this borough of 14,000 fractured: Her husband collapsed from a heart attack at age 46. The boys grew up and moved. The Great Recession came and went, bringing job loss, unsteady work, and near-foreclosure. "It rocked my world," said Cloud, who is now 66. "But you go on." By 2014, with the sharing economy growing, Cloud looked around. She had three empty bedrooms, and common space to share. So she did what so many homeowners in the 21st century have done: She created an account on Airbnb, and listed her house for rent. For 4 years, she rented the three rooms living in the house herself for a few hundred bucks a month each, pocketing $8,000 to $10,000 a year. She welcomed medical students on rotation for weeks at a time at Camden's Cooper University Hospital, as well as former residents returning for holidays. It was no jackpot, Cloud concedes, but it helped pay the mortgage, and provided visitors inexpensive lodging in a borough with no hotels. Then, in November, a letter arrived: Collingswood had discovered that Cloud was operating an Airbnb a violation of local zoning laws. She had to cease and desist, immediately. In 1.8-square-mile Collingswood and beyond, municipalities and states are grappling with how to manage Airbnb, the $31 billion gig-economy unicorn that allows "hosts" to rent entire homes or spare rooms to "guests" for nights or months. Launched in 2007 with ostensibly modest ambitions two San Francisco roommates looking to make money by renting out air mattresses in their loft Airbnb now boasts nearly five million listings in 81,000 cities, and 300 million guest arrivals to date. To be sure, the Airbnb of 2018 looks nothing like the service that sprouted a decade ago, having ballooned into a platform that is threatening even the largest hotels. Today, some hosts use the service for more than just renting a spare room for extra cash, instead leveraging Airbnb to create large-scale networks of two, three, and four or more homes for rent. According to estimates distributed last year by the American Hotel & Lodging Association a trade group working to cripple Airbnb 30,000 hosts nationwide operated two or more listings for private homes between October 2015 and September 2016, totaling nearly 133,000 listings that generated $1.8 billion in revenue. (According to the report, only Airbnbs with long-term requirements were studied, meaning ones requiring a 30-night stay or more.) Yet somewhere between the air-mattress model and large-scale operations is where many Airbnb hosts, such as Cloud, operate today though independent data can be hard to find. Airbnb has maintained that it is a "home-sharing" platform at its core, while analysts from more independent sites such as Inside Airbnb and AirDNA indicate that entire homes, not spare rooms, tend to dominate markets. Either way, local governments are being forced to confront decades-old zoning laws as well as questions about affordability, safety, neighborhood fabric, and the future of work. A scourge on neighborhoods Collingswood, nestled between Camden and Haddonfield, has 20 Airbnb hosts, an Airbnb spokesperson said, who rented to 610 guests last year. The typical Collingswood host made $1,700, Airbnb said, and rented for an average of six nights a month. The tension that Airbnb has caused in larger cities is not the same as the kind playing out in Collingswood. In New York City, for example, with more than 52,000 listings, Airbnb critics, including the city comptroller's office, have argued that the company has forced rents and home prices to climb at a time when affordable housing is already unattainable. By allowing hosts to convert homes into short-term rentals, critics argue, Airbnb has further reduced supply. In Collingswood, no one is arguing that Airbnb is hampering affordability. But as Airbnb continues to gain critical mass in markets first, followed, typically, by regulation second, many governments say they believe that they are playing catch-up with a phenomenon that has swelled beyond their grasp. Collingswood Mayor Jim Maley said officials had no idea that residents were running Airbnbs regularly until a resident complained last year, noticing unfamiliar residents at Cloud's house. The more officials probed, the more they became concerned, Maley said, that Airbnb could convert this quiet community of 7,100 homes into one of boardinghouses and rental properties, with absentee landlords in tow. "For the last 25 years, we have tried to reverse the tide of single-family homes converted to rental properties duplexes and triplexes, they were a bit of a scourge on our residential neighborhoods back in the '70s and early '80s," Maley said. "We worked to get rental properties out of our residential neighborhoods. And it's been successful, and at least in our estimation, one of the reasons why we have had a bit of a resurgence." When Maley took office two decades ago, Collingswood was different. Downtown was reeling, as shops fled to the Cherry Hill Mall. Buildings were boarded. Single-family homes were sold to absentee owners, who subdivided them into rentals, and neglected them. In 2002, with its population swelling, Maley said, Collingswood's parking and schools were stressed. As one of his first initiatives, Maley gave incentives so residents would convert duplex and triplexes back into single-family homes. Called "Glad to Be Single Again," the program offered financing at below-market rates, as well as deferred loan payments for residents willing to renovate. It worked, with single-family houses and twins now accounting for two-thirds of Collingswood homes, Census data show. Maley and other officials fear that stronghold could slip if Airbnb proliferates. And he has concerns about building and fire safety. "Our knee-jerk [reaction] is no," Maley said. "Having said that we are looking at what, if any, permission we should give or what regulation we should do." "But if we were to permit this and regulate it," he continued, "it still does not fit what [Cloud] is looking to do. She wants to rent it. Every night. Year round. And that's something we are not going to be on board with." Ambassadors for the town So far, Collingswood has issued four cease-and-desist letters to residents running Airbnbs. In April, one ended up in the mailbox of Christina McLean, a Collingswood resident for nearly two decades. Like Cloud, McLean, 41, said she used Airbnb to rent spare bedrooms while living in her house, a three-bedroom bungalow near the PATCO High-Speed Line. By renting rooms for $50 a night and less for longer stays McLean said she was able to pay her property taxes. A back injury from a 2014 car accident forced her on medical leave, and McLean said she welcomed the steady Airbnb income. "One of the main concerns they have is that they don't want absentee landlords, but two of the people they shut down are owner-occupied," McLean said. "We are like ambassadors for the town. We want to show other people why Collingswood is cool." In many ways, McLean's and Cloud's situations reflect exactly what Airbnb says is its mission: allowing hosts to give travelers a "home," while carving out a job in the gig economy. As for Collingswood, Airbnb said it "recognizes the need for common-sense regulation of home-sharing," something that has been enacted in "more than 400 municipalities." In cities including Philadelphia and Jersey City, Airbnb has worked with governments to craft regulations everything from requiring hosts to have permits to Airbnb agreeing to collect and remit local taxes. In Philadelphia, hosts can rent a property for as long as 180 days a year, and must obtain a license if doing so for more than 90 days. Airbnb also collects Philadelphia's 8.5 percent hotel tax and Pennsylvania's 6 percent hotel occupancy tax. Earlier this month, the New Jersey General Assembly passed a bill introduced by Annette Quijano (D, Union), among others, that would impose New Jersey's sales-and-use tax, as well as occupancy fees, on "transient accommodations" such as Airbnb. The bill is awaiting a Senate vote. In the meantime, Cloud said she is waiting to appeal the borough's zoning denial. And Collingswood Commissioner Robert Lewandowski is working to convince Maley and a third commissioner of the need for an official policy. "It has to be addressed," Lewandowski said. "As much as people want to characterize Collingswood with a crackdown on short-term rentals, what we're really doing is a lot of back and forth, trying to see if we can get a workable solution." One of the Experiences offered by Airbnb in Philadelphia: a tour through the citys Chinatown neighborhood, including stops at local restaurants and shops. Read more Since Airbnb was launched in 2008 as a way for two broke roommates to make extra cash by renting out air mattresses in their apartment, the home-rental service has swelled to become a gig economy titan, one that boasts four million rentals in nearly 200 countries, with an estimated valuation of at least $31 billion. It also has become a regulatory nightmare. As Airbnb has grown, linking millions of travelers to short-term housing around the world, the sharing-economy service has accumulated scores of critics. By allowing virtually anyone the ability to offer a home or a castle, yurt, or tree house for rent, Airbnb, critics have claimed, has violated zoning laws, driven up neighborhood rents, exacerbated security concerns, and contributed to the urban housing shortage. Airbnb's response thus far has been to brazenly dig in while also to pivot to rely less on that home-sharing component. Despite some major victories winning legal status in a handful of cities, including Philadelphia, for example Airbnb also has rapidly expanded into alternative services it believes could become a core piece of its future. In November 2016, Airbnb launched Airbnb Experiences, a service that allows travelers to book adventures with hosts in designated cities. After starting small with just 12 cities and 500 experiences Airbnb announced this week that the Philadelphia region now offers the Experiences service, too. With the Philadelphia launch, Airbnb has more than 5,000 experiences in more than 58 markets. The idea is to link travelers and "hosts" to provide a hands-on, behind-the-scenes experience that an ordinary tourist would not typically receive, according to Airbnb. In Seville, Spain, for example, for $52 a person, travelers can cook paella with a professional chef. In Tokyo, for $73, a traveler can make a kimono and drink Japanese tea with a local. And in New York for $38 a person, travelers can shop in vintage Brooklyn stores with a personal stylist. Airbnb has launched 40 experiences in the Philadelphia area. Among those offered: A $9-a-person "Rocky Run" that guides runners around Philadelphia's sites, ending at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The site also offers a $50-a-person home-cooked Italian meal, featuring first a stroll through Bella Vista's Italian Market to shop for ingredients. And, for $30, one host offers a tour through Philadelphia's best cheesesteak joints to "enjoy a little history with our whiz." (Only one cheesesteak is included in the price.) The Philadelphia market also offers six "social-impact experiences," said a spokeswoman, in which funds go straight to the nonprofit host. One example: $25 to run with Back on My Feet Philadelphia, a nonprofit that aims to give the homeless population independence and confidence through a regular running program. Potential Experience ideas must be submitted and approved by Airbnb a model different from its home-sharing, which allows nearly anyone to list a space for rent. The progression from an exclusively short-term rental website to a multiservice platform has the potential to transform Airbnb into a lasting travel company, industry observers say. With the company's home-sharing facing just as much criticism as ever and with cities worldwide continuing to pass strict regulations against it diversifying the company's revenue, observers say, could help Airbnb outlast any restrictions or regulators aiming to rein in home-sharing. Plus, Airbnb's home-sharing service also could be hitting a saturation point, some say. A survey of 4,000 adults, Morgan Stanley argued in a November note, indicated that adoption of Airbnb's rental service has decelerated, while awareness of the site is at an all-time high. So far, Airbnb has had few, if any, clashes with regulators over Experiences. In an October interview with Fortune Magazine, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said the company consulted with regulators and community organizers when creating the service to decrease the likelihood of concerns. Chesky has said in previous interviews that he expects Airbnb's home-sharing platform to account for less than half of total revenue in the future. Beyond its Experiences expansion, the Silicon Valley company also last year acquired Luxury Retreats, a rental service for high-end properties. In addition, Airbnb now allows users to book restaurant reservations through the website after partnering with reservation service Resy. And Airbnb now offers a "Places" service, which provides travelers with recommendations from local residents. In a November 2016 announcement, Airbnb without offering many details said it expects to offer "Flights" and "Services" in the future. According to a Tuesday report from Reuters, Airbnb said it soon expects one million Experiences bookings a year. (Airbnb has had more than 260 million home-sharing bookings in the last decade.) By charging Experiences hosts a 20 percent fee for each booking compared with 3 percent for home-sharing the Experiences sector of the company is on track to be profitable by the end of 2019, Reuters reported. The FMC Tower at Cira Centre South on July 5, 2018. FMC fared poorly on the 2018 CPA-Zicklin report on disclosing political spending. But the company said it would soon update its spending number related to trade associations. Read more Ahead of the midterm elections, several major corporations in the Philly area are setting a high bar for being transparent about their political spending practices, according to a new report that tracks disclosure among S&P 500 companies. Student-loan servicer Navient, along with drug manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Merck, made the growing list of "trendsetter" companies that scored 90 or higher on the 2018 CPA-Zicklin Index, produced by the Center for Political Accountability and the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at the Wharton School. The index ranks companies based on factors such as whether they disclose payments to candidates, super PACS, and trade associations; whether they spell out their policies for making contributions; and the extent to which board members have oversight of those policies. Navient, with a score of 91.4, and Johnson & Johnson, with a 90, both improved their scores enough this year to join the "trendsetter" ranks for the first time. Merck maintained its "trendsetter" status with a score of 90. That high-scoring group has more than doubled in size since 2015 from 28 companies, to 57. Several local companies bested the index average of 44.1 with scores that remained the same, or roughly similar, over the last year: pharmaceutical distributor AmerisourceBergen (82.9), Comcast (80), Hershey (61.4) and PNC Financial Services (70). (Campbell Soup's score, which was being recalculated as this was being published, is expected to be close to its 68.6 in 2017). Transparency Test The CPA-Zicklin Index ranks members of the S&P 500-stock index based on how transparent they are in the disclosure of their political spending. This list includes S&P 500 members based in the Philadelphia region or index members with major operations here. Campbell Soup is not included because its score is being corrected. Staff Graphic "Companies are finding that disclosure and accountability policies protect them," said Center for Political Accountability president Bruce Freed. "The expenditure that they made yesterday or today can come back and really bite them tomorrow. Companies have to pay really close attention to the consequences of their spending does it align with their core values?" This year's index is the first to cover a full year of corporate political transparency under a Trump presidency an environment the report's authors deem "hostile" to disclosure in general. "The whole tone that comes out of the White House is opposed to disclosures," said Freed, harking back to President Trump's refusal to release his tax returns. Added to that, he said, the Federal Election Commission "at this point is moribund." Congress, for its part, tucks a rider into spending bills that prevents the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring companies to account for their political spending. Even so, companies that have been in the S&P 500 since 2015 a collection of 414 "core" firms continue to take up more transparent practices, according to the report. Their average index score is 49.7, up from 41.6 in 2015. The number of core companies that disclose or prohibit political donations has "consistently increased," in several contribution categories. For example, 226 of them now either fully disclose or ban contributions to candidates, parties, or campaign committees, compared with 196 in 2015. Across this year's entire index of 493 companies, 231 disclosed some or all election-related spending, down from 236 that did so last year. Freed said the variation largely owes to new companies entering the S&P 500, and that the longer a company remains on the index, the more likely it is to adopt and strengthen disclosure policies. That's a big shift from the early 2000s, when political disclosure among major companies was practically nonexistent. "We started from zero in 2003," Freed recalled. Disclosing spending policies and payments is now seen as a common risk-management practice. It can give companies more clearly defined parameters for what they choose to spend money on or an excuse to say no to a request for a contribution. This year's report found that 176 companies, or 36 percent of the index, prohibited at least one type of election-related spending up from 143 companies, or 29 percent of the index, in 2016. Navient scored higher, in part, by clarifying that it does not spend on ballot measures. The company also added a new level of board oversight, so that a committee of directors oversees political spending practices. Johnson & Johnson started disclosing its membership in trade associations to which it contributes $50,000 or more and the percentage of its dues used for federal lobbying. For 2017, the company published a list of 16 such organizations, including five groups that received more than $500,000 from J&J: Advanced Medical Technology Association (9 percent of dues used for lobbying), Biotechnology Industry Organization (33 percent), Consumer Healthcare Products Association (6 percent), Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America (6 percent), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform. (10 percent) Chemical maker FMC landed on a list of "backslider" companies whose scores decreased by 10 points or more. According to the center, FMC didn't post its most recent political spending report, despite an agreement by the company to do so. A spokesperson for FMC said the company complies with federal law by reporting political contributions to the Federal Election Commission, as required. The company "also voluntarily requests that trade associations, of which we are members, provide data regarding the percentage of our paid dues used for political expenditures," the spokesperson said. "That data is published and housed on our website, and we plan to update that page shortly with recent data." Philadelphia Police Lt. Norman Davenport leads loved ones of homicide victims in prayer at a recent breakfast for detectives at the offices of the homicide unit. Read more I hear the complaint all the time. Different people, same lament: A loved one is killed, another victim of the city's endless number of homicides, but they can't get in touch with the detective on the case. They call. They leave a message. Sometimes they get a call back. Often, they say, it takes a lot longer than it should. And over breakfast at Philadelphia's homicide unit the other morning, the reason for that resided in an old wooden box, full of pink "While You Were Out" notes. Maybe, if you're of a certain age, you remember them. Maybe you've seen them in an old movie, or a flea market. The breakfast was hosted by the National Homicide Justice Alliance, started by the parents of Alex Rojas-Garcia, a father of two who was gunned down in 2015. For two years now, the organization has gathered detectives and families of murder victims so they can get to know each other, but also in hopes of improving access. Unsaid, to maybe get their phone calls returned faster. Many of the family members sharing coffee and bagels hadn't had much interaction with the detectives, beyond the meeting right after their loved one was killed. Yullio Robbins was different. She stood close, protectively even, to the detective working her son's murder case, Detective Gregory Santamala. The two talk regularly, mostly about how witnesses aren't saying anything about the summer day in 2016 that her 28-year-old son was killed in broad daylight, so close to someone that they overheard him beg for his life. But Robbins has faith in God, and in her detective. That's what she calls him. And one day, she says, with no doubt in her voice, "my detective will call me and tell me we got the person who did this." "One day my James will get his justice." It was a good showing, more than a dozen family members who looked a little sad and more than a little surprised at the conditions the men and women charged with finding killers worked under. Each side was able to consider the frustrations of the other, the cops with not enough time or tools at their disposal, the relatives left with nothing but time to consider what could have been. Homicide Unit Lt. Norman Davenport led them in prayer. Aleida Garcia, Rojas-Garcia's mother, presented the unit with a plaque of appreciation. "If I had all the money in the world, I can never pay back the homicide unit, specifically the detectives that helped to find the killer in my son's case because that's how much I value their work and what they did," Garcia said. I'd heard and read the stories about the cramped, dingy unit, on the second floor of the building on Seventh and Race that everyone calls the Roundhouse. Stuck in time, where nothing's changed in decades, save for maybe a coat of paint. Where detectives have long joked, in old newspaper clippings, that not even the roaches have a place to hide. Where rusty, crusty file cabinets with stickers that read "Radioactive" are jammed next to first-come, first-serve desks meant to accommodate the 70 or so detectives. A shortage of seats, a wealth of bad coffee. Whatever doesn't fit in the file cabinets goes into banker's boxes. Somewhere a box was missing its lid, borrowed to block the sun from computer screens. But nothing spoke more of a city strapped for cash and technology as loudly as that scratched-up wooden box full of urgent pink message slips. Incredibly, detectives don't have department-issued cell phones, and while many share their numbers freely, when messages come into the department they are jotted down on these sheets of paper, waded through when the detectives come in from the streets or court or all-night shifts after catching a case. It took until 2012 to give all police employees email accounts. Still, there is a tinge of nostalgia about the box. It was there all through Police Commissioner Richard Ross' two tours in homicide. With a budget that goes mostly to personnel, Ross said, tough decisions must be made. Supervisors have department-issued phones; maybe one day every police officer will have one too. At the very least, their offices will look better once the department is relocated to the former Inquirer building on North Broad, a move planned for 2020. The desk phones will, fingers crossed, have voice mail. Maybe the homicide detectives will finally get department-issued cell phones. Until then, there's the box, and the pink notes, and loved ones waiting for a call back. Moderator Alex Trebek speaks during a gubernatorial debate between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican Scott Wagner in Hershey , Pa., Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. The debate is hosted by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Read more As I arrived at Monday night's debate site in Hershey, my fears that the event would be more show than substance escalated. In the Hershey Lodge lobby, amid bright lights, stood a lifesize cutout of Alex Trebek, and a line of people waiting for pictures with the smiling image of the host of Jeopardy! Celebrity meets politics in Chocolate Town. At best, a suspect mix. Once the debate started, my fears were borne out big-time. The Hollywood game-show maestro performed rather than moderated. The only scheduled encounter between Gov. Wolf and Scott Wagner devolved into a series of Trebek-centric topics, tossed like tumbleweeds along the barren landscape of this year's gubernatorial race. We got no real insights. No real news. Nothing that might engage undecided or apathetic voters. Instead, a Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and Industry dinner audience of roughly 1,700 and a statewide TV audience of the Pennsylvania Cable Network got other things. Some Eagles trivia, some California facts, a regurgitation of Trebek's research into congressional redistricting, and advice to citizens to call candidates to ask where they stand on a natural gas severance tax. Oh, and an inexplicable trip down Trebek's memory lane. After asserting that the only entity in Pennsylvania less popular than the legislature is the Catholic Church, he recounted, in some detail, his experience with priests. Unclear what that had to do with the governor's race. But Trebek, who grew up in Canada and lives in California, said this: "When I was a young teenager I attended a Catholic boarding school run by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Two-hundred-and-fifty students, other boys and I, spent three years sharing the same accommodations 24/7 with 44 priests, and not once in those three years was there any sexual misbehavior. "Now boys are pretty sharp, we talk, we would have known. So, I believe that there are Catholic priests out there who are able to minister to their congregations without preying that's P-R-E-Y on the young people." He went on a bit, but you get the gist. And let me just say several jaws at media tables dropped. Trebek also offered some windy, rambling questions, and proffered opinions that surely sucked up more time than either candidate, maybe both combined. Point being, Alex Trebek took a one-shot opportunity to give some profile to a low-profile race and turned it into state and national attention to, well, Alex Trebek. So, what now? Wolf agreed to one gubernatorial debate instead of the normal three. Monday night was not, in my view, a real debate. We should have one. One focused on the candidates, not the moderator. It can be anywhere. It can be with no audience, no moderator. Just Wolf and Wagner in a broadcast studio asking each other questions. Or, it can be with an audience of the public that doesn't have to pay $275 to $300 for an event ticket, as was the case Monday. And it can be with a moderator, any moderator (other than Trebek), asking one-word questions taxes, environment, education, pension woes, transportation and letting candidates offer views and visions. For me, taxpayers in the fifth-largest state deserve better than we got. We're a state of perennial fiscal challenges. Enormous public pension debt. Ongoing issues surrounding equitable education funding. The next governor faces the prospect of dealing with gut-wrenching divisiveness over abortion rights, if, as predicted, the U.S. Supreme Court returns the issue to the states. It's near-certain the next governor faces another battle over partisan-infused congressional redistricting after the 2020 census. In short, critical issues of governance and politics are at stake. They should be subject to a substantive candidates' debate. At the end of August, the Inquirer offered to host a Wolf vs. Wagner "people's debate." I'm betting the offer stands. Wagner's all for it. Wolf's not, but should be. Enough with celebrity. Let's try old-school, for the voters, debating. If you ever wanted to spend a night at Bam Margera's house, your chance is coming up soon, and you won't even have to break in naked in the middle of the night, like one woman did in 2012. The Jackass star's West Chester home is under renovation as part of a plan to list the property on Airbnb, Margera's mother, April, said in a phone interview. She has been hard at work, rehabbing the property with a two-man crew for more than a month and hopes to list the house for rental by early summer. "People have been wanting to come to Bam's house, so we decided we'd put it up," April said. "It looks great on film, but the wallpaper's taken a hit, and it needed painting badly." Known as "Castle Bam," the house at 435 Hickory Hill Rd. in West Chester was made famous on MTV's Viva La Bam in the early 2000s. Many of the show's antics took place in or around Castle Bam, and Margera even dedicated an episode to moving into the house in 2004. He promptly painted much of it purple and installed amenities including a so-called pirate bar, which is being redesigned in the renovation. "I don't know about anybody else, but I'm over the purple," April said. According to West Chester public records, Margera bought the house in 2004 for $1.2 million. A 2003 real estate listing for it indicates it is 4,200 square feet, has five bedrooms and three bathrooms, and sits on 14 acres. Today, the property is also home to an indoor skatepark, a swimming pool, and a band practice space used by CKY, which features drumming by Margera's brother Jess. "It's not going to look like the show set," April said of the new Castle Bam, "but there are a lot of amenities there that people might be interested in in this area." The house has been empty since Margera and wife Nicole Boyd moved to a house about six miles away last year in preparation for the arrival of son Phoenix Wolf. Since then, items from Viva La Bam's 40-person production team had been left to gather dust alongside items left behind by touring bands and friends who had used the house over time. Cleaning up that mess, April said, has been a large part of the renovation. "There are 'heartagrams' all over the place, and I don't know what to keep and what not to," she said, referring to Bam's signature logo combining a heart and a pentagram, formerly used by the Finnish goth rock band HIM. The work has been so intense, April said, that she believes all the sanding and cleaning gave her laryngitis. Still, she said her son's decision to leave the house was wise, because it wasn't "a good situation for him." "It was almost like he was living on a show set, and the whole show left and he was left behind," she said. "I told Bam it might be a bad idea to sell it right now. He's got a little son, and he might want to see it one day. As long as you can kind of rent it out, it will help pay taxes, and that's about it." As part of the rehabbing, April plans to style the space with renovated furniture and decor from her business, Rose Hip Barn, which she began in 2011. Guests will be able to buy the items during their stay. April says Margera has been staying in California, where he was arrested on DUI charges this year and later checked into a rehabilitation facility, although he was recently home for an Easter visit. In 2016, VH1's Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn detailed the skateboarder's trouble with drinking. Last year, he told Inquirer reporter Jason Nark that the death of friend Ryan Dunn in 2011 set him down a destructive path from which he has been trying to recover. "He went to rehab, and he has embraced his sobriety," April said. "We're really proud of him. He's moving forward, and he takes it one day at a time." After listening to a sermon titled "Don't Tell Your Story Too Soon," Baltimore-born activist DeRay Mckesson was inspired to write his first book, On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope, in which he explores a range of topics from police brutality to community organizing to homophobia. "People asked me to write this book two years ago, but I wanted to write it when I felt like it was time," said Mckesson, who was a prominent voice during the 2014 protests in Ferguson, Mo., after the shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson. Mckesson, and his signature blue Patagonia vest, will bring his book to Philadelphia, Saturday, Oct 6. He spoke with the Inquirer and Daily News about the tropes and triumphs of activism in a digital age. You write, "If you get killed by a police officer in this country, the only way that you currently appear in a data set is if a newspaper or other media outlet records your death." Do you think the way the media portrays black death is helping or hurting the justice system? I think those are two different things. When I wrote that, it was about the lack of data and less about media representation. It was more about the fact that if you get killed in this country and a newspaper writer doesn't write about you, then you're not in the database. You don't exist in the numbers. [On] the question about media representation, I think that in some ways it's gotten better. About four years ago, there wasn't a language to talk about this in public. I do think that there's an industry around the trauma of blackness, and that's not new. I'm also mindful that we're four years in since the protest began. The civil rights movement was a decade long. I think the media has more space to move. I think we have time. Has the power struggle between the police and the community that you describe in the book always been structured the way it is today or has it worsened over the last few years? One of the wins of the [#BlackLivesMatter] movement is that we changed the national conversation on race and policing. The outcomes have not changed. People are still being killed at the same rate. It's certainly not any better, but it's not necessarily any worse, either. We used to be shocked by that, and then when we uncover all the laws and policies that almost guarantee officers won't be held accountable, it's not shocking. You can send people to a million trainings. You can give them a body camera. But if they know, for almost a fact, that nothing will happen to them, why would we ever think the behavior is going to change? There was a video that surfaced on Twitter a few weeks ago of you being heckled in during your book tour stop in Ferguson, Mo. The heckler claimed you weren't as active during the Ferguson protest as you portray in the book. What were you thinking during those few minutes of heckling? I'm mindful of two things. One is that ideas can be in conflict without [individuals] being in conflict. And the second is that we won't always agree about this work, about the narrative. I'm sensitive to [the heckler's] frustration. We know each other. We all were in the street together. I'm sensitive to the legitimate concerns people have about the way the story of Ferguson has been told and retold or not told at all. So there are people who tell the story of the protest [who say] national teams of people came in groups and organized everybody and that started the movement and that's just so far from the truth. I write about that in the book. When I think about [the heckling], I know what I did, I'm pretty confident in my work. It's always interesting when people do the 'You weren't there,' or the 'You didn't do anything.' Part of the reason you're even talking to me right now is because everything I did was public. So there's a public record of every place I was. What is real is that there wasn't an attendance monitor in the protest. So I'm always interested in what's behind [the accusations]. I think about what's behind it is a frustration about the way the story of the protests have been told. What is true and what I write about in the book is that there are so many people who you don't know, who you never met but without [them], there would be no protest and we should talk about that. Do activists have to be careful about gaining too much celebrity? I think about what it means to have a platform, and part of the responsibility of having a platform is to create space to amplify the work of people doing good work and to always make sure you're telling the truth. When I think about being careful, the spirit of that question assumes that there's not enough space for all of us. I don't live in a world where there's scarcity with regard to how many people can do this work. I want people to be as visible or not visible as they are as long as they use that stability in ways that move the work. I try to keep it all in perspective. You wrote, "Twitter saved our lives." Describe the intersection of technology and activism. We know that social media doesn't replace organizing; it enhances it and allows us to do different things. I've seen the good and bad of Twitter. The first person ever permanently banned from Twitter was banned for trying to raise money to get me killed. I've also seen the joyous part of Twitter. I've seen people build power with Twitter in ways they didn't know they could, which is incredible. A lot of people come to the platform bad and that's not the platform's responsibility. The platform is responsible for making sure bad people don't meet hordes of other bad people and become radical. Finish this sentence: Activism is when you believe in a better world and you're willing to fight for it. Freedom is not only the absence of oppression but the presence of justice and joy. The world would be a better place if we fight for it. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. State regulators require insurance companies make annual disclosures of executive compensation, but flexibility in the rules makes it hard to compare companies. Read more People with health insurance from their employers are being stretched thinner than ever before, as premiums accelerate and deductibles rise. Employer-sponsored health insurance plans cover about half of Americans under age 65 and are an important benefit businesses use to attract and retain workers. But the financial protection these plans offer is declining, according to an analysis of new federal data by the State Health Access Data Center, a partnership between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Minnesota. "Health-care costs don't go down, they go up every year. It's a question of how much, and unfortunately they're rising faster than other prices and they're rising faster than wages," said Katherine Hempstead, a senior policy adviser for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Researchers found that, nationally, the average premium the price to purchase health insurance for single coverage rose 4.4 percent, to $6,368 in 2017, the most recent full year for which data are available. Employees were responsible for roughly a quarter of that cost, while employers covered the bulk of the premium. At the same time, the average deductible the amount people pay out-of-pocket before the plan starts paying also increased, to $1,808 for an individual and $3,396 for a family. Premium increases in New Jersey and Pennsylvania outpaced the national rise. New Jersey had the fourth highest average premium for single coverage in the country in 2017 $7,074 up 9 percent from 2016. The average family premium in New Jersey was $20,669. The average deductible for an individual in New Jersey declined by $59, to $1,456. The average family deductible increased by $138, to $2,827. Nationally, about 49 percent of employees with a health plan through work have what is considered a high deductible at least $1,300 for an individual and $2,600 for a family. But New Jersey bucked this trend. The number of people with employer health plans who had a high deductible declined 5 percentage points there. About 36 percent of workers have a high deductible, the fourth lowest rate in the country. The average employee share of premiums also declined in New Jersey, shielding workers from the full brunt of premium increases. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, premiums for single and family coverage increased, and employees paid a greater share of the cost. The average premium for single coverage in 2017 was $6,522, up 5.2 percent from the year before. Deductibles for single coverage increased an average of $36, to $1,639. Pennsylvania families with employer-sponsored coverage had lower premiums than their peers in New Jersey, but higher deductibles. The average premium for family coverage in Pennsylvania was $18,589, up 3.8 percent from the previous year. The average deductible increased $52, to $3,082. The report is based on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, conducted by the federal health department's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Employees work at the Amazon Fulfillment center in Robbinsville Township, N.J. The company is boosting its minimum wage for all U.S. workers to $15 per hour starting next month. Read more As Philadelphia continues to court Amazon for its second headquarters, the company, helmed by the richest man in the world, announced Tuesday that it would raise the minimum wage for all its U.S. workers to $15 an hour. The change, which will go into effect Nov. 1, will affect 250,000 workers with Amazon and Amazon-owned Whole Foods, the company said, including full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees, as well as those hired by temp agencies. The raise does not seem to effect independent contractors such as the Amazon Flex drivers who deliver packages from warehouses to your doorstep. Deana Gamble, a spokesperson for Mayor Kenney, said he was "pleased to learn that a corporation the size of Amazon understands the benefits that come from their workers earning a living wage." Just last week, in a move fought for by such organizers as interfaith group Power, Kenney proposed raising the minimum wage for city workers, contractors, and subcontractors to $15, building on the Nutter administration's $12-an-hour minimum wage law. The Amazon announcement, Gamble said, "sends a powerful message to the private sector that it's not only the right thing to do, it's also good for business." The move follows a local and national fight for a higher minimum wage. Although the federal minimum hourly wage has remained at $7.25, more than 20 cities and states have raised their own minimum wages, including Seattle, Amazon's hometown. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also ran a highly visible "Fight for $15" campaign in 2016 focused on fast-food employees that Philadelphia workers took part in. In 2014, advocates lobbied the city to raise the minimum wage to $15. The push ultimately failed Philadelphia is barred from raising its minimum wage due to a state law, according to the city's Law Department. At Amazon, the average full-time warehouse employee was making more than $15 an hour, including stock and incentive bonuses, but the company has not disclosed the rates for part-time, seasonal, or temp agency workers. At an August 2017 Amazon job fair in Robbinsville, N.J. where thousands lined up for jobs, prospective warehouse employees said the company was offering $13.50 to $14.50 an hour. Entry-level Whole Foods employees in Philadelphia and New Jersey stand to get a raise: A Whole Foods employee who works in Princeton said the starting rate for workers in the Mid-Atlantic region was $12 an hour. He added that, historically, when starting rates were raised, workers with higher wages eventually got increases, too. The power of public anger Some see Amazon's new policy as a response to the public anger that has continued to mount in response to the working conditions for low-wage Amazon workers, especially given the contrast with the company's success. This year alone, news surfaced of a delivery driver who got injured on the job and was then pressured to finish working; an independent contractor working for Amazon's Flex delivery program who paid tens of thousands of dollars in expenses out of his own pocket to do his job, one in which he doesn't get any benefits or overtime; and warehouse workers who got injured and found it impossible to get workers' compensation. Some Whole Foods workers, too, recently launched a bid to unionize, a campaign the company has vigorously fought. The workers called for a $15 minimum wage. Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, has become the richest man in the world. Amazon's market capitalization passed $1 trillion last month, though it's fallen a little since. (Amazon's stock price ended Tuesday down 1.65 percent at $1,971.31.) Politicians and commentators on either extreme of the political spectrum have united in their ire for the company. Activists and organizers in Philadelphia have also called out the city for pandering to Amazon in an effort to win the company's HQ2 competition. They say Amazon does not have a good track record of treating its workers well, and have asked why Philadelphia is willing to give the company a massive and undisclosed package of tax incentives to relocate here. The new minimum wage could satisfy advocates concerned about equitable economic development. In their fight for a "Fair Workweek" scheduling law for fast-food and retail workers, Councilwoman Helen Gym and organizers with OnePA have spoken about the importance of making the jobs that exist in Philadelphia "good jobs." They want to find a way to make hospitality and retail jobs, which make up nearly one-fifth of the city's jobs, pay a living wage and offer enough hours and benefits for poor Philadelphians to rise out of poverty. Raising standards Due to low unemployment and increased demand for workers, finding and retaining employees is a major challenge for warehouses across the country, especially during seasonal spikes. Companies that operate warehouses have been forced to find ways to attract workers, said Jeremy Davidson, a Nashville-based director with supply chain services company Fortna. One of those solutions is raising wages. (Another is developing Uber-like, flexible work schedules.) If Amazon sets a standard of $15 minimum wage, other warehouses may have to follow suit in order to compete. That bodes well for Philadelphia, which Davidson says is sure to see an increase in warehouse jobs in the next few years. Amazon is already one of the biggest employers in New Jersey. Just last month, it was hiring for 2,600 warehouse jobs in the state, including 1,500 full-time jobs at a soon-to-open 1.7 million-square-foot fulfillment center in West Deptford. It also has centers in the warehouse belt of Central Pennsylvania, in the towns of Breinigsville, Carlisle, and Hazleton, as well as a new clothing plant in Norristown. Jessica Franzini, director of Community Initiatives for Camden Lutheran Housing, holds up an example of a digital billboard. A 167-foot high digital billboard is proposed at the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Read more The city zoning board approved a controversial proposal for a huge billboard in North Camden at a packed Monday night meeting where residents expressed fears that the 167-foot-high structure would contribute to the city's blight and negatively affect development along the waterfront. The board accepted a variance sought by Cherry Hill-based Interstate Outdoor Advertising because the redevelopment plan for the land at Elm Street and Delaware Avenue, where the billboard would be built, prohibits billboards. "We live here. We will see this 24/7," said Sonia Rivera-Perez of the Cooper Grant neighborhood. "This is not going to be seen in Cherry Hill. This is going to be sorely borne by us, the residents. It changes the landscape." Interstate CEO Drew Katz first floated the proposal in April for two digital screens to target commuters crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, with the roughly $200,000 advertising sales going to Camden nonprofits. The billboard would cost $800,000 and take eight months to construct from the time of final approval, he said. Several conditions were included in the approval, including that Interstate submit its tax returns to the city annually and that all billboard profits always be given to charity even the billboard was sold to another owner. Zoning attorney Kyle Eingorn said Camden's mayor could still veto the proposal. A nonprofit board called Camden Charitable Fund will accept grant applications from neighborhood groups, said Katz, son of philanthropist Lewis Katz. The elder Katz, a co-owner of the Philadelphia Media Group, publisher of the Inquirer and Daily News, died in a plane crash in May 2014. Speaking to board members and residents, Katz said the billboard was his way of honoring his late father, who started the Greater Camden Partnership charity. The first $50,000 in revenues will be pledged to nonprofits in North Camden, he said. Katz said the city could use the billboard to share information about emergencies, such as Amber Alerts, flooding, or traffic. "We don't do this for credit," Katz said. "Every dollar of profit from this billboard will go to Camden nonprofits." Proponents said the billboard proposal would inject needed funding to Camden nonprofits and enhance the work they do. "They all operate off a shoestring budget," Camden pastor Amir Khan said. "This billboard will allow grassroots organizations in Camden to come off life support." Opponents expressed fear that the billboard would harm the quality of life in North Camden, an area of the city that has been rebounding recently. Groups such as Camden Lutheran Housing, the Cooper Grant Neighborhood Association, and Concerned Citizens of North Camden fought the proposal, citing possible light pollution and the lack of a written agreement dictating how proceeds would be spent. Opponents also include Cooper's Ferry Partnership, which oversees redevelopment in Camden, and Liberty Property Trust of Philadelphia, which is building the new American Water headquarters and other amenities on the waterfront. Kevin Sheehan, a lawyer representing Liberty Property Trust, applauded Katz for his charitable acts but warned that the billboard would hurt Camden's waterfront development and sights of the Philadelphia skyline. "It is laudable for the Katz family to do a significant amount for the city of Camden. It's unfortunate that he wants to do so at the detriment of the surrounding neighborhoods," Sheehan said. "All of them will suffer as a result of this billboard." The vote on the variance had been delayed three times as Katz met with community groups to hear their concerns. Stephen Holden, deputy general counsel of the Delaware River Port Authority, which runs the bridge, urged board members to protect the value of the waterfront. "It's ironic to trade the riverfront serenity for money," Holden said. CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Husky Energy Inc. (TSX:HSE) (Husky or the Company) today announced that it has formally commenced its offer (the Offer) to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of MEG Energy Corp. (TSX:MEG) (MEG). The notice and advertisement of the Offer appear in the Tuesday, October 2, 2018 editions of The Globe and Mail and Le Devoir, and the Offer is contained in the Offer to Purchase and Bid Circular (the Offer and Circular) and related documents, which have been filed with the Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR under MEGs profile at www.sedar.com. Under the terms and subject to the conditions of the Offer, each MEG shareholder will have the option to choose to receive consideration per MEG share of $11 in cash or 0.485 of a Husky share, subject to maximum aggregate cash consideration of $1 billion and a maximum aggregate number of Husky shares issued of approximately 107 million. The Offer is open for acceptance until 5 p.m. Eastern Time (3 p.m. Mountain Time) on Wednesday, January 16, 2019. MEG shareholders now have the opportunity to directly determine the future of their investment, said CEO Rob Peabody. Together, Husky and MEG will create a stronger Canadian integrated energy company with a stronger balance sheet, and a rich portfolio of low cost, higher margin projects all of which contribute to substantially more free cash flow with much greater stability than MEG could achieve on its own. The combination will result in a stronger technical and operating team that can apply its expertise across a much larger asset base, added Peabody. We are committed to realizing this opportunity and strongly believe the Offer is in the best interests of Husky and MEG shareholders, as well as our respective employees and other stakeholders. CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER The Offer will be subject to certain conditions, including that the MEG shares tendered under the Offer constitute more than 66 2/ 3 percent of the shares of MEG then outstanding, on a fully-diluted basis. The Offer will also be conditional upon receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, confirmation that the MEG shareholder rights plan will not adversely affect the Offer, no material adverse effect at MEG, and other customary conditions. The Offer will not be subject to any financing conditions, and the cash component of the Offer will be financed through Huskys existing cash resources. Husky encourages shareholders of MEG to read the full details of the Offer set forth in the Offer and Circular, which contains the full terms and conditions of the Offer and other important information as well as detailed instructions on how MEG shareholders can tender their MEG shares to the Offer. For assistance in depositing MEG shares to the Offer, MEG shareholders should contact the Information Agent D.F. King Canada, by telephone at 1-800-761-6707 (North American Toll Free Number) or +1-212-771-1133 (outside North America) or by email at inquiries@dfking.com. Copies of the Offer and Circular, once filed, will be available upon request made to Huskys Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary at 707 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2P 1H5, or telephone 403-298-6111. The Offer documents will also be available on Huskys website at www.huskyenergy.com/bettertogether Goldman Sachs Canada Inc. is acting as financial advisor and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is acting as lead legal advisor to Husky. Investor Relations Team: Todd McBride 587-774-5923 Jon Gorrie 403-298-7436 Media Inquiries: Mel Duvall, Senior Manager, Media & Issues 403-513-7602 NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, any securities. The offer to acquire MEG securities and to issue securities of the Company will be made solely by, and subject to the terms and conditions set out in, the formal offer to purchase and takeover bid circular and accompanying letter of transmittal and notice of guaranteed delivery. NOTICE TO U.S. HOLDERS MEG SHARES The Company intends to make the offer and sale of the Companys shares in the acquisition subject to a registration statement covering such offer and sale to be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such registration statement covering such offer and sale will include various documents related to such offer and sale. THE COMPANY URGES INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS OF MEG TO READ SUCH REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND ANY AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH SUCH OFFER AND SALE OF THE COMPANYS SHARES AS THOSE DOCUMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. You will be able to obtain a free copy of such registration statement, as well as other relevant filings regarding the Company or such transaction involving the issuance of the Companys shares, at the SECs website ( www.sec.gov ) under the issuer profile for the Company, or on request without charge from the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of the Company, at 707, 8th Avenue S.W. Calgary Alberta or, telephone 403-298-6111. The Company is a foreign private issuer and permitted to prepare the offer to purchase and takeover bid circular and related documents in accordance with Canadian disclosure requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Company prepares its financial statements in accordance with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles, and they may be subject to Canadian auditing and auditor independence standards. They may not be comparable to financial statements of United States companies. Shareholders of MEG should be aware that owning the Companys shares may subject them to tax consequences both in the United States and in Canada. The offer to purchase and takeover bid circular may not describe these tax consequences fully. MEG shareholders should read any tax discussion in the offer to purchase and takeover bid circular, and holders of MEG shares are urged to consult their tax advisors. A MEG shareholders ability to enforce civil liabilities under the United States federal securities laws may be affected adversely because the Company is incorporated in Alberta, Canada, some or all of the Companys officers and directors and some or all of the experts named in the offering documents reside outside of the United States, and all or a substantial portion of the Companys assets and of the assets of such persons are located outside the United States. MEG shareholders in the United States may not be able to sue the Company or the Companys officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violation of United States federal securities laws. It may be difficult to compel such parties to subject themselves to the jurisdiction of a court in the United States or to enforce a judgment obtained from a court of the United States. NEITHER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES REGULATOR HAS OR WILL HAVE APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE COMPANYS SHARES OFFERED IN THE OFFERING DOCUMENTS, OR HAS OR WILL HAVE DETERMINED IF ANY OFFERING DOCUMENTS ARE TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. MEG shareholders should be aware that, during the period of the Offer, the Company or its affiliates, directly or indirectly, may bid for or make purchases of the securities to be distributed or to be exchanged, or certain related securities, as permitted by applicable laws or regulations of Canada or its provinces or territories. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements and information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation, Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are forward-looking and not historical facts. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as will likely result, are expected to, will continue, is anticipated, is targeting, is estimated, intend, plan, projection, could, should, aim, vision, goals, objective, target, scheduled and outlook). In particular, forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, references to: the anticipated benefits that may result from a combination of the Company and MEG; and the intended timing of mailing the Offer and Circular and related documents. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected by the forward-looking statements presented in this news release are reasonable, the Companys forward-looking statements have been based on assumptions and factors concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate, including the ability to obtain regulatory approvals and meet other closing conditions to any possible transaction, and the ability to integrate the Companys and MEGs businesses and operations and realize financial, operational and other synergies from the proposed transaction. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company about itself, MEG and the businesses in which they operate. Information used in developing forward-looking statements has been acquired from various sources, including third-party consultants, suppliers and regulators, among others. Because actual results or outcomes could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements, investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, which contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcomes will not occur. Some of these risks, uncertainties and other factors are similar to those faced by other oil and gas companies and some are unique to the Company. The Companys Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other documents filed with securities regulatory authorities (accessible through the SEDAR website www.sedar.com and the EDGAR website www.sec.gov) describe risks, material assumptions and other factors that could influence actual results and are incorporated herein by reference. New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all of such factors and to assess in advance the impact of each such factor on the Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are dependent upon other factors, and the Companys course of action would depend upon managements assessment of the future considering all information available to it at the relevant time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. All currency is expressed in this news release in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. James Barrow, a career criminal, did something in February 2016 that an investigator described as "weird and strange": He turned himself in to police and confessed to killing three people in 2009. In interrogation interviews that were video recorded, Barrow, in an emotionless voice, provided details that only the killer would know. And he said he was surrendering out of fear that he was being stalked and didn't want to end up like his victims. On Monday, a Philadelphia jury convicted Barrow, 32, for the first-degree murder of his first victim, Kamara Joseph, 30. Brushing aside a defense motion to delay sentencing until appeals are filed, Common Pleas Court Judge Sandy L.V. Byrd imposed the state mandatory term of life in prison without parole, followed by 28 to 57 years for burglary, robbery, and related counts. "This is one more instance of heinous gun violence carried out in a kind of calm and deliberate fashion that should frighten anyone," Byrd said. But the sentence and stern words from the judge were not enough for the families of Jonathan Pitts, 21, and Nakeisha Finks, 20, the other victims whom Barrow confessed to killing. He has yet to be charged in those slayings, although during the trial Assistant District Attorney Danielle Burkavage told the jury that Barrow killed all three. "Just like the defendant told you," she said in her closing argument Friday, "you should believe it. You should believe all of it." Burkavage told the panel that for strategic reasons, her office may not immediately charge a suspect. But she shed no light on that strategy after leaving the courtroom Monday. "Like I've indicated before, it's under investigation, and when the decision is ready to be made, it will be made," she said. The killings of Pitts and Finks, a couple slain together, present a complication that did not exist in Joseph's case: The District Attorney's Office in 2013 had tried someone else in the double slayings, and the jury found the accused man, Nafis Pinkney, not guilty. Last year the city settled a malicious-prosecution lawsuit brought by Pinkney for $750,000. Joseph's mother, Brenda, embraced the mothers of Pitts and Finks after leaving the courtroom. "This is for all of us," Joseph said, as tears streamed down the mothers' faces. Although they were happy for Joseph, the other mothers said they expected the District Attorney's Office to prosecute Barrow for their children's slayings. "We're still looking for justice. So I'm looking for another trial for him. We got justice for her son, Kamara Joseph, but I'm looking for justice for my daughter, Nakeisha Finks," said Tamika Watson. Of being in the courtroom with Barrow, she said, "You feel lifeless. It's just hard to sit in a courtroom with someone that you know murdered your child. It's just unspeakable." "I want justice for my son," said a tearful Gwen Pitts, Jonathan's mother. "I was hoping [Barrow] got three life sentences. That's what he confessed to." Barrow told investigators that he broke into Joseph's Elmwood home on Aug. 24, 2009. Barrow said he woke him, tried to strangle him with a sneaker shoestring, then shot him in the back of the head to quiet him. Joseph is survived by a daughter, now 11 years old, relatives said. Barrow said he broke into Pitts' West Philadelphia home five days later. After getting the better of Pitts in a fistfight, he ordered him to use duct tape to bind the wrists and ankles of his girlfriend, Finks. He also ordered Pitts to put tape over her eyes and mouth. After ordering Pitts to lie on his stomach, Barrow said, he bound Pitts likewise and then shot them both in the head. He was motivated to break into the homes of Joseph and Pitts after hearing on the street that they had drug money, he said in his confession interviews. His lawyer, Michael Coard, said he was not permitted to tell the jury all of the facts because of procedural decisions made by the judge. An appeal is planned, he said. Ferdinand Augello, left, and Paul Pagano, right, wait, via video, for their first court appearance to begin at the Atlantic County Courthouse on January 11, 2018. Both are charged in the case of James Kauffman, who is charged with having his wife murdered in 2012 and running a drug ring out of his office. MICHAEL BRYANT/ Staff Photographer Read more The Pagan's Motorcycle Club was never the biggest outlaw motorcycle club in the nation, but members liked to think that, pound-for-pound, none was tougher. Three Pagans, one former member said, could "do anything," and if there are more, well, that's even better, or worse for whoever is in their way. "You give me six good Pagans and I could take over the country," said James "Jimmy D" DeGregorio, a former high-ranking member of the Pagans in the South Jersey and Philadelphia area. "They are a hard-core gang. Period. Small but mighty." The PMC, founded in Maryland in 1959, was back in the news last week at the Jersey Shore for the usual reasons: accusations of drug dealing, murder plots, and an old, familiar problem that's plagued the group for decades: undercover agents and confidential informants recording them. "It's insane," DeGregorio said. "It always happens. There ain't a cop in the world that didn't bust a case without someone on the inside. The thing that makes a good detective is a good snitch." DeGregorio spent time in prison for shooting a bodyguard for late Philadelphia mob boss Phil "Chicken Man" Testa. He has also testified against PMC members. Now he lives in Florida. The Pagans' latest brush with the law involves an unlikely accomplice, Dr. James Kauffman, an endocrinologist accused of running a vast, prescription-drug ring out of his Egg Harbor Township office with the club's help. Authorities say Kauffman, with the Pagans' aid, arranged the murder of his wife, April, in May 2012, out of fear she would expose the enterprise. Those same Pagans who helped Kauffman, authorities said, plotted to kill him in the Atlantic County jail after he was arrested on weapons charges this past June. The top Pagan implicated in the Kauffman case, Ferdinand "Freddy" Augello, cuts a clean appearance, at least on Facebook, where many Pagans flaunt their affiliations. There are no pictures of motorcycles, or Augello wearing the Pagans' "colors," the patches they wear on denim vests with an image of the Norse god Surtr sewn on. Augello, 61, looks like a guitar-loving grandpop and his band, Who Dat, and graphic-artist business were well-known at the Jersey Shore. Authorities say Augello was the president of the Pagans' Cape May County chapter, however, and in one Facebook post from 2014, he thanks his "PMC Brothers" for coming to a show at the Last Chance Saloon, an infamous biker hangout in Chesilhurst, Camden County. In 2013, a member of the Warlocks Motorcycle Club, another outlaw motorcycle gang from the area, was killed in the parking lot of that bar. Augello made his first appearance, via video monitor, in Atlantic County Superior Court on Thursday, with what appears to be a "1 percent" tattoo visible on his forearm. Augello is charged with murder in connection with the death of April Kauffman and with conspiracy to commit murder in connection with an attempt to kill James Kauffman inside the Atlantic County jail in the last three months, according to court documents and affidavits. Authorities said Augello, of the Petersburg section of Upper Township, tried to find a Pagan to kill April Kauffman and ultimately hired Francis Mullholland to carry out the murder, and paid him $20,000. Mullholland allegedly shot Kauffman twice on May 10, 2012, killing her. Augello's attorney, public defender Scott Sherwood, could not be reached for comment Friday. Mullholland, of Lower Township, died in October 2013 of a drug overdose. An alleged accomplice in the drug enterprise, Paul Pagano, also made a first appearance Thursday. A law enforcement source in Atlantic County familiar with both the Kauffman case and the Pagans said Pagano was a high-ranking member of the club. Though the Pagans have always been known as a Philly club, the group has maintained a strong presence at the Shore for decades 'When I first joined, I had to go there a lot," said David "RC" Winkler, a former ranking Pagan now living in Delaware County. "It's never been a gigantic thing, but that area has always been maintained." In recent years, authorities said, the Pagans numbered in the "hundreds" across the country. DeGregorio said he recently attended the funeral for a longtime Pagan, Walter "Buckets" Jozwiak ,in Delaware and said there were hundreds there. The law enforcement source said many Pagans moved south from Atlantic County to Cape May County, particularly Middle Township, in recent years though an Absecon bar remains a popular hangout. Middle Township police did not return requests for comment. The annual Roar to the Shore biker rally takes place each September in Wildwood, where the Pagans traditionally take over an entire hotel and post guards on every corner. The rally usually passes without incident, though in 2010, thanks to a 21-month investigation and an undercover agent, the feds accused 17 members from New York, New Jersey, and Delaware of plotting during the Roar to the Shore to kill their biggest rivals, the Hells Angels, with grenades. "People shouldn't talk about their crimes," Winkler, 54, said. "When you talk, you get caught." In 2015, there was an incident between the Pagans and members of the Wheels of Soul motorcycle club at the rally. One Wheels of Soul member was arrested for possession of a handgun and brass knuckles. DeGregorio, the former high-ranking member, said he used to live in Cape May County and recruited a lot of Pagans from there. "There's a lot of woods down there. Lots of backwoods clammers and rednecks and pineys," he said. Both DeGregorio and Winkler were surprised the club got involved with a doctor, though a similar scheme played out in Pennsylvania recently, and neither was surprised to hear that Augello wanted James Kauffman dead. "He's a loose end," DeGregorio said. Kauffman, according to the law enforcement source, did not pay the full amount for the alleged hit on his wife, further rankling the Pagans. Kauffman, the source said, had become increasingly paranoid. James Kauffman likely first met Augello and other Pagans, the source said, through his wife, a local radio host who was a supporter of veterans' issues. Kimberly Pack, April Kauffman's daughter, said the only bikers she'd seen at her mother's events were the Legion riders, a group affiliated with the American Legion. A spokeswoman for the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said she had no information about how James Kauffman first met the Pagans. For one old-school biker, a dead, innocent woman seemed too far, even for a Pagan. "It's a sad state of affairs to see people getting jammed up in these type of situations," Winkler said. Staff writer Amy S. Rosenberg contributed to this article. Ever since the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections announced a new, unprecedented policy for handling legal mail part of a wide-ranging crackdown meant to stanch the flow of drugs into state prisons criminal and civil lawyers who represent inmates have been in panic mode. Many, including staff lawyers with the Pennsylvania ACLU, the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, and private firms, said they can no longer ethically send confidential documents to clients, given the potential for exposure in the DOC's new protocol. Before, staff opened legal mail in the presence of inmates, searched it for contraband and handed it over; now they photocopy it, still in the inmate's presence, pass on the copy, and preserve the original for 45 days. "The practices they've implemented are tremendously disruptive, and in fact are prohibiting a lot of lawyers from being able to use the mail to communicate with their clients," said Pennsylvania ACLU legal director Vic Walczak. He and colleagues have stopped sending mail since the Sept. 10 policy announcement, and expect to file at least one federal First Amendment lawsuit in the next few weeks. Amy Worden, a DOC spokesperson, said confidentiality is ensured because mail is opened only in the inmate's presence, and the original, placed in a sealed envelope, is secured and collected by "a contracted vendor that specializes in the destruction of confidential documents the same type of service that is used by businesses including law offices, medical offices, accounting firms and banks to dispose of their confidential documentation." But lawyers say they've heard reports of legal documents piled on desks or heaped into trash bags. "My greatest fear is that my legal mail will become the reading material of the superintendent or, worse, my opponent," said Leticia Chavez-Freed, a Harrisburg civil-rights lawyer who, before the new policy was enacted, sent out 60 or 70 letters to inmates in any given month. "I currently have cases where guards and superintendents are named defendants. My plaintiffs are in their care, day in and day out." Lawyers said such fears have already resulted in weeks-long backlogs in requests for legal phone calls at some institutions, while other prisons are now refusing to accommodate such calls unless a court date is imminent. The standoff has also rippled into the court system, where lawyers say they're having to inform judges they need extensions in order to carve out time to drive hours to far-flung prisons for in-person visits. (The DOC did not respond to questions about changes to phone and visitation policies for lawyers.) "It makes it difficult to communicate with your client, which we're obligated to do under the rules of professional responsibility. We're also required to maintain client confidentiality," Philadelphia civil-rights lawyer Susan Lin said. "How do we have that communication when there's a huge danger that confidentiality won't be maintained?" The DOC in August put the entire prison system on a two-week lockdown, then announced $15 million in security measures including drone-detection equipment, state-of-the-art body scanners, and a Florida-based service where inmate mail is being scanned and digitally forwarded to the prisons. The DOC said the policies, including the termination of book-donation programs, were necessary to keep out drugs, in particular the synthetic cannabinoid K2, that the DOC said were sickening staff though experts in medical toxicology say it is unlikely staff could be sickened by incidental exposure. >> READ MORE: Pa. prisons spend $15M after guards were sickened by K2. But what if it was just in their heads? The ACLU and others wrote to the DOC, calling the new legal-mail procedures "overbroad and unjustifiably intrusive," insisting that legal mail had not been shown to be a source of contraband, and urging the DOC to find a better solution. They said no other institution in the country has such a policy. The DOC did not respond to questions about whether there was any precedent for this practice. "We've gotten reports from dozens of lawyers who are involved in criminal appeals and civil issues, who can't communicate with their clients, and these individuals' cases are being harmed and delayed," said Alexandra Morgan-Kurtz, a Pittsburgh-based lawyer for the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, an organization that sent hundreds of legal communications to incarcerated clients each week up until the new protocol was enacted. She and others are suing the Department of Corrections, its staff and its contractors over allegations ranging from physical and sexual assaults to inadequate medical care that inmates say led to unnecessary amputations. Inmates have reported long lines to retrieve legal mail at some institutions, Morgan-Kurtz said. At others, there have been copies missing pages. Other prisons appear not to be enforcing the new policy at all. She also said some staff were reportedly not wearing protective equipment while copying mail despite the DOC's concern about K2 exposure. The DOC didn't respond to questions about the use of protective equipment in the mailrooms. Morgan-Kurtz said attorneys who have made in-person visits this month have in some cases been prevented from bringing in documents to review with clients, cutting off their last avenue to share the information confidentially. "There are many barriers in place already between us and our clients, and this is just maximizing those barriers," Chavez-Freed said. "It's really cutting off people's access to the courts." Even before the snow started falling Wednesday on the Rockwellian main street of Narberth, on the quaint, been-there-forever hardware store called Ricklin's, Jed Riddell had sold the last of his snow shovels. By the time the storm finished beating up on the village and environs, he was just about out of rock salt. "Winter has always been a crap shoot in this business," said Riddell, whose roots at Ricklin's go back nearly all of his 67 years, to when his father bought the place in 1960. By then, the store was almost a half-century old. Now, with March's third nor'easter in little more than a week possibly bearing down on the region, Riddell should be merrily restocking for the next stampede. Instead, the shelves have been allowed to empty, hurried along by deep, last-ditch discounts. Come April 28, Ricklin's itself will be gone. Retail, Riddell said simply, "is brutal." The home-supply industry happens to be booming, but look behind those numbers and you will find they are plumped by the big boxes and online distributing giants not independent hardware stores, many of which have gone the way of just about everything Mom and Pop held dear. Less than a year ago, Ricklin's sister store, Suburban Hardware in Bryn Mawr, closed. So now, another one bites the sawdust, and for its customers, who are legion and spread throughout the Main Line and parts of Philadelphia, the thought of losing this old haunt is wrenching. The store sent out postcards last week announcing the closing, plus an everything-must-go sale. Ever since, a steady influx of mourners has been passing through to pay respects, score deals, walk the narrow aisles, and hear the wood floors creak one last time. Pete Tyson, a Narberth native who now lives in New Jersey, made a special trip "just to see ya." "It's finally time?" he asked. Riddell was sure of it. He started working there for his dad when he was 23 and has owned the business since the late 1980s. Within the last few years, he has had two heart attacks. "It's time to hold my wife's hand for a while," he said. "It's time to go. I'm ready to retire." He added, "I am deeply complimented by the outpouring of support, though. We've done our best." He said he will miss his customers or at least 90 percent of them. A dubious distinction Riddell said he tried to sell the whole hardware business a few years ago, but no one wanted to buy it. So in 2016, he and his partner, Charley Waters, sold the two buildings that make up Ricklin's for nearly $1.3 million to an investment partnership. They paid rent for a while but chose to let the lease run out, he said, having decided he was too tired to continue. Of Riddell's three sons, none showed an interest in taking up the family business. "They weren't raised to be a little me," he said. The closing of Ricklin's will cast 16 employees out of work. It already has thrown an untold number of customers into a panic. Riddell can name few "classic" hardware stores remaining on the Main Line, DYI havens where a homeowner can run for not only the right toilet flapper but guidance on installing it, where problems are sometimes solved without a cent being spent. A woman approached Riddell last week, attempting to rally a coalition of neighbors to buy Ricklin's. But the property owners didn't seem interested, according to Riddell. "They have other plans," he said, for the corner of Haverford and Essex Avenues, a prime location directly across from the SEPTA Regional Rail stop. With that, a chapter will close on 105 years of Narberth history, one that began with Hyman Ricklin pushing a cart of tools door-to-door. In 1913, he opened a bricks-and-mortar store, which eventually passed into his children's hands. They sold the enterprise to Riddell's father, Ed, and the twin Barone brothers, Mario and Kelly, in 1960. At one point, the partners had an empire of five hardware stores; that was whittled down to two, including Suburban Hardware, in the 1980s. Along the way, Ricklin's picked up a dubious honor. The original two-story store burned down in 1939 and was replaced the following year with the current one-story structure. After a series of garages in the back were involved in another blaze in 1959, the space was rebuilt as a free-standing extension of the store. "So Ricklin's had the two biggest fires in Narberth's history," Riddell said. Struggle to stand out Downtown Narberth is a Christmas-card town, set on a one-way street lined with colorful shops that are undergoing a transition. The owners of the most prominent outposts are aging, the hallmarks of previous generations fading away Ricklin's among them. Ed Ridgway, president of the Narberth Business Association, said the overall health of Haverford Avenue is strong. One major property, which had housed the family-owned Mapes 5 & 10 since the 1960s, is being renovated into three smaller storefronts. The landlord, Ridgway said, has renters for all three shops. "That's going to be the only empty storefront on Haverford, since Ricklin's isn't empty yet," he said. "On Haverford, we have a really good success rate of renting those out. When they come up, they go really fast." Mayor Andrea Deutsch, proprietor of Spot's the Place for Paws for the last 15 years, said the changeover doesn't worry her. "I think it's the ebb and flow of time," she said. "You have to love retail, and it's not what it used to be. Online shopping, and big-box shopping, there's competition that wasn't around 30 years ago. But you have to find a way to make yourself stand out in the crowd." For Jed Riddell, that struggle was draining. "Buying a retail store is like buying a job," he said. "You can never leave it." Celebrating the trade agreement he orchestrated amid weeks of otherwise dour news, President Trump used a visit to Philadelphia on Tuesday to boast of a booming economy and a nation rebounding from decades of mistreatment at the hands of trading partners around the world. "This is an incredible time for our nation. We are respected again like we have not been respected in decades," Trump told the National Electrical Contractors Association, gathered at the Convention Center for its annual meeting. "We have the best economy in our history." The president praised the pact his administration struck with Canada and Mexico, finalized on Monday, that he said will protect U.S. workers and increase the nation's agricultural exports. He called it the "most advanced, modern, and balanced trade agreement ever." And, with an eye toward the 2020 presidential election, Trump said "jobless claims are at a 50-year low" and "African Americans', Hispanic Americans', and Asian Americans' unemployment rates have all recently reached their lowest levels ever recorded." "That's pretty good," Trump said. "That's a very hard sound bite to beat if you're an opponent of Trump." Speaking for about 38 minutes to a mostly polite crowd, the president avoided the swirling controversies he left behind in Washington, including the intense political battle over in his nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, the continuing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and growing concern about a midterm election backlash that could help Democrats seize control of Congress. Instead, he pitched himself as a businessman-turned-politician who has filled contractors' pockets with "so much money." He paused three times in his speech to call to the podium people who work in electrical contracting, where they praised the president and his policies. Leam Nicholaides, an apprentice for Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Philadelphia, drew laughter and applause from the crowd, joking about his "pretty easy schedule" of delivering "a speech before a couple thousand people and the president of the United States." Steve Gianatti of Ridgewood, N.Y., said his 120-employee firm will add 30 more workers next year, thanks to Trump's economic and regulatory policies. Stacy Wilson of Canby, Ore., said her family-owned company "employs about 500 employees and thanks to Mr. Trump and the tax reform, and the general confidence in the economy, I guess, we have really been able to invest in our employees and grow our company in the last year." Trump spoke in a lighthearted and low-key fashion, a very different vibe than the typical campaign rally, with its call-and-response choruses and attacks on the media. He used the term fake news media just once, drawing chuckles The crowd of about 6,000 stayed seated and mostly quiet throughout, applauding or cheering when he mentioned issues that affect their bottom line. Outside the Convention Center, the visit drew some protesters. As Trump spoke, about 125 people sat down in the middle of Broad Street near its intersection with Cherry Street. "[We're] just here to take up a lot of physical space out here and be a visible force against the Trump administration," said Brian Wilson, with a small group organized by Philly Socialists. Inside, the visit wasn't completely devoid of campaign politics. U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, a four-term Republican from Hazleton and close political ally of the president, attended. And Trump gave Barletta, who is challenging Sen. Bob Casey's bid for a third term, a shout-out from the stage, telling the crowd: "I'll tell you what, if he is your next senator you're going to have no more problems. He is a doer." NECA endorsed Barletta in August and has given him $29,000 in campaign donations since 2012, according to federal records. Trump was the first president to address the trade group in its 117-year history. NECA describes itself as "the voice of the $160 billion electrical construction industry" with 119 local chapters across the country. The group's convention, which started Friday and concludes Tuesday, drew about 8,000 visitors to Philadelphia. "It was actually inspiring," said Donnie Walker after Trump's speech. Walker, the owner of a technology contracting company in Grass Valley, Calif., said Trump has "a lot of plans for workers and putting people to work. It's as simple as that." Walker and firm co-owner Angel McDonald said they both voted for Trump in 2016 and plan to do so again in 2020. "He's a good talker," McDonald said. "He's very straightforward. His heart is where it needs to be: with our country and the workers." Staff writer Joseph N. DiStefano contributed to this article. President Trump's schedule Tuesday includes a stop at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to talk small business jobs. Trump is speaking to the National Electrical Contractors Association during its annual conference, which started Friday and concludes Tuesday. Planning on getting around Center City this afternoon? Be prepared for heavy congestion street closures are expected as the president makes his way into town, and rallies from Refuse Fascism Philly and Philly Socialists are drawing crowds protesting Trump's appearance. SEPTA said riders should expect some detours and delays. At the conference, "the president will highlight the Trump administration's commitment to workforce development and small business growth during his remarks," a White House official told the Inquirer and Daily News last week. Trump held a rally Monday night in Johnson City, Tenn., and will head to a rally in Southaven, Miss., later Tuesday, after his appearance in Philadelphia. The president was also in Pennsylvania in August, when he stumped for U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, the Republican candidate hoping to unseat Sen. Bob Casey in November's midterm election. Watch NBC10's live stream of the Philadelphia event below. You can also follow reporters Chris Brennan and Gillian McGoldrick for updates on Twitter. Professor Christine Blasey Ford, who accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a sexual assault in 1982, is sworn in to testify before a Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. Read more On Thursday, the nation watched as Dr. Christine Blasey Ford shared with the Senate Judiciary Committee the disturbing details of a sexual assault she experienced as a 15-year-old: the terror she felt in that moment, the horror of the physical assault and the psychological trauma of believing she might die. We heard her describe, in vivid detail, how two boys, under the influence of alcohol, pushed her into a bedroom, locked the door, and turned up the music; how one of the boys pinned her to the bed and covered her mouth to muffle her screams; how she escaped and heard them drunkenly "pinballing" down the staircase; how her clearest memory from the assault was the boys' laughter. We watched as she identified her attacker as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh with "100 percent" certainty. We heard her sworn testimony that was not only credible and persuasive but also undeniably brave. >> READ MORE: 11 cartoons that show America's complicated feelings about Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford | Opinion I believe Dr. Ford. But as I listened to her recount her trauma in gut-wrenching detail, I was sadly aware that Dr. Ford's story is one all too familiar to the millions of survivors of sexual violence in this country. Seven years ago, I began working alongside advocates, experts, and survivors of sexual assault to explore how we as a nation could do more to prevent these assaults, specifically on college campuses. I heard story after story of anguish and horror, revealing how pervasive and insidious sexual violence is in our culture. That same year, I drafted legislation that eventually became the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, or Campus SaVE Act, which was enacted into law as a part of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. >> READ MORE: Do Cosby, Kavanaugh cases make young women feel more vulnerable? | Commentary In the two years I spent working on this bill, and in the time since, I have learned many things from survivors who have shared their stories with me. The first is that they fear what will happen when they speak up. As we have seen, time and time again, when individuals say they have been sexually assaulted, they are often met with ridicule, hostility, or even downright threats of violence. They are consistently subjected to invasive, blame-shifting questions like "what were you wearing?" and "how much did you have to drink?" instead of being met with compassion. The second thing I have learned is that, as a result of this fear, they don't make the decision to come forward lightly. Many of them decide not to tell anyone, because they are afraid, because they are ashamed, because they think it will be easier if they just try to forget. Victims are often manipulated by their abusers to think that no one will believe them, that it was their fault, or that the abuser will continue to hurt them if they speak out. The victims who do immediately report that they have been sexually assaulted are subject to invasive personal exams, known as a "rape kit," to try to collect evidence of the assault. They may be asked to recount their assault multiple times to different people. This can be traumatic in and of itself. >> READ MORE: The Kavanaugh hearings were another rumbling of the volcano. And the left can't hear it. | Opinion And the third thing I have learned is that survivors need support regardless of whether they pursue legal or disciplinary action, because being the victim of a sexual assault is a harrowing experience that changes you forever. That is why the Campus SaVE Act makes it clear that a survivor who comes forward is entitled to services regardless of whether or not they are also seeking legal or disciplinary action. This is why we need to strengthen and fund the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act and the Child Advocacy Centers. This is why we need to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. But most important, this is why we need to listen to, and trust, survivors. I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford when she says she was the victim of sexual assault. I believe the other victims of sexual abuse and assault who have contacted me and my office in recent days. I hear you; I believe you; I am listening to you. Bob Casey is Pennsylvania's Democratic senator. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney smiles ahead of a news conference at City Hall in Philadelphia, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. Kenney proposed legislation to increase the minimum wage for city workers and contractors. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Read more The good news is that Mayor Kenney's proposed minimum wage increase, announced Wednesday, won't cause as much job loss as Seattle's did because it's limited to government employees and contractors. Unlike the private sector, the city doesn't have to lay off a whole bunch of people to be able to pay more to the ones who are left. They can raise taxes and fees. That means Kenney needs to find some easy targets from which to confiscate $20 million to cover the cost. Here are a few ideas: Kenney cashes in at $218,000 a year. Pretty sweet, right? He's one of the top five highest-paid mayors in America, where the average salary is about $125,000. With about 2,000 city workers affected, Kenney could reduce his salary to the $125,000 median and each worker would get an extra $46.50. Hmmm let's look for more. He could tax soft drinks! Whoops. Already did that, driving tax-paying jobs out of Philly hundreds, according to a study by the American Beverage Association. Ah! Kenney could reclassify all hourly city workers as "interns" and instantly save about $976,000, as he famously chooses not to pay interns. Good luck to any private enterprise helping high school or college interns learn skills or business without paying them, as federal law dictates businesses had better not have those interns actually do any learning by doing anything an employee could do. If a business does this, the hammer of the feds will come crashing down on it! It's no coincidence lawmakers who created these laws carve out a little sweet spot for themselves to evade this. Everyone loves parking in Philly, right? It's so affordable. They could raise the meter rates, but that's thinking small, like halving the mayor's salary. Still, how about a bunch of meters in the middle of Broad Street? That could bring in a hundred grand, right? OK. We're at $1,169,000. Let's go right to those lousy, rotten, no-good drivers who violate the rules of the road. The 2017 Philadelphia Parking Authority annual report states Philly brought in only $174,000 in tickets, fines, and fees. Slackers! Certainly this progressive leadership can double that by fining people everyone hates like people who park in handicapped parking spots! Do you know the fine for parking in a handicapped spot is $301? Kenney could triple that with no political cost. Now, how about plastic straws? Ignore the fact that straws and bags account for less than 1 percent of plastic waste entering the oceans there's a media frenzy over them, so tax 'em. Kenney could raise the city wage tax from 4 percent to 5 percent. Then he could raise taxes on the minimum-wage earners who just got a raise. Wait. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale reported in December 2017 that over the last five years, the city has failed to collect more than $100 million in parking tickets, fines, and fees. All they have to do is go and collect them and the funding problem is solved. Boom! Now that we have that solved, grab your grocery list and head to Delaware for tax-free shopping. Rick Jensen is an award-winning talk-show host on 101.7 FM and 1150 AM WDEL in Wilmington. Last week in Pittsburgh, President Trump's Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing on its proposal to eviscerate yet another set of environmental protections, this time in the form of gas-mileage standards for cars and SUVs. These requirements have helped make America's passenger vehicles more efficient, saving money at the pump. They have also helped to spur innovation and create jobs. But most importantly, these standards have helped reduce pollution that impacts Pennsylvanian's health. By gutting the standards, the Trump administration is once again siding with polluters over the health of children and families in Pennsylvania. The transportation sector accounts for more than 55 percent of total nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in the United States. When NOx and volatile organic compounds combine in the presence of sunlight, ground-level ozone is formed. Breathing ozone can create a variety of health problems, especially for children, the elderly, and those with lung diseases, such as asthma. Breathing ozone can cause chest pain, coughing, and throat irritation, and can reduce lung function and harm lung tissue. It can worsen bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema, and make the lungs more susceptible to infection. The statistics on this subject are staggering. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health's 2015 Asthma Prevalence Report, in their lifetime, one out of every nine adult Pennsylvanians has been diagnosed with asthma. In 2010, the total costs of asthma were estimated to be $181 million and are projected to be $2.6 billion by 2020 across the state. There are also estimated to be 382,146 children in Pennsylvania with lifetime asthma and one out of every eight women with asthma. Every day the Department of Environmental Protection and the Wolf administration work to protect Pennsylvanians from dangerous air pollution from stationary sources, such as power plants. However, the largest source of this pollution comes from our transportation sector: cars, trucks, and other vehicles that spew air pollution into the environment. The federal fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards combined with the ability of states to choose federal or California clean car standards have a proven track record of helping reduce air pollution and protect public health, as well as delivering other important benefits. These standards were negotiated by the federal government, the California Air Resources Board, and automakers in 2012 to make America's cars more efficient and less polluting, and to ensure the ability of America's automakers to succeed in the 21st century, where saving money at the pump and reducing pollution have become important factors for consumers. This policy has been successful. Thanks to clean car standards, the 2018 Ford F-150 gets better gas mileage than a 2010 Taurus. Federal fuel efficiency standards have already saved Pennsylvanians an estimated $1.2 billion at the pump. At the current pace, this means that the nation's fuel efficiency standards are expected to save the average Pennsylvania household $1,650 in gasoline by 2030 and save the amount of gasoline that would be equivalent to filling 14,072 Olympic-sized pools. But the benefits go beyond our pocketbooks. Fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards are expected to spur growth in the auto industry as it taps into new research and technologies. Overall, these standards are expected to create more than 26,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania alone by 2030. Pennsylvania and a dozen other states have led the way toward a cleaner, more sustainable future of transportation in America through the adoption of the coordinated federal and California clean vehicle standards, made possible by the Clean Air Act. In Pennsylvania, the Clean Vehicles Program requires all vehicles built in 2008 and later to meet California Air Resources Board certification. These standards would save Pennsylvanians $4.1 billion per year in 2030 and avoid 87.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. But now the Trump administration is proposing to modify the Clean Air Act to remove California's ability to set vehicle standards. We can't let the Trump administration take away Pennsylvania's ability to use standards that help protect the air we breathe and the environment we cherish. Patrick McDonnell is secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Ukraine: On the front line of Europes forgotten war After four years, and 10,000 deaths, the conflict with Russia in the east of the country has slipped off the wests political agenda David Bond and Roman Olearchyk in Avdiivka, Ukraine Staring straight ahead, Anton Akastyolov describes what it feels like to be fighting on the frontline of Russias proxy war with the west. Every day you think about death, the 23-year-old Ukrainian private says, standing in a shattered residential block on the edge of the eastern city of Avdiivka. This is Europes forgotten war, a conflict that has claimed more than 10,000 lives, almost one-third of them civilians, during the past four years, making it the bloodiest in Europe since the Balkans in the 1990s and one of the longest-running in almost a century. Western powers blame Russian president Vladimir Putin for starting the conflict by illegally annexing Crimea in 2014 the first appropriation of European territory since the second world war providing the catalyst for Russian-backed separatists to seize the eastern Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Lugansk. Anton Akastyolov in Avdiivka Charlie Bibby/FT While Mr Putin says Crimea has always been part of Russia, his actions in Ukraine are seen as part of a growing charge sheet that includes US election meddling, military intervention to back the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and the nerve agent attack on a former Russian double agent in the British cathedral city of Salisbury. In their hope to recreate what they view is a great Russia again, they are pushing forward west into Europe, says Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev, the commander of Ukraines joint forces. Russia has no interest in bringing down the temperature, not with the western world, not with Ukraine. So while the war has reached stalemate, it still smoulders. Bound by the terms of the 2015 Minsk ceasefire agreements, both sides are barred from using air strikes, tanks and heavy weaponry. This has created the conditions for an attritional land war which marks a throwback to another age, where soldiers fight in trenches with shells, grenades and sniper fire. Consequently, the death toll continues to rise. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which monitors the conflict, in August said that a total of 160 people had been killed on both sides so far this year. Lyubov Kolesova holds a portrait of her missing son Igor Grizenko at their home in Avdiivka There are no signs of a resolution in sight. The war was barely on the agenda at the Helsinki summit between US president Donald Trump and Mr Putin in July. And despite attempts by the US and its allies to modernise and arm Ukraines 200,000-strong military forces, people in Avdiivka feel abandoned by the west. They dont care, says Lyubov Kolesova, a resident whose 28-year-old son went missing in the early days of the war. If you dont live here, you wont understand. Sunflower fields along Ukraine's highway 20 Ukraines highway 20 cuts through seemingly endless fields of sunflowers, making it feel more like the south of France than Europes borderlands with Russia. Before the war, this road was one of the symbols of Ukrainian economic progress, built primarily for the 2012 European football championships. Now it forms part of the front line. As the highway nears Avdiivka, about 20km from the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, it becomes too treacherous to continue. Access to the city can only be made via bumpy back roads. Yet daytime in Avdiivka can be deceptively calm. Parents stroll the streets with young children while a group of pensioners has set up an impromptu market in the centre, selling milk and other produce. But the war is never far away. In the distance, occasional gunfire can be heard along with the deep boom of shelling. At the entrance to their Soviet-built flats on Semashko Street, Galya, 51, asks: How much longer must we endure this? Its been five years already. Will this continue another 20 years? Pavel, a 45-year-old Ukrainian soldier, says the nature of the war has changed Much of the fighting in Avdiivka takes place in an industrial area on the outskirts of the city, where troops on both sides are well dug in. Pavel, a bearded and battle-hardened 45-year-old Ukrainian soldier, says the nature of the war has changed. Instead of the heavy weaponry we have snipers, which can be even more dangerous because you relax a bit, he says. Then a bullet hits your head. Clutching his Kalashnikov rifle, which looks like a relic from the 1970s, his comrade Artur adds: The faster you move, the longer you live. The shortest distance between our positions is 70m to 80m, he adds. You can see their eyes. Sometimes, he says, they are so close to the enemy he can hear the distinct accents of opponents from Russia, South Ossetia and Chechnya. His account backs claims denied by Moscow that Ukraines army is facing a hybrid force of Russian soldiers and local separatist militants under command from the Kremlin. They created the military forces . . . [do] not make any mistake about it, the forces in the east are 100 per cent commanded by Russia, says Kurt Volker, the US special envoy to Ukraine. Eduard Basurin, deputy commander of the 20,000-strong Donetsk-based separatist forces, denies the claim. Imagine if the Russian army were here. I think that the war would unfold differently, he says. Those that talk about this dont provide facts to uphold them. Getting a clear picture of life on the other side of the war is difficult. Officials from the Russian-backed Donetsk Peoples Republic which is not internationally recognised declined access to the Financial Times to report from the territory, but people from the DPR regularly cross the front line. At a civilian crossing point at Maiorska near the separatist-held city of Horlivka, a dozen cars are queueing to cross into the DPR. The International Committee of the Red Cross said 1m crossings take place at points like this every month, which close periodically when fighting flares up. Waiting in her car, Horlivka resident Svetlana explained that she often makes the journey to the Ukrainian-controlled side with her father, Nikolay, to collect his pension and buy produce, some of which is cheaper there. Everyone there on that side also wants this war to end, Svetlana says, gesturing towards the Russian-backed territories. Her father adds: We lived in peace and understanding before. Everything was fine. Underscoring dangers in the region that extend far from the front lines, Alexander Zakharchenko, self-declared leader of the DPR-based separatist militants, was last week killed by an improvised explosive at a Donetsk cafe. Russia rushed to blame Ukraine for orchestrating the terrorist act, while officials in the capital Kiev denied involvement, insisting turf wars and infighting within what they describe as the Russian-occupied region was to blame. Ukrainian soldiers visit a kindergarten near the town of Ivanivske as part of a 'hearts and minds' campaign Charlie Bibby/FT Alexander Hug, deputy chief monitor of the OSCE mission to Ukraine, who visited Donetsk in early August, says: If you go to districts in Donetsk, close to the contact line or the destroyed airport, life is very difficult. Living standards are bad, infrastructure is heavily damaged. Gas, electricity and water are hard to come by. For his part, Mr Basurin, the separatist commander, blames a Ukrainian blockade for these economic woes. We are trying to revive the economy, he says. In Ukrainian-controlled areas, the authorities are not only trying to repel a Russian-backed enemy, they are also having to win the hearts and minds of Russian speakers. With this in mind, the army and other state institutions have blocked Russian television, and they visit kindergartens and schools to promote patriotic teachings. Battling with Russia is difficult as objectively its a bigger country with more military might, says Major General Oleksandr Golodnyuk, visiting a kindergarten in the village of Ivanivske. But winning the minds of our people is a battle within our grasp that must be won. Lieutenant General Serhiy Nayev arrives at a training exercise in Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine In the opening phases of the war, Ukrainian forces were hampered by a lack of combat training and rusting Soviet equipment. They were also paralysed by another throwback to the cold war era: a top down command structure which caused the armys middle ranks to freeze when their opponents used electronic warfare to jam communications. Since then, the US and other western powers have been working to modernise Ukraines forces including more than $1bn in financial support and the Trump administrations move in March to provide 210 tank-busting Javelin missiles. The weapons are seen by military analysts as a game-changer in the event of an all-out assault by Russian-backed forces. Lt Gen Nayev says western backing is necessary if Ukraine is to resist the Russian threat on Europes doorstep, but added that his own troops have already been transformed. Ukrainian soldiers are put through their paces in training exercises Charlie Bibby/FT The general, an imposing figure who commanded troops in the bloody battle for Donetsk airport in 2014, has come to a military training ground near the eastern city of Pokrovsk to watch soldiers test Ukraines homemade answer to the Javelin the Stugna. He says Ukraines forces are now not only capable but ready to repel Russian-backed separatists, which he claims have [over] 400 tanks more than the UK. Before testing the Stugnas, troops launched a series of Soviet-era weapons including Shturm and Fagot missiles, demonstrating clearly the handicaps they faced in the initial stages of the conflict. Some rockets failed to launch. One fell off the side of an armoured vehicle while another misfired, smashing into the ground and leaving a training trench in flames. If this was a deliberate display of ineptitude, it felt a dangerous one. The Stugnas, meanwhile, hit the target four times out of four, prompting a howl of delight from Lt Gen Nayev. Yes! You see . . . Ukraine made, he shouted. Newer equipment is filtering through, but some on the front line still complain of having to fight with Kalashnikovs older than themselves. One soldier revealed he and his fellow fighters had made a Javelin copy out of wood to fool the enemy. For Ukraines western partners, the hope is that such improvisation will soon be a thing of the past, with its armed forces set to meet Nato standards on everything from governance to training and equipment. To help Kiev achieve this, a group of more than 200 US trainers is based at Yavoriv, a vast military complex near Ukraines border with Poland. Here senior US soldiers, such as Staff Sergeant Jamah Figaro, instruct Ukrainian officers on how to train their troops. They are very motivated, Sgt Figaro says. Its their country. They are trying to get their land back. Sgt Figaro says the US is also learning from their Ukrainian counterparts. The US army was [used to] operating in contingencies like Iraq and Afghanistan, he says, referring to offensive wars in which the US dominated the airspace. [Its] nothing similar to what the Ukrainians are facing, this [trench warfare] is like a more near-peer fight they are fighting. We havent seen something like that since world war two, he adds. A couple say goodbye on the train platform in Kiev as the train departs for eastern Ukraine Charlie Bibby/FT In Kiev, more than 700km from the eastern war zone, Stanislav Fedorchuk raises his hand and places it tenderly on a picture of his friend Yuriy Matushcak. Nicknamed the wind, Matushcak died at the battle of Ilovaisk, a big defeat for Ukrainian forces, in August 2014. His face is now one of hundreds on the outer wall of St Michaels monastery in the capital, a reminder to those passing by on a balmy Sunday evening that this is a country at war. We were waiting one year to know if he had died or not. We had no body, says Mr Fedorchuk, adding that his remains were later found and buried with other fallen soldiers. Mr Fedorchuk fled Donetsk in 2014 and is one of an estimated 1.5m people displaced by the conflict. Stanislav Fedorchuk at a memorial wall outside St Michael's monastery in Kiev dedicated to those who have died in the conflict Charlie Bibby/FT As the war rumbles into its fifth year, the prospect of a military or diplomatic solution looks remote. The US and other western powers want Russian forces to leave Ukraine, but Mr Putin shows no sign of changing his approach. The US national security adviser John Bolton recently declared that when it comes to Ukraine, Washington and Moscow are going to have to agree to disagree. The US has stepped up sanctions and the UK is pushing for more diplomatic action. Still, Lt Gen Nayev urges the west to wake up to the threat from Russia and even draws comparisons with 1930s appeasement. We saw how this shameful appeasement brought upon world war two, he says. Back in Avdiivka, private Akastyolov struggles to find the words to sum up the future he and his country face. Tell them we will win, an army press officer prompts. The young private rolls his eyes, saying, after a few seconds: I dont know if we will win. AHMEDABAD: The number of Asiatic lions which have succumbed due to a deadly virus attack in Gujarat's Gir forest area has risen to 21. The mysterious deaths of lions in Gujarats Gir forest has sent a shockwave in Asias only abode of wild cats. The state authorities have attributed the deaths to infighting and viral infection. The sudden death of wild cats has prompted the state authorities to bring in experts from Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly and the National Zoo, Delhi. According to the state forest department, 11 lions died between September 12 to 19 in Girs Dalkhania and Jasadhar range. Out of those 11 deaths, the carcass of seven lions was found in the forest areas while four lions died during treatment. Between September 20 to 30, 10 more lions which were rescued from Dalkhania range died during the treatment, taking the total toll to 21, making it the worst tragedy in Gir forest. The state government while confirming the death of 21 lions said some of them died due to a virus attack. Guj:21 lions have died so far in Dalkhania range's Sarasiya in Gir forest. Chief Conservator of Forest(Wildlife)Junagarh says,"No lions were found dead in any other area.31 lions from Samardi area rescued,kept in isolation&their check-up being done,taking all preventive measures" pic.twitter.com/xQFEI46QjD ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The government officials, however, said that they are yet to identify the type of virus responsible for the deaths of some big cats in the only abode of Asiatic lions in the world. According to officials, virus presence was found in at least four lions while six big cats were found to be infected with Protozoa Infection, spread by ticks. Among the 21 lions, seven were captured from the Dalkhania Range of Gir forest between September 20 and 30 and kept at a rescue centre. The Forest department had launched the screening operation in the Dalkhania range to identify sick lions following the death of 11 big cats in Dalkhania and nearby Jashadhar range between September 12 and 19. During the operation, three more lions were found died taking the toll to 14. The Forest department on Monday revealed that the actual death toll has reached 21. Presence of a virus, which was not identified yet, was found in the blood as well as tissue samples of rescued as well as dead lions, it said in a release. The samples were analysed by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune. "The death toll now stands at 21, as seven more lions who were rescued from Gir forest have died while undergoing treatment at a rescue centre. Though the presence of virus was also found, it will take some more time to identify the exact type of virus," said Chief Conservator of Forest, Junagadh Wildlife Circle, D T Vasavada. An analysis of the blood and tissue samples of dead and rescued lions by the Junagadh Veterinary College and the Forensic Science Laboratory has confirmed that six lions fell sick due to 'Protozoa Infection', spread by ticks, as per the release. At present, 31 lions, rescued from Semardi area in Dalkhania range during the screening drive, have been kept under observation at the rescue centre. All these lions appear to be fine and do not show any sign of infection, it said. Teams comprising experts from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Delhi Zoo and Lion Safari project in Uttar Pradesh have been roped in for conducting health check-up of lions, collecting samples and preparing and analysing reports, as per the release. The state government has taken several precautionary steps to prevent the deaths of the wild cats. As a precautionary measure, the government has decided to bring some specialised medicines and vaccines from the US, the release said. During the ongoing screening drive to identify and rescue all the sick and injured lions in the forest, the department has found that the lion population has now gone up to 600, much higher than 523 lions counted in the last census of 2015. (With Agency inputs) Ahmednagar: Noted Gandhian activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare who was scheduled to begin a hunger strike from October 2 over the appointment of a competent Lokpal, postponed the move following talks with Maharashtra minister. According to ANI, the anti-corruption crusader announced the move to postpone the agitation over Lokpal following talks with Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan. Anna Hazare who was scheduled to go on hunger-strike from today postpones the agitation after talks with Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan. He was to sit on hunger over demand for appointment of Lokpal and welfare measures for farmers. pic.twitter.com/pf8IFdlGQc ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Hazare had earlier announced to sit on a hunger strike from October 2 to protest against the Centre's alleged dilly-dallying on the issue of appointing a competent anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal. Hazare has accused the BJP-led government of not fulfilling its promise of appointing a strong Lokpal despite coming to power due to the Lokpal agitation. The anti-corruption crusader had last week written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that in the last four years the government only made tall promises but did not appoint Lokpal and Lokayukta. "On August 16, 2011, the entire country took to the streets for the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta...Your government came to power because of that agitation," Hazare wrote in his letter on Thursday. "Gratefulness is our culture. You (government) should have been grateful towards people and given priority to their demand," Hazare, who had launched an indefinite fast over the issue in Delhi in 2011, said. "Four years have passed but the government is avoiding the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta on one or the other pretext," he alleged. The noted Gandhian activist alleged that the Prime Minister did not fulfil the "written assurances" given to him when he ended his recent hunger strike on the issue at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan in March this year. Hazare warned had earlier announced that he would sit on fast at Ralegan Siddhi from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He also said in the letter that the BJP-led government at the Centre had promised to look into his demand of grant of autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) but it did nothing. The CACP determines the minimum support prices of various agricultural commodities. Hazare said that farmers are not getting adequate price for their produce which is leading to farmer suicides. "The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices is controlled by the Agriculture Department and hence the prices of farm produce are low. We had requested many times that it should be given autonomy, like in the case of Election Commission," he said. (With Agency Inputs) New Delhi: Just when it seemed like the worst was over, protesting farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border said that their stir would continue because the government has only agreed to seven of their eleven demands. Thousands of farmers under Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) gathered at the border on Tuesday in protests which soon turned ugly after they were denied entry into the national capital. The police took action after farmers reportedly broke the barricades erected to stop them. Their demands range from farm loan waiver, implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the usage of tractors above 10 years and clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase to increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. While Union Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to address the issue, the ground situation remains tense. "We had a discussion on 11 points. Government agreed on seven points but has not agreed on four points yet. They said they will have to think about those in a further meeting after which they will tell us as it is a financial matter," said Yudhvir Singh, BKU spokesperson. "Government didn't clear its stand on the main issue of the farmers - C2+50. That is why the farmers are unsatisfied. It didn't clear its stand even on the other main issue of loan waiver." Earlier in the day, over 25,000 personnel of Delhi Police - apart from paramilitary forces - gathered to stop the agitating farmers from entering Delhi. Tear gas and water canons were made use of when ground situation broke into a frenzy. Farmers - many from areas like Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt in the western part of the state - even alleged that cops had resorted to lathi charge. A political battle too has erupted with Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal extending his support to the farmers. Congress president Rahul Gandhi too lashed out at BJP and accused the party of beating up farmers on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has embarked on a humanitarian and disaster relief mission to Indonesia where over 1200 people have been killed in a series of earthquakes over the last few days. One C-17 aircraft was loaded with approximately 35 tons of loads and left for Chennai at 1 pm on Tuesday from it will set course for Makassar in Indonesia in the evening. One C-130 aircraft carrying 37 medical personnel also took off from Hindan for Chennai on Tuesday and will then leave for Kualanamu International Airport and later for to Palu, Indonesia. The medical teams have been instructed to be self-contained for 10 days. Accordingly, they are carrying their rations, generators, FOL, tentage. In addition, light medical equipment including X-ray machine and medicines are being carried. The C130J aircraft is carrying field hospital from Agra. #BondBeyondBorders - 01xC-17 aircraft was loaded with approx. 35T of loads & is airborne for Chennai, 1300 hrs. From Chennai the aircraft will set course for Makassar, Indonesia in evening today. Loaded & Ready : Aircrew of C-17 aircraft with the load.#OperationSamudraMaitri pic.twitter.com/PJnhS5zADp Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) October 2, 2018 Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo and offered condolences on the loss of lives in the recent earthquake and tsunami. In response to Indonesia's appeal for international aid, the Prime Minister had also offered all possible assistance from India as a maritime neighbour and friend of Indonesia. President Widodo thanked the PM for the condolence and the offer of assistance. The two leaders agreed that the details of India's relief assistance will be worked out through diplomatic and official channels. PM Modi told the President that he appreciated the resilience and courage of the people of Indonesia in facing the challenges emanating from the widespread devastation due to this grave natural calamity. JAMMU: Nearly a week after it busted the terror funding module linked to Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawaah chief Hafiz Saeed, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted a fresh raid in Srinagar's Nowhatta in connection with the case. According to ANI, the agency raided the residence of Ajaz Ahmad Hakak in Srinagar's Nowhatta in connection with terror funding case. Jammu & Kashmir: NIA is conducting a raid at the residence of Ajaz Ahmad Hakak in Srinagar's Nowhatta, in connection with terror funding case. pic.twitter.com/HButzOfA67 ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 It was a joint raid by the NIA and teams of CRPF and Jammu & Kashmir Police, according to media reports. Earlier in September, the NIA had conducted raids in Delhi, and during their investigations, busted the terror module linked Saeed's Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). The apex anti-terror probe agency also arrested three persons in this connection. The NIA had on September 25 raided the premises of Mohammad Salman in Nizamuddin, Daryaganj-resident Mohd Salim (hawala operator) and Rajaram in Kucha Ghasiram in New Delhi and seized Rs 1.56 crore in cash, Rs 43,000 in Nepali currency, 14 mobiles phones, five pen drives and several incriminating documents, it said. Following the seizure of incriminating material, the NIA arrested Delhi FIF operative Mohammad Salman (52) and Hawala operators Mohd Salim alias Mama (62) and Sajjad Abdul Wani (34), a resident of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, from Delhi. The NIA, which has been probing the case of foreign funding of terror outfits and Kashmiri separatists, had registered a case in this regard in July this year. In its FIR, the NIA had claimed that some Delhi-based individuals were allegedly receiving funds from FIF operatives based abroad and were using it for terror activities. During the investigation, the NIA found that Mohammad Salman, a resident of the Nizamuddin area in New Delhi, was in regular touch with a Dubai-based Pakistani national, who in turn is connected to the Deputy Chief of Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, a front organisation of the proscribed terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). "The accused person has been receiving funds, being sent by FIF operator and his associates, through Hawala operators. Accused persons along with other persons in various countries including Pakistan, UAE etc are sending money through Hawala to India to further their nefarious activities and create unrest in India and carry out the terrorist activities," the agency said in a statement, according to PTI. It may be recalled that Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) is a Lahore-based organisation founded by Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed. It was founded in 1990 by Saeed, who has been designated as a Global Terrorist by the US. FIF is placed on the list of terrorist organisations here and it was also designated as a terrorist entity by the USA in 2010. (With Agency Inputs) NAGPUR: Congress president Rahul Gandhi will preside over the party's working committee meeting at the Sevagram ashram of Mahatma Gandhi in Maharashtra's Wardha district on Tuesday. The Congress chief will lead a foot march on the occasion of the Father of the Nation's 150th birth anniversary. - ' ' pic.twitter.com/3WwHC3ZqRb Congress (@INCIndia) October 1, 2018 The Congress party has been accusing Narendra Modi government of practicing the politics of "hate and divisiveness". Rahul Gandhi, who has been leading the party's tirade on the Rafale fighter jet deal, will attend a prayer meeting at the Bapu Kutir in the ashram on Tuesday morning before presiding over the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. He will participate in a foot-march in Wardha in the afternoon, a party leader said, adding the Congress president will also address a public meeting on Tuesday evening. Addressing a press conference at Sevagram near Wardha, Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Rahul Gandhi will lead the 'padyatra' after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near the Collector's Office in Wardha. "The padyatra will culminate in a 'Sankalp Rally' at the Circus ground where he is expected to spell out the party's future strategy and pledge to uphold Gandhian principles and ideology," he said. Describing Tuesday's CWC meeting "historic", Surjewala said, the Congress Working Committee had in 1942 met in Sevagram under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi to adopt the 'Quit India' resolution and a meeting was again held there in March 1948. "There is a historical linkage to the CWC meeting scheduled (Tuesday), as (Mahatma) Gandhi's ideology is under attack and being encroached upon in current times," the Congress leader said. He claimed that the situation prevailing in the country is of "loot, jhoot (lies), 'batware' (division) and 'bhay' (fear)", from which the country needs freedom. "Mahatma Gandhi lives in the heart and soul of every Indian. The need of the hour is to pledge to uphold his principles of equality, social justice, eradicating discrimination, ending the menace of communalism, casteism and regionalism," he said. In a veiled attack against the Narendra Modi government, Surjewala said those in power are merely doing a "lip service" to the Gandhian thought "after murdering it". "They swear by Mahatma Gandhi only for optics and photo-ops. Just by speaking about the Mahatma and releasing one's photos (modeled on) like Gandhi, doesn't make anybody a Gandhian," he said in a veiled reference to the 'Swacch Bharat' scheme. Surjewala also said the Congress' fight is against "falsehood, violence and fear". "The Congress is fighting a war against the ideology of (Nathuram) Godse (the assassin of the Mahatma)," he said. In April 1936, Mahatma Gandhi established his residence in the village Shegaon near Wardha which he renamed as Sevagram, which means 'village of service'. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: All schools and colleges in Ghaziabad will remain closed on Wednesday as a preventive measure in view of the ongoing farmers' protest. Rapid Action Force (RAF) has, meanwhile arrived at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border, where the farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Rapid Action Force arrives at UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' pic.twitter.com/LuSfjHuaxq ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 In the wake of the agitation, the Centre accepted most of the demands of the farmers following consultations with top leaders of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) - the umbrella organisation under which thousands of farmers have been staging a protest to press for their demands. However, the farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border said that their stir would continue because the government has only agreed to seven of their eleven demands. Expressing dissatisfaction, they added that the government did not clear its stand on some of the major issues of the farmers like C2+50 and loan waiver. Despite adequate security arrangements by Delhi Police, the protesting farmers in the national capital turned violent. According to police, the farmers tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis. At least 70,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana staged the Kisan Kranti Padyatra, which concluded at the Rajghat. The farmers have been protesting against the unfriendly policies of the Narendra Modi Government and wanted to remind it of its promises made to the farmers. Farmers participating in the movement were demanding complete loan waiver and reduction in electricity tariff, among other requirements. They are also seeking a provision of a pension to every farmer aged above 60. New Delhi: Stressing that India would generate 40 per cent of power from non-fossil fuels by 2030, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for connecting solar energy supply across borders giving the mantra of 'One World One Sun One Grid'. "We have a dream One World, One Sun One Grid. We generate round the clock electricity from Sun as it sets in one part of the world but rises in another part. Sun never sets for entire earth," PM Modi said addressing inaugural function of 2nd Global RE-Invest meeting of Indian Ocean Rim Association and the first assembly of International Solar Alliance here in the capital. India is proud to host the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance, the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors Meet and Expo). pic.twitter.com/SBb6xwJ9fI Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2018 The same event also marked the inauguration of the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting, and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors' Meet and Expo). United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was also present on the occasion. Modi said he saw the 121-country International Solar Alliance as the future OPEC for meeting energy needs of the world. Oil cartel OPEC led by Saudi Arabia currently meets close to half of the world's oil needs. He said solar power will play the same role that oil wells have played over the past few decades in meeting global energy needs. Humans have in the last 150-200 years relied on resources trapped below the earth's surface for meeting energy needs. But for a secure future, resources available above the ground like solar and wind energy need to be harnessed, he said. Talking about India's plans for the renewable energy he said that India would add as much as 50 GW of non-hydro renewable energy to existing 72 GW and is successfully marching on the way to achieve the target of having 175 GW of clean energy by 2022. The prime minister was of the view that this was the right time to invest in renewable energy because there is a possibility of USD 70-80 billion business in the next four years in India. PM Modi said in the last four years USD 42 billion has been invested in clean energy in India. He also said that India's solar energy increased by nine times in the last four years after his government took over in May 2014. Elaborating about India's plans in renewables, he said that in the next four years as many as 28 lakh solar pumps would be installed which would help avoid 10 GW generation capacity. He also told that under UJALA scheme, 31 crore LED bulbs were distributed which save 40000 Million Units per year and have saved Rs 16,000 crore besides reducing CO2 emissions. He also informed that India has decided 40 per cent of electricity capacity would be non-fossil fuel based by 2030. He said, "Today ISA has become big hope for people. In three years, it has become an inter-governmental organisation. 125 crore Indians feel pride that ISA is headquartered in India. "I think whenever people would discuss a big organisation for human development then ISA would to on the top of the list. Whatever role OPEC is playing today to meet the energy requirement of the world, that would be played by ISA in coming days. Whatever role is played by oil wells today, would be played by sunlight." He also said, "We need to expand the scope of ISA beyond 125 tropical countries which fall between tropic of cancer and Capricorn. India in the first assembly of ISA will propose to send all United National member nations the proposal to become a member of the body." On this occasion, UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres said, "It is India where we are going to see global renewable energy revolution. Solar energy is at the centre of this revolution." External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a person who has single-handedly put India in the renewable map of the world. The ISA is an action-oriented organisation." New Delhi: Despite adequate security arrangements by Delhi Police, the protesting farmers in the national capital turned violent on Tuesday. According to police, the farmers tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis. "Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till the outcome of talks of their leaders with govt, a section of the crowd turned violent and tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis," Delhi Police said in a statement. The statement added that some protestors even resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis, causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. Also, a minimum required force was used to tackle the aggressive and violent protestors. "Some protestors resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. Under these circumstances, the only minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestors," the Delhi Police statement read. Following the protest, the Centre accepted most of the demands of the farmers after consulting with top leaders of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) - the umbrella organisation under which thousands of farmers have been staging a protest to press for their demands. However, the farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border said that their stir would continue because the government has only agreed to seven of their eleven demands. Expressing dissatisfaction, they added that the government did not clear its stand on some of the major issues of the farmers like C2+50 and loan waiver. At least 70,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana staged the Kisan Kranti Padyatra, which concluded at the Rajghat. The farmers were protesting against the unfriendly policies of the Narendra Modi Government and wanted to remind it of its promises made to the farmers. Farmers participating in the movement were demanding complete loan waiver and reduction in electricity tariff, among other requirements. They are also seeking a provision of a pension to every farmer aged above 60. New Delhi: Amid ongoing protest by farmers in Delhi, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Spokesperson Yudhvir Singh on Tuesday said that even though the government has agreed on their seven out of 11 demands, the farmers are not satisfied. A further meeting will be held by the Centre to decide upon the remaining four demands of the agitating farmers, he added. "We had a discussion on 11 points. Govt agreed on 7 points but didn't agree on 4 points yet. They said they will have to think about those meetings in a further meeting after which they will tell us, as it is a financial matter," Yudhvir Singh said. Expressing dissatisfaction, he further added that the government did not clear its stand on some major issues of the farmers like C2+50 and loan waiver. "Govt didn't clear its stand on the main issue of the farmers - C2+50. That is why the farmers are unsatisfied. It didn't clear its stand even on the other main issue of loan waiver. They said they will discuss it in detail," Singh said. Earlier in the day, the Centre accepted most of the demands of the protesting farmers following consultations with top leaders of the BKU - the umbrella organisation under which thousands of farmers have been staging a protest to press for their demands. At least 70,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana have been participating in the Kisan Kranti Padyatra, which is expected to conclude at the Rajghat. The farmers are protesting against the unfriendly policies of the Narendra Modi Government and want to remind it of its promises made to the farmers. Farmers participating in the movement are demanding complete loan waiver and reduction in electricity tariff, among other requirements. They are also seeking a provision of a pension to every farmer aged above 60. KOLKATA: At least one person died and several others were injured, including a woman, in a high-intensity blast in the Nagerbazar area in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday. The explosion was reported outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of a multi-storey building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dumdum Police Station around 9 AM, a police officer said. The blast ripped through adjacent shops and damaged the pedestrian walk, eyewitnesses said. "A large explosion took place outside a shop in Nagerbazar area today morning. What caused the explosion is yet to be ascertained. Several people have been injured in the blast," Barrackpore Police Commissioner Rajesh Kumar Singh said. "We are investigating the matter. The bomb squad of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been called to the spot. We have cordoned off the area," he added. "It was a high-intensity blast. We have found some iron nails but can't ascertain the cause of blast yet as there is no smell of gunpowder, a CID official said. West Bengal: Police says, "It was a high-intensity blast. 4 people seriously injured, 6 injured. Found some iron nails but can't ascertain cause of blast yet as there is no smell of gunpowder."; Visuals of CID bomb disposal squad at site of explosion in Dum Dum's Nager Bazar area pic.twitter.com/S06xWaGvi7 ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader and Chairman of South Dumdum municipality Panchu Gopal Roy alleged that the blast was targeted at him. "I think they tried to target me. Today is October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. We all know which group was involved in Gandhi ji`s killing. I will not be surprised if that same group was involved in this blast," he said. Those injured in the blast were immediately rushed to the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A forensic team and sniffer dogs were rushed to the spot to ascertain the nature of the explosion, police said. Kolkata: A fire broke out at the kitchen of a hotel in central Kolkata Tuesday night, police said. The incident took place around 8.55 pm in the kitchen of the Roy & Roy hotel in the Bowbazar police station limits. There was no report of any casualty or anybody being trapped, a senior officer of the Kolkata Police said. Five fire tenders took about half-an-hour to douse the flames. The cause of the fire and extent of damage are yet to be ascertained, the officer said. Ahmednagar: Noted Gandhian activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare is set to begin an indefinite hunger strike from October 2 to protest against the Centre's alleged dilly-dallying on the issue of appointing a competent anti-corruption ombudsman or Lokpal. Hazare has accused the BJP-led government of not fulfilling its promise of appointing a strong Lokpal despite coming to power due to the Lokpal agitation. The anti-corruption crusader had last week written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that in the last four years the government only made tall promises but did not appoint Lokpal and Lokayukta. "On August 16, 2011, the entire country took to the streets for the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta...Your government came to power because of that agitation," Hazare wrote in his letter on Thursday. "Gratefulness is our culture. You (government) should have been grateful towards people and given priority to their demand," Hazare, who had launched an indefinite fast over the issue in Delhi in 2011, said. "Four years have passed but the government is avoiding the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta on one or the other pretext," he alleged. The noted Gandhian activist alleged that the Prime Minister did not fulfil the "written assurances" given to him when he ended his recent hunger strike on the issue at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan in March this year. Hazare had earlier announced that he would sit on fast at Ralegan Siddhi from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He also said in the letter that the BJP-led government at the Centre had promised to look into his demand of grant of autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) but it did nothing. The CACP determines the minimum support prices of various agricultural commodities. Hazare said that farmers are not getting adequate price for their produce which is leading to farmer suicides. "The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices is controlled by the Agriculture Department and hence the prices of farm produce are low. We had requested many times that it should be given autonomy, like in the case of Election Commission," he said. (With Agency Inputs) Hyderabad: Former MP and star campaigner for Congress in Telangana, Vijayashanti said she does not have any inclination towards contesting in the ensuing Assembly elections and would give it a thought if the party asked her to contest in the Lok Sabha polls. She also said the top brass of the State leadership is indulging in brainstorming sessions on designing campaign for the party and a clear picture would emerge in a day or two. "It is my decision not to contest in the Assembly polls. It is not party's decision.. I told Rahul Gandhi when I met him last time that I would work towards strengthening the party..Though he asked me to contest I refused.. Whatever the high command decides I will obey.. If they ask me to contest for Lok Sabha, I will think about it," she told PTI. The veteran actress who was in Telangana Rashtra Samiti and served as a member of Parliament in 2009 switched loyalty to Congress in 2014 and unsuccessfully contested from Medal Assembly seat. AICC president Rahul Gandhi recently appointed her as a "star campaigner" for the party for the Assembly polls. "We had a meeting with all the senior leaders in Gandhi Bhavan (Telangana Congress headquarters) to give shape to the poll campaign. Discussions are still going on. In a day or two a clear picture will emerge as to how the campaign will go on," she said. On the prospects of Congress in Telangana polls, Vijayashanthi said, there is "positive wave" for the party and may win over 70 out of 119 assembly seats. "Congress has positive wave in the state. If we work we will able able to reach the target (of 70 seats). We will win over 70 seats if we work harder," she opined. To a query, she said due to health problems she was not active for the past three or four years and now she is fully energetic to take the ruling TRS head on. "It was only on sympathy wave had KCR won the elections in 2014 and became the chief minister.. Now people realised and are not accepting him.. What he promised is different form what is being delivered to people. He failed to fulfill the promises he made.. Atrocities on backward classes and SC increased. Mafia is ruling the sand mining," she charged the ruling party. The Congress leader also alleged that media was being controlled by KCR so that negative news about the government does not come to limelight. According to her, the Congress campaign will be two-pronged- explaining about the failures of TRS Government and highlighting various schemes being promised in the proposed Congress manifesto. LUCKNOW: Amid intense politics over the tragic killing of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari, who was shot dead by policemen on September 29 in Lucknow, the post-mortem report has revealed that he died due to a gunshot on the left side of the chin. Vivek Tiwari's post-mortem report also demolishes the 'self-defence' theory given by the accused police constable. The autopsy report establishes that Tiwari died due to a gunshot injury and not due to the accident. #VivekTiwari's post mortem report reveals that he died due to a gunshot on the left side of the chin ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 2, 2018 The accused cop, in his defence, had claimed that Vivek died after his car collided with a pillar, a few metres away from the shooting spot, as he tried to escape. The report also revealed the bullet was fired from the front at point-blank range. Tiwari's female colleague, who was in the car with him at the time of the incident, had earlier claimed that the cops shot at him point-blank through the car's windshield. The cops had, however, claimed that they shot at Vivek in self-defence as he was trying to reverse his car after trying to ram it into their bike. Vivek Tiwari, an employee with multinational technology company Apple, was shot dead by policemen in Lucknow last week on Saturday. His killing raised questions about the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government's ability to handle law and order situation in the state. A second FIR was filed in the case on Monday naming the two policemen as accused. The FIR was filed after Vivek Tiwari's family demanded that they be made complainants in the case. Earlier, the first FIR was filed against unknown persons by Vivek's woman colleague, who was travelling with him at the time of the murder. The Uttar Pradesh Police later fired the two accused policemen involved in the incident. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was also constituted to probe Tiwari's killing. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Vivek's wife Kalpana, brother-in-law Vishnu and daughters at his office in Lucknow on Monday. Adityanath promised all possible help to Vivek's family. The Chief Minister also offered Rs 25 lakh in compensation, fixed deposit worth Rs 5 lakh each for Vivek's daughter and mother as well as accommodation for the family. LUCKNOW: The woman who was with Vivek Tiwari when he was shot by a policeman in Lucknow recalled how two bike-borne police personnel opened fire at him. "We were returning home when two bike-borne police personnel Prashant and Sandeep overtook us from the front and Prashant shot at him. The bullet was fired from the front. After he was shot at, I tried seeking the help of other people on the spot. A few truck drivers were present there but they did not help," the sole witness in the murder case said. Alleging that her statement to the police was tampered with, she requested that it be recorded again. She has requested the authorities to let Vivek's wife Kalpana be present when she records her statement again in front of the police. "I want ma'am to be there with him when I give my statement so that it is not altered again as was done last time," the witness said. She was present in the car with him at the time of the incident and had earlier also claimed that the policeman had shot at him point-blank through the car's windshield. Meanwhile, Vivek's post-mortem report has revealed that he died due to a gunshot on the left side of the chin. The report demolishes the 'self-defence' theory given by the accused police constable and establishes that Vivek did not die due to the accident. The accused cop, in his defence, had claimed that Vivek died after his car collided with a pillar, a few metres away from the shooting spot, as he tried to escape. Vivek Tiwari, an employee with multinational technology company Apple, was shot dead by policemen in Lucknow last week on Saturday. His killing raised questions about the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government's ability to handle law and order situation in the state. A second FIR was filed in the case on Monday naming the two policemen as accused. The FIR was filed after Vivek Tiwari's family demanded that they be made complainants in the case. Earlier, the first FIR was filed against unknown persons by Vivek's woman colleague, who was travelling with him at the time of the murder. LUCKNOW: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is recreating the scene of the incident at the spot where Apple executive Vivek Tiwari was shot dead by a police personnel in Lucknow. The SIT is looking for more clues for further investigation into the case. Along with the SIT team headed by IG Lucknow range Sujeet Kumar, SP Crime Dinesh Singh and a forensic team also went to the crime scene to for further probe. Vivek Tiwari's wife Kalpana Tiwai and the woman who with Vivek in the car when he was shot dead by a policeman, were also present at the spot. The eyewitness in the murder case had earlier revealed that Constable Prashant Chaudhary, shot the Apple techie from the front. "We were returning home when two bike-borne police personnel Prashant and Sandeep overtook us from the front and Prashant shot at him. The bullet was fired from the front. After he was shot at, I tried seeking the help of other people on the spot. A few truck drivers were present there but they did not help," she recalled. Alleging that her statement to the police was tampered with, she requested that it be recorded again. She has urged the authorities to let Vivek's wife Kalpana be present when she records her statement again in front of the police. "I want ma'am to be there with him when I give my statement so that it is not altered again as was done last time," the witness said. Vivek's post-mortem report has revealed that he died due to a gunshot on the left side of the chin. The report demolishes the 'self-defence' theory given by the accused police constable and establishes that Vivek did not die due to the accident. The accused cop, in his defence, had claimed that Vivek died after his car collided with a pillar, a few metres away from the shooting spot, as he tried to escape. Vivek Tiwari, an employee with multinational technology company Apple, was shot dead by policemen in Lucknow last week on Saturday. His killing raised questions about the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government's ability to handle law and order situation in the state. A second FIR was filed in the case on Monday naming the two policemen as accused. The FIR was filed after Vivek Tiwari's family demanded that they be made complainants in the case. Earlier, the first FIR was filed against unknown persons by Vivek's woman colleague, who was travelling with him at the time of the murder. Jalalabad: A suicide bomber blew himself up at an election rally in Afghanistan`s eastern province of Nangarhar on Tuesday, killing at least seven people and wounding 25, officials said, warning that the toll was likely to climb. Campaigning for the October 20 parliamentary election began on Friday and security officials have warned that campaign meetings would be vulnerable to attack by militant groups. Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman of the provincial governor, said at least seven bodies had been taken to hospital, but other officials said the total was likely to be much higher. Around 250 people were attending the rally in Kama district outside the provincial capital of Jalalabad, said Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council, adding that at least 20 were killed and dozens more wounded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Militant group Islamic State has claimed a series of attacks this year that have killed scores of people in Nangarhar, on the border with Pakistan. Almost all elderly people who have moved into nursing homes do not have close relatives or do not receive proper help from them. The only way out for such people is living in a geriatric boarding house or a residential care facility; however, it does not always provide comfortable living conditions. Even the most basic ones. We hope that on October 1, on the International Day of Older Persons, this issue will receive more attention 112 Agency According to the Ministry of Social Policy, there are 286 residential institutions in Ukraine, of which only 90 are designed for the elderly. These are geriatric boarding houses, care facilities for elderly people and persons with disabilities, as well as residential facilities for war and labor veterans, which have become a new home for almost 13 thousand old people. "About 90% of them are single people who do not have close relatives. The other 10% are in such a situation that relatives just cannot take full care of them. In this case, the local department of social protection sends a statement to us; we review it and make a decision about the leading such a person in a boarding house," Yuriy Krykunov, head of the Social Policy Department of the Kyiv City Administration, explains. There are only two old people's homes under the capital city administration the Kyiv geriatric boarding house and the Kyiv residential facilities of labor veterans. The residents of those facilities live in separate single rooms with their own bathrooms, and the living conditions in Kyiv residential facilities are exemplary. But despite this, about 20% of social protection institutions are free. "Elderly people do not want to leave their home: firstly, they are quite conservative, and it is quite difficult for them to change their permanent habitation. Secondly, the main priority of the Soviet man in the household sense was an apartment and a car, and now they do not want to leave their apartments. Thirdly, older people have many fears and are inclined to believe in the bad news only," Yuriy Krykunov claims. Older people who have their own housing in Kyiv prefer to stay in it. According to the Kyiv City Administration, about 12,000 of them are visited by social workers, who help them around the house: they bring food, clean the apartment, and help pay the bills. But in fact, volunteers say, this work is performed only on paper, but the old people remain abandoned. "Almost everyone applies to the social protection services, except for those who cannot move. The staff at the social protection services is not always polite and attentive to the elderly. Many people are often sent from one office to the other office for obtaining some special documents; the working time is limited, which creates long queues. Usually, people do not want to go there for the second time. I am sure that the employee of the social protection center should go to the elderly persons home (especially if this person is in her 70-s) and help fill the needed forms on the spot," Zhanna Yaremenko, head of the "Happy People" International Foundation notes. Exemplary residential facilities Kyiv geriatric boarding house is situated almost on the outskirts of the city. You cannot see its actual size behind the thick tree foliage. After passing a security post, I come across some active grannies who hurry up for a breakfast. One of them laments: "Come to our dining room and see what they feed us. The pea soup again!" They do not look like the stereotypical nursing home residents: slow, indifferent, and abandoned. "I have been living here for two years, it's all right here. If only they give us some more diverse food... This is summer, they could give us more vegetables, fruits," Zdyslava, a resident of the Kyiv geriatric center, complains. In the past, she was an aerial acrobat and worked under the dome of a circus. Now she lives her days out here. The only thing that the locals complain about is the monotonous food. "They would like to eat sausage, meat, and eggs - and that's it. They do not know what to complain about: Why do we eat cabbage, you should better give us Brussels sprouts. I understand that this is better, but Brussels sprouts is not included in our norms," the director of the boarding house Antonina Urbanovska explains. According to her, they cannot feed the wards with something else, which is not included in the calculation of the norms established by the Cabinet. This applies to purchases of clothing, household and other goods. On average, depending on the time of the year, the state allocates from 250 to 350 USD per month for one ward. More than 50% of this amount goes to the salary fund for employees, about 30% - for food, 3% - for medicines (based on the financial report of the boarding house for August). Now the main problem of the boarding house director is how to prepare for the winter cold. "We are serviced by a private boiler house because our part of the city does not have the city boiler house. Last year we did not have hot water from May to October, and this year the situation is the same," Antonina Urbanovska says. According to the observers of the National Preventive Mechanism, the Kyiv geriatric boarding house is one of Ukraine's best facilities in terms of living conditions. At the same time, in regions where the money for the work of nursing homes is allocated by district and regional councils, the National Preventive Mechanism identifies the following human rights violations: There is no normative regulation of application of physical restriction and isolation of wards in psycho-neurological nursing homes. In fact, in every institution there are barred rooms, where people are kept; Insufficient heating; Wards are often forced to work in the household economy of the institution or of the institutions private administration; Unsuitable clothes and bed linen. Even when the institution has everything necessary, the staff keeps it in warehouses. Also, there were cases of general use of clothing and underwear; Personal funds of able wards are kept by the staff. At the same time, there is no civil contract for their storage; In psychoneurological boarding schools, there are sometimes cases of the humiliation of wards and even cases of trauma; A common problem for all institutions of the social protection system is the formal conduct of annual medical examinations; Violations of compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards in premises. "According to our data, only two persons are involved in the issue of nursing homes in the Ministry of Social Policy: they cannot monitor the situation on the ground qualitatively," explains the chairman of the board of the Let's help organization and the observer of the National Preventive Mechanism Olha Bondarenko. Stand and deliver According to the monitoring of the National Preventive Mechanism, the main reason for the problems of such institutions is the lack of proper financing and a shortage of qualified personnel. The Ministry of Social Policy reported that 42,8 million USD was last year the maintenance of residential homes for the elderly was sent from local administrations (about 285 USD per person per month). At the same time, social institutions of this type have other compulsory sources of financing. "If the wards have relatives, then they are obliged to fully compensate for their living expenses, but in some cases, when relatives do not have such an opportunity, the department's board can make a separate decision, for example, about paying 50% of the established amount or cancel the payment for them. In general, the home of the elderly has two sources of funding: the municipal budget and pension receipts. 75% of the wards pensions are deducted for the work of the institution, but according to the law, this money can be spent only in agreement with the Supervisory Board and only for the needs of their wards," director Yuriy Krykunov states. The financing issue is closely related to the qualifications of the staff. "None of the experienced workers will work for a salary of 95 USD per month. This is the salary of a nurse, and her work is very difficult, and I am not just talking about physical work, but also about the psychological one. It is very difficult to talk to people with dementia and be patient with them. Usually people without education apply for this job, and as a result, attitudes toward wards in nursing homes are not good. In my opinion, the salaries of such employees should be at least 260 USD," says Olha Bondarenko. According to experts, private care homes for the elderly provide more attractive living conditions. There are no more than 15 such establishments in Ukraine, and the cost of a "single room" per is more than 715 USD month. "If there were more such private care homes, I would initiate the situation so that this service could be purchased, so that there would be competition in this market," Yuriy Krykunov believes. According to him, the conditions provided by the capital's boarding houses for the elderly in Europe would cost more than 3 thousand euros. "In Ukraine, we have about one nurse sister per 10 people; she cleans the room, talks to a person, and looks after her. In Poland, for example, up to 6 serving staff people look after one person. Proportions are quite different," Olha Bondarenko admits. People who need help from a social worker at home is just another story. As practice shows, low salaries of employees do not motivate them to provide full or minimal support. In this case, they wait for the help of the volunteers. According to Zhanna Yaremenko, the employees of the social department do not conduct any operations to search for incapable elderly people. Only those old people who have personally applied to the bodies of the social services are lucky enough to get help from the state. "For example, a granny, who needs to do dental prosthetics, has applied to us. Her pension of 89 USD. The social center does not accept her, as they can only provide for prosthetic services for those old people who receive a pension up to 88 USD only," Zhanna Yaremenko claims. According to her, not only lonely old people experience the self-service difficulties, but also those who have close relatives: children and grandchildren. All of them are busy with their lives and there is not enough time to care for the older generation. In the next year, Kyiv City Administration is going to initiate a new format of social services, which would allow avoiding putting a person into a nursing home. "The Kyiv authorities are now working on institutions that can be called kindergartens for the elderly. It is intended for people who are not completely independent, are prone to dementia, so that they do not have to be alone all the time. The project should have been launched this year, but we simply do not have time. I think next year, one or two such kindergartens to open in Kyiv," Yuriy Krykunov predicts. Read the original text at 112.ua. Over the past 24 hours, on October 1, the militants opened fire at the Ukrainian Armed Forces positions 21 times. No casualties reported, as the Joint Forces Operation HQ informed on Facebook. The occupants performed 21 attacks at our positions, including four times from Minsk-banned weapons. The enemy shot at our positions near Krymske, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Zaitseve, Pisky, Krasnodarivka, Novomykhaylivka, Novotroitske, Starohnativka, Hnutove, Vodyane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne, the message says. Russian occupation troops launched adjusted fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms. The enemy has attacked the positions of the Joint Forces Operation with 120mm and 82mm mortars and the strongholds near Luhanske with infantry fighting vehicle. No casualties among the Ukrainian soldiers reported. According to the intelligence, four militants were eliminated and six were injured over the past 24 hours. Also, the Russian occupants performed attacks at Vodyane cynically violating any rules of warfare and norms of the general morality. The enemy shot at the residential sector of this village in Pryazovia from 122mm artillery, 82mm, and 120mm mortars, using 31 artillery shells and 16 mines. Russian militants did not perform attack at the positions of the Armed Forces, but at the residential area of the settlement. The Joint Centre on Control and Coordination along with the OSCE SMM are determining the consequences of this crime, the HQ informed. Today, the enemy shot at our positions three times. From heavy machine guns and small arms near Vodyane and Lebedynske in Mariupol sector, from grenade launchers near Krymske. Heavy weapons were not applied. No casualties reported. Ukraine's capital has been without water for 5 months and the residents began to despair, when suddenly... Have faith in the inevitable and rejoice, for it is coming! Cannot stop myself from crying. Tears are rolling down as I am writing this and I can help it! What else can you do when the history unfolds before your very eyes? Not so long ago you could read about this only in ancient prophecies and scientific works, or in the Books of Knowledge. Legends about its existence were passed down from grandfather to father, from father to son, from son to comrades. And it was all within one Kyiv house. The believers fought verbally for the idea of the existence of hot water against aggressive non-believers-non-aquatic-ape-theorists, who argued that there was no hot water, and this is all a fake made up by Kyiv City Council members to enrich themselves. They talked about the old translations, which said that hot water on the territory of Kyiv once existed. But it was until the Great Troubles - a time when Kyiv City State Administration and Naftogaz fought with each other. After that, it vanished in the thin air. But I knew! I had faith it was possible! It was very difficult, but the belief in the existence of hot water lived in me all this time. Of course, I have to go to the Vodokanal and repent, as I have sinned: This is not the worst thing, but just another Test, which was sent to us from above. Supposedly, from the Kyiv Administration or the Cabinet. The prime minister promises that by the end of the week Kyiv residents will finally witness The Miracle, that the taps will finally open and IT will flow out of them The Hot Water. And the non-believer will start believing, and the believer will begin hard work to widen the awareness of our children: The City Hall promised to restore hot water in houses of Kyiv residents. Whilst, Kyiv has been without water 5 months. 5 months! It means there are 5 months old children who still don't know that water can be hot..., noted one social network user. The pilgrims from different parts of apartments, who previously heard about the Divine only from other people, will set off for a journey to the bath: "Hot water exists! I saw a person who witnessed it. Halleluiah!" And they will see IT: It happened! I saw IT! I touched IT. I showered in IT. After a month of meditations in the shower, training of my mind and body, I now can see! Today, IT came over to me. Now I know the second tap has been made for a purpose! You have to believe it too! May the Hot Water be with us, another user wrote. And they will remember those who helped to accomplish this: And remember their troubles and inconveniences: And vain promises: And the complexity of choosing containers: And despite the rumours about hot water: The importance of ITS appearance is difficult to overestimate. You do not have to dance shaman dances with basins and other containers, you will not have to lie to your children that the second faucet is needed only for emergencies, and it is strictly forbidden to unscrew it. Finally, you will not have to write letters to Santa asking for the hot water, crying secretly from children over the realization of futility of such pleas. And whats especially important there is no need to engage the shamans anymore, as they did, judging by the video, somewhere at Shulyavsky market (if you understand what I mean). The land border between the countries is 248 kilometers Open source South Korea and DPRK started demining common border in the demilitarized zone. Reuters report. Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border on Monday, reads the message. The land border between the countries is 248 kilometers. According to the Russian Interfax, at least two million mines were discovered on the southern side. The first stage provides the demining of joint security zone Panmunjom within 20 days. Project details were agreed during last months summit in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, between its leader, Kim Jong Un, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Both sides agreed on the path to denuclearization. Kim Jong Un also agreed to deactivate one of the major missile systems in South Korea. The leaders also plan to connect each others railways, so that families could see each other and cooperate in the healthcare area. OSCE representative Martin Sajdik thanked Leonid Kuchma for his part in the group, as well as his wisdom and devotion to Ukraine Open source Ukraine's representative in Minsk talks group Leonid Kuchma thanked his colleagues for cooperation and left this negotiation authority, Darka Olifer, his press secretary posted this on Facebook on Tuesday evening. 'Thus, his work of Ukraine's representative in the Trilateral Contact Group is over', she wrote, commenting on the Tuesday meeting of the group in Belarus. On the behalf of the Group, Martin Sajdik, the OSCE representative thanked Kuchma for his part in the group, as well as his wisdom and devotion to Ukraine, which he showed during the negotiation process in Minsk', Olifer said. The second president of Ukraine turned 80 in August; he earlier said he would leave the group upon reaching a 'critical age'. The implementation of the document creates the prerequisites for the development of the Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the defence sector The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed a law on the ratification of the General Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers and the Polish Government on the cooperation in the defence field, as the Presidents Administration reports. According to the message, the implementation of the document creates the prerequisites for the development of the Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the defence sector. The Agreement provides for the cooperation of both of the states concerning information sharing, demonstration of the armaments and military equipment, joint drills, bilateral and multilateral military exercises, military cultural events and competitions, and etc. Reportedly, on September 6, the Verkhovna Rada ratified the agreement with Poland on the cooperation in the defense sector. 230 peoples deputies supported the document. The governments of Ukraine and Poland signed the agreement on December 2, 2016 in Warsaw. Ukraines Defence Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will be responsible for the implementation of the document in Ukraine and the Minister of National Security and Minister of Economic Relations would be Polish responsible body. The document determines the directions of the cooperation between the states, in particular, the military communication, infrastructure, military training and education, protection from the weapons of mass destruction, and etc. The Agreement is focused on the establishment of the general principles and procedures of the cooperation in the defence sector between the parties. It includes the order of undertaking joint activities, sharing of information and delegations, disputes solving. The document also has descriptions of the issues of jurisdiction and responsibility, amendments and attachment to the Agreement. The document comes into force in a month after the state receives final diplomatic notes which confirm that the countries have finished the required domestic procedures. Olof Skoog, the Permanent Representative of Sweden to UN, urged to strengthen and defend the humanitarian efforts in the world Open source Olof Skoog, the Permanent Representative of Sweden to UN claimed during his speech at UNGA in New York that Russia violated the international law and caused the human suffering in Ukraine by the annexation of Crimea and break into Eastern Ukraine as Ukrinform reported. "The illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia and aggression at the east of Ukraine are the violation of the international law. It led to more than 10,000 deaths and unacceptable human suffering," Skoog said. He emphasized the necessity of the observation of the international treaties that guarantee the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine. "Commitments taken according to Helsinki Agreement and Budapest Memorandum should be observed as well as the fulfillment of the Minsk Agreements should be provided," the diplomat noted. Earlier Marc-Andre Blanchard, the Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN, urged the international community to stop Russias destabilizing activities in Ukraine. Also, Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin stated that the institution intends to prepare a draft resolution of the UN General Assembly on the militarization of occupied Crimea. Related video: Su-27 Flanker, Russian Air Force Almasdarnews.com Another Russian provocation occurred in the Sea of Azov. The video appeared on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Navy on Tuesday. A Sukhoi Su-27 fighter flew dangerously close to Ukrainian vessels. The incident happened during strategic drills Cossack Will 2018. Last week, the maneuvers took place all over Ukraine. One of the stages included defense of the coastline of the Sea of Azov. Over the past three months, Russia's activity in the Azov Sea has increased significantly. The Russians do not allow commercial vessels going to and leaving Ukrainian ports to pass through the Kerch Strait without hindrance. In this regard, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko instructed the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the General Staff and the Ukrainian Navy to take measures to stop Russian provocations with regard to blocking the entry of ships into Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov. The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine has developed a set of measures in response to Russia's actions. At the same time, it was reported that the package of measures includes, among other things, restrictions on passenger traffic with Russia. Moreover, in July, Russia detained 148 ships for inspection in the Sea of Azov. Due to this, President Poroshenko entrusted the Defence Minister, the Head of the General Staff, and Command of Ukraines Naval Forces to take measures to stop Russian provocations concerning the blockade of Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov. Ukraine also supports the imposition of sanctions against Russian Black Sea ports due to the blockade of the Sea of Azov. Marc-Andre Blanchard, the Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN, noted that responsibility should not be a benefit available only under certain circumstances Open source Marc-Andre Blanchard, the Permanent Representative of Canada to the UN, urged the international community to stop Russias destabilizing activities in Ukraine, as Ukrinform reports. The illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea is a clear violation of the international law. The respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity is not just an idea, it's a basis of the UN Charter. We cant let Russia continue its destabilizing activities, Blanchard said. According to him, the rules have to concern everyone, so that the international order would work for everyone. Our determination to provide responsibility in Myanmar, Syria, Ukraine, and Venezuela is followed by a deep desire to better the humanitarian situation for millions of victims both inside the countries and in their regions, the diplomat noted. He added that Canadas actions in Ukraine are ruled by a complete dedication to the protection and support of human rights. Besides, the U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May accused Russia of a gross violation of the international norms. Related video: The Russian side demanded the South Korean maritime authorities ban on vessels leaving the port be canceled The Foreign Ministry of Russia stated it summoned the Ambassador of South Korea in Moscow to demand that Seoul let a Russian shipping vessel leave the Busan port immediately, as Radio Liberty reports. The vessel, the Sevastopol, is being "illegally" held in Busan, the ministry said on October 1, without saying what had served as the reason for the alleged detention, the news agency reads. The Russian side demanded the South Korean maritime authorities ban on vessels leaving the port be canceled. "We expect that relations between Russia and South Korea will continue to develop successfully," South Korean Ambassador Woo Yoon-keun told journalists. According to the Russian media, Sevastopol and its crew on 14 Russians docked at Busan in mid-August for repairs. A vessel named Sevastopol was one of six Russian-flagged ships targeted by U.S. sanctions in August for allegedly helping North Korea evade United Nations sanctions, the message says. Russia in its turn denied the U.S. allegations. Sergei Skripal initially did not believe Russia tried to kill him, according to the book The Skripal Files by Mark Urban was published this week, where the author recalls several meetings with Skripal in summer of 2017 when the Russian spy lived quietly and safely in an MI6-bought house in Salisbury, as The Guardian reports. According to Urban, Skripal said he was reluctant to be quoted directly, explaining: You see, we are afraid of Putin. He did not believe he was personally in danger, but wanted to avoid making public statements so Yulia Skripal and his son, Sasha, could visit him freely from Moscow, the news agency reads. The author defined that Skripal spent much of the time watching Russias Channel One, a pro-Kremlin state broadcaster. He adopted the Kremlin line in many matters, even while sitting in his MI6-purchased house, as Urban writes. The book does not answer the key question as to why Skripals former organisation the GRU tried to kill him shortly before Russias presidential vote. His two would-be assassins Col Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Petrov, a pseudonym are career intelligence officers, the government believes, the message says. The book contains fresh details of Skripals career. He passes the details of the GRUs organisation and command structure for $3,000. There were no face-to-face meetings with British spies, but Skripal wrote sensitive information in a book in invisible ink, The Guardian reads. Reportedly, Skripal was detained in 2004 for working for British MI6, in 2010, he was released on the exchange of agents. After, he was living in the south of England. As it was reported Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in British Salisbury. Later, Theresa May, British PM, stated that Russia was responsible for that, and the investigation has confirmed the use of the Novichok nerve agent, which is produced in Russia. The Council is to be summoned right after the Tomos is adopted The decision to provide Ukraine with Tomos, or in other words the order of the Ecumenical Patriarch on the provision of the autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, might be made next week, as Patriarch Filaret claimed, Channel 5 reported. I think that we will not delay in dealing with the summoning of the Council. If Tomos is adopted on 9-11 October this year, we will summon the Council in October, Filaret said. On July 28, the Ecumenical Patriarchate confirmed the intention to provide the autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. As we reported on April 17, Petro Poroshenko signed an appeal to Bartholomew, the Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch with a plea to provide Tomos towards the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and urges the Verkhovna Rada to support it. On April 18, Poroshenko held the meeting with the primates of the Orthodox churches and accepted the appeal to Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch, on the provision of Tomos on the autocephaly for the Ukrainian church with the signs of all bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate and Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Since 90-s there are a few jurisdictions in Ukraine that call themselves Orthodox local and autocephaly Churches. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate and Metropolis of Bessarabia of the Romanian Orthodox Church have the canonical status. Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate is canonically not recognized. Also, there is unrecognized Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church. Open source The Verkhovna Rada supported the bill which provides for an additional protection of the foreigners and stateless people who took part in the protection of the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. 252 peoples deputies voted affirmatively, as 112 Ukraine broadcasted. The bill provides that the foreigners, who fought in Donbas on the Ukrainian side, might get a residence permit, having proved their participation on the Anti-terrorist operation or Joint Forces Operation. Besides, it is banned to demand the documents which provide the visit to the country of origin or appeal to its official authorities from the citizens of the aggressor state or the countries which did not recognize Russian aggression against Ukraine. A foreigner, who has participated in the Anti-terrorist operation or Joint Forces Operation voluntary, cannot be denied of providing a residential permit for violating the term of stay in Ukraine or absence of a registered place of residence. The document forbids to extradite the foreigners-volunteers to Russia or to the countries which do not recognize Russian aggression against Ukraine (The Cabinet of Ministers will confirm the list of such countries). Reportedly, in May of 2018, a law on social protection of foreign contracted soldiers of the Armed Forces came into force. If a foreign contracted soldier dies or becomes disabled, they or their families will be receiving the same one-time assistance as the Ukrainian soldier of the Armed Forces. Related video: During the rally, it became known that the Parliament supported the bill providing the protection for foreigners who participated in Donbas conflict The protest was held Tuesday at the Verkhovna Rada to support foreigners-volunteers who took part in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (Joint Forces Operation) in Ukraines occupied Donbas. This was reported by 112.ua. The activists demanded to adopt the bill providing additional protection to the foreigners and stateless persons, who defended Ukraines territorial integrity and independence. The bill envisages that foreigners who fought in Donbas on Ukraines side can receive a residence permit upon proving ones participation in Anti-Terrorist Operation or Joint Forces Operation. In order to do so, it will be necessary to present the papers from Defense Ministry or petition of the units commander. At the same time, it forbids to demand the documents from the citizens of the aggressor-country or a country who did not recognize Russian aggression against Ukraine, that would require to visit the country or address to its official bodies. The members of the National Corps, Svoboda political parties, and organizations Veteran Brotherhood and National Druzhyna gathered to protest. As it was reported earlier, Ukraines Prosecutor General's Office extradited Ingush Timur Tumgoev to the Russian Federationupon the request of the Federal Security Service of Russia. The FSB of Russia suspects Tumgoev of participating in one of the radical groups in Syria. The General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine then decided to extradite Tumgoev. The European Court of Human Rights twice refused to suspend the extradition, but the UN Human Rights Committee obliged the Ukrainian authorities to suspend the extradition. If illegal actions will be applied against Russian Timur Tumgoev who was extradited, Ukraine reserves a right to appeal to the international court demanding his return. Tumgoev was extradited to Russia on the basis of the data which were received during the extradition inspection. But now we have doubts, so we started a pre-trial investigation to define the truth and those people who were behind the extradition, Andriy Lysenko, the Spokesperson of Prosecutor General Office said. The U.S. State Department denied rumors that the negotiations on the exchange of Oleg Sentsov for Russians Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko convicted in the U.S. and Maria Butina, who is kept in detention Open source The U.S. does not consider the option of exchange of the Ukrainian movie director Oleg Sentsov for three Russians kept in custody in America, as the Russian BBC service reported referring to the source in the U.S. State Department. Any pointless attempt of Russia to use an illegal detention of a Ukrainian as a basis for the talks was another sign that Russia treats the human rights, Ukraines sovereignty and the supremacy of law with poor respect, the statement of the interlocutor of Russian BBC service in the State Department. The charges against Sentsov are unreasonable, it is a cynical revenge for his position concerning Russias occupation of Crimea, the State Department statement says. Earlier, it was reported that Russia was ready to exchange the Ukrainian film director and political prisoner Oleg Sentsov for the Russians convicted in the US Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, as well as Maria Butina, who is under arrest. Viktor Bout is a Russian entrepreneur, convicted in 2012 in the United States for 25 years in prison for intending to illegally trade in arms and support terrorism. Konstantin Yaroshenko was arrested on May 28, 2010 in Liberia by officers of the republic's special services on charges of preparing for transportation of a large batch of cocaine. Then the pilot was deported to the United States. On September 7, 2011, the US Court for the Southern District of New York City prepared Yaroshenko to 20 years in prison, finding him guilty of conspiracy to smuggle a large consignment of drugs, some of which were destined for sale in the United States. On July 15, 2018 a Russian citizen Maria Butina was detained in Washington on suspicion of trying to influence US policy on the orders of a high-ranking official from the Kremlin. She was officially charged on two counts - in collusion with the purpose of working as a foreign agent and in acting as a foreign agent without proper registration. As we reported earlier, Oleg Sentsov, Ukrainian political prisoner, announced a hunger strike in May 2018, demanding to release him and the rest of Ukrainian political prisoners illegally kept by the Kremlin. Sentsov has already survived three health crisis; 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 occupied Crimea. Sentsov denies his guilt. Ukraine's government, its citizens, and the international society - politicians, artists, public figures - urge the Kremlin to release him. Related video: "I even did not realize what did happen and who crashed into my car," Dronov said Open source One of the suspects in the deadly car accident in Kharkiv Gennady Dronov gave testimony at the court for the first time as UA:Kharkiv reported. "I could not do anything. Physically, I did not have time to react. I even did not realize what happened and who crashed into my car. All details of the car accident I showed during the reconstruction. At the moment neither the prosecutor nor court, nor experts can recpnstruct the car accident," he said. According to Dronov, he is judged "on the imaginary circumstances." "Maybe we need to understand first how a person can be judged on the imaginary circumstances in our country. If we want justice, it is absent yet," Dronov claimed. October 18, 2017, Lexus ran over a group of pedestrians in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine. Alyona Zaitseva who drove the car violated the road traffic, crashing into the Volkswagen Touareg driven by Gennady Dronov which threw her car towards the pavement. Both drivers survived, but Lexus ran over eleven passing by people. Five pedestrians received lethal injuries; another six were taken to a hospital with injuries of various degrees of severity. Zaitseva was detained for two months without a right to bail. The court revoked her driver license and arrested both cars that participated in the accident. The prosecution stated that Zaitseva used opiates not long before the tragedy occurred. According to the information of the defense, the suspect took the sedatives. The version of Zaitseva's defense is that the driver of the Touareg is guilty as he moved on the yellow traffic light. The defense of Gennady Dronov denies the accusation and claims that the driver of the Touareg moved on the green traffic light. Dronov was the witness in this case but the police claimed that his status can change. Later, the court refused to recognize Dronov sustained. Gennady Dronov was served with charge papers on November 2. The Court arrested Gennady Dronov for 42 days without the right to bail on November 8. It was established on December 6 that Zaitseva used substances containing codeine. On February 7, the court prolonged the arrest of two suspects in the car crash that killed six people - Olena Zaitseva and Hennadiy Dronov for two months without a right for bail. Related video: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Klimkin thinks that Russia uses the situation with the dual citizenship to destabilize the situation Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin gave a week to the Foreign Ministry of Hungary to withdraw its consul from Ukraine as he reported on Facebook. "I offered the Foreign Minister of Hungary to recall this consul. If it is not done this week, we will send a note to the Hungarian side on his expulsion," Klimkin emphasized. Also, the minister reminded that Hungary violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. "I told the Foreign Minister of Hungary our argumentation, they violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. 100%. Of course, by definition, nobody should hide the fact of acquisition of rights and commitments," he said. Klimkin thinks that Russia used the situation with the dual citizenship to destabilize situation. "But let's look at the most important. The most important is that Russia uses and will use this situation for the destabilization in Zakarpattia, you remember about the cases of the arsons organized by the FSB from Transnistria. There will be other cases, remember, that a lot of fakes appeared on the internet after this video. We should be aware," he said. Klimkin urged to "not bully" the Hungarians but help the Hungarian community. "I warn everybody against bullying or harassment of the Hungarians in Zakarpattia. Rather, you should help the Hungarian community. We need to intercept the initiative. We will act politely with Hungary but very tough and consistently," he noted. Earlier, Ukrinfrom published a video where a few Ukrainians are receiving Hungarian passports and owe allegiance to Hungry in the Consulate in Berehove. The Hungarian diplomat recommended not to inform the Ukrainian authorities about receiving the new documents. Later, Pavlo Klimkin, the Foreign Minister, said that the video is being checked on the authenticity. If it is authentic, the Hungarian consul might be expelled from the country. In his turn, Peter Szijjarto, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, claimed the attempts to intimidate the Transcarpathian Hungarians and threatened to make Ukraines integration more complicated. Later it was also reported that for seven years, the Hungarian consulates in Berehove and Uzhhorod of Zakarpattia region have been granting Hungarian citizenship to local residents who are citizens of Ukraine. Yuriy Lutsenko, Prosecutor General claimed that Ukraine's Security Service investigates this case; however, the service denied this. Tamas Menczer, Hungarys Foreign Minister Spokespoerson later reported that Hungary does not intend to withdraw its consul from Berehovo due to the scandalous video about issuance of Hungarian passports to the Ukrainians. In its turn, Ukraine claimed that in case, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary does not withdraw their consul from Berehove, Zakarpattia region, then Ukraine will offer him to abandon the territory. Related video: Open source The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a declaration on the situation in the PACE, condemning the attempt to cancel the restrictions against the Russian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). 242 MPs voted in the affirmative as 112 Ukraine broadcasted. Thus, the parliament decided to condemn the attempts to lift the restrictive measures against the permanent delegation of the Russian Federation in the PACE bypassing the resolutions of the assembly and amendments to the statutes that change the basic principles of the organization's work. The Verkhovna Rada draws attention on the violations of the norms of the international law by Russia. It is noted that the decision on the political motives is prepared in the PACE, which would allow the Russian delegation to freely return to the assembly, while Russia strongly refused from the fulfillment of the legal demands of the assembly. The MPs of Ukraine state that the PACE can preserve the credibility only under the condition of the possibility of the provision of its own policy. "Realizing that the destruction of the institution's basis will mean the recognition of the PACE of its political inability to follow its own decision and public demonstration of the depart from the values and principles of the Council of Europe the supremacy of law, democracy and human rights, will force the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and its permanent delegation to the PACE to carry the complete reconsideration of the principles on which the cooperation with the Assembly is bases as well as the mechanisms of the cooperation. The declaration comes into force since it is adopted. On Saturday night, an out-of-place LED highway sign sat on the Rockaway boardwalk flashing a series of dire warnings and unexpected axioms: "Climate Change At Work"; "Abolish Coal-Onialism"; "Fossil Fueling Inequality." The messages alternated every few seconds between English, Spanish and Russian, and they attracted a bit of confused attention from passersby at Beach 94th Streetadjacent to the 11-block stretch of shoreline closed to the public due to beach erosion earlier this summer. At around 10 p.m., I watched as a group of teenagers spilled out from an end-of-season party at Rippers to congregate in front of the odd sign, snapping photos and responding to some of the more urgent declarationslike "50,000,000 Climate Refugees"with cries of "Oh, shit!" I eventually worked up the nerve to approach them and ask if they knew who was responsible (DOT road sign hacks aren't uncommon, or particularly difficult), but was probably a bit too accusatory about it, because they looked at me like I was a cop and walked away. My apologies to the Rockaway teens. The signs, it turns out, are not a hack, but part of a multi-site public art project spearheaded by the Mayor's Office and the Climate Museum. For the last month, the "Climate Signals" exhibition has featured 10 solar-powered signs spread out across the five boroughs, with the goal of forcing New Yorkers to think and talk about climate change. Each piece was designed by artist Justin Brice Guariglia, who is also currently participating in Storm King's sprawling climate change exhibit. A rendering at the Governors Island exhibition site (via Mayor's Office) "We're trying to get people to think more ecologically with these little haiku-like messages that reconnect you with the reality of climate change today," Guariglia told Gothamist on Tuesday. "We see these road signs and immediately pay attention, and we want to make people discuss things that are inconvenient to talk about." The ten sites were picked by the Parks Department to specifically emphasize an area's vulnerability to climate change. In addition to the Rockaway boardwalk, other signs can be found in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens; St. Mary's Park and Hunts Point Riverside Park in the Bronx; Pier 84 and St. Nicholas Park in Manhattan; Sunset Park in Brooklyn; and Snug Harbor in Staten Island. On Saturday, the signs will be staffed by NASA scientists who can answer New Yorkers' questions about climate change, thanks to a partnership with the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia's Earth Institute/NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. And until the end of the month, Governors Island's Admiral Housethe temporary home of the Climate Museumwill also feature an interactive exhibit allowing visitors to create their own "climate signals." "Climate change is one of New York Citys greatest challenges and requires creative approaches to educate and engage all of us about its risks and solutions," said Daniel Zarrilli, New York Citys chief resilience officer. "Art can play a valuable role in this effort. Last week, the city held a public hearing on its plan to reimagine Governors Island as part of an effort to turn the former Coast Guard base into a year-round destination. Governors Island, located just 800 yards from Lower Manhattan and half that from Brooklyn, features historic landmarked buildings, a newly minted 43-acre park, and scenic views of the city including unrivaled views of the Statue of Liberty. Its also home to swaths of vacant land in the southern half of the island. There, the city is seeking to unleash its development potential on 4.5 million of square feet to complement and financially sustain the park and the islands operations, according to a City Hall press release from August announcing the plan. Our goal here is really to run the best park in New York, Michael Samuelian, president and CEO of The Trust for Governors Island, a city-controlled not-for-profit, told Gothamist. Its not really an economic development program. Its really about how we become self-sustaining and find sources of income that can help make the park beautiful in perpetuity. Samuelian, a former vice president at Related Companies among the citys top developers said the Trust is focused on serving as stewards for the park, not merely as real estate developers seeking a return on investment. A restaurant could take over the old ballrooms of the Officers' Club. (Sai Mokhtari / Gothamist) Due to the terms of the 2003 deed by which the city and state took ownership of the land from the federal government, the city is prohibited from building housing, as well as garages, casinos, and manufacturing facilities on the entirety of Governors Island. As a result, the Trust aims to usher in commercial, research and development, offices, cultural space, a convention center, and perhaps even a hotel. But educational space, Samuelian said, is atop the list of priorities for new development. You look at it and it just feels like a college campus, he said of the island, which is currently open to the public for only half the year. But that vision cannot come to fruition yet. Currently, the southern portion of the Island is zoned R3-2, which permits single-family residences and townhouses, prohibiting the construction of the types of facilities the Trust has in mind. Under the Trusts proposal, released in August, the South Island would be rezoned to C4-5, or commercial buildings that would rise to a maximum of 300 feet for a dorm or hotel. (300 feet is, not coincidentally, the approximate height of the Statue of Liberty, as the Trust is careful to make sure the new development does not block views of the statue). Office, academic, research and development would be limited to 125 feet, according to a presentation the Trust delivered to the relevant community boards. The plan would go through the ULURP process, a public review process which involves review by the Community Boards, the Borough President, the City Planning Commission, and the City Council. In order for us to really complete the vision, we need to rezone the development sites in a manner thats flexible enough so that we can attract the mix of uses that we think really make sense, Alicia Glen, deputy mayor for housing and economic development, said Tuesday on a call with Gothamist. Glen also spoke of the possibility of a convention center, saying, "I think its important that we have an interesting convening space, because right now we lack any shazam, drop dead, funky place for convening. I wouldnt call the Javits Center exactly an inspiring place to do a product launch, or give a talk about astrophysics." The old Fort Jay movie theater, currently abandoned, could be a movie theater again. (Sai Mokhtari / Gothamist) If all goes according to plan, the citys land use review process, ULURP, will be certified in March 2019. And after the mayor puts the rubber stamp on the rezoning at the tail end of 2020, the city will release an RFP (request for proposal) from developers interested in building on South Island. The city aims to get the island at close to full development capacity in a decade, Glen estimated. The entirety of the North Islands historic district, notably, does not fall within the scope of the rezoning, and the city and trust plan to preserve the lions share of the 52 buildings, with roughly ten of what Samuelian labeled non-contributing buildings slated for demolition. In addition to the potential development on the South Island, the Trust is looking for tenants to repurpose the historic buildings that were in the past predominantly used for housing, which can be executed before the rezoning takes effect. The Trust is also pursuing new features prior to the rezoning, such as investing $10 million in capital funding for new lighting, along with a spa in the pipeline for the historic district, the islands sole commercial tenant at the moment, slated to open in two years. Samuelian also sees the island becoming a popular wedding destination, once the developments are completed. (It's also possible to have a wedding on the Island right now.) If we have churches and a party space and a hotel, it would be a great place to have a weekend wedding, he said. If the Trust and citys stated projection for what the Governors Island will have in ten years seem disjointed, that's not necessary a flaw, Samuelian said, proudly calling the island quirky. Its not this kind of maniacal masterplan, where everything is aligned, he said. Manhattans a grid. Were the opposite of that. Glen, for her part, spoke to the freedoms the vacant land and absence of permanent residents on the island provides. It does provide opportunities that are hard to find in other places in the city, she said. Where else, she continued, in one of the global capitals of the world, do you have a park that is spectacular as this, where you can also do really smart, sustainable development? Get a rare look inside the currently abandoned historic buildings of Governors Island right here. The dreaded L train shutdown is now just six months away, but some Manhattan residents are still clinging to the notion that they can somehow dodge the worst effects of the historic transit disruptionif not by literally blocking the tunnel repairs, then by suing their way out of having to put up with hundreds of thousands of soon-to-be displaced riders. On Monday, West Village resident and attorney Arthur Schwartz filed his second lawsuit against the MTA and the DOT, calling for yet another environmental assessment, as well as last minute changes to the agencies' sweeping mitigation plan. Specifically, Schwartz and his allies are opposed to the creation of a dedicated busway on 14th Street and an adjacent sidewalk expansion for pedestrians, along with the addition of protected bike lanes on 12th and 13th Street. "The goal is to eliminate those bike lanes as designed, to make them not protected bike lanes or not do them at all," Schwartz told Gothamist, adding that his preference would be for the lanes to be restored to parking spaces. "I just don't think there's any genuinely demonstrated demand for people who used to take the L train who are all of a sudden going to hop on a Citi Bike." In the past, Schwartz and other local residents have raised questions about whether the MTA is exaggerating the number of commuters who will be impacted by the shutdown, and blamed "transportation zealots" for the mitigation plan. In addition to their concerns about spillover congestion and bus pollution, the plan's opponents have cited potential damage to the West Village's "delicate infrastructure" as one of their chief concerns. Idan Sims, a public relations specialist speaking on behalf of 14th Street Coalition, told Gothamist on Tuesday that the group supports the new lawsuit, because it would lead to "less impingement on the quality of life for people who live and work in the neighborhoods of Lower Manhattan." The coalition's founder, David Marcus, has previously suggested that the city should "come up with a plan that's not so focused on transporting commuters where they need to get." According to the suit, "Manhattans Lower East Side, Greenwich Village, and Soho...will have the fabric of their neighborhoods disrupted" by the MTA/DOT contingency plan. Schwartz acknowledged that the complaint was similar to the federal suit filed earlier this year, but noted that it also included more recent concerns raised by East Village residents about the late night construction noise and pollution that's already begun ahead of the shutdown. (Schwartz's request to limit construction hours to 7 p.m., instead of 11 p.m., was tossed by a judge on Tuesday). Still, the West Village attorney remains undeterred, unlike the "people on the other side of the river, who are resigned to just doing what the government says," according to Schwartz. He says he's confident that a state judge will ultimately block some of the city's shutdown plans. His foes across the river, meanwhile, are less sure. "It's a couple dozen angry people up against hundreds of thousands of people who use the L," Danny Pearlstein, spokesperson for the Riders Alliance, told Gothamist. "It's true that this is a NIMBY lawsuit, but these people's backyard are where millions of people need to have a reliable commute." The MTA did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson for the DOT said they were "grateful for the judges decision" to throw out the construction suit, and that "look forward to continuing to work with the MTA, local communities, stakeholders and officials to closely coordinate our efforts for next years 2019 closure." You can read the full complaint below. Arthur Schwartz Lawsuit by Jake Offenhartz on Scribd Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to Prospect Heights for Po-Boys. THE VIBE John Verlander, whose job titles at Lowerline currently include Head Chef and Sole Proprietor, had never spent a day in his life working in a restaurant before opening this Prospect Heights spot last winter. But since the menu here is stacked with Creole classics, the more relevant bona-fides are this: the man grew up in Louisiana, in the Ouachita Parish seat of Monroe, and spent his formative years in New Orleans, eating his way through the city's oyster bars and gumbo joints while at Tulane. Verlander moved to Brooklyn in 2005, but he couldn't shake his roots. So after a few years spent as a consultant, plus a stint in Brazil, he completely changed the course of his life to give his Prospect Heights neighbors a taste of Crescent City. Judging by the crowds flocking to Lowerline since February, the locals have fully embraced its comforting, addictive delights. Lowerline is one of those NYC restaurants that seem impossibly small and narrow, but Verlander makes the space feel welcoming and comfortable. There's room for eight up front at a series of tables (grab the window seat if you can) and five stools nearly abutting the brick wall at the bar. The minimal decorblack & white photos; a hand-painted sign declaring "My Dreams of Red Beans"is charming and evocative, and the geometric tile brightens the place considerably. The soundtrack is deep-cut '80s, and Verlander and his crew couldn't be more professional and friendly. THE BITES The Lowerline menu is focused and appealing throughout. There are four Po-Boys, helpfully available as either a half or a whole, depending on how much other stuff you want to try. The three I ate were all deeply satisfying sandwiches, especially the Muffaletta, which may not be rigorously authentic (there's prosciutto in the mix, for example, and Verlander uses thick flakes of parmesan rather than the usual provolone), but oh man is it delicious. The Fried Oyster is fat with the lightly-breaded bivalves, the pickles and mayo applied with care, and the Roast Beef with debris gravy is wonderfully sloppy and rich. All of these are served on a crusty sesame roll from Brooklyn's own Caputo's. The best thing I've had at Lowerline so far is probably the Crawfish Etouffee, an abundance of small, sweet, shelled crustacean tails smothered in a robust shellfish gravy, served with rice to sop up every drop. Verlander nails the Seafood and Okra Gumbo as well, the densely-flavored stew thick with crab, shrimp, oysters and the onion-peppers-celery "holy trinity." Don't be shy about dumping on the Crystal hot sauce, either. Verlander will shuck as many oysters for you as you want (there have been three choices each time I've been), and there's a Ham Bone Red Beans and Rice dish I'm eager to eat next time I'm in the neighborhood. For dessert, everyone gets a complimentary shot glass of Coffee and Chicory Panna Cotta, which really hits the spot. THE VERDICT Great casual Creole in an inviting environment with a kind and decent dude at the helm. Prospect Heights gets a big winner with Lowerline. Lowerline is located at 794 Washington Place between St. Johns and Sterling Places, and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., on Friday until 11, on Saturday from noon to 11, and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays. (347-533-7110; lowerlinebk.com) As is known, the release of audios containing phone conversations that involved judges, entrepreneurs, and CNM members led to a scandal in the justice system . Thus, the Vizcarra administration intends to implement a positive change in Peru. I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission. A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it. Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Womens Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy. LEO's Big Win Life just got better for U-M lecturers. by Eve Silberman From the October, 2018 issue In September, starting pay for the university's nontenured teachers jumped from $34,500 to $48,000. By 2020 they'll start at $51,000. That nearly 50 percent pay raise is a sweet victory for LEO--the fifteen-year-old Lecturers' Employee Organization. "We're the bottom of the two-tier system," says sociology lecturer and LEO president Ian Robinson. Because they're cheap and expendable, the number of lecturers at Michigan and other universities around the country has shot up within the past two decades. Some 1,000 lecturers now teach more than one-third of all credit hours on the Ann Arbor campus, but compared to the 3,000 tenure-track faculty, they might as well be on another planet. Universities, Robinson says, have borrowed "a full set of norms from the business sector" in squeezing their staff. Not only did lecturers earn far less than profs on the tenure track, they also lagged in job security, benefits, and respect. "Academia is very hierarchical and very elitist," says LEO vice president Kirsten Herold. "A former dean of LS&A called us the 'C' students of the university." In fact, most U-M lecturers have PhDs, many from prestigious schools. (Robinson's political science doctorate is from Yale, Herold's English PhD from U-M). Many have published in academic journals. But even top schools graduate far more PhDs than there are tenure-track positions available--meaning many end up as lecturers for paltry pay and negligible benefits (until this year, for instance, many LEO members lost health care coverage each summer). With LEO's previous contract expiring in April, union leaders were determined to narrow the gap. To get a sense of what the university could afford, they consulted EMU accounting prof Howard Bunsis. "The first thing he said was 'Don't look at the budget--the budgets are projections,'" Robinson recalls. "'You'll never see a surplus. Look at the annual reports.'" They looked--and found that "in those previous two years, the surplus ran half a billion dollars." LEO went into negotiations demanding a starting pay of $60,000 by 2020. ...continued below... The university offered just $40,000, leading to tense and sometimes dramatic negotiations. Lecturers showed up at regents meetings to share personal stories of hardship. One woman said she earned so little at U-M Flint she couldn't afford to leave her abusive husband. Others told about juggling other jobs, like bartending, to earn enough to get by. The more they testified, Herold says, the more attentive the regents seemed: "They understand you can't ask people to live on this kind of money in a town like Ann Arbor."In March, the lecturers were heartened to see West Virginia public school teachers win pay raises after a nine-day strike. Their morale got another boost at a regents meeting that month, when regent Mark Bernstein exclaimed, "Let me be clear. I believe our lecturers are being exploited." Bernstein confirmed his support in a recent telephone interview. "Lecturers are an essential part of our mission," he says. "They must be valued that way."The union came very close to striking in April, even going so far as to sign up a student to support every striker. LEO leaders say that U-M negotiators reminded them that under Michigan's 2012 "Right to Work" legislation they were forbidden to strike--to which one union negotiator replied, "There's nothing to stop us fromto strike." Herold says they didn't go out only because the U-M sweetened its offer--not to the level they wanted but enough for them to believe the better strategy was to back off.Negotiations went almost nonstop for four days before a settlement was reached in late June. Along with a huge pay raise, it provides for year-round health coverage, annual pay raises based on years worked, and bigger retirement contributions.[Originally published in October, 2018.] YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has expressed condolences over the passing of Charles Aznavour. Below is Azoulays statement as reported by the UNESCO website. It is with deep emotion that we have learned of the passing of Charles Aznavour. In addition to being a legendary artist recognized throughout the world, he was a great friend of UNESCO. His work, as extraordinary as it is popular with several generations, has crossed time and borders. A generous and committed artist, he was famous for his songs, which will continue to live in us for a long time to come, not to mention his outstanding performances in movies by prominent filmmakers. Beyond this unique and universal work, Charles Aznavour was singularly committed to society. We notably remember his mobilization following the terrible earthquake, which struck Armenia in 1988. Tireless ambassador of Armenia, he was nominated Ambassador and Permanent Delegate for UNESCO in 1995. He has always been a great friend of UNESCO, defender of the humanist values of our Organization, of cultural diversity and the importance of educating young people as a bulwark against prejudice. Charles Aznavour had also made the promotion of the Francophonie one of his priorities. We were looking forward to seeing him in Yerevan next week at the Francophonie Summit. Charles Aznavour died on October 1, aged 94. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. President of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan accompanied by Head of the Armenia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Armen Rustamyan visited Yerevan Aznavour Centre and left a note in the Mourning Book opened in memory of Charles Aznavour. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, during the talk with the representatives of local and foreign press Ara Babloyan said: It is a great pain for us, but at the same time it is a great pride that such person could shock the world for one century with his talent and his capabilities. Aznavour with his music brought solidarity, calmness, brought love and friendship in the relations of the peoples of Armenia and France, as well as in the whole world. According to the Speaker, their acquaintance with Charles Aznavour began after Spitak earthquake, we implemented together numerous projects dedicated to children and the relations gradually have grown from the official character into friendly and firm ties. We are sure that Charles Aznavour will always remain in everybodys minds and hearts. Years will pass by but his art will remain appreciated, Ara Babloyan underlined. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan received on October 2 outgoing Ambassador of the USA to Armenia Richard Mills. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Defense Ministry of Armenia, the sides highlighted the necessity of the continuation of the Armenian-American joint projects that were effectively imp[lamented thank to the efforts of Ambassador Mills. The Armenian Defense Minister wished success to Richard Mills in his future diplomatic activities. Minister Tonoyan and Ambassador Mills discussed the Armenian-American defense cooperation and development opportunities, as well as exchanged views on regional security and international developments. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan called on the citizens of Armenia to gather in front of the National Assembly. ARMENPRESS reports the PM said on a Facebook live broadcast that he has received information that the Republican Party has convened extraordinary session and is planning to adopt a bill on amendments in the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armenia, according to which in case of impeding the works of the parliament sessions for any reasons, it may be considered interrupted. I urge the MPs who dont think that they should stand against the peoples power, not to go to the National Assembly and not to register. I mean they should not register and vote in favor of that shameful bill, and I also call on the citizens to gather right now in Baghramyan and Demirchyan streets and to carry out peaceful protests within the logic of love and solidarity, ARMENPRESS reports the PM as saying. The Prime Minister of Armenia and his supporters believe this bill is a part of counter-revolution efforts. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. By the decision of the Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Ara Babloyan and the initiative of the MPs an extraordinary session will be convened in line with the law at 19:30, October 2, ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Head of ARF parliamentary faction Armen Rustamyan does not exclude that they will withdraw from the Cabinet, ARMENPRESS reports Rustamyan told the reporters at the National Assembly. Everything is possible, it depends on the developments. Nothing can be predicted here and I see no logical process, because we just turn everything into chaos, Armen Rustamyan said. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Given the present tense situation and the atmosphere of drawing dividing lines, the ARF withdraws from the Cabinet, ARMENPRESS reports representative of ARF Supreme Council Arsen Hambardzumyan told Yerkir Media, adding that later the Supreme Council will issue a relevant statement. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan calls on the residents of other cities to gather in the central squares of their cities. As a sign of unity, I urge our compatriots from other cities to gather in the central squares and demand early parliamentary elections, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan announced during his speech in front of the National Assembly. Hours ago PM Pashinyan addressed the citizens of Armenia, urging them to gather in front of the National Assembly as a demonstration of protest against the adoption of the controversial law on making amendments in the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armenia. According to Pashinyan, this law is a part of counter-revolutionary efforts aimed at preventing early elections. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan tasked his administration to prepare a decision on dismissing the ministers and governors representing the ARF and the Prosperous Armenia Party, ARMNENPRESS reports Pashinyan announced during his speech in Baghramyan Avenue, signing the decisions on dismissing the ministers and governors representing the mentioned parties. Today we have to speak about the new political situation in Armenia and its solution. Yesterday and today a shameful bill was hastily introduced by the MPs representing the RPA, Tsarukyan Block and ARF the aim of which is very clear- carry out counter-revolution in Armenia by blocking the opportunities of holding early parliamentary elections. And yes, the adoption of this bill is a conspiracy against the highest power of Armenia the people of Armenia, Pashinyan said. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is walking to the National Assembly of Armenia to negotiate with the MPs and political forces on overcoming the existing situation. Now I will head to the National Assembly through Demirchyan Street, Pashinyan said, urging the people to remain calm and not to submit to any provocation. Hours ago PM Pashinyan addressed the citizens of Armenia, urging them to gather in front of the National Assembly as a demonstration of protest against the adoption of the controversial law on making amendments in the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armeni, which was adiopted in an extraordinary session. According to Pashinyan, this law is a part of counter-revolutionary efforts aimed at preventing early elections. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he will resign when the dismissal of the ministers and governors representing the ARF and the BHK will come into force de jure. When the decision of dismissing the mentioned ministers and governors will de jure come into force, I will resign from the post of prime minister after that. First of all so that no one thinks that I am clinging from the prime ministerial post. After that, the parliament must elect a new prime minister after 7+1 days. If a prime minister isnt elected, another 7+1 days must pass, and it should elect a new prime minister. If it doesnt elect a prime minister in this period, early elections of parliament take place. If it turns out that the people are standing for early elections of parliament, we, together with the people, will be able to not allow the parliament to elect a new prime minister. But after resigning I will continue carrying out the duties of prime minister, according to the Constitution, Pashinyan said at a rally near the parliament. The PM called on President Armen Sarkissian to not sign the bill which was adopted by the parliament on amending the rules of procedure. The president must either sign the bill or apply to the Constitutional Court to object its constitutionality. I think you will authorize me to address President Armen Sarkissian from here right now to not sign this bill and address the Constitutional Court, he said. The PM entered the parliament to discuss the situation with the lawmakers who are inside. On April 16, 2018, I wanted to go to the parliament as the leader of the Yelk faction, now, as Prime Minister, I am entitled to enter the parliament 24/7. I will go to negotiate with the lawmakers and political forces there on overcoming the situation, and we will do it in an atmosphere of love and solidarity, he said. The controversial bill is an amendment to the Rules of Procedure law of the parliament, whereby in the event of a parliament session being unable to be held because of lack of quorum, or if lawmakers are anyhow prevented from participating, it will be considered interrupted rather than failed, with a possibility of resuming at a later date. The aim of the bill is apparently a limitation of possible circumstances of dissolution of parliament. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he imagines the solution of the current situation through reaching an agreement on holding early elections of parliament. I picture [it] that we will reach an agreement, that early elections will take place, I will resign, and they wont nominate a candidate, he said. The PM said he thinks that other political forces wont nominate a candidate after his resignation. If they will nominate a candidate, they will anger the people. It wont be bad if a deal is made. I think all decisions will be made according to the situation, Pashinyan told reporters in the parliament. The PM is currently holding talks with parliamentary factions in the parliament building. The PM urged citizens to gather outside the parliament building earlier tonight after Republicans convened an extraordinary session to adopt a bill on amending the rules of procedure of the parliament. The controversial bill is an amendment to the Rules of Procedure law of the parliament, whereby in the event of a parliament session being unable to be held because of lack of quorum, or if lawmakers are anyhow prevented from participating, it will be considered interrupted rather than failed, with a possibility of resuming at a later date. The aim of the bill is apparently a limitation of possible circumstances of dissolution of parliament. Thousands are rallying outside the parliament building. National Police Chief Valery Osipyan is on site. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan presented the results of the negotiations with parliamentary forces to the people gathered in front of the National Assembly. ARMENPRESS reports after the negotiations Pashinyan gave a speech in front of the people. Today we showed that early elections are a pan-Armenian demand and the political forces that will oppose this political demand declare war against their own people. My impression is that our colleagues from the RPA, ARF and Tsarukyan factions realized this message, Pashinyan emphasized. Pashinyan said that during the talks he had said that a political crisis exists in the country which needs to be overcome. The representatives of the RPA, ARF and Tsarukyan factions said that crisis should be overcome in a way that our country does not undergo shocks. I said that the following is the only option for that I will resign from the post of the PM in the nearest days and I expect the RPA and the parliament not to further provoke people if I will resign. I said that I think we should sign a document that I will resign this day after which the factions will not nominate a candidate for the PMs position after which 1/3 of the MPs will not nominate a candidate for the 2nd time, based on which we will have early parliamentary elections in December, the PM said, adding that the parliamentary forces seem to have understood the message of the people and respect the message of the people. They said that irrespective of the memorandum they do not plan to nominate a candidate for the Prime Ministers position either in the 1st or the 2nd stages, PM Pashinyan detailed. Hours ago PM Pashinyan addressed the citizens of Armenia, urging them to gather in front of the National Assembly as a demonstration of protest against the adoption of the controversial law on making amendments in the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly of Armenia, which was adopted in an extraordinary session. According to Pashinyan, this law is a part of counter-revolutionary efforts aimed at preventing early elections. Pashinyan entered the parliament to negotiate with the political forces after his speech in front of the National Assembly. The talks lasted over 3 hours. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan Children subjected to abuse may carry the physical hallmark of that trauma in their cells, scientists said Tuesday, in research that could help criminal investigations probing historic mistreatment. The imprints may also shed light on whether or not trauma can be passed on between generations as has long been hypothesised. A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia examined the sperm cells of 34 adult men, some of whom had been victims of child abuse years earlier. They found that the effects of the trauma were indelibly printed in 12 regions of the DNA of those men who had experienced varying levels of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Scientists believe these alterations, known as methylation, could one day be used by investigators or courts to weigh allegations of child abuse. "If you think of genes as being like lightbulbs, DNA methylation is like a dimmer switch that controls how strong each light is -- which in turn can influence how cells function," Nicole Gladish, a PhD candidate in the university's Department of Medical Genetics, told AFP. "This information can potentially provide additional information about how childhood abuse affects long-term physical and mental health." The experiment is one of a growing number of trials looking into what turns genes "on and off" at different periods of human development, a field of study known as epigenetics. Once thought as entirely pre-programmed from conception, some genes are now known to be activated or deactivated by environmental factors or an individual's life experience. - 'Small piece of the puzzle' - Scientists involved in the study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, said they still did not know how methylation affects a person's long-term health. In addition, due to the difficulty in extracting egg cells, the team don't plan to replicate the experiment on women -- statistically far likelier to have been victims of child abuse than men. Scientists said the degree of "dimming" in the DNA regions were surprising -- one part of the genome of the men who were abused as children was 29 percent different to those who were not. And, because the degree of methylation changes over time, they were able to tell by looking at the men's cells roughly when the abuse occurred. "This might help the development of tests that could be used by healthcare workers or potentially even as forensic evidence," Gladish said. Although researchers still have little idea whether or not the imprints of abuse contained within sperm cells would survive fertilisation intact, lead author Andrea Roberts said the study "brings us at least one step closer" towards working out if trauma can be transmitted across generations. "We can look at our study as one small piece in the huge overall puzzle of how intergenerational trauma works," said Gladish. She pointed out there are several other teams working on the conundrum, including experiments on mice and other animals. "It is certainly possible that epigenetic changes in sperm cells play a role in the physical and mental health of the next generation, but we don't know for sure." Researchers found the trauma of child abuse was indelibly printed in the DNA of victims A mother and her three-year-old son have died in a tragic tractor accident on the family farm. Nadine Tomlinson, 33, and her son Angus were recovered from a reservoir after the tractor crashed into the dam on the property at Waihemo, in the Otago region of New Zealand, on Sunday. Police said in a statement the woman was driving the tractor when it lost control. The incident occurred near Dunback-Morrisons Road at Waihemo. Source: Google Maps National Federated Farmers president Katie Milne told Stuff the deaths left the community in complete shock. Its such an unusual tragedy to occur. Its going to leave that community reeling and the wider farming community. The outpouring of sympathy and support for that community and family is huge, she said. Otago Federated Farmers president Simon Davis told the New Zealand Herald the tragedy could spark a review into childrens safety on farms. Im not sure the time is right yet, but in a general term, yes, it needs to be looked at and talked about, he said. A Dunkin Donuts worker has been fired after he was filmed pouring a jug of water over a homeless man who was sleeping while he waited for his phone to charge. Jeremy Dufresne spends his nights outside and gets most of his meals at a shelter in Syracuse, New York. On Sunday night he stopped into the fast food chain so he could charge his phone and say goodnight to his mum something he does every evening. It was there, as he rested his head on a corner table, that an employee approached him from behind and dumped the water on his head. He, and the man filming the encounter burst into laughing as he tells him to stop sleeping in the store. Visibly shaken, Mr Dufresne jumps to his feet and unplugs his phone before leaving the store. Jeremy Dufresne was sleeping while his phone charged, when the employee poured the water of his head. Images: Facebook/ Samuel Breazeale Many of the 800,000 social media users who viewed the clip within its first 24 hours were quick to condemn the worker for his heartless actions, demanding his employment be terminated immediately. Fire him! Im done with Dunkin Donuts if they treat people like this. You dont know that mans hardships, one woman wrote. No employee should ever do this, this is beyond sickening and I hope they fired him, another added. Mr Dufresne, however, was more reserved in his judgement. He probably had some personal problems of his own and needed someone to talk to and he took it out on someone else, like me, he told Syracuse.com in the wake of the exchange. Samuel Breazeale, who shared footage of the incident online, started a GoFundMe page to help pay for some warm clothing and help Jeremy get back on his feet. The employee can then be seen yelling at Mr Dufresne, saying he has warned him about sleeping in the store. Images: Facebook/Samuel Breazeale More than $3000 has already been raised, all of which is going to Jeremy and his family. A spokesperson for Dunkin confirmed to Yahoo7 News that they had fired the workers responsible, saying they were deeply disturbed by the footage. We were extremely disturbed by the behaviour of our employees captured in the video. It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organisation, which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect. The employees involved in the incident have been terminated, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologise for the negative experience. We also intend to work with local advocates to make sure that our employees are better educated as to how to engage with homeless individuals and where to direct them in the community for appropriate assistance. A Zagreb court has rejected charges that Croatia captain and Real Madrid star Luka Modric gave false testimony in a corruption trial, a Croatian newspaper reported on Tuesday. The decision, which can be appealed, came just a week after Modric was crowned FIFA's best player of the year, after starring for both his club and Croatia. Croatian prosecutors charged Modric in March with committing perjury during evidence he gave in the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic. Modric, 33, testified in June last year over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He went on to join Real Madrid in 2012. The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail. But, the Zagreb municipal court decided not to confirm the indictment -- a step required by Croatian law for a trial to open -- according to an online report in the Vecernji List daily quoting the tribunal. The report could not be immediately confirmed with the court. Vecernji List said the court ruled that the indictment was "premature", meaning it should have not been brought before rulings in the trial against Mamic become final. Mamic and three other defendants were found guilty of charges of abuse of power and corruption that cost Dinamo, the current Croatian champions, more than 15 million euros ($17.3 million), and the state 1.5 million euros. Mamic, who is currently in hiding in neighbouring Bosnia, was sentenced in June to six and a half years in jail. Prosecutors allege cash was embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers. Liverppool defender Dejan Lovren, who also testified at the Mamic trial about his 2010 transfer from Dinamo to French side Lyon, also faces perjury charges. Luka Modric was crowned FIFA's best player of the year With daylight savings fast approaching, many Australians have started to question exactly when they need to triple check their clocks. It is a common fear of many that they will miss the change in time and will be late for work, school or an important appointment. Usually the fateful day falls on grand final weekend the first week of October for residents in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania. Its almost time to wind those clocks forward for 2018 Daylight Saving. Image: Getty But due to a rare calendar quirk, daylight saving was delayed by a week. When will daylight saving start in NSW and other relevant states So for those wondering when their sleep will be cut short and when theyll gain some extra daylight at the end of the day, clocks will jump forward on Sunday, October 7 at 2am. For Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australian residents, who do not adopt daylight savings, it is business as usual. Daylight Saving Time will change back in exactly six months on April 7. Queensland rules out daylight saving push In August, Queenslands premier Annastacia Palaszczuk categorically ruled out any move to introduce daylight saving, saying she doesnt want to divide the state. The contentious issue had been reignited with an opinion poll on in the Courier-Mail showing 55 per cent of Queenslanders surveyed supported the introduction of daylight saving, with 41 per cent opposed to the move and 4 per cent undecided. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said those numbers suggested there wasnt enough support to alienating rural Queenslanders who are mostly opposed to daylight saving. Queenslands Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is adamant they wont be changing their stance on daylight saving. Image: AAP There are very strong views on daylight saving people in the southeast are generally more in favour, those who live out in western and regional Queensland are against, Ms Palaszczuk said. I am uniting Queensland, I am not going to divide Queensland. Why has daylight savings changed this year? On Friday, NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman issued a press release warning residents not to prematurely change their clocks on the grand final long weekend. Story continues A calendar quirk is responsible for the delay. In most years the clocks go forward on the Sunday of the long weekend, but every seven years, on average, daylight saving starts a week later, Mr Speakman said. Traditionally, the summer time period starts at 2am on the first Sunday in October and Labour Day in NSW falls on the first Monday. The main purpose of daylight savings is to make better use of the sunlight all year round. Photo: Getty This year the first Monday in October is the first day of the month. Therefore the first Sunday in October falls on October 7. The last time the long weekend fell before the first Sunday in October was in 2012, Mr Speakman said. Sunday wont fall on October 7 again until 2029, meaning a baby born on Monday, October 8 will be on the eve of their 11th birthday the next time the coincidence occurs. The history of daylight savings Daylight saving operated nationally during World War I from January 1, 1917 to March 25, 1917 and during World War II for three summers, beginning on January 1, 1942. Tasmania was the first state to formally adopt daylight savings in 1968. According to the Justice Department, it was introduced properly in NSW in 1971 after the Standard Time Act 1971 was passed by the state parliament. Most other states followed suit, but Queensland abandoned daylight savings a year later. Why we have daylight savings The main purpose of daylight savings is to make better use of the sunlight all year round. Clocks are altered during the summer months to move the hour of daylight from the morning to the evening. Clocks will jump forward on Sunday morning at 2am meaning there will be an extra hour of sunlight in the evening. Photo: Getty But not everyone is on board with the change, especially farmers who say it affects their timetable, including how much milk their cows produce. Daylight savings debates rage around Australia Each year around daylight savings time the debate is reignited on whether it is worth it. Professor Thomas Kantermann, an expert on chronobiology at the University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management in Germany, even says that it is bad for human health. We are like other animals, he told the ABCs RN Breakfast. And we have this biology ticking in us that tries to synchronise us with the environment, and adding this artificial clock change, this pretending we are moving into a different time zone it just irritates. In Australia, Queenslanders living in the south-east part of the state have been pushing for daylight saving to be introduced. But in the far north part of the state, residents argue the summer months are far too hot to make use of the sun. If daylight saving was introduced, at the heat of the day, schoolchildren would be going home from school, Port Douglas Mayor Julie Leu said. Beachgoers along Queenslands coast are being warned over the deadly Irukandji jellyfish as experts say they may be moving into unknown territory. The warning comes after one of the deadly jellyfish was caught off the coast of Fraser Island in January the second in just two years. According to the Icons at Risk: Climate Change Threatening Australian Tourism report in February from the Climate Council of Australia, the Irukandji jellyfish may soon be present in waters off the Sunshine Coast and beyond. The deadly Irukandji jellyfish is spreading further south and their season is lengthening, the report said. Irukandji have been observed as far south as Hervey Bay and Fraser Island and could eventually be found as far south as the Gold Coast. Irukandji jellyfish now pose a threat to swimmers south of Bundaberg, particularly around Fraser Island. Source: AAP Emergency specialist doctor Simon Jensen told the ABC swimmers needed to be aware of the dangers in the water around Fraser Island and potentially further afield. People need to be very careful particularly between Fraser Island and the mainland if theyre swimming there or engaging in any water sports, he said as beaches across the state begin to attract more swimmers as summer approaches. The minuscule box jellyfish can cause a range of symptoms, including severe pain for several hours and headaches. The Irukandji jellyfish has been responsible for at least two deaths and hundreds of hospitalisations. Up to 100 people are hospitalised each year on the Queensland coast, according to jellyfish expert Dr Lisa-ann Gershwin. The Irukandji jellyfish is particularly difficult to spot due to its size and invisibility in water. Source: AAP The Irukandji is invisible in the water, making it difficult for swimmers to detect. One of the reasons identified for their progression down the coast is the warming of ocean temperatures. As ocean waters warm, many tropical marine species have been observed moving into sub-tropical waters, the report said. According to the Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services, directed by Dr Gershwin, Irukandji jellyfish are reported in waters over 26C. Story continues And while Dr Gershwin advises swimmers to cover the body in the water by wearing a wetsuit or other garments, she said beachgoers should be more concerned about getting sunburnt than being stung. They are real, they are true, they are dangerous but they are rare. The chances of getting stung are actually very, very low, she said. Anyone who is stung by an Irukandji jellyfish should seek medical assistance and cover the sting area with vinegar. British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday that England and Wales would amend their marriage laws to allow opposite-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships. The change comes in response to a Supreme Court decision in June that said allowing civil partnerships to same-sex couples but not heterosexual ones violated the European Convention on Human Rights. The ruling required a change in the law for England and Wales to be compliant. "There are all sorts of reasons why people may choose not to marry," May said in a statement released by her party. "By giving couples this option we hope to give them and their families more certainty and security." Same-sex civil partnerships became legal in England and Wales in 2004. Gay marriage was allowed 10 years later. The Supreme Court ruling did not cover Scotland, whose government last week entered into consultations about whether to make the same change. The British government says there are more than 3.3 million unmarried couples in the United Kingdom who live together and share their financial responsibilities. Nearly half of them also have children. The Supreme Court ruled in June that allowing civil partnerships to same-sex couples but not heterosexual ones violated the European Convention on Human Rights France has accused Iran's intelligence ministry of being behind a foiled plot to bomb an exiled opposition group near the French capital in a move that risks straining already complicated ties between Paris and Tehran. The French government announced Tuesday it was freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives, as well as others belonging to Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. France's decision to take retaliatory measures and go public with the accusations was taken three months after the alleged plot to bomb a meeting of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) in a suburb of Paris. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," France's interior, foreign and economy ministers said in a rare joint statement. "In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory." A French diplomatic source told AFP that the security forces had concluded that "the head of operations at the (Iranian) intelligence ministry ordered it". Iran immediately denied any involvement, as it did in July when the MEK accused it of being responsible. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP in an interview that Tehran rejected the French complaint "completely and forcefully", but said the door for discussion was open. "If there is a misunderstanding... about a thing that does not exist, be it a conspiracy by others or a mistake, we can sit down and talk about it," he said Tuesday. The US, which has been intensifying pressure on Iran, warned that "this outrageous behaviour will not be tolerated" in a tweet from the White House's National Security Council. - Raids across Europe - The alleged bomb plot came to light two days after thousands of Iranian opposition supporters gathered at an exhibition centre outside Paris on June 30. The meeting was attended by two allies of US President Donald Trump, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The People's Mujahedeen was formed in the 1960s to overthrow the Shah of Iran and it continues to organise opposition to the current leaders of the Islamic republic who took power following the 1979 revolution. Belgium announced in July that it had arrested a couple in a Brussels suburb who were suspected of preparing to drive a car packed with explosives to the French rally. A total of six people were then detained in coordinated raids by European police, including an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna. The diplomat, Assadollah Asadi, was targeted by the asset freezes announced by French authorities Tuesday, along with Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who the French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. Asadi is set to be extradited to Belgium to face trial, German authorities announced on Monday. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release," a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry said earlier Tuesday. - Diplomatic strains - The measures announced Tuesday come as French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani are at odds over a host of issues. Macron, who hoped to improve ties with Tehran at the start of his presidency last year, has allied with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which limits the Islamic Republic's atomic programme. While Trump has pulled out of the agreement and denounced it, Macron has been a vocal supporter and has worked to keep the accord alive despite US sanctions. But Macron is at loggerheads with Rouhani over the wars in Syria and Yemen, in which Iran is a major player, and has raised concerns about the country's ballistic missile programme. The US considers Iran to be the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism because of its links with a host of armed groups, particularly the powerful Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, as well as other networks in Iraq and Yemen. Iran has been blamed in the past for carrying out attacks in countries as far afield as Argentina, India and Thailand. The French diplomatic source said Iran was suspected of carrying out "several" assassinations of opposition figures in the European Union since 2015. Also Tuesday, around 200 French police launched a dawn anti-terror raid on one of the biggest Shiite Muslim centres in France, the Zahra Centre France, as well as on the homes of its directors. Two of three people arrested were released, according to sources close to the inquiry, while the centre's treasurer will face a hearing on Wednesday for the illegal possession of firearms. The Zahra Centre France was founded in 2009 by Yahia Gouasmi, a pro-regime activist and religious figure who has spoken in support of Hezbollah. burs-adp/kjl/klm/kaf France has announced it is freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives over the alleged plot Around 200 French police launched a dawn anti-terror raid on one of the biggest Shiite Muslim centres in France, the Zahra Centre Macron has allied with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which limits the Islamic Republic's atomic programme The Zahra Centre was founded in 2009 by Yahia Gouasmi, a pro-regime activist and religious figure who has spoken in support of Hezbollah The prime ministers of France and Spain marked their countries' "victory" in fighting ETA in Madrid on Monday, five months after the Basque separatist group disbanded, leaving at least 853 dead in its wake. "We celebrate our common victory against terrorism with mixed feelings," said French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe at a ceremony to highlight both countries' anti-terror cooperation, after ETA disbanded in May. In a symbolic act, the French government handed over 8,000 ETA documents seized in France that could help solve more than 350 unresolved crimes committed during decades of killings, kidnappings and extortion waged for an independent Basque homeland. "France was used as a rear base... by ETA's terrorists and had been fighting its members on its soil for many years," Philippe said. Until the early 1980s, France had been accused of being lenient on ETA members who had taken refuge on its soil. Philippe said the documents would help "feed the work of historians, the work on memory, but also pursue probes of crimes that remain unresolved". Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said peace was achieved "thanks to the determination of all of society and cooperation between Spain and France". At least 853 died at the hands of ETA in its four decades of activity. On the other side, some 62 deaths are attributed to para-police anti-ETA death squads or far-right groups. Two former Spanish Socialist prime ministers, Felipe Gonzalez and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, took part in the ceremony. The former conservative prime ministers Jose Maria Aznar and Mariano Rajoy declined to attend, according to Sanchez's office. ETA called a permanent ceasefire in 2011, and announced it was disarming in April 2017. Waging attacks and kidnappings, the organisation tried and failed to achieve an independent Basque homeland. It was finally brought down by scores of arrests within its ranks and rejection from a majority of the population. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe spoke at a ceremony to mark the cooperation between France and Spain in the fight against the Basque separatist group ETA A French court will rule Tuesday on an American couple's appeal against an order to hand over a painting they bought which had been looted from a Jewish collector during World War II. Bruce and Robbi Toll, wealthy art collectors, bought the painting "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas") by Impressionist master Camille Pissarro in 1995. They say they did not know it had been seized from Jewish collector Simon Bauer in 1943 by the anti-Semitic wartime French government which collaborated with the Nazis. But in November, a French court ruled that Bauer's descendants were the rightful owners of the painting, which the Tolls bought at Christie's in New York for $800,000 (690,000 euros). The verdict mirrors other legal disputes over art and property looted from Jewish owners by the Nazis which were subsequently sold on to often unsuspecting new owners. Bauer was dispossessed of 93 paintings in 1943 by the anti-Semitic wartime French government. The wealthy businessman narrowly escaped death when a train drivers' strike stopped him from being sent to a concentration camp. Bauer recovered a few of his paintings after the war, but never La Cueillette, which Pissarro had painted in gouache in 1887. - 'Bought in good faith' - Bauer died in 1947, two years after the end of World War II. His family spotted an opportunity to get the Pissarro painting back when it went on display at the Marmottan museum in Paris last year during a retrospective of the artist's work. They argued in court that the Tolls, experienced collectors who made their fortune in real estate, must have known the painting was on a list of looted artworks. But the couple, who are patrons of the Washington and Tel Aviv Holocaust museums, insisted they had no idea it had been seized from Bauer. The court accepted their argument that they bought it in good faith. "It is not Mr Toll, who bought this painting at public auction in 1995, who should pay for the crimes of Vichy," their lawyer Ron Soffer told AFP in November, referring to France's puppet regime under the Nazis. Ahead of Tuesday's appeal ruling the painting has been kept locked up by the Musee d'Orsay and Orangerie museums. Out of 650,000 pieces of art stolen by the Nazis, about 100,000 had not been returned by 2009, according to figures released at the Holocaust Era Assets Conference held in the Czech Republic that year. A government decree announced Tuesday that France would boost the powers of the commission which awards compensation to victims of Nazi looting during World War II. The move, promised by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe over the summer, means the Commission for Compensating Looting Victims (CIVS) will now be able to launch an investigation on an individual's request and recommend appropriate compensation. This includes artworks that have made their way into public collections or national museums, according to the decree published in the national gazette. In 2011 a raid on a rubbish-strewn flat in Munich uncovered hundreds of priceless paintings, including works by Picasso and Matisse, that had been stolen by the Nazis. The flat belonged to Cornelius Gurlitt, an octogenarian whose father was one of four art dealers tasked by the Nazis with selling the art. An additional 239 works were found at a house he owned in Salzburg, Austria. Ahead of Tuesday's appeal ruling, the painting has been kept locked up by the Musee d'Orsay, seen here, and Orangerie museums The young daughter of an alleged bashing victim is struggling to understand why Daddy doesnt wake up after her father was left in an induced coma. The 48-year-old father-of-three, who is from a small rural community in Western Australia, was in Perth visiting friends when he was allegedly attacked on Saturday outside a bar in Fremantle. Western Australian Police are still appealing for witnesses to the incident, which happened about 11.20pm on South Terrace. A 48-year-old father of three is in an induced coma after he was knocked unconscious in Fremantle on September 29. Source: WA Police The 48-year-old victim is a father-of-three, the youngest of which is just 10 years old, a WA Police spokesperson said on Tuesday. She is struggling to understand why Daddy doesnt wake up? According to police, three male friends were standing outside a bar on South Terrace when a man unknown to them pushed a 43-year-old man and struck a 36-year-old man. When the 48-year-old father tried to separate the alleged attacker and his 36-year-old friend, he was knocked to the ground and rendered unconscious. The alleged attacker then ran off in a southeasterly direction along South Terrace. Police have released an image of a man they wish to speak to in relation to the incident. Police have released an image of the man they wish to speak to in relation to a bashing in Fremantle that left a man in an induced coma. Source: WA Police He is described as being in his late 20s, approximately 180cm tall, fair skinned with a solid build and short brown hair. He was wearing a grey T-shirt, long black trousers, and black shoes with white laces. His 48-year-old victim has not regained consciousness since the assault and remains in an induced coma. His elderly parents have rushed to Perth to be by his side, police said on Tuesday. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au. Patrons enjoying a quiet drink at a betting bar in the French town of Chantilly, north of Paris, were forced to jump to their feet and flee the venue when a bucking horse stormed in. The terrifying sight, captured on CCTV, shows pub-goers running in panic, trying to scramble away from the frightened animals path. The horses trainer, Jean-Marie Beguigne, told local reporters the horse had abandoned her rider at nearby stables and bolted about 1.5km down the street. A horse has wandered into a bar, terrifying patrons. Photo: Youtube/Jasmin Stephane Mr Beguigne said the horse was known to run away, but it was exceptional that it had made its way as far as the tavern. Between the track and the stables, her rider fell off. The filly escaped by going on to the road, and crossing a roundabout before entering this bar. It is all quite exceptional, he told Ouest France newspaper. Stephane Jasmin, who owns the Chantilly PMU bar, shared the security camera footage to YouTube on Friday. She pushed the door open, and raced straight for the betting corner, Ms Jasmin said. Fortunately there were reportedly no injuries to the patrons or horse. Photo: Youtube/ Jasmin Stephane Then the filly turned around, breaking a table and chairs. Weve never seen anything like it. Fortunately there were reportedly no injuries to the patrons or horse as a result of the four-legged pub-goer charging in. Former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli will contest next year's general election after topping the poll in his party's primaries despite being jailed on corruption charges. Martinelli was one of the top-performing candidates in his right wing Cambio Democratico (Democratic Change) party, taking 44 percent of the votes in his constituency primary. "My greatest wish is to get out soon from this confinement to help our country to overcome the deep crisis that has led to a desire to destroy me politically," Martinelli said in a statement. President from 2009 to 2014, supermarket tycoon Martinelli was extradited from the US in June after he fled to Miami in 2015 to avoid arrest. He will be forced to contest the May 2019 election from behind bars if prosecutors have their way. They sought a 21-year sentence at a pre-trial hearing in July. They accuse him of graft and spying on his political foes, as well as helping embezzle $45 million from a government school lunch program. Cambio Democratico chief Romulo Roux told reporters he never had any doubt 66-year-old Martinelli "was going to win his constituency primary." "That he has taken the number of votes he took shows that he has leadership within the party," said Roux. The government has accused Martinelli of threatening staff at the El Renacer prison and breaching prison rules. The former president's lawyers have requested his release on several occasions for health reasons. He denies the accusations, claiming he is a victim of "political persecution" by the government of President Juan Carlos Varela, his former political ally. Supporters of jailed ex-president Ricardo Martinelli demonstrating outside the supreme court in Panama City on June 11, 2018. A parliamentary vote for a new Iraqi president was delayed on Monday as the Kurds' two dominant parties for the first time contest the post reserved for a Kurd. The election in Baghdad will now take place on Tuesday, two days after parliamentary polls in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and one year after the Kurds' ill-fated independence referendum. The presidency has been reserved for the Kurds since Iraq's first multi-party elections in 2005, two years after the US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. Under a tacit accord between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the PUK would hold the federal presidency and the KDP the post of Iraqi Kurdistan's president. The PUK's late Jalal Talabani served as federal president for eight years. But the Iraqi Kurdish presidency has been left vacant since KDP leader Massud Barzani resigned at the end of his mandate following the September 2017 referendum that he championed. The KDP and PUK candidates for president of Iraq, where the prime minister is head of government, have been touring the south of the country to lobby for support and win the backing of deputies in the federal parliament. The PUK's Barham Saleh, a 58-year-old moderate, has served in both administrations -- as Iraqi deputy premier and Kurdish prime minister. His rival for the post of president is the KDP's Fuad Hussein, a 72-year-old former chief of staff for Barzani and veteran of the opposition to Saddam. Unlike most Kurds, he is a Shiite, a factor likely to win support from members of the Shiite-majority parliament. - Short of quorum - On Monday, fewer than half of the deputies needed for a quorum showed up in parliament on time at 1700 GMT, forcing a new session to be scheduled for 1000 GMT on Tuesday. Under the constitution, if no candidate wins a two-thirds majority, the contest can be rerun on Tuesday or at a later date. Iraq's parliament has chosen a speaker of the house but the post of prime minister has yet to be decided, more than four months after legislative elections. In Iraq, the speaker of parliament is always a Sunni Arab, while the prime minister is Shiite and the president a Kurd. Parliamentary coalitions -- which bring together lists of Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds -- must agree on the selection of the three positions. Iraq's Kurds have been a key US partner in the war against the Islamic State jihadist group and had hoped their role would boost international support for statehood. But a massive "yes" vote in the referendum for independence, deemed illegal by Iraq's federal government and opposed by international powers, backfired drastically. Baghdad imposed economic penalties and sent federal troops to push Kurdish forces out of oil fields vital for the region's economy, depriving it of a key lifeline. Former Iraqi deputy premier Barham Saleh (L) and Fuad Hussein, an ex-chief of staff with the Kurdistan regional government, contest the post of Iraqi president For Imad and his sister Alia, life will never be the same after their father was killed by a landmine and they had to leave their endangered home in Yemen's western Hodeida province. With their house surrounded by the deadly munitions, the two children and their mother, left Al-Dunain village and headed for shelter at the Al-Waara camp in the Khokha district, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the town of Hays. Withdrawing Iran-backed Huthi rebels had dotted the area with mines, their mother Fethiyeh Fartout said. And it was while her husband made his way to market that he was killed on a road "riddled with landmines". "The Huthis then told us to either leave the house or risk being killed," she told AFP. The family is just one of millions caught up in a dragging war in which Huthi rebels have been fighting for more than three years against the Yemeni government, which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition. Rights groups say both sides have committed potential war crimes in the conflict which has killed an estimated 10,000 people, mostly civilians. While the Saudi-led coalition has come under fire for air raids that have killed civilians, including children, in rebel-held areas, the Huthis have been accused of widespread and indiscriminate use of landmines. - 'Long-term threat' - Yemen is a signatory to the international Mine Ban Treaty, which came into force in 1999, and aims to eliminate landmines and clear up vast tracts of polluted land. And indiscriminate use of landmines is deemed a war crime by international bodies. While the Huthi rebels have made no media comments about landmines, in a letter to Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2017 the rebel-controlled foreign ministry in Sanaa denied using landmines or having stockpiles, adding they were "vigilant in abiding by commitments" under the treaty. But for Fartout and her children there is no way to return home, even if they tried, said her father Jamal Fartout. "The Huthis planted landmines everywhere, and their explosives destroyed the roads," he told AFP. "All the roads leading back to our home are lined with explosives." HRW said in June that landmines in Yemen were hindering aid access and entrapping people. "Huthi forces have repeatedly laid antipersonnel, anti-vehicle and improvised mines as they withdrew from areas in Aden, Taez, Marib and, more recently, along Yemen's western coast," the HRW said. Landmines "will pose a threat to civilians long after the conflict ends," it warned. In July, the Washington Institute said that, while landmines have plagued Yemen for decades amid different conflicts, the Huthis are using them today "at an astonishingly high rate." While exact numbers are "notoriously difficult to verify", the institute said one "Yemeni de-mining official claims the Huthis have laid 500,000 mines since 2015" while de-mining teams "have reportedly removed 300,000 landmines". The non-governmental Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor recorded more than 2,100 casualties in Yemen from landmines in 2016. - "Where can we go" - "I asked the Huthis, 'where can we go when the breadwinner of the family was killed by a landmine?'," Fartout said. Hundreds of people now live in make-shift tents in Al-Waara -- partly funded by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key player in the Saudi-led coalition. While dozens of children, some barefoot, run around the camp, one boy sits in a wheelchair -- his leg in a cast. He, too, was a victim of a landmine. According to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), sustained fighting in Hays has killed civilians, destroyed infrastructure and driven mass displacement for more than 10 months. By March 2018, an estimated 12,000 people had been displaced from the districts of Hays and Al-Jarahi, some 25 kilometres from Hays. In June, Saudi Arabia launched a new project for landmine clearance in Yemen, but "landmines will remain a formidable challenge in the postwar era," the Washington Institute added. - Facing famine - The Saudi-led coalition, which intervened in the war in 2015 to bolster Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, accuses Iran of arming the Huthis with explosives and missiles. Since 2015, some 10,000 people -- mostly civilians -- have been killed, but humanitarian officials say the real figures are likely much higher. Yemen has long been the Arab world's most impoverished country. With millions facing starvation, the Fartout family are now among the 22 million people -- three quarters of the population -- in need of food aid. The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) delivers food and aid to the Al-Waara camp approximately every three weeks, said Saeed al-Kaabi, director of UAE's humanitarian operations in Yemen. Each tent receives a package of food, including rice, pasta, beans, tuna, salt and sugar, he said. But the United Nations has warned aid agencies are losing the fight against famine and some 3.5 million people may soon be added the eight million Yemenis already facing starvation. Imad rides a bicycle at al-Waara camp, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Hays, on October 1, 2018, as friends and his sister Alia (R) watch, after being forced out of their home in Yemen's Hodeida province when their father was killed by a landmine Imad (L) his sister Alia (C) and their mother rest in their tent at al-Waara camp in the Khokha district, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Hays, on October 1, 2018 after being forced from their home when their father was killed by a landmine A picture taken on August 8, 2018 during a trip in Yemen organised by the UAE's National Media Council (NMC) shows a Yemeni soldier attending a mine clearance centre funded by the UAE armed forces, near the southeastern port of Mukalla A picture taken on August 8, 2018 during a trip to Yemen organised by the UAE's National Media Council shows Yemeni soldiers loyal to the Saudi and UAE-backed government attending a UAE-funded mine clearance centre near southeastern Mukalla port The mother of Imad (R) and Alia (L) holds their hands in the al-Waara camp in Yemen's Khokha district, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Hays, on October 1, 2018 after they were forced out of their home when their father was killed by a landmine Map of food insecurity in Yemen now and the prediction for next year Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci warned Tuesday that a failure to seize the momentum in fragile talks with Serbia could lead to another decade of "frozen conflict". Thaci was addressing journalists at the World Economic Forum in Geneva following a meeting on western Balkan economic integration that included Serbia's Prime Minister Ana Brnabic and leaders from across eastern Europe. "It is a must to reach a peaceful agreement between Kosovo and Serbia that will bring lasting peace between the two countries," Thaci said. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo, an Albanian-majority former southern province that broke away from the then Yugoslav republic in a bloody war in 1998-99 and declared independence a decade later. Thaci and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic this summer signalled an openness to "border adjustments" aimed at resolving the longstanding feud. Thousands of people took to the streets in Pristina on Saturday to protest Thaci's proposed land-swap. On Tuesday, Thaci chastised his opponents by arguing that the status quo was not sustainable. "Those who have criticised these efforts have failed to give any alternatives," he said. Brnabic underscored that Serbia was committed to pursuing regional stability as it was key to the country's economic growth. But she dismissed any notion that Belgrade might recognise Kosovo's independence. "We will recognise Kosovo for what it is, the autonomous province of the Republic of Serbia. It is not an open question," Brnabic said. Thaci and Vucic had planned to meet in Brussels last month for talks led by the European Union, but the meeting fell apart at the last minute. Serbia needs a deal with Pristina to move forward in EU accession talks, while Kosovo is hoping that recognition from Belgrade will free its path into the United Nations. Kosovo is recognised by more than 110 countries, but outliers include Russia, China and five EU countries, including Spain, which does not want to set an independence precedent for its own regions. "It is a must to reach a peaceful agreement between Kosovo and Serbia that will bring lasting peace between the two countries," said Kosovo's President Hashim Thaci An 81-year-old man has attempted to buy an 8-year-old girl from her mother for $278,000 inside a busy supermarket. Hellmuth Kolb was arrested on Saturday and charged with simple battery and false imprisonment Florida police say, WKMG-TV reported. Tracy Nigh was sitting with her daughter on a bench inside the Walmart when Mr Kolb approached, asked if she was married and started bidding on her daughter. Ms Nigh says she got up to leave but Mr Kolb grabbed her daughter and kissed her wrist. An arrest report says Ms Nigh left with her daughter and alerted store security. Hellmuth Kolb (left) attempted to buy a girl from her mother at a Walmart (right file pic). Source: Volusia County Florida Corrections (left)/Getty (file pic) (right) Authorities say the exchange was caught on camera and Mr Kolb was identified through his credit card transaction and social media, where another woman described a similar experience. Its unclear if Mr Kolb has a lawyer. -With AP The US First Lady on Tuesday pulled faces at babies and handed out teddy bears as she kicked off her maiden solo trip to Africa, offering a softer side to the Trump administration after another turbulent week in Washington. Melania Trump left the sanctuary of the East Wing of the White House for a continent her husband once reportedly said contained "shithole" countries, making her visit as much about mending fences as carving her own diplomatic path. The contrast with last week's high drama over Donald Trump's nomination to the Supreme Court was telling, as a relaxed-looking first lady visited a hospital in Ghana's capital, Accra, to meet mothers and their newborns. The former model did not make a speech but those who met her said afterwards that unlike her mysterious public image she was "warm" and "gentle" in the flesh. "She's very friendly, easy-going and interactive," said Rabiu Fauziya, a 28-year-old paediatric nurse who helped show Trump the neonatal room in the hospital. From there, she met her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, at the presidential residence, Jubilee House, where the pair exchanged gifts of an silver Chippendale tray engraved with an image of the White House and Ghanaian kente cloth. The women met for the first time at the UN General Assembly last month at which President Trump railed against globalism, earning him stern rebukes from world leaders. - 'Showcase' for US aid - On her four-country, week-long tour of Africa, Trump is aiming to cast a more positive light on her embattled husband's administration and its "America First" agenda. The 48-year-old is promoting her Be Best initiative, her official agenda unveiled in May designed to improve children's well-being. Her office has described the trip as a "showcase" for the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), even at a time when her husband's government is looking to slash US aid across the world. The president has equally promised to only provide aid to friendly countries. But unlike her predecessors, Melania Trump's tour will be followed closely to see if she can build bridges after her husband's apparent disparaging comments. In addition to Ghana, the first lady is due to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to Washington early on October 7. - 'Rorschach test in Louboutins' - Trump has typically stayed out of the spotlight since her husband became president yet she has made headlines for rare public appearances. In June, she made a surprise visit to Texas to visit detained children at the Mexican border, wearing a jacket emblazoned with the words "I really don't care. Do U?" No one knew who the message was intended for, leaving it -- and her -- up for interpretation. This ambiguity has led some pundits to describe her as a "Rorschach test in Louboutins" after the interpretative ink blots used in psychoanalysis and the luxury shoes. But as she attempts to step out of her husband's shadow, the Africa trip has been seen as an attempt for her to carve her own diplomatic path. She has previously travelled alone to Canada and joined her husband on several foreign visits. Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the Africa tour is close to her heart. "This is her trip, her initiative," she said. That has not stopped Donald Trump from weighing in last week, when he told journalists that his wife was "making a big trip to Africa". "We both love Africa. Africa is so beautiful, the most beautiful part of the world, in many ways," he added. The US president has yet to travel to Africa since taking office. - Muted response - Trump's visit to Ghana has inevitably drawn comparisons to that of former president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle in 2009. During that visit, Barack Obama gave a speech to parliament saying "Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions". He also toured the Cape Coast Castle, a former slavery outpost, with his family. Ghana is seen as a haven of stability in an often turbulent region but despite the interest back home, the first lady's visit did not appear to have generated similar fervour locally. Unlike the Obamas' visit, the roads from the airport were not packed with onlookers while there was little fanfare in the local media, according to an AFP reporter on the ground. "We in Africa, we like the other administration that came before this one," said Yaw Cobblah, a 46-year-old taxi driver in the capital. Trump was welcomed by a troupe of traditional drummers and dancers Those who met the first lady later described her as 'warm' and 'gentle' The Africa trip has been seen as an attempt for her to carve her own diplomatic path The Obamas visited Ghana's former slavery outposts She donated teddy bears to patients A mayor held up as a model for migrant integration in Italy was placed under house arrest on Tuesday accused of involvement in organising "marriages of convenience" for asylum purposes. Domenico Lucano, the left-leaning mayor of Riace in southern Italy, has made headlines around the world for welcoming migrants to the sparsely-populated village in Calabria in a bid to boost jobs and development. The 60-year old, known as Mimmo, is also accused of skipping a tender process while awarding a garbage management contract to co-operatives with ties to migrants. Prosecutors released a statement Tuesday quoting telephone conversations in which Lucano promised an identity card to someone whose residency permit was no longer valid, saying that the law that prohibits it was "stupid". He was also recorded strongly suggesting an undocumented Nigerian get married in order to get residency. The mayor's arrest stunned some in Italy and reverberated around parts of Europe, where the "Riace model" -- funded since the 2000s with Italian and European funds -- has been hailed as a simple but effective way to both revive depopulated villages and house hundreds of asylum seekers. "European cities must react! Barcelona with Riace!" said Ada Colau, mayor of the Catalonia city, who spent time in Riace this summer. The immigrant programme has seen abandoned houses restored and craft workshops reopened in Riace, attracting tourists, and has been lauded by many as a model of integration. Lucano was even named one of the 100 most influential personalities by Fortune magazine in 2016 and inspired a docu-fiction by Wim Wenders. The hashtag #Riace trended on social media following his arrest and supporters and unionists called for a protest on Saturday in the village. Anti-mafia investigative journalist Roberto Saviano denounced what he described as "the first step in the definitive transformation of Italy into an authoritarian state". "Does it seem possible to you that the problem in Calabria, land of drug trafficking and corruption, is immigration?" he asked, stressing that Lucano's alleged crimes in no way personally benefited the mayor. - 'Fake do-gooders' - But Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigrant League party, slammed "fake do-gooders who would fill Italy with immigrants". The League's coalition partner, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, also declared on its blog: "Not one dime for Riace. The government of change has declared war on the immigration business." Lucano's arrest follows on the heels of Salvini's security and immigration bill, which wants to cut back on small immigration projects inspired by Riace -- favoured by the former centre-left government -- and instead group asylum seekers together in large centres. Small migrant centres currently receive 35 euros a day for each resident with the bulk of the money spent on helping create local jobs in fields such as social work, teaching and in services. A small amount of pocket money is also given to the migrants. Salvini wants to limit the amount to 20 euros a day and scrap humanitarian permits to stay, which allow migrants to remain in the centres -- much to the concern of some towns and villages. In Montesilvano, a sea-side town of 55,000 inhabitants on the Adriatic coast, centre-right mayor Francesco Maragno has supported the closing down of two large centres nearby -- "two ghettos" -- and the opening of smaller structures instead. "People have begun to see the foreigners not as a problem but as an added value," Maragno told AFP, arguing that migrants were helping revamp the town. In Prato, near Florence, left-wing Mayor Matteo Biffoni has no doubts: "We have a system that works and they are trying to make it fail". Domenico Lucano, the left-leaning mayor of Riace in southern Italy, has made headlines around the world for welcoming migrants Manchester United's woes on the field were compounded by problems in just getting to Old Trafford for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Valencia as the United team bus arrived less than 45 minutes before the planned kick-off time. UEFA agreed to put back the 8:00pm (1900 GMT) kick-off to 8:05pm to give United more time to prepare and help fans stuck in traffic. "Kick-off in tonight's #UCL match at Old Trafford has been delayed until 20:05 BST due to significant traffic congestion in the Manchester area," United confirmed via the club's official Twitter account. Under-fire United manager Jose Mourinho is in need of a response from his side after a 3-1 defeat at West Ham on Saturday to already fall nine points behind Premier Leaguer leaders Manchester City and Liverpool. Mourinho made four changes, including a return for Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean failed to even make the bench at the London Stadium on Saturday as he paid for failing to score so far this season and for a poor return of just three goals in 23 games since joining United in January. However, Anthony Martial is dropped after failing to take his chance to impress as Sanchez and Marcus Rashford return in attack alongside Romelu Lukaku. Paul Pogba, who was substituted at the weekend, keeps his place despite his ongoing feud with Mourinho, but Ashley Young, Scott McTominay and Victor Lindelof drop out to make way for Antonio Valencia and Eric Bailly. Chelsea loanee Michy Batshuayi starts alongside Spanish international Rodrigo in attack for Valencia as the Spaniards try to pile more misery on Mourinho and make amends for opening their Champions League campaign with a 2-0 defeat against 10-man Juventus. Alexis Sanchez was recalled to the Manchester United team by Jose Mourinho for Wednesday's Champions League clash with Valencia The leader of Northern Ireland's highly influential Democratic Unionist Party on Tuesday warned British Prime Minister Theresa May against any Brexit compromise with Brussels that could increase checks on trade between the province and the rest of Britain. The DUP are key allies for May, providing her Conservative government with a slim parliamentary majority after the Tories lost their overall majority in the 2017 general election. "We cannot have either a customs border down the Irish Sea or a regulatory border, because that would make us separate from the rest of the United Kingdom", DUP chief Arlene Foster said in an interview with Bloomberg. "That doesn't work from a constitutional perspective and that doesn't work from an economic perspective either." The European Union has proposed that Northern Ireland be allowed to remain in Europe's single market for goods in order to keep the border with the Republic of Ireland open. London has countered that this would breach the integrity of the United Kingdom. Earlier on Tuesday May said on BBC radio that a new proposal would soon be put to the EU, which would preserve trade between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain whilst also satisfying the requirement for some form of checks. "We believe that there is a way that this can be done which does preserve our integrity -- that's the proposal that we're working the details on," May said in a interview, adding that the plan would be revealed "in due course". After a bruising summit in Salzburg, during which her Brexit proposal was roundly rejected by EU leaders, there have been reports that May's latest plan offers a compromise by allowing for some form of regulatory checks in the Irish Sea in exchange for avoiding a customs border. A hard border in Ireland is forbidden under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brokered peace in the region after decades of border clashes between nationalists, unionists and British troops. However in a separate interview published Tuesday, Foster claimed the terms of the accord -- also known as The Belfast Agreement -- could be altered to shape Northern Ireland's relationship with the EU. "It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted 'Remain' (in the EU) and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can't touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context," she said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. "There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation." Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the all-Ireland nationalist party Sinn Fein, said the comments "reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress". Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Arlene Foster (C), attending the Conservative Party conference, has rejected any Brexit compromise on the Irish border Airport staff have been caught on camera throwing suitcases off a Cathay Pacific flight, sparking outrage from the public. The 37 second video shows two luggage handlers at Hong Kong airport grabbing suitcases from a conveyor belt and throwing them into a metal container. This the way that our beloved luggage is treated!! Marcela Fernanda Solis Walker, wrote on Facebook as she posted the video on September 27. I made the video this morning once my flight landed in #hongkongairport. Ms Solis Walker uploaded the video to Facebook on Thursday morning, after taking a Cathay Pacific flight from Xiamen, China to Hong Kong. Hong Kong airport staff throwing suitcases and cardboard boxes has sparked outrage. Source: Facebook/Marcela Fernanda Solis Walker She saw the workers on the tarmac at Hong Kong airport unloading passengers luggage and filmed them. The video shows two men throwing 11 pieces of luggage, including cardboard boxes, as two other workers watch on. The workers unloading the luggage wore the uniform of Hong Kong Airport Services (HAS), a provider owned by Cathay Pacific, reported the SCMP. The video, which has been shared almost 100,000 times, sparked public outrage. Absolutely Horrendous. Everyone of them should be sacked, one Facebook user commented. Dont vent your anger on passengers luggage! another user wrote. The airport workers were filmed throwing luggage. Source: Facebook/Marcela Fernanda Solis Walker Lazy Lazy Lazy, a Facebook user wrote. The woman who posted the video claims that she did not wish harm to the workers. I dont have any intention to make any trouble to the workers, Ms Solis Walker told the South China Morning Post. I only wanted other people to be aware of the situation. A spokesperson for the service provider told the Post it had taken the matter up with the supplier involved. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday rapped Catalonia's separatist leader Quim Torra for "encouraging radicals" a day after clashes erupted in Barcelona on the anniversary of a banned independence referendum. Hundreds of pro-independence protesters knocked down barriers at the entrance of the regional parliament late Monday evening, provoking clashes with police and forcing the leader in Catalonia of anti-secession party Ciudadanos to leave the building under escort. The clashes topped a restive day in the northeastern region, where radical activists, many of them hooded, cut roads and railway lines on the one-year anniversary of the referendum, encouraged by Torra, who earlier in the day had applauded their form of street pressure. "President Torra must abide by his responsibilities and not endanger political normalisation by encouraging radicals to lay siege to institutions which represent all Catalans," Sanchez said in a tweet in his first reaction to the sensitive anniversary. "Violence isn't the way forward." Catalonia's independence referendum on October 1, 2017 was marred by a violent police crackdown on polling stations in footage that went around the world. A year later, the tables turned with images of radical independence supporters cutting roads and railway lines, muscling their way into a government building and clashing with police, making headlines in Spain. Even former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who is in self-exile in Belgium after last October's secession bid, condemned the violence. "If they are hooded they're not from the 1-0," he tweeted in reference to the referendum last year, which eventually led to a short-lived unilateral declaration of independence on October 27. That prompted then prime minister Mariano Rajoy to sack the regional government, dissolve the Catalan parliament and call snap local elections. "If they use violence they're not from the 1-0. We did it with our faces uncovered and in a peaceful way." Catalan regional police officer face off with protesters outside the Spanish Govenment's local office in Girona on Sunday's first anniversary of a banned referendum on secession A tourist taunting an endangered sea lion on a beach has been slammed by the public, accusing the woman of utter stupidity. The endangered sea lion was resting on a beach in Sandfly Bay in Dunedin, New Zealand when the woman approached. The woman disturbed the sea lion by dancing and waving her arms for about 20 seconds, standing just metres in front of the creature. The sea lion finally snapped and lunged at the woman who quickly ran away. The footage was filmed by local woman Glynis Corson, who was walking with her family about 80 metres away and uploaded to YouTube as a public warning. The woman taunted the sea lion at a New Zealand beach (pictured). Source: YouTube/G Corson Tourist coming to NZ need to respect its wildlife and have a sound mind when walking around the beaches [sic], Ms Corson wrote on YouTube. This is an example of a complete lack of education when it comes to Sea lions. This person was within 1.5 Metres and really very lucky they did not get hurt. The public is up in arms over the tourists irresponsible behaviour. Stupidity at its best, one Facebook user wrote. Such stupidity and if she was attacked the sea lion would be blamed!!!! another Facebook user wrote. This sort of behaviour should be reported! someone else wrote. The woman danced and waved her arms at the sea lion. Source: YouTube/G Corson New Zealand sea lions are one of the rarest sea lion species in the world, according to the New Zealand Department of Conservation. An adult male sea lion can weigh up to 450 kilograms and reach a size of about 3.5 metres in length. There are only about 12,000 creatures in the country. However, their main breeding colony is in decline due to factors including human impacts and fisheries interactions. Following the incident, Ms Corson approached the woman and told her off for the incident. I had the chance to vent at this person, Ms Corson wrote. Just how stupid they were and to have a thought for the wildlife-not their photo. The seal related incident comes after a little Canadian girl who was dragged into the water by a sea lion in 2017. The Nazis stole thousands of artworks from Jewish families during World War II and their restitution has been a slow process, involving legal battles, complex searches and some stunning finds. After a French appeals court ruled Tuesday that a painting by impressionist master Camille Pissarro must be returned to the family from which it was stolen, here is some background. - Plunder and rescue - The art plundered by the Nazi regime was intended to be resold, given to senior officials or displayed in the Fuehrermuseum (Leader's Museum) that Adolf Hitler planned for his hometown of Linz but was never built. Just before the end of the war, the United States dispatched to Europe teams of experts -- museum directors, curators and educators -- to find, protect and rescue cultural treasures. Known as the Monuments Men, they were honoured in a 2014 George Clooney film of the same name. Their efforts enabled the return of most of the looted works to their owners soon after the end of the war. But out of 650,000 stolen pieces, about 100,000 had not been returned by 2009, according to figures released at the Holocaust Era Assets Conference in the Czech Republic that year. - Secret records - Works seized by the Nazis in France were stored at the Jeu de Paume site in Paris, before being shipped to Germany. Thanks to secret notes of art historian Rose Valland, about 60,000 were recovered and three-quarters returned before 1950, according to a 2013 report to the French Senate. Of the remaining "orphaned" pieces, some were sold and more than 2,000 were accorded a special status under which they were provisionally entrusted to museums. Some were exhibited from 1950 to 1954, but then, "for 40 years, nothing happened", said the 2000 Matteoli report on the looting from French Jews. - New impetus - After a period of inertia in the context of the Cold War, the process was revived in the 1990s after the online publication of databases such as The Art Loss Register. In December 1998, 44 countries signed the Washington Declaration that committed them to stepping up efforts to return stolen pieces to their pre-war owners or their heirs. In 2016 the US Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act lengthened the time limit for lodging a restitution claim. - The Klimt affair - In one of the biggest cases involving art stolen by the Nazis, five masterpieces by Gustav Klimt were caught up in a legal battle between a descendant of the Jewish family from which they were taken and Austria's Belvedere Museum. They included two stunning portraits of Adele Bloch-Bauer, completed with gold leaf. American heiress Maria Altmann said they belonged to her uncle, Adele's husband, and the pieces were returned to the family in 2006. The story was adapted into the 2015 film "Woman in Gold". - A spectacular find - In 2011 a tax raid on a Munich flat uncovered hundreds of priceless paintings stolen by the Nazis, including works by Picasso and Matisse. The flat belonged to octogenarian Cornelius Gurlitt whose father had been tasked with selling the pieces. An additional 239 works were found at a house he owned in Salzburg, Austria. When Gurlitt passed away in 2014, he left his collection to the Museum of Fine Arts in Bern, Switzerland. Many of the pieces have since been subject to legal challenges across Germany. - Recent restitutions - In February 2018 France returned three paintings by the Flemish master Joachim Patinir, "Triptych of the Crucifixion", to the descendants of the Bromberg family who were forced to sell them as they fled the Nazis. And in June, a Berlin museum said it had formally restituted a 15th century religious wooden sculpture to the heirs of the former owners, a Jewish couple who fled the Nazi regime. The jewel of gothic art remains in the museum under an accord struck with the heirs. Gustav Klimt's "Adele Blocher-Bauer II", one of the paintings seized by the Nazis and later caught up in a legal battle over ownership An Istanbul court on Tuesday sentenced a gunman to 10 months in jail over a 2016 shooting incident targeting an opposition journalist, but acquitted him of threatening with a gun. Can Dundar, the opposition journalist targetted in the incident, who now lives in exile in Germany, condemned the penalty as absurdly light and likely to encourage further attacks. At the time of the May 6, 2016 attack, Dundar was editor of opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper and locked in a legal battle with the authorities over his reporting. He was waiting outside the Istanbul court during a break in the hearing when Sahin aimed the gun and fired, but was bundled away by police. Although Dundar was unharmed in the attack, an NTV journalist was hit in the leg. The court sentenced gunman Murat Sahin to 10 months in jail and ordered him to pay a 4,500 lira fine (750 dollars), Turkish media reported. But it acquitted him of the charge of threatening with a gun, jailing him for "carrying an unlicensed gun". He was fined the 4,500 lira for wounding the NTV journalist. Responding to the verdict on social media, Dundar wrote: "What is the punishment of firing a gun at a journalist in Turkey? Acquittal. If the assailant injures another mistakenly? 4,500 lira. "This decision is a medal given to a person who pointed gun at journalist. And it is a message of support to those who fire: 'Don't hesitate. The state is behind you.'" Dundar was on trial at the time over a Cumhuriyet story that alleged Turkey was sending arms to militants in Syria. He was eventually sentenced to five years and 10 months jail for revealing state secrets. While free pending appeal he fled to Germany, saying there was no reason to serve the jail sentence for his Cumhuriyet story. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had vowed he would "pay a price" for the report. During a visit to Berlin last week, Erdogan handed Germany a list of dozens of people it wants extradited, including Dundar. "He is a person who has disclosed state secrets," he said. "It is our natural right to want the extradition of a guilty individual." Gunman Sahin, although detained following the attack, had been released on bail by the court in October 2016 pending trial. Can Dundar, the opposition Turkish journalist, targetted in the incident, condemned the sentence as absurdly light A United Nations legal expert has voiced concern over India's plan to deport on Wednesday seven Rohingyas to Myanmar where the army is accused of ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority. The men have been held in prison in Assam state on charges of illegally entering India and are due to be sent back on October 3, the UN Special Rapporteur on racism, Tendayi Achiume, said Tuesday. "Given the ethnic identity of the men, this is a flagrant denial of their right to protection and could amount to refoulement," the law professor said in a statement. "The Indian government has an international legal obligation to fully acknowledge the institutionalised discrimination, persecution, hate and gross human rights violations these people have faced in their country of origin and provide them the necessary protection." Achiume said New Delhi was obliged to refer Rohingyas under its custody to the UN refugee agency to assess their protection needs. More than 700,000 ethnic Rohingya fled an offensive by Myanmar troops launched nearly a year ago in reprisal for attacks on border posts by Rohingya rebels who took up arms against the ill-treatment of the stateless minority. The United Nations has termed the repression "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide". Myanmar's army has denied nearly all wrongdoing, insisting its campaign was justified to root out Rohingya insurgents. The UN expert said she was "appalled" at the amount of time the seven men from Kyauk Daw township in central Rakhine state had been detained. "Prolonged detention of this kind is prohibited," Achiume said. "It could be considered arbitrary, and could even fall under the category of inhuman and degrading treatment." The scheduled deportations follow an Indian government order last year to return Rohingyas, but the Supreme Court is still considering a petition challenging the order on the grounds it was unconstitutional. The UN expert said nearly 200 Rohingyas are known to be detained in India on charges of illegal entry. "We urge the government of India to abide by the international norm of non-refoulement and protect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees including Rohingyas," she said. While successive waves of Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh, small numbers have found their way to India and Nepal while a small community has also been established in Pakistan. Seven Rohingya men held since 2012 in prison in Assam state on charges of illegally entering India are due to be sent back to Myanmar on October 3 An American couple on Tuesday lost their bid to win back a painting by Impressionist master Camille Pissarro, as a French court confirmed it must be handed to the family of the Jewish collector it was looted from during World War II. Wealthy art collectors Bruce and Robbi Toll had launched an appeal after a court ruled in November that the painting belonged by rights to the descendants of Simon Bauer, a Jewish businessman disappropriated by the Nazis in 1943. The Tolls insisted they had no idea the painting, "La Cueillette" ("Picking Peas"), had been looted when they bought it at Christie's in New York in 1995 for $800,000 (692,000 euros). But the Paris appeals court ruled Tuesday that the original court decision stood, in a move hailed by the Bauer family. The ruling "gives victims of the savagery committed by the Vichy government the right to recover their looted possessions, without a time limit", their lawyer Cedric Fischer said in a statement. The Vichy regime, France's anti-Semitic wartime government which collaborated with the Nazis, seized 93 paintings from Bauer. The wealthy businessman narrowly escaped death when a train drivers' strike stopped him from being sent to a concentration camp. Bauer recovered a few of his paintings after the war, but never La Cueillette, which Pissarro had painted in gouache in 1887. - 'Bought in good faith' - The verdict paves the way for the Bauer family to retrieve the painting, which during the court case has been kept locked up by the Musee d'Orsay and Orangerie museums. The ruling mirrors other legal disputes over art and property looted from Jewish owners by the Nazis which were subsequently sold on to often unsuspecting new owners. Out of 650,000 pieces of art stolen by the Nazis, about 100,000 had not been returned by 2009, according to figures released at the Holocaust Era Assets Conference held in the Czech Republic that year. Bauer died in 1947, two years after the end of World War II. His family spotted an opportunity to get the Pissarro painting back when it went on display at the Marmottan museum in Paris last year during a retrospective of the artist's work. They argued in court that the Tolls, experienced collectors who made their fortune in real estate, must have known the painting was on a list of looted artworks. But the court accepted the argument that the Tolls, who are patrons of the Washington and Tel Aviv Holocaust museums, bought it in good faith. "It is not Mr Toll, who bought this painting at public auction in 1995, who should pay for the crimes of Vichy," their lawyer Ron Soffer had told AFP in November. A government decree announced Tuesday that France would boost the powers of the commission which awards compensation to victims of Nazi looting. The move, promised by Prime Minister Edouard Philippe over the summer, means the Commission for Compensating Looting Victims (CIVS) will now be able to launch an investigation on an individual's request and recommend appropriate compensation. This includes artworks that have made their way into public collections or national museums, according to the decree published in the national gazette. In 2011 a raid on a rubbish-strewn flat in Munich uncovered hundreds of priceless paintings, including works by Picasso and Matisse, that had been stolen by the Nazis. The flat belonged to Cornelius Gurlitt, an octogenarian whose father was one of four art dealers tasked by the Nazis with selling the art. An additional 239 works were found at a house he owned in Salzburg, Austria. Ahead of Tuesday's appeal ruling, the painting has been kept locked up by the Musee d'Orsay, seen here, and Orangerie museums A lawyer for the US pastor whose detention in Turkey sparked a crisis with Washington will appeal Wednesday to the constitutional court for his release. The move comes ahead of an October 12 hearing in the Andrew Brunson case and amid growing expectations he will be allowed to return home. Since July, Brunson has been under house arrest at his home in the western city of Izmir. Previously, he had been held in jail after being detained in October 2016. His lawyer, Cem Halavurt, told AFP they would lodge the appeal in Ankara at 0700 GMT Wednesday. Brunson, an evangelical who runs a small evangelical Protestant church in Izmir, is the centre of a bitter standoff between the Turkey and the United States. Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey over the summer and Ankara imposed sanctions of its own, leading to an escalation that prompted a crash in value of the Turkish lira. The Turkish authorities detained Brunson on allegations of assisting groups branded as terrorist, part of a crackdown by the Turkish government following the failed coup in 2016. But there have been signs the standoff could be easing. Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his hope Turkey would release the pastor. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday Ankara hoped to rebuild relations with Washington, while adding that the pastor was on trial for his "murky relations with terror groups". The easing of tension has helped the Turkish lira recover from historic lows in recent weeks. Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist for the Hurriyet daily, wrote Monday that the court on October 12 might rule to lift Brunson's house arrest and travel ban, allowing him to return home. US pastor Andrew Craig Brunson is currently under house arrest in the western city of Izmir Bolivia's President Evo Morales lashed out Tuesday as a "biased" International Court of Justice ruling that rejected La Paz's demand for access to the sea from neighbor Chile. Morales told reporters in La Paz that he would personally send a letter to the court "showing the contradictions" in the court's verdict "which did not give justice to Bolivia." Morales -- who petitioned the world court in 2013 to oblige Chile to give landlocked Bolivia a land corridor to the Pacific -- attended the reading of the court verdict in The Hague. Bolivia lost 400 kilometers (250 miles) of coastline in a 1879-1883 war with Chile. Ever since, Santiago has rejected every attempt by its smaller and poorer neighbor to win it back. The issue has long been a strain on relations between the two South American countries. Morales told reporters on his return from The Hague that the court "knows very well where this injustice comes from: the invasion of Bolivian territory." "It is not possible for the court to benefit invaders," the firebrand leftist leader said. Morales -- who has been in power since 2006 -- also announced he would send a letter of protest to the United Nations so that world opinion would be aware of the injustice suffered by Bolivia. Bolivia's President Evo Morales arriving at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on October 1, 2018. Images of an emaciated child crying and a boy hobbling on crutches are among more than 100 paintings on display in Yemen's rebel-held capital aimed at highlighting the human suffering of war. The week-long exhibition, inaugurated by rebel leaders, is being held at an ultramodern gallery that stands in sharp contrast to the rest of conflict-scarred Sanaa. "It's a message to all humanity," said Akram Yahya Baker, head of the People's Development Foundation, considered close to the rebels. Art enthusiast Fouad Naji sees in the exhibition a "sign of resistance despite the wounds and blockade". The show, which opened on Saturday, is the result of a workshop launched in early 2018 that saw artists visit bomb sites in Sanaa for inspiration, according to organisers. Yemen's capital, controlled by the Iran-backed Huthi Shiite insurgents, is frequently bombed by the warplanes of a Saudi-led coalition that intervened in 2015 on the side of the government. The conflict has left around 10,000 people dead and more than 56,000 wounded since 2015, according to the World Health Organization, though aid workers believe the actual toll is much higher. The war, coupled with an air and sea blockade, has ravaged the already weak economy and created what the UN has described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. A Yemeni woman and her child visit an art exhibition in the rebel-held capital Sanaa on October 1, 2018 Yemenis visit an art exhibition aimed at showing the human cost of war in the rebel-held capital Sanaa on October 1, 2018 A Yemeni child touches a painting at an anti-war art exhibition in the capital Sanaa on October 1, 2018 A young British man who woke up unable to move or speak because of a massive brain tumour risks being stranded in Thailand after being slapped with a bill for hundreds of thousands of dollars. George Gannon, 29, was diagnosed with a frontal lobe malignant tumour on the left side of his brain after complaining of headaches for weeks before losing all coordination on September 25 at his home in Koh Phangang. The DJ and social media consultant, who has lived in the country since 2014, now faces a major operation to remove the tumour at a hospital in Koh Samui after he was transported there by ambulance boat. But Georges family have been told he is unfit to travel back the UK and now face massive medical bills as he does not have medical insurance. The bills could cost up to $1000 a day for treatment, more than $6000 for an operation and potentially $180,000 for flights home. George Gannon (pictured in hospital bed) faces massive medical bills. Source: Caters Cancer survivor faces second battle Doctors believe the tumour could be a reoccurrence of a skin cancer which Mr Gannon battled in 2013 before he moved to Thailand. His 53-year-old mum, Sarah Evison, has been in constant contact with Georges girlfriend Natalie Hobbs. Its been absolutely terrifying, Ms Evison said. I was in bed and noticed I had several missed messages. It wasnt until Id come downstairs that I saw it was Natalie saying hed been taken very poorly. I broke down. Your maternal instinct kicks in and I didnt know which way to turn. I was like a rabbit in the headlights. You cant just throw your stuff in a bag and fly to the other side of the world. Although you desperately want to be with them you have to be practical. I had no idea what to do or who to call. After several hours, Ms Hobbs told Ms Evison that her son had suffered a massive loss of coordination over his body. Mr Gannon (pictured right) is battling a brain tumour in Thailand. Source: Caters Desperate race to Thailand Ms Evison and Mr Gannons brother Freddie are now set to travel to Thailand to be with George. The operation is costing 3,500 (AUD$6,000) but further treatment goes day by day, Georges sister Grace, 25, said. Story continues Weve been told flights though could 100,000 (AUD$180,000). Its been very, very stressful. We just want him back here but we know its not feasible at the moment so were trying to get as much sorted out as we can. The doctors have told us the best-case scenario that he could be home in three weeks, but we dont know. We thought it was the last of it but you just dont expect it to return when you have an operation like that. Hes amazing, hed do anything for anybody at any time. He just wants to help and give back to people. Heartmelting support from friends Despite the cost, the family are determined to get their boy back home where he belongs. I just want to go and get him home and have him surrounded by familiarity, mother Ms Evison said. Hes aware that hell have to come back to the UK for medical treatment. Were currently trying to find hospitals near to home thatll take him. His family has been overwhelmed by the support from Mr Gannons friends in Thailand and the UK. Its been overwhelming, gobsmacking, heartmelting and really humbling, Ms Evison said. Were very lucky. Weve had donations and messages from across the world. People are holding raffles and bucket collections over in Koh Phangang. Were not alone in this and it goes to show how much love George and Natalie have. A GoFundMe page for Mr Gannon has raised more than $36,000. with Caters A central New York law enforcement organization is supporting Onondaga County Comptroller Bob Antonacci in the 50th Senate District race. The Onondaga County Deputy Sheriffs' Police Association endorsed Antonacci, a Republican, to succeed retiring state Sen. John DeFrancisco. Antonacci's opponent in the race is Democratic candidate John Mannion, a biology teacher at West Genesee High School in Camillus. Jeffrey Passino, president of the Onondaga County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, lauded Antonacci as an official with a "long record of commitment to law enforcement and public safety in our county and New York state." It's the first law enforcement endorsement for Antonacci in the 50th Senate District race, which is considered one of the most competitive state legislative campaigns in New York. Antonacci has received other endorsements. On Tuesday, the National Federation of Independent Business in New York threw its support behind the Republican nominee. Mannion has been endorsed by Auburn Police Local 195, the union representing the city's police officers. Antonacci is familiar with the Onondaga County Deputy Sheriffs' Association. He has been the top fiscal officer in the county since 2008. The organization is a member of the Police Conference of New York and the Central New York Coalition of Police Benevolent Associations. "Keeping our families safe is something I take very seriously, and I will continue to partner with the men and women of law enforcement to do everything possible to achieve that goal," Antonacci said in a statement. "These heroes are there day in and day out to protect us from harm. When I get to the state Senate, they are always going to have my full support." Antonacci will appear on the Republican, Conservative, Independence and Upstate Jobs lines. Mannion has the Democratic, Women's Equality and Working Families lines. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A community college, trucking company and a pair of manufacturers are among the entities seeking state funding through the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council. The panel's priority projects for the eighth round of the annual initiative includes five in the Cayuga County area. Overall, the council is seeking more than $20.3 million in Empire State Development funding for 30 projects in Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga and Oswego counties. Cayuga Community College applied for a $1.2 million grant and $400,000 in additional state funds for a $6 million project that would establish a new workforce development center on Grant Avenue in Auburn. The 19,243-square-foot structure is owned by Cornell Cooperative Extension. The renovation of the building will create 35 construction jobs, according to the regional council. The county is pursuing a $65,000 grant and $58,500 in other state funding to develop a plan for the CNY Peacemaker Trail. The study will seek to promote tourism in the region and bike touring opportunities for visitors. One of the major projects deemed a priority by the regional council is a $10.8 million expansion at Page Trucking, which is operated by Keith Titus Corporation. The Brutus-based company requested $1.5 million in funding from Empire State Development and $374,988 in other state funds for the renovation and expansion of its existing facility. The company wants to establish a driver and diesel mechanic training center and create a health and wellness center for traveling truck drivers, mechanics and other workers in the industry. The project will preserve 59 jobs and create 41 direct new jobs. It's the latest step taken by the company to rebuild after a major fire at the property in December. Auburn-based Volpi Manufacturing, a Swiss company that manufactures optoelectronic modules for the life sciences and medical industries, applied for a $320,000 grant to support its $1.9 million plant expansion. The project will preserve 25 jobs at the plant and allow for the creation of 17 new jobs. In nearby Elbridge, Northeastern Electronics wants to construct a new 18,000-square-foot facility near its existing facilities along Route 5. The project will cost $3.55 million. The company applied for a $350,000 grant from the state. If the project advances, Northeastern Electronics will retain 48 employees and create 30 new jobs. The central New York regional council will learn later this year whether it's a top performer in the annual competition. The state regional economic development council awards ceremony is usually held in December. Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Dana Balter shook up the 24th Congressional District race Monday when her campaign announced that she raised $1.5 million in the third quarter of 2018. It's a staggering amount for a congressional candidate, especially here in central New York. The Citizen reviewed Federal Election Commission records dating back to the 1980s. Balter's haul is the most a Syracuse-area congressional candidate has raised in one quarter. That may not be the only record Balter, D-Syracuse, sets in the 24th district race. By raising a seven-figure sum from July 1 through Sept. 30, she is in position to break the record for most money raised by a challenger in this Syracuse-area congressional district. The best-funded congressional challenger to date was Dan Maffei in 2012. Maffei, a Democrat who served in Congress from 2009 to 2011, challenged then-U.S. Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, a Republican, in the newly drawn 24th district. In that campaign, he raised $2,032,959.47 the most ever raised by a challenger. Maffei won the 2012 election and served another term in the House of Representatives. The runner-up for the best-funded congressional campaign in the Syracuse area is Colleen Deacon, who raised $1,490,226 in 2016. Despite her sizable fundraising total, she didn't come close to defeating incumbent U.S. Rep. John Katko, who won reelection by more than 20 points. When Katko, R-Camillus, was a challenger in 2014, he raised $1,029,766. Despite being outspent by Maffei, the Republican won the election by 20 points. In 2006 and 2010, the challengers didn't crack seven figures. Maffei, who narrowly lost to longtime U.S. Rep. Jim Walsh 12 years ago, raised $958,298 for that campaign. And Buerkle, a Republican who upset Maffei in 2010, raised $837,440 in her successful bid. Entering the third quarter, Balter raised $456,545 since she launched her campaign in September 2017. While the exact amount she raised isn't known her campaign only released preliminary data the $1.5 million figure would put her just shy of $2 million raised this election cycle. Balter's third quarter haul included more than 40,000 contributions. The average donation was under $35, according to her campaign, and more than 95 percent of all donations were for less than $100. The fundraising performance erases one of the criticisms of her campaign that she couldn't raise the money to compete in the 24th district race. Her campaign's financial position was one reason national Democrats encouraged Juanita Perez Williams to enter the race. The primary between Balter and Perez Williams pitted the progressive wing of the party against the Washington establishment. Perez Williams had backers with deep pockets, but Balter had scores of volunteers and enough money to run a viable campaign. She won by a wide margin to set up the general election race against Katko. Despite the primary win, there was a question of whether Balter would be able to raise the money needed to mount a serious challenge to Katko's incumbency. The Republican congressman is seeking a third term and had more than $1.6 million in the bank entering the third quarter. Before her $1.5 million haul, Balter only had $113,305 in her campaign account. With her record-setting quarter, she has the funds to compete against Katko. "I'm proud of our work, and honored by the support for my campaign," Balter said. "Central and western New York need a representative who will show up, listen and stand up for all the people who live here. That's how we've built this campaign one conversation, one volunteer, one contribution at a time. And we did it all without a single cent of corporate PAC money." Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 Seven security-related measures sponsored by U.S. Rep. John Katko have been included in legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration. The House of Representatives passed the FAA Reauthorization Act last week. Congress also approved a short-term extension of the existing FAA authorization to provide more time to finalize a long-term reauthorization. The FAA bill contains legislation Katko, R-Camillus, sponsored to ensure only passengers who are enrolled in trusted traveler programs are allowed to use the Transportation Security Administration's PreCheck lanes at airports. The House passed the PreCheck is PreCheck Act in September, but the FAA measure is the vehicle being used to advance the proposal in Congress. Katko's Aviation Employee Screening and Security Enhancement Act is also part of the FAA legislation. The language aims to improve vetting of aviation employees by expanding access to the FBI's Rap Back program. The measure also requires an assessment of how much it would cost to conduct full employee screening at U.S. airports. Other Katko-sponsored provisions added to the FAA bill include: The TSA Administrator Modernization Act, which would establish a five-year term for the agency's chief. Katko introduced this measure to address the high turnover rate. Since he took office in 2015 and became chair of the House Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security, there have been six acting or permanent TSA administrators. The Transportation Security Technology Reform Act, which permits the TSA Systems Integration Facility to advance testing of new security capabilities. The provision also aims to increase transparency in TSA's procurement process. Language from the Cuban Airport Security Act to address security vulnerabilities on flights between Cuba and the U.S. The purpose of the measure is to provide Congress with more information on passenger screening in Cuba and the state of security at Cuban airports. TSA will be required to boost security standards at other international airports that serve as a last point of departure to the U.S. The Traveler Redress Improvement Act, which seeks to expand air traveler rights. Passengers who believe they have been incorrectly placed on a no-fly list are allowed to use this program now. But the legislation would expand the program to include passengers who wish to contest their selection for enhanced screening or vetting. The Surface Transportation Security and Technology Accountability Act, which will establish an advisory committee to gather input on improving surface transportation security policies. "The seven measures included within the FAA reauthorization that passed the House (last) week will make travel easier and safer nationwide," Katko said in a statement. "As our nation continues to face threats to aviation, I've made it a priority as chairman of the Transportation and Protective Security committee to keep our airports safe, secure and efficient for travelers and for the men and women who work in this industry." After the House's passage last week, the legislation awaits action in the Senate. The upper house could vote on the measure as early as Tuesday. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Seven New York counties could be in line for federal help after President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration Tuesday. The state requested the disaster declaration after flash flooding affected seven counties in the Finger Lakes region and Southern Tier. The storms occurred in mid-August and caused significant damage. In Seneca County, firefighters were trapped as they were assisting town of Lodi residents impacted by the floods. New York's U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer supported New York's request for a major disaster declaration and sent a letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long urging him to be prepared if Trump approved the aid. Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, explained that the declaration will help the recovery and rebuilding efforts in the affected counties. "This is an important and vitally-needed shot in the arm for the Rochester-Finger Lakes and Southern Tier communities that were ravaged by the devastating flooding this August," he said. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., added: "I pushed for this disaster declaration because it will provide much-needed federal funding to help expedite the recovery process. I will continue to work with FEMA to make sure that our communities receive the support that they need to rebuild." Representatives from FEMA joined state officials to assess the damage. It was determined that the damage exceeded the $28.29 million threshold to qualify for federal aid. With the disaster declaration, grants will be available to the state and local governments in the affected area. The funding will reimburse municipalities for costs associated with emergency work and repairing damaged facilities, according to a news release. Additional funding is available for hazard mitigation measures, the White House said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sometimes, gifting is a crap shoot. You dig around and hope for the best, and you just might come up with gold. Here's some serendipitous insp Before Auburn Community Hospital opened its new Infusion Treatment Center this summer, patients didnt have too many choices. Director of Nursing Amber Sitterly said that if patients wanted to receive infusion treatment at the hospital, they would have to be placed in a bed in an inpatient room, which could mean less privacy or perhaps sharing a room with someone who is sick. The other option, Sitterly explained, was traveling as far as Syracuse, Rochester or Geneva for infusion treatment. "The goal was to develop an area where people from our community could come (and not) have to worry about someone sick being right next to them," Sitterly said. The new Infusion Treatment Center, centrally located on the hospital's first floor, was created by renovating an existing space and relocating the billing department. The goal was for the center to be as accessible and convenient as possible, Sitterly added, so that patients could come, park in the parking garage and walk right in without even having to use the elevator. "Part of this is really upgrading the service," said Matt Chadderon, the hospital's communications manager. The hospital wanted to be more of a one-stop shop for patients, he added, since many of those treated in the infusion center have multiple health issues. The center is capable of offering almost every type of infusion or injection, including antibiotics, vaccines and iron supplementation. Some of the most common infusions offered so far, Sitterly said, have been Tysabri infusions, which are given to people with multiple sclerosis once a month, and blood or blood platelet transfusions. Sitterly explained that many patients need routine blood work as well. Before the Infusion Treatment Center opened, patients would have to come to the hospital to get blood work done and then wait in the waiting room for up to a few hours for results, or until an inpatient bed became available. Sometimes, Sitterly added, the hospital had to reschedule infusions due to lack of hospital bed availability. Patients who needed blood work done prior to treatments would have to wait, schedule their infusions for another day altogether or take the time to travel to another area hospital. "It really just wasn't a great process," Sitterly said. Since the center opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 12, it has averaged about five patients a day with all positive feedback, Sitterly said. Without needing to coordinate with other entities for treatment, she added, the process is more seamless for both the patients and the hospital. Sitterly said there is a gentleman who comes to the hospital weekly for infusions. Before the center opened, because he needed to wait for blood work lab results, his visits could be as long as six hours. Now, they take about half that time or less. "He has literally probably been in every bed in this hospital," Sitterly said. "He absolutely loves (the infusion center) ... he raves about it." Sitterly said the patient has also told staff that the center is great, and that hes happy not to be in an inpatient bed. The option at the center to close curtains for privacy while receiving treatment, or leave them open to socialize, is also appreciated, Sitterly said. The center is really, in a lot of ways, to improve the patient experience," Chadderon agreed. The hospital, he added, desires to offer as many services as possible under one roof because the community expects, needs and deserves that level of care. The center has helped give (patients) a little bit of their control back, Sitterly said. Staff writer Megan Ehrhart can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or megan.ehrhart@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @MeganEhrhart. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. What can you learn from seven days in Israel? Well, certainly some geography. Flying at an altitude of just under 40,000 feet at around 580 mph, our Boeing made the Newark-Tel Aviv trip in 10 hours. The distance is just under 6,000 miles, a quarter of the way around the earth at the equator. This is a different order of trip from Newark to London or Newark to Paris, each around 3,500 miles. I watched the planes progress on a screen in the back of the seat in front of me. It was painfully slow! We were going to Israel because Louise and I wanted to see someplace different from North America or Europe. Israel is in the Middle East, an area sometimes referred to as Southwest Asia. Asia! We were going to Asia! And this was the Holy Land. There were 12 of us on the tour. Our leader was Mikki, a tall Israeli man of bout 50, a Navy veteran, son of German parents, speaking several languages. We were to spend two nights in Tel Aviv, one in Nazareth and four in Jerusalem. Mikey pointed out that Israel is about 370 miles from top to bottom, and consists of three zones: the Mediterranean coastal plain, the central mountains and the Jordan River valley, along which runs a geological fault that sometimes slips and causes earthquakes. At 8,000 square miles, Israel is the size of New Jersey, but the southern half of the country is desert. Tel Aviv is a new city. Jaffa, its port, is very ancient. The Crusaders landed here, and Napoleon arrived in 1798, trying to cut British lines to India, even dreaming of invading India. Some of Napoleons soldiers are reported to have burst into tears at first seeing the desert. Even today, the house numbers in the two towns are marked by small blue and white plaques, like the ones in France. On tour the first morning in Jaffa, I saw a black-and gray tiger cat basking contentedly in the sun, tried to pet it, and spent an afternoon in a Tel Aviv hospital getting a tetanus shot and a dressing for the scratch on my left hand. From then on, my traveling companions warned me about every cat they saw approaching! There was time later in the afternoon to walk along the rocky coast. There are no tides in the Mediterranean, but if there is wind, there is surf. On the land side, behind the beach hotels, is a dense city landscape in earth tones, with scattered high rises. Israel is hot in the summer. Average highs are in the upper 80s, and it is humid. And on a tour, you have to keep moving. Direct sunlight is brutal. The best time to visit is the rainy season, from October through March, but summer was the time we had. We were told to keep hydrated. Dino, our bus driver, stocked a cache of water bottles. It was a dollar a pop, but the accounting was approximate. On Tuesday morning, Mikki got us up early and we started north, along the coast road. And after an hour, we arrived at the ancient port town of Caesarea, founded around 20 B.C. The air was still cool; there were few tourists. Here was a Roman theater with a modern sound stage, and in the near distance, the remains of a Roman aqueduct crossed the plain. This system had conveyed spring water from many miles away. Nearby, two large Roman columns were in line with a tall power plant smokestack in the distance. Too soon it was time to leave. Ahead was Acre, and lunch. When you are hungry, everything almost - tastes good. But my pita pocket, filled with hummus and fried chicken, was the meal of the trip. Did I dare sample a frosty Maccabee beer? No: It would have put me to sleep! We were destined to eat a lot of hummus on this trip. At Acre, a port city fortified by the Crusaders, Napoleons army encountered plague. Acre is as far as he went. On ancient stone walls we saw projected a funeral procession in the form of animated silhouettes that processed fluidly in a continuous loop. And on another room on another wall, cartoons of medieval figures played out another drama. The old stones were alive with moving images. At the end of the afternoon we arrived at Nazareth, and the first of the sites sacred to Christendom. (To be continued.) Ed Rossmann lives in Aurora and has been an educator most of his life, including 17 years in high school. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A case of a rare virus transmitted by ticks has been detected in Cayuga County for the first time, the furthest west the virus has been found in the state, according to health officials Monday. The Cayuga County Health Department announced that the Powassan virus, spread by the bite of the black-legged tick or deer tick, has been confirmed in an adult patient. Unlike other tick-borne disease such as Lyme disease, the Powassan virus can be transmitted from the bite of a tick after being attached for as little as 15 minutes, according to a department press release. Infected individuals often do not develop symptoms, but those who do typically do so within one to four weeks after being bit. Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties and seizures. More severe cases can result in headache, high fever, confusion, tremors, seizures, paralysis, coma or death. The virus can also cause encephalitis and meningitis, inflammation of the brain or the brain and spinal cord's membrane, respectively. The health department recommends consulting a healthcare provider if you exhibit any such symptoms. The resident diagnosed with Powassan virus in the county is exhibiting symptoms, according to department staff. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Powassan virus is not transmittable between humans. To reduce the likelihood of contracting any tick-borne illnesses while outdoors, the health department recommends wearing light-colored clothing, tucking pants into socks and shirts into pants, checking frequently for ticks on skin or clothing, brushing off any ticks found on clothing before attachment and making a thorough check of your body for ticks once inside. Insect repellent can also assist in reducing tick bites, Repellent should not be applied directly to the face or on children, according to the department. Instead, apply it to the hands first before applying it to children. For more information call the county health department at 315-253-1560. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 3 Sad 5 Angry 4 PINELLAS COUNTY, FLRiley Reynolds, founder and owner of talent agency Hussie Models LLC, has been sued by one of his former models, Lenna Lux, charging that Reynolds, whose base of operations is in Florida, has not been licensed as a talent agent in that state and is therefore unable legally to collect fees from his modelsbut according to Reynolds, the whole lawsuit is baseless. Reynolds was the agent featured in the scandalous anti-adult feature Hot Girls Wanted, created by former Miami Herald reporter Jill Bauer and her photographer partner Ronna Gradus. The movie debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2015, and since then, the controversy hasn't stopped, with several adult performers weighing in on how the film treats its main subjectsa controversy that only got more intense when the limited series Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On debuted on Netflix in the Spring of 2017. Lux's suit isn't available online, but according to news reports, the actress, who apparently hails from Colorado, has produced two invoices from Hussie Models detailing fees charged for representing Lux in obtaining adult content workfees which Lux claims that Reynolds had no right to take because he has not been licensed as a talent agent in Florida. Reynolds denies that he has ever taken a commission from Lux in Florida. According to Lux's Internet Adult Film Database page, she's been in a total of 13 web scenes and one DVD since joining the industry earlier this year, and it appears that the majority of her work has taken place in southern California. Reynolds told AVN, "Hussie Models is licensed and bonded in the State of California and we do not take commission in the state of FL, and we have not taken any commissions at all from Lenna." According to an article on The Daily Beast website, Lux joined Hussie Models in Florida, where Reynolds resides, even as Reynolds was appealing the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation's denial of his talent agency license application, but Reynolds told AVN that an appeal of that ruling is currently underway. According to her complaint, Lux tried to leave Hussie while that appeal was in progress, and said that Reynolds refused to release her from her contracta statement that Reynolds vehemently denies. "She's working for another agency now, and I've never gotten her any jobs that I expected any commissions from," he stated. "And I know she's claiming that I told her I'd pay her airfare, but it says quite clearly on our web page that we expect to be reimbursed for plane tickets and such, and she paid us back for that already. I paid for her tests; she paid that back. I paid for her flight; she paid that back. I paid for a couple of Ubers of hers; she paid that back, but the total invoice only came out to a little less than $900." Lux did try to join another agency, 101 Models, while she was still represented by Hussie, and Reynolds said he contacted them and had them remove Lux from their roster, and demanded that they turn over any money she had earned to Hussie. Lux then went to LA Direct Models, and Reynolds said he worked out an arrangement with that agency for Lux to leave Hussie and join LA Direct's rosterbut that one of the invoices for which Lux is looking for reimbursement from Hussie is actually an LA Direct invoice. In all, Lux claims that Reynolds is looking for $3,525.11 in alleged debts and fees from her, some of it for rental fees supposedly accrued by Lux for residing at Reynolds' model house, but Reynolds told AVN that he has forgiven any debts Lux may still owe Hussie. According to the legal website FlaRecord.com, "The plaintiff [Lux] alleges [Reynolds] and Hussie Models utilized coercion to gain, secure, or ensure [Lux's] cooperation or acquiescence to continue exploitation and collected proceeds directly from a pattern of criminal activity." According to Reynolds, that's utterly untrue. "She went to another agent, then another agent, and she has now screwed that agent and continues to shoot, so this is something she really wanted to do," Reynolds told AVN. "I've never coerced anybody into doing anything they didn't want to do, and I want to make that very clear." BERKELEY, Calif.Cleis Press announced the released of The Ultimate Guide to Bondage, perfect for those looking for an introduction to bondage or those seeking new heights of erotic delights. The Ultimate Guide to Bondage is a comprehensive reference guide for any Mistress, Master, or lover of BDSM. Mistress Couples original and insightful approach to bondage invites curious kinksters to consider and explore a myriad of practical and psychological bondage methods. Going far beyond any BDSM starter kit, the book shows how bondage truly extends past the rope and chain restraint of your partner. From decorative applications such as wedding rings and corsets, to invisible yet potent mental bondage, to fetish applications such as balloon or nylon encasement, this book provides historical context, powerful insights, tutorials, examples, and activities for every type of bondage enthusiast. Mistress Couple is the Head Mistress of La Domaine Esemar, considered the worlds oldest BDSM training chateau, where she hosts and educates bondage practitioners from all over the globe. Best known for her psychological approach to BDSM, Mistress Couple has been interviewed as an authority in the field by media outlets including Cosmopolitan, VICE, The Daily Beast, Huffington Post, and Racked. To learn more about her, visit LADomaine.com. For more, or to order The Ultimate Guide to Bondage, visit CleisPress.com. A technology start-up is seeking five bakeries to take part in a pilot scheme using artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce surplus. CatsAI uses 10,000 data points including roadworks, school holidays and the weather to predict how much of each product a bakery should produce on any given day. Bakers need to give CatsAI access to EPoS data and the brain will do the rest. The results are delivered via email and bakers are provided a range for each item 10 to 15 white tin loaves for example meaning they can make an informed decision based on batch sizes, ingredients and so on. The system claims to offer a sales uplift of up to 20% and a reduction in waste of up to 80%. While technology such as this is becoming increasingly common in larger operations including supermarket in-store bakeries, it has yet to be widely adopted by smaller businesses. Theres a complete gap in the market for small and medium-sized enterprises in getting access to really affordable technology that has been the preserve of the big corporates, CatsAI founder Paul Staples told British Baker. He started the company alongside Stephen Kinns, Stuart Ware-Lane and Tim Cuddeford, who all have a background in financial services and the banking sector. So far CatsAI has trialled the technology with bakeries in Windsor and Essex, with the results described by Staples as an immediate success. We identified just under a 20% increase in sales that they could achieve through stocking correctly, and there was a 72% reduction in the waste of production by correlating baking cycles with what the consumers are buying, where, when and how, Staples said of the Windsor trial. It is now seeking five more bakeries for further trials, with a nationwide rollout planned for 2019. Bakeries involved in the trial will be charged a nominal fee to cover costs. This resource is no longer available This resource is no longer available. Return to previous page. Feature Pic: A discarded aluminum can sits deep in the Channel Islands. Photo: MARE and NOAA Were all too familiar with the horrible images of once pristine beaches that are now covered with trash, threatening a wide array of charismatic animals including sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. What about our oceans most remote habitat though the deep sea? You may think that the deep sea is largely safe from man-made trash and pollution due to its isolated nature. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The deep sea is subject to a constant flow of anthropogenic pollution ranging from large debris such as fishing gear [1], legally and illegally discarded ship waste [2], microplastics [3], and sewage, dredging, drilling, and mining waste products [4] [5]. A wide suite of chemical waste has also reached its depths, including pharmaceuticals [6], toxic metals [7], pesticides [8], and PCBs (harmful chemicals used as coolants and banned in the US since 1978) [9]. Oil and natural gas drilling operations are also chronic polluters in the deep sea, resulting in the release of sediments and drilling fluids, and small oil and gas leaks [10]. Recent incidents such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have highlighted the damage that large-scale oil spills can have on deep-sea biota [11]. The deep sea has also been discussed as a viable future dumping ground for unwanted carbon dioxide, litter, and even radioactive waste [12]. Out of sight, out of mind right? Marine litter is often the most readily observable form of pollution not surprising given that over 6.4 million tons is dumped into the ocean every year [13]. On our recent cruise to the Cordell Bank region in conjunction with NOAA and Marine Applied Research & Exploration (MARE), we witnessed numerous examples of discarded or abandoned debris including ropes, nets, and fishing lures. The cruise was focused on studying deep-water coral and sponge habitats across three National Marine Sanctuaries off the coast of California, in many cases visiting unexplored sites. The presence of trash in these remote, protected, and never-before-seen habitats was a stark reminder of the wide-ranging impacts of our society on the ocean. Not-so-fun fact: the deepest recorded instance of litter is from an astonishing depth of 7,216 meters (over 23,000 feet) off the coast of Japan [14]. It seems, therefore, that no habitats on the planet are truly removed from human disturbance. While the occasional rope draped across the seafloor may not seem like a significant threat, this debris can physically damage seafloor ecosystems in the same way that bottom trawl fisheries do, and may continue to cause damage long after being discarded. The habitat structures created by deep-water corals and sponges in these ecosystems are extremely fragile and highly sensitive to disturbance once damaged, these areas may not recover within our lifetimes. Of particular concern is lost or abandoned fishing gear, which has given rise to a phenomenon known as ghost fishing. Fishing gear especially traps, nets, and lures can continue to catch fish and other organisms long after being discarded, in addition to the physical damage they have on deep-water reefs. In many cases, trapped fish attract predators or scavengers that are then caught as well. Lost fishing gear makes up 10% of all marine litter [15] and, with the increasing use of synthetic materials, may not degrade for considerable time periods. In some cases, lost fishing gear has continued to catch fish with 50-90% efficiency [16], and have been found to continue to operate for years after being discarded [17]. Alarmingly, ghost fishing may catch a large percentage of species that were not originally targeted by the fishery, including marine mammals [18] and endangered species [19]. The deep sea is already threatened by a large number of global-scale anthropogenic impacts ranging from warming, deoxygenation and ocean acidification to overfishing and habitat destruction. Marine debris and pollutants pose additional risks to these sensitive habitats, further damaging already stressed ecosystems. While we are unlikely to solve these global stressors overnight, reducing the stream of trash that finds its way into our deep oceans may slow the damage being done to these fragile habitats. Learn about the California Seamounts Coalition! References [1] Humborstad OB, Lkkeborg S, Hareide NR, Furevik DM. 2003. Catches of Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) in deepwater ghost-fishing gillnets on the Norwegian continental slope. Fisheries Research 64(2-3): 163-70. [2] Goldberg ED. 1975. Assessing potential ocean pollutants a report of a Panel. Study Panel on Assessing Potential Ocean Pollutants. Woods Hole, Mass, Washington, D.C., USA, 1972. National Academy of Sciences National Research Council. Ocean Affairs Board, Washington, D.C., USA. 438 p. [3] Van Cauwenberghe L, Vanreusel A, Mees J, Janssen CR. 2013. Microplastic pollution in deep-sea sediments. Environmental Pollution 182: 495-499. [4] Van Dover CL, Grassle JF, Fry B, Garit RH, Starczak VR. 1992. Stable isotope evidence for entry of sewage derived organic material into a deep-sea food web. Nature 360: 153-156. [5] White HK, Hsing PY, Cho W, Shank TM, Cordes EE, Quattrini AM, Nelson RK, Camilli R, Demopoulos AW, German CR, Brooks JM. 2012. Impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a deep-water coral community in the Gulf of Mexico. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(50): 20303-20308. [6] Simpson DC, OConnor TP, Park PK. 1981. Deep-ocean dumping of industrial wastes. In: Geyer RA, ed. Marine Environmental Pollution, Vol. 2, Dumping and Mining, Elsevier Scientific, New York, pp 379400. [7] Mormede S, Davies IM. 2001. Heavy metal concentrations in commercial deep-sea fish from the Rockall Trough. Continental Shelf Research 21(8-10): 899-916. [8] Storelli MM, Losada S, Marcotrigiano GO, Roosens L, Barone G, Neels H, Covaci A. 2009. Polychlorinated biphenyl and organochlorine pesticide contamination signatures in deep-sea fish from the Mediterranean Sea. Environmental Research 109(7): 851-856. [9] Froescheis O, Looser R, Cailliet GM, Jarman WM, Ballschmiter K. 2000. The deep-sea as a final global sink of semivolatile persistent organic pollutants? Part I: PCBs in surface and deep-sea dwelling fish of the North and South Atlantic and the Monterey Bay Canyon (California). Chemosphere 40(6): 651-60. [10] Larsson AI, Purser A. 2011. Sedimentation on the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa: cleaning efficiency from natural sediments and drill cuttings. Marine Pollution Bulletin 62(6): 1159-68. [11] Fisher CR, Hsing PY, Kaiser CL, Yoerger DR, Roberts HH, Shedd WW, Cordes EE, Shank TM, Berlet SP, Saunders MG, Larcom EA. 2014. Footprint of Deepwater Horizon blowout impact to deep-water coral communities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111(32): 11744-9. [12] Ramirez-Llodra E, Tyler PA, Baker MC, Bergstad OA, Clark MR, Escobar E, Levin LA, Menot L, Rowden AA, Smith CR, Van Dover CL. 2011. Man and the last great wilderness: human impact on the deep sea. PLoS One 6(8): e22588. [13] UNEP. 2009. Marine litter: a global challenge. Nairobi: UNEP. pp 232. www.unep.org/pdf/UNEP_Marine_Litter-A_Global_challenge.pdf [14] Miyake H, Shibata H, Furushima Y. 2011. Deep-sea litter study using deep-sea observation tools. In: Omori K, Guo X, Yoshie N, Fujii N, Handoh IC, Isobe A, Tanabe S, eds. Interdisciplinary Studies on Environmental Chemistry Marine Environmental Modeling and Analysis Terrapub. pp 261269. [15] Macfadyen G, Huntington T, Cappell R. 2009. Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). [16] Revill AS, Dunlin G. 2003.The fishing capacity of gillnets lost on wrecks and on open ground in UK coastal waters. Fisheries Research 64(2-3): 107-113. [17] Tschernij V, Larsson PO. 2003. Ghost fishing by lost cod gillnets in the Baltic Sea. Fisheries Research 64(2-3): 151-162. [18] Stelfox M, Hudgins J, Sweet M. 2016. A review of ghost gear entanglement amongst marine mammals, reptiles and elasmobranchs. Marine Pollution Bulletin 111(1-2): 6-17. [19] Bettoli PW, CastoYerty M, Scholten GD, Heist EJ. 2009. Bycatch of the endangered pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) in a commercial fishery for shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus). Journal of Applied Ichthyology (1): 1-4. Future brides and/or Halloween costume makers take note: cement bags can be repurposed to create long-trained wedding dresses. Oddity Central: 28-year-old Lili Tan has never taken fashion design courses, and spends most of her time farming, not creating wedding gowns, but looking at the amazing dress she created on a rainy day, when she couldn't work in the fields, you could swear she makes dresses and accessories for a living. Using 40 discarded cement bags, the contents of which had gone toward renovating her village house near Longnan city, in China's Gangsu province, Tan was able to create an elaborate wedding dress like the ones she saw in magazines, an impressive train for it, as well as a fancy hat. She showed them off on social media in a video which instantly went viral with several millions of views. Lisa Stout of Bellvue, Ohio was exploring Loch Ness via Google Earth when she found this fantastic shot of Nessie. The Scottish cryptid has previously been spotted on Google Earth but this a much more compelling image. From the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Registry: "I had been searching for Nessie on and off for the past few weeks, spending an hour or so a week on Google Earth as well as other places I like to visit in the app. I had seen some of the latest Nessie sightings and thought that I can definitely find a better image of her than that which I used for motivation to challenge myself to find her. On the 13th at 9.45am, I had got my daughter off to school and began to search for Nessie when I noticed a cluster of pictures taken by an Underwater Earth Contributor all in one area near the Loch Ness Highland Resort in Fort Augustus. I noticed what I believe may be the creature known as Nessie or at the very least what makes up for most of the accounts of Nessie sightings that residents/tourists are seeing and reporting." We haven't talked about Nicaragua for a while. But things still aren't going well down there, so let's get back on that shit. According to the Financial Times, Nicaragua's national police released a statement on Friday that declared demonstrationsof which, in Nicaragua, there are manyto be illegal. The day after making this declaration, riot police were employed to break up a gaggle of protesters prepping for a march. It's just another step down the country's short, bloody road into becoming a fascist, autocratic state. Nicaragua's been in turmoil since last April, as protesters took to the streets to first sound off about some pretty shitty reforms to their pension system and other important issues such as a lack of government response to imminent threats from forest fires and the nation's eroding infrastructure. As the protests fell on deaf ears, the protesters started to demand the resignation of the nation's oh-so-corrupt president, Daniel Ortega. Once this happened, it didn't take long for the peaceful protests to turn violent, thanks to the actions of the police and masked paramilitary types loyal to the Ortega government. Defenseless students were fired on whilst taking refuge from the police in a Catholic church. Academics and other individuals deemed to be a "terrorist threat" to Ortega's rule have been carted away by paramilitary units. Hundreds have died in the months since these clashes began. The Nicaraguan economy, which was never all that strong to begin with, is circling the drain as investment in the country has been scaled back in the face of its uncertain future. Nothing there is even close to OK. As it is now illegal for citizens to congregate for the purpose of voicing their concerns, it's only going to get worse. Image: by Voice of America https://www.voanoticias.com/a/nicaragua-violencia-protestas-por-reformas-al-seguro-social/4357428.html, Public Domain, Link Anywhere in the world, a dictator is perceived as a corrupt, tyrannical bloodhound with the heart of a beast. Simply put, they arent exactly posed as people who can love anything, man or otherwise. PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! But then, it has been proven time and time again that nobody is above the dictates of love and these dictators, tough and apolitical, are no exception. The world as a whole has had its own share of evil rulers who thrive best at making life hellish for their citizens and surrounding countries. For many, it is unthinkable to nurse the slightest possibilities that these tyrants who once existed and who still walk the surface of earth have soft spots that can be poked by women and penetrated into. READ ALSO: Namibia joins South Africa in same WhatsApp group over land reform But love is as strange as it is beautiful and in spite of the opinion the populace might have about these hard, implacable people, it should be known that their feelings have indeed been conquered by the most unsuspecting of women. Hitler's lover and wife, Eva Braun Photo: Eva Braun Source: Dailyasianage.com Even more, most of these women have been known to directly or indirectly influence the actions of these dictators. While the best of them have helped temper the political injustices and abuse of human rights enacted by the dictators, some of the other women have been resourceful in the leaders attempt to overrule their oppositions and repress freedom. In truth, however insignificant they might have been to the jurisdictions ruled by the men that loved them, these women deserve to have their stories told and hence this list about them. Stefanie Rabatsch Hitler's crush, Stefanie Rabatsch (the woman by the left) Photo: Adolf Hitler and Stefanie Rabatsch Source: dkn.tv It has been strongly alleged that she was the teenage love interest of German dictator Adolf Hitler. Not much is known about this woman but she is said to be Austrian by origin. However, she was popularly known by maiden name Isak which sounded very Jewish. According to speculations, the young Hitler had seen the damsel when she passed by and looked at him briskly during the leisurely stroll she normally had with her mother. The love he had for her had been so intense that he wrote love poems for her and later wanted to take his life but in all the time he knew her, Hitler failed to have an eye contact with her much more confess his feelings to her. Later, Stefanie went on to marry an Austrian army officer. Stefanie later said that she did not know the leader had any form of affection for her during his younger years. This does not erase the fact Hitlers love was unrequited and one-sided. Many people have discarded the feelings of the teenage Hitler as a mere display of infatuation and youthful exuberance. However, some others have attributed this event as a building block that was key to molding the dictators character. It is possible that Hitler must have assumed that Stefanie was a Jew given that he never made any effort to talk to her. Then, the fact that he went on to lead a Jewish Holocaust afterwards cannot be overlooked. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app Eva Braun Hitler eating with the love of his life Photo: Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler Source: blesk.cz One fact that has been established over time is that however gory and politically unfriendly dictators may be, they seem to have a pull on women. Adolf Hitler was no exception to this strange attraction. He had a lot of ladies flocking around him but he chose one - Eva Braun. Apart from being the 17-year-old personal assistant of his personal photographer, nothing so much as brought them together. However, upon seeing Eva for the first time, Hitler fell head over heels in love and this became the beginning of a relationship that lasted for many years. Given that many thought Hitler to be married to all the women in Germany (in a metaphoric sense), a lot of sand-dust would have been stirred if their relationship had been declared public. So she remained one of Hitler's many enigma for the better of his life. Although they were together for several years, Hitler married Eva less than 40 hours in Berlin before they died together. She by biting into a capsule of cyanide, and he by a gunshot to the head. Without doubt, Eva was the only 'light' in Hitler's life. Apart from the fact that she was the one that took most of his surviving pictures, she also was the one of the few to gain the trust of the dictator. Here's one of the few statements Hitler made about her: "Miss Braun is, besides my dog Blondi, the only one I can absolutely count on." Ri Sol-ju Kim Jong-un accompanied by his wife (the one in brown suit) and others Photo: North Korean Supreme leader and escort Source: voanews.com Ri Sol-ju (or Lee Seol-ju as the case may be) doubles up as the current First Lady of North Korea and the wife of its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. Although much is not known about the background of the lady whose age is within the range of 29 - 33. However, one thing that is known for sure is that Ri Sol-ju has a very significant place in the heart of her 'missile threatening' husband. The evidence of this lies in her recent elevation in her title. The wife of the head of North Korean leader used to be identified as 'Comrade', but now she is referred to as 'Respected First Lady.' This is a great leap given the title First Lady is rarely used to identify the wives of North Korean leaders. In fact, the last time the title has been used is in 1974! Ri Sol-ju beautifully dressed in Korean attire Photo: Kim Jong-un and wife Source: Stem Ri Sol-ju who is speculated to have three children for her husband is also said to dress in contemporary ways that are controversial in light of how North Korean women are normally expected to appear. Although this has earned her husband many critics, it has not stopped him from making her feature next to him during public functions. Besides, it has been rumoured that the Supreme Leader does not tolerate any ill comment about his beautiful wife. According to a particular source, nine musicians that spread the rumour that Ri Sol-ju was a prostitute before meeting her husband. This did not go down well with Kim Jong-un so he ordered that the nine artists be killed! In light of this, the critics of Ri Sol-ju might as well pipe down. Asma al-Assad The name Bashar al-Assad can be said to be a household name. After all, the alleged unrest in Syria and the collusion between the world powers and the Asian country makes it near impossible not to know about the junior Assad who succeeded his father in ruling the nation. However, not many are familiar with the female power behind the dictator whose name is Asma al-Assad. This woman who is the wife of Bashar was parented by citizens of Syria but she was born and brought up in London. This makes her as British as she is Syrian. After having had a wonderful education in King's College, London, and graduated with a first degree in Computer science and French literature, Asma met Bashar. By that time, she was planning to pursue an MBA at Harvard University. But then, upon dropping her maiden name, Akhras, and marrying into the Assad family, Asma gave up this ambition and also quit her job as an investment banker. The first lady has three children for her husband and she has been highly influential in aiding his administration. After she got married to her husband in December 2000, Asma al-Assad traveled through 100 villages in Syria in a bid to discover how she could impact the personal and communal lives of Syrians. Although the projects she put in place following this tour was halted by the Syrian civil war, the woman is still regarded as one of the world's most influential Arabs. The first lady is, however, on a low in recent times as she is currently battling breast cancer in its early stage. Maryam Babangida The beautiful Maryam Babangida Photo: Maryam Babangida Source: theglittersonline.com As it appears, Ibrahim Babangida, one of Nigeria's fiercest military rulers, also fell in love with and married a woman who has been tagged as one of the greatest in Africa. Her name was Maryam King. Babangida married his wife in 1969 when she was nearly 21 and they had four children during the course of their marriage. Maryam Babangida became the ceremonial first lady of Nigeria after her husband took over power in a successful, bloodless coup d'etat in 1985. Once this happened, the beautiful woman constituted a place for herself by first moving into the Dodan Barracks, making it more hospitable and less of a rigid fort. Then, she went on to launch stunning rural development projects for the society, especially women. These projects which she successfully carried out made her a force to reckon with alongside her husband.In time, Maryam also became a fashion icon and celebrity owing to her active participation in politics and her great way of representing the African fashion industry. Her friendly rapport with late Princess Diana made her fame travel farther. This powerful woman who ruled Nigeria side by side with Ibrahim Babangida between the period of 1985 to 1993 died of ovarian cancer in 2009. She was aged 61. Upon her death, it was reported that her husband who was by her side all through the illness cried like a baby upon hearing the news. Grace Mugabe A kiss of love from Robert Mugabe to Grace Photo: Robert and Grace Mugabe Source: empress.co.uk The name Grace Mugabe needs no prior introduction. This is because her identity is very synonymous to one of the most renowned dictators in Africa: Robert Mugabe. Born in 1965, Grace is the second and dearest wife of the Zimbabwean former president/ Grace's affair with Robert Mugabe started with her being his secretary. The couple started off on an extra-marital affair. Grace, at this time, was still married to his air force pilot husband Stanley Goreraza and Sally Hayfron still was the former president's wife. Howeve, when Sally died, Robert legally married Grace in an elaborate Catholic ceremony that was themed the "Wedding of the Century". At the time, Grace Marufu (her maiden name) was 31 years old and Mugabe was 72. This is one romantic couple Photo: Grace and Robert Mugabe Source: timeslive.co.za The union which is still strong and abiding has produced one child. The intimacy between Robert and Grace is noteworthy. So profound was their closeness that the former president was willing to make his wife a successor after and if he stopped being president. Of course, this did not go down well with many people and it is the consequent tussle that erupted from this that has seen to the impeachment of Mugabe as president and the appointment of Emmerson Mnangagwa as the current number one citizen in Zimbabwe. Safia Farkash Muammar Gaddafi en tour with his wife Photo: Safia Farkash Gaddafi and husband Source: albherto.wordpress.com Muammar Gaddafi, former Libyan leader, might have had an infamous reputation as a brutal dictator but in the eyes of one person, he was nearly an embodiment of perfection. This sole individual was his second wife Safia. Safia met Gaddafi when he was admitted into a hospital and treated for appendicitis. She must have hit the soft spot in him because in the same year, the dictator married her in Tripoli. During the course of their marriage, seven of the eight children Gaddafi had came by means of her. Safai was a shrewd businesswoman who supported her husband despite the criticisms he received from all and sundry. In her own way, she contributed to the development of women in her surrounding environments. Even after Gaddafi was politically killed in 2011, Safia's love for him still shines bright. Only recently, she demanded that the body of her husband be rightfully buried so that he can find rest. Although the fact that these men had soft sides which made them fall in love with these women does not exactly cover up for the wrong they have done to the world, it is a reminder that the evil in the heart of a man cannot be totally pure and undiluted. There are, indeed, taints of goodness in a person, however small it may be. READ ALSO: Ace Magashule confirms joining forces with Cyril Ramaphosa to unite the ANC For more amazing, funny and informative videos, please visit Briefly South Africa's YouTube Channel. Do you have a story to share with Briefly? Visit our Facebook page where you can send us a message or leave us a comment. Your story could be shared online. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on iTunes or GooglePlay today. Source: Briefly.co.za - Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, denies having links to the Gupta family and tried to prove it on social media - Gigaba hosted an hour-long Q&A to try and clear his name in the public eye - The minister stated he would not mind appearing in front of the state capture inquiry commission if necessary PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! South Africa's Home Affairs minister, Malusi Gigaba, attempted to prove his innocence in allegations of links with the Gupta family. He turned to social media, hosting a Q&A on the social platform to answer questions by the public directly. Let me set aside the next hour to addressing the narrative that I was ever/am captured by the Guptas. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app During the Q&A, Gigaba made it clear that he is willing to testify before the state capture inquiry commission to prove his innocence I am willing to appear before Judge Zondo anytime he decides it is necessary that I do so. That said, I doubt he will ever decide that it is. Here are some highlights from the session: READ ALSO: Minister Gigaba wants Redi Tlhabi to say sorry or face damages claim Do you have a good (or bad) story that needs to be told? Inbox us on Facebook and we could be sharing your story with our readers. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play or iTunes today. Watch the silly Animated Joke: Why Do Men Lie? and check out what else is going on at Briefly South Africa's YouTube channel. Source: Briefly.co.za - Namibias president Hage Geingob has pledged to introduce sweeping land reforms which would include changing the countrys constitution to allow for expropriation - Geingob said Namibia faced many of the same challenges as South Africa when it came to land ownership and inequality - The Namibian government wants to transfer 43% of agricultural land to black farmers by 2020 PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! Namibias president Hage Geingob has pledged that his administration will introduce sweeping land reforms which will include changing the countrys constitution to allow for land expropriation. Geingob made the announcement at the National Land Conference in Windhoek. Geingob pointed out that Namibia faces many of the same challenges as South Africa does when it comes to land ownership and equality. Geingob said the current policy of willing buyer willing seller was not working. READ ALSO: Zuma demands to know if Khwezi was paid by NPA to open case To this end, Geingob wants to amend the Namibian constitution to allow for just compensation as opposed to the current law which requires fair compensation. Geingob said another stumbling block was foreign land ownership with a particular focus on eliminating absentee ownership which led to land being unused. Briefly.co.za gathered that the Namibian government wants to transfer 43% of all viable agricultural land in the country to black farmers by 2020. Since gaining independence in 1990 the country has managed to transfer 27% of land to black or previously disadvantaged farmers. Timeslive.co.za reported that Geingob said land reform and the reduction of inequality it would bring about would ultimately be a long-term investment in peace and prosperity in Namibia. Namibia is a former German colony which was ruled by South Africa from the end of the First World War to 1990. As in South Africa, this led to serious and lasting economic inequality and black people being disposed of their traditional land. Moneyweb.co.za reported that Namibian society remains one of the most unequal in the world. Only 6% of the population is white but this small percentage has a virtual monopoly on all industries in the country. eNCA.com reported that Geingob said this was one of the major reasons why land expropriation should be carefully considered. He added that the process should not be rushed and needed to remain peaceful. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app The National Land Conference has been criticised by various sectors of Namibian society for being nothing more than a rubber stamp to Geingobs land agenda and said the outcome of the conference was already set in stone. Various opposition political parties, civil society groups and even traditional leaders have snubbed the event and refused to take part in the discussions being held. Traditional leaders attending the event have urged the government to resettle the original people of Namibia on land which belonged to their ancestors. READ ALSO: Ramaphosa says ANC in better position to improve lives of the poor For more amazing, funny and informative videos, please visit Briefly South Africa's YouTube Channel. Do you have a story to share with Briefly? Visit our Facebook page where you can send us a message or leave us a comment. Your story could be shared online. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on iTunes or GooglePlay today. Source: Briefly.co.za - The ANC will speak with its former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma about their public comments about land reform and state capture - ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said the statements by Mbeki and Zuma were important but contradicted the ANCs official policy - Mbeki has criticised the manner in which the ANC is approaching land reform while Zuma said state capture did not exist PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed! The African National Congress (ANC) has resolved to speak to and engage with its former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma about their respective comments over land reform and state capture. This follows a NEC meeting which took place over the weekend. ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said the partys National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to meet with Mbeki and Zuma over their comments. Magashule said while the comments by Mbeki and Zuma were important they contradicted the partys official policies. READ ALSO: Zuma demands to know if Khwezi was paid by NPA to open case Magashule said the ANC NEC adopted its current policies on land reform which includes the possible expropriation of land without compensation and supporting the commission of inquiry into state capture during its National Elective Conference in December. Briefly.co.za gathered that Magashule said the ANC remained committed to both policies and would continue to engage with its former leaders about their contradictory comments which had the potential to confuse and muddy both topics. EWN.co.za reported that a leaked memo allegedly written by Mbeki criticising the ANCs approach to land reform has drawn widespread criticism from within the ANC and other supporters of the policy. The memo slammed the ANCs approach to land reform as abandoning the partys founding principle of non-racialism and accused the ANC of using land reform as a political tool to gain popular support ahead of the 2019 general election. Mbeki said the ANC risked abandoning its core values by threatening to take only land from white-owners to give to black people. The memo states this would be a clear contradiction of the Freedom Charter which declares South Africa belongs to everyone regardless of their race. PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app The ANC took a grim view of Zumas comments about the existence of state capture. The former president told a group of students in Mthatha that state capture was nothing more than a political expression. Zuma insisted that none of the three branches of government had been captured. His comments come despite Zuma himself ordering the Judicial Inquiry into State Capture. Zuma has also thus far not appeared at the commission of inquiry but has maintained he wants to take part in proceedings provided he can make an important contribution to the investigation. Zuma has declined to cross-examine any of the witnesses who have appeared at the commission. The ANC did not mention details such as who, when and where officials from the party would meet with Mbeki and Zuma to discuss the matter or how it planned to keep the former leaders in line. READ ALSO: Namibia joins South Africa in same WhatsApp group over land reform For more amazing, funny and informative videos, please visit Briefly South Africa's YouTube Channel. Do you have a story to share with Briefly? Visit our Facebook page where you can send us a message or leave us a comment. Your story could be shared online. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on iTunes or GooglePlay today. Source: Briefly.co.za News / Education by Stephen Jakes THE Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development Amon Murwira has said one of their key policies called inclusive education is to say there is no Zimbabwean brain to waste.He said accordingly, they have done a strategy for increasing the number of post O level and post A level students in the Higher and Tertiary Education system and this is what we have done."We have introduced the student loan facility. In the student loan facility, we are saying students can access funds from banks, but here is the problem. At the banks the rates are still high but it is heartening to note that the banks have agreed to this drive. So, because of the high rate, we have asked external funders to come into the fray. In this regard, we have made an agreement with Fundi of South Africa which is working through Eduloan in Zimbabwe. On the 10th of July, 2018, we signed an agreement of US$10 million that will be released into Zimbabwe for our students to be able to access these funds," he told senators in parliament."We also looked at the fees that are being paid at our colleges and universities particularly looking at fees during attachment. Students were being asked to pay full fees. We were asking students to pay full fees but we then looked at it and said maybe this is increasing the number of drop-outs. Our aim is to make sure that we have access to education by our students. So, we reached an agreement that these fees were reduced by 40% so that they pay 60% of what was originally being paid. That is move number 2."He said move number 3 is to make sure that their entry qualifications into universities and tertiary institutions are streamlined."This was a response to a fact that in colleges especially in polytechnics and teachers' colleges especially in polytechnics, students were now being asked as a requirement that they need Mathematics to get in there despite whether they are doing engineering or anything. We took this policy as exclusionary and that it was increasing the number of students who might actually have 10 As and one D in Mathematics. We do not think that, that student is dull at all," he said."So, we said for those subjects that do not require this Mathematics, they have to amend the regulation. We looked at 30 courses at polytechnics and we removed this requirement. We are not saying we do not like Mathematics, it must be done at O level, but if I want to do my drama, even if I have got A in Mathematics, do not ask for it and that is what we are saying. So through this, we have been able to increase the number of absorbed students in higher and tertiary institutions by 12%. This is measured. We have made projections as a matter of policy that we will increase the absorption by expanding the infrastructure and capacity at our teachers' colleges.""Our current number is at 8 000. We are saying by 2023, there should be 40 000 students in teachers' colleges which is an increase of 6 000. It means we have removed 6 000 people who were potentially going to be on the street."He said on the polytechnics, we are currently having 24 000 students in polytechnics but we are projecting that by 2023, they will be having 33 000 by increased infrastructure and capacity."We want to suck out people from the street and make them go into our institutions so that they are able to study. Our aim is inclusive education and never to waste any Zimbabwean brain that wants to study. Crowning it all, we have worked on the Zimbabwe National Qualification Framework. This qualifications framework is a framework which recognises that there are professional trainings of artisans, higher education of universities, tertiary and vocational education for polytechnics and vocational colleges," he said."These three systems were not interlinked at all but with the National Qualification Framework, we have looked at equivalents. For example, if you have got professional level 2, we say that is equivalent to a diploma at universities and therefore that person is allowed to cross and go into the university route or go to any route. We have done this to make our higher and tertiary education responsive to those who want to learn without putting barriers.""In our country, people could not go into school not because they are dull but because we were just putting too many barriers for what God knows, but we have changed that. We believe we are going to absorb as many students that require education as possible and make sure that we attain dream 2030 of a middle income economy with skilled people. I thank you Hon. President." News / National by Staff reporter Over 70 000 women in Zimbabwe are involved in unsafe pregnancy terminations each year, re-igniting debate on whether the authorities should legalise abortions.A civic society organisation pushing for safe abortion, Right Here, Right Now Zimbabwe (RHRNZ), has sensationally claimed that 70 000 women almost the size of the ancient city of Masvingo, which has a population of 76 290 residents abort every year.While these statistics could not be independently verified with Obadiah Moyo's Health and Child Care ministry, they sound alarm bells for those concerned about the health of the girl child and HIV/Aids lobbyists who worry about the risks associated with unprotected sex.In a report posted on its twitter account, RHRNZ said women in Zimbabwe were at risk 200 times more than their South African counterparts, where abortion is legal.It is illegal in Zimbabwe in terms of the Termination of Pregnancy Act enacted in 1977 for one to abort except in limited circumstances, where a person would have been raped.But even though abortion is illegal, Zimbabwe has a policy on post- abortion care - a de facto recognition of the reality on the ground.Civic society organisations are, however, seeking to have the law repealed and allow women to legally abort."Illegal abortion results in at least 20 000 maternal deaths, approximately 56 500 Zimbabwean adolescents do not want to become pregnant but are not using contraceptives, abortion in Zimbabwe contributes about 16 percent of maternal deaths," RHRNZ said.This comes at a time when Zimbabwe on Friday joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day of Safe Abortion.The day was first celebrated as a day of action for decriminalisation of abortion in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1990.In 2011, the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights officially declared September 28 as an international day.In a statement on International Day of Safe Abortion, Gender Links, said unwanted pregnancies have a profound effect on the lives of women and girls."According to the World Health Organisation, safe abortions are one of the safest and simplest medical procedures in existence. Yet, with abortion mostly illegal and highly frowned upon in most southern African countries, unsafe abortion accounts for 10 percent to 13 percent of maternal mortality in the region."In the southern African attitudes survey, nearly half (45 percent women and 44 percent men) said they agreed or strongly agreed that a woman had a right to terminate her pregnancy within the first trimester," the organisation said.The Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS), a member of the Southern Africa Gender Protocol Alliance also added its voice describing as "retrogressive' punitive measures meted out on those that terminate pregnancy in the country."The increasing retrogressive and punitive legislative frameworks and policies denying women's access to safe abortion and freedom of choice, criminalising abortion, and limiting access to comprehensive reproductive rights and health, contributing to high rates of morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries is a cause for concern," SAfAIDS said.SAfAIDS said the war on and politicisation of women's bodies continues, denying women and girls full enjoyment of fundamental human rights and reaching their fullest potential is short-lived."Our call is for continuous sustained advocacy for and action towards promoting access to safe abortion throughout the year - and not just on 28th September - to reduce adverse consequences of unsafe abortion on adolescent girls and women's health and well-being."When they are denied access to effective contraception and safe abortion services, they are at risk of poor health outcomes, have reduced productivity, and the well-being of their families and development of their communities is staggered," said SAfAIDS. News / National by Staff reporter The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has reintroduced foreign currency accounts (FCA) in a move expected to renew Zimbabweans' interest in depositing hard cash in the banks, deal with the illegal foreign exchange market and stabilise prices.The country has in the past few months been reeling under foreign currency shortages arising from the mismatch between demand and supply of the hard cash, resulting in local industries failing to sustain the needs of the local market.The trend has also led to the rise in prices of several commodities, while hoarding of cash has also become the order of the day, with industries failing to access funds for imports while hard cash deposits in the banking sector had been subdued.Presenting the Mid-Term Monetary Policy Statement in Harare today, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, Dr John Mangudya said while the multiple currency system will continue, Zimbabwe is reintroducing foreign currency accounts to increase hard cash deposits, stabilize prices and stamp out the parallel currency markets, with further emphasis being on a $500 million facility that is expected to address foreign exchange problems and help firms to import strategic components."We are introducing these policies to ensure stability in the economy and unlock production for the benefit of industry and commerce," he said.Dr Mangudya called on all Zimbabweans to be united in ensuring the current challenges are resolved."What more can we expect in this economy apart from focusing on key productive policies that can also affect the economy positively? What expect unity from everyone to achieve this huge task before us," he said.In a break from tradition, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube complimented the RBZ Governor's presentation by announcing fiscal reform measures that the government is starting to implement.Part of the measures include a revenue collection initiative where electronic money transfers will be taxed 2 cents per every dollar, the limiting of the utilisation of the RBZ overdraft facility and streamlining the country's state owned enterprises to improve their viability, among others.The minister also announced the dissolution of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) board with immediate effect."It is part of the fiscal reforms to instill discipline in this economy and unlock more value for the benefit of everyone," the Minister said.Some of the key highlights of the Monetary Policy include clearance of the external debt arrears in six months, banks aligning their systems by 15 October, banks to pay interest on foreign currency accounts, removal of 14 day window period for foreign currency accounts, introduction of statutory reserves to reduce liquidity, introduction of a treasury bill auction system with effect from November, purchase of gold by jewelers from Fidelity Printers and Refineries in foreign currency accounts, export proceeds to be remitted on time, US$500 million stabilization facility by end of October, continuation of savings bonds, settlement of capital gains tax in foreign currency accounts, and purchase of fuel in foreign currency by all international truckers.Foreigners buying goods in Zimbabwe will now pay in foreign currency to avoid the rent seeking behaviour, among other measures. News / National by Staff reporter THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has maintained the exchange rate of the bond notes at par with the US dollar.In his delayed mid-term Monetary Policy Statement, governor John Mangudya said that the central bank would not devalue the currency, at least not in the short term, as any move towards that would be suicidal.Mangudya directed banks to effectively operationalise the ring-fencing policy on Nostro foreign currency accounts by separating FCAs into two categories, namely Nostro FCAs and RTGS FCAs. Banks have been given up to 15 October 2018 to fully comply with this policy measure."The purposes of separating the FCAs is to ensure we create value for money with those that are exporting. ...To ensure that the amounts (exporting and non-exporting) do not mingle. Mingling is de-motivating to those who are bringing foreign currency. It's suicidal to devalue because overnight people will offload their balances and create a crisis in the financial sector. It has spillover effects to the ordinary person, particularly on price increases." News / National by Staff reporter The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is finalising discussions with the African Export-Import Bank towards a US$500 million Nostro Stabilisation Guarantee Facility to provide foreign currency account (FCA) holders with assurance that foreign currency shall be available on request.This was announced by RBZ governor Dr John Mangudya in his mid-term Monetary Policy Statement for 2018 this afternoon.This comes as the central bank moved to reintroduce FCAs to safeguard investors' earnings and deposits.FCAs had been rendered ineffective after the authorities adopted a multi-currency system in 2009."With immediate effect, all banks are therefore directed to effectively operationalise the ring-fencing policy on Nostro foreign currency accounts by separating foreign currency accounts (FCAs) into two categories, namely Nostro FCAs and RTGS FCAs."As a further support to this measure and to provide credit enhancement or deposit protection for the Nostro FCAs, the Reserve Bank is finalising discussions with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) towards a US$500 million Nostro Stabilisation Guarantee Facility (NSGF) to provide Nostro FCA holders with assurance that foreign currency shall be available when required by the account holders. The NSGF, which will be similar to the AFTRADES Facility that guarantees interbank trading in Zimbabwe, is targeted to be in place by the end of October 2018," said Dr Mangudya."For the avoidance of doubt, foreign currency in the Nostro FCAs pertains to free funds, diaspora remittances, international organisations' remittances, portfolio investment inflows, loan proceeds and export retention proceeds," he said."It is also essential to note that all exporters retain 100 percent of their export proceeds with the exception of gold producers that retain 30 percent of export proceeds; platinum, diamonds and chrome 35 percent and; 20 percent for tobacco and cotton producers."The Monetary Policy Statement is issued in terms of Section 46 of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Act [Chapter 22:15]. News / National by Staff reporter Zambia refuses entry to PLO Lumumba for 'security' reasons. https://t.co/7ENVfz7vFK Daily Nation (@dailynation) September 30, 2018 Zambia's main opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, has criticised the government over Saturday's deportation of prominent Kenyan lawyer Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba.Mr Lumumba, director of the Kenya School of Laws, was due to give a talk on Africa-China relations on Saturday night but he was not allowed to alight from the plane as authorities ordered his return to Nairobi immediately.Zambia's chief government spokeswoman Dora Siliya later tweeted that Mr Lumumba was not allowed entry into Zambia "due to security considerations."Mr Hichilema said that Mr Lumumba's deportation would taint the country's image.The Kenyan lawyer is a popular public speaker who is known for his pan-African views. The news of his deportation was covered by Kenya's press.His deportation is being seen as an attempt by Zambia's authorities to stifle any negative discussion around its friendship with China amidst allegations that the government has accumulated a lot of debt by borrowing from the Asian economic giant.Recently, the government rejected reports that it used some key public assets - such as the national broadcaster, the state-owned power company, Zesco, and the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport - as collateral for the loans.China denied these allegations as well.The deportation of Mr Lumumba follows similar actions in recent months against South African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane and South African entertainer Rebecca Libram, popularly known as Zodwa Wabantu.In August, Zimbabwean opposition figure Tendai Biti was arrested and handed back to authorities in that country after a failed attempt to seek asylum in Zambia. News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC Alliance legislator Chalton Hwende has warned Zimbabwean citizens that the Chinese who are touted as investors in the country are not as such but they are new authorised colonisers of the nation.This come after the Chinese government gave some loan to Zimbabwe for economic revival."The Chinese are not investors they are the new colonizers and must not be embraced but fought. Zimbabwe does not need aid but investment. We must get our best brains to be part of the teams negotiating trade deals for our country so that brand Zimbabwe wins always," Hwende said. News / National by Staff reporter A TOURIST who was left for dead by an elephant bull in Victoria Falls on Saturday has been identified as Frank Sternhardt, a 56-year-old German national and has since been airlifted to South Africa for further treatment.Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development."He was seriously injured and his condition kept worsening until he had to be airlifted to South Africa the same night. He sustained left arm and left leg fracture and other multiple body injuries," Farawo said."Elephants are breeding this time and we would like to urge our tourists not to draw closer to them and start filming. When they have calves, they become very sensitive and protective and must be avoided at all costs."Sternhardt had visited the resort town with his wife and the two were walking to Kingdom Hotel where they were staying when he was attacked.He was saved by souvenir vendors who said they were alerted to the danger by a woman's screams.Anele Mpofu and Nqobile Nkomazana said they used catapults to scare away one of the feeding cows to save the tourist's life."We hit it hard on its left ear and maybe it thought it was a gun and it moved away along with three calves and the rest of the herd that was nearby. That is how he was able to be rescued," Mpofu said."The wife had apparently ran away during the attack and came back to find out if her husband was still alive. She was in shock and tears but we managed to render first aid until the hospital ambulance came to pick him up."Mpofu and Nkomazana said they always carried catapults for protection as they work in an area full of dangerous animals.Last Wednesday, another German tourist was trampled to death by an elephant in Mana Pools after she went close to the animal to take selfies. News / National by Staff reporter Low cost airline Fastjet has reassured its Zimbabwean customers that it is still operational despite being engaged in equity fundraising talks with shareholders.Last Wednesday, the budget airline announced that it needs more funding or face the prospects of ceasing operations by the end of this month.The airline announced that it was evaluating its Tanzanian operations and could cease operations in that country.More to follow.... News / National by Staff reporter Parliamentarians have until Friday to declare details of their assets and income, as part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's drive to boost transparency and reinforce the government's commitment to fighting corruption in the recession-hit economy.This comes after Mnangagwa declared that all public office holders including Cabinet ministers, their deputies, senior government officials and bosses of State-owned businesses were now legally required to make a declaration of assets.It's not clear if the information of parliamentarians' wealth will be made public.Mnangagwa has used his inauguration address to declare zero tolerance for corruption.Both the ruling Zanu-PF and MDC caucuses seem to have bowed to public pressure, and have agreed to comply with the edict by Friday.The declaration system is intended to represent a show of good faith that officials are willing to open their finances up to public scrutiny, to be held accountable, and to move away from a culture that subsisted during toppled despot Robert Mugabe's reign that tacitly allowed bureaucrats to amass wealth through cronyism and graft.Zanu-PF chief whip Pupurai Togarepi said the ruling party caucus was going to lead by example."We are ready to declare our assets as Zanu-PF. We have the majority members in Parliament, we would like to lead by example," Togarepi told the Daily News."Every MP will declare his assets. We hope this will improve transparent and inspire confidence so that the people fully appreciate that the new dispensation is ready to deal with corruption."People can speculate, but it is for everyone to see after we declared our assets."Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Thabitha Khumalo told the Daily News yesterday that MDC legislators are more than ready to declare their assets."We are very clear on this issue of corruption. As MDC led by president (Nelson) Chamisa, we are urging our MPs to declare their assets. On our side, we don't have any problems in as far as declaration of assets is concerned. It should help to curb corruption in this country."Our Zanu-PF counterparts are the ones who amassed wealth. I don't know whether they are going to declare their assets or they had already changed the ownership of their assets and transferred it to their relatives."There is need to investigate whether they declared all their assets or they have transferred them to some people after they heard they must declare...."Public officials face no requirement to explain the source of any funds that were used to obtain properties, but they are required to accurately declare how they acquire their properties.Parliament last year adopted a code of conduct which requires MPs to disclose assets land in and outside Zimbabwe, buildings, movable assets, financial assets and other assets.This also comes after they are growing calls for Mnangagwa and his two deputies Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi to publicly declare their assets in order to demonstrate their commitment to fighting corruption.Upon taking over the reins of power from Mugabe late last year, Mnangagwa has gone all out to fight corruption in both the public and private sectors. News / National by Stephen Jakes HARARE Magistrate Elisha Singano today varied the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC Alliance) leader (Vice Chairperson) Tendai Biti's bail condition and removed the weekly police reporting requirement.Bail conditions were changed after an application by Alec Muchadehama, a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) member.Biti initially appeared in court on 9 August 2018 after he was 'taken' by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and other state security agents from Chirundu Border post (Zambian side) where he was in the process of seeking asylum. Biti had sought protection from Zambian Authorities as he feared for his life after attempts on his life, repeated harassment and intimidation of his close family members.He was taken from the safe custody of Zambian Immigration authorities in defiance of an order of the High Court of Zambia. The defied High Court order which was applicable when he was seized, required him to appear in Lusaka before a High Court judge to have his case for continued presence in Zambia heard as his asylum application was being processed.When Biti eventually appeared at Harare Magistrates Court on 9 August 2018, he was charged with contravening section 66(A)(1) of the Electoral Act for allegedly announcing 30 July 2018 harmonised elections Presidential results unofficially. He was also charged with committing public violence as defined in section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.A previous attempt by Biti to retrieve his passport to enable him to travel to South Africa to receive medical treatment, as well as for him to attend a continental forum for lawyers in Africa - Pan African Lawyers Association Annual General meeting was dismissed by Magistrate Francis Mapfumo on 27 September 2018. In dismissing the application, Mapfumo said that Biti could not be trusted as he had unfinished business in Zambia. Mapfumo further stated that Biti may want to go back to Zambia to deal with this 'unfinished business' if he had access to his passport.Today the state was represented by Prosecutor Michael Reza who put up a spirited opposition against relaxation of Biti's bail conditions (reporting to ZRP). The prosecution team has now been placed on notice and is now required to provide Biti with a trial date on his next remand date which is set for 17 October 2018. Opinion / Columnist Conclusion Don Chigumba is a mixed methods research specialist can be found on twitter @Donchigumba There is no doubt that ZANU PF government, Mthuli Ncube and John Panonetsa Mangudya are now running out of ideas. It is now clear in my mind that I had overrated Mthuli Ncube prior to his appointment to the finance ministry. This piece therefore seeks to educate the Zimbabweans that the monetary policy statement and fiscal measures are designed to rob diasporas and Zimbabweans at home of their savings.12 April 2009 will never be forgotten in the history of Zimbabwe, Zimbabweans were robbed of their livelihood and savings. That was the day when the Zimbabwean dollar was officially abandoned, Zimbabweans suffered because of the sins committed by the cruel ZANU PF government. ZANU PF government robbed the defenseless citizens by photocopying Zimbabwean dollar day and night. It is clear that Mangudya and Mthuli Ncube are taking Zimbabweans for granted. Zimbabweans will never forget and forgive this financial mishap unless something unique and convincing is done. Therefore, it will be easy for an elephant to enter through the eye of a needle than for the Zimbabweans to support fiscal measures from the known financial robbers.If you look closely on the monetary and fiscal announcements, ZANU PF government is planning to cheat people so that they can deposit their savings in local banks and abuse the savings later on. I am not against the idea of supporting the monetary measures of the government, but these measures should be implemented after the question of political legitimacy has been solved. Mthuli Ncube is giving a wrong prescription to the economic problems of Zimbabwe.Mthuli Ncube proposed the reduction of Intermediated Money Transfer Tax from 5 cents per transection to 2 cents per dollar transected. This is because they want to trap diasporas so that they can deposit their savings through the local banks before robbing them. The first measure that Mthuli Ncube should have addressed was that of confidence of depositors. If Zimbabweans recall what happened on 12 April 2009, ZANU PF government will be definitely punished. After robbing generations of their savings, they neither repented nor asked for forgiveness. They think that Gideon Gono is now water under the bridge but not knowing that it is still the bridge that is under water. The diasporas should critically analyze this monetary measure (of jailing their savings in Zimbabwe banks), it is better to be robbed by a robber' than to be robbed by your government like the April 12, 2009 attack.Mthuli Ncube demonstrated further confusion by terminating the ZIMRA board in his fiscal measures. He should have asked himself a question, are the financial problems of Zimbabwe related to ZIMRA or political legitimacy? If he had power, Mthuli should have begun by terminating the two Vice presidents who failed to jumpstart the economy. To me, the termination of ZIMRA board is like buying harvesting equipment before buying inputs. Mthuli Ncube should go for diagnosis before any fiscal action.John Panonetsa Mangudya is another confused fellow, his academic credentials should be revisited. He ordered foreign truckers to pay for fuel in foreign currency, how is this policy going to solve the Zimbabwe's economic woes? This policy has neither economic value nor rational, we need policies that can resurrect our economy from ICU. How is Mangudya going to monitor and evaluate this policy? The best policies are those that are easy to monitor and evaluate. The end result is that, fuel will end up been sold with US$ or on black market. If the situation continues to be like this, the fuel supply will dwindle within the next 30 days. Join me in condemning the clueless Mangudya. ZANU PF government, Mangudya and Mthuli are desperate of ideas, they have agreed at last that bond note is not at par with US$.The separation of Foreign Currency Accounts to Nostro FCAs and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) FCAs is another plot to rob the banks' foreign currency. If they want to raise money for foreign exchange and trade, they should opt for other feasible measures. The banks will remain dry because low confidence among business people. That is why they smuggle forex for imports payment.ZANU PF, Mangudya and Mthuli Ncube are wasting their time. As long as the problem of legitimacy is not addressed nothing is going to change in Zimbabwe's largely informal economy. Therefore, Zimbabweans should not allow these (two blue eyed boys) to rob our savings again. The foundation of any monetary policies and fiscal measures should be built upon political legitimacy. There is nothing that ZANU PF can do without MDC alliance, dialogue should begin. I almost committed suicide to hear Mangudya and Mthuli claiming that the economy of Zimbabwe has been on increase since the time of the coup, we should all condemn lying. Opinion / Columnist The Zimbabwean economy is anchored on agriculture and mining which brings in the much needed foreign currency in order to revive industries, push production up and improve the people's livelihoods. This and the achievement of a middle income economy by 2030 summarises the vision that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has for Zimbabwe. The President can effectively turn around the economy, if our citizenry are willing to render him with the necessary support.Agriculture puts Zimbabwe on the economic pedestal as it ensures that the citizens are fed and still remain with enough surplus for export. The introduction of the Command Agriculture programme in 2016, which was being supervised by President Mnangagwa during his tenure as the Vice President, saw the country recording a surplus in maize grain thereby boosting food security at household level as well as reviving the strategic grain reserves. Given such success, the President has the capabilities of steering the economy out of the waters in which it is marooned.Tobacco which is one of the major foreign currency earners has seen upward production levels. During the 2017/18 season, farmers sold a cumulative 252 498 017 kilogrammes as of 21 September 2018 attracting an average price of US$2.92 per kilogramme. This was the highest figure in the history of tobacco growing in Zimbabwe beating a record of 237 million kilogrammes which had been set by former white farmers in 2000. For the 2018/19 tobacco growing season, 124 000 farmers have registered to date with the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) to grow the golden leaf up from the 84 000 in the previous season which indicates a 35.7 percent increase in grower numbers.In mining only diamond and platinum are still covered by the Indigenisation Act with the rest having been removed from the Act under which Government insisted on the 51/49 shareholding threshold in favour of Zimbabweans. Investors in the mining sector now have the confidence that their investment would be secure unlike under the old Indigenisation Act which compelled them to cede a 51 percent stake to locals. This will attract high level investments which, in turn, are set to stimulate economic growth.Above all, small scale miners are now officially recognised at law with prospects of receiving mining equipment from Government to boost their operations especially for gold. This is being funded under the $460 000 Mining Industry Loan Fund which would be used to buy equipment for the miners. To this end miners have so far delivered 20 tonnes of gold to the Fidelity Printers and Refiners against a yearly target of 30 tonnes. Small scale miners have been making significant contribution to total gold output. Since 2014, their produce rose from 3,727kg to 13 176kg in 2017.In a brotherly and African Statesman stance, Rwandese President and African Union (AU) Chairperson, Paul Kagame while addressing the 73rd session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) summit pleaded Zimbabwe's case when he said "In Zimbabwe as well, the next stages on the county's path of progress warrant steady encouragement from the international community" . Such an endorsement will definitely work in President Mnangagwa's favour as he steers the economy to a safe ground.Under the Zimbabwe Is Open for Business investment drive, President Mnangagwa told the UNGA summit that "Zimbabwe is open for business and we are presently undertaking a raft of economic and political reforms to ensure an environment that facilitates inclusive and sustained economic growth. We have put in place institutions and instruments that maximize land utilization and increase agriculture productivity. Equally, strategies are in place in the various sectors of our economy, to enable my country to enter the global value chains. The development and modernization of our roads, railways, airports, energy and ICT infrastructure is being accelerated in line with our regional and continental quest for enhanced connectivity and integrated infrastructure".International financial institutions are an important cog in Zimbabwe's economic turnaround wheels as they facilitate the injection of the much needed fresh capital for industrial production. In this regard, World Bank Vice President for Africa, Mr Hafez Ghanem said that he was supportive of President Mnangagwa's agenda regarding cooperation with international lenders. He said that the World Bank would support Zimbabwe's economic recovery and international re-engagement efforts.The series of meetings which President Mnangagwa held in New York City in the United States on the sidelines of the 73rd session of UNGA work to buttress his broader vision of reviving the economy as he rubbed shoulders with the financial giants of the world.Given his potential, capability and vision and the amount of work that he has put into laying the foundation for economic revival, Zimbabwe is set for exciting times and a great future. All that the people of Zimbabwe need to do is to support him and exercise patience as the results will not be achieved overnight. Canadas largest carrier said it plans to fold the more than five million Aeroplan accounts into an in-house rewards system set to launch in 2020. Lost value is the top concern among Aeroplan members following the Air Canada-led (AC.TO) deal to acquire the loyalty program from Aimia Inc. (AIM.TO), according to a new poll. Air Canada teamed up with TD Bank (TD.TO), CIBC (CM.TO) and Visa Canada Corp. (V.N) to pay $450 million in cash for the program, and assume approximately $1.9-billion in associated liability, in a deal announced in August. Canadas largest carrier said it plans to fold the more than five million Aeroplan accounts into an in-house rewards system set to launch in 2020. The Angus Reid Institute found 59 per cent of respondents cited concerns about losing value when the Aeroplan points are converted to the new rewards framework. Details about what the Air Canada purchase will mean for members remain somewhat unclear, the pollster wrote on its website on Monday. Questions remain about ensuring equal value for those points. Among those surveyed, 49 per cent worry about maintaining the same number of points, and 42 per cent expect difficulty getting the flights they want. Thirty-nine per cent worry that they will only be able to book flights on Air Canada. The anxiety is not expected to translate to action. Three-quarters of respondents said they are not changing their plans to cash in their rewards points. In fact, 57 per cent expect there will be little to no change after Air Canadas program is up and running. The agreement in principle between Aimia and the Air Canada-led consortium was the result of a dramatic series of offers and rejections between the two parties over the summer. At one point, Aimia announced a deal with Toronto-based Porter Airlines as its preferred carrier. Despite the deal-making drama playing out in the headlines, Angus Reid found the Aeroplan saga did not grab much attention, ranking slightly ahead of Canada peacekeeping role in Mali and the net neutrality debate in terms of engagement. Overall dissatisfaction with the Aeroplan program emerged as a key trend in the poll, with 53 per cent of those surveyed saying they are not content, and one-in-five (18 per cent) saying they are very dissatisfied. Story continues Accumulation is apparently a source of frustration for members, as is redemption, the pollster wrote. Close to half of Aeroplan members say the are dissatisfied with how easy it is to do both. Angus Reid said it questioned a randomized sample of 1,500 Canadian adults between Sept. 4 and Sept. 7 who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The institute notes a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. After months of what had been described as "continuous negotiations," a crucial breakthrough materialized Saturday a major concession by the U.S. team that made it easier for the Canadians to get to 'yes' on a new trilateral trade deal. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's closest advisers and the country's top trade bureaucrat were huddled together around a speakerphone in the office of his chief of staff, Katie Telford. U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer was on the line. They listened as the American trade diplomat made his pitch, the mute button securely in the 'on' position. Lighthizer has developed a reputation in trade circles as a protectionist and, in the vein of other conservative-minded Americans, a strong proponent of U.S. sovereignty in the face of the globalizing effect of institutions like the UN and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Trump himself said Monday he picked Lighthizer as his trade czar because of his 'America First' instincts on trade. So when Lighthizer agreed to a longstanding Canadian demand to preserve Chapter 19 of the original NAFTA, in its entirety a dispute settlement mechanism that Lighthizer personally loathes the Canadians gathered in Telford's office gasped, senior government sources told CBC News. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, Canada's political lead on the file, threw her hands up in the air and shouted, "Yay!" The others in the room Canada's Ambassador to the U.S. David MacNaughton; Telford; Gerry Butts, the prime minister's principal secretary; John Hannaford, the prime minister's foreign and defence policy adviser; Steve Verheul, Canada's top trade negotiator; and Jeremy Broadhurst, Freeland's chief of staff were equally elated at the prospect of U.S. intransigence on this chapter a dispute resolution mechanism that also was crucial to securing Canada's signature on the original NAFTA melting away. Story continues It wasn't the first time Freeland had expressed her relief at securing a concession with that sort of physical display of glee. She had done it many times before. Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press But this was a pivotal moment. For 14 months, Lighthizer had made preserving Chapter 19 appear very unlikely. With the dispute settlement mechanism secure, the Canadians knew they were on the cusp of pulling together a new NAFTA. Other, less controversial chapters had been written up and agreed to weeks before. It was the dispute mechanism, and the question of what the Canadian side would give up on supply management, that held up a deal to the very end. Sources told CBC News the Chapter 19 breakthrough was the "turning point in all this." The Canadians were never entirely sure the Americans were serious about getting a trilateral trade deal. For most of his adult life, Trump has railed against NAFTA and treaties like it, loudly proclaiming his belief that the U.S. has been hosed on trade by its supposed allies. Lighthizer also has described NAFTA as a deal that had "fundamentally failed many, many Americans." A reversal of this sort showed the Americans were serious about replacing NAFTA with something. Canada had said all along that ditching Chapter 19 was a red line they simply would not cross. After the Telford group ended the call with Lighthizer, they placed another call to the PM to give him the news: a deal looked close. 'Ah-ha moment' "I think we have all been through moments over the course of the negotiations where we felt very close, only to see it not end up working out ... I have to say, from my own perspective, there wasn't a single 'ah-ha' moment. There was just a series of, 'OK, we got this one settled. Wow. We have to talk about this one,'" Trudeau said Tuesday, describing the process. "But there was [on Saturday] a sense things were falling into place. I think one of the moments for me was when we realized we had an intact Chapter 19. That's where I started to think, 'OK, we're going to be able to get to a place,' because we kept in place the rules that protect trade and enforce trade agreements like this." From the outset, the Canadians sought assurances that a new agreement would preserve Chapter 19 of the original NAFTA, a dispute resolution mechanism the countries can turn to if they feel wronged by the imposition of an anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Canada has successfully challenged U.S. actions on the softwood lumber file in the past through Chapter 19. "When we began the work of updating NAFTA, we kept our focus on what really matters," Trudeau said. "The new agreement would need to preserve jobs, foster growth, expand the middle class and support people working hard to join the middle class. It also needed to be fair. "Which meant that it would have to preserve the fundamental principle of the original agreement, which is that when your trading partner is 10 times your size, you need rules. You need a level playing field." Lighthizer, for his part, steadfastly opposed retaining Chapter 19, arguing that it constitutes a violation of U.S. sovereignty to have a multinational panel of arbiters decide on the acceptability of U.S. tariffs. He relented as the deadline his boss came up with midnight Sunday drew nearer. The U.S. wanted to get a text to Congress so that leaders could sign it before Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto's term comes to an end on Dec. 1. After that concession, of course, it was time for the Canadians to give the Americans and Trump specifically what they really wanted all along: greater U.S. access to Canada's dairy market to placate swing-state voters in places like Wisconsin and upstate New York, where farmers are awash in an oversupply of milk. And while there was talk of clashing personalities (Trump said last week that his people basically didn't like Freeland or her negotiating tactics), MacNaughton said Tuesday a deal was reached ultimately because of Lighthizer's personal "professionalism." "It's been a long, exhaustive period. We used to go to bed at midnight and get up and be back at work at 7 a.m. and these issues are really intense, so sometimes there are tempers lost and everything else," he said in an interview with CBC's Power & Politics. "But I gotta tell you, the professionalism at the table on the part of Ambassador Lighthizer and Jared Kushner and, on our side, Minister Freeland, Steve Verheul, it was really something." Lighthizer also thanked Kushner, the president's son-in-law, saying a deal would not have been possible without his interventions. Kushner was on the other end of many calls from Butts and others in the prime minister's inner circle when talks soured. Canadian Press Chapter 19, and the deal itself, still came at a price for Canada. Under the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA), the U.S. will have more access to the Canadian dairy market than what the Trudeau government gave up earlier this year when it signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a trade deal with 10 Asia-Pacific countries. With that agreement, those 10 countries will have market access that equals 3.25 per cent of Canada's annual milk production. The Americans will have more: 3.6 per cent. Perhaps most importantly for dairy producers, Canada has agreed to end what's called class 7 pricing, a milk class created in March 2017 that slashed prices on some Canadian-produced milk ingredients like protein concentrates, skim milk and whole milk powder used to make cheese and yogurt. Dairy farmers were already warning Monday that without the 18 month-old pricing scheme, the viability of the industry is in question. Ultimately, the prime minister and his team decided that preserving much of the tariff-free access Canadian companies currently enjoy with the U.S. access worth more than $700 billion US a year was worth the sacrifice. But not without Chapter 19. A US Navy underwater construction team responded on Friday, September 28, when an Air Nuigini flight crashed into the lagoon just short of the runway at Chuuk International Airport in the Federated States of Micronesia. The team was on hand working on improving the wharf area in Chuuk and other operations, the Navy said. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft was on a scheduled stop in Chuuk on its route from Pohnpei, Micronesia, to its final destination of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. All the passengers and crew were rescued. Credit: US Navy via Storyful Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..Gatestone Institute..01 October '18..For the past few weeks, the Palestinians and their leaders have been raising strident voices against Israel's new Nation-State Law, which specifies the nature of the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. The Palestinians have condemned the law as "racist" and claimed that it paves the way for Israel becoming an "apartheid state."This week, Palestinians declared a general strike in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to protest the law, which, they say, "eliminates the two-state solution."It is far from clear, however, why the Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza Strip should be concerned about the new law. The Palestinians living in these areas are not Israeli citizens and are not part of the Israeli political system. The Palestinians living in these areas have their own (Palestinian) citizenship, their own flag, their own parliament and their own government. They are not affected by the law in any way. This fact renders their opposition to the law little less than ridiculous.Because they have their own parliament and state institutions, the Palestinians are free to pass any laws they wish without seeking permission from Israel or any other party.Most people are unaware that the Palestinians do have their own laws, including the "Palestinian Basic Law," which was passed by the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2002.Why is it important to remind the world of this Palestinian law now? The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 is the second installment in Mombacho Cigars Cosecha series. The name cosecha is Spanish for harvest. Its a concept that is analogous to the wine world namely harvesting premium grapes from a particular crop. When it comes to cigars, it involves using tobaccos from a harvest year. Mombacho Cigars is known for its 100% Nicaraguan tobacco releases, and last year company President and Master Blender Claudio Sgroi decided to create an analogous limited edition vintage series, and thus the Cosecha line was born. The first release was the Mombacho Cosecha 2012. It uses Nicaraguan tobaccos exclusively from 2012. This year a different blend using tobaccos from a 2013 crop was created known as the Mombacho Cosecha 2013. Today we take a closer look at that cigar. Cosecha is a project that had two key steps. First Sgroi and his team worked to select the best tobaccos they can find for a particular vintage year. The tobaccos were set aside and the following year were rolled. Once rolled, the cigars were stored at the companys Casa Favilli factory in Grenada, Nicaragua for additional long-term aging. The date the cigars were rolled is stamped on the back of the cigars primary band. In the case of the Cosecha 2013, it uses tobaccos from the 2013 crop and the cigars were rolled in October 2014 and had been aging at Casa Favilli until it shipped in July. Currently, Mombacho has said there are Cosecha 2014 and Cosecha 2015 releases that are forthcoming. Plans were for the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 to make it to retailers in the spring. However, according to Mombacho Cigars, the civil unrest taking place in Nicaragua created some delays in getting the product. Grenada has been one of the cities impacted hardest by the situation in Nicaragua. As a result, the Cosecha 2013 did not make it out until July and ended up being showcased at the 2018 IPCPR Trade Show. Without further ado, lets break down the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 and see what this cigar brings to the table. SPECIFICATIONS Blend and Origin Other than the fact that the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 uses 100% Nicaraguan tobaccos from a 2013 crop, the specific leaf components have not been disclosed. The cigars were rolled in 2014 and have been aging since then. Wrapper: Nicaraguan (2013 Vintage) Binder: Nicaraguan (2013 Vintage) Filler: Nicaraguan (2013 Vintage) Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Casa Favilli Vitolas Offered The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 is available in one size a 6 x 52 Toro. This is the same size as the Mombacho 2013. The cigars are presented in ten-count boxes. Production for the Cosecha 2013 was limited to 800 boxes (8,000 cigars). This is an increase over the production for the Cosecha 2012 which was 500 boxes (5,000 cigars). Appearance The Nicaraguan wrapper of the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 had a medium brown color with a subtle rosado tint to it. There was a light coating of oil on the surface of the wrapper. The wrapper had some thin visible veins and thin visible wrapper seams. Like the 2012 edition, the Cosecha 2013 was finished with a thick pig-tail. The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 uses very similar banding to the 2012 edition. The primary band has an orange background with gold trim and gold font. On the front of the band, it features the companys triangular volcano logo. Just below it is the text MOMBACHO. On the left side of the band is the text Grenada Nicaragua in cursive font while on the right side is the text Casa Favilli also in cursive font. The secondary band is also orange with gold trim and gold font. It features the text COSECHA 2013 on the center of the band. On the left side of the band is the text TOTALAMENTE A MANO while on the right side is the text PURO NICARAGUA. There are also some gold adornments to the left and right. In a ticker tape pattern toward the top and bottom is the text 2013 EDICION UNICA also in gold font. PERFORMANCE Pre-Light Draw A straight cut was used to remove both the cap and pig-tail of the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 simultaneously. Once the cap was detached it was time to move to the pre-light stage. The cold draw delivered a mix of cedar and mineral notes. Overall it was a simple, but satisfactory pre-light draw. At this point, the footer band was removed and it was time to light up the Cosecha 2013 and see what the smoking phase would have in store. Tasting Notes The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 started out with a mix of sweet cedar, natural tobacco, earth, and a combination of white and red pepper. Early on the cedar and natural tobacco notes moved into the forefront. There was an orange-rind component that also was joined at-the-hip to the cedar notes. For the most part, I found the natural tobacco to be more prominent on the draw, and the cedar more prominent on the finish/after-draw. Meanwhile, the retro-hale delivered additional notes of red pepper and cedar. Later in the first third, some of the earth notes developed into more of a classic coffee bean flavor. This flavor moved up into the forefront and alternated in intensity with the natural tobacco. The cedar/orange rind note also remained grounded in the forefront. Meanwhile, there were still hints of pepper in the background. By the midway point, the coffee bean notes receded back into the background. The last third saw the coffee bean notes increase in prominence, again rejoining the natural tobacco in the forefront. The cedar/orange rind component diminished. There was an increase in the pepper-spice, but it never overpowered the blend. This is how the smoking experience of the Mombacho Coscheca 2013 came to a close. The resulting nub was firm to the touch and cool in temperature. Burn The burn of the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 performed quite well. The cigar maintained a straight burn path from start to finish. The burn line had a slight curvature to it, but the cigar was never in danger of getting off-track and canoeing. The ash itself was firm with a light gray color to it. The burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal. Draw Draw-wise, I found the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 to perform quite well. I found this cigar maintained a nice balance of openness and resistance. This was also a low maintenance cigar to derive flavor from. Strength and Body In terms of strength and body, the Mombacho Cosecha 2013 is a cigar that started out medium. There is a slow and steady build up in intensity along the way. While there was more strength and body in the second half, I still assessed both attributes as medium. Looking at strength versus body, both attributes balanced each other nicely with neither attribute overshadowing the other. OVERALL ASSESSMENT Final Thoughts When it comes to the Mombacho Cosecha 2013, there will be obvious comparisons with to its predecessor, the Mombacho Cosecha 2012. I still prefer the 2012 to the 2013, but thats not a knock on the 2013. The Mombacho Cosecha 2013 is a very good cigar and its one of the better cigars that Mombacho has put out. The cigar has a good flavor profile that was not cookie cutter and its the first two-thirds of this cigar is where this cigar shined. Its a cigar that I would still recommend for the novice or experienced cigar enthusiast. The Cosecha 2013 carries a price point at over $20.00 and (at press time) is a tough cigar to find. If you do find it, its worth buying multiples for your humidor. Summary Key Flavors Natural Tobacco, Coffee Bean, Earth, Orange Rind, Cedar, Pepper Burn: Excellent Draw: Excellent Complexity: Medium Plus Strength: Medium Body: Medium Finish: Very Good Rating Value: Buy Multiples Score: 91 References News: Mombacho Cosecha 2013 Hitting Stores After Delay Price: $21.95 Source: Mombacho with additional purchased Brand Reference: Mombacho Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans with diabetes who wind up in hospitals with serious infections, or who develop them while in the hospital, is on the rise. Between 2010 and 2015, the number of diabetics hospitalized for infections rose 52 percent (from 16 per 1,000 people to 24 per 1,000), according to researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "People with diabetes are more susceptible to in-hospital infections as compared with people without diabetes, and this risk is increasing," said lead researcher Jessica Harding, from the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "The most common infection types in people with and without diabetes were respiratory tract and skin infections," Harding said. But the rates of infection were seven times higher in people with diabetes, she added. The rise in overall infections is largely driven by increases in patients who develop sepsis while in the hospital, Harding said. "However, we also see in people with diabetes an increase in foot ulcers, coinciding with an increase in lower limb amputations," she added. Dr. Louis Philipson, director of the University of Chicago Kovler Diabetes Center, said it isn't clear why diabetics develop more infections. "We do not even have data as to whether the infections occurred in people with more poorly controlled diabetes, though that seems like a reasonable guess," said Philipson, who is also president-elect for medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. High blood sugar decreases the activity of the immune system and can cause many changes in tissue, skin and blood flow, all of which can increase the risk of infections, Philipson said. "Exactly which factors are most important here, and whether access to health care played a role, we do not know yet," he added. Urinary tract, skin and connective tissue infections are associated with high blood sugar levels and poorly controlled diabetes, Philipson explained. Preventing diabetes and reaching the optimum targets for blood sugar control are key to reducing infections. "Along with that, regular visits to a primary care doctor and specialist as needed to get the best foot care, eye care and review of kidney function will go a long way towards preventing complications of diabetes," Philipson said. For the study, Harding and her colleagues used national hospitalization data from 2000 to 2015. The data captured about 20 percent of all hospitalizations in 46 states, representing more than 96 percent of the U.S. population. The investigators found that people with diabetes are about two to seven times more likely to be hospitalized with an infection than the general population. "Improved access to preventive care, as well as promoting education to reduce risk factors for underlying disease processes, will be essential to decrease the risk of infections in people with diabetes," Harding said. Dr. Joel Zonszein directs the Clinical Diabetes Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. He said it's concerning that the majority of patients with diabetes are not treated properly, since high blood sugar levels predispose them to infections. "We have proper ways to treat diabetes, and there should be no excuse why patients shouldn't be getting the best care," he said. "More research is not needed -- more effective treatment is imperative." The results of the study were scheduled for presentation Tuesday at the meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, in Berlin. Research presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information Visit the American Diabetes Association for more on type 2 diabetes. TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency departments are becoming increasingly violent places as doctors bear the brunt of fallout from the opioid epidemic, a new survey shows. Nearly half of American emergency physicians said they have been physically assaulted at work, and three in five report those assaults happened during the past year, according to a new poll commissioned by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). Nearly seven in 10 of survey respondents said ER violence has increased over the past five years, with one-quarter reporting it has increased greatly. "Pretty much universally, they felt it's been getting worse," said ACEP President Dr. Vidor Friedman, who has himself been hit in the eye, punched in the chest and threatened with death while working in the emergency department. Why? Opioids are playing a major role in the violence, doctors said. Half of emergency physicians reported that at least half of all assaults are committed by people who are either seeking drugs or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the poll found. "They go to the emergency department hoping to get some relief, from not just the pain but the symptoms of withdrawal," Friedman explained. "These folks are agitated, they're desperate and they don't really have anywhere to turn." Efforts to curb the opioid epidemic require doctors to check prescription databases for potential misuse of painkillers, said Dr. Teresa Murray Amato. She is chair of emergency medicine at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills in Forest Hills, N.Y. "This can lead to difficult conversations and at times outright threats to the physician when the physician denies the request," Amato said. "Personally, I have noticed over the past year that, on almost every shift, I have been confronted by violence or the threat of violence when I attempt to redirect a patient away from opiate prescriptions," she added. "In the past, these kinds of situations were much less frequent." Nearly all (97 percent) of the assaults were committed by patients, doctors said, although about 28 percent also involved a patient's family member or friend. Friedman explained that "you have people who are in a crisis, and they show up, and we kind of live in a McDonald's world. People want it hot and want it now, and want it exactly as they want it, and we can't always provide that." And, Friedman added, "We also live in a world where it seems to be increasingly OK to express your anger. For some folks, that leads to them being particularly violent." But patients are also paying the price for this continued violence. About 80 percent of doctors said violence in the emergency department has harmed patient care, and about half said patients have been physically harmed while seeking ER treatment. These assaults keep emergency department physicians and staff from performing effectively, inflict emotional trauma and anxiety on patients, and increase wait times for treatment, doctors said. Dr. Robert Glatter is an emergency physician with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He said, "Physical and verbal attacks on emergency department staff can lead to long-term psychological effects, including anxiety as well as PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. Not only is patient care disrupted, but time devoted to critical emergencies is diverted to address these incidents." Assaults on emergency physicians most often involved hitting or slapping (44 percent), spitting on them (30 percent), punching them (28 percent), kicking them (27 percent) or scratching them (17 percent), the findings showed. Part of the problem is that people who carry out an assault in an emergency department rarely face consequences, Friedman said. The poll found that nearly seven in 10 doctors said their hospital reported the incident to police. But hospital security only pressed charges in 3 percent of those cases, and hospital administrations advised doctors to press charges in only 6 percent of cases. "I've been assaulted a number of times in the emergency department and every time it's happened the hospital asked me to not press charges," Friedman said. "If we don't press charges, we're telling our caregivers in the emergency department that it's OK for people to assault you, and it's not." Hospitals also need to step up security measures, including more security guards and even metal detectors for some emergency departments, Friedman said. "Hospitals need to understand that the emergency department is a place that's open to the world," he added. Friedman also would like to see tougher penalties for those who attack emergency department staff. "If a caregiver is assaulted, the penalties for that should be the same as if you're assaulting a police officer or firefighter," Friedman said. More than 3,500 emergency physicians across the nation were surveyed for the poll. The results were scheduled for presentation Tuesday at the ACEP's annual meeting in San Diego. More information The Emergency Nurses Association has more about violence in the emergency department. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram [EDITORS NOTE: See CPJs updated safety advisory here https://cpj.org/2019/11/cpj-safety-advisory-journalist-targets-of-pegasus-.php.] In a report published on September 18, Citizen Lab said it had detected Pegasus, a spyware created for mobile devices, in over 45 countries. Pegasus, which transforms a cellphone into a mobile surveillance station, could have been deployed against a range of journalists and civil society actors in Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Morocco, Togo, Israel, the U.S., and the United Arab Emirates, the report found. In Other Languages Espanol Portugues Francais Researchers have previously identified a number of major Pegasus campaigns, including one against investigative journalists in Mexico, and another against human rights workers in Saudi Arabia. The spywares presence in 45 countries raises significant implications for journalists, both in terms of their own security as well as the safety of their sources. The spyware gives the attacker the ability to monitor, record, and collect existing and future data from the phone. This includes calls and information from messaging applications and real-time location data. The spyware is able to remotely activate the camera and microphone to surveil the target and their surroundings. Pegasus is designed to be installed on phones running Android, BlackBerry OS, and iOS without alerting the target to its presence. Journalists will likely only know if their phone has been infected if the device is inspected by a tech expert. Pegasus can be installed in a number of ways. Journalists should be aware of these methods and take appropriate steps to protect them and their sources. Spear-phishing attacks Attackers create tailor-made messages that are sent to a specific journalist. These messages convey a sense of urgency and contain a link or a document which the journalist is encouraged to click on. The messages come in a variety of forms, including SMS, email, through messaging apps such as WhatsApp or via messages on social media platforms. Once the journalist has clicked on the link, then the spyware is installed on their phone. Research by Citizen Lab and Amnesty International found that messages tend to take the following forms: Messages purporting to be from a known organization such as an embassy or a local news organization Messages that warn the target may be facing an immediate security threat Messages that raise any work-related issue, such as covering an event that the target usually reports on Messages that make appeals to personal matters, such as those relating to compromising photos of partners Financial messages that reference purchases, credit cards, or banking details The suspect messages may also arrive from unknown numbers. Attackers can target personal and work phones. To better protect themselves and their sources, journalists should: Verify the link with the sender through a different channel of communication. This should preferably be through video or voice If the sender is not previously known to you, secondary channels may not provide successful verification of the links, as secondary channels may be set up by the adversary as part of an elaborate cover identity If the link utilizes a URL shortener service like TinyURL or Bitly, input the link into a URL expander service such as Link Expander or URLEX. If the expanded link looks suspicious, for instance mimicking a local news website but not being quite the same, do not click the link and forward it to phishtank@cpj.org for instance mimicking a local news website but not being quite the same, do not click the link and forward it to phishtank@cpj.org If you feel you need to open the link, do not use your primary device. Open the link on a separate, secondary device that does not have any sensitive information or contact details, and is used solely for viewing links. Carry out a factory reset on the device regularly (keeping in mind that this might not remove the spyware). Keep the secondary device turned off, with the battery removed, when not in use Use a non-default browser for the phone. Pegasus is believed to target default browsers. The default browser for Android is Chrome and the default browser for iOS is Safari. Use an alternative browser such as Firefox Focus and open the link in that. However, there is no guarantee that Pegasus will not, or has not, already targeted other browsers Physically installed by an adversary Pegasus can also be installed on your phone if an adversary gains physical access to the device. To reduce risk: Do not leave your device unattended and avoid handing over your phone to others When crossing a border or checkpoint ensure that you can see your phone at all times Turn off the phone before arriving at the checkpoint, and have a complex passphrase consisting of both letters and numbers. Be aware that if your phone is taken then the device may be compromised If you believe your phone is infected by Pegasus immediately stop using that phone and purchase another one. You should leave the suspected device in a place that does not compromise you or your surroundings. If you have access to tech support through a media organization, contact them immediately for assistance. If you are a freelance journalist or a journalist that does not have access to tech support, contact the Access Now Helpline. CPJ is working alongside our partners to understand the full scope of the threat Pegasus poses to journalists. If you have received a suspicious message and believe you may have been targeted by Pegasus, please forward the message to phishtank@cpj.org. This information will be handled confidentially. For more information on technology security we encourage journalists to review the CPJs Security Guides Chapter on Technology Security and see the digital safety information included in our Resource Center. With thanks to Citizen Lab for valuable insight. Business Booming for S Korean Crypto Lawyers The number of large South Korean law firms specializing in cryptocurrency, blockchain and fintech-related matters is growing fast, says a new report providing much-needed support for the countrys beleaguered cryptocurrency exchanges. Source: iStock/aluxum Hacks, fraud allegations, banking restrictions, insurance-related issues and the removal of tax breaks have all shaken South Korean exchanges this year, while an initial coin offering (ICO) ban has forced many crypto ventures abroad. However, per a report in Weekly Chosun, lawyers are quickly developing expertise in the sector with many major firms developing their own, large fintech units. The media outlet states that BKL, a Seoul-based law firm that began dealing with fintech-related cases in 2015, now has a blockchain unit that is 30 employees strong. Kim & Chang, one of the countrys biggest law firms, added a fintech unit earlier this year. Other major players, such as Yoon & Yang, Shin & Kim, Barun Law and Yulchon, have all either followed suit, or are currently planning to create their own teams of lawyers specializing in fintech cases. Weekly Chosun quotes an anonymous lawyer stating that even smaller IT-specialist law firms were charging basic consultancy rates of up to USD 90,000 for blockchain and cryptocurrency cases up until recently but that wider knowledge of fintech law within the South Korean legal industry is now helping to bring prices down significantly. Lawyers are increasingly being asked to help companies launch cryptocurrency operations without contravening the ICO ban whose legislation has been criticized by critics for its vagueness. Helping companies deal with the aftermath of hacks, and providing consultation on customer damages has also been providing fintech lawyers with potentially lucrative cases and legal advice is now being sought by companies looking to create contracts for blockchain technology-related partnership deals. As for what to look for in a lawyer, startups need to find one that will help them understand the regulatory regime, and to keep them informed of what theyre getting their business into. I would advise startups to look for law firms that have a deep understanding of the sector and if applicable, strong financial services regulatory and securities law capabilities, Nick Abrahams, Partner and Global Head of Technology and Innovation at Norton Rose Fulbright, told Cryptonews.com earlier this year. India and Uzbekistan have inked 17 agreements including for cooperation in the fields of tourism, national security, training of diplomats, against trafficking and visa free travel for diplomatic passport holders. These agreements were signed after delegation level talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistans President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in New Delhi. In was first concerted effort from India to open strategic communication channels and broadened defence and counter-terrorism cooperation with Uzbekistan. Both countries also agreed to hold joint military training exercise in area of counter-terrorism, cooperate in field of military education and military medicine, set up Joint Working Group (JWG) to support and sustain enhanced, mutually-beneficial defence-related activities. They have also decided to institute a regular dialogue on Afghanistan. Signed Agreements are India-born economist Gita Gopinath was appointed Chief Economist of International Monetary Fund (IMF). She will take over as IMF chief economist after Maurice Obstfeld retires in December 2018. It makes her second Indian after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan to hold the position. Gita Gopinath Gita Gopinath was born and brought up in India. She is US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI). She had received her Ph.D in economics from Princeton University in 2001 after earning BA from Delhi University and MA degrees from both Delhi School of Economics and University of Washington. She joined the University of Chicago in 2001 as Assistant Professor before moving to Harvard in 2005. She became tenured Professor there in 2010. She is John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Economics at Harvard University. Her research focuses on International Finance and Macroeconomics. She is co-director of International Finance and Macroeconomics program at National Bureau of Economic Research, visiting scholar at Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, member of economic advisory panel of Federal Reserve Bank of New York, co-editor of American Economic Review, co-editor of current Handbook of International Economics. She was managing editor of Review of Economic Studies. She is currently Economic Adviser to Chief Minister of Kerala and also had served on advisory panel for G-20 issues for Indias Ministry of Finance. In 2014, she had made into IMFs list of 25 economists under 45. She was also chosen as Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2011. The International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) is observed every year on October 1 to raise awareness about issues affecting elderly and to appreciate contributions that older people make to society. It also seeks to raise awareness about issues affecting elderly, such as senescence and elder abuse. The theme for this year is Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions. The theme reaffirms commitment to promoting full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by older persons to celebrated 70th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Background The International Day of Older Persons was instituted by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) by adopting resolution 45/106 in December 1990 for raising awareness about issues affecting elderly, such as senescence and elder abuse. It is also day to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society. The observance of the day is also focus of ageing organizations and the United Nations Programme on Ageing Vietnam's President Tran Dai Quang, one of the country's top three leaders but with mostly ceremonial duties, has died after an illness, state television and radio have announced.Quang, 61, died in a military hospital in Hanoi from a 'serious illness despite efforts by domestic and international doctors and professors,' Vietnam Television reported on Friday.Vietnam has no paramount ruler and is officially led by the president, prime minister and Communist Party chief. Experts say the presidency is largely ceremonial.Quang was appointed to the role in April, 2016. Before that, he had served as Minister of Public Security, an organisation with broad powers and a remit that includes intelligence gathering and thwarting domestic and foreign threats to the party.Originally from a small farming community 115 km south of Hanoi, Quang rose through party ranks to become a police general and member of Vietnam's powerful decision-making Politburo.'We are saddened to hear the news that the president has died,' said Bui Duc Phi, chairman of the village in which Quang was born.Rumours of Quang's illness had been swirling on social media for months.At one of his last appearances, during a visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Hanoi on September 11, Quang appeared visibly unwell and stumbled as he stepped onto a platform to inspect a guard of honour.State-owned newspaper Vietnam News said Quang hosted a reception for China's Supreme Court chief in Hanoi on Wednesday. Columbia River closes to all salmon fishing after Wednesday September 11, 2018 CLACKAMAS, Ore. With fall Chinook salmon returns to the Columbia River tracking well below preseason predictions, fishery managers announced today the Columbia River from the mouth at Buoy 10 to the Hwy 395 Bridge near Pasco, Washington will close for angling and retention of all salmon and steelhead at 12:01 am Thursday, Sept. 13. As of Sept. 10, a total of 105,795 adult fall Chinook had passed Bonneville Dam, 75 percent of expectations based on preseason forecasts. The upriver bright Chinook return, which includes ESA-listed Snake River fish, are currently projected to return at 69 percent of expectations which means if left open fisheries could exceed the allowable harvest rate. In response, Oregon and Washington managers decided today to close all salmon fisheries until further notice. According to Tucker Jones, ODFW Columbia River Program manager, if the return continues on this track, this could be the lowest fall Chinook return to the mouth of the Columbia since 2007. 2018 is a pretty bad year for Columbia River salmon returns, said Jones, Except for upper Columbia sockeye most runs will come in at 30 percent or less of pre-season forecast. Steelhead fishing closed on the Columbia River Aug. 27, also due to poor returns, and will also remain closed until further notice. ### Soccer star David Beckham at a gala in New York, U.S. Photo by Reuters/Lucas Jackson Former Manchester United football star David Beckham introduced the first made-in-Vietnam cars in Paris on Tuesday. VinFast, a unit of Vietnams largest conglomerate Vingroup, invited Beckham to attend the opening of its new cars at the Paris Motor Show in France. Beckham is also known for his collection of rare, valuable cars including an Aston Martin V8 and a Porsche 911 Cabrio. His fame as a car connoisseur was a major factor in VinFast choosing to invite Beckham to appear on stage with its new cars, the seven-seater SUV and the four-Sedan, a source told VnExpress. Beckham will also share his first-hand experience driving these cars, the source added. One of two VinFast cars to be exhibited at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. Photo by VnExpress VinFast is set to become Vietnams first full-fledged domestic car manufacturer when its first models hit the streets next August. VinFast plans to up its to produce 250,000 cars annually in the next five years or so, equivalent to 92 percent of all the cars sold in Vietnam last year, according to Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA) data. Vietnams first car maker VinFast Tuesday impressed industry insiders by rolling out its very first products in record time. An SUV and a small sedan were revealed at the Paris Motor Show, making it the first time ever that made-in-Vietnam cars stood alongside with global giants at one of the biggest car exhibitions in the world. VinFast, a unit of Vietnams largest conglomerate, Vingroup JSC, surprised industry insiders by completing its first two units within one year. Its first two models are built on frames from BMW. Their components have been engineered by Canadian firm Magna Internationals Magna Steyr, while design work was done by Italian design house Pininfarina. VinFast's Sedan. Photo acquired by VnExpress. VinFast is expected to have the capacity to produce 250,000 cars annually in the next five years or so, equivalent to 92 percent of all the cars sold in Vietnam last year, according to data collated by the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), Reuters said Monday. Vingroup says it only set out on creating VinFast a little over a year ago, earmarking about $3.5 billion for the project. We are driving rapid expansion of the domestic automobile market, so we are absolutely focused on winning here first, Reuters quoted CEO Jim Deluca as saying ahead of the Paris Motor Show. Were looking to expand both within ASEAN and outside. Most cars sold in Vietnam are foreign brands assembled in the country from kits. But a series of free trade agreements have reduced import duties and are opening up the market. A 30 percent import tax on cars from other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries was scrapped this year. Coworking space is becoming more popular to entrepreneurs in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Toong With the supply of traditional office space struggling to meet demand in HCMC, coworking spaces are becoming increasingly popular. VnExpress' survey showed that a seat in a coworking space in Districts 1 and 3 costs $150-300 per month. On Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 3 the cost is $150-200, while in De Tham Street, which is popular with foreigners, it goes up to $200-300. Rentals in Vietnam are lower than in most other cities in the Asia Pacific: they average over $400 a month in Shanghai, over $600 in Singapore and $1,500 in Hong Kong, according to real estate consultancy CBRE. Operators of coworking spaces said their customers are mostly freelancers, entrepreneurs and market researchers from other countries. They work for a short time in the city and only need a seat where they can work with their laptop, they said. Coworking spaces are especially popular with Japanese market researchers since they have a minimalist working style and usually travel alone, they revealed. As of April there were 23 coworking operators in Vietnam managing a total of 34 spaces, said CBRE. Growth has averaged 55 percent a year over the last five years, and the number of spaces is likely to reach 45 by the end of this year, it noted. Drawing attention The growth in Vietnam is attracting increasing attention from international firms. Real estate service firm Jones Lang LaSalle said last month that WeWork, the third largest startup in the U.S., plans to open a coworking space in HCMC later this year. It will be the largest in Vietnam at 5,000 square meters. WeWork acquired Chinese coworking space firm Naked Hub for $400 million last April, expanding its reach into the Asian market. The Hive, a Hong Kong-based operator, is planning to open a new facility by the end of this year in HCMC, according to CBRE. The company already has one office on Xuan Thuy Street in the citys District 2. Major local operators like Toong, UP, Circo, and Dreamplex have all stepped up their rate of expansion, and the number of smaller operators with just one venue is also increasing. Nguyen Hong Hai, CEO of office rental service Pax Sky, said coworking spaces are now popular because the supply of office space in HCMCs central districts is not meeting demand because of a rising wave of entrepreneurs coming there. He told VnExpress that grade A office space in the city costs $50-60 per square meter plus tax a month, and grade B office space, $22-30. But occupancy rates of over 95 percent mean customers have to wait for a long time to find a good place, he said. There is still a lot of untapped potential in the coworking industry in HCMC because of its very vibrant entrepreneurship scene, he added. In Vietnam, 91 percent of people using coworking space are below 35 years of age, according to a CBRE study last year. This proportion is a lot higher than the global average of 67 percent and reflects the nations young demographics, creating robust demand, it said. Around 54 percent of coworking space users in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are either founders or employees of start-ups, and approximately 14 percent are self-employed freelancers, it added. Experts say it will be difficult to implement an age-based ban on selling liquor, better options are needed. They are also saying that an emphasis on education and raising awareness will have greater impact in dealing with the problem of liquor abuse. A draft bill on the prevention of dangers of alcohol being compiled by the Ministry of Health proposes a number of prohibitions, including: promotion in any manner of liquor with alcohol content of 15 degrees or above; usage of positive phrases like "medicinal alcohol", "nutritious alcohol" on product labels; advertising of alcohol during television prime time (6-9 p.m.); sale of alcohol to persons under 18; and sale of alcohol on the internet. Kieu Anh Vu of law firm KAV Lawyers said it was very necessary to bring legal measures against the dangers of alcohol, because the harm it was causing was indisputable. Vu said he supported the draft bills ban on alcohol consumption by government officials, civil servants, and employees during working hours or between shifts during the working day; by operators of motorized vehicles; and by people under 18. "These regulations are appropriate to ensure social order, safety and health of the community," he said. However, Vu was concerned about how age checks would be carried out. Will vendors have the right to check peoples age by looking at their identity cards, or just by asking questions? Psychologist Nguyen An Chat, on the same page as Vu, also questioned how alcohol sellers could correctly verify the age of each individual. Some 15 year olds look very mature while some 20 year olds can look underage. Would everyone wishing to purchase alcohol have to produce identity documents? he wondered. An online right? Lawyer Vu Tien Vinh, director of Bao An Law Firm, said: "Buying alcohol over the Internet is more convenient than going to shops or supermarkets. If online sale is prohibited, people can and will continue to buy alcohol through traditional channels. Vinh said that in reality, it was too easy for buyers to obtain alcohol via traditional channels such as supermarkets and other dealers. When consumers can buy alcohol anytime, anywhere, the ban on online sales will not have much of an impact on its consumption, he said. Detecting online transactions on the sale of alcohol to punish with fines is very difficult. It will not be hard for consumers to get around this regulation, Vinh added. Sociologist Trinh Hoa Binh concurred, saying identification of illegal alcohol sales online was very hard to do. Internet sales are the current trend. Will the prohibition of selling alcohol online go against this? asked psychologist researcher Nguyen An Chat. Given the implementation difficulties, Binh proposed that instead of prohibitive regulations, authorities should instead start with education, build a set of cultural values for the modern Vietnamese society that discourages alcohol abuse. Chat supported this. He said education should begin at home and continue in schools so that each person was aware of the danger of drinking, so that people would exercise restraint and control their consumption. Psychologist Khuat Thu Hong said many countries have faced difficulties in implementing regulations prohibiting or restricting the sale/use of alcohol, but over time, strict compliance has become the norm. "In Vietnam, for these regulations to be implemented well, close monitoring and regular communication on the harms of alcohol will be essential for the people to understand and co-operate," said Hong. In Vietnam, about 800 deaths per year are related to the use of alcohol, including beer. Almost 30 percent of social order disruption cases are also related to alcohol consumption. In 2017, Vietnamese people spent close to $4 billion on alcohol. The cost of dealing with alcohol-related traffic accidents was estimated at about one percent of the GDP the same year. The alcohol industry contributes about VND50 trillion ($2.17 billion) to the state budget a year and provides about 220,000 jobs directly or indirectly. Vietnam's then Communist Party General Secretary Do Muoi gestures during an interview with Reuters in Hanoi, October 6, 1995. Former Party chief Do Muoi, a key figure in Vietnam's revolutionary struggles and its opening up era, died Monday night. The former Party General Secretary passed away at 11:12 p.m. Monday at the 108 Military Hospital in Hanoi, after battling ill health for a long time, receiving care from doctors in and outside Vietnam, said the National Commission of Health Services for Officials. Born Nguyen Duy Cong in Hanoi, Do Muoi was a member of Vietnam's Communist Party for 78 years. He became an active revolutionary at an early age, joining the French Popular Front at 19. In 1939, he joined the Communist Party of Indochina, marking his first step on the political scene. In 1941, at age 24, he was arrested by the French colonialists and sentenced to 10 years at the then infamous Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi. He broke out of jail four years later and continued active participation in revolutionary campaigns. He joined the Party unit of Ha Dong, now a district of Hanoi, led its grand coup against the colonial government and became its Party leader from August 1945. Former General Secretary Do Muoi (L) is seen in a file photo with Vo Van Kiet, who served as Vietnam's Prime Minister between 1991 and 1997. During the war against the French colonialists, Do Muoi took different positions across the northern region. He was the Party Secretary of Ha Nam, Nam Dinh and Ninh Binh provinces, and Party leader of multiple revolutionary units in the area. In 1955, he was the Party leader and chairman of the port city of Hai Phong. That March, he was elected to be an alternate member of the second Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. A year later, he took the position of the Deputy Minister of Trade and became Minister in 1958. He also became a delegate of Vietnam's legislative National Assembly. In September 1960, he was elected to be a member of the Party's Central Committee at the National Congress. From 1969 to 1971, he was the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Economic Office of the Prime Minister. He continued to serve as Deputy Prime Minister from 1976 to 1981. In 1979, he was elected to be an alternate member of the Politburo, the Party's decision-making body, and in 1986, became its official member. Do Muoi became the Party General Secretary of Vietnam in 1991 and held his position until 1997. He was at the helm in the most decisive phase of Doi moi, the economic reform process that was launched in 1986 and gathered steam under his stewardship in the early 90s. In December 1997, he became an advisor for the Party's Central Committee, and continued his role until 2001. The 8th plenum of the 12th Central Committee of Vietnams Communist Party opens in Hanoi on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam News Agency The 12th Central Committee of Vietnams Communist Party will review candidates for the president position at its ongoing 8th plenum in Hanoi. During the five-day meeting, the Politburo, the Party's decision-making body, will introduce candidates for the new president post, Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong said. The Central Committee will consider the list before presenting to the legislative National Assembly. President Tran Dai Quang passed away September 21 due to a serious illness and Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh has taken over as Vietnam's first female head of state, until the assembly elects Quangs successor. The assembly will gather on October 22. Trong said the Party plenum will also elect new members to the Party's Central Inspection Commission and announce punishment decisions on some officials. Analysts have expected new personnel for the Central Committee since the plenum in May, but no decisions have been made. By then, Dinh La Thang, former Ho Chi Minh Citys Party chief and Politburo member, had received long jail terms for violations when he was chairman of state-owned PetroVietnam between 2006 and 2011, while Dinh The Huynh, who was the de facto number two of the Communist Party, left his positions as Executive Secretary of the Party's Secretariat and Chairman of the Party's Central Theoretical Council due to ill health. The ongoing plenum, opened in Hanoi Tuesday, will also review socio-economic development and the governments revenue collection this year and set targets for next year. Based on the first nine months, the plenum expects the full-year socioeconomic performance to be good. Vietnams GDP grew by 6.98 percent between January and September, the highest nine-month growth rate since 2011, and is expected to surpass the target of 6.7 percent. Per capita income is set to rise by 6.5 percent to $2,540. Among topics to be discussed is the Vietnam Marine Strategy for until 2020. Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha said maritime has made significant contributions to the countrys economic development. "The maritime economy now accounts for 60-70 percent of the countrys GDP, the highest rate ever," he told the meeting. Ha also pointed to weaknesses in executing the strategy, saying near-shore fishing has reached a level of overexploitation while the shipbuilding industry has failed to meet expectations. We used to hope that shipbuilding will become a spearhead of the economy, but now it can be seen that this sector has missed its opportunities. But a country with a long coastline like Vietnam should rely on the shipbuilding industry. We cant keep hiring or buying ships. And in order to boost this sector, we need to restructure its governance, adopt advanced technologies and train human resources while also attracting quality human resources at the same time. Turtle Tower (Thap Rua) standing on a small island near the center of Hoan Kiem Lake is one of Hanoi's tourist attractions. Photo by Quynh Trang Hanoi will compete in the Worlds Leading City Destination category for a prize at the 2018 World Travel Awards. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has for the first time nominated Hanoi alongside 17 other big cities around the world. The other cities are: Auckland (New Zealand), Cape Town and Durban (South Africa), Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Las Vegas and New York (the U.S.), Lisbon (Portugal), London (the U.K.), Marrakech (Morocco), Paris (France), Quito (Ecuador), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Saint-Petersburg (Russia), Sydney (Australia) and Lisbon (Portugal). The winner will be determined by votes from travellers around the world. Voting is open online on several platforms including sodulich.hanoi.gov.vn, and the voting time will last until October 24 this year. Voters are required to register for an account at www.worldtravelawards.com before casting their vote. Tran Duc Hai, director of Hanois tourism department, said it was a great opportunity for Hanoi to promote its history, culture and tourism image among international friends, and this nomination would boost the citys tourism sector. A peaceful morning of autumn in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Quang Vu In early March last year, the American television network CNN started airing two commercials featuring the best features of the ancient capital to people around the world as part of a $2 million deal with the city. After a year of broadcasting, the ads have gained positive results, evident in a 23 percent year-on-year surge in foreign tourist arrivals to five million last year. A survey conducted by U.K. research firm BDRC Continental found 92 percent of respondents saying the ads on CNN have sparked interest in traveling to Hanoi, as the capital city had a lot to discover in terms of food, shopping, culture and historical relics. Hanoi among nominees for leading city destination award Hanoi on air: CNN videos introduce the best of Vietnam capital to global viewers Hanoi recorded 20 million tourist arrivals in the first nine months of this year, up 9.2 percent from a year ago. Of these 4.3 million were foreign visitors, a year-on-year increase of 20 percent. Earlier this year, TripAdvisor readers ranked Hanoi in 12th position on a list of the world's top 25 destinations, alongside Paris and Rome. Last August, Hanoi and HCMC were named among the 15 best destinations in Asia by the U.S. News newspaper. The World Travel Awards was launched in 1993 to acknowledge excellence in the travel and tourism industry and is now in its 25th year. Heralded as the travel industry's equivalent of the Oscars by The Wall Street Journal, the awards are handed out based on votes by the public and travel professionals across the globe. PM Groysman vows "systemic rise" of pensions as early as March 2019 According to the head of government, his two major tasks at the moment are on the one hand, to prevent the collapse of the Ukrainian economy over non-fulfillment of obligations to international partners and on the other, to "protect people." If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter NBU demands explanation from Russia's Sberbank over withdrawal of $15 mln in 2014 The journalist who uncovered the scheme was threatened with murder. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter What do you think about our new website? Share your opinion Groysman hopes to reach gas prices deal with IMF based on real economic situation in Ukraine Talks with the IMF remain constructive, the official said. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter NA honors Charles Aznavour's memory (video) The works of the regular session of NA has been launched. Prior to addressing the agenda issues, the NA honored the memory of the world-famous chansonnier Charles Aznavour with a minute of silence. "Of course, we can talk about Aznavour for a long time, almost all of us have had the opportunity to communicate with him. I, and you as well, did not just lose just a famous person and the son of the Armenian nation, but also my good friend and colleague. Since the earthquake, we have collaborated for the sake of the health of Armenia's children, have made future and joint projects," said NA Speaker Ara Babloyan. To note, a draft of 6 laws subject to compulsory discussion has been included in the NA agenda. The draft law "On Making Amendment to the RA Law on Licensing" will be submitted for the first reading of the National Assembly. Other draft laws will be submitted for the second reading. The agenda also includes the draft law authored by deputy of Tsarukyan alliance, MP Mikayel Melkumyan, refferinf to the activity of Gas and Electricity Supply and Distribution Systems in Armenia. We only trust Pashinyan - importers of cars with right-hand steering wheels protesting (video) Today, importers of cars with right-hand steering wheels, who organized a protest action in front of the RA Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies, have gathered near the government to demand the cancellation of the ban on importing such cars. To remind, the ban on import of cars right-hand steering wheels in Armenia came into force on April 1. The ban is temporary, and it will last until October 1. But the ministry is going to make that ban permanent. However, as protesters insisted, the public was not informed about the changes. The car buyers and importers of such cars are in a difficult situation, and queues have been created on the Georgian border, so that drivers are fined every day. "They lied, admitted that the ban would be permanent, the people are not aware of it" says Vachagan Minasyan, importing cars with the right-hand steering wheels The action participants demand to personally meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. "We do not trust anyone else, we applied to the Transport Ministry and the government last month, but there is no answer," says Vachagan Minasyan. The liquidation of Naftogaz Ukrainy in the next six years will impede recovery of funds from Russia's Gazprom, Naftogaz Chief Commercial Officer Yuriy Vitrenko has said. "New arbitration against Gazprom with our claims exceeding $12 billion, taking into account our experience, will end no earlier than in two or three years. We already know that Gazprom avoids implementing the decision of international arbitration and in such conditions forcible recovery will take at least another year. That is, already four years. And to take into account contesting in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Sweden, it's not four years, but six years," he wrote on Facebook. Vitrenko noted that, thus, the liquidation of Naftogaz after the next presidential election is impossible. According to the chief commercial director of Naftogaz, in general, initiatives to liquidate the company are devoid of common sense, since in this case it will be necessary to significantly expand the functions, the staff of Ukrgazvydobuvannia and the country will not receive any gain. As reported, earlier Yulia Tymoshenko announced the intention to liquidate Naftogaz Ukrainy after the presidential elections if she will be victorious. Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev has said that he hopes that the Verkhovna Rada will consider the proposals to select a strategic international partner to manage the Ukrainian gas transmission system (GTS) in H1 2019. "If the decision is made, it will be made in public in the Verkhovna Rada, with everyone who wants to see who, why, and, most importantly, what they [potential partners] are offering us. I hope that it will be possible to do in the first half of next year," he said on the Priamy TV channel on Monday evening. According to him, for this, the Cabinet of Ministers should present proposals on the terms of the tender to select the partner to the parliament in the near future. As reported, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill in August 2014, which allows attracting a proper foreign partner to the capital of the systemic operator on conditions of owning up to 49%, although only a management option is also possible. Naftogaz has repeatedly said that there is a need for Ukraine before the expiration of the transit contract with Gazprom from January 2020 to find a strategic international partner - a reliable energy company to manage the gas transmission system. The Energy and Coal Industry Ministry in December 2017 officially invited potential partners in the management of the country's GTS to preliminary consultations. Ten companies informed about their interest: Eustream (Slovakia), Snam (Italy), Gazunie (the Netherlands), GRTgaz (France), GAZsystem (Poland), Desfa (Greece), Reganosa (Spain), Verbunddnelz Gaz AG (Germany), Fluxys (Belgium) and Transgaz (Romania). The Kness Group, a large Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) contractor on the Ukrainian alternative energy market, this year started building own solar power plants and soon intends to launch the capacity of 33 MW, Kness Director General Serhiy Shakalov has said. "To a large extent, we started building our own capacities only this year. Now we are commissioning 33 MW. These are our capacities," he told Interfax-Ukraine. Shakalov said that the group mainly acts as an EPC contractor in projects, building solar power plants for clients according to different financial models. He said that Kness has already implemented projects with a total capacity of more than 200 MW. "And now about 200 MW are being built, and the plans are great," the general director said. Speaking at the Ukrainian Financial Forum organized by the ICU investment group recently, he pointed out the high interest of investors in solar power plants for the period before the introduction of auctions. "Why interest? Because the business is clear, simple and fairly well insured: almost a state guarantee in the form of state purchases of electricity. Plus a very low OPEX," Shakalov said. According to him, Kness (at that time, Podilsky Energoconsulting) first started building alternative energy facilities, and at the beginning of 2016 it almost completely focused on solar energy and "did not miscalculate." Shakalov said that even with the introduction of auctions expected after 2020, the construction of a solar power plant still remains interesting, since there is more money, technology and construction companies on the market than it was before. Among the problems he highlighted a lack of quality facilities and qualified personnel, which does not allow scaling projects. "We are not afraid of the auction system. We are actively preparing for them (auctions). We are looking positively in 2020," the general director of Kness said. In his opinion, the introduction of the auction system will create another competitive field in which other financial models will compete, although there is no clear understanding yet. Shakalov also said that it will have to compete more with large international companies, and also more actively develop new regions, since the density of implemented projects in Kherson and Odesa regions is already high. Ukraine in the second half of October is switching to the unified national list of dual-use goods that are subject to export control, meeting EU standards, the State Service of Export Control of Ukraine has reported. According to a posting on the authority's website, the decision to introduce the unified national list of dual-use goods made in January by the Cabinet of Ministers will take effect on October 19. The State Service of Export Control of Ukraine said that according to Ukrainian legislation, economic entities planning to hand over military goods abroad, including broker activities, are obliged to be preliminary registered in the State Service of Export Control of Ukraine. It is recommended to preliminary identify goods and prepare documents required for preliminary examination by the authority in advance to ensure the timely submission of application for the registration in line with the national list from October 19. The authority said after the preliminary examination, the key examination is conducted, and after it an economic entity receives a permit, a conclusion of an international certificate for carrying out activities in this sphere. SkyUp airline has received a Third Country Operator (TCO) License, allowing to fly to 28 countries of the European Union (EU), as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein. "We are pleased to announce that SkyUp has passed the TCO procedure, having received permission to fly to European countries! Now the sky of Europe is open for us," the airline said on its official Facebook page. The TCO license is a single document for compliance with safety standards that allows flights to EU countries. It is issued centrally by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The airline announced its readiness to announce new routes to Europe. As reported, SkyUp airline plans to expand its own fleet by two new medium-haul Boeing 737-700s by the end of 2018, as well as to get one wide-body Airbus A330 into wet leasing. SkyUp Airline LLC was registered in Kyiv in June 2016. The founder of SkyUp was ACS-Ukraine LLC belonged to Tatiana Alba and Yuriy Alba, who also own JoinUp! tour operator. The company began charter flights from the end of May 2018. The opportunities for cooperation in agriculture, construction and energy sectors have been discussed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman with Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Du Wei. "Ukraine and China plan to double mutual goods flow to $10 billion and are mulling new opportunities or cooperation in agriculture, construction, first of all infrastructure facilities, energy and other areas," the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers reported after a meeting of the prime minister with the ambassador on Tuesday. Groysman said that the potential of relations between Ukraine and China is deepening every year, and more and more spheres of mutual interest appear. At the meeting the Ukrainian prime minster thanked the Chinese diplomat for the successful completion of a project providing ambulances for Ukraine. He expressed hope that China International Import Expo 2018 will be successful. A Ukrainian delegation will take part in the exhibition. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman plans to announce a tender to select the head of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine after the completion of talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Now we will complete negotiations with international partners... As soon as we decide on a new model [for reform of the State Fiscal Service], and we are already at their finalization, we will then announce the tender," he said on the Freedom of Speech talk show on Monday. According to him, the documents for the start of the tender procedure are ready. "The documents for the announcement of the tender are ready. We only have to decide on the legal entities of the State Fiscal Service and the customs office - whether it will be one legal entity or two. If there is one - one tender, if two - two tenders," he said. As reported, early September, the then acting head of the State Fiscal Service, Myroslav Prodan, resigned on his own accord. The Cabinet of Ministers declared its intention to announce a tender for this position, and the Cabinet of Ministers authorized Oleksandr Vlasov, the former head of the Odesa Customs Office, to be acting head of the fiscal agency. The head of the State Fiscal Service, Roman Nasirov, who was dismissed by the Cabinet of Ministers, was selected at a tender. On Tuesday, October 2, at 10.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "Autism: Break Stereotypes, Open your Heart to Unusual People," dedicated to the launch of the social project "Your unlimited world" by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Acino in Ukraine. Participants include child psychiatrist, PhD in medicine, head of the department of mental disorders of children and adolescents of the Ukrainian Research Institute of Social and Forensic Psychiatry and Narcology in Kyiv Ihor Martsenkovsky; founder of the "Child with the Future" Charity Fund for children with autism spectrum disorder Inna Serhiyenko; PhD in medicine, Regional Director of Acino in the CIS countries (Switzerland), Director General of Pharma Start LLC (Ukraine) Yevhen Zayika; General Director of Acino (Switzerland) Steffen Saltofte; Deputy of Ukraine, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, PhD in politics, Doctor of Laws Yuriy Myroshnychenko; Moderator: PhD in medicine, Director of the Department of Medical, Regulatory Affairs and Pharmaceutical Control of Acino in Ukraine and CIS countries, Alla Sorokoletova (8/5-A Reitarska Street). Press registration by phone: (050) 415-52-63 or at: pr_ua@acino.swiss. Russian-backed separatists have fired at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces 21 times over the past 24 hours, including four times with the use of weapons banned by the Minsk agreements, with no casualties recorded among Ukrainian military, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) headquarters has said. "Invaders opened fire on the positions of our troops 21 times, including four times with the use of weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements [...] There are no casualties among the personnel of the Joint Forces," the JFO HQ said in a report on its Facebook page early on Tuesday. In the past day, militants attacked Ukrainian positions near Krymske, Zolote, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Zaitseve, Pisky, Krasnohorivka, Novomykhailivka, Novotroitske, Starohnativka, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne. According to Ukrainian intelligence, four militants were killed and six were injured in the past day. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said that Hungary should recall its consul from Berehove (Zakarpattia region) by the end of this week. "I proposed that the Hungarian minister recall this consul. If this is not done this week, we will send a note to the Hungarian side about his expulsion," he said in a video address published on his personal page on Facebook on Monday, October 1. Ukrainian media earlier reported about the issuance of Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens at the Hungarian consulate in Berehove in Zakarpattia region. A video clip was published showing persons taking an oath calling Hungary their homeland, as well as pledging to serve the country. Media said Hungarian diplomats urged those gathered not to inform Ukrainian state agencies that they obtained Hungarian citizenship. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin discussed the issue with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto in the United States on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly meeting. Klimkin said they discussed in detail what is happening at the Hungarian consulate in Berehove, but Szijjarto disagreed about violations committed by the Hungarian consul. Russia has not initiated negotiations on a possible exchange of Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov for Russian citizens Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, who have been convicted in the United States, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said. "If at any moment they want [to start negotiations on Sentsov's release], I will certainly communicate with them. But they have not said it either to us or the Americans at this point," Klimkin told the ATR television channel on Monday. Klimkin also said that as far as he is concerned, any option leading to Sentsov's release will do. "As for any talks with the U.S. sidelining Ukraine, as it is formulated there, the U.S. won't do so. I discussed both the issue of political prisoners and the issue of hostages' release at my numerous meetings in New York. There is 100% certainty about that," he said. Such information is not accidental, Klimkin said. The Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported, citing its source, that the main condition for Sentsov's return to Ukraine is the extradition to Russia of Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, as well as Maria Butina, who has been arrested in the U.S. Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Monday denied having any knowledge of the alleged plans to exchange Sentsov, who has been convicted of terrorism in Russia, for Bout, Yaroshenko and Butina. Cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey in the field of security and combating organized crime will be strengthened due to close cooperation and the sharing of experience between law enforcement officers of the two countries, the press service of the Ukrainian National Police has said following a meeting of Deputy Head of the National Police Viacheslav Abroskin with representatives of the Turkish Embassy in Ukraine. Turkish Ambassador to Ukraine Yonet Can Tezel noted the positive development of relations between Ukraine and Turkey in the field of security. He introduced to Abroskin an advisor on security cooperation and internal affairs at the Turkish Embassy. "We in Ukraine feel safe. I think that with the appointment of our employee, cooperation between departments will accelerate. We and our embassy are always open and ready to cooperate," the ambassador said. Abroskin noted that the appointment of a representative of Turkey is an important event in direct interaction between law enforcement agencies of the two countries. Yulia Tymoshenko, the leader of the Batkivschyna Party, has said that if the Ukrainian authorities conduct a shadow privatization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS), the new Ukrainian president will return it to the state after elections. "The new president of Ukraine will return the GTS to the state, as was the case with Kryvorizhstal. I want to warn everyone who invests money or will take part in this large-scale corruption. Nobody will return to anybody the money that will be taken from offshore companies for the shadow privatization of the system," the party's press service quoted her as saying in her speech from the parliamentary rostrum on Tuesday. Tymoshenko accused Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko of fraud with the Ukrainian pipeline system. "We know for sure that offshore companies affiliated with him are involved in this deal. I ask him to stop, not to use his corrupt plan against Ukraine," Tymoshenko said. According to her, Poroshenko and his entourage already have a "suitcase mood," and they want to leave, taking everything that, in their opinion, "the Ukrainian people does not need." "Such property as the GTS should remain in state ownership. The cost of building such a system from scratch is about 300 billion dollars. To sell half of the GTS for almost seven [billion dollars] means to conduct a corrupt deal in front of the whole society," Tymoshenko said. Therefore, according to her, the Batkivschyna Party insists on the immediate adoption of draft law No. 8107, which prohibits any manipulation with the property of the GTS. The Kyiv Court of Appeals has recognized and permitted to implement the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dated May 2, 2018 to recover compensation for the property of the ex-head of PrivatBank and 17 other companies in Crimea and ruled to issue the appropriate writs in favor of the plaintiffs. According to the database of court decisions, the court issued the relevant ruling on September 25. According to the report, the execution writs should be issued to the plaintiffs for about $130.5 million compensation for real estate, $9.2 million compensation for the costs of the trial, as well as interest on the specified amounts at a rate of 12-month LIBOR plus 1% of compound interest annually. "The court's decision can be appealed in the Supreme Court within 30 days from the date of proclamation by filing an appeal directly to this court," the document says. As reported, the Kyiv Court of Appeals on September 5 decided to seize the shares of the Ukrainian subsidiaries of Russian banks with the state's participation, namely VTB, Prominvestbank and Sberbank (all based in Kyiv). The decision was made in connection with the statement on securing the claim and executing the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague dated May 2 on recovery of compensation for property from the Russian Federation. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov and British Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime Ben Wallace have discussed joint response to the threats of a hybrid war being waged by Russia. "During the visit to Ukraine by the UK security minister we coordinated plans for comprehensive cooperation, exchange of experience, mutual access to databases and adequate joint responses to the threats of a hybrid war being waged by the Russian Federation against the civilized world," Avakov wrote on his Twitter account on Tuesday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin will visit NATO headquarters in Brussels in the middle of the month, Ambassador of Ukraine to the North Atlantic Alliance Vadym Prystaiko has said. "On October 15, Foreign Minister Klimkin, who will be able to discuss this issue [amending the Constitution of Ukraine in terms of securing the country's strategic course for EU and NATO membership], with the Secretary General, will visit Brussels ," he said in an interview with the Priamy TV channel on Tuesday. The ambassador also noted that the initiative of Ukraine to amend the Constitution is considered as a demonstration of the seriousness of Ukraine's intentions by the majority of NATO member countries. Director of the Consular Service Department of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine Serhiy Pohoreltsev and Head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Sergiu Odainic have discussed the possibility of concluding an agreement on the crossing of ID-cards by citizens of Ukraine and Moldova. Bilateral consultations on consular and legal issues at the level of the heads of consular services of Ukraine and Moldova took place in Chisinau on October 2, the department of consular service said on Facebook. "During the talks, a wide range of consular issues was considered in the context of protecting the rights and interests of citizens of both countries ... The parties also discussed the possibility of concluding an agreement on the crossing of the Ukrainian-Moldovan state border by citizens of both countries on the basis of ID-cards and including by children of minority age," the message reads. As reported, on September 19, the Ukrainian government approved an agreement with Georgia on trips by ID cards. The document provides that citizens of Ukraine will be able to visit Georgia on the basis of internal passports in the form of ID cards, which contain a contactless electronic media. Kyiv Investment Week, a series of business and technological events for investors, business angels, start-ups and entrepreneurs from all over Europe will be held in Kyiv from October 15 to 19, 2018. For five days, the capital of Ukraine will become the main European platform for communication of international and Ukrainian businesses and start-ups. In total, eight events will be attended by about 3,000 participants and 130 speakers from Europe, America and Asia. The objective of Kyiv Investment Week is to represent Ukraine to foreign investors and help participants establish new business contacts and strengthen partnerships. Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) will become the key event of the week. The fifth anniversary KIEF will be held on October 18-19, 2018 and will bring together world-class economists, famous businessmen, investors and visionaries from more than thirty countries. The leitmotif of the forum will be the future of the countries in the high-tech world. Participants in the KIEF are expected to discuss the strategies and tools of competitiveness, consequences of trade wars, investment attractiveness, as well as the introduction of modern technologies in industry, banking and agrarian spheres, etc. "During Kyiv Investment Week, several promising business events aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of Ukraine will be concentrated in Kyiv. This is also one of the main tasks of KIEF. To participate in the forum in Kyiv, numerous delegations of potential investors will arrive to familiarize themselves with the business opportunities of Ukraine. Thus, KIEF and Kyiv Investment Week will really influence the improvement of Ukraine's reputation in the world," comments Yuriy Pyvovarov, Head of the KIEF Organizing Committee. Moreover, the Kyiv Investment Week program includes a one-day business tour for foreign investors around the key points of the Ukrainian start-up ecosystem (October 15, 2018); UNIT Investment Summit in the UNIT.City Innovation Park, which will unite investors, who manage more than $300 million, under one roof (October 16, 2018); the evening of the final presentations of the RadarTech PopCorp FinTech Accelerator (October 17, 2018); Kyiv Barcrowling Week, the week of discounts in the best creative bars and restaurants (October 15-18, 2018); CreativeMornings/Kyiv, the monthly breakfast-lecture for creative professionals (October 19, 2018) and Kyiv Silicon Drinkabout, the Friday's networking party of the Kyiv high-tech community (October 19, 2018). Kyiv International Economic Forum (KIEF) is a permanent platform for the formation of Ukraine's economic development strategy. It is aimed at organizing a dialogue between experts, business and government, adopting the best international experience, creating a roadmap for development and facilitating the conversion of ideas into real actions. www.forumkyiv.org PARIS, Oct 2 (Reuters) France seized assets belonging to Iran's intelligence services and two Iranian nationals in response to a June plot to attack an exiled Iranian opposition group's rally outside Paris, the government said on Tuesday. A senior French official said Paris had no doubt that elements of the Iranian state were behind the bomb plot and that it was likely to have been hatched by hardliners looking to undermine President Hassan Rouhani. The hardening of relations between Paris and Tehran could have deep consequences for Iran, coming at a time when Rouhani's government is looking to European capitals to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal after the United States pulled out. "An attempted attack in Villepinte was foiled on June 30. An incident of such gravity on our national territory could not go unpunished," said a joint statement by the foreign, interior and economy ministries. Asked for reaction, a spokesman at the Iranian Embassy in Paris replied simply: "Hello. Thank you." There was no immediate response to the French move from Tehran. The plot targetted a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) outside the French capital. U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and several former European and Arab ministers attended the rally. It unravelled after an Iranian diplomat accredited in Austria was arrested in Germany and two other individuals in possession of explosives were detained in Belgium. On Monday, a court in southern Germany ruled the diplomat could be extradited to Belgium. TARGETTED ASSET FREEZES The asset freezes targeted two individuals identified as Assadollah Asadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, the French statement said. A unit within the Iranian intelligence services was also targetted. The French government gave no details of the assets involved, describing its measures as "targetted and proportionate". It said it had acted against the "instigators, authors and accomplices" of the foiled attack. France had warned Tehran to expect a robust response to the thwarted bombing and diplomatic relations were becoming increasingly strained. French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke to their Iranian counterparts about the issue at the U.N. General Assembly after demanding answers over Iran's role. An internal French foreign ministry memo in August told diplomats not to travel to Iran, Reuters revealed, citing the Villepinte bomb plot and a toughening of Irans position towards the West. Paris has also suspended nominating a new ambassador to Iran and not responded to Tehran nominations for dimplomatic positions in France. The deterioration of relations with France could have wider implications for Iran. France has been one of the strongest advocates of salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Tehran agree to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for a lifting of economic sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has said it expects renewed sanctions to impact the Iranian economy hard. (Additional reporting by Paris bureau, Maria Sheahan in Frankfurt; Editing by Jon Boyle, William Maclean) Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 34 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Oct. 2. Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The conversation held in Dushanbe between President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will contribute to the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Trend Oct. 2. Russia welcomes any agreements aimed at achieving settlement of the conflict, the ministry said. We hope that the conversation held in Dushanbe will contribute to the implementation of this task. For its part, Russia, as one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, is ready to provide the necessary mediation assistance to Azerbaijan and Armenia, the ministry noted. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a conversation on the sidelines of the CIS Summit in Dushanbe. The parties affirmed their commitment to the process of negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the strengthening of the ceasefire regime for preventing incidents on the line of contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The parties decided to develop mechanisms for building prompt contacts between relevant authorities. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia may hold a new meeting until the end of the year, the Armenian media quoted spokesman of Armenia's Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan as saying Oct. 2. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order, providing funds for the construction of Baku-Alat-Qazakh-state border with Georgia (184 km)-Pirili-Muradkhan-Sor Sor road in Kurdamir district. Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 10.7 million manats for the construction of the road connecting three residential areas with a total population of 8,000 people. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: The visit of Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to Italy further cements ties between Azerbaijan and Italy, Rob Sobhani, director general of the Caspian Group Holdings, told Trend. Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva last week was on an official visit to Rome, where she took part in the conference on The 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and relations of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic, a ceremony to inaugurate St. Sebastian catacombs, which were restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and held a number of important meetings. Sobhani said that this visit lays a better, stronger and more long-term foundation for cultural exchanges, economic relations and diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Italy. Mehriban Aliyevas visit is important because getting Italy - a major diplomatic nation - to be more active as it concerns the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is critical, he added. In my opinion the major highlights were meeting with the President of the Italian Senate and commemorating the centenary of Azerbaijan's Democratic Republic, Sobhani said. These two issues are related because they portray Azerbaijan as a secular, progressive, forward thinking Muslim nation that can be a model for other Muslim countries. In addition, Italy is one of Europe's largest economies and has expertise in many areas such as the energy sector, fashion industry, aviation and environment, he added. The transfer of know-how in these sectors to Azerbaijan as a result of the First Lady's visit to Italy can be of enormous benefit to the citizens of Azerbaijan, he said. Imagine Azerbaijan's leading designers partnering with brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo or Gucci. He further noted that the role of women in Azerbaijans history and cultural development is on the shoulders of Mehriban Aliyeva and she is the best ambassador for Azerbaijan on the global arena. When she meets with her Italian counterparts, Mehriban Aliyeva is representing all Azerbaijani women and her modern, progressive, worldly and caring demeanor contributes to Azerbaijan's global image as a dynamic country, he added. Also by emphasizing the rich history of Azerbaijan through commemoration of the centenary of the Democratic Republic, Mehriban Aliyeva is telling the world: "We are a country with a rich history and the first Muslim country to have fought for and won democracy for its citizens." "This is very important for Azerbaijans image, Sobhani said. Speaking about the restoration of the holy catacombs in Rome by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Sobhani said that this caring, kind and timely act of philanthropy by Mehriban Aliyeva places Azerbaijan at the center of the global efforts to restore historic sites. It shows that Azerbaijan is not only looking forward but cares about the past - the past of our common heritage and historic sites, he noted. It demonstrates that the First Lady of Azerbaijan is a citizen of the world and that the country she represents - Azerbaijan - is a partner in restoring the worlds most important historic sites. Italy benefits from Mehriban Aliyevas leadership of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and preserves historic sites that need attention in Italy, he said, adding that this can become a global contribution by Azerbaijan for preservation of culture. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: Rector of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) Elmar Gasimov met with Head of HR, Group Director at SOCAR Turkey Sibel Ugur. At the meeting, which took place at the Higher School, the Rector informed the guest about news and latest achievements at BHOS and told about the alumni. As he noted, today more than 30 graduates of the Higher School work at SOCAR Turkeys companies including STAR Refinery and Petkim Petrokimya Holding. Elmar Gasimov also said that every year the BHOS students do summer internship at SOCAR Turkey. Having expressed her gratitude for the information, Sibel Ugur highly praised the professional qualifications of those BHOS graduates who started their career at SOCAR Turkey. In her words, the Higher School experience and support can play an important role in establishment of SOCAR Turkey Academy, which is scheduled for the nearest future. The HR Director also noted that like in previous years, SOCAR Turkey would invite BHOS fifth-year students to participate in the competition for vacancies at the company. It was also agreed that Head of HR, Group Director at SOCAR Turkey Sibel Ugur would held a meeting with the BHOS students and conduct motivational training courses on the company internship and recruitment programs. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, October 2 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is on a working visit to New York, has met Director of International Operations & Policy at the Boeing company Bryan Lopp, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper wrote October 1. Lopp confirmed his interest in strengthening and building up mutually beneficial business contacts with Turkmen partners. "Turkmenistan's choice of aircraft of this brand is due to the accumulated positive experience of their practical use on international, regional and domestic airlines. This decision is also dictated by the desire to adopt high international standards of passenger service and ensure the safety of flights on all routes," the message quoted the head of state as saying. The Turkmenistan Airlines company has been buying Boeing airliners for more than 20 years for international and domestic flights, while the outdated Soviet-style aircraft have been put on sale. Earlier it was reported that Turkmenistan Airlines company plans to completely upgrade its air fleet with first-class Boeing aircraft by 2020. Baku, Azerbaijan, October 2 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: The exchange of experience in doing business in women's entrepreneurship in Russia can be useful for cooperation with our colleagues from Azerbaijan, the President of the All-Russian Public Organization "Women of Business" Tatiana Gvilava told Trend. She was commenting on the agreement signed with the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Azerbaijan, aimed at the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of entrepreneurship. The agreement was signed within the framework of the 9th Russian-Azerbaijani interregional forum on September 27 in Baku. Gvilava said the document provides for several important points that stimulate the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of women's entrepreneurship. "This is a cooperation, an exchange of information on the database of women of business of Russia and Azerbaijan. Next, we will draw up a road map, which has been scheduled for the time of the visit of Azerbaijani women entrepreneurs to Moscow on October 22. On this day, the World Congress of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM, Femmes Chefs D'Entreprises Mondiales) will be held in Moscow, and Azerbaijani women of business as our guests will participate at this event for the first time. A separate meeting of women entrepreneurs of Russia and Azerbaijan has been planned to be held in the framework of the congress, at which we intend to discuss further directions of our bilateral cooperation and plans for the organization of joint work on doing business in Baku and Moscow," Gvilava said. She noted that the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Russia is a member of the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs (FCEM), so using this right, Moscow can invite business partners, in particular from Azerbaijan, to participate in the work of the congress. "Our organization (the Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Russia) brings together more than 7,000 women from 53 regions, and soon the number of member regions will increase to 55. We have talked to women entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan and have planned to discuss further cooperation in business, trade, building communications and stuff at the upcoming meeting. I believe that our Azerbaijani colleagues have much to learn from us and adopt the work experience of Russian business women," she said. "After all, we have gone through three crises, and now we are experiencing a period of sanctions, the strong (almost two-fold) downfall of the ruble has occurred in our country, and it is nowhere near that simple to survive in an environment where the market is diversified. I believe that in the process of communication Azerbaijani women may become interested in various business programs, including those aimed at gaining access to business lending," she noted. "By the way, among Russian businesswomen, there are those who want to establish a business in Azerbaijan (for example, a women's salon or shop), some of them want to set up a joint sewing production. I think that women themselves will agree on all these business issues during subsequent meetings," Gvilava said. She believes the similar small and medium-sized enterprises can also be established in Russia with the participation of Azerbaijani business. "We are ready to support women of business from Baku, help them to promote Azerbaijani products at Russian markets, establish joint ventures in order to create a business climate on a mutually beneficial basis," Tatiana Gvilava said. She noted that the strategic task of the Russian Association Women of business is to build business, to increase turnover of companies, as well as to gain access to various programs and organizations, for example, Sberbank of Russia, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. She said the state actively helps the development of women's entrepreneurship, which in turn stimulates Russian women to implement business ideas and projects. Baku, Azerbaijan, October 2 Trend: The Ural Airlines JSC will launch flights to Azerbaijan in new directions, the message published on the website of the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia says. So, the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia has issued to the Ural Airline company a license for operation of the Volgograd Ganja and Volgograd Baku flights. The license allows operation of flights to these destinations seven days a week. Currently, the airline already operates flights from St. Petersburg to Baku and from Moscow to Lankaran. The Ural Airlines company is a Russian passenger airline engaged in regular and charter, domestic and international transportation. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) sold $394.8 million at currency auctions organized by the Central Bank in September 2018, the Fund said in a message Oct. 2. SOFAZ sold to banks $733.7 million in August. Since the beginning of the year, Azerbaijani banks have bought over $4 billion from the Fund. The Oil Fund will continue the sale of foreign currency through auctions in 2018. The sale of currency is carried out as part of SOFAZ transfers to the state budget of Azerbaijan, which are planned to stand at 10.966 billion manats in 2018. The official rate of manat for the next day is determined on the basis of the weighted average rate under transactions concluded with commercial banks in the interbank currency market and auctions. Auctions are held in the format of one-sided currency sale. (1.7 manats = 1 USD on Oct. 2) Tehran, Iran, Oct. 2 Trend: Irans exports to China, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates witnessed growth in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21). Iran exported 13.7 million tons of goods worth $4.6 billion to China over six months to September 22, marking an 11.6-percent rise compared to last year, according to a report by Mehr news agency on October 2. The exports registered more than 24 and 20 percent rise in terms of tonnage and values, respectively, compared to the same corresponding period last year. The countrys exports to neighboring Iraq also rose by 44.5 percent during the period, the report added. Over 9 million tons of commodities worth $4.5 billion were exported to the Arab country, with figures of tonnage and value standing at 16.9 and 19.7 percent, respectively. Some $4 billion worth of non-oil goods were also exported to the UAE in the first six months of this year. Iran shipped 8.9 tons of goods to the Persian Gulf country in six months. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend: Azerbaijani brand shops may be opened in Russia and Ukraine in the near future, a source close to the project told Trend. According to the source, the proposal from these countries has already been received, and work on it is underway. "All the organizational issues associated with the opening of stores, as was agreed, are taken on by the opposite side. The only thing that is required of us is to ensure the supply of local products. For this, we need close cooperation with suppliers. Readiness for participation in this project was expressed by Azersun Holding. We also want to attract winemakers to the project," the source said. Initially, the project involves attracting large suppliers that can ensure uninterrupted supply of products. Then, as the source said, small entrepreneurs can join the project. In general, it is envisaged that all types of Azerbaijani products will be sold in the brand stores. These are meat products, sausages, jams, compotes, mineral waters, hazelnuts, fruits, dried fruits, etc. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: The President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has instructed the government to work out the issue of establishing a new international trade zone and a checkpoint entitled "Turkestan" together with Uzbekistan, Podrobno.uz reported. This has been announced at the meeting on the socio-economic development of the Turkestan region of Kazakhstan. "The possibility of establishing an international trade zone entitled "Central Asia" should be considered. This will give impetus to the development of the economy of the Turkestan region and the whole country. We have the potential to increase trade with Uzbekistan to $5 billion a year by 2020. In this regard, I instruct the government together with the governorate of the Turkestan region to work with the Uzbek side on the establishment of an international trade zone and a new international checkpoint entitled as "Turkestan", Nursultan Nazarbayev said. 2018 has been declared the year of Uzbekistan in Kazakhstan. At the end of 2017, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 8.6 percent and exceeded $2 billion. In January-June this year, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has increased by 52 percent, while the Uzbek exports increased by 48 percent. The countries also intend to take further coordinated measures to ensure the growth of trade turnover up to $3 billion in 2018 and up to $5 billion by 2020. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Europe will need additional gas import capacity in the future, Beate Raabe, Secretary General of Eurogas, told Trend. She noted that Eurogas takes no view on any particular infrastructure project because members are involved in different projects, depending on their regional business and investment decisions. "However, Eurogas welcomes any new import infrastructure as indigenous production is in decline and additional import capacity, be it in the shape of pipelines or LNG terminals, will be needed in the future," said Raabe. She noted that Eurogas is looking for energy policy to show a clear path forward for gas to help deliver the long-term EU energy transition. "Numerous studies show that the 2050 decarbonization targets can be reached most cost-effectively with an increasing share of renewable and decarbonized gas in a cost-efficient way," added Eurogas secretary general. Earlier, Murray Douglas, Research Director, European Gas said that higher coal prices and carbon prices will continue to support the gas demand in Europe. Douglas pointed out that Europes 2010-2017 average import dependency stood at 254 bcma (51 percent). The 2020 import dependency will be 326 bcm (63 percent) and 2025 import dependency is expected to stand at 369 bcm (69 percent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: One billion cubic meters of gas will be delivered to Turkey via the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) in 2018, the general director of SOCAR Turkey Energy Zaur Gahramanov told the Turkish Anadolu news agency. Some 400 million cubic meters of gas has already been delivered to Turkey through the pipeline, the general director said. "In 2019, two billion cubic meters of gas will be supplied to Turkey via TANAP. This figure will reach four billion in 2020, and six billion in 2021. The construction of the second phase of the project is completed by 97 percent, and in the 2H2019, TANAP will be connected to the Trans Adriatic gas pipeline," Gahramanov said. Speaking about other Azerbaijani projects in Turkey, he said that the commissioning ceremony of the STAR oil refinery will take place in November. The plant will work in full capacity from January 2019. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor project was held in Baku on May 29. A ceremony to launch TANAP took place June 12 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. The next stage is the commissioning of the TANAP gas pipeline, through which gas will flow into Turkey and further to Europe. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR and the Chinese company BGP Inc, which is a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture, SOCAR said on Oct. 2. The document was signed by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and BGP President Gou Liang. The joint venture will carry out seismic exploration in Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. "Presently, SOCAR, along with the modern technologies, also applies alternative methods for exploring new deposits and stabilizing production. The joint venture will bring in a new perspective and will become a good guarantee for a mutually beneficial exchange of experience between Azerbaijani and Chinese specialists," Abdullayev said. BGP Inc. is in 100 percent ownership of CNPC. The main scope of the company's activities is exploration on land, in intermediate zones and at sea, including obtaining, processing and interpreting seismic data, manufacturing seismic equipment, and related services in information and communication technologies. Details added (first version posted at 18:40) Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR and the Chinese company BGP Inc, which is a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), signed an agreement on the establishment of a joint venture, SOCAR said on Oct. 2. The document was signed by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and BGP President Gou Liang. The joint venture will carry out seismic exploration in Azerbaijan and the Caspian Sea. "Presently, SOCAR, along with the modern technologies, also applies alternative methods for exploring new deposits and stabilizing production. The joint venture will bring in a new perspective and will become a good guarantee for a mutually beneficial exchange of experience between Azerbaijani and Chinese specialists," Abdullayev said. BGP Inc. is in 100 percent ownership of CNPC. The main scope of the company's activities is exploration on land, in intermediate zones and at sea, including obtaining, processing and interpreting seismic data, manufacturing seismic equipment, and related services in information and communication technologies. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 Trend: The Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications of Uzbekistan has disproved the information that the VPN and proxy servers will be banned by the new changes in the legislation, Podrobno.uz reported. The Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Communications has prepared a draft law "On amendments to some legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan", the purpose of which is to protect telecommunications networks from illegal (unauthorized) access. This bill regulates illegal connection, that is, the connection in circumvention of the rules. For example, if your neighbor connects to your Wi-Fi, cracking the password, and is going to use the traffic, he will bear administrative responsibility. In addition, it is proposed to introduce criminal penalties for intentional illegal connection to networks for the transmission of international traffic. "The participants of the discussion are mistaken if they think that the draft law will prohibit the use of VPN, various proxy servers, messengers or social networks, since the introduced changes and amendments do not consider the issues of restricting access to information and/or information resources, as well as the use for this end of VPN networks, VPN channels, proxy servers for private purposes or for business," said the ministry. "Not the use of VPN technology, various proxy servers, messengers, social networks in general, but the cases of hacking, unauthorized access and illegal use of telecommunications networks are looked into," the ministry stated. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Huseyn Veliyev - Trend: The Azerbaijani IT company Neuron Technologies has signed a contract with the State Committee of Information Technologies and Communications of Kyrgyzstan to create an open data portal of state agencies, the Director of the company Ismail Alekberov told Trend October 2. Alekperov noted that the company has won the international tender announced earlier by the state committee for the creation of the portal. "The open data portal will be created on the basis of modern web-technologies and it will collect all the information of the government of Kyrgyzstan. A similar project (open government portal data.gov.az) was implemented earlier in Azerbaijan," Alekberov said. The project implementation period will be six months, Alekberov noted. This project can be considered as another achievement of Neuron Technologies company in the export of innovations. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @h_veliyev Russia has urged all states to join 'The Code of Conduct for the achievement the terrorism-free world' presented by Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, BNews.kz reports. "Addressing at the UN General Assembly in 2015, Presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan Vladimir Putin and Nursultan Nazarbayev had announced an idea to form a unified front to combat terrorism, so its all participants could act in accordance with the norms of the international law. After three years, more than 70 states had responded to this announcement and agreed to found a coalition that would aspire to eliminate threats of international terrorism. We note that the Code brings together not only the fundamental principles of international counter-terrorism but also its all priority urgent tasks, the implementation of which by the world community itself or by every state individually is possible to ensure reliable defense from terrorist threats," an official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry reports. An official message of the Russian Foreign Ministry says that it is crucial that the Code fully in keeping with the letter and spirit of the relevant documents of the UN, its all fundamental solutions relating to fighting against terrorism, its ideology, policy, financial and weapon supply. The document outlines the unique objectives for further joint practical efforts of the world community on counter-terrorism, in particular: - it confirms the core responsibility and the main role of states to counter terrorism and within any international cooperation in this direction; - it states the necessity of effectively inter-state cooperation to ensure criminal proceedings against terrorists on the base of the fundamental principle of 'extradite or prosecute'; - it points at the impermissibility of the direct or indirect support for terrorist groups to achieve political and geopolitical purposes; - it rejects any attempts to justify or glorify terrorism; - it proclaims the commitment to the cooperation tasks to prevent terrorism, including the prevention of the dissemination of terrorist ideologies and propaganda. "Russia appreciate Kazakhstan's partners - the document's authors, as well as express gratitude to the states that prepared it. We urge all states without exception to join the Code, to sign it and to follow its provisions on cooperation in the fight against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations on the base of the Charter of the United Nations, including the principles of the sovereignty of States and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. We confirm our full readiness for the relevant joint work on the base and in view of the Code - without double standards, without hidden agendas, in the spirit of unity, concord, to face the common deadly terrorist threat," reads the Ministry's website. Kazakhstan intends to continue support Secretary-General in the UN reform, promotion of the goals of sustainable development, counteracting contemporary challenges and threats, and the establishment of the Organizations presence in Central Asia, BNews.kz reports. The sides argued key issues of the UN agenda and international relations. Thus, Antonio Guterres pointed out the historical significance of the Aktau Caspian Summit, and also expressed the UN readiness to help further strengthen the cooperation of the states of Central Asia. UN Secretary-General has expressed support for the Code of Conduct, initiated by Kazakhstan, to achieve a world free from terrorism. In view of the UN Secretary-General constructive role of Kazakhstan in the UNSC is of the most immediate interest. We highly appreciate Presidential initiatives which are backbones of the peace. Kazakhstan in UNSC is a voice of wisdom and a bridging supporter, Antonio Guterres stated. Antonio Guterres focus the role of Astana in the settlement of the Syrian crisis, thanks to which it was possible to avoid the development of the situation in the worst-case scenario. The role of Kazakhstan's diplomacy is extremely positive in strengthening mutual understanding between countries and religions, the UN secretary-general stressed. It should be noted the Kazakh Diplomat also met with his Greece colleague Nikolaos Kotzias to discuss "economic diplomacy" and cooperation of the Central Asian countries and the Balkan region. The parties agreed to hold bilateral political consultations in the near future. The idea of establishing a regular dialogue between Central Asia and the Balkan countries was voiced. During the meeting with Foreign Minister of Dominican Republic further expansion of bilateral legal basis was talked over. During the conversation with the Foreign Minister of Angola, Manuel Augusta, issues of cooperation within the framework of the UN, the cooperation of Kazakhstan with the African Union, in which this state heads the Peace and Security Council, prospects for investment and trade and economic relations were discussed as well. In addition, the Kazakh foreign minister exchanged views on the current issues of bilateral cooperation with the foreign ministers of the FRG, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Eritrea and a number of other states of the world on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Interior Minister of Kyrgyzstan Kashkar Dzhunushaliev met with Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qinghua and Qatar State Ambassador Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Sulayti. At the meeting, the parties discussed issues of further cooperation, KABAR reports citing the press service of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. Dzhunushaliev first met with Chinese diplomat Xiao Qinghua and official representative of the Ministry of Public Security of the PRC in the Kyrgyz Republic Cai Zhixiong. The Kyrgyz Minister congratulated on the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and expressed gratitude for the courtesy visit, and stressed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is interested in the development of comprehensive relations and will actively cooperate in various areas. The sides discussed issues of further cooperation and the possibility of organizing a meeting with the Minister of Public Security of the PRC, as well as the development of cooperation and interaction in the field of law enforcement. It should be noted that both sides highly appreciated the existing bilateral cooperation and expressed their intention to further develop it. Later, Kashkar Dzhunushaliev met with Ambassador of the State of Qatar Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Sulayti. During the meeting, an exchange of views took place, issues of mutual interest, further strengthening Kyrgyz-Qatari relations were discussed. The both sides highly appreciated the current level of bilateral cooperation between law enforcement agencies and expressed their intention to further develop it. Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations Mahmadamin Mahmadaminov spoke about the risks of uranium waste in the Republic of Tajikistan and called for assistance in the reclamation of uranium waste, according to the information department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Asia-Plus reports. Makhmadamin Makhmadaminov spoke at the event People and the Planet: Central Asia Calls for International Solidarity, which was organized by the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the UN, according to the official website of the Ministry. "He expressed the hope that such activities contribute to the intensification and expansion of efforts for the rehabilitation of former uranium production facilities in Central Asia.", - department reports. About 55 million tons of radioactive waste were inherited from the Soviet Union to Tajikistan. The total activity of waste according to various estimates ranges from 6.5 to 7.7 thousand. Curie. In 2014, the Republic adopted a National Concept for the rehabilitation of tailing dumps of uranium ore processing waste for 2014-2024 and was approved by the government of the country. Its goal is to create and ensure the effective functioning in Tajikistan of an integrated radioactive waste management system. The document noted that most of the tailings and dumps in the area of Istiklol (former Taboshar) and Guliston (Chkalovsk) are in poor condition. The Istiklol uranium deposit was one of the largest in the countries of the former Soviet Union. It was opened from 1926 and in the period from 1944 to 1965, uranium ore was actively mined here.. Due to the economic situation, the republic has only limited opportunities to invest funds for these purposes. It is intended to attract funds from international organizations, banks, and various funds to carry out specific programs related to the rehabilitation work and the improvement of the environmental situation in the region. The production of uranium concentrate in the Soviet Union first began in 1944 at a pilot plant in the city of Gafurov of Tajikistan. And then on the territory of the Sughd region, 6 more uranium oxide plants were built. The international economic forum "Sughd-2018" will be held on October 11 in Khujand in honor of the 10th anniversary of the creation of free economic zones of Tajikistan, Asia-Plus reports. The event is organized by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan and the administration of the FEZ "Sughd" together with development partners. "The holding of this forum along with the establishment of business relations with foreign partners, aims to conduct a multilateral analysis of the work done and to consider the future prospects for the development of free economic zones in Tajikistan.", - reports the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. In addition, the message says, in the context of the problems under consideration, the issues of studying the best practices of neighboring countries in this direction are of utmost importance. It is expected that the forum will be attended by about 200 delegates: representatives of the FEZ of neighboring countries and countries of the near and far abroad, subjects of the FEZ, representatives of ministries, departments and academia, international and public organizations, commercial banks, local and foreign entrepreneurs, the media. The required mechanisms to enhance cooperation in the power sector were discussed during a meeting between Syrian Minister of Electricity, Mohammad Zuheir Kharboutli and Hassan Danaiefar Chairman of Committee on the development of ties with Syria and Iraq, IRNA reports. During the talks, the two sides stressed the joint determination to take advantage of existing and available capabilities and build a full partnership between the Syrian and Iranian companies with the participation of the public and private sectors and adopt practical steps to achieve a quantum leap in the field of electricity sector, SANA reported. In turn, minister Kharboutli pointed out the importance of the Aleppo Thermal Power Station and the need to maintain and rehabilitate it as the city of Aleppo is an important industrial city. We are working hard to bring the station back to service with a capacity of 1065 MW, the minister said. He pointed out to the importance of cooperating with Iran Power plant Repair Company (IPRC), saying that the experience of this company will be used to support the electricity sector in Syria, and it was agreed to hold bilateral meetings between experts from both sides to examine the needs of the Syrian electricity sector. He noted that he called on IPRC to submit its technical and financial offer related to repairing Aleppo Thermal Power Station at a maximum of 60 days from today. For his part, Danaiefar who doubles as the advisor to Iranian first vice-president, said that the Iranian companies are fully prepared to cooperate with the Syrian side in the field of electricity power sector. In a press statement following the talks, Danaiefar stressed the importance of electrical interconnection between Syria, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon due to its economic importance for the region. Gas pipeline has caught fire following a leak in the Khuzestan-Isfahan pipeline in Khuzestan, said the director general for crisis management on in the Iranian southwestern province on Tuesday, IRNA reports. Relief forces have been put on standby and deployed to the region to extinguish the fire in the vicinity of a village area in the town of Bagh-e Malek , Kiyomars Hajizadeh said. Hajizadeh referred to the measures taken to contain the fire and said the personnel of Khuzestan- Isfahan oil and gas pipelines, the governor of Bagh-e Malek and the relief agencies are now involved in the operation to put out the blaze. There is no need to be concerned as the flames are under control, he said. He went on to say, if needed and at the request of the governor, all resources will be mobilized. Hajizadeh said investigations are underway to discover the cause of the blaze. Mohammad Nejatipour, Governor of Bagh-e Malek, said the incident took place at 6:40 a.m. local time on Tuesday. He noted in order to ensure the safety of the people and to prevent the possible dangers, residential units adjacent to and around the pipeline have been evacuated. It is fortunate to say that neither locals nor rescuers have so far been injured, and fire suppression continues, Nejatipour said. Iran and Iraq have discussed to facilitate presence and activities of Iranian merchants in the Iraqi province Ninevah, IRNA reports. Iran consul general in Erbil Morteza Ebadi and vice chairman of Nineveh chamber of commerce Amer Hamdoun Jassem underlined paving the way for Iranian merchants' presence in the Iraqi province. During the meeting, both sides discussed ways of bilateral cooperation, reinforcement of trade ties and exchange of technical, engineering and agricultural knowledge. Paving the way for presence of Iranian business persons and producers in Nineveh, Mosul business people's visit to Iranian exhibitions, bilateral meetings between chambers of Mosul and border provinces were among other topics reviewed by both sides. Tehran, Iran, Oct. 2 Trend: Sorena Sattari, Iran's Vice President for Science and Technology, has traveled to the East African region to explore business opportunities there and boost bilateral trade ties. Heading a delegating comprised of heads of 45 knowledge-based firms, Sattari will sit down with senior officials and investors from Kenya and Uganda, IRNA news agency reported on October 2. Boosting exports and strengthening business and trades ties in various fields, including health, medicine, chemistry, electronics, mines and engineering have been set as the main objectives of the visit. In each of the two African countries, the Iranian delegation will attend meetings where ways of boosting commerce with their counterparts will be surveyed. The unique geography and apparent suitability for farming made East Africa a target for European exploration, exploitation and colonization in the 19th century. Today, tourism is an important part of the economies of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles and Uganda. A senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says the missile strike against the positions of terrorists behind a recent attack in southwest Iran was aimed to show that security of the Iranian nation is a "red line" for the IRGC, Press TV reported. We took advantage of both missiles and drones in this operation to teach enemies a lesson that they should not support these terrorist groups, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of the IRGCs Aerospace Force, said on Monday. He made the remarks on the same day that the IRGC released a statement revealing new details on its missile strike on terrorists positions. The statement said that the attack targeted terrorist positions to the east of the river Euphrates, near Albu Kamal town on Syrias eastern border with Iraq. The operation, dubbed The Muharram Strike, saw the IRGCs Aerospace Force fire a total of six medium-range ballistic missiles from western Iran at targets 570 kilometers (355 miles) away, it said. The IRGC said the attack was a response to the cowardly act of terror during a military parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz on September 22, which killed 25 people and injured 69 others. We ensure our dear compatriots that, as it has been said repeatedly, the armed forces view Irans national security as their red line and the IRGC, as well as the countrys Army, police and intelligence arms, would respond to enemy violations with an iron fist, it added. Elsewhere in his remarks, Hajizadeh said, The terrorists used bullets [in their attack on Iranian people] and we responded to them using missiles. We will continue this struggle until total annihilation of terrorists and as the Leader [of the Islamic Revolution] said, if they hit [us] with one [missile], they will be hit with 10 [Iranian missiles], he concluded. Iranian Foreign Minister criticized US disloyalty and its withdrawal from Iran Deal, saying starting all over with US is not possible, IRNA reports. Zarif made the remarks in an interview with US media New Yorker. We live in a world of possibilities, so nothing is impossible, but we need to see, Zarif was quoted as saying. First of all, were not angry. Now, if its going to lead to resolution, you need to be able to build on what you already have, because, I mean, you remember the movie 50 First Dates, when you start all over again the following day,' he added. 'We cant. This is impossible. You need to be able to have a relationship that is based on some foundations. And we have a documentthe nuclear dealthat is a hundred and fifty pages long. It's not a two-page document,' he reiterated. He went on to say that Im not ruling out the prospect of talks provided the necessary conditions for talks, and that is reliability.' Reliability is different from trust. Reliability is that when you sign something you are bound by it. Pacta sunt servanda is the old idiom, the basis of international relations. Otherwise everything will fall apart. We are waiting for some sense of realism,' Zarif reiterated. Zarif together with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani arrived in New York on September 23 to attend the UNGA meeting. He also participated in the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit and held talks with P4+1 foreign ministers. Zarif and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in their first joint statement after the US withdrawal from Iran nuclear deal underlined preserving the agreement and meeting Iran's economic interests. Details added (first version posted on 17:20) Tehran, Iran, Oct. 2 Trend: Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of Iran's IRGC Aerospace Force, said 40 Daesh (IS) militants were killed during a recent missile attack on terrorists positions near Abu Kamal town on Syrias eastern border with Iraq, Fars news agency reported. According to information received, 40 ringleaders of Daesh terror group were killed in the attack, Hajizadeh said. Corpses of the terrorists are still under rubles and not recovered yet, he added. According to the images after the strike, all targets were completely destroyed, the commander said. Early on Monday, IRGC launched a retaliatory attack against terrorists positions in the eastern Euphrates in Syria in response to a recent terror attack in the countrys southwestern city of Ahvaz. During a military parade in Ahvaz, which was staged concurrently with nationwide military parades on September 22 to mark the Sacred Defense Week, militants opened fire at the people participating in the ceremony. The attack was simultaneously claimed by the al-Ahvaziya terrorist group and Daesh. More than 65 people were killed and injured during the assault. Tehran, Iran, Oct. 2 Trend: A young Iranian tried to set himself on fire in front of Tehran city council building in a potential protest against the deteriorating economic situation in the country. Worried onlookers called police and fire department raced to the scene, ISNA reported on October 2. The police interfered and did not allow the man to light himself on fire. He planned to immolate himself with fossil fuel but it was an unsuccessful attempt. Police are working to establish the motive behind his decision. A summit involving the leasers of Georgia and Russia is not under consideration at the moment, Special Representative of the Georgian Prime Minister for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze said in an interview with the Tbilisi-based Imedi TV company, TASS reports. While in Prague, Abashidze pointed out that such a summit may take place in the future provided "the most pressing issues concerning relations between the two countries" were put on its agenda. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said that Moscow did not rule out the possibility of a meeting between the leaders of Russia and Georgia. "Such a meeting may take place," the senior Russian diplomat said. "However, we need to make preparations so that the leaders can discuss issues and achieve results. We are working on that," he added. According to Karasin, Russian President Vladimir Putin had on many occasions confirmed Moscows interest in creating "normal atmosphere for boosting friendly and good neighborly relations with Georgia." "This stance has not changed," the Russian deputy foreign minister concluded. The EUs European Investment Bank has signed a new deal with the Georgian Ministry of Regional Development and the United Water Supply Company of Georgia within the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF) Grant Agreement for the amount of 3.25 million EUR. The funds will be used to finance specialized professional services to support the utility in implementing the EIB Kutaisi Waste Water project, Georgia Today reports. In October 2015, the EIB offered Georgias Ministry of Regional Development a loan of up to 100 million EUR to improve wastewater collection and treatment in Kutaisi. That project is part of Georgias Water Sector Rehabilitation Program which consists of a series of investments that aim to improve the water supply in Kutaisi, Ureki, Poti and Zugdidi and wastewater collection and treatment in Kutaisi, Ureki and Poti. EIB Vice-President Vazil Hudak commented, to implement the water sector projects in Georgia in more efficient way, we are combining our lending with EU grants. With todays signature, it is the region of Kutaisi which will benefit from a modern water network and increased quality of water systems, backed by European financing. The Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Maia Tskitishvili, remarked Today we signed the grant agreement with EIB for the financing of the Kutaisi Wastewater Project. Kutaisi is the countrys second largest city and this project will enable us to provide better living conditions for the local population. Currently, we are completing the final phase of works for the project and the actual construction will commence from 2019. This is a third project in the water sector that is being implemented with the support of our European partners and we do hope that our fruitful cooperation will serve as basis to finance other priority infrastructural projects in Georgia. Support provided by the EU and its member states through different instruments available within the framework of Eastern Partnership Trust Fund and Neighborhood Investment Facility is hugely valued and makes an important contribution towards the development of our country. EIB is one of Georgias largest financing partners for infrastructure projects. In total, EIB has extended approximately 1.3 billion EUR to support various public infrastructure projects, including for roads, municipal infrastructure, water, and wastewater. The new French Ambassador to Libya said on Monday that the French embassy will resume its work in the capital Tripoli "very soon," Xinhua reported. Beatrice le Fraper du Hellen made the remarks when submitting her credentials to the UN-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj. Du Hellen stressed the importance of the relations between France and Libya, saying France supports the efforts of the Libyan government to establish security and stability in the country, according to the information office of the Prime Minister. Serraj also highlighted the close ties between the two countries, hailing "France's supportive position for stability and the democratic path in Libya." Most foreign embassies and missions to Libya have left since 2014 when violent clashes between rival armed groups broke out in the capital Tripoli, leading to lingering political division across the country. Russia is looking at building a lunar station jointly with Chinese partners, CEO of Russias state space corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said, TASS reports. "China is a serious partner. I dont rule out that as soon as we agree the outlines of our lunar program with the Americans, it is our manned lunar program, the formation of a research station on Moons surface is likely to be carried out with our Chinese partners. They can be equal partners already in the coming years," he told Russias TV Channel One. According to Rogozin, Russias first unmanned lunar mission will be launched in 2021. "We plan to land on Moon. A drill will be activated to collect lunar soil samples that will be taken to Earth," he said. China expressed anger on Tuesday after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the disputed South China Sea, saying it resolutely opposed an operation that it called a threat to its sovereignty, Reuters reports. Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war in which they have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each others imports. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the destroyer the Decatur traveled within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the Spratly Islands on Sunday. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijings efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China has postponed upcoming security talks with the United States at the request of Washington, a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday, amid rising tensions between the two sides over trade, Taiwan and the South China Sea, Reuters reports. Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement posted on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the two sides had initially agreed in principle to hold the second round of security talks in October. The United States has recently expressed its wish to postpone the dialogue, she said, adding that the two sides would continue to maintain communication on the talks. She did not elaborate. The meeting of the U.S. China Diplomatic and Security Dialogue, which first took place in Washington last year, was due to be held with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis. A U.S. official confirmed on Sunday that the meeting had been canceled, though he did not say whether it was related to an escalating trade dispute, concerns about U.S. arms sales to self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own, or Chinese military activity in the South China Sea. Sources in Beijing said last week that Chinas Peoples Liberation Army was unhappy with U.S. sanctions on the Chinese military and its approval of a new round of arms sales to Taiwan. Yerevan - October 2, 2018 - DISQO, a fast growing tech company from the US, announced $13.5 mln in funding and is establishing a new branch in Armenia. The company provides the highest quality first-hand consumer data to the worlds largest market research and analytics companies. At this new stage of development, the Armenian founders are tapping into Armenias innovative potential by hiring senior specialists from the country. Current job openings can be found at the companys website: https://www.disqo.com/careers/. DISQO will hire 30 specialists during its first stage. Drew Kutcharian, the Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of DISQO, will visit Armenia in the upcoming days to personally meet the local tech community and the Companys new team members. Drew has 20 years of combined experience as a CTO, entrepreneur, advisor and angel investor. While in Armenia, he will hold professional lectures, sessions and meetings. The largest one will take place at the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies on October 18, at 7 PM. Its worth noting that DISQOs Armenian office will work as an official branch rather than an outsourced team. This means that the company doubles its potentials for disrupting the industry with new large-scale initiatives and projects. The Armenian team will continue working for current customers that are the worlds largest market research companies and organizations listed in the Fortune 500. We are excited about tapping into a talented pool of people to help us build the product and scale our company. Armenia has a flourishing tech community which we want to connect with at this early stage. mentions DISQOs co-founder and CEO Armen Adjemian. Tania Sahakian, the Regional Director for Armenia, adds: Im happy that this will be DISQOs first office outside of the US. These are only the first steps, since we have a vision of growing and expanding our company by doubling the pace of our work with equally powerful teams. The Armenian office will commence operations beginning in October at the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies. DISQO promises new perspectives for developing the Armenian IT field as well as strengthening the countrys economic relations with the international market. About the Company DISQO was founded in 2015 in Los Angeles by Armenian entrepreneurs Armen Adjemian (CEO), Drew Kutcharian (CTO), and Armen Petrosian (CMO). It provides accurate and reliable first-party consumer data to the worlds largest market research companies. This opinion and behavioral data allows DISQOs clients to discover consumer insights that help them with both product positioning and brand promotion. DISQO is leading the industry, and has the largest consumer research panels in the USA. It engages people from its proprietary panel to participate in over 10 million interviews yearly to power data driven decisions. Thanks to the $13.5 mln Series A funding led by Alpha Edison and Bonfire Ventures, DISQO will expand its current offerings by launching new analytic applications, developing its behavior-measurement and mobile capabilities, and building tools to provide a true and holistic view of consumers with the use of AI technologies as well. French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Monday submitted his resignation letter to President Emmanuel Macron, but the French leader refused to let Collomb step down, Sputnik reported citing Le Figaro newspaper. According to the newspaper, Collomb did not want the Interior Ministry to be destabilized by his decision to present his candidacy at the municipal election in the city of Lyon next summer. Collomb announced his decision to run for the Lyon mayor's office again in mid-September. The interior minister served as the mayor of Lyon in 2001-2017. Collomb said that he would abandon his ministerial post prior to 2020 to participate in the election campaign. Previously, another French cabinet minister, Nicolas Hulot, announced that he was resigning from his post, saying he was disappointed with Macron, who didn't do as much in terms of environmental policy as he'd promise. The United States, Sweden and Italy have offered to sell jet fighters to Bulgaria at its request, the Bulgarian defense ministry said Monday in a statement on its website, Xinhua reported. The United States has proposed new F-18s and F-16s, Sweden, new Gripens, and Italy, used Eurofighters. The ministry has also sent requests to France for new and used Rafales, Germany for new and used Eurofighters, Portugal for used F-16s and Israel for used F-16s, the statement said. A working group appointed by the Bulgarian prime minister is to analyze the submitted proposals and hold talks with the respective countries, the statement said. After that, the Bulgarian government will take a decision on the implementation of the project. Under the project, Bulgaria would buy 16 jets in two stages. During the first stage, for which there is a budget of 1.8 billion Bulgarian lev (1.1 billion U.S. dollars), no less than eight combat aircraft would be acquired. This money would cover the acquisition of the aircraft and their weapons, as well as the ground handling, training, and initial integrated logistic support over a period of three years. Bulgaria, a NATO member since 2004, still heavily relies on Soviet-made weapons. The Quneitra border crossing between Syria and Israel is ready for opening on the Syrian side, Deputy Commander of the Russian Forces in Syria Lieutenant General Sergei Kuralenko told reporters on Tuesday, TASS reports. "The border crossing is ready for opening and for launching operations. This comes due to a great effort carried out by the Armed Forces of the Syrian Arab Republic with the assistance of the Russian Aerospace Forces. This is first and foremost crushing terrorists in this region. Then a large group of officers worked together with representatives of the Syrian Armed Forces on implementing steps for post-conflict settlement," Kuralenko told reporters. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman earlier said that Israel was ready to open the Quneitra crossing, the only official border crossing with Syria. The conditions for the Syrian side to resume operations of the border crossing emerged after the government forces regained control over the southern areas and the UN peacekeepers returned to the line of separation with Israel. The Israeli company will provide the UK Ministry of Defense with its MORPHEUS Battlefield Management Application, Globes reports. Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems Ltd. British unit Elbit Systems UK Ltd. has been awarded an initial contract of $13 million and a potential maximum value of $52 million, from the UK Ministry of Defense to provide its MORPHEUS Battlefield Management Application. The initial contract will be performed over a three-year period. Under the contract Elbit Systems UK will provide the British Army with an operationally proven battle management application for both headquarters and tactical units, based on TORC2 H, Elbit Systems' command and control platform that has been delivered to many customers worldwide, including to the Australian Defense Forces as part of its Land 200 Tranche 2 battle management system. Elbit Systems UK CEO Martin Fausset said, "We are proud to have been selected by the UK MoD to supply the MORPHEUS BMA providing a valuable capability for the British Army. In doing so we will be bringing Elbit Systems' operationally proven capability and technological edge into the UK, adapting it for use and delivering it together with our local partners." At least eight people were killed and another 50 injured after a bus fell into a 100-meter chasm in central Peru's Chanchamayo province, said police on Monday, Xinhua reported. The bus was traveling from the city of Satipo to Tingo Maria in the Peruvian Amazon on Sunday night, some 475 kilometers northeast of Lima. According to local police, the bus of the travel company Tourism Central, collided with a truck that came in the opposite direction, before plunging the Tarma river at the bottom of the chasm. Rescue teams from the Chanchamayo fire brigade and local police have so far recovered eight bodies but believe the death toll is likely to rise. The injured people were taken to the La Merced Hospital nearby. Fatalities caused by bus crashes are frequent in Peru owing to insufficient highway infrastructure and rugged territory in the Andean mountains. In January, 52 people lost their lives when a bus fell into a 400-meter canyon on the infamous "Devil's Curve" in Pasamayo, 48 kilometers north of Lima. The first flight tests of the promising Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) are expected to be conducted in the beginning of next year, a source in the Russian defense industry sector told TASS on Tuesday. "The expected date of launching Sarmats flight trials is the beginning of 2019," the source said. Russia earlier completed the pop-up tests of Sarmat "with positive results" making it possible to switch to preparations for the flight trials of the missile complex, the Defense Ministry said. The eighth St. Petersburg International Gas Forum will be held on October 2-5, the forums organizers said, TASS reports. The forums key event will be a plenary session "Role and place of gas in energy balance of global economy." Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, Integrated Gas & New Energies Director and a member of the Executive Committee of Royal Dutch Shell Maarten Wetselaar, Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of OMV Rainer Seele, President of the International Gas Union Joe Kang, Chairman of the Executive Board of Verbundnetz Gas Ulf Heitmuller, Vice President of the China National Petroleum Corporation Qin Wezhong and Uniper SEs Commercial Director Keith Martin will address the event. The representatives of international organizations and associations will discuss topical issues on developing the sector at a panel discussion "Future of Natural Gas." During the forum, exhibitions devoted to the gas sector, shipbuilding and developing high-tech equipment to explore the continental shelf will be held. The St. Petersburg International Gas Forum, one of key platforms to discuss problems of the gas sector in Russia and the world, has been held since 2011. The forum involves representatives of respective ministries and agencies, the State Duma (Russias lower house of parliament), CEOs of major oil and gas companies, members of the International Gas Union and representatives of universities and scientific and research centers. Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part in the plenary session Sustainable Energy for a Changing World during the Russian Energy Week International Forum. On the sidelines of the forum he will be able to briefly meet with the heads of energy ministries of Iran and Saudi Arabia - Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh and Energy Minister of Saudi Arabia Khalid al-Falih, Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told on Tuesday, TASS reports. "The presidents schedule does not include separate full-length meetings with these ministers," he said. "We have already reported that the president will participate in the plenary meeting of the Russian Energy Week forum, and we do not rule out that such short contacts with ministers on the sidelines of this forum can take place," he added. According to the website of the forum, Putin and participants of the plenary session will "discuss such issues as: what will the global energy industry be like tomorrow and what priority tasks need to be achieved to ensure reliable energy supplies to the largest macroregions of the planet and each country individually and on this basis to enhance the competitiveness of national economies and improve the quality of life of millions of people. The plenary session participants also plan to identify the most important trends that will determine the overall energy future for all mankind." The International Forum "Russian Energy Week" will be held in Moscow on October 3-6. The forum will be attended by the heads of major international energy companies, leading world experts, media representatives. NATO has invited Russian observers to monitor the upcoming Trident Juncture drills in Norway that will simulate NATOs collective response to an armed attack against its member country, its Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference ahead of the meetings of the NATO Defense Ministers in Brussels on October 3-4. "All members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Russia, have been invited to send observers," Stoltenberg said. "This is one of our biggest exercises in many years. It will include around 45,000 participants from 31 Allied countries and partners. With around 150 aircraft, 60 ships, and over 10,000 vehicles," he added. "The scenario is fictitious but realistic," the NATO chief went on to say. "It will simulate NATOs collective response to an armed attack against one Ally. And it will exercise our ability to reinforce our troops from Europe and across the Atlantic," he said. "The exercise is defensive. And it is transparent," Stoltenberg stressed. The NATO-led Trident Juncture 18 military exercise will be held in Norway in October-November. It will bring together more than 40,000 military from 31 countries, both Allied countries and NATO partners, including, in particular, Finland and Sweden. This will be NATOs largest military exercise in the past 16 years. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto will hold talks in Moscow on October 3, an official at the Russian Foreign Ministry told on Tuesday, TASS reports. "The meeting is scheduled to be held on October 3," he said. The two top diplomats met on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 28 to discuss priority economic and energy projects. Diana Ghazaryan, David Banuchyan Armanoush Abrahamyan, a resident of Dashtadem, a village in Armenias Lori Province, jokingly thanks us for coming to her faraway and forgotten village. Armanoushs family moved to Dashtadem from the village Metzavan in 1994. At first, they had only one cow. Now, they have 40 cows and sheep, pigs, horses, chickens, and turkeys. While they grow potatoes, green beans, cabbage, beets, greens and spices for their own needs, the family is mainly engaged in cattle breeding. They get their income from selling milk. "We are born to live and create in nature," says 58-year-old Armanoush, who has five children and ten grandkids. At first, Armanoush didnt like the village, describing it as cut off from the world and having very few residents. "We moved and started everything from scratch. We worked hand in hand and have multiplied what we had. Thank God, everything is fine now. I didnt realize that I had everything in my life. Now I understand that you should be satisfied with your life when you see your family in peace and your happy children, says Armanoush. There is an artificial lake in front of their house, where Armanoush's husband is fishing. Beekeeping and fishing seem to calm his nerves. Armanoush recalls that they used to carry water in buckets from springs to meet the needs of the family and the animals. "My arms got much longer while carrying buckets," jokes Armanoush. It was only in 2012 that the village was supplied with water. Dashtadem weather is favorable for cattle breeding, but not for cultivating crops. "Like soldiers on the border fighting for the sake of the peace in the homeland, we have struggled here to create a prosperous life for our family," says Armanoush. There is no hard work for Armanoush, she only worries that they dont put aside their income. Although she has a spine problem, elevated blood pressure and other ailments, she cannot let herself rest, though the doctors advise her against heavy tasks. "I cannot rest. I have to work all the time, to walk and move. If I do not work, my heart will stop beating, says Armanoush. Baku, Azerbaijan, October 2 Trend: The transfer of two more F-35 aircraft to Turkey is expected in March 2019, the Program Executive Officer for (Director of) the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va., Vice Admiral Mathias W. Winter told reporters, Turkish media reported. Winter also said no change has been made to the decision regarding the participation of Turkey in the multinational program for development of the F-35. "We expect the transfer of two more aircraft in March 2019. There are no signs of changes to the decision regarding the delivery of 100 aircraft," he said. In June, the American Lockheed Martin Corporation transferred to Turkey the first two multi-purpose F-35 fighter aircraft. Turkey intends to purchase at least 100 units of multifunctional fighter-bombers of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II. The procurement is carried out within the framework of the F-35 multinational development program under the auspices of the United States, to which Ankara joined in 2002. Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The police of Turkeys Van province confiscated 141 kilograms of heroin during a special operation against drug dealers, Turkish media reported Oct. 2. One Turkish citizen was detained as part of the operation. During the investigation it was found out that the detained Turkish citizen had close ties with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group. As many as 176 kilograms of heroin were confiscated at in Turkeys Corum province on Oct. 1. Reportedly, the heroin was brought from Van province in the south-east of Turkey. In January-February 2018, 3,722 kilograms of heroin were confiscated, the Turkish Interior Ministry said earlier. During the reporting period, 16,802 kilograms of psychotropic substances and 202 kilograms of Bonzai drugs were confiscated in Turkey. During the reporting period, 3,823 people, including foreigners, were detained within the fight against drug traffickers. In total, 20,000 tons of heroin was confiscated in Turkey in 2017. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: US citizens are training militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group in northern Iraq, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, Turkish media reported Oct. 2. Soylu noted that there are facts showing the presence of US citizens in northern Iraq in the ranks of terrorists. He added that there are also a number of countries that provide full support to other terrorist groups. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has lasted more than 25 years, claiming more than 40,000 lives. The PKK is recognized as a terrorist organization by the UN and the EU. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: A group of 417 people was detained in Istanbul on charges of illegal remittances to the US, Turkish media reported Oct. 2. It is reported that since January 2017, 2.455 billion liras have been transferred to the US. It is also reported that the money was mainly transferred to the Iranians living in the US. (1 USD = 5.9767 TRY on Oct. 2) --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 2 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkey and the Netherlands will discuss regional issues during the Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok's visit to Turkey, which will be held on October 3-4, 2018, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a message on Oct. 2. The message notes that, along with regional issues, bilateral relations will also be discussed. "Blok will also visit the Turkish parliament," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. It was reported in July, that Turkey and the Netherlands made a decision to restore diplomatic relations. The diplomatic row between Turkey and the Netherlands broke out as the Dutch authorities decided to, for security reasons, prohibit Turkish politicians from delivering speeches in the Netherlands in support of constitutional reforms in Turkey. On March 11, 2017, the Dutch government first canceled the Turkish foreign minister's flight permit to the Netherlands and then blocked a convoy carrying Turkeys family minister from entering the Turkish consulate in Rotterdam. Protests erupted outside the consulate in Rotterdam, where Dutch police used guard dogs and batons to disperse a peaceful crowd gathering in support of Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya. In response, Turkey sent two notes to the Netherlands to protest blocking of Turkish ministers visits to the country and ill-treatment of Turkish citizens by the Dutch police. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu U.S. police on Monday shot and killed a 25-year-old man who claimed to have a firearm and made threats to the staff at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida, southeastern U.S. state, Xinhua reported. The unidentified man was taken to the center as a patient at approximately 6:00 a.m. on Monday, Orlando Police Chief John Mina said during a press conference. Mina said the man was calm after being taken to the hospital for a "medical condition," but began making threats to the hospital staff, which led the emergency room to a lockdown. "He said he had a gun and would shoot anyone who came near him," Mina said. Crisis negotiators were called to the hospital, but the man made "aggressive movements" when police officers approached him, according to a NBC News report. He was then shot dead. "I think if patients nearby hadn't needed care right away, we would have talked to him longer," Orlando Police Chief John Mina said. No weapon was discovered and no one else was hurt, according to the report. President Donald Trump touted a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico as a win for U.S. workers while investors breathed a sigh of relief that the key pillars of NAFTA had survived his hardball strategy to reshape global commerce, Reuters reports. Washington and Ottawa reached an agreement on Sunday after weeks of tense bilateral talks to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The United States had forged a separate trade deal with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA, in August. The new agreement, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), is aimed at bringing more jobs into the United States, with Canada and Mexico accepting more restrictive commerce with the United States, their main export customer. These measures will support many - hundreds of thousands - American jobs, Trump said at the White House, describing the trade deal as the most important the United States had ever made. It means far more American jobs, and these are high-quality jobs, he said. Trump had repeatedly called NAFTA a terrible deal for the United States. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un confirmed his willingness to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a message South Korean President Moon Jae-in handed to his US counterpart Donald Trump last week, South Korean Ambassador to Russia Woo Yoon-keun said in an interview with the leading Russian news outlets, TASS reports. "Moon Jae-in briefed the United States about the outcome of the inter-Korean summit and handed Chairman Kim Jong-uns message to President Trump," the ambassador said. "He made it clear that Kim Jong-un was determined to ensure the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," he added. "He also highlighted the importance of holding a second summit between North Korea and the United States," Woo Yoon-keun said. The North Korean conveyed a message for Trump at the third inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang on September 18-20. The two leaders signed a joint declaration, in which they agreed to take measures for further denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, improve bilateral relations and resume cooperation in areas where it is possible at the moment. According to Moon Jae-in, North Korea agreed to dismantle its nuclear reactor at the Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center. Besides, the two countries defense ministers signed an agreement aimed at reducing military tensions and the risk of an armed conflict. The South Korean president handed Kim Jong-uns message to Trump in New York on September 25, as both leaders were taking part in the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. Trump said earlier that a new US-North Korea summit was likely to be held in the near future. The steel industries of Mexico and Canada on Tuesday urged their governments to resolve a tariff dispute with the United States before signing a new trilateral trade deal that was unveiled this week, Reuters reported. In late May, the Trump administration announced tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum imports, prompting quick retaliation from top trading partners including Canada and Mexico. Late on Sunday, the United States and Canada reached a deal to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), complementing an accord the Trump administration brokered with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA, in late August. Mexican steel producers association Canacero welcomed the new trade pact, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), but said it viewed with concern the ongoing steel dispute and the serious situation it created for the industry. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that US steel and aluminum tariffs would remain in place for Canada and Mexico until they can do something different like quotas, perhaps. In a statement, Canacero said it supported efforts to find a solution to the impasse before the leaders of Mexico, the United States and Canada signed USMCA, which officials say could happen at a G20 summit at the end of November. If no solution can be found, Mexico should put tariffs on US steel to level the playing field, Canacero said. Mexico has already slapped tariffs on US pork, bourbon, motor boats and other products. Canada has levied tariffs on a range of US imports, including steel and aluminum. Joseph Galimberti, president of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, said he expected Canadas government to continue to support the industry after the USMCA breakthrough. There is clearly an opportunity to constructively engage the United States between the achievement of a deal in principle and the ratification or signature of that deal, he said. Canada is the top exporter of steel and aluminum to the United States. The United Steelworkers of Canada adopted a less conciliatory tone after the new trade deal was announced, calling it a sell-out for Canadian workers. Mexican officials have said they hope the steel and aluminum dispute can be resolved before USMCA is signed. Since the tariff row broke out, Mexican steel exports to the United States had fallen 30 percent on average, Canacero said. A woman who allegedly ordered the brutal murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiance was among the suspects that were detained last week by Slovak police, local media reported on Monday. Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova were shot at close range in his home in February. He was investigating the infiltration of the Italian mob into his home country. Prior to that, Kuciak was probing Slovak businessman Marian Kocner. Authorities say the hit on the journalist was ordered for 70,000 euros. Fifty-thousand was given in cash and the rest went to debt, according to Reuters. Authorities identified the detained woman only by her initials A. Zs.and said this was the person that ordered the assassination. Slovak media then reported that the woman is Alena Zsuzsova, who they say is allegedly connected to Kocner, even that Kocner is supposedly the godfather of her daughter. The businessman was detained over the summer for tax crimes, according to the Slovak Spectator. He was released shortly after. The outlet reported that Kocner had previously threatened Kuciak. I will start showing interest, Mr. Kuciak, in your mother, your father, your siblings, I will show concern in all of them, and I will publish everything I find on you, Mr. Kuciak. You will be the first one, I will even prefer you to Mrs. Todova, Kocner said to Kuciak, according to the Slovak Spectator. The woman identified as A. Zs. was charged with the extremely serious crime of complicity in a murder, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The outlet reports that a lawyer for Kuciaks family said she was likely to have been an intermediary. We have more steps prepared which we want to take, so there is high probability there will be more charges, prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar said at a news conference Monday. The murders of Kuciak and Kusnirova led to country-wide protests in March and the fall of the Slovak government under Robert Fico. Kuciak was an OCCRP-affiliated investigative journalist who at the time of his assassination was working on a joint investigation between the Slovakian news outlet Aktuality.sk and the OCCRP into the Italian Ndrangheta, one of the worlds most powerful and fearsome crime syndicates, and their growing presence in Slovakia. His final investigative work was published posthumously. Kuciak was the first journalist killed since the country gained its independence in 1993. occrp.org KYODO NEWS - Oct 2, 2018 - 13:15 | All, Feature Authorities have recovered the body of a passenger who was unaccounted for following the crash of a jetliner last week in the Federated States of Micronesia, the plane's operator said late Monday. Air Niugini said in a statement that the male passenger was discovered by divers as they conducted a further search of the crash site in a lagoon off the island of Chuuk. The Papua New Guinea national carrier had initially said that all 35 passengers and 12 crew had survived and were "safe" after the Boeing 737-800 landed short of the runway at Chuuk International Airport on Friday. (U.S. Navy/Getty/Kyodo) However, on Saturday the airline backtracked and said one passenger was unaccounted for. Tahawar Durrani, chief executive of Air Niugini, said the airline's outreach team is in touch with the man's family and is making arrangements to repatriate the body. Although local media reported the man was Indonesian, Air Niugini would not comment on the passenger's nationality. Four passengers remain hospitalized in a stable condition in Chuuk but are to be transported to Guam for further treatment, according to the airline. Flight PX73 took off Friday from Pohnpei, another island in the Federated States of Micronesia, and was stopping over in Chuuk before flying on to Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby located about 1,940 kilometers away. While the cause of the accident remains unclear, Air Niugini previously said the weather was "very poor with heavy rain and reduced visibility at the time of the incident." KYODO NEWS - Oct 2, 2018 - 17:15 | World, Urgent, All The death toll from a powerful earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Indonesia's central island of Sulawesi last week has reached 1,234 as bodies continue to be found in the rubble, authorities said Tuesday. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told a press conference in the afternoon that among the injured a total of 799 people suffered serious injuries, adding that 101 others are listed as missing, including one South Korean and one Belgian. [Getty/Kyodo] Sutopo said refugees from the disaster that struck Friday evening now number 61,867 around the island. There are 26 countries and two international organizations that have offered assistance in the form of air transportation, tents, water treatment facilities, generators, field hospitals and disinfectant, he told reporters. Most of the deaths occurred in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, and the nearby coastal town of Donggala which bore the brunt of the tsunamis. The quake struck at 6:02 p.m. Friday at a depth of only 10 kilometers, centered on land near Donggala, located about 2,500 km northeast of the capital Jakarta. KYODO NEWS - Oct 2, 2018 - 20:08 | All, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe retained key ministers in a Cabinet reshuffle Tuesday to maintain government stability as he has stepped up efforts to realize his long-cherished goal of revising Japan's pacifist Constitution. Abe, who was re-elected as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's president last month, reappointed six of his 19 Cabinet members including Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, who doubles as finance minister, Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. Among the new faces, Takeshi Iwaya, 61, an eight-term House of Representatives member, assumed the post of defense minister. At a press conference later in the day, Abe reiterated calls for the LDP to submit its constitutional amendment proposals to the extraordinary Diet session to be convened later this month, saying, "Without presenting concrete articles, we will not be able to gain support from Komeito and the public." Komeito, the LDP's junior coalition partner, remains cautious over Abe's plan to revise the war-renouncing Article 9 in the supreme law, specifically how to describe Japan's Self-Defense Forces. Stressing the need to try and obtain widespread understanding regardless of party affiliation, the prime minister did not clarify when he would aim to call a national referendum needed to revise the Constitution. In the latest Cabinet reshuffle, Abe picked 12 newcomers and one with previous ministerial experience. He also picked some new Cabinet members from among veteran lawmakers who had long wished to become ministers, apparently in a bid to appease frustration within the party. Although Abe has touted female empowerment as one of his key policies, he named only one woman in his new Cabinet -- one fewer than in the previous lineup. The new Cabinet was formally launched following an attestation ceremony at the Imperial Palace in the afternoon. In the LDP presidential election on Sept. 20, Abe beat his sole rival, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, by a comfortable margin. The victory gave Abe another three-year term through September 2021 and a chance to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister. Abe replaced farm minister Ken Saito, who backed Ishiba in the leadership race, but tapped three-term lower house member Takashi Yamashita, a 53-year-old former prosecutor and lawyer, from Ishiba's faction as justice minister. Prioritizing continuity in key policy areas, Abe also retained Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko and economic revitalization minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Seko doubles as minister for economic cooperation with Russia and Motegi will be tasked with negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with the United States, which Abe and President Donald Trump recently agreed to start. From Komeito, Keiichi Ishii retained the post of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism minister. Masahiko Shibayama, 52, one of the newcomers and a special adviser to Abe in the LDP, took up the position of education, culture, sports, science and technology minister. (Name and Age) Former Reconstruction Minister Takumi Nemoto, 67, returned to the Cabinet as health, labor and welfare minister. Upper house member and former Finance Ministry bureaucrat Satsuki Katayama, 59, the sole woman in the new lineup, became minister in charge of regional revitalization. Earlier Tuesday, Abe also revamped the LDP leadership. The LDP president appointed former education minister Hakubun Shimomura as head of the party's panel promoting constitutional revision and welfare minister Katsunobu Kato as chairman of the party's decision-making General Council. Both are known to be close aides of Abe. LDP Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai and policy chief Fumio Kishida retained their posts. With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state is 68,630. Of the new cases, 5,914 contracted the virus through contact while 28 came from outside the state. Armenian Prime Minister minced no words today when he called a bill introduced by three Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs as a counter-revolution in the making. Pashinyan made the statement to reporters after he left the National Assembly, adding that bill would have serious repercussions. The bill, if passed, would add a clause to the parliaments protocol law allowing the legislature to break session in the case of unforeseeable circumstances (force majeure) or when MPs are prevented from voting. The legislature would reconvene only when these obstacles are removed. Members of the government and the parliamentary Yelk Alliance argue that the clause would prevent the dissolution of parliament by means other than the rule law (public protests). The RPA holds a relative majority of seats in the current parliament. If the question, in the past, was whether or not there was a counter-revolution in Armenia, I can officially declare today that there is a counter-revolution and that all those supporting this bill, or plan to support it, are counter-revolutionaries. They assure me that this bill has been introduced by three political forces. I officially declare that any MP who stands up in support of this bill is a representative of the counter-revolution, Pashinyan said. The three forces Pashinyan refers to are the Republican Party of Armenia , the Prosperous Armenia Party and the ARF. Pashinyan said that the only conclusion to be drawn from these developments is that snap parliamentary elections would be held in December of 2018. When asked if snap elections would be held under public pressure, Pashinyan replied: A government of direct democracy has been established in Armenia. If it turns out that I, as prime minister, am not the peoples representative, then elections will not take place. If I am the peoples representative, there will be elections. Pashinyan calls for the total eradication of the Republican Party of Armenia from the country and those political forces who support it! Armenias parliament has passed a bill allowing for a change in the procedural code that would allow for the suspension of sessions in the case of unforeseeable circumstances (force majeure) or when MPs are prevented from voting. The legislature would reconvene only when these obstacles are removed. 67 MPs from the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Prosperous Armenia and the ARF voted in favor of the bill. Only Yelk Alliance MPs voted against the bill. Upon learning about the bill, Pashinyan consulted with the parliamentary president and the leader of the RPA faction, urging that the bill be recalled. Pashinyan then went on TV, calling on citizens to protest outside the National Assembly if the bill was passed. The RPA, in response, called for a special session of the legislature this evening. Demonstrators had already gathered outside the National Assembly, blocking the streets and entryways, when the bill passed. Pashinyan joined the protesters and then left for his offices on Baghramyan Avenue. Pashinyan has called for snap parliamentary elections this December, something the above three parties says is too soon since it doesnt give them time to prepare. Virginia Tech researcher, Meryl Mims, is the co-principal investigator on one of the first large-scale coordinated ecology research projects to study what happens to streams as they dry across the United States. Mims, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science, received a new grant from the MacroSystems Biology program of the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant is budgeted for $3.04 million across five universities with $452,000 coming to the Mims lab at Virginia Tech. The Mims Lab will examine macroinvertebrate, or bug, communities in 10 regions across the southern United States to make connections among climate and biological factors in intermittent, or not continuously flowing, streams, a little-studied area of freshwater ecology. According to the NSF MacroSystems Biology program, "The ecological significance of intermittent streams, which are controlled by large-scale climate fluctuations and colonized by aquatic life under wet conditions, will likely grow as the global environment changes and human demand for water increases." The project involves an exciting collaboration among research groups with diverse expertise from the University of Oklahoma; University of California, Berkeley; Northern Arizona University; University of Louisiana at Lafayette; and University of Arizona. "This research will give us new insight into the ecology of intermittent streams. We hope to understand how stream drying affects the function of stream ecosystems and the response of organisms. By looking at streams across the country, we can develop and test a large-scale framework to analyze environmental changes," said Mims, affiliated faculty member of the Fralin Life Science Institute and Global Change Center. Mims, a freshwater ecologist and conservation biologist, investigates how species' traits and environmental attributes interact to influence community and the population structure of aquatic organisms. Her lab's research integrates the fields of population, community, and landscape ecology; the overarching goal of her research is to uncover, understand, and predict the differential responses of aquatic species to a changing landscape and climate. "We use a suite of approaches, including population genetics, spatial and landscape ecology, traits-based inference, and multivariate statistical tools to look for patterns across species and patterns of response to environmental change," said Mims. For this grant, Mims is leading population genetic and genomic studies of 15 species across the study sites, as well as serving as the coordinator for field research at two of the 10 study regions, one in Northern Virginia and the other in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. It will be the Mims lab's first major focus on the research of macroinvertebrates, applying their genetic and genomic tools to understand population dynamics in intermittent streams. In addition to contributing to the overall goals of the project, work by the Mims lab will help advance the emerging field of comparative landscape genetics, which seeks to understand how the genetics of populations are influenced by the landscape and environment, and whether and how they differ among species. Stream in Tennessee Mims and her lab will study streams such as this one in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, in addition to sites across the southern United States. "Population and landscape genetics inform our basic understanding of the movement, population size, and patterns of diversity of organisms - and how they are influenced by their environment. Both also help inform management and conservation of species," said Mims. University of Oklahoma professor Daniel C. Allen is the lead principal investigator of the study and conducts field research at sites in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. "For decades, we have studied the ecology of streams that always have flowing water while largely ignoring those that do not, but only 40 percent of U.S. streams always flow. This large, new project will be one of the first to study both the 40 percent of U.S. streams that always flow as well as the 60 percent of streams that dry or stop flowing. In doing so, we hope to change the way we think about streams," said Allen, a professor in the Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma College of Arts and Sciences. The study will include field research that takes place at 100 sites across the United States in 10 different ecological regions. Most of these sites are currently included in the NSF-funded National Ecological Observatory Network, or NEON, that monitors water chemistry, invertebrates, fish, algae, and nutrients in their research as well, providing an opportunity for the new stream project to integrate with NEON. The study sites will span coastal northern California to coastal Virginia in the north and southern Georgia to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona in the south. "These projects leverage NSF investments in biological infrastructure to study how organisms and ecosystems respond to environmental changes from local to continental scales," said Joanne Tornow, NSF acting assistant director for biological sciences. "Most of these projects use data from NEON to address long-standing questions that could not be addressed even five years ago without access to standardized, replicated, publicly available ecological data from ecosystems across North America." Researchers at all sites will follow NEON sampling protocols to produce NEON-compatible data. In each region, some of the stream study sites will always flow, while others will not, and the investigators will research the effects of stream drying on the different ecosystems in varied climates. Mims and her colleagues will focus on macroinvertebrates to study how drying influences what species survive, how population and communities (e.g., multiple species occurring at the same site) are connected, and how these effects may vary across the different climates of the southern half of the United States. A smartphone application for mapping wet and dry reaches of streams and rivers will be developed for researchers and citizen scientists by Benjamin L. Ruddell and a team of Northern Arizona University researchers. Michael T. Bogan, University of Arizona, is an expert taxonomist and will identify invertebrates collected during the research and conduct field research in Arizona. Albert Ruhi, UC Berkeley, will use his analytic expertise to determine spatial patterns of invertebrate communities and conduct field research in California. Katie H. Costigan, UL at Lafayette, is a geomorphologist and hydrologist and will lead the field hydrology component of the study and conduct field research in Mississippi and Georgia. ### For more information about this project, contact Mims at mims@vt.edu. Contact: Kristin Rose | krisrose@vt.edu | 540-231-6614 Image: http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/content/vtnews_vt_edu/en/articles/2018/08/82918-Fralin-Mims-NSF-grant.img.jpg Caption: Meryl Mims, an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, studies the effects of drying streams. Online Link: https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2018/08/82918-Fralin-Mims-NSF-grant Just a few Shigella bacteria are enough to make anyone catch gastroenteritis, while to get sick from Cholera, thousands to millions of Vibrio cholerae bacteria have to be swallowed. Why does the dose needed to cause disease differ so much between bacteria? Based on observational data, biologists have previously proposed that this difference could be due to how bacteria attack their hosts: For example,while Shigella bacteria act locally by directly injecting proteins into host cells, Cholera bacteria attack from a distance by secreting cholera toxin. Joel Rybicki, postdoc at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), and his colleagues Eva Kisdi and Jani Anttila at the University of Helsinki, built a mathematical model of bacterial infections. Their results support the hypothesis that the scale of pathogenetic mechanisms is the reason why different bacteria have different infective doses. They predict that the mechanism also influences how quickly an infection spreads in the host. Their study is published today in PNAS. Rybicki and colleagues built a mathematical model that reflects bacterial infections. Compared with real-life bacteria, this "theoretical" bacterium allows the researchers to change just one aspect of the bacterium, in this case the mechanism of pathogenesis, while keeping all other aspects the same - a feat which would be difficult, if not impossible, to accomplish experimentally. In their model, the researchers can seamlessly dial up or down the distance at which the bacterium acts to attack the host and evade the immune system. All else being equal, they see that when the bacterium releases a toxin that acts locally, only few bacteria are needed to start an infection, while when the bacterium releases a toxin that acts over a long distance, a large number of bacteria are needed to get an infection going. Their model gives a theoretical basis for the phenomenon linking infective dose and the scale of the pathogenic mechanism. The researchers' models show that there is a threshold for infective doses, Rybicki explains: "Bacteria that attack a host using spreading toxins have a problem. When there is only one bacterium, the toxin it produces spreads away, leaving it defenseless, and the immune system can attack the bacterium. So the bacterium needs a little help from its friends: only when there are enough other bacteria around releasing toxins are they all protected from the immune system. For bacteria with locally acting toxin, the threshold is lower: the toxin doesn't spread away so even a few bacteria acting together are protected from immune attack." Simulations of what happens during local and distant infections showed that when distantly acting bacteria have taken hold and started an infection, the infection spreads quickly. Locally acting bacteria start an infection at a lower threshold, but the infection spreads more slowly at higher doses. "This could be an explanation for why these different mechanisms of pathogenesis evolved in the first place", Rybicki says. Joel Rybicki joined IST Austria as an ISTplus postdoctoral fellow in the group of Dan Alistarh in January 2018. IST Austria set up the ISTplus postdoctoral program, which is partially funded by the European Union, to attract outstanding postdoctoral fellows. Joel Rybicki studied distributed computing, but in his previous postdoc, he also analyzed problems in mathematical biology: "This is the reason why I came to IST Austria. As people from different disciplines work together at one campus, I'm hoping that I can combine my interests and pursue questions both in mathematical biology and theoretical computer science." Rybicki currently also studies ecological questions such as habitat fragmentation, which have surprising similarities with the study published now: "In this study, we are using ecological modeling techniques at a microbial level. It is interesting that we can use the same mathematical modeling approaches to study very different biological phenomena." ### About IST Austria The Institute of Science and Technology (IST Austria) is a PhD-granting research institution located in Klosterneuburg, 18 km from the center of Vienna, Austria. Inaugurated in 2009, the Institute is dedicated to basic research in the natural and mathematical sciences. IST Austria employs professors on a tenure-track system, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students. While dedicated to the principle of curiosity-driven research, the Institute owns the rights to all scientific discoveries and is committed to promote their use. The first president of IST Austria is Thomas A. Henzinger, a leading computer scientist and former professor at the University of California in Berkeley, USA, and the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland. The graduate school of IST Austria offers fully-funded PhD positions to highly qualified candidates with a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, neuroscience, mathematics, computer science, physics, and related areas. http://www.ist.ac.at Sat., Nov. 13, 7-8:30 p.m. Mason City Limits Comedy Club 114 E. Chestnut St., Mason City Central Illinois Theater & Comedy Chicago comedian Bob Jay swears that when he first started perfecting impressions of John Wayne and The Muppets, it was just the idle work of a boy with too much time on his hands. Little did he know that these voices and mannerisms would become a 20-year professional career. Bob does impressions and sound effects that range from famous celebrities to cartoon characters to popular singers. The impressions Jay chooses to bring out on stage depend on the audiences he's performing for, with younger audiences seeing more modern references 217-482-5233 Senegal has announced that they have sent their army into the bordering country of Gambia as of last Thursday in order to force a resignation on the longtime leader Yehya Jammeh. Jammeh recently lost the election as a democratic vote was held in his country, and has remained in power since his defeat. As a result the region of West Africa have decided to protect this democratic process and take down Jammeh if he refuses to step down. Adam Barrow who is exiled from Gambia had won the election as he was based in Senegal, and after his victory the Senegalese army decided they would move in to assure his rightful leadership. Defending Democracy A colonel from the Senegalese army Abdou Ndiaye sent a message to the news agency of Reuters saying that they have officially entered into the neighboring country of Gambia. Several videos have surfaced of Senegalese tanks and other vehicles approaching the border. However reports have stated that the full scale operation was put on hold temporarily until Friday so as to give a chance to the heads of West African nations in putting a forth a final attempt for discussing the matter with Jammeh again. Senegalese Army Praised As news spread all over the citizens of Gambia of Senegalese troops approaching their country, the citizens showed their praise to them and demanded the immediate resignation of Jammeh. One such citizen, Modou Secka, stated that they all welcome the Senegalese army in their country since they will be able to reclaim the stolen democracy that was taken away from them by Jammeh. As Gambians have been protesting for a while now and chanting all over the streets, one famous shirt they have been wearing reads Gambians have decided. The Gambian troops in the street have not intervened with any of the protests, as even their army chief Ousman Badjie was shown on a video to be celebrating with the rest. California is often categorized as a rogue state, enacting everything from net neutrality laws to zero-carbon emission goals independent of the federal government. Over the weekend, Governor Jerry Brown signed another bill into law that will shake up corporate board rooms. Despite the imperfect nature of the legislation, its a bold and necessary step toward achieving gender parity. The law requires every publicly traded company based in California to have at least one woman on its board of directors by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021, a five-member board must have at least two female directors; if the company has six or more board members, three will have to be female. The bill was proposed by state senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) and Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who point out that women make up 52% of the states population but just 15% of the directors of its public corporations. The law is highly unusual The law faces significant criticism, particularly from members of the academic community who argue that the second order effects may cause more harm than good. California may be overstepping its bounds, according to Jill Fisch, the Saul A. Fox distinguished professor of business law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School who specializes in corporate governance. Story continues The law doesnt apply solely to companies that are incorporated in the state of California, and thats extremely unusual. Historically, U.S. law has deferred to the state of incorporation for most corporate governance issues. Theres potentially an argument that California could be overreaching here, said Fisch. According to a paper by Stanford Law professor Joseph Grundfest, the legislation applies to 72 corporations headquartered and chartered in California, or 1.59% of all publicly traded companies in the U.S. The bill will increase the number of board seats occupied by women by trivial amounts, if at all. These trivial changes will, however, come at great risk to the evolution of affirmative action jurisprudence, Grundfest writes. Even Brown acknowledged the serious legal concerns and potential flaws that indeed may prove fatal to its ultimate implementation. California Governor Jerry Brown is requiring publicly traded companies in California to bring on more female board members. Still, others are hopeful that a law in the most populous state of the U.S. can shape the countrys conversation around diversity. I dont think any piece of legislation at this point will be a panacea or solve for everyone or everything. I dont fault the bill were making strides in the right direction, Shannon Gordon, CEO of theBoardlist, a San Francisco-based platform that connects public and private companies with 4,400 qualified female board member candidates, told Yahoo Finance. theBoardlist typically sees a 30% increase in search volume during the transition from August to September. This year, the firm saw a 70% increase month-over-month. We have experienced quite an uptick in call volume and usage on our platform in the wake of this legislation. Its part of the conversation companies are actively having discussions in relation to diversity. Ideally this will have a halo effect for companies that arent directly impacted, said Gordon. Setting a precedent for other states? European nations like Norway and France have implemented similar quotas that have mixed results of success. The California law is rooted in the right intentions, given the bleak representation of females in powerful leadership positions. As the saying goes, its lonely at the top. The share of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies currently stands at 4.8% after reaching an all-time high of 6.4% last year. This comes after the departures of Campbell Soups Denise Morrison and HPs Meg Whitman. Among the board members of all Fortune 500 companies, 22.2% are women. Still, Californias law is unlikely to have a ripple effect across the country. Its not particularly unusual for California to be out there and doing something different. Id be really surprised if we saw a domino effect. This is a heavy-handed approach, said Fisch. Redefining diversity One argument against Californias imposed quota system is that it prioritizes a narrow definition of diversity. No single legislature can determine what the ideal or the appropriate board composition is for any company. There are lots of types of diversity other than race and gender. We should also be looking at factors like background, different levels of expertise and age, posited Fisch. She pointed out two key issues that institutional investors are concerned with right now board refreshment and diversity in expertise. Companies are bringing young people onto boards, dealing with issues of a stale board, with a bunch of people that have been together too long and are engaged in group think. The other concern is making sure that you have directors who can tie into or have expertise in a lot of complex corporate issues, she said. The Tesla case That diversity in opinion shouldnt be limited to a female perspective. For companies that are expanding globally, prospective board members should be familiar with regulatory and cultural challenges that come from working abroad. In a case like Tesla (TSLA), having board members who can be responsible for decisions regarding social media policy, especially in light of CEO Elon Musks behavior on Twitter, are crucial, according to Fisch. Of Teslas nine board members, two are women, which is neither abysmal nor praiseworthy. Under the new law, the company will have to bring on one more female board member. Teslas two female directors are Robyn Denholm, who currently serves as COO of Telstra, Australias largest telecom company, and Linda Johnson Rice, CEO of Johnson Publishing Company and Fashion Fair Cosmetics. However, the bigger issue at hand is how closely aligned the directors are with Musk and how similar their professional backgrounds are. Five of the board members are personally intertwined with Musk and his various businesses. Kimbal Musk is Elons younger brother and an early investor in Tesla. Brad Buss was CFO of SolarCity, which is now owned by Tesla. Antonio Gracias is a director of Musks SpaceX and was previously on the board of SolarCity until its acquisition. Ira Ehrenpreis is a founder and managing partner of DBL Partners, which is an investor in Tesla. Steve Jurvetson, who resigned from his venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson, is on a leave of absence from Teslas board since sexual harassment allegations were filed against him late last year. Thats a great example of whats wrong with Tesla. The concern isnt the lack of women the problem is lack of diversity in many other respects, said Fisch. Melody Hahm is a senior writer at Yahoo Finance, covering entrepreneurship, technology and real estate. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm. Read more: Elon Musks brother Kimbal is personally delivering Tesla Model 3s Why the housing industry should fear Amazon The housing recovery has left rural America behind Homebuyers are demanding one amenity right now MarketWatch Congratulations on amassing such a robust retirement nest egg $8 million is a true feat. Oftentimes, when I respond to letters like yours, where the person has millions of dollars saved, I get feedback from other readers who are frustrated because they think all that money will make retirement an absolute breeze. The truth is, the money definitely helps theres no question about it but if you dont have the right plans and protections in place, or you dont keep to some sort of reasonable budget that allows you to live within your means, you could be at risk of falling short in your retirement too. By Liz Hampton HOUSTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Oil and gas companies and their supporters have poured $20.3 million since August into a campaign to defeat a Colorado ballot initiative that would limit new drilling in populated areas, according to state financial filings released on Tuesday. Colorado, the sixth largest and one of the fastest growing U.S. oil producing states, votes on Nov. 6 on a citizens' petition that would require new wells be at least 2,500 feet (762 m) from homes, schools and parks. The initiative, which received 172,834 signatures to get a spot on the ballot, was aided in part by the deaths of two men last year in an explosion caused by gas leaking from an abandoned well near a Firestone, Colorado home. The state's oil production rose 26 percent in the 12 months through July as companies used higher prices to expand in the state's Denver-Julesberg basin. Oil and gas companies with operations in the state, including Anadarko Petroleum Corp, DCP Midstream LP , and Noble Energy Inc, have donated more than $1 million each to Protect Colorado, a group fighting the citizens' initiative. Anadarko did not respond to a request for comment, and DCP and Noble were not immediately available to discuss contributions. The group still has more than $10.2 million in financial and service contributions available to fight the measure with just weeks to go before the vote, according to state filings. A Project Colorado spokeswoman said the financing - more 100 times that raised by initiative backers - is no guarantee of victory. Story continues "It's really going to depend on voter turnout," said Karen Crummy, a spokeswoman for the group. "Most people assume this November will have a high turnout, no matter where you are." Colorado Rising, which led the signature-gathering effort to get the measure on the ballot, currently has about $100,000 and has recruited about 2,000 volunteers to conduct pro-initiative phone calls and text messages, and to canvas neighborhoods, according to Anne Lee Foster, a spokeswoman for the group. "We've seen many times where the industry has outspent communities and we've still won at the ballot box," said Foster. Americans for Prosperity, a political advocacy group backed by billionaires Charles and David Koch, also has joined the opposition. Its Colorado state chapter is planning a digital campaign to communicate directly with voters, state director Jesse Mallory said in an interview. Opponents say the set-back restrictions would curtail some 85 percent of new oil and gas development and harm the state's economy. Colorado mayors and other elected officials have called for a "no" vote. "There are better ways to protect the health and safety of our communities while keeping our state's economy strong," said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. (Reporting by Liz Hampton Editing by Marguerita Choy) Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Mike Manley arrives at the memorial service held in honor of former CEO Sergio Marchionne in Turin, Italy, September 14, 2018. REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo By Agnieszka Flak and Nick Carey MILAN/DETROIT (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler's new boss unveiled his management team on Monday, seeking to revive the automaker in Europe, forge ahead in North America and keep the group in contention in the industry's race to develop self-driving and electric cars. Mike Manley took over in July after long-time chief Sergio Marchionne fell ill and later died after succumbing to complications from surgery. British-born Manley has since pledged to carry through a strategy Marchionne outlined in June to keep FCA "strong and independent". "The next five years will continue to be extremely challenging for our industry, with tougher regulations, intense competition and probably slower industry growth around the world," Manley said in a letter to employees on Monday. "Nevertheless, with a laser focus on execution and a continued flexibility that allows us to adjust as circumstances change ... we have a clear line of sight to achieving our five-year ambitions." Manley appointed Pietro Gorlier, thus far head of FCA's components business, as FCA's next European chief to tackle a region where profitability is below that of peers, many workers are stuck in furloughs and various plants run at below capacity. Gorlier succeeds Alfredo Altavilla who left after Manley's appointment. At Magneti Marelli, the parts unit that FCA may either spin off or sell, Gorlier will be succeeded by the parts maker's lighting division head Ermanno Ferrari. Japan's Calsonic Kansei has been in talks with FCA about buying the unit, sources familiar with the matter have said, but no binding agreement has been reached and the deal could still fall apart. Story continues Choosing an Italian as head of Europe might soothe some fears in Italy that FCA could weaken its link to Fiat's roots. In his last strategy unveiled in June, Marchionne vowed to convert Italian plants to churn out Alfa Romeos, Jeeps and Maseratis instead of less profitable mass-market vehicles to preserve jobs and boost margins. Europe will also become a big part of the company's electrification drive. FCA will copy in Europe what worked in the United States, where it retooled plants to build pricier SUVs and trucks in a move since emulated by bigger rivals Ford and GM. JEEP Manley also named new managers at Jeep and RAM, the two brands which have been driving profits in recent years. Tim Kuniskis was named head of Jeep North America, while Reid Bigland was named head of trucks brand RAM. Manley, who looked after Jeep and RAM before becoming CEO, will continue to keep an eye on Jeep, as no global head for FCA's most lucrative brand was named. FCA shares were up 3.4 percent by 1407 GMT. With Kuniski's appointment "we have all of our regions covered by Jeep brand executives who oversee day-to-day operations and Jeep product strategy in each region", a spokesman said, adding Manley and the group executive council would ensure regional and brand objectives were in line with its business plan. FCA said in June it would ramp up production of SUVs and invest billion of euros in electric and hybrid cars in a bid to double operating profit by 2022. Marchionne said at the time that sales at Jeep, which will launch nine new products and enter three new segments, could double by then from the 1.4 million vehicles sold in 2017. Kuniskis will also remain in charge of Alfa Romeo, while Harald Wester, current chief technology officer, will take on an additional role of leading luxury brand Maserati. Manley and his team have big shoes to fill: Marchionne achieved what many thought impossible, most notably his huge gamble just over a decade ago when he set in motion the marriage between the then-ailing Fiat with bankrupt U.S. rival Chrysler. It is now the world's seventh-largest carmaker and is debt-free, but not without challenges ahead. FCA cut its full-year profit outlook in July, blaming a weaker-than-expected performance in China, a market that represents one of the new CEO's immediate headaches. (Reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Milan and Nick Carey in Detroit; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Mark Potter) The new aircraft. Youre usually looking at something like three hours to get from downtown Manhattan to the heart of Boston, Massachusetts. First, count on a half-hour cab journey to LaGuardia Airport. Then maybe an hour of security clearance and waiting to board. When you finally make it onto the plane, youll spend 22 minutes taxiing out, 39 minutes in the air, and seven taxiing in. Ten to 15 minutes to get out of the airport (were assuming you didnt check a bag), then another 10 to 15 minutes in a car downtown. Total journey time? About 182 minutesassuming no delays, traffic jams or unforeseen circumstances. But it doesnt have to be that way, says Boston-based aviation company Transcend Air. They promise a new six-seat aircraft that will take you from central Boston to New York City in 36 minutes flatwithout ever needing to be within sight of an airport. Transcend Air has developed a prototype for an aircraft it says flies like a jet and takes off like a helicopter, traveling at speeds of up to 405 miles per hour. The technology itself is new-ish, building on craft such as the CL-84, created by Canadair, Transcend Airs CEO Greg Bruell told Travel+Leisure, Were taking a concept first demonstrated in the 60s and finding a market for it, while updating it with the latest technology so that it doesnt cost military-scale budgets to build them. The company believes it can fly get passengers from A to B in a fraction of the time of commercial planesand for a comparable cost. But their figures seem a little off. That 36-minute flight between New York and Boston is currently set to cost $283most one-way flights between the two cities clock come in at just under $100. And while a 55-minute journey between Los Angeles and San Francisco might be worth paying more for, the $315 Transcend quote seems steep compared to the current $120 plane journey, which takes about 100 minutes. Story continues But its not just about shaving off minutes in the air. Because, like a helicopter, the aircraft takes off and lands vertically, it can leave from anywhere, saving passengers the time it takes to get to the airport and taxi to runways. Seats will be comparable in size to most present-day commercial airlinesthough therell be no restrooms, to save on space. Transcend Air says the initiative is within reach, on its website, aiming to launch service in 2024. But the company still has a way to go, including obtaining Federal Aviation Administration certification for the aircraft, which can take years. For now, the Buy Now button on their website is just for showand that three-hour commitment to get from New York to Boston unlikely to change soon. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: * Authorities say 832 confirmed killed in Sulawesi disaster * Hundreds feared buried in collapsed buildings, landslides * President Widodo agrees to accept international aid * One woman rescued overnight (Updates with colour from near Palu, comment form military, paragraphs 16, 19-20) PALU, Indonesia, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Indonesian authorities scrambled on Monday to get aid and rescue equipment into quake-hit Sulawesi island, and prepared to bury some of the more than 800 dead, while shaken survivors streamed out of the area in search of food and shelter. The confirmed death toll of 832 looked certain to rise as rescuers slowly reached devastated outlying communities hit on Friday by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet). Dozens of people were reported to be trapped in the rubble of several hotels and a mall in the small city of Palu, 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, with hundreds more feared buried in landslides that engulfed villages. President Joko Widodo told reporters in Jakarta getting those people out was a priority. "The evacuation is not finished yet, there are many places where the evacuation couldn't be done because of the absence of heavy equipment, but last night equipment started to arrive in Palu," Widodo said. "We'll send as much food supplies as possible today with Hercules planes, directly from Jakarta, there are several," he said, referring to C-130 military transport aircraft. The national search and rescue agency said one woman was rescued overnight in the Palu neighbourhood of Balaroa, where houses were swallowed up when the earthquake caused soil liquefaction. Story continues Most of the confirmed deaths were in Palu, a city of about 380,000 people, where authorities were preparing a mass grave to bury some of the dead as soon as they were identified. However, nearly three days after the quake, the extent of the disaster has yet to be made clear with authorities bracing for the death toll to climb sharply - perhaps into the thousands - as connections with remote areas up and down the coast are restored. Of particular concern is Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre of the quake, and two other districts, which have been cut off from communications since Friday. Along with Palu, these districts have a combined population of about 1.4 million. Five foreigners - three French, one South Korean and one Malaysian - were among the missing. Sulawesi is one of the earthquake-prone archipelago nation's five main islands and sits astride fault lines. Numerous aftershocks have rattled the region. FUEL AND RICE Footage of the ruined city of Palu showed a crumpled mess of houses, cars and trees mashed together, with rooftops and roads split asunder. Officials say rescuers need heavy equipment to shift slabs of broken concrete but access to many areas has been hampered by damaged roads, landslides and collapsed bridges. A Reuters witness said queues at petrol stations on the approaches to Palu stretched for kilometres. Convoys carrying food, water and fuel headed towards the city while a stream of residents headed out. The state energy company said it was airlifting in 4,000 litres of fuel, while Indonesia's logistics agency said it would send hundreds of tonnes of rice. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the government had allocated 560 billion rupiah ($37.58 million) for disaster recovery, media reported. Military aircraft were sent to bring people out of Palu, where crowds were waiting at the airport, military official Bambang Sudewo told Metro TV. "All military planes are deployed to support this," he said. It was hoped up to 1,500 people could be taken out every day, with children, women and the injured the priority, he said. Indonesia, which sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, is all too familiar with earthquakes and tsunamis. A quake off Sumatra island in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Questions are sure to be asked why warning systems set up after that disaster appear to have failed on Friday, and why more people in coastal areas had not moved to higher ground after a big quake, even in the absence of an official warning. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told reporters on Sunday none of Indonesia's tsunami buoys, one type of instrument used to detect the waves, had been operating since 2012. He blamed a fall-off in funding. The meteorological and geophysics agency BMKG issued a tsunami warning after the quake but lifted it 34 minutes later, drawing criticism it had been too hasty. However, officials estimated the waves had hit while the warning was in force. The head of Indonesia's investment board said on Twitter Widodo had agreed to accept international help and he would coordinate private sector help from around the world. Neighbours including Australia, Thailand and China have offered help, while the European Union announced 1.5 million euros ($1.74 million) in immediate aid. (Reporting by Reuters stringer in PALU, Fergus Jensen, Fanny Potkin, Tabita Diela, Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Gayatri Suroyo and Fransiska Nangoy in JAKARTA, and Kanupriya Kapoor in MAMUJU Writing by Robert Birsel Editing by Lincoln Feast and Paul Tait) * Construction to start immediately with first LNG by 2025 * Project expected to initially export from two trains * First very large conventional new project since 2013 -analyst * Project is Canada's No. 1 private-sector investment -PM Trudeau (Recasts; adds details on pricing, Asian demand, new analyst comment) By Julie Gordon and Jessica Jaganathan VANCOUVER/SINGAPORE, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The approval on Tuesday of a massive liquefied natural gas export (LNG) terminal in Canada is being touted as the return of the mega-project, ending a lean period where low energy prices and oversupply concerns kept investors from taking big risks. The C$40 billion ($31 billion) LNG Canada project led by Royal Dutch Shell was given the go-ahead by the Anglo-Dutch giant and its partners, making it the fuel's first major new project to win approval in recent years. Construction will start immediately, with first shipments of the super-chilled fuel expected before 2025, aiming to feed surging demand from Asian buyers, primarily China. "It seems that mega-projects are back," said Dulles Wang, director, North America gas at Wood Mackenzie, in an email note, adding that LNG Canada is the biggest greenfield project to be approved globally since Russia's Yamal LNG in 2013. LNG from the project will reach Asia in about half the time it takes from the U.S. Gulf Coast, LNG Canada said. Global LNG demand is expected to double by 2035, with much of that growth coming from Asia where gas is displacing coal, it said. At the same time, output from older projects is set to decline in coming years, just as soaring demand from China, India and Southeast Asia is devouring a supply glut previously expected to last for years, fanning fears that an LNG shortage may be looming. Story continues "LNG Canada's FID would signal the appetite to invest in LNG is back," said Saul Kavonic, director for Asia Pacific markets and head of energy research at Credit Suisse in Australia. LNG Canada, to be built in the northern community of Kitimat, British Columbia, also marks the largest private-sector investment project in Canadian history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a Vancouver news conference. The announcement provides a much-needed boost for Trudeau's ruling Liberals, who have struggled with an exodus of global energy firms from Alberta's oil sands as well as setbacks in building a crude pipeline expansion to Canada's Pacific Coast. "We can't build energy projects like we did in the old days where the environment and the economy were seen as opposing forces," Trudeau said. "They must go together." The project was approved by all its stakeholders - Shell, Malaysia's Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), PetroChina Co Ltd, Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS) and Japan's Mitsubishi Corp. "Getting an LNG project to a final investment decision is like a moon landing," Maarten Wetselaar, Shell's integrated gas and new energies director, said in Vancouver. "It is very, very difficult to do, and requires teamwork." MEGA-PRICE The project's C$40 billion price tag includes the export terminal, the associated pipeline, pre-construction and site work, contingency and upstream carrying costs. Within that broader number, the cost of building the terminal has been pegged at $14 billion, with the Coastal GasLink pipeline running C$6.2 billion. Pipeline operator TransCanada Corp said it expects to start construction on the pipeline in early 2019, which will carry natural gas from the Montney gas-producing region of British Columbia and Alberta to the LNG Canada facility. The project owners will provide their own natural gas supply and will individually market their share of LNG. LNG Canada's initial output will be 14 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) from two trains, or processing units, with the option to add two more trains to expand to 28 Mtpa. Canada has committed C$275 million to infrastructure and environmental performance measures related to LNG Canada, which will have the lowest carbon intensity of any large LNG facility in the world, Trudeau said. The project will boost Canada's oilpatch, which has struggled to attract investment amid pipeline constraints and investor malaise over a recent court decision overturning the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Natural gas producers such as Encana Corp and Tourmaline Oil Corp stand to gain as Canada's depressed gas prices rise, Raymond James analysts said. Smaller pipeline companies including Pembina Pipeline Corp will also benefit, said RBC analyst Robert Kwan. RISING APPETITE The construction decision comes amid a U.S.-China trade dispute that has led to tariffs being imposed by China on LNG shipments from the United States, threatening U.S. President Donald Trump's energy dominance plan. China is the fastest-growing major buyer of LNG and in 2017 overtook South Korea to become the world's No. 2 importer, behind Japan. Energy consultancy Wood MacKenzie said it appeared project partners had pushed hard to reach an investment decision, with rival projects progressing in Qatar, Russia, Mozambique and the United States. "I don't see it as a case of replacing U.S. cargoes, more about meeting projected demand growth," said Wood Mackenzie analyst Nicholas Browne. ($1 = 1.2828 Canadian dollars; $1 = 113.6900 Japanese yen) (Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan in Singapore and Julie Gordon in Vancouver; additional reporting by Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, Yuka Obayashi and Osamu Tsukimori in Tokyo, Jane Chung in Seoul and A Ananthalakshmi in Kuala Lumpur and John Benny in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin and Matthew Lewis) To prove he was human, author Brian Christian competed against some of the worlds most advanced artificial intelligence in an annual Turing Test competition. Christian attempted to convince a group of judges that he was a human, not a computer chatbot program. (Spoiler alert: He won, and was named the Most Human Human.) The Turing Test, named for the British mathematician Alan Turing, is designed to figure out if a machine can fool a person into thinking the machine is a human. It has been staged annually since 1991 by the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviours Loebner Prize. No computer has passed the Turing Test at the competition so far. But some have come close. And the day when a machine finally wins might not be that far off. As Christian points out, in a world of increasing communication via text and emoji (or even Google Smart Reply), human communication is becoming more bot-like, blurring the distinction between humans and machines. We are meeting the machines in the middle, he concludes. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. It was a week where oil prices ended at their highest settlement since July 10, while natural gas futures topped the psychologically important $3 level. On the news front, Royal Dutch Shell plcs RDS.A C$40 billion LNG Canada project is expected to get approved shortly following final investment decisions by two co-owners, while oil majors swarmed the deepwaters of Brazil as the country strives to attract investment before the presidential election in October. Overall, it was another good week for the sector. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 3.5% to close at $73.25 per barrel, while natural gas prices gained 1.1% to $3.008 per million Btu (MMBtu). (See the last Oil & Gas Stock Roundup here: TOTAL's Acquisition, Cheniere's LNG Supply Deal & More) The U.S. crude benchmark gained for the fifth time in six weeks after major producers refused to boost output despite pressure from President Trump amid tightening global supplies. At a meeting in Algeria recently, OPEC and its allies did not commit to any output increase to compensate for the anticipated supply disruptions ahead of the U.S. sanctions on Irans energy sector on Nov 4. Data showing drillers in the United States cutting oil rigs for second consecutive week brought further upside. Meanwhile, natural gas hit a 14-month high after the EIA reported a smaller-than-expected increase in natural gas supplies. The headline beat further widened the storage deficit ahead of the upcoming winter. Recap of the Weeks Most Important Stories 1. Cashing in on the improving energy landscape and booming demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG), it seems that Royal Dutch Shells LNG Canada project, located in Kitimat, is anticipated to see the light of day soon. In a recent development regarding the multi-billion mega projects, two of the other co-owners including Chinese energy giant PetroChina Company Limited and South Korea's state-run Korea Gas Corporation have given their final investment decision on their share of the project. Notably, PetroChina has approved C$4.5 billion share of the project, while Korea Gas also officially green-lit its part of financing. Story continues The LNG Canada project, located in Kitimat, British Columbia, is estimated to cost C$40 billion and marks the nations largest infrastructure project ever. The first phase of the project, which is likely to cost around $30 billion of investment, incorporates the construction of two LNG processing units and facilities for export, with a shipping capacity of around 26 million tons of LNG a year. The second phase comprises construction of two train units. The sanction of the LNG Canada project will reflect the turnaround of the LNG market, after years of supply glut and weak gas prices that had significantly reduced investments in the industry. In fact, the oversupplied LNG market is likely to be faced with a looming deficit by 2022, in case there is absence of new projects. 2. Brazils oil regulator ANP recently unveiled the results of the fifth pre-salt auction rounds, wherein supermajors including Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM, Chevron Corporation CVX, Royal Dutch Shellalong with state-controlled Petrobras emerged as big winners. This round provided a major opportunity for oil companies to secure a stake in Brazils coveted pre-salt areas, prior to the presidential election in October, which can transform the rules for future auctions. The government auctioned off four blocks namely Saturno, Tita, Pau-Brasil and Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde under production sharing agreements (PSAs) in the pre-salt layer of the Campos and Santos basins. All the four blocks were successfully sold off, with the government of President Michel Temer raking in more than $1.71 billion or 6.82 billion reais. Bids were made by pledging a percentage of profit oil to the government and paying a fixed signing bonus. 3. TOTAL S.A. TOT has entered in an agreement with Chevron Corporation to acquire all the share capital of its arm Chevron Denmark Inc., which holds 12% interest in the Danish Underground Consortium (DUC), 12% interest in Licence 8/06, and 7.5% interest in the Tyra West pipeline. The deal is subject to approvals from other existing partners of DUC and from the relevant authorities. Other partners of the consortium are Royal Dutch Shell, having 36.8% interest and Nordsofonden (20%, owned by the Danish State). Post completion of the transfer of interest TOTAL will be the holding 43.2% interest in DUC, up from its existing share of 31.2%. Acquisition of interest will further increase TOTALs presence in the Danish Shelf and allow it to operate a consortium that controls majority of Danish oil and gas production. TOTAL is the largest oil operator in Denmark and has expanded its operation in Denmark through the acquisition of Maersk Oil, which held 31.2% interest in the DUC. The decision to acquire Chevron arm will help it to control 43.2% of DUC, which manages 85% of the oil and 97% gas exports of Denmark. (Read more TOTAL Set to Acquire Chevron's Interest in Danish Shelf) 4. Petrobras PBR recently agreed to pay a fine of $853.2 million to the government bodies of Brazil and United States, effectively ending the long-running Lava Jato (Car Wash) scandal investigation. Per the settlement, the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will each receive 10% ($85.3 million) of the settlement amount. The remaining 80% ($682.6 million) will go in a special fund in Brazil, which will be allocated toward social causes by the federal prosecutors. Notably, the companys third-quarter 2018 financial statement will incorporate the $853.2 million (around R$3.6 billion) settlement, including taxes. Earlier this year, Petrobras agreed to pay $2.95 billionto settle class-action lawsuits filed by investors. The payout marked the biggest payment in the United States by a foreign entity and one of the largest securities class action settlements in the countrys history. (Read more Petrobras to Pay $853.2M to Settle Car Wash Probe) 5. BP plc BP recently secured approval for developing the Vorlich oil field, located in the central North Sea, from the U.K. Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). The development project is expected to cost 200 million (around $262 million). The oilfield is expected to witness a peak production level of 20,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (Boe/d). The company plans to produce 30 million barrels of oil equivalent from the field, once developed. Discovered in 2014, the Vorlich oil field flowed at 5,350 Boe/d during the test period. Majority of the production during the test period comprised oil (80%). P anticipates the Vorlich field, which is part of its refreshed North Sea portfolio, to come online in 2020. The OGA is of the view that production from the field will support its Maximising Economic Recovery UK (MER UK) strategy. By using the existing infrastructure, production from the Vorlich field will increase and help generate maximum value from the Greater Stella Area hub, wherein the FPF-1 floating production facility is positioned. Price Performance The following table shows the price movement of some the major oil and gas players over the past week and during the last 6 months. Company Last Week Last 6 Months XOM -0.2% +13.3% CVX +0.9% +8.9% COP +1.5% +28.9% OXY +3.2% +27.1% SLB -0.3% -6% RIG +3% +44.9% VLO +1.3% +22.7% MPC -4.1% +11.4% Reflecting the weeks positive oil market sentiment, the Energy Select Sector SPDR a popular way to track energy companies generated a +0.9% return last week. The best performer was oil and gas explorer Occidental Petroleum Corporation OXY whose stock rose 3.2%. Longer-term, over six months, the sector tracker is up 14.7%. Offshore drilling contractor Transocean Ltd. was the major gainer during this period, experiencing a 44.9% price appreciation. Whats Next in the Energy World? As usual, market participants will be closely tracking the regular releases i.e. the U.S. government statistics on oil and natural gas - one of the few solid indicators that comes out regularly. Energy traders will also be focusing on the Baker Hughes data on rig count. 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 Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (PBR) : Free Stock Analysis Report BP p.l.c. (BP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report TOTAL S.A. (TOT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. An oil tanker is seen at a crude oil terminal in Ningbo Zhoushan port, Zhejiang province, China May 16, 2017. Picture taken May 16, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer /Files By Jessica Resnick-Ault NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped more than 2 percent to a four-year high on Monday after Saudi Arabia and Russia ruled out any immediate increase in production despite calls by U.S. President Donald Trump for action to raise global supply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC states, including top producer Russia, gathered in Algiers on Sunday for a meeting that ended with no formal recommendation for any additional supply boost to counter falling supply from Iran. "The market's still being driven by concerns about Iranian and Venezuelan supply," said Gene McGillian, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford. "The failure of the producers to address that adequately this weekend is creating a buying opportunity." Brent crude hit its highest since November 2014 at $80.94 per barrel, up $2.14 or 2.7 percent, before easing to $80.62 by 11:05 a.m. EDT (1505 GMT). U.S. light crude was $1.43, or 2 percent, higher at $72.21. OPEC leader Saudi Arabia and its biggest oil-producer ally outside the group, Russia, on Sunday effectively rebuffed a demand from Trump for moves to cool the market. "I do not influence prices," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih told reporters on Sunday. Trump said last week that OPEC "must get prices down now!", but Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Monday OPEC had not responded positively to Trump's demands. Story continues "It is now increasingly evident, that in the face of producers reluctant to raise output, the market will be confronted with supply gaps in the next three-six months that it will need to resolve through higher oil prices," BNP Paribas oil strategist Harry Tchilinguirian told Reuters Global Oil Forum. Commodity traders Trafigura and Mercuria said that Brent could rise to $90 per barrel by Christmas and pass $100 in early 2019, as markets tighten once U.S. sanctions against Iran are fully implemented from November. JPMorgan said U.S. sanctions on Iran could lead to a loss of 1.5 million barrels per day, while Mercuria warned that as much as 2 million bpd could be knocked out of the market. A source familiar with OPEC discussions told Reuters on Friday that OPEC and other producers have been discussing the possibility of raising output by 500,000 bpd. "We expect that those OPEC countries with available spare capacity, led by Saudi Arabia, will increase output but not completely offset the drop in Iranian barrels," said Edward Bell, commodity analyst at Emirates NBD bank. The market has looked to softening demand from trade tensions between the U.S. and China to offset the production cuts from Iran. Absent signs that trade tensions have eroded Chinese demand, the market will continue to surge, Tradition's McGillian said. "That is one of the reasons we have cruised toward $80," he said U.S. commercial crude oil inventories are at their lowest since early 2015 and although U.S. oil production is near a record high of 11 million bpd, subdued U.S. drilling points towards a slowdown in output. (Reporting by Jessica Resnick-Ault in NEW YORK, Christopher Johnson in LONDON and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; Editing by Marguerita Choy and Adrian Croft) Photo credit: Artyom_Anikeev - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics A mysterious fighter with a new, large missile suspended underneath could be a Russian anti-satellite weapon. The MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor was spotted last month at an aircraft test site near Moscow carrying a missile that could be used as an anti-satellite weapon or a means of quickly placing small satellites in orbit. According to Aviation Week & Space Technology , an experimental MiG-31 flew its first flight in September at the Zhukovsky aviation research center southeast of Moscow. Suspended under the MiG was a humongous missile previously unseen on the MiG-31 platform. The MiG/missile combo is reportedly part of a restart of Russias anti-satellite weapon system. The original system, known as Kontakt (Contact), started in 1984 and involved a MiG-31D and the Fakel design bureaus 79M6 missile. Later the MiG-31DM paired with the Fakel 95M6 missile. The 79M6 missile weighed 10,031 pounds and was launched by a MiG flying at Mach 2.55, traveling at 72,000 feet. The missile was guided by radar from the ground to its target, whereupon it detonated a small 4o-lb. warhead. The Kontakt system was never tested against a satellite. Work on the system ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but there have been a number of calls to restart the program. The United States Air Force tested a similar weapon, the ASM-135 ASAT (Anti-SATellite Weapon), in 1985. Launched from a modified F-15 Eagle, the ASAT was designed to destroy enemy satellites by colliding with them at speeds of nearly five miles per second. The U.S ran five ASAT test shots with one downing a NASA satellite. The program was shuttered after the satellite downing, and ASAT never became a fully operational weapon. Another possible use for the new weapon would be a rapid reaction booster rocket capable of quickly launching small satellites into orbit. In 2001, MiG unveiled its concept for a modified MiG-31, known as MiG-31S (S for space, maybe). The MiG-31S would carry a large rocket, also designed by Fakel, capable of delivering a 220-lb. payload into low earth orbit or a 154-lb. payload to an altitude of 154 miles. Story continues This new weapon system (if it is indeed real) would be useful to the Russian military in a wartime scenario. In any future conflict between great powers, military communications and navigation satellites will become prime targets, and Russia would need the ability to both shoot down enemy satellites and quickly replace its own losses. A system capable of handling both missions is the most economical option. ('You Might Also Like',) (Bloomberg) -- Salesforce.com Inc. co-founder Marc Benioff has suffused his software company with the Hawaiian Aloha spirit, which guides everything from corporate values to office decor. But now, in the age of heightened workplace sensitivity, some employees are starting to debate whether the obsession honors the culture or is cultural appropriation. New employees at Salesforce are adorned with a lei and welcomed into the ohana - the Hawaiian word for family and what the company calls its workforce. Maybe theyll have a meeting in conference rooms Maka Launa or Hala Kahiki. And at the end of the week they can join many of the other nearly 30,000 employees in wearing Hawaiian shirts, because every Friday is Aloha Shirt Day. After reaching milestones for years of service at the company, they could be rewarded with a glass desk trophy in the shape of a surfboard. The Hawaiian theme has been an integral part of the companys corporate culture since the beginning. Benioff, Salesforces high-profile co-chief executive officer, took a sabbatical after nearly a decade at Oracle Corp., rented a beach hut on the Big Island of Hawaii, swam with dolphins and embraced the spirit of Aloha, according to the company blog. When he came back to California, after a stint in India, too, and helped start Salesforce, the motif stuck. According to the blog, the Aloha spirit is one of inclusiveness, compassion, caring and enjoying a healthy dose of fun. Benioff sees it as a passion for giving that is a key tenet of company culture. But some employees have begun to feel that its gone too far. We do things that may feel Hawaiian, but that are not Hawaiian, wrote Andrew Afram, an experience architect at Salesforce, in a post late last year on an internal company forum, which was seen by Bloomberg News. All references to Hawaiian culture at Salesforce that Ive seen firsthand have been appropriation, misappropriation, or misrepresentation.Sarah Mei, whose LinkedIn profile lists her as an architect at Salesforce, prompted the discussion after writing on the forum that the company is justifiably open to charges of cultural appropriation. Story continues This is something we need to fix, from both an equality perspective and from a public perception perspective, wrote Mei, who had recently joined Salesforce at the time. Meis post, which was viewed more than 9,000 times internally, sparked a conversation with passionate views on both sides. Mei didnt respond to requests for comment. Afram declined to comment further. The thread saw regular contributions into June of this year, totaling about 130 posts, including from Chief Equality Officer Tony Prophet and Chief People Officer Cindy Robbins. This is an important topic that were actively discussing with our employees to address in a thoughtful way that honors our companys founding vision while respecting fully Hawaiian culture and history, Prophet wrote in response to a later post continuing the discussion on the forum. Yes -- some of the specific examples cited in the post and comments are problematic. We absolutely recognize there is more work to be done. Prophet highlighted the companys Hawaiian Culture Council, in which some of our employees have helped advise our business functions on the language and imagery used in our content and events. He also pointed to the companys Equality Inclusive Marketing Program, which he said identifies and eliminates cultural bias in new and existing programs. Salesforce has always had a deep respect for Hawaiian culture, the company said in a statement. It has been a part of the company since its founding, based on the idea that family including our employees, customers, partners and communities are bound together and responsible for one another. Were proud of our employees for being passionate and vocal. The debate is a sign of the changing norms in the technology industry in particular, and broader corporate culture generally, where executives are being held to higher standards of diversity and inclusion. People dont identify with these labels like they once did, said Tim Kuppler, director of culture and organization development at Human Synergistics, a corporate culture consulting firm. That may be due more to whats happening in society -- with #MeToo. Theres much more of a sense with millennials to speak up and show your identity. If Salesforce wants to preserve the positive aspects of their culture, they need to make sure theyre on the leading edge of where society has been going, he said. Usually, Benioff is on the vanguard of the techs progressive movement. Hes spent millions to close the gender pay gap at Salesforce and aggressively lobbied for LGBT rights. But the controversy shows that there are times when Benioffs efforts to be an enlightened leader may not strike the right tone with everyone. Only 57 people out of Salesforces 18,264 U.S. workers are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, according to the companys annual diversity report for 2017. Blaine Kahoonei is one of them, and a Salesforce veteran of more than 14 years, currently the director of alliances for Heroku a Salesforce cloud platform -- in the Americas. In a response to Meis original post, he said he had been approached by many other staff with similar concerns about the Hawaiian culture. Kahoonei, who did not respond to a request for comment, said in the post that he had talked with senior officials about the use of Hawaiian culture and was working on ways to apply a more native Hawaiian context to company resources. Other employees defended the Hawaiian theme. We are not dressing up as Hawaiian Islanders and pretending to be them for Halloween, Shannon McKinney wrote on the thread. We are not using racial slurs against Hawaiians in our companys terminology. It seems to me that Marc Benioff and company culture embraces the Hawaiian culture as something we want to emulate in spirit. McKinney, who has since left Salesforce, declined to comment further. With offices adorned in bright colors and Hawaiian accents, Salesforces island theme has contributed to its perennial presence on Best Places to Work lists; the company has been in the top 50 of Glassdoors best large American places to work for seven of the past eight years and tops Fortunes list this year. For Benioff, the cult of Hawaii is real. He owns an opulent 5-acre estate on the coast of the Big Island, and he had a dog he named Koa (the dog was given the title of Chief Love Officer at Salesforce). According to Kahooneis post, Benioffs personal kahu, a sort of spiritual and cultural adviser, is Danny Akaka Jr., the son of the late senator, who has blessed the companys Dreamforce conference multiple times, and also the site of Salesforces brand-new 1,070-foot office tower in San Francisco. Last November, Benioff and his wife purchased a rare piece of Hawaiian art, a 200-year-old carving of the war god Ku, for $7 million and donated the piece to the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. He also supported relief efforts after a volcanic eruption in the state earlier this year. When asked about Salesforces use of native Hawaiian theme, Kamanaopono Crabbe, CEO of the states office of Hawaiian affairs, invited company officials to meet with the office and Native Hawaiian community leaders to discuss how to best incorporate Hawaiian culture and values into their corporate structure and to establish a relationship with the Native Hawaiian community and Hawaii. Native Hawaiian values are reciprocal by design and, when used in a pono (appropriate) manner, honor Native Hawaiians and this incredible place from which these values originate, Crabbe said in a statement. To contact the author of this story: Austin Weinstein in New York at aweinstein18@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Molly Schuetz at mschuetz9@bloomberg.net 2018 Bloomberg L.P. By Phil Stewart and Mike Stone WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - A Pentagon-led review ordered by President Donald Trump has identified hundreds of instances where the U.S. military depends on foreign countries, especially China, for critical materials, U.S. officials said. The study is expected to be released in the coming weeks and aims to lessen the U.S. military's reliance on foreign countries and strengthen U.S. industry. Among the study's conclusions will be a determination the United States is too dependent on foreign suppliers for a range of items including some micro-electronics, tiny components such as integrated circuits and transistors, the officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. These kinds of essential components are embedded in advanced electronics used in everything from satellites and cruise missiles to drones and cellphones. The focus on China reflects an effort under Trump to address the risks to U.S. national security from Beijing's growing military and economic clout. Pentagon officials want to be sure China is not able to hobble America's military by cutting off supplies of materials or by sabotaging technology it exports. The report could add to mounting trade tensions with China, bolstering the Trump administration's "Buy American" initiative, which aims to help drum up billions of dollars more in arms sales for U.S. manufacturers and create more jobs. Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Pentagon spokesman, did not comment on the contents of the report but told Reuters the study would make recommendations "to ensure a robust, resilient, secure and ready manufacturing and defense industrial base." Story continues China, which has also become the main supplier of many of the rare earth minerals used by the United States, will be given special emphasis in the report, said the officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. A January analysis https://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/rare_earths/mcs-2018-raree.pdf from the United States Geological Survey said the United States produced no rare earth minerals in 2017 while China accounted for 81 percent of global mine production. Rare earth minerals are used in magnets, radars and consumer electronics. Aside from the risk that a foreign power could cut off vital supplies needed to keep the U.S. military up and running, other risks include the threat of sabotaged equipment or espionage. The Pentagon has long fretted that "kill switches" could be embedded in transistors that could turn off sensitive U.S. systems in a conflict. U.S. intelligence officials also warned this year about the possibility China could use Chinese-made mobile phones and network equipment to spy on Americans. When the study is released, it will not provide a detailed inventory of all of the weaknesses in the supply chain. These will be in a classified annex. A U.S. official said the report will also examine U.S. shortcomings that contribute to purchases from foreign companies, including roller-coaster U.S. defense budgets that make it difficult for companies to predict government demand. Another weakness is in U.S. science and technology education. BOLSTERING U.S. INDUSTRY Advocates of the study say it is a late but critical look at ways to address America's loss of manufacturing, whose toll on national security gets far less attention than the jobs lost, and the political wave that it created in rust-belt states that helped elect Trump president in 2016. "People used to think you could outsource the manufacturing base without any repercussions (on national security). But now we know that's not the case," said one U.S. official familiar with the report, speaking on condition of anonymity. One aspect of the report's recommendation is expected to be ensuring profitability for niche U.S. producers of critical components in American weaponry. Ellen Lord, the Pentagon's top weapons buyer, has publicly spoken in recent weeks about the Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950, which allows the U.S. president to incentivize domestic producers of critical materials through purchase commitments and other guarantees. Lord said the government should step in to offer such support if businesses would be unable to ensure a "reasonable profit." The U.S. Government Accountability Office offered one example in a report last year about how the U.S. military had to fund a U.S. factory in 2014 to produce the chemical Butanetriol, used in the Hellfire air-to-surface missile. For the previous six years, the military relied on China for the chemical. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Mike Stone Editing by Chris Sanders and Frances Kerry) FINEST KIND CLINIC AND FISHMARKET.... Discussing medicine, culture, and the joys of cooking Pansit. STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE Uzbek writer Mamadali Mahmudov spent much of his life opposing Soviet rule only to find himself imprisoned by authoritarian leader Islam Karimov in an independent Uzbekistan. After being subjected to torture and 17 years behind bars, he speaks proudly of his life. Patrick Going of Colorado Springs has been reappointed to the Colorado Advisory Council for Persons with Disabilities after the panel moved fr You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The Army adopted its battle rifle in 1963 and has spent 55 years looking for a replacement for the M-16 and its variants. They might have found it in Martin Griers Colorado Springs garage. Grier, a self-described inventor who has worked at a local bed and breakfast, built the new ribbon gun with a hobbyists tools. It looks like a space-age toy drawn by a fifth-grader. But goofy origins and cartoon-looks aside, this could be the gun of the future. The Army is studying Griers gun and has ordered a military-grade prototype. - MORE MILITARY COVERAGE: Headlines and analysis from around the Pikes Peak region and beyond. The specifications are incredible, four 6 mm barrels cut side by side within one steel block. New ammunition blocks fired by electromagnetic actuators that could theoretically give the weapon a firing rate of 250 rounds per second. And then theres the feature no soldier would turn down. Its called a power shot, Grier said. Thats the shotgun feature of this sniper-shot, machine-assault gun that can send four bullets simultaneously whizzing toward an enemy at more than 2,500 mph. It isnt science fiction. Hes built the gun and patented the technology behind it. Now his garage-based company, FD munitions, is hoping the Army will buy it. A multibore firearm, with several bores within a single barrel, could potentially exhibit many of the advantages of a multibarrel design, while reducing the size, weight and complexity disadvantages, Grier wrote in his 2016 patent application. He got the idea in the 1990s after a day of shooting a .22-caliber rifle with his kids. Modern weapons arent that far removed from the ones used by George Washingtons army, Grier says. They use a mechanical firing mechanism thats prone to failure. And from muskets to the AK-47, they fire one bullet at a time. What if a rifle could fire more than one bullet at a time and be tied to the tools of the electronic age? he wondered. His first invention changed the ammunition. Rather than a single shell casing, his bullets are encapsulated in blocks. In a block with four rounds, each round is aligned with a barrel. Grier prefers to call them bores, because all of the barrels are in a single piece of metal. The second invention is behind the bullet. In other rifles, the trigger is connected to a mechanical trigger pin, which fires the gunpowder and sends the bullet flying. In his weapon, the trigger is an electronic switch that sends a signal to an electromagnetic actuator behind the block of bullets. The four bullets in the block of rounds each has its actuator. That means you fire the rounds individually or simultaneously. Selecting the power shot option fires all four bullets at once. Getting this to work requires a new kind of machining to get the four rifle bores lined up. In a traditional weapon, this is accomplished with technology that would be familiar to 19th-century blacksmiths a drill. With Griers gun, the barrels are cut by electricity that runs between a pair of electrodes through a thin wire. The high-tech method offers an incredible degree of precision thanks to computer control. The first rifle, which weighs about 6 pounds, slightly less than the M-16, hasnt been cheap. Grier has poured more than $500,000 of his savings and investment by others into the working prototype. But by having a functioning weapon, he has drawn a lot of attention. Grier has been asked to create a prototype to Army specifications for testing. The Army will run the rifle through its paces to determine if his idea is worthy of the battlefield. Grier said he finds motivation for the weapon in every attack on U.S. troops overseas. While the U.S. owns the skies and has satellites and missiles that are beyond compare, American troops have few advantages in a stand-up rifle fight. Our guys have the same junk weapons as our adversaries, he said. But Griers ribbon gun, which can work even if one of the four barrels fails, will change that, he said. I want to give them a Clint Eastwood kind of edge. Getting the weapon in the hands of troops could take years. The Armys requirements are backed by grueling tests. The last rifle that was seen as a possible replacement for the M-16 family of guns was tested for six years before the program was canceled in 2008. The Army found that the XM-8, despite its high-tech looks, offered few advantages over the weapons troops have carried since Vietnam. Grier is convinced that his weapon is so revolutionary that it will overcome Army foot-dragging. This is the future, he said. And hes not apologizing for the rifles humble origins in a Colorado Springs garage. All the best stuff comes out of somebodys garage, he said. NEW YORK The New York Times reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump received at least $413 million from his father over the decades, mu Coloradans love to grumble about driving. Roads seem to become more crowded every year, even every month. That means more time spent in the ca A Colorado environmental groups political arm says it will spend $3.2 million in an effort to defeat Republican governor candidate Walker Stapleton and to support pro-conservation candidates to the state legislature. Mondays announcement came from Conservation Colorado Victory Fund, an independent expenditure committee affiliated with Denver-based Conservation Colorado. It says the $3.2 million program will be the largest political program the committee has run. It will feature a robust field program to knock on doors throughout the state and include a comprehensive digital and mail program to ensure voters know where candidates stand from the governors race to the state House. The fund says it is targeting Stapleton, the state treasurer, for his full-throated defense of Colorados oil and gas industry and because he has spread misinformation about the high costs of renewable energy. Under election rules, the fund cannot coordinate its activities with any candidate. Mondays announcement does not mention Stapletons Democratic opponent, Jared Polis, nor did it say which legislative races it will involve itself in. Colorado voters expect their governors to value our way of life and our land, air, and water as much as they do, Kelly Nordini, the CCVFs executive director, said in a statement. Walker Stapleton seems to be almost completely focused on drilling for oil and gas rather than making Colorado a leader on renewable energy, clean air, and public lands. Stapletons issues statement on energy emphasizes his support for oil and gas, citing its benefits to the Colorado economy and jobs. While he has said he favors an all of the above energy plan for the state, he has attacked Polis for the Democrats call to convert Colorado power production to 100 percent renewable energy by 2040. Congressman Polis has always been waiting for the right moment to launch an all-out attack on Colorados energy industry. If elected governor, the real Jared Polis will once again surface and destroy Colorado energy jobs, Stapleton campaign spokesman said Aug. 22 after both candidates addressed the Colorado Oil and Gas Association on energy policy. In this 2012 photo, then Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer speaks in Denver. In an op-ed Friday, Troyer says his office might take legal action against licensed marijuana business that violate state law or use their status under state law as a shield but sell to the black market. Before a jovial, standing-room-only crowd, Colorado Springs Utilities new chief executive officer, Aram Benyamin, took his oath of office Tuesday and doubled his salary to $480,000. The Utilities board approved Benyamins appointment and employment agreement, including his salary. Then the new CEO stood with a wide smile and shook hands with everyone on the dais. In the oath led by Mayor John Suthers, Benyamin promised to uphold the U.S. and Colorado constitutions and state and city laws. The future is bright, he said. Im just humbled to take this opportunity to serve the city, and I will do my best to support the citys vision. The Utilities board unanimously approved Benyamins promotion last month. He had been general manager of Utilities Energy Supply Department, making $242,278 a year. He succeeds Jerry Forte, who stepped down in May after more than 12 years as CEO. Benyamin beat out 128 other applicants, two of whom he competed against last month in a final round of interviews. Despite the boards unanimous approval of Benyamin for the job, one member opposed his contract. Andy Pico said he wanted Benyamins new salary to match Fortes pay at the end of his career, which was $447,200. It would have been more fiscally responsible to start the new CEO at a lower salary and increase his pay over time, Pico said. But Melissa Kellione, head of human resources for Utilities, said Fortes salary had not changed since the start of 2016. Even Benyamins new salary sits below the market average of $519,000 for a similar position elsewhere, Kellione said. Board Member Dave Geislinger said Benyamins salary reflects the citys growth. We are no longer the small community that I understood Colorado Springs to be when I was growing up, Geislinger said. We are among the large cities and ... this is a visible position and this is a visible salary. It goes beyond the position, and it is reflective of who it is that we are becoming. Board Chairman Tom Strand agreed, saying the salary is a byproduct of how we have grown and developed and where we are headed. Among his goals, Benyamin has said, he wants to ensure Utilities transparent, productive relationship with the city and keep an eye on renewable technologies, such as wind and solar, which are rapidly becoming more efficient and affordable. conrad.swanson@gazette.com @conrad_swanson SALIDA Searchers have found numerous remains believed to belong to a Colorado woman who disappeared in 1980. A five-day excavation on Mount Shavano near Salida for clues into the death of Beverly England was very successful, Chaffee County Sheriff John Spezze said late Sunday. Some of the remains had possible damage that might reveal how she died, Spezze said. And several items associated with her death also were found. The 32-year-old married mother of two disappeared from Salida on June 12, 1980. She left her children, Bricia and Cayl, then 5 and 8, with a friend to go meet with a woman. Englands husband found her car at Riverside Park with her purse and shoes still inside on the afternoon of June 12, 1980, reports KDVR-TV in Denver. Remains found in 1992 in a remote area west of Salida finally were identified in October 2015 as Englands, Spezze and Salida Police Chief Terry Clark announced at the time. Spezze said officials knew what happened and who did it. No arrest has been made, however. The newly gathered remains will be sent to the University of Northern Texas to be identified. The University of North Texas also identified the bones found in 1992. More than 30 people participated in the latest search, including members of the FBI body search team. It took more than a year to get the FBI agents scheduled to come to Colorado, The Denver Post reported. Because moth memes are all the rage right now, this is a video captured by biologist Leandro Joao Carneiro de Lima Moraes in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil of a giant moth drinking the tears of a sleeping antbird while a mosquito sucks the bird's blood. Damn, can't a bird catch a break around here? This poor bastard's probably going to wake up getting eaten by a snake. Keep going for the video while I suggest moths leave these birds alone and start drinking all my tears I've cried on the floor in front of my toilet. Thanks to my buddy Dave L, who knows what I like, but this is not it so I'm confused. Workforce of NYCHA Residents Will Install the Panels NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Con Edison is proposing placing solar panels on the roofs of New York City Housing Authority developments as part of its effort to make renewable energy available to low- and moderate-income customers. The demonstration project by the energy company and its partners is called Community Power and would give 350 NYCHA households access to solar energy for a discounted price. Tenants could save an estimated $78 a year on their energy bills, and up to 30 NYCHA residents will receive paid job training and then be hired to install the panels. The proposed 1-megawatt solar initiative will avoid the emission of more than 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year. The NYCHA tenants who participate will get the benefits of renewable energy without the upfront costs that can make solar energy challenging to afford, said Margarett Jolly, director of Demonstration Projects for Con Edison. We want all our customers to have access to solar energy, energy efficiency and other products and services that technology is making possible. Community Power represents a new business model for bringing self-sustaining community distributed generation to low- and moderate-income Con Edison customers. Solar One facilitates solar projects and provides job training in NYCs underserved communities to advance a clean energy economy that benefits all New Yorkers, said Noah Ginsburg, director of the Here Comes Solar program at non-profit Solar One, Con Edisons lead partner on the project. We are pleased to partner with Con Edison to implement Community Power, which will demonstrate how low-income New Yorkers can play a central role in our transition to renewable power. "This partnership helps ensure that NYCHA residents can both participate in the green jobs economy and have access to low-cost solar power," said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Community Engagement and Partnerships Sideya Sherman. We thank Con Edison and Solar One for keeping public housing residents at the heart of their green energy opportunities. Other partners have integral roles. WE ACT for Environmental Justice will help enroll customers, while Green City Force will recruit NYCHA residents for paid solar installer apprenticeships. Co-op Power will finance, own and operate the solar projects, and Resonant Energy will support project development. In Community Power, direct-metered Con Edison customers living in NYCHA buildings who sign up and are selected will get a share of solar energy produced in their community and see a discount of up to15 percent on their normal energy cost. The customers will pay a subscription fee and receive a discount or credit - on their monthly bill, as long as they continue to pay their monthly subscription fee. The customer will always receive a discount or net benefit because the subscription price the customer pays will be less than the full dollar value of the solar energy they receive. Though the demonstration project will last three years, participating households will save money for the life of the panels which is expected to be about 25 years. Community Power includes a unique cooperative ownership model for the solar panels. In addition to utility bill savings, Community Power subscribers will be members of Co-op Power, meaning they will have indirect ownership of the panels through their membership. The project follows the Community Distributed Generation concept, under which a third party owns solar panels and subscribers who do not necessarily live in the buildings with the panels - get the energy. This model makes it possible for renters in multi-family buildings to get solar energy, even though they do not own or control their roofs. Community Power, is the second initiative by Con Edison to make solar energy available to low-income customers. In another project, the company will place panels on buildings it owns and make the power available to low-income customers, initially providing 3 megawatts to up to 1,600 customers. Con Edison is a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison, Inc. [NYSE: ED], one of the nations largest investor-owned energy companies, with approximately $12 billion in annual revenues and $49 billion in assets. The utility delivers electricity, natural gas and steam to 3.4 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, N.Y. For financial, operations and customer service information, visit conEd.com . For energy efficiency information, visit coned.com/energyefficiency . Also, visit us on Twitter and Facebook CONNECT WITH US: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConEdison Twitter: https://twitter.com/conedison YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/conedisonny Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/conedison/sets/72157627767618832/ Contact: Media Relations 212-460-4111 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/de513ae9-0561-4fe1-9d0d-97df72d829ab English Danish Press release Once again: NNIT achieves gold certification for data center All NNIT's data centers have achieved full Tier III certification through internationally acknowledged advisory UptimeInstitute. Copenhagen, October 1, 2018 -NNIT A/S has achieved the final part of the operational certification for Data Center II situated in Ejby, Denmark. It's the second time within less than a year for the leading provider of IT services and consultancy to achieve full Tier 3 certification for one of its datacenters. This tier III certification, which completes a year-long process, has focused on documentation for world class design, facility and operations for the people working in the data center. According to the organization behind the certification, the internationally acknowledged UptimeInstitute, around 70% of the registered incidents in data centers are caused by humans. This recent part of the certification related to operation is therefore extremely important for a quality service provider like NNIT, who delivers the IT backbone to a long list of large corporations and institutions critical to society. Ricco Larsen, Senior Vice President, NNIT A/S explains: "This certification from UptimeInstitute is an important proof of quality and security, because it concerns people and the way we work. At the end of the day, all digital life is carried by a data center, and we can now document that ours match the highest market standards." The data center situated close to Copenhagen has previously achieved the rare and prestigious certification for its "design" and "facility", which is now accompanied by operational certification. NNIT achieved the full official Tier III certification through UptimeInstitute, an internationally acknowledged and unbiased advisory organization. Ricco Larsen continues: "NNIT is now able to offer customers access to three state-of-the-art data centers with Tier III certifications, we are the only IT supplier in Denmark with a complete certification of all our data centers." Further information: Helga Heyn, NNIT Communications, +45 30 77 81 41, hhey@nnit.com About NNIT NNIT A/S is one of Denmark's leading IT service providers and consultancies. NNIT A/S offers a wide range of IT services and solutions to its customers, primarily in the life sciences sector in Denmark and internationally and to customers in the public, enterprise and finance sectors in Denmark. NNIT A/S has more than 3,100 employees. For more information please visit www.nnit.com English Latvian The new Supervisory Council of JSC Olainfarm in cooperation with the company's Board has resumed the implementation of the company's development and growth plan in order to realize Valery Maligin's vision of Olainfarm as a leader in the constantly growing pharmaceutical industry in the region. Stability and predictability are two very important elements vital to such growth, which is why the desire of the two heirs to convene an extraordinary general meeting with agenda items such as the cancellation of the Council and the alleged withdrawal of losses from the company's management can only negatively affect the development of the company. Irina Maligina, co-owner of the board of Olmafarm Ltd and co-owner of JSC "Olainfarm": "During the last few weeks, we can observe constant attacks by two minority shareholders on JSC Olainfarm and its management, with the desire to denigrate the company, and to disrupt the work of its council and board. The objectively verifiable results of the company show that all of the most significant financial and other indicators of the company are improving, in a very short time the new Council has restarted several measures to promote openness and management of the company, which was neglected by the previous Council. I invite all the company's shareholders, who care for successful company development, to come up with their ideas and proposals, because good ideas cant be too many. Signe Baldere-Sildedze, while a member of the company's board, had particular opportunities to offer her vision for development, however, unfortunately, she has chosen now to influence the company's work with destructive rather than constructive methods. This is definitely not the company's development path, that our father would wish for our company. " Being a shareholder and a representative of Olmafarm, I fully trust and support the Council of the company and would like to invite others to avoid the influence of unjustified announcements and unrealized ambitions and to contribute their work and attitude to ensure stability and continuity. Council elected on September 4th, is acting in a very professional manner, and as I pointed out before, in less than one month first improvements can be seen in a number of areas. During this short period of time the negotiations have been restarted regarding acquisition of a company in Western Europe, which may result agreement in a very near future, serious consideration is given to several offers to acquire pharmacies in Latvia and Belarus, veterinary pharmacy has been identified as yet another possible area of development. As I work with this team on a daily basis, I come to appreciate their expertise, energy and effort, the factors that are crucial to stable operations and planned development, so that Olainfarm could grow into a pharmaceutical company of European scale. This is exactly how ambitious goals this team is able to achieve. Let me emphasize again, that despite destructive actions of some heirs of V.Maligins, management of Olainfarm will continue implementing development ideas created by my father. I have rejected and will reject all acquisition bids. I will continue working in the company to ensure that the new Council and the Board can attain the goals that were set for Olainfarm by Valery Maligins, who was not only a co-owner of the company, but a true leader. It has become public and confirmed by media that one of the heirs intends to sell the inherited shares, despite the five year limitation set forth in the Testament and the last will. This also leads to conclusions that recent attacks on the Company and its management might be part of some share sale negotiations and therefore are both, unjustified and destructive. SIA Olmafarm owns 42% of share capital of AS Olainfarm and is the largest shareholder. ### Additional information: Irina Maligina, Olmafarm LTD CEO Tel.: +371 67013705 Address: Rupnicu str 5, Olaine, Olaines novads, Latvia Almere, The Netherlands October 1, 2018 ASM International N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: ASM) reports the following transactions, conducted under ASMI's current share buyback program. Date Repurchased shares Average price Repurchased value September 24, 2018 64,276 43.72 2,810,301 September 25, 2018 55,392 44.20 2,448,376 September 26, 2018 67,264 43.51 2,926,549 September 27, 2018 69,800 43.09 3,007,584 September 28, 2018 41,135 44.57 1,833,502 Total 297,867 43.73 13,026,312 These repurchases were made as part of the 250 million share buyback program announced on June 5, 2018.Of the total program, 83.7% has been repurchased. For further details including individual transaction information please visit: www.asm.com/investors/share-information/share-buyback . About ASM International ASM International NV, headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, its subsidiaries and participations design and manufacture equipment and materials used to produce semiconductor devices. ASM International, its subsidiaries and participations provide production solutions for wafer processing (Front-end segment) as well as for assembly & packaging and surface mount technology (Back-end segment) through facilities in the United States, Europe, Japan and Asia. ASM International's common stock trades on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange (symbol ASM). For more information, visit ASMI's website at www.asm.com . Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All matters discussed in this press release, except for any historical data, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These include, but are not limited to, economic conditions and trends in the semiconductor industry generally and the timing of the industry cycles specifically, currency fluctuations, corporate transactions, financing and liquidity matters, the success of restructurings, the timing of significant orders, market acceptance of new products, competitive factors, litigation involving intellectual property, shareholders or other issues, commercial and economic disruption due to natural disasters, terrorist activity, armed conflict or political instability, epidemics and other risks indicated in the Company's reports and financial statements. The Company assumes no obligation nor intends to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future developments or circumstances. This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. CONTACT Investor contact: Victor Bareno T: +31 88 100 8500 E: victor.bareno@asm.com Media contact: Ian Bickerton T: +31 625 018 512 English Lithuanian Energijos Skirstymo Operatorius AB (hereinafter the Company), identification code 304151376, registered office address at Aguonu St. 24, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania. The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by company is 894,630,333; ISIN code LT0000130023. Given that since 1 October 2018 the Company has transferred a business segment of public electricity supply to Lietuvos Energijos Tiekimas UAB (former name Lietuvos Duju Tiekimas UAB), on 1 October 2018, the Register of Legal Entities registered the amended Articles of Association of the Company. As has been informed earlier, while implementing separation of the public electricity supply operations carried out by the Company from the electricity distribution activity, the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company, held on 6 August 2018, approved a new version of the Companys Articles of Association by specifying the objectives and the object of the Companys activities defined in the Articles of Association. Contact person: Public Relations Officer Tomas Kavaliauskas, tel. 8617-51616 Attachment VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Redfund Capital Corp (CSE: LOAN) (Frankfurt: O3X4) (OTC: PNNRF) (Redfund or the Company) is pleased to announce Biominerales Pharma Colombia (BMP) have received their first wholesale contract and purchase order. Today's announcement follows Redfund Capitals mandate to finance companies in revenues or near sales in their pipelines. Biominerales Pharmas anticipated annual revenue generated from these contracts is up to CDN $6,200,000. As part of the contracts, BMP has signed commitments in their purchase orders for deliverables in pounds of biomass for the current harvest year of 2018 as is the standard of the cannabis industry. I am very proud of BMP working with their team for reaching this new milestone of a first wholesale order. Theres no better way to symbolize committed efforts than cementing it with purchase orders. We congratulate Adriana and look forward to helping her build her brand globally, stated Meris Kott, CEO. Redfund Capital also announces that it completed the second tranche of their US$3,000,000 promissory note to BMP announced on August 30th and signed on August 23, 2018. About Biominerales Pharma Biominerales Pharma SAS is positioning itself to be a meaningful player in providing Hemp Biomass, CBD Oil with and without THC and Full Spectrum CBD Oil. We have multiple grow operations located in close proximity to Cali, Colombia, which feature in-door and outdoor operations. Our production capacity will also be augmented by farm operations in the USA, currently in Colorado and other US States that are under development. For further information please visit www.biomineralespharma.com About Redfund Capital Redfund intends to provide debt and equity funding in the mid-to-late stages of a target companys development, or in technologies that are developed and validated by revenues. The present focus of the merchant bank is on medical cannabis, hemp and CBD-related, healthcare-related target companies. For further information please visit www.redfundcapital.com For more information on Redfund Capital contact Meris Kott CEO 604.484.8989 0r info@redfundcapital.com Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Companys profile. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this release may constitute forwardlooking statements or forward-looking information (collectively forward-looking information) as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words could, intend, expect, believe, will, projected, estimated, anticipates and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Companys current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. English Lithuanian On 2 October 2018, an international consortium which includes the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Invalda INVL and Horizon Capital and which acts via the UK-based company HEIM Partners, won an auction for the sale of stake in Moldova-Agroindbank (MAIB), Moldovas largest commercial bank. HEIM Partners offered 451.533 million Moldovan lei (23.031 million euros) for 41.09% of the shares of MAIB. Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director for Financial Institutions, welcomed the determination of Moldovas authorities to reform the banking sector. He said: The government showed strong political will and resolve to clean up the banking sector. It took a brave decision to support the sale process of MAIB, which no doubt will contribute to better banking services and stronger investments to the Moldovan economy as a whole. By doing that, the government backed the National Bank of Moldova in its massive effort to consolidate the banking system and make it more transparent. This transaction is a significant indirect investment in Moldova by a Lithuanian business. We are confident the international consortium will bring Western standards of governance to Moldovas banking sector and contribute to the development of the financial industry, thereby also increasing the value of MAIB for benefit of all stakeholders, including the investors, Invalda INVL President Darius Sulnis said. The international consortium that is investing in MAIB will seek to ensure the highest standards of corporate governance, new technologies and effective structures to strengthen the performance of Moldovas leading bank. MAIB is the largest commercial bank in Moldova. At the end of 2017, the bank had assets of 1.078 billion euros and equity of 180 million euros. The EBRD and MD Partners, which is owned by Invalda INVL, each own 37.5% of the shares of HEIM Partners, while the private equity manager Horizon Capital holds the remaining 25%. Invalda INVL currently owns 100% of MD Partners. On 20 September 2018 the INVL Special Opportunities Fund, a subfund operated by INVL Asset Management, an asset management company owned by Invalda INVL, has acquired convertible bonds of MD Partners for 4.475 million euros, Invalda INVL for EUR 4.72 million. On obtaining the permission of the Moldovan central bank, those bonds will be converted into shares of MD Partners, after which 48.64% of the shares of MD Partners will be owned by the INVL Special Opportunities Fund, and 51.36% - by Invalda INVL. Invalda INVL, in keeping with article 372 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, applied to the companys audit committee and received an opinion regarding the transactions for acquiring MD Partners convertible bonds. Prior to the transaction the audit committee presented the opinion that, based on the information submitted by Invalda INVL, there are no grounds to consider that the agreement which Invalda INVL plans to enter into for the acquisition of convertible bonds of MD Partners would be entered into under non-market conditions or would be unfair and unjustified with regard to shareholders of Invalda INVL who are not a party to the transaction. The audit committees opinion is available for review at the head office of AB Invalda INVL at Gyneju g. 14 in Vilnius during working hours. The person authorized to provide additional information: Darius Sulnis President of Invalda INVL E-mail: darius.sulnis@invl.com Vancouver, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farafena , a purpose-driven company, offering nutrient-dense, African-grown and sustainable products, is expanding across Canada today. Farafena products can now be found at over 600 stores across Canada, including 500 Loblaw stores. Farafenas unique product offering includes nutrition-boosting grains, flours and powders including Fonio, Moringa and Baobab. Farafenas vision is simple: to share our healthy, sustainably farmed food with the world, while improving the lives of women farmers and their communities in Africa. The company currently partners with over 850 African women farmers in nine villages, bringing nutrient-dense, African-grown products to Canadian tables. To date, Farafenas engagement with women farmers in Africa has provided increased business opportunities and product earnings well above the national average. This is resulting in women being able to start micro businesses, build homes for their families, and educate their children as well as improving the health and prosperity of rural villages, while supporting traditional farming practices. Farafenas products are listed below: Fonio is called the perfect grain, an exciting alternative to couscous and quinoa which has been cultivated in sub Saharan Africa for thousands of years. Its gluten-free, has more protein than brown rice and teff, has zero sugar and is a source of iron and zinc. Our Fonio is featured in salads, stews and porridges and as a stone-milled flour for baking, is called the perfect grain, an exciting alternative to couscous and quinoa which has been cultivated in sub Saharan Africa for thousands of years. Its gluten-free, has more protein than brown rice and teff, has zero sugar and is a source of iron and zinc. Our Fonio is featured in salads, stews and porridges and as a stone-milled flour for baking, Baobab is a powerful antioxidant with a high concentration of Vitamin C, potassium and other electrolytes, which makes it a natural supplement to smoothies, snacks and desserts. Baobab trees are ancient African trees (many live for thousands years or more) that produce a fruit with a citrus-like flavour. is a powerful antioxidant with a high concentration of Vitamin C, potassium and other electrolytes, which makes it a natural supplement to smoothies, snacks and desserts. Baobab trees are ancient African trees (many live for thousands years or more) that produce a fruit with a citrus-like flavour. Moringa is known as the Miracle Tree, the leaves are a source of calcium, protein and iron. In Africa, Moringa leaves have been used for centuries in drinks, sauces and salads. Farafenas Founder, Oumar Barou Togola, has generational family ties to Mali that have been instrumental in establishing an equitable relationship with Farafenas women farmers in Africa. Speaking about the launch, Oumar said: Having been raised in Mali, Ive seen first-hand the opportunity to build equitable and authentic relationships with women farmer entrepreneurs in Africa. Thats why we founded Farafena to provide women farmers with an opportunity to share their food with the world. My dream is for Farafena to set an example of how families like yours, can engage with and get to know families like mine, our communities and our authentic African foods and culture, Oumar continued. Farafenas products are now available at over 600 retailers including Whole Foods, Loblaws, Superstore, Save-on-Foods, Urban Fare, HY Louie IGA. For more information, please visit www.farafena.com or view this video here. About Farafena Farafena which means Africa in Bambara, the national language of Mali, is an African-Canadian food company that works with women farmers in African to provide nutritious foods to sustainability-conscious consumers in Canada. Farafena promotes health and sustainability through its offerings of nutritious grains, flours and powders, as well as through an equitable exchange with local women farmers in Africa. For more information, visit: www.farafena.com Watch more about Farafena: https://vimeo.com/292400022 Get social: Twitter Instagram Facebook VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Corvus Gold Inc. (Corvus or the Company) - (TSX: KOR, OTCQX: CORVF) announces it has received positive initial results from the Phase III resource expansion drilling program at the Mother Lode Project, Nevada. Results include a step out hole to the west and a deep central hole that expands the deposit at depth beyond the initial resource announced on September 18, 2018. Both western holes returned broad zones of higher-grade mineralization (ML18-080, 129.54m @ 1.12 g/t Au) and extends the Western Feeder Zone to the north (ML18-079, 19.81m @ 3.52 g/t Au). Corvus recently completed four additional holes to the west and north along the Western Feeder Zone (Figure 1) with assays pending which have all returned encouraging indications that the mineralization remains open. The Western Feeder Zone is a potential high-grade shoot feature within the broader Fluorspar Canyon Fault (FCF) structural zone initially intersected in numerous holes during the Phase II drill program. The Companys Phase III resource expansion drill program is currently planned through the first quarter of 2019 but could be extended based on favourable results. Current information shows the Mother Lode deposit continuing to expand the open pit mineralization to the west and to the north along the main north-south axis. In addition, Corvus will be drilling internal holes to deepen the deposit as well as the Northeast high-grade target which has returned some of the highest-grade results on the project to date (ML18-049, 7.5m @ 21.77 g/t Au, NR18-07, Mar. 22, 2018). Jeffrey Pontius, President and CEO of Corvus states, Following our maiden resource announcement, it is exciting to return such encouraging drill results that continue to expand the deposit. The Mother Lode deposit comprises part of our upcoming Preliminary Economic Assessment and its continued expansion bodes well for project improvement. We have yet to see any indication the deposit is constrained in any direction. We are working to define the deep feeder structures of the system and continue to follow those to depth with deep core drilling later in the program. This current phase of drilling will enable us to determine the regional extent of the Mother Lode deposit as we continue to build shareholder value. Table 1 Phase III - Mother Lode Drilling Results (Reported intercepts are not true widths as there is currently insufficient data to calculate true orientation in space. Mineralized intervals are calculated using a 0.3 g/t cutoff unless otherwise indicated below) Drill Hole # from (m) to (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Comment ML18-079 AZ 075 dip-65 304.80 324.61 19.81 3.52 n/a West of ML18-050 north Feeder Zone Drill Hole # from (m) to (m) Interval (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Comment ML18-080 AZ 080 dip-65 153.92 167.64 13.72 1.45 n/a East of ML18-078 inc 155.45 166.12 10.67 1.73 n/a 1 g/t cut 199.64 207.26 7.62 0.51 n/a 214.88 217.93 3.05 0.46 n/a 239.27 368.81 129.54 1.12 n/a 0.1 g/t cut off 239.27 248.41 9.14 1.13 n/a inc 239.27 243.84 4.57 1.52 n/a 1 g/t cut 254.51 301.75 47.24 1.53 n/a inc 239.27 243.84 4.57 1.52 n/a 1 g/t cut inc 271.27 300.23 28.96 1.92 n/a 1 g/t cut 306.32 361.19 54.87 1.06 n/a New Deep OX inc 309.37 313.94 4.57 1.74 n/a 1 g/t cut inc 327.66 345.95 18.29 1.73 n/a 1 g/t cut inc 350.52 353.57 3.05 1.87 n/a 1 g/t cut ML18-081 AZ 090 dip-65 120.40 156.97 36.57 1.09 n/a West of ML18-001 inc 120.40 123.44 3.05 2.98 n/a 1 g/t cut inc 135.64 153.92 18.28 1.35 n/a 1 g/t cut 201.17 219.46 18.29 1.00 n/a New Deep OX inc 208.79 213.36 4.57 2.20 n/a 1 g/t cut 236.22 239.27 3.05 0.53 n/a 246.89 249.94 3.05 0.52 n/a Qualified Person and Quality Control/Quality Assurance Jeffrey A. Pontius (CPG 11044), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101), has supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Pontius is not independent of Corvus, as he is the CEO & President and holds common shares and incentive stock options. Carl E. Brechtel, (Nevada PE 008744 and Registered Member 353000 of SME), a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, has coordinated execution of the work outlined in this news release and has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Brechtel is not independent of Corvus, as he is the COO and holds common shares and incentive stock options. The work program at Mother Lode was designed and supervised by Mark Reischman, Corvus Golds Nevada Exploration Manager, who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project log and track all samples prior to sealing and shipping. Quality control is monitored by the insertion of blind certified standard reference materials and blanks into each sample shipment. All resource sample shipments are sealed and shipped to American Assay Laboratories (AAL) in Reno, Nevada, for preparation and assaying. AAL is independent of the Company. AALs quality system complies with the requirements for the International Standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:1999. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material and replicate samples. Finally, representative blind duplicate samples are forwarded to AAL and an ISO compliant third-party laboratory for additional quality control. Mr. Pontius, a qualified person, has verified the data underlying the information disclosed herein, including sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information by reviewing the reports of AAL, methodologies, results and all procedures undertaken for quality assurance and quality control in a manner consistent with industry practice, and all matters were consistent and accurate according to his professional judgement. There were no limitations on the verification process About the North Bullfrog & Mother Lode Projects, Nevada Corvus controls 100% of its North Bullfrog Project, which covers approximately 72 km in southern Nevada. The property package is made up of a number of private mineral leases of patented federal mining claims and 865 federal unpatented mining claims. The project has excellent infrastructure, being adjacent to a major highway and power corridor as well as a large water right. The Company also controls 433 federal unpatented mining claims on the Mother Lode project which totals approximately 35 km2 which it owns 100%. The total Corvus Gold 100% land ownership now covers over 100 km2, hosting two major new Nevada gold discoveries. The Mother Lode Project contains a Measured Mineral Resource for the mill of of 3.29 Mt at an average grade of 1.41 g/t gold, containing 149 k ounces of gold and Indicated Mineral Resources for the mill of 9.93 Mt at an average grade of 1.83 g/t gold containing 583 k ounces of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource for the mill of 2.17 Mt at an average grade of 1.60 g/t gold containing 112 k ounces of gold. In addition, the project contains a Measured Mineral Resource for oxide, run of mine, heap leach of 20.04 Mt at an average grade of 0.29 g/t gold containing 185 k ounces of gold and an Indicated Mineral Resource for, oxide, run of mine, heap leach of 20.1 Mt at an average grade of 0.37 g/t gold containing 242 k ounces of gold and an Inferred, oxide, run of mine, heap leach Mineral Resource of 14.1 Mt at an average grade of 0.29 g/t gold containing 129 k ounces of gold. Refer to the news release of Corvus dated September 18, 2018 for additional information. About Corvus Gold Inc. Corvus Gold Inc. is a North American gold exploration and development company, focused on its near-term gold-silver mining project at the North Bullfrog and Mother Lode Districts in Nevada. In addition, the Company controls a number of royalties on other North American exploration properties representing a spectrum of gold, silver and copper projects. Corvus is committed to building shareholder value through new discoveries and the expansion of its projects to maximize share price leverage in an advancing gold and silver market. On behalf of Corvus Gold Inc. (signed) Jeffrey A. Pontius Jeffrey A. Pontius, President & Chief Executive Officer Contact Information: Ryan Ko Investor Relations Email: info@corvusgold.com Phone: 1-844-638-3246 (toll free) or (604) 638-3246 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the timing with respect to the preliminary economic assessment; potential expansion of the deposit; the rapid and effective capture of the potential of our Mother Lode project; the potential for new deposits and expected increases in the systems potential; anticipated content, commencement and cost of exploration programs; anticipated exploration program results and expansion of existing programs; the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves; the Companys belief that the parameters used in the WhittleTM pit optimization process are realistic and reasonable; the potential to discover additional high grade veins or additional deposits; the growth potential of the Mother Lode project; and the potential for any mining or production at the Mother Lode project, are forward-looking statements. Information concerning mineral resource estimates may be deemed to be forward-looking statements in that it reflects a prediction of the mineralization that would be encountered if a mineral deposit were developed and mined. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, variations in the market price of any mineral products the Company may produce or plan to produce, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its activities, the Company's inability to produce minerals from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Companys 2017 Annual Information Form and latest interim Management Discussion and Analysis filed with certain securities commissions in Canada and the Companys most recent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). All of the Companys Canadian public disclosure filings in Canada may be accessed via www.sedar.com and filings with the SEC may be accessed via www.sec.gov and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Companys mineral properties. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/85c7a889-f43d-4ddc-8537-aaba3ae7e8f5 QUEENS, N.Y., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Since becoming a board-certified prosthodontist , Sameet Sheth, DDS has maintained membership in the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP)the organization that represents the specialty of prosthodonticsand has devoted the last five years in various positions on the Board of Directors for the New York Section (NYS). Recently, he received the honor of becoming the new President of the ACP-NYS Board of Directors, which entails a one-year term. Dr. Sheth looks forward to taking on his new leadership responsibilities, working together with his colleagues, and continuing the valuable work the New York Section does to support prosthodontists, dental students, and advancements in prosthodontics. In discussing his new role, Dr. Sheth points out that the New York Section is the largest local chapter of the American College of Prosthodontists in the nation and devotes its energy and resources toward advocating for prosthodontic education and growth for local specialists. Throughout the year, the group puts on two scientific meetings, which take place in the spring and fall. Tickets to the events are available to ACP members, residents, and dental students, and each meeting centers around a main speaker and topic. For example, this falls meeting on October 18th will include a presentation from oral and maxillofacial surgeon Salvatore Ruggiero, MD, DMD, FACS, focusing on a review and update of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). The ACP-NYS also works tirelessly to provide educational grants for research related to prosthodontic care, host table clinics and poster presentations for New York state's prosthodontic residents, and collaborate with local prosthodontists during National Prosthodontics Awareness Week (NPAW). For Dr. Sheth and ACP-NYS, the upcoming year will primarily center around recruiting and retaining members through engaging educational programs and activities, as well as communicating with prosthodontic program directors and prosthodontic educators to maximize resident and dental student participation. Dr. Sheth extends his gratitude for his new position as President and anticipates a productive year with the incoming Board of Directors. About Sameet S. Sheth, DDS Dr. Sheth attended New York University College of Dentistry and graduated at the top of his class in 2005. During dental school, he was welcomed into the honor society Omicron Kappa Upsilon. He remained at NYU for the prosthodontics program and received his certificate in 2008. In his final year of the prosthodontics program, he served as its Chief Resident. Following his prosthodontic education, Dr. Sheth continued with fellowship training in maxillofacial prosthetics at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2009, and then completed a final surgical fellowship in implant dentistry at NYU in 2011. Currently, Dr. Sheth serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor at NYU in the Department of Prosthodontics and has his own private prosthodontic practiceRestorative and Implant Dentistry of Bayside, located in Queens. There he provides a full spectrum of specialized dental services focused mainly on tooth restoration and replacement, including full mouth reconstruction cases. Dr. Sheth is available for interview upon request. For more information about Dr. Sheth and Restorative and Implant Dentistry of Bayside, please visit baysidedentalspa.com and facebook.com/Restorative-and-Implant-Dentistry-of-Bayside-214755645224164/. To view the original source of this release, click here: https://www.baysidedentalspa.com/press-releases/dr-sameet-sheth-named-president-of-the-american-college-of-prosthodontists-new-york-section/ Restorative and Implant Dentistry of Bayside 38-39 Bell Blvd. Bayside, New York 11361 (718) 428-7474 Rosemont Media (858) 200-0044 www.rosemontmedia.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/291b9943-92ed-4b5a-8f58-0643a4c80a93 TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSXV: GG; OTCQB:GGGOF) is pleased to announce that the Company has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of 54,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of C$2,700,000. Each Unit was comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 until October 1, 2020. The expiry date of the Warrants can be accelerated by the Company to the date that is 10 business days after the date where the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is higher than C$0.20 for 10 consecutive trading days, provided such trading days occur four months and one day after the issuance of the Warrants. The closing of the Private Placement constituted the satisfaction of the last condition precedent to the effectiveness of the loan agreement for the Companys previously announced US$5,000,000 secured loan facility with Barak Fund SPC Limited (the Facility). The proceeds of the Facility and of the Private Placement will be used towards the restart of the Companys Galaxy mine. Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: The Galaxy project represents a key change in the future of Galane Gold and the opportunity to bring it into production is unlocked by the Facility and the closing of the Private Placement. We are now in the position to start the next phase, which includes a refurbishment and commissioning of the upgraded processing plant and completing the development work required to restart underground mining. The Company still hopes to have first production from Galaxy in the first quarter of 2019. (1) Pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units, and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants, are subject to a hold period until four months and one day after closing. The Private Placement remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. As previously announced, certain directors and officers of the Company purchased 10,563,000 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of C$528,150. Such issuances of Units were considered related party transactions within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company relied upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(b) of MI 61-101. Note: (1) This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. See "Cautionary Notes". About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSXV under the symbol GG and on the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Cautionary Notes Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development, plant expansion and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSXV nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Nick Brodie CEO, Galane Gold Ltd. + 44 7905089878 Nick.Brodie@GalaneGold.com www.GalaneGold.com Milpitas, California, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Sierra Monitor Corporation (OTCQB: SRMC) announces the formal incorporation of Sierra Monitor South Africa. The office, located in Johannesburg, provides engineering and customer support services to SMC worldwide. In addition to his responsibilities as Sierra Monitors Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Bennie de Wet is the managing director of the new organization. The incorporation of our office in Johannesburg is another milestone in Sierra Monitors growth and evolution as a company, said Jeff Brown, SMCs Chief Executive Officer. Bennie and his team have been an invaluable engineering resource for SMC for more than ten years, and Im pleased to have them formally join Sierra Monitor. Sierra Monitor has benefited from Bennies team of exceptional engineering and support talent since 2005. By formalizing the structure of SMC South Africa, both the employees and company benefit by aligning corporate objectives on continued growth as well as obtaining more direct oversight of research and development activities. This is an exciting time for all the engineers in the Sierra Monitor South Africa office as well as for SMC and me personally, said Bennie de Wet, Chief Technology Officer and managing director of SMC South Africa. The office is ideally located to provide support to SMCs growing European, Middle Eastern, African and Asian customers. Plus, we have some incredible engineering talent helping to fuel our growth in cloud-connected IIoT and Life Safety systems. About Sierra Monitor Corporation Sierra Monitor Corporation addresses the industrial and commercial facilities management market with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions that target facility automation and life safety requirements. Sierra Monitors Sentry IT flame and gas detection solutions address the facilities and life safety segment and are used by safety managers to protect facility personnel and assets. Tens of thousands of Sentry IT branded controllers, sensor modules, and software are installed at facilities such as natural gas vehicle fueling and maintenance stations, wastewater treatment plants, oil and gas refineries and pipelines, parking garages, and underground telephone vaults. The companys FieldServer brand of protocol gateways and SMC Cloud target the facility automation segment and are used by OEMs and system integrators to enable local and remote monitoring and control. With more than 200,000 products, supporting over 140 protocols, installed in commercial and industrial facilities, FieldServer is the industrys leading multi-protocol gateway. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, Sierra Monitor was founded in 1978 and has been a public company since 1989. By combining its distinguished track record in industrial sensing and automation with IoT technologies such as wireless, cloud connectivity, and data services, Sierra Monitor is at the forefront of the IIoT market expansion. For more information visit: https://www. sierramonitor .com Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended, including those statements concerning future product plans and releases, market acceptance and adoption of our solutions, macroeconomic trends and market conditions, investment plans, results of operations, market position, and strategic plans and objectives. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors. Further information on these risks, uncertainties and assumptions as well as information regarding other factors that could affect the companys financial results is included in the reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date and will not be updated. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) (Velocity or the Company) announces a non-brokered private placement (the "Financing") of up to 6,666,667 units (the "Units") priced at $0.15 per Unit to raise total gross proceeds of up to $1.0 million. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of Velocity (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of Velocity at a price of $0.20 per share for a period of 36 months from the closing of the Financing. All securities issued in connection with the Financing will be subject to a hold period of four-months and one day in Canada. The proceeds of the Financing are intended to fund ongoing work at the Companys Rozino gold project (the Project) in Bulgaria and for general working capital. The Company may pay finder's fees on a portion of the Financing consisting of a cash commission equal to 7% of the total gross proceeds raised and finder's warrants equal to 7% of the total number of Units issued, where each finder's warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of Velocity at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 12 months from the closing of the Financing. The Financing is subject to TSX Venture Exchange and other regulatory approval. About Velocity Minerals Ltd. Velocity is a gold exploration and development company focused on eastern Europe. The Companys management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies. The Company recently announced the results of a preliminary economic assessment on the Project, located in southeast Bulgaria (previous news release NR18-17, dated September 17, 2018). A technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects on the Project will be filed on SEDAR on or before October 31, 2018. About Bulgaria Bulgaria is a member of NATO (2004) and a member of the European Union (2007). The local currency (BGN) has been tied to the Euro since 1999 (1.956 BGN/EUR). The country is served by modern European infrastructure including an extensive network of paved roads. Bulgaria boasts an exceptionally low corporate tax rate of only 10%. The countrys education system is excellent with good availability of experienced mining professionals in a favourable cost environment. Foreign mining companies are successfully operating in Bulgaria. The countrys mining law was established in 1999 and updated in 2011. Mining royalties are low and compare favourably with more established mining countries. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Keith Henderson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson Phone: +1-604-638-3456 E-mail: info@velocityminerals.com Web: www.velocityminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer of sale of any of the above-mentioned securities in the United States. The foregoing securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release includes certain forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Financing, the payment of finder's fees, the filing of a technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects on the Project on SEDAR and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by words such as pro forma, plans, expects, may, should, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, believes, potential or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that costs will remain stable over the relevant period, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Project in a timely manner, the completion of the Financing, construction and continued operation of the Project, and the Companys projects generally, and the Companys ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities for the Project, estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, the availability of a sufficient supply of water and other materials, requirements for additional capital to fund the Companys business plan, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, the inability to or delay in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange for the Financing), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading. Risk Factors in the Companys annual managements discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Companys profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DIVERGENT Energy Services Corp. (DIVERGENT or the "Corporation") (DVG: TSX-V) is pleased to provide the following operations update. ELECTRIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP OPERATIONS The Corporation is preparing its Wyoming operation for the increasing demand that has emerged in the Powder River Basin (PRB), within which our Gillette facility is centrally located. Recent reports have stated that Wyoming oil basin deals are on the rise as companies look past Permian Basin and that drilling activity in the PRB has picked up again. The outlook for the remainder of 2018 and into 2019 includes a stable level of activity from the existing customer base that produces coal bed methane from the PRB and an increase in sales to the oil producing clients in the PRB. Growth in the oil side of the business is directly linked to the amount of inventory kept on hand. We are gradually increasing the number of available sizes of motors and pumps, working diligently within our means as these items have long delivery times and the vendors require payment in advance. We are also working with a number of private pump companies in the United States (that face similar inventory restrictions) to access each others surplus inventory. Over time, most pump companies accumulate some amount of surplus equipment as clients needs change, and the ability to share this surplus with other companies can mutually increase sales and reduce surplus inventory, which also generates cash flow. In addition to looking within North America to reduce surplus inventory, we have reached out to a number of overseas pump companies. LINEAR ELECTROMAGNETIC SUBMERSIBLE PUMP (the Linear Pump) On August 23, 2018 it was announced that discussions were underway with two clients in Canada, and that the timing of the installations were not yet determined. Those discussions are still underway and at the clients discretion for timing. Divergent is prepared and ready for the installations. The challenges faced in getting Linear Pumps operating is a reflection of the state of the industry and the risk aversion within Canada. Divergent remains committed to the technology, however the headwinds in the Canadian energy industry are revealing an ever increasing difficulty in getting clients to approve an install. Management may shift its focus to the United States and pursue opportunities in the Southern USA that have presented themselves. STRATEGY TO MOVE FORWARD The Corporation recognizes that the above noted challenges with testing the Linear Pump may be prolonged and therefore steps must be taken to deliver value within the products and services that are within our control. Key Strategies: Position the Corporation to take advantage of the near term upswing in PRB activity. Explore synergies with other companies to leverage products and services together to increase sales. Seek opportunities to expand into basins of high activity such as the Permian and Bakken. ABOUT DIVERGENT ENERGY SERVICES CORP. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, DIVERGENT Energy Services Corp. provides cost effective, innovative technologies and solutions for submersible pumping to benefit our stakeholders. DIVERGENT is committed to increasing clients production while reducing operating costs and carbon footprint. Our Products include Electromagnetic Pumps, Electric Submersible Pumps, and Electric Submersible Progressing Cavity Pumps. For further information regarding this news release contact Ken Berg, President and Chief Executive Officer; or Scott Hamilton, Chief Financial Officer. DIVERGENT Energy Services Corp., 1500, 715 5th Ave SW, Calgary, AB T2P 2X6, (403) 543-0060, (403) 543-0069 (fax), www.divergentenergyservices.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements pertaining to anticipated future operational activity levels, expansion opportunities and upcoming Linear Pump tests. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Corporation's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management of the Corporation at the time the information is presented. The Corporation may, as considered necessary in the circumstances, update or revise such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, but the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws. (Not for dissemination in the United States of America) MONTREAL, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- I-MED Pharma Inc., a Canadian company specializing in dry eye diagnosis and management, is pleased to announce the signing of an exclusive agreement with Simovision for distribution rights in the Benelux Union for its patented I-PEN Tear Osmolarity System . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b57d1da7-65e5-4fce-ae85-104db78d5b1e The I-PEN Tear Osmolarity System is the worlds first, handheld platform that offers eye care professionals a quick and reliable tool for screening dry eye patients. It is considered the new standard in diagnosing dry eye disease. Daniel Hofmann, President of I-MED Pharma stated, Simovision is a promising partner for us, with a focus on bringing innovative and reliable products to the ophthalmic market. They have a unique vision for expanding access of our cutting-edge products to both eye care professionals and dry eye patients in the Benelux Union. We are excited by the opportunity present in this region and will be working closely with Simovision to launch our I-PEN Tear Osmolarity System in the upcoming months. Marc Simonet, Founder & CEO of Simovision commented, We are delighted to start working with I-MED Pharma, a company that has an extensive dry eye product offering that will complete our dry eye portfolio. Partnering with I-MED Pharma will also allow for potential opportunities in the surgical field, reinforcing our mission to help our customers achieve optimal and measurable outcomes, so they can make people see, feel and look better. About I-MED Pharma I-MED Pharma Inc. is a privately held Canadian company, headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, servicing Canadian ophthalmologists, optometrists and the global eye care community. Established almost thirty years ago, I-MED Pharma creates and distributes innovative medical, surgical and veterinary eye care products worldwide. It continually researches, develops and sources the most effective and advanced solutions to eye disorders like cataracts, corneal degeneration, dry eye, glaucoma and meibomian gland dysfunction. I-MED Pharma is proud to have been at the forefront of treating Dry Eye Syndrome as a serious disease and invests heavily into education and developing effective dry eye products. I-MED Pharmas ocular surface disease product range includes diagnostic tools, dry eye drops, ocular hygiene, nutrition and therapeutic accessories. About Simovision CONTACT - Media: CONTACT - Investor Relations: Amsterdam +31.20.721.4488 Brussels +32.2.620.15.50 +33.1.70.48.24.27 Dublin Paris +353.1.617.4266 +33.1.70.48.24.45 Lisbon +351.210.600.614 UPDATE ON THE INTEGRATION OF EURONEXT DUBLIN Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London and Paris - 2 October 2018 - Euronext today announced an update on the integration of Euronext Dublin, of which Euronext completed the acquisition on 27 March 2018. Migration to Optiq for Euronext Dublin in February 2019 The migration of Euronext Dublin's Cash Market to Euronext's trading platform Optiq is now planned in February 2019, subject to regulatory approval. The migration to Optiq, Euronext's proprietary trading platform, will allow Euronext Dublin trading members and investors to benefit from access to trading across all cash equity asset classes available on Euronext's pan-European exchanges. Euronext and Deutsche Borse will work together actively to ensure a smooth transition. Upgraded cost synergies targets As a result of the first successful integration steps, Euronext has identified additional cost-saving opportunities, and now expects to deliver 8 million (vs 6 million announced at the time of acquisition) in pre-tax run-rate cost synergies. As part of the integration, total costs of 14 million (vs 9 million announced at the time of acquisition) will be incurred in the first years of integration. Signing of a termination agreement with Deutsche Borse for the migration of Euronext Dublin to Optiq Euronext has signed an agreement for the early termination of the trading services contract provided by Deutsche Borse AG to the Irish Stock Exchange (now operating as Euronext Dublin), initially due on December 2021. This agreement will contribute to approximately 50% of the announced 8 million in cost synergies. Furthermore, Euronext will recognise a 4 million impact from this settlement as an exceptional P&L expense in Q3 2018. CONTACTS - Media Alice Jentink: +31 20 721 4488; mediateam@euronext.com Analysts & investors Aurelie Cohen/Clement Kubiak: +33 1 70 48 24 27; ir@euronext.com About Euronext Euronext is the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone, covering Belgium, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. With 1,300 listed issuers worth 3.9 trillion in market capitalisation as of end September 2018, Euronext is an unmatched blue chip franchise that has 24 issuers in the Morningstar Eurozone 50 IndexSM and a strong diverse domestic and international client base. Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets and is the largest centre for debt and funds listings in the world. Its total product offering includes Equities, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. 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Your personal data will be retained as long as necessary for the Purpose and will be accessible only to the extent necessary for this specific Purpose. English German At the Sika Capital Markets Day, currently taking place in New York, Sika CEO Paul Schuler confirmed the strategic goals for 2020. Citing the motto "Megacities drive Sika's growth", Group Management members and Sika experts from the United States used the example of New York to illustrate how the urbanization megatrend and the strongly growing large cities are driving Sika's structural growth. In the USA, Sika already generates 37% of its sales in the 20 biggest cities, with New York as one of the leading markets. Paul Schuler: "Innovative Sika technologies meet the challenges posed by urban development today: Here in New York, for instance, these include the construction of high-rise buildings, the implementation of infrastructure projects, increasingly stringent building standards, and refurbishment projects. With our high-performance products and strong customer focus, we want to tailor our organization even more closely to the business potential of megacities and thus also ensure continued growth and achievement of our targets for 2020." In the last three years, Sika's annual organic growth of 8% in the USA has clearly outpaced the market. This can be attributed, among other things, to major investments in new factories, expansion of the sales organization, and acquisitions close to metropolitan areas and the United States' fastest-growing cities. Thanks to their organizational merger earlier this year, the two regions - North and Latin America - will greatly benefit from each other. Not least of all, the potential of the numerous big cities and conurbations will continue to be exploited, permitting transfers of know-how and technology as well as systematic market development with supra-regional key account customers and large-scale projects. STRONG MARKET POSITIONING IN NEW YORK On Capital Markets Day, Sika is presenting a large number of major projects in New York City - one of the megacities in which the Group has stepped up its investment in recent years to expand both production capacity and sales force. One of the construction projects presented is Hudson Yards: With its investment volume of USD 25 billion, this is the largest private real estate project ever realized in the USA. Another is the One Vanderbilt high-rise, which on completion will be New York's fourth highest skyscraper. Innovative Sika technologies such as admixtures for high-performance concrete, waterproofing solutions for buildings and structures, and adhesives for architecturally demanding and energy-efficient glass facades, make a significant contribution to the realization of these mega-projects. CONTACT Dominik Slappnig Corporate Communications & Investor Relations +41 58 436 68 21 slappnig.dominik@ch.sika.com SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing and protecting in the building sector and automotive industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. In 2017, our more than 18,000 employees generated sales of CHF 6.25 billion. The media release can be downloaded from the following link: thomasliu2018 wrote: I began my college career in 2012, at a top 10 engineering school located at Midwest, but I had to drop out of the school due to multiple unfortunate situations (death of family members, lost family home in a fire accident, totaled my car and broke my ribs after being hit by a drunk driver, my mother's health issues and many more... ). I then went homeless for six months due to a lack of financial support. While using the local gym for shower, I met a future mentor of mine, which happened to be a very well-known businessman and the owner of several luxury automobile dealerships in the state. He offered me a job and I then began working with international student clients who had high demands for luxury vehicles, while taking community college courses and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (lost 70 pounds in four months). I eventually made my way back to university education in early 2016. Because my job really supports my family and funds my education, I continued working in the same automobile business for the next three years and received two promotions to the management level. However, my grade suffered due to my full-time working status while studying full-time. I will graduate this coming December and know that graduate school is not a possibility due to my poor GPA. And I firmly believe MBA can be an easy route for me to launch my future career and support my family along the way. Here's my profile: 1) 25 years old Asian Male (U.S. Citizen) 2) will graduate from a top 60 university in the United States this December 3) 2.83 GPA (major in applied math, minors in economics, business administration, criminal justice, biology, chemistry, statistics). 4) 320+ GRE (my first try) 5) I am interested in management, entrepreneurship, marketing and business communication. 6) 4 years of full-time working experiences (with two promotions), will be 4.5 years before the starting of fall 2019 term. 7) very strong professional recommendations schools of choice: Tuck McCombs Owen Olin (Washington) Kelley Miami (FL) Babson Fordham Boston University I am wondering which of the above universities do I realistically stand a chance to get into, even without any scholarship or funding? And I appreciate for any comment or evaluation on my profile, thank you so much! Hello, could you please take some time to review and provide some advice to my profile, I will be really appreciated for your helpI began my college career in 2012, at a top 10 engineering school located at Midwest, but I had to drop out of the school due to multiple unfortunate situations (death of family members, lost family home in a fire accident, totaled my car and broke my ribs after being hit by a drunk driver, my mother's health issues and many more...). I then went homeless for six months due to a lack of financial support. While using the local gym for shower, I met a future mentor of mine, which happened to be a very well-known businessman and the owner of several luxury automobile dealerships in the state. He offered me a job and I then began working with international student clients who had high demands for luxury vehicles, while taking community college courses and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (lost 70 pounds in four months). I eventually made my way back to university education in early 2016. Because my job really supports my family and funds my education, I continued working in the same automobile business for the next three years and received two promotions to the management level. However, my grade suffered due to my full-time working status while studying full-time. I will graduate this coming December and know that graduate school is not a possibility due to my poor GPA. And I firmly believe MBA can be an easy route for me to launch my future career and support my family along the way.Here's my profile:1) 25 years old Asian Male (U.S. Citizen)2) will graduate from a top 60 university in the United States this December3) 2.83 GPA (major in applied math, minors in economics, business administration, criminal justice, biology, chemistry, statistics).4) 320+ GRE (my first try)5) I am interested in management, entrepreneurship, marketing and business communication.6) 4 years of full-time working experiences (with two promotions), will be 4.5 years before the starting of fall 2019 term.7) very strong professional recommendationsschools of choice:TuckMcCombsOwenOlin (Washington)KelleyMiami (FL)BabsonFordhamBoston UniversityI am wondering which of the above universities do I realistically stand a chance to get into, even without any scholarship or funding? And I appreciate for any comment or evaluation on my profile, thank you so much! mbaMission Senior Admissions Consultant Chicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT Club Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/ Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Kate RichardsonmbaMission Senior Admissions ConsultantChicago Booth Alum, 60 5-star reviews on GMAT ClubSign up for a free 30-minute consultation at https://www.mbamission.com/consult/mba-admissions/Read our Insider's Guides to the top b-schools: http://www.mbamission.com/guides.php?category=insiders Signature Read More Hi there,Wow, what a story. How fortunate that your mentor took a chance on you!Your profile is of course non-traditional, since most applicants finish their undergraduate and then have 3-5 years of full-time work experience. So, gauging your chances is more difficult. Your story is going to be an important part, so they can see the hardships you've overcome.It depends a bit on your quant/verbal breakdown but a 320+ GRE is pretty strong, though if you have time, I would retake to see if you can score even higher. Important to maximize that since you have a low GPA. Business schools do consider both GPA and GRE as part of your academic profile.I worry most about your chances at Tuck, but it's also a school where they're known for wanting to get to know you and your personal story, so you could still give it a shot, but I think it will be tough. The others on your list seem more reasonable. Have you considered applying to part-time programs too? That is another option if you want to continue working.Best of luck to you!Kate_________________ 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 Its the type of story you only hear of in a college town. The Bloomington Police Department is trying to track down the owner of a colorful lion statue after an officer discovered a group trying to move it into a garage in the early morning hours over the weekend. Administrative Captain Steve Kellams says the suspicious behavior led the officer to stop. "They admitted that they found it in a yard off of West Kirkwood Avenue," Kellams says. "And, they had picked it up and brought it there." But when police attempted to return the statue to that house, the people living there admitted they took it from Indiana Universitys campus. IU police dont have any reports of a missing statute, so now Bloomington police are turning to social media to try and find the rightful owner. Theyve dubbed the statue Leo the Lion. In a Facebook post, the department writes Leo misses his family very much. He cant eat or sleep. Theyre keeping Leo in a gated area until they hear from the owner. Kellams says if they dont, the department will likely dispose of the statue. "Its kind of an odd piece, it very well may have been part of a business or part of something thats closed and the actual owners are no longer around anymore and have no care for it." Several people have commented on the departments Facebook post offering to adopt Leo. The Indiana Farm Bureau says farmers arent the only ones who will benefit from a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement would replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. Among other things, it could give U.S. farmers better access to the Canadian dairy market in a year where Indiana farmers have been especially hard hit. Bob White is the Director of National Government Relations for the Indiana Farm Bureau. He says the new agreement is important for a number of Hoosiers, including small business owners and those who work in agriculture and manufacturing. "Canada is our number one trading partner followed by Mexico," White says. "So its important for Indiana to get this thing going and done." Congress still has to approve the deal and industry experts say securing new markets will take time. Even if the deal does pass, it likely wont alleviate all market pressure felt from tariffs. President Trump says steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico will remain in place for the foreseeable future, leading both Mexico and Canada to retaliate with tariffs of their own. The world's greatest forest used to absorb greenhouse gases. Now, it may be emitting them. Credit: Sam Eaton/The World Brazil holds one-third of the worlds remaining tropical rainforest and until recently it absorbed as much CO2 pollution every year as the amount produced by all the cars on the planet. Now scientists fear that deforestation and climate change are pushing the forest to a tipping point beyond which it will actually release more CO2 into the atmosphere than it captures. So, in areas completely remote, far away from people's influence, the forest is changing. Forests that are pristine, they are suffering. Forests just like this one. Quesada and his colleagues head farther into the forest to explain. The first research plot we reach looks almost like an emergency room for the forest. Every tree is laden with wires and sensors, instruments, brightly colored nylon ribbon for the purposes of identifying and measuring everything from photosynthesis and evapotranspiration rates to tree growth. Credit: Sam Eaton/The World Scientists from Brazils National Institute for Amazonian Research say this research plot in the Amazon north of Manaus is the most studied patch of tropical forest in the world. Instruments wired to trees record real time data on everything from evapotranspiration to tree growth. We climb up a 130-foot aluminum research tower toward the canopy. Halfway up, research assistant Juliane Menezes sets up a key piece of equipment called an infrared gas analyzer. She carefully places a living leaf, still attached to the tree, inside a red, glowing chamber, pushes some buttons, and the machine pumps higher concentrations of CO2 onto the leafs surface. Then we take the measurement and download all the measurements of the day into our computers to model the photosynthesis, she says. Plants use photosynthesis to turn CO2, or carbon dioxide, into food. And theres a lot more of it in the atmosphere these days. Over the last 200 years, humans have pushed CO2 levels higher than theyve been in almost a million years. This experiment is basically tracking, at a micro level, what that means for the worlds tropical forests. Research towers in pristine Amazon forest allow scientists to access every layer of the tree canopy in order to document the forest's carbon cycle and how its changing. Scientists use an infrared gas analyzer to measure how a living leaf responds to high CO2 concentrations pumped onto its surface. The Amazons sprawling forest, nearly the size of the lower 48 United States, stores an estimated 150 billion to 200 billion tons of carbon. Scientists worry that a potential die back of the Amazon triggered by climate change and deforestation would start releasing much of that carbon into the atmosphere. Quesada says all of this extra CO2 is causing global temperatures to rise on the one hand, but on the other, he says, high CO2 can also stimulate growth. Growth in trees like the ones were standing among. And for years, thats whats been happening. The Amazon and many other forests have been absorbing a lot of that extra CO2 and converting it into leaves, branches and trunks. Essentially capturing and storing pollution that would otherwise heat up the atmosphere even more. Quesada says until recently, the Amazon was hungrily absorbing the equivalent of the CO2 pollution from every car on the planet, every year. But even a huge forest like this one can only capture so much more CO2 before it reaches other biological limits. And Quesada says the Amazon appears to have done that, and stopped sucking up extra CO2. So, we are changing the atmosphere, he says. The atmosphere is changing the climate system. And the climate system and the higher levels of CO2 are changing how the forest behaves. In fact, a few years back, for the first time on record, it actually released more carbon than it absorbed. It flipped from whats known as a carbon sink to a source of carbon. Its probably saying, OK, thats enough now you guys stop. Which, Quesada says, presents a frightening scenario. The Amazon was buying you some time that it is not going to buy anymore, he says, because once that environmental service of absorbing extra CO2 from the atmosphere stops, all that extra carbon will instead accumulate in the atmosphere, driving global temperatures even higher at a much faster rate. We will really start to feel it, he says. And Quesada says thats just here, in pristine forest. In Brazils so-called arc of deforestation, along the southern and eastern edges of the forest that mark the advance of logging and agriculture, the impacts are much greater. You have already a fragile system that may be on the edge, Quesada says, and then you bring on fragmentation, deforestation, cattle ranching, illegal logging. He says all those activities usually bring fires, as well. And then theres the impact of climate change itself. So, you imagine on top of this, a future climate that is drier and hotter. So, this could really be a tipping point in the future of the Amazon, Quesada says. A tipping point for the Amazons ability to absorb that extra carbon from the atmosphere, and, possibly, for the Amazon itself. A terrifying runaway climate change scenario laid out in the so-called Hothouse Earth paper, published last August in Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences. Its very serious, says Brazils leading climatologist, Carlos Nobre. We are dangerously approaching irreversibility. Deforestation's downward trend in Brazil came to abrupt end in 2013 *2017 deforested area is an estimation Kuang Keng Kuek Ser/PRI Source: The PRODES project *2017 deforested area is an estimation "Nobre and his colleague, Thomas Lovejoy, of George Mason University, have determined that the combined effects of deforestation, fires, hotter, drier temperatures and increased CO2 in the atmosphere are pushing the Amazon system to the brink. He says if deforestation continues at its current pace, more than half of the Amazon could begin to die off, releasing massive new amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. "So not to really take any risks, not to take the risk of exceeding some of these tipping points, we advocate that deforestation should not exceed 25 percent, he says. "That 25 percent threshold doesnt leave a lot of wiggle room. And by many accounts, deforestation here is still rising, even accelerating. But Nobre says its crucial to put on the brakes if were going to meet the Paris climate agreements target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst effects of climate change. "If we want to pursue the Paris Agreement, Nobre says, we are going to live in a world in which emissions will have really to be net zero all over the planet, because the carbon sinks will decline over time. It's a very different world in the future. Credit: Kuang Keng Kuek Ser/PRI At Carlos Quesadas Amazon research plot, he says this is the time when science matters more than ever. But Brazil has been struggling through an economic crisis, and the budget of the entire National Institute for Amazonian Research has been cut by almost half. We don't have the funds guaranteed to do this research. Quesada is hoping to install circles of giant towers around patches of forest here and then blow a constant stream of higher CO2 concentrations over the trees to mimic future conditions. He says understanding how these forests will react to high CO2 is critical to predicting the Amazons impact on climate change, good or bad. It's like a glimpse of what the atmosphere will be 50, 100 years from now. To understand if you still have forests later on or not, he says. Credit: INPA An artist's rendering of Carlos Quesadas proposed experiment to install circles of towers in pristine Amazon forest that would blow a constant mist of higher CO2 concentrations over the forest. The project has not received funding. Human rights activist groups have called attention to a number of these cases in just the past few days, shining a spotlight on what may be one of the most persistent violations of individual human rights in the Islamic Republic. On Monday, Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action statement regarding the case of Mohammad Habibi, a teacher and trade unionist who is serving a 10 and a half year sentence on the basis of his labor rights activism and his membership on the board of the Iran Teachers Trade Association. He is reportedly suffering from health conditions that require specialized care, some of which may stem from his violent arrest, apparently at the hands of the intelligence division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Amnesty report provides details about that arrest, in which Habibi was abducted by agents who did not initially identify themselves or provide a reason for the arrest. Since that incident, the detainee has been complaining of severe pain in his chest and difficulty in breathing, but authorities have only responded by providing him with a non-prescription inhaler. Additionally, a general practicing doctor has identified signs of a kidney ailment for which Habibi likely requires specialized treatment, but authorities have ignored the doctors urgent recommendation. Meanwhile, the prominent political prisoner Arash Sadeghi has similarly been denied access to specialized care, even after it became clear that he is suffering from cancer. Many weeks after his initial diagnosis, Sadeghi was permitted to undergo surgery to remove a bone tumor, but as Iran Human Rights Monitor explains, he was then promptly returned to his cell at Rajai Shahr Prison, before doctors were able to perform necessary follow-ups to assess his condition and determine whether he was in need of radiation, chemotherapy, or further surgery. IHRM goes on to characterize the authorities treatment of Sadeghi as a deliberate effort to hamper his recovery or heighten the risk to his life. The report also quotes an earlier Amnesty International statement as saying the civil activists treatment is not only unspeakably cruel; in legal terms it is an act of torture. This sentiment was echoed on Monday in a statement by the Center for Human Rights in Iran, regarding the same specific case as well as the overall pattern of Tehrans obstruction of medical treatment for political prisoners. Highlighting the blatantly political nature of the charges for which the prisoner in question has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, CHRI Executive Director Hadi Ghaemi said, Arash Sadeghi shouldnt be in an Iranian prison in the first place, let alone struggling to access medical care for life-threatening health problems. The report points out that in addition to simply preventing specialized care, prison authorities have kept Sadeghi in harsh and unhygienic conditions, which have already resulted in worsening infections. Furthermore, CHRI underscores the potential consequences of such mistreatment by highlighting past instances of medical neglect resulting in either death or permanent impairment. One such case is Alireza Rajaei, who lost an eye and a portion of his jaw in August 2017 as a result of sinus cancer that had been left untreated. Another is Mohammad Jarrahi, who died of thyroid cancer three months later. And the previous year, physics graduate student and political prisoner Omid Kokabee was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer after years of complaining of a worsening ailment and being deprived of a diagnosis or a form of treatment other than painkillers. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least five people have died this year as a result of medical neglect in Zahedan Central Prison alone. The latest such incident was recorded on Friday and involved Afghan national Abdolnabi Saresi, who was known to suffer from diabetes and had been waiting two years to face trial on financial charges. Staff at the prison infirmary reportedly recommended his urgent transfer to hospital the day before his death, but were refused by prison authorities. While Arash Sadeghi and Omid Kokabee each received surgery while still serving their sentences, the attendant delays represent a serious risk of further advancement of the disease. On Sunday, HRANA pointed to a previous instance of this happening and prompting no change whatsoever in the behavior of prison authorities. The report notes that the 66-year-old political prisoner Sotoudeh Fazeli was afforded a brief furlough in July 2017, only to be returned to prison after her condition had worsened. Fazeli has since requested conditional release but has been flatly denied. Release on medical grounds is an established feature of Iranian law, but it is much less likely for such an allowance to be granted to political prisoners, and in some cases, a marginal improvement in the patients condition results in him or her being ordered back to prison to resume an earlier sentence. Interestingly, some political prisoners find themselves deprived of access to medical care even when they are granted furlough on some other grounds. For example, Iran Human Rights reported on Friday that Narges Mohammadi, who is serving a 16-year sentence for her activism in opposition to the death penalty, was recently given three days to visit her ailing father in the hospital, but has been refused numerous requests over the past three years for release to hospital in order to address any of her several worsening medical complaints. By contrast, HRANA notes that Sotoudeh Fazeli was not permitted to leave prison in order to visit her dying mother. In some cases, the health risks associated with Iranian political imprisonment are self-created but authorities neglect is no less at fault. Hunger strikes are a familiar form of protest among the activist population, and while these tend to garner public sympathy, they are often either ignored or actively covered up by officials who seek to exert additional pressure in order to break the protest. Long periods of willful starvation can, of course, have permanent or even fatal consequences. Last week, Iran Human Rights Monitor cautioned that the political prisoner Farhad Meysami was certainly facing these consequences after more than 50 days of the Iranian judiciarys refusal to answer his demand that political prisoners be permitted to choose their own lawyers. Shortly before the IHRM report was issued, Meysami announced that his hunger strike would be transitioning from wet to dry and that he would no longer be taking fluids, thereby escalating the imminent health risks of his protest. Let my message today be clear: We are watching, and we will come after you. This is clearly some of the most ferocious language ever used by an American administration about a foreign state. The US exited the Iran nuclear deal last May, and re-instituted sanctions against the regime. President Trump referred to this at the UN General Assembly. He said that America would not allow the worlds leading sponsor of terrorism to possess the means to deliver a nuclear warhead to any city on Earth. And Bolton threatened terrible consequences for those doing business with Iran. Still, Britain and Europe intend to do just that. The three European co-signers of the Iran nuclear deal Britain, France and Germany announced a new payment system that would allow oil companies and businesses to continue trading with Iran, and side-step the US-led global market. This sanctions-busting plan is unlikely to work, according to some commentators, as many businesses have already pulled out of Iran because the US says that if they trade with Iran, they cannot do business with America. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the Europeans were now solidifying Irans ranking as number-one state sponsor of terror with one of the most counterproductive measures imaginable for regional peace and security. This Sunday is the 80th anniversary of the infamous Munich agreement, the deal signed by Britain, France, Italy and Germany that permitted Hitlers annexation of the Sudetenland in Western Czechoslovakia. British prime minister Neville Chamberlain lauded this agreement as having averted war. But, Britain declared war on Nazi Germany just a year later. Chamberlains premise that anything is better than war, showed that appeasement doesnt prevent war. If the US must operate Iranian sanctions alone, it can still exert more economic pressure than the rest of the world, because of the secondary sanctions the US will impose against those who try to evade them. Irans economic situation is dire. The Iranian rial is already in free-fall. Because of this, the regime may be forced back to the negotiating table. But, if it steps-up uranium enrichment or restarts its centrifuges, the US would likely launch military strikes against it. This is why the regime is desperate to keep the nuclear deal in existence its options are limited without the accord. Europes attempt to keep rewarding Iran, as if the deal still existed, is a blow against world peace. Trump has weakened the worlds terrorist state while Britain and Europe empowered it, with the appeasement of evil. According to the Washington Post, the IRGC also claimed that several targeted individuals were killed in response to foreign-based threats, although the nature of those supposed threats was not immediately clear. On one hand, the missile strike seems to have been justified in large part by the terrorist attack that killed more than two dozen people at a military parade in Irans Khuzestan Province on September 22. However, responsibility for that attack was contested by ISIL and an Iranian-Arab separatist group, and Iranian officials appeared to generally accept the claims coming from the latter group. This calls into question the superficial explanations for the strike in Syria, and it lends credence to the description of that strike as a show of force that was mainly aimed at the US, Israel, and Irans regional Arab adversaries. Iranian military and political officials joined in blaming this triangle of enemies for the Khuzestan terror attack in the days immediately following it. No evidence has been presented to substantiate those claims, but the Islamic Republic has frequently alleged American backing for Arab separatists, ISIL, and other terrorist groups. In line with this narrative, at least one of the missiles involved in the strike on eastern Syria was painted with the words, Death to America, Death to Israel, Death to al-Saud. NBC News also noted that one reporter on Iranian state television commented upon the launch of the missiles by saying, In a few minutes, the world of arrogance especially America, the Zionist regime and the Al Saud will hear the sound of Irans repeated blows. NBC cited this messaging to underscore the notion that while the physical target of the strike was in Syria, the accompanying propaganda was squarely aimed at the Islamic Republics powerful foes. The incident comes in the midst of a period of escalating tensions between Iran and the US, as the former awaits the return of the last of the sanctions that had been suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal with the US and five other world powers. President Donald Trump withdrew from that deal in May citing its failure to bring about meaningful change in Irans behavior, including with regard to its missile development. The withdrawal initiated two back-to-back waiting periods before the re-imposition of sanctions, the second of which is set to end on November 4. The Trump administration has made clear that it intends to bring Iranian oil exports effectively to zero at that time, and although the European signatories to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action are reportedly trying to facilitate sanctions-proof transactions with the Islamic Republic, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will actually slow the exodus of international businesses from the Iranian market. So far, the Iranian regime has maintained a defiant tone in the face of the sanction threat. On Monday, one Iranian state media outlet, Mehr News, quoted Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani as saying that the US will fill in exercising the new sanctions. Meanwhile, Washington Times reported that the National Iranian Oil Company was still insisting that it has no plans to cut its oil production. This is despite the fact that Irans total oil exports have fallen by approximately 35 percent since April, with some countries such as South Korean cancelling loadings altogether while others, like India, have dramatically reduced their Iranian imports. The defiance coming out of the Iranian oil industry is evidently encouraged by government officials public optimism about the countrys prospects for evading US sanctions. According to Iranian.com, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif claimed on Saturday that Iran was close to concluding a deal on this matter with European countries. The previous week, the European Union announced its intention to put into place a Special Purpose Vehicle for Iranian transactions, but White House National Security Advisor John Bolton dismissed the announcement as lacking in specificity, and expressed confidence that Europe would ultimately have to comply with US sanctions anyway. Many European businesses have already left the Iranian market in advance of the return of secondary sanctions, against the urging of their governments. The impulse to flee that market will surely become stronger as American enforcement measures are implemented and the remaining investors in the Islamic Republic gain a clearer sense of the potential consequences of failing to pull out. And even with the secondary sanctions still a month away, the White House may be able to elicit a comparable reaction by highlighting the ongoing enforcement of past sanctions violations. Case in point, Reuters reported on Monday that the British lender Standard Chartered Plc was in the midst of discussions with US authorities that are expected to lead to 1.5 billion dollars in fines. As the trend continues toward greater global isolation of the Iranian economy, the regime cannot fail to recognize the danger that it poses to its own hold on power, and anxiety over this threat can be expected to drive further efforts to lash out at regional and Western enemies as in the case of Mondays missile strike. Iranian.com noted that Zarif dismissed the notion when asked by reporters about the possibility of US sanctions weakening Tehran to the point of toppling the government. If the US believed it would have succeeded in such an attack, it would have done so already, he said, reportedly with a laugh. But the foreign minister was responding to a threat that fellow Iranian officials have been quick to perceive in the actions of their global adversaries. NBC News reported last week that despite the lack of demonstrable connections between the US and the group or groups responsible, the Khuzestan terror attack gave rise to new concerns about the regimes vulnerability to an assertive American strategy. The report noted that it was on the same day of that attack that President Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani took the stage at a rally of Iranian expatriates and said of the clerical regime, They are going to be overthrown. The people of Iran obviously have had enough. And although the report went on to credit the speech with fueling IRGC-led narratives about a foreign plot to overthrow the regime, the expatriate group in question has never endorsed such an outcome but has lauded the possibility of domestically-driven regime change, aided by economic and diplomatic pressure from the international community. Notwithstanding Zarifs claim of an imminent oil trade deal with European nations, it does not appear as if the regime has any means of countering that pressure. Over the past several months, the value of the Iranian currency has fallen to record lows, and this has helped to drive popular protests, many of which have been characterized by chants of death to the dictator and other apparent endorsements of regime change. Iranian officials and security forces have responded with violent repression but have been hesitant to attribute the ongoing crisis to US sanctions or other types of foreign pressure. The Associated Press reported on Monday that 35 individuals had recently been sentenced in Iran for financial crimes, as part of an apparent effort to assign domestic blame for the economic crisis. Three of those individuals were sentenced to death. The same report notes that the Iranian judiciary had also issued preemptive threats against labor organizers, fearing the resumption of strikes and protests, particularly in the transportation industry. Past protests have seen physical clashes between activists and security forces, including the IRGC. And in the midst of a nationwide anti-government uprising in January, more than 8,000 people were arrested and more than 50 were killed. This speaks to the essential difference between Tehrans response to domestic conditions and the conditions beyond its borders. While the regime routinely employs but also downplays political violence against internal dissent, it boasts of prospective attacks in foreign regions, but rarely follows up on them, even in areas of considerable Iranian influence. The regimes own Fars News Agency acknowledged on Monday that the strike in Syria was the first of its kind since June 2017. And while Iran also launched a missile attack within Iraq last month, it had not previously done so since the 1990s. Of course, the recent breaches of both Iraqi and Syrian airspace may be indicative of a greater willingness on the part of the regime to actually show force beyond its borders, rather than merely threatening it. That possibility is arguably underscored by the fact that, according to Fars, the regular Iranian army issued a statement endorsing the IRGCs strike and vaguely declaring that no aggression will remain unanswered. Tehran may be emboldened in a more belligerent foreign policy if it appears to pushing foreign adversaries out of areas of mutual influence. And the USA Today reported on Monday that the US had closed its consulate in Basra following attacks by local Iranian proxies. However, the closure was described as temporary and the State Department vowed it would respond to any other attacks. Furthermore, the markedly hardline Trump administration is unlikely to ignore more direct threats, such as the alleged close encounter between IRGC naval forces and the USS Theodore Roosevelt. According to the AP, the encounter was broadcast on Saturday by Iranian state media amidst threats to close the Strait of Hormuz. Such incidents were commonplace in 2016 but diminished and then halted in 2017, leading many analysts to conclude that the IRGC and the Iranian regime had reconsidered their approach to foreign policy amidst credible threats from the White House. According to the preliminary report, couriers delivered drugs to Ukraine by rail. The SBU Security Service of Ukraine has arrested a Russian national, who appeared to be a drug dealer selling major volumes of heavy drugs shipped from Russia. The operatives found out the Russian who temporarily lived in Kyiv established a channel for the supply of heroin, methadone and fentanyl from the Russian Federation. According to the current information, "goods" were delivered to Ukraine by rail by couriers. The drug dealer sold the drugs wholesale in the capital region through a network of dealers. The man was detained in Kyiv as he was trying to sell 1.5 kg worth of narcotic substances. According to preliminary estimates, the cost of seized drugs on the black market is more than $75,000. Read alsoNikopol drug ring crippled in massive raid (Photo) The drugs seized were sent to a CSI lab. Criminal proceedings have been launched, while investigative actions are underway to establish all circumstances of the crime. The sting operation to expose the attacker was carried out together with investigators of the Main Department of the National Police under the procedural guidance of the prosecutor's office. Californias First Maritime Heritage Trail Opens at Emerald Bay Underwater Park in Lake Tahoe California State Parks and the Sierra State Parks Foundation are proud to debut Californias first maritime heritage underwater trail devoted to showcasing Lake Tahoes historic recreational watercraft and barges that now rest below the surface of Emerald Bay. Starting today, October 1, scuba divers can explore three newly revealed dive sites under Emerald Bay in addition to the Barge Dive Site established in 1998. The new Emerald Bay Maritime Heritage Trail (Emerald Bay Underwater Trail) is the first of its kind in California. Emerald Bay, situated on the western side of Lake Tahoe, is and has been an American tourist destination for well over 150 years. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969 for its brilliant panorama of mountain-building processes and glacier carved granite. Translucent blue-green water surrounded by vertical cliffs, green conifers, and granite boulders creates the quintessential Tahoe experience and one that has drawn people to the bay specifically for recreation since the 1860s. Its no secret that Lake Tahoe is a world renowned tourist destination year round, said Denise Jaffke, Associate State Archaeologist with California State Parks. Now, visitors will be able to experience the beauty and wonders of Emerald Bay and learn about its fascinating past through this underwater trail. ADVERTISEMENT The Emerald Bay Underwater Trail celebrates the history of Emerald Bay and Lake Tahoes culture of recreation by way of shipwrecks. The bay is the final resting place of several recreational boats, launches, and barges used on the lake during the early 20th century. This was the heyday of the Emerald Bay Resort (1920s and 1930s) and the construction of the Scandinavian castle, Vikingsholm (1929). These boats were purposely scuttled (sunk) when they outlived their usefulness, but now serve as reminders of the golden age of recreation in Tahoe. This collection is the largest, most diverse group of sunken small watercraft, in their original location, known to exist in the nation. The Sierra State Parks Foundation, the non-profit partner with seven state parks in the Lake Tahoe-Donner region, helped fund the Emerald Bay Underwater Trail. The Sierra State Parks Foundation is honored to be a part of this significant milestone and the impact it will have in the preservation of these underwater cultural sites, said Heidi Doyle, Executive Director of the Sierra Parks Foundation. This maritime heritage trail will provide a unique recreational opportunity for our visitors and offer educational opportunities for students and future scientists. The four dive sites of the Emerald Bay Underwater Trail at Lake Tahoe range in depth from 10 to 60 feet. Underwater interpretive panels have been placed at the four dive sites so divers can learn about the sunken ships they are exploring. Waterproof information cards created for divers will be available at the parks visitor centers, local dive shops, and on State Parks and Sierra State Parks Foundations websites. Because of the remote location, access by boat is advised. Scuba divers are advised to invent their adventures safely and responsibly at the Emerald Bay Underwater Trail. Use caution and adhere to safe diving practices at all times. Lake altitude is over 6,000 feet in elevation. Divers should be prepared for extreme cold water temperatures year round. Please help prevent diving accidents by observing the following safety precautions: Be properly trained and equipped for conditions. Always dive with a buddy. Ensure altitude diving safety practices are followed. Check weather and diving conditions ahead of time. Be prepared to render assistance in case of emergency. Follow boating safety guidelines and regulations. On Friday, September 28, State Parks dive teams introduced the Emerald Bay Underwater Trail across its social media platforms from one of the four dive sites, using remote audio and video technology. Scuba divers are encouraged to view the video to get a sense of what their experience at the underwater trail will look like. The video and additional information on the Emerald Bay Underwater Trail are available on State Parks website at www.parks.ca.gov/EmeraldBayUnderwaterTrail. Jury Finds Man Guilty of West Covina Killings A 45-year-old man was found guilty today of fatally shooting his parents-in-law in his West Covina home, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced. The jury deliberated for about three hours before finding Caminero Wang guilty of two counts of first-degree murder in case KA112295. The jury also found true a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and special allegations of using a handgun which caused great bodily injury and death. Wang is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 8 in Department L of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Pomona Branch. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. ADVERTISEMENT Deputy District Attorney Kelsey McKeever-Unger said on April 13, 2016, Wang executed his father-in-law and mother-in-law at his home in the 1300 block of East Oahu Avenue. Victims Shu Zhang and Aiping Diao, both 60 years old, were visiting from China, according to evidence presented in court. Wang had previously threatened his wifes life and the life of her parents, the prosecutor said. The case was investigated by the West Covina Police Department. Legendary Chicago Blues Guitarist Otis Rush Dies at 84 CHICAGO (AP) Legendary Chicago blues guitarist Otis Rush, whose passionate, jazz-tinged music influenced artists from Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton to the rock band Led Zeppelin, died Saturday at the age of 84, his longtime manager said. ADVERTISEMENT Rush succumbed to complications from a stroke he suffered in 2003, manager Rick Bates said. Born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, Rush settled in Chicago as an adult and began playing the local clubs, wearing a cowboy hat and sometimes strumming his guitar upside down for effect. He catapulted to international fame in 1956 with his first recording on Cobra Records of I Cant Quit You Baby, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard R&B charts. He was a key architect of the Chicago West Side Sound in the 1950s and 1960s, which modernized traditional blues to introduce more of a jazzy, amplified sound. He was one of the last great blues guitar heroes. He was an electric God, said Gregg Parker, CEO and a founder of the Chicago Blues Museum. Rush loved to play to live audiences, from small clubs on the West Side of Chicago to sold out venues in Europe and Japan. ADVERTISEMENT He was king of the hill in Chicago from the late 1950s into the 1970s and even the 80s as a live artist, said Bates. But he got less national and international attention than some other blues musicians because he wasnt a big promoter. He preferred to go out and play and go back and sleep in his own bed, said Bates. He was not a show business guy. Rush won a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Recording in 1999 for Any Place Im Going, and he was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1984. In one of his final appearances on stage at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2016, Rush watched beneath a black Stetson hat from a wheelchair as he was honored by the city of Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune. He is survived by his wife Masaki Rush, eight children and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, according to a family statement. Journalists are being jailed in record numbers around the world. That information comes from the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, an independent, non-profit group based in the United States. It reported last week that 262 reporters, writers and other news media workers were detained for their work at the end of 2017. "The jailing of journalists is aform of censorship and it is having a strong effect on the flow of information around the world, says CPJs Executive Director Joel Simon. He spoke at a press freedom event at the United Nations. At the end of last year, Turkeys government had 73 journalists in detention, the largest of any single country. China was second, with 41 detentions, followed by Egypt with 20. CPJ says that more than half of all detained journalists were jailed for reporting on human rights violations. Joel Simon said the United Nations has never been a strong enough voice on the issue of press freedom. He said that is because the UN has a culture of rarely criticizing its members. The press freedom event was called, in part, to publicize the cases of five reporters CPJ says have been unjustly detained. The five are citizens of Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt and Myanmar. The two most famous cases are that of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo in Myanmar. They work as reporters for the Reuters news agency. The two men were detained in December 2017 while they were investigating the killing of Rohingya men and boys by villagers in Rakhine state. Most Rohingya are Muslim, but close to 90 percent of Myanmars population is Buddhist. The military launched an operation on the minority Rohingya in August 2017 after Rohingya militants attacked and killed 12 Myanmar police officers. Within a few months, 700,000 Rohingya fled the country to neighboring Bangladesh. Survivors reported horrible abuses, including rape, torture and the destruction of homes. UN officials have said the actions were a perfect example of ethnic cleansing. British lawyer Amal Clooney is representing the two reporters. She says Myanmar officials did not want the story about their military operations in the Rakhine state village, Inn Din, to be published. Clooney said, "...police planted government documents on the journalists while other officers lay in wait outside to arrest them...The journalists were arrested and were then prosecuted and subjected to a show trial. The guilty finding, she added, was already decided. Last month, the two men were sentenced to seven years in prison for violating a law on state secrets. Clooney said they are asking for a presidential pardon. This appears to be the only way to win their freedom. "The attack on them is awarning to other journalists, said Reuters President Stephen Adler. He added that Myanmar is not the only country that wants to stop reporters and let those in power act without facing any threat of legal action for wrongdoing. Other arrests In Kyrgyzstan, journalist Azimjon Askarov has been serving a life prison sentence since July 2010. CPJ's Simon says he was jailed for reporting on deadly ethnic battles in the summer of 2010. Askarov and his lawyer were both attacked during his trial. CPJ opened its own investigation into the case in 2012. The group found that the charges against Askarov were in answer his reporting on corruption and abuse by police and government lawyers, Simon said. In Bangladesh, photojournalist and commentator Shahidul Alam was arrested last month while reporting on student protests. A Dhaka court ordered that he be held for seven days to decide if he violated an information law against spreading propaganda and false information. "When Shahidul was brought into court, he screamed that he had been tortured. He was unable to walk without assistance," Simon said. Shahidul Alam remains in detention. CPJ reported that since 2013 Egypt has been among the world's worst jailers of journalists. The government often detains reporters on politically fueled anti-state charges. The Egyptian blogger and activist Alaa Abdelfattah is one of them. He has written about politics and human rights. He is serving a five-year sentence on charges that he organized a protest and attacked a police officer. The CPJ believes the charges are false and are meant to answering Alaas reporting on suspected human rights abuses by the police and security forces, Simon said. "We are witnessing a growing hatred of journalists worldwide, said Margaux Ewen, North American director of Reporters Without Borders. She said the hatred was not limited to non-democratic governments and that rights groups will continue to speak out against attacks on the press. U.S. President Donald Trump often describes news reports critical of him and his administration as "fake news." Journalists at Trump events have reported feeling hostility from his supporters. The CPJ reports that at least three American journalists have been arrested this year and 34 were detained last year. In June, five people were killed in the newsroom of an Annapolis, Maryland newspaper. Im Caty Weaver. And I'm Pete Musto. VOAs Margaret Besheer reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. The editor was George Grow. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story censorship n. the act of examining books, movies or letters, and removing things that are considered offensive and harmful to society prosecute v. to hold a trial against a person who is accused of a crime to see if that person is guilty scream v. to shout fake adj. false, untrue Melania Trump has begun her first solo international trip as the first lady of the United States. She arrived Tuesday in the West African country of Ghana. Ghanas first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, welcomed her at the airport in Accra. A young girl offered her a gift of flowers wrapped in a traditional cloth. Dancers and drummers performed and young children waved small American and Ghanaian flags. The White House says the first ladys five-day visit to Africa will center on maternal and newborn care in hospitals and education for children. Shortly after her arrival, Trump visited the Greater Accra Hospital. There, she toured the neonatal intensive care area, visited with mothers, held babies and gave patients blankets and playthings donated by the White House. Trump later had a private meeting with first lady Akufo-Addo. The two met for about 30 minutes at Ghanas presidential palace. Many past American first ladies have also made trips to the African continent, including Michelle Obama, Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton. Locals who spoke with reporters in Accra said they did not know much about Trumps visit. One worker at a popular shop near the airport told Reuters, I did not know shes in town until I heard about it on the radio a few minutes ago. Another shopkeeper said to the Associated Press, Did you say President Trumps wife just arrived in Accra? I dont think I have ever heard her name, Melania. Others said they knew about Trump's visit but did not know what she would be doing. The first ladys visit to Africa could be made difficult because of the past actions and words of her husband. President Donald Trump reportedly used a vulgar and insulting term to describe African nations. The president has denied making the comment. Judd Devermont, the Africa program director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the first lady may have to do some heavy lifting on her trip. In other words, the trip may involve serious or difficult work. Devermont told VOA, "Its a little bit unfair because thats not what a first ladys trip should be about. But Africa policy expert Joshua Meservey said he does not think the presidents reported comments will affect the first ladys visit. He is with The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. Meservey told VOA, "I think the U.S.-Africa relationship is much bigger than the presidents comments. After Ghana, the first lady will travel to Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. Im Ashley Thompson. Ashley Thompson adapted this report based on articles by the Associated Press, Reuters and VOA News. Caty Weaver was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story solo - adj. something that is done without another person maternal - adj. of or relating to a mother neonatal - adj. of, relating to, or taking care of babies in the first month after their birth vulgar - adj. not having or showing good manners, good taste, or politeness A movement in Myanmar to build statues of independence hero General Aung San risks renewed tensions with the countrys ethnic minorities. It could also affect the ruling partys chances in planned elections, observers say. Aung San is the father of National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He is popular in large parts of Myanmar, also called Burma. Aung Sans critics are more likely to be found in border areas, where many ethnic minorities live. Some there say the statues are a part of what they call continued Burmanization. They instead would like to see statues representing heroes that belong to their own ethnic group. In Kayah State, there have been large protests against a planned Aung San statue. If were going to have statues, it should be of heroes in our state, said Mie Mie, a civil society leader. He added that the central government should ask local people what statues they want. Ethnic minorities have long been distrustful of a central government dominated by the countrys Bamar-majority. When Burma gained independence from the British in 1948, representatives of ethnic minority groups signed a deal that would provide them with full autonomy. The agreement was never honored. The distrust grew stronger over many years of military rule. Armed ethnic groups operating in the border areas fought with troops, and strong hatred continues to exist. Many minorities hoped the situation would change when the National League for Democracy (NLD) won elections in 2015, but distrust has continued to grow. Aung San Suu Kyi promised to work for peace, but has not had much success. Members of ethnic minority groups now consider her as being closely allied with the military. Statue building There appears to have been an increase in the number of Aung San statues being built since the NLD came to power. In June 2017, the countrys largest Aung San statue was unveiled in Mandalay. Several others have been set up in ethnic minority areas. It is not clear who is paying for the statues. A spokesperson for the NLD could not be reached for comment. In July, thousands of people protested a planned statue in Kayah State. Weeks later, another Aung San statue in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, was attacked. The editor of The Chinland Post in Chin State, Salai Holy, told VOA the state government is planning to build at least two Aung San statues there. He added that most locals oppose the statues because they believe the money for them is wasted. They believe the money should be used to help develop one of the countrys poorest areas. That money should be used for the towns development, he said. Salai Holy added that water systems, hospitals and roads are in bad condition and need rebuilding. Another statue is planned in Hakha, the state capital, and he said a decision to do so had not included discussion with the local communities. He said some people wanted to see an Aung San statue in the town, but most were against it. It doesnt mean that we dont respect Aung San, but what we really want that money to be used for is developmentThere is so much to be done, he said. Political ramifications Observers say offending ethnic minorities could affect the results of by-elections in November and the 2020 general elections. The NLD could lose votes, they warned. In 2017, the central government wanted to name a bridge for Aung San in Chaungzon, a town in Mon State. Local people wanted the bridge to be given a name more closely related to Mon identity and held protests. In a by-election held later that year, the NLD lost to the party of the military. Im Susan Shand. Oliver Slow reported this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story autonomy n. the state of existing or acting separately from others editor n. someone who makes changes to a story or pictures in an effort to improve the product unveil v. to make public; to show for the first time Indonesia is recovering from a powerful earthquake and huge ocean waves that struck the island of Sulawesi on Friday. More than 800 people are reported dead. Some experts are wondering whether a new warning system could have saved many lives if it had been available. Indonesia has been developing a new tsunami warning system with the help of American experts for many years. However, the Associated Press reported that it was not available for use because of delays and disputes. The AP reported that fighting at government agencies and delays in finding $69,000 needed to finish the project stopped the system from warning the public. The system is still a prototype and was developed with $3 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake caused waves of up to six meters in height. The deaths show the weakness of the old system and the lack of public knowledge about what to do if such an event happens. To me this is a tragedy for science, even more so a tragedy for the Indonesian people, said Louise Comfort. She is a disasters expert at the University of Pittsburgh. She has led American efforts to develop the project. Engineers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in the American state of Massachusetts and Indonesian scientists and disaster experts also took part. Comfort said it is difficult to think about the large number of deaths that could have been prevented. In 2004, a huge tsunami killed an estimated 230,000 people in 12 countries. More than half of those killed lived in the Indonesian province of Aceh. After the 2004 tsunami, an international effort was launched to improve tsunami warning systems. That effort was mostly in the Indian Ocean area and Indonesia. The effort included setting up 22 buoys connected to sensors at the bottom of the sea. The sensors could send warnings before a tsunami hits land. However, a large earthquake off the island of Sumatra in 2016 demonstrated that none of the buoys were working. Each of the devices cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Indonesias current tsunami warning system uses stations that measure sea water height and seismographs. People are warned with sirens and text messages. After Fridays earthquake, the government sent a tsunami alert that warned of possible waves of 0.5 to three meters. The government ended the warning at 6:36 p.m. local time. The government said the warning ended after the tsunami hit. It is not clear what time tsunami waves struck the Sulawesi city of Palu. The old system was working, but it has limited effectiveness, Comfort said. She said the government ended the warnings too soon because it did not have any information from Palu. Adam Switzer is a tsunami expert at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. He said criticizing the government is a little unfair. What it shows is that the tsunami models we have now are too simplistic, he said. He added that models cannot measure more than one event, such as many earthquakes at the same time. Harkunti P. Rahayu is an expert at the Institute of Technology in Bandung. She said the loss of electricity after the earthquake meant that tsunami warning signals did not work. The proposed system would use sensors on the sea floor, sound waves and fiber-optic cable to replace the old one. It also would provide a warning within one to three minutesmuch faster than the older system, experts said. However, the new system needs just a few more kilometers of fiber-optic cable to connect it to a station on an island. From that island, information would be sent to the government agency overseeing warnings and to disaster officials. The AP first reported on the new system in January 2017. At the time, the project was waiting for Indonesia to provide money for the cables. Since then, there have been budget cuts. And the project has moved from one government agency to another. Those agencies fought over power and responsibility until the project stopped, Comfort said. Indonesian officials who have been supportive of the new early warning system did not immediately answer requests for comment. Since the 2004 tsunami, some disaster officials in Indonesia have resisted a new warning system. They say the earthquake itself is the tsunami warning. After an earthquake, everyone should go to higher areas, the officials say. Gavin Sullivan is a disaster expert who works for the Indonesian city of Bandung. He noted that, during Fridays tsunami, people were on the coast watching the wave move toward them. That shows that education efforts about staying safe during a tsunami event have failed. Im Ashley Thompson. I'm Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. The editor was Mario Ritter. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story tsunami n. a very high, large wave in the ocean that is usually caused by an earthquake under the sea and that can cause great destruction when it reaches land sensor n.a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc. fiber-optic cable n.a wire made of glass than can carry information very quickly prototype n. an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed buoy n.an object that floats on water in a lake, bay, river, etc., to show areas that are safe or dangerous for boats seismograph n. an instrument that measures and records information about earthquakes sirens n. a piece of equipment that produces a loud, high-pitched warning sound Two scientists have won the Nobel Prize in medicine for research leading to new successful cancer treatments. Nobel officials announced in Sweden Monday American James Allison and Japans Tasuku Honjo were winners of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They will share a $1-million award that comes with the prize. The two researchers discovered a process that helps a persons own immune system attack cancer in the body. They have been independently working on the treatment since the 1990s. The process targets proteins that help control the action of T-cells, which destroy foreign agents in the body. These proteins block the T-cells from attacking the body itself. Cancer cells are not wholly foreign, so they are able to avoid T-cell attack. The researchers discovered a way to use drugs to block the proteins from stopping T-cells. It permits them to recognize the cancer cells as foreign and attack them. The discoveries led to greatly improved therapies for skin cancer, as well as cancers of the lung, head, neck, kidney and liver. Such cancers can be hard to treat, and therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation can do damage as well as good. Revolutionary cancer treatment The new treatments represented a landmark in our fight against cancer, the Nobel Assembly at Swedens Karolinska Institute said in announcing the winners. It said Allison and Honjo's work revolutionized cancer treatment and has fundamentally changed the way we view how cancer can be managed." Jedd Wolchok is the chief of melanoma and immunotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He spoke to the Associated Press. In his words, an untold number of lives... have been saved by the science the two men discovered and developed. Tasuku Honjo, a professor at Japans Kyoto University, said winning the prize was a great honor. He told the Nobel organization in a telephone interview Monday he was very pleased to hear what I have done is really meaningful. Honjo said he hopes to keep working on the research in an effort to save more cancer patients. James Allison released a statement through the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he is a professor. Im honored and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition. I was doing basic science to do basic science, but you know, I had the good opportunity to see it develop into something that actually does people good, Allison said. That's gratifying. Other prizes Nobel officials will announce the physics prize on Tuesday. On Wednesday, they will announce the chemistry prize. And the Nobel Peace Prize will be named on Friday. Also in Stockholm Monday, the husband of former Swedish Academy member Katarina Frostenson was found guilty of a rape in 2011. A court sentenced Jean-Claude Arnault to a two-year prison term. Seventeen other women also have accused him of rape or sexual assault. The case caused a crisis in the Swedish Academy. Several Academy members resigned after officials permitted Frostenson, a poet, to remain in her position. Later, she left the Academy also. The Swedish Academy canceled this years literature prize as a result of the crisis. Im Caty Weaver. Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story immune system n. the cells and tissues in the body that fight against infection therapy n. the work of treating illness landmark adj. event seen as famous or important in the history of something fundamentally adv. relating to the most important or main part of something humble v. having or showing a modest or low estimate of ones own importance prestigious adj. respected and admired opportunity n. situation in which it is possible for a person to do something gratifying adj. giving pleasure or satisfaction A study from the Thoracic Oncology Research Group (TORG), Division of Pulmonary Critical Care, Medical University of South Carolina aimed to examine the adherence to annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening after baselines LDCT within the Veteran Health Administration Lung Cancer Screening Demonstration Project (LCDSDP). The study will be presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2018 in San Antonio and a discussion highlighting the latest updates made the CHEST Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines will take place. The original project was conducted from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015 at eight geographically diverse Veterans Affairs hospitals. Screening was performed in current and former smokers (quit within the past 15 years) ages 55-80 with at least a 30-pack year smoking history. Researchers utilized data generated from the LCSDP and 18 months following its completion stored in the BHA CorporateData Warehouse. Adherence to screening was defined as it was in the National Lung Screening Trial as having undergone a follow-up LDCT within 15 months from baseline scan. A total of 2,106 Veterans underwent a baseline LDCT across all sites; 60% had scans negative for nodules greater than or equal to 4mm in size and repeat annual LDCT was recommended. In this group with a negative baseline scan, 149 were considered no longer eligible for screening because they had been diagnosed with lung cancer, were undergoing evaluation for cancer, no longer met the target age or years of cessation, were considered to have other life-limiting disease or were no longer interested in participating. Of the 1120 remaining eligible for repeat annual LDCT, 880 went on to undergo the follow-up scan yielding a 77.6% adherence rate from annual screening in those with a normal baseline scan. "Our study demonstrates that even within the context of a well-designed, implemented and guideline adherent LDCT screening program, adherence is not optimal and does not reach the reported 95% of the NLST when the baseline scan is negative," says lead researcher Dr. Paul B. Brasher. "Both mortality benefit and cost-efficacy are likely to suffer without better adherence." Further results from these two studies will be shared at CHEST Annual Meeting 2018 in San Antonio on Tuesday, October 9, 8:45 AM -9:00 AM at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, Room207A. The study abstracts can be viewed on the journal CHEST website. Explore further Prediction tool helps tailor lung cancer screening to patients More information: PAUL BRASHER et al, ADHERENCE TO ANNUAL LUNG CANCER SCREENING WITHIN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION LUNG CANCER SCREENING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, Chest (2018). Journal information: Chest PAUL BRASHER et al, ADHERENCE TO ANNUAL LUNG CANCER SCREENING WITHIN THE VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION LUNG CANCER SCREENING DEMONSTRATION PROJECT,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.08.576 High magnification micrograph of Crohn's disease. Biopsy of esophagus. H&E stain. Credit: Nephron/Wikipedia Researchers at MRC HIU examined the large intestine using sophisticated single cell technology, in work that paves the way for better treatments for IBD. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with limited treatment options. The two main forms of the disease, Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis, affect more than 300,000 people in the UK. Up to 40% of patients with IBD fail to respond to conventional therapies, partly due to our limited understanding of the cells that form the large intestine, but also how they change in in patients affected by this disease. A new study by the group of Professor Alison Simmons at the MRC Human Immunology Unit based in the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine paves the way for better treatments for IBD by providing the first detailed single cell resolution analysis of colon cells in health and disease. The researchers specifically examined mesenchymal cells, a group of cells that play instrumental roles in innate immunity, immune regulation and epithelial barrier maintenance in the gut. These cells are known to be important, but it is unclear whether they constitute a homogeneous population of cells, and/or how they change in a disease context. The group led by Professor Simmons, Professor of Gastroenterology at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, examined these cells using sophisticated single cell technology that allows assessment of the characteristics of individual cells with incredible precision. "Using cutting edge technologies such as single cell RNA sequencing, single molecule in situ hybridisation, organoid cultures and mass cytometry time-of-flight, we were able to examine functionally diverse mesenchymal cells in the colon and track their pathogenic changes during inflammation," explained the authors. "Colonic mesenchymal cells are a very complex cell type; precise RNA sequencing on a single cell level allowed us to segregate cells into functionally diverse categories for the first time. We then complemented this by using mass cytometry, which utilises stable metal isotopes coupled to antibodies to detect cellular targets, to dissect the most biologically significant markers associated with IBD pathology. We further used techniques such as single molecule in situ hybridisation, immunohistochemistry and sophisticated three dimensional organoid cultures to interrogate the anatomical localisation of these functionally specialised subsets of cells and demonstrate their relative contributions to health and disease." In total they examined 16,500 cells, assembling a detailed atlas of the colonic mesenchyme. Careful analysis of this atlas showed that, rather than a homogeneous group, mesenchymal cells actually fall into 5 categories, each with its unique characteristics, both in terms of gene expression, biological function and localisation. In particular they were able to show that one specific subset of these cells is dysregulated in patients with IBD, providing clues for how the disease emerges. In addition, the researchers also compared the composition of the colon in human patients and mouse models of IBD. This work provides a detailed of understanding of the similarities and difference between the two species, essential as mice are vital models for the development and assessment of new drugs and treatments. "This work has allowed us to highlight the most significant disease-associated features that we have identified as major drivers of chronic intestinal inflammation, many of which will open up new areas of drug targets for inflammatory bowel disease," they added. The authors hope that this study provides the scientific community with a comprehensive atlas of the colon in health and disease, an important reference point for the development of future therapies for IBD but also for other conditions affecting the intestine. The full paper, "Structural Remodeling of the Human Colonic Mesenchyme in Inflammatory Bowel Disease," is published in the journal Cell. Explore further Oxysterols guide gut immune cells and are involved in inflammatory bowel disease More information: James Kinchen et al. Structural Remodeling of the Human Colonic Mesenchyme in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Cell (2018). Journal information: Cell James Kinchen et al. Structural Remodeling of the Human Colonic Mesenchyme in Inflammatory Bowel Disease,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.08.067 The World Health Organization said Tuesday it was helping Yemeni authorities with a second round of vaccination against cholera in three hard-hit districts, as cases surged across the war-ravaged country. More than 2,500 people have died of the waterborne infection since the worst cholera outbreak in Yemen's history began in April 2017, while nearly one million more suspected cases have been reported across the country. Children under the age of five make up nearly a third of all suspected cases. Yemen's cholera epidemic had seemed to lull for a while, but WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic warned of a new escalation. "We have been seeing the number of cholera cases increasing in Yemen since June, and this increase has been even more important in the last three weeks," he told reporters in Geneva. During the first eight months of the year, Yemen registered nearly 155,000 suspected cholera cases, including 197 deaths. But in the last week of August alone, 9,425 suspected cholera cases were recorded across the country, and just a week later, the number of suspected cases recorded soared to 11,478, WHO said. WHO has warned Yemen faces a third cholera epidemic as autumn rains have increased the risk of infection after already being hit by two major cholera outbreaks in less than two years. In a bid to prevent a "third wave", WHO, UNICEF and other partners began helping the government on September 30 to provide a second dose of the two-dose oral vaccination in three of the most vulnerable districts, he said. In August, nearly 390,000 out of the more than 500,000 people targeted in Al-Hali and Al-Marawiah districts in Hodeida governorate and in Hazm Al Udayn in Ibb governorate received the first dose. The three districts "were assessed to be most vulnerable to an escalation of cholera," Jasarevic said. He said the same population would be targeted again, with the aim to vaccinate 540,000 people. Those who did not receive a first dose in August will need to get another dose down the line. Cholera, which causes potentially deadly diarrhoea, is contracted by ingesting food or water contaminated with a bacterium carried in human faeces and spread through poor sanitation and dirty drinking water. Left untreated, it can kill within hours. Yemen's brutal conflict, which since 2015 has left some 10,000 people dead and eight million on the brink of famine, has created the perfect environment for cholera to thrive. Save The Children warned Tuesday that Hodeida, the Yemeni port city on the front line between a pro-government alliance and rebels, had seen cases nearly triple in the past three months alone. 2018 AFP (HealthDay)The risk of death from dangerously low blood sugar is much higher among seniors who have both diabetes and dementia than those with diabetes alone, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 20,000 people aged 65 and older with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who were followed for up to five years after their first recorded low blood sugar episode. Those with both diabetes and dementia had a 67 percent higher risk of death following dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) than those with diabetes alone, according to study findings. "Hypoglycemia is an under-recognized risk factor for death in older adults with diabetes and dementia," said study author Dr. Katharina Mattishent, an Alzheimer's Society clinical research fellow at Norwich Medical School in England. "In this vulnerable group, clinicians and patients should move away from relentless pursuit of strict glucose-lowering targets, she said. "The focus must be directed at rigorous detection of hypoglycemia using continuous glucose monitoring devices." The findings were presented Monday at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, in Berlin. Such research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. "With no new dementia drugs in 15 years, minimizing risk and improving care is key. We know that diabetes can raise the risk of developing dementia, and with both of these illnesses on the rise we urgently need to understand this relationship better," said James Pickett, head of research at the Alzheimer's Society. "Very low blood sugar levels are clearly dangerous to anyone with diabetes, and this suggests the effects might be even more extreme in people with dementia," Pickett said in a meeting news release. "The study didn't show cause and effect but, given the dangers of low blood sugar levels, clearly it should be managed carefully," he added. Explore further Diabetes may significantly increase your risk of dementia More information: The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more on The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more on hypoglycemia Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. By examining the patient's eye with ultrasound, doctors can reveal high brain pressure. In the past, the doctors had to go through the patient's skull to measure this. The method was developed by SINTEF in cooperation with the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in South Africa. Credit: NiSonic A new study confirms the efficacy of a new diagnostic tool that utilises ultrasound to measure intracranial pressure following accidents. The technology will now be provided with artificial intelligence so that ambulance personnel can carry out examinations at accident scenes. Elevations in intracranial pressure following an accident can lead to brain injury and damage to the spinal cord. Currently, such increases are detected directly using a sensor that is surgically inserted into the patient's head via a hole made in the skull. The procedure must be carried out in an operating theatre. Both this and the sensor are expensive and resource-demanding. Results from a new study confirm that the diagnostics tool developed by a team of researchers at SINTEF, in collaboration with the South African paediatric neurosurgeon Llewellyn Padayachy, can address this problem. The tool is an ultrasound device that can detect elevations in intracranial pressure by making examinations of the eye. It all began in Cape Town Padayachy had the idea for this revolutionary invention while he was working with Norwegian ultrasound researchers at the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in Cape Town, one of South Africa's largest paediatric hospitals. The project was launched by a study completed in 2016 involving 16 patients in South Africa. Half were suffering from elevations in cranial pressure, while the remaining eight exhibited normal levels. "We obtained good results with high levels of clinical accuracy, and using these were able to further develop the technology", says SINTEF researcher Reidar Brekken. The research group in Cape Town has recently completed a new study of 28 patients, in which the ultrasound data were analysed using software developed by the team at SINTEF. "We knew what answers we would get from the first study, while for the second we carried out a blind analysis", says Brekken. "Since the results we obtained were just as good, I'm certain that we should be pursuing this further", he says. A follow-up study has recently been published in the journal Operative Neurosurgery. Artificial intelligence The first version of the ultrasound device was manually-operated, and this demanded high levels of specialist expertise on the part of the operator. Now, however, the research team has advanced the technology a step further by providing it with artificial intelligence. This means that many more people can operate the tool because it is more user-friendly. This in turn makes it possible for intracranial pressure measurements to be carried out at an earlier stage. "For the most part, artificial intelligence assists by automating the measurement process", says Brekken. "Whereas previously we had to input data manually and identify structures displayed on the resulting image, our aim now is that the only thing an operator has to do is place the ultrasound probe on the patient's eye. The machine will then identify the structures and deliver the measurement results", he says. It is only in recent years that it has been possible to fully automate examination of the images. "Developments in artificial intelligence are advancing fast, and the new device can interpret images better than human operators", says SINTEF researcher Erik Smistad. "The major benefit of this technology is that it is far less dependent on the operator and provides more objective measurements", he says. Our aim now is to manufacture a tool that can be used early in the patient pathway, ideally by ambulance personnel. South African doctor Llewellyn Padayachy tests the ultrasound device with the probe against the eyelid to the patient. Credit: SINTEF "If clinical assessments can be made at accident scenes, this will make a big difference later in the patient pathway", says Brekken. "It will help to save lives and prevent potential brain damage. It will also be less expensive to implement because there will be no need to transport patients for costly surgical interventions in operating theatres in order to perform an examination", he says. Tests on Norwegian patients In the future, technological and clinical research will be key to the advancement and quality assurance of the technology. "We will also have to develop the artificial intelligence component into a diagnostics tool", says Brekken. "Even now, the machine handles a relatively large volume of data, but we will need more capacity if we are to train it to make the right choices", he says. There are plans in the immediate future to further test the technology on 200 patients suffering from head injuries. The studies will be carried out in collaboration with professor and neurosurgeon Eirik Helseth at the Ulleval University Hospital in Oslo. "This will be the first time that the technology will be tested on adults, and entirely on patients with head injuries", says Brekken. "It will be a particularly important study, and a landmark in the development of this diagnostic tool", he says. Researchers are also looking into different ways of benefiting from this technology above and beyond the examination of head injuries. "It isn't just traumas such as blows to the head that cause elevations in intracranial pressure", says Brekken. "Other neurological conditions, such as brain tumours and haemorrhaging can also result in pressure increases", he says. Explore further Norwegian superfluid is now helping brain surgeons Micrograph showing prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma (the most common form of prostate cancer) Credit: Wikipedia Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in American men. But black men bear a disproportionate burden of its effects. It's more commonand more than twice as deadlyamong black men compared to their white counterparts. Yet the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for prostate cancer screening do not differentiate for race, leaving it to physicians and patients, ages 55 to 69, to reach an individual decision on whether and when to screen. In a new study published in European Urology, Moffitt Cancer Center researchers, along with colleagues at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, demonstrated that a baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level obtained from black men between ages 40 and 60 can strongly predict future development of prostate cancer and its most aggressive forms for years after testing. The study builds on earlier work in the U.S. and Sweden which demonstrated a strong link between elevated midlife PSA levels and later development of prostate cancer among primarily white men. Given the pronounced racial disparities in prostate cancer, research on screening in African-American men has become a USPSTF priority. The investigators for this study utilized data and blood samples from participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS), a prospective cohort of 86,000 men and women recruited through community health centers in 12 southern states. Established by the National Cancer Institute in 2001 to address health disparities, the SCCS has the highest representation of African Americans among existing cohorts, as well as a large biorepository. Researchers selected black men within the SCCS cohort who were aged 40 to 64 at time of enrollment during 2002-2009. At entry into the SCCS, they were free of cancer diagnosis. Linkage with state cancer registries allowed the researchers to identify 197 within this group who had developed prostate cancer by 2015, 91 of whom had aggressive disease (advanced stage, high grade or death attributed to prostate cancer). For each of these cases, the researchers identified up to three controls from the SCCS who matched in terms of age, study site and date of blood draw and who survived without prostate cancer at the time of the matched case's diagnosis. PSA levels in blood samples from the SCCS biorepository for the total of 766 cases and controls were analyzed in blinded case-control sets. The results showed that the risk of prostate cancer rose along with rising PSA levels, regardless of age. Compared to men with PSAs at or below their age-specific median, an elevated PSA baseline increased prostate cancer risks 25 percent for men aged 40 to 54, and 17.5 percent for men aged 55 to 64. Importantly, the results showed that, for men aged 40 to 54, PSA levels within the "normal" range that would not trigger a follow-up in usual clinical practice (1.11.7 ng/ml) still saw an increased risk for prostate cancer. The link between aggressive prostate cancer and elevated baseline PSA was especially strong. All 36 cases of aggressive prostate cancer in the 40 to 54 years age group occurred among those with baseline PSA above their age-specific median. For those ages 55 to 64, 95 percent (52 of 55) of aggressive prostate cancer cases were in men with elevated PSA baselines. "Midlife PSA predicts subsequent development of aggressive prostate cancer better than either family history or race," said co-first author and Moffitt epidemiologist Travis Gerke, Sc.D. "While these findings do not imply that these younger men should immediately undergo prostate biopsy or definitive treatment, they suggest that this group would benefit from more intensive PSA screening for earlier identification of cancer while it is potentially curable," said Gerke. "This 'smarter screening' approach may allow us to identify and follow men at higher risk while reducing the population-wide harms of screening low-risk men." Explore further Large US study targets prostate cancer in black men More information: Mark A. Preston et al, Baseline Prostate-specific Antigen Level in Midlife and Aggressive Prostate Cancer in Black Men, European Urology (2018). Journal information: European Urology Mark A. Preston et al, Baseline Prostate-specific Antigen Level in Midlife and Aggressive Prostate Cancer in Black Men,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.eururo.2018.08.032 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A research team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health found that a well-known gene variant linked to Type 2 diabetes, called transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene, may also predispose someone to being leaner, or having a lower body weight. These findings are striking because many individuals with Type 2 diabetes are obese. But individuals with this gene variant may be at risk for Type 2 diabetes even while maintaining a low body weight. As researchers uncover genes, they are finding distinct pathways through which individuals develop Type 2 diabetes. This information may be used in the future to tailor treatments to populations and individuals to help prevent diabetes or better control blood glucose levels once they develop diabetes. Kari North, senior author of the study, is a professor of epidemiology in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. This study is one of the first studies of the TCF7L2 gene in a very large, representative sample of diverse Hispanic Latinos and was published today in the journal BMC Obesity. "The counterintuitive discovery that some people are predisposed to both being thin and developing Type 2 diabetes refocuses our attention on the need to collect data in diverse populations and across time," said North. "Hispanic Latinos are a diverse and understudied population, so this study is an important step forward for understanding their health risks." The team used population-based study data from more than 9,000 Hispanic Latino adults, ages 21 to 76 years old, with complete weight history and genetic data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Using complex modeling, researchers looked at the impact of a specific complex gene variant on changes in body mass index and then estimated the odds of Type 2 diabetes across time. In the United States, Hispanic Latinos face a striking disparity in Type 2 diabetes, with one in two developing Type 2 diabetes. This population is also 50 percent more likely than whites to die of Type 2 diabetes. "The other important takeaway from this study, which is especially timely now during National Hispanic Heritage Month, is that diverse populations, like Hispanics, who have ancestry from the Americas, Europe and Africa, are heterogeneous with distinct genetics," says North. "As we continue to develop initiatives around personalized medicine, we need to make sure that we are addressing the needs of all populations." The research paper notes that the transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene is not routinely screened for in clinical practice. In the future, this research will help scientists use genetic information to understand the causes of diabetes and obesity and understand their relationship to each other. This can lead to personalization in medication and help clinicians offer better treatment and advice on adopting healthy lifestyles. The study used cohort data with detailed medical histories, allowing the research team to demonstrate that leanness and Type 2 diabetes co-occur at a high rate in this diverse Hispanic Latino population. More information: Lindsay Fernandez-Rhodes et al, Complex patterns of direct and indirect association between the transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene, body mass index and type 2 diabetes diagnosis in adulthood in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, BMC Obesity (2018). Lindsay Fernandez-Rhodes et al, Complex patterns of direct and indirect association between the transcription Factor-7 like 2 gene, body mass index and type 2 diabetes diagnosis in adulthood in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos,(2018). DOI: 10.1186/s40608-018-0200-x Figure showing the binding of a nanobody derived from alpaca to the EGF protein. The scientists demonstrate the high affinity and selectivity of a family of nanobodies for EGF, target of interest for the treatment of cancer. Credit: S Guardiola, IRB Barcelona The natural world often provides the answer to unsolved medical problems. On this occasion, the solution to a challenge posed by cancer has come about from the immune system of camelids. A study headed by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), in Belgium, describes a number of therapeutic tools that have the capacity to block the activity of EGF, a growth factor that is dysregulated in cancer cells. EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) is a therapeutic target in cancer; however, no inhibitors have been found for it to date. The team of researchers is the first to identify a family of nanobodiesantibodies that are exclusive to camelidsderived from alpacas that are effective against EGF. In this regard, they have described the molecular mechanisms underlying the affinity and selectivity of these nanobodies in an article published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. "In spite of advances in treatments against the EGR receptor (EGFR) in patients, their efficacy decreases over time because patients develop resistance," explain Monica Varese and Salvador Guardiola, co-authors of the study and postdoctoral researchers at IRB Barcelona. "By taking advantage of an emerging biotech tool, nanobodies, we have been able to synthesise the first inhibitors with high affinity for EGF," they say. Immune response IRB Barcelona produced the EGF protein and their Belgian colleagues administered it to alpacas. The immune response of these animals to this strange antigen produced a series of nanobodies, and the researchers identified a family of these molecules as potential inhibitors of EGF. The IRB Barcelona team, which has extensive expertise in molecular recognition between proteins, observed that some of the ligands showed high affinity and selectivity towards EGF, and, using a range of biophysical techniques, they characterized the interactions in cells in vitro and in human cancer cells. Strategy to obtain and evaluate specific nanobodies against human EGF. Credit: S Guardiola and M Varese, IRB Barcelona "By injecting EGF into the alpaca we have challenged nature to find a molecule capable of binding tightly and with high selectivity to EGF, and it has come up with two very different but equally effective solutions for such a small and difficult antigen as EGF," says Ernest Giralt, head of the Peptide and Proteins Lab at IRB Barcelona and senior professor at the University of Barcelona, who has led the study. These drugs could be useful for patients who develop resistance to the EGFR inhibitors currently on the market. The first step is now to evaluate the pharmacological effect of these new nanobodies in cell and animal models of cancer. Explore further Promising compounds against a cancer target More information: Salvador Guardiola et al. Blocking EGFR Activation with Anti-EGF Nanobodies via Two Distinct Molecular Recognition Mechanisms, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2018). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie , Angewandte Chemie International Edition Salvador Guardiola et al. Blocking EGFR Activation with Anti-EGF Nanobodies via Two Distinct Molecular Recognition Mechanisms,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/anie.201807736 Credit: Larisa Koshkina/public domain Depression is notoriously hard to study, but what if you could switch depression on and off and look at the biological differences between when people are depressed and when they are not? Now a study of seasonal depression, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), suggests that some people, and especially women, can avoid depression by maintaining or even increasing levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin throughout the year, even though they carry a gene which would normally cause winter blues. This work is published in the October issue of the peer-reviewed journal European Neuropsychopharmacology. SAD is a condition caused by lack of daylight, leading to an increase in clinical depression in the winter, especially in areas further from the equator. Studies have shown that around 90 percent of people living in Copenhagen are affected in some way, such as sleeping or eating disturbance, with around 5 percent showing clinical depression in the winter. Copenhagen is at roughly the same latitude as major population centres such as Glasgow and Edinburgh, Moscow, Novosibirsk, and Sitka, Alaska. With the coming of spring, these clinical symptoms generally disappear. As lead researcher, Dr. Brenda McMahon (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen) said "Daylight is effectively a natural antidepressant. Like many drugs currently used against depression, more daylight prevents serotonin being removed from the brain." Scientists had previously found that SAD is more common in women, and in people carrying the 5-HTTLPR gene. This genetic variation determines the efficacy of the serotonin transporter which regulates how the neurotransmitter serotonin is removed from the brain: most anti-depressive medicines (such as Prozac) work by slowing the clearance of serotonin between the brain cells. The team of scientists from Copenhagen studied 23 young volunteers who had the HTTLPR genetic predisposition to depression, but who were amongst the 10 percent of Danes who are unaffected by the change of season. The volunteers were given two brain scans (PET scans, Positron Emission Tomography) in summer, with two follow-up scan in winter, with the aim of measuring both the serotonin transporter and serotonin levels in the brain. According to Brenda McMahon "Daylight deprivation is a potent trigger of depressive symptoms. This is the first time anyone has used PET scans to look at resistance to winter depression. We found that the level of serotonin transporter protein dropped by an average of around 10 percent from summer to winter, with the drop being noticeably greater in women. We found that some people who you would expect to have SAD because of their genetic disposition were nevertheless able to control how much serotonin transporter was produced, which means that they were able to regulate how much serotonin was removed from their brain: in this way they become more resilient to depression. SAD resilient women down-regulate their brain serotonin transporter more in the winter than men do, meaning that the levels of serotonin did remained unaltered between seasons. In general SAD resilient people maintained the same level of serotonin across seasons. Senior author, Professor Gitte Knudsen (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen) said: "We need to note that this is a small study, and we measured serotonin levels indirectly. Nevertheless, our findings offer good grounds for treatment of SAD with SSRIs." Commenting, Professor Eduard Vieta (Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona) said: "Psychiatry has traditionally focused on risk factors and illness outcomes. This is one of those rare studies that focuses on protective factors, something called "positive psychiatry." By selecting and studying people who did not develop seasonal depression, the authors provide further knowledge on the neurobiology of resilience, which may translate, in the future, on better ways to prevent depression." Professor Vieta was not involved in this work, this is an independent comment. European Neuropsychopharmacology editor, Professor Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg (Mannheim), added: "This study illustrates the power of combining neuroimaging with genetic analysis to understand what brain processes increase resilience against mental disorders." Explore further Researchers confirm the biochemical cause of seasonal depression More information: Brenda Mc Mahon et al. Seasonality-resilient individuals downregulate their cerebral 5-HT transporter binding in winter A longitudinal combined 11C-DASB and 11C-SB207145 PET study, European Neuropsychopharmacology (2018). Brenda Mc Mahon et al. Seasonality-resilient individuals downregulate their cerebral 5-HT transporter binding in winter A longitudinal combined 11C-DASB and 11C-SB207145 PET study,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.06.004 A new study from the NYU College of Global Public Health and NYU Tandon School of Engineering used text message surveys to determine in real time how people used maternal health services during a recent Ebola outbreak. Credit: GeoPoll Text messages aren't just a way to chat with family and friendsthey are a viable method for rapidly gathering information during a public health crisis. A new study from the NYU College of Global Public Health and NYU Tandon School of Engineering, published in Nature Digital Medicine, used text message surveys to determine in real time how people used maternal health services during a recent Ebola outbreak and measured a drop in hospital-based births during the outbreak. "Sourcing data from individuals directly, such as through mobile phones, has the potential to provide windows into public health phenomena, especially during an acute situation like an Ebola outbreak," said Rumi Chunara, assistant professor of computer science and engineering and global public health at NYU and the study's senior author. "While text messages will not replace national surveys, they can capture changes in health behavior more nimbly. With appropriate methodological approaches, they can be a valuable tool for population health intelligence that allows us to quickly target the affected regions with public health messaging or deploy appropriate interventions." Public health emergencies profoundly affect local health care systems andas seen in the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africacan overwhelm clinics, erode public trust, and decrease health care utilization. "During the Ebola outbreak, it was suspected that people were hesitant to go to hospitals because they would be more likely to contract Ebola. If you want to deploy treatment or interventions, you need to know if people are coming to hospitals or staying in their communities," said Chunara. Routine data collection systems, such as surveys of households or health facilities, can take months to collect and analyze and are often disrupted by emergencies in regions with weaker infrastructure. Mobile technology has emerged as a promising tool for collecting data quickly, at a low cost, and across regions that are difficult to reach. While cell phones are prevalent around the worldincluding in Liberia, where 81 percent of the population had a cell phone subscription in 2015questions nonetheless remain about the accuracy of the data generated by text polls. Cell phone users are often younger, more educated, and able to afford a phone, so may not be representative of the general population. In this study, Chunara and her colleagues conducted a poll via text message to ask Liberians about their health, focusing on maternal health services. Participants were asked 10 questions, including whether they knew anyone with Ebola, whether they recently gave birth, and if so, where they delivered (in a government hospital or clinic, a private hospital or clinic, at home or someone else's home, or another location). Responses were collected from 6,694 individuals from March to June 2015. Chunara and her colleagues then used a method called propensity score matching to make the data from their text message poll comparable with the 2013 Liberian Demographic Health Survey, the most recent national survey of women of reproductive age. The researchers matched cell phone poll participants who reported giving birth within the past year with women who reported a birth in the 2013 Demographic Health Survey. Participants in the cell phone poll were generally more educated than the population in the Demographic Health Survey, but propensity score matching enabled the researchers to balance the populations across factors such as age, occupation, education, and location. "Using these statistical methods to adjust for the populations being different, we were able to make sure we were comparing apples to apples and generating matched groups across which to compare outcomes," Chunara said. After matching, the researchers saw that hospital-based deliveries were significantly lower during the Ebola outbreak compared with after the outbreak. This was consistent with the findings of many retrospective studies of health care utilization in the Ebola outbreak. Using text messages to directly assess behaviors also enabled the researchers to measure whether people were using public versus private hospitals. This has been a challenge in other studies of health care utilization, which rely mainly on government data sources that only capture public facilities. The researchers observed similar drops in births in public and private facilities. After the outbreak, the proportion delivering in public hospitals returned to baseline levels; the proportion delivering in private facilities also increased. Using text messages to rapidly gather information directly from citizens has utility beyond Ebola. For instance, the flu and other respiratory infections often go unreported because most people do not go to a doctor (and are often told to stay home to avoid infecting others). However, capturing this information directly from people in the community, rather than just relying on clinical data, could be useful in monitoring a flu epidemicand text messaging could play a role in gathering data in the community. More information: Shuo Feng et al, Tracking health seeking behavior during an Ebola outbreak via mobile phones and SMS, npj Digital Medicine (2018). Shuo Feng et al, Tracking health seeking behavior during an Ebola outbreak via mobile phones and SMS,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-018-0055-z Many South African telecommunications companies have announced job cuts, which is a direct result of the tough economic conditions created by the Jacob Zuma government. In September, Telkom announced it will start offering employees voluntary separation packages as part of a staff reduction initiative. Less that three weeks later Liquid Telecom South Africa also announced job cuts, which the company said were needed to position it for future growth. Other telecoms players like Internet Solutions have also cut staff in recent months, which shows that it is an industry-wide problem. These job cuts come despite President Cyril Ramaphosas call on businesses to place a moratorium on job cuts. He said his administration is trying to contain the fallout of a recession and institute measures to reignite growth in the country. There is, however, a trust deficit when it comes to the ANC governments statements. Over the last decade, corruption, mismanagement, and an anti-business sentiment have destroyed South Africas economy and state-owned enterprises. The partys land expropriation without compensation plans have further hurt the economy, with many farmers and businesses questioning whether their property rights will remain protected. A lesson everyone must learn Commenting on Ramaphosas statements, Wayne McCurrie from FNB Wealth and Investments said there is a lesson which everyone must learn. Money has no loyalty. Money does not carry history. It goes to where the best returns are. You cannot compel money to where you want it to go, he said. Companies are looking for returns, and in a tough economic climate jobs cuts will follow to ensure future profits. This is the reality which South Africa now faces, which saw 69,000 jobs lost in the countrys non-agricultural formal sector between March and June 2018. Without economic growth more jobs will be on the line, and no political promises will be able to stem the losses. Google is replacing its top advertising executive, Sridhar Ramaswamy, the first major management shakeup at the companys most important business in half a decade. Prabhakar Raghavan, head of Googles business-applications unit, will step into the role on Friday, the company said. A veteran of search technology and artificial intelligence research, Raghavan will now oversee product and engineering for the worlds largest digital-ads business, which is on course to generate more than $100 billion in sales this year. Raghavan will be responsible for maintaining the pace of growth at Googles search and display ad operations and developing new revenue sources while preventing commercial goals from influencing the companys consumer services. Regulatory pressure and political scrutiny on Google are rising, too, while the online commerce side of the business has fallen behind Amazon.com Inc. Raghavan, 58, said his first job will be continuity for the ad businesses, which generate most of the revenue for Google and parent Alphabet Inc. The ecosystem remains strong. The business remains strong. The team is fantastic, he said. My focus is on how to take that fantastic machine and keep it going rather than being a bull in a china shop. After spending a total of 15 years at the internet giant, Ramaswamy is joining Greylock Partners as a venture partner. Ramaswamy led the ads business for more than five years. During that time, the company adjusted search results and ads to run on smaller smartphone screens. At first, that was seen as a challenge for Google, but the company now crams multiple ads at the top of search results, which has generated more clicks and a resurgence in growth. Ramaswamy, 51, also spearheaded the development of new Google shopping, travel, video, and app-install ads that have brought in billions of dollars in revenue. Ad sales jumped 24 percent in the second quarter of this year. Ramaswamys move may have been brewing for some time. Earlier this year, he was mentioned as a potential candidate to be chief executive officer of online coding community GitHub, which was eventually acquired by Microsoft Corp. A few months before, Google brought in a new vice president, Suresh Kumar, an Amazon and Microsoft alum, to manage web and display video ads a rare outside hire for a business unit typically filled with company veterans. Caesar Sengupta, a Singapore-based deputy of Google CEO Sundar Pichai, recently took over Googles payments business. Meanwhile, some other longtime advertising lieutenants were moved to other projects or left Google, according to people familiar with the decisions, who asked not to be identified discussing unannounced personnel moves. Raghavan joined Google in 2011, and Pichai tapped him in 2014 to oversee Googles suite of cloud-based business apps, including Drive, Docs and Hangouts. At the time, Pichai had been running Apps, and said hed left lots of challenges, Raghavan recalled. He was self-deprecating. Under Raghavan, Apps grew from a set of consumer programs to an enterprise service called G Suite with more than 4 million paying customers, now a major contributor to Googles cloud business. He helped introduce AI-powered features, such as Smart Reply, which automatically provides relevant responses to emails, and Smart Compose, which suggests whole sentences for users while they write messages in Gmail. More than 10 percent of English Gmail replies are machine-written and accepted by human recipients now, according to Raghavan, who co-authored some of the patents. Ive worked with Prabhakar over many years now and can think of no better person to lead our monetization efforts, Pichai said in a statement. Prabhakar has incredible management experience, and the deep technical expertise to match. Before joining Google, Raghavan ran Yahoos research lab where he worked on search, ad ranking, ad exchanges and marketplaces. He also worked for IBMs research arm for many years and co-authored two textbooks on algorithms and information retrieval. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Raghavan declined to discuss future products or any early plans he may have, saying he has to settle into the job first. He also wouldnt discuss Googles efforts to return to mainland China or recent disputes over the use of Google AI in a Pentagon contract. He got to know Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1996 and 1997 while he was a consulting professor at Stanford University studying how to search for information and analyze links on the nascent world wide web. These were deep technical discussions and problems that I had my team working on and they had their team working on, Raghavan said. We would talk about search as a challenge for the ages. What struck me was Larrys conviction that search would remain an unsolved problem for a long time. He has been proved right. Ads sales and business partnerships still rest under Googles Chief Business Officer, Philipp Schindler. But all product development and technical decisions those that determine what search terms, web pages and online videos are paired with ads fall under the ads role Raghavan is taking on. He will also oversee commerce-related businesses. Jaguar has driven its electric SUV, the I-PACE, from Johannesburg to Durban using its Powerway charging network. The pre-production Jaguar I-PACE started the trip from Jaguar Centurion and travelled for 310km before stopping to recharge at a public 60kW fast charger in Bergview. The Jaguar I-PACEs battery was replenished to 100% capacity at the Jaguar Powerway fast charger in just enough time for its driver to enjoy breakfast and a rest, said Jaguar. The recharge was billed at roughly quarter the cost of full tanks of petrol or diesel in SUVs with similar power outputs. The I-PACE then drove another 306km to reach Durban. The Jaguar Powerway recharging network, in partnership with GridCars, will feature 82 public charging stations for all electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the countrys major hubs and along frequently-travelled motorways between the countrys major cities, said Jaguar. The I-PACE is set to launch in Q1 2019. One of the largest players in Californias wine industry has rejected $4 million worth of contracted grapes by regional growers in the wake of Southern Oregons smoke-choked summer. Copper Cane, of Rutherford, owned by Joe Wagner, had signed long-term contracts to purchase primarily pinot noir grapes in the past three years. Hundreds of acres are involved, and in some cases, growers planted vines with lucrative contracts in mind. Citing widespread wildfires in Northern California and Southern Oregon, Copper Cane conducted tests in September, then emailed rejection letters to large and small growers in the region. The wines produced from grapes sampled from your vineyard were found by the winery to fail our sensory evaluation, the Napa Valley winery wrote. Due to the failure of your wines to pass our wine sensory evaluation for the presence of smoke taint characters, the winery is hereby rejecting all of the grapes from your vineyard for the 2018 harvest year. Southern Oregon vintners are crying foul for a number of reasons, including the testing procedure and the actual laboratory results. Rogue Valley Vintners President Ross Allen, owner of 2Hawk Vineyard & Winery, isnt among the pinot growers who stand to lose substantial income. Smoky skies have been commonplace in recent summers, but with the exception of 2013, smoke taint hasnt been an issue with local vintages. Allen wonders why smoke has become an issue to outside wineries this year. Obviously, all of us in the valley had to deal with another smoky summer, Allen said. But in comparison, we had smoke in 2017 as well; its just that duration periods were a little different. The smokes duration, intensity and particulate size, wineries proximity to the wildfire, and whether the smoke is from grass, woodlands or heavy-timber fires all determine whether smoke has an impact on grapes, he said. The straight answer to the point is yes, smoke can affect grapes, Allen said. But it is dependent on skin thickness and variety. Grapes tested by the usual laboratories throughout the region have shown remarkably little indication of smoke taint. Even though we had a longer smoke period in 2018, a lot of it occurred pre-veraison before we got color, where the fruit is not susceptible, Allen said. Post veraison, the intensity levels were lighter in some areas and heavier in others, but across the Rogue Valley for most varieties we dodged a bullet. Copper Cane fermented its samples and then turned over the wine to Enartis-Vinquiry Laboratory, seeking compounds associated with smoke taint such as guaiacol and 4-methylguaiaco, present in wood smoke resulting from the thermal decomposition of lignin. Copper Canes corporate offices are in St. Helena, California. In response to a telephone call seeking comment from the company, a representative asked for questions to be submitted by email. In response to six email questions, Jim Blumling, operations vice president, simply stated: We are working directly with our growers at this time. A dozen growers, feeling more worked over than worked with, gathered with their lawyers over the weekend, leading one participant to suggest a hefty lawsuit is in the works. Local vintners point out the abundance of grapes that have been harvested in recent years and suggested the smoke taint scenario is merely a ploy to reduce inventory. Relying on ETS Laboratories, like Enartis-Vinquiry Laboratory, located in St. Helena, Rogue Valley growers have received normal results. Last year, (Copper Cane) accepted all of our fruit, one contract grower said. The smoke was lower (in 2017) and closer. There was ash on cars and in the air, the test numbers were higher. The numbers are lower this year and weve had high elevation smoke, it hasnt been on the ground. A to Z Wineworks in Newberg continues to accept fruit in similar locations that Copper Cane rejected. John Pratt of Celestina Vineyard off Dark Hollow Road is president of the Oregon Wine Growers Association. His grapes arent sold to California wineries, but he eyes the flurry of rejections with suspicion. Whats happening now is wineries are using smoke taint as an excuse, because they can cancel these contracts. Right now there is fruit available on the market for about half the price of what these contracts were for. So they cancel these contracts and then they can go out and fill their need for fruit at much less. I dont think its a smoke issue, I think its really that there is sort of a glut on the market right now. Willamette Valley yield has soared from two to two-and-half tons per acre to as much as four tons without losing quality, Pratt said. So theres a lot more fruit out there now, and with this glut on the market there is an imbalance between supply and demand, he said. So some wineries are taking advantage of that and canceling contracts for bogus reasons, and then going back out buying fruit for much less than what their original contracts were. Pratt referenced one grower near Jacksonville who had 300 tons worth $600,000 rejected. He probably has expenses of $400,000 to $500,000 in getting that fruit ready to sell, Pratt said. All those expenses, all that time in irrigating, in pruning, in leaf pulling, in cluster thinning all that work hes done is all for naught, because now he cant sell that fruit. Its not merely a matter of selling to another winery because of an abundant harvest and crush schedules filling tank and barrel space. Its not like he can go somewhere else right now and say, Oh, Ive this extra fruit and find another buyer. He cant find another buyer, wineries are all at capacity now; its just going to be wasted. In the rejection notice from Copper Cane, fruit supply director Matthew Heil recommended growers turn to crop insurance programs to mitigate risk. While some of the large growers such as Del Rio Vineyards and Naumes Family Vineyards have insurance to mitigate crop losses, others may have to rely on U.S. Department of Agriculture programs. Michael Moore of Quail Run Vineyards said his family has never opted for crop insurance in more than 30 years of farming in Jackson County. Pinot noir accounts for just 5 percent of the tonnage he manages, but its bottom line contribution is significant. Its a complete loss for us, he said. Its a huge portion of our profit, so it really hurts. The juice gets murkier when it comes to Wagners wine dealings with Oregon. Wagner sold his Meiomi Wines to Constellation Brand Inc. for $315 million three years ago. But he wasnt through with pinot. This summer, Wagners appropriation of Oregon AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) drew the ire of Oregon legislators and the Oregon Winegrowers Association, as well as attention from Oregon Liquor Control Commission and, in turn, the formulation division of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Rep. David Gomberg (D-Lincoln City) has asked the Oregon Justice Department to investigate Wagners branding of a California-made wine, the 2017 Willametter Journal Pinot Noir. Gomberg takes exception with the labels text referencing the Willamette region of Oregons coastal range. The wine doesnt qualify as a Willamette Valley appellation and the grapes came from other parts of Oregon. The legislator bought a bottle of Elouan Pinot Noir at a nearby Safeway and took note of the Oregon Coast designation on the wines back label. He then ordered a $29.99 bottle of Willametter Journal online on Aug. 6 from Total Wine in Sacramento, California. While Wagner dismissed the nuisances in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle last month, Gomberg thought otherwise. In his complaint to the Justice Department, he alleges that labels on both the Willametter Journal and Elouan may have violated state and federal regulations by falsely advertising the grapes place of origin the Willamette Valley, Umpqua Valley and Rogue Valley. These Oregon geographic designations are well-known for wine-grape quality. Listing them all appears to be deceptive as there is no delineation from which designation the wine grapes or wine originated, or if from all, in what percentages, Gomberg wrote. There are several geographic issues with this label, but I am more concerned about a deeper deception. The wine doesnt taste like a Pinot Noir grown and made in the Willamette Valley. He noted online reviews confirmed his points. The Oregon wine industry has complained to the federal government regarding these label issues, but that does not address the harm to Oregon consumers and (trade infringement) violations. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. How can you hate maple syrup? the hordes asked, as they banned me from Vermont and declared me persona non grata throughout Canada. Revolted by a New York Times article celebrating ranch dressing, I had tweeted: Plays to everything thats wrong with the typical American palate. Even worse than maple syrup if thats possible. How can I hate it? Let me count the ways. But first Ill allow that I respect the dedication of the craftsmen producing it, enabling devotees to pour it liberally over pancakes, waffles and every other edible in sight. (And though I appreciate the lore of sugaring offthe early spring ritual of gathering sap from maple treesthe phrase has always seemed like a euphemism for something more salacious.) Basically, what I detest about maple syrup is everything, meaning both texture and flavor. As a rule, I do not like intense sweetness, nor do I like syrups unless they are dilutedas chocolate syrup in soda, for example, or honey in hot tea, or as the defining ingredient in honey cake. But what do you put on your pancakes? some on Twitter asked, to which I replied: I dont like pancakes either. Too soggy. What I do love are crisp-on-the outside-mellow-within waffles, lightly spread with unsalted butter, then topped with a light snowfall of confectioners sugar. Never would I sog them down with syrup! Most of all, it is maples flavor that bothers meeven in its most artisanally correct form, as compared with the even more insipid Log Cabin. Truth is, as a child I was beguiled by the adorable cabin-shaped can that held that brand of syrup, so I happily poured it overwhat else?pancakes! As my palate matured, I found that maple flavor tastes cheap, like penny candy, and frankly it is a taste that I do not associate with food. (Mostly when I think maple, it is as trees that are the source of the beautifully mellow wood that distinguishes some of the best Early American and Colonial furniture, as well as for birdseye maple, which makes twinkling golden veneers.) Perhaps even worse than the syrup are those little maple-leaf-shaped sugar candies sold at tourist sites throughout maple syrup country. I am not alone in this, having heard agreements from a few fellow tweeters andlong ago, as I recallfrom Craig Claiborne, the first New York Times food critic, on whose shoulders we all stand. But as the exception that might prove the rule: I do recall one maple-informed dish that I enjoyed enough to have several times. It was a maple-glazed roasted chicken that was the specialty of Waldy Malouf when he was chef at the bygone Hudson River Club in downtown Manhattan. Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness. It also tenderized the chicken and, mingling with melted butter, kept the meat moistly supple. Right about here I should apologize to a couple of my cherished Canadian friends (who live in New York, of course) because I keep offending them by publicly disliking so much of their native fare. That would include the thin, sweet-instead-of-salty Montreal bagels with their glassy toppings of brittle seeds; the presumptuous smoked meat claimed to outclass New York deli pastrami; and Quebec-invented totally disgusting poutine, the stultifying mess of fried potatoes smothered in thick brown gravy and clumps of melting cheese curds. But, making amends, I can say I do cherish Canadas great smoked salmon, its tangy cheddars and, midsummer, the tiny, pungent blueberries that ripen earlier than usual, thanks to global warming. There probably is no one around in tweet country who respects the following old admonition, but as we used to say generously, De gustibus non est disputandum, or, In matters of taste, there can be no dispute. Wanna bet? Sheraton, former food critic at The New York Times, is the author of 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die. This is the fourth in a series of interviews of Napa City Council candidates for the Nov. 6 election. Since moving to Napa in March 2008, Mary Luros has built a career and life in her adopted home but now fears spiraling costs will pluck that home away from many of her townsfolk. Im watching my friends leave Napa because they cant afford to live here, small businesses close because they cant afford the rent and cant find qualified workers, and worsening traffic as people commute up to two hours to get to work because they dont make enough to live here, the local attorney and City Council candidate recently wrote to the Napa Valley Register. The quality of life of our residents is suffering because of a lack of housing, soaring rents, and excessive traffic. Campaigning to regain the council seat she held for nearly two years in 2015-16, Luros, a mother to two young children, is promising a hard look at Napas zoning and housing policies in hopes of catering to its residents as much as to the vacationers driving an increasingly hotel-and hospitality-based economy. All of these issues come back to the current imbalance in Napa between what we provide for locals and what we provide for tourists, said Luros, who in a September debate of council hopefuls warned that Napas better tomorrow is in jeopardy from record-high housing costs and a tiny vacancy rate pressuring lower-income workers. Luros, who was defeated in the 2016 Napa election, is the only one of six candidates on the Nov. 6 ballot with previous council experience other than the three-term incumbent Peter Mott. At least one of the two open seats will be filled by a challenger who will replace Jim Krider, a 2017 appointee who declined to pursue a full four-year term. Key to preserving Napa as a hometown and not only a vacation hot spot, said Luros, is to allow for increased multi-family housing construction a task that could be enshrined in a new city General Plan now in the early stages of creation. The plan, which will determine what types of development will be allowed in which areas of the city, is expected to guide Napas growth through about 2040. Allowing more residential projects to go higher and denser and pursuing construction on in-fill and city surplus lands is necessary to create homes affordable to the bulk of Napas work force rather than second homes or other higher-cost housing, according to Luros. With Napa Countys Ag Preserve severely limiting growth into the unincorporated wine country and a rural-urban limit (RUL) sharply defining the limits of Napas expansion, persuading Napans to accept housing beyond the suburban single-family model will be crucial, Luros argued. The RUL and Ag Preserve deal is that the city limits wont change, but if the population goes up, then we have to go up, she said in a Register interview. If you have a community conversation and identify places appropriate for higher density, it makes it harder for the neighbors to challenge it. Then we can say that we as a community have decided where housing should go, and it is in your backyard. Luros also called for Napa to slow down the pace of hotel approvals and orient more of the citys retailing as well as its housing toward residents needs, including creating a path for local-oriented businesses to be built within walkable distance of housing. That need is reflected in situations such as the potential replacement of the Compadres Mexican restaurant with a 24-hour cardroom, for which the owners of the Lincoln Avenue property applied for city permit in August. Its affordable, nice and has plenty of parking but (the Compadres owners) dont own the land and now the landlord is kicking them out for a cardroom, she said. I dont see that our leadership has the vision to say we need to balance the needs of residents and tourists. Its an example of whats happening with our imbalance issues. As Napa begins laying out its development strategy, the city also is in the early stages of planning a new headquarters downtown but the potential cost and complexity has Luros seeking a pause on the project to rethink it, with more attention paid to the needs of residents and city employees. A lot of money has been spent so far, so the first thing we need to do is slow down, save what can be saved and figure out what we really want in this project, she said, pointing to cost estimates of about $121 million including the expense of relocating workers during about two years of construction. The city never made a budget and because of that, we have a project thats grown exponentially. Although Napa currently authorizes marijuana sales only for those with medical needs, and no local outlets have yet opened, Luros expressed support for eventually opening the city to adult-use retailing to respect the will of the people who passed the 2016 state ballot initiative in favor of recreational dispensaries. I think it would be fine if done in appropriately zoned areas, she said. (Napas current cannabis ordinance allows dispensaries in industrial, office-park and medical office zones, but not downtown or in conventional retail areas.) I see where (opponents) are coming from, but we should mirror the amount of regulation we have on the wine industry. If we heavily regulate wineries and what they do, cannabis (sellers) should expect the same thing. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This is the fifth in a series of interviews of Napa City Council candidates for the Nov. 6 election. As Napa voters prepare to decide who should guide the city for the next four years, Peter Mott is asking them to think of the value of skills gained from a dozen years on the job. Since his election to the City Council in 2006, Mott has involved himself in a wide variety of the citys daily operations. As a burgeoning tourist sector has transformed Napa and officials ponder how the city should grow over the next 20 years the three-term council member pointed to his past work as evidence he can help keep the city on course in the years ahead. Its the experience: 12 years of budgets, 12 years of contracts, he said Tuesday about his qualifications for a fourth term on the City Council. Ive been on every subcommittee you can think of from city hall to the sanitation board to waste management to the Downtown Specific Plan (the guidebook for development in the city core). Twelve years of all that experience matters, especially if we get someone new coming in. Experience is going to make a difference. I have great faith in the voters. They have concerns housing for some, traffic for others. But for most part they recognize experience on the City Council is important, and, for the most part, they are looking for that. Mott, a local businessman who is the only incumbent on the Nov. 6 ballot, faces five challengers including his former colleague Mary Luros, who served 22 months on the council before losing in the 2016 election. Liz Alessio and Bernie Narvaez, both former parks commissioners, are the only other candidates to have previously held appointed city office. Also on the ballot are James Hinton, a former Congressional and Napa County supervisor candidate, and Ricky Hurtado, a community engagement manager for the Cope Family Center. Candidates are pursuing two seats those of Mott and of Jim Krider, a 2017 appointee who replaced the retired Juliana Inman but chose not to run this fall. Amid Napas flourishing present-day economy, city leaders are poised to help set ground rules for development through a new general plan, which is in the early preparation stages and will set the types and locations of Napas growth for about two decades. High among Motts concerns is Napas mounting housing shortage, which has shrunk the rental vacancy rate to 1 percent and triggered a spike in rents and home prices forcing many local employees out of the city. He called an emphasis on denser and taller multi-family construction a necessity in solving the problem, not only downtown but possibly also along major routes like Jefferson Street and Lincoln Avenue. The housing crunch is at the heart of Napas need to balance the revenue from vigorous hotel, wine and restaurant businesses with the side effects of traffic congestion and a housing affordability gap, according to Mott. We need to continue working on finding that balance between needs and desires of residents, and need to generate revenue, he said in an interview. Theres a point that theres too much of good thing, and we need to pay attention to that point in terms of visitors vs. residents. Without housing, many workers from our strong economy will continue to commute from other areas, creating additional traffic issues. One industry still waiting to be born in Napa is the retail marijuana trade. Napa legalized it last year but only for dispensaries offering medically oriented products, despite California voters 2016 passage of a ballot measure opening the way to recreational cannabis sales. While Napa reviews its first handful of dispensary applications, Mott sees a path toward non-medical sales in the city though he cautioned that some residents will need more time to embrace them. The biggest thing is to have to go through the activity of (retailers) being open for a while and seeing what issues, if any, there are in terms of security and additional crime, he said of Napas measured pace. Im hopeful it all goes well, but I do believe theres a part of our society in Napa that needs to get more comfortable with the retailing of it. It needs time to roll out; I dont expect any problems once people get used to it. Mott joined other council members in 2017 in approving a four-story downtown civic center on First Street to house city offices and police, replacing a City Hall built in 1951 and a police station that no longer meets state safety standards. The Second Street block occupied by the existing city buildings would be redeveloped into a mix of housing, store space and hotel rooms. Opponents in recent months have taken issue with the projects complexity and cost estimated at about $121 million including financing and temporary office space during construction and have found backers in other council candidates who have called for pausing the project or looking at other sites. But Mott remained unmoved by such concerns, saying time remains to refine the design and find more efficiencies. We need to stay the course; the course is to keep considering all the different options, he said Monday, referring to possible changes like increasing the number of dwellings that would occupy the current city hall site. The plan all the way has been to work out the details as we go along until the end of the year, when we have a final plan and a final price on the civic center and decide what to do next door. 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. Napans are likely familiar with the first responders who immediately stepped forward during last Octobers wildfires to battle flames and rescue victims. At the same time, a second group of citizens quietly followed in their footsteps. They fed the hungry, sheltered and comforted evacuees, transported the sick and made sure animals were safe. These people and the nonprofit organizations they serve are known as second responders. For example, Mohamed A. Jalloh, Pharm.D., an assistant professor at Touro University who volunteers as a pharmacist for OLE Health in Napa, arranged transportation for evacuees during last Octobers wildfires so patients could see healthcare providers. Jalloh secured a bus from Michaels Transportation Service in Vallejo that transported more than 20 patients, and when that didnt prove to be enough, he provided additional rides in his own car. The night the fires broke out, registered nurse Lois Husted, base/medical emergency management coordinator for Queen of the Valley Medical Center, was told the California Highway Patrol helicopter was dropping off evacuees on the hospitals helipad. Her team immediately went to work providing scrubs for evacuees arriving in their pajamas, setting up a comfortable place for them to gather in the hospital lobby and helping find rides to shelters and connecting evacuees with their loved ones. Husted and her team helped more than 50 dazed fire victims that night. These second responders are members of Napa Valleyarea organizations that will be honored Wednesday, Oct. 3, at a Celebrating Second Responders event at the Westin Verasa Hotel, hosted by The Doctors Company and Napa Valley Community Foundation (NVCF). The Doctors Company and NVCF have also established The Doctors Company Fund, a donor-advised, disaster relief fund managed by the foundation. An initial grant of $127,000 will be announced at the event. We are truly grateful to The Doctors Company for recognizing and honoring the work of these second responders with their financial support, said foundation president Terence Mulligan. This new fund will make grants to more than two dozen nonprofits that have played, and continue to play, an essential role in helping residents of Napa and Sonoma counties recover from the devastating North Bay fires. The fires charred at least 245,000 acres, damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 homes and other structures, and claimed 40 lives. In Napa County, nearly 70,000 acres were burned, and more than 1,200 structures were damaged, including 612 homes destroyed. Among those still helping fire victims a year later are Shirley King, program director, CAN-V Food Bank. During the fires, the food bank provided evacuees with emergency food boxes and water, and they connected fire victims with programs for ongoing support. We still have almost 180 households who are coming to us for food because of the fires. Thats almost 900 people, King said. Many of those most impacted were service-industry workers who lost their jobs. They may have found other work, but its not as consistent or the wages arent comparable. Another is Wendi Piscia of Napa Humane, whose organization provided much-needed funds to livestock and pet owners immediately after the fires, and which continues to provide money to financially strapped fire victims. In addition to companion animals dogs, cats, rabbits Napa Humane has also provided support for farm animals. For instance, during the fires, John and Suzanne Fouts of Calistoga stayed behind to defend their home and to care for their farm animalsplus another 200 animals in the area. We were able to pay for feed for not only the Fouts animals, but also for the neighboring farm animals, says Piscia. And because insurance did not cover the complete cost of replacing the Fouts fencing that was lost in the fire, Napa Humane was able to help offset that cost. The awards will also recognize those who went above and beyond to serve the community despite the fires impact on their own lives, like John Salo, a physician assistant at Queen of the Valley Medical Center. After fleeing the Atlas Fire with nothing but his dog, his truck, and the shorts and tank top hed been sleeping in, Salo went straight to the emergency room. I wasnt on duty, but I didnt stop working until the next night, he recalls. My dog was in the call room. I had no place to go. I took a rest and showered when I could in the call room. I was there three or four days and didnt know if I had a house to return to. Salos home was among the few spared in his neighborhood. U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein took a lot of heat from the left wing of her Democratic Party by adopting a somewhat conciliatory attitude toward Donald Trump during the first year of his presidency. As she launched a re-election campaign this year, her rival, Democratic state Sen. Kevin de Leon, depicted her as too soft on Trump and won the partys official endorsement. Even so, Feinstein had appeared to be on track to win her fifth full term, with nearly twice as much support as de Leon in a July poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Since then, however, Feinstein has seen her standing decline while de Leons has been rising and a new PPIC poll indicates that it could be a real race after all. Feinsteins lead among likely voters dropped from 46-24 percent in July to 40-29 percent in the latest survey, indicating that de Leon now has at least an outside chance. While Feinstein still has a 2-1 lead among Democrats, her margin among independents is slight and Republicans actually seem to prefer the more liberal de Leon. Feinstein, stung by her partys rejection, ramped up her opposition to Trump this year, most recently by taking the lead in opposing Brett Kavanaughs nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court by releasing allegations of sexual misconduct. Meanwhile, de Leon is trying to gain more traction among Democrats with a lavishly produced Internet video that depicts Feinstein as unfriendly to immigrants. With actors portraying him and his mother, the video evokes the emotional trauma had she been hauled away by immigration agents, and recalled Feinsteins long-ago support for harsher treatment of undocumented immigrants. As she sought her first full Senate term in 1994, voters were also approving Proposition 187, which, if it had not been voided by the courts, would have cut off all public aid to undocumented immigrants. Feinsteins campaign aired a television ad, illustrated with shadowy figures, that accused rival Michael Huffington of being soft on illegal immigration. While Congressman Huffington voted against new border guards, Dianne Feinstein led the fight to stop illegal immigration, the ad declared. In her own voice, Feinstein boasted of seeking more border guards, lighting and fencing. The de Leon video contains two heavily edited snippets of Feinstein. One, from 1994, has her saying, The illegal immigrants who come here and commit felonies, thats not what this nation is, and then abruptly ends. The second clip, from 1993, includes her saying, I say return them to their own country, wherever that country may be, then segues to a clip of Trump referring to immigrants as rapists. When asked about the new video by the Los Angeles Times, de Leon replied that he wants voters to know that Feinstein has not made protection of immigrants a priority. Youre the ranking member of the judiciary committee, and you represent the largest state in the nation with the largest number of immigrants (and) youre supposed to be the leading voice, de Leon told the newspaper. When she made opposition to illegal immigration a tenet of her 1994 campaign, Feinstein was aligning herself with the perceived mood of California voters that year. But that attitude has changed dramatically since then, and especially since Trump has made immigration one of his hot-button issues. Feinstein is going with the current flow as she seeks another term, but de Leon is reminding voters of her political pirouette. Its a legitimate hit, and one that could cut into Feinsteins lead among anti-Trump, pro-immigrant Democrats. 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. Put aside all the emotion surrounding Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, and the question of whether Kavanaugh did or did not assault Christine Blasey Ford, and ask yourself this: Why hasn't the White House pulled the plug already? As a matter of both substance and politics, isn't it utterly crazy that they haven't? First, substance: If you're a Republican, why do you want Kavanaugh on the court? It isn't because among all the Republican lawyers in America only he is uniquely brilliant enough to produce the outcomes conservatives want. There are dozens of potential nominees who could overturn Roe v. Wade, complete the obliteration of collective bargaining, eviscerate the government's ability to protect the environment, and whatever else is on the right's legal agenda. Pick someone else from the White House's list of other potential nominees on it, and the legal outcomes would almost surely be exactly the same. So why are Republicans holding on to him, when not only has he proven himself to have nothing approaching the temperament you'd want in a justice, but each day brings new accounts from people who knew him of what a nasty drunk he was as a young man? One answer is that Republicans have convinced themselves not only that Kavanaugh is the real victim here, but that the accusations against him constitute one of the greatest injustices in the history of humanity. A line must be drawn, a stand must be made, for the sake of all that is right and good in the world - and especially so liberals won't win. When you hate your opponents as much as Republicans hate Democrats, giving those opponents what they want today - even if it's so you can win a more significant victory tomorrow - is utterly intolerable. Another is that Republicans don't actually believe that pushing Kavanaugh gently to the side is the best thing for them politically. "He's too big to fail now," a source close to the confirmation process told Axios, and the White House has no backup plan because they all assume that there would be a mass revolt of the GOP base if that happened. Those voters would stay home, increasing the changes of a wave election that enables Democrats to take the House and perhaps the Senate as well. It's possible. But here's what else we know: The key variable in the 2018 election isn't how motivated Republican voters are. It's how motivated Democratic-leaning voters are, especially women. It's hard to imagine that the Kavanaugh affair, with its dramatic standoff between a shouting, red faced man visibly enraged at seeing his ascension and privilege hit a rough patch, and a woman quietly but insistently sticking up for herself in the face of a national outpouring of rage and abuse, isn't going to help in this regard. A new Quinnipiac poll tells this story quite well. It finds that American voters lean against confirming Kavanaugh, and lean towards believing Ford over him. But there's more. We've obtained additional numbers from Quinnipiac, and they show college educated white women in opposition to Kavanaugh by truly overwhelming margins. This is notable, because despite the fact that college educated whites sometimes lean Republican, those female voters are widely thought to be important to the Democrats' chances of capturing the House or/and the Senate this fall, because they are driving the backlash against Trump. The Quinnpiac poll finds that voters oppose confirming Kavanaugh by 48-42. But women oppose Kavanaugh by 55-37, and college educated white women oppose him by 58-34. Meanwhile, overall voters believe Ford over Kavanaugh by 48-41. But women believe her over him by 55-35, and college educated white women believe her by 61-31. The new polling also suggests Trump's handling of the Kavanaugh story may be helping deepen the gender divide roiling our politics. It finds that voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the nomination by 49-42. But women disapprove of it by 54-36, and college educated white women are once again driving this, disapproving by 58-35. It's true that a bare plurality of voters thinks Kavanaugh has been treated unfairly, by 47-43. But women believe Kavanaugh has been treated fairly by 46-43, and college educated white women think Kavanaugh has been treated fairly by 55-38. By contrast, men think Kavanaugh has been treated unfairly by 52-41. A majority of men say Kavanaugh has been the victim of a smear campaign, and a majority of women say he has not. One imagines that gender-based recriminations will persist after this is all over, right into election day, and well beyond. Or look at this Pew poll. The number of Republican voters who say they're more enthusiastic than usual about voting is 59 percent. Which is much like it was in previous wave years for the GOP. What's different this year is Democratic voters. In 2010, 42 percent said they were more enthusiastic than usual; in 2014 it was 36 percent. But this year it's 67 percent, a jump of over 30 points from the last midterm. It's the rise in Democratic enthusiasm, not a fall-off in Republican enthusiasm, that is the Republicans' problem this year. If Kavanaugh survives and gets confirmed, Democratic candidates will be using this controversy as a way of motivating voters, especially women voters, in this election, but also for years to come. It will be a festering wound - especially when all those rulings on things like abortion start coming down - and all they'll have to do to get their base riled up will be to poke at it. It may already be too late to avoid that outcome. Democrats may have reached a level of anger that won't dissipate between now and the first week in November no matter whether Kavanaugh withdraws, is voted down, or gets confirmed. But if Republicans think that standing by him is the best way to minimize their losses, they may be in for a surprise. Paul Waldman is an opinion writer for the Plum Line blog. Greg Sargent writes The Plum Line blog, a reported opinion blog with a liberal slant what you might call opinionated reporting from the left. They wrote this for The Washington Post. Allow me to second the motion of my fellow former college Trustee Dan Digardi in endorsing Jeff Dodd for election in the 2nd Napa Valley College District (central Napa and Alta Heights), the re-election of Board President Mary Ann Mancuso in the 3rd District (American Canyon) and the re-election of Kyle Iverson in the 4th District (East and North Napa including Silverado). Jeff Dodd is the first person ever to run against a trustee for the college board with the support of five of the current trustees. There should be news articles about such a newsworthy event. Jeff graduated from Napa Valley College with personal experience of student needs (and student debt!). He returned to Napa where he grew up to now serve our community. Those who know Jeff support him based upon him being considerate; he has exceptional ability to get along with others. Mary Ann is a leader in workforce development (jobs!) She helped out in the college wildfire shelter (including bringing casseroles). Kyle, in just his first term, has taken the college message to others in local government and service clubs about student needs and serving the community. He called the college police to open the gym as a shelter on the first night of the wildfires. After being a college trustee, I joined the college foundation in raising money for scholarships. I want to recognize those who help students and encourage those who can to donate to the Napa Valley College Foundation scholarships. They can be mailed to the college: 2277 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa, CA 94558. Bruce D. Ketron Napa The closest Mario Cuomo ever came to running for President was during the United States Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, in October, 1991. Cuomo was so furious over the timidity of the Democrats, who controlled the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time chaired by Sen. Joe Biden and their failure to leap to Anita Hills defense, that it almost pushed him into the 1992 Presidential race. Cuomo was outraged over how terribly he believed women personified by the dignified Professor Hill were being mistreated by Republican Senators on the Judiciary Committee, how the Democrats failed to stop the GOP bullying of her, and how they didnt make Professor Hills war into their own. I thought of Cuomos visceral reaction to the Thomas hearings while I was watching the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings on the Supreme Court Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. I carefully listened to the wrenching testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, sometimes choking back tears at the pain she had endured as a 15-year old girl, and the trauma that haunted her for the next 36 years. I intuitively understood Dr. Fords years of repressing a bad memory, since I had done the same thing for more than three decades concerning a gun-related incident in my own family that did not involve sexual abuse, only uncontrolled anger. So when Judge Kavanaugh descended into raw aggression and a toddler-like tantrum from the beginning of his testimony, I again thought of my fathers out-of-control temper as his way of trying to bull himself through any bad news. Only, my father wasnt a federal judge, nor a nominee for the highest court in the nation. He was a working stiff, a maintenance man, with a drinking problem, and all of his children bore scars from his explosive anger. Instead, here was Kavanaugh, a spoiled, prep school rich boy, who lived a gilded-life like the president who nominated him, and chose to answer an allegation of sexual abuse and attempted rape with the kind of aggressiveness and uncontrolled behavior some of his high school and college peers remembered about him. Only this time, he wasnt under the influence of alcohol, which made his ugly un-judge-like behavior even more bizarre. Kavanaughs outburst also stripped bare his inherent partisan hatchet-man role, and his fealty to conspiracy theories. He channeled Donald Trump when he screamed at Democratic senators for never getting over Trumps election, and went after the Clintons for a revenge-grudge against him. Odd, since it was Kavanaugh, as an assistant to Special Prosecutor Kenneth Star, who spent two years and three million dollars pursuing a nut-case conspiracy theory that the Clintons were behind the suicide of Vince Foster. But Kavanaughs crazed carrying-on was not the only distressing part of the Senate Judiciary Committee showdown between Dr. Ford and Trumps mini-me. The failure of Senate Democrats to get equally emotional and hard edged was just as disturbing. I could hear Mario Cuomos voice in the back of my head, raising the following questions: Why the hell didnt at least one Democratic senator put the bullying Kavanaugh in his place, and tell him that he was under investigation, not them? Why didnt the Democratic senators have a cross-examination strategy? Why didnt the ranking minority member on the Committee, Senator Dianne Feinstein, object on Personal Points of Privilege every time any GOP Senator referred to or disparaged her? Why didnt Richard Blumenthal use his great quote on credibility to bring up Kavanaughs lack of credibility in his past testimony and his lying, under oath, about stolen Democratic documents, and the Bush administrations torture policy? Why did Democratic senators quietly sit by and not scream Points of Order, when Sen. Lindsey Graham unilaterally took another five minutes after ceding his five minutes to Phoenix sex crimes prosecutor Rachel Mitchell? Why didnt one single Democrat leap to Senator Klobuchars defense when the overly aggressive, nasty Kavanaugh sneered at her and asked if SHE ever became black out drunk? And why did not one Democratic senator raise the issue of how Kavanaughs aggressive, out-of-control manner, behavior and histrionics were exactly like the aggressive behavior of every out-of-control alcohol driven sexual predator? I remembered Mario Cuomos white-hot anger at injustice on this historic day of testimony by Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh. I could see Anita Hills quiet dignity in the face of a cascade of insults from crapulent white men, satisfied in their own self-righteousness. I thought of all of that, and of the bright, hopeful eyes of my three young granddaughters, and resolved even more to fight with my last breath to repair the world for them. Steve Villano is a Napa-based blogger. He was a director of Gov. Mario M. Cuomos New York City press office, and is the author of Tightrope: Balancing a Life Between Mario Cuomo and My Brother. This is an abridged version of an item that originally appeared on his blog. In line with the Act East Policy of the Central Government, the Arunachal Pradesh Department of Tourism in association with the Indian Embassy in Thailand organised a Tourism Road Show-cum Conclave at the Siam Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok (Thailand) on Monday. The road show was organised to sell the beauty and potential of tourism of Arunachal Pradesh in the South East Asian countries, a press release informed. The States Tourism Director, Kanto Danggen, said the conclave is dedicated exclusively for Business to Business (B2B) interactions which offer a unique networking opportunity to the tourism and travel industry personnel of Arunachal Pradesh to establish business with the tourism industry players of Bangkok. Informing that the State of Arunachal Pradesh with its diverse topography and tribal culture has immense potential in tourism, Danggen said the Road Show is an initiative towards bringing tourism stakeholders of Thailand and Arunachal Pradesh under one umbrella. Even though we have cultural similarities and our nations are close to each other, we are still not being able to take advantage of each others resources in terms of promoting tourism so far, Danggen said. Stating that the Act East Policy will be a game changer for the north-eastern part of India, the Director further informed that Arunachal Pradesh is undoubtedly an upcoming adventure tourism hotspot as it is predominantly covered by forest, lofty mountains, rivers, varied flora and faunas, etc. Indian Embassy, Thailand Charge d Affaires Abbagani Ramu said Arunachal Pradesh is a pristine and beautiful State where development has not affected its natural beauty till date. Informing that culture and tradition of the State is very close to that of Thailand, he urged everyone to visit the State and enjoy its beauty. Tourist Information Officer, Takom Kena, in a power point presentation highlighted that Arunachal has many breathtaking places which are yet to be explored. Kena also informed the gathering about various traditional, music and adventure festivals that take place in the State every year. A B2B meeting was also held between the tour operators of Arunachal Pradesh and Thailand on the same day. Among others present on Mondays road show were Tourism Deputy Director Gedo Eshi, TIO Bishal Aran, Department of Youth Affairs Adventure In-Charge Romeo Meitiei and various tour operators led by Arunachal Pradesh Tour Operators Association president John Panye, the release added. YEREVAN. DISQO, a fast growing tech company from the US, announced $13.5 mln in funding and is establishing a new branch in Armenia. The company provides the highest quality first-hand consumer data to the worlds largest market research and analytics companies. At this new stage of development, the Armenian founders are tapping into Armenias innovative potential by hiring senior specialists from the country. Current job openings can be found at the companys website . DISQO will hire 30 specialists during its first stage. Drew Kutcharian, the Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of DISQO, will visit Armenia in the upcoming days to personally meet the local tech community and the Companys new team members. Drew has 20 years of combined experience as a CTO, entrepreneur, advisor and angel investor. While in Armenia, he will hold professional lectures, sessions and meetings. The largest one will take place at the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies on October 18, at 7 PM. Its worth noting that DISQOs Armenian office will work as an official branch rather than an outsourced team. This means that the company doubles its potentials for disrupting the industry with new large-scale initiatives and projects. The Armenian team will continue working for current customers that are the worlds largest market research companies and organizations listed in the Fortune 500. We are excited about tapping into a talented pool of people to help us build the product and scale our company. Armenia has a flourishing tech community which we want to connect with at this early stage. mentions DISQOs co-founder and CEO Armen Adjemian. Tania Sahakian, the Regional Director for Armenia, adds: Im happy that this will be DISQOs first office outside of the US. These are only the first steps, since we have a vision of growing and expanding our company by doubling the pace of our work with equally powerful teams. The Armenian office will commence operations beginning in October at the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies. DISQO promises new perspectives for developing the Armenian IT field as well as strengthening the countrys economic relations with the international market. US conducts joint drills with Ukraine, Turkey and Romania in the Black Sea US authorities unseal oil reserves to stabilize market prices UNICEF reports increase in number of child marriages in Afghanistan COAF, US Embassy, Armenia's ministry sign three-year Memorandum of Understanding Search work to find bodies of those killed in Artsakh suspended since October 18 itizen who threw a grenade near Shushi is in Artsakh Investigative Committee Armenian Defense Ministry: Azerbaijanis opened fire on Armenian positions in the direction of Verin Shorzha Azerbaijan says three people injured due to explosives incident Bloomberg: US authorities rejected Intel's proposal to increase chip production in China Stepanakert-Berdzor road is temporarily closed US and Japan begin consultations to solve the problem of overproduction of steel Russia creates unified satellite communication system for UAVs Artsakh NSS: No injured among Artsakh citizens 1,251 new cases of coronavirus infection registered in Armenia per day Celebrities ask Biden to give pardoned turkeys for Thanksgiving to animal rights activists Lavrov, Shoygu discuss situation in Karabakh with French counterparts Armenia PM to send High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs to Russia on business trip Explosion takes place in mosque in Afghanistan, leaving 15 injured Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker meets with Karabakh Security Council Secretary and parliamentarians Gunshots heard in computer game room in Yerevan RFE/RL Armenian Service: Iranian drivers complain that new Tatev-Aghavni road is narrow for trucks EU, UNDP launch Mayors for Economic Growth Program in Armenia Armenia Deputy PM: We support adoption of documents for further enhancement of defensibility of CIS countries Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin says COVID-19 vaccination does not present spiritual danger Armenia Deputy PM meets with representatives of Asian Development Bank Monument to officers of Russian helicopter downed in 2020 unveiled during ceremony in Armenia's Yeraskh Armenia Kotayk Province's general jurisdiction court has new judge Armenia ruling party MP appointed Ambassador to Spain NEWS.am daily digest: 12.11.21 Armenia Justice Ministry, UNDP to cooperate for constitutional reforms and in anti-corruption field Turkey, Qatar agree to strengthen military cooperation Armenia defense minister, India Ambassador discuss cooperation in defense sector Armenia has new Ambassador to Germany Armenia appellate court releases ex-MP from custody Armenia economy minister meets with Charge dAffaires of Georgia 12-year-old Armenian boy's 4 fingers cut, undergoes 10-hour surgery Armenia Deputy PM opposes Azerbaijani premier, says Karabakh conflict can't be resolved by force Dollar continues going down in Armenia Lithuania ambassador to parliament speaker: Relations with Armenia are priorities of our country Millions of Austrians not vaccinated against COVID-19 may be quarantined Georgian and Turkish border guards conducting joint military exercises in Javakhk Charles Michel thanks Turkey for prohibiting citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen from flying to Belarus Myanmar court sentences US journalist to 11 years in jail Armenia official: Azerbaijan continues to torpedo implementation of agreements reached Opposition MP to Armenia minister: Who will perform the duties of the mayor of Goris? Man in photo died from railway accident in Russia, there is suspicion that he was from Armenia's Armavir Province Armenia ex-deputy defense minister: Pashinyan is lying when he says there is no logic of corridor Video showing another act of vandalism of Azerbaijanis in Karabakh disseminated on social networks Armenia, Palestine FMs discuss Armenian heritage in Holy Land Azerbaijan says it is ready to sign with Armenia peace agreement recognizing territorial integrity Armenia official: We are building many roads in Syunik Province Karabakh state minister delivers lecture at Columbia University in New York Ukraine delegation to visit Armenia next week Armenia FM in Paris, meets with French Armenian figures (PHOTOS) Armenia to host Eurasian Intergovernmental Council session 80 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Erdogan says 'Greece has turned into a U.S. military base' Sweden lifting entry ban for Armenia citizens fully vaccinated against Covid Russia peacekeepers escort more than 8,000 traveling vehicles in Karabakh in 1 year 1,309 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia 11 foreign nationals living illegally in Armenia are found in downtown Yerevan hotels Aram Yacoubian is on Varietys Hollywoods New Leaders of 2021 list Biden, Xi expected to hold virtual summit on November 15 Newspaper: Process of shaking up Armenia law enforcement system to begin Newspaper: Armenia cargo transportation increases FM to UNESCO head: Preventive steps against Azerbaijan destruction of Armenian heritage are simply imperative Armenia Security Council chief: No logic to using Goris-Kapan motorway Armenia Security Council secretary: Political decision is needed if agreement is reached on logic of unblocking roads FM: There are numerous cases of Azerbaijans deliberate destruction of Armenian cultural, religious heritage Armenia PM: Security is our most vulnerable place today Armenian Church Diocese in Russia supports Finnish MP who is charged with offending reps of sexual minorities Women of Artsakh organize meeting with Russian peacekeeping troops' commander US Senate Armed Services Committee to consider 3 key amendments, including cutting off aid to Azerbaijan Armen Sarkissian: I consider any encroachment on Armenia's borders inadmissible and unacceptable Russian analyst says deployment of border and customs checkpoints in Lachin not ruled out UN representatives provide humanitarian aid to immigrants on Polish border U.S. security advisor: Rivalry with China in Pacific need not lead to new Cold War UAE, Bahrain, Israel and US conducting maritime security exercise in Red Sea Opposition 'With Honor' faction MP: Ruling party is implementing Baku's policy in Armenia Armenia finance minister receives experts of Russian Financial Research Institute The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative has announced a scholarship at UWC Dilijan, in honor and in gratitude to Charles Aznavour. This is noted in a statement by Noubar Afeyan, Vartan Gregorian, and Ruben Vardanyan, Co-Founders of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative. Charles Aznavour personified the Armenian storythe child of refugees became a global idol who delivered messages of humanity through his music and his huge personality, the statement reads. His charisma, his worldliness, his genuine love for people took him around the world and we will all remember him for what he gave uslove, energy, faith in ourselves and our fellow man. He did this as an entertainer and philanthropist. He will not be forgotten and we will miss him. Aznavour lent his name and his energy to the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative from the beginning. He was an important part of the first two Aurora Prize ceremonies in 2016 and 2017. In his memory, the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative will launch a new annual scholarship as part of the Gratitude Scholarship Program. This program was established in gratitude to the people of the countries that offered shelter and food to those displaced by the Armenian Genocide more than a century ago. Aznavour was one of those people and he found refugeand famein France. The new scholarship will be awarded annually to students from Franceand francophonie countrieswho will have the opportunity to study at UWC Dilijan. This scholarship will bring together Aznavour's two worldsFrance and Armeniaand it is a small way for us to memorialize those links and to continue to thank him through the generations. YEREVAN. The changes in parliaments rules of procedure are about strengthening the Constitution.. If the demand of not preventing an MP is viewed as counter-revolution then I am an counter-revolutionist, the head of ARP fraction Armen Rustamyan told reporters addressing PMs announcement that those voting for the draft are counter-revolutionists. Armen Rustamyan noted that parliament should be dissolved by virtue of law and not by the right of force. MPs Arpine Hovhannisyan from Republican Party of Armenia and Gevorg Petrosyan from Tsarukyan fraction have proposed amendments to the rule of procedure, which, according to MPs from Yelk/The way out alliance will allow thwart extraordinary elections after the resignation of PM. It refers to peoples right to assemble near parliament after PMs resignation to prevent holding a meeting and electing a new PM in order for parliament to be dissolved. Whereas this draft suggests that in such cases the parliament meeting be considered interrupted and NA - not dissolved. To the question why they decided to propose such a draft right now, Rustamyan answered: Only now it came clear that they want to dissolve the parliament by the right of force. It always happens that whenever they want to use coercive force the situation intensifies but I want to remind you of Tumanyans words: there is always someone stronger. MP noted that tomorrow the situation can change and the same support might not be there. Rustamyan said now like in the case of Yerevan municipal elections there is a division into the blacks and whites and turns out everyone against the announcement of PM is black. YEREVAN. The ministers and governors representing ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Prosperous Armenia party will be dismissed, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan said when addressing a demonstration near parliaments building. I have instructed my staff to relieve the ministers representing ARF and Tsarukyan factions of their posts. In addition, the governors representing these political forces would be dismissed during the upcoming meeting of the government, he said. PM urged the residents of Armenias provinces to take to the streets and demand snap parliamentary elections. Those gathered in Baghramyan Avenue paid tribute to Charles Aznavour with a moment of silence. RPA deputy Arpine Hovhannisyan and Tsarukyan bloc member Gevorg Petrosyan have introduced a draft bill suggesting amendments to the rules of procedure of the parliament, which, according to Yelq parliamentary group, would allow ruining the snap parliamentary elections after PMs resignation. Following PMs resignation, people could surround the building of the National Assembly, and thus demand election of a new PM and dissolution of the parliament. Meanwhile, the bill suggests considering the parliament session postponed so that dissolution of the parliament could be avoided. Earlier in the day the Armenian parliament pushed through controversial bill on rules of procedure with 67 votes for . Armenian PM called on the citizens to gather in Baghramyan Avenue and surround the building of the parliament. Home Expeditions Mapping Deepwater Areas off the Southeast U.S. Mission Plan By Michael White, Expedition Coordinator, Physical Scientist - NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research October 1 - 24, 2018 From October 1 to October 24, NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer will conduct a 24-day exploratory mapping expedition to collect critical data for the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Project. These operations will target three adjacent priority areas east of the Blake Plateau, northeast of the Bahamas. These areas were designated as high-priority areas by the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf (ECS) Project Office. While the study area contains some publicly available transect multibeam bathymetric data, more complete coverage is required to meet the objectives of the U.S. ECS Project and boundary negotiation with the Bahamas. Exploration mapping operations will prioritize subsets of these areas that do not have any modern sonar data. This mission aligns directly with the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Researchs mission to collect publicly available, authoritative scientific data for use in making timely and informed decisions concerning the management of the seafloor. In addition to the multibeam bathymetry that will be critical for ECS studies, data collected during the expedition using the ship's sub-bottom profiler will also play an important role in understanding this poorly mapped area of seafloor and what is beneath it. The onboard mission team will include four Explorers-in-Trainingearly career scientists and students who will be trained in the latest acquisition, processing, and data management techniques of the sonar systems aboard the Okeanos Explorer. The on-ship team will also consist of data managers and telecommunication engineers from the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration , who will support ship-to-shore communications and data management. Along with the on-ship team, an onshore team will be reviewing collected mapping data as it is delivered to shore. This team will consist of advisors from the ECS Project, partners at the University of New Hampshire/Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping , and other members of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research Mapping Team. Upon review of the data, the onshore team, in real time, will be able to advise the on-ship mapping coordinator on where to map next as deep-sea features are revealed. The Mapping Deepwater Areas off the Southeast U.S. in Support of the Extended Continental Shelf Project expedition will begin with a shakedown of certain sonar systems aboard the Okeanos Explorer after an extended dry dock and repair period. We are excited to be back in the saddle, or in this case, back in the ocean! This expedition will be the third Okeanos Explorer expedition in support of the the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA) Atlantic Seafloor Partnership for Integrated Research and Exploration (ASPIRE), a major multi-year, multi-national collaborative ocean exploration field program focused on raising collective knowledge and understanding of the North Atlantic Ocean. Building on the successes of the 2012-2013 Atlantic Canyons Undersea Mapping Expeditions (ACUMEN), the ASPIRE initiative will broaden its geographic focus to include more of the U.S. Atlantic and the high seas and the scope of partnerships to include federal agencies, such as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as international partners from the European Union and Canada. A+ gif choice Reply Parent Thread Link that's a p good gif for anything lindsay lohan related Reply Parent Thread Link I think for a couple years she was... Reply Parent Thread Link this special was ENLIGHTENING Reply Parent Thread Link I'm guessing until she was a teen, but with that family you never know Reply Parent Thread Link ya think? Reply Thread Link Sources claim she moved to Dubai due to their strict drinking rules, but paparazzi being banned gave her a nice cover and less chance of getting caught when she'd slip up Wasn't she the one who streamed it live on Instagram? It's really sad tbh... Reply Thread Link People still drink in Dubai, tho. You just can't do it out in the open and of course, no shops sell it, but there are ways to find it if you're looking. Reply Parent Thread Link There aren't any bars in Dubai? I didn't know that Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I am surprised she has friends who care about her sobriety. Reply Thread Link Doubt they actually care. More than likely the gravy train is coming to an end and her "friends" are diming her out because she's no longer bankrolling or bankrolling to a previous degree the Mykonos party scene. Reply Parent Thread Link they "care" enough to run to tmz Reply Parent Thread Link As if theyd give two shit! Reply Parent Thread Link I'm surprised she has friends period. Reply Parent Thread Link I am surprised she has any friends at all. She was sooooo unpleasant in that Oprah TV show Reply Parent Thread Link this is shocking because a Mykonos nightclub seems like a very safe & stable environment for her Reply Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link Nnnn. thats enough from you, cat. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link omg Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link im thinking of one of her stans that was saying a little while ago that she's doing just great in her nightclub business venture lol Reply Parent Thread Link in a surprising twist, that might've been me... Reply Parent Thread Link nn Reply Parent Thread Link Thats so weird. Reply Parent Thread Link Maybe she loves gross chili Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not surprising. Her low points were those photos of her in that hotel room doing drugs and the other photo set of her ex hitting her. Reply Thread Link her family is so shitty Reply Thread Link So concerned that they ran straight to TMZ! How Very.... Reply Thread Link "no longer"...i thought we gave up the sham that she ever was sober Reply Thread Link Shes a living mess Reply Thread Link Has she ever been sober tho? Reply Thread Link "friends" lol Reply Thread Link cackling forever Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao I was like she has friends...? Reply Parent Thread Link Oil prices rose on Monday on news that OPEC only added a modest amount of additional supply to the market in September, contrary to previous expectations. Saudi Arabia had promised that it would ramp up oil production in September and again in October, despite the non-decision from OPEC+ on an official increase in output. However, a report from Reuters suggests that while Riyadh followed through on this pledge last month, it only added a relatively modest 50,000 barrels per day compared to August levels. In fact, all of OPEC produced 32.85 million barrels per day (mb/d) in September, an increase of only 90,000 bpd on net compared to a month earlier. The gains were largely possible only because of the restoration in output from Libya, where production jumped above 1 mb/d. If you exclude Libya from the equation since Libya is not part of the binding production cut OPEC+ deal the compliance with the output limits rose from 122 percent to 128 percent in September. In terms of production volumes, that translates into a 70,000-bpd decline. OPEC was still able to increase production with the help of Libya, but market concerns about supply tightness were hardly put to rest. After all, Libyas increase is likely a one-off, a restoration of disrupted output from prior months. And the ongoing conflict in the country means that there is always a risk of more disruptions. Nigeria also resolved some outages, adding roughly 50,000 bpd last month. Reuters noted that Angola increased production in September on the startup of a new field, although the countrys production level is still far below its allotted limit as part of the OPEC+ deal. These are meaningful increases in supply, but they will be difficult to replicate. Related: The Middle East Nuclear Race Is Reaching A Boiling Point As a result, the main focus for the oil market over the next few weeks will be on the tension between falling supplies from Iran and Venezuela versus the increase in supply from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabias 50,000-bpd increase in September was outweighed by the 100,000-bpd loss from Iran. Major investors do not appear to buy Saudi Arabias insistence that the market is well-supplied. Hedge funds and other money managers increased their bullish bets on crude futures for the week ending on September 25, the fifth consecutive week of an increase in net-length. The bullish positioning is concentrated in Brent futures, not WTI, a reflection of tightening supply in the Middle East while record U.S. shale production is struggling with inadequate midstream capacity. Meanwhile, there were a few other pieces of news that may have played a role in pushing Brent over $84 per barrel on Monday. First, even as shale drillers continue to press forward, the U.S. rig count fell on Friday, which offers some evidence of a drilling slowdown. Trading this morning has also seen futures creep upward, potentially on the back of a decline in the U.S. weekly rig count last week, JBC Energy wrote in a note. The oil rig count fell by 3 last week, two of which came out of the Permian. More importantly, China may be succumbing to U.S. pressure to cut oil imports from Iran. Sinopec reportedly cut its oil imports from Iran by half last month, although specific numbers were unclear. Sources told Reuters that American officials traveled to China to more or less issue an ultimatum to cut Iranian oil purchases. Related: Refiners Struggle To Adapt To The Shale Boom Prices were lent renewed buoyancy on Friday by the surprising news that a state oil company from China has significantly reduced its oil purchases from Iran. Sources familiar with the matter report that loadings were halved to 130,000 barrels per day last month, Commerzbank wrote in a note. China and its state-owned companies had been thought immune to the looming US sanctions. Apparently this is not the case after all. Commerzbank said that with China cutting back, there is a risk that Irans oil exports fall by a massive 2 mb/d. In response to the latest developments, we are upwardly revising our years end forecast for Brent to $85 per barrel, the bank said. It remains to be seen if this scenario plays out, but the loss of 2 mb/d of Iranian exports would be very hard to cover. OPEC would struggle to compensate for a loss of this size, even if it were to use most of its spare capacity. That leaves open the possibility of a release from the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve or American exemptions for countrys buying Iranian oil. However, this is just speculation. I dont think anybody can anticipate how this all plays out in the next two months, said Barclays Mr. Cohen, according to the Wall Street Journal. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China is raising by 42 percent the oil import quota for its non-state refinersmost of which are the independent refinersfor 2019 as new refinery capacity is planned to enter into operation next year. China is allocating a total of up to 202 million tons, or 4.06 million bpd, of import quota to non-state refineries for next year, S&P Global Platts reported on Monday, citing a weekend communication by the Chinese Commerce Ministry. Companies have until November 10 to apply, and those who havent imported crude oil in 2018 will not be allocated quotas for next year, the ministry noted. While state-held giants such as Sinopec, PetroChina, CNOOC, and Sinochem dont need government approval of quota allocations, all others, including the independent refinersthe so-called teapotsneed to apply and obtain the consent to import crude oil. Hengli Petrochemical and Zhejiang Petrochemical are expected to start up major oil refineries next year, and this is the main reason why China is boosting the non-state oil import quota, according to analysts. The two new refineries are expected to buy crude oil from Saudi Arabia and Oman in the Middle East, as well as from Brazil, instead of from nearby sources of oil in the Far East and Southeast Asia, market sources told Platts. The quotas for 2019 look more than enough, because the sector is unlikely to witness much incremental demand from end-users, other than Hengli Petrochemical, Zhejiang Petrochemical and a few small independent refiners in Shandong, an analyst based in Beijing told S&P Global Platts. Related: Total: Oil Could Rise To $100 And Thats Bad News Following four consecutive months of declining oil imports, Chinas independent refiners boosted crude oil imports in August by 40 percent from July, as many returned from maintenance to prepare for winter fuel demand amid recovering refining margins, according to data by Thomson Reuters Oil Research and Forecasts. Under the stricter tax regulations and reporting mechanisms effective March 1, the teapots can no longer avoid paying consumption taxes on refined oil product salesas they have over the past three years. In other words, their profit bonanza is coming to an end. Independent refiners have started losing money on refining, prompting a cut in utilization rates and closures for maintenance in the spring and early summer in order to reduce exposure to unfavorable market conditions. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Iran and Syria signed on Tuesday a memorandum of understanding under which Iran will build a power plant in Syrias coastal city of Latakia in a project worth US$475 million (411 million euro), Irans Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported today. The project will be launched next year, IRNA reported, in what could be another energy cooperation agreement between Iran and Syria. In the complex Syrian conflict, Iran has been providing military support to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and now, according to experts on Iran who spoke to Reuters, Iran may be looking to get economic and financial benefits from its support. The deal on Tuesday was signed by Mahmoud Ramadan, the head of the Syrian public authority for electricity generation, and Abbas Aliabadi, the managing director of Irans infrastructure conglomerate MAPNA Group, on the sidelines of a meeting in Tehran between the energy ministers of Iran and Syria, Reza Ardakanian and Mohammad Zuheir Kharboutli, respectively. According to IRNA, the first gas unit at the Latakia power plant should be completed in 15 months, while the second unit will take 24 months to complete. A third unit at the plant will run on steam and is planned to be completed within 34 months, IRNA quoted the Syrian energy minister as saying. The natural gas for fueling the power plant will be supplied from Syrian sources and will be transported via a 70-km (43.5 miles) pipeline, the Syrian minister noted. Earlier this week, Iran and Syria discussed enhancing cooperation in the electricity sector, IRNA reported on Monday. In September last year, Syria and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding, under which Iran would repair the power grid in Syria. While Iran is helping Syrias energy sector, Tehrans oil exports continue to drop just five weeks before the U.S. sanctions return. According to preliminary tanker tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, observed exports of Iranian crude oil and condensate plunged in September to 1.72 million bpd, down by 260,000 bpd month-on-month and the lowest level since February 2016. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. If you appreciate what I write please make a donation. About Me William Kelly I am a freelance writer, journalist and historian whose major interests are music and history, with a special emphasis on the assassination of President Kennedy. View my complete profile Blog Archive The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a build of 907,000 barrels of United States crude oil inventories for the week ending September 28, compared to analyst expectations that this week would see a build in crude oil inventories of 1.132 million barrels. Last week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported a build of 2.903 million barrels of crude oil. The API reported a draw in gasoline inventories as well for week ending September 28 in the amount of 1.703 million barrels. Analysts had predicted a build of 1.156 million barrels in gasoline inventories for the week. Oil prices were down in afternoon trading prior to the release of the API data on inventories. At 1:16pm EDT, WTI was trading down 0.35% (-$0.26) at $75.04. While down for the day, this is still $3 per barrel over last weeks Tuesday afternoon prices, and $5 up from prices two weeks ago as the market settles on the notion that Irans oil supplies may be restricted to a greater extent than previously thought, including Irans oil exports to China and India. Meanwhile, the Brent crude benchmark was trading down 0.31% (-$0.26) at $84.72, also over $3 more than last weeks prices. Inventories at the Cushing, Oklahoma, site increased this week by 2.018 million barrels in the largest build since March. US crude oil production as estimated by the Energy Information Administration was up slightly for week ending September 21 at 11.1 million bpd. Distillate inventories were down this weekby 1.197 million barrels, compared to an expected draw of 1.672 million barrels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration report on crude oil inventories is due to be released on Wednesday at 10:30a.m. EDT. By 4:37pm EDT, WTI was trading up at $75.13 and Brent was trading up at $84.61. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The recent rally in Brent Crude prices to four year highs resulted in the Middle East sour crude grades also jumping to the highest in four years amid very active trade in the first two days of October, market sources told Platts on Tuesday. Brent Crude prices hit $85 a barrel on Monday, amid signs that OPEC and friends are not able or not yet willing to fully compensate for the already noticeable drop in Irans oil exports. At 09:30 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Brent Crude was slightly down 0.08 percent at $84.91, while WTI Crude was slightly up and trading above $75 a barrelup 0.17 percent at $75.43. The global oil price rally also lifted the prices of the Middle Eastern sour crude complex, with the front-month price for Dubai crude surging $2.15 a barrel in just one day, to $82.95 per barrel at the end of trading hours in Asia on Tuesday, according to Platts data. The cash Dubai price was last higher than Tuesdays at the end of October 2014, data by S&P Global Platts show. The December Brent/Dubai Exchange Futures for Swaps (EFS) spreadan indicator of the Dubai prices relative to Brenthas been steady this week at $3.54 a barrel, despite the surge in Brent prices, suggesting that the Dubai benchmark has also rallied. Related: The $50 Billion Deal That Could Revive The Aramco IPO The significance of the Dubai and Middle East sour grades prices is that all Middle Eastern producers price the oil they sell to Asiatheir most-coveted marketagainst the Dubai and Oman benchmarks. Traders and market sources are not really sure what to expect from Saudi Aramco with regards to its official selling prices (OSPs) for Asia in November, which the Kingdom is expected to announce soon. One of the key uncertainties is a strange and uncharacteristic volatility in the Oman crude futures in last weeks trade, sources and traders told Platts on Monday. Moreover, Asian buyers are bracing for a tighter market of medium and heavy sour grades as many of themin South Korea, Japan, and to some extent in Indiawill not be buying Irans sour grades as they will be complying with U.S. sanctions on Tehrans oil exports. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: America accuses Chinese warship of unsafe manoeuvres after near collision with USS Decatur in South China Sea A Chinese destroyer nearly collided with a US warship in the disputed South China Sea after making what the Americans described as an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre in an attempt to warn it to leave the area. In a statement late on Monday, the US described the move by the Chinese destroyer as unsafe because it moved within 41 metres (45 yards) of the US warship. The Chinese vessel then moved to prevent a collision. US Pacific Fleet deputy spokesman Nate Christensen said the Chinese destroyer had approached USS Decatur in an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea. The [Chinese] destroyer conducted a series of increasingly aggressive manoeuvres accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area, Christensen said. The Chinese defence ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that the Decatur had ventured into Chinese waters on Sunday, and its navy had to send a Luyang-class destroyer to warn it off. The Chinese vessel took quick action and made checks against the US vessel in accordance with the law, and warned it to leave the waters, the ministry said. It said the Decaturs actions were provocative and China would resolutely protect its territorial sovereignty. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Americas actions would undermine regional stability. We call on the US to rectify its wrong behaviour and stop the provocations to avoid damaging China-US relations and regional peace and stability, Hua said in a statement. The American guided-missile destroyer passed through waters off the disputed Spratly Islands on Sunday, sailing within 12 nautical miles of the Gaven and Johnson reefs during a 10-hour patrol. Twelve nautical miles is the commonly accepted limit for territorial waters. Before the USS Decatur: five close China-US military encounters Beijing claims all of the Spratly chain as its own but Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan have competing claims, while the US has been conducting freedom of navigation exercises in the waters. Story continues The latest manoeuvre by the two militaries came amid escalating tensions in China-US relations. On Monday it emerged that Beijing had called off security talks planned for this month between US Secretary of Defence James Mattis and Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe. China has been stepping up its military presence and law enforcement in the South China Sea. On Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the Chinese coast guard ship the Wenchang drove an illegal foreign fishing boat away from the territorial waters. You have breached Chinas maritime sovereignty. You must stop your illegal acts and leave immediately. Otherwise, we will take necessary measures, the Wenchangs commander, Zheng Qingfeng, said, according to the report. Zheng gave the order while more than 10 armed coast guard officers were on deck, the report said without specifying the date of the incident or the nationality of the other vessel. The foreign vessel later left the area. Zhang Jie, an international relations researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said more US operations would prompt China to step up its own maritime patrols. Collin Koh, a research fellow at the maritime security programme at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, said there would be more close encounters of Chinese and US military vessels. However, while we may see increased contacts between the forces, the risks of them escalating out of control may not be that high, as both capitals will likely still desire to maintain stability in the area, Koh said. Whats more of a concern will be zealous commanders and service people on the scene taking matters into their own hands, leading to inadvertent or accidental incidents. This article America accuses Chinese warship of unsafe manoeuvres after near collision with USS Decatur in South China Sea 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: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday replaced his defence minister in a cabinet reshuffle that otherwise left key government positions largely unchanged. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, who was reappointed, announced the lineup for the new cabinet, with key ministers including finance minister Taro Aso and foreign minister Taro Kono staying on. "I conducted the cabinet reshuffle today in order to get off to a powerful start for the building of a new country," Abe told a televised news conference. "I want to maintain the framework of my government management in a stable manner," he said. But Itsunori Onodera, defence minister since August 2017, was replaced by Takeshi Iwaya, 61, a veteran politician who has had short stints in roles including vice minister for defence and foreign affairs. The reshuffle follows Abe's reelection as leader of his Liberal Democratic Party last month, which puts him on track to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister. "It was no surprise that Abe focused on stability rather than a challenge," said Tomoaki Iwai, professor of Japanese politics at Nihon University. "Abe prioritised imminent tasks such as a fight against deflation so that he can consolidate his power before tackling a revision of the constitution," Iwai told AFP. After winning a historic third term as LDP head last month, Abe vowed to press ahead with plans to revise Japan's pacifist constitution, which remains a controversial proposition. During the news conference, Abe voiced hopes to submit a plan to parliament later this year but vowed to seek "wide support" as his junior coalition partner Komeito has insisted there is no need to be hasty. Iwaya takes over as Japan continues to focus on the threat posed by North Korea despite easing tensions on the Korean peninsula and international negotiations on Pyongyang's denuclearisation. In an annual defence review released in August, the defence ministry said North Korea remained a "serious and imminent threat". Japan's 2018 defence white paper also took aim at China's rise as a military power, saying Beijing was sparking "strong security concerns in the region and international community, including Japan". Abe described Iwaya as "an expert on security." But Iwai said the new defence chief was something of an unknown quantity. "Iwaya is not a novice on defence but is also not as experienced as Onodera," he said. "His capability as defence chief remains unknown." Newcomers to Abe's cabinet include Satsuki Katayama, the new minister for promoting local economies, who will be the sole female member of the cabinet. Abe's previous cabinet had two female ministers. The leader of Northern Ireland's highly influential Democratic Unionist Party on Tuesday warned British Prime Minister Theresa May against any Brexit compromise with Brussels that could increase checks on trade between the province and the rest of Britain. The DUP are key allies for May, providing her Conservative government with a slim parliamentary majority after the Tories lost their overall majority in the 2017 general election. "We cannot have either a customs border down the Irish Sea or a regulatory border, because that would make us separate from the rest of the United Kingdom", DUP chief Arlene Foster said in an interview with Bloomberg. "That doesn't work from a constitutional perspective and that doesn't work from an economic perspective either." The European Union has proposed that Northern Ireland be allowed to remain in Europe's single market for goods in order to keep the border with the Republic of Ireland open. London has countered that this would breach the integrity of the United Kingdom. Earlier on Tuesday May said on BBC radio that a new proposal would soon be put to the EU, which would preserve trade between Northern Ireland and mainland Britain whilst also satisfying the requirement for some form of checks. "We believe that there is a way that this can be done which does preserve our integrity -- that's the proposal that we're working the details on," May said in a interview, adding that the plan would be revealed "in due course". After a bruising summit in Salzburg, during which her Brexit proposal was roundly rejected by EU leaders, there have been reports that May's latest plan offers a compromise by allowing for some form of regulatory checks in the Irish Sea in exchange for avoiding a customs border. A hard border in Ireland is forbidden under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brokered peace in the region after decades of border clashes between nationalists, unionists and British troops. However in a separate interview published Tuesday, Foster claimed the terms of the accord -- also known as The Belfast Agreement -- could be altered to shape Northern Ireland's relationship with the EU. "It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted 'Remain' (in the EU) and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we can't touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context," she said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. "There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation." Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the all-Ireland nationalist party Sinn Fein, said the comments "reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress". Elephants in the Arusha Region, Tanzania. Credit: Michel Milinkovitch An intricate network of minuscule crevices adorns the skin surface of the African bush elephant. By retaining water and mud, these micrometer-wide channels greatly help elephants in regulating their body temperature and protecting their skin against parasites and intense solar radiation. Today, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, and the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB) report in the journal Nature Communications that African elephant skin channels are true fractures of the brittle and desquamation-deficient outermost skin layer. The scientists show that the elephant's hyperkeratinised skin grows on a lattice of millimetric elevations, causing fractures due to local mechanical stress from bending. African elephants are well-known to love bathing, spraying and mud wallowing. These behaviours are not just for fun. Indeed, African elephants lack the sweat and sebum glands that allow many other mammals to keep their skin moist and flexible. Furthermore, because of their huge body size and their warm and dry habitat, African elephants can avoid overheating only via evaporation of the water they collect in and on their skin. By covering themselves with mud, African elephants also avoid the attacks of relentless parasites and the excessive exposure of their skin to solar radiation. Very close inspection of African elephant skin indicates that, in addition to its characteristic wrinkling, the integument is deeply sculpted by an intricate network of interconnected, minuscule crevices. This fine pattern of millions of channels prevents shedding of applied mud and allows spreading and retention of five to 10 times more water than a flat surface. Thanks to skin samples provided by scientists and museums in Switzerland, France and South Africa, a multidisciplinary team lead by Michel Milinkovitch, professor at the Department of Genetics and Evolution of the UNIGE Faculty of Science and Group Leader at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, shows today that African elephant skin channels are true cracks caused by local bending stress due to the epidermis being hyper-keratinised, shedding-deficient, and growing on a lattice of millimetric elevations of the skin. Using a custom computer model, Antonio Martins, Ph.D. student in the Milinkovitch's laboratory, showed that the combination of these three parameters is sufficient to cause mechanical bending stress to accumulate in between the skin elevations during the progressive thickening of the skin until cracks are formed. Bending rather than tensile cracking The visual aspect of the cracking pattern on the skin of the African elephant bears a striking resemblance to cracks caused by tensile stress in drying mud, in damaged asphalt, on polar landscapes of Earth and Mars, as well as in spectacular geological formations such as the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and of the Devil's Postpile in eastern California. It was therefore tempting to hypothesise that the African elephant's skin cracks are generated by shrinkage of the skin. However, the computer simulations performed by the Swiss team indicate that shrinkage generates heterogeneous distributions of cracks that propagate over papillae, whereas cracks on the real skin occur nearly exclusively along the troughs, rejecting the 'cracking by shrinking' hypothesis. On the other hand, when the researchers implemented in their computer simulations the thickening of the skin (new layers are constantly added at the basis of the epidermis), mechanical bending stress accumulated in the valleys, causing the keratinised epidermis to crack only in the micro-valleys, reinforcing the new 'cracking by bending' results. One focus of developmental biology is to describe how forms and shapes are generated by heterogeneous tissue differentiation and growth, controlled by differential gene expression across the body. However, complex morphologies can also emerge as mechanical instabilities (folds, wrinkles) caused by mismatched growth between adherent tissue layers. Famous examples are the looping of the gut and folding of the cerebral cortex. While cracking, another type of mechanical instability, is commonplace in non-living materials, it is far less ubiquitous in biological systems. The Milinkovitch's lab showed a few years ago that the pattern of crocodile head scales forms through skin folding, and that their dynamic of propagation and polygonal pattern formation is analogous to those of cracking in drying mud. Here, the Swiss team shows for the first time that African elephant skin exhibits a myriad of channels that are true physical cracks of its keratinised epidermis. Elephants helping understand a human pathology Thickening of the African elephant keratinised epidermis is due to an imbalance between its formation at its base and its shedding at the skin surface. Strikingly, the Swiss team shows strong similarities between the normal skin morphology of African elephants and that of humans affected by ichthyosis vulgaris, a common genetic disorder (affecting about 1 in 250 people) that is known to impact desquamation (shedding of the skin) and causes dry, scaly skin. If validated by detailed molecular and cell biology comparisons, this equivalence would then make a remarkable link between a human pathological condition and the skin of an iconic species of pachyderm. "This correspondence would also demonstrate that similar mutations that occurred independently in the evolutionary lineages of humans and elephants turned out to be unfavourable in the former and adaptive in the latter," says Michel Milinkovitch. Explore further Asian elephants said at risk from Chinese demand for skin More information: Antonio F. Martins et al, Locally-curved geometry generates bending cracks in the African elephant skin, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Antonio F. Martins et al, Locally-curved geometry generates bending cracks in the African elephant skin,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06257-3 The State Duma: not just a rubber stamp. Credit: Shutterstock When we think of parliaments in non-democratic states, we often think of a room full of raised hands. This compelling image of unanimity conveys a simple idea: that these assemblies are stuffed with loyal servants of the ruling elite. Rather than scrutinise, challenge, amend, and block initiatives from the government, they provide guaranteed support. Rather than act as a check on executive power, they provide symbolic, merely ceremonial approval. Or that's how the conventional wisdom goes. There is evidence, however, that jars against this "rubber stamp" image. In a new research paper, I present data collected by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on the passage of budget bills through legislatures in 33 "non-democracies" states without free and fair elections, limited political liberties, and few checks on executive power. If these bodies are merely "rubber stamps", which pass laws without complaint or delay, then budget figures should remain unchanged during their legislative passage. But the data don't show that. In fact, around three quarters of those non-democratic states that supplied data to the OECD reported changes (both increases and decreases) in spending figures as bills passed through their respective parliaments. So what explains these odd observations? In order to answer this question, I focused on one prominent, contemporary non-democratic state: Russia. The first step in the analysis involved seeing whether bills were amended during parliamentary passage in this particular country case. I collected information on all bills submitted by the political executive (both the government and the president) and signed into law over a six-year period (2008-2013). When filtering out various types of bills for the sake of comparability, I was left with 837 bill-law cases. All bills must clear a number of "readings" in the State Duma the lower house of the Russian national legislature, the Federal Assembly in order to become laws. These "readings" are opportunities for legislators to debate, and possibly amend (or even reject) legislative initiatives. I collected texts of bills as originally submitted to the legislature, as well as the texts of the respective laws. I then measured the extent to which the text content of these bills had changed during their passage through the State Duma. Change happens The findings are clear. Contrary to conventional wisdom, but in line with the OECD data, bill amendment is the norm, not the exception. What's more, bills sometimes changed dramatically during legislative passage. Take, for example, bill 293332-6. When introduced into the State Duma in June 2013, the bill was two pages long, and concerned a basic change to the state registration of aircraft. When the bill was adopted by the Duma in October 2013, however, it had mushroomed into a 65-page document touching on various complex details of tax legislation. So what or, rather, who is responsible for these amendments? In order to answer this question, I took a two-pronged approach. I carried out a statistical analysis of the extent of bill change, looking at which variables proved significant in accounting for the degree of text amendment. I also carried out case studies of policy-making episodes, exploring the actors and issues involved during particular periods of bill amendment in the Duma. Both tracks of analysis resulted in the same insight. Bill amendments did not result from legislators responding to executive initiatives and proposing their own changes. Rather, changes to bill texts resulted from policy disagreements between members of the political executive. At first sight, this might seem somewhat odd. Even if members of the executive such as ministers disagree over policy details in discussions, the decision to introduce a bill into parliament should signal the ending of these conflicts. But my paper's findings show how ministers and other members of the executive sometimes continue their policy disputes after cabinet has signed off on introducing a particular bill into the legislature. This can happen for a number of reasons. If, for example, politicians are in a rush to make a legal change, executive actors can agree to introduce a bill into parliament, even though policy negotiations between ministers have not been finalised. Good for democracy? In a more interesting scenario, executive actors can learn about initiatives crafted by other members of the regime leadership, and with which they disagree, at the point of parliamentary introduction, having been excluded from cabinet-level discussion. They can then use the legislative stage of lawmaking to challenge and amend these proposal. All the while, legislators themselves can remain impotent loyalists, ready to ratify any settlements following intra-executive negotiations. What are the broad takeaways from this research? Authoritarian regimes sometimes struggle to pass legislation, much like governments in many democracies. But this isn't necessarily a sign of emergent democracy. Rather, this difficulty can reflect policy disagreements between members of the ruling political elite, rather than opposition from legislators. That means that if a bill fails to become law or is amended significantly it's not necessarily cause for excitement. These observations might simply reflect policy squabbling between ministers. In any event, passing laws isn't always easy even if the rest of the world thinks you have absolute control. Explore further Panel endorses bills for online sales tax special session This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. "This is when I start feeling my age," says Anne Corcoran. She's a scientist at the Babraham Institute, a human biology research centre in Cambridge, UK. Corcoran leads a group that looks at how our genomes the DNA coiled in almost every cell in our bodies relate to our immune systems, and specifically to the antibodies we make to defend against infection. She is, in her own words, an "old-school biologist," brought up on the skills of pipettes and Petri dishes and protective goggles, the science of experiments with glassware on benches what's known as "wet lab" work. "I knew what a gene looked like on a gel," she says, thinking back to her early career. These days that skill set is not enough. "When I started hiring Ph.D. students 15 years ago, they were entirely wet lab," Corcoran says. "Now when we recruit them, the first thing we look for is if they can cope with complex bioinformatic analysis." To be a biologist, nowadays, you need to be a statistician, or even a programmer. You need to be able to work with algorithms. An algorithm, essentially, is a set of instructions a series of predefined steps. A recipe could be seen as an algorithm, although a more obvious example is a computer program. You take your input (ingredients, numbers, or anything), run it through the algorithm's steps which could be as simple as "add one to each number," or as complex as Google's search algorithm and it provides an output: a cake, search results, or perhaps an Excel spreadsheet. Researchers like Corcoran need to use algorithms because, in the 17 years since she became a group leader, biology has changed. And the thing that has changed it is the vast the overwhelmingly, dizzyingly vast flood of data generated by new biomedical techniques, especially next-generation sequencing. Not long ago, sequencing an entire genome determining the order of all 3 billion pairs of DNA letters in the helix took years. The Human Genome Project, the first completed sequence of an entire human genome, took around 13 years from conception to its completion in 2003, and cost more than 2 billion. Today, next-generation sequencing can do the same thing in 24 hours for not much more than a thousand pounds. This has completely changed how scientists work. It's not just that they get their hands dirty less often, nor simply that the required skills have changed. It's that the whole process of science how you come by an idea and test it has been upended. This has left a lot of senior scientists needing to understand and supervise techniques that didn't exist when they trained. It's left universities playing catch-up, with many degrees not teaching the skills that modern biologists need. But above all, it's led to ground-breaking scientific discoveries breakthroughs that simply wouldn't have been possible 20 or even 10 years ago. A 10-minute drive from Babraham, in a village called Hinxton, there's another major life-sciences centre, the Wellcome Sanger Institute. It's 25 years old this week, and the rapidly moving history of genomics is written in its very architecture. "I did my postdoc at the Sanger," says Moritz Gerstung, now a research group leader at the European Bioinformatics Institute next door. He chuckles at the memory. "You can almost sense when the building was conceived," he says. "There's so much space for laboratory work, and not so much for where scientists can sit and analyse data on a computer." This is true everywhere, says Gil McVean, a professor of statistical genetics at the University of Oxford's Big Data Institute. Genomic research has become something done mainly on a laptop, not a workbench. "If you look at any 15-year-old research lab, they're 90 per cent wet lab," he says. "And if you go into one, almost all the people are sitting at computers. If you were to build a biomedical research centre today, you'd build it 10 per cent wet lab and 90 per cent computing." But that's not the only change. "One of the big changes in science," says McVean, "has been the move away from a very focused, targeted, hypothesis-driven approach, the "I've got this idea, I design the experiment, I run the experiment, and decide whether I was right or wrong' model." It used to be that you had to have some plausible idea about why a gene might do something that you could imagine some sensible-sounding biochemical pathway which could link the gene to a disease or trait. The time it took to sequence genes and the limited computing power available meant you had to be quite sure you were going to find something before you dedicated all that expensive lab and analysis time. Now you just collect a lot of data and let the data decide what the hypothesis should be, says McVean. If you look at 10,000 genomes of people with a disease and 10,000 without, you can use an algorithm to compare them, find the differences and then work out which genes are linked to the disease, without having to think in advance about which ones they might be. This approach is known as a genome-wide association study, a common form of analysis in the data-driven era. It's a fairly simple idea. You take the genomes of a large number of people, sequence them, and then use an algorithm to compare all of the DNA not just the 24,000 or so genes, which make up just 12 per cent of the genome, but also all of the still-somewhat-mysterious non-coding DNA too. The algorithm can be quite simple: for instance, comparing how frequently a certain DNA variant appears in people with a certain trait or condition and people without it. If the variant appears alongside a trait or condition significantly more often than you'd expect by chance, then the algorithm flags it up as a possible cause. Where it gets difficult is that diseases are almost all complex, and have tens or sometimes hundreds of genes or sections of non-coding DNA involved. This quickly leads to the need for complicated multidimensional analysis, and while the maths involved isn't new, the sheer scale of the task means that algorithms are essential. Often they can be comparing tens or hundreds of parameters at a time. It's a bit like the Google search algorithm. The process it uses to rank each web page isn't that complex for instance, measuring how frequently your search terms appear on a page, then where on the page they appear, then how many links there are to that page, and so on. But it combines hundreds of these measures and applies them to billions of web pages simultaneously. It would be impossible for a human to do. The algorithmic approach has brought great dividends. Gerstung's field, the genomics of cancer, has perhaps had the most exciting developments, for instance in relation to leukaemia. This devastating and often fatal disease can in some cases be successfully treated with a full bone-marrow transplant. But that is a major procedure whose complications can sometimes be fatal themselves. You only want to give it to patients with the most deadly forms of leukaemia. Predicting which leukaemias will be the most deadly, though, is enormously difficult. The symptoms are complex and don't always tell you enough about the prognosis. So what Gerstung's team did was sequence the genomes of 1,500 people's cancers to find the DNA mutations driving them, and then see which mutations correlated with which outcomes. There were 5,000 different mutations among the patients, and around 1,000 different combinations, which the team divided up into 11 categories of greater or lesser risk. "It enables clinicians to make much more focused decisions," Gerstung says. The influence of the data-driven approach extends much further. Sequencing the genomes of tumours has caused a "mind change" in our approach to cancer in general, says Edd James, a professor of cancer immunology at the University of Southampton. "We're now much more appreciative that a cancer isn't just a mass of copied cells." A single cancer may contain dozens of different kinds of cell, each with different combinations of DNA mutations and each vulnerable to different drugs. So sequencing allows clinicians to better target drugs at the patients and tumours upon which they will work. "Before, people were treated as members of populations: "X per cent of people given this treatment will do well,"" says James. "But with this information, you can understand whether [individually] they're going to get the benefit." As well as spotting differences, gene sequencing has revealed unexpected similarities between cancers too. Historically, says James, we've defined cancers by their anatomical site: as lung cancers, liver cancers, head-and-neck cancers and so on. "But using next-generation sequencing, you can see that there are cancers in different sites that share more in common with each other than with cancers in the same site. It's made us realise that some drugs that work for, say, breast cancer might work on others," he says. Gerstung backs this up: "From a genetic perspective, there's substantial overlap between cancers from different anatomical sites. One even finds BRCA1 [a gene heavily involved in breast cancer] in some prostate cancers." This is going to become increasingly important. The US Food and Drug Administration has recently licensed a cancer drug pembrolizumab for use in any cancer that shows signs of mismatch-repair deficiency, a form of DNA repair error. This is the beginning of drugs being licensed on the basis of a cancer's genetics rather than location. And it's all because of the constant, gushing flow of data. "We got so good at producing data," says Nicole Wheeler, a data scientist at the Sanger Institute who looks at the genomes of pathogenic bacteria, "that we ended up with too much of it." McVean agrees. "In Moore's Law, the computing power you have doubles every 18 months," he says. "The growth of biomedical data capture through sequencing genomes, but also through medical imaging or digital pathology is much faster than that. We're super-Moore's-Law-ing in biomedical data." It became completely impossible, in the early years of this century, for biological scientists to check their data themselves. And this meant that biologists had to recruit, or become, data scientists. "We reached a bottleneck a few years ago," says Anne Corcoran. "We had lots of data, but we didn't know what to do with it. So algorithms had to be invented on the fly, to deal with the data and maximise it," she continues. "When you're looking at single genes, or a few, you can do it manually, but when you're looking at the expression of 20,000 genes, you can't even do the statistics by yourself." Biologists many of whom grew up, as Corcoran did, working on benches with glassware, not desks and laptops have had to learn to use these algorithms. "I think senior scientists are often intimidated by it," she says, "and more reliant on their junior colleagues than they probably should be, or would like to admit that they are." She's evolved a "working knowledge" of how these algorithms function, but admits that "it's a slightly vulnerable period, where the people at the top don't have the skills to check the work of the people beneath them." Wolf Reik, one of Corcoran's colleagues at the Babraham Institute, who runs a research team looking at epigenetics, agrees. Older scientists have a completely different mindset, he says. "It's quite funny my staff in lab meetings think in terms of what the genome as a whole does. But I think about single genes and generalise from them that's how I learned to think." It's important for people in his position, he says, to understand junior scientists' work, and "most importantly develop an intuition about how to use the tools because ultimately I put my name to the work." The younger scientists, on the other hand, have grown up with data. Some of them have come from that background Gerstung did a physics undergraduate degree although that's true of some group leaders as well, such as McVean. But others who came through a more biological route have ended up talking in terms of coding. "I did biology as an undergrad, that's my domain knowledge," says Na Cai, a postdoctoral researcher at the Sanger Institute who studies how genotypes relate to various human traits. "Now I'm doing statistical analysis every day. It's been like learning another language, or several," she says. "I had to switch my brain from thinking in terms of biochemical pathways and flowcharts to a more structured kind of thinking in terms of code." The senior scientists she works with have all been "quite good at keeping up with the latest developments," she says. "They might not be able to write the code, but they understand what the analysis does." Wheeler, a colleague of Cai's, also came through the biology route and ended up coding. "I don't have a traditional software-engineering background," she says. "I learned to code on the side, during my Ph.D. [My coding] isn't the most efficient or glamorous, but it's about seeing what you have to do computationally and making it happen." In response to these needs, undergraduate degrees have been changing in the last few years. Newcastle University, for instance, now has a bioinformatics module in its biology undergraduate course, and Reading's final-year research projects involve computational biology, although the earlier optional computing modules have a low take-up, so students in their final year are learning the skills last-minute. Imperial College London, which already has bioinformatics courses, is planning to add programming for first- and second-years. "I think there's a recognition that biology involves more data than we used to have," says Wheeler, "so people need to have the skills to process it." But the change is slow, and sometimes opposed by students, not all of whom got into biology to code. "I'd say some undergrad courses are catching up," says Corcoran. "But in general they have not, as exemplified by the proliferation of post-degree Master's courses teaching these skills." The change is necessary, though. Even the most wet-lab-oriented scientists interviewed said they spend less than 50 per cent of their time doing experiments; some said it was as little as 10 per cent or even, in Cai's case, none at all since she has become a full-time bioinformatician. The shift towards being data-driven, says Wheeler, can be seen as a move from science that's hypothesis-testing to one that's hypothesis-generating. One scientist, who preferred not to put their name to the concern, worried that it had reduced the creativity in science, but according to Wheeler that's not the case. "It's moved the creativity around," she says. "In some ways there's more room for creativity. You can really try out some crazy ideas at relatively low cost." This has other advantages. "You can become attached to hypotheses," says Matt Bawn, a bioinformatician at the Earlham Institute, a computational biology research centre in Norfolk, UK. "It's better to be a disinterested observer with no preconceptions, to look at the blank canvas and let the picture emerge." But the greatest benefit is that data-driven studies are throwing up fascinating new findings all the time, in complex areas that were previously impossible to study. Stefan Schoenfelder, another researcher at the Babraham Institute, studies the 3-D shapes of chromosomes and how they affect gene expression. When the Human Genome Project was completed, it was discovered that there were far fewer genes than previously expected about 24,000, roughly a quarter of what scientists thought was the minimum. The rest of the DNA didn't code for proteins at all. What has since been realised is that part of what those non-coding areas do is regulate the expression of the genes: they turn them on in some cells, off in others. And part of how they do that is by folding themselves into different shapes in different cells. Chromosomes are usually depicted as X-shaped. But that's only when a cell is dividing. The rest of the time, the two metres of DNA inside almost every cell is coiled up in a complex tangle. So a length of DNA can be located a vast distance away from a gene on the chromosome but still be able to regulate it because in practice the two have close physical contact, says Schoenfelder. "That's why it's important to study this in 3-D context: if you just look at the sequences and assume they will regulate the gene next door, that's often incorrect. On top of this, genomes fold very differently, Schoenfelder says. "The same genome in a T cell will have a different conformation to in a liver cell or in a brain cell, and that's linked to different genes being expressed and the cells acquiring different functions." Working out the 3-D shape in each context is incredibly difficult. It involves sequencing cell types and seeing how they differ from other cell types, as well as which bits of DNA are interacting in that context. But the DNA first has to be treated using a complex technique known as cross-linking and ligation in order to allow the sequencing to see which bits are near each other. If two distant points are found together, it might be that they have been folded that way in order for one to affect the other. But much more often it's just the product of random jiggling. Finding the real correlations among the noise requires looking at billions of data points and seeing which links keep coming up slightly more often than others. It's then that the algorithms really come into play. Once you know which bits of the chromosome are regularly in contact with which other bits, you can use other algorithms to build 3-D models based on those points of contact. "This whole field is only about 15 years old," says Schoenfelder. Before that, he says, "I didn't think of the genome's shape at all, I just thought of it as a ball of spaghetti crushed into the nucleus. I thought it was just a logistical problem, stuffing it into a nucleus that's maybe 5 microns across. "What's blown me away is the fine level of regulation that exists, despite the extreme compaction, that still allows for this fine-tuning." The 3-D shapes of chromosomes, and which regulatory elements interact with which genes on that shape, will be a large part of the story of how the 200 cell types in the human body arise. Meanwhile, McVean says that genomic research has forced clinicians to reclassify the disease multiple sclerosis entirely. "We've found more than 250 bits of the genome which light up in terms of risk for the disease," he says. "That's let us make quite strong statements about the risk for the individual. But it's also allowed us to see overlaps with diseases like rheumatoid arthritis: some of the genes that raise your risk of MS decrease your risk of arthritis. "So we've learned it's an autoimmune disease, even though it presents as a neurodegenerative disease," says McVean. "There are four or five companies with new therapeutic programmes coming out of this." And Wolf Reik at the Babraham Institute has a thrilling, almost science-fiction story to tell. His work is in the field of epigenetics, looking at how the chemical environment of a cell affects the expression of genes; he sequences RNA, the messenger molecule that allows DNA to be read and proteins made, to see how it differs from cell to cell. His group is especially interested in ageing. Five years ago, it was discovered and Reik's work has since confirmed that there is an ageing clock in all our cells. It's called DNA methylation. There are four letters in the DNA alphabet: C (cytosine), A (adenine), G (guanine) and T (thymine). As we get older, more and more of the Cs on our DNA gain a little chemical marker called a methyl group. To read this clock, the work is simple just counting the methyl groups up but, again, the sheer number of data points returned is so enormous that they absolutely have to be counted by algorithm. "Reading that clock, we can predict your age, and my age, to within three years," says Reik. "Which is surprisingly accurate: the most accurate biomarker of ageing that we have." All of which is very interesting, of course: it's "either a readout of an underlying ageing process, or our programmed life expectancy." But Reik says the implication is that we could interrupt it: "I'm sure there will be drugs and small molecules that can slow this ageing clock down. It may be too much to hope that big data will help us all live for ever. But every scientist I spoke to agreed that the rise of algorithm-led, data-intensive genomic research has transformed the life sciences. It has left senior scientists sometimes unsure what their junior colleagues are doing, and left modern research centres with too much laboratory and not enough space for a laptop. The pace of change can be "disorienting," says Schoenfelder. "Life is a lot more complex now," he says. "The skill set I had when I did my Ph.D., only 13 years ago, is absolutely not sufficient to keep up with today's science." But this change has brought an optimism back into genomic research. When the Human Genome Project neared completion, people were excited, believing that many diseases would fall quickly as their genetic components were revealed. But most of them turned out to be complex, polygenic, impossible to understand by looking at single genes. Now, though, it is possible to look at those diseases through the power of next-generation sequencing and tools that can sift the data it provides. "Now when I run an experiment, I get 100 million, 200 million data points back," says Schoenfelder. "I didn't think that was possible in my lifetime, but it's happened over the course of a few years. We can address questions that were completely off-limits 10 years ago. It's been an extraordinary revolution." Explore further Optimizing technologies for discovering cancer cell mutations Provided by Mosaic This article first appeared on Mosaic and is republished here under a Creative Commons licence. Integral to the ability of biofilm reactors to produce vitamin K are specially designed internal plastic composite supports that microorganisms adhere to and on which they build intertwined colonies -- called biofilms -- that can withstand aeration and agitation needed to spur the microorganisms to secrete more vitamin K. These photos show the supports before fermentation (top), and after, covered by biofilms. Credit: Ehsan Mahdinia/Penn State In an innovative study that promises to reduce production costs for the most potent form of vitamin KMenaquinone-7, Penn State researchers have developed a novel method to enhance the fermentation process that creates the supplement by agitated liquid fermentation in a biofilm reactor. The new process, assuming it can be scaled up to industrial production, is important because recent studies conducted by universities in the Netherlands and UCLA School of Medicine, among others, show essential health benefits associated with large doses of vitamin Kespecially the Menaquinone-7 form, known as MK-7. These benefits include reducing risks of cardiovascular disease and strokes, osteoporosis, and even battling cancer. Foods that are rich in vitamin Ksuch as kale, red meat and egg yolkdo not provide enough of the vitamin to achieve high-dose therapies, which will require supplements. However, MK-7 production on an industrial level is expensive and limited because the bacterial fermentation needed to create the vitamin so far has relied on "static" fermentation strategies that are inadequate to ramp up output of the vitamin. The present production systemincorporating shallow trays of solid, soy-based medium growing microorganisms only on the surfacewill not support the expected increased demand for vitamin K, explained researcher Ehsan Mahdinia, a postdoctoral scholar in food science at Penn State. "Using biofilm reactors, however, appears to be a practical alternative," said Mahdinia. "Biofilm reactors provide a controlled environment for the microorganisms to form mature and robust biofilms that enable them to produce value-added products such as vitamin K with increased efficiency." Integral to the ability of biofilm reactors to produce vitamin K are specially designed internal plastic composite supports that microorganisms adhere to and on which they build intertwined coloniescalled biofilmsthat can withstand aeration and agitation needed to spur the microorganisms to secrete more vitamin K. "The supports are comprised of half plastic and half soybean hulls, with other nutrients mixed in, that are extruded together at high temperatures," said Mahdinia. "The composite material is porous enough to allow microbes to colonize and hold onto it. At the same time, it is hard enough that the supports do not fall apart when they are in the liquid." Researchers Ehsan Mahdinia (left) and Ali Demirci, in the College of Agricultural Sciences, are shown feeding microorganisms that produce the most potent form of vitamin K in a laboratory biofilm reactor in research that promises to reduce production costs and perhaps prices. Credit: Amy Duke/Penn State The study looked at producing MK-7 with an improved fermentation process, comparing the performance of strains of the microorganisms that create vitamin K. Researchers evaluated Bacillus species such as Bacillus subtilis natto, Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus amyloliquifaciens. Bacillus subtilis natto was determined to be the most efficient microorganism to be used in future Penn State studies in biofilm reactors, according to Mahdinia. It is a type of bacteria that produces fermented soy food such as Japanese traditional sticky natto, he pointed out. "Natto is a goo resulting from the microbes partially digesting soybeans, and like all fermented foods, it is very nutritious," he said. "It's basically rotten soybeans. I have been told it doesn't taste good, but I must admit that I have never had the courage to taste it." Finally, researchers experimented with the liquid medium, suspending and feeding the microorganisms in 12-day fermentation runs. The medium started as a soy broth supplemented with 0.8 percent yeast extract. In the study, they tested the addition of glucose and glycerol to the base media in the biofilm reactors. The carbon source addition seemed crucial in batch fermentations, Mahdinia noted. "Our results indicated that 'fed-batch' strategies can be significantly effective in glucose-based medium, rendering the biofilm reactors a promising replacement for static fermentation strategies. Under the same operational and medium conditions, suspended-cell bioreactors (with no biofilm present) could not reach MK-7 concentrations higher than 8.7 milligrams per liter, while in biofilm reactors concentrations were higher than 28.7 milligrams per litera 2.3-fold enhancement." Ali Demirci, Penn State professor of agricultural and biological engineering, whose research group in the College of Agricultural Sciences conducted the study, has high hopes for this new technology. He is planning to scale up the 2-liter laboratory biofilm reactors and introduce pilot scale fermenters of perhaps 200 liters. "We believe those pilot scale biofilm reactors can produce a significant amount of vitamin K to compete with what is done in industry right now," he said. "Then we hope we can turn this into a patent and go to the industry and say, 'you can easily scale up these liquid fermenters to thousands of liters, similar to what is in use now for bioethanol production.' Each fermenter can reach up to 850,000 gallons of volume and produce much larger amounts of vitamin K." The research is recently published in Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. Explore further Potato waste processing may be the road to enhanced food waste conversion Credit: CC0 Public Domain A team of biologists has discovered that the distinctive genetic processes of early development help explain patterns of animal development in nature and across the evolutionary tree. Its findings point to a largely overlooked dynamic between the genome of mothers and their developing progenyand one that underscores this genetic interaction as a primary influence on evolution. "Some offspring traits, such as size, are determined by the mother's genome, but other offspring traits are shaped by the offspring's genome itself," explains Matthew Rockman, an associate professor in New York University's Department of Biology and the senior author of the paper, which appears in the journal eLife. "As a result, there may be genetic mismatches between mother and offspring, which can sometimes hinder adaptation to ecological conditions." The study, the first genetic analysis of a transition from indirect to direct development, one of the most common evolutionary patterns across the history of animal life, was led by Christina Zakas, an NYU postdoctoral research scientist. Many animals develop indirectly, growing first into a larva that must feed itself before metamorphosis into its juvenile form. However, some lineages have abandoned this larval mode of development, switching to direct developmentskipping the larval phase and hatching as a small version of the adult. Direct and indirect developing lineages therefore have very different offspring, with large differences in size and morphology between them. But how this kind of evolutionary transition happens, at the genetic level, has long been a mystery to scientists. In their study, the NYU researchers examined a small marine worm, Streblospio benedicti, which is found in New York harbor. The species serves as a good vehicle for examining the larva-to-direct-development change because some populations of this species make larvae while others develop directly. Using genetic crosses in the lab to isolate differences in the worms' offspring, the scientists sought to discover the genomic regions responsible for larval development. By tracking pieces of genome along the family tree of their experimental worms, they could distinguish among alternative genetic models. Surprisingly, their results showed that the genes that govern egg size are completely independent of the genes that influence larval development. "This genetic independence means that matings between populations that differ in developmental mode will generate genetically mismatched offspring," Rockman notes. "Moreover, because egg size is determined by the mother's genes and larval development by the offspring genotype, the special circumstances of early development create a feedback loop: the frequency of the maternal genes in a population creates its own selection pressure for matching offspring genes." The findings, then, suggest a previously unexplored mechanism shaping development in this and other species. "Different ecological circumstances favor one approach or the other, but our results show that in this species the effects of the maternal genome could override other selective pressures from the environment such as salinity, predators, or food abundance," says Rockman. Explore further Age of mothers influences genetic similarity between twins More information: Christina Zakas et al, Decoupled maternal and zygotic genetic effects shape the evolution of development, eLife (2018). Journal information: eLife Christina Zakas et al, Decoupled maternal and zygotic genetic effects shape the evolution of development,(2018). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.37143 1. Comments must not be racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or otherwise bigoted. 2. Comments must not involve little more than name-calling and insulting remarks. 3. Comments must not be made by "anonymous" or "unknown". 4. Comments must not try to sneak in some free advertising for themselves (like spam). I invite anyone who wishes to comment on this blog to do so. I enjoy the comments, whether you agree with what I have said or not. But some people want to abuse the right to comment, and since this is my blog, I have decided to lay down the following rules. If your comment violates these rules, it will not be published. Channel Island foxes, once on the brink of extinction, are making a comeback. Researchers at USC Dornsife's Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies are testing their genetic diversity. Credit: Karl Huggins Visitors of Southern California's Santa Catalina Island in recent years have likely caught sight of what first may appear to be small dogs or half-grown housecats. The docile creatures, sporting bushy salt-and-pepper tails, charcoal and brown camouflage coats and outsized ears, seem ready to overrun the island. But nearly 25 years ago, that was far from the case for the Channel Island foxes. The dwarf descendants of the gray fox, possibly first brought to the islands about 7,000 years ago as companions by indigenous people, were in danger of extinction. The population of creatures had been pushed to the brink of collapse by disease and hungry predators. With the support of conservationists and fox fans, the federal government launched a massive recovery effort that included, among other things, a vaccination program to protect the foxes against canine distemper, efforts to control predators and a mating program. The foxes have quickly rebounded across the Channel Islands. After a low in 2000 of just 100 on Catalina, the fox population has increased to more than 1,500. On the smaller San Miguel Island, the fox population rose from a low of just 15 to more than 450 over the same period, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Now, scientists at USC Dornsife's Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies are researching the foxes' genetics through a comparison of their genomes before and after the near-collapse to see if their genetic diversity has returned to pre-collapse levels. Genetic diversity is an important factor contributing to a more resilient species. Credit: University of Southern California "Population numbers don't tell the entire story," said Suzanne Edmands, professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife. "Genetic diversity can lag behind, potentially leading to difficulty responding to new environmental challenges." Edmands said that one of the Ph.D. candidates in her lab, Nicole Adams, is investigating that very topic for her thesis. Adams collaborates closely with Edmands and is co-advised by Edmands and Xiaoming Wang, a paleontologist at the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum. The work is supported by the Offield Family Foundation. Adams is comparing the genetic diversity before and after these declines. Her findings could help inform any further conservation efforts to support the survival of the island foxes, and perhaps efforts to save other endangered species. Results are expected within the next several months. "The foxes might be fine as long as conditions stay the same," Edmands said. Explore further Feds plan major announcement about California island foxes Pano (mother-in-law) and Anjana (daughter-in-law) /Local market in Janakpur, rural Nepal Credit: UCL Intergenerational power relations may be just as important as male-female power relations for women's economic empowerment, according to new UCL research. The study, published in World Development, was conducted in rural Nepal where mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law often have fraught relationships, as their survival and well-being depend on gaining favour with male family members. Funding was provided from UCL's Grand Challenges programme of cross-disciplinary research bringing together researchers from UCL's Institute of Global Health, Anthropology and Economics departments. The research team uncovered multiple ways in which young wives and husbands living with their in-laws became secret allies in seeking economic independence from the rule of the mother-in-law. Most prominently, this included secretly saving up for setting up their own separate household, far away from the home of the in-laws. Dr. Lu Gram (UCL Institute of Global Health) said: "Over the past 30 years, economic models of family behaviour have overwhelmingly focused on spousal conflict in nuclear households. Our research points to the need to consider intergenerational conflict in extended households to ensure policies to 'empower' women remain relevant to local South Asian contexts." We are currently conducting a follow-up study on developing better measures of women's access to cash for the South Asian context." Traditionally, young wives living with their in-laws had to accept subservience to their husband and mother-in-law. In exchange, they would receive economic security and eventually become mothers-in-law themselves with authority over their own daughter-in-law. This research suggests the balance of power can suddenly shift with important consequences for women's fertility, health and child care practices. The authors hope their work will be of interest to economists and policy-makers as it has shown there are intergenerational power struggles in families that are often overlooked. Explore further Why suicide rates among pregnant women in Nepal are rising More information: Lu Gram et al. Revisiting the patriarchal bargain: The intergenerational power dynamics of household money management in rural Nepal, World Development (2018). Lu Gram et al. Revisiting the patriarchal bargain: The intergenerational power dynamics of household money management in rural Nepal,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2018.08.002 Tall and short sorghum varieties growing in the field. Credit: Dr. Nadia Shakoor, Donald Danforth Plant Science Perhaps you've never tasted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), the fifth most popular crop in the world, but you probably will soon. This ancient grain is a common source of food in developing countries and is also used to make Baijiu, one of the world's most popular spirits. Grain sorghum, a tough, drought-tolerant plant with dry, brittle stems, is also used to make products ranging from animal feed to industrial chemicals to gluten-free flour, and it represents a promising source of biofuel. The less common juicy-stemmed sweet sorghum varieties are used to produce a maple syrup-like product. Stem juiciness can make a plant more tolerant to drought, but it can also make it less disease resistant, and the height of these plants can cause them to topple over in the wind. Understanding how the stem juiciness trait evolved and identifying the underlying gene could help breeders fine-tune this trait in sorghum and other important crops while shedding light on stem water transport in plants. Over 100 years ago, scientists discovered that stem juiciness is governed by a single genetic locus called Dry. While this genetic region has since been narrowed down to a small area on a single chromosome, moisture levels in sorghum stems can be quite variable, making it difficult to study this trait and pin down the underlying gene. Through careful genetic analysis of a large, diverse panel of sorghum varieties, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the gene controlling the stem juiciness trait in sorghum, as described in this month's issue of The Plant Cell. The Dry gene product appears to function as a master switch that controls the expression of many genes that help determine the shape and composition of the plant cell wall. Mutations in the Dry gene in juicy-stemmed sorghum varieties lead to abnormal cell walls and even cell collapse, but the high sugar content in these plants enhances their growth and could lead to increased grain production. It appears that breeders have long been selecting plants with mutations in the Dry gene to increase the efficiency of sorghum syrup production. The authors identified similar genes in other crop species, providing the opportunity to shape the level of stem juiciness in other plants as well. According to Dr. Thomas Juenger of the University of Texas, "This is an important discovery of an iconic sorghum gene and a great example of an integrative approach using genetic mapping, natural variation, and transgenic manipulations to understand a key factor underlying an important domestication event". More information: Li-Min Zhang, L.M. et al. (2018). Sweet Sorghum Originated through Selection of the Dry Gene, Encoding a Plant-specific NAC Transcription Factor. Plant Cell DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00313 , www.plantcell.org/content/earl 8/09/25/tpc.18.00313 Journal information: Plant Cell Li-Min Zhang, L.M. et al. (2018). Sweet Sorghum Originated through Selection of the Dry Gene, Encoding a Plant-specific NAC Transcription Factor. In July, nearly 100 people perished in blazes at coastal resorts near Athens, the country's worst fire Even reaching the most optimistic goals in the Paris climate treaty will still increase the area of southern Europe devastated by forest fires each year by at least 40 percent, researchers warned Tuesday. Following two years of often deadly blazes across Portugal, Spain, southern France and Greece, scientists at the University of Barcelona said more woodland areas could be lost to the flames if the targets laid out in the 2015 climate deal were missed. The agreement aims to limit global temperature increases to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsiusand to 1.5C if at all possible. In the first study of its kind, the team tested computer models of how much worse fires would get if global temperatures were to rise 1.5C, 2C, or 3C by the end of the century. "It's relevant because there are a lot of fires in this area, for instance, in Greece this year or last summer in Portugal," Marco Turco, from the university's Department of Applied Physics and lead study author told AFP. "These are examples of things to come in the future." Turco and the team found that the area of southern Europe lost each year to fire would increase between 40-54 percent, even if temperature rises were limited to 1.5Cthe most ambitious goal in all climate change mitigation efforts. "1.5C is really ambitious... but it's not physically impossible," said Turco. Were temperatures to climb 2C above the preindustrial benchmark, the area destroyed by fire was projected to increase between 62-87 percent, and for 3C it could grow by as much as 187 percent as climate change-induced droughts produce more combustible material. Southern Europe currently loses around 4,500 square kilometresthree times the area of Greater Londoneach year to fire. Deadliest blazes In July, nearly 100 people perished in blazes at coastal resorts near Athens, the country's worst fire in modern history. The government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras came in for thunderous criticism after a combination of tactical errors by emergency responders and poor infrastructure trapped hundreds of holidaymakers in the path of the flames. In August 2017, 64 people burned to death in Portugal's worst ever fires. Scientists have consistently predicted that extreme weather events such as wildfires, drought, superstorms and flooding will become more frequent and severe as our planet heats up. Turco said his study highlighted the importance of trying to stick to 1.5C risessomething some studies already suggest may be beyond reach. Ultimately, in seaside regions where holiday homes predominate, people may wish to reconsider buying a property that could become increasingly prey to fire as the century progresses. "In these areas the climate has meant that people have to be really careful considering these future scenarios," Turco said. Explore further Athens fires among the deadliest in Europe this century More information: Marco Turco et al. Exacerbated fires in Mediterranean Europe due to anthropogenic warming projected with non-stationary climate-fire models, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Marco Turco et al. Exacerbated fires in Mediterranean Europe due to anthropogenic warming projected with non-stationary climate-fire models,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06358-z 2018 AFP Arthur Ashkin of the US split the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize with Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada When Canadian scientist Donna Strickland got the early morning call informing her she just won the Nobel Physics Prize, she could barely hide her amazement. Not just that she had clinched one of science's most prestigious honoursher pioneering work on laser pulses had earned her renown among the physics communitybut also that she was one of only three women to win the award in its more than 100-year history. "Is that all, really?!" she asked the audience assembled in the ornate, wood-panelled hall at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm on Tuesday morning. "Well, OK. I thought there might have been more but I couldn't think." In becoming the first women Nobel physics laureate in 55 years, Strickland won acclaim from her peers, who were keen to point out the boundary-pushing work done by female scientists across the world. "There are women doing excellent research in all kinds of fields," Roisin Owens, biochemical engineer at University of Cambridge, told AFP. She said that while historically it was true that far fewer women than men worked in research, the scientific community needed to wake up the field's changing demographics. "Sometimes people are looking in their own echo chamber, but the excuse of 'oh, we couldn't find any women (to reward)' doesn't wash anymore." Of the 112 physics prizes the Nobel committee has awarded since 1901, the only women winners before Strickland were Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert Mayer in 1963. Marie Curie won the Nobel Physics Prize in 1903, only two women have followed her 'Change is happening' Jessica Wade, a researcher at Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics at Imperial College London, was so fed up with women in the field being overlooked that she spent the last year adding 270 Wikipedia entries on women scientists. She admits the scientific community has made some progress on the gender gap"schemes to support women in their return from maternity leave, shared parental leave, policies to prevent sexual harassment and bullying"but the playing field is still far from even. "There is also a growing, and concerning, area of society, who contemporary politicians and social media are allowing to propagate old-fashioned and sexist views," she said. Europe's particle physics lab CERN suspended a scientist this week after he suggested that physics was "built by men" and accused women of demanding specialist jobs without suitable qualifications. Alessandro Strumia of Pisa University shocked the audience at the Geneva lab during a workshop on high energy theory and gender. For Patricia Rankin, professor of Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Strumia's suspension was an example that "change is happening" in efforts to battle outright sexism in science. But, she added: "I think there is a large list of barriers that women have to overcome including unconscious bias, different expectations and demands on their time." New Nobel laureate Donna Strickland Physics 'built by men'? The Swedish academy said Tuesday it was encouraging more people to nominate women for their science awards, "because we don't want to miss anyone." According to Jennifer Curtis, associate professor of physics at the Georgia Institute of Technology, "awards beget awards... one important way to promote female physicists is to make sure to nominate them." She said it was "fantastic" that Strickland had finally received recognition. 'Celebrate women scientists' Wade pointed to the work of Dawn Shaughnessy, the American radiochemist who discovered five elements in the periodic table, who has yet to be formally honoured with a Nobel. In addition, according to Andrea Welsh, a Ph.D. student in physics at Georgia Tech, women scientists were far less likely to seek nominations than male peers. "Nominating (yourself) for an award that gives you credit for work you have already done is very different than nominating yourself to do more work, especially in a field where your work is typically undervalued, where you are spoken over frequently, where there is no one else saying that you deserve something more," she told AFP. For Owens, the fact that the Nobels are awarded for individual rather than team efforts could be another reason why there are so few women winners. "My sense is that women often work towards the collective good and often may sacrifice their individual career for advancing the community," she said. Last month, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, one of the world's leading astrophysicists who helped discovered pulsars, said she was donating her $3 million winnings from a prestigious science prize to help underrepresented groups get into physics. "There are so many fantastic women scientists and engineers and we need to spend more time celebrating them," said Wade. "Support the professional development of young women, give them opportunities to talk and network, mentor them and nominate them for prizes, Nobel or otherwise." Explore further CERN suspends scientist over 'offensive' address on women and science 2018 AFP The positions and reconstructed orbits of 20 high-velocity stars, represented on top of an artistic view of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. These stars were identified using data from the second release of ESAs Gaia mission.The seven stars shown in red are sprinting away from the Galaxy and could be travelling fast enough to eventually escape its gravity. Surprisingly, the study revealed also thirteen stars, shown in orange, that are racing towards the Milky Way: these could be stars from another galaxy, zooming right through our own. Credit: ESA (artists impression and composition); Marchetti et al. 2018 (star positions and trajectories); NASA / ESA / Hubble (background galaxies); CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO A team of Leiden astronomers used the latest set of data from ESA's Gaia mission to look for high-velocity stars being kicked out of the Milky Way, but were surprised to find stars instead sprinting inwards perhaps from another galaxy. In April, ESA's stellar surveyor Gaia released an unprecedented catalogue of more than one billion stars. Astronomers across the world have been working ceaselessly over the past few months to explore this extraordinary dataset, scrutinising the properties and motions of stars in our galaxy and beyond with never before achieved precision, giving rise to a multitude of new and intriguing studies. The Milky Way contains over a hundred billion stars. Most are located in a disc with a dense, bulging centre, at the middle of which is a supermassive black hole. The rest are spread out in a much larger spherical halo. Stars circle around the Milky Way at hundreds of kilometres per second, and their motions contain a wealth of information about the past history of the galaxy. The fastest class of stars in our galaxy are called hypervelocity stars, which are thought to start their life near the Galactic centre to be later flung towards the edge of the Milky Way via interactions with the black hole. Only a small number of hypervelocity stars have ever been discovered, and Gaia's recently published second data release provides a unique opportunity to look for more of them. Several groups of astronomers jumped into the brand-new dataset in search of hypervelocity stars immediately after the release. Among them, three scientists at Leiden University were in for a big surprise. For 1.3 billion stars, Gaia measured positions, parallaxes an indicator of their distance and 2-D motions on the plane of the sky. For seven million of the brightest ones, it also measured how quickly they move towards or away from us. "Of the seven million Gaia stars with full 3-D velocity measurements, we found twenty that could be travelling fast enough to eventually escape from the Milky Way," explains Elena Maria Rossi, one of the authors of the new study. Elena and colleagues, who had already discovered a handful of hypervelocity stars last year in an exploratory study based on data from Gaia's first release, were pleasantly surprised, as they were hoping to find at most one star breaking loose from the galaxy among these seven million. And there is more. "Rather than flying away from the Galactic centre, most of the high velocity stars we spotted seem to be racing towards it," adds co-author Tommaso Marchetti. "These could be stars from another galaxy, zooming right through the Milky Way." It is possible that these intergalactic interlopers come from the Large Magellanic Cloud, a relatively small galaxy orbiting the Milky Way, or they may originate from a galaxy even further afield. If that is the case, they carry the imprint of their site of origin, and studying them at much closer distances than their parent galaxy could provide unprecedented information on the nature of stars in another galaxy similar in a way to studying martian material brought to our planet by meteorites. "Stars can be accelerated to high velocities when they interact with a supermassive black hole," Elena explains. "So the presence of these stars might be a sign of such black holes in nearby galaxies. But the stars may also have once been part of a binary system, flung towards the Milky Way when their companion star exploded as a supernova. Either way, studying them could tell us more about these kinds of processes in nearby galaxies." An alternative explanation is that the newly identified sprinting stars could be native to our galaxy's halo, accelerated and pushed inwards through interactions with one of the dwarf galaxies that fell towards the Milky Way during its build-up history. Additional information about the age and composition of the stars could help the astronomers clarify their origin. "A star from the Milky Way halo is likely to be fairly old and mostly made of hydrogen, whereas stars from other galaxies could contain lots of heavier elements," says Tommaso. "Looking at the colours of stars tells us more about what they are made of." New data will help nail down the nature and origin of these stars with more certainty, and the team will use ground-based telescopes to find out more about them. In the meantime, Gaia continues to make observations of the full sky, including the stars analysed in this study. While investigating the nature of these possible stellar interlopers, the team is also busy digging into the full dataset from Gaia's second release, searching for more high-speed stars and looking forward to the future. At least two more Gaia data releases are planned in the 2020s, and each will provide both more precise and new information on a larger set of stars. "We eventually expect full 3-D velocity measurements for up to 150 million stars," explains co-author Anthony Brown, chair of the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium Executive. "This will help find hundreds or thousands of hypervelocity stars, understand their origin in much more detail, and use them to investigate the Galactic centre environment as well as the history of our galaxy," he adds. "This exciting result shows that Gaia is a true discovery machine, providing the ground for completely unexpected discoveries about our galaxy," concludes Timo Prusti, Gaia project scientist at ESA. Explore further Image: Rotation of the Large Magellanic Cloud More information: Gaia DR2 in 6D: Searching for the fastest stars in the galaxy. Gaia DR2 in 6D: Searching for the fastest stars in the galaxy. arxiv.org/abs/1804.10607 Indian school children brought their own solar lamps to the International Solar Alliance meet in New Delhi An India-led coalition to harness solar energy will eventually replace the OPEC oil cartel, India's premier predicted Tuesday, as he opened the International Solar Alliance's first assembly with UN chief Antonio Guterres. "The role of the oil wells today will be that of the Sun's rays tomorrow," Narendra Modi said at the meeting in New Delhi. "In the coming years, when the world discusses initiatives for the welfare of humanity in the 21st century, ISA's name will be at the top. We have prepared everyone to ensure climate justice through this ISA forum," he said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumps around a third of the world's oil and over decades has been able to influence the global energy market by controlling the price of crude. The ISA, launched by Modi and then French president Francois Hollande in 2015 and based in India, is an alliance of countries mostly between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn that receive plentiful sunshine. It aims to reduce the costs of financing solar power and the required technology, and to mobilise more than a trillion dollars to build solar facilities and infrastructure by 2030. "The International Solar Alliance represents exactly what needs to be done and represents the future," Guterres said at the event. "We know what we need to do, and by large, we have the tools to do it. What we still lack, fortunately not here in this room... is the political commitment to make the transformative decisions that will lead us onto a safer path," he said. With only a single degree Celsius of warming so far, the world has seen a climate-enhanced crescendo of deadly heatwaves, wild fires and floods, along with superstorms swollen by rising seas. India's population of 1.3 billion is particularly vulnerable to climate change. In August, once-a-century rains pounded the southern state of Kerala, displacing 1.3 million people, with climate scientists warning that worse is to come if global warming continues unabated. The ISA's first assembly, involving member countries, banks, development funds, the corporate sector and civil society groups, is due to run until Friday. Explore further Warm countries launch Sun-energy alliance 2018 AFP Credit: University of Western Sydney An interactive website which investigates the rising investment in detention, enforcement, and deportation of immigrant families in the U.S has been released by a group of researchers and academics this week. The virtual resource charts financial contracts that the U.S government has with companies to supply goods and services required for detention, surveillance, and deportation of immigrants. This includes everything from IT supplies and services for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices, toiletries for detainees and even ammunition and taser accessories. The website was co-built by Associate Professor Rachel Hendery from Western Sydney University's Digital Humanities Research Group. Associate Professor Hendery contributed to the programming, design and analysis work for the platform. The interactive data exploration reveals that ICE government contract values have increased 987 percent since 2014 and they have almost doubled in the past year. Associate Professor Hendery said the research found the U.S government and businesses are heavily profiting from the detainment of immigrants. "Businesses like Deloitte have various ICE contracts which collectively amount to $250 Million and they aren't the biggest," Associate Professor Hendery said. "Amazon, LinkedIn and Dell are just some of the household names of organisations that are a part of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement 'industry'. "I don't think people are aware of the scale of this immigration prison industry, nor that it really is an industry, with all kinds of financial and other incentives for the status quo to continue, or as our data suggests, scale up even further," she said. The map is divided into 'visualisations' which provide different data on the financial industry of the immigration system. The visualisations include: Monetary amounts of ICE contracts in each congressional district ICE contracts from 2014-2018 showing the exponential growth of economic activity within the immigration system. An expose of some of the most egregious participants in the ICE economy. An in-depth look at the expenditure categories for ICE contracts. Re-displacements from the US since 2012 by port of removal. A map of allies, double vetted for trustworthiness. Professor Hendery said that maps and other interactive data visualisations that were used in the project help extract narratives from complex figures in a way that looking at numbers does not. "Most people reading or hearing about immigration in the U.S are operating without all the information. It's hard to understand how large the ICE machinery is, or what the scale of their financial web is like." The research makes up the second volume of the Torn Apart/ Separados project which provides a deep and radically new look at the culpability behind the humanitarian crisis in the United States. The project is made up of an interdisciplinary cohort of researchers around the world who combine technical skills and classical research practices to help mobilise humanity. Explore further How private prison companies are influencing immigration policy Credit: John Sonderman via Flickr A small number of elite universities serve as the prime breeding grounds for American power brokers. Harvard, for example, has produced eight presidents, and Yale, five. What do voters think of politicians who attended elite schools? New research by academics at UCL and Stanford University finds that the answer depends on where voters fall on the political spectrum and the particular traits that they are evaluating. Liberals, but not conservatives, see Ivy-League-educated politicians as more competent, whereas conservatives, but not liberals, see Ivy-League-educated politicians as less relatable. The study, which surveyed US residents and was published in the journal Electoral Studies, shows that, on average, the public are mildly (though not significantly) less inclined to vote for politicians educated at elite universities. Thomas Gift (UCL Political Science) concluded: "Our results shed light on the complicatedand often conflicting viewsthat American voters hold toward elite-educated politicians. From a campaigning standpoint, our research also offers insight into the electoral implications of politicians who have and choose to highlight their elite educational credentials." The researchers argue that liberals likely deem elite-educated politicians as more competent because of what it takes to get admitted to elite universities and what they learn while there. Conservatives, however, may be more suspicious of the role that intellectuals play in public life and thus de-prioritize this factor in judging their competence. At the same time, the authors claim, conservatives may perceive elite-educated politicians as less relatable because they view them as personally removed from everyday citizens. Liberals, however, might be more inclined to believe that the progressive ideals prevalent at elite universities promote empathy and social awareness among graduates. The research was carried out through the Harvard Digital Lab for the Social Sciences, where a sample of 658 US residents completed an online survey between May and June 2017. Respondents were asked to evaluate two fictitious male candidates based on a short biography. In some cases, respondents were randomly informed that the politician had attended an elite university (Harvard University, Yale University, or Princeton University). In other cases, they were told that the politician had attended a less elite university (Lehigh University, Northeastern University or Boston University). After reading the candidate biographies, respondents were asked to rate each on several criteria, including competency and relatability, using a 1-7 scale of agreement. Carlos X. Lastra-Anadon (Freeman Spogli Institute, Stanford University, formerly of Harvard University), concluded: "Given that voters overall do not necessarily favor elite-educated politicians because of their prestigious degrees, it is worth exploring why Ivy League graduates are so often elected to public office. Perhaps these politicians are more likely to run for office, are better plugged into social networks, or possess other traitslike intelligence or charismathat appeal to voters. Future research is needed to find out and to elicit what other educational attributes have an effect on the perception of candidates in other countries and contexts." Three scientists shared the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for their work that has "revolutionised" the field of laser physics. Here is a brief explanation of their breakthroughs and how the discoveries can be applied: Optical tweezers American physicist Arthur Ashkin was given one half of the prestigious award for inventing "optical tweezers"intense laser beams that can grab microscopic particles and move them about for study. They use light to move physical objects, "an old dream of science fiction," according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The beams use light's natural radiation pressure, allowing scientists to examine and manipulate viruses, bacteria and other living cellseven individual atomswithout damaging them. The Nobel prize committee said the innovation, which Ashkin developed in the 1970s and 1980s, had created "new opportunities for observing and controlling the machinery of life". Optical pulses The other half of Tuesday's prize pot was split between Frenchman Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland of Canada, for their joint development of ultra-short optical pulses. When early lasers were being developed in the 1960s, scientists encountered the problem of how to scale up the beams without also boosting their intensity to potentially dangerous levels. Mourou and Strickland developed a technique, known as chirped-pulse amplification (CPA), which enabled researchers to boost laser power but keeping the intensity safe by having incredibly short light bursts. CPA first stretches laser pulses over time to reduce their intensity, before amplifying them and compressing them again. The compressed pulses saw more light packed into a shorter time, increasing the intensity of the pulse. It enables beams to cut or drill holes in various materials, including living matter, with extreme precision. Today the technique is used in millions of laser eye surgeries across the world and is being applied to research in several fields, including cancer care. Explore further Laser pioneers win Nobel Physics Prize 2018 AFP Tuesday, October 02, 2018 Obama's NM Endorsements: One Could Be A Door Opener, Plus: Heinrich's Free Ride; Rich And Johnson So Far Fail To Deliver Obama released a second wave of candidate endorsements ahead of the November midterm elections, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist who gained national fame earlier this year. Obama's new list includes 260 candidates across 29 states who are running for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and state legislature. He endorsed 81 candidates in August. Akhil, a native of India, came to New Mexico 45 years ago to attend NMSU. He says he has never met Obama. The ex-President's father was Muslim. although Akhil's heritage apparently played no role in Obama's endorsement. Akhil, 70, says: I greatly appreciate the endorsement. There are not many immigrants getting this kind of encouragement to run for elective office. But I think the primary reason the President endorsed me is because I am an engineer and would bring to the House in-depth knowledge about subjects such as renewable energy that are critical to the future of the state and nation. Rep. Dines, 71, was first elected to HD 20 in 2014 which encompasses the far east side neighborhoods of Four Hills, East Central and the Sandia foothills south of Indian school. He has built a record as a strong advocate for open government and was a key player in developing legislation for a state ethics commission that voters will decide this election. It would take a big blue wave for R Dines to be ousted. The district is 39% Dem, 35% Republican and 25% independent, short of swing seat status. And in '16 Dines scored a 55-45 win over his Dem foe. But Dems point out that also in '16 Hillary Clinton beat Trump in the district 45% to 41% and that the Four Hills area--while still heavy R--has grown less so in recent years. In the money race, it's close. At last report Akhil Whether Akhil wins or not, the Obama endorsement could encourage more Muslims and immigrants in NM to make a run in the future. HOCHMAN VS. WINTER This is a true swing seat. Hochman had more money banked than Winter in the last money reports in early September but Winter has name ID built up over decades. The Obama boost is sure to help Hochman with fund-raising and also encourage the Dem PACs to play even harder in this contest. Finally, Obama gave the nod to Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham in her race against Republican Steve Pearce. She is chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and would be the first Democratic Hispanic female Governor the nation has seen. Obama said: The last eight years have left New Mexicans waiting for a leader like Michelle, a leader who can restore hope and put opportunity back within reach. As governor, shell break down barriers to invest more into our classrooms, create clean energy jobs, expand workforce training, and bring quality pre-k to every New Mexico child. I know with your help she can get it done. Not surpassingly Steve Pearce wasn't impressed with the Obama nod to his opponent. He declared: Barack Obama just endorsed Michelle Lujan Grisham, along with dozens of other liberal candidates--like radical democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez--across the nation. This sums up Grisham's campaign. Far left, out of state, political celebrities coming into New Mexico to push their radical values on to our state. Also on the Guv beat, the Pearce campaign recently accused Lujan Grisham of "lying" for including Socorro County Commissioner Glen Duggins on a list of republicans endorsing her candidacy. He says he did not endorse her. Here's a look at this from an MLG supporter who works with Duggins: For Pearce to call MLG a "liar" for putting on a campaign piece that she was endorsed by 100 Republicans which was denied by Glen Duggins is unfair. Duggins is chairman of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District, Several of us went to D.C. to meet with the congressional delegation to discuss water issues. Duggins, a chile farmer in Lemitar, was really worried about finding workers to pick his chiles and wanted to talk about immigration and a policy that would not jeopardize his livelihood. When we met with MLG he really wanted her help and he gave the distinct impression that he would support her. She should have gotten an email response from him before publishing his name but she was not "lying." OTHER OBAMA NODS The former Prez also endorsed Melanie Stansbury, the Dem trying to unseat ABQ GOP rep. Jimmie Hall in District 28 and Dem Karen Bash who is running against GOP state Rep. Monica Youngblood, who was found guilty of aggravated DWI and who will be sentenced today. HITTING HEINRICH Gary Johnson Talk about a free ride Here we are in early October with early in-person voting set to begin October 20 and there are no campaign TV ads from the two challengers of Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich. Neither Republican Mick Rich or Libertarian Gary Johnson have been very successful at raising money and that has given Heinrich free reign as he seeks a second six year term. It's not like there is nothing to pick on Heinrich for, as we see in this . . . Over 67 percent of Heinrichs donations come from outside New Mexico. He raises almost as much in Washington as he does from Albuquerque. Second to lawyers, Heinrichs biggest donors are lobbyists. . . Heinrich lives in Silver Spring, Md.; hes really a resident of the D.C. region now, so his wife works for a big D.C. public relations firm. . . Heinrichs weird campaign slogan even sounds like something a big D.C. PR firm would cook up: If we plan for what we can be, we wont lose who we already are. Its possible that rich folks in affluent enclaves back East know what this means, but do you?. . . Johnson wont take marching orders from Beltway lawyers, lobbyists. . . Hell be a true independent voice. Johnson is the true anti-establishment choice in this race. Hes the only candidate who will be truly accountable to New Mexicans. . . That Heinrich slogan heard on his TV ads is indeed odd and sounds as if it came from a focus group that was sipping martinis or puffing on cannabis. There will be a couple of Senate TV debates and Rich is up with some radio spots. Out of state canvassers are hitting the doors for Johnson, but don't expect him to attack Heinrich. Throughout his career Johnson has sworn off attacking his opponents. It's an admirable quality, especially in this polarized environment. Johnson also has an enviable record when it comes to corruption in politics. His two terms as NM's Governor were unmarred by major scandal. Heinrich is an earnest Senator but it's rare not to have some rough going when seeking a second term to that chamber. And it deprives the public the chance to fully appraise his performance. That Heinrich was not polling at 50 percent approval when the contest started should have made that appraisal all the more urgent for the NM GOP. But they failed in their duty to field a strong candidate. Johnson came in because of that vacuum and many thought that would give us a good give and take. Maybe we get some of that here in the late innings but Heinrich's free ride comes with a price--the lack of a vigorous debate on the state's standing in the US Senate. We'll have to wait until 2020 for that. Or maybe not. This is the home of New Mexico politics. Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here. ( c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN Can a long shot candidate for the NM House become a history maker now that he's been endorsed by President Obama? Abbas Akhil , vying for the ABQ House seat held by GOP Rep. Jim Dines , would be the first Muslim-American elected to the state legislature. He was among 260 candidates the former President endorsed Monday Akhil, a native of India, came to New Mexico 45 years ago to attend NMSU. He says he has never met Obama. The ex-President's father was Muslim. although Akhil's heritage apparently played no role in Obama's endorsement. Akhil, 70, says: Akhil is a retired Sandia Labs engineer.Rep. Dines, 71, was first elected to HD 20 in 2014 which encompasses the far east side neighborhoods of Four Hills, East Central and the Sandia foothills south of Indian school. He has built a record as a strong advocate for open government and was a key player in developing legislation for a state ethics commission that voters will decide this election.It would take a big blue wave for R Dines to be ousted. The district is 39% Dem, 35% Republican and 25% independent, short of swing seat status. And in '16 Dines scored a 55-45 win over his Dem foe. But Dems point out that also in '16 Hillary Clinton beat Trump in the district 45% to 41% and that the Four Hills area--while still heavy R--has grown less so in recent years.In the money race, it's close. At last report Akhil had $26,000 in cash on hand to Dines' $28,000. Whether Akhil wins or not, the Obama endorsement could encourage more Muslims and immigrants in NM to make a run in the future. Akhil wasn't the only NM state House hopeful getting the Obama blessing. In that hotly contested and toss-up ABQ state House race between Democratic attorney Day Hochman and GOP City Councilor Brad Winter, Hochman was celebrating her endorsement from the ex-Prez. She is after the seat being vacated by Republican Rep. Sarah Maestas Barnes.This is a true swing seat.Hochman had more money banked than Winter in the last money reports in early September but Winter has name ID built up over decades. The Obama boost is sure to help Hochman with fund-raising and also encourage the Dem PACs to play even harder in this contest.Finally, Obama gave the nod to Dem Michelle Lujan Grisham in her race against Republican Steve Pearce. She is chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and would be the first Democratic Hispanic female Governor the nation has seen. Obama said:Not surpassingly Steve Pearce wasn't impressed with the Obama nod to his opponent. He declared:Also on the Guv beat, the Pearce campaign recently accused Lujan Grisham of "lying" for including Socorro County Commissioner Glen Duggins on a list of republicans endorsing her candidacy. He says he did not endorse her. Here's a look at this from an MLG supporter who works with Duggins:The former Prez also endorsed Melanie Stansbury, the Dem trying to unseat ABQ GOP rep. Jimmie Hall in District 28 and Dem Karen Bash who is running against GOP state Rep. Monica Youngblood, who was found guilty of aggravated DWI and who will be sentenced today.Talk about a free ride Here we are in early October with early in-person voting set to begin October 20 and there are no campaign TV ads from the two challengers of Dem US Senator Martin Heinrich. Neither Republican Mick Rich or Libertarian Gary Johnson have been very successful at raising money and that has given Heinrich free reign as he seeks a second six year term.It's not like there is nothing to pick on Heinrich for, as we see in this opinion piece from the Our Western Values group that advocates for Western-friendly policies and supports Johnson:That Heinrich slogan heard on his TV ads is indeed odd and sounds as if it came from a focus group that was sipping martinis or puffing on cannabis.There will be a couple of Senate TV debates and Rich is up with some radio spots. Out of state canvassers are hitting the doors for Johnson, but don't expect him to attack Heinrich. Throughout his career Johnson has sworn off attacking his opponents. It's an admirable quality, especially in this polarized environment.Johnson also has an enviable record when it comes to corruption in politics. His two terms as NM's Governor were unmarred by major scandal.Heinrich is an earnest Senator but it's rare not to have some rough going when seeking a second term to that chamber. And it deprives the public the chance to fully appraise his performance. That Heinrich was not polling at 50 percent approval when the contest started should have made that appraisal all the more urgent for the NM GOP. But they failed in their duty to field a strong candidate.Johnson came in because of that vacuum and many thought that would give us a good give and take. Maybe we get some of that here in the late innings but Heinrich's free ride comes with a price--the lack of a vigorous debate on the state's standing in the US Senate. We'll have to wait until 2020 for that. Or maybe not.This is the home of New Mexico politics. E-mail your news and comments. (jmonahan@ix.netcom.com) Links HOME E-MAIL ME About Joe Google News Real Clear Politics Huffington Post Drudge Report The Politico NM TV stations Gov. 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12/20/20 12/20/20 - 12/27/20 1/3/21 - 1/10/21 1/10/21 - 1/17/21 1/17/21 - 1/24/21 1/24/21 - 1/31/21 1/31/21 - 2/7/21 2/7/21 - 2/14/21 2/14/21 - 2/21/21 2/21/21 - 2/28/21 2/28/21 - 3/7/21 3/7/21 - 3/14/21 3/14/21 - 3/21/21 3/21/21 - 3/28/21 3/28/21 - 4/4/21 4/4/21 - 4/11/21 4/11/21 - 4/18/21 4/18/21 - 4/25/21 4/25/21 - 5/2/21 5/2/21 - 5/9/21 5/9/21 - 5/16/21 5/16/21 - 5/23/21 5/23/21 - 5/30/21 5/30/21 - 6/6/21 6/6/21 - 6/13/21 6/13/21 - 6/20/21 6/20/21 - 6/27/21 6/27/21 - 7/4/21 7/4/21 - 7/11/21 7/11/21 - 7/18/21 7/18/21 - 7/25/21 7/25/21 - 8/1/21 8/1/21 - 8/8/21 8/8/21 - 8/15/21 8/15/21 - 8/22/21 8/22/21 - 8/29/21 8/29/21 - 9/5/21 9/5/21 - 9/12/21 9/12/21 - 9/19/21 9/19/21 - 9/26/21 9/26/21 - 10/3/21 10/3/21 - 10/10/21 10/10/21 - 10/17/21 10/17/21 - 10/24/21 10/24/21 - 10/31/21 10/31/21 - 11/7/21 11/7/21 - 11/14/21 website design by website design by limwebdesign The base-ring juglet resembles the seed head of an opium poppy Credit: British Museum Researchers at the University of York and the British Museum have discovered traces of opiates preserved inside a distinctive vessel dating back to the Late Bronze Age. Vessels of this type, known as 'base-ring juglets', have long been thought to have links with opium use because when inverted they resemble the seed head of the opium poppy; they are known to have been widely traded in the eastern Mediterranean ca. 16501350BC. Researchers used a range of analytical techniques to study a particular juglet housed in the British Museum, which is a sealed vessel, allowing the contents inside to be preserved. This meant that there was a rare opportunity for scientists to investigate what components might have survived. Initial analysis by scientists at the British Museum showed that the juglet residue was mostly composed of a plant oil but hinted at the presence of opium alkaloids, a group of organic compounds derived from the opium poppy, and that are known to have significant psychological effects on the human body. To conclusively detect the alkaloids and demonstrate the presence of opiates in the oil-based residue of the vessel, however, a new analytical technique was needed. Using instruments in the Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry at the University of York, Dr. Rachel Smith developed the new analytical method as part of her Ph.D. at the University's Department of Chemistry. Dr. Smith said: "The particular opiate alkaloids we detected are ones we have shown to be the most resistant to degradation, which makes them better targets in ancient residues than more well-known opiates such as morphine. "We found the alkaloids in degraded plant oil, so the question as to how opium would have been used in this juglet still remains. Could it have been one ingredient amongst others in an oil-based mixture, or could the juglet have been re-used for oil after the opium or something else entirely?" In the past, it has been argued that these juglets could have been used to hold poppy seed oil, containing traces of opium, used for anointing or in a perfume. In this theory, the opium effects may have held symbolic significance. Professor Jane Thomas-Oates, Chair of Analytical Science in the Department of Chemistry, and supervisor of the study at the University of York, said: "The juglet is significant in revealing important details about trade and the culture of the period, so it was important to us to try and progress the debate about what it might have been used for. "We were able to establish a rigorous method for detecting opiates in this kind of residue, but the next analytical challenge is to see if we can succeed with less well-preserved residues." This is the first time that reliable chemical evidence has been produced to link the opium poppy with a base-ring juglet, despite many previous attempts by researchers over the years. Dr. Rebecca Stacey, Senior Scientist in the Department of Scientific Research at the British Museum, said: "It is important to remember that this is just one vessel, so the result raises lots of questions about the contents of the juglet and its purpose. The presence of the alkaloids here is unequivocal and lends a new perspective to the debate about their significance." The research is published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Analyst. Explore further Synthesis of opium alkaloids using electric current A proton-proton collision detected by LHCb earlier this year. Credit: CERN Researchers in the College of Arts and Sciences have determined that the lifetime of the so-called charmed omegapart of a family of subatomic particles called baryonsis nearly four times longer than previously thought. In an article in Physical Review Letters (American Physical Society, 2018), Steven Blusk, professor of physics, explains that the new measurement is based on proton-proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider beauty (LHCb) experiment at the CERN physics laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. Blusk and his colleagues found that after analyzing collision data from nearly a thousand charmed-omega decays, the particle's lifetime is 268 femtoseconds. A femtosecond is a millionth of a billionth of a second, or 0.000000000000001 seconds. "Theoretical predictions about the lifetimes of exotic particles often favor a particular order," says Blusk, the article's lead author. "Theories predict that the charmed-omega baryon likely has the lowest lifetime of the bunch. But predictions are made to be tested, right?" That the lifetime of the charmed omega is not as short as scientists thought it was "substantially jumbles" the lifetime hierarchy of multiple particles. "It also suggests that corrections need to be made to our theoretical predictions," Blusk adds. Scientists agree that everything in the universe comes from two groups of elementary particles: quarks and leptons. Unlike leptons, which are solitary in nature (e.g., electrons), quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons.There are different kinds of hadrons, the most common of which are mesons (containing two quarks) and baryons (with three quarks). These quarks come in six species, or flavors, and have unusual names: up, down, strange, charm, beauty and top. Blusk studies beauty and charmed quarks, which are hundreds of times more massive than their up and down counterparts. It is for this reason that both are considered "heavy." "Heavy quarks rapidly change into up and down quarks through particle decay, in which they go from a higher mass state to a lower one," Blusk continues. "By producing and studying heavy quarks in abundance in high-energy collisions [using particle accelerators], we gain insight into the fundamental forces of nature." Enter Syracuse's High-Energy Physics (HEP) Group, of which Blusk is a member. He and his HEP colleagues split time between Syracusewhere they design, build and test detection hardwareand CERN, where they carry out experiments. It is at the Large Hadron Colliderthe biggest, most powerful particle accelerator in the worldthat beams of protons are hurled at one another, close to the speed of light. Blusk and other scientists from around the world comb the ensuing debris for clues to new or yet-to-be-detected forces in the universe. Blusk says the detritus enables him to not only analyze particle delays, but also measure the lifetimes of charmed mesons and baryons. "It is one example of the many types of measurements that are performed at CERN," he says. Such data also helps scientists test models of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), a theory describing the atomic nucleus and particles within it. QCD focuses on quarks and gluons, which are the building blocks of protons and neutrons, which, in turn, form atoms. The theory also explains how gluons hold quarks together. "All this information helps us seek a deeper, more complete theory of the universe," Blusk says. The lifetime of the charmed omega was last measured nearly two decades ago, but involved much smaller data samples. The average of the values measured by those experiments was approximately 69 femtosecondsfour times lower than Blusk's value. None of the measurements, including his, contradicts the range of theoretical estimates of the charmed omega's lifetime, which spans from 60 to 520 femtoseconds. Blusk says that, because of the discrepancy, additional measurements need to be made. Moreover, theoreticians are beginning to take a closer look at their QCD calculations and predictions. "It is quite rare and exciting to find such a long-accepted measurement challenged by a new one. We look forward to this result spurring more precise QCD calculations of various quantities, which, in turn, will improve the theoretical predictions for the lifetimes of charmed baryons," Blusk adds. Explore further Long live the doubly charmed particle More information: R. Aaij et al. Measurement of the c0 Baryon Lifetime, Physical Review Letters (2018). Journal information: Physical Review Letters R. Aaij et al. Measurement of the c0 Baryon Lifetime,(2018). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.092003 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Beneath the ocean floor, bacteria produce methane gas that is regularly released through the sediment and into the sea water as bubble streams. While these gas flares have been observed on continental margins around the world, until now there has been no systematic study of all available gas flow observation data to estimate the total amount of methane escaping from the seafloor. These data are important for the global inventory of carbon and also for analyzing the uptake of carbon dioxide (ocean acidification), and its impact on climate change. In a new study recently published in Nature Communications, researchers in Germany and Canada have analyzed all available historic and recent gas bubble data from the Cascadia margin off British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. Lead by GEOMAR's Dr. Michael Riedel with his local colleagues in Kiel, along with researchers at MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences at University of Bremen, Ocean Networks Canada and the University of Victoria, the study used ship-based acoustic surveys of the water column, as well as near-seafloor acoustic and visual data. They gathered over 1,100 vent sites with over 430 gas flow estimates for the entire Cascadia offshore margin. ONC scientists Martin Scherwath and Martin Heesemann contributed to the research by providing ONC dataincluding ship-based acoustic data, underwater video and seafloor multi-beam sonar dataas well as helping to interpret and statistically summarize the data, and writing the manuscript. "With so many ship surveys and relevant data sets readily available across the Cascadia margin, we just had to go ahead with the study and reveal where all the undiscovered vents were and how much the total gas flux was likely to be," says ONC's Scherwath. Since 2010, ONC has deployed multi-beam sonar instruments at Clayoquot Slope to study plumes of methane bubbles escaping from the seafloor. Previous research has monitored the bubble fluctuations at this site, but it is practically impossible to observe an entire margin's methane activity at all times. In order to obtain a gas flux estimate for the whole region, the existing observations were extrapolated in space and time to estimate gas activity over the entire margin, even at places where no data exist. "While this estimate has large uncertainties," says Scherwath. "The research suggests that for every square metre of seafloor, about one gram of methane is bubbling up every year. This amounts to 100,000 tonnes of methane escaping the sediments into the ocean in offshore Cascadia every year." The existing observations at the Cascadia margin indicate that all of the gas is dissolving in the ocean, which means it is not escaping into the atmosphere where methane would act as a powerful greenhouse gas. Rather, its ocean dissolution is exacerbating ocean acidification. Explore further Scientists use hydrophone to listen in on methane seeps in ocean, hope next to estimate volume More information: M. Riedel et al. Distributed natural gas venting offshore along the Cascadia margin, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications M. Riedel et al. Distributed natural gas venting offshore along the Cascadia margin,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05736-x Credit: Australian National University Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) could be a step closer to saving the critically endangered swift parrot, after showing it's possible to predict where the parrots will settle to breed. Swift parrots are nomads that move to a new location to breed each year depending on where their preferred food, nectar from flowering trees, is most abundant. Because food availability fluctuates across Tasmania, the movements of the parrots have been difficult to predict. This limits the ability of conservationists to protect the species. The Difficult Bird Research Group have found that by assessing flower bud development in food trees, it is possible to predict where swift parrots will settle to breed up to a year ahead of time. "This is a game-changer for swift parrots because, until now, managing swift parrots has been very difficult, especially in terms of protecting their habitat from deforestation," lead author of the study Dr. Dejan Stojanovic said. "Being able to predict where swift parrots would settle enabled us to deploy nest boxes ahead of the breeding season and so increase the availability of nesting sites." The study found providing nest boxes allowed more parrots to breed at preferred sites, despite a shortage of natural nests. "Accurately predicting where birds will settle allows managers to implement proactive management actions at important sites," Dr. Stojanovic said. Credit: Australian National University "This contrasts against the reactive approaches currently in place for managing swift parrot habitat." Over the last 20 years, one quarter of remaining swift parrot habitat has been logged in the Southern Forests of Tasmania, which are an important breeding area. The scientists are concerned that without better protection of swift parrot habitat, other conservation interventions like nest boxes may not be enough to prevent the species from going extinct. "Although it's great that nest boxes can be used to augment habitat availability at important sites where swift parrots will breed, if we are serious about preventing this species from going extinct, then we need to stop logging its remaining habitat," Dr. Stojanovic said. The nest boxes were paid for by 1,156 people who contributed to a crowdfunding campaign "Parrots, the pardalote and the possum' launched by the team in 2015. The researchers also received funding from the National Environmental Science Program. The Difficult Bird Research Group has crowdfunded four projects, including a recently successful bid to train a detector dog to locate endangered owls in Tasmanian forests. More information about their work can be found at www.difficultbirds.com. The research has just been published in The Journal of Wildlife Management. Explore further Swift parrots bred on predator-free islands at risk of extinction More information: Dejan Stojanovic et al. Pre-emptive action as a measure for conserving nomadic species, The Journal of Wildlife Management (2018). Journal information: Journal of Wildlife Management Dejan Stojanovic et al. Pre-emptive action as a measure for conserving nomadic species,(2018). DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21575 FFI is building support for wildlife conservation from those living closest to it. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI Illegal wildlife trade is having a devastating impact on elephants, tigers and rhinos, pushing these iconic animals and less well-known species such as sturgeon, geckos, pangolins and hornbills to the brink of extinction. This month, the UK government is hosting an international conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade, bringing together global leaders to help eradicate this threat. One of the London conference's main priorities will be to strengthen 'end-to-end enforcement' in other words, tackling the entire supply chain from poacher to end user. A global threat requires global solutions; we need to strengthen legislation and law enforcement capability at national, regional and international levels, with coordinated international responses across source, transit and destination countries. However, end-to-end enforcement cannot hope to be effective unless we engage successfully with the men and women living alongside the wild populations we are seeking to protect. The importance of community engagement has been acknowledged at previous international conferences, but to date this crucial element of global responses to wildlife trafficking has received limited attention something that Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and our partners are working to change. Why do local communities matter? Those who actually live alongside wildlife will largely determine its future. Simply by virtue of their proximity to and knowledge of wildlife, local people are well placed to participate in and support illegal hunting, collection and trafficking. But by the same token, they are equally well placed to help prevent wildlife crime for example by providing vital information or guardianship. Ensuring that communities benefit rather than suffer from their proximity to wildlife helps to deter wildlife crime. Credit: Juan Pablo Moreiras/FFI Living alongside wild animals is a risky business: elephants trample crops and lions jeopardise livelihoods by killing livestock. Anger at the damage caused by wildlife, and resentment at being excluded from decisions about its management, or denied a share of the benefits it provides, can serve to undermine local support for conservation efforts and lead desperate or disgruntled people to resort to poaching and trafficking. Putting communities at the heart of conservation FFI's experience in this space has repeatedly highlighted the importance of engaging with civil society and addressing local needs. Empowering communities is a central tenet of our approach to tackling illegal wildlife trade. FFI is already harnessing the potential of communities to prevent wildlife crime, by ensuring that they have the skills, resources and incentives to engage in wildlife protection and support those responsible for law enforcement. We do this by promoting sustainable livelihood initiatives, defusing wildlife conflict and strengthening local institutions until they are able to stand on their own two feet. We champion the rights of local people to use and benefit materially from wildlife resources through, for example, a share of income from wildlife tourism. And we enable early-career conservation professionals in developing countries to realise their leadership potential, honing their ability to rise to conservation challenges including illegal wildlife trade. Preventing crime at source and building capacity and leadership at site level are key to our success. In a nutshell, it's about smarter enforcement, not just tougher enforcement. Actively engaging communities in Nicaragua to patrol their beaches and stop illegal harvesting of turtle eggs and training communities in Saint Lucia to use legal and sustainable tree-tapping methods to extract lansan resin are a far more effective long-term deterrent than externally imposed top-down enforcement. Training licensed tappers to harvest lansan legally and sustainably holds the key to protecting this endangered tree species. Credit: Jeremy Holden/FFI Tackling trade in a tiger hotspot FFI's outstanding success in stemming tiger, hornbill and pangolin trade in Kerinci Seblat, a flagship national park on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is a prime example of the benefit of community engagement. Over a 20-year period, FFI has built and refined a collaborative tiger protection network comprising park staff, communities, police, judiciary and local government officials. Highly trained Tiger Protection and Conservation Units (TPCUs), which include rangers recruited from forest-edge communities, are the beating heart of this pioneering programme. Local intelligence plays a crucial role in law enforcement the TPCUs have cultivated community information networks virtually encircling the park's borders. In Kerinci's buffer zone, meanwhile, FFI is enabling communities to secure rights to manage their forests sustainably through 35-year renewable Village and Customary Forest licences; over 700 km2 of forest have been brought under community management in this way. In the last 15 years, TPCU teams have removed almost 6,000 snares in the course of patrolling more than 23,000 km. Snare detection has increased by over 40% as a result of 'tip-offs' from local community informants. Community engagement in the protection of Sumatran tigers in Kerinci Seblat National Park means that scenes like this one are increasingly rare. Credit: Deborah Martyr/FFI The project has directly contributed or led to 63 arrests and 59 successful or ongoing prosecutions for wildlife crimes, resulting in custodial sentences of up to four years. In 2017, the recorded poaching threat fell by 90%, as a direct result of strategic law enforcement against key individuals. Despite a dramatic spike in poaching activity between 2012 and 2015 the TPCU teams held the line and Sumatran tiger densities in the core of the park remained stable. Giving communities a voice in London and beyond On the eve of the London conference, FFI will co-host an event that provides community representatives with a forum to voice their opinions about the effectiveness of international efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade. The representatives will share the recommendations from this event at a panel session at the conference itself. We are supporting the participation of a community ranger from Kerinci Seblat National Park, as well as our partners from Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. We hope that bringing community voices to the fore and sharing FFI's learning will catalyse development of governance, policy and partnerships that foster the active participation of local communities in tackling illegal wildlife trade. Explore further Beyond ivory championing the neglected victims of illegal wildlife trade TIM successfully bid for an 80MHz block of 3700 MHz (at a cost of 1.69 million euros) and a 200MHz block of 26 GHz (at a cost of 33 million euros) Italy's TIM telecommunication company on Tuesday was awarded new national broadcast licenses for 5G frequencies for a total of 1.73 million euros ($1.99 million), the company said. The company successfully bid for an 80MHz block of 3700 MHz (at a cost of 1.69 million euros) and a 200MHz block of 26 GHz (at a cost of 33 million euros), it said in a statement. The bids were in addition to the two blocks of 700 MHz it had already won. The frequencies will be available until 2037. "By securing all three band frequencies put on auction, TIM strengthens its network leadership in Italy," TIM's Chief Executive Officer Amos Genish was quoted as saying. "The 5G tests initiated in recent years by TIM are a unique case in Italy, which have already brought about tangible results," he said. TIM said it will make immediate use of the higher frequency 5G blocks to leverage the testing already underway in Turin, Bari and Matera and in the Republic of San Marino. Explore further France launches 4G mobile license auction 2018 AFP Gerard Mourou of France was one of three researchers to win the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize for inventions in the field of laser physics After three scientists won the Nobel Physics Prize on Tuesday for groundbreaking discoveries harnessing the power of lasers, here are a few basic facts about their research. What is a laser? Lasers are a light source, just like torches, but with special properties, according to Ian Musgrave, the Vulcan Laser Group Leader at the UK's Central Laser Facility. Normally when light leaves a torch it spreads outhe compared it to children leaving school in different directions and wearing different coats. But a laser concentrates the light, he said, as if all the children were forced to march in close step wearing the same uniform. The difference comes from the cavity used to trap and condition the light before it is emitted, as well as how the light is generated, he added. This why the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences hailed Tuesday's Nobel winners as crafting "tools made of light". What are optical tweezers? Arthur Ashkin of the United States was awarded the Nobel for inventing optical tweezers, which use the radiation pressure of a tiny focused beam of light to trap very small objects. His tweezers let researchers catch, cut and move around things without anything touching them, which has resulted in innumerable applications across many fields of science and medicine. For example, they've been used to trap a water droplet to study how they behave when they're in a cloud, or grab droplets from an asthma inhaler to find out how it can be better dispersed inside lungs, Musgrave said. Presentation of two laser techniques which won the 2018 Nobel Prize for physics. What are optical pulses? Scientists have always pushed to create more powerful lasers, but by the mid-1980s they hit a wall: they couldn't increase the power without destroying what was amplifying the beam. Then Donna Strickland of Canada and Frenchman Gerard Mourou, who also shared Tuesday's Nobel prize, invented a technique called chirped-pulse amplification, which let scientists continue to boost power while keeping the intensity safe. It works by stretching an ultra-short laser pulse in time, amplifying it, and squeezing it together again, creating the shortest and most intense laser pulses the world has ever seen. The most common use that came from this breakthroughso faris corrective eye surgery. But it also opened the way for scientists to continue pushing the boundaries of laser power, Musgrave said, allowing them to create extreme conditions to understand how magnetic fields are generated in space and what it's like inside a planet's core. The pulses are also now so fastas quick as a hundred attoseconds, one billionth of a billionth of a secondthey have revealed the secrets of electrons. What's next? Nobel-winner Mourou isn't done amping up laser power. He has initiated and led the development of Extreme Light Infrastructure, which has three sites across Europe and is expected to be complete in a few years. The peak power of its laser is planned to be 10 petawattsequivalent to an incredibly short flash from a hundred thousand billion light bulbs. How powerful and how short can the pulses get? Some predict a future laser of 100 petawatts or more, or as quick as mere zeptosecondsa trillionth of a billionth of a second. It's difficult to predict just how such lasers could be used, but scientists hope that they will help destroy nuclear waste, zap cancer cells, unravel quantum physics, clear debris from space and even be a new clean energy source. Explore further Nobel-winning laser discoveries that lit up the field 2018 AFP Arthur Ashkin of the US split the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize with Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada Three scientists on Tuesday won the Nobel Physics Prize, including the first woman to receive the prestigious award in 55 years, for inventing optical lasers that have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye surgery. Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one half of the nine-million Swedish kronor (about $1.01 million or 870,000 euros) prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other half. Strickland is just the third woman to win a Nobel Physics Prize since it was first awarded in 1901, while Ashkin, 96, is the oldest person to win a Nobel, beating out American Leonid Hurwicz who was 90 when he won the 2007 Economics Prize. Ashkin was honoured for his invention of "optical tweezers" that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. With this he was able to use the radiation pressure of light to move tiny objects, "an old dream of science fiction," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. A major breakthrough came in 1987 when Ashkin used the tweezers to capture living bacteria without harming them, the Academy noted. According to Ian Musgrave of Britain's Central Laser Facility, optical tweezers make it possible to use lasers to manipulate very small objects, such as beads of glass or oil droplets, to position them precisely or control the environment around them. The winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics since 2012 The tweezers can for example be used to "trap droplets from asthma inhalers to improve the efficiency of delivery through the lungs," he said. Ashkin made his discovery while working at AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1952 to 1991. 'Most intense laser pulses ever' Meanwhile Mourou, 74, and Strickland, 59, won for helping develop a method to generate ultra-short optical pulses, "the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind," the jury said. Their technique is now used in corrective eye surgery, among other things. Mourou was most recently affiliated with France's Ecole Polytechnique, while Strickland, who was his student at the University of Rochester in New York, is a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Contacted by AFP, Mourou said he was getting ready for his daily swim just before noon on Tuesday when he got the call from the Academy. "You don't expect it. You can imagine it, but when it actually happens, it's different," he said, adding that his day had turned out "crazy". Laser research has been honoured with Nobels on several occasions, including the 1964 physics prize and the 1999 chemistry prize. Donna Strickland, only the third woman Nobel Physics Prize-winner, said "we need to celebrate women physicists because they're out there" Women are 'out there' Meanwhile, speaking by phone to the Academy, a moved Strickland said she was thrilled to receive the Nobel prize that has been the least accessible for women. "We need to celebrate women physicists because they're out there... I'm honoured to be one of those women." Before her, only Marie Curie and Maria Goeppert Mayer had won the physics prize, in 1903 and 1963 respectively. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has in the past lamented the small number of women laureates in the science fields in general. Gerard Mourou said he was getting ready for his daily swim when he got the call from the Academy It has insisted that it is not due to male chauvinism bias on the award committees, instead attributing it to the fact that laboratory doors were closed to women for so long. "It's a small percentage for sure, that's why we are taking measures to encourage more nominations because we don't want to miss anyone," the head of the Academy, Goran Hansson, said on Tuesday. On Monday, two immunologists, James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, won this year's Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the body's natural defences can fight cancer. The winners of the chemistry prize will be announced on Wednesday, followed by the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize will wrap up the Nobel season on Monday, October 8. For the first time since 1949, the Swedish Academy has postponed the announcement of the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize until next year, amid a #MeToo scandal and bitter internal dispute that has prevented it from functioning properly. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announcement: The Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2018 "for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics" with one half to Arthur Ashkin, Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, USA, "for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems" and the other half jointly to Gerard Mourou, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA Donna Strickland, University of Waterloo, Canada "for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses" Tools made of light The inventions being honoured this year have revolutionised laser physics. Extremely small objects and incredibly rapid processes are now being seen in a new light. Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications. Arthur Ashkin invented optical tweezers that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. This new tool allowed Ashkin to realise an old dream of science fiction using the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects. He succeeded in getting laser light to push small particles towards the centre of the beam and to hold them there. Optical tweezers had been invented. A major breakthrough came in 1987, when Ashkin used the tweezers to capture living bacteria without harming them. He immediately began studying biological systems and optical tweezers are now widely used to investigate the machinery of life. Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind. Their revolutionary article was published in 1985 and was the foundation of Strickland's doctoral thesis. Using an ingenious approach, they succeeded in creating ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses without destroying the amplifying material. First they stretched the laser pulses in time to reduce their peak power, then amplified them, and finally compressed them. If a pulse is compressed in time and becomes shorter, then more light is packed together in the same tiny space the intensity of the pulse increases dramatically. Strickland and Mourou's newly invented technique, called chirped pulse amplification, CPA, soon became standard for subsequent high-intensity lasers. Its uses include the millions of corrective eye surgeries that are conducted every year using the sharpest of laser beams. The innumerable areas of application have not yet been completely explored. However, even now these celebrated inventions allow us to rummage around in the microworld in the best spirit of Alfred Nobel for the greatest benefit to humankind. Read the scientific background Learn more in the popular information Explore further Nobel Prize in physics to be announced Tuesday 2018 AFP President Donald Trump, who has accused Big Tech firms of political bias, wants to host a meeting of major technology firms this month at the White House President Donald Trump has called for a meeting this month at the White House with major US technology companies as well as some critics of Silicon Valley, economic advisor Larry Kudlow said Tuesday. Kudlow told reporters the president wants to hold the session with "the big internet companies, the big social media companies, search companies, and some who are dissatisfied with those companies." Kudlow said no date had been set but that he expects the session in mid-October. Asked if Google, Facebook and Twitter would be included, the Trump aide said, "That is our hope." The news comes after a series of claims by Trump and his allies that Big Tech firms were biased against conservatives and suppressing conservative voices. Google, Twitter and Facebook have all denied using their platforms for political purposes and have noted that many conservatives including Trump have a strong presence on social media. Following Trump's criticism, the US Justice Department said it would meet with state officials to discuss competition concerns and the "stifling (of) the free exchange of ideas." The Justice Department offered no specifics but its statement suggested officials were considering an antitrust investigation or some form of regulatory action. Trump last month said in a tweet that "Social Media Giants are silencing millions of people." Days later, he wrote: "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!" Tech industry analysts say there is little evidence internet firms are filtering content for political reasons, but that the companies would have constitutional protections against any government effort to regulate their algorithms. Explore further Trump says Google is 'rigged' with bad news about him 2018 AFP Stadler was arrested in June a week after Munich police raided his home over charges of fraud and falsifying documents that allowed diesel vehicles equipped with software to cheat regulatory emissions tests German car giant Volkswagen said Tuesday it was removing Rupert Stadler, the chief executive of subsidiary Audi who has been jailed in an emissions fraud probe since June, from his post and the parent group's board. "The supervisory boards of Volkswagen AG and Audi AG agreed a deal with Rupert Stadler to end his offices and his contracts," the company said in a statement. Stadler was arrested in June a week after Munich police raided his home over charges of fraud and falsifying documents that allowed diesel vehicles equipped with software to cheat regulatory emissions tests. At the time, prosecutors said the custody was aimed at stopping him "seeking to influence witnesses or other suspects" in the investigation. The allegations are part of the wider "dieselgate" scandal involving 11 million vehicles worldwide from VW and subsidiaries like Audi, Porsche and Skoda that has gripped Volkswagen since 2015. Volkswagen has yet to name an official successor to Stadler at the head of its high-end brand, after naming Dutch executive Bram Schot as interim boss following the arrest. "Mr Schot continues to act as interim CEO," a VW spokesman told AFP. Citing sources close to Volkswagen, news agency DPA reported that Stadler would receive an immediate payment of "signficantly less than one million euros" ($1.15 million) linked to his departure. Remaining claims "in the double-digit millions" relating to the time left to run on his contracts will be paid out only if Stadler escapes conviction, the sources added. Explore further Audi names interim CEO after boss arrested in diesel probe 2018 AFP Defending the First and Second Amendments Defense Distributed Press Conference Video: Paloma Heindorff takes the Helm By Dean Weingarten. September 29th, 2018 Original Source At a news conference in Austin, Texas, Paloma Heindorff has announced that she has taken the position of Director now that Cody Wilson has resigned the post amid his legal troubles over alleged sex with a 16-year-old prostitute. The press conference has become global news. Defense Distributed has always been adept at beating the establishment media. They posted the entire new conference online at Youtube the same day. It is worth watching. The video is reasonably short, at 19:37 minutes Youtube has a history of taking down Defense Distributed videos. You can click on the Youtube link to watch it. I have met Paloma Heindorff a couple of times. Her appearance in the video confirms my evaluation. She is smart, capable, and committed to the principles of protecting First and Second Amendment rights. From the video: It's the most effective and elegant activism I'd seen performed and I wanted to be a part of that. It's just so beautiful, isn't it, to exercise one's rights like that and to do so in a way that pushes authorities to allow you to. Too often people are perturbed by threats, and I found it incredible that this company persisted. When the news of the warrant for Cody Wilson's arrest came out, I wrote that Defense Distributed was an organization. Wilson's legal problems would not impact the lawsuits involving Defense Distributed and the Second Amendment Foundation. Director Paloma Heindorff confirmed that prediction, as did two lawyers involved, Josh Blackman and Chad Flores. Both lawyers are involved in the case and work out of Houston, Texas. Both were confidant about their prospects in the courts. Director Heindorff stated that she was proud of Defense Distributed: I cannot be more proud of my team right now. We didn't miss a beat. No one blinked. No one has missed a day at work. We all come in, we are still shipping, and we have no intention of stopping. They had 3,000 orders and have shipped 1,500. Defense Distributed is considering new products for 2019. Defense Distributed has not seen a significant dip in sales. $400,000 dollars has been contributed to the legal fund for the First Amendment and Second Amendment case. None of that money will go to Cody Wilson, who has his own, separate set of lawyers. Defense Distributed is an organization that can only exist in America. No where else in the world are free speech and the right to arms intertwined in such a way as to allow a principled organization like Defense Distributed to legally continue. In most of the world, it is illegal to make your own firearms. Often, swords and spears are prohibited as well. In the United States, it has always been legal to make your own guns. People have done so for centuries. Defense Distributed defends that proud tradition. Watch the video before Youtube takes it down. 2018 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch Back to Top A deer is caught on camera during a citizen science project that monitored wild animals in the suburbs. Credit: Arielle Parsons It's a jungle out there in the suburbs, where many wild mammals are thriving near humans. That's the conclusion of a large-scale study using camera trap images from hundreds of citizen scientists in Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina. The study contradicts assumptions that developed areas have fewer mammals and less variety in mammal species, says lead author Arielle Parsons, researcher with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. "We found there wasn't a significant difference in mammal populations between the suburban areas and the wild areas in terms of how many species used them and the intensity with which they used those areas, which was very surprising to us," Parsons says. "That would seem to indicate that the impact of suburban areas in particular is less dire for many mammals than we previously thought and that perhaps there is a certain level of adaptation of mammals to humans." Researchers worked with citizen scientists to monitor wildlife with camera traps placed at more than 1,400 locations along a continuum of development based on population density: wild, rural, exurban, suburban or urban sites. Their analysis included areas with large forests, small forest fragments, open areas and residential yards. Backyard wildlife watchers often catch glimpses of what Parsons calls the "usual suspects" that showed up in images from the study: deer, raccoons, gray squirrels, opossums and the occasional fox. But the cameras also captured some surprising species. "Although coyotes seem to prefer rural areas, they seem to be slowly infiltrating more populated regions, and we did detect them in suburban areas in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.," Parsons says. "The really surprising find was bobcats in suburban Durham, North Carolina, and to a lesser extent in Raleigh. Credit: North Carolina State University "And in Washington, D.C., we actually did have some bears, not in suburban areas, but in the next level up, which is what we call exurban between suburban and rural in terms of housing density." Parsons is quick to add that while the study shows the adaptability of some mammal species, there are caveats. "The region we looked at has lost the largest predator species because of human activity and urbanization, which is something we need to remember," she says. "This study shows the importance of conservation of green areas for habitat. We know that there are sensitive mammal species out there, rare species that just wouldn't have the ability to adapt or persist if we took away those protected areas." Outside of the mammal world, research shows less adaptability. "If we talk about plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, many studies have shown that urbanization has very negative impact on abundance and diversity," Parsons says. "Mammals seem to be one of the best at dealing with humans on the landscape, at least when protected from hunting." The research harnesses the power of large-scale citizen science to reveal animals' hidden lives, says co-author Roland Kays, biologist with NC State University and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. "People often talk about the animals they see in their back yards, but this is the first time we've had the camera trap's perspective to really compare wild to suburban sites, including the nocturnal animals most people don't see." Explore further A wealth of wildlife, right in the backyard More information: Arielle Waldstein Parsons et al. Mammal communities are larger and more diverse in moderately developed areas, eLife (2018). Journal information: eLife Arielle Waldstein Parsons et al. Mammal communities are larger and more diverse in moderately developed areas,(2018). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.38012 Pico Mountain rises 2,225 meters into the air on an island in the Azores archipelago. Credit: Lynn Mazzoleni Rising 2,225 meters into the air on an island in the Azores archipelago, Pico Mountain Observatory is an ideal place to study aerosolsparticles or liquids suspended in gasesthat have traveled great distances in the troposphere. The troposphere is the portion of the atmosphere from the ground to about 10 kilometers in the air. Nearly all of the atmosphere's water vapor and aerosol exist in the troposphere, and this is also where weather occurs. The Pico Observatory rises above the first layer of clouds in the troposphere, known as the atmospheric marine boundary layer. At that boundary the temperature drops rapidly, and relatively high humidity decreases as cooling air forces water to condense into cloud droplets. Pico is often ringed in clouds, with its summit climbing above them. This feature allows scientists to study the aerosols above the boundary layer, including a set of three samples a research team at Michigan Technological University recently observed that challenges the way atmospheric scientists think about aerosol aging. In "Molecular and physical characteristics of aerosol at a remote free troposphere site: Implications for atmospheric aging" published Tuesday, October 2 in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Michigan Tech chemists demonstrate that some aerosol particlesthose that originate from wildfire combustionare existing for longer periods in the atmosphere undergoing less oxidization than previously thought. "Previously, brown carbon was expected to become mostly depleted within approximately 24 hours, but our results suggested the presence of significant brown carbon roughly a week downwind of its initial wildfire source in northern Quebec," says Simeon Schum, a chemistry doctoral candidate at Michigan Tech and the paper's first author. "If these aerosols have a longer lifetime than expected, then they may contribute more to light absorption and warming than expected, which could have implications for climate predictions." This work builds on a previous paper published in the same journal, "Molecular characterization of free tropospheric aerosol collected at the Pico Mountain Observatory: a case study with a long-range transported biomass burning plume" (DOI: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/chemistry-fp/17/). Honey or marbles? Aerosol consistency explained In order to determine where the molecules in aerosols originate, the team, led by the article's corresponding author and associate professor of chemistry, Lynn Mazzoleni, used a Fourier Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance mass spectrometer, located at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, to analyze the chemical species of molecules from within the samples. Model simulations that indicate the airmass histories for three pollution events: PMO-1 (June 28, 2013), PMO-2 (July 6, 2014) and PMO-3 (June 21, 2015). The model simulations show the column integrated residence times over a 20-day transport time and their vertical distributions at given upwind times. The labels indicate the approximate locations of the center of the plume for each of the transport days. Further description can be found in Schum et al. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2018. Credit: Schum et al.Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2018 Aerosols, depending on their chemical and molecular composition, can have both direct and indirect effects on the climate. This is because some aerosols only scatter light, while others also absorb light, and others uptake water vapor, changing cloud properties. Aerosols play a cooling role in the atmosphere, but there are great uncertainties about the extent of forcing and climate effects. Understanding how specific aerosols oxidizebreak downin the atmosphere is one piece in the puzzle of understanding how Earth's climate changes. Aerosols take on a variety of consistencies, called viscosities, depending on their composition and their surroundings. Some have a consistency similar to olive oil or honey, and these tend to oxidize more rapidly than more solidified aerosol particles, which can become like pitch, or even marble-like. The three samples analyzed by the Michigan Tech team are named PMO-1, PMO-2 and PMO-3. PMO-1 and PMO-3 traveled to Pico in the free troposphere, while PMO-2 traveled to Pico in the boundary layer. Aerosols are less likely to occur in the free troposphere than in the boundary layer, but pyro-convection from wildfires can lift the particles higher up in the air. Though PMO-2 had been in the atmosphere for only two to three days, it had oxidized more than PMO-1 and PMO-3, which had been in the atmosphere roughly seven days and were estimated to be glassy in consistency. "We were puzzled by the substantial difference between PMO-2 compared to PMO-1 and PMO-3. So, we asked ourselves why we would see aerosols at the station which were not very oxidized after they had been in the atmosphere for a week," says Mazzoleni. "Typically, if you put something into the atmosphere, which is an oxidizing environment, for seven to 10 days, it should be very oxidized, but we weren't seeing that." Cold and dry aerosols Schum said the research team hypothesized that the first and third samples had oxidized more slowly because of the free tropospheric transport path of the aerosol after being injected to that level by wildfires in Quebec. Such a path toward Pico meant lower average temperature and humidity causing the particles to become more solid, and therefore less susceptible to oxidative destruction processes in the atmosphere. That a particle would oxidize at a slower rate despite more time in the atmosphere because of its physical state provides new insight toward better understanding how particles affect the climate. "Wildfires are such a huge source of aerosol in the atmosphere with a combination of cooling and warming properties, that understanding the delicate balance can have profound consequences on how accurately we can predict future changes," says Claudio Mazzoleni, professor of physics, and one of the authors of the paper. As wildfires increase in size and frequency in the world's arid regions, more aerosol particles could be injected into the free troposphere where they are slower to oxidize, contributing another important consideration to the study of atmospheric science and climate change. Explore further Tiny particles high up in the sky give insight into climate change More information: Simeon K. Schum et al, Molecular and physical characteristics of aerosol at a remote free troposphere site: implications for atmospheric aging, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (2018). Journal information: Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Simeon K. Schum et al, Molecular and physical characteristics of aerosol at a remote free troposphere site: implications for atmospheric aging,(2018). DOI: 10.5194/acp-18-14017-2018 James Kerrigan and students examine the results of a test in the Center for Applied Biomechanics. He and colleagues are focusing on injuries from crashes involving women and obese drivers and passengers. Credit: Sanjay Suchak, University Communications Until recently, diversity was not a critical priority for highway safety engineers. To be fair, they were dealing with a more fundamental issue: how to convince stakeholders from government, industry and academia to agree on standardized crash test dummies and computer models, necessary first steps in understanding the biomechanics of accidents and lowering the toll of death and injury on U.S. highways. They have made substantial progress. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased 32 percent between 1994 and 2016, the last year statistics are available. Building Women into the Equation Now researchers are beginning to move beyond the consensus choice the 50th percentile male to look at other vulnerable populations, and the University of Virginia's Center for Applied Biomechanics is taking a leading role. Foremost among these groups are women. In 2011, the center's researchers published a study demonstrating that women wearing seat belts were 47 percent more likely than male seatbelt-wearers to suffer severe injury, even after controlling for age, height, weight and the severity of the crash. The discrepancy is especially pronounced for lower-extremity injuries. "For years, we used a technique called geometric scaling to forecast how human beings of different sizes would respond to crashes," said assistant professor James Kerrigan, the Center for Applied Biomechanics' deputy director. "Not only does extrapolation not work for males, but it particularly doesn't work for females." Among the many dissimilarities potentially affecting results are different ligament laxity and bone shape. One of Kerrigan's graduate students, Carolyn Roberts, is focusing on this issue. Roberts is trying to understand the biomechanical differences between males and females and determine how these differences affect injury tolerance. With support from Autoliv, one of the largest makers of airbags and seatbelts, she is determining the precise limitations of the current methodologies used to predict female response and developing a companion dataset of female injury response data. This will enable her to identify specific test conditions where male-to-female prediction techniques fail. She will use her conclusions to develop independent injury models for women as well as to devise ways to extrapolate from male data that are more accurate than geometric scaling. Finally, by comparing male and female models, she will be able to determine which mechanical differences between males and females have the greatest effect on injury. "Hopefully, with increased understanding of injury tolerance and prediction, automotive manufacturers, auto safety policymakers and injury prevention researchers can work together to make vehicles safer for the entire population," she said. Meeting the Needs of a Heavier Population The 50th-percentile male dummy is 5-foot-9-inches tall and weighs 172 pounds, giving it a body mass index that edges over slightly into the overweight category. This is hardly representative. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 40 percent of Americans are obese. Research shows that obese drivers are 80 percent more likely to die in a car accident than drivers who are not overweight, making them another vulnerable population. "We don't understand enough about the nature of obesity to know why it makes the situation worse," Kerrigan said. Researchers at the center are seeking safer strategies for the pending period of autonomous vehicles, when more passengers are expected to be in particularly dangerous reclined positions. Credit: Center for Applied Biomechanics As a starting point, the center's researchers are trying to better understand the material properties of fat as a tissue and integrating that information with the human body models they use. At the same time, they are examining crash data and identifying the specific injuries that are most common to obese populations. "One of our assumptions was that in a frontal crash, obese people are more likely to submarine under the lap belt, causing a higher incidence of abdominal injuries," Kerrigan said. "While we found this not to be the case, we have noticed an increase in lower extremity injuries." Once the center's researchers have a computer model that describes the response of an obese person in a crash, they will integrate it with advanced restraint systems provided by Joyson Safety Systems to explore strategies to better protect those with obesity. "We will be systematically running thousands of simulations using various restraint parameters adjustments to see if we can find a way to minimize injury risk," Kerrigan said. Preparing for an Autonomous Future The advent of autonomous vehicles is about to create another vulnerable population: passengers who recline in their seats. "Once cars are in a form of autopilot, we can expect that the occupants will spend their time reading, playing video games and even sleeping and that means that some will recline their seats," Kerrigan said. This is not an encouraging prospect. Kerrigan and his colleagues have looked at field data from accidents where front seat passengers have been reclining, and the consequences, he said, are "horrific." "The government has made it clear to the manufacturers that if they are going to allow alternative seating positions in autonomous mode, they better be prepared to protect the occupants," Kerrigan said. Center for Applied Biomechanics researchers are collaborating with Autoliv and Honda on a series of projects designed to address this issue. One approach would be to have very strong pretensioners, which tighten the seatbelts automatically in the event of a crash. To be effective, however, the seat itself has to be relatively firm, a combination that could lead to increased risk of lumbar spine fractures. Kerrigan will conduct tests to see if this danger could be mitigated. Another issue is that standard crash test dummies are molded in a seated position and cannot recline. To find a solution for this reclining passengers, researchers will need to find a realistic way to modify these dummies.Making the World a Better Place In the face of ongoing demographic and technological change, the Center for Applied Biomechanics can expect to focus on an evolving cast of vulnerable groups in coming years and, by concentrating on their specific characteristics, find better ways to reduce the human toll of highway accidents even further. "We consider ourselves fortunate to be in a profession where our overall goal is to save lives," Kerrigan said. At the same time, he acknowledges that the intellectual challenges of developing better protection systems are compelling. "Everybody from da Vinci to your local surgeon will tell you that the human body is an incredible system," Kerrigan said. "In our work, we combine a fundamental understanding of the human body with our knowledge as mechanical engineers, all with the goal of making the world a better place. It is an irresistible combination." Artist's impression of the experiment: When the ultra-bright X-ray flashes (violet) hit the enzyme crystals in the water jet (blue), the recorded diffraction data allow to reconstruct the spatial structure of the enzyme (right). Credit: DESY/Lucid Berlin An international collaboration led by DESY and consisting of over 120 researchers has announced the results of the first scientific experiments at Europe's new X-ray laser, European XFEL. The pioneering work not only demonstrates that the new research facility can speed up experiments by more than an order of magnitude, it also reveals a previously unknown structure of an enzyme responsible for antibiotics resistance. "The groundbreaking work of the first team to use the European XFEL has paved the way for all users of the facility who greatly benefit from these pioneering experiments," emphasises European XFEL managing director Robert Feidenhans'l. "We are very pleasedthese results show that the facility works even better than we had expected and is ready to deliver new scientific breakthroughs." The scientists present their results, including the first new protein structure solved at the European XFEL, in the journal Nature Communications. "Being at a totally new class of facility we had to master many challenges that nobody had tackled before," says DESY scientist Anton Barty from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), who led the team of about 125 researchers involved in the first experiments that were open to the whole scientific community. "I compare it to the maiden flight of a novel aircraft: All calculations and assembly completed, everything says it will work, but not until you try it do you know whether it actually flies." The 3.4 kilometres long European XFEL is designed to deliver X-ray flashes every 0.000,000,220 seconds (220 nanoseconds). To unravel the three-dimensional structure of a biomolecule, such as an enzyme, the pulses are used to obtain flash X-ray exposures of tiny crystals grown from that biomolecule. Each exposure gives rise to a characteristic diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough such patterns are recorded from all sides of a crystal, the spatial structure of the biomolecule can be calculated. The structure of a biomolecule can reveal much about how it works. However, every crystal can only be X-rayed once since it is vaporised by the intense flash (after it has produced a diffraction pattern). So, to build up the full three-dimensional structure of the biomolecule, a new crystal has to be delivered into the beam in time for the next flash, by spraying it across the path of the laser in a water jet. Nobody has tried to X-ray samples to atomic resolution at this fast rate before. The fastest pulse rate so far of any such X-ray laser has been 120 flashes per second, that is one flash every 0.008 seconds (or 8 000 000 nanoseconds). To probe biomolecules at full speed, not only the crystals must be replenished fast enoughthe water jet is also vaporised by the X-rays and has to recover in time. "We revved up the speed of the water jet carrying the samples to 100 metres per second, that's about as fast as the speed record in formula 1," explains Max Wiedorn, who took care of the sample delivery together with his colleague Dominik Oberthur, both from CFEL. A specially designed nozzle made sure the high-speed jet would be stable and meet the requirements. To record X-ray diffraction patterns at this fast rate, an international consortium led by DESY scientist Heinz Graafsma designed and built one of the world's fastest X-ray cameras, tailor-made for the European XFEL. The Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector (AGIPD) can not only record images as fast as the X-ray pulses arrive, it can also tune the sensitivity of every pixel individually, making the most of the delicate diffraction patterns in which the information on the structure of the sample is encoded. "The requirements of the European XFEL are so unique that the detector had to be designed completely from scratch and tailored to this task," reports Graafsma, who heads the detector group at DESY's photon science division and is also a professor at the Mid Sweden University. "This could only be achieved thanks to the comprehensive expertise and fruitful collaboration of the large team involved." The scientists first determined the structure of a very well-known sample, the enzyme lysozyme from egg-white, as a touchstone to verify the system worked as expected. Indeed, the structure derived at the European XFEL perfectly matches the known lysozyme structure, showing details as fine as 0.18 nanometres (millionths of a millimetre). "This is an excellent proof of the X-ray laser's performance," says XFEL pioneer Henry Chapman, a leading scientist at DESY and a professor at the University of Hamburg. "We are very excited about the speed of the analysis: Experiments that used to take hours can now be done in a few minutes, as we have shown. And the set-up that we used can even be further optimised, speeding up data acquisition even more. The European XFEL offers bright prospects for the exploration of the nanocosm." The striking performance of the X-ray laser is also a particular success of the DESY accelerator division that led the construction of the world's longest and most advanced superconducting linear accelerator driving the European XFEL. As their second target, the team chose a bacterial enzyme that plays an important role in antibiotics resistance. The molecule designated CTX-M-14 -lactamase was isolated from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae whose multidrug-resistant strains are a grave concern in hospitals worldwide. Two years ago, even a 'pandrug-resistant' strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unaffected by all 26 commonly available antibiotics. The bacterium's enzyme CTX-M-14 -lactamase is present in all strains. It works like a molecular pair of scissors cutting lactam rings of penicillin derived antibiotics open, thereby rendering them useless. To avoid this, antibiotics are often administered together with a compound called avibactam that blocks the molecular scissors of the enzyme. Unfortunately, mutations change the form of the scissors. "Some hospital strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are already able to cleave even specifically developed third generation antibiotics," explains Christian Betzel, co-author of the paper and also a professor at the University of Hamburg. "If we understand how this happens, it might help to design antibiotics that avoid this problem." Principal investigator Dr. Anton Barty (left) from DESY and European XFEL scientist Dr. Richard Bean at the SPB/SFX instrument, setting up the first experiments at the new facility. Credit: DESY, Lars Berg The scientists investigated a complex of CTX-M-14 -lactamase from the non-resistant, 'wild type' of the bacterium with avibactam bound to the enzyme's active centre, a structure that has not been analysed before. "The results show with 0.17 nanometres precision how avibactam fits snug into a sort of canyon on the enzyme's surface that marks its active centre," says Markus Perbandt from the University of Hamburg, also a co-author of the paper. "This specific complex has never been seen before, although the structure of the two separate components were already known." The measurements show that it is possible to record high quality structural information, which is the first step towards recording snapshots of the biochemical reaction between enzymes and their substrates at different stages with the European XFEL. Together with the research groups of co-authors Martin Aepfelbacher and Holger Rohde, professors at the University Hospital UKE in Hamburg, the team plans to use the X-ray laser as a film camera to assemble those snapshots into movies of the molecular dynamics of avibactam and this -lactamase. "Such movies would give us crucial insights into the biochemical process that could one day help us to design better inhibitors, reducing antibiotics resistance," says Betzel. Movies of chemical and biochemical reactions are just one example of a whole new spectrum of scientific experiments enabled by the European XFEL. A key factor is the speed at which data can be collected. "This opens up new avenues of structural discovery," stresses European XFEL scientist Adrian Mancuso who heads the SPB/SFX instrument (Single Particles, Clusters and Biomolecules & Serial Femtosecond Crystallography) where the pioneering experiments were done. "The difference in rate of discovery possible using European XFEL, demonstrated by this experiment, is as dramatic as the difference in travel time between being able to catch a plane across the Atlantic rather than taking a ship. The impact is potentially enormous." This first beamtime for experiments at the European XFEL took place two weeks after the opening of the facility in September 2017, and was open to all scientists from the community to participate, contribute, learn, and gain experience in how to carry out such measurements at this facility. "The success of this open science policy is illustrated by the rapid dissemination of results from later campaigns at the SPB/SFX instrument by participating groups," explains Chapman. "Additionally, the large concentration of effort by the community addressed previously unsolved challenges of managing and visualising datacrucial to conducting all serial crystallography experiments at the European XFEL." DESY's research director for Photon Science, Edgar Weckert, congratulated the whole team for their pioneering work: "These great achievements demonstrate the full potential of the superconducting high-repetition X-ray laser for high-throughput analyses that can fundamentally change research in this field." Further Information Serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography (SFX) is a powerful method to determine the atomic structure of a sample, typically a biomolecule like a protein. It builds on classic crystallography, which was developed more than a century ago. In crystallography, X-rays are shone on a crystal. The crystal diffracts the X-rays in a characteristic way, forming a diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough diffraction patterns are recorded from all sides of the crystal, its inner structure can be calculated from the combined patterns, revealing the shape of its building blocks, the molecules. However, most biomolecules are very delicate, easily damaged by X-rays and do not easily form crystals. Often, only very tiny crystals can be grown. The brief, but extremely bright flashes of X-ray lasers like the European XFEL overcome two problems at the same time: They are bright enough to produce usable diffraction patterns even from the smallest crystals, and they are short enough to outrun the radiation damage of the crystals. A typical X-ray laser flash lasts only a few femtoseconds (quadrillionths of a second) and has left the crystal before it is vaporised. This "diffraction before destruction" method produces high-quality diffraction pattern even from tiny crystals. But as every crystal is vaporised in a single flash, a new crystal has to be X-rayed with every flash. Therefore, the scientists spray thousands of randomly oriented protein crystals into the path of the X-ray laser and record series of diffraction patterns until they have gathered enough data to calculate the protein's structure with atomic resolution. To collect the data, the detector has to record the fastest X-ray serial images in the world: The European XFEL delivers X-ray flashes in ten so-called pulse trains per second. Within each train, the flashes are separated by as little as 220 nanoseconds. No previously existing X-ray camera could shoot images at this fast rate. The developers of the Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector (AGIPD) had to use a trick: Different from conventional digital cameras, every pixel of this megapixel X-ray camera is equipped with its own 352 memory cells that can be written at a rate of nearly 5 megahertz (MHz), matching the pulse rate of the X-ray laser. The memory cells cache the image data and are read out ten times a second. This way, AGIPD can record 3520 images per second, producing a data stream corresponding to two DVDs per second. Also, every pixel adjusts its sensitivity dynamically to the incoming X-ray light. This 'adaptive gain' dramatically widens the sensitivity range of the detector. In the same image there can be pixels with just one photon and those with thousands of photons. This wide dynamic range is not possible with conventional digital cameras. At the European XFEL, one AGIPD is installed and operational, a second one will be installed in coming months. Explore further First published results from new X-ray laser More information: Max O. Wiedorn et al, Megahertz serial crystallography, Nature Communications (2018). Journal information: Nature Communications Max O. Wiedorn et al, Megahertz serial crystallography,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06156-7 Achieving mass-based status Nepali Congress should better reflect social composition and concerns CMC Ravenna, Sinohydro get Tanahu hydro contract Tanahu Hydropower Limited (THL) on Monday signed a contract with CMC Ravenna of Italy and Sinohydro Corporation of China to build the Tanahu Hydropower Project, a 140 MW reservoir-type plant located in central Nepal. 3 hours ago Climate consensus appears near; India objects to coal plans GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Almost 200 nations were poised Saturday to adopt a compromise on how to curb climate change and to keep a key global warming target alive after 15 days of contentious climate talks. During nearly three hours of discussions, nation after nation said the proposed agreement did not go far enough, but only India and Iran appeared inclined to object. Read Article Elderly pilgrims laud free rickshaw service at Pashupatinath temple The Elderly Society of Nepal (ESN) and the National Federation of Disabled (NFD) have welcomed Pashupati Area Development Trusts (PADT) free transport service for the elderly, disabled and pregnant women up to the main entrance of the Pashupatinath temple. Ensure safe and comfortable travel during festive season: PAC The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the government to make arrangements for safe and hassle-free travelling of public during upcoming festival season. Ex-Gurkhas warn of further protests Ex-British Gurkha soldiers have warned of further protests over no headway in meeting their demands by governments in Nepal and the UK. Firewalls and firefights Cybersecurity needs to be integrated into every aspect of policy and planning Ed Ponsi is the managing director of Barchetta Capital Management, an NFA-registered commodity trading advisory, and is also the president of FXEducator. An experienced professional trader, Ponsi has advised a variety of hedge funds and institutional traders. Ponsi has appeared on CNBC more than 50 times and has been profiled in magazines such as "Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities" and "The Traders Journal." He is the author of Selling America Short: The New World Order vs. the American Middle Class, released in Novermber 2011; Forex Patterns and Probabilities, a top-selling book on currency trading that has been translated for release in China; and The Ed Ponsi Forex Playbook, which was endorsed by Steve Hanke, professor of applied economics at The Johns Hopkins University. It is a disease that sends shivers down the spine. With 9.6 million deaths recorded in 2018 so far, cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. But thanks to the marvels of modern medicine, the survival rate of cancer has increased tremendously in recent times. However, there is another thing that many do not openly talk about regarding cancer: treatment costs and its crippling effects on patients and their loved ones. How much does cancer treatment cost in Malaysia? Generally, cancer treatment consists of surgery, radiotherapy, and in some cases, immunotherapy and targeted therapy as well. Different types of cancer have different courses of treatment, which means the treatment course will vary as well. In 2015 alone, 13% of all recorded deaths in Malaysia was due to cancer. The most recent report by the Malaysian National Cancer Registry revealed that the five most common cancer types made up a staggering 51.2% of all cancer cases in Malaysia. Heres an estimated treatment cost for each of these cancer types if they are done locally: Breast cancer: up to RM395,000 Colorectal cancer: up to RM85,000 Lung cancer (including trachea & bronchus): up to RM56,000 Lymphoma cancer: up to RM95,000 Nasopharynx cancer: up to RM70,000 Cancer treatment is painfully expensive, and oftentimes, patients who recover are faced with a very uncertain future as they attempt to rebuild their lives with depleted savings. A 2015 report by the George Institute of Global Health noted that after a year of diagnosis, only 23% of patients were alive and did not suffer a financial catastrophe (which is defined in this case as more than 30% of household income spent out-of-pocket for cancer treatment at 12 months following cancer diagnosis). The hidden costs of cancer treatment Should the patient be recommended to seek better treatment abroad, the already-high treatment costs will escalate even further. This usually happens if a particular treatment is not available in Malaysia. To complement their treatment, some patients may also look to alternative and traditional remedies. Though scientifically unproven, there are still patients who go for traditional treatment alongside medical treatment youll never know, right? But this, too, adds to the total expense of cancer treatment. Besides the hefty hospital charges, some may also look to professional caregivers after cancer treatment. Professional care or even taking on a domestic helper can be very costly, and given that its a long road to recovery, this can add up to a very significant expense. On top of all this, one must also remember that the patient is stripped of their ability to earn a living. This is especially difficult if the patient is the breadwinner of the family how would the loved ones cope when all of a sudden, the steady stream of income stops completely? Choosing the right insurance policy In Malaysia, an estimated 100,000 people suffer from cancer each year, and the Ministry of Health estimates that one in four Malaysians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 75. Whats worse, the 2015 George Institute report notes that in Malaysia, 29% of cancer patients die within a year of diagnosis. The most important step, of course, is to ensure that we are properly protected for critical illnesses such as cancer well before it happens. Insurance policies are the key to overcoming potential financial catastrophes in the event of a tragedy such as a positive cancer diagnosis. Not all insurance policies are created equal. It is crucial to note what the policy will cover, how is the payout handled, and most importantly, if the policy will even cover the cancer type. These may sound trivial, but it is always wise to read the fine print before choosing one. The new Prudential PRUcancer X plan is a good example of an insurance policy that offers comprehensive coverage for cancer. It also currently holds the distinction of being the policy with the highest amount of coverage against cancer you can opt for coverage of up to RM2 million, which is far above the coverage offered by other policies. Prudential Malaysia also designed PRUcancer X to be less of a hassle when applying for it. As such, there are fewer underwriting questions Prudential strips away the non-cancer related questions, which results in a much easier enrolment process. On top of that, PRUcancer X is also affordable. The lowest monthly premium is as low as RM34 a month (age 1-20, non-smoker, RM250,000 coverage), which is just a little more than RM1 a day. For the higher age groups, the monthly premiums remain affordable, with the lowest monthly premium for those aged 21-30 being as low as RM51 (RM250,000 coverage), to RM323 for the maximum coverage of RM2 million. The premiums will vary depending on the individuals risk profile, of course. Most importantly, PRUcancer X pays out the cancer benefit in one lump sum (up to RM2 million) upon diagnosis, giving you the flexibility to choose the best treatment that you need and to support other financial needs throughout the recovery process. In the event of an early detection of cancer and other specified type of cancer, theres an immediate 10% from the plans coverage amount.The plan also pays a compassionate benefit upon death to assist the immediate family of the deceased on funeral costs. For the full list of benefits offered by this plan, check out the official Prudential PRUcancer X product page. 5 1 vote Article Rating SHARE Facebook makes American society better Facebook makes American society worse Worse because of the way some people use Facebook Worse because of the way Facebook itself is run Facebook has no effect on American society No opinion Vote View Results House panel tells government to expedite project works The National Concern and Coordination Committee of the National Assembly has directed the government to expedite the works on Nijgadh International Airport by resolving the controversy surrounding tree felling in the area. Three financial firms have just taken xRapid commercial, enabling cross-border transactions using Ripples XRP cryptocurrency in a matter of minutesbut these ripples arent turning into waves on the market just yet. Its a major bit of news for the third-most-valuable digital currency on the market, but XRPs legal status is still cloudy and the SEC hasnt said whether its a security or not. So for now, this major breakthrough isnt doing much for XRP prices. Ripple was even trading down 4 percent on Tuesday morning: (Click to enlarge) Source: Coin Gecko It should be a pretty big development. After all, its the first time that XRP will be used in commercial application by three financial services firmspayment providers Mercury FX and Cuallix, and financial firm Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union. But whats missing are banks. While Ripple predicts that dozens of banks will be using XRP by the end of next year, were not quite there yet, and the first are most likely to be those focused on money transfers to emerging markets. Again, its a regulatory question and banks deal with emerging markets have more forward-looking regulation and as such are positioned to be the eventual first adopters, according to Ripple itself. Big lenders wont be jumping on board until theres quite a lot more clarification on the regulatory fieldand because Ripples business model has financial institution deals as a core revenue source, this first commercial breakthrough doesnt look as big below the surface. XRP managed to hit a high a couple of weeks ago when Ripple Labs had its head of regulatory relations for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East give an interview to CNBC where xRapid was promoted, giving XRP prices a sharp boost. But it was short-livedeven with Bill Clinton taking the stage at Ripples big Swell event. Related: Why Gold Investors Should Pay Attention To The Swiss Franc As it stands, XRP has lost 80 percent since last years big surge when it hit over $3 dollars after seeing only $0.006 in 2017. But its still in the running for the No. 2 crypto, hoping to unseat Ethereum. (Click to enlarge) Source: Coinmarketcap Still, it should be a major feather in Ripples capregulatory uncertainty aside. Speaking to Fortune, MercuryFX CEO Alistair Constance said the economics of joining xRapids early testing was brilliant. They ran two pilots that saw them send several thousand dollars to a charity in Mexico and the result was a lot cheaper, and a lot faster. According to Constance, using the SWIFT international payments network took 2-3 days and cost $40-$75 dollars per transaction, while xRapid allowed them to make transactions in two minutes for less than 2 cents. Everyone is waiting for the regulatory bad news. Right now, its pure uncertainty, but if regulators decide to classify XRP as a security, the commercial adoption of xRapid could stop where its started. Ripple has seen a collection of lawsuits claiming that XRP is a security. In late August, a California Superior Court suit filed by an investor was formally designated as complex litigation, Coin Desk reports, while another similar suit was deemed complex in June. But the SEC has refrained from making distinctions yet as to which cryptocurrencies are securities, and which arent. This uncertainty has kept the entire cryptoworld in limbo. Earlier this week, in fact, a group of U.S Congressmen called on the SEC to make a clear distinction [] It is important that all policymakers work toward developing clearer guidelines between those digital tokens that are securities, and those that are not, through better articulation of SEC policy, and, ultimately, through formal guidance or legislation, the lawmakers wrote in an open letter. Current uncertainty surrounding the treatment of offers and sales of digital tokens is hindering innovation in the United States and will ultimately drive business elsewhere. We believe that the SEC could do more to clarify its position. By Fred Dunkley for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Facebooks security protocols are once again under fire following a new security breach that affected over 50 million users. On Friday, September 28th, the social media giant announced that hackers had exploited a website feature that allowed the bad actors to log-in and access users data. The attackers exploited code associated with the view as function, granting them to steal users access tokens the feature which allows users to forgo the password process on each new session. The vulnerability apparently came from a 2017 change centered around the feature allowing users to upload Happy Birthday videos. Due to a bug in the platforms code, users were occasionally prompted to upload the birthday videos when viewing a profile as another user. And due to yet another bug in the video tool, hackers were able to acquire the access tokens of those users. In the announcement, Facebook noted the company had discovered the vulnerability earlier in the week and stressed that the FBI and the Irish Data Protection Commission had already been notified. And though the company has not yet identified how much data was stolen or who was behind the hack, it has rolled out a fix and temporarily disabled the feature from which the vulnerability stemmed. CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained, "This is a really serious security issue," adding "This underscores there are just constant attacks from people who are trying to take over accounts and steal information from our community. This is going to be an ongoing effort." Did Facebook Censor Articles About The Hack? If the hack wasnt bad enough, it was reported that pieces covering the incident from the Associated Press and The Guardian were apparently being censored by Facebook. Related: The New NAFTA Ends American Trade Drama Though its important to note that not allow users were experiencing the same problem, and not all stories were being blocked, it did spark a wave of cover-up theories within the Twittersphere. Facebook is preventing users from posting The Guardian's report on the Facebook data breach. Ouch. https://t.co/IGU685PjdK pic.twitter.com/GGGrKqBZEc Jed Bracy (@JedBracy) September 28, 2018 Oh yes so it is - Facebook is blocking the link to the @AP story about its hack as potential spam h/t @kateconger pic.twitter.com/LOONu4z4Ph emily bell (@emilybell) September 28, 2018 Though many speculate that the issue stemmed from anti-spam measures, it is surprising that highly-regarded news platforms such as AP or The Guardian would be marked as spam. And it raises concerns about how the spam-filter functions. Facebook quickly acknowledged the issue, stating: "We fixed the issue as soon as we were made aware of it, and people should be able to share both articles. The anti-spam filters were put in place to prevent bots or bad actors from spreading fake news from shady organizations, but this incident highlights a need to revisit the protocols in place. Are Users Becoming Desensitized? In 2018, data breaches have become a way of life. In August alone, over 215 million records were compromised, according to IT Governance, and thats just one month. Its become easy to say oh, Im probably ok or whatever, my data is probably already out there. But it speaks to a greater problem occurring on the web. Giant companies are being entrusted with incredibly valuable data, and if they are not exploiting it themselves, they are often falling short in protecting it. At the same time, tech-inept governments are struggling to even comprehend the problem and users are becoming more apathetic by the day. Its been said that data is the new oil, but if thats the case, why arent we acting like it? The trillion-dollar data business is still largely unregulated. Data cartels are free from real consequences, and its likely that even this latest Facebook breach will be swept under the rug yet again. Decentralized Solutions The rise of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has led to a sort of revolution in cybersecurity. Developers and decentralization-enthusiasts are now working together to create alternatives to current financial, retail and social media platforms. The new wave of decentralized applications promises users more control over their data and greater security, but adoption is still lagging. While platforms such as Steemit or Mastodon have received a lot of attention, its not likely that Facebook is heading towards extinction anytime soon. Like the big banks following the financial collapse of 2008, it seems the data cartels have become too big to fail. And thats a problem. By Michael Kern via Crypto Insider More Top Reads From Safehaven.com: Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Kevin Merrill of Mesa Vineyard Management is a board member of the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau, and a director on the Santa Barbara County Fair Board. He can be reached at kmerrill@mesavineayrd.com Oil prices rose on Tuesday morning in Asia Investing.com - Oil prices rose on Tuesday morning in Asia after reaching an almost four-year high on closing during the previous session. The price hikes have been driven by expectations of a tighter supply of crude caused by U.S. sanctions against Iran that take effect in November, according to analysts. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, Crude Oil WTI Futures for November delivery edged up 0.31% to $75.53 a barrel at 10:53PM ET (02:53 GMT). On Londons Intercontinental Exchange, Brent Oil Futures for December delivery advanced 0.05% to $85.02 per barrel. Crude oil closed in New York on Monday at the highest level since November 2014, as oil exports from Iran dropped to the lowest in 2.5 years even before U.S. crude sanctions against the worlds fifth largest oil exporter kick in. OPEC had a meeting in September during which members decided not to raise oil production, sending prices up. Analysts said there might not be enough extra production capacity in the short-term to meet demand and that OPEC might struggle to meet the shortfalls. The camp of believers that $100 oil could be reached continues to expand, with spare capacity concerns continuing to grow, said Brian Kessens, managing director at Tortoise. One of the believers is Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of French oil producer Total SA (PA:TOTF), who said on a Bloomberg TV interview last week, Im not sure its a good news [for the global economy]. Even for the oil industry, because you know, when price goes too high, then you open the door to your competitors and demand will fall. Elsewhere, the number of rigs drillings for U.S. crude also fell a second week, indicating slow output growth. The number of onshore oil rigs dropped by three last week to 863, according to data from Baker Hughes released Friday. The U.S. and Canada made a deal on Sunday to salvage the North American Free Trade Agreement, ensuring the continuation of a $1.2 trillion-a-year open-trade zone, lifting market sentiments and driving oil prices higher. Story continues Related Articles Australia expects resource exports to hit record $182 billion in 2018-2019 Oil firm near four-year high as Washington's Iran sanctions loom The New Trade Deal Provides Relief for American Farmers PASAY CITY, Philippines No less than the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. clarified on Tuesday (October 2) that none of the members of the Liberal Party (LP) is behind the rumored destabilization plot against the Duterte government. During the Senate deliberation on the proposed P251 billion budget of the Department of National Defense (DND), Galvez and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana got the chance to face Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Francis Pangilinan who are being implicated as the front runners of the Red October plot. Galvez confirmed that it is the Communist Party of the Philippines New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA) who they are monitoring as behind the ouster plan, and none among the LP members, not even Trillanes and Pangilinan. However, the AFP Chief of Staff confirmed that based on military intelligence report, the Magdalo group in which Trillanes is a member, has been recruiting some members of the AFP to join in the said destabilization movement. Trillanes has denied the allegations. Galvez maintained that the AFP already confirmed through its intelligence unit that the Red October plot is true. Nevertheless, the military officer assured that the government troops are ready to deter any destabilization attempt against the administration. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Joan Nano) The post AFP clears LP from destabilization plot against Duterte admin appeared first on UNTV News. Inland waterways will boost growth, says Minister Pun Energy Minister Barsha Man Pun has said the proposed inland waterways connecting Nepal with India will have a profound impact on the development of the country. Beijing is facing heightened challenges to its vast territorial claims over the South China Sea, as major powers continue to send warships and aircraft to the contested waters. Military operations in the disputed waterway have added to friction between China and the United States, as well as with Britain and Japan, observers say, leaving Southeast Asian nations with claims to the area caught in the middle. In the latest challenge, US guided-missile destroyer the USS Decatur on Sunday passed through waters off the disputed Spratly Islands, sailing within 12 nautical miles of the Gaven and Johnson reefs during a 10-hour patrol. Relations between China and the US are already strained amid an escalating trade war, with the two sides imposing tit-for-tat tariffs on each others imports. After the US warship patrol, it was revealed that Beijing had called off security talks planned for October between US Secretary of Defence James Mattis and Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe. Other countries are also increasing their military presence in the South China Sea. Last week, British frigate the HMS Argyll joined naval drills with Japanese warship the Kaga and destroyer the Inazuma in the Indian Ocean before heading towards the disputed waters. China sent a warship and helicopters to counter the British presence there. A Japanese submarine also made a five-day port call in Vietnam on September 17 as it tries to strengthen ties in the region. Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea as its territory, but there are overlapping claims from Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan. China has repeatedly called on countries without claims to the area not to get involved in the territorial disputes, and in August agreed to a draft code of conduct to be the foundation for negotiations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Beijing has said that agreement indicates the disputes can be resolved. Story continues While there has been no immediate reaction from China on the latest US operation, analysts said that it was a sign that the trade war had spilled over to security, and that recent activities in the South China Sea showed US allies were more inclined to get involved. Its not only the US presence that matters these days. If anything, youll notice that other external powers have ramped up their military presence in the South China Sea, said Collin Koh, a maritime security expert at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. I think suffice to say, at least some if not all Asean countries have already been sandwiched in between. Those Asean countries would now be trying to manage their relations with both China and the US, Koh said, adding that they would be seeking to strengthen economic ties with Beijing but wanting a commitment on security from Washington. For sure, while sandwiched its clear that these Asean countries dont necessarily wish to make a choice on which side to stand with, Koh said. The whole idea therefore is to maximise benefits from all parties, while staying out of their cross hairs. Beijing has expanded its presence in the resource-rich waterway, a key trade route, by building artificial islands there and routinely sending military vessels and aircraft to the region. The latest exercise involved a dozen warplanes including bombers and at least two J-11B fighter jets firing thousands of missiles at a target over the South China Sea, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday, without saying when or where the drill took place. Adam Ni, a researcher on Chinese foreign and security policy at the Australian National University, said a growing rivalry between Beijing and Washington in Asia could put Asean nations in a position where they had to choose a side. For Asean countries, a robust US posture in Asia to balance Chinas expanding ambitions is seen as positive for stability and their interests, he said. However, there is a risk that strategic competition will boil over and adversely affect regional peace and stability. The rising likelihood of a new cold war in Asia between the US and China is an undesirable prospect for a region that relies heavily on connectivity and the free flow of goods, ideas and people, Ni said. Beijing has grown more assertive about its territorial claims to the area since it started building islands there, said Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. Thats put pressure on the US, and Washington has called on its allies like Japan and Britain, even Australia, to carry out freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, he said. The US wont leave the South China Sea it will remain a significant player in this region. Additional reporting by Reuters and Agence France-Presse This article Beijing faces growing challenges to its South China Sea claims first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Reuters GLASGOW (Reuters) -India's environment and climate minister, Bhupender Yadav, took aim at a draft deal at the United Nations climate summit on Saturday, saying he disagreed with the language on fossil fuel subsidies and that the draft lacked balance. In one of the strongest criticisms of the COP26 draft deal, Yadav said developing nations had the right to use the remainder of the so-called global "carbon budget", or the amount of carbon dioxide the world can release before warming crosses the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold. "Mr President thank you for your efforts to build consensus," he told Britain's COP26 president, Alok Sharma, at a so-called stocktaking plenary. Since almost all automakers are leaning towards digitalization and connected cars, Denso Corporation and NRI SecureTechnologies, Ltd. decided to join forces to establish a new cybersecurity company. The company intends to detect and diagnose the security risk of in-vehicle electronics products. The new company is called NDIAS, which is equally owned by Denso and NRI, and it will be officially established in December 2018. The head office of NDIAS will initially be in Tokyo and the companys president will be Yukinori Hashimoto. NDIAS is said to make use of Densos expertise in in-vehicle quality and cybersecurity technology development while NRIs machine learning technology will be used to protect consumers against cyber attacks. In addition, the partnership is seen to offer integrated security diagnosis and consulting services for in-vehicle electronic products. The teaming up of the said companies will also look into how it can develop new tech that can go hand-in-hand with the rapidly evolving digitalized automotive industry. With its cybersecurity technologies, NDIAS wants to achieve a safe and secure future of connected cars. The post Denso, NRI Enter Joint Venture to Establish New In-Car Cybersecurity Company appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. The prime ministers of France and Spain marked their countries' "victory" in fighting ETA in Madrid on Monday, five months after the Basque separatist group disbanded, leaving at least 853 dead in its wake. "We celebrate our common victory against terrorism with mixed feelings," said French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe at a ceremony to highlight both countries' anti-terror cooperation, after ETA disbanded in May. In a symbolic act, the French government handed over 8,000 ETA documents seized in France that could help solve more than 350 unresolved crimes committed during decades of killings, kidnappings and extortion waged for an independent Basque homeland. "France was used as a rear base... by ETA's terrorists and had been fighting its members on its soil for many years," Philippe said. Until the early 1980s, France had been accused of being lenient on ETA members who had taken refuge on its soil. Philippe said the documents would help "feed the work of historians, the work on memory, but also pursue probes of crimes that remain unresolved". Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said peace was achieved "thanks to the determination of all of society and cooperation between Spain and France". At least 853 died at the hands of ETA in its four decades of activity. On the other side, some 62 deaths are attributed to para-police anti-ETA death squads or far-right groups. Two former Spanish Socialist prime ministers, Felipe Gonzalez and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, took part in the ceremony. The former conservative prime ministers Jose Maria Aznar and Mariano Rajoy declined to attend, according to Sanchez's office. ETA called a permanent ceasefire in 2011, and announced it was disarming in April 2017. Waging attacks and kidnappings, the organisation tried and failed to achieve an independent Basque homeland. It was finally brought down by scores of arrests within its ranks and rejection from a majority of the population. A German court said Monday it gave the green light for an Iranian diplomat linked to an alleged bomb plot against an Iranian opposition rally to be handed over to Belgium. The superior regional court in Bamberg said in a statement that it had on September 27 approved the extradition of the Iranian diplomat based in Vienna who has been named as Assadollah Assadi. "The wanted man cannot cite diplomatic immunity because he was on a several day holiday trip outside his host state Austria and not travelling between his host country and the state that dispatched him," the court said. The suspected plan to target a gathering of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) in a Paris suburb came to light a few days after the June 30 event. Six people were arrested in Belgium, France and Germany, two of whom were later released. German prosecutors say Assadi, believed to be an intelligence agent, ordered a couple to attack the rally and had handed them the explosives at a June meeting in Luxembourg. Tehran has dismissed the alleged bomb plot as a "sinister false flag ploy" designed to discredit Iran at a time when it faces major diplomatic tensions with the United States. The rally in the Paris suburb of Villepinte was attended by several allies of US President Donald Trump, including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and former House speaker Newt Gingrich, both of whom urged regime change in Iran. Belgian authorities in July requested the extradition of both Assadi and a man identified as Merhad A., who was detained in Paris. Belgian police believe Merhad A. is an accomplice of a husband and wife team caught in Brussels in possession of 500 grams of the powerful explosive TATP and a detonator. The couple were identified as Amir S. and Nasimeh N. All three are Belgian nationals of Iranian origin. Hong Kong stocks fell the most in a month on Tuesday, hit by Chinas weaker-than-expected manufacturing data that fuelled worries of slowing economic growth amid the ongoing US-China trade war. The Hang Seng Index dropped 2.4 per cent, or 662.14 points, to 27,126.38, which is the biggest single day fall since September 5 when it fell 2.6 per cent. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index also fell 2.4 per cent, or 263.31 points, to 10,754.56 the biggest single day loss since June 19 when it lost 3.2 per cent. Brokers said the sharp fall was because of worries about Chinas economic outlook. As the mainland market is closed until October 7 because of the Golden Week holiday, the selling pressure was concentrated in Hong Kong, they added. US tariffs on China exports are starting to bite, said Louis Tse Ming-Kwong, managing director of VC Asset Management. The Caixin/Markit Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) released over the weekend fell to 50 in September, below the 50.5 level forecast by economists polled by Reuters and 50.6 recorded in August. The 50-mark divides expansion from contraction on a monthly basis. The Chongqing Peoples Congress proposed to remove the citys natural gas installation fee to reduce costs for households and to advance price reforms, in moves that would eat into the income of Chinese gas producers. Deutsche Bank said in a research note that local gas distributors could reduce the relevant initial installation cost to 1,000 yuan (US$145.57) per household from 2,150 yuan, but it was uncertain whether other local governments would follow Chongqings move. Additionally, the last-minute new Nafta agreement that the US reached with Canada and Mexico fuelled expectations that Washington would focus on fighting the trade war with China, analysts said. People are taking the opportunity to initiate short positions during Chinas holiday because of concerns on the trade war, and on economic and policy risks, said Stanley Chan, director of research at Emperor Securities. Its becoming more apparent that the government wants to crack down across sectors in gas, education, health care, property. Story continues Enn Energy Holdings slid 14.3 per cent to HK$58.25, China Resources Gas Group slumped 9.6 per cent to HK$28.80 and China Gas Holdings slumped 8.8 per cent to HK$20.20. Geely Automobile Holdings fell 4.2 per cent to HK$14.94, becoming the days worst-performing blue chip. Chinese financials also fared poorly, with China Construction Bank dropping 3.2 per cent to HK$6.62, while Ping An Insurance was down 2.8 per cent to HK$77.30. AIA Group was 3.4 per cent lower at HK$67.55. Tencent fell 1.9 per cent to HK317.80. Standard Chartered lost 3.9 per cent to HK$62.50 after Bloomberg reported that it may face a possible fine of US$1.5 billion from US authorities for violations against Iranian sanctions. We continue to cooperate fully with the investigation regarding our historical sanctions compliance, and are engaged in ongoing discussions with the US authorities. While we do not comment on the substance of those discussions, we look forward to resolving these legacy issues, said a Standard Chartered spokesman in a email statement. Additional reporting by Chad Bray This article Hong Kong stocks post biggest daily fall in a month as weak China manufacturing data fuels fears of a slowdown first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. LONDON (Reuters) - Iran said the missile attack it launched in Syria on Monday had killed 40 "top leaders" of Islamic State, and that intelligence for the operation had been provided by its elite Quds Force. Iran fired six missiles at targets in the Abu Kamal and Hajin regions in eastern Syria, in retaliation for an attack on a military parade in Iran on Sept. 22 that killed 25 people, nearly half of them members of its Revolutionary Guards. The Quds Force is in charge of the Revolutionary Guards' overseas operations. "Based on the information we have received, around 40 top leaders of Daesh were killed in this attack," General Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' aerospace division, was quoted on Tuesday by Iran's state media as saying. "Daesh" is a derogatory Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "One of the highlights of this operation was that the Quds force had provided the intelligence needed for the attack." The Islamic State and the Ahwaz National Resistance, a separatist ethnic Arab movement in Iran, have both claimed responsibility for the Sept. 22 attack, but neither has presented conclusive evidence. Iranian military support has been vital to helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad through his country's civil war. Iran has dismissed U.S. demands that it leave Syria. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin; editing by Andrew Roche) Justice for Nirmala: Mahendranagar women warn of further protests Women in Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur, continued their sit-in protest at Madan Chowk for the third consecutive day on Monday, demanding that the government release the investigation report on rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant. Bad news, Laneway fam. The annual music festival will be omitting Singapore for its tour next year, making 2019 the first time its skipping our shores since its launch here at Fort Canning Park in 2011. If you desperately have to have your dose of the St Jeromes Laneway Festival, its still making pitstops at Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Melbourne, and Sydney in Australia, as well as Auckland in New Zealand next January and February. Oh, and it may return to Singapore in the later months of 2019. Just maybe. (Fingers crossed.) According to Laneway Festival Singapores Facebook and Instagram pages, which were just updated this morning, the event has been scrapped in January next year because of unavoidable logistical and programming complexities. Thank you so much to everyone for your support of Laneway Singapore over the past years, the statement said. We know a lot of people may be disappointed but we hope youre also as excited about the future as we are. Understandably, music fans were unhappy with the announcement. But on the (sort of) bright side, plans are being made for it to return later in the year, so keep tabs on Laneways social media accounts for updates. In the meantime, reminisce the festival of years past. The post Laneway Singapore will not be happening in January 2019; may return later in the year appeared first on Coconuts. The US First Lady on Tuesday pulled faces at babies and handed out teddy bears as she kicked off her maiden solo trip to Africa, offering a softer side to the Trump administration after another turbulent week in Washington. Melania Trump left the sanctuary of the East Wing of the White House for a continent her husband once reportedly said contained "shithole" countries, making her visit as much about mending fences as carving her own diplomatic path. The contrast with last week's high drama over Donald Trump's nomination to the Supreme Court was telling, as a relaxed-looking first lady visited a hospital in Ghana's capital, Accra, to meet mothers and their newborns. The former model did not make a speech but those who met her said afterwards that unlike her mysterious public image she was "warm" and "gentle" in the flesh. "She's very friendly, easy-going and interactive," said Rabiu Fauziya, a 28-year-old paediatric nurse who helped show Trump the neonatal room in the hospital. From there, she met her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, at the presidential residence, Jubilee House, where the pair exchanged gifts of an silver Chippendale tray engraved with an image of the White House and Ghanaian kente cloth. The women met for the first time at the UN General Assembly last month at which President Trump railed against globalism, earning him stern rebukes from world leaders. - 'Showcase' for US aid - On her four-country, week-long tour of Africa, Trump is aiming to cast a more positive light on her embattled husband's administration and its "America First" agenda. The 48-year-old is promoting her Be Best initiative, her official agenda unveiled in May designed to improve children's well-being. Her office has described the trip as a "showcase" for the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), even at a time when her husband's government is looking to slash US aid across the world. The president has equally promised to only provide aid to friendly countries. But unlike her predecessors, Melania Trump's tour will be followed closely to see if she can build bridges after her husband's apparent disparaging comments. In addition to Ghana, the first lady is due to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to Washington early on October 7. - 'Rorschach test in Louboutins' - Trump has typically stayed out of the spotlight since her husband became president yet she has made headlines for rare public appearances. In June, she made a surprise visit to Texas to visit detained children at the Mexican border, wearing a jacket emblazoned with the words "I really don't care. Do U?" No one knew who the message was intended for, leaving it -- and her -- up for interpretation. This ambiguity has led some pundits to describe her as a "Rorschach test in Louboutins" after the interpretative ink blots used in psychoanalysis and the luxury shoes. But as she attempts to step out of her husband's shadow, the Africa trip has been seen as an attempt for her to carve her own diplomatic path. She has previously travelled alone to Canada and joined her husband on several foreign visits. Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said the Africa tour is close to her heart. "This is her trip, her initiative," she said. That has not stopped Donald Trump from weighing in last week, when he told journalists that his wife was "making a big trip to Africa". "We both love Africa. Africa is so beautiful, the most beautiful part of the world, in many ways," he added. The US president has yet to travel to Africa since taking office. - Muted response - Trump's visit to Ghana has inevitably drawn comparisons to that of former president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle in 2009. During that visit, Barack Obama gave a speech to parliament saying "Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions". He also toured the Cape Coast Castle, a former slavery outpost, with his family. Ghana is seen as a haven of stability in an often turbulent region but despite the interest back home, the first lady's visit did not appear to have generated similar fervour locally. Unlike the Obamas' visit, the roads from the airport were not packed with onlookers while there was little fanfare in the local media, according to an AFP reporter on the ground. "We in Africa, we like the other administration that came before this one," said Yaw Cobblah, a 46-year-old taxi driver in the capital. Nepal faction plans key meet to discuss Olis inept leadership The Madhav Kumar Nepal faction of the ruling Nepal Communist Party are preparing to hold a meeting to discuss future course of action to fight the monopoly imposed by Co-chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the party. Leaders close to Nepal have serious reservations about the way Oli has been handling the affairs of the party. They say the party will face a disaster if Oli fails to correct his attitude. Big Wheel operates lifestyle offices which comprise co-working spaces and event spaces complemented with services such as business office, business consultation, corporate advisory Sunway Iskandar, a township projects from Malaysian conglomerate Sunway Group, has expanded its startup & SME community builder, Big Wheel, to the township in Johor. This Big Wheels third such space, following one each in Mount Austin (Malaysia) and Phnom Penh (Cambodia). Big Wheel claims it is currently the largest SME community builder in Johor with 23,000 sqft of space. It has a cumulative floor space of 30,000 sqft across Malaysia and Cambodia. Big Wheel operates lifestyle offices which comprise co-working spaces and event spaces complemented with services, such as business office, business consultation, corporate advisory, as well as management and administrative services. Big Wheel intends to accept 400 clients into the new space with a targeted potential job creation for 1,000 high-skilled workers. According to Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) CEO, Dr Ismail Bin Ibrahim, the new facility will help attract investments that contribute towards the regions RM383 billion target and to its 800,000 jobs creation target by 2025. Big Wheel has helped international and domestic clients in a variety of industries (including trading, manufacturing, e-commerce, automotive and transportation, professional services, blockchain, web and app development, finance, wellness and healthcare) ranging from startups to international companies from Singapore, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, China, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Dubai, Hong Kong and Switzerland. The Big Wheel Seedbank inside the facility comes equipped with a gym, cafe, and various lifestyle amenities across two stories. Separately, Sunway Iskandar signed an MoU with NEC Asia Pacific to collaborate for the development of smart city solutions in the township in Johor. As per this deal, NEC plans to invest RM100 million into the township of Sunway Iskandar, which will create skilled tech jobs and develop local technopreneurs and tech-savvy talents within the economic growth corridor of Iskandar Malaysia. Story continues NEC plans to explore implementing IoT and AI solutions to augment Sunway Iskandars safety and security, and building an Innovation Centre of Excellence in Sunway Iskandar with Sunway iLabs. The post (In Photos) Sunway Iskandars new startup and SME community builder Big Wheel in Malaysia appeared first on e27. A total of 73 people were arrested for various offences in a seven-day, multi-agency operation in Geylang that ended on 29 September, 2018 (Photo: Singapore Police Force) Police arrested 73 people, aged between 19 and 69, for various offences during a seven-day, multi-agency operation in Geylang that ended on 29 September. Of those arrested, 56 men and a woman were nabbed for various offences which included promoting public gaming, gaming in public, and being a member of an unlawful society. Another 15 women, aged between 22 and 50, were arrested for offences under the Womens Charter. Four of these women, as well as a 22-year-old man, were arrested for offences under the Immigration Act. A total of 73 people were arrested for various offences in a seven-day, multi-agency operation in Geylang that ended on 29 September, 2018 (Photo: Singapore Police Force) During the operation, contraband cigarettes, cough mixtures and illegal medicines worth a street value of about $10,515 were also seized. The operation was led by Bedok Police Division and involved officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Health Sciences Authority, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and Singapore Customs. Other Singapore stories: Man charged with attempting to extort $500,000 Man arrested in Singapore over counterfeit luxury watches: police 14 residents arrested for rioting at Singapore Boys Home Social media was ablaze last night, lit by snapshots and videos of pop star Rihanna swinging by our shores for a surprise visit to Sephora Ion Orchard. Of course, it wasnt completely unexpected bodyguards and fans have to be prepped, after all which is why the store was flooded with about 200 invited guests and members of the media waiting in anticipation for the 30-year-old to show up. And show up, Rihanna did around 9:45pm, in a stunning hot pink Cushnie midi dress that was as vibrant as she was all smiles and sass interacting with beauty junkies like a polished pro. The reason for the Barbadians stopover? To celebrate the first anniversary of her makeup line, Fenty Beauty. Ever the advocate for her own brand, she even did a quick touch-up with her Invisimatte Blotting Powder after her arrival. After making its global debut last September, Fenty Beauty has won over the hearts of many a makeup enthusiast, with its range of foundations (which comes in 40 shades), eyeshadow palettes, eyeliners, and new shades of just-released liquid lipsticks. Joined by Fenty make-up artists Hector Espinal and Priscilla Ono, Rihanna actually took to Instagram to reveal her location right before the event. Perhaps a couple eagle-eyed fans in the Orchard area spotted her Stories in time to make it to see RiRi but if you werent one of them, here are some snaps from the event for you to live vicariously through. Screengrabs from @badgalriri & @sephorasg Instagram Stories Screengrabs from @sephorasg Instagram Stories Screengrabs from @sephorasg Instagram Stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Oct 1, 2018 at 10:03am PDT The post Rihanna drops by Sephora Singapore for a surprise visit to mingle with fans and beauty junkies appeared first on Coconuts. Top image: Reuters In recent times, disparate groups of Christians in Singapore have galvanised around a common causedefending Section 377A of the nations constitution, a colonial-era statue which criminalises private gay sex. The conservative alliance between Church and establishment elites has frayed, it seems, and outspoken voices like the Apostle Lawrence Khong have made clear their displeasure. Posturing for debate, arguments invoking the politics of fear have circulated widely online: Christians would have a hard time teaching their children, social norms would shift and alienate Christians, and most remarkably, that Christians might become a discriminated-against minority in Singapore. That this fear of one particular social group being subject to injustice in a polity is precisely the reason why we need more robust legal provisions to protect the rights of all citizens. Yet such a notion has not exactly resonated with a majority of Christians in Singapore, especially clergy exhorting their congregations to bombard government email addresses with the prosaic petition: I Want 377A to Stay! (In other words, that I would like my fellow Singapore citizens to be subject to caning and jail for engaging in private sexual acts.) Is this truly the best way to exemplify the life and ministry of Jesus Christ? Or is it merely, as the theologian Pete Enns writes, claiming to uphold Christian values while seeking to perpetuate ones own privileged position? As a Singaporean and self-identified Christian, who dearly loves the confessional community in which I was raised, I am dismayed at the reactionary, fearful, even militant language that afflicts the current state of public discourse. Hence, I venture to offer Singaporean Christians three suggestions to reflect upon as we move forward in the hopes of more productive, civil dialogue and debate. Protecting the rights of all in a pluralistic society First, Christians in Singapore must acknowledge and embrace the fact that we live in a multiracial, multi-religious democracy. The law protects the right to evangelise, to speak freely of our faith; it likewise safeguards the right of others to agree, or to dissent. Story continues The legal scholar John Inazu theorises in his book Confident Pluralism, When it comes to the law, we must insist that those in power protect our ability to disagree. I accept that for many, support for abolishing 377A might be anathema. But I urge the community to reflect not solely on how to safeguard ones own social position, but also how the law can protect the rights of all citizens in an increasingly pluralistic, polarised world. In a separate article on Christianity Today, the flagship evangelical news-site, Inazu further notes, Confident pluralism seeks to avoid chaos, which ignores our differences. It also cautions against control, which suppresses those differences we dont like. We can choose to live between the extremes of chaos and control by insisting on legal protections that honour difference for all and practicing civility in our own relationships across difference. History has proven repeatedly that the radical message of the gospel spreads freely when unencumbered by political power, and falters when accompanied by overzealous coercion or enforcement of moral norms by the State. Rather than posturing for a legal fight, we must come to terms with the fact that matters relating to family, relationships, and religiosity mandate a healthy degree of generosity towards practices different from ours. Without empathy for others, how can we expect others to respect and see the good in our tradition? Even if you cannot bear the thought of the inevitable repeal of 377A and find certain lifestyles privately abominable, a healthy dose of empathy is necessary. Inazu describes this as closer to endurance rather than approval. Regardless, the rhetoric of outrage and apocalyptic fear must be reined in. Caricaturing and vilifying the Other is counterproductive and inimical to good Christian witness. A new posture towards the state and political engagement Second, the Church in Singapore needs to rethink its relationship with the State, and its posture towards politics. This re-thinking is pertinent because if (or when) 377A is repealed, life must goes on, and Singapore citizens of various faiths will still share the same space and go about their daily lives. Rather than living in constant fear of imagined secular attacks on faith, Christians should recall who exactly the arbiter of ultimate truth in the Christian tradition is. If Christians truly believe that our source of morality, truth and justice is in the divine rather than human authority, and that the kingdom of God will ultimately reconcile and resolve all the brokenness of this world, then we can have the confidence to engage with others whose convictions are different than ours. We can do so without fear that shifting social norms would erode our faith. Rather than immediately complaining to the authoritiesa peculiar Singaporean tendency and insisting that the government enshrine our moral standards in law, why not look beyond the temporal and focus on things eternal? The gospels of Christ never stated that the values of the world would align neatly with Christian morality. On the contrary, Jesus preached a radical vision of justice, mercy, and humility that would transcend all this worldly contradictions and imperfections. That Singapores National Council of Churches (NCC) only appears in the headlines in relation to this particular issue of 377A is deeply problematic. Why does grassroots Christian unity only emerge in the public square when we feel threatened? There are many good humanitarian initiatives which should be publicised further; I see this as a challenge for the Church must redouble its social missionto reach out to people beyond the pews. There is poverty, injustice and exploitation all around us. In light of this, what would Jesus do? Many young Singaporeans have been encouraged by the Buddhist Fellowships choice to publicly foreground its ideals of humanitarianism and benevolence for all, rather than hiding behind the shield of Asian conservatism. Im not saying the NCC should imitate their statement, but it would do well to consider how it can set its own agenda. Young Christian Singaporeans are in desperate need of more positive examples of deliberate, thoughtful social engagement (and activism) in the local context. The Church cannot respond only when prompted by politicians, or when it feels threatened, fearful, and defensive. The Christian scholar John Fea writes in his book, The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump, that the current malaise of American evangelicalism has much to do with evangelical reliance on political strongmen to shield them from rushing secularisation. Taking heed from this example, Singapores Christians must take the broader perspective that a hope and confidence in Christ is sufficient basis to engage our world in uncertain times. Broadening our definition of family values Finally, Singapore Christians must broaden our definition of family values. The most vehement faith-based defences of 377A have unsurprisingly come from voices borrowing the idiom of family values from the Christian Right in the United States. This idiom, narrowly defined, focuses essentially on protecting the nuclear family as the basis of society. Yet we ignore the fact that Singapores modernisation and trajectory of development has been undergirded by the literal breaking-apart of hundreds and thousands of nuclear families. We have too often entirely ignored the underclass of indentured workers in our midst: domestic maids and construction labourers who work in Singapore on multi-year contracts, at wages insufficient to live dignified lives, with little or no legal provision for family reunion. Insofar as we turn a blind eye to these foreign families and their God-given rights and dignity, the advocacy for the protection of our own nuclear families rings hollow. Rather, it is showing the love of Jesus by advocating on behalf of the poor and downtrodden, and fighting against these systemic injustices in our system, that will testify to the credibility of our convictions. I conclude by again invoking the estimable Pete Enns in his witty but trenchant critique of Christian involvement in (American) politics. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the present Singapore context, where debates over 377A, among other things, have almost degenerated into a Christians versus Others battle. It is worth serious reflection on whether there are better ways to engage with society, modelling a Christ-likeness which others would aspire to emulate. He writes: Heres something Id like to hear in election years: I dont believe as these Christians do, but I sure do want them running our government! Instead, the general public is skeptical, if not fearful, of politicians who parade their Christian faith, and I dont blame them. For better or worse, the developed world increasingly views Christianity as outmoded, and associations with the church run the gamut of sexual abuse, anti-intellectualism, homophobia, reactionary conservatism, etc. As one commentator notes, For many people Christianity is simply not plausible considering the social imaginary regarding homosexuality, and the disjunction between what Christians preach and what is seen in the media. Again, I ask, how can Christians best exemplify the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, in our social engagement with contentious issues in Singapore? It would take some serious reflection, a shift of posture, and perhaps a dose of humility to rectify the current state of affairs, but hopefully we take a step in the right direction. The post A Singaporean Urges Fellow Christians to Re-think the Meaning of Christian Values appeared first on RICE. Smiley faces and hearts light up Hong Kongs Victoria Harbour in National Day fireworks display Hundreds of thousands of people watched a spectacular 23-minute National Day fireworks display over Hong Kongs Victoria Harbour on Monday night to mark the 69th anniversary of the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China. The HK$10 million (US$1.3 million) production, which also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the countrys reforms and opening up, had the theme Unity and Harmony and started at 9pm. Some 31,888 pyrotechnic shells were fired from four barges into the clear night sky thanks to the northeast monsoon prevailing over southern China with fine and dry conditions. The display consisted of eight movements, with fireworks shaped as smiley faces and hearts lighting up the harbour. The shows highlights included the fourth scene, Magnificence, featuring a colourful flower bouquet, butterfly and bee patterns to symbolise the citys beautiful scenery. In the fifth scene, Light of Dreams, smiley faces and heart patterns hidden in the shells appeared immediately after colourful fireworks. The last scene, Achieving Greater Success, featured fast and rhythmic pyrotechnics resembling golden crowns at different levels, wishing the country a prosperous future. Revellers watched the show from vantage points on both sides of the harbour including Tsim Sha Tsui, Mid-Levels, Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Police said 232,500 people lined the Kowloon waterfront while 35,000 watched from Hong Kong Island. The Home Affairs Bureau coordinated the event, which was sponsored by a private firm. Ahead of the display, roads were closed in phases from about 7.30pm in Wan Chai, Central, The Peak and a section of the Island Eastern Corridor westbound, as well as in Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan in Kowloon. This article Smiley faces and hearts light up Hong Kongs Victoria Harbour in National Day fireworks display first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. An Indonesian rescue team carry the body of an earthquake victim found in Palu, central Sulawesi on Tuesday (2 October). (PHOTO: Reuters) Singapore is sending humanitarian supplies and personnel to help with the ongoing relief efforts in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, following deadly earthquakes and a tsunami last Friday (28 September) that have killed more than 800 people. In a statement on Tuesday (2 October), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will deliver humanitarian supplies and equipment including tents, meal rations and medical supplies via two Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 aircraft. Thereafter, the aircraft will continue to assist Indonesia with disaster relief efforts, such as the evacuation of civilians from the affected areas. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has also deployed two officers to participate in the ten-day mission to Central Sulawesi by the Asean Emergency Response and Assessment Team (Asean-Erat). SCDF is offering to send a separate team of officers to assist with search and rescue operations and disaster relief efforts. The government will also make a contribution of US$100,000 (S$138,000) as seed money to kickstart the public fundraising appeal by the Singapore Red Cross. The Singapore Government will work closely with the Indonesian Government in the delivery of our humanitarian assistance, and will be guided by the needs and priorities outlined by the Indonesian Government, said an MFA spokesman. Those interested in contributing to the relief efforts can do via the Singapore Red Cross and Mercy Relief organisations. Related stories: Deadly earthquake and tsunami kill hundreds in Sulawesi, Indonesia Tsunami sweeps away homes on Indonesian island of Sulawesi Taiwan's vice president will visit the Vatican to "deepen ties" after the island's only official ally in Europe made a historic deal with Beijing, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The announcement comes less than two weeks after the landmark agreement between China and the Holy See on the appointment of bishops, which paved the way for a rapprochement between the Vatican and the communist country. That raised questions over the future of official ties between Taiwan and the Vatican as China makes a concerted effort to poach the island's dwindling number of diplomatic allies. China sees self-ruling democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified and demands its allies forfeit recognition of the island. The Vatican currently officially recognises Taipei, not Beijing. Vice president Chen Chien-jen will visit the Vatican on October 14 to attend the canonisation of Pope John Paul VI, the foreign ministry said. The visit will include a private audience with Pope Francis and Chen will invite him to Taiwan, said vice minister of foreign affairs, Kelly Hsieh. Chen's trip would "deepen Taiwan-Vatican diplomatic relations", Hsieh told reporters. "The vice president will express his hopes that the Vatican will continue to pay attention to Taiwan, and also to continue to care for Taiwanese Catholics," Hsieh added. He reiterated the government's belief the Vatican would not "abandon" Taiwan. The last time a high-ranking Taiwanese official visited the Vatican was in 2016, when Chen also led a delegation for the canonisation of Mother Teresa. Taiwan, which has around 300,000 Catholics, has lost five allies to Beijing in the past two years. Relations between Taiwan and China have deteriorated since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, as she does not recognise the island is part of "one China". The Vatican has not had diplomatic relations with Beijing since 1951. Pope Francis has sought to improve relations since he took office in 2013, but previous attempts foundered over Beijing's insistence that the Vatican give up recognition of Taiwan and promise not to interfere in domestic religious issues. There are an estimated 12 million Catholics in China, divided between a government-run association whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party, and an unofficial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. Beijing has insisted that it had the right to ordain its own bishops, defying the Holy See, which says ordinations can only go ahead with the pope's blessing. NAIROBI (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Tuesday it had killed nine militants in an air strike in southern Somalia this week during a battle between U.S. and Somali government troops and al Shabaab Islamist fighters. The military's Africa Command (Africom) said the strike was carried out on Oct. 1 approximately 40 km (25 miles) northeast of the city of Kismayo, which is in the south of the country. "We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this air strike", Africom's statement read. ($1 = 1.6963 marka) (Reporting By Maggie Fick, Editing by William Maclean) New law proposed to check underperforming contractors Contractors undertaking large infrastructure projects who fail to perform as per the target for two quadrimesters could lose their contract once the proposed new law meant to govern a large infrastructure project comes into effecta significant move by the government to discipline contractors. Melania Trump on Tuesday arrived in Ghana on the first leg of her maiden, solo tour of Africa that has been billed as a chance to carve her own diplomatic path. The US first lady stepped off an overnight flight from Andrews Airforce Base near Washington and onto a red carpet at Accra's Kotoka International Airport. She was met by her Ghanaian counterpart Rebecca Akufo-Addo and a group of local schoolchildren in yellow and brown uniforms waving the US stars and stripes and the Ghanaian flag. An AFP reporter at the airport said the former model was smiling and looked relaxed as she was entertained by a troupe of traditional drummers and dancers. The first lady's office has said the tour will be a "diplomatic and humanitarian visit" that will focus on her #BeBest campaign for "children and their well-being". It will also "showcase" the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), even at a time when her husband's government is looking to slash US aid across the world. In addition to Ghana, she is due to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to Washington early on October 7. Many younger tourists from mainland China headed off the beaten track in Hong Kong for the National Day golden week holiday, thinking nothing of sneaking into buildings, scaling rooftop fences and sitting on high ledges just to take selfies. The rooftop of a residential building in Sham Shui Po with a multicoloured mural in the background was a popular spot while the colourful Choi Hung Estate in East Kowloon also emerged as a cool site to give visitors a glimpse of the real city. Some intrepid tourists were inspired by mainland social media personalities who had posed for photos on the edge of a 10-storey building on Wong Chuk Street with the Rainbow Thief mural by Madrid-based artist Okuda San Miguel in the background. They did the same, unconcerned about safety. Nuria Zhang Shenyun, 28, from Jiangsu province, was the first of her group to climb over a two-metre fence after managing to get into the building. No problem, its so easy to climb, she said. Zhang said it was not too dangerous to sit on the edge because there was space for her feet. They wanted to get the Tai Nan Street mural a rainbow fox and a yellow building next door into their photos. San Miguel was pictured sitting on the edge of a rooftop overlooking his artwork in 2016. His move became a hot online trend after mainland cyber stars did a similar thing, influencing others. But Zhang admitted her presence might bother residents in the building. Thats why when I walked up, I kept quiet. If there was a complaint, then I would not do it. After all, its a residential area, she said. But not everyone had the courage. A mainland university student named Xiaoxiao, 18, said she was scared so she gave up. Financial services worker Chen Jia, 23, also walked down after seeing the challenges on the rooftop. Its disappointing. Its depressing. It was tough to climb 10 floors, she said. Story continues A resident of the building named Mr Chou said he was worried about security because of intruders. Lawmaker and Sham Shui Po district councillor Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, warned of safety issues. He said sometimes visitors might go to risky places just to get good photos but should put safety first. He also said it would be unfair on residents to see strangers skulking around their building, adding that some might call police. He urged visitors to be self-disciplined. It would not be ideal to see conflict arise, he said. Kowloon Easts Choi Hung Estate, known for the colourful facades of its public housing blocks, also attracted about 20 photo-taking visitors from the mainland on Monday afternoon. University student Ms Jiang, from Sichuan province, said she got the urge to visit after seeing pretty pictures of the estate online. When I got here, I was thinking it was a residential area, and would it bother residents? she said. But then there were a lot of people here and I didnt think too much about it after that and started taking photos. This article Why young mainland Chinese tourists in Hong Kong are slogging up 10-storey residential buildings and visiting public housing estates first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. When you think of countries with aggressive border security, the bucolic land which provided the backdrop for the Peter Jackson-directed Lord of the Rings trilogy may not come to mind. But this week the New Zealand Customs Service received new powers at the country's borders, including the ability to demand passwords from travellers to search their electronic devices if they are suspected of committing a customs offence, in what amounts to a digital strip-search. Travellers who fail to hand over passwords to their phones and tablets will be hit with a fine of NZ$5,000 (US$3,300). Customs officers have always been able to search a passenger's laptop or phone, but the Customs and Excise Act 2018 which comes into effect this week specifies that passengers must now hand over their password. The legislation states that a customs officer now has the power to make a full search of a stored value instrument, including power to require a user of the instrument to provide access information and other information or help that is reasonable and necessary to allow a person to access the instrument. The news may come as a shock to digital-savvy Chinese tourists on their way to New Zealand during Chinas week long National Day public holiday, known popularly as Golden Week. In recent years tourists have flocked to New Zealand to see sights that include a 1,250 acre working sheep farm on North Island that became Hobbiton, the home of the hobbits in JRR Tolkien's fantasy land, Middle Earth. New Zealands Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment said in May that China is poised to become the nation's dominant tourism market in the next five years, projecting visitors from the country will spend about NZ$4.3 billion a year, accounting for just over half the total spend. Get ready for the huge Chinese tourism boom Rules and regulations around the ability of customs and border officials to access digital devices varies from country to country. In the US, which has had to tighten security significantly since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, US border agents can inspect data located on physical devices such as phones and laptops, but cannot access information stored remotely or on the cloud. Under rules which were updated at the beginning of the year, travellers can be asked to provide their devices passwords to US border agents, but the passwords must be deleted or destroyed immediately following the search. Story continues Under the new New Zealand customs powers, access to information is defined in the legislation as including codes, passwords, and encryption keys, and any related information that enables access to an electronic device. Customs now also has the right to copy, in addition to review, the data stored on the device, and can also confiscate it to conduct a further search but officials need to have a reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. However, like in the US there is no power for the New Zealand customs officers to search material that is accessible from the device, but not stored in the device such as the cloud and they must return the device to the owner undamaged once the search is complete, unless evidence of relevant offending is found. The device may be accessed, searched, reviewed, or evaluated either manually or by using a technology aid that has completed a privacy impact assessment in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner, the legislation explains. If a person is convicted of an offence under subsection (8), a court may order the device to be condemned to the Crown, destroyed, or returned subject to any conditions that the court thinks fit. China to overtake US as top market for digital payments by 2020, report says According to government data, Australia topped the number of international visitor arrivals to New Zealand in the year to June 30, 2018, followed by China, the US and then the UK. The most popular reason for travel to New Zealand is tourism, followed by visiting friends and relatives. Government figures in May showed the number of Chinese arrivals in New Zealand rose 11 per cent to almost 445,000 in the year ended April 30, accelerating from an annual increase of just 2.6 per cent a year earlier. Chinese visitor numbers have climbed at an average annual rate of 18 per cent since April 2012. New Zealand has a population of about 5 million compared with over 1.3 billion in China, according to World Bank and UN data. This article New Zealand customs officers now have the power to demand passwords to digital devices first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. PM Oli gets honorary doctorate degree from UN University for Peace The UN University for Peace has awarded the degree of doctor honoris causa to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at a special convocation organised in San Jose, Costa Rica on Monday. Julia Turner: One of my jobs as Slates editor in chief is describing the magazines voice. Oh, were smart, omnivorous, impish, I say. We have a contrarian streak, and a playful one; Were serious and curious but not sober or smug. Ive used sentences like these to describe Slate countless times. But in the weeks since Jacob Weisberg announced that hes stepping down as our chairman after 22 years here, Ive realized that in describing Slate, Ive also been describing him. Advertisement Jacob has served Slate in every possible way since our founding editor Michael Kinsley hired him in 1996. First, he confounded his fellow reporters on the 96 campaign trail by consistently beating them to publicationprint couldnt keep up with Jacob. Hes written dazzling, agenda-setting pieces for us on politics and culture ever since. As Slates second editor in chief, he broadened the magazines coverage of culture, brought more women onto our staff and into our pages, and found Slate excellent new owners in the Washington Post Co. (now Graham Holdings). And as chairman and editor in chief of The Slate Group, Jacob has helped Slate chart a course both fearless and judicious through the turbulent waters of digital media, encouraging us to launch a membership program and lean into podcasting while avoiding overinvestment in mediums and platforms that suit our work less well. So much of what makes Slate strong today has its roots in the work Jacob has done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the most enduring piece of Jacobs legacy at Slate will be his voice. So much of our approach to journalism echoes Jacobs approach to the world. Theres no one more fun to kibitz with about the news, and the sense Slate fans have when they come to our site or listen to our podcasts that they are joining a fascinating, illuminating, in-the-know conversationthats Jacob. Jacob also has an irritating habit of being right fast, about the news, the culture, the world. (Check out his forceful, influential, far-sighted advocacy of The Wire and e-book readers, two modern classics that he spotted before many of us.) Slates knack for speedy analysis of enduring valuethats Jacob. We also strive to be as game and gracious as Jacob when we are wrong. Jacob has a fearlessness and a spirit of adventure and experimentation that has been core to Slate from the beginning. Part of the fun of working online is demonstrating a willingness to try new things, some of which fail and some of which succeed. Our nimbleness, our gameness, our sense of mischiefthese are Jacob too. Advertisement These qualities will persist in Slate even after Jacobs departure, and so Slates voice will help make up for the fact that Jacobs voice will no longer be in our offices and earbuds every day. But well miss him very much, and we wish him the best on his next big experiment. I cant wait to hear all about it. David Plotz: Jacob has been a colleague, boss, mentor, and friend for 22 years. If I tried to catalog everything hes taught me about journalism, editing, media, and business, Id be writing all night. So Ill limit myself to one story and one compliment. Advertisement Advertisement Soon after Jacob and I started at Slate in 1996, I visited the tiny Slate Manhattan office, housed on the top floor of a creepy office tower on Madison Square Park. For reasons known only to his accountant, the landlord hadnt bothered to rehab the valuable, elegant 20-story building, instead letting the space decay and leasing it out at below-market rates. Jacob, whose true genius may be for the NYC real estate bargain, had found Slate a spacious office with mammoth, copper-framed windows overlooking the park. Soon after I arrived, I asked Jacob where the bathroom was. He offered to show me. He walked me out into the hall, and around a corner, and then actually followed me into the bathroom, which honestly seemed kind of weird, since this was only the second time wed ever met. There we were, standing in the bathroom together. He gestured toward a urinal and said, Look. Above the urinal was a window, and out the window was the worlds best view of the Flatiron Building, the iconic, straight-at-the-arrowhead sightline of the building. I was young, and had barely spent any time in New York, so it took me years to realize that most Manhattan office bathrooms a) dont have windows, and b) definitely dont have windows with one of the most famous views in the world. Still, what stuck with me was something extremely Weisbergian: Jacobs joy in the view, and his joy at sharing this peculiar little marvel with me. No one is as gleefuland as generously gleefulas Jacob. Advertisement Advertisement The bathroom with a view also reminds me of one of Jacobs excellent qualities in a colleague, which is his talent for finding opportunity in dingy moments. After Henry Blodget tumbled from his perch as Wall Street tech analyst, Jacob recognized hed be a wonderful journalist and invited him to cover the Martha Stewart trial for Slate. When Eliot Spitzer resigned as New York governor, Jacob brought him back to public life by offering him a Slate column. Dave Weigel had lost a job at the Washington Post in the ludicrous JournoList email scandal; Jacob encouraged me to hire him at Slate, one of the best decisions I made as editor. For Jacob, there is always a pony in there. Jacob Weisberg: In 1996, in the midst of the dullest presidential campaign in recent memory, Slates founder Michael Kinsley invited me to help invent a new kind of journalism on the internet. We succeeded beyond our imaginings. Advertisement Advertisement There could be an amusing compendium of Slates failed early experiments, which included a digital art gallery and a parody website for a town called Blorple Falls. But in those early years, when Slate was part of Microsoft, we also pioneered news aggregation in Todays Papers, explanatory journalism in the Explainer, blogging, and podcasting. More than any other digital publication, Slate created the personal, conversational voice that defines digital journalism. These days, I probably spend as many hours listening to Slate podcasts as I do reading Slate articles. In both forms, I still hear that distinctive styleblunt, funny, one intelligent person talking to another intelligent personthat emerged out of the interaction of our original group of writers and the new technology. Advertisement Advertisement After relocating us to the Washington Post Co. and handing off the editorship to David Plotz, I shifted my main focus to making Slate work as a business. This led to the launch of new sites, including the Root, with Henry Louis Gates Jr., in 2008, and a partnership to launch Slate France in 2009. Two moves, probably more than any others, leave Slate in a strong position today. One was the creation of our membership program, Slate Plus, which has matured into a significant source of reader and listener support. The other was sticking with podcasting, which I fell in love with to such degree that I eventually demanded to host my own show, Trumpcast. I never expected to stay at one company for a decade, let alone two of them. But Slate remained the place to develop young talent, to take intellectual risks, and to make trouble in an interesting way. It was also the family of writers I loved and admired. For a long time, I thought the question was when Slate and Panoply, the podcasting spinoff Andy Bowers and I launched in 2015, would no longer require my assistance. Honestly, though, thats probably been the case for a while. What it ultimately took to get rid of me was another creative opportunity as exciting as Slate in the early years. That idea is Pushkin, an audio publishing company Im launching with my friend Malcolm Gladwell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For 22 years, committed owners have protected Slates integrity and given it the freedom to innovate. The stakes around our work have risen lately: Donald Trumps war on honest journalism and Facebooks negligent damage to the news business have made running a magazine more challenging. But theyve also created a greater sense of urgency and consequence around our daily work. Slate matters today in a way I dont think it did back in the early days. Slates diversified revenue model and its nimbleness in adapting to change both position it for continued success. As do the people running the place. Julia Turner has one of the most dazzling editorial brains I have ever come across, and is a magnet for young talent. Dan Check has brought a new level of creativity and energy to Slates business and technology sides. The team theyve both assembled, and the work that team does, is the envy of the industry. Im counting on all of them to take Slate to greater heights in the decades ahead. Brad Kern, the CBS producer who was investigated twice for alleged inappropriate behavior in 2016, is out of a job, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Maureen Ryan reports that after a third investigation, Kern has been fired as a consulting producer on NCIS: New Orleans and that his overall deal with the studio has been terminated. A CBS Television Studios spokesperson confirmed that he is no longer working for the network as of Monday. Back in December, Ryan, then at Variety, broke the news that Kern was the subject of two separate HR investigations in 2016 after taking over NCIS: New Orleans as showrunner. Kern was accused of discriminating against working parents, making racially insensitive comments, and sexual harassment that included sexualized remarks about women, [giving] them massages without asking, and [mocking] a nursing mother in front of her colleagues. This alleged behavior was linked a mass exodus of staffers, mostly women, who left the show or were fired during Kerns tenure. CBS responded at the time that while it was unable to corroborate every accusation, the network took this action to address behavior and management style, and have received no further complaints since this was implemented. However, according to Ryans reporting, Kerns alleged behavior did not stop after the HR investigations in 2016. For its most recent investigation, CBS hired outside counsel and looked into claims of harassment or abuse from other shows Kern worked on in the past, including Beauty and the Beast, Human Target, and Charmed. CBS had another high-profile departure earlier this year when Les Moonves resigned in the midst of multiple sexual misconduct claims. Former NCIS: New Orleans employees told Ryan that they believe Kern would still be working at CBS if Moonves were still in charge. Recruiting agencies give government 60-day window to roll back decision Recruiting agencies have launched a protest against the governments latest measures to manage the foreign employment sector. Okay, so did you just skip to this chapter? Thats how the adult-film actress and director Stormy Daniels starts Chapter 3 of her new memoir, Full Disclosure, a book rushed out at impressive speed since the story of Daniels 2006 sexual liaison with Donald Trump broke wide earlier this year. Chapter 3 will tell you more than youd ever want to know about Trumps low-energy sexual performance and low-end toiletries (there was something so right and so wrong about a purported billionaire using a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner). But the part that tells you what you really need to know about Daniels herself comes later, in Chapter 6, when she and her second husband, a rock drummer, decide to have a child together. She insists that before they do he must rack up at least a modest resume as a porn performer. That way, if we ever split up, she explains, you cant use it against me in court. Stormy Daniels is smart, and she plays the long game. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniels has garnered her share of hate mail and death threats since Trumps lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 to sign a nondisclosure agreement about their relationship, leading to an FBI raid on Cohens office and his conviction on eight counts of campaign finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud. But shes also won herself over 800,000 Twitter followers and the kind of fans who usually dont frequent the strip clubs where she performs on tour. Gay men, groups of single women in their 40s, people who urge her on in her very public struggles against Trump and his minionsthese are the newly minted admirers who tell Stormy, Youre going to save the world. Advertisement Many an opinion writer has proclaimed Daniels a feminist hero, from Jill Filipovic in the New York Times to Sady Doyle in Elle, who marveled at the possibility that a lone womans voice will bring down the Goliath of structural sexism that is the Trump administration. As both Filipovic and Doyle have pointed out, Trump supporters often attempt to discredit Daniels by simply stating her profession. Republican lawmakers even tried to dismiss allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh because the woman making them is also a client of Daniels attorney, Michael Avenatti, contemptuously referring to him as a porn star lawyer during last weeks hearings. Daniels, Filipovic wrote, is expected to curl up and die from the humiliation of all this name-calling. Instead, she shrugs it off, usually with a clever quip that makes her attacker look like an impotent cretin. No matter how often people try to cast her as Hester Prynne, she insists on playing another American archetype: the unflappable, wisecracking dame. Her Twitter feed is littered with deleted tweets she responded to so devastatingly that the trolls were the ones obliged to crawl away, licking their wounds and erasing their tracks. Sadly, you have to reverse-engineer most of her best jokes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniels makes the ideal nemesis for Trump, Full Disclosure reveals, because she really is what he mostly just pretends to be. Her red-state cred is solid. Raised in squalor by a depressed, narcissistic, neglectful mother (her father never showed much interest in her and deserted the family when she was 5), she recalls overhearing adults write her off as white trash during her childhood in Baton Rouge. She resolved to prove them wrong by earning straight As and becoming the editor of her high school newspaper. She loves head-banging heavy metal and horses, but shes also a prudent striver, supporting herself by dancing in strip clubs from the age of 17, scrupulously cultivating well-behaved, consistent regulars over flash-in-the-pan big spenderstheres that long game again. She doesnt drink (one of the few ways in which she bonded with Trump) because I cant tell you how many clubs Ive been in where girls get drunk and lose their money. Unlike every other porn star memoir, Full Disclosure doesnt traffic in inane industry cliches about Daniels getting into the business because she loves sex. She portrays herself as a responsible professional who shows up on time, does the best job she can, and is well-compensated for it. She briskly moved from acting in adult films into writing and directing, becoming the most acclaimed female director in the business. Advertisement Advertisement Daniels also identifies as a Republican, although she writes that she sat out the 2016 presidential election because she couldnt decide between Clinton and Trumpwhich is a bit perplexing, given her support for womens rights, abortion rights, sex education, and gay marriage. (She refers to a close friend of over 20 years as her gay dad.) She doesnt explain what attracted her to the GOP, but she does make clear her enthusiasm for capitalism in Full Disclosure. Perhaps she takes a bootstrappers pride in her self-made successa marked contrast to Trumps inherited wealth. Shes a witty, scrappy underdog who stood up to a fat cat and his big-city lawyers, to all the snooty hypocrites who turn their noses up at her in public while eagerly consuming her movies in private. Advertisement Advertisement Trumps crassness has endeared him to his base, who like him because he appalls the coastal urbanites they believe look down on them. This makes it tricky for him and his advocates to sneer at Daniels for her supposedly low-class origins and profession; his own wife, after all, once posed for nude photos. Both Trump and Daniels like to trumpet their own achievements, but shes actually earned hers the hard way. If hes a fearless straight-shooter, Full Disclosure amply proves that shes a far superior onewith much better aim. Full Disclosure by Stormy Daniels. St. Martins Press. See all the pieces in the Slate Book Review. Slate is an Amazon affiliate and may receive a commission from purchases you make through our links. Comedian Louis C.K. dropped by New Yorks Comedy Cellar on Sunday night for another surprise set, the New York Times reports. The last time he did this, showing up at the club in late August for an unannounced sethis first since he admitted to making female colleagues watch or listen to him masturbateit sparked a debate over how and when disgraced entertainers like C.K. could re-enter the public eye. (It also prompted club owner Noam Dwormanwho has a contentious relationship with the women C.K. harassedto promise that C.K. wouldnt be back for months, and that when he did return, it wouldnt be for an unannounced show; neither of those things happened.) At the time, Slates Christina Cauterucci predicted that C.K.s decision to return without any fanfare, apology, statements, or interviews about what hed learned in the wilderness would probably be the model for some men: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more likely route to reputation renovation will simply be nonchalant reintroduction into the cultural bloodstream, little by little, like routine allergy shots that cause a milder reaction with each prick. It appears that C.K. is taking precisely this route, returning to the Comedy Cellar to give the public one of his trademark surprise pricks about a month after the last one. C.K. has not commented on his misconduct since his initial statement admitting the stories about him were true. On Sunday, he performed a 20-minute set, which didnt address his past misconduct except for briefly acknowledging that not everyone was happy to see him performing again. HuffPost spoke to an audience member who was uncomfortable with some of his jokes, mainly because of the context: Advertisement One was a joke about taking his 9-year-old daughter to Old Navy and seeing that they have boyfriend shirts for 9-year-old girls, and then graphically describing, Oh, is my 9-year-old supposed to be f-ing her boyfriend all night and taking his shirt? And another was about how much he liked his doctor touching him. He had a Freudian slip, saying, I love it when my father touches me (instead of doctor). Advertisement Its hard to imagine what a Louis C.K. set that stayed completely away from jokes that reminded people of his problems would look like, but the form seems like at least as much of an issue as the content. Hes the last person who should be doing unannounced sets before audiences who didnt explicitly choose to see him. This time around, the New York Times notes, the Comedy Cellar has instituted a policy allowing guests to walk outand have their tab covered by the houseif a drop-in guest makes them uncomfortable. Two women reportedly took them up on that offer. Next timeabout a month from now, most likely, after a shorter news cycle than the one that followed his last performanceit will probably be fewer. The culture war brewing within the American Catholic Church is about to get uglier. A group of wealthy American Roman Catholics have banded together to fund what they describe as a public investigation into every member of the churchs College of Cardinals. As the Catholic news site Crux reported on Monday, the group has assembled almost 100 academics, investigators, journalists, and former FBI agents to produce what its calling the Red Hat Report. The watchdog group plans to spend more than $1 million in its first year, with the goal of naming those credibly accused in scandal, abuse, or cover-ups and influencing the selection of the next pope. Advertisement The group is responding to an obvious crisis: The Catholic Church is in the throes of multiple overlapping clerical abuse scandals, including the resignation in disgrace of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick this summer. Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania grand jury found that more than 300 priests in the state had abused more than 1,000 children over the course of decades. By mid-September, eight other states had announced similar investigations. (Thats to say nothing of recent church scandals in other countries, including Chile and Germany.) And the Vatican, including the institution under Pope Francis, has been accused of ignoring or even covering up the rot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal of the new Better Church Governance group, as Cruxs story makes clear, is to influence the selection of the next pope, who will be chosen by a subset of current cardinals. What if we would have had someone else in 2013 who would have been more proactive in protecting the innocent and the young? the groups operations director, Jacob Imam, asked attendees at the event. In other words: What if we could have prevented the selection of Pope Francis? Advertisement An independent investigation might sound like a straightforwardly encouraging development. What could be wrong with an attempt by outraged lay Catholics to shed sunlight on an ongoing scandal that the church hierarchy has utterly failed to confront? The trouble is that the churchs abuse scandals have become a proxy in a much larger ecclesiastical battle. The wealthy Americans behind Better Church Governance are crusading not just against Pope Francis leadership, but against cardinals with insufficient theological adherence to traditional valuesand particularly against homosexuality in the church. The new group is sponsored by the Center for Evangelical Catholicism, and its leaders have affiliations with a wide array of conservative institutions, including Hillsdale College and Crisis magazine. Many conservative critics of Pope Francis view the current abuse crisis as springing from a homosexual subculture in the church, noting that boys make up a large majority of victims of underage clerical abuse. (A 2011 report found that gay priests were no more likely to abuse minors than straight priests; a rise in gay priests in the 1970s and 1980s was actually associated with a decrease in abuse.) Advertisement Advertisement An attendee at the organizations Sunday launch event in Washington asked if the report would include information about the cardinals sexuality. The report will follow the churchs moral law, Imam answered: If there is a rumor of him being homosexual, it will be noted very carefully but we need to be sure. The Red Hat Report will also note whether each cardinals known views align with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the arm of the Vatican that defends the church from heresy and is in charge of investigating accusations of sexual abuse. (The body is seen as a defender of orthodoxy within the Vatican, though the pope replaced its powerful conservative head last year.) Advertisement Advertisement Franciss defenders and other non-conservatives in the church are wary of the new groups motives. At least theyre transparent about their hate, tweeted the Rev. James Martin, an influential Jesuit priest who has criticized the churchs approach to homosexuality. As in many far-right Catholic circles, simply being gay = being corrupt. Another prominent priest and theologian called the group self-appointed vigilante ideologues. There has been so much abuse and obfuscation in the Catholic Church that no political faction is free of the taint of scandal. The conservative Pope Benedict XVI was accused of covering it up, and now similar allegations have been weaponized by the former popes political allies against his replacement. The stench is so ubiquitous, touching church authorities in every era, from every jurisdiction, of every theological bent, that it can always be found wafting from the other side, no matter which side youre on. Advertisement Advertisement The Red Hat Reports results will be publicly available, and each cardinals dossier will include a rating indicating the strength of the evidence connecting each man to scandal. Cardinals need to be held accountable publicly, so there has to be some sort of culture of shame, Imam told attendees at the meeting Sunday. They know if they vote for this person the people that they shepherd, and their pastors, will know about it. The Red Hat Report may end up doing much-needed work to investigate and illuminate sexual corruption. Along the way, it could splinter the American church along already-fragile ideological fault lines, and introduce the smear tactics of a political campaign to the selection of the next pope. Anthony Kennedy is worried about American democracy. Perhaps we didnt do too good a job teaching the importance of preserving democracy by an enlightened civic discourse, said Kennedy on Friday, speaking to high-schoolers in his hometown of Sacramento, California. In the first part of this century, were seeing the death and decline of democracy. Kennedy didnt mention Brett Kavanaugh in this address, but its difficult to imagine his concerns werent tied to the furor over President Donald Trumps nominee to fill his seat on the Supreme Court, especially given Kennedys relationship to Kavanaugh, who clerked for the former Supreme Court justice early in his career. Advertisement If Kennedy is thinking about the Kavanaugh nomination, that offers another reason to worry about its implications for our democratic discourse and institutions. But if the fight for Kavanaugh is a democracy destabilizing event, then its only the latest in a long series of democracy destabilizing events in the United States. As an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, Kennedy has played a significant part in that story. From Bush v. Gore to Citizens United to Trump v. Hawaiiwhere the court upheld the presidents transparent Muslim travel banKennedy has been a key figure in Americas democratic backsliding. And against that backdrop, Kennedys concern is hollow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kavanaughs nomination has put stress on an already-stressed democracy. Controversial from the start, multiple allegations of sexual assault have made his Supreme Court bid among the most toxic political conflicts in recent American memory. That toxicity increased on Thursday, after Kavanaughs startlingly angry testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Denying the account of his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh raged against a calculated political attack orchestrated by Democrats and left-wing opposition groups purportedly looking for revenge on behalf of the Clintons. Advertisement Kavanaughs bullying performance had its intended effect. Republicans rallied to the Supreme Court nominee just as Democrats stood behind his accuser. Eighty-four percent of Republicans said they believed Kavanaugh, versus just 5 percent of Democrats, according to a Quinnipiac survey conducted in the days since the hearing. Likewise, 86 percent of Democrats believed Ford, versus just 10 percent of Republicans. (Independents broke 4638 in favor of believing Ford versus Kavanaugh.) But as much as the Kavanaugh furor is corrosive, its not yet a serious threat to American democracy, even as it suggests dangerously high levels of cultural bitterness and partisan mistrust. Actual threats to American democracy range from voter suppression and unaccountable dark money to explicit efforts to engineer minority rule in Washington and racialized policymaking meant to burden historically disfavored minorities. The threat is voter purges aimed at black Americans and rigid gerrymandering meant to dilute the votes of Hispanics; its a campaign finance regime that gives anonymous holders of accumulated wealth the power to flood elections with untraceable cash; its a president trying to shape the institutions of government to serve the interests of him and his family. Some of these are recurring threats to American democracyothers are novel. But during his time on the Supreme Court, Anthony Kennedy has either worsened the problem or unleashed the danger outright. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2010, Kennedy authored the courts opinion in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, obliterating decades of campaign finance law and allowing unprecedented levels of outside spending in elections. Writing for a 54 majority that split the court along ideological lines, Kennedy affirmed the claimants view that businesses held the same free speech rights as individuals. When government seeks to use its full power, including the criminal law, to command where a person may get his or her information or what distrusted source he or she may not hear, it uses censorship to control thought, wrote Kennedy. Citizens United opened the door to super PACs, groups that can accept unlimited donations from individuals or corporations and spend them on behalf of candidates, provided they dont coordinate with the actual campaigns. And although super PACs have disclosure requirements, donors have circumvented them by routing contributions through entities that dont require disclosure, yielding a torrent of completely unaccountable money. We saw the results of this last year, when these donors threatened to close the spigot on Republican politicians if they didnt pass their favored tax policies. Advertisement In 2013, Kennedy joined the majority on Shelby County v. Holder, invalidating a section of the Voting Rights Act requiring states and localities with a history of voting discrimination to clear new election or voting laws with the federal government. The decision didnt preclude preclearance but asked lawmakers to develop a new formula for determining its scope. Congress, held by Republicans since 2015, has yet to step forward. In the meantime, conservative lawmakers in states across the country have pushed restrictive laws for voter identification, placed new limits on voter registration, and slashed ballot access by closing precincts and polling places. These policies have burdened the groups the Voting Rights Act was meant to protect: the poor, the elderly, foreign-language speakers, and people of color. In states like North Carolina, where lawmakers were found to have targeted black voters with almost surgical precision, that was the point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Citizens United has been an invaluable tool for the maintenance of entrenched wealth, Shelby County has been similarly vital for those who want to preserve a white voting majority in American politics. Republican lawmakers unwilling or unable to win blacks, Latinos, Asian Americans, and other groups have used the leeway of Shelby County to institute voter purges and sharply gerrymander their electorates on racial lines. And the Supreme Court, with Kennedy in the majority, has affirmed those moves as well. Before retiring, Kennedy voted to uphold sweeping voter purges in Ohio and racial gerrymandering in Texas. The prospect of Kennedys chosen successor doing untold damage to the institution he served would be a fitting capstone to Kennedys career. On similar lines, Kennedy joined conservatives on the court in Trump v. Hawaii to uphold Trumps travel ban, with a short concurrence urging federal officials to adhere to constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and free exercise of religion, while simultaneously granting the administration power to restrict movement into the country in a way that clearly targeted a particular religion, as evidenced in part by the presidents statements of religious animus. Advertisement This gets to the most galling aspect of Kennedys stated concern for American democracy. In the final paragraph of his concurrence, Kennedy looked forward to the future: An anxious world must know that our Government remains committed always to the liberties the Constitution seeks to preserve and protect, so that freedom extends outward, and lasts. He then retired, leaving Donald Trump to name his replacementthe same Trump who operates in contempt of those constitutional liberties and seeks to degrade the nations democratic institutions, who defines citizenship in racial terms, and seeks to remove those who fall short, from undocumented migrants to legal residents and actual American citizens. Advertisement Kennedy gave Trump, who faces criminal investigation for obstruction of justice and potentially other felonies, a chance to secure a favorable majority on the Supreme Court, one which may weigh in on that investigation. And Kennedy recommended a replacement, Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, who proposed temporary deferral of civil suits and criminal prosecutions and investigations for sitting presidents in a 2009 law review article. Kennedy punctuated his brief for Americas democratic ideals by giving the president a path to legal impunity. And a Justice Kavanaugh who ruled for Trump in those circumstances would do tremendous damage to the legitimacy of the Supreme Court, as well as our democracy. Advertisement Advertisement That prospect, of Kennedys chosen successor doing untold damage to the institution he served, would be a fitting capstone to Kennedys career. Eighteen years ago, Kavanaugh was working to win the White House for George W. Bush after a tight election and contested result in Florida. Kavanaugh worked on Bushs legal team to halt a state-mandated recount and secure the crucial swing state for the Republican presidential nominee. That case went to the Supreme Court, where Kennedy joined a partisan majority of GOP nominees to end the recount and deliver the race to Bush, circumventing Florida law and the Florida Supreme Court. The court even put an asterisk over the decision, writing that Our consideration is limited to the present circumstances, for the problem of equal protection in election processes generally presents many complexities. This was a one-off that just happened to be decided by Republican appointees for the benefit of a Republican presidential candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bush v. Gore tarnished both the new president, who only secured a sense of legitimacy in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, and the Supreme Court itself. The courts conservatives appeared nakedly political, willing to abandon judicial restraint when it conflicted with factional advantage. Its evidence of irony in history that we see something similar in the present. In testimony challenging allegations of sexual assault, Brett Kavanaugh condemned the Democratic Party in harsh, belligerent terms, threatening retribution for the accusations. He spoke as a lifelong Republican operative, not as an impartial judge. Kavanaugh doesnt need to rule for Trump to threaten the legitimacy of the court; at this point, his confirmation itself would spark a legitimacy crisis, as millions of Americans reject his presence on the basis of the allegations (which he addressed with misleading testimony) and his aggressive partisanship. The line from Bush v. Gore to Brett Kavanaugh should put Anthony Kennedys stated concern for American democracyhis fear that it has entered a cycle of death and declineinto its proper context. Kennedy had 30 years on the nations most powerful court to defend democracyto build equitable institutions and shape a level playing field for discourse and deliberation. He did just the opposite. His legacy is a weakened democracy and a damaged Supreme Court. In an email Monday night, Harvard Law School announced that Brett Kavanaugh will not teach a class at this school in the winter, saying the Supreme Court nominee had decided he could not longer commit to teaching. The announcement followed several protests by students at Harvard, where Kavanaugh had taught since 2009. Hundreds of graduates from Harvard Law School signed a letter calling on the school to rescind Kavanaughs appointment as a lecturer. Now more than ever, HLS must send a clear message that it takes sexual violence seriously, the letter reads. The accusations against Judge Kavanaugh, including those by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, are credible and grave. They seriously call into question his character and morality, and should disqualify him from a lifetime appointment as a Supreme Court Justice. They likewise should disqualify him from any position of esteem, including lectureships at HLS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law school students sent letters calling for a Harvard-led investigation, according to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper, and about 300 first-year law students signed them. Other law students wrote to professors, and on Sept. 24, hundreds of Harvard students walked out of class to stand in solidarity with Kavanaughs accusers. During the hearing three days later, students continued to protest, carrying anti-Kavanaugh signs. And, according to the Crimson, the Undergraduate Council voted Sunday to ask the university to investigate the allegations before Kavanaugh be allowed back to the law school to teach. At Yale Law School, where Kavanaugh studied, students and faculty have also spoken out against the nominee. Last week, the law schools dean joined the American Bar Association in calling for another investigation. When Sen. Mitch McConnell was told by thenCIA Director John Brennan before the 2016 election that Vladimir Putin and Russia were attempting to interfere with the goal of assisting Donald Trump, McConnells response took him aback, according to Greg Miller, a Washington Post reporter who has just released a book about Putin, Trump, and the election. The majority leader said he wouldnt sign on to any condemnation of Russias actions and that if the administration went public with the intelligence, McConnell would in turn call out Brennan as a partisan intervening on behalf of Hillary Clinton, Miller colorfully revealed in a CNN interview Tuesday. Advertisement Yikes. WaPo's @GregPMiller describes a tense moment from 2016 involving a CIA director trying to sound the alarm on Russia and a senior U.S. senator wanting none of it... pic.twitter.com/iuQEiOs5Bh Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) October 2, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the broad outlines of this story have been known for a long time, Millers account adds a new level of detail to McConnells political machinations in the run-up to the election. In a Frontline documentary from November, Miller said that the Obama administration was so concerned about politicizing intelligence that aides didnt want Obama himself to publicly denounce the Russians without the support and buy-in of leaders in Congressincluding Republicans. Advertisement Jeh Johnson, the secretary of homeland security for the last four years of the Obama administration, describes meetings between top intelligence officials and congressional leadership as well as the heads and ranking members of the intelligence and foreign affairs committees in which they told the lawmakers what the intelligence community knew about Russias efforts to influence the election. McConnell expressed skepticism, Frontline reported, and warned that he would not join an effort to publicly challenge Putin. The Washington Post had previously reported that in September 2016, during a secret briefing for congressional leaders, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voiced doubts about the veracity of the intelligence. In early October 2016, the intelligence community eventually issued a statement saying that it was confident that the Russian Government directed the recent compromises of e-mails from U.S. persons and institutions, including from U.S. political organizations, but never specified who was being hacked or which candidate Russia was trying to help win. The irony is not just that Trump would win the election, which the Obama administration thought incredibly unlikely, but that the administration would then be roundly criticized by its supporters and then by the Trump White House and Trump himself for not doing enough to challenge Russias conduct. Last month, Slate Group chairman and editor-in-chief Jacob Weisberg announced he was leaving Slate to start a new audio company. After six years as a politics writer for the sitebeginning around its launch in 1996Weisberg became Slates editor. In those years, and in the decade since, he has been a constant presence and voice in and around the magazine via his writing, podcasting, event hosting, and much else. His departure therefore seemed like a proper occasion for some reminiscing. I spoke by phone with Weisberg on Monday, before his departure, to discuss the magazines ups and downs, how internet journalism and liberal commentary have changed over the past couple of decades, Slates best pieces, and much else. An edited and condensed version of our conversation is below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Isaac Chotiner: Do you break the history of Slate up into different eras, and if so, what are they? Jacob Weisberg: Yes, I do. There was the initial [founding editor Michael] Kinsley era when we didnt know what would now be the most basic things about how digital media was going to work. Remember, when we started, you didnt just have to tell people what an internet magazine was. You usually had to tell them what the internet was. We thought Slate would be like a weekly magazine and people would print it out, and we mainly thought of the web as kind of an instant distribution mechanism. I think that was a brief period, of maybe only several months, before we figured out that things had to be updated regularly and that the tone was different, and started to play with all these different kinds of interactive features like diaries, and dialogues, and dispatchesthings that were kind of proto-blog. Advertisement Then there was a fairly lengthy period at Microsoft that was an early sweet spot when the magazine was developing an identity and a voice. There was a pretty cohesive group of writers and regular contributors. I think of that period as stretching until Michael Kinsley decided to leave and I took over as editor, which was in 2002. Advertisement What do you think the relationship was between Slate and everything else when Slate started, and whats the relationship between Slate and everything else now? What does it mean to be Slate in 1996 or 2006 or 2018 compared to other content online or in print? At the beginning, we were one of the very few digital experiments in what we call legacy media, but people at newspapers and magazines were paying a lot of attention. Not because they particularly felt threatened or vulnerable in any way, but people loved Michael Kinsley and they were just really interested in it. I mean, Michael Kinsley was on the cover of Newsweek, moving to Seattle to found Slate. Advertisement Advertisement The Microsoft connection created a certain glamorousness. In some of the old media world, there was just a lot of enthusiasm and interest. The new media people were a little less friendly, and vice versa. I think there were some that felt like theyd gotten there before we did and they were kind of cooler than we were. This was before your time, but there was some early skirmishing between Mike Kinsley and David Talbot, who ran Salon. In a funny way, I think it was a lot more tribal. Someone who wrote for Slate wouldnt have written for Salon, and vice versa. Advertisement You hear people say that a lot of internet commentary has come to reflect a Slate sensibility more broadly. To me, the paradox of that, and Im curious whether you agree or disagree, is that left-of-center commentary on todays internet iseven at Slate itselfincredibly distinct from the original Slate. Contrarianism is out, and the center left and left seem pretty united on a bunch of political issues. Hot takes about politics or culture that push against the liberal conventional wisdom are much less frequent. Advertisement "At several of the most prominent magazines, the editors have all had the experience of being challenged by their young staffs about decisions they made. I think that represents a change." Jacob Weisberg Yeah. Well, I agree with you. I mean, I think Slate changed. I think other publications have changed. I think the world has changed. Kinsley was radical in a lot of ways. But one of the ways in which he was radical was that he thought thinking was more important than reporting. Everyone else in journalism, I think, tends to valorize reporting as the way you add value. Kinsley thought you added value through thinking hard, analyzing things, and then presenting them in a really interesting, entertaining way. That sometimes got characterized as contrarianism. I think that was always a bit of a caricature, but part of the starting point for an article, if you were a writer who worked for Michael Kinsley, was coming up with a hypothesis. A pretty good hypothesis was always: What if everybodys wrong about X? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It didnt mean you always wrote an article arguing that everybody was wrong about X and that the world was flat or whatever it was, but it was about challenging and questioning a lot of assumptions. Because both of us were liberal, and the prevailing worldview was liberal, the assumptions that were questioned were liberal assumptions. I see that, as you point out, its sort of a less natural, habitual activity right now, because its not clear that the biggest problem is the flaws in liberal assumptions. The biggest problem is the assault on liberal values and norms from Trumpism and from a certain radical populism. I think Slate is now functioning in a world that is much more about articulating and defending first principles than it is about the subtleties of which policy ideas liberals should get behind. It hasnt completely changed things, but I do think the skeptical and contrarian mindset is it doesnt have quite the currency. Advertisement Maybe the question is what the original Slate would have been like if it had launched around something like the rise of Trump. Take someone like Kinsley, who obviously is a genius in our profession, but I get frustrated when he writes about Trump because it feels too contrarian to me and my attitude is like: Oh, not in the mood for this. Its just interesting to think about how that original Slate sensibility, the contrarianism of iteven if you say it was overstatedwould have played in the era were living in. Advertisement Advertisement Slate launched in 1996, which was, in retrospect, a complacent era of peace and prosperity. We were on the verge of the only budget surplus we ever had. On the one hand, it was very much a missed opportunity for liberalism, because things were possible then that arent possible now. But as much as it felt like there was always a lot of fighting and politics, it wasnt an embattling period the way it is now. I think the two things, obviously, that really changed this were 9/11 and the Iraq war, which created a bunch of different dynamics. The Iraq war, I think, was a factor in unifying the left and liberals. There were liberals who supported the war, some of them in Slate. But they quicklyand I had some affinity for this group, and Im not speaking for myself exactly, but I would say that people pretty quickly changed their minds and there was a lot of unity on the left: that the war was a bad idea and Bush was pursuing it in a bad way and that Bush was a bad president. I actually think it was the Iraq war going badly very quickly that created the sea change youre talking about and the sort of greater unity on the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you feel regret that maybe Slate published too many liberal hawkish cases around the eve of the war? No, I think what was really great was that Slate hosted that debate. I put together this forum where we had maybe 25 different writers arguing about that and explaining why they were for and against it. I actually have looked back at that. I provisionally supported the war. I think that was a mistake on my part, but when I look at what I wrote and what a lot of other people wrote, it was so hedged and conditional. I think that also highlights one of the things we were talking about earlier. If something equivalent to the Iraq war happened now and Slate was having a debate about it, it feels like 12 out of 13 of the contributors would be very strongly anti-war. Advertisement Yeah, I think youre right. Its probably generational shift, and its partly the loss of any credibility on the conservative side. I mean, nobody in Slate is going to give Republicans the benefit of the doubt on anything again, because weve learned to mistrust their motives in a more fundamental way. There werent a lot of Bush supporters at Slate either, but I do think there were conservatives who had credibility in the early 2000s. Now you can count them on the fingers of one hand. Advertisement What do you think you do and dont understand about running a magazine in the modern era? I think its a lot harder to be the editor of any magazine right now. The staffs at magazines tend to be young. I think millennial journalists have a different set of attitudes about authority, about hierarchy, about loyalty, about what their careers are going to look like. Without passing any judgment on it, its a different mindset. Advertisement Advertisement At several of the most prominent magazines, including the Atlantic, the New Yorker, and the New York Review of Books, the editors have all had the experience of being challenged by their young staffs about decisions they made, and challenged very vigorously in public. I think that represents a change. At Slate we always had a vigorous debate about everything, but the staff didnt go over the head of the editor to appeal to Twitter if there was a decision they didnt like. I think theres a different presumption around publication. Again, Im not talking primarily about Slate here. Im talking about what the job of the editor of an intellectually inclined magazine is. In my earlier days in the business, the instinct was, well, if people find it interesting, lets publish it so they can debate it and thatll be good because people will be talking about it. Now I think theres much more debate about the threshold for publication, and theres more of an instinct to constrain certain things that are considered across a boundary of one type to anotheran opinion boundary or prejudicial boundary. It feels like a very fraught moment when theres just a lot of anger around politics and ideas and social arrangements. I think editors are on the front line of it, and the challenge theyre getting is not just from political opponents but even inside the house. Advertisement Advertisement You said you dont want to be judgmental about it, but Im sensing from the way youre saying this that you do have some judgments about this. I mean, Im glad that I was an editor when it was an easier job than it is now. I think the kinds of management you have to be good at, and the kinds of challenges you are likely to face as an editorits very intense right now. Its a reflection of the political moment. I dont know that its a kind of permanent situation. I think the job of being an editor has gotten really, really difficult because I mean primarily because good journalism is under assault from the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Theres not an acceptance of the basic accountability and truth-telling function in the press. On the one hand, that creates tremendous momentum and energy about what journalists do, and its great to stand up for such principles, but its also very hard to be under assault all day long. I think that stress comes out in different ways. Whats your favorite piece that you personally have written for Slate? Advertisement Advertisement Oh God. Ill read it and if its good enough well link to it. I do think for a long time the piece that got the most traffic was a piece I wrote about whether Teletubbies were gay. What about the one you thought was the best? Advertisement I answered it wrongly because I couldnt think of any. I think Ive probably had 1,000 bylines in Slate. Especially during campaigns, I wrote pieces every day. I did a weekly column forever. I remember times I was early on something that people came around to thinking, and that maybe had some impact. Just as an example, I fell in love with The Wire early on, before people had caught on to it as a good show. I wrote a piece saying that it was the best show that had ever been on American television. This was the beginning of Season 4, and it was in jeopardy of being canceled by HBO at that point. I said weve got to start a campaign to keep the show on the air. Advertisement How much effect did that have? Well, its not for me to say exactly, but the show got renewed very soon after that, and it became a critical darling soon thereafter. It was the fourth season when they broke through. Advertisement So youre basically to blame for the mediocre fifth season of The Wire after arguably the best four seasons in television history. Is that what youre saying? Advertisement Yeah, exactly. Well, but I thought the fifth season pulled it out in the end. I think that by the end of the show it was really Thats an old-fashioned Slate take. Yeah, but if you said whats the best season of The Wire, its obviously the fourth season. Advertisement What are three pieces in Slate history that you come back to? Three phenomenal things written in Slate. Please, no more than two out of the three should be my own pieces. Right. Exactly. Its funny. Im so bad at questions like this. My mind goes blank when people ask me about anything Ive written or anything anybody else has written. And then of course Ill think of 200 things when we get off the phone When I was editing the magazine, the people I brought inpartly in the atmosphere after Sept. 11 and around the Iraq warit was Anne Applebaum, and Christopher Hitchens, and Fred Kaplan. I felt we had such exciting and dynamic debates around everything that mattered in Slate. We launched Atul Gawande as a writer. Hed never published anything before he started writing for Slate. Michael Lewis wrote a couple of series for us, including this one about fatherhood that became his book. Those were all things that I edited and worked on and brought in, in one way or another, that I think still stand up. I think a crucial function Slate has played has been discovering talent. Most magazines buy talent after its already established. Slate takes people at the beginning of their careers and gives them space to write with an audience and to really find their voice. But I think the kinds of writers, when you look down the list of people who got started at Slateits Dahlia Lithwick, and its Frank Foer. Its Katy Waldman. Theres just a long list of people who I think are such powerful voices. Amanda Hess. Its often frustrating because then they get discovered and poached by the New Yorker or the New York Times. But Slate has always been a place for writersbecause that can happen, and because of the freedom and the intelligence with which you can writewhere talent always comes in the door even if it ends up going out another door. Vernon Madison has spent 33 years in solitary confinement awaiting execution for a crime he can no longer remember. A series of strokes have left the 68-year-old death-row inmate with severe cognitive impairment due to vascular dementia. He cannot see, or walk without aid, or recite the alphabet past the letter G, or process basic information. He struggles to speak and suffers incontinence. A growing portion of his brain tissue is dead. And Alabama would like to put him to death as soon as possible. Advertisement On Tuesday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Madison v. Alabama, Madisons last, best chance to avoid lethal injection. Justice Anthony Kennedy, who often swung left on capital punishment, is gone; no one has yet replaced him, and if the court deadlocks 44, Madison will die. Its a grim default that Chief Justice John Roberts seems eager to avoid. Throughout Tuesdays arguments, Roberts appeared eager to broker a compromise that would spare Madisons life by conceding that dementia may exempt him from the death penalty. The case provides an early glimpse of the post-Kennedy courtwith the chief justice embracing his role as the new swing vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madison marks the Supreme Courts latest effort to tinker with the machinery of death by determining who, exactly, is too incompetent to be executed. It should not be a difficult question. The Eighth Amendment bars the government from imposing cruel and unusual punishments, and at the time of its adoption in 1791, the execution of the insane was widely prohibited. In 1986s Ford v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court confirmed that the Eighth Amendment forbids states from executing insane people, declaring that this ancestral legacy has not outlived its time. Then, in 2007s Panetti v. Quarterman, the court added that an individual may not be killed if he does not understand the reason for his execution and held that inmates have a right to litigate their competency. Advertisement Despite these decisions, the Alabama courts have refused to recognize Madisons mental incapacity and overturn his capital sentence. The reason hinges on a cramped understanding of incompetence. Alabamas Mobile County Circuit Court found that Madison is competent because he isnt severely psychotic or delusional (although he is on antipsychotic medication and suffers from a delusional disorder). A neuropsychologist did testify that Madison doesnt remember his own crime, fails to understand why hes being punished, and only vaguely grasps that the state seeks retribution. But because he hasnt had a complete break with reality, the Alabama court concluded he may be lawfully executed. Advertisement Justice Elena Kagan zeroed in on this apparent misreading of precedent throughout Tuesdays arguments. She asked Thomas Govan, Alabamas deputy attorney general: Did the Alabama court ever acknowledge that it wasnt necessarily looking for delusions or schizophrenia or insanity? Did it recognize that dementia could do the trick too? Or did it think, incorrectly, that delusions are required to satisfy the constitutional standard? Advertisement Advertisement Govan hedged. He insisted that this case wasnt really about dementia; it was solely about Madisons inability to remember his crime. Madisons real claim, Govan asserted, was that this amnesia should exempt him from execution. But Justice Stephen Breyer cut him off. He does not recall his crime, Breyer noted, and he has a severe inability to orient himself to time and place. Sure, amnesia alone might not save Madison. But under Ford and Panetti, shouldnt these two factors together disqualify him from capital punishment? Madison has an understanding of what matters, Govan pushed back. But does he? Justice Sonia Sotomayor jumped in, pointing out that, in Panetti, the defendant had paranoid schizophrenia. His condition manifested itself in many of the same ways that Madisons dementia does. Dont they both deserve the same constitutional rights? Sotomayor continued: Advertisement Advertisement So we have a man here who knows that hes incarcerated or kept in a cage because hes in a bed, he cant move on his own, cant remember where the bathroom is next to him, cant see, slurs his words. Hes really not quite there. But he knows that someone says he committed a murder and that theyre trying to kill him, but he doesnt understand why. He cant be present enough in time to rationally understand or reflect on what he has done because he cant retain information for long. And why is that different than Panetti? Justice Samuel Alito, a death-penalty enthusiast, tried to muddy the waters by fixating on the amnesia issue. He repeatedly asked Bryan Stevenson, Madisons attorney, whether a death-row inmates inability to remember his crime should, by itself, bar his execution. But much to Alitos frustration, the liberal justices kept drawing Stevenson back to Madisons broader disabilities. They refused to let Alito reframe the case as one about amnesia rather than insanity. Advertisement Advertisement Roberts successfully shrank Madison down to a simple application of precedent. And, oddly enough, Roberts joined them. At the very start, the chief justice asked Stevenson if he was trying to create a new categorical exemption from the death penalty for inmates who cant remember committing murder. Stevenson said noit would be too easy for any offender to say, I dont remember. Instead, he argued that an inmate who has the kind of disorder that Mr. Madison has and lacks any ability to remember anything about the circumstances of the offense should be spared. Roberts seemed satisfied. Advertisement Later, Roberts asked Govan if a prisoner may not be executed if he meets the Ford and Panetti standard by virtue of vascular dementia. Yes, Govan said. Roberts looked surprised. So are all we arguing about whether Mr. Madison himself meets the Ford and Panetti standard? he asked. Thats exactly right, Govan responded. Advertisement With this exchange, Roberts successfully shrank Madison down to a simple application of precedent. Ford and Panetti say incompetent people cant be executed. The Alabama court didnt think Madison could be incompetent because he has dementia, not schizophrenia. Thats a straightforward mistake. And the Supreme Court can easily correct it by clarifying that dementia can qualify as insanity for constitutional purposes. It will break virtually no new constitutional ground. And it will save Madisons life. If Roberts does cast his vote for Madison, the decision will likely be 53, with the other conservatives dissenting. The decision will be modest and fact-oriented, a far cry from the sweeping encomia to dignity that Kennedy preferred. But it will be a progressive victory nonetheless. Its not yet clear whether Roberts will remain restrained once another archconservative joins the court, cementing a five-justice Republican bloc. For now, however, the chief justice appears poised to build a coalition with the liberals that will keep Vernon Madison out of Alabamas death chamber. The texts between Berchem and Karen Yarasavage, both friends of Kavanaugh, suggest that the nominee was personally talking with former classmates about Ramirezs story in advance of the New Yorker article that made her allegation public. In one message, Yarasavage said Kavanaugh asked her to go on the record in his defense. Two other messages show communication between Kavanaughs team and former classmates in advance of the story In a series of texts prior to the publication of the New Yorker story, Yarasavage wrote that she had been in contact with Bretts guy, and also with Brett, who wanted her to go on the record to refute Ramirez. According to Berchem, Yarasavage also told her friend that she turned over a copy of the wedding party photo to Kavanaugh, writing in a text message: I had to send it to Bretts team too The texts also demonstrate that Kavanaugh and Ramirez were more socially connected than previously understood and that Ramirez was uncomfortable around Kavanaugh when they saw each other at a wedding 10 years after they graduated. Berchems efforts also show that some potential witnesses have been unable to get important information through to the FBI. The White House, on Monday, said it would authorize an expansion of the FBI investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, allowing investigators to interview whomever they see fit. Senate Democrats on Monday night remained dubious that the investigation was now finally on the level. Confidence is a feeling that no longer exists in the dreary procedural hell that the Senate has become over the past three months. Id like to see something in writing, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono told me when asked if she was pleased with the news. Id like to. I dont necessarily expect to. But if the investigation is not complete and done in a professional way without these limitations that were hearing being placed by either the Republicans on the Judiciary Committee or by the White House, it will be a sham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And we dont want this to be a sham, she said. Noted. What do they mean by expand? Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said. Going from four witnesses to six witnesses? Is that their idea of expanding it? On Monday, Judiciary Committee Democrats released their own list of 24 witnesses whom they think FBI should investigate, and Blumenthal said that each witness could have additional leads. He compared the work to reporting. When somebody says to you, as a reporter, You know, I dont know that much about this, but my buddy Blumenthalor somebodymight, you call the buddy, he said. For FBI investigators not to follow up on these leads, then, would be the journalistic equivalent of never calling the buddy, giving up, and writing a hot take instead. Advertisement A theme emerged that, even if the White House had authorized the FBI to investigate every student in Maryland and Connecticut from the 1980s, there wouldnt be nearly enough time to complete it given the strict one-week limitation that expires Friday. Take the time to do it right, Vermont Sen. Pat Leahy advised. Were talking about a week or two extra? Do it right. Get everything. Youre talking about a lifetime appointment. Advertisement Certainly the majority leader had no worry about keeping the seat vacant for over a year [over] Merrick Garland, a man who would have sailed through here, he continued. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy too noted that its tough to do an exhaustive investigation given the time limitation. He did concede that he was glad to see [the investigation is] expanding rather than contracting. Small victories. Advertisement In his opening remarks Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made a small prediction about the conclusion of the investigation: Soon enough, the goal posts will be on the move once again. Advertisement In other words, this Senate week began the same way that every Senate week has begun since Kavanaugh was nominated in July: with a procedural dispute that political incentives ensure will never be resolved. After Kavanaughs nomination, the chamber spent two months bickering about how many of his textual records from his tenure in the George W. Bush White House should be made public. Republicans requested just enoughthough through a nontraditional vetting processto appear as though they were acting in the ballpark of good faith. Democrats griped that those hundreds of thousands of pages were still a small percentage of what was available. Advertisement Advertisement The same DNA runs through all of these procedural arguments. After Christine Blasey Fords identity became public and she agreed to testify, a week of the peoples time was consumed by haggling over the parameters of the hearing. Who would testify first? Would an FBI investigation be conducted ahead of time? Would there be witnesses? When would it be? And now we have this debate over the scope of the FBI investigation. Either Senate Republicans or the White Housethey blamed each other on Monday, because why not?tried to tailor the FBIs inquiries to a handful of witnesses. The White House now says those constraints have been lifted. But who believes that Donald Trump, who hates the FBI, is really giving the agency free rein to go wherever it wants to investigate his prized Supreme Court nominee? Why wouldnt the fix be in? Advertisement The same DNA runs through all of these procedural arguments. Democrats want maximal investigation and disclosure of anything relating to Brett Kavanaugh because they want to defeat his nomination. Republicanswith the temporary exceptions of Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Jeff Flakewant as little investigation and disclosure of Brett Kavanaugh because they want him confirmed. McConnell would have had them vote in July based on a CV and a headshot, but optics required at least a theatrical performance of due diligence. Some documents. An engineered she-said, he-said hearing. Asking the FBI to call up four extremely lawyered-up witnesses, again. Advertisement Advertisement It will never be possible to reconcile these two positions. Democrats will always be hungry for more information on Kavanaugh. (And why not? After his livid, blubbering, accusatory performance before the Judiciary Committee last week, it feels like were only just getting to know the guy.) Republicans believe theyve already embarrassed themselves by giving Democrats this much control over the process. McConnell said in his floor remarks Monday that the Senate would vote on Kavanaugh this week, shortly after the FBI investigation is complete or reaches its deadline. Will that happen? It wouldnt jibe with rule No. 1 of procedural hell: It never ends. He said that theyd vote last week, too, Leahy told reporters. Road maintenance disrupts vehicular movement at Nagdhunga-Pipalmodh section Vehicular movement has been disrupted along the Nagdhunga-Pipalmodh road section of Tribhuvan Highway due to road maintenance works being carried out in view of upcoming Dashain and Tihar festivals. On Monday, the Trump administration began denying visas to same-sex partners of foreign diplomats and United Nations employees, requiring those already in the U.S. to either marry or leave the country by the end of the year. According to Foreign Policy, the administration has argued that the rule would update its international visa standards with standards from the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage in the U.S. But the rule creates difficulties for those diplomats from countries where same-sex marriage is still illegal. The majority of countries in the U.N. do not allow same-sex marriage, and some countries that criminalize it could prosecute those couples who do marry abroad upon their return. Advertisement Needlessly cruel & bigoted: State Dept. will no longer let same-sex domestic partners of UN employees get visas unless they are married. But only 12% of UN member states allow same-sex marriage. https://t.co/MjZpRVLYcf Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) September 28, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. mission to the U.N. sent out a memo explaining the new policy in July. In the memo, the administration explained it was reversing the 2009 decision by Hillary Clinton to grant visas to domestic partners of U.S. and foreign diplomats because that decision did not grant the same right to opposite-sex domestic partners. Advertisement Same-sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses, the memo said. Consistent with [State] Department policy, partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible for a diplomatic visa. Under the new rules, foreign domestic partners of diplomats and other U.N. officials must show proof of marriage by Dec. 31 or leave the country within 30 days, according to Foreign Policy. Those still living abroad but with pending posts to the U.S. cannot enter with a diplomatic visa without that proof. According to Foreign Policy, there are at least 10 U.N. employees who would need to get married by the end of the year to keep their partners visas. Amazon is instituting a new $15 minimum wage for all of its U.S. employees, including those at its subsidiary Whole Foods, starting on Nov. 1. The wage increase will apply to more than 250,000 full-time, part-time, and temp employees, along with more than 100,000 seasonal holiday workers. U.K. employees will also see a raise from their 8.50 GBP minimum wage to 9.50 pounds in most areas, and to 10.50 pounds in London, where the cost of living is higher. Advertisement We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said in a press release announcing the change. Were excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us. The companys public policy team plans to start lobbying Congress to raise the U.S.s $7.25 federal minimum wage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Labor advocates have long condemned Amazons compensation and treatment of its warehouse workers. One of its most active and high-profile critics in recent months has been Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who decried the previous $28,000 median salary for Amazon employees and alleged that one out of three workers in Arizona are on public assistance in an interview with TechCrunch. On social media, he also repeatedly highlighted the yawning income gap between Bezos and his employees. Amazon responded by having its fulfillment center employees create their own Twitter accounts to push back at this and other narratives of insufficient pay and poor workplace conditions. In September, Sanders introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (BEZOS) Act, which would institute a 100 percent tax on companies equal to the amount of federal benefits that its low-wage workers receive. Advertisement Sanders changed his tune somewhat during a press conference on Tuesday in response to Amazons decision. Today I want to give credit where credit is due, he said. I want to congratulate Mr. Bezos for doing exactly the right thing. He further called on retail, fast food, and other industries to follow Amazons example. California Rep. Ro Khanna, who introduced the BEZOS Act along with Sanders, also applauded Amazons decision. We called on Jeff Bezos to do this and be the Henry Ford of his generation and raise wages. I am glad Amazon listened. Many in the beltway criticized our bill as impractical. Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) October 2, 2018 Walmart raised the minimum wage for its employees to $11 per hour in 2018, and the Walt Disney Company raised it to $15 for some of its Disney World workers earlier this year as well. Target raised its starting level to $12 per hour in September and is planning to have a $15 minimum wage by 2020. When the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Tesla CEO Elon Musk with securities fraud, its main goal was probably not to shore up Teslas leadership structure, save Musk from himself, and put both the company and its leader on firmer footing. That, however, could be the long-term outcome of the settlement the SEC reached with Musk over the weekend. What was intended to be a punishment of a rogue executive whose rash tweets had misled investors might turn out to be the best thing to happen to the electric-car company in some time. Advertisement First, lets rewind. Musk plunged Tesla into crisis on Aug. 7 when he tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share and had funding secured. It soon became evident that the funding was not secured, and by Aug. 25, Musk had dropped the plan altogether. By that time, Musk and Tesla were facing multiple investor lawsuits and an SEC investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Musks personal life was in shambles, as revealed by a weepy Aug. 16 interview with the New York Times and a feud involving his then-girlfriend Grimes and rapper Azealia Banks. He was clearly overwhelmed and exhaustedat a time when he was supposed to be guiding Tesla through some of the tightest straits of its wild journey to mass production of its make-or-break mass-market vehicle, the Model 3. He was also, of course, launching rockets as CEO of SpaceX, digging holes as CEO of the Boring Co., and digging himself into holes as CEO of his own Twitter account, through which he had accused one of the Thai cave rescuers of pedophilia. (Musk is now being sued for that, too.) Advertisement If this were the kids cartoon version of the Elon Musk story, it would have been the point at which the cheesy narrator asked: Could this be the end for our hero!? It nearly wasat least for his career at Tesla. And Musk would have had no one to blame but himself. On Thursday, after Musk reportedly backed out of a proposed settlement, the SEC filed a complaint in federal court that sought to remove Musk from Tesla altogether. It also sought to ban him from serving as an officer or director of any public company. Advertisement At the last moment, Musks self-preservation instinct kicked in. He accepted a deal that would remove him from his position as Teslas board chairman but allow him to stay on as CEO. Musk and Tesla will each have to pay $20 million, the company will add two new independent directors to its board, and it will have to do a better job of overseeing Musks public communicationsincluding his Tesla-related tweets. Advertisement Thats more than a slap on the wrist. As corporate settlements go, its actually rather serious. But it could prove to be the medicine Musk and Tesla needed. Advertisement For some time now, Tesla watchers have been calling for an adult in the room to help oversee the companys operations and serve as a check on Musks power. Musk has that at SpaceX in the form of COO Gwynne Shotwell, who is the rocket companys clear second in command and runs its day-to-day operations. But he has never had it at Tesla, where he ruled both the company and its boardroom, and doubled as an intense micromanager on the factory floor. And for years, the companys actions and public statements have borne the imprint of Musks whims, with no moderating force to countervail them. His tweets have been swinging markets since long before he hit send on the fateful words funding secured. Advertisement Advertisement In short, for all his technical wizardry, business brilliance, and marketing genius, Musk appears to be a man incapable of restraining himself. And at Tesla, he had built a corporate structure that was equally incapable of restraining him. Everyone knew Musk ought to stop tweeting so muchexcept for Musk himself, and at Tesla, he was the only one whose opinion counted. Now, Musk and Tesla appear to have blundered their way into a settlement that will force them to do what they couldnt do on their own: bring in some independent voices with real power. It will still be Musks company, and Musk made it clear with his first tweet after the settlement that Musk is still gonna Musk. But soon, for the first time in many years, hell have to answer to someone other than Musk. Thats a good thing for him, a good thing for Tesla, and a good thing for those who believe in the companys mission of making electric cars mainstream. 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 ... Tips for the top 10 events in the capital between October 5 and October 14, plus regular services in different languages, training, temporary exhibitions and highlights of the year. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled These tips are prepared in cooperation with Eventland. Download the app and see what's going on around you wherever you are (Android, iOS). Top 10 DANCE: Big Dance Night; Starts: Oct 5, 19:30 EVENT: Bratislava mineralogical day; Starts: Oct 6, 8:00 EVENT: Battle of Bratislava; Starts: Oct 6, 10:00 EVENT: Exhibition of speed trains and locomotives; Starts: Oct 6, 10:00 EVENT: Bratislava in Motion; Starts: Oct 6-22 EVENT: Sunday Rest; Starts: Oct 7, 16:00 EVENT: Star Wars: New Hope; Starts: Oct 8, 20:00 FESTIVAL: One World; Starts: Oct 11-16 MARKET: Trh-Piac-Markt 2018; Starts: Oct 13, 9:00 FESTIVAL: Pomalo Sustainability Festival; Starts: Oct 14, 10:00 Religious Services for non-Slovak speakers Galleries in Bratislava: Temporary exhibitions Training in English Highlights of the year (selection of events for which it's advisable to obtain tickets early) Top 10 Big dance night Stara trznica, Namestie SNP, Bratislava-Stare Mesto, Friday, October 5, 19:30 Two orchestras, one big dance floor and crowds of people dressed in the styles of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. These are the characteristic features of the Big Dance Evening which has found fans throughout Bratislava. Admission: 21-39. More info: https://goo.gl/CtDcbc. Bratislava mineralogical day Dom kultury Ruzinov, Ruzinovska, Ruzinov, Saturday, October 6, 8:00-18:00 The Bratislava mineralogical day is one of the largest exhibition events in the Slovak Republic focused on minerals, fossils and jewels from precious and ornamental stones. Admission: 1. For more information visit bit.ly/BAMineralday. Battle of Bratislava Sad Janka Krala, Petrzalka, Saturday, October 6, 10:00 The main part of the program will be the reconstruction of the military strike into the environment of the historic Hungarian Empire in the first half of the 17th century. For this fourth year we will again move on a year in time with a reconstruction of the battle and the respectively short siege, which took place before the gates of the city in August 1621. More info: www.bitkaobratislavu.sk. (Source: Pavol Funtal, Sme) Exhibition of speed trains and locomotives Tupeho 4, Bratislava, Saturday, October 6, 10:00 A unique exhibition of speed trains and locomotives. Bring your kids, family, friends and enjoy the day! More info: https://goo.gl/gWQ5DF. Illustrative stock photo (Source: Frantisek Ivan, TASR) Bratislava in Motion Kamenne square, Old Town Bratislava, October 6-22 Do you remember the Kilometer Dance from last year? Do not miss it this year! Bratislava in Motion is an experimental performance in the streets of the center of Bratislava. This International Dance Festival is an outstanding presentation of contemporary dance art with international artists. Various forms of musical culture will be presented by artists from France, Slovenia, Norway, Hungary, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The show begins at 3 pm daily at Kamenne Square under the clocks of the TESCO Store, and the route continues along Dunajska Street - Namestie SNP - Klobucnikka - Nedbalova - Laurinska the shopping passage between the streets of Laurinska 4 and Gorky 3 the Slovak National Theater - Eugen Suchona - Mostova - Hviezdoslavovo Square - Rybarska brana and Hlavne namestie. You can become part of the kilometer-long dance on these days: 6, 7, 13, 14 October 2018, in the center of Bratislava. More info: abp.sk/lang/. Sunday Rest: Filla - Fulla The Artists Fate Slovak National Gallery, Namestie Ludovita Stura 4, Sunday, October 7 This exhibition combines two favourites of Czech and Slovak modern art, Emil Filla and Ludovit Fulla. The lecture will take a closer look into their work characterized by a re-evaluation of western European avant-garde art schools in the course of their lives in the first half of the 20th century. Among the Slovak National Gallery's events is Sunday Rest, which continues in the tradition of the popular Siesta program by giving attractive but relaxed English language lectures related to the exhibitions currently on display at Esterhazy Palace. The lectures delivered by SNG experts are oriented on an entire exhibition or a theme evident through selected works of art. Admission is free. (Source: SNG) Star Wars: New Hope - Live Music, Bratislava 2018 Viedenska cesta 3-7, Petrzalka, Monday, October 8, 20:00 On October 8, Bratislava's INCHEBA EXPO will host the Slovak premiere of the Star Wars movie with live musical accompaniment. On the big screen, the audience will see the first Star Wars movie with the subtitle, New Hope. The film will be accompanied by the complete Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, which will play the much-appreciated music of John Williams. The orchestra will be conducted by the well-known conductor Christophe Eliot. Admission: 41-60. More info: https://goo.gl/NHQ5vm. One World Festival Bratislava, Thursday - Sunday, October 11 - 16 The International festival full of documentary films. We invite you to the 19th annual festival, which is devoted each year to a current problem theme. So, do not hesitate, come and join in. More info: goo.gl/5XPBnt. Trh-Piac-Markt 2018 Stara trznica, Namestie SNP, Bratislava-Old Town, Saturday, October 13, 9:00 As always, our market is here. Come see, taste and buy the most delicious food, fruit, vegetables etc. Admission is free. More info: https://goo.gl/h76kFo POMALO ~ Sustainability Festival Stara trznica, Namestie SNP, Bratislava-Old Town, Sunday, October 14, 10:00 The pilot year of the Sustainability Festival brings together everyone who cares about the environment and a gentle lifestyle. Slow fashion, zero waste, ethical fashion, sustainable design, fair trade, eco, bio, ... These are our main themes that will resonate in inspirational lectures, debates, and workshops. In order to give the speeches a real context, we organize SWAP (mutual exchange of clothing) during the festival which gives space to manufacturers, designers, fashion, cosmetics, jewelry, and household accessories that meet the criteria of a slow lifestyle. We also welcome organizations that are committed to developing these activities, to present their activities. More info: goo.gl/2V8zf7. Do you want to know more? Download Eventland's app and see what is going on around you wherever you are (Android, iOS). TRAINING: Pilates in English; Starts: Every Monday evening, 20:30 TRAINING: Yoga in English on Thursdays; Starts: Every Thursday, 18:30 TRAINING: Yoga in English at Indian Embassy; Starts: Monday to Friday, 11:00, 16:00 TRAINING: Pilates in English The class is in English, suitable for men and women, beginners and advanced, Slovaks and foreigners. The venue is equipped with Pilates requisites, a shower and a kitchen. (you do not need to bring a mat). Andreas classes are a mix of Pilates exercises for a strong core and and flexible body, and also Yoga exercises for stretching the stiff muscles caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Her classes end with the all-important relaxation of Body and Mind. She also uses highly qualitative etheric oils (doTerra) during the class. Refreshments, tea, fruits are included in the price. Starts: Every Monday evening, 20:30; Open Mind centrum, Mickiewiczova 2. Admission: 8 (one-time charge). More info: www.internationals.sk. TRAINING: Yoga in English on Thursdays - You need to make reservation via yoga@internationals.sk. This is a beginners & intermediate class and you do not need any pre-knowledge. We will practice Dynamic Flow yoga. Take a look on one of our sessions: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalsBratislava/videos/1604953649521444/ Tea, water, fruit, showers are available to use for free. In this classes we are going to perform exercises that will make us stronger, more flexible, obtain balance and have fun while doing it. Starts: Thursday 18:30; Open Mind Centrum, Mickiewiczova 2. Admission: 8 (one-time charge) or 59 for a 10 session ticket you can use within 12 weeks. More info: www.internationals.sk. TRAINING: Yoga in English at Indian Embassy - The Embassy of India in Bratislava is happy to announce the commencement of Yoga classes. The classes will be conducted by Ms. Jaiwanti, Yoga Teacher. The classes will cover Asanas, Pranayama, Meditation and Relaxation techniques. People interested in joining the Yoga Classes are requested to fill in the attached Registration Form. The Registration Form may then be sent to email: eindia.iccr@mail.telekom.sk. For any clarification/further information, you may contact Ms. Jaiwanti at Tel: +421-2-5296 2916/7/8 or email: eindia.iccr@mail.telekom.sk. Admission is free. Starts: Monday to Friday, 11:00, 16:00 Dunajska 4, Bratislava. More info: www.indianembassy.sk Illustrative Stock Photo (Source: AP/SITA) SLOVAK NATIONAL GALLERY The eights; Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Dec 31, 2018 FILLA FULLA: The Artists Fate; Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Oct 21, 2018 KUNSTHALLE Eagles & Doves; Open: Wed 13:00 20:00, Thur Mon 12:00 19:00 until October 28 DANUBIANA 50 Years Later...; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until November 11 All Over Again; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until November 11 5th International Triennale Of Textile Art; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 from September 8 until November 11 TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN SLOVAK NATIONAL GALLERY: The eights - The exhibition project The Eights is unconventionally conceived for the atrium as a series of small exhibitions for the anniversaries of the eights: February 1948, August 1968 and October 1918. The basis of the exhibition is a long, 3-meter high wall - "gallery noticeboard" - on which the visual collages will be rotated according to the anniversaries. The results will be a draft or materialised Pinterest board, a reminder of socialist "noticeboard culture". The collages will consist of artistic materials of various types (paintings, photographs, documents), primarily from the collections of the SNG. The final layout, the conflict of the artworks next to each other, their juxtaposition will speak about the nature of the historical event. Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Dec 31, 2018. More info: www.sng.sk FILLA FULLA: The Artists Fate - The Slovak National Gallery prepared an exhibition concerning two household names of Czech and Slovak modern art, Emil Filla (1882 - 1953) and Ludovit Fulla (1902 - 1980), as part of the Made in Czechoslovakia project dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia. Even though these two artists were not exactly contemporaries - Filla was twenty years older than Fulla - their role in establishing Modern art in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is key and, in a way, comparable. They both belong among the most prominent figures of Czech and Slovak art in the 20th century, their art opened new and radical paths for the local art scene, bringing in avant-garde ideas from Europe, the first artist with a more consequential approach, the second artist with a more "barbaric" synthesis. Though they both began as "revolutionaries" and "missionaries" of new art, however, they both abandoned these positions and were later (both in different periods) "officialised". Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Oct 21, 2018, Esterhazy Palace. More info: www.sng.sk. TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN KUNSTHALLE Eagles & Doves - What form does national identity take today? What influence do various symbols exert upon it? Can we positively identify with a nation without nationalistic and xenophobic overlays? The exhibition Eagles & Doves presents works by contemporary Slovak and German artists who respond to these difficult questions with broad perspective, criticism and humour, in a playful and open manner. Contemporary art can actually be a medium of intercultural communication: the encounter, not the clash, of cultures. The exhibition project was developed in cooperation with the Goethe Institute in Bratislava on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its foundation in Slovakia. Open: Wed 13:00 20:00, Thur Mon 12:00 19:00 until October 28, Namestie SNP 12. More info: www.kunsthallebratislava.sk. TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN DANUBIANA 50 Years Later... - Muz s odhalenou hrudou pred okupacnym tankom (The Bare-chested Man in front of the Occupiers Tank) the photograph by Ladislav Bielik from the first day of the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops on August 21, 1968, circulated across the globe. It became an iconic image bringing a deep and permanent legacy about the threat of injustice and violence committed by those in power. This photograph and Bieliks other 186 shots of these events still carry the power of utterance, fifty years later. They are not only a visual reminder of this dramatic period in our history, or a means to stir up emotions. For us they represent a deeper and permanent meaning, the legacy of a lived experience which strengthens and helps to enhance ones sensitivity and response to any threat to freedom and independence. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until November 11, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. All Over Again - Jan Tapak is one of the most distinctive figures of the generation of sculptors which entered the Slovak art scene in the early 1990s. He attracted attention with his spontaneous creativity and perfect technical preparedness, as well as his unique orientation of the content of his works in which he succeeded in transferring things and matters from the ancient past to the present times, to combine hundred year old traditions and the philosophy of modern man and to include the authenticity of his own country in the timeless context of distant cultures and civilizations. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until November 11, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. 5th International Triennale Of Textile Art - Textile Art of Today is an international exhibition project which presents contemporary textile design. It differs from other textile exhibitions in the fact that it has been installed five times in important galleries allowing visitors from the V4 European countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary) to see it. Furthermore, the project is being carried out under the auspices of the ministers of culture of the V4 countries. The Textile Art of Today project strives to present textile as a modern and dynamic discipline transcending the limits of the classical perception of textile art. Since the establishment of the event, an international jury awarded it the prestigious Bozena Augustinova Grand Prix, the award named after the significant Czechoslovak artist. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until November 11, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. Religious Services for non-Slovak speakers SERVICE: Apostolic Church; Starts: Sundays, 9:30, Bratislava City Church, Trnavske myto 1, English SERVICE: Gods Service Church (Bozie sluzby); Starts: Sundays 9:30, Mondays 17:00, Maly kostol, Panenska street, English SERVICE: Brotherhood Church (Cirkev bratska); Starts: Sundays 10:00, Cukrova 4, English MASS: The Church of Saint Ladislav; Starts: Sundays 11:00, Spitalska, English MASS: Church of St. John of Matha; Starts: Sundays 9:00 Latin MASS: St. Martins Cathedral; Starts: Sundays 7:45 German, 9:00 Latin MASS: Church of the Merciful Brothers; Starts: Sundays 11:30 Italian SERVICE: Small Evangelical Church; Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, 11:30 German, Panenska Street (entrance from Lycejna Street) SERVICE: Citylight Church, Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Namestie 1.maja 1 SERVICE: Bratislava International Fellowship, Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Trnavske myto 1, (Istropolis) SERVICE: International Baptist Church; Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Sulovska 2 JEWISH SERVICE: Synagogue on Heydukova Street; Starts: Friday evening (before twilight), Saturday morning (usually at 9:00), and during feasts, Hebrew Highlights of the year STAND-UP: Daniel Sloss; Starts: October 16, 20:00 CONCERT: Kim Wilde; Starts: October 20, 21:00 CONCERT: Tom Odell; Starts: November 4, 20:00 CONCERT: Nightwish Decades; Starts: November 13 CONCERT: Gregory Porter; Starts: November 15, 19:00 CONCERT: Glenn Miller Orchestra; Starts: January 15, 19:00 CONCERT: Steven Wilson: To the Bone Tour 2019; Starts: February 10, 20:00 CONCERT: Nicki Minaj & Future; Starts: February 22, 2019, 19:30 EVENT: Lord of the Dance; Starts: Mar 1, 20:00 STAND-UP: Daniel Sloss Talented and internationally awarded stand-up comedian Daniel Sloss returns to Slovakia after a year with his new show X. The X the tenth solo show of Daniel Sloss. We invite you to his show full of irony, intelligence, humour and great connection with the audience, as is not often seen in Slovakia. A special guest of the show is Daniels friend, English stand-up comedian Kai Humphries. Starts: October 16, 20:00, Hangair, Pri starom letisku 3b, Vajnory, Bratislava. Admission: 22. More info: predpredaj.zoznam.sk. CONCERT: Kim Wilde Kim Wilde is one of the biggest rock-pop idols of the 80s. She released her new album, Here Come the Aliens in March and is now on tour. She will be in Bratislava for the first time as when she was in Slovakia ten years ago, she performed in Kosice. Admission: 7 - 70. Starts: October 20, 21:00, Majestic Music Club, Karpatska 2. More info: predpredaj.zoznam.sk. CONCERT: Tom Odell - Tom Odell returns after a year to Slovakia. The British singer and pianist will introduce his new album on tour which should be released in time for his concert but his greatest hits can also be heard at this performance. Starts: November 4, 20:00, HANT arena, Trnavska cesta 29. Admission: 29 - 59. More info: predpredaj.zoznam.sk CONCERT: Nightwish Decades - Finnish legend Nightwish celebrate 20 years on stage and with an exceptional program, visit Slovakia. The biggest hits and unprecedented feature-length megashow breaks out on November 13, 2018 at the Incheba Expo Arena in Bratislava. The concert, which will also celebrate the 4th Birthday of Radio Antena Rock, will also present a special guest whose name still remains a mystery. Starts: November 13, Incheba Expo Arena, Viedenska cesta, Bratislava. Admission: 34 - 61.5. More info: listocheck.sk. CONCERT: Gregory Porter American singer sensation and twice Grammy award winner Gregory Porter is coming to Slovakia as part of the City Sounds festival. He is one of the most deeply felt jazz singers and composers of his generation. He returns to the stage with his last studio album Nat King Cole&Me from 2017 which he recorded with a 70-member bowed orchestra. Starts: November 15, 19:00, ISTROPOLIS, Trnavske myto 1, Bratislava. Admission: 35 - 65. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. CONCERT: Glenn Miller Orchestra - The original American Glenn Miller Orchestra was founded in the thirties of the last century. Founder Glenn Miller is considered one of the greatest shining stars of the American jazz scene for more than 35 years. Glenn's career lasted only five years, but this time was long enough for Glenn Miller to become a leading personality of the world's most popular swing orchestra, which remains under the name of "Glenn Miller Orchestra". Dutch conductor and keyboardist Wil Salden has been conducting the orchestra for several decades. You can enjoy his amazing talent and work live on January 15, 2019 in Bratislava. They will play favourites such as Sunrise Serenade, Moonlight Serenade, Moon Love, Over The Rainbow, Blue Orchids, Careless, When You Wish Onon, and Imagination. Starts: January 15, 19:00, Istropolis, Trnavske myto 1. Admission: 45-59. CONCERT: Nicki Minaj & Future World hip-hop icons Nicki Minaj and Future have their first shared tour, NickiHndrxx. The show is great for those who love hip-hop and mainstream music. The several award-winning musicians are well-known for their hits that reach top places in the music rankings. Together, they will bring an unforgettable show to the stage. Starts: February 22, 2019, 19:30, Ondrej Nepelas Winter Arena, Odbojarov 9, Bratislava. Admission: 69-109. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. CONCERT: Steven Wilson: To the Bone Tour 2019 - Steven Wilson, composer, musician, producer and leading personality of contemporary progressive rock, will perform for the first time in Slovakia. His successful show, To the Bone enriched by Porcupine Tree, will be presented on February 10, 2019 in the Bratislava refinery gallery. Steven Wilson has published more than fifty albums over his thirty-year career. The current, To the Bone, is his most successful record. After being released in August last year, he reached third place in the UK Album Chart, 2nd in Germany, and even in August 2017 his was among the 10 best-selling albums in Europe. To the great pleasure of intelligent progressive rock fans, Steven Wilson continues his successful worldwide tour To the Bone in 2019. Starts: February 10, 20:00, Refinery Gallery, Vlcie hrdlo, Bratislava. Admission: 39.5 - 50.5. More info: https://listocheck.sk/en/detail/steven-wilson. EVENT: Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games The Famous Lord of the Dance returns to Slovakia to perform in front of our public. Their last visit in 2017 was rewarded with record audiences. A brand new dancing performance, great visual technology, sound, beautiful costumes, new music by composer Gerard Fahy and 40 talented young artists from around the world are the core of Dangerous Games. Starts: Mar 1, 20:00, Viedenska cesta 3-9, Incheba arena. Admission: 23-78. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. All three arrogant drivers detained in Slovakia. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled A car race among three Poles in a Porsche, Ferrari and Mercedes in the Orava region ended tragically when a man who was travelling with his family died. They [Poles] did not manage an overtaking manoeuvre through a solid lane at high speed, the police reported on Facebook. The driver of the Mercedes managed to merge, the driver of the Ferrari braked slightly, followed by the crash of the Porsche's driver, who collided head-on with the driver of the Skoda Fabia. The Fabia was being driven by a 57-year-old driver from Oravsky Podzamok. His injuries were so severe he died while en route to the hospital. The 50-year-old front seat passenger was severely injured as well and a 21-year-old passenger only mildly. Police took the culprit of the car crash, a 42-year-old Pole, away in handcuffs. The other two drivers were only 26- and 27-year-old. They are young people, maybe the children of some millionaires, they are driving like fools here, said the witnesses of the car crash. Police will not make any compromise towards drivers, who with their inconsiderate and arrogant driving threaten not only their own lives, but the lives of other people in traffic, said regional spokesperson of police, Radko Moravcik. The police will use all legal means and penalties to punish them, especially in a tragic car crash where a person died, he added. The investigator of the County Headquarters of Police in Dolny Kubin, charged all three drivers the 42-year-old driver of the Porsche Cayenne, the 27-year-old driver of the Ferrari and the 26-year-old driver of the Mercedes - with the crime of general threat. The Porsche driver may end up in prison for two to five years if proven guilty. The other two Poles may be imprisoned from six months to three years. The police are still working on the investigation. The police found that all three drivers were driving on Sunday from 10 am on the route of the Rajecke Teplice Zilina Strecno highway Martin Krpelany Kralovany Parnica Dolny Kubin. The minor ruling party wants to impose a special tax on retail chains to raise money for the support of local food production. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled More Slovak products on shelves in shops or fairer distribution of profits between merchants, producers and farmers. This is the benefit a special levy proposed by the minor ruling party Slovak National Party (SNS) of Anton Danko is supposed to bring about. Six MPs for SNS submitted the new legislation stipulating the introduction of this levy as of 2019 to parliament last week. The trade sector profits. It puts higher margins on Slovak products than on foreign ones while it by its dominant position pushes primary production and food processors into the sale of their products under production prices, said Radovan Balaz, one of the MPs, who submitted the respective legislation as cited by the Pravda daily. The levy is proposed to an equal 2.5 percent of the net turnover of retail chains. It should be paid by merchants, whose sale of foods makes up minimally 10 percent of their turnover and have outlets in two regions at least. The basis for the calculation of the levy is the net turnover for three consecutive months. The retail chain will not pay the levy if the levy for the calculation period does not exceed 5,000. Those retail chains, which will fail to pay the levy or pay only a part of it, will be fined. The levy should bring 150 million to the state coffers. This money should be used for the support of local farmers and producers via the so-called marketing fund. Read also: Read also: New joint agriculture policy proposal disappointed Slovakia Read more The fact that the MPs proposed the new levy as a new piece of legislation and submitted it directly to parliament means that the draft did not go through a regular review in the cabinet. Neither did they discuss it with the retail chains. Merchants warn that the levy may increase prices in shops as well as reduce investments. Members of the Slovak Modern Trade Alliance (SAMO) were surprised that despite the oral and written assurances by the Agriculture Ministry as well as the Finance Ministry, the Slovak National Party (SNS) submitted such serious legislation without any discussion with retail chains, or the professional and lay public. SAMO considers any additional taxation of a selected group of entrepreneurs in Slovakia to be discriminatory. Well provide our comment to the proposal itself only after a more in-depth analysis, but in any case it can have a negative impact on ordinary consumers as well as additional investments made by retail chains in Slovakia, SAMO writes in its joint response. Branislav Lellak of the retail chain Coop Jednota pointed out that the European Union halted a similar proposal in Poland and Hungary. In Austria, farmers are supported via an agrarian fund, while the EU has agreed with this help. Sugar producers joy is bitter pill for consumers The government decision to impose quantitative restrictions on sugar imports is facing a public outrage as the move has given free rein to domestic producers to increase the sugar price haphazardly ahead of the festival season.Last month, the government, at the behest of domestic sugar producers, imposed imports restriction. The repercussion was immediately felt in the market as sugar prices jumped from Rs65 per kg to Rs85-90 per kg within days. Slovakias prime minister admitted that Slovakia could help Greece and Italy with refugees. The Foreign Affairs Ministry is now analysing the possibilities. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Slovakia can take Syrian orphans who are currently in Greece. Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer) stated this during the political talk show Sobotne Dialogy (Saturday Dialogue) broadcast by the public-service broadcaster Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS), on September 29. However, nothing has been decided, with Pellegrini stressing that he needs to meet and talk with Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak (Smer nominee). Its an open question of whether Slovakia can handle the potential care of orphans currently placed in Greece, the prime minister said, as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding that Slovakia will not be unsympathetic. No to mandatory quotas In case of need, Slovakia would be able to take care of these orphans. But we cannot take care of them in the facilities for refugees, Pellegrini continued, as quoted by TASR. If we take them, we will have to place them in childrens homes. We shouldnt allow small children to live in bad conditions. Moreover, Slovakia should make its own decision on who it will take, the prime minister said. He continued that the country can also help Italy and temporarily take care about refugees in the Gabcikovo facility (Trnava Region). At the same time, Pellegrini rejected the acceptance of mandatory refugee quotas, TASR reported. Slovakia to take about 10 children The Foreign Affairs Ministry considers the decision to take Syrian orphans as the voluntary contribution of Slovakia in solving the migration crisis. Slovakia has been supporting these solutions for a long time, said Igor Skocek, head of the ministrys press department. Slovakia could take 10 Syrian orphans, he specified. At the same time, Skocek stressed that they only started working on analyses and consultations, based on which the government is expected to make a final decision. When the migration crisis started in June 2015, Slovakia offered a voluntary contribution to relocate 100 people, part of which it has already done, Skocek said, as quoted by TASR. Taking 10 Syrian orphans would also be a voluntary contribution. Moreover, its staff coordinated cross-border investigative activities. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, known as Europol, has officially commented on the investigation of the murders of investigative reporter Jan Kuciak and his fiancee, Martina Kusnirova. At the request of the Slovak authorities, Europol has provided analytical and forensic support from the earliest days of the investigation, it wrote in a press release published on October 2. Moreover, it took part in the preparation of the police actions carried out in late September, which resulted in arresting nine people, five of whom have already been released, Europol informed. It added that several premises were searched and items were seized for examination and evidential purposes. Read also: Read also: The price of Jan Kuciak's head was 70,000 Read more Four of those arrested have now been accused of first-degree murder, Europol continued. Throughout the investigation, Europol has regularly deployed staff to Slovakia, who coordinated cross-border investigative activities and provided analytical, tactical and digital forensic support on firearms and organised crime, the press release reads. Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajcak gained 26 percent of votes in the latest presidential poll. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled A presidential poll conducted by Focus agency showed that the first two positions belong to Miroslav Lajcak (Foreign Affairs Minister, Smer nominee) with 26 percent of votes and Andrej Danko, Speaker of Parliament and head of the Slovak National Party (SNS), with 13 percent. This means that if Smer was successful in persuading its minister to run as a candidate, he would surely move up to the second round. Both parties that lead in the poll have not announced the presidential candidates yet. While unofficial information said that Lajcak cannot be persuaded to run, Danko has the ambition to become president. Lajcak is the biggest calibre of Smer, if he runs for President, he will capture at least the first round, commented Martin Slosiarik, head of Focus agency, as quoted by the Sme daily. Other candidates of Smer may not be as successful, according to Slosiarik, because Lajcak is not closely tied to the party, which gives him a better image. Opposition candidate, too Lajcak is gaining massive support because he can also appeal to sympathizers of other parties, Slosiarik opined. He can score among SNS and Most-Hid voters, along with some opposition voters because he is considered to be an experienced diplomat who would not grope in the dark when it comes to the presidents function, Slosiarik explained, as quoted by Sme. Lajcak avoids commenting on political quarrels and has never become a member of Smer, which is why he is acceptable in the eyes of opposition voters. The candidate of Smer will influence the gains of other candidates in the end, said Slosiarik. If the candidate of Smer is weaker, Dankos chances may be improved, he said for Sme. Scientist Robert Mistrik is the most successful among the candidates that opposition would vote for. He took third position in the poll with 9.5 percent. He is a non-partisan candidate with the support of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and Spolu and he had the largest billboard campaign in the summer. Veronika Remisova from Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO) also has not announced candidacy yet but she gained 7.9 percent in the poll. Candidate of Progresivne Slovensko, Zuzana Caputova, gained 5.2 percent of the vote. Neither the support of bishop Robert Bezak, nor the massive billboard campaign during the summer helped her obtain better results. Caputova confirmed that she would have no problem giving up on candidacy in favour of a stronger candidate confirmed by other polls. Controversial candidates Stefan Harabin, former justice minister of HZDS who shares and spreads conspiracy theories, ended behind Mistrik by a narrow margin. More than 9 percent would vote him. Similarly, Marian Kotleba, head of extremist party Kotleba Peoples Party Our Slovakia would gain 8.7 percent. Harabin is viewed by many people as an expert due to his work in the judiciary, according to Slosiarik. He is a favourite among alternative media so people may consider him a system critic who does not have any problem saying what he thinks, explains Slosiarik for Sme. Head of Most-Hid, Bela Bugar, ended behind Kotleba with 7.9 percent. Focus measured preferences with a sample size of 1,015. The sun inched toward the horizon in the western Paris skies around 4:30 p.m. January 25, 2015 and cast a soft golden glow over Hippodrome de Vincennes. The crystal horse trophy Philippe Delon cradled in his arms captured the rays and it too gleamed in a golden hue as Delon raised it over his head. From atop the podium in the winners enclosure, Delon smiled as he looked into the stands at the thousands of fans who cheered, waved flags, and smiled back at him before lowering the prize back into his arms, staring down at it in disbelief. Moments earlier, Delon watched as his homebred star Up And Quick streaked into the stretch with the lead in the Grand Prix dAmerique. After having ground the leader, Mosaique Face, into submission, Up And Quick kicked away from late threat Voltigeur de Myrt. Ahead by three lengths as the finish neared, driver Jean-Michel Bazire took both lines in his left hand, blew a kiss with his right, and turned to the crowd to give a thumbs up as he and Up And Quick passed under the wire. In that moment, Up And Quick rose to the top of the trotting world. The Prix dAmerique was the third career Group 1 win for the son of Buvetier d'Aunou (he had previously captured the Criterium des Five Ans in 2013 and the Grand Prix de Paris in 2014). The victory improved on Up And Quicks second-place effort to Maharajah the year before. Nearly four years later, the curtain is about to close on the final act of Up And Quicks racing career, and Delon hopes his trotter can deliver one more thrill on the worlds stage. Up And Quick will reach the mandatory retirement age in France when he turns 11 in 2019 and will no longer be able to target Frances biggest trotting spectacle. Instead, Delon has set his sights on New York, as he has sent his star across the Atlantic to compete in Yonkers Raceways $1 million International Trot. The representative of France would be the first Prix dAmerique winner since Lutin d'Isigny in 1985 to win the International Trot. Hes given us everything a breeder and an owner can dream of, Delon said. We would love to see him finishing his last season with a bang in New York. Up And Quicks journey to the International Trot has been rife with struggles. Although he scored a fourth Group 1 in the 2015 Grand Prix de Paris, Up And Quicks attempt to defend his Prix dAmerique title in 2016 proved disastrous. After having finished fourth in the Prix de Bourgogne and 10th in the Prix de Belgique, Up And Quick was up the track when his finished 14th in the Prix dAmerique after having attended the pace. He pulled up with a fractured ilium, one of three bones that comprise a horses hip. "As after every major race, a battery of tests were conducted and now the verdict is in: a fracture of the ilium was detected, Delons Ecurie Quick Star posted on its website after the race. It is very surprising that Up And Quick could deliver such a beautiful race. He must be a brave and sacred competitor to trot as he did when he was injured. Although he did not require surgery, Up And Quick needed months of stall rest and would not compete again until he returned a winner in the Grand Prix de Noel at Hippodrome de Wallonie December 29, 2016. He didnt make it back to the French classics, but Up And Quick proved himself competitive on the track, as he won a pair of Group 2 races in 2017 the Criterium de Vitesse de Basse-Normandie at Argentan April 29, 2017 and the Prix de la Communaute de Communes Thierache du Centre at La Capelle July 9. Soon though, Up And Quick would suffer another setback. He suffered from a small fracture in July last year and had to stay two months in his (stall). Before that, hed broken a hip bone and had to stay four months locked in, Delon said. It takes a real champion to come back the way he did after that. Jean-Michel Bazire said thats the true mark of a wonder horse, coming back to do what he does best. After having covered 82 mares in the winter, Up And Quick returned to the track again in March and successfully defended his title in the Criterium de Vitesse de Basse-Normandie, as he posted a nose win over Un Mec dHeripre and Ave Avis in a scrambling finish. Although he is currently riding a nine-race losing streak into the International Trot, the 2.1-million earner finished third in an elimination of the Elitlopp, second in the Group 1 Hugo Abergs Memorial, and third in the Group 2 Grand Prix du Departement des Alpes-Maritimes. Up And Quick finished fifth last time out in the Group 1 UET Trotting Masters Series Final on September 16 after having gotten pinned inside three back along the pylons in the 12-horse field. After facing a wall of horses in the stretch, Up And Quick finished three and three-quarter lengths behind Propulsion. Delon chalked it up to a tactical mistake: driver Wim Paal chose to follow Pastore Bob and expected a pocket trip behind the speedy rival, but ended up buried at the inside instead. We chose the wrong leader. Wim Paal and I thought Pastore Bob was the one to follow, but he got us nowhere, Delon said. Propulsion was the one to beat and we never had a live chance. Just throw that race away. The horse is absolutely fine. He loves to work and to race. Thats what kept him going all these years despite a few health issues that belong to the past now. Since the Trotting Masters Final, Up And Quick has prepared for the International Trot at Haras De Sassy, about 130 miles west of Paris. His days are easy at the stud farm with trainer Antoine Lherete. Delon fears the quiet lifestyle cant be replicated at Yonkers. Hes out all day in his paddock. He loves it. He works in the pool, too. He only gets in his (stall) at night, Delon said. That was a bit of a problem for us because he wont be able to relax like that while staying at Yonkers. Thats my main concern today. At least hell be able to get out twice a day, but thats not exactly the same. I hope they will lodge him in a good (stall) because like Dreammoko, hes a stud, full of energy. Up And Quick will have to navigate the half-mile tracks turns five times in the one and a quarter-mile stakes, and he'll now have top Yonkers pilot Jason Bartlett at the controls. Yannick Gingras was originally slated to drive Up And Quick but has since committed to U.S. invitee Ariana G. Up And Quick can turn very fast on small tracks in Europe, as long as its left-handed, so I am not worried about that, Delon said. Up And Quick will face nine rivals in the International: Arazi Boko (Italy), Ariana G (United States), Cruzado Dela Noche (Sweden), Dreammoko (Netherlands), Lionel (Norway), Marion Marauder (Canada), Pastore Bob (Sweden), Ringostarr Treb (Italy), Slide So Easy (Denmark). The $1 million International Trot is slated for Saturday, October 13 at Yonkers Raceway. The card will also feature a pair of $250,000 invitationals, the Harry Harvey Trot and Dan Rooney Pace. For more information on the event and its participants, visit internationaltrot.com. (SOA of NY, with additional reporting by Manu Roussel) Textile, apparel trade fair slated for January The Texworld and Apparel Sourcing Trade Fair is scheduled to be held at the Javits Convention Centre in New York, US from January 21-23, 2019. Top 30 council to boost business The government has formed a 30-members Industry, Commerce, Promotion Dialogue Council headed by the Prime Minister K P Oli to improve the countrys business sector. Vivanta branded hotel to open in Jhamsikhel The Tata Groups hospitality arm, Indian Hotels Company, has signed a pact with the Chaudhary Group to open a Vivanta hotel in Kathmandu. This will be the companys second hotel in Nepal after the Taj Meghauli Serai in Chitwan. 1. Yes. Losing daily service to Houston could be just the first in a series of service cutbacks. 2. Yes. Being less competitive with Austin and D-FW will hurt the airport in the long run. 3. No. The airport has seen strong passenger numbers. Good marketing can keep it going. 4. No. The airport is still pursuing other service, including a Denver route. Its still a solid asset. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without knowing future airline and travel industry trends. Vote View Results Mountain Shadows in Wayanad is just the place for a dreamy vacation An SBS crew came under fire in Syria on the weekend filming footage for Go Back to Where You Came From Live. Former senator Jacqui Lambie, a Sydney immigration lawyer and crew were forced to take cover after gunfire from suspected IS insurgents broke out nearby. SBS advises they were filming at a Syrian police compound on Saturday when the area was fired on by multiple gunmen, reported by local police to be IS fighters. The pair and crew were hosted by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a multi-ethnic and multi-religious militia which has clashed with IS and other opposition groups in recent years. Reports from Syria suggest as many as 10 IS gunmen were killed during the subsequent shootout with local police, who managed to repel the attack. SBS released details ahead of the premiere tonight. The former Montgomery County fairgrounds has a new name and a new direction as a place that fosters imagination, innovation and inclusivity. onMain Photo Gallery Premier Health and the University of Dayton today announced a new name for the 38 acres at the northwest corner of Main and Stewart streets onMain: Dayton's Imagination District embodying a vision for the site as a place where Daytons history of innovation takes off into the future. "The name represents the best of Dayton's future as well as its history of innovation," said University President Eric F. Spina. "It will be a platform to attract businesses and entrepreneurs to bring jobs and opportunities to the area as well as a sustainable and inclusive living environment with an emphasis on wellness." Appropriately, the name onMain emerged from focus groups and conversations with members of the Dayton community who helped brainstorm ways a new name might express the community's aspirations for this important development, said Mary Boosalis, president and CEO of Premier Health. The name marks the districts location on Main Street, and is an invitation to live onMain, work onMain, learn onMain and meet onMain, Boosalis said. We envision a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development with a distinct identity and personality that is open, welcoming and creative and complements the rebirth and momentum of downtown Dayton. Boosalis and Spina said the long-term vision for the district will take up to 15 to 20 years to fully realize, with the partners committed to developing the 38 acres as a sustainable neighborhood for economic development. As anchor institutions, UD and Premier dont have the profit and time pressures that typical developers do. The two institutions' long-term vision for the property allows for flexibility but reflects the input of more than 850 members of the community through the broad-based Fairgrounds to Future planning process. Key elements of the vision include: A truly walkable urban neighborhood with places to work, live and gather. A focus on creative, innovation and entrepreneurial activities and jobs retail will be geared to serve those who live and work onMain. The district is not intended to be a retail and shopping destination. Mixed-income housing that offers opportunities for residents to live close to where they work. Design standards for buildings that integrate environmental sustainability and wellness, reflecting the mission and values of the two institutions. onMains employers, entertainment venues and housing will draw a diverse mix of people who are representative of the broader Dayton community and its vibrant neighborhoods. onMains initial phase will focus on creating a critical mass of employment, housing, retail, and other uses at the south end of the site along Main Street. Urban agriculture would be located on land at the western end of the site and on building rooftops. Restoration of the property's historic Roundhouse. A "catalytic" building would be built at the northwest corner of Stewart and Main streets to spur development. "The vision for onMain is transformative for Dayton," said Jamie Greene, principal of planning NEXT, the planning firm hired to lead the process that culminated in the vision. "It is unlike any place in the region or the state, for that matter, with the integration of innovation-oriented employment opportunities, unique housing choices, active community gathering spaces and easy access to the river, bike trails and the core of downtown. "Many communities larger and smaller than Dayton have significant anchor institutions, but few are providing this type of commitment and leadership. The University of Dayton and Premier Health leaned into the planning process over the past year and are now leaning into deliberate and thoughtful implementation actions," he said. As is typical with large, complex development projects that involve many community partners, a complete transformation of the property will occur in phases. Premier Health and the University are taking steps to create a nonprofit development organization to manage the development process and provide day-to-day oversight of the property. The two institutions purchased the 38-acre site in 2017 and have been working on a long-range vision for the property that builds upon their institutional missions and values, promotes economic development, and fosters a unique sense of place that serves broad community interests. Outreach to potential funding sources has begun, a process that is likely to take at least 12 to 24 months before any new construction might occur on the property. Such partnerships could fund initial phases of the redevelopment, including roadways, utilities, water and sewer, and removal of some structures. For more information, visit onMainDayton.com. About Premier Health Based in Dayton, Ohio, Premier Health (www.premierhealth.com) has a mission to improve the health of the communities it serves. The health system operates three hospitals: Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton with additional inpatient sites in Centerville and Englewood; Atrium Medical Center in Middletown; and Upper Valley Medical Center in Miami County. In addition, the health system offers a wide range of care choices, including virtual care; e-visits; a telestroke network and other telehealth options; an urgent care network; free-standing emergency departments; a large primary and specialty care network; and home health services. Premier Health is the second largest employer in the region and the largest health care system in Southwest Ohio. About the University of Dayton Founded in 1850, the University of Dayton (www.udayton.edu) is a top-tier Catholic, Marianist research university deeply committed to the common good. Our faith is a beacon that guides us and leads us to act and build community by inviting people with diverse talents, interests and backgrounds to enrich and advance our common mission. More than 8,000 full-time undergraduates and 2,800 graduate and law students from across the country and around the world pursue learning through more than 80 undergraduate and 50 graduate and doctoral programs. The University is characterized by the Marianist educational philosophy of learning in community, welcoming all, serving others, intellectual curiosity and academic rigor, to foster servant-leaders who connect learning with leadership and service. Cilla Shindell | University of Dayton | pshindell1@udayton.edu | 937-367-2889 FILE PHOTO: The Unilever building is seen in London FILE PHOTO: The Unilever building is seen in London, Britain March 13, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo LONDON (Reuters) - Columbia Threadneedle Investments said on Tuesday it would vote against Unilever's proposed move to the Netherlands, joining a chorus of shareholder disapproval. Unilever plans to end its dual-headed Anglo-Dutch structure and rebase in the Netherlands as a single entity. It has said the move will make it more efficient, improve corporate governance and make it easier to use equity in big acquisitions. But a handful of large institutional investors oppose the move. Their two main concerns relate to the forced selling of Unilever shares by some British investors because Unilever will drop out of the benchmark FTSE 100 index and the future tax treatment of Dutch dividends. "We believe the Unilever restructuring is detrimental to UK Plc shareholders and we will be voting against the proposed resolution at the Unilever EGM on 26 October 2018," Iain Richards, head of responsible investment at Columbia Threadneedle said in a statement. The asset manager previously criticised the move but had not specified which way it planned to vote. Columbia Threadneedle is Unilever's seventh-largest shareholder with an 1.18 percent stake, according to Refinitiv data. Schroder Investment Management, the 20th-largest shareholder in Unilever, said this week it would vote against the move. (Reporting by Martinne Geller and Simon Jessop; Editing by Edmund Blair) By Dasha Afanasieva LONDON (Reuters) - The biggest food retailer in Belarus, Eurotorg, is planning to list its shares in London in the coming weeks, sources familiar with the matter said, potentially valuing the company at more than $3 billion (2.31 billion pounds). About $300 million of shares are slated to be sold in the first international listing by a Belarusian business, one of the sources said, adding that the offering of global depositary receipts could be launched as soon as next week. The sources declined to comment on the company's valuation, but based on average valuation multiples of its peers, Eurotorg could be worth close to $3.4 billion including debt. Its main comparables include Dino Polska in Poland and BIM in Turkey, which respectively have enterprise values of 22.8 and 15.8 times core earnings, Refinitiv Eikon data shows. Eurotorg has said its earnings before tax, interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first half of 2018 grew 7 percent to 195.7 million Belarusian roubles ($92 million) on revenue of 2.18 billion roubles. Credit Suisse and JP Morgan are leading the listing, two of the sources said. The banks did not immediately respond to a request for comment. BUSINESS FRIENDLY? Minsk is reconsidering launching IPOs for some of its largest companies after plans were derailed by the financial crisis a decade ago. First Deputy Prime Minister Vasily Matyushevsky last year said Belarus was considering selling a stake of up to 25 percent in its largest, state-controlled lender Belarusbank via an IPO in 2019. But the head of the bank said there were no plans to do this before 2020. The government has also been making a push to introduce reforms to make it easier to do business in a former Soviet republic still weighed down by bureaucracy and dependent on Russian money and subsidies. The private sector accounts for less than a third of gross domestic product. But some private firms are blossoming and say Belarus is a good place to do business because it has a cheap, educated workforce, competition is not fierce and corruption is less rife than in some neighbouring countries. (Additional reporting by Andrei Makhovsky; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Alexandra Hudson and David Goodman) LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - European Union finance ministers decided on Tuesday to allow lower sales taxes on e-books and other digital publications and to align them to reduced levies applied to paper versions of books and magazines. The deal will allow EU states to apply reduced or even zero VAT rates to electronic publications, which are currently taxed at a minimum of 15 percent because they are treated as electronic services. "This proposal is part of our efforts to modernise VAT for the digital economy, and enables us to keep pace with technological progress," said Austrian Finance Minister Hartwig Loeger, who chaired the meeting. The agreement comes after more than two years of talks after a European Commission proposal. The European Parliament supported the plan a year ago. "This is good news for the press and for the culture sector," EU Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici commented on Twitter after the deal was reached. Very low or zero rates will only be allowed "for member states that currently apply them to physical publications," the EU Council said in a note. The new rules will apply temporarily until a comprehensive reform of the VAT system in the EU is approved. The overhaul proposed by the Commission would give EU states more flexibility in setting VAT rates. (Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; editing by Philip Blenkinsop) FILE PHOTO - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker speaks at the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit during the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's executive head, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Monday warned Italy against going ahead with its proposed 2019 budget, which the bloc has criticised as too lax. "Italy is distancing itself from the budgetary targets we have jointly agreed at EU level," Juncker told a speech in Germany. "I would not wish that, after having really been able to cope with the Greek crisis, we'll end up in the same crisis in Italy," he said via translation. "One crisis was sufficient, one crisis was enough, and we have to prevent Italy from being able to get a special treatment here that, if everybody were to get it, would mean the end of the euro," Juncker said in German. (This story has been refiled to correct official translation of Juncker quote.) (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; editing by Andrew Roche) FILE PHOTO: A worker is seen welding the aluminium parts of goals at Interplastic, a Polish manufacturing company who are supplying the football goalposts for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia, in Chwaszczyno, Poland, May 16, 2018. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel By Krisztina Than and Sandor Peto BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Growth in Czech and Polish manufacturing slowed to almost two-year lows in September and Hungarian data also showed a slowdown on Monday, signalling that Central Europe's fast-growing economies are facing bleaker prospects. The region, which has close economic and export links to the eurozone, primarily to Germany, has been booming in the past years helped by loose monetary policies. The Hungarian and Polish central banks still maintain a dovish stance. But growth of Germany's manufacturing sector slowed to a 25-month low in September on the steepest drop in new export orders in more than five years, which does not bode well for the eastern economies of the European Union. As rising uncertainties amid an escalating trade war between the United States and China are taking their toll on the German economy, the latest readings of Purchasing Managers' indices on Monday showed the Czech PMI reading at its lowest since November 2016 and order growth also at a nearly 2-year low. Activity in Polish manufacturing barely grew in September as new orders fell for the first time in nearly two years. The IHS Markit purchasing managers' index for Polish manufacturing fell to 50.5 in September from 51.4 in August, its lowest level since October, 2016. It came in below a forecast for 51.5 in a Reuters poll. Hungary's seasonally-adjusted Purchasing Managers' Index dropped to 53.8 in September from a revised 56 in August. The Association of Logistics, Purchasing and Inventory Management said the figure was below an average reading of 57.1 in the past three Septembers. "The PMIs for Central Europe fell markedly in September. Most notably, the Polish and Czech surveys plunged to their weakest levels since late-2016," Capital Economics said in a note. "Manufacturing output has weakened in Germany, and this is starting to feed through to softer industrial activity in Central Europe. This supports our forecast that growth across the region will continue to slow over the coming quarters." Story continues (Czech, Hungarian, Polish PMIs vs Germany, https://reut.rs/2ItL7lo) Germany's leading economic institutes last week cut their 2018 growth forecast for Europe's largest economy to 1.7 percent from 2.2 percent. Hungary's economy, home to big car manufacturing plants of Daimler and Audi, is expected to slow to 3.5 percent next year and 3 percent in 2020, from 4.4 percent this year according to central bank data. The Polish economy is projected to slow as well, to 3.8 percent next year from 4.6 percent this year based on central bank data. The Czech economy is expected to grow at a rate of 3.2 percent this year and 3.4 percent next year, according to its central bank. (Additional reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague, editing by Ed Osmond) BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro has changed his mind and will accept the result of this month's election even if the leftist Workers Party (PT) wins, his running mate said on Monday. Bolsonaro, a former army officer who has expressed admiration for Brazil's 1964-1985 military dictatorship, said on Friday that he would not accept defeat. Opinion polls show him winning the most votes in Sunday's first round but losing to the PT's Fernando Haddad in a probable run-off three weeks later. "He has changed that view. If he is defeated, he loses," retired General Hamilton Mourao told reporters at Brasilia airport. Bolsonaro has previously accused the PT of planning to rig the elections, which some Brazilians have interpreted as a warning intended to encourage a military coup if he did not win. Mourao said Brazil's military would "logically" accept a PT victory, even if that meant, in his view, a return to incompetent government and corruption. "The armed forces are sitting quiet, following their commanders," the general said. Mourao was relieved of his military command in 2015 and given a staff job after he publicly criticized then PT President Dilma Rousseff. Last year, he suggested that the military should take over if Brasilia's courts failed to stop political corruption. Brazil's most polarized election since the return to civilian government in 1985 is heading for a close race between the right and the left, according to the polls. If neither Bolsonaro nor Haddad win a majority of the vote in the first round, a run-off between the two top candidates will be held on Oct. 28. Major polling firms Ibope and Datafolha have found Haddad would likely win. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Writing by Anthony Boadle, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Interior Minister Matteo Salvini gestures next to Italy's Minister of Labor and Industry Luigi Di Maio at the Quirinal palace in Rome, Italy, June 1, 2018. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo/File Photo By Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - Italy defied pressure from Brussels and its euro zone partners on Tuesday to water down ambitious budget plans, threatening to sue EU officials it said were to blame for a deepening sell-off on Rome's financial markets. The government last week set a deficit target of 2.4 percent of economic output for the next three years. That tripling of its predecessor's goal by the EU's second most indebted nation unnerved investors and prompted criticism and calls for a rethink from the European Commission. "We are not turning back from the 2.4 percent target... We will not backtrack by a millimetre," Luigi Di Maio, deputy prime minister and leader of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said on RTL radio. As Italian bonds and banking shares sold off sharply, Di Maio said there was "no doubt" the leaders of France and Germany wanted the Italian government to fall, while one lawmaker suggested the country would be better off without the euro. Euro zone finance ministers meeting in Luxembourg said Italy, whose representative Giovanni Tria was a notable absentee, needed to toe the fiscal line. "The majority of the member states will clearly ask and demand that these (EU budget) rules are observed," Austrian minister Hartwig Loger, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told a news conference. European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said the current draft appeared not to comply with the rules, though Brussels was open to dialogue. Italy's ruling coalition, which joined forces in June on promises to slash taxes and boost welfare spending, directed anger at Brussels. Its other deputy Prime Minister, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini, said it might seek compensation from the EU over Italy's rising borrowing costs. "The words and the threats of Juncker and other high EU bureaucrats continue to raise the spread (between Italian and German bond yields). We are ready to seek damages from those who want to harm Italy," Salvini said. Story continues Italian 10-year bond yields peaked at a 4-1/2-year high on Tuesday and shares in Italian banks at a 19-month low. Both assets later trimmed those losses. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker drew parallels on Monday between Italy's budget plans and the finances of Greece, which emerged from its third international bailout as recently as August. While the headline deficit of 2.4 percent that Italy is proposing would be within the Commission's 3 percent limit, under the current plan the structural - or underlying - deficit would rise, which runs contrary to EU rules. The Commission is also concerned the proposal will increase Italy's huge public debt, proportionally the EU's second highest after Greece's. The government says the debt will fall as the expansionary budget spurs economic growth. 'STRICT WITH ITALY TO SAVE EURO' On Monday, Juncker said the EU must be "strict" with Italy to avoid putting the euro project at risk. Salvini called that a "threat" that "no-one in Italy is taken in by". He said the government's priority was to respond to its citizens' needs and criticism of its budget "will not stop us." The government's task is made harder by pressure on Italian bonds, intensified when eurosceptic League lawmaker Claudio Borghi said the country's economic situation would improve outside the euro zone. Borghi did not suggest the government planned to drop the euro, and Di Maio and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte later reiterated that Rome has no intention of leaving either the euro zone or the EU. "The euro is our currency and for us it is unrenounceable," and declarations suggesting otherwise had nothing to do with government policy, Conte said on Facebook. Di Maio said Rome's adversaries were hoping to use markets to weaken the coalition, but their bid would fail because the 5-Star/League alliance was more united than ever. Economy Minister Tria, a moderating but seemingly increasingly isolated voice in government who is a member of neither party, left Luxembourg late on Monday for Rome to put the finishing touches to the budget plan. The document is expected in coming days but could be published as soon as Tuesday. (additional reporting by Giselda Vagnoni and Massimiliano Di Giorgio, Editing by Gavin Jones and John Stonestreet) BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Following are some of the many possible contenders to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as EU chief executive after elections to the European Parliament in May. Apart from electoral uncertainty, it is unclear that national leaders will follow Parliament's call for them to pick a European Commission president from among the lead candidates -- or Spitzenkandidaten -- of parties contesting the ballot. CONSERVATIVES MANFRED WEBER - An MEP for 14 years, the 46-year-old German has led the biggest EU parliamentary group since 2014. He has declared he will run and he can be confident of support from German Chancellor Angela Merkel despite his youthful years and lack of the government experience that is usual for Commission presidents. Diplomats in Brussels say, however, Merkel could still drop Weber to secure another prominent job for Germany like the head of the European Central Bank, which also comes vacant next autumn. MICHEL BARNIER - The EU's chief Brexit negotiator ruled himself out of the race on Friday. ALEXANDER STUBB - The former Finnish prime minister announced he will challenge Weber at an EPP nominating convention in Helsinki on Nov. 8. Stubb, 50, competes in "Iron Man" triathlons and is multilingual unlike Weber, who does not speak French, or Barnier, who rarely seems comfortable in English. Many other names cited have included Merkel allies PETER ALTMAIER and URSULA VON DER LEYEN and French IMF managing director CHRISTINE LAGARDE -- not to mention the wild card of ANGELA MERKEL herself, who is now in her fourth term. SOCIALISTS MAROS SEFCOVIC - The Moscow-educated Slovak diplomat who has worked in Brussels since 2004 and is Juncker's vice president for energy said in June he would run. He is 52. Sources in Brussels say he stands no chance in the top job race but will be Bratislava's pick for a portfolio in the next Commission. CHRISTIAN KERN - Austria's former chancellor, Kern is known for his strongly pro-European stance. He said earlier this month he would seek to win a seat in the European Parliament next May. Story continues FEDERICA MOGHERINI - The 45-year-old was catapulted into the high-ranked Commission post of EU foreign policy chief in 2014. She could benefit from efforts to promote female candidates and a better left-right balance in Brussels but may struggle to get the necessary support from the new populist coalition in Rome. HELLE THORNING-SCHMIDT - Danish prime minister until 2015, at 51 she is perennially cited as a centre-left hope for senior EU roles but lacks backing from the ruling right in Copenhagen. FRANS TIMMERMANS - Juncker's Dutch deputy, 57, is a former foreign minister and passionate, multilingual advocate for the EU but his party's national eclipse counts against him. PIERRE MOSCOVICI - Former French finance minister, 60, now EU economics commissioner, his party's national disarray is also a disadvantage, as is German wariness over his commitment to Berlin's vision of a euro zone of tight public finances. NADIA CALVINO - Long a senior Commission civil servant, at 50 she has the rare distinction for EU Socialists of being in government, having been named Madrid's economy minister in June. LIBERALS GUY VERHOFSTADT - Former Belgian prime minister who leads the liberals in the EU parliament, his age (65) and outspoken advocacy of much more powers for Brussels may limit his appeal. MARGRETHE VESTAGER - As a woman, aged 50 and with a star profile in Brussels from attacking tax avoidance and monopoly powers among U.S. multinationals like Google and Apple as the EU competition commissioner, the Danish former economy minister is widely talked about as a liberal who could win support beyond her party -- even if Denmark's ruling conservatives oppose her. CECILIA MALMSTROM - Another straight-talking, 50-year-old Scandinavian woman who has had a big role in Brussels' tussles with Washington, the EU trade commissioner and former Swedish Europe minister could tick similar boxes to Vestager. MARK RUTTE - Dutch prime minister for eight years, the 51-year-old may be tempted by a new job. He is solidly pro-EU but appeals to those who want its budgets and powers kept in check. XAVIER BETTEL - In five years as Luxembourg prime minister, during which he married his male partner, the 45-year-old has built good relations with fellow national leaders. They might baulk at choosing another Luxemburger after Juncker, but his friendship with the even younger Macron could be an asset. (This version of the factbox corrects first name of Danish politician in paragraph 20). (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Alastair Macdonald) A hospital staff in Boise, Idaho, paid tribute on September 27 to their second patient of the week who was donating organs. St. Lukes Health System shared the footage of the Walk of Respect on their Facebook page. Staff at St. Lukes Meridian stop to line halls of ICU to show respect for the second patient this week providing the life-saving gift of organ donation, the post said. The video shows the patient being wheeled down the hall as the staff lines the hallway. A spokesperson told Storyful that the patient was 53-years-old and was in the Intensive Care Unit. He was in our ICU and moved to the Operating Room where he was taken off life support and passed quietly with his family by his side, they said. As of writing, the post has over 2,500 shares on Facebook. Credit: St. Lukes Health System via Storyful Michael Gove has unveiled a food waste reduction scheme aimed at providing 250 million extra meals per year for those most in need. The environment secretary announced the pilot scheme, to be backed by the 15m of extra funding allocated to tackle food waste, at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. It is planned to reduce the 100,000 tonnes of food per year in the retail and food manufacturing sectors that is edible and readily available but goes uneaten. Currently around 43,000 tonnes of surplus food is redistributed from retailers and food manufacturers every year, but Mr Gove wants to go further. Speaking on Monday, Mr Gove said: "Conservative ministers will act to ensure that we lead the world in safe, affordable, healthy food. "And the first step in that strategy will be reducing food waste. Every year, millions of tonnes of good, nutritious, edible food is thrown away. "This is an environmental, economic and moral folly, and we will address it. "I can announce action this day to invest 15m so that food which would otherwise be wasted is redistributed to those most in need. "Working with industry and charities, we should be able to get up to 250 million extra meals a year onto the tables and plates of the most deserving in our society. "This is determined green action from a Conservative government. Action that helps the planet, helps the poorest and remains true to our Conservative values." The scheme will launch in 2019/20 and was immediately hailed by hunger and food waste charity FareShare. Chief executive Lindsay Boswell said: "We congratulate Michael Gove for responding to our call to use surplus food for social good. "15m can create almost 250 million meals worth of food for those in need, preventing in date food from being wasted. "That amount of food could provide every single person in Britain with three square meals for one day. "Instead this food will go to frontline charities such as breakfast clubs for children, hospices, domestic violence refuges and homeless hostels." Story continues Food waste in the UK totals 10.2 million tonnes per year, of which 1.8 million tonnes comes from food manufacture, one million from the hospitality sector, and 260,000 from retail, with the remainder from households. Responding to Mr Gove's conference speech, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said: "Michael Gove talks a good game on the environment - but his focus is forever on tidying up, rather than tackling the cause of the mess. "Today's only real announcement was a plan to redirect food waste from shops to dinner tables - but without strong measures to change supermarkets' strict cosmetic standards, farmers will keep having to plough perfectly good produce back into the ground." Eleanor Wilson outside Bristol Crown Court on Monday. (PA) A science teacher had sex with a pupil in the toilets of a passenger jet after they grew close on an overseas school camping trip, a court heard. Eleanor Wilson, 29, is accused of fondling the boy as she sat next to him on the overnight flight before beckoning him into the cubicle and performing a sex act on him. They then allegedly had full sex in the cubicle with 6ft 2in Wilson perched on one leg before going back to their seats. Prosecutors claim that Wilson later told the boy she was pregnant with his child but she would have an abortion. Bristol Crown Court heard their clandestine relationship was exposed when another pupil at the unnamed school tried to blackmail Wilson into having sex with him. Eleanor Wilson, who was 26 at the time of the alleged offence, told the pupil she was pregnant with his child and later had an abortion, a court heard. (PA) Jurors were told that the defendant, who was then aged 26, and the boy had both been drinking during the flight back to the UK in the summer of 2015. They had been part of a group of staff and pupils on the school trip and Wilson and the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had spent a lot of time together. Virginia Cornwall, prosecuting, told the court: It was the circumstances in which the two interacted on that trip that led to an erosion of boundaries and it was her responsibility, the Crown say, as the adult, to ensure there was no erosion of boundaries. She was a 26-year-old woman and he was a teenage boy. It was her choice to be with him. There were a lot of night time chats where others had gone off to bed. He was being treated on a par, an equal basis, as if an adult. Miss Cornwall said the pair had been drinking on the flight home and after kissing him and fondling him, she beckoned him into the toilet, where they had sex. Having had sex they went back to their seats. It was a secret between them. Wilson, now 29, is accused of sexual activity with a child. (PA) Miss Cornwall described Wilson as a bright and competent teacher who was highly regarded by colleagues. She was a woman who had a different side to her, one that those who knew her professionally didnt see, she said. Story continues She was a woman having a clandestine relationship with a pupil. She is a risk taker. After returning home, their relationship continued, with Wilson and the teenager going for a meal in Nandos with others from the trip and also having days out alone together. The court heard that the boy bought Wilson a bunch of flowers and chocolates, she gave him a lift home and he showed her his bedroom where they kissed. They also allegedly had days out together at Tintern Abbey and Ashton Court, going for pub meals and drinking pints of cider together. The jury was told they had swapped mobile phone numbers and Wilson rang him while she was on holiday in Italy with her boyfriend. The boys father noticed his sons behaviour had changed and he talked incessantly about the defendant and said he was going to split up with his girlfriend. The teenager had told friends about the relationship but sworn them to secrecy, and when the pair returned to the school for the start of the new academic year, rumours circulated. Wilson was spoken to by the schools head and deputy, but denied it and appeared shocked, Miss Cornwall said. She later allegedly told the boy she was pregnant by him but would go on to have an abortion. In February 2016, Wilson told a deputy head she was being blackmailed by another student and the police began an investigation, which led to her resigning. He started emailing Eleanor Wilson, threatening to expose her for what happened between her and the boy unless she had sex with him, Miss Cornwall said. She engaged with this blackmail instead of going immediately to a superior. She tried to deal with it herself. You might think it is not the usual reaction. She tried to sit on it and cover it up. During police interviews, Wilson denied that any sexual activity had taken place, describing the boys claims as pure fantasy. She said there was a lowering of the boundaries because of her pastoral interest in the boy. She said she shouldnt have gone as far as she did. There was a bit of flirtation but it had gone no further, Miss Cornwall said. She confided in him about the pregnancy because she was isolated, lonely and he was a friend. She does accept there was some inappropriate contact outside of school but nothing sexual happened. It was out of concern to him and loneliness. Wilson, of The Rope Walk, Dursley, Gloucestershire, denies four charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. The trial continues. WASHINGTON (AP) A former Army medic who received the nation's highest military honor Monday for braving heavy gunfire to save lives in Afghanistan was rejected by the military the first time he tried to enlist. "Boy that was a bad mistake. But they made up for it, right," President Donald Trump said in a formal White House ceremony where 250 people gathered to laud former Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II for his heroic actions in 2008 in a remote part of Afghanistan. Shurer, a native of Fairbanks, Alaska, was a senior medical sergeant in the special forces on April 6, 2008 when his team encountered machine gun and sniper fire and rocket-propelled grenades from militants. Shurer stabilized one soldier, then fought his way through a barrage of bullets and up a mountain to the lead members of the unit. There, he treated and stabilized four more soldiers. Shurer helped evacuate them, carrying and lowering the wounded down the steep mountainside, using his body to shield them from enemy fire and shrapnel. After he loaded the wounded in an evacuation helicopter, Shurer went back up the mountain to fight. "Ron was not done yet. He charged back to the mountain all the way up and rejoined the fight," Trump said. "For more than six hours, Ron bravely faced down the enemy. Not a single American died in that brutal battle, thanks in great measure to Ron's heroic actions." First rejected by the military because of a medical condition, Shurer enlisted again a year after 9/11. He was accepted the second time around. He was promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant in late 2006 and served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan from late November 2007 to late May 2008. He was honorably discharged a year later. He began his career with the Secret Service as a special agent assigned to a field office in Phoenix, Arizona, in September 2009. He was selected for the Secret Service's counter assault team and assigned to the Special Operations Division in June 2014. Shurer lives in Burke, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda, and sons Cameron, 10, and Tyler, 7. Kay Bailey Hutchison said: We would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could his any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters The US ambassador to Nato has warned Russia that if it does not halt the development of a new cruise missile in violation of a treaty between the countries, the US will take out the missile. Kay Bailey Hutchison was speaking to reporters about a longstanding issue of contention, a Russian ground-launched cruise missile which Washington says breaks the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). Moscow has denied the charge, and the Trump administration has announced plans to develop its own medium-range cruise missile in response, raising the spectre of a new nuclear arms race. But Hutchison went further in her remarks and appeared to suggest the possibility of a pre-emptive strike when the Russian missiles became operational. The counter-measures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty, the envoy said, mistakenly referring to the missile in question as a ballistic missile, rather than a cruise missile. She also suggested the missile, known as 9M729, was still in development, but the US accused Russia of deploying it last year. Getting them to withdraw would be our choice, of course. But I think the question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering. And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska. The Russian foreign ministry accused Hutchison of dangerous rhetoric. It seems that people who make such statements do not realise the level of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric, the ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said, according to Tass news agency. A US threat of a pre-emptive strike against Russia would be unprecedented since the end of the cold war, and a dangerous new departure in rhetoric and military posture towards Russia. If she is saying that if the diplomatic route doesnt work we will destroy the missiles, thats obviously dangerous and risks triggering a war that could go nuclear, Daryl Kimball, the head of the Arms Control Association, said. I cannot recall anything like this in the post cold-war period. Story continues Some nuclear experts speculated that Hutchison may have misspoken, and meant to say that the US would develop ways of destroying the Russian missile for use in the event of a conflict. Hans Kristensen, the director of the nuclear information project at the Federation of American Scientists, said: I dont think the Nato ambassador is threatening pre-emptive attacks against Russian development of INF weapons. She did a poor job in trying to repeat what the US has been saying for several years; that it is contemplating measures in response to the Russian INF violation. That can include tweaking existing strike capabilities to hold the new weapons at risk, developing new ones for potential deployment, and/or increasing economic and political pressure on Moscow to return to compliance. Kristensen said: This is going to feed right into the paranoia of Russian planners. She will definitely have to make a follow-up statement to clarify what she intended to say. After a water facility was bombed in Yemen, suspected cases of cholera in the area have surged by 170% - causing easily avoidable deaths of civilians. Within a month of the destruction of a sanitation facility and water station, suspected cholera cases in Hodeida almost doubled from 732 in July to 1,342 in August, as reported from Save the Children-supported health centres. At the end of July, fears that a new cholera outbreak would swamp Hodeida were reported by Sky News. Some 30% of all suspected cholera cases across Yemen are children under five years old, the World Health Organization (WHO) report. Last month, just two days after *Salwa, 22, fell ill with cholera, her two-year-old son *Aseel was forced to join her in hospital after contracting the disease as well. (*Names have been changed to protect identities) Salwa, who is four months pregnant, fears for the fate of her unborn child after contracting the infectious illness which causes diarrhea and vomiting. When she first fell ill, she couldn't afford the 2000YR (3) bus fare to hospital and had to wait until her father managed to rent a motorbike and brought her in critical condition to a Save the Children health clinic. Salwa said: "Two days after I got sick, my two-year-old son got sick and joined me in the hospital. For sure, I infected him with cholera. We drink water from a well near our house. "Our life before the war was prosperous but after the war our life changed because there is a lack of fuel. "I am four months pregnant. When I got sick with cholera I felt worried that Id lose my baby, especially with the current bad situation." The rise in suspected cases in Hodeidah follows the increase in fighting since June. Saudi Arabia and allies have been fighting in Yemen for nearly four years against the Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa and drove a Saudi-backed government into exile in 2014. Story continues The UN reports that Hodeidah is home to nearly 100,000 severely malnourished children, more than a quarter of Yemens total. Severely malnourished children are significantly more likely to contract and die from diarrhoeal diseases like cholera than well-nourished children. Speaking from Hodeidah, Dr Mariam Aldogani, Save the Childrens Hodeidah field manager, said: The situation in Hodeidah has become unbearable because of the conflict. "Im seeing more and more children coming in with suspected cholera. "I met one mother of two who has acute diarrhoea and she told me her whole family is affected because they dont have access to clean water any more. "They all drink from an open well and dont even have enough money to buy cooking gas needed to boil the contaminated water they collect. "Her husband hasnt been paid a salary since last year. "She knows shes putting her childrens health at risk. But what can she do when they cry from thirst? So they just drink, and hope for the best. Cholera is transmitted through contaminated food or water. Access to clean water is crucial for bringing a cholera outbreak under control. Patients are treated with rehydration and antibiotics. In August, Britain expressed "deep concern" when at least 50 people were killed in the attack on a market in Saada. More than half of the victims were children as one missile hit a school bus . Over half a million people have been displaced from their homes in Hodeidah since June, according to UN figures. Yemen is the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 22.2 million people in need of assistance. If you ever coming to Estonia and are into architecture, then I suggest you to also visit beach town Parnu, as it has an incredible variety of different styles of architecture from middle ages to the very modern urban buildings. I myself love more this kind of architecture pictured here. Parnu never stops surprising. Labels: beauty, calm, love, Parnu, structure, summer Sirius Real Estate has acquired a business park in the northeast of Mannheim for a total of 9.62m, reflecting an EPRA net initial yield of 6.0%. The German business parks operator funded the acquisition using a combination of capital raised from its March placing and proceeds from asset disposals. With a gross lettable area of 15,000 square metres, made up of office and warehouse space, the park is currently 68.9% leased to 57 tenants and produces an annual net operating income of 576,000. In addition to the 75.5m in acquisitions completed by Sirius so far in 2018, the company has also entered into an exclusivity agreement to acquire a further 59.7m of assets and told investors on Tuesday it was "close" to completing the deployment of the 100m of acquisition capability it had discussed with shareholders in its year-end results. Chief executive Andrew Coombs, said: "This acquisition plays to the strengths of our integrated business model and track record of achieving efficiencies at sites we acquire in and around markets where we already have existing business parks." As of 0950 BST, Sirius shares had inched ahead 0.32% to 62.80p. BMW and Toyota have reiterated the dangers of the UK crashing out of the European Union without a deal. Toyota, the worlds most profitable car manufacturer, produces around 600 cars a day, five days a week, in the UK, and last year announced a 240m investment in its Burnaston plant. The Derbyshire factory makes the Auris model for the European market, with around 87% of the 144,000 vehicles produced last year exported into the EU. The plant currently employs 2,500 people. But last week Toyota warned it might be forced temporarily mothball the factory if there was a no-deal Brexit, as its supply chain which relies on parts regularly being shipped from mainland Europe to the UK would be hampered by tariffs. And today, Toyotas Europe president Johan van Zyl warned that longer-term, investment into the UK would be at risk if there was a no-deal Brexit. Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, he told reporters that if Toyota was unable to sell into the EU tariff free, it would affect UK operations and therefore hit long-term investment plans for the country. Also warning of the risks of a no-deal Brexit was BMW. The German car group owns the Mini brand and builds the majority of them at a plant in Oxford, where it employs 4,500 people. But as with Toyota, its production line relies heavily on regular imports of parts from mainland Europe. Speaking in Paris, BMW chief executive Harald Krueger said he saw a 50:50 chance of Britain leaving the bloc without a trade deal. He told reporters that a hard Brexit meant both sides are losers. We will no longer fulfil trade agreements and then we are forced to build the car in the Netherlands. Hard Brexit is currently not our main scenario but we are preparing for it. We see a 50:50 chance. Theresa May is set to offer the EU a significant concession regarding the UKs future relationship with the bloc in an attempt to unlock a Brexit deal. The Prime Minister would be willing to limit Britains ability to strike free-trade deals after Brexit with other countries and remain tied to European customs rules on goods after the transition period ends in December 2020. It will also accept the demand that goods entering Northern Ireland comply with European standards to avoid a hard border with the Republic and finally reach a deal with the EU on the issue. In return, the government wants the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, to be allowed to remain within the EUs customs bloc. May said she will set forward new proposals "because the plan the European Union put forward is not acceptable to us," May told BBC radio. "Because the plan the European Union has put forward is one that effectively keeps Northern Ireland in the customs union and ensures that effectively there is a customs border down the Irish sea." Nevertheless, this proposal could anger Brexiters, who are fighting for a clean break from the EU to be able to sign trade deals with other countries and freely without following the blocks rules. Mays new proposal would have the UK aligned with the EU until a mutually acceptable technological solution to the Irish border problem is found. EU diplomats recently rejected Mays conference pitch that Brussels should be the first to move to break the deadlock in negotiations. The European Commission president said that it was a pity that the British public were only finding out now about the scale of the problems caused by Brexit. According to the Guardian, the EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, is drafting a non-binding political declaration on the future relationship with the UK. He is also adding improved proposals on the Irish backstop. Barnier also gave Raab a detailed briefing of the EUs objections to the centrepiece of the Chequers economic plan, allowing free movement of goods between the EU and UK: The UK proposal would lead to a diversion of trade and investment in the UKs favour and to the disadvantage of member states business, stated the unpublished document according to The Guardian. MIGRATION POLICY POST-BREXIT On Tuesday, the Prime Minister also promised the UK would have control of its immigration policy for the first time in decades after Brexit. The prime minister said low-skilled immigration will fall under a new visa system where it is "workers' skills that matter, not where they come from". This means that EU citizens will no longer be given priority to live and work in Britain. May said: "The new skills-based system will make sure low-skilled immigration is brought down and set the UK on the path to reduce immigration to sustainable levels, as we promised. At the same time we are training up British people for the skilled jobs of the future." The government put out proposals overnight, following a report from the Migration Advisory Committee that recommended high-skilled workers are given priority over visa applications from low-skilled workers, based on an immigration policy that had a level playing field for EU nationals and applicants from other countries. A white paper detailing how the new system will work will be published this autumn, ahead of an Immigration Bill next year, the press release said, with different airport queues for short-stay business trips and tourists and for those who want to live and work for longer in the UK. "All security and criminal records checks would be carried out in advance of visits, cutting down red tape for travellers. These in-country security checks would be a similar system of prior authorisation to that operating in the United States. "For those wanting to live and work in the UK longer term, there will be a new immigration system for applicants with the skills that help meet Britains needs. Applicants will need to meet a minimum salary threshold to ensure they are not competing for jobs that could otherwise be recruited in the UK. Successful applicants for high skilled work would be able to bring their immediate family but only if sponsored by their future employers. The proposal said future trade agreements will include agreements on what services are delivered and numbers of students on exchange programmes. Natural gas, gold and cocoa futures all pushed higher on Tuesday, alongside a rally in base metals futures that left some traders at a loss for a convincing explanation. As of 1752 BST, the Bloomberg commodity index was jumping 0.72% to 86.98 even as the US dollar spot index was edging higher by 0.11% to 95.4060. Natural gas futures on NYMEX jumped 2.48% to $3.18/MMBtu, but the rest of the energy was complex was bathed in red. Earlier, citing data from the country's energy ministry, Reuters had reported that Russia's oil output reached 11.36m barrels per day in September, topping American production of roughly 11.1m b/d (as per the latest weekly tally from the DoE), making it the world's top producer. It also marked a post-Soviet record and was higher than 11.247m b/d used as the baseline for Moscow's participation in the 2016 Vienna agreement between the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia to curb their combined output. According to Reuters survey findings, Saudi produced 10.53m b/d of crude oil last month. On a related note, according to Interfax, Russian President Vladimir Putin was set to hold a brief meeting with the Secretary General of oil cartel, OPEC, on Wednesday. Also according to Interfax, OPEC+ countries had not prepared for a sharp rise in crude oil prices and would promise to increase production quickly. Nevertheless traders were expectant ahead of a 4 November deadline for fresh sanctions against Iran. In metals meanwhile, COMEX gold futures for delivery in December also found a bid, tacking-on 1.37% to trade at $1,208.0/oz., possibly on the back of renewed tensions between Beijing and Washington in the South China Sea. Base metals contracts - outside of tin - were also higher, after a wave of buying swept over the market towards 1400 BST, traders at Sucden Financial said, boosting three-month copper futures on the LME by $54 per metric tonne to $6,280 per tonne by the close. "A wave of buying around 2pm London took the market by surprise triggering rallies across the board, possibly fresh money into the markets for Q4? but otherwise hard to call the move." Agriculture futures were little changed for the most part, but ICE-traded cocoa for December delivery did put on 4.92% to $2,088 per metric tonne. Americas global image under the Trump administration remains poor two years into his presidency and well below the ratings seen during Obama's time in office, a new study from Pew Research Center has found. Covering 25 nations, the results of the survey revealed that Trumps international image and confidence in his ability to lead the country were lower than Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping. America's image had worsened since Trumps victory in the 2016 election, with 50% of people holding a favourable opinion of the country but 43% holding a negative view. Global views of Americas role in world affairs were even worse. Large majorities claimed the US did not take into account the interests of their countries when taking foreign policy decisions and that it was now doing less to help solve global issues. Recent US actions, such as Trump's decision to pull the US out of the Paris climate accord and the Iran nuclear deal had sparked tensions with other countries. He was also seen as having triggered a trade war with China even as he alienated allies such as Europe, Canada and Mexico. Just 30% of Germans held a favourable view of the US, down five points from last year, alongside the just 38% of French and 39% of Canadians who said they had a positive view of the States, both of which were also down from last year;s levels. Trade rival China on the other hand obtained a more positive outcome in the survey results, with a median of 70% of the belief that Chinas role on the world stage had grown over the past 10 years. Nevertheless, "despite the unease many feel about the U.S. at the moment, the idea of a U.S.-led world order is still attractive to most. "When asked which would be better for the world, having China or the U.S. as the top global power, people in nearly every country tend to select the U.S., and this is particularly common among some of Chinas Asia-Pacific neighbors, such as Japan, the Philippines, South Korea and Australia." European stocks have started the morning lower, weighed down by renewed concerns around Italy's sovereign debt pile and tracking sharp drops on most Asian bourses overnight on the back of geopolitical tensions between the US and China. At Monday evening's so-called Eurogroup meeting, several finance ministers raised concerns around Italy's proposed budget deficit target of 2.4% of gross domestic product for 2019 announced on 28 September. On a related note, earlier on Monday, the economic head of Italy's League party, Claudio Borghi, said in a radio interview that his country would be better outside of the euro. Against that backdrop, as of 0918 BST the benchmark Stoxx 600 was trading lower by 0.46% or 1.78 points at 382.16, alongside a 0.57% or 70.81 point fall for the German Dax to 12,267.35 while Milan's FTSE Mibtel was retreating by 1.11% or 227.78 points to 20,382.36. In parallel, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Italian government note was higher by 10 basis points at 3.40%, with that on similarly-dated Greek debt up by nine basis points to 4.31%. Euro/dollar meanwhile was slipping 0.45% to 1.15263. Commenting on the price action on Tuesday, Markets.com's chief market analyst, Neilson Wilson, said: "Markets remain very much on edge following last week's budget proposal for a deficit of 2.4%. "Talk of a fresh crisis seems overblown at present, but it does look as though the EU and the Italian government are set for a major clash that will have far-reaching ramifications for the EU and the Italian economy, even if it does look rather like markets are getting overly twitchy over a couple of percentage points in the deficit." Also on Monday evening, the US Navy accused China's military of "unsafe and unprofessional" behaviour at the weekend around one of the reefs occupied by the Asian giant in the South China Sea. Against that backdrop, both Asian stock markets and emerging market currencies saw selling pressure overnight, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng erasing 2.38% to 27,126.38 and Indonesia's rupiah falling past the 25,000 mark for the first time since 1998. The economic calendar was light on Tuesday, with only euro area factory gate prices and Irish unemployment data due out at 1000 BST and 1100 BST, respectively. Later in the session, US Federal Reserve vice-chairman Randal Quarles was set to testify before a Senate committee with his boss, Jerome Powell, set to deliver a speech a few hours afterwards. Akoz Nobel was in the spotlight on Tuesday after the paint-maker said it would return 5.5bn to shareholders following the sale of its speciality chemicals unit. Farther afield, Australia's Latitude Financial, which was part-owned by Deutsche Bank, decided to postpone an initial public offering, partly on account of market conditions. The Baillie Gifford Japan Trust's stock picking paid dividends over its latest financial year as it soundly beat its benchmark. For the year ending on 31 August, the trust posted a 22.1% jump in its net asset value, soundly outperforming the Japanese TOPIX index's 7.8% total return in Sterling terms over the same time horizon. To take note of, the day before, Japan's Nikkei-225 had run-up to its best level in nearly 27 years and the Topix, which includes all companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first section, was also trading at its best levels since late 1991 after a near three decade long sojourn. However, trading on an average forward price-to-earnings multiple of 14, according to Bloomberg data, versus the Nikkei on 17, the Topix was cheaper. Such returns were chiefly due to successful stock selection (10.5%) according to management, with an additional benefit from gearing (1.7%) which at period-end stood at 11% of shareholders' funds. It also benefitted from a drop in the value of Sterling against the Japanese currency over the same period. By period-end, the company had 870.6m under management before deducting 114.5m of bank loans. Chairman Nick Bannerman stressed that the trust's strategy remained focused on the long-term, pointing to its "impressive" five and 10-year record, highlighting that it had a bumber of successes in the Internet area during the year, including with online broker SBI, internet advertiser CyberAgent and internet investor Digital Garage. The trust said it had sold eight holdings and bought eight new ones over the course of the year, including Katitas and Mercari, both of which were purchased when they listed. During the period, it had also managed the departure of Sarah Whitley, on 30 April, who left after having managed the company's portfolio since 1991, who was succeeded by Mathew Brett and Praveen Kumar. It also moved out of a revenue reserve deficit and into a revenue reserve surplus of 475,000, which the company said it would distribute in full in order to maintain investment trust status, supplemented by a "small" distribution from its realised capital reserves. "In future, the intention is not to make distributions from capital as the Board is firmly of the view that capital growth remains the focus of the Company," the trust said in a statement. A final dividend of 0.60p per share was declared, versus zero in 2017. As of 1044 BST, shares of the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust, which had joined the FTSE 250 in march, were off by 0.23% to 864.0p. Hill, who began her career as a petroleum engineer with more than a decade at BP, before following this with long stints at Shell and BG Group. She has most recently been technical director for UAE-based Dana Gas, responsible for managing global operations. The FTSE 250-listed oil and gas producer, which has operations offshore Israel and Greece, said highlighted her experience around the world, with extensive expertise in the technical and commercial aspects of the petroleum business, in particular development and production projects. Mathios Rigas, chief executive of Energean, said: "Iman is a highly experienced oil and gas professional with a proven track record and we are delighted to welcome her to the team. She brings a wealth of operational and technical expertise and we look forward to working closely with Iman across all of our global operations as we continue to grow production, profitability and deliver shareholder value." National Grid said a revenue increase agreed with Massachusetts public authorities supports its strategy of continuing ongoing investment across the US business. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities issued its rate case order for National Grid's local gas business, updating terms last agreed in 2010. Effective since the start of October, the new rates allow a return on equity of 9.5% on an equity ratio of 53%, allowing for annual capital investment of $413m. A revenue increase of $56m has been allowed, which was lower than the $87m that National Grid requested and after a $44m adjustment to reflect the lower US tax rate the net revenue increase will be $12m. "The completion of this filing continues our programme of updating rates, and supports the significant ongoing investment across our US business," the FTSE 100 group said. The former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has once again attacked the governments Brexit plans and called on the Prime Minister to "chuck Chequers". Speaking at a packed fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Johnson said the current Chequers Brexit plan was "a cheat". He told delegates: "If we get this wrong, if we bottle Brexit now, believe me, the people of this country will find it hard to forgive. "If we cheat the electorate and Chequers is a cheat we will escalate the sense of mistrust. We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far right." Instead, he argued, the government should revert to Theresa May's earlier Brexit proposals, dubbed the Lancaster House plan after a speech she gave in January 2017. 2Now is the time truly to take back control and make the elegant, dignified and grateful exit the country voted for," he said. "This is the moment and there is time to chuck Chequers." He closed his speech: "I urge our friends in government to deliver what our people voted for, to back Theresa May in the best way possible, by softly, quietly and sensibly backing her original plan." In a wide-ranging speech, Johnson also attacked Labour - accusing the opposition of being a "weaselly cabal" and a "Tony Benn tribute act" - ruled out a second referendum, called for tax cuts and said more homes needed to be built. London's FTSE 100 index had dropped 0.3% by mid afternoon on Tuesday, led lower by Ferguson on the back of results and Royal Mail's profit warning a day earlier. Ferguson fell despite proposing to 're-base' its dividend upwards 10% and lift its final payout 21% ahead of last year, as the plumbing products supplier highlighted its "excellent cash generation and a strong balance sheet". However, reported pre-tax profits fell to $1.1bn from $1.42bn as tough trading conditions continued in the UK, a $122m impairment charge was taken on its stake in Swiss associate Meier Tobler Group and the outlook revealed that the new financial year since 1 August has started well, but that September was a bit slower than August. With the shares having gained 27% over the past 12 months, profit taking was being cited by some traders, while others bemoaned a lack of share buyback. Analysts at Liberum said these were strong results from the company formerly known as Wolseley, with underlying trading profit up 15% to $1.51bn, in line with consensus forecasts, with the US business the main driver of improvement with organic sales growth and improved operating margins. "The UK was a bit worse than expected and the other lines a bit better." Royal Mail was down for the second day after a shock profit warning the previous afternoon, slashing its full year profit guidance on the back of lower letter volumes, a dip in parcel profits and slower progress with cost cutting since resolving industrial action in March as productivity had improved just 0.1% so far. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets were among the many frowning at the numbers on Tuesday, questioning the likelihood that Royal Mail can achieve productivity targets if the current year is just 0.1%. "With wage increases agreed, plus set potential working week cuts, then over 2019-2020 labour productivity needs to rise around 8%-9% cumulative over the next two years. RMG will now need to run even harder to stand still... Therefore to get back on track, without stamp price increases higher than anticipated, the company will need to work even harder. To us, this is ambitious and we see a high risk that the impact of the present miss becomes hard to claw back from." RBC and JPMorgan Cazenove both cast doubt on the future of the progressive dividend. Just Eat was among the main fallers in the wake of Deliveroo results the day before. Investors are concerned about Deliveroo's expansion plans, having spent 100m developing its business last year. Standard Chartered was continuing the decline begun the day before when Bloomberg reported that the Asia-focused bank could be fined $1.5bn by US authorities over Iran sanctions, 50% larger than the previous estimate of $1bn. Morgan Stanley said it did not think StanChart had made any provisions for a new fine, with the figure of $1.5bn representing around 55 basis pints of risk-weighted assets or 4% of tangible book value, leaving CET1 at 14%. "This will still be strong but may raise questions over pace of dividend increase for 2018e," analysts said. Lower US yields, on the back of Italian government debt worries, were good news for utilities, sending defensive stocks including SSE and United Utilities to the top of the leaderboard, along with Imperial Brands and British American Tobacco, who were also benefitting from the weakness in the pound. Oil giants BP and Shell were on the front foot as Brent crude hovered around $85 a barrel. Shell also gave the green light to proceed with a major liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Canada where it has a a 40% working interest. Construction will start immediately with first LNG expected before the middle of the next decade. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,472.63 -0.31% FTSE 250 (MCX) 20,288.90 -0.55% techMARK (TASX) 3,491.67 -0.37% FTSE 100 - Risers SSE (SSE) 1,142.00p 1.29% Imperial Brands (IMB) 2,672.00p 1.21% United Utilities Group (UU.) 712.40p 1.08% Evraz (EVR) 574.00p 1.02% Shire Plc (SHP) 4,589.50p 1.01% Sainsbury (J) (SBRY) 319.80p 0.98% BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,685.60p 0.91% British American Tobacco (BATS) 3,528.50p 0.73% Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 7,079.00p 0.64% BP (BP.) 598.50p 0.54% FTSE 100 - Fallers Ferguson (FERG) 6,135.00p -6.03% Royal Mail (RMG) 369.10p -5.70% Just Eat (JE.) 641.60p -4.04% Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,491.00p -2.92% Melrose Industries (MRO) 194.30p -2.68% Ashtead Group (AHT) 2,380.00p -2.38% Pearson (PSON) 869.80p -2.09% Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,490.00p -1.72% Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) 299.90p -1.51% Informa (INF) 745.20p -1.48% FTSE 250 - Risers Saga (SAGA) 135.73p 4.01% Premier Oil (PMO) 143.83p 2.66% LondonMetric Property (LMP) 184.10p 2.51% Ferrexpo (FXPO) 204.20p 2.05% Energean Oil & Gas (ENOG) 598.00p 2.05% Hochschild Mining (HOC) 161.55p 1.76% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 105.60p 1.64% Polymetal International (POLY) 614.00p 1.62% Hunting (HTG) 816.38p 1.54% Spire Healthcare Group (SPI) 149.00p 1.43% FTSE 250 - Fallers Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 55.05p -5.49% Ashmore Group (ASHM) 353.40p -3.65% Virgin Money Holdings (UK) (VM.) 367.50p -3.44% CYBG (CYBG) 308.80p -3.38% Indivior (INDV) 187.05p -3.21% Equiniti Group (EQN) 250.00p -3.10% IP Group (IPO) 126.40p -2.77% TalkTalk Telecom Group (TALK) 116.40p -2.68% Spirax-Sarco Engineering (SPX) 7,165.00p -2.45% OneSavings Bank (OSB) 400.20p -2.39% London's FTSE 250 was down 0.64% at 20,270.76 in afternoon trade on Tuesday. Thomas Cook was the big faller in afternoon trade on Tuesday as its target price was cut from 100p to 65p at Berenberg, though the broker upgraded its outlook from 'sell' to 'hold'. The travel agent is the second worst performing stock in the FTSE 350 so far this year, coming in just ahead of Indivior, with its share price dropping by 53% since the start of January. Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank owner CYBG saw its shares dip after being handed a 'sell' rating and a 311p price target from UBS. The broker, which said that the UK banking market is experiencing high competition for both loans and deposits in an easy credit supply cycle, pointed out that CYBG has a number of commonalities with other challenger banks such as a weak deposit base, declining margins, slowing loan growth and high reliance on Bank of England funding. "This has led the bank to scale up its operations through the acquisition of Virgin Money. In our view, this is unlikely to address these issues, and we forecast declining earnings from FY21e, despite our expectation of deal synergies," said the broker. Virgin Money Holdings fell also, with much of the banking and wider financial sector stocks amid worries about Italian government debt. OneSavings Group was also in the red. Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air was down despite having reported 17.5% year-on-year rise in September passenger numbers to 3.1m. It was carried lower along with easyJet as investors had renewed worries about the sector after Ryanair's profit warning and the high price of oil. Oilers dominated the top risers in afternoon trading on Tuesday, with Premier Oil, Energean Oil and Gas, Hunting and Wood Group all higher after oil prices hit new four-year highs, having risen by around 18% since the middle of August. Brent crude was up around $85 a barrel and WTI topping $75. Energean Oil & Gas also benefited from the appointment of 30-year oil and gas industry veteran Iman Hill as its new chief operating officer. Chief executive Mathios Rigas said: "Iman is a highly experienced oil and gas professional with a proven track record and we are delighted to welcome her to the team. She brings a wealth of operational and technical expertise and we look forward to working closely with Iman across all of our global operations." Over 50's services company Saga was on the rise after being upgraded to buy with a 150p target price at UBS, thanks to supportive trends and recovering sentiment. The company's recent interim results, which were released last Thursday, showed that the outfit's travel division put in a strong performance in the first half of the year, though insurance profits slipped as the company upped its spending to rebuild market share. Gold miner Centamin was also on the up as the price of the commodity rose amid jitters surrounding Italys financial picture filtering into broader financial markets. James Fisher was down despite a 15-point climb in the Baltic Dry Index, reaching 1570 points. Market Movers FTSE 250 (MCX) 20,270.76 -0.64% FTSE 250 - Risers Premier Oil (PMO) 145.20p 3.85% Saga (SAGA) 134.80p 3.43% Energean Oil & Gas (ENOG) 603.10p 2.92% Ferrexpo (FXPO) 205.50p 2.65% LondonMetric Property (LMP) 183.30p 2.06% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 105.70p 1.92% Hunting (HTG) 820.50p 1.87% Syncona Limited NPV (SYNC) 295.31p 1.83% Mediclinic International (MDC) 440.00p 1.76% Wood Group (John) (WG.) 797.00p 1.63% FTSE 250 - Fallers Thomas Cook Group (TCG) 55.00p -5.32% Fisher (James) & Sons (FSJ) 1,822.00p -5.01% Virgin Money Holdings (UK) (VM.) 363.99p -4.36% CYBG (CYBG) 306.40p -4.13% Ashmore Group (ASHM) 353.40p -3.60% Ascential (ASCL) 410.40p -3.30% Dixons Carphone (DC.) 161.80p -3.22% OneSavings Bank (OSB) 398.60p -2.88% Wizz Air Holdings (WIZZ) 2,565.00p -2.77% IP Group (IPO) 126.60p -2.62% "Have you registered to vote?" Chances are if you are a student at the University of North Georgia (UNG), you have heard this phrase multiple times this week from different students in a variety of high-traffic areas. UNG student groups such as the Student Government Association, the Politically Incorrect Club, the Political Science Student Association (PSSA), the History Club, and the Debate Club, along with the statewide organization Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO), have been manning tables during the lunch and dinner hours to register students 18 and older to vote in this year's election. It's no coincidence student groups have pushed voter registration in recent weeks. First, National Voter Registration Day was Tuesday, Sept. 25. Second and more importantly, the final day for eligible voters to register in Georgia is Tuesday, Oct. 9. Jeremy Crofts, a 19-year-old freshman from Dahlonega, Georgia, plans to vote in his first election this year. The film and digital media major stopped to pick up a voter registration packet Sept. 25 in the Nesbitt building. "I was curious what we are voting on this time, so I can do some research and determine how I will vote," Crofts said. Members of the Politically Incorrect Club on UNG's Gainesville Campus obliged him. They explained this year is the mid-term elections when Congressional seats 35 of 100 U.S. senators and all 435 U.S. representatives are up for election but the president is not. Georgia also will elect a new governor, as Gov. Nathan Deal is limited to two terms. "And it is easy," said Jeffrey Yaun, president of the Politically Incorrect Club. "All you have to do is fill out the form, fold it in half and put it the mail. You don't even need a stamp." Crofts plans to vote. "I've never voted before," he said. "I'm very excited about it." As a member of Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, Carlos Galindo, left, encourages University of North Georgia students to register to vote in the Student Center on UNG's Gainesville Campus. To help Crofts and other students make informed decisions, the PSSA clubs on the Cumming and Dahlonega campuses have been hosting open forums on the trending and hot-button issues. Dr. Stephen Northam, lecturer of political science and adviser of the PSSA on the Cumming Campus, explained he sticks to topics rather than candidates. "In my personal opinion, when we focus on the candidate it gets into characteristics of the person and whether the person likes or dislikes him or her," he said. "We lose focus on what the candidate has to say about the issue. When it gets down to finger-pointing, then it loses the open forum of sharing ideas and respect for the other person." Open forums get students talking about the issues, though it is not showing up in the ballot box. But it isn't because 18-year-olds to 29-year-olds don't vote. It is because many aren't registered to vote. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, 49 million young people are eligible to vote while 39 million senior citizens are eligible to vote. However, youth voter registration rates are much lower than older age groups' rates. UNG sophomore Trey Young thinks some students don't vote because many see the federal government as corrupt, leading them to be cynical about voting. "And it's easy to say Congress doesn't do anything," the 20-year-old from Albany, Georgia, said. "But it's more complex than that." Young knows that first-hand. He worked for U.S. Rep. Henry "Hank" Johnson, who represents the Fourth District of Georgia, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., this past summer. And Young got a real behind-the-scenes look at Congress in motion. Armed with the knowledge, the communications major with a concentration in journalism plans to encourage everyone he knows to vote in the November mid-term elections. "It is important to vote because that's how a democracy works," Young said, "Public policy will impact your life in a number of ways." On Sept. 30, the University of North Georgia (UNG) Boar's Head Brigade held the 2018 Distinguished Military Students (DMS) Review, which is conducted annually to honor senior ROTC cadets who have excelled academically and as leaders. "UNG and the U.S. Army ROTC program are honored to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the 2018 DMS recipients," said Col. Joshua D. Wright, the professor of military science at UNG. "All have worked extremely diligently to earn this very special recognition. We could not be more proud of each and every one of them." To be selected, a cadet must be in the upper half of the academic class, the upper third of the ROTC class, and the upper third of UNG's Order of Merit List, established by the professor of military science. Additionally, cadets are chosen on the basis of interest and aptitude for military service and outstanding qualities of leadership and high moral character as demonstrated by participation and achievement in campus, civic and military activities. This year's DMS honorees were: Connor Bane, Lauren Bell, Christopher Bissett, Hunter Blocher, Jasper Bridgeman Jr., Henry Crawford, Terry Ellis, Tyler Farney, Matthew Ilao, Evan Myers, Nolan Olson, Dylan Richards, Robert Rogers, Jacob Starrett, Charlotte Walton, Yusemi Wheeler, and Matthew Williams. Bridgeman, Crawford and Wheeler are studying abroad and were not present at the ceremony. Maj. Gen. Joe Jarrard, adjutant general of the Georgia Department of Defense, was the guest speaker for the DMS Review. Jarrard is a 1988 graduate of UNG and served on active duty for more than 20 years. Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Jarrard to his current role in 2014. The event moved indoors to the Convocation Center due to rainy weather. The cadets and their families were honored Sept. 29 during the annual DMS Banquet. The DMS Review and Banquet were part of the third annual Boar's Head-Corps Alumni Weekend, which brings together current and former cadets. Sponsored by the North Georgia Corps of Cadets Association (NGCCA), the weekend included networking and mentoring sessions by alumni in specific career areas. Sessions were designed to give future graduates additional knowledge about the pathways for their chosen pursuits. The NGCCA presented a memorialized saber called "Keeper of the Corps" to Farney, the current Boar's Head Brigade commander, during the awards presentation at the DMS Review. "This signifies the strong bond between former and current members of the Boar's Head Brigade and indicates the strongest support and best wishes to the Brigade commander and his cadre for a successful year leading the Corps of Cadets," said Alan Ware '77, chairman of NGCCA. Retired U.S. Army Maj. Jeff Struecker spoke Sept. 28 at the Convocation Center to start the weekend. Struecker was part of the Army's Elite 75th Ranger Regiment that fought in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia, which inspired the movie "Black Hawk Down." The brain-eating amoeba that killed New Jersey resident Fabrizio Stabile, 29, this month is known as Naegleria fowleri. Now, it's been found in the water system near Shreveport, in Louisiana, Fortune News reported. KTBS said that the dangerous amoeba's presence was made known to Water system officials after routine testing. The feed from Bossier City into the Sligo water system contained the deadly organism. Testing for brain-eating organism carried out at Texas wave pool The wave pool brain-eating amoeba scare came after Fabrizio Stabile fell ill soon after visiting the BSR Cable Park's Surf Resort in Waco. According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, the "facility voluntarily closed Friday," so that testing could be done to find any connection between his death and his visit. The News outlet cited Associated Press as saying that the test results could be out sometime this week. Louisiana water gets 'chlorine burn' treatment The recent news means that public attention is on the safety of water systems like those in Louisiana. The organism causes an infection in the brain and, while rare, it's noted that 97 per cent of victims die from it. For this reason, KTBS reported that water officials near Shreveport stopped using the "water from Bossier City." They noted that a "60-day chlorine burn will take place. This means that they will chlorinate the water at a much higher level, although it is still at a safe level for humans. Naegleria fowleri can survive in swimming pools The brain-eating organism, Naegleria fowleri, can survive in chlorinated swimming pool water. The CDC notes that you won't get the infection if you drink the water. Discuss this news on Eunomia However, if it gets into the head through swimming activities, it can take hold and the outcome is usually very grim. Their website explains that the organism causes a "primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)." They added that it is usually found in rivers, lakes, and soils. Reported infections are more commonly associated with diving and swimming in lakes and rivers than in swimming pools. However, improperly chlorinated swimming pools have caused deaths in the past. They report that the organism can get into the brain when water is forced up the nose. Symptoms of brain-eating amoeba infections include fever The CDC list the symptoms of an infection from the organism. They appear in two stages and the first stage includes fever, a bad frontal headache, and nausea and vomiting. The second stage progresses through from stiffness in the neck, to seizures, hallucinations and coma. Eventually, it leads to death more often than not. However, they note that the USA has had some survivors. "During the summer of 2013, two children with Naegleria fowleri infection survived." In 2016 another teen also survived after treatment. Vietnam affirms its role through the 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits Maury Strauss, a Roanoke businessman and a longtime community benefactor, has made a $1 million gift to the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI), announced Michael J. Friedlander, executive director of the institute and Virginia Techs vice president for health sciences and technology. The gift will ensure Roanoke-Blacksburg area residents will continue to learn about cutting-edge research discoveries directly from some of the worlds top scientists at the VTCRIs Distinguished Public Lecture Series the institutes hallmark outreach event. Renamed the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series, the new season begins Thursday with a presentation by Anthony Rosenzweig, the chief of the cardiology division of Massachusetts General Hospital, who looks at the cellular and molecular effects of exercise to see what they can teach us about treating heart disease. Roanoke has been my home since 1937, said Strauss, the founder of the Strauss Development Corp., a real estate development firm. I love the community and I made my living here, so I decided it was time to give back. Ive always been impressed with the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. It is a driving force, bringing these wonderful scientists to Roanoke and boosting the economy. In the process of attending lectures and events at the VTCRI since it opened in 2010, Strauss met Friedlander, Friedlander's wife Sandra, and some of the institutes other top scientists, such as Sharon Landesman Ramey and Craig Ramey Roanoke Citys chief science officers. We are extremely grateful for Mr. Strauss support for the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and his view of its role as a driving force in the Roanoke Valley. It is very fitting that the institutes premier lecture series should be named in his honor, Friedlander said. On behalf of myself, my wife Sandra, Virginia Tech, the entire VTCRI and most importantly, the entire community, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Strauss and his family. His gift is very humbling, and it challenges us to work even harder to understand and solve some of the most pressing scientific and health care questions in the nation and to continue to connect to the community at large that has welcomed and embraced our faculty, staff, and students at the VTC Research Institute. The gift to the VTCRI is not the first the Strauss family, which includes his late wife, Sheila, and their children Lesleigh Strauss, Steve Strauss, and Marc Strauss, has made to benefit the area. In 1968, the family conveyed 26 acres to the County of Roanoke for a recreational area long known as Strauss Park and Garst Mill Park, donated by Maury L. and Sheila Strauss. In addition, Strauss is a supporter of Virginia Western Community College. His dedication to arts and culture in Roanoke spans a broad spectrum, including support for the Taubman Museum of Art, The Jefferson Center, Roanoke Childrens Theatre (which he helped establish), Opera Roanoke, Temple Emanuel, and Mill Mountain Theatre. Through Strausss generosity, the Taubman has created the Sheila and Maury L. Strauss Art Venture Endowment. Most recently, Strauss was honored in the Arts category at this years Perry F. Kendig Arts and Culture Awards, co-sponsored by Hollins University and Roanoke College Among his accomplishments, Strauss has served as a commissioner of the Virginia Public Building Authority; president of the Roanoke Valley Homebuilders Association and the Virginia Homebuilders Association; and as director, executive committee member, and president of Mill Mountain Theatre. He received his bachelors degree in commerce from the University of Virginia. Tuesday, October 2, 2018 From the web page of the Ohio Supreme Court per Dan Trevas The Ohio Supreme Court today suspended a Cincinnati attorney who misrepresented to the Court why he failed to meet the deadline to appeal his clients 25-year prison sentence. The Supreme Court voted 4-3 for a one-year suspension of Clyde Bennett II based on four violations of the rules governing the conduct of Ohio lawyers. The Board of Professional Conduct recommended a six-month suspension for the violations, all of which stem from the representation of a single client. The per curiam majority opinion stated the harsher sentence was justified because this was the second time Bennett has been suspended by the Court for actions involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. Bennett was indefinitely suspended in 2010 based on a 2007 federal conviction for which he received a two-year prison sentence. Chief Justice Maureen OConnor and Justices Terrence ODonnell, Patrick F. Fischer, and Mary DeGenaro joined the opinion. Justices Sharon L. Kennedy, Judith L. French, and R. Patrick DeWine dissented without a written opinion. The three justices indicated they would have suspended Bennett for six months. Attorney, Client Unclear About Representation Terms John Kelley was convicted of attempted murder and felonious assault in January 2014 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. The First District Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in December 2014. Kelley had 45 days until Feb. 2, 2015 to appeal the decision to the Ohio Supreme Court. In January 2015, Kelleys mother asked Bennett to represent her son, and Bennett agreed to do it for a $5,000 flat fee. He did not put the agreement in writing or inform the clients that he did not intend to begin work on the case until he was paid the full fee. Kellys mother paid $2,500 in mid-January. Bennett filed a notice of appearance in the case and began some preliminary work after receiving half the fee, but he did not consider that work to have commenced representation. Bennetts legal strategy was to first pursue appeals in state court, then in federal court. Believing that Kelleys direct appeal of his sentence would be unsuccessful, Bennett determined that Kelley would be better served by seeking postconviction relief in state court. If that was unsuccessful, he could then pursue a habeas corpus petition in federal court. Bennett did not file the direct appeal with the Supreme Court by the Feb. 2 deadline, and did not discuss his strategy with Kelley when he met with him shortly after that deadline. Bennett eventually received another $1,000 from the clients and determined he had been paid enough to begin representing Kelley. A month after the deadline for Kelleys direct appeal, Bennett filed a one-page motion with the Supreme Court seeking to file a delayed appeal. In his affidavit to support his request, he stated that was not retained by Kelley until several days after the expiration of the 45-day deadline. He also stated the family could not pay the funds to hire him until after the appeal deadline had passed. Appeal Strategy Concealed from Client Bennett has acknowledged his affidavit intentionally omitted relevant information and was misleading. He indicated he made the omissions to mislead a federal court considering the habeas petition to believe that he made an unsuccessful good faith attempt to appeal Kelleys sentence in state court. Bennett did not send a copy of the motion to Kelley or his family, nor did he disclose his purported legal strategy. Kelleys mother made two more $500 payments to Bennett in April and May 2015. Within days of the final payment, the Supreme Court declined to accept a delayed appeal, and Bennett sent a note to Kelly informing him that the case was denied. This concludes my representation of you, Bennetts note stated. Bennett indicated the next legal step was to pursue the federal habeas petition and that he would represent Kelley and his family if they continued to make payments. Client Files Complaint Kelley did not respond to repeated communications from Bennett and filed a grievance with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. The disciplinary counsel filed a complaint with the professional conduct board in December 2016 charging Bennett with multiple rule violations during his representation of Kelley. Based on stipulations of the parties and evidence presented at a board panel hearing, the board found Bennett violated four rules, and dismissed the other three charges. The violations included Bennetts failure to keep a client reasonably informed about a matter; charging and accepting a flat fee without informing the client of the potential for a refund if the representation was not completed; and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. Court Reviews Circumstances When considering a proposed sanction, the Court examines aggravating circumstances that could increase the punishment for a lawyer and mitigating factors, which could lead to a reduced penalty. The board found the misconduct caused harm to Kelley, depriving him of a direct appeal and creating additional procedural hurdles in his quest for federal habeas relief. The board also indicated it could not reconcile Bennetts testimony regarding his legal strategy with his actions. After receiving $4,500, he filed a single one-page motion and told Kelley the representation was complete without even telling him about the possibility of a further challenge to the conviction in state court. The Court did consider that Bennett displayed a cooperative attitude during disciplinary proceedings and presented strong evidence of his character and reputation from a significant number of lawyers and judges. However, the opinion noted that few of the letters of support suggested the authors had specific knowledge of the misconduct alleged in Bennetts handling of Kelleys case. Bennett also paid $4,500 in restitution to Kelleys family, and accepted responsibility for his misconduct. Court Evaluates Proposed Sanction In recommending a six-month suspension, the board cited six cases in which the Court imposed one-year suspensions with six month stayed for attorneys, like Bennett, who made false or misleading statements to a court. The opinion noted that only one of the attorneys disciplined in those cases had a prior disciplinary record and that none had a prior violation involving misrepresentation. The opinion stated that when a prior attempt at discipline proves ineffective, then further safeguards should be imposed on a lawyer or the lawyer should be removed from practice. The Court stated Bennett had a prior indefinite suspension for engaging in dishonest conduct that resulted in a two-year prison term, and then he engaged in additional dishonesty and misrepresentation four years after being reinstated. Therefore we conclude that his misconduct warrants a greater sanction than the six-month suspension recommended by the board or the one-year with six months stayed on conditions that we imposed in the cases relied upon by the board, the Court stated. 2018-0252. Disciplinary Counsel v. Bennett, Slip Opinion No. 2018-Ohio-3973. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/10/from-the-web-page-of-the-ohio-supreme-court-the-ohio-supreme-court-today-suspended-a-cincinnati-attorney-who-misrepresented.html Noam Chomsky in The Intercept: Prisons are reminiscent of Tolstoys famous observation about unhappy families: Each is unhappy in its own way, though there are some common features for prisons, the grim and stifling recognition that someone else has total authority over your life. My wife Valeria and I have just visited a prison to see arguably the most prominent political prisoner of today, a person of unusual significance in contemporary global politics. By the standards of U.S. prisons Ive seen, the Federal Prison in Curitiba, Brazil, is not formidable or oppressive though that is a rather low bar. It is nothing like the few Ive visited abroad not remotely like Israels Khiyam torture chamber in southern Lebanon, later bombed to dust to efface the crime, and a very long way from the unspeakable horrors of Pinochets Villa Grimaldi, where the few who survived the exquisitely designed series of tortures were tossed into a tower to rot one of the means to ensure that the first neoliberal experiment, under the supervision of leading Chicago economists, could proceed without disruptive voices. Nonetheless, it is a prison. More here. Ray Monk in New Statesman: The Nietzsche scholar Walter Kaufmann told a story of how, in 1952, just two years after publishing his ground-breaking book, Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist, he visited the Cambridge philosopher CD Broad at Trinity College. During their conversation, Broad mentioned someone by the name of Salter. Was that, Kaufmann asked, the Salter who had written a book on Nietzsche? Dear no, Broad replied, he did not deal with crackpot subjects like that; he wrote about psychical research. In the years immediately before, during and just after the Second World War, Nietzsches reputation in the English-speaking world was at its lowest, largely owing to the fact that his work had been, with the support of his virulently anti-Semitic sister Elisabeth, appropriated by the Nazis. In their hands, Nietzsches notion of the Ubermensch (I prefer to use the original German than any of the published translations; superman sounds silly, and beyond-man and overman do not sound like natural English) became associated with notions of Aryan racial superiority, while his idea of the will to power was used to justify militarism and authoritarianism. In the chapter on Nietzsche in his History of Western Philosophy, published in 1946, Bertrand Russell went some way towards correcting some of these Nazi-led misunderstandings, emphasising that Nietzsche was far from being a nationalist, a racist, a worshipper of the state, or a German supremacist (his writings are in fact full of anti-German sentiment). Russell, however, could not free himself from his times sufficiently to avoid misrepresenting Nietzsches notion of the will to power. Nietzsches ethic, Russell claims, can be summed up by saying: Victors in war, and their descendants, are usually biologically superior to the vanquished. It is therefore desirable that they should hold all the power, and should manage affairs exclusively in their own interests. Russells chapter ends with a statement that has often been quoted and which helped to shape Nietzsches reputation among English-speaking people for a generation: I dislike Nietzsche because he likes the contemplation of pain because the men whom he most admires are conquerors, whose glory is cleverness in causing men to die. More here. Aberdeen man announces intention to run for U.S. Senate A former university professor and retired military man has announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate. Mustang Resources Ltd ( ASX:MUS ) ( OTCMKTS:MTTGF ) provides the Company's Annual Report to shareholders.Review of OperationsDuring the financial year under review the Company continued with the respective exploration programs for its Montepuez Ruby Project as well the Caula Graphite and Vanadium Project. During the second half of the reporting period, both projects were subjected to a comprehensive internal review and viability analysis of their respective current and future prospects.Montepuez Ruby Project, MozambiqueDuring the first quarter of the financial period under review (July 2017 to September 2017) Mustang's main focus was the generation of stock for sale at its maiden rough ruby tender that was held between 27 and 30 October 2017. Mustang managed to take 405,000 carats to the maiden tender conducted at Port Louis, Mauritius. A total of 29,463 carats of rough rubies were sold and the average realised price was $24.21/ct. Gross sales proceeds of approximately $713,456 were received. As the Company acknowledged at the time, the tender results were disappointing. During 2018 Mustang initiated a comprehensive review of the project and the ongoing exploration, bulk sampling and sales activities were structured in a fashion that enable a quantitative analysis of the costs and revenue generated by the exploration program with the aim of establishing the financial feasibility of the project. A further 46,843 carats of rubies and corundum were subsequently extracted and processed on a quantifiable cost basis as part of the exploration program conducted between January 2018 and 30 June 2018. During the same period 140,411 carats of rubies and corundum were sold for $820,617. The carats sold between January 2018 and 30 June 2018 include stock carried over from the maiden tender.The review and project viability analysis, led by management, was completed during the latter parts of the reporting period and concluded that the project was not economically viable and would require significant further funding to continue exploration and development work with a high level of uncertainty over the future viability of its project.Subsequent to the reporting period, on 17 July 2018, Mustang announced that it had entered into a merger agreement for its Montepuez ruby assets with Fura for approximately (subject to exchange rate) 10.5 million in shares in Fura. Under the terms of the agreement, the shares are to be issued to Mustang in three tranches over 20 months from closing. The agreement contained a commitment by Fura committed to invest $25 million in further exploration and resource definition work on its expanded Montepuez Project over 3 years, subject to continued exploration success.The Company subsequently impaired the carrying value of the Montepuez Ruby Project in the financial report to 30 June 2018 in relation to the project to $3.99 million.Caula Vanadium & Graphite ProjectThe Caula Deposit is located along strike from Syrah Resources' ( ASX:SYR ) world-class Balama graphite project in Mozambique.In November 2017 Mustang announced its maiden JORC compliant Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.4 million tonnes at an average grade of 13.0% TGC for 702,600 tonnes of contained graphite was estimated for the Caula Graphite Deposit. A cut-off grade of 6.0% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC) was used for the estimation and resulted in an estimate of over 700,000 tonnes of contained graphite.During the reporting period drilled, logged, sampled and assay a total of 11 holes for 1,421.5m on the Caula Project as part of its Scoping Study work program and Graphite and Vanadium resource estimation work. The assays include intersections of up to 1.9% vanadium (V2O5) and 28.9% Total Graphitic Carbon (TGC). The results contain multiple high-grade intersections over extensive widths, including 215m at 14.72% TGC average and 0.51% V2O5 average (MODD018).The Vanadium results include:- 125m @ 0.42% V2O5 including 21m @ 0.7% V2O5 (MODD014)- 32m @ 0.82% V2O5 including 14m @ 1.29% V2O5 (MODD018)- 79m @ 0.39% V2O5 including 6m @ 0.55% V2O5 (MODD022)The Graphite results include:- 125m @ 14.1% TGC including 18m @ 19% TGC (MODD014)- 48m @ 17.68% TGC including 13m @ 21.5% TGC (MODD018)- 66m @ 15.41% TGC including 13m @ 17.79% TGC (MODD022)On 25 June 2018 the Company announced metallurgical test work results. Metallurgical test work confirms quality graphite with cumulative proportion of large to super jumbo flakes (>180um) increased from 44% to 60% for the combined Oxide zone while the Fresh zone increased from 55% to 68%. The metallurgical testing done to date has firmly established Caula as being able to yield high percentages Super Jumbo, Jumbo and Large flakes (~68% in the fresh ore) with carbon content up to 98% (average of 97% across all products). This is a significantly better higher-value product distribution than all other peers in the Balama graphite province (including Syrah Resources) and at a high resource grade of 13% TGC. A modified and improved flowsheet design was also developed that allows for integrated vanadium and graphite extraction and high concentrate grades of more than 97% Total Graphitic Carbon have been maintained in the modified flowsheet.Subsequent to the financial year-end, Mustang announced its maiden Vanadium Mineral Resource and upgraded Graphite Mineral Resource. The maiden Vanadium Resource, all in the Measured Category, is 22Mt at 0.37% vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) (0.2% cut-off) for a total of 81,600 tonnes of contained vanadium pentoxide. The upgraded Graphite Resource, in the Measured Category is 21.9Mt at 13.4% TGC (8% cut-off) for a total of 2,933,100 tonnes of contained Graphite.The Company believes that the results of the Scoping Study will support the Board and management's confidence in the potential of both the vanadium and graphite contained in the Caula Project.To view the full Annual Report, please visit:About New Energy Minerals LtdNew Energy Minerals (ASX:NXE) is an ASX listed junior mining company, that recently announced the divestment of the Company's Caula vanadium - graphite project and the Montepuez Ruby project in Mozambique. Contact Managing Director: Mustang Resources Limited Bernard Olivier E: bernard@mustangresources.com.au M: +61-4-08948-182 T: +27-66-4702-979 Media & Investor Relations: Jane Morgan Management Jane Morgan E: jm@janemorganmanagement.com.au T: +61-405-555-618 Managing Director:Mustang Resources LimitedBernard OlivierE: bernard@mustangresources.com.auM: +61-4-08948-182T: +27-66-4702-979Media & Investor Relations:Jane Morgan ManagementJane MorganE: jm@janemorganmanagement.com.auT: +61-405-555-618 WASHINGTON The sexual-assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh have sparked a wave of unbridled anger and anxiety from many Republican men, who say they are in danger of being swept up by false accusers who are biased against them. From President Donald Trump to his namesake son to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the howls of outrage crystallize a strong current of grievance within a party whose leadership is almost entirely white and overwhelmingly male and which does not make a secret of its fear that demographic shifts and cultural convulsions could jeopardize its grip on power. This eruption of male resentment now seems likely to play a defining role in the midterm elections just five weeks away, contrasting with a burst of enthusiasm among women propelling Democratic campaigns and inspired by the national #MeToo reckoning over sexual assault and gender roles. Ive got boys and Ive got girls, and when I see whats going on right now, its scary, Donald Trump Jr., a father of five small children, said in an interview with DailyMailTV aired Monday. Asked whether he was more worried about his sons or daughters, Trump Jr. said, Right now, Id say my sons. The rallying cry was Kavanaughs enraged plea of innocence before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which heard emotional testimony from Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a house in suburban Maryland when he was 17 and she was 15. Trump has defended Kavanaugh and said the accusations by Ford and two other women are unfair to the judge and his family. The president who himself has denied claims of sexual assault by more than a dozen women has repeatedly stood behind other accused men in positions of power, including former Senate candidate Roy Moore after the Alabama Republican was accused of sexual misconduct with teenage girls. The trauma for a man thats never had any accusation hes never had a bad statement about him, Trump told reporters on Monday, sympathizing with Kavanaughs experience. Its unfair to him at this point. What his wife is going through, what his beautiful children are going through is not describable. Veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntz said that among Republicans, There is a feeling of being guilty until proven innocent. In this era of #MeToo, there are a lot of men and some women who believe that justice no longer exists in America, that the accusation is enough to destroy someones career and someones life. That wasnt manifesting itself politically until late last week. Kavanaughs defenders, reflecting widespread feelings among conservatives nationally, are furious about what they see as a broad-brush approach to sexual misconduct allegations. They say the federal judge is being swept up in the #MeToo riptide and unfairly grouped with serial predators such as actor Bill Cosby, who has been accused of sexual assault or harassment by more than 60 women and was sentenced last week to three to 10 years in prison for drugging and assaulting a victim. I think youre trying to portray him as a stumbling, bumbling drunk, gang rapist, who during high school and college was Bill Cosby, Graham said Sunday to host George Stephanopoulos on ABCs This Week. Public opinion on Kavanaugh breaks down along gender lines. Women oppose his confirmation, 55 percent to 37 percent, while men support it, 49 percent to 40 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday. The survey found that 48 percent of American voters most believe Ford, while 41 percent most believe Kavanaugh. In the 2016 election, Trump won 53 percent of men to Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons 41 percent, and he has sought to galvanize these supporters with what he calls a Democratic con job on his handpicked Supreme Court nominee. The movement right has come alive with impassioned defenses of Kavanaugh in recent days. Talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh, whose program for years has largely defined the GOPs white male id, has unleashed a torrent of criticism on the air such as his riff last Friday on militant feminism. These women are angry, Limbaugh said. Something has happened to them in their lives, and their rage and anger, they take it out now on the country or on all men or men in the powerful majority, which is white Christian men and so forth. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter bemoaned the snickering at white men in her syndicated column last week and insisted that there has never been a more pacific, less rapey creature than the white male of Western European descent. Can we please, for the love of God, drop the painfully trite, mind-numbing cliche about white men, as if somehow their whiteness makes evil even eviler? Coulter wrote. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, tweeted after the Kavanaugh hearing that Old white men are relentlessly being racially and generationally profiled by the tolerant Left and that media outlets have almost universally profiled and stigmatized Republican Senators. Jennifer Palmieri, a Democratic strategist and author of Dear Madam President, a book about reimagining women in leadership roles, said the nations fast-changing culture can be unsettling and indeed frightening to men in power. A lot of white men dont know what its like to feel threatened, powerless and frustrated, said Palmieri, former communications director for Clintons campaign. As we go through the reckoning of this lopsided power balance, theres going to be a lot more of this. The Republican Party has long identified with more traditional white males, such as former presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. But strategists say it is now turning more and more toward combative male candidates in the mold of Trump, with allegations of misconduct interpreted by many within the party not as liabilities, but as unfair political attacks. Were a party of angry, older white men at a time when our country is going through tremendous demographic change, said Republican strategist John Weaver said, predicting that the GOP would suffer the consequences in future elections. The sounds and images of angry men could have a lasting impact on the Republican brand. Kavanaughs pitched testimony has quickly gone from must-see live television to cultural touchstone. On NBCs Saturday Night Live over the weekend, actor Matt Damon portrayed Kavanaugh in the shows opening sketch as a beer-guzzling frat boy whose hero was Clint Eastwoods character in Gran Torino,' a 2008 film about an older white man who has contempt for aspects of diversity. The shift in political gravity for Republicans helps explain the searing denouncement by Graham in last weeks Senate hearing. His extraordinary diatribe reenacted on Saturday Night Live by a scowling Kate McKinnon was, in essence, a defense of men who had been stewing about the charges against Kavanaugh. I know Im a single white male from South Carolina and Im told I should shut up, but I will not shut if, if thats okay, Graham said at the hearing, adding that the experience had been hell for Kavanaugh and the most unethical sham since Ive been in politics. Those remarks won Graham a rush of praise from men in his solidly-Republican state and from conservative activists nationally. People say, Lindsey said what I was thinking,' said Katon Dawson, a former South Carolina Republican Party chairman and Graham ally. Thats powerful, and thats all over the country . . . Its become a fairness issue to the people in the hinterlands. They dont think Kavanaugh has been treated fairly. Others, however, saw the cold calculation of a lawmaker playing to stereotypes and raw emotions to gain a political edge. Its not just that white men are allowed to be angry and women are not; its that white mens anger can be used to their benefit, wrote Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Womens Anger. We reflexively understand the anger of white men, especially when used to convey how unfairly theyve been treated, as righteous and correct. Inside the conservative movement and on its fringes, an intense discussion has long been underway about gender and the perceived assault on men. Fox News commentator Ben Shapiro, who hosts a popular podcast and TV program, has been one of the higher profile voices, sharply criticizing a culture where he sees men out in the cold and searching for meaning. The age of emasculation cannot last, Shapiro has written. It will eventually boil over into violence, sink away into irrelevance, or return to traditional mores. Beyond Shapiro, University of Toronto clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson has drawn thousands of young conservative men to his lectures across the United States, railing against the effects of feminism and urging men to speak up for themselves. Boys are suffering in the modern world, he has told his followers. On Reddit, a hugely popular online discussion website, hordes of men, many of them libertarian or Republican, weigh in on forums focused on topics such as mens rights and mens liberation. Some conservative women also have joined the chorus of outrage over what they see as the encroachment of liberal feminism into American life. I disagree with Senator Mazie Hirono, who said men should just shut up. Men deserved to be listened to, said attorney Helgi Walker, a longtime friend of Kavanaugh who worked with him in the White House. Due process means listening to everybody. It doesnt mean men are totally invalidated. The Washington Post Scott Clement contributed to this report. A Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office sergeant accused of fracturing a suspects face will remain free as he faces a felony aggravated battery charge, an Albuquerque judge ruled Monday. David Priemazon, 48, made his first appearance in Metropolitan Court on Monday before Judge Jill Martinez. Priemazon, who has been with BCSO since 2003, is accused of using excessive force against 34-year-old Christopher Lucero on March 19. According to court documents, Lucero had been involved in a pursuit that ended when deputies used an intervention technique causing his vehicle to roll. Court documents say Priemazon kicked Lucero in the face, causing an orbital wall fracture that required hospitalization. A fellow deputy reported the alleged use of excessive force, triggering an internal affairs investigation. The case was later turned over to New Mexico State Police, which issued a warrant for Priemazons arrest. He has been placed on administrative leave. During Mondays hearing, Martinez kept in place a $500 cash bond that Priemazon posted Friday night. Priemazons attorney, Fred Martinez, said Priemazon is working as an armed security guard, and the judge said he would be allowed to possess a gun as he awaits trial. He must seek permission from the court if he plans to leave the state and is prohibited from contacting any witnesses in the case. Martinez declined to comment on the hearing. Priemazon is scheduled for a preliminary hearing next month. CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. Theyre doing it in school bathrooms. In locker rooms. In hallways and on school grounds. The most brazen of the students? Theyre doing it right inside classrooms. Theyre vaping inhaling vapor from electronic cigarettes that often contain highly addictive nicotine, lured by devices that are easy to hide from adults and by flavors such as mango, creme brulee, mint and nectar. The most recent data show that 3 million school-age children including more than 600,000 middle school students have tried vaping. Many are concerned that it could be a gateway to stronger substances, such as regular cigarettes or marijuana. For many teens, it has become the latest way to look and feel cool. Go to YouTube and youll find plenty of videos of teens talking about vaping, about being suspended for vaping, or providing lessons on doing vaping tricks such as making Os with the vapor. Its now the most commonly used tobacco product among young people. Parents, often, are in the dark fooled in part by devices that look like everyday items, such as flash drives and pens. Many have never even heard of vaping or JUULing, as its commonly known among teens. Its a pretty big problem, said John Sobah, 16, a junior at Chippewa Valley High School in Clinton Township and a member of a teen council that works to educate students about the dangers of vaping and other substance abuse. Ive seen a lot of people vaping. It happens at every school. Its increasingly becoming a nemesis of school administrators, who are beefing up policies and treating students who get caught vaping the same as they would students who are caught with regular cigarettes. Many are bringing in outside experts to educate students and parents, while others are creating their own prevention programs. In some districts nationwide, school officials have removed doors from bathroom stalls to deter students from vaping. And its troubling experts who worry about the health effects of the products on the growing brains of teens. There are already data showing that in addition to using the devices to vape nicotine, youth are using them to vape marijuana. The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently declared vaping use among youths an epidemic, threatened to crack down on companies that target their products at young people and launched a campaign to curb use among youths. The U.S. Surgeon General in a 2016 report said it is a major public health concern. Cheryl Phillips has been teaching Vaping 101 classes to students and parents at schools across the region since January. At sessions with parents, she pulls out vaping devices so adults can become familiar. Over and over, we heard that the first time a parent heard about (vaping) was when they got a call from school that their student was being suspended because they were found with paraphernalia, said Phillips, who teaches the classes through her job as coordinator of the Health Exploration Station at St. Joseph Mercy Canton Health Center. THE DATA SHOW THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM: A 2017 study conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that nearly 17 percent of high school seniors had vaped in the previous 30 days. For 10th-graders, it was 13 percent, and for eighth-graders, it was 7 percent. Both sets of numbers were up from the previous year, when a similar but not identical question was asked in the Monitoring the Future study. In that same study, 11 percent of 12th-graders said they had vaped nicotine in the past 30 days, compared with 8.2 percent for 10th-graders and 3.5 percent for eighth-graders. The study also found that 4.9 percent of 12th-graders had vaped marijuana in the previous 30 days, compared with 4.3 percent for 10th-graders and 1.6 percent of eighth-graders. A 2015 National Youth Tobacco Survey concluded that 3 million youths 2.4 million high school students and 620,000 middle school students used e-cigarettes. Of those who used a tobacco product, 16 percent of high school students used e-cigarettes, up from 1.5 percent in 2011, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey. A 2017 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that youth who use e-cigarettes are seven times more likely to move on to smoking regular cigarettes. KIDS VAPE, BUT DONT UNDERSTAND THE CONSEQUENCES: In 2015, the UM survey asked students why theyre using e-cigarettes. The most popular replies among high school seniors: To experiment and see what its like, because it tastes good, because theyre bored and have nothing else to do, to relax or relieve tension, and to have a good time with their friends. The students attitudes worry experts. Theres a big misconception about the dangers of it, Phillips said. When it first came out and became trendy, students really thought it was water vapor that they were inhaling, and there was nothing harmful about it and there was nothing wrong with it. WASCO, Calif. Kira Hinslea wanted to play outside, but she knew she couldnt until her mom checked an air-quality app on her phone. Is it OK? the 6-year-old eagerly asked her mother, Shirley Hinslea, one day late last month. Hinslea gave Kira the green light, and the child beamed with excitement. Yes! Yes! Yes! she yelled, sprinting from the kitchen, across the living room and out to the porch of their mobile home in this small Kern County town. Kiras freedom didnt last long. Within 20 minutes, her throat started to itch and her chest felt heavy, she told her mom. She wearily returned inside and sifted through her backpack for her inhaler. Kira has had severe asthma since she was 2, and the polluted air in the San Joaquin Valley exacerbates her symptoms. Valley residents inhale some of the dirtiest air in the nation, and families know to keep masks in their cars and inhalers within reach and to check the air quality on a daily sometimes hourly basis. But Hinslea questions the air-quality readings. The mobile phone apps she uses to search for conditions in her ZIP code often lag hours behind the real-time data. Occasionally, apps and websites show conflicting readings, she said. Now, local health and environmental groups in the San Joaquin Valley are helping residents like Hinslea get up-to-the-minute air-quality readings by distributing 20 monitors that measure particulate matter. We just dont have all the information we need not at the neighborhood level, said Kevin Hamilton, a respiratory therapist and CEO of the Central California Asthma Collaborative, a nonprofit organization based in Fresno. The regulatory agencies think regionally not at the neighborhood level. Hinslea is enrolled in the collaboratives asthma management program, and it offered her one of the palm-sized devices. She jumped at the opportunity. The monitors cost about $230 and require a Wi-Fi connection. A map showing all active monitors around the world along with their data can be viewed online. For (Kiras) health, I want to have the best, real-time information, said Hinslea, 47, as a staff member from the collaborative mounted the monitor on the side of the house near her front door. Efforts by such nonprofits will supplement a new state law that aims to improve air quality and air-quality monitoring in communities such as Wasco that are heavily affected by air pollution. As part of the law, the California Air Resources Board later this month is expected to name 10 polluted communities chosen to get help from the state to clean up their air. They will each have an air-monitoring system composed of several monitors strategically placed in different neighborhoods. The monitors will track all types of air pollution, including the two most common: ozone, the main ingredient in smog, and particulate matter, which is pollution made up of ash, soot, diesel exhaust and other small particles. The data from these monitoring systems will help communities identify specific pollution sources, such as sprayed pesticides, emissions from local oil refineries and from port operations. Then the California Air Resources Board and regional air districts will devise a plan to reduce those emissions, said Lindsay Buckley, a spokeswoman for the board. More communities will receive monitoring systems in later years. Communities slated to receive monitors in the first round include Shafter (near Wasco), south-central Fresno, Boyle Heights, south Sacramento, San Bernardino, El Centro in Imperial County and portside neighborhoods in San Diego County. The state plans to begin monitoring those communities by next July. Although Wasco is not among the first communities to receive a tracking system from the state, its residents will likely benefit from the data collected and lessons learned in nearby Shafter, Buckley said. Wasco, home to about 26,000 people, takes pride in having the ideal climate for growing roses. It is also a big almond producer. But as more farmers grow almonds, theres more spraying of pesticides, said Gustavo Aguirre Jr., an organizer with the Central California Environmental Justice Network, which is helping distribute the 20 off-the-shelf air monitors. Wasco is surrounded 360 degrees by agricultural production, he said, and the San Joaquin Valley is also a key player in oil and gas production for California. On top of that, were also in the middle of Highways 5 and 99, Aguirre said. So you have this cumulative effect from all these sources of pollution. Wildfire smoke this summer compounded worries over air quality for residents in the region, including Hinslea. Now youve got smoke and dust and just everyday pollution. It can get really bad, she said. You look outside and think, Is it overcast or is it smog? New Mexicos two gubernatorial candidates arent closing the door on open primaries, and thats good news given the high percentage of new voters who are registering as independents in our state. Of the 43,434 newly registered voters from March 2017 through August of this year, 23,380 or nearly 54 percent of those who registered either declined to state a party affiliation or registered as a Libertarian or a minor party. Overall, about 22 percent of the states voters are now declined-to-state voters, commonly referred to as independents. New Mexico has a closed primary system that bars voters who decline to state a party preference from casting ballots. That means that close to one in every four voters is being disfranchised during every primary election elections they help foot the bill for through the taxes they pay. Thats unconscionable, and its wrong given that many races around the state are decided in primary elections because many candidates in New Mexico face no opposition beyond the primary. The courts have previously rejected a constitutional challenge to the current system. Over the years, there have been attempts to change the law to allow independent voters to vote in primaries by, for example, having an independent voter pick the major political party whose primary they want to take part in. Those attempts have failed. But independent voters shouldnt lose hope just yet. Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Democratic nominee for governor, supports opening primaries to independent voters as a way to promote voter participation and broaden the electorate that candidates must appeal to. Congressman Steve Pearce, the Republican nominee for governor, is open to examining the idea of opening up primaries as a way to increase voter participation rates and reduce influence of party insiders. Of course, if history is any indication, the real chore will be convincing state lawmakers that its time to dump our closed state primary system in favor of modified open primaries. As our elected officials are deciding whether they want to go out on a limb on this issue, they should take into consideration the fact that there are more than 273,300 independent voters in our state right now locked out of voting in New Mexico primary elections. Thats simply unacceptable. The current system rewards extreme candidates at the expense of those with centrist appeal, and it perpetuates the party politics that are such a turnoff to many voters. Perhaps thats why many new voters are choosing to be independents rather than Democrats or Republicans. All independents and minor party voters in our state should familiarize themselves with where candidates for the Legislature and secretary of state stand on opening up primaries to those not affiliated with a major political party, and they should take that into consideration when they cast their ballots in the Nov. 6 general election. Now is the time to demand that independent voters finally get a say in primary elections. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Editors Note: This is the third in a series of election stories about 2018 New Mexico races and candidates that started Sunday. Look for more stories in the coming days and weeks leading up to Election Day, including profiles in Wednesdays paper of the candidates running for U.S. Senate. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Democrat Ben Ray Lujan has coasted to victory in his previous five campaigns for a U.S. House of Representatives seat. The incumbent from Nambe, just north of Santa Fe, is running again in the 3rd Congressional District, the states most Democratic. A majority 51 percent of the districts voters are registered Democrats, making it a comfortable political home for Lujan, who serves as chairman of the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Hes never received less than 56 percent of the vote and has garnered at last 61 percent in each of his past three elections. But Lujan is not getting a free pass to another term. Two candidates Republican Jerald Steve McFall and Libertarian Chris Manning are also on the November general election ballot. Everybody has a chance, insists McFall, even as he acknowledges he may be the biggest underdog among the nations House candidates. McFall, a farmer (mostly alfalfa), ski area tech and ski instructor, said that in many parts of the district, his Make America Great Again Trump hat draws cheers and that even in the heavily Democratic Rio Grande Valley, people look around to make sure no ones watching, then tell him, I like your hat. Manning, a veteran served Afghanistan and who works in his familys business that audits nonprofits and school districts, said most people are tired of the politics and partisanship in Washington, D.C., and that hes among those who believe you cant complain if you dont try and change things. Winning against Lujan would be a huge upset, Manning said. But he implied that hes got a long-term plan. I think eventually you have to be willing to run more than once, he said, after building name recognition and a campaign infrastructure the first time around. Lujan, as expected, has an immense fundraising advantage. The Federal Election Commission website shows Lujan has received nearly $1.5 million in total contributions since January 2017 and has spent $1.42 million, including $600,000 in transfers to the DCCC. As of June 30, he had $839,000 in cash on hand. Neither McFall nor Manning shows up as filing any FEC campaign finance reports. The reports arent required if less than $5,000 is raised or spent. Manning said he recently passed the $5,000 threshold and soon will be filing a report showing hes spent about $5,900. McFall said hell exceed the reporting threshold some time this month. Lujan said hes not assuming re-election is in the bag. I have never taken an election for granted, and I have always run my campaign as a competitive race, he said in an email response to Journal questions. This year alone, I have traveled thousands of miles across the district to speak directly to constituents and voters. This is one of the most important elections in our lifetimes, he added, and it is up to all of us to elect leaders that are ready to restore checks and balances in our nation, build our economy, ensure middle-class families have access to affordable, quality health care, and protect our precious land, air, and water that are part of our heritage and economy in New Mexico. Following a path Republican McFall said God put him on the path to run for Congress. He said he believes God used state government to knock him down into homelessness and poverty a decade ago in a child custody dispute, but he fought his way back to a middle-class life by taking multiple jobs and going to school, as a single parent. This path just lit up and I just followed it, he said. McFall started campaigns in prior election cycles, but didnt end up on the ballot. He said now its time for a change in New Mexico and that a growing silent majority supports that idea and knows how well the country is doing under President Trump. He said Democrats have been in charge of the state for nearly a century and as a result were on the bottom of every good list and top of every bad list. He also said he believes theres a lot of dislike of Lujan, in part because of his role in the Democratic Party leadership. McFall said education, poverty and jobs are key issues. We have an army of social workers in this state he said, and they help people get help. Theyre really excellent at that, but what we dont do is help people get off help. Those resources should be retooled to help people get education and training, including help with day care, he said. For those that refuse, there has to be a line where you cut them off, he said. There will always be people in poverty, but it doesnt need to be for generations and for long periods of time, he said. Fiscal conservative Libertarian Manning said hed be willing to work with both Democrats and Republicans to get things done if hes elected. But he said both major parties have been fiscally irresponsible. He said Republicans are supposed to be fiscal conservatives, but have controlled the House for six years and in that time the government deficit has averaged $700 billion. The Democrats, some of them are using that as a talking point yet when theyre in power, theyll have the same thing, a $700- or $800-billion deficit, said Manning. To me, thats an important issue. Every dollar that the government spends, they took that from you in taxes, he said. Manning said hes gotten a good reception on the campaign trail, but a lot of people dont really know what the Libertarian platform is. He said meeting with small groups isnt the most efficient way to get out a message, but sometimes it works. A guy related to Lujan said he was going to vote for me, Manning said. Manning said voters tell him the biggest issue is education. He would support block grant funding for schools that would allow for local control and change to take place without federal and state restrictions. Manning has filed a complaint against Lujan with the House Ethics Committee over financial allegations, including whether the congressman failed to report on required disclosure forms interest income from loans he made to his own campaign. He said he is hiring a forensic accountant to look into that and other issues. When I have stronger footing, I plan on putting (more) out publicly, he said. Q-and-As online: To find out these candidates positions on key issues, go to ABQJournal.com/election2018. The site also includes links to Journal stories on statewide, legislative and county-level races, district maps, key election dates and other voter resources. It will be updated regularly with new candidate profile stories and other information. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 45 pounds of the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl from a man traveling to New York City during an Amtrak train stop in Albuquerque last week. Alfred Galaviz, 54, of Calexico, Calif., was charged after he was questioned by federal agents who searched his luggage. Agents opened the suitcase and found 15 clear plastic, heat-sealed bundles inside that weighed a total of 20.5 kilograms, or 45.2 pounds. Fentanyl is a powerful painkiller drug for cancer patients and some people with chronic pain due to degenerative bone diseases. But it is deadly, and 2 milligrams of the drug can lead to a fatal overdose even among regular opioid users. On the train, Galaviz initially asked a federal agent for help in moving his suitcase. The agent did as he was asked and then watched Galaviz put the black rolling suitcase on a rack in the common luggage area of the train car. Another agent identified himself as a DEA agent and asked Galaviz some questions, including whether he had any luggage. According to a criminal complaint, Galaviz claimed to only have a small duffel bag and when questioned, denied the suitcase was his. Galaviz at first declined to talk to agents and asked for an attorney. But he apparently changed his mind, according to the complaint. Galaviz told agents that he knew that the suitcase contained drugs, which he believed to be marijuana. Galaviz said he was paid $3,000 to transport and deliver the suitcase to New York, the complaint said. After a preliminary hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Yarbrough ordered Galaviz held for trial, which has not been scheduled. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Most of the fentanyl coming into the country enters through the Southwest border, sent by Mexican drug traffickers. They buy it from Chinese manufacturers for $3,000 to $5,000 a kilogram. New Mexico was once one of the top states for drug overdose deaths, mainly due to heroin use, but dropped out of the top 10 when overdose death rates in other states skyrocketed fueled by fentanyl-laced heroin and fentanyl pills disguised as prescription pain medications. Galaviz is being prosecuted as part of the New Mexico Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education Initiative. SANTA FE The attorney for embattled state Rep. Monica Youngblood has disputed the finding by Attorney General Hector Balderas office that Youngblood used her elected position to try to influence police officers during her DWI arrest earlier this year. In a letter sent to an assistant attorney general, lawyer Paul Kennedy of Albuquerque also said it was no coincidence that the AGs office made its determination roughly 40 days before New Mexicos general election. Both Youngbood, a Republican, and Balderas, a Democrat, are seeking re-election to their respective seats in November. Your conclusion that Ms. Youngbloods conviction impairs her fitness to implement important public safety legislation is unfounded and unsupported, Kennedy wrote in his letter, while noting the state Democratic Party had called on the attorney general to investigate Youngbloods actions during the DWI arrest. Youngblood, an Albuquerque Republican who had been touted by a national GOP group as a rising star, was convicted last month of aggravated drunken driving after a daylong trial. She is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday. Assistant Attorney General Dylan Lange informed Youngblood the day after her conviction that the AGs Office had been closely monitoring her case and believes she violated the states Governmental Conduct Act. But Kennedy, who has represented Gov. Susana Martinez and other prominent Republicans in court, said he reviewed lapel camera footage taken by the arresting officer after Youngblood was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint in May and saw no evidence to support the claim. I find nothing whatsoever in that video that could be construed as a request for personal benefits, nor did I see anywhere in the video where she obtained any personal benefits, Kennedy wrote in his letter. The lapel cam footage shows Youngblood telling Albuquerque Police Department officers she has introduced bills to protect them and has stood up for them in response to discrimination claims. I literally fight for you guys, Youngblood told the arresting officer at one point. The AGs Office said in its initial letter the comments captured on lapel cam video showed a clear intent on Youngbloods part to use her position to improperly influence officers. Regardless of party affiliation, the Attorney Generals Office holds elected officials accountable when they violate public trust, AGs office spokesman David Carl said Monday. The Attorney Generals Office stands by its findings that Rep. Youngblood violated the Governmental Conduct Act. SHIPROCK The legal standard of a hate crime was examined and information about it presented during a seminar organized by the Office of Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission last Friday to help increase awareness of the offense. Brandy Haynes is an attorney and legal fellow with the Stop Hate Project under the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonprofit organization that serves as a resource to community groups, and provides legal research and assistance. Haynes defined a hate crime as a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offenders bias due to a victims race, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, gender and gender identity. The perpetrators prejudicial motive, or bias, is what distinguishes a hate crime from other illegal activities. A hate crime also can be viewed as a message crime, meaning it sends a message to members of certain groups, telling them that they are unwanted in communities, she said. During Haynes presentation, she talked about federal agencies that collect data about hate crimes, including the U.S. Department of Justice and FBIs Uniform Crime Reports and the National Crime Victimization Survey, administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. New Mexico hate crime law is actually pretty good, Haynes said adding the state requires law enforcement agencies to report crimes motivated by hate to the FBI. State law also requires training for law enforcement personnel, she said. But she said problems with collecting data do exist, including under-reporting because victims sometimes doubt law enforcement officials will help them, or they are afraid to reveal information because they are a member of a vulnerable group. Immigrants may not report hate crimes due to cultural barriers or out of fear of reaction from perpetrators. The benefit of collecting accurate crime data is that it can help in changing and developing laws, Haynes said. The seminar on Friday also highlighted the Vincent Kee trial, the first case pursued under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, according to representatives from the Native American Disability Law Center. The perpetrators Paul Beebe, Jesse Sanford and William Hatch were charged with and convicted of branding Kee, a mentally disabled Navajo man, with a swastika symbol, as well as shaving the back of his head with the symbol and using markers to deface his body with obscenities in April 2010 in Farmington, according to the center. Steve Tarnowski, a staff attorney with the center, said the federal law was applied because of Kees race and disability. Among those attending the seminar was Francine Bradley-Arthur, who wanted to learn about the types of crime occurring on and near the Navajo Nation. Bradley-Arthur is retired after 20 years in law enforcement and now teaches criminal justice at Navajo Technical University in Crownpoint. She said the information she heard Friday caused her to think about incidents she investigated on the reservation and how many could have been classified as hate crimes if the federal law had existed during her service. 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The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.In accordance with industry accepted best practices we ask that users limit their copy / paste of copyrighted material to the relevant portions of the article you wish to discuss (no more than 50% of the source material) provide a link back to the original articleIf you are a legal copyright holder or a designated agent for such and you believe a post on this website falls outside the boundaries of "Fair Use" and legitimately infringes on yours or your clients copyright please contact [email protected] This website is owned by :Marco ZwaneveldDrijfriemstraat 522516 XR The HagueNetherlands.I will not rent, sell, share or otherwise disclose your personal information to any third party.We might contact you from time to time regarding your purchases or the services (like forums and announcement lists) you have subscribed to.Some of the 3rd party advertisers on lunaticoutpost.com may use cookiesto track peformance and/or to serve relevant ads.If you wish to read more and/or opt out of such cookies, please visit: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/ BRUSSELS Pressure mounted Tuesday on British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to apologize for recent remarks comparing the European Union to the Soviet Union. While British Prime Minister Theresa May effectively rebuked her foreign secretary for making the comparison, leaders from the European Parliament urged Hunt to take back his remarks, which caused particular offense in those East European countries that were under the control of Moscow for 40-plus years after the end of World War II. Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the ALDE liberals told European legislators at a plenary session in Strasbourg, France that he is insulting not us, but millions of ordinary citizens who have lived under Soviet rule for such a long time. Hunts grating comparison that any EU attempt to prevent a smooth Brexit was akin to the Soviet Union stopping people leaving came at a very sensitive time for the British government as it seeks to finalize a deal with the EU. With Britain due to leave the EU next March, the negotiations about the future relationship have reached a particularly acute time. Both sides have indicated they want to secure a deal by November so relevant parliaments can give their approvals in time for actual Brexit day. The European Parliament has to give its approval to a withdrawal agreement and the response to Hunts remark there has been one of anger. Mr. Hunt you should apologize for what you said, said Manfred Weber, the leader of the EPP Christian Democrat group, the biggest in the legislature. British Prime Minister Theresa May also sought to distance herself from Hunts remarks. As I sit around that table in the European Union, there are countries there who used to be part of the Soviet Union. They are now democratic countries, May told the BBC. I can tell you that the two organizations are not the same. One of those countries is Latvia, and its ambassador in London, Baiba Braze, sent a stinging rebuke, saying that Soviets killed, deported, exiled and imprisoned 100 thousands of Latvias inhabitants after the illegal occupation in 1940, and ruined lives of 3 generations, while the EU has brought prosperity, equality, growth, respect. Philippe Lamberts, the leader of the Greens in the parliament, also reminded Hunt that Britain had hardly been forced at gunpoint to join the EU back in 1973. Let he be reminded that the United Kingdom decided freely to join the EU, he said. Hunt, he added, had succumbed to the now commonplace rhetoric of the far right. ___ Jill Lawless contributed from Birmingham, England. WASHINGTON The Trump administration has muscled Canada into joining a revamped North American trade deal, sealed a pact with South Korea and coaxed a reluctant Japan into agreeing to one-on-one trade talks. All in the past two weeks. To President Donald Trump and his allies, the results vindicate his drive to upend traditional trade policy and deploy import taxes real and threatened as a cudgel to bully concessions out of Americas trading partners. Without tariffs, Trump bold declared Monday after his team announced that Canada had followed Mexico in agreeing to a revamped North American deal, we wouldnt be standing here. Some likeminded business groups agree that Trumps in-your-face style, a far more confrontational stance than his predecessors deployed, deserves credit. Aggressive unilateral action is making deals more possible, said Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, which supports a combative U.S. trade policy. Negotiating without a credible threat of trade sanctions, Stumo argued, leaves no incentive for other countries to agree to anything new. Critics, though, contend that Trumps apparent breakthroughs appear much more impressive than they actually are. Whats more, they say, the backlash the administration could face in the future from formerly friendly trade partners could diminish whatever gains have been achieved. You set a bunch of fires you put them out and you call yourself a hero, said Philip Levy, senior fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and a White House economist under President George W. Bush. The critics say the recent trade deals have produced few concrete gains and offer scant reason for optimism about the administrations riskiest gamble of all: The trade war its ignited with China, the worlds second-biggest economy after the United States. Trump entered the office vowing to reduce Americas gaping trade deficit $553 billion last year with the rest of the world by tearing up trade agreements and confronting abusive practices by China and other countries. In March, he began imposing taxes on steel and aluminum imports. Four months later, he threatened to target foreign autos and auto parts imports that amounted to $340 billion last year. Trump justified the moves by arguing that the imports posed a threat to U.S. national security. Many trade analysts dismissed that rationale as preposterous. Most of the targeted imports, after all, come from U.S. allies Canada, the European Union and Japan. Whatever the legitimacy of his tariffs, by imposing and threatening them on national security grounds, Trump created leverage for himself. He upped the ante by threatening to abandon a regional pact with Canada and Mexico and thereby imperil supply chains that crisscross borders unless he could get what he considered an acceptable rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Americas trading partners began to buckle under the pressure. To avoid the steel and aluminum tariffs, South Korea agreed to a rewrite of a 2012 trade deal with the United States. Under the revamped version, Seoul submitted to quotas on its steel and aluminum exports to the United States and modestly opened South Koreas auto market to U.S. automakers, among other things. Japan managed to halt the threat of U.S. auto tariffs by reluctantly agreeing last month to bilateral trade talks with the United States. Tokyo had resisted Trumps entreaties, preferring a broader trade pact, like the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiated by the Obama administration. But Trump had abandoned the TPP on his third day in office. Negotiations on NAFTA 2.0 began in August 2017 and inched ahead for months. Mexico gradually began to yield to the risk of losing access to Americas market. It reached a deal with the administration in August that was intended, among other things, to shift some manufacturing and investment away from low-cost Mexico to the United States. Left out, Canada was forced to negotiate its way back into the North American trade bloc. Facing a U.S.-imposed deadline of midnight Monday, the two sides reached a deal that preserved a three-country agreement, renamed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mickey Kantor, a former U.S. trade representative who is a partner at the Mayer Brown law firm, praised the negotiators for updating a pact that hadnt been changed in 24 years, to reflect the rise of the digital economy. But for Trumps America First trade policy, said Jacob Kirkegaard of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the returns are pretty paltry. Canada agreed to modestly open its protected dairy market to American farmers. But that concession wasnt much more than Ottawa had agreed to in the TPP. Indeed, much of Trumps new North American pact comprises leftovers from the old NAFTA and the TPP, noted Daniel Ujczo, a trade attorney at the Dickinson Wright law firm. Duncan Wood, director of the Mexican Institute at the Wilson Center think tank, said he doubts the new NAFTA will do much to reduce Americas trade deficit with Mexico ($69 billion last year) or to shift investment bound for Mexico to the United States. And, he suggested, any gains for the United States have come at a cost. What was lost along the way here, Wood said, was political good will on the part of Mexico and Canada. Its been a bruising period. Yet Americas allies had powerful incentives to reach an accord with Trump. Besides exporting cars and other industrial products to the U.S., South Korea and Japan rely on Americas military protection. The U.S. market absorbs 80 percent of Mexicos exports and 76 percent of Canadas. As Americas strategic competitor, China seems far less likely to yield to pressure. Even so, Trump has imposed tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports. Beijing has counterpunched with import taxes on $110 billion of American products. At issue are the policies China is using to try to overtake Americas technological dominance. These tactics, the U.S. charges, include cyber-theft and pressure on foreign companies to hand over technology in exchange for access to the Chinese market. Analysts say China wont likely give up policies meant to secure its long-term prosperity. In regard to Beijing, Kantor said, I dont think we can use the same hammer. ___ AP Economics Writer Josh Boak contributed to this report. ___ Follow Paul Wiseman on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PaulWisemanAP Bloomberg News recently named New Mexico the top performing state economy since Trump took office. The article, published Sunday, stated that New Mexicos economy leads other states in job and wage gains since President Donald Trumps inauguration in January 2017. Jim Peach, professor emeritus of economics at New Mexico State University, expressed surprise at the ranking, though he stated that he had not yet examined Bloombergs methodology. He said the data likely reflected New Mexicos delayed recovery from the recession, as well as the recent upswing in extractive industries like oil and gas. Weve had some employment growth in the last year, and an awful lot of it is in oil and gas, said Peach. Thats great for the parts of the state that produce oil and gas . . . but weve still got some issues. For example, said Peach, the most recent federal data indicate that New Mexico ranks 42nd in the nation for personal income growth over the past year. Still, the state has recently seen promising signs of economic progress. Peach said Albuquerque has seen strong growth in several sectors, and the number of recipients of the states Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps appears to be down. Experts disagree about whether the SNAP decline reflects an improving economy or issues with the administration of assistance programs. The ranking is based on an analysis of data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which compiles a statistic called a coincident index for each state that summarizes economic conditions. The coincident index calculation includes information about nonfarm payroll employment, average hours worked in manufacturing by production workers, the unemployment rate and wage and salary disbursements. The average U.S. city consumer price index and the states gross domestic product are also weighed in the calculation. In January 2017, New Mexicos coincident index was 114.72, according to Federal Reserve data. In August of this year, it was 124.43. According to Bloomberg, other states that have seen the largest increases in their coincident index are Nevada, Arizona, California and Georgia. Police are looking for a man who disappeared after traveling to Albuquerque to visit family late last month. Albuquerque police spokesman Simon Drobik said 34-year-old Michael Green has not been seen or heard from since Sep. 24. He said Green traveled to Albuquerque from Oregon to visit his two daughters and mother. Greens disappearance is considered to be suspicious at this time, Drobik said. Green is described as 5 feet 10 inches, 140 pounds, with blue eyes and he was last seen driving a white 2012 Dodge Avenger with NM plate 570SJB. Police have checked for Green at local hospitals, the county jail and even the morgue. Tips Anyone with information is asked to call APDs Missing persons unit at (505) 235-1039 or (505) 924-6096. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 2 Vote(s) - 3 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465465 10-02-2018 12:59 PM Post: #1 Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. Advertisement https://www.twitter.com/RudawEnglish/sta...8515523585 : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. She was convicted of killing her husband at the age of 17. They married when she was 15. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465657 10-02-2018 01:09 PM Post: #2 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. Mr. Kurd will not like this. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 324215 10-02-2018 01:12 PM Post: #3 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. Nb4 bait thread goes poof LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465465 10-02-2018 01:19 PM Post: #4 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:12 PM) Nb4 bait thread goes poof I see no outrage from feminists. In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms. You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. I see no outrage from feminists.In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms.You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. Spiddy Registered User User ID: 465329 10-02-2018 01:22 PM Posts: 18,824 Post: #5 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:19 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:12 PM) Nb4 bait thread goes poof I see no outrage from feminists. In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms. You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. That's because you're not looking and you're not looking because you'd rather not know. That's because you're not looking and you're not looking because you'd rather not know. As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Mencken 1920. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465465 10-02-2018 01:25 PM Post: #6 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. Spiddy Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:22 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:19 PM) I see no outrage from feminists. In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms. You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. That's because you're not looking and you're not looking because you'd rather not know. I searched her name as a hashtag. At best, that is all she is is a hashtag. Betting there will be NO protests in the streets in the US I searched her name as a hashtag.At best, that is all she is is a hashtag.Betting there will be NO protests in the streets in the US GrimShaw Asinus Asinum Fricat User ID: 465665 10-02-2018 01:28 PM Posts: 32,569 Post: #7 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:19 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:12 PM) Nb4 bait thread goes poof I see no outrage from feminists. In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, [ ]I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms. [/size] You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. What does something which happened in Iran have to do with the USA? ^^And thanks for showing that you're mentally handicapped What does something which happened in Iran have to do with the USA?^^And thanks for showing that you're mentally handicapped LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465666 10-02-2018 01:48 PM Post: #8 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. GrimShaw Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:28 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:19 PM) I see no outrage from feminists. In light of recent false accusations by women to ruin a mans life, [ ]I now welcome Sharia Law with open arms. [/size] You want to ruin ths USA, I'll gladly help in ways you dont want. What does something which happened in Iran have to do with the USA? ^^And thanks for showing that you're mentally handicapped People protest for and against Palestine in the USA all the time. They protest FGM that happens in Arab countries as well. You protest bombings only mentioning Trump. People protest for and against Palestine in the USA all the time.They protest FGM that happens in Arab countries as well.You protest bombings only mentioning Trump. GrimShaw Asinus Asinum Fricat User ID: 465665 10-02-2018 01:56 PM Posts: 32,569 Post: #9 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:48 PM) GrimShaw Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:28 PM) What does something which happened in Iran have to do with the USA? ^^And thanks for showing that you're mentally handicapped People protest for and against Palestine in the USA all the time. They protest FGM that happens in Arab countries as well. You protest bombings only mentioning Trump. What? Why a new user ID? Your OP one get banned? Say WHERE ARE BOMBINGS THAT TRUMP SIGNS OFF ON EVER MENTIONED IN THE NEWS? What? Why a new user ID? Your OP one get banned?SayWHERE ARE BOMBINGS THAT TRUMP SIGNS OFF ON EVER MENTIONED IN THE NEWS? LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465666 10-02-2018 01:58 PM Post: #10 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. GrimShaw Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:56 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:48 PM) People protest for and against Palestine in the USA all the time. They protest FGM that happens in Arab countries as well. You protest bombings only mentioning Trump. What? Why a new user ID? Your OP one get banned? Say WHERE ARE BOMBINGS THAT TRUMP SIGNS OFF ON EVER MENTIONED IN THE NEWS? The news hates Trump, so they should be covering it. The news hates Trump, so they should be covering it. GrimShaw Asinus Asinum Fricat User ID: 465665 10-02-2018 02:01 PM Posts: 32,569 Post: #11 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:58 PM) GrimShaw Wrote: (10-02-2018 01:56 PM) What? Why a new user ID? Your OP one get banned? Say WHERE ARE BOMBINGS THAT TRUMP SIGNS OFF ON EVER MENTIONED IN THE NEWS? The news hates Trump, so they should be covering it. They should but they don't. Donald became President of US: MSM and political foes praise Trumps strike on Syria In fact it's the opposite. ^^ They shouldbut they don't.In fact it's the opposite. ^^ (This post was last modified: 10-02-2018 02:01 PM by GrimShaw .) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 450686 10-02-2018 02:02 PM Post: #12 RE: Feminists SILENT! : Iran executes Zeinab Sekaanvand, a Kurd now age 24, in Urmia. Selective outrage 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. Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Missouri does it again prosthetic brain apothegmatic equanimity User ID: 364412 10-02-2018 10:10 PM Posts: 10,504 Post: #1 Missouri does it again Advertisement Missouri law requires convicted sex offenders to register their names, addresses and other information with their county law enforcement, most often the sheriffs department. The Missouri State Highway Patrol maintains a publicly available database. Offenders must keep their information up-to-date and notify law enforcement when they move. The audit released by state Auditor Nicole Galloway says 1,259 sex offenders are unaccounted for about 8 percent of the nearly 16,000 registered sex offenders in Missouri and it blames inadequate enforcement of the registration requirement at the local level. In 14 counties and the city of St. Louis, the whereabouts of more than 10 percent of sex offenders is unknown. Galloway said the findings are disturbing and alarming. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018...493733002/ Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. Alexis de Tocqueville "True friends are rare to come by these days; a show of friendship very often hides some private ends. Man's mind is defiled by self-interest. So, becoming disillusioned, roam alone like a rhinoceros." --Gautama Buddha ST. LOUIS Police dont know the whereabouts of nearly 1,300 registered sex offenders in Missouri, including hundreds who fall into the most dangerous category, according to a state audit released Monday.Missouri law requires convicted sex offenders to register their names, addresses and other information with their county law enforcement, most often the sheriffs department. The Missouri State Highway Patrol maintains a publicly available database. Offenders must keep their information up-to-date and notify law enforcement when they move.The audit released by state Auditor Nicole Galloway says 1,259 sex offenders are unaccounted for about 8 percent of the nearly 16,000 registered sex offenders in Missouri and it blames inadequate enforcement of the registration requirement at the local level. In 14 counties and the city of St. Louis, the whereabouts of more than 10 percent of sex offenders is unknown.Galloway said the findings are disturbing and alarming. Alexis de Tocqueville--Gautama Buddha Hamburgerwagon lop guest User ID: 464072 10-02-2018 10:11 PM Post: #2 RE: Missouri does it again Government will always screw up and let you down. Lopdude (NLI) lop guest User ID: 439014 10-02-2018 10:16 PM Post: #3 RE: Missouri does it again Arent they supposed to check in everyday, knowing one slipup could land em back in jail? Filthy pedos prosthetic brain apothegmatic equanimity User ID: 364412 10-02-2018 10:28 PM Posts: 10,504 Post: #4 RE: Missouri does it again Lopdude (NLI) Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:16 PM) Arent they supposed to check in everyday, knowing one slipup could land em back in jail? Filthy pedos at least with high level offenders there are supposed to be measures to either have them under constant surveillance or some other means of verifying their whereabouts . i dont know about missouri's standards but how can you lose track of over 10% of offenders? at least with high level offenders there are supposed to be measures to either have them under constant surveillance or some other means of verifying their whereabouts . i dont know about missouri's standards but how can you lose track of over 10% of offenders? Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. Alexis de Tocqueville "True friends are rare to come by these days; a show of friendship very often hides some private ends. Man's mind is defiled by self-interest. So, becoming disillusioned, roam alone like a rhinoceros." --Gautama Buddha LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 288156 10-02-2018 10:32 PM Post: #5 RE: Missouri does it again Lopdude (NLI) Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:16 PM) Arent they supposed to check in everyday, knowing one slipup could land em back in jail? Filthy pedos Lol one slip of the finger into little Sally Rottencrotch. Lol one slip of the finger into little Sally Rottencrotch. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465487 10-02-2018 10:34 PM Post: #6 RE: Missouri does it again Someone will be talking early a retirement On a full pension ABCDEF_Jesus Dominios Pizza User ID: 419325 10-02-2018 10:45 PM Posts: 3,332 Post: #7 RE: Missouri does it again Check the local Catholic churches and freemason lodges Luvapottamus Registered User User ID: 372884 10-02-2018 10:49 PM Posts: 34,164 Post: #8 RE: Missouri does it again Tulsa police awarded $1.5 million grant for sexual assault kit testing, cold cases Part of $1.5 million will go for staff and other efforts to address sexual assault (snip) TPD currently has a backlog of 3,003 untested kits. https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewat...9c330.html Tulsa has that beat:Part of $1.5 million will go for staff and other efforts to address sexual assault(snip)TPD currently has a backlog of 3,003 untested kits. prosthetic brain apothegmatic equanimity User ID: 364412 10-02-2018 10:55 PM Posts: 10,504 Post: #9 RE: Missouri does it again Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:49 PM) Tulsa has that beat: Tulsa police awarded $1.5 million grant for sexual assault kit testing, cold cases Part of $1.5 million will go for staff and other efforts to address sexual assault (snip) TPD currently has a backlog of 3,003 untested kits. https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewat...9c330.html a 'rape test kit' is one thing but a convicted sex offender is quite another imho. a 'rape test kit' is one thing but a convicted sex offender is quite another imho. Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith. Alexis de Tocqueville "True friends are rare to come by these days; a show of friendship very often hides some private ends. Man's mind is defiled by self-interest. So, becoming disillusioned, roam alone like a rhinoceros." --Gautama Buddha Luvapottamus Registered User User ID: 372884 10-02-2018 11:00 PM Posts: 34,164 Post: #10 RE: Missouri does it again prosthetic brain Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:55 PM) Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:49 PM) Tulsa has that beat: Tulsa police awarded $1.5 million grant for sexual assault kit testing, cold cases Part of $1.5 million will go for staff and other efforts to address sexual assault (snip) TPD currently has a backlog of 3,003 untested kits. https://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewat...9c330.html a 'rape test kit' is one thing but a convicted sex offender is quite another imho. People get labeled a sex offender for taking a piss in an alleyway behind a bar. When a person gets raped, they need to test the kit in order to catch a rapist on the loose. People get labeled a sex offender for taking a piss in an alleyway behind a bar.When a person gets raped, they need to test the kit in order to catch a rapist on the loose. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 463651 10-02-2018 11:11 PM Post: #11 RE: Missouri does it again Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:00 PM) prosthetic brain Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:55 PM) a 'rape test kit' is one thing but a convicted sex offender is quite another imho. People get labeled a sex offender for taking a piss in an alleyway behind a bar. When a person gets raped, they need to test the kit in order to catch a rapist on the loose. Most of the untested kits are from cases where the sex is admitted but claimed to be consensual. Testing rape kits in these cases is kind of pointless unless you are trying to build a giant DNA database or something. Most of the untested kits are from cases where the sex is admitted but claimed to be consensual. Testing rape kits in these cases is kind of pointless unless you are trying to build a giant DNA database or something. Luvapottamus Registered User User ID: 372884 10-02-2018 11:14 PM Posts: 34,164 Post: #12 RE: Missouri does it again LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:11 PM) Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:00 PM) People get labeled a sex offender for taking a piss in an alleyway behind a bar. When a person gets raped, they need to test the kit in order to catch a rapist on the loose. Most of the untested kits are from cases where the sex is admitted but claimed to be consensual. Testing rape kits in these cases is kind of pointless unless you are trying to build a giant DNA database or something. That may well be true. They may also be untested if they just catch the guy and he's convicted I suppose. But I'd expect the hospital to send it to the lab immediately, intuitively. Intuition is no substitute for facts... You're probably right. That may well be true.They may also be untested if they just catch the guy and he's convicted I suppose.But I'd expect the hospital to send it to the lab immediately, intuitively.Intuition is no substitute for facts...You're probably right. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 463651 10-02-2018 11:24 PM Post: #13 RE: Missouri does it again Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:14 PM) LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:11 PM) Most of the untested kits are from cases where the sex is admitted but claimed to be consensual. Testing rape kits in these cases is kind of pointless unless you are trying to build a giant DNA database or something. That may well be true. They may also be untested if they just catch the guy and he's convicted I suppose. But I'd expect the hospital to send it to the lab immediately, intuitively. Intuition is no substitute for facts... You're probably right. In fairness a database may still help to solve other unsolved rapes but that raises some ethical questions if the DNA evidence was gathered without a conviction. In fairness a database may still help to solve other unsolved rapes but that raises some ethical questions if the DNA evidence was gathered without a conviction. Luvapottamus Registered User User ID: 372884 10-02-2018 11:42 PM Posts: 34,164 Post: #14 RE: Missouri does it again LoP Guest Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:24 PM) Luvapottamus Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:14 PM) That may well be true. They may also be untested if they just catch the guy and he's convicted I suppose. But I'd expect the hospital to send it to the lab immediately, intuitively. Intuition is no substitute for facts... You're probably right. In fairness a database may still help to solve other unsolved rapes but that raises some ethical questions if the DNA evidence was gathered without a conviction. Right. Sorry for the derail. How exactly do you enforce sex offender registration locally? Isn't it basically voluntary? If the person doesn't do it they get charged for a crime of not doing it, after they are stopped for some other reason right? Can you really blame the cops? Right.Sorry for the derail.How exactly do you enforce sex offender registration locally?Isn't it basically voluntary? If the person doesn't do it they get charged for a crime of not doing it, after they are stopped for some other reason right?Can you really blame the cops? GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Gaza Strip citizens and factions are keeping a wary eye on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has threatened to take measures in October against Hamas. On Sept. 27, Abbas said during his speech before the United Nations General Assembly that If Hamas continues to refuse reconciliation, We would refuse to accept any responsibility [for Gaza] moving forward. This comes soon after Egypt's repeated attempts to mediate a reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah faltered again, and the factions resumed their mutual recriminations. Abbas and his Fatah party rule the West Bank territory from Ramallah, while Hamas administers the Gaza Strip. The reconciliation agreement they signed in October 2017 to form a unity government never panned out despite several attempts at resuscitation. Contributing to the most recent failure were Hamas' efforts, also via Egypt, to sign a truce with Israel without including Fatah. Abbas and Fatah are adamantly against those efforts, claiming the PLO is the only party authorized to sign agreements with foreign countries. Abbas threatened Aug. 17 to stop transferring any money to the Gaza Strip should Hamas sign a truce with Israel. This very threat led the negotiations between Hamas and Fatah to falter once again, but Egypt has once again agreed to pick up the effort. Hamas parliament members in Gaza met Sept. 26 to discuss the end of President Mahmoud Abbas mandate. Ahmed Bahr, first deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said at the beginning of the session, Abbas, who is starving our people while seeking to disarm the resistance and coordinate security with Israel, does not represent the Palestinian people. He only represents himself. During the same session, parliament member Faraj al-Ghoul said Abbas has been abusing power since the end of his term in January 2009, and called on all Palestinian factions to draw up a comprehensive plan to address the presidents threats. (Abbas was elected to a four-year term that officially expired in 2009, but has remained in office.) The Palestinian Authority (PA), headed by Abbas, imposed financial sanctions on the Gaza Strip at the beginning of March 2017, as it slashed salaries for the authority's staff there by 30% to 50% and deprived the territory of liquidity moves that significantly contributed to the difficult economic situation plaguing all of Gazas residents, not only Hamas. Abbas will be waiting for Hamas response to the Egyptian mediator regarding proposals to end Palestinian division. Chief among these proposals is Hamas handing responsibility for the Gaza Strip government to the PA, as well as turning over all the factions' arms. Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatahs central committee, told Al-Monitor that Abbas gave Hamas until the first week of October to respond to Egypt's mediation. He said the measures to be taken against Hamas in the Gaza Strip will be disclosed in a timely manner, but he neither confirmed nor denied whether Abbas has received any response from Hamas via Egypt. A source close to Abbas told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Hamas is delaying the reconciliation process and is still negative about the issue of the returning complete control of the Gaza Strip to the PA. The source stressed that the PLO Central Council will discuss several steps that could be taken during its October meeting, and that these will come as a surprise to the Hamas movement. The measures, he said, have been under examination for months now by order of the president. Chief among these is halting all of the governments expenditures to Gaza, which are estimated at $96 million per month in salaries and ministry operation expenses. Yahya Moussa, a Hamas leader and deputy head of the movements parliamentary bloc, told Al-Monitor the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip are meeting daily to discuss what measures Abbas might take against them. Moussa said that the factions are against the sanctions that were formerly imposed and that might be imposed again on the Gaza Strip, and that the factions will announce their countermeasures when the time is right. Such measures include delegitimizing Abbas. Moussa said Hamas' position, which they communicated to Qatari and Egyptian mediators during their last visits to Gaza on Sept. 14 and Sept. 22, respectively, is that sanctions must be lifted immediately before there are talks about empowering Abbas' government. He noted that Hamas had actually handed over control of its ministries and the Gaza Strip crossings in October and November of 2017, but that Ramallah is still neglecting the Gazan population. On Sept. 24, the Lebanese Al-Mayadeen channel website quoted well-informed Palestinian sources as saying the Egyptian delegation that had visited two days earlier had only one option to offer: adopt Abbas vision regarding reconciliation. The Hamas leadership asked the delegation to pressure Abbas into refraining from taking any actions against the Gaza Strip. After the Egyptian delegation left the Gaza Strip, tension escalated on the border with Israel as popular demonstrations turned into daily events and protesters resumed arson attacks using fire balloons. Hani al-Thawabta, a member of the central committee of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, warned in an interview with Al-Monitor against Abbas imposing new sanctions. He said that not only would such measures target Hamas but also every citizen in the Gaza Strip. Mustafa al-Sawaf, former editor-in-chief of the Felesteen newspaper and a political analyst, told Al-Monitor the Palestinian factions have several options to weigh in light of the potential new sanctions. As Moussa said, chief among these is delegitimizing Abbas and refraining from dealing with him as the Palestinian president. He said the PA collects more than $120 million a month from the Gaza Strip in exchange for goods. He wondered, Where do such funds and those deducted on a monthly basis from the salaries of Gaza government staff go? Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip have suffered greatly from the internal Palestinian division and the measures imposed by the PA in March 2017. A Sept. 24 report by the World Bank confirmed that the Israeli siege, the PA decision to reduce its funding to the Gaza Strip and the US aid cuts have contributed to an unemployment rate in Gaza that exceeds 50%, and that has reached a staggering 70% among its young people. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip In an unprecedented move, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Sept. 4. inaugurated an Israeli-run public school in the heart of predominantly Arab East Jerusalem, near Herod's Gate. The Ula Primary School for Boys and Girls replaces what had once been a Palestinian-run school at that location. Barkat posted a video on Facebook from the opening day, which included a Palestinian girl delivering a welcome speech in Hebrew and other Palestinian students singing songs in Hebrew. Barkat describes the new school as the first primary school for Jerusalem students who wish to study for the Israeli bagrut [matriculation exam] early on. He said the school, housed in a single building, has 15 classrooms for 290 Palestinian students in grades 1-8. From 1982 to 2014, the Palestinian Refugee Girls Secondary School occupied the site where Ula is now located. The Palestinian owners of the land and the building and the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education and Higher Education, which administered the school, terminated their contract, allegedly over a dispute about the yearly rent of 150,000 Jordanian dinars (more than $211,000). An Israeli court then ordered the school to vacate the property. In July, the Israeli-run Ula School moved from land belonging to the Israeli municipality on the northern periphery of East Jerusalem, transferring currently enrolled students with it, to the building at Herod's Gate, which serves as an entrance to the Old City and an access route to Salah al-Din Street, a major commercial street. All the other Israeli schools for Palestinians remain on the periphery of East Jerusalem. Rawan Jamjoum, a former student at the secondary school for girls, has viewed the video Barkat posted. I felt as if something was taken from me and from the history of Jerusalem, she told Al-Monitor. It hurts. The Refugee Girls school has a history, which now will be forgotten. Ibtisam al-Rajbi, who attended the secondary school 14 years ago, told Al-Monitor that she still remembers how students used to sing the Palestinian national anthem. She's saddened to see her old school turning into an Israeli school, albeit still for Palestinians. Samir Jibril, head of the PA's Education and Higher Education Department at the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem, spoke to Al-Monitor about the site. The school was Palestinian [run], he said. The landlords approached Israeli courts in 2014 to have us evicted, because we objected to the increase in the yearly rent. The court ruled in their favor, granting the Palestinian ministry three years, until the end of 2017, to move the school. He added, It's very sad to see the school turn into an Israeli establishment teaching the Israeli curriculum. Israel now has a foothold in the heart of East Jerusalem. Jibril explained that Israel establishing the school in East Jerusalem is not related to education per se, but is part of a political strategy to advance the Judaization of the Palestinian educational system in the city. Mohammed Farrah, one of the property owners, told Al-Monitor that his family began leasing the site to the Jerusalem municipality on July 18. He said that they have not sold the property and that the lease is for five years and is renewable. He explained that there was no Palestinian party interested in renting it. Farrah denied the ministrys claim that their dispute had been over a rent increase. What happened was that the ministry didn't pay the rent for 2014, which forced us to terminate the contract and demand that they evacuate the property, Farrah said. Ziad al-Shamali, head of the Palestinian Parents Committee in East Jerusalem, called the new school's inauguration a black day in the history of Jerusalem. Most of the Israeli schools in Jerusalem are on the outskirts of the city, he told Al-Monitor. Having an Israeli school in the heart of the city is certainly very troubling. Shamali and others fear encroaching Israeli influence and culture in the area. Shamali added that the Parents Committee had launched a campaign at the end of December to eliminate the Israeli curricula in East Jerusalem schools by urging parents to enroll their children in Palestinian-run schools instead. Hassan Khater, director of the International Jerusalem Center, told Al-Monitor, however, Despite Palestinian attempts to resist Israeli schools in Jerusalem through awareness campaigns, Palestinian parents have not stopped sending their children to these schools. He asserted that this is understandable, given the PA's neglect of the education sector in Jerusalem. According to Khater, about 1,200 additional classrooms would be needed in schools to accommodate all the Palestinian students in Jerusalem, by which he meant all those currently attending Israeli-administered schools. According to an April 2017 survey on education in East Jerusalem conducted by the Faisal Husseini Foundation, there were 228 schools during the 2016-17 school year. The largest proportion of Palestinian students, 44.5%, attended the 70 Israeli schools. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education oversees 49 schools, attended by 14% of Palestinian students. Among the remaining pupils, 34.4% are enrolled in private Palestinian schools and 1.4% in institutions run by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Another 5.7% attend schools that were founded by individual Palestinians but follow the Israeli curriculum and therefore have teachers paid by the Israeli state. Rashad Halwani has three children enrolled in Israeli primary schools in East Jerusalem. He told Al-Monitor, There's not enough room for all the students in Jerusalem [in PA-run public schools]. Private Palestinian schools, on the other hand, are very expensive, with tuition fees amounting to 20,000 shekels [$5,550] per year. The UNRWA schools receive only Palestinian refugees from the refugee camps in Jerusalem. Halwani added, We dont have much choice, and the tuition fees at the Israeli schools amount to 400 shekels ($110) per year, making them affordable. Khater noted some additional advantages of Israeli schools. For instance, the average number of students per class is 20, compared with 40 in PA-run schools. He also pointed out that students who learn the Israeli curriculum, which includes Hebrew, have a head start on other students in landing jobs in Israeli government institutions in Jerusalem. Bilateral relations between Hamas and Iran have been getting closer since the election of the movements current leadership in February 2017. Hamas has made repeated visits to Iran and numerous statements about how strong the relationship has grown. Most recently, Hamas offered condolences to Iran following the Sept. 22 attack on a military parade in Ahwaz. Irans Fares news agency reported that the attack killed 29 people and wounded 70 others. Hamas quickly issued a statement condemning the attack on Iranian armed forces, expressing its condolences to the Iranian leadership, the Iranian people and the victims families. The movement wished security and stability upon Iran and the other Arab and Muslim countries. Hamas could be employing what can be called diplomatic condolences to strengthen its relationship with Tehran. It also offered condolences to Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force, following the death of his father in November 2017. In January 2017, Hamas sent a similar message after the death of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Khaled al-Qaddumi, Hamas' representative in Tehran, told Al-Monitor, The movement does not need diplomatic condolences to strengthen its relations with Tehran. The movement followed protocol and it is its duty to act this way with parties it holds political ties with as well as all Arab and Muslim countries. Although we have a special bond with Iran since we have Israel as our common enemy, our condolences are in no way an intervention in its internal affairs. We are not taking sides. Offering condolences should not be seen as taking sides. We refuse to do this because we have wide relations with the entire Arab and Islamic world. However, several Arab and Palestinian parties were against Hamas offering condolences to Iran. On Sept. 23, Saif al-Hajri, secretary general of the Kuwaiti Ommah Party, tweeted, How does Hamas want us to stand beside it while it shows support to Iran and offers condolences to the Revolutionary Guards that killed Iraqis and Syrians? Sari Orabi, Palestinian political analyst in the West Bank, told Al-Monitor, Hamas condolences to Iran do not mean that they are in agreement on everything. Although it is the only party that supports Hamas with money and weapons, a serious dispute arose between them after the Syrian revolution. Orabi noted, However, Iran did not cut its ties with Hamas and kept providing some support. Although information on the extent of Iran's financial support to Hamas is not available, Israeli army chief Gen. Gadi Eizenkot stated that month that Iran had increased its annual spending to $100 million to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Hamas condolences to Iran are part the movement's efforts over the past year to build closer ties with Tehran. In March, Mousa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas political bureau, said that the movements relationship with Iran is excellent and that Tehran provides Hamas with more support than anyone else. In January, Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas political bureau, wrote in a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that the Palestinian people praised Irans willingness to support the resistance with all kinds of aid. Khameneis adviser Ali Akbar Velayati stated in January as well that Hamas had pinned its hopes on Iran to support the resistance. Hussam al-Dajani, a professor of political science at al-Ummah University in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Hamas condolences to Iran shows their rapprochement. The movement is thus condemning terrorism and keeping the focus on being against Israel. Hamas does not want Iran to become too preoccupied with its internal affairs that it affects its support to the Palestinians. Dajani added, However, the movement should keep balanced relations with other parties as well, even if offering its condolences provokes Saudi Arabia, which Iran accuses of being behind the attack. Following in Hamas steps, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Resistance, the Popular Resistance Committee, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine also sent condolence messages. Meanwhile, Fatahs radio silence could be due to the years of tension prevailing over its relationship with Iran, which Fatah accuses of financing the other factions and further deepening the division since 2007. A Palestinian journalist living in Qatar told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, Hamas offered condolences based on the Iranian narrative, which holds that the attack was an external conspiracy against it. But the movement struck out; there was no need for it to express its opinion on internal Iranian affairs. He noted, Hamas needs to steer clear of all internal affairs not concerning it and avoid getting involved in regional axes. It is not required to express a position on all events in the region. It could have remained silent because Iran benefits from being a supporter of Hamas, which is good for its image after it interfered in Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Regardless of the criticism and objections, Hamas seems to be moving forward with strengthening its relations with Iran. The movement believes that its regional options are declining, with Qatar preoccupied with its differences with Saudi Arabia and Turkey now facing major internal and external concerns. Neither country sees Hamas as a political priority. Only Iran, which supplies the movement with money and weapons, still does. Al-Monitors correspondent in Iraq interviewed the secretary-general of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Qais al-Khazali. His organization is a prominent group within the Popular Mobilization Units that participated in the May election as part of the Fatah Alliance. Khazali was taken into US custody in Iraq in 2007 and held until 2010 for his involvement with attacks against US troops. Khazali shared his views about the formation of the new government and the US position toward his group. He also discussed Mohamed al-Halbousi, the prominent young Sunni figure who was elected parliament speaker in mid-September, and the PMU coalition that put him forward, al-Binaa. The text of the interview follows: Al-Monitor: What do you think about the candidacy of Barham Salih for the presidency? Is he backed by the PMU? Khazali: We hope that the Kurds agree on one candidate. If they remain divided and suggest two candidates, Barham Salih will have better chances at the national level in general. I would expect him to win the presidency. The [Patriotic Union of Kurdistan] had a wiser position on the [independence referendum]. Their reactions were sensible and they were courageous enough to avoid clashes, which spared peoples lives. Al-Monitor: Did you agree to support Halbousi as speaker of parliament? Does he have the personality required for the position? Khazali: Halbousi is the candidate of al-Binaa coalition, and all our votes were given to him. Voting was a good opportunity to send a message that al-Binaa is cohesive and strong. That was a strong political message to our rivals that we are the majority on the ground. Halbousi is young and has been successful at governing the Anbar governorate. Al-Monitor: Halbousi is affiliated with a Qatari-backed political alliance. Does this mean that you are in contact with Doha? Khazali: We do not have a direct relationship with Qatar. We act within Iraq's general political context, which is moving toward rapprochement with Arab countries. Our support for Halbousi results from an internal situation. We asked the Sunnis to reach a consensus and we helped them agree on one candidate. Iraq is not against relationships with its Arab neighbors. Most of Iraqs neighbors and the surrounding countries of the Gulf, including Qatar, negatively impacted Iraq after 2003. Yet the recent developments changed things. As opposed to Saudi Arabia, Qatar was one of the countries that found opportunities in strengthening the political situation in Iraq. A new page might be turned if Qatar maintains positive attitudes toward Iraq. Al-Monitor: The US Congress is trying to pass a law against you. What is your comment? Khazali: It is difficult to make sense of American politics under Donald Trump. Their moves do not fall under the diplomatic umbrella. This law is a mistake and is not a wise step for the US for a simple reason, which is that we did not target American interests in any other country but our own. Ideologically, we do not consider the US an infidel or its people enemies. The only thing that happened is a phase of American occupation, and it is normal for people to resist occupation. What happened was on our land, and the Security Council considered the US an occupying country. Our cause is not ideological against the US, it is political. Their presence now is no longer as an occupation because even the military is there based on an agreement with the government. So the issue could be politically solved. All of this proves that we are not terrorists attacking Washington based on terrorist ideology. If we wanted that, we could have taken many opportunities in the past during the war on the Islamic State knowing that the only thing separating us from the embassy is the Tigris River. The details [surrounding] passing the law are problematic. First, why didnt they do it in 2007? This confirms that the decision has political dimensions. Second, I was a prisoner of the Americans, so why did they let me go if they consider me a terrorist? We believe that this decision is bad, and it will not be beneficial even for the US. The US is afraid of the role we might play in future governments, so it is trying to politically sideline us. Al-Monitor: Do you think you are capable of resisting attempts to sideline you? Khazali: If the motives of this law are political, it will not have any positive repercussions. Americas loud and clear meddling in Iraqi matters will not stand in the way of Asaib Ahl al-Haqs affiliate, the Sadikoun movement, and their attempts to have members of parliament in all parliamentary committees, to actually head a parliamentary committee and to head a government ministry. If this decision is made, it will weaken Washingtons credibility in Iraq. If Washington insists, our challenge would be to insist on a sovereign ministry. How will it react to that? Will it cut ties with Iraq? We will not accept another countrys meddling in our internal affairs or its hostility in our country. We are an official party, and our members of parliament have been elected by the people. Al-Monitor: You are only mentioning US intervention, but what about Iranian intervention? Khazali: Iraqs weak political situation has allowed many interventions. Is this [Iranian] interference harming the Iraqi state? It could be a positive influence. Some believe that American actions in Iraq could be in the countrys best interests, yet our issue is with intervention that disrespects Iraqi sovereignty. If a similar Iranian intervention happens with such audacity, we will be the first to oppose it. All the Sunni and Kurdish politicians who met with the US presidential envoy Brett McGurk reported that they were subjected to threats and insults. They also reported that he pressured them into making decisions. Did those who met with [Quds Force head Qasem] Soleimani report the same? On the contrary, the Iranians are pushing for Iraqi cohesion, and they do not want to interfere in the decision or the choices. Comparing the role of the US to that of Iran in Iraq is unfair. Al-Monitor: Washington has lately published papers on your relationship with Iran saying that you were trained there. Why do you think they chose this timing? What are your comments? Khazali: What is new about these documents? I already talked about this publicly in the media. Between 2004 and 2011, we have had six recordings of our operations against the US military when they were in Iraq. We have around 5,000 photographed operations, and we are proud of them. As for the support from Iran, I previously mentioned that it has been openly supporting the resistance in Iraq and around the world. It is no big secret. This is proof provided by the US that the side that has been resisting them and causing them trouble is Qais al-Khazali and Asaib Ahl al-Haq. I am now telling Al-Monitor, a US media organization, that yes, we have resisted the US, that we were backed by Iran and that we are proud of it. When it comes to timing in publishing these documents, we know that the US official documents are only published decades later. Why now, seven years later? Why are they publishing these documents after a relatively short period of time? I think that the publication of these documents is an attempt to influence the outcome of the talks on forming the government. Washington felt the need for these leaks because it noticed it is becoming weak in Iraq. I believe the documents were a reaction, because days before they were published, I warned about US intervention and described it as insolent. I also said that McGurk will only pressure and threaten Sunni politicians to push them to support a specific candidate. The second day, we decided to support a group of activists and academics in protesting McGurks visit close to the Green Zone. All these steps have bothered them. Al-Monitor: You talked about Iranian support in resisting the US. Is Iran supporting you for the benefit of Iraq or Iran? Khazali: Iran would benefit from weakening the US, and we share this interest. I dont see why not, especially we are not targeting Iraqi [civilians], just the US army. Al-Monitor: You are accused of coercing the Sunnis in the liberated areas under your control into voting for you. What is your comment on this issue? Khazali: In these areas, there is a socially harmonious and cooperative relationship between Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the residents. We have a good relationship with the Sunni tribes, especially those who fought IS with us. All these rumors are failed attempts. Salahuddin governorate is not only Sunni. There are three Shiite provinces, and if some of our candidates win, it would not come as a surprise. We also had Sunni candidates in these areas. Al-Monitor: After Hadi al-Amiri withdrew his candidacy for the premiership, who do you support, and do you have a PMU candidate? Khazali: Choosing a prime minister in Iraq is complicated. It is an internal decision, then the religious authority should approve or at least not object. The choice also necessitates regional approval, which means from Iran, and international approval, which means from the US. The Fatah Alliance at least must approve of the prime minister, if not the whole al-Binaa alliance, and Sairoon at least if not the whole Reform and Reconstruction Alliance. All these stages are difficult and must meet the conditions. So far, Adel Abdel Mahdi has the best chances, and it is unclear whether another candidate accepted by all parties might emerge. Al-Monitor: European ambassadors have been visiting you. Is this part of mediation between you and Washington? Khazali: Some parties have suggested communication with the US, but we refused. Our refusal is justified, given its negative politics in Iraq. Regional and local parties suggested opening communication channels with the US, but we refused. Al-Monitor: A few days ago, missiles were launched on the US Embassy, and the Iranian Consulate in Basra was burned down. What is your stance? Khazali: We object to any attack on the diplomatic bodies of any state, even if we are at odds. Attacking diplomatic missions tarnishes Iraqs image. Al-Monitor: What is this cyberwar you talk about? Khazali: Facebook closes any page that has my name or photo within 24 hours, and even though Twitter did not close my page, it refuses to add a blue mark to it. I do not know why this is happening. We are not a terrorist group but a political party that is represented in the Iraqi parliament and has a large public base. CAIRO Aspiring actors and other artists in Egypt have turned to social media seeking the attention of talent scouts, but the jurys still out on whether this is an effective shortcut to being discovered. A Facebook page called Talents of Egypt, created in 2017 by comedian and social media activist Waleed Sadaka, had just over 172,000 followers as of Oct. 2. Every day, dozens of aspiring artists post videos, audio recordings and photos to showcase their acting, singing and dancing skills, as well as impersonations or satire of famous figures, which get the highest click rates. Sadaka told Al-Monitor he launched the page to give talented artists an opportunity to be discovered an opportunity he never had. Early on, when the page had only 2,000 followers, he was nervous and wasn't sure where the effort would lead, but he gradually relaxed after the site attracted more than 100,000 people. The Facebook page has seven moderators, but they don't judge or determine what's posted; any member of the group can post whatever they choose. There is no censorship on the remarks, either. Though most comments are encouraging, there is also criticism and concrete advice. Has the art scene become open to everyone thanks to social media? Social media has provided a wide space to express talent. Some artists emerged from these Facebook pages that showcase talent, Sadaka said, citing as an example the case of Ahmed Amin, who became known through the videos he posted on Facebook. He then became a writer for the show "Plateau," then the series "Al-Wasiya" ("The Legacy"). But many producers are still uninterested in social media as a platform to discover talents, Sadaka said. Followers of the page come from different walks of life and have different reasons for posting their work. Ahmed Ibrahim, host of the satirical show "Masr Di Tebaa Ummak" ("Egypt Remains Your Homeland") on YouTube and a loyal follower who regularly reposts them on the Facebook page, told Al-Monitor one of his friends suggested he try the page to gain more followers. He noted that the page played a vital role in introducing more people on social media to his show, which receives thousands of views on YouTube as well. Ibrahim added that he hopes somebody will discover his talent and help him develop his show and his team. For the time being, he shoots his show in a small room in his own house, while a friend films him on a cellphone camera. Ibrahim said part of the reason he joined the page about a year ago was to get feedback on his work. My performance was bad at first but I improved, as much with experience as with peoples tips, he told Al-Monitor, expressing hope that he will attract the attention of someone in the industry who will help him develop professionally. Khaled Gamal, a graduate of Cairo Universitys commerce program, wanted to study arts cinema or theater but his family refused. Then he started writing funny songs, theater scripts and short film scenarios, which he currently displays on the Talents of Egypt page. Like Ibrahim, he told Al-Monitor he hopes a producer will spot him and help him with his career path. He said peoples positive comments after he posted four videos greatly encouraged him. Nour Mohammad, a fine arts graduate of Cairo University, also explained that the page helped her develop her work. She told Al-Monitor, At first, I would put up my drawings of well-known figures and invite visitors to comment on them. Later, I started working in graphics, which has become essential in cinematic production. I enrolled in training sessions and workshops in the field. May Mahmoud, another loyal user of the page and a student at Menoufia University studying trade, told Al-Monitor she is there to find a team. Her focus is dubbing films, an area that is unexplored in Egypt. She said she followed the page hoping to form a group to design animated series and films, provided that she does the sound performance. Nader Adly, an art critic for several Egyptian newspapers, told Al-Monitor the social media experience has given rise to several talented artists in comedy and satire, but most producers still discover talent through traditional ways, such as auditions, word of mouth or face-to-face encounters. "It's an open space for anyone who thinks they are talented," he said of social media. "Some are actually talented, while others are not. The talented should try to get to producers, composers and production companies and break free from fear that selection is based on favoritism and acquaintances, as is reported in artistic circles. Ahmad Kamal, a prominent Egyptian actor, told Al-Monitor that the number of Facebook clicks a site or person receives may also be misleading. The audience online is but a small portion of the audience needed for success, he said. Kamal noted that each profession has its own channels through which amateurs and aspiring artists can reach professional producers and directors. These channels include centers that present training sessions and workshops such as Rafat Mahi Academy, the Actor Studio, Dahab Media Training & Arts Academy and Ali Badr Khan workshop, not to mention cinema and theatrical arts institutes. A diploma, he said, could lead to fame faster than an online presence. Turkey will get two more F-35 joint strike fighters in March 2019, the programs director Vice Adm. Mat Winter said Monday, despite pressure from Congress to rethink the deal. Why it matters: The news is a sign that the US-Turkish military relationship remains intact despite rapidly deteriorating diplomatic ties. The Donald Trump administration has sanctioned top officials over the jailing of US pastor Andrew Brunson and slapped new tariffs on Ankara in August. But the Pentagon insists that Turkey remains set to acquire 100 of the fifth-generation stealth fighters. I dont see any indication at this time of any change to the delivery of their 100 jets, Winter said. Former Defense Department officials told Al-Monitor that the production line for Turkish jets wont stop unless the White House orders it to shut down. What youre seeing is the program continuing on track the way it was designed, said David Deptula, a retired three-star Air Force general. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has also urged Congress not to remove Turkey from the F-35 program, saying it would cause delays to the entire program. Damned if you do: The new F-35s would be delivered to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona for flight training alongside two jets that Turkey acquired earlier this year. Barring new legislation from Congress or State Department sanctions, the first two are set to join the ranks of the Turkish Air Force next summer or fall. Yet experts warn that with Turkey moving ahead with a $2.5 billion purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system, the Russian military could train its radar to accurately identify the stealthy American jet if the two systems operate side-by-side. If you do it enough times, youll be able to know that an aircraft is a mile away or a half-mile away, said John Venable, a retired Air Force colonel who is now a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. You just refine your system to where youre able to see it. This is a real threat to the [F-35] system. Damned if you dont: Turkey is also a NATO ally and has been a member of the F-35 program since 1999, designing the fuselage and other components for the aircraft. Nixing the sale could do further damage to the longstanding relationship, even if current hang-ups including pastor Andrew Brunsons detention and US support for Syrian Kurds are resolved. Everyone likes to delve into specific details, but the relationship with Turkey to the NATO alliance is extraordinarily important from a geopolitical perspective, said Deptula, now dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies in the Washington area. Politicians come and go, but military-to-military relationships tend to last longer. Whats next: The Pentagon is on the clock, facing a 90-day deadline to give lawmakers a report on the impact of removing Turkey from the F-35 program. Know more: Check out Al-Monitors stories on the rising congressional pressure on the Pentagons F-35 sale to Turkey here and here. - Jack Detsch Congress is finally on the brink of enacting its own Syria policy review by stuffing the provision in a completely unrelated aviation bill. The Senate is set to vote this week on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act. Following negotiations between the House and Senate, the 1,207-page bill now includes language tasking Congress with assembling an independent, 12-member Syria panel to examine and make recommendations on the military and diplomatic strategy in the war-torn country. Before it was in the FAA bill, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., had unsuccessfully tried for more than a year to use her seat on the Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees to create the study group. Why it matters: Shaheens long endeavor to set up the study group illustrates the difficulty Congress has had passing legislation to address US strategy in Syria. Most recently, Shaheen inserted the provision into this years defense authorization bill. But the review did not survive reconciliation with the House. I know that the House raised some concerns, obviously those have been put to rest, Shaheen told Al-Monitor last night. Its in their version of the FAA bill, so Im looking forward to getting it passed and I appreciate their support. The senator had first added the language to the Houses Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act last year. But Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has placed a hold on that bill pending revisions before a floor vote. Whats next: Once the Senate passes the aviation bill, it will head to the White House for President Donald Trumps signature. At that point, congressional leaders from both parties will designate their own independent appointees to serve on the Syria study group. Know more: Read about Leahys hold on the Syria genocide accountability bill here. And check out Al-Monitors Syria coverage for the latest updates on the military and diplomatic situation in the country. - Bryant Harris Username: Password: or Register Thread Rating: 5 Vote(s) - 4.2 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 3 4 Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? northerntomcat Registered User User ID: 464334 10-02-2018 10:18 PM Posts: 10,597 Post: #1 Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Advertisement Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia with a preemptive strike? (Reuters) - Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. The United States believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has consistently denied any such violation. U.S. ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if development of the medium-range system continued. Read the rest here: I can only imagine this is not playing well the the Kremlin. (Reuters) - Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday.The United States believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has consistently denied any such violation.U.S. ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if development of the medium-range system continued.Read the rest here: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-n...SKCN1MC1J6 I can only imagine this is not playing well the the Kremlin. northerntomcat Registered User User ID: 464334 10-02-2018 10:28 PM Posts: 10,597 Post: #2 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Talk about mixed messages this from an hour ago. Ambassador Hutchison Verified account @USAmbNATO I was not talking about preemptively striking Russia. My point: ?? needs to return to INF Treaty compliance or we will need to match its capabilities to protect US & NATO interests. The current situation, with ?? in blatant violation, is untenable. ?? = Russia (This post was last modified: 10-02-2018 10:29 PM by northerntomcat .) The Hermit Registered User User ID: 448177 10-02-2018 10:58 PM Posts: 697 Post: #3 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? There is a wee bit of difference between "military strike" and "return to treaty compliance, or we will match your development". These officials really need to start thinking before beaking. Consciousness is an ocean from a distance. A wave from above. Droplets from within. northerntomcat Registered User User ID: 464334 10-02-2018 11:48 PM Posts: 10,597 Post: #4 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? The Hermit Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:58 PM) There is a wee bit of difference between "military strike" and "return to treaty compliance, or we will match your development". These officials really need to start thinking before beaking. I am not seeing anything in her past that would qualify her for such a post. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison other than the fact she works of these guys. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracewell_LLP (On March 31, 2005, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joined the firm as a named partner, with the firm becoming known as Bracewell and Giuliani. Upon this he helped them establish a New York office) I am not seeing anything in her past that would qualify her for such a post.other than the fact she works of these guys.(On March 31, 2005, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joined the firm as a named partner, with the firm becoming known as Bracewell and Giuliani. Upon this he helped them establish a New York office) (This post was last modified: 10-03-2018 12:02 AM by northerntomcat .) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 448074 10-02-2018 11:49 PM Post: #5 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Please hold while I find the bottle rockets and whiz bangs. Please hold while I find the bottle rockets and whiz bangs. Laserz let there be light User ID: 361628 10-03-2018 12:03 AM Posts: 41,085 Post: #6 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Interior Secretary Zinke said the US Navy will blockade Russia.... which is an act of war. http://lunaticoutpost.com/thread-67951.html She's in line with the Trump team.Interior Secretary Zinke said the US Navy will blockade Russia....which is an act of war. northerntomcat Registered User User ID: 464334 10-03-2018 12:14 AM Posts: 10,597 Post: #7 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Fork Wrote: (10-03-2018 12:03 AM) She's in line with the Trump team. Interior Secretary Zinke said the US Navy will blockade Russia.... which is an act of war. http://lunaticoutpost.com/thread-67951.html Interesting thread, not sure what they are playing at, but i don't think they have the "best people" on it. Interesting thread, not sure what they are playing at, but i don't think they have the "best people" on it. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465720 10-03-2018 12:20 AM Post: #8 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Russia is bop bag. 269346 The Grinch Who Stole LOPmas! User ID: 439000 10-03-2018 12:22 AM Posts: 7,029 Post: #9 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Kay Bailey Hutchison is a shiteating libturd who pretended to be a conservative to get elected. She represented Texas with disgrace. (This post was last modified: 10-03-2018 12:23 AM by 269346 .) 269346 The Grinch Who Stole LOPmas! User ID: 439000 10-03-2018 12:24 AM Posts: 7,029 Post: #10 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? You see what your liberal warmongering against Russia will do? Now you even have Republicans beating the drums of war, thanks to the Democrats. (This post was last modified: 10-03-2018 12:24 AM by 269346 .) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 465719 10-03-2018 12:26 AM Post: #11 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? what a load of horseshit. only a bork bork moron ^^^ believes any of this fearmongering bollocks Laserz let there be light User ID: 361628 10-03-2018 12:28 AM Posts: 41,085 Post: #12 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? Pin request. #1 Doomologist lop guest User ID: 436526 10-03-2018 12:29 AM Post: #13 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? northerntomcat Wrote: (10-02-2018 11:48 PM) The Hermit Wrote: (10-02-2018 10:58 PM) There is a wee bit of difference between "military strike" and "return to treaty compliance, or we will match your development". These officials really need to start thinking before beaking. I am not seeing anything in her past that would qualify her for such a post. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison other than the fact she works of these guys. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bracewell_LLP (On March 31, 2005, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joined the firm as a named partner, with the firm becoming known as Bracewell and Giuliani. Upon this he helped them establish a New York office) who asked you to decide? Possibly you've been mis-informed we give a flying turd about your opinion... who asked you to decide?Possibly you've been mis-informed we give a flying turd about your opinion... Laserz let there be light User ID: 361628 10-03-2018 12:30 AM Posts: 41,085 Post: #14 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? The U.S. ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells Tuesday when she suggested that the United States might take out Russian missiles that U.S. officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty. Although Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchisons comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike. Such a move could lead to nuclear war. Only after the comments drew a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministry did Hutchison clarify on Twitter that she was not talking about preemptively striking Russia. But the diplomatic damage was already done. The impression is that people making such claims are unaware of the degree of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters, the Interfax news agency reported. Who authorized this lady to make such allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so aggressively and destructively? Russia denies violating the treaty. Asked during a news conference at NATO headquarters what the United States might do about a new class of Russian missiles that appear to violate the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Hutchison said, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/did...fda2358139 Trumps ambassador to NATO sets off diplomatic incident with a nuclear edgeThe U.S. ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells Tuesday when she suggested that the United States might take out Russian missiles that U.S. officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty.Although Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchisons comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike. Such a move could lead to nuclear war.Only after the comments drew a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministry did Hutchison clarify on Twitter that she was not talking about preemptively striking Russia. But the diplomatic damage was already done.The impression is that people making such claims are unaware of the degree of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters, the Interfax news agency reported. Who authorized this lady to make such allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so aggressively and destructively?Russia denies violating the treaty.Asked during a news conference at NATO headquarters what the United States might do about a new class of Russian missiles that appear to violate the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Hutchison said, The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 424701 10-03-2018 12:32 AM Post: #15 RE: Did U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison just threaten Russia? We are internally cleaning up the US we must stay vigilant. Show them some mettle. Advertisement Like all his recent speeches to the annual UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Sept. 27 address to the international forum successfully concealed the Palestinian issue behind the Iranian bomb. Netanyahu has made it a habit to lash out in such speeches at Western Europeans for allying with Tehran and at the same time embrace the Arab states that fellow victims of the Iranian menace. Netanyahu told the UNGA that the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran had brought Israel and many Arab states closer than ever, in an intimacy and friendship that Ive not seen in my lifetime and would have been unimaginable a few years ago. Netanyahu also expressed his hope that the day will soon arrive when Israel will be able to expand peace, a formal peace, beyond Egypt and Jordan to other Arab neighbors, including the Palestinians. The key challenge is not to come up with solutions satisfactory to both sides, while getting them to give these ideas serious consideration. On Sept. 26, US President Donald Trump appeared to adopt the two-state solution when he stood side-by-side with Netanyahu in New York. However, his decision to relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem this past May and his more recent decision to cut aid to the Palestinians and close the PLO offices in Washington have shattered Palestinian faith in the United States as an honest broker. In his UNGA speech this week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his commitment to a two-state solution of the conflict with Israel based on the 1967 borders. However, the meager diplomatic yield of the 1993 Oslo Accord has completely eroded Palestinian trust in its leadership, which 25 years ago promised that the agreement with Israel would end its occupation of their lands. Netanyahu said he might consider the idea of a Palestinian state alongside Israel without an army and that he looked forward to working with Trump and his team on achieving peace. Netanyahus record on the peace project, however, is hardly stellar. Opposition chair Tzipi Livni, who represented the Netanyahu government and that of his predecessor Ehud Olmert in negotiations with the Palestinians, told Al-Monitor several months ago that the main obstacle to an agreement lies in Israels political unwillingness to implement the two-state solution. Livni believes that only broad public support among Israelis can create the political willingness needed to pay the territorial cost of peace. If Trump presents the two sides with a reasonable blueprint for dividing the land between Israelis and Palestinians based on the 1967 borders, the political right will have a hard time accusing him of turning against Israel and joining the enemy camp, as it did to President Barack Obama. The blows that Trump has dealt the Palestinians are making it hard for him to promote the ultimate plan he promised for Israeli-Palestinian peace. When the two sides are not speaking and one of them does not talk to the United States, either, one must look elsewhere for an icebreaker; another mediator that could break through the barriers of fear and hatred. Options can be found nearby in the Arab states with which Netanyahu reported having a close and intimate relationship. In March, the Saudis started allowing flights between Israel and the Far East (Air India flights from Tel Aviv to New Delhi) to cross their air space, a significant indication of a rapprochement between the two. Now Netanyahu will have to warmly welcome Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud along with Abbas if the two of them ever decide to arrive together for a historical visit to the Knesset. In 1977, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat changed the course of history by taking such a step. William Quandt, an adviser to former President Jimmy Carter, recounted last year that at the time, the US president had already toyed with the idea of a Jerusalem summit with the participation of Arab leaders and the UN Security Council. One cannot exaggerate the impact 41 years ago of the surprise visit to Israel by the leader of the largest state in the Arab world on the climate in Israel and on the political willingness to pay the price of peace. Sadats electrifying Knesset appearance did for public support of peace what thousands of hours of negotiations orchestrated by successive US administrations could not before then and have not done since. A direct appeal by an Arab leader to the Israeli people from the Knesset podium is worth more than dozens of international conferences, UN speeches and press conferences. A journey to Jerusalem by the Saudi king and Palestinian president toward the end of 2018 will be far easier than Sadat's visit from Cairo at the end of 1977. For the Muslim rejectionist states, Sadats Jerusalem visit made him a traitor to the Arab cause and collaborator with the Zionist enemy. On the other hand, the Arab leaders road to Jerusalem these days is paved with the support of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, both of which are committed to the March 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. The conflict with the Palestinians is now the only remaining obstacle to implementation of that initiative, which calls for the Arab and Muslim world to recognize Israel and normalize relations with it, a goal Netanyahu has professed to desire. Addressing the Israeli Knesset in November 1977, Sadat said that even if peace were achieved between Israel and each and every Arab state, it would not be sustainable unless a just solution were found to the Palestinian problem. Addressing the UNGA last week, Netanyahu said, When you form friendships around a threat, around a challenge, you quickly see opportunities, not only for security but a better life for our people. The Israeli-Arab friendships forged around the Iranian threat and the challenge of its elimination has created another opportunity: a chance deal with the threat of terrorism and zealotry and achieve a just and logical resolution of the Palestinian problem that will preserve both the democratic nature and Jewish identity of the State of Israel. Sept. 30 marked the third anniversary of the Russian military campaign in Syria. The third year has turned out to be one of the most challenging for Moscow. The system of coordination with diverse regional powers whose interests, at times, diverge that Moscow has diligently built has been jeopardized. Currently, Russias main problem is what to do in the face of the United States' intensified policy in Syria. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov summed up the political results of Moscows presence in Syria during a press conference on the margins of the UN General Assembly. In particular, he highlighted the following three outcomes that Moscow finds crucial: 1. The elimination of terrorist hotbeds in southern Syria, Homs and eastern Ghouta, as Lavrov put it. Due to Russian military and diplomatic support, Damascus re-established its authority over most of Syria, except for the zones still controlled by Turkey and the United States. For Russia, this question whether to accept the partition of Syria before a political solution is found or to confront the allies and conventional partners will be a central challenge of the next year. For now, however, Moscow spares no criticism of Washington. The main danger to Syrias territorial integrity originates from the eastern bank of the Euphrates, where independent and autonomous structures are created under the direct control of the United States," Lavrov said during his visit to Sarajevo on Sept. 21. "We will insist that they should stop these unlawful actions. We have repeatedly voiced this request both in the UN Security Council and to Americans directly." Yet Russia avoids reprimanding Turkey in this way, instead accepting the armed oppositions control over Idlib as a compromise. Moreover, Lavrov regularly emphasizes that the agreements on Idlib do not endanger the territorial integrity of Syria, contrary to the situation on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. This serves as a hint to Damascus that Moscow is still committed to the integrity of Syria and guarantees that Idlib will sooner or later return to the government. It is also a polite appeal to Ankara, meaning that allies are allowed more freedom in their actions. Moscow has essentially disregarded the areas of northern Syria that Ankara occupied during its Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations. Although, as recently as spring 2018, Lavrov has actively urged Ankara to return Afrin to the Syrian government. Russia has not given up this position, but its priorities have changed. The top priority is to preserve the Astana format as a whole, and the alliance with Turkey in particular, even if the allies objectives do not fully overlap a fact that Moscow acknowledges, as Russia considers these relations obligatory for progress in the Syrian resolution. 2. The problems of humanitarian aid provision are solved more efficiently, Lavrov said was Russias second accomplishment in Syria over the past three years. After Damascus retained control of the southwestern de-escalation zone in the last several months, Moscow has promoted and began to implement its plan of repatriation of Syrian refugees, which has been designed as carefully as a military campaign and brought to life by Russian servicemen, among other parties. Reports of military operations and victories over terrorists on the Defense Ministry website soon gave way to reports on the reconciliation process and refugee repatriation. Russia intensified its work in this area after the Russian-American summit in Helsinki on July 16. During the summit, Vladimir Putin said Russia and the United States should take responsibility for this issue and cooperate to facilitate the [resolution of the] humanitarian crisis. Several days later, the Russian Defense Ministry launched the Center for the Reception, Allocation and Accommodation of Refugees in Syria. Later, Russia created the Interagency Coordination Center of Defense and Foreign Ministries. If the project turns out to be successful, Russia will use it as proof of Syrias return to peace, meaning that a full victory over terrorism has been achieved. However, the United States and other Western nations did not approve of Russia's repatriation plan. They considered it premature given the absence of a political resolution. Syrias neighbors, suffering from the burden of hosting refugees, were the only ones enthusiastic about the project. According to official sources, from early August when the repatriation plan was adopted to Sept. 26, 1.47 million Syrians returned home. Approximately 1.2 million were internally displaced, and only 244,000 returned from abroad. Without foreign support, Damascus and its allies will hardly be able to find the financial means to accommodate those who had the courage to return home. The repatriation issue is also important with regard to the future of elections and referendums in Syria. If nearly every fourth citizen of the country is living abroad as a refugee or a displaced person, democratic procedures will not be considered legitimate. Moreover, even if they are able to vote while outside the country, their choice will be unpredictable and the regime will very likely dismiss the results as tainted by foreign influence. The refugee question is a significant instrument of manipulation for all actors of the conflict in Syria that cannot be resolved without political processes. However, the political resolution is impossible without an efficient answer to the refugee problem. 3. The creation of the Astana trio, which had taken the responsibility to promote political resolution when the UN had been inactive is the third and most crucial result stressed by Lavrov. According to Lavrov, the main outcome here is the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, which took place in January 2018 in Sochi. The congress was the first negotiation venue where both the regime and the opposition agreed to work according to the 12 principles established by UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura. The same congress decided to form the Constitutional Committee and outlined its principles. One can hardly disagree with Lavrov, as these decisions have been the only signs of political progress toward a resolution in recent years. The UN-hosted negotiations in Geneva have carried on to no avail. According to Al-Monitors sources close to the participants of the talks, the lack of progress is due to de Misturas attempts to find common ground between all sides of the conflict, who refuse to surrender their positions. On the other hand, the Astana process allows Moscow to virtually push through its decisions while finding compromises between Iran and Turkey, or the Syrian regime and the opposition. However, the moment of truth has already occurred. The United States has intensified its activity in Syria. The Western nations have clearly stated they do not see any political future for Bashar al-Assad and his government. They are willing to defend the constitutional process and the political resolution as a whole, as they consider suitable, which Damascus will inevitably boycott. Moreover, the small group on Syria, which the West created as an alternative to the Astana process, requires de Mistura to provide it with a report on the committee formation by Oct. 31. We know that they put pressure on de Mistura to make him announce a particular list of members of the committee and claim that he does it voluntarily. This will be a grave mistake. All this pressure is aimed at the annulment of any results the Astana process has achieved, Lavrov said during the press conference. For Russia, this is a complex problem, as the political resolution may come to a dead end just like the Geneva talks. At the same time, the West is likely to run out of patience and increase its pressure on the regime in Damascus. The opposition, with even more support, may ignore Moscows requests altogether. In 2019, Russia will face the challenge of escaping this prospect. Moscow will have to simultaneously maintain its influence in the region in the face of pressure and rivalry, defend its interests in Syria and preserve the alliances. Scrambling to lure external funds to ease its currency woes, Ankara has sharply lowered the criteria for foreigners who win the right to Turkish citizenship by purchasing real estate in the country. According to a Sept. 18 presidential decree, the $1 million threshold for such purchases was lowered to $250,000. The 75% discount came atop the dramatic slump of the Turkish lira, which has lost nearly 40% of its value this year. This means a double advantage for foreign property buyers who wish to obtain Turkish citizenship. Ankaras move aims to increase the flow of foreign exchange into Turkey and prop up the housing sector, which is sagging after an unprecedented boom. Government figures show that property sales to foreigners have become a significant source of foreign exchange since 2012, when Turkey amended laws to facilitate foreign buyers. In the six years from 2012 to 2017, foreign realty buys amounted to nearly $22.7 billion. Yet the increasing share of properties in foreign direct investments suggests that foreign interest in productive investments is on the decline. In 2017, property purchases by foreigners hit a record high of $4.6 billion, accounting for 42% of the $10.8 billion foreign investments. A new record is expected this year, given the significantly cheapened lira and the added citizenship bonus. In the January-August period, home sales to foreigners increased 42.6% from the same period in 2017, according to official figures compiled by the state-run Anatolia news agency. Foreigners bought 18,540 homes in the first eight months, up from 13,005 in the same period last year. A 130% increase in August alone indicates that foreigners took advantage of the slump of the Turkish lira, which sank to record lows that month as simmering tensions with Washington led to unprecedented US sanctions against Turkey. In sharp contrast, the domestic market was hit by shrinking demand as the purchasing power of Turks weakened, with home sales falling 15.1% in August. Topping the list of foreign realty buyers are nationals of Middle Eastern countries, as turmoil in the region seems to drive the well-off to the relative stability of Turkey. As a result of the expanded citizenship incentive, the number of Turkish citizens of Arab and Iranian origin appears bound to increase further in the coming period. Iraqis were the top foreign buyers in the first eight months of the year, purchasing 3,515 homes in Turkey. They were followed by Iranians with 1,659 homes, which confirms an increasing Iranian interest in Turkey, reflected also in the tourism sector and the growing number of companies that Iranians set up in Turkey. Saudis were third with 1,573 home purchases, followed by Russians with 1,180 and Kuwaitis with 1,048. The top three remained the same in the buying spree in August, but Kuwaitis came in fourth, leaving the Russians behind in fifth place. And what about Qataris? The wealthy emirates ties with Turkey have flourished to the point that last month it gave the Turkish president an extraordinary gift a luxury VIP plane on top of a promise to invest $15 billion in Turkey to ease the countrys currency woes. The Qataris may be less visible in terms of the number of purchases, but they might soon come into the spotlight in terms of the value of what they buy. According to Turkish media reports, Qataris are showing the most interest in 60 seafront villas on sale on the shores of the Bosporus in Istanbul, which are Turkeys most picturesque and most expensive residential areas. The prices of the villas are reported to range from $4.5 million to $95 million. The inflow of foreign exchange may be good news for Ankara, but not all Turks are happy with the increase in property sales to foreigners, especially those from the Middle East. Experts are already warning of dramatic demographic changes for Turkey in the coming years, fueled by the presence of more than 3 million Syrian refugees and the influx of illegal migrants from other regional countries. Masum Turker, a former state minister for the economy, worries that property sales to foreigners could contribute to security risks in the future. The increase in real estate sales to foreigners will add to social and political problems in Turkey, Turker told Al-Monitor. You may obtain one-off revenues by selling real estate, but your buildings and land are going away. If you fail to prevent nationals of a given country from buying [intensively] in a given area, ghettos will be forming in time, just as in the case of the Syrians at present. He went even further, suggesting that the loss of land through real estate sales is reminiscent of Israeli purchases of Palestinian land. The ghettoization prospect is already tangible, with impoverished Syrian refugees forming distinct communities especially in city outskirts. This, of course, obstructs integration amid frequent reports of tensions and even deadly clashes between Syrians and Turks. Mustafa Kocanci, who heads a migration studies center at Turkeys Akdeniz University, says that Syrian neighborhoods have already formed in big cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Adana, Izmir, Bursa, Mersin and Gaziantep. Raising the specter of social cohesion problems, he warns, If those people stay [in Turkey], they will seek to sustain their way of life in Syria here. They will continue to speak their language, and one day they will move to create their educational institutions. There will be problems in business life as well. Family relations are another important problem. Polygamy, for instance, is seen as something ordinary in their society, but under the laws of the Republic of Turkey, it is not possible. Unlike the poor ghettos of the Syrian refugees, the boom in property buys by Arabs and Iranians might spawn well-to-do ghettos in Turkey especially in Istanbul. Russia is taking serious steps to control Syrian airspace. After Syria shot down one of Russia's high-tech "Coot" planes Sept. 17 off the Syrian coast using Russian-made missiles, no less Moscow's plans to prevent other Syrian missteps by giving the country better weapons could drastically change the balance of power in the region. The downing, in which 15 Russians were killed, resulted from Syrian anti-aircraft batteries attempting to engage four Israeli F-16s that were striking targets in the region at the time. A Syrian S-200 surface-to-air (SAM) missile accidentally hit the larger, slower Russian Il-20M surveillance plane instead of the Israeli planes. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Israeli F-16s were using the Russian plane as cover. This is why Russia indirectly blames Israel for the incident. Although Russia has not yet revealed the technical aspects of the incident in which its plane was shot down, there will be ramifications. In less than two weeks, Moscow plans to provide Syria with S-300 missile systems and take other potential game-changing precautions to impede Israels actions in the sky above Syria. The Russian military will also supply better control systems to the Syrian Air Defense Force systems that typically are only supplied to the Russian Armed Forces, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu announced. This will allow Syria and Russia to integrate their military assets, giving the Syrians better targeting information. The most important thing is that it will ensure identification of Russian aircraft by the Syrian air defense forces, he said. Potentially, it could also expose Israeli aircraft tracked by Russian radar stations to Syrian fire. The downed plane, a Russian Il-20M type Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) and Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) plane, better known by its NATO designation of Coot, was equipped with high-tech equipment such as surveillance radar, electronic eavesdropping gear and optical and infrared sensors. It was shot down with a Russian-made S-200 missile 22 miles off the Syrian coast as it was in a descending pattern. It became the fourth Russian plane shot down on duty in the Syrian civil war, bringing the total personnel lost to 58. A Russian SU-24 was shot down by a Turkish F-16 in November 2015, an SU-25 was shot down Feb. 3 with man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS) by opposition fighters, and an AN-31 cargo plane was brought down March 6, reportedly by Syrian opposition MANPADS. The S-200, an older generation of SAM that isnt even equipped with a friend-or-foe identification system, acquired its well-deserved reputation as a formidable weapon after it was used to shoot down an American U-2 spy plane in 1960. It also brought down a US Nighthawk stealth F-117 plane in 1999 during the Bosnian war and shot down an Israeli F-16I a few months ago. But in the latest incident over Syria, Russia didnt disclose whether the S-200 was manned by Russian or Syrian soldiers. Moscow also didnt explain why its plane couldnt evade the S-200 over Syria. Its also not clear if the Russian S-200 battery commander knew there was a Russian plane in his range. What is known (or strongly speculated) is that Syria has an excessive number of old-model S-200 missiles in its arsenal and wants to replace them with newly made, S-300 GUR and BUK high- to medium-altitude air defense missiles. Instead of using S-200s selectively, Syrians use SAMs as ballistic missiles firing them as saturation ammunition. Thats why it wasn't really a surprise that the missiles were able to down the II-20M plane. S-200 main engine parts frequently fall into southeastern provinces of Turkey, miles away from areas that Israeli attacks indicating this kind of free firing. Hakan Kilic, a ballistic missile and air defense expert, told Al-Monitor: The fact is, there are very few countries in the Middle East and even in the world with such intense, multilevel air defense systems as Syria. Although Syria has a feeble air force with few planes, it has a very potent air defense missile system infrastructure based on the [most modern], Russian-origin systems. He continued: The Syrian air force realized it can't challenge the Israeli air force with obsolete Russian-made planes, and opted for ballistic missiles and air defense systems as deterrents. But in time, Israel found solutions to them and also developed its responses. First Israel developed the worlds most advanced, multiple-level and intensified ballistic missiles systems consisting of Iron Dome, Davids Sling and Arrow 2 and 3. It flies electronic warfare suites with F-15I and F-16Is specifically modified for electronic warfare so much so that the US has agreed for Israel to modify the latest F-35 to deploy an electronic warfare suite for its own use, similar to F-35I Adir. This plane, which looks the same as the F-35A and has similar technical specifications, makes Israel the country with most advanced electronic warfare capabilities, after the United States. Another measure announced by the Russian Defense Ministry is a blanket of electronic countermeasures to be deployed over the Syrian coastline that will suppress satellite navigation, onboard radar systems and communications of warplanes attacking targets on Syrian territory. When Syria's air defense system couldn't cope with Israels electronic warfare capabilities, Syria felt the need for the S-300s. According to Kilic, with this move Russia wants to cover Syria's entire airspace. It's not a secret that, although some S-300 and S-400 batteries have radar ranges of 400-600 kilometers (about 250-370 miles), the S-400 model that Syria has now has a range of only 250 kilometers (155 miles). As the detachment to be deployed in Syria is defined as an "S-300 eight battery," it will be made up of one company or unit. We are talking of a system with an independent radar and command center with eight batteries, each with four missiles, for a total of 32 launchers, or with missiles ready to be fired. These are Almaz-Antey tracked vehicles with P/V/PT/PS/PYB/PMU1/PMU2 models installed in an SA-10 Grumble identified as SA-12 Giant. S-300PMU1 is called SA-20 Gargoyle, which is very effective against planes, drones and cruise missiles. However, the extent of its effectiveness as advertised in the companys literature is subject to much debate and has yet to be proven on operational missions. The question now is whether the S-300 to be deployed in Syria will have more of an effect on Turkey or Israel. Ankara does not want these systems to be deployed near Aleppo and Idlib. According to Kilic's reports, the batteries to be sent to Syria will be ready in less than two weeks. That's a sign that they won't be modernized versions, but rather what's available in stock. Although it's been predicted that the S-300 to be sent to Syria will be mounted on V-series armored, tracked vehicles because of terrain conditions, now there are reports that that they will be P-series models to be mounted on wheeled trucks. S-300PMU2 is a 15- to 20-year-old system that is inferior to the S-300 and S-400 systems currently in use. If instead of the S-300V4, Russia sends the S-300PMU2, the following will come to mind: Israel had secretly upgraded some of the S-300PS/S-300V1 models Ukraine had. When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Moscow seized some of these missiles. They could have been sent to Syria as a symbolic gesture. For almost six years, Israel has conducted hundreds of attacks on Syria thanks to the combination of offensive actions and good diplomatic relations with Russia and the United States. Now the final question: Will the deployment of S-300s into Syria mark the end of Israels airstrikes in Syria? My brief answer: Of course not! Correction: Oct. 2, 2018. An earlier version of this article mistakenly stated Ankara wants S-300 air defense systems to be deployed near Aleppo and Idlib. Instead Turkey opposes this location. Correction: Oct. 3, 2018. An earlier version of this article mistakenly stated S-300PMU2 is superior to the S-300 and S-400 systems. Instead it is inferior to the S-300 and S-400s Rodney Smith Jr. is a man of few words. He prefers to let his actions speak for him, as he travels all over the country to spread a simple but meaningful act of kindness: mowing and raking the lawns of those who can't do it themselves, including the elderly, disabled, single mothers and veterans. And he does it for free. He started mowing lawns in 2015, when he was a student at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, where he was studying computer science at the time. "I came across an elderly man mowing his lawn," he says. The man was struggling, so Rodney asked if he could use some help. The spontaneous act spurred a whole movement. "That night, I decided to start this," he says of his nonprofit organization, Raising Men Lawn Care Service, which he founded in 2016 along with his friend Terrence Stroy. "I saw a need, so I just continued on." His presence on social media also speaks loudly. Raising Men's Facebook page is filled with before-and-after photos showing overgrown yards that Rodney and other volunteers cheerfully mow. The "after" photos show a dramatic difference. He poses with most of the people whose grass he cuts, always flashing a peace sign and smiling broadly. "They're grateful," he says. "It means a lot to them." Sometimes, the residents aren't at home, or they're too sick to come outside. "I just mowed Mrs. Brown's lawn for her on this beautiful Sunday," he wrote recently. "She was at church, but when she returns she will come home to a freshly mowed lawn." On another day: "I just had the pleasure of mowing Ms. Chaplin's lawn. As you may know, she's currently still battling stage 4 cancer. A battle she will win! She was inside resting so didn't want to disturb her. Please have her in your prayers." Another regular client passed away recently, and her family asked Rodney to mow her yard before the funeral. "She was such a sweet lady," he wrote. "It felt weird mowing her lawn & her not coming to greet me. Please have the family in your prayers." Sometimes a yard becomes overgrown because people can't mow their own lawn and can't afford to pay someone else to do it. Recently, Rodney encountered a single mother of four who had "just the other day received a violation notice in the mail about her yard," he wrote. "She told us it's just been hard and a lot to take care of. So glad we could help her out." A few months after he started the nonprofit, Rodney came up with the idea of a 50-Yard Challenge for youth ages seven to 17, anywhere in the world. Boys and girls sign up for the challenge by posting a photo of themselves with a sign saying "I've accepted the 50-yard challenge." Rodney sends them a white T-shirt with the Raising Men Lawn Care Service logo on it (or Raising Women, for girls). After that, the kids get a different colored T-shirt for every lawn they mow: orange for 10, green for 20, blue for 30, red for 40 and black for 50. "Once they reach 50, they become a lot like a black belt at mowing lawns," the website reads. In addition to the T-shirt, each child receives a personal visit from Rodney who mows with them and brings them their own brand-new lawn mower, leaf blower and weed eater. Currently, 255 kids in five countries are participating in the challenge, and 22 kids in far-flung locations have reached the 50-lawn mark. Rodney encourages the kids on social media, posting photos of them wearing their various-colored T-shirts and calling them "heroes." In addition to providing a valuable service, they gain self-esteem by knowing they're helping to improve their communities - and they learn all about yard work. "Most kids do it because they love making a difference," he says. Rodney, a native of Bermuda, came to the United States in 2009 at age 16 to attend a boarding school in upstate New York. After earning a two-year degree from Drake Technical College in Huntsville, he majored in computer science at Alabama A&M and went on to attend graduate school there, earning a master's in social work this past spring. In addition to his studies, Rodney has continued mowing lawns and running his nonprofit. "This is my full-time job," he says. "I'm not taking a salary." Eventually, he hopes to turn Raising Men "into a big organization like Big Brothers Big Sisters," he says. He spent the past two summers on his 50 States 50 Lawns tour, a personal mission to mow 50 yards in all 50 states, leaving his friend Terrence and his dog, Neiko, in charge of the Huntsville-based Raising Men. Terrence is in charge once again during the month of October, as Rodney sets out to visit cities all over the country with Los Angeles-based Yuri Williams, who dresses up as Spider Man to bring cheer to children. The dynamic duo will visit sick kids in hospitals and feed and clothe homeless people along the way. Rodney plans to have his lawn mower with him, too, he says. "The goal of this trip is to spread kindness and bring smiles to the kids I come across," he wrote on Facebook. The trip will begin in Milwaukee. "It's always good to step outside the box a little," he says. The schedule is subject to change but will take them to all 48 contiguous states. They plan to be in Montgomery on Oct. 12. Rodney says he wasn't a big fan of mowing grass when he was growing up. But he's changed his mind about It now. "You can't get tired of doing something you love," he says. For more information about Raising Men Lawn Care Service, visit www.weareraisingmen.com. Police are investigating after two men were shot in Ensley Monday night, Birmingham police said. Sgt. Bryan Shelton said two Hispanic men were shot in the 1300 block of Warrior Road around 10 p.m. They were taken to UAB West in Bessemer by private vehicle. One of the men sustained life-threatening injuries, but is stable at this time, police said. Police said the shooting happened behind a home in the 1300 block of Warrior Road. The two men who were shot lived at the home, police said. A motive for the shooting has not been determined. Police have also not identified a suspect. Further details about the investigation were not immediately available. A Dothan man has been charged in a 2007 double killing of two men in Enterprise. Enterprise police on Tuesday announced the arrest of Robert Aaron "Bobby" Hvarven, 41. He is charged in the Oct. 2, 2007 murders of James Matthew Helms, 30, and Scott Allen Heib, 20. Their bodies of the roommates were discovered in their home on County Road 622 in Enterprise. According to the Dothan Eagle, the victims were co-workers and were shot and killed with a Taurus .44 special revolver. Helms' sister discovered the bodies after the two men failed to show up to work at the Bell Helicopter company in Ozark. Hvarven was arrested by the U.S. Marshals at his Dothan home. Police said the arrested followed an 11-year investigation that included Enterprise police and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Cold Case Unit. Hvarven is being held in the Coffee County Jail. A man was shot to death Tuesday morning at a southwest Birmingham business. The shooting happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. at Westside Tire Center on 31st Street S.W. and Jefferson Avenue. Birmingham police Sgt. Johnny Williams said the victim - 44-year-old Jerry Kennedy - was involved in some kind of altercation shortly before the gunfire erupted. He was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. The suspect fled on foot, and no arrests have been announced. The slaying marks the city's 85th homicide in 2015. Of those, five have been ruled justifiable and therefore the Birmingham Police Department will not include those in its year-end tally. In all of Jefferson County there have been 124 homicides, including the 85 in Birmingham. A goat that reportedly lay dead in a bowl of food for hours at the Alabama State Fair in Pelham appears to have died from an accidental injury by a camel, not neglect or abuse, police said. An investigation was launched by the Pelham Police Department over the weekend after a fair-goer noted the small, black goat was unresponsive and appeared to remain that way for four hours in the event's petting zoo. Peyton Hill, her boyfriend Carter Johnstone and several others went to the event Saturday night at the Oak Mountain Amphitheater. The fair opened Friday and runs through Oct. 7. Hill, shaken by what she saw, posted her observations and a video on Facebook Sunday. She said her group stopped briefly at the petting zoo when they first arrived at the fair. At that point, she said, the fair had been going on for about eight hours and the animals appeared to be exhausted and without water. "They were super dirty, covered in feces, and I didn't see any water,'' Hill told AL.com Monday morning. Efforts to reach fair organizers for comment were unsuccessful. They spotted a black goat laying with his head in the food bowl and not moving. "I figured he was exhausted from the weekend of constant interaction and moved on,'' she said. She said they returned to the petting zoo about four hours later and immediately noticed the same black goat had not moved. It was then that they feared the goat was dead. Her boyfriend reached into the pen and touched the goat. "Carter touched the goat and lift his head a little to find that he was limp,'' she said. At one point, Hill said, another animal was eating out of the food bowl while the goat was laying in it. Later, she said, a miniature donkey stepped on the goat and it still didn't move. "I was so upset,'' she said Hill said they approached the person who appeared to be in charge of the petting zoo and told him a goat was dead. She said he then picked up the goat's head, shook it and then "dropped" it back into the food bowl, while children and families looked on. "I started crying and left,'' Hill said. Hill and her boyfriend reported the incident to a Pelham police officer outside of the fair. Hill said she posted the video and her statements because she found it disturbing and feared the animals weren't properly care for. The video sparked outrage on social media. Pelham police on Monday said they received a complaint Saturday evening about a possible dead goat in the petting zoo at the Alabama Fair. Officers at the event responded to the area immediately, but the animal had already been removed. During the course of the three-day investigation, Police Chief Larry Palmer said in a statement late Monday, police determined the goat died as a result of an injury caused by another animal in the petting zoo. The camel fell on the goat, police said. "Officers have observed the animals several times since the incident, including on Sunday and today," the statement read. "At no time did they observe any without food or water, and none appeared to be in distress. Code enforcement has also reviewed the veterinary records for all of the animals. "We have determined this was an unfortunate accident,'' the chief said. Authorities are searching for two suspects after about 400 guns were stolen from a United Parcel Service facility in Tennessee. Two people driving a U-Haul truck stolen the weapons from the UPS facility in Memphis on Sunday, according to the Memphis Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Surveillance cameras show two suspects, one wearing a black and gray jacket with dark pants; the other wearing all black. Investigators are trying to determine how many guns were taken in the heist, where the firearms were shipped from and where they were headed. Based on the current inventory, the incident could be one of the largest firearms thefts investigated by the ATF, officials said. "We are concerned that the firearms will end up on the streets not only potentially in the Memphis area, but also across the country," spokesman Michael Knight told the AP. "The criminal element knows no geographical boundary." UPS is assisting with the investigation. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information about this incident should call Crime Stoppers at 528-CASH. You will be given a secret ID number and your identification will remain anonymous. You can also submit your tip at http://www.crimestopmem.org. The World Bank said Tuesday said it released $496.25 million to support the Philippine governments efforts to hasten recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas heavily damaged by typhoon Ompong last month. Typhoon Ompong, internationally known as Mangkhut, damaged infrastructure and agricultural areas mostly in northern Luzon provinces and claimed the lives of dozens of individuals. Data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed that more than 700,000 families, or close to 3 million people, were affected by the storm, with 138 injured and 68 dead in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and the National Capital Region. The NDRRMC estimated the direct damage to infrastructure and agriculture at P33.6 billion or around $623 million. The storm particularly caused widespread destruction in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and the Cordillera Administrative Region. With a combined population of more than 21 million, these regions are among the countrys important producers of rice, corn, vegetables, livestock and poultry. Mara Warwick, World Bank country director for Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, said the multilateral lender expressed its sympathies to the Filipino people affected by the typhoon. Natural disasters can exacerbate poverty through loss of lives, livelihood, property and infrastructure, and can roll back years of development gains. They disproportionately disrupt the lives of poor and vulnerable people, particularly women, the elderly and children. We want them to know the Bank supports the countrys efforts to address their needs, Warwick said.The funds accessed from the contingent line of credit called the Second Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a Catastrophe-Deferred Drawdown Option will give the government flexibility to help families and communities recover, reconstruct vital infrastructure (such as roads, bridges, schools and hospitals) and restore basic social services. Approved by World Banks board of executive directors on Dec. 22, 2015, the Cat-DDO 2 gives the Philippines immediate liquidity to recover from a natural disaster. The instrument also comes with technical assistance to support the governments disaster risk reduction and management efforts. The program enhances the countrys preparedness for natural disasters in the future, strengthening investment planning and regulations to reduce disaster risks, and help manage the financial impacts of natural disasters. The drawdown period for the Cat-DDO 2 is three years and is renewable up to four times for a total of 15 years. Amounts repaid during the drawdown period are available for subsequent withdrawal. The CAT-DDO 2 has been renewed to extend the availability of the contingent credit line until Sept. 30, 2021. A north Alabama man has been indicted in the fatal shooting of his neighbor during a late-night argument about loud music. Charles "Chuck" Jordan has been released from the Lauderdale County jail. Charles "Chuck" Jordan is indicted on a murder charge in the June 9 death of Michael Watson, court records show. If convicted, Jordan faces up to life in prison. Jordan, 36, of Anderson, has been released from the Lauderdale County jail on $50,000 bail. He is prohibited from having any contact with Watson's family, District Attorney Chris Connolly wrote in court records. The night of the shooting, deputies were called to Lauderdale County Road 110 in the Pine Haven Shores subdivision just after 10 p.m. Sheriff Rick Singleton said Watson was upset about loud music that was being played next door at Jordan's home. When Watson confronted Jordan, the situation escalated. Watson beat up Jordan's brother in the yard, the TimesDaily reported at the time. Jordan had a gun and "intentionally" shot Watson, the indictment says. An indictment is issued when a grand jury determines prosecutors have enough evidence to formally charge a defendant and send the case to trial. A trial date hasn't yet been set. Court records don't list a defense attorney for Jordan. School safety was at the top of every politician's agenda in spring after multiple shootings at multiple campuses killed 29 students and teachers and injured dozens more. Alabama lawmakers, in session during two of the worst tragedies, took no action other than to allow money earmarked for technology to be spent for school security. When AL.com readers were recently asked which election issues are important, school safety was near the bottom of the pack. Though school safety has faded from the news cycle, both candidates have crafted plans to keep students safe. With the election barely a month away, AL.com asked Republican Gov. Kay Ivey and Democratic challenger Walt Maddox about their plans for school safety. As Alabama's current Governor, Ivey has a head start, obviously, having created a task force after the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a former student shot and killed 17 students and staff. That task force, called the SAFE Council, was comprised of five agency heads who issued ten recommendations to improve school safety in May. Six of those recommendations have already been implemented, Ivey said in a statement to AL.com. Maddox, Ivey: The big difference The two candidates have similar ideas when it comes to school safety, except when it comes to guns: who should be allowed to have them in school and whether gun safety laws should be a part of the overall school safety plan. Maddox has been clear about how he feels about Ivey's Sentry program, announced a few days prior to a four-person Republican primary election. The Sentry program allows school districts with no law enforcement presence on campus to arm an administrator with a gun kept in a safe until needed if an active shooter event occurs. The Sentry program, Maddox told AL.com, "is asinine and political rhetoric at its best." Ivey has repeatedly defended the Sentry program, calling it a "stop-gap" measure until a certified school resource officer can be in place at every school in Alabama. "Every school has to make their own decision about how they want to keep schools safe," Ivey told AL.com. Ivey said a few school systems are looking into the Sentry program, but it is unclear whether any schools have begun training because Ivey ordered all plans surrounding the program be kept completely secret. No one other than the school board, the principal, and the administrator who has been trained will know the program is place. Maddox said no one should have a gun on a school campus unless they are a trained law enforcement officer. "As a state, we owe it to our children to protect them," he said. "As a parent, I would not want my child in a building with somebody without law enforcement experience in charge of a weapon." Gun control? The other point on which the candidates diverge is whether control should be a part of a school safety plan. Maddox said he supports "reasonable gun safety measures" as part of the overall plan, acknowledging no action by itself can keep all students safe. "Most people across all demographics and both parties believe reasonable gun safety measures should be put in place," Maddox said. One measure Maddox proposes is to keep guns out of the hands of people who are under a doctor's care and deemed a threat to themselves or others. "Closing the gun show loophole is also important," Maddox said. The term gun show loophole typically refers to the ability of people to buy a gun from a private seller (who is not required to have a license to sell firearms) without a background check. According to Giffords Law Center, Alabama is one of 37 states that does not require a background check when any type of gun is sold by a private seller. Ivey spokesperson Daniel Sparkman said gun control shouldn't "seep into" the school safety conversation. "We think that the plan that we have covers all of the different facets [of school safety]," he said. School resource officers Both candidates agree that having a certified SRO on campus is the best way to keep students safe, but with more than 1,400 schools, cost is a limiting factor. Many school districts have cost-sharing agreements with local law enforcement to pay for the cost of the SRO. Neither candidate wants to disrupt those existing agreements. Maddox said he wants to fund the cost of SROs with proceeds from a lottery. If the lottery doesn't become a reality, Maddox said he would reprioritize other funding to ensure no schools go without an SRO. "I don't think this is an either/or proposition," he said. "Our children's safety is first and foremost, and we will have to make it work." Ivey already has plans to ask the legislature for $20 million from the Education Trust Fund to distribute to school systems based on the number of students that are enrolled. Currently, that comes to $20 per student. Sparkman said the $20 million in school safety funding will come with a hierarchy of priorities. Funding should first be spent on SROs, then for building upgrades, mental health collaborations, and surveillance and equipment. Maddox said his plan calls for SROs to be highly-trained and ready in the event the worst should happen. According to a survey conducted by the Alabama State Department of Education in June, one in four schools statewide had no law enforcement presence on the school's campus. School districts have continued to add SROs over the summer, with cost-sharing agreements, and Sparkman said the survey will be updated in the near future. Hardening schools Both candidates acknowledge hardening schools must be part of the school safety plan. Many schools have become "soft targets," Maddox said because we have wanted our schools to be open and welcoming places. Maddox said hardening schools means improving entry and exit points at a school, using technology like magnetic doors, and utilizing "other structures that keep the building safe and provide opportunities to confine a threat." Ivey has already asked district officials to consider what it would take to make school campuses safer, but the funding to harden schools has to come from the legislature, she said. Identifying threats, coordinating responses Again, both candidates recognize the need to identify threats to schools well ahead of time. In a statement provided to AL.com, Ivey said, "As part of my Smart on Safety Initiative, schools will work to identify at-risk students before they act violently and first responders are coordinating with local schools and providing regular training for educators." Both candidates said threats can be identified through better coordination and information-sharing among state and local agencies, including mental health, law enforcement and schools. That process, known as "threat assessment," is already in place in Tuscaloosa City schools and has been used effectively, according to Superintendent Mike Daria. Maddox said Tuscaloosa law enforcement and authorities already work well together under his direction. Sparkman said all of the regional safety teams set up under Ivey's initiative have been trained in the Colorado Threat Assessment protocols and those teams will take that training to each of the state's 137 school districts (138 counting Gulf Shores) in the coming weeks and months. Summing up Both candidates agree that preparedness---training and information-sharing---are critical components of a school safety plan. And both agree that placing SROs on each of Alabama's public school campuses is a necessity. Ivey and Maddox do not agree on who should be allowed to carry a gun on a school's campus or whether gun control measures should be part of the overall plan. Though attention to school safety has waned since the tragedies of last spring, sadly, if history is any indication, another tragedy will occur, and whatever plans are in place will be the last line of defense for students and teachers. This story is one in a series of in-depth reports exploring key issues on Alabama voters' minds as they approach the Nov. 6 general election. The topics were determined using polling from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama and informal polls of AL.com readers. For more coverage of issues facing the next governor, go to https://www.al.com/election. U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will visit Huntsville on Wednesday as part of her "Rethink School" tour. DeVos will tour the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. According to a press release, while at the Space and Rocket Center, DeVos will be able to see "out-of-the-classroom learning experiences for students" and will address the importance of rethinking how school is done in order to improve student outcomes. "Our team is crossing the country this year to challenge local leaders, educators and parents to rethink school," said DeVos in a prepared statement. "We know the current system is leaving too many students unprepared, so we must question everything about the way we do school in this country. There's no more time for tinkering around the edges. No more trying the same things and expecting different results." DeVos will begin the day at the Georgia Institute of Technology and according to a separate release, will also visit Mississippi and Louisiana on the tour. DeVos conducted a similar back-to-school tour last year, covering six states: Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana. On that tour, DeVos visited schools that innovate in their approach to delivering education to students. DeVos was a controversial pick for Education Secretary among public school supporters. DeVos has no experience working in public schools and is a strong supporter of vouchers, tax credit scholarship programs, and charter schools, making her unpopular with those who say those types of choice programs weaken public schools. This is DeVos' second visit to Alabama since becoming Secretary of Education in February 2017. She visited Mobile County Schools in August 2017 at then-Superintendent Martha Peek's invitation to see the kinds of school choice the district offered. DeVos had called out Mobile the previous Spring for earning a failing grade in the area of school choice. A spokesperson for Gov. Kay Ivey said Ivey will not attend the events in Huntsville due to scheduling conflicts. Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey also said he would not be able to be in Huntsville for DeVos' visit due to previous commitments. Whitney Harris, a 21-year-old woman whose parents believe was lured to northern India by sex traffickers, arrived back in Mobile Tuesday morning with her family. Harris left home without telling her parents on Sept. 15, leaving her mother Destiny Harris to find out via a letter she'd left her the night before. "It talked about how she fallen in love with an Indian boy and how she loved his family too," said Jimmy Stewart, a close friend of the Harris family and their official spokesperson, who spoke to AL.com in multiple interviews over the last week. In the lead up to leaving home, Whitney handed in her six weeks notice at the Planet Fitness she'd worked at since she was 20. Her mother only discovered she was gone when she saw that her car was in the driveway, but she wasn't at home. Whitney's former colleagues told Destiny that she'd gone to visit a friend in India. Travelling west from Mobile, Whitney traveled through Dallas, Hong Kong then on to New Delhi where she met up with a man that first contacted her about two years ago when they were both 19-years-old, Pulkit Monga. He lived in Amritsar, a city of a little more than 1 million people in the Punjab region of northern India, which happens to be about 20 miles from the heavily guarded Pakistan border. The city is made up almost equally of Hindus and Sikhs, both popular and generally peaceful religions in India, according to the country's census division. Despite the city's proximity to Pakistan, only around 0.5 percent of the population is Muslim. Christianity makes up about 1.2 percent. The pair began talking via Facebook and Instagram in 2016. But once Whitney's parents discovered what was going on, they confiscated her electronic devices. She got them back when she was just shy of her 21st birthday, according to Stewart. After nearly two years of silence, Whitney and Monga reignited their online relationship and began planning her trip to visit him. Whitney Harris and her family enjoy a meal during their brief stay in Amritsar. The family believed their daughter had been sex trafficked after she left home without saying anything in mid September. She returned to Mobile Oct. 2. While Monga and Whitney claimed it was young love helped by the advent of globalized social media, Whitney's parents were fearful for her life. Monga refused multiple interviews with AL.com. Her parents, who own an auto detailing business in West Mobile, claim that Monga had groomed their daughter using techniques that they claim are used by sex trafficking gangs. One example given by Stewart was that Monga would call Destiny every morning to wake her up. "It's so he's the first person she thinks about every morning," said Stewart. "The person grows attachment to that person very quickly." By the time Whitney had made it to Hong Kong, her mother had filed a missing person's report, contacted human trafficking groups in the U.S., who in turn had got the FBI involved and Indian authorities. The FBI told AL.com that it was aware of the Harris family's situation but would not comment further. Questioned for hours in New Delhi, both Whitney, Monga and his sister, who is a Punjabi actress, were ultimately allowed to make their connecting flight to Amristar. "Sadly India has a reputation for things like this, but that doesn't mean everyone in India are bad people," Whitney wrote on Facebook Sept. 23. While claiming that she needed to leave the controlling power of her own mother to be free and visit Monga, she also admitted that the way she went about leaving home was wrong. "My intentions on coming here to India were good, but the way it was done was wrong on my part," she wrote. Polkit Monga and Whitney Harris meet at the airport in New Delhi. The pair first began talking online about two years ago. Harris recently went to visit him in India. Her parents thought she was sex trafficked and went to get her back. In later conversations, Stewart admitted that it was a possibility that the two had genuinely fallen in love and that Monga may have had a positive influence on Whitney, who seldom left home without her parents. "She was an introvert," said Stewart. "But they are a poor family and not wealthy, and for them to buy a $900 plane ticket (and then) for him to go to New Delhi and meet Whitney is a substantial investment," said Stewart. "That's almost a year's rent so we thought the money could be from a gang." "The way this all took place, the years of contact, the leaving in the middle of the night, we were not willing to rule out there being human trafficking involved. So many young girls disappear without a trace and knowing that's a possibility we have to do everything possible to keep her safe." Monga bought Whitney a one-way ticket that cost approximately $900. His ticket from Amritsar to New Delhi would have been much cheaper, in the region of $50, according to online ticket searches. But once in Amritsar, rather than travel to Monga's home where his family was awaiting Whitney's arrival, the pair were intercepted by a Seventh Day Adventist Minister, who the Harris family had contacted from the U.S. and asked him to take Whitney to his home. Despite protests from the young pair, Whitney went with the minister. But to prevent her leaving the safe confines of that home out of frustration, Monga was allowed to see her every day. By Monday, Sept. 24, Destiny and her husband Brent, along with another family member, were on their way to India to retrieve their daughter. A letter from Representative Bradley Byrne enabled the family to have the Indian visas expedited, said Stewart. Upon arriving in Amristar, Whitney's parents met with Monga's, ate dinner with them and visited the famous Golden Temple, according to pictures on Monga's Facebook. Whitney still refused to leave willingly with her family. Then suddenly between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, Monga and his family were arrested. It was at this point that Indian authorities ordered Whitney to leave the country. Stewart believes she was formally extradited, although it's not clear how that process played out. The family were released without charge, according to Monga. It's not know why they were arrested in the first place. In a Facebook post, Monga denied he had brainwashed Whitney into coming to India and that he was a sex trafficker. "I am sad because she has gone and I am sad because they didn't let us meet for the last time and without letting us know they separated my love from me," wrote Monga. "I am so worried she is suffering and being hurt again [by] her parents trying to control her life!" Monga's comments were supported by Nick Brubaker, Whitney's uncle, who also said on Facebook that Whitney was her "own person" and a "grown woman." He added that Whitney's parents and grandmother had brainwashed her and not let her grow up properly. "Overwhelming, controlling, manipulative, and hides behind the Bible," Brubaker said of his mother and Whitney's grandmother. Stewart said that the family would probably not try to stop her from going back in the future if that's what she wanted. "They had to be sure she was not in danger, they have to be sure they did everything possible to so they could have no regrets," said Stewart Monday evening. "But if in a year or so she comes up with the money and wants to go back to live with Polkit and his family, they can't stop her." "You can't keep chasing your kids forever, eventually you have to let them do what they want." Voters in Alabama's fastest-growing city were expecting to go to the polls on Tuesday to decide the future of Fairhope's city government. But a last-minute court filings by Fairhope attorney Marcus McDowell resulted in a decision Friday by Baldwin County officials to postpone the election for 32 more days. It now goes before voters on Nov. 6, which is the state's general election day. For Chuck Zunk, the delay brought a sense of relief. Uncertainty about the referendum date had almost overwhelmed the question at hand: Should Fairhope switch its form of government from mayor-council to council-manager? "No tears," said Zunk, spokesman of Fresh Start Fairhope, the grassroots organization that secured over 800 signatures in early July to trigger the ballot initiative. "The law is the law and we have said we didn't want anything less than a legal and fair election." He added, "Now we can spend the next five weeks, for Fresh Start Fairhope, and explain the benefits of the council-manager form of government." The postponement saved Fairhope $15,000 in referendum costs. Moreover, a special Tuesday referendum risked being ruled invalid by a judge. "That would have been the worst-case scenario," said District Attorney Robert Wilters. "Better for it to be delayed than for us to be a year or two down the road and someone contests the election for not being legal and we have to stop and do this all over again." Said Wilters: "All this does is delays the vote for a little over 30 days and gives the citizens of Fairhope a better opportunity to find out what exactly they are voting on and the consequences of their votes." 'Technicalities' McDowell submitted his emergency filings in Probate Court. In it, he maintained that the special election was invalid because Mayor Karin Wilson issued no signed proclamation within a mandatory 10-day window after Probate Judge Tim Russell, on July 12, certified petition signatures collected by Fresh Start Fairhope. McDowell said that without a signed proclamation, the duty fell to Russell to set the election date, acting in accordance with state law. Russell said state law indicated that since the Fresh Start Fairhope's petitions had been filed within 120 days of the general election, the referendum would have to go on the Nov. 6 ballot. "It's one of those technicalities that arise," said Russell. "To me, it's not a big deal at all, and it's a part of government. Now the citizens will have more time. And we're hoping for a real good turnout for the general election." Wilson said no one was aware of the 10-day stipulation back in July, and McDowell said no one looked at the issue closely until last week. Wilson, with advice from attorney Ken Watson, said that state law required the election to be set on the general election date, and that it "could not be legally held on any other date." Said Watson, in an email forwarded to AL.com: "The reason the date had to be changed was for that reason alone. Relative to what the date the referendum could be voted on, it doesn't matter whether there was a proclamation by the city or whether it was made within the time set out in the statute." City Council President Jack Burrell, a frequent critic of the mayor, said he doesn't blame Wilson for an oversight in failing to sign a proclamation that would have allowed the Tuesday election to go forward. "I can't reasonably expect her to be an expert in Alabama law," said Burrell. "Anyone could have missed that." 'Settled' The City Council had been accused by Fresh Start Fairhope of trying to interfere in the election. The council, on Sept. 19, approved filing an injunction to postpone the election amid confusion about whether a council-manager form of government would be governed by district-derived or at-large council members. Councilman Jay Robinson has said that he and his colleagues were never trying to stop the election. He said the council's purpose was to make sure the election was valid, and that "correct information" about the government change was being disseminated to voters. An attorney general's opinion, released last week, stated that Fairhope's new council-manager form of government - if approved by voters -- had to have three council members chosen from districts, and two elected at large. That's because the change was prompted through a citizens' petition. Fresh Start Fairhope's petition did not specify the manner by which new council members should be elected. Fresh Start Fairhope representatives have largely wanted to keep an all-at-large council, although the mayor would be one of those five members. The mayor currently does not have a vote on the council, and operates as the city's top administrator. A second petition calling for a council-manager form of government supported through single-member districts failed to get enough signatures to trigger a referendum. "The district plan means there will be three district council members but there will also be two people, and that includes the mayor and a council member, who are elected at-large," said Zunk. "It's a blend do the two and it's been resolved." He added, "All the questions and controversy, everything it settled. Now we can spend the next five weeks, for Fresh Start Fairhope, to explain the benefits of the council-manager and the same applies to the opposition. It's a horse race." Wilson, who has favored districts, said an important stretch begins: "Nothing to date in this term is more important to the future of Fairhope than making certain voters have clear facts regarding this referendum so they can make a well-informed decision." Fairhope's push to consider a government change is occurring a few months after the Legislature approved an amendment to the Council-Manager Act of 1982 to give cities like Fairhope more authority in deciding whether to establish a council-manager form of government. Only 16 Alabama cities, or a meager 3 percent of the 460 incorporated municipalities, are operated by a professional city manager. Tennessee and Georgia, by contrast, have far more. Fairhope is positioned to be the first city in Alabama to decide whether to pursure a city government switch since the Legislature's action. Said Robinson: "We've been the guinea pig at this point. I hope whatever happens with us, it kind of becomes a lesson ... so future municipalities that go through this don't have the confusion we have had." To groans from the audience, the Daphne City Council on Monday night approved a controversial rezoning that's reflected disputes and discord afflicting several municipalities in Alabama's fastest-growing county. The larger issues at hand: Should government officials protect and promote personal property rights of developers as soaring growth continues? Or should zoning disputes go to the side of longtime homeowners who are fighting to protect the character of their oldest neighborhoods? "I'm not sure anything but a total 'No' would make everyone happy here tonight," said Daphne City Councilman Ron Scott, shortly before the City Council voted 4-3 to approve a zoning change that will allow 1.8 acres near historic Olde Towne Daphne to be developed. Voting "Yes" were Scott, Joel Coleman, Doug Goodlin, and Joe Davis. Voting "No" were Robin LeJeune, Pat Rudicell and Council President Tommie Conaway. Concessions, concerns The vote culminated almost a year of back-and-forth involving City Hall; the developer, Dyas LLC of Fairhope; and hundreds of residents in one of Daphne's oldest and more popular neighborhoods where houses lie within easy walking distances of restaurants, churches, schools, shops and parks. The dispute centered on a relatively modest-sized project, as compared to large apartment-complex projects triggering past rezoning hullabaloos in Gulf Shores and Fairhope. Daphne's dispute focuses on six residential properties that would be developed on land adjacent to Olde Towne Daphne and U.S. 98. The houses would join 38 townhomes in the overall 4-acre development that already hold city approval. Daphne Mayor Dane Haygood speaks to a constituent following the Daphne City Council's Oct. 1, 2018, meeting in which the council voted 4-3 on a controversial zoning change. It will be up to Haygood to decide whether to veto the council's decision. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com). Daniel Dyas, a representative for the development company, argued that tweaks to the plan were meant to "improve' the overall project anchored by a 104-foot "buffer" park to shield the Olde Towne neighborhood. The development firm also dangled another concession: It said it would scrap a controversial connecting road between the neighborhood and the heavily-traveled U.S. 98. But neighbors have expressed plenty of other concerns, warning of increased traffic and declining property values and cautioning that the council would set a precedent for further encroachment. Nearly 600 people signed a petition objecting to the project. Said resident Bill Robinson: "It changes the character of this settled neighborhood and it opens the door down the road for changing the character of every settled neighborhood in Daphne." Now, residents are banking on Mayor Dane Haygood to veto the zoning change, which is classified as a "planned unit development." To residents, the lot sizes for the six properties are too small, and smaller than the neighboring lot sizes in Olde Towne Daphne. Haygood has 10 days to decide, and he said he will take the veto under consideration. The council would need a supermajority, or five votes, to override it. "Do not allow a high-density development to grow in an old, established neighborhood," said Faye Earnest, a longtime Olde Towne resident who lives near the proposed development. "We are here for good growth and for a well-organized plan that makes Daphne a better city. Set goals high so we can move positively in the future." 'Pay attention' The council's vote came a little more than two months after the city's Planning Commission voted 6-1 to recommend that the rezoning be denied, its second such recommendation in less than a year. Dyas, though, said city officials should not make a decision based on what he described as "mob rule." That comment elicited censure and razzing from the audience jammed inside City Hall. "I should say how ridiculous that is," said Felicia Coker, a resident of Olde Towne. "I don't think anyone in this audience considers ourselves as coming close to a mob." Dyas said that as property owners, he and his development team are "entitled to their rights" to use that property for the purposes they desire. "The property rights, our property rights, our important," said Dyas, who was a Republican candidate for U.S. House in 2013. "As are the property rights of our neighbors. They cannot be trampled on by the objections." Coker and other residents argued that Dyas purchased the property aware of the zoning that was already in place. "They are protected just as we are protected and to change it, with all of the hoopla that has been going on for a year, it's abusing that," she said. Residents also issued a pre-vote warning to the council: They were paying attention. Politically, votes on sensitive zoning matters have carried risks. In Fairhope, shortly after the council voted to endorse an apartment complex, residents vowed change. In the subsequent city election, they elected a new mayor and three new members to the City Council. "Everyone is awake now," said Bill Robinson. "We will pay attention." Said resident Steve Olen: "All of us want to know when we speak this strongly, loudly and with this many people, that our elected officials will listen to our voice." The decision could carry some early political issues. Davis, a Republican, is running for a Baldwin County Commission seat in November against Democrat Amber Smith, who has vowed to make development a campaign priority. Each fall, the Gulf Coast is transformed into a sea-going superhighway as millions upon millions of fish fin their way to points south for the winter. While people are well-versed in the similarly timed bird migration gearing up right now, this aquatic migration is almost unknown. That's not surprising, given that hundreds of species of spectacularly colorful birds show up around our feeders and in our forests every October. You can't miss the noisy birds. Not so with the fish, which slip silently and invisibly past our shores. But if you know where to look, and how to look, this annual fish migration involves at least as many animals, and probably many more animals, than the bird migration. As with the birds, the fish hit the road in late September and early October. Their run is predictable, and carefully timed. The goal is to make it the warmer climes of the Caribbean and Central American coast before winter's chill turns the upper Gulf of Mexico into a 50-degree ice box. The Gulf's massive fish migration 62 Gallery: The Gulf's massive fish migration The little fish, which are the most vulnerable to drastic temperature changes, are usually in the vanguard of the migration. This includes a number of filter-feeding fish, such as round scad (cigar fish), short-scale sardines, menhaden, Atlantic bumper, and anchovies (also known as rain minnows or glass minnows). These fish, all sporting silvery sides and bellies designed to help confuse predators and provide camouflage, travel in massive schools that can number hundreds of thousands of individuals. For these fish, migration is a fraught journey, with danger in the form of toothy predators never more than a few feet away. Often times, when I'm snorkeling toward a big ball of bait being attacked by predators in the Gulf during the migration, I can keep myself headed in the right direction simply by following the trail of glittering scales in the water. If I'm swimming toward a big school of bait that's really getting thrashed by tuna or mackerel, there will be so many iridescent scales floating in the water it is almost like swimming through a snowstorm. The predators, including cobia, wahoo, blue runners, bluefish, mackerel (kings and Spanish), tuna, tarpon, marlin, and swordfish, are described by scientists as "highly migratory species," thanks to migrations that stretch hundreds of miles. Anglers all along the migration route key in on the spring migration, when these fish are moving north, but for some reason, few anglers seem to know much about the fall migration. These migrations are all about food and water temperature. They are as regular and predictable as bird migrations over land. To understand the Gulf's migrations, study a map. All the migratory fish listed above winter in two places, the edge of the Caribbean, down around the Florida Keys, or the area around the Texas/Mexico border and points south. Think of those two groups as a western group and an eastern group for each species in the Gulf of Mexico. As the water warms in the spring, the eastern group travels up from the Keys along the west coast of Florida, past Tampa Bay, then through the Big Bend region of Florida, along the Panhandle through to Alabama. Meanwhile, the fish in the western group travel up the Texas coast, all the way around to the bottom of Louisiana's boot. This is where the species mix and most of them spawn. Think of the waters around Louisiana as a great big dating pool for fish, with the eastern and western groups spending the warm summer months gorging and fornicating together. Then, as water temperatures begin to cool in the fall, the two groups split apart, and work their way back around the coastline to their respective wintering grounds. For the prey species, the spring journey coincides with a massive plankton bloom in the northern Gulf that peaks in August and September. That's when the sun beating down on the Gulf has warmed the waters to about 90 degrees, and all manner of plankton have grown so thick that the water at the surface can be difficult to see through while diving. The fish start their journey back south from the area off of Louisiana and Mobile Bay in September, and peaks by the time October rolls around. For some species, such as tarpon, local anglers say the fish aren't really in an eating mood on the return journey. They move through the area quickly and are difficult to entice with rod and reel. For other species, such as cobia and bonito, catching the fish is as easy as finding them. That's where structure comes in. The prey species in particular really key in on structure as they journey through the area. That could be in the form of a buoy floating in the water, or the half dozen ships typically anchored about 10 miles south of the mouth of Mobile Bay in an area known as the ship anchorage. Ships wait there, often for days or weeks, until a suitable cargo is ready for them to pick up in the port of Mobile. Each ship out there becomes a thriving ecosystem all its own, with resident predators and massive schools of bait. Mobile Bay guide Capt. Richard Rutland of Cold Blooded Fishing has made fishing this annual fall migration a standard part of his annual calendar. I ventured out to the ship anchorage with Rutland and Butch Theirry on a calm day. Standing on the bow of the boat, I watched a school of a dozen cobia up to 60 pounds swim along the surface and dart around the boat chasing our lures. That day, we caught cobia, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and bonito up to 15 pounds. The action was fast and non-stop. "That's pretty standard for this time of year. Those fish are moving, but they'll stop and gang up around the mouths of the bays, like Mobile Bay. They are keying on the bait moving along the coast, but also the bait that is heading offshore from the bays, things like menhaden," Rutland said. Incidentally, live menhaden are his preferred bait for the cobia. He likes to hook them through the nose. He typically fishes them close to the bottom with a weight, but keeps one hooked and swimming in the live well with no weight to cast at cobia that pop up on the surface. I always carry my fly rod, and Richard and I have managed to boat a lot of cobia that hit flies, including big saltwater popping bugs. Having four or five cobia chasing down a popping bug is a blast. "You can watch the fishing reports and tell where the fish are," Rutland said. "In the spring, I can watch where people are catching the cobia as they make their way up the Florida coast. You can just about pick the day they are going to start showing up here based on when they get to the panhandle. Same thing happens in the fall, but you don't see near as many fishing reports." The migration is still on. If you want to book a trip with Capt. Rutland, visit him at Cold Blooded Fishing.com. Ben Raines specializes in investigations and natural wonders. You can follow him via Facebook, Twitter at BenHRaines, and on Instagram. You can reach him via email at braines@al.com. You can watch Ben's most recent documentary, The Underwater Forest, here on Youtube. The Mobile County Health Department is warning residents about the risks of mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) after a chicken tested positive for the disease, the health department said in a statement released Monday. The sentinel chicken was from a coop in the 36582 ZIP code, which is primarily the Theodore area, health department officials said. Blood is drawn from the chickens in that coop every week by the Mobile County Health Departments Vector Control. The blood is then sent to a lab in Tampa, Florida for testing. "There are no health benefits to being bitten by a mosquito," said Mobile Countyh Health Officer Dr. Bernard H. Eichold II. "Don't let your guard down. EEE has a human mortality rate of between 50 to 75 percent, while West Nile Virus is between 3 to 15 percent. EEE is a very serious mosquito-borne illness." The risk of encephalitis spread by mosquitoes is highest from August through the first freeze in the fall, Eichold said. There were four EEE sentinel chicken cases reported in Mobile County during 2017, none in 2016 and one in 2015. In August 2018, the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries reported a horse in Mobile County had tested positive for EEE. Area residents who engage in outdoor activities should taken precautions to avoid mosquito exposure. Here are the health department's recommendations: Use an Environmental Protection Agency-registered repellent with DEET. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Stay and sleep in places with air conditioning or window and door screens. Remove standing water around your home EEE is transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Mosquitoes can spread these viruses by feeding on the blood of infected birds and then biting another host animal or mammal such as a human or a horse. The disease can not be spread from people or horses. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by taking precautions to avoid mosquito exposure and the use of an EEE or West Nile Virus (WNV) vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans. For approximately 25 years, Vector Control has monitored encephalitis in sentinel poultry flocks strategically placed in 13 coops throughout the county to detect the presence of viruses carried by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes also are trapped and tested for WNV, EEE and St. Louis Encephalitis. To report an issue with mosquitoes, call Vector Services at 251-690-8124. By Molly Malone, a sophomore at Gulf Shores High School One in three. That's how many women will be sexually assaulted or raped in their lifetime. It is proven that less than 3 percent of accusations of rape or assault are false. This means that between 97 and 98 percent of women who report the worst thing that has ever happened to them are telling the truth. If you saw that a health care company came out with a cure for cancer that claimed it was 97-98 percent effective, wouldn't you trust it? This cure for cancer would be considered a miracle, because the percentage rate of curing people of cancer is so extremely high. Wouldn't you trust the success rate of the medicine? So, why is it that a person's first instinct when a woman speaks up and says that she was assaulted is that she's lying? That she's just trying to gain attention, that she is simply out to get the man she is accusing, that it was "a long time ago" and "why didn't she come out then"? Why is that how society is wired? I can tell you why women don't come out about their assault sooner or at all--it's because of the way society reacts. How people will react. How people will say over and over, "what was she wearing?" or "how do we know she's not a liar?" or "she probably wanted it". The lack of understanding about a survivor's state of mind is another reason out of the plethora of why survivors don't come forward about their assault. There's willful ignorance, rape culture, misplaced blame and doubt, the mindset that "boys will be boys". We need to undo the narrative that says, "that was in his past" or "but what about his future?" This suspends women in space and time, because what about HER past? What about HER future? How about we think about the woman for once? There are also psychological reasons why a woman does not come forward. Trauma causes short and long-term changes to the brain that impact memory and behavior. This means that the mind suppresses memories that are harmful to the person, that a victim does not realize that they were a victim right away. After a sexual assault, a victim may not react the way that people may assume they'll react. This is because every single person responds differently to a potentially life-threatening event. When a person is subjected to a traumatic event, the fear signals the body that it is in danger. The body and the brain work together and go into a survival mode which produces of mix of hormones that are meant to help the person survive. These hormones also mess with the brain's ability to remember memories and details. It is extremely common for a victim to have a difficult time remembering details or recall events in a non-consecutive order, which to people who do not have experience with sexual assault may seem as if the person is fabricating a story because their story may change. Out of every 1000 rapes, 994 perpetrators will walk free, according to RAINN. 310 assaults are reported to the police, 57 reports lead to arrest, 11 cases get referred to prosecutors, 7 cases will lead to a felony conviction, and only six rapists will be incarcerated. Just six out of 100. What does that tell you about why a survivor doesn't come forward? At all or way after the fact? It shows that the way women are treated is unfair and despicable, and it has been since the beginning of time. Knowing all of this, it is no wonder why Dr. Christine Blasey Ford did not come out and tell her truth until 36 years later. Dr. Ford says that she was a 15-year-old girl at a small high school party which included her and four others when her assault took place. She says she walked up a stairwell to use the restroom, and when she walked inside, she was pushed into a bedroom across from the bathroom by Brett Kavanaugh with the assistance of his friend Mark Judge. The boys were 17. Ford says that Kavanaugh and Judge locked the bedroom door and played loud music, trying to disallow anyone from hearing Ford's cries for help. Kavanaugh got on top of Ford while laughing with Judge, and she says that he attempted to take her clothes off as he held his hand over her mouth. She could not breathe, and she thought that he was going to inadvertently kill her. When Judge got on top of the bed and the two boys were distracted, Ford took this opportunity to escape. She says she ran to a bathroom across the hall and locked the door. As she heard the two boys laughing and stumbling down the stairs, she exited the bathroom, ran out of the house and went home. Since then, she has received medical treatment concerning her assault. In 2012, she told her therapist about her assault and she cried to her husband admitting what had happened to her that day in high school. She has suffered from her assault ever since it took place. On July 30, Ford sent a letter to Senator Feinstein telling about her sexual assault from Brett Kavanaugh, and she asked to keep it confidential. When Kavanaugh became the nominee for Supreme Court Justice, Ford felt that it was her civic duty to tell what happened to her, and the confidential letter was released. This is not a left-wing conspiracy theory to keep Republicans out of the government. What makes more sense, that Dr. Ford concocted a story of sexual assault six years ago to her therapist long before Kavanaugh was considered for a Supreme Court Justice nominee, or that Judge Kavanaugh is the one lying about the assault? While you may bring up that the four other people Ford claimed were at the party don't remember the event, how would they remember if her assault happened? They were not in the room where she was assaulted, and one of the people that claimed the assault didn't happen was Mark Judge, who is accused along with Kavanaugh. Ford's longtime friend Leland Ingham Keyser does not remember the event, but she says that she believes Ford. During the Senate Committee Hearing on Thursday, September 27th, regarding Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, Ford was asked what percentage she was sure that Kavanaugh was the one who assaulted her. Her response? 100 percent. She was an extremely credible witness. Meanwhile, Judge Kavanaugh never directly answered a question, refused to answer the question of if there should be an FBI investigation regarding the assault, and acted belligerent, yelled, and talked back every time he was asked a question that he did not like. We cannot have someone like that in such a high place of power. Brett Kavanaugh should not be our new Supreme Court Justice. This whole situation is not a question of if Judge Kavanaugh performed this heinous act, it is a question of do the Senate Republicans even care? They have proved time and time again that they don't. When you tell one woman that what happened to her doesn't matter by placing perpetrators of assault on the highest positions of power, you are telling all women that have experienced sexual assault that they don't matter. That what happened to them doesn't matter. You are telling us that women don't matter. We have to do better. We have to listen to the brave women who come forward and tell us their truth. We have to listen to women. We have to shut up, have empathy, and listen. Listen to women. Believe women. Philippine Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said it filed a petition before the Court of Appeals to reverse the National Telecommunications Commissions decision ordering the company to pay nearly P500 million worth of supervision and regulation fees. While PT&T is required to pay an annual SRF, the amount PT&T is being required to pay under the Sept. 28, 2018 decision of the NTC is erroneous for the same was computed by the NTC based on the wrong paid-up capital of PT&T, PT&T said. The NTC, in a resolution dated Sept. 28, ordered the company to settle with the agency the SRF amounting to P329.67 million for the years 2002 to 2015 and P114.11 million for the years 2016 to 2017. Telecom and broadcast companies pay an SRF of P0.50 for every P100 of paid capital. PT&T president and chief executive James Velasquez said the company already paid P20.57 million spectrum users fee to NTC from 2003 to 2018 and the uncontested P10.27 million SRF for 2018. We already filed a petition before the Court of Appeals contesting only the amount used as basis to compute the fees. Any amounts or fees owed, once cleared up, is an amount the company wishes to settle going forward, Velasquez said.This clears an impediment for PT&T to bid for the right to become the third major player in the countrys telecommunication industry, he said. Based on the terms of reference issued by NTC, interested participants should have no uncontested outstanding liabilities such as SRF and SUF, other penalties, surcharges and interests to the agency. PT&T, a potential third player, holds a 25-year franchise, which allows the company to establish, maintain and operate both wired and wireless telecommunications systems for domestic and international communication in the Philippines. Its existing, scalable network and infrastructure, spanning over 10,000 kilometers of pure fiber optic cables, allow it to easily meet the network demands of customers in the Greater Manila Area, northern and southern Luzon and Cebu. Akere Muna wants to unseat President Paul Biya, who has led since 1982, as the Cameroon heads to polls. Over Akere Munas five-decade-long career, he has headed various missions of the African Union and worked as vice president of Transparency International, a civil society organisation against corruption. Now, he has turned his eye to his homeland, Cameroon, where he hopes to be elected president on October 7. Eight people are challenging Paul Biya, the current president, so voters will be choosing between nine main parties. A number of small parties and political movements are backing each of the candidates. Muna is running with the Popular Front for Development party. The solution is dialogue. And I think that after 60 years of having only Francophones as president, now is time to have an Anglophone president. Akere Muna on the Anglophone crisis The bilingual Central African country faces an Anglophone separatist crisis and ongoing fighting. Octogenarian Biya, who has led the country since 1982, is seeking re-election for a seventh term in office. Munas father, the late Solomon Tandeng Muna, was a former vice president of Cameroon and before that, first prime minister of Western Cameroons. Akere Muna says he can usher in a brand new Cameroon La Nouvelle Republic. In an interview with Al Jazeera, he discusses unseating Biya at the October 7 polls and reuniting a nation at war with itself. Al Jazeera: As Cameroon heads to the polls, it seems deeply fractured. Akere Muna: It is fractured but I think it is important to identify the cause. How do you make sure the people are the centre of governance? Ours is a country that has not really evolved from the colonial days; we have a regime in which Africans replace colonialists and behave like masters. I am tempted to say the problems of most African countries has to do with social justice and the sharing of wealth. For as long as you have a political process in which some of the citizens feel that they are marginalised, you will then have the propensity to divide and that is the feeding ground of politicians: division. Over here, the government has tried to weaponise the Anglophone-Francophone crisis. It is absurd. Basically, a fractured society has to do with uneven distribution of wealth. Al Jazeera: What will be the most significant thing you would do in your first 100 days in office? Muna: Thats easy solving the Anglophone crisis. First, making conditions ideal for the refugees to return [and] getting to rebuilding and reorientation so the displaced can go back home. Then, adding a system that brings back all these fighters by giving them a period to hand in the guns, and integrating them into the army for training. It might be necessary to negotiate with a third country for a force to come into those areas for a short while a force from an Anglophone country or even Asia. They come there, maintain peace and get the locals involved in the process. Al Jazeera: Would you say there is also be an uneven distribution of power in the Constitution? Muna: This is why I think the South African constitution is an amazing constitution because they were writing it to fight against injustice. A constitution which is written by people who are striving to preserve power is written differently. The South African constitution was written to reassure the blacks that they are now emancipated. That was the psychology of it. Where I think they got it wrong in trying to maintain this balance of power is their absurd process of electing the president. I will scrap the Senate, reformulate and infuse it maybe with an economic and social council that brings the expertise - the architects, and lawyers and engineers. That being said, I think the Cameroonian constitution evolved after colonial days and it was made to accommodate the federal system, which was truncated from the beginning. Currently, we have a monarchy system that does not call itself that. Everybody in the judicial system is appointed by the president. He can appoint and dismiss when he wants. The national assembly is selected through a process of a list system where parties have lists and the electoral process is controlled by the government. Then, you have the Senate; the president appoints 30 percent and then, of course, the other 70 percent are elected by electoral college. I will scrap the Senate, reformulate and infuse it, maybe, with an economic and social council that brings the expertise the architects, and lawyers and engineers. So, when a law comes to Parliament and you send it to them for their opinion, the drivers of that law in that council will be those who have the expertise to deal with it. Al Jazeera: Youve worked at Transparency International. How are you going to tackle corruption in Cameroon? Muna: Corruption is systemic and distorts governance. Example: South Korea was instructed to install e-procurement systems with the ministry of public tenders, so we have e-procurement systems installed ready to go. For about two to three years now, we havent had a single electronic tender. Why? Because people have to steal. In Nigeria, there was a case of a government minister trying to bribe parliament to pass his budget. Akere Munna is 66 years old and believes it is time for Cameroon to be run by someone from the Anglophone regions [Max Mbakop/Al Jazeera] Eight years ago, I was talking to an ambassador from a country that sends people to come and vaccinate. They supplemented their number with local nurses and the campaign was for a month, with weekly pay. They discovered that Cameroonian nurses were superbly fast and started tracking. So, they discovered some were breaking and throwing the vaccines away to get more money. They didnt think about the fact that for every one you throw away, one child is not vaccinated. You have to build structures to fight this corruption. You dont build a structure fighting corruption and turn it to a political tool against your enemies. Zero tolerance is the way to go. If you are in court: my brother, cousin, friend whatever, you will go down. Al Jazeera: Will you prosecute Paul Biya if you win? Muna: That is a loaded question. I dont think that as a believer in separation of powers, it should be up to me to decide whether somebody is prosecuted or not. On the basis of principle, if there were assets identified to be stolen, there are laws for fraud, corruption, everything but what do we gain from putting an 85-year-old behind bars? It is just spectacle. The future is what is important. Al Jazeera: On the Anglophone crisis, what are your thoughts and what is a lasting solution? Muna: The Anglophones came to this arrangement in good faith and they were all fired up by the spirit of pan-Africanism. People like Kwame Nkrumah could not really see how Cameroon should not unite when he was striving towards having a pan-African process. [Dawda] Jawara of Gambia tried to do a Senegambia, which later on which didnt work, of course. [Muammar] Gadaffi up north with the Arab Islamic Republic, too. So Anglophone Cameroon, in good faith, two territories got together. It slowly eroded into a partnership of a horse and the rider. Demonstrators carry banners as they take part in a march voicing their opposition to independence or more autonomy for the Anglophone regions, in Douala, Cameroon [File: Joel Kouam/Reuters] As it stands, 40 percent of the GDP is because of the oil. All the oil facilities are in the Anglophone parts it cannot be said that that part of the country benefited from the oil and that is something that was grossly mismanaged. As we speak, the governors of the North-West and South-West are Francophones, which, in this atmosphere, is crazy. You arrest Anglophones and try them in the military court in Yaounde where they are sentenced in French. It doesnt make sense. Those who use oppression are under the misconception that might is right. The solution is dialogue. And I think that after 60 years of having only Francophones as president, now is time to have an Anglophone president. Al Jazeera: So, what are the hopes for a coalition? Will there be one? Muna: If you want a fight between Africans, just put a title in play. I think a coalition is likely to happen. The first one might be me and [other contestants such as] Maurice Kamto or between myself, Serge Matomba and Cabral Libii. If I could succeed with Kamto myself, I will be able to work on the other two to join. But if I am able to work on the other track, Kamto would have to succumb to popular pressure. The country wants a coalition. [SDFs] Joshua Osis argument is that he has a mandate to run and not for a coalition. Al Jazeera: Concerning the vote itself, theres questions about the independence of the Directorate General of Elections, which is responsible for organising the election and supervising the electoral board. Muna: The system is made to favour the president and is tailored to be tweaked to make sure he wins, and the only chance we have to fight against this is the population. People assume that those in [the Directorate General of Elections] or other government civil servants are not Cameroonians and that they are absolutely part of government. In the 92 elections, most of the military camps in Yaounde here voted against Biya. Al Jazeera: Will you protest the results if you lose? Muna: I think we have to make sure we win. If they try to steal this victory, we will protest it. But I think the people will be in the streets before us. In this country, there is war everywhere. Extreme north, there is Boko Haram. In the east, insecurity because of Central African Republic. So, many people are out of work. It is an insult to think people love a system where they are in sheer misery, have no job, and where people are dying. Up to 100 members of Communist Party of Nepal jailed as faction blasts governments dialogue efforts. Kathmandu, Nepal A nationwide crackdown by the government of Nepal on a Maoist splinter group has raised fears of violence more than 10 years after the end of an armed communist rebellion. Up to 100 members of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN), including its top leaders, have been jailed for their alleged role in pre-election violence. The party had boycotted the general elections in November last year. CPN leaders and many of its members once fought alongside the Maoist rebels during the decade-old civil war (1996-2006), but split from the main group after the latter decided to disband the Peoples Liberation Army as part of a peace deal. Analysts fear the continued crackdown could trigger more violence from the group, which accuses the ruling Maoists of abandoning the path of the peoples revolution. The most high-profile arrest was of Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma, spokesman of the CPN, who was detained on August 8 on the outskirts of the capital, Kathmandu. He has been arrested several times allegedly for extortion, arson and explosion of improvised devices during and after the elections, in some cases targeting election candidates. Bishwakarma was released on September 25 following a Supreme Court directive, but dozens of party cadres still remain behind bars. The government is intent on suppressing our movement. It is not interested in addressing our demands to organise rallies and mass meetings. Gunaraj Lohani, CPN leader Across the country, party members including district secretaries have been arrested by the police. Last week, in Rolpa district, a former Maoist stronghold, police detained Santosh Subedi, the partys district secretary during the funeral of his comrades father. The CPN leaders call the current government led by Nepal Communist Party (NCP), of which the main Maoists are a part, social fascists. We have urged the government to release our cadres unconditionally and withdraw cases against them. We must be allowed to conduct our political activities, said Gunaraj Lohani, the CPN leader. Though the government has formed a panel for talks with the faction, Lohani said it was only for public consumption. The talk team doesnt seem serious in resolving this issue, he said. The government is intent on suppressing our movement. It is not interested in addressing our demands to organise rallies and mass meetings, he told Al Jazeera. Som Prasad Pandey, a ruling party legislator who heads the five-member panel, told Al Jazeera his team had already held informal talks with the CPN and would formally discuss their demands next week. Our brief is to talk to more than 42 groups consisting of dissidents and engaged in conflict with the state. We have already held talks with six groups. We will hold talks with three types of groups those with whom previous governments have signed peace agreements that are yet to be implemented, those that are yet to agree on a deal, and new forces that have emerged after the promulgation of the constitution in 2015, Pandey said. He urged the government to create a suitable environment for talks by addressing the dissidents demands, such as releasing their members. Our party is still deeply divided CPN leaders say the communist government, which was inaugurated in February, begun a crackdown against them as soon as it took over. Led by Netra Bikram Chand, better known as Biplab, the hardline Maoist faction boycotted the parliamentary polls in which the former Maoist rebels and their ally, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), won in a landslide. The CPN has a presence in most of the countrys 77 districts. Under its two fronts underground and open the party has mobilised people across the country. The party still calls for unified peoples revolution a goal the former Maoists led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal, or Prachanda, has since abandoned in favour of parliamentary democracy. Prachanda currently serves as a co-chair of the ruling party while another former Maoist leader heads the interior ministry that has led the crackdown. Mani Thapa, a leader of the ruling Maoist party, said the government may have launched the crackdown fearing the CPN could be used by the opposition and other forces against the government. The party led by Biplab could take advantage of the chaos, but I dont think their leadership has any long-term vision and plan, Thapa said. CPN leaders claim they are the true political heirs of the Maoist peoples war waged between 1996 and 2006, which left over 16,000 people dead before arms were laid down in a peace deal. The fundamental problems of our society, which the Maoists vowed to change when they launched the war, remain the same. Sudheer Sharma, analyst The group has vowed to revive the wartime peoples government and peoples court an agenda the government fears may lead to instability and violence. Analysts say the Maoist splinter party is trying to cash in on the peoples dissatisfaction regarding the government. The fundamental problems of our society, which the Maoists vowed to change when they launched the war, remain the same, said Sudheer Sharma, an authority on Nepals Maoist war and a leading commentator. Lohani, the dissident leader, said his partys views diverged from those of his former comrades, who have since merged to form the ruling Nepal Communist Party. The peoples war ended our countrys feudalism. Instead of entering into the stage of capitalism, the country found itself mired in comprador capitalism, he said. The current form of the state allows foreign investors to exploit our natural resources, he added. Though Lohani was cagey about his partys strategy on the proposed rebellion, several cadres signalled that the party, instead of zeroing in on their campaign in rural areas would, mobilise its forces to attack urban centres. The government has accused the CPN of extorting businesspeople, a charge denied by CPNs Lohani. He said that talks are under way to unite left parties to tap into the peoples dissatisfaction. Political commentator Jhalak Subedi said there was a potential for a peaceful movement by mobilising factory workers and labourers, but it was not clear whether the CPN could lead such a protest. They might carry out attacks on government installations, but its hard to influence a larger section of society. I dont think people are willing to support yet another insurgency, Subedi told Al Jazeera. They have resorted to extortion and justice via kangaroo courts. A bourgeois class has emerged within the party. So, I dont think it could be successful in carrying out an armed revolution. Some would be drawn to it on the basis of ideology while others, who were sidelined in the main Maoist party, will be attracted to it, he said. Sharma, the political commentator, said a crackdown will further radicalise the group. The Maoists launched a new experiment with the insurgency in 1996, but it largely failed to meet its stated goal. The war ended in a compromise. So many people may not find it attractive because that idea has already been tested in Nepal, he said. A look at how October 7 elections will work and who are the top presidential contenders. Brazilians will head to the polls on October 7 for national and state-level elections, with more than 1,650 positions up for grabs, including the presidency. More than 147 million people are eligible to vote. Participation is compulsory for literate Brazilians aged 18-70. At stake are the countrys presidency, all 27 state governorships, most of the seats in Congress including two-thirds of the 81-member upper-house Senate and all 513 places in the lower-house Chamber of Deputies and 1,059 positions within state legislatures. Two different electoral systems are used to decide the various posts: majority and proportional. All voting is done electronically using a single, number-based method. Participants will first decide on state legislators before voting on congressional positions, state governors and, finally, the presidency. Presidential and state governor candidates must win an absolute majority of the vote to be elected. If no candidate is able to secure more than 50 percent of support in the first round, the two contenders with the highest number of votes will go head-to-head in a second ballot on October 28. Senators, meanwhile, are elected by a simple majority and do not require more than 50 percent of support to win office. Federal and state deputies in the lower house Chamber of Deputies and state legislatures respectively are elected via a proportional system. Thirteen politicians are vying to become the countrys 38th president. Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro leads the latest polls, with about 28 percent of the vote. Leftist candidate Fernando Haddad, who replaced the imprisoned yet widely popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the Workers Party candidate earlier this month, trailed in second place with about 22 percent of support. A second-round vote on October 28 is likely, with all recent polling pointing towards no contender winning more than 50 percent support in the first-round poll. The successful candidate will begin a four-year term on January 1, 2019. CNOOC, Phoenix bid for LNG hub posted October 02, 2018 at 07:40 pm by Alena Mae S. Flores October 02, 2018 at 07:40 pm Tanglawan Philippines LNG Inc., the joint venture of China National Offshore Oil Corp. and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, submitted a technical and financial proposal to develop the countrys first liquefied natural gas hub, a government official said Tuesday. Tanglawan Philippines is the first company to submit a proposal to the Department of Energy, according to Energy assistant secretary Leonido Pulido III. They submitted tech and financial but we wrote a letter last week informing them about certain observation about their application on SEC [Securities and Exchange Commission], Pulido said. He said Tanglawan had not yet been issued a certificate of registration by SEC.They are supposed to file this week before we start evaluation. The evaluation takes 30 days upon complete submission of documents, Pulido said. Phoenix, a company led by businessman Dennis Uy, signed a memorandum of understanding with CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CNOOC in June to study, plan and develop a LNG receiving terminal project in the Philippines. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. Whos winning, Russia or the West? That vexing question seems to be on everyones mind with regard to the September 30 referendum which was supposed to change the name of the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia. The coverage of the vote was overly dramatic: At stake, it was said, was the expansion of NATO and the European Union into the Balkans. There was also the usual accusations of Russian meddling. The Macedonian capital of Skopje, not a top destination otherwise, saw a flurry of foreign A-listers on a mission to make the locals cast their ballot in support of the ground-breaking deal resolving the decades-old name dispute with Greece. But the referendum failed to deliver the much-desired result. Just about 37 percent of eligible voters turned up at the polling station, well below the 50-percent threshold needed to make the outcome valid. Why did the referendum fail? As most Balkan watchers knew in advance, the referendum was a tall order to begin with and its precedents were hardly encouraging. A plebiscite on redrawing municipal borders, a highly-charged subject in the ethnically mixed post-Yugoslav country, flopped in November 2004, as turnout reached just 26 percent. The Social Democrat government at the time called for a boycott to thwart Macedonian nationalists who had initiated the referendum to block the empowerment of the Albanian community. This time around the tables were turned. The Social Democrats led by Zoran Zaev pushed for a referendum on the Prespa Agreement signed with Greece in June in which Macedonia agreed to change its name to Northern Macedonia. But the opposition, as well as President Gjorge Ivanov, called for a boycott. The centre-right VMRO-DPMNEs leader Hristijan Mickoski formally called on party members and sympathisers to make their own choice. Yet it is no mystery that the bulk of VMROs nationalist grassroots chose to stay at home, heeding the call of the #j (I boycott) campaign on social media. The takeaway both in 2004 and today is that no referendum could ever go through if one of the two big political forces in Macedonia does not approve of it. Added to that was the indifference of part of the Albanian community, which is traditionally strongly pro-NATO and EU. Turnout in some majority-Albanian locales, like the villages of Arachinovo and Saraj near the capital Skopje, was well above the national average. But in other places, numbers were relatively low. Macedonian Albanians living in Western Europe also ignored the vote. The reasons for this ambivalence within the community that makes up about 30 percent of the Macedonian population are complex: From the criticism of the referendum by Zijadin Sela, leader of the Alliance of the Albanians, the third-largest Albanian party in parliament, to the heated debates in local Albanian media about whether the Prespa Agreements stipulation that the nationality of the state will be Macedonian degrades their ethnic rights or not. The treaty uses nationality in the sense of citizenship. Yet in the campaign, the government framed the deal with Greece as an act of recognition of Macedonian (ethnic) nationhood and language, in order to counter critics who decried the change of name as high treason. What happens next? Well, the Prespa Agreement is not dead, despite the insistence of the boycott camp that the failed referendum means just that. The great majority of Macedonian citizens either abstained or said no, they contend. Zaevs counterargument is that more than 91 percent voted in favour of changing the countrys name to North Macedonia and of joining EU and NATO (the two issues were bundled together in the referendum question). Both the EU and the US government are weighing in heavily on the side of the Macedonian government. To them, Macedonians have clearly voiced their support for the countrys integration into the West, notably joining NATO, which could happen as soon as next year. Coordinated messaging after the vote suggests that both Zaev and his Western allies were prepared in the event the referendum failed. Despite the outcome, the main political battle is still to be fought. Formally, Macedonia has to amend its constitution in order to change its name. That could only be done with a parliamentary vote. The referendum, as Zaev reminded everyone, was of advisory rather than legally-binding nature. Together with the Albanian parties, the Social Democrats hold 71 out of 120 seats in the legislature. That is nine seats short of the 2/3 majority required to change the constitution. That gives leverage to the opposition VMRO-DPMNE. Its leader Hristijan Mickoski has come under pressure from centre-right forces in the EU, notably German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who paid a visit to Skopje ahead of the vote along with a host of Western dignitaries. But he is in a tough spot. On the one hand, the party is committed to the EU and NATO. It was under its watch that Macedonia started to move towards membership in the Alliance in 1999 and signed an EU association agreement in 2001. Yet VMRO-DPMNEs electorate is mostly beholden to rampant nationalism, including the cult of the ancient Macedon kingdom of Alexander the Great nurtured in the decade when the party ruled the land with Nikola Gruevski as its supremo. Mickoski will find it hard to square the circle and please everyone, including Gruevski who is still thought to be in control behind the scenes. If Mickoski holds firm against pressure from the West and Zaev and prevents defections from the VMRO-DPMNE caucus, there will be early elections, the outcome of which would be anyones guess. VMRO-DPMNEs core electorate appears to be intact, although the party lost power in 2017 after a wave of anti-government protests. Mickoski could rally the faithful behind the flag and challenge Zaev. But unless he wins by a very high margin, it will be difficult for him to find an Albanian partner for a new coalition. It was the Albanian parties reluctance to engage with VMRO-DPMNE last year that handed power to the Social Democrats. Zaev meanwhile would hope to gain additional seats in parliament. In December 2016, his party was in opposition. Now it controls many levers of power, including the all-important public sector jobs. The Social Democrats have the EU and the US on their side as well. In short, there is much uncertainty over what the next parliament might look like if there are fresh elections. The referendum was just a prologue. Now the chips are down and the real action is set to begin. And despite the speculations of some pundits, this will not be about Russian mischief or the Western mission to turn (North) Macedonia into a success story. Whether Zaev succeeds in bringing his country into NATO and the EU or not depends very much on his skills to outflank other wheelers and dealers in this small Balkan republic. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Anti-money laundering body says money was deposited into Abdulla Yameens bank account days before heated vote. An anti-money laundering body in the Maldives has informed police that President Abdulla Yameen received 22.5 million Maldivian rufiyaa ($1.5m) in hard currency days in advance of a contentious presidential election in the Indian Ocean island nation. Yameen, long dogged by allegations of corruption and rights abuses, suffered a decisive defeat in the September 23 vote in an outcome hailed as a win for democracy. A confidential letter seen by Al Jazeera said the president received the money in two instalments to a private bank account at the Maldives Islamic Bank. The document from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), an agency under the Maldives central bank, was dated September 13 and was addressed to Acting Commissioner of Police Abdulla Nawaz. In the letter, the FIU said a third party deposited $648,508 in local currency into the presidents account on September 5. Another $810,635, also in local currency, was deposited to the same account on September 10. The whole amount was later withdrawn in hard currency, the letter said. When the bank asked about the source of the money and its use, the bank was told the money was donations from private companies and various others to be used in the 2018 presidential election, it said, without specifying who spoke on behalf of the president. Ahmed Shifan, spokesman for police, declined to comment on the case. However, two police sources confirmed the authenticity of the letter to Al Jazeera. Source of funds? The letter suggested the transactions were in breach of the Maldives election laws, which oblige candidates to set up separate accounts for campaign activities as well as declare the identities of donors. Fuwad Thowfeek, former head of the elections commission, said the president appeared to have violated the provision on using a separate bank account for election-related expenses, but he still has time to declare the source of the money. Candidates must declare each and every donation, who it came from and how much, within 30 days of the election. If he fails to do that, then its an issue, Fuwad said. {articleGUID} A legal expert, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, agreed with Fuwad. The biggest concern here is the source of the funds. When such a large amount of money enters the private account of a head of state, the police must also check what the purpose of that money is, and ask for credible evidence to back that. Ibrahim Muaz Ali, spokesperson for the president, dismissed allegations of wrongdoing. Responding to Al Jazeeras report in a Twitter post on Tuesday, Muaz said the president has a designated account for elected-related expenses, and there was nothing illegal about his campaign finances. The spokesperson also claimed the governor of the central bank informed the president in a phone call that the FIU had retracted its letter to the police. The FIU, however, promptly dismissed the claim in a statement, saying it has not withdrawn any of the 137 letters and reports it sent to the police since its founding in 2014. The body is tasked with receiving and analysing information concerning money-laundering activities from commercial banks, and is obliged to flag suspicious transactions to the police. Al Jazeera has learned that Abdulla Ashraf, head of the FIU, was removed from his position soon after the letter was sent to police. However, he continues to work at the central bank. Past corruption allegations Meanwhile, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the opposition candidate who won the vote by 58 percent, has pledged to investigate past corruption allegations against Yameen. A spokeswoman for the president-elect earlier this week warned against attempts by government employees to destroy key documents, a claim Yameens office has denounced as baseless. Ahmed Nihan, a ruling party official, has previously blamed the presidents defeat in the election on relentless accusations of theft. {articleGUID} The most serious of the allegations against Yameen include claims he oversaw the countrys biggest-ever corruption scandal, in which at least $79m from tourism revenues was diverted to private accounts and cashed out. The scam, which involved the state-owned Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), was the subject of the 2016 Al Jazeera investigation Stealing Paradise. Associates of the president, in secretly filmed interviews, said they delivered some of the stolen cash to his residence in black bags. Yameen is also accused of receiving at least $1m of the embezzled money at his private account at the Maldives Islamic Bank. The Anti Corruption Commission has confirmed the president received that amount to his account, but said it shelved that investigation because it could not reach the person who deposited the cash. Yameen, who rejects all allegations of corruption, blamed his former deputy, Ahmed Adeeb, for the theft from MMPRC. In an interview on national television earlier this month, Yameen also blamed the central bank and commercial banks for the MMPRC scam, saying staff there did not raise red flags when tens of millions of dollars in public money was diverted to private accounts. Road and airport damage seriously hindering efforts to get much-needed aid to quake and tsunami-hit Indonesian island. Damaged roads, bridges and airports are creating a logistical nightmare for the Indonesian government and relief agencies as they try to get vital supplies to Palu, four days after the city and its surrounding areas were devastated by an earthquake and tsunami. At least 844 people have been confirmed dead, but officials expect that number to rise as rescuers reach towns and villages cut off since the disaster struck on Friday evening. Some 50,000 people are known to have lost their homes. Indonesia has asked for international assistance from governments and aid agencies to deal with the humanitarian crisis. Countries including Japan, the US, China and Turkey have already offered to help, according to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA Centre), which is coordinating the aid effort with the Indonesian government. Jan Gelfand, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Country Cluster Support office in Jakarta, whose teams are in the disaster zone, described the situation as, nightmarish. The organisation said Palu has been devastated and it is only now getting access to Donggala, an area on the coast to the north of Palu. Red Cross and other teams are working round the clock but the biggest challenge at the moment is getting access to all communities, and then bringing large quantities of vital relief supplies into the disaster zone, Gelfand said in a statement. Transport links, power and communications are still down. The Indonesian government has identified six priority needs: air transport, tents, water purification, generators, field hospitals and disease control. Ruptured runway Aid efforts are being hampered by damage to the airport, which is forcing more traffic, including aid trucks, onto the roads. The airports runway ruptured during the quake making it impossible for many planes to land, and the control tower ruined. We need to clear the logistics highway, Arnel Capili, Director of Operations at AHA Centre, told Al Jazeera in a phone interview from Jakarta. Its one thing to bring the assistance to Palu. We then have to get it out to the other affected areas. Kuala Lumpur-based Mercy Malaysia is preparing to send a medical team to Sulawesi in the next two to three days. Our focus in the first week is usually health, said Mercy Malaysia President Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus. We are capable of deploying a field hospital and a full team, but the issue is logistics. Mercys rapid assessment team is on its way to Palu to get a better assessment of whats needed, and how it can best be delivered. Roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged also as a result of landslides, some of them pretty big ones, Dr Ahmad Faizal said, adding it had taken far longer for the assessment team to get to the affected area than expected. The bodies of 34 children were recovered after a landslide buried a church in Sigi Biromaru district. Another 52 students were reportedly missing. Mass graves In searing heat and humidity, the situation in Palu has become increasingly desperate since the 7.5-magnitude quake, and the tsunami that followed shortly afterwards. The authorities have begun to bury bodies in mass graves amid concern about disease, while some survivors have resorted to looting shops for basic supplies. Crowds have formed at petrol stations, where supplies are almost exhausted. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesperson for Indonesias disaster agency, said 10 fuel tankers, accompanied by a police escort, were on their way to the city to alleviate shortages with the national oil company, Pertamina, planning more deployments. Efforts are also under way to restore electricity. Some areas of the city were swallowed up by liquefaction, with hundreds of people thought to be buried in the mud. Liquefaction takes place when loose, wet soil is shaken by the force of the earthquake and starts to behave like a liquid. On Tuesday, a team from the National Search and Rescue Agency rescued a 38-year-old man who had been trapped since Friday in a financial building in the area. Video obtained by the Reuters news agency showed the still conscious man pulled gently from the rubble after three hours, and taking a few steps to a waiting stretcher. Local media say hundreds of people have thronged to the airport in recent days trying to get out of the stricken city. A navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time is likely to be deployed to help with evacuations. The company says it will lobby for an increase in the federal minimum wage and urges competitors to follow its lead. Online retail giant Amazon has announced it will raise its starting wage for United States workers to $15 an hour, bowing to criticism over poor pay and working conditions. The company said on Tuesday it would now lobby in Washington for an increase in the federal minimum wage and urged its competitors to follow its lead, as the union-led Fight for Fifteen movement pushes for higher remuneration. The increase pushes Amazons lowest wage above that of Walmart Inc and Target Corp, but it is still seven dollars shy of the average for a non-management worker in transportation and warehousing in the US as a whole. The pay rise will apply to 250,000 employees, starting November 1, and to the more than 100,000 seasonal workers the company expects to hire for the holiday shopping season. Valued at nearly one trillion dollars, Amazon is the worlds second-most valuable company after Apple. It has faced stinging criticism of its labour practices, including gruelling working conditions and lack of job security. Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said the company was heeding complaints about its pay structure. {articleGUID} We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, Bezos said in a statement. Amazon also is encouraging other large US employers to follow its lead and said it would lobby US legislators for an increase in the federal minimum wage, currently at only $7.25 an hour. Amazons pay varies by location, so the increase could be between three and five dollars an hour, depending upon the state. Praised by Sanders Senator Bernie Sanders, a fierce Amazon critic who has long campaigned for higher wages as the US recovers from the Great Recession, hailed the decision, saying Bezos and Amazon were now leading the way. It could well be, and I think it will be, a shot heard round the world, Sanders said in remarks at the US Capitol Hill, calling on other companies like Walmart and fast-food retailers to follow suit. The bottom line is that in the richest country in the history of the world, were seeing massive levels of income and wealth inequality. In this country, our standard should be that if you work 40 hours a week, you should not be living in poverty, he added. {articleGUID} White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the move was terrific, adding: Good for them. Im in favour of higher wages, he told reporters said. US department store chain Target announced in September it would raise wages to $15 an hour by 2020. The Walt Disney Company is to begin paying that wage to Disneyland workers in California next year and Disney World employees in Florida by 2021. The new minimum wage also will apply to employees at high-end grocery store chain Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired last year. With US unemployment now flirting with historic lows, employers across the country are having difficulty finding enough qualified workers to fill open positions. Some firms have had to curtail or cancel planned investments as a result. A higher wage may mean Amazon can outbid its competitors for the dwindling supply of available workers. Brazil violent crime deaths hit record 62,000 Rival drug gang fighting blamed for a significant portion of killings over the last year. Sail-by the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijings efforts to limit freedom of navigation. China expressed anger on Tuesday after a US Navy destroyer sailed near islands it claims in the disputed South China Sea, calling the operation a threat to its sovereignty. Chinas defence ministry said a Chinese naval ship was sent to warn the US vessel to leave. The US side repeatedly sends military ships without permission into seas close to South China Seas islands, seriously threatening Chinas sovereignty and security, seriously damaging Sino-US military ties, and seriously harming regional peace and stability, the ministry said. Chinas military is resolutely opposed to this. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to the Reuters news agency, said the destroyer the USS Decatur travelled within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the Spratly Islands on Sunday. {articleGUID} The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijings efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. Chinas foreign ministry said it strongly urged the United States to stop such provocative actions and to immediately correct its mistakes. The operation also comes as military ties between the two countries have dived, with China angered by US sanctions on Chinas military for buying Russian arms. Beijing and Washington are also locked in a trade war in which they have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each others imports. New Delhi, India Activists are calling for police reforms following a shooting in which a police officer killed an Apple executive in the state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday. Vivek Tiwari, a sales manager at Apple, was travelling by car with a colleague on Saturday in the northern city of Lucknow when two police constables on a routine patrol tried to stop the vehicle and shot Tiwari dead. The police officer has claimed innocence although a complaint filed by Tiwaris wife has a detailed account of the encounter. This was the latest in a series of extrajudicial killings by police in the state. I didnt shoot at him. The bullet was shot by mistake, Prashant Chaudhary, the policeman who shot Tiwari told reporters on Sunday. However, the states top police officer, OP Singh, said on Saturday that the officer claimed to have fired in self-defence. Both constables involved in the incident have now been arrested. Vivek Tiwaris damaged vehicle after he was shot dead by a police officer [Reuters] Days after the killing that sparked massive outrage about the state of law and order, the state government has promised cash compensation of 4 million rupees ($54,600) to his family and a job at the municipal corporation for his widow. I wanted strict action against the guilty, a job, accommodation, expenses for education of my daughters and my mother-in-law. My demands have been met, Viveks wife Kalpana Tiwari told reporters on Monday at her residence after she met the state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The backbone of the family has been broken. He leaves behind two young daughters and a devastated wife. Vivek is gone and nothing can replace him but we hope those who shot him will be brought to justice, Vishnu Kant Shukla, Tiwaris brother-in-law told Al Jazeera. Attempted cover-up The First Information Report (FIR) filed with the police by Kalpana on Sunday also claimed that police officials at the crime scene did not allow his colleague, Sana Khan, who was a witness to the murder, to receive or make calls. We are aware of reports that some officials were trying to cover up the matter. But our government will not spare any guilty official. If theres a criminal in uniform we will weed them out. We are committed to providing justice to the family, Brijesh Pathak, Uttar Pradeshs minister for Law and Justice and a legislator from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, told Al Jazeera. {articleGUID} Human rights campaigners say frequent military-style police operations and extrajudicial police killings of alleged criminals and gang members are becoming common again since the installation of new right-wing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. For those who believe in the way of the gun, they will be answered by the gun, Adityanath had said at a public event in Gorakhpur earlier this year responding to criticism about these police killings. Trigger-happy police force According to official data released by UP state police, there have been 1,144 encounters (the term used to describe extrajudicial action) in the state, resulting in 34 deaths, between March 2017 and January 2018. The Peoples Union of Civil Liberties says the number is much higher. Uttar Pradesh is among the worst states in terms of law and order; the government claims it is cracking down on crime. The government has given a free license to kill people in the name of encounters. Most of these are fake encounters. When the police is given a free hand for extrajudicial killings, then the result is a trigger-happy police force, retired police officer SR Darapuri told Al Jazeera from Lucknow. When the state shield officers, it becomes very difficult to prosecute them, he adds. {articleGUID} India has long grappled with conflicting positions on extrajudicial killings by security forces across states. Human rights groups have raised questions over police accounts of such killings, calling them pre-meditated murder. Indias Supreme Court is currently hearing a public interest litigation on encounters by the police in the state. Earlier this year, the countrys top human rights body, the National Human Rights Commission, had also directed the state government to set up a probe panel to investigate these encounter killings even as activists decry serious human rights violations. Over 30 percent of encounters in India happen in this state, but crimes have not gone down. The police are not allowed to hand down death penalties like this, where is the due process of law? Most human rights violations are being perpetrated by security officials but still, police reforms are not being implemented, activist Suhas Chakma at Rights and Risk Analysis Group in New Delhi told Al Jazeera. Whether its Duterte in Philippines or Hasina in Bangladesh, they first target the drug lords and the criminals to lull the people into a false sense of security. Thats why we dont see mass protests against these killings, he added. Many family members of the alleged criminals gunned down by police in recent months have said that these shoot-outs are a set-up. They allege the armed exchanges did not take place at all. There is a pattern to this its as if the same police officials were present at all the encounters. You have the same narrative leading to the encounter, the police procedure during and after the killings. The uncanny similarity of these killings establish beyond reasonable doubt that these are staged, said activist Chakma. Independent media reports have also raised doubts over these killings, claimed as active shoot-outs by the police. Investigations in such cases are mostly done by a neighbouring police station, how can you expect an unbiased independent probe? Darapuri says. In some recent cases, including one earlier last month, the police invited journalists to watch and film a real encounter where they shot two Muslim men Naushad and Mustakhim in Machua village near Aligarh. A high-caste Brahmin, Vivek Tiwaris murder on Saturday and the promptness with which the administration acted was a departure from the apathy in similar cases where the victims were from less-privileged castes, poor or Muslims, activists point out. Most of the people killed in this manner by the police are Dalits, Muslims and the vulnerable poor people. The police terrorises them to such an extent that they are unable to push their complaints through the justice system. This is why guilty policemen go scot-free, former police officer Darapuri points out. Follow Zeenat Saberin on Twitter @saberinze At least 44 people were killed and 70,000 fled their homes amid violence in western Ethiopia, local officials say. At least 44 people were killed during fighting between rival ethnic groups in western Ethiopia over the weekend, state-affiliated media reported. The clashes occurred on the border between the central Oromia and western Benishangul-Gumuz regions, local officials said on Tuesday. Residents in the Benishangul-Gumuz region said violence erupted on Friday after four local officials were killed during a visit to the neighbouring Oromia region. Clashes between youths from rival ethnic groups armed with rocks and knives have forced more than 70,000 people to flee their homes, with security forces deployed to pacify the area, the Oromia regions administration said. {articleGUID} Ethiopias Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed the diverse countrys first Oromo leader came to office in April and turned politics on its head by making peace with long-term foe Eritrea, freeing prisoners and promising a string of sweeping economic and political reforms. He also promised to ease ethnic tensions and steer the state away from a hardline security policy that has been in place for decades. Abiy has received praise from around the globe for his reformist agenda. However, a wave of communal violence, mostly over land issues, has marred the first few months of his rule. At least 58 people were killed in September when fighting broke out in the capital, Addis Ababa, with those fleeing saying they were targeted by Oromo mobs because they are members of minority ethnic groups. Nearly one million people have been forced from their homes in southern Ethiopia since clashes erupted there in April, according to UN agencies. Forced empathy for visitors at Tate Modern migrant exhibit At the Tate Modern in London, visitors will have to work together to reveal the artwork about the migration crisis that is hidden underneath. Around 200 police officers raided the headquarters of a Muslim association as well as homes of its members. Around 200 French police officers have raided the headquarters of a Muslim association as well as the homes of members of the club, in a swoop that authorities said was part of a counterterrorism operation. The raid on Tuesday took place in the town of Grande-Synthe at 0400GMT, near the port city of Dunkirk not far from Calais on Frances northern coast. Targeting an association known as Centre Zahra France, the move included the questioning of at least 11 suspects, of which three were arrested. A security source told AFP news agency that the financial assets of the centre headed by Yahia Gouasmi, who according to local reports is known for his links to Iran were also frozen. This is a counterterrorism operation, said a statement by the regional authorities. The activities of Centre Zahra France are under particularly close watch due to marked support by its leaders for movements advocating ideas contrary to the values of the (French) republic, it said. On its website, the association says its purpose since its foundation in 2009 has been to make known the message of Islam. Gouasmi has spoken in support of Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah and the Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, AFP said. Gouasmi is also the founder of the Anti-Zionist Party in France and is an associate of controversial comedian Dieudonne Mbala Mbala, a convicted anti-Semite. The small town of Grande-Synthe is known as a magnet for migrants seeking to cross the English Channel to Britain. France remains on maximum security alert after a wage of attacks over recent years, in which close to 250 people lost their lives. A SMALL Town Lottery operator, in partnership with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, has donated one ambulance unit worth P1.45 million to the Provincial Capitol of Compostela Valley Province on Monday, said PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan. Balutan graced the blessing and turnover of the ambulance unit to support the activities of STL operators, especially its medical and ambulance donation programs. The ambulance unit was donated by Oro Swerte Gaming and Leisure Corp., headed by its president lawyer Maceste Uy, PCSOs authorized STL agent for the Province of Compostela Valley. Oro Swerte, which started operating on Sept. 20, 2017, has about 500 employees, including sales agents and administrative staff. Oro Swerte has consistently exceeded its Guaranteed Monthly Retail Receipt [GMRR], said lawyer Ravena Joy Rama, branch manager, PCSO Davao del Norte branch, who was also present during the event. Compostela Valley is located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. While it is classified as a first class province, agriculture is the major economy of the province that is why ComVal is far from urban centers and hospitals.The brand new Nissan NV 350 Urvan ambulance unit is equipped with doctors seat, foldable stretcher, auxiliary spine board stretcher, blinker, portable flashlight, head immobilizer, medical oxygen tank, steel medicine cabinet, oxygen tank gauge regulator and dehumidifier with nasal cannula, minor first aid kit, ambu bag with resuscitator (adult), minor surgical set, LV bottle holder, ceiling mounted, blood pressure apparatus (aneroid) with stethoscope, and body markings. The event, which was supervised by PCSO Davao del Sur branch headed by its branch manager, lawyer Elvie Ann T. Uy, was also graced by Dr. and Mrs. Alex Castillo and Dr. Jacques Pinili from the Office of the PCSO chairman, and Bebot Cualing and Nolan Inso both from Oro Swerte Corp. PCSO Davao del Sur branch has 12 employees with daily Individual Medical Assistance Program allocation of P800,000. It has three At-Source-Ang-Processing desks with daily IMAP allocations at the following hospitals: Southern Philippine Medical Center in Davao City, P300,000; Brokenshire Hospital, P150,000, and Davao Doctors Hospital, P100,000. Top three nature of requests include hospitalization and confinement, request for medicines and chemo medicines, and dialysis. STL is a regular game by PCSO authorized by the national government through Section 1 of Republic Act 1169; while ASAs are corporations or cooperatives duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or with the Cooperative Development Authority, respectively, that applied, been duly qualified and expressly authorized by the PCSO to conduct STL in a particular area. Ministry of Defence official says army will obey ruling overturning Moraless decision to ban anti-graft commission head Guatemala City The Guatemalan army will obey a recent Constitutional Court ruling overturning the governments decision to ban an international anti-corruption commissioner, a Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed to Al Jazeera, signalling a blow to President Jimmy Morales, who rejected the ruling. At no point will a Constitutional Court ruling be disobeyed, Oscar Perez told Al Jazeera over the weekend. The ruling stems from Moraless battle against a UN-backed commission investigating him for corruption. In late August, the president announced that he would not renew the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and then barred the bodys head, Ivan Velasquez, from the country, alleging he is a security threat. Last month, the Constitutional Court ruled against the ban on Velasquez, saying the commissioner may return at any time. The court, which has the last word on all constitutional matters, also ordered Morales and his administration to refrain from any further actions or statements against Velasquez. The government openly announced it will not permit Velasquez to return, despite the ruling, initially saying it did not have to due to the fact the commissioner was not named in the decision. But the court then clarified its position, saying that the government must allow Velasquez back into the country. It has not and Morales has so far been unsuccessful in his demand for the UN to appoint a new commissioner. Perez said that the military has not requested any court action to prevent the entry of the commissioner as was reported by local media after the Ministry of Defence filed a motion with the Constitutional Court to contest being named in the ruling. The ministry is at all times respectful of constitutional order and is respectful of the competent courts, he said. A clear message? It remains unclear whether the ministry is going directly against the wishes of the president and what its decision means for the potential return of Velasquez. Moraless spokesman did not respond to Al Jazeeras repeated requests for comment. {articleGUID} Oswaldo Samayoa, a constitutional lawyer, said the Ministry of Defences position, which was first reported by local media, is definitely a clear message to the president. The army has to obey civilian rule and the Constitution, and the authentic interpreter of the Constitution is the Constitutional Court. So, what the army is saying regarding the court is what is right, he said. Miguel Itzep, Qanil Tinamit National Victims Movement coordinator, is not sure whether or not to fully trust the news of army support for the Constitutional Court ruling. If it is an honest truth from the high command, [Morales] will have lost an ally. It would change the political picture of the situation, Itzep told Al Jazeera. He leads a movement of victims of the countrys 36-year civil war between the military and leftist rebel forces. During the conflict, which ended in 1996, an estimated 200,000 Guatemalans were killed and another 45,000 were forcibly disappeared. More than 80 percent of victims were indigenous Mayan civilians, most of whom were killed by the military. Last week, a tribunal ruled that genocide occurred during the 1982-1983 reign of General Efrain Rios Montt, who came to power through a military coup. The judges acquitted Rios Montts head of military intelligence. Much of the 20th century was marked by authoritarian rule. The Ministry of Defences current position reflects the newer army officials who were trained after, not during, the armed conflict, Samayoa said. Jimmy Moraless advisors are old military officials who had their power during the military dictatorships, said Samayoa, adding that the Ministry of Defences recent decision demonstrates the new team of officials in a context of peace and democracy. UK-based NGO says rise in suspected cases follows launch of military offensive by Saudi Arabia-UAE coalition in June. Suspected cholera cases have almost tripled in Yemens coastal Hodeidah region since the Saudi Arabia-UAE coalition launched a military offensive in June to retake the area, according to a rights group. Health facilities across the governorate recorded a 170 percent increase in the number of suspected cholera cases, from 497 in June to 1,342 in August, Save the Children, a UK-based NGO, said in a report. The group said the spike was in line with national data that also showed a steady increase of suspected cholera cases across Yemen. Thirty percent of all suspected cases are children under five years old, according to the World Health Organization. The situation in Hodeidah has become unbearable because of the conflict. Im seeing more and more children coming in with suspected cholera, Mariam Aldogani, Save the Childrens Hodeidah field manager, said. I met one mother of two who has acute diarrhoea and she told me her whole family is affected because they dont have access to clean water anymore. Treating cholera is straightforward The rise in suspected cases in Hodeidah follows a dramatic increase in fighting between the Houthis and forces backed by the Saudi Arabia-UAE coalition since June. According to the group, a series of air raids in late July resulted in the damage of a sanitation facility and water station that supplies Hodeidah with most of its water. Suspected cholera cases almost doubled in the aftermath of the incident, going from 732 in July to 1,342 in August. {articleGUID} In a recent UN survey of more than 2,000 respondents across Yemen, more than half (56 percent) cited water supply damage as the most common form of infrastructure damage. In Hodeidah governorate this jumped to 62 percent of respondents. Children in Yemen are experiencing severe hardships that no child should endure, facing multiple threats from bombs and bullets to disease and extreme hunger, said Tamer Kirolos, Save the Childrens Yemen country director. Treating cholera is straightforward, provided children can get the rehydration and antibiotics they need, and hospitals and clinics are adequately equipped. But nearly four years of conflict has led to a near-total collapse of the health system in Yemen. Lifeline for millions Fighting near Hodeidah the main gateway for imports of relief supplies and commercial goods into the country has escalated since June 13 after the Saudi-UAE alliance launched a wide-ranging operation to retake the strategic seaport. The offensive is being carried out by a disparate collective of forces including the National Resistance, a group of fighters loyal to Yemens former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Tihama Resistance, a group of fighters loyal to Yemens President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and the Giant Brigades, a military unit backed by the UAE. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see Hodeidah port as the main entry point of weapons for the Houthis and have accused their regional rival Iran of sending missiles to the rebels, a charge Tehran has denied. The war in Yemen, the regions poorest country, started in 2014 when the Houthis overran much of the country, including the capital, Sanaa. Hadis government was toppled by Houthi rebels in late 2014 after the rebels advanced south from their stronghold of Saada and captured large parts of the north. {articleGUID} The conflict escalated in 2015 when Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched air raids in an attempt to reinstate the internationally recognised government of President Hadi. With logistical support from the US, the Saudi-UAE alliance has carried out more than 16,000 attacks on Houthi-held areas in an attempt to reverse their gains. These attacks have hit weddings and hospitals, as well as water and electricity plants, killing and wounding thousands. Police use water cannon and tear gas to disperse thousands of farmers, seeking better prices for their produce. Clashes have broken out in India on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi as police used water cannon and tear gas to stop thousands of protesting farmers entering the city. The farmers, reeling from high fuel prices, were pressing for government help on Tuesday, their demands including higher support prices for agricultural goods, payment for pending sugarcane dues and waivers on farm loans ahead of elections due in 2019. Marching from adjoining northern states, the farmers blocked one of the highways into New Delhi and used tractors to try and break through a police barrier, television pictures showed. Some reportedly threw stones at police. #WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The protestors reached the outer limits of New Delhi on foot, in buses and on tractor trailers under the banner of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Indian Farmers Union), a farmers group critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modis government. Dharmendra Malik, a member of the union, told Al Jazeera that police fired tear gas and plastic bullets at unarmed farmers. He claimed 50 people were injured. {articleGUID} The police could not be reached for comment immediately. But earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh defended the police decision to stop farmers from entering the national capital, saying it would create law and order situation. Elections are due in India next year and as votes approach, unions representing farmers and other groups have staged protests in an effort to secure sweeteners in exchange for support at the ballot box. The farmers demonstrating on Tuesday were mostly from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Indias most populous state with more than 200 million people and its most electorally important. Abhimanyu Kohar, a farmer, condemned the polices actions against protesters and said farmers will continue their demonstration until their demands are met. There should be dialogue within a democracy. But this government is in a denial mode, they are unwilling to accept that there is a farm crisis. They will pay heavily in the upcoming elections for what they have done today, he told Al Jazeera. Modi and his right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) routed all opposition parties in UP in the last elections. He remains personally popular according to several surveys, but after four years in power support for his party has been eroded by voter concerns about jobs and the spike in fuel prices. Additional reporting by Zeenat Saberin from New Delhi At least 1,234 people killed in the quake and tsunami disaster as people in parts of Palu city struggle to receive aid. The confirmed death toll from an earthquake and tsunami on Indonesias Sulawesi Island has risen to 1,234, from 844, the national disaster agency said on Tuesday, as authorities struggled to reach affected areas due to damaged infrastructure. Four days after the disaster hit Palu and other parts of Sulawesi Island, people say they have received little help from the government. Abdullah Sidik, limping with an injured leg, said he was heading for evening prayers when the magnitude-7.5 quake struck just after 6pm on Friday and rushed back home to find his wife and daughters. The earth was pushing everything up, he said. In that moment, I was flailing around and was hit from behind by a concrete wall. Then I couldnt do anything. I couldnt move and I lost my wife and daughters. I hope we can get aid from the government. Please pay attention to us. Palu is part of Indonesia. It feels like a dead city, Sidik said. I want to bury my wife and children. Please help me find them inside, he said. Some of the dead were taken to a mass grave on Tuesday a day after hundreds were given mass burials. {articleGUID} Al Jazeeras Jamela Alindogan, reporting from Makassar, a port city in eastern Sulawesi, said help must come from abroad as the scale of the devastation has left everyone struggling to cope. If you look at the level of devastation caused by the disaster, we see that everybody is affected by it, police officers, rescue workers and even medical workers have also become victims of it, she said. At this point, what is important is to clear logistics in order for aid to come in, all the roads coming into the areas affected must be covered. Thousands need emergency help Nearly 200,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help, while thousands have been streaming out of the stricken areas. Rescuers have yet to reach many affected areas leading to fears the death toll could rise again. Nigel Timmins, Oxfams humanitarian director, said it could take weeks to realise the full extent of the disaster. Its not just a wall of water, its a wall of water full of debris: concrete, trees, cars everything being churned around like a giant cement mixer. Its like a huge bulldozer that clears away the land and afterward youre left with complete chaos, Timmins told Al Jazeera. About 1,700 houses in one Palu neighbourhood were swallowed up, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said. Among those killed in the area were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said. There was also mounting concern over Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, and two other districts with a combined population of about 1.4 million. Initial reports from Red Cross rescuers who had reached the outskirts of Donggala district were chilling. {articleGUID} The situation in the affected areas is nightmarish, Jan Gelfand, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) office in Jakarta, said in a statement. The city of Palu has been devastated and first reports out of Donggala indicate that it has also been hit extremely hard by the double disaster, Gelfand said. People in dire need Commercial airlines have struggled to restore operations at Palus quake-damaged airport but military aircraft took some survivors out on Monday, while about 3,000 people thronged the airport hoping for any flight out. A navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time was due to be deployed to help with the evacuation. The power company was working to restore electricity while the state oil firm had sent in fuel, officials said. Teams of police were out on the streets on Tuesday, clearing debris and providing some reassurance to traumatised residents worried about looting. Police said they have arrested dozens of people for looting in Sulawesi, where survivors have raided shops for water, food and other goods. {articleGUID} On Monday, President Joko Widodo authorised the acceptance of international help amid lack of equipment and aid materials. The European Union, the US and China are among more than 10 countries who have offered assistance. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tuesday that his government had given $360,000 to help victims and was in talks with Indonesian authorities about a second round of aid. The initial funds would go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Because of its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions and is well versed in responding to disasters. A massive earthquake off Sumatra Island in 2004 caused a tsunami that killed 230,000 people around the region, the majority of them in the Indonesian province of Aceh. That was the last time the country had declared a national disaster. Lebanon denies Israels Hezbollah missile sites claim The Lebanese foreign minister worries that Israel will use the claims as a justification for an attack on Lebanon. Only 36.9 percent of eligible voters turned out to Sundays name-change referendum, making the result legally invalid. Former Yugoslav Macedonias entry into NATO and the European Union hangs in a delicate political balance after Sundays referendum. The government had proposed changing the countrys name to the Republic of North Macedonia, which would remove a Greek veto to its entry into both bodies. While 91.4 percent of those who voted supported the change, only 36.9 percent of eligible voters turned out, making the result legally invalid. The low turnout followed an opposition-led campaign to boycott the referendum. {articleGUID} The result has complicated the political scene in the capital Skopje. The coalition government, led by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, vows to push the name change through parliament, where it holds 68 seats in the 120-seat chamber. It seeks the support of 12 opposition MPs to achieve the two-thirds majority it needs. In the coming week, we will assess if we can secure the necessary majority for the constitutional changes and, if not, we will call an early election, Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska told Reuters. The downside is that the election would postpone adoption of the constitutional changes for 45 to 60 days, she said. The election would come towards the end of November and is a likely scenario if the opposition VMRO-DPMNE party sticks to its guns. Zaevs coalition of social democrats, liberals and minority parties was sworn in just 16 months ago, but he has staked its future on normalising relations with Greece and achieving EU and NATO entry. The country has called itself the Republic of Macedonia since independence in 1991 and more than 100 countries have recognised it bilaterally, but its progress in key international bodies remains frozen. It became a member of the United Nations without a name in April 1993 and is referred to there as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fyrom). In June, Zaev and his Greek counterpart, Alexis Tsipras, signed an agreement whereby Greece would agree to the countrys use of the name Macedonia with the qualifier Severna, or Northern. Greece has insisted that an unqualified Republic of Macedonia would preserve communist-era irredentist ambitions on its own northern region of the same name. Historic opportunity The referendum result was a slap in the face of the EU and NATO. In the weeks before the referendum, western leaders paraded through the countrys capital, Skopje, to support the Yes vote. European Council President Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg pointed out that an overwhelming majority of those voting supported the agreement. They urged politicians to seize this historic opportunity and decide on the way forward. In Greece, the Syriza government said it supports the initiative of Mr Zaev to preserve the momentum of the Prespes Agreement a reference to the deal signed by the two governments at Prespes lake in June. Conservative parties in Greece and former Yugoslav Macedonia oppose the deal. Syriza accused them of preserving a climate of nationalism and suspicion. Interviewed on state television, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said the yes vote had been substantial by normal electoral standards. George Ivanov, that terrible president of the neighbouring country said the referendum failed and its over, said Kotzias. He was elected president with 520,000 votes the Yes vote in the referendum was 610,000. So why does the person elected with half a million believe himself legitimate but considers 610,000 votes invalid? The opposition New Democracy party on Monday said Syriza had put its interests ahead of the national interest. New Democracy will make every effort to prevent the nationally damaging Prespes Agreement from coming into force, the party said in a statement. The hopes for a deal in parliament are now much slimmer than they were before the referendum. If the Zaev government does hold an election and win an increased majority in parliament, it will have to move fast to ratify the Prespes Agreement and the constitutional changes. Greece is due to hold a general election by September next year, but is widely thought to be planning an early election, perhaps coinciding with European Parliament and local elections in May. Al Kontar, 37, had been living in Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March, after being denied entry to Cambodia. Syrian refugee Hassan Al Kontar was arrested on Monday by Malaysian police for remaining in a forbidden area of Kuala Lumpur International Airports terminal two. Al Kontar, 37, had been living inside KLIAs domestic transfer lounge since March, after being denied entry to Cambodia and sent back to Malaysia. The Syrian refused to seek asylum in Malaysia and decided to remain at the airport. Many view this move as a protest against Malaysias arbitrary detention of refugees and it not being a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention. Al Kontar turned to social media to share his story of a life in limbo. He first arrived in Malaysia in October 2017 after being deported from the United Arab Emirates, where he had lived for 11 years, avoiding Syrias devastating war and compulsory military service. {articleGUID} Al Kontar pleaded with UAE authorities to be sent to Malaysia, one of the few countries that allow Syrians to obtain visas on arrival. Six months in an airport He overstayed his Malaysian tourist visa last March and paid a penalty fee before attempting to depart. Then Al Kontar ended up at KLIA terminal two domestic transfer lounge, where he spent the last six months looking for options. A group of Canadian volunteers filed a refugee sponsorship application to Canada on Al Kontars behalf on April 25, 2018. The processing time for a refugee application to Canada is 23 months and there is no guarantee he will be accepted. {articleGUID} Canada Caring Society started an online petition to call on Canadian Minister of Immigration Ahmed Hussen to allow Al Kontar to go to Canada on humanitarian grounds until his refugee application can be processed. Al Kontar has family in Canada and friends and supporters there have found him a job. His Syrian passport expires in January 2019. Malaysian police transferred Al Kontar to the immigration department. It stated it would contact the Syria embassy to facilitate his deportation from Malaysia. The UN refugee agencys Malaysia office is aware of Al Kontars arrest but has been unable to comment on specific cases. Supporters inside Malaysia fear he will be placed in immigration detention until deportation, where conditions have been referred to as torture-like by SUHAKAM, Malaysias human rights commission. Al Kontars Canadian lawyer Andrew Brouwer was unavailable for comment. The US first lady is aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of the continent. US First Lady Melania Trump has kicked off her first big solo international trip with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana on Tuesday after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The first lady saw how babies are weighed theyre placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Melania Trump also cradled an infant and declared the baby a beautiful boy as she handed him back to his mother. Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokesperson, Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of Be Best, the child well-being initiative Melania Trump launched last May. Melania Trump is greeted by Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo in Accra [Francis Kokoroko/Reuters] Warm and gentle The first lady did not make a speech but those who met her said afterwards that, unlike her mysterious public image, she was warm and gentle in the flesh. Shes very friendly, easy-going and interactive, said Rabiu Fauziya, a 28-year-old paediatric nurse who helped show Trump the neonatal room in the hospital. The first lady also had a private tea with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts. The women met for the first time at the UN General Assembly last month at which President Trump railed against globalism, earning him stern rebukes from world leaders. The US first lady also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. She has typically stayed out of the spotlight since her husband became president yet she has made headlines for rare public appearances. In June, she made a surprise visit to Texas to visit detained children at the US-Mexico border, wearing a jacket emblazoned with the words I really dont care. Do U? Mexico marks 50th anniversary of the killing of student protesters, a crime for which no one has been convicted. Mexico marks the 50th anniversary of Tlatelolco massacre, which remains an open wound in Mexican society, and activists say the impunity remains as nobody has been convicted for the killings. Security forces fired at thousands of students, who took to the streets days before the inauguration of Mexicos first Olympic Games on October 2, 1968, to demand an end to police repression and the release of political prisoners. Nobody knows exactly how many died when soldiers opened fire, estimates range from the official version of 25 dead to a more recent investigation that identified 44, but activists believe the death toll was around 300. This was a traumatic day for everyone, it was a day of anger, it was a day in which we felt deeply betrayed by the government, Felix Hernandez, a former leader of the student movement told the local news agency, El Universal. It was a time of change, students observed Paris roiling, the American Civil rights movement was strong, people were speaking out and in Mexico, the students felt it was time for a change. But demonstrators were met by the army and special forces and they were brutally repressed. The intense fire lasted half an hour and the result was hundreds of deaths, thousands of wounded, and hundreds of political prisoners, Hernandez said. Ten days later, President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz opened the Olympic Games. It was the first time that a mass movement confronted the then-ruling party, PRI. Police presence at the Riots of 1968 Tlatelolco [Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images] Fifty years later Fifty years later, many in Mexico see Tlatelolco as the beginning of a series of violations by the state, that to this day remain unsolved in tribunals. It was not until last week, half a century later, that a Mexican government institution admitted for the first time that a state crime was committed. The Tlatelolco massacre represents a historical chapter in which the Mexican state showed its most authoritarian face by silencing the voices of the citizens movement, Jaime Rochin, chief of the Executive Commission for Victims Assistance in Mexico (CEAV) said in a statement early this month. Rochin said that the government used snipers who fired to create chaos, terror and an official narrative to criminalise the protest. However, despite this declaration, many believe that justice remains elusive and the general feeling is one of sadness and disappointment in the governments repeated mistreatment of activists. Recently, the most famous case of violence against activists is that of the 43 missing students from Ayotzinapa. In September 2014, 43 student activists from Ayotzinapa Teachers College disappeared in the state of Guerrero as they were heading to Mexico City for the anniversary of the Tlatelolco massacre. Authorities said that corrupt police officers had seized the students and handed them over to a local drug trafficking gang, which killed them and burned their bodies in a nearby garbage dump. But investigators disputed that account and said the state probe was flawed. They accused the state of ignoring calls to investigate the armys possible involvement. Until today the government is still fighting a court order that it allows a truth commission to investigate the fate of the 43 students who disappeared in 2014. In 1968 the repression was carried out by the army and riot police; today, it is done through paramilitary groups it is a very important difference, said Victor Guerra, another former leader of the 68 movement to the Associated Press. But some things have changed. In 1968 students struggled to distribute leaflets and fought the indifference or lies of government-aligned media. The day after the 1968 massacre, newspapers depicted it as an attack on soldiers, with headlines like Terrorists and soldiers fought a tough battle and Criminal provocation causes bloody confrontation. In the digital age, students have the power to communicate with the world at their fingertips. The big difference today is social media, Itzel Espinosa told AP. Young people today, we can say what really happened, we have ways to prove it. Back then they didnt have cell phones, you had no way to prove what happened. You didnt have a camera in your hand. ASEAN foreign ministers express concern over man-made humanitarian disaster in Myanmars Rakhine, and call for probe. Southeast Asian foreign ministers have urged Myanmar to give a full mandate to an inquiry commission to hold accountable those responsible for the violence in Rakhine State, according to Singapores top diplomat. The ministers, who met informally on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week, expressed grave concern over the violence, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told his countrys parliament on Tuesday. We expressed our grave concern with these alleged acts of violence This is a man-made humanitarian disaster and something which should not be happening in this day and age, Balakrishnan said, referring to the meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Myanmar. The foreign ministers urged the Myanmar government that an independent commission of inquiry should be given a full mandate to investigate and to hold all those responsible fully accountable. Over the last year, more than 700,000 Rohingya have fled Buddhist-majority Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh, according to UN agencies, following a military response to attacks on security posts by Rohingya fighters. A recent UN report accused Myanmars military of gang rapes and mass killings with genocidal intent in Rakhine State and called for its commander-in-chief and five generals to be prosecuted under international law. Myanmar has denied most of the allegations in the report, blaming Rohingya rebels for most accounts of atrocities. Do the right thing Singapore chairs ASEAN this year and regional leaders will meet next month in the city-state. Myanmars government spokesman, Zaw Htay, did not answer telephone calls on Tuesday. Last month, he said he would no longer speak to the media over the phone but only at a biweekly conference. In July, Myanmar established a commission of inquiry to probe allegations of human rights abuses in Rakhine, which includes two local and two international members from Japan and the Philippines. ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has historically struggled with challenges facing the region because it works only by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in any matter deemed to be internal to any of its members. {articleGUID} The groups recent statements on Rakhine have focused on the importance of the repatriation of displaced persons to Myanmar and reconciliation among communities. But amid the international condemnation, it appears to be taking a firmer stance. Balakrishnan said that if left to fester, the situation in Rakhine could lead to the spread of terrorism which would threaten Southeast Asia and beyond. They (the Myanmar government) do need to do the right thingfor all the vulnerable, defenceless and innocent victims, said Balakrishnan. In a recent interview, Malaysias Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad criticised Myanmars de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi over her handling of the Rohingya crisis, saying, We dont really support her anymore. The House committee on dangerous drugs and the committee on good government have established that the P6.8-billion shabu shipment was released as a result of a collusion among unscrupulous officials and employees from at least three government agencies, with the help of the private sector. The House panels said those who had a hand in the shipment were operatives from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Customs. They managed to manipulate and allow the entry of supposed P6.8-billion shabu shipment into the country, the House panels said. The public hearing showed how the intelligence information on the shipment was leaked to certain individuals. This prompted a BoC official to declare: You can see how unscrupulous individuals had no qualms about humiliating any BoC officials to show how powerful they are. They want to show the world that they can easily destroy the reputation and cause the removal of any commissioner or top official who wanted to stop them.The two houses of Congress are currently investigating the drug shipment allegedly containing four magnetic lifters packed with shabu that slipped past the BoCs Manila International Container Port. The BoC official said that drug shipment could enter the country through different ports, not just the MICP, as long as there was connivance among individuals handling the ports. Its a pity that men of good character are being subjected to public ridicule. We hope that in the end, the findings of the House committees and the Senate blue ribbon committee will give justice to those who were not involved in the supposed drug shipment and severely punish those who were responsible for it, the official said. The former German colony is considering expropriating land since whites still own a majority of it. Namibias president has called for a change to the countrys constitution to allow the government to expropriate land and re-distribute it to the majority black population. The willing-buyer, willing-seller principle has not delivered results. Careful consideration should be given to expropriation, President Hage Geingob said on Monday at the opening of the Second National Land Conference in the capital, Windhoek. The willing-buyer, willing-seller policy depends on commercial farmers offering to sell their land to the government. However, many farmers are reluctant to sell and those who were willing often inflated the prices, making it difficult for the government to acquire adequate land for resettlement purposes. In a proposal that echoes the fierce political issue in neighbouring South Africa, Namibia now wants to transfer 43 percent, or 15 million hectares (58,000 square miles) of its arable agricultural land, to previously disadvantaged blacks by 2020. Namibia, which was ruled by colonial Germany and then apartheid South Africa until 1990, has large swaths of agricultural land, as well as major diamond and platinum mining industries. Statistics issued by the Namibian Statistics Agency last month showed that white Namibians owned 70 percent of agricultural land and blacks 16 percent. Out of some 250 farms under foreign ownership, most were held by Germans, it showed. Following South Africa model We need to revisit constitutional provisions which allow for the expropriation of land with just compensation, as opposed to fair compensation, and look at foreign ownership of land, especially absentee landowners, Geingob said. It is in all our interest, particularly the haves, to ensure a drastic reduction in inequality, by supporting the redistributive model required to alter our skewed economic structure. We should all be cognizant of the fact that this is ultimately an investment in peace, he said. The fundamental issue is inequality We also share a burning land issue and a racialised distribution of land resources with South Africa, Geingob said. {articleGUID} This comes from a common history of colonial dispossession. What we also agree to is that the status quo will not be allowed to continue, he added. Namibias neighbour and regional economic powerhouse, South Africa, is also in the process of amending land ownership laws a move that has shaken investor nerves locally and abroad, leading to a controversial tweet by United States President Donald Trump in August criticising the move by Pretoria. As in South Africa, thousands of black Namibians were driven off their land in the 19th and 20th centuries, banished to barren and often crowded homelands known as Bantustans while being denied official ownership or tenure rights. While Namibia is looking at the possibility of land expropriation with compensation, the South African government has voiced controversial plans to introduce expropriation without compensation. After weekend of widespread rallies, divisions continue to deepen as Brazilians prepare to go to the polls on Sunday. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Political party canvassers were busy on Sunday at Rio de Janeiros Gloria market in a last-ditch effort to persuade passersby to vote for their candidate, in advance of next weekends elections. A canvasser for a local leftist politician lambasted one man after he declined a leaflet and pledged support for far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro. Shame on you, the campaigner said, prompting a sharp stare in reply. The small, but telling exchange came just a day after battling protests for and against Bolsonaro gripped Brazils major cities, signalling a deepening divide within the country. It (the polarisation) worries me a lot there is much radicalism going on and it is something very sick, Analice Moreira, a market stall holder, said. I ask God to change this, because the country is broken and Im afraid, the 56-year-old added. Rising crime rates, a faltering economy and several high-level corruption scandals have unsettled Brazil in recent years. But there is little unity about how to solve the problems, with division dominating the build-up to the first round of Brazils presidential election on October 7, when an estimated 147 million voters will choose the countrys next leader and more than 1,600 other positions. The two most popular presidential candidates frontrunner Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal Party (PSL) and second-placed Fernando Haddad of the leftist Workers Party (PT) have high rejection rates, 46 percent and 32 percent respectively. On Sunday, thousands of Brazilians participated in widespread pro-Bolsonaro rallies. The demonstrations, which took place in cities including Sao Paulo and the capital, Brasilia, came a day after hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets nationwide as part of women-led anti-Bolsonaro #EleNao (#HimNo) protests. Bolsonaro, who has been unable to campaign in recent weeks after being stabbed last month while campaigning in the city of Juiz de Fora, in southeastern Minais Gerais state, is projected to win about 28 percent of support on October 7. Haddad, meanwhile, is forecast to win 22 percent of the vote. Democratic Labour Party candidate Ciro Gomes is the closest other competitor among the 11 other candidates trailing behind the pair, with 11 percent of support. Analice Moreira, 56, has been a figure at Glorias market for more than two decades [David Child/Al Jazeera] Neither Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, or Haddad, the PTs replacement candidate for hugely popular former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, are projected to secure the absolute majority support required to win office during the first round vote. Instead, the pair appears poised to contest a runoff vote on October 28, which, if it takes place, would mark the fifth presidential election in a row to be decided by a second-round poll. For 18-year-old Pedro Augusto, on the cusp of voting in a presidential election for his first time, thats a major disappointment. I still dont have a chosen candidate, the options are very bad and between the two [Bolsonaro and Haddad], I prefer no one, he said. I love my country but the prospects for the next administration are terrible and it seems as if things will get worse people are very divided at the moment, he added. Social divisions On one side of the divide are supporters of Bolsonaro, who has frequently made polemic remarks in the past on issues relating to race, gender and sexuality and criticised the PTs economic legacy. On the other is the PTs pro-Lula base, which has transferred its support to Haddad in recent weeks. Lula helped lift millions of people out of poverty while in power from 2003 to 2010 amid a period of economic growth in Brazil that coincided with a global commodities boom and left office with approval ratings approaching 90 percent. And despite a corruption conviction in 2017, centred on him accepting a luxury seaside apartment as a bribe from a construction firm, the 72-year-old is still adored by many voters. Lula topped opinion surveys gauging presidential candidates popularity levels prior to renouncing his candidacy last month after being barred from running by Brazils countrys top electoral court. For Bolsonaro supporters, however, Lula and the entire PT represent everything they think is rotten about Brazilian politics. Now is a time when the country should be united, because we are in a crisis and the population should be together not divided, Augusto said. People demonstrate against presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [File: Ana Carolina Fernandes/Reuters] According to Geraldo Tadeu, a political scientist at the Rio-based Academic Insititute for Research (IUPERJ), the origins of Brazils current political divide stretches back over a number of years. He said the polarisation Brazil is experiencing now is a product of the 2014 election results, which were questioned by the opposition Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB). It was the very beginning of this idea that the new president (the PTs Dilma Rousseff) was not legitimate enough because of alleged fraud; this was a novelty in Brazilian politics, he added. In August 2016, Rousseff was impeached by Brazils congress and removed from office over allegations she broke budgetary laws. In the months following her deposal, the opposition PSDB and new President Michel Temer Brazils current leader of the Brazilian Democratic Movement party were also embroiled in a number of corruption scandals, which until then had predominantly affected the PT. By July 2017, when Lula was convicted, nearly Brazils entire political class had been discredited among the electorate. A major anti-graft probe known as Lava Jato, or Car Wash, and other interlocking investigations have seen more than 150 Brazilian business leaders, corporations and politicians including Lula prosecuted for corruption since 2014. Bolsonaro, a Rio congressman since 1991, has exploited that anger to attract a loyal following among some portions of the electorate and positioned himself as an antidote to a tarnished political class. Several of the other more centrist candidates, including Gomes, Marina Silva of the Sustainability Network and PSDB contender Geraldo Alckmin, have run for the presidency at least once before. Bolsonaro realised there were people on the streets asking for change but they had no voice, so he became their voice, Tadeu said. He assumed the discourse against politicians, he added. I wont vote again The polarisation in Brazil forms part of a larger picture of widespread dissatisfaction with the countrys traditional political class and waning faith in the countrys institutions. Only 13 percent of Brazilians are satisfied with democracy, according to a 2017 study by Latinobarometro, a Chile-based polling group. But while discontentment has driven some towards Bolsonaro, or to double-down on their support for the PT, in Gloria, where discarded political campaign stickers litter the streets, manure salesman Richard de Oliveira has given up hope of politicians delivering change. The politicians only want to make money. The inequality in Brazil is very big and the politicians are cowards, we are nothing for them, Oliveira, 53, said. I voted in previous elections but I swear that until I die I wont vote again, Im finished, I will annul my vote or pay the tax, he added. Richard de Oliveira, 53, the self-described King of Manure said he had given up hope about politics in Brazil [David Child/Al Jazeera] Voting in Brazil is compulsory for all literate citizens aged between 18-70, with abstention punishable by a small fine of about $1. Failure to pay the fine can result in citizens being barred from renewing their passport, obtaining government-backed loans or taking public office. According to polling institute Datafolha, about 10 percent of the electorate some 15 million people intend to abstain from voting for any presidential candidate. Stall-holder Moreira, like Richard, is one of them. Its hard, I know that Im wrong not to vote but this time I prefer to wait and see [who wins], I dont want to regret my vote again, Moreira said. Im cheering for the success of the one who wins so that they can find a solution for the countrys problems, she added. [Because] society wasnt like this before, people respected each other more now the opposing sides are not talking to each other. That is not democracy. President Putin to oversee the sale of air defence systems during his visit to India this week, Kremlin official says. Russia and India are set to sign a deal worth more than five billion dollars on the delivery of Russian S-400 missile systems to New Delhi, according to the Kremlin. Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee the agreement during his trip to India this week, top Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Tuesday. The president is leaving for India on October 4, Ushakov told reporters. The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems, he said. The value of the contract will be more than five billion dollars. Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months. The sale has irked the United States, Indias defence partner, which has wanted to wean India off Russian technology. 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. A senior Pentagon official said in August that sanctions against India would come under consideration if its purchase goes through. India has signalled it will ask Washington for a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week said there is no guarantee it would do so. State-of-the-art system 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. 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. India is not the only country buying the air defence systems from Russia. {articleGUID} 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. 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. Meanwhile, Russias defence minister said on Tuesday that the delivery of a modern S-300 system to bolster Syrias air defence has been completed. Russia announced last month that it would provide the S-300s a week after it blamed Israel for the accidental shooting down of its aircraft. However, the Kremlin said the installation of S-300 was aimed at increasing safety of Russian military and not directed at any third country. Nearly 200,000 people displaced and in need of emergency help, while thousands stream out of stricken areas. Dozens of children were killed after being buried by a mudslide that slammed into their church during Indonesias earthquake-tsunami disaster with more than 50 others still missing. Rescuers discovered the bodies of 34 students buried in the landslide, Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP news agency on Tuesday. A total of 34 bodies were found by the team, Arriani said, adding 86 students had initially been reported missing from the Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre in Sigi Biromaru district. The extent of the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi should become clearer on Tuesday, as rescuers push into remote areas that have been out of contact for more than four days. Fridays earthquake-driven tsunami has killed 844 people but fears have grown that the death toll may be far worse. Most of the dead so far were in Palu, the main city in the disaster zone. With communications down and access by land disrupted, teams struggled to reach communities closer to the epicentre of the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that triggered tsunami waves as high as six metres. Wall of water Nigel Timmins, Oxfams humanitarian director, said 2.4 million people live in the affected area and it could take weeks to realise the full extent of the disaster. He was on the scene in Indonesias Aceh after the 2004 earthquake and tsunami killed more than 130,000 there. Its not just a wall of water, its a wall of water full of debris: concrete, trees, cars everything being churned around like a giant cement mixer. Its like a huge bulldozer that clears away the land and afterwards youre left with complete chaos, Timmins told Al Jazeera. About 1,700 houses in one Palu neighbourhood were swallowed up, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said. There was also mounting concern over Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, and two other districts with a combined population of about 1.4 million. Initial reports from Red Cross rescuers who had reached the outskirts of Donggala district were chilling. The situation in the affected areas is nightmarish, Jan Gelfand, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) office in Jakarta, said in a statement. The city of Palu has been devastated and first reports out of Donggala indicate that it has also been hit extremely hard by the double disaster, Gelfand said. Aftershocks So far, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help, while thousands have been streaming out of the stricken areas. Chief security minister Wiranto said on Monday the government was trying to meet survivors immediate needs and would accept offers of international help. Right now, we need emergency aid, Wiranto said, referring to the foreign aid that would be airlifted to Palu, 1,500km northeast of Jakarta. About 3,000 people thronged the airport hoping to get on any flight and officers struggled to keep order. Wiranto said a navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time would also be deployed to help with the evacuation. Numerous aftershocks have strained survivors already frayed nerves. A 5.9-magnitude quake struck near the southern Indonesian island of Flores on Tuesday. Prominent journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Nazli Ilicak and three others are charged with aiding 2016 failed coup. A Turkish court has upheld life sentences for prominent journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Nazli Ilicak and three others, on charges of aiding the plotters of a failed military coup in 2016, according to local media. The journalists, who were originally sentenced in February, were previously sentenced to life in prison for alleged links to the network of US-based religious leader and businessman Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating the coup attempt. They had appealed to the high court for their release, but Istanbuls 2nd Appeal Court upheld their sentence on Tuesday. {articleGUID} Mehmet Altan was later released from prison in June, but his sentence was also upheld on Tuesday, after a penal court rejected the constitutional courts request for his release. All six are serving aggravated life sentences, which means they are not eligible for parole and cannot be included in future amnesty decisions. The Turkish government has been carrying out purges and arrests that affected hundreds of thousands of people in the country after the 2016 coup attempt that killed more than 300 people, including the plotters, wounded hundreds of others. The government says the purges and detentions are legitimate, aiming at removing Gulen supporters from state institutions and other parts of society. Local and international rights groups, as well as many of Turkeys European allies, say the measures are arbitrary, claiming that the government is using the coup attempt as a pretext to silence opposition in the country. River Aiyi is now called Diannong, because the original name sounded like Aisha, the Prophets wife. In yet another move aimed at reducing Islamic influence in China, authorities there have renamed a river because it had an Arabic-sounding name. The name of the river Aiyi has been changed to Diannong by the autonomous government of Ningxia, home to the mainlands largest number of Muslims, a report by the Global Times said. Aiyi, the old Chinese name for the river sounds to some people like the Arabic name Aisha, Wang Genming, a researcher at the Ningxia University Institute of Hui Studies told the Chinese daily. Aisha was one of the wives of the Prophet Mohammad. Diannong derives from the old Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) name for Ningxias capital city, currently named Yinchuan, according to the Global Times. We received a request from the local water resources department based on a regulation on the names of public locations, the government said in a statement. A regulation passed by the Ningxia government in 2013 banned local authorities from naming public locations after foreign figures or places. This conforms to Chinas policy of Sinicising religions and adapting them to socialist society as well as fitting with local history and culture, Xiong Kunxin, professor of ethnic studies at Beijings Minzu University of China, told the Global Times. Shen Guiping, an expert on religions at the Central Institute of Socialism, told the Chinese daily that as the mother river of the region, Diannong can better deliver the spirit of traditional Chinese culture. The river spans 180km and six counties in northwestern China. The Muslim question in China About two million Hui Muslims live in Ningxia, constituting one-third of its population. Of Chinas 23 million Muslims, at least 10 million are Hui, descendants of Arab and Central Asian Silk Road travellers. Then, there are about 10 million Muslim Uighurs, whose persecution by the Chinese government has made global headlines for years. Genming told Inkstone that the name change follows a series of efforts the regional government has made to demolish Islamic decor on buildings and remove Arabic signs. Even the local theatre and residential compounds are being renovated to remove ethnic features, Wang says. More than 860 books regarding Hui ethnicity have been taken off the shelves in the libraries, he said. In March, an avenue called China-Arab Axis in Yinchuan, Ningxias capital city, was renamed Unity Road. The avenue leads to a square with Arab-style monuments and statues, built to commemorate Chinese-Arab friendship. The city then began to change the avenue from its original Arabic style landscape to one that reflects the style of Chinese cultural elements, according to Xinhua news agency. These efforts are part of a wider campaign by the government to Sinicise religion, a policy introduced by President Xi Jinping in 2015 to bring religions in line with the governments definition of Chinese culture. Sinicizing religion is de-extremifying religion. This name change shows the central governments determination to correct a trend of Islamisation, Xiong Kunxin, a professor at Minzu University of China in Beijing told Inkstone. But Genming was not convinced. Changing names shows the local governments ignorance and stupidity, he told Inkstone. Aiyi is just a name reminiscent of a beautiful Hui lady. Investigation found $400m was transferred from Turkey to 28,088 accounts, mostly people of Iranian origin in the US. Turkish police have detained over 200 people in a major nationwide crackdown on illicit money transfers to individuals of Iranian origin living in the United States. An Istanbul court issued arrest warrants for a total of 417 suspects and rounded up 216 on Tuesday in a nationwide operation carried out in 40 cities, Anadolu Agency reported. The suspects are facing charges including criminal conspiracy and violating measures to prevent terrorism financing, Anadolu said. There were no further details on who the suspects are. An investigation found that from the beginning of 2017 some 2.4 billion lira ($400m) had been transferred from Turkey to a total of 28,088 accounts abroad from several banks, it added. Those conducting the money transfers earned commissions, Anadolu said, citing the investigation, while the large majority of the recipients of the funds were people of Iranian origin living in the US. There were no further details on who these individuals were and if the transfers had an overall aim. The arrests come as the US is in the process of reimposing sanctions on Iran after Washington pulled out of a 2015 international deal limiting the nations nuclear programme, including on Irans ability to use the international financial system and export oil. They also come several months after Turkey-US relations hit a rough patch over the detention of a US pastor, with US President Donald Trump making comments that sent the Turkish lira tumbling. Sanctions busting has also been a source of tension between Washington and Ankara. US authorities earlier this year convicted Mehmet Hakan Atilla, deputy director general of Turkish lender Halkbank on charges of helping Iran evade US sanctions on billions of dollars of oil proceeds. In the case, Iranian-Turkish trader Reza Zarrab, who was once close to the Ankara authorities, gave evidence accusing the Turkish leadership of being complicit in the scheme. Turkey depends on foreign suppliers including Iran for its energy needs. The country imports oil and natural gas from Russia, as well as from neighbouring Iran. Several countries have paused or limited use of the shot amid concern over reports of rare blood clots in recipients. As Judge Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court has been disrupted by the #Me Two Movements chant Believe the Women, it is worth recalling the origins of this slogan -- and the huge damage it wreaked in its first incarnation. It is also worth considering what light the earlier Believe the Women movement can throw on the current allegations. I described its origin in 2001 in The Womens Quarterly. I noted it could be traced to a single moment in history, April 17, 1971, when the New York Radical Feminists, a group that at its height boasted no more than 400 members, held a groundbreaking conference on rape, a subject long considered taboo. The event produced an unlikely star, Florence Rush, a middle-aged social worker who had never been raped. It was the conclusion to her speech that electrified the audience. The family itself is an instrument of sexual and other forms of child abuse permitted because it is an unspoken but prominent factor in socializing and preparing the female to accept a subordinate role In short the sexual abuse of female children is a process of education that prepares them to become the wives and mothers of America. A participant, Susan Brownmiller, who would go on to write a book on rape, recalled: I have been to many feminist meetings, but never before, and not since, have I seen an entire audience rise to its feet in acclaim. We clapped. We cheered. Feminist writers would begin to outdo each other in their estimates of incest victims. Catherine MacKinnon, the law professor who helped develop the legal definitions of sexual harassment, announced that 4.5% of all women are victims of incest by their father and if brothers, stepfathers, uncles and family friends were thrown in, the figure rose to 40 percent. Harvard psychiatrist Judith Herman dedicated her 1981 book Father-Daughter Incest, to the women estimated by us to be in the millions, who have personally experienced incestuous abuse. At the time of the 1971 conference psychiatric textbooks estimated the rate of father-daughter incest at one to two for every million women in the United States. If that figure was accurate, it was not surprising that incest attracted little public attention. On the other hand, if, in fact, fathers were sexually abusing millions of daughters, why did no one know of it? The theory of repressed memory provided the answer. A woman was so traumatized by being molested by her father, the theory said, that she banished the memory from her conscious mind. Therapists of all types, from psychiatrists on down, set out to help patients unlock their supposedly buried memories. Ellen Bass and Laura Davis in 1988 published the best-selling The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse which encouraged women to look to sexual abuse as the explanation if, for example, they had problems trusting their intuition, had an eating disorder, felt different from other people, felt powerless, like a victim. Therapists exhorted their clients to detach from their parents (i.e. sever all ties) and even sue them in civil or criminal court. In the ensuing hysteria 24 states promoted such litigation by changing the statute of limitations so that the time limit for filing a lawsuit was based not on the date of the alleged deed(s) but rather on when the purported victim recovered her (in a small proportion of cases, his) memory or realized the damage it had done. As a result sexagenarians sued parents confined to nursing homes. Large numbers of families were destroyed. The False Memory Syndrome Foundation, established in 1992 by Pamela Freyd and her husband after he was accused by their daughter Jennifer (by a curious coincidence, like Christine Blasey Ford a psychology professor), reported being contacted by 20,000 families embroiled in such accusations. The allegations did more than affect relations between accuser and parents. They resulted in divorces, feuds between siblings and loss of employment, as the charges became public. What brought this phase of Believe the Women to a close was not, alas, the triumph of reason or pushback by professional associations (which were silent or joined in the popular hue and cry), but the impact of lawsuits by women subject to especially vigorous therapy who recovered their sanity. In 1997 insurers agreed to pay Pat Burgus $10.6 million; under repressed memory therapy in a hospital unit she had remembered Satanists pushing torches inside her and having to eat body parts from 2,000 human corpses per year. Insurers for psychiatrist Kenneth Olson awarded Nadean Cool $2.4 million in an out-of-court settlement after 15 days of court testimony. Cool had been told she had 120 personalities including that of angels and a duck. After Cool was tethered spread-eagled on a bed, Olson brought a fire extinguisher to the site because, he said, she could burst into flames as a result of the exorcism. With insurers increasingly refusing to insure practitioners of repressed memory therapy, the movement faded. What light might all this throw on the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh by Christine Blasey Ford? While Ford claims that her memory of the assault has remained basically intact since the incident occurred, i.e. this is not a case of repressed memory, there are aspects of her story that suggest otherwise and certainly warrant investigation. If this is an intact memory, she would surely remember its most traumatic aspects, including not just the assault but the getaway, how she managed to get home. Yet she remembers nothing but the assault. If she ran away suddenly from a small party, would not her best friend, who was also there according to Fords account, have questioned her the next day about her disappearance? And would she run away without any warning to her friend that two drunk would-be rapists were on the loose right there? If this was a repressed memory, i.e. one brought up through some kind of therapy, even self-wrought (remember, shes a psychologist), the whole story makes more sense. Ford has a vivid memory of events, but she alone has them. Those she has placed at the scene, including her good friend, have no memory of it. Fords memory wobbles; she tells her therapist in 2012 there were four people in the room where she was attacked; now she remembers two. The memory is selective: she cannot fill in the where or when. Thanks to Senator Jeff Flake adopting the endlessly repeated Democratic talking point, the FBI is conducting an investigation. They are not likely to uncover much more about Judge Kavanaughs role in the alleged incident given that testimony has already been given by those Ford placed at the party (who have denied on penalty of perjury that they were there). Where the FBI should be focusing their inquiry -- with the prospect of uncovering useful information -- is on Christine Blasey Ford. Presumably, if this was an intact memory, as a fifteen-year-old she initially knew where and when the attack occurred, how she got there and how she got away. When did she lose her memories of these salient facts? Did she forget the episode for some of those 36 years and then recover her memory with gaping holes? Did she undergo therapy before 2012? Can the FBI see those therapist notes she supposedly showed the Washington Post? Believe the women? We already know we cant believe everything Ford says. She claimed she could not come to Washington until the end of the week because of her fear of flying. Yet we now know she not only flies regularly to see her family in Delaware (which could be explained as a reluctant duty) but has flown on vacations to the South Pacific and Tahiti (easily avoidable if she feared flying). In her testimony she claimed not to know that the committee had volunteered to fly out to question her. Even if her lawyers had kept the several messages making this offer from her (unethical and so dubious), this was widely reported in the news and would surely have been brought to her attention if she had by some miracle failed to hear it herself. The current #MeToo Movement has instilled a terror of examining the story of any woman who claims to be a victim of sexual abuse. This is treating women as infants in the guise of respecting them. Ford deserves the same scrutiny that has been turned on Judge Kavanaugh. The current FBI investigation offers an opportunity for equal treatment. A probing inquiry into her story, and questioning of others who know her, is likely to prove far more enlightening than a mindless Believe the Women in respect to uncovering the origin of her uncorroborated memories and the level of credence that should be put in her and them. Rael Jean Isaac is the author, most recently, of The Last Victim: One Man Caught in the Day-Care Hysteria Decades Ago Still Seeks Justice, National Review, September 10, 2018. In the days since the Ford-Kavanaugh hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, social media as well as opinion editorials have been filled with the angst of women triggered by their emotional distrust of men and their past experiences. Numerous women have reacted in the context of their own sexual abuse experience, seeing and hearing -- and reliving -- their own trauma in Blasey Fords testimony. They are unable or unwilling to separate the two in order to evaluate the validity of someone elses story. Corroboration is, seemingly, irrelevant. Women have described wanting to throw a shoe at the TV, being able to watch only briefly because they could only take so much at once, not being able to talk with their husbands about the hearing for fear of losing control, feeling that they didnt want to even speak to a man for weeks and wanting to go scream at every man I see. The cacophony of irrational, out-of-control voices reacting to Blasey Fords flawed testimony is drowning out all rationality and reasoned arguments. Piers Morgan, the British television host, called the hearing a viciously partisan bear-pit, though, Id say, at times it veered into a cat fight. The #MeToo movement -- which began with legitimate concern for women who have suffered harassment or abuse by an oafish, cruel, or evil men -- has devolved into a movement where any woman can accuse any man of anything and she must be believed regardless of facts, evidence or corroboration. Worse, the resulting toxic culture has made it impossible for men to defend themselves. Its time for an #UsToo movement where the voices of rational women are allowed to break through the shrillness and rancor of emotional outbursts from women who cannot separate fact from fiction. Hundreds of #UsToo women spoke up for Kavanaugh, but their voices were ignored or ridiculed. They gathered on Capitol Hill and made impassioned pleas for a fair hearing. Many sat and listen in the audience to every word of the hearings. Others sat in front of televisions taking careful notes. They are women who love their fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, cousins; they respect their decent colleagues and the wonderful men in their churches and communities. They are sympathetic to victims and condemn abusers, but they are not blind to reality. They are aware that nobodys perfect and women sometimes lie. They saw what happened to the Duke Lacrosse Team. They read the Rolling Stone account of the UVA fraternity rapes. Theyve known about dozens of cases where girls are vindictive and, indeed, evil. Some of us are old enough to remember the casting couch stories and to have seen plenty of sleeping around to get ahead. Weve listened to women retell events that weve shared and recognized that everyone has memories that are flawed and inaccurate. Weve seen the women who will do anything and say anything to get attention or to get their way. Weve seen women with mental and emotional illnesses who can seem normal at times but are not. We know that there are good women and bad women, good men and bad men. The #MeToo movement has gotten seriously off-track. The emotional, knee-jerk responses that assume Kavanaughs guilt because he is a man and the irrational acceptance of Fords testimony even though it is full of holes and has absolutely no corroboration is appalling. Feeling sympathy or even empathy for a woman is not the same as hearing confirmation of the facts or having corroborating testimony from someone who was there at the time. Its time to end the self-centeredness of the #MeToo era as currently too often displayed. Its not a sisterhood of saints. Its time to end the viciousness, bitterness, and vindictiveness of the #MeToo movement; it is destroying both women and men. It has destroyed civility and the assumption of innocence until proven guilty. It has run roughshod over due process. Its past time to end the politics of personal destruction in the fear of any curtailment of abortion on demand. It was sad to see senators become caricatures of themselves as they preened in self-righteous arrogance, determined to destroy an honorable man of faith who had spent a lifetime building a reputation for sterling character and unimpeachable integrity. Thousands of women have expressed support for Kavanaugh; these are intelligent women who listen carefully and reason logically. Many of them have built successful relationships with men they love and with male colleagues and friends that they respect. Many are raising sons whom they love and with whom they are proud! They dont have an agenda other than Constitutional governance, and they recognize truth and facts. They also recognize when a special agenda is being pushed and the public is being duped by slanted, biased media coverage and #MeToo knee-jerk reactions. Its time to hear from the thousands of women across the country who are saying, Listen to #UsToo! We vote. We are actively involved in our churches, careers, and communities, and we have lots of friends. THE rise of China both as economic and military power may lead to a new regional order in Asia, but it is not enough to dethrone the United States as a dominant power in the region in the near future, according to a Japanese expert. Speaking during a symposium commemorating the 41st founding anniversary of Fukuda Heart-To-Heart Doctrine in Manila, professor Dr. Mie Oba of the Tokyo University of Science sounded the alarm bells on the challenges to peace and prosperity in the Southeast Asia, particularly the shift in the balance of power in the region. Oba said one of the challenges facing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Japan was the seismic shift in the balance of power with the rise of China as dominant power in the region. The rise of China has had big impact on regional circumstances, Oba said, noting that this country first achieved large-scale economic development and now, it is mobilizing that expanding power to promote the further build up and modernization of its military. More importantly, she added, China was pursuing a two-pronged, pro-active foreign policy by asserting its sovereignty in regions such as the South China Sea and the East China Sea, then by demonstrating a regional vision as found in its Belt and Road Initiative. This kind of idea and the leadership it promotes could lead to the construction of a new regional order in Asia, she said.While the leverage of the US is declining, Oba said she did not believe there will be an easy transition of power from the United to China in the near future. She cited the US continuing efforts to keep its commitment to Asia affairs alive by launching its Indo-Pacific Strategy to support infrastructure development and financial assistance for security cooperation. With tactics such as these, I do not think that the United States is working to hold onto its hegemonic power in Asia and the world. However, the current administrations America First policy has obviously had a negative effect on Asian countries trust towards the United States, she said, adding that from a long term perspective, its hegemonic power is on the decline relative to the rapid rise of China. However, Oba warned the changes in the balance of power and the decline of the international liberal order have shaken the solidarity and resilience of Asean. The weakness of Asean will lead to the collapse of its centrality, which will have a strongly negative impact on peace and prosperity in East Asia and the Asia Pacific. So, Asean-Japan cooperation should aim at the enhancement of Asean solidarity, resilience and integration, she said. As John Fund reported in the National Review, the two women who assaulted Quisling Extraordinaire Jeff Flake in the Senate elevator Friday morning, are both activists with the far left Center for Popular Democracy. It should come as no surprise that the center is partially funded by Quisling-in-Chief and Nazi aider and abettor George Soros, through his Open Society Foundation. Fund demonstrates that the center is at the heart of the effort to stop Kavanaugh. Both elevator protesters belong to this organization, but the one -- Ana Maria Archila -- is not only the co-executive director of the Center but also a national committee member for the Workers Family Party -- the party of actress-turned-NY-governor-wannabee Cynthia Nixon. The WFP was founded by the now defunct ACORN. We know how incestuous all these leftwing organizations are. Add to this list of organizations involved in the effort to take down Kavanaugh at all costs, our old friends at MoveOn.org (Ive also been getting similar emails from Obamas Organizing for Action). In a recent email asking for donations for their big, final push to stop Brett Kavanaugh, theyre not shy about their intentions: [W]e're seeing that pressure and protests are cleaving cracks in the wall of Republican support, which gives us an opening -- if we act now and over the next 5 days. Late Friday, after thousands of us rallied around the country and marched on the Senate office buildings in Washington, D.C., brave sexual assault victims inside confronted Senator Jeff Flake in an elevator in a nationally-televised person-to-person moment of reckoning. And, just minutes later, Sen. Flake called for an FBI investigation. But it's only a one-week investigation. Which means that we have just five days to stop Kavanaugh's confirmation by demanding that undecided Republicans and Democrats listen to survivors like Dr. Blasey Ford and their own constituents, who are turning out in record numbers to hold their members of Congress accountable for their actions. *** [O]ur goal is clear: Over the next five days, we must force Senate Republicans (and every single Democrat) to stop, listen to and believe survivors, and say no to Kavanaugh. *** Here's how MoveOn and our members are organizing our big, final push to stop Kavanaugh: We're organizing and supporting flash protests all week at Senate offices across the country, with a focus on the eight states with senators who could be the deciding votes. We are making sure that senators, their staff, and homestate media know that constituents are outraged and want them to stop these hearings, believe survivors, and vote no on Kavanaugh. (After Thursday's hearings, we called for and helped organize dozens of events on Friday with thousands of participants that formed in a matter of hours.) all week at Senate offices across the country, with a focus on the eight states with senators who could be the deciding votes. We are making sure that senators, their staff, and homestate media know that constituents are outraged and want them to stop these hearings, believe survivors, and vote no on Kavanaugh. (After Thursday's hearings, we called for and helped organize dozens of events on Friday with thousands of participants that formed in a matter of hours.) We are continuing to recruit to actions in Washington, D.C. , where a huge show of people power has been making noise and building pressure around the clockand where we can lift up the leadership of survivors like those who bravely confronted Sen. Flake in person. , where a huge show of people power has been making noise and building pressure around the clockand where we can lift up the leadership of survivors like those who bravely confronted Sen. Flake in person. We are continuing to flood Senate offices with phone calls; more than 10,000 calls were made by MoveOn last Thursday alone, and we will continue to push tens of thousands of calls to offices all week. And there's one more thing: We're flexing our electoral muscle. We have hundreds of voter contact eventsour Resist and Win Wavestaking place over the next few weekends in the 100+ congressional districts that could end GOP control of Congress. Our get out the vote events taking place this weekend are carrying a message about believing survivors, demanding justice, and stopping Kavanaughso that Republicans are on full notice that there will be severe political consequences for their attacks on women and survivors. We're giving our all to stop this voteand you can be damn sure that on Election Day we will make Republicans pay for their cruelty. [Emphasis added.] What are we conservatives doing apart from wringing our hands and biting our nails? Not much. I can only pray that our inaction when juxtaposed with the cacophony on the left, will highlight to decent human beings who might be undecideds about Kavanaugh and the midterms, the rank hysteria of the irrational and power-driven left and that difference will translate into victory for Republicans at the polls. But if we lose on Friday, that is, if Kavanaugh is not voted in by the Senate, how angry will you be? Enough to get off your couch, buy an expensive plane ticket, use your vacation time to go to Washington and protest? Or, will we just take it and tepidly hope we win at the ballot box in November? Heres the deal. Didnt it feel good when Kavanaugh stood up for himself, as inept as some of his responses were (clearly, he had gotten to the point of such emotional distress he just couldnt answer some questions as I would have liked to see, at times even shutting down in absolute frustration, at times so overcome with anger, and disappointment, he couldnt give a terse, compact, succinct zinger of a response). But when he came out swinging, werent we all cheering? And did you care that some of his answers were eh? I didnt. Because I knew this man had reached his limits and was exhausted from the beating he had taken for months and the near-death bludgeoning the last few weeks. I knew this man was overcome with grief knowing that he will never, ever regain his stature among his peers, in his community, as a lawyer, judge, or justice, and as a father/husband -- even if Friday turns out in his favor. And then Lindsey Graham -- dang, if that wasnt the icing on the cake! When he finally popped and laid it on the line, literally pointing fingers and calling out names, conservatives were proud. Finally, Lindsey did the right thing. We have a President and some great congressmen and women who are finally taking a stand. And lets face facts -- too many of us/you have become complacent, taking a back seat letting the President handle all of the fighting (with the help of some in Congress). But we have a nominee who didnt cave. He punched back. Trump punched back. Lindsey Graham finally punched back. Hatch punched back. As did many others. Okay, so we have to browbeat the RINOs into compliance -- and we might not have to do that if the FBI comes back with a packet of 302s that confirm everything we already know. Even some #NeverTrumpers are aligned with Trump supporters on this one. But if the week explodes and Kavanaugh is a casualty at the end of the week of relentless leftwing bullying, we regular guys are the only ones left. Its our turn to punch back. And we know they will call us white supremacists and Nazis, waging a war on women -- it wouldnt be the first time. When little old ladies were singing G-d Bless America and waving their flags at Tea Party rallies, cleaning up their garbage and thanking the police officers, they were labeled white-privilege racist homophobic Christian wacko birds with a dash of Nazi thrown in. Punch back we must and it cannot only be at the ballot box (although that would be really sweet). I have just as much anger as those women in the elevator. Leftwing activists and Democrat politicians do not have a monopoly on anger. Nor do they have a monopoly on sexual assault, harassment, discrimination, or rape. Those crimes have no political parties. Sure, we have some wholly inadequate outlets -- writing and reading articles, a Facebook page here and tweet there, voting, maybe even getting out the vote in your local elections. Maybe you are lucky and get the one-minute opportunity to vent on talk radio or have your letter to the editor published. But if Kavanaugh loses, none of that is enough. Are you prepared to stand with Kavanaugh and punch back against the Democratic bullies, make the sacrifice and march on Washington at the last minute? If someone out there with the reach and a national platform can organize a last-minute nationwide walkout, count me in. I dont care about the cost or inconvenience. If the pussy-hatted gals can do it, then so can we. The great solon Richard Blumenthal, hero of An Loc, Ia Drang, Khe Sanh, Hue, and Tet, has explained to us that Who lies in one instance, lies in all. Blumenthal was referring to Judge Brett Kavanaugh, who hasnt lied about anything, as far as anyone has been able to tell. But we can turn it around to focus on the party that Sen. Blumenthal was speaking out for. In how many instances has Christine Blasey Ford lied? Fear of Flying: Fear of flying is a commonplace among many travelers (so much so that Brian Eno in the 1970s recorded several hours of soothing music expressly designed to ease such fears). But in Blasey Fords case, it was presented as a terror so overwhelming, so uncontrollable, as to prevent her from traveling by air under any circumstances. No Professordoktor Ford, we were led to believe, would need to drive from Palo Alto to Washington to testify before the Senate Judicial Committee. This claim fell apart in short order after it was revealed that Ford had lived for a year in Honolulu, a city effectively unreachable except by air, had vacationed in Tahiti and other areas of the Pacific, and regularly flew from California to the east coast to visit family. In light of all this, the driving claim became a running social media joke, with bogus reports of which was the last town she had driven through. The claim collapsed completely when it was revealed that she had flown out to D.C. to testify before the committee, evidently without aid of hypnotism, sedatives, oxygen tanks in case of hyperventilation, or a trained service animal. No one at the hearing bothered to question her about this discrepancy. They should have. The claim of a connection between Blasey Fords aviation phobia and Judge Kavanaugh is something of a mystery. Did he fly in to the infamous party in a Marine Corps Harrier VTOL jet? Or was he making jet plane noises as he was molesting young Christine? These questions, along with a multitude of others, remain open. Christine is a Psychologist: Blasey Ford allowed the public and the committee to believe that she was a psychologist in the full meaning of the term. She specifically told the committee that she was a research psychologist. She also made the claim on her university web site page, and in several other cases. The legacy media (for instance, the Washington Post and the Atlantic) dropped the research part and repeatedly asserted that she was a licensed psychologist, with no request for a correction from the Blasey Ford camp. In fact, she is no such thing. While she has done the course work, and was awarded a doctorate in the field, she still lacks certification. To qualify as a psychologist in the state of California (and every other state in the union), an individual must serve a one-year residency and pass several rigorous examinations. Blasey Ford has not done so. She is, ipso facto, not a psychologist. Furthermore, she knows this. Her faculty page, which originally stated that she was a research psychologist has been scrubbed, and no longer makes that claim. Christines front door: Now we must deal with the comedy of the door. The door is a critical element in the Blasey Ford saga, acting as it did to disperse the fog of forgetfulness and enable her to confront the full truth of her ordeal in 1982 or maybe 1983. Simply put, her insistence in 2012 on a second front door led to friction in her marriage, which brought the Blasey Fords before a marriage counselor, at which point the professordoktor either did or did not first tell the tale of her suffering at the hands of Judge Kavanaugh. In explaining why I wanted a second front door, I began to describe the assault in detail. I recall saying that the boy who assaulted me could someday be on the U.S. Supreme Court, and spoke a bit about his background at an elitist all-boys school in Bethesda, Maryland. My husband recalls that I named my attacker as Brett Kavanaugh. (As is true of just about everything else in this story, the reasoning behind the second door remains a mystery. Evidently, its purpose was to allow Blasey Ford a means of escape if Kavanaugh landed his Harrier in front of her home and attempted to once again lay hands on her. The fact that a back or side door would serve this purpose much better has never, to my knowledge, entered the discussion.) Well, Christine got her door. But she didnt get in 2012, and no marriage counselor was involved. It happens that the permit for remodeling her home including adding the door -- was obtained in 2008. If Palo Alto is like other municipalities, the permit would be good for six months, with an option for a six-month extension. So the door must have been added at that time. And in fact, photographic evidence exists showing the new door in place in 2011, a year before Blasey Ford claims that it nearly destroyed her marriage. Furthermore, there is evidence suggesting that the house in question was rented out by Blasey Ford to Google interns and that no one in her family lived there. In addition, somebody was running a business there (a couples therapy clinic, ironically enough the Couples Research Center. Theres that word research again.), and that the door was added as an entrance to the business, rather than as a Kavanaugh-evasion device. While these claims might appear minor in isolation, together they form a pattern recognizable and undeniable. There will no doubt be others coming, but three is all we need, according to the wisdom of Auric Goldfinger: Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. A lot of print and commentary, both online and otherwise, has argued that Blasey Ford is credible, convincing, and sympathetic. Even her opponents hold that something must have happened to explain her behavior. But to believe this, we have to toss all standards of truth out the window. We have to postulate that a lie is not a lie, a liar is not a liar. We have to slip into a pure postmodern, nothing-is-certain, all-truth-is-relative mode. Without that, Blasey Ford is approximately as convincing as Julie Swetnick. She is not a sympathetic figure. She is not a confused, traumatized victim attempting to grapple with the fragmented memories of a past incident. The record clearly reveals that this to be nonsense. She is a malicious liar who has put herself at the service of malignant political clique for the purpose of undercutting the stated will and intentions of the people of this country. It is a simple fact that Kavanaughs accusers on the committee are proven liars Feinstein in withholding the letter in the first place (not to mention denying how it became public), Booker concerning his good friend T-Bone, along with his Spartacus moment, Blumenthal concerning his heroism in Vietnam. The stunning irony here is that Judge Kavanaugh is demonstrably more honest than any of his accusers. This is the central truth of the Kavanaugh case. It must be hammered relentlessly, to the point where it can no longer be evaded. It must be repeated every time were told that women dont lie. Every time someone flaunts a t-shirt reading I Believe Her. Every time we hear another obtuse blurt from Pelosi or Hirono. I must be repeated until it becomes the default, the meme that crowds everything else out: that the truth is not in Christine Blasey Ford, and that she is condemned by her own words. Case closed. My online friend Tom Lipscomb has provided important new information on the second door added to Christine Blasey Ford's house, which she told the Senate Judiciary Committee was the cause of a couple's dispute that led to therapy, during which she allegedly "recovered" her "memory" of teenager Brett Kavanaugh's alleged assault. Tom supplements J.R. Dunn's coverage of that door with intriguing information that might lead to revelations about the therapist, whose notes and identity have been kept secret from the committee, if not the Washington Post reporter, who states that she saw the notes. Tom writes at Real Clear Politics: [A] glance at the real estate databases about Ford's house are instructive. The Fords bought the house on June 20, 2007. And the "very extensive, very long remodel," including the second front door, were completed under a building permit granted in 2008. So a natural question is why, four years after the remodeling, which also added two rooms and a bathroom, is the installation of that second door still such a bone of contention between the couple that it was an issue in the counseling they were undergoing in May 2012? ... [T]he additional remodeling in effect added a self-contained unit to the house, with its own entrance, perfect for "hosting" or even possibly renting, in violation of the local zoning. Perhaps a professional office might be a perfect use, if an illegal one. And in the tight Palo Alto real estate market, there are a lot of games played for some serious income. And that may answer another strange anomaly. Because since 1993, and through some listings even today, there was another tenant at what is now the Ford property. It is listed as this person's residence from 1993 to July 2007, a week or so after she sold the house to the Fords. Her name is Dr. Sylvia Randall, and she listed this address for her California licensed practice of psychotherapy, including couples psychotherapy, until her move to Oregon in 2007. Currently she only practices in that state, where she also pursues her new career as a talented artist as well. But many existing directories still have Dr. Randall's address listed at what is now the Ford residence. Which raises other questions. Why has Christine Ford never said a word about Dr. Randall? And why has she been evasive about the transcripts of her crucial 2012 therapy session, which she can't seem to recall much about either? Did she provide them to the Washington Post, or did she just provide the therapist's summary? Who was the psychologist? In a phone call, I asked Dr. Randall if she had sold her house to the Fords. She asked back how I had found out. I asked if she was the couples therapist who treated the Fords. She would not answer yes or no, replying, "I am a couples therapist." The therapist's notes might reveal a lot, but are protected by medical confidentiality. However, did Blasey Ford vitiate that protection if she handed the notes to the WaPo reporter? I am no expert, but that might explain why she was so evasive on that point under questioning by Rachel Mitchell. Governor Greg Abbott and challenger Miss Lupe Valdez had a debate on Friday. It was boring and I like politics. My guess is that Governor Abbott will maintain his strong lead on Miss Valdez. She made a big deal about arming teachers but didn't really explain how we'd protect kids in schools. Governor Abbott was back in the news when he spoke of the "cult of Beto." This is what he said on Fox: "He's been a cult-like, very popular figure the way that he's run the campaign, but you don't vote on cult, you don't vote on personality when you get to the U.S. Senate. You vote on the issues[.]" ... Abbott was critical of O'Rourke's liberal policy views, saying Texas voters won't approve of "George Soros policies" such as higher taxes. "Texans are hostile to any candidate who's talking about raising their taxes," he said. "Texans are hostile to anybody talking about big government programs run their lives." Abbott likened this year's U.S. Senate race in Texas to his own campaign four years ago against Democrat Wendy Davis, who he noted also gained national attention before losing by roughly 20 percentage points in the general election. Governor Abbott is right about two things: 1. I have seen the reactions to Beto, and it is madness. A voter told me recently that Beto is the future. She couldn't really say any more than that. 2. O'Rourke does remind us of Miss Wendy Davis in 2014. As I recall, she got lots of money from outside of Texas. The cult of Beto is something to worry about. It shows me that some voters in this country are just making emotional choices rather than seriously looking at the candidates and what in the world they stand for. Cruz will win, but Betomania speaks volumes about what is happening on the other side. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Monday, the White House announced a new agreement among Mexico, Canada, and the USA to end the NAFTA treaty and replace it with the USMCA treaty. Donald Trump has managed to confound the pundits again and get an agreement likely to expand the economy of the USA. His genus is that he managed to give both Canada and Mexico a winning situation, so all nations benefit. The loser is likely to be China, as more material sourcing and manufacturing will occur in North America. With improved economic conditions, the Republicans hope to maintain control of both houses of Congress. This is more likely since Monday's announcement. The latest polling data indicate that the Republican base is coalescing behind nominees of its party. A Marist poll conducted 9/26/18 shows that 93% of Republicans intend to vote for the members of Congress from their districts compared to 88% a month ago. Further, the generic poll found that Democrats lead 48-41% but that the range has narrowed since last month, when it was 12%. Those data were collected just after the death of Senator McCain, when the media ran wall-to-wall coverage aimed at hurting Donald Trump. That damage has now passed us. In the Midwest, the lead in generic polling shows Democrats leading, 48-43%, but that has narrowed from 51-37% a month ago. This substantial change shows how fluid the election outcome may be. With all the negative news in the mainstream media, one would doubt that Donald Trump has any support nationwide. In this poll, 87% of Republicans approve of Trumps job performance compared to 81% a month ago. Nationwide Trumps approval rating is at 42%, up 3% in a month. With about 5 weeks to go before the election, this gap is likely to continue to narrow. Most analysts argue that a gap of over 6% equates with a change in control of the House. One should also note that in this poll the percentage of Democrats exceeds Republicans. The Democrats are motivated to turn out, as they want to undo the 2016 election. However, recent developments may encourage a more substantial Republican turnout. This may give Republicans an edge. The Brett Kavanaugh nomination process is a national disgrace. The blooding of Kavanaugh with unsubstantiated allegations by Dr. Ford and the later accusers is threatening to mothers who fear the same treatment against their sons. This might narrow the gender gap, where women substantially support Democratic candidates. Mark Penn has shown that when people are told that the three witnesses provided by Dr. Ford do not agree with her contentions, polling numbers supporting her decline significantly. In a Harris poll released today, Trumps approval rating is now 46%. The Real Clear Politics poll average is 44%, so this is consistent. Generally, approval of the president helps mitigate the damage in midterm elections, where the party not in the White House gains seats (generally over 25). In the Senate, ten Democrats from red states are struggling to maintain their seats. It is likely now that Republicans will gain one or more seats. Polling has missed the anger with the establishment that helped Trump win the presidency. That disaffection has not gone away. Trump has improved the situation between North Korea and the USA. South Korean president Moon Jae-in gives Trump most of the credit. When Trump came to office, we were fighting ISIS, but now it is mostly in ruins. The growth of the job market, especially in manufacturing, has been another Trump success. The trade agreement with South Korea is another milestone. The reduction of federal regulations has helped businesses throughout the nation. The tax reduction act has provided a boom, returning almost $500 billion in assets from overseas. Farmers have seen the benefit of supporting Trump by this agreement with Canada. Finally, Americans now understand the level of corruption within government agencies, such as the Justice Department and the FBI. Now they want the wall built and Obamacare replaced. This can occur only with Republicans in charge. In response to my article, "Kavanaugh and the Depth of Democratic Evil," patriots have contacted me asking how they can help Brett Kavanaugh. The answer is, call your senators. Here's the number: 202-224-3121. That is the number for the Capitol Switchboard. When you call, tell them what state you are from and that you need to be connected to your U.S. senator. It doesn't matter whether your senators are Democrats or Republicans, whether they have already announced their support or opposition to Judge Kavanaugh. This is urgent, folks. Call immediately, and ask your senators to support Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court. Kavanaugh's record as a judge and public servant is exemplary, more than qualifying him for the Supreme Court. This is why it is so disgusting that Democrats and fake news media are destroying his life. When someone told a lie and added more lies to make his original lie bigger and stronger, my late black mom called this tactic "adding yeast to it." Without evidence, Democrats despicably went from claiming that Kavanaugh harassed a girl 36 years ago to selling their outrageous, horrific lie that Kavanaugh is a drunken serial rapist. With every passing day, Democrats add yeast to strengthen their public crucifixion of this good, decent, and honorable man, hoping to block him from the Supreme Court and give Trump a black eye. During his amazing 30-plus-year career, Kavanaugh has passed six FBI background checks without an ounce of dirt surfacing regarding his character. Democrats demanded and Republicans agreed to a seventh FBI investigation. After this investigation, the GOP must not allow the Democrats to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation vote any longer. For over a week, my wife Mary and I have been in Texas, campaigning with the Conservative Campaign Committee for Ted Cruz. In our war room, we shot a brief video to rally support for Kavanaugh, asking Americans to help Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation by calling their senators. Please watch, like, and share our brief video. Folks, what the American left is doing to Brett Kavanaugh, his wife, and his two daughters is pure evil from the pits of Hell. It is time for good people to push back firmly in Godly, reasonable, and legal ways. Please, please, please call your senators! "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke Folks, if we allow the evil American left to block the confirmation of an awesome constitutional conservative like Brett Kavanaugh, whom on Earth can we get confirmed? Please call your senators. Thanks, and God bless the Kavanaugh family, President Trump, and America! Like the Energizer Bunny, the Trump economy just keeps marching ahead and pounding that drum. Last week, Boeing announced that it has been awarded a $9.2-billion contract from the DoD to produce the new T-X jet trainer and training program the USAF will use to train pilots for the foreseeable future. I confess that when I first heard during the Obama administration that Saab was involved with the Boeing proposal, my immediate suspicion was that the jobs and income from this lucrative contract might be going offshore, as both Italy and South Korea were also in the running. It was all too easy to imagine a new economically incompetent or, worse, corrupt Clinton administration handing this fat domestic plum to a foreign aircraft-fabricator to piously and foolishly signal their utopian assurances to the larger community of the world. But that was before Trump's election and his promised Make America Great Again economic renaissance made my concerns as obsolete as the fifty-year-old training aircraft in current use. Yes, Saab is partnered with Boeing and will share in the federal largesse, but this beautiful new aircraft will be 90% American-built, creating 17,000 lucrative aviation industry jobs in 34 states. Show me any governor, even Democrat, who wouldn't be salivating at the prospect of landing a few thousand, even a few hundred, of these high-paying jobs for his constituents. No doubt, deep-blue Democrats like Moonbeam and cuckoo Comrade Cuomo, whose coastal enclaves are now hemorrhaging high-paying jobs and had-enough citizens, will sniff sanctimoniously at being required to launder morally defiled defense dollars all while furiously formulating new tactics for taxing the max away from these new golden geese. One certainty is that between now and the midterms, every Republican politician in every state should be touting this Trump retention of key manufacturing jobs, such skilled occupations as Obama had kissed off as long gone to the Third World, never to return to his America. They probably wouldn't have come back to his, a Democrat-controlled, America which is a good reason why sensible, hardworking citizens should never again give power to the max-taxing, jobs-destroying Democrats. A new poll from North Dakota shows incumbent Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp trailing the GOP challenger, Rep. Kevin Cramer, by 10 points, 51-41. Cramer led by only 4 points in the last poll. The difference appears to be strong GOP support for the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court and Democratic attempts to smear him. KFYR (posted verbatim; the writing is a mess ed.): Obviously a hot topic lately is the pending confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Sixty percent of voters in North Dakota support Kavanaugh with 27 percent expressing opposition. The poll was conducted during the recent disclosure that Kavanaugh may have engaged in sexual misconduct while in high school and college, but before the Sept. 27 testimony by Kavanaugh and one of his accusers before the Senate Judiciary Committtee. And in national issues, the SRA poll say an overwhelmingly that 21 percent of North Dakota voters have Kavanaugh as their biggest concern. Followed by health care at 13 percent, 12 percent think immigration-border security. The Economy and jobs at 10 percent, National security at 9 percent. taxes at 8 percent, trade and tariffs and Russian collusion at 7 percent each. Social issues at 6 percent. Gun Control and none round out the list each at 4 percent. Clearly, Democrats have miscalculated. They were hoping not only to energize their own voters with the Kavanaugh smears, but also to depress Republican turnout. Instead, they have energized voters from both parties, negating much of the "enthusiasm gap" they had hoped would allow them to pick off a couple of Republicans in red states, giving them control of the Senate. Two other races featuring Democratic incumbents Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Joe Manchin in West Virginia are also showing signs of the Kavanaugh effect. McCaskill is running neck and neck with attorney general Josh Hawley, while Manchin's lead has dwindled from 12 points to 8 since the attacks on Kavanaugh began. The common denominator among all three Democrats is that they need GOP votes to win. With Republicans in red states strongly supporting Kavanaugh, the Democrats' tactics appear to have backfired. In comments that laid bare the hidden agenda behind global warming alarmism, Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N.'s Framework Convention on Climate Change, let slip during a February 2015 press conference in Brussels that the U.N.'s real purpose in pushing climate hysteria is to end capitalism throughout the world: This is the first time in human history that we are setting ourselves the task of intentionally changing [getting rid of] the economic development model that has reigned since the Industrial Revolution. The economic model to which she referred is free-market capitalism. A year earlier, Figueres revealed what capitalism must be replaced with when she complained that America's two-party constitutional system is hampering the U.N.'s climate objectives. She went on to cite China's communist system as the kind of government America must have if the U.N. is to impose its environmental will on the world's most free and prosperous capitalist nation. In other words, for the U.N. to have its way, America must somehow be transformed into a communist nation. Let that sink in for a moment. Figueres is not alone. Another senior U.N. official had comments of his own about the true agenda behind "climate change." If you're among those who still believe climate alarmists when they say all they're trying to do is save the planet, what Dr. Ottmar Edenhofer had to say will leave your jaw on the floor. In a Nov. 14, 2010 interview with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung, Edenhofer, co-chair of the U.N. IPCC's Working Group III, made this shocking admission: One must free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy. [What we're doing] has almost nothing to do with the climate. We must state clearly that we use climate policy to redistribute de facto the world's wealth. In the same interview, Edenhofer added this: Climate policy has almost nothing to do anymore with protecting the environment. The next world climate summit in Cancun is actually an economy summit during which distribution of the world's resources will be negotiated. Edenhofer, one of the U.N.'s top climate officials, effectively admitted that the organization's public position on global warming is a ruse, and another senior U.N. official, Figueres, said in an official capacity that the United States must be converted to communism for the world to be saved from global warming. Let all of that sink in for a moment. Powerful progressives in this country believe it's not right that billions of people in the world sleep on the ground in mud huts while Americans sleep on soft mattresses in air-conditioned comfort. The progressive elites who feel that way nearly all of whom are found in the Democratic Party, and 100% of whom live opulent, carbon-based lifestyles also believe that far more of America's wealth must therefore be forcibly "shared" (read: redistributed) with poor nations. Global wealth redistribution is the foremost tenet of communism, and those who advocate it are, by definition, communists, whether they openly admit it or not. The stunning pronouncements by Figueres and Edenhofer are all the evidence a rational mind needs to conclude that climate alarmism is being used as a Trojan horse to justify the massive new carbon taxes clamored for by powerful progressives like Barack Obama, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton, none of whom has ever denounced the anti-American, pro-communist sentiments of two of the U.N.'s most senior climate officials. The words of one of those officials reveal that such taxes would be used not to save the planet, but to fund the most massive redistribution of wealth in human history, literally trillions of dollars extracted under false pretenses from hardworking U.S. taxpayers and given to the corrupt governments of every undeveloped nation on Earth, all in the guise of "climate aid." Democrats in high places are attempting the largest heist in human history, an international collusion to exfiltrate unprecedented sums of money from the world's largest capitalist nation. Why? To implement, on a global scale, the mandate set forth in The Communist Manifesto: from each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. Outraged that President Trump dealt their plan to redistribute America's wealth a major setback when he withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, Democratic Party luminaries would have you believe they're nothing more than environmentally concerned citizens who would never even dream of supporting an effort to upend their country's capitalist system. Trump knows that's a big lie. And now, so do you. No intelligent person can fail to recognize that the modern Democratic Party is using "climate change" as a ruse to fundamentally transform the United States of America into a socialist-cum-communist nation. But because the human ego is loath to admit when it's been duped, many patriotic liberals will continue allowing themselves to be led like sheep into the closing noose of the hammer and sickle. By the time they realize what happened, it will be too late. John Eidson is a 1968 electrical engineering graduate of Georgia Tech; a lifelong conservative; and the father of two law-abiding, self-reliant sons. Georgetown University's provost's distinguished associate professor in the Security Studies Program at its Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Christine Fair, is at it again, standing out. Here's her latest tweet regarding the Senate hearings of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, since deleted: So far, so typical just another crazy lefty non-full professor popping off? She certainly has a violent orientation, rather like the Muslim societies she purports to be an expert on on her Georgetown bio page, where, curiously, she is listed as Carol C. Fair. I do not know if that was a recent change in a bid to avoid Google keywords or some secretary's typo or what. But notice the Islamic flavor of that sort of fantasy described in the tweet. And notice how she doesn't seem to ever get into any trouble for it. She's not your ordinary crazy left-wing loony professor. Now, usually, the loony-left professors we see at this game are wretchedly marginal in the university world, total losers from the womyn's studies programs and other zero-value academic programs of political correctness, and usually, they get forced into resigning after their stupidities get out. Think Melissa Click at Mizzou, or George Ciccariello-Maher at Drexel University, or Michael Isaacson at John Jay University. We usually don't see this kind of wild raving lunacy from the distinguished professors, although they are just as left-wing. But Fair is a special case. It turns out she's engaged in numerous crazy stunts, and Georgetown University, that bastion of self-declared "civility," just keeps on letting her keep on almost like a protection racket, eh, Jesuits? Here is a small, far from comprehensive rundown of her other instances of demonstrating...Georgetown values: *In December 2016, she had a month-long meltdown against a Muslim colleague who voted for President Trump, harassing her colleague with epithets such as "clueless dolt," "fame mongering clown show," and "wretch," arguing that her vote helped normalize Nazis. The Daily Caller report notes that it was loaded with four-letter intensifiers. The Muslim colleague complained that it was harassment. *In January 2017, she published a blog titled "S--- Men Say" that MRCTV reported was a platform for doxxing political opponents, with 80 instances counted. MRCTV also reports that she went to great ends to get them publicized, using Google, Tumblr, and Twitter as platforms. *In January 2018, she was caught in a Frankfurt airport berating the German police as Nazis, again, with considerable use of four-letter-word intensifiers. *In October 2018, she launched a barrage of angry tweets at GOP senators, calling them "fragile snowflakes" and hollering about "white male privilege," describing weird fantasies of their "manboobs' going cancerous, as if cancer were something one jokes about. She was unrepentant and has declared, even in some sort of piece, that "my profanity is sacred." Then there was this latest castration tweet, revealing a vile and violent mind. Despite this, she has an elevated position and much lauded papers and books. Yet on the teaching front, she's got only execrable reviews on RateMyProfessors due to her intolerance and bias: Caution: RateMyProfessors lists her incorrectly as a professor of women's studies, so there may be something off. But these aren't recent reviews, and it's probably notable that there are only a few of them, suggesting that she might have a rather light workload, despite her long list of classes taught. A friend whose child goes to Georgetown sent this email today, suggesting that the pattern is consistent, despite Fair's claims to impartiality: I had a class with this woman. Knowledgeable about South Asia, but totally crazy (and we only got 1% of what was in her twitter feed). I think I wrote in my end of class eval something like "get rid of her before you have a lawsuit on your hands." What value she might have to Georgetown with a temperament like this is quite a mystery. But Georgetown keeps defending her. Not so amazingly, these aren't the only tangles she has had. She's obviously been running around Islamic societies for her South Asia terrorism research, and she's made plenty of them mad, too, if you Google the Indian and Pakistani press. More significant, she's gotten into fights with some of the left, most notably Glenn Greenwald of the Intercept, who has questioned her scholarship advocating the efficacy of indiscriminate drone attacks over in Pakistan, research President Obama apparently embraced as part of his drone strategy and kill lists. It's a topic that hasn't been talked about much by the right, given our lack of sympathy for terrorists and the societies that breed them, but Greenwald and colleagues have found it a bad idea, with killings of around 90% of civilians instead of combatants. And quite notably, according to Salon, she clashed sharply with President Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, in 2015 over that same issue of drones. Kill 'em all it seems to be her philosophy, and it's spilled into her tweets, because Georgetown is strangely coddling her. She also has CIA contractor ties, according to this report in Salon (which would mean a security clearance for an apparently unstable person); has taken grants for research of more than $300,000 from the Obama administration; and has a weird habit of hiding behind the right in her drone advocacy. In her bio, she claims to have written for "The National Review" (sic), although there is no evidence I could find that she ever did. In her bio's list of four op-eds, she lists only their titles and not their actual publications. My own Google search shows that she wrote three for the Asian Wall Street Journal and one for the Washington Post. That's kind of a funny thing to want to hide. Georgetown is famous for serving as a landing pad for Obama administration operatives (Joe Biden's former national security adviser, Colin Kahl, is one example, at least until he got a better offer from Susan Rice's Stanford), and it seems obvious that maybe this is what has gone on. It certainly would explain why they seem to be protecting her, allowing her to pop off on insane things, again and again, and engage in all manner of bad internet behavior without consequence. Are they doing this because they expect her to be the next national security adviser, deciding matters of life and death, in an Elizabeth Warren administration? Sure seems like it. Because things don't add up with this crazy professor who seems to be increasingly emboldened the more Georgetown lets her get away with it. Image credit: New America via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. LEGACY carrier Philippine Airlines has announced it is gearing up for the Clark-San Vicente-Clark commercial flight operation beginning Oct. 28. The new PAL route came five months after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines completed the construction of San Vicente Airport which was built to boost the tourism industry in Palawan islands. San Vicente is a first class municipality on the northwestern side of the main island of the province of Palawan and home to the longest white sand beach in the country with a coastline measuring 14.7 kilometers. The forthcoming PAL flight operation will provide travelers a direct link to the popular Long Beach which spans the coastline of four barangays: Poblacion, New Agutaya, San Isidro and Alimanguan. Although Long Beach has a few commercial developments, nearby Port Barton has hotel accommodations and dining establishments. The upcoming service will also serve as a gateway to the popular El Nido Island. Travelers to El Nido will simply have to take the Clark-San Vicente flight and take a two-hour land trip to reach the island. This brand new route is the answer to the strong clamor for easier connectivity to Palawans popular tourist havens, said PAL Express president Bonifacio Sam. El Nido, a municipality on Palawan island, is known for white-sand beaches, coral reefs and as the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago, a group of islands with steep karst cliffs. The five times PAL weekly flight service operation (Sunday/Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday) between Clark and San Vicente will operate, as follows: PR 2662 leaving Clark at 7 am and arrive at 8:40 am in San Vicente, and PR 2663 will leave San Vicente at 9 am and will arrive at 10:40 am in Clark.The PAL management recently came up with the adjusted flight frequency in support of the governments decision to temporarily close or limit access to the world famous Boracay for urgent major environmental rehabilitation of the island. The airline expanded flights to a number of other Philippine tourist and provincial destinations to help ensure the continued growth of domestic tourism. On Oct. 28, PAL will also mount flights to San Jose, gateway to the countrys largest coral reef system and the worlds second largest, Apo Reef. The four times weekly service (Monday/Wednesday/Friday/Sunday) between Clark and San Jose, Mindoro will operate, as follows: PR 2610 will be leaving Clark at 11 am and arrive in San Jose at 11:45 am, while the return flight to Clark will leave at 12:05 pm and arrive at 12:50 pm. Flights to Cauayan in Isabela will also start on Oct. 30 and will operate thrice weekly (Tuesday/ Thursday/Saturday). PALs new and modern 86-seater Bombardier Q400 Next Generation aircraft will be utilized for flights to these new destinations. ACHS drama club returns to live productions After nearly two years of silence, the Amherst Central High School Drama Club is returning to the stage. The ACHS drama club will take a live audience through the rabbit... Amherst Town board approves 2022 budget The Amherst Town Board unanimously adopted its 2022 budget at its meeting Monday, with no amendments. The vote had been held over from the Oct. 27 board meeting due to... Blackstone Resources AG has launched a research and development program focused on new battery technology, the company said. A variety of metals will be tested for the technology, which would also have further applications across the broader batteries market. The Baar, Switzerland-based mining and exploration company plans to deliver its own tech metals from its own resources and processing facilities. It currently has strategic stakes in battery materials projects in Canada, Peru, Columbia, Norway and Mongolia, and it aims to grow its existing holdings in mineral deposits through further acquisitions of licenses in lithium, graphite, cobalt, molybdenum, copper, rare earths and gold. Once fully operational, the company plans to either start its own production plants or partner with other battery manufacturers worldwide and receive a royalty stream. Part of the research and development program will be dedicated to maximizing the efficiency of the production line. Blackstone Resources said it believes that automated production processes could save up to 70% of the actual manufacturing costs. The companys chief executive recently said that investors keen to tap into the electrification of the worlds transport networks should look upstream to the battery metals market instead of buying shares in automakers. Fastmarkets MBs price assessments of low- and high-grade cobalt - a key raw material used in the production of EV batteries - peaked at 10-year highs in April but slid for several months after May. But prices started to rise at the end of August, with sellers successfully increasing their offers in response to an uptick in consumer demand alongside a more positive backdrop from China. High-grade cobalt prices were assessed on Thursday September 28 as unchanged week over week at $33.60-34.50 per lb, in-warehouse. Low-grade cobalt prices were unchanged week over week at $33.50-34.25 per lb, in-warehouse. Meanwhile, lithium prices soared to an average of $21,760 per tonne in 2017 from around $9,500 per tonne in the second half of 2015, based on Fastmarkets MB's assessment of spot prices ex-works China. Prices have since eased amid an anticipated supply surplus while projects ramp up and new producers enter the market. Fastmarkets MBs spot price for battery-grade lithium carbonate was calculated at 78,000-82,000 yuan ($11,353-11,935) per tonne, ex-works China on September 27, down from 159,250 yuan per tonne at the start of the year. Bull Cults in Ancient Egypt Bull cults were popular from at least the First Dynasty (Early Dynastic Period). The powerful and virile bull was associated with the pharaoh, who sometimes took the epithet strong bull of his mother. As early as 3100 BC the king is depicted in the form of a bull. A sacred bull was identified by specific sacred markings. Once the bull had been confirmed as the incarnation of a god, it was housed in plush quarters, given only the best food, and provided with a harem of the best cows. The lucky animal would live in the lap of luxury until its death when it would be mummified and buried with full honours. Apis Bull The most famous of the bull cults is undoubtedly that of the Apis bull (also known as the Hapis Bull or Hapi-ankh). The bull was the incarnation of a god, but unlike the other animal totems (who only provided a link to the god) the Apis was thought to host the god himself. The Apis bull was originally viewed as the manifestation of Ptah. However, the Apis was soon linked to Osiris when Ptah and Osiris merged and so Plutarch described the Apis as the fair and beautiful image of the soul of Osiris. According to one myth, the Apis was the living embodiment of Ptah while he lived and Osiris when he died. The discovery of an Apis was always cause for a celebration. Herodotus claimed that the Persian King Cambyses was annoyed that the Egyptians held a celebration the day after he defeated them in battle. When he discovered that they were celebrating the birth of a god, he demanded to see the god immediately. The Apis was brought to him and he killed and ate the bull, to the horror of the Egyptians. However, Egyptian records suggest that Cambyses actually took part in the ceremony recognising the Apis, so the story is probably more symptomatic of the Egyptians general dislike of the Persian rulers. An Apis calf was black with a white diamond on its forehead, an image of an eagle on its back, double the number of hairs on its tail, and the sign of a scarab under its tongue. It was thought that a flash of lightning struck the cow causing her to conceive the Apis, but that from that time she would never again bear any young. The mother of an Apis was held in great regard, and given the title Isis cow. There could only be one Apis at a time. The search for a replacement bull would begin with the death of the current Apis. The new Apis was transported to Memphis on a decorated boat built specifically for the purpose. When an Apis bull died, the body was embalmed and buried with full honours in the manner befitting royalty. The animal was carefully embalmed and mummified before being interred in the Serapeum in a stone sarcophagus that could weigh over 60 tons. The Festival of the Apis Bull lasted for seven days. The sacred bull was led through the streets as the people cheered. According to legend, any child who smelled the breath of the Apis would be able to read the future as the Apis was thought to be a powerful oracle. During the Ptolemiac Period a new god named Serapis was devised to try to bring the Greek and Egyptian people together. Serapis absorbed some of the attributes of Zeus, Asklepios, and Dionysus and merged them with some of the attributes of Osiris and some of the attributes of the Apis. However, although the Greek settlers were fond of this hybrid god, Serapis was never really accepted by the native Egyptians. Buchis Bull The cult Buchis (Bekh, Bakha, Bakh) was also popular. The bull had a black face and a white body and was thought to be a manifestation of the Ka (life-force) of the war god Montu (Montju), worshipped in the region of Hermonthis. The cult was also associated with Ra and to a lesser extent, Osiris. The bulls name is a reference to the Ba and Akh, two of the parts of the Ka. Ka is also the Egyptian word for bull. The cult was centered around Armant where generations of mummified bulls and their mothers were interred in the Bucheum. The tombs of the Buchis were similar to those of the Apis, but the structures were topped by vaulted roof rather than carved into the living rock. Some of the tombs contained a large store of funerary equipment, while others contained only the mummy of the Buchis. Some of the more recent Buchis mummies were interred in the passages which linked the older tombs, and all of the burials date from the Late Period. Mnevis Bull The Mnevis (Meruur or Mnewer) was the sacred bull of Heliopolis. The bull was usually completely black, but if that was not possible a white bull was also acceptable. The chosen bull was also known as Kemwer (great black). In time, the bull came to be associated with the more popular Apis bull. The bull was associated with Ra and possibly also with Min. When Akhenaten abandoned the other gods in favour of the Aten he claimed that he would maintain the Mnevis cult. The cult may have retained his favour because of its solar associations, but archaeologists have not discovered any indication that the pharaoh made good his promise. There is very little information regarding the Mnevis cult. Only two Mnevis burials have been discovered, dating from the reigns of Ramesses II and Ramesses IV (during the New Kingdom) interred in individual tombs cut into the ground and topped by a huge granite slab. The burials included a set of Canopic Jars which seem to have been purely ritualistic as they were found to be empty. Bibliography Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt Grajetzki, W (2003) Burial Customs in Ancient Egypt Kemp, Barry J (1991) Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilisation Pinch, Geraldine (2002) Handbook Egyptian Mythology Redford Donald B (2002) Ancient Gods Speak Wilkinson, Richard H. (2003) The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt Wilkinson, Richard H. (2000) The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt Copyright J Hill 2010 In short: Google has plans to start making Chrome extensions much more secure beginning in Chrome 70 with the addition of more extensive user control over when extensions can access a page. Effectively, a user will be able to manage the host permissions of an extension, restricting access to a specific list of sites or even requiring that the extension is clicked before it can access any given site. Meanwhile, any extensions that require a wider scope of permissions will be required to undergo more stringent compliance reviews and, as of this writing, the company is no longer accepting extensions with obfuscated code. That means that extensions that instantiate code from an external source or other sources will no longer be approved. Beginning in January, the rule will also apply retroactively to current extensions that use obfuscated code. Background: As of this writing, Google says its Web Store has hosted over 180,000 extensions. Some of those have previously either been found to be malicious or were latched onto and hacked by bad actors. Thats led to a number of changes including the introduction of out-of-process iframes and the removal of inline installations. The latter of those effectively ensures that extensions are placed on the Chrome Web Store and, by proxy, pass under the oversight of the company. It also ensures that the installation process starts and ends with Google. That hasnt stopped all of the issues associated with Chrome extensions from occurring. In fact, the browser has been susceptible to quite a few breaches of security as a result of the extensions over the past several years. The search giant is, as a result, looking for more ways to keep its end users even more secure while also allowing them to add the features and functions they need to get the most out of Chrome. That also means that, in addition to the above-listed changes, further restrictions will be put in place as well. For starters, in 2019, the company will both begin to require 2-Step Verification on all Chrome Web Store developer accounts and release Manifest v3. The former of those changes should go a long way toward addressing problems with hijacked extensions and is likely a response to at least one of the more recent breaches to have occurred. Namely, a popular extension called MEGA was effectively replaced with malware at the beginning of September. That update was live and rolling out automatically to users for around four hours before it was caught and was sending captured user credentials to Ukraine. Google hasnt provided many details with regard to the latter of those but the overarching goal will be to focus developers toward more narrowly-scoped and declarative APIs. At the same time, it will encourage developers to implement more comprehensive mechanisms for permissions that can be granted to an extension by users. Finally, the new manifest will bring in support for modern web standards such as the use of Service Workers for background processing. Advertisement Impact: The changes will likely end up causing some contention with prominent developers on the Chrome Web Store platform, however, who could be forced to rewrite a substantial amount of code in return for the peace-of-mind for users. Moreover, theyll essentially be forced onto the search giants platform despite several privacy issues that the company is facing in its own right. Bearing that in mind, at very least, the changes should greatly reduce at least some of the problems with extensions and make security better for everybody. In short: Lenovo has plans to launch a new device, the S5 Pro in October, based on an image that recently cropped up on Chinas Weibo social network. The image was shared to the network with a link, titled Lenovo S5 Pro, which leads back to Lenovos website and only shows four smartphone camera sensors arranged in a square configuration. A white dot positioned at the center of the rendered lenses appears to show thats where an LED flash will be placed. Additionally, the accompanying text indicates that this is a device that should be revealed at some point in October and will be driven by AI. Background: While Lenovo currently sells plenty of devices under the Moto-branding, a significant number of its self-branded smartphones are generally sold within its home country. With regards to this particular device, the company first unveiled plans for a Lenovo S5 back in March but news of a Pro variation has been almost entirely non-existent. That prior phablet ships in a 5.7-inch format with the display set at 1080 x 2160 resolution at an 18:9 screen ratio. A Snapdragon 625 drives the original Lenovo S5, clocked at 2.0 GHz and backed by either 3GB or 4GB of RAM depending on the configuration chosen. The upper-end allots users either 64GB or 128GB of storage while the 3GB RAM variant offers 32GB of internal space. It also has a 16-megapixel camera at the front and a dual 13-megapixel snapper on the back, set just above a fingerprint scanner and comes with AI backing up Lenovos ZUI 3.7 overlay, on top of Android 8.0 (Oreo). Impact: The image makes it fairly clear that Lenovo has an improved iteration of that device in the works with plans to announce at some point this month. However, it doesnt provide much by way of details regarding what else might be changed for the Pro version, or where it will be sold or pricing. On the outside, it will likely resemble the device its model designation is derived from and the underlying OS will likely be based on the ZUI 3.7 installation, at the very least. That will almost certainly include improvements to take advantage of the additional sensors located at the back. The original design featured a single phase detection autofocus-enabled sensors coupled with a black and white sensor but it isnt clear how the third and fourth units on this device will serve to produce better images. An unannounced Louis Vuitton smartwatch bearing the model numbers QA05 and QA08 was recently approved by the FCC, indicating that the French fashion house is preparing to introduce a new Wear OS device which will presumably be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 platform. Additionally, the FCC documents include screenshots of e-labels for regions such as the U.S., Canada, South Korea, Australia, Japan, Singapore, China, and Taiwan, suggesting that the wearable will take advantage of worldwide availability. One label, in particular, namely the one for the South Korean market, reveals that the watch will be assembled in the United States. Other details revealed by the FCC indicate that the smartwatch will take advantage of Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n and Bluetooth connectivity, while a rough sketch depicting the front view of the wearable confirms that the unit will have a circular dial. According to the sketch, the smartwatch measures 52.35 millimeters in height including the lug ends and has a width of 47.49 millimeters including the crown. Exact hardware details are missing but the device will likely be powered by the Snapdragon Wear 3100 chipset introduced by Qualcomm in September. During the platforms announcement, Louis Vuitton was one of the brands confirmed to adopt the Snapdragon Wear 3100 SoC for future wearable products, along with Montblanc and Fossil, and seeing how the QA05 / QA08 approved by the FCC is the first Louis Vuitton smartwatch to hit the radar following Qualcomms announcement, it becomes a strong contender for the chipset by default. Additionally, since the Snapdragon Wear 3100 is designed for Wear OS, its logical to assume that the smartwatch at hand will adopt Googles platform, even though this detail doesnt seem to be mentioned in the FCC documents. Louis Vuittons previous smartwatch, i.e., the Tambour Horizon was unveiled in July for the price of roughly $2,500 and was powered by Qualcomms previous wearable-centric chipset known as the Snapdragon Wear 2100. With that in mind, its likely that the QA05 / QA08 smartwatch will fit a similar pricing range and will be marketed as a luxury wearable fused with high-end technologies. At the moment theres no official word on when the wrist gadget will hit the shelves, but with FCCs approval out of the way, more details could be unveiled before the holiday shopping season begins. In Short: Roland Quandt has just shared a rather interesting piece of info via Twitter, the tipster claims that HMD Global is planning to release the Nokia 9 PureView in the near future. Now, as some of you probably already know, Nokia has acquired rights to use the PureView brand from Microsoft quite recently, and if the provided info is accurate, we may see that brand being utilized in the near future. HMD Global is hosting an event on October 4, but thats not an event where this phone will become official, at least its not expected to. The Nokia 7.1 Plus will be introduced during that event, HMD Globals mid-ranger. Needless to say, the Nokia 9 PureView is expected to become the companys flagship smartphone, and possibly launch before the end of the year or in early 2019. Background: The alleged Nokia 9 has been leaking for a long, long time now, but the company still didnt announce it. The latest leaks weve seen have shown us a device with five cameras on the back, and that phone actually leaked quite a few times. Now, if recent rumors are to be believed, HMD Global has decided to postpone the launch of the Nokia 9 to next year for one reason or the other. The Nokia 8 was made official back in September last year, so the Nokia 9 was expected to arrive in September this year at the very latest, but that did not happen. Having said that, the device that leaked with five cameras on the back may actually be the Nokia 9 PureView, but well have to wait and see what will happen. Impact: The Nokia 9 PureView may become a direct successor to the Nokia 8, and an indirect one to the Nokia 8 Sirocco which was announced earlier this year. If HMD Global opts to launch the device by the end of this year or in early 2019, it will probably be fueled by the Snapdragon 845, though considering that were expecting Qualcomms next-gen flagship SoC to start reaching devices in March next year, HMD Globals timing may be a bit off, as the Nokia 9 PureView will surely have a flagship price tag, and if the company releases it too late with the Snapdragon 845 well, the sales may not be where the company expects them to be. In Short: New York City Cyber Command has launched its very own app called NYC Secure. This application is free, and its a mobile threat protection application. The apps goal is to provide citizens of New York with the ability to recognize a mobile security threat, and defend against it. Now, the app has been originally announced (its arrival) as part of Mayor de Blasios NYC Secure initiative back in March, but it wasnt properly introduced until now. The app itself has been funded by the city of New York, and it does not require you to be connected to the Internet in order to use it. The app also doesnt collect or transmit any of the sensitive data, like some apps out there, at least according to the press information that was shared with us. This application seems to be very straightforward, which is something youll notice the moment you install it and check out its UI. The app will scan your device, Wi-Fi network youre connected to and applications in order to keep you safe from threats, and it seemingly works similar to a number of antivirus and anti-malware apps out there. Background: As already mentioned, the app was originally announced during Mayor de Blasios NYC Secure initiative earlier this year, which is New Yorks very first Cybersecurity initiative, and it was launched in order to protect New Yorkers online. Aside from the app that we talked about, this initiative is also aiming to protect public Wi-Fi networks which are available all across the city. Impact: NYC Secure app just hit the Google Play Store, and it has only seven reviews at the moment, and over 50 downloads. The app is currently holding a 5-star rating in the Play Store, which means the initial batch of people who downloaded it actually enjoy it. It remains to be seen how will the app develop over time, but its always good to see such initiatives launched by people who are at the helm of a city, or anything of the sort. If youre interested in trying out NYC Secure app, a download link is available down below. A handful of CAD renders of the alleged Sony Xperia XA3 have been leaked by known industry insider OnLeaks. In the included renders, Sonys mid-range smartphone can be seen sporting a tall display, possibly with a 2:1 (18:9) aspect ratio, flanked by minimal bezels. The phones bottom houses a USB Type-C port along with a speaker-microphone combo, while the 3.5mm audio jack sits on the top, besides the secondary microphone. A horizontally aligned dual-camera setup is placed on the phones back but a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner is nowhere to be seen. Sony has seemingly moved the biometric sensor to the phones side just like with the older Xperia-branded devices. The recently launched Sony handsets switched to a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor leading to an assumption that the following smartphones from the brand will also maintain the trend, but that now seems untrue. The report further adds that the alleged Xperia XA3 will ship with a 5.9-inch display with an FHD+ resolution of 2,160 x 1,080 pixels in an 18:9 aspect ratio, as previously stated. At its thickest point, the handset will measure 8.9mm, which includes the slight camera protrusion, while its overall dimensions will be 155.7 x 68.3 x 8.4mm. Given OnLeaks track record of delivering accurate smartphone renders ahead their official release, it wouldnt be surprising if this leak turns out to be true further down the line. Last August, the Sony H4493 smartphone was found listed on the Geekbench benchmarking website which was believed to be the Xperia XA3. It was equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor clocked at 2.21GHz together with 6GB of RAM. The unit was running a rather old Android 8.0 Oreo OS and the Japanese company may choose to replace it with the newer Android 9 Pie version for the retail units. Multiple models of the mid-tier phone have already been certified by the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) and TENAA but their launch timeline still remains unclear. The Xperia XA3 Ultra is also rumored to soon join Sonys mid-range smartphone lineup, however, the device continues being a mystery as not much information about it has surfaced yet. A Bulacan regional trial court has ordered the immediate transfer of convicted retired Army Major Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr. from custody of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court, Branch 15, junked the motion of Palparan seeking to defer his commitment in the national penitentiary pending resolution of his motion for reconsideration on his conviction in the abduction of two University of the Philippines Los Banos students who have remained missing for 12 years. With the court ruling, Guevarra said that there is no more reason for Palparan to stay with AFPs custody. I have personally discussed the matter with AFP chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., who assured me that the AFP custodial center will immediately comply without prejudice to the resolution of any further judicial review, the Justice secretary said, in a text message. Galvez said the convicted retired general dubbed by human rights groups as The Butcher is expected to be transferred to NBP tomorrow (Thursday) morning.Palparan and his two co-accused-Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio - were found guilty for kidnapping and serious illegal detention of missing UPLB students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno, who were snatched in Barangay San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulacan in June 2006. They were also ordered to indemnify the family of the missing with P100,000 in civil damages and P200,000 as moral damages in the verdict handed down by Judge Alexander Tamayo. The three filed an appeal on the RTCs decision, but government prosecutors said that Palparan and company should be immediately brought to the NBP pending resolution of their appeal. BarcelonaRoger Espanol lost an eye when Spanish police baton-charged voters gathered outside Barcelonas Ramon Llull polling station on October 1st last year, the day of Catalonias independence referendum. How did October 1 begin for you? The previous night I had dropped by the Fort Pienc, Ramon Llull and Encants schools [which would be used as polling stations]. In the morning I meant to follow the same itinerary and by 6 am I had arrived at the Fort Pienc school, where I was meant to vote. It was very quiet and I moved on to Ramon Llull. I hung around because there were police officers seizing ballot boxes and I thought Id be more useful there. When did the police shoot? The most violent baton charges came once theyd seized the ballot boxes. They charged to get us out of the way of the police vans: we had sat down in front of them so they wouldnt be able to drive to another polling station and start over. After the batons, blanks were fired, followed by rubber bullets. It all happened between carrer Consell de Cent and Gran Via. The bullet that hit me was fired right by Gran Via, when I was on my way home. The polices path was clear. So you were on your way, then? I had agreed with my parents that wed meet up and Id accompany them to vote. I was wounded by the police line that stood behind the vans, covering their retreat. When I got shot I was standing in a spot where there were reporters covering the event. There was no reason at all for the police to shoot or take any action because their path was totally clear. The pictures show that they were no further than 15 metres from me when they fired. I was wounded because they ignored every police protocol. Local people and reporters got me out of there because, even though I was on the ground, they kept firing at me and at the people who were helping me. So you lost an eye as a result? I was given a sedative while travelling in the ambulance and had surgery when we got to the hospital. The wound also affected the nerves inside my mouth: the right side of my gums goes numb. I am a saxophone player and Ive had to readapt. Ive missed a full year of music school. I tried to go back at one point, but it was too hard. Now Im signed up at the Liceus Music School. Whats been the toughest thing this year? My family and people close to me have been through a lot. For example, the first day when my son came to see me at the hospital, it was a big shock for him. His mum and Escola dels Encants have done a great job to help him come to grips with the situation. My life has changed, too. My personal life and my career have changed, and Ive also got involved in political activities, working for the Republic. Ive ended up being the recognisable face of October 1 and I try to carry that with respect and much pride. What support have you received? Nobody in the Spanish government has got in touch, neither the PP nor the PSOE; and I dont think Ciudadanos would. If they came to offer an apology now, it would be too late. I would turn it down and would not appreciate it. In contrast, the Catalan government and the City of Barcelona have been very helpful. How do you feel about the events in the aftermath of October 1? There is stuff I cant understand. Why would they allow Spanish police officers to demonstrate in Barcelona to celebrate the police operation on the day of the referendum? Their march made a mockery of all the victims of October 1. The State used the police like armed enforcers against the people. October 1 brought us together and exposed the fascist government in Madrid and showed the international community what the Spanish State is all about. Our political leaders have begun to ask for dialogue and a mutually-agreed referendum, and I think they are ignoring the mandate of October 1. Disobedience is key. Are you hopeful about the trial and its outcome? I am certain that there will be a favourable resolution, but it will take time. A favourable resolution should allow us to hold to account members of the police force and political leaders. Furthermore, Id like it to be a chance to prove that my face and over one thousand victims are the result of the Spanish police shouting Lets get them! and Give us a free hand!. I will also be deposed because I might be charges myself as part of the investigation. Its a smokescreen to minimise whats actually truly important: I lost an eye to a rubber bullet, which were banned in Catalonia in 2014. Ive nothing to hide. I will stand tall when I give my account of what happened. Malacanang said on Tuesday that six Cabinet members might file their certificate of candidacies in the following weeks. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Cabinet members might quit their posts to prepare early for 2019 elections. From my last count, there will be around six who might file their certificate of candidacy for national and local posts, Roque said during a Palace press briefing. The Palace official, however, refused to name the six Cabinet members but noted that three of them wish to join the national elections and the other three are eyeing local positions. Asked when he will file his own certificate of candidacy, Roque, a former Kabayan party-list representative, said he would still have to talk with the President. I do not know, honestly. I need to talk to him [Duterte], hes my appointing authority. However I decide, I need to talk to the President, he said. The President has repeatedly floated the idea of his Cabinet secretaries seeking senatorial positions next year.Aside from Roque, Dutertes top referrals for senatorial candidates are his trusted aide Christopher Bong Go, and Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino. Duterte previously urged Filipinos to choose the best leaders running in the Senate, stressing that some incumbent senators are better off replaced for being noisy and arrogant. He then promised to give the public a clean and peaceful 2019 midterm elections. The Commission on Elections has set the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2019 elections to Oct. 11 to 17. READ: Cabinet men gunning for Senate seats The Turkmen army has put a Saudi-made light armored vehicle 4x4 into service: the Al Shibl. Al Shibl light armored vehicle, made in Saudi Arabia (Picture source: Army Recognition) Pictures and videos recently released showed that, at a recent military parade, Turkmenistan revealed its purchase of Al Shibl armored vehicles from Saudi Arabia. Eight vehicles were seen in the parade. The total number of units actually bought from Saudi Arabia is unknown. Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov traveled to Saudi Arabia in 2016 and met with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including defense cooperation. Built on a commercial chassis, the Al Shibl has a steel body offering a level 1 of the STANAG 4569 standard. With its combat weight of 4,600 kg (payload: 1 tonne), it is reported to be able to travel up to 120 km/h on road conditions thanks to its 228 hp engine (torque: 367 nM). The power/weight ratio is 49 hp/tonne. The vehicle has a crew of two, with room for seven passengers. The vehicles in Turkmen service have manned turrets with machine guns on the roof. Different variants are available, fitted with the appropriate equipment and/or armament. Turkmenistan has stepped up its procurement of armored vehicles in recent years, buying hardware from the Gulf states as well as from Turkey. Labor groups lauded the approval of the proposed Expanded Maternity Leave law by Congress bicameral conference committee. The Partido ng Manggagawa and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said the Expanded Maternity Law would give working mothers more time to take care of their newly born child and rest before going back to work. Its really the fruit of collective efforts. It became possible when women workers, trade unions and allies in Congress work hand in hand and doing campaigns in many forms just to make things done for the sake of women, their children and their families, PM secretary-general Judy Miranda said. The PM is part of Workers for EML, a coalition of women groups in the trade union movement which pushed for the passage of EML in both houses of Congress. The Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, on the other hand, likewise welcomed the development and considered it as a sweet victory for Filipino women workers. The Expanded Maternity Leave measure is the countrys non-cash investment in producing a healthy, intelligent and well-developed future breed of Filipino workers without losing the wages and benefits of nursing moms during maternity period and without sacrificing their health and well-being, ALU-TUCP vice president and Womens Committee head Eva B. Arcos said. Once signed into law by the President, the current 60-day maternity leave benefits will be increased to 105 days. This is one week higher than the ILO standard of 98 but it falls short of the 120 days approved by the Senate. The leave benefit is transferable. It also increases the paternity leave by 100 percent and gives additional 15 days for solo parent. It likewise provides for benefit is 60-day leave benefits for cases of miscarriage or termination of pregnancy. Over at the Senate, Senator Francis Kiko Pangilinan noted that longer maternity leaves will be better for moms, babies and families. We laud Congress for standing up for the cause of women and families with the passage of the Expanded Maternity Leave measure, he said. As one of its authors, Pangilinan said they are elated that soon, the country will soon have a law that will promote better health for both mothers and babies, and one that supports responsible parenthood. He said this is also a meaningful investment on child development and families as a whole as it helps pave the path for the growth of healthy persons. We thank Sen. Risa Hontiveros for her unwavering effort to see the bill through, said the oppositin leader. We hope that when it becomes a law, employers would cooperate and abide by the law, keeping in mind that their employees general welfare will redound to workplace excellence and competitiveness, he added. For her part, Senator Nancy Binay expressed hope that the expanded maternity leave bill would be signed into law this October as an early Christmas gift to working mothers. I pray and hope that the expanded maternity leave bill becomes a law this month. If the President gets to sign it soon, then it will be an early Christmas gift to working mothers who carry the next generation of Filipinos, she said. According to Binay, mothers working in the public and private sectors can avail of 105 days of paid maternity leave under the proposed law. The cap of four pregnancies is also removed by the measure, as all pregnancies will be covered. The 105-day maternity leave is a big step in giving particular attention to motherhood premiums. Binay said that companies and other institutions should not perceive the proposed law as a bane to productivity that would lead to more discrimination in the workplace. In the Philippines, women have reached a high level of labor force participation but working mothers silently receive motherhood penalties and passed over for promotions and other career advancements because of motherhood duties.It pains me to see a mother cutting short the time to bond with her child and go back to work, especially during the crucial period of the infants development. The State has a responsibility to provide a positive complement for women in the labor sector, and be mindful of their indespensable roles in society, Binay said. Under existing laws, 60 days of maternity leave is granted for normal deliveries, while 90 days is given for caesarean births. The 60-day provision does not necessarily allow sufficient time for a mother to truly bond and nurture her child after giving birth. The bicameral version of the of the expanded maternity leave grants single mothers another 15 days of leave, while those who have miscarried will be granted 60 days leave. An option for additional 30 days of unpaid leave is also provided under the bill. Binay added that the passage of the law would guarantee the countrys adherence to the International Labor Organization (ILO) standard of 98 days of maternity leaves. Some countries in Europe have recognized that mother and child bonding deserve a longer time, and allowed a year with pay for them. We will be at par with the International Labor Organizations (ILO) standard of 98 days or the ASEAN coverage of 93 days, Binay said. Binay said that with the proposed law, the mother and child can have a longer time of mother and child bonding, which have long term effects on the childs development and health. Meanwhile, the state-run Social Security System (SSS) also welcomed the swift passage of the proposed expanded maternity benefit for female workers with identified source of funding during the bicameral conference committee held at the lower house yesterday. The proposed law or the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law of 2018, a consolidation of Senate Bill 1305 and House Bill 4113, has identified that the amount necessary to implement the Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. We are very thankful to the bicameral committee as they have seen the need to identify enough funding mechanism to fully implement the proposed law. We, at SSS, recognize their advocacy to provide better social security protection to female workers especially when they put their own life in danger during and after pregnancy, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said. We have yet to compute the numbers for the said measure. We only have actuarial studies for the 100-day and 120-day proposals. In the actuarial study for the 100-day proposal, the maternity benefit disbursement will increase by about P3.6 billion in the initial year of implementation. But that study does not include the unlimited number of covered pregnancies, as well as the additional benefit for solo parents, so we also have to look into that. Well present the numbers from our actuarial study soon, Dooc said. Earlier, SSS actuarial studies showed that an additional 0.3 percent in monthly contribution is needed if the 100-day expanded maternity bill will be passed into law. So from the current 11 percent monthly contribution capped at monthly salary credit, it would have to increase to 11.3 percent. That would cover for the additional benefit disbursements to be brought about by increasing the maternity benefit payment period to 100 days. The additional 0.3 percent in monthly contribution would mean an additional P30 for members whose monthly salary credit stands at P10,000. Qualified members whose MSC stood at this level currently receives an average maternity benefit ofP20,400. If the proposed 100-day maternity leave is granted, the maternity benefit would increase toP31,000 or a 52 percent jump from the current benefit. We are not against any proposal that would give additional benefit to our members. We are sensitive to the needs of the members who have clamored over the years for higher SSS benefits. However, we cannot afford to lose the pension fund in the future if no sustainable source of funding is identified to fund the additional benefit payments, Dooc said. At present, the contribution rate for maternity benefit still remains at 0.4 percent of the monthly salary credit of a qualified member or around P64 for every P1760 monthly contribution. SSS has so far disbursed more than P3 billion worth of maternity benefits to over 157,000 qualified female members from January to June 2018. Maternity benefit disbursements jumped by 12 percent to P3.37 billion during the first half of 2018 from the P3.01 billion disbursements on the same six-month period last year. Partner Nick Adkins, who led the Allens team, said that the transaction was a huge team effort over several years. Partner Chris Prestwich, who led the creditors' scheme and other restructuring aspects of the transaction for Allens, said that the use of the creditors scheme of arrangement in the transaction is quite rare in the Australian market. Prestwich said that it will be interesting to see if it is deployed in similar transactions in the future. The refinance was challenging because of a number of issues that included the insolvency of three of the eight take-or-pay shippers that underpin the financing structure. Financing of coal assets has also been a generally difficult market in the last couple of years, Allens said. The deal has two key takeaways, the legal giant said. The senior financiers could not reach a unanimous agreement about the terms of the extension. WICET, backed by a majority of its senior financiers, sought court approval to use a solvent creditors scheme of arrangement to bind all senior financiers. G+T said that the project will be a driver of economic growth and environmental outcomes in the Hunter Valley region. The divestment, and associated Regrowth Kurri Kurri Project, is one of the most consequential and far-reaching deals for the aluminum industry in Australia in recent times. On completion, the project will be a global exemplar for a fully sustainable, multi-utility residential and commercial services delivery model, G+T said. The independent firm is also continuing to work with Hydro on all aspects of the project, including rezoning, remediation, biodiversity conservation, and long-term environmental management approvals. This was a complex divestment from an environment and planning perspective. Parts of the site had been used for aluminum smelting since the late 1960s and all of the key approval pathways for the remediation, rezoning and bio-certification of the site are ongoing, said Ben Fuller, who jointly led the G+T team. We had to structure the transaction documents to achieve the parties commercial objectives, but also their mutual commitment to sustainable economic and environmental values. Our overarching objective was to provide a platform to satisfy the regulators in relation to the long-term environmental management of the site. Real estate partner Amanda Hempel jointly led the G+T team. They were supported by lawyers Jo Bayes and Tanja Mikulic. Mergers involving US law firms set two new records in the third quarter of 2018 and small and medium sized firms are increasingly considering their options. The Altman Weil Mergerline report says that there were 27 M&A deals announced in the three month period, the highest on record for Q3, while the year-to-date total of 79 is a new high for the first nine months of any year. "Almost every law firm we work with is actively considering its merger options in 2018, and some large firms are becoming serial acquirers," says Altman Weil principal Eric Seeger. "But while large firms are increasingly aggressive about growth, we think an underlying shift in attitude at small and mid-sized firms - driven by both threat and opportunity - is what is pushing the law firm merger market into record-breaking territory." (LuapVision/Shutterstock.com) (LuapVision/Shutterstock.com) Celebrating Australia's record as the world's most successful immigration nation will be a key priority, according to the country's new Immigration Minister.David Coleman is set to oversee the introduction of tougher rules for citizenship and a new emphasis on visas for people wanting to live and work in regional areas away from large cities like Sydney and Melbourne.'Australia is stronger and more prosperous as a nation because of our multicultural heritage. We value people based on the contribution they make, irrespective of colour, religion, or ethnicity, and who embrace our national values and laws,' he said.'Across Australia we see the success of our multi-cultural society. We see hard working families raising kids. We see small business owners, investing in Australia and creating thousands of jobs. We see religious leaders, professionals, community volunteers, people who help build the backbone of our nation,' he added.He mentioned the latest figures which show that more than 160,000 migrants arrived in Australia in the 2017/2018 with nearly 70% of those skilled migrants, contributing essential skills and innovation.But one of his priorities is to get more people to regional communities that are struggling to attract people to live and work. This could mean new regional visas being introduced.'There are a number of different regional visa classes at the moment and one of the things I'm assessing is the effectiveness of each of those programs and potential ways of improving those,' he explained.Currently, there are several visas available to migrants to fill skills shortages in rural and regional Australia. According to figures compiled by the Department of Home Affairs, some 10,918 places were awarded under the Regional Sponsored Migration Scheme in the 2016/2017 financial year. Along with the 1,670 Skilled Regional visas, they formed only about 10% of permanent migration visas.But Coleman has not yet set out his plans for citizenship reform, in particular whether or not a tougher English test will be introduced and also whether or not there will be changes to the application process, all things which were discussed before he took over as Minister.Speaking at a ceremony to mark Citizenship Day 2018, he said: 'Australia has come a long way since 1949 when the first Australian citizenship ceremony was held, seeing seven men from Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, Norway, Spain and Yugoslavia pledge their allegiance to Australia. Despite their varied backgrounds, they demonstrated the unifying power of Australian values.'Since then, we have welcomed more than five million new citizens to our shores. These are individuals and families who have embraced Australia as their home, have contributed to our economy, our communities and the rich tapestry of our multicultural society, and have helped build a stronger more prosperous Australia,' he concluded. First off this forum has been a great resource as my partner and I do some pre-reading and prepare to lay the groundwork to live and work in Australia permanently.We have two main pathways ahead of us that we can see, and would really value any and all thoughts / any other pathways we might have missed!-PrettyIsotonic is the potential sponsor and onshore.-Current visa is a 485 (post-study stream) - expiring mid-March 2019.-Awaiting decision for 190 (state sponsored) - lodged on 21 August 2018. Bridging Visa A inactive. Expected final decision (permanent residency grant) between December 2018 and June 2019 based on DHA global processing times.-Came to Australia in February 2015 on a student visa that expired (was replaced by the 485) in March 2017.-Applicant came to Australia in August 2017 on a student visa that is due to expire in March 2020 (expected graduation December 2019).My partner and I met in January 2018, and our relationship has gradually deepened over the past few months.We are moving in with each other early October 2018 (both names on lease), and have a joint bank account to which we make regular deposits.We have ad-hoc evidence we are gathering to fulfill the various criteria of a genuine and ongoing relationship. We intend to slowly develop this body of evidence over the coming weeks / months.As soon as a decision is made on my 190 visa which will grant me (the sponsor) permanent residency, we also intend to register our relationship.-Cohabitation begins early October 2018.-Relationship registered between December 2018 and June 2019 (after potential sponsors 190 visa decision for permanent residency is finalised).-Applicant graduates in 2019 (student visa expires March 2020).-Applicant applies for a 485 visa which would expire around March 2022.-We apply for a 820/801 visa immediately after 485 visa grant for applicant.Thoughts we have here:-Predictable/guaranteed work rights and ability to travel freely till at least March 2022.-Potential PR for applicant only in 2024 (2+2 years from 485 grant in early 2020).-Risk of changes to 485 visa (e.g. currently only those who applied for a student visa on or after 5 November 2011 are eligible - what about future changes?).-Cohabitation begins early October 2018.-Relationship registered between December 2018 and June 2019 (after potential sponsors 190 visa decision for permanent residency is finalised).-We apply for a 820/801 visa immediately after potential sponsor gets permanent residency via 190 visa.Thoughts we have here:-Unsure of student visa to 820/801 visa process and transition; don't want to jeopardise degree attainment. We understand 820 has full working and study rights though.-Likelihood of Bridging Visa A becoming active for applicant after graduation is high given 820 processing times; potentially harder to enter the job market.-Potential PR for applicant earlier: e.g. by 2022 (2+2 years from grant of 190 visa for permanent residency for sponsor).--Thanks for reading team Currently, the Ayala Corporation manages a number of dealerships from various manufacturers located all over the country. They are also is the official distributor of Volkswagen and KTM brands in the Philippines. Now, the conglomerate will be further expanding its portfolio by as they will soon be bringing in the Maxus into the Philippines. Maxus, a wholly owned subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corp, has appointed AC Industrial Technology Holdings Inc. (AC Industrials) which is owned solely by Ayala Corporation, as the official distributor of Maxus vehicles in the country. Maxus will be the fifth motoring brand under the Ayala Corporation. This also marks the first time the conglomerate will be selling vehicles from a Chinese automaker. Under SAIC Motor, Maxus has a model line-up comprised mostly of light commercial vehicles (i.e. pick-ups, SUVs, vans, etc.). After launching in 2011, the Chinese automaker has grown its sales to 70,000 vehicles in 2017 across three major model lines. 10,000 of those vehicles were exported outside of China. The local leg began at 9:00 AM with participants challenged to keep their hands on one of the four Subaru XVs. They have to hold on the longest without any protection from the elements be it sun or rain. Last September 22, Motor Image Pilipinas, Inc., the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines, held the 2018 Subaru Palm Challenge: Philippine Face-Off on 9th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig. Almost 100 participants entered the event, aspiring to be the representatives of the country. However, only the last 10 standing were chosen and will be representing the Philippines in the Regional Finals to be held in Singapore. It was only after nine hours when the final ten contestants remained. Despite already making it to the finals, each of them were still vying to be crowned the winner of the Palm Challenge Philippine Leg. The winner this year is a first time competitor, Rey Balincutas who managed to hold on with a time of 9:30:24. Meanwhile, some experienced competitors from previous Palm Challenges were unable to make the cut such as Juan Furiscal and Jaspher Galaura, both part of last years top ten, who fell early in the competition. Last years runner up Rheden Pinoliad and Alex Neblasca also didnt make it through. Last years team captain Carlo Talahib and 2017 Philippine Palm Challenge winner Filmark Bernante rejoins the 2018 team. The Philippine team is set to compete against other Asian countries on October 26 to 31 at the 2018 Subaru Palm Challenge Regional Finals to be held in Singapore. So far, the Philippines has yet to win the competition with the closest being in third place back in 2016. Could this be the year the Philippines claim the crown? Full list of finalists with their records below: The Global 7500, the largest jet in Bombardiers fleet, is now certified by Transport Canada, the company has announced. The jet is the longest-range and largest purpose-built business jet in the market, second only to repurposed airliners like those sold by Boeing Business Jets. The stand-up cabin is 8 feet wide and more than 54 feet long, with a typical capacity of just 19 passengers. Two GE Passport jet engines provide the power. The flight deck is equipped with fly-by-wire technology, flight envelope protections, synthetic and enhanced vision systems, and a layout intended to maximize ergonomic comfort for the crew. It flies at speeds up to Mach 0.925 and has a maximum range of 7,700 NM. Certification from the U.S. FAA and EASA is expected soon.AVwebs editorial director, Paul Bertorelli, took a tour of the cabin at last years NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition, in Las Vegas. (The jet was known as the 7000 before it was renamed the 7500, to reflect its confirmed range of 7,700 NM.) Click here for the video tour. With the midterm elections less than six weeks away, policymakers are ramping up their focus on election meddling. Earlier this year, Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) introduced the Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER) Act to deal with foreign interference. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Banking Committee and could get considered before the midterms. Why it matters: The DETER Act requires the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to determine within one month of a federal election whether any foreign government has interfered. If the DNI were to make such a finding about Russia, the Treasury Department would be required within 10 days to impose a set of severe sanctions on specific individuals and businesses that could not be removed for two presidential election cycles. It is easy to understand why some members of Congress would want to bypass presidential discretion and impose automatic sanctions on Russia. And this type of action could act as an effective deterrent. Yes, but: Automatic mechanisms like those proposed in the DETER Act limit the administration's foreign policy flexibility. The act would tie the intelligence community's collection and analysis of information to specific and far-reaching policy actions, the responsibility for which now lies with other agencies, such as State or Treasury. Moreover, Congress is not best positioned to identify individuals and businesses to be sanctioned. Policymakers in the executive branch have access to broader and more current information, along with the ability to weigh trade-offs of different approaches. Otherwise, the law could end up hurting U.S. businesses more than Russian companies or its economy. And eight years is an eternity in foreign policy. Locking in any policy for that amount of time could prove counterproductive. The bottom line: There are better ways to send a message to countries using cyber tools to interfere in our elections or economy. Lawmakers could add some greater flexibility into the DETER Act. Or they could consider the Cyber Deterrence and Response Act, which provides a framework for combating cyberattacks, but provides the president more leeway in identifying those threats and imposing sanctions. Jeffrey Kupfer is an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Heinz College. He previously served in the Treasury Department and the White House. READ: Save the Children salutes Filipino teachers Saying they are overworked but underpaid, teachers in Metro Manila on Tuesday slammed the Department of Education for failure to address their concerns. At a news conference in Quezon City, Raymond Basilio, Alliance of Concerned Teachers Philippines secretary-general, called on the DepEd to liberate teachers from non-teaching duties and create items for education support personnel. Honor our teachers, they added. We are not machines, just like the robots, group member Ruby Anna Bernardo, said. The metro teachers threatened to stage a mass mobilization on the World Teachers Day on Oct. 5 in the afternoon to demand a wage increase and more humane working conditions. Basilio said 5,000 teachers in the National Capital Region would gather in Mendiola in Manila on that day. He said teachers are made to deliver other tasks beyond their job description, particularly under the results-based performance management system (RPMS) and Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST), and the K-12 program. We have a meager salary but have a heavy workload. We do not have enough teachers, leaving us with no option but to accommodate 60 to 70 students in a class. We lack instructional materials and other teaching modules. We do not even have enough copies of the teachers [curriculum] guide [for the K-12 program], said Bernardo, a teacher in Quezon Citys Sta. Lucia High School. Schools do not have enough non-teaching personnel. We, teachers, sometimes are asked to perform the jobs of a [school] registrar, a clerk to do the teachers payroll, a nurse, a canteen manager and so many other things, she told reporters. We are even tasked to check the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the health status of the schoolchildren, and to do other paperworks, she said.ACT Philippines also opposed the RPMS-PPST policy, tools to assess the quality of teaching. DepEd told us they have lessened our paper works but thats not true. We need to submit documented reports as evidence that we have worked well so we could be able to get our bonuses and other incentives, Bernardo said. Joselyn Martinez, ACT Philippines chairperson, along with Basilio, called on the Government Service Insurance System to withdraw its due and demandable letter asking teachers to avail of its financial assistance designed to buy back their loans from private lending institutions accredited by DepEd. DepEd should have prioritized the salary deduction of our GSIS loans, and not of our loans from private lending institutions, leaving our government loans behind, she said. DepEd is blaming the GSIS for non-collection of our government loans. On the other hand, the GSIS is also passing on the blame to DepEd. At the end of the day, teachers are at the losing end, she added. According to Martinez, they have set another dialogue with GSIS president and general manager Jesus Clint Aranas on Oct. 30 to resolve the issue. READ: 7k teachers celebrate in Ormoc New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is trying to boost the city's cybersecurity market by tapping into its large student population and harnessing new investment. Why it matters: While New York is overflowing with students, there's still a nationwide cybersecurity workforce shortage. De Blasio hopes to increase the number of cybersecurity jobs in New York City by 10,000 in a decade to help secure its major economic engines such as finance and retail sectors, which are prime cyberattack targets. The details: Jason Kander announced Tuesday he's ending his bid for Kansas City mayor, writing in an online post that he is suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from his time serving in Afghanistan. The details: Kander, a former Missouri secretary of state who was seen as one of the rising stars in the Democratic Party, served as an Army Intelligence officer. He explained he "went to the VA in Kansas City yesterday and [has] started the process to get help there regularly." People traveling to New Zealand that refuse to give authorities the passwords to their digital devices during searches could be fined roughly $3,295, the New York Times reports. Why it matters: A number of countries allow customs officials to search digital devices of those entering the country, but "did not previously compel travelers to open their devices for inspection," the Times reports. Now, declining to give authorities access could be considered grounds for seizing the device. Terry Brown, New Zealand Customs spokesman, told the Times that travelers must be "reasonably" suspicious before being searched, but critics say that definition isn't clear enough. Allegations leveled against Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison by an ex-girlfriend that he once physically abused her could not be substantiated after she refused to provide video of the alleged incident, the AP reports, citing a draft report of a probe it obtained Monday. Why it matters: The allegations, which Ellison has strongly denied, have clouded his bid for Minnesota attorney general, but the report, compiled by an attorney hired by Minnesotas Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party to probe the incident could ease Democratic concerns about the close race. Responding to an appeal from Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, thousands of people began gathering in Yerevan late on Tuesday after the Armenian parliament hastily passed a bill that could seriously complicate his plans to force snap general elections. Deputies representing not only Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party (HHK) but also the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Dashnaktsutyun parties backed the bill despite Pashinians warnings not to again create a revolutionary situation in the country. Those forces that participated in the drafting of that bill and were going to vote for it are exposing themselves as counterrevolutionary forces, Pashinian said after meeting with the HHKs parliamentary leaders. All those who will vote for or back this bill will declare a political war against the people. Pashinian urged supporters to rally outside the parliament building when the parliament majority ignored the warning. They were quick to gather there and block the entrances to the National Assembly. The premier was due to address the crowd later in the evening. Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK spokesman and a deputy parliament speaker, insisted that the bill is not aimed at preventing the conduct of snap parliamentary elections. He said it is only meant to protect lawmakers against outside pressures. The National Assembly is an independent body and its members are free to vote in accordance with their conscience, Sharmazanov told reporters. He accused Pashinian of interfering in the work of the legislature. Under the Armenian constitution, fresh polls can be held only if the prime minister resigns and the parliament fails to replace him or her within two weeks. Some observers suggested earlier that in case of Pashinians tactical resignation his supporters will blockade the parliament to prevent it from electing another premier during the two-week period. The controversial bill effectively extended that period indefinitely. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian pledged late on Tuesday to tender his resignation in an effort to force the conduct of snap parliamentary elections in late November or early December. Rallying tens of thousands of supporters in Yerevan, he also announced the sacking of six government ministers representing the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Dashnaktsutyun parties accused by him of hampering the polls. Pashinian organized the emergency rally immediately after lawmakers from the BHK and Dashnaktsutyun joined the former ruling Republican Party (HHK) in passing a bill that would make it harder for him to have the current Armenian parliament dissolved. Pashinian condemned the bill as a conspiracy against the Armenian people when he addressed the protesters blocking the entrances to the parliament building in central Yerevan. We will have pre-term elections in late November or early December, he declared before entering the building to negotiate with leaders of the parliamentary forces. Under the Armenian constitution, snap elections can be called only if the prime minister resigns and the parliament fails to replace him or her by someone else within two weeks. In his speech, Pashinian said that he will step down shortly after President Armen Sarkissian certifies the dismissal of the six ministers affiliated with the BHK and Dashnaktsutyun. If it turns out that the people stand for pre-term elections then together with the people we will not allow the parliament to elect a new prime minister, he said, adding that he will continue to perform his duties in the interim. The premier again insisted that the current National Assembly does not represent the Armenian people and that he won a popular mandate to seek its dissolution in the September 23 municipal elections in Yerevan. His My Step bloc won over 80 percent of the vote. Dashnaktsutyun said, meanwhile, that it itself is recalling its members, Agriculture Minister Artur Khachatrian and Economic Development Minister Artsvik Minasian, from Pashinians cabinet. There was no immediate reaction to the latest developments from the BHK, the second largest parliamentary force led by businessman Gagik Tsarukian. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have 34 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said Oct. 2. Armenian armed forces were using heavy machine guns. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova The occupation of the Khojavand region of Azerbaijan by Armenian armed forces is another black page in the history of our country. In the battles, which ended on October 2, 1992, as many as 147 Khojavand residents were killed, more than 300 people were injured, many of whom have remained disabled to this day. As many as 100 civilians in different periods of occupation became hostages of the Armenian military, 49 of them did not survive the harsh conditions of captivity. Khojavand was established on the basis of Martuni and Hadrut administrative regions after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region of Azerbaijan was abolished in 1991. The region has an area of 1,458 square kilometers and its population was about 41,216 people before the occupation. The region includes Khojavand city, two large settlements Girmizi Bazar and Hadrut, and 81 villages. The terrain of Khojavand region is mostly mountainous its height varies from approximately 500 to 2,800 meters. The region has Kurichay, Chaylukh, Aghoghlanchay and some other rivers. There were 10 pre-school institutions, 21 eight-year and 16 secondary schools, 40 libraries, 5 hospitals, and 27 health posts. The population was mainly engaged in viticulture, arable farming, potato growing, garnet farming, animal husbandry and especially pig breeding, poultry farming, sericulture etc. Most of the area was covered with forests, where several species of rare trees grew. In the burned areas, 47 plant and 19 tree species were burned and destroyed. Before the occupation, the city of Khojavand, two large settlements - the Gyrmyzy Bazaar and Hadrut, and 83 villages were located in Khojavand region. In these lands, among the monuments of nature, there was one copy of a two-thousand-year eastern Chinar, as well as centenarian Azat trees that were included in the Red Book. Today, many of these trees, carefully guarded by Azerbaijan, have been cut down by the aggressor. As a result of military aggression, the ancestral territories of Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 administrative regions attached to it are occupied by Armenia. More than 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan was occupied, more than 20,000 people were killed, more than 50,000 people were wounded and maimed. More than 1 million people, victims of the policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing carried out by Armenia against Azerbaijan, live in the situation of refugees and IDPs, are deprived of basic human rights. So, Armenia grossly violating the provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, is engaged in looting cultural property of Azerbaijan. Despite the demands expressed in UN Security Council resolutions on the need to recognize the territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the release of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan without preconditions, the Republic of Armenia continues to pursue its aggressive policy. --- Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has sold its stake in Holcim Azerbaijan (Garadagh Cement Plant) to one of the shareholders, spokesman for EBRD, Anton Usov, told Trend on Oct. 1. The EBRD shares in Holcim Azerbaijan (10 percent) was sold to LafargeHolcim, he added. Usov refused to disclose the amount of the deal, mentioning about the confidentiality of information. EBRD owned Holcim Azerbaijans shares for 10 years (from 2007 to 2017), he said. Thus, the share of LafargeHolcim in Holcim Azerbaijan has increased from 66 to 76 percent. In August 2017, EBRD refused to increase its stake in Holcim Azerbaijan from 10 to 20 percent. Holcim is the world's leading supplier of cement, concrete aggregates (crushed stone, gravel and sand), ready-mixed concrete and asphalt mixtures, and also renders all related services. The number of Holcim employees working at the plants in more than 70 countries on all continents exceeds 80,000. In Azerbaijan, 40 percent of the cement market accounts for the share of Holcim Azerbaijan (formerly Garadagh Cement), with a production capacity of 1.7 million tons per year. Total volume of the market in the country is four million tons of cement. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Narmina Mammadova Ural Airlines will launch flights to Azerbaijan in new directions, according to the message published on the website of the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsia). The Federal Air Transport Agency has issued the airline a license for flights on routes Volgograd - Ganja and Volgograd - Baku. The license allows flights to these destinations seven days a week. Currently, the airline is already operating flights from St. Petersburg to Baku and from Moscow to Lankaran. Ural Airlines is a Russian passenger airline engaged in regular and charter domestic and international transportation. The air company headquartered in Yekaterinburg was created in 1993. Its park includes 43 aircrafts. The flights are carried out on Airbus A320, A321 and 7-A319 aircrafts. Ural Airlines operates flights to Russian cities, Germany, Italy, Montenegro, the CIS countries and far abroad countries. There are also direct flights from Russia to Azerbaijan operated by other airlines, such as Aeroflot, Azerbaijan Airlines, Nordwind Airlines, S7 Aurlines, UTair, IrAero. There are six airports on the territory of Azerbaijan including in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Lankaran, Zaqatala and Gabala. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday asked the Department of Foreign Affairs to help in the Blue Ribbon Committees investigation of the importation of electronic magnetic lifters stuffed with shabu. He made the request even as Rep. Robert Ace Barbers praised the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for identifying four members of the National Police involved in the alleged smuggling of P6.8 billion worth of shabu. I commend PDEA for uncovering and bringing into light these scalawags. Honestly, it did not come as a shock as I am certain that there are more of them out there, said Barbers, chairman of the House committee on drugs. From the previous hearings of both the Senate and the House, we were able to expose the skeletons in the closet. In a letter dated Sept. 24, Gordon asked Foreign Affairs Secretary Allan Peter Cayetano for assistance from the Philippine Embassy and Consulate in China and Hong Kong in coordinating with pertinent Chinese authorities. He said they would gather information about KC Chan, a.k.a Chan Fhonie or Chan Yee Wah Albert, and Fung Ping Cheung, a.k.a. James Fong. Chan is reportedly a resident of Shenzhen City, China, while Fung is a holder of a British passport issued in Hong Kong. In this regard, we would appreciate the assistance of the Philippine Embassy and Consulate in China and Hong Kong, in coordinating with the appropriate authorities in their respective jurisdictions, to gather any pertinent information on any official action, investigation or cooperation with local authorities that may have undertaken regarding the above-mentioned individuals including criminal records, if any, Gordon said in his letter. The PDEA seems to have arrived at the same conclusion that we havethat international drug syndicates, mostly run by Chinese, are operating in our country.Gordon said it was also possible that Andy Cheng, the Hong Kong man they were looking for, who had been tagged as the local mastermind behind the shipment in Cavite, was also the man they were after. The PDEA can use any information that may come out in our investigation to strengthen cases they file to ensure that the perpetrators will be nailed, Gordon said in the wake of reports that the alleged Chinese local mastermind was now the focus of the PDEAs investigation. The Blue Ribbon Committee, which Gordon heads, is investigating the importation to the Philippines, through the Bureau of Customs, of magnetic lifters containing drugs. A joint operative of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency seized an abandoned container at the Manila International Container Terminal. Inside were two electronic magnetic lifters found to have 355 kilos of shabu concealed inside them. Similar magnetic lifters were also discovered in a warehouse in Cavite with indications that they were also used to store drugs. To further shed light on the operation of the syndicate smuggling illegal drugs in the country, Gordon also asked Cayetano to direct the Philippine Embassies in Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur to contact the shipper companies used to transport the magnetic lifters to the Philippines to get information about the said shipments. By Sara Israfilbayova The State Committee on Property Issues of Azerbaijan will hold next auction on privatization of state property on October 30, where 130 state objects will be put up for sale. The auction will offer 79 small state enterprises, 23 non-residential areas, 20 joint-stock companies and eight vehicles. Seventeen non-residential areas are located in the capital, and six-in Sumgayit. The portal for privatization privatization.az, launched in July 2016, reflects all necessary information about the facilities, their addresses, location, and even initial cost and aims at facilitation of the process. The website is available in two languages - Azerbaijani and English. Why Azerbaijan is special section available on the website explains the reasons and advantages of investing in the country. The privatization process is designed to attract both foreign and local investors, as well as develop the business environment of Azerbaijan. Moreover, the State Committee on Property Issues held the first electronic auction on July 4, 2017. The electronic auction service, which is available on the website privatization.az, combines the privatization procedure of vehicles and equipment. In the future, it will be possible to privatize small state enterprises and facilities, joint-stock companies through electronic auction. Now, the corresponding work in programming is being implemented. The State Committee on Property Issues was established on May 19, 2009 on the basis of the relevant presidential decree. The main activities of the State Committee are the management of state property, attraction of investments, maintenance of a single cadastre of immovable property, maintenance of a land cadastre, organization of a land market, protection and improvement of land quality. --- Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Sara Israfilbayova The amendments to the Law on Accounting in Azerbaijan will help facilitate the countrys access to foreign financial markets and accelerate the development of the countrys capital market. The statement came from adviser to the Minister of Taxes of Azerbaijan for Macroeconomic and Economic Analysis Khagani Abdullayev at a forum titled Application of New Accounting Standards in Azerbaijan: Problems and Prospects on October 2. In turn, Naveed Naqvi, the Country Manager for the World Bank Azerbaijan Office, noted that the changes to the law are a step in the right direction, adding that the new transparency mechanisms give confidence to foreign investors, allow businessmen to make more informed decisions. The amendments to the Law on Accounting, adopted May 4 at a plenary session of the Parliament of Azerbaijan, provide for the mandatory presence of professional chief accountants in enterprises where the controlling stake belongs to the state, except for those enterprises whose securities are traded in the stock exchange, as well as in other socially significant structures, large business entities, organizations and public legal entities that publish annual financial or consolidated reports. The accountants must undergo appropriate licensing according to the amendments. The amendments also provide for the termination of the rules of simplified accounting in small and medium-sized businesses, the abolition of articles on the establishment of the advisory board for accounting and regulation of its activities, in connection with the renunciation of the provisions on application of the national accounting standards. The changes also imply the transition of accounting entities in the country to international accounting standards. Addressing the event, Deputy Director General of the Tax Policy and Strategic Research Department of the Ministry of Taxes of Azerbaijan Nijat Imanov stressed that Azerbaijan plans to amend the tax legislation providing for the introduction of benefits for bona fide taxpayers. There is a difference between the taxpayers conducting transparent accounting and, the taxpayer, on the contrary, not doing so. The identification of this difference and the introduction of benefits for bona fide taxpayers will have a beneficial effect on the level of trust between the tax authorities and entrepreneurs, Imanov said. Touching upon the changes in the tax legislation, Imanov also said the projects have been prepared in this regard in order to further stimulate non-cash payments in the country. Earlier it was reported that the new amendments to the tax legislation can be adopted in Azerbaijan before the end of the year. The changes are aimed among other things at reducing the tax burden, simplifying tax administration, and suppressing tax evasions. One of the proposals is the introduction of a single rate of tax on incomes of individuals. The authors of the bill have focused on reducing the tax burden in this area. At present, the income tax in Azerbaijan amounts to 14 percent, and another 26 percent (22 percent for the employer and 3 percent for the employee) fall to the share of social contributions to the State Social Protection Fund. --- Sara Israfilbayova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Sara_999Is Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend After the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during the CIS summit in Dushanbe, it has become clear once again that the policy and rhetoric demonstrated by the Armenian side up to now is nothing more than populist speeches aimed at the domestic audience, the Head of the Ombudsman Office, Philosophy Doctor in Law Aydin Safikhanli told Trend October 1. He noted that the official Yerevan, having already abstained from putting forward the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories as a party to the negotiations on the settlement of the conflict, has realized that the negotiations should be conducted only between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "The opinions put forward earlier by the new leadership of Armenia on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict do not correspond to the norms and principles of international law or the UN Charter," Safikhanli said, recalling Pashinyan's speech at the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. He noted that only subjects of international law can participate in the process of solving international problems and conflicts, and the countries recognized by the UN are the main and primary subjects of international law. "The Azerbaijani side has repeatedly called on the international community to put pressure on Armenia so that the latter would act in accordance with international law, and would implement the relevant UN Security Council resolutions on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The new leadership of Armenia should understand that the sooner the renunciation of territorial claims, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories takes place, the quicker the peace will be restored in the region, and the prospects for development will open for Armenia. The establishment of peaceful and neighborly relations is impossible without respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighboring states," said Safikhanli. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan are at the highest level, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, the Turkish media reported October 1. Erdogan noted that the relations between Baku and Ankara are developing in all spheres. He noted that Turkey also pays special attention to the development and strengthening of relations with Turkic-speaking countries. Over the past year, political and economic relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey have reached a new level. Ankara supports Azerbaijan in all international organizations in connection with the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. President Erdogan once again confirmed this position during the Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, held in Kyrgyzstan on September 3. He also said that Turkey, as before, will support Azerbaijan in all spheres. The Turkish president also said that all Turkic-speaking states must contribute to settlement of conflicts and establishment of stability in the world. Today, Azerbaijan and Turkey have a solid bilateral cooperation, but the two countries also have experience of working in a multilateral format. Turkey participates in the majority of large-scale projects being implemented by Azerbaijan in the region. Among them are the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline projects. Turkey and Azerbaijan demonstrated their leadership by signing an agreement on the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) in Istanbul in 2012. TANAP is one of the important components of the Southern Gas Corridor, which will allow supplying Azerbaijani gas to the world markets. In summer, the first commercial gas from Azerbaijans Shah Deniz field was supplied via the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor from the Sangachal terminal through the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. The next stage was the commissioning of TANAP, through which gas is supplied to Turkey and further to Europe. Another large-scale project of the century is the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will ensure more active economic and trade cooperation between Ankara and Baku by supplying goods from Central Asia to Europe. After the railway was commissioned in November 2017, the time of cargo transportation was almost halved, decreasing by 12-15 days. As is known, at this stage the biggest cargo turnover is carried out between Europe and China. Before the BTK railway, the transportation was carried out through sea routes and on average it took 25-30 days. In addition, last year, Turkey exempted the supply of 42 types of products from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic from customs duties, and signed a memorandum on preferential trade with Azerbaijan, which provides for the introduction of a zero customs rate for import and export operations. According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkey reached $2.64 billion in 2017, of which $1.37 billion accounted for exports to Turkey. The trade turnover between the two countries increased by 14.8 percent in 2017. In January-July 2018, the Azerbaijani-Turkish trade turnover amounted to $ 1.74 billion (an increase of 19.6 percent over the year). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend It is necessary to create an environmental police in Azerbaijan, MP Elmira Akhundova said at a plenary meeting of the Azerbaijani parliament Oct. 1. She said that the environmental police will operate either at the Interior Ministry or at the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The MP also said that this structure should monitor ecology and environment, as well as timely detect environmental pollution and other similar cases, and carry out preventive measures. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The visit of Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to Italy further cements ties between Azerbaijan and Italy, Rob Sobhani, director general of the Caspian Group Holdings, told Trend. Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva last week was on an official visit to Rome, where she took part in the conference on The 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and relations of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic, a ceremony to inaugurate St. Sebastian catacombs, which were restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and held a number of important meetings. Sobhani said that this visit lays a better, stronger and more long-term foundation for cultural exchanges, economic relations and diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Italy. Mehriban Aliyevas visit is important because getting Italy - a major diplomatic nation - to be more active as it concerns the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is critical, he added. In my opinion the major highlights were meeting with the President of the Italian Senate and commemorating the centenary of Azerbaijan's Democratic Republic, Sobhani said. These two issues are related because they portray Azerbaijan as a secular, progressive, forward thinking Muslim nation that can be a model for other Muslim countries. In addition, Italy is one of Europe's largest economies and has expertise in many areas such as the energy sector, fashion industry, aviation and environment, he added. The transfer of know-how in these sectors to Azerbaijan as a result of the First Lady's visit to Italy can be of enormous benefit to the citizens of Azerbaijan, he said. Imagine Azerbaijan's leading designers partnering with brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo or Gucci. He further noted that the role of women in Azerbaijans history and cultural development is on the shoulders of Mehriban Aliyeva and she is the best ambassador for Azerbaijan on the global arena. When she meets with her Italian counterparts, Mehriban Aliyeva is representing all Azerbaijani women and her modern, progressive, worldly and caring demeanor contributes to Azerbaijan's global image as a dynamic country, he added. Also by emphasizing the rich history of Azerbaijan through commemoration of the centenary of the Democratic Republic, Mehriban Aliyeva is telling the world: "We are a country with a rich history and the first Muslim country to have fought for and won democracy for its citizens." "This is very important for Azerbaijans image, Sobhani said. Speaking about the restoration of the holy catacombs in Rome by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Sobhani said that this caring, kind and timely act of philanthropy by Mehriban Aliyeva places Azerbaijan at the center of the global efforts to restore historic sites. It shows that Azerbaijan is not only looking forward but cares about the past - the past of our common heritage and historic sites, he noted. It demonstrates that the First Lady of Azerbaijan is a citizen of the world and that the country she represents - Azerbaijan - is a partner in restoring the worlds most important historic sites. Italy benefits from Mehriban Aliyevas leadership of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and preserves historic sites that need attention in Italy, he said, adding that this can become a global contribution by Azerbaijan for preservation of culture. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order, providing funds for the construction of Baku-Alat-Qazakh-state border with Georgia (184 km)-Pirili-Muradkhan-Sor Sor road in Kurdamir region. Under the presidential order, the Azerbaijan Highway State Agency is allocated 10.7 million manats for the construction of the road connecting three residential areas with a total population of 8,000 people. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend One billion cubic meters of gas will be delivered to Turkey via the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) in 2018, the general director of SOCAR Turkey Energy Zaur Gahramanov told the Turkish Anadolu news agency. Some 400 million cubic meters of gas has already been delivered to Turkey through the pipeline, the general director said. "In 2019, two billion cubic meters of gas will be supplied to Turkey via TANAP. This figure will reach four billion in 2020, and six billion in 2021. The construction of the second phase of the project is completed by 97 percent, and in the 2H2019, TANAP will be connected to the Trans Adriatic gas pipeline," Gahramanov said. Speaking about other Azerbaijani projects in Turkey, he said that the commissioning ceremony of the STAR oil refinery will take place in November. The plant will work in full capacity from January 2019. The launching ceremony of the first stage of the Southern Gas Corridor project was held in Baku on May 29. A ceremony to launch TANAP took place June 12 in the Turkish city of Eskisehir. The gas from the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz field has already gone through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline. The next stage is the commissioning of the TANAP gas pipeline, through which gas will flow into Turkey and further to Europe. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Turkeys STAR oil refinery, owned by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), will reach its full production capacity in January 2019. This was stated by CEO of SOCAR Turkey Energy Zaur Gahramanov, Anadolu news agency reported. He stressed that the refinery is a long-term investment project. As for financing, no bank in Turkey issues loans for the period we need. Therefore, we were forced to attract long-term financing abroad, Gahramanov added. The STAR refinery will produce naphtha, diesel with ultra-low sulfur content, aviation kerosene, petroleum coke, liquefied gas and other products. The refinery will not produce gasoline and fuel oil. The plant plans to process such types of oil as Azeri Light, Kerkuk and Urals. The launch of the company is scheduled for October 2018. The processing capacity of the refinery will be 10 million tons of products per year. To date, the share distribution in the project is as follows 60 percent belongs to Rafineri Holding (100 percent owned by SOCAR Turkey Energy), which previously bought out all 18.5 percent of the share of Turcas Petrol in the project, and 40 percent belongs to SOCAR. STAR refinery will meet more than 25 percent of the processed oil products need of Turkey upon its startup. It will eventually reduce the foreign-dependency of the country. STAR refinery, foundation of which was laid in 2011, is currently under construction on a 2,400-hectare site on Aliaga Peninsula. With a crude oil processing capacity of 10 million tons, STAR refinery is underway as the most critical component of SOCAR Turkeys integrated energy solutions and value chain. STAR refinery will be put into service with a total investment of $6.3 billion. The construction of the refinery is undertaken by a multinational consortium, comprised of Tecnicas Reunidas (Spain), Saipem (Italy), GS Engineering (South Korea) and ITOCHU (Japan). Founded in 2008, SOCAR Turkey, officially titled SOCAR Turkey Enerji A.S., is an affiliate of SOCAR, one of the most well-established oil and natural gas companies of the world. SOCAR Energy Turkey keeps empowering Turkish industry with its significant investments, thus assisting Turkey in becoming a major player in international energy platforms. SOCAR is the biggest foreign investor of Turkey with its total investment to reach $19.5 billion by 2020. At the same time, SOCARs group companies in Turkey, namely Petkim, STAR Refinery, Petlim Container Terminal and Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) represent the largest-scale investment that Azerbaijan has ever made to a single country. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Head of Iranian Space Agency (ISA) Morteza Berari said on Oct. 1 that domestically-made satellites Payam-e Amirkabir, Dousti, and Nahid-1 have been completely built and are ready to be launched, IRNA reported. Morteza Berari in a press conference on the occasion of World Space Week (October 4-10) expressed hope that the satellites will be placed into earths orbit by the end of current Iranian year (March 20). Iranian Deputy Minister of Communications said Iran is the first country in the Middle East and the ninth in the world to achieve complete space supply chain. Payam-e Amirkabir will be placed into the orbit 500 kilometers above the earths surface and its data will be used for developing programs, he added. Nahid 1 is the first Iranian satellite made specifically for communication purposes, which is designed and built by Iran Space Research Center. Payam-e Amirkabir Satellite is designed and developed by Tehrans Amirkabir University of Technology and is planned to carry out imagery mission in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Iran has previously sent Simorgh satellite and Pajouhesh explorer into the orbit in recent years. Barari added that Zafar satellite will be built by the end of current Iranian year and will be placed in the queue to be launched then. The ISA has planned to build imagery satellites with one-meter-precision by the end of current Irans 20-year National Vision program on 2025. Elsewhere in his remarks, he pointed to developing space startups, increasing Irans space budget, establishing Supreme Space Council and space technologies internet TV as the main programs of ISA in the future. It has also intended to transfer operational activities of building satellites to private sector and to mainly focus on providing them with space infrastructures. Each year, the World Space Week (October 4-10) marks two of the most prominent events in space history. The first human-made satellite to orbit earth Sputnik-1 was launched on October 4, 1957 and ten years later on October 10, 1967 the Outer Space Treaty which defines countries space borders of exploration, and provides a basis for International Space Law was signed. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz President Rodrigo Dutertes spokesman and the top brass of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday clashed over Senator Antonio Trillanes IVs application for a general amnesty. Testifying before the Senate finance committee, Armed Forces chief Gen. Carlito Galvez admitted that Trillanes applied for amnesty contrary to the Palace claim and that there were lapses in the transfer of documents that resulted in the supposedly missing application form of the former mutineer-turned-senator. Our suspicion, sir, [is that] the repository of all these documents did not bring the documents to us in GHQ (General Head Quarters), Galvez said. Did I apply for amnesty? Trillanes asked Galvez. According to Berbigal, sir, yes, Galvez said, referring to Col. Josefa Berbigal, the former head of the amnesty committee secretariat. Malacanang immediately disputed Galvezs claim, with Roque belittling the position of the AFP chief of staff on the amnesty issue. Certainly, you dont expect me to take the side of [AFP] Chief Galvez who is not a lawyer over the words of a learned judge, Roque said, adding that one of the two Makati City courts handling Trillanes criminal cases had already ruled against the senators claim that he had complied with the amnesty requirements. It doesnt matter. He [Galvez] is not a lawyer and under the rules of evidence, it [original copy] is the best evidence. Before you can offer secondary evidence, you need to establish why you cant produce original document, he added. At the same hearing, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he was not knowledgeable on what happened because the processing of his amnesty application was done during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. But he admitted that on Aug. 16, he received a call from Solicitor General Jose Calida asking him if they could produce the amnesty records. He related that his staff was able to produce Proclamation No. 75 issued by Aquino as well as an amnesty document signed by then-Defense secretary Voltaire Gazmin. Thats all that came from us. Those are the only two documents that were given to him [Calida], Lorenzana said.Lorenzana said a J1 staff certified that the senators amnesty application could not be found at the GHQ. When Trillanes asked if the DND has already conducted its own investigation on the missing document, Lorenzana said they did, but could not find anything. Trillanes was implicated in at least two military uprisings the 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the 2007 Manila Peninsula siege, to overthrow the government of then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Galvez said they had tried to reach out to the ad hoc committee that processed Trillanes amnesty application. Honorio Azcueta, committee head and Berbigal certified that Trillanes had applied for an amnesty. Lt. Col. Josefa Berbigal is the one who administered your oath, Galvez said. Berbigal, an officer at the Judge Advocate Generals office, has filed an affidavit in court, supporting Trillanes claim he had applied for amnesty and was granted one by the past administration. In voiding Trillaness amnesty, President Rodrigo Dutertes Proclamation No 572 cited his failure to apply for a general amnesty and to admit his guilt in the crimes committed. Duterte also ordered the Department of Justice and the Court Marshall of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to pursue all criminal and administrative charges against the senator. By Kamila Aliyeva The main partners of Tajikistan in the export of goods are Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, Avesta news agency reported. Kazakhstan accounts for 27.7 percent of total export of goods, while for Turkey this indicator is 25.1 percent, according to the Tajik Statistics Agency. Non-ferrous products, primary aluminum and cotton fiber are mainly exported to these countries. In total, in January-August 2018, the exports to Kazakhstan amounted to more than $ 197 million and imports - more than $ 356.2 million. The volume of trade with Turkey in the reporting period amounted to more than $ 268 million. Of these, more than $ 178.6 million fell for exports of goods and more than $ 89.3 million for imports of various products. However, in the total volume of trade with foreign countries, Russia ranks first. The trade turnover between Tajikistan and Russia in January-August amounted to more than $ 651.9 million. The list of the main exported goods includes primary aluminum, cotton fiber, precious metals and dried fruits. Tajikistans foreign trade turnover has had a negative balance for a long time, and imports into the country significantly exceed exports. In the mentioned period, Tajikistan imported goods from Russia (29.6 percent), Kazakhstan (16.9 percent) and China (18.8 percent). For eight months of the current year, the exports of goods amounted to $ 712.5 million, while imports totaled over $ 2.1 billion. Earlier, Tajikistan established an Export Development Agency with the aim to enhance the countrys export potential. The agency will seek partners and consumers for Tajik exports abroad. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project is open for participation of interested companies. This was stated by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov who as part of his working visit to New York took part in the Turkmenistan-U.S. business forum. Speaking at the forum, he noted that American partners can realistically assess the possibilities of their participation in the project. The project, of course, has great prospects, opening up a new direction of energy flows. It will provide fuel for such large, dynamically developing economies as the Indian and Pakistani ones. In the future, it will provide an opportunity to enter other growing markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Turkmen President expressed gratitude to the American partners for the initiative to organize this meeting, which provides a good opportunity for an exchange of views on the prospects of Turkmen-American cooperation in the economic sphere. In his speech, he called the U.S. one of the important trade and economic partners of Turkmenistan. Turkmenistan views the U.S. as one of its priority partners, with whom it intends to build relations for a long-term, strategic perspective, Berdimuhamedov said. Once again inviting interested companies to a wide, full-fledged cooperation, corresponding to the huge mutual potential, he wished all the participants of this meeting productive work. Turkmenistan is among the four countries in the world with the largest reserves of natural gas, along with Russia, Iran and Qatar. Gas production at oil and gas fields in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea may be 5 billion cubic meters per year, and this figure may increase to 10 billion cubic meters in the future. In total, Turkmenistan has the opportunity to export up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas to the west. The TAPI pipeline will run from Galkynysh the largest gas field in Turkmenistan through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar, and finally reach the Fazilka settlement located near the India-Pakistan border. The total length of the pipeline is 1,814 kilometers, including 214 kilometers in the territory of Turkmenistan, 774 kilometers in Afghanistan, 826 kilometers in Pakistan to the settlement of Fazilka on the border with India. The preliminary cost of the project is $10 billion. Annual capacity of the gas pipeline will be 33 billion cubic meters. Palu, IndonesiaMore than 1,200 people are now known to have died in the quake-tsunami that smashed into Sulawesi, Indonesia said Tuesday, as police pledged to clamp down on looting by survivors taking advantage of the chaos. There were reports of officers firing warning shots and tear gas to ward off people ransacking shops in Palu, a coastal city ravaged by a 7.5-magnitude quake and the tsunami it spawned. Almost 200,000 people are in need of urgent help, the United Nations says, among them thousands of children. Survivors are battling thirst and hunger, with food and clean water in short supply, and local hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured. Police said Tuesday that they had previously tolerated desperate survivors taking food and water from closed shops, but had now arrested 35 people for stealing computers and cash. On the first and second day clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. Thats not a problem, said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto. But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law. There are ATMs. They are open, he added. If people steal, we catch and investigate. Despite official assurances, desperation was evident on the streets of Palu, where survivors clambered through wreckage hunting for anything salvageable. Others crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have electricity, or queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. The government, the president have come here, but what we really need is food and water, Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, severed transport links, the scale of the damage, and the Indonesian governments reluctance to accept foreign help. As if to remind the world of the tectonic fragility of Indonesia, a series of quakes hit the island of Sumba on Tuesday, albeit hundreds of kilometers from Palu. The official death toll from the tragedy in central Sulawesi stood at 1,234, according to the government. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, international NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. Among the dead are dozens of students whose lifeless bodies were pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi. A total of 34 bodies were found by the team, Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP after the grim discovery, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Center.Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. The most challenging problem is traveling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance, she said. Indonesia is the worlds most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderlymany in areas that arent the focus of government recovery efforts. The deadmany yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildingsare also a source of concern for authorities. In Indonesias hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya-in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Paluvolunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. There were glimmers of hope among the countless tragedies. Two people have been plucked from the 80-room Hotel Roa-Roa, Indonesias search and rescue agency said, and there could still be more alive. And for Azwan, wholike many Indonesiansgoes by a single name, there was joy when he was reunited with his wife, Dewi, after 48 hours of fearing the worst as he searched hospitals and morgues. The 38-year-old civil servant struggled to keep his emotions in check as he told how the couple had been reunited two days after Dewi had been swept away by the tsunami. I was so happy, so emotionalthank god I could see her again, Azwan told AFP. But for some, the search yields only sorrow as they trudge around open-air morgues, where the dead lay in the baking sun -- waiting to be claimed, waiting to be named. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was working to reunite families who had become separated during the disaster and was providing forensic services to those carrying out the grim task of identifying victims. You can reach Sam Morgen at 661-395-7415 or smorgen@bakersfield.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at smorgenTBC. More than two years after firing a police officer for running a red light while in pursuit of a speeding car, the city of Bakersfield is embro ABOUT THIS SERIES The Californian has interviewed dozens of local candidates for office in recent weeks. Over the next several weeks, we will offer information, analyses and endorsements on all major political races and ballot measures in the Nov. 6 general election. You can also find complete coverage, including video interviews with candidates, at Bakersfield.com/election-2018. Mexicali West is in escrow to be sold in early 2019 to a Northern California developer who has not disclosed what it might do with the propert "Perhaps this is why the Chinese are treating us this way." We do not condone the behavior of ACT-OFW Party-List Rep. John Bertiz who berated an airport security screener, for being too strict on him as a departing passenger. Bertiz alleged, however, that the same security personnel at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 was more lax in checking a departing group of Chinese-looking passengers. Now, let me make clear at the outset there is no racial undertone in my statement that the same strict security check should have been done on the Chinese, if indeed they were Chinese. The Chinese-looking passengers breezed through escorted by an airport staff, claimed Bertiz, adding they were not made to take off their shoes while he was told to. This is standard security protocol but can be dispensed with at the discretion of security staff. Since there was no official statement from the NAIA management office that the passengers referred to by Bertiz were visiting Asian diplomats or were members of the Chinese Embassy in Manila, then Bertiz has a point in being outraged. If our own airport personnel discriminate against a Filipino whos a lawmaker at that, then that is why China does not respect our sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea. The Chinese continue to push their boundaries nearer our door by militarizing the South China Sea when they built airports and naval bases on man-made islands. The video that went viral showing Bertiz scolding the screener was taken by another departing passenger. Bertiz demanded that the NAIA office produce a copy of the CCTV tape but was denied. He said this request like other requests for CCTV tapes showing security personnel planting bullets on departing passengers or their baggage being pilfered were not granted to members of Congress who want to investigate these criminal acts. Bertiz claimed the security officer was rude in ordering to him to take off his shoes even after he showed him his airport security pass issued by the MIAA. Fearing public rebuke, Bertiz has since apologized for his outburst. Next time he should bring his own cell phone camera to take pictures of erring airport personnel. Passenger complaints on bullet planting and pilfered baggage have been rampant. To be fair, the MIAA has acted on these complaints which are now less with the suspension of a few security personnel.*** On another mystery at Malacanang, questions are being asked why Mocha Uson appears untouchable. Uson has done enough damage to the image of the Duterte administration yet she remains as the Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office. Aside from not knowing her basic Philippine geography as shown by her misinformation that Mayon Volcano is in Camarines Sur, Uson has also been publicly denounced for making fun of the governments proposed federalism form of government. More recently, she was shown laughing with her sidekick blogger Drew Olivar who was imitating the sign language used by persons with disabilities. These are serious breaches by a public official and certainly not a laughing matter. Yet, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar defended Usons continued stay at his office by saying the President appointed her and lets respect his decision to keep her. Andanar should get an A for loyalty. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque is doing a better job of parrying off brickbats against Digong than Andanar does. On the Presidents statement that hes only sin is the killing of illegal drug traffickers, Roque said the alleged admission should not be taken seriously as he explained that the President was merely taunting his critics. Roque said the statement delivered before the military establishment was made to highlight the fact that President Duterte has not stolen any money from the public coffers and that his only sin was killing drug suspects. Whether said in jest or taken out of context, the President should be careful in what he says. His critics will readily pounce on it and as they said they would use the Presidents admission as evidence in a case of human rights violations to be filed before the International Criminal Court. The Presidents supporters are quick to claim that the ICC, from which Duterte wants to withdraw Philippine membership, has no jurisdiction over the Philippine president. May we remind his supporters that it was what Serbian president Slobodan Milosevic thought so too before he was turned over to the ICC tribunal by his successor and the new Serbian government. Milosovic died from cardiac arrest in his prison cell before the ICC could hand down a guilty verdict. We dont wish the same fate for President Duterte. There is still time to change his ways to being a circumspect President rather than often shooting from thenot the hip, but thelips. The Beaumont Heritage Society will be hosting its annual Pumpkin Walk and Haunted Halloween Tour event October 20, according to information from the society. The event will be held at the John Jay French Museum from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and will feature multiple pumpkin contests with prizes for the "best" pumpkins, decorated or carved, a haunted hay ride and pumpkin crafts. A woman covered in cuts and bruises was arrested after shooting her boyfriend to death during a rolling fight that ended in the Willowbrook Mall parking lot Monday night in northwest Houston, police said. The slain man collapsed near the bushes outside an office building at the parking lot around 8:30 p.m., police said. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - President Donald Trump singled out for attack a trio of Senate Democrats who have been among Brett Kavanaugh's biggest critics, stirring up conservative support for his embattled Supreme Court nominee as he stressed to voters here the importance of keeping the Senate in GOP control this November. As Kavanaugh's fate hangs in the balance, Trump used his stump speech on behalf of Tennessee Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn to warn the crowd that Democrats are "trying to destroy a very fine person, and we can't let it happen." Trump attacked Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., arguing that he "destroyed Newark" while serving as mayor of New Jersey's largest city. Trump went after Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., whom he derisively called "Da Nang Blumenthal" stemming from a controversy in 2010 when Blumenthal came under severe criticism for exaggerating his service during the Vietnam War. And as he had repeatedly done in recent days, Trump chastised Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., for keeping private the allegation against Kavanaugh from Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers. Feinstein, Blumenthal and Booker all sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Feinstein has said she kept Ford's allegation private at her request. "The Democrats only know how to obstruct, demolish and destroy," Trump told a raucous crowd here. "As we've seen in recent weeks, Democrats are willing to do anything and to hurt anyone to get their way, like they're doing with Judge Kavanaugh." Trump added: "They've been trying to destroy him since the very first second he was announced." Most people in the boisterous crowd in Johnson City, the home of East Tennessee State University, stayed on their feet for Trump's hour-long speech, which touched on recent news about Kavanaugh, the trade deal with Canada and Mexico, and campaign-trail classics, like criticizing the media and building the wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. When Trump declared Kavanaugh a "good man" with "great intellect," a woman in a red sparkly cowboy hat waved her pink "Women for Trump" sign in the air. When he said that the Democratic Party has been "completely taken over by the resistance," several people in the audience shouted, "Communists!" And when Trump decried the "fake news media," many in the crowd turned toward the press risers and booed. Rick Wood, who came to the rally from North Carolina in a "FNN - Fake News Network" T-shirt, gave a thumbs down and shook his head. Trump's Monday night rally in Tennessee is the first of four rallies this week. In addition to the rally here, Trump also headlined a fundraiser for Blackburn, who is locked in a competitive battle with former governor Phil Bredesen, D, for the seat of retiring Sen. Bob Corker, R. Trump won the state by 26 percentage points in 2016. But Bredesen has narrowed the gap with Blackburn by distancing himself from national Democrats. A CNN poll last month showed Bredesen garnering the support of 50 percent of likely voters; Blackburn took 45 percent. Later this week, Trump has scheduled rallies for Republican candidates in Mississippi, Minnesota and Kansas as part of a campaign-trail blitz one month ahead of the midterm elections. As Trump's ardent supporters lined up Monday afternoon to hear him speak, many said that they had been closely following news about Kavanaugh - and that their belief that he should be confirmed has not changed despite an ongoing FBI investigation and emotional testimony last week from Kavanaugh and Ford. As she waited outside the Freedom Hall Civic Center, DeLona Osborne, 71, said she wanted Trump to begin his speech with "some positive things about Judge Kavanaugh, because he has been so bad-mouthed." Osborne, a retired nurse from Elizabethton, Tennessee, said she watched the hearing and was unmoved by Ford's testimony about her alleged assault, which Osborne said is part of a "ploy" by Democratic senators to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation. "It was the first time in my life I was ashamed to be an American," she said. "The way the Democrats behaved . . . walking out like 2-year-olds." She said she doubts that anything the FBI finds this week will change her opinion. "He's already said he likes beer - I don't drink beer, but if he wants to, then that's his business." A few groups over, Annette Kreitzer, 57, who was sitting in the shade hours ahead of the rally, said she didn't believe Ford because she has "no proof." "It's too convenient," chimed in her sister, Janice Lawson, 63, who is retired. "If she's going to destroy a man, she needs proof." The sisters, one in a red Trump hat and the other in a blue Trump hat, arrived at 9 a.m. to stake out their spot toward the front of the line, which winded multiple blocks down a tree-lined hill. Josh Paul, 33, stood at the front of the line - a spot he won by bringing a sleeping bag and a lawn chair and sleeping in front of the center. Paul, who watched his 10- and 11-year-old nephews playing catch, sighed when asked about the Kavanaugh hearing. "I don't want to pay attention, but it's unavoidable," he said. "These are dangerous proceedings. These accusations without proof - it's almost like the Salem witch trials." Paul, who served in the Marine Corps in Iraq and likes how Trump has emphasized pride in the military, said he does not think the FBI will find evidence against Kavanaugh that would convince him that the judge should not be confirmed. But he said he also understands that accusations of sexual assault "are the most difficult to prove, and it's easy to discredit someone even if they're telling the truth." "It's a terrible situation," he said. "There's no right answer." Philip Thompson, who stood further back in line, said he would "of course" be open to reevaluating his support for Kavanaugh depending on what the FBI uncovers. "But I don't think they're going to find anything," added Thompson, who is retired and said he watched the hearing last week "from beginning to end." Thompson, of Afton, Tenn., said he believed Ford was "a credible witness who may have been sexually assaulted by somebody" but said he is not convinced that it was Kavanaugh. He added that there "should be a statute of limitations" for when someone can come forward with allegations. His friend Mark Halback, 66, said he was "confused" by the whole thing. "She's believable. He's believable. I don't know," Halback said, sighing. What he said he's sure of is that the Democrats in the Senate have "mishandled" the proceedings. "It's turned into a character assassination," he said. "There should have been a more dignified way to handle this." --- Kim reported from Washington, D.C. FDA inspectors seized more than 1,000 pages of documents at e-cigarette maker Juul Labs' headquarters in San Francisco last week, part of the agency's battle against an epidemic of youth vaping. The surprise inspection sought information on sales and marketing practices of the company's devices, which have become wildly popular among underage users. The Food and Drug Administration had requested similar information from Juul in April. "Across this category, we are committed to taking all necessary actions, such as inspections and advancing new policies, to prevent a new generation of kids from becoming addicted to tobacco products," the FDA said in a statement on Tuesday. Federal regulators are stepping up scrutiny of e-cigarettes amid an alarming increase in the rate of youth use of the devices. The FDA confirmed that youth vaping jumped 75 percent in the past year as teens are increasingly drawn to Juul, a pocket-sized device that resembles a thumb drive, and other products that offer nicotine cartridges with candy and fruit flavors. In 2017, more than 2 million middle- and high-school students used e-cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We are committed to preventing underage use, and we want to engage with FDA, lawmakers, public health advocates and others to keep Juul out of the hands of young people," Juul Labs Chief Executive Officer Kevin Burns said in a statement. Sales of Juul e-cigarettes grew more than sevenfold in a year to total 16.2 million in 2017, the CDC wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Tuesday. Juul accounted for nearly 1 in 3 e-cigarette sales in the U.S. in December, giving it the largest market share. Juul and other products like it have been viewed as potential tools to help adult smokers quit traditional cigarettes. CDC's report comes as the FDA is considering banning sales of flavored e-cigarettes given the substantial rise in youth vaping. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said last month the move was aimed largely at Juul Labs. --With assistance from Bloomberg's Janine Wolf. A 35-year-old Nederland man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the possession of child pornography, according to information from the Jefferson County District Attorney's office. Clifton Cisco was identified as having uploaded 64 files of child pornography to the internet, according to the district attorney's office. "China will emerge from the arrows of 2018 even more empowered." Last Monday, Oct. 1, the Peoples Republic of China celebrated its 69th founding anniversary in grand fashion. Despite its increasingly testy relationship with the United States, the Chinese people put up a grand show of unity and achievement befitting the worlds most populous nation and second-biggest economy. Theres a lot of things the PROC can be proud of 69 years after the birth of a New China. After its founding under the revered Chairman Mao Zhe Dong, political consolidation and, later, economic emancipation took off with the emergence of a more pragmatic leadership class under then Chairman Deng Xiao Ping. In a strategic tweaking of its development strategy in 1978, this Deng-led generation of leaders, many of whom were with Mao in the struggle for a New China, combined revolutionary convictions with economic liberalization in what was dubbed the reform and opening up state policy. Within that four-decade window from 1978 to the present, China proceeded to break out and establish itself as a country to reckon with, a model for the rest of the developing world. Consider the following benchmarks: a 21-time growth of its gross domestic product from US$ 364 billion to US$ 52.7 trillion; an annual average growth rate of 6.5 percent; GDP per capita spiked from a low of 365 renminbi(RMB) to 60000RMB; drastically decreased poverty index from 87 percent to 3 percent; and the lifting of 700 million of its 1.3- billion population out of poverty These figures are truly outstanding by any measure and decidedly a source of pride for the Chinese people. But more than any of these economic indicators, what is remarkable is the fact that China has remained one, big and united country despite all the pressures and struggles it had to endure through the years. There were the internal purges and upheavals from its founding in 1949 to its active support of revolutionary struggles worldwide during the Cold War. It is believed that the Chinese Communist Party was heavily involved in the reestablishment of the Communist Party of the Philippines in 1969 which continued quite significantly up to the uprising in EDSA in 1986. In the 60s up to the 80s, almost in tandem with the Soviet Union, China exported revolution worldwidewithin ASEAN all the way to Africaunder a number of guises. In the Korean War in the 1950s, China sent troops and equipment to fight alongside the Koreans in the south. The same was done in Vietnam where the Chinese decided to assist the North and the guerrillas in the South in the run up to unification. With political stability came economic undertakings which the Chinese, with just a little prodding, decided to take a lot. Within the four decades after opening up, China has one of the worlds longest and best-maintained railway system part of which goes all the way to the tallest mountain ranges in the Himalayas. It has also outdistanced the United States in the development of Artificial Intelligence and is slowly but surely getting organized for a technology-driven economy in the 21st century. Lately, with the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BR Initiative) in 2013, China is now busy building bridges to all countries and continents in the entire world. Together with its twin, Maritime Silk Road, it is expanding its reach to parts unknown, areas not usually visited by the US and its European allies. As of July this year, China has signed BR I cooperation agreements with 100 countries and international organizations. Thousands of projects have been proposed for funding and related support by various countries including the Philippines. To ensure that these connectivity and development projects take off from the planning stage to actual completion and utilization, China set up the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank which triggered a rush of participation of countries and NGOs including the Philippines. Given these developments over the years and the know resiliency and work ethic of the Chinese there is doubt in my mind that in this century China will be able to hurdle the pressures and the tests being thrown its way by the critics, here and abroad. It will emerge from the arrows of 2018 even more empowered and, hopefully, more sensitive to the issues and concerns not only of its neighborsin Asia and the Pacific but all others who have started warming up to its initiatives for global security and development. The speed limit on a 1.3 mile stretch of Beaumont's Major Drive could soon drop by as much as 10 miles per hour, according to state and city officials who say the change is needed to reduce car crashes on the busy thoroughfare. Currently set at 60 and 55 mph in some locations, the speed limit on Major from Delaware Street to Folsom Drive could be reduced to 50 mph, said Joseph Majdalani, the city's public works director. The recommendation was made by the Texas Department of Transportation, which reported that "multiple residents" requested an evaluation of the area's speed limit, according to a memo prepared by Majdalani for today's City Council meeting. Council is scheduled to vote on the speed change during the meeting. The crash rate on Major Drive is three time the state average, Majdalani wrote. He said Monday that the new speed limit would match lower existing speeds south of Delaware Street. "It makes sense," said Majdalani, adding that the reduction was "based on the (state) study and based on the history of accidents." But Michael Johnson, a 52-year-old Beaumont resident, said he likes the 60 mph speed limit. Johnson, who often travels down Major Drive, said he hasn't seen "a rash of accidents" in the area. From February 2015 to February 2018, there were 76 crashes along the stretch where the speed reduction is proposed, according to TxDOT spokeswoman Sarah Dupre. Westchase Village neighborhood resident Darwin Bolton said he thought the current speed limit helps "facilitate the flow of traffic." "It is a little fast for city limits" Bolton said, adding he "(did) not think it'd make a difference" to change the speed limit. Bolton, 61, said a majority of drivers choose to drive well below the 60 mph limit, driving at an average of what he estimated to be 45 or 50 mph. Like Westchase Village, two other subdivisions, Cottage Grove and Pecan Place, are nested along Major Drive. With the area bookended by traffic lights at Folsom Drive and Delaware Street, Bolton said most drivers likely see that there's no reason to "go flying just to have to stop" at either intersection. With new construction and development on the horizon, Bolton said he thought the speed limit reduction would benefit people entering and exiting nearby neighborhoods and businesses. Ten years ago, Jim Cornelius said there was very little traffic on Major Drive. As he watched cars drive by his Pecan Place townhome on Monday, Cornelius, 86, said he believed the speed reduction would get some drivers who are "going too fast" to slow down. Dupre said residents concerned about speeds on their streets should contact the Department of Transportation's traffic department. If a speed study has not been completed recently, Dupre said the state agency would conduct a new check "to determine if speed limit does need to be lowered, or in some cases, raised." Speed studies "determine what people feel comfortable driving at," she said. According to the TxDOT website, speed limits on Texas highways represent "the speed the majority of drivers will be traveling at or below." Speed limits are normally set at the nearest value to the 85th percentile, according to the agency. "Safety is our No. 1 priority," said Dupre. "If a citizen feels unsafe, we want to investigate that and make sure the speed limit doesn't need to be lowered or raised." To complete a study, Dupre said officials calculate the speed of approximately 150 vehicles over a two-hour time period and factor in the average speed along with aspects such as shoulder width and the number of driveways. Phoebe.Suy@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/PhoebeSuy When Mishaela Ivy discovered she had breast cancer, the diagnosis started her on a path that has offered insight into ways to care for others. Ivy, an interventional radiology nurse at Midland Health, said the experience has helped her learn the needs of those she serves. Thats why I like being a nurse -- being able to stop and talk to patients be a listening ear whenever theyre having a hard time, she said. I think thats the best part. As a patient, Ivy said she now recognizes times at her job when she can slow down and explain situations. After years of tending to others, Ivys husband, Dustin, said it hasnt been easy for her to have the roles reversed. RELATED: Pink the Park, benefit luncheon scheduled for this month Throughout her journey, Ivy has received guidance from another health care professional. Charliss Rodgers, a breast cancer survivor and certified breast nurse navigator at Midland Health, faced some similar circumstances. As a nurse, youre used to taking care of everybody else, Rodgers said. Now you have to take care of yourself. Ivy is grateful to connect with someone who is familiar with her situation. She said Rodgers has been available to answer questions related to her procedures. Shes done it, Ivy said. She knows what youre feeling and what youre going through. Ivys support network extends beyond her nurse navigator. She receives encouragement from family members, her Sunday school class at Crestview Baptist Church and coworkers at Midland Memorial Hospital. Support also comes through the Midland Fire Department, where Dustin works. He said each gesture during his wifes journey is meaningful. It was more than I could have ever dreamed or hoped for, he said. MEET THE MODELS: Cancer patients take to the runway for Pink the Basin Also offering advice to Mishaela Ivy are members of a local breast cancer support group. Rodgers started organizing the meetings after noticing a need for women under age 45 to have a space to talk about their experiences. Knowing that youre not the only person that is having the problems that youre having and the things that youre going through and family things that youre having to juggle, thats been a big deal, said Ivy, a mother of two. Ivy, who was 33 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, encourages women to do self-examinations. She remembers feeling shocked when she learned she had the disease. Im supposed to be too young to have breast cancer, I thought, Ivy said. So that whole time I really didnt think I was going to get a call saying I did have it. For Ivy, the hardest part of receiving the diagnosis was considering the unknown circumstances that awaited her. She decided to seek treatment at Texas Oncology Midland Allison Cancer Center. As a part of her journey, Ivy has undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The Midland native said staying locally allowed her to go home soon after treatment. Just the thought of having to travel out of town when we had two little girls in school was extremely stressful, she said. When we found out that everything was good and what they were doing here was right on target, that was a big stress relief. During the treatment process, Dustin said his wife has displayed optimism. They are grateful for people in Midland who have offered meals, gifts and other forms of support. Whenever Im feeling better, it definitely makes me want to pay attention to how to meet other peoples needs, said Mishaela Ivy, who will be participating in the style show at todays Pink the Basin Luncheon at the Horseshoe Pavilion. Even small things they would bring little notepads or small books or little things for the kids just little things were a big deal. ___ For more information about the support group for young breast cancer patients and survivors, contact charliss.rodgers@midlandhealth.org. Two people were hospitalized after being exposed to a white powdery substance" that was addressed to Sen. Ted Cruz's Houston campaign office, according to the Houston Police Department. Tests later determined that the substance was negative for any hazardous substance, the Houston Fire Department said. "Dynasties will want to perpetuate their hold on power, and rivals sometimes think the only way to stop such entrenched power is to eliminate the holders with extreme prejudice." The mayor of Sudipen in La Union was killed in an ambush the other day. His wife the vice mayor, as of this writing is in the hospital for injuries sustained during the ambush. There will be more such incidents as the run-up towards the hotly contested mid-term elections nears. Dynasties will want to perpetuate their hold on power, and rivals sometimes think the only way to stop such entrenched power is to eliminate the holders with extreme prejudice. Here in Taiwan, legislators engage in shouting matches and at times, fisticuffs, right in the halls of the Legislative Yuan. But it ends there. Politically motivated violence is not the mode of conduct between rivals. It is as if our politicians have not transcended the feudal nature of their hold on leadership. And until we correct the system that breeds this culture of patronage and money politics, the sporadic acts of violence will prevail, as much as vote-buying has become rule rather than exception. *** There will be two added congressional districts in the province of Isabela, from four to six. There will be two more in Laguna, and so too in Cavite. Aklan will have an additional congressional district as well. In fine, we will have more than 300 members of the House of Representatives, party-list congressmen included. Will the quality of legislation improve with more members of the House? How many of them will have periods similar to ACTS-OFW party-list representative Aniceto Bertiz, who went ballistic when asked by security personnel at the NAIA to remove his shoes? *** In the City of Manila, the mayoralty fight will be among three contenders as of the last count. Theres the incumbent two-term mayor, former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, who will turn 83 years on April 19, 2019, weeks before the date of elections. Theres 92- or 93-year-old Fred Lim, maybe more if you listen to his detractors, who held the position from 1992 to 1998, when he ran for the presidency in a six-way contest where Joseph Estrada won overwhelmingly. In 2004, Lim ran for senator on the opposition ticket, handpicked by the then detained Erap, who also made Lim his DILG secretary during his short-lived presidency. Lim won, but served as senator for only three years, opting to run for mayor in 2007, when Mayor Lito Atienzas three terms expired. Lim won, with the support of the then-detained Erap. But relations between Lim and Erap soured, and in a surprising turn of events, the former president shifted his political base from San Juan to Manila, and challenged Lim.Erap won, not once but twice, over Lim, and now, on his last of three possible terms, the nonagenarian Lim is spoiling for another attempt at dethroning the reigning Erap. Spoiler in the grudge fight is former vice mayor Isko Moreno, who ran unsuccessfully as senator in 2016 under the Grace Poe-Chiz Escudero ticket. Moreno was Mayor Atienzas protege as councilor for three terms, later becoming first, Lim and then Eraps vice mayor. This is going to be an interesting fight: an incumbent octogenarian, a come-backing nonagenarian, and a much younger challenger. Moreno, now DSWD undersecretary, will turn 44 this month, young enough to be Lims grandson, young enough to be Eraps son. The 64-dollar question could be, who will the Iglesia ni Cristo bless? *** In Isabela with two new congressional districts, three-term congressman Rodito Albano will run for governor, and the incumbent governor, Bodjie Dy will be his running mate. But it seems the once monolithic Dy dynasty is torn asunder, with Rep. Napoleon Dy and older brother Jun Dy, former congressman and governor, at odds with the other branch of their family, now led by Governor Bodjie. And in another unexpected turn of events, they have partnered with former Gov. Grace Padaca, once their political nemesis, to challenge the Rodito-Bodjie tandem. Oh well! As often observed in politics, there are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. *** And then of course, there is the battle royale between Eraps two sons, Jinggoy and JV, both running for senator. JV is incumbent gunning for his first reelection. Jinggoy wants to stage a comeback, after finishing two terms as senator. When I asked my former boss, now Manila Mayor Erap when we met at a wedding ceremony last Sunday, he merely shrugged and joked, in characteristic Erap-ism, Ateneo-La Salle Jinggoy graduated from the Ateneo; JV is a La Salle product. Disheartened by increasing regulatory demands and the transition to value-based care, a large number of physicians are considering retirement, according to The Doctors Company's 2018 Future of Healthcare report. The Doctors Company's report was based on observations of more than 3,400 physicians. Here are five findings: 1. Seventy percent of physicians wouldn't recommend healthcare as a career. Twenty-six percent are likely to recommend a medical profession to family members. 2. Fifty-four percent of physicians said changes in healthcare are likely to lead them to retire within five years, including 30 percent of physicians under 51 years old. Male physicians, who are more likely to report being surgical specialists, are more likely to retire than female physicians. 3. EHRs negatively impact the physician-patient relationship, according to 54 percent of physicians. Sixty-one percent believe EHRs hurt efficiency and productivity. 4. Sixty-one percent of respondents said they believe value-based care will hurt their practice. 5. Although primary care physicians, surgeons and specialists expressed concern about the viability of independent practices, 75 percent of solo practitioners plan to remain independent. A Georgia surgeon predicted there will be no independent physicians in five years. A nonsurgical specialist in Utah said, "I am worried solo practitioners are being squeezed out and forced to join larger corporations to survive in today's practice environment, which will negatively affect how patients are treated." Lawyers representing Charleston, W. Va., gastroenterologist Steven Matulis, MD, and his alleged victims gave opening statements during trial Oct. 1, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports. Here's what you should know: 1. Dr. Matulis is charged with four counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of first-degree sexual abuse. 2. He allegedly performed breast and vaginal exams on patients during gastrointestinal medical procedures without their consent. 3. A lawyer for the victims argued the alleged exams were never documented, nor did patients consent to them. 4. Dr. Matulis' lawyer argued patients allegedly signed consent forms with a clause allowing for "procedural changes." He said vaginal examinations during a colonoscopy are commonly performed to check for masses or lumps. 5. In addition to the criminal case, Dr. Matulis has at least 15 suits pending in civil court from patients claiming sexual misconduct. Note: Becker's ASC Review will provide relevant updates as this case unfolds. Eight privacy incidents at healthcare organizations captured public attention last month. While media outlets reported on the following breaches in September, healthcare organizations experienced breaches as early as 2014. Here are the eight incidents, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review. The incidents are presented in order of number of patients affected. 1. The Fetal Diagnostic Institute of the Pacific in Honolulu notified 40,800 patients about a potential data breach after it fell victim to a ransomware attack in June. 2. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island notified 1,567 members that an unnamed vendor responsible for sending members' benefits explanations breached their personal health information. 3. An employee at Kings County Hospital's emergency room stole nearly 100 patients' private information and sold it through an encrypted app on his phone. 4. Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in Ogdensburg, N.Y., terminated an undisclosed number of employees after hospital officials identified breaches of patient health information during a recent internal investigation. 5. Reliable Respiratory in Norwood, Mass., discovered unusual activity on an employee's email account in July, which may have allowed hackers to access an undisclosed number of patients' protected health information. 6. Independence Blue Cross in Pennsylvania notified an undisclosed number of plan members about a potential compromise of their protected health information after an employee uploaded a file containing personal data to a website that was publicly accessible for three months. 7. Nashville, Tenn.-based Aspire Health lost some patient information to an unknown cyberattacker who gained access to its internal email system in September, federal court records filed Sept. 25 show. 8. Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., canceled all remaining elective surgeries Sept. 18 after its IT team discovered a computer virus on its systems. L.D. Gill, hospital security officer at Atlanta-based Emory University Hospital, discusses how hackers are using mobile and medical devices to break into hospital cybersecurity systems and the best way staff can help in the aftermath of an attack. Question: What would you say is the No. 1 threat to hospital cybersecurity today and why? L.D. Gill: Mobile devices and medical devices that have access to the network. These devices can house malware to read data that can access the network and compromise IT security. Hackers controlling these devices and network operations can put the hospital in a hostage situation by locking it out of its own devices and data access. Q: What do you see as the next big cybersecurity threat hospitals should look out for? LG: Medical devices connected to the network pose the biggest threat because the initial thought of the user is that the equipment is broken. The reality is the medical devices are being used as a conduit to gain access to the network and gain private information. The machine still connected to the network provides hackers an opportunity to progress through the network undetected. Q: What advice would you give to hospital CISOs or CIOs to get hospital staff on the same page in the aftermath of a cyberattack? LG: Staff use the same software daily and know what the software should be doing for them as a user. There are faint glitches that occur with malware that most users overlook due to their need to access information themselves. I would tell staff to notify their IT department immediately to make sure the devices have not been compromised. Q: What do you consider to be the most important aspect in hospital data protection? LG: Data management can be expensive but necessary in the long run for network security. Who has access and what devices used to access the information should be [a] limited and closely monitored system. Limiting device access and network usage for those devices narrows down and limits the possibility of intrusion through electronic mobile devices and medical equipment. To learn more about hospital and health system cybersecurity, as well as the key trends for CISOs, register for the Becker's Hospital Review 2nd Annual Health IT + Clinical Leadership Conference May 2-4, 2019 in Chicago. Click here to learn more and register. More articles on cybersecurity: The hospital digital revolution & what it means for cybersecurity: 4 Qs with University Hospital Newark, New Jersey's interim CISO 5 questions to help CISOs assess cybersecurity preparedness Healthcare data breaches spike significantly in 7 years: 5 things to know The following hospital and health system rating and outlook changes or affirmations took place in September, starting with the most recent. 1. Fitch downgrades University Health System to 'BBB,' maintains negative outlook Fitch Ratings downgraded its rating on Knoxville, Tenn.-based University Health System to "BBB" from "BBB+." At the same time, Fitch assigned the health system its "BBB" issuer default rating 2. Fitch upgrades Forrest Health's rating to 'A+' Fitch Ratings upgraded Hattiesburg, Miss.-based Forrest Health's rating to "A+" from "A." Concurrently, Fitch assigned its "A+" issuer default rating to the health system. 3. Moody's assigns 'Aa3' rating to Atrium Health Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa3" long-term rating to Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health's proposed $464 million series 2018 bonds. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed its "Aa3" rating on about $1.7 billion of Atrium's outstanding debt. 4. Moody's assigns 'Aa3' to South Broward Hospital District Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa3" rating to Hollywood, Fla.-based South Broward Hospital District's proposed $100 million series 2018 hospital revenue bonds. The district does business as Memorial Healthcare System. 5. Moody's revises Flagler Healthcare System's outlook to stable Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" issuer rating on St. Augustine, Fla.-based Flagler Healthcare System. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed its "Baa1" rating on $32.6 million of the health system's bonds. 6. Moody's assigns 'A2' rating, negative outlook to OSF Healthcare System Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A2" rating to Peoria, Ill.-based OSF Healthcare System's proposed $472 million series 2018 bonds. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed its "A2" rating on the health system's existing debt, affecting about $1.15 billion. 7. Moody's assigns 'Aa3' rating to Parkview Health System Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa3" rating to Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Parkview Health System's proposed $140.1 million series 2018 and $22 million series 2019A hospital revenue bonds. 8. Moody's affirms 'Aa3' rating on Atlantic Health System Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Aa3" rating to Morristown, N.J.-based Atlantic Health System, affecting $830 million of outstanding debt. 9. Moody's affirms 'Baa1' on Charleston Area Medical Center, maintains negative outlook Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Charleston (W.Va.) Area Medical Center, affecting $262 million of outstanding debt. 10. S&P downgrades Nash Health Care System to 'BBB' on deteriorating finances S&P Global Ratings downgraded Rocky Mount, N.C.-based Nash Health Care System's long-term rating to "BBB" from "BBB+," affecting $67.5 million of debt. 11. S&P hits Verity Health System with downgrade, negative outlook after bankruptcy filing S&P Global Ratings downgraded Redwood City, Calif.-based Verity Health System to "CC" from "CCC," affecting about $325 million of debt. 12. Fitch assigns 'BBB+' issuer rating to NYU Winthrop Hospital Fitch Ratings assigned its "BBB+" issuer default rating to Mineola, N.Y.-based NYU Winthrop Hospital. In addition, the credit rating agency affirmed its "BBB+" rating on the hospital's series 2012 revenue bonds, affecting $130.2 million of debt. 13. Fitch affirms 'BBB-' rating on Oaklawn Hospital, assigns positive outlook Fitch Ratings affirmed its "BBB-" rating on Marshall, Mich.-based Oaklawn Hospital's $63.5 million series 2016 revenue bonds. Concurrently, Fitch assigned the hospital an issuer default rating of "BBB." 14. Fitch upgrades Frederick Memorial Hospital to 'A-' Fitch Ratings upgraded Frederick (Md.) Memorial Hospital's series 2012A revenue bonds to "A-" from "BBB+." Concurrently, Fitch assigned the hospital an "A-" issuer default rating. 15. Moody's affirms Cooper University Health Care's 'Baa1' rating Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Camden, N.J.-based Cooper University Health Care, affecting $236 million of outstanding revenue bonds. 16. Fitch assigns 'BB+' rating to John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital, issues rating watch negative Fitch Ratings assigned its "BB+" issuer default rating to Marshall, Mo.-based John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital. 17. Moody's assigns 'Aa2' to Mayo Clinic's bonds Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Aa2" rating to Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic's proposed $200 million series 2018 revenue bonds. Concurrently, Moody's affirmed its "Aa2" rating on the health system's $3 billion of outstanding debt. 18. Moody's affirms 'A2' rating on Renown Health Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A2" rating on Reno, Nev.-based Renown Health, affecting $448 million of rated debt. 19. Moody's downgrades South Georgia Medical Center to 'Baa3', maintains negative outlook Moody's Investors Service downgraded the Hospital Authority of Valdosta (Ga.) and Lowndes County's revenue certificates to "Baa3" from "A3," affecting $48 million of debt. The hospital authority does business as South Georgia Medical Center. 20. Moody's assigns 'A3' rating to St. Luke's University Health Network's bonds Moody's Investors Service assigned its "A3" rating to Bethlehem, Pa.-based St. Luke's University Health Network's proposed $100 million series 2018C revenue bonds. The credit rating agency also affirmed its "A3" rating on the health system's outstanding debt. 21. Moody's assigns 'Baa1' rating to AU Health System, maintains negative outlook Moody's Investors Service assigned its "Baa1" rating to Augusta (Ga.) University Health System's proposed $76.8 million series 2018 revenue bonds. At the same time, Moody's affirmed the health system's "Baa1" issuer rating. 22. Fitch downgrades Essentia Health's bonds to 'A-' Fitch Ratings downgraded Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia Health's outstanding bonds to "A-" from "A," affecting $240 million of debt. 23. Fitch upgrades Holland Community Hospital to 'AA-' Fitch Ratings upgraded its rating on Holland (Mich.) Community Hospital to "AA-" from "A+," affecting $77.3 million of debt. 24. Fitch downgrades Southeastern Medical Center to 'A-', assigns negative outlook Fitch Ratings downgraded Lumberton, N.C.-based Southeastern Medical Center's bonds to "A-" from "A," affecting $30 million of debt. Concurrently, the credit agency assigned the medical center its "A-" issuer default rating. 25. S&P assigns its 'A+' rating to Fairview Health Services S&P Global Ratings assigned its "A+" long-term rating to Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services' $252.3 million series 2018A. Concurrently, S&P affirmed its "A+" rating on the health system's existing debt. 26. S&P gives Palomar Health a 'BBB' rating S&P Global Ratings upgraded its long-term rating on Escondido, Calif.-based Palomar Health's revenue bonds to "BBB" from "BBB-." At the same time, S&P Global ratings downgraded its long-term and underlying rating on Palomar Health's outstanding general obligation bonds to "BBB" from "A." 27. Moody's affirms 'Baa1' rating on Catholic Health System, maintains negative outlook Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Baa1" rating on Buffalo, N.Y.-based Catholic Health System and maintained its negative outlook. 28. Moody's revises Indiana Regional Medical Center's outlook to negative Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "Ba1" rating of Indiana (Pa.) Regional Medical Center, affecting $23.6 million of debt. Concurrently, the medical center's outlook was revised to negative from stable. 29. Moody's revises Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System's outlook to stable Moody's Investors Service revised Baton Rouge, La.-based Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System's outlook to stable from negative. Concurrently, the credit rating agency affirmed the health system's "A2" rating. 30. Moody's downgrades Integris Health to 'A1' Moody's Investors Service downgraded Oklahoma City-based Integris Health one notch, to 'A1' from "Aa3." The action affects $226 million of outstanding debt. 31. S&P assigns 'BBB+' rating to CHI's bonds S&P Global Ratings assigned its "BBB+" rating to Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiative's $250 million series 2017A revenue bonds. 32. S&P assigns 'AA' rating to Mayo Clinic's bonds S&P Global Ratings assigned its "AA" rating to Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic's $200 million series 2018 revenue bonds. 33. S&P affirms 'CCC' rating on Coalinga Regional Medical Center S&P Global Ratings affirmed its "CCC" long-term rating on Coalinga (Calif.) Regional Medical Center's certificates of participation. The outlook is negative. A total of 64 rural hospitals closed between 2013 and 2017 not counting the eight that closed and reopened which is more than twice as many closures as the previous five-year period, according to a report released Sept. 28 by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Here are 10 things to know about the spike in rural hospital closures, based on the report: 1. This has happened before. Between 1985 and 1988, 140 rural hospitals closed, accounting for about 5 percent of the rural hospitals in existence in 1985. These closures are credited to the then-new financial pressures of the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System created in 1983. 2. Comparatively fewer urban hospitals closed. Forty-nine urban hospitals closed between 2013 and 2017, accounting for about 2 percent of all urban hospitals in 2013. The 64 rural closures accounted for 3 percent of rural hospitals in 2013. 3. Most closures 77 percent occurred in the South. Texas accounted for 22 percent of the closures between 2013 and 2017, more than the entire Midwest (11 percent) combined. 4. The hospitals that closed were predominantly for-profit. Thirty-six percent of the hospitals that closed between 2013-17 were for-profit, though for-profit hospitals accounted for just 11 percent of rural hospitals in 2013. 5. The hospitals that closed were also predominately designated Medicare Dependent. Of the 64 hospitals that closed between 2013-17, 25 percent were designated Medicare Dependent hospitals, though just 9 percent of rural hospitals were Medicare Dependent in 2013. 6. Financial issues were the root cause of most closures. The GAO notes rural hospital closures typically occurred when hospitals had negative margins and were unable to cover fixed costs. 7. Declining levels of inpatient care often aggravated the hospitals' financial standing. These declines stemmed from increased competition from federally qualified health systems and other larger health systems, as well as a declining rural population overall. The report notes 2010-16 was the first period of rural population decline in American history. 8. Medicare payment reductions were also a major factor in the closures. The GAO notes the average rural hospital in 2016 counted on Medicare for 46 percent of gross patient revenue. Medicare payment reductions across the board contribute to negative margins for rural hospitals, while reductions in Medicare bad debt payments also add financial pressure. 9. Medicaid payments are a boon to rural hospitals. Supporting past research, the GAO found rural hospitals in Medicaid expansion states were far less likely to close than those in states that had not expanded Medicaid as of April 2018. 10. More than half of the closed hospitals converted into another type of healthcare facility, such as urgent care, primary care or emergency services. Forty-seven percent ceased all services. More articles on finance: California hospital operator enters bankruptcy after Anthem sues For-profit hospital stock report: Week of Sept. 24-28 Small-business owners say cost of healthcare is their No. 1 issue "People seek their help for all kinds of needs." I cant believe Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go is not running for the Senate at the rate his photo and name are appearing on the papers every day. He must think people are stupid. He keeps denying what is obvious. As a voter, what Id like to know is where Go is coming fromhis academic background, his experience in governance and legislation. All I know about him is that he is always at the background when the President is around. He also likes taking selfies. That is, of course, aside from the fact that he belongs to a family of Davao City contractors. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has reported that the family firm had cornered some P4.2 billion worth of public works contracts. Is loyalty to the President now a ticket to the Senate? *** In two weeks or so, candidates for the mid-term elections in 2019 will be filing their certificates of candidacy. If there is anything that is certain, it is that political dynasties will once again dominate the polls. We can start with the Duterte family in Davao. Presidential daughter Sara Duterte Carpio will run for reelection as city mayor. Former vice mayor Paolo Duterte will run for Congress. I have nothing against political dynasties per se because I know that some of them are good for their communities. The people can always go to them when they are in need. They have money to spread around. Some political dynasties in fact serve the common good. That is the reason members of a political dynasty are welcomed by voters. Lest I am misunderstood, I see nothing wrong with Sara Duterte running for re-election. She has done a lot of good for her city. Likewise, Paolo should run for Congress if that is what the people want. Because of poverty, people rely a lot on political dynasties to help them. This is why elections cost a lot. How many voters are needed for a candidate to win? See how our elections are getting more prohibitive as the years go by? In the Senate, I have been told, candidates have to fork out over P500 million to run a viable campaign.Still, there are other dynasties who prey on the poor. There are also dynasties that get involved in drugs or gambling, like the Parojinog family of Ozamis City. The argument against dynasties is that they deprive people who are more qualified from holding office. This is a cycle. The poor support the dynasties because they need to. They cannot expect help from candidates who have no funds. This is where the problem begins. There are those who spread money around during the campaign and try to recover it through corrupt practices while I office. This is Philippine politics, like it or not. *** At this point, I want to ask what President Duterte achieved in zeroing in on his staunch critic, Senator Antonio Trillanes. I say nothing except make Trillanes the face of the opposition, something the senator does not even deserve. The President apparently acted upon the advice of Solicitor General Jose Calida, whom Trillanes was investigating for his familys security agency that had snagged contracts with various government offices. Note that during the 25 days that Trillanes was living in the Senate to avoid arrest, only a sparse crowd was seen rallying for him. This shows he does not enjoy much credibility. I dont even know why Trillanes became a senator. He is abrasive and arrogant. As a presidential critic, he is a small voice in the wilderness. This is, I believe, a mistake of the President. Trillanes is now being accused of not filing his application for amnesty and not admitting his guilt in the coup agains then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The issue still has to be decided by the Supreme Court. *** This month is dedicated to teachers. I wish to commend teachers who commit to this noble profession. I know their travails and sacrifices. I belong to a family of teachers my mother, father, brother and I were all teachers. Georgia repeatedly has failed to pass legislation addressing surprise medical bills, but a solution could be on the horizon, according to a Georgia Health News report. Four notes: 1. Patients may receive unexpected medical bills after receiving emergency care from an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. These bills can leave them on the hook for hundreds or thousands of dollars. 2. Georgia lawmakers have tried to address the issue. One legislative proposal focused on providing patients with more information on out-of-network providers and costs, while another established a formula for insurer payments to physicians for care outside the coverage network, according to the report. The first was backed by insurers, and the second was backed by physician groups. In the end, Georgia Health News reported, a compromise was not reached. 3. State lawmakers may take up the issue again soon. State Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, told Georgia Health News last month that he has talked "with all sides on this issue, and I believe there will be a serious attempt to solve out-of-network billing the next session." 4. At the federal level, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators announced a bill that aims to prevent an out-of-network provider at a hospital that is in the patient's coverage network from charging patients more for emergency care than they would have paid under their insurance. Read the full Georgia Health News report here. More articles on healthcare finance: Small-business owners say cost of healthcare is their No. 1 issue Hospitals focusing on clinical conditions, employee well-being to beat rising healthcare costs US Supreme Court to review Medicare payments ruling The Michigan Nurses Association, which represents registered nurses at Iron Mountain, Mich.-based Dickinson County Healthcare System, have called for hospital Administrator and CEO John Schon to resign. "Under his leadership, the hospital was driven into such a bad financial position that our whole region's economy is at risk," Susan Berquist, RN, who works in the emergency department and is the president of the MNA union at the hospital, told Local 3 News. "As our community struggles to move forward, we all deserve accountability and transparency values that John Schon clearly does not share. It's past time for him to go." The union called for Mr. Schon to resign as the Dickinson County Healthcare System is exploring options to improve its financial position. The hospital recently hired Venable, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, to help it pursue a restructuring, according to The Daily News. DCHS Board Chairman Bill Edberg said the law firm is tasked with finding the best option for the hospital, and that Chapter 11 bankruptcy is still a possibility. He said the hospital has enough money to operate through the end of October. The hospital may have access to $2.3 million that was held in escrow by Fifth Third Bank during acquisition talks with Marquette, Mich.-based UP Health System. UP Health System signed a nonbinding letter of intent in July to acquire DCHS. However, the organizations were unable to agree on the terms of the acquisition and ended negotiations. More articles on healthcare finance: Memorial Sloan Kettering tells exec to turn over profits from biotech firm California hospital operator enters bankruptcy after Anthem sues Cleveland Clinic agrees to invest $250M in Florida hospital Houston-based Texas Children's Hospital received a $50 million pledge from Sue and Lester Smith to support construction of its patient tower and cancer center, according to the Houston Business Journal. The gift was announced at the Texas Children's Legacy of Motown Gala Sept. 29 that raised more than $83 million for the hospital. To honor the donors, the hospital will name the new 19-story patient tower the Lester and Sue Smith Legacy Tower. The first phase of the tower, which houses neurosurgery, orthopedics, transplant surgery and 84 intensive care unit beds, opened in May. The second phase opened in late September. "I am incredibly grateful to Lester and Sue for this transformational gift," Mark Wallace, president and CEO of Texas Children's, told the Business Journal. "Their unwavering commitment to our patients and families over the years is unmatched, and this is another shining example of their extraordinary generosity and compassionate care for others." Mr. Smith is the founder of Smith Energy Co. in Houston. Opelika-based East Alabama Medical Center hired the first female president and CEO in the hospital's history, WTVM 9 News reports. The hospital held a ceremony Oct. 1 in honor of Laura Grill, RN, whom officials appointed president and CEO, according to WTVM 9 News. She was named CEO-in-waiting for the hospital in April. Ms. Grill will become the organization's seventh chief executive in the hospital's history, which dates back to 1952. She began her tenure at EAMC as director of cardiology in 1992 and has served as executive vice president of the organization since 2007. HHS Secretary Alex Azar is visiting Brazil Oct. 1-2 to discuss the U.S.-Brazil collaboration on global health security and Argentina Oct. 3-5 to represent the U.S. at the G20 Health Ministerial Meeting. Mr. Azar plans to learn about Zika and microcephaly from Brazilian families; meet with health officials, hospital staff and providers; and speak at the Sao Paulo Research Foundation about healthcare innovation. Mr. Azar will also assist authorities on programs for Venezuelan migrants. After Brazil, Mr. Azar will travel to Argentina for the G20 Health Ministerial Meeting. This is the second G20 Health Ministers meeting, and it will focus on the future of work, infrastructure and development, and a sustainable food future. More articles on leadership and management: Adventist Health Bakersfield to cut 40 patient finance jobs Verma's Medicaid speech: 5 quotes 7 ways leaders can spur career growth through honest connections Hospitals in the Las Vegas area paused Oct. 1 to remember the anniversary of last year's mass shooting, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report. Staff at Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican Hospital Siena campus recited a prayer. At Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, chaplains shook hands and hugged workers. A therapy dog and tissue boxes were available. "There's a feeling in the air, but it's kind of a good feeling; it's hope," emergency nurse Deena Lakes told the Review-Journal as she touched the therapy dog's head Oct. 1. Staff at St. Rose in Henderson, Nev., read the names of the 58 people who died in last year's tragedy and unveiled a Remembrance Lights memorial with the same number of candlelike lights, according to the report. The same installation was expected at other hospital campuses. Other reported remembrance activities included: Breakfast for staff at Sunrise Hospital Moments of silence at Sunrise, Southern Hills and St. Rose Dominican hospitals Balloon release the evening of Oct. 1 at Valley Health System hospitals A "Stop the Bleed" training class for the public at University Medical Center More articles on leadership: DMC leader resigns, 3 others asked to step down Imagine your health system but better: The clinical integration makeover we all need Azar visits Brazil, Argentina to discuss global health security Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, argued noninvasive blood tests are the future of healthcare in a piece for Wired. For the 25th-anniversary issue of the magazine, Wired invited 25 of the digital revolutionaries that its staff said are the "most responsible for the changes of the past quarter-century" to nominate someone they think will significantly change society in the next 25 years. Mr. Gates, one of Wired's digital revolution icons from the past 25 years, nominated Stephen Quake, PhD, a professor of bioengineering and applied physics at Stanford University in California and co-president of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, a collaborative effort by UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco and Stanford University funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, MD. "By sampling the small amount of genetic material that circulates in the bloodstream, [Dr. Quake is] replacing invasive, often painful procedures with cheaper, easier blood tests," Mr. Gates wrote. "He's built a career out of turning highly specialized procedures into something simple that can be done anywhere, including the most remote places in the world." With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Quake's lab has published a study into the effectiveness of using a blood test to predict a pregnant woman's due date within a two-week window. Dr. Quake is also investigating blood tests for infectious diseases and has already developed a blood test to detect genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, in fetuses, according to Mr. Gates. "More accurate, less expensive and earlier diagnosis of issues will revolutionize how we treat people and prevent disease while reducing costs," Mr. Gates wrote. "This is the direction medicine is headed, and Stephen Quake is leading the way." To read Mr. Gates' nomination in Wired, click here. Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare signed a definitive agreement to acquire St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn., the organizations announced Oct. 1. Under the agreement, Hartford HealthCare will acquire St. Vincent's Medical Center, which comprises a 473-bed community teaching hospital, a 76-bed inpatient psychiatric facility, a multispecialty provider group and the hospital's special needs services. St. Vincent's, which is part of St. Louis-based Ascension, will maintain its Catholic tradition as part of Hartford HealthCare. "Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent's share many attributes," Elliot Joseph, CEO of Hartford HealthCare, said in a news release. "Our two organizations have deep roots in Connecticut. We both are committed to providing excellent, compassionate care and to creating healthier communities. We are proud of the work the people of St. Vincent's have done so well across Fairfield County and beyond. Hartford HealthCare would be privileged to work with the St. Vincent's team to enhance access to exceptional, personalized, coordinated care." Ascension and Hartford HealthCare signed a letter of intent for the acquisition in March. To learn more, click here. The boards of Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health and Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System signed a letter of intent to merge, the systems announced Oct. 1. Together, the combined system will include 68 hospital campuses, more than 1,100 care delivery sites, two health plans and almost 14,000 employed, independent and academic physicians. The combined $14 billion system's 68 hospitals would account for 15 percent of the total hospitals in the state, and cover most of north, central and southeast Texas, according to data from American Hospital Association cited by The Dallas Morning News. Physicians in the hospital network would see nearly 10 million patients per year. "This is about two mission-driven organizations both committed to making safe, high-quality healthcare more convenient and affordable building something transformative together," Jim Hinton, CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health, said in a news release. "We must lead the change in our industry, while insisting we continue to fulfill our unwavering commitments to meeting the needs of all Texans." Under the letter of intent, the organizations will retain a unified board comprising an equal number of representatives from both organizations, and will maintain an executive and support staff based in Austin, Texas; Dallas; and Houston, among other locations. Mr. Hinton will serve as CEO of the combined entity and will be joined in the office of the CEO by Chuck Stokes, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann, and Pete McCanna, president of Baylor Scott & White. Officials said the combined organization will be rebranded before closing the deal, but that Baylor Scott & White and Memorial Hermann will continue to operate under their respective brands in their service areas. With the letter of intent, Baylor and Memorial Hermann have entered into exclusive negotiations. Officials said they hope to sign a definitive agreement in 2019. To learn more, click here. Cleveland Clinic signed a definitive agreement to integrate Stuart, Fla.-based Martin Health System into the system, the organizations announced Oct. 2. Here are three things to know: 1. Under the deal, Martin Health System, which comprises three hospitals, a 150-member physician group and a full range of outpatient services, will become a full member of Cleveland Clinic, pending regulatory approval. 2. Cleveland Clinic will invest $500 million over five years into Martin Health System to fund the institution's strategic and capital needs, as well as other programs and services. All Martin Health System employees will also retain their employment and benefits for at least one year from the agreement's finalization. 3. The agreement comes several months after the organizations signed a letter of intent to explore partnership opportunities in March. The organizations initially formed a heart and vascular affiliation in January. More articles on transactions and valuations: Ascension inks agreement to sell Connecticut hospital Is bigger better? Mega mergers return to health systems 3 thoughts Baylor, Memorial Hermann to form 68-hospital system Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health completed the sale of McKenzie (Tenn.) Regional Hospital to Memphis, Tenn.-based Baptist Memorial Health Care on Sept. 30. In July, Quorum entered into a definitive agreement to sell the 45-bed hospital to Baptist Memorial. At that time, Quorum announced it would close the hospital in September. "The closure reflects a national trend as small rural hospitals feel the impacts of reductions in federal funding, lower reimbursements from government and commercial insurers, and rising numbers of uninsured patients," McKenzie Regional said in a press release. "MRH has struggled with declining patient volumes in recent years and has maintained an average daily census of just eight patients." Quorum shut down McKenzie Regional Sept. 15 after scaling back services for several weeks. Baptist Memorial plans to operate the facility as an outpatient diagnostic imaging and sleep center. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: Trinity Health forms new 5-hospital system Justice Department to cut merger reviews to 6 months, antitrust chief says Orlando Health, Lakeland Regional end affiliation after 1 year From a subsidiary of Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems agreeing to pay $262 million to settle a fraud probe to a judge being assigned to the criminal case against executives of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines. 1. Criminal case against Broward Health executives inches forward A permanent judge was assigned Sept. 26 to the criminal case against former and current leaders of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Broward Health. 2. Police officer accused of assaulting patient at New Jersey hospital indicted on federal civil rights charges A federal grand jury indicted police officer Roger Then on Sept. 21 for several offenses arising from the assault of a patient at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. 3. CHS subsidiary to pay $262M to settle fraud probe Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems subsidiary Health Management Associates agreed to pay the federal government $262 million to settle fraudulent billing and kickback allegations. 4. Louisiana medical practice sues to stop CMS from withholding Medicare payments Michael Dole, MD, the president and sole shareholder of a medical practice in Alexandria, La., filed a federal lawsuit against HHS and CMS seeking to stop CMS from withholding Medicare payments from the medical practice after a billing audit. 5. Alabama hospital pays $4.25M to settle false billing case Opelika-based East Alabama Medical Center and its subsidiary Aperian Laboratory Solutions agreed to pay $4.25 million to resolve allegations they violated the False Claims Act and the Anti-Kickback Statute. 6. Labs' challenge over Medicare cuts dismissed: 7 things to know A federal judge dismissed the lab industry's challenge to a Medicare payment regulation issued by HHS on the grounds that it's out of her jurisdiction. 7. Virginia health system authority to pay US nearly $4M to resolve inaccurate billing The operator of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center and related healthcare facilities in Richmond agreed to pay the federal government $3,994,151 to resolve inaccurate payments for radiation oncology services. 8. Aetna doesn't need to cover wilderness therapy, court agrees A Utah federal judge decided Sept. 19 Aetna is not required to cover members' wilderness therapy services. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Partners, Massachusetts Eye and Ear settle deceptive billing allegations Maryland attorney general sues Trump administration to prevent dismantling of ACA Texas hospital asks judge to dismiss Aetna's claims in billing suit Drug wholesaler AmerisourceBergen will pay $625 million to resolve allegations that the company improperly distributed tampered and repackaged drugs, including syringes for cancer patients. Here are seven things to know: 1. The settlement, announced Oct. 1, resolves civil liability under the False Claims Act. The lawsuit claimed numerous false claims were submitted to Medicaid for unapproved, defective or contaminated drugs. 2. AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group, a wholly owned subsidiary, separately pleaded guilty to illegally distributing misbranded drugs in September 2017, forking over $260 million in fines at the time. 3. The claims were brought against the company from its alleged repackaging and distribution practices at its subsidiary between 2001 and 2014. 4. At the Alabama subsidiary, drug vials including the overfill were emptied into plastic containers and repackaged into syringes. The overfill is the extra amount of drug beyond the labeled dose that is contained in each vial. By emptying the overfill into the plastic container, the company created more doses than it purchased from the manufacture. In addition, the company avoided opening some of the vials and sold them to other customers, according to the Department of Justice. 5. The scheme enabled the company to bill multiple healthcare providers for the same vial of drug, which caused Medicare and Medicaid to pay for the same drug twice. In addition, the scheme also allegedly enabled Amerisource to leverage various product discounts to obtain new customers and retain existing customers to increase its market share. 6. The scheme was brought to the attention of prosecutors by former COO Michael Mullen, a whistle-blower at the company, according to The Wall Street Journal. 7. "[Amerisource] placed corporate profits over patients needs, endangering the health of vulnerable cancer patients," said U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue. "This settlement, and the substantial penalty [Amerisource] has agreed to pay, reflect this Offices firm commitment to protecting those in need of healthcare and holding to account those who put the health and safety of patients at risk." HealthCare Partners Holdings, which does business as DaVita Medical Holdings, will pay $270 million to settle False Claims Act violations and a whistle-blower lawsuit, according to the Department of Justice. HealthCare Partners is the large California-based independent physician group that El Segundo, Calif.-based DaVita bought in 2012. In a voluntary disclosure to the federal government, DaVita said HealthCare Partners' practices caused private Medicare Advantage plans it contracted with to submit incorrect diagnosis codes to CMS. This led to inflated Medicare payments shared between DaVita and HealthCare Partners, according to the Justice Department. The $270 million settlement resolves these violations. It also settles allegations made by whistle-blower James Swoben, a former employee of a private Medicare Advantage plan doing business with DaVita. Mr. Swoben alleged HealthCare Partners engaged in "one-way" chart reviews leading to increased Medicare payments. Under the qui tam provision of the False Claims Act, Mr. Swoben will receive $10.2 million of the settlement. Many hospital leaders and clinicians are reassessing current pain management strategies and opioid stewardship efforts amid the ongoing opioid epidemic. During a Sept. 18 panel at Becker's 4th Annual Health It + Revenue Cycle Conference in Chicago, Cheryl Crider, CEO of Crider Health Solutions; Janet Poppe, vice president of payer and employer relations at Pacira; and Reed Hansen, PharmD, director of professional services at Allscripts, discussed key issues on the opioid epidemic and how consumers, clinicians and administrators can play their part in curbing opioid use disorder. Here are four takeaways from the discussion: Editor's Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Administrators should take initiative to research pain resources and educate staff on alternative pain management options. "Check regulation laws on how your state prescribes," Ms. Crider said. "I would also suggest looking at the American Academy of Pain Medicine in terms of resources for information to better prepare and create plans of action." Multimodal pain management is the new line of thinking. "The operating room has become an unintended gate to the opioid epidemic. A lot of times it is a prescription after surgery that starts addiction," Ms. Poppe said. "The new thinking is, instead of using opioids as monotherapies, physicians are turning to multimodal pain management, where you use products with two or more different modes of action to really try to help that patient." Share realistic pain expectations with patients. Zero pain is not the goal. "The body has to recognize the fact that it has been hurt and is in some discomfort," Dr. Hansen said. "We need to look at medication from a proactive perspective. How do we start within the healthcare system to make sure patients truly understand the medications they are being prescribed and understand what they are going through? You need to educate patients on some things that seem like common sense." Clinicians should use nonopioid alternative therapies. "You have to have a plan of care to make sure patients are appropriately prescribed medications and consider nonopioid practices, such as nonpharmacological practices to distract, to help and to assist patients in pain," Dr. Hansen said. For example, oral surgeons are turning to Exparel for wisdom tooth extraction, which is injected into the surgical site and slowly releases medicine over three days to numb the area. "It is helping younger patients avoid opioids," Ms. Poppe said. More articels on opioids: Nurse who lost sons to opioids becomes advocate for prescription drug safety VA hospitals to add naloxone to AED cabinets CBO analyzes House opioids bill: 3 things to know As hospitals and health systems work to cut costs and keep patients out of hospitals during the transition to value-based care, payers and providers must continue to strengthen their relationship to tackle the numerous challenges care delivery presents today. At Becker's Hospital Review 4th Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference Sept. 19 in Chicago, a panel of healthcare experts weighed in on the biggest challenges and opportunities affecting the payer and provider relationship today. The panel included: Roy Beveridge, MD, CMO of Humana Aneesh Krishna, partner at McKinsey & Co., health insurance segment David Gallegos, senior vice president of consulting services for healthcare technology company Change Healthcare In reflecting on the top challenge payers and providers face in transitioning from fee-for-service to value-based care, Dr. Beveridge said one of the most significant changes is providers are becoming more accountable for their care. From the provider's perspective, this shift makes the payer's role more important, particularly from an IT and data standpoint. "When I started practicing, everything was fee-for-service, and the bad guys were the payers," Dr. Beveridge said. "In a fee-for-service system, it's a 'mother may I' process that involves getting permission from someone else to do something. This is always going to result in disharmony no matter how good the relationship is." Now, as providers shift away from the fee-for-service model, the key to eliminating that disharmony lies in developing a strong sense of trust, Dr. Beveridge said. "Around the value-based world, the biggest challenge affecting the payer and provider is trust," Dr. Beveridge said. "We're moving into a world where we have aligned incentives, and in that case, the challenge is to develop that trust." Mr. Krishna built on this, discussing how successful value-based models must align provider and payer goals. "The whole notion of misaligned incentives has plagued the healthcare space for a long time," Mr. Krishna said. "Building trust between payers and providers becomes less of a zero-sum game and more of a collaborative approach to drive down costs. The more payers and providers come at this challenge together and create win-win programs, the more we make progress in healthcare." To help eliminate fragments in the healthcare system, consolidation processes that bring larger data systems together and allow for a greater exchange of information can help payers and providers in tracking high quality care, Dr. Beveridge said. "As we move into value-based care, do patients really know how good a doctor or hospital is? The answer is we probably don't," Dr. Beveridge said, "but bringing data together will allow us to have common systems that can look at quality measures, cost measures and give us needed transparency." Payers and providers also will have to continue to manage different patient populations while keeping care costs down, Mr. Krishna said, reflecting on his experience serving national and regional health plans and systems. "Most providers I work with have struggled with how to tailor the experiences of patients with same condition," he said. In this way, as providers focus on population health, they have a broader responsibility to not only consider the patients in front of them, but also manage patients who are not in the office, Dr. Beveridge added. However, in focusing on population health, payers and providers must be careful not to lose sight of patients as consumers who want data relevant to them, Mr. Gallegos said. "Consumers don't want big data; they want small data that is relevant to them. Amazon, for example, doesn't tell me what everyone's buying. It tells me what I would want to buy. I think healthcare needs to do the same thing and send patients precise information tailored to them." For payers and providers moving to value-based care, perhaps the most significant challenge will be recognizing that a successful system goes beyond merely ensuring patients are free from disease, Mr. Gallegos said. "We're beginning to realize healthcare is more than just the absence of disease," Mr. Gallegos said. "It's about creating an environment of well-being, and that's going to be the magic bullet to reduce costs and keep people out of hospitals." Since 2016, more than 250,000 radiology orders have been canceled at Veteran Affairs hospitals nationwide, raising questions whether VA facilities are following proper procedures for cancelling duplicate or outdated diagnostic orders, according to USA Today. Here are six things to know: 1. VA Inspector General Michael Missal is currently auditing mass radiology cancellations at nine VA hospitals in Tampa and Bay Pines, Fla., Salisbury, N.C., Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Iowa City, Iowa. 2. The goal of the audit is "to determine whether VA processed radiology requests in a timely manner and appropriately managed canceled requests," Mr. Missal told USA Today. 3. Ultrasound technicians at the VA hospital in Tampa told USA Today that some veterans may have gone months, if not years, before they or their physicians realized the tests were not completed. 4. Lisa Bickford, an administrative staffer at the Iowa City VA hospital testified that the hospital's chief radiologist told her and other employees to "clean" up a backlog of incomplete diagnostic orders, with some orders dating back years.. The staff responded by "annihilating" thousands of orders in a matter of weeks, Ms. Bickford said, according to legal ecords cited by USA Today. 5. Bryan Clark, a spokesperson for the Iowa City hospital, acknowledged the facility failed to follow national VA guidelines for a small number of diagnostic order cancellations. Most cancellations were for orders from 2015, he said. For instances of improperly deleted orders, "appropriate personnel actions were taken to correct the behavior, and staff reviewed the cancellations to ensure every order that required action was appropriately reviewed by a radiology provider," Mr. Clark told USA Today. 6. The VA said it welcomes the Inspector General's oversight and is working to improve cancellation guidelines. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Nashville, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Health Sept. 28, alleging Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital violated federal law by ordering an employee to receive a flu shot despite his religious beliefs. Saint Thomas Health requires all workers to receive an annual flu shot, which includes employees from TouchPoint Support Services one of the Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital's food and environmental services providers, according to the EEOC. In 2013 and 2014, Saint Thomas Health allowed the TouchPoint employee at the center of the lawsuit to wear a protective mask, instead of receiving a flu shot, due to his religious beliefs. When the employee requested to again forego the flu shot in 2015, Saint Thomas Health turned down his request and fired the employee after he refused to get vaccinated, according to the EEOC. "For several years, [Saint Thomas Health] accommodated the employee's religious belief," Delner Franklin-Thomas, director of the EEOC's Memphis District Office, said in the press release. "Then, [Saint Thomas Health] refused to accommodate his religious belief. An employer should not force an employee to choose between employment and his religious belief unless doing so would cause an undue hardship to the employer." Becker's Hospital Review reached out to St. Louis-based Ascension, which owns Saint Thomas Health, for comment on the suit and will update the article as more information becomes available. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: Telemedicine is changing the healthcare landscape, offering opportunities for organizations to reduce costs and better serve patients. A panel discussion at Becker's Hospital Review 4th Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference in Chicago, Sept. 19-22, described telehealth's return on investment for health plans, employers and health systems. Panelists included: Wallace Adamson, MD, staff vice president of Anthem's telehealth service LiveHealth Online Calvin Heller, director of telehealth at West Des Moines, Iowa-based UnityPoint Health Carey Officer, operational vice president of telemedicine for Jacksonville, Fla.-based Nemours Children's Health System The health plan perspective Anthem launched LiveHealth Online in 2013. The 24/7 telehealth service operates in all 50 states. Anthem's wholly-owned subsidiary HealthCore assessed more than 4,000 LiveHealth Online visits and found 11 conditions drive 60 percent of volume. Anthem members who used LiveHealth Online saved about $201 per episode of care. "Anthem's usually the largest payer in the market and usually has the lowest rates," Dr. Adamson said. "We may not save as much as others, but we don't spend as much." Dr. Adamson identified three "fundamental truths" about virtual visits: People who started with a LiveHealth online visit were less likely than those who started at a retail clinic or primary care provider to have another medical visit in the next three weeks. Prescribing rates were comparable to other sites of care. There was a lower incidence of lab work and imaging tests. The employer perspective "Being able to tie [telehealth] to a larger strategic goal is critical to success," said Mr. Heller. UnityPoint Health aimed to provide the same quality of care for lower acuity visits at a reduced cost. The company looked at more than 1,000 visits from its self-insured health plan, assessing the additional value it generated from its employees using telehealth rather than taking off of work for medical care. Out of 1,000 visits, telehealth utilization generated around $146,000 in savings. "We really saw the importance of linking to a larger strategic goal and marketing to employees," Mr. Heller said. The health system perspective Nemours Children's Health System offers a 24/7, on-demand telemedicine program made up of a group of experienced employee pediatricians. The program is currently offered in six states and is preparing to move into Alabama. "We really do believe in it," said Ms. Officer. "It really aligns with our strategy to meet patients and families where they are." The telehealth program also provides downstream revenue 17 percent of utilizers are new patients, and 29 percent of those patients created specialty care revenue. Ms. Officer described a study of Nemours' specialist telehealth services. The pediatric health system saved about $24 per orthopedic patient using telemedicine. On average, patients and their families traveled 85 miles round-trip for in-person services; with telemedicine, they received care without leaving their homes. "It's cost-saving, and time-saving, for patients and families," said Ms. Officer. "Telemedicine is here to stay." Lewiston, Maine-based St. Mary's Health System has taken an international approach to nurse recruitment, according to a Sun Journal report. Five things to know: 1. St. Mary's, which is owned by Tewksbury, Mass.-based Covenant Health, tried various nurse recruitment methods. For example, it offered signing bonuses of up to $10,000 and showed up at local college coffee-and-doughnut hours. 2. After the recruitment left St. Mary's with 70- 75 openings, including 20 at its 200-bed d'Youville Pavilion nursing home. Meanwhile, nurses in the Philippines were searching for better job opportunities overseas, and longtime staff members at d'Youville Pavilion, who were originally from the Philippines, suggested St. Mary's look internationally, according to the report. 3. St. Mary's eventually teamed up with an international healthcare staffing agency, PassportUSA. The agency presented 30 initial candidates, and St. Mary's ended up hiring 13 experienced Filipino nurses for d'Youville Pavilion. 4. Nursing director Marissa Varney told the Sun Journal: "It will be good for our patients, first and foremost. We've used travelers [short-term contract nurses], but they're only here for 13 weeks. Sometimes they extend it for another 13 weeks, but it's not the same. Having the continuity with staff, having the patient know who's taking care of them, it's big. It's huge." 5. The new hires come as Maine faces a nursing shortage. A statewide study estimates Maine will have a shortage of 3,200 RNs by 2025. Click here to read the full Sun Journal report, including information about nurse openings at other Maine hospitals. More articles on workforce: 23-hospital system rolls out student loan repayment program to attract nurses Mercy Health seeks to fill more than 350 positions in Cincinnati Most physicians burned out, overworked and 8 other survey findings Egyptian writer and leading feminist figure Nawal El Saadawi has accused former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of giving in 2012 bribe to young voters in Egypt to elect Muslim Brotherhood-linked candidate Mohamed Morsi who was removed from power in a military coup one year after his election. I remember I saw Hillary Clinton herself in Tahrir Square giving U.S. dollars to young people to elect the Muslim Brotherhood, Saadawi was quoted as saying early this week by The New Arab. Why is the U.S. interested with the local government and electing the Muslim Brotherhood? she wondered, claiming that regional and global powers collaborated to bring the Brotherhood to power. The 86-year old did not provide evidence for her claims made at a talk in Sweden this week. Morsi who is standing a trial over many charges was elected in 2012 but quickly removed by incumbent president Fattah al-Sisi in July 2013. The Egyptian writer, who is known as the most prominent Arab feminist, is opposed to political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood movement. In June, Saadawi laid into Clinton and several western women leaders for backing men domination, The New Arab notes. There are women like Clinton and [British Prime Minister] Theresa May and Condoleezza Rice who are more patriarchal than the men, Saadawi had said in an interview with Newsweek in June. The tension in the Brexit negotiations because of disagreements about 'what to do about the border' has made Northern Ireland a major focus for international attention. The Irish border question came from a simple proposition which has now mushroomed into a confused argument. When the Brexit referendum was successful, business and consumer interests trading across Ireland immediately saw the danger that the frictionless trading arrangements, which had developed as part of the EU membership, could be lost. A return to the cross-border trading arrangements of the Fifties and Sixties would be unwelcome. Avoiding a return to a border with formal trading conditions and a renewal of incentives to cross-border smuggling has mutated into a UK-EU crisis. Did a simple aspiration to continue to have frictionless trading need to become complicated? Achieving a near frictionless Irish border brings unintended consequences. First, there is no doubt that, in formal legal terms, there will be a border between the UK and the EU, meaning between the UK and Ireland. The search for a frictionless border is a search for the means to minimise the impact of that changed legal position. If there is no customs border, for trade or regulatory standards, for goods manufactured or processed anywhere within the whole island, that would facilitate all the manufacturing and farming businesses, north and south. That would be the successful objective. The difficulties emerge when the question becomes 'what happens when goods made in GB travel through Northern Ireland to buyers in the Republic of Ireland?' That question can also be reversed: 'what happens to goods made in the Republic of Ireland which pass through NI to reach customers in GB?' If there are no formal border checks, because there are no checks in NI, how would UK, or RoI, trading and regulatory standards be enforced? The creation of a frictionless border for home-produced goods travelling within the island, which might be a mutually agreed ambition, has the consequence that goods made in GB might travel through NI and enter the EU by a 'back door' in Ireland. The dilemma emerges because, whether the border is frictionless or not, for some, there will be an international border between NI and RoI which happens to be the border between the UK and the EU. Logically there cannot be 'no formal border'. For people and businesses based in Northern Ireland, the debate (often misleadingly) has been about either a land border (as between the UK and the Republic) or a border down the Irish Sea (between Britain and the island of Ireland). For people and businesses in Northern Ireland, this apparent choice needs to be challenged. Could businesses in Northern Ireland be allowed to operate with neither a north-south or east-west border? As an extra benefit, that would give Northern Ireland processors and manufacturers an advantage over GB based businesses with a 'back door' to the rest of the EU and might, depending on the UK trading rules, do a similar favour to Irish processors and manufacturers selling to GB/UK. The really difficult question is whether it is possible to combine a sensible trading arrangement for manufacturers across the island of Ireland with arrangements that do not make trading through the RoI a 'back door' for GB businesses or vice versa. From a UK perspective, the answer needs to be a trade mechanism that administratively controls the consequence of the absence of formal border installations in NI. That problem could disappear if the UK and EU had agreed duty free access or effectively maintained a single market. That solution is part of the unpopular Chequers proposals. The alternative is a system of monitoring the larger trading organisations at a distance: at the point of dispatch or receipt. Some such compromise, on regulatory and political grounds, is still being explored. Maintaining an all-island frictionless trading area is still a key requirement and objective. Peter Doherty (left), Managing Director of Garage Doors and Bill Montgomery, Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering with Invest NI A garage doors business in Co Antrim is taking on 17 new staff as it aims to grow sales across Great Britain. Garage Doors in Ballymena, which already has 50 staff, makes doors to order and is hoping to grow sales by 50% over the next three years due to a buoyant UK construction sector. Managing director Peter Doherty said: "Our customer base within both the commercial and residential sectors is developing and we aim to continue to build on the valuable links established with distributors in Great Britain to further expand our market share." The company has a large showroom in Wakehurst Industrial Estate in Ballymena, and supplies garage doors and external steel access doors to homes and businesses. Economic development agency Invest NI has offered support of 127,500 towards the recruitment drive. Bill Montgomery, Invest NI's director of advanced manufacturing and engineering, added: "This investment is an important strategic commitment for Garage Doors, enabling the business to fulfil its growth potential, particularly in Great Britain. Its growing order book has been driven by innovative products... it is encouraging that the company continues to look for opportunities to widen its portfolio." Creditors of failed bakery firm McErlain's - which went into administration owing at least 4.3m to other companies - have voted to accept a deal that could see them paid as little as 5p in the pound. The proposal was passed following a fiery meeting between creditors and administrators EY in Toomebridge yesterday. It took place less than six weeks after the insolvency practitioners managed the pre-pack sale of the Magherafelt company behind Genesis Crafty to Tayto boss Paul Allen's company Hatch Brothers, for 1.85m. The sale, which took place on the same day McErlain's entered administration on August 21 2018, saved 260 jobs at the bakery company, but left around 200 unsecured creditors out of pocket with some owed six-figure sums. The biggest losers include dairy co-op Dale Farm which was owed 641,052. Other major creditors include Belfast-based Industrial Temps, which is owed 252,579, Lisburn company Andrew Ingredients Ltd, owed 238,353, Co Fermanagh company Ready Egg Products, which has an unpaid bill for 170,040, and Draperstown firm Heron Property, owed a total of 155,372.42. Some of the creditors on the list were present at a meeting in The Elk complex in Toomebridge. Most opted not to speak publicly, but privately expressed misgivings with the process and concern for the financial blow their businesses have absorbed as a result of the administration and sale. Described as "heated" by some of the creditors who spoke to Business Telegraph, the as yet undisclosed arrangement for reimbursing businesses was discussed for more than two hours behind closed doors in an upstairs function room. It's understood that during a break after the main meeting, a number of creditors briefly huddled to discuss rejecting the proposal. While a number of creditors did ultimately vote to reject the deal, the resolutions put forward by the administrators were carried. With companies owed the most money granted a greater say, it's understood Dale Farm approved the arrangement. Speaking afterwards, Stephen Boyd of family-owned company Alexander Boyd Displays, which is owed 7,200, described the meeting as tense. "It was quite heated at times. We don't know the detail yet of what the settlement could be. But there was talk of 5p to 10p in the pound," he said. "It was reluctantly accepted, probably because even if it was rejected, there would probably be more costs involved." Although the rate creditors will receive has yet to be finalised, a businessman, who did not wish to be named, said he anticipates as little as 5p-6p in the pound. He said he was among the creditors who voted to reject the proposal at the meeting. Another creditor said he had also tried to vote down the proposal. A report seen by this newspaper showed that almost half the proceeds of the sale of McErlain's (915,000) was paid to Danske Bank, leaving 939,313 which was transferred into the administration bank account. A spokeswoman for the administrators said: "I can confirm that the resolutions were approved at the creditors meeting this morning." McErlain's was founded in Magherafelt 50 years ago by Joe and Roberta McErlain. Their six sons had been involved in the running of the firm. But following the administration and sale of the business only Brian McErlain remains in the business, in the role of managing director. Currently, 90% of dairy produce is exported, and this figure is moving towards 95% Currently, 90% of dairy produce is exported, and this figure is moving towards 95% Further consolidation in the dairy processing sector is "inevitable", according to Conor Mulvihill, director of Dairy Industry Ireland. His comments come as Lakeland and LacPatrick edge closer to an amalgamation. LacPatrick is one of the biggest dairy co-ops in the border region, as is neighbouring Lakeland. At Dairy Industry Ireland Mr Mulvihill represents milk processors. He says that closer integration in the industry is being discussed at all levels. "From the Department of Agriculture to farm organisations, people have been saying that consolidation will happen, but to-date it has not," Mr Mulvihill says. "What has occurred here has been organic growth. In Ireland, people operate very locally, and the co-op is a part of this, there is a lot of loyalty at farmer level towards the organisations. In addition, the farmers own the co-ops." In Ireland the dairy processing market is made up of a large number of small co-ops - a lot of whom in turn use Ornua to market and sell their produce - plus four or five large players including Glanbia and Kerry. Many of them, particularly LacPatrick and Lakeland, are operating on an all-island basis, taking milk from up to 1,000 Northern Ireland dairy farmers. The likes of New Zealand, Denmark, and the Netherlands each operate with one "super co-op", Mr Mulvihill points out. Those giants, rather than local rivals, are the competition producers on the island of Ireland ultimately face. Irish farmers are very well educated and the marketplace in Ireland is "slowly" changing, Mr Mulvihill says. He adds: "We currently export 90% [of dairy produce] and we will be moving towards 95% exports. This will serve to drive competitiveness. "If, and when, the Lakeland LacPatrick merger is agreed, 80% of the milk in Ireland will be in the hands of four huge processors, Kerry Group, Glanbia, Lakeland, and Dairygold." That sentiment is echoed by Jim Mulqueen, partner at Grant Thornton, who expects continued consolidation in the sector, as margins come under increasing pressure. "There are regular discussions among certain co-ops around consolidation," he says. "We also see opportunities regionally for maybe neighbouring co-ops, or co-ops with the same sector focus, to operate together." The main reasons behind this, according to him, is "typically cost savings and synergies", all of which add to a business's bottom line, and help a company run more efficiently. "It's not as simple as taking the profit of one company and the profit of another, and having a bigger profit. "Some of it could be strategic in terms of location, but typically cost saving, synergies." Mr Mulqueen does not, however, think that Ireland will go the same way as the likes of Denmark and New Zealand, because the Republic's watchdog, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, will be watching from the wings. "I could see some resistance at local level to increased consolidation in the marketplace, but I think that before we get to having one or two super milk producers, the Competition Authority will step in if they feel competition is being eroded." "They are the appropriate watchdog, and they will ensure that competition is maintained." From a farmer's perspective, Tom Phelan, chairman of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) dairy committee, says that any merger between co-ops has to deliver for farmers, both in terms of better prices and better use of existing facilities. "In the future we have to focus on adding value to milk - there is no point expanding for the sake of expanding," Mr Phelan said. The Laois man added that co-ops are democratically run, noting that the LacPatrick merger is still subject to membership votes, and the amalgamation between the two will depend on the wishes of farmers. "What the IFA want to see is the maximum benefit got for the farmers, be it though mergers, acquisitions, business cooperation and so forth." On the matter of Brexit, Mr Mulvihill describes it is a "disrupter" for the industry, which will serve to "concentrate minds". However, he says that it is hard to determine whether it will lead to an increase in mergers and acquisitions in the sector. "We would actually see climate change and environmental issues as the biggest challenge facing the industry right now." Should a hard Brexit occur, of particular concern to dairy farmers and producers in Ireland will be the exposure of Irish cheddar in the UK. On this Mr Mulvihill says that there has been a lot of investment by processors away from cheddar. In July Glanbia Cheese, the joint venture business between Glanbia plc and Leprino Foods, announced plans to build a new mozzarella cheese manufacturing facility in Portlaoise. A total of 130m will be invested in the facility, which will have a production capacity of 45,000 tons per year. Glanbia already manufactures mozzarella in a factory in Moira, Co Down. Similarly, Mr Mulqueen said that Grant Thornton are seeing a number of the bigger players - the likes of Ornua, Dairygold, and Total Produce - looking beyond the UK market to other regions. "We see that larger companies are quite well prepared for Brexit in terms of scenario planning and so on, but some of the smaller players in the market would still be adopting a level of wait and see. They simply don't have the bandwidth and time, and will try and adapt as things happen." Northern Ireland business people have welcomed a speech by Chancellor Philip Hammond at the Conservative Party Conference in which he described business as "the cornerstone of the economy". But the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry also said the Chancellor needed to go further to promote business in his Budget later this month - which they said was "an opportunity to deliver bold action to boost investment and confidence". And Glyn Roberts, the chief executive of Retail NI - who is attending the conference at Birmingham, including a breakfast reception hosted by the DUP today - said he had used meetings at the event to press home a message that Northern Ireland is "open for business". "Despite the fact that we have no devolved government it is important that we are here to press home the wider point that Northern Ireland can be the best place in the UK to shop, live, socialise and start a business," he said. The Northern Ireland branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is also attending the event from today. Roger Pollen, head of external affairs, said: "We have a strong FSB NI team at the Conservative Party conference this week, with a busy schedule of engagements in the diary. "Crucially we will be seeking to discuss our idea of making Northern Ireland an 'enhanced economic zone' with key UK Government figures. "This proposal, if implemented, would have a transformative impact on the NI economy and unlock a point of gridlock in the Brexit negotiations." NI Chamber chief executive Ann McGregor urged the Chancellor to "pull out all the stops to get businesses investing and growing" following his speech. She said the Government needed to improve the areas which were within its control, including skills, training and infrastructure, calling for the go-ahead for city deals for Belfast and Londonderry - a measure regarded as a catalyst for regeneration. "In terms of Northern Ireland specifically, a green light on city deals for Belfast and Londonderry would be an example of an action that the Chancellor should take in his upcoming Budget," she added. "Businesses also require incentives for investment and we urge the Chancellor to consider an increase in investment allowances as a matter of priority." During his speech, Philip Hammond has predicted a "deal dividend" which could fund tax cuts and public service spending once a Brexit deal is reached. Mr Hammond's forecast came as he called on Conservatives to stand "four-square" behind Theresa May as she enters the final weeks of negotiations ahead of a hoped-for deal in November. Stephen Kelly, the chief executive of Manufacturing NI, said the Government needed to repair its relationship with business due to the lack of progress over Brexit negotiations. "Ultimately the government needs business to deliver Brexit for it and there's no doubt that Brexit and the way that the government has handled talks has damaged relationships between business and politicians," he said. More than 1.8bn (1.6bn) was knocked off Ryanair's stock market valuation at one stage yesterday as it slashed its profit outlook. Chief executive Michael O'Leary blamed higher oil prices and the impact of strike action, and cautioned that further profit warnings could be issued if more flight disruption occurs between now and the end of the year. Ryanair said it now expects to make a profit of between 1.1bn and 1.2bn in its current financial year that ends next March. That's 12% less than the 1.25bn to 1.35bn it had previously expected to make. Shares in the airline tumbled more than 13% at one point, slashing its market capitalisation to just over 13bn (11.5bn). The airline boss also said that Ryanair will close a base in the German city of Bremen and also in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. It will also scale back a base in the German city of Weeze in the Niederrhein region as it cuts winter capacity. It said it will enter consultations with pilots and cabin crew at the bases to minimise job losses. "We expect to offer our pilots vacancies at other Ryanair bases, but as we have a large surplus of winter cabin crew, we will explore unpaid leave and other options to minimise cabin crew job losses," said Mr O'Leary. He insisted that while Ryanair had comfortably managed strikes, the actions had put people off booking flights and also forced the carrier to sell tickets more cheaply in an effort to fill its expanding fleet. "Customer confidence, forward bookings and third-quarter fares have been affected, most notably over the October school mid-terms and Christmas in those five countries where unnecessary strikes have been repeated," he said. Last week the airline was hit by strikes by some of its cabin crew in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Portugal, as well as some pilots in Germany. That saw it cancel 250 flights last Friday. It has also been hit by other industrial action, including in July when some 100 of its pilots in Ireland staged a stoppage. The actions stem from Ryanair's continuing attempts to ink collective labour agreements with trade unions across Europe. Ryanair announced in December that it would recognise trade unions, a decision Mr O'Leary said was his. It was a dream come true for a Northern Ireland designer as she made her debut at New York Fashion week. Co Antrim woman Nicola Glass (46) is the creative director of billion-dollar fashion house Kate Spade New York. She grew up in Templepatrick and was a pupil at Belfast Royal Academy, where art was her favourite subject. "I always felt I would do something creative," she said. Like most creative types attending Grammar schools, Glass was encouraged to consider something more academic for university. She went to Edinburgh University to study Architecture, before quickly shifting to Edinburgh Art College where she gained a BA in jewellery design. From there, Glass went on to gain a Masters degree in fashion accessories at the Royal College of Art, London. After graduating, Nicola briefly worked for British company Bamford before joining Gucci, and was the only handbag designer on the team who wasn't Italian. Expand Close Nicola Glass, as a child with twin sister Tara and their mum / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Glass, as a child with twin sister Tara and their mum She said: "I was at Gucci for about two-and-half-years designing handbags, belts and jewellery. It was during the last collections of Tom Ford and it was an incredible experience." In 2004, the designer landed the role of senior vice-president of accessories design at Michael Kors in New York, fulfilling her dream of living and working in the fashion capital. "Michael Kors was a company I particularly admired for the way Michael used accessories in his runway shows. "Chancing on an article in Women's Wear Daily about his further expansion into accessories, I contacted the company and was soon leading the accessory design team", she said. In January, she was appointed creative director of Kate Spade New York, replacing the long-serving Deborah Lloyd. Despite her background in accessories and jewellery, she took on the task of overseeing the entirety of the brand. The designer showcased her debut collection at New York Fashion Week last month to critical acclaim. Expand Close Nicola Glass with actresses Julia Jones, Suki Waterhouse and Kate Bosworth at the New York Fashion Show Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Glass with actresses Julia Jones, Suki Waterhouse and Kate Bosworth at the New York Fashion Show "I wanted to do something that would allow the collection to be viewed in an elevated way," said Nicola, on the decision to host the brand's first ever runway show. "It felt like the right moment for something new." Held in the New York Public Library, chosen for its elegance and intimacy, the show saw electric 1970s inspired prints and reworked classics like the label's iconic spade symbol artfully hidden in prints. "I loved seeing how my vision came to life and translated across all of our categories - from ready-to-wear and jewellery to handbags and footwear." The runway itself was inspired by a Kate Spade 2006 Tim Walker ad campaign which featured a model walking on a yellow line in the middle of an open road. For the SS19 runway, the yellow line was replaced with a glitter trail on a pink carpet to represent founder Kate's iconic message, "she leaves a little sparkle wherever she goes". This was a way for them to honour their late visionary founder who left her namesake brand in 2007. Nicola explains that the glitter trail was also a metaphor for her own personal journey and the brand's path looking forward. She noted that Kate and Andy Spade were "ground-breaking" when they launched the brand 25-years-ago. On her inspiration for the collection, she explained: "The purity of their design approach appealed to me. "I have always been attracted to the brand's optimistic spirit - the modern use of colour and sophisticated thinking around the design. It's the foundation I've been building on. "To me, Kate Spade New York stands for 'optimistic femininity' - empowered, confident dressing with an easy, sunny sensibility." Expand Close Nicola Glass Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Glass Nicola felt no need to change course after the sudden and tragic death of Kate Spade in June, as she had already designed the first collection with the core DNA of the brand in mind. "I started by looking backwards before I looked forwards. I was excited to honour the brand's heritage in my first collection," she said. The designer believes her experience in accessories means she has been able to touch the products "in a holistic way". "I'm looking at how we can build upon the collection season after season, establishing consistencies and core elements across categories - evolving spring into summer, summer into fall in an organic manner. "There truly is so much opportunity with the brand. "To examine and refine the existing codes of the house and to create new ones. "We've only started to scratch the surface." And her advice for aspiring designers? "Don't be afraid about not knowing exactly what you want to do. "The most important thing is to follow your passions, as that will lead you to something you love doing. "Looking back, there were times when I was uncertain and didn't know where my path would take me. "I'm so happy and grateful that my path has led me to Kate Spade." Support act: Kate with husband David, who took time off work to help her Lisburn mum-of-three Kate Gray, who has metastatic breast cancer, on how Cancer Focus NIs art therapist has helped her ... and why shes planing a Girls Night In, writes Marie Foy. Mum-of-three Kate Gray is in the throes of battling metastatic breast cancer so breast cancer awareness month in October is especially poignant for her. Like so many mums with this devastating disease, Kate has had to dig deep to find the strength she never knew she had in order to tackle her illness and juggle family life and her brave upbeat attitude is an inspiration. Kate and her family have had tremendous support from Cancer Focus Northern Ireland and now she is urging local women to hold a Girls Night In this October to raise much-needed cash for its breast cancer research at Queens University, Belfast. The charity has been a complete lifeline for us all, she says. The fact that it funds potentially life-saving research means a lot to me as new developments could mean earlier diagnosis, better treatment outcomes for other women and life-extending treatments for women in my situation. The 38-year-old Lisburn singing teacher (Kate Pielou LLCM ALCM), who also owns the Phoenix Arts Belfast drama school, started her own cancer journey in July 2017. I went to my GP after finding a lump in my breast. I had been quite vigilant about any changes as Id had sepsis and mastitis before when I was nursing and I wanted to avoid that again. There was a waiting time of five to seven weeks at hospital. But I noticed the lump growing really, really fast, which scared the life out of us. Thankfully, my husband David had health cover with his work so I was able to get a diagnosis privately. I attended the Ulster Independent Clinic for a mammogram, ultrasound and a biopsy and was absolutely floored to be told the same day that I had cancer. I had hoped it would be blocked glands or cysts. I was devastated and worried for my young family. The youngest had only stopped breast feeding earlier that year, says Kate, who is mum to Emily (10), Connie (7) and Megan (4). Expand Close Support act: Kate with husband David, who took time off work to help her / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Support act: Kate with husband David, who took time off work to help her I had a week of MRI and CT scans and blood work before I was given my final diagnosis. I had secondary metastatic breast cancer with lesions on the bone, as well as primary breast cancer. It was serious. I had surgery on August 24 last year when I had a single mastectomy and node clearance. Earlier in March, before noticing the lump on her breast, Kate also noticed lumps in her armpit. I thought it was a swollen gland, I hadnt realised at the time that this was a possible early indicator of cancer. I dont know if it would have made any difference if I had gone to the doctor sooner but Id like to alert other women to keep an eye on this area too when they are checking themselves. She says: After coming round from the surgery I started hormone therapy. I had surgery within two weeks of diagnosis not much time to let it all sink in, I had a lot to deal with. I stopped work until Christmas, so that I could find my way through it all. Music and performing arts has been at the centre of my whole working life and it was a crushing decision to make, but I also had problems with my back and couldnt walk without sticks. Work wasnt an option. Luckily David was able to take a few months off work to look after me and the children. He took on everything, I would be completely lost without him. My family were fantastic helping at home, and our neighbouring school friends gave transport to school Im so grateful to everyone who rallied around, she says. I had four months of hormone treatment but in January I got the news that it hadnt worked and lesions had appeared on my liver as well, with a few extra ones on my bones. I was shattered. There was huge emotional fall-out. Id been planning my triumphant return to work, and I really felt adrift not doing what I love, teaching singing and drama. In January this year, Kate started chemotherapy and was able to go back to work part-time. However, her March review showed that this treatment was unsuccessful, too. That was a terrible disappointment and very tough to hear, Kate says. I had to change to different chemo drugs and start Herceptin and, at last, I started to see some positive results. Im feeling much better, more like my old self, and the cancer is vaguely under control. Ive finished chemo and am on a cocktail of other drugs which is hopefully holding the cancer in place. Ive been seeing the Cancer Focus NI art therapist Joanne Boal since October and shes been absolutely brilliant. This therapy really appealed to me as Im an artistic person, its so relaxing to have time out and I fell in love with it. I love crocheting and knitting, so it all fits together very well. Every week I try something different. Ive done a lot with paint and ink. One week it was clay thumping that clay was a big release for all the tension that was building up inside me. Joanne has also given me valuable coping strategies for all the things I am trying to figure out. Expand Close Coping strategy: Kate dyed her hair bright colours to lessen the impact of losing it / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Coping strategy: Kate dyed her hair bright colours to lessen the impact of losing it Another time, David arranged for me and my daughters to go to a Strictly Come Dancing show, and afterward I did a painting of me and David in Strictly outfits. That was great fun, it really helps take your mind off more serious things for a time. Kate adds: Once I got to grips with everything, I started finding the fun again. When I found out my hair would go, I dyed it mad colours. I felt if my hair was ridiculous before it fell out, it would be less traumatic for both myself and the kids. Now I pride myself on constantly trying to find the fun and be a silly billy as often as possible. It definitely helps when the paranoia and fear of the future descends. Cancer Focus NI family support workers have also seen the children. Connie, in particular, was struggling at school. The service has been a big lifeline for her and has helped her from imploding, Kate says. It was very difficult for us, as parents, to explain to the children what was going on in a way they could understand. They are very young, and the family support workers helped us with that. My mum has used the charitys counselling service as she was having difficulties, too my diagnosis was only one of a number of traumatic events in her life, so she really valued having someone to express her anxieties and feelings to. And I have also used the Cancer Focus NI bra-fitting service, which is for women whove gone through breast surgery. To express their thanks to the charity, David has held a head and beard shave fundraiser at his work and Kate is offering five half-price tuition courses at her drama school to other children using the charitys family support service. Families can enquire about the drama places through the family support service at Cancer Focus NI. Kate is also urging women to take part in the Girls Night In fundraiser to help raise funds for research into breast cancer. Anyone who would like a party pack for their own Girls Night In or for more information, please call 028 9066 3281, email fundraising@cancerfocusni.org or visit www.cancerfocusni.org. Anyone who has any concerns about cancer can call the Cancer Focus NI information and support NurseLine on 0800 783 3339 and speak to the specialist cancer nurse The key signs and symptoms to look out for Around 1,300 women in Northern Ireland are diagnosed with breast cancer every year approximately 80% of these are over the age of 50. But it can happen to both younger women and a small number of men. Two thirds of breast cancers are discovered by women themselves. Knowing your breasts what is normal for you and being aware of the key signs and symptoms of breast cancer is vital for early detection. If you have a monthly period it is best to check your breasts a week after your period. Some women find that before and during their period, their breasts can be sore, tender or feel slightly lumpy which may cause unnecessary worry. If you have a breast concern, dont delay make an appointment to talk it over with your doctor as soon as possible. If you need to have some tests, he/she can refer you to a breast clinic for the right type of help. Of the 1,300 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Northern Ireland, almost a third are picked up through the breast screening service. A screening mammogram is an X-ray of your breast taken from two different angles. The screening is carried out by a female radiographer and will last no longer than five minutes. All women between 50 and 70 are invited every three years for free breast screening. If you are over 70 you wont receive a postal reminder but it is important to continue to make appointments with your local screening centre. You do not need to have any symptoms to use this service. Remember it is important to be breast aware in between your appointments. A mainland journalist was arrested in Britain for allegedly slapping a volunteer at an event discussing Hong Kong issues. The volunteer, a Hongkonger studying in Britain, said the woman is 48 years old and works for state media CCTV. She was being asked to leave after interrupting a round-table discussion when she allegedly slapped the volunteer twice. The event - titled "The erosion of freedom, the rule of law and autonomy in Hong Kong" - was a fringe meeting of the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. It was coorganized by Britain-based concern group Hong Kong Watch and the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, and was attended by Democratic Party founder Martin Lee Chu-ming, Occupy Movement co-founder Benny Tai Yiu-ting and disqualified lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung. Hong Kong Watch chairman Benedict Rogers said during the discussion: "I am a critic of the current Chinese government and the way it treats its people, but I am pro-China as a country and people and I believe it is in both China's and Britain's interests for Hong Kong to succeed. It is therefore in all our interests for both China and Britain to honor our commitments under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and ensure that 'one country, two systems' is upheld." A mainland woman with a press pass stood up and screamed at Rogers: "You are a liar. You are anti-China. You want to separate China. And you are not even Chinese. The rest are all traitors!" Tory Fiona Bruce, who chaired the event, asked her to leave. But when she continued shouting, the volunteer approached her. The mainlander then slapped him twice, Hong Kong Watch said. Security removed her from the venue and she was subsequently arrested by police. Germany had approved export to Saudi Arabia of weapons worth $295 million, in violation of the German governments own rules not to supply arms to parties involved directly in the Yemen conflict. A total of 87 export permits were approved between March 14 and September 23 by the German government to the Saudi-led coalition engaged in Yemen on the side of President Mansour Hadis forces, Turkish Sabah Daily reported. Citing figures from the German Economy Ministry, Daily Sabah revealed that each of the eight countries making up the Saudi-led coalition received arms worth $28 million. The exports completely fly in the face of the agreement between Merkels conservative bloc and the Social Democrats not to sell arms to countries directly involvement in the conflict that has caused the death of over 10 thousand people. The coalition ruling the EUs power house was formed in March following the failure of Merkels party to secure an outright victory during September 2017 elections. The secret sales also took place amid the quite diplomatic row between the kingdom and Germany after Berlin in November last year criticized Riyadhs influence on Lebanon following Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariris surprising resignation during a visit to the kingdom. Riyadh slammed the German criticism and reportedly banned German companies from bidding for contracts. Last week in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the two countries agreed to restore their ambassadors to their respective positions. A Belfast priest has been left shaken after being awoken to discover a man armed with a hatchet and a shovel in his parochial house. Fr Patrick Devlin, parish priest of Ligoniel's St Vincent de Paul Church, was awoken by the noise of the intruder who gained entry through a window at around 2am yesterday. The 53-year-old shouted out and when he looked out a bedroom window he saw the burglar fleeing from the house. Keys for the priest's Audi A4 and a minibus used by the local parish were taken along with an undisclosed sum of money. A number of rooms in the property were entered and items in them disturbed. The hatchet and shovel were recovered from the scene. The suspect is described by police as being stocky or possibly wearing a heavily padded jacket. He also ran with a limp and was dressed in dark clothing. He was observed calling to a small, thin, dark dog that followed him up Ligoniel Road. Sinn Fein councillor Ryan Murphy, who visited the scene yesterday, said it had been a terrifying experience for the priest and expressed his relief that he wasn't hurt in the incident. "The thought that someone would break in in the early hours of the morning to steal valuables is disgusting," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "Breaking into someone's home is always traumatic for the victim, but it is even more shameful that anyone would target somewhere so widely used by the local community. People in the area are shocked and outraged by what has happened. "Those responsible have really crossed a boundary by breaking into the grounds of a sacred place and that is deeply worrying. "I am appealing to anyone with information on this incident to bring it to the police so these individuals can be taken off the streets." Fr Devlin has been parish priest at Ligoniel since 2010 and is the chaplain responsible for the deaf community in the Down and Connor Diocese. He had only returned from a weekend parish pilgrimage to Knock Shrine in Co Mayo just hours before the incident. The priest was not available for interview yesterday, but a diocesan spokesperson confirmed that he had been left "very distressed and traumatised" by the experience. "He has received many messages of support from parishioners, clergy, community representatives and members of the local community. He is assisting the PSNI with their investigations," they added. "We would ask for continued vigilance within the community and encourage anyone who has information to bring it to the attention of the PSNI." Police are appealing to anyone with information to phone 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A nationalist woman has lost her legal challenge to the flying of the Union flag at courthouses in Northern Ireland. Lawyers for Helen McMahon, from Co Tyrone, claimed she is being unlawfully denied equal treatment by having the standard erected at full mast on designated days. But a High Court judge rejected contentions that the practice breaches a requirement in the Good Friday Agreement to ensure parity of esteem for both communities. Mrs Justice Keegan said: "In my view it is clear from all of this that the general principles of the Agreement were taken into account by the Secretary of State. "This includes the concept of parity of esteem. No new facts have emerged." Ms McMahon centred her case on the Union flag being flown at her local courthouse in Omagh. Her bid to secure a judicial review was then widened out to include all other court buildings where it is erected on set days throughout the year. In proceedings issued against the Secretary of State, she stated that she recognises and acknowledges the Irish national flag as her national flag Under the current arrangements, according to her case, "the flying of flags in Northern Ireland does not reflect me as a member of the nationalist community on any level". Ms McMahon's legal team contended that the practice, contained in the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 goes against the Agreement. Counsel claimed it defies a commitment to ensure equality for the identity, ethos and aspirations of each of the two main communities in Northern Ireland. The court was told one solution could be to fly no flags on courthouses and public buildings. But a barrister for the Secretary of State disputed any suggestion of constitutional legal force to the parity of esteem concept, describing it as "unsound". Mrs Justice Keegan rejected submissions that a previous decision on the flags issue in 2001 examined only individual rights, while failing to address the wider aspirations of both communities. She added: "The commitment to equality must be framed by virtue of the fact that Northern Ireland would remain part of the United Kingdom pending a decision by the people in relation to this. "There has been no change to this constitutional position." Dismissing the challenge, the judge concluded: "In my view it is abundantly clear that the Secretary of State fulfilled his obligation to have regard to the principles contained in the Agreement in conducting a balancing exercise and as such the Regulations cannot be said to be unlawful." A leading national broadcaster has claimed a DUP MP told her they could build a border between the Republic and Northern Ireland "as high as they like". Shelagh Fogarty was responding to a caller on her LBC show on Monday but did not name the MP as the comment was made to her "off the record". Read More The contributor claimed neither the DUP nor Sinn Fein wanted to see a hard border on the island of Ireland. The former BBC broadcaster interjected: "Well you say the DUP don't. I won't name this particularly DUP MP but one said to me not that long ago... build it as high as you like... privately, build it as high as you like ... that wall that border." She added: "It doesn't matter what the context is. If their passionate private view is build a wall between north and south that's their passionate private view. "I only raise that comment because it puts pay to your idea nobody wants it, some people do want it." Asked about the claim later on Twitter Ms Fogarty said the remark was said to her a "while back off the record". Said to me a while back off the record. Shelagh Fogarty (@ShelaghFogarty) October 1, 2018 The DUP has 10 elected MPs and the party has a confidence and supply agreement with the Conservatives propping up Theresa May's minority government. The party has been contacted for a comment. Previously party's deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the DUP is opposed to a hard border on the island of Ireland. In an interview with the BBC in the summer he said that while they wanted "the best deal for Northern Ireland" the party did not want a hard border. "We do want it to be absolutely frictionless and we don't want a hard border - but that can't be at the expense of erecting any kind of barrier or hinders to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK which is by far our biggest market. "That is our concern - we want to see balance in all of this and ensure our best interests are protected." There are fears an area of special environmental interest could be lost over plans to drain water from a dam in north Belfast. Boghill, an 18th century Mill dam near Mallusk, is home to many species of wildlife, but safety concerns expressed by its owners mean the dam could have its water level reduced significantly. According to Michael Martin, who works with Six Mile Water Trust, that would be a devastating blow to the community. "Boghill Dam is a unique area of Belfast. We already lost Hydepark Dam from the area a couple of years ago despite a protest campaign," he said. "The water runs through limestone and is very alkaline and unique. It supports a biodiversity that can't be found anywhere else around here. Newts, frogs, wild brown trout, roach and pike are all thriving. "It's a fantastic place for wildlife and wildlife enthusiasts and it's going to disappear as we fear the dam is going to be drained to a level unsustainable for wildlife.There needs to be a compromise before wildlife that thrives in the area is wiped out completely. "The area has been used by a local angling club for years and many of the members have family ashes scattered there, including my own father's. It means a lot to local residents and it would be such a shame to see it all wiped out. "There needs to be an in-depth environmental impact study carried out. Simply draining the dam is far too drastic." Those protesting against the plan say they fear that under the guise of the 2015 Reservoirs Act (NI) that land in the flood plain is to be turned into prime real estate. However, Boghill Dam Ltd has stressed that 60,000 homes situated downstream of the reservoir are "at risk" after independent assessments had found Boghill Dam to be "unsafe". "We should not be allowing private enterprise to get in the way of preserving such a rich, brilliantly unique and much loved environment," added Mr Martin. "It's hard to believe that this dam will no longer exist shortly, but like many other dams the Reservoir Act is prevailing. "And it's a great little community resource providing angling recreation, peace and fellowship. "You would think that if developers are given planning permission to build in former green field sites that there should be a requirement to protect built heritage and valuable wildlife conservation areas. "It's killing me to think that we couldn't save these special places for our grandchildren to enjoy. "Future generations have been failed in not protecting and treasuring these places. "This year there will be no resting place for the migrating whooper swans and pink feet geese, in spring no sanctuary for returning migrants, our warblers, chiffchaffs and buntings. "There will be no flies for the bats or mice for the owl which hunts the dam walls. The frogs and newts will disappear and the lovely wild brown trout which spawn in the streams will be but a memory. "I'm shocked that such a beautiful and rich resource can be destroyed. "We do recognise the need for new houses and the need for safety, but should it come at the cost of a such a valuable natural resource?" In response, Boghill Dam Ltd, which said it engaged with interested parties on the matter, stressed that it has a statutory duty of care" to make the dam safe and comply with regulations, adding after considering a range of options, the "only viable option" is to reduce water levels in the dam. "We will continue to liaise with the Rivers Agency and the NI Environment Agency to ensure compliance with the necessary regulations," it said. "We have appointed an ecologist who is carrying out a number of studies to assess the environmental impact of this work." The family of an American man who died in a road accident during his "dream trip" to Northern Ireland on his honeymoon paid tribute to him thanking the public for their "kindness and support" after the tragedy. Mr Monroe (31) died after a crash last Tuesday. The accident happened near the Dark Hedges which feature in the popular television series Game of Thrones. Read More His partner Caroline was also injured in the accident. The pair are from Orange in Connecticut. Carolines mother Aileen McKenna and Carolines brother Will Braaksma said they were heartbroken over the loss of "our sweet Michael". Michael and Caroline were on their honeymoon, a dream trip they planned and saved for, a year after their July 2017 wedding. They were having a wonderful time loving this beautiful country. Our tragic loss has been eased by the kindness and support of so many Irish people. We thank the neighbours and first responders at the accident scene, and the staff at both Causeway Coast & Glens and Altnagelvin Hospital." Ms McKenna and Mr Braaksma also paid tribute to those who helped the couple after the accident and appealed for their privacy to be respected. We are deeply appreciative of Bernadette who sat with Caroline in the hospital during those first terrible hours, and Grainne and Ciara who picked Carolines mother and brother up at Dublin airport and drove them three hours north to the hospital. "We are forever grateful to the police liaisons who have guided us through these awful and heart-breaking days and also to the Life After group who have done so much for us. Michael was a kind, loving man, a teacher beloved by his family, friends and students, but especially by his beautiful bride Caroline and their two dogs, Monty and Milo. Please respect our privacy as Caroline heals physically and grieves this dreadful loss, re-imagining a future without her sweet Michael. Thank you from the families of Caroline and Michael Monroe. Leo Vardkar has said the Good Friday Agreement is not up for renegotiation following Arlene Foster's comments it could be altered for the final Brexit deal. The DUP leader said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph that the GFA was not a sacrosanct piece of legislation and could be changed in order to facilitate the UK leaving the European Union. Read More Speaking in the Dail the Taoiseach said: "The government stands by the GFA and will defend its primacy. We see our role as the Irish government as being co-defenders of that agreement. "I don't think we should forgot all that has been gained by the GFA. It may not be operating as it should be at the moment but look at what has been gained. "A peace in Britain and Ireland, powersharing most of the time in Northern Ireland and ever closer cooperation between North and South. "It is not a piece of British legislation, it is an international agreement between the British and Irish government, as well as a multi-party agreement among the various parties and it is an agreement that was put to referendum, adopted with over 70% support in Northern Ireland and over 95% support in this state back in 1997." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says Good Friday Agreement not up for renegotiation following Foster remarks | Read more: https://t.co/OMatmk0j9h pic.twitter.com/BbTyWzk60k RTE News (@rtenews) October 2, 2018 Mr Varadkar said that will it was factually correct to say the agreement could be changed it could only be changed with the agreement with the consent of the people of Northern Ireland and the British and Irish governments. Earlier, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney tweeted: "I have respect for Arlene, but she is wrong on this. GFA was voted for by overwhelming majority in NI & IRL, has helped to end violence + provided for the most prolonged period of peace + stability in NIs history. We will defend + protect it through #Brexit." A civilian detention officer who was on duty at Lisburn police station the night a man died in a cell has said he "wasn't trying to hide anything" whest being interviewed about the death A civilian detention officer who was on duty at Lisburn police station the night a man died in a cell has said he "wasn't trying to hide anything" whest being interviewed about the death. As Alexander McAllister (62) spent his third day in the witness box at Belfast Crown Court, he said he could not recall why he failed to tell investigators from the Police Ombudsman's office that the detainee told him he had taken tablets. David McGowan (28) arrived at Lisburn PSNI station with his partner Kirsty Pinkerton just after 11pm on May 29, 2014. He was pronounced dead in his cell several hours later, with the cause of death given as "upper airway obstruction due to inhalation of gastric contents, due to toxic effects of alcohol and drugs". Initially both Mr McAllister and the sergeant on duty that evening, Brian McKenna, were charged with the manslaughter of Mr McGowan, and of misconduct in a public office. Sgt McKenna, whose address was given as care of Lisburn police station at Barrack Street, has denied the charges and is currently standing trial. Mr McAllister pleaded guilty to the misconduct charge, while the manslaughter charge was left on the books. He has been called as a prosecution witness, and as he spent his third day giving evidence, he told the court: "I'm still in shock. It's still in the back of my mind every day." The jury has already watched CCTV footage from the custody suite showing Mr McAllister telling Sgt McKenna that the detainee told him he had taken tablets, and that he saw white stuff in Mr McGowan's mouth as he was being put into the cell. Mr McAllister told the court last week: "He said to me: 'I have just taken a load of tablets'. Then he said maybe 30 or 40." He had added that Mr McGowan did not tell him what the tablets were. Under cross-examination yesterday from defence barrister Mark Mulholland, who is representing Sgt McKenna, the witness was questioned about interviews he had with investigators from the Ombudsman's office. Pointing out these interviews were conducted while Mr McAllister was suspected of manslaughter, Mr Mulholland asked the witness why he didn't tell investigators in his first account what Mr McGowan had said about taking pills. When he was asked why, during over 35 hours of interviews, he failed to mention this, Mr McAllister said: "I gave a truthful account at that time. "I didn't leave it out on purpose, I just forgot to mention it." And when asked by Mr Mulholland how he could forget something like that, Mr McAllister replied: "I gave a true account of what happened. "If I left it out it wasn't intentional. It was my first account as I gave it at the time." Mr McAllister was also asked if he was "trying to distance himself from the incident". He denied this, telling the court and jury: "I wasn't trying to hide anything." He told the court last week that he had been tasked to rouse Mr McGowan every 30 minutes in his cell. On the last occasion at 1.05am Mr McGowan had been sick and was unresponsive. Despite Mr McAllister and a doctor working on Mr McGowan, he was declared dead at 1.47am. At hearing. Saudi forces Sunday said they intercepted and destroyed two boats filled with explosives remotely controlled by Yemen Houthi rebels who were planning to attack Jazan city port. The navy destroyed the boats, state-owned news agency SPA reported. Colonel Turki Al-Malki, the spokesperson for the Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting in Yemen, said the attempt will not be left unanswered, adding that perpetrators and sponsors will be dealt with with iron hand. Such hostilities cannot go by without holding the perpetrators and those involved in planning and implementation accountable for their actions, he said. The kingdom has become target of missile attacks by Yemen Houthi rebels who have been fighting against Saudi Arabia-backed President Hadi and his forces. The rebels have flashed out the president from capital Sanaa and have occupied large swathes of the Yemeni territory. Saudi Arabia and its Arab coalition entered the conflict in 2015 in a move to roll back gains made by the rebels who also enjoy Irans support. The rebels have stepped up attacks against the territory with missile and drone attacks. Nearly 200 missiles have landed in the kingdom killing more than 110 Saudi citizens and residents since 2015. A jury has been sworn in for the trial of three west Belfast men accused of the murder of a man in south Belfast over two years ago. On trial at Belfast Crown Court are David James Francis Smith (35) and Michael Lawrence Smith (39), both of Monagh Drive, and Francis Gerard Patrick Smith (42), of Glenmurray Court. All three deny murdering 28-year-old Stephen Carson on February 25, 2016. Francis Smith further denies possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances while Michael Smith has pleaded not guilty to carrying a firearm with intent to commit murder. Judge Geoffrey Miller QC told the jury of eight men and four women yesterday that during the course of the trial reference would be made to a number of streets in the west Belfast area. "The person they are charged with murdering is Stephen Carson who at the relevant time lived at Walmer Street off the Ormeau Road," said Judge Miller. He told the jury that they will hear evidence from a number of witnesses, including Mr Carson's partner and his son who was nine at the time of the murder. Judge Miller said the trial could last up to four weeks and because of the mid-term Halloween break he hoped it would be concluded by November 9. The judge told the jury that when they return on Friday morning, October 5, "the defendants will be put in your charge" and at the end of the trial they would return either guilty or not guilty verdicts. He warned the jury panel not to discuss the case with family members or their friends and cautioned them against carrying out internet searches related to the case. "Don't form any opinions or decisions until you have heard all the evidence and until you are required to do so," added the trial judge. A man shot and paralysed in a sectarian gun attack during the Troubles 40 years ago has been threatened with legal action over his 30,000 care bill. Kevin Rafferty was shot in June 1978. He has received a bill from the Belfast Health Trust for arrears for the cost of his care at a Dunmurry nursing home. Mr Rafferty, who is now 65-years-old, was working at Belfast's Smithfield Market when loyalist gunmen walked in and shot him in the head. He told the BBC: "I was shot through my left eye. The bullet was lodged close to my brain. One side of my face is paralysed, tongue included. "It affected my speech. For several years I could not even speak." Mr Rafferty spent 17 months in hospital where doctors saved his life but he has had to learn to live with life-changing injuries. He is in a wheelchair, has difficulty speaking and needs round-the-clock care. He lives on benefits and state pension but has now received a bill for around 30,000 from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust towards the cost of the care he receives at the Kilwee Care Home in Dunmurry. He has lived there for the last five years. Mr Rafferty claims the bill arose because of changes to his benefits. "Initially I was paying the bill no problem, but the past year or two my benefits have drastically change," he said. "They are not what I was getting initially with all those cutbacks and all." Belfast Health and Social Care Trust told the BBC it does not comment on individual cases. Under the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, the Northern Ireland Executive was supposed to find a way to support severely injured victims through a pension. However it was never implemented because agreement could not be reached over the definition of a victim. Victims commissioner Judith Thompson said in the absence of any local agreement or an assembly at Stormont it is up to Westminster to introduce the necessary legislation to grant the pension. She said: "We need a law to be passed to make that happen. If we had a devolved administration that would be the right place for it to go. "If we had a local assembly, they would be dealing with it. We don't. So it needs to go to Westminster. "The Secretary of State has the power to take this to Westminster to deal with it and we would want her to do that." A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office told the BBC: "If, despite best efforts, the NI Executive has not been restored by the time updated advice on a pension has been provided by the Victims Commissioner, the government will consider how this matter can be progressed in the absence of NI executive ministers." The DUP has accused nationalist leaders of not doing enough to encourage Catholics to join the PSNI. Gregory Campbell MP made the comments after a senior PSNI officer said a return of 50/50 recruitment may be needed. Recent efforts have struggled to sign up enough Catholics, with only one in five successful in merit-based competitions. Mr Campbell called the Patten-era policy "institutionalised sectarianism" and said nationalist leaders needed to go beyond simple statements of support for policing. The SDLP, Sinn Fein and the Catholic Church in Ireland all said yesterday that the 50/50 recruitment policy should never have been stopped. The process applicants go through has been significantly shortened in a bid to improve Catholic recruitment, but temporary Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin refused to rule out a return to the Patten-era reform. "I would encourage people with influence within the Catholic community to encourage and advocate for people in this community to step forward and apply to join the PSNI," he said. "If that does not happen and our Catholic success rate were to continue as in the last few campaigns, it would be inevitable that in future years you might start to see the Catholic composition of the organisation fall. "That would be unacceptable and I think in those circumstances all options would need to be considered." Mr Campbell quoted Chief Constable George Hamilton, who previously said there was a "real need for wider nationalism to take yet another step in terms of policing". Mr Campbell added: "It was then, and remains now, a totally outrageous and unacceptable way to deal with recruitment. "If it were to be considered again, how many other areas of employment where Protestants are under-represented would have to be considered as well?" Mr Campbell also pointed to former officer Peadar Heffron who last year spoke about being ostracised from his GAA club after joining the PSNI. He was later invalided out of the service after being the victim of a car bomb attack. Mr Campbell said: "A reintroduction of 50/50 recruitment would do nothing to change such mindsets - in fact it would exacerbate them, it needs the type of leadership outlined by the Chief Constable in June." Sinn Fein policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly MLA said it was "very concerning" that only one in five Catholics were successful in recruitment. "Sinn Fein have always maintained that 50/50 recruitment should not have been brought to an end," he said. "It was there to make sure that the police service was fully representative of the community it serves. 50/50 recruitment was necessary to address decades of imbalance in the make-up of the police and was only one part of wholesale reforms in an effort to bring about an accountable policing service committed to policing with the community." SDLP policing spokesperson Dolores Kelly MLA said: "It is critical to any democracy that the police service is representative of the place it seeks to serve. The most effective and efficient way to ensure that the police service is representative in the North is through 50/50 recruitment. Getting policing right was, and is, critical for Northern Ireland moving forward. A return to 50/50 policing is both long overdue and the right move." A spokesperson for the Catholic Church said yesterday they had long been on the record about supporting 50/50 recruitment. The latest recruitment drive is seeking 400 new officers to replace those who are leaving, to keep the force at around 6,600. The majority of officials at energy regulator Ofgem are admin staff who "have never seen a biomass boiler", according to a witness statement submitted to the RHI Inquiry. The comments are contained in evidence provided by Alan Hegan of Hegan Biomass Ltd, which was posted to the RHI Inquiry's website yesterday. Hegan Biomass supplies, installs and maintains biomass boilers and supplied approximately 122 commercial biomass boilers to be accredited under the RHI scheme here. In his witness statements, Mr Hegan described the management of the RHI scheme as "flawed." He said: "In my opinion, the majority of the assessors within Ofgem are admin staff, they are not familiar with (practical) thermodynamic principles. "I believe that the majority have never seen a biomass boiler, never mind in an industrial or agricultural setting or having any practical experience with them. "Applications are vetted based on tick box exercises, as opposed to the merits of the actual application." Mr Hegan said he believed Ofgem "suffered from DfE (Department for the Economy) interference whilst processing applications in the NI scheme" and described audits as "a total mess". Regarding the audits, he added: "When DfE pass them onto Ofgem it is clear they are providing incorrect information." Mr Hegan described the Ofgem IT system as having "major issues" which caused "delays and distress to participants" and said the organisation also suffered from a "high staff turnover level". In other evidence published yesterday, a former president of the Ulster Farmers' Union said he was urged by former DUP special adviser Dr Andrew Crawford to appeal a decision by Ofgem to remove a damaged boiler from the RHI scheme. The information was contained in the witness statements of John Gilliland, who stated that he was a former director of Original Heating Limited and Rural Generation Limited, and a partner in Brook Hall Estate. Mr Gilliland said that on one occasion he met Mr Crawford at the Northern Ireland Environment Link Conference in 2016 after a fire destroyed most of the farm buildings at his family home, Brook Hall estate. He said Mr Crawford had asked whether any biomass boilers were damaged in the fire and he had responded that Ofgem were no longer going to allow a boiler with badly damaged pipework access to the RHI scheme. Mr Gilliland said: "Mr Crawford expressed his opinion that this was unfair and that I should appeal Ofgem's decision." Mr Gilliland said that Rural Generation Ltd was formally wound up on November 2, 2012, due to the collapse of biomass boiler sales. He added: "Andrew Crawford phoned me on the evening of November 3, 2012, and commiserated with the demise of Rural Generation Limited. He encouraged me to get back up on my feet and said pioneers such as myself would be required to deliver this new policy on renewable heat." Teenage hackers are committing cyber crimes that cost victims in Northern Ireland nearly 600,000 last year. Teenage hackers are committing cyber crimes that cost victims in Northern Ireland nearly 600,000 last year. The average age of a cyber offender is just 17, and according to the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF) many are video gamers with links to gaming communities. According to the OCTF's annual report and threat assessment, online criminals are the youngest offenders. It also said that while the average age of a cyber criminal is 17, in reality offending is likely to begin even earlier, as many only come to the attention of the authorities when aged 17. The report showed that a total of 591,000 was lost to victims here with 331 cyber-dependent crimes being carried out during the last financial year. Cyber-dependent crimes are crimes that require computers or networks to carry out an offence. Cyber-enabled crimes - such as fraud or blackmail - can be conducted offline as well as online. The report said the true scale of cyber security breaches can only be obtained if businesses report incidents, something that the PSNI say does not always happen. The police have put this down to businesses wanting to maintain a good reputation. Five cyber security arrests were made between April 2017 and March 2018, with 25 searches carried out by the PSNI. Anthony Harbinson is the director of Safer Communities at the Department of Justice and said progress is being made to help protect businesses. "Significant progress is also being made in protecting individuals and businesses against cyber crime. The new purpose-built PSNI Cyber Crime Centre is just one addition which will help enhance the PSNI's forensic and investigative capabilities," he said. Cyphra is a cyber security firm based in Belfast. One of the company's directors, Conrad Simpson, said businesses should take time to understand the threats posed by potential breaches of security. "When it comes to businesses having to deal with a cyber security incident, the reality is that it's not a case of 'if', but 'when' it will happen," he said. "With the reliance on digital technologies and the importance of data for business operation and innovation, organisations need to take steps to understand and manage their cyber threats. They should ensure that their approach encompasses not only steps to protect their information, but also enables them to detect an incident when it occurs and have the processes in place to allow them to recover as quickly as possible." Mr Simpson added that the perpetrators are becoming more savvy in their approach to committing attacks. He added: "Everyday our customers come to us with new and wide-ranging challenges and we're seeing a sophisticated level of criminality involved. With this increase in attacks, businesses have a responsibility to ensure all staff and suppliers are cyber security aware and that their business is more cyber resilient." The report also said that the number of drug seizure incidents has hit a 10-year high with 6,872 operations being carried out across Northern Ireland. This is a 23.9% increase from the previous year. Drug trafficking (up 3.1%) and possession offences (23.1%) also rose compared to the previous year. The PSNI said that cannabis and cocaine topped the list of drugs seized adding that they were taking "proactive" steps to stop drug dealing and trafficking across the province. There were 5,120 cannabis seizures during the financial year, a 788 increase on 2016/17. Around 31.2 kg of the drug was seized at Northern Ireland's borders. "There's a demand for cannabis," said detective superintendent Bobby Singleton who labelled the drug as the "backbone of the drugs economy". He added: "I think in many communities people either don't think it's illegal or think that it shouldn't be. To some extent, people look at it and think well, it's only cannabis. "But 60% of people admitted to drug treatment programmes say that they're habitually addicted to cannabis." Seizures of LSD and opiates also increased with a 38.5% rise. The report also detailed further criminal activity including modern slavery and human trafficking as well as tax fraud, evasion and waste crime. The average age of a cyber offender in Northern Ireland, however it's believed crimes are committed at younger ages The number of cyber security arrests made between April 2017 and March of this year, alongside 25 PSNI raids The number of drug seizure incidents here has reached a 10-year high, this is a 23.9% increase from last year Amount of cannabis seized at Northern Ireland borders The men were charged over an alleged weekend plot to raid a Boojum burrito bar. Three Belfast men who were accused of conspiring to rob a city centre restaurant have had the charge against them dismissed. John Neale, 51, Gerard Flannigan, 37, and Joseph Tully, 51, appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court over an alleged weekend plot to raid a Boojum burrito bar. But a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to meet the legal test for connecting any of them with the charge. Mr Flannigan, of Siulnamona Court, and Mr Tully, from the Falls Road, were immediately released from the dock after their prosecution was ended. Meanwhile, Mr Neale, of Clonfaddan Street, was remanded in custody on separate charges of possessing a handgun in suspicious circumstances and having cocaine with intent to supply. Police and the prosecution claimed the three men were involved in a conspiracy to rob the restaurant on Chichester Street. The court heard surveillance and CCTV footage showed Mr Neale allegedly parking near Boojum on Sunday morning and remaining there for an hour and a half. During that period, according to the police case, he was in contact with his two co-accused five times. So-called "burner" phones were used to communicate with Mr Flannigan and Mr Tully while they were in a car at another location, it was alleged. However, defence lawyers argued that there was a complete lack of evidence to connect any of them with the specific charge of conspiring to rob Boojum. Solicitor Paul Farrell, representing Mr Tully, insisted: "The court has to satisfy itself there's reasonable suspicion to mount a charge. "We have not heard one fact that would suggest there was a conspiracy." He added: "If we don't have judicial control the prosecution and the police service could go wild." Counsel for Mr Flannigan, Jonathan Browne, backed his submissions and criticised the police for the "emotive" description of the phones allegedly used. Following submissions District Judge Fiona Bagnall stressed she could base her decision on the evidence presented. "I'm not satisfied to the low standard of reasonable suspicion, I'm not finding a connection (to the conspiracy charge)." Mr Flannigan and Mr Tully were then freed, while Mr Neale was remanded in custody on the remaining charges against him. His lawyer pointed out police have confirmed no weapon was found on him when he was arrested. The firearm was instead allegedly discovered during follow-up searches at another location in Belfast. Arlene Foster appeared surprised at the Secretary of State's praise for the BBC at the Conservative party conference. Karen Bradley was speaking at an event with the Welsh and Scottish secretaries of state chaired by Cabinet Minister David Lidington. Read More She was asked how Northern Ireland benefited from being part of the UK and what it brought to the union. "We are not united without Northern Ireland," she told the conference. "I am determined we do everything we can to demonstrate to people in Northern Ireland why being part of the UK is the best thing for them. "It's Institutions like the NHS... the BBC which delivers great things..." It's at this stage the camera cuts to the DUP leader who could be seen mouthing something to party colleague Lee Reynolds who gives a wry smile. BBC journalist Daniel Kraemer had a stab at lip reading: "I'm not sure about that," he tweeted. Read More During the event the Secretary of State said she was working to change the law to allow for reform of the Executive without the requirement for legislation from Westminster. The minister also confirmed work was ongoing on removing the requirement for her to call an election should the parties continue to be unable to form an Executive as "that was not what the people of Northern Ireland wanted". She said her government would "never" allow an economic border between Northern Ireland and Britain. She also praised former Conservative Prime Minister John Major for his work "kicking off the peace process". She said Northern Ireland was a "thriving, dynamic" place to be which was attracting many new employers. However, she said it was a source of "immense frustration" there was no functioning Executive in Northern Ireland on the 20th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. We owe it to future generations to make it work, she said. BBC broadcaster Stephen Nolan has said the DUP is "boycotting" his show over his extensive coverage of the RHI scandal. Ethiopia and Somalia last weekend reiterated calls to the United Nations General Assembly for the lifting of sanctions on neighboring Eritrea. In July, the United Nations chief said he believed the need for UN sanctions against Eritrea will no longer exist following its peace deal with Ethiopia. The Security Council imposed sanctions in 2009 on Eritrea, including an arms embargo, for its destabilizing role in neighboring countries. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh last weekend did not mince words about the unjust nature of the sanctions and the adverse effects that it had on Eritreas progress and development. He dedicated his entire address to the sanctions with categorical demands for them to be lifted by the Security Council without delay. With positive winds of peace flowing in our region, several UNSC member States are these days calling for the immediate lifting of the deplorable sanctions. The diplomatic discourse is not, however, fully coherent, he stressed. In his words, the people of Eritrea have not committed a crime or transgression, which impels them to seek clemency. As such, they are not only calling for the immediate rescinding of the sanctions but they are also asking, and deserve, amends for the damages incurred and opportunities forfeited, he concluded. As a reminder, Ethiopia and Eritrea have opened a new chapter in their relationship, ending two decades of conflict. Somalia and Eritrea have reconciled their differences and re-established diplomatic relations last month. Police are investigating the sudden death of a woman in her 20s in Cookstown. Police were called to a home in the Coolnafranky area of the Co Tyrone town on Monday. A post mortem is to be carried out to determine the cause of death. A PSNI spokeswoman said: "Police attended the scene of the sudden death of a woman aged in her 20s in the Coolnafranky area of Cookstown yesterday morning, Monday, 1 October. "The are no further details at this stage." Sinn Fein has accused the DUP of showing a reckless disregard for the Good Friday Agreement after leader Arlene Foster claimed the peace deal was not sacrosanct. Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald insisted the 1998 accord between the UK and Irish Governments must not become a bargaining chip in the Brexit negotiations. Read More She reacted angrily after Mrs Foster suggested the terms of the agreement could be altered in efforts to strike an EU exit deal. Todays comments by DUP leader Arlene Foster on the Good Friday Agreement are unacceptable and reveal a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress, said Mrs McDonald. Expand Close Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has called on the Irish Government to protect the terms of the Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has called on the Irish Government to protect the terms of the Good Friday Agreement (Niall Carson/PA) Critics of Brexit on the island of Ireland have warned of its potential to undermine aspects of the international treaty, including its provisions for cross-border co-operation and rights protections. The DUP campaigned against the Good Friday Agreement when it was resoundingly endorsed in referenda on both sides of the border in 1998. Elements of the deal have been altered by subsequent political agreements in Northern Ireland, such as the 2006 St Andrews Agreement. It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted Remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we cant touch the Belfast AgreementArlene Foster In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mrs Foster said: It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted Remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we cant touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context. There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation. In response, Mrs McDonald called on the Irish Government to make clear that the terms of the deal would be protected. It should be remembered that Arlene Foster left the UUP, which supported the Good Friday Agreement, to join the anti-agreement DUP, she added. It appears the DUP leader has learnt nothing over the past 15 years. Brexit is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement. The actions of the DUP and their deal with the Tories is bad for our economy and undermines the rights of citizen Brexit is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement. The actions of the DUP and their deal with the Tories is bad for our economy and undermines the rights of citizensMary Lou McDonald The latest row between the DUP and Sinn Fein comes amid the ongoing political impasse in Northern Ireland following the collapse of the powersharing institutions in early 2017. The Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by the vast majority of people north and south, said the Sinn Fein president. It is the peoples agreement and not a chip to be bargained with as part of any Tory/DUP Brexit deal. Brexit is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement. The actions of the DUP and their deal with the Tories is bad for our economy and undermines the rights of citizens. The DUP should commit to the full implementation of the Good Friday, and other agreements, rather than seeking to undermine them. This would unlock the pathway to re-establishing the political institutions and safeguarding the interests of all the people in the north. The Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement) enshrines the consent principle that Northern Irelands position within the UK can only change if a majority of the regions citizens vote for it. Ulster Unionist Party leader Robin Swann claimed Mrs Fosters comments potentially undermined that principle. Arlene Fosters comments on the Belfast Agreement are strategically shortsighted, he said. The DUP may have been happy to corrupt the 1998 agreement for their owns ends at St Andrews, but I cannot believe the DUP leader has been so careless as to throw it open in such a haphazard way which is of no benefit to unionism. The reality is that the principle of consent is what binds us to the United Kingdom, it is the best settlement for unionists and should be sacrosanct. Irelands deputy premier Simon Coveney branded Mrs Fosters comments wrong. He tweeted: I have respect for Arlene, but she is wrong on this. GFA was voted for by overwhelming majority in NI & IRL, has helped to end violence + provided for the most prolonged period of peace+stability in NIs history. We will defend+ protect it through #Brexit. Boris Johnson speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham (Aaron Chown/PA) Boris Johnson has denounced Theresa Mays Chequers plan for EU withdrawal as a constitutional outrage that would leave the UK humiliated and unable to reap the economic benefits from Brexit In an explosive intervention at the Conservative conference in Birmingham, the former foreign secretary warned that voters would not forgive the party for bottling Brexit. He won a thunderous standing ovation as he urged Tories to persuade the Prime Minister to chuck Chequers and return to the hard Brexit blueprint she set out at Lancaster House in 2017, when she said she would take the UK out of the customs union, single market and jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The former foreign secretary who quit Mrs Mays Cabinet in July in protest at the Chequers plan was mobbed by reporters as he arrived to speak to a packed 1,500-seater hall on the fringe of the Tory conference. Inside, he was given a rapturous reaction on a scale not seen so far inside the main hall. Welcoming committee of Brexiteers for @BorisJohnson at #cpc18 - he ignores my question about whether his presence here is undermining @theresa_may pic.twitter.com/t22paaBzjd David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) October 2, 2018 But Mrs May declared herself cross with her former Cabinet colleague, accusing him of being ready to tear up her guarantee to Northern Ireland that there would be no customs border in the Irish Sea. The Prime Minister said she did not watch Mr Johnsons address, preferring to talk with activists. But she told the BBC: There are one or two things that Boris said that Im cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. We have a guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland and we are upholding that. Our Chequers plan does that. It is the only plan on the table at the moment that does. Mrs May said that Boris always puts on a good show, but pointedly noted that he was a key part of the discussions at her country residence which ended with the plan being agreed in July. Expand Close Boris Johnsons father Stanley Johnson and sister Rachel Johnson watch him speak (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris Johnsons father Stanley Johnson and sister Rachel Johnson watch him speak (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Johnson said that Mrs Mays Chequers blueprint which ties Britain to a common rulebook with the EU for trade in goods would be politically humiliating for a 2 trillion economy and would subject the UK to European directives and rules. Like a spaceship in a sci-fi film forced off its captains preferred route by hostile technology, the UK would be locked in the tractor beam of Brussels, he warned. This is not democracy. This is not what we voted for. This is an outrageBoris Johnson This is not pragmatic, it is not a compromise. It is dangerous and unstable politically and economically, said the former foreign secretary. My fellow Conservatives, this is not democracy. This is not what we voted for. This is an outrage. This is not taking back control: this is forfeiting control. And he warned: If we get it wrong if we bottle Brexit now believe me, the people of this country will find it hard to forgive. Expand Close Mr Johnson urged Mrs May to go ahead with her original plan (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Johnson urged Mrs May to go ahead with her original plan (Victoria Jones/PA) A Lancaster House-style Brexit would be a win-win for both Britain and the EU, Mr Johnson said. But he warned: If we cheat the electorate and Chequers is a cheat we will escalate the sense of mistrust. We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far-right in the form of Ukip, and therefore the far-left in the form of Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Johnson rejected as total fantasy the idea that it would be possible to bodge Brexit now and then negotiate a better deal after leaving in March 2019. And he warned that if a deal based on Chequers was agreed with the EU, it would embolden those calling for a second referendum something he said would be disastrous for trust in politics. He even won loud applause when he suggested that the PM risked being prosecuted under a 14th century law saying that no foreign court or government shall have jurisdiction in this country. He was loudly cheered as he said: For one last time, I urge our friends in Government to deliver what the people voted for, to back Theresa May in the best way possible by softly, quietly, and sensibly backing her original plan. And in so doing to believe in conservatism and to believe in Britain. Because if we get it wrong we will be punished. And if we get it right we can have a glorious future. Expand Close Mr Johnson was mobbed by reporters as he arrived for his speech (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mr Johnson was mobbed by reporters as he arrived for his speech (Victoria Jones/PA) Business minister Claire Perry urged Tories to back Chequers, telling Sky News that the alternative of a no-deal Brexit would be a recipe for a catastrophic series of consequences (and) a way of crashing the economy and doing great damage to our most productive industries. Her comments appeared to conflict with Mrs Mays often-repeated mantra that no deal is better than a bad deal. The PM acknowledged that withdrawal without a deal would cause some short-term disruption. But she told Sky: We are all focused as Claire is and the whole Government is on making sure we get a good deal from the EU. What is important is that Government puts in place measures that make sure we can make a success of Brexit, regardless of the deal we get from the EU. Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Arlene Foster, at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham where the DUP will host a reception for delegates. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo.PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Tuesday October 2, 2018. See PA story TORY Main. Photo credit should read: Victoria Jones/PA Wire DUP leader Arlene Foster says she has concerns over the Chancellors claim that there may have to be a hard border in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Philip Hammond is reported to have told a Tory conference fringe event that in the event of no deal, London, under World Trade Organisation rules, would have to reinstate checks. Read More Ms Foster, speaking at a DUP fringe event, said any extra checks would cause difficulty and added that she would be reiterating her position on the border issue to the Prime Minister. We are not going to allow the United Kingdom to be broken up by Brussels or by anybody else, Northern Ireland is not about to become a semi-detached part of the United KingdomArlene Foster The DUP event, held inside the main conference centre in Birmingham, was attended by dozens of Tory members and by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley and Chief Whip Julian Smith. Ms Foster was greeted with applause after telling the crowd she would not allow Northern Ireland to become a semi-detached part of the UK. She said: We are not going to allow the United Kingdom to be broken up by Brussels or by anybody else, Northern Ireland is not about to become a semi-detached part of the United Kingdom. We are not bluffing on this issue, we are very clear, our job is to protect the union, our job is to do what is right for Northern Ireland and you can be assured that we will do that. Asked about the Chancellors reported remarks that if the UK operates on WTO terms, checks at the border will be required, Ms Foster said: I have concerns. She added: Thats news, because of course up until now we have been saying that it will not be the UK that will be enforcing any borders. If the European Union feel that they need to have a border in Ireland thats a matter for them if they feel they have to protect their single market in a particular way. So Philip Hammond talking about a border is something new, something we want to explore as well, because certainly thats not my understanding. Expand Close Philip Hammond speaking at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Philip Hammond speaking at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) Ms Foster was also asked about negotiations with the EU, and said: I would welcome clarity. We wait to see the text, words on a piece of paper, in relation to any proposals that are being put forward. I think its important we see that because we do remember what happened last December when we hadnt seen the text. Ms Foster was later asked if she would like to see a change in Prime Minister, in light of Boris Johnsons sustained attack on Theresa Mays Brexit plan. She said: I have said very clearly, it is a matter for the Conservative Party. I wouldnt take very kindly to people coming to my party and saying who they wanted to be leader. In our confidence and supply agreement it is between the two parties, not reliant on any particular leader. Later at the fringe event DUP chief whip Sir Jeffrey Donaldson gave tongue-in-cheek approval for Mr Johnsons Brexit bridge plan. He said: Brexit shouldnt be about a border in the Irish Sea but Id quite like a bridge in the Irish Sea. DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds wound the event up with a stern message that he and his party would not be signing up to any backstop arrangement. He said: The danger of this Irish backstop has the potential to not only separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom and any future diversion there may be from it, but it also has the potential to shackle the United Kingdom for generations to come in its relationship with Europe. The DUP will not be signing up to any backstop unless we ensure that every line of it complies with our requirements. He also took a pot shot at the Chancellor, revealing he had told the Government that Mr Hammonds next Budget needed to reflect optimism, adding: We have had enough doom and gloom. DUP leader Arlene Foster says she has concerns over the Chancellors claim that there may have to be a hard border in Ireland in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Philip Hammond is reported to have told a Tory conference fringe event that in the event of no deal, London, under World Trade Organisation rules, would have to reinstate checks. Ms Foster, speaking at a DUP fringe event, said any extra checks would cause difficulty and added that she would be reiterating her position on the border issue to the Prime Minister. We are not going to allow the United Kingdom to be broken up by Brussels or by anybody else, Northern Ireland is not about to become a semi-detached part of the United KingdomArlene Foster The DUP event, held inside the main conference centre in Birmingham, was attended by dozens of Tory members and by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley and Chief Whip Julian Smith. Ms Foster was greeted with applause after telling the crowd she would not allow Northern Ireland to become a semi-detached part of the UK. She said: We are not going to allow the United Kingdom to be broken up by Brussels or by anybody else, Northern Ireland is not about to become a semi-detached part of the United Kingdom. We are not bluffing on this issue, we are very clear, our job is to protect the union, our job is to do what is right for Northern Ireland and you can be assured that we will do that. Asked about the Chancellors reported remarks that if the UK operates on WTO terms, checks at the border will be required, Ms Foster said: I have concerns. She added: Thats news, because of course up until now we have been saying that it will not be the UK that will be enforcing any borders. If the European Union feel that they need to have a border in Ireland thats a matter for them if they feel they have to protect their single market in a particular way. So Philip Hammond talking about a border is something new, something we want to explore as well, because certainly thats not my understanding. Expand Close Philip Hammond speaking at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Philip Hammond speaking at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) Ms Foster was also asked about negotiations with the EU, and said: I would welcome clarity. We wait to see the text, words on a piece of paper, in relation to any proposals that are being put forward. I think its important we see that because we do remember what happened last December when we hadnt seen the text. Ms Foster was later asked if she would like to see a change in Prime Minister, in light of Boris Johnsons sustained attack on Theresa Mays Brexit plan. She said: I have said very clearly, it is a matter for the Conservative Party. I wouldnt take very kindly to people coming to my party and saying who they wanted to be leader. In our confidence and supply agreement it is between the two parties, not reliant on any particular leader. DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds later warned that his party would not be signing up to any backstop arrangement. He said: The danger of this Irish backstop has the potential to not only separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom and any future diversion there may be from it, but it also has the potential to shackle the United Kingdom for generations to come in its relationship with Europe. The DUP will not be signing up to any backstop unless we ensure that every line of it complies with our requirements. Mrs May said the Government was working on a new offer to address the backstop concerns. She said: We are working on the proposal that we will put forward to the European Union on this so-called backstop. People use this phrase backstop. What it means is a guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. We committed to that in December in the joint report. I did that because the people of Northern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom. I think its important that we are able to deal with their needs and requirements as we do with people across the UK. This concept of introducing no changes in that regulatory environment without that consent of the people of Northern Ireland was in that December joint report. The Irish Government has been accused of being in denial over a retention crisis in the Defence Forces. Opposition leader Micheal Martin said that morale in the Defence Forces is very low, with the number of personnel seriously depleted. The Fianna Fail leader raised the issue during Leaders Questions in the Dail parliament following claims that hundreds of personnel have spent thousands of euro of their own money to leave. The Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) said that since the start of the year, more than 170 have paid up to 40,000 euro each to leave. Expand Close Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) Poor pay is being blamed for the main reason for personnel wanting to leave. The picture being painted is of a Defence Forces that are very seriously depleted, going through a severe retention crisis, with a shortage of specialist personnel in terms of bomb disposal experts and so forth, very low morale all around, poorly paid, and with very poor conditions of service, Mr Martin told Taoiseach Leo Varakdar. In addition to that, among the Defences Forces, and being articulated by retired personnel, is a very real sense of a lack of respect, and indeed contempt, from Government towards the Defence Forces. Retired members are particularly angry at what they see as a continuing dismantling of our Defence Forces, a once-proud force representing our country. He said one retired officer described the relationship between the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence as toxic, broken, dysfunctional and dangerous. He added that the general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, Lieutenant Colonel Earnan Naughton, said the Defence Forces governance and command structure is breaking down. Within the Air Corps, we are told there is about a 30% shortfall in pilots, Mr Martin added. It is clear there is a depletion among the officer ranks, with some even buying their way out of the Army. There is a critical shortage of specialist officers, from Army bomb disposal experts to aeronautical engineers and pilots. Through all of this, the Government is in denial. Mr Varadkar admitted there is a high turnover rate, but added it is not uncommon in the Defence Forces. Expand Close Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) Being in the Defence Forces tends to be a job for younger men and women, it tends not to be a job for life, the Taoiseach said. If people are not moving up the ranks, they will generally move on, often to better opportunities in the private sector, taking with them the skills they have built up. They also get early pensions in their 40s and 50s, which are set up to enable people to move on to new careers. A turnover rate of around 8% is not uncommon. He said the budget for the Defence Forces has increased by 25 million euro this year. The deputy is right that there is a shortage when it comes to experts, pilots and engineers, he added. More generally, there is an issue across the Defence Forces when it comes to 24-hour duty. The PDFORRA annual conference took place in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Tuesday. General secretary Gerard Guinan said: Last year the (Defence) Minister made a commitment to increase the numbers within the Defence Force establishment level of 9,500. However, this year, the Defence Force has seen a net loss of personnel due to the failure to recognise the effect that the failure to restore premiums associated with undertaking additional hours is having on morale and retention. There were cancellations from Shannon (Niall Carson/PA) Flights in Ireland have been disrupted because of a radar problem. There were cancellations from Shannon and Cork airports following the fault at Air Traffic Control in Shannon on Tuesday evening. Inbound flights were facing cancellation or predicted delays of up to three hours. A number of flights due to land at Shannon were diverted to Dublin Airport. Later, the Irish Aviation Authority said: As part of planned contingency, the IAA moved to its back-up systems and the flight restrictions have been lifted. Traffic flows are now in the process of being restored to normal capacity. UPDATE: The IAA is aware of a technical issue in Shannon ATC. The issue is currently being investigated. As a precaution the flow of traffic has been restricted. We will provide an update shortly pic.twitter.com/l92WqDbmvE Shannon Airport (@ShannonAirport) October 2, 2018 Cork Airport said on Twitter: There is a significant systems failure with a radar in the west of Ireland resulting in a zero flow rate in Irish aerospace at present. Dublin Airport is exempt due to proximity to UK air traffic control. Cork Airport apologises for the obvious inconvenience this is causing. Shannon Airport warned the disruption could last until morning, writing on Twitter: Air Traffic Control at Ballcasey, Shannon are experiencing issues with their flight radar. Work underway to rectify the situation. Arrivals and Departures at Shannon have been suspended until the radar is fully operational. We would advise passengers travelling in the morning to check the status of their flights with the airlines due to tonights issue with the flight radar. Boris Johnson has delivered a speech in which he denounced Theresa Mays Chequers plan for EU withdrawal as an outrage that would leave the UK locked in the tractor beam of Brussels. Heres the latest: 5pm Later, Theresa May said she had not watched Boris Johnsons speech but was cross and frustrated about some of the things he had said. She told the BBC: This afternoon I have been meeting activists, Ive been talking to people about the conference and seeing a party thats in really good heart. And she added: There are one or two things that Boris said that Im cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. We are all he and I and all members here are members of the Conservative and Unionist Party. Thats because we believe in the Union of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is part of that Union. We have a guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland and we are upholding that. Our Chequers plan does that. It is the only plan on the table at the moment that does. 3.35pm Ex-minister John Redwood also said the PM had to understand that mainstream opinion in the party was bitterly opposed to her plan. He said: She has got to listen to it because this is the heart of the nation, the heart of the party. This is not some fringe element, this is where the country is, this is what 17.4 million people voted for. 3.25pm Highlights of Boris Johnsons speech. 3.15pm Former environment secretary Owen Paterson said: She must chuck Chequers and go back to her manifesto, on which she won the second largest number of votes since John Major. He said the attendance at Mr Johnsons speech was a massive political statement and we are the mainstream. The audience erupted in another standing ovation after @BorisJohnsons positive speech: Clear restatement of Conservative principles, the benefits of free markets and why we must #ChuckChequers to take back control and deliver @Conservatives Manifesto pledge. #CPC18 pic.twitter.com/vLIxCcWamD Owen Paterson (@OwenPaterson) October 2, 2018 2.50pm Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said party chiefs had to recognise when the membership is saying something to you following Mr Johnsons speech. With Mrs Mays keynote conference speech due tomorrow, Mr Duncan Smith said: This hall could have been filled half again by people wanting to hear an upbeat message about who we are and where we are going. I have to tell you, I want the Prime Minister to reflect that tomorrow. We tried she sent Chequers to the EU and they said they didnt like it. She needs to tell them now: OK, great, if you want free trade you have got to break the backstop nonsense, otherwise we are going to WTO. She will get a standing ovation. The country will back her because they want to get out, thats what they voted for. 2.25pm During the speech, Mr Johnson appeared to concede he would not be prime minister. 2.05pm Reacting to the speech, David Drew, who sits on Test Valley Borough Council, said: Boris is a great performer. He obviously wowed the crowd. I was a little concerned when he got such applause for saying we should chuck Chequers because I think its a starting site. Expand Close Boris Johnson leaves the stage following his speech (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris Johnson leaves the stage following his speech (Aaron Chown/PA) Cheers as @BorisJohnson teats into Chequers - it is dangerous and unstable politically and economically ... this is not democracy. This is not what we voted for. Dismisses the @michaelgove view that UK can leave now and sort it out later. pic.twitter.com/aPO4GSQDcT David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) October 2, 2018 1.59pm Former Brexit secretary David Davis, speaking to the Press Association, said of Mr Johnsons event: It was a good speech, nice and clear. Asked what impact it would have on Mrs Mays keynote speech on Wednesday, Mr Davis told PA: Its a different speech, shes the Prime Minister, shes got to give a serious speech about the future of not just Brexit but all the other elements of the domestic strategy which of course Boris was talking about too. Shell make a good speech. An electrifying speech from @BorisJohnson No other speaker at conference has had this response. #CPC18 Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) October 2, 2018 1.40pm The former foreign secretary concluded: I hope you will join me in urging our friends in Government to deliver what the people voted for, to back Theresa May in the best way possible, by softly, quietly and sensibly supporting her original plan. And in so doing to show confidence in Conservatism and in our country. Because if we get it wrong we will be punished. And if we get it right we can have a glorious future. This Government will then be remembered for having done something brave and right and remarkable and in accordance with the wishes of the people. He won a standing ovation from audience members at the end of his speech. 1.36pm Mr Johnson said agreeing the Chequers proposals would embolden those calling for a second referendum. He said: These are the same people, incidentally, who explicitly told the electorate that there was no going back, that voting leave meant leaving the customs union and the single market, and that there was no way they would be asked again. Expand Close Boris Johnson warned against leaving with a deal that was less than perfect and then hoping to fix it later a move Environment Secretary Michael Gove has floated (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris Johnson warned against leaving with a deal that was less than perfect and then hoping to fix it later a move Environment Secretary Michael Gove has floated (Aaron Chown/PA) 1.34pm Mr Johnson said Chequers is a constitutional outrage. This is not pragmatic, that is not a compromise. It is dangerous and unstable politically and economically. He won applause as he said: My fellow Conservatives, this is not democracy. This is not what we voted for. It is a constitutional outrage. This is not taking back control: it is forfeiting control. They know it in Brussels. Boris this is not a leadership bid Johnson attacking Labour & not even remembering that he & his party have driven down living standards to the worst levels in recent memory. We deserve better. Our children deserve better. We desperately need a Labour Gov. #CPC18 #BorisJohnson Jo Platt (@JoPlattLeigh) October 2, 2018 1.31pm Mr Johnson said the EU will always be colossally important but the rest of the world is proportionally gaining ground. He said: Think what we could do with proper free trade deals. And that is why it is so sad, so desperately wrong, that we are preparing to agree terms with Brussels that would make it difficult if not impossible to do such deals. And that is why it is such a mistake for us to leave on the Chequers terms, locked in the tractor beam of Brussels. We will not only be prevented from offering our tariff schedules, we will be unable to make our own laws, to vary our regulatory framework for goods, agrifoods and much much more besides. This is politically humiliating for a 2 trillion economy. Turns out there is a plan. That plan is Boris. #brexit James Duddridge MP (@JamesDuddridge) October 2, 2018 1.22pm Mr Johnson called for the party to follow its Conservative instincts and give millions more young people the chance to become owner-occupiers. He called for a crackdown on landbanking and encouragement for small private builders. Mr Johnson said the big eight house-builders were abusing their dominant position. He said councils should be given the ability to retain stamp duty, council tax, and business rates, which would act as a motive for growth. Expand Close Stanley Johnson and Rachel Johnson take a selfie (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stanley Johnson and Rachel Johnson take a selfie (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 1.16pm Mr Johnson said: There is only one thing I really worry about in this critical autumn of 2018, and that is that, after 200 years, this oldest and most successful of all political parties should somehow lose confidence in its basic belief in freedom. And that, after 1,000 years of independence, this country might really lose confidence in its democratic institutions. And that we should be so demoralised and so exhausted as to submit those institutions forever to foreign rule. Expand Close Boris makes his point (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris makes his point (Aaron Chown/PA) 1.15pm Mr Johnson won applause as he said: We cannot, we must not and will not let this weaselly cabal of superannuated Marxists and Hugo Chavez-admiring, anti-Semitism-condoning Kremlin apologists anywhere near the government of this country. 1.11pm Mr Johnson used his speech to launch an attack on Jeremy Corbyns Labour: Surely to goodness we can take on this Tony Benn tribute act and wallop them for six. Not by imitating them, not by capering insincerely on Labour turf but by systematically pointing out the damage they would do. 1.08pm Mr Johnson arrived in the conference centre to be greeted by a scrum of reporters and cameras. The former foreign secretary did not answer questions from the pack as he was followed through the building. Former Brexit secretary David Davis is here, along with @SteveBakerHW - both resigned over Chequers before @BorisJohnson pic.twitter.com/waMMQYyLk1 David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) October 2, 2018 1.06pm Dismissing the significance of Mr Johnsons speech, business minister Claire Perry told Sky News: Its a travelling circus that comes to town. He thrives on publicity, he doesnt have a policy backbone anywhere on him. Who doesnt want to see the court jester arrive? But behind the scenes all the deadly serious work of delivering Brexit goes on. Expand Close A fan wears a Boris Johnson t-shirt at the event (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A fan wears a Boris Johnson t-shirt at the event (Aaron Chown/PA) 1.01pm Former Brexit secretary David Davis sat on the front row to listen to his ex-Cabinet colleagues speech. 1pm Home Secretary Sajid Javid was one Tory MP who was not tuning into Mr Johnsons speech, saying he was going for some lunch. Expand Close A line of delegates waiting to get into the Boris Johnsons fringe event (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A line of delegates waiting to get into the Boris Johnsons fringe event (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 12.43pm Other Tory MPs in the audience for Mr Johnsons speech included Zac Goldsmith, Peter Bone, ex-Brexit minister Steve Baker and Andrew Bridgen. Expand Close Stanley Johnson spoke to reporters on his arrival at the conference (Aaron Chown/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stanley Johnson spoke to reporters on his arrival at the conference (Aaron Chown/PA) 12.30pm Former Cabinet ministers Priti Patel and Owen Paterson, along with Mr Johnsons father Stanley, were among the crowd in the 1,500-capacity hall waiting for the speech. Lengthy queue already forming for @BorisJohnson - hes not due to speak until 1pm. pic.twitter.com/WE4EsIsNoB David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) October 2, 2018 11.20am Colin Belsey, 73, a councillor from Eastbourne, said if Mr Johnson had been a gentleman he wouldnt have come. But he has come, so be it, and therell be several hundred-odd people wanting to listen to him, thats fine, but I wont be rushing out there to listen to him. Karen May, a councillor from Bromsgrove, told the Press Association: Hes entitled to be here as a party member Im more concerned we get this wretched Brexit deal and its constructive and we dont get the distraction of sideplays. Welcoming committee of Brexiteers for @BorisJohnson at #cpc18 - he ignores my question about whether his presence here is undermining @theresa_may pic.twitter.com/t22paaBzjd David Hughes (@DavidHughesPA) October 2, 2018 11am Anti-Brexit campaigner Steven Bray, from Bridgend, used a loudhailer to heckle Mr Johnson through a security fence as he arrived at the conference hotel. Come and collect your prize for biggest liar ever, shouted Mr Bray, a member of the Stand Of Defiance European Movement who regularly demonstrates outside Parliament. Not everyone was pleased to see @BorisJohnson arrive at the Conservative conference... (Note: includes strong language) #CPC18 pic.twitter.com/iu25Pm3Lf9 Andrew Woodcock (@AndyWoodcock) October 2, 2018 10.49am Party members arriving at the conference welcomed Mr Johnsons attendance. Barbara Tan, from Virginia Water, said the former foreign secretary has something that warms the cockles of everyone. People love him. Hes a Conservative right through and through, she told the Press Association. 10.42am An anti-Brexit protester waving a Union Flag and the EUs standard loitered outside the fence surrounding the conference venue as reporters and photographers waited for Boris Johnsons arrival. A group of Brexiteer MPs including Ross Thomson, Ben Bradley, Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Andrea Jenkyns were present to meet him. As he arrived, accompanied by fellow Brexiteer Conor Burns, Mr Johnson ignored questions about whether his presence was undermining Theresa May. Expand Close Boris in contemplative mood as he arrives (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris in contemplative mood as he arrives (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 10.26am Boris Johnsons father Stanley said he hoped his son would give an invigorating speech that draws a considerable crowd. Despite being a Remain campaigner, Stanley Johnson said the former foreign secretary was 100% right about Chequers, hitting out at the way it would leave the UK bound by EU rules without a seat at the table. Stanley Johnson said: Boris used the word deranged. I think that is almost too gentle a term. Expand Close Stanley Johnson (left) said his son Boris was right on Brexit (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stanley Johnson (left) said his son Boris was right on Brexit (PA) 10.24am Theresa May sought to play down Mr Johnsons arrival at the conference, saying of his speech: Im sure thats going to be a very lively event. At this conference what were focusing on is the opportunity for this country once we leave the European Union and the opportunity that we want to ensure that people in this country have. DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds has said any EU backstop has to be time limited and apply to the entirety of the UK. It comes amid reports the UK government is to propose backing down on its opposition to checks on goods moving between Britain and Northern Ireland. Read More Mr Dodds said any agreement had to be "crystal clear" and his party would not accept a fudge on any Brexit withdrawal agreement.. The North Belfast MP was speaking at a Conservative party conference fringe event on Tuesday. He said: The danger of this Irish backstop has the potential to not only separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the United Kingdom and any future diversion there may be from it, but it also has the potential to shackle the United Kingdom for generations to come in its relationship with Europe. The DUP will not be signing up to any backstop unless we ensure that every line of it complies with our requirements. He also took a pot shot at the Chancellor, revealing he had told the Government that Mr Hammonds next Budget needed to reflect optimism, adding: We have had enough doom and gloom. DUP leader Arlene Foster, also speaking at the event, said her party was not "bluffing" on the issue and they would not allow the UK to be broken up by Brussels. Read More . @NigelDoddsDUP says any backstop must be time limited & cant tie NI into arrangements which dont apply to the rest of the U.K. pic.twitter.com/ypFhzOHYDw Mark Devenport (@markdevenport) October 2, 2018 I picked an Orange pen especially for you Mrs Foster said the man with the broken arm pic.twitter.com/Q0qBlv7f4D Enda McClafferty (@endamcclafferty) October 2, 2018 The comments come as it was reported Theresa May was sitting on "secret" plans for new working on the so-called backstop. The backstop is a contingency fall back should the EU and the UK not agree a deal. The EU has insisted this be agreed before talks can progress. Read More Bloomberg reported on Monday Mrs May is set to make a significant new Brexit offer that would kick-start negotiations in the coming weeks. The offer applies to the 'backstop', which is the legal guarantee that there will no hard border on the island of Ireland. The report said: "Under the plan, which May is likely to put forward later this month, the UK would back down on its opposition to new checks on goods moving between the British mainland and Northern Ireland. "In exchange, May's team would need the EU to compromise and allow the whole of the UK including Northern Ireland to stay in the bloc's customs regime." However, sources in Dublin said they understood this to mean that Mrs May was moving towards delivering a new legal definition of the backstop. The version produced by the EU last February was ruled unworkable by the UK Government. The International Monetary Fund last weekend approved the payment of a $245 million loan tranche to Tunisia as the North African nation is making urgent economic reforms, Reuters reported. Under a deal reached in 2016, IMF was to assist Tunisia with a four-year loan program worth about $2.8 billion, tied to economic reforms aimed at keeping the countrys deficit under control. Praised as a model of democratic transition following its 2011 uprising to oust autocratic leader Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia, however, dropped into a deep economic slump following the overthrow and has so far failed to deliver on planned economic reforms to help create jobs and cut public deficits. The economic growth is expected to accelerate between 3 and 3.5 percent next year from an expected 2.9 percent in 2018, driven by a recovery of the tourism industry and agricultural sector. Tunisia previously announced that it would issue Eurobonds during Q1, 2018 but the issuance was repeatedly delayed because of poor performance in the local economy and unfavorable market conditions. The government aims to reduce its budget deficit to 3.9 percent of gross domestic product next year from the 4.9 percent it is forecasting for 2018. DUP leader Arlene Foster praised Boris Johnson's "positive" Brexit vision saying it was wrong to think the Good Friday Agreement was "sacrosanct" in determining the final deal with the EU. The MLA was speaking to the Daily Telegraph ahead of an appearance at an event at the Conservative Party conference on Tuesday. Read More She said it was wrong to suggest the 1998 peace accord could not be altered to accommodate the final Brexit deal. It has been deeply frustrating to hear people who voted remain and in Europe talk about Northern Ireland as though we cant touch the Belfast Agreement. Things evolve, even in the EU context," Mrs Foster said. There has been a lot of misinterpretation, holding it up as a sacrosanct piece of legislation. Read More The DUP, in 1998, did not back the Good Friday Agreement. On Tuesday morning speaking to the news organisation Bloomberg Mrs foster said the agreement had been "changed on a number of occasions recently.. It has been changed by St Andrews, by the Stormont House Agreement. It is not something that should be treated as something which is infallible, it is a thing of its time and changable." Read More In the interview with the Daily Telegraph Arlene Foster said she would consider the final Brexit deal on the table before considering her party's stance, adding: "For me as a former lawyer I need to see the text, Id have to see what that means for Northern Ireland in realityall I can say to you is that whatever is proposed, we will look at our red line, we will judge it against that red line, and we will make a decision. In his Telegraph column Boris Johnson outlined his plan for Brexit urging Mrs May to "chuck Chequers" arguing for a deal based on the Canada agreement saying there was no need for a physical border between Northern Ireland and the Republic to ensure "the integrity of the single market". We won't accept any extra checks in the Irish Sea, DUP's Arlene Foster says https://t.co/FiaTcf4xc3 pic.twitter.com/aAlBcFv5xE Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) October 2, 2018 Fermanagh MLA Foster endorsed the "belief and spirit" contained in his proposals. She said the DUP's confidence and supply deal with the Conservatives was "party to party" and did not rely on Theresa May leading one side. Whoever leads the Conservative Party we will work with as its in the national interest. The reason we signed the agreement was to ensure Brexit. Read More On Boris Johnson's plan, she said: "In terms of the need for aspiration I think it is important that people start to talk. I do get very frustrated about some people in the Conservative Party. Look, its happening, so therefore lets make it as good as we possibly can, instead of all of this talk about a peoples vote." She said one of her biggest disappointments was the Government's failure to "talk about the aspirations of the nation". We havent been able to talk about the aspirations for the nation, weve spent so much time arguing about whats happened, is it going to be a disaster for Ireland in inverted commas...instead of actually focusing on what we can achieve in the UK with the Brexit negotiations," she said. What we want to see, and Im not making a comparison between Boris and the Prime Minister, is belief. We want to see that spirit. On Monday Arlene Foster in a tweet pictured alongside former Brexit Secretary David Davis said she was looking forward to a "busy few days" at the Conservative Party conference. "It is an opportunity for us to engage with fellow unionists from throughout the UK and beyond. Together we are working to benefit everyone and ensure the needs of NI are understood," she said. Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, speaking on Tuesday said his party would continue to support Theresa May in getting the best possible Brexit deal. He refused to be drawn on reports of a new proposal for the Irish border saying it had not been put to the party. Boris Johnson while conceding there would need to be some extra procedures, he said they could be carried out away from the border "as they are, very largely, today". The former foreign secretary said arrangements could be made to ensure the border works practically and businesses can use it smoothly and without hassle. Here are five things we learned at the Conservative Party Conference on Tuesday: Boris Johnson pulled in the biggest crowd so far at the conference as he swept in to Birmingham. The former foreign secretary demonstrated his ability to woo grassroots members with a tub-thumping speech, which some of his supporters tried to suggest was supportive of Theresa May, but it did little to dampen talk of his leadership ambitions. The Prime Minister delivers her speech on Wednesday, with comparisons expected to be drawn with Mr Johnsons fringe speech efforts. Mrs May remains committed to her target of cutting net annual immigration despite struggles to achieve it over recent years. The PM outlined the Torys long-awaited immigration plans linked to Brexit. But her target remains in place and the doubts about meeting it persist. Mrs May will not get any respite from her minority government allies the DUP over Brexit. Arlene Foster kept up the pressure over post-Brexit proposals for the Irish border by expressing concerns over Chancellor Philip Hammonds claims on the potential for a hard border if there is no Brexit deal. Ms Foster said the DUP would not allow Northern Ireland to become a semi-detached part of the UK. Sajid Javid outlined his vision for how Britain should develop post-Brexit in what is likely to be the latest main stage speech to be interpreted as the beginnings of a leadership pitch. Expand Close Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaks at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Home Secretary Sajid Javid speaks at the Conservative Party conference (Aaron Chown/PA) The Home Secretary touched on his personal rise and tried to adopt a welcoming but firm approach on immigration, particularly in the wake of the Windrush scandal and criticism of the Governments hostile environment policy. Whether or not a fresh British values test for those seeking UK citizenship will be any more successful than those used before remains to be seen. Inspiration to become an MP can arrive at any time including when on your honeymoon. A discussion about how to encourage more women into politics saw Helen Whately reveal her watershed moment on her journey to eventually becoming MP for Faversham and Mid Kent. She told members: It was the first time for a few years, a really busy life working and campaigning, and I thought you know what, I think I want to stand for Parliament, I think I want to be an MP. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said delayed discharge needs to improve (Peter Byrne/PA) Scotland health secretary has said delayed discharge performance needs to improve after as official figures revealed the problem is increasing. Statistics show a 15% year-on-year increase in the number of patients well enough to be discharged but unable to leave due to health and social care reasons, such as a care package not being in place. At the August census point 1,165 (75%) patients with delayed discharge, also known as bed blocking, were for health and social care reasons, up from 1,015 at the same time last year and 1,100 the previous month. More than a fifth, 263 (22%) were due to complex needs and 36 (3%) for patient and family-related reasons. A total of 43,913 days were spent in hospital due to delayed discharge in August, up 5% on the same month the previous year. When patients are trapped in hospital, sometimes for hundreds of nights on end, their condition can worsen and opportunities to rebuild their lives are lost, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said. That is why the Health Secretary should set out the Scottish Governments plans for reducing avoidable delayed discharges and the progress they expect to be made tackling it over the coming months. The Scottish Greens are calling for Scottish Ministers to speed up action on social care staffing, including boosting pay to aid worker recruitment and retention. The partys health spokeswoman Alison Johnstone said: Too many people are stuck in hospital waiting for a care package, home or transport adaptation, or place in a care home, causing them and their families added stress. The Scottish Government is moving too slowly on the integration of health and social care, and needs to speed up action to tackle the lack of staff, which the Tories Brexit crisis isnt helping. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: There are 11 partnerships who record standard delays of over three days in single figures. While this is encouraging we must also recognise that some partnerships are not performing as well, with five accounting for around half the total number of delays. I am clear that delayed discharge performance needs to improve, and we are working with the boards who are facing the most significant pressures. She said integration of health and social care would help make long-term sustainable progress in reducing delayed discharge and the government had transferred nearly half a billion pounds from the NHS to social care and integration this financial year. Sajid Javid has said he is not sad his bus driver father would have been turned away from the UK under the Governments new immigration proposals. The proposals, announced by the Home Secretary in his conference speech, will mean high-skilled workers are given priority in visa applications over those with low skills. Mr Javids father arrived in Britain in the 1960s from Pakistan and first took work in a cotton mill in Rochdale before becoming a bus driver. Asked at a Tory conference fringe event whether he was sad his late father could not have taken the same journey to the UK today, he said: I thought about that, I think its a perfectly good question and the answer is when my dad came to Britain in the 1960s there was a route that was set out by the British Government because the Government wanted, it needed, a route for low-skilled migration. He added: No it doesnt make me feel sad, I actually feel with todays policy it makes you very optimistic about our future because what I have set out is that we will remain the global and outlooking nation that welcomes people from across the world. Mr Javid, who was at an event hosted by the Guardian, was also asked about the Windrush scandal and whether he was surprised by the public backlash. He said: I wasnt actually, I think that when it became clear what had been happening over many years and we now know, at the time it looked like it was only happening over the last three or four years, we now know that goes back under successive governments. The British public have a real strong sense of decency and when they realised what was happening there was uproar there should have been, given what had happened. European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has issued a fresh warning to Theresa May that there must be agreement on the Irish border if she wants a Brexit deal. Despite the rejection of key elements of Mrs Mays Chequers blueprint for Brexit at last months informal summit in Salzburg, Mr Juncker insisted the EU still wanted an agreement. However, addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg ahead of the next EU summit in Brussels later this month, he stressed the EU would not compromise on key principles. We will have an interesting meeting as far as Brexit is concerned. We want to have a deal. Those who think a no-deal would be a better solution are not aware of the difficulties such a scenario would imply, he said. When it comes to the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, we are sticking to the point of view we have expressed so many times Ireland first. We are sticking to the point of view we have expressed so many times Ireland firstJean-Claude Juncker The European Parliaments Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said the EU would never compromise its core principles to rescue a Conservative Government from the mess of Brexit. He rejected a reported call by Boris Johnson for an extension to the Article 50 negotiations and dismissed Home Secretary Sajid Javids plan for new migration controls after Britain has left the EU. We will never accept discrimination based on skills and nationality, as Javid this morning proposed, he said. We will never give in and undermine the principles of our union. We will never undermine the principles of union, the European project, to rescue a political party in Britain who is not even capable to find a common line on the exit of the mess Brexit. The summit on October 18 to 19 has been billed as the moment of truth when it will become clear whether it is possible for the two sides to do a deal. Mrs May has said the Government is working on new proposals to resolve the issue of the Irish border ensuring there is no need for the return of hard border controls although it is unclear whether they will be ready in time for the Brussels meeting. The parliament also heard renewed criticism of Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt over his comparison of the EU to the former Soviet Union. Manfred Weber, the leader of the main centre right grouping in the parliament, said Mr Hunt needed to apologise for his comments. Mr Hunt, you should apologise for what you have saidManfred Weber Now we experience a new level of populism when the foreign minister of Great Britain, Hunt, is comparing the European Union with the Soviet Union, he said. He quoted Polish former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski who said: Please Mr Hunt, show us the gulag, please Mr Hunt show us the Soviet Union army troops in your country, please show us the Stasi system in your country. He added: So Sikorski is right. Mr Hunt, you should apologise for what you have said. Mr Hunts comments were welcomed by former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who said the Foreign Secretary had been echoing a view he had expressed for years. For a decade here I have noticed that that centralising authoritarian tone began to sound very much like the old Soviet Union, he told the parliament. To see the British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt now using that language means we have shifted the centre of gravity, we have shifted this debate. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MEP Diane Dodds whose party props up Mrs Mays Government at Westminster warned they would never accept the impossible demands of the EU for a backstop which would see the imposition of customs controls between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK if the two sides failed to reach a wider agreement on trade. The idea, as proposed in the backstop, that we would allow Northern Ireland to become some sort of semi-detached part of the United Kingdom is both offensive and outrageous, she said. Protecting the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom is a red line that cannot be broken or bent. When it comes to the stability of the United Kingdom and the security of Northern Irelands place in it mark my words, we are not bluffing. The Scottish Government is accused of AandE waiting time target failure becoming normal (Gareth Fuller/PA) Failure to hit A&E waiting times targets has become the norm for the Scottish Government, the Liberal Democrats have claimed. The latest official monthly figures show 92% of the 144,638 patients were seen within the four-hour target time in August, under the 95% goal. This has dropped marginally from 93% the previous month and is down 3% from August 2017, the last time the monthly target was met. Just under a quarter (24%) of patients attending A&E in August were admitted to hospital. Meanwhile, the weekly performance is at 88.7%, with 316 patients waiting more than eight hours and 75 waiting more than 12. Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has lambasted the Scottish Government for failing to address persistently poor A&E waits. The process is far from seamless and thats because there aren't enough resources at each and every stage. https://t.co/QP4WLnyVIH pic.twitter.com/g6GWoXT5YX Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) October 2, 2018 Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: Performance against the A&E waiting time has dipped below 90% for three weeks in a row now. That hasnt happened since April. The public will be worried about how the NHS will cope through busy winter months if it is struggling this much already. The process is far from seamless and thats because there arent enough resources at each and every stage. Scotlands social care system is under unprecedented pressure and as a result blocked beds are stopping other people leaving A&E. Missing this target has become the norm. People demand better from the Scottish Government. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: The latest monthly figures show that in August we continued to see and treat more than nine out of 10 patients within four hours. Scotlands core accident and emergency departments have outperformed those in the rest of the UK for more than three years. But clearly there continues to be significant improvement needed and we are working closely with those hospitals that are experiencing challenges to make improvements. She said 10 million has been invested to help health services prepare for winter. Stansted said on Monday that travellers due to fly with the airline should not travel to the airport (Chris Radburn/PA) Would-be passengers have been warned not to turn up for Primera Air flights after the discount airline ceased operations ahead of filing for bankruptcy. Stansted said on Monday that travellers due to fly with the airline should not travel to the airport, from which Primera operated flights to Spain and the US. Birmingham Airport referred customers to the Civil Aviation Authority advice, which urged those expecting return flights to the UK with the operator to make fresh arrangements home. The Foreign Office said its consulate in Malaga had already been contacted for advice by a Briton. We have learned this afternoon that @primeraair has ceased all flight operations and will go into administration at midnight tonight. Passengers due to travel with Primera Air are advised not to travel to the airport and instead contact the airline directly. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/0o6kNgn0ZD London Stansted Airport (@STN_Airport) October 1, 2018 Stansted Airport said in a statement: Passengers due to travel with Primera Air are advised not to travel to the airport and instead contact the airline directly. The Danish airline said it was a sad day for staff and passengers but it had no other choice than filing for bankruptcy. The DUP has asked Home Secretary Sajid Javid to meet families of those killed in the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings following the unmasking of the prime suspects in a TV documentary. Former British soldier James Francis Gavin and convicted IRA bomber Michael Patrick Reilly were revealed last night as the two men West Midlands Police believe planted the bombs. They exploded in The Tavern in the Town and the Mulberry Bush pubs just 10 minutes apart on November 21, 1974, killing 21 people and injuring more than 200 others. Reilly's solicitor issued a statement on behalf of his client who he said "denies any allegation that he was involved" in the bombing. He added that the claims were "untrue and without any foundation". Just last week the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of coroner Sir Peter Thornton QC, upholding his right to exclude the identity of the perpetrators from a fresh inquest into the victims' deaths. Julie Hambleton, who lost her sister Maxine (18) in the atrocity and who featured in last night's programme, welcomed the ITV Exposure investigation but said it raises more questions. "It has taken a documentary maker to name the suspects behind what was the biggest act of mass murder carried out on the mainland in the 20th century," she said. "The 'perpetrator issue' was our main legal point and now he has been named we hope it will force the coroner to expand the scope of the inquest, but what does that say about our country?". Reilly has never been publicly named as a suspect, whereas Gavin - who died in 2002 - has been named in connection with the atrocity but never as the bomb-planter. The Hunt For The Birmingham Bombers showed reporter John Ware confronting Reilly about the allegations outside a supermarket in Belfast, where he refused to comment. The documentary includes an interview with Ms Hambleton who has been fighting for justice for more than four decades. "What do I want? Me, personally, I want the b******s who killed my sister and the other 20 to be brought to justice, short and simple," she said. "We could have walked past him when we were in Belfast. "When people ask you how'd you feel if you met them or saw them, you can never answer that question." As a teenager in 1975 Reilly, who had been living in Birmingham at the time of the massacre, was interviewed by West Midlands Police but denied any involvement. However, he did admit to bombing a number of local businesses in the city and was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiracy and causing explosions, and moved to Northern Ireland following his release. The investigation relied heavily on the work of former Government minister Chris Mullin, who campaigned for the release of six men who were wrongly convicted for the bombing in 1975. Hugh Callaghan, Patrick Joseph Hill, Gerard Hunter, Richard McIlkenny, William Power and John Walker became known as the Birmingham Six and eventually had their life sentences quashed by the Court of Appeal in 1991 in what was one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in English legal history. On two occasions Mullin interviewed a man who admitted to the bombing on the condition that his identity would never be revealed. But by cross-referencing information in Mullin's book with police transcripts and birth records, interviewing eyewitnesses and a former IRA man, Mr Ware is convinced the evidence points to Reilly and Gavin. Reacting to the new documentary, Ms Hambleton, who is a spokesperson for the Justice4the21 campaign, said all the relatives of the 21 victims welcome the revelation which has offered them hope of finally getting justice. "We all remain puzzled over coroner Sir Thornton's reluctance to address the 'perpetrator issue' which they believe is a vital piece of the jigsaw," she said. "This is the same coroner who has previously called on perpetrators to enter the witness stand which then led to prosecutions." The tireless campaigner has spent the last two days protesting with other relatives outside the International Conference Centre in Birmingham which is hosting the Conservative Party Conference. "We are fighting the biggest juggernaut in our country which is the British Government which for some reason is protecting those who murdered our loved ones," she said. "Successive governments in the UK and Ireland have allowed mass murderers to walk free without fear of retribution which makes a mockery of even having a criminal justice system. "What's the point if no one is prepared to put people through the prosecution process?" Last night Sir Jeffrey Donaldson confirmed he will be requesting a meeting with Sajid Javid to discuss a number of issues relating to the inquest in light of the new allegations. "I have listened to Ms Hambleton and will be requesting a meeting with the Home Secretary to allow her and other relatives to present their case," he said. Ms Hambleton, who confronted a number of prominent MPs and Government ministers yesterday - including Nicky Morgan, Justine Greening, Anna Soubry and David Davis - praised Sir Jeffrey for vowing to help. "Nearly 44 years later we are still fighting for our relatives who don't have a voice, but nobody in the British establishment or Irish Government wants to hear us," she said. "They wish they could bury us alongside those who died because we dared to raise our heads above the parapet and ask questions and demand serious answers. "But we are encouraged that some politicians, including Jeffrey Donaldson, are listening to us." Reaction has been mixed to Arlene Foster's comments on the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein blasted Arlene Foster's comments on the Good Friday Agreement not being "sacrosanct" saying the peace accord could not be used as a bargaining chip in the Brexit talks. TUV MLA Jim Allister, however - pointing to to continued lack of government in Northern Ireland - asked why it couldn't be changed. Read More In an interview with the Daily Telegraph the DUP leader praised the Brexit vision proposed by Boris Johnson. She said there was nothing to prevent the altering of the Good Friday Agreement stating how there were changes made to the agreement at St Andrews and after the Stormont House Agreement. Read More Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald called on the Irish Government to make it clear the Good Friday Agreement was "not a chip to be bargained". She said she would raise the matter with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Read More She said the comments by the DUP leader "revealed a reckless disregard for the peace process, prosperity and progress". The Irish Government must make clear that the Good Friday Agreement will be protected and remains the basis for stability and progress," she said. Arlene says that the Good Friday Agreement isn't 'sacrosanct'. Whether Arlene likes it or not, the people of Ireland voted for the agreement in huge numbers. Changes that were made at St Andrews have led to the problems we have today. There will be no more messing with the GFA. Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) October 2, 2018 It should be remembered that Arlene Foster left the UUP, which supported the Good Friday Agreement, to join the anti-agreement DUP. It appears the DUP leader has learnt nothing over the past 15 years. "The Good Friday Agreement was endorsed by the vast majority of people north and south. It is the peoples agreement and not a chip to be bargained with as part of any Tory/DUP Brexit deal. It is time to move on and get a system of devolution that can work not the failure of Belfast agreement devolution. Jim Allister Brexit is incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement. The actions of the DUP and their deal with the Tories is bad for our economy and undermines the rights of citizens. The DUP should commit to the full implementation of the Good Friday, and other agreements, rather than seeking to undermine them. This would unlock the pathway to re-establishing the political institutions and safeguarding the interests of all the people in the north." UUP leader Robin Swann - whose party was a key architect of the agreement - said the principle of consent "should be sacrosanct to all unionists. Arlene Fosters comments on the Belfast Agreement are strategically shortsighted. The reality is that the principle of consent is what binds us to the United Kingdom, it is the best settlement for unionists and should be sacrosanct. We should be looking to build on this principle and ultimately remove the changes made at St Andrews to finally do away with the sectarian politics which continues to plague us to this day." Read More Jim Allister, however, said given devolution lay "in tatters" to advocate for it was an "exhalation of failure". "Why should the Belfast Agreement be sacrosanct?" he told the BBC Stephen Nolan show. "Its centrepiece is lying in tatters in terms of mandatory coalition. Anyone who closes their eyes to that reality and just repeats the mantra the 'Belfast Agreement, the Belfast Agreement'..... what they are repeating is an exhalation of failure. "What they are advocating is getting back into the failure of mandatory coalition. "The thing speaks for itself it's in tatters... of course it is time to move on and get a system of devolution that can work not the failure of Belfast agreement devolution." Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Theresa May sought to play down the significance of Boris Johnsons arrival at the Conservative conference for an eagerly-anticipated speech which many see as part of an effort to replace her as Tory leader. The former foreign secretarys flying visit to Birmingham was dominating the Tory gathering, after he publicly branded Mrs Mays Brexit plans deranged and then appeared to mock her by being photographed running through a wheatfield. The Prime Ministers decision to announce her long-awaited immigration policy late in the evening before Mr Johnsons speech was seen by some as an attempt to steal the media spotlight away from her most high-profile critic. In a round of broadcast interviews ahead of Mr Johnsons arrival, Mrs May did not mention him by name and sought to divert discussion away from him. Asked on BBC1s Breakfast what her relationship with Mr Johnson was like, she laughed and said: Well, Im sure thats going to be a very lively event this evening. At this conference what were focusing on is the opportunity for this country once we leave the European Union and the opportunity that we want to ensure that people in this country have. I'm in this for the long termTheresa May And she made clear she was not ready to hand over the reins of power, telling BBC Radio 4s Today: Im in this for the long term, not just for the Brexit deal but actually for the domestic agenda we are setting out at this conference. Mr Johnson will use his lunchtime speech to a meeting on the fringe of the Birmingham gathering to urge activists to believe in Conservative values. In what will undoubtedly be seen as a bid to position himself as an alternative leader, Mr Johnson will not only restate his opposition to the Prime Ministers handling of Brexit but call on Tories to focus on law and order, tax cuts and house-building in order to defeat Labour. His call for Tories to stick to their tax-cutting guns will come as a rebuke to Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has openly admitted taxes will rise to help pay for the 20 billion spending boost promised to the NHS. The Tory gathering in Birmingham is becoming a grudge match between the former foreign secretary and the Chancellor, who launched a savage assault on Mr Johnson in a series of newspaper and broadcast interviews. Mr Hammond mocked his former Cabinet colleague by mimicking his style of speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, in which he predicted that Johnson will never become PM. Accusing Mr Johnson of lacking the attention to detail to succeed in grown-up politics, he dismissed the super-Canada Brexit deal favoured by the former foreign secretary as a fantasy world plan. Extracts released ahead of Mr Johnsons speech suggest he will present himself as ready to stand up for Tory values and lead a fight against Jeremy Corbyns Labour. It is the conservative approach that gets things done, so lets follow our conservative instinctsBoris Johnson In what may be seen as a swipe at Mrs Mays focus on righting burning injustices in society, he will urge the party not to ape Corbyn but to take basic conservative ideas and fit them to the problems of today. He will say: We must on no account follow Corbyn, and start to treat capitalism as a kind of boo word. We cant lose our faith in competition and choice and markets but we should restate the truth that there is simply no other system that is so miraculously successful in satisfying human wants and needs. We should set our taxes to stimulate investment and growth. We should be constantly aiming not to increase but to cut taxes. It is the conservative approach that gets things done, so lets follow our conservative instincts. Attacking Mr Corbyns leaders speech to Labours conference in Liverpool last week, Mr Johnson will say: It was astonishing that he had absolutely nothing to say about the wealth-creating sector of the economy the people who get up at the crack of dawn to prepare their shops, the grafters and the grifters, the innovators, the entrepreneurs he didnt mention any successes. We Conservatives know that it is only a strong private sector economy that can pay for superb public services and that is the central symmetry of our one nation Toryism. Expand Close Jeremy Corbyn addressed Labours conference in Liverpool last week (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jeremy Corbyn addressed Labours conference in Liverpool last week (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Johnson is not speaking from the stage at this years conference, after walking out of Cabinet in July in protest at the plan agreed at Chequers for the UKs future relationship with the EU. But his scheduled speech on the fringe is the hottest ticket of the four-day gathering, where there has been open warfare over Brexit, which critics say he has done nothing to calm. He used a Sunday Times interview to describe Mrs Mays own policy on EU withdrawal as deranged and preposterous. And he pointedly contrasted his record as the figurehead of the Leave campaign with that of the Remain-backing Mrs May, saying: Unlike the Prime Minister, I fought for this. Expand Close Boris Johnson will address an event on the fringe of the conference on Tuesday (Steven Paston/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Boris Johnson will address an event on the fringe of the conference on Tuesday (Steven Paston/PA) In a round of broadcast interviews on Monday, Mr Hammond was repeatedly asked whether Mr Johnson could ever become prime minister, and stated several times: I dont believe that will happen. Tory party chairman Brandon Lewis sought to play down the impact of Boris Johnsons appearance at the conference. Boris was at Chequers, he resigned after Chequers, I dont think his position is news to anybody, its a position he has held for the last few months, he told the Press Association. Private Sector Says New Regulations Trouble Them By Levan Khutsishvili On September 26, 2018, Business Ombudsman of Georgia Irakli Lekvinadze and President of the Association of Distributors Business Association (GDBA) Iva Chkonia met with representatives of the Association member companies.Private sector representatives informed the business ombudsman about the problematic issues that already appeared or will appear in future because of the regulations planned by the government. According to the representatives of other businesses, regulations impede them in the process of the entrepreneurial activity. Including "Approval of the Rules for Regulation of Plastics and Biodegradable Bags", which means the prohibition of the manufacture, import and sell less than 15-micron thick plastic bags from October 1, 2018, and from April 1, 2019, complete prohibition of production, selling and import of any plastic bags. Another problematic topic, that was discussed during the meeting was the issue of compulsory electronic marking of non-alcoholic beverages, also Georgian Waste Management Code and the changes in the Georgian legislation on possible restrictions imposed on wheat and wheat flour transportation by automobile vehicles."We talked about the new regulations that could cause delays in the business process. The private sector has commented on certain regulations planned by the government. Among them are the terms of limiting the production, import, and sale of plastic bags, and subsequent enforcement of full prohibition. By today's submission, the government adopted a resolution on September 14 and sanctions will enter into force from October 1. We also agree that a two-week period is not enough for distribution companies to sell the products that are already running on the network, and the removal of the product from the network may cause substantial material damage to the companies. The Office of Business Ombudsman will prepare a recommendation on this issue and address the relevant agencies, "said Irakli Lekvinadze.It is fact that producers and importers of the plastic bags are not prepared for these regulations, though Government sounded initiative in March 2017 and started working on the draft law."Ministry has developed a project that prohibits suspension of plastic bags of less than 10 microns from September 1, 2017, and prohibits plastic bags of less than 15 microns from January 1, 2018. The project will be presented to the government, and there may be some changes in deadlines or in the text of the project,"- said Vika Metreveli, main specialist of the Waste and Chemical Substances Management Department, in March 2017.Deadlines were changed the regulations will start working from October 1, 2018, it means that people involved in this business had more than a year to prepare themselves for changes. Even, according to the head of Waste and Chemical Substances Management Department, they held the meetings with producers and users of plastic bags about the upcoming changes.We had a meeting with producers of plastic bags and trade organizations that use these bags. Among them are "Carrefour", "Goodwill", "Smart", "Nikora Supermarket" and so on "- said Alverd Chankseliani.But besides the business, these regulations have another side: as experts and businessmen say, prohibition of plastic bags will increase the price of production, as Georgian producers of glass and paper bags are not ready also and import of these products cost far more than the plastic production. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis and DUP leader Arlene Foster at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham yesterday Prime Minister Theresa May is set to come forward with a new wording for the so-called Irish 'backstop' in the coming weeks. Despite effectively stalling Brexit talks ahead of the Conservative Party conference this week, Mrs May's team has been sitting on secret proposals for the Irish border. Read More It comes as Chancellor Philip Hammond said technology could solve the border question. Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann met with the Prime Minister yesterday. He said it was important Northern Ireland did not become a "sacrificial lamb" in the Brexit negotiations. The DUP are holding a separate event at the conference today. Bloomberg reported yesterday that Mrs May is set to make a significant new Brexit offer that would kick-start negotiations in the coming weeks. The offer applies to the 'backstop', which is the legal guarantee that there will no hard border on the island of Ireland. The report said: "Under the plan, which May is likely to put forward later this month, the UK would back down on its opposition to new checks on goods moving between the British mainland and Northern Ireland. "In exchange, May's team would need the EU to compromise and allow the whole of the UK including Northern Ireland to stay in the bloc's customs regime." However, sources in Dublin said they understood this to mean that Mrs May was moving towards delivering a new legal definition of the backstop. The version produced by the EU last February was ruled unworkable by the UK Government. "Everyone knows there's a legal text they've put together. "They are petrified of tabling it. It was never going to happen this side of conference but will hopefully happen shortly afterwards," a source said. Irish officials are keen to see the proposal which is understood to have been completed some time ago by the UK. Just over a week ago, Mrs May said the EU "did not respect" that Northern Ireland would remain part of the UK after Brexit after it rejected her Chequers plan. She reiterated there would never be a border in the Irish Sea. Mr Swann said he welcomed the Prime Minister's "strong words" in support of keeping the UK together. "My message for Michel Barnier and the rest of the EU negotiators, including the Republic of Ireland government, is that Northern Ireland and its position as an integral part of the United Kingdom will not be a sacrificial lamb in the Brexit negotiations," he said. "We are approaching crunch time in the negotiations and EU negotiators should not attempt to continue the folly of using Brexit in a foolhardy attempt to break up the United Kingdom. Their words have repercussions and demonstrate an ignorance of the Belfast Agreement and the principle of consent." At the conference, Brexit Minister Dominic Raab warned that the UK Government will not accept two different customs regimes in the UK. Mr Raab said the EU needs to show less dry legalism in talks on Northern Ireland. "Frankly, I think it's outrageous even to contemplate it," Mr Raab added. Meanwhile, DUP leader Arlene Foster said her party is holding an event at the Tory conference to ensure that "the needs of Northern Ireland are properly understood". She added: "Our event marks the fact that we work together for the entire United Kingdom as unionists. It will also be an opportunity to explain why we need and want to leave the EU on the same basis as the rest of the UK." Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a suicide attack in the Kama district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul (AP) A suicide bomber has struck an election rally in Afghanistans eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30, a provincial official said. The attack, the first since campaigning began last week ahead of the elections for the lower house of parliament, underscored the widespread violence gripping the country 17 years after the US-led invasion toppled the Taliban. The vote is scheduled for October 20 but it is unclear if the balloting will go ahead in areas controlled by the Taliban. Tuesdays attack took place in Nangarhars district of Kama as supporters of Abdul Naser Mohmand gathered in the afternoon to back his campaign as an independent candidate in the elections. According to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, some of the wounded were in a critical condition, which added to concerns the death toll could rise further. Most of the people killed or wounded are elders who had gathered for the campaign rallyAttahullah Khogyani, provincial governor's spokesman No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the resurgent Taliban and Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate are active in Nangarhar. Most of the people killed or wounded are elders who had gathered for the campaign rally, said Mr Khogyani. The election campaign kicked off last Friday with 2,565 candidates vying for a seat in the 249-member chamber, including 417 women candidates. In the run-up to campaigning, five candidates were killed in separate attacks, including two in Kabul and one each in Nangarhar, southern Kandahar and northern Parwan province. Officials from the countrys Independent Election Commission said two candidates were abducted and their fates remain unknown while three others were wounded in attacks. Separately, Afghan security forces killed three bodyguards of an independent parliamentary candidate during a raid on a house near his residence in the eastern Kunar province on Sunday. But the security challenges are not the only worries ahead of the elections. A number of political parties and opposition groups have expressed concerns over the transparency of the vote, leading to demands that a biometrics system be used to register voters a first in Afghanistans history. In Afghanistan, the parliament includes both a lower and an upper house, but only members of the lower house are directly elected. The upper house consists of a mixture of parliamentarians chosen from local councils and those appointed by the president, as well as members elected in district elections. Democrats are raising new questions about the truthfulness of US supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaughs sworn testimony to the US senate. The move marks a shift in tactics against US president Donald Trumps choice for the highest court in America as all sides await the results of the FBIs background investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Chuck Schumer, the senate Democrats leader, accused Mr Kavanaugh of delivering a partisan screed during a judiciary committee hearing last week. He said Mr Kavanaugh seemed willing to mislead senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane to ensure his ascension to the court. Mr Schumer said: The harsh fact of the matter is that we have mounting evidence that Judge Kavanaugh is just not credible. Expand Close Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer raised concerns over Mr Kavanaughs testimony (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer raised concerns over Mr Kavanaughs testimony (AP) However, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the Democrats are simply looking to move the goalposts to prevent Mr Kavanaughs confirmation. He pledged that the full US senate would begin voting on Mr Kavanaughs nomination this week. Mr McConnell said: The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close. Mr Kavanaughs confirmation hinges on a handful of key Republican and Democratic senators who have not yet fully tipped their votes. One of them is Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was greeted by hundreds of liberal protesters, victims of sexual assault among them, during an appearance on Monday in Boston. Mr Flake and senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were instrumental last week in holding up Mr Kavanaughs confirmation vote. Expand Close Senator Jeff Flake (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Jeff Flake (AP) They forced the White House to open a supplemental background investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against the judge. The votes of the three Republicans and those of red-state Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota will largely determine whether Mr Kavanaugh is confirmed. Mr Flake said he would ensure it is a real investigation by the FBI as Democrats demanded that Mr Trump give them a full readout of his instructions to the agency. It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover, Mr Flake said. Ms Heitkamp, meanwhile, noted that Mr Trump himself called for a broader FBI investigation into the allegations. She said: Im waiting to see what the results are. We're going to put a conspiracy theory believer on the court?Senator Mazie Hirono Mr Kavanaugh has emphatically denied Christine Blasey Fords allegation that he sexually assaulted her at a gathering when they were teenagers. He has also denied an accusation from Deborah Ramirez, a classmate at Yale, who said he exposed himself to her at a dorm party more than 25 years ago. A third claim from Julia Swetnick, who is represented by attorney Michael Avenatti accuses Mr Kavanaugh of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women at parties in the early 1980s. Mr Kavanaugh denies that as well. Democrats have seized most recently on Mr Kavanaughs indignant, emotional testimony before the judiciary committee to question whether he has the temperament for a lifetime appointment on the nations highest court. In particular, Democrats have homed in on his contention that the allegations against him are an orchestrated political hit funded by left-wing groups seeking revenge on behalf of the Clintons. Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, asked: Were going to put a conspiracy theory believer on the court? Democrats are also questioning Mr Kavanaughs honesty, particularly over statements he made about his drinking in high school and college after a former classmate at Yale said he was a frequent, heavy drinker. The Regina Seaways vessel (DFDS A/S via AP) A ferry with around 300 people on board is stranded in the Baltic Sea after the ship experienced engine failure, the Danish operator said. No injuries were reported and an evacuation was not immediately necessary. The breakdown aboard the Regina Seaways produced smoke, which triggered the ships fire extinguishing system in the engine room, Copenhagen-based DFDS Seaways said. We received the information from the ship that it was undergoing vibrations and smoke rising from the enginesVaidas Klumbys, DFDS spokesman The vessel was in international waters off Kaliningrad, Russias Baltic Sea exclave between Poland and Lithuania. We are talking about a malfunction in the engine room that caused a lot of smoke, DFDS spokesman Gert Jakobsen said. Right now we are inspecting the engine room to find out whether the ship can sail on its own or needs to be tugged. He said passengers had assembled at muster stations in preparation for a possible evacuation, but the situation is under control. The ferry, which also had cars and trucks on board, was travelling between the ports of Kiel, Germany, and Klaipeda, Lithuania. On these kinds of crossings we have people from Germany, the Baltic countries and Russia. We cannot say now who was onboard, Mr Jakobsen said. The ship is about 85 kilometres (50 miles) from Klaipeda, said Vaidas Klumbys, another DFDS spokesman. He said that on Tuesday afternoon we received the information from the ship that it was undergoing vibrations and smoke rising from the engines. Russian state news agency Tass quoted Andrei Permyakov, head of the sea rescue co-ordination centre in Kaliningrad, as saying that rescuers from Lithuania, Russia and Poland responded. Lithuanias navy said one of its helicopters and three navy vessels were sent to the site in case an evacuation was necessary. The regional news agency Baltic News Services quoted Mr Klumbys as saying the weather conditions are not good. Mr Jakobsen was not aware of any rescue operation, saying there was no evacuation. But in this kind of situation, everyone steps in, he said. The Regina Seaways was built in 2010 and can carry up to 500 passengers. Police officers stand in front of the Centre Zahra headquarters during a search operation in Grande-Synthe near Dunkirk (AP) French police have detained three people and seized weapons during raids of a dozen homes and the headquarters of a Muslim association based outside the port city of Dunkirk during an anti-terrorism operation. Authorities froze the funds of the Centre Zahra France, along with those of three other organisations and four men linked to the groups. Interior minister Gerard Collomb said the prefecture of the region was in the process of closing the prayer room of Zahra France, which has its headquarters in Grande-Synthe. He said the three detained were taken in for illegal weapons possession. Police did not say what types of weapons were found. About 200 police officers searched homes and the headquarters of the association. Some French media reports said that Zahra France was a leading centre for Shiite Islam in Europe and is suspected of links to Iranian-backed Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, and fighting in Syria or to the Palestinian Hamas. One Zahra France official cited in the order to freeze funds, Yahia Gouasmi, 68, told the CNews TV channel that the weapons were solely for the security of the centre and mainly belonged to Zahra Frances security detail. Everything is false, said Jamel Tahiri, 43, also among the four whose funds were being frozen. Were transparent. Everything is on internet. Zahra Frances site describes the goal of the association as to make known the message of Islam through the regard of the Prophet and his family. A statement by the prefecture of the north region, announcing the police operation, said the association has been particularly followed due to marked support by its leaders for movements advocating ideas contrary to the values of the (French) Republic. The small town of Grande-Synthe is known as a magnet for migrants seeking to cross the English Channel to Britain, and as a draw for smuggling activity that often thrives where migrants congregate. However, there was no known link between Zahra France and migrants. First lady Melania Trump holds a baby as she visits Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Ghana (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Melania Trump has opened her first big solo international trip as US first lady with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. Expand Close Melania Trump arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The first lady saw how babies are weighed they are placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Mrs Trump also cradled an infant and declared the baby a beautiful boy as she handed him back to his mother. Expand Close Melania Trump holds a baby at Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump holds a baby at Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of Be Best, the child well-being initiative Mrs Trump launched last May. With the Africa visit, the first lady aims to take Be Best and its focus on opioid abuse and online behaviour to an international audience. Expand Close Melania Trump visits mothers and their babies in hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump visits mothers and their babies in hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The first lady also had a private tea and gift exchange with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by First Lady Melania Trump for Ms Akufo-Addo, and Kente cloth and artefacts for Mrs Trump, according to Ms Grisham. The first ladies met privately for about half an hour at Jubilee House, Ghanas presidential palace. Expand Close First lady Melania Trump is greeted by Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp First lady Melania Trump is greeted by Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The two first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Mrs Trump spoke about her upcoming trip. Mrs Trumps visit opened in low-key fashion. Several Ghanaians interviewed said they knew little about it. Expand Close Melania Trump and Rebecca Akufo-Addo watch dancers during an arrival ceremony at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump and Rebecca Akufo-Addo watch dancers during an arrival ceremony at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Did you say President Trumps wife just arrived in Accra? street vendor Awo Yeboah asked. I dont think I have ever heard her name, Melania. Other locals said they knew about the visit but did not know what Mrs Trump was doing. Mrs Trump landed in the capital Accra on Tuesday morning after a more than 12-hour journey from Washington. She was welcomed at the airport with dancing and drumming, schoolchildren waving mini US and Ghanaian flags and the gift of a flower bouquet. Expand Close Children wave American and Ghana flags during an arrival ceremony for first lady Melania Trump (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Children wave American and Ghana flags during an arrival ceremony for first lady Melania Trump (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Ms Akufo-Addo was at the airport to welcome her. Mrs Trump also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. First lady Melania Trump holds a baby as she visits Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Accra, Ghana (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Melania Trump opened her first big solo international trip as US first lady with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The first lady saw how babies are weighed being placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Mrs Trump then cradled an infant and declared the baby a beautiful boy as she handed him back to his mother. Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of Be Best, the child well-being initiative Mrs Trump launched last May. With the Africa visit, the first lady aims to take Be Best and its focus on opioid abuse and online behavior to an international audience. Expand Close Melania Trump walks with Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo as she arrives at Kotoka International Airport (Carolyn Kaster/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump walks with Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo as she arrives at Kotoka International Airport (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The first lady also had a private tea with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by First Lady Melania Trump for Ms Akufo-Addo, and Kente cloth and artifacts for Mrs Trump. The first ladies met privately for about a half-hour at Jubilee House, Ghanas presidential palace. The two first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Mrs Trump spoke about her upcoming trip. Mrs Trumps visit opened in low-key fashion, with several Ghanaians interviewed saying they knew little about it. Did you say President Trumps wife just arrived in Accra? street vendor Awo Yeboah asked. I dont think I have ever heard her name, Melania. Other locals said they knew about the visit but did not know what Mrs Trump was doing. Mrs Trump landed in the capital, Accra, on Tuesday morning after a more than 12-hour journey from Washington. She was welcomed at the airport with dancing and drumming, schoolchildren waving mini US and Ghanaian flags and the gift of a flower bouquet. Ms Akufo-Addo was at the airport to welcome her. President Donald Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday he saw television footage of her landing in Africa. It was beautiful, he said. Shes really doing a great job as first lady. The president later tweeted: Proud of our great First Lady and she loves doing this! Mrs Trump also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. An image calling for peace between the two Koreas outside the US embassy in Seoul (AP) A top South Korean official has told MPs that North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons. In Seouls first public comment about the size of the Norths secrecy-clouded weapons arsenal, unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. He was responding to a question by an MP, saying the information came from the intelligence authorities. Mr Cho may have unintentionally revealed the information. His ministry said the comments did not mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state, suggesting Seouls diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear programme would continue. The South Korean assessment on the Norths arsenal is not much different from various outside civilian estimates largely based on the amount of nuclear materials that North is believed to have produced. Expand Close South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon (AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon (AP) According to South Korean government reports, the North is believed to have produced 50 kilograms (110lbs) of weaponised plutonium, enough for at least eight bombs. Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker who visited North Koreas centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100lbs), sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Many foreign experts say North Korea are likely running additional secret uranium-enrichment plants. The North entered talks with the United States and South Korea earlier this year, saying it is willing to negotiate away its advancing nuclear arsenal. Nuclear diplomacy later stalled due to suspicions over how sincere North Korea is about its disarmament pledge, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Pyongyang this month to set up a second summit between US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Taylor Swift will open the 2018 American Music Awards in her first awards show performance in nearly three years. The 28-year-old will sing I Did Something Bad from her Reputation album. Swift will compete for artist of the year alongside Drake, Ed Sheeran, Imagine Dragons and Post Malone. .@taylorswift13 will OPEN the #AMAs with her first awards show performance in almost 3 YEARS... ...and she's performing "I Did Something Bad." ONE WEEK at 8/7c on ABC. #TaylorSwiftAMAs pic.twitter.com/qi4Dq9V7RT American Music Awards (@AMAs) October 2, 2018 Rap is dominating this years awards, with Drake and Cardi B earning eight nominations each. Sheeran and Malone each earned six nominations, while Camila Cabello is up for five honours. The fan-voted AMAs will be held on October 9 at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. It is a sign of how seriously the PSNI senior ranks view their inability to attract more Catholics into the force that it is now being suggested that there could be a return to 50/50 recruitment It is a sign of how seriously the PSNI senior ranks view their inability to attract more Catholics into the force that it is now being suggested that there could be a return to 50/50 recruitment. Currently around 30% of police officers are Catholic, although that figure falls to just below 20% for police staff. The 50/50 recruitment policy was introduced after the formation of the PSNI to increase the historically low percentage of Catholics in the police. At the time it was only around 8%, but the new policy proved highly successful in bringing recruitment up to around 32%. However, the policy was abandoned in 2011 and now numbers are starting to slide back, and only around 20% of new recruits are from the Catholic community. A not inconsiderable factor in that fall-off has been the threat from dissident republicans, who have been responsible for the deaths or attacks on a number of Catholic officers and also harassing their families in strongholds like Londonderry and Lurgan. A survey into why fewer Catholics are coming forward to consider a career in the PSNI found that family pressures, the fear of being identified within their own communities, having to give up certain activities, and the inability to travel safely into all areas of the province all played a part in their decision-making. Temporary Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin has called on people of influence in the nationalist community to promote the PSNI as a good career for young people. Such a move would be welcomed, not least because it is important that the composition of the police force should reflect the composition of the population at large. Not only is that the right thing to do but it also sends out an important message that the police is welcomed by society as a whole. Mr Martin also makes the valid point that if new recruitment methods - including possibly 50/50 recruitment - are not successful, then the force will become unrepresentative of the population, a position that will be used as propaganda by dissident republicans. Earlier this year a spokesman for the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, objected to the reintroduction of 50/50 recruitment, arguing that officers should only be selected on merit. Ideally that should be the case, but getting a proper balance in the force is also a pressing imperative. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus V.Makei makes a statement at the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly 01-10-2018 On the first day of the visit to the UN Headquarters in New York, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladimir Makei, made a statement at the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly. The Head of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined main prerequisites for the international community to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. Among them V.Makei underlined the role of the United Nations as a multilateral mechanism, as well as the need for creation of effective UN country teams, which can furnish governments on their path to sustainable development with result-oriented and rational support. The Minister stated that further globalization which meets everyones needs remains a fundamental contemporary task. In this regard V.Makei spoke for the need to build a fair, predictable and non-discriminatory trade and economic architecture. According to the Head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, implementation of multi-tier integration projects should become an integral part of this architecture. In order to successfully implement the Agenda-2030, the Minister called for the international assistance to middle income countries, which represent a major part of the world and possess great potentials of economic growth and global sustainability. The Head of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs attracted attention of the participants to digital technologies, which represent an emerging potential for the implementation of the SDGs. V.Makei informed about the national endeavours in turning Belarus into an IT-country and proposed that the United Nations should engage in international cooperation on digitalization and technological foresight in ways that facilitate sustainable development. The Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attracted attention to the need to collectively react to the global threat of terrorism. In this context he informed about convening a High-level international conference on preventing terrorism in the digital age, organized by Belarus and the OSCE on October 9-10 in Minsk. The Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that global order should be forged on the basis of shared values, which cannot be created by means of coercive democratization and violence that are invoked for the purpose of undermining legitimate authorities. V.Makei stated that stability based on the role of the states in international affairs, respect for the national sovereignty, strengthening the state and its role in domestic affairs, as well as unity among great powers in relation to shared values and their leadership in advancing them should become the paradigm for such values. In this context, the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs attracted attention of participants of the General Debate to the initiative of the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, on the need of starting comprehensive international security dialogue which will help to resolve deep crisis of trust in international relations and produce mechanisms aimed at strengthening peace and international security, as well as ensuring sustainable development. print version Can we look forward to a great Tory bust-up and thunderbolt at their conference in Birmingham this week? Or will things start to simmer down, just as the pot looks like boiling over? For once it can be said without exaggeration that this is the most critical conference the Conservatives have held for decades. Boris Johnson, former Foreign Secretary, can scarcely intensify the already savage language he has used about the Prime Minister's Chequers proposals for Brexit without actually challenging her leadership. Johnson and his supporters claim they are attacking the policies and not the person. But they are not that naive as not to know that such unrestrained language - like "deranged" and "preposterous" - puts them at such odds with the Prime Minister that her authority is bound to be weakened and thus make her more vulnerable. Theresa May, to her credit, has remained firm, denouncing her critics for playing with politics to the detriment of the UK. Johnson has gone so far with intemperate language that it is impossible for him to back off. But will he have the courage to unsheathe his dagger and go for the jugular? I doubt whether it will happen this week, but Johnson certainly means business. Meanwhile, Britain's Brexit negotiators have stepped up their criticism of the Brussels team. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has said there are limits to how much compromising the UK will accept, while Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned the EU not to try to back the UK into a corner. Things are certainly hotting up in Brussels. But will the temperature go off the boil at Birmingham at the last agonising minute? The big and unreachable electoral advantage Jeremy Corbyn possesses over the Prime Minister is that he has achieved a pop star-like adulation while she has not - and never will. The youthful enthusiasm for Corbyn, which so alarmed the Tories at last year's unnecessary general election, has not waned at all: young and old alike chanted "Oooh! Jeremy Corbyn" at regular intervals during last week's Labour conference. The Conservatives have good reason to be worried. They can produce the most attractive policies in the world and verbally destroy Labour's policies, but none of that will defeat the pro-Corbyn hysteria, which has swept through the party and beyond. Labour has successfully marshalled the youth vote - something no other party has bothered to do - and is reaping the dividends, with Corbyn as its unlikely pin-up. Whoever predicted that Corbynmania would ever happen at all, never mind becoming a source of such deep concern to the Tories? I suspect the Conservative Party will be scouring its own ranks to find a suitable pin-up to counter this threat from Corbyn. But I fear it will search in vain. Have you ever heard such tosh in your life? I refer to Tosh McDonald, chief of the Fire Brigades' Union, who disclosed at the Labour Party conference last week that he used to set his alarm clock an hour earlier than he needed to so he would have an extra hour each day to hate Margaret Thatcher. Presumably, McDonald is a highly intelligent man - he would need to be to be leader of an important trade union. So, why is he boasting about wasting his substance simply hating a fellow human being? Perhaps he knew it would go down well among conference delegates, which it did. McDonald has a mane of blond hair that makes you think of the Muppet Miss Piggy. His face, judging by the photograph I saw of him on the podium, looked unlike that of Miss Piggy, stern and unsmiling. Indeed, he resembled the epitome of the stereotype union leader: someone with a permanent look of outrage on his face. Thank goodness for the Monster Raving Loony Party. While bad temper has abounded in the political world over the past week or so, the Loonies have been holding their own cheerful and wacky conference in Belper, Derbyshire. One feature about this organisation, which is a fully registered political party, is that there is no back-stabbing, no fury and no internecine warfare. While all the others are tearing themselves apart, the Monster Raving Loony Party quietly gets on with it. Belper, which claims more pubs than any other town of its size in the country, used to be the constituency of the late George Brown, the regularly tipsy Foreign Secretary under Harold Wilson. Among the new policy suggestions before the Loonies conference last week were these gems: Mega car wash will be created by punching holes in the roof of the Channel Tunnel. OAPs will qualify for a Summer Ice Lolly Allowance if temperatures exceed 70 degrees. Puddles deeper than three inches will be marked by a yellow plastic duck. Terrorists will be made to wear bells and horns so we know where they are. Unruly teenagers will be Superglued together, as, if you can't beat them, join them. Their manifesto, when it comes out, certainly promises to be a more enjoyable read than any of the others. And they have remained faithful to their long-standing mantra: 'Vote for Insanity - you know it makes sense'. Long live the Loonies! Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with convicted rapist Michael Gilbert. Pictured are injuries received by Sonya Johnston by rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with covicted rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo by Colm O'Reilly, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) This is the traumatised mother who says one of Northern Ireland's most notorious rapists duped her into a relationship before threatening to throw acid in her face. Bangor woman Sonya Johnston (36) fled to England in June to escape hammer horror rapist Michael 'Micky' Gilbert (29) who she says kept his horrific past secret from her. Hairdresser Sonya claims monster Gilbert threatened to permanently disfigure her by throwing acid in her face and also threatened to kill her. She says he also stabbed her and beat her up during their near two-year relationship. She told Sunday Life: "I absolutely want to warn other women, I wouldn't want another woman going through what I did. "He's a monster and he is gonna continue hurting people. "If I can help another person by speaking out about Micky Gilbert then I will do that. If any woman out there is thinking about getting into a relationship with him, I'd say run in the other direction." Expand Close Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with covicted rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo , Sunday Life 28-09-2018) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with covicted rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo , Sunday Life 28-09-2018) Sex beast Gilbert was convicted in 2005, at the age of 15, of carrying out a prolonged and horrific sex attack on a woman who had been sleeping in her north Belfast home. Gilbert had been sniffing glue before he and an accomplice broke into her home, stabbed the terrified woman in the neck with a screwdriver, repeatedly smashed her over the head with a hammer, forced her to perform sex acts and raped her before leaving her for dead. Despite his gruesome past Gilbert managed to strike up a relationship with unsuspecting Sonya in December 2016 after the pair met on a night out and later bonded over his pet Staffordshire bull terrier. She said: "When I first met him he seemed genuine, he had his dog with him and that's how we struck up a friendship. "He told me he had just split up with his partner and was having a hard time. "I didn't have any idea about Micky's past, he soon started getting aggressive, telling me that I couldn't go out with my friends, always accusing me of cheating on him and from there it went downhill. He threatened to throw acid in my face and threatened to kill me on numerous occasions. "Then it started to unfold about his horrible past. It was one of our mutual friends that told me about it and that I should Google him. "I didn't want to believe it at first but then I went on the internet and I found out about his horrendous past. "Initially he did deny it, I was really hurt because I thought how can somebody do that, and I was in a relationship with him. I was hurt, let down and disgusted. I was horrified, I felt as if I was going to faint, I couldn't believe it. The more that I read about it I felt sick to my stomach, especially as I had started to grow feelings for him. "He said it was his co-accused and that he never hurt that woman but after what he put me through, I believe he did hurt that woman and he is going to hurt other women." Expand Close Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with convicted rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with convicted rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) In the summer of 2017, Sonya says their initially pleasant relationship began to deteriorate, describing an incident in which the sex beast locked her in a house and threatened her with a knife. She said: "In his friend's house he held me hostage for several hours at knife point and took my shoes off me and threw them out the bedroom window so I couldn't get out of the room and was just pacing up and down. "The relationship went downhill but I couldn't get away from him because I was vulnerable at the time. He was very controlling and he preyed on my vulnerability but I can see that now I'm in a better place but I didn't realise it then, I felt as though I had nobody. "He would always beg me for a second chance and it took me nearly two years to make that break from him." The final straw for Sonya came in May when the couple went camping in Tollymore Forest, Co Down with friends. Sonya says Gilbert became violent and aggressive before stabbing her in the leg - a wound which required 15 stitches. Sonya stumbled out of the forest to safety in the dead of night after Gilbert's fit of rage subsided and she decided to flee to England, fearing he would kill her. Expand Close Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with convicted rapist Michael Gilbert. Pictured are injuries received by Sonya Johnston by rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sonya Johnston who was in relationship with convicted rapist Michael Gilbert. Pictured are injuries received by Sonya Johnston by rapist Michael Gilbert. (Photo, Sunday Life 28-09-2018) She said: "I thought I was going to die in that forest. On the way up he was pulling my hair and getting in my face and accusing me of cheating, he was always insecure saying I'd cheated on him. "After we got the tents up, when it got dark, Micky took my phone off me and put me through a horrendous attack. "He kicked me about my head, my eyes were black and he stabbed me on my left leg. "He was volatile, he was vicious and he was wicked. It was just terrible. I was considering ending my life. He made me feel horrible, he made me feel worthless but I am in a better place now." She's currently living in England but hopes one day to be able to return to Northern Ireland. Lt. Gen. Pornsak Poonsawas, the new Fourth Army Region commander, visits Aziz Phitakkumpon, Thailands chief Islamic leader, at his home in Songkhla province, Sept. 30, 2018. Lt. Gen. Pornsak Poonsawas, the newly appointed commander of the Fourth Army Region, paid a courtesy visit to the Sheikhul Islam to formally introduce himself before taking up the post as he seeks to quell insurgencies in the Malay provinces in Thailands Deep South. While separatist conflict is largely confined to the Muslim-majority Deep South, Pornsaks visit to the senior-most Islamic figure of the country was largely symbolic and nothing less than a gesture of goodwill. His predecessor, Lt. Gen. Piyawat Nakwanich, did not leave Pornsak much to work with. In fact, Pornsak will have to pick up the pieces and clean up the mess that Piyawat left behind. Many observers, including men under his command, saw Piyawats tough-talking, shoot-from-the-hip style as counter-productive for Thailand's counter-insurgency strategy in this historically contested region where about 7,000 people, mostly Muslims, have been killed since January 2004. Piyawat did not seem to care that his approach drove a bigger wedge between the Thai state and the local Malay Muslims, especially the young political activists and human rights advocates who consistently called him out over controversial security measures and exaggeration. In the days leading up to his mandatory retirement, Piyawat unleashed about 1,000 combined forces of police and soldiers to carry out a dragnet operation on two tambons (village clusters) in Nong Chik district of Pattani, after a patrolling unit was ambushed on Sept. 11. Two soldiers were killed and four wounded as morale sank to a new low among the soldiers. Piyawat placed these villages under Controlled Area which permits the soldiers and police to search homes and detain anyone they see fit. It went on for days, nearly a week. He also toyed with the idea of bringing charges against family members of suspected insurgents if troops found they had been harboring these insurgents. While the countrys controversial Emergency Law gave him the power to take up additional measures, the move against the two tambons in Nong Chik district was a major disaster, politically speaking, one that will burden his replacement, namely Pornsak. The Federation of Patani Students and Youth (PerMAS) hit back by dispatching scores of young activists to the Nong Chik district as part of an outreach exercise to local residents, many of whom said they were too afraid to leave their homes, even to attend prayers at the village mosque, for fear of being arbitrarily arrested. PerMAS, a student political network advocating for the right to self-determination in this restive region, issued a statement condemning Piyawat's security measures on humanitarian grounds, and called for an end to use of the Emergency Law. Thailands Emergency Law permits detention up to 30 days without formal charges or legal representation. It also grants blanket amnesty to officials working in the region as the burden of proof falls on the victim who will have to show the official acted with malice. Piyawats supporters showed up with signs displaying vulgar statements against the youth activists and attacking the local Prince of Songkhla University for producing problematic students. The signs asked why PerMAS were defending criminals. The supporters also filed a complaint with the local police accusing these activists of obstructing justice. PerMAS members said they were not losing sleep over a handful of Buddhist nationalists with a twisted agenda. To make their 90-minute protest seem multicultural, the organizers brought along a handful of Muslims protesters, PerMAS members joked. The university responded with an open letter rebutting the ultra-nationalist group whose leaders were behind a recent campaign to ban Islamic headscarf in public schools. Similarly, a group of Buddhist nationalists is trying to get the regional hospital in Yala to set up a separate Buddhist kitchen in additional to the existing Halal. They cited equality and justice and expressed the fear that Muslims are chipping away at their culture and identity space. Soldiers say that Pornsaks term will be one of reconciliation, or at least a step toward that direction, between the state and the Malays. Don Pathan is a Thailand-based security and development consultant for international organizations. The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and not of BenarNews. Hassan Al Kontar, a Syrian who spent months at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 terminal building after he said he tried but failed to fly to Ecuador in March, is seen at the airport on Aug. 3, 2018. Malaysian immigration officials on Tuesday said they plan to extradite a Syrian who spent seven months at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 after refusing to return to his home country over fears he would be forced to join the military. Hassan Al Kontar, 37, who spent 209 days at the airports departure area, was detained by police on Monday. Immigration Director General Mustafar Ali said Hassan will be handed over to his department after police finished questioning the Syrian national. Flight passengers with boarding passes at the boarding area are supposed to get on their flights. But this man did not do so, Mustafar told reporters at the immigration headquarters on Tuesday. So he is in a forbidden zone, therefore the authorities had to take the necessary action. We will communicate with the Syrian embassy to facilitate his deportation to his home country, Mustafar said. Police chief Zulkifli Adamshah told BenarNews that Hassan was detained after failing to produce a valid travel document and has been remanded for 14 days. If charged and convicted, Hassan could face a five-year prison sentence, a fine of 10,000 ringgit (U.S. $2,418) and a maximum six strokes of a cane. Describing himself as a pacifist, Hassan said he worked in the United Arab Emirates beginning in 2006 and decided to stay there illegally because of the 2011 Syrian conflict after the Syrian embassy declined to renew his passport. He was deported in January 2017 to Malaysia where Syrians enjoy visa-free entry and stayed after his three-month tourist visa expired. Hassan said he has remained at KLIA2 since March 7 after trying to board a flight to Ecuador, another visa-free country, but was denied by the Turkish Airlines. He later tried to travel to Cambodia, but was barred by authorities in Phnom Penh. Groups offered help In a video posted to his Twitter account on March 23, Hassan said he felt lonely, rejected, and unwanted. I lost all my money, almost $2,300 on non-refundable ticket, so here I am, Hassan said, adding that human rights groups were not helping. I cannot blame anyone. I can only blame us as Syrians, he said. This is what we did to ourselves, keep fighting with each other. Rights groups in Malaysia challenged Hassans claim that he was not getting help and said he purposefully declined their efforts in hope of scoring better offers including being able to go to Canada. On April 10, former British Columbia journalist Laurie Cooper offered to help Hassan by starting a crowd source funding effort and to write to the Canadian immigration minister to expedite a temporary resident permit. Lilianne Fan, founder of the non-governmental organization Geutanyoe Foundation, told BenarNews that her agency decided to drop efforts to aid Hassan after he repeatedly rejected assistance from the Malaysian government and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). There are many more much more vulnerable refugee cases that we felt deserve our assistance, said Fan. Despite her comment, Fan urged the government to not deport Hassan to Syria as it would be against the principle of not forcing refugees to return to a country where they could be subjected to persecution. In a Twitter posting on Sept. 1, Hassan denied the comments by the rights groups, saying I am not rejecting slightly suitable offers from UNHCR as they claimed. An Australian company involved in processing rare earths asked Malaysia on Tuesday to maintain a scientific approach in reviewing its refinery, as the government began an investigation that could threaten one of the only sources of supply of elements vital in the manufacturing of high-tech products such as smartphones. Lynas Corp., in an open letter to the government published in local media, acknowledged the governments right to conduct a review and vowed to cooperate. It also emphasized the publics expectation of high standards of fairness and openness "as seen in other recent initiatives of the new government. I am appealing to the government to apply those same high standards to be fair and just and to be objective and scientific in any review of Lynas Malaysia, CEO Amanda Lacaze said. Lynas mines rare earths out of a collapsed volcano in Australia and ships them to a sprawling industrial complex in Kuantan, capital of Malaysias Pahang state, to be refined. Rare earths minerals such as cerium, lanthanum and neodymium are used in electronics, including televisions and smartphones. Refining is done on a large scale in only two places on earth: China and Malaysia. Speaking to reporters in Kuala Lumpur after the open letter was published, Lacaze said the company had secured license to open the plant in Australia but was invited by the previous Malaysian government to consider investing in the country. We were offered an exciting investment opportunity here in Malaysia and to be close to our market, Lacaze said, as she expressed concern about the review committee chaired by Fuziah Salleh, the assemblywoman representing Kuantan. In 2011, Kuantan residents, championed by their representative in parliament, opposed the refinerys construction. Lynas published its reaction after Fuziah, a deputy minister in the prime ministers department, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that the three-month review of the processing plant would focus on the plants radioactive waste management and its impact on the environment. . Rare earths, which are made up of 17 elements found in the ground all over the world, are not actually rare and processing involved a complex and expensive process. Lynas said it produces about 12 percent of the world output and Chinese companies account for more than four-fifths, according to the New York Times. Activists said that while Lynas $800 million plant in Kuantan broke Chinas near-monopoly on producing the prized elements, the processing also left behind low-level radioactive waste. But Lacaze defended her company, saying that after six years of operation, the background radiation up to 12.4 miles from the plant had not shown any sign of change. Air crews are exposed to seven times more radiation per year than our own staff who works directly with the material, Lacaze said, referring to airline pilots and flight crews. She said the International Atomic Energy Agency sent experts to evaluate the plant in 2011 and 2014 and was satisfied their recommendations were put in place by Lynas. According to IAEA, the plant has intrinsically low risk, Lacaze said. Lynas claims the refinery can produce up to 20,000 tons of praseodymium and neodymium, elements essential in manufacturing high-tech components used in mobile phones and hybrid cars. The refinery produces a waste material, a radioactive substance called gypsum that is handled and is stored in an on-site facility constructed according to the appropriate international standards, the company said. On Sept. 3, 2016, the government renewed the Lynas license through September 2019. Fuziah previously argued that while the waste material has low-level radiation, it has a long half-life and therefore leaves a longer-lasting effect on the environment. Furthermore, the whole operation was shrouded in secrecy and even my questions in the parliament regarding the plant was not entertained, she said, adding that the government of former Prime Minister Najib Razak was easy on the company. Fuziah, in response to the published open letter, issued a statement saying the government led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad promised a safe environment in its pre-election manifesto. Mahathir and the Pakatan Harapan alliance took power after defeating Najibs Barisan Nasional coalition in the May general election. Promise 39 of the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto under the heading Balancing Economic Growth with Environmental Protection states that The Pakatan Harapan Government promises to govern the country based on the principles of sustainability and sustainable development, Fuziah said. In short, it will be an environmentally friendly government, she said. Lynas reported it has committed 25 million ringgit (U.S. $6 million) over five years to join with the Universiti Malaysia Pahang to research viable uses of the waste material. The company has not ruled out packing up and leaving the country if the situation calls for it, but Lacaze said Lynas has invested heavily in Malaysia and, in the process, created jobs. Anything can be done, Lacaze said. We will not be out of business. Philippine police inspect the bullet-riddled vehicle of Alexander Buquing, mayor of Sudipen town in the northern province of La Union, Oct. 1, 2018. Unidentified gunmen killed a town mayor and two of his companions in an ambush in the northern Philippines, police said Tuesday, in the latest deadly attack on a local official. Alexander Alan Buquing, mayor of Sudipen town in La Union province, his driver and a bodyguard were killed when the gunmen intercepted their SUV in Bangar town in the same province Monday evening, police said. His wife, Wendy Joy, suffered injuries in the attack, which came months before the country holds elections for thousands of local posts, including mayors. We have yet to determine the motive but we cant deny that politics may be involved because the date for filing of candidacies is near, La Union police spokesman Chief Inspector Silverio Ordinando Jr. told reporters. We are looking into all angles and possible motives of the suspects. Theres an ongoing dragnet operation, Ordinando said. He said it was too early to say if the killing was linked to illegal drugs. Buquing, 50, was elected in 2004 as a mayor running as an independent, but was re-elected twice under different political parties in 2007 and 2010. In 2016, he ran under the opposition Liberal Party and won again, and his wife, became his deputy. In 2007, Buquing was suspended by the government ombudsman for alleged abuse of authority, but was later cleared. Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde ordered a full investigation into the killing and formed a special investigation task group. He also urged people to come forward if they knew of any information that could help crack the case. Buquing is the 18th local government official to be killed since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June 2016 and launched a bloody anti-drug campaign. Critics have said that in some cases, political rivals were using the campaign as a cover to launch attacks against each other. Last month, Mariano Blanco III, the mayor of Ronda town in central Cebu province, was sleeping inside his office before dawn when four unidentified men broke in, overpowered his bodyguards and killed him. In July, two mayors were killed in shootings a day apart. One of the victims was Antonio Halili, mayor of Tanauan city south of Manila, who was killed by a snipers bullet in front of city employees. The brazen attack happened during a flag-raising ceremony. Halili was stripped of his powers to supervise the citys police force last year because of his alleged drug links. Duterte has made it a point to show a list of public officials allegedly involved in drugs. The list included police and military officers, local officials and judges. At least three mayors in the list were later shot and killed in alleged shootouts with the police. The president had said that he would protect police officers from criminal prosecution after giving them instructions to use deadly force if they feel their lives were at risk. To date, at least 4,500 suspected drug addicts and dealers have been killed by the police in alleged shootouts, but rights groups have said that the figure could be as high as 12,000. Duterte faces two complaints for murder and crime against humanity before the Hague-based International Criminal Court. Analysts said Duterte last week may have inadvertently publicly acknowledged ordering the killings when he said during a public speech: My only sin is the extrajudicial killings. His spokesman, Harry Roque Jr., said Duterte was not serious when he made the comment. Jeoffrey Maitem in Cotabato contributed to his report. Environmental activists Ranong Kongsaen (left), and Pornthip Hongchai speak to reporters at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, in Bangkok, Oct. 2, 2018. Thai authorities and a mining firm have used intimidation and lawsuits to target environmental activists from a northeastern community who campaigned for years against a gold mine near their homes, the NGO Fortify Rights said in a new report released Tuesday. The rights advocacy group called on Thailands government to investigate and prosecute people who attacked residents of six affected villages in Wang Sa Phung district, Loei province, as well as provide remedies and reparations to those whose rights were allegedly abused and violated because they opposed the mine. This community is facing ongoing reprisals for standing up for their environment, their rights, and their livelihoods for years, said Amy Smith, executive director of Fortify Rights, a Southeast Asia-based group. The Thai government must ensure environmental defenders can carry out their legitimate work without fear of abuse or retaliation. During an incident in May 2014, about 150 militiamen led by soldiers surrounded one of the villages and beat residents, the report said. In addition, the community has been badly affected by unchecked environmental contamination caused by pollution from the mining operation. The NGOs 90-page report, titled We Fight to Protect Our Home, was the outcome of a three-year investigation by Fortify Rights, which said it conducted 59 interviews with survivors and others who witnessed the May 2014 attack, along with government officials and other sources. The report found that rights abuses and violations occurred including judicial harassment, arbitrary detention through so-called attitude adjustment sessions and death threats. The authorities and Tungkum Ltd., the firm that operated the mine until it was closed four years ago when the concession expired, have gone after environmental defenders through a series of lawsuits, Fortify alleged. The mining firm has since been taken over by another company, Tongkah Harbor. Fortify released its report during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, where women activists from the affected community appeared on a panel. The attack in May 2014 occurred days before the military launched a coup that toppled a civilian-led government, a witness said. Men came to our village, held us captive and beat us, activist Pornthip Hongchai told the news conference. The incident occurred about a year after villagers had erected a wall in a collective effort to stop trucks from accessing and leaving the gold mine. In May 2016, an army lieutenant colonel and a retired army lieutenant general were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of three years and two years, respectively, the report noted. Villager Ranong Kongsaen said toxic run-off and waste from the gold mine has contaminated rice fields and poisoned shellfish in local rivers, threatening the livelihood of local residents. Our bodies have absorbed the pollution into our blood, Ranong told reporters. Smith said the case of the villages in Wang Sa Phung is not an isolated one and judicial harassment is used in Thailand as a weapon to target small communities involved in environmental disputes. There are many communities throughout Thailand who suffer similar problems, Smith told the news conference in Bangkok. The mine has been shut for four years, but the activists are pursuing lawsuits so the villagers can be compensated with damages for the environmental destruction. They also fear another company might be allowed to reopen the mine through winning a new concession, a lawyer representing the activists said. Efforts by BenarNews to contact officials at the Thai Department of Mineral Resources for comment in response to the Fortify report were unsuccessful. Chaiwat Jitthavornkul, an assistant company secretary with Tongkah Harbor, told BenarNews that the firm could not comment on the report. Andrew Gillum takes selfies with supporters outside his Broward County campaign office. [DAVID SMILEY | Miami Hreald] When then-Gov. Jeb Bush proposed ending affirmative action in Florida's universities in 2000, he found himself answering to more than a thousand angry Florida A&M University students who descended on the Capitol. One of the students behind the protest? A young Andrew Gillum, then a FAMU student leader with his sights set on higher office. Gillum, who was one of a handful of students who later met with Bush, ultimately failed. But in Gillum's college career, there are signs of the activism and political skills that would later help him rise to become today's Democratic nominee for Florida governor, observers say. "I think FAMU really cultivated the desire for him to participate and become the public servant he would become," said Larry Rivers, who was then chair of the Department of History, Political Science, Geography & African-American Studies. Gillum graduated from FAMU, the historically black university just minutes away from Florida State University, in 2003, majoring in political science. While there, Gillum organized student protests, urged his classmates to vote and became student government president. Rivers remembers a young Gillum coming into his office frequently to talk about the issues of the day. "He was a very inquisitive guy - the guy who would ask a thousand questions," Rivers said. To Rivers and others, Gillum seemed destined for political office. Gillum said as much in 2000, telling the Tampa Bay Times that the organizing skills he was learning in college would help him possibly make a run for the state House or Senate. The one thing holding him back, he feared, was being black in a political world that was overwhelmingly white. "There's still that glass ceiling that says, 'You're not going there,'" he told the Times then. "You're not going that far." It's that battle that has helped shaped the identity of FAMU, however. The school played a big part in the civil rights movement, with FAMU students triggering bus boycotts and lunch counter sit-ins. "Unlike FSU, FAMU has seen itself as a vessel for social change, because of the civil rights movement," said former Leon County Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho, who met the future mayor when he was a college student trying to get his peers to vote. "And Andrew was steeped in that same tradition." Sancho, who supports Gillum today, said he saw back then the same skills that helped Gillum win the Democratic primary this year. "He was an excellent organizer. He actually liked getting into the field, interacting with people, coordinating individuals," Sancho said. "I think thats his speciality - his ground game." But there were signs that Gillum had the political drive well before settling into college life. "Everyone knew Andrew Gillum at Florida A&M from his second week on campus on," said Christopher Chestnut, his childhood friend from Gainesville. "Andrew started campaigning for student senate the week before school started, since before he moved into the dorms." Should Gillum win the general election in November, he'll have his turnout skills to thank, based in part to his alma mater. FAMU students and alumni are excited about one of their own potentially becoming the state's first black governor, and on Friday, several dozen crammed into a ballroom on FAMU's campus to discuss how to mobilize people they know for November's election and send tens of thousands of texts to potential voters. Co-hosted by NextGen, an organization with billionaire backers that has poured millions into Gillum's race, students tapped out hundreds of texts a minute through an automated messaging app, asking would-be voters about their stances on issues like "Stand Your Ground" and encouraging them to vote this cycle. It was a new age get-out-the-vote effort, and several students said that the text-banking brunch was the first such direct political organizing event they had seen advertised on campus in years. Many said that they had found out about it on Instagram. Friends Sidney Martinez, 20, and Lex Jones, 19, said they were drawn to the event because they wanted to be more involved in politics. "Everyone voted here for Gillum," Martinez said. Herald/Times staff writer Elizabeth Koh contributed to this report. Aziz Phitakkumpon, Thailands chief Islamic leader or Sheikhul Islam, receives a fruit basket from Lt. Gen. Pornsak Poonsawas, the new Fourth Army Region commander, at his home in Songkhla province, Sept. 30, 2018. The new military commander overseeing Thailands predominantly Muslim southernmost provinces has vowed to launch a crackdown on drugs, saying a recent survey found that most people in the region see addiction as their most-pressing issue, not the insurgency. Lt. Gen. Pornsak Poonsawas, the Fourth Army Region commander, made the statement Sunday after making a courtesy call to Aziz Phitakkumpon, the countrys top Muslim spiritual leader. The poll survey showed a significant result that local people have been struggling most with drug use, not insurgency, Pornsak told reporters, without elaborating. I have prepared for proactive measures to significantly clean up drug issues. Pornsak formally took control of the Fourth Army Region on Monday, replacing Lt Gen. Piyawat Nakwanich, who relinquished command two days ago during a ceremony at the Vajiravudh military camp in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. "The villagers believe that drug issues have gone too far and drugs are still being sold everywhere on the streets because government officials are involved, Pornsak said, without providing evidence to support his allegations. He warned that military men found guilty of selling illicit drugs would be punished and could even face criminal charges. Drug have had a deep impact on communities and relationships in the south, according to a BBC Thai report, which quoted the military as saying that an estimated one in five teens are addicted to drugs in the Muslim-majority provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. The drug issues are serious problems and have brought concern to people in the region, Pornsak said. Aziz Phitakkumpon pledged to back Pornsak. The organization of the Sheikul Islam is ready to support the work of the Fourth Army Region commander in resolving drug issues, he said. More than 4 percent of Thailands 69 million people are Muslim, almost 2 million of whom live in the Deep South region next to the Malaysian border. Since a long-running separatist insurgency by Malay-speaking, Muslim rebels re-ignited in 2004, almost 7,000 people have been killed in associated violence. According to local think-tank Deep South Watch, Buddhists, who are a minority in the region, comprise about half of the death toll. Pornsak said the military would coordinate with the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and other government agencies to launch raids on 7,000 places where illegal drug use is proliferating. Such operations, he said, would strictly respect the human rights of suspects and would expect support from village officials and civil society groups. The military is reserved as a support force, he said, adding that intelligence gathering would be improved as he vowed a revamp of the military leadership in the region. "Military must not be lazy, must focus on foot patrol and also help protect villagers in the area, he said. If the soldiers stay close by, there wont be insurgents daring to live [in the region]. PRIVACY POLICY: Cream della Cream Switzerland GmbH DATE: 24 MAY 2018 Welcome to the Billionairecouture.com website. At Billionairecouture.com we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. 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We will also use your personal data to send you sales and marketing communications that we believe may be of interest to you if we have your explicit consent for this activity, or if you are an existing customer where we have a legitimate interest in communicating with you. You can opt out of sales and marketing communications from us at any time. Who will process your data? Your personal data will be processed by Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH and Philipp Plein International AG, as the data controllers, and may also be processed by other Group companies acting under our instructions. We may also retain the services of external suppliers to help meet our business needs and may share your data with these suppliers. These suppliers have been selected after a rigorous evaluation process and chosen for their security, reliability and competence. They will process your data only under our instructions. Some of these suppliers and some Group companies may be based in non-EU countries. Where this is the case, the transfer of your personal data to these countries is carried out in compliance with the guarantees provided by law. How long do we keep your data? We will not retain your personal data for longer than is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which you provided that personal data, unless the law permits or requires that we retain it for longer. The retention period varies depending on the purpose of the processing. For example, the data collected during your purchase of goods on www.Billionairecouture.com are retained in accordance with local tax law, while those data used to send you our marketing communications are retained until you ask to be unsubscribed. What are your rights regarding your personal data? Under the Law, you have the right to: Know what personal data of yours we are processing, where that data came from and how we are using that data; Ask us to update, correct or supplement the data we hold about you; Withdraw consent for processing for a specified purpose; Ask us to delete or erase your data from our systems; Limit or oppose our processing of your data; Ask us to supply the personal data we hold about you in an easy readable electronic format or transfer that data direct to a third party nominated by you. You can exercise these rights at any time by emailing onlineservice@philipp-plein.com or writing to the Privacy Team at Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH, Via Pietro Capelli 18, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland. If you believe that the processing of your personal data has been carried out unlawfully, you can file a complaint with the supervisory authority responsible for compliance with the rules on personal data protection in your jurisdiction. This Privacy Policy may undergo changes and additions from time to time. Where possible we will inform you of any changes, but please check the contents periodically. The date of issue and version number are shown at the beginning of the notice. 1. Who is the data controller? Under the data protection law, the data controller is responsible for ensuring that your data is held securely, that you are given accurate information about how your data is used, and that your rights regarding your data are respected. The Billionairecouture.com website is owned and run by Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH. For the purpose of the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation (the GDPR Law), the data controllers for any personal data we hold about you are Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH (referred to here as "we", "our", "us") is part of Philipp Plein International AG. If we use the term "our Group", this means us and our subsidiaries, our ultimate holding company and its subsidiaries (or any of them). 2. What personal data do we collect? We collect and process only the data that is required to allow us to provide our services to you. We collect the following data when you browse or shop at www.Billionairecouture.com: a) We process the personal data required to complete and dispatch your purchase, including your name, billing address, delivery address, payment details, mobile number, telephone number and email address. We collect your email address in order to send you confirmation of your order; we collect your telephone number so that we can contact you if there are any issues with the order. b) We collect your email address when you sign up to receive Newsletters c) If you register for a Billionairecouture.com account, we collect your name, email address, password, country and additional data regarding your marketing preferences. d) When you contact our Customer Care team, we may collect additional data to help us resolve any queries relating to your order, delivery, payments, marketing, the website or any other queries. e) We collect and process data about your browsing on www.Billionairecouture.com, including the pages you visit and how you interact with these pages. If you have registered for an account, we collect browsing data about your access to the dedicated areas of the website. f) If you are a customer of www.Billionairecouture.com, or if you have given us your consent, we collect and process your personal data for direct marketing activities. g) If you provide us with someone else's data - for example, if you purchase a product to be delivered to a friend or as a gift - we will collect and process the personal data required to complete the transaction such as the name, delivery address and other contact details for your friend. If you are receiving an item as a gift, we will process your data only to fulfil the gift request and our contractual obligations. h) When you call our Customer Care team, your call will be recorded for training and fraud prevention purposes. 3. How do we use the personal data we collect? We collect and process your personal data for the following purposes: a) When you purchase a product from www.Billionairecouture.com we ask you for the personal data necessary to allow us to fulfil our contract with you including taking payment, any related anti-fraud checks if you choose to pay by credit/debit card, billing, shipping and delivery of the product and possible handling of the return. b) When you visit www.Billionairecouture.com, we will collect the minimum personal data necessary to allow us to provide you with the services of the website, such as placing and holding items in your shopping bag. c) When you visit www.Billionairecouture.com, we will use some data about your use of the website to help us improve the website and our promotion of the website. This will include data about how you came to the website; the date and time of your visit; products you viewed or searched for; page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction data (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), and methods used to browse away from the page. d) We also collect data about your use of www.Billionairecouture.com by using cookies. More information about how we use cookies and how you can, if you wish, turn off cookies is included in our Cookie Policy. e) When you register on www.Billionairecouture.com, we will collect the data necessary to ensure that we can recognize you on return visits and provide you with the services registration offers, such as creating a Wish List or subscribing to emails. If you would prefer not to continue receiving these emails, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link on the bottom of the email, or by contacting our Customer Care team. f) When you sign up for our marketing communications, we will ask you for your email address. If you would prefer not to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link on the bottom of the email, or by contacting our Customer Care team. g) If you have purchased from www.Billionairecouture.com, we will use the personal data we hold about you, including your purchase history, to contact you regarding products and services that may be of interest to you. This contact will normally be via email, but in certain circumstances we may contact you via other methods e.g. we may call you if an item we know you have been eager to purchase comes back into stock. If you would prefer not to be contacted in this way, you can unsubscribe from emails at any time using the link on the bottom of the email or update your contact preferences on www.Billionairecouture.com or by contacting our Customer Care team. h) We analyze contact data, purchase history, web browsing data and lifestyle data to tailor our marketing communications, web site presentation and internet advertising to meet your preferences. For example, if you have been browsing or have previously purchased a particular shoe model we may send you an email to tell you that these are now on sale or display similar products to you as part of our internet advertising. i) When you contact our Customer Care team, we will use the personal data you provide and that we have collected to respond to your requests for help or information. 4. What is our legal basis for processing your personal data? Under the Law we must have a valid reason for using your personal data and we may not collect, store or use data about you that is not compatible with that reason. There are four valid reasons for our use of your personal data: I. Most of the data we collect from you is necessary to allow us to fulfil our contract with you or to enter into a contract with you e.g. you provide a billing address and email address when your purchase an item from www.Billionairecouture.com so that we can process your payment and send you your order confirmation. II. In certain circumstances we will ask for your permission or consent to use your personal data e.g. if we would like to send you marketing information about items we believe may be of interest to you via email. If you have given your consent to our use of your personal data, you are entitled to withdraw this consent at any time. III. We may also have a legitimate interest in using your personal data e.g. to ensure that the content of our website is presented to you and your device as effectively as possible, or to ensure that our marketing communications are relevant to your interests. If this is our reason for using your data, we must make sure that our interests do not override yours and you are entitled to object to this use of your data. IV. Lastly, we may be required to use your data to meet a legal obligation or to protect your interests e.g. we may exchange data with other specialist organizations for the purposes of fraud detection and credit risk reduction and we will retain financial data long term to meet our statutory obligations. The legal basis for each of the ways in which we use your personal data is as follows: Our use of your data Our legal basis for processing a) When you purchase a product from www.Billionairecouture.com we ask you for the personal data necessary to allow us to fulfil our contract with you including taking payment, completing any related anti-fraud checks if you choose to pay by credit/debit card, billing, shipping and delivery of the product and possible handling of the return. 1.The provision of your personal data for these activities is a contractual obligation. You are free to communicate your data or not, but in the absence of the requested data it will not be possible to finalize or execute the contract and your requests. This means that while you will continue to be able to browse www.Billionairecouture.com, you will not be able to purchase products and you will not be able to use the services of our website such as the Wish List. 2. When you make a purchase at www.Billionairecouture.com, we are required to process your personal data to meet our legal obligations in accordance with the tax provisions and other statutory rules which apply. You are free to decide whether or not to purchase from us, but if you do make a purchase this use of your data will be necessary to meet our legal obligations. 3. When you make a purchase at www.Billionairecouture.com, we will use some of your personal data to carry out anti-fraud activities: we have a legitimate interest in carrying out this activity to prevent and prosecute any fraudulent activity. b) When you visit www.Billionairecouture.com, we will collect the personal data necessary to allow us to provide you with the services of the website, such as placing and holding items in your shopping bag. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that the service we provide to you is managed correctly. c) When you visit www.Billionairecouture.com, we will use some data about your use of the website to help us improve the website and our promotion of the website. This will include data about how you came to the website; the date and time of your visit; products you viewed or searched for; page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction data (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), and methods used to browse away from the page. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that the service we provide to you is managed correctly. d) We also collect data about your use of www.Billionairecouture.com by using cookies. More information about how we use cookies and how you can, if you wish, turn off cookies is included in our Cookie Policy. You have given your consent to our use of cookies via the cookie banner that appears on the website. You can choose which cookies to accept via our Cookie Policy. Some cookies are necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that the service we provide to you is administered correctly e.g. retaining items in your shopping basket. e) When you register on www.Billionairecouture.com, we will collect the data necessary to ensure that we can recognize you on return visits and provide you with the services registration offers, such as creating a Wish List or subscribing to emails. If you would prefer not to continue receiving these emails, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link on the bottom of the email, or by contacting our Customer Care team. The provision of your personal data for these activities is a contractual obligation. You are free to communicate your data or not, but in the absence of the requested data it will not be possible to finalize or execute the contract and your requests. This means that while you will continue to be able to browse www.Billionairecouture.com, you will not be able to use the services of our website such as the wish list or alerts about new arrivals f) When you sign up for our marketing communications, we will ask you for your email address to enable delivery of our marketing communications. If you would prefer not to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link on the bottom of the email, or by contacting our Customer Care team. You have given your consent and asked us to send you our marketing communications. g) If you have purchased from www.Billionairecouture.com, we will use the personal data we hold about you, including your purchase history, to contact you regarding products and services that may be of interest to you. This contact will normally be via email, but in certain circumstances we may contact you via other methods e.g. we may call you if an item you have been eager to purchase comes back into stock. If you would prefer not to be contacted in this way, you can unsubscribe from emails at any time using the link on the bottom of the email or update your preferences via www.Billionairecouture.com or by contacting our Customer Care team. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that you receive information about goods and services that may be of interest to you. h) We analyze contact data, purchase histories, web browsing data and lifestyle data to tailor our marketing communications, web site presentation and internet advertising to meet your preferences. For example, if you have been browsing or have previously purchased a particular shoe, we may send you an email to tell you that these are now on sale or display similar products to you as part of our internet advertising. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that you receive information about goods and services that may be of interest to you. i) When you contact our Customer Care team, we will use the personal data you provide and that we have collected to respond to your requests for help or information. The provision of your personal data for these activities is a contractual obligation. You are free to communicate your data or not, but in the absence of the requested data it will not be possible to finalize or execute the contract and your requests. j) When you call the Customer Care team, your call will be recorded for training and fraud prevention purposes. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that our employees receive adequate training and for fraud prevention. k) We will use the contact information that you provide to deliver service messages such as any change to our Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy, delivery updates or other non-marketing communications such as fraud prevention checks. Our use of your data is necessary for our legitimate interest in ensuring that you receive information relating to our contract with you. 5. Who will process your data? Your personal data will be processed by the internal staff of Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH who have been specifically trained and authorized for this processing. In carrying out the processing, the data may also be transmitted to companies belonging to Philipp Plein International AG, to which Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH belongs. Your personal data will also be transmitted to third parties that we use to provide our services; these parties have been rigorously assessed and offer a guarantee of compliance with the legislation on the processing of personal data. These parties have been designated as data processors and carry out their activities according to the instructions given by Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH and Philipp Plein International AG and under our control. The third parties in question belong to the following categories: banking operators, internet providers, companies specializing in IT and telematics services; couriers; companies that carry out marketing activities, including social media organizations; companies specializing in market research and data processing; companies offering contact center services; companies providing publishing and distribution services. Under some circumstances we may be required to disclose or share your data without your consent, for example if we are required by the police, the courts or for other legal reasons. Your data may be transmitted to the police, judicial and administrative authorities, in accordance with the law, for the investigation and prosecution of crimes, the prevention of and protection from threats to public security, to allow Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH to ascertain, exercise or defend a right in court, as well as for other reasons related to the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. 6. Data transfer outside the European union Some of the third parties listed in the previous paragraph 'Who will process your data?' may be located in countries outside the European Union that nevertheless offer an adequate level of data protection as offering adequate levels of protection will be performed only: I. after the completion between Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH and said parties of specific agreements containing safeguard clauses and appropriate guarantees for the protection of your personal data (known as "standard contractual clauses" and approved by the European Commission), or II. if the transfer is necessary for the completion and execution of a contract between you and Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH (for the purchase of goods offered on our website, for registration on the website or use of services on the website), or III. for the management of your requests. 7. How long do we keep your data? We keep your personal data for a limited period of time in line with our data retention policy. The specific retention period will vary according to the reason for processing your personal data. After this period, your data will be permanently erased or otherwise irreversibly rendered anonymous. Your personal data are retained in accordance with the following criteria: When you have purchased goods from www.Billionairecouture.com, we will retain the billing data until the end of the relevant accounting period. When you make a payment, we will retain your payment details up to the certification of the payment and the completion of the relevant administrative-accounting formalities regarding your right of withdrawal and the terms applied for the disputing of the payment; When you provide us with personal data in order to use the services of www.Billionairecouture.com, such as marketing communications, we will keep your data for this purpose until the termination of the service or until you cancel your subscription to the service; When we use your personal data and browsing history to analyze your behavior in order to customize the website and to show you personalized sales offers, we will keep the data for analytical purposes until you ask us to delete it; When we use personal data for market research and satisfaction surveys, we will keep the data until you ask us to stop. When you contact our Customer Care team, we will keep any additional personal data you provide that is specific to your enquiry for as long as you remain an active customer of www.Billionairecouture.com. When you contact our Customer Care team, we might keep the call recording up to 3 Moths. Credit card details are not recorded as part of the call. 8. Your rights You have the right to request a copy of the data that we hold about you (and we will provide this to you free of charge once we have confirmed your identity). If you would like a copy of some or all of your personal data, please email or write to us using the contact details in this policy. If we do hold data about you we will: give you a description of it tell you why we are holding it tell you who it could be shared with tell you how long we will keep the data if the data was not provided by you, we will give you any available information such as the source of the data tell you if the data has been used for automated decision making tell you if the data is stored outside of the European Economic Area, and if so what safeguards are in place to protect your personal data You have the right to ask us to correct any inaccuracies in the personal data we hold about you and to stop us using your data until it has been corrected. We want to make sure that your personal data is accurate and up to date and we will be happy to correct or remove data you think is inaccurate. If you have given us your consent to use your personal data for marketing, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by calling our Customer Care team, clicking "unsubscribe" on a marketing email. You may receive a small number of further communications immediately after unsubscribing but we will implement your request as quickly as possible. You have the right at any time to oppose our processing of your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest. You will need to explain the reasons behind your request and allow us to consider your request and respond. You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data. After receiving and reviewing your request, if legitimate it will be our responsibility to cease processing promptly and to delete your personal data. You have the right to receive a copy of your data that we process based on your consent or on the basis of a contract with you in a standard format. If you wish, where technically possible, we can transfer your data directly to a third party indicated by you. To exercise any of these rights, you can sign in to your account, contact our Customer Care team at onlineservice@philipp-plein.com write to our Privacy Team at Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH, Via Pietro Capelli 18, 6900, Lugano, Switzerland. To ensure that the data of our users are not subject to breaches or illegitimate use by third parties, we will ask you to confirm your identity before carrying out your request. Security We protect your personal data with specific technical and organizational security measures aimed at preventing your personal data from being used illegitimately or fraudulently. In particular, we use security measures that guarantee: encryption or pseudonymization of your data; the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data as well as the resilience of the systems and services that process them; the ability to restore data in the event of a data breach. Furthermore, Cream Della Cream Switzerland GmbH undertakes to test, verify and regularly evaluate the effectiveness of technical and organizational measures in order to guarantee continuous improvement in the safety of processing. 10) CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE We keep our Privacy Policy under regular review in order to reflect changes in our services and in privacy regulation. This Privacy Policy was last updated on 24 May 2018 How this information may be used Whenever you give us your personal information we will use it in accordance with applicable privacy laws and for the purposes set out in this policy, on the data entry forms you complete, in any relevant terms and conditions and on pages or emails which link to the data entry forms. When you use our services: If you use any of our services, register for or attend one of our events, set up, look at or change your account details or contact your personal shopper or a member of our Customer Care team, we will record your personal details. Your information will be used in the first place to provide the products, services or information you have asked for and to provide you with a personalized shopping experience. We keep the information you provide and may use it for several purposes, including: (i) accounting, billing, reporting and audit; (ii) credit checking or screening; (iii) authentication and identity checks; (iv) credit, debit or other payment card verification and screening; (v) debt collection; (vi) safety, security, health, training, administrative and legal purposes; (vii) data matching and dedupe, statistical and market analysis, and marketing information; (viii) advertising and marketing for us, our Group and third parties; (ix) developing, testing and maintaining systems; (x) studies, research and development; (xi) customer surveys; (xii) customer care and to help us in any future dealings with you, for example by identifying your requirements and preferences; (xiii) where required by law or in connection with legal proceeding or disputes; and (iv) any other uses set out in the terms and conditions for use of our services. For these purposes we may disclose your information to one or more of the other organizations listed in the section called "who we will share your personal information with". Saved payment card details will only be shared with our payment partner and not with any other third parties and will only be used to process your order, using our payment partner's systems. We may also use your personal information to send you marketing updates, as detailed in the next section. Tracking how our online services are used: We collect and use third parties to collect and share with us, information from lots of visitors to our online services and analyze it to build up a picture of how people use our websites. This helps us improve the services we offer. We may also give anonymous statistics about visitors to other, reputable organizations, but the information we provide will not include details that would allow these organizations to identify you. For more information on our use of cookies, please read our cookie policy. Customization of our online services and advert targeting: We may use the information you give us about yourself and the information we collect via cookies when you use our online services to build up a picture of your interests. We may then use this information to try to make sure that when we send you marketing communications and when you visit our websites or use our online services, you don't miss offers and information that might interest you. This information may also be used by our third-party advertising agencies and networks, to advertise our own or third-party products and services to you when you visit third party websites and online services. This is called advert targeting or interest-based advertising. For more information on how to reject targeted advertising or interest-based advertising cookies please read our cookie policy. Testimonials: If you give us feedback, we may use it to improve our services and we may publish it online or offline to promote our business and our services. We will ask for your permission before we publish it. Comments and reviews submitted to our online services: If you wish to submit a comment or feedback on a blog or article featured on our services, we may (but are not obliged to) publish your comment online or offline to promote our business and our services. We will collect your name or username which will be displayed next to your comment and e-mail address, which will not be published, but which we may use to contact you in relation to your comment. Social networks: If you follow us or interact with us on any of our pages on third party social media platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Google+, information you provide will be subject to the third party's privacy policy, as well as this privacy policy. Direct marketing: For information on how we may market to you, please read the section called "marketing opt-in and opt-out provisions". Customer surveys: Every now and again, we may ask you for your opinion on our services and the products you have purchased through our services. When we do research or surveys, we may use cookies and may combine the information collected by those cookies with your answers. Who we will share your personal information with We will share your information with other companies in our Group, who may use it for their own business purposes, as set out in their privacy policy. These purposes may include financial reporting and analysis, strategic planning, the development of customer segmentation and metrics to provide a consistent view of our customer base, research and analytics, to help us source the right products in future and make better product recommendations, more effective targeting of our marketing campaigns, the creation of inspiring content and editorial features, the development of new products and collaboration opportunities with designer brands. It will also be used to provide more tailored marketing by phone, post, email, SMS or any other means (electronic or otherwise) and you expressly agree to such use. From time to time, we may engage third party business partners to provide information about you or to collect personal information on our behalf. We may also share or match your data with third party business partners to provide you with the products, services or information you ask for or for interest-based advertising. We may pass your information onto one or more of the following organizations: (i) data processing companies, mailing houses and other third party suppliers working on our Group's behalf; (ii) ad-serving agencies and other advertising intermediaries; (iii) credit reference or fraud prevention agencies, which may keep a record of that information; (iv) research students, universities and other research and development organizations; (v) regulatory bodies, government and enforcement agencies, such as the police. Every now and again, we receive requests for information from government departments, the police and other enforcement agencies. If this happens, and there is a proper legal basis for providing your personal information, we will provide it to the organization asking for it. We collate information about site traffic, sales, wish lists, and other commercial information which we may pass onto third parties, but this information does not include any details which can identify you personally. Where we process your personal information When we use your information as described in this policy, this may involve sending your information outside the European Economic Area (EEA). When we do this, we make sure that appropriate steps are taken to protect your personal information and your rights. By providing us with your personal information, you agree that we may transfer, store and process your information outside the EEA. Governments in certain countries such as the USA have broad powers to access data for security, crime prevention and detection and law enforcement purposes. Marketing opt-in and opt-out provision We offer you the chance to receive news and updates which, depending on your preferences, we will discuss with you by phone or live chat or send to you via email, SMS and/or direct mail. These include alerts for new products, features, enhancements, special offers, upgrade opportunities, contests, events of interest, and one-off marketing promotions. You can opt-out of receiving these updates, if you wish. We, or our third-party business partners, may also ask you if you want to receive marketing if you enter a promotion or attend an event thrown or sponsored by us. Other companies in our Group may also pass your personal information to us for marketing use. Marketing communications you subscribe to will only be sent by our Group. You have the right to ask us not to use your personal information for marketing. At all times, we will offer you the opportunity to unsubscribe from any service or update to which you have subscribed, if you change your mind. Whenever you receive direct marketing from us, we will tell you how to unsubscribe or by email at onlineservice@philipp-plein.com. If you tell us that you do not want to receive direct marketing, we will still contact you in order to provide you with products and services you request and for administration purposes. Safeguarding your personal information We will take reasonable care to maintain appropriate safeguards to ensure the security, integrity and privacy of the information you have provided to us. We have put in place technology and security policies which are designed to protect the personal information we hold about you. We also follow the security procedures that applicable privacy laws require. These covers storing, using and releasing any information you have provided and, as well as measures designed to prevent unauthorized access or use. When you place an order or access your account information, we use a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption which encrypts your information before it is sent to us to protect it from unauthorized use. How we can make changes to this policy We may update this privacy policy from time to time so you may want to check it each time you give us personal information or use our websites. If you require more information, please contact our privacy officer at onlineservice@philipp-plein.com Cookie Policy What is a cookie and what is its purpose? A cookie is a small file that is sent to the browser and saved on your device when you visit a website like Billionairecouture.com ("the website"). Cookies allow the site to function efficiently and improve its services, in addition to providing information to the site owner for statistical or advertising purposes, primarily to personalize your navigation experience by remembering your preferences (for example, remembering the language and currency you set, in order to recognize you at the next visit, etc.) Which cookies do we use and for what purposes? Our website uses various types of cookies and similar technologies, each of which has a specific function. Below is a table explaining them. Type of cookie function 1. Navigation cookies From the first access these cookies allow the website to function correctly and allow you to view content on your device by recognizing the language and market of the country from which you've chosen to connect. If you are a registered user, they will allow you to be recognized and to access the services offered from the dedicated areas. Navigation cookies are technical cookies and are needed for the functioning of the website. 2. Functional cookies These cookies allow, based on your express request, for you to be recognized when you subsequently access the website, so that you do not have to enter your information each time (for example: Remember me"). If you have added items into your Shopping Bag and closed the session without completing the purchase and without eliminating those items, these cookies allow you to continue the shopping experience the next time you access the website (within a limited period,) finding the same articles that were selected. Functional cookies are not essential to the functioning of the website, but rather improve navigation quality and experience. 3. Analytical cookies These cookies are used to prepare statistical analyses on the navigation methods of our website's users. Cream della Cream Switzerland GmbH treats the results of these analyses anonymously and exclusively for statistical purposes only if the service provider uses the cookies to connect to the browser used or other devices used to navigate on the website. The website uses certain third-party services which, entirely independently, install their own cookies. Our own and third-party marketing and profiling cookies These cookies are aimed at creating user-related profiles to send commercial messages that meet the preferences shown during the visit, or to improve your navigation experience: while you navigate on our website, these cookies are useful for showing you products of interest to you or which are similar to those you have viewed. Third party cookies are those that have been sent by our trusted third-party companies. These cookies allow you to be provided with our commercial offering on other affiliated websites (retargeting). With third party cookies we do not have control of the information provided by the cookie and we do not have access to this data. This information is entirely controlled by third party cookies as described in the respective privacy policy. 4. Social Network cookies These cookies are necessary to allow your social account to interact with our website. For example, they are used to express your appreciation and to share it with your social networking friends. The social network cookies are not needed for navigation. 1. General/Validity 1. The below Terms and Conditions apply to any delivery transaction of the Seller. The Buyer placing the order constitutes the Buyer's legally binding acceptance of the Terms and Conditions. 2. Any contrary General Terms and Conditions from the Buyer only become part of the Agreement if the Seller has or will accept them in writing (i.e. not by silence). The Seller objects to any contradicting Terms and Conditions of the Buyer unless those have been or will be accepted in writing. 2. Agreement conclusion 1. All Seller's offers are subject to change. 2. The prices are net prices to which statutory value added tax is added. Furthermore, the Buyer will be charged the costs for packaging, freight, expenses such as customs duties and other shipment costs. Special surcharges shall be charged for individual and customized orders. 3. Any verbal information and agreements, especially with the Seller's field office, sales representatives or employees in the showrooms require explicit written confirmation by the Seller in order to become binding for the Seller. 4. Redispositioning within the framework of a placed order is only permitted by written mutual agreement. 3. Delivery and Delivery Time 1. The Seller is entitled to make partial deliveries. The Buyer agrees to unsorted partial deliveries provided that the subsequent delivery is delivered within the agreed upon delivery period after receipt of the respective partial deliveries. 2. The Seller will never conclude sales that are to be performed at a fixed point in time. The specified delivery times are estimates that only express approximate delivery times. If, in individual cases, a delivery time has been agreed upon in writing it is considered fulfilled if the goods that are to be delivered have been dispatched at the deadline or if the Buyer has been informed of the readiness for dispatch in those cases in which the Buyer is to pick the goods up. 3. Force majeure and other extraordinary events that are outside the Seller's influence and which make the delivery within the arranged delivery period significantly more difficult or impossible, e.g. strike, sickness, disturbances in the business operations of the pre-suppliers, extend the delivery time by the duration of the interference. The Seller shall inform the Buyer immediately once such events occur, as soon as the Seller determines that they will impact the delivery time. At the same time, the Seller specifies the estimated duration of a required extension of the delivery period. In these cases of non-availability, the Seller is entitled to withdraw from the Agreement if it has not yet been fulfilled. The Seller shall immediately after becoming aware of the non-availability notify the Buyer if it intends to withdraw from the Agreement. 4. If the Seller is late with a delivery, it shall be granted an additional 18 days to deliver. After unsuccessful expiry of these additional days to deliver, the Buyer is entitled to withdraw from the Agreement only, and limited to the portion of the delivery obligation that has not yet been fulfilled, if the Buyer informs the Seller in writing upon occurrence of the delivery delay that it will reject fulfilment of the Agreement after unsuccessful expiry of additional days to deliver of at least 18 days. In this case, the Buyer may only request compensation for non-fulfilment instead of exercising the right to withdraw if the Seller or its vicarious agents have intentionally or through gross negligence caused the delivery delay. In exceptional cases, in the event of a partial delivery delay caused by the Seller, the Buyer is entitled under the aforementioned conditions to withdraw from the entire Agreement or request compensation due to non-fulfilment of the entire delivery obligation if the partial fulfilment of the Agreement is of no interest for the Buyer by applying strict assessment criteria. 4. Shipping and Transfer of Risks 1. The goods shall be delivered from the Seller's warehouse. Place of fulfilment for all services under the Supply Agreement is the location of the Seller's warehouse. 2. The Buyer bears the shipping costs including all incidental expenses, such as packaging and customs duties. 3. With the transfer of the goods to the Buyer, forwarding agent or freight carrier or any other individual or establishment who has been commissioned to carry out the shipment, however no later than at the time of leaving the warehouse, risks are transferred to the Buyer. The Seller is only liable for defects regarding the packaging of the goods, its shipment or the choice of the transportation means or route of transport if the Seller or its vicarious agents have acted intentionally or grossly negligent. 4. The Seller is only obligated to effect a transport insurance if the Buyer specifically requests it. The costs shall be borne by the Buyer 5. If shipment of goods is delayed for a reason that is not the Seller's responsibility, risk is already transferred to the Buyer at the time of notification of shipment readiness. In this case, the Seller is entitled to store the delivery item at the Buyer's expense and risk at the Seller's own discretion and request immediate payment of the invoice amount. 6. If the Buyer does not accept shipped goods or does not accept them on time, the Buyer must bear any resulting additional transportation costs and incurring storage costs. The Seller will charge those separately. 5. Warranty 1. The Buyer is obligated to thoroughly check the goods immediately upon receipt. The Buyer must inform the Seller in writing of any deficiencies and complaints within no later than 10 days after receipt. Evidence in the form of photos of the deficiencies and complaints must be provided by the Seller who is a businessman/businesswoman as defined by Section 14 of the German Civil Code (BGB) and processing of the complaint must be carried out by using the online complaints program that has been set up by the Seller. 2. Warranty rights do not exist if the Buyer carries out or causes modifications to the delivered goods or has tolerated modifications by third parties. 3. Customary deviations and/or minor and/or technically unavoidable deviations in the quality, colour, weight and dimensions of the design do not entitle to claims and do not result in warranty claims unless compliance has been explicitly agreed upon. 4. In the event of material damage, the Seller is entitled to improvement or delivering replacement goods that are free of defects within two weeks after receiving the returned goods. Returning goods is only allowed if the Seller has agreed to it. If the Seller chooses improvement or replacement delivery and if this fails, the Buyer may request at its choice that the purchase price is reduced or withdraw from the Agreement with respect to the goods for which the improvement or replacement delivery has failed. 5. The Buyer may exercise the right of retention of the purchase price that it owes due to possible material defects or incompleteness only with regard to the partial amount which it would owe for the deficient or missing parts during proper delivery. Any withholding of payments to the Seller that exceed the aforementioned entitles the Seller to refuse fulfilment of its warranty obligation until receipt of such payments. 6. For new delivery items, the period of limitation for claims is one year from the date of the transfer of risks. The statutory periods in accordance with Section 478 of the German Civil Code (BGB) shall remain unaffected. 7. If a Buyer's claim proves to be unjustified, the Buyer shall bear the shipping costs for returning the goods. In addition, the Buyer shall bear an administrative fee of Euro 5.00 for each item which the Seller invoices for when returning the goods if the Buyer cannot provide evidence that the incurred costs where less than the charged flat rate. 6. Liability 1. Buyer claims, especially for compensation or lost profit are excluded, unless they are based on an intentional or grossly negligent breach of contract by the Seller or its statutory representative or its vicarious agents. 2. If the Seller is liable to pay compensation even in cases of common negligence based on particular agreements or obligatory legal provisions, the amount of the compensation that is to be paid by the Seller is limited to a maximum of 100% of the delivery value and the damage which the Seller should specifically have anticipated at the time of the Agreement conclusion, by considering all circumstances that were known at this point in time as possible results of the contract breach or other actions that obligate to pay compensation. In the event of a delay, the compensation is furthermore limited to a maximum of 0.5% of the delivery value for each completed week of the delay. 7. Terms of Payment/Set-Off Prohibition 1. The invoice is issued on the day of delivery or provision of the goods. Any postponement of the invoice value date is excluded unless agreed to otherwise. 2. 30% of the invoice amount is due upon receipt of the confirmation of the order prior to the start of production; the remaining amount is due upon delivery in the form of cash or bank-certified cheque. Any payment terms that deviate from the aforementioned require written confirmation by the Seller. 3. The Seller does not grant any cash discount deduction. 4. Any costs that incur as a result of accepting bills of exchange or cheques, especially discount charges and interest shall be borne by the Buyer. 5. In the event of delayed payments, the Seller is entitled, without special announcement or giving notice, to charge interest on arrears in the amount of 8 percentage points above the respective base interest rate, however no less than 12% p.a. For each payment reminder, the Seller is entitled to an arrears fee of Euro 5.00. 6. Furthermore, in the event of delayed payments, all other outstanding amounts receivable - including from bills of exchange - are immediately due, regardless of their due date. The Seller is furthermore entitled to withdraw from all ongoing agreements, cease deliveries, make them dependent on the provision of securities or to only deliver on the basis of cash on delivery. 7. In the event of delayed payments, the Seller is entitled to remove any items subject to retention of title even without withdrawing from the Agreement and even if partial payments have been made. All costs incurred due to the removal of items shall be borne by the Buyer. The goods that were taken back shall be offset against the outstanding amount at the current market value, subject to proof of a significantly lower decrease in value by the Buyer. 8. Offsetting of Buyer's amounts receivable against Seller's amounts receivable is excluded unless the Buyer's amounts receivable are undisputed or have been determined as legally binding. 8. Retention of Title 1. Delivery of the goods is subject to retention of title in accordance with Section 449 of the German Civil Code (BGB) with the following expansions: a) The delivered goods remain the Seller's property until complete payment of all amounts receivable and secondary claims from other and future transactions with the Seller (expanded current account retention). The Buyer may only sell the goods within the framework of its ordinary business operations. b) The Buyer is not entitled to give away, pledge or transfer items subject to retention of title as a security. c) If the Buyer does not fulfil its obligations towards the Seller or not on time or if the Buyer affects the items that have been delivered subject to retention of title in an unauthorised manner, regardless of the entitlement for fulfilment of the Agreement, the Seller may request return of the items if the Buyer has not fulfilled its obligation within a reasonable time period that shall be granted by the Seller. Once the Buyer has fulfilled the Agreement, the Seller must return the items. The above regulation does not apply to instalment purchase transactions. The right of retention may not be exercised against the entitlement for return of the items. The authorisation to sell delivered items may be revoked under the same conditions. 2. The Seller is obligated to release securities it is entitled to, to the extent that they exceed the value of secured Seller's amounts receivable by 20%. 3. The Buyer must immediately inform the Seller if any third parties access the Seller's property, items of joint ownership, claims that have been assigned to the Seller or Seller's right (garnishment, confiscation or other order); otherwise the Buyer is liable for damages. 9. Contractual Penalty 1. The Buyer is obligated to solely offer the goods for sale, display, sell them, etc. in the retail shop which it specifies as the delivery address in the order. 2. The Buyer is obligated to refrain from giving away, selling or making goods that have been sold to it to commercial resellers or making them otherwise accessible to them. 3. The Buyer is obligated to refrain from offering, selling or otherwise advertising for goods that have been purchased from the Seller on the Internet or other sales platforms outside of its retail shop that it has specified to the Seller during ordering 4. The Buyer assures that the information regarding its trader status which it made during ordering is accurate. 5. The Buyer is obligated to pay contractual penalty in the amount of Euro 5,001.00 to the Seller if the Buyer breaches any of the aforementioned reassurances and/or obligations. The Buyer shall not raise the defence of continuation of offence. 10. Exchange 1. Goods cannot be exchanged. 2. If, in exceptional cases, the Seller agrees to an exchange, the Buyer shall pay an administrative fee in the amount of 10% of the net value of the exchanged goods, plus the incurring postage and packaging costs. The Buyer is entitled to provide evidence that significantly lower costs than this flat rate incur. After return of the exchanged goods, the goods are checked by the Seller to determine whether the items are fault-free and new. If this is the case, the Seller shall issue a credit note in the amount of the net value of the returned goods to the Buyer which may be deducted from an invoice resulting from an additional order / additional orders that is / are placed by the Buyer with the Seller. The credit note amount shall never be paid out. 11. Exclusivity 1. The Seller does not provide any exclusivity promises. 2. If, in exceptional cases, an exclusivity promise is made by the Seller it shall apply exclusively and only if this has been confirmed in writing by the Seller. 12. Other Provisions The Buyer's rights under the contract of purchase may not be transferred. 13. Place of Jurisdiction If both parties are business people, the place of jurisdiction is in Nuremberg, Germany. The same applies to bills of exchange and cheque claims. 14. Applicable Law The law of Germany excluding any conflicts of law shall exclusively apply. This law is also decisive for determining the question as to whether the Buyer has agreed to the validity of these General Terms and Conditions at the time of Agreement conclusion or at a later point in time. 15. Legal Validity Any, even partial, invalidity of individual aforementioned provisions shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, the truth about kids and the COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices This image of Gillum has been replaced in the new version of the ad. | YouTube After swift criticism from the Florida Democratic Party and a prominent survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting, the Florida GOP said Tuesday it is swapping out a particular image in a Spanish-language ad attacking Andrew Gillum. The ad, which is scheduled to run statewide starting Wednesday, previously featured a photo of Gillum apparently receiving a ribbon from the family of a victim the Pulse shooting which the Democrats called a "disgusting" politicization of the June 2016 tragedy which left 49 people dead. "I'm sick of Republicans using Pulse as some political prop after they turned their back on that community for so long," said Brandon Wolf, a Pulse survivor and gun control activist who spoke on a Tuesday press call organized by the Democrats. "I am really sick of desperate political serpents like Ron DeSantis who will quite literally say anything and do anything to win elections. I am really really sick of the memory of 49 lives constantly being trampled on." Meredith Beatrice, spokeswoman for the Florida GOP, said Tuesday afternoon that the the image had been "swapped out" for a different photo of Gillum. "There was no intention to be insensitive in any way," she wrote in a statement. "However, we stand by the message of the ad." The ad's content is unrelated to the tragedy, and doubles down on Republican messaging that Gillum, the Democratic nominee for governor, is a "socialist" and compares his policies to the socialism in Latin America. "The Gillum agenda: Impose socialist ideas in Florida. Abusive taxes. Excessive government. Choking bureaucracy and parents losing control over the education of their children," the narrator says in Spanish. "None of these ideas have worked in the countries we know well. The Gillum agenda will bring the same results: misery." Using imagery of crumbling buildings and a briefcase full of cash, the narrator also says Gillum is "financed by the extreme left and under a cloud of corruption," referencing the FBI probe of the city of Tallahassee. The ad is reminiscent of Republican candidate Ron DeSantis' talking points throughout his general election campaign. He launched the post-primary phase of his race at the Bay of Pigs Museum and Library in Miami and soon began comparing Gillum's policies to those of Venezuela, a country that many have fled to seek refuge in Florida. READ MORE: How GOP warnings about Venezuela and socialism could hurt Andrew Gillum in Miami PolitiFact rated DeSantis' claim that Gillum has a "far left socialist platform" false in early September. Here is the new version of the ad, which no longer features the image of Gillum holding the ribbon: For Immediate Release, October 2, 2018 Contact: Ileene Anderson, Center for Biological Diversity, (323) 490-0223, ianderson@biologicaldiversity.org Drew Feldmann, San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, (909) 881-6081, drewf3@verizon.net Agreement Reached to Protect Endangered Fish, Songbirds From San Bernardino Water Treatment Facility Santa Ana Sucker Gets Population Restoration, Guaranteed River Flows SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. Conservation groups and the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department reached an agreement today to restore populations of the endangered Santa Ana sucker, maintain required flows in the Santa Ana River and protect songbird habitat. This is an important step toward ensuring a healthy future for the Santa Ana sucker, said Ileene Anderson, a senior biologist at the Center for Biological Diversity. Santa Ana suckers used to be common in Southern California rivers. This agreement will help keep these unique little fish alive where theyre living now and restore them to their historic habitat, tributaries to the Santa Ana River. Todays settlement follows conservation groups 2017 lawsuit against the San Bernardino Municipal Water Departments approval of water-recycling activities at the Rapid Infiltration and Extraction (RIX) facility and a 2016 protest to the State Water Board. In the past, temporary shutdowns of the facility have resulted in the Santa Ana River temporarily going dry, causing stranding and death of Santa Ana suckers and arroyo chubs. Now, as a condition of the agreement, the water department must permanently maintain minimum flows in the Santa Ana River and establish three new self-sustaining populations of the Santa Ana sucker in its tributaries. The department must also coordinate with the San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District to release stored water during shutdowns to maintain the rivers flows. That will minimize the harm caused by future shutdowns. The agreement will also require the department to preserve riparian habitat for two endangered songbirds the least Bells vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher. Urban development has evicted these beautiful little birds from much of their historic habitat, said Drew Feldmann, conservation chair of the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society. This agreement will ensure that the departments activities do not further reduce habitat for these endangered songbirds. Background The Santa Ana sucker is a small, olive-gray fish found in clear, cool, rocky pools of creeks as well as gravelly bottoms of permanent streams. The species was well distributed throughout the Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Santa Ana and San Bernardino rivers historically, but is now relegated to only a few stream stretches. The Center for Biological Diversity and San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society filed suit against the department in April 2017 over its inadequate environmental review of the RIX facility. As part of the agreement, the conservation groups will dismiss the lawsuit. @samanthajgross Former President Barack Obama had Twitter abuzz Monday as he rolled out dozens of endorsements in key state and federal races nationwide. Obama endorsed Andrew Gillum in the high-profile governor's race, emphasizing the importance Democrats are In Florida, Obama also endorsed U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, congressional candidates Stephanie Murphy, Chris Hunter, Nancy Soderberg and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Florida Senate candidates Janet Cruz, Annette Taddeo and David Perez, and Florida House candidates Nick Duran, Fentrice Driskell and Javier Fernandez. Today, Im proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who arent just running against something, but for somethingto expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote: pic.twitter.com/NO5jnhX3XD Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 1, 2018 Missing from the list? Democratic candidates for all three non-gubernatorial cabinet offices -- Nicole "Nikki" Fried for Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Jeremy Ring for Chief Financial Officer and Sean Shaw for Attorney General. "The unfortunate reality is that our race likely isn't on his radar," said Anthony Pardal, a spokesman for the Jeremy Ring campaign. Shaw's campaign said any Democratic campaign would love to have the president's endorsement, but they are hopeful Obama will make an announcement ahead of election day in November. Fried's campaign declined to comment. Kevin Donohoe, a spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party said it appears that Obama is focusing more on the gubernatorial and legislative seats, not the downballot statewide positions. He's right. In the latest round of endorsements, Obama only picked two state treasurers (Colorado and Ohio), one secretary of state (Nevada) and one attorney general (also Nevada). Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Lujan Ray told the Miami Herald Monday that he expects a third round or even a fourth round of endorsements from the former president. I know they are always strategic in their thinking with rolling out endorsements," he said then. Katie Hill, a spokeswoman for Obama's office, said Obama specifically focused on endorsing candidates in close races where his support would make a meaningful difference, in races with redistricting priorities and those who are alumni of Obama campaigns and adminstration. Hill said it's possible Obama will endorse additional individual candidates between now and Nov. 6. 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 PR Newswire WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2018 WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Avocados From Peru and The World Avocado Organization (WAO) are thrilled to be collaborating with the Michelin Guide at 'The Michelin Star Revelation Great Britain and Ireland 2019' event, which takes place today at the BFI IMAX cinema in London. Over 140 million kilos of avocados are expected to be sold in the UK and Ireland in 2018 - and now the craze has gained Michelin-star approval by featuring the avocado in the most prestigious event in the culinary calendar. Established in 1900, this is the first time the iconic Michelin Guide will be collaborating with a fresh agricultural product (see video here for insights on the collaboration). The inaugural event highlights the evolving British and Irish culinary landscape and attracts the world's leading chefs, restaurateurs and food writers. This is the perfect occasion to showcase the versatility and uniqueness of this popular superfood, which has become a staple in many international gourmet cuisines. Whatley Manor resident chef Niall Keating, winner of the 2018 Young Chef of the Year award, will demonstrate how to recreate delicious dishes including avocado, tofu and caviar and avocado macaroons; highlighting the pleasure and ease of cooking with avocados. The renowned chef will take audiences through an exclusive journey on how to replicate avocado-inspired Michelin-style dishes at home. "We are extremely proud to collaborate with the Michelin Guide at this year's Michelin Star Revelation Great Britain and Ireland event," said World Avocado Organization and Avocados From Peru CEO Xavier Equihua. "The awards have a long and rich history and this year is no different with an incredible selection of talented chefs. Many of the finest Michelin-starred restaurants are already serving stunning avocado dishes in the UK and Ireland, and we look forward to working with leading chefs to continue to inspire the British and Irish restaurant scenes." In celebration of the collaboration, both the WAO and the Michelin Guide today released special print and e-format editions of their cookbook and guide. The WAO has also created the first ever Michelin Avocado Map highlighting some of the eclectic avocado dishes available at restaurants across the UK, including The Greenhouse and Indian favourite, Jamavar. Whether you prefer avocado for a starter, main or dessert or have discerning or simple tastes there is something for everyone in all corners of the UK. The Michelin Guide Awards mark a momentous end to 2018 for the WAO. This year, Spain and Colombia joined existing avocado producing country members to officially promote the consumption of avocados to consumers for the first time in the UK and the rest of Europe. The WAO has also produced a special edition of the first avocado beer made in Europe, which will also be showcased at today's event. About the World Avocado Organization The World Avocado Organization's (WAO) primary purpose is to promote and increase the consumption and awareness of avocados in international markets. It was established in February 2016 as an international non-profit organization. (The Peruvian Avocado Commission is headquartered in Washington, D.C and is a founding member of The World Avocado Organization). Based in Washington, D.C., the WAO represents the world's largest avocado producers, exporters and importers, including Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Columbia, Spain, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and the United States of America. The EU, including the UK, is one of the fastest growing markets worldwide and already is the second-largest market for imported avocados in the world. It is expected to grow by at least 15 percent per year in the next five years. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avocados-the-worlds-favorite-superfood-receives-michelin-star-treatment-300722346.html SOURCE World Avocado Organization After months of battling across the airwaves in paid 30-second ads, Gov. Rick Scott and Sen. Bill Nelson will meet face-to-face Tuesday in a TV studio in South Florida in Florida's battle for the U.S. Senate. The first of their two scheduled debates will originate from the studio of Telemundo 51 in Miramar, midway between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. "Gov. Scott believes that 'if a candidate refuses to debate, they should not even run for office,' so it says a lot that the Telemundo debate will be one of only two debates Sen. Nelson has agreed to -- despite the governor committing to four debates total," said Scott campaign spokesman Lauren Schenone. "The governor looks forward to sharing his record and his goals to reform Washington and we fully expect empty platitudes and promises from Sen. Nelson because at this point, that's all he's got." "Debates let folks see the differences between candidates," said Dan McLaughlin, a Nelson adviser. "In Scott v. Nelson, they'll see that the latter is a person who treats a public office as a public trust, while Scott has used his office to enrich himself. It would be nice to have a debate under oath and see how Scott explains his numerous investments in companies doing business with the state." The debate will be broadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesday on Telemundo stations in Miami, Orlando, Naples, Fort Myers and West Palm Beach. It also can be seen online at Telemundo51.com, Telemundo31.com, and Telemundo49. com. The last time Nelson debated an opponent on television was in his 2012 re-election race against then-Rep. Connie Mack IV. Scott held three debates in 2014 against Democratic rival Charlie Crist. They included the infamous "Fangate" debate at Broward College in Davie, when the governor delayed his live on-stage appearance for at least six minutes in a dispute over Crist's use of a portable fan behind a lectern. The fan controversy attracted wide national media attention. The second and final scheduled debate between Scott and Nelson will be on Oct. 16 on CNN. by Janice D'Souza KUWAIT, OCT 2, 2018: Seventy girls and fourteen coordinators from the Marian Girls Ministry of St. Therese of Child Jesus parish in Kuwait, attended the second annual thanksgiving mass and fellowship under the theme 'Be with us Mary, along the way' on September 27. The Ministry took root in 2016 with 123 girls, aged between seven and fourteen. The Ministry has grown since the onset and today girls have been inducted to serve in ministries like the Rosary Ministry, Decoration Ministry and Ushers Ministry. The second-anniversary celebrations began with the celebration of Holy Mass. During the introduction, the parish priest explained the reason behind beginning the Girl's Ministry. He said that since the parish had over 180 altar servers already, the ministry was ideated to create new opportunities for the girls so that they too could serve the parish. Father Franco Pereira, the spiritual director, was not present to celebrate the anniversary mass. He, however, prepared the homily, which was read by the celebrant. The homily was centered on the theme of the day, 'Be with us Mary along the way'. In his message, Father Pereira exhorted the girls not to limit their service to the Church but take it beyond the Church premises. He invited them to imitate Mary. The Rosary Ministry leads the Holy Rosary daily in the evening before Holy Mass, and on Fridays in the morning before Holy Mass. The Decor Ministry prepares decoration and decorates the Church on festive occasions and the Ushers ministry assists in ushering during Holy Mass. Ronalda V D'Silva, a member of the Girls' Ministry, said, "What I really liked about Holy Mass was the sermon when Father said that the service we do to the Church shouldn't just be done only in Church but also at home and everywhere we go. I also liked when Father said that Mary should be our role model and she intercedes for us to God. By being a part of this Ministry and serving the Church and others is the best way of getting closer to God". After the homily, the girls who belonged to the Ministry renewed their promise, and the newly inducted girls took their first promise. It was indeed a blessed moment for everyone. The parish priest thanked each and every girl for her service to the Church. He also thanked the coordinators who worked hard to train the girls. He conveyed his gratitude to the parents who willingly support the Ministry and the Church. After Holy Mass, a fellowship was held, which included Biblical games and spot prizes related to Mother Mary. Father Lionel Braganza, addressed the girls and led them into an energetic action song. Lerissa D'Souza, a member of the Girls' Ministry, said, "It was a great chance to know the other girls and become friends. Father Lionel Braganza's words of wisdom, about vocation and responding to God to become a nun, were great and inspiring. The action song was so much fun, I enjoyed dancing to it. The penguin dance was great as well. And last but not the least, the food. It was really tasty especially the dessert." "Being the Head Coordinator of the Girls Rosary Ministry was an inspiration to bring the girls closer to our Mother Mary spiritually. In these 2 years, I am happy to say that I am proud of the girls' achievement. In fact, we all are proud of the girls. They will always be in our prayers," Elizabeth D'Souza, head coordinator Girls' Rosary ministry, said. A local group of women are working to build a support network of birth workers, while at the same time reclaiming Indigenous traditions. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Angela Griffith, Susie McPherson, Delonna Morrissette, Deidre Gregory and Deborah Tacan, from left, hold their monthly Indigenous Birth Workers meeting Monday. (Chelsea Kemp/The Brandon Sun) A local group of women are working to build a support network of birth workers, while at the same time reclaiming Indigenous traditions. The Brandon Indigenous Birth Workers want to get the word out on what they do in the community, while fostering a support network and relearning sacred teachings. "Its hard to explain the feeling you get when you know baby is coming soon, its so beautiful. Its such an honour to be a part of that," birth worker Angela Griffith told The Sun during a group meeting on Monday evening. There are more than forty trained Indigenous birth workers with the group, though only two of them are certified. Trained workers go through an intense training process, and then have the option to go on to become certified. In order to become a certified 'doula,' also known as a birth worker, one must take part in three births. The group prefers to use the word birth worker in place of doula, as part of reclaiming their sacred learning and culture. The birth workers serve as helpers providing emotional, physical and spiritual support for new mothers and their families through pregnancy, birth and pre-natal care. They are not midwives. Every birth is different, and Griffith said she is always ready for anything. One of the highest honours a doula can receive is being asked to be someones birth worker, an experience that is both humbling and exciting. The sacred tools for smudging and water ceremony are laid out for the monthly Indigenous Birth Workers meeting. (Chelsea Kemp/The Brandon Sun) "Its like getting asked to marry someone," Griffith said. She became an Indigenous birth worker in August 2017, and has participated in nine births. The key behind their work is teaching people they are not alone and that a network of women exists ready to support each other and their babies, paired with providing a space for them to give birth in their community. The birth workers see every side of pregnancy, from extreme moments of joy to crushing moments of despair during the birth cycle, while at the same time working to fill expectant mothers' gaps of support. "The women who need it the most dont have the resources to pay for it," Griffith said. They choose to instead focus on how every little action can make a positive difference one person at a time. The movement has been incredibly powerful Griffith said, giving her the power to support her community, while at the same time helping her make changes in her own life and become a better parent. "Its tough, but its an honour to hold space. When you get asked to do it, its not only exciting, its an honour to be in that sacred time," birth worker Deidre Gregory said. "I usually cry right along with them." As a birth worker Gregory doesnt charge for her time, she instead takes donations. She does this because in Manitoba women are not covered to have doula service, and the act of helping in birth is a reward unto itself. The Brandon Indigenous Birth Workers meet once a month, to share their birthing experiences and support each other. Each meeting begins with a smudge and water ceremony honouring their sacred traditions. The practice of delving into birth work has been humbling, with the women starting at the same level of knowledge and working together, relearning the sacred knowledge of Indigenous birth. A shared goal of the group is that they become well known enough in the community to have people seek them out. The hope is to one day be able to provide support for any women in need, while continuing to build on the traditional teachings and re-introducing traditional parenting. It is hard work bringing back traditional parenting, because these skills were taken from the community when kids were sent to residential schools said birth worker Deborah Tacan. Bringing back traditional parenting skills will play a crucial role in rebuilding and maintaining traditional culture. The work will help end trauma before it starts by building strong support networks based on these sacred traditions Tacan said. The act of Indigenous birth working is a step towards helping to decolonize Indigenous culture birth workers actively taking the birth cycle back to their community, helping to reclaim traditional teachings and parenting. Tacan describes it as a whole life the birth workers are trying to bring back, with the first step starting at birth. "To be able to bring back the traditional way of sharing birth, sharing that pregnancy... It feels very sacred," Tacan said. The best way to reach the Brandon Indigenous Birth Workers is via Facebook or email brandonbirthworkers@gmail.com, or by calling In A Good Way at 204-571-0670. ckemp@brandonsun.com @The_ChelseaKemp Les lunettes de marque ne sont pas ce qui manque dans les commerces. Il y en a de toutes les sortes dont les lunettes de [] On a quiet street in Brandon where Tara Roe grew up, red and black ribbons were wrapped around trees on Monday in her memory. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/9/2018 (1140 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us On a quiet street in Brandon where Tara Roe grew up, red and black ribbons were wrapped around trees on Monday in her memory. It was a year ago Monday that the tragedy in Las Vegas took 34-year-old Roes life, when a gunman opened fire from a high-rise hotel at a country music concert killing 58 people. Tara Roe, left, and her friend Sara Hanson are pictured at Hanson's wedding, where Roe was one of the bridesmaids. (submitted) "In the senseless way we lost her its just been so hard to get over," her mom Brenda Smith said on Monday. She was a loving mother who cared more about others more than herself, her parents both said. Her dad, Mark Smith, had a tattoo done in her memory after her death. Its a photo of Roe two weeks before she and her husband went down to Las Vegas, he said, on a trip with her husband and their two kids. "It was a picture that was used in her celebration of life, it was at the end of the slide show," he said. "I just loved that picture of just the mountains and the trees and of her in the foreground, and so I had a tattoo done of it." The tattoo that Mark Smith got in memory of his daughter Tara Roe. (submitted) The tattoo reads: "Tara, always on my mind, forever in my heart." Roe made an impact on many people throughout her life, her mother said. "She kept her boys busy and she was a caring teachers assistant to her autistic students." The colours of the ribbons that line the street in Brandon where Roes parents still live represent ladybugs. "Last year, when we lost Tara, the ladybugs were everywhere and we just connected the memory of Tara with the lady bug," Brenda said. It was their neighbours who put up the ribbons, and its because of that kind of support that theyve been able to keep going. "Its been a very hard year, but whats got us through is all the different things that have happened in tribute to Tara." Red ribbons resembling lady bugs line the street where Tara Roe then Tara Smith grew up. (Melissa Verge/The Brandon Sun) There was a GoFundMe page, and a 58 acts of kindness movement that took place across Canada and the United States in Taras honour, Brenda said. There was also a Tara Roe citizenship award set up at Kirkcaldy Heights School in her memory. "(Theres been) just an outpouring from friends and family," Brenda said. "Thats the only thing that would get you through such a loss." On the one-year anniversary of the tragedy, her sister Tami Spiropoulos shared fond memories of days spent with Roe at Clear Lake. "It was both of our happy place," Spiropoulos told The Sun. "We both loved all activities there and spent many days up there together. She was the life of every party. She loved to sing, dance and make people laugh. "She would do anything for her family her two boys Louis and Lennon, and her nephew Andreus and niece Maria." Roes longtime friend Sara Hanson said it had been a challenging year to get through. Hanson described her best friend, who served as a bridesmaid at her wedding, as a selfless and compassionate person from a young age. "When Tara was 18 my grandmother passed away, and we were at the age where people didnt really acknowledge that type of thing," she said. "But, I remember Tara showing up at my house on my front doorstep with a sympathy card, and I just was really struck by that." There was a tribute in Las Vegas on Monday for the 58 victims of the shooting. On Oct. 13, there will be a special tribute to Roe in Calgary, with a rock show featuring the House Band from School of Rock Calgary at The Palace Theatre. Spiropoulos said the gathering of people together to listen to Roes favourite music will be a great tribute to her sister. There will also be an opportunity to raise funds for one of the autistic students Roe worked with, named Jaxon. "Tara would be so proud that this was happening for Jaxon and his family," Spiropoulos said. Although the ribbons will eventually come down from the trees that surround the Brandon neighbourhood where Roe grew up, Spiropoulos said she will never be forgotten. "Her presence will forever be missed by many people she has touched, and we will all hold onto our memories of her as tight as we can." mverge@brandonsun.com Twitter: @Melverge5 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 [] Sometimes... rare times... dark clouds dont have silver linings. And the much maligned Indian Residential School system that was in existence for more than a century in this country is one of those instances. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 29/9/2018 (1141 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Sometimes... rare times... dark clouds dont have silver linings. And the much maligned Indian Residential School system that was in existence for more than a century in this country is one of those instances. And yet there remain individuals who wish to deny the reality of residential schools for Indigenous peoples of this country even after a mountain of damning evidence has come to light. Just this week, a Manitoba company that operates a chain of radio stations in western Canada was forced to apologize for running a paid advertisement that downplayed the effect of the residential school system on Indigenous people. As reported by The Canadian Press, Manitoba-based Golden West said the one-time program produced by the Frontier Centre For Public Policy was broadcast on some of its radio stations in Saskatchewan. The two-minute-long advertisement said it was a myth that residential schools robbed Indigenous kids of their childhood and that most Indigenous children never went to the schools. The spot also suggested it wasnt true that residential schools stripped Indigenous children of their language and culture, and it disputed the intergenerational trauma of residential schools. In fact, the Frontier Centre currently has a web page article posted on Sept. 14, 2018 that incorporates the same messaging as the radio ad. The information on the website also suggests that it was a myth that the harm done to those attending residential schools has been passed down to todays generation. Fact: the attendance of a grandparent has no effect on a childs attitudes to school or academic success, the site reads. This right-wing think tank is attempting to whitewash the harm that was done to generations of people. While certainly not all Indigenous children went to residential schools, the way this is being portrayed is as if there was a bright side to the residential school system, and that anger and indignation over how Indigenous youth were treated at these schools is somehow misplaced. The residential school system consisted of government-sponsored religious schools that were established to assimilate Indigenous children into modern Canadian society or rather, Euro-Canadian culture as the Canadian Encyclopedia called it. Residential schools were originally conceived by Christian churches and Canadian politicians as a means to both educate and convert Indigenous kids into a system they and their parents did not fully understand. Attendance for Indigenous youth was mandatory, and as the CBC reported, the Canadian government developed a policy called aggressive assimilation. At the peak of the residential school system, there were 130 schools in operation in every part of Canada save for Newfoundland, Prince Edward island and New Brunswick. Students were discouraged from speaking their own language or practicing their own culture. And for the first several decades of the existence of this program in Canada, the students usually spent half the day in the classroom, and the other half at work. The girls would cook, clean, do laundry and sewing, while boys were involved in carpentry, construction, school maintenance and agricultural labour. Until the 1950s, holidays for many of the students included periods of work and play at the school, reads the Canadian Encyclopedia. Only from the 1960s on did the schools routinely send children home for holidays. Keep in mind that more than 150,000 children including First Nations, Metis and Inuit were placed in residential schools. Of those, there were an estimated 6,000 who died while in the care of the stewards of these schools. Where is the silver lining in that? The bodies of some of the students who attended Brandons own residential schools the original school and the one that took its place in the 1930s) remain buried in unmarked graves around the property, as well as in the current Turtle Crossing Campground. This had a devastating effect on families. This paper itself has documented but a few of the many stories of Indigenous people in western Manitoba who suffered as a result of their residential school experiences. It does not matter that there were some good experiences at these schools, or that a few of these students managed to keep their culture and their futures intact. These schools should not have existed in the first place. That does not mean that Indigenous people dont have other, unrelated problems that need to be dealt with. But we turn a blind eye to the stains upon our history to our own peril. For if we cannot learn the lessons from Canadas residential school experience as a society if we deny the reality we are doomed to repeat it. Businesses in Galway have given a cautious welcome to the news that the cabinet's given the green light for plans to build a bypass around the city. Galway City Council will submit plans to An Bord Pleanala with hearings due next year. President of Galway Chamber of Commerce Dave Hickey says Galway suffers from chronic traffic congestion. "Traffic congestion in Galway is cited as the most significant barrier to its continued economic growth according to recent surveys of Galway Chambers members," he said. "We need all of relevant state bodies, national and local, to drive this project forward as quickly as possible because it has been too long delayed and people in Galway have been losing out because of that." The Galway City Ring Road is an essential part of the overall transportation strategy for the city and Galway Chamber urges Galway City Council to accelerate the implementation of the elements of that strategy that are not entirely dependent on the Ring Road. It also calls on the government to make the funding available for these projects as a priority. "Fast and frequent Public Transport, cycleways as well as pedestrianisation are key parts of the solution to Galways transport problems," said Mr Hickey. "These solutions should be put in place as a priority in advance of, or at least in parallel with the N6 Galway City Ring Road." Mayor of Galway Cllr Niall McNelis also welcomed the announcement of 600 million for the development of the Galway City Ring Road. "This is a very welcome development for Galway City. We have been waiting for this for nearly two decades now. Certainly, as long as I have been in politics there has been talk of the need for such a facility for the city," Mayor McNelis said. As it stands right now it can take up to two hours to get across Galway city in heavy traffic. That is nearly as long as it would take you to drive from Dublin to Galway. "The Ring Road would allow us to take massive amounts of traffic out of the city, which not only leads to better traffic flow but will allow us to finally implement the kind of public transport strategy our city needs. There is a serious want for better public transport provision in Galway and this City Ring Road will allow us to implement the Galway Transport Strategy. "If Galway is to compete on a national level for the commercial investment we need to improve our accessibility and our overall transport network. This City Ring Road is an absolute must for Galway." By Ann O'Loughlin Four shareholders of Irish Life and Permanent have lost an appeal over the validity of mechanisms used to recapitalise IL&P following the financial collapse ten years ago. Piotr Skoczylas, his company Scotchstone Capital Fund Ltd, Gerard Dowling and Padraig McManus had challenged the direction order obtained by then-finance minister Michael Noonan from the High Court under which he effectively nationalised IL&P and injected 4 billion of public funds into it. Separate proceedings challenging the constitutionality of the Credit Institutions (Stabilisation) Act 2010 - under which the recapitalisation order was made - have yet to be determined by the High Court. In July last year, the High Court ruled the four shareholders had failed to show the Minister for Finances opinion - that the July 2011 recapitalisation order was necessary - had been unreasonable or vitiated by legal error. The four appealed and today a three-judge Court of Appeal unanimously dismissed the case. Mr Justice Gerard Hogan, on behalf of the appeal court, said the Irish court could not look behind the judgement of EU Court of Justice which had previously found that recapitalisation in the public interest of a failing institution on a compulsory basis did not contravene EU law. As the four shareholders' challenge centred on the manner in which recapitalisation was effected by the 2010 (Stabilisation) Act, it followed the proportionality and reasonableness of these measures were governed by domestic rather than EU law, he said. The minister's direction order must be regarded as amounting, in substance, to a compulsory take over of IL&P by the minister, although necessitated in the public interest. The four shareholders were, in principle, constitutionally entitled to receive something close to full value for their shareholdings. Given the nature of the direction order, it had clear implications for their constitutional rights, he said. It cannot be said the failure to offer the shareholders pre-emption rights was unreasonable in the circumstances, he said. This would have required IL&P to prepare a prospectus for its 135,000 shareholders, a process which would have taken two month when "the reality was IL&P was but days away from disaster if the 31 July 2011 deadline was not met", the judge said. A pre-emptive offer would also have been disproportionately expensive and would have had to be underwritten by the State by 100m or more, when the value of the original shareholders' interests was estimated to be around 19m in June 2011. It could also not be said the failure to offer a "B shares" option was unreasonable. This would simply have meant the State would have covered the exposure of the liabilities of IL&P but with no right to share in any recovery of the market value of the company, he said. He also rejected the argument that the Sate had somehow created a false market in IL&P shares or that the shareholders did not receive what, in substance, was fair value for their existing shareholding by reason of the State's investment. EU Finance Ministers are to amend the existing EU Vat directive to allow Member States to apply lower Vat rates to e-publications, including electronic newspapers. Currently, in Ireland a Vat rate of 9% is applied to printed content, while the same content in digital format is taxed at the standard Vat rate of 23%. A new report claims that Brexit could cost the drinks and hospitality industry here 135m a year. Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) says a hard Brexit could have a "recession-type" effect on communities that rely on the sector. They are calling on the Government to reduce taxes on alcohol sales in the upcoming Budget. The report claims that drinks exports to the UK have already decreased, dropping 11% in the first half of 2018 alone, compounding a 7% fall between 2015 and 2017. It said that many Irish drinks products are dependent or heavily reliant on the British market. More than 70% of all cider exports and 43% of all beer exports are to the UK. Rosemary Garth, Chairperson of DIGI and Director of Communications at Irish Distillers, said: A hard Brexit will inevitably lead to reduced revenue, business closures and job losses. In some areas, where the industry is the primary employer, we are looking at the possibility of a recession-type effect, whereby entire communities suffer because of a drop in product exports or tourist numbers. To avoid this kind of scenario, the Government needs to make it as easy as possible for drinks and hospitality businesses to trade and grow. A hard Brexit alone is tougha hard Brexit in a market with high excise tax is even tougher. High taxes mean more money is spent covering overheads before anything can be invested in productive outputs, like new premises, new products, or new staff. For smaller producers with limited product ranges, a bump up in excise can cost thousands of euros. That is enough to eat into their profit margins and potentially shutter them completely. As has so often occurred in this countrys history, when the UK sneezes, Ireland catches a cold. We are asking the Government to boost this industrys immune system now by reducing excise tax on alcohol. - Digital Desk Ryanair has today launched two new routes for passengers travelling from Ireland to France and Spain. The airline announced today that it will launch twice-weekly Dublin to Bordeaux and Shannon to Ibiza services in April 2019. Ryanairs Robin Kiely said: Ryanair is pleased to announce a new Shannon route to Ibiza, commencing in April 2019, which will operate twice-weekly as part of our Summer 2019 schedule. "To celebrate we are offering up to 25% off on over 1 million seats for travel from October to February. "Since these amazing low fares will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out. Welcoming the announcement Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport said: 2018 has been our best year in over a decade at Shannon but from a planning perspective we have very much moved onto 2019 and this is a really good boost for the airport. "It comes off the back of Ryanair going year-round from next month on its Alicante service and the introduction of its Barcelona-Reus service this summer. Ibiza is a hugely popular destination for holidaymakers and will mean that next year we will have eight services to Spanish sun holiday destinations. Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said: We are delighted to welcome another new route announcement from Ryanair and were really pleased to see its route network expanding from Dublin Airport. Bordeaux is a wonderful region in France famous for its gastronomy, wine and history so I have no doubt this route will be a popular choice next summer. "We wish Ryanair every success with this new service. Digital Desk A handbook and two US Navy uniforms dating back to World War 2 that were donated to a charity shop in Limerick have been reunited with the owner's son in America. Charity shop worker Sarah was intrigued by the handbook when it was donated to the shop and wanted to investigate further. The signed handbook gave her a name to work with and allowed her to research the man and discover his War Draft Card which opened a door of new information. Sarah found information such as what school he went to, to his Obituary but the mystery remained as to how the uniform of a man who lived and died in America ended up in Limerick. She wanted to reunite the handbook with the family of the person who originally owned them, thinking they were too great to sell on in a charity shop in Limerick. With a bit of an online research, Sarah and her friend discovered that the man who owned the uniforms lived and died in the United States - his name Robert Barton. Ray D'Arcy spoke to Sarah yesterday and overnight Ray received an email from a man in California, Bruce Armstrong, who told Ray that he believed he knew the son of this man. Listen to the full interview here: Sarah contacted the Ray D'Arcy show for help and the team got in touch Robert's son Michael through some phone calls who was able to confirm that the uniforms were, in fact, his fathers'. Michael joined Ray on air and thanked Sarah for her hard work in getting the uniforms back to their family. I want to thank Sarah for her hard work and diligence in tracking us down, it's just amazing. He said that his father referred to the uniforms as his dress blues which he used for formal occasions in the navy and they were kept in pristine condition. How they made it to Limerick, Michael said that the people who bought his dad's house in the foothills in the 80s were Irish and that they may have relocated back to Ireland. He thinks they may have brought the uniforms back with them. - Digital Desk How does it still only feel like last week we were basking in the 20-plus degree heat of summer? Fast forward to what definitely hasn't felt like three months and the crisp October air has well and truly gripped us with scarves and jackets already coming out of the wardrobe for Autumn. And with the beginning of October comes the stacks of Halloween decorations to tempt the little ones during the Sunday shop and remind us that Oiche Samhain is just around the corner. Here are events taking place across the country this Halloween for the tots, the teens, mam and dad and the 20-something-year-olds struggling to adult. The Nightmare Realm The Nightmare Realm is back at the RDS in Dublin from October 5 to November 3. The walkthrough Halloween event casts you in the lead role of your very own horror experience. Those brave enough can try out the all-new Witches Children event which is the most disturbing yet! This is one is strictly adults and teens only. Farmaphobia Farmaphobia scream park is back for its 10th year in Navan, Co Meath. Voted Best Independent European Attraction at ScareCon, Farmphobia consists of five scare attractions with lots of other events taking place around the farm, guaranteeing a unique and great and different night out. The scare park's favourites, Demented dollies, Mortuary Drawer and Scarettraction return with some new twists this year. Farmaphobia is recommended for over 16s, however, younger teenage visitors 13 years or over may attend with an accompanying adult. Halloween Happenings at Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park, Kildare Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park hosts its now infamous Halloween Happenings for seven spooky days from Saturday, October 27 to Friday, November 2, 2018. Lots of ghastly ghouls and terrifying treats are in store including Haunted Holograms, Terror Train Trips, Terror Treasure Hunts and the Funky Forest. Fancy dress is optional. Parent discretion is advised for younger children. Dare to Scare at Wells House, Co Wexford The Dare to Scare Tour returns to Wells House in Co Wexford on October 30. Join the ghouls of Wells on a scary journey through the estate where you will explore the basement of the house and the mysteries within. Hear the whispers of the night as you delve into darkness and learn all about the gruesome stories of the past. Family-friendly tour. Haunted Spooktacular, Co Meath The Haunted Spooktacular horror farm returns to Kells, Co Meath this Halloween. Haunted Spooktacular is Irelands first horrifying adult scare attraction now in its 14th year. Team Spooktacular are preparing to crank up the fear to the extreme for 2018 and make it their scariest one yet including all new attractions. Haunted Spooktacular runs on October 19 and 20 and then from October 26 through to October 31. Adults and teenagers only. Samhain Tours at the GAA Museum, Dublin A magic show, a tour of Croke Park and photo opportunities with the famous Sam and Liam cups returns to the GAA Museum this Halloween from October 26 to October 30. The GAA Museum is marking the ancient Irish festival of Samhain with the special family event Magic at the Museum this Halloween. The GAA Museum will be celebrating Samhain by inviting families to take part in a unique experience which includes a stadium tour and a child-friendly, Samhain-themed magic show. Halloween tours at Wicklow's Historic Gaol There are two options this year at Wicklow's Historic Gaol. The fancy dress Spooktacular Tour for the kids runs from October 29 to October 31 with a prize for the best dressed each day. For the adults, there are two different events running on two different days. Dare to discover evidence of those spirits who wander the corridors and cells of Wicklows Historic Gaol in the Paranormal Investigation with PRI on October 27. All participants must 18 years or older. Experience the compelling story of life in Wicklow Gaol since the early 1700s in the dark during the Gaol's night tour on October 28. Adults only. Spooktacular Boo! at Dublin Zoo The annual Halloween Spooktacular Boo at Dublin Zoo takes place on Wednesday, October 31. To celebrate the festivities, Dublin Zoo transformed the exotic Kaziranga Forest Trail into a festive pumpkin patch where Upali, the new bull elephant and the female elephants had great fun smashing pumpkins. Family-friendly event. Photo: dublinzoo.ie. Loftus Hall, Wexford Loftus Hall is sharing with the public, stories, scares, theatrics and all things that go bump in the night from October 27 to November 4. There are four different types of tour available to book: The over five's Halloween tour runs daily at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. it is a family friendly Halloween themed tour of Loftus Hall that has some colourful characters leading you through the ground floor of Loftus Hall. The over 12's Halloween tour runs later in the afternoon with a little more emphasis on the spooky goings-on for those aged 12 and over. The over 15's Halloween tour runs in the evening time and it notches up the scares for the braver teens and adults. The infamous adult only Halloween tours are running over three nights this Halloween season on October 27, 28 and 31. Cork Ghost Tour Cork Ghost Tours is a walking tour of the Rebel city revealing its surprising history with an unusual and honest slant on Cork. The tour is interactive, factual and comic and is the perfect mix of educational and fun with the added activity of gattin' included. Enjoy a drink on the route, in two quirky little pubs, Pat Buckleys Bar and The Friary. Belfast Halloween Monster Mash and Fireworks Display Belfast's annual Halloween Monster Mash and Fireworks Display at the Titanic Slipways on Wednesday, October 31. The Slipways, in Belfast's Titanic Quarter, will come alive and little ghouls and spooky skeletons of all ages are invited to come along in their scariest costumes. Wicked workshops, creepy crafts, monster rides, scary street performers, live music and a range of sweet treats, candies and hot food are all on offer on the day. The fireworks display will begin at approximately 8pm, lasting for 15 minutes. - Digital Desk Patrick Flynn Over 700 children and staff were evacuated from a school in Co Clare this morning following a feared gas leak in the area. The alarm was raised shortly before 9am as students were lining up to enter their classes at Ennis CBS primary school on New Road in the town. The schools principal was alerted at around 8.55am by parents dropping their children to school and by gardai. The alarm was immediately raised by school management. Two units of the fire brigade from nearby Ennis station responded to the scene along with Gardai. On arrival, emergency services found that an evacuation of the school had been fully completed. Gardai closed New Road to traffic while fire crews carried out an investigation of the area. Using gas detectors, firefighters took readings but found no evidence of gas. Ennis CBS primary school principal Dara Glynn said: The school followed its emergency evacuation procedures where the children, who were already outside as school had not yet started, lined up in their class lines and were accompanied off site by their class teachers and other staff. We have three fire drills per year and were generally well prepared for such an event. Pupils were taken initially by their teachers to designated assembly points on the school grounds and then moved off site to a specific area of the Fair Green recreational area across the road. While the school is not on the gas network there is a gas pipe of the area. Mr Glynn confirmed the evacuation was precautionary. A Clare County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: Two units from Ennis fire brigade were dispatched to the site of the suspected gas leak on the New Road in Ennis. There is no gas installation in the school and no readings of gas were detected. The crews were stood down at 10.25am and the scene was handed over to Gas Networks Ireland. A spokeswoman for Gas Networks Ireland said: We can confirm that there were no readings of natural gas or damage to our pipelines in the area. One theory is that the pungent odour may have come from a passing lorry. A smell lingered in the air for a time but was later confirmed not to be gas. The National Museum of Ireland have announced that an 800-year-old medieval period gold ring brooch is to be sent on a short-term loan to Musaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtearaigh, close to where it was found. The ring brooch was found by Mr Ian Andrew while walking on the beach at Cloosmore, Dingle. Ring brooches were worn in medieval times by both men and women in order to fasten their gowns or cloaks at the neck. They may have been offered as a sign of affection or as betrothal gifts. Approximately 150 ring brooches are known from Ireland, but would usually be of copper alloy. Only a very small number including this example are made of gold. The finder was on a holiday visit to the Dingle peninsula, where he has strong family connections. While walking along a rocky coastal foreshore, he noticed a bright light shining between some rocks. After taking a closer look, he identified and retrieved this tiny but exquisite gold ring brooch. He subsequently reported it and was extremely helpful to the National Museum of Ireland in providing every available detail in relation to the find circumstances. The brooch is an example of a rare type of 13th/14th century ring brooch with projecting hands. The brooch has a blue stone setting now identified as tourmaline, which is quite similar to sapphire. There is an inscription in Gothic style lettering on the front of the brooch. While most of the letters are legible, their meaning is unclear and they may represent a type of code. The brooch may have had a magical or talismanic association for the wearer. The National Museum of Ireland has had a long-standing relationship with Musaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtearaigh and many archaeological objects found on the Dingle peninsula have been on loan there since the 1980s. The ring brooch will be on display in Baile an Fheirtearaigh on Friday and Saturday, October 5 and 6. The loan has been made possible by the granting of a Mobility of Collections Scheme grant to Musaem Chorca Dhuibhne, Baile an Fheirtearaigh from the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. This scheme facilitates loans from the National Collections to regional museums in order to make these collections more accessible for all. On its return to the National Museum of Ireland, the ring brooch will be displayed in an exhibition entitled Dressed to Impress at the National Museum of Archaeology in Kildare Street, Dublin. The exhibition will include three other medieval period brooches found by chance in different parts of the country, all of which were reported and acquired for the national collections in 2016. Louise Roseingrave Schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel (14) died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, an inquest has heard. The cause of her violent death was read into evidence at the opening of an inquest into her death at Dublin Coroners Court. Miss Kriegels body was found at a disused farmhouse on May 17 last, three days after she was reported missing. Anastasia, known as Ana, who was adopted from Russia aged two, left her house in Leixlip around 5pm on May 14. Gardai were alerted when she did not return home. A search was launched the following day. Her body was found at the disused farmhouse on the Clonee Road, Lucan three days later. She had suffered fatal blunt-force injuries. Her parents Patrick and Geraldine Kriegel attended the opening of the inquest into her death accompanied by Garda Liaison Officer Siobhan McIntyre. Mrs Kriegel entered the witness box to give evidence of how she identified her daughters remains. On May 18 at 4pm, I and my husband identified our daughter Anastasia Eva Kriegel to garda McIntyre, Mrs Kriegel said. Garda McIntyre of Ronanstown Garda Station confirmed this event took place at Dublin City Morgue and she formally identified the remains to pathology staff. A post-mortem conducted by State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. Detective Inspector Mark ONeill informed the coroner that proceedings have been instituted against two persons in relation to Anas death. DI ONeill made an application to the court under Section 25 Subsection 2 for the inquest to be adjourned until after criminal proceedings are complete. Two teenagers have been charged with Anas murder at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on May 14 last. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane granted the adjournment as requested and explained the process to Miss Kriegels parents. The inquest will not return to this court until and unless all criminal proceedings are concluded. An Garda Siochana will keep this office informed of developments, Dr Cullinane told Patrick and Geraldine Kriegel as they sat in the public gallery. My deepest condolences to you and to the whole family on your loss in these tragic circumstances. "It is not required for you to come back to this court again before criminal proceedings are completed and if there is anything else we can assist you with please contact us, the coroner said. The inquest was then formally adjourned until after criminal proceedings are complete. By Eoin Reynolds The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has been given permission to join an extradition hearing for a Polish man who claims he will not get a fair trial in his home country. Justice Aileen Donnelly said the commission, a statutory body, could play a role as a friend of the court as she considers the possible extradition of Artur Celmer to Poland to face prosecution for alleged drug trafficking offences. The commission had argued to the court that part of its function is to apply for permission to appear as a friend of the court in cases involving human rights or equality rights. Justice Donnelly also today set out a number of issues she wants clarified by the Polish authorities. She wants them to comment on the impact of reforms in Poland that saw the dismissal of presidents and vice presidents of the courts by the government. She further wants the authorities to comment on the impact of remarks made by the Polish deputy justice minister who has described Mr Celmer as a member of a "drug mafia". Justice Donnelly further complained that some documents received from Polish authorities in recent days had not been translated into English. She set a date for further hearing of October 31. By Louise Roseingrave A 23-year-old man with special needs died as a result of stab wounds, an inquest has heard. Adam Muldoon who had cerebral palsy, was discovered dead in a park in Tallaght on June 23 last. The body of Adam Muldoon, from Tallaght, was discovered at Butler Park in Tallaght, Dublin 24 at 6.30am on Saturday June 23 2018. His cousin Amy Muldoon attended the opening of an inquest into his death at Dublin Coroners Court. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane heard evidence of how Miss Muldoon identified her cousins body to Garda Fionnuala Delahunt at Dublin City Morgue at 7.26pm on June 23 2018. The Garda identified the remains to pathology staff. An autopsy conducted by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave the cause of death as hemorrhage and shock due to stab wounds. Inspector John Walshe told the inquest that one person has been charged and is before the courts in relation to the mans death. He made a formal request for a copy of the full post-mortem and sought an adjournment of the inquest until after all criminal proceedings are completed. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane extended her sympathies to Mr Muldoons cousin and adjourned the inquest. By Declan Brennan A Dublin man who took delivery of a stuffed toy which contained nearly 200,000 worth of cannabis has been jailed for dealing drugs. Michael McDonald Agu (56) received the large Hello Kitty toy which had come from Thailand. After his arrest he claimed to gardai that it was delivered to the wrong address but he later admitted tracking the progress of the delivery online. Agu of Avondale Park, Mulhuddart pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply at his home on January 31 last (2018). He also admitted dangerous driving and possession of cocaine for sale or supply at the same location. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Agu for four years. Garda Alan Barry told the court that after Agu received the package he made a phone call and then got into his car with the package and drove off. When a garda surveillance team moved in, Agu drove off at speed. He broke stop signs, mounted a footpath and drove down the wrong side of the road in a residential area. He claimed he was trying to catch up with the postman to tell him he had delivered the package incorrectly. Agu later admitted meeting a man in a pub some weeks earlier and agreeing to take delivery of the drugs. During his arrest gardai found cocaine with an estimated street value of 5,000 on Agu when it fell from a beanie hat he was wearing. A drugs tick list, bagging and a weighing scales were also found. The court heard the drugs were intercepted at customs by a sniffer dog. Customs officers found the soft toy inside was stuffed with cannabis weed. A garda colleague then disguised as a delivery man went to Agu's home and Agu answered and signed for the package. Seamus Clarke SC, defending, said the father-of-five was regarded well in his community and a local parish priest described him as dedicated to peace. Judge Nolan noted that Agu had no previous convictions and was unlikely to commit similar offences in the future. But he said these were serious offences. By Ruaidhri Giblin A convicted rapist who broke the terms of a suspended sentence by drinking alcohol has been jailed for two years by the Court of Appeal. James Cronin (35), with a last address at Freemount, Rathmore, Co Kerry was jailed for seven years in May 2007 for attempting to rape a girl he met at a Killarney disco on Christmas Eve 2004. Cronin, who had denied the charges, was already serving an eight year sentence for kidnapping and raping another woman he met outside a Killarney disco in the early hours of October 31, 2004. His sentence (for the Christmas Eve incident) was varied to 10 years imprisonment with the final five suspended by the Court of Criminal Appeal on condition he comply with the probation services, which included abstaining from alcohol. Cronin has mental health issues and, according to the probation service, alcohol reduced the effectiveness of his medication. After he was released from custody, Cronin was identified as having consumed alcohol to an excessive degree on several occasions. On foot of concerns, the probation service brought the matter back to the Court of Appeal today where a portion of Cronins five year suspended sentence was activated, requiring him to serve two years in jail. President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham said the three-judge court shared the concerns of the probation service. On a number of occasions, Cronin had consumed alcohol clearly to excess and alcohol acted as a disinhibitor, the judge said. He said the chance Cronin was given by the Court of Criminal Appeal, in suspending the final five years of his sentence, was a valuable chance and, if Cronin was to benefit, he had to comply strictly with its terms. Mr Justice Birmingham said the justice of the case would be met by activating two of the five years. It was done to impress upon Cronin that the conditions on which sentences were suspended must be complied with. Cronins lawyers, Michael Bowman SC and Matthew Holmes BL, raised issues in respect of the form of the bond their client signed. However, Mr Justice Birmingham said those errors on the bond in respect of the judge, the court and the date did not deny the Court of Appeal jurisdiction. The court heard that Cronin was currently serving a sentence in relation to a burglary offence in Co Kerry. By Eoin English A key element of the largest flood defence scheme in the history of the state has been delayed by up to six months following a European Court ruling on the potential impact of such works on protected habitats. Cork City Council confirmed this morning that it will now have to prepare a new environmental screening of its contentious 6m Morrisons Island public realm and flood defence project and embark on a completely new planning process. But it insisted there are no plans to change the design of the scheme which attracted some 1,500 submissions during public consultation earlier this year, and which is the subject of a judicial review. The council has now abandoned its Part 8 planning approval for the scheme, signed off in April, and must now pursue a Part 10 planning process through An Bord Pleanala. It could be six months before a planning decision is made. The council defended its original Part 8 process, signed off in April, and said it was in full compliance with all relevant laws at the time. It said the European Court decision which came a month later could not have been foreseen. And it said because the decision clarified an existing point of law, it is therefore retrospective. It imposes a new requirement upon Cork City Council that could not have been foreseen a month previous, a spokesman said. Campaign group, Save Cork City, which mounted the High Court challenge, welcomed the news which was outlined in the High Court earlier. Spokesman John Hegarty urged the council to revisit its plans and to engage with the people of Cork to design a flood relief scheme that is fit for the 21st century. The Council has taken the right decision and should be praised for doing the right thing. Rather than spending time and money in court we believe the Council should sit down with us and other members of the community to agree a scheme that protects Cork and its heritage as we transition to a post-carbon economy, he said. Save Cork City has put forward visionary alternatives which will protect Cork from rising water levels and enhance the relationship between the city and the river without the need for flood walls. We will be writing to the chief executive seeking an early meeting with her team to discuss the path forward. A 36-year-old Dubliner being sentenced to life in prison for a double murder told the judge that the jury got it wrong. Jason ODriscoll of Richmond Avenue, Fairview was receiving the mandatory sentence at the Central Criminal Court today, after a jury found him guilty following a trial that ended two months ago. The jury had used circumstantial evidence to convict him of murdering 31-year-old Anthony Burnett and 25-year-old Joseph Redmond in Co Louth, where they had gone to sell him a stolen car on March 7, 2012. The five women and seven men had reached a majority verdict of 10 to two, following more than seven hours considering their verdicts. On that occasion, O'Driscoll stood up and asked: "Guilty of f***ing what? He said there was no evidence, he was guilty of nothing and added: "F***ing crook." He was back before the court today for his sentence hearing, at which Alex Owens SC, prosecuting, read out victim impact statements prepared by his victims mothers. Mr Burnetts mother, Marie Burnett, acknowledged that her "loving, kind-hearted and caring" son had made some bad decisions in his life. However, she said hed paid the price for them and had spent his final years trying to improve and rectify himself. He was my rock, my firstborn and my only son, she wrote. She said her heart had been shattered into a million pieces on the day he was taken in such an evil and cold-blooded way. She said she wasnt ready to say goodbye when he was killed a week before his birthday. Not only was my son shot, but their bodies were burned so badly that we couldnt even have an open coffin and say a proper goodbye, she recalled. We were robbed of that by a callous, cold-hearted person, she continued. How he sleeps at night, Ill never know. He not only killed our sons, but he killed a big part of us too. He has ruined so many lives and he has filled us with so much anger and hatred. At this point, ODriscoll interjected and shouted that he was innocent. However, Mr Owens continued reading the statement, in which Ms Burnett thanked all involved in the case for not giving up on Anthony and Joey and for working long and endless hours over the past six years to bring the families justice. Nothing will bring our son home. Our lives will never be the same again, she wrote. We will love and miss him until the day our hearts stop beating. Mr Redmonds mother, Pauline Doran, wrote that her eldest son had been brutally murdered in a most violent manner for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. My life will never return to normal after the total devastation, she wrote. There are days that I dont feel able to get out of bed from utter emptiness at Joeys loss. She said that no sentence imposed on the perpetrator would restore peace to her family. I will continue to mourn my son until the day I die, she said, thanking the gardai, the PSNI and the firefighters, who attended the scene. Mr Justice Michael White then said that the court had a duty to impose the mandatory life sentence. He said that the two men had been "executed in a callous, brutal way". He was interrupted by ODriscoll, who again shouted that he was innocent. Im innocent, your honour. The jury got it wrong, he insisted. Justice White continued, noting that the two victims had received "an horrific death without justification", being executed and burned. He said that no human beings deserved this. He then imposed the mandatory life sentence on each count, backdated to June 2016 when ODriscoll was taken into custody. He paid tribute to the endless hours of work carried out by the gardai and refused a certificate of leave to appeal. A number of men at the back of the court gave ODriscoll the thumbs up. He reciprocated as he was led away to begin his life sentence. The victims families left without making any comment. However, retired Detective Inspector Pat Marry, who worked on the case, spoke outside. He said he hoped that the result would be of some comfort to the victims families. He said that both families were very upset but satisfied. I'm hoping that maybe today they can get some solace and move on with their lives," he said. It has been claimed that the #MeToo movement could be behind a rise in the number of sex crimes being reported. The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office show there has been a 10% rise in the last year, with 272 more allegations of a sexual offence reported in the year ending June 2018. There were also rises in serious assaults, robberies and aggravated burglaries. Labour Senator Ivana Bacik says the increase, particularly in rape offences, is very worrying. Senator Bacik said: "We don't know for sure if that rise means there has been a rise in the actual carrying out of sexual offences in the last year or more victims are coming forward. "There have been a lot of high-profile cases in the last year with the Me Too movement and, of course, with the Belfast rape trial which would have highlighted many victim's issues they might have thought to forget about for some time." Fianna Fails Justice Spokesperson, Jim OCallaghan TD said the data highlights the necessity to support victims of sexual offences. "It is apparent from these figures that there are worrying trends emerging whereby violent crime is becoming a normal feature of society," he said. "In order to combat effectively this trend the Government needs to establish a strategy in collaboration with An Garda Siochana one that focuses on early intervention, crime prevention and robust law enforcement. "Gardai will also require the resources for this strategy to be properly realised. The Confidence and Supply arrangement committed to increasing the strength of the Gardai to 15,000 but this is only one element of delivering the necessary resources to Gardai. The data reveals that there has been a significant rise in sexual offences. This may be a result of more victims being willing to come forward and report a rape or sexual offence. However, there is also the possibility that this rise reflects an actual increase in sexual offences. "It's a very worrying trend and there are a number of crucial steps that Government can, and must take, to address this. "These should include providing detailed training to equip Gardai to properly investigate and prosecute crimes of this complexity, and better State funding to essential services, such as Rape Crisis Centres. "We also need to conduct vigorous research into the actual incidence of sexual crimes in Ireland. The Government needs to progress this research as an absolute priority." - Digital Desk Update 7.11pm: Two time zones may exist on the island of Ireland by April next year if the UK leaves the EU without a deal as part of the crisis-hit Brexit negotiations. A Government spokesperson said the situation could happen after cabinet was briefed on EU plans to remove the existing daylight savings time system across the common market from spring 2019. Under plans put forward by the European Commission earlier this year, Brussels wants to remove the "spring forward, fall back" hour difference across the EU by 2021. Should the policy be accepted the move will be mandatory from April 2019, with a two year phasing in period where countries will have to give six months' notice before changing their times before the plan is fully introduced. At Tuesday's weekly cabinet meeting Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan detailed the initiative, which is designed to benefit business and improve road safety across the common market, to ministerial colleagues. He added that a public consultation process - the exact time for which has not been outlined - will also be put in place before the planned April start date for the move. However, asked what impact the decision may have on Northern Ireland and the Republic given the unclear Brexit outcome for the province, a senior Government spokesperson was unable to say if a solution will be found. Despite saying "I think it would be a Government objective to not have two time zones on the island of Ireland", he was unable to guarantee that both Belfast and Dublin will remain in the same time zone in the event of a crash-out no deal Brexit which takes Northern Ireland fully out of the EU. While the issue has been seen as humorous by some, any time zone split on the island of Ireland would further underline the fact that Northern Ireland and the Republic are different jurisdictions at an extremely sensitive period. It would also impact on business operations on the border and across the border, and lead to further difficulties for farmers and other people living in the surrounding area. It is understood that during Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Climate Change Minister Denis Naughten said there is a need for research on "comparable countries" showing how the time change may or may not benefit different populations. Meanwhile, the cabinet meeting also saw Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe detail the latest exchequer figures before next week's budget. Transport Minister Shane Ross brought forward a still unpublished report by accountants Ernst & Young on financial matters at Waterford airport and separate figures from Tourism Ireland showing the country has seen more people travel to this country for the seventh year running. Earlier: Public to be asked about scrapping daylight savings Update 6.32pm: The public and interested groups are to be asked whether or not they agree with scrapping daylight savings time. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan is today bringing a memo before the cabinet for sign-off on the consultation. The move would see people asked whether the changing of the clocks in autumn and spring each year should be removed in favour of permanent summertime or wintertime. It comes after a public consultation across the EU found the majority of people were in favour of abolishing the bi-annual clock change. The change would come into force in March next year once each member state agrees on the proposal. Digital Desk The National Transport Authority (NTA) is proposing to put 10% of Bus Eireann services out to tender from 2021. The routes that they have proposed to be tendered are largely in the Dublin commuter belt. The NTA has also recommended keeping Dublin Bus services at their 2019 level for the following five years. However, they said they will review routes and services once the final Bus Connects network is agreed. It comes as the authority prepares to sign a contract with Bus Eireann from December 1, 2019, to the end of November 2024 and it will exclude the routes which they propose to put out to tender. Anne Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the NTA, said: Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann now have a greater level of certainty so that can plan for the next five years, and of course they can also tender for services where appropriate. Private bus operators will be able to compete for some routes while the public will always have a decent and reliable Public Service Obligation service, provided by a combination of incumbent operators and operators that are new to the market. We believe that competition improves services which can only be good for the customer. SIPTU representatives have condemned the proposal saying it was "ideologically driven". SIPTU Organiser, John Murphy, said: We are totally opposed to the proposals to remove 10% of the Bus Eireann services from the state operator in 2021 with the intention to openly tender such services at that point. This is a flawed ideologically driven agenda which will result in the further privatisation of our public bus services. He said that union members supported the decision to award public service contracts to Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann from next year but did not agree with the arguments put forward for the tendering of Dublin commuter routes in 2021. Mr Murphy said: Public transport services should not be privatised on the basis of spurious competitiveness arguments. Bus users are entitled to decent, reliable services, not those provided as part of a race to the bottom in standards and in conditions of work. We have all seen the problems associated with the open tendering of waste collection services across the State and the chaos they have created. Former Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte says the Government needs to bring in a public service broadcasting charge as a matter of urgency. His comments follow a recommendation by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland that RTE should receive an increase in its annual public funding of 30m. ASX-listed rare earths miner Lynas Corp has vowed to co-operate with any Malaysian government review of its controversial local operations and appealed for "fairness, objectivity and transparency". In an open letter to the current Malaysian government, lodged with the ASX on Tuesday, Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze said the company had seen media reports that a review committee had been formed but it had not been notified about its membership, scope or terms of reference. Lynas boss Amanda Lacaze. Credit:Ian Teh Lynas also hinted at the broader implications if a review made unfavourable findings against it. "As the only miner and producer of rare-earth products outside China, Lynas Malaysia is an important supplier to many key industries including the automotive, electronics, oil and gas and renewable energy industries," Lynas said. "Our key customers are in Japan, Europe and North America - all important trading partners of Malaysia." Nordic budget airline Primera Air has become the latest European carrier to go bust, telling staff that all flights were being halted and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. "On this sad day we are saying Goodbye to all of you," Primera Air said in a statement on its website on Tuesday. Primera Air has ceased operations. Credit:Shutterstock Primera Air, which is Icelandic owned but based in Copenhagen, began in 2003 and has served 97 destinations in more than 20 countries. The airline announced last month that it planned to launch routes from Madrid to New York, Boston and Toronto next year at an introductory price of 149 euros ($172) each way. "Harmony" is the name of the heroine, played by former Home and Away star Jessica Falkholt, who died in a car accident not long after the film was shot. A Goth waif born with the ability to absorb the fear of others, she roams the mean streets of a nameless city, accompanied by ethereal music. One factor that makes Harmony hard to pin down is that it is the kind of Australian film designed for export: the characters speak in not always convincing American accents, while the script provides few reference points to connect their world to ours. If you have ever been stopped on the street by someone who handed you a New Age pamphlet and wanted to chat about the cosmos, you have a rough idea of the effect produced by Corey Pearson's Harmony, billed as the first instalment in the Five Frequencies Saga. This amateurish local try at a fantasy for teenagers is a transparently bad movie, but bad in a disorientating, vaguely psychedelic way, obeying laws peculiarly its own. Jessica Falkholt, who plays the eponymous heroine, in a scene from the film Harmony. The mystery of her birth starts to come to light after she meets her soulmate Mason (Jerome Meyer), a formally dressed young weirdo who spends his time practising magic tricks and jotting philosophical questions in a notebook. Along the way we get a lot of high-flown discussion about the warring forces of love and fear, as well as bizarre scenes such as a moment of transcendence at a straight-edge rave. The actors are all over the place, though Falkholt comes through relatively unscathed, functioning more as a symbol than a character. Struggling with an unplayable part, Meyer seems as gormless as he did as a real-life murder victim in Joe Cinque's Consolation, while Jacqueline McKenzie goes well over the top as a representative of high society. Pearson's biggest coup is the casting of rising star Eamon Farren, an unforgettable villain in last year's new season of Twin Peaks. In a somewhat similar role as a sadistic gang leader, he makes the most of his few decent lines, and has an immediate impact through his physical presence. It should be stressed that the ideas in Harmony are not necessarily ridiculous, or at least no more so than those we are used to in films by M. Night Shyamalan or the Wachowski sisters. The problem isn't the woo-woo material but the accompanying lack of artistic knowhow: it seems too soon to be preaching about spiritual wisdom when you haven't yet acquired the power to make a movie that comes off. The Nine Network has axed The NRL Footy Show just days after the league's grand final. The decision comes after years of poor ratings and speculation the struggling program would soon get the chop. This year saw sports broadcaster Erin Molan take over from long-time host Paul Vautin, who had hosted the show for 24 years. A Nine spokeswoman said the decision has no effect on sister program The AFL Footy Show - "We are in ongoing discussions with [Eddie McGuire's] Jam TV about 2019," she said - nor The Sunday Footy Show, which focuses on NRL and is also hosted by Molan. The NRL Footy Show has been on air since 1994 and has earned several Logie awards over the past two decades. It has been nominated for Most Popular Sports Program every year since its inception, taking home the top gong 11 times. Its most recent win was in 2017. A "sexy" handmaidens Halloween costume inspired by Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel and now TV show The Handmaids Tale could have been yours for a red hot second. The costume sold by US lingerie company Yandy was declared "offensive" by the internet. Of course. Handmaidens costumes (albeit canonical, non-sexy versions) have been donned around the world by protesters demanding greater rights for women. Credit:Heather Khalifa/The Philadelphia Inquirer Yandy duly removed the costume from sale, saying: Over the last few hours, it has become obvious that our Yandy Brave Red Maiden Costume is being seen as a symbol of womens oppression, rather than an expression of womens empowerment. In the true spirit of Halloween, removing the costume from sale was a misstep. The costume casts one of the spookiest images possible for modern women. The spectre of a handmaiden is truly haunting, more so than a ghoul or ghost or zombie. For those unfamiliar with Atwood's nightmarish world, a handmaiden is a woman who has an intact reproductive system in an era of increasing infertility. Handmaidens are forced to carry the offspring of the ruling class. They wear distinctive red dresses and white bonnets that obscure their faces. The handmaidens are women who are valued only for their reproductive function, they have no autonomy, and are essentially raped each time they are assigned to bear a child. In Atwood's dystopia, women in general arent allowed to read or write and are stuck in domestic roles. Loading As Yandy points out in their apology, handmaidens costumes (albeit canonical, non-sexy versions) have been donned around the world by protesters demanding greater rights for women. The costumes were used both in Ireland and Argentina to campaign for abortion rights, they were used in Britain to protest Donald Trumps state visit, and theyve been used around the US to protest a number of bills, such as funding cuts to reproductive health centres. The point is to draw a parallel between the way women are silenced in dystopian fiction and the way women in todays political climate feel silenced on matters relating to their own bodies. To some extent, the dystopia is here. The Yandy costume takes this iconic handmaiden image and propels it into the absurd. It shortens and tightens the figureless red robe and adds fishnet stockings and very high heels. Not only does it connote an (all too real) world where women have no say over their reproductive health, but it also brings to the fore the reality that women are overtly sexualised. Its not hard to see why so many people wrote into Yandy saying that it was offensive, but surely theres also something darkly humorous about it too. Its bizarre that somehow the world of retail is able to spin a story about rape and misogyny into an empowering garment. The original item description read: An upsetting dystopian future has emerged where women no longer have a say. However, we say be bold and speak your mind in this exclusive Brave Red Maiden costume. The irony astounds. A woman who allegedly assaulted a mental health nurse at Canberra Hospital has been taken back to that hospital for a psychiatric assessment. The woman appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning facing charges related to the alleged assault and property damage, as well as new unrelated charges for negligent driving and drug driving. The assault allegedly occurred at the Canberra Hospital's adult mental health unit in September. Credit:Jamila Toderas The woman allegedly assaulted a nurse in the hospital's adult mental health unit in September. The new charges related to a driving incident in July. She told the court she had struggled with her mental health in recent years as her children had been taken into protective care and their father had been in the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Former north shore cop Chris Jordan has spent the last few years pursuing crimes on a somewhat larger scale than Chatswood Chase shoplifters corporate tax evasion. Now the Australian Taxation Office boss has turned his attention to Glencore, possibly with the assistance of some pilfered documents (depending on who you ask), better known as the Paradise Papers, and Ivan Glasenbergs outfit is keen to shut that down. ATO Commissioner Chris Jordan is facing a High Court lawsuit filed by Glencore over the Paradise Papers. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer We can reveal Glencore is taking Jordan to the High Court in a bid to prevent the use of thousands of files leaked from Bermuda law firm Appleby in the pursuit of unpaid taxes. A writ was lodged with the court last Thursday. A French BASE jumper has been arrested after he allegedly jumped off a crane in Darling Harbour and parachuted over traffic early Tuesday morning. It is alleged 24-year-old Jonathan Perherin broke into a construction site on Wheat Road in the city about 3.15am. French BASE jumper Jonathan Perherin. Credit:Facebook Mr Perherin then allegedly climbed to the top of a crane with BASE jumping equipment and a recording device, before leaping off the building. Police believe he then parachuted over several lanes of traffic and Darling Harbour, before landing on Darling Drive in Pyrmont. A Queensland woman in chronic pain and portrayed as having a "zest and zeal" for death succumbed to her husband's plot to gain wealth and religious status. Graham Robert Morant, 69, has been convicted by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury of aiding and counselling Jennifer Morant to kill herself on the Gold Coast in 2014 over a plot to use her life insurance money to build a religious commune. Morant has been found guilty of aiding his wife Jennifer Morant in taking her own life on the Gold Coast in 2014. Credit:AAP Morant was the sole beneficiary of her three life insurance policies totalling $1.4 million when she took her own life in November that year. Ms Morant lived with chronic back pain and found even the most simple everyday tasks difficult. A former WA Police senior sergeant has been charged with indecent assault. Midland Detectives charged the former police officer with indecent assault regarding an incident that allegedly occurred in September 2017. Police said the officer was a senior sergeant working in the Perth metropolitan area at the time. The man will face court on Tuesday. Further details of the incident have not been released, and it is unknown where in Perth the officer was working before his retirement. WA police have issued a warning after it was found a number of drugs stolen from a Perth veterinary clinic. The burglary is believed to have occurred at veterinary clinic along Benara Road, Noranda sometime between 2pm on Saturday and 8am on Monday. The burglars have not yet been apprehended. Credit:James Davies Police believe between these times, burglars forced entry to the clinic and rummaged through various rooms. They stole a sum of cash and quantity of animal medications were stolen from a safe. Paul Keating has accused Malcolm Turnbull of capitulating to conservatives in the fight for a republic, launching an extraordinary denunciation of the recently toppled leader and declaring Australians would need a "microscope" to find his true beliefs. Mr Keating savaged the former prime minister for doing too little during almost three years in power, saying he had failed dismally in leading the Liberal Party back to the centre of Australian politics. The rebuke came in response to Mr Turnbulls secretly recorded comments in New York where he dismissed Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott as "miserable ghosts" and signalled he would keep up his advocacy for a republic. "Failed dismally": Former prime minister Paul Keating has attacked Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:Peter Braig, Alex Ellinghausen Mr Keating said those remarks make you choke on your Weeties because Mr Turnbull had done so little on the republic in government even though he had been the head of the Australian Republic Movement in the 1990s when the issue had been voted on in a referendum. Victorian politicians were warned early last year that the state faced a potential $200 million to $300 million blowout in the cost of putting in powerline bushfire safety technology and that consumers would ultimately have to pay. Victorias large electricity distribution companies, AusNet Services and Powercor, privately lobbied state MPs last year to reject an Andrews government bill to slap large fines on them if they missed deadlines to install the technology. The tenth anniversary of Black Saturday is next year. Credit:Howard Daniels Loading The companies warned MPs that the potentially challenging timeframes would force them to spend up to $300 million more on the rollout, in a confidential briefing note to parliamentarians obtained by The Age. The British telephone box is not dead yet. In parts of central London, a box stands sentinel every 30 metres; and if phone companies got their way they'd plant one every 15 metres. But these are not the red cast-iron cubicles that for generations were emblems of Britain. Instead, critics say, they are eyesores, covered in digital ad screens and capable of being turned into surveillance posts. Worst of all, perhaps, some are being imported from New York. London is being flooded with new phone boxes. Critics say they are basically glorified billboards, but planning laws treat them as an essential utility. Credit:Jane Stockdale / New York Times The result is a battle over Britain's public space, waged between local city planners and telecommunications firms. The most contentious fight is in Westminster, in the heart of London, where new phone kiosks are being squished between construction barriers and bus stops on crowded streets. The Times reported that much of Trump's fortune came to him because he helped his parents evade taxes. Credit:AP The Times investigation, which a Trump lawyer said was inaccurate, showed Trump received the equivalent today of at least $413 million from his father's real estate business. The newspaper cited a vast trove of confidential tax return and financial records. Washington: US President Donald Trump engaged in tax schemes that included cases of fraud in which he and his siblings helped their parents dodge taxes, The New York Times has reported. The Times reported that much of that fortune came to Trump because he helped his parents evade taxes, setting up a fake corporation with his siblings to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents. Loading New York state tax authorities have opened an investigation into the allegations. "The Tax Department is reviewing the allegations in the New York Times article and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate avenues of investigation," said James Gazzale, spokesman for the Department of Taxation and Finance. During his presidential campaign, Trump promoted himself as a self-made real estate mogul who started out with only a very small loan from his businessman father, Fred Trump. Latest News Last sub-2% rate goes as ANZ hikes again Second big hike in three weeks at major lender "Significant concern" for Premier as housing affordability crisis looms ABS stats show approvals drop off, with politicians warned of impact down the track Tony Gale, MD of Jims Financial Services, shares his top tips for thriving in the world of mortgages, and explains how the group is working to reinvent broking as a full suite of financial services Q: Whats one of your recent career highlights? A: The highlight would definitely be getting involved with the Jims Group. It has provided a platform that has allowed us to reinvent a typical mortgage broking business through diversifying, to offer a full suite of financial services. Successfully franchising this business model under the iconic Jims brand has been really rewarding. Q: Whats the greatest challenge for brokers at this time? A: As banks and financial institutions tighten their lending policies, consumers are facing a significant reduction in available credit. This credit squeeze is a major challenge for brokers, so having alternative finance options for clients is crucial. Q: If you won $1m, what would you do with it? A: Im really concerned about homeless youth in Australia. Charities such as the Lighthouse Foundation and Whitelion provide shelter and services for homeless young Australians, so Im sure $1m would assist. Q: What was your firtst job? A: After university, I started working for South Pacific Tyres, which included Dunlop and Goodyear. It was 1988 and I was arranging the delivery of tyres direct from the factory to the major Australian car manufacturers. In theory, our work was based on the Japanese system of delivery called JIT, which stands for just in time. In reality it was stressful and we never seemed to deliver just in time.\ Q: What are your top survival tips for working in finance? A: Its a tough business, so survival as a broker relies on that ability to generate leads, then manage, submit, approve and settle multiple loan opportunities every month. Good brokers who set up efficient systems that allow scalability and diversification of finance products for their clients along with managing compliant volume loan applications and providing quick turnaround for customers will be the most successful in their endeavours. Q: Whats one thing, personal or professional, that you hope to achieve before the end of the year? A: Our target for this year is to reach the milestone of having 30 successful Jims Finance franchisees around Australia, and the real icing on the cake will be when each of these franchisees is writing business across all of our product platforms. Latest News Last sub-2% rate goes as ANZ hikes again Second big hike in three weeks at major lender "Significant concern" for Premier as housing affordability crisis looms ABS stats show approvals drop off, with politicians warned of impact down the track A home building company has paid $50,400 in penalties after the regulator issued four infringement notices for misleading advertising aimed at first home buyers. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) found that Metricon Homes Pty Ltd's (Metricon) '2K on your way' campaign for its 'HomeSolution' house and land packages (HomeSolution) contained misleading representations about eligibility to qualify. The HomeSolution advertisements created the impression that consumers who qualified for the first home owner grant could obtain a Metricon HomeSolution house and land package with a $2,000 deposit. However, consumers were still required to fund the balance of the prescribed 5% deposit (approximately $30,000 on a typical $600,000 package, but could be as much as $41,000 on a $825,000 package). This additional amount was financed through an unsecured personal loan, typically through one of Metricons associated finance brokers. ASIC found that any disclaimer in the HomeSolution advertisements was not prominent enough to effectively qualify the dominant message of the advertising. Consumers were also required to navigate through links on Metricons website to the HomeSolution landing page where eligibility conditions were listed in small font at the bottom of that page. In response to ASICs investigation, Metricon has withdrawn the concerning advertising and ceased promoting its '2K on your way' offer. ASIC has reminded all financial services firms to regularly review their advertising compliance arrangements. The regulator proactively monitors all forms of advertising, including advertising on-line, and will take action in appropriate circumstances. Latest News Last sub-2% rate goes as ANZ hikes again Second big hike in three weeks at major lender "Significant concern" for Premier as housing affordability crisis looms ABS stats show approvals drop off, with politicians warned of impact down the track A consumer finance business has announced the appointment of a new managing director and chief executive officer. Ahmed Fahour has joined Latitude Financial, replacing Sean Morrissey, who has returned home to the United Kingdom for health and family reasons. Fahour is a former managing director and CEO of Australia Post and CEO of the Australian and Asian operations of NAB, as well as an executive director on the NAB Board. Latitude chair Mike Tilley said the appointment of a recognised business leader with the stature of Fahour was an exciting moment in the ongoing journey and growth of the company. He added, Ahmed is the ideal individual to take the helm of Latitude as we embark on a new chapter and seize the opportunities that exist in a changing financial services landscape. His experiences and proven track record running large scale enterprises perfectly suit our ambitions as a growing challenger in a market in which customers demand better services and solutions. The group had been planning an Initial Public Offering (IPO), however with the leadership transtition and external market considerations, this has been deferred. Tilley said the board would continue to explore strategic options, which may include a future listing on the ASX. About his appointment Fahour said, I have long been an admirer of the Latitude business. Its had many years of success and I know having competed against it that it has some great capability and people. I am delighted to have this opportunity to lead Latitude at a time of exciting changes and disruption in financial services. Now that Latitude has been successfully established as its own business with a new brand there are many opportunities available for this dynamic platform. Along with regulatory changes, new customer facing technology offers significant opportunities for Latitude to both directly support its customers and to continue to support its partners, online and in stores. Tilley thanked outgoing CEO Morrissey for his significant contribution over the past three years. After Latitudes acquisition from GE Consumer Finance in November 2015, Morrissey led a change program and investment agenda across all facets of the company. He added, I respect the desire of Sean and his family to relocate back home to the UK and know that it has been a difficult period given his recent health challenges. We wish his family all the best and thank Sean for all that he has done with us as a colleague. His achievements have laid the foundations for our future growth and success. Morrissey said he was immensely proud of what the team has achieved over the last three years. He added, We have completed a full and complex separation from GE after 20 years of ownership, we have made great strides in getting the business back to growth, improving its operating efficiency and we have put a funding structure in place which is sustainable for the long term. However, given my recent health concerns, now feels like the appropriate time for me to personally bow out, giving a new leader the opportunity to run this great business, to set the future strategy and direction of the business and make the necessary long-term personal commitment to take the business on the next exciting stage of its ownership journey. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Police are hunting for some bruiser who pummeled a guy and broke his nose inside The Woods bar in Williamsburg last month. The sports-loving fiend wearing a white pinstripe New York Yankees jersey started throwing punches at the 23-year-old victim unprovoked around 1:45 am on Sept. 8 inside the S. Fourth Street spot, according to cops, shattering his nose and giving him a concussion. The brute fled the watering hole following the attack, which the victim reported to authorities the same day, according to a Police Department spokeswoman, who said detectives are now turning to the public to help them locate the suspect. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 5778477. The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All tips are strictly confidential. The Bagree market fire has set the alarm bells ringing for the grande dame of Chowringhee, The Oberoi Grand. Located in the heart of the central business district, the first major hotel to be acquired by Oberoi group founder Rai Bahadur M S Oberoi, the iconic property is expanding. The Oberoi group is investing Rs 1 billion in the property over the next 18 months to add 50 new rooms which will take the total number of rooms to 259. But hawkers and squatters, who have been doing business along the pavements in front of the plush hotel for decades, have wormed their way to ... The domestic car-manufacturing industry has seen a decline of 3 per cent in September sales even with the festive season round the corner, indicating an impact of the escalation in fuel prices, among other things. This happens to be the third consecutive month of decline for the industry. In August, sales had dipped over 2 per cent owing to floods in Kerala and heavy rain in some other states. Sales in July had gone down almost 3 per cent owing to a high base effect of last year after the introduction of the goods and services tax. This implies that the industry has not seen ... Superseding the board of IL&FS, which has defaulted on more than five of its obligations, was essential to restore the confidence of the financial markets, according to a statement by the finance ministry on Monday. The ministry said there have been serious complaints about some IL&FS group companies and an investigation by the federal Serious Fraud Investigation ... 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 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 Minority Whip Junet Mohammed has jumped to the defence of his ODM party leader Raila Odinga after DP Ruto accused the former Prime Minister of using the handshake to destabilise Jubilee and chase him out of the party. According to the outspoken Junet Mohammed, Ruto is angry and wants to leave Jubilee then blame his departure on Raila Odinga. Junet noted that DP Ruto has a history of switching parties and he should not try to use Raila as a scapegoat. We are not chasing him from anywhere. He is running away from his shadow, said Junet yesterday, adding that Ruto voluntarily left URP, UDM, KANU and ODM. Let him not start blame games when he has decided its time for him to leave because it is normal for him to leave parties, he said. So for him to leave Jubilee is not a big deal for us. The Suna East MP also cautioned Ruto against criticising the March 9 handshake since he was not a party to it. He said Ruto should know that the handshake is not about individuals but about the unity and peace of the whole country. Any other person is just an accompaniment to that deal just like the way we are. So let him not call Raila any other name like a conman, mganga, kitendawili.Raila is not his equal, Junet added. He accused Ruto of being behind the chaos that rocked Parliament on September 20 during debate on the Finance Bill, 2018. We are not going to allow him to intimidate anyone, Junet added. He spoke at Wilson Airport on Monday before leaving for the Migori Senate by-election that will be held on October 8. Junet was accompanied by Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, who said Rutos intention is to destroy the peace the country is enjoying after the handshake by using divisive politics. Walmart India, which runs 22 Best Price wholesale stores since its second entry into the country in 2019, is planning to increase the share of its private labels to top line to 10 per cent by next year as it plans to tap the Flipkart platform. The company opened its 22nd store in Ludhiana late last month, which is the sixth in the state, where it began with and the second in the Punjab city. The firm will have 30 stores by the time it completes a decade of its second coming next year. Globally, the retail major, which is bigger than Boeing, Coca-Cola, Facebook, and the Google ... As thousands of farmers tried to enter the capital in a massive protest march, the government Tuesday announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, even as the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. After meeting the protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border here, Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause. "I assure you all this. We will move court over the NGT order (to ban tractor and vehicles which are more than 10 years old)," he said. On another problem faced by the farmers about farm labour, the minister said the government would look at bringing in some changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem. "The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MNREGA with agriculture," Shekhawat added. "On behalf of (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singh, I assure you that I will represent the farmers' interests in this committee and whatever changes would be required to link MNREGA with agriculture will be made," Shekhawat told the farmers. The protesting farmers, however, decided to stay put at the border, where they have been stopped by the police from entering the capital. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharat Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I can't decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. The farmers were marching towards over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, but were stopped at the Delhi- border with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Police, a senior police officer said. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi- border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protestors, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. Prime Minister will receive the United Nation's highest environmental honour 'Champions of The Earth Award' at a special ceremony at New Delhi on Wednesday. and French have been named as recipients of the prestigious award for their exemplary leadership and advocating action on sustainable development and climate change. The award, announced on September 26 on the sidelines of 73rd General Assembly in New York, will be presented by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, an official statement said. Prime Minister has been selected in the leadership category for his pioneering work in championing the and for his unprecedented pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic in by 2022, it said. The annual 'Champions of the Earth' prize is awarded to outstanding leaders from government, civil society and the private sector whose actions have had a positive impact on the environment. (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.) Melida Auma, the mother of slain Rongo University student Sharon Otieno, has pleaded with the County government of Migori to provide for her since the breadwinner is no more. Speaking moments after arriving at her home from Nairobi on Monday, Ms. Auma said the Migori County Government should be pursued to provide some upkeep for Sharons young children. As a family, we have been rendered hopeless since our only provider, Sharon is no more. Migori County Government should intervene and provide for me the way Sharon has been doing. We are ready to accept any assistance from anywhere since Am left with Sharons Children and they need upkeep which was being provided by the deceased, she was quoted. Auma, who is a teacher by profession was in Nairobi where she has been attending some of the court sessions in the case involving suspected killers of her daughter. She was the first to link Migori Governor Okoth Obado to her daughters death after revealing that they were in a romantic relationship. Sharon was in love with him and was even expecting his baby. There were even talks to give her county contracts, she claimed. When governor Obado issued a statement in connection with the murder, the family rejected his condolences. Governor Obado along with his aides Michael Oyamo and Caspal Obiero are facing murder charges and will know their bail application fate on October 8th. Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh said on Monday that the outgoing CJI was a victim of certain circumstances and it was used by some lawyers to the detriment of the institution. Speaking at a farewell function organised by the SCBA for the (CJI), Singh said, "It was unfortunate that Justice Misra became a victim of certain circumstances." "It is more unfortunate that instead of the bar, especially the mature bar trying to support the cause of justice, trying to support the institution, some of us tried to use that adverse circumstance to the detriment of this institution," he said. Singh said if the situation had been allowed to continue and if the bar had not stepped into support Misra, an "irreparable damage would have been caused to the institution (Supreme Court)". On a earlier controversy over cases related to the and some medical colleges, in which Singh was one of the counsels, he said the purpose of the open letter written by him as SCBA president was not to support CJI Misra, but to bring the truth before the nation and ensure the majesty of the was not eroded. "There was an allegation doing the rounds. Papers were also carrying it with regard to a particular matter. I was the president of the bar, but also counsel for the MCI against whom that order was supposed to be sought to be obtained," the SCBA chief said. ALSO READ: Outgoing CJI Dipak Misra holds court for the last time with successor Gogoi Singh said these allegations were made by different people, some in very high positions, but nobody took his view because ultimately an order was to be passed. It was to be passed against my client, he said. "An order dictated in an open court was said to be changed later on at the behest of some people. When similar orders had been passed in eight different matters, the very same day, a three-judge bench review could have been done only by the three judges together. "It was also doubted whether the order was dictated in an open court or not and that was also part of the allegations," he said in the presence of Misra and CJI-designate Singh said as counsel for the MCI and not as the president of the bar, he felt that it was his duty to see to it that this institution was not damaged. He said, as the counsel for the MCI, "I thought it fit to write an open letter to all the judges and also to the media bringing out true facts". "The purpose of writing that letter was not to help Justice Misra. I didn't even know him personally except for meetings as president of the SCBA," Singh said. The SCBA president said, "The purpose of the letter was to bring the truth before the nation and to ensure that the majesty of this institution has, the very special position that this institution has in this country is not in any manner eroded". The faith of the people in this institution should not ever be such that they start doubting it, he said. "The freedom that we have got, the democratic values we cherish can only remain true if this institution is not damaged," Singh said. He said the always functions in division benches even before a chief justice takes an oath, unfortunately, in this city, there will be people wanting to negotiate for every judge in this squad. "There are people ready to sell by showing all kinds of things. Somebody will show that I know so-and-so, I know this relative that relative. We as an institution have to be very particular," he cautioned. Disapproving a recent letter written by the chairman of the Bar Council of India, requesting justice Misra to not accept any post after retirement, Singh said, "I don't agree with that letter." "I feel that a judge should not take a political appointment like that of a governor or should not contest an election on a ticket of political party," he said. "But definitely as the attorney general has pointed out that the wisdom that a judge has gathered over the years, the dispensation of justice that he had done for so many years, the experience can't be lost," Singh added. Commenting on the retirement age, Singh said 65 years as it was today was too young an age for anybody to retire. "So, if Justice Misra can be used for any work where his legal acumen can be utilised, I think that should happen because the system should not lose somebody so bright and so humble and so hardworking," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) could replace the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) as the key energy supplier in the future. Modi further said that to strengthen the ISA, India would invite nations in the UN General Assembly to be part of the global congregation of solar energy harnessing countries. "The role which is played by oil wells today will be taken over by the sun rays. 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 India is targeting 40 per cent of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel-based resources by 2030 as it looks to tap vast solar and wind potential to replace reliance on polluting coal to meet its energy needs, Prime Minister said Tuesday. Modi said he saw the 121-country as the future for meeting energy needs of the world. cartel led by Saudi Arabia currently meets close to half of the world's needs. Speaking at the first Assembly of the here, he said the solar power will play the same role that wells have played over the past few decades in meeting global energy needs. Humans have in the last 150-200 years relied on resources trapped below the earth's surface for meeting energy needs. But for a secure future, resources available above the ground like solar and wind energy need to be harnessed, he said. Stating that the focus must be on renewable sources for meeting energy needs, he said India wants to bring all UN members on board of Modi said 50 Gw of will be soon added to existing capacity and non-hydro renewable will contribute 20 per cent of total energy. "This is the right time to invest in solar manufacturing," he said, adding that he saw an investment potential of Rs 700 billion to Rs 800 billion in solar manufacturing. The prime minister said 310 million LED bulbs save 40,000 million units of electricity and Rs 160 billion in a year. He said 2.8 million solar pumps can save 10 Gw of electricity every year. Amazon.com Inc said on Tuesday it would raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour for US employees from next month, giving ground to critics of poor pay and working conditions at the world's second most valuable company. The increase pushes Amazon's lowest wage above that at Walmart Inc and Target Corp but it is still $7 shy of the average for a non-management worker in transportation and warehousing in the United States as a whole. Lawmakers and unions have been calling for change at big US corporations, with Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders proposing legislation nicknamed ... Indonesian authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll to 1,234 in the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Sulawesi island last week. The twin disasters on Friday left the coastal city of Palu and the adjoining areas in ruins. Authorities said tens of thousands of people were growing increasingly desperate for food, fuel and water. According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, hundreds of people may still be trapped under the rubble of buildings. Rescue teams were still not able to reach all the affected areas, the BBC reported There were reports of officers firing warning shots and tear gas to ward off people ransacking shops in Palu, a coastal city ravaged by a 7.5-magnitude quake and the tsunami it spawned. Almost 200,000 people are in need of urgent help, the United Nations says, among them thousands of children. Police said Tuesday that they had previously tolerated desperate survivors taking food and water from closed shops, but had now arrested 35 people for stealing computers and cash. "On the first and second day clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. That's not a problem," said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto. Photo: Reuters "But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law." "There are ATMs. They are open," he added. "If people steal, we catch and investigate." Despite official assurances, desperation was evident on the streets of Palu, where survivors clambered through wreckage hunting for anything salvageable. crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have electricity, or queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. "The government, the president have come here, but what we really need is food and water," Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. With the ground still shaking from aftershocks, people were still too afraid to go indoors. An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale rocked Sumba island of on Tuesday, but there were no reports of any damage. Colonel Muhammad Thohir of the Indonesian Army said that authorities need to send aid via helicopter in areas like Donggala, one of the towns most affected by the tsunami, as well as other districts which were not accessible to the rescuers. He said gasoline and water supplies were being transported to the Sulawesi island, but they were still insufficient for the people affected. Indonesian officials said that priorities included sending food to those in need, conducting a mass burial of victims, and guaranteeing the security of the airport, which was expected to start receiving commercial flights on Wednesday. Indonesian President Joko Widodo, accompanied by Central Sulawesi Governor Longki Djanggola, visits people injured by the earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Sulawesi, September 30, 2018 So far, 153 victims have been buried in mass graves to prevent an outbreak of disease caused by decomposing bodies. According to a CCN report, more than 100 corpses were still lying in the yard outside the Undata Hospital in Palu. The hospital's director, Komang Hadi Sujendra, said the one facility alone had received over 200 bodies since the tsunami. An estimated 2.4 million people were affected by the disaster, said the disaster management agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said that 800 were badly injured and more than 61,000 people were displaced. Among the dead are dozens of students whose lifeless bodies were pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi. "A total of 34 bodies were found by the team," Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP after the grim discovery, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre. Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. "The most challenging problem is travelling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance," she said. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderly -- many in areas that aren't the focus of government recovery efforts. The dead -- many yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings -- are also a source of concern for authorities. In Indonesia's hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya -- in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Palu -- volunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Residents affected by an earthquake and tsunami wait to be evacuated by military aircraft at Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu, Central Sulawesi Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. There were glimmers of hope among the countless tragedies. Two people have been plucked from the 80-room Hotel Roa-Roa, Indonesia's search and rescue agency said, and there could still be more alive. And for Azwan, who -- like many Indonesians -- goes by a single name, there was joy when he was reunited with his wife, Dewi, after 48 hours of fearing the worst as he searched hospitals and morgues. The 38-year-old civil servant struggled to keep his emotions in check as he told how the couple had been reunited two days after Dewi had been swept away by the tsunami. "I was so happy, so emotional -- thank god I could see her again," Azwan told AFP. But for some, the search yields only sorrow as they trudge around open-air morgues, where the dead lay in the baking sun -- waiting to be claimed, waiting to be named. The Committee of the Red Cross said it was working to reunite families who had become separated during the disaster and was providing "forensic services" to those carrying out the grim task of identifying victims. The Candler Concert Series brings international guests the Jerusalem Quartet to campus Oct. 10. The quartet will partner with husband-and-wife duo Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth for an evening of late Romantic works. Photo by Felix Broede. From jazz performances on Patterson Green to international music guests, Emorys October arts events take patrons outside the typical performance space and bring global voices to campus. Here are some of the highlights of arts events at Emory this month: Free films The Emory Film and Media Studies department continues its fall Film Cinematheque Series, Hitchcock/Hitchcockian, Wednesdays at 7:30 in 208 White Hall with Notorious (1943), a three-episode screening of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958). All screenings are free and open to the public. Multiple musical offerings Music at Emory brings audiences outdoors with free Jazz on the Green concerts on Oct. 4 and Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. on Patterson Green. The Candler Concert Series brings international guests the Jerusalem Quartet with Pinchas Zukerman and Amanda Forsyth to perform a redolent and dramatic evening of late Romantic works, including Strauss Capriccio and Tchaikovskys Souvenir de Florence, on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $70; Emory students $10. On Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m., Daniel Hope and Friends perform AirA Baroque Journey. Tickets are $50; Emory students $5. Both of these concerts are held in Emerson Concert Hall of the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. As part of the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta (ECMSA), virtuoso pianist and prize winner Momoro Ono will perform a free concert on Friday, Oct. 19, at noon in Ackerman Hall of the Carlos Museum. The ECMSAs Family Series features Just Jazzin Around on Sunday, Oct. 21, at 4 p.m., also in Ackerman Hall. On Saturday, Oct. 27, Emorys Vega String Quartet with pianist William Ransom, cellist Charae Kreuger and violinist Helen Kim will perform Best of Beethoven Concertgebouw Preview, a preview of chamber music they will perform in November in a debut concert at the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. The free concert is 8 p.m. in Emerson Concert Hall. The Department of Music continues its tradition of stellar Family Weekend concerts this year. On Saturday, Oct. 20, at 8 p.m., the Emory University Symphony Orchestra welcomes Schwartz Artists-In-Residence and Buenos Aires Tango musicians Sonia Possetti and Damian Bolotin to present an evening of Latin American orchestral works. On Sunday, Oct. 21, at 4 p.m., the Emory Wind Ensemble combines with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians Stuart Stephenson and Emily Brebach for an exciting afternoon of wind concerti. Rounding out the month for Music at Emory, the Emory University Chorus combines with the Emory Concert Choir and chamber orchestra to bring French composer Gabriel Faures Requiem to life in Sudden Light on Friday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. All of these concerts are free and will be held in Emerson Concert Hall. Theater and dance Theater Emory begins its Fall Repertory on Tuesday, Oct. 23, with The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity. Theater Emory presents three unique plays in rotating repertory through Nov. 11, with shows featuring professional Atlanta actors and Emory students. Tickets are $15 general admission, $12 discount categories and $5 students. Pay-what-you-wish nights are also held. Performances are held in the Mary Gray Munroe Theater. The Emory Dance Program welcomes New York City-based maker, teacher and performer Kendra Portier for an informal showing of her work on Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Portiers dance works evolve through her visual arts practice and transdisciplinary interests in mathematics, science, pedagogy and somatics. The showing, which is free, will be held in the Dance Studio of the Schwartz Center. Museum and literary events Join the Michael C. Carlos Museum on Sunday, Oct. 14, from 2-4 p.m. for a culinary exploration of vegetables native to the Americas in Cooking Class: Heirloom Beans with Rancho Gordo. The event is $15 for Carlos Museum members; $25 for nonmembers and registration is required by calling 404-727-6118. Continue to explore the Americas on Thursday, Oct. 18, from 7:30-8:30 p.m., when Megan ONeil, assistant professor of art history and curator of Art of the Americas, delivers a lecture titled Touch and Tactility in Maya Art. This lecture is free. Both events will be held in the Carlos Museums Ackerman Hall. The Creative Writing Program Reading Series 2018-2019 continues with The Phillis Wheatley Reading with poet Terrance Hayes on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 6:30 p.m. and a Colloquium with Terrance Hayes on Thursday, Oct. 25, at 2:30 p.m. The reading will be held in the Jones Room of the Woodruff Library and the colloquium in Room N301 of the Callaway Memorial Center. All events in the series are free. Days after being ordered to look into sexual misconduct allegations against US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the FBI has talked with his high school friend Mark Judge, but the interview is not complete, his attorney said on Monday. University professor Christine Blasey Ford has said Judge was a witness when Kavanaugh allegedly sexually assaulted her at a party in 1982 when they were high school students in Maryland. Judge has denied Ford's allegations. Kavanaugh has also denied her accusations as well as those of two other women, while accusing Democrats of a ... Elon Musks decision to settle fraud charges against him by paying a $20 million fine to the Securities and Exchange Commission and agreeing to step down as the chairman of Tesla, the company he co-founded is the best possible outcome for both investors in Tesla and anyone who cares about the future of electric vehicles. By giving up the chairmanship for three years, Mr Musk will have the chance to focus on some of the huge tasks still ahead for the company, particularly raising the financing to meet the companys looming debts. And the governance ... British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday unveiled a major post-Brexit overhaul of the UK's immigration system, which she said is aimed at a level playing field for nationals from all countries by ending "freedom of movement once and for all" for (EU) citizens. Indians may benefit from the new rules, which will focus on highly-skilled migration as opposed to low-skilled workers, but an added obligation on companies being required to sponsor families of such high-skilled professionals may prove a hurdle in the long term. ALSO READ: UK Brexit chief says leaving with no deal better than accepting EU rules "When we leave (the EU) we will bring in a new immigration system that ends freedom of movement once and for all. For the first time in decades, it will be this country that controls and chooses who we want to come here," May said in a statement. "It will be a skills-based system where it is workers' skills that matter, not where they come from. It will be a system that looks across the globe and attracts the people with the skills we need, she said. "The UK government said the new so-called skills-based system will make sure low-skilled immigration is brought down and set the UK on the path to reduce immigration to sustainable levels," a key manifesto pledge of the ruling Conservative Party. The new regime, details of which are yet to be fully specified, is expected to be in place by 2021 once the transition period for Britain's exit from the EU is complete. Under rules for skilled workers, applicants will continue to be required to meet a minimum salary threshold, which may be hiked further, and have their families sponsored by their future employers. "Successful applicants for high skilled work would be able to bring their immediate family but only if sponsored by their future employers," the government statement noted. There are also plans to introduce in-country security checks to be carried out to make operations faster at passport control at the borders, a similar system of prior authorisation currently operated by the US. This new swift system of e-gate visa checks for visitors coming into the UK on short-stay tourist or business trips will be limited to low risk countries, which is unlikely to include India. The proposals follow a crucial government-commissioned report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) last month, which had recommended that high-skilled workers must be given priority over visa applications from low-skilled workers. The report was based on an immigration policy that had a level playing field for EU nationals and applicants from other countries, proposals which were accepted by the UK Cabinet last week. A White Paper detailing exactly how the new system will work will be published in the coming weeks, ahead of a new Immigration Bill to be laid out before Parliament next year, the government said. The announcement was widely expected since the Migration Advisory Committee had called for an end to preferential access to EU workers after Brexit. Under the EU's current free movement rules, citizens from within the 28-member economic bloc have so far been able to enter the UK freely and look for work on arrival as opposed to strict visa norms that apply to non-EU workers from countries like India. The current cap on skilled workers is set at 20,700 per year for migrants from non-EU countries like India, something the committee had recommended should be done away with. However, whether this would ultimately benefit skilled professionals from countries like India will depend on the additional requirements imposed upon applicants and the UK-based companies seeking to employ them. UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid will lay out some of the contours of the new plans as part of his speech to the ongoing Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham later on Tuesday. The major immigration overhaul announcement is being seen as a counter-point to the arrival at the conference of the British PM's key Brexit rival, former foreign secretary Boris Johnson, who is due to make a speech attacking her strategy on negotiating an exit deal with the EU. The issue of migration continues to be a highly contentious one, with control over borders to end free movement of people from member-countries having played a crucial part in the campaign for leaving the EU in the June 2016 Brexit referendum. The winners of this years Nobel Prizes are being announced this week. The prizes are an opportunity to discover new areas of research and developments there that scientists consider particularly notable. In this endeavour, it is equally necessary to remember what the Nobel Prizes are not. For starters, the Nobel Prizes are not lenses through which to view all scientific pursuit. It is important for everyone scientists and non-scientists alike to not take the Nobel Prizes too seriously. The prizes have been awarded to white men from Europe and the US most ... North and South Korea have begun removing the landmines in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separates the two nations. According to Yonhap News Agency, the militaries of the neighbouring countries agreed to dismantle the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the DMZ and launch the landmine removal project where they plan to carry out a joint project to excavate Korean War remains next year. In a press release, the ministry said, "Regarding the landmine removal work as the starting point, the military authorities of the two Koreas will make joint efforts to ensure that their military agreement will be carried out systematically and normally." This comes after South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in for a summit following which the defence chiefs of the two nations signed an agreement to stop "all hostile acts" against each other, in order to remove the possibility of danger of war. The two Koreas and the UN Command (UNC) are speculated to launch trilateral consultations over several issues, such as how their troops will operate following their disarmament. Pakistan wants to build an oil refinery near the deep-water port of Gwadar to reduce petroleum product imports, a planning official said on Tuesday as the government hosted a Saudi delegation reported to be considering funding the project. Pakistan is also during the Saudi visit expected to seek financial assistance from its oil-rich ally to avoid another bailout by the International Monetary Fund amid a foreign currency crisis fuelled by a widening current accounts deficit. The government of new Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to turn the Chinese-funded Gwadar port into "an ... At least 10 more lions have died in Gujarat's Gir forest, taking the overall death toll to 21 since September 11, the forest department officials confirmed on Tuesday. An official from the Gir forest department revealed that 11 lion deaths were reported between September 11 and September 19, while 10 more big cats died in the next 10 days which means one death daily. Unidentified infection in liver and kidney and internal fights between the lions are stated to be the main cause of death of the lions. Junagadh chief conservator (wildlife) Dushyant Vasavda said, "The death cases are being looked into at the Institute of Virology and Veterinary College, Junagadh. Scientists from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Uttar Pradesh, have been called to look into the matter. Moreover, the Gujarat government is making arrangements for required medicines and vaccinations from America." He further said, "The deaths have been reported from Sarasiya area in Dalkhaniya range. Over 2000 forest department staff divided in 140 teams have checked 3,000 square kilometers of Gir area and found more than 700 healthy lions." Meanwhile, 31 lions have been kept under observation in Akandkar Jamwal Animal Care. Gir forest is the only natural habitat for the Asiatic lions. In 2015, a total of 523 lions were found in the forest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A five-member Rohingya family has been identified and taken into custody by Kerala police here on Tuesday. As per the preliminary probe, the family arrived from Hyderabad to Thiruvananthapuram last night. They spent the night in the railway station and travelled to Vizhinjam today in a rickshaw. They were searching for a rental house in Vizhinjam and reached a mosque in the vicinity. The five members have been identified as Sayub (36), his wife Safiya Kathum (29), his brother Irshad (27), Safiya's brother Anwar Shah (11) and her six-month-old baby Safiyan. United Nations (UN) refugee Identity cards were recovered from them. On September 30, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) had alerted the Kerala authorities to watch out for the movement of a large number of Rohingya refugees in groups with their families to Kerala. The RPF issued a warning with a list of 14 trains on which the refugees from Myanmar are mostly moving from northeastern states. In a letter sent by the Chief Security Commissioner of Southern Railway to the divisional security commissioners of Chennai, Madurai, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, and Trichy, the authorities have been asked to hand over the Rohingya refugees to the police if they are found travelling in trains. A large number of Rohingya refugees have taken shelter in India and Bangladesh, and are staying in refugee camps, fleeing persecution in their country since August last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A contract for the supply of five regiments of Russia's S-400 air defense missile systems to India worth USD 5 billion will be signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to India, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters on Tuesday. This comes a day after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin will address the issue of defense industry cooperation during his visit to India. "Putin will indeed visit India, an official visit of the President of Russia will take place. Indeed, a whole range of documents is expected to be signed, and indeed the issue of defense industry cooperation will be on the agenda. I cannot provide any further details," Peskov had told reporters on Monday. Elaborating further about the defense industry cooperation, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov talked about the S-400 Triumf system being the key feature of the visit. "The key feature of this visit will be the signing of a contract for the supply of the S-400 Triumf air defense missile system consisting of five regiments. The deal is worth over $5 billion," he said. "Certainly, special attention during the conversation in a narrow format will be paid to defense industry cooperation, which is one of the active components of our cooperation. The countries jointly develop and manufacture modern military products," he added. The Kremlin press service announced last week that the Russian president would pay an official visit to India on October 4 and 5. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday handed over a cheque worth Rs 40 lakh to the kin of Vivek Tiwari, who was allegedly shot dead by a police constable in Gomti Nagar area last week. Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) enacted the crime scene of the incident which led to the death of Tiwari, earlier in the day. The deceased's wife, Kalpana Tiwari, and the eyewitness in the case were present at the spot. The SIT took note of the details and are slated to analyse the data soon. "SIT, forensic experts, ballistic teams and everybody else from the team was at the spot. We recreated the crime scene. The forensic and ballistic teams have noted down what they needed. We will analyse all the aspects now," Lucknow Inspector General (IG) Sujit Kumar told reporters. Tiwari's postmortem report disclosed that he died due to a gunshot injury on the left side of his chin. Later, the eyewitness also said that the accused constable Prashant Chaudhary shot Tiwari from the front. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Related exhibit: She Gathers Me: Networks Among Black Women Writers Featuring Pearl Cleage, Tayari Jones and other contemporary black women writers Rose Library, Level 10 of Woodruff Library Closing Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018 bit.ly/she-gathers-me It was an evening of laughter, sisterhood and sound advice when authors Tayari Jones and Pearl Cleage sat down to discuss mentorship and writing before an appreciative crowd in the Cox Hall ballroom Sept. 27. SisterWriters: An Evening with Pearl Cleage and Tayari Jones was also streamed via Facebook Live. A New York Times best-selling author who joined the Emory creative writing faculty this fall, Jones is a graduate of Spelman College, where a creative writing class taught by Cleage a Spelman alumna and nationally recognized playwright, poet, novelist and social activist fostered a passion for writing that set the course for her career. Both are known for writing stories featuring strong African-American female characters set in Atlanta. Jones An American Marriage and Cleages "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day" (also a New York Times best-seller) were both Oprahs Book Club selections. Cleage, whose papers are housed at Emorys Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, has written 18 books and plays. Cleages collection also contains letters and postcards she and Jones exchanged over the years. With Rose Library instruction archivist Gabrielle Dudley moderating the conversation, Atlanta native Jones and Cleage, an Atlanta resident for more than 40 years, revealed they actually met years before their student-teacher relationship began: Cleage was friends with Jones parents. But Jones admitted she finagled her way into Cleages writing class on her own. The course was for upperclassmen, out of her reach at the time. I had always wanted to be a writer, and she was a writer. I decided I had no choice but to I think forge is too strong a word approximate the signature of my adviser, allowing me to take the class, Jones confessed as the audience laughed. Jones, who like Cleage sets her books in Atlanta, said shes often met with surprise that her narratives are not set in New York City or somewhere more cosmopolitan. I feel that Atlanta has more opportunity for black women than New York does, she said. Im also interested in how black people negotiate questions of class in the South, Jones added. I feel that black people have so much class mobility, particularly in the South, because of civil rights. My father literally picked cotton as a boy. Hes now in his 80s and he has a PhD. Just imagine what the class range is in the family. As the two talked about their mentorship-turned-friendship (theyve now been friends for about 30 years), Jones shared some of the many bits of the advice Cleage had given her over the years. Cleage said she was proud to be the first person to publish one of Jones short stories in a journal she edited and to pay her for her work. Pearl said, You want to be paid for your writing, but you dont want to have to write for money, Jones recalled. Taking care of each other The two authors talked about the supportive sisterhood of black women writers. Its also important, Cleage said, for women in general to encourage each other, to help and look out for each other, as SisterWriters do. Weve got to take care of each other, Cleage said. Knowing someone has eyes on you, who doesnt say, If her book does well, my book isnt going to do well. If she gets that job, I wont get that job Black women writers I know dont tend to do that. Throughout their conversation, Cleage and Jones had advice that resonated with the audience, applicable not just to writers but to those in any career. In addressing what advice she would give her younger self as a writer, Cleage recalled being so worried about whether she had something to say or whether she could compete with other writers. I think I would tell myself, Relax into what you are as early as you possibly can, Cleage said. Jones and Cleage showed warmth and encouragement toward the audience members who asked questions at the end of the program. Many wanted to share their appreciation for the authors stories or ask for advice about the writing and publishing process; Cleage urged one woman with questions about finding a publisher for her completed book to meet with her after the program and book signing. Those in attendance said they thoroughly enjoyed the event. When I first developed a love of reading, Pearls book What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day was the first book I read, said Nicole Randle, associate director of annual giving and donor engagement at Emory. And now that Ive picked up reading again, Tayari has been an inspiration as well. The opportunity to see them onstage together has been just great. It was an incredible event, said Jennifer Hobbs, vice provost and chief of staff for Provost Dwight A. McBride. I really enjoyed seeing one of our new faculty members welcome the community and talk about her relationship to her mentor. And the energy in the room, not just seeing the two of them together, but also the energy of everyone in attendance enjoying themselves, was wonderful. At least 13 people were killed and over 30 injured after a suicide bomber attacked an election rally here on Tuesday, the Provincial Public Health Director Najibullah Kamawal told TOLOnews. Provincial governor's spokesman Attaullah Khogyani said that a parliamentary candidate, Nasir Mohmand, had organised the rally to explain his plans to the people in Kama district when the suicide bomber struck. Sayed Humayoun, who was attending the meeting, told Al Jazeera, "Elders were speaking at the meeting when suddenly there was a huge blast. I was knocked unconscious but when I opened my eyes there were bodies scattered all around the blast area." Over 2,500 candidates will contest the parliamentary elections on October 20, which is being perceived as the "test-run" for Presidential election due next year. No party has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing attack so far. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On the occasion of the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said that the Father of the Nation inspired the world and that Andhra Pradesh is keenly focused on the Gandhian school of thought. "All villages must adopt Gandhian school of thought. Andhra Pradesh government is keenly focused on that. Gandhi ji not only inspired India, but the entire world. He fought the mighty British empire with non-violence. He inspired many world leaders," Naidu said. Naidu also paid tribute to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 114th birth anniversary. He said, "Lal Bahadur Shastri gave slogan of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. Both leaders (Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mahatma Gandhi) are great inspiration. They preached with a pure heart, we have to follow their spirit." Speaking on the government's mission for a cleaner India and the Swachh Bharat mission, Naidu said, "As a result of our efforts, Andhra Pradesh stood number one in south India in Swachh Sarvekshan 2018." "We started seven waste to energy plants. They will soon come into operations," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik quipped that unlike the Centre, his party believes in working for the welfare of the people by fulfilling the promises. While accusing the BJP of failing to carry out a single promise made in its election manifesto, Patnaik asserted, "We believe in deeds and not in mere words. For instance, our government came up with its own food security scheme as the Food Security Scheme (NFSA) was not at all effective for the people of this state. Our party workers will go from door to door and inform the people on how we have been neglected by the central government." Patnaik's tirade against the BJP, ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections, came at the flagging off event of the Biju Janata Dal's Jan Sampark Padayatra from Jharana Sahi in Bhubaneshwar. The party's month-long campaign will see party workers reaching out to people and sensitising them about the welfare schemes of the state government including the 'Ama Gaon, Ama Bikash', 'Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana' and the state's own food security mission. Prime Minister Modi during his visit to Odisha recently, slammed Patnaik for rejecting the Centre's flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme for the poor. He also alleged that a "PC" (percentage commission) culture had become synonymous with the state government. Patnaik, in retaliation, said the Prime Minister should address the spiraling rise of petrol and diesel prices in the country, which is adding to the woes of the common man in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Rajeev Chandrasekhar has appealed to the central government to honour former Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was arrested in an alleged spy scandal in 1994, with a Padma Award or a similar recognition. "I request the Government of India to: 1) To ensure that the process of justice is completed by pursuing those that are responsible and holding them to account; 2) To honour Narayanan's struggle - by a Padma Award for a similar recognition by Government of India that recognizes eventual triumph of good over evil," Chandrasekhar wrote in a letter. The BJP MP further stated that the arrest of Narayanan had "terrorized the entire ISRO community." "Regretfully, this is not just a case of a person being falsely accused in a case as stated by the Supreme Court of India, it is also about a brilliant scientist being humiliated, subjected to third degree torture at the behest of some Police officers, then apathetic government and its political conspiracy," Chandrasekhar wrote in his letter. "Nambi Narayanan was a senior scientist at the ISRO, in-charge of the cryogenics division, making rapid progress in the field of liquid technology - a key technology in rocket propulsion that is being deployed in GSLV. He was one of the chief architects of the 'Vikas' engine that is at the heart of India's rockets, the same ones that made missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan possible and which will be involved in many more space voyages in future. Vikram Sarabhai, the celebrated scientist and father of Indian Space, put his trust in Narayanan and sent him to Princeton University for higher studies on rocket propulsion," he added. Narayanan, who was arrested in 1994 for allegedly selling vital Indian space technology secrets to Pakistan, was charged with espionage. He was in kept in the police custody for 50 days. On September 14, the Supreme Court cleared him of spy charges and termed his arrest as "needless" and "unnecessary". It also announced setting up of a committee which would be headed by retired Supreme Court judge DK Jain to investigate into the role of Kerala police officials in the arrest of Narayanan. The apex court also directed the Kerala government to pay compensation of Rs 50 lakh to him. The Kerala government on September 27 decided to pay the compensation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police at Delhi- Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad used water cannons and fired teargas to disperse the agitating farmers who were marching towards the capital. The farmers, thousands in number, began their agitation on September 23 at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and were moving towards Delhi, many of them on foot, scores sitting atop tractors, buses and raising slogans. Their demands include- complete loan waiver, reduction in electricity tariff and pension to every farmer aged above 60. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the body which organised the mega march, expressed angst over police's use of force on the agitators. "Why have we been stopped here (at UP-Delhi border)? The rally was proceeding in a disciplined manner. If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?," said BKU president Naresh Tikait. Lending support to the agitation, called Kisan Kranti Padyatra, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the farmers should not be dissuaded from pressing their demands. "Delhi belongs to everyone. Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers and their demands," Kejriwal told ANI. Ahead of the mega rally, authorities had put strict arrangements in place to contain the situation. Security had been stepped up at the UP-Delhi border. Anticipating law and order problems, heavy police force had been deployed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American actor Emma Stone, recently, pulled back the curtain on her lifelong struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. In a recent interview for the Child Mind Institute, Stone discussed her first panic attack and how that "terrifying" moment repeated itself over the next few years, reported E!Online. The 'La La Land' star described her first attack when she was just 7-years-old. "After first grade before I went into second grade, I had my first panic attack. It was really terrifying," she said. "I was at a friend's house, and all of a sudden I was convinced the house was on fire and it was burning down. I was just sitting in her bedroom and obviously the house wasn't on fire, but there was nothing in me that didn't think we were going to die," she added. She mentioned that these occurrences happened constantly for over two years and how it made her school life difficult. She also explained that she went to the nurse's office every day in second grade and feigned sickness so she could call her mom and go home. After these incidents, the 'Maniac' star began attending therapy, where she was diagnosed with generalised anxiety and panic disorder. Stone also discussed how acting and improv helps her cope with anxiety and how "sharing" and "making mistakes is a big trigger of fear" for her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched a fresh tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the run-up to 2019 Lok Sabha elections while addressing a rally here on Tuesday. Rahul accused Prime Minister Modi of following the policy of dividing the people of the country on religion and caste lines, whereas Mahatma Gandhi emphasised on unity. "Wherever Modi goes, he spreads hate," Rahul said. The Gandhi scion further accused Prime Minister Modi of not only insulting Mahatma Gandhi but the entire nation when he made the remark in his speech on August 15 that India had remained 'virtually dormant' before 2014. Alleging crony capitalism in the Rafale deal, the Congress president said, "Modi snatched the Rafale contract from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and gave the contract to his friend Anil Ambani." According to him, Ambani took loans to the tune of Rs 45,000 crore from public sector banks yet the Rafale deal was bagged by his company. He also alleged that Ambani's company was incorporated just 10 days prior to the contract. "Anil had accompanied Modi during his visit to France as well. Ambani has made profits worth Rs 30,000 crore from the Rafale deal," claimed Rahul. While alleging that Prime Minister Modi has written off loans amounting to Rs 3,20,000 crore of the wealthy capitalists, he lamented farmers' current situation. "Modi does not waive the loans of poor farmers," he asserted while taking a dig at the Prime Minister. Accusing the Prime Minister of aiding capitalists to convert their black money during demonetisation, he said that Prime Minister Modi lied to the nation as he had failed to fulfill promises of a crackdown on black money stashed abroad, providing more employment opportunities to the youth and fetching the right price for farmers' produce. "The prices of pulses and crops have drastically decreased during the Modi regime," he said. Earlier Rahul along with party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia took out a padyatra after garlanding the statue of Mahatma Gandhi near the Collector's Office in Wardha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brushing aside the Congress' allegation, Gujarat government has said that it did not spend money on the GIFT City project in the state except the equity of Rs 32.5 crore. Earlier, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had alleged that in 2007 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, debt-ridden Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited's (IL&FS) group was given the "GIFT City project worth Rs 70,000 crore". He also alleged that now in 2018, Prime Minister Modi is letting the firm get a bailout from the Rs 91,000 crore default, using funds from the State Bank of India (SBI) and Life Insurance Company (LIC). Rejecting these allegations, the Gujarat government, in a statement, clarified: "The state government envisaged the GIFT City in 2006-07 wherein several financial companies were invited to express their interest in the same. At the end, IL&FS was chosen as a Joint Venture partner with a wholly owned company of Government of Gujarat i.e. Gujarat Urban Development Corporation (GUDC) on a 50:50 basis. The IL&FS was one of the best companies available in the infrastructure finance space with a good track record behind them. It was a widely held company in which single largest majority holding was also owned by Government of India entities such as LIC, SBI etc." The state government further said that it is baseless to say that Rs 70,000 crore worth of project (GIFT City) has been handed-over to IL&FS, adding, "in all the phases of GIFT City development, only Rs 10,000 crore is projected to be spent on entire infrastructure development." "Not even a rupee in this project was invested by Government of Gujarat except the equity of Rs. 32.5 crore. The amount of Rs. 60,000 crore was envisaged to be brought in/invested by various private companies which would be located in GIFT City project in the coming period of 15-20 years," the statement further read. "The GIFT City Company (GIFTCL) was incorporated on June 21, 2007 in which, both IL&FS and GUDC contributed 50:50 equity of Rs 32.50 crore each in the JV and a government land of 662 acres was given by Government of Gujarat to GIFTCL and GIFT SEZ with the conditions that the entire development of infrastructure in the GIFT city will be done by the company out of the proceeds of the development rights sold in the city to private developers," it added. "To say that there is any fraud committed in this project by Government of Gujarat is completely malicious and far away from the truth," the statement concluded. This comes after the Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) permitted a six-member panel comprising government-nominated individuals to supersede the IL&FSboard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], Oct 2 (ANI): Acquitting rape accused individuals merely because the victim turned hostile and failed to identify him in the dock, would indeed be a "travesty of justice", the Supreme Court said while affirming the conviction of a rape accused. A bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Navin Sinha and Justice KM Joseph opined that neither the accused nor the victim can be permitted to subvert a criminal trial by stating falsehood and resort to contrivances, so as to make it the "theatre of the absurd". Dispensation of justice in a criminal trial is a "serious matter" and "cannot be allowed to become a mockery" by simply allowing prime witnesses to turn hostile as a ground for acquittal, the top court said. The apex court while upholding the Gujarat High Court judgement sentencing one Hemudan Nanbha Gadhvi to 10 years in jail for raping a nine-year-old girl in 2004 relied on the medical report of the victim which confirmed the sexual assault. The victim's mother had lodged a complaint with the police and the girl had identified the accused during the Test Identification Parade (TIP). However, a trial court acquitted Gadhvi after the victim turned hostile. Later, the High Court convicted him saying her deposition was recorded six months after the incident and accused had sufficient time to settle the issue. "If the medical evidence had not confirmed sexual assault on the prosecutrix (victim), the TIP and identification therein were doubtful, corroborative evidence was not available, entirely different considerations may have arisen," said the apex court. "It would indeed be a travesty of justice in the peculiar facts of the present case if the appellant (accused) were to be acquitted merely because the prosecutrix (victim) turned hostile and failed to identify the appellant in the dock, in view of the other overwhelming evidence available," it said. On the issue of the victim turning hostile during the trial, the top court said that this was an appropriate case to direct the prosecution of the victim for tendering false evidence. However, the bench refrained itself from doing so considering that the victim was barely nine years old at the time of the incident which happened 14 years ago. "She may have since been married and settled to a new life, all of which may possibly be jeopardised, we refrain from directing her prosecution, which we were otherwise inclined to order," the apex court said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defending the United States Supreme Court Judge Nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford, US President Donald Trump said that "he doesn't think that Kavanaugh lied in his testimony. Addressing a press briefing over the newly-signed trilateral trade deal, United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), "Kavanaugh did not lie in his testimony under oath when questioned if he would pull the plug on his nomination if it was found otherwise. "I don't think he lied about his drinking.I watched the testimony and I watched a man saying that he did have difficulty as a young man with drink and nobody asked if he had a problem in last 20 years," he added. "He was very strong on the fact that he drank a lot, so I don't see where they would find a discrepancy," Trump said. The US President further said Kavanaugh should be interviewed by the FBI if need be. On September 28, Trump ordered the FBI to conduct a supplemental investigation into Kavanaugh over Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault allegation. It also came to light on Sunday that the probe conducted by FBI is being controlled by the White House. Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, had alleged that Kavanaugh had assaulted her during a party in the 1980s when they were both in high school. She had accused Kavanaugh of groping her and attempting to remove her clothes. Kavanaugh, however, denied all the allegations during his testimony on Saturday, saying that his reputation and that of his family has been "totally and permanently destroyed". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, on Tuesday said that no illegal procurement of Voter-ID cards by Rohingya refugees will be allowed by the government. Replying to a question on the alleged illegal procurement of various Indian identification cards such as Voter-ID and Aadhaar card, Rijiju said, "If anyone has procured Voter ID card illegally, action will be taken. It will be detected. The situation is not like before. Our government is strictly monitoring the situation. Action will be taken against any person who procures Voter ID or any other document by illegal means." Responding to West Bengal Minister Purnendu Basu's claim of the Dum Dum Nagar Bazar blast being similar to the ones orchestrated by the RSS, Rijiju said, "They keep making statements like these. They speak so because of political reasons." Rijiju also said that the activists who are under house arrest in connection with the Bhima Koregaon case need to be explained that sloganeering against the country while being a part of the same country is not right. "Having an anti- ideology is not the right thing," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday opined that India needs to support Bangladesh much more and put pressure on Myanmar to ease the Rohingya crisis. The UNSG, while delivering a public lecture on Global Solutions, Global Challenges in the capital, while responding to a question on Rohingya refugees, said: "I have not seen any community as discriminated as the Rohingya. Deep-rooted racism in Buddhist Myanmar society. The way Rohingya is treated by extremism and armed forces was brutal and it is not acceptable. India needs to support Bangladesh much more and put pressure on Myanmar to ease the worst humanitarian crisis I have ever seen." On being asked about the definition of terrorism, Guterres, who is on his maiden visit to India, accepted that the United Nations has not been able to define terrorism. "There is no agreement on the definition of terrorism. It's not so dramatic because there are a number of tools and instruments working on that. But the problem with the definition of terrorism is that there are several complexities involved. It is true, we never managed to have it and we never managed to have a true convention because of the definition." During the event, on being questioned about the stand of the United Nations on the issue of terrorism, Guterres said that the organisation has created an office of counter-terrorism in the secretariat and also launched a programme not only on counter-terrorism but also on the prevention of violent extremism. "We have just created an office of counter-terrorism in the secretariat. We have launched a programme not only on counter-terrorism but also on the prevention of violent extremism. We now have a center of coordination where 38 agencies deal with that to be much effective to deal with the member states, and we are putting more and more agenda of terrorism in the Security Council," he said. Guterres continued, "It's clear that we are totally committed to it. But it's also clear that today terrorism became a major problem because we have more and more conflicts interlinked, and more and more conflicts linked to terrorism. Then you have a number of situations in which discrimination, unresolved problems facilitates the work of terrorists. India has been in the frontline of supporting this, and we fully support India in this regard." He also lauded India for its role in working towards multilateral architecture to climate change initiatives, adding that India is an absolutely essential component of a multi-polar world. "It is essential to create factors of equilibrium to create a multi-polar world and for that, no country is in a better place than India due to its dimension, technological capacity, geo-strategic location. India is an absolutely essential component of the future multi-polar world," he said. Acknowledging the threat posed climate change, the UNSG, when asked why superpower countries like the United States are not agreeing to reduce their carbon emission even when this means submerging of many small island countries into the sea, said that the power relations are unequal in the world and superpower countries tend to abuse their powers. "Power relations are unequal and the superpower countries tend to abuse their powers. They use their powers to their own benefits, forgetting that sometimes the risks suffer will later. sooner or later will become their own risks. If you look at the wildfire in California, you see that the United States, a superpower country, is already paying a heavy price for climate change. And my hope is that the civil society, the businesses community, the cities that in the United States are showing that enormous dynamism will be able one day to make the US political power understands that climate change is a matter for the survival of everyone, including the United States themselves." Guterres is on a three-day visit to India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death toll in the earthquake and tsunami that struck Indonesia's Sulawesi islands rose to 1,234 on Tuesday. Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) released the latest figure of casualties, according to a report by Al Jazeera. This comes two days after the BNPB said that the death had hit 832. The agency has also confirmed that over 500 people have been injured, while 16,372 have been displaced due to the calamity. The Indonesian island of Sulawesi was struck by 2 powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.7 and 6.1 on the Richter scale, and a tsunami on Friday which has led to a multitudinous loss of human lives and widespread displacement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured the Indonesian President Joko Widodo of all possible help, while three vessels and two aircrafts carrying relief material have been dispatched by the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France has revealed that Iran's intelligence ministry, which is controlled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered an attack on an exiled Iranian opposition group's rally near Paris in June. "Behind all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our (intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the intelligence ministry," a French diplomatic source told Arab News. The source further said that Deputy Minister And Director General of Intelligence Saeid Hashemi Moghadam had ordered the foiled attack. However, Iran denied France's accusations that one of its diplomats was involved in the alleged bombing. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest and call for his immediate release," the foreign affairs ministry said in its statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior judge of the Supreme Court, Madan Bhimarao Lokur, is now the Executive Chairman of the Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA). President Ramnath Kovind nominated Justice Lokur to the post. He was one of the four senior judges of the Supreme Court, who on January 12 this year, held a first-of-its-kind press conference and said that the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less desirable things" have taken place. Justice Lokur will take the charge as NALSA's Executive Chairman on October 3. Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who is set to become the head of the apex court, is the outgoing chairman of the NALSA. The Ministry of Law and Justice in a statement said, "In exercise of the power conferred under Clause (b) of sub-section (2) of Section 3 of the Legal Authorities Act, 1987, the President is pleased to nominate Hon'ble Shri Justice Madan B. Lokur, Judge, Supreme Court of India, as Executive Chairman, Legal Services Authority, with effect from October 3, 2018." The NALSA, the chairman of which is the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, ensures speedy disposal of cases. Its prime objectives also include reducing the burden of the judiciary and providing free legal services to marginalised and disadvantaged. The legal body also organises Lok Adalats for speedy resolution of cases. Sixty-four-year-old Justice Lokur is an alumnus of Delhi's Moden School and St. Stephen's College. Enrolled as an Advocate in 1977, he has vast experience in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional, Revenue and Service laws. He got enrolled as an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court in 1981. Justice Lokur served as the Additional Solicitor General of India from July 1998 to February 1999, when he became an Additional Judge of Delhi High Court on 19th February 1999. He also functioned as Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court from June 2010 to November 2011 and then as the Chief Justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court. During his stint with the Andhra Pradesh High Court, in May 2012, he reportedly struck down the central government's decision to allocate 4.5% sub-quota, within the 27% Other Backward Classes quota, for minorities. He was appointed as Judge of the Supreme Court in June 2012. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Minister for Social Welfare Priyank Kharge has requested Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to announce five-day work week for all the state government employees. "It'll be good if five days week can be considered, it will boost the work capacity of the state government employees," Kharge stated in the letter. Kharge added that he got the same demand from many of the state government employees. He wrote the letter to the Chief Minister on August 29, however, it came out in media on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following a day-long agitation, the Delhi Police late on Tuesday night opened the barricades at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border allowing the entrance of farmers, who were stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. The farmers are now heading towards Kisan Ghat, the memorial of Chaudhary Charan Singh, a renowned farmer leader. On Tuesday, the protesting farmers were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border by the Delhi Police. The police also used water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. Thousands of farmers have been agitating as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union protest to demand loan waiver, reduction in electricity tariff and pension for farmers aged above 60. The yatra began on September 23 from Haridwar with score of farmers from Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur participating in the protest march. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of the ongoing farmers' agitation, all schools and colleges in Ghaziabad will remain closed on Wednesday as a preventive measure. This comes after agitating farmers, who were marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) protest, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border earlier in the day with the police using water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse them. Meanwhile, a Rapid Action Force team arrived at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border, where farmers have halted during the agitation. Thousands of farmers began their agitation on September 23 at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and marched towards New Delhi, many of them on foot and scores sitting atop tractors, buses and raising slogans. Their demands include complete loan waiver, reduction in electricity tariff and pension to every farmer aged above 60. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Continuing the celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, Missions abroad will highlight the relevance of Gandhi by projecting his message in the form of an LED video to be displayed on iconic buildings in these countries. More than 120 locations have been identified to execute the LED projection, including iconic locations like Piccadilly Circus in London, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Welt Museum in Vienna, Buda Castle in Budapest, Palazzo Senatorio in Rome, Prambanan Temple in Indonesia, and Museo de Arte in Peru, among others, in the evening of October 2. The projections showcase the relevance of Gandhi's life and philosophy in the present day and his ability to inspire the present generation. The film consists of key moments taken from Gandhi's life- his quotes, everyday sayings, discourses and initiatives- presented in a visual narrative using line-art style of hand drawn illustrations layered with water colour and ink wash that symbolise and represent the simplicity that was Gandhi's life and his teachings. The illustrations seamlessly transition in a thread-like fashion, shaping different scenes, giving a visual meaning to the lesson or initiative showcased in the narrative. In Nepal, the celebrations were commemorated with an LED projection depicting life events of Gandhi at the front facade of Rashtriya Sabha Griha, Bhrikuti Mandap, where the Kathmandu Metropolitan City had hosted a Civic Reception for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to Nepal in May this year. The LED projection here included slides of important life events of Gandhi, depicting the philosophy of non-violence and inclusive society. The event was inaugurated by Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Nepal, Ishwar Pokhrel, in the presence of India's Ambassador to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri, and other eminent individuals. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tanushree Dutta, who was allegedly attacked by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) party workers on the sets of 'Horn OK Pleassss' in 2008, has talked about the political party's involvement in the case. In a recent statement, she compared MNS with terrorist organisations Al-Qaeda and ISIS. "MNS is not just a party but an ideology like Al-Qaeda or ISIS...they are a violent disruptive communal, intolerant ideology and anyone from any profession can pledge allegiance to it," said Tanushree. She also said that Nana Patekar tried to 'cover up' the attack with a 'lie.' "There was a lie that was spun by the four culprits; Nana (Patekar), Ganesh Acharya, director Rakesh Sarang and Producer Sami Siddique as well as their supporters on set and outside the set- the MNS party, who were called to mob-attack me." "The lie was that someone from our side did something to instigate that attack and that it was an altercation between us and media. It was a lie to cover up and justify the heinous nature of the attack." The actor further said that the "lie is still being perpetrated" and urged everyone to not fall for it and get distracted. Tanushree has accused Patekar of harassing her, while she was shooting for a special song for the 2008 film 'Horn 'Ok' Pleassss'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Voters in Okinawa have chosen Denny Tamaki as their next governor. The former Lower House lawmaker has won Sunday's election. Tamaki opposes the central government's plan to move a US military base within the prefecture. During the campaign, Tamaki said he would continue to oppose the central government's plan to relocate the US Futenma air station. That was what the late governor Takeshi Onaga fought for until his death in August. Tamaki says no new bases should be built in Okinawa. He is backed by national opposition parties that supported Onaga. Tamaki's main opponent, Atsushi Sakima, was backed by the ruling coalition. Tamaki has proposed making Okinawa an Asian hub for culture, technology, and other fields as a way to improve the economy. Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh has said that the state government's 'Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestham' scheme is aimed at creating more employable youth. "The Andhra Pradesh government will tomorrow (Tuesday) start dispersing funds of the monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 to the eligible jobless youth of the state as a part of 'Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestham' scheme," Lokesh told ANI on Monday. "The scheme aims at creating more employable youth. We have recognised 10 lakh unemployed youth in the state and out of them, 5.60,000 have applied and 2,80,000 applications have been verified," Lokesh added. Earlier on September 12, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said that the scheme's major motive is to empower the youth by providing skill development, self-employment opportunities and use the youth power for the development of an economy. "The state government has been providing skill development training to 10 lakh youth and providing employment opportunities to them. He said 260 training partners were appointed to train and provide employment opportunities to youth. The training partners were appointed from Singapore, Germany and UK too," Naidu said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lashing out at the government for stopping the farmers' rally from entering the capital, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Centre of being anti-farmers. Speaking to ANI, Yechury said, "It reconfirms the fact that Modi government is anti-farmers. Instead of providing relief to the farmers, they are exasperating the crisis, further forcing farmers to be under debt burden and distress suicides. We have not seen such an agrarian distress in India since Independence." Reiterating Yechury's sentiments, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala likened Prime Minister Modi-led government with the pre-independence British government in India. "On the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Modi government has shown that they are no different from the pre-independence British government in India. The British government then used to exploit the farmers and today, Modi government is firing tear gas shells at farmers," Surjewala said. Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav also backed the farmers and launched an attack on the Centre, saying, "This government has not fulfilled the promises it made to the farmers, so it is all but natural that farmers would protest. It is unfortunate and we fully support the farmers." The police at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad used water cannons and fired tear gas to disperse the agitating farmers who were marching towards the capital. The farmers, thousands in number, began their agitation on September 23 at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and were moving towards New Delhi, many of them on foot and scores sitting atop tractors, buses and raising slogans. Their demands include complete loan waiver, reduction in electricity tariff and pension to every farmer aged above 60. The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), the body which organised the mega-march, expressed angst over police's use of force on the agitators. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Anger against local government and Islamabad has snowballed into a simmering outrage in the Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). A large number of residents carried out a protest march and shouted slogans against Pakistan and China, accusing them of looting their resources. The locals are deprived of even drinking water as the River Neelum is drying up due to the construction of a dam. The locals, led by traders and activists, carried out protests and a shutter down strike against the administration, which, they claim, has acted against the interest of the common people. Demonstrations, strikes, and protests have, however, become a part of the PoK's political circuit but have remained unsuccessful at forging anything concrete for the people of the region. Dejected with just sympathies given by the administration, activists say they are mulling over knocking at the doors of international organisations. A local activist, in his speech, said, "It is futile to demand your rights from a toothless government. How long are we going to demand our rights from the Pakistan government? If we do not get a satisfactory response here then we will go to an international forum. It is a matter of our life. Similar protests took place in front of UNHRC in Geneva and Pakistan High Commission in London as well. People from London are also part of our committee and have been supporting us." "I request you to consider it as your personal matter. This issue is of all. If somebody believes that life is possible in Muzaffarabad even after the water of Neelum is controlled or stopped then he is living in a fool's paradise," he added. Islamabad has, for years, been plundering the resources of the occupied territory and filling its coffers, leaving people reeling from abject poverty. Since the advent of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Islamabad has stepped up its devious activities of grabbing the land and resources of PoK. Locals say Islamabad is exploiting them to please its Chinese masters. Pakistan, which claims to have given autonomous rights to PoK has, in reality, treated it as its colony with no honour being accorded to its elected assembly. Addressing the protestors, another activist said, "A conspiracy has been hatched to destroy Muzaffarabad. First, they destroyed Muzaffarabad by not signing any agreement and then they made us realize that PoK assembly has no power and reputation. Here, the Prime Minister announces that a certain project will not be built. A local MLA also reinforces his decision and what we see is that the project gets inaugurated in the next 24 hours". Ever since the construction of the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, the River Neelum, passing through Muzaffarabad, appears as a storm-water drain filled with sewage waste. The project, which was built in the pretext of bringing prosperity, has deeply affected the lives of common people, with many of them forced to migrate to other places in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 19th India-Russia bilateral annual summit, slated to begin on October 5 in New Delhi, is likely to witness the signing of crucial energy deals by the two sides. As a consequence, the share of Indian firms in Russia's oil and gas sector will see a significant increase. The Indian government has been encouraging state-owned firms to purchase stakes in conventional Russian gas fields, including older investments in Sakhalin. The Indian investment in Russia's oil and gas sector exceeds USD 10 billion. Industry sources told Sputnik that India's state-owned ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) may sign a pact with Gazprom during the summit. "ONGC Videsh is taking its investment in Russia to another level. We expect a joint development project with Russian Gazprom on the shelf of the Pechora and Okhotsk seas in Russia," the source said. OVL already has stakes in three operational projects in Russia that amounted to 56 per cent of OVL's total overseas production in the financial year ending March 2018. OVL has 41 projects globally with a strong exploration and production presence across 20 countries outside India. Meanwhile, some other Indian state-owned firms have exhibited interest in purchasing equity in the Yamal Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project and have identified some other areas for joint development. On September 13 of this year, India's Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that the country's energy companies were looking to invest in more oil and gas projects in Russia. "Russian supplies will help us in meeting the objectives of price stability and energy security. Our oil and gas PSUs (public sector undertakings) are continuing to explore their participation in more oil and gas projects in Russia," India's oil minister had said while addressing an event in New Delhi on September 13. Last year, a consortium led by Indian Oil bought a 23.9 per cent stake in Vankorneft, a subsidiary of Rosneft, as well as a 29.9 percent interest in Taas-Yuryakh Neftegazodobycha. In addition, a Russian-led consortium has committed an investment of USD 13 billion in India's Essar Oil. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Authorities in Bihar's Kaimur district have blamed rats for gulping down seized liquor. The incident reportedly came to light yesterday when the authorities in the district opened the storeroom to destroy a total of 11,584 bottles seized during the raids in the past two years. "The beer cans seem to have been destroyed by rats. We saw big holes on the bottle caps when we opened the cartons," informed local sub-divisional magistrate Kumari Anupama. During the verification of liquor stocks, it was found that the beer cans were empty with big holes visible in their caps. As per reports, in May 2017, the rats had been blamed for consuming several thousand litres of seized alcohol, after the confiscated bottles, had gone missing from the storerooms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 17th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government Council will be held on October 11-12 in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, Rashid Alimov, the SCO secretary-general, said in an interview with Sputnik. "The 17th meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council will be held on October 11-12, 2018, in Dushanbe," Alimov said. He added that the preparation for the meeting had already reached the finishing line, as work on drafting the documents, set to be signed during the meeting, was being finished. According to Alimov, these documents are related, among other things, to the financial area, and to the development of economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. "The heads of governments' discussion will have a primary focus on the implementation of the tasks which the SCO heads of states had set," Alimov said. SCO is also currently reviewing a number of applications from other countries who want to join the bloc in various statuses, Alimov revealed. "There are a few applications from countries seeking SCO membership in different statuses, starting from that of a dialogue partner to permanent member," Alimov said, asked about the bloc's expansion. Meanwhile, the official clarified that getting more members should not be the sole objective, suggesting that expansion should be coupled with better quality of cooperation. According to Alimov, the organization has noted the negative and biased assessments from some experts who consider it an anti-West bloc. "We see that [criticism], but most of the time we do not respond to such nonsense, and the [organization] moves on in accordance with its own development strategy that was adopted at the 2015 Ufa summit," Alimov added. The organization is committed to globalization, mutually beneficial partnerships and diplomatic settlement, the official concluded. In June, the Chinese city of Qingdao hosted a meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council. The meeting resulted in a number of documents being signed, including the Program of Cooperation between the SCO Member States in Opposing Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2019-2021; the Plan of Action for 2018-2022 on the implementation of the Treaty on Long-Term Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between SCO Member State; and the Program of Action, aimed at implementing the SCO Antidrug Strategy. The SCO is an intergovernmental international organization comprising China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan as full members, and Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia as observers. The SCO states cooperate on a number of issues, including the economy, security, culture and science. While the Heads of State Council annual meetings are focused on adopting guidelines on the important areas of SCO cooperation, the heads of government discuss the cooperation strategy, resolve pressing issues and approve the annual budget during their annual meetings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday reiterated that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's statement at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was a "campaign speech", adding that Swaraj was busy sloganeering for her party at the UN. Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said "The Foreign Minister of India stands on UN General Assembly platform and delivers a speech that is not even aimed at the audience of international diplomats. She speaks in Hindi on a BJP campaigned theme to her voters back home rather than to an international audience. She mentioned Narendra Modi ten times and India only five times." "She gives one BJP slogan one after the other or one scheme after the other about the Prime Minister's great vision for the nation as if she is seeking. There's nobody sitting in the UN General Assembly who is going to vote for her. These were all pitched at the audience back in India," he added. The BJP, in retaliation to Tharoor's remark on Swaraj, had on Monday accused the former of singing in the same tune as Pakistan. The party also said that it is becoming increasingly clear that both Congress and Pakistan are "talking in the same tone." In response to the BJP, Tharoor said "I find it quite amusing that the BJP would dare to criticise me for pointing out the obvious. I put it in very mild terms that I am disappointed that she used the UN General Assembly platform for a campaign speech to advance the interest of her party. What the foreign minister has done is truly disappointing for any patriotic Indian who wants to see the interest of the Indian nation projected abroad and not of one particular political party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Army is looking to procure 1,770 multipurpose future ready combat vehicles (FRCV) to replace the aging force of T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs). Russia's T-14 Armata FRCV is a key contender for the deal that is likely to be priced at over USD 4.5 billion. This development came after Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat started his six-day visit to Russia on Monday, in what is being seen as an attempt to lend impetus to the bilateral strategic partnership. The visit coincides with a bilateral annual summit scheduled for October 5 in New Delhi during which defence deals worth over USD 10 billion are likely to be signed. The Indian military delegation led by General Rawat is scheduled to meet the top brass of the Russian Armed Forces and key military formations and establishments. Russia's T-14 Armata FRCV is likely to figure in the discussions between the two militaries. A statement by the Indian Defence Ministry read, "The visit is yet another milestone in giving impetus to the strategic partnership between India and Russia and taking forward the military to military cooperation to the next level." Besides visiting the Mikhailovskaya Artillery Military Academy, the Headquarters of Western Military District in St. Petersburg and General Staff Academy, the Indian delegation will visit the headquarters of a motorised rifle division in Moscow. The procurement process for FRCVs was initiated by the Indian Army in November 2017 as part of a plan to induct hundreds of armoured vehicles similar to the Russian T-14 Armata, Ukrainian Oplot, and South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tanks. According to the proposed procurement plan, the FRCVs will be manufactured in India by a private company in collaboration with the overseas original equipment manufacturer. General Rawat is also likely to discuss the maintenance and lifecycle support of Russian-made military platforms in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on Tuesday announced that the Nobel Prize in Physics, 2018, will be shared among three scientists, one each from United States of America (USA), Canada and France, for "groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics". While one half of the prize money, 9 million Swedish Krona, will go to Arthur Ashkin, the other half will be jointly shared by Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland. Arthur Ashkin from Bell Laboratories, USA, was lauded for his invention of optical tweezers that grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells with their laser beam fingers. This new tool paved the way to use radiation pressure of light to move physical objects. Meanwhile, Gerard Mourou from Ecole Polytechnique, France, and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA together with Donna Strickland from the University of Waterloo, Canada were appreciated for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses. Donna Strickland is the third woman to win a Nobel Prize in Physics. It is after 55 years that a woman has won the coveted honour as Maria Goeppert Mayer shared accolade in 1963 prize for discoveries about the nucleus of atoms. Elaborating about the contribution of the recipients to the field of Physics, the Academy's press release read, "Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind. Their revolutionary article was published in 1985 and was the foundation of Strickland's doctoral thesis." Arthur Ashkin was born 1922 in New York and did his PhD from Cornell University in 1952. Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland were born in Albertville, France and Guelph, Canada, respectively. Mourou did his PhD in 1973 whereas Strickland was awarded PhD from the University of Rochester in 1989. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, founded in 1739, is an independent organisation whose overall objective is to promote scientists and strengthen their influence in society. The Academy takes special responsibility for the natural sciences and mathematics, but endeavours to promote the exchange of ideas between various disciplines. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The commandant of VCG, Major General Nguyen Van Son, and ICG Inspector General Paramesh Sivamani (East) welcomed the visiting ship which traversed a distance of 3,575 nautical miles from its base port Hanoi in Vietnam. A six-member delegation, headed by the commandant of VCG, also arrived in Chennai for interaction with ICG and to witness joint exercise and various events organised between the two maritime forces. The ICG Inspector General said, "Under MoU signed in 2015, the ICG and VCG got into a collaborative arrangement in which ship visits have been institutionalised and so have the high-level meetings. The delegation arrived at Chennai last night and today they will be interacting with the Indian Coast Guard. They will also be visiting Kattupalli shipyard where ship guard is building ships for the VCG." During the stay, ICG and VCG ship will take part in Indo -Vietnam joint exercise Sathyog - Hop Tac 3028 in Chennai on October 4 to promote interoperability between the two maritime forces. A total of three ships, one helicopter, one Dornier from ICG and visiting ship of Vietnam Coast Guard will participate in the joint exercise. "Tomorrow, we will be having an interaction at the regional headquarters and showing our capabilities with respect to maritime rescue coordination centre and the regional operating centre for the coastal security network. During the joint exercise, we will be exercising measures of anti-piracy, search and rescue, pollution control and fire fighting," Paramesh added. This visit will strengthen cooperation and address maritime security threats including illegal fishing, human trafficking, drug and firearms. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar's government launched a one-year visa-free program for Japanese and South Korean tourists Monday, in a bid to attract more visitors. The visa exemption is available for entry at airports in Naypyitaw, the capital of the Southeast Asian country, Yangon, the country's biggest city, and Mandalay, the second-biggest city, as well as the Yangon port and four checkpoints at borders with Thailand. Under the program, visitors are allowed to stay for up to 30 days. No extension is permitted. The government previously planned to make it mandatory for applicants of the exemption to show 1,000 dollars in cash and a return plane ticket. But the government scrapped the plan apparently because tourists include those who enter and leave the country by surface and credit card users who do not carry much cash. An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rocked Sumba island of Indonesia on Tuesday, barely four days after a 7.5 magnitude quake hit its Sulawesi island triggering a tsunami and killing 832 people. No tsunami alert was issued on Tuesday and there was no report of damages so far, an official said. The meteorology and geophysics agency said the quake hit at 7.16 a.m. at a depth of 10 km under the seabed with its epicentre 66 km southwest Sumba Timur. Spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua that the quake triggered panic but did not result in damages. Indonesia sits on a vulnerable quake-stricken areas called the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to earthquakes. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the past two and half years, more than 1.61 lakh persons have been arrested for violating the liquor ban imposed by the Bihar government but only 141 have been sentenced so far, an Excise and Prohibition Department official said on Tuesday. More than 1.33 lakh cases in connection with violation of the prohibition have been recorded since the ban was imposed in Bihar by Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United government on April 5, 2016. The police have conducted raids on over 4 lakh locations while the Excise Department conducted raids on more than 2 lakh locations and seized over 16 lakh litres of foreign-made liquor and nine lakh litres of country-made liquor. Besides, police have seized thousands of litres of spirit and hundreds of beer bottles during the raids. "The law enforcement agencies have been directed to act tough against violators," Kumar said. In July 2017, Bihar Assembly passed amendments to the prohibition law to curb its misuse. --IANS ik/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Theresa May to abandon her Brexit plan for a future trading deal with the EU. His remarks came one day ahead of the long-expected speech of the Prime Minister at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, Xinhua news agency reported. Calling May's plan, also known as the Chequers Plan, a "cheat", Johnson said: "If we cheat the electorate (with the plan), we will escalate the sense of mistrust." "We will give credence to those who cry betrayal and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far right," said one-time London Mayor Johnson who is regarded as one of the leading critics of May's Brexit plan. He also said that if the country bottled Brexit now, the people will find it hard to forgive. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An eight-year-old boy was killed and at least nine persons were injured when a crude bomb exploded in Dumdum in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday, police said. Deceased boy Bibhash Gosh's mother was among those injured who were admitted to state-run SSKM Hospital. The blast around 9 a.m. outside a shop in Nagerbazar area ripped through nearby shops, shattered windowpanes of houses and damaged a walkway, eyewitnesses said. Ruling Trinamool Congress and opposition Bharatiya Janata Party blamed each other for the blast. "A large explosion took place outside the shop in Nagerbazar area. According to our probe so far, low-intensity socket bombs were used," Barrackpore Police Commissioner Rajesh Kumar Singh said. "More explosives were used to magnify the effects of the low-intensity crude bombs -- parts of which ricocheted off the concrete floor and hit a terrace, causing the blast impact to double. "Eight-year-old Bibhash Gosh was among the injured. He succumbed to injuries at the hospital," he said. The police officer said: "We are investigating. A bomb squad of Criminal Investigation Department visited the spot. Several items, including a bag, were seized from the spot and sent for forensic tests. We are still trying to find out the type of explosive used." Local Trinamool Congress leader and South Dumdum Municipality Chairman Panchu Gopal Roy, who often comes to a tea stall adjacent to the blast spot to interact with fellow party workers, claimed that the blast was targeted at him. "I think they tried to target me. Today is October 2, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. We all know which group was involved in Gandhiji's killing. I will not be surprised if that same group is involved in this blast," he said. Food Minister and Trinamool leader Jyotipriyo Mullick also termed the incident a "conspiracy to kill Roy" and blamed the BJP. "I have never seen such an incident in Dumdum in my entire life. Roy often comes here in the morning to interact with the locals. Hundreds of youth party workers also assemble in the area. It is a clear conspiracy by the BJP to kill him. They are systematically trying to create unrest in the state and kill our partymen," Mullick alleged. "I urge all our councillors to arrange for their own protection. The BJP is trying to kill them in broad daylight. I am speechless. How can a political party, which is in power at the Centre, do such things? They are doing it everywhere. Now our boys will give them a befitting answer politically," he said. The state BJP, however, denied the allegation and said it had become a habit of the TMC leaders to blame it for any untoward incidents in the state. "It is the habit of the Trinamool leaders to drag the BJP into everything. But the truth is that all the bomb explosions in Bengal are happening in and around the Trinamool Congress party offices. Be it the Khagragarh blast or the explosion in east Bardhaman's Guskara. In Bankura, a number of blasts took place inside their party offices," state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said. "Their leaders are still blaming the BJP and outsiders from Jharkhand for all this. Then why can't the police arrest anybody? They cannot stop or defame the BJP like this. Such incidents near Kolkata show that law and order is in a shambles," he added. --IANS mgr/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CBI has registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) in its probe into alleged collusion of the forest department officials in all cases of tiger deaths and poaching reported from protected areas in Uttarakhand, said agency sources. Sources said the Central Bureau of Investigation has formed multiple teams from its wildlife wing to look into the deaths and possibly complete its probe within three months. The central agency will investigate all cases of deaths and killing of tigers and leopards reported in the last five years from the protected areas of Joshimath, Rajaji National Park, Corbett Tiger Reserve, Pithoragarh, Almora, Haldwani and Kumaon range among others. The CBI move comes after the Uttarakhand High Court on September 4 ordered it to "hold a preliminary enquiry into all the cases of poaching in the state and to find out the complicity/involvement/ connivance/collusion of the serving officers/officials of the forest officers/officials", asking it to submit report in a sealed cover in three months. The court's Nainital bench ordered the probe after hearing NGO Operation Eye of the Tiger India's petition regarding the seizure of skins of five tigers in Haridwar in March 2016. The tigers were reportedly from the Corbett Tiger Reserve and adjoining areas. The court separately banned the use of commercial vehicles inside the reserve's Dhikala zone, which is popular with tourists for tiger sightings. Corbett is home to nearly 240 tigers and 180 vehicles are permitted for day visits to the reserve. Over 3 lakh tourists visit the Corbett Tiger Reserve annually and generate over Rs 9 crore revenue. --IAN rak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chinese military on Tuesday voiced firm opposition to a US Navy warship's entry into waters around China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea. "The USS Decatur guided missile destroyer arbitrarily entered waters off China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea on September 30," said Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian, noting that a Chinese Navy vessel carried out identification and verification procedures and warned the US vessel off, Xinhua news agency reported. "... The US side has sent warships into waters near China's islands and reefs in South China Sea time and again, which has posed a grave threat to China's sovereignty and security, severely damaged the relations between the two militaries and significantly undermined regional peace and stability. "The Chinese military resolutely opposes such actions," he said, adding that his country had indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. "China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but resolutely opposes any illegal provocation in the name of 'freedom of navigation.'" --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By cracking down on artificial nicotine products, India will miss the historical opportunity to reduce the burden of disease and deaths due to smoking and tobacco as these products are 95 per cent less risky than conventional cigarettes, health experts said. "E-cigarettes represent a very historical opportunity when you consider the diversity in the mosaic of different patterns of use in different products that are used at such high rates in India," Konstantinos E. Farsalinos, a research fellow at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Athens, Greece told IANS. India has 11.2 per cent of the world's total smokers. Over 11 per cent of the 6.4 million deaths worldwide were caused by smoking in 2015 and 52.2 per cent of them took place in China, India, Russia, and the US, according to a recent study published in the journal The Lancet. "E-cigarettes are not safe but are certainly 95 per cent less risky than smoking conventional cigarettes," Alex Wodak, Emeritus Consultant, Alcohol and Drug Service, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney told IANS. "The smoke from a conventional cigarette contains about 7,000 chemicals with mostly high concentrations but vapour from e-cigarettes contains only 150 chemicals which are mostly of low concentration," Wodak added. In August, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an advisory to state governments to ban Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) which include e-cigarettes, vape, e-Sheesha, e-hookah, etc. According to experts, banning these may deprive smokers of a substantially less harmful alternative which can be against public health and can result in adverse consequences. One should never make decisions based only on potential risks but they should always measure benefits and see where the ratio lies, they added. "Regulation is needed but it should be risk proportional," Farsalinos said. Earlier, in a statement, the Association of Vapers India (AVI) -- an organisation that represents e-cigarettes -- said the government has failed to offer an alternative to tobacco cigarettes known to cause many diseases, including cancer and lung disease. "The government has so far relied on an emotional appeal to persuade tobacco users to kick the habit but never offered an alternative beyond gums and patches, which have a very low success rate," said Samrat Chowdhery, Director, AVI. In such a scenario, "an attempt to ban e-cigarettes is regressive given that the government's stated policy is to provide wider choices to consumers for all products and services, and not restrict them," he added. Although e-cigarettes too contain nicotine like tobacco cigarettes, they do not produce tar and toxic chemicals that cause most tobacco-related deaths across the world, the experts argued. Moreover, 55 countries worldwide, including the UK, New Zealand, Norway and Canada, among others, have legalised the sale of nicotine e-cigarettes and e-liquids as consumer goods. E-cigarettes are a proven stop smoking tool and while uncertainties undoubtedly remain about their long-term health impact, failing to explore the use of e-cigarettes could lead to the continued use of conventional cigarettes which currently kill millions, the experts noted. (Vivek Singh Chauhan can be contacted at vivek.c@ians.in) --IANS vc/rt/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao on Tuesday called for devolving more powers to the gram sabhas across the country in the spirit of the 73rd constitutional amendment and thus help achieve Mahatma Gandhi's dreams. Addressing a seminar on 'Gandhian Thoughts' to mark the beginning of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, the Governor said that "empowering and developing villages alone will stop the exodus of people from rural to urban areas." Reminding that only a year is left for the 150 birth anniversary celebrations, he appealed to the government, public and private sectors, and academic institutions to give a fresh push to Swachch Bharat Abhiyan in the state to meet the goal of clean and neat India by 2019. Calling for respecting dignity of labour, Bombay High Court Justice C. Dharmadhikari (retd) said it that is ironical that people who create trash are respected by society while those who toil hard to clean it are looked down upon. He said that the 'charkha' used by Gandhiji to spin khadi symbolised dignity of labour. He appealed to the people to use two sets of khadi clothes each year as it could provide employment to one crore artisans. Mani Bhavan President Usha Thakkar said that Gandhiji dared to think and act differently and that his philosophy of non-violence was an instrument to achieve social justice, empowerment of the oppressed sections. He also combined "ethics with politics," she said. Earlier, Rao offered floral tributes at the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and attended a devotional songs programme 'Bhavanjali' on the occasion. Among major events to mark Gandhiji's birth anniversary, IIT-Bombay trained 5,700 students from 120 schools to assemble solar study lamps, which will ultimately reach a figure of 125,000 students, said organizer Chetan S. Solanki. Scientist and ex-Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar said the initiative demonstrates mass empowerment through open source technology in multiple ways. Western Railway organized a unique thematic painting exhibitions at 12 select stations associated with Gandhiji's life journey -- Mumbai Central, Bhavnagar, Porbander, Limbdi, Wadhwan, Gondal, Vadodara, Nadiad, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Palanpur and Viramgam on its network, said Chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar. Gandhiji's birthplace, Porbander, got a special makeover, a cleanliness drive, installation of a marble statue, thematic paintings, posters and murals, apart from two life-size portraits of Gandhiji and Kasturba Gandhi at the main entrance, he added. NGO Voice Against Tobacco organized a special drive on the hazards of tobacco with posters and banner in Mumbai and Thane and urged people to adopt Gandhiji's concept of cleanliness, said its Chairman Umesh Thanawala. --IANS qn/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the nation celebrated Gandhi Jayanti, hundreds of farmers on Tuesday faced police baton in a clash at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border when they were prevented from entering the national capital even as the government agreed to consider seven of their 15 demands. The farmers, who were lathicharged and teargassed after water canons failed to subdue them earlier in the day, rejected the government assurances and vowed to continue the protest till they are allowed to go to Kisan Ghat, the memorial of former Prime Minister Charan Singh, and Rajghat, the memorial for Mahatma Gandhi. While both sides said there was agreement on some of the demands of the farmers, there was no clarity on the main issues: the loan waiver and higher MSP raised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). A few thousand farmers were still camping at the border in Ghazipur on Tuesday night. Hours after the violence, representatives of the BKU which had planned to conclude its 10-day protest at the Kisan Ghat in Delhi met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed 15 demands that included loan waiver and higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. The government's assurances include review petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to revoke the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles (tractors), bringing farm-related products under 5 per cent bracket of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Extension of MSP providing 50 per cent profit over the production cost to all notified Rabi crops, boosting procurement system were among the other assurances. Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Sekhawat, who was present in the talks, told the media later that a consensus has been reached between the government and the protestors on many of the demands. How to go ahead on fulfilling these demands was also discussed, he said. "The government is silent on our demand for loan waiver. Also, it said that fixation of Minimum Support Price based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations will be done only in future," said BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh. Earlier in the day, continuing their 10-day march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to the national capital, thousands of protesting farmers were prevented from entering Delhi. When they tried to forcibly move ahead by breaking police barricades, police used water canons and batons that left over a dozen agitators injured. Several rounds of tear gas were also fired. Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more persons have been clamped in several areas near the border and will continue till October 8. Defending the crackdown, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Kumar Singh said permission to hold the march had been denied and the farmers' entry to Delhi was illegal. The protest led to a political slug-fest, with the opposition slamming the Modi government for the crackdown on the farmers and the BJP calling the agitation "politically motivated". Congress President Rahul Gandhi flayed the Centre for not accepting the loan waiver demand and said that farmers today "cannot even talk about their ordeal". "Farmers from all states, be it Maharashtra, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh, have been pleading with folded hands for a loan waiver. Modi, in the last four years, waived loans of 15-20 people to the tune of Rs 320,000 crore but he is not bothered about farmers," Gandhi said in Wardha in Maharashtra. The Congress passed a resolution at Wardha condemning the "arrogant and barbaric Modi government". "Reeling under debt, the poor farmers had come to remind Modi of his promise of providing farmers a profit of 50 per cent or more over and above the cost of production and seek loan waivers. "Skyrocketing prices of diesel and fertilisers have already broken the farmers' back and to compound their misery, the Modi government has imposed 5-18 per cent Goods and Services Tax on agricultural goods," the party said. Expressing his solidarity, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: "Why are farmers not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong." Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav blamed the Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers. "In the last five years, over 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, with most suicides occurring in BJP-ruled states," he said. Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury blamed the Modi government for the "unprecedented agrarian crisis in the country". The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, said the farmers' protest was politically motivated. "There is a reason behind it. Because this is an election year... For so many people there are different motives. That is the only reason. Otherwise, farmers across the country are very satisfied and thankful to the Modi government," Minister Shekhawat said. He said the Modi government had announced assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) with 50 per cent profit over the production cost but the farmers were not concerned about the formula used while fixing MSP. The farmers want revoking the ban on 10-year-old tractors in the National Capital Region, reduction in electricity tariff, implementation of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices and payment of sugarcane arrears among others. --IANS spk-rak/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the nation celebrated Gandhi Jayanti, hundreds of farmers on Tuesday clashed with police at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border when they were prevented from entering the national capital and lathi-charged and tear-gassed after water canons failed to subdue them. While both sides said there was agreement on some of the demands of the farmers, there was no clarity on the main issues -- loan waiver and higher MSP -- raised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). A few thousand farmers were still camping at the border in Ghazipur on Tuesday night. Hours after the violence, representatives of the BKU which had planned to conclude its 10-day protest at the Kisan Ghat in Delhi met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and discussed the charter of 15 demands that included loan waiver and higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their produce. Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Sekhawat, who was present in the talks, told the media later that consensus has been reached between the government and the protestors on many of the demands. How to go ahead on fulfilling these demands was also discussed, he said. "The government is silent on our demand for loan waiver. Also, it said that fixation of Minimum Support Price based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations will be done only in future," said BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh. Singh said the agitation will continue till the farmers were allowed to go to Kisan Ghat, the memorial of former Prime Minister Charan Singh, and Rajghat, the memorial for Mahatma Gandhi. Earlier in the day, continuing their 10-day march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to the national capital, thousands of protesting farmers were prevented from entering Delhi. When they tried to forcibly move ahead by breaking police barricades, police used water canons and batons that left over a dozen agitators injured. Several rounds of tear gas were also fired. Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more persons have been clamped in several areas near the border and will continue till October 8. Defending the crackdown, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Kumar Singh said permission to hold the march had been denied and the farmers' entry to Delhi was illegal. The protest led to a political slug-fest, with the opposition slamming the Modi government for the crackdown on the farmers and the BJP calling the agitation "politically motivated". Congress President Rahul Gandhi flayed the Centre for not accepting the loan waiver demand and said that farmers today "cannot even talk about their ordeal". "Farmers from all states, be it Maharashtra, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh, have been pleading with folded hands for a loan waiver. Modi, in the last four years, waived off loans of 15-20 people to the tune of Rs 320,000 crore but he is not bothered about farmers," Gandhi said in Wardha in Maharashtra. The Congress passed a resolution at Wardha condemning the "arrogant and barbaric Modi government". "Reeling under debt, the poor farmers had come to remind Modi of his promise of providing farmers a profit of 50 per cent or more over and above the cost of production and seek loan waivers. "Skyrocketing prices of diesel and fertilisers have already broken the farmers' back and to compound their misery, the Modi government has imposed 5-18 per cent Goods and Services Tax on agricultural goods," the party said. Expressing his solidarity, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said: "Why are farmers not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong." Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav blamed the Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers. "In the last five years, over 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, with most suicides occurring in BJP-ruled states," he said. Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury blamed the Modi government for the "unprecedented agrarian crisis in the country". The Bharatiya Janata Party on the other hand said the farmers' protest was politically motivated. "There is a reason behind it. Because this is an election year... For so many people there are different motives. That is the only reason. Otherwise, farmers across the country are very satisfied and thankful to the Modi government," Minister Shekhawat said. He said the Modi government had announced assured Minimum Support Price (MSP) with 50 per cent profit over the production cost but the farmers were not concerned about the formula used while fixing MSP. The farmers want revoking the ban on 10 year old tractors in the National Capital Region, reduction in electricity tariff, implementation of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices and payment of sugarcane arrears among others. --IANS sm-spk-rak-and/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After backlash from across the globe, Walmart has stopped selling items bearing the hammer-and-sickle insignia of the Soviet Union. This followed strongly worded letters from Baltic leaders and a U.S. educational effort largely spearheaded by Mari-Ann Kelam through the Acton Institute. The controversy burst into public consciousness when Kelam wrote an Acton Commentary titled, Walmarts T-shirt homage to mass murder, published on September 5. A number of news outlets picked up the story, both in print and on radio. Lithuanias ambassador to the United States, Rolandas Krisciunas, then wrote a letter asking the corporation to remove merchandise bearing the symbol, and the story spread into the blogosphere. When the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, hundreds of thousands of our citizens were killed, exiled, tortured, raped, separated from their families, the ambassador wrote. Similar fates struck dozens of millions of other innocent people, including children, across Europe and across the globe. A number of lawmakers from all three Baltic nations Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania wrote a separate letter charging Walmart with promoting a symbol among its customers worldwide, of totalitarianism, human rights abuse, and suppression of freedom and democracy, the values that allowed such corporations as Walmart to grow and prosper. We call on Walmart Inc. to demonstrate their corporate responsibilityand immediately discontinue selling the goods, they wrote. The corporation proved as good as the lawmakers word. Walmart confirmed the removal to Lithuanias ambassador to the United States, Rolandas Krisciunas. Walmarts website now marks those items no longer available. This is true for t-shirts, womens hoodies, a V-neck in Caribbean blue, and a variety of keychains. (A plethora of Che Guevara clothing remains in stock.) The decision to remove the symbol of an ideology that murdered 100 million people (and still reaps a secret harvest in North Korea, Cuba, and the less-publicized regions of China) came about more than three years after the retailing giant banished all Confederate flag items from its stores and website. We never want to offend anyone with the products that we offer, said Walmart spokesman Brian Nick at the time. Like the antebellum South, Communism combined a false anthropology with erroneous economics to forge a slave system of mass murder and oppression. Unlike the Confederacy which never established a single, internationally recognized nation Communisms imperial shadow darkened more than one-third of humanity. But for the dismal state of U.S. education about Marxisms crimes, and unflagging enthusiasm for the doctrine in certain quarters of academia, the hammer-and-sickle would be as widely reviled as the Italian fasces or the lightning-bolt SS symbol. Thankfully, in this case the market supplied an answer without legal ramifications. Every manufacturer has a right to sell any merchandise permitted by law. But retailers have the right to refuse to facilitate the sale of any item based on any criteria it may choose poor quality, the circumstances of production, or a perceived conflict with the stores image. Featuring a symbol that offends the families of millions of formerly captive peoples is not just bad politics and bad branding; its bad business. This demands a round of applause for the Invisible Hand and the active pens of Mari-Ann Kelam, Ambassador Krisciunas, and the innumerable others who opted to express themselves in writing before voting with their dollars. Farmers marching from Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh in support of their demands should be allowed to enter Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday. "Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers," the Chief Minister told the media here. His remarks come after thousands of farmers allied to the Bharatiya Kisan Union, who began marching from Haridwar in Uttarakhand on September 23, reached the Delhi border and were not allowed to enter the capital, triggering violence. --IANS mg/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tripoli, Oct 2 (IANS/AKI) Libya has reopened Tripoli's Mitiga airport - the only functioning airport in the capital - after militants fired rockets towards it late on Monday, forcing it to close briefly, the Libyan Observer daily tweeted on Tuesday. "Libya's Airports Authority announces the resumption of flights at Mitiga airport hours after suspension due to safety concerns after a rocket fell on the airport near Libya Wings office Monday night," read the tweet. "No reports of casualties or damage," the tweet added. Monday's closure came days after flights had resumed following an earlier shutdown. Mitiga, a former airbase used for commercial flights, has closed and opened several times since deadly violence between armed groups escalated on Tripoli's outskirts in late August. Tripoli main international airport was destroyed in 2014 by militia fighting. --IANS/AKI mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal on Tuesday joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with various programmes organised by the government, political parties and civic bodies. The main programme was held at Gandhi Ghat in Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district where Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi paid floral tribute at the martyrs' column. Women took part in spinning the yarn. An all-faith prayer service was held and school students read excerpts from Gandhi's writings. Tripathi also offered flowers at Gandhi's statue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also saluted Mahatma Gandhi. In a bid to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, an exhibition on his life and contribution towards the nation commenced in the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, also known as Gandhi museum in Barrackpore's Dhobighat area from October 1. It will end on October 5. --IANS mgr/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.) A symbolic Dandi march, led by children, was organised on Tuesday at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) campus in Australia to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. India's Consul General B. Vanlavawna, who joined the symbolic march, said Gandhi's ideas and values were still relevant and remembering him was a celebration of those ideas. UNSW Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) Laurie Pearcey said the varsity library tower would be illuminated with Indian tricolour for the next two weeks. "Gandhi was an advocate of change and resistance, but also of harmony, tolerance and cooperation, which is why commemorating his birth is just as relevant in Australia as it is in India and many nations," he said. The celebrations were held at the bronze bust of Gandhi, gifted to UNSW by the Indian government in 2010. Pearcey said it symbolises the "safe and harmonious environment" offered by the university, which is home to around 1,200 Indian students. He said India had been an important country for UNSW for the last 30 years and as part of its 2025 strategy, the university was committed to long term growth in Australia-India relationship. He said in order to build engagement in the long-term, it was essential that the varsity becomes part of the academic and research ecosystem and be an active partner in building India's intellectual and social capital. --IANS ps/vv/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Embassy on Tuesday launched celebrations leading up to Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in the Netherlands and released commemorative stamps to mark the occasion. Indian Ambassador Venu Rajamony presented the special stamps to Netherland's former Foreign Minister Bernard R. Bot and Director General Erik de Baedts in front of the iconic Peace Palace of The Hague, home to the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. With 2019 marking the 150th anniversary of Gandhi's birth, commemorations for the landmark day would last two years. An outreach programme "Follow the Mahatma" is being conducted by the Indian Embassy between October 1 and 5 under which over 100 volunteers fan out to around 20 schools of the Netherlands to spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life of Mahatma Gandhi, an embassy statement said. As part of the programme, books on Gandhi are being presented to the schools, it said. --IANS vv/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Ghaziabad district magistrate (DM) has ordered closure of all public, private and government schools on Wednesday. Ghaziabad DM Ritu Maheswari in her order said in view of farmers' agitation and subsequent traffic diversion, the students would not able to come to schools, so the schools have been ordered to close. Commenting on injuries to agitating farmers, the DM said at least three of them received minor injuries and they were admitted in local hospitals. They have been discharged after the first-aid, said an official. --IANS sps/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google is introducing a new update for its Maps that would now provide more information for commuters. Also, users on Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play Music will be able to control music playback from within the navigation app which is likely to take less attention than switching between apps. "Today, we're rolling out new features on Google Maps to help you take control of your daily commute -- enabling you to plan ahead, prepare for the inevitable disruptions, and possibly avoid them altogether," Ramesh Nagarajan, Group Product Manager, Google Maps, wrote in a blog post late on Monday. According to the company, the new updates are rolling out globally via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store starting this week. Through a new "commute tab", users would be able to see any congestion or disruption on their route before they leave and they will be given specific travel information for each leg of their journey. "We'll tell you if your commute is going to be a normal one or if you'll need to budget extra time due to things like an accident or heavy traffic. In case of a delay, we'll tell you about alternative routes to help you get to work faster. "On Android, you'll also receive notifications about delays and disruptions on your route as they happen, so you can know about an incident before you get caught up in the delay," Nagarajan added. --IANS ksc/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Supporters of various Hindu organisations on Tuesday took to the streets in various cities of Kerala to protest against the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that threw open the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages. The protest here was led by former Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) President and former Congress legislator Prayar Gopalakrishnan who said that he will oppose the verdict "come what may". He, along with Rahul Eshwar, a member of the Sabarimala temple 'tantric' family, and hundreds of protesters rallied in the city and even held up traffic for a while. The TDB manages the Sabarimala temple. At Kochi, protesters had a tiff with police when the latter objected to hampering the flow of road traffic. The largest protest was witnessed at Pandalam, where members of the erstwhile Pandalam royal family, along with a large number of men and women walked to the Veliye Koyikal Temple at Pandalam while singing hymns. The family plays an integral role in the temple affairs and has already expressed deep dissatisfaction over the court verdict. Protesters also rallied at Pamba town, which is situated on the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. "The court order is not acceptable as every religious place has its own traditions which cannot be overruled by a court of law as it affects the sentiments of devotees," said a protester. Similar protests were also witnessed in Palakkad. On September 28, the apex court had said that the ban on women from entering the Lord Ayyappa temple violated their fundamental rights and constitutional guarantee of equality. Until now, girls below the age of 10 and women over 50 were allowed to visit the hilltop shrine, located in the Western Ghats and about 130 km from Thiruvananthapuram. --IANS sg/tsb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Multilateralism has not been under so much fire as it is today and India will be the essential component if the world has to become multipolar, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday. He called for a global response to climate change and terrorism, which he said were the two biggest challenges the world was facing. A multilateral approach was needed to meet challenges and threats which were becoming more and more global in nature, Guterres said while delivering a lecture on "Global Challenges, Global Solutions" here. "But the paradox is that never in recent times was multilateralism under so much fire and never, as in recent times, was a rule-based international community being put under fire," he said. He said the world ceased to be bipolar after the end of the Cold War and turned unipolar, but today's world "is a kind of a chaotic world". "The world has to be multipolar and India has a key role to play... No country is better placed for this than India," Guterres said. He added that India's assertiveness on the global platform was a key element. His remarks assume significance in the face of US President Donald Trump pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and withdrawal of international sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, and imposing new trade tariffs on countries like India and China. Regarding the challenge of climate change, Guterres said India had already been impacted through droughts and floods. He said if the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, in which India played a key role, were not met, then the world would be in a catastrophic situation. Stressing on the necessity for solar and wind energy, Guterres said India, despite its problems, had to play a key role in the fight against climate change and to meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. India is targeting to generate 175 GW of electricity from renewable sources of energy by 2022, of which 100 GW will be from solar power. It has already achieved 20 GW installed solar power. Asked about reforms in the UN, Guterres said it cannot happen till there were no reforms in the UN Security Council (UNSC), adding it was for the five permanent members to do so. India, Japan, Germany and Brazil are seeking permanent membership in an expanded UNSC to reflect the face of today's world. Guterres is on a visit to India to take part in a series of events on climate change and Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary celebrations. --IANS ab/vv/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the push for financial inclusion, Aadhaar and mobile communication, India has put in place a foundation for digital transformation that is now stronger than that of any other emerging country, says a top executive of Dell EMC, part of Dell Technologies. "So you now have a way to transact money digitally, you have a way to communicate with each other digitally and you have a way to be identified digitally. This is a very, very strong foundational layer," Amit Midha, President, Asia Pacific and Japan Commercial, Dell EMC, told IANS in an interview. "A combination of these three initiatives will continue to create positive results for the society for decades to come. I think this will yield results in many ways that we have not seen yet," Midha said, adding that many of the advanced societies also do not have such a strong digital foundation as India has. The challenge for India, according to Midha, is to reform the education system in the right way so that it can produce the right kind of talent needed for the country's digital future. "What we are most excited about is India's role as a source of innovation. At the moment, the quality of talent here is fantastic. New problems of a global nature are getting solved by the talent pool in India," he added. In the largest technology merger in history, Dell and EMC joined forces in 2016 to become Dell Technologies that provides the essential infrastructure for organisations to build their digital future, transform IT and protect information. In India, the company counts among its customers some of the country's biggest organisations, including the State Bank of India. "India is one of the top 10 countries for Dell Technologies. It is growing nicely. We expect this digitisation trend to continue and our revenue growth on the back of it to continue as well," Midha said, without disclosing the contribution of India to its overall revenue which is slated to exceed $80 billion in the current fiscal. For the second quarter of this fiscal, Dell Technologies reported revenues of $22.9 billion, registering a robust double-digit growth of 18 per cent from the prior period. "Our PC business and client business grew at 13 per cent. Our server and networking business grew 34 per cent. Our storage business grew 13 per cent," Midha said. "Our double-digit growth across the board suggests that customers are investing on their digital future," he said, adding that Dell Technologies too transformed over the years to stay relevant to the businesses that it wants to help transform. "I think our turnaround started in 2013 when we went private. We started investing more in R&D; we invested in sales and services; and we increased the speed of decision-making," he said. Midha, who also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), which aims to foster a deeper strategic and economic cooperation between the two countries, added that Dell Technologies was committed to the India market for the long term. "I want to make sure our India business continues to gain share and grows faster than the market. We are focused on creating more digital leaders in the country," he added. On India's current emphasis on data localisation -- as evidenced from the draft national e-commerce policy and the Reserve Bank of India's recommendation for all foreign payment firms -- Midha said that Dell Technologies was ready to help the country achieve its digital transformation goals according to the policy decisions that the country takes for itself. Data localisation refers to storage of data generated in the country in a device which is physically present within its borders. "Many countries have their unique situations in which they decide their policies. We will support customers no matter how policies are made. If you need to localise data, we will help you localise," Midha said, while emphasising on the importance of having in place a data protection regime in the country. On reports of Dell Technologies planning to go public again, the business leader, without confirming or denying the plan, said that a financial exercise to recapitalise the company was on. "Whether this transaction happens or not, it will not change how we run our business. We are recapitalising, but it does not change in any way what we are focused on, where we are focused on," Midha said. "Do you know what happens to the companies that don't change over a long period of time? They just disappear," he said. (Gokul Bhagabati can be contacted at gokul.b@ians.in) --IANS gb/vm/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesian authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll to 1,347 in the devastating 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Sulawesi island last week even as the survivors grew increasingly desperate for food, water and fuel. The number of dead was expected to climb further, officials said. The twin disasters on Friday left the coastal city of Palu, Donggala region and the adjoining areas on the island in ruins. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) said that toll was expected to increase as hundreds of people were feared to be still trapped under the rubble of buildings. NDMA spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that about 800 people with serious injuries were admitted to different hospitals. With the ground still shaking from aftershocks, people were still afraid to go indoors. An estimated 2.4 million people were affected by the disaster, 61,867 were displaced and 66,000 homes were destroyed, officials said. The situation of survivors was dire as families scrambled to get even the most basic of goods. On Tuesday, hundreds waited in line in the blazing sun, standing in the ruins, in the hopes of obtaining food, water and fuel. Between Donggala and Palu, the "road is lined with people begging for food and water", said Fatwa Fadillah, programme manager for disaster risk reduction at Catholic Relief Services. Reports of looting were widespread as survivors searched deserted buildings for supplies, CNN reported. Across Palu, a damaged bridge, blocked roads, a partially closed airport and broken telecommunications made it difficult to bring aid into the affected areas. Officials said that nearly 6,400 personnel from an array of government agencies were involved in efforts to find survivors, recover bodies and evacuate people. Authorities raised the death toll after rescue teams were able to enter the areas that had been inaccessible since the tragedy struck. Sutopo, however, said that there were still areas in Sulawesi that were difficult to access. Indonesian Red Cross officials said that the bodies of 34 Indonesian students were found under a church buried by a mudslide. They were among a group of 86 students reported missing from a Bible camp in the Jonooge Church Training Centre. The whereabouts of the other 52 students were not known. Hunt was on for survivors in the ruins of four-storey hotel Roa Roa in the town. An estimated 50 people were inside the establishment when it collapsed. Till now only 12 people have been recovered. Rescue workers also started looking for survivors in Donggala where some 300,000 people live. Local television broadcasts showed angry residents screaming at Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, asking for help. Officials said 26 countries and two international organisations offered assistance. Colonel Muhammad Thohir of the Indonesian Army said that gasoline and water supplies were being transported to the Sulawesi island but they were still insufficient for the people affected. Indonesian officials said that priorities included sending food to those in need, conducting a mass burial of victims and guaranteeing the security of the airport, which was expected to start receiving commercial flights on Wednesday. In what has become a "daily ritual" now, 54 bodies were buried by Tuesday morning and more trucks full of dead were on their way to Poboya Cemetery in Palu. The day before, 153 were buried here in mass graves to prevent an outbreak of disease caused by decomposing bodies. Still, bodies remained unburied on the side of the roads. "The smell of death is strong in the air," said Radika Pinto, the area manager for World Vision, an international Christian aid organization. An earthquake measuring 6 on the Richter scale rocked Sumba island of Indonesia on Tuesday, but there were no reports of any damage. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran will not sit for talks with the US over the existing issues as the conditions are not ripe, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday. "I'm not ruling out the prospect of talks (with Washington) provided the necessary conditions for talks, and that is reliability," Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV. "Reliability is that when you sign something you are bound by it. Otherwise, everything will fall apart," he said, adding that "we are waiting for some sense of realism". Iranian authorities have stressed that Tehran will not sit for negotiations under Washington's threats and sanction pressures. Following US President Donald Trump's decision to quit the historic Iranian nuclear pact, Washington vowed to reimpose sanctions lifted under the accord against Tehran and inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations having business links with Iran. Washington's withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear deal was criticized across the world. Some of its major European allies have been working to prevent the 2015 deal from falling apart. The Trump administration, according to reports, has called for renegotiation of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal as well as Tehran's developing missile programme. However, Iran has ruled out possibility of talks over defence plans. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday thanked the US for a record military aid package deal that has just come into effect. On Monday, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert confirmed in a statement that the 10-year deal, worth $38 billion, came into effect on Monday as the new fiscal year began, Xinhua reported. "I thank the American administration and Congress for their commitment to Israel and for providing aid funds in the coming decade," Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. The aid deal was signed in 2016 by Israel with former US President Barack Obama's administration. "Israel and the world face complex security challenges, first and foremost the Iranian aggression," Netanyahu said. "The unwavering support of the US for Israel's right to defend itself is one of the pillars of the strong relationship between the two countries." Under the deal, Israel will receive from the United States $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing and 500 million dollars per year for cooperative programmes for missile defence over the next 10 years. By confirming the deal, the US "unconditionally affirms Israel's right to self-defence," Nauert said. This deal "is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to Israel's capacity to defend itself with a qualitative military edge over all potential regional adversaries," she added. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, Oct 2 (IANS/AKI) Italy's National Olympics Committee (CONI) is making an official bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, it was announced here. "CONI has formalised its bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2026 in Milan and Cortina," said Lombardy region president Attilio Fontana on Monday. In a statement confirming Milan and Cortina as the candidate host cities for the 2026 Games, CONI President Giovanni Malago said Italy's bid would be an "innovative project". "It will be in line with the Agenda 2020 guidelines and new rules and will include the Lombardy and Veneto regions, not just Milan and Cortina," Malago's wrote in a letter to International Olympic Committee (IOC) chair Thomas Bach. The IOC is due in September 2019 to announce its choice of host city for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Swedish capital Stockholm, the Canadian city of Calgary and Erzurum in Turkey were the other candidates for the 2026 games. The Italian bid originally also included Turin, but it pulled out after refusing to cooperate with the other two candidate cities. Turin already hosted the 2006 Winter Games, while the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted them in 1956. --IANS/AKI soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian and Vietnamese Coast Guards will take part in joint exercises off Chennai to promote interoperability between the two maritime forces, said the Indian Defence Ministry. The Ministry said the exercise will be held on Thursday. A total of three ships, one helicopter and one Dornier from the Indian Coast Guard and a ship of the Vietnam Coast Guard will take part in the exercise. The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) vessel Sagar Manjusha will also participate in the exercise, the statement added. --IANS vj/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Popular vocalist Kavita Krishnamurti, who has sung in multiple Indian languages over four decades, will soon make her debut as a composer. "I have composed bhajans. One day, I was sitting in a car and humming a tune. I was wondering what words to put since I don't write lyrics at all. Suddenly, the word of Meera bhajan fitted beautifully into it. "That inspired me to make more songs. My husband (violinist L. Subramaniam) said I should record them. We recorded 20 days ago. Mixing is yet to be done. I need to plan how to release it," Kavita told IANS in a telephonic interview. The "Hawa hawai" hitmaker feels "very nice" to have attempted "this as a composer". "It's something that I have not done before. It is a great feeling to have worked on an album as a composer," she said. She is also tied up with Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival, which started in 1992 in the memory of L. Subramaniam's father and guru V. Lakshminarayana. "Whatever he (her husband) feels he is today is because of his father who taught him the modern violin technique, to think... how to bring in more better techniques in violin so that the Indian violin has an international standing and gets accepted all over the world. "They have worked towards that. So he is always thanking his father for initiating him into violin and being his guru. I share that joy because it's done with passion more than anything else." Since its inception, the festival has presented some of the greatest artistes like Yehudi Menuhin, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Bismillah Khan, Stanley Clarke and George Duke. "Every year, we think how it can be better than before and what kind of artistes we can bring in so that people would enjoy it. It's quite a difficult task, but somehow we have been able to do it for all these years," said Kavita. "We have artistes from all over the world. Sometimes, we have very exotic instruments like a kora or koto from Japan." This year, the Latvian symphony orchestra will be part of the fest. "I am also doing a piece called the 'Bharat Symphony'. It's got four movements - the first one is the Vedic movement, second is the Mughal, then the third is the British and fourth is post-independence," she shared. "My husband will do a piece with orchestra, called 'Turbulence Concerto'. Then our granddaughter Mahati will pay a short tribute to Mahatma Gandhi." The first concert took place in Bengaluru on September 29. It was followed by Colombo and will conclude in Delhi on October 5. Asked about the Delhi audience, she said: "It's not very easy to please them sometimes. They have already heard a lot. So, we have to be on our toes. So far, our festival has been received very well. People have enjoyed it. "Delhi is open to so many kinds of music. They are able to understand the nuances of western music, classical, Bollywood and fusion music," said Kavita. (Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in) --IANS nn/dc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 114th birth anniversary at Vijay Ghat here. "Remembering our former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastriji on his birth anniversary. His integrity, wartime leadership and role in the shaping of the Green Revolution remains an inspiration for the entire country," the President tweeted. "Paying tributes to the former Prime Minster and great son of our soil, Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth Anniversary at Vijay Ghat in Delhi today," Naidu tweeted attaching photographs. Paying tribute to Shastri, Modi said he "epitomised strength and simplicity. He led India at a crucial time and worked hard to make our nation more prosperous". Shastri was born in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Sharada Prasad and Ramdulari Devi on October 2, 1904. On January 11, 1966, he breathed his last in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, a day after signing the Tashkent Declaration, reportedly due to cardiac arrest. Shastri was the first person to be posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award in 1966. --IANS aks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There are more "copy masters" and fewer trendsetters among those playing the sarod these days, laments maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, saying the focus for performers today is the "shining, glittering" world of television and social media. "Since they have access to content and recordings especially on YouTube, it's easy for them to imitate any sarod player. So, now we have lots of copy masters in the country. The trendsetters are very, very rare," the 72-year-old music guru told IANS in an email interview. "Globally, there are about 500 sarod players. Unfortunately, instead of learning and understanding the depth of Indian classical music, every sarod player has a very strong opinion. "The focus is only to perform because of the glittering, shining world of television and social media where you can post anything and say anything," the sarod virtuoso maintained. Khan is sixth in the lineage of a family devoted to Indian classical music's Senia Bangash Gharana. The 2001 Padma Vibushan recipient first performed when he was just six years old. Khan, who was trained by his father, Gwalior court musician Hafiz Ali Khan, said he couldn't think of doing anything other than playing the sarod as its sound had a global appeal. "It was my duty, my pleasure, my passion to carry on the family tradition," he said, referring to the work of the generations before him and his ambition to take it forward. "I wanted to make the canvas much larger, much bigger, and be more expressive on the Sarod," the widely-heard musician added. He also pointed to the differences between his learning days and the present day. "I didn't have access to tape-recorders because there was no money to buy them. There was no television; One could only hear music through All India Radio. "There used to be a very important programme on Saturday night which I heard, called the National Programme of Music," he recalled. On teaching his own sons, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash -- themselves established names in the field of sarod -- the Ustad said that it was a big responsibility. "Teaching my own sons was not my decision. They showed interest and positive signs, and then I shared everything with them," he said. "I tried to introduce music to Amaan, my elder son, from his very early days. I tried interesting methods to teach so that he doesn't find it difficult." Ayaan, his younger son, soon followed in his footsteps, and as per the music maestro, both of them are on the "right track" in life. After rendering the National Anthem on sarod, they recently turned to the bhajan "Vaishnav Jan To", which Mahatma Gandhi held close to his heart. They rendered it an an HCL concert, part of a monthly series, here last week. Khan said his association with Gandhi goes back to his 125th birth anniversary, when he played an improvised "Baapu Cause" "raga" at a Unesco commemoration in Paris. "In the current scenario, we need many Mahatma Gandhis in our country. We need his message of non-violence, his thoughts and his objectives. It's sad that he was shot before completing his dream of making India a dreamland of non-violence," Khan said. (Siddhi Jain can be contacted at siddhi.j@ians.in) --IANS sj/vm/tb/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maldives is currently going through a peaceful transfer of power to opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was elected president last month, the nation's Permanent Representative Ali Naseer Mohamed has assured the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Speaking at the high-level General Debate of the UNGA on Monday, he said that September 23, the day the presidential election took place, was an "extraordinary daya for the country and it "was a moment that makes every Maldivian proud of how far we have come and the excellent progress the country has achieved." "Following the election, the Maldives is currently going through the process of transfer of power from one elected government to the other," he said. On Saturday, the country's Election Commission declared Maldivian Democratic Party candidate Solih the winner of the presidential election, overruling the defeated President Abdulla Yameen's efforts to delay the announcement of the results. "The accelerated process of democracy in the Maldives is going in tandem with faster growth in social and economic development," Mohamed said. The elections came after a tumultuous period during which Yameen had imposed a state of emergency earlier this year and had arrested former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, as well as Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Judge Ali Hameed and charged them with treason. Solih was also arrested along with scores of opposition leaders. Maldives Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim was scheduled to address UNGA last Saturday but after the president's defeat he did not show up and Mohamed, who spoke in his stead, was the last speaker at the concluding session of the high-level General Debate. Mohamed praised Yameen for what he said was the progress recorded by the Indian Ocean archipelago nation during the last five years under his rule. Without naming any countries, Mohamed said "the the principle of international law that governs the friendly relations and cooperation among states are being challenged at a fundamental level." "There is therefore a need for countries big and small to return to the right side of law," he said. During the country's turmoil, India insisted on Maldives adhering to democracy and Yameen began a drift towards China. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) --IANS al/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and others on Tuesday paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at the historic Sevagram Ashram in Wardha as the nation bgan a year-long celebration leading to his 150th birth anniversary, a party official said. The Congress chief, who arrived here from New Delhi, later went with 53 members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) to Mahatma Gandhi's 'Bapu Kutir' modest hut and took part in a prayer meeting. This would be followed by a special CWC meeting at the Mahadev Bhavan on the outskirts of the ashram, to commemorate the historic Congress Working Committee meeting held here in 1942 under Gandhiji's leadership. The clarion call of the 'Quit India Movement' of August 8, 1942, was made from here, which ultimately saw the collapse of the British Rule after five years. "We are now celebrating the...birth anniversary of Bapu and also the 70th year of Independence, so we are holding a CWC meeting here," Congress Secretary and legislator Harshawardhan Sakpal told the media on Monday. In another incident of great signficance, from March 12-14, 1948, a meeting was held at the Sevagram Ashram on 'Gandhiji has gone: Who will guide us now', which was attended by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Vinoba Bhava, Jaiprakash Narain and other top leaders of that era. After the CWC meeting, Rahul Gandhi and others will garland a statue of the Mahatma near the collectorate and then launch a symbolic 'padyatra' (procession) through the main areas of the town, followed by a 'Sankalp Rally' at the Circus Ground in Ramnagar. Joining the celebrations, the Maharashtra government will unveil the world's biggest 'Charkha' (spinning wheel) outside the Sevagram Ashram complex, said state Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. Made in metal and painted in wooden colours by 10 students of Sir J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai, over the past three weeks, the spinning wheel's dimension are 18 feet tall, 31-feet long and 11-feet wide, and would break the existing record of the one installed at the New Delhi airport. Mungantiwar said that in 1936, Gandhi had planted a Peepal tree here and the government will make 206 grafts from it and replant them at 206 Martyrs Memorials in Maharashtra to mark the sesquicentennial. The Maharashtra government would also release 101 prisoners from various jails, including 28 from Mumbai's Arthur Road Central and Raigad's Taloja Central Jail on Tuesday. Gandhi, who was later revered as the Father of the Nation and the Apostle of Peace, had spent a total of around 10 years at the Sevagram Ashram, or the 'Village of Service'. The 'Bapu Kutir', the tiny hut where he lived, is now a mecca of students, academics, researchers, domestic and foreign tourists and Gandhians. The Sevagram Ashram itself is spread over 400 acres and houses other prominent institutions like Nai Talim Samiti, Mahatma Gandhi Seva Sangh, Akhil Bharatiya Seva Sangh and Kasturba Health Society on the campus. The 'Bapu Kutir' is in the main devotional area, constructed with mud, bamboo and country-made tiles, where Gandhiji used to host visitors and do all his work sitting on a spread mat on the floor. The three most striking items on display in Bapu Kutir are small china clay statues of the Three Wise Monkeys -- symbolising Gandhiji's eternal philosophy -- Speak No Evil, See No Evil and Hear No Evil. Elsewhere, in Mumbai, the Nationalist Congress Party paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi's statue at Nariman Point and then held a silent protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party government on various issues. In Ahmednagar's Ralegan-Siddhi village, veteran social crusader Kisan Baburao alias Anna Hazare called off his proposed indefinite hunger strike on the issue of Lok Pal and other matters after intervention by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. --IANS qn/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, Oct 2 (IANS/AKI) Police on Tuesday arrested Domenico Lucano, Mayor of Riace, in Italy's southern Calabria region, on charges of aiding illegal immigration and fraudulent management of waste disposal services in the town, prosecutors said. Lucano was put under house arrest and his partner, Tesfahun Lemlem, was banned from entering their home, the statement said. Lucan's arrest followed a detailed investigation by tax police which was coordinated by prosecutors in the Calabrian city of Locri, according to the statement. Lucano gained worldwide fame for welcoming migrants, hundreds of whom have settled in the small town of fewer than 2,000 inhabitants. About 450 refugees have settled in Riace among the 1,800 inhabitants, revitalising the village and preventing the closure of the village school. --IANS/AKI mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BKU leaders on Tuesday said that their meeting with Union Home Minister over farmers' demands was "satisfactory" and that seven of their nine demands were accepted, while the Centre was non-committal on and higher The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) is expected to take a decision on calling off its 10-day long protest after its Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday evening. BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh led a 15-member delegation to meet the Home Minister at his official residence here, which was attended by Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Yudhvir Singh said their seven demands were accepted. "However, the government is silent on our demand for loan waiver, saying that the states had to take a decision at their level. Also, it said that fixation of (Minimum Support Price) based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations will be done in future," Singh said. The government said that it had taken one step forward by announcing based on 'A2 +FL' formula, Singh added. Discussions were held to see how the demands can be met, said Shekhawat, who later proceeded to the Uttar Pradesh- border to meet the protesting farmers who had clashed with police after they were denied entry to Talking to the media here, the farmer leader said that the government had admitted to "flaws" that created problems for farmers while selling their produce in markets and availing benefits under farm-related schemes. He also condemned police lathicharge on protesting farmers on the Uttar Pradesh- border. "It is undemocratic. It is unprecedented. The government should not have lathicharged the farmers. Everyone has the right to express their views," Yudhvir Singh said. The protest by thousands of farmers turned violent on the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border on Tuesday as they tried to break through barricades or run them over with tractors to enter the capital, forcing police to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. The Congress on Tuesday dubbed the Modi government "arrogant and barbaric" over the police crackdown on protesting farmers on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border even as party President Rahul Gandhi flayed it for not accepting their loan waiver demand. In a series of tweets, Gandhi criticised the government for what he called the brutal beating of peaceful farmers and said that "now, farmers cannot even come to the country's capital and talk about their ordeal". Later, addressing a rally in Maharashtra's Wardha, the Congress President accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of waiving corporate loans of over Rs 3 lakh crore while remaining insensitive to the farmers' pleas. "Farmers from all states, be it Maharashtra, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh, have been pleading with folded hands for loan waiver. Modi, in the last four years, waived off loans of 15-20 people to the tune of Rs 3,20,000 crore but he cannot look into the plight of the farmers," said Gandhi. The Congress, at its Working Committee meeting in Wardha, also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the police crackdown on the protesting farmers who had started their march in support of their demands from Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh on September 23 to reach Delhi. "When thousands of farmers marched for hundreds of kilometres on their demands to reach Modi government's gates on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, an arrogant and barbaric government, instead of listening to their plight and cries, rained batons on them," the party said in the resolution. "Reeling under debt, the poor farmers had come to remind Modi of his promise of providing farmers a profit of 50 per cent or more over and above the cost of production and seek loan waivers. "Skyrocketing prices of diesel and fertilisers have already broken the farmers' back and to compound their misery, the Modi government has imposed 5 per cent to 18 per cent Goods and Services Tax on agricultural goods. "The Congress strongly condemns the baton charge and violent crackdown on the farmers," the party said while asserting its commitment towards working for welfare of farmers. Led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), thousands of farmers participated in the Kisan Kranti Padyatra from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar to the Kisan Ghat in Delhi regarding their charter of 15 demands, including loan waiver. --IANS and/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Swachh Bharat Mission has turned into the world's biggest mass movement on sanitation and has given a mantra for making the world cleaner. "Political leadership, public funding, partnerships and people's participation are the four mantras for making the world cleaner," he said in his address at the closing session of the four-day Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGSIC) in the presence of sanitation ministers and other leaders in WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) from around the world, besides UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres. Referring to Gandhiji's remarks that he would give greater priority to cleanliness over independence, Modi said that he derived inspiration from the Mahatma and followed his guidelines while initiating the movement. "Today, I am proud that our nation of 125 crore people is following in the footsteps of Gandhiji, and have turned Swacch Bharat Mission as the world's biggest mass movement," he said. Asserting that the Swachh Bharat Mission has brought a behavioural change in the people, he said that rural sanitation has gone up to 94 per cent as against 38 per cent in 2014. "Five lakh villages and 25 states have become Open Defecation Free," he said expressing satisfaction at the changing lifestyle of people in India, following Swachh Bharat Mission. Mentioning the emphasis that Mahatma Gandhi placed on cleanliness, he said that an unclean environment, if not cleaned, leads to a situation where one starts accepting circumstances. "On the contrary, if one cleans up dirt in the surroundings, he gets energized and then does not resign himself to existing adverse circumstances," he said. Referring to 17 Sustainable Development Goals set up by United Nations, the Prime Minister assured UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres that India will play an important role in achieving the goals. "We are on track to achieve it before the set target. Along with sanitation our government is also focussing on nutrition," he said. Addressing the gathering, Guterres congratulated Modi for giving priority to sanitation and said that clean India will be a befitting tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. "Mahatma Gandhi was ahead of his time when it came to safe, hygienic sanitation - as he was in so many areas. He demanded the right of sanitation for everyone. And he demanded respect for that right from everyone. And the Clean India Mission builds on his genius and lifelong quest for human dignity," he said. The UN chief said that poor sanitation and open defecation have a disproportionate impact on women and girls. "They may face an increased risk of harassment and abuse, restrictions on their personal freedom of movement and increased health risks because of lack of access to sanitation facilities and to menstruation materials. Girls cannot wait for safe, clean, private toilets in their schools. And women should not have to wait for sanitation in public spaces and workplaces," he said. He said, to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, there is an urgent need to tackle the issue of sanitation as is being done in India. "The 2030 Agenda, agreed by all countries, is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity and sanitation plays a part in all three. No country can be content with less than universal sanitation; it is fundamental to sustainable development and India's example is very much welcome at the present moment," he said. Guterres said eliminating open defecation must be central to efforts to improve sanitation. "I commend India for making the elimination of open defecation a priority at the highest level and throughout government, and I congratulate all governments that have agreed plans and allocated budgets to eliminate open defecation," he said. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said that Swachh Bharat Mission has helped the government, the policymakers at all levels and also to work towards one common goal. "Never before have so many ministries and departments come together under a single umbrella that of Swachhata, of cleanliness. The manner in which this mission has been implemented is a 'perfect model of convergence' of aims and policies," he said. The Prime Minister, along with Guterres, witnessed a digital exhibition and released commemorative postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi and a medley CD based on Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn - "Vaishnav Jana To". --IANS bns/vsc/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 20,000 people took the 'Swachhata Hi Sewa' pledge at the Retreat ceremony at Attari, nearly 30 km from Amritsar, on Tuesday evening to commemorate the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Field Publicity Officer Rajesh Bali administered the pledge in the presence of senior Border Security Force (BSF) officers and soldiers. The Retreat ceremony witnesses lowering of the national flags of India and Pakistan at sunset by border guards of both countries to mark the closing of the gates at the international border. Amritsar-based Field Outreach Bureau of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in coordination with the BSF, organized the 'Swachhata Hi Sewa' pledge. Thousands assembled at the border to watch the Retreat ceremony, Bali said. In an atmosphere of national fervor, people took the pledge by raising their hands. Bali said it was aimed at achieving the vision of 'Clean India' by October 2, 2019, on the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is no community in the world more discriminated against than the Rohingya people of Myanmar, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday. Delivering a public lecture on "Global Challenges, Global Solutions" here, Guterres said that the people of the Rohingya community cannot get married without permission and their children don't get access to basic education. "In Myanmar, there is a very deep-rooted sense of racism (against the Rohingya)," he said. "The Myanmar President asked me to resettle them (Rohingya) in another country, but I said I can't do that." Guterres said that even if some members of the Rohingya community made some provocative acts, the response from the Myanmar army was "absolutely brutal". He said the Myanmar government and the military should be convinced about the plight of the Rohingya people and India should play a role in this. A new crisis erupted in August last year following an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group that led to a violent response by the Myanmar Army in Rakhine state. This resulted in an exodus of Rohingya refugees from the Rakhine State in Myanmar to Bangladesh. New Delhi has sent relief material for the refugees in both Rakhine and Bangladesh. The Rohingya people do not enjoy citizenship status in Myanmar and are sparingly given refugee status in Bangladesh. On Monday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that Indian states have been told to identify the Rohingya people living in the country and send their biometric details to the Centre. "The states are directed to identify the Rohingyas and collect their biometric details. The states need to send the reports to the Central government," Singh said while chairing the 23rd meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council in Kolkata. There are around 40,000 Rohingya refugees in India, but the government has sent a clear message that it was not willing to accept them because of security concerns. In December last year, India and Myanmar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop Rakhine State. It was the first government-to-government agreement signed between New Delhi and its eastern neighbour focussed on socio-economic development and livelihood initiatives in Rakhine State. It is intended to help the Myanmar government achieve its objective of restoration of normalcy in Rakhine State and enable the return of displaced persons. In his speech, Guterres said that "massive physical investmenta needs to be made in Myanmar for relief for the Rohingya people. He also lamented the fact that fundamentalism has crept into a peaceful religion like Buddhism in that Southeast Asian nation. --IANS ab/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked the Modi government after thousands of farmers were prevented from entering Delhi, saying farmers were not even being allowed to voice their grievances. "On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti began with the brutal beating of peaceful farmers coming to Delhi," tweeted Gandhi after the police stopped the farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. "Now the farmers cannot even come to the country's capital and talk about their ordeal," he added. Led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), thousands of farmers were on their way to Kisan Ghat here from Uttar Pradesh with a charter of 15 demands including loan waiver. --IANS and/mr/sin (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have dispersed hundreds of Catalan separatists who were demonstrating in front of the regional Parliament and the headquarters of Spain's National Police in Barcelona. Hundreds of people gathered on Monday before both venues at the end of a demonstration called in the Catalan capital to mark the first anniversary of the northeastern region's illegal referendum on secession, Efe news reported. During the demonstration on the Via Laietana avenue, the protesters threw objects and paint at the policemen who guarded the building, while the demonstrators at the Parliament tried to remove security fences and enter the chamber but were stopped by the police. Police forces dispersed the protesters who gathered in front of the National Police headquarters first, and then those who demonstrated before Parliament. Monday's street protests in Catalonia sought to vindicate the illegal referendum on "self-determination" a year ago. Members of the so-called Committees for the Defence of the Catalan Republic (CDR) obstructed vehicles as well as disrupted train services in several places in the region and participated in the demonstration in Barcelona to commemorate the anniversary of the illegal plebiscite, which was called by the previous separatist regional government. These protests had the support of the Catalan president, the pro-independence Quim Torra, who urged the CDR's to continue the pressure. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central government allowed the farmers to enter the national capital in the early hours of Wednesday, ending the prolonged standoff between the police personnel and protesting farmers. Led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief Naresh Tikait, over 200 tractors carrying thousands of farmers reached Kisan Ghat here. Tikait declared it as the "victory of farmers" and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has failed in its "motives". "The farmers remained unfazed despite all the hardships. We have been marching for 12 days now, farmers are tired as well. We will continue to demand our rights to the government but for now we are ending the march," Tikait told IANS at Kisan Ghat. He said the farmers will be returning early morning on Wednesday. Amid massive deployment of security personnel at Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border, the farmers reinforced their march to the national capital after obtaining necessary permissions from the administration. Shouting anti-BJP slogans, the farmers, with blisters on feet, reached Kisan Ghat at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Earlier on Tuesday, as thousands of farmers tried to enter Delhi, police stopped them on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, triggering violence that left some of them injured. The farmers have a charter of 15 demands including loan waiver and fair prices for crops, which they want implemented without delay. Their demands include complete loan waiver, revoking ban on 10-year-old tractors in the National Capital Region (NCR), reduction in electricity tariff, implementation of the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices and payment of sugarcane arrears among others. The protesters started their 10-day march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand led by the BKU and on Tuesday, they reached the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border. There was heavy deployment of security forces at the border. --IANS aks/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "betraying the people by making false promises" ahead of the 2014 general elections. Addressing the 'Gandhi Sankalp Rally' after a Congress Working Committee meeting here, he attacked Modi on a range of issues, including the Rafale deal, rising fuel prices, unemployment and farm distress. "You trusted Modiji for four years. He promised you that there will be no 'Made in China', but only 'Make in India'. But you see, everything from phones to your shoes is 'Made in China'. "Modi made a false promise to you. He cannot give you employment. But we will work 24 hours a day to give you employment. We will waive your loans too. We have done it in 2009; we can do it again," the Congress chief said as he urged people to repose trust in the Congress that followed Mahatma Gandhi's ideology. Gandhi accused the Prime Minister of striking a shady deal for the purchase of Rafale fighter jets only to benefit what he called Modi's "bankrupt" crony. An inexperienced company had been chosen ignoring the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He sought to know from the Prime Minister the reason behind choosing a new company in the defence deal. Attacking the government over rising fuel prices, Rahul Gandhi said: "The money paid by you (people) is going into the pockets of only a few richest people in India. This is the reality of India. The Congress is a party of the farmers, the weak and the small traders." He also accused Modi of helping his cronies convert their black money into white following the November 2016 demonetisation. --IANS vn-bns/vsc/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police on Tuesday sent a Station House Officer and a Division Officer to district lines and also suspended its three beat officers following their failure to maintain law and order in south Delhi's Taimoor Nagar after alleged murder of an activist. The order came a day after a vigilance enquiry was ordered in the case where activist Rupesh was allegedly murdered by two drug smugglers outside his residence. "We have sent Station House Officer (SHO) Inspector Sushil Kumar and Division Officer Sub-Inspector Rajender to district lines. Three beat officers -- Head Constable Ajay, Constables Surender and Hari Chand -- have been placed under suspension," Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said. "These officers were found guilty in preliminary findings of Vigilance Enquiry conducted by Additional DCP-rank officer to look into the alleged lapses of local police in the murder case of Rupesh and resultant law and order problem in Taimoor Nagar area on Sunday," Biswal added. The deceased had been fighting against drug smugglers and local criminals in Taimoor Nagar. He was gunned down by two suspected smugglers who came to buy drugs near his residence. The incident occurred on Sunday night when the victim, Rupesh, was playing with his children outside his residence. The attackers first stabbed a drug peddler when they did not get fine quality drugs from him and later attacked Rupesh. --IANS sp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has opposed a move by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to bring various posts of Chandigarh Administration under the DANIPS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service) cadre saying that the move is against the spirit of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966. In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, Sidhu said: "I am conveying to you my deep sense of anguish... over some recent developments, which affect the state of Punjab deeply and therefore, concerns me not only as a minister in the cabinet serving the state but also as a Punjabi." Sidhu had pointedly opposed a notification by the MHA issued on September 25 under which the Union government has brought various posts of Chandigarh Administration, including the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), within the ambit of DANIPS cadre. This would mean that police officers working in Chandigarh (under the Chandigarh Police cadre) can be transferred to Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "This notification shakes the very foundation and purpose of the Punjab Reorganization Act and the Rajiv-Longowal Accord," Sidhu said. By way of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the erstwhile state of Punjab was bifurcated by way of formation of new state namely Haryana and also the Union Territory to be known as Union Territory of Chandigarh, Sidhu said. "The aforesaid Reorganization Act also envisaged that from the said appointed date, which was to be 1st Day of November, 1966, all assets and liabilities were to be bifurcated between Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40," Sidhu said. "This ratio has been consistently followed... even for the purpose of allocating officers for the Union Territory of Chandigarh from the states of Punjab and Haryana," Sidhu said in his communication. The 60:40 rule, in respect of various cadres of officers allocated to Union Territory of Chandigarh while enacting reorganization of these states vis-a-vis the Union Territory, has become a binding convention and is being followed religiously since then, Sidhu said. Urging the Home Minister to reconsider the notification, Sidhu said there was genuine apprehension among Punjabis that by enacting more notifications like this one, all the cadres would be taken away from the Punjabi officers and as such, their legitimate expectations would be frustrated. "By way of the said notification, the legitimate and existing binding convention of 60:40 has been unjustifiably taken away from the people of Punjab," he added. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Deliberations on ecological, social and economic drivers of change will mark the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit VII to be held here from October 3 to 5, organisers announced on Tuesday. Integrated Mountain Initiative in New Delhi and Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment in Shimla have joined hands with Shoolini University of Solan to organise the summit. More than 150 delegates from across India are expected to participate. The event will also witness a Chief Ministers' and Legislators' Conclave of the Himalayan states. It will integrate viable recommendations for policies that enable sustainable agricultural development. The delegates will also discuss the role of mountain farmers in adding value to ecosystem services, a statement by summit organisers said. Representatives of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and the Swiss Development Cooperation will also come together to discuss the socio-ecological and economic development of Himalayan farmers. "The overall objective of the conclave is to provide a platform for the mountain states to come together to discuss issues related to the themes, and find ways to influence national and state policies on the same," P.K. Khosla, Vice-Chancellor of Shoolini University said. --IANS vg/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on Tuesday organised a cleanliness drive in and around McLeodganj, the abode of their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, to commemorate the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and in observance of the Indian government's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The day-long event was flagged off by CTA Health Minister Choekyong Wangchuk. "With the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and under the leadership of the CTA, Tibetan people across India are observing this year with a series of pan-India events to express gratitude to the government and people of India for hosting His Holiness and the Tibetan people for over six decades," an official statement said. Executive members of the Indo-Tibet Friendship Association, besides CTA's officials and staff and local Tibetan community participated in the cleanliness drive. Tibetans, who have been forced to flee their homeland in China more than half a century ago and have settled across India since then, have been following in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of peace and non-violence. Every year, the CTA, the democratically elected government in exile, holds functions at its headquarters here to celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi that falls on October 2. "Mahatma Gandhiji's commitment to peace and non-violence is well respected all over the world," Tibetan political leader Lobsang Sangay said at a function here. Describing the Mahatma as the most important guru, he said: "As His Holiness always mentions, India is our guru (teacher) and we Tibetans are their chela (disciple) and as far as non-violence is concerned, Gandhiji is one of our most important guru." As a mark of respect to the Mahatma, the CTA has been holding functions every Gandhi Jayanti since 2007 and is observing a public holiday in all CTA offices on this day. The Dalai Lama, ultimate spiritual and political leader for millions of Tibetans, is an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi. "I never met Mahatma Gandhi in person, although I dreamt of doing so. I admire him because he was a great thinker who put what he thought into practice," a post on the website of the CTA quoted the spiritual leader as saying. The Tibetans have lived in India since 1959 when the Dalai Lama fled his homeland after a failed uprising against the Chinese rule. --IANS vg/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 150 tribals from the states affected by Maoist insurgency on Tuesday began a 'Shanti Padyatra' or peace march from a village in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district to appeal to all sides to give peace a chance. Tribals and activists from Telangana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand began their march from Shabri Gandhi Ashram in Chatti village amid a boycott call by Maoists and will cover 186 km to end it at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh after 10 days. The organisers said that a conclave 'Bastar Dialogue 1' will be held in Jagdalpur on October 12 and 13 at the end of the march to discuss future strategies. Symbolically, the marchers will take the same path taken by Maoists 40 years back to enter Bastar from Andhra Pradesh through Dandakaranya forest, said organiser Shubhranshu Choudhary. The peaceniks will walk along the National Highway-30, which connects Telangana to Chhattisgarh. The organisers have termed this as the first step towards what they call the new peace process. According to them, the insurgent movement since its inception has become one of the major threats to the democratic structure of India. The violence by Maoists and security forces has claimed the lives of 12,000 people in 20 years, including 2,700 security personnel and more than 9,300 tribals. Pointing out that the Andhra Pradesh government's last attempt to broker peace failed in 2004 and the violence continued unabated, the organisers feel that the peace process should be given a second chance. Many organisations, individuals, community elders and leaders, scholars, academicians, human rights activists and professions decided to come together to discuss the prospects, possibilities and alternative ways of building peace in central India, the organisers said. The Communist Party of India-Maoist called for boycott of the peace march. The outlawed group urged tribals not to take part, saying it aims at stopping Bastar tribals from fighting against corporate houses and claiming their water, forests and land. CPI-Maoist Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Spokesperson Vikalp, in a statement, alleged that NGOs organising the peace march are funded by multinational companies. He said that the organisers should first ask the government to stop displacement of tribals, cancel MoUs with companies and withdraw paramilitary forces. --IANS ms/tsb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a good deal for the three countries. The USMCA, signed on Sunday night, came in the final hours before the deadline for Canada to come on board a re-negotiated trilateral deal. It will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) once fully ratified. At a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, Trudeau described the USMCA in principle as a preservation of many aspects of the NAFTA, Xinhua news agency reported. He said the USMCA will modernise and stabilise the economy for the 21st century, and guarantee a higher standard of living for Canadians for the long term. Striking the deal was no easy feat and Canada got there by maintaining its focus and collective resolve, Trudeau said, defending his negotiating team's concessions on the dairy sector, and promising to address the "anxiety" with adequate compensation for affected farmers and to protect the supply management system. Noting that the agreement must still be ratified by the three countries, Trudeau said the tentative deal means economic stability for the continent. Before the press conference, Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, who led the Canadian team of negotiators throughout the trilateral talks, spent Monday morning briefing premiers of Canadian provinces about the details of the new agreement which is expected to have an impact across industries and regions of the country. On Monday morning, Trudeau spoke on phone with US President Donald Trump and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. In the talks, according to the Canadian Prime Minister Office, Trudeau and his North American counterparts praised the deal, and stressed how the deal will bring the countries closer and enhance North American competitiveness. The leaders of the three countries are expected to convene before the end of November to sign the deal, which will allow outgoing Nieto to sign the new agreement before his successor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes office in December. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said he plans to sign a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada by the end of November to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). "It's my great honour to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA... with an incredible new US-Mexico-Canada agreement called USMCA," Trump said on Monday at an event at the White House to celebrate the new trade deal, Xinhua reported. "I plan to sign the agreement by the end of November. I then will submit it for approval to Congress, where, in theory, there should be no trouble," he said. Talks on re-negotiating the NAFTA began in August 2017 as Trump threatened to withdraw from the trilateral trade deal and claimed that it harmed US industries and jobs. The US and Mexico struck a preliminary agreement to update the 24-year-old NAFTA by late August. Then US and Canadian negotiators made the final push this weekend to reach an agreement before a midnight Sunday deadline, allowing leaders from the three countries to sign the new trade pact by late November. The Office of the US Trade Representative on Sunday night released the full legal text of the new "US-Mexico-Canada Agreement," which includes more than 30 chapters such as market access for goods, agriculture, rules of origin, trade remedies, financial services, digital trade, and dispute settlement. Now the trade agreement needs to be reviewed and approved by lawmakers from the three countries. But the US Congress is not likely to have a vote on the trade pact until next year, according to media reports. "Congress won't vote on the agreement until next year, because it still has a number of procedural hurdles to clear under Trade Promotion Authority legislation, including an analysis by the US International Trade Commission," Politico, a US political website, reported on Monday. While calling the agreement "the most important trade deal we've ever made by far," Trump said he's "not at all confident" that Congress will approve the deal. "They (Democrats) might be willing to throw one of the great deals for people and the workers. They may be willing to do that for political purpose," Trump said, adding Democrats might not want to approve the revised NAFTA agreement as they will have the 2020 presidential race in mind. "Any trade agreement proposal must be judged by whether it improves the wages, working conditions and well-being of America's workers and farmers," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Monday in a statement. "Democrats will closely scrutinize the text of the Trump Administration's NAFTA proposal, and look forward to further analyses and conversations with stakeholders," she said. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has said that she will pick the "right persons" to push ahead the Security Council reform negotiations, although its progress will ultimately depend on the member states. Replying to a question on Security Council reform on Monday at a news conference here, she said, "I will pick the right persons in order to push the process ahead and it is very much going to depend on the depth (of commitment) and the readiness of member states." "This is very much a member state-driven process," she said. Miroslav Lajcak, whose term as UN General Assembly (UNGA) President ended last month, appointed Permanent Representatives Kaha Imnadze of Georgia and and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, of the United Arab Emirates as the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), as the process is known. The IGN made very little progress being unable -- as in previous years -- to even agree on a text on which to base the negotiations and rolled it over to the current session. The main opposition to reforms comes from a group of countries known as United for Progress led by Italy and includes Pakistan. In order to block reforms that could add permanent members, they have been insisting that there should be a consensus on reforms before there could be negotiation text, which in effect means the negotiations cannot go ahead meaningfully in the absence of a document for discussions. Now pressure is building from African nations, which do not have a single permanent member on the Security Council, while that continent is home to most UN peacekeeping operations ordered by it and issues from there feature often on its agenda. South Africa's Foreign Minister Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the UNGA last week, "Reform of the United Nations, particularly its Security Council is a priority if we are to give full effect to the values and principles enshrined in the UN Charter." Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said the absence of an African nation as a permanent member was an" injustice" to Africa. Africa deserves to be given its place among the Security Council's permanent members in order to repair the injustice done to it, he said. The vast majority of member states agree on the principle of a more representative Security Council that reflects the realities of the contemporary world and is more able to respond quickly to crises, Barry said. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) --IANS al/pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's administration has begun denying visas to unmarried, same-sex partners of foreign diplomats and UN employees, the media reported. According to a report in Foreign Policy magazine on Monday, the policy affected same-sex partners of diplomats and staffers working at the UN global headquarters in New York. The partner must show proof of marriage by December 31 or leave the country within 30 days. The majority of 193 UN member countries do not legalize same-sex marriage, meaning diplomats face a tough choice. The report said the new policy meant at least 10 unmarried UN employees currently in the US will have to get married in order for their partners' visas to be extended. Since the 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, the US policy has dictated that diplomatic visas are only extended to married spouses. The US mission to the UN reportedly notified couples of the decision in July and it took effect on Monday, according to the report. "Same-sex spouses of US diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses," read the announcement obtained by Foreign Policy. "Consistent with the (State) Department policy, partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible for a diplomatic visa," it said. Former US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power blasted the move as "needlessly cruel and bigoted". Alfonso Nam, the President of UN Globe, a UN LGBTI staff advocacy organization, told Foreign Policy that same-sex couples were at risk of prosecution if they return to a country that criminalizes homosexuality or has not legalized same-sex marriages. Diplomats would be eligible for "limited exceptions" under the Trump administration's policy if they can prove they are from countries that outlaw same-sex partners, the report said. That exception, however, reportedly does not extend to UN officials. A Chinese national living in California has been jailed for 46 months over a scheme to smuggle sensitive space and military communications technology to China. Si Chen, 33, was sentenced on Monday after she pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which restricts the export of certain goods to foreign nations, the Justice Department said in a statement cited by CNN on Tuesday. Si Chen, a resident of Pomona, a suburb of Los Angeles, was arrested in May 2017 and has been in custody since. She also pleaded guilty to money laundering and using a forged passport, the report said. Prosecutors say that between 2013 and 2015, Si Chen purchased and smuggled numerous sensitive items to China without the proper export license, including components used in military communications jammers and devices used for space communications. "This defendant knowingly participated in a plot to secretly send items with military applications to China. The smuggled items could be used in a number of damaging ways, including in equipment that could jam our satellite communications," said US Attorney Nick Hanna in a statement. The report said that Si Chen went by several aliases, including "Chunping Ji", for which she acquired a forged passport and rented an office in Pomona to take delivery of the export-controlled items. From Pomona, the goods were shipped to Hong Kong and then on to China. Court documents mentioned three unindicted co-conspirators who worked with Si Chen to smuggle the items to Hong Kong. Her case came a week after another Chinese national, Ji Chaoqun, was arrested in the US over accusations of acting as an "illegal agent" at the direction of a "high-level intelligence officer" of a provincial department of the Ministry of State Security, China's top spy agency. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The world's first full-scale passenger capsule, built in Spain by Airtificial, gets ready to head to Toulouse R&D facility for optimization PLAYA VISTA, California, Oct. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT, HTT) provided a first look of their full-scale passenger capsule today at an unveiling ceremony in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. The event was also held to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the founding of HyperloopTT and showcased the company's progress since it was established as the first Hyperloop company in the world. The capsule, "Quintero One" is constructed almost completely out of HyperloopTT's Vibranium, a specially made dual-layer smart composite material. It was built at the Southern Spain aerospace facilities of HyperloopTT's partner Airtificial, a new company formed by the merger of composite expert Carbures and engineering company Inypsa that manufactures for many leading including Airbus and Boeing. The design for the capsule was created in collaboration with world renowned transport design consultancy PriestmanGoode and won the Gold award at the 2017 London Design Awards "Quintero One" Hyperloop Passenger Capsule Specifications: Length: 32 meters (105 feet) Inner cabin length: 15 meters (50 feet) Weight: 5,000 kilograms (5 tons) Other components include: 21,000 skilled engineering hours 5,000 skilled assembly hours 82 carbon fiber panels 72 sensors 75,000 rivets 7,200 square meters of fiber (1.8 acres). The capsule will be delivered to HyperloopTT's research and development center in Toulouse, France for additional assembly and integration into the system, before it is used on one of the first commercial tracks. "Working together with engineers from HyperloopTT, we are proud to be pushing the envelope of smart materials in transportation and manufacturing," said Airtificial Co-Founder and Chairman, Rafael Contreras. "Today we have unveiled a new type of transportation vessel built with an industry high percentage of composite, which makes the Hyperloop capsule perhaps the safest transportation vehicle in the world." "The creation of this capsule represents over a year long journey of the best expertise in design, engineering, and the development of cutting edge materials," said Dirk Ahlborn HyperloopTT co-founder and CEO. "In just five years we have solved and improved upon all of the technology needed for Hyperloop with our new levitation system, vacuum pumps, batteries, and smart composites. This capsule will be a part of one of the most efficient transportation systems ever made." "In 2019, this capsule will be fully optimized and ready for passengers," said Bibop Gresta, chairman and co-founder of HyperloopTT. "Since we have taken major steps in solving government regulations with our safety certification guidelines and insurance frameworks, we are now closer than ever to bringing Hyperloop to the world." Recently, HyperloopTT became the world's first company to be able to offer an insured commercial system. In collaboration with Munich Re, the world's largest reinsurance company along with global certification and inspection company TUV SUD, governments and partners, HyperloopTT is creating the first regulatory guidelines and creating the necessary legal framework for Hyperloop systems around the world. About HyperloopTT Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) is an innovative transportation and technology company focused on realizing the Hyperloop, a system that moves people and goods at unprecedented speeds safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Through the use of unique, patented technology and an advanced business model of lean collaboration, open innovation and integrated partnership, HyperloopTT is creating and licensing technologies. Founded in 2013, HyperloopTT is a global team comprised of more than 800 engineers, creatives and technologists in 52 multidisciplinary teams, with 40 corporate and university partners. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, HyperloopTT has offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE; Bratislava, Slovakia; Toulouse, France; Contagem, Brazil; and Barcelona, Spain. HyperloopTT has signed agreements in the United States, UAE, Brazil, France, India, China, Korea, Indonesia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Ukraine. HyperloopTT is led by co-founders Dirk Ahlborn (CEO) and Bibop G. Gresta (Chairman) and a senior management team of experienced entrepreneurs and professionals. For more information or media inquiries. About Airtificial Airtificial is a new Spanish technological company specialized in applying artificial intelligence, through collaborative robotics and sensorial structures, and specialized engineering within the civil works, aerospace and automotive industries. With a 4.0 Industry DNA and a great growth potential, the company has a proven know-how and operates globally. For more information about the new company. About PriestmanGoode PriestmanGoode is the world's leading transport design consultancy. Based in London and China, the studio works on a vast range of projects across rail and aviation, developing designs for high speed trains, metros, airlines and commercial spacecraft all over the world. PriestmanGoode's work is centred around the user and about creating exceptional travel journeys for millions of passengers every year. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik was detained in Srinagar on Tuesday to prevent an anti-poll campaign. Police detained Malik at his party office in Abi Guzar locality here before his scheduled poll boycott campaign. Separatists have called for the boycott of local urban bodies and Panchayat polls in Kashmir. Polling for the first phase of the four-phased polling exercise is scheduled on October 8. The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party have already announced their non-participation in these polls. --IANS sq/in/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.) In mid-January 2004, thousands of activists from across the world and all corners of India, gathered in Mumbai under the banner of World Social Forum. Another world is possible, they concluded and Indian activists among them returned to their pockets of influence with the resolve to work towards the defeat of the "anti-people" Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led government in the Lok Sabha elections that were three months away. It is difficult to gauge if, and how much, effect the work of these activists had on the eventual Lok Sabha results of 2004, where the Bharatiya ... Two more lions, shifted to a rescue centre during a screening drive in Gujarat's Gir Sanctuary, died Tuesday, taking the death toll to 23 since September 12, an official said. "Two lions, rescued earlier, died today morning due to infection," said Additional Chief Secretary of the Forest Department Rajiv Kumar Gupta. Eleven lions had died in the forest due to reasons such as infighting and infections between September 12 and 19, while 10 more died between September 20 and 30 after they were shifted to a rescue centre. With the latest deaths, the toll of lions that have died since September 12 has reached 23, Gupta said. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani termed the deaths as "very unfortunate". "It was a very unfortunate incident. 20-22 lions inhibiting in one forest range have died due to infection. To make sure that other lions are alright, we have called in doctors from Delhi and Pune to examine them," Rupani told reporters in Porbandar Tuesday. "We are also probing whether the officers who have the responsibility of that range have shown carelessness," he said. The forest department had said Monday that four of the dead lions were found to have a virus infection, while another six were infected with a Protozoa-class organism carried by ticks. All these lions lived in Sarasiya area of the Dalkhania range of Gir Sanctury, officials said. The department launched a screening operation in the range to identify sick lions following the death of 11 lions between September 11 and 19. However, 12 sick lions, which were caught and shifted to a rescue centre, have died since then. The virus found in the carcasses of these animals has not yet been idenitifed, as per the officials. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Tuesday hoisted a 319.5 feet tall National Flag, the third tallest in the country on the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The 319.5 feet flag pole at the Gandhi Mandap in Guwahati is the tallest in the country with respect to average elevation of the city, an official release said. Considering only the height of the flag pole, it is the third tallest in the country after the ones at Attari Border (360 feet) and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chawk in Pune (351 feet), it said. It cost the exchequer Rs 2.92 crore. Sonowal dedicating the flag to the people told the gathering that Gandhiji's philosophy of non-violence, cleanliness, untouchability is still relevant not only in India but outside the country too. "Even the greats like Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King followed Gandhiji's philosophy to serve humanity. Gandhiji was a great humanist and nationalist. Installing the tallest National Flag in the state was motivated by Gandhiji's principle of nationalism," he said. The National Flag installation project was conceived by Sonowal and he had asked the department of industries and commerce to implement it. Guwahati Smart City Ltd was entrusted with the task of preparing the project document and supervising the work, officials said. "The total project cost is Rs 2.92 crore, which includes operations and maintenance for a period of one year," the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five people were injured in an explosion in front of a multi-storey building in the Nagerbazar area in the city's northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. The explosion was reported outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum Police Station around 9 am, a police officer said. The injured have been rushed to the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, he said. The building also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality Chairman, the officer said. A forensic team and sniffer dogs have been sent to the spot to ascertain the nature of explosion, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reflecting the domination of the community in science and technology, half a dozen Indian American teenagers have been bestowed with the prestigious 2018 Davidson Fellows scholarships. Two of the Indian Americans received USD 50,000 each as scholarship money and another three got USD 25,000 each. In all 20 meritorious students from across the country were presented with the 2018 Davidson Fellows Scholarships in Washington on Friday. Named as the among "The 10 Biggest Scholarships in the World" and one of the "7 Prestigious Undergrad Scholarships", the fellowship is offered by the Davidson Institute to students who are 18 years or younger and who demonstrate the development of their talents with a significant piece of work in science, mathematics, technology, engineering, music, literature, philosophy or outside the box. Kavya Kopparapu, 18, from Virginia and Rahul Subramaniam, 17, from Connecticut were recipients of USD 50,000 each as 2018 Davidson Fellows laureates. Kopparapu was recognised for her innovative personalised, targeted treatment for patients with cancer, and Subramaniam for developing an early warning system for Zika virus in mosquito populations. Three of the Indian Americans Sachin Konan from Arizona, Marissa Sumathipala from Virginia and Eeshan Tripathi from New Jersey bagged the 2018 Davidson Fellows award of USD 25,000 scholarship each. Tripathi, 16, received the award for utilising artificial intelligence and machine learning to find a solution for poor indoor air quality (IAQ). His research on IAQ has the potential to prevent diseases, save millions of lives and billions of dollars from lost productivity. Konan's project addresses the recovery of buried earthquake victims after natural disasters. He was inspired to build a system capable of detecting humans through rubble after watching the devastating feeds of families and first-response teams searching for buried victims in the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Marissa, 18, won the award for her novel heart disease therapeutic that treats all of the disease's components simultaneously by attacking crucial cellular processes that are the root cause of heart disease. Rajiv Movva, 18, from California is a recipient of the USD 10,000 scholarship for building a computer model that can use a particular DNA sequence as input to predict gene expression level as output, which sheds much light on the poorly understood "dark genome" that doesn't directly code for proteins. All Davidson Fellows also received a letter from the US president wherein he encouraged the winners to "apply their knowledge and talents to serve our communities". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured on Tuesday during the protest by farmers on Delhi-UP border, Delhi Police said here. Police said a section of crowd suddenly turned violent as police tried to persuade the protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union march, not to break the barricades. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". As many as 3,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure that the farmers are not able to enter Delhi. The main demands of the agitating farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the use of tractors which are more than 10 years old, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A seven-year-old child was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building at Nagerbazar in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. The ruling Trinamool Congress held the BJP and RSS responsible for the blast and alleged that the saffron party was aiming to kill South Dum Dum Municipality chairman and TMC leader Panchu Roy. The BJP rubbished these charges and demanded a NIA probe into the blast, which shook the windows of neighbouring houses and splinters damaged the shutters of the shops near it. Calling Roy and other TMC leaders former naxalites, the BJP said the blast was a result of an internal feud in the TMC. "A 7-year-old child, who was severely injured in the blast, has died in the hospital. Nine other persons are undergoing treatment at two hospitals, among them one is critical," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said. As per the initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in the low-intensity blast which was outside a shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum police station around 9 am, the official said. "It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation," a police officer said. A socket bomb is an improvised explosive device. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it was not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder," another senior police officer said. A forensic team along with CID bomb disposal squad and sniffer dogs were sent to the spot to ascertain the nature of the explosion, police said. Panchu Roy, whose office is in the multi-storeyed building, claimed he was the target of the blast. The shop outside which the blast took place is the extended office of the municipal chairman. Roy and his party workers are regularly present in the office from 9 am to 10 am in the morning and also a few hours in the evening, the municipality chairman and the locals said. Roy claimed he was late to reach his office in the morning and the blast took place around 9.05 am. Roy stopped short of naming any political party, but said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, were behind the attack. "It was a pre-planned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area," Panchu Roy told PTI. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, he said there was no such issue in south Bengal. TMC North 24 Parganas district president and state minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, who visited the spot, held the BJP and RSS responsible for the blast and said it was targeted at harming Roy and other party members. "The blast is an example of deep conspiracy to kill Panchu Roy. This was a very well-planned one. They (the BJP) are trying to create unnecessary problems among the people throughout the state. "The BJP is trying to play divisive politics. They are shouting against the incident in Islampur but trying to killing Roy here," Mullick said. Two students died in a clash with the police at Islampur in North Dinajpur district on September 20 over appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhita High School. The state government has ordered CID inquiry into the Islampur incident. BJP had called a state-wide shutdown over it on September 26. "The RSS and BJP have been attacking our party leaders in various parts of the state. In this area too they have been targeting our party workers. I will request the police to provide all our councillors with security cover as there is a threat to their lives," Mullick told PTI after visiting the blast site. The minister sought security for all TMC councillors of South Dum Dum Municipality and said he had requested the police to take action against the persons behind the blast. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh rubbished Mullick's allegations and said it has become a "mania" for the Trinamool Congress to blame his party for almost everything. He alleged that the TMC party offices have become a "storehouse of bombs" and hence in every blast the name of the ruling party surfaces. "Panchu Roy, Purendu Basu (state minister), Dola Sen (TMC Rajya Sabha MP) were former naxalites. This blast is a result of their internal feud and all these three TMC leaders are involved in it. We demand a NIA probe into the matter," Ghosh said. He also questioned the security apparatus in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, Delhi Police claimed on Tuesday. As it drew flak for what the parties termed as "brutal" action against the protesters, the police said they used only "minimum required force" to control the situation. Police said a section of protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) march, suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". As many as 3,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure that the farmers were not able to enter Delhi. Since morning, the farmers gathered at Ghazipur border between Delhi and Ghaziabad in several thousands. Senior officers including Special Commissioners of Police(Law andOrder), joint commissioners of ranges and district deputy commissioners of police were personally supervising the arrangements, and maintained constant liaison with their UP counterparts, the Delhi Police said. Announcements were regularly made on public address system about promulgation of prohibitory orders and requests were specifically made not to attempt entry into Delhi forcibly on tractor-trolleys since there was no permission for the same, they said. "The protesters were also assured through their leaders that their demands are being projected at appropriate levels, and their movement will be duly facilitated in an orderly fashion without tractor- trolleys," the police said, adding it had specially deployed buses for ferrying the farmers to the city. Talks were also going on in this regard with the leaders of various factions of the protesters, they said. Despite requests that the protesters wait for the outcome of the talks between their leaders and the government, a section of the crowd suddenly turned violent and tried to break the barricades with tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis, they added. "Tractor-trolleys were used with violent force by this aggressive section to break down three layers of strong barricading. Some protestors also resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty," the police alleged. "Under these circumstances, only the minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestors. "However, after using water cannon and tear gas shells on a limited scale, the situation was brought under control, and thereafter use of any force was discontinued forthwith, resorting again to persuasive tactics," they added. Seven police personnel, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured during this process. The ACP suffered a shoulder dislocation after he was roughed up by some of the protesters, the police said. No other serious injury was reported to Delhi Police, they said. The situation was brought under control and was closely monitored thereafter so as to facilitate talks between leaders of the farmers union and the government. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU headed for Delhi. The main demands of the agitating farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the use of tractors which are more than 10 years old, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suspended Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is leaving the company, more than three months after he was arrested as part of a probe into parent company Volkswagen's manipulation of diesel emissions controls. Volkswagen said Tuesday it has reached an agreement with Stadler that will see him leave with immediate effect. It said in a statement that Stadler "wants to concentrate on his defense." Stadler was arrested in mid-June. Audi temporarily relieved him of his duties at his own request and named sales chief Abraham 'Bram' Schot interim CEO. German prosecutors ordered Stadler's arrest due to fears he might try to evade justice. A week earlier, authorities had searched his private residence on suspicion of fraud and indirect improprieties with documents. The emissions scandal has rocked Volkswagen since 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suicide attack on a political rally in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 13 people on Tuesday, officials said, as the country braces for an escalation in violence ahead of this month's parliamentary election. The attack is the first suicide assault since campaigning officially began last Friday for the long-delayed ballot, preparations for which have already been marred by dozens of bloody attacks. More than 40 people were wounded, some of them critically, when the militant blew himself up among supporters of candidate Abdul Nasir Mohmmand in Nangarhar province, provincial governor spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said. Mohmmand survived the attack, Khogyani confirmed, but he did not say if the candidate had been hurt. Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal put the death toll slightly higher at 14. An AFP reporter saw numerous ambulances delivering bodies and wounded people to a hospital in the provincial capital of Jalalabad. Sayed Humayun, who had brought his injured cousin to the medical facility, said scores of people had been inside a hall listening to campaign speeches when the bomber struck. "I heard a big explosion," Humayun told AFP. "For a while I could not see, I thought I was blinded, but later I saw I was surrounded by bodies and people covered in blood." The force of the blast caused the ceiling to collapse on top of the gathering. "There are still people trapped under the rubble," Malik Zeerak, who was at the rally, told AFP. Siraj ur Rehman, whose leg was hurt in the blast, said Mohmmand had begun addressing his supporters when he heard "a big bang from the middle of the room". No group immediately claimed the attack, but the Islamic State group has taken responsibility for most of the suicide bombings in recent months. Violence has plagued the run-up to Afghanistan's parliamentary vote, which is scheduled for October 20 -- more than three years after it was supposed to be held. Five candidates have been murdered in targeted killings, according to the Independent Election Commission, and hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded in poll-related violence. The latest attack comes amid predictions for Afghan battle deaths to top 20,000 this year -- including civilians and combatants. That would be the highest number since the start of the conflict in 2001 and potentially make Afghanistan deadlier than Syria. More than 2,500 candidates will contest the vote, which is seen as a test run for next year's presidential election. But preparations have been in turmoil for months. Bureaucratic inefficiency, allegations of industrial-scale fraud and an eleventh-hour pledge for biometric verification of voters threaten to derail the election and any hope of a credible result. The international community is pushing hard for the vote to happen before November's ministerial meeting in Geneva, which the United Nations says is a "crucial moment" for the Afghan government and its foreign partners to demonstrate progress. Some 54,000 members of Afghanistan's beleaguered security forces will be responsible for protecting more than 5,000 polling centres on election day. More than 2,000 polling centres that were supposed to open will be closed for security reasons. It is a daunting task as the Taliban and IS, which have vowed to disrupt the ballot, ramp up attacks across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday termed the police lathi-charge on agitating farmers the "height" of anarchy and warned that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party should be prepared to bear its consequences. Chaos prevailed at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border as thousands of protesting farmers attempting to enter the national capital were stopped by the police, who resorted to water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. Condemning the police action, Mayawati said, "This is the height of the BJP government's anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences." "The BJP, which came to power promising to bring the good days of the farmers' by doubling their income, has targeted them with tear-gas shells, lathis when they only wanted to march to the Gandhi sthal on Gandhi Jayanti and hold protest demonstration over their problems" the Dalit leader said. Stressing that every section of the society has been hit by the "anti-poor and anti-farmer" policies of the BJP-led central and state governments, the BSP president said the farmers, particularly, were facing immense problems. Like the other announcements of the BJP governments, the one pertaining to the loan-waiver has also proved to be a mere eyewash, she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and an AIADMK MLA were locked in a war of words Tuesday after the legislator was asked to cut short his speech as he 'exceeded' the time allotted at a government function. Bedi accused A.Anbalagan of being rude and claimed she had witnessed similar 'misbehaviour' by him in the past, while the MLA, who left the venue in a huff, met Assembly Speaker V Vaithilingam and drew his attention to the incident. "He went on and on beyond reasonable time when there was long programme to follow... rejected the request to stop and continued to be rude," Bedi charged in a WhatsApp message. Talking to reporters, the MLA claimed he had been insulted and slammed Bedi, asking "is the Lt Governor a Princess in Puducherry?" The incident occurred in the presence of a couple of ministers during the government function to declare Puducherry open defecation free with Bedi as the chief guest. The Lt Governor later made the declaration and distributed certificates to the functionaries of the Swchch Bharat Abhiyan programme. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, scheduled to address the function, was conspicuous by his absence. Official sources said he was out of station. Trouble broke out when Anbalagan was addressing the function. Initially he spoke about the centre's Swachch Bharat Abhiyan for maintaining cleanliness, but later highlighted "shortcomings" and suggested measures to improve it. The Lt Governor, who was listening to the speech delivered in Tamil, appeared to indicate that the MLA was going beyond the time limit. He was then handed a slip by an officer asking him to stop. However, Anbalagan kept airing his views following which his mike was switched off. He then picked up an argument with Bedi on the dias, questioning the sudden switching off of the mike and sought to know how he could be asked to stop his speech. As a people's representative he should not be put to such "insult and disrespect", he told Bedi. Bedi, who has been repeatedly accused by both the ruling Congress and opposition parties of overstepping her powers in the past, appealed to Anbalagan to leave the venue. With folded hands, the Lt Governor said "Please go. Do not spoil the function." The MLA then left the venue. Anbalagan later flayed the ministers who were present for not coming out in his support. "Do the Ministers serve as dumb followers of the Lt Governor? Is the Lt Governor a Princess in Puducherry?" he asked. Attacking the Lt Governor, Anbalagan wanted to know how Bedi defeated in an election in New Delhi and appointed to the gubernatorial post here can ask an elected member to leave the venue. He also claimed that there were 1,000 huts in his Uppalam constituency which lacked toilet facilities and people indulged in open defecation. "In the circumstances how can government declare Puducherry an open defecation free union territory'? he asked. Bedi in her message said the legislator was not even scheduled to address the gathering and he compelled his way before the start of the function to be part of the speakers. "Incidentally this is not the first time this MLA has done something like this. I have witnessed similar misbehaviour from him earlier too when he was asked to respect others' time too," she said. The MLA also said he would consult AIADMK high command and act as per its suggestion to ensure that "respect and prestige of an elected member is protected. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Tuesday dubbed Congress president Rahul Gandhi a "tape recorder of lies" and said his party's fortunes will go down as swiftly as he resorts to "falsehoods" to target the Narendra Modi government. The Bharatiya Janata Party's media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni accused Gandhi of starting "bad conventions" of targeting his rivals with lies on a daily basis. "His lies are exposed all the time. His charge against the government over the financial support to IL&FS was exposed within a few hours yesterday. But he believes in speaking from the same script everyday and uttering one lie or another but people in India are wise and can see through it," he said. The BJP's attack on the Congress president came after he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of working to divide the country and criticised him at a rally in Wardha in Maharashtra over the alleged corruption in the Rafale aircraft deal. Hitting back, Baluni said Gandhi's claim on the Rafale deal during his speech in Parliament was also exposed, a reference to the French government's statement about classified information in the agreement between India and France. "He has become a tape recorder of lies. The same tape recorder was heard in Wardha today," the BJP leader said taking a swipe at the Congress president. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had hit out at Gandhi over his allegation of a scam in the LIC's financial support to the IL&FS and dubbed the Congress a "national saboteur". Baluni claimed that Gandhi had lost his credibility in the eyes of people with his baseless allegations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All India Students' Federation leader Kanhaiya Kumar launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government Tuesday, alleging that it was following a "divisive" agenda. The former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president also alleged that a "corporate loot" was taking place in the country. "The present government is a government of corporate loot. It is our primary responsibility to remove it. We are forming a united front for it," he said, without elaborating. Kumar said no decision had been taken on his contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "Whenever this question is asked, I reply that this is not decided yet," he said at a "Meet the Press" event organised by the Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ) here. Kumar claimed that the common people of Begusarai in Bihar wanted him to contest the parliamentary polls, but neither his party CPI nor its allies had announced him as a candidate, nor was there any direct talk with him on the issue. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was following a "divisive" agenda. Asked about the case against him, Kumar claimed that no chargesheet was filed even after more than two-and-a-half years. The Delhi High Court recently set aside an order of the Jawaharlal Nehru University's appellate authority imposing a penalty on Kumar in connection with a 2016 incident, in which anti-India slogans were allegedly raised at an event. Kumar claimed he was not involved in the event. "By taking JNU's name, they (government) tried to raise a grand narrative in the country that whoever speaks against the government is a naxal, jihadi, anti-national and Pakistani," he said. The charge of sedition against him was slapped in an "unknown FIR", Kumar claimed, adding that the court had freed him, dismissing the fine imposed on him. "We ask the Home Minister (Rajnath Singh), why don't you put me in jail if I have links to Hafiz Saeed (terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba's founder). If no, you have to take responsibility and resign from your post, because you have unsuccessfully tried to portray an ordinary student as a 'deshdrohi' (anti-national) in the eyes of the people of the country," Kumar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, has announced his resignation as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party. Speculation is that Deshmukh is joining the Congress, as he is meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha this evening. Gandhi is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Deshmukh, who represents Katol constituency in Nagpur district, will meet Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde Wednesday to submit his resignation. He has accused the BJP government of ignoring the plight of farmers and youths in the country and indulging in "divisive and vote bank politics". Deshmukh, the son of former president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjeet Deshmukh, has been demanding that Vidarbha be carved out from Maharashtra. "The situation of farmers and the youth has worsened in the last four years but the government is indulged only in the of vote bank for wining elections and dividing the nation," he said. As the BJP has been ignoring the people of India, I am tendering my resignation as an MLA and a member of the BJP, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Tuesday took potshots at the Congress when one of its top leaders paid tribute on social media to Mahatma Gandhi using the word "punyatithi" or death anniversary, instead of birth anniversary. The post on the twitter handle of AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil was, however, edited soon, "punyatithi" replaced with "Jayanti" meaning birth anniversary. Congress leaders on condition of anonymity said it was an error caused by an oversight and later rectified. The BJP, however, shared screenshots of the original tweet on social media and claimed Congress leaders cannot remember birthdays of anyone except members of the Nehru-Gandhi family. "The problem with Gohil and all other leaders of the Congress is that they remember the birthdays of all members of the Nehru-Gandhi family but they have forgotten the birth or death anniversaries of all other great personalities of the nation," Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said. "Gohil belongs to Guajarat, where Mahatma Gandhi was born. Still he has confusion about dates relating to his life. Deletion of the tweet would not hide the mistake. Congress people ought to rise above their ritualistic, superficial politics," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hollywood star Bradley Cooper has revealed he once lost out on a role because makers of the film did not find him sexy enough for the part. The 43-year-old actor, who is one of Hollywood's in-demand men courtesy his performance in movies such as "American Sniper', "American Hustle" and "Silver Linings Playbook", says he has always felt like an underdog in the movies. He has already created an Oscars buzz with his directorial debut "A Star Is Born". "I've always been an underdog. I was always operating under the lens of not really being seen as the 'main guy'. I've heard it all in my career. Early on, I didn't get a role because they said I wasn't 'f***able.' In the end, you have to reserve your attention for the work and not listen to anyone. "People I care about, who care about me, told me not to direct 'A Star Is Born', said that it would be too difficult and I should start with something easier. Luckily, I didn't listen. I loved that it was really, really hard to make this film. Otherwise, it wouldn't have the same value. And that's always been my goal: to make something, no matter how challenging, that will be remembered," the actor told W magazine. Apart from directing and starring in "A Star Is Born", Cooper also co-wrote the script, contributed to several of the songs in the movie, decided to cast Lady Gaga as the leading lady and oversaw every detail of the production. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after all aids for Bru refugees in Tripura camps were discontinued, their leaders on Tuesday said they would soon appeal to the authorities to resume the repatriation that had concluded on September 25. After only 40 of the 5,407 Bru refugee families returned to Mizoram during the stipulated one month of repatriation, the authorities discontinued all kinds of subsistence allowances, including ration supplies and cash dole to them on Monday. The Centre had earlier warned that assistance doled out to them would be stopped from October 1 and the camps The Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the apex body of the inmates of six Bru relief camps in North Tripura district, held a meeting on the issue on Monday. The people were informed that the MBDPF would soon submit a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Mizoram and Tripura governments asking for resumption of the repatriation process, MBDPF general secretary Bruno Msha said. The Forum also intended to appeal for resuming the doles, including food grain and cash to the inmates, Msha told PTI over phone from Naisingpara relief camp. "There were people who were yet to open bank accounts as required according to the July three agreement," he said. An agreement was inked on July 3 between Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, chief ministers of Mizoram and Tripura and MBDPF chief A Sawibunga in Delhi. The agreement stipulated that Rs 4 lakh for each repatriated Bru family be deposited to the bank account of the head of the family which would mature after three years and payment of Rs 1.5 lakh would be made for housing assistance. Each repatriated Bru family would be given Rs 5,000 through Direct Benefit Transfer every month and free ration for two years. Thousands of Brus had been lodged in the Tripura relief camps since late 1997 in the wake of communal tension triggered by the brutal killing of Lalzawmliana, a forest guard, in the Dampa Tiger Reserve on October 21, 1997 by Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF) militants. The first attempt to repatriate them in November 2009 not only failed but triggered another exodus after Bru militants gunned down a youth at Bungthuam village, three days before the commencement of the repatriation process. Though some Bru families had returned to Mizoram during a number of repatriation processes and on their own will, many of them continued to refuse to leave Tripura despite many attempts by the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Traders' body CAIT has told the that has been found "guilty of predatory behaviour" in countries like Germany, Mexico and South Africa and "may repeat such behaviour in India" through its acquisition of online major The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which has challenged the CCI's approval of Walmart's $16 billion acquisition of Flipkart, in its reply filed before the has said that the US retail major "may cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition" in the domestic market post combination as its "predatory tendencies" would be on a much larger scale. Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc, however, in a separate reply has said its business model and activities in India were different of Flipkart's. Moreover, on account of FDI restrictions, India cannot engage in selling directly to consumers. Even in business segments, where there is an overlap with Flipkart, said the "combined market share of and Walmart in the market of B2B sales are less than five per cent and the incremental change in the market shares as a result of this transaction is less than 0.5 per cent". It further said that product offerings of Walmart and are different in B2B sales where there is an overlap. "... the product line for the parties are largely different. While Walmart India's focus is on food and grocery products, Flipkart B2B entities major sales are in mobile, other electronic and lifestyle, which are an extremely small part of Walmart India portfolio." Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc, a subsidiary of Walmart Inc, also said that the FDI policy 2017 restricts Walmart to do B2C sales whether offline or online as a seller or any end-consumer marketplace based platform, including on Flipkart marketplace platforms, which also include Myatra, Jabong and ebay.in. Earlier, on September 6, the which is also an appellate authority over the (CCI), has asked Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc to file a reply before it explaining its way of doing business in India. The CAIT, which has filed an appeal before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) challenging the go-ahead by the (CCI) on Walmart's acquisition of home-grown Flipkart, was also asked to file its understanding over the Walmart's business model in India. The NCLAT had directed to list the matter on October 5 'for admission' of CAIT petition opposing approval granted by the CCI on August 8 to the Walmart-Flipkart deal. In its reply, trader's body has said this deal may eliminate smaller players in the market and is a matter of concern for them as they are financially incapable of competing at such low price levels. According to it, Walmart was found guilty of 'predatory pricing' in Germany in 2003. While, in Mexico, Mexico's antitrust authority COFECE blocked Walmex (Wal-mart's Mexican entity) from acquiring certain retail stores of its main competitor Soriana. "In South Africa, in an appeal against a merger between Walmart and Massmart, the South African authorities observed that Walmart's activities tend to affect small and medium-sized enterprises," it said. According to CAIT, it is a "matter of concern" that "Walmart may repeat such behaviour in India as well combined with India's largest portal Flipkart". "It is unfortunate that despite the Act mandating an examination of combinations on the basis of the likelihood of an AAEC, the CCI has only considered the pre-merger overlaps and status quo while passing the Section 31 order instead of looking at the possible anti-competitive concerns that may arise based on the past conduct of Flipkart and Walmart in India and other jurisdictions, despite categorically noting that the activities of Flipkart may need to be examined under Section 3(4) of the Act," it said. Earlier, on August 18 Walmart had informed that it has completed a deal with Flipkart and holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian major. Besides, the Bentonville giant's investment includes $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business. Walmart India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walmart Inc, owns and operates 21 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores in eight states in the country. A California woman who helped smuggle military and space communications technology from the US to China has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison. Si Chen of Pomona was handed a 46-month term on Monday. Prosecutors say that from 2013 to 2015, Chen bought and illegally exported items to China without proper licenses, including devices used in space communications and in military communications jammers. Chen, who's a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to violate a federal act that restricts the export of some technology to foreign nations. She also pleaded guilty to money laundering and using a forged passport. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Waterway 1 on river Ganga is expected to see 21.89 million tonnes (MT) of cargo traffic in the next two to three years on the back of government measures to promote inland water transport in the country, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said. Besides, 13 standardised state-of-the-art ship designs have been drawn as part of efforts to boost river transport and remove any ambiguity on vessel sizes that can sail on Ganga, Gadkari added. "We have taken a slew of steps to promote inland water transport, which has been neglected so far. A study has projected traffic at 21.89 MT on National Waterway 1 (NW-1) by 2021," minister of water resources and Ganga rejuvenation Gadkari told PTI. The cargo traffic on NW-1 was 5.5 MT in 2017-18, he said. Currently, various projects underway on NW 1 have the terminal capacity of 13.62 MT and these include Varanasi, Haldia and Sahebganj multi-modal hubs, the minister further said. With the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) coming up with 13 vessel designs, this move would serve as an enabler for domestic shipbuilding industry working on inland vessels and open huge possibilities for cargo and passenger movement on NW-1. The government is implementing Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity augmentation of navigation on NW-1 (Varanasi-Haldia stretch) at a cost of Rs 5,369.18 crore with the technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank. Even as the work on JMVP is going on in full steam, the specially designed vessels will navigate on low drafts with high carrying capacity and at the same time the project would be environment friendly, an official said. The new designs will translate into savings of Rs 30-50 lakh in the building of a vessel, he added. These vessels have been designed to sail even in depths of about 2 metres carrying about 350 cars on a five deck car carrier. "Some of the designs would enable movement of bulk cargo carriers with capacity of 2,500 tonnes at 3 metres depth, thereby, removing almost 150 truckloads of pressure from the road or one full rail rake with the plying of just one such vessel," the official added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A high-level meeting between the coast guards of India and Vietnam was held here Monday, during which the two sides agreed on augmenting operational level interaction and cooperation, according to a statement. The Indian side was led by Director General Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Rajendra Singh and Commandant, Vietnam Coast Guard (VCG), Major General Nguyen Van Son led a six-member delegation. "During the meeting (both) sides agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation in accordance with the provisions of a MoU. Sharing of best management practices and augmenting operational level interaction were also agreed upon, the statement said. Relations between the two coast guards goes back a long way with ICG ships visiting Vietnam for professional interactions since 2001. This meeting is in continuation of the efforts by the governments of India and Veitnam to enhance cooperation between the coast guards in the field of maritime safety and security at sea, the statement said. The commandant along with the delegation will be travelling to Chennai to take part in the welcome ceremony of the first VCG ship to India and also participate in the joint exercise scheduled off the Chennai coast on October 4. The VCG ship CSB 8001 is scheduled to arrive at Chennai Tuesday for professional interaction and participating in the joint exercise. "The meeting was significant in providing added impetus to the already existing professional relationship between the coast guards of India and Vietnam, the statement added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Invoking Mahata Gandhi's 'Quit India' call on his birth anniversary, the Congress Tuesday called for a "new freedom struggle" against what it called the Modi government's of "polarisation and intimidation". At a meeting of its apex decision-making body CWC at a venue where 'Quit India' resolution was adopted in 1942 under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership, the party also resolved to fight the RSS's "blatant hypocrisy", saying it vilified and rejected the father of the nation during his lifetime, but was now brazenly proclaiming itself to be his champion. "Its (RSS's) ideology that was responsible for spreading the atmosphere of hate that led to the Mahatma's tragic assassination," Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said quoting the resolution. The Congress Working Committee (CWC), under the party president Rahul Gandhi's leadership, adopted a resolution urging the partymen to spread the message that it was only the Congress that truly embodies the ethos of a liberal, secular and an inclusive 'Bharat'. In another resolution, the CWC condemned the use of force against protesting farmers on the outskirts of the national capital. The CWC meeting at Maharashtra's Sevagram, the abode of Mahatma Gandhi during his last 12 years of his life, assumes significance as it comes more than 75 years after the first meeting convened in 1942 under the Mahatma's leadership to adopt the 'Quit India' resolution. Another CWC meeting was held here in 1948. The meeting was attended by several top party leaders including former prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. The CWC resolved that "a new freedom struggle is the urgent need of the hour". It called for "a massive movement to combat the forces of divisiveness and prejudice, to confront the Modi government whose is the of threat and intimidation, the politics of polarization and divisiveness, the politics of crushing debate and dissent, the politics of imposing an artificial uniformity in a nation of extraordinary diversity, the politics of hate and vendetta". The CWC also called upon the entire nation to fearlessly defend and uphold India's foundational values and idea of India, which Mahatma Gandhi stood for, lived for and even sacrificed his life for. The committer resolved to call upon "all countrymen and women, particularly the young, to determinedly fight the politics of fear, intimidation, lies and deception- to never bend, to never stop; till we achieve our goal." It said the 'Mahatma' sacrificed his life to neutralise the venom of communalism and it was only the Congress that truly follows his path. In a veiled reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, the resolution said "appropriating" Mahatma's legacy may be politically expedient for some, "but imbibing his principles and values in thought, word and deed is impossible for those who see in the Mahatma only electoral opportunities". "One may borrow the Mahatma's spectacles for publicity campaigns, but implementing his vision will remain unfulfilled unless his principles are followed," the resolution said in an apparent reference to the logo for the government's 'Swachh Bharat' campaign The CWC resolved to "expose the hollowness and doublespeak of the ideologies and organisations who have never believed in, let alone followed the Gandhian path of truth, tolerance, harmony and non-violence". The party said the CWC underlined that it is only the Congress that truly embodies the ethos of 'Bharat' that is fundamentally inclusive, liberal, secular and assimilation of India's plurality and diversities. "It is only the Congress that is deeply committed to the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, laid down in the Preamble of the Constitution," the resolution said, asking party members to propagate it, especially to the youth. It said the CWC draws inspiration from the Mahatma's unyielding commitment to listen to every voice, "to defeat the forces that are today dominating the will of the people". "Elections will come and go. But the ideological battle has to be relentless and unswerving. The CWC rededicates the Indian National Congress to this sacred task," the CWC said. In a press conference later, Surjewala said the CWC passed two resolutions recalling Gandhi's contribution to the "Indian thought process, its soul and body". The CWC paid tributes to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. He said "the call of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' is not just a slogan but a way of life and his party will continue to fight for farmers' rights. He said the "second freedom struggle" will be against the Modi government for practising politics of "hatred, divisiveness, fear, polarisation, crushing dissent and debates". "The Modi government is against India's plurality and is indulging in politics of revenge, falsehood and betrayal. It is easy to talk about Gandhiji in speeches. It's just political opportunism," he said. "Mahatma Gandhi is in the soul of the Congress, its thinking, path and vision. Ideology of (Nathuram) Godse which had killed Gandhiji cannot imbibe his thought," he said. Referring to the police action on farmers on the Delhi-UP border, Surjewala said, "We condemn the autocratic Modi government and the prime minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power." He said CWC's call will serve as a "roadmap and guiding light" for the party to frame policies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Working Committee (CWC) Tuesday called for a "second freedom struggle" against the Modi government to combat the ideology of "hate and violence", saying the same reason had led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Holding its meeting at Mahadev Bhavan, Sevagram Ashram, in Wardha district of Maharashtra on the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the CWC also condemned the use of force against protesting farmers on their way to the national capital. Addressing a press conference, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the CWC has passed two resolutions recalling the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to the "Indian thought process, its soul and body". "(Former prime minister) Lal Bahadur Shastri's call of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' is not just a slogan but a way of life. We will continue to fight for farmers' rights," he said. Surjewala said the second freedom struggle will be against the Modi government for practising of "hatred, divisiveness, fear, polarisation, crushing dissent and debates". "The Modi government is against India's plurality and is indulging in of revenge, falsehood and betrayal. It is easy to talk about Gandhiji in speeches. It's just political opportunism," he said. The CWC underscored the hypocrisy of those who vilified Gandhi and his thoughts, but are brazenly championing it now, he said. "The second freedom struggle will be against the government that practices of hate, vendetta, threat, murder, intimidation, crushing healthy debate and dissent," he said. "Farmers who had come to seek grievance redressal were beaten up and lathi charged. Water canons and tear gas was also used. We condemn the autocratic Modi government and the prime minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power," he said. The CWC meeting was presided over by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and attended among others by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress launched a door-to-door election and crowdfunding campaign in Jaipur on Tuesday and collected more than Rs 2 lakh from citizens. Rajasthan Congress spokesperson and Jaipur Congress president Pratap Khachariyawas launched the campaign at the party office. Khachariyawas said the party workers would also seek financial support from the citizens for elections. On the first day of the campaign, the party has collected Rs 2.35 lakh. He said the party workers would contact the people door-to-door at the booth level and apprise them of the "anti-people" policies of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Tuesday lashed out at the Modi government over the police action against farmers marching towards Delhi, saying "the Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power". Condemning the police action, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre can write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers. He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that "arrogance has gone to his head". "Instead of hearing them out, farmers are brutalised and beaten up. The Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power," the Congress leader alleged. He was talking to reporters at the venue of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here in Maharashtra. Thousands of farmers Tuesday marched towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, blocking traffic movement on arterial roads leading to the national capital. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. They were stopped at the Delhi-UP border with police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. Surjewala said, "If the Modi government can write off Rs 3.17 lakh crore debt of a few industrialists, why can't he write off loans of 62 crore farmers." "Can't the farmers come to Delhi to get their grievances heard, ask for debt clearance and adequate price for their produce," he wondered. "CWC strongly condemns the lathicharge and barbaric action against farmers," he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress leadership has converged in the Sevagram village, located around 10 km from Wardha district headquarters, to attend the meeting of the CWC, the highest decision-making body of the party. Former Union Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde also condemned the police action against farmers. "Today is the day of peace. The farmers were pressing their demands through satyagraha and they got lathicharged instead of loan waiver, which is very unfortunate," he said. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad also hit out at the Centre over the incident. "The government should not have resorted to such tactics on the occasion of the birthday anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. I condemn the incident, it is very unfortunate," he said. Former Union minister Mukul Wasnik described the incident as "shameful and inhuman". "It is very unfortunate for the country. There are ways to communicate and deal with protesters pressing for their demands. But the way the government treated these protesting farmers is very undemocratic. This is happening on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress in Himachal Pradesh will hold protests across the state on October 7 against the hike in bus fares effected by the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government. In a press note issued here on Tuesday, the chairman of HP Congress Media Department, Naresh Chauhan, demanded withdrawal of the fare hike announced on September 24. Protests will be held at block and district levels, he said. The state-level demonstration will be held in Shimla and Congress leaders will thereafter go to the Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to the Governor demanding withdrawal of the bus fare hike. Flaying the state government's decision to increase the fare by 24.44 per cent in plain areas and 20.69 per cent in hilly region, he said the state should have opted for reducing value added tax (VAT) on petroleum products instead of hiking the bus fare. Chauhan also criticised the Thakur government for hiking the minimum bus fare from Rs three to Rs six. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Tuesday claimed that the Congress is the only alternative and relevant party to save the people. The senior Congress leader alleged that the BJP and its allies are a "threat" to present democracy in the country. "There is no alternative party except the Congress for the people of this nation. In the days to come, the Congress is the only relevant party," Mukul Sangma, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Assembly told reporters here. Sangma, who is also the North East Congress Co-ordination Committee chairman said the Congress will prevail upon the people of the country the "lies" the BJP has been telling since assuming office in 2014, so that they can make the correct and informed choices in the 2019 elections. "What have the Government of India done to the North Eastern states when they came to power except than withdrawing all the special plan assistance which has affected these states to a great extent?" he said. Attacking the Rs 1,90,000 crore scheme announced by the Union Minister for Roads and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, Mukul Sangma asked if there was any new schemes included except than those which were approved in the previous Congress-led governments. "What is new? I will be happy if there is anything new included. Arent all those in the list the schemes approved during the previous governments?" he said, naming each of the schemes in the state. Defending the Congress projection of Rahul Gandhi as the prime ministerial candidate, the NECC chairman said that the Congress president got a bad name because of the perception the BJP created against him. "Creating a bad perception against Congress leaders is the strategy of the BJP. Infact this is the only weapon Modi has against Rahul," he said. He alleged that the same strategy was adopted by the BJP and its allies in Meghalaya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Desperation exploded into anger Tuesday in the town closest to the epicentre of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit parts of Sulawesi island four days ago, with residents begging Indonesia's president to help them as hungry survivors crawled into stores and grabbed boxes of food. "Pay attention to Donggala, Mr. Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala," yelled one resident in footage broadcast on local television, referring to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. "There are still a lot of unattended villages here." Most of the attention so far has focused on the biggest affected city, Palu, home to 380,000 people with considerable damage. The confirmed death toll was raised to 1,234 on Tuesday afternoon, but national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at a conference in Jakarta that the communities of Sigi and Balaroa have not been counted yet, meaning the toll is likely to rise. Donggala and other outlying areas have received little assistance largely due to impassable roads. Donggala's administration head Kasman Lassa said residents should take only food staples from shops. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer." Desperation was visible everywhere among victims receiving little aid. In Palu, signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for fuel. Teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel in the city, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently, Nugroho said. "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding her house was destroyed. In the Petobo neighbourhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy mud that resulted in massive damage. "In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud," Nugroho said. Residents who found loved ones alive and dead over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 6 metres (nearly 20 feet) in places. About 3,000 residents flocked to Palu's airport Monday, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights using the facility only partially operating due to damage. Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. "We have not eaten for three days!" one woman yelled. "We just want to be safe!" Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Nugroho said, and hospitals were overwhelmed. The Indonesian air force confirmed that a Hercules aircraft carrying an unspecified number of survivors was able to leave Palu for South Sulawesi's capital of Makassar. In addition, more than 100 police officers from the capital, Jakarta, were sent to Palu and additional Hercules aircraft carrying soldiers and supplies, including food and water, from east Java were en route, local television reported. President Widodo authorised the acceptance of international help, Nugroho said Monday, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and about 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States and China, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tuesday that his government had given 360,000 dollars to help victims and was in talks with Indonesian authorities about a second round of aid. The initial funds would go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. The coastline at Palu was strewn with rubble and a few brightly coloured cargo containers poking out of the water. Buildings near the water were ruined shells. The arches of a large yellow bridge rested in the water and eerie drone footage showed a Ferris wheel, untouched, on a beach scraped bare by the waves. Rescuers searching a collapsed building Monday night were able to remove 38-year-old Sapri Nusin alive from the rubble. He was talking to his rescuers as they took him away but his condition was not known. In the Petobo neighbourhood, Edi Setiawan said he and his neighbours rescued children and adults, including a pregnant woman. His sister and father, however, did not survive. "My sister was found embracing her father," he said. "My mother was able to survive after struggling against the mud and being rescued by villagers." Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August, and two moderate quakes occurred near an eastern island on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The statue of priest and educator St Don Bosco in front of the Bishop's House here in Sonitpur district was vandalised, a police officer said on Tuesday. Locals found the statue desecrated on Sunday morning and lodged a complaint at Tezpur police station, Sonitpur District Additional SP HQ Numal Mahanta said. The case was registered under sections of IPC, including 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion). Investigations are on, Mahanta said. Don Bosco, whose actual name is John Bosco, was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, educator and writer of the 19th century. "An FIR has been registered with the police. We hope that the culprits will be booked and faith and security of the Christian community will be restored," said Allen Brooks, spokesperson of the Assam Christian Forum. It is shocking that such an incident has happened in Tezpur, which is considered to be the cultural capital of Assam, Brooks said. "It may be recalled that a few years ago, the Saint's statue was desecrated in Guwahati too," he said. Brooks was referring to the vandalising of Don Bosco's statue at Bharalumukh area by the side of the Brahmaputra river in August 2015. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The bodies of dozens of students have been pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi, officials said Tuesday, as an international effort to help nearly 200,000 increasingly desperate Indonesian quake-tsunami victims ground into gear. The discovery adds to the already-high death toll from Friday's disaster, when a powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami that smashed into the seaside city of Palu. At least 844 people are already known to have died, but officials say that number is certain to rise -- perhaps into the thousands -- as isolated communities are reached and the scale of the disaster becomes clearer. Survivors are battling thirst and hunger, with food and clean water in short supply, and local hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured. Some survivors clambered through detritus hunting for anything salvageable, some crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have power, others queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. "The government, the President have come here, but what we really need is food and water," Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, severed transport links, the scale of the damage, and the Indonesian government's reluctance to accept foreign help. As if to remind the world of the tectonic fragility of Indonesia, a series of quakes rocked the country Tuesday morning, albeit hundreds of kilometres from Palu. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, international NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. At a church in central Sulawesi that had been hit by a landslide, the Red Cross made a grim discovery. "A total of 34 bodies were found by the team," Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre. Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. "The most challenging problem is travelling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance," she said. Mountainous Sigi Biromaru district is one of those more remote regions, lying to the southeast of Palu city. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderly -- many in areas that aren't the focus of government recovery efforts. The dead -- many yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings -- are also a source of concern for authorities. In Indonesia's hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya -- in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Palu -- volunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court in Dubai has sentenced an Egyptian taxi driver in the sheikhdom to six months in prison and deportation after convicting him of sexually assaulting a U.S. Navy officer. The National, an English-language, state-aligned newspaper in Abu Dhabi, reported the verdict in its Tuesday's edition. It says the 34-year-old Egyptian grabbed the 22-year-old woman's thigh and forced her to touch his groin while driving her from a mall to Dubai's Jebel Ali port in March 2017. The taxi driver was initially cleared of the charge in a lower court, but prosecutors appealed and won a conviction at Dubai's Court of Appeal. Jebel Ali is the U.S. Navy's busiest port of call outside of the U.S. The US Navy's 5th Fleet did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former chief justice of Bangladesh Surendra Kumar Sinha, who has sought political asylum in the US, has urged India to support the rule of law and democracy in his country, saying the Indian government should not ignore the will of people by backing the "autocratic" Awami League-led government. Sinha, 67, the first Hindu Chief Justice of Bangladesh, alleged that he was forced to resign because he opposed the "undemocratic" and "authoritarian" regime. The Bangladeshi government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has refuted Sinha's allegations and charged him with corruption. At the launch of his book 'A Broken Dream: Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy' here, Sinha told PTI that the Indian government is ignoring the will of the Bangladeshi people by standing solidly behind the Hasina government, which he alleged got itself elected in a "farce election". "If India supports an autocrat and this autocracy, this terrorism (suppression of people's voices) continues, then one day people will revolt," Sinha said. The ruling Awami League has accused him of corruption and misuse of power. Sinha denies those allegations. "India should not encourage a government which is actually an authoritarian. They should not, because the people are hostile against the government. They (the ruling party) can dominate for one term or two terms. But when the time comes, people will revolt, then certainly India will lose ground (in Bangladesh)," Sinha said. He acknowledged that India is concerned about the Muslim fundamentalist groups and leaders in Bangladesh. Responding to the allegations that he is politically motivated, Sinha said he does not have any political ambition. "What I want in Bangladesh is that there should be democracy. There should be rule of law," he said. In his book, Sinha described in detail the circumstances under which he had to leave the country and resign as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. Responding to a question, Sinha said he reached out to the Modi government and other leaders of the ruling party with his issues of concern. "I went to India and explained to him (Modi) the problems I am facing. I don't know who advised him, he sided with the autocratic government of Bangladesh. In the long-run, India will pay a price for it," Sinha warned. Sinha claimed in his meetings with the Indian leader, including Modi, he explained to them the problems being faced by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and the frequent demolition of temples in the country. "They think if they back Justice Sinha, they may lose Awami League. But ultimately, India may lose Bangladesh," he said, claiming that the ruling party would be handsomely defeated in the event of a free and fair election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Royal Enfield Tuesday said it expects to reach regular production levels at its manufacturing unit here as the company was holding discussions with striking employees "to amicably resolve all concerns raised by them." The employees of the plant at Oragadam, about 45 km from here, Monday resumed their agitation, a day after deciding to end their over week long strike following a settlement, accusing the management of placing unacceptable conditions. They had reached an 'amicable' settlement with the management Saturday on their demands, including wage revision and bonus and decided to call off the strike launched on September 24. Union sources had claimed that nearly 4,000 employees out of the workforce of 6,000 were participating in the strike. Royal Enfield,in a filing to the stock exchanges Tuesday, said the manufacturing facility at Oragadam has been operational since September 29 "after part of the work force did not report for duty since September 24." "We expect to reach regular levels of production in a phased manner", the company said. The company's other facility at nearby Vallam Vadagal continues to operate and deliver to full capacity, it said. Royal Enfield clarified that it did not terminate the employees in the wake of recent developments at the facility and that the salary revisons were being done 'annually'. "The last annual salary revision was done in April 2018 and the next revision is due in April 2019", it said. The company said it was in dialogue with the plant based forums to amicably resolve all the concerns raised by them. "Royal Enfield has always been deeply committed to maintain and furthering cordial relations with its staff and workforce to understand and fulfil their aspirations and we will continue to do so", it said. Stating that the Oragadam facility has been a positive example of progressive human resource practices, the company said it has an internal mechanism to facilitate collaborating working with leadership to address matters related to the well-being of the workforce. In a separate notification Monday, the company said there was a loss in production of 10,000 motorcycles in September 2018 as a section of employees did not report for work. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Leaders cutting across party lines in Maharashtra paid glowing tributes Tuesday to Mahatma Gandhi on his 149th birth anniversary. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and vision and walking on the path shown by him is a real tribute to him. He urged people to take a pledge to act on Gandhi's principles. "From clean mind to clean nation...taking inspiration from Bapu's thoughts and vision and walking on the path shown by him is a real tribute to him," he said in a tweet. "Gandhiji taught us self discipline, swachhata, rural devpt&one government is working hard all for this is under leadership of Hon @narendramodi ji. This is real tribute to Gandhi ji!" he said in another tweet. Fadnavis said the Father of the Nation had given the people a model for a 'New India' and that Maharashtra was contributing "a lot" by leading the cleanliness campaign. He also took part in a foot march along with other party leaders this morning in Maharashtra's Nagpur city. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said there was a need to embrace Gandhi's thoughts to cleanse the thinking of people as they clean the country ahead of the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. "We will need to stand firmly to ensure Gandhi's thoughts remain lit. Tributes to Bapu," Pawar said on Twitter. Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan also paid tributes to Gandhi and tweeted his picture. His NCP counterpart Jayant Patil said pronouncing Mahatma Gandhi's name itself fills one with moral strength. "Gandhi was not only a leader of freedom struggle, but also a great saint who knew the soul of the nation. Gandhi + Ambedkar + Nehru = India," Patil tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday accused the BJP of "brutally beating up" farmers at the Delhi border on International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. Gandhi's remarks came after farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. "On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital!" he tweeted in Hindi. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chaos prevailed at the Delhi-UP border Tuesday as thousands of protesting farmers attempted to enter the national capital, prompting the police to resort to water cannons and tear-gas shells to disperse them, evoking a sharp criticism from opposition parties. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers' issue, after which Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharat Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, however, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I can't decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. Some of the protesting farmers claimed that a few Delhi Police personnel had resorted to lathicharge against some of them. The Delhi Police, however, denied the charge. A posse of security personnel have been deployed, including from Delhi Police and the paramilitary forces. "Nearly 2,500 personnel from Delhi Police, besides paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), have been deployed," a senior police officer said. Farmers marching towards Delhi under BKU's protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, as they tried to run through the border, surmounting the barricades. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer earlier said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protestors, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The main demands of the farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the usage of tractors above 10 years, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. Amar Pal, 35, a farmer from Muzaffarnagar alleged that some police personnel "resorted to lathicharge" on some of the protesting farmers. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the national capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. The incident has darwn sharp reactions from Congress while AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal batted for the farmers and questioned why they were not allowed to enter Delhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha accused the BJP of "brutally beating up" farmers at the Delhi border on International Day of Non-Violence and said they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. National Highways leading to the national capital were swamped with farmers who came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. "We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right," said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut. Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, "Aap ko 500 rupiya ka gas theek lagta hai? (Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you," a faremr asked. Kejriwal said preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was "wrong" and pitched for their entry into the city. "Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi? It is wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli diplomat Noa Hakim, who paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his 149th birth anniversary at Rajghat Tuesday, said the occasion made her feel extra special as October 2 also happens to be her birthday. "It is my second visit to Rajghat. I had come here accompanying our Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he came here during his India visit early this year. But, I feel honoured and humbled that I share my birthday with such a revered man," Hakim told PTI. She was among the several foreign dignitaries who paid homage to Gandhi at his memorial at Rajghat. When asked what comes to her mind when she thinks of Gandhi, the first secretary at the Israeli Embassy here said, "Peace and a sense of tranquillity". "The Rajghat itself is so solemn in its appeal and so serene with its overall verdant surrounding. His life was simple yet profound," the diplomat said. At the sprawling Rajghat, Hakim before leaving offered rose petals on the 'samadhi' of the Mahatma, who was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Asked, if any personality in Israel is revered the same way as Gandhi is in India, Hakim said, "Herzl". Theodor Herzl was a visionary, who is considered as the spiritual father of the Jewish state. "I know Gandhi is called the father of the nation in India because of his contribution for achieving Independence for the country," she said. "In Israel, Herzl's name comes to my mind. He was the Zionist movement leader in the 19th century, but unlike Gandhi who died after seeing a free India, he died before the establishment of Israel, so he could not see the State of Israel," Hakim said. Netanyahu had visited the home of Gandhi during his India visit, and said modern India's founding father and promoter of peace was an inspiration for humanity. "An inspiring visit to the hearth of one of humanity's great prophets of inspiration - Mahatma Gandhi", Netanyahu and his wife had written in the guest book. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fire broke out at a garment factory in east Delhi's Mandawali area on Monday, the Delhi Fire Service said. A call about the fire was received at 7 am and five fire tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire was doused within an hour, a senior officer from the Delhi Fire Service said. No injury or casualty was reported, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five members of a Rohingya family, who arrived here from Hyderabad, has been taken into custody, police said Tuesday. This comes days after the Centre directed the states to be cautious and observe the movements of the Rohingya, citing national security. "The presence of Rohingya is confined not only to the northeastern states. They have reached south Indian states including Kerala," Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had recently said, calling all Rohingya in India "illegal immigrants." The five, including a woman and a toddler, were picked up from Vizhinjam Tuesday and are being questioned, police said. They told police they arrived here from Hyderabad by train Monday and left for Vizhinjam by road. Speaking in Hindi, one of them told a TV channel: "We heard that we will get good jobs here. The sea is also nearby... there we do not get good wages for our work." Talking tough on the issue, Singh, during his recent visit to Kerala, had said all states, including Kerala, have been asked to collect data related to Rohingya as they have moved to different parts of the country. State governments have been asked to observe their movements and obtain their personal details so they could be deported to Myanmar, Singh said. Singh, who recently said all Rohingya in India were "illegal immigrants" as none of them had applied for asylum as refugees, had also asked opposition parties not to make it a "political issue". Hundreds of minority Rohingya have been killed in the northern Rakhine province of Myanmar by the military in alleged ethnic cleansing, setting of an exodus with lakhs taking shelter in camps in Bangladesh. Many of them are also living in India. Singh had earlier said India would not be violating any international law if it were to deport Rohingya as New Delhi is not a signatory to the UN Refugees Convention, 1951. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Tuesday exhorted the people to follow the philosophy of peace and non-violence as propounded by Mahatma Gandhi to carve out an egalitarian society. Paying rich tributes to the father of the nation on his 149th birth anniversary, he said Gandhi won the battle of freedom through his ideology of non-violence. Singh was addressing a gathering after inaugurating a mega camp on the Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana (MGSVY) scheme at Kisan Vikas Chamber here. Gandhi was a great statesman and an iconic personality who widely travelled across the world to propagate his philosophy of love, peace and non-violence, an official release quoted him as saying. Even South African anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela, who spent nearly 27 years in prison, was an admirer and follower of Gandhi's ideology, the chief minister added. He said the MGSVY was launched in the state to ensure inclusive development by reaching out to the deprived sections of the society. And also to ensure that the benefits of all the schemes of socio-economic development reach the poorest of the poor as a befitting tribute to Gandhi, Singh added. The chief minister said the Rural Development & Panchayats Department, being the nodal department, had organised mega camps in all the 22 districts and 90 sub-divisions across the state. He pointed out that the underprivileged and disadvantaged people across the state would be benefitted from 18 pro-poor initiatives such as ration card, atta-dal, MNREGA, Aashirwad scheme, ghar-ghar rozgar, debt relief, among others. Singh said the sole objective of launching these schemes was to ensure that only the deserving and underprivileged sections of the society get the benefits of the state government's pro-poor initiatives. On the occasion, the chief minister handed over appointment letters to 31 persons under the ghar-ghar rozgar scheme, beside cheques of debt waiver to 23 farmers and financial grant to five beneficiaries under the Ashirwad scheme. He also interacted with the beneficiaries at different stalls during the camp, where nearly 4,000 beneficiaries were registered under various citizen-centric schemes, the statement said. An MoU was signed between Invest Punjab and Mahindra Waste to Energy Solutions Limited for a project to effectively convert waste to wealth at a cost of Rs 15 crore in the presence of the chief minister, it said. After extensive research in Punjab, the Mahindra & Mahindra has decided to put up this pilot Bio-Methanation project and expressed its willingness to support the state government by processing 10,000 tons of paddy and wheat straw per year, the statement said. This project would go a long way in providing a permanent solution to the menace of stubble burning. This initiative is expected to generate direct employment for 50-75 people and support around 1,000 farmers in the vicinity of the plant, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France accused Iran's intelligence ministry on Tuesday of being behind a foiled plot to bomb an exiled opposition group near the French capital in a move that risks straining already complicated ties between Paris and Tehran. The French government announced it was freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives, as well as others belonging to Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. The decision to take retaliatory measures and go public with the accusations was taken three months after the alleged plot to bomb a meeting of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) in a suburb of Paris. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," France's interior, foreign and economy ministers said in a rare joint statement. "In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory." A French diplomatic source told AFP that the security forces had concluded that "the head of operations at the (Iranian) intelligence ministry ordered it". Iran immediately denied any involvement, as it did in July when the MEK accused it of being responsible. The alleged bomb plot came to light two days after thousands of Iranian opposition supporters gathered at an exhibition centre outside Paris on June 30. The meeting was attended by two allies of US President Donald Trump, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The People's Mujahedin was formed in the 1960s to overthrow the Shah of Iran and it continues to organise opposition to the current leaders of the Islamic republic who took power following the 1979 revolution. Belgium announced in July that it had arrested a couple in a Brussels suburb who were suspected of preparing to drive a car packed with explosives to the French rally. But a total of six people were then detained in coordinated raids by European police. One of the detained men was an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna who was stopped by German police. The diplomat, Assadollah Asadi, was targeted by the asset freezes announced by French authorities Tuesday, as well as Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who the French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. Asadi is set to be extradited to Belgium to face trial, German authorities announced on Monday. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release," a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The measures announced Tuesday come as French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani are at odds on a host of issues. Macron, who hoped to improve ties with Tehran at the start of his presidency last year, has allied with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which limits the Islamic Republic's atomic programme. While US President Donald Trump has pulled out of the agreement and denounced it, Macron has been vocal supporter and has worked to keep the accord alive despite US sanctions. But Macron is at loggerheads with Rouhani over the wars in Syria and Yemen, in which Iran is a major player, and has raised concerns about the country's ballistic missile programme. The US considers Iran to be the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism because of its links with a host of armed groups, particularly the powerful Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, as well as other networks in Iraq and Yemen. Iran has been blamed in the past for carrying out attacks in countries as far afield as Argentina, India and Thailand. The French diplomatic source said Iran was suspected of carrying out "several" assassinations of opposition figures in the European Union since 2015. Also Tuesday, around 200 French police launched a dawn anti-terror raid on one of the biggest Shiite Muslim centres in France, the Zahra Centre France, as well as the homes of its directors. Eleven people were questioned -- three of them arrested, security sources told AFP, including for the illegal possession of firearms. The Zahra Centre France was founded in 2009 by Yahia Gouasmi, a pro-regime activist and religious figure who has spoken in support of Hezbollah. Gouasmi is also the founder of the Anti-Zionist Party in France and an associate of controversial comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, a convicted anti-Semite. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It was about half a century ago when the image of Mahatma Gandhi first appeared on the commemorative currency note of rupees 100 on the occasion birth centenary of the father of the nation. Although after the Independence in 1947, it was felt that the British King's portrait ought to be replaced by a picture of Mahatma Gandhi, it took quite some time for the government of the day to reach a consensus on the issue. In the meantime, King's portrait was replaced by Lion Capital at Sarnath in lieu of the Gandhi Portrait. The Reserve Bank in 1969 came out with a commemorative note of Rs 100 showing Mahatma Gandhi seated in the backdrop of the Sevagram Ashram. But the portrait of the father of the nation made its regular appearance on currency notes only in 1987 when the series of rupee 500 currency notes showing a smiling Gandhi was launched in October that year. Since then Mahatma Gandhi's portrait has been used regularly on currency notes of different denominations. Before Gandhi's portrait, many designs and images were used in on currency notes. In 1949 the then government brought out the new design Re 1 note with Ashoka Pillar. In 1953, Hindi was displayed prominently on new notes. The debate regarding the Hindi plural of Rupaya was settled in favour of Rupiye. High denomination notes (Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000) were reintroduced in 1954. The Rs 1000 currency note displayed the motif of Tanjore Temple, Rs 5000 Gateway of India and Rs 10,000 Lion Capital, Ashoka Pillar. These high denomination currency notes were, however, demonetised in 1978. The 1980s saw a completely new set of notes. The motifs on these notes marked a departure from the earlier ones. The emphasis was on symbols of Science & Technology (Aryabhatta on the Rs 2 note), Progress (the Oil Rig on Re 1 and Farm Mechanisation on Rs 5) and a change in orientation to Indian Art forms on the Rs 20 and the Rs 10 notes (Konark Wheel, Peacock). With the advancement of reprographic techniques, traditional security features were deemed inadequate. The RBI came out with additional features and a new 'Mahatma Gandhi Series' was introduced in 1996. These included changed watermark, windowed security thread, latent image and intaglio features for the visually handicapped. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The legacy of Mahatma Gandhi has proven the "most durable and enduring", UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has said as she voiced her commitment to peace and security and representing Gandhi's ideals in the current session of the 193-member world body. Speaking at an event titled 'Non-violence in Action' here, Garces said she was committed to bringing the United Nations closer to the people that the world body is here to serve, to leave no one behind and to beyond a narrow focus or definition of national interest. "Today we come together to commemorate 150 years since the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, an individual whose name and image evoke the very concepts of peace, restraint and passivity, even in the face of violence and extremism," she said at the event organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence. Garces said from Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela, the "leading lights" of recent modern times were inspired by Gandhi "whose example has proven the most durable and enduring". She stressed that as President of the General Assembly, she is committed to peace and security and to representing the ideals of Gandhi. "As we move into the 73rd Session, I commit to working with the General Assembly and its related committees in ways that reflect Gandhi's view of change," she said as she quoted the Mahatma, "You must be the change you want to see in the world". Garces, who is only the fourth woman President of the General Assembly in its 73 year history, paid homage to veteran Indian diplomat Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, who wrote history by becoming the first woman to be elected President of the General Assembly in as early as 1953. "As the fourth woman to preside over the General Assembly in 73 years, I will be remiss if I do not acknowledge the first woman President, Madam Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, a national of India. Like Vijay Lakshmi, the man we celebrate today, was a first, leading the way in ways that have inspired generations to do better," she said. The UNGA President also noted that entire generations had lived and died without ever really appreciating the true legacy of a man who worked tirelessly in a country on the other side of the world. "And yet, despite the distances in time and geography, we would be challenged to find anyone, in any part of the world, who has not heard of or been redeemed by the principles he represented," she said. Addressing the event, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Achim Steiner said Gandhi was perhaps one of the greatest advocates and visionaries of sustainable development for humanity. He said Gandhi, who was a champion for uncompromising truth and non-violence in his time, would be a passionate proponent of sustainable development in current times. "Today, we are, as the international community of nations 195 countries and 7 billion individuals committed to securing our planet and its prosperity for generations to come. We are committed to the great ideal of Leaving No One Behind. We are still Gandhiji's disciples," he said. Steiner also stressed that Gandhi's philosophy is reflected in the words 'leave no one behind' a central tenet of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He noted the Indian Government's strong commitment to achieving the SDGs within a short period of time through ambitious goals such as universal rural electrification, road and digital connectivity for all, massive expansions of clean and renewable energy, sanitation and housing for all and universal elementary school education. "The United Nations Development Programme is committed to continue supporting governments in implementing the SDGs. UNDP in India, through innovative partnerships which promote inclusive and equitable growth, will continue to support national programmes for vulnerable and marginalised population groups, improve livelihoods, and enhance skill-building for women," he said. Highlighting the current challenges in global peace and security, Garces said conflicts in Syria and in Yemen continued to rage on and millions have been displaced, while entire cities, historical monuments and cultural icons have been destroyed. In other regions, throughout Central Africa, for instance, conflict and violence continue, with women and children far-too often the target of needless and horrendous crimes. "While at one time such crimes would shock the world, the sheer explosion of social media and, occasionally, questionable media, has left many people desensitised to the world around them. We cannot allow this to happen, not when the suffering of our brothers and sisters continues," she said. Underscoring the unprecedented scale of tragedy, she said an estimated 124 million people across 51 countries were food insecure, nearly 140 million people required humanitarian assistance and over 30 million people were displaced, either by disasters or by conflict. She, however, stressed that even in the face of such challenges, humanity yearns for peace and harmony, principles that Gandhi espoused, giving nations cause for hope. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit Tuesday said Mahatma Gandhi had brought about social cohesion by working against 'untouchability'. Gandhi had advocated an economic philosophy that focused on self-sufficiency at the village-level, he said in his address during Mahatma Gandhi's 149th birth anniversary celebrations here. "He (Gandhi) propagated the concept of trusteeship and wanted people to abhor accumulation of wealth for themselves and their families. All these were his outpourings which went beyond the political spectrum," the governor said. When the Sabarmati ashram in Ahmedabad was started by Gandhi, there were initially 25 inmates of whom 13 were Tamilians, he said. Gandhi visited Tamil Nadu 20 times between 1896 and 1946. During his first visit, he tried to learn Tamil and brought nine Tamil books for the purpose, Purohit said. The message of ahimsa from the 'Father of the Nation' is a powerful signal to mankind that stockpiling of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles will only lead to ruin, he said. Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, school education minister K A Sengottaiyan, information and publicity minister 'Kadambur' Raju and senior government officials were also present on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mahatma Gandhi aimed to unite the country but Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working to divide it, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said at Wardha in Maharashtra on Tuesday. Addressing a rally marking his party's programmes on the commencement of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary year, the Congress president also asked the prime minister to talk about the Rafale fighter jet controversy. Modi should explain to the country why Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence was chosen over State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the offset partner of French firm Dassault Aviation, he said. Modi "avoided eye contact" when he asked questions about the deal in Parliament, because the prime minister had "lied" to the country on the issue, Rahul Gandhi alleged. "Mahatma Gandhi talked about uniting India, Modiji is dividing India....(he) pitched one community against another," he said. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government waived loans worth Rs 3.20 lakh crore of capitalists who were close to it, but did not write off the debts of farmers, the Congress chief said. The "thieves of India" turned their black money into white through the back door, while the common people had to queue up outside the banks to deposit the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes (after demonetisation), he added. "He (Modi) is not a chowkidar (watchman), but bhagidar (partner, of capitalists)," Rahul Gandhi charged. "You tried Modi (gave him a chance)...he broke your trust. Now trust the Congress, Mahatma Gandhi's ideology to take India forward," he told the gathering. United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot, P Chidambaram were present on the occasion among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the farmers' protest Tuesday on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border was one of the few successful agitations and the government would take forward their cause. The minister of state for agriculture's remark came after a meeting with the protesting farmers, who said they were not "satisfied" with the assurance and stayed put on the border here and in other places. Shekhawat was rushed to meet the farmers after an emergency meeting was held under the chairmanship of Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The minister said he has been associated with farmers' issues and he could say with "certainty" on Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversary that there have been only a few successful agitations like this in the past. Shekhawat said a committee of chief ministers will also look into the farmers' demand. "Representatives of farmers along with ministers of the UP government Laxmi Narayan and Suresh Rana held discussions on a range of issues at Rajnath Singh's residence. After that a consent was reached on some issues. The government has agreed to some of your (farmers) demands," he said. The government said a review petition will be filed against the National Green Tribunal's order to ban diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old and several other measures will be taken to pacify agitating farmers and address their concerns. The Centre also assured farmers that it would fix the minimum support prices (MSP) of rabi (winter-sown) crops like wheat at least 1.5 times of the production cost. It would also try to restrict imports of agri items that are produced abundant in the country. "The most serious problem of the farmers, on NGT that any vehicle which is more than 10 years old will not ply on farms and roads. "Rajnath Singh ji and the government have agreed to your (farmers) demand, but since it is the decision of the judiciary we will have to deal with it following due procedures," the minister said. "On behalf of the government, I assure you (farmers) that the government will take forward your fight and agitation, and the governments of the national capital region be it in UP or Haryana or Rajasthan ... Governments of all these states will fight for the issues of farmers," he said. The government will ensure that the tractors of farmers are not stopped and "will file an appeal in the Supreme Court to get this matter resolved and fight till the end", he said. On the problem of farm labour, the minister said the government would look at bringing in some changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem. "The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MNREGA with agriculture," Shekhawat said. "On behalf of Rajnath Singh, I assure you that I will represent the farmers' interests in this committee and whatever changes would be required to link MNREGA with agriculture will be made," he told the farmers. Shekhawat also said GST has been brought in by the Modi government which has considered the plight of the farmers and brought down taxes on all things related to agriculture. "I am a farmer first and minister later. Today, GST is not handled by Centre alone and states also have a say in it, but I want to assure you that we will put up your demands with the GST council," he added. On the MSP, the minister said "Being a farmer myself, I want to thank Modi ji for raising the MSP to 1.5 times which no one else could dare to do in last 40 years." "The government assures you that farmers would get appropriate MSP and also that their produce would be purchased for 90 days i.e three months and whatever steps are required to ensure this, the government will take them. "Products which are being produced in adequate quantity in the country there will be no import of those products the government will ensure this," he said. During the minister's address, some of the farmers raised anti-government slogans also as they seemed dissatisfied with Shekhawat's assurances. While some farmer groups agreed to consider the assurances given by the government, others said they were not "satisfied" and decided to continue with their protest, call for which has been given by Naresh Tikait-led Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) demanding loan waiver, higher support price and steps to safeguard farmers against rising fuel prices, among other demands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor and former member of Parliament Govinda attended a convention of members of tribal communities in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh Tuesday. The gathering had been organised by Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) at Kukshi, about 120 km from Dhar town. The actor even danced on people's demand, and requested them to watch his upcoming films "Rangeela Raja" and "FryDay". "I have not come here to participate in a political event. I have not participated in any political function since I left politics. I came here because of the affectionate invitation of these tribal people," said the former Congress MP from Mumbai. Speaking on the occasion, JAYS chief Hiralal Alawa said the organisation will contest 80 out of the 230 assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh. Congress leader and former MP Surajbhan Solanki and party's MLA Surendra Singh were also present. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Philippine police say gunmen have killed a town mayor and two other people and wounded the mayor's wife in the latest brazen attack on local officials. Police say Mayor Alexander Buquing, his driver and a police officer were killed Monday night in Bangar town in La Union province. A senator called for an investigation on the killings of several mayors. Buquing's wife, who serves as his vice mayor, was not hit but was injured in the attack that occurred while the group was heading home in an SUV. National police spokesman Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana said Tuesday the Buquing had not been linked by authorities to illegal drugs and added that investigators were trying to determine the motive and identify the attackers, who opened fire from a van. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court has quashed a case of criminal intimidation against two persons and directed them to do community service for a month by helping in the cleaning of a beach in Mumbai. A division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Bharti Dangre was Monday hearing an application filed by city residents Angad Singh Sethi (22) and Kunwar Singh Sethi (25), seeking to quash the FIR lodged against them by the Bandra- Kurla Complex (BKC) police on September 10, 2017. According to the police, the duo had last year threatened a man, who runs a hotel, with a replica gun and demanding that he open his establishment and serve them. The man later complained to the police and lodged a case them. The accused persons' counsel Ashok Mundargi told the high court that they have amicably settled the case with the complainant. "We are willing to pay monetary compensation too," Mundargi said. To this, the court said, "If we ask them to just pay monetary compensation, then their parents will pay the money and it will not serve any purpose. We want the accused to pay individually." Mundargi then said the duo would do community service. The bench then directed the two accused to volunteer for the suburban Versova beach cleaning project, which is led by advocate Afroz Shah, every weekend for one month. "In addition to this, the applicants shall also pay a sum of Rs 20,000 each to Tata Memorial Hospital," the court directed and quashed the case against the duo. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and several other state leaders and people from different walks of life paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on the birth anniversary of the two leaders. The chief minister led the people in offering floral tributes to the memorial of Gandhi at the historic Ridge here. Thakur also offered floral tributes to the memorial of former prime minister Shastri. Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj and other leaders including councillors also paid their rich tributes to Gandhi and Shastri. The chief minister also administered the 'Swachhatta Oath' to the people present on the occasion, to keep the state clean to achieve the dream of 'Swachh Bharat'. He also flagged off School Children Rally-Run Against Drug Abuse and Awareness. Earlier, Thakur, along with Shimla Mayor Kusum Sadrate, Deputy Mayor Rakesh Sharma and Councillors, participated in Swachhatta Abhiyan at Sanjauli. The chief minister released a special edition of Himprastha, the monthly magazine of state information and public relations department, which contains several interesting stories regarding Gandhi's visits to Shimla from 1921 to 1945. Former chief minister Virbhadra Singh, chief whip and BJP MLA Narender Bragta, MLAs Nand Lal, Vikramaditya Singh and Balbir Verma also paid floral tributes to Gandhi and Shastri. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Haryana government is planning to develop a nature and zoological park in the Massani barrage area in Rewari district to attract tourists, especially from the National Capital Region (NCR). "It is expected that after the development of the Massani barrage as a nature and zoological park about 20 lakh tourists would visit the site annually," a spokesman of Forests and Wildlife Department said here Monday. Besides the development of the nature and zoological park, various facilities have been planned which include demonstration of agro-forestry models for arid and semi-arid regions, development of farm tourism facilities and development of lake and water bodies for birds, he said. The Massani barrage is located about 60 km from Dhaula Kuan in Delhi and 40 km from Gurgaon on the Gurgaon-Jaipur National Highway, he said. The Massani Barrage was constructed by the Haryana Irrigation Department on Sahibi river during late 1970s. "It is located on the golden triangle map of India connecting Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Massani-Delhi," he said. The spokesman said it was decided to organise a state level wildlife week celebration at Massani Barrage on October 5. The wildlife week is celebrated in the first week of October every year to sensitise the society about the importance of wildlife and steps needed to preserve it, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya lauded Narendra Modi on Tuesday, saying the prime minister has realised Mahatma Gandhi's vision by implementing schemes such as 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Make in India'. The Governor also hailed Modi for realising Gandhi's vision of all-round development and upliftment of the poor. The Governor was speaking at the Raj Bhavan hereafter paying floral tributes toMahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on the occasion of their birth anniversary. "Prime Minister NarendraModi has realised the vision of Mahatma Gandhi by implementing various schemes such as Swachh Bharat,Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Make in India, Digital India, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana and Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao," he said. Hailingprogress done by Shastri as the prime minister, the Governor saidIndia has not only become self-sufficient in terms of food security, but also capable of exporting food grains and providing food security to other countries. "Lal Bahadur Shastri promoted Green Revolution by giving the slogan of 'Jai Jawan-Jai Kisan'," he noted. He urged the youth to follow discipline and unity, and work for the progress of the country. "That will be the real tribute to both Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN's nuclear watchdog Tuesday refused to "take at face value" Israel's claims that Iran is harbouring a secret atomic warehouse, fending off pressure to inspect the allegedly suspect site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the claim in front of the UN General Assembly last week. Without explicitly referring to Netanyahu's claim, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano insisted that the agency's independence was "of paramount importance" for its work. The IAEA "uses all safeguards-relevant information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," Amano said in a statement. Netanyahu accused Iran of operating a "secret atomic warehouse for storing massive amounts of equipment and material from Iran's secret nuclear weapons programme." He urged the IAEA to inspect the site. Amano said the IAEA would not be told how to do its work. "All information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review," he said. He said the IAEA's work "must always be impartial, factual, and professional." Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to scale down its nuclear activities and submit to IAEA inspections in exchange for relief from sanctions. Israel bitterly opposes the deal and congratulated US President Donald Trump for walking away from it earlier this year. The IAEA has repeatedly said that Iran is continuing to meet its commitments under the deal. Amano said on Tuesday that evaluations of Iran's compliance were "ongoing". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Irked by former dictator Pervez Musharraf's failure to come back to Pakistan and face ongoing cases against him, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Tuesday warned that if the "courageous commando" does not appear soon, he may be forced to return in a disgraceful manner. Chief Justice Nisar made the remarks when Musharraf's lawyer told the three-judge bench that his client "respects the court" but was unable to return due to his medical condition and reservations over the provision of security, Dawn newspaper reported. Musharraf, 75, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, is facing the high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. The former military ruler left for Dubai in March 2016 for medical treatment and has not returned since. His lawyer told the court that there were no charges against the former president in the Lal Masjid operation case and demanded to know what the case against his client was, the paper reported. He may not face any charges in the Lal Masjid case, but he is facing a treason case for which he must appear in court, replied Chief Justice Nisar. If Musharraf returns voluntarily, he may be able to do so respectably otherwise he may be compelled to return under circumstances which are not "graceful", the top judge warned. "The commando who used to describe himself as a 'courageous commando' should today display that courage," the top judge was quoted as saying by the paper. "Why is the courageous commando not returning?" he asked. "I told you before that if he returns, he will be provided security," the top judge said. He also advised that the former dictator should get medical treatment in Pakistan, the paper said. "I am giving you this assurance. It is the assurance of the highest court in the country," Chief Justice Nisar said and added that: "As long as (Musharraf) is alive, it is his duty to appear before the court." He further said that it was not acceptable for a citizen to leave the country and not return while a case against them is underway in courts. The chief justice also promised that the former military ruler would not be arrested upon his return, and that whatever the outcome of the cases, it would be strictly in line with the law. The court ordered Musharraf's lawyer to submit his medical report within a week and adjourned the hearing until October 11. Last week, Muhammad Amjad, a leader of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) - a political party floated by Musharraf in 2010 -- had said that the former president was "growing weaker rapidly" due to an unspecified illness and, therefore, could not return to Pakistan. The former Army chief has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before a special trial court set up to try him in the case. Last month, Pakistan's Supreme Court assured Musharraf that high-level security will be provided to him if he returns to the country to face the trial in the treason case. The former president was indicted in March 2014 on treason charges for suspending the Constitution and imposing emergency which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges. A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Holding on to the number one position despite a 1-4 loss to England, India will look to maintain their status in the ICC Test rankings when they host West Indies in a two-match series. In the series that starts on Thursday, India will be looking to ensure they do not lose any points in a bid to maintain their top position. India lead the table with 115 points but only stand to gain one point even with a 2-0 series win owing to the large difference in rating points with the West Indies. On the other hand, India can slip to 108 points with an unlikely 2-0 loss and Australia could overtake them if they defeat Pakistan 2-0. For the West Indies, even a 2-0 series win will at best help them bridge the gap with Pakistan and Sri Lanka but will not pull them up from their present eighth position. Pakistan host Australia for a two-match series in the United Arab Emirates starting Sunday, with both sides having the chance to improve their positions in the Test team rankings. The series gives Pakistan the opportunity to edge Sri Lanka to sixth position if they are able to complete a 2-0 series win over the opposition, while a 1-0 series win will be enough for Australia to overtake South Africa and claim second position behind India. Pakistan will move to 97 points if they win both Tests and ahead of Sri Lanka on decimal points while Australia, who are presently on 106 points and behind South Africa only on decimal points, will move ahead with a series win. They will advance to 107 points with a 1-0 win and to 109 points if they prevail 2-0. India captain Virat Kohli would be aiming to consolidate his position at the top of the table since he is ahead of banned Australian run-machine Steve Smith by only one point. Cheteshwar Pujara (sixth) and Lokesh Rahul (19th) will be other leading India batsmen in the series while the spin pair of Ravindra Jadeja (fourth) and Ravichandran Ashwin (eighth) would be looking to capitalize on home conditions. The West Indies boast of Kraigg Brathwaite in 13th position while three of their fast bowlers are in the top 20 Shannon Gabriel (11th), Jason Holder (13th) and Kemar Roach (19th) and would be hoping to get some help from the Indian wickets. For Australia, Usman Khawaja is the leading batsman in 20th position in the absence of Smith and David Warner, while Mitchell Starc (joint-14th) and Nathan Lyon (16th) are the leading bowlers. Pakistan opener Azhar Ali is in 15th position and 672 points, just one behind South Africa's Hashim Amla, while leg-spinner Yasir Shah, formerly a top-ranked bowler, would be looking to find his way back from 18th position after missing this year's tour of Ireland and England due to a groin injury. Yasir had taken 12 wickets in a 2-0 series win over Australia in the UAE four years ago. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Tuesday released special commemorative stamps to mark the beginning of the year-long celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in the Netherlands. The stamps, issued by the Indian postal department, were presented by India's Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony to former foreign minister and Chairman of Carnegie Foundation Bernard R Bot and Director General Erik de Baedts in front of the iconic Peace Palace, the Indian mission said in a statement. The foundation is the owner and manager of the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. A large number of Indians participated in the function. Ambassador Rajamony and members of the Indian community also participated in a function at the Gandhi statue here. Rajamony garlanded the statue and members of the gathering placed flowers at the feet of the statue as a mark of respect amidst speeches, singing of favourite songs of Gandhi, the statement said. An outreach programme 'Follow the Mahatma' is being organised by the Embassy of India between October 1-5 under which over 100 volunteers fan out to around 20 schools of the Netherlands to spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life of Gandhi. Rajamony visited the Indonesian school here and spoke to students about the life and relevance of Gandhi. A social media campaign with the hashtag #FollowTheMahatma is also being organised inviting people to post messages reiterating their commitment to the principle of non-violence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Marxism taught that religion is the opiate of the people and tried to indoctrinate children in atheism from their earliest days. Yet a socialist party in Germany has erected a billboard stating, Jesus would have voted for us. The fifth-place party in the German Bundestag, Die Linke (The Left), is the direct successor of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) which held East Germany in an iron grip for many decades, writes Kai Weiss of the Austrian Economics Center. Religion was suppressed there. The party teaches that capitalism brought mass impoverishment, genocide and unimaginable wars over humanity. And its new sign asserts that the Second Person of the Trinity endorses its economic views. Weiss who hails from Regensburg, Bavaria, where the sign is located recounts the many reasons such a claim is counterintuitive: In 1950, before communism truly took hold in the country, 95 percent of eastern Germans were religious. In 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, it was only 30 percent. Today, what was once East Germany is still considered the most godless place on the planet, with more than half of the people saying they dont believe a God exists. It was the result of decades of attempts to suppress religion by the SED again, the direct forerunner of the Left Party. This communist regime actively propagated a materialist and atheist world view, instituted Communist rites as a substitute to Mass, and tried in many way to suppress Christianity, especially in the early stages of the GDR. Despite Marxisms unremitting hostility toward religion, socialists around the world are trying to co-opt Jesus as the ultimate Spokesman for their cause. If anyone was ever a socialist, it was Jesus, said a 36-year-old organizer of a Democratic Socialists of America in West Virginia. French writer Falk Van Gaver made the same assertion in his 2017 book, Christianity vs. Capitalism: The Economy According to Jesus Christ. More than ever, it is imperative than Christians understand that Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox strains of Christianity repudiate socialism. In an era as confused as ours, Christians must reclaim Christ from those who spent a century attempting to crucify His Body, the Church Militant. Read his full essay here. For a further discussion of this topic, join us for a special Acton on Tap event as Lawrence W. Reed answers the question, Was Jesus a Socialist? in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 25. Additional details are available here. You may order his book, Rendering Unto Caesar: Was Jesus a Socialist? here. (Photo credit: Kai Weiss. Mises.org.) Asserting that those involved in violence against the Rohingyas should be held accountable, United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said India can help in the crisis by supporting Bangladesh in humanitarian assistance and using its influence with Myanmar to bring about reconciliation. He also said that to keep a population in such a "discriminatory situation" is "an invitation for terrorist groups" to exploit the situation. The top UN official said India "is an absolutely essential component" of a future multi-polar world and that the country can also play a role of an "honest broker" in some of the on-going conflicts in the world. In response to a question on the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT), proposed by India in 1996, he said the reason for the delay has been due to non-agreement on the definition of terrorism by countries. After attacks by the Mynamarese security forces, Rohingyas, an ethnic minority in Myanmar that mostly resides in regions bordering Bangladesh, have fled the country. According to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, over seven lakh people have fled Myanmar, and majority of them reside in Bangladesh. India has over 40,000 refugees scattered across the country. "I have never seen a community so discriminated in the world as Rohingyas," Guterres, who arrived here on Monday on his maiden visit to India, said in response to a question on the issue. He was delivering a lecture on 'Global Challenges, Global Solutions' here. He said the Rohingyas don't have access to health and education and there was deep rooted feeling of racism against them within the Myanmarese society. Guterres recalled his visit to the country as the High Commissioner for Refugees, during which he said the president of Myanmar asked him to resettle Rohingyas in some other countries. "To make them refugees is not my role. My role is to solve the problem of refugees. This shows how deeply rooted is the negative perception of the Rohingyas. This was intensified by some hate speech by some monks on social media. There are over one million people in Bangladesh. They were people burnt, raped. "Even if there was a provocation, the reaction of the armed forces was brutal," he alleged. Guterres stressed on political reconciliation so that the Rohingyas could go back to their country. "What can India do? Support Bangladesh in helping these people because there is a huge humanitarian problem. Second, to pressure on Myanmar, the military in Myanmar for reconciliation and create conditions for these people to go back. These people will not go back in present circumstances," he said. "There should be accountability to those crimes," he said on the treatment meted out to Rohingyas added "to keep a population in such a discriminatory situation is an invitation for terrorist groups" to exploit the situation. In May, during the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Myanmar, India had offered to help in safe, speedy and sustainable return of Rohingyas. India has also been helping Bangladesh in providing humanitarian assistance to Rohingyas. Responding to a question on why the CCIT could not be adopted, Guterres said there is no agreement on definition of terrorism and there were several complexities involved in it. "The problem of definition of terrorism is (due to) several complexities. There are number of things which are complicated to have a common definition of terrorism. We have never managed to have it and we have never managed to have a true convention because of the definition," he said. Guterres said India has been in the frontline of supporting CCIT and the UN fully supports India in this regard. To a question on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report on alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir, which was rejected by India, he said the reports are not endorsed by the secretary general. "I dont discuss reports about human rights commissioner. They have independence. The countries can agree or disagree with the reports. Their reports are not endorsed by the secretary general. The reports are done in a strictly independent way." He said as a principle, he does not make any comment on reports of both the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and High Commissioner for Refuges. Responding to another question on communalism and religious fundamentalism, he said he "does not think India is in the worst situation" at all. "I have always seen India as a country with extreme diversity. Of course, there are forms of extremism as any other parts of the world. I dont think that is the major problem that you face," he said. Guterres said poverty and inequality are two major problems faced by the Indian society. India can also play a role of an "honest broker" in some of the on-going conflicts in the world, he said, adding,"We need people and countries that all sides can respect. India does not have any specific agenda in many of these areas." The secretary general also noted that never in the recent times was multilateralism and rules based international order under so much of fire, citing the trade warsHe said it is necessary to create factors of equilibrium and no country was better than India because of its dimensions, its technological and innovation capacity and of its geo-strategic location . "India is an absolutely essential component of our future multi-polar world," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Information and Technology Ministry has asked to provide an 'update' on the impact on Indian users on account of the recent hacking incident where about 50 million accounts on the portal were affected, sources said. According to senior IT officials, who did not wish to be named, has Monday been verbally asked to update the government on the number of Indian users impacted by the recent attack. They added that officials have said they were analysing the issue and will revert in two days. When contacted, Facebook declined to comment on the query. Last week, Facebook had said hackers had exploited a vulnerability in its system, impacting up to 50 million accounts. The US-based firm did not disclose country-specific impact. Facebook, which has over 200 million users in India, counts the country among its largest userbases globally. Mark Zuckerberg, in a press call, had said the company's engineering team, on September 25, found an attack affecting up to 50 million accounts on Facebook. "The attackers exploited a vulnerability in the code of the 'View As' feature which is a privacy feature that lets people see what their Facebook profile would look like to another person," he added. He noted that since the investigation is still early, Facebook hasn't yet been able to determine if there's specific targeting. Stating that hackers had tried to access profile information fields -- like name, gender and hometown, Zuckerberg said "we do not yet know if any private information was accessed that way". Facebook had said it had fixed the vulnerability and also informed law enforcement. Earlier in the year too, Facebook was mired by controversy when UK-based data mining firm was accused of harvesting personal user data of 87 million global users of the social networking platform illegally to influence polls in several countries. The company had drawn flak on the issue from policymakers across the world, including the Indian government that had shot off two notices to Facebook over the data breach. Zuckerberg, at that time during a joint hearing of the US Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees, had apologised for the "major breach of trust" and had promised to take steps to protect user data. In response to the first notice of the Indian government, Facebook had admitted that nearly 562,000 people were "potentially affected" by the data breach incident. The death toll from an earthquake and tsunami that decimated parts of the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi jumped to more than 1,200 on Tuesday as disaster officials began reaching coastal areas that were cut off by blocked roads and downed communications lines. Officials said hundreds of other people were severely injured, and that scores of bodies could still be buried under quicksand-like mud caused by Friday's magnitude 7.5 earthquake. More than 25 countries have offered assistance after Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appealed for international help. Little of that, however, has arrived in the quake zone, and increasingly desperate residents grabbed food and fuel from damaged stores and begged for help. Rescuers have focused much of their attention so far on the biggest affected city, Palu, which has 380,000 people and is easier to reach than other hard-hit areas. "We feel like we are stepchildren here because all the help is going to Palu," said Mohamad Taufik, 38, from the town of Donggala, who said five of his relatives are still missing. "There are many young children here who are hungry and sick, but there is no milk or medicine." Along the coast, the tsunami, which reportedly reached as high as 6 meters in some places, shattered buildings, uprooted concrete and thrust houses and boats tens of meters inland. The death toll for all affected areas reached 1,234, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in Jakarta, the capital. He said more people remain trapped in Sigi and Balaroa, meaning the toll is likely to rise. Nugroho said more aid was being distributed, but "we still need more time to take care of all the problems." He said 153 bodies were buried Monday in a mass grave and that the operation continued Tuesday. A special aircraft carrying 12,000 liters of fuel had arrived and trucks with food were on the way with police escorts to guard against looters. Nugroho said many gas stations were inoperable either because of quake damage or from people stealing fuel. The frustration of waiting for days without help boiled over for some. "Pay attention to Donggala, Mr. Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala," yelled one resident in a video broadcast on local television, referring to the president. "There are still a lot of unattended villages here." The town's administrative head, Kasman Lassa, all but gave residents permission to take food - but nothing else - from shops. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said on local TV. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer." Desperation was visible in Palu as well. Signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for gas. Teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel in Palu, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Nearly 62,000 people have been displaced from their homes, Nugroho said. Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in the Palu neighborhood of Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently. "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding that her house was destroyed. In Palu's Petobo neighborhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy quicksand-type material that resulted in massive damage. Hundreds of victims are still believed to be buried in the mud there. Liquefaction of soil can be compared to walking on a sandy beach. "If you walk across some wet sand a little back from the water's edge, it is usually firm walking, even though you might leave footprints," said Adam Switzer, an expert at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. "However, if you stand still and wiggle your toes and feet, you will probably sink a little as the sand around your feet becomes soft and unstable. This is similar to what happens during liquefaction." Nugroho said generators, heavy equipment and tents are among the most-needed aid items. The countries that offered assistance include the United States and China, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tuesday that his government has given USD 360,000 to help victims and is in talks with Indonesian authorities about a second round of aid. The initial funds are to go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Nugroho said only two of the 122 foreigners in the area remained unaccounted for - one from South Korea and the other from Belgium. Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August, and two moderate quakes near an eastern island on Tuesday reportedly damaged a bridge. The vast archipelago is home to 260 million people on more than 17,000 islands that stretch a distance similar to that between New York and London. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the country celebrates the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi Tuesday, the annual 'International Gandhi Peace Prize', named after Father of the Nation, has not been conferred for the last four years. An official of the Ministry of Culture, the nodal agency which receives proposals for conferring the award, said nominations were made during the last four years for the coveted award, but an approval has been awaited. "The nominations are there, but it is difficult to say why it has been delayed," official sources said. As a tribute to the ideals espoused by Gandhi, the Government of India launched the International Gandhi Peace Prize in 1995 on the occasion of his 125th birth anniversary. Last time, the award was conferred in 2014 to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The annual award is given to individuals and institutions for their contribution towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods. The award carries Rs 1 crore (10 million) in cash, convertible in any currency in the world, a plaque and a citation. The honour is open to all persons regardless of nationality, race, creed or gender. A jury consisting of the Prime Minister of India, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India and two other eminent persons decide the awardee each year. The jury considers such proposals as have been received by the office of the Ministry of Culture up to April 30 of that year for which the award is to be given. Official sources said ordinarily, proposals coming from competent persons invited to nominate are considered. However, a proposal is not taken as invalid for consideration by the jury merely on the ground of not having emanated from competent persons. If, however, it is considered that none of the proposals merit recognition, the jury is free to withhold the award for that year. Only achievements within 10 years immediately preceding the nomination are considered for the award; an older work may, however, be considered if its significance has not become apparent until recently. A written work, to be eligible for consideration, should have been published. The first recipient of the award was Julius K Nyerere, former President of Tanzania in 1995, and in the next year A T Ariyaratne, Founder President of Sarvodaya Sharamadana Movement, Sri Lanka was conferred with the award. In 1997, Gerhard Fischer of Germany received the award. Rama Krishna Mission was selected for the award in 1998 and in 1999. Baba Amte has also received the prestigious award. The award was jointly given in 2000 to Nelson Mandela and Grameen Bank of Bangladesh. Archbishop Desmond Tutu won the award in 2005. After a gap of eight years in 2013, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, noted environmentalist associated with Chipko Movement, received the award. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iran on Tuesday denied French accusations that one of its diplomats was involved in an alleged bomb plot targeting an exiled opposition group near Paris in June. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest and call for his immediate release," the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement. It described the allegations as a conspiracy to "sabotage Iran's ancient and long-standing relations with France and other significant European countries." The statement was released minutes before a French diplomatic source told AFP that security services believed the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind the foiled plot. In retaliation, France announced it had frozen assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives as well as Iran's ministry of security and intelligence. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," France's interior, foreign and economy ministers said in a rare joint statement. The opposition meeting allegedly targeted was also attended by leading US figures, including close allies of President Donald Trump. Six people were arrested afterwards in coordinated raids by European police forces, including an Iranian diplomat identified as Assadollah Asadi, who is set to be extradited from Germany to Belgium for prosecution. Asadi was targeted by France for the six-month asset freeze along with another man named as Saeid Hashemi Moghadam. Iran has accused the opposition group, the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK), which Tehran considers a "terrorist" group, of orchestrating the plot to discredit President Hassan Rouhani as he embarked on a tour of Europe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Islamic State group has killed a woman from a group of Druze hostages it seized during a deadly attack in Syria's Sweida province, a source and a monitor said Tuesday. The 25-year-old was among more than 30 people IS jihadists abducted as they launched the deadliest attack to hit Sweida's Druze minority since the start of Syria's seven-year civil war. In the attack on July 25, IS waged a series of suicide bombings, shootings and stabbings that left more than 250 people dead across the southwestern province, most of them civilians. It later emerged the jihadists had also kidnapped the group, mostly Druze women and their children, during the attack. A source familiar with negotiations with the group told AFP that "relatives of Tharwat Abu Ammar were told Tuesday that she had been executed" by IS. The jihadists also sent a picture of her, covered in blood, to a negotiator, the source said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said she had been shot in the head. Like the other hostages, Abu Ammar came from the remote village of Al-Shabaki in the province's eastern countryside, according to the Sweida 24 agency. The agency's head Nour Radwan told AFP that IS had killed her parents during the attack on the village. IS claimed the Sweida attack via the Telegram messaging app, but it has not mentioned the captives or published pictures or videos of them on its social media channels. In August, the group executed a 19-year-old male student among the captives, Radwan told AFP. The following week, a 65-year-old Syrian woman among the captives died, with IS telling negotiators an illness caused her death. IS has been in talks with Syria's government and its ally Russia to swap the hostages for jihadists held by the regime. There is little information on what conditions the hostages are being kept in, including whether they are subject to torture or other abuses. Sweida province is the heartland of the country's Druze minority, which made up around three per cent of Syria's pre-war population - or around 700,000 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israelis on Tuesday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 149th birth anniversary at the Mahatma Gandhi roundabout in Israel's southern town Kiryat Gat. Kiryat Gat is a small township in the south of Israel with about 2000 Indians from the Bene Israel community living here. The first and only roundabout in the country named after Mahatma Gandhi was inaugurated here in January 2016 to mark 60 years of the establishment of the township. Paying warm tributes to Mahatma Gandhi, the Mayor of Kiryat Gat, Aviram Dahari, said, "It is an honour to be remembering Gandhi whose message still remains relevant." "Gandhi Jayanti celebrations here is a reflection of the warm friendly relationship between the people of India and Israel. We have been gathering here to pay respects to the great soul every October and January since the roundabout was inaugurated. It is also a matter of pride for the Indian community in the town and the whole of Israel," Roger Judah, an Indian community leader in the town, said. The initiative to name the roundabout after Gandhi and to place a plaque there was led by Judah. "The political and spiritual leader who led the Indian independence movement in its struggle against the British empire. Became a symbol of tolerance and resolving conflicts non-violently. Inspired many freedom and human rights fighters throughout the world," the plaque placed at the roundabout reads in English and Hebrew. Gandhi's photo, the only one, also hangs on the walls of the hut of Israel's first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in the southern region of Sde Boker in the Negev. Despite political differences between Zionist leaders and leaders of the Indian national movement, Gandhi enjoyed respect of most of the Jewish leaders. Gandhi shared a close association with the Jewish community in South Africa and some recent publications in Israel have tried to highlight the strong bonding between him and some of his Jewish friends. Israel also has a street named after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) founder said Tuesday that the trade dispute between the US and China could last 20 years. But he expressed hope that a solution could be reached as a trade war would "hurt everybody." The Chinese e-commerce billionaire also questioned the focus among some on trade deficits, calling it a relic of the 20th century. US President Donald Trump has long decried the US's whopping deficit with China. "When trade stops, sometimes the war starts. So trade is the way to stop wars," Ma said at a World Trade Organization seminar. "Trade is the way to build up trust. It's not the weapon to fight against each other." He said trade conflict would not only hurt the US and China but other countries' small businesses. The standoff, he added, "may last 20 years, unfortunately." Overall, Ma expressed bullishness about trade but said it needed to be protected from regulators. "Today we see Made in China, Made in America, Made in Switzerland or Made in Geneva: 2030 will see Made in Internet." More than 85 per cent of business will be e-commerce, he said. Group is the world's biggest e-commerce company by value of the goods that pass across its platforms. ALSO READ: Donald Trump clears deck for China trade war by striking new Nafta deal Its core business is connecting American retailers with Chinese suppliers, many of them small producers of furniture, handbags, tools and household appliances. The United States is a key market for them and they have been hit hard by Washington's tariff increases. The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of Chinese goods, prompting retaliation from Beijing. Ma, 54, is one of China's most prominent and outspoken business leaders. ALSO READ: Chinese reform during a trade war He announced last month he will step down as Alibaba's chairman next September but will stay on as a member of the Partnership, a group that retains control of the company through their right to nominate a majority of its board of directors. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday appealed universities across the country to replace their "British-inspired" convocation attire with traditional Indian clothes as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi. Asserting that Gandhi advocated use of Khadi, Javadekar suggested that universities ask their students to come up with design options for traditional convocation attire. "I would like to urge all universities across the country that rather than going for British-inspired clothes for their convocation they should go for traditional Indian clothes. Universities can ask their students to come up with design options or can also refer to some designs posted on HRD Ministry's website," Javadekar said in a video message to universities. "Gandhi also advocated use of Khadi. Due to various initiatives, Khadi sale has gone up by four times hence paving way for creation of more jobs. This will be an apt tribute to him on his 150th birth anniversary," he added. In July 2015, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had asked universities to consider using handloom fabric for ceremonial dresses being prescribed for special occasions like convocations. Following that, many institutions of higher education, including IITs of Kanpur and Bombay introduced traditional attire for convocation ceremonies. Even before that, at the first IIT-BHU convocation in July 2013, men students wore white dhoti-kurta or pyjama-kurta and women students wore white sari or salwar-kurta, doing away with the colonial black gown and hat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's Boris Johnson on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan at a fractious party conference that came as Brussels pressed London for a compromise on leaving the EU. Mixing jokes with biting one-liners that always stopped short of attacking May herself, the former foreign minister called her strategy "dangerous and unstable", as well as a "political humiliation". "My fellow Conservatives, this is not democracy. This is not what we voted for. This is an outrage," he said in a 35-minute address that was interrupted by repeated bursts of laughter and cheers. The wide-ranging speech, which many saw as Johnson's audition for May's job, was attended by some 1,500 people who packed a conference hall room after queueing for hours. Johnson did little to douse suspicions of an eventual leadership bid, using his characteristic swagger and wit to pick apart the faults of May's proposal -- while not actually spelling out what Britain should do instead. He said he wanted "to back Theresa May" by forcing her to reverse her attempts to keep close economic ties with the European Union once Britain leaves in March. May appeared intent on stealing Johnson's spotlight, scheduling a flurry of morning interviews at which she unveiled a new immigration policy a day ahead of schedule. Free movement of EU workers was a key issue in the 2016 vote for Brexit, and May confirmed that Europeans would be treated the same as non-EU citizens in future. May's public battle with Johnson comes only two weeks before she must return to Brussels in a bid to break the Brexit deadlock and reach a deal. The prime minister hinted at a possible compromise on how to keep the land border with Ireland open after Brexit, a key sticking point in the EU talks, on which London is due to publish new plans shortly. Johnson was a leading campaigner for Brexit in the referendum. Even after being appointed foreign minister, he continually challenged May's EU strategy. He quit in July in protest at her plan for Britain to follow EU rules for goods after Brexit, which she says will protect cross-border trade but he argues would keep London tied to the bloc well into the future. The EU has also rejected May's vision, saying it undermines the bloc's cherished single market. Numerous eurosceptic Conservative MPs have already drawn big crowds in Birmingham as they offer their own idea for a looser trade arrangement with the EU. Johnson endorses the same alternative proposal, but the mop-haired former London mayor has particular star power. He was mobbed by jostling cameras on arrival and chased by reporters as he walked, with his address airing live across the nation. "It's important to support the only politician I can see who is actively campaigning to give people the Leave that they voted for," said Colette Wyatt-Lowe, 71, a councillor from the outskirts of London, while queueing to hear Johnson speak. Johnson is known for his confrontational style, and before the event he was captured in a press photograph running through a field of long grass. It clearly mocked May, who once said the naughtiest thing she had done was run through a field of wheat. But Johnson's recent comments about her Brexit plan, calling it "deranged" and saying it strapped a suicide vest to the British constitution, have angered many fellow MPs. Several former colleagues used the conference to make jokes at his expense, while finance minister Philip Hammond said his alternative Brexit plan was "fantasy". Even former Brexit minister David Davis, a fellow eurosceptic who describes Johnson as a "great mate", said many of his ideas "are good headlines but not necessarily good policies". Among the delegates, there is also unease about Johnson's public disagreements with May. Mike Kay, a 34-year-old delegate from Manchester in northwest England, added: "He has a kind of charisma that so few others do. But he is very divisive, that's a problem. "A large section of the country thinks he is a clown. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Megastar Amitabh Bachchan paid homage to Krishna Raj Kapoor, wife of legendary actor Raj Kapoor, saying she kept a "vast family of celebrated individuals" united. Krishna Raj Kapoor passed away Monday due to cardiac arrest. She was 87. Bachchan took to his blog to remember the departed soul. "Krishna Raj Kapoor... The matriarch of the family... The epitome of grace and dignity... Gentle and loving to all... Caring... Faultless in etiquette and family protocol... She kept this vast family of celebrated individuals together as one bond," the actor wrote. He quoted Krishna Raj Kapoor's "famous lines". "When you shall go as a bride into your husbands home, you must decide whether you want to carry scissors with you or a pair of knitting needles... Scissors symbolising the cutting of relations in the new home and family; knitting needles, to knit the family together..." the actor, who also attended her cremation, wrote. She was cremated according to Sikh and Hindu rituals Her sons, Randhir and Rajiv, performed the last rites, in the presence of family members including granddaughters Kareena and Riddhima, daughter Rima Jain, grandsons Armaan and Adar and Shashi Kapoor's son. Rishi Kapoor, along with wife Neetu and son Ranbir were not present. The veteran actor recently went to the US for medical treatment. Also present at the crematorium were Anil Kapoor, Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Anil Ambani, Sanjay Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Ayan Mukerji, Arjun Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. Raj Kapoor married Krishna Malhotra in May 1946 and the couple had five children -- three sons, Randhir, Rishi and Rajiv, and two daughters, Ritu and Rima. The wife and mother of some of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Krishna Raj Kapoor always stayed away from the limelight. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NCP on Tuesday condemned the police action against farmers marching towards Delhi. The action brought to the fore the "violent" face of the BJP even as the country celebrated 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, a champion of non-violence, the party said. "The BJP government's violent face stands exposed following the lathi-charge on farmers. We condemn the action," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said in a statement. Instead of "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan", the Narendra Modi government's slogan was "Mar Jawan, Mar Kisaan", he said. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to reduction in fuel prices were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Left parties Tuesday demanded a joint parliamentary committee probe into the Rafale "scam", alleging that the "needle of suspicion points directly" towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, in a joint statement, also extended their support to the week-long protests called by the Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Andolan from October 22 to 27 against "corruption" in the Modi government. "The mega scam in the purchase of the Rafale fighter jet planes must be probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The needle of suspicion points directly towards the prime minister," the statement said. In consultation with other Left Parties, a nationwide protest call will be given to expose this "mega scam" and demand punishment of the guilty, the three Left parties said. The opposition led by the Congress has been accusing the government of benefitting Anil Ambani's Reliance Defence Ltd from the Rafale deal. The BJP has dismissed all the allegations as false. The Rafale controversy took a new turn last month after Francois Hollande, who was French president when the Rs 58,000 crore deal was announced, was quoted as saying by French publication Mediapart that France was given "no choice" on selection of the Indian partner for Dassault and the Indian government proposed the name of Reliance as offset partner for the French aerospace giant. Modi had announced the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters after holding talks with Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) English learning platform Lingokids Tuesday said it has raised USD 7.3 million (about Rs 53.5 crore) in a funding led by HV Holtzbrinck Ventures. The funding round also saw participation from existing investors JME Venture Capital, Sabadell Ventures, Big Sur Ventures and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX. Lingokids founder and CEO Cristobal Viedma said Silicon Valley ed-tech investor Reach Capital, Athos Capital, and All Iron Ventures, were also part of the funding round. The fund raise will go towards accelerating growth, hiring new talent, and developing features to promote personalised learning and parental involvement, Viedma told PTI. "The funding will allow us to increase our content offering which we will keep to a global content strategy as we have been so far. At the same time, we will work on localising the app to fit the language needs for parents to navigate in Hindi, for example," he added. The company has also received a USD 1.3 million grant from the EU's H2020 programme, raising the startup's total funding to over USD 11 million last year. Launched in 2016, Lingokids offers a language-learning platform to teach English to children from 2-8 years of age, designed with Oxford University Press content. The subscription-based platform teaches English through a series of activities, games, and songs that adapt in difficulty to each child's level. It has over seven million registered families across more than 180 countries. "India is the number one market when it comes to registrations with over 4,00,000 families. "Our user base in India grew 5 times from 2016 to 2017, which was the highest growth we've seen in any market when it comes to user base. When it comes to subscriptions and revenues, the US and Brazil are our strongest markets...," Viedma said. The company is based in Madrid and San Francisco with long term plans of expanding further into its priority markets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an "out of box" relief, the Madras High Court has directed authorities to treat as voluntary retirement the resignation of an employee who quit service to migrate to another post where his selection was annulled after a litigation. The transport department employee had resigned as a senior assistant engineer after 26 years of service in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) to migrate to another post in the Transport Subordinate Service. His services, however, were terminated after a litigation over his selection as Motor Vehicle Inspector in the Transport Subordinate Service. Justice V Parthiban directed the Tami Nadu government to extend all retirement benefits to petitioner S Chellamuthu, whose selection as Motor Vehicle Inspector in 2009 was set aside by the high court on a petition by an unsuccessful candidate, resulting in termination of his services. Left jobless, the petitioner had sought a direction to the state public service commission to call him afresh for an interview for the motor vehicle inspector post or reinstate him as a senior assistant engineer in Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), the post he had resigned from. ''This is not a run of the mill case where the relief could be put in a straitjacket formula. In view of the peculiarity of the case and in extraordinary situation which calls for extraordinary remedy, an out-of-the-box relief need to be conceived and had to be rendered by this court...," the Judge observed in his recent order. "In this case, absolutely, there was no fault on the part of the petitioner. He was removed from the motor vehicle inspector post because the authorities had not properly selected more qualified persons than him," he said. "This is a fit case in the opinion of this court to apply larger principles of equity in order to secure the noble ends of justice," the Judge said and directed that his resignation letter be treated as a VRS, the Judge added. The petitioner, a mechanical engineering diploma-holder, had joined as a junior engineer in the transport corporation in 1983. While working as a senior assistant engineer, he chose to migrate to the Transport Subordinate Service. He was eventually selected and appointed as Motor Vehicle Inspector in November, 2009 following which he resigned from his post in the TNSTC. While the appointment process was yet to conclude, his selection was challenged by the unsuccessful candidate on grounds of higher qualification and was set aside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 52-year-old teacher of a local madrasa was arrested Tuesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl student of the seminary, the police said. The incident occurred Sunday (September 30) when the accused Maulana Abdul Rauf (52) allegedly took the girl to a corner of the Islamic school and touched her inappropriately, a police official said. Rauf was arrested after the parents of the girl lodged an FIR in Khajrana police station. The accused has been booked under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. In Indore district, four separate cases of sexual abuse involving girls below ten years of age, have been reported since September 27. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing the BJP-led Central and Maharashtra governments of pushing the country backward, NCP leaders Tuesday marked the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by holding a silent protest in Mumbai. Accusing the BJP of putting the country in a precarious position economically and spreading hatred among communities, the NCP stressed that India can be taken forward only through the Mahatma's path of truth. Senior NCP leaders, including Maharashtra NCP unit chief Jayant Patil, former ministers Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal and Mumbai NCP head Sachin Ahir observed silence near Gandhi's statue, located close to state secretariat here. They covered their mouths with black cloth, as a mark of protest. "Both the Central and state governments have failed miserably in handling issues concerning the common people," Patil told reporters here. He hit out at the governments over various issues including Rafale deal, fuel price rise, fall in Rupee's value against the US dollar, "poor" employment generation and demonetisation. "The government has gone adrift from the ideology of Bapu. When it is required to walk on the path as shown by Gandhi, it is walking on the path of lie and violence," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Tuesday said Gandhian philosophy holds solution to every problem faced by the society. Rupani paid tributes to the Father of Nation on the occasion of his 149th birth anniversary by visiting 'Kirti Mandir', a memorial dedicated to him in Porbandar town of the Saurashtra region. Porbandar is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. "Gandhiji's life was his message. I firmly believe that Gandhian philosophy holds solution to all the problems," the chief minister said while addressing a gathering. He said Gandhiji's thoughts are still relevant. "The best tribute to him would be to walk on the path shown by him, such as speaking truth, shun violence and maintain cleanliness," the CM said. He urged the people to adopt Gandhiji's values of non-violence, serving the poor and buying only country-made products. He also attended an all-religion prayer meeting at Kirti Mandir. On the occasion, around 8,000 students of various schools formed a human chain to create Gandhiji's face in an area of one lakh square feet on the Porbandar beach. The human formation event was organised by the Rotaract Club of Porbandar. Hoping to set a new world record, the club had also invited the representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records, who have collected the details about the event, said Hardik Dhakka, secretary of the club. Later in the evening, Rupani purchased Khadi from a shop on Ashram Road of Ahmedabad city to promote the garment's popularity. The CM will laid the foundation stone for 'Khadi Museum' and a new office building for state Khadi Gramodyod Board in Vadaj area of the city, said an official release. Rupani and Gujarat Governor O P Kohli would also attend a prayer recitation function at Sabarmati Ashram, where Gandhiji lived for a significant period of his life. Earlier in the day, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel visited the Ashram and paid his tributes to the Mahatma. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The outgoing strongman president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, faced allegations Tuesday that he received nearly USD 1.5 million in illicit payments just before his surprise election defeat last month. The allegations that two cash deposits were made into a private account in Yameen's name came to light after local media reported that the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA) had lodged a police complaint. Yameen's spokesman Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied any wrongdoing, saying that Yameen maintained a separate account to receive election campaign funding. He did not confirm or deny the amount of any deposits received. Muaz said the governor of the MMA had assured the president that there was no wrongdoing and that the bank's Financial Intelligence Unit had withdrawn their complaint to the police. "President Yameen assures the people that his campaign had been conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations," Muaz said, adding that no campaign funds had been received from abroad. Yameen relied heavily on China for political and financial support in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims, triggering concern in India, which has long been influential in the Maldivian politics and the economy. In neighbouring Sri Lanka, police are investigating allegations that former president Mahinda Rajapakse received millions of dollars in campaign funds from a Chinese state owned company in 2015. Just before the Maldives' September 23 election, a corruption watchdog alleged that Yameen accepted lavish gifts from a billionaire developer who was later leased two islands in the paradise archipelago without bidding for them. Yameen, whose five-year tenure was marked by the jailing of all his key rivals, has denied any involvement in the alleged island-leasing scam, which first came to light in a 2016 investigation by the Al Jazeera television channel. The main opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who defeated Yameen in last month's election, has asked him to ensure a smooth transition when he is due to take over on November 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) [October 01, 2018] Emerson Introduces Actionable Roadmap to Help Companies Overcome Biggest Barrier to Digital Transformation Emerson (News - Alert) today announced a Digital Transformation Roadmap with consulting and implementation services to help companies develop and execute a tailored digital transformation plan to reach Top Quartile performance. The manufacturing industry is focused on digital transformation, leveraging new technologies to boost operational performance. But there's no consensus on how to get there - or what success looks like. With no industry standard, it's hard for companies to know whether they are on the right track or when they've arrived. Operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT) leaders are often siloed, not collaborating toward one central mission to achieve digital transformation. "Our customers have different starting points and levels of maturity when it comes to evaluating and implementing digital transformation strategies," said Lal Karsanbhai, executive president of Emerson Automation Solutions. "Emerson's proven digital transformation approach provides the ultimate flexibility while pinpointing the optimum path for each customer, based on their objectives, readiness and overall digital maturity." Emerson Survey: 8 of 10 Lack Digital Transformation Roadmap In an Emerson study of industry leaders responsible for digital transformation initiatives, merely 20 percent of respondents said they had a vision, plus a clear and actionable roadmap for digital transformation. Additionally, 90 percent stated that having a clear roadmap was important, very important or extremely important. Absence of a practical roadmap was also cited as the No. 1 barrier for digital transformation projects; cultural adoption and business value round out the top three barriers to progress. While all respondents were actively conducting pilot projects, only 21 percent had moved beyond that stage into new operating standards. Leveraging customer engagements with successful digital transformation programs, Emerson defined a structured, yet flexible approach to help customers focus on priority areas with a practical roadmap tailored to their business needs and readiness. The goal is to help companies use technology to reach Top Quartile performance, measured by optimized production, improved reliability, enhanced safety and minimized energy usage. "There is a clear global urgency among executives to harness innovation to improve performance, but many companies feel stalled for lack of a clear path," Karsanbhai said. "Customers who engage with our operational certainty consultants quickly gain clarity on their best bets for digital transformation and a realistic implementation plan to accelerate time to results." Digital Roadmap Combines Technology with Industry Expertise Emerson's Digital Transformation Roadmap ha two focus areas: business drivers and business enablers. Business drivers look at capabilities and performance relative to industry benchmarks in key areas: production management, reliability and maintenance, safety and security, and/or energy and emissions. The business enabler focus looks at capabilities in organizational effectiveness and systems and data integration. For each, Emerson has identified detailed criteria to measure customer performance along the digital journey - from conventional to best-in-class to the highest level: digitally autonomous operations. Companies can start the digital transformation journey wherever they are, from starting small in one facility to address key issues, such as pump health or personnel safety mustering; to exploring companywide programs across an entire business driver, such as reliability of critical assets; to driving enterprise-wide adoption of cloud-based technologies and analytics for overall business transformation. Emerson's Operational Certainty Consulting Group provides a host of services, from Digital Transformation Jumpstart workshops to deep-dive change management to deployment and adoption of new digitally enabled toolsets. Customers partner with Emerson not only for its consulting expertise, but also to implement its Plantweb digital ecosystem, which offers a robust software, data analytics, and product technology and services portfolio to solve real-world problems while improving plant performance. Emerson's proven capability is bolstered by a global implementation team that includes more than 80 solutions architects and analytics integration engineers, backed by a project and service engineering workforce that exceeds 8,400. Important foundations for digital transformation have been established with producers around the world. For example, Emerson has collaborated with customers to deploy more than 37,000 wireless network installations and over 175 integrated reliability platforms and applications, to name a few. To learn more, visit www.Emerson.com/TopQuartile. About Emerson Emerson (NYSE: EMR), headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global technology and engineering company providing innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential markets. Our Emerson Automation Solutions business helps process, hybrid, and discrete manufacturers maximize production, protect personnel and the environment while optimizing their energy and operating costs. Our Emerson Commercial & Residential Solutions business helps ensure human comfort and health, protect food quality and safety, advance energy efficiency, and create sustainable infrastructure. For more information visit Emerson.com. Additional resources: Join the Emerson Exchange 365 Community Connect with Emerson via Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Google+ YouTube View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001005695/en/ [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] A man has been held guilty by a district court in Assam for the rape and murder of a minor girl. District and Sessions Court Judge, Hailakandi, Debasish Bhattacharjee on Monday convicted Jashimuddin Borbhuiyan in the rape and murder case of the 13-year-old tribal girl. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on October 4. The girl, a resident of Betcherra village, bordering Mizoram, was raped and killed by Borbhuiyan on March 14. The incident had sparked an outrage among the locals who had taken out rallies and protest marches demanding stringent punishment for the perpetrator. Congratulating Superintendent of Police Mohneesh Mishra and his team, Hailakandi Deputy Commissioner, Adil Khan said, "The SP and his team delivered what we had promised to the people of Hailakandi six months ago. "This will reaffirm the faith of the common man in our administration, police, judiciary and the entire criminal justice system". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 38-year-old man was arrested Tuesday from Palghar district of Maharashtra on charges of trafficking women for prostitution, the police said. The accused Saidul Iman Ali Sardar @ Saidul Sardar is a resident of West Bengal. According to police, Sardar used to traffic girls and women from Bangladesh and supply them for flesh trade in various parts of India. He used to send the money via Hawala, a police official said. The accused has been booked under various sections of the IPC as well as Indian Passports Act and Foreign National Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Melania Trump opened her first big solo international trip as US first lady on Tuesday with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. The first lady saw how babies are weighed they're placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Mrs Trump also cradled an infant and declared the baby a "beautiful boy" as she handed him back to his mother. Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of "Be Best," the child well-being initiative Mrs Trump launched last May. With the Africa visit, the first lady aims to take "Be Best" and its focus on opioid abuse and online behaviour to an international audience. The first lady also had a private tea and gift exchange with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by "First Lady Melania Trump" for Akufo-Addo, and Kente cloth and artifacts for Mrs Trump, according to Grisham. The first ladies met privately for about a half-hour at Jubilee House, Ghana's presidential palace. The two first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Mrs. Trump spoke about her upcoming trip. Mrs Trump's visit opened in low-key fashion. Several Ghanaians interviewed said they knew little about it. "Did you say President Trump's wife just arrived in Accra?" street vendor Awo Yeboah told the AP. "l don't think l have ever heard her name, Melania." Other locals said they knew about the visit but didn't know what Mrs. Trump was doing. Mrs Trump landed in the capital of Accra on Tuesday morning after a more than 12-hour journey from Washington. She was welcomed at the airport with dancing and drumming, schoolchildren waving mini US and Ghanaian flags and the gift of a flower bouquet. Akufo-Addo was at the airport to welcome her. Mrs Trump also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mozambique will on Wednesday put on trial 180 national and foreign citizens accused of involvement in deadly Islamist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, sources said. Over the last year, more than 50 people have been killed in gun, grenade and knife assaults in the growing jihadist insurgency, with the militants reportedly seeking to impose Sharia law in the Muslim-majority province. The trial -- the first since the attacks began -- will be held in an improvised court in the jail where hundreds of suspected militants are being detained in Pemba, the provincial capital of Cabo Delgado, a court source said Tuesday. Among the defendants are 5O citizens from neighbouring Tanzania. "This is only the first group to be tried among hundreds of detainees," a police source said. The attackers are believed to have staged their first attack on a police station and military outpost in the town of Mocimboa da Praia in October 2017. Two officers died and 14 attackers were killed. As the attacks spread through the province, several hundred Muslims were arrested, some of them Tanzanians, and several mosques were forced to close. In the latest major attack, 12 villagers were killed and 14 wounded two weeks ago. Back in June, while visiting one of the areas worst hit by the attacks, President Filipe Nyusi vowed the security forces would be "firm and ruthless" in pursuing the jihadists. "The defendants are not accused of being terrorists since at the time of the attacks, there was still no law against terrorism in Mozambique," a public prosecutor said. An anti-terrorism law was passed in April this year. Anyone detained after the new law will be tried under the legislation, which allows for heavier sentences. Locals and authorities call the assailants Al-Shabaab, although the group has no known link to the Somali Islamists of that name, nor has it issued any claim of responsibility or demands. The attacks have shaken plans to exploit vast natural gas discovered off the shores of Cabo Delgado. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Mumbai resident, who has been knocking at judiciary's doors with his plea for an inquiry into the alleged "larger conspiracy leading to" the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, has once again approached the Supreme Court with "fresh" documents and evidence to claim that a re-investigation was needed to clear the air in the matter. Dr Pankaj Phadnis has filed a petition asking the apex court to peruse some books and a forensic report of the photographs of wounds on the body of Gandhi to decide the need for fresh probe into his killing. The Supreme Court had rejected his earlier plea for re-investigation into the assassination in March this year. In the fresh plea, he has given reference from two book --Who Killed Gandhi by Lourenco de Salvador written in 1963 and India Remembered by Pamella Mountbatten, daughter of then Governor General Lord L. Mountbatten. He claimed that examination of the two books would lead to conclusion that the person/persons in the highest echelons of power, were "complicit" in the murder of Mahatma. In the plea, he claimed he had obtained a report of a well known expert in the United States who has categorically confirmed that four wounds were visible on the chest of the Mahatma in the photograph obtained by him from the National Gandhi Museum, Delhi and which had been published on January 31, 1948 by a prominent newspaper and has been on display for last 70 years in the Museum. The Mumbai-based researcher, Pankaj Phadnis, who is also the trustee of Abhinav Bharat Charitable Trust, filed the petition seeking recall of the March 28 verdict by which the apex court had rejected his attempt to get the probe into Mahatma's death reopened, saying it would be an exercise in futile. However, in his review petition, Phadnis claimed the apex court did not have the opportunity to examine the material which he had secured and further some of the facts he brought in the rejoinder affidavit were not considered. The petitioner claimed that the apex court only relied on the submission of a senior advocate, who was appointed as amicus curiae in the matter and his reply to the amicus' report was not taken into account. He claimed that during the course of proceedings, he learnt of a book Who Killed Gandhi published in or about 1963 which alleged the involvement of people in the "highest echelons of power" being "complicit" in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. As the book is banned for import in India, he filed a PIL in 2018 in the Bombay High Court for production of the book before the apex court as it contained information material relating to the case. The PIL in the High Court could not be heard which resulted in apex court not having full and complete information germane to the matter before it, when it came to decide the matter on March 28, 2018. Phadnis said that on further research he recovered a transcript of BBC broadcast after the shooting of the Mahatma but before his death was announced which corroborates the information given in the book Who Killed Gandhi and also contradicts the six eyewitnesses on the vital aspect of who caught Nathuram Godse after he shot the Mahatma. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 and nine accused were tried for the conspiracy and murder. A trial court on February 10, 1949 convicted seven accused and acquitted one. Godse and Narayan Apte were sentenced to death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) City-based My Eco Energy has said it will soon commence the domestic production of its non-petroleum based fuel Indizel from two manufacturing plants in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The company is also looking to have as many 100 outlets across the country by March next year as part of its retail network expansion plans, My Eco Energy co-founder Santosh Verma said. It claims to be the first domestic firm to produce and market bio-diesel made out of palm under the label of Indizel, which is made out of the basic palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD). PFAD is waste of palm seeds and conforms to petroleum diesel (HSD) EN590 and BIS 1460 specifications for use with existing engines. The fuel, Verma claims, outperforms petroleum diesel in performance, emissions and price, among others and is Euro VI compliant, "Till now, we were importing it from Singapore which has now been stopped. We are looking to start domestic production of the fuel from our Pipavav (Gujarat) and Dighi (Maharashtra) facilities soon," Verma said. The trial for the local production at the two units have already commenced, he said. The two facilities together have the capacity to produce 10,000 mt of the fuel per annum, he said, adding, "We also plan to have a third manufacturing unit gong forward". By December, the company will have three plants manufacturing the bio-automotive automotive fuel to meet the market demand, he said. Since this type of fuel meets the engine-maker's fuel quality standards like EN 590 (European), BS VI (Indian) and Euro 6 emission norms, it can be used in the vehicles without any limits as a stand-alone fuel and all the engine manufacturers extend the warranty on this the fuel as it meets the diesel standard, Verma claimed. At present, the company has five fuel pumps functional across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. Of the five, three are in Gujarat (Dwarka, Asoj Vadodra and Kamrej in Surat districts) and one each at Khalapur near Panvel and Pantapalem in Nellore district of Andra Pradresh, he said. "By November, we will have as many as 43 fuel pumps operational and we expect to hit 100 outlets by March next year," Verma said. In addition, the company is also looking at retailing the fuel through ration shops and neighbourhood stores in cans as the product does not need licence as it is not a petroleum product, according to Verma. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From school kids offering floral tributes at Rajghat to social media enthusiasts using special 'emojis' and hashtags, from political leaders talking about his message of non-violence and inclusive development to foreign dignitaries recalling him as "guide" in a troubled world, Mahtma Gandhi was remembered by one and all on his 149th birth anniversary on Tuesday. While Rajghat, the memorial dedicated to Gandhi in the national capital, was thronged by visitors since early morning by commoners and VIPs alike, special prayers and cleanliness drives were held throughout the country and at several places abroad to remember the national icon. However, thousands of protesting farmers marching towards Rajghat were stopped at the Delhi-UP border by the police, citing law and order issues. The police action was used by the opposition parties to slam the government for what they alleged was an "anti-farmer" stand to stop farmers from their peaceful protest on the 'International Day of Non-Violence'. Top leaders including President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid their tributes and urged the people to rededicate themselves to the values espoused by Gandhi and fulfil his dreams. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid homage to the father of the nation at Rajghat amid strains of 'bhajans'. Kovind and Modi also greeted people on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and urged people to imbibe the values he stood for. "Let us rededicate ourselves to the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi - peace, fraternity, harmony and inclusive national development. Gandhiji's message remains relevant for all and he continues to be our guiding light," the President tweeted. Modi also took to Twitter to extol the virtues of Gandhi, who led the nation to freedom, riding a path of non-violence. "The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. Paid tributes to Bapu at Rajghat this morning. #Gandhi150," he said and shared pictures of Rajghat. The birth anniversary of Gandhiji is a wonderful opportunity to come together and fulfill his dreams, the prime minister said. The government has planned grand celebrations to mark beginning of the 150th year of Gandhi's anniversary which would culminate on October 2, 2019. The Congress chief was among the first of the senior leaders to pay homage at Mahatma's solemn memorial bedecked with flowers. Several other leaders, foreign diplomats and senior government officials joined in paying tribute to the Mahatma at Rajghat. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is on a visit to India, also visited Rajghat and hailed Mahatma as a "great soul" and humanity's "guide in our troubled world". Social media platform Twitter unveiled a 'Gandhi Emoji' which users around the world were seen using in their tweets to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birthday. The emoji was officially launched by Prime Minister Modi on Twitter, the micro-blogging platform said. India also released special commemorative stamps to mark the beginning of the year-long celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in the Netherlands. In Washington, half a dozen influential US lawmakers, including four Indian Americans, moved a resolution to posthumously award the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi in recognition of his promotion of peace and non-violence. Gandhi's popular quotes and bhajans also resonated in the sprawling Chaoyang Park in Beijing, while rich tributes were paid to the leader at the Mahatma Gandhi roundabout in Israel's southern town Kiryat Gat in Israel as well. Cleanliness and plantation drives were held in various parts of the country from Mizoram to Mumbai, including by the state governments, corporates and civil society groups to remember Gandhi, who is also revered as a mascot of cleanliness. An inter-faith prayer ceremony was also observed at Rajghat to promote the spirit of peace, amity and communal harmony as espoused in Mahatma's principles of 'Sarva Dharma Sambhav'. The prayer began with a four-minute-long Buddhist chant followed by prayers of Bahai and Christian faith. The Christian prayers then segued into shlokas from the Hindu scripture and invoking of values espoused in Islam, symbolising communal harmony that Gandhi always asked people to practice in letter and spirit. Faith leaders from Jain, Jewish, Parsi and Sikh community followed in succession with 4-minute-long prayer each. A Sikh prayer also touched many a heart as people sat with eyes closed in meditative pose. It was followed by recitation of Gita exceprts and Gandhian thoughts, as also by soulful renditions of Gandhi's favourite bhajans. The leaders who paid tributes at Rajghat included Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and senior BJP leader L K Advani. Mahatma was remembered at various programmes across various states as well, including in Maharashtra, UP, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Jharkhand and Arunachal Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday appeared before an anti-corruption court hearing graft cases against him, in his first court appearance after getting bail last month in a major corruption case that wrecked his political career. Sharif appeared before the accountability court after Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik on Monday warned that he may cancel his surety bond and issue arrest warrants if the former premier failed to appear before the bench. After a brief hearing, the court adjourned hearing of Al-Azizia and Hill Metal corruption case against Sharif till Wednesday, Radio Pakistan reported. On the orders of the Supreme Court, the National Accountability Bureau had filed three corruption cases against the 68-year-old three-time former prime minister. A top Pakistani court last month suspended the jail sentences of Sharif, his daughter and son-in-law in the Avenfield corruption case, one of the three corruption cases. The trio were released from a jail following the court order. Apart from the Avenfield case, the Sharifs face jail terms if they are convicted in two more corruption cases related to the Al-Azizia and the Flagship Investment cases. The cases against the family stemmed from the Panama Papers case in April 2016. The Flagship Investment Ltd case is based on information the NAB had obtained from the report filed by the Joint Investigation Team constituted by the Supreme Court to probe money laundering allegations against Sharif and his family. The court had summoned Panamagate joint investigation team head and prosecution's star witness Wajid Zia to record his statement on Monday. However, Zia's statement could not be recorded as the former premier and his counsel did not appear for the hearing. Expressing anger over their absence, Judge Malik on Monday remarked, "A suspect cannot skip a hearing on his own will." The judge was further irked when defence counsel Khawaja Haris requested, through his associate Munawwar Iqbal Duggal, for a two-day adjournment of Flagship, Al Aziziya and Hill Metal Establishment case hearings, owing to health issues. When the judge inquired about Sharif's absence, Duggal said that the accused was supposed to appear and sought time to find out why the former prime minister did not turn up. "Neither the suspect nor the counsel are present. Am I supposed to wait all day?" Judge Malik asked. "I adjourned hearings of other cases to hear yours, please tell me what you all want," he further said. He added, "I will write down an order and then you all keep challenging it." To this, the deputy counsel said he is trying to contact Sharif and asked for a few minutes to update the court. Later Duggal told the court that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo did not appear owing to "genuine confusion". Sharif and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three corruption cases whereas his daughter Maryam and her husband Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield case only. The two brothers, based in London, have been declared as proclaimed offenders by the court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stressing the need to maintain communal harmony in the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday Mahatma Gandhi had always stood for tolerance and showed respect to all religions. Describing Gandhi as a "true leader of the masses" who could take everyone along in his fight for rights, Banerjee said the country was currently going through "difficult times" due to rising fuel prices and religious intolerance. "We need leaders and statesmen like Gandhiji who could guide us during times of crisis," the chief minister said after laying the foundation stone of a new museum complex at the state-acquired Gandhi Bhawan in Beleghata here, on the occasion of Bapu's 149th birth anniversary. Those who respect and follow Gandhiji's ideals will protect the unity and integrity of the nation, she asserted. "Let us give a call for amity and unity and defeat communalism. Bengal, which stands for tolerance and civility, can never be intimidated by threat, coercion, money power or religious blindness," the CM said. India can only move forward when all communities - Dalits, Adivasis, Jains, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists - walk together, hand-in-hand, she maintained. "These days, people post Gandhiji's photo and make glowing comments about him on social network, but how much they remember his ideals is questionable. Gandhiji had always respected all communities," the CM quipped, without naming anyone. Banerjee announced Rs 3.5 crore grant for construction of the museum complex and renovation work at Gandhi Bhavan, where the "father of the nation" had stayed for around a month during the 1947 riots in the city. "It was due to his efforts, the bloodbath had stopped in Bengal and the rioters handed over the arms. When the country got freedom at midnight on August 15, 1947, Gandhiji was sitting inside this building, praying for the mayhem to end," she said. On the occasion, the CM, through a remote control, also laid the foundation stone of 'Mahatma Gandhi Visva Vidyalaya' at Tamluk in East Midnapore and announced a chair in the freedom fighter's name at Calcutta University. A family member of Bibhu Ranjan Das, a small-time trader killed on September 26 in West Midnapore during the BJP-sponsored Bangla Bandh, was given a cheque of Rs 2 lakh during the programme. The CM said the state government will organize a symbolic padayatra (procession) next year to mark the Dandi March undertaken by Gandhi in 1930. "We have started celebrations a year ahead of the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji in 2019. The government plans to introduce Gandhian studies in the school syllabus, too, to help students learn his ideals," Banerjee added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal will pursue Mahatma Gandhi's principles of peace and non-violence for economic prosperity and well-being, the country's Defence Minister Ishwor Pokharel said here Tuesday at an event to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the towering leader. Pokharel said Gandhi was not only the father of the nation for India, but also the figure of inspiration for peace and non-violence for the whole world. Gandhi showed the path of peaceful coexistence by implementing his ideology in his life, said Pokharel, who is also the Acting Prime Minister. Nepal has just completed the decade-long peace process and now it will move towards the path of economic prosperity and wellbeing by pursing Gandhi's principles of non-violence and peace, he said. Though Gandhi was born in India, he became the leader for those who championed peace, non-violence and universal brotherhood, Pokharel said. India's ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri said that the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi will be celebrated around the world by organising different programmes for the next two years. Gandhi not only gave freedom and self-respect to the people of India, but also spread the message of peace, non-violence and empowerment to the whole humanity, Puri said. Although Gandhi did not visit Nepal in his lifetime, his works have been influencing the people of Nepal, which is evident from the Charkha movement launched by late Tulasi Meher Shrestha, the great Gandhian follower of Nepal, said Puri. A slide presentation on the life and message of Gandhi and an excellent rendition of his favourite Bhajan 'Vaishnav Jan To' marked the event attended by political and civil society leaders, besides academicians, intellectuals, diplomats, government officials and media persons at the City Hall. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inside Amazon's Prime Now warehouse within a Manhattan highrise. Jeff Bezos, the billionaire founder of the e-commerce company, which has become a byword in Britain for low-paying work in recent years, said: "We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead". The higher minimum wage, which will go into effect on November 1, comes after the company faced criticism over its pay and treatment of employees. Sen. Also, Amazon will start advocating for a higher federal minimum wage, which has been $7.25 since 2009. The pay hike, one of the largest awarded by any major USA company, will affect 250,000 Amazon employees and 100,000 seasonal employees who are hired at Amazon sites during the holiday season. Amazon has previously contested some of Sanders' claims, saying its full-time warehouse workers already make $15 when stock and bonuses are included. The $15 per hour wage will include all types of employee: full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary. "We're excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us". Workers sort arriving products at an Amazon Fulfilment Center in Tracy, California August 3, 2015. Amazon has more than 575,000 employees globally. Amazon has raised its minimum wage for British and American workers, in a major milestone for campaigners pushing for pay increases to tackle rising levels of poverty and inequality in both countries. The median pay for an Amazon employee previous year was $28,446, according to government filings, which includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers. "The current rate of $7.25 was set almost a decade ago", said Jay Carney, senior vice president of global corporate affairs for the company. James Allison, the winner of the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize, has said he never dreamed that his research would take the direction it has. The American immunologist and Tasuku Honjo of Japan jointly won on Monday the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the body's natural defences can fight cancer. Allison, Ph.D, chair of Immunology and executive director of the Immunotherapy Platform at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for launching an effective new way to attack cancer by treating the immune system rather than the tumour. He is the first MD Anderson scientist to receive the world's most preeminent award for outstanding discoveries in the fields of life sciences and medicine. "By stimulating the ability of our immune system to attack tumour cells, this year's Nobel Prize laureates have established an entirely new principle for cancer therapy," the Nobel Assembly of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm noted while announcing the award to 70-year-old Allison and 76-year-old Honjo, MD, Ph.D, of Kyoto University in Japan. Allison said: "I'm honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition. A driving motivation for scientists is simply to push the frontiers of knowledge. I didn't set out to study cancer, but to understand the biology of T cells - these incredible cells travel to our bodies and work to protect us". He started his career at MD Anderson in 1977, arriving as one of the first employees of a new basic science research center located in Smithville, Texas. "Allison's accomplishments on behalf of patients cannot be overstated. His research has led to life-saving treatments for people who otherwise would have little hope. The significance of immunotherapy as a form of cancer treatment will be felt for generations to come," said MD Anderson President Peter WT Pisters. The prize recognises Allison's basic science discoveries on the biology of T cells, the adaptive immune system's soldiers, and his invention of immune checkpoint blockade to treat cancer. Allison's crucial insight was to block a protein on T cells that acts as a brake on their activation, freeing the T cells to attack cancer. His work led to the development of the first immune checkpoint inhibitor drug. His drug, known commercially as Yervoy, became the first to extend the survival of patients with late-stage melanoma. "I never dreamed my research would take the direction it has. It's a great, emotional privilege to meet cancer patients who've been successfully treated with immune checkpoint blockade. They are living proof of the power of basic science, of following our urge to learn and to understand how things work," Allison said. Science advances on the efforts of many, he said. "A succession of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and colleagues at MD Anderson, the University of California, Berkeley, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center played important roles in this research," he said. Allison's ongoing leadership at MD Anderson focuses on improving knowledge of how these drugs work to extend the benefits of immunotherapy to more patients with more types of cancer. He leads the immunotherapy platform for MD Anderson's Moon Shots Program, which conducts immune monitoring by analyzing tumour samples before, during and after treatment, aiming to understand why these drugs work for some patients but not for others. The platform works with more than 100 immunotherapy clinical trials at MD Anderson addressing a variety of cancers. The platform also collaborates with pharmaceutical companies to help them develop new drugs and combinations to better treat cancer. "We need these drugs to work for more people. One challenge is that the clinical success has outrun our scientific knowledge of how these drugs work and how they might best be combined with other therapies to improve treatment and reduce unwanted side effects. We need more basic science research to do that," Allison said. He has collaboratively worked with scientists around the globe to expand the field of immunotherapy. Allison will be honoured at Nobel ceremonies in Stockholm in December. The Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded 108 times to 214 Nobel laureates between 1901 and 2017. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson Cancer Center, praised Monday the work of Allison. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Goa is all set to commence its new tourist season from October 4 when the first chartered flight carrying visitors from Russia will land in the state. Tourism industry is one the key revenue earners for Goa, which has several picturesque beaches along its 105-km- long coastline, attracting over six million visitors annually. "The first chartered flight of tourists from Russia will arrive on October 4 at the Dabolim airport in the state," Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Savio Messiah told PTI. TTAG is the apex body of tour operators in Goa. Though countries like Egypt and Turkey attract travellers with their cheaper holiday packages, the Indian coastal state is banking on its conventional visitors from Russia and the UK to pep up the tourist season, Messiah said. He said domestic holiday-makers have also given a boost to the state's tourism industry. "Domestic tourists who come here from across the country have made Goa an all year-round destination, including in the monsoon, which was earlier considered a slack season for the tourism industry," he said. The state's lone airport has been receiving a good number of chartered flights from different countries during the international tourist season that begins in October and ends in April or May. A total of 808 chartered flights carrying 2.15 lakh visitors arrived in Goa during the last tourist season, according to the state tourism department's website. Prior to that, 988 chartered flights had brought in 2.32 lakh foreigners in 2016-17. "Beach shacks have already been erected and we are eagerly waiting for the first chartered flight to land," Goa Shack Owners' Welfare Society president Cruz Cardoso said. The tourism department this time allotted shacks much in advance due to which the structures are ready before the arrival of the first batch of Russian travellers, he said. Beach shacks are palm thatched structures where food and liquor are served to tourists. The state tourism department allots shacks during tourist season every year. As per the state government data, around 360 shacks are erected every year on various beaches. Besides the sandy beaches and adventure sports, Goa is also popular for its other tourist attractions like Portuguese -era buildings, churches and temples. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal has directed the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) to look into the issue of grant of contract for supply of absolute alcohol or ethanol to manufacturing units which are running without permission of the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO). A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel asked the BPCL to examine the issue and take action in accordance with the law after a plea by an NGO sought directions to the state-run oil marketing firm not to grant contract for supply of ethanol to units which lack requisite approval. The plea filed by NGO Social Action for Forest and (SAFE) said that no industry can be allowed to manufacture absolute alcohol/ethanol without a license from PESO in view of mandatory requirement of Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989. The NGT said that though the grievance of the NGO appears to be against tender that is not a subject matter which may be gone into by this tribunal, issue of environmental law can certainly be required to be gone into. Advocate Sanjay Upadhyay, appearing for the NGO, said that tender would encourage and allow industries to not only supply ethanol without obtaining compulsory licence from PESO but encourage industries to continue manufacturing without permission. "Bharat Petroleum Limited's Tender dated September 18 has called for Expression of Interest for supply of around 329 crore litres of anhydrous denatured ethanol without the mandatory PESO licence and stated that it is only an optional requirement thereby completely disregarding the mandate of not only the provisions of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 but also the Petroleum Rules, 2002," the plea filed through advocate Saliq Shafique read. The NGT had earlier directed that no manufacturer will produce absolute alcohol without seeking appropriate permission from the Ministry of Commerce, Chief Controller Explosives and other authorities. "It is in view of the fact that under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules, 1989 and Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response) Rules 1996 as notified under the provision of (Protection) Act, 1986, such permission is required," the tribunal had said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nicole Kidman will receive the Hollywood Career Achievement Award at this year's Hollywood Film Awards (HFA). According to HFA, the 50-year-old actor is being honoured for her chameleonic performances in movies such as "To Die For", playing Virginia Woolf in "The Hours", "Eyes Wide Shut", "Moulin Rouge!", "Lion" and "Dogville", among others. "With three films coming out before the end of this year, Kidman has already received praise for her transformative performance in Karyn Kusama's 'Destroyer' and in Joel Edgerton's 'Boy Erased'," the statement on the awards official website read. The Oscar-winning actor is also being recognised for her career-long support of independent filmmakers, particularly women. "Through her production company, Blossom Films, she has taken this to a new level. Among the many projects she has produced, last year's 'Big Little Lies' was a phenomenon that entered not only the cultural, but the social zeitgeist," the statement further read. The 22nd annual awards ceremony will take place at Beverly Hilton on November 4. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Tuesday lashed out at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a "campaign" speech and alleged that the saffron party "politicised" foreign platforms. Hitting out at the Congress leader, BJP had earlier said the opposition party defied a convention of all political parties speaking in the same voice on India's stand abroad. "BJP wants...and criticise me, I will also be equally harsh and say, I must say that they have really disappointed all true patriots by the way in which they have politicised foreign platforms. They have done so starting with the Prime Minister and now ending with the foreign minister," Tharoor told reporters here. "This is not the way in which India should conduct its foreign policy. I am quite confident that if the Congress party comes back to power, we will not fight our political battles abroad," he said. Questioning whether Swaraj's address was a UN speech or BJP slogans, Tharoor had tweeted that she devoted the first half of her speech mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a "New India" and discussing programmes as the Swachh Bharat Mission. "Bit rich to be criticised by the BJP for describing Sushma Swaraj's speech as a campaign speech. She mentioned Narendra Modi 10 times during her address and spoke about/on behalf of India only five times. If you use the UN as a political platform you can't hide behind the flag," Tharoor said. Tharoor told reporters here he was normally very supportive of the union government in international forums because "national interests transcend political interests." "Unfortunately, this BJP government has been completely ignoring this time-honoured principle. We have had the prime minister attacking his predecessors on foreign soil. He has been going around, saying that the Congress has let the country down abroad," he said. Criticising Swaraj, he alleged that she made a "campaign speech" instead of speaking to foreign delegates at the UN forum. "Here is a foreign minister goes to an international podium like the United Nations General Assembly and instead of speaking to the delegates from other countries, she delivers a blatant campaign speech in Hindi...," he said. Tharoor claimed he was "very mild" in his criticism of Swaraj's speech, saying he was disappointed that the External Affairs Minister chose to use an international forum to make what was a political speech "aimed at her voters in India rather than at the international audience." BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi had said the Congress is being increasingly seen to be standing with Pakistan as Tharoor's statement was not an isolated incident and the opposition party often spoke the language of the neighouring country. He said the Congress should apologise to the country and said its stand on various issues appeared similar to that of Pakistan in "intent, language and style". On Sunday, Tharoor had reportedly said in Kerala that Swaraj's speech was aimed at her party's voters on the subject of Pakistan rather than constructing a positive image of India in the world. Trivedi had said, "There has been an established convention in since independence that political parties are unanimous on foreign issues, at least when it comes to taking a stand at the United Nations (UN) where India's position is not of a political party." "Pakistan has always opposed us there. For the first time a senior Congress leader is also criticising," he had said, adding Tharoor had earlier used the term "Hindu Pakistan" to attack the BJP's rule. The BJP leader had also cited comments of Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Ghulam Nabi Azad to liken it with Pakistan in its opposition to the Modi government. He said the Congress has lost the "moral right" to claim to be the party of Mahatma Gandhi, wondering if the Congress in zeal to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also opposing the country. Tharoor, who was in Hyderabad to attend a meeting of the 'Congress Professionals' unit, also hit out at the NDA government over demonetisation and the Rafale deal. Replying to a query if prosecution should take place in the deal and whether Congress would do so if it is voted to power, he said "Congress believes that a thorough investigation is required." Joint Parliamentary Committee would be the right mechanism to do that, he said. Asked about the farmers' protests in Delhi Tuesday, he said Congress has been pointing out the "betrayal of the Indian farmer" by the BJP government. Tharoor was also critical of the TRS government in Telangana which, he alleged, supported the NDA government on various issues. "Voters in this state must realise that a vote for the TRS is a vote for the BJP," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A seven-year-old boy was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building in the Nagerbazar area in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. "A child, who was severely injured in the blast, has died in hospital. A total of nine people are injured," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said. As per initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in carrying out the low-intensity blast outside the building, which also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality chairman Panchu Roy. "It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation," a police officer said. The explosion was reported outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum Police Station around 9 am, the officer said. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder," another senior police officer said. Trinamool Congress leader Roy claimed that he was the target of the blast. Roy, stopping short of naming any political party, said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, are behind the attack. "It was a pre-planned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area," he told PTI. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, Roy said there was no such issue in south Bengal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A seven-year-old child was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building at Nagerbazar in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. The ruling Trinamool Congress held the BJP responsible for the blast and alleged that the saffron party was aiming to kill South Dum Dum Municipality chairman and TMC leader Panchu Roy. But the BJP rubbished the charges. As per the initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in the low-intensity blast outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum police station around 9 am, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said. "A child, who was severely injured in the blast, died in hospital. A total of nine persons are injured," he said. A police officer said, "It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation." A socket bomb is an improvised explosive device. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder," another senior police officer said. Panchu Roy, whose office is at the building, claimed that he was the target of the blast. Stopping short of naming any political party, he said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, were behind the attack. "It was a pre-planned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area," Panchu Roy told PTI. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, he said there was no such issue in south Bengal. TMC North 24 Parganas district president and state minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, who visited the spot, held the BJP responsible for the blast and said it was aimed to harm Panchu Roy and other party members. "The blast is an example of deep conspiracy to kill Panchu Roy. This was a very well-planned one. It was a ploy to kill Panchu Roy. They (the BJP) is trying to create unnecessary problems among the people throughout the state. "The BJP is trying to play divisive politics. They are shouting against the incident in Islampur but trying to kill Roy here," Mullick said. Two students died in a clash with the police at Islampur in North Dinajpur district on September 20 over appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhita High School. The state government has ordered CID inquiry into the incident. BJP had called a state-wide shutdown over the incident on September 26. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh rubbished Mullick's allegations and said it has become a "mania" for the TMC to blame the saffron party for every incident that happens in the state. He alleged that the TMC party offices have become a "storehouse of bombs" and hence in every blast the name of the ruling party surfaces. Ghosh questioned the security measures in the city as well as in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition parties on Tuesday put the blame on the Modi government for what they described as "brutal police action" against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, with the Congress alleging that the "Badshah of Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power". The parties accused the central government of being 'anti-farmer' and demanded allowing the protesters to enter Delhi to peacefully air their grievances, even as the government went into a huddle to mull over ways to convince the farmers to call off their protest. Farmers stayed put on the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad and other places, where they were stopped by the police including with the use of water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. The protest call has been given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd, officials said. Reacting to the development, Congress president Gandhi Tuesday accused the BJP for "brutal beating up" of farmers at the Delhi border on the International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. "On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital!" he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party which held its meeting in Maharashtra, also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the police action against the farmers. Condemning the police action, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre can write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged that "arrogance has gone to his head". "Instead of hearing them out, farmers are brutalised and beaten up. The Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power," the Congress leader alleged. Hitting out at the police action against the farmers, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "We strongly condemn this action and atrocities on farmers. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government. "Modi government has backtracked on all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government," he said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also extended his party's support to the protesting farmers and alleged the farm community has been hit hard by the rising fuel prices, as well as due to the decisions like the GST rollout and demonetisation. "The farmers have come out in support of their various demands... If we look at things, in the past over four years, almost 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, mostly in BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh," Yadav said. The Communist Party of India (CPI) also condemned the police action against the agitating farmers. "The farmers who were on a peaceful march towards the national capital under the banner of BKU raising their genuine demands including waiver of loans were stopped by police at the border and beaten up on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi," the party said in a statement. The Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha also condemned the police "brutality" on protesting farmers and slammed the government over the issue. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was "wrong" and pitched for allowing them entry into the city. "Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi. It is wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashvi Yadav said that by discarding the Swaminathan committee report, the Modi government has stabbed the farmers in the back. "Modi ji, though farmers, unlike capitalists, cannot fill your pockets, but at least don't get them beaten up. If you would have seen poverty, you would not have committed so many atrocities on farmers," he tweeted in Hindi. The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers' issue, after which Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 20,500 people have been identified as involved in manual scavenging in India, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for nearly 6,000 of them, according to a new survey being conducted by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment across 18 states. An earlier survey conducted over a period of three years (2014-17), based on figures provided by states, had estimated there were 13,770 manual scavengers in the country, officials said. Some states like Gujarat, Kerala and Maharashtra had even denied the existence of persons engaged in manual scavenging in their territories, however, the latest ongoing survey has revealed that manual scavenging was prevalent even in these states. The recent survey, which started in February and is ongoing, will cover 170 districts across the 18 states, the officials said. The latest survey has so far identified 20,596 manual scavengers across the 18 states with UP accounting for 6,126 followed by Maharashtra with 5,269 and Karanataka with 1744, said a senior official from the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), which is coordinating the survey. The findings of the ongoing survey were discussed at a 'Pan-India Workshop on Prevention of Hazardous Cleaning of Sewers and Septic Tanks' inaugurated by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot as part of year-long commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi from October 2, 2018 to October 2, 2019. Gehlot said that over a century ago Gandhi ji wanted to make sanitation a priority for India. "While the nation will be holding year-long celebrations in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, it is apt that we maximise our interventions for sanitation and for those who do this important work," he said. The ministry has planned various activities in this regard, through the NSKFDC during this period, which include survey of manual scavengers and their rehabilitation, organising workshops and skill upgradation of sanitation workers and waste pickers through conducting 5 day training programmes. Gehlot said that recent deaths of sanitation workers in and around Delhi have disappointed him. "While we can control the operations of cleaning of sewers by bringing mechanization and taking due precautions, it is suggested that each municipality should take action to regulate the cleaning of septic tanks also as many deaths are taking place while cleaning the septic tanks," Gehlot said. The workshops will be organised all over the country to sensitise the municipal officers, sanitation inspectors, senior sanitation workers and contractors. The Minister hoped that through this initiative the sanitation workers, officers of urban local bodies etc., would directly and indirectly gain valuable insight into the hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks and the scenario of accidents and deaths during their cleaning would get changed comprehensively. Manual scavenging (cleaning sewers and clearing human excreta from open-pit toilets) is prohibited under the 'Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013'. "The 170 districts were identified based on two parameters -- firstly the inputs we received from the agencies working for the community of sanitation workers like Safai Karamchari Andolan and others and those districts where larger number of conversion of insanitary toilets have been reported by the ministry of drinking water and sanitation," the NSKFDC official said. The District Coordinators of NSKFDC and the district Nodal Officers are conducting the survey by holding camps, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Tuesday directed authorities to auction the assets and seize the bank accounts of absconding former finance minister Ishaq Dar in a graft case filed against him in the Panama Papers scandal. The case about owning "assets beyond known means of income" is among four graft cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) following the Supreme Court's order of July 28 against Dar and ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family. The decision came on an application filed by the NAB, seeking auction of Dar's assets and asking the court to appoint a beneficiary of recovered amount, Dawn newspaper reported. The court said that the Punjab's provincial government will be responsible for auction. It empowered the provincial government to decide whether to sell or keep the seized assets, the report said. Judge Mohammad Bashir had reserved the verdict on the application on Monday after the anti-graft watchdog submitted details of Dar's assets. The NAB had earlier moved the Islamabad-based accountability court for the auction of movable and immovable properties owned by Dar, a close aide of Sharif, as he has been in London since October 2017. Dar, the father-in-law of Sharif's younger daughter, was already declared as absconder in the corruption case after he went to London in October last year but never came back to face the trial. The case of asset beyond means was launched against Dar in September 2017 on the orders of Supreme Court after it disqualified Sharif and ordered corruption cases against him, his children Maryam Nawaz, Husain and Hasan and son-in-law (retd) Captain Muhammad Safdar. The anti-corruption watchdog already seized all of movable and immovable assets of 67-year-old Dar located in Lahore and Islamabad. According to the case, Dar acquired assets worth Rs 831.7 million, which was disproportionate to the known sources of his income. The Panama Papers case is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in the 1990s when he twice served as Pakistan's prime minister to purchase assets in London. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Some of these provisions might be hard to enforce, but the Trump administration says it is committed to ensuring these happen - a reason U.S. labour unions and some Democrats are cheering the new rules. Wiens said the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement further opens up Canada's dairy industry to USA farmers. The quota would allow for significant growth in tariff-free automotive exports from Canada above current production levels of about 2 million units, safeguarding Canadian plants. There's no guarantee that the Trump administration will impose the tariffs at all, or keep them in place that long. To qualify for zero tariffs a auto or truck must have 75 per cent of its components manufactured in Canada, Mexico or the United States, which is a boost from the current requirement of 62.5 per cent. The rules are a central part of the US strategy to rebalance manufacturing to benefit American workers. Both Freeland and Trudeau said it's important to remember that when the negotiations began over a year ago the US aim was to dismantle supply management entirely, and Canada did not let that happen. "The deadline is midnight tonight to get the text into Congress to make sure this goes forward". Talking up the new accord, Trump declared it a "privilege" for foreign powers to do business with the United States. NAFTA had three kinds of dispute settlement systems. Canada, the US' second largest trade partner, was excluded from a revamped NAFTA deal separately negotiated between Mexico and the United States in August after nearly a year of negotiations. Over the years, Canada has successfully used Chapter 19 to challenge the United States on its softwood lumber restrictions. "We will continue to engage with USA and Canadian officials to seek a resolution of the tariffs on aluminum prior to final approval of the new agreement", Rio said in a statement. Canada dug in to save those. The deal contains the strongest protections for trade secrets out of any so far, according to the White House. Canada had agreed to provide United States dairy farmers access to about 3.5% of its approximately $16bn annual domestic dairy market, the sources said, adding that the Canadian government was prepared to offer compensation to dairy farmers hurt by the deal. Canada conceded to drop its complex "Class 7" quota and pricing system, which limited imports of certain dairy products from the USA, as part of an agreement reached late Sunday. Trump's aggressive tearing up of long-standing USA trade deals - with everyone from its two huge neighbors to China and the European Union - has rattled world leaders and sparked fears of economic turmoil. Copyright protection will extend for 70 years past an author's death, in line with current USA law. The deal would raise Canada's minimum duty-free shipment threshold, but by less than the United States had wanted, a relief for Canadian retailers facing competition from online stores based in the United States. US officials intend to sign the new trilateral deal by November 30, Navarro said. Steel and aluminum producers, however, came away disappointed with no deal in place to lift the tariffs the USA imposed on their products at the end of May. However, the deal has failed to resolve USA tariffs on Canada's steel and aluminium exports. Canadian residents buying from US retailers will not pay duty on purchases below C$150 and will not pay Canadian sales tax on purchases under C$40, according to the draft text. Pakistani security forces have killed seven terrorists in an exchange of fire with them in Pakistan's restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan. The terrorists from across the Afghan border engaged in a 'fire raid' at the check-post in North Waziristan on Monday, prompting army officials to retaliate, the military said in a statement on Tuesday. "During the exchange of fire seven terrorists were killed while three others injured," it said. Attacks on security forces and targeted killings have witnessed a surge in the volatile North Waziristan since the army launched the Zarb-i-Azb military operation against terrorists in June 2014, which also resulted in the displacement of over one million civilians. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a 64-foot-tall statue of peasant leader late Sir Chhotu Ram at his native village Garhi Sampla in Haryana's Rohtak district on October 9, Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said Tuesday. The prime minister will also visit a museum where belongings of Sir Chhotu Ram are kept and see a documentary on his life, Singh told reporters. After the event, Modi will address a public rally there, the minister informed and indicated that the prime minister may also make some major announcements. Replying to a question that whether Modi is expected to make any major announcements at the rally, in which farmers from adjoining states are also taking part, Singh said, "He (PM) may do so." Singh, who is grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, further said the statute has been designed by renowned sculptor Ram V Suthar and his son Anil Suthar. "He (Sir Chhotu Ram) was farmers' voice during the undivided India. Farmers across the country and even in Pakistan remember him because of the courage he showed to protect the rights of the farmers under the British Raj. He helped farmers in getting back their land from money lenders. He is remembered as a hero by the farmers," Singh said. On today's farmer protest, Singh said it is the present government that has taken farmer-friendly initiatives like doubling their income, increasing MSP, etc. Those who are not aware of government efforts will keep on criticising, the minister said. The function will also be attended by Governors of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday met United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres and discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to global peace and prosperity. Guterres arrived here Monday on his maiden visit to India as the head of the world body that coincided with the commencement of events marking the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "Had a wonderful meeting with Secretary-General of the @UN, Mr. @antonioguterres. We discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to global peace and prosperity," Modi tweeted. "We are extremely grateful to him for coming to India for the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention," he said. On Wednesday, Guterres will present Modi with United Nation's highest environmental honour 'Champions of The Earth Award' at a special ceremony here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police action on Gandhi Jayanti to stop the peaceful protest march of farmers at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border was "barbaric" and the Centre's assurance to look into their demands a "hoax", the All India Kisan Sabha said Tuesday. Chaos prevailed at the border Tuesday as thousands of protesting farmers attempted to enter the national capital, prompting the police to resort to water cannons and tear-gas shells to disperse them, drawing sharp criticism from various quarters. The AIKS said the farmers of the country are under attack from the Centre and various BJP-led state governments. The so-called commitment to Mahatma Gandhi's ideals by the Modi government is "mere lip service and unnecessary breast beating, and shedding of crocodile tears," AIKS general secretary and Left leader Atul Kumar Anjaan said. "Once again the farmers, who were coming to Delhi on Gandhi Jayanti in a peaceful manner to put-forth their demands were subjected to barbaric police attack," he said condemning the police action. Anjaan, who represented the Indian Farmers in the Swaminathan Commission strongly condemned the "unwanted lathicharge and repression" on the farmers on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. He asserted that the Modi government, which claims that they are following Gandhian principles, has shown disrespect to the father of the nation by targeting the peaceful farmers and not meeting their just demands on Gandhi Jayanti. Following the clashes, Home Minister Rajnath Singh held deliberations with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others on the farmers' issue. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, after the meeting, met the protesters to assure them that their demands would be looked into. The AIKS leader said the so-called acceptance of the farmers' demands such as to implement the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations and complete loan waiver schemes by Rajnath Singh was a "hoax". The prime minister and the agriculture minister during the last four and a half years have accepted these demands seven times but these have never seen the light of the day, he claimed. "The ruthless behaviour of the Modi government with the farmers' movement is a challenge to the farming community. "The time has come for all farmers' movement to come together and jointly fight to rebuff the anti-kisan policies of the Modi government, which is ruining Indian agriculture, farmers' families, rural India and forcing farmers for ever-growing suicides," Anjaan said. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 56-year-old policeman was found dead with a bullet injury on his chest in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh, police said Tuesday. Additional Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Srivastava said the initial probe indicated that constable Naresh Chandra Yadav allegedly killed himself with his service rifle while he had gone for patrolling with another constable Ved Prakash Tewari on Monday night. "We are not sure whether it happened accidentally or done intentionally. It is suspected that the constable may have committed suicide but there is no clarity on it yet," Srivastava said. Yadav was posted at a police outpost under Gajner police station. He hails from Barthana (Etawah district) and had joined the service on Monday noon after three-day leave. "Tewari said he had gone to attend nature's call near a patrol pump in Sarwan-Khera in the Gajner area when he heard a bullet sound following which he rushed there to take a look, the SP said. "He found his colleague (Yadav) lying in blood, as a had bullet pierced through his chest. His service rifle was also found lying on ground," Srivastava said. Yadav was rushed to a private hospital in Rania, from where he was referred to a private hospital in Kanpur where he succumbed to the injury, he added. "The family members of the deceased alleged that he was murdered, but FIR has not been registered so far," Srivastava said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A policeman posted on the security duty of a Union minister allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself dead in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district Tuesday, police said. "Sub-inspector Tara Babu, 50, committed suicide by shooting himself using his service revolver near Hullahpur crossing in Shahjahanpur," Superintendent of Police, Farrukhabad, Ved Prakash Pandey said. Babu was posted on security duty during the visit of Union Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla to inaugurate a branch of a bank, he said. He was speaking to someone on his mobile phone and then went inside a shop. Suddenly he took out his service revolver and fired at himself, said Pandey. He said Babu was rushed to the Farrukhabad district hospital, where he was declared brought dead. The body has been sent for post-mortem, the SP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Polish appeal court on Tuesday upheld a verdict ordering a Catholic priests' society to pay out record damages to a former child victim of a paedophile priest. The ruling is the first of its kind in the heavily Catholic country where the church still wields considerable influence and where relatively few cases of child sex abuse by clergy have come to light. The court in Poznan, western Poland, ordered the brotherhood of the priest, identified only as Roman B for legal reasons, to pay 1,000,000 zloty (233,000 euros, USD 272,000) to the female victim who is now 24 years old. The amount is the highest ever court-ordered compensation to be paid by a religious institution in Poland. The court also ordered the brotherhood, identified as The Society for Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad (SChr) based in Poznan, to pay the victim an 800-zloty lifetime monthly pension. The brotherhood had appealed against an earlier court verdict ordering the payment arguing that it could not be held responsible for the actions of one of its members. The priest sexually abused the victim for over a year when she was 13 years old. The priest was arrested in 2008, after the girl confided in a counsellor, and he was sentenced to a total four years behind bars. After serving his sentence, Roman B. was placed in a retirement home for priests where he continued to celebrate mass and maintain contact with children on Facebook, according to a report in the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza daily. The woman survived four suicide attempts and was placed in a psychiatric hospital, before deciding to take legal action against the priest and his brotherhood. In December 2017, the priest was defrocked and expelled from the religious brotherhood. There are no official statistics on the number of Polish priests convicted of child sex abuse, but Polish association that helps victims estimates there were around 56 over nearly two decades, including clergy convicted of possessing child pornography. The Catholic Church is under increasing scrutiny because of the escalating worldwide sex abuse crisis. Scandals in Australia, Europe, and North and South America have involved widespread claims of abuse - and cover-ups - by clergymen and lay members with one archbishop describing it as the church's "own 9/11". Pope Francis has called for a meeting of all the heads of Catholic bishops' conferences worldwide at the Vatican next February to discuss the issue of the "protection of minors". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on his 149th birth anniversary, urging the people to rededicate themselves to the values espoused by the leader and fulfil his dreams. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid homage to the father of the nation at his iconic memorial here amid the strains of 'bhajans'. Kovind and Modi also greeted people on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and urged people to imbibe the values he stood for. "Homage to Bapu on #GandhiJayanti. Let us rededicate ourselves to the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi - peace, fraternity, harmony and inclusive national development. Gandhiji's message remains relevant for all and he continues to be our guiding light," the President tweeted. Modi also took to Twitter to extol the virtues of Gandhi, who led the nation to freedom, riding a path of non-violence. "The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. Paid tributes to Bapu at Rajghat this morning. #Gandhi150," he said and shared pictures of Rajghat. The birth anniversary of Gandhiji is a wonderful opportunity to come together and fulfill his dreams, the prime minister said. The government has planned grand celebrations to mark 150th year of Gandhi's anniversary which would culminate on October 2, 2019. The Congress chief was among the first of the senior leaders to pay homage to Gandhi at his solemn memorial this morning which was bedecked with flowers. Both Rahul and Sonia left immediately as they were to travel to Wardha for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meet. The president, the vice president and the prime minister also visited Vijay Ghat Tuesday morning to pay tributes to former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary. "Remembering our former Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his birth anniversary. His integrity, wartime leadership and role in the shaping of the Green Revolution remains an inspiration for the entire country #PresidentKovind," Kovind tweeted. Modi also paid homage at the Vijay Ghat and tweeted, "Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji epitomised strength and simplicity. He led India at a crucial time and worked hard to make our nation more prosperous." At the Rajghat, several other leaders, foreign diplomats, senior government officials joined in paying tribute to the Mahatma. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who arrived soon after Rahul Gandhi, paid floral tribute to Gandhiji. Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, senior BJP leader L K Advani also paid tributes to Gandhi on the occasion. An inter-faith prayer ceremony was also observed to promote the spirit of peace, amity and communal harmony as espoused in Mahatma's principles of 'Sarva Dharma Sambhav'. The prayer began with a four-minute-long Buddhist chant followed by prayers of Bahai and Christian faith, in that order. The Christian prayers then segued into slokas from the Hindu scripture and invoking of values espoused in Islam, symbolising communal harmony that Gandhi always asked people to practice in letter and spirit. Faith leaders from Jain, Jewish, Parsi and Sikh community followed in succession with 4-minute-long prayer each. The Sikh prayer of Tujh bin aur na jina mera saiban touched many a heart at the venue, as many sat with eyes closed in meditative pose. It was then followed by five-minute-long Gita Paath, Gandhi Vichar (Gandhian Thoughs). A seven-minute bhajan was next and the session was rounded up with soulful renditions of Vaishnav Janato and Ram Dhun. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of farmers held fort at the Delhi-UP border here Tuesday after police stopped their protest march to the capital with several including the security personnel getting injured in sporadic violence, as the protesters refused to go back and rejected the government's assurance to look into their demands. While the Opposition blamed the Modi government for what they called a "brutal police action" against farmers on way to Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti for a peaceful protest, the police said it used "minimal force" to disperse the crowd and to maintain law and order in the capital. The protesters, many of whom said they have come from as far as Haridwar over 200 kms away after a week-long march, appeared ready to stay put at the border with hundreds of tractors and trolleys with food, water, mattresses and even generators parked alongside the roads for over a kilometre of distance. The protesters, which included women and elderly men as well, tried jumping barricades from to time, prompting the police to use water cannons and tear-gas shells, and kept raising slogans against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Police deployed over 3,000 personnel to stop the protesters from crossing over to the capital and check any violence, even as traffic situation turned chaotic in various border areas. As leaders from opposition parties accused the government of adopting an "anti-farmer" stand by stopping the protesters, the central government went into a huddle to find out ways and an emergency meeting was called under chairmanship of Home Minister Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was rushed to meet the protesting farmers. While some groups agreed to consider the assurances given by the government, others said they were not "satisfied" and decided to continue with their protest, call for which has been given by Naresh Tikait-led Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) demanding loan waiver, higher support price and steps to safeguard farmers against rising fuel prices, among other demands. The government said a review petition will be filed against the National Green Tribunal's order to ban diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old and several other measures will be taken to pacify agitating farmers and address their concerns. The Centre also assured farmers that it would fix the minimum support prices (MSP) of rabi (winter-sown) crops like wheat at least 1.5 times of the production cost. It would also try to restrict imports of agri items that are produced abundant in the country. Shekhawat said a committee of chief ministers will also look into the farmers' demand, as he sought to assure the protesters that the government will take forward their cause. "Representatives of farmers along with ministers of UP government Laxmi Narayan and Suresh Rana held discussions on a range of issues at Rajnath Singh's residence. After that a consent was reached on some issues. The government has agreed to some of your demands," Shekhawat said. The minister said he has been associated with farmers' issues and he could say with "certainty" on Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversary that there have been only a few successful agitations like this in the past. BKU chief Naresh Tikait, however, sad the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "This has not been a good decision. All important demands have not been accepted and we are not satisfied with this assurance," he said. The leader, whose father Mahendra Singh Tikait had led a massive farmers' rally in the national capital about three decades ago, said sufficient talks have not been held so far on key issues faced by farmers even as the government has given assurances on some demands. "But, our main demands of electricity, sugarcane recommendations of Swaminathan report remain as it is. These were among main demands of the farmers," Tikait said. On the next step, he said, "We are sitting here as of now and this only is our next step." "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cannot decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. Police officials said seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from in defiance of prohibitory orders, which have been in place since yesterday. As it drew flak for what the opposition parties termed as "brutal" action against the protesters, the police said it used only "minimum required force" to control the situation. Police said a section of protesters suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Some farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Police, a senior police officer said. Inspector General Meerut Zone Ram Kumar said the UP Police was coordinating with the Delhi Police to ensure there is no law and order situation. Adjoining Gautam Buddh Nagar was also exercising caution with the district magistrate B N Singh saying nothing untoward has been reported there and preventive measures were being taken. (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 Punjab government Tuesday deputed 10 senior administrative secretaries to check stubble burning and make people aware about the harmful practice. The officials have also been asked to review paddy procurement on a daily basis. Kahan Singh Pannu, the nodal officer for the Anti-Stubble Burning Campaign, in a release said Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has issued directives to all agencies and officials engaged for this task to ensure seamless operations of paddy procurement. He said that elaborate arrangements have been made for procuring 200 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in a prompt and hassle-free manner and for ensuring basic amenities to facilitate farmers in mandis. Pannu said that the chief minister has asked the senior administrative secretaries to effectively coordinate to contain stubble burning in the districts allotted to them. Additional Chief Secretary, Taxation, MP Singh and Secretary, Technical Education,DK Tiwari would coordinate the campaign to sensitise farmers in Kapurthala, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar and Hoshiarpur districts. Additional Chief Secretary, Development, Viswajeet Khanna and PWD Secretary Hussan Lal will oversee the campaign in Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala and Mansa districts. Additional Chief Secretary, Sports, Sanjay Kumar and Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation, Jaspreet Talwar will monitor all activities to stop stubble burning in Ludhiana, Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Mohali districts. Financial Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayats, Anurag Verma and Registrar Cooperative Societies Vikas Garg will oversee the operation in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts. Principal Secretary, Science Technology, RK Verma and Secretary, Agriculture, K S Pannu will supervise operations in this regard in Bathinda, Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts. The teams would start visiting their districts from October 4 onwards, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security concerns and political disagreements forced a few last-minute changes to the president's schedule on Saturday, the final day of his three-day state visit to Germany. Erdogan left the German capital after a breakfast meeting with Angela Merkel, their second talks in two days. But she stressed that continued dialogue was the best way to overcome those differences. Speaking during a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, Erdogan said thousands of Kurdish militants and hundreds of people with alleged links to USA -based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen are living in Germany. "Because they have been arrested, killed or otherwise suppressed", she told AFP. "Erdogan thinks anything that differs from his opinion is terrorism". And Tomas, a German student turned up in a suit spotted with fake blood. He and several others carried a giant banner that read "Dictator". Referring to the issue of lifting the visa regime for Turkish citizens as well as updating the customs union agreement, the Turkish leader said they would benefit both the EU and Turkey. The Turkish-Islamic Union Of The Institute For Religion (Ditib) is funded by Turkey, runs hundreds of mosques in Germany, and some of its members have been accused of spying on Turks exiled in Germany. Then the Turkish leader went from Berlin to Cologne to take part in the opening ceremony of one of Europe's largest mosques with a minaret dwell in the 55 meters. Many waved Turkey's red and white flag or held up pictures of Erdogan, with the crowd occasionally breaking into cheerful chants of "Who is the greatest?" "Just as I can't interfere in the German justice system and criticise it, you don't have the right to criticise the Turkish legal system or judiciary. He's doing everything that's right for Turkey and we are fully behind him". Both Turkey and Germany warned against such a military offensive on the province, which is home to around 3.5 million civilians. His three-day trip to Germany has been controversial, with the president making remarks criticising his hosts. Merkel also skipped the banquet. Turkey would move to meet the EU's criteria for achieving visa liberalisation, he said on the second day of a visit also meant to improve ties with the European Union after the freeze that followed a failed coup in 2016. Among the country's almost 4.7 million Muslims, three million are of Turkish origin. He also pointed out that the opening of the mosque will put an end to tensions in the relations between Turkey and Germany. On Sept. 28, Erdogan and Merkel headed a larger meeting between Turkis and German ministers and senior officials. Erdogan, seeking European allies as he spars with US President Donald Trump and the Turkish economy is in turmoil, likewise struck a conciliatory tone. Cologne is located in North Rhine-Westphalia state which is home to significant numbers of ethnic Turks, many of whom moved to Germany as so-called "guest workers" from the 1960s. The mosque itself, which first opened its doors previous year, has upset some residents due to its size. "They ostracized our Mesut Ozdil, our Ilkay, who were born and raised in Germany, just because we had a photo taken with them", Erdogan said while speaking at the ribbon-cutting for a new mosque in Cologne. The size of the building, created to resemble a flower bud opening, and its two towering minarets has disgruntled some locals, triggering occasional protests. The Punjab government has urged the central procurement agency FCI to raise the permissible limit of moisture content for paddy procurement in the wake of recent rains. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Tuesday said he had requested the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to consider increasing the accepted moisture level for paddy procurement in view of the impact of the recent heavy rains on the crop. He was replying to a question on the sidelines of the Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna (MGSVY) mega camp here, according to an official release. Notably, the norm for the maximum permissible moisture content in paddy is 17 per cent. Beyond it, the procurement agencies can refuse purchasing crop. With paddy procurement commencing on October 1, the moisture content in fresh arrivals of paddy at some areas was around 20 per cent which was beyond the permissible limit. However, the arrivals are low in grain markets as last month rains had delayed harvesting in the state. Meanwhile, the chief minister also reaffirmed his personal commitment to the welfare of the farming community and said the farm loan waiver scheme initiated by his government would be completed by this year-end. On the issue of the recent central notification on Chandigarh UT cadre allocation, Amarinder said that his government was not in agreement with the union government on it. He said he had already written to the prime minister requesting him to reconsider the notification. He further said he would again take up the issue with the prime minister during their meeting in Delhi on Thursday. The 60:40 ratio, as decided upon in 1966 at the time of division of Punjab and Haryana must not be disturbed, the chief minister stressed. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its September 25 notification had merged post of Chandigarh Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) into DANIPS cadre whereby they would now be transferred to other union territories - Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar islands, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Dadar and Nagar Haveli. Responding to a query, Amarinder expressed full confidence in the ability of Special Investigation Team formed to investigate in the sacrilege cases and said the SIT was an independent body and would submit its report in due time. The state government had no mandate to direct SITin this regard, the chief minister added. Replying to a question on attempts being made by radical elements to foment trouble in Punjab, Amarinder categorically said that nobody would be allowed to vitiate the hard-earned peace of Punjab. Trashing the alleged attempts by a minuscule of people outside India, who had no base and support in Punjab, he said anybody trying to play with the emotions of Punjabis for their ulterior motives would be severely dealt with. Referring to reports of donations being received by some political parties from abroad to destabilise Punjab, he said the state government was already investigating these charges and looking into the source of funding, with the Income Tax department also being kept in the loop. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday led a foot march here to mark the start of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations and to give a message against what the party called the "atmosphere of fear" in the country. Congress leaders like K C Venugopal, R P N Singh, state unit president Ashok Chavan, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and others joined Rahul Gandhi as he began the march after garlanding a statue of the Father of the Nation near the district collector's office here. The march culminated at the Circus Ground (in Ramnagar locality) here, where the Congress president was set to address a rally. Rahul Gandhi walked for around 50 minutes before reaching the rally venue, a Congress leader said. The party leadership has converged at the Sevagram village, located around 10 km from Wardha district headquarters, to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party. The Congress is seeking return to power at the centre and also in Maharashtra following its drubbing at the hands of the BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi Tuesday washed their plates after lunch at the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha district, where they attended the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, a party leader said. Rahul Gandhi attended a prayer meeting at the "Bapu kuti", the residence of the father of the nation during his last years in the Ashram, to mark his 149th birth anniversary. Besides Rahul and Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the CWC members also paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Bapu Kuti. "Rahul washed his plate after lunch at the ashram. Sonia Gandhi too washed her plate," the Congress leader said. The meeting of the Congress's apex decision-making body was held at a venue where the "Quit India" resolution was adopted in 1942 under Mahatma Gandhi's leadership. The Congress chief also visited the office of the Mahatma at the ashram. Mahatma Gandhi had made Wardha his home after the famous Dandi salt march against the British in 1930. "Gandhiji is not an immobile statue, he is a living set of ideas and values flowing through India. Truth and non-violence, which he lived for and was killed for, are the foundation of our country. True patriots must protect them," Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet. The Congress chief planted a sapling in the ashram, next to the tree his father and former prime minister late Rajiv Gandhi had planted on this day in 1986. This is Rahul Gandhi's second visit to the ashram. He had earlier planted a sapling here on January 24, 2014. The Congress chief, along with the top CWC leaders, also attended a prayer meeting under the dense tree-cover in the Sevagram complex. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Home Minister Rajnath Tuesday held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister and a few others on how to resolve the farmers' issues and pacify them. The development comes after farmers marching towards as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi- border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. The home minister also spoke to chief of BKU Naresh Tikait over phone and conveyed the government's keenness to address their demands. The issues of immediate consideration of the government include lifting the Green Tribunal's order to ban 10-year-old tractors, uniform and complete procurement of crops, uniformity in in the country, equal electricity tariff in the country, farmers' friendly insurance scheme and equal pension to both farmers and agricultural labourers. Those who attended the meeting include Union minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, sugarcane minister Suresh Rana, Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba, Director of the Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain and Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik. Ravenshaw University Vice Chancellor Prof Ishan Kumar Patro and other staff were gheraoed by students for around 13 hours and freed Tuesday following intervention by the police, officials said. Demanding recall of the students election cancellation notice, some students, including girls, had gheraoed the VC and other staff inside a seminar room of the university late on Monday night. The university authorities on Monday had issued a notice declaring that this years elections for forming the Students Council had been cancelled due to "widespread unrests" in the campus. "While we were discussing the election issue, some students gheraoed us and did not allow anyone to come out of the room despite our repeated requests. They kept us confined to the room for about 13 hours and did not even allow the women to use the washroom," the VC said. He said this unruly behavior of the students amount to commission of offence and vowed to take stringent action against the offenders as per the law. The vice chancellor said that those inhabitants of womens hostel, who stayed outside their hostel beyond 12 Oclock on Monday night, will be issued show-cause notices and their parents would also be intimated about it. "In the absence of satisfactory replies to the notices, the hostel seats of the offenders will be cancelled," Patro said. "Although, these protesting students were creating situations necessitating to declare sine die in the University, I am not going to upset the academic interests of another 8000 students for the unwarranted behavior of a handful of students," the VC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A retired employee of the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation (RSRTC) allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday by jumping in front of a moving train near the civil lines railway crossing here, police said. Virendra Nath Bhargav, who retired from the roadways' Vaishali Nagar depot in Jaipur in January this year allegedly took the extreme step this morning, they said. Police said the reason behind the suicide was yet to be ascertained but the roadways employees' union said Bhargav might have taken the step after undergoing depression due to non-release of the retirement benefits. The Roadways employees are already on strike demanding wages as per seventh pay commission, and release of retirement benefits among others. The union has alleged that he might have been depressed because his retirement benefits was not released. "He occasionally visited the dharna venue to meet staffers. His retirement benefits were also due. This could be the reason of the suicide," Kishan Singh Rathore, general secretary of Rajasthan roadways workers' union (CITU), said. He said the employees are on strike since September 17 with their demands and all the 4,716 buses are off road. "We have been demanding implementation of seventh pay commission, new recruitment among others and all the buses are off road. The roadways is suffering revenue loss of nearly 5 crore daily due to the strike but the government is adamant and not paying any heed to end the deadlock," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rich tributes were paid to Mahatma Gandhi Tuesday on the occasion of his 149th birth anniversary at a number of functions held in the Bihar capital which were attended by Governor Lalji Tandon, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, among others. A huge statute of the Father of the Nation, installed at the sprawling Gandhi Maidan in the heart of the city, was garlanded by the dignitaries which was followed by rendition of devotional and patriotic songs organized by the states Information and Public Relations Department. This was followed by a padayatra wherein the Chief Minister and other distinguished persons scaled the perimeter of the sprawling public park on foot after which Kumar spoke about his governments commitment to Gandhian ideals of social reform. Shortly afterwards, the Chief Minister addressed a function held at Bapu Sabhagar a state of the art auditorium named after the Mahatma where he said a number of measures taken by his government including the ban on liquor and campaigns against dowry and child marriage were inspired by Gandhi. He also recalled the Champaran Satyagraha and said the agitation undertaken for indigo planters in the remote north Bihar region had transformed Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into the Mahatma. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone for a six-storied Bapu Tower which would be constructed in Gardanibagh locality at an estimated cost of Rs.84.49 crore, and where various documents, artefacts and memorabilia based on Mahatma Gandhis life would be put on display for the public. At the same function, Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi highlighted Gandhis contribution towards uplift of the Dalits, his struggles for allowing entry of the depressed classes into temples and his efforts towards Hindu-Muslim unity. Modi also recalled the stiff opposition with which Gandhis social reform measures were met including an incident in the states Arrah town where stones were hurled at him by those miffed over his championing the cause of Dalits. Later, the Chief Minister inaugurated a cottage named Homage to Mahatma, situated inside the Gandhi Museum nearby. Flanked by top officials, the Chief Minister garlanded a statue of the Mahatma installed inside the cottage besides inspecting pictures of various noted freedom fighters. The Governor, the Chief Minister and the Deputy CM also took part in a function organized in memory of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri who was born on this date. The function was organized at Shastrinagar Park and was attended by a number of other dignitaries. A function on the occasion of birth anniversaries of Gandhi and Shastri was also held at Sadaqat Ashram, the state headquarters of the Congress party, which was attended by Working Presidents Kaukab Qadri, Shyam Sundar Singh Dhiraj and Sameer Kumar Singh. Meanwhile, an online essay competition based on the theme Atal the hero of Kargil war was also launched by former Lok Sabha member from Purnea and BJP leader Uday Singh which was open to all students of Classes X to XII. According to a release, the contest has been declared open today and candidates could send their entries till October 19 and results will be declared on December 25, the birth anniversary of the former Prime Minister who died a few months ago. The first prize winner will get a cash reward of Rs 50,000 followed by Rs 30,000 for the runner up and Rs 20,000 to the third position holder. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tuesday said Royal Enfield's manufacturing facility at Oragadam, resumed operations from September 29 and it expects to reach regular level of production in a phased manner. A part of workforce at the plant was not reporting for duty since September 24. "We expect to reach regular levels of production in a phased manner. Our manufacturing facility at Vallam Vadagal continues to operate and deliver to its full capacity," said in a regulatory filing. is a part of The company said it has not terminated anyone in the wake of recent developments at the Oragadam plant. It added that salary revisions at plants are done annually. "The last annual salary revision was done in April 2018, and the next revision is due in April 2019," the company said. The company is in a dialogue with its plant based forums to amicably resolve all concerns, it added. " has always been deeply committed to maintaining and furthering cordial relations with its staff and workforce to understand and fulfil their aspirations, and we will continue to do so," it said. Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi will be the chief guest at the RSS' Vijayadashmi function in Nagpur on October 18, a top Sangh functionary said on Tuesday. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has invited the social activist to attend its annual Vijayadashmi function as chief guest on October 18, and he has agreed, the Sangh's Joint General Secretary Manmohan Vaidya said. The Vijayadashmi function is the most-watched event in the RSS, as on this day the Sangh chief expresses the organisation's views on issues of national importance and outlines its next year's objectives. It was on Vijayadashmi in 1925 that Keshav Baliram Hedgewar had set up the RSS. In his last year's address, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had touched on various crucial issues such as cow vigilantism and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Sant Nirmal Das Maharaj, a Dalit Sikh religious leader was the chief guest at last year's event. It was seen as an RSS move to consolidate the BJP's presence in the community. Nirmal Das Maharaj was the first Dalit leader to be invited as the chief guest at the event. Asked why Satyarthi has been invited this year, another Sangh functionary said like the RSS, he has also been working for the welfare of society. His organisation is doing a great job in rescuing children who have been forced into illegal labour and trafficking, the functionary said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal has given its nod to the revival of the iconic Purana Qila lake here by laying impermeable plastic lining on its bed and has rejected the claim that the project was being undertaken in a manner which would damage the A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice A K Goel said that there may be different opinions on the subject but once an informed decision has been taken on expert advice for the use of impermeable plastic lining, it is difficult for the tribunal to reject the view. The green panel took note of the submission of the state-owned construction firm NBCC that development work of the iconic Purana Qila lake here was being done as per the suggestions of the IIT-Roorkee and rainwater harvesting structures were being built for ground water recharge. The NBCC had said that drawings for development works at Purana Qila lake were approved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and it was directed to seek expert advice from a reputed institute such as IIT for laying of the ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) membrane in the lake and send the same to ASI. "The applicant in person states that the opinion of the IIT is not sound. Recharge of ground water has to be a priority. If there is any apprehension that the recycled water may not be convenient for the recharge, option of obtaining regular supply of treated water could be explored. "There may be different opinions on the subject but once an informed decision has been taken on expert advice for the use of impermeable plastic lining which we find difficult to direct rejection of that opinion and acceptance of opinion of the applicant. Accordingly, this application is disposed of," the bench said. The NBCC had told the tribunal that IIT Roorkee report states that the benefits of maintaining a perennial source of surface water of good quality over an area of approximately seven acres outweigh minor concerns on ground water recharge and rain water harvesting structures can be built within the area. The tribunal had earlier directed the NBCC to submit a report on the question whether plastic lining should be removed or whether alternative options for lake revival should be preferred. It was also asked to respond on the plea against chlorination of the water body. The direction came on a plea filed by city-resident R K Gupta who contended that NBCC and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have put a plastic sheet on the bed of the lake, preventing groundwater recharge by both treated recycled water and rainwater. The plea said that the method of concretisation and laying down of the sheets will lead to damage to the lake. "The ASI and NBCC should have noted that the Old Fort lake in its old form was unlined adding considerably to the groundwater recharge round the year in the area declared as critical by the Central Ground Water Board. "By their act the two agencies have eliminated recharge through the bed of the lake causing grave environmental damage. The project as conceived and being implemented has adverse impacts on the environment, contrary to the ecosystem of the lakes," the plea said. The petitioner sought directions to restore the lake to its natural condition by removing impermeable plastic lining and explore alternative revival techniques for the water body. The NGT had earlier slammed the ASI over the poor condition of the lake and summoned its senior official to explain why it had not been cleaned despite its direction. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trump has previously threatened that "anyone doing business with Iran will not be doing business with the USA". Foreign minister Javad Zarif stated that seven national central banks had agreed to form a special mechanism and praised the efforts put forth by France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom and European Union officials. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Tehran was closing in on an agreement to sell oil to European nations despite American threats of sanctions against any country that does business with Iran. Though India, one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil, has already reduced its import, it has indicated that it is unlikely to go down to zero given its massive energy needs. In his meeting with Karin Kneissl and Stef Blok, the Austrian and Dutch foreign ministers, Zarif discussed the need to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal after the US withdrawal from the agreement in May. However, the sanctions are not endorsed by the United Nations and it has been a traditional policy of India to enforce only UNSC-authorised sanctions. "We will take these factors into consideration", she said. "We do not get involved in the political side that is based on the policies set by the United States", said Grieco. "The US appreciates India for providing assistance to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port. India has allowed Afghanistan to diversify its trade relationships and again Chabahar has played a crucial role". "If the U.S. believed it would have succeeded in such an attack, it would have done so already", he said. Located in Iran, Chabahar port has been developed by India and provides a gateway for trade not only between India, Iran and Afghanistan but also gives the three countries access to central Asian countries. State Bank of India (SBI) on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary pledged to become a plastic-free organisation in the next 12 months as part of its sustainability commitment. The initiative is in sync with the Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the national commitment to abolish single use plastic by 2022, the country's largest lender said in a statement. "In the next 12 months, SBI will be undertaking phase wise steps to become plastic free. PET water bottles will be replaced with water dispensers at all its offices and meetings. The bank will also start using standardised paper folders replacing the plastic ones," SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said. When it comes to food and hygiene, he said SBI would replace single use plastic cutlery and containers in its canteens with those made from biodegradable substances. To promote clean fuel, the bank on Tuesday bought its first electric vehicle and announced that it will migrate 100 per cent into electric vehicles by 2030. Participating 'Swachtha Hi Seva' campaign of the government, many lenders including Punjab National Bank (PNB) and HDFC Bank carried out cleanliness drive. HDFC Bank launched a slew of initiatives, some under its existing 'Swachhata and You' programme and some under its on-going health and sanitation programme. "There is no greater gift to ourselves than a clean nation. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, it is our duty to work towards it," HDFC Bank, managing director Aditya Puri said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar's neighbours in Southeast Asia have urged the country to hold those responsible for the Rohingya crisis "accountable", Singapore said Tuesday, in a rare call for justice from within the region. Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar's western Rakhine state have fled across the border to Bangladesh since August last year following a military campaign that allegedly involved murder, rape, torture and razing villages. The UN has accused Myanmar's military of committing "genocide" against the Muslim minority. As global pressure has mounted over the atrocities, Myanmar formed an "Independent Commission of Enquiry", which is chaired by former Philippine deputy foreign minister Rosario Manalo -- but gave no details of the commission's remit, powers or how long it would take to complete its investigation. Critics have blasted the commission for its toothlessness after Manalo said her commission will not be "blaming" or "finger pointing" anybody. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said he and his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met on September 29 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and discussed the situation in Rakhine. "We expressed our grave concern with these alleged acts of violence that have led to loss of lives, injuries, destruction of homes and displacement of large numbers of people," he said in parliament. "To be brutally honest, this is a man-made humanitarian disaster and something which should not be happening in this day and age." He said the ministers told Myanmar that the commission "should be given a full mandate to investigate and to hold all those responsible fully accountable". Myanmar's military has denied nearly all wrongdoing, justifying its crackdown as a legitimate means of rooting out Rohingya militants. But after a fact-finding mission, the United Nations set up a panel to prepare indictments against Myanmar's army chief and five other top military commanders for crimes against humanity and genocide. Much of Myanmar's majority Buddhist society regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and has for decades systematically stripped them of their rights. Balakrishnan noted that Myanmar cannot be compelled by ASEAN to act as the 10-nation grouping makes decisions by consensus, which effectively gives each member veto powers. The bloc however can influence Myanmar through "persuasion, through transparency and keeping this on the agenda" of their annual meetings, he said. ASEAN members typically steer clear of openly criticising each other's domestic policies. Singapore, the current chair of ASEAN's rotating leadership, will host a summit of the group's leaders in November. The bloc's other members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Tuesday objected to a notification by the Centre that includes Chandigarh DSPs in DANIPS cadre, making them liable to be transferred to various other Union territories. Sidhu wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh urging him to reconsider the notification, arguing it would affect the agreed 60:40 ratio of officers from Punjab and Haryana in Chandigarh. The notification "affects Punjab deeply and concerns me not only as a minister serving the state but also as a Punjabi", Sidhu wrote. The Union Home Ministry's September 25 notification has included the post of deputy superintendent of police in Chandigarh in the DANIPS cadre, making the officers liable to be posted to other Union territories of Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Punjab's ruling Congress saw the notification as an attempt to do away with the 60 per cent share of the state's officers in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Sidhu urged Home Minister Singh to reconsider the notification, saying it "unjustifiably" took away the legitimate and the existing binding convention of 60:40 from the people of Punjab. "There is a genuine apprehension amongst the Punjabis that by enacting more notifications like the one, all the cadres would be taken away from Punjabi officers and as such, their legitimate expectations would be frustrated, Sidhu wrote. Sidhu argued that the notification has shaken the very foundation and purpose of the Punjab Reorganization Act and the Rajiv Longowal Accord. With effect from the date of the notification, all the posts mentioned in it would be outside the ambit of the states of Punjab and Haryana and would be filled up by the Government of India, Sidhu contended. Referring to the provisions of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, which created the states of Punjab and Haryana and the Union Territory of Chandigarh from November 1, 1966, Sidhu said it also provided for division of all assets and liabilities of the parent state between newly created states in the ratio of 60:40. "This ratio has been consistently followed from the appointed date for over a period of 50 years, even for allocating officers for the Union Territory of Chandigarh from Punjab and Haryana, Sidhu wrote. He added that as per the 1985 Rajiv-Longowal Accord, Chandigarh was to be transferred to Punjab in January 1986, but it continued to be the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana till date. Another Punjab minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa too criticised the Centre's notification and said that BJP ally SAD owed an explanation to the people of Punjab on this issue of grave sensitivity. Randhawa attacked Akalis for keeping mum and asked Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal to resign in protest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of Sri Lankan journalists on Tuesday held protest here, demanding release of prominent photojournalist Shahidul Alam, who was arrested in Bangladesh for allegedly giving an interview with Al-Jazeera against the Hasina government's crackdown on student protests. Alam, 63, was arrested in August in Dhaka, hours after his interview with Al-Jazeera regarding students' protests. He had also been sharing photos of the protests on his Facebook profile and discussing them through Facebook Live. His arrest has caused international outrage. A group of Sri Lankan journalists on Tuesday demonstrated outside the Bangladesh High Commission here, demanding his release. Alam is charged with "spreading propaganda and false information against the government", after posting videos on Facebook and being interviewed by Al-Jazeera about the government's crackdown on protests. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The campaign for the coming Assembly elections in Telangana is likely to heat up with Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao scheduled to address a series of public meetings from Wednesday. Rao will address a public meeting at Nizamabad Wednesday, followed by meetings at Nalgonda on October 4, at Vanaparthi (near Mahabubnagar) on October 5 and at Warangal and Khammam on October 7 and 8, as per the schedule announced. Rao had kicked off the party's campaign for the coming Legislative Assembly polls by addressing a public meeting at Husnabad near Karimnagar on September 7, a day after the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly in the state. Rao's son and minister in the Caretaker government K T Rama Rao and other party leaders have been active in the campaign since then. Rao is expected to highlight the achievements of his goverment during the last over four years after the formation of Telangana, during the campaign. Rama Rao and other leaders have also attacked the proposed "grand alliance" of opposition Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), describing it as being 'opportunistic.' Recalling that TDP was founded by late N T Rama Rao on anti-Congress plank, Rama Rao had sought to know how the party could ally with the Congress. Meanwhile, the opposition Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS are in talks to evolve a Common Minimum Programme for the alliance. The alliance partners are yet to formally launch their campaign. BJP, which decided to go it alone in the assembly polls, has announced that its Chief Amit Shah would address two meetings in Telangana during October. Shah had kicked off the party's campaign at Mahabubnagar last month and he is scheduled to address another public meeting at Karimnagar on October 10. Shah is also scheduled to speak at a national convention of BJP's Yuva Morcha to be held at Hyderabad in the last week of this month. BJP's Telangana unit president K Laxman has said the party has decided to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to paricipate in the campaign. The party had said its national leaders would also participate in the campaign. Accordingly, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani addressed a meeting for women, organised by the party at Chegunta in Medak district last week. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Auto major Tata Motors Ltd expects to clock 20 per cent growth in its commercial vehicles segment in fiscal 2018-19, riding on an overall uptrend in the economy, a top company official said. "The growth in the last two quarters has seen an upturn and this momentum is expected to continue," Tata Motors Manufacturing Head (CVBU), A B Lall told PTI. "We are expecting at least 20 per cent growth in commercial vehicles this fiscal over last year," he said. Tata Motors is also focusing on "fully-built" vehicles (including load bodies) in line with global practices, Lall said. At present, it sells tipper trucks with load bodies. The Mumbai-headquartered company, however, is yet to finalise the manufacturing strategy, he said. Lall said capacity utilisation of its commercial vehicles plants is on the rise, and debottlenecking of the facilities will be taken up to ramp up production. At Tata Motor's Jamshedpur plant, cabin-making capacity for trucks is also being augmented, the top company official said. Sales of the commercial vehicles division rose 26 per cent to 46,169 units in September as against 36,678 units in the corresponding month a year ago. The medium and heavy truck segment's sales in September grew 32 per cent at 16,239 units compared to 12,259 units last year. Lall said the government's new axle loading regulations are unlikely to have any significant impact on demand. The Centre had raised safe limits for axle weight for transport vehicles by 20-25 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Assam on Tuesday joined the rest of the country in celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by unfurling India's third highest national flag and tallest from the average city elevation. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the beginning of the year- long 150th birth anniversary celebrations by dedicating India's tallest national flag, from the average city elevation, to the people at a function held at Gandhi Mandap here, an official statement said. The 319.5 feet flag pole is the highest in the country with respect to the average elevation of the city. Considering only the height of the flag pole, it is ranked the third highest in the country after the one on Indo-Pakistan border at Attari (360 ft) and Pimpri Chinchwad Bhakti Shakti Chawk, Pune (351 ft), it said. With a view to create a place of pride and honour to the supreme sacrifices made by the citizens led by Mahatma Gandhi during the freedom movement, the project of installation of the national flag was conceived by the Chief Minister who asked the State Department of Industries and Commerce to carry forward the project. Guwahati Smart City Limited was entrusted with the task of preparing the project document and supervise the implementation of the project. Accordingly, a concept-design to install a 319.5 feet high monumental flag pole in Gandhi Mandap was presented and was approved by the government, the statement said. The work was awarded to M/s Bajaj Electricals Limited through competitive bidding and work started in April, 2018. The total project cost is Rs 2.92 crore which includes operations and maintenance for a period of one year, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several people were injured Tuesday morning when a pickup truck collided with a group of protesters calling for the right to form unions in Flint, Michigan, in what police said appears to be an accident. Police Chief Tim Johnson said he doesn't believe the crash near a fast-food restaurant was intentional and that the driver "seemed pretty shaken up" afterward. Johnson initially said four or five people had non-life-threatening injuries, but later said eight were hospitalized. The pickup was later hit by a utility truck. It was dark at the time of the crash. Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer was among those participating in the protest. She wasn't injured and a post on her Twitter account says she's "incredibly sad that so many people were hurt." Whitmer and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican, are battling for governor. The protests are part of an effort to elect pro-union candidates in the November general election. Walkouts are planned in Milwaukee on Wednesday and Chicago on Thursday. Johnson said those who were struck were at the end of a group of protesters walking along a street. He says the driver "acted like he didn't see them." The protest was organised by Fight for $15, a national movement seeking to increase the minimum wage to USD 15 an hour. Democrat Rashida Tlaib will join fast-food workers Tuesday afternoon in Detroit. Tlaib faces candidates from the Green and Working Class parties for the 13th House seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has slammed "tariff king" India for imposing "tremendously high" tariffs on American products like Harley Davidson motorcycles and said he has spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is going to reduce the duties "substantially". Trump's charges against the alleged high Indian tariffs, for the second time in a few days came during his White House conference where he announced a new trade deal with neighbouring Mexico and Canada. Describing India as a "tariff king", Trump reiterated his allegations that New Delhi has a high tariff rate on various American products and claimed that New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him "happy". As he announced the key elements of the US-Mexico and Canada Agreement or USMCA, the President listed out at the trade deals that are under negotiations, including with Japan, the European Union, China and India. He alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. "When we send Harley Davidson motorcycle, and other things to India, they charge us very very high tariffs. I have spoken to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and he is going to reduce them substantially," he said. Trump said the relationship with both India as well as the country's Prime Minister Modi "is great". He, however, rued that no one from the previous regimes had ever spoken with the Indians. "No body ever spoke to these people (Indians). He (Modi) said, no body ever spoke to me. I am not trying to be overly dramatic. We have had presidents of the United States and (US) Trade Representatives, they never spoke to India. Brazil is another one," Trump said, adding that "they charge us whatever they want". Noting that the tariff on motorcycles was 100 per cent, the president said it was like a barrier. India has already reduced it substantially, but it is still too high, Trump said, adding that who is going to buy it as it costs so much. He also warned against imposing similar tariffs on import of Indian products. Trump said India wanted to have a trade deal with the US and the negotiations are being carried out by the US Trade Representatives Robert Lighthizer. When US officials asked Indians why they want to have a trade deal with America, Indian officials told them that they want to keep the US President happy, Trump told reporters. "India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, 'we want to start negotiations immediately'," Trump said. Thereafter, he referred to a conversation that Lighthizer had with the Indian officials. "When Bob Lighthizer said, 'What happened? He would never do this.' They said, 'No, we want to keep your president happy.' Isn't that nice? Isn't that nice? It's true. They have to keep us happy, because they understand that we're wise to what's been happening," Trump claimed. "India charges tariffs of 100 per cent, and then if we want to put a tariff of 25 per cent on, people will call from Congress, 'But that's not free trade.' And I'd look back to people and say, 'Where do these people come from? Where do they come from?'" Trump said. "So because of the power of tariffs and the power that we have with tariffs, we, in many cases, won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are, and how good they are. But in many cases, we're not going to have to use them," he added. On Saturday, Trump had said that India wants to have a trade deal with the US because it does not want him to impose tariffs on their products. Trump's remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussion with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish police detained Tuesday over 200 people in a major nationwide crackdown on illicit money transfers to individuals of Iranian-origin living in the United States. An Istanbul court issued arrest warrants for a total of 417 suspects and have so far rounded up 216 in a nationwide operation carried out in 40 cities, the official Anadolu agency reported. The suspects are facing charges including criminal conspiracy and violating measures to prevent terrorism financing, Anadolu said. There were no further details on who the suspects are. An investigation found that from the beginning of 2017 some 2.4 billion lira ($400 million) had been transferred from Turkey to a total of 28,088 accounts abroad from several banks, it added. Those conducting the money transfers earned "commissions", Anadolu said, citing the investigation, while the large majority of the recipients of the funds were people of Iranian origin living in the United States. There were no further details on who these individuals were and if the transfers had an overall aim. The arrests come as the United States is in the process of reimposing sanctions on Iran after Washington pulled out of a 2015 international deal limiting the nation's nuclear programme, including on Iran's ability to use the international financial system and export oil. They also come several months after Turkey-US relations hit a rough patch over the detention of a US pastor, with US President Donald Trump making comments that sent the Turkish lira tumbling. Sanctions busting has also been a source of tension between Washington and Ankara. US authorities earlier this year convicted Mehmet Hakan Atilla, deputy director general of Turkish lender Halkbank on charges of helping Iran evade US sanctions on billions of dollars of oil proceeds. In the case, Iranian-Turkish trader Reza Zarrab, who was once close to the Ankara authorities, turned whistleblower and gave evidence accusing the Turkish leadership of being complicit in the scheme. Turkey depends on foreign suppliers including Iran for its energy needs. The country imports oil and natural gas from Russia as well as from neighbouring Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The visit is being organised in partnership with USAID and will involve Ghana and three other countries, which she has described as "four attractive and very different countries in Africa". USA first lady Melania Trump has arrived in Ghana for her first solo major tour of Africa. The tour which is in line with her "Be Best" initiative also focuses on gender equality, with an emphasis on education as tool to combat inequality. There's an overall sense of skepticism that exists around her trip and her motivations-and rightfully so. As Trump says, the campaign is "shining a spotlight on successful programs and organizations that teach children tools and skills". She arrived in the West African nation on Tuesday and visited a baby clinic. She met the country's first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and exchanged gifts before having tea at the Jubilee House, Ghana's presidential palace. The first ladies met privately at Ghana's presidential palace, the Jubilee House after meeting for the first time at the United Nations General Assembly meeting in NY last week. Trump is also expected to participate in an embassy meet and greet later Tuesday. In addition to Ghana, she is due to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to Washington early on October 7. It also portrays Trump as a first lady who is passionate about serious issues. The UK government on Tuesday announced plans to change the marriage law to make it legal for all couples to enter into a civil partnership. Under current rules, only gay couples have the right to civil partnerships. Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement at the ongoing Conservative Party conference in Birmingham that she would end the discrimination against opposite-sex couples. "This change in the law helps protect the interests of opposite-sex couples who want to commit, want to formalise their relationship, but don't necessarily want to get married," she said. "As home secretary, I was proud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same-sex or opposite-sex, are given the same choices in life," she added. The move is aimed at providing greater security for unmarried couples and their families, in terms of tax and inheritance issues. The UK's Supreme Court had unanimously ruled in favour of a heterosexual couple who had launched a legal bid to be allowed to have a civil partnership in June. The court had ruled that the Civil Partnership Act 2004 was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, which had led to the expectation that the government would have to respond with a legal change in due course. The UK's Civil Partnership Act 2004 set up a formal framework for same-sex couples, giving them legal and financial protection in case the relationship ended as in marriage. But the law defined them as a "relationship between two people of the same sex". Later, the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised same-sex marriage in England and Wales and the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 did the same there, giving gay couples the choice between a marriage or a civil partnership. However, the same choice had been unavailable to heterosexual couples. Tuesday's announcement takes into account the more than 3.3 million unmarried couples in the UK who live together with shared financial responsibilities. But these households do not have the same legal protections as those who have a civil partnership or marriage. The UK government said there were "a number of legal issues to consider, across pension and family law" and ministers would now consult on the technical detail. UK's Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt said the change in the law would take place "as swiftly as possible". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN agency for Palestinian refugees is evacuating international staff in Gaza following mounting protests along the border. UN Relief and Works Agency's operations director Matthias Schmale says Tuesday that nine international personnel occupying "non-essential jobs" are being temporarily moved to Jerusalem. UNRWA is coping with a severe financial crisis after the US administration cut USD 300 million in planned 2018 funding. The agency fired 113 Gaza staff on its emergency program and turned hundreds of positions into part-time jobs, triggering a series of protests and strikes. Schmale, who remains in Gaza, said the management "can't function properly" under the conditions. UNRWA provided food and basic services to 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. Today, it serves 5 million refugees and their descendants, 1.3 million in Gaza alone. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Tuesday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial here and hailed him as a "great soul" and humanity's "guide in our troubled world". Guterres, later in an interaction with PTI, denounced terrorism as a "plague" that affects the world, and highlighted the significance of the principle of non-violence espoused by Gandhi. "I feel extremely honoured to pay tribute to this great figure in world history. Today (October 2) also marks the International Day of Non-violence. And, as we continue our work to advance peace, the way to realise the objectives is through non-violence," he said. Guterres, currently on a visit to India, his first as the UN Secretary-General, also laid a wreath on the 'samadhi' of the father of the nation at Rajghat. "I pay tribute to this greatest soul that has ever lived. Our guide... in our troubled world," he wrote in the visitor's book. According to the UN General Assembly resolution of June 15, 2007, which established the commemoration, the International Day of Non-Violence is marked as an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness". The resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence". "Gandhi proved that non-violence can change history. Let us be inspired by his courage and conviction as we continue our work to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights for all of the peoples of the world," Guterres said. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu had on Monday said the world must come together to fight against terrorism and urged the UN to come up with "strong, coded actions" to tackle terror, its sponsors and those who are funding and supporting it. Ahead of his visit, Guterres had said that India was an "important partner" of the UN in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism. He also said there were plans to step up cooperation between the UN and India on strengthening capacity in combating terror financing. A senior official at the UN India Office here said Guterres was leading a small delegation to India during his visit and is scheduled to depart from the country on Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In commemoration of the International Day of Non-violence, marked on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, the UN postal agency Tuesday issued a new collection of stamps featuring artistic interpretation of 'The Knotted Gun', an iconic global sculpture giving the message of peace and non-violence. The UN Postal Administration (UNPA) issued three definitive stamps featuring images of 'The Knotted Gun - Non Violence', the well-known sculpture for peace and non-violence, created in 1980 by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswrd as a tribute to English songwriter and Beatles member John Lennon after his murder. "The stamps in the collection are really exquisite. They use the power of art to relay important messages of non-violence, tolerance, respect for human rights, democracy, mutual understanding and respect for diversity - so in other words all that Gandhi stood for," Under-Secretary-General for Management Jan Beagle said at the event titled 'Non-violence in Action' organised here by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN on the occasion of the International Day of Non-Violence. She said the stamps in the collection feature artistic interpretation of The Knotted Gun,' and have been issued by the UNPA in celebration of the International Day of Non-violence to spread the message of non-violence and the universal desire of a culture of peace, tolerance and understanding. "So today, from New York to New Delhi and beyond, we hope that these stamps will help raise awareness and promote the culture of non-violence, tolerance, peace and understanding to people around the world," Beagle said. The Knotted Gun sculptures are placed in more than 30 strategic locations worldwide, including the United Nations Headquarters, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne and the Peace Park in Beijing. The Knotted Gun Non-Violence sculpture is used as a symbol by the Non-Violence Project Foundation, a non-profit organisation promoting peace and social change through education; to inspire, motivate and engage young people to understand how to solve conflicts peacefully. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unauthorised construction inside the historic Amir Khusro Park in south Delhi has been removed, the Delhi High Court was informed by authorities here. A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said as the unauthorised construction there has been demolished, no further orders are required to be passed in the petition by an NGO. The bench said if a party has any issue, dispute or claim against any third party, it can work out its remedy in accordance with law. It was hearing a plea by an NGO which had moved the court against the removal of a night shelter inside the Amir Khusro Park near Sundar Nagar in South Delhi. However, the shelter was demolished as the court had not granted it any interim protection. The court noted that it had in January this year directed that the costs incurred by the public authorities towards removal of the encroachments and rehabilitation of the encroachers would be required to be compensated by the Delhi Waqf Board. For this purpose, an enquiry was ordered to be held by the high court registrar general before whom the matter was listed on several dates and it has been put up for October 8. "In view of our order, that the demolition having been effected, no orders are required to be passed in the writ petition, these applications are closed," the bench said and cancelled the next date before the registrar general. The bench had earlier asked the authorities to demolish the illegal construction inside the park and restore it to its original position. It had asked Aga Khan Foundation to develop and carry out landscaping at the park. The court had also turned down the submission of the Delhi Waqf Board counsel opposing the idea of allowing the foundation to beautify the park, claiming that the land belonged to the board which can take care of its property. The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, non-profit international development agency founded in 1967, which seeks to provide long-term solutions to problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill health in various parts of the world. The Waqf Board, which claimed to be the owner of the land where the park exists, had submitted a draft policy before the court to manage the property as a 'model green graveyard'. The court had said law was the same for everyone and it has to be complied with and no illegal construction would be spared. It had said that old structures, which comply with the law, will be preserved while the remaining ones will go. The NGO in its plea had said the shelter housed 50-60 children and around 60 women who were left homeless after the demolition in pursuance to a high court order. The court had refused to stay the demolition and directed the authorities to ensure that all the homeless were accommodated in another shelter home located in the vicinity. The high court had in April last year issued directions to the authorities to remove encroachments inside and around the 12.8-acre historic park. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force has busted an inter-state gang by arresting its three members and seizing nearly 250 kg of ganja from their possession. A spokesperson of the STF Tuesday said the gang was active in Odisha, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The arrests were made by sleuths of the STF and the Narcotics Control Bureau on Monday following a tip-off that a truck carrying narcotics from Odisha is heading towards Palwal in Haryana via Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, he added. Those arrested were identified as Kalinga Patna Gauri of Odisha, Rais Ahmed and Satbir Singh, both from Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh. "Nearly 250 kg of ganja was seized from them," the spokesperson said. On interrogation of the trio, it emerged that the gang is headed by one Sabir Khan, a resident of Palwal, he said. Efforts are on to arrest him, the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A march was organised by some civil society groups here on Tuesday to demand upgradation of the airport in Kheria as an international facility and increase in air connectivity with major cities of India. Hundreds of people marched from Shahid Bhagat Singh Hostel to Shahid Smarak in the city with placards. They raised slogans to remind the Modi government of its election promise of an international airport in Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Anil Sharma, convener of the Civil Aviation Society, told PTI, "For years we have been running this campaign but the union government has not yet responded to it. Smaller towns have got air connectivity under the UDAN scheme but Agra's case continues to be ignored. The city's Kheria airport needs to be upgraded as an international airport and flights from major destinations started." Social activist Rajeev Saxena said Agra is the most important tourist centre of India and receives lakhs of foreign tourists annually. "As there is no air connectivity, foreign visitors have to first land in New Delhi and then come to Agra by road. This really makes no sense. The tourists hardly have the time to see other monuments after a visit to the Taj Mahal, since they have to rush back to New Delhi." Hotelier Surendra Sharma said air connectivity with major centres in India and direct flights to international destinations will boost tourism. Addressing the marchers at Shahid Smarak, Congress leader Shabana Khandelwal said, "It is an injustice to Agra which deserves an international airport at the earliest. The tourism sector has tremendous potential for employment, but the Modi government is not at all serious about supporting this vital industry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US has accused a Chinese naval ship of conducting "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvres when one of its warship entered the waters of the disputed South China Sea. China on Tuesday expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the US warship sailing near the islands and reefs claimed by it in the South China Sea (SCS). "On September 30, without permission of the Chinese government, the US destroyer Decatur entered neighbouring waters of islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement on Tuesday. The Chinese naval ship identified the US vessel, warned and expelled it, Hua said, stressing that China has indisputable sovereignty of the Nansha islands (Spratly Islands) and its adjacent waters. An official US statement described the move by the Chinese destroyer as "unsafe" because it moved within 41 metres of the US warship. US Pacific Fleet deputy spokesman Nate Christensen said the Chinese destroyer had "approached USS Decatur in an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea". "The PRC destroyer conducted a series of increasingly aggressive manoeuvres accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted Christensen as saying. After the Chinese ship came within 45 yards (41 metres) of Decatur's bow it moved to prevent a collision, the report said. Apart from China, Vietnam also lay claim on the Spratly Islands. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the vital transit route for world trade. The US has been sending periodic air and naval expeditions to assert its right of the freedom of the navigation in the SCS. The movement of the US naval ships and aircraft through the area has increased since President Donald Trump took the office. China routinely objects the US presence to register its claims. Hua said that with joint efforts of China and the members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the current situation in the SCS has continued to stabilise and get better, while repeated provocative US moves under the pretext of the so-called "freedom of navigation operation" have threatened the peace and stability in the region. She said that such US moves are against the common will of countries in the region and the basic international norms, the state-run Xinhua agency reported on Tuesday. "The Chinese side strongly urges the US side to immediately correct its mistakes and stop such provocative operations," Hua said, adding that China would take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security. The unsafe and aggressive manoeuvres by the US and Chinese ships took place amid the trade war between the world's two largest economies. Both the countries have been slapping tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of their exports. The US also imposed sanctions on a Chinese military unit importing Russian weapon systems. The Chinese military too voiced its opposition to the US ship sailing through the area. A Chinese navy vessel carried out identification and verification procedures of the USS Decatur in accordance with law and warned it, Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement. "The Chinese military resolutely opposes such actions", he said, adding that China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the SCS in accordance with international law, but resolutely opposes any illegal provocation in the name of 'freedom of navigation.' "The Chinese military will fulfil its defence duty and continue to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security of the country, as well as the regional peace and stability," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US military says it has conducted an airstrike that killed nine al-Shabab extremists after its fighters attacked Somali government forces. The US Africa Command statement says the airstrike on Monday was carried out about 40 kilometers northeast of the port city of Kismayo. The statement says another extremist was wounded. It adds that according to its assessment, no civilians were injured or killed in the airstrike that was carried out in coordination with the Somali federal government. The US military has carried out 24 airstrikes, including drone strikes, this year against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab, the deadliest Islamic extremist group in sub-Saharan Africa. Somalia this month marks the first anniversary of al-Shabab's deadliest attack, a truck bombing in the capital, Mogadishu, that killed 512 people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The South's Defense Ministry says it detected North Korean soldiers engaging in what it believes are demining-related work at the two sites. Critics have anxious that Moon's recent inter-Korean military deals would weaken South Korea's war readiness because the North's nuclear program remains largely intact. The move was agreed upon during a meeting last month in Pyongyang by the leaders of the two Koreas, Kim Jong Un in the North and Moon Jae-in in the South. The American-led UNC has been overseeing the armistice since the end of the war. South Korea would find itself more vulnerable to North Korean infiltration and assault via land routes, while North Korea would worry about front-line soldiers and residents escaping to the South more easily, Lee said. At their unprecedented summit in June, U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim agreed in broad terms to "build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula". It is believed that South Korean, United States, French and Chinese soldiers are buried there. "The DPRK is taking substantial and crucial steps to implement the joint statement made at the DPRK-U.S. summit, but the U.S.is still trying to subdue someone by resorting to sanctions", the unnamed commentary accused. The remains came from joint recovery operations in North Korea that had been conducted from 1996 to 2005, but the missions were later stopped due to North Korean nuclear provocations. South Korean troops have gradually taken over most operations along their side of the border but global forces under the US -led United Nations Command retain major roles, especially at the JSA, where an American commander and a South Korean deputy lead the security battalion. Experts believe the South Korean and United States militaries had planted about 1 to 1.2 million landmines south of the DMZ, which measures 250 kilometers in length and 4 kilometers in width. It is believed that there are tens of thousands of landmines in the two areas to be cleared. The deal also provides for removal of guard posts and weapons from the JSA to follow the removal of the mines, with the troops remaining there to be left unarmed. Propaganda loudspeakers and some guard posts along the border have already been dismantled. It's not unusual for wooden North Korean mine boxes to wash down a swollen river in summer, causing deadly incidents in South Korea. More recently, it was the scene of the first dramatic April summit between Kim and Moon, as well as their second, more low-key meeting, in May. After building a cross-border road and forming a joint excavation team, the two Koreas will launch a seven-month effort to locate remains in April. North Korea's state media didn't immediately confirm its reported demining. The troops began removing mines on the southern part of the two sites. If the demining effort is sustained and successful, it would be seen as progress in the worldwide campaign to ban mines, said Kim Jae-yeop, a professor of defense strategy at South Korea's Hannam University. The signing of a new trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada sends a strong signal to China that the Trump administration acts, a senior White House official said Tuesday. Known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the new agreement was agreed late Sunday night, after more than a year of tough negotiations to revamp a 24-year-old continental trade pact US President Donald Trump had labelled a disaster. Trump on Monday declared the new pact with Canada and Mexico to be "a great deal" for all three countries, hailing the replacement of the old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which he threatened to cancel. "Honestly, I think it sends a signal to China that we are acting as one and I think that's very good," White House Chief Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow told reporters. "There is a trade coalition of the willing that is going to fix a lot of broke areas of international trade getting on the same page and cooperating. And that coalition will stand up to China, their unfair trading practices, their barriers, their Intellectual Property theft. ... You know the story," Kudlow said. His comments came in response to the question where did the US currently stand with China and what signal he hopes Beijing will take from the trade deal. Kudlow also suggested that trade agreements made by Japan and the European Union would have a positive impact. "I don't think it's gotten enough play. The so-called tripartite agreement that was signed in New York at the UN. Ambassador Lighthizer spoke to it ... I think that's very important. The EU, Japan, the US, we're going to send a signal to the Chinese," he said. "We're not doing this alone. I think President Trump would go it alone, but we're getting a lot of support from our allies and, of course, the North American deal... I hope the Chinese are listening," Kudlow said. He said the world wanted China to play fair and stop breaking the rules. "We will talk. We will talk. ... The president's said that. The president, you know, he's on good terms with President Xi (Jinping), so we'll talk," he said. Kudlow insisted that the US will protect its farmers and workers. "Well, we want to protect the folks. I mean, we've made that very clear. The farmers they're patriots. They always say to us, 'Trade, not aid'. But we stand as a backstop. We've committed to, I don't know, I think just under USD 5 billion. There could be more if necessary, but this Canadian deal is going to be very helpful," he said. "It may not affect soybeans. I'm not an expert on the farm economy, it does affect dairy, wheat, and some others, wine I think. I haven't had a drink in 23 years, but wine is in there so that's good... We're going to backstop the farmers, the president's made that very clear. "But better in the long run to just make good trade deals, market openings. That includes that 'C' word, C-H-I-N-A, market openings," Kudlow said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Vietnamese Coast Guard ship arrived here Tuesday on a maiden visit, as part of enhancing cooperation between the Indian and Vietnamese maritime forces and addressing maritime security threats facing both the countries. The ship CSB 8001, led by commandant Major General Nguyen Van Son, was accorded a traditional reception at the Chennai Port Trust by Indian Coast Guard (East) inspector General Paramesh Sivamani. The vessel has sailed a distance of 3,575 nautical miles from Hanoi, Vietnam. The visit offers an opportunity to strengthen the cooperation and address maritime security threats such as human-trafficking, drugs and firearms, piracy and illegal fishing, an official press release said. During the visit, the maritime forces of two nations would take part in a volley ball match, the release said. A six-member delegation, headed by commandant Van Son, also arrived for interaction with the Indian Coast Guard officers and take part in a joint exercise 'Sahyog-Hop Tac 2018' off Chennai coast, it said. Three ships, a helicopter and one dornier from the Indian Coast Guard along with the Vietnam Coast Guard ship would take part in the exercise, it said. A vessel 'Sagar Manjusha', owned by National Institute of Ocean Technology, would also participate in the exercise, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's thoughts and vision and walking on the path shown by him is a real tribute to him, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Tuesday. On the 149th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Fadnavis called upon people to make the Clean India Mission a success as the issue of cleanliness was very close to Mahatma Gandhi's heart. The chief minister paid tributes to him on the occasion and also took part in a padyatra here in Maharashtra. "Shat shat namanto Mahatma Gandhiji on his birth anniversary today as we are entering Bapu's 150th birth anniversary, let us strive to work hard to dedicate a Swachh Bharat to himthis year," Fadnavis said in a tweet. "From clean mind to clean nation...taking inspiration from Bapu's thoughts and vision and walking on the path shown by him is a real tribute to him," he said in another tweet. The padyatra led by Fadnavis passed through many city roads decorated with colourful 'rangolis'. Today is also the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Fadnavis paid tributes to him and recalled his slogan dedicated to members of Indian armed forces and farmers. 'JaiJawanJaiKisan! Our salutations to a great son of Bharat Mata, known for his simplicity and great leadership, our former PM Lal Bahadur Shastriji, on his birth anniversary," he tweeted. State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar visited the Bapu Kutir at Mahatma Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram in the neighbouring Wardha district and paid tributes to him. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Walmart India, which runs 22 Best Price wholesale stores since its second entry into the country in 2019, is planning to increase the share of its private labels to topline to 10 per cent by next year as it plans to tap the Flipkart platform. The company opened its 22nd store in Ludhiana late last month, which is the sixth in the state, where it began with and the second in the Punjab city. The company will have 30 stores by the time it completes a decade of its second coming next year. Globally, the retail major which is bigger than Boeing, Coca-Cola, Facebook, and the Google parent Alphabet in total sales--nets around 20 per cent of its topline from private labels, which are low-priced but high margin items while from a volume perspective it is around 25 per cent, which it has already achieved in the country as well. Walmart India closed fiscal 2017 with a topline of Rs 3,609 crore, up around 14 per cent, according to government filing. The numbers for FY18 is not available for Walmart. "Currently, our revenue from private labels is 6-7 per cent from our two brands--Right Buy and Member's Mark, wherein the first is the cheaper than the other. We hope to take this to 10 per cent by 2019, when we close our first decade," Walmart India chief executive Krish Iyer told PTI. Internationally, its private labels are a USD 60 billion business for them under the name of Sams Club, while its total volume is over USD 500 billion. India is the only market where Walmart is only into wholesale. Iyer, also said he expects an uptick in private label sales going forward as the company is planning to cross-sell these brands on Flipkart, its online marketplace subsidiary here. In the biggest M&A deal, the world's largest retailed Walmart had bought 77 per cent of the homegrown online marketplace Flipkart for over USD 16 billion in August. It can be noted that FDI norms allow only 51 per cent in multi-brand retail, whereas in cash & carry 100 per cent is permitted. Flipkart also has developed private brands like Billion though not exactly in the grocery segment. "What can be done is while we can't sell on Flipkart, our manufactures can do and vice versa, which can be beneficial for both," Iyer explained. But he was quick to add that both are independent companies with independent boards and the process can take time. "Nothing will happen immediately at least over the next quarter or so. But we do see tremendous scope for synergies as Flipkart is very good at their logistics, deliveries, customer relationship management, artificial intelligence, machine learning and analytics, among others. We too have similar strengths, which can be combined," he said. The company made a reentry in 2009 after exiting its failed jv with Bharati Enterprises, on its own and opened the first wholesale store in Amritsar. The new 56,000-sqft store in Ludhiana is the sixth in the state and the first one since August 2015 in Agra. The company has announced plans to open 50 stores by 2025. When asked where it would be by the turn of the first decade (next year), Iyer said, adding they would have 30 stores by December 2019. We will also two fulfilment centres by then, and the next one is coming up in Vishakapattanam by December 2019. He said the company has created over 1 million customers since 2009, and each store typically generates around 2,000 jobs of which around 250 are direct jobs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Total warehousing stock in eight major cities in the country is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21 per cent till 2021, and reach 297 million sq ft, driven by strong demand after the implementation of GST and grant of infrastructure status for the sector, a report said. The total warehousing space in top eight cities including Mumbai, NCR, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata is expected to reach 204 million sq ft by 2019, consulting firm KPMG said in its report. The report noted that the country's warehousing industry, which was valued at Rs 56,000 crore in 2017, has got a major boost after the implementation of GST, with improvements in efficiencies and cost-savings. Smaller and fragmented warehouses are getting consolidated into centralised warehousing hubs with increasing focus on supply chain efficiencies, it said. The government in November last year awarded infrastructure status to the logistics sector, that comprises industrial parks, cold chains and warehousing facilities. The report said this infrastructure status has paved the way for institutional players to invest in the sector, bringing in a number of benefits for the warehousing realty. Pre-GST implementation CAGR (201416) of 15 per cent has increased to an expected post-GST implementation CAGR (201721) of 21 per cent for Grade A and B warehouse stock projections in the top eight cities in India, it said. Additionally, the report expects strategic locations such as Nagpur, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Guwahati to become regional warehousing hubs connected to smaller local nodes through secondary logistics. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A senior White House official on Tuesday praised Google's Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai for his commitment to attend a planned summit with technology company leaders later this month. The meeting would be chaired by President Donald Trump. "We had a great meeting, great meeting. I admire him, respect him, very constructive back and forth. He was extremely cooperative. I really enjoyed it and he committed to come back to the White House," White House Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow told reporters. "We're going to have a little conference. The president will preside over it. We will have the big internet companies, the big social media companies, search companies, and some who are dissatisfied with those companies. And I don't know if we've set a date yet, but I reckon it's going to be around the middle of October," he said in response to a question. Born in Chennai, 46-year-old Pichai took over as Google CEO three years ago. Kudlow hoped that leaders of other major social media companies Twitter and Facebook would be participating in the conference along with Google. "That is our hope," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Centre awarding oil and gas exploration contracts to Vedanta and ONGC reportedly in blocks of Tamil Nadu, the state government Tuesday said it would not allow any project "affecting" the citizens, while opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced a protest against the "fascist" Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Of the oil and gas exploration areas awarded under India's maiden open acreage auction, mining mogul Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Limited has bagged 41 of the 55 blocks offered in OALP-1. The firm is at the centre of a row in Tamil Nadu, following the closure of its Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin over environmental concerns, even as 13 anti-Sterlite protesters were killed in police firing in that town on May 22 and 23. Vedanta Limited has reportedly won contracts for two Cauvery offshore blocks, while State-run ONGC has bagged one in Cuddalore district. Tamil Nadu has also witnessed protests by farmers, citizens and political parties against hydrocarbon projects in Kathiramangalam and Neduvasal in Thanjavur and Pudukottai districts respectively. Responding to reporters' queries on the awarding of oil exploration contracts, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam insisted that the government would not allow any project that affected the people. "The government will totally oppose any project that could affect the people of Tamil Nadu," he said. Meanwhile, the DMK flayed the Centre for awarding the contracts in the Cauvery delta area and announced a protest against the "fascist BJP government" on the matter. "Ever since the fascist BJP government took over at the Centre, it is implementing schemes like hydrocarbon (exploration), Sterlite, GAIL (pipeline project) and Nutrino observatory, which are against Tamil Nadu," DMK president MK Stalin said in a statement. Exploration of hydrocarbons in the Cauvery delta area would turn the region into a desert, he added. Referring to Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan signing contracts with Vedanta and ONGC on Monday, Stalin claimed that the blocks in Tamil Nadu were located in Chidambaram for ONGC and at two places in the Cauvery delta for Vedanta. The DMK leader said any such project would turn the Cauvery delta, which was Tamil Nadu's "rice bowl", into a desert and severely affect the farmers in the region. His party would stage a protest demonstration at Thiruvarur on October 3 against this, he said, adding that the DMK MLAs from the region and others would participate in it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) XLRI Jamshedpur has won the Kolkata qualifying round of 'The Sweden India Nobel Memorial Quiz 2018' held at the Calcutta Medical College campus. The three-member winning team secured 145 points at the qualifying round held on Monday. IIT Kharagpur secured the second position followed by Maulana Azad College, Kolkata, a statement by the organisers read. A total of 74 teams participated in the Kolkata round. Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Sweden, Gautam Bhattacharyya handed out the prizes at the inter-collegiate quiz competition which saw quizzers from across reputed colleges and technical institutes of the city and from elsewhere in the region, the statement read. The winning team will now represent the city at the national finals which will be held at New Delhi on November 1. The other qualifying rounds will now be held in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. Launched in 2008, the Sweden India Nobel Memorial Quiz assesses a students knowledge about the Nobel prize, Nobel laureates and their achievements apart from knowledge about Sweden, its people, culture, Swedish innovations and inventions. It is organised by the Embassy of Sweden in collaboration with leading Swedish companies in India and other partners as well as the Consulate General of Sweden in Mumbai. It forms part of the Sweden India Nobel Memorial programme. The quiz is open to all Indian students currently enrolled at a college/university in India. The prize for National quiz champions will be an all-expenses paid trip to Sweden. The awardees will get to visit the headquarters of the partnering companies, Swedish universities and the Nobel Museum. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Separatist leader Yasin Malik was taken into preventive custody by police on Tuesday from his office at Abi Guzar in the city, officials said. They did not cite the reason for Malik's detention but the JKLF claimed the action was taken due to the urban local bodies polls which are beginning on October 8. Separatists including Malik have called for a boycott of these elections. In a statement issued by Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Malik said in a democracy people are given space to expresses their views and participation in or boycotting elections is also a democratic right. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of following divisive and making false promises, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the people "tried" the BJP leader but his government "got punctured" and it was time to trust the Congress to take India forward. The Congress president invoked Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of adherence to truth and communal harmony to hit out at the Modi government and alleged the prime minister was fighting against the same ideals for which the Father of the Nation sacrificed all his life and took three bullets. Addressing a rally here to kick off the Congress's programmes in the 150th birth anniversary year of the father of the nation, Rahul Gandhi also targeted the Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal and on issues related to defaulter businessmen Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya. "The thieves of India, with the help of Narendra Modi, turned lakhs, crores of black money into white. Modiji took money out of your pockets and put it in the pockets of (fugitive businessmen) Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya," he said. "You tried Modiji (gave a chance to him). The vehicle (the Modi government) failed, got punctured, its engine exploded, it did not work. He broke your trust...now you trust the Congress, the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to take India forward," Rahul Gandhi said at Wardha in Maharashtra, where Mahatma Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram is located. The Congress chief also led a march, covering a part of the four-kilometre distance in his vehicle and the rest on foot, to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary and to give a message against what the party called the "atmosphere of fear" in the country. Senior party leaders K C Venugopal, R P N Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, state unit president Ashok Chavan, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and others joined Rahul Gandhi, as he began the march after garlanding a statue of the father of the nation near the district collector's office. Rahul Gandhi was greeted by thousands of people who waved at him and jostled with each other to catch a glimpse of the Congress leader. People as well as Congress workers lined up both sides of the road, giving some tough moments to Gandhi's security personnel. Wardha district has traditionally been a bastion of the Congress. The party leadership was in Sevagram village, located around 10 km from Wardha district headquarters, to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Tuesday. The Congress is seeking return to power at the Centre and also in Maharashtra following its drubbing at the hands of the BJP in last polls. On soaring fuel prices, the Congress chief accused Modi of taking money from the pockets of the common people and putting it in the pockets of "15-20 richest" individuals. "The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime)," he alleged. Reacting to his charges, the BJP said the Congress leader was a "tape recorder of lies" and his party's fortunes will go down as swiftly as he resorts to "falsehoods" to target the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of insulting Mahatma Gandhi and every citizen of the country by stating in his Independence Day speech that "nothing had happened in India" before he became the prime minister. "Gandhiji talked about uniting the country. Modiji talks about breaking up the people of the country," the Congress chief said. He alleged the prime minister pitched one religion against another, one community against another and spread hatred among people. "Gandhiji insisted on speaking the truth...I want to ask you, when Modiji made the promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the account of every person, was he speaking the truth or did he lie?" he asked the crowd. The Congress leader alleged Modi also "lied" by promising to create two crore jobs every year and giving a fair price for farm produce. "When I asked Modiji about the Rafale deal (in Parliament), Modiji avoided eye contact. He would look here and there, up and down. But Modiji could not speak by looking the nation in the eye, because he was lying," the Congress chief alleged. The Congress chief also accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of writing off loans worth Rs 3.20 lakh crore of "15-20 richest people", but not granting loan waiver to farmers. He promised that his party would waive farm loans if it was elected to power. On demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi said, "all the friends" of the prime minister entered the banks "through the back door" and turned their black money into white, while the common people lined up outside the banks to deposit the scrapped currency. "The thieves of India, with the help of Narendra Modi, turned lakhs, crores of black money into white. Modiji took money out of your pockets and put it in the pockets of (fugitive businessmen) Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya," he said. On the soaring fuel prices, the Congress chief accused Modi of taking money from the pockets of the common people and putting it in the pockets of "15-20 richest" individuals. "The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime)," he alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kurdish opposition in Turkey and German opposition condemned Berlin's strong military ties with Ankara. Interpretations of the controversial visit varied wildly in Turkey and Germany, with Mr Erdogan boasting it was a hugely successful but the conservative German press complaining the red carpet treatment brought nothing but hassle and expense. During his stay in Berlin, Erdogan met twice with Angela Merkel for talks, with both leaders signaling their interest in a cautious rapprochement. Since in mid-2016, arms sales from Germany to Turkey have fallen dramatically. Additionally, Germany and Turkey's deteriorating ties with the United States, as well as Turkey's role in Syria, especially in securing a deal on Idlib and preventing a massive refugee crisis, also draw the two countries together. "Ankara wants Berlin's support regarding its economic troubles and Germany wants Turkey to abide by the 2016 deal on migrants", he said. Dispensing with the usual diplomatic pleasantries, Mr Steinmeier expressed concern over Germans, union activists, lawyers, journalists and politicians jailed in Turkey, telling Mr Erdogan: "We can not simply gloss over this issue". Erdogan, seeking worldwide allies as he spars with US President Donald Trump and a struggling lira, likewise struck a conciliatory tone. Erdogan said Turkey's economy was overcoming what he described as "midnight operations" created to break it. The mosque opening "left behind a pile of shards in the German-Turkish relationship which can only be swept up with a lot of effort", said the president of the Turkish Community in Germany (TGD), Gokay Sofuoglu. Russian Federation and Turkey agreed recently to set up a buffer zone around Idlib, the last major rebel stronghold in the Syrian war. But the German chancellor stressed that "deep differences" remained on civil rights and other issues. Turkey's exports also rose sharply in September, the trade ministry said, but Turkish manufacturing activity slid to its lowest level in nine years, a business survey showed. "At least dialogue channels will now be open", said Demirtas. PARIS (Reuters) - German carmaker BMW will shift more production of Mini vehicles to the Netherlands if Britain leaves the European Union without a trade agreement, Chief Executive Harald Krueger said on Tuesday."I told Theresa May and the European Union that if there is a hard Brexit, both sides are losers. We will no longer fulfil trade agreements and then we are forced to build the car in the Netherlands," Krueger told journalists at the Paris Motor Show."Hard Brexit is currently not our main scenario but we are preparing for it. We see a 50:50 chance." (Reporting by Edward Taylor; ... BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Boris Johnson, Britain's former foreign minister, has told senior members of the governing Conservative Party he would delay Brexit by at least six months if he became prime minister, the Sun newspaper said on Monday.The Sun reported that Johnson had been privately setting out his leadership platform to some ministers in Prime Minister Theresa May's government and said he wanted to use a pause to reset the stalled Brexit negotiations.Reuters could not confirm the report, which Guy Verhofstad, a leading EU lawmaker dealing with Brexit, referred to on Tuesday, ... The Trump administration is reviewing ways to clamp down on the export of US technology that China's government could use in its surveillance and internment of minority Muslims, amid reports of mass detentions of ethnic Uighurs and others in the Xinjiang region. In a letter to the leaders of a congressional committee, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said his department, in consultation with the State Department and other agencies, could announce export policy changes within weeks. "We are conducting this review expeditiously and expect to ... (Corrects to say foreign investors, not borrowers in 3rd paragraph)By Patrick WerrCAIRO (Reuters) - After shying away from the international financial market, Egypt may well be forced by heavy funding needs to tap it just as turbulence pushes up rates, threatening to undermine its deficit-cutting ambitions.The country, which has borrowed heavily from abroad since it drew up an economic reform programme with the IMF in 2016, faces a tough foreign repayments schedule over the next two years as well as a rising bill from relentlessly more expensive oil imports.Appetite for emerging market debt ... By Teis JensenCOPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The European Parliament has invited the whistleblower who helped reveal suspected money laundering at Danske Bank to testify on Nov 21 before its special committee on financial crimes, tax evasion and tax avoidance.Howard Wilkinson was a former head of Danske Bank's trading business in the Baltics, Danish newspaper Berlingske reported last week. "Howard Wilkinson, as far as we know, has gone underground. But we have secured a communication channel for him, and will convey him the official invitation as soon as the secretariat has made it," committee ... LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - European Union finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to remove the Pacific island of Palau from an EU list of tax havens.The island had been included on the blacklist in March as its tax rules and practices were deemed not in line with EU standards.After it committed to changes, EU ministers agreed to move it from the blacklist to a so-called grey list of jurisdictions with low tax transparency standards but aiming to become less opaque, an EU document shows.Six other jurisdictions remain on the blacklist. They are Namibia, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago and the three U.S. ... BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Following are some of the many possible contenders to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as EU chief executive after elections to the European Parliament in May.Apart from electoral uncertainty, it is unclear that national leaders will follow Parliament's call for them to pick a European Commission president from among the lead candidates -- or Spitzenkandidaten -- of parties contesting the ballot.CONSERVATIVESMANFRED WEBER - An MEP for 14 years, the 46-year-old German has led the biggest EU parliamentary group since 2014. He has declared he will run and he can be confident of ... BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany welcomes a trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry said on Tuesday.The spokeswoman added that the conclusion of a rules-based trade agreement that conforms to the World Trade Organisation's framework was in the interests of Germany and its economy.Washington and Ottawa reached an agreement on Sunday after weeks of tense bilateral talks to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The United States had forged a separate trade deal with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA, in August. ... LONDON (Reuters) - Iran's oil minister reiterated on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump was responsible for rising oil prices, and warned that the only way to bring balance to the market was to suspend sanctions on Tehran.The United States aims to reduce Tehran's oil revenue to zero in an effort to force Iran's leadership to change its behaviour in the region. U.S. officials have said new sanctions will be imposed on Iran's oil sector from Nov. 4.Bijan Zanganeh said in an interview on state television that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries lacked the capacity to ... By Naomi TajitsuTOKYO (Reuters) - Toyota, Nissan and Mazda welcomed on Tuesday the revised North America trade deal that left Japanese automakers unscathed but they may face a bumpy ride when Washington and Tokyo hold new talks on over $40 billion of annual U.S. auto imports from Japan. The United States and Canada reached an agreement on Sunday to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement after Washington had forged a separate trade deal with Mexico in August.The updated deal effectively maintains the auto industry's current footprint in North America, and spares Canada and ... Alabama Media Group's Whitman, Alabama, documentary series was honored as an Emmy finalist in a ceremony Monday night at Lincoln Center in New York City. The video series' innovative blend of poetry and documentary was recognized by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in the " Outstanding New Approaches: Documentary" category. Zero Days, an Oculus VR documentary, took home the Emmy in the category. Other nominees were Time, The New York Times, The Marshall Project and the New Yorker. The series creator, Jennifer Crandall, spent two years crossing Alabama as Alabama Media Group's inaugural artist-in-residence, inviting people to look into a camera and share a part of themselves through the words of Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself," -- a poem she has described as a quintessential reflection of our American identities. The project was a co-creation with the many Alabamians featured in the project, said Michelle Holmes, the company's head of partnerships. "In this time of distrust and disconnection in America, Crandall and her team created an evocative and intimate portrait series that evokes real hope and beauty, and makes a powerful and lasting statement about our deep connection as human beings," Holmes said. Crandall is a past Emmy nominee, for her series On Being, done at the Washington Post. Her previous work has received Knight-Batten Special Distinction Award for Innovation, an Online News Association Award for Innovation, awards from the White House News Photographers Association and recognition from the American Film Institute. The team behind the Emmy-nominated AL.com series also includes: * Bob Miller, a Birmingham photographer and filmmaker who regularly provides coverage of contemporary social issues for editorial clients such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and MSNBC.com. * Pierre Kattar, an award-winning independent filmmaker who formerly worked as a multimedia storyteller for the Washington Post. * Liz Hildreth, a digital content designer and a poet. She is a member of Chicago's "Poems While You Wait." * Chip Brantley, senior lecturer of emerging media in the department of Journalism and Creative Media at the University of Alabama. He has written for many publications, including Slate, Gourmet, and the Oxford American. * Ginnard Archibald, a video producer for AL.com, who serves as the director of photography on the AL.com Facebook Watch series Chasing Corruption. Manufacturers rely on the cross-border supply chains that have been developed in the past two decades. Other trading partners had been tough on the United States, he said, including the European Union, which introduced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods in June. When told he seemed confident of congressional approval, he said he was "not at all confident" but felt ratification would be granted if lawmakers took the correct action. Congress needs to approve the agreement, and it needs to be ratified in Mexico and Canada as well. "It's a good day for Canada", Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said as he left his office. Pierre Lampron, the president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada, pulled no punches with his organization's disdain for the new trade deal. "We weren't at the table or maybe the deal would have been a little different". "We have really hurt relationships with our major ally ... for the sake of a few gallons of milk", Jeffrey Rosensweig, a business professor at Emory University, said on CNN. The president argued the USMCA focuses on fairness and reciprocity. "As someone who voted against NAFTA and opposed it for many years, I knew it needed fixing". So the nuclear option was deployed: telling the president about Freeland and reminding him about the summer G7 meetings in Quebec, where Trudeau's closing news conference so agitated Trump that he used his Twitter feed to attack the prime minister from the confines of an airborne Air Force One. The president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Perrin Beatty, congratulated the Canadian negotiators in a statement "for delivering an agreement. and for doing so under extraordinarily challenging conditions". Trump has been threatening for weeks to lock Canada out of a new trade deal and proceed alone with Mexico. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Dist. Dairy Farmers of Canada issued a terse statement saying the deal would grant an expanded 3.6-per-cent market access to the domestic market and eliminate competitive dairy classes, which the group says will shrink the Canadian industry. Trump hasn't made his disdain for NAFTA a secret, calling it the "worst trade deal ever made" and a job-killing "disaster" for the United States. Trump has wanted a complete overhaul of NAFTA, arguing the quarter-century-old pact has been unfair to the United States. During the 1992 presidential campaign, independent candidate Ross Perot famously predicted a "giant sucking sound" as NAFTA pulled USA factory jobs into Mexico. According to farmers, the new deal will weaken the Canadian dairy industry by limiting exports and opening up the domestic market to more American products, concessions that could means hundreds of millions of dollars less in revenue for the industry, which now brings in about $5.9 billion in farm-gate revenue each year. The new agreement also signals the Trump administration is open to keeping trade agreements with some countries alive, analysts say, although most fell short of including China in that list. It offers Canada protection if Trump goes ahead with plans to impose tariffs on cars, trucks and auto parts imported into the United States. It also requires 40 to 45 percent of vehicles by made by workers who receive wages of at least $16 an hour, according to the Associated Press. Marcelo Ebrard also acknowledged Monday "some of the new regulations, like the changes in the content rules, may pose some challenges for companies to adapt to". However, he also said that "finishing this process of renegotiation provides certainty for financial markets, investment and job creation in our country". Just six days ago he said he didn't think Canada was negotiating fairly. The North American trade war is over! That's right Mark... the fate of a new trade agreement was all down to an agreement between the US and Canada. The president has admitted there was "a lot of tension" but said it didn't affect negotiations. The officials declined to say how large a share of the Canadian market would be open to USA dairy products. It's unclear whether the new agreement includes not implementing the 25 percent steel tariffs Trump had threatened. The US, Mexico, and Canada Agreement or USMCA, a jubilant Trump told reporters at the White House, would revive the manufacturing sector in the US and create hundreds and thousands of jobs in America. "Without tariffs, we wouldn't be standing here", he said. By Julie Gordon and Jessica JaganathanVANCOUVER/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Canada has received final approval from its partners, LNG Canada said on Tuesday, making it the first major new project for the fuel to win approval in recent years.First gas from the C$40 billion ($31 billion) project, led by Royal Dutch Shell Plc, is expected before 2025, aiming to feed an expected surge in demand for the super-chilled fuel from Asian buyers, mainly China.LNG Canada is the largest private-sector investment project in Canadian history, Prime Minister ... By Jessica Resnick-AultNEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices eased slightly on Tuesday after rallying for three straight sessions, but remained close to four-year highs on worries that global supplies will drop due to Washington's sanctions on Iran."This is the market catching its breath," said Gene McGillian, director of market research at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.In addition to the worries that Iran, prices are being supported by global demand that has remained strong in the face of trade tensions. Brent fell 18 cents to settle at $84.80 per barrel, a day after hitting a ... By Mayank BhardwajNEW DELHI (Reuters) - Police on Tuesday fired tear gas and water cannons to halt and scatter a march by thousands of protesting farmers heading for the capital, New Delhi, to demand better prices for their produce.Reeling from a crash in commodity prices, more than 50,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh, a top producer of wheat and cane, blocked part of the main highway to the capital.They also sought loan waivers, cheaper power and tougher action to get sugar mills to pay dues owed for their cane, as discontent in rural areas turns to anger against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ... By Akanksha Rana(Reuters) - Tesla Inc announced record quarterly car production numbers on Tuesday but warned it was facing major problems with selling cars in China due to new tariffs that will force it to accelerate investment in its factory in Shanghai.The California-based electric carmaker, emerging from several months of turmoil around its Chief Executive Elon Musk, confirmed numbers leaked to an industry news site on Monday that showed it produced roughly 80,000 cars in the third quarter. Deliveries reached a record 83,500, above Wall Street estimates of 80,000 and including almost ... PARIS (Reuters) - Ubisoft shares rose on Tuesday, outperforming weaker European markets, after Google said it had partnered with the French video games maker to test its video game streaming service.Ubisoft's shares were up 1.9 percent in early session trading at 98.48 euros, making the stock the best performer on Paris' SBF-120 index, which was down 0.7 percent on concerns over Italy's economic and political situation.Google said late on Monday that it would team up with Ubisoft to test its video game streaming service by offering the latest installment of the Assassin's Creed series.Ubisoft ... Yes, the robots are coming. But theyre not as a clever as you are. At least not yet. My name is Cade Metz, and here at The New York Times I cover emerging technologies, which is a fancy term for cool stuff that is probably not as cool as you think it is. My stock example: driverless cars. Driverless cars are very cool. Theyre a little less cool when theyre trying to make an unprotected left-hand turn against oncoming traffic and they just sit there because, unlike human drivers, they dont realize that there comes a time when you just have to go. Much ... After refreshing the Nokia 6-series and Nokia 5-series line-up, Finnish smartphone manufacturer HMD Global is now gearing up to unveil the Nokia 7.1 Plus on October 4. The company is also hosting an event in India on October 11 where it is expected to launch the next generation Nokia 7-series smartphone. The Nokia 7.1 Plus is expected to be the third Nokia-branded smartphone to sport a notch screen. The phone is also expected to get design and specification upgrade. Though there has been no confirmation with regard to what would change in the upcoming smartphone, recent leaks hint ... The Centre government has asked Facebook to reveal the extent to which the recent hacking might have affected its Indian users. Though the Ministry of Electronics and IT has not sent any legal notice so far, it has raised concerns over one of the biggest hacking attacks on Facebook computer network last week on Friday, which breached over 50 million Facebook accounts, and might have affected accounts of third-party apps linked to Facebook. The US-based tech giant is still assessing the actual impact of the data breach and has reportedly sought two-day time from the Indian government to apprise it on the impact. The social media giant found out about the attack this week, in which the attackers exploited the 'View As' feature in Facebook's code, which granted users an access to preview their profiles as it would be seen by other users. This feature is meant to give users more control over their privacy. Facebook, however, claimed that certain accounts might have been "affected" but not "compromised", which means they might have faced issues while using Facebook's 'View As' feature but their accounts are not vulnerable to further attacks. "We have asked them about the impact, and they wanted some time for the investigation and have committed to getting back to us with a detailed report by Wednesday morning. We have, however, not sent any formal notice, but have just communicated our concerns to the company," The Economic Times quoted a top official, who requested anonymity, as saying. The company claims it has fixed the security loophole and alerted law enforcement authorities, but was still investigating the origin or identity of the attackers, and the full scope of the attack. Facebook logged out around 90 million accounts last week after it announced the hacker attack. The accounts are usually logged out when safety is compromised. "We're taking it really seriously. We have a major security effort at the company that hardens all of our surfaces," said Mark Zuckerberg after the attack was discovered. "I'm glad we found this. But it definitely is an issue that this happened in the first place," he further added. With over 270 million active Facebook users in India, the biggest market for the US tech giant, the attack could affect the user data on third-party apps, which allows Facebook login to open accounts on their platforms. Some of the famous third-party apps using Facebook login include HealthifyMe, Quora, Zomato, Swiggy, Hotstar, Tinder, BigBasket, among others. The recent cyber attack on Facebook could further create hurdles in its progress in India, where it has been involved in several controversies, including fake news allegations and 'data sharing'. Facebook-owned WhatsApp is also under attack for causing over 39 incidents of lynching deaths in India this year alone due to mass misinformation on its platform. Earlier in March, Facebook and the UK-based data analytics company Cambridge Analytica were in the eye of the storm after it was alleged that Cambridge Analytica illegally harvested data of 50 million Facebook users, and used it in helping Donald Trump win the US Presidential elections. Edited by Manoj Sharma While highlighting the mutual benefits of the "new modernized trade agreement for the 21st century", the statement did not offer any details on its contents, nor hint at the concessions that Washington and Ottawa reportedly had to make. Although negotiators reached a last-minute deal with their Canadian and Mexican counterparts to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (or as Trump plans to dub it, the USMCA), he said on Monday that his steel and aluminum tariffs of 25 percent and 10 percent will remain in place, calling American legislators who take issue with the tariffs "babies". Trump had described Nafta as a bad deal for Americans and threatened to eliminate it as part of his "America First" agenda. Canada's loonie is also way up from where it was recently, with the Mexican peso also trading at a higher value too because of the new deal. Such considerations obviously do not matter to Trump. Increased protections for intellectual property: The deal increases the copyright period in Canada to 70 years after the creator's death, up from 50 years, bringing the country in line with the US. At the time, he tweeted that the tariffs would "only come off if a new & fair NAFTA agreement is signed". Eighty-four percent of aluminum produced in Canada, or 2.5 million metric tons, is exported to the US each year, meaning the 10 percent tariff imposed by the Trump administration poses a significant threat to the Canadian industry. Trump complained about the behavior of Canadian officials, and said he rejected a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, although Trudeau's office said no meeting was planned. Mexico agreed to provisions requiring at least 40 percent of a vehicle to be built in countries where auto workers earn at least $16 an hour to qualify for duty-free benefits. Positive views of the United States in Mexico and Canada have plummeted, jeopardizing relations on a host of security and other noneconomic issues. The government has promised it will compensate affected dairy farmers. Canadian dairy farmers surrendered about 1.5 per cent of domestic market access through the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union, 3.25 per cent when the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership was finalized and now about 3.6 per cent in the USMCA. Just six days ago he said he didn't think Canada was negotiating fairly. Mexico and the United States have already agreed to new terms, and only recently it looked as if Canada could be excluded in a final agreement. Under the tariffs on USA goods that Canada threatened to enact earlier this year, OH would have been the state hardest hit, thanks to products made in the state by companies such as Whirlpool and Procter & Gamble. In reality, though, this bargain basically tweaks NAFTA, by forcing, or attempting to force, more automotive production to occur in the United States rather than cheaper-labor Mexico. USA dairy groups said the Class 7 system was created to shut off its shipments of ultra-filtered milk to Canadian processors. After the signing, the deal will have to be approved by Congress. The only thing wrong with Trudeau is that he "loves his people", Trump said. "It appears Canadian steel and aluminum workers are among those being sacrificed in the concessions made by the Liberal government in this deal", he said in a statement. Canada's automakers appear to be the big winners from a renegotiated trade pact between Canada, the US and Mexico, while steel and aluminum makers and dairy producers have less to celebrate. Trump has been threatening for weeks to lock Canada out of a new trade deal and proceed alone with Mexico. The dairy farmer from Fort Macleod says he is sick of being used as a pawn after learning of the new trade agreement, which allows USA dairy producers greater access to the Canadian market. The US president has regularly called it a "disaster" for American workers and manufacturers. Monthly transactions through unified payments interface (UPI) increased by more than 30 per cent month-on-month to 405.87 million in September, totalling over Rs 59,835 crore in value, according to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) data. About 312.02 million UPI transactions totalling Rs 54,212.26 crore were clocked in the month of August 2018. Of the total, government-backed BHIM UPI registered 16.33 million transactions worth Rs 7,064.86 crore in September compared to 16.5 million transactions (totalling Rs 6,872.57 crore) in the previous month. Over 120 banks are now live on UPI in the country as on September, according to the NPCI data. UPI, which is a payments system launched by the NPCI, facilitates fund transfer between two bank accounts without having to share details of the beneficiary's bank account. At the end of August, there have been more than 31.6 million downloads of the BHIM app on Android and around 1.63 million on the iOS platform. In a statement, Alibaba and SoftBank-backed Paytm claimed that it registered over 137 million UPI transactions in September, contributing over 33 per cent of the overall transactions. The company said it has been enabling and promoting BHIM UPI for offline payments and over 5 million offline merchants out of its 9.5 million merchant-base now accept Paytm UPI. "Our country is embracing digital payments for their everyday use cases. Paytm has built an ecosystem where users can make payments for various services such as mobile recharges, electricity and water bills, metro commute and also at the offline stores," Paytm Senior Vice President Deepak Abbot said. UPI numbers from PhonePe were not available. Google Pay (previously called Tez) did not disclose its numbers for the month of September but as per a blogpost dated September 18, it claimed to have 25 million monthly active users. Mumbai's iconic promenade at Marine Drive now has a plush toilet to go with its surrounding art deco architecture. The toilet, made at an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh, has earned the reputation of being the city's most expensive toilet. It was opened for public use on Tuesday. Constructed under a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by the Jindal Group and Samatech, the swanky toilet has been handed over to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for maintenance. The civic body will keep the facility free for use for the next two months after which it may levy a fee. Usually, BMC spends around Rs 25-30 lakh on an average to construct a public toilet but the building material and designing came for free to the civic body. "Several other companies and consultants have contributed their expertise and materials free of cost for the [Marine Drive] project. The design of the toilet goes with the art deco architecture [around] and was built using weathering steel. It has solar panels installed on the roof which will generate enough power to illuminate the toilet," said Akshat Gupta, co-founder of Samatech, as mentioned in a report in Hindustan Times. Yuvasena Chief @AUThackeray ji inaugurated the sustainable toilets at Marine Drive along with @Tarinijhanda ,These toilets are powered by solar panel, and has vacuum which saves water. @TheJSWGroup@AGSawant@PandurangSakpal pic.twitter.com/uMYilUNMbp - Vishal Parab (@vishalparab16) October 1, 2018 Gupta also said that they have made sure that the waste is not disposed of in Marine Drive. The waste will be taken from the sewage tanks to BMC's sewage treatment plants. Yuva Sena head Aaditya Thackeray who inaugurated the toilet on Monday said that keeping the toilet clean is the responsibility of citizens. This is also the only public toilet in a 2.8 km radius of the promenade at Marine Drive. According to the daily, a civic official who wished to remain anonymous said that the it would take BMC up to Rs 1 lakh per month including house-keeping services, sewage transport and maintenance of solar panels. (Edited by Anwesha Madhukalya) New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) India and Uzbekistan Monday agreed to set up an expert group to carry out a joint feasibility study for a trade agreement to boost economic ties between the countries.The two "sides agreed to constitute an expert group between India and Uzbekistan to conduct joint feasibility study and commence negotiations for India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) by the end of 2018," a joint statement said.Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was here for a two-day state visit. The statement was issued after the meeting of Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Narendra Modi here. Under a PTA, two trading partners reduce or eliminate duties on certain number of goods traded between them to promote commercial ties. The two leaders also emphasised on the need to further enhance efforts to achieve the target of bilateral trade of USD 1 billion by 2020. "The sides agreed to work towards balancing the trade between the two sides by reducing the existing trade deficit," it said. The bilateral trade between the countries stood at USD 235 million in 2017-18. It was USD 155.5 million in 2016-17. Both the countries decided to work closely to expand and diversify bilateral trade. For this, the two countries agreed to have comprehensive discussions between the relevant ministries and agencies of the two countries, and to encourage their business communities, companies and enterprises to participate in exhibitions, trade fairs, business forums and other joint business activities. To promote investments, the two leaders agreed to promote the establishment of long-term among interested companies and business community. "The sides agreed to expand cooperation in the IT Sector. They expressed their readiness to explore possibilities of cooperation for opening of branches of Indian Universities/Institutions in the IT, Tourism and hotel management sector in Uzbekistan," it said. The Uzbek side expressed their interest for establishment of an IT park in Uzbekistan in cooperation with Indian IT companies. Underlining the importance of food and nutrition security, the two sides resolved to enhance cooperation in agriculture and allied activities by way of exchange of technology in crop production, improved water use efficiency, plant quarantine, animal husbandry, food processing and enhanced agriculture and food trade. PTI RR CS MRMR Britain cannot be bullied, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Monday, sharpening the government's criticism of the European Union for taunting Prime Minister Theresa May and souring difficult Brexit talks. May's ministers have come out one by one at their party's annual conference in the city of Birmingham to warn the EU that they will embrace leaving without a deal if the bloc fails to show "respect" in the talks to end Britain's membership. Just six months before Britain is due to leave the EU in the country's biggest shift in foreign and trade policy in more than 40 years, May faces growing criticism over her proposals not only in her governing party but also in Brussels. Party unity is on British ministers' minds, and they are encouraging the faithful to direct their anger at the EU rather than at their prime minister, who some eurosceptic Conservatives accuse of leading Britain towards a "Brexit in name only." But the new strident tone has annoyed many in Brussels, especially when foreign minister Jeremy Hunt compared the bloc to the Soviet Union, the master of several states in eastern Europe which saw membership of the EU as a measure of their freedom. Other ministers, such as finance minister Philip Hammond, have taken a softer tone, pointing out that leaving without a deal could hurt Britain's economy, the world's fifth largest. But Raab said he had called on the EU to match the "ambition and pragmatism" Britain had put forward with May's Chequers proposals, named after her country residence where an agreement with her ministers was hashed out in July. "Unfortunately, that wasn't on display in Salzburg," he said, describing a summit last month in the Austrian city where EU leaders rejected parts of the Chequers plan. "Our prime minister has been constructive and respectful. In return we heard jibes from senior leaders and we saw a starkly one-sided approach to negotiation." "What is unthinkable is that this government, or any British government, could be bullied by the threat of some kind of economic embargo, into signing a one-sided deal against our country's interests," Raab said, later calling again on the EU to move their position and meet Britain half way. Instead of the much-hoped-for staging post, the Salzburg summit has become a byword for a sharp deterioration in the atmosphere of the talks, when British government officials felt May was ambushed by the other EU leaders over Brexit. A tweet by European Council President Donald Tusk showing him offering May a selection of cakes with the comment: "A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries" "certainly had an impact," one official said. With no divorce deal and a standoff over the shape of any future relationship, the possibility of a "no deal Brexit" has increased, with some businesses preparing for what they see as a worst case scenario. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the discussion in Britain over Brexit was still far removed from reality. "The world is watching," said Matthew Fell, chief UK policy director at the Confederation of British Industry. "Every signal is hugely important in terms of setting the tone. So the more that people can coalesce around some areas of agreement such as an industrial strategy, innovation and skills would be hugely helpful," he told Reuters. But one source close to the government said there was now a sense that the EU had realized that the tone set in Salzburg was "perhaps a bit off" and, behind the scenes, conversations between the two sides were more constructive. Raab later said the government was open to looking at regulatory checks to try to ease talks on a so-called backstop to prevent a return to a hard border between the British province of NorthernIreland and EU member Ireland - one of the outstanding issues yet to be agreed. Hammond, for one, was keen to pursue a more positive stance. After Brexit, Britain and the EU will still "be neighbors and we are going to have to carry on living with each other," he told the conference, again backing May's Chequers plan. "Mr Tusk says it won't work. But that's what people said about the light bulb in 1878. Our job is to prove him wrong." But Hunt's popular line at conference, that the EU was acting like the Soviet Union, did little to soothe relations, provoking those eastern members of the bloc which only regained full independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. They joined the EU more than a decade later. Lithuania's EU commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told Hunt he was born in a Soviet gulag forced labor camp and was jailed by the Soviet KGB state security agency. "Happy to brief you on the main differences between EU and Soviet Union," he said. "Anytime. Whatever helps." But back in Birmingham, it was Raab, winning a standing ovation for his story about his father's journey from then Czechoslovakia after the Nazi invasion, who summed up Britain's new combative stance. "The EU's theological approach allows no room for serious compromise," he said. "If the EU want a deal, they need to get serious." (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie IE Domain Registry, the company that manages and maintains Irelands country domain, .ie, has today launched its Digital Town initiative as part of Internet Day 2018, taking place on 25 October. Gorey, Co Wexford has been selected as this years Digital Town. Pioneered and led by IE Domain Registry, the Digital Town initiative seeks to highlight the economic, social and cultural benefits of the internet to towns across the country, and to ensure SMEs and local economies are realising the full potential of the digital age, particularly e-commerce. This comes after new findings from IE Domain Registrys SME Digital Health Index 2018research conducted among 1,000 SMEsshow that Irish SMEs are not maximising their full e-commerce potential. Irelands e-commerce economy is worth 12.3 billion, but just 3 in 10 SMEs (30%) can take sales orders, and even fewer can actually process payments for transactions through their website (26%). Almost two-thirds (61%) of SMEs do not promote their services online and just 1 in 10 SMEs have taken part in a digital skills training or business funding programme. In 2017, there were approximately 250,143 SMEs and micro-businesses in Ireland, accounting for 99.8% of total enterprises. IE Domain Registry research shows that each of these businesses stand to lose up to 25,761 a year on average if they do not have a website. IE Domain Registry say the benefits of being online apply to the whole of society - businesses, community groups and citizens. The company believes that adding digital capabilities can bring great benefits to all aspects of an Irish town by transforming the delivery of public services, making it possible to do more with the same available resources. From a social perspective, the technology company says connecting people through digital fosters a sense of community and positivity, with research showing that 78% feel more connected and 80% feel happier when using digital technology. Over the next four weeks, IE Domain Registryworking with Wexford County Council, tech co-working space The Hatch Lab, and Gorey Chamber of Commercewill plan and oversee a number of initiatives aimed at showcasing Gorey and developing additional digital skills and know-how for the people and organisations of the town. This work will culminate in the official launch and celebration of Internet Day 2018 in Gorey town centre on 25 October. Now in its fourth year, Irelands Internet Day aims to promote awareness, knowledge, use and understanding of the internet among citizens, businesses and communities. Commenting on the new initiative, Chief Executive of IE Domain Registry, David Curtin said, "With more and more consumers shopping online, in an e-commerce market worth 12.3 billion in Ireland, it is important that Irish businesses throughout the country have the capacity and necessary digital skills to sell their products and services online." He added, "IE Domain Registry, through our OPTIMISE programme, is already helping Irish SMEs grow their online presence and improve their e-commerce capabilities. Through the Digital Town initiative, we plan to apply this know-how and tangibly demonstrate the benefits of the internet to businesses, communities and citizens in towns across Ireland." Source: www.businessworld.ie Pakistan has cut the size of a key Chinese railway project of strategic nature by $2 billion, a government minister said Monday, amid a growing wave of similar scale-backs by countries worried about assuming heavy debt burdens under Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Pakistan is a poor country that cannot afford huge burden of the loans, Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a news conference in Lahore, according to a Reuters report. Therefore, we have reduced the loan from China under CPEC for rail projects from $8.2 billion to $6.2 billion, he added, referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a 15-year project valued at over $62 billion. The project in question, due for completion in 2022, aims to expand and reconstruct the 1,872 kilometer Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway line connecting Karachi on the Arabian Sea to Peshawar in Pakistans north. CPEC is a key part of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to develop infrastructure projects overseas with Chinese companies support and financing. The administration of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who took office in August and is due to visit China this month, appears to be more wary of CPEC than that of his predecessor. In September the Financial Times quoted a concerned member of his cabinet as saying that Pakistan should put everything on hold for a year. Khan has reaffirmed his commitment to CPEC, however. The cautionary shift in Pakistan follows a similar pattern seen in Sri Lanka and Malaysia, whose leaders also expressed concern about overly burdensome debt from Belt and Road-related projects after elections saw incumbent leaders replaced by the opposition. Projects are at risk more for delay than cancellation due to debt concerns, at least in the short term, said Harish Natarajan, head of economic risk consultancy at AKE, a consultant. The main criticisms of CPEC in Pakistan are that it will benefit a smaller number of Pakistani companies, or exclude some regions. But theres no serious rethink of the relationship. Railways were once Pakistans main mode of transportation, but poor management and maintenance led to the industrys dramatic decline, according to a World Bank report from 2013. Between 1955 and 1960, railways handled 73% of freight traffic in Pakistan, compared to less than 4% by 2011, the report said. To bring back the form of transport, Pakistan has made railways a key focus of Pakistan Vision 2025, a top-level program for the countrys development. The program mentions specific upgrades such as increasing railway speeds that the ML-1 project aims to implement. ML-1 was also the only project which was specifically labelled of strategic nature in the official long term-plan for CPEC, which was unveiled by Chinese and Pakistani officials in December 2017. Pakistan is one of the eight countries most at risk of debt distress as a result of Chinese lending via the Belt and Road Initiative, according a March report by the Center for Global Development, a think tank. Another country on this list was the Maldives, where a shock recent election result may have reflected voter concerns over the Indian Ocean nations growing indebtedness to Beijing. The Center for Global Development report recommended reducing debt risks by increasing multilateral involvement in Belt and Road projects, a strategy that the Chinese government has also encouraged in some cases. The Asia Development Bank (ADB) was set to be involved in the ML-1 project by supplying some of the financing. But Pakistans government rejected the ADBs involvement last year under pressure from Beijing, according to reports from Dawn, a local paper. China strongly argued that two-sourced financing would create problems and the project would suffer, Ahsan Iqbal, then Pakistans minister for planning and development, told a news conference in April 2017, according to the paper. Several other countries have shown concern over potential debt-related downsides of the Belt and Road Initiative. After a surprise election victory this year, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced in August that over $23 billion of Chinese projects, including railways, were canceled for now. In Sri Lanka in 2015, opposition leader Maithripala Sirisena defeated the incumbent in elections, and also proceeded to question the wisdom of some costly China-backed projects. His administration later gave one of the biggest projects, the Hambantota Port, to China on a 99-year lease to help repay debts. Similarly, several Chinese-backed projects in Myanmar were put on ice after Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy came into government in March 2016. Contact reporter Ke Baili (bailike@caixin.com) A ferry in the Baltic sea has broken down with 294 passengers on board following a malfunction in the engine room. No injuries were reported. It was traveling between the ports of Kiel, Germany and Klaipeda, Lithuania. The vessel was in global waters off Kaliningrad, Russia's Baltic Sea exclave between Poland and Lithuania. The company said no-one had been injured. Danish ferry operator DFDS, however, challenged reports of a blaze on its ship The Regina Seaways, saying: "There was vibration and there was smoke, but no fire was noticed". The Russian Baltic fleet and number of Lithuanian vessels are on their way to the ferry, along with helicopters from both countries. "On these kinds of crossings we have people from Germany, the Baltic countries and Russian Federation". It said the ferry will have to be towed. The ship was about 85 kilometers (50 miles) from Klaipeda when it became stranded, said Vaidas Klumbys, another DFDS spokesman. The fire has now been extinguished, sea rescue chief Andrey Permyakov told TASS news agency. Forecasts for the southeastern part of the Baltic Sea said there were gale force winds, rain showers, poor visibility and risk of thunderstorms in the region. The ferry was built in 2010 and has a maximum capacity of 500 people. news, crime A man has pleaded guilty to two charges of acts of indecency after he indecently exposed himself to an eight year old at a Canberra school in August, where he allegedly asked the children if they wanted to see a "magic trick". The man, Russell Dennis Burgess, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Tuesday facing two separate charges. He pleaded guilty to both counts and was remanded in custody. He is expected to reappear in court for a committal hearing in two weeks, and is one of two men ACT Policing have arrested as part of its Taskforce Tydeus investigation into a string of 18 similar incidents at Canberra schools this year. Burgess has not been accused of any of the other incidents. Special Magistrate Kenneth Cush denied a bail application due to his concerns Burgess could reoffend if released. The 41-year-old man was arrested during a police raid on a house in Belconnen on Monday after he allegedly approached two young students near the fence of a school in Macquarie on August 17. Court documents show police allege Burgess approached the school and called out to two young students, asking them is they wanted to see a "magic trick", before grabbing one of them through the fence and exposing himself. Speaking to the media earlier outside court, Detective Acting Superintendent Matthew Reynolds said the students told their teachers after the incident. CCTV footage as well as a tip-off to Crimestoppers by a member of the public had proven integral to the arrest, the detective said. "Clearly this is a very distressing incident to happen to a very young child. We take these matters very seriously," Detective Superintendent Reynolds said. Last month, police launched Taskforce Tydeus to dedicate more resources to child approaches, and last week it made its first arrest. A Gordon man was charged with flashing a 12-year-old girl as she was walking to school in Tuggeranong. On Tuesday, Detective Acting Superintendent Reynolds said the latest arrest was not known to be linked to any other cases. "We have no information that these two males were working together, however as I said we will continue to investigate." In recent months, police have ramped up patrols around schools as they work with the ACT education directorate. That police presence will reduce over the school holiday break. Detective Acting Superintendent Reynolds urged the community to talk to their children about "stranger danger" and report anything suspicious immediately. "We are concerned that there might be further people," he said, adding the faster police received information the better. To any potential offenders still at large, he had another message: "We will locate you and we will arrest you." Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or email Op-Tydeus@afp.gov.au. Further information and tips on talking to children about stranger danger can be found on the ACT Policing website or at or constablekenny.org.au news, latest-news Sometimes, intellectuals just don't understand where they are not wanted. Deeply thoughtful, highly qualified thinkers have been known to monopolise trivia nights, to patronise fans at the footy and to cite obscure foreign journals as the last word. Oddly, though, at least in Australia, intellectuals have realised they are not quite welcome in politics. We have never elected a leader who won the Nobel prize for literature (as Britain did, with Winston Churchill) or the Pulitzer prize for non-fiction (as happened with John Kennedy in the United States). We have not permitted any politically engaged intellectual to manage, then dissolve, our state (unlike Czechoslovakia under Vaclav Havel); to design our national coinage (as W.B. Yeats did in Ireland); to adorn our cabinet with a fine cultural pedigree (like Andrew Malraux did for General Charles de Gaulle); to transmute a tale of prison and exile into a work of art (Menachem Begin in Israel); to fight and win a civil war with no prior military experience (Leon Trotsky in Russia); or to build both a political and a literary reputation in gaol (Pandit Nehru during India's struggle for independence). Were those remarkable leaders Churchill, Kennedy, Havel, Yeats, Malraux, Begin, Trotsky and Nehru distracted or diverted by their braininess? Possibly their standing as true intellectuals lent a degree of coherence to their thought, forensic self-examination to their actions, perspective to their sense of events, and grace to their handling of adversity. You might be, as Yeats styled himself in the Seanad, "a 60-year-old smiling public man", yet find that keeping your wit and your wits about you remained handy assets. Is something wrong with us, or with those other countries? For much of my adult life in Australia, the term "academic" held nothing but pejorative connotations. The word evoked nerds, delicate blossoms, tall poppies and eggheads. "Academic" connoted theoretical, abstract, airy-fairy pursuit of the perfect as the enemy of the good. Rather than public, published intellectuals, we preferred plain men (and only men they were). From an entirely different angle, Vladimir Lenin and his heirs were just as harsh, deriding many brainy folk as "useful idiots" and eventually resolving to trust only neophytes with hands-on, dirt-under-the-fingernails engineering degrees. In Australian politics in the old days, ministers sedulously maintained and displayed the habits, good and bad, of their previous occupations. Returned soldiers enjoyed a special cachet; medals made the man. Farmers sincerely regarded themselves as the custodians of true Australian values. Teachers thought change would happen if only they lectured and hectored their audiences for long enough. Lawyers argued a brief, without necessarily connecting their advocacy to empathy with others, a wider context for policy or a less self-centred view of the world. One of those plain men, a most senior one, dismissed an aspiring intellectual colleague as being "exceedingly intelligent, but having no f---ing brains". I told another that part of the Old Parliament House the bit running from the caucus room up past the chamber to the prime minister's office and cabinet was the most intriguing corridor in all of Australia. He took pity on me, put his arm around my shoulder, and inquired whether I had ever seen the corridor between the stage door and the dressing rooms at the Pink Pussycat in King's Cross. That duo was among the brand of leaders we voters have taken to heart, deeply tribal rather than widely travelled, with gaps in formal education compensated by a laconic demeanour, one allied to rat cunning, with shrewdness and common sense outweighing technical expertise, and a capacity to get on with people and get things done rightly prized. Nothing prevents grounded leaders like that from, as Paul Keating said of his term as prime minister, "just thinking all the time". A few gifted scribblers have surreptitiously slipped through the net. Alfred Deakin wrote eloquently about Australian politics, if for an English newspaper, even during his own term as prime minister. Richard Casey kept an elegant diary while in Washington during World War II, lamenting his failure to persuade Walt Disney to install a kangaroo or a koala alongside his mouse and duck. For Australians, that would have meant becoming part of Americans' family. Later on, Bert Kelly used his "Modest Member" column, politely but insistently, to advocate the lonely cause of economic rationalism. Later still, John Button thought clearly, wrote well (post-politics), saw the humour in things and loved to read. Stranded one night in Hobart, he told me that he did not mind "sleeping in the nuddy", "as long as I have my novel". When I was younger and sillier, I suggested that the flag fall for entry to crowded Venice should be proof that you had published a book. Only intellectuals, in the simplest definition of that term, were going to be allowed in. I have grown up a little, but still think that intellectuals are more at home in Venice than in politics. Look at a few Australians who have tried to put this country on the right track. Bruce Petty, Hugh Stretton, Tim Flannery, Michael Long, Donald Horne, Phillip Adams, Gurrumul, Bob Santamaria all of them have been better off away from the topsy-turvy hurly-burly. A cautionary tale for would-be intellectual politicians, one which deserves not to be apocryphal, concerns Malraux. Asked to show off French culture by his president a famously ugly man, all odd spikes and sharp angles Malraux escorted de Gaulle to the Jeu de Paume. When the general identified a Monet, Malraux complimented him on knowledge of subject and brushwork before noting that the painting was actually a Manet. After de Gaulle tagged a Gauguin, Malraux banged on about similar technique and texture before remarking that van Gogh had done that one. De Gaulle retaliated, declaring that he was sure the painting in front of him was a Picasso. "No, my general", replied his minister, "that's a mirror." In coping with political masters, there is, indeed, a distinction between being exceedingly clever and having no brains. Mark Thomas is a Canberra-based writer. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/da703e4f-aeb8-4e9c-8124-7fe3d69028d5/r0_1087_3201_2896_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded jointly to two cancer immunotherapy researchers, James P. Allison, PhD, of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Dr. Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University in Japan. Allison and Honjo were honored for their work on uncovering ways to activate the immune system to attack cancer, a breakthrough in developing new cancer treatments. According to Otis W. Brawley, MD, MACP, American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer, The discoveries of Honjo and Allison led to the development of several drugs which allow for the routine use of effective immunotherapy. Both researchers are being recognized for their work in the 1990s. The two worked separately during their careers to show how certain proteins prevent immune cells called T cells from attacking other cells in the body. In his laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, Allison studied the T cell protein CTLA-4. When this protein attaches to another protein (called B7) found on the surface of some cancer cells, it signals the T cell that this cell is functioning properly. As long as a regular or cancer cell is sending the message that it is functioning well, the immune system will not destroy the cell. By blocking the CTLA-4 protein and thereby the message that the cell is working as it should, the immune system can recognize cancer cells and attack them. This discovery eventually led to the drug Yervoy (ipilimumab), which is used to treat melanoma skin cancer and some other cancers. Honjo at Kyoto University in Japan discovered PD-1, which is another protein found on the surface of some T cells. When this protein attaches to a protein called PD-L1 on cancer cells, it can prevent the T cells from recognizing the cancer cells, so the immune system wont destroy them. Blocking the PD-L1 protein on cancer cells, or the corresponding PD-1 protein on immune cells, allows the immune system to recognize the cancer cells as foreign and attack them. These discoveries led to the development of immunotherapy drugs routinely used to treat many other types of cancer. Drugs that target PD-1 include Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Opdivo (nivolumab), while drugs that target PD-L1 include atezolizumab (Tecentriq), avelumab (Bavencio), and durvalumab (Imfinzi). These drugs are now used to treat people with many different cancer types, including melanoma skin cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck cancers, and Hodgkin lymphoma. This type of treatment is often referred to as immune checkpoint therapy. According to the Nobel committee, immune checkpoint therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and has fundamentally changed the outcome for certain groups of patients with advanced cancer. American Cancer Society Medal of Honor Beat the queues and order ahead with Capita3Eats! Explore your favourite eateries across CapitaLand Malls and order online or via the CapitaStar app for takeaways or deliveries to your doorstep. With a place for every taste, it's that easy to satisfy your cravings when you order from Capita3Eats. Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Joe Biden holds up an FBI report while questioning Anita Hill in 1991. Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images Its no secret that potential 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden was in and around the U.S. Senate for a long time. But after watching the gerontocracy of the Senate Judiciary Committee operate during the Kavanaugh hearings, its a bit sobering to realize exactly how long Biden was in the upper chamber. He was elected two years before Pat Leahy, eight years before Chuck Grassley and 20 years before Dianne Feinstein. He was a senator for 36 years, and then presided over the Senate as vice president for eight more years. When he arrived in Washington the Senates presiding officer was Spiro T. Agnew; his freshman class included Jesse Helms and Sam Nunn. The Judiciary Committee at that point was chaired by the ancient Mississippi segregationist Jim Eastland. Ted Kennedy and Strom Thurmond chaired the committee before Biden got the gavel in 1986 at the relatively tender age of 44. But theres a bigger problem for Biden in the sudden, intense focus on the Judiciary Committee. The most obvious involves the many parallels between the Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh hearings. Bidens role as the ringmaster in the former saga is hard to forget, in part because todays Republicans keep quoting him (out of context, he and his defenders say) about the limitations of FBI investigations in cases like this, and in part because the struggle of Kavanaughs accusers to be heard has brought back memories of his clumsy treatment of Hill, as the Washington Post notes: After the hearings, as well as years later, Hill and other womens rights advocates expressed dismay that Biden did not call a panel of expert witnesses to inform the committee of 14 men about the pressure women felt to keep such incidents to themselves for so many years their fear of reprisals, that men in power wouldnt care, that women simply had no choice. Last December, in an interview with Teen Vogue, Biden expressed regret again for the way lawmakers treated Hill and his role in the hearing. I wish I had been able to do more for Anita Hill, he said. I owe her an apology. But he hasnt put criticism of his conduct behind him, and it was probably no coincidence that Biden canceled public events in Georgia and South Carolina that would have overlapped with the Kavanaugh and Ford testimony. Even if memories of Bidens ambivalent role in the Thomas-Hill hearings fade, other aspects of his Judiciary chairmanship could come back to haunt him. As you may recall, during the 2016 presidential contest Hillary Clinton was criticized by fellow Democrats for her husbands signature on a 1994 omnibus crime bill that many blame for contributing significantly to the mass incarceration wave that only now is being reconsidered as a national tragedy. The architect and legislative manager for that bill was Joe Biden, and he hasnt really recanted, as the New York Times observed in 2015: Despite reservations, Mr. Biden, who has served as the Obama administrations unofficial liaison to the law enforcement community, has not only stood by the 1994 legislation, but has also frequently taken credit for it. As recently as this spring, in an essay on community policing for a book of bipartisan reform proposals put together by the Brennan Center for Justice, Mr. Biden referred to the legislation as the 1994 Biden Crime Bill. Aside from the very specific grievances many progressives have with Biden over both the Clarence Thomas hearings and the crime bill, these associations reinforce the impression that the 75-year-old political warhorse is part of a bygone era where the Democratic Party was ruled by white male centrists who did a lot of triangulating damage to women and minorities. Biden as the steady side-kick to Barack Obama and liberal ambassador to white-working-class voters is undermined by Biden as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. So the end of the Kavanaugh confirmation saga couldnt come too soon for Joe Biden. And he probably wishes he had opted for a Senate career focused on a different committee. Published On Oct 01, 2018 07:59 PM By Raunak for Volkswagen T-Cross VW is likely to showcase three different versions of the T-Cross simultaneously in three different locations Volkswagens much anticipated compact SUV, the T-Cross, is finally ready to see the light of day. The T-Cross, which was born as a drop-top concept in the form of the T-Cross Breeze at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, is expected to have three versions in total - Euro-spec, Brazil-spec and China-spec. All three versions are likely to make their debuts simultaneously later this month. Pictured: Euro-spec VW T-Cross The Euro-spec T-Cross has already been teased plenty of times in the past few months. It will be shorter than the Brazil-spec SUV. The T-Cross for Europe is based on the new Polo (yet to be launched here), while the one for Brazil and other South American countries is based on the Virtus (next-gen Vento/Polo sedan). Sixth-gen Polo Volkswagen Virtus Both the new-gen Polo and the Virtus are underpinned by the same MQB A0 platform. However, the two cars have different wheelbases, just like the current generation hatch and sedan sold in India. The China-spec SUV is expected to be identical to the Brazil-T-Cross in terms of size. However, it will be slightly redesigned to suit Chinese tastes. Volkswagen is likely to introduce the T-Cross in India in the second half of 2020. This should coincide with the launch of Skodas made-for-India SUV. Both these SUVs are part of Volkswagen Group India 2.0 business plan. They will go up against the segment bestseller, the Hyundai Creta. Like the model for Latin American markets, expect the India-spec SUV to be larger than the Euro-spec model. More on this here. Stay tuned to CD for the India-bound Volkswagen T-Cross reveal later this month. 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. Fact #1 When Gandhiji was boarding a train, one of his shoes slipped and fell on the track. Bapu immediately removed the other one too and threw it near the first. His intention is clear, the person who found the shoes can make use of it. Fact #2 In 1931, Bapu made his first radio broadcasting for the USA. Did you know, what were his first words? "Do I have to speak into this thing?" Fact #3 We'll know, how prestigious is the Time Magazine's 'Man of the Year' or 'Person of the Year'. But do you know? Mahatma Gandhi is the only Indian till today to achieve the 'Person of the Year' for his movements Salt Satyagraha or Dandi March in 1930. Fact #4 Gandhi commanded 21 Indian volunteers as stretcher bearer to treat wounded British soldiers in Bambatha Uprising (Zulu revolt or war against British rule in South Africa) in 1906. Fact #5 Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography ''An Autobiography of My Experiments with Truth'', published in 1927 was declared as one of the '100 Most Important Spiritual Books of the 20th Century' in 1999 by HarperCollins Publishers LLC. Fact #6 In 1948, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Due to his assassination, before nominations closed, the Nobel Committee decided not to award the peace prize for that year stating that "there was no suitable living candidate". Fact #7 Mahatma Gandhi was chosen as the second runner-up for the Time magazine's 'Person of the Century' title in 1999. However, Albert Einstein was chosen for the title as the 20th century is dominated by the science and technology besides he serves as a symbol of all the scientists. Fact #8 Gandhiji speaks English with an Irish accent because one of his first teachers is an Irishman. Fact #9 In South Africa, Gandhiji's income is fifteen thousand dollars at that time which is a dream to most of us today. Fact #10 Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, is one of the Gandhi followers in the USA. He used to spin the 'charkha' which was sent by Gandhi through a journalist emissary. Knowing Mahatma Gandhi, The Father Of The Nation Fact #11 Gandhiji wrote his autobiography in Gujarati. Shri Mahadev Desai, who is a personal assistant to Gandhi translated it into English. Fact #12 Do you know, Friday is mostly associated with Gandhi's life. India got independence on Friday. However, Bapu was born and assassinated on a Friday. Fact #13 When Gandhi went to Santiniketan, he wished Rabindranath Tagore Namesthe Gurudev'. Tagore replied spontaneously, If I am Gurudev you are Mahatma,' which later became the prefix of Gandhi. Fact #14 We all know, Gandhi has given up full dress due to the poor plight of Indians. Do you know where and when he decided? While touring Madurai in 1921, he noticed many people wearing single dhoti which later became his attire. Fact #15 While the country is celebrating independence on 15th August 1947, Gandhi was on fast to condemn the partition between India and Pakistan besides communal riots. Fact #16 Gandhiji used to worry about two things. His bad handwriting and body massaging. Do you know, if anyone does body massage, he enjoys? Fact #17 Subash Chandra Bose called Gandhi as Desapitha' (Father of the Nation) on Singapore radio in 1944. Thereafter, Sarojini Naidu too referred to the same title in 1947 conference. The title is so popular across the country, though the Indian Government never conferred any such title officially to Gandhi. Fact #18 Gandhi hates taking photos. Interestingly, he is the most photographed person during that period. Fact #19 Did you know? The caisson used for the Gandhi's funeral in 1948 was again used in 1997 for the Mother Teresa's funeral. Fact #20 We think, you'll are familiar with smiling Gandhi image on the currency. Most of us assume the image is drawn or painted. But the fact is, it was an original photo taken by an anonymous photographer in 1946 at the former Viceroy House which is now home to the President of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan. The image is developed into the mirror image and printed on all Indian currency notes. 13 Facts Students Should Know About Bhagat Singh On His Birth Anniversary Photo: The Canadian Press Transport Minister Marc Garneau Canada's transport minister says travellers aboard domestic flights will be allowed to carry a small quantity of cannabis with them after Oct 17. But Marc Garneau warns against packing it into luggage that's destined outside the country. And the country's airport screening authority says it has yet to finalize procedures for dealing with passengers taking pot through security lines. Garneau says as long as they are on domestic flights, Canadians can bring up to 30 grams of marijuana with them once possession for personal use becomes legal. The minister warns, however, that international passengers must abide by the laws of their country of destination. Transport Canada says taking cannabis, or products that contain pot, across the U.S. border remains illegal. While several American states have legalized marijuana, possession of the drug is still illegal under U.S. federal law. "As long as the flight is domestic, then people are allowed to bring up to a certain quantity for their personal use," Garneau told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday. "However, I would remind Canadians again that, if they are going on flights that cross into the United States or go to other countries, that the rules of that country where they are going are the rules that apply." Under Bill C-45, Canadian adults will be allowed to carry up to 30 grams of dried cannabis in public. The Canadian Air Transport Safety Authority said Tuesday it is still working to ensure its rules conform with the law. "We have been working with Transport Canada since the government passed the cannabis legislation to ensure our protocols are consistent with government policy," said CATSA spokeswoman Christine Langlois. "We expect to finalize our procedures in the coming days." A Honduran child and her mother at the border in Brownsville, Texas. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images The Trump administrations family separation policy, which resulted in thousands of children being taken from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year, was needless and cruel. That much was obvious from the moment it was implemented. But now, more than three months after President Trump ended the brutal policy, were learning that it was also poorly conceived and terribly executed. Thats according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General thats set to be released Tuesday and was leaked by the Washington Post. Among the most appalling findings in the report is that at least 860 children were kept in Border Patrol holding cells past the 72-hour legal limit. One child was locked up for 12 days and another for 25 days. According to the Washington Post, these chain-link holding pens lacked showers and beds and were designed as short-term way stations. Coordination between agencies was disorganized and poorly thought-out, the IG found. The consequences of this were dire. When children were taken from their parents, the adults were left with little information about their childs whereabouts. And children too young to communicate were separated without any means of identification. Its little wonder that once the policy was reversed, the process of reuniting families was such a challenge. In addition to the haphazard execution of a monstrous policy, the IG found that DHS lied about the process of reuniting parents and children. The Post reports: On June 23, three days after the executive order halting the separations, DHS announced it had developed a central database with HHS containing location information for separated parents and minors that both departments could access to reunite families. The inspector general found no evidence of such a database, the report said. In a response to the report, DHS officials said the IG didnt give it credit for cleaning up its own mess, complaining that the report provides no mention of the Departments significant accomplishments to reunify families. Colombias cement market expands 3% in August ICR Newsroom By 02 October 2018 National dispatches were up 2.7 per cent YoY to 1.061Mt in August 2018, according to DANE, the countrys statistics office. In August 2017, domestic deliveries reached 1.033Mt. Cement production in August 2018 increased 5.3 per cent YoY to 1.089Mt from 1.035Mt in August 2017. In the January-August 2018 period fell 1.3 per cent to 7.858Mt when compared with the year-ago period. Output from Colombias cement plants in the first eight months of the year slipped by 0.9 per cent YoY to 8.072Mt. Published under Anhui Conch to set up distribution centre in Indonesia 02 October 2018 Anhui Conch Cement is seeking project finance for a US$105m cement transport centre in Palembang, Indonesia. The company plans to raise 80 per cent of the total investment via debt from international and Chinese banks. The plans include a transportation and storage centre, with a berth for vessels of a 3000dwt capacity, which will import and export 400,000tpa of cement. The project is expected to be completed within 18 months. Published under President Trump, white-collar crook. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images The New York Times has published a massive investigation of President Trumps finances, revolving around two important revelations. First, Trump was given far more financial support by his father than previously known at least $413 million in todays dollars, not the measly $1 million he claims to have received. Second, the mechanisms by which he received these transfers often crossed the line from aggressive or creative maneuvering into illegality. That the Times presents these conclusions so baldly accusing him of outright fraud in the first sentence in the face of Trumps famous litigiousness, is a testament to the power and clarity of its findings. That is to say, Trump was in the money-inheriting business. And that business was essentially, and not just incidentally, illegal. The Times found 295 income streams created by Fred Trump for his son, many of them illegal on their face. The English language has terms for people who make large sources of money from illegal activity: criminals. The article makes clear that Trump is safe from criminal prosecution largely because tax-law enforcement is weak, and many of his apparently illegal activities took place too long ago to prosecute now. That does not minimize his culpability in any moral sense though. Its merely a testament to the general immunity from consequences that wealthy people enjoy, and regular people do not. The revelations illustrated the degree to which Trump was paradoxically the most under-vetted presidential candidate since the invention of American mass media. Its not that there was a dearth of Trump coverage just the opposite. There was so much Trump coverage, for so many years, that it overloaded the circuits. New Trump outrages kept crowding out old Trump outrages. Trump produced so much that was bizarre, offensive, unprecedented, or otherwise newsworthy that some of the basic vetting work could not be completed. This was crucially abetted by his unprecedented financial secrecy Trump was the only presidential candidate in four decades to refuse disclosure of his tax returns. That fact itself would have dominated the coverage of any normal candidate who tried it. But as Trump produced so many other extraordinary (and usually negative) stories about himself, the tax-return issue simply faded away. So a man whose path to success was formed in large part by participating in schemes to hide and launder illegal handouts from his father managed to maintain the illusion that he was a successful law-abiding president. It probably would have mattered a lot if Trump had been widely described in the news media as the crook the Times reveals him to be. But there is no undoing his election now. It is an open question whether attacks on his crooked business activity will form a potent message against him in 2020, or whether voters will, more likely, dismiss it as irrelevant history. One of the great accomplishments of Trumps presidency has of course been to make America a place of even more unequal justice. The IRS budget for enforcement of tax cheating by the rich is collapsing. Trump is making the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency tasked with cracking down on fraudulent credit cards and banking, almost helpless. It has taken sundry other steps to protect corporations that rip off consumers from facing any consequences. Trumps presidency will enable more Trumps. His career as a white-collar criminal who ran for president as an alleged business genius is a metaphor for the exact thing he is doing as president. He is the crook who got away with it. Rachel Mitchell, counsel for Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, questions Dr. Christine Blasey Ford during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images On occasion, the Supreme Court will appoint an outside lawyer to argue a position no one else is arguing, usually when a party declines to defend a lower courts decision in a hypertechnical legal dispute. At the end of that lawyers service, as custom dictates, Chief Justice John Roberts will acknowledge the attorneys contributions to the case and express gratitude on behalf of the court. You have ably discharged that responsibility, for which we are grateful, Roberts will say in open court. But thats in the Judicial branch. In the Senate, things are different. Rachel Mitchell, the sex-crimes prosecutor appointed last week to get to the bottom of the sexual-misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, didnt get anywhere close to that kind of recognition. The Republican side of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which hired her to do its bidding in questioning Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaughs accuser, quietly relieved her of her duties about halfway through the hearing; she had barely made it through three five-minute rounds with the judge when Lindsey Graham, in a fit of rage, decided to take over. And then she just sat there, never to be acknowledged again. Not to leave the impression that she was just the committees female assistant, as Mitch McConnell memorably termed her expected service, Mitchell has now submitted a five-page written report with her analysis about the evidence she was able to gather in the limited time she was given. Which is to say: Mostly her impressions about Fords testimony, which was the lions share of her interventions. At the outset of her report, she cautions that she was not pressured in any way to write this memorandum or to commit to paper anything with which I do not fully agree. And she volunteers that shes a registered Republican but nonetheless not a political or partisan person. With that out of the way, very little of what she writes is the work product of a serious sex-crimes prosecutor. For one, she limits herself to the small universe of facts known to the Senate: Fords allegations and testimony, Kavanaughs categorical denials, the polygraph test, the original Washington Post story, and the smattering of letters from alleged fact witnesses who have contacted the Committee, none of whom were called before it to testify under oath. Based on that universe, Mitchell concludes: I do not think that a reasonable prosecutor would bring this case based on the evidence before the Committee. Nor do I believe that this evidence is sufficient to satisfy the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard. Though that last bit of legalese doesnt really apply to Senate confirmation hearings, theres a kernel of truth in Mitchells bottom line, intentional or not. The real reason no reasonable sex-crimes prosecutor would bring a case against Kavanaugh is that no reasonable sex-crimes prosecutor would even dare seek charges without first doing her due diligence talk to every possible fact witness, pursue leads, reconstruct the scene of the incident, collect forensic evidence if available. None of this was done by the Senate Judiciary Committee so its madness to subject last weeks hearing and record to the familiar standards of proof that apply in American courtrooms. What Mitchells memorandum to Senate Republicans does, more than anything else, is poke holes in Fords recollection. In that sense, the document tells the senators most interested in seeing Kavanaughs confirmation succeed exactly what they want to hear: that Ford is unreliable. That she cant recall who drove her or picked her up from the party where the alleged sexual assault occurred. That there are minor inconsistencies with what she told her therapist, her congresswoman, or the Post about the incident. That she didnt disclose Kavanaughs name until she came forward with the allegations. By putting the onus on Ford to get all her ducks in a row and make perfect sense of her own story, Mitchell demands of Ford what no reasonable prosecutor would ever demand of an alleged victim calling for a full and fair investigation. But impugning the victims truthfulness is not how someone whos spent a lifetime investigating and prosecuting sex crimes goes about her work. One of Mitchells former longtime deputies, Matthew Long, told Mother Jones that her 11th-hour memo to the Senate was absolutely disingenuous because it bore little resemblance to the kind of investigative work her own office handles from how to treat the memories of victims of sexual assault to the dearth of evidence Mitchell considered. Her only analysis should have been: The process youve given me, the information we have, is insufficient, Long said, adding that Mitchell taught him that memory holes are typically corroborative of traumatic experiences. In another interview, Long charged that Mitchell abandoned what she knows to be true in favor of being a political operative. Perhaps the biggest tell in Mitchells entire memorandum comes at the very end, where she suggests that Fords version of events was faulty and inconclusive because of the activities of congressional Democrats. Mitchell doesnt lay out the logic behind that assertion. Instead, she appends a timeline laying out the evolution of how Fords allegations came to light: from the moment she contacted Representative Anna Eshoo and a Post tip line in early July through her various dealings with Dianne Feinsteins office and the steps the committee took between then and September, when knowledge of Fords then-anonymous letter to Feinstein was leaked to the Intercept. Is it a coincidence the loudest complaint from Republicans is how Fords allegations exploded into the open, not so much their substance? Mitchells tidy chronology of it all only gives cover to those grievances. The most obvious gaping hole in Mitchells report is Kavanaugh himself: Theres nothing about his faulty memory, credibility, drinking habits, or demeanor under oath worth exploring for her. And God knows theres more than enough in the congressional record for even a mildly curious sex-crimes prosecutor to go after. As independent journalist Marcy Wheeler has observed, that Mitchell fails to take account of her rather effective examining of Kavanaughs own 1982 calendar which identifies by name a number of the partygoers Ford named in her allegations, including the ubiquitous Mark Judge should give anyone pause about her objectivity and motivations. If you watched the hearing, you may recall that it was right around Mitchells examination of the 1982 calendar that Republicans yanked her from her assignment, took over the hearing, and proceeded to apologize profusely to Kavanaugh for the trouble of having to answer questions about his youthful past. Mitchell herself wasnt too keen on the format of it all, musing out loud that theres no study that says this setting, in five-minute increments, is the best way to question witnesses about sensitive sexual-assault allegations. When Mitchell said that at the hearing, everyone in the room and watching at home seemed to get a chuckle out of it, as if in on the joke that what she was doing was little more than a farce. In a detailed rebuttal memo of her own released Monday, Feinstein called out the report of Republican Attorney Rachel Mitchell by putting it in its proper context. The question before the Senate is to determine whether Brett Kavanaugh has the suitability and trustworthiness of an individual nominated to serve for a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court, read Feinsteins response. Last Thursdays hearing was not a trial. The lord is merciful. Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images Jeff Bezos once wrote that he expects all of Amazons employees to wake up every morning terrified. His companys highly profitable web services business relies on an unregulated, digital labor-market where the median wage is around $2 an hour. In late May of 2011, the temperature inside Amazons warehouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania, regularly pushed 100 degrees, and workers started collapsing from the heat. The company responded by stationing ambulances and paramedics just outside the workplace and sanctioning laborers who insubordinately succumbed to unconsciousness with disciplinary points. So many Amazon workers ended up in the local emergency room with heat-related ailments, a physician eventually reported the warehouse to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. All of which is to say: Jeff Bezos did not just raise his companys entry-level wage to $15 an hour out of a long-standing, heartfelt commitment to workers rights. Nor, for that matter, is the Amazon CEO claiming as much. On Tuesday morning, Bezos announced that his firm will pay all of its 350,000 employees $15 an hour for their labors (including part-time, seasonal, and Whole Foods workers), and lobby Congress to raise the minimum wage for all of Americas workers. We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, Bezos wrote in a statement. Were excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us. Thus, Amazons official explanation is, ostensibly, Bernie Sanders (and our striking workers, and the Whole Foods employees whove been trying to unionize, and their allies in the liberal media) made us do it. Last month, the Vermont senator introduced the Bezos Act a bill designed to punish corporations that dont pay their workers a living wage by making them pay a dollar in tax for each and every dollar of food stamps and means-tested health-care benefits that their employees rely on. This was a god-awful proposal in substantive terms. But it now looks like a smashing success in political ones. Amazon is worth $1 TRILLION. Jeff Bezos is worth $155 BILLION. Thousands of Amazon workers have to rely on food stamps, Medicaid and public housing to survive. That is what a rigged economy looks like. Tomorrow we will introduce a bill to end subsidies for low-wage employers. https://t.co/jYQrtYbwZL Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) September 4, 2018 That said, its a little hard to believe that Sanders bill and the broader organizing among Amazon workers that inspired it forced Bezos to make a change that he had no other reason to implement. Amazon has not been paralyzed by any extended, nationwide strikes. Sanderss bill never had any plausible path to becoming law. The pressure they brought to bear might have been necessary to trigger the wage hike, but it probably wasnt sufficient. Theres reason to think labor market conditions influenced Bezoss calculus. With the unemployment rate sitting below 4 percent, and the holiday season on the horizon, U.S. retailers are in fierce competition for staff. Amazon plans to hire 100,000 seasonal employees as does UPS, while FedEx is looking for 55,000. Meanwhile, Amazons retail competitors have been lifting their starting wages with Targets recently rising to $15, Costcos to $14, and Walmarts to $11. Still, its unlikely that market conditions required Bezos to establish a $15, nationwide wage floor for every type of Amazon worker. The average wage for retail salespeople in the U.S. is currently $13.20 (which means that a great number of such workers earn far less than that). Thus, Bezos likely concluded that his company stood to benefit from exploiting its workers a little less than the American labor market would let him get away with. And its not hard to see how he might arrive at that view. The vast scale and scope of Amazons business allows it to post razor-thin profit margins or even lose money and retain easy access to capital. Most of its competitors do not have that luxury. Therefore, if Amazon can bid up labor costs across the retail and shipping sector, it just might force its competitors to shrink their businesses. Which is to say: The $15 wage hike could be a bid to trade short-term profitability for long-term market-share (which is, after all, Amazons entire ethos). And then, of course, there are publicity benefits. Shared the new Amazon $15 minimum wage with the team here at LGB3 early this morning! Best All Hands Ever!!! pic.twitter.com/RqkvHQuomO Dave Clark (@davehclark) October 2, 2018 All this said: Even if his own mercenary interests played bigger a role in Bezoss decision than his own statement suggests, that doesnt mean that Amazons workers and critics werent instrumental in todays good news. Corporations do not automatically (or even usually) sacrifice short-term profitability to their own enlightened, long-term financial interest. If bidding up wages across the retail sector makes business sense for Amazon today, then it made sense for the company a year ago. In between, the companys workers and their political allies raised the costs of a low-wage business model. Now, theyve earned themselves a higher paycheck. MOSS POINT, Miss. -- Cruisin' the Coast is in full effect and Moss Point had its day on Tuesday for the third year to host beautiful, old school cars with candy paint, souped up wheels and an atmosphere that people want to experience. "We didn't get a chance to come through here last year because we were late pulling in," said Dwayne Wafford and John Brabson of Huntsville, Ala., "but this year, we made it our goal to get here early to experience what Moss Point had to offer." Wafford said he has visited Moss Point before but didn't have the opportunity to fully experience Cruisin' last year, but what made him show up early this year was the hospitality he briefly experienced. "Man, this is a beautiful city first off, but the people here are amazing and friendly," Wafford said. "I sat out in front of the riverfront and took a nap for what seemed like three hours last year -- it was so peaceful. I had to get here early this year for the entire experience. We will be back." For Mayor Mario King, this is his second Cruisin' and said he is extremely happy the event has gotten bigger in its second year. "This is a great opportunity and Cruisin' really showcases the 'One Coast' effort," King said. "This event brings people from across the country to witness the assets of our coast. My goal is to continue to advocate for Moss Point to continue to be a part of Cruisin' and to continually promote the Mississippi Gulf Coast." One of the key components of Cruisin' is the visibility it provides and residual financial impact. According to King, cruisers patronizing businesses and hotels increases revenue. "Last year, we increased our bed tax revenue by $250,000 and it also increases our sales tax revenue," King said. "The prepared food tax we are looking to enact would provide additional revenue based on an event like Cruisin'. This is an opportunity for Moss Point to grow and people from across the country get to witness the greatness of our community." Woody Bailey, Cruisin' chairman said he was very pleased with Moss Point as a venue and said the hard work they have put in to make it happen is impressive. "I just left and from what I could tell, it is clear there are more cruisers than last," Bailey said. "Moss Point has done a great job welcoming and having an environment the cruisers love and enjoy." The cruisers next stop in Jackson County will be in Pascagoula from Thursday through Saturday. Iran's Revolutionary Guards say they have fired missiles at militants in eastern Syria in response to a deadly attack on a military parade last month. Iranian officials initially blamed Arab separatists backed by Gulf Arab allies of the United States for the attack. Twelve Guards were among the 25 people killed on Sept 22 when gunmen fired on a viewing stand as military officials watched a ceremony in the city of Ahvaz marking the start of Iran's 1980-1988 war with Iraq. This handout photo provided by Iran's Revolutionary Guard official website via SEPAH News shows Missiles are launched from an undisclosed location to target militants in eastern Syria early on Monday. According to the statement, six medium-range ballistic missiles of Qiam and Zolfaghar class were launched from IRGC air force missile bases in western Iran at 2:00 AM on Monday, hitting the terrorists' headquarters from a 570km distance. Iranian news agency Fars reported "the headquarters of Takfiri terrorists" was the target of the missile strikes. Strong explosions shook the area in the early hours Monday, reverberating east of the Euphrates River, according to Head of Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdurrahman. In a VOA Persian interview, Hudson Institute analyst Michael Pregent said an Iranian missile strike in an area where US forces are operating will be considered as a serious provocation by Washington. Deontay Wilder Calls Anthony Joshua 'A Coward' On GMB But as for Fury's chances, Finkel said: "When I was handling Klitschko, I didn't think he had a chance". "I'm the linear heavyweight champion of the world, the best of the best", Fury said . State TV aired footage of one of its reporters standing by as one of the missiles launched, identifying the area as being in Iran's western province of Kermanshah. Syrian state media did not immediately acknowledge the strike. "At this time, the coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred and no coalition forces were in danger", spokesman Sean Ryan said. Iranian state television broadcast footage of the missiles being launched, along with commentary saying they were a slap in the face toward Iran's foes, including the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia. "Given the complex nature of the battle space, such strikes potentially jeopardize the forces who are actively fighting ISIS in Syria", he said, referring to an acronym for the militant group. The report on Monday specified the missile launches came after the Ahvaz attack, which killed at least 24 people and wounded over 60. In announcing the launch, Iranian state media said the missiles targeted both "takfiri" militants - a term it often applies to the Islamic State group - and Ahvazi separatists. It added that seven drones were also used to bomb rebel targets during the attack, which killed a number of fighters and destroyed supplies and infrastructure used by the group. The Arab separatists, who have long complained of discrimination in Persian-majority Iran, claimed the attack and provided accurate details about one of the attackers. But both the Islamic State and a local separatist group claimed responsibility for the attack. Last month, Iran also carried out a missile attack on an Iraqi base of an Iranian Kurdish separatist group. Last year, Iran fired ballistic missiles into Syria over a bloody Daesh attack on Tehran targeting parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Queen Elizabeth II has reigned over the United Kingdom for decades. After all, her coronation took place back in 1953, a year that many of us either dont remember or werent around to experience. The queen has overseen many changes during her time on the throne, and she has plenty of accomplishments under her (jewel-encrusted, proverbial) belt. But not every year of her long reign has gone according to plan. In fact, theres one year that Queen Elizabeth II has said was the worst of her reign. Ahead, find out everything you need to know about those dark days. She called 1992 an annus horribilis Queen Elizabeth II wasnt in a particularly celebratory mood at a 1992 luncheon in honor of her 40th year on the throne. As Timeline reports, instead of celebrating four decades of a virtually untarnished reputation, her speech chimed a somber note. The royal family, with Her Majesty at its helm, was on the brink of breaking down. Queen Elizabeth II told the crowd, 1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. . . It has turned out to be an Annus Horribilis, a horrible year. So what happened in 1992? Intimate photos of Sarah Ferguson made headlines Timeline reports that British tabloids kicked off 1992 with intimate photos of Sarah Ferguson the wife of the Queens second son, Prince Andrew with Texas oil tycoon Steve Wyatt. Despite the photos and the reports, Ferguson denied having an affair. But just two months later, Buckingham Palace announced Andrew and Sarahs separation. Princess Anne got divorced, too Only five weeks after Buckingham Palace announced Prince Andrews divorce, Princess Anne also cut ties with her ex-husband, Mark Phillips. Mark had had an affair with a New Zealand teacher, and also had a child with her. Neither Anne nor Mark was present in the courtroom when a judge dissolved their 18-year marriage. The divorce was a big deal at the time, and Timeline reports that Echoes of King Edward VIII who abdicated the throne to marry a two-time divorcee reverberated across the nation. A book about Princess Diana was published Next, in June 1992, tabloid reporter Andrew Morton published a book called Diana: Her True Story. The book detailed Dianas loveless marriage to Prince Charles, revealed her eating disorders and suicide attempts, and cast Diana as the palaces isolated princess, trapped by a dysfunctional, emotionless family, Timeline reports. Diana denied that she had anything to do with the book. It was only after her death that Morton revealed that she had actually provided interviews and photos of the book. She even edited and signed off on every page. More photos of Sarah Ferguson were published Timeline reports that over the summer, British tabloids competed to to see who could expose the raciest royal scoop. The Daily Mirror took the cake. It managed to get photos of Sarah Ferguson who had just separated from Prince Andrew lying topless next to her financial adviser, John Bryan, and letting him suck on her toes. Then, The Sun printed the transcript of a phone call between Diana and longtime friend, James Gilbey, shedding more light on her depression. Finally, a cringe-worthy phone call between Prince Charles and Camilla made headlines, forcing the palace to acknowledge the falling out between Charles and Diana. Windsor Castle burst into flames As if that werent enough, 1992 was also the year that, in November, a fire broke out at Windsor Castle. As Timeline explains, The private home of the Queen and a symbol of British continuity was in ruins. The honorable residence and royal family were gutted, open for all to see. The fire ended what was truly a terrible year for the queen and the British monarchy. But as she said in her annus horribilis speech, No institution City, Monarchy, whatever should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support, not to mention those who dont. At least the worst day of Queen Elizabeth IIs life wasnt in 1992 While 1992 was the worst year of Queen Elizabeth IIs reign, the worst day of her life had come and gone 10 years prior. As The Express reports, the queen has revealed the day of the IRAs attack on London in 1982, when bombs in Hyde Park and Regents Park killed 11 soldiers and seven horses, as the most ghastly day of my life. The Provisional Irish Republican Army a group that wanted to end British rule in Northern Ireland detonated two bombs during British military ceremonies in the two parks. Read more: Why Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Sleep in Separate Beds Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Thanksgiving dinner options in Pueblo you don't have to cook You can take some of the stress out of Thanksgiving by taking advantage of some of these places to get pre-cooked or to-go Thanksgiving meals in Pueblo. In May, CNN's Chris Cuomo pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about Israel's alleged secretive nuclear program. "Arts & crafts show" can't hide Israel's secretive WMD program, Iranian FM says Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has taken aim at Israel's "secret" nuclear weapons program, after Benjamin Netanyahu presented, for the umpteenth time, photos allegedly showing hidden Iranian nuclear sites. Under any future peace agreement "Israel has to have the dominant military power in the 50 kilometer strip between the Jordan river and the mediterranean", Netanyahu said. Netanyahu addressed directly Iran's government and said "we will continue to act against you in Syria, we will act against you in Lebanon, we will act against you in Iraq, we will act against you wherever and whenever we must act to defend our state and to defend our people". The bottom line, "We opposed the deal it because it was based on a fundamental lie - that Iran is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons". Israel it said proved Iran was lying about its nuclear intentions. In May, President Donald Trump pulled America out of the nuclear deal, in part due to Tehran's ballistic missile program, its "malign behavior" in the Mideast and its support of militant groups like Hezbollah. Accusing Iran of all of the above, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu fired a new salvo yesterday in his campaign to prove that Tehran can't be trusted and poses a massive threat to global security. "He's been wrong about the previous [allegations] and he's wrong about this one", Zarif added. "Time for Israel to fess up and open its illegal nuclear weapons program to worldwide inspectors", Zarif tweeted. "This is not the way to achieve the peace we all want and need and to which Israel remain committed", added the prime minister. Earlier, a foreign ministry spokesman said "the world will laugh loudly at these types of theatrics and false and uncalculated statements". Broncos aim to slow red-hot Mahomes, Chiefs His running mate, Adam Jones, was also expected to practice this week after being inactive for the Ravens with a thigh injury. Those quick starts stand in contrast to the Broncos , who have trailed entering the fourth quarter in each of their games. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 25, 2018 at U.N. headquarters. At the core of the agreement that Iran and Europe are trying to forge is a mechanism for paying for Iran's oil in barter and local currencies, rather than in USA dollars. Netanyahu made a similarly splashy accusation in May, saying Israeli agents spirited away a "half ton" of documents regarding Iran's nuclear program from a facility in Tehran's Shourabad neighborhood. An outspoken opponent of the deal, Netanyahu has previously made allegations about Iran's nuclear activities that are hard or impossible to verify, including presenting a cartoon bomb to the General Assembly in 2012 warning of how close Tehran was to producing a nuclear device. In response, Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil tweeted that Israel was "fabricating pretexts" to launch an attack on Lebanon "from the podium of global legitimacy". Netanyahu also said there were Hezbollah precision missiles sites in Beirut. Turkey Airstrikes Target Iraqi Christian Villages; Activists Call for War Crimes Investigation Christian Post Contributor | 02 October, 2018 by Samuel Smith The Turkish military launched airstrikes targeting Iraqi Christian villages in northern Iraq, a rights group warned. Local sources have told International Christian Concern, a U.S.-based persecution watchdog, that seven predominantly Christian villages were targeted by Turkish airstrikes last month. September saw an increase in Turkish airstrikes in the north of Iraq. "Turkey attempts to justify these airstrikes by claiming that these villages support or have a PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) presence," an ICC report reads. "Turkey is occupying a significant swath of land in northern Iraq and is deepening its presence daily." According to ICC, Christian villages in Iraq have historically faced challenges spurred by the PKK and the Kurdish Regional Government. However, the situation for the Christians in largely agricultural northern Iraq has "worsened while the NATO member continues to gain more territorial control in Iraq's north." "Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that Turkey is using the PKK's general presence as an excuse to expand its territory and that by conducting airstrikes where there is no specific legitimate military target, Turkey is in violation of international law," ICC asserted in its report. In September, Human Rights Watch suggested that there were at least four Turkish military operations in northern Iraq that claimed to have targetted the PKK (recognized by the United States as a terrorist group) dating back to May 2017 that should be investigated for possible war crimes. The PKK has been active in Iraq, with its presence near the border of Turkey, Iran and Syria. The Turkish government has actively launched operations against the PKK for over 10 years. Turkey's airstrikes in northern Iraq have killed at least seven non-combatants and wounded at least one more, witnesses and relatives told the human rights group. "As Turkey steps up operations in Iraq, it should be taking all feasible precautions to avoid harming civilians there," Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Turkey should investigate possible unlawful strikes that killed civilians, punish those responsible for wrongdoing, and compensate victims' families." Over the weekend, the Turkish military claimed to have "neutralized" at least 18 PKK militants through airstrikes that targeted various regions of northern Iraq. HWR noted that Turkish forces have extended their presence in northern Iraq by about 10 miles and has multiple outposts in rural governorates under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Concern was raised earlier this year that Turkey-backed violence targeting the Afrin region of Syria was putting the lives of Christians and other civilians in "mortal danger." "As the leaders of the Christian churches in North Syria, in the town of Afrin we hereby confirm that we are under attack by Turkey," an open letter from a pastor (name omitted for security purposes) in the region to international leaders read. "The lives of our women and children are in danger. The city of Afrin is being bombarded by Turkish airstrikes. We are asking for intervention, and protection against the violent attacks which are being levied against use at the moment." In addition to Christians, Yazidis in the region also raised concern about their safety. Murad Ismael, executive director of the Yazda relief organization for Yazidi victims of genocide, warned in March that the Yazidi towns of Bafloun and Qutma were also being targeted with airstrikes. Read more about Iraqi Christian villages on The Christian Post. Authorities found some 34 bodies of children in an Indonesian church after an earthquake and tsunami pummeled an Indonesian island Friday. Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani said the children were attending a Christian bible camp when they were killed. Officials expect to find more bodies as the death toll continues to rise. According to reports, more than 1,300 people died in the disasters. Volunteers in the area are working on digging a mass grave for the dead. Meanwhile in Palu, a military plan carrying supplies was unable to land because of crowds at the airport. There was a fear of the crowd mobbing the plane, a representative for an aid organization said. People are so desperate for aid. Other reports say that stores have been cleaned out of supplies and there has also been some looting. Security on the ground is not great, the aid worker said. There's no power, there's limited food and no access to clean water Our biggest concern is the security of our staff and making sure that their supplies will be going to the most needy. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for Indonesias National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said tsunami detectors buoys were not working, but a tsunami warning was still issued. But many in Palu did not receive the warning because of power outages. Nugroho also added that about 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Yenni Suryani, of Catholic Relief Services, said power was still out almost everywhere and staff is having trouble reaching affected areas. According to reports, the earthquake was a 7.5 magnitude quake and tsunami waves were as high as 20 feet. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Carl Court/Staff In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new. Update (Oct. 8): An evangelical church near the coast hardest-hit by Indonesias recent earthquake and tsunami, Bethany Fresh Anointing Church in Palu, resumed worship on Sunday and Monday. The congregation praised God for keeping their building standing and prayed for the two dead and two missing from their body. We pray for our town, and we pray for our leaders, a lay leader named Bernard told CT. We pray and praise and worship. We [are] always in the presence of God. While dozens churches in Palu held services over the weekend for the first time since the disaster, many Christian villagers outside of the capital city have no building to return to. Im here at this particular church because my own church is no more; its leveled, and on its location theres a corn plant, Min Kapala, a worshiper who traveled to the city from the outskirts, said in The Washington Post. That was very strange to me. The Bible camp in Sigi, where hundreds of students were killed and buried in mudslide rubble, has slid nearly a kilometer from its original site, according to leaders from the Indonesian Protestant Church in Donggala (GPID)the biggest denomination in the Central Sulawesi province and the one that experienced the greatest loss in the disaster. Image: Yance Darmawan / GPID board member Because of severe damage to roads and buildings in remote areas, it has taken days for GPID officials and aid workers to reach the farthest-flung of the 100 churches across the province. Ministry leaders are taking it one devastating day at a time. Each evening they circulate an update counting the days since the September 28 earthquake and tsunami shook their islandnow up to number 10and the grim statistics: 1,600 dead, 2,600 injured, and unknown numbers buried, with 66,000 homes and 2,700 schools destroyed. Later this week, Indonesias National Disaster Management Agency will end their searches and consider certain areas of Palu as mass graves for the dead. But there are also more hopeful figures, thanks to the aid coordinated by the Christian minority in Central Sulawesi and West Sulawesi provinces. The Indonesian Council of Churches (PGI) and the Network of Christian Communities for Resilient Community Disasters in Indonesia (TBI Jakomkris) report that ministries are bussing in necessities, hundreds of kilos at a time, items ranging from ramen noodles to Pampers. Image: Yance Darmawan / GPID board member A Christian response team from the YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) treated 40 patients at the Great Mosque of Palu and set up clinics at several local churches serving as evacuation sites. Relief workers in the network are arranging trips to markets and gas stations that are finally reopening; setting up field hospitals for emergency surgeries; and offering counseling for children in villages through World Vision International, which has also amassed thousands of blankets and tarps to distribute. Yance Darmawan, a GPID pastor and board member, has been organizing relief efforts from Palu. Teams have been held up by downed trees, cracked roads, and steep mudslides. Churches near the Bible camp mudslide have also been ruined. GPID Balanggu Church in Gumbasa, Sigi, lost the front of its building. Despite talks of coming together with their Muslim neighbors for an interfaith prayer gathering, nothing has been scheduled yet, the Post reported. In the Central Sulawesi province, Protestants make up 17 percent of the population and represent the largest religious minority. --- Update (Oct. 4): When a massive earthquake and tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi last Friday, residents were preparing for an annual weekend festival that draws a half-million tourists to the coast of Palu. But instead of enjoying cultural rituals, traditional music, and a paragliding competition along the beach, Christian leaders in Central Sulawesi province were suddenly coordinating relief efforts for the tens of thousands of people displaced by the disaster. Their churches, mostly shaken but still standing after the 7.4 magnitude quake, became places of refuge for their congregations as well as their Muslim neighbors. (Indonesia is the worlds most populous Muslim nation, and only about 1 in 6 residents in Central Sulawesi are Christian.) Three local Protestant leaders reported to CT that 86 church buildings in Palu have been established as aid centers for victims across the province. Even so, the refugees who came to take refuge there were also Muslims. They blend in supporting each other both [materially and psychologically], wrote Yuberlian Padele, rector of Tentena Theological Seminary and former general chairperson of the Central Sulawesi Christian Church (GKST); Ika Kulas, pastor of the Central Sulawesi Christian Church in Tentena; and Set Tolage, another Tentena pastor. The church yard is a safe haven [for] thousands of people who are still hoping for help, they said. CT previously reported (below) on a few churches that had opened up as health centers and kitchens in the wake of the disaster. Denominational leaders are still taking in the extent of the damage, studying satellite images showing where roofs collapsed, highways fell onto buildings, and whole villages appear to have sunk into the ground. The Indonesian Red Cross already disclosed one of the most tragic stories of rescue from the resulting mudslide, the church building in the outskirts of Palu where they recovered 34 bodies of students missing from a Bible camp. Local leaders said that the death toll from this location is now assumed to be well over 200: The education and training center (Pusdiklat) from the synod of the Donggala Protestant Churches (GPID) was swallowed up by the mud, and the building disappeared altogether. At the time of the incident at Pusdiklat, the Bible camp was being held from one of the high senior schools. Participants amounted to 240 people excluding teachers who were with them. Only 23 students survived. The rest are buried alive in seconds. This area is one of the worst areas of destruction. The overall death toll in Central Sulawesi has now reached 1,400. The pastors asked for fellow believers to pray for strength for their communities to endure in the midst of trauma and loss and to find access to resources. They said residents are left desperate for basic necessities like food, water, and gas while their city has been overrun with violent looters and price-gouging. Even though the majority of church buildings in Palu suffered minor damage, Christians are afraid that they are too unstable to withstand further activity, mudslides, and aftershocks, the pastors said. Image: Courtesy of Santi White --- Original post (Oct. 2): Days after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and resulting tsunami leveled homes, businesses, mosques, and churches on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Christians are reeling from the destruction as casualties climb into the thousandswhich now include dozens of youth killed at a Bible camp. Under the rubble of one church destroyed in a mudslide, the Indonesian Red Cross this week discovered the bodies of 34 kids who were attending Pusdiklat GPID Patmos Jono Oge, a church training center in Sigi, located outside the provincial capital of Palu. Another 52 students remain missing from the camp, which regularly hosts youth for worship, teaching, and fellowship. Recovery efforts have been slower in hard-to-reach areas, which lack the equipment to move fallen concrete or dig through the carnage. A Red Cross spokeswoman said she expects the number of dead at Jono Oge to rise as the recovery continues. The center is affiliated with Palus largest denomination, the Indonesian Protestant Church in Donggala (GPID), with around 40,000 members. Last week, Palu teens posted shots on Instagram from Jono Oge, sharing favorite Bible verses and posing in front of a banner reading From Darkness to Light. The quake, tsunami, mudslide, and aftershock have left the Protestant minority in Central Sulawesiabout 17 percent of the 2.6 million-person, mostly Muslim provincescrambling for basic necessities to survive while body bags pile along the streets and the smell of death lingers in the air. On Tuesday, the official death toll reached more than 1,300, with another 800 injured, and both figures are rising. An estimated 50,000 people are displaced in Palu. Church leaders who made it through the disaster have rallied to offer relief efforts as they are able, but resources are limited. GPID Eben Haezer in South Palu has opened a health center for injured victims, hosting a Christian doctor from City Harvest Church in Singapore. Image: Courtesy of Santi White A Salvation Army congregation in Palu set up a kitchen at its building to cook, pack, and deliver 100300 meals a day, starting the day after the quake and tsunami hit the island. Volunteers dont know how much longer they can feed desparate families without amenities like grocery stores, gas, and clean water, Santi White, a major with the Salvation Army, told CT. The church in Palu needs support from near and far, according to White. Like fellow Christians in the capital city, several of their churches have been destroyed, and members of the congregation have lost everything. One family saw their two-story house sink completely into the ground. Captain Ricosetta Mafella, a Christian and a pilot with Batik Air, watched the tsunami swirl toward the coast as he lifted off from Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport on Friday evening, the last flight to depart from Palu before the earthquake. He shared his testimony online and again at a Jakarta church on Sunday, saying he was spurred by the Holy Spirit to take off a few minutes early. The air traffic controller on duty, Anthonius Gunawan Agung, has been hailed as a hero, jumping to his death from the control tower after Mafellas flight was safely off the ground. The pilot posted on Instagram: I felt something wrong on the runway during take off roll. [6:02 pm] earthquake 7.4-7.7 magnitude on scale rocks Palu. Thank God there is a voice (Holy Spirit i believe) telling me to depart early. Im rushing the boarding process. Late by 30 second i would not have flown. Thank You Jesus. Remembering the 21-year-old air traffic controller, he wrote, Wing of honor for Anthonius Gunawan Agung as my guardian angel at Palu. Rest peacefully my wing man. God be with you. Mafella spoke at Duta Injil BIP church in Jakarta this weekend, reflecting on Psalm 23 and how Palulocated at the mouth of a river in Central Sulawesi, between two mountain rangeshad also been nicknamed by some pilots as a valley of death. Central Sulawesi is not as heavily Christian as North Sulawesi, where Protestants outnumbered Muslims 2-to-1 in the 2010 census, but it still has a significant Christian population of nearly a half-million believers. One Indonesia preacher wrote after the disaster that Palu must be recovered, more advanced & blessed [by] God. What is lost is returned to God two-fold. Neighboring cities have seen sectarian conflict between Christians and Muslims over the years, which isnt uncommon in Indonesiaeven during disaster recovery. Following a 2004 tsunami that hit Aceh province, Muslim militants clashed with Christians and foreign aid workers trying to help. Across Indonesiahome to the largest Muslim population in the worldbelievers continue to fear persecution by radical Islamists; last week in Sumatra, a trio of churches were forced to close, and suicide bombers attacked congregations in Surabaya back in the spring. Relief efforts continue at locations like the Roa Roa Hotel, where about 50 guests were reported to be killed or trapped in rubble after the eight-story building collapsed. Just behind the hotel, the IFGF Palu church remains standing. Pastors from the church itself or its Jakarta-based denomination could not be reached by CT to confirm any loss or damage suffered among the congregation. World Vision, which serves more than 5,000 sponsored children in Central Sulawesi province, set up feeding centers for children outside its office in Palu and has begun distributing relief supplies, even as its own staff of 70 suffers loss from the earthquake and tsunami. Image: Courtesy of Santi White White, with the Salvation Army, said the biggest needs are food, clothing, formula, diapers, and medicines. She is praying her team stays healthy enough to continue the relief workand fears the spread of disease from bodies buried in open graves. They are praying for favorable weather for all the families forced to sleep outsideand for God to spare them from future quakes. | Image: David McNew / Getty Refugee resettlement hit a record low over the past year, with the United States taking in fewer than half the amount permitted under a reduced refugee ceiling of 45,000. While the number of displaced people and persecuted Christians continues to rise around the globe, US refugee figures have plunged under the Trump administration. The 2018 totalsjust 22,491 refugees in the fiscal year ending September 30indicate a disturbing trend for advocates, following recent news that the govement plans to further restrict the resettlement cap by a third, to 30,000 next year. Though most of the refugees welcomed over the past year are Christians, the overall drop means far fewer believers are finding refuge in the US than in prior years. In the 2018 fiscal year, 15,748 Christian refugees entered the country, a 36.4 percent decline from the previous year and a 55 percent decline from fiscal year 2016. The reductions are even more dramatic among Christian refugees escaping persecution for their faith. Only 1,215 Christians were resettled from the 11 countries cited by Open Doors USA as the worst for Christians, down nearly 75 percent from the previous year. Just 20 believers from Syria, 23 from Iran, and 26 from Iraq were give refuge in the United States in the past year, a huge drop from historic levels despite ongoing risk and conflict in these areas. Many who were told they would be resettled are now stranded in third countries, disallowed from continuing to the US, but unable to return to their homelands for fear of persecution. Its simple math that, with far fewer slots for refugees overall, Christianswho over the past decade have accounted for the plurality of all refugees admitted to the USwould be kept out along with those of other faiths, said Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilization for World Relief. The past year was both the worst on record for persecuted Christian refugees and for refugees overall. Soerens, who provided analysis on resettlement breakdowns drawing from State Department data, says the situation is even worse for other persecuted minorities. Muslim refugees have been kept out of the United States at a much higher rate. Fewer than 3,500 Muslims found refuge in the US in the past year, down 85 percent from 2017 and more than 90 percent from the year before. While refugees of nearly every religious group are impacted by the overall decline in refugee admissions, it certainly seems that Muslims have been particularly singled out, said Soerens. That suggests a governmental disfavor toward a particular religion that is inconsistent with our constitutional principles of religious freedom. Jewish, Yazidi, and refugees of other minority faiths have also been almost entirely shut out, said Soerens. Overall, asylum-seekers from the Middle East have been largely abandoned. During the past 12 months, just 249 people (total, of all religions) from the Middle East made it to the US as refugees. During the same period last year, 64 times as many refugees came from that region16,144 in alland in 2016, more than a 100 times as many26,325. The past year was both the worst on record for persecuted Christian refugees and for refugees overall. For the first year in recent memory, Canada resettled more refugees than the United States, despite having roughly one-ninth of the population. Surveys this year from the Pew Research Center have found as few as a quarter of white evangelicals believe the US is responsible for accepting refugees, compared to 43 percent of white mainline Protestants, 50 percent of Catholics, and 63 percent of black Protestants (most of whom identify as evangelical). But vocal evangelical advocates continue to defend refugee admittance and have questioned how the current policys direction fits with broader efforts to promote religious freedom. This decision contradicts the administrations declared commitment to helping persecuted Christians and religious minorities in dangerous and oppressive countries, said World Relief president Scott Arbeiter. Evangelicals should be concerned by this assault against our call to support the least of these. Politicians like Vice President Mike Pence and the US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom Sam Brownback have touted an agenda supportive of persecuted minorities abroad. President Trump insisted he would help persecuted Christians in particular, especially from areas of conflict like Syria, where a brutal war has waged for much of the last seven years. Yet refugee policy has not reflected those priorities; only 70 Christians from places like Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, and Yemen were resettled in the US in the last fiscal year, compared to more than 3,000 Christians from the region who came in fiscal year 2017. (Some religious freedom advocates believe it is best to support refugees by keeping them close to their homelands.) Jen Smyers, director of policy and advocacy for Church World Service, called the declining figures shocking and appalling. It certainly contradicts the administrations sentiments when it comes to religious minorities, she said. She recounts the story of a refugee living in Columbus, Ohio, whose wife and child were supposed to be resettled in January 2017. Due to the resettlement spiral, however, hes still waiting for them. He has never met his son. This dismantling of refugee resettlement is really tearing to shreds what people of faith have spent decades building, Smyers said. This is them tearing apart what it has taken churches decades to build. To say were disappointed is an understatement, said Chris Palusky, president of Bethany Christian Services. Caring for refugees is a Matthew 25 issue, he says. We believe that these refugees are the least of these, so were advocating for what we believe Christ would want us to do. Politicians on both sides of the political aisle have joined numerous evangelical leaders in speaking out against the sharp downturn in the countrys resettlement program. Last week, in an editorial in USA Today, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and senator Bob Menendez called the new policy repugnant and spoke of the nations strong bipartisan history of resettlement as a point of pride, a reflection of our fundamental values, and a service to our strategic and humanitarian interests. The policy shift continues to hurt advocacy and resettlement organizations, forcing layoffs and shutdowns across institutions. World Relief shuttered five offices and laid off 140 staff last year. Caritas, the Catholic relief agency, is joining the scores of resettlement groups closing offices because of a lack of incoming refugees. Resettlement workers and other agency staffcase workers, legal aids, English teachersare forced to find other jobs, so even if resettlement numbers rise again, the infrastructure will no longer be there to support it. Smyers said Church World Services numbers of incoming refugees are drastically down. All of the groups offices have seen staff layoffs and slashed programming. At Bethany Christian Services, Palusky said international programs are actually on the rise, as are projects related to unaccompanied minors from Central and South America. But refugee programs are shrinking. The organization anticipated hundreds of new refugees last year in states like Pennsylvania and Michigan but received substantially fewer. Numerous agency leaders told CT they have more churches asking to help than there are new refugees. We have to tell them, We dont have anyone for you to welcome, said Smyers. Palusky also emphasized how communities suffer from slowing refugee entry since he sees their cultural and entrepreneurial contributions to American life. Weve seen the benefits of [resettlement] for families and for the community, he said. When we push them away, its not only a loss for them; its a loss for us. The refugee reduction has also raised legal concerns. While the 1980 Refugee Act gives the president power to determine the annual refugee ceiling, the administration is required to consult in-person with Congress before making its determination. Since the inauguration of the Trump administration, that hasnt happened. For the second year in a row, the administration has willfully ignored its statutory mandate to inform and consult with Congress, said Senate Judiciary chairman Chuck Grassley, ... despite significant bipartisan and bicameral outreach from Congress to the Departments of State, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services. As the number of refugees entering the country continues its rapid decline, Soerens believes the US is further forfeiting the moral credibility to diplomatically insist that our allies do more to resettle refugees and is harming its long-term ability to integrate refugees in the future. Im deeply troubled by the tens of thousands of persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ whom we would, in any other year, have expected to have been resettled to the US, but who did not arrive this year and, it seems, will not arrive next year either, said Soerens. But Im also concerned that this shift in US policy could have broader, longer-lasting effects. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment In a recent class at Liberty University, it was noted how 80% of a person's doubts do not stem from intellectual problems with Christianity, but rather from emotional doubt. Emotional doubt is a problem for every person, but it seems to be a tougher concept for men to combat. The reason is because most men abstain from talking about their emotions. Many will suppress the emotional doubt and ignore it. However, such actions do not eliminate the doubt. Emotional doubt may address issues concerning the loss of a loved one, an unanswered prayer, or frustrations in life for which one blames God. Interestingly, emotional doubt can be combated by a form of biblical cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Some may claim, "Hold up, Brian! You are talking that psychology mumbo-jumbo! What good is cognitive therapy?" Actually, cognitive behavioral therapy is quite a good practice. Paul argues the following: "Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendableif there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthydwell on these things" (Php. 4:6-8, CSB). The believer should focus on those things that build up one's faith and not on worry and fears which cause anxiety. CBT does just that. Using CBT to combat emotional doubt is quite effective. CBT can also combat depression and anxiety. Biblical CBT follows three steps. 1. Identify your lies. First, recognize the doubts and fears you tell yourself. You may say, "I am going to certainly fail this test even though I have studied hard for it. I am too dumb to pass it." Realize that the statements do not correspond with reality. If you have studied hard for the test, then you have learned the information which will be on the test. You are certainly not too dumb to learn the material. 2. Remove your lies by arguing against it and give reasons for your optimism. Second, argue against the lies you are telling yourself with a positive, encouraging case. You may tell yourself that if you fail the test that it would be the worst thing in the world. In this case, remind yourself that you have studied the material and have learned the material quite well. Even if the worst should happen and you fail the test, it is not the end of the world. As bad as it may be, it is not as bad as you're making it out to be. 3. Replace your lies with the truth of God's word. Third and finally, replace your lies with the truth of God's word. Realize that "I am able to do all things through him (Christ) who strengthens me" (Php. 4:13, brackets mine). Realize that "all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). With these truths in mind, the doubts and anxieties begin to lose their grip. CBT is a biblical practice that all believers need to practice. For too long, we have allowed the devil to steal our joy and hope. Often, we are our own worst enemies as we feel to frightened to take a chance on something for playing the "what if" game. Stop letting fear and anxiety steal the thunder from the grace that God has given you. Always keep in mind that "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment" (2 Tim. 1:9). 2018. BellatorChristi.com. Brian G. Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com and is the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is currently enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University. Brian has been in the ministry for over 15 years and serves as a pastor in northwestern North Carolina. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Tim Keller, founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Churches in New York, is one of America's most influential pastors and Christian thinkers. He's a model for successful urban church planters across the nation and overseas. His New York Times editorial Sunday, "How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don't," (excerpted from his new book) is very thoughtful. But some additional points merit discussion. Keller offers several themes: "Those who avoid all political discussions and engagement are essentially casting a vote for the social status quo." "While believers can register under a party affiliation and be active in politics, they should not identify the Christian church or faith with a political party as the onlyChristian one." "Most political positions are not matters of biblical command but of practical wisdom." "The biblical commands to lift up the poor and to defend the rights of the oppressed are moral imperatives for believers." But, the "Bible does not give exact answers to these questions for every time, place and culture." "Jesus forbids us to withhold help from our neighbors, and this will inevitably require that we participate in political processes." Finally, Keller warns that "increasingly, political parties insist that you cannot work on one issue with them if you don't embrace all of their approved positions," which Christians must reject. Keller notes Christians must work for racial justice, which is perceived as liberal, while affirming marriage as union of male and female, a conservative stance in our culture. These themes from Keller are sound. Space permitting, no doubt he would have elaborated how Christian political witness is pursued and by whom. (Perhaps he does in his book, which I've not yet read.) It seems important, for example, to distinguish among the institutional church, i.e. a denomination or congregation and its employees, versus the universal Body of Christ, versus individual Christians. Keller's own denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America, adopts virtually no direct political political stances. To my knowledge, Keller's congregations are not overtly politically active in electoral politics or legislation. Keller himself largely has abstained from public endorsements and direct lobbying. Presumably Keller agrees that the institutional church, including its clergy, don't have a vocation for routine direct engagement in political specifics such as candidate endorsements or intense legislative lobbying. Also presumably he believes the institutional church should offer broad principles about God's purposes for government and Christian duties towards the common good. And presumably Keller believes the global Body of Christ collectively is a politically redemptive force globally and locally, even as its distinct communions and individual believers have particular unique callings. Some parts of the Body offer peculiar specialties in social witness not necessarily true for others. Catholicism and Pentecostalism may offer societal emphases different from each other and other communions but still integral to the universal church. Keller's column implies but likely does not intend to insist that all individual Christians are called to political engagement. All are called to be good citizens, but arguably some best serve society by abstaining. Cloistered religious orders, the Amish, various other separatist communities, and many persons are generous in prayer and charity without direct political witness. They serve God where they are without insisting all others follow their example. Intense or professional political activism is a special calling likely for very few Christians, as no doubt Keller would agree. Most Christians are called to focus primarily on their families, professions and churches, not politics. If all or most Christians were called to be full-time political activists, the results on the church and the world likely would be very unchristian. Keller warns against aligning Christianity with a political party. But presumably he would agree that some Christians may individually have callings to intense partisan service. Christians in different and even opposing political movements may have opportunity to leaven broadly and to enact wide providential purpose beyond transient human understanding. Not all two billion plus professing Christians in the world are called to march in unison to a synchronized political theme. Millions in repressive societies lack significant opportunity for any direct political engagement. But the Body of Christ as a whole prays and works for more just societies more closely aligned with God's desires. Keller rightly warns of worldly resistance when Christians contend for more just societies. Christian social witness even at its best will always earn mixed reviews. "If we are only offensive or only attractive to the world and not both," Keller concludes, "we can be sure we are failing to live as we ought." Of course, as Keller also concludes, Christ prevailed by disavowing earthly political power as He announced his eternal kingship. Christian political engagement, even at its very best, is only a foreshadowing of a much greater and more permanent polity. Yet, Christians with callings to political engagement should labor on, with hope. 'Guardians of civilisations': Why the Middle East needs Christians Life for Christians in the Middle East today has been hugely impacted by war. Parts of the region have been emptied of Christians entirely. In other places, they are clinging on, reduced in number and deeply insecure. There's nowhere that hasn't felt the effects of conflict, whether directly as armies and militias have fought through their homes and villages, or indirectly as refugees and internally displaced persons have crowded into camps offering food and shelter no matter how inadequate these often are. But the story across the region is far more complex than is often told. While in some places Christians are harried and persecuted, in others they are able to minister to those in need. Over-simplifying a complicated landscape is a besetting sin of the West, with consequences that will last for generations. Michel Constantin is regional director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association/Pontifical Mission, overseeing programmes in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Egypt from his base in Beirut. Now 55, he's lived in Lebanon all his life and is intimately acquainted with the life of Christians in the Middle East through CNEWA/PM's mission to build up the church, alleviate poverty and inspire hope. On a recent visit to the UK with Embrace the Middle East, he tells Christian Today that Christians there need security, they need someone to speak for them in the corridors of power, and they need people there alongside them during the long road to recovery. He speaks of Iraq, where 'Christians are considered a defeated people.' Regarded as supporters of the Saddam Hussein regime, many of them have been displaced multiple times, from Basra, to Nineveh, to Erbil, to Nineveh again. From nearly 1.5 million in 2004, the Christian population is down to less than 300,000 now. 'The result is that they are diminishing in political presence and weight, they are getting lighter and lighter,' says Constantin. 'It was their dream 10 years ago that they could ask for an autonomous province in the Nineveh Valley. But now they're a minority even there. They are getting weaker and weaker. 'The people I meet would all like to leave Iraq.' He stresses that CNEWA/PM, like other Christian organisations, wants to 'accompany them and respect their choices, and try to improve the quality of the services for them'. But, he says: 'I am very pessimistic about any large-scale return. The society is corrupted and divided among Muslim communities and ethnic communities these are deadly conflicts and Christians are a very small minority, and can't change anything. It is not an equal contest.' In Syria, beginning to see an end to another ruinous war, the situation is different. 'Christians have suffered the consequences of the war, but they didn't have to leave their homes or their churches no one took their homes or their properties,' Constantin says. 'The war is very harsh, many left for Lebanon, France or Europe. But the regime is the winner. Christians were never against the regime.' For the most part, he says, Christians like everyone else suffer from the quality of services and the shattering of the economy. 'There are 5-6 million Syrians outside Syria. The most qualified people left, it's hard to return. 'I think it will be a long process, reconstruction not one night. And the international fundraising fatigue makes the misery longer. 'In Syria, we try to give hope to those who remain, and improve the quality of their lives with electrictity, medical facilities and supplies. Sixty per cent of the hospitals in Syria are out of business.' Fear, poverty, the sheer difficulty of life with a collapsed infrastructure and the lack of any clear hope of a future have driven the refugee outflow. In Lebanon and Jordan, the number of refugees is almost half the population. Constantin's own country of Lebanon has responded to the flood of refugees with extraordinary generosity. 'It is a very small country with a very small economy,' he says. Usually Lebanese people emigrate from Lebanon to the West around 4 million Lebanese live there, but there are 17 million outside the country, 7 million of them in Brazil. And yet it has 2 million refugees, including many from Syria. 'The burden is very heavy. The local infrastructure is in bad shape from the civil war we don't have electricity, water, sewage. 'The Syria war is why the situation is so unfortunate. Refugees are not in regular camps. They are in every village there are 36,000 refugee settlements, with people living in tents.' Unregulated and undocumented, he says, 'They are competing for work with poor Lebanese people. Wages are going down.' While each country has been impacted by deadly and destructive conflicts, each bears the weight of its own history and faces its own political and social challenges and this, too, is an issue for Christians, because it makes it very difficult to speak with a unified voice. As Constantin says: 'The West has fragmented over doctrine and theology. In the East it is over political issues.' And such is the force of identity politics in the region, he says, 'Even if there was one voice, they would hardly be heard.' In Iraq, the extremist vision of an East without Christians has already come to pass. And Constantin stresses that this is a tragedy not just for Christians, but for the world. The Church in the Middle East is very different from Europe. The churches are not only religious, they are also the guardians of civilisations,' he says. The ancient Syriac language is preserved in the church; Assyrians and Chaldeans still form living communities in Iraq; in Egypt, it is the Christian Copts that are the link to the Pharaonic past. 'The Middle East without Christians would be much poorer,' Constantin says. Minorities Christians everywhere, Yazidis in Iraq, Druze, Shia Muslims in Egypt all need protection if they are to flourish. And hence his call for aid: Christians need 'someone to talk for them', representation in places where the decisions are made that will affect them; they need practical help of the kind CNEWA/PM helps to deliver, 'to be accompanied in their daily lives, to improve their lives and long-term help, not just help to cover an immediate emergency. And with other minorities, in many places they need protection. 'There is no umbrella for the Christians in Iraq, or for any of the minorities. There is no protection against aggression, there are no observers.' The vision of a Middle East depopulated of Christians is a bleak one. But it is not the whole story. Constantin and people like him are working to support those who remain, to strengthen them in their life and witness on the front line of faith. Happy marriages linked to longer life span A recent study has found that people in happy marriages have a higher chance of living longer. According to the study published in Health Psychology, the odds of dying early for people who described their marriage as either 'very happy' or 'pretty happy' was around 20 per cent lower than those who said their unions were 'not too happy'. The increased longevity was consistent across age, gender, race, geographical location and educational background, the researchers found. 'The significant prospective association between marital satisfaction and mortality suggests that reducing marital dissatisfaction may increase longevity,' the study authors said. The findings were based on answers from married people in the General Social Survey between 1978 and 2010. The survey asked over 19,000 married people aged 90 and under to rate the happiness and quality of their marriage. The researchers then looked at their health and survival rates up to the year 2014. One of the authors of the study, Mark Whisman, at the University of Colorado Boulder, suggested marriage could improve health by making people feel more secure. Marriage, he said, 'provides people with meaningful roles and identity, a purpose in life, a sense of security.' He suggested there could be other positive impacts from marriage, as spouses could pick up healthier habits from each other. They could also feel more socially supported, he said. 'A high-quality marriage can serve as a buffer against chronic or acute stressors in life,' he said. And as married couples tend to spend more time with each other than anyone else, he added, 'we think there's something more specific about the marital relationship relative to other social relationships.' A different study published earlier this year found that married people were happier than those who were not. The National Opinion Research Center, in Chicago, Illinois surveyed 35,000 Americans over a thirty year period. and found that 40 per cent of married people said they were "very happy" compared to only 24 per cent of those who were unmarried, divorced, separated or widowed. In 2015, a land mine blast blamed on North Korea maimed two South Korean soldiers and pushed the Koreas to the brink of war. The other area being demined is around the so-called "Arrow Head Hill", where some of the war's heaviest fighting took place over a strategically important hilltop position. The first milestone meeting between Kim and Moon in April was held there, as was their meeting in May. But they said they expected the North to abide by the tension-easing deals their defense chiefs struck on the sidelines of their leaders' summit last month in Pyongyang. More than 800,000 mines are believed to have been planted along the entire border during and after the 1950-53 war to defend against infiltration. Meanwhile, on Monday, South Korea held a ceremony marking the recent return of the remains of 64 South Korean soldiers missing from the Korean War. The JSA, also known as the truce village of Panmunjom, is the only spot along the tense, 250-kilometer (155 miles) frontier where troops from the two countries stand face to face. North Korea's state media didn't immediately confirm its reported demining. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday the military deals will "end all hostile acts on land, sea and sky between South and North Korea". Many South Korean mines are also believed to have been dislodged due to flooding or landslides. They eventually plan to have 35 unarmed personnel from each side guard the village and let tourists freely cross ankle-high concrete slabs that mark the border there. Brewers, Cubs to meet in NL Central Tiebreaker Monday CDT tomorrow, October 1, at the Wrigley Field Ticket Office located on Clark Street, just north of the Marquee. Coverage of the tiebreaker will begin on WSAU at 11:30 AM with first pitch set for 12:05 PM. "It's the start of peace", said Kim Ki-ho, head of the private Korea Mine Clearance Research Institute. "Even if we deployed 11 front-line engineering units to the DMZ and nearby area, it would take about 200 years to completely remove land mines scattered in the two Koreas", an Army official said during a meeting with reporters last month. The South's Defense Ministry says it detected North Korean soldiers engaging in what it believes are demining-related work at the two sites. Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned South Korea's ambassador in Moscow on Monday and demanded that Seoul allow a Russian vessel to leave South Korea's port of Busan, the ministry said. Moon, a liberal who aspires to achieve greater ties with Pyongyang, is a main driving force behind U.S. He also called for a stronger national defense, saying "peace can continue only when we have power and are confidant of protecting ourselves". The remarks were widely interpreted as a "rare gesture" to worries that progress in nuclear negotiations may lead North Korea to escalate its campaign to disband the United Nations Command (UNC) and undermine the military alliance between South Korea and the United States. Past rapprochement efforts were often stalled after a standoff over the North's nuclear ambitions intensified. Consider the speeches the South Korean president delivered in North Korea last month. Since President Trump and Kim Jong Un's summit in June, the two leaders have issued a series of statements in English. Why supporters of marriage should welcome plans for no-fault divorce Last month, the government launched a consultation paper about reforming the legal requirements for divorce. The proposal to remove fault-based divorce meets with near universal approval from the legal profession, and also from us at Marriage Foundation who have been running a campaign with the Times newspaper for the past year or more. However, some proponents of marriage still worry that the removal of 'fault' will make divorce easier and undermine marriage. See for example 'In defence of marriage' by Spectator columnist Rod Liddle. Although I laud his and others' support for marriage, I see no reason why the proposals, if enacted, should be anything other than good news. Proponents of marriage including Marriage Foundation have nothing to fear. First of all, it's not clear to me why we should have fault-based divorce at all. All humans are fallible. Nobody is perfect. This does not in any way excuse bad behaviour. But it does mean that in a relationship involving two fallible people, nobody can be judged faultless if it goes wrong. In the most extreme case where one person has behaved outrageously badly and mistreated his or her spouse appallingly, I can buy 95/5 per cent responsibility. I just can't buy 100/0 per cent. Divorce is the failure of a relationship, not just one individual. Second, nor is it remotely clear why the introduction of no-fault divorce in 1969 might have caused the rise in divorce in the 1970s and 1980s as Rod Liddle automatically presumes. Any account of changes in divorce rates since the 1960s needs to explain why ALL of the rise and ALL of the subsequent fall has involved change in the number of divorces filed by wives during the first decade of married life. We think this very distinct gender effect is best explained by the way men commit. The rise of cohabitation in the 1970s and 1980s led to more men 'sliding' from cohabitation into marriage without making a clear commitment. Thereafter, reduced social pressure to marry in the 1990s and 2000s now means that those men who do marry are 'deciding' to do so, leading to the big increase in stability. Third, hard data strongly suggests that reducing no-fault waiting time has no effect on divorce rates. In Scotland, the law changed in 2006 to lower the waiting time where both parties agree from two years to one year and where only one wants the divorce from five years to two years. After a temporary blip to clear the backlog of two year no-fault divorces, Scottish divorce rates have continued to trend downwards in exactly the same way as they have in England and Wales. Whereas before the change, 19 per cent of Scottish couples cited one of the three fault-based 'facts', now only six per cent do so. The conclusion is clear. Given the chance, most couples would rather wait one year and not have to cast blame. Reducing that time does not encourage more couples to divorce. And fourth, it's breaking up that is hard to do, not the legal process. The hardest part of splitting up is the decision to unravel years of entangled family history and face the prospect of a very different future somewhere else. Having walked through the doors, the decision is made and that's it. Once started, it is exceptionally rare that a couple will reconcile. Professor Liz Trinder's excellent Nuffield report showed this more clearly than anywhere I've seen. Of her nationally representative sample of 300 couples filing for divorce, some 51 couples did not complete the process. Some proponents of marriage, such as the Coalition for Marriage, correctly point out that this is a common pattern. In every year, according to Ministry of Justice figures, about 10 per cent of couples do not complete the divorce process. But it is wrong to conclude from this that all, or even most, of these couples have got their marriage back on track. Of the 51 non-completing couples in the Nuffield study, just one couple reconciled and a handful more had unclear outcomes. So that's plus/minus one per cent of all divorces. Making divorce a registration process is not going to save marriages. Marriage Foundation is all about commitment and stability for couples and children. So we have thought about this issue a great deal. Will the removal of no-fault make divorce too easy? No. Will it undermine marriage? No. Will it prevent saveable marriages from being saved? No. I am certain that many or most marriages can avoid getting anywhere near divorce. If you haven't already read it, grab a copy of What Mums Want and Dads Need to Know and be encouraged by our own and others' back-from-the-brink stories. However, once couples walk through that door, that's it. Changing divorce to a notification process with a sensible cooling-off period will not make divorce easier, will not cause divorce to rise other than in clearing the backlog and will not undermine marriage. We've had no-fault divorce for 50 years. The long overdue plan to remove fault is that it will also remove unnecessary conflict and bitterness from the divorce process. I hope this will allay fears. May your own marriage flourish! Harry Benson is research director of the Marriage Foundation. The 11th hour deal struck by the United States and Canada to preserve a North American free trade zone brought relief to Texas businesses that for 25 years have relied on and prospered from cross-border commerce that has bolstered the states economy. For more than a year, energy companies, manufacturers and farmers have worried about the fate of the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico that had opened markets, built efficient supply chains and created more than 1 million jobs in Texas. President Donald Trump called NAFTA one of the worst deals ever made, threatened to tear it up and vowed to exclude Canada if the nations neighbor to the north did not acquiesce to U.S. demands. The Trump administration first reached a deal with Mexico in August; it concluded an agreement with Canada late Sunday to maintain the trilateral trade pact not long before a U.S.-imposed midnight deadline passed. Few details of the agreement were immediately available, but the broad strokes indicate natural gas producers will still have easy access to the growing Mexican markets and Gulf Coast refiners can still rely on heavy crude from Canada. Businesses in Texas border communities, whose local economies have become integrated with those across the Rio Grande, can resume long-planned investments that were put on hold given the uncertainty over NAFTA. "This is very good news for Texas companies," said Doug McCullough, director of the Canada-Texas Chamber of Commerce. "Trade restrictions, including any retaliatory tariffs, would have been harmful to Texas companies. Concluding the trade deal removes tremendous uncertainty for companies doing business throughout the North American market." The new agreement between the three countries replaces NAFTA with a new acronym, USMCA, for United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. It has significant changes for automakers, opens Canada's milk market to U.S. dairy farmers, and maintains arbitration rules that many American companies hoped would be kept in place. But for the most part, analysts said, the deal is more modifications than overhaul and leaves much of the older pact in place. Few states had as much at stake in the outcome of the negotiations as Texas. Mexico, the states biggest trading partner, and Canada, the second largest accounted for nearly half 46 percent of the states nearly $265 billion in exports last year. For energy companies, the agreement means that oil, natural gas and petroleum products will continue to move across borders without tariffs. Mexico, following reforms that opened its energy markets to foreign companies, has become the United States biggest export market for natural gas, much of it flowing through pipelines that stretch across the Texas-Mexico border and carry gas produced in Texas shale fields. Natural gas exports to Mexico, now averaging about 5 billion cubic feet, more than doubled in 2017 from 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Department. "It should be business as usual, said Ed Hirs, an economist at the University of Houston. Or maybe a little better. The American Petroleum Institute, the main lobbying group for the oil and gas industry, called on Congress to approve the new pact, lauding the inclusion of Canada, which sends some 3.3 million barrels a day of heavy crude oil to U.S. refiners. Along the Gulf Coast, refineries are largely configured to process heavy, imported crude as opposed to lighter grades from U.S. shale plays. "Having Canada as a trading partner and a party to this agreement is critical for North American energy security and U.S. consumers, API CEO Mike Sommers in a statement. Retaining a trade agreement for North America will help ensure the U.S. energy revolution continues into the future." Texas farmers and ranchers also viewed the trilateral agreement as a win. The value of U.S. agricultural trade with Canada and Mexico exploded under the North American Free Trade Agreement, with U.S. exports jumping from $8.7 billion in 1992 to $38.1 billion in 2016. Texas main agricultural exports to NAFTA countries include cotton, corn, grain and feed, rice and beef. Mexico is the states largest beef export market. Canada is the fifth largest. We had really been hoping for this, said Kelley Sullivan, co-owner of the Santa Rosa Ranch, which is the largest producer of Brangus and UltraBlack cattle in Texas. We have been as an industry asking and imploring them to really instead of completely doing away with NAFTA, modernize it. Which really this seems to have done. Mexico is Greater Houstons biggest trading partner. In 2017, trade between the Houston area and Mexico both exports and imports topped $20 billion. Canada accounted for $3.3 billion in trade with the region last year, according to the Greater Houston Partnership, a business group. Together, the two countries accounted for 12 percent of all international trade for the region. Any agreement that the United States reaches with Mexico is important and is good news for Houston, said Patrick Jankowski, vice president of research for the Greater Houston Partnership. The reaction along the border was similar. Trade between El Paso and Juarez in Mexico, totaled about $80 billion. The local economies of the two cities depends heavily on the free flow of goods and services across the border. Manufacturers might make components in El Paso and assemble them in Juarez and ship them to markets in both countries. Tom Fullerton, an economics professor at University of Texas El Paso, said many planned investments to upgrade factories were placed on hold as they awaited the outcome of NAFTA negotiations. As a result, employment tied to manufacturing slowed, but Fullerton said. This has been surprising because the U.S. economy is doing so well," Fullerton said. "These investments that have been on hold should be able to be put into action now. john.roper@chron.com lbrezosky@express-news.net Workers at Bush Intercontinental Airport called for higher wages during a protest Tuesday, part of worldwide demonstrations. "We're joining a global day of action that's happening in about 35 different airports around the world," said Elsa Caballero, president of Service Employees International Union Texas. The local protest was held outside the airport at the intersection of Greens Road and John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Security officers, in particular, were pushing for a path to at least $12 an hour, Caballero said. The Houston Airport System hires a contractor to supply these security officers, who are not affiliated with the Transportation Security Administration officers. MORE: Union rally at Houston City Hall notes progress on wages, areas of concern Caballero wants to ensure airport workers are included in the conversation happening around Houston. A contract ratified earlier this year, for instance, will gradually raise the minimum wage for Houston First housekeepers, floor technicians and other staff to $12 an hour by 2021, up from $9.35. Houston First, which operates and manages city-owned facilities, employs these workers through a contract with Midwest Maintenance. Over the last year, Mayor Sylvester Turner and members of City Council have listened to security officers and included many of their concerns in a new municipal request for proposal for city contractors that provide janitorial and security services. A recent request for proposal from the Houston Airport System, seeking a contractor to supply security guards, proposed salary scales starting at $12 an hour and increasing over the life of the contract. "To maintain the highest quality level of professional security officer services," the request for proposal reads, "contractor shall ensure employees and subcontractors are compensated at, or above, the following minimum salary levels." MORE: United Airlines catering workers start voting to decide if they want to unionize Caballero said airport workers are also pushing the city to hire responsible contractors that will respect their employees. "It's another opportunity to raise awareness," she said, "but mostly we wanted to be part of this national, global day of action to make sure that Houston is not forgotten." 3 1 of 3 Brittany Sowacke /Bloomberg Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten Show More Show Less 3 of 3 A Canadian-based oil and gas company has agreed to sell more than 180,000 acres of land in New Mexico for $480 million. Calgary-based Encana Corp., an oil and gas exploration and production company, announced the deal with Denver-based DJR Energy, LLC on Monday. Ray Fisher / Royal Dutch Shell Royal Dutch Shell on Tuesday announced its decision to move forward with its investment in LNG Canada, a liquefied natural gas export terminal in northern British Columbia slated to serve growing demand in Asia. The project, a joint venture with Malaysia's Petronas, China's Petrochina, South Korea's Kogas and Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Corp., is the first in Canada to reach a final investment decision at a time when the industry is growing rapidly along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Construction is expected to start immediately. When Jennifer Walsh, vice president of the Goose Creek CISD Education Foundation found out where they were hosting their All Star Gala, she knew she had to do something special. "We're huge Astros fans," Walsh said. "My husband and I have season tickets, and we were at the World Series, so I knew I had to combine my love of the team with my fashion choices." Walsh designed her high-low blue and orange ballgown in Photoshop, and even went so far as getting official permission for a one-time use of the Astros logo on the train of the dress. The challenge was finding someone who could make her vison a reality. "I couldn't find anyone to make the dress. Every either didn't have time or didn't know how," Walsh said. Deer Park Police Dept. A Cypress-Fairbanks ISD police officer resigned Tuesday as allegations surfaced that he allegedly raped a missing 12-year-old Deer Park girl he met on the Meet Me dating app. Authorities began looking for the girl after she reported as missing from her Deer Park home and believed to be in extreme danger. She was found about six hours later. Mischief is written all over the faces of Ava and Prince, two rescue dogs who are the subject of a new children's book by Houston Chronicle fashion writer Joy Sewing and designed by Chronicle art director Susan Barber. Four-year-old Prince (obviously) is the one wearing a crown, and Ava, 5, is the beauty peeking out from behind her adopted brother. The boxers are the fur babies that Sewing adopted a few years ago, and since then they have gained popularity all on their own with more than 3,700 Instagram followers (instagram.com/avaandtheprince). Now they're the stars of their own book "Ava and the Prince" (LongTale Publishing; $15.95; 32 pp.,). It published Oct. 1 for National Adopt-A-Rescue month and is available on Amazon. FAIRFIELD - Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer will speak at Sacred Heart University on Nov. 28 as part of its Distinguished Leaders Series. The talk will take place at 6:30 p.m. in SHUs Martire atrium. The public is invited and copies of Spicers book, The Briefing, will be available for sale. Spicer will sign purchased copies following his talk. The Distinguished Leaders Series features leaders from a variety of sectors who have made significant business and public service contributions. It is presented and hosted by SHU Trustee Katie Burke, who serves as senior strategist and global chief of staff at Edelman. In announcing the talk. SHU said in a release, Everybody knows Sean Spicer. At least polls show that they know his name and his trademark style behind the White House podium. But before the former White House press secretary made his mark as one of the most recognized staffers in the Trump administration, he built a decades-long career in Republican politics. This included witnessing and shaping the inner workings of Washington, D.C., from every vantage point as a House of Representatives communicator, assistant U.S. trade representative, chief strategist of the Republican National Committee, top adviser to presidential campaigns and, of course, White House spokesman. Few in Washington are as well-equipped as Spicer to pull back the curtain and dissect whats really happening in the nations capital. He is the founder and president of RigWil LLC, a strategic consulting firm that provides insights to C-suite corporate and association executives. Since leaving the White House, he has traveled the world addressing groups, corporations, forums, schools and associations as an exclusive speaker of the Worldwide Speakers Group. He is a council member of the Gerson Lehrman Group and served as a visiting fellow at Harvard Universitys Institute of Politics. His book, The Briefing, sheds light on the headline-grabbing Trump administrations first year as well as the 2016 campaign and his time in Washington. Spicer also serves as a commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and is currently assigned to the Joint Staff. A Rhode Island native and Connecticut College graduate, Spicer also holds a master's degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College. He has been active in a number of causes supporting veterans, adoption and cancer research. A husband and father of two, he resides in Virginia but remains a fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. SHELTON-For 89 years St. Josephs elementary school on Coram Avenue was a place of learning. However declining enrollment and mounting debt forced Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport to close the school in the spring of 2017. He consolidated St. Joseph, St. Jude and St. Lawrence schools into the Holy Trinity Catholic Academy on Shelton Street for the 2017-18 school year. Now its becoming a school again. The Echo Hose Ambulance Training Center is moving into the first floor of the school. A public open house will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 6. This is a good move for them, for the community and for the state, said John Anglace, president of the Board of Aldermen. They do a lot of good work and their leadership is excellent. There are a lot of community members we can thank for this, said Michael Chaffee, chief of the Echo Hose Ambulance Corps. We are going to do our best to give back. Chaffee said the site will be used for EMS and EMT training and refresher classes, Active Shooter and Hostile Event training as well as FEMA classes involving biological and hazardous materials and disaster preparation. We do a lot of training and re-training professionals throughout the Naugatuck Valley and the state, he said. Weve even had people from New York take our FEMA courses. During Saturdays open house, adults may take free classes teaching Hands Only CPR , bleeding control, Narcan administration or the Hidden in Plain Sight program instructing parents on signs of underage drinking and drug use. Members of BHCare, C.A.R.E.S, Valley Parish Nurses, Shelton Youth Service Bureau, Shelton Emergency Management and the Naugatuck Valley Health District will be available.. Well have classes available every month for the general public, Chaffee said adding that people can look for details and register on the Echo Hose Ambulance website and facebook pages. The new training center with a $15,000 grant from the Katharine Matthies Foundation and a generous donation of furniture and equipment from the R.D. Scinto Company. They helped us a lot with chairs, desks, tables and white boards, Chaffee said. He also credited Home Depot, Lowes and Walmart with providing much needed donations. Chaffee commended his department and Assistant Chief Joseph Laucella for helping with the move. The government on Monday superseded the existing board of debt-laden Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS) with six new board members. Apart from announcing Kotak Mahindra Bank MD Uday Kotak as Chairman of the board of cash-strapped infrastructure development and finance company, the government also nominated technocrats who have had varied experience in their careers. With old members out and new members in, we bring you the details on who will lead the turnaround at IL&FS. Uday Kotak Managing Director and CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank, Uday Kotak owns close to 30 per cent stake in the private lender. In 2016, Kotak was the sole Indian in Forbes' list of 40 of the most powerful people in the financial world. He headed the 21-member panel which was constituted by Securities Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on corporate governance reforms. The panel recommended limiting chairmanship to only non-executive directors and appointing at least one woman as independent director. Under Kotak's leadership, Kotak Mahindra Bank acquired ING Vysya Bank in 2014. Last year, Kotak sold a less than 1 per cent stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank for a whopping Rs 1,687 crore to comply with RBI's guidelines to cut promoter holding. Ghyanendra Nath Bajpai Former chairman of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), who went on to become chairman of capital market watchdog Sebi, Ghyanendra Nath Bajpai is known for his visionary leadership. Bajpai is a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Future General India Insurance Company Ltd. He was also the chairman of the Corporate Governance Task Force of International Organization of Securities Commissions, Insurance Institute of India and served on the governing boards of Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow and National Insurance Academy. Born in Kanpur in 1942, Bajpai joined the LIC in 1965 as assistant administrative officer. In September 2000, Bajpai became the chairman of LIC for a 25-month term. Malini Shankar Malini Shankar is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), currently posted as the Director General, Shipping. Shankar obtained her doctoral degree in Public Policy/ Institutional Economics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (India) and Management degree from the Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines. She also holds a Master's Degree in Chemistry from Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts, USA. She had her professional mid-career training at the IIAP (Institut Internationale d'Administration Publique), in Paris, France. Shankar has been a Director at Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd. She served as a Director of Maharashtra State Financial Corporation from June 18, 2007 to February 15, 2010. Vineet Nayyar Vineet Nayyar is the Executive Vice Chairman of Tech Mahindra. In a career spanning over 40 years, Nayyar has worked with the Government of India, international multilateral agencies and in the corporate sector (both public and private). He played a crucial role in integrating scam-hit Satyam with Tech Mahindra. He started his career with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and held a series of senior positions, including that of a District Magistrate, Secretary - Agriculture & Rural Development for the Government of Haryana and Director, Department of Economic Affairs, Government of India. Nayyar was also the founding Chairman and Managing Director of the state-owned Gas Authority of India and has served as the Managing Director of HCL Corporation Ltd., and as the Vice Chairman of HCL Technologies Ltd. He was also a co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of HCL Perot Systems. He received a master's degree in development economics from Williams College, Massachusetts. Nayyar was awarded the Ernst and Young 'Entrepreneur of the year [Manager]' for the year 2013. Nayyar also served two tenures with the World Bank holding diverse portfolios including Director of Oil and Gas Department and Chief of Energy operations for East Asia and from 1978 to 1986. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi Girish Chandra Chaturvedi is the non-executive chairman of ICICI Bank. He is also the chairman and member of Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority of India. Chaturvedi is a former Indian Administrative Services officer who retired in January 2013 as Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He has earlier served as Director (Government Nominee) on the Boards of Canara Bank, Bank of Baroda, IDBI Bank Ltd, IDFC Ltd, GIC Re of India, New India Assurance Co. Ltd, United India Insurance Co. Ltd, Agriculture Insurance Co. of India, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection and National Insurance Academy. Chaturvedi did his post-graduation in Physics at University of Allahabad. He also has an M.Sc. Social Policy and Planning in Developing Countries from London School of Economics. He has also served as chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority, Petronet LNG Ltd, Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd and Oil Industries Development Board. Nand Kishore Nand Kishore is a senior bureaucrat and former Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Kishore is a 1981 batch officer of Indian Audit and Account Service. Ronald McDonald House Houston held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 27, for the expansion of its original 50-bedroom facility, Holcombe House. Holcombe House provides a place for families to stay, a home away from home, while their children are being treated at the Texas Medical Center. The expansion project consisted of three phases: construction of a new 20 bedroom tower adjacent to the current Holcombe House, the renovation of the first floor of Holcombe House, and the renovation of the original 50 bedrooms. Renovations also included updates to all infrastructure, including HVAC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, an additional area dedicated to serving meals for families and their guests, updates to the kitchen, and new walk-in showers with wheelchair accessibility. A MEGA HEALTH SYSTEM: Memorial Hermann to merge with Baylor Scott & White I have been a member of a lot of teams, and I can say with my heart that I have never been as proud of a team as our team at Ronald McDonald House Houston, Richard Noriega, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Houston, said during the ceremony. Our team and staff never lost sight of our mission, and we never stopped serving the children and their families. State Representative Sarah Davis, a cancer survivor who received treatment in the Texas Medical Center, also gave remarks during the ribbon cutting ceremony. I am a cancer survivor myself, and I had the good fortune of living close to MD Anderson, Davis said. While getting radiation, Davis remembered speaking to women and families who were traveling to the Texas Medical Center from all over the country. FIGHTING CANCER: Houston doctor wins Nobel Prize They had to travel all that way to receive treatment, and then travel all the way home, feeling quite miserable, whereas my husband would drive me the 10 minutes home. I am so grateful for what Ronald McDonald has done for these families, because, when you are dealing with any diagnosis, the last thing you should be worried about is where you are going to sleep and how you are going to feed your family, Davis said. Lesha Elsenbrook, board president and capital campaign chair, noted that there was a $24.5 million goal for the expansion project, and they were able to raise all of it thanks to donors, totaling $24,946,400.63. This journey started four years ago, and a little over a year ago we were turning dirt outside, Elsenbrook said. As you remember, we wanted to do a phased approach. We didnt know how that would go. Thankfully, thanks to the efforts of everyone in this room, it all came together seamlessly, and here we are. That is amazing. I am thrilled. Elsenbrook noted that the Holcombe House stayed open throughout the entire construction and renovation process, and thanked the construction team for being able make that happen. 'AN EXTRAORDINARY LADY': Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center founder honored Its all about the families. Everything we do is for the families, Elsenbrook said. The Munoz family, consisting of mom Nora, dad Gabriel, and children Brice (age 14) and Nadia (age 11), spoke about their experiences at the Ronald McDonald House Houston. Both children were diagnosed with Glycogen storage disease type 4, which is a disorder caused by the buildup of a complex sugar called glycogen in the body's cells. The best word for me to describe the Ronald McDonald House is home, Nora Munoz said. Munoz continued, We were able to enjoy home cooked dinners here together, and not a day went by when the staff asked us, by name, how our kids were doing. We will forever be grateful. We had such an amazing experience here. Holcombe House is located in the Texas Medical Center at 1907 Holcombe Blvd, Houston. For more information, visit www.rmhhouston.org. The Permian Basin will need $310 billion over the next five years in order to continue to grow and potentially add 3 million barrels of oil production by 2023. The investments would fund the drilling and completion of up to 41,000 new oil wells in the West Texas region, according to a new report by the consulting firm Arthur D. Little. Russias oil production rose to a post-Soviet high last month as the country completely rolled back the output cuts it had agreed on with OPEC, then pumped some more. The country produced a record 11.356 million barrels of oil and condensate a day in September, according to data released Tuesday by the Energy Ministrys CDU-TEK statistical unit. Thats an increase of almost 150,000 barrels a day from August and follows Russias June agreement with OPEC to boost supplies amid climbing prices. OPEC itself raised output by 30,000 barrels a day last month as deepening losses in Iran were countered by other members, a Bloomberg survey showed. RELATED: Russia oil production jumps to new post-Soviet record Russias production exceeded the previous high of 11.247 million barrels a day reached two years ago. That shows the country has completely erased its 300,000-barrel-a-day cut agreed on with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries in 2016, and has added over 100,000 barrels a day more. No surprise about Russias growth in capacities during the cutback, as investment continued apace, and so did upstream activity, said Matthew Sagers, managing director of Russian and Caspian energy research at IHS Inc. This has created an overhang that will be further tapped in 2019. The nations production next year may increase by an average of 300,000 barrels a day, excluding seasonal factors, according to Sagers. TOUR: Putin touts Russian investments during Azerbaijan visit Energy Minister Alexander Novak said last month that the country had spare capacity to add more barrels if needed -- a few hundred thousand barrels -- yet a specific amount would depend on the market. Rosneft, Sakhalin-1 Among Russias top producers, state-run Rosneft PJSC and the Sakhalin-1 project, led by Exxon Mobil Corp., were key drivers of Septembers output boost, according to Bloomberg calculations based on the CDU-TEK data. Smaller companies also contributed, as other majors including Lukoil PJSC, Gazprom Neft PJSC and Surgutneftegas PJSC held output steady or even reduced supply. Rising output from Russia -- and from OPEC partner Saudi Arabia -- hasnt stopped oil prices from surging to an almost four-year high as losses from Iran boost supply concerns even before U.S. sanctions take effect in November. Brent crude rallied almost 10 percent in the past month, topping $85 a barrel on Monday for the first time since October 2014. Novak is set to meet his Saudi counterpart Khalid Al-Falih in Moscow this week during an energy conference. The pair will meet after King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia had a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at the weekend on maintaining stable oil supplies. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. 3 1 of 3 LNG Ltd. / LNG Ltd. Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Mark M. Hancock, Staff Photojournalist / The Beaumont Enterprise Show More Show Less 3 of 3 WASHINGTON - Over the first half of 2018 U.S. net natural gas exports more than doubled, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The gains came with the expansion of domestic LNG facilities, which averaged exports of 2.72 billion cubic feet per day from January to June of this year. Bear Creek Elementary School is celebrating its 40th anniversary this November and even though Dr. Lorena Zertuche has only been the head Cougar for five years, shes in her element as she walks the hallways of the campus. The 43-year-old principal and naturalized United States citizen boasts when she talks about the resilience her staff and students experienced when Hurricane Harvey came barreling down last August and nearly took away everything they owned. Looking back as the school prepares its anniversary, the mother of two doesnt consider what shes done for her community as anything more than her job. God only gives us what he knows we can handle, Zertuche said. You just do what you have to do. You get the energy, the courage and whatever else it takes to do the things youve never done before, or youve never had to do or never thought you needed to, but it comes from a place of servant leadership. Im here to serve. Zertuche, a Latina who was born in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, took it upon herself to be the campus protector, making and receiving phone calls throughout the night, ensuring supplies made it to the families that needed them the most and coordinating with local law enforcement when sewage leaked into the neighborhood drinking water. Bear Creek Elementary School, which has roughly 671 students, is in the Bear Creek Village in North West Houston and backs up in the Addicks Reservoir. We didnt actually flood because of the 51 inches that fell, Zertuche said, recalling the event. Thats when the waters came. A lot of people had evacuated but a lot of people had not While the school itself didnt flood, Harvey flooded the houses of 70 percent of her students, some having to be rescued from the second story of their homes. During the flood event, the Katy Independent School District closed for two weeks, but Bear Creek Elementary remained closed for far longer and served as a temporary community hub and carport for neighbors who needed basic necessities, such as clean clothes, toiletries and food. Zertuche became the communication liaison for the community during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, coordinating with cleanup crews and assisting with supplies delivery, ensuring that donations to an Amazon Wishlist her librarian setup were making it the school. Before long, she was receiving packages from all over the world, including as far as Japan. While the sewage situation was being sorted out, hundreds of tiny bodies were scurrying onto twelve buses and being transported to Paetow High School at 23111 Stockdick Road from Bear Creek Elementary at 4815 Hickory Downs where on good days - not on flood days- it would take 25 minutes down Clay Road to arrive. For two weeks, we had arrival at Bear Creek and arrival at Paetow High School, Zertuche said. They were a new high school last year, so they had an entire wing empty. That was quite an experience. Our kids here now boast, I went to high school. The children made the most of it, she said, adding that when given the opportunity they positively interacted with the high school students. At the very least, it was a chance for them to go to school and forget for a moment what many of them might have lost during the worst storm our city has seen in their lifetimes, she said. We have a lot of people with PTSD walking around on days like this when its thundering, stormy and rainy and theyre like, Its going to be OK, right? and Im like, Yes, its going to be OK. Were nice and dry here on the inside, Zertuche said. Who in Houston wasnt affected by Harvey? Zertuche, whos been married for 12 years, is the fifth principal of the 40-year-old campus. She attended Peabody College at Vanderbilt University and received her Masters from Columbia University in New York City. She eventually went back to school at the behest of her professors and attained her doctorate from Baylor University to become an administrator. The Harvey experience, while a traumatic event for everyone, solidified the relationships within the community and brought people closer, Zertuche said. Its a good thing when we work together, she said. Its much better that way. It takes a village. Bear Creek is predominantly Hispanic with 73 percent of the population economically disadvantaged, according to a 2015-2016 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) by the Texas Education Agency. The Latino population at the school, much like at the district, is steadily growing, Zertuche said. About 480 students at the school are Hispanic, 84 are Black/African American and 96 students are White, according to demographics provided by the district. The 40-year celebration takes place Nov. 9 and 10. The goal of dredging the San Jacinto Rivers West Fork is to return it to its flow and holding capacity to its levels pre-Hurricane Harvey, whose rainwater carried large amounts of sedimentation downstream and deposited it in areas of the West Fork and Lake Houston. A big question on the minds of Lake Houston area officials and stakeholders is how to bring about more longterm flood remediation for Lake Houston communities. There are a lot of different moving parts of this, said Mark Mitchell, president of the Lake Houston Area Economic Development Partnership. With the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging project underway, as well as the passage of the Harris County Flood Control Districts $2.5 billion flood bond, remediation efforts do continue to move forward. Numerous entities are collaborating to formulate and implement remediation strategies. Some of these strategies are already in motion, while others are still nebulous concepts. Working together The Harvey Recovery Task Force, headed-up by the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, is a partnership of local stakeholders that meets regularly to push for Lake Houston area flood mitigation. BIG MONEY: Multi-billion dollar water plant will extract millions of gallons of safe drinking water The group has been meeting regularly for the past several months and thats included the Army Corps, Harris County Flood Control, the San Jacinto River Authority, Harris County, several different corporations and the neighborhood groups that are actively involved in the mitigation and remediation and most importantly education, Mitchell said. An example of the education outreach initiatives is the Lake Houston Chambers campaign encouraging area residents to vote in the flood bond election. Community residents, such as Bill Fowler, who co-chairs the Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative, point to the disparity of voting results between Harris County as a whole, and the Kingwood area. Total county, 85 percent voted for the bond, but only about 7 percent of the eligible voters came out to vote. Kingwood had 89 percent approval with 17 percent voting. The good thing is we had about three times the average of the county in Kingwood, Fowler said. Mitchell said that the areas heightened voting results was the intention of the voting campaign and that the level of community investment can be used as leverage going forward with potential projects included within the bond referendum. WATER BILL HIKES: Harris county residents could face higher rates What were trying to do now is to get as much debris out of Lake Houston and the East and West Forks as we can afford based on both the bond referendum and then how we can leverage those bond funds up into additional state or federal funds, Mitchell said. The question is what really happens from a maintenance perspective after that. Post-dredging The Harris County Flood Control District, SJRA and Montgomery County have partnered to conduct an intensive investigation of the entire San Jacinto River Watershed to identify areas of high priority that need to be addressed in the immediate future. The results will be used to formulate strategies on how best to respond to the mitigation and remediation needs not just for the Lake Houston area, but the entire San Jacinto Watershed, according to Mitchell. That commissioned investigation is actually going to be moving forward probably within the next 30 to 45 days, Mitchell said. Additional concerns Bob Rehak, Kingwood community leader, began his presentation during a Lake Houston Area Grassroots Flood Prevention Initiative in September, by emphasizing that excessive sedimentation can worsen flooding. BUSINESS RECOVERY: Lake Houston businesses assessed in post-storm survey It blocks rivers and ditches, Rehak said. It constricts or slows the flow of water. It reduces the through-put, meaning the water lingers longer in the area, and it forces water up and out of the river faster and further. Rehak expressed his concern about a massive sand bar at the mouth of the river, where the West Fork meets Lake Houston. At the deepest points in one of the cross sections, the channel is 5 feet deep. The depth is very, very shallow, Rehak said. Rehak said that the river depth before the sand starts to elevate towards the sand bar is about 40 feet below the level of the lake. As you go towards that mouth bar, the sediment of the river starts to elevate and eventually reaches about 5 feet above the water. Water has to go uphill water doesnt flow uphill very well. So, what we have here is a dam thats going to be left at the mouth of the river, Rehak said. FLOOD BOND PROJECTS: What is being done first in Houston Rehak said this mouth bar would have significant impacts to people that flooded. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is funding the Army Corps emergency dredging project. However, Rehak explained, FEMA will only fund dredging to return the river to its condition immediately before Harvey. Due to the presence of a tree on the mouth bar, FEMA determined that dredging the mouth bar would be dredging beyond the identified scope of the project. You can only spend FEMA money on remediation for things that happened during Harvey, Rehak said. This tree could cost $18 million. Mobilization and demobilization costs for this (emergency dredging) project are 25 percent of the total costs (which comes to) $18 million. If we finish Phase I of this dredging without coming up with a plan to get the rest of this mouth bar, all that equipment is going to leave this river and were going to have to mobilize and demobilize a second time and well lose that $18 million. Removing the mouth bar The solution, Rehak said, is to organize a new mouth bar project, or an add-on project by April 1, 2019, which is when the Phase I dredging is projected to be completed. BACK TO BASICS: Harris County to begin work on new floodplain maps Right now, were exploring federal, state, county and local partnerships, Rehak said. A factor being considered for long-term remediation is the source of the sand and sedimentation being deposited in the West Fork and Lake Houston. There is ongoing conjecture about where the bulk of sand is coming from. Some of the main theories are sand mining operations and upstream creeks. No one knows right now how much sand came from where, Mitchell said. What needs to be done now is an investigation to figure out where everything came from and then we can start assigning entities to have dialogues with and then start pushing forward on those short- and long-term remediation opportunities. mfeuk@hcnonline.com Some say Tracey Crouch is the first minister to tackle the problem of loneliness. Crouch was appointed Minister for Loneliness in Great Britain this year. She may be a perfect fit. Even with a network of friends and family, after giving birth to her first child she felt cut off from the world. And after joining Parliament she described that time as a very lonely place. Prime Minister Theresa May appointed her due to a report a year earlier which revealed that more than 9 million people in Britain around 14 percent of the population often or always feel lonely. America might need a Minister for Loneliness too. Vivek Murthy, former Surgeon General of the United States, wrote that Loneliness is a growing health epidemic rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s over 40 percent of adults in America report feeling lonely. Ever need a Minister for Loneliness? I have. You can be lonely even when you are not alone. Youve had moments where you felt that no one understood you. No one listened deeply. Like Tracey Crouch you may have had a relational network but still felt cut off from the world. Loneliness does not discriminate. The rich, poor, male, female, old and young can feel its sting. The Apostle Paul may have some help for us. Paul may not have intended to be a Minister for Loneliness, but he was one. Everywhere he went he built relationships. He did not minister alone. Reading through his writings is like taking a trip through Pauls book of friends. It may not have always been like that for Paul. He had been changed by Jesus from a person bent on killing people to one that kept collecting people. In Colossians alone he mentions 12 people. Paul tells us something about the gospel: its always relational. And, unlike what some would teach today concerning how to grow a church, Paul did not adhere to the homogenous principle. You can have a network of friends who are diverse. Heres a quick view of some of his Colossian list: A slave: Onesimus. His name means useful one. He, too, is helping deliver the letter. We know from Philemon he was a runaway slave. Paul had connected with him in prison and is now sending someone who was useless to Philemon back as someone useful. A doctor: Luke is called the dearly beloved physician. When you add the Gospel of Luke and Acts he becomes one of the most significant voices in the early church period. A homeowner: Paul then sends greetings to the church in Laodicea, especially the church that met in Nymphas house. She may have been instrumental in the teaching and leadership of the house church, too. But we do know at the least offering hospitality in your home aided the spread of the gospel. If all you have to offer is your home, it is something God can use in a great way. A deserter: Demas. There is no description concerning his role in ministry with Paul or his friendship. In 2 Timothy 4:10 written maybe three to four years after Colossians Paul writes: Demas has deserted me, since he loved this present world, and has gone to Thessalonica. Can you hear the heartbreak in Paul? The disappointment? Maybe even the frustration? If so, you can relate, cant you? Youve had people desert you. Like Paul, youve had people who have traveled alongside you in life. People who have ministered side by side with you in church. People who youve shared your heart with. And then they leave. They desert you. They abandon you. They forsake you. Thats what the word means. And more than the meaning you know the feeling, dont you? Its often a struggle to know what to say when people leave. Paul helps us. He says nothing. No description. No false praise. Its like being at a dinner party and the name Demas comes up and Paul just looks at you without any response. Silence speaks loudly. He does say in 2 Timothy that Demas deserted him because he loves the present world. This is not true for all cases, but in many cases, when someone deserts you and the ministry of the particular church you are a part of, it may be that they love the present world more than the kingdom world. Instead of staying and growing, they find a reason to leave and go. We have all experienced a Demas or two in our lifetime. And when you do you experience loneliness. But when loneliness hits, dont let it win. Paul kept moving forward with those who stayed with him. His highest value was faithful fellowship in Christ. Be true to those who claim to be part of the fellowship with you. Find others who have learned to be faithful to Christ and they will be faithful to you as a friend. Paul ends Colossians with a simple blessing: Grace be with you. Grace sums up his message. Grace is not about Jesus plus anything else. Grace is about Jesus. Period. rickbrown1Life2Love.com The Bellaire City Council weighed sidewalk projects at recent meetings as residents crowded city hall to express concerns. At the Sept. 17 meeting, council approved building sidewalks on several streets on the inside of Loop 610 near Horn Elementary, amending the Bonds for Better Bellaire 2016 Group D, Phase 1 measure to exclude streets outside the Loop near Bellaire High School in order to revisit the need for sidewalks there once the high schools planned parking garage is built. The sidewalks approved include the blocks of 4600 Oleander, 4600 Laurel, 4500 Verone and 4500 and 4600 Holly streets. The 4500 block of Teas Street was also approved, but following a petition from residents, city council plans to take a second look at the matter at its Oct. 1 meeting. Mayor Andrew Friedberg addressed the council and residents early in the Sept. 17 meeting to point out how much of the citys time has recently been put toward sidewalks and suggested that council step back and address larger scale questions before making decisions on sidewalks. We havent answered the big-picture policy questions that are necessary to address before considering specific projects. Like how new sidewalk locations should be selected, or deselected, Friedberg said. Why some streets would be prioritized over others, and perhaps identifying which streets should simply be left alone because they arent good candidates for the introduction of new sidewalks to begin with, for any variety of reasons. After hours of comments from residents, the amended Group D, Phase 1 measure passed with Friedberg in dissent. Concerned Bellaire citizens came out again Sept. 24 to share their thoughts about Group D, Phase 2 projects. Most spoke in opposition to the plan. Resident Jane McNeel said she was concerned about the effects of laying more concrete down in a city where many homes flooded just a year ago during Hurricane Harvey. More Information e See More Collapse One expert says it wont [impact flooding]. Another says it will. Personally, I think covering permeable areas with concrete will cause problems, and we really dont need this rancor and divisiveness right now, she said. A realtor, McNeel said property values in Bellaire have dropped by about $29 per square foot from June through August, as compared with the same period last year, which she said cuts deep into homeowners wallets. Some residents spoke in support of getting sidewalks on their streets. Resident Jennifer Cross said some people in Bellaire did not want sidewalks at all even though she said they are a critical part of public safety. Make no mistake there are some residents who do not want any more sidewalks in this city under any circumstances. You cannot allay their concerns or pause to develop a nuanced plan because that is simply kicking the can down the road, and their end goal is no sidewalks. Period, Cross said. This position isnt tenable with a large and growing child population, being in the middle of the third largest city in the United States. Sidewalks are an essential feature of public safety. Resident Mike Jacobs said he was putting together a petition to call for a special election for an initiative that would reject plans for stand-alone sidewalks, allow residents to vote on putting sidewalks on their blocks and create a requirement that the city provide detailed design plans to residents for each block of sidewalks proposed. When I look at this situation, I kind of see two doors: one door, we take a pause, we think about what the mayor has said and follow his guidance. Everybody makes mistake, Jacobs said. Door two, yall dont take a pause, and we as citizens take that choice away from you, and we put the pause in place for you. Council meeting and conversations through websites like Nextdoor have grown heated in recent weeks over sidewalks, and resident Charles Bearden urged people to treat each other with dignity, especially for the betterment of the community. Citizens are obligated to treat one another, even those they disagree with, in ways that preserve the cohesion and trust that enables a community to thrive, Bearden said. Council approved several streets of the Group D, Phase 2 sidewalk projects, citing that they had received little or no opposition, including the blocks of 5100 Huisache, 5200 Linden, 4800 and 4900 Chestnut, 4800 and 4900 Cedar, 5000 through 5200 Locust and 6800 through 7000 of South Third streets. Friedberg and Council Member David Montague voted in dissent. At the Oct. 1 meeting, council will revisit the 4500 block of Teas Street and also look at the current requirement for new residential development to install sidewalks. tracy.maness@hcnonline.com Sept. 21 An officer was dispatched to the 2300 block of Shakespeare to meet with a Precinct 1 Deputy to take custody of a subject with outstanding West University Place warrants. The prisoner was transported to the West University Jail facility and booked without incident. At 2:38 p.m., an Officer was dispatched to the 2800 block of Lafayette, in reference to an Identity Theft, which had already occurred. Sept. 22 Officers were dispatched to a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle that already occurred in the 2600 block of Pittsburg Street. Sept. 23 At 1:13 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6600 block of Buffalo Speedway at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver (Derric Roberson) was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute and the front seat passenger was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. An officer was flagged down in the 3800 block of University in regards to a burglary of habitation that already occurred. An Officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 5600 block of Buffalo Speedway without its tail lights illuminated. A traffic stop was initiated and upon further investigation, the front passenger was in possession of marijuana and subsequently enrolled into the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program (MMDP). Both occupants were released from the scene without incident. Sept. 24 At 1:20 p.m., an officer was flagged down in the 2600 block of Wroxton in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred An officer was dispatched to the 2600 block of Bissonnet in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. Sept. 26 An officer observed a vehicle traveling southbound in the 6600 block of Buffalo Speedway with expired registration. A traffic stop was initiated and upon further investigation, the driver was arrested for multiple warrants with the City of Houston. Sept. 27 At 9:14 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 4200 block of Case for a report of a disturbance that already occurred. Sept. 28 An officer observed a vehicle traveling in the 4100 block of Bissonnet with a defective head lamp. A traffic stop was conducted, the driver displayed several signs of intoxication. The driver of the vehicle was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and the passenger of the vehicle being taken into custody for public intoxication. The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerces Governmental Relations Division will host a presentation on Public Education and Property Taxes on Monday, Oct. 8, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, 445 Commerce Green Blvd., Sugar Land. Guest speaker Mike Collier started his career at Exxon, but then moved to PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He served in the audit practice for 10 years, eventually becoming a top aide to the PwC World chairman. Most recently, he served in Houston as a PriceWaterhouseCoopers partner for 10 years before he retired. He is running for lieutenant governor this fall on the Democratic Party ticket. The appointment of India-born Gita Gopinath as IMF Chief Economist has inspired scores of Indians. Gopinath is the first woman to be appointed as head of IMF's research department, which publishes one of the world's most-anticipated document - World Economic Outlook. She is also the second Indian after former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan to hold the position. Gopinath, who hails from Kerala's Kannur district, grew up in Mysore and went on to study at Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR). She later studied at the Delhi School of Economics where she met her future husband Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal. "When you're growing up in India, everybody expects you to become a doctor or an engineer and not exactly an economist" Gopinath had earlier told The Harvard Gazette in an interview. At Delhi University, Gopinath chose economics to prepare for IAS. However, she later discovered that she had 'absolutely zero administrative skills'. "I was more of a geek, and better with my books than anything else," she had said. While her future husband topped the IAS exam in 1996, Gopinath, who had opted for further studies in the US, finished her second Masters degree in Economics from University of Washington. In 2001, She completed her Ph.D. in Economics from Princeton University, where economist Ken Rogoff and former chair of the US Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke were among her mentors. Gopinath's specialisation is in international macroeconomics and trade. After the studies got over, Gopinath began working as Assistant Professor of Economics at University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business. She then moved to Harvard where she is currently the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and of Economics. Gopinath is the third woman and the first Indian after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to become a tenured professor at Harvard's Department of Economics. While she was appointed as Financial Advisor to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2016, Gopinath had earlier served as a member of the Eminent Persons Advisory Group on G-20 Matters for India's Ministry of Finance. An advocate neo-liberal economics, her selection as advisor to Kerala CM created quite a stir as many members of Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed her views. In 2014, she was named one of the top 25 economists under 45 by the IMF and was chosen as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2011. Gita is also the co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics program at the National Bureau of Economic Research. She is also a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and a member of the economic advisory panel of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Besides, she is the co-editor of American Economic Review. In 2018, she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Gopinath has published papers on exchange rates, world currencies, sovereign debt, among others. The 46-year-old was born to TV Gopinath, a farmer and entrepreneur, and VC Vijayalakshmi. Her husband, Iqbal Dhaliwal, is the executive director at Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MAYPORT, Fla. - A 2002 Willowridge High School graduate and Houston native is one of 1,200 sailors who recently returned to Naval Station Mayport after a six-month deployment aboard USS Iwo Jima. Petty Officer 1st Class Erwin Autry is a Navy aviation ordnanceman aboard the Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, who recently deployed to the Middle East and Mediterranean areas of operation. For more than half of the sailors aboard Iwo Jima, the six-month journey served as their first deployment, according to Navy officials. A Navy aviation ordnanceman is responsible for maintaining ordnance and ammunition for the mission. You have to have that trust when dealing with ordnance," Autry said. Trust in yourself and those you work with. Autry credits success in the Navy to many of the lessons learned in Houston. Growing up in Houston taught me to treat others the way you would like to be treated, Autry said. Iwo Jima made port calls in Haifa, Israel; Limassol, Cyprus; Aqaba, Jordan, and Malaga, Spain. The visits helped grow the strong alliance between the U.S. and its partner nations as well as providing an opportunity for the crew to experience cultures from around the world, according to Navy officials. Deployed since Feb. 7 as part of an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), the ship participated in exercises Juniper Cobra and Eager Lion. It also hosted a 10-day embarkation of Egyptian naval officers to discuss concepts of amphibious naval operations and strengthen partner nation capabilities. "This deployment was the most high-tempo one Ive experienced in my 25-year naval career, said Capt. Joseph OBrien, Iwo Jimas commanding officer. The entire Navy and Marine Corps team performed extraordinarily well in an incredibly dynamic environment throughout deployment. The sailors and Marines working on equipment, launching aircraft on the flight deck, conducting amphibious operations, navigating the ship and standing watch down in the plant were all at the absolute top of their game. This is an amazing group of sailors and Marines, and I am honored to serve with them. Though there are many ways for a sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Autry is most proud of completing the recent deployment. As a member of one of the U.S. Navys most relied upon assets, Autry and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs. Being in the Navy means providing safety for my family, Autry said. So many people live without thinking about the sacrifices service members make so they can be safe. Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman recently honored resident Charlene Pate for her role in the development of the Fort Bend Childrens Discovery Center in Sugar Land. Over the last 29 years, Pate worked as member of the Board of Directors at Childrens Museum of Houston. Eventually, she served on the Museums Executive Committee as the Vice President of Special Initiatives where she ultimately became instrumental in establishing the Fort Bend Childrens Discovery Center in Sugar Land. Youre a truly extraordinary lady and to be that dedicated to children and to put that much of your heart and your life into this work, clearly you had to love doing it, Mayor Zimmerman said during a proclamation award ceremony held at the Sept. 18 Sugar Land City Council meeting. Youve clearly done well not only by your community service but also by your family. In addition to volunteering her time and support, Pate and her family donated almost $1 million to support the Childrens Museum of Houston and the Fort Bend Childrens Discovery Center over the years. In addition, Pate helped raise over $4.6 million in donations for the Discovery Centers Capital Campaign over the years. The reason I am so into childrens education is because my parents had to drop out of school in the eighth grade to help with their families finances. And, my husbands parents couldnt read or write. That spurred both of us to think education has got to be the way, Pate said. My goal is to somehow get every child that would never be able to come to the childrens museum, find a way to get them here. The way we do that is we are working with 90 family-service organizations in Fort Bend County, and they give passes to families for kids to come free. These are the kids that tug at my heart and I know they would benefit. More than 250,000 children and families have visited the Fort Bend Childrens Discovery Center since it opened as a summer satellite program in 2007. For more information, visit www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the case of a Houston-area death row inmate convicted in a 1995 double-murder. Despite claims of a low IQ and brain damage, Paul Wayne Slater could now be eligible for a death date for the decades-old slayings committed during a drug-deal gone wrong. The court's refusal to review Slater's appeal "really sucks," said his current attorney, Randy Schaffer. In July 1995, Slater was scheduled to meet up with three men to sell them crack, according to court filings. Would-be buyers Eric Washington, Roddrick Martin and Glenn Andrews showed up with $3,000 on hand for the exchange. Then two men pulled up in a Cadillac and at some point Slater fatally shot Martin and Andrews in the bay of a Houston car wash, according to court records. Washington fled. A month later, police tracked down the blood-soaked car. A few weeks after that, Slater confessed - though he said it was self-defense, according to court records. ANOTHER SHOT: Higher court greenlights Houston death row inmate's appeal He was sentenced to death in 1996, after his trial lawyer failed to request a jury instruction on murder as a lesser-included offense - a move that would have allowed for a self-defense claim. In the years since his conviction, Slater has also lodged appeals blaming his trial counsel for failing to bring up claims of brain damage and learning disabilities. "This case today, they would never seek the death penalty," Schaffer said in January, after his client was turned down in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. "I think the death penalty was probably sought in this case because it was a time when they were seeking the death penalty just for sport." Texas has executed 10 men so far this year, more than any other state. There are eight more death dates on the calendar in the coming months, including that of Houston-area cop-killer Robert Jennings. The Harris County deputy's husband charged with murder in the choking death of a man at a Crosby diner was kicked out of the Navy for drug use, according to court records. Terry Thompson, who is set to go to trial in the case for a second time later this month, was given a "less than honorable discharge" for felony drug use during a nine-month stint in the service, according to documents filed Monday by the Harris County District Attorney's Office. The new filings outline a series of prior convictions and other alleged bad behavior that the state could bring up in the Oct. 18 trial, including allegations of a psychiatric history, anger problems and that he hit minor family members. But Thompson's defense attorney, Scot Courtney, pushed back, framing the notice as an effort by prosecutors to influence the potential jury pool. "It's ridiculous that they're filing it," he said. "If they wanted to simply give me notice of it they could have done that by private email, but they chose to put it in the public realm two weeks before trial." READ MORE: Prosecutors to retry Terry Thompson in Houston diner choking case The 42-year-old railroad worker is accused of choking to death John Hernandez after a 15-minute struggle in May 2017 outside a Denny's in the northeastern part of the county. The case drew national attention after Thompson and his wife, former sheriff's deputy Chauna Thompson, were caught on camera holding down the 24-year-old, who died days later in the hospital. The 53-second video spurred protests downtown, but when prosecutors brought the case to court it ended in a mistrial earlier this year with 11 jurors voting not guilty on the murder charge. Prosecutors quickly announced plans to retry the case, and this week's court filing shows they're lining up possible new information for the courtroom this time around. Nearly two decades before the altercation in Crosby, Thompson was booted from the U.S. Navy after his commanding officer deemed him "either incapable or simply unwilling" to adhere to rules, according to information included in Monday's filing by prosecutors. SEEKING JUSTICE: John Hernandez supporters feel white privilege played into choking death mistrial That's why, in March 2001 -- nine months into his four-year enlistment -- Thompson was given a less than honorable discharge, for wrongful use of a controlled substance. Court papers don't specify what substance he's accused of using. The filing also details a slew of other allegations and incidents, including obscene disputes and child abuse. In 1993, Thompson netted a deferred adjudication from a felony burglary of a motor vehicle charge, though he was later sent to jail for violating the terms of his probation, according to court records. A little over a decade later, CPS investigated claims he'd hit a 5-year-old with his hand and a belt. Then in 2009, he allegedly got into a verbal fight with a neighbor, cursing at him until the man called police, according to the new filing. READ MORE: Deputy's husband accused of murder has criminal history, anger problems, court records show Five years after that, prosecutors say, he assaulted a family member by hitting the same child with a belt, throwing him up against a wall and grabbing him by the neck. It's not clear whether that netted an arrest or any other legal fallout, but there's no indication of any charges filed in district clerk records. A couple of weeks after that, he allegedly threw a laundry basket at the boy, and days later police said he resisted arrest in another incident, though it's not clear what led to the officers' involvement. In 2016, prosecutors say that he hit an 11-year-old in the eye though, again, it's not clear whether that netted legal fallout. Most of the alleged offenses do not appear to have ended up in court. For two pages, the filing outlines a slew of allegations and claims of bad behavior, including claims of drug use and anger problems outlined in family court filings, as previously reported in the Chronicle. Prosecutors are required to notify the defense of any prior bad acts that they may try to bring up in court, whether or not they actually end up mentioning the material in the courtroom. Last time around, Courtney said, the defense didn't receive any similar notices of intent to bring in the unadjudicated offenses or Navy discharge information. And, he predicted that some of it would be inadmissible. "I see no reason to do this other than trying to sway the jury pool two weeks before trial," he said. The district attorney's office did not immediately offer comment, and it's not clear why they didn't bring up the information last time around. Facebook is being sued by a Houston woman who says the social media giants morally bankrupt corporate culture left her prey to a predatory pimp who drew her into sex trafficking as a child. The civil lawsuit filed Monday in Harris County court accused Facebook of providing an unrestricted platform that allows sex traffickers to stalk, exploit, recruit, groom and extort children into the sex trade. For over a decade Facebook has been providing predators unrestricted platform to prey on victims, said attorney Annie McAdams, whose firm has filed a number of suits seeking to hold businesses accountable for their roles in promoting, facilitating or silently permitting sex traffickers to recruit victims. Profiting from connecting people requires you to protect those with whom you connect. She said the legal action is one of several she plans to file in the coming weeks around the U.S., but the Houston-based firm wanted the first case to be filed locally because this city has been profoundly impacted by human trafficking. A Facebook spokesperson said human trafficking is not permitted on the site and staffers report all instances they're informed about to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The suit, seeking monetary damages in excess of $10,000, also targets four employees and the company Backpage, an online advertising site that was shuttered after an FBI raid on allegations it promoted prostitution, and a hotel in southwest Houston, where sexual encounters with customers allegedly occurred. The former trafficking victim, using the pseudonym Jane Doe, says a friend of a Facebook friend reached out to her in 2012 when she was 16, complimenting her looks in posted images and offering to help her launch a modeling career. When the girl mentioned on Facebook shed had a conflict with her mother, the recruiter suggested she could make enough money as a model to pay for her own apartment. He offered to pick her up and console her, according to the complaint. Jane Doe says in court documents that the trafficker photographed her and posted the images online, and she was then raped, beaten and forced into sex trafficking. The recruiter compelled the girl to perform sex acts for customers at Americas Inn in the 8200 block of Southwest Freeway, according to court documents. The lawsuit cites a 2014 statistic from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which attributed the 836 percent increase in suspected child sex trafficking between 2010 and 2014 to increased use of the internet to sell children for sex. gabrielle.banks@chron.com twitter.com/gabmobanks The sister of a Houston man accused of killing an employee at a Bellaire pizzeria in 2016 is expected to point the finger at her brother, prosecutors said Tuesday. The revelation surfaced in opening statements of the capital murder trial of Kiara Taylor, a 29-year-old accused of gunning down 19-year-old Peter Mielke during an armed robbery of Reginelli's Pizzeria on Bissonnet in Bellaire. The day before, her brother the defendant asked her to buy the gun, Assistant Harris County District Attorney Chandler Raine told jurors. He said the sister, Tarrell Taylor, called police after the shooting and said she recognized the masked man who appears on security video from the pizzeria that was publicized after the shooting. The prosecutors also said she was worried that the gun she bought would be traced back to her, implicating her in the capital murder. If she bought the gun specifically for her brother, who was a convicted felon, she could face charges. She also said her brother confessed to her. In her call to police, played outside the presence of the jurors during pretrial motions, Tarrell Taylor can be heard telling police she knew it was her brother because of the way he walked, the way he moved in the video. After seeing the video, she confronted her brother who initially denied his involvement, then admitted it, she told authorities. Mielke was shot 15 times and died almost instantly on Feb. 21, 2016, prosecutors said Tuesday. Security footage allegedly showed Kiara Taylor entering the pizza shop a few minutes before closing time, demanding money from Mielke, who did not have access to the register. Taylor is accused of shooting him multiple times and leaving. Then, surveillance footage apparently shows Taylor coming back inside Reginellis, firing additional shots at the employee, and leaving. Defense attorney Rudy Duarte, who is representing Taylor with attorney Allen Tanner, told jurors that the video is murky, that Taylors sister had motivation to lie about who the gunman is and that the forensic evidence is not conclusive. I expect that you are going to see evidence of a tragic shooting, Duarte told jurors. I anticipate youll see some murky images. The trial, in state District Judge Michael McSpaddens court, is expected to last through the week. If convicted of capital murder, Taylor automatically would be sentenced to life in prison. Brian Rogers covers Houston crime and courts. You can email him at brian.rogers@chron.com and follow him on Twitter at @brianjrogers. Blue Door Coffee set to open Employees of Waterway Square will soon have a breakfast place to munch on pastries and sip specialty coffees when Blue Door Coffee opens later this month. As one of the only independent coffee shops in the township, family-owned Blue Door Coffee is set to serve up espresso, lattes, pour overs, cold brews from Brooklyn, New York-based Parlor Coffee and house-made pastries and breads. Its very difficult to find anything other than Starbucks in The Woodlands, owner Nycki Sorensen said. Especially an independent coffee shop that caters to the art of coffee rather than quick service coffee. Equally as difficult to find, Sorensen said, is the coffee shop culture that comes with it. Originally the owner of a coffee shop in Shreveport, Louisiana, Sorensen and her family moved to The Woodlands five years ago when her husband became a pastor at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. In an effort to foster a more authentic feel, Blue Door Coffee will display local artists and host acoustic bands for performance nights. That sort of thing is needed here, Sorensen said. If you want coffee on the Waterway, you either go to the Starbucks in Market Street or maybe get coffee in one of the hotels its an under-served market. The 12 to 15 new employees will be cross-trained on both the coffee aspect of the cafe headed by her son who specializes in craft coffees and kitchen work. Blue Door Coffee will open at 21 Waterway Square, Suite #110 in October, pending construction. For more information, go to www.bluedoorcoffee.com or email nycki@bluedoorcoffee.com. Woodlands Crossing The Woodlands Crossing Shopping Center is one store closer to becoming a shopping destination in the Township. Total Wine & More, a 25,000 square foot liquor store, opened Sept. 20. On offer 8,000 wines, 2,500 beers, 3,000 liquors and hundreds of kinds of mixers, cigars and bar accessories. It is the first store to open in the shopping center on the intersection of Grogans Mill Road and Lake Woodlands Drive. The 60,000 Woodlands Crossing will house ULTA Beauty set to open a tthe end of October REACH Stretch Studios, Beaux Toes and Main Squeeze Juice Company, all set to open in 2019. BoogieBeez dance studio now open Bumblebee-themed dance studio BoogieBeez opened Sept. 4 just south of the township and offers non-competitive hip hop, ballet, jazz, tap, modeling and acting classes for girls and boys aged 18 months to 13 years in all skill levels. The goal, owner Londa Spurlock said, is to train dancers to the point where they can successfully audition for their school teams by the time they reach their teen years. All kids will eventually get it, Spurlock said. It just takes a little longer for some of them and we have time and patience to do that. The small, private studios classes are capped at seven students a tactic, Spurlock said, that allows the two dance teachers employed there to give students a more hands-on and personalized dance experience. If by 13 (years old), they can move and make the school team. Ive done my job, Spurlock said. Spurlock comes from a background of owning a dance studio in the area, the last of which closed in 2012. In 2013, however, she returned to the dance community after parents of her former students found their children struggling at bigger dance companies. Its easy for kids to get lost in crowd in other dance studios, Spurlock said. Besides training budding Bees, as the dancers are called, the studio aims to work in the community as they expand and have already performed at nursing homes and raised funds for juvenile diabetes research. Spurlock said the company also aims to host a toy drive this holidays season. BoogieBeez Performance Team is located at 31315 FM 2978, Suite 300, Magnolia. Visit www.boogiebeez.com or call 832-784-7955 for more information. mrincon@chron.com The recent landmark judgments on adultery and consensual same-sex relations by the Supreme Court have paved the way for the entry of several niche dating applications in India. These apps are providing easy connectivity to the LGBT community to date as per their sexuality. On September 6, the Supreme Court decriminalised the British-era law on homosexuality and ruled that consensual gay sex was not a crime anymore. Days later on September 26, the apex court ruled that adultery can no longer be termed as a crime, and that "thinking of adultery from a point of view of criminality is a retrograde step". Apart from Tinder, which is the highest grossing dating app in India, some of the prominent apps focussing on LGBTQ dating and extramarital affairs are Grindr, Wingman, homegrown dating app Delta, and Gleeden (a dating site for married people). Globally, Tinder has a user base of over 3 million paid subscribers for the gold category. The most popular online dating app is not only famous among heterosexual people but LGBTQ users too, as it allows them to change preferences as per their sexuality. "With adultery decriminalised, India is probably going to face a 'sentimental revolution' that will force the country to rethink marriage and relationships as they are," said Solen Paillet, manager of the all-women team at Gleeden, a French dating app for married people, told the Economic Times. With over 3.4 lakh users in India, Gleeden is focusing on expanding in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The recent judgment on adultery would definitely give the much-needed boost to the French company, which is run by all-women staff. As per the company, its users are increasing rapidly in India, and come from the privileged background. Globally, the company has over 45 lakh users. Grindr, which is a social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, is also focusing on cashing in on the SC verdict on same-sex marriage by launching sexual health recourse pages in Hindi and eight other common languages. Another app, Wingman, lets you become an actual wingman for your "single friend" to find a perfect match, and is also planning its India entry next year. Unusual dating apps like UK-based Bristlr, which describes itself as 'Tinder for beards', is an app to find your ideal beard-loving partner. Though the company does not have a presence in India, it "could well consider localising the app in future", as claimed by its founder John Kershaw. Edited by Manoj Sharma BRUSSELS - The U.S. ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells Tuesday when she suggested that the United States might "take out" Russian missiles that U.S. officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty. Although Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison's comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike against Russian missiles. Such a move could lead to nuclear war. Only after the comments drew a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministry did Hutchison clarify on Twitter that she "was not talking about preemptively striking Russia." But the damage was already done. "The impression is that people making such claims are unaware of the degree of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters, the Interfax news agency reported. "Who authorized this dame to make such allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so aggressively and destructively?" Russia denies violating the treaty. Asked during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels what the United States might do about a new class of Russian missiles that appear to violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Hutchinson said, "The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty." Before Hutchison clarified her position, more than nine hours after she made her initial remarks, it was unclear whether she meant that the United States would target Russia's banned missile installations if Moscow doesn't come back into compliance with the treaty, or whether she was warning that the United States would enhance its missile defenses to take out any banned missiles Russia decided to launch at U.S. or allied targets. The United States currently has limited ability to defend against cruise missile threats. "The question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering" the banned missiles, Hutchison said. "And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska." The treaty, which the United States and the Soviet Union signed in 1987, prohibits the production and deployment of nuclear and conventional missiles that fly from 500 to 5,500 kilometers. It applies to ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. NATO defense ministers plan to address the alleged Russian violations at a Brussels meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. Hutchison, a former Republican senator from Texas, has been President Donald Trump's ambassador to NATO for just over a year. "She does threaten preemption. She just didn't mean it," said Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control scholar at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. "Welcome to NATO! You have one job: to not start nuclear war with Russia," he joked. "As an expert, I am used to politicians, including politicians who have been appointed as ambassadors, badly mangling simple things. So my default assumption was that she was badly mangling pretty common talking points." Hutchison's comments set off a flurry of anxiety on Twitter, where arms control experts speculated about what she meant. Several pointed out that taking "countermeasures" against undeployed missiles that are still in development by definition would be a preemptive strike. Russia has long feared that U.S. missile shields could be used covertly to preemptively target the man who controls the Russian nuclear arsenal - Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although U.S. officials have long denied that is the purpose of their missile defense efforts, Hutchison's comments fed directly into the Russian concerns. Zakharova said that Russian military experts were preparing a more technical response to Hutchison. Russia denies violating the treaty. During the final years of the Obama administration, the State Department regularly stated that Russia was violating the treaty but stopped short of specifying which specific Russian weapon American diplomats believed was going against the pact. Last year, Air Force Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Russia had violated the treaty's "spirit and intent" by deploying a ground-based cruise missile. Russia has long accused the United States of violating the treaty with its Aegis Ashore missile defense installations in Romania and a similar installation still in the works in Poland, claiming that those platforms could launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in violation of the treaty. The United States has denied those accusations, saying the system launches only SM-3 interceptor missiles not covered by the pact. Efforts by U.S. diplomats to bring Russia back into compliance with the treaty, including meetings between American and Russian officials as part of the pact's enforcement mechanism, have so far come up short. Under direction from Congress, the Pentagon has begun drawing up plans for a banned missile that the United States could deploy quickly if the treaty formally falls apart, an effort to pressure Russia. The treaty bans only production, testing and use of intermediate-range missiles; research and development isn't prohibited. The dispute over the INF Treaty has also prompted the U.S. military to consider stepping up defenses against cruise missile threats from Russia in Europe. The Pentagon had drawn up a draft of the Trump administration's new missile defense policy early this year, but top officials sent it back to the drawing board after demanding that it more thoroughly address the Russian cruise missile threat in Europe. One possible step would be to stand up a better sensor network so the United States can track any Russian cruise missiles from the moment of their launch at a European target. The Pentagon is also looking at technologies that could be put in place to try to shoot missiles down if they are heading toward specific targets - an effort that Hutchison might have been referencing in her remarks. "This treaty is in danger because of Russia's actions," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. "All allies agree that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the treaty. It is therefore urgent that Russia addresses these concerns in a substantial and transparent manner." NEW HAVEN Henry Hank Parker, the former state treasurer who died on Saturday, was remembered for his contributions to the city and the state, as well as his influence in advancing the political clout of the citys African-American community. Parker was 90. He ran in three Democratic primaries for mayor, starting in 1969 and in the early 1970s, before being elected state treasurer in 1974 on the ticket where Ella T. Grasso became the states first female governor. As treasurer, a position he held until 1986, Parker was fiduciary of the states $3.8 billion pension fund, and served as bond commissioner, bank commissioner and a member of the Financial Advisory Board. He was the second African American to be elected to that office and the first to serve in the position full time. Since then, on Democratic tickets, the candidate for treasurer has been an African American. But it was the primaries where the real fighting took place. Those primaries were pretty rough, but he was always a gentleman. He tried to get through life without making enemies and he did a good job at that. That is probably the nicest thing you can say about a guy, Jack Keyes, the longtime former judge of probate, said about Parker. State Senate Democratic President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said Parker was highly respected at the state level and was a leader in the African-American community going back to when he entered the three-way primary for mayor in 1969 after Mayor Richard C. Lee resigned after 16 years in office. Parker, in that first stab at landing the office of mayor, ran against then-aldermanic Majority Leader Bart Guida, the party leaders choice, and Charles Gill, with Guida the winner. The African-American community was fighting for a voice in the party, long dominated by Irish and Italian power brokers. Parker received 36 percent of the vote, won 10 wards, and seven Democratic aldermen dubbed the Magnificent Seven, were elected. He ran again in 1971 against Guida and received 42 percent of the vote and 10 wards. Parker entered the fray for a third time in 1979, while he was still treasurer, in a three-way Democratic primary with then-Mayor Frank Logue and his challenger, former Police Chief Biagio DeLieto, who won the election. Clifton Graves Jr., recently elected judge of probate in New Haven, said Parker was not only an advocate, but made real advances in civil rights and his civic work during his lifetime. We are all truly indebted to his committent and courage, Graves said. He said he remembers Parkers campaign office being fire bombed by someone who didnt want an African American to rise to lead city government. Graves said there is a straight line from Parkers efforts to John Daniels being elected as the first black mayor in 1989 and a former state senator, Toni Harp, elected mayor in 2013. State Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, was a young girl when Parker worked with her father, the Rev. Edwin Edmonds, pastor of Dixwell Congregational United Church of Christ Church. I grew up with him, Walker said of Parker She remembers Uncle Hank, who was part of the kitchen cabinet that would gather at her house to develop plans to revitalize the Dixwell neighborhood with such projects as the Florence Virtue housing complex. Around 8 years old at the time, she said they would shoo her out of the room as they got down to business. Before seeking office, Parker was a political leader, serving as chairman of a new group, the Black Coalition, from 1966 to 1969, was they worked on civic projects. Walker, c-chairwoman of the state legislatures Appropriations Committee, said Parker worked all of his life to leave the city a better place. He put his total heart and soul into his work, she said. Married to Janette (Jan) Parker in 1959, they moved to New Haven that year where he became program director of the Winchester Community School and she organized the Mother Goose Nursey and Kindergarten. They were partners in everything, Walker said. U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, also remembered Parker. Shirley Chisholm, the nations first African-American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, once said service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth. Hank paid that rent time and time again leaving an indelible mark and a legacy of service and advocacy that helped to shape the very character of our city and our state, she wrote. It is truly the end of an era. I am heartbroken for Jan, as well as his children Janet and Curtis. He will be deeply missed by all of those fortunate enough to have known him, DeLauro said. Parkers family said among his major achievements as treasurer was creation of a $450 million home mortgage program helping cities. He was also proud to have served as chairman of the Governors Task Force on South Africa, a group that put together model anti-apartheid legislation, the first in the nation. They said he was proud of his efforts in getting the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s birthday declared a holiday in Connecticut, seven years before it became a national holiday. The Rev. Jerry Streets, pastor of Dixwell Congregational Church, echoed the sentiments of other friends who found he had a statesman-like quality. Streets first knew him when Streets was elected to the Board of Aldermen in the Logue years. He said it was a transformative time, when the city was beginning to feel the full impact of the large African-American middle class that was here. In recent years he said Parker continued to express thoughtful and wise counsel as Streets served as his pastor, as well as his friend. In 1986, Parker joined Atalanta Sosnoff Capital Corp. in New York. He retired from the financial services industry in 1997. In 2010, Parker, a longtime member of the New Haven branch of the NAACP, received the civil rights organizations first Lifetime Achievement Award after already receiving the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award. Parker was born to Daisy and Henry L. Parker in Baltimore, Md., on Feb. 14, 1928, a child of the Great Depression. After discharge from the Army, Parker declined an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters; instead, he attended Hampton Institute, from which he graduated in 1956. He was recognized as a good athlete in both high school and college. Calling hours will be held Thursday and the funeral service will be conducted on Friday at Dixwell United Church of Christ in New Haven. Services are being arranged through the Curvin K. Council Funeral Home, http://curvinkcouncil.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Henry E. Parker Education and Scholarship Fund, c/o Atty. Martyn Philpot Jr. LLC, 409 Orange St., New Haven, 06511. mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577 NAGATO, Japan - One of my relatives was once detained in Siberia. He returned to Japan through Maizuru Port in Kyoto Prefecture in the mid-1950s. He had no opportunity to see the devastated state of Japan, and I heard he was beaten by his family when he asked them whether the damage Japan suffered from the war had been small. It is a story about a person I never met. Painter Yasuo Kazuki (1911-74), who was from the Misumi district of Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, returned home from Siberia through the port in May 1947. He later produced the "Siberia Series" of paintings based on the memory of his detention. The series, his representative work, is owned by Yamaguchi Prefectural Art Museum. Kazuki is known for his earth-toned abstract paintings and portraits of people with blank looks on their faces. But one day, I encountered a wood-block print of soft-colored pretty flowers, leaving me with a completely different impression. His small works on which the "Siberia Series" was based are on display at the Kazuki Yasuo Museum in Misumi, along with his sketches. The museum, designed to allow outside light to enter through a skylight, is said to have been designed by his architect son with the sentiments of the artist in mind, as he produced his work in a light-filled studio. The exhibition, titled "Watashi no Shiberiya, Sore zore no Shiberias" (My Siberia, each of our Siberias), is now on show at the museum until Oct. 14. It is an exhibition done in exchange with the Memorial Museum for Soldiers, Detainees in Siberia, and Postwar Repatriates in Tokyo. Among the displays are a petition to Josef Stalin for the return of Japanese detainees to their homeland, Kazuki's oil painting "Goka" (Hellfire) and a postcard he sent to his family. From his handwritten notes for painting "Shicchi" (Marshes), I could feel the acute sensitivity that made him say a "sickened land" can be a good painting. Kazuki, who later traveled to Europe and nations in the South Pacific, painted pictures with a positive atmosphere too. He also produced dolls that have an uplifting feeling using wood offcuts, rusty iron plates and other waste materials. "I feel affection and warmth in his works," said Ito Maruo, 42, a curator at the museum. "Kazuki must have been a sensitive person, and he had his own joyful world, too," Maruo said. Painting Siberia is believed to have been a mission for him. Near the museum is Yumen Onsen, one of the hot spring resorts that is maintaining the balneal culture of Nagato. Legend has it that a wounded rabbit cured itself with spring water at this hot spring. I headed to the Seifu Murata Memorial Museum after taking an outdoor bath at Yumen Fureai Center, an onsen facility. Murata was a prominent figure in the reformation of the Choshu domain duties at the end of the Edo period (1603-1867). Misumi Sanso, the former residence of Murata, is a national historical site. The main building with a thatched roof has a unique charm. In April, the first michi no eki roadside rest area in the city of Nagato was opened on the beach side of Senzaki. Called Senza Kitchen, it comprises a variety of eateries including those selling local specialty yakitori or himono dried fish. "Nagato is now enjoying some momentum," said Yoshiko Nono, 45, of the Nagato Tourism Convention Association. At Motonosumi Inari Shrine, the number of tourists sharply increased after it was shown on CNN in 2015. Last year, 1.08 million people visited the shrine, which overlooks the Sea of Japan. I traveled to the shrine by car. Arriving in the evening, the red torii gates looked beautiful against a backdrop of the border between sky and sea, which was diminishing by the minute. According to Yoriki Okamura, 70, of the shrine, the line of 123 torii gates was completed three years go. "We increased the number of gates as a way to show our gratitude to people who helped with weeding at the shrine before the Bon season." An offering box is set up at a height of about 5 meters at the torii gate located at the highest point. It took me four tries to get my five-yen coin to land in the box. I waited for sunset at the Higashiushirobata Tanada rice terraces. While enjoying the view of the isaribi fires for luring squid at night, I realized I hadn't enjoyed a morning view of the Sea of Japan. I decided to check the train schedule for the next morning when I returned to the hotel. 410,000 returned through Senzaki Port Senzaki Port in Nagato, Yamaguchi Prefecture, was one of the ports chosen to receive ships carrying people detained abroad after the war. Maizuru Port in Kyoto Prefecture and Hakata Port in Fukuoka were other such ports. By the end of 1946, the year the port had completed its role of receiving former detainees, about 410,000 people had returned home through Senzaki Port. Nearby temples and schools were used for their accommodation back then, and many people also stayed in civilians' homes. A cenotaph honoring the detainees who landed there is located at the port. Some exhibits at a small photography studio nearby show what conditions were like at that time. This trip taught me anew about the period right after the war. Judge Brett Kavanaugh will not teach at Harvard Law School in the winter, as he was expected to do, the university announced Monday night in an email to law students. "Today, Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered," Catherine Claypoole of the law school curriculum committee wrote in an email to students Monday night. Hundreds of Harvard Law School graduates had signed a letter calling on the school to rescind Kavanaugh's appointment as lecturer at the school, following sexual misconduct allegations against the U.S. Supreme Court nominee. They had not sent the letter to the school's dean as of Monday evening. "People are coming together to say, 'This isn't the type of person we want teaching at Harvard Law,'" said Jessica Lynn Corsi, a law lecturer and 2010 graduate of the school. It's an incredibly important job, she said, to shape the minds of students destined to become Supreme Court justices, legal scholars and other leaders. More than 800 graduates have signed the letter in less than three days, but it's not just the sheer number that carries weight, Corsi argued. "It's the character and the work of the people that are signing on," she said. The letter to the school's dean, John Manning, asked that Kavanaugh's appointment as the Samuel Williston Lecturer on Law be rescinded and that he not be allowed to teach in the winter term, as had been planned. "Now more than ever, HLS must send a clear message that it takes sexual violence seriously," they wrote. "The accusations against Judge Kavanaugh, including those by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, are credible and grave. They seriously call into question his character and morality, and should disqualify him from . . . any position of esteem, including lectureships at HLS." Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied recent accusations that he engaged in sexual misconduct when he was a teenager. Mariel Goetz, a 2008 graduate, said that a powerful institution like Harvard Law School should be a leader on this issue. The lectureships at the school are prestigious - not something that people are entitled to, she said. "It's perfectly appropriate, and the right thing to do, to rescind this," she said. Goetz said the group will continue to gather signatures and press for Kavanaugh's appointment to be rescinded. A Harvard Law School spokeswoman shared a message from Manning sent to students Friday, saying these had been painful, difficult times for the nation and their community, with the battle over the Supreme Court confirmation bringing into sharp focus "questions about sexual assault, fair process, fitness and character for high office, the integrity of the political process, and more." He acknowledged the urgency of the questions about the winter term course, and that many were unsatisfied with the answer that Harvard officials could not comment on personnel matters in particular cases. "Still, I can provide you this assurance," Manning wrote. "When concerns and allegations arise about individuals in our teaching program, we take those concerns and allegations seriously, conduct necessary inquiries, complete our process, and then act." Harvard Law School student leaders did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. The Harvard Crimson has reported on activism on numerous fronts at the school: Harvard's Undergraduate Council voted Sunday night to ask the university to investigate the allegations made against Kavanaugh before allowing the judge to teach a winter-term course at the law school - a vote taken before Monday's announcement that the judge would not be teaching. And some law school students have held protests and plan to call voters to speak out against Kavanaugh. Students and faculty at Yale Law School have also expressed concerns about Kavanaugh, both on campus in Connecticut and in Washington. Kavanaugh is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law. Last week, Heather Gerken, the law school's dean, called for further investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh, echoing the recommendation of the American Bar Association on Friday. The Connecticut connections to Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh that began at Yale University now include reports of an altercation at a bar and have spread to Fairfield, where a legislative official and undergraduate classmate of Kavanaughs says she has text messages showing that Kavanaugh knew about accusations by their fellow classmate, Deborah Ramirez, before they were reported in the New Yorker on Sept. 23. According to a Sept. 26, 1985, New Haven police report, Kavanaugh was involved in a fight at the former Demerys bar in which he threw ice at another man while a friend, Christen Dudley, who later became a pro basketball player, threw a glass at the man, cutting his ear. Another classmate of Kavanaughs, Charles Ludington, now a history professor at North Carolina State University, described the would-be justice as a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker in a statement to the New York Times. When Brett got drunk, he was often belligerent and aggressive. On one of the last occasions I purposely socialized with Brett, I witnessed him respond to a semi-hostile remark, not by defusing the situation, but by throwing his beer in the mans face and starting a fight that ended with one of our mutual friends in jail. The September 1985 Demerys incident report does not list Ludington as present and Dudleys lawyer denies that Dudley was arrested at that time. An email has been sent to Ludington asking him to clarify the discrepanices and whether they were separate incidents . Also, Kerry Berchem, a first-term member of the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting, who graduated from Yale in 1988, a year after Kavanaugh, has been trying to turn over text messages to the FBI that show Kavanaugh knew of Ramirezs charges, despite his denials at his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing Thursday, according to the Fairfield Citizen. Berchem, a Democrat and lawyer with the firm Akin Gump, told NBC News that texts between her and another friend of Kavanaughs, Karen Yarasavage, show that the nominee asked Yarasavage to defend him. The text messages, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, suggest Kavanaugh and his team were talking with former classmates about the allegations before the New Yorker broke the story in which Ramirez said Kavanaugh exposed his genitals to her at a party on Yales Old Campus. A mutual friend told Berchem that Kavanaugh asked her to go on the record in his defense. On Sept. 22, before Ramirezs allegations became public, an unidentified female texted Berchem saying she had to send information to Bretts team, the Citizen reported. The photograph to be sent, according to the texts, was also likely to be sent to the New York Times and Ronan Farrow of the New Yorker. In a text the next day, the same woman said she had received a call from Bretts guy. A short while later, as rumors spread that the New Yorker was going to publish Ramirezs claims, the unidentified female told Berchem, Brett asked me to go on the record and now New Yorker are not answering phones! When reached for comment by Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday, Berchem said she was unable to go on the record or comment on the memo she sent to the FBI. Berchems efforts to forward her information to the FBI have not been welcome by the Judiciary Committees majority Republicans, NBC reported. We heard from Kerry late on Thursday and submitted her summary to the Judiciary Committee early Friday, a spokeswoman for U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said in a statement. Blumenthal sits on the Judiciary Committee. After we were made to jump through several hoops that delayed our moving forward, it became clear that the majority Committee staff had not turned this summary over to the FBI and, in fact, had no intention of turning it over to the FBI. With our assistance, Kerry submitted her summary to the FBI herself, Blumenthals statement said. According to NBC, a spokesman for committee Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the texts from Ms. Berchem do not appear relevant or contradictory to Judge Kavanaughs testimony. Kavanaugh, a federal appeals judge on the District of Columbia Circuit bench, has denied that he exposed himself to Ramirez when they were freshmen at Yale or that he sexually assaulted Christine Blasey Ford when they were in high school. The FBI is investigating Fords allegations following the heated Judiciary Committee hearing. Kavanaugh, a junior at Yale on Sept. 26, 1985, was questioned about the incident but not arrested. The report states that Christen Dudley threw a glass at Dom Cozzolino, cutting his ear. The handwritten report, which was recovered from microfiche records, notes that Dudley was arrested (indicated by an A next to his name), according to New Haven police spokesman Officer David Hartman, but there is no charge listed and Hartman said he had no information about how the case was disposed of. He said it would have been a simple assault. Dudleys lawyer, Mark Sherman of Stamford, issued a statement Tuesday saying, To be clear, after investigation, Chris Dudley was never arrested by Yale or New Haven police, was never charged with a crime, and never set foot in court. Sherman said Dudley, a former basketball player for Yale who played for five NBA teams between 1987 and 2003 and ran an unsuccessful run for governor of Oregon in 2010, according to CNN and basketball-reference.com, lives in California and is not speaking to the press. There is no mention in the police report of any of the men drinking alcohol at the bar. Connecticuts drinking age had risen from 20 to 21 on Sept. 1, 1985, according to an archived New York Times article. Congress had passed a law requiring states to raise their legal drinking age to 21. Connecticut stood to lose $22 million in highway funds. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, Connecticut changed from age 18 to 19 in 1982, from 19 to 20 in 1983 and then to age 21 in 1985. Connecticut lowered its drinking age from 21 to 18 in 1972. According to the New Haven police report, when officers arrived, Mr. Cozzolino was bleeding from the right ear. He also stated that he was in a verbal altercation with an unknown male (five men are listed on the report). The argument between the two heated up when Mr. Cozzolino stated that Mr. Kavanaugh threw ice at him for some unknown reason. And he then got hit in the ear with a glass. The report continues, Frank Guido stated that he seen Mr. Cozzolino arguing with a gentleman and saw a tall gentleman (later identified as Mr. Dudley) throw a tall glass (Collins glass) and hit Mr. Cozzolino in the ear. Another man, Joe Devlin, stated that he also saw Dudley (the tall gentleman) throw the glass and hit Mr. Cozzolino in the ear, according to the report. Mr. Dudley stated that he didnt do it and Mr. Kavanaugh didnt [unintelligible] to say if he threw the ice or not, the report states. Hartman said if the parties agreed that they were wrong and it hadnt impacted others, then this could have been dismissed. The officer who wrote the report, Nathaniel Blackman, has been retired for more than 20 years, Hartman said. The court has no record that were aware of of the disposition of this case, Hartman said. No one made a complaint against Kavanaugh. Hartman said police are called to downtown bars for such incidents all the time. Were a college town. Were a college town with a lot of bars. We have 90-plus bars in the downtown area alone, he said. Demerys, at 1 Broadway at the corner of York Street, has long been closed. According to a Nov. 10, 2017, article on thepolitic.org, Demerys was a pizzeria during the day and a bar at night, beginning in the 1980s. According to the article, Yale bought the property in 1984 and leased it to Au Bon Pain. That store closed on May 27, 2013, according to a New Haven Register story, and later replaced by Kiko Milano, an Italian cosmetics brand, and Emporium DNA 2050, a high-end retailer, which later closed. For a while the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History occupied the space as a satellite exhibit. It has been occupied since Aug. 31, 2017, by Patagonia, according to an employee. On the 1985 police report, there are three offices and a detective listed, in addition to Blackman. Hartman said the detective could have been working on patrol at the time. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 Editors note: An early version of this story incorrectly reported that Connecticuts legal drinking age was 18 in 1985. Travelers who refuse to surrender passwords, codes, encryption keys and other information enabling access to electronic devices could be fined up to $5,000 in New Zealand, according to new customs rules that went into effect Monday. Border agents were already able to seize digital equipment, but the Customs and Excise Act of 2018 newly specifies that access to personal technology must be handed over as well. The law provides, however, that officials need to have "reasonable cause to suspect wrongdoing" before conducting a digital search - cold comfort for civil liberties advocates, who have sounded an alarm about the measure. Oliver L tweeted "Do not travel with data on your devices. Do not trust a device after Customs or Police have taken it out of your sight." In addition to a fine, those who refuse to submit to a digital search could see their devices seized and subjected to a full examination, meaning "the device or data may be copied, reviewed, or evaluated (including by means of previewing, cloning, or other forensic methods." During parliamentary debate on the legislation, Meka Whaitiri, a member of the Labour Party and former customs minister, said the "so-called digital strip searches" allow border agents "freer access . . . to look through those items that might be causing concern." She said the law "balances the protection of New Zealand with individual rights." The new customs minister, Kris Faafoi, also of Labour, earlier expressed reservations about the bill, saying the government was downplaying the authority that it would grant customs officers. "I think most people would feel that getting access to someone's phone or someone's device is an encroachment on privacy," he said. But he hailed the legislation as it took effect, describing the changes in a statement as reflections of modern business practices and saying they arose from "consultation with the import and export sector." In a news release, the New Zealand Customs Service said the law would boost border compliance and support the national economy. It promised the public that it would be "unlikely to notice much difference at the border, with existing provisions reconfirmed or clarified." Thomas Beagle, a spokesman for the Council for Civil Liberties, told Radio New Zealand that the requirement of reasonable cause was pointless because officials didn't have to specify the cause, meaning, "there's no way to challenge it." "Nowadays we've got everything on our phones; we've got all our personal life, all our doctors' records, our emails, absolutely everything on it, and customs can take that and keep it," he said. New Zealand isn't alone in conducting so-called digital strip-searches. Between November 2017 and March 2018, the Canadian Border Services Agency examined the digital devices of 4,529 travelers, according to the Globe and Mail. That's a tiny portion of the 20,407,746 people processed at the border during the same period, the newspaper reported. In the U.S., probes of mobile phones by border agents rose from fewer than 5,000 in 2015 to 25,000 in 2016, according to the Guardian. The Department of Homeland Security said the 2016 data was an anomaly. Last year, the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University filed a freedom of information suit to obtain DHS rules for conducting searches of these devices. In response, the watchdog group gained access to a log of more than 400 traveler complaints between 2011 and 2017, of which roughly 240 involved searches of electronic devices. The American Civil Liberties Union has also entered the fray. Along with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, it brought a case last year against DHS on behalf of 11 travelers whose phones and laptops were searched at U.S. airports and the nation's northern border. In May, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that case could proceed, rejecting the government's bid to have the complaint - mounted on First Amendment and Fourth Amendment grounds - dismissed. Landmark search and seizure cases "indicate that electronic device searches are, categorically, more intrusive than searches of one's person or effects," wrote U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper, citing in particular Riley v. California, in which the Supreme Court found in 2014 that police need warrants to examine the phones of people they arrest. "The ability to review travelers' cell phones allows officers to view 'nearly every aspect of their lives - from the mundane to the intimate.'" In a stark contrast to the previous years, Apple's latest offerings, iPhone XS and XS Max, have failed to impress smartphone users in India, which is one of the largest mobile phone markets in the world. Apple launched the 5.8-inch iPhone XS and the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max (the biggest screen on an iPhone ever) on September 13. All three devices come fitted with Apple's latest A12 Bionic chipset based on 7nm architecture, which promises better performance while being less battery-hungry. The latest devices were launched in India on September 28, but retailers claim they are receiving a tepid response for the first time. Unlike before when Indians used to desperately wait for iPhones to arrive in India -- and most of the stock used to be over in the first week itself -- retailers are still left with less than half the supplied stock. Apple is the world's largest tech company by revenue but its market share in India has shrunk to just 1 per cent, thanks to the rising popularity of Chinese smartphones like Xiaomi, One Plus, Oppo, and Vivo, which collectively dominate around 51 per cent of the smartphone market in India. These companies not only offer smartphones at cheaper prices but their features are also at par with those offered in high-end mobile phones like iPhone or Samsung's Galaxy flagship smartphones. For the first time this year, Apple had included dual-SIM -- through the use of a nano-SIM and digital eSIM -- in iPhone XS and XS Max, keeping in mind the Indian customers but retailers say the overall response seems to have failed in generating the usual euphoria, even among its usual customer base. However, they expect the sales to pick up once the "inauspicious" period of Shradh -- a Hindu ritual performed to pay homage to ancestors -- is over. Most retailers claim 40-45% of the stock was unsold as of Sunday night, an ET report said. "While the sale of the new iPhones in the first weekend was certainly more than iPhone 8 of last year, it is still less than iPhone X. It's a super-premium smartphone and will take some time to sell in India," the newspaper quoted Brian Bade, Reliance Digital CEO, as saying. Analysts also say Apple might find it hard to sell iPhones beyond its hardcore customers, due to the extremely high prices of these smartphones, which are out of reach for most Indians. Apple's cheapest offering, iPhone XR, starts at Rs 76,900. The iPhone XS, the immediate successor to the iPhone X, starts at a price of Rs 99,900 for the 64GB storage variant. The iPhone XS Max, the most expensive of the lot, starts at a price of Rs 1,09,000 for the 64GB storage variant and goes all the way up to Rs 1,44,900. For perspective, Samsung's flagship Galaxy Note 9, which is loaded with features, starts at a price of Rs 67,900. Xiaomi, which holds the biggest market share in India, is the undisputed king in the sub Rs 15,000 smartphone segment. With the launch of its sub-brand Poco, Xiaomi has tried to enter the Rs 20,000 segment. Its latest offering, Xiaomi Poco F1, is priced at Rs 20,999 (base variant) and comes with 6GB RAM and 64GB of internal memory. The second variant comes with 128GB storage and 6GB of RAM which is priced at Rs 23,999. Edited by Manoj Sharma Dawn Ballard, public health nurse for the Greene County Health Department, prepares a flu shot at the departments flu clinic Monday. Following a rough flu season last year, the Centers for Disease Control is urging people to visit such clinics as soon as possible. RICHMOND, Va. - Abigail Spanberger's congressional campaign apologized to Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., and fired four campaign volunteers who left a nasty note on the congressman's front door over the weekend. Brat, who is in a tight race with Spanberger in Virginia's 7th Congressional District, received a piece of his rival's literature on his front door with the words "Rot in hell Dave" and a smiley face scrawled on it. Brat contacted Capitol police and Henrico County police. "Abigail Spanberger and her campaign are trying to intimidate Congressman Brat and his family in their own home," Brat spokeswoman Katey Price said in a written statement. "Abigail Spanberger should denounce the outrageous actions of her own team and dismiss the people involved. She should also issue an apology to the Brat family." Dana Bye, Spanberger's campaign manager, said four high school students who had been knocking on doors in the area were responsible. They have been fired from the campaign, which also issued an apology to Brat and his family, Bye said in a written statement. "Immediately upon hearing that someone had left a handwritten, negative note at Mr. Brat's house this weekend, we questioned the volunteers who had been canvassing in the area and discovered that four high school students were involved in this incident," she said. "This type of behavior is completely unacceptable and beneath the dignity of this race, and we have already notified these students that they are not welcome to volunteer with our campaign again." The apology brought up a controversy that erupted earlier in the race, when a Republican super PAC allied with House Speaker Paul Ryan obtained Spanberger's unredacted personnel file from the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Service acknowledged it had erred by releasing the records, which included Spanberger's Social Security number and medical history. "We apologize to Mr. Brat and his family," Bye said. "As someone whose personal, confidential information has already been compromised in the course of this campaign, Abigail believes that politics should never threaten the safety and security of any candidate, their family, or their staff." Brat and Spanberger are in a close contest to represent a suburban-rural swath of central Virginia, a longtime GOP stronghold widely seen as within reach of Democrats in the Trump era. Brat, a former economics professor at Randolph-Macon College, won the seat four years ago after pulling off a shocking primary upset over Rep. Eric Cantor, then the House majority leader. Despite lingering resentment from some Cantor allies, he won re-election two years later by 16 percentage points. But he faces a strong challenge from Spanberger, a former CIA officer who has used her national security credentials to appeal to moderate Republicans and swing voters. She could benefit from antipathy toward President Donald Trump in the district's suburban areas. The Cook Political Report classifies the race as a toss-up. CAIRO - The rise of "super militias," which this month triggered the worst spasm of violence in the Libyan capital Tripoli in four years, has exposed the weakness of Western efforts to stabilize Libya while creating an opening for the Islamic State to resurrect itself in North Africa. Since late August, clashes between rival armed groups have shattered Tripoli. Rockets and heavy artillery have destroyed residential neighborhoods, forcing thousands of families to flee their homes. The violence has killed more than 115 and injured hundreds more, pushing the United Nations to declare a state of emergency in the capital. Another cease-fire was declared Wednesday. But few observers expect the violence to vanish while the militias' long-standing rivalries and economic ambitions persist. Previous cease-fire agreements have repeatedly broken down. The recent violence is the starkest evidence yet of how the strategy adopted by the United Nations and Western powers after the ouster and death of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi during the 2011 Arab Spring revolts has faltered. That strategy involved installing the Government of National Accord, a U.N.-endorsed interim authority, in 2016 as a way to bring peace and stability to the country. From the beginning, that government has been largely reliant on heavily armed militias to exert control, and many Libyans have seen it as an authority imposed on them by outside powers. Today, those militias are battling for the capital. Many of them have linked up with other armed factions to form larger, more-powerful armed groups that some analysts have dubbed "super militias." Their goal, analysts say, is to assert political control, seize territory and wrest economic spoils, including a share of one of the continent's largest reserves of oil and natural gas. "This is the most significant escalation that we've seen since the summer of 2014, when you had fighting in Tripoli as well," said Frederic Wehrey, author of "The Burning Shores: Inside the Battle for the New Libya." "This is a huge blow to the U.N. action plan and the prospects of an orderly transition from this very flawed Government of National Accord." Since the GNA's establishment, a handful of local militias have grown powerful and wealthy, even as they remain nominally loyal to the government of Prime Minister Fayez Serraj. Today, those militias dominate the government through their control of key ministries and elements of the financial system, as well as by overseeing security in the capital. "They have grown into criminal networks straddling business, politics, and the administration," Wolfram Lacher of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs wrote in an April research paper. "The pillaging of state funds - a hallmark of Libya's political economy - now benefits a narrower group than at any previous point since the 2011 revolution." Lacher added, "Actors excluded from this arrangement are building alliances to alter the balance of power in Tripoli by force." The recent clashes pitted the Seventh Brigade, an armed force from Tarhouna, 45 miles southeast of Tripoli, against two powerful pro-government militias: the Tripoli Revolutionary Brigades and the Nawasi. Smaller armed groups in and around the capital have joined both sides. The violence was initially sparked by envy and resentment, according to analysts and the militias themselves. Facebook posts by pro-government militia leaders - flaunting their flashy lifestyles, expensive cars and luxury vacations - proved provocative at a time when most Libyans are struggling economically. On Aug. 26, the Seventh Brigade launched an assault on Tripoli, vowing to cleanse corrupt rivals from Libya. The violence has raged despite calls by Serraj to end the fighting. "The GNA has been on life support for a considerable period of time," said Mary Fitzgerald, a Libya researcher who has focused on the country's militias. "This current episode underscores its powerlessness, and the fact that it depends on these armed groups more than these armed groups depend on it." Serraj's words "simply do not have any effect," she said. In 2014, clashes between rival militias engulfed the capital for weeks. As in the latest battles, residential areas were destroyed by heavy artillery and thousands were displaced. The fighting left an opening for the Islamic State to emerge. By the next year, the militants had seized the coastal city of Sirte and transformed it into the de facto capital of their North African operations. The extremists were pushed out in December 2016 after militias turned their military might against the Islamic State. But extremist groups remain a threat. In May, for instance, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an assault by suicide bombers on Libya's electoral commission in Tripoli, killing at least 12 people, and the group attacked a checkpoint in western Libya in August, killing four. Most significantly, the Islamic State attacked the Tripoli offices of Libya's National Oil on Sept. 10 in the midst of the militia clashes, killing two employees and injuring 10 others. It was a sign of the extremists' willingness to take advantage of a power vacuum. "This is an ideal breeding ground for ISIS," Wehrey said, using another name for the Islamic State. "It gives them space. The more these Libyan factions are focused on fighting each other and not containing or battling ISIS, that's a win for ISIS both in terms of plotting operations but also recruitment." The tensions in Tripoli could also embolden Gen. Khalifa Hifter, a military strongman aligned with a separate government in eastern Libya that does not recognize the GNA. Supported by France, Egypt and other regional powers, Hifter has long vowed to send his forces into Tripoli, though he lacks the military capabilities, analysts say. Still, the violence plays into the strongman's argument that Libya needs an authoritarian to bring stability. The chaos in Tripoli "helps him with his narrative, that this model in the east of relative stability through a military-led rule works," Wehrey said. The clashes have jeopardized hopes for holding elections at the end of the year. France and the United Nations view them as a vital step toward political stability. But other European governments such as Italy, as well as many Libyans, see holding a vote as untenable given Libya's chaotic swings. The violence this month only reinforced that view. The United Nations' top envoy for Libya, Ghassan Salame, recently acknowledged the deep-rooted problems Libya faces, telling European foreign ministers at the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York that "there is a need to free the government from the control of armed groups." Few analysts expect that to happen in the near future. The United Nations, analysts say, did little to push the militias out of government roles over the past two years. Rather, it relied on the militias to provide security for the capital, ministries, embassies and even U.N. facilities. It continues to do so. "People were happy with the security the militias provided, despite what they represented," said Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya scholar at the University of Paris 8. "Now you have a U.N. trying to use very frank language, but it is on the same side of some of the militias. Can the U.N. call itself neutral at this moment? No." After the cease-fire, Harchaoui wrote in a tweet that the battle for Tripoli will be over only when grievances have been resolved, militias have been defeated and new political arrangements have emerged. None of that has happened, he wrote. "Therefore it's just a lull." BAGHDAD - Iraqis named a president and prime minister designate on Tuesday, capping five months of halting negotiations that played out amid widening popular unrest and an intensifying rivalry between the United States and Iran for influence over Iraq's leadership. Within an hour of Iraq's parliament electing veteran Kurdish politician Barham Salih as president, he announced he had asked former oil minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi with forming the next government. The selection of both men showed how the sectarian loyalties within Iraq's Kurdish, Sunni Arab and Shiite Arab communities that prevailed since the U.S. invasion in 2003 are now breaking down, giving way to more pragmatic coalitions that cut across sectarian lines. Salih, 58, was chosen as president, a largely ceremonial post, after trouncing his Kurdish rival by a vote of 219 to 22, signaling the overwhelming support among the legislature's vast Arab majority for Salih's brand of conciliatory politics. Abdul-Mahdi, 76, a Shiite with no recent party affiliation, will hold the vast majority of executive power, and his selection represents a compromise by the top finishers in May's election, Iraqi and American officials said. But the vote left no clear winner in the ongoing tussle between Iran and the United States to place their allies in Iraq's key political posts as Washington seeks to isolate Tehran economically and politically. Abdul-Mahdi was backed by a faction of Shiite politicians led by populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a critic of both the United States and Iran, whose ticket won the most seats in May's election. Sadr's pick was also supported by Kurdish and Sunni lawmakers and approved by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, according to an Iraqi lawmaker involved in the negotiations and a Western official. A pro-Iran bloc of lawmakers, lead by militia commander Hadi al-Amiri and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, tried to block Abdul-Mahdi's nomination but eventually dropped their opposition once they realized they did not have enough seats for a parliamentary majority that would give them the right to name their own candidate. For letting Abdul-Mahdi's nomination proceed, the pro-Iran bloc may be rewarded with key ministerial posts like oil, interior and defense. "We are encouraged by the historic steps taken tonight," said a senior U.S. official. "President Salih and prime minister designate Abdul-Mahdi are experienced leaders and well respected in Iraq and around the world." Abdul-Mahdi will have 30 days to nominate a cabinet for parliamentary approval, according to Iraq's constitution. "Abdul-Mahdi is a compromise candidate," said lawmaker Yousif al-Kilabi, an ally of outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, a favorite of U.S. officials. "He will run Iraq's foreign policy in a balanced fashion, putting Iraq's interests first ... he shares the same ideology as Abadi and Sadr." The new government will take over a country facing enormous challenges following a war against the Islamic State that caused billions of dollars in damage, left millions of people displaced and put a massive strain on Iraq's oil-dependent economy. The government will also have to immediately address a persistent protest movement in Iraq's Shiite heartland over poor public services, government corruption and frustrations with a political system that has favored narrow constituencies over basic governance. The protests helped shake up the traditional sectarian alliances that had previously seen Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds fight it out for shares of state power. This year, lawmakers crossed sectarian lines to forge blocs that claimed a nationalist mantle. But the shifting political scene has also revealed fresh divisions within Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region which came into focus during Tuesday's election of the president. Salih, who has previously served as deputy prime minister of Iraq and prime minister of the autonomous Kurdish Regional Government, is seen as a moderate Kurdish figure who favors maintaining strong relations with both the United States and Iran while promoting Kurdish interests through cooperation with Iraq's central government rather than confrontation. The urbane, British educated politician is a favorite with Western diplomats and American military generals and founded the American University of Iraq Sulaimani in 2007. Salih could improve relations between Iraq's Kurds and the central government in Baghdad after a Kurdish bid for independence last year threatened armed conflict. But his ascension to the presidency has deepened growing acrimony within the KRG's dynastic politics. According to a power-sharing agreement put in place following the United States invasion, Kurds have traditionally nominated a single figure for the post of president from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan - one of two dominant parties in the autonomous north of Iraq. This year, amid competing visions for the future of the KRG, the Kurds failed to agree on a candidate, and the Kurdish Democratic Party put forth Fouad Hussein, the former chief of staff to powerful party leader Masoud Barzani. Salih won the first round of voting by a margin of 165 to 89 - drawing condemnation from Barzani and provoking Hussein to drop out of the race. But the vote went ahead anyway, and lawmakers voted according to their preference in the absence of instructions from party leadership, marking a major departure from previous ballots in parliament. Jalal Talabani, who held the position for two terms, used the office to mediate between Iraq's central government and Kurdistan, while emerging as one of Iraq's most important statesman. His successor, Fuad Masum, failed to match Talabani's influence and turned the office into a "trivial position," said Renad Mansour, an expert on Iraqi and Kurdish politics with Chatham House. Talabani's death last year accelerated the worsening relations between Kurdish parties - and the Kurdish region's ties with Iraq's central government. Many Kurds and Iraqis see Salih as a politician in Talabani's mold, with the credibility to improve relations with Baghdad. But he is unlikely to quickly repair fraying ties in the Kurdish region. "The conflict over the presidency reveals the lack of trust between the two parties," Mansour said of the PUK and KDP. The winner of the competition for supremacy between the two parties within the autonomous Kurdish region remains unclear, and Tuesday's vote could have far reaching consequences for the intra-Kurdish power struggle. On Sunday, Kurds voted for the Kurdish region's parliament but results have not yet been released amid accusations of fraud and irregularities. RICHMOND, Va. - Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and his Republican challenger Corey Stewart rekindled their animosity Tuesday in a final debate before the Nov. 6 election that was fueled by Stewart's repeated suggestions, without evidence, that the Democrat has been accused of sexual harassment. Again and again, Stewart referred to $17.2 million that Congress has paid out since 1990 for 264 awards to federal employees for violations of a wide variety of employment rules, ranging from the Americans With Disabilities Act to labor violations to sexual harassment. A "large portion" of the cases involved cafeteria workers, groundskeepers and Capitol Hill employees other than lawmakers and their staffs, according to the Congressional Office of Compliance. But Stewart told the crowd inside the WCVE television studios in Richmond that the money was spent to settle claims of members of Congress "who have been harassing women in the halls of Congress." "We still don't know who they are," Stewart said, referring to the confidential settlements. "Is Sen. Booker on that list? Is Sen. Kaine on that list? Is Sen. Blumenthal on that list?" Kaine, interrupting, compared Stewart to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who accused members of Congress and the government of being Communists during the Red Scare of the 1950s. "Corey don't make stuff up," Stewart said. "... There has never been a claim filed against me or anyone in my office and you know that." Kaine said Stewart's concerns about sexual misconduct weren't sincere, since he dismissed the recent allegations made by Christine Blasey Ford against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh as "a bunch of crap." "Don't pretend you care about sexual assault," Kaine said. "If you did, you wouldn't have called Dr. Ford a 'bunch of crap'. If you did, you wouldn't have gone to Alabama to campaign for (Senate candidate ) Roy Moore and just last month you wouldn't have gone to Amherst County to campaign with Vance Wilkins, who had to retire as Speaker in disgrace after paying hush money to settle sexual harassment claims." The debate, moderated by Washington Post reporter Robert Costa, was the last of three between the candidates before the midterm election. Co-sponsored by AARP, the candidates fielded questions about Social Security, pharmaceutical costs and traffic congestion. Kaine, a popular former Richmond mayor, lieutenant governor and governor, helped deliver Virginia to Hillary Clinton as her running mate in 2016. Far ahead of Stewart in campaign cash and polls, Kaine has been trying to expand the map for Democrats running in House races across the state, hoping for a blue wave that could help Democrats win control of the House. "This race really isn't about Tim versus Corey," he said. "It's about which direction you want Virginia to go." Stewart, who almost won the GOP nomination for governor last year by pledging to protect Confederate monuments and root out illegal immigrants, has tried to gain ground on Kaine in a number of different ways in the five weeks remaining in the race. Last month, he fired a top consultant who he blamed on an abrasive tone in his campaign that alienated potential moderate supporters while courting favor with white supremacists such as Paul Nehlen who have mired Stewart in controversy. On Tuesday, he cited the nation's 3.9 percent unemployment rate and a bullish stock market as postive results of Donald Trump's leadership. "What do Tim Kaine and the Democrats have to offer? Resistance," he said. But Stewart, chair of Prince William County's board of supervisors, kept returning to the theme of sexual misconduct. He has been trying to tap into frustration felt by Republicans over the current FBI investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Kavanaugh. Stewart's suggestion that Kaine and others opposed to Kavanaugh are trying to hide their own sexual harrassment claims muddles the history behind $17.2 million in settlements. After Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, were forced to resign over sexual harassment claims, Kaine pushed for the public release for settlements related to sexual misconduct by senators or their staff, though he said he would not share the identities of the accused or their alleged victimes. That effort was nonetheless rejected Office of Compliance, which cited federal confidentiality laws. The Richmond audience mostly favored Kaine, who served as the city's mayor between 1998 and 2001 and who still lives in the city with his wife, Anne Holton, a onetime state education secretary who is the daughter of former Republican governor Linwood Holton. Like his father-in-law, Kaine described himself as a pragmatic legislator who is willing to work across the aisle to get things done. He cited 17 pieces of legislation that he wrote signed into law by President Trump, including a bill to boost funding for career and technical education and another one that increased funding for scholarships in cybersecurity. Kaine also attacked Stewart for allowing funding to be cut for gang prevention and youth substance abuse programs in Prince William. Stewart characterized Hillary Clinton's 2016 running mate as a man still "bitter" over their loss to Trump who opposes the president at every turn. He said Kaine lacked any substantive accomplishment. "He's had six years in the Senate, four of which were under a Democratic president and he's got nothing done, folks," Stewart said. Stewart noted that he has been elected four times as leader of one of Virginia's most diverse counties. He said under his leadership, the county's crime rate has dropped and Prince William passed a $300 million transportation bond issuance that has paid for improvements along Route 1 and other major roads. He said the bond issue was necessary because Kaine did little for local roads during his term as governor. Kaine pointed to Metrorail's Silver Line extension and HOT lanes on Interstate 95 as proof that Stewart was "making stuff up." Mostly, the two battled over the Kavanaugh nomination, with Stewart hoping to score points over the sexual harassment allegations. In one exchange about Social Security benefits, Stewart accused Democrats of "dipping into" the trust fund to pay out the $17.2 million in settelments. "It's ridiculous; it's a theater of the absurd," he said, pounding his fist on the podium. Kaine, turning to him, said: 'The theater of the absurd is the answer you just gave." Afghan religious scholars need Maulana Samiul Haq as mediator between Taliban ISLAMABAD: Afghan religious scholars and members of the peace council on Monday concluded their five-day visit to Islamabad, seeking mediation of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq between the Taliban and the Afghan government, Samis office said. The seven-member Afghan delegation met Samiul Haq, who is considered as the teacher of Afghan Taliban, in Islamabad on Sunday and urged him to play his key role for peace and reconciliation. A statement from the Madrassah Haqqania said that the Afghan scholars assured Samiul Haq that they would accept his decision. As the Taliban consider you as a teacher, we want your mediation between the Taliban and Afghan government, the statement quoted members of the delegation as telling the JUI-S leader. Samiul Haq proposed a meeting of the scholars and the Taliban at a secret location without involvement of the Afghan government, Pakistan and the US. I think the Afghan rulers, former mujahideen leaders and the Taliban must agree on one point that is the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces and to liberate Afghanistan, Samiul Haq told the Afghan scholars, according to the statement. The Afghan scholars also met Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq, who backed intra-Afghan dialogue to end the conflict. The JI does not support any particular group but we stand by the people of Afghanistan. We ask all Afghan groups to come to the negotiation table for regional peace, Siraj told the Afghan delegates, according to a statement. Afghan nation can force foreign occupation forces to leave Afghanistan if it demonstrates unity, he was quoted as saying. A seven-member Afghan delegation headed by Attaur Rehman Saleem had arrived in Islamabad on Thursday. Earlier, Pakistani and Afghan religious scholars met in Islamabad and discussed the clerics role in ending violence in war-shattered Afghanistan and encouraging the Taliban to join the peace process. The scholars held consultations for holding a conference of the scholars in Islamabad and Kabul to announce a joint stance on the Afghan war. Afghan side was upbeat at their first ever face-to-face meeting with Pakistani scholars despite Taliban strong opposition to such gatherings, as they view the initiative as an American plan to legalise their invasion of Afghanistan. Afghan officials believe they can convince Pakistani religious leaders to adopt a stance against suicide bombings like they had issued a decree in January this year. They also cite a declaration against the Afghan war adopted by an international conference in Saudi Arabia in July this year. Pakistani clerics had declined Saudi invitation as they were upset at the kingdoms harsh statements against the Taliban. Saudi Arabia in its invitation to scholars had termed all Afghan groups terrorist, evoking strong condemnation by the Taliban and an alliance of Afghan scholars. Pakistani scholars had joined Afghan and Indonesia scholars at a trilateral conference in Indonesia in May this year that declared suicide bombings against Islam and also called for direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Afghan officials had agreed this month on a meeting of scholars and officials in Islamabad to discuss agenda for a conference of scholars to issue a joint declaration against violence in Afghanistan. The cost of Houston firefighters push for pay parity with police of corresponding rank and seniority could be 14 percent cheaper than what Mayor Sylvester Turners administration has estimated, city Controller Chris Brown said Tuesday. Browns office estimates that the proposal, which will appear as Proposition B on the Nov. 6 ballot, will cost $85.2 million a year, lower than the $98.6 million figure Turner has used. Neither estimate includes the 7 percent raise police would receive over the next two years if the city council approves a new proposed contract this week. That would increase the cost if voters decide to link fire and police salaries. Brown acknowledged his analysis required a series of assumptions related to how the parity proposal would be implemented, and said the estimate shows the cost of the proposal would be unsustainable. DISCUSSION: Turner, Lancton to debate firefighter pay parity at forum The controllers office believes that a sustainable solution exists but can only be achieved through negotiation in the collective bargaining process, Brown said while presenting his estimate to the city councils budget committee. Its through that process that the men and women of HFD should be able to negotiate a well-deserved raise, but also a well-deserved raise the city can actually afford over the long term. Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association President Marty Lancton viewed Browns analysis as vindication of his view that Turners estimate is inflated. As the city controller proved today, the mayors Proposition B claims cannot be trusted. His math, like his judgment, is driven by an obsession with punishing Houston firefighters, Lancton said. Not including the current proposal to give police 7 percent raises over two years, officers have seen their salaries rise 30 percent in the last seven years while firefighters have received a 3 percent raise. Firefighters voted down a 4 percent raise under former mayor Annise Parker and did not accept a 9.5 percent offer from Turner, though they say the former deal was undercut by steep increases in health premiums and that the latter was offered in bad faith after talks had broken down. Turner, for his part, said Browns estimate would trigger the same layoffs and service cuts he has said will occur if Prop. B passes. More Information Parity debate Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association President Marty Lancton are scheduled to discuss the November ballot referendum that would grant firefighters "pay parity" with police officers at a community forum Saturday, marking the first time they will address the contentious issue on the same stage. The hour-long forum, hosted by the Harris County Democratic Party and moderated by Houston Chronicle Editor of Opinion Lisa Falkenberg, will "dive into the implications of voting for or against Proposition B," according to a news release. The forum will begin at 10 a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church, 2019 Crawford. The debate over Proposition B mostly has played out in media reports and on social media, without the two sides meeting face to face. Turner has hosted several town halls in different council districts, part of a public tour that will continue through Oct. 18. Turner repeatedly has said he believes firefighters deserve a raise, but argued the city cannot afford the parity measure, which he says would cost $98 million a year and amount to a 25 percent raise for firefighters. His administration has estimated the city would be forced to lay off nearly 1,000 workers if voters approve the measure next month. Lancton has accused Turner of using the threat of layoffs as a scare tactic and has disputed the mayor's cost estimates. He also has signaled willingness to phase in "parity" over a number of years. See More Collapse Its fine to have an opinion and horrible for the union to distort the truth of what took place at a public meeting, Turner said. Fact: The controller said today that the city cannot afford the costs of Proposition B on the Nov. 6 ballot. Brown and Turners estimates are nearly identical on the projected increase to firefighters base salaries and the associated increase in retirement benefits: that roughly 20 percent increase would cost about $65 million per year. The two estimates differ mostly on various incentives and allowances known as special pays, some of which firefighters receive now but which parity would increase, and some of which firefighters would receive for the first time if voters approve the measure. The city finance department assumes these special pays will total about $29.5 million a year; Brown estimates the cost will be two-thirds of that figure. Brown also included no additional overtime cost, assuming that the city will cut every expense it can if the measure passes; Turners administration assumes higher base salaries will drive up overtime costs by $2.5 million. Turners finance department also projected that extending patrol pay that officers get to firefighters who work in the fire suppression division would cost $7.1 million, while Brown pegs that figure at $2.5 million. Controllers office spokesman Max Moll said the estimate was applied only to employees with the title of firefighter, not the engineer-operators and others who also respond to incidents in the field. The controllers office also interpreted the proposal as extending to firefighters the same clothing allowance they receive today, rather than estimating those payments to cost $1.9 million more on the assumption that they would match the allowances paid to police, as the city finance department did. Browns analysis also assumes fewer firefighters will participate in a mentoring incentive program that would be new to the department, cutting the cost estimate by $1.3 million as compared to the city finance departments projections. mike.morris@chron.com twitter.com/mmorris011 Still reeling from two recent inmate suicides, the Harris County jail on Monday launched a crisis hotline for prisoners, a novel approach to mental health thats believed to be one of the first such efforts in the country. The 60-day pilot program started at no cost and pulled together in roughly a month will give inmates a new kind of access to help at the 9,000-person lock-up in downtown Houston, an overcrowded facility thats become the states largest mental health provider. Theres experts that say every suicide is preventable and youve got to think that way, said Major Mike Lee, who oversees the jails mental health and diversion efforts. The hotline uses the regular inmate phone system, but the free calls are routed to The Harris Center, which already handles the jails clinical mental health needs. The center a mental health authority is already responsible for running a local suicide hotline and contracts with other regions to provide that service to a 36-county area. The scope of the service and the existing infrastructure made the center a natural partner for the new initiative. Basically, we already do a crisis line theres no need to invent the wheel, said Harris Center Chief of Staff Lillian Ortiz. The hotline is a groundbreaking move for the jail. Its not clear how many jails offer similar services, but county officials said they tracked evidence of such initiatives in two other places: Boise, Idaho and El Paso. The latter served as something of a model for the local effort but on a smaller scale. One concern for Harris County officials was the possibility of bored inmates using the free number for other purposes, calling mental health professionals just to chat or to ask them for favors. There were naysayers saying, Itll be abused, Lee said. Theyll call for inappropriate reasons and say inappropriate things on the phone. You know what? They may. Im not that concerned about the abuse. It was, he added, a possibility El Paso officials had considered, too but the concerns turned out to be largely unfounded. But unlike in El Paso, officials here faced another possible wrinkle: the sheer scale of it all. The county lock-ups here hold nearly four times as many inmates as the El Paso jail. And, while The Harris Centers 40 call-taking staffers are currently handling 350 to 400 calls per day, its not clear how much 9,000 prisoners in need could boost those figures. Though the launch wont cost anything save the price of posters to hang in the pods it could require funding in the future if the call volume proves too much. Theres not really anything like this, so we are uncertain what to expect, said Jennifer Battle, program director at The Harris Center. Despite the uncertainties, advocates praised the countys forward-thinking effort. Ive never heard of such a thing thats wonderful, said Doug Smith of the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. I love the idea of a hotline. Annalee Gulley, policy director with Mental Health America of Greater Houston, lauded the jails actions to target sometimes overlooked populations. So often these individuals are ignored and find themselves with no one to talk to, she said. We cant say that this would be a solution for everyone but I think it will undoubtedly be an effective new tool for some. Officials started working on the idea in August, after Debora Lyons hanged herself in the jail chapel while locked up on a theft charge. Shed threatened suicide at least once in the days before her death, according to sources familiar with the case. Three weeks earlier, Navy veteran Eldon Lee Jackson killed himself in solitary confinement in the same jail building on Baker Street, using medical gauze to form a handmade noose. Despite the pair of deaths, the Harris County jail's suicide rate is less than half the national average for county jails, according to federal data. But still, in September, the State Commission on Jail Standards dinged the local lock-up for failing to stick to minimum standards, the fourth such citation in less than two years. But, launching the new phone line went above and beyond the states requirements, Lee said. In a matter of weeks, the jail managed to arrange for the free call line with the phone vendor, get extra jail-specific training for The Harris Center phone bank workers, map out a response chain for those in crisis, figure out how to ensure 24-hour phone access with portable phones and new procedures and roll out the phone line information to inmates. The hotlines first day in operation coincided with official opening of a Midtown center to treat mentally ill people in the hopes of keeping them out of jail in the first place by diverting them to outside resources instead of making an arrest. keri.blakinger@chron.com A Houston mother accused of badly beating her two toddler daughters has been charged with murder after the older girl died in September, police said. Shandrika Nakesha Mack, 27, is accused of beating 2-year-old Kaliyah McCowan to death at her home in the 5400 block of Rampart Street, according to the Houston Police Department. Mack flagged officers down around noon Sept. 5 after she went inside her children's room and found Kaliyah unresponsive. RECORDS SHOW: Documents shed new light on man charged in diner choking case Officers rushed inside the home and found Kaliyah unconscious, according to court documents. The officers called for paramedics to help Kaliyah before they found 1-year-old Kaniyah McCowan with a black eye and several bruises on her arm. Both girls were rushed to a local hospital, where Kaliyah was pronounced dead upon arrival, according to court documents. Later that day, Mack spoke with detectives and said she only knew of carpet burns on Kaliyah's legs but knew nothing about the other injuries. Detectives spoke with the children's daycare to see if they had any knowledge of the children's injuries. Workers with the daycare told police they'd been concerned about the children's safety for a few months and had launched an internal investigation of their own. Daycare staff indicated to detectives that they believed the abuse might have been going on for months, according to court documents. An autopsy later determined Kaliyah's death to have been caused by blunt force trauma to the abdomen. Authorities ruled the manner as a homicide. Officials said that nearly one-third of Kaliyah's blood was found in her abdomen after extensive and excruciating internal bleeding. Texas Children's Hospital nurses told authorities that had Kaniyah gone any longer before being treated, she would have met the same fate as her older sister. Mack was put in handcuffs Sept. 25 after detectives' investigation and was charged with murder and injury to a child, both felonies. If convicted, Mack could face up to life in prison. Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com Houston police have identified an armed suspect who died Monday after deputies shot him while serving arrest warrants. Police say that the man, Nowy Duron, 29, fled out of the back door of a home in The Heights and pointed a gun at the deputies, causing them to fear for their lives. The incident happened at 725 East 12th Street around 10:50 a.m., when members of the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force came to serve Duron several felony arrest warrants. RECORDS SHOW: Man charged in diner choking case was kicked out of Navy He was wanted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felon in possession of a weapon, burglary of habitation and evasion in a motor vehicle. Police got in touch with the homeowner, who said Duron was inside and probably armed. As they searched, they saw Duron holding a gun and running to the back of the home, police said. Duron fled out the back door, and saw a Harris County Sheriffs Office deputy and sergeant who were stationed outside. He raised his gun and pointed it at them, and both of them shot Duron because they feared for their lives, according to the Houston Police Department. Duron died on the scene. The Houston Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Harris County District Attorneys Office are investigating. The sheriffs office will also conduct an internal investigation. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor running for U.S. Senate in Utah, on Monday said the Republican Party should ramp up its effort to appeal outside the conservative base, targeting independents, Hispanics and people on the other side of the aisle. I don't think we're doing that as well as we could, Romney said during an hour-long interview at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. I don't think I did that as well I could have in my (presidential) campaign. Romneys suggestion arguably would mark a change in course for the party, which largely has fallen in lockstep with President Donald Trump during his first term. Asked for an assessment of Trumps tenure, Romney praised the presidents work on a series of policy fronts such as tax reform, but condemned some of Trumps rhetoric that he called detrimental to the character of our country. Romney, the Republican nominee for retiring U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatchs seat, also seemed to indicate he would limit himself to a single term if he wins in November. My future is behind me, Romney, 71, quipped. So, Im not so worried about the next election. People say, Are you going to run multiple terms like Orrin Hatch? I said, If I ran as often as Orrin Hatch, Id be 112. No. Romney, acknowledging generic polling forecasts Republicans will take a drubbing in the House, nonetheless predicted his party would outperform what talking heads and traditional pundits are suggesting. "If Bill Clinton was right, 'It's the economy stupid,' well, the economy is doing pretty darn well," Romney said, citing the phrase coined in 1992 by a Clinton adviser. "I think people, when push comes to shove, will continue to vote for a continuation of policies that mean a good job and, hopefully, rising incomes." He offered an unsolicited prediction about the 2020 presidential election, too, forecasting that Democrats will nominate someone on the far left of their party, and that will spell impending doom for them in the general election. At times, Romney reflected on his losing 2012 presidential campaign, lamenting, for instance, how little time he spent during the primary in African-American churches and Hispanic communities because they're not going to be voting in my primary by and large. He worked in an anecdote from a campaign stop in New Hampshire, when a voter asked Romney if he believed in compromise. I said, yes. And he said, well, I can't vote for you then. I said, Are you married? Romney recalled. On the topic of political polarization, the opening topic of Romneys interview with Baker Institute Director Edward Djerejian, the former governor attributed increasingly hostile relations around the country to a series of economic factors such as globalization and automation and the governments poor response. If you were working in the auto industry or the steel industry or other manufacturing sectors of the Midwest, it was devastating, Romney said, without referencing a specific time frame. And the people who were leading the country at that time ... just didn't see the impact this was having on American families, and really took no substantial corrective action to help those people so disproportionately affected. Romney faces opposition in his Senate race from Democrat Jenny Wilson and a few third party candidates. A public poll in August showed Romney up by 26 points. jasper.scherer@chron.com Twitter.com/jaspscherer A former Bandidos member who participated in the killing of another man 16 years ago was sentenced Tuesday to 13 years in federal prison without parole, plus five years of supervision after his release. Frederick Fast Fred Cortez, 50, was charged in a racketeering case that took down the top leaders of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club. It wasnt until federal authorities squeezed the Bandidos that Cortez admitted he helped shoot Robert Lara at a rest stop south of San Antonio in January 2002. Cortez pleaded guilty in October 2016 to murder in aid of racketeering for Laras killing. Lara was killed because he was suspected of slaying a Bandido in late 2001, according to testimony during the three-month trial of the Bandidos former national vice president John Xavier Portillo and ex-president Jeffrey Fay Pike. Pike and Portillo were sentenced last week to life in prison without parole for leading the racketeering conspiracy. Related: San Antonio judge sentences Bandidos chief to life for prison One of the governments key eyewitnesses, former Bandidos member Richard Steven Merla, testified that a woman working with the Bandidos drove Lara in January 2002 to a dark picnic area along Interstate 37 south of San Antonio, where Merla dragged Lara out of the car. Merla and Cortez then emptied their pistols into him to retaliate for the killing of Javier Negrete, who was secretary of the Bandidos Southwest San Antonio chapter. Negrete was killed in late 2001 when someone in a sport utility vehicle fired shots at him outside Tiffanys Billiards in San Antonio, Merla testified. Cortez, then a prospect trying to become a member, returned fire, hitting the SUV, Merla said, and was later made a full-patch member. After the Bandidos investigated, Portillo, then the chapters president, announced at a meeting that Lara had slain Negrete and a plan was hatched to kill Lara, Merla testified. Merla said that the day of the Lara killing, he, Cortez and four other Bandidos including Portillo went in three separate cars to the picnic area after the woman working with the Bandidos had called Portillo to let him know that she had Lara in the car with her. After he and Cortez killed Lara, Merla said, Portillo told everyone that no one was to speak of the killing again. Later, he and Cortez were given Expect No Mercy patches, which are dispensed for a noted act for the club, Merla said. Related: Bandidos vice president gets two life terms plus 20 years Merla is serving 40 years in Texas state prison for the 2004 murder of boxer Robert Pikin Quiroga and 40 years concurrently for Laras slaying. Cortez, who worked for Portillo in Portillos home air-conditioning business, did not testify at the trial. Guillermo Contreras covers federal court and immigration news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is rolling out endorsements from more than half of the sheriffs in Texas as he tries to show he is more respectful of law enforcement than his Democratic rival, Beto ORourke. The Cruz campaign this week released a letter signed by 134 of Texass 254 sheriffs saying they have grave reservations about ORourke because of comments the Democrat has made about the criminal justice system during his campaign. In sharp contrast, Ted Cruz has stood up for our peace officers as our United States Senator, the letter states. The letter echoes comments Cruz made during his only debate with ORourke last month that brought a sharp rebuke from ORourke, a congressman from El Paso. At the debate, Cruz said ORourke had previously described law enforcement, described police officers, as modern day Jim Crow. ORourke was quick to respond, saying it was simply untrue. I did not call police officers modern day Jim Crow. The basis of their dispute is comments ORourke made in September at Prairie View A&M University while talking about the history of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. That injustice, to many more people here than I know firsthand, continues to persist today, ORourke said at the time. That system of suspecting somebody, solely based on the color of their skin. Searching that person solely based on the color of their skin. Stopping that person solely based on the color of their skin. Shooting someone solely based on the color of their skin. Throwing the book at that person and letting them rot behind bars solely based on the color of their skin. It is why some have called this I think its an apt description the new Jim Crow. While ORourkes comments were about the criminal justice system, Cruz said during their debate in Dallas that the language is divisive and turns people against the police, calling it profoundly irresponsible. ORourke accused Cruz of slander and misrepresentation, and added: This is your trick of the trade, to confuse and to incite based on fear and not to speak the truth. While 134 sheriffs have signed the letter, including five Democrats, 120 other sheriffs have not signed onto the endorsement letter of Cruz including other Republican sheriffs. Many of the sheriffs from the states largest counties are absent from the endorsement list. Harris, Bexar, Dallas, Travis and El Paso counties all have sheriffs who are Democrats and did not sign onto the letter. Editors note: This story has been updated as more sheriffs have signed the letter. jeremy.wallace@chron.com Army to maintain stability through successful counter-terrorism operations: Qamar Bajwa The Pakistan Army on Monday reiterated its resolve to maintain the stability achieved through successful counter-terrorism operations in the country. Gen Bajwa also apprised the forum about his visit to China. The meeting thanked the people of Pakistan for honouring the martyrs in a befitting manner on the eve of National Defence and Martyrs Day. Over the last two decades, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teaching field has become much more female, slightly more diverse, and more qualified, a new analysis shows . And these STEM teachers not more likely to leave their jobs than other teachers, according to the dataexcept when they teach in high-poverty schools. In a new study published by the American Educational Research Associations open-access, peer-reviewed journal , researchers studied seven cycles of nationally representative data from the Schools and Staffing Survey to see how the demographic characteristics, qualifications, and turnover rates of public school STEM teachers have changed from 1988 to 2012, the most recent year for available data. Perhaps most notably, the percentage of female STEM teachers has dramatically increased from 43 percent in 1988 to 64 percent in 2012. And while STEM teachers are still mostly white, racial diversity in the field has slightly improved: In 1988, just 2 percent of STEM teachers identified as Hispanicthat increased to 6 percent in 2012. And the percentage of Asian STEM teachers increased from 1 to 3 percent over the same time period. But the percentage of black STEM teachers barely budged, standing at 6 percent in 2012. The literature suggests that teachers not only support their students cognitive development and their learning, but also shape their motivations [and] aspirations, said Tuan Nguyen, a research assistant professor in the College of Education at Kansas State University, and one of the reports authors. To that end, he said, the increase in the percentage of female STEM teachers is positive for students, especially girls. Research shows that when female students have a female teacher , their self-confidence and test performance can improve. Its also important for nonwhite students to have nonwhite teachers, Nguyen said. The research community recognizes we need to bring more minority STEM teachers into classrooms, he added. A STEM teacher is still more likely to be a white man than the average teachernational data show that 77 percent of all teachers are women, 9 percent are Hispanic, 7 percent are black, and 2 percent are Asian. Chart: Changes in STEM Teacher Demographics Over Time STEM teachers today are also more likely to have attended a selective college, have a graduate degree, and have majored or been certified in a STEM field. (This is not true for everyone: Some policy observers point out that STEM teachers, particularly those who teach middle and elementary grades , are not always well-versed in the rigorous content in their field.) Still, the analysis shows that STEM teachers who work in high-poverty schools are consistently less likely to have an advanced degree, have attended one of the most selective colleges, or have a STEM qualification. Theyre also more likely to be in their first three years of teaching. (This is in line with the national data on all teachers.) The gap between high- and low-poverty schools is persisting, Nguyen said. High-poverty schools are also losing STEM teachers more frequently: In 2012, 9 percent of STEM teachers left their high-poverty schools, compared to the 5 percent who left low-poverty schools. And 10 percent of STEM teachers left teaching altogether after working in high-poverty schools, compared to the 7 percent who quit after working in low-poverty schools. That is disconcerting for a variety of reasons, Nguyen said. Those are the high-needs schools most in need of quality teachers. STEM is one of the perennial shortage areas in which districts struggle finding teachers, and there have been many efforts to recruit and retain STEM teachers in high-needs schools. Nguyen said he hopes future research will look at the efficacy of those programs. Image via Getty; chart via AERA Open More on Recruiting and Retaining STEM Teachers: Interested in STEM education? Register for Education Weeks free online event to hear from experts how states, districts, and schools can overcome the obstacles that prevent more students from succeeding in STEM as they progress through school. I am here to fix relationship that went sour: Shah Mehmood WASHINGTON: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan was being unjustly blamed for the destabilization of neighbouring Afghanistan. When you are in a difficult situation, you look for scapegoats, for areas and people and institutions that have not delivered to your expectations, he told Fox News in an interview. Pakistan is there to help and facilitate, we recognize that a stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in our interest, he said, and pointed out that they will play a role and use whatever influence they have to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table for peace talks. Qureshi acknowledged that relations have soured significantly between his country and the United States since Trump took office and publicly ramped up pressure on them to do more to obliterate terrorist sanctuaries. The foreign minister insisted that the Pakistani government is in full control of the country, including the rugged and remote tribal regions, and that terror hideouts have been eliminated. He, however, declined to comment on whether monetary cuts were having an impact on Pakistans military or involvement in the protracted war against terror. I am not here to talk dollars and cents, I am not here seeking aid, he said. I am here to fix a relationship that went sour a relationship that has mutually benefited both sides. We have been allies for a long time, it is time to rebuild that powerful relationship, he added. Talking about Dr Shakil Afridi, the foreign minister said the issue could be discussed with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Afridis future, Qureshi said, lies with the courts, not the politics. We have a legal process. Afridi went through that legal process, he was given a fair chance to plead his case. He was sentenced, he was convicted and is serving a sentence, he said. We expect you to respect our legal process, as we respect yours. Qureshi, who represented his country at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, said, He is viewed in a particular light in Pakistan, he is viewed as a traitor there. But he is viewed as a friend in the US. So we have to bridge this gap. Openings are always there. Critics including the highest levels of the United States government disagree that Afridi was afforded a just trial, staunchly contending that he has been unjustly imprisoned and his due process under the tribal system continues to be called into question. Despite the public perception that he has committed treason by working with the US, his 23-year sentence is on the pretext of having ties with a militant group, which his lawyer asserts are bogus. Just prior to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeos recent visit to Pakistan, the Trump team who have repeatedly called for Afridi to be let go cut a further $300 million to Islamabad through the Coalition Support Fund citing Pakistans lack of decisive actions in support of the South Asia strategy. This comes following the US State Departments announcement in January that it was suspending more than $250 million in security assistance to Pakistan. Sheldon Silver was due to begin his seven-year sentence this week for violating the law, the public trust, and the responsibilities of his office as assembly speakera position he occupied for 21 years. Though a federal judge has stayed his entry date while Silver appeals his conviction, many New Yorkers are justifiably pleased to see Silver heading off to jail, viewing his conviction as a long-overdue draining of the Albany swamp. With recent convictions of other top players in state politics, it appears that New York may have begun to clean itself up. But while Silver is eventually going to prison, he wont lose a single taxpayer-funded pension paycheck of $6,602 per month, even while serving his time behind bars. And in spite of his own federal conviction, former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos also continues to receive a $95,831 annual pension, courtesy of New York taxpayers. If this makes you angryas it shouldit might further upset you that these ill-gotten pensions could have been eliminated if our elected lawmakers had done their job properly during the most recent legislative session. Last November, New York voters passed by a nearly two-to-one margin a state constitutional amendment known as Proposal #2. The common reading of the proposal, and the one most people thought that they were voting for, was that it would punish legislators convicted of felonies by stripping away their pensions. In reality, lawmakers wrote an amendment with enough poison pills to ensure that even when they lose, they win. For instance, the new law mandates that New Yorks representatives shall enact legislation to implement this amendment. Unsurprisingly, leaving ethics reform up to the members of the state legislature resulted in another year of inaction. Neither the state assembly nor the senate fulfilled its responsibility to implement the pension-stripping provision. The new law also authorizes a court to reduce or revoke the pension of a public officer. Thus, judgeselected in the same political system as the politiciansreserve discretion over the removal of pensions. The penalty should be automatic: you get convicted by a jury of your peers of a felony related to your role as a public servant, you lose your pension, period. Moreover, the law requires the court to consider whether forfeiture . . . would result in undue hardship . . . upon any dependent children, spouse or other dependents. Consideration of the corrupt politicians family should not be a judges responsibility. One would hope that legislators would take into account their families welfare before breaking their solemn oath, the public trust, and the law. Finally, the new law shall only apply to crimes committed on or after the first of January next succeeding the date upon which the people shall approve and ratify the amendment. Silver and Skelos get a free pass on this basis, as will any officials arrested for crimes that they committed before this year. New York elected officials celebration of this no-impact half measure proves that theyre not serious about any reform that might cause a change in the behavior that has become a national embarrassment. Real reform of pension benefits is essential. The first step is recognizing that what was sold to us last year as a remedy for rogue politicians was only an illusion. Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images The Supreme Courts Janus v. AFSCME decision in June freed government workers nationwideincluding public school teachersfrom being forced to pay money to unions as a condition of employment. But that ruling was just a start toward liberating public servants from the grip of the unions that control their jobs. The next step should be eliminating the unions ability to establish themselves as exclusive representatives of all employees. Even in a post-Janus world, unions in most states hold all the power in negotiating salary, benefits, and work conditions. Were teachers allowed to bargain for themselves or even to form a rival union, Big Labor would face its worst nightmare, something even more abhorrent than a right-to-work country: competition. As teacher-union watchdog Mike Antonucci writes, The very first thing any new union wants is exclusivity, whereby no other unions are allowed to negotiate on behalf of people in the bargaining unit. Unit members cannot hire their own agent, nor can they represent themselves. Teachers should be free to negotiate for themselves, without a union. The idea of a members only union is fair to both sides, but monopoly-minded union leaders adamantly oppose it. The Buckeye Institute has filed two lawsuits that aim to repeal exclusivity laws. One plaintiff, Marietta, Ohio high school Spanish teacher Jade Thompson, disagrees with her union on many questions, including seniority practices and maintaining fringe benefits at the cost of cutting academic programs. Another, Kathy Uradnik, professor of political science at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, wants out because her union bars nonmembers from serving on various faculty committees and joining the faculty senate. These public-sector teachers, and many others like them, are tired of the restrictions that unionsto which they dont even belongplace on their work. Another crucial step in the battles ahead: forcing unions to recertify themselves regularly. If your grandmother hired a law firm to help her get through some legal troubles, would you be forced to hire that same law firm 40 years later? Of course not. But as things stand now, grandma could have voted a union into power in the 1970s andif you followed her into teachingyou would be represented by the same union today, with no choice in the matter. Only 6 percent of workers represented by a union today voted for that union to represent them. The standard bearer for union recertification is Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, whose Act 10, among other things, specifies that unions take annual votes to maintain certification. The law was passed in 2011; by 2015, Wisconsin teachers had decertified more than 100 public school unions. Inherited unionism has to go: intergenerational power has no place in America. Recertification laws dont always go far enough, though. Under Floridas HB 7055, 51 percent of the teachers in a school district can drag the dissenting 49 percent into collective bargaining negotiations. Again, those who dont want to join a union should not be forced to be part of the bargaining unit. In fact, the elimination of collective bargaining agreements (CBA) in public education may be beneficial for all concerned. The American Enterprise Institutes Rick Hess and the Brookings Institutes Martin West point out that CBAs are vestiges of the industrial economic model that prevailed in the 1950s, and are especially problematic on three fronts: 1) they restrict efforts to use compensation as a tool to recruit, reward and retain the most essential and effective teachers, 2) they impede attempts to assign or remove teachers on the basis of fit or performance, and 3) they over-regulate school life with work rules that stifle creative problem-solving without demonstrably improving teachers ability to serve students. Since the passage of Act 10, which all but did away with collective bargaining for teachers in Wisconsin, graduation rates and the number of students taking advanced placement tests in that state have trended upward. The Fordham Institutes Mike Petrilli claims that CBAs hurt the bottom line of all teachers. Comparing salaries in districts across the country that allow collective bargaining with those that dont, he found that teachers working in districts where the union was not involved made more money than those in collective bargaining districts$64,500, on average, versus $57,500. Good teachers especially suffer under CBAs due to wage compression, which occurs when the salaries of lower-paid teachers get raised above the market rate; the increase is offset by reducing pay of the most productive ones. The Supreme Court struck a blow for liberty in the Janus case, but other fixes are needed before the system is fair for all teachers, students, and taxpayers. Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images Nordoff Robbins Scotland, the music therapy charity, will merge into the Nordoff Robbins charity covering England and Wales, creating a single organisation. The new combined charity will cover all of Great Britain except for Northern Ireland, and will continue to offer all current existing services. All directors of Nordoff Robbins Scotland will join the senior management team at the new, combined charity. Julie Whelan, the existing chief executive, will remain as the chief executive of the combined charity. Two members of the Scottish non-executive board will be joining the board of the merged charities, while the rest will remain supporting Nordoff Robbins and our Scotland provision in a variety of ways. David Munns, the existing chair of the England and Wales branch, will remain as chair of the combined charity. All 17 Nordoff Robbins Scotland employees will transfer over, giving the new charity a combined headcount of 123. Whelan said: This move to merge with our sister organisation Nordoff Robbins Scotland is a significant moment in the charities history. It is a moment which brings with it scope for greater work, broader reach and more lives changed through music. In our hopes to achieve our objectives, we move forward stronger, and with the support of our Scottish colleagues we look to the future with vigour and confidence. For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here. The chief executive of NCVO, Sir Stuart Etherington, has written to the Attorney General, asking him to consider channelling the money from the closure of the National Fund to charity potentially into a community wealth fund. The National Fund is one of the wealthiest charities in the UK, and was set up 90 years ago to pay off the national debt. However the national debt remains 4,000 times the size of the charity, and there is no realistic chance of it achieving its goal, so the Attorney Generals Office will go to court to seek the closure of the fund. At present, the money is due to be absorbed by the government and spent on paying back the national debt. But NCVO has said that the money could have a more significant impact if channelled to the charity sector. Karl Wilding, director of public policy and volunteering at NCVO, wrote in a blog yesterday that it could be combined with money due to be moved into the sector from dormant assets to form a community wealth fund, which would invest through community foundations in deprived areas. A similar idea was proposed yesterday in a letter to the chancellor, which also called for action on a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, to replace EU spending on charities. The decision to close the National Fund was taken by Jeremy Wright, the previous Attorney General, and Etherington has now written to Geoffrey Cox, his successor, to ask him to consider how the money should be spent. As you are aware, the national debt currently stands at 1.8 trillion almost 4,000 times the size of the charity, Etherington wrote. It increases each day by around 400m, a sum nearly equal to the National Funds entire assets. We think that it is possible to find a solution that would respect the principles of charity law and the intentions of the donor, and enable HM Government to meet some of the aims it has outlined, namely strengthening communities and support social action in deprived communities. I would like to ask you to meet with NCVO to explore alternative solutions. We understand the need for the funds to be applied in accordance with the cy-pres principle but we are also conscious that this windfall will be of marginal significance to the public finances in the context of the figures noted above, whereas such a sum could have a very significant impact on public life if used towards increasing the funding of charities in some way. For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here. Last month, the Lloyds Bank Foundation and New Policy Institute published A Quiet Crisis, an investigation into the trends in local government spending on disadvantage in England since 2011. Using sophisticated NPC data analysis techniques (ctrl+f) I can tell you that the report doesnt contain the word charity once but I think its something vitally important that every charity working with disadvantaged people should be paying attention to. Why? Because it provides a map, both to where charities should be focusing their resources now, and what the context might look like nationally in the future. In particular, there are two findings that the sector needs to take on board and reflect upon: 1. Almost the entirety of the cuts (97 per cent) to spending on disadvantage have fallen on the most deprived fifth of all councils; and 2. Spending has fallen more rapidly in some areas than others (for example, spending on substance misuse by 59 per cent) and there has been a marked shift away from preventative to crisis provision. Where you are matters These cuts have fallen almost entirely in the North and the Midlands and (generally inner) London boroughs. The corollary of this is that, in these areas, charities will find themselves struggling to meet the rising demand for services which are no longer being funded. We dont have data on what is happening in the sector in these specific contexts, but we know from research like Localgivings Local Charity and Community Group Sustainability Report that many local groups are having a hard time with funding and are not particularly optimistic about the future. They certainly dont feel they have capacity to make up all the ground left by a receding state. But change is coming everywhere Its important to understand that cuts to councils, though they have been painful so far, are going to deepen, with a reduction of 54 per cent planned between 2018/19-and 2019/20. This will coincide with reform to business rates meaning half of local councils will receive no direct funding from government. With that in mind, I think we should see the areas identified in A Quiet Crisis not as outliers, but as the future for most councils. What this will mean nationally is up for debate. Already, where shire counties like Northamptonshire have failed one proposed solution is to reorganise them into larger, unitary authorities to benefit from efficiencies and hopefully promote resilience. Efficiency in this context could quite easily result in fewer, larger contracts, which are likely to be out of reach of most charities who could deliver services. Moving money Even if councils survive in the same shape, we may seem them react to further cuts as the councils identified in A Quiet Crisis did, by moving spending on disadvantage out of preventative services and into crisis management. This will affect the kind of services charities offer, and charities that are depending on local government funding but not able to provide crisis services will suffer. This may mean overall local government spending in the sector drops We do not know if charities will be able to adapt to this and what mixture of crisis versus preventative services they offer, or even if they generally think of themselves as being part of this binary. This change in approach also present a challenge philosophically. We, and others, have been agitating for charities (and funders) to move their work upstream and try to be more preventative, engaging with issues at a systems level, rather than exclusively focusing on symptoms. Meeting the needs of those in crisis is vital, but if we abandon attempts to understand and prevent crises we wont make progress. If local government ceases to fund prevention, funders and philanthropists will need to step up and fill the gap. Getting organised So, the report contains some timely warnings for the sector and is an example of what may be to come across the UK. But more than that, its an example and a challenge. I think the sector should ask if it would be possible for someone to create a report this useful but based on charity data? Can we see where charitable spend is going, and on what to know if certain causes in certain places are being properly served? If it is out there, we dont currently see it being linked up. 360Givings GrantNav provides us, finally, with a platform that start to open some of this up but just think what we could do with a real time, or even recent, map of charitable spend, activity (and results!) to map against things like the index of deprivation. If things in local government get as bad as it seems they might, we as a sector need to respond strategically. Having the data and knowing where we can have the most impact is crucial but we also need models work working together and with partners across the UK. Thats why, beginning in October, we are going to start a coalition for change, bringing together all the charities, funders and anyone else who sees the need for coordinated sector responses to social issues like disadvantage across the UK. Reports like A Quiet Crisis are vital, but now we need a loud call to arms uniting the sector in a commitment to protect the most disadvantaged people in society. Having spent the past two weeks at Labour and Conservative Party conferences, its obvious that grassroots members and local councillors from both parties are tearing their hair out at the social, economic and cultural vandalism that further cuts will cause. Its time for radical thinking across the social, public and private sectors about how we organise, protect and champion our local communities for the decade ahead. Nathan Yeowell is head of policy at NPC. Will Wright, a journalist at the Lexington Herald-Leader, knows a lot about the water in eastern Kentucky. How its gathered from local tributaries and reservoirs, how its treated, and how its transported to businesses and homes. This year, Wright reported extensively on the failing infrastructure of one countys water district, on the West Virginia border, including an incident in January that left more than 3,000 people without access to water for days. Wright, 24, is one of the first corps members with Report for America, a national service program in the vein of AmeriCorps and Teach for America that aims to chip away at the countrys local news crisis by pairing talented young reporters with under-resourced newsrooms across the country. In January, the Herald-Leader sent Wright to re-establish its bureau in Pikeville, Kentucky, a city of about 7,000 in the heart of coal country. As the newspapers sole reporter in eastern Kentucky, Wright now covers 13 counties that have not received persistent media coverage in a statewide outlet since the Herald-Leader closed its bureau there in 2011. The month following Wrights initial reporting, the water district manager retired and the state allocated $3.4 million to repair the ailing system. Theyve been having these water issues for years, Wright says. When I talk to people here, they just feel like they havent been heard. An initiative of the Boston-based nonprofit GroundTruth Project, Report for America started small, placing three reporters in Appalachia in January; along with Wright at the Herald-Leader, the program fielded corps members to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, in West Virginia, and to West Virginia Public Broadcasting. The program expanded in June to 13 total reporters at 10 newsrooms, across eight states, and will more than double in size in 2019, to 28 reporters in about 20 newsrooms. By 2022, it aims to have 1,000 reporters in newsrooms across America, according to Steve Waldman, a veteran journalist and entrepreneur who co-founded Report for America with Charles Sennott, editor and CEO of the GroundTruth Project. Weve proven you can have an impact by putting a reporter on the ground somewhere, Waldman says. Weve shown theres a tremendous thirst and appetite for this reporting and an eagerness to view local journalism as a public service. RELATED: Public-service journalism program pitched in CJR lands funding Sign up for CJR 's daily email The outlets supported by Report for America in its first year10, selected from a field of 85 applicant organizationsrange from legacy publications, like the Dallas Morning News, to new media companies like mobile-first sibling sites Billy Penn and The Incline, which serve Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, respectively. Newsrooms had to demonstrate an urgent gap in their coveragea geographic region, an issue, or a demographic group, for exampleand to articulate clear plans for how the Report for America corps member would help address that gap. Appalachia was a natural fit for the programs pilot reporters, says Waldman, given that it is an epicenter for many of the pressing issues facing the country, including economic stagnation, failing infrastructure, and opioidsas well as a sparsity of media. According to John Stamper, the Herald-Leaders deputy editor for accountability and engagement, his newspaper sent reporters to eastern Kentucky as often as possible following the Pikeville bureaus closure, but stories were inevitably missed. I asked the editors what kind of stories they wanted me to be doing, says Wright, who previously served as editor in chief of the independent student newspaper at the University of Kentucky, also in Lexington. They were like, Well, we dont really know what stories are there. In the nine months since, in addition to continued coverage of the water crisis, he has written about education, healthcare, and the prospective impacts of state budget cuts to the regionsome of which did not go through, as a result of his reporting. Wright writes primarily from the trailer where he lives, along a creek just outside of the Pikeville city limits. The setting suits Wright, who grew up in rural Eighty Four, Pennsylvania and considers himself a natural outdoorsman. (Wright completed a through-hike of the Appalachian Trail before starting with Report for America.) This spring, while fishing in a nearby lake, he noticed an unusual amount of accumulated trash and debris. He began asking around about where all the garbage came from and, in August, published a story detailing the inadequate efforts of government entities, for years, to clean the lake and curb the flow of debris from upriver watersheds in Virginia. His coverage made the lake a topic of debate in a local election, in addition to prompting calls from state lawmakers for the governors of Kentucky and Virginia to get involved. Stamper isnt surprised at the stories Wright has come up with. Its not rocket science, Stamper says. There are great stories everywhere. You just have to have a good reporter present. In Mississippi, Michelle Liu has reported in detail on an unusual spate of prison deaths and a lack of transparency at the state Department of Corrections, as one of two corps members who joined the nonprofit website Mississippi Today in June. Liu, 22, spent her first months in Jackson attending government meetings, poring through old case files, and introducing herself to everyone she could: the unglamorous work of building a beat, she explains. By August, she had hit her stride. After publishing a series of articles on inmate deaths, Liu received a tip from the family of a 33-year-old inmate who died amid uncertain circumstances just five days before her scheduled release, leading to an intimate portrait of the woman and the impact of her imprisonment on her family. Liu graduated from Yale University in May. After a series of newspaper internships during college, in New Haven, Toledo, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she worried she would miss the texture of local reporting if she followed many of her classmates to larger digital outlets on the coasts. When Report for America came up, I thought, Thats it. Thats what I want to do, says Liu, who had never spent a day in Mississippi. Other corps members were driven by a desire to get back to their home states and communities. At the beginning of this year, Chicago-native Carlos Ballesteros, 25, was unhappily farming clicks, he says, as a member of Newsweeks digital team in Manhattan. He quit when he saw the Chicago Sun-Times had been selected as a Report for America outlet. Today he reports from Chicagos South and West sidesincluding from the neighborhood where he grew up and where his grandmother first landed when she immigrated to the US from Mexico in the 1960s. At the Sun-Times, Ballesteros has reported neighborhood revitalization efforts, police misconduct, and the important roles of barbers in some Chicago communitiesthe latter in partnership with another Report for America corps member, Manny Ramos, who also claims Chicago as his hometown. What he does not report on is crime and violence, stories that are already thoroughly covered, including by the Sun-Times. Such stories are important, Ballesteros says, but they can also result in damaging stereotypes when theyre the only stories being told about a certain neighborhood. The best part of this is being able to help develop the narrative of these places, helping shape how we understand and talk about these communities, Ballesteros says. Thats a responsibility Im proud to take on, and I dont take it lightly. About half of the programs reporters are native to the communities theyre covering, while others bring the fresh eyes of an outsider. Some came to the program straight from college, for instance, and some with a few years of experience under their belts. About half identify as people of color. Corps members assignments are for one year, with the opportunity to extend for a second year, if the corps member and the newsroom both agree. They are paid about $40,000 a year, with Report for America footing half of the bill and a combination of the newsrooms and donors making up the rest. Report for America currently counts a number of well-known media and philanthropic foundations among its backers, including the Knight Foundation (which also helps fund CJR) and the Google News Initiative. Waldman and Sennott hope the programs early victories will make it even more attractive to impact-hungry donorswhich could Report for America help meet its goals for rapid growth. In the meantime, they say the satisfaction of the newsrooms and corps members proves the model is working so far. Wright has signed on for an additional year in eastern Kentucky with the Herald-Leader. Hes currently at work on a deep-dive multimedia project about water cleanliness across Appalachia, in partnership with the two corps members in West Virginia. Sennott, who is providing hands-on mentorship to the group, says the capstone resembles the longform, time-intensive work often supported by the GroundTruth Projectand might serve as a model for projects the GroundTruth Project could fund in the future for successful Report for America corps members wishing to continue service in their region. You can feel the pull of a new generation of reporters to the public service mission of journalism, Sennott says. The need is there. Now we want to take what weve learned, we want to grow it steady and grow it strong. Correction: This article originally misstated the number of corps members Report for America will field in 2019. The program will increase in size to 28 reporters, not 48. Social image credit: Matt Wasson, via Wikimedia Commons. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Andrew McCormick is an independent journalist and former CJR Delacorte Fellow. His work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, the South China Morning Post, and more. Follow him on Twitter @AndrewMcCormck. Ahead of the November 6 elections, CJR invited writers to spotlight stories that deserve closer scrutiny, in their states and beyond, before voters cast their ballots. Read other dispatches from States of the Union here. Montana is a state of 147,040 square miles, and just over a million people. We get two senators like every other state, but just one congressional representative. In theory, that should make it easier for the local press to report on the federal races. This year, there are two: for the senate, a close battle between two-term senate incumbent Jon Tester (D) and Matt Rosendale (R); for Congress, an unpredictable race between Democrat Kathleen Williams, the surprise winner of a closely contested primary, and Greg Gianforte, who won a special election for the seat last May, just 24 hours after bodyslamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs. (Gianforte, who initially denied Jacobs account, eventually pled guilty to assault, for which he was sentenced to 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management, a 180-day deferred sentence, and ordered to pay a $300 fine. He also donated an additional $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, who characterized their meeting with him as disappointingly brief.) The Gianforte race presents some unprecedented tensions. How do you cover a candidate whose antagonism towards the press includes physical abuse? How should reporters respond when the president jokes that Gianforte has fought in more ways than one? (Asked by the Billings Gazette to condemn Trumps press-as-enemy rhetoric, Gianforte instead touted the presidents unique communication style.) The local press has attempted to cover Gianforte as best they can. The editor of the Billings Gazette, which serves the largest metro area in the state, decried Trumps comments and Gianfortes refusal to denounce them. Montana Public Radios Nicky Oulette has repeatedly pushed the congressman to go beyond the widespread Make America Great Again rhetoric in favor of substantive policy discussions and critiques of the presidents actions. But covering Gianforteor scandal-marred Interior Department Secretary Ryan Zinke, formerly the states long congressional representative, or any number of other state and federal racesis difficult when journalistic resources are cut to the bone. Newspaper conglomerate Lee Enterprises, which owns three of Montanas top papers, has issued cascading layoffs over the past two years. Lee recently closed The Independent, Missoulas beloved alt-weekly and one of the only Montana publications that still does in-depth reporting, after acquiring it just last year. Lee layoffs entailed the elimination of the syndicates state bureau in Helena, including veteran reporters Mike Dennison and Chuck Johnson. It was Johnson (along with John Adams, then reporting for the Great Falls Tribune) who helped unearth and report on the dark money that supported misinformation campaigns in Montana state elections. As detailed in the recent documentary Dark Money, their reporting spurred bipartisan legislation to ban undisclosed contributions, many of which came from corporations outside of Montana that were eager to set the agenda for natural resource extraction across the state. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Today, Lee Enterprises has a restructured, one-person state bureau, Johnson is in early retirement, and Adams has launched Montana Free Press, a shoestring operation that survives on donations and syndicates its investigative reporting in Montana papers, including Lee-owned ones. (Montana Free Press hopes to hire a state capitol reporter to start in October.) Smaller, digital-only news sites, largely staffed by ex-newspaper employees, struggle along. Last Best News, helmed by ex-Billings Gazette reporter Ed Kemmick, shuttered earlier this year. Losing talent like Johnsons doesnt just mean losing decades of institutional knowledge; it means losing a beloved and trusted voice when newspapers need them the most. Earlier this year, journalists broke a massive story concerning potential conflicts of interest involving Secretary Zinkes landholdings in Whitefish. The reporters behind the scoop didnt work for the local newspapers, or the Maury Povich and Connie Chung-owned alt-weekly, or any of the Lee Enterprise papers. Montanans are proud of their refusal to keep outsiders out of everything, politics included. Politicians and old-timers and fresh-faced J-school students regularly invoke the days of the so-called Copper Kings, men who came in and wrested control of seemingly everything in the statefrom the copper beneath the ground all the way to a Senate seat, which one of the so-called Kings, William Clark, effectively purchased. In the early 20th century, Montanans worked together to rebuke the rule and corruption of the Copper Kings. The antidark money legislation is often situated as a continuation of that tradition. But state legislation can only go so far, and dark money is as sneaky and clever as its nickname suggests. This election cycle, the ballot includes a statewide initiative that would raise taxes on cigarette sales in order to continue funding of Medicaid Expansion. A group called Montanans Against Tax Hikes raised $7.7 million in August, nearly all of it from the parent company of Philip Morris Tobacco. At the same time, the Montana Democratic party is battling an attempt on the behalf of the Green Party to get a candidate on the ballot in November, even as its been revealed that the signature-gathering for the candidate has been funded by an out-of-state group with Republican ties. (Recent elections have been so close that a third party candidate, particularly on the left, could be enough to tilt the race in Democrats or Republicans favor). Democrats won their suit to keep candidates off the ballot in district court, only to be challenged by the Republican Secretary of State; the Montana Supreme Court has since upheld the ruling. And while the Montana press has duly reported on these cases, it simply lacks the resources or wherewithal to pursue the larger issues, institutions, and money-flows in depth. What is Advanced Micro Targeting, the organization behind the Green Party signature gathering? What stake do its funders have in who wins the Montana election? How did they recruit signature gatherers and collaborate with the existing Green Party infrastructure? Why is the most in-depth reporting on the issue happening on a small community podcast? Earlier this year, journalists broke a massive story concerning potential conflicts of interest involving Secretary Zinkes landholdings in Whitefish. The reporters behind the scoop didnt work for the local newspapers, or the Maury Povich and Connie Chung-owned alt-weekly, or any of the Lee Enterprise papers. They work for Politico, and are based in Washington, DC. As this sort of in-depth investigative reporting continues to fall to national outlets, it might help inoculate the local newspapers from continued cries of liberal bias. But whats lost in the process? To develop trust between a local publication and its readership, you have to do more than deliver the news with consistency and speed. You also have to speak truth to power, whether that means calling out a lie on the part of a wealthy elected congressman or investigating outside meddling in state matters. And thatmore than covering candidates daily stops, or furor over a Pearl Jam concert poster depicting Trump, or even whether or not owning a ranch but not cattle makes you a ranchershould be our focus as members of the Montana press. *This story has been updated to reflect that John Adams worked for the Great Falls Tribune, not the Helena Independent. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Anne Helen Petersen is a senior culture writer and Western correspondent for BuzzFeed News. She received her PhD in media studies from the University of Texas, and her most recent book is Too Fat Too Slutty Too Loud: The Rise and Reign of the Unruly Woman. In May 2016, the Mexican investigative journalist Sebastian Barragan was working on an explosive story. An anonymous source had sent Aristegui Noticias, the investigative outlet where he worked, a grainy video that appeared to show a scene of brutal torture; in it a group of police officers surround a man handcuffed to a chair; they strike him over and over again, and pull a plastic bag over his head. One of the men in the video is wearing a jacket with the letters PGJEM, The Prosecutor General for the State of Mexico, a state that surrounds Mexico City like a horseshoe. Barragan called the PGJEM and the Mexican Attorney Generals (PGR) office for comment. A few hours later, Barragan was sent an odd text message that read, I have credible evidence against public servants; underneath, there was a link. Researchers at the Canada-based digital rights group Citizen Lab would later analyze that link and discover it was engineered to infect Barragans phone with Pegasus, an advanced exploit that can hijack the microphones and cameras on any smartphone, and slurp up contacts and correspondence. In Barragans mind it was clear what had just happened: The Mexican government wanted to hack me Barragan told me recently. His suspicions were all but confirmed a year later when leaked government documents revealed a $32 million contract between the Mexican Attorney Generals office and a local intermediary for the NSO Group, the Israeli company that sells Pegasus to law enforcement agencies. The attack against Barragan isnt an isolated incident. Earlier this month, Citizen Lab published a report that found traces of Pegasus in over 45 countries, including a number of places where the government is known to aggressively prosecute reporters, such as Turkey and Kazakhstan. The threat this poses to journalists cant be overstated: A Pegasus operator can quietly transform a cellphone into a surveillance hub, tracking the reporters movements, identify sources, even potentially impersonate that journalist in the digital world. Given the global nature of the threat, this past week, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a security advisory, its first ever on Pegasus, to alert journalists everywhere that they could be targeted a manner similar to Barragan. Citizen Lab has been tracking Pegasuswhich the NSO Group says is intended for legitimate anti-terror and law enforcement activitiesfor years. It was first detected on the phone of Ahmed Mansour, a human rights activist in the United Arab Emirates, in 2016. It was more sophisticated than anything Id ever seen before, Bill Marczak, the Citizen Lab researcher who first identified Pegasus on Mansours phone told me recently. Researchers knew about spyware that could siphon off some private data from cell phones, but Pegasus took things further: It could completely take over a phone remotely, without the owner knowing, and without leaving any trace besides a text message. ICYMI: Emptywheels Marcy Wheeler knows more than she tells, but she tells a lot Pegasus operators stage their attacks from publicly accessible websites. Targets are sent text messages with links to those domains, and if they click, their phones begin secretly running software that turns over control to the Pegasus operator. The new Citizen Lab report, which tracks the likely location of these attacks by scanning the internet for evidence of the NSO infrastructuredoes not identify the human targets of the attacks themselvesthat would require the analysis of a specific text message or targeted phone. It only hints at where such attacks may be taking placeso far, nobody knows how many journalists may have been impacted. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Journalists living in countries where infections were detected are on alert. In the Ivory Coast, for example, Anderson Diedri, a reporter who worked on reporting there as part of the West Africa Leaks, a international corruption investigation, says that Pegasuss presence in the country would constitute an unacceptable threat to the freedom of the press, especially investigative journalism. But, given the secretive nature of the technology, he cant be sure what to expect. If it is confirmed that Ivorian citizens or all those who live in the country are targeted or put under surveillance, this situation would be extremely serious, he says. Farida Nabourema, a human rights activist from Togo, another country where Citizen Lab found evidence of Pegasus, says the news fit into a larger pattern of abuse by a government often intolerant of dissent: They [the government] noticed that technology is being used today by activists to fight, she says, so they decided to invest in surveillance in order to track activities of opponents. According to the Citizen Lab report, the suspected infections in the Ivory Coast seem to be linked to a much larger campaign of spying across North Africa, whereas the suspected infections in Togo suggested an operator who was only spying in Togo. Mexico has been ground zero for Pegasuss deployment against journalists. At least six reporters have been targeted there, according to exhaustive research by both Citizen Lab and the Mexican digital rights group R3D. Those attacks coincided with major journalistic investigations that challenged the Mexican government. For example: three reporters who were targeted worked on the Casa Blanca Scandal, a major story exposing how Mexicos first lady was given a mansion by a government contractor who later received lucrative contracts. Mexican television journalist Carlos Loret de Mola was targeted while he was reporting on extrajudicial killings. Although three Mexican federal agencies have access to Pegasus, the government has denied it ever launched any attacks on reporters. Journalists are particularly vulnerable to Pegasus, which is advertised by NSO to target terrorists, human traffickers, and other criminals. The text messages sometimes mimic the language of a whistleblower, or source. Luckily for Barragan, when he received the text messages, he was suspicious, and didnt click. He was on alert, because some of his colleagues had already been attacked. Rafael Cabrera, an investigative reporter who also has also been a thorn in the side of the Mexican governments was barraged with seven different links in 2015 and 2016some imitating news articles, others mentioning his sex lifeat the time, he had no idea they were spyware attacks. In August of 2015 he received a series of urgent text messages warning that he could be arrested for his reporting on the Mexican president: I thought: what the fuck?, he recalls. And then he clicked, possibly exposing his phone to Pegasus. Cabreras not sure if the government was after his sources, trying to track his movements, or attempting to siphon private information to blackmail him. I expect that someday I might wake up and embarrassing information will be all over the internet, he tells me. I dont know what they theyll dobut Im preparing myself. Its not an unreasonable fear: Another possible victim of Pegasus in Mexico, the prominent human rights lawyer Jorge Santiago, had his phone calls recorded, edited together in a misleading fashion, and leaked on Facebook in an attempt to discredit him. The text messages sometimes mimic the language of a whistleblower, or source. Danya Centeno, a lawyer with the Mexican digital rights organization R3D, says the Pegasus attacks have had a chilling effect, raising the risks for reporters who may want to do hard-hitting stories on the Mexican state. The Mexican government has launched an internal investigation into its own use of Pegasus, overseen by the Attorney Generals Officethe very entity that bought the tools to begin with. The investigation is bullshit, Cabrera says. Despite its potentially shady application, selling Pegasus to governments seems to be quite profitable. NSO Group, the company that makes Pegasus, was acquired by the American private equity firm Francisco Partners for $110 million in 2014; last year, it was valued at nearly billion dollars. Pegasus is expensive to implement and operate: copies of its price list obtained by The New York Times in 2016 show NSO charges $650,000 for 10 targets, on top of a $500,000 initial fee. Repressive governments are willing to spend large sums of money to ensure there are no political change in their countries, Marczak explains. This past summer both Goldman Sachs and the Blackstone Group announced investments in Francisco Partners, the firm thats had a controlling stake in NSO since 2014, and has presided over both its explosion in value and the deployment of its spyware against journalists and human rights defenders. (Francisco Partners did not respond to requests for comment. The NSO Group provided a statement similar to that given to Citizen Lab, and would not clarify how they handled the Mexican case.) Still, the scope of the companys maneuvers remains opaque. NSO Group insists its products are not intended to be used against journalists and human rights defendersand that it will yank licenses from errant users. In a statement given to Citizen Lab on September 18, it explained that its products are only licensed to operate in countries approved under our Business Ethics Framework, though it didnt explain what that framework is. Just a month before NSO issued that statement, however, Amnesty International detected what appeared to be NSO-powered attacks on human rights workers in Saudi Arabia. Marczak, with Citizen Lab, estimates there have been thousands of attacks yet to be discovered. For journalists and advocacy groups trying to defend from devastating hacks, there are many troubling unanswered questions about the technologys global application: Exactly which governments have bought Pegasus? Who has it been deployed against on the ground? How many of those targets are legitimate law enforcement targets, and, how often are reporters like Barragan and Cabrera attacked? So far, the evidence is piecemealand its not reassuring. A new lawsuit filed against NSO Group last month in Israeli court provides a disturbing, if limited, window into how the technology is being used globally. Copies of emails included in the suit show intelligence officials in the UAE and an NSO affiliate, a company called Circles, coordinating a step-by-step attack against two journalists, the Saudi Arabian editor Abdulaziz Alkhamis and the Qatari editor Abdullah Al-Athbah. The Circles employee directly sent the UAE government official an audio recording of Alkhamiss phone calls, apparently intercepted, as part of a sales pitch for a software upgrade (Alkahmis told me he didnt want to discuss the incident, on advice of his lawyer). Abdullah Al-Athbah, who was alerted to the presence of the spyware on his phone by a source who leaked him documents, smashed his SIM Card with a hammer when he found out. I needed to protect my sources, he told the AP. The way Pegasus operates, its incredibly difficult for individual journalists to know if theyve been infected. The links that carry the infection appear to redirect users to nondescript websiteseven while they secretly load the malicious codeand theres no easy way to scan a device after an infection has taken place. 99 percent of victims dont know and have no way to know, explains Mazen al-Masri, a lawyer in London who is working on the lawsuit against the NSO Group in Israel. For example: The Citizen Lab report identified a high concentration of potential attacks linked to Turkey, the worlds worst jailor for journalists. But there are no publicly known cases of journalists being infected with Pegasus there. Alp Toker, a Turkish digital rights activist and the founder of TurkeyBocks, says hes aware of instances in which major reporters in Turkey have been been sent links that resemble a Pegasus attack; but they havent been formally analyzed. There are indications, he says, but no smoking gun. For journalists around the world seeing their countries named on the Citizen Lab report can provoke a sense of fearand of helplessness: I feel very concerned, says Guillaume Gbato, reporter in the Ivory Coast, where Citizen Lab detected a potential Pegasus infection. Gbato often covers sensitive national security issue for the newspaper Notre Voie, and is the Secretary General of the countrys press syndicate. Im afraid for the safety of those I talk toespecially my sources, he says. If journalists and their sources are realizing that they can be listened to without their knowledge, freedom of the press would be emptied of its contents. Jonathan Rozen contributed reporting. RELATED: Everything to know about FARA, and why it shouldnt be used against the press Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Avi Asher-Schapiro is a former staffer at VICE News, International Business Times, and Tribune Media, and an independent investigate reporter who has published in outlets including The Atlantic, The Intercept, and The New York Times. 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 Delawares 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 DelDOTs current flood-monitoring system were developed by CEMA Associate Director Kevin Brinson; CEMA Research Associate David Huntley; Matt Shatley, CEMAs 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. Source: university of Delaware A second beam in San Franciscos celebrated new $2 billion transit terminal shows signs of cracking, an official said Wednesday, a day after a crack in a nearby support beam shut down the building that opened just last month. The first crack found by workers installing roof tiles Tuesday spans a beam holding up a park over the three-block-long facility and runs over a downtown street, Salesforce Transit Center executive director Mark Zabaneh said. He said the problems were localized to that area of the transit hub but it would remain closed at least through the end of next week as inspections continued. Its not yet clear what caused the cracks. Mayor London Breed said the facility would stay closed until it was safe to reopen. Its role in the broader transportation system is too important not to act quickly to have definitive answers for the public, and someone needs to be held accountable once the cause is determined, she said in a statement. Engineers decided to shut down the station around 5 p.m. Tuesday, just as rush hour started, out of an abundance of caution, Zabaneh said. The behavior of the beam is unpredictable, he said. The transit hub, a commanding presence in the citys South of Market neighborhood where construction is booming, sits adjacent to the so-called sinking condominium, Millennium Tower, which has settled about 18 inches (45 centimeters) since it opened over a former landfill in 2009. Homeowners have filed multiple lawsuits against the developer and the city, some alleging that construction of the transit center caused the Millennium Tower to sink. Zabaneh said he did not believe the cracked beam was related to ongoing problems at Millennium Tower. The crack was found near a weld on a stress-bearing horizontal beam, Zabaneh said. Engineers are searching for other cracks in other pipes but are optimistic the damage is limited to the one beam. Buses were rerouted to a temporary transit center about two blocks away that was used during the centers construction. A downtown street that runs under the beam also was ordered closed indefinitely, causing traffic chaos at the same time some streets were closed for a conference sponsored by Salesforce that was expected to draw 170,000 attendees. Enveloped in wavy white sheets of metal veil, the five-level center includes a bus deck, a towering sky-lit central entrance hall and a rooftop park with an outdoor amphitheater. Zabaneh said American steel was used in the centers construction. A structural steel beam should never crack, Joe Maffei of Maffei Structural Engineering told the San Francisco Chronicle. The newspaper previously reported that the complex faced delays in putting out contracts to bid, and the winning bids were ultimately higher than expected. The terminals cost rose from $1.6 billion at its 2010 groundbreaking to more than $2 billion in 2016 because of what one analyst called optimistic assumptions, according to the Chronicle. The project is financed by land sales, federal stimulus grants, district fees and taxes, bridge tolls, and federal and state funds. Numerous towering condo buildings have gone up in the booming South of Market neighborhood in the last five years and several multistory construction projects are still underway as San Francisco lures technology companies from Silicon Valley to the neighborhood. The online business software company Salesforce, which opened its adjacent 61-story Salesforce Tower earlier this year, bought naming rights to the transit center in 2017 as part of a 25-year, $110 million sponsorship agreement. The Salesforce Transit Center is operated by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. NA adopted resolution condemning Indian Army helicopter attack Lawmakers in the National Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the incident of firing at the helicopter of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider. Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif tabled the resolution, which condemned Indias act of aggression along the Line of Control (LoC). It added that the incident of firing by Indian forces was condemnable and a clear violation of the international laws. It demanded that the government immediately form a joint committee for probe into the incident of firing. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs Ali Muhammad Khan while warning against testing public sentiments said the whole nation was united on the issue of Pakistans sovereignty. He said that Pakistan responded well in 1965, adding that the current attack on AJK PM was an attack on Pakistan. Speaking in the House, Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Khusro Bakhtiar said the government has decided to broaden the scope of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) besides accelerating its pace. Terming it a game-changer for Pakistan as well as the region, the minister said the government will invite third-party investment in the project to make it more effective. He said the previous government did not pay due attention to Gwadar, adding that the PTI government will give proper attention to this very important port. He said an oil city would be established in Gwadar. Criticizing the policies of the previous government, Khusro Bakhtiar said the current account deficit has reached an alarming figure of 18 billion dollars only due to ill-conceived policies of the previous government. He said the circular debt has climbed to a staggering Rs 583 billion. Taking part in the debate on mini-budget, PPPs Abdul Qadir Patel said the PTI government was moving in opposite direction of the slogans it raised. He claimed that there was no difference between the PTI government and the previous regimes. He said the government had opened the door of theft by allowing the non-filers to purchase vehicles and property in the country despite its claims of removing theft and favoritism after coming into power. He regretted that no relief was announced for the taxpayers in the mini-budget. Speaking on the floor of the House, PPP leader Khursheed Shah said the suspension of the senior officer involved in stealing the wallet of a Kuwati delegation member was not enough. In a meeting, the bag or purse of a member of the Kuwaiti delegation disappeared. It was revealed that a grade-20 officer had taken this purse which was caught on the CCTV. California has become the first state to require publicly traded companies to include women on their boards of directors, one of several laws boosting or protecting women that Gov. Jerry Brown signed Sunday. The measure requires at least one female director on the board of each California-based public corporation by the end of next year. Companies would need up to three female directors by the end of 2021, depending on the number of board seats. The Democratic governor referenced the objections and legal concerns that the law has raised. The California Chamber of Commerce has said the policy will be difficult for companies to implement and violates constitutional prohibitions against discrimination. I dont minimize the potential flaws that indeed may prove fatal to its ultimate implementation, Brown wrote in a signing statement. Nevertheless, recent events in Washington, D.C. and beyond make it crystal clear that many are not getting the message. It is one of several measures affecting women that Brown signed Sunday, his last opportunity to approve or veto laws before the term-limited governor leaves office. He also approved legislation requiring smaller employers to provide sexual harassment training and banning secret settlements related to sexual assault and harassment. But he vetoed a bill that would have required Californias public universities to provide medication for abortion at campus health centers, saying the services are already widely available off campus. Browns actions come as the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct led to a reckoning nationwide that has ousted men from power. The latest high-profile allegations are against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has denied decades-old claims of sexual misconduct from three women. The author of the California measure on corporate boards, SB 826, said she believes having more women in power could help reduce sexual assault and harassment in the workplace. Having more women on the boards also will make companies more successful, state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson said. Women tend to be more collaborative and are better at multitasking, the Santa Barbara Democrat said. A fourth of publicly held corporations with headquarters in California dont have any women on their boards of directors. These companies have not done enough to increase the number of women on their boards despite the Legislatures urging, making government intervention necessary, Jackson said. This is one of the last bastions of total male domination, she said. We know that the public and business are not being well-served by this level of discrimination. The California Chamber of Commerce argued that the composition of corporate boards should be determined internally, not mandated by government. The chamber said the new law will prioritize gender over other aspects of diversity, such as race and ethnicity. It creates a challenge for a board on achieving broader diversity goals, said Jennifer Barrera, senior vice president for policy at the chamber. The law applies to companies that report having their principal executive offices in California. Companies can be fined $100,000 for a first violation and $300,000 for subsequent violations. The law also requires companies to report their board composition to the California secretary of state and imposes a $100,000 fine if a company fails to do so. Some European countries, including Norway and France, already mandate that corporate boards include women. Brown stopped short on Sunday of making California the first state to mandate public colleges and universities offer abortion medication at their health centers. A bill by Democratic Sen. Connie Leyva would have required all 34 University of California and California State University campuses to make the drugs available at their health centers by 2022. The public schools now refer students to outside providers. Abortion rights advocates said that made it difficult for women without a car and also expensive because many private providers do not accept student insurance. A group of private donors, some of them anonymous, had vowed to pay for up to $20 million in startup costs, including ultrasound equipment and training for both medical and billing staff. Abortions using medication are induced by taking two pills, which can be given up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy. One pill is administered in the clinic and a second drug is taken later at home. The drugs induce bleeding similar to a miscarriage. Leyva vowed to reintroduce the bill under Californias next governor; Brown is leaving office early next year. I am hopeful that our incoming Legislature and governor will agree that the right to choose isnt just a slogan, but rather a commitment to improving true access to abortion for students across California, she said in a statement. (Associated Press writer Julie Watson in San Diego contributed.) Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. BRECKSVILLE, Ohio -- Although the Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools received an overall B on their recent state report card -- and not an A like some districts -- it remains among the top 15 Ohio school systems in at least one category. That's what David Martin, Brecksville-Broadview Heights' director of curriculum and instruction, told the school board last week. He said the district was 14th in the state in the report card's "performance index" component, which measures how pupils performed on state tests. Last year, the district was 11th in that category. Martin said the report card, released in mid-September, revealed several of the district's strengths and areas where it has grown. "But we're not satisfied with a B," Martin told the board. "We want to earn an A. We have already set the wheels in motion to grow and do that." Martin said the district is working to identify and help pupils who are struggling, including those whose academic performance is in the lowest 20 percent in the state. "That's the area we're really going to target," Martin said. A in achievement Martin said the performance index is a key report card component because, year to year, it provides a "bird's-eye view" of the number of pupils improving their academic performances, from proficient to accelerated to advanced levels. On this year's report card, the district scored 106.9 out of 120 possible points in the performance index. The score increased steadily from 105.3 in the 2014-2015 school year after reaching a peak of 108.4 in 2010-2011, according to a chart Martin showed the board. The district received an A in the "achievement" component of the report card, which includes the performance index. The Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools also received A's in "gap-closing" -- which shows how well schools are meeting performance expectations for all pupils, including the most vulnerable -- and "graduation rate." The district scored a B in "progress," which considers growth that all pupils are making based on past performances. The progress category is broken down into subcategories, including overall progress and progress for gifted students. The district received an A in both of those subcategories. However, the district was given a B in the progress subcategory covering students with disabilities and a C in the subcategory covering students in the lowest 20 percent of achievement. Martin said that according to the numbers behind those letter grades, the district reached the A level in the progress category. The problem is that a letter grade lower than a B in any subcategory lowers the overall grade, under Ohio Department of Education rules. "This is one of those little bylaws and fine print that the ODE puts in there," Martin said. Further, if the district had received an A in progress, it would have scored an A on the overall report card, since progress is 20 percent of the overall grade, Martin said. Martin said the grade for the progress subcategory of students in the lowest 20 percent has fluctuated over the past three years, from B to D to C. The district is trying to understand why that is happening. The lowest-20-percent C grade is even more confusing, considering that the district received an A in "gap closing," a component that includes vulnerable students. The two grades seem to contradict. Martin added that every school in the Brecksville-Broadview Heights district received an A in gap closing. Confusing grades The Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools received a C in "improving at-risk K-3 readers." According to the state, 41 percent of district pupils were moved to "on track" in their reading skills, but 58.6 percent were "off-track." Martin said the K-3 reading grade is confusing, because 100 percent of the district's third-graders met the state's third-grade reading requirement for promotion to the fourth grade. Nevertheless, Martin said, "We're trying to come up with some ideas, strategies, action plans to really move this needle." Superintendent Joelle Magyar said she is working with state government officials to study this component in an effort to determine what the grade signifies. She said the state is looking to "revamp" the report card to clarify such inconsistencies. "If it's confusing to you, it's confusing to us as well," Magyar told the board. The district received a B in "prepared for success," which looks at how well pupils are prepared for future work, school and training opportunities. Martin said the "prepared-for-success" component measures the number of pupils who receive "mediation-free" scores on the SAT or ACT, earn an honors high-school diploma or receive "industry-recognized credentials" from schools such as the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center in Brecksville. Martin said the district is working to improve the prepared-for-success score by encouraging more pupils to seek the honors diploma and moving from the ACT to the SAT. He said pupils have experienced a better ratio of success in the SAT as opposed to the ACT. "It will take time," Martin said. AKRON, Ohio - Myers Industries Inc. no longer plans to move to downtown Cleveland, after having its headquarters in Akron the past 85 years, according to the company. Last month, the plastics manufacturer and tire service supply company reported plans to move in to 40,000 square feet in North Point Tower at East Ninth Street and Lakeside Avenue. The move was expected to take place either late this year or early next year and eventually bring 140 administrative jobs to downtown Cleveland. "After extensive review and evaluation, we have decided to suspend our corporate headquarters and Myers Tire Supply (MTS) office relocation from Akron to Cleveland," according to a statement from the company. "When we first discussed the relocation several months ago, we felt it was a prudent business decision that supported our long-term strategy. Since then, we've determined that the costs associated with the move would be higher than anticipated and impacted our ability to create the open and collaborative space we envisioned. In addition, we want to focus our efforts on the business at hand and on implementing our strategy." The company says it will proceed with selling the current property at 1293 S. Main St. in Akron and plans to lease back the space for its corporate and tires supply offices. It added that it also plans to proceed with the distribution center relocation to 1554 S. Main St. Officials expect to be in the new distribution center by mid-November. Myers Industries is an international manufacturer of polymer products for industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial, and consumer markets. The company reports it's also the largest distributor of tools, equipment, and supplies for the tire, wheel, and under-vehicle service industry in the U.S. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said Tuesday it plans to publicly name any priest who was removed from their posts decades ago due to allegations of child sex abuse, even if the priest is now dead. In a statement to cleveland.com, Deacon James Armstrong said the diocese "is currently working to identify any cleric removed from ministry prior to 2002 due to allegations that they sexually abused a minor." The names would be added to a website the diocese has maintained since 2002, include deceased priests, go back "as far as our records allow," and be published in a list format "in the near future," Armstrong said. The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland's statement came in response to questions cleveland.com sent Armstrong Monday. The pledge would make Cleveland's diocese, the state's largest diocese and currently under the direction of Bishop Nelson Perez, the fourth of six in Ohio to commit to releasing the lists in the wake of the release of a landmark Pennsylvania grand jury report that found sex abuse and institutional cover-ups ran rampant in that state's dioceses. The report, released in August, named 300 priests and outlined the details of sexual abuse allegations, some of which were committed in Northeast Ohio. The Catholic Diocese of Columbus and Steubenville's diocese each said last week they would release a list in the next few months that will include the names of clergy who have been credibly accused of abuse, the Associated Press reported. The Youngstown diocese made a similar announcement in early September. Then-Cuyahoga County Prosecutor William Mason launched his own grand jury investigation in 2002 that uncovered allegations against more than 140 priests in the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland spanning decades. More than sixty of the accused priests still lived in Northeast Ohio at the time of the investigation, according to court records at the time. The investigation resulted in a handful of indictments, only one of which named a priest. Unlike Pennsylvania, the full findings of Mason's investigation -- and the names of the accused priests -- were never made public. A lawyer hired by then Bishop Anthony Pilla threatened to sue Mason's office if it released the files to the media, and Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brian Corrigan ruled the documents must remain secret due to protect the secrecy of the grand jury process. The diocese began in 2002 to publish on a website names of priests who had been removed from assignments due to child sex abuse allegations. The website currently lists 29 priests with allegations that span decades, Armstrong said. The U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops in 2003 approved a zero-tolerance policy for child sex abuse allegations, and Cleveland adopted its own policy to immediately report all allegations of child sex abuse at the hands of a cleric to both authorities and the Diocesan Review Board, Armstrong said. If the cleric admits to sexually abusing a minor, is found guilty of sexually abusing a minor in a criminal court or the Review Board finds that all of the evidence shows that it is more likely than not that the cleric sexually abused a minor, the diocese removes the priest from ministry, Armstrong said. "It would be wrong to suggest that the Diocese of Cleveland has not committed to release the names of clerics accused of sexually abusing a minor or that it desires to keep secret the names of such clerics," Armstrong said. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ronnie Shelton, Cleveland's "West Park rapist" who was imprisoned in 1989, jumped off a building at Grafton Correctional Institution last week, according to records reviewed Tuesday by cleveland.com. Shelton suffered a fractured skull and other injuries when he landed on concrete, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office records. Investigators do not suspect foul play was involved and his death is being investigated as a suspected suicide, the records said. Shelton, who was sentenced to thousands of years in prison in 1989 for raping more than 30 women, was pronounced dead about 8:15 p.m. Sept. 25 at MetroHealth Medical Center, records show. He jumped from a building at the prison about 4:30 p.m. that day, records show. He was rushed to a local hospital in Lorain County before being flown by an emergency helicopter to Cleveland, records say. It's unclear how Shelton got on top of the building. Jo Ellen Smith, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, declined to comment on Shelton's death, citing an ongoing investigation. Shelton received the county's longest sentence from then-Common Pleas Court Judge Richard McMonagle after a jury found him guilty of 220 counts of rape in one of the most high-profile cases of the decade. McMonagle sentenced Shelton to anywhere between 1,554 and 3,195 years in prison. To comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. Somewhere in Arizona, there lives a 76-year-old man like me who is immensely proud of his Senator tonight. He is proud of his conservative Republican Senator, Jeff Flake, because Flake actually listened to two young women who screamed their pain in his face on an elevator. His Senator stood up to the juggernaut of the Senate majority, the White House, the GOP chattering class, and Fox News to pay attention to the 36-year old story of a woman's pain. His Senator set aside any forgone conclusions about a Supreme Court appointment to objectively evaluate two stories. His Senator cared more about uncomfortable truth and his country's deep division than allegiance to his party. His Senator actually reached, as used to be said, across the aisle, to negotiate with the other party. His Senator displayed the courage to delay a "done deal" screaming toward the finish line and enabled others of his party to join him. I can only imagine the pride that man in Arizona feels tonight. I can only imagine it because my conservative Republican Senator, Rob Portman, failed in all these ways. How sad for me; how sad for the country, how sad for Senator Portman. Dean Sieck, Cleveland Heights AKRON, Ohio -- A 16-year-old male was shot multiple times Sunday afternoon while walking down a street by the Akron Zoo, police say. The unidentified teen was taken to Akron Children's Hospital with wounds in the buttocks and right thigh. Police say the teen was walking at 2:30 p.m. along the 600 block of Edgewood Avenue, which is on the eastern edge of the zoo, when he was shot. Investigators were not given a description of a suspect. Anyone with information can call detectives at the Akron Police Department at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP; the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-4-WANTED; or Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS. A text can be sent through TIPSCO to 274637 (Crimes). Callers can remain anonymous. To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Florida-based Martin Health System will join the Cleveland Clinic as a full member, according to a news release. Per the agreement, which is dependent on federal and state regulatory approval, the Clinic will contribute $500 million over five years into Martin Health for strategic and capital needs, programs and services. "We are pleased to welcome Martin Health to join Cleveland Clinic," Dr. Tom Mihaljevic, CEO and president of the Clinic, said in a prepared statement. "By working closely with Martin Health, we will enhance access to the highest quality care, improve outcomes and increase efficiencies to advance healthcare together in the Treasure Coast." The agreement comes six months after the two systems announced they were exploring a deal. In January, the Clinic established a cardiovascular affiliation with Martin Health, its first such affiliation in Florida. Terms of the agreement: Martin Health associates' employment and benefits will be maintained for at least one year from the finalization of the agreement. The Clinic will support Martin Health's retirees. The Clinic will keep the open medical staff model of Martin Health and work collaboratively with independent physicians. The Clinic will continue to support the non-profit organizations Martin Health has worked with in the past on wellness initiatives, health education and community programs. The Clinic will continue providing charity care to the community in which Martin Health operates. "As part of Cleveland Clinic, we look forward to enhancing our services now and in the future," Robert L. Lord Jr., Martin Health president and CEO, said in a prepared statement. "I believe joining Cleveland Clinic will be extremely beneficial for Martin Health and Treasure Coast residents. Our organizations share similar cultures and a mission to provide exceptional care to the communities we serve." Until the agreement is finalized, Martin Health will continue its current operations, services and programs; patients will see the same providers; and procedures and appointments will be maintained. Philanthropic gifts also will continue to directly benefit Martin Health. "Martin Health and Cleveland Clinic have a shared mission, vision and culture focused on providing exceptional care for patients," Dr. Wael Barsoum, CEO and president of Cleveland Clinic Florida, said in a prepared statement. "Our goal is to combine the clinical expertise and resources of both organizations to strengthen and improve access to high-quality, affordable health care services and make this the best place to work and provide care." The Clinic has been growing its presence in Florida and operates 10 locations in in the state. In 2016, the system had a $1.2 billion economic impact in Florida. Stuart, Florida-based Martin Health is a regional non-profit health care system with three acute-care hospitals and a network of outpatient services. It has 4,500 associates, 500 affiliated physicians and more than 850 volunteers serving patients at 13 different locations. CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Cleveland man was stabbed twice in the chest during a fight early Sunday in the city's West Boulevard neighborhood. The 31-year-old man suffered serious injuries in the stabbing that happened about 3 a.m. on West 88th Street near Brinsmade Avenue, according to a police report. Cleveland EMS took him to MetroHealth for treatment. No arrests have been made in the case, police said. Police went to the neighborhood to investigate a report of a large fight, but the fight ended before they arrived. Officers found blood spatters on the ground, the police report says. Officers learned the man's brother drove him back to a home on West 126th Street near Lorain Avenue. They went there and found the man wrapped in a blanket on a porch. The man was conscious but could not provide any information about the stabbing, the police report says. The man's brother said they went to a relative's home earlier that night. The brother was inside the relative's home when the 31-year-old man called him and asked him to come outside. The brother found the 31-year-old man lying in the front yard and holding his chest. There was blood on his clothes, the police report says. Investigators smelled alcohol on the breaths of the man and his brother, the police report says. To comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland City Council approved a plan Monday that paves the way for lakefront development north of FirstEnergy Stadium and around North Coast Harbor. Council members authorized spending $115,000 to assess the properties commonly known as docks 28B, 30, 32, and the North Coast Harbor. The study will determine if the bulkheads, retaining walls and other support structures can adequately support the infrastructure needed to develop the area, Council President Kevin Kelley said. It will also determine what maintenance will need to be completed before development can begin. The city will contract with the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, which will manage the study and interpret the results. Cleveland needs to assess the docks as part of its obligation to update infrastructure in its plan to develop the lakefront. Engineering best practices also require docks and piers to be assessed every six years, and the city has not done so in that time frame, council members were told at a Monday afternoon committee meeting. In 2014, the city picked Cleveland-based Cumberland Development and Dallas-based Trammell Crow Co. to lease and build on the city-owned land next to the stadium and at North Coast Harbor. The first project, Mexican restaurant Nuevo, opened next to Voinovich Park in 2016. And ground was broken last year for the second project: a small apartment building north of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. The developers are aiming to build more than 1,000 apartments, offices, a hotel, shops, restaurants, recreation areas and parking as part of the project. Punjab govt to auction off Ishaq Dar property An accountability court on Tuesday handed the Punjab government the authority to either auction off or keep in its possession the assets of absconding former finance minister Ishaq Dar in a case pertaining to possession of assets beyond his known sources of income. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had earlier moved the accountability court for the auction of movable and immovable properties owned by Dar as he has been in London since Oct 2017. He was declared an absconder by the court in Dec 2017 after he failed to join the trial against himself. Following the filing of the reference against Dar in the accountability court last September, NAB had seized all of his movable and immovable assets. These included a house in Gulberg III, Lahore; three plots in the Al-Falah Housing Society, Lahore; six acres of land in Islamabad; a two-kanal plot in the Parliamentarians Enclave, Islamabad; a plot in the Senate Cooperative Housing Society, Islamabad; another plot measuring two kanals and nine marlas in Islamabad; and six vehicles. NAB alleged that Dar acquired in his name and/or in the names of his dependants assets worth Rs831.7 million, which is disproportionate to the known sources of his income. Accountability court Judge Mohammad Bashir had earlier reserved his verdict on the NAB request and today ordered a compliance report regarding the seizure of three plots in Al-Falah Society and vehicles belonging to Dar. AKRON, Ohio -- One person was wounded but a woman and her teen daughter escaped injury in a drive-by shooting near the Wallhaven neighborhood. Police have identified a suspect in the shooting as Colin Kirkland, 42, of Clearbrook Drive in Akron. The incident occurred at about 7 p.m. Friday on the 400 block of Zahn Drive, which is just south of Sand Run Metro Park. Police say the 51-year-old victim was outside with a woman and her 13-year-old daughter when shots were fired from a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The woman and her daughter were not injured, but the male was shot in the left foot. Two apartments also were hit by stray bullets, police say. The male victim was taken to Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital for treatment. His wound was not life-threatening. Kirkland is wanted on three counts of felonious assault and two counts of discharging firearm into habitation. He is 5-foot-8, 260 pounds is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information can call detectives at the Akron Police Department at 330-375-2490 or 330-375-2TIP; the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-866-4-WANTED; or Summit County Crimestoppers Inc. at 330-434-COPS. A text can be sent through TIPSCO to 274637 (Crimes). Callers can remain anonymous. To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments page. RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A Bedford man is accused of fatally shooting a 30-year-old man after the two got into an argument over a woman. Steven Malone, 35, is charged with murder in the early Sunday death of Benjamin Sims. Malone is being held in the Euclid Jail awaiting his first appearance in Lyndhurst Municipal Court. A court date has not yet been set. The shooting happened about 3:45 a.m. at the Dorchester Apartment buildings on Ruth Ellen Drive, north of Chardon Road. An argument broke out between the two men outside the building. The men argued over Sims' ex-girlfriend and a woman Malone was with on Sunday, police said. The argument turned into a fight. Sims eventually got in his car and Malone went to his own car, got a gun and fired several shots at Sims. Sims crashed into several parked cars and a tree, according to police reports. Richmond Heights police went to the scene after people reported hearing gunshots and screaming, according to the police report. Richmond Heights, Willoughby Hills and Highland Heights police all responded. Officers found Sims, 30, dead inside his car. Malone remained at the apartment building, put his gun on the ground and surrendered to officers as they arrived, according to the police report. To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 47-year-old man was shot and killed early Tuesday in Cleveland's North Shore Collinwood neighborhood, police said. The man was found shot just before 3:30 a.m. on East 156th Street near Lucknow Avenue, police said. He died after being taken to University Hospitals for treatment. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released his name. A Cleveland police spokesman did not release any other information about the fatal shooting. To comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The National Weather Service in Cleveland on Tuesday issued a tornado warning in Ashtabula County until 3:15 p.m. The area includes the cities of Ashtabula, Geneva, Geneva-on-the-Lake and Edgewood. Radar shows the threat of a tornado and potential quarter-sized hail. The warning came just a few minutes after NWS issused a tornado warning for cities in northwest Pennsylvania including Conneautville, Saegertown, Cambridge Springs, Lincolnville and Townville. That warning expired at 3 p.m. Tornado Warning including Cambridge Springs PA, Saegertown PA, Conneautville PA until 3:00 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/vE4xyX09mv NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) October 2, 2018 The National Weather Service said a trained tornado spotter reported a tornado struck a nursing home about 5 miles east of Conneautville, in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The tornado warning in Ashtabula County covers an area with a population of more than 50,000. Thunderstorms with heavy rain have been hanging over Lake Erie and traveling east since Tuesday morning. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 15-year-old male was shot multiple times Monday after he got into argument over the rental of an electric scooter, according to police. WCMH Channel 4 reports the victim was shot twice in the stomach, once in the hip and once in the thigh. He was in stable condition at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Fox 28 reports. An 18-year-male was shot at but was not hit, according to 10tv.com. Police were called to the scene at about 4:30 p.m. Monday. The two teens were attempting to rent an electric scooter when another male approached and said it already was rented. WCMH reports the two teens walked away, but the male with whom they argued drove up in a silver sedan and opened fire. The shooting remains under investigation. To comment on this story, visit the crime and courts comments page. MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- A woman is charged with conspiracy to commit murder after investigators say she plotted to have another woman killed. Jody Back, 49, is being held in jail on a $250,000 bond after being arraigned Monday morning in Middletown Municipal Court, according to the Journal News. WLWT Channel 5 reports that Back thought she was talking with a professional hitman but it instead was an undercover police informant. Police say Back met with the informant on Sept. 26, 27 and 28 and agreed to sign over her home as payment to have a woman killed. Detectives say Back had papers notarized to transfer the property. Officials tell WLWT that the home is in very poor condition. The Journal News says the woman reportedly targeted by Back was a former friend who had filed for custody of Back's child. She tells the Journal News that Back accused her of kidnapping the child. She said she was upset when detectives told her there was a plot to have her killed. "I just started bawling," she tells the Journal News. "How do I know she didn't talk to someone else? How do I know I am safe?" Neighbors of Back say they find the charges difficult to comprehend. "(She's) like, a really nice person," Justin Florian tells WLWT. "She's not the type of person to pay somebody to kill somebody." To comment on this story, visit Monday's crime and courts comments page. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Weeks after holding a rally in Cleveland to boost Democrat Richard Cordray's gubernatorial campaign, former President Barack Obama on Monday announced endorsements in more Ohio contests. The Ohio candidates in Obama's latest round of 260 endorsements include Democratic treasurer candidate Rob Richardson, as well as congressional candidates Betsy Rader and Susan Moran Palmer. His state legislative picks include Rachel Crooks, who has accused President Donald Trump of forcibly kissing her in 2006. Trump has denied the allegation. Obama's office said many of his latest selections were in close races where his support would make a meaningful difference. Today, Im proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who arent just running against something, but for somethingto expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote: pic.twitter.com/NO5jnhX3XD Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 1, 2018 "They're running to expand opportunity and restore the honor and compassion that should be the essence of public service," Obama said of his list of endorsed candidates. In August, Obama endorsed 81 candidates around the nation. The 16 Ohioans on that list included Cincinnati-area congressional candidates Aftab Pureval and Jill Schiller, as well as nine state legislative candidates and the Democratic party's candidates for attorney general, secretary of state and auditor. Statements from Rader and Moran Palmer said they were honored by Monday's endorsement. "Like so many families in our district, I'm incredibly thankful for his work passing the Affordable Care Act that has improved the lives of millions of Americans," Rader said of Obama. Tim Lolli, the campaign manager for Moran Palmer's opponent - Republican Anthony Gonzalez - said the endorsement was no surprise. "Where is the news in this?" Lolli asked in an email. "She is a Democrat, right?" When Obama came to visit Ohio on Cordray's behalf, Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken said Democrats might think Obama's support would "motivate voters this midterm election season, but what they fail to understand is Ohioans have consistently rejected Democrat policies of over-regulation, increased spending and higher taxes." CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An argument over a cellphone led to three people, including the suspected shooter, getting shot Monday in the Market Square park in the middle of the popular Ohio City neighborhood, police say. The 66-year-old suspected shooter was shot in the face during a fight over the gun, according to police. He survived the shooting, and was arrested on suspicion of felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, obstructing justice and possessing a weapon under disability. Formal charges have not been filed. A 34-year-old man who was part of the initial fight that led to the shooting was arrested on suspicion of obstructing justice after he refused to speak with police, according to police reports. The shooting happened about 9:30 pm. Monday at the small park on West 25th Street and Lorain Avenue across the street from the West Side Market and near a stretch of bars and restaurants that are among the city's most popular. A 36-year-old woman suffered a gunshot would to the head as she tried to break up the fight, police said. The bullet lodged in her forehead and she needed surgery to remove the bullet. She was able to give a statement to police. She is a mother of two young children, friends said at the scene Monday night. A 34-year-old man was shot in the chest and arm, police said. The fight started when that man, who was upset over his girlfriend breaking up with him and because he lost his cellphone, asked to use someone's cellphone. They argued and the 66-year-old man pulled out a knife and threatened him. A fight ensued and the 34-year-old man who ended up shot punched the other 34-year-old man in the mouth, police reports say. The 66-year-old man left, went to his car and grabbed a handgun, police said. He returned and pointed the gun at the 34-year-old man who threw the punch, according to police. Several people, including the 34-year-old man and the 36-year-old woman, tried to wrestle the gun away and break up the fight. The 66-year-old man fired shots that hit the woman in the head. The 34-year-old man wrestled the 66-year-old man to the ground and the two fought over the gun, police reports say. Someone threw a metal chair at the 66-year-old man during the scuffle. The man fired more shots as he lay on the ground, hitting the 34-year-old man and shooting himself in the head, according to police. Another man at the scene ran up and kicked the 66-year-old man in the head after the shooting, police reports say. Officers flocked to the chaotic scene, according to police reports. They found the gun next to the 66-year-old man and noted that he smelled of alcohol and had a knife in his waistband. Detectives and officers corralled witnesses, took statements, looked for surveillance video from the nearby buildings and interviewed the two gunshot victims at the hospital. The 66-year-old shooter was conscious but could only mumble incoherently, police reports say. Officers also found four fired bullet casings at the scene. To comment on this story, visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments page. WASHINGTON (AP) - Harvard Law School says U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will not return to teach in January. The announcement was made in an email from administrators to law students on Monday. The email says, "Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered." A Harvard Law School spokeswoman confirmed Kavanaugh's decision to The Associated Press on Tuesday. Kavanaugh was scheduled to teach a three-week course called The Supreme Court Since 2005. He has taught at the law school for about a decade. President Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court is under investigation by the FBI for allegations of sexual misconduct when he was in high school and college. He has denied the allegations. ___ Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst says that barring any new information from the FBI she intends to vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Ernst is among six Republican women in the Senate. She told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday that California college professor Christine Blasey (BLAH'-zee) Ford's sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh lacks corroboration. Kavanaugh strongly denies the accusation, but President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans have instructed the FBI to investigate it and any other "credible allegations" against him. Ernst says if no corroboration is turned up she "will continue to support Judge Kavanaugh based on the information" she has. She adds, "What message that sends to women in America is that we are innocent until proven guilty in this country." ___ In a switch in tactics, Democrats are raising new questions about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's truthfulness when he testified to Congress last week. The Senate's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer of New York, says Kavanaugh seems willing to mislead senators about matters big and small to ensure his confirmation. He says there is mounting evidence that the appeals court judge isn't credible. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pledging that senators will begin voting on Kavanaugh's nomination this week, and criticized what he called "endless delay and obstruction." Democrats have seized on Kavanaugh's indignant, emotional testimony before the Judiciary Committee to question whether he has the temperament for a lifetime appointment on the nation's highest court. Kavanaugh has denied claims of sexual misconduct by three different women. MARIETTA, Ohio--Like red and blue "rock 'em, sock 'em" robot toys, Democrat Richard Cordray and Republican Mike DeWine spent another gubernatorial debate Monday night taking shots at each other early and often. With polls indicating a neck-and-neck race headed into the final weeks of the campaign, the two major-party nominees did their best to drag each other down, criticizing each other on issues from testing old rape kits to charter schools. At one point, Cordray suggested that DeWine, Ohio's attorney general, was to blame for the proliferation of toxic Lake Erie algal blooms in recent years. "It's blossomed on his watch, and he's not been effective at containing it," Cordray said. Cordray, the former head of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, told reporters afterward that DeWine should have done more to enforce environmental laws as well as pushed harder for a Lake Erie impairment designation - which would allow federal regulators to take steps to reduce the agricultural phosphorus runoff that the algae feed on. Cordray said, if elected, he would favor imposing mandatory phosphorus runoff rules on farmers - something that Gov. John Kasich has called for but farmers and rural lawmakers have successfully blocked so far in the legislature. Asked about Cordray's algal bloom claim, DeWine answered tongue-in-cheek, "I've been blamed for everything else - I guess I might as well be blamed for the algae blooms." About the only issues the two found agreement on was a pledge to veto any "right-to-work" anti-union bill that might pass the GOP-dominated legislature, as well as - ironically - a need for more civility in politics. DeWine and Cordray (a former state attorney general himself) also traded accusations that neither did enough to address a backlog of untested rape kits. Both also repeatedly tried to connect the other to the scandal-ridden Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow charter school. Amid the verbal bomb-throwing, the two policy wonks did offer insights as to what they would do as governor. On guns, Cordray said while "we need to respect the Second Amendment," Ohio should pass a ban on bump stocks (which allow semiautomatic weapons to fire like fully automatic weapons) and high-capacity magazines. DeWine, meanwhile, pledged that his first state budget proposal as governor would focus on the "poorest children and poorest schools" in the state. Cordray and DeWine have one final debate planned in Cleveland on Oct. 8, and there's no sign the two candidates plan to be any less combative. Asked about his attacks on DeWine, Cordray told reporters, "I don't think it's uncivil to contrast our records as long as it's truthful. If we can't contrast our records, then what do voters have on information to go on? ...People should expect to have some jostling going on." DeWine, for his part, said it was "remarkable" that Cordray "can't get through his opening statement without throwing punches." As for his own attacks on Cordray? "Those were reaction punches," DeWine said. "Look, sure, I'm not going to sit there and get hit." Retd Lt.Gen Asad Durrani is seeking removal of his name from ECL ISLAMABAD: Retired Lt Gen Asad Durrani, former director general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has filed a petition before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), seeking removal of his name from the no-fly list. He has adopted in the petition that he intends to travel abroad in connection with his professional commitment and to meet his children living abroad. The federal government on May 29 put the name of Mr Durrani on the Exit Control List (ECL) following the Pakistan Armys request to impose a travel ban on him. The decision was taken after Mr Durrani visited the General Headquarters on May 28 to clarify his stance in The Spy Chronicles, a book co-authored by him and Amarjit Singh Dulat, former chief of Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Mr Durrani says in the petition, filed by his counsel, that he and his wife are proud Pakistanis and do not hold any other nationality. The counsel stated that the petitioner had retired from Pakistan Army in 1993 as a three-star general and since then he had served as Pakistans ambassador to Germany and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He said Mr Durrani had numerously represented Pakistan in various seminars, conferences and dialogues, both nationally and around the world. He cited the secretaries of defence and interior as respondents. According to the petition, Mr Durranis name was put on the ECL without any prior notice. The reason given in the ECL order was an ongoing inquiry against Mr Durrani, the counsel said. On Sept 5, the petition reads, Mr Durrani requested the adjutant general of Pakistan Army to remove his name from the ECL on account of professional commitment and that he and his wife wanted to visit their grandchildren living abroad. After receiving no response, it added, Mr Durrani on Sept 13 requested the federal government to review its decision. The petition stated that both respondents failed to respond to Mr Durranis requests for removing his name from the ECL. The petition maintained that Mr Durrani had retired from the army over 25 years ago and is not subject to the provisions of the Pakistan Army Act, 1952. Therefore, it said, any inquiry initiated against him had been done without jurisdiction and illegally. It said Mr Durrani had a right to enter upon a lawful profession and earn a living as guaranteed by Article 18 of the Constitution. It went on to say that Mr Durrani had numerously spoken, defended and represented the countrys position on matters of national and international importance and that he had been invited to the Herat Security Dialogue scheduled to be held on Oct 26 and 27 in Herat, Afghanistan. Canada late Sunday agreed to join the trade deal that the U.S. and Mexico announced last month, with a public announcement expected before a self-imposed midnight deadline designed to allow the current Mexican president to sign the accord on his final day in office, according to two people familiar with the talks. Diplomats from all three countries engaged in a flurry of telephone consultations over the weekend, reviving hopes of preserving the three-country format of the original North American Free Trade Agreement favored by business groups and congressional Republicans. The new treaty is expected to be signed by President Donald Trump and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts in 60 days, with Congress likely to act on it next year. Administration officials anticipate a fierce political battle to win congressional approval, especially if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives in November. "We will enter October with a trilateral North American trade deal," said Dan Ujczo, a trade lawyer with Dickinson Wright. "This was the least difficult part. The heavy lift is going to be getting a trade deal through the next Congress in 2019 as well as ratification by Mexico's new Congress and in Canada during a federal election year." Securing a replacement for the nearly 25-year old NAFTA would be a major accomplishment for Trump and his chief trade negotiator, Robert Lighthizer. The president, long a NAFTA critic, complains that the original treaty cost the United States millions of factory jobs and led to persistent U.S. trade deficits with its southern neighbor. Last year, the U.S. goods imports from Mexico exceeded exports by $71 billion. So far this year, the trade deficit with Mexico is even larger. Sunday morning, Peter Navarro, one of Trump's closest White House trade advisers, said negotiators were working "in good faith" to reach a three-country deal by midnight and had reached "broad agreement" on most issues. "There are several sticking points," he acknowledged. One of the toughest obstacles was Canada's demand for an exemption or other form of protection from the president's tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, which may potentially be extended to automobiles from Canadian factories. Canada is expected to agree to some form of quota on its shipments to the United States, according to two sources briefed on the talks who asked for anonymity to discuss confidential deliberations. But details remained to be worked out Sunday evening. Other final issues included U.S. demands for greater access to Canada's dairy market and Canadian insistence on preserving a dispute settlement process that Washington wants to scrap. Provincial elections in Quebec, a center of the Canadian dairy industry, also were overshadowing the talks. Canadian officials were reluctant to surrender on the politically sensitive dairy issue as voters head to the polls on Oct. 1, according to several analysts following the talks. Administration officials have insisted all month that they needed to release the text of the new deal - with both countries or only Mexico - by Sept. 30. That would comply with a congressional notification requirement and allow Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to sign the deal on his last day in office, they said. Officials said they wanted the deal signed before the new Mexican president, left-wing populist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, took office in case he sought changes. But Lopez Obrador said Friday that he would not try to reopen talks, calling into question the validity of the negotiators' self-imposed deadline. Since the three-nation talks began in August 2017, negotiators have declared and missed several deadlines. The new deal preserves a regional economic unit that enables North American manufacturers, particularly in the auto industry, to compete against global rivals. Canada and Mexico rank first and second among export markets for U.S. companies. Total U.S. trade with the two countries last year topped $1.1 trillion. A central objective for the new agreement is restoring "North America as a manufacturing powerhouse" by encouraging U.S. companies to use domestic suppliers rather than companies based elsewhere, Navarro said. The agreement will require that 75 percent of vehicles granted duty-free treatment be made in North America versus the current 62.5 percent mandate. It will also require greater use of domestic steel and other materials and establish a new requirement for work to be performed by workers earning at least $16 an hour, which will benefit the United States and Canada at the expense of Mexico. NAFTA took effect in 1994 with bipartisan support from Republican President George H.W. Bush, who signed it in 1992, and Democratic lawmakers who approved it the following year. But the treaty was controversial from the start. Critics included American labor unions and Ross Perot, a businessman and third-party presidential candidate, who warned of a "giant sucking sound" as employers would relocate jobs to low-wage Mexico. The president last week said he would no longer use the NAFTA name, instead christening the new deal "the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement" or USMC. (c) 2018, The Washington Post. Story by David J. Lynch A Suites class cabin on Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines First class somehow gets more luxurious and rarer A Suites class cabin on Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines A spot in the pointy end of the plane will be an even more enviable location next year as some of the world's most luxurious airlines battle for rich fliers. Singapore Airlines recently unveiled new first-class suites on the upper deck of its Airbus A380. They feature beds, which can be turned into a full bed with the adjoining suite, with cotton duvets. There also are 32-inch monitors, should the lobster thermidor and cloud-gazing from a personal swivel chair become dull. Not to be outdone, Emirates will have brand-new standalone suites for its Boeing 777s. The airline said the design was inspired by the Mercedes-Benz S Class, though sliding doors make them look like they belong on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. While enjoying a new level of privacy on board, passengers can order drinks or food from a small window in the suite. Each suite has up to 40 square feet of personal space. Business class is the new first class Leslie Josephs | CNBC But even airlines that bank on images of the champagne-sipping elite to sell themselves are reducing the number of first-class suites they offer, while other airlines have scrapped it altogether on some routes. Instead, airlines such as Delta and Qatar Airways are making business-class seats more private and luxurious with lie-flat beds, a bet employers will shell out for seats and they won't have to sacrifice seats to free upgrades. Cheap travelers get their own planes A Boeing Co. 737 passenger aircraft, operated by Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images The epitome of class divides in air travel is segregating passengers who wish to pay for cheap seats like, $99 cheap on entirely different planes. That's the idea behind rapidly expanding international budget airlines as they aim to grab more passengers from full-service legacy airlines. Keep an eye out for new routes from Level, a fledgling airline owned by British Airways parent IAG, across the Atlantic and from Europe to South America. Low-cost Icelandic-owned Primera Air is scheduled to start transatlantic service in the spring, while Norwegian Air Shuttle is adding service across the pond next year, bringing its total number of transatlantic routes to 61. Do you love paying airline fees? 2018 is your year. A traveler checks in with her suitcases at a ticket counter at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Tim Boyle | Bloomberg | Getty Images This trend toward a la carte flying is set to cost travelers even more next year. If you want to save your money, pay very close attention to what your airfare includes. The Trump administration earlier this month dropped an Obama-era proposal to require airlines to disclose fees, such as those for checked baggage, at the start of the ticket purchase, not just at the end. This decision came as fees are proliferating. Basic economy the no-frills fare class airlines love for you to hate is expanding next year. Big airlines' answer to a growing number of low-cost airlines is to emulate their model: charging more for tickets that include seat selection and checked baggage, and in some cases not allowing travelers in the cheap seats to use overhead bins. The tickets are extremely restrictive and generally non-refundable. International travel is next. American is selling basic economy class from the U.S. to Mexico for next year. Delta Air Lines in April will start charging basic economy $60 to check a bag from the U.S. to Europe next year as it takes the bare-bones class abroad in 2018. Delta and American have said about half of passengers opt for the more expensive fare over basic economy. "We don't determine [the value of basic economy] as how much of that we sold," Glen Hauenstein, Delta's president, told investors last month. "We really determine it by how much of it we didn't sell." Delta's partner Air France-KLM is also rolling out a bare-bones basic economy product next year. Some 'smart' luggage won't fly BlueSmart luggage weighs itselfBlueSmart Source: BlueSmart A bag that can charge your phone, report its location through an app, and weigh itself sounds like a great holiday gift but some models won't fly starting in mid-January. Fearing battery fires, most U.S. airlines, including American, United, Delta, Alaska and Southwest won't allow passengers to check smart luggage whose batteries cannot be removed. Smart luggage startup Away provides a small TSA-approved screwdriver to its customers to remove the battery, while competitor Raden also has a removable battery. Bluesmart, another startup, has a fixed battery but told CNBC it is trying to get an exemption. Smart suitcases are a small but growing part of the $6 billion luggage market, but travelers should check whether the battery can be removed if they intend to fly with these bags. Battery fires are a major concern in the aviation industry, especially those in the luggage hold. Fires in the cabin are easier to put out, because crew members have easy access to extinguishers or fire containment bags. Facial scans and other biometric screening U.S. Customs and Border Protection supervisor Erik Gordon, left, helps passenger Ronan Pabhye navigate one of the new facial recognition kiosks at a United Airlines gate before boarding a flight to Tokyo, last July, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston. David J. Phillip | AP Airlines around the world have been testing biometric screening of passengers, using fingerprints and facial scans to replace traditional boarding passes. But some of these programs have been criticized, particularly the $1 billion biometric exit program in the U.S. This program, in use at some airports, screens the faces of passengers, including U.S. citizens, when they leave the country. The U.S. government wants to expand facial scans of passengers to major U.S. airports next year, but researchers recently found that the program can produce inaccurate results. Two senators recently asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to stop the program and to give lawmakers authority over its use and potential expansion from airports where it is currently used, including airports in Boston, Houston, New York and Chicago. Real IDs reprieve An officer from the Transportation Security Administration checks travel documents for passengers traveling through Reagan National Airport. Getty Images Kavanaugh has categorically denied all allegations of sexual misconduct against him, and said emphatically in Senate testimony last week, "I've never sexually assaulted anyone." After Swetnick's allegations surfaced, Kavanaugh flatly denied them, saying in a statement that the claims were "ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone." Swetnick, 55, had alleged in the declaration that in the early 1980s, she learned of efforts by then-teenage Kavanaugh and others to spike girls' drinks at house parties "so as to cause girls to lose their inhibitions and their ability to say 'no.'" In the interview with NBC News' Kate Snow that aired Monday evening on MSNBC, Swetnick detailed the shocking allegations first revealed in a sworn declaration made public last week by lawyer Michael Avenatti. But parts of Swetnick's account in the face-to-face interview also appeared to deviate from her affidavit. Julie Swetnick, the third woman to publicly accuse Supreme Court hopeful Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct from decades earlier, said in a television interview Monday that Kavanaugh was a "very aggressive, very sloppy drunk very mean drunk." Asked in the interview if she specifically saw Kavanaugh or his friend Mark Judge spike drinks, she said she saw Kavanaugh "around the punch containers" and had seen him "giving red cups to quite a few girls during that time frame." But, Swetnick added, "I don't know what he did. But I saw him by them, yes." Neither a White House representative for Kavanaugh nor an attorney for Kavanaugh immediately responded to CNBC's requests for comment on Swetnick's interview. Judge, who has been open about his past struggles with alcohol abuse, said in a statement through his lawyer, Barbara Van Gelder, that "the allegations in the Swetnick affidavit are so bizarre that, even while suffering from my addiction, I would remember actions so outlandish." He has since agreed to cooperate with an FBI probe into allegations against Kavanaugh. Among the most serious claims from the affidavit was that Swetnick had seen Kavanaugh, Judge and others "cause girls to become inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys." Swetnick said in the written statement that "I have a firm recollection of seeing boys" including Kavanaugh and Judge "lined up outside rooms at many of these parties waiting for their 'turn' with a girl inside the room." Swetnick's lawyer Avenatti said in a tweet on Monday that his client "has offered to take a polygraph test, meet with the FBI and be cross examined by Kavanaugh's lawyers." Avenatti tweet: My client Julie Swetnick has offered to take a polygraph test, meet with the FBI and be cross examined by Kavanaugh's lawyers. He has refused to do the same. All of these women cannot be lying. And women who are lying do not push to meet with the FBI. Why the coverup by Trump? In the NBC interview, Swetnick said that boys at these parties were not "lined up" but "huddled by the doors." She said that she only came to recognize the purpose of these groups when she herself became the victim of an alleged gang rape. "My body was violated," Swetnick said. "My soul was broken." Swetnick said she considered coming forward with her allegations after she heard about Christine Blasey Ford, 53, whose allegation of sexual assault against Kavanaugh, also from the early 1980s, was made public in mid-September. Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that in the early 1980s, a highly intoxicated Kavanaugh, with participation from Judge, pinned her to a bed and tried to undress her while covering her mouth with his hand. People wait in line to attend the opening day of the new term of the Supreme Court in Washington, October 1, 2018. Is it right to hold a man accountable for a three-decade-old crime he does not remember committing? That, roughly speaking, is the question before eight justices of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, as they prepare to hear arguments in the death-penalty case of Madison v. Alabama, No. 17-7505. Vernon Madison shot a police officer twice in the head in 1985, and has spent more than 30 years since then on death row. Now in his late 60s, Madison is legally blind and slurs his speech. Following several strokes and a diagnosis with vascular dementia, his memory loss is so severe that he "does not believe that he ever killed anybody," according to a doctor who assessed him. While the court has handed down rulings limiting the death penalty before, it has never addressed whether the 8th Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment bars the killing of somebody who simply can't recall. In the second day of its new term, the Supreme Court for the first time will confront the role of memory in capital punishment. And it will do so just as questions of memory, guilt and innocence have thrust the institution, which often seeks to avoid the glare of partisan politics, uneasily into the spotlight. As the nation remains gripped by the competing narratives of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist who says he sexually assaulted her at a high school gathering in 1982, new attention has been placed on the reliability of both of their memories, as well as Kavanaugh's drinking habits at the time the incident allegedly happened. "One idea here is that he simply was drinking more than he was saying over this time period and that he didn't remember what happened," Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told CNN over the weekend. It's a theory that has been repeated with increasing frequency since an emotional hearing Thursday, in which Kavanaugh vehemently declared himself innocent of the charge, while Ford said she was "100 percent sure" Kavanaugh assaulted her. The role of memory was dramatically encapsulated in a line Ford delivered after Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., asked her to name her strongest recollection of the incident. Her response drew increased attention to an obscure region of the brain. "Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter, the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense," she said, describing her claim that a drunken Kavanaugh and another boy laughed at her while Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed and attempted to remove her swimsuit. The hippocampus is negatively impacted by heavy drinking as well as vascular dementia. BY THE NUMBERS IN THE NEWS TODAY STOCKS TO WATCH Stitch Fix (SFIX) reported quarterly profit of 18 cents per share, beating the consensus estimate of four cents. However, the subscription fashion service saw revenue fall short of estimates, with the number of active customers also shy of Street forecasts. Thomson Reuters (TRI) closed its deal to sell a 55 percent stake in its Financial & Risk unit to private equity firm Blackstone (BX). The unit is a provider of data and news to financial customers, with the deal valuing the business at about $20 billion. KKR (KKR) and fellow private equity firm Bain Capital are starting a $20 million fund to pay former employees of Toys R Us who were left unemployed when the toy retailer went out of business, according to The Wall Street Journal. The two firms who jointly own the bankrupt company are not required by bankruptcy law to do so. General Electric (GE) was upgraded to "outperform" from "sector perform" at RBC Capital, which cites the hiring of Larry Culp as the new chairman and CEO, with the price target increased to $15 per share from $13. However, widely followed J.P. Morgan Securities analyst Stephen Tusa said the move is no reason to celebrate and may indicate "serious issues at play." Tusa, who will be a guest on CNBC's Halftime Report today, reiterated his "underweight" rating for GE and his $10 per share price target. Weight Watchers (WTW) was added to the America's Analyst Focus list at J.P. Morgan Securities. The firm said the 30 percent pullback from a late June peak represented a compelling entry point, and that the negative reaction to the latest earnings report for the company was overblown. Activist investor Legion Partners and the California State Teachers' Retirement System hold a combined 5.5 percent stake in Papa John's (PZZA), according to an SEC filing. The two funds have met with board members, and Legion Managing Director Ted White told The Wall Street Journal that they support steps the pizza chain has taken to boost sales. WATERCOOLER A Circuit Court at Aflao has sentenced a Togolese national to 10 years imprisonment for robbing a Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) female officer at knife point at Dzodze in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region. Christian Agbodzra, alias Togo, 30, has pleaded not guilty to both unlawful entry and robbery. The Court, presided over by Mr. Ali Baba Abature, fined him GHC1,200.00 for robbery and he will go to jail for three years for unlawful entry. Both sentences are to run consecutively. The facts of the prosecution were that the accused, an unemployed Togolese national, lived at Aflao, while the GIS officer resided at Dzodze. At about 0030 hours sometime in October 2016, the GIS lady, who was awake, saw the trapdoor to her room opened and the accused, wielding a knife, entered. The prosecution said the accused, at knife point ordered the officer to surrender her Techno Smart cellular phone she was then browsing. A struggle ensued between the two, and in the process the accused staggered and his knife fell. The accused nonetheless succeeded in overpowering the female officer, pinned her unto her bed, snatched the phone and bolted with it, but left his knife behind. The prosecution said the Agbodzra, who apparently came on a motorbike for the operations, was riding back to Aflao on the bike, but luck eluded him when two commercial motor riders saw him and suspected him to be a criminal and gave him a chase. The commercial motor riders finally caught up with him at the precincts of the Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School, stopped and quizzed him, not satisfied with his answers; they arrested and escorted him to the police at Dzodze for interrogation. According to the prosecution, just as the accused was handed over, the GIS officer, coincidentally arrived with the accused persons knife to lodge complaints with the police and there and then made out the accused, confirming the suspicion of the two who arrested him. The Techno Smart phone with the picture of the GIS officer as its screen-saver was found in Agbodzras pocket and in the bag he was carrying, a crowbar was found. The accused in his caution statement admitted entering the complainants room and snatching her phone but denied being armed with a knife. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Amazon's plans to hike its minimum wage to $15 per hour next month are putting pressure on Walmart, Target and other retailers that don't pay as much, or better, to follow suit. "There is no choice but to match this," Gerald Storch, CEO of Storch Advisors and former CEO of Toys R Us, told CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Tuesday, on the heels of Amazon's announcement. "It will increase the growing chasm between the winners who can afford to match this and the losers who can't." Walmart earlier this year announced plans to boost its starting wage to $11 (up from $9), thanks in large part to the passage of new tax laws that reduced corporate rates. Target, meanwhile, has said it plans to raise its minimum wage to $15 by 2020. This past spring, most entry-level Target employees were already receiving $12 per hour. Costco raised its minimum wage to $14 an hour earlier this year in June. Walmart, Target and Costco didn't immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. "If the market is driving the [minimum] wage to $15, I have no doubt Walmart will be able to get there," former Walmart U.S. chief Bill Simon told "Squawk on the Street." "They have been moving in that direction for a while." Retailers are having an especially difficult time finding extra help around the holidays with the U.S. unemployment rate near record lows. Companies have announced plans to hire hundreds of thousands of temporary workers this holiday season to meet peak traffic in their stores and online. A new study by Korn Ferry found that roughly 23 percent of retailers weren't able to hire all the temporary workers they wanted for the 2017 holiday season. Amazon said Tuesday that it's looking to hire about 100,000 people this holiday season, 20,000 less than it's planned for the past two years. Target, however, hopes to hire as many as 120,000 workers, a 20 percent increase from 2017. Walmart hasn't announced its holiday hiring plans, yet. In 2017, the big-box retailer gave its existing employees the option to work extra hours, instead of relying on a temporary workforce. The companies already struggling to stay afloat and shuttering stores, like Sears and J.C. Penney, are the ones that won't be able to keep pace with Amazon's wage hike, Storch said. "It's the noose tightening around the neck of these retailers that are already on the edge of the cliff." Amazon said it will start advocating for an increase to the federal minimum wage, which is still $7.25. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a frequent critic of President Donald Trump, is donating $20 million to help Democratic candidates running for the U.S. Senate, a spokesman said on Tuesday. The billionaire's contribution comes as Republicans, who currently hold a 51-49 majority in the upper chamber, grow more concerned that Democrats pose a threat of taking control of the Senate in the Nov. 6 congressional elections. The $20 million donation will go to the Senate Majority PAC, Bloomberg spokesman Marc La Vorgna said in an email. The Washington Post first reported the news. It is in addition to $80 million Bloomberg pledged to Democratic House candidates earlier this year. Bloomberg, a Democrat who joined the Republican Party ahead of his first run for New York mayor in 2001 and later declared himself an independent, is seen as a possible 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. He has pumped more cash into this year's election than in prior races, funneling his donations to Democrats and liberal causes, like pro-gun restriction groups. Democrats are also aiming to pick up 23 seats in the House of Representatives to win a majority in that chamber, which they say would allow them to more effectively counter Trump's policies. Analysts see them having a greater chance of winning a majority in the House than the Senate, where they must defend seats in conservative states that Trump won in 2016. But to both parties' surprise, there are tight races in places where Republicans had initially hoped to have easy campaigns. In Texas, Republican incumbent Ted Cruz is in a dead heat with Democrat Beto O'Rourke. In Tennessee, Republican Marsha Blackburn, a member of the U.S. House, has trailed in most polls behind Democrat Phil Bredesen, a popular former governor. Bloomberg has spent a significant portion of his fortune promoting gun control. He founded the group Everytown for Gun Safety in 2014 to change federal laws in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut. Bloomberg is the founder and chief executive of global media company Bloomberg LP. The Senate Majority PAC is controlled by allies of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Super PACs are allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money on elections but are barred from directly coordinating their efforts with candidates. Jair Bolsonaro, presidential candidate for the Social Liberal Party (PSL), waves to supporters during a campaign rally in Taguatinga, Brazil, on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Brazilian stocks surged on Tuesday after a poll showed Brazil's far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro gained ground in the latest electoral poll. The iShares MSCI Brazil exchange-traded fund (EWZ) jumped 5.6 percent to post its best day since Jan. 24, when it gained 6.2 percent. Brazil's Bovespa index gained 3.8 percent, its its biggest one-day gain since Nov. 7, 2016, when it surged 4 percent. A poll released Monday by Ibope showed Bolsonaro would tie Fernando Haddad, the left-wing candidate from Brazil's Workers Party, in a likely second-round runoff. Last week, Haddad led Bolsonaro 42 percent to 38 percent in a runoff scenario. The election is widely expected to head to a runoff on Oct. 28 since none of the candidates running are forecast to win a majority vote in the first round scheduled for Sunday. Bolsonaro is seen as a more market-friendly candidate than Haddad given his economic platform, said Alberto Ramos, head of Latin American economics at Goldman Sachs. Now "the fear is that Haddad and the Workers Party will return to power and to the policies that took so many years to digest," he said. Haddad became the Workers Party candidate after a court banned former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from running again. Da Silva, better known as Lula, is serving a 12-year sentence for corruption. Lula's government along with that of Dilma Rousseff, his successor led to a ballooning fiscal deficit and contributed to an unsustainable pension system. In turn, Ramos said Bolsonaro's economic advisors "seem to have a better assessment of the seriousness of the fiscal challenges besetting the Brazilian economy," hence why the market is cheering his progress in the polls. The big question remaining for Bolsonaro is whether he has enough political capital to move forward with the necessary economic policy changes that are needed, Ramos added. Bolsonaro has been criticized for making homophobic and racist remarks. In 2011, he told Playboy he would rather have a dead son than a gay son. He also said in another interview that Haitian immigrants were bringing diseases to Brazil. Prior to Tuesday's rally, EWZ was down nearly 17 percent for the year, while Bovespa had gained nearly 3 percent. China expressed anger on Tuesday after a U.S. Navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by Beijing in the disputed South China Sea, saying it resolutely opposed an operation that it called a threat to its sovereignty. Beijing and Washington are locked in a trade war in which they have imposed increasingly severe rounds of tariffs on each other's imports. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the destroyer the USS Decatur traveled within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson Reefs in the Spratly Islands on Sunday. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. China's Defense Ministry said a Chinese naval ship had been sent to warn the U.S. vessel to leave. The ministry said China has irrefutable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and the waters around them, and the situation there is progressing well thanks to the hard work of China and countries in Southeast Asia. "The U.S. side repeatedly sends military ships without permission into seas close to South China Seas islands, seriously threatening China's sovereignty and security, seriously damaging Sino-U.S. military ties and seriously harming regional peace and stability," the ministry said. "China's military is resolutely opposed to this," it said. The Chinese armed forces will continue to take all necessary steps to protect the country's sovereignty and security, the ministry said. China's Foreign Ministry said in a separate statement it strongly urged the United States to stop such "provocative" actions and to "immediately correct its mistakes". For its part, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said Tuesday that the Chinese destroyer came aggressively close to a U.S. Navy ship in the South China Sea, forcing it to maneuver to prevent a collision, describing an encounter that could worsen tensions between the nations. The Chinese warship approached the USS Decatur in an "unsafe and unprofessional maneuver" on Sunday near Gaven Reefs in the South China Sea, said U.S. Pacific Fleet Spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Tim Gorman. The Chinese destroyer "conducted a series of increasingly aggressive maneuvers accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area," Gorman told the Associated Press in an emailed statement. It approached within 45 yards (41 meters) of the Decatur's bow, forcing it to maneuver, Gorman said. The operation also comes as military ties between the two countries have dived, with China also angered by U.S. sanctions on China's military for buying Russian arms and by U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he did not see relations between the United States and China worsening, a day after his trip to China was canceled. Reuters reported on Sunday that China canceled a security meeting with Mattis that had been planned for October. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mattis was no longer going to China. China has not yet commented on the matter. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe is due to visit the United States later this year but China's Defense Ministry suggested last week that may not happen. China's clampdown on risky wealth management products and a push by global asset managers to sell funds in the country is set to channel about $6tn of capital into the mutual fund market over the next five years, according to a new report. A "great wall of capital" has formed in China as a result of a rapidly growing, wealthier and ageing population, although a lot of this money is sitting in deposits and bank portfolios, said McKinsey, the consultancy firm. However, a recent crackdown by Chinese regulators to curb off-balance-sheet lending by banks, and initiatives to spur the development of the asset management industry by allowing foreign asset managers to set up operations on the mainland, is expected to result in a flood of capital into mutual funds. This year, China's securities regulator ruled that foreign asset managers could control 51 percent of a local securities joint venture, further opening the gate for overseas mutual fund companies to set up onshore. Efforts by foreign asset managers to establish businesses in mainland China have historically been hampered by numerous regulatory restrictions, which are increasingly loosening. At the end of last year, Chinese authorities tightened rules to stop banks from offering retail investors wealth management products marketed as higher-yielding alternatives to deposits. The regulation will mean trillions of dollars sat in these products will "be looking for a home over the next couple of years", said the McKinsey report. "The big opportunity is China," said Jacob Dahl, a senior partner at McKinsey, based in Hong Kong. "About 40 percent of Asia assets under management is currently in China." China has seen strong inflows from foreign investors despite its trade war with the US. Figures from Z-Ben Advisors, a data and analytics company, show that foreign ownership of Chinese equities and bonds has grown 64 percent to $435bn over the past 12 months. Asia more broadly has the fastest growth in the number of affluent and high net worth individuals globally. Hong Kong recently surpassed New York City as the place with the highest concentration of ultra high net worth people, according to a report by data firm Wealth-X. Asia's wealth market, comprising personal finance assets that are largely held with banks and insurers, is poised to more than double by 2025 to $30tn, overtaking the US and western Europe. McKinsey said high net worth individuals, rapid GDP growth and the rise of entrepreneurs are "producing a strong affluent cohort". Although the opportunity is lucrative, foreign fund managers face numerous challenges. One is the need for a local distribution partner in China to have brand traction among domestic investors. "I do see there being more partnerships between assets managements and some of the Chinese technology platforms," said Mr. Dahl. "Tech firms such as Ant Financial, Ping An, and Tencent have had successes so far in money market and deposit products," he added. "But with regulators discouraging flows into these products, it would be no surprise to see more retail fund offerings on these companies' mobile apps." Global asset managers are also nervous about taking the plunge, given the uncertainty over the trade war with the US, and the cost of resources needed to enter the market. One chief executive told McKinsey: "You don't need to be the first firm in a given Chinese market, but you can't be the tenth. We like being the second or third." Investors are wasting their time if they're worried about the demise of off-price retailers like TJX Companies, Ross Stores and Burlington Stores, CNBC's said Tuesday. The "Mad Money" host's argument came on the heels of UBS' research arm initiating coverage on a number of retail stocks. The lead analyst, Jay Sole, argued that off-price retailers could be pressured from not having enough of an online presence and predicted that they would hit their peak in North America by early 2021. But "so far, their lack of serious online exposure doesn't seem to be hurting them one bit and for now the treasure hunt experience is clearly drawing in a lot of customers," Cramer said. "At the same time, all three companies are a heck of a lot more profitable than they used to be and this is something Sole mostly seems to ignore," he added. And even if Sole is right about the 2021 peak, that still gives TJX, Ross and Burlington two and a half years of growth, Cramer said. "Please don't sell a stock because of some theoretical long-term worry that might, maybe, could be play[ing] out over the next three years," he concluded. "The stock market is a shorter-term beast typically six to nine months and for now, TJX, Ross and Burlington are doing very, very well. They've run a lot, but I'd be a buyer into any weakness here." The market's two 'colossal' tailwinds A man incarnating a 'Toro de Fuego' (bull of fire) chases people during the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, Spain. Ander Gillenea | AFP | Getty Images Wall Street often worries about , detrimental trends that could weigh on the market and eventually stall its march higher. But as stocks rose on Tuesday, Cramer focused on the positives. "We've got two colossal tailwinds, two hugely bullish tailwinds," he said after the hit a record high. "One is cyclical, meaning it's ephemeral, and one is secular, meaning it's going to go on for a long time," he continued. "These are hard to see, but I think they're responsible for much of the market's levitation." The first tailwind Cramer sees is "the cyclical boom in hiring," as demonstrated by the the Labor Department reported in early September. The also showed wage growth hitting a post-recession high, a sign of economic recovery Tuesday's news that the minimum wage to $15 for some 350,000 of its employees. "When jobs get created, more people can afford to put money away, so they save," Cramer said. "And they save, in part, by investing in the stock market. As long as employment continues to grow, this process will keep playing out and it's hugely positive for stocks." For the second big tailwind and what these mean for stocks click here. Why GE really got rid of Flannery John Flannery, chief executive officer of GE CNBC Contrary to , former CEO John Flannery wasn't removed by the ailing industrial's board because of the pace of his planned turnaround, Cramer said Tuesday. "It wasn't about speed," the "Mad Money" host argued. "It was about the charges, the unexpected charges that, quite frankly, shouldn't have been unexpected." The charges Cramer referred to were the hefty costs incurred by several of GE's struggling businesses, namely the and divisions. And while Flannery, who was , should have known about the instability of the businesses, individual investors could have known too, Cramer said. For more of Cramer's analysis, click here. Off the charts: Old-school vs. new-school chipmakers A pedestrian walks past Intel Corp. signage at the entrance to the company's headquarters in Santa Clara, California. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Behind every cloud king, there's a semiconductor company making its technology work. But recently, semiconductor stocks have been on the fritz, so on Tuesday, Cramer decided to check in on some key players. "Lately, the chip stocks have become a lot more inconsistent some big winners, some big losers leaving the broader group kind of, let's say, directionless," Cramer said. So he recruited Carolyn Boroden, the technician behind FibonacciQueen.com and his colleague at RealMoney.com, to take a closer look at the charts of four major chipmakers: , , and . To find out which of the four could be ready to rally, click here. Paychex CEO on small businesses waiving drug tests Marty Mucci, CEO of Paychex Cameron Costa | CNBC As the job market tightens, smaller businesses are being forced to simplify the hiring process to attract workers, Marty Mucci, the president and CEO of payroll and human resources outsourcing giant Paychex, told CNBC on Tuesday. "We are definitely seeing smaller businesses, mid-sized businesses that are starting to even waive some of the drug-testing requirements because they are having so much difficulty getting certain employees," Mucci told Cramer in an interview. "You could have someone that becomes a little bit more lenient because it's so tight out there to hire employees, that's for sure," said Mucci, whose company provides small and medium-sized businesses with various administrative solutions. This trend ties in with the rising competition among employers to secure the best possible employees as more and more jobs open up with fewer people to fill them, the CEO said, agreeing with Cramer that it's a good time to be an employee. "What you're seeing is [employees] have more choices, and that's why, as an employer, you've really got to make sure your benefit package[s] are up very competitively and that you're offering personal development and training to those employees to keep them," the CEO said. To watch Marty Mucci's full interview, click here. Lightning round: 'Comparisons are odious' Christine Blasey Ford testifies in front of the US Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., September 27, 2018. Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford, the first of three women who last month publicly accused embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, blasted the FBI on Tuesday after reports it will not interview her or Kavanugh as part of a re-opened background check The lawyers, Michael Bromwich and Debra Katz, in a letter to the FBI, said that since Friday they have offered the bureau's agents a sit-down with Ford, identified witnesses and evidence and asked for the identity of the agent in charge of the probe. "Despite these efforts, we have received no response from anyone involved in this investigation, and no response to our offer for Dr. Ford to be interviewed," the lawyers wrote. "This afternoon, we learned of media reports that the FBI does not intend to interview either Dr. Ford or Judge Kavanaugh." "We hope this reporting is inaccurate. It is inconceivable that the FBI could conduct a thorough investigation of Dr. Ford's allegations without interviewing her, Judge Kavanaugh, or the witnesses we have identified in our letters to you," the letter said. A source told NBC News that the White House, which has set the parameters for a reopened background check into Kavanaugh, felt that Ford's testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday made an interview with the FBI unnecessary. Also Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal, citing Republican aides on Capitol Hill,, said the FBI's probe of alleged sexual misconduct by Kavanugh could end late Tuesday or early Wednesday. The White House has told the FBI to finish by Friday. FBI agents on Tuesday completed the second day of an interview with Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge. Ford has said Judge was in the room when Kavanaugh, then 17 years old, allegedly tried to rape Ford, who was 15 years old. Judge previously has said he has no memory of such an incident. Kavanaugh has strongly denied Ford's claims as well as those by two other women. President Donald Trump on Monday had said: "I imagine they're going to interview two women," Ford and another Kavanaugh accuser, Deborah Ramirez. And Trump added, "It wouldn't bother me at all" if they also interviewed a third accuser, Julie Swetnick. Later Monday, the White House authorized the FBI to expand its probe "by interviewing anyone it deems necessary as long as the review is finished by the end of the week." The FBI interviewed Ramirez on Sunday, two days after the White House ordered the FBI to reopen its background check of Kavanaugh. Ramirez says that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a drunken party at Yale College. Before the White House instructed the FBI to expand its probe, the agency had been told by the White House to interview just four witnesses, one of whom was Ramirez. The others were Judge, Leland Keyser and Patrick Smyth, three other people Ford had said were at a small gathering in a private house in suburban Maryland in the early 1980s at which she said Kavanaugh attacked her. Smyth's lawyer, Eric Bruce, said in a prepared statement Monday: "Smyth has fully cooperated with the FBI investigation in this matter." "He truthfully answered every question the FBI asked him and, consistent with the information he previously provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee, he indicated that he has no knowledge of the small party or gathering described by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford nor does he have any knowledge of the allegations of improper conduct she has leveled against Brett Kavanaugh," Bruce said. Keyser spoke with the FBI on Saturday, according to her lawyer, Howard Walsh. Walsh previously told investigators for Republicans on the Judiciary Committee that Keyser "has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford." The third accuser, Swetnick, told NBC News in an interview aired Monday that Kavanaugh, at parties in the early 1980s, "was very aggressive very sloppy drunk, very mean drunk. I saw him go up to girls and paw on them ... get a little too handsy, touching them in private parts." Swetnick's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, has said he has offered the FBI the opportunity to interview her but received no response. Tweet Tweet Kavanaugh has likened Swetnick's accusation to "The Twilight Zone." CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report. A piece of legislation is pitting companies against investors and the investors have begun fighting back in earnest. Congress is looking to rein in the influence of so-called proxy advisory firms, which prepare research reports that help inform investors on how to vote in shareholder matters. On Tuesday, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and the Council of Institutional Investors (CII) are starting a website to urge American voters not to support this legislation, known as The Corporate Governance Reform and Transparency Act of 2017 (H.R. 4015). "H.R. 4015 would harm workers and retirement savers across the country who entrust institutional investors with making informed investment decisions with their hard-earned money," said Gary Retelny, ISS' president and chief executive, in a statement. The bill would require proxy advisory firms to register with the SEC and allow companies to fact-check their research before it's distributed to investors. That's one of the biggest sticking points for the investor camp. CII, a non-profit association for fund managers, says that giving companies the right to review research would slow down the process. That would give investors who are the proxy advisory firms' paying customers, less time to do their own analysis, CII said in a joint statement with ISS. CII is also concerned that giving companies the right to review research might give them a reason to slant the reports more in favor of the companies in contested situations. The new website (www.ProtectShareholders.org) "corrects the inaccurate rhetoric" and "shines light on the powerful special interests pushing the legislation." The bill passed the House of Representatives in December (238-182). The most recent action was a hearing held by the Senate Banking Committee in June. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable representing Corporate America have sent letters of support recommending the bill. Rep. Sean Duffy, the Wisconsin Republican who introduced the bill, told CNBC in June that the additional oversight is necessary to prevent abuse of power by proxy-advisory firms and monitor potential conflicts-of-interest. But investor community is fighting back. In August, it enlisted a polling company called Morning Consult to survey 1,975 registered voters. The ISS and CII sponsored poll found that a majority 61 percent opposed their senators backing this legislation. Conservative advocacy groups have launched a pressure campaign against red-state Democrats who are up for re-election this year to support Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the Supreme Court. Heritage Action, a conservative policy advocacy organization, has unleashed its grassroots team in recent days to push Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., and Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., to back Kavanaugh despite an FBI background probe into allegations of sexual misconduct while he was in high school and college. Donnelly has already said he would vote against Kavanaugh. Heritage Action has dedicated 60 percent of its $11.5 million budget to establishing a ground game to back Kavanaugh, according to the group's executive director, Tim Chapman. The group has focused more on moderate Democrats since allegations against Kavanaugh came to light. Kavanaugh denies the allegations. "Manchin, I think, would love to vote yes. His state is clearly in favor of the nomination, and I've seen some polling in there to show how clear it is," Chapman said in an interview. "Heitkamp is dealing with a similar situation, and so is Donnelly. Those are the three that I think will cross over, with Manchin being at the top." All three senators voted yes for Justice Neil Gorsuch when President Donald Trump nominated him to the Supreme Court in 2017. On Monday, Heritage Action had activists go to the offices of the three red-state Democrats to drop off petitions with over 50,000 signatures in support of Kavanaugh. A recent poll conducted by the conservative Judicial Crisis Network, a dark money group that's spent up to $12 million to defend Kavanaugh since his nomination, shows the majority of voters in Heitkamp's and Manchin's states want the judge on the Supreme Court. A Quinnipiac University poll, meanwhile, shows nearly half of the country opposing Kavanaugh's confirmation. Judicial Crisis Network announced Tuesday that it would move ahead with a $400,000 TV ad buy in North Dakota and West Virginia that calls on voters to tell their senators to side with Kavanaugh. "Our goal is to be there in a defensive capacity when there are unfounded allegations raised," Carrie Severino, the group's chief counsel and policy director, said in a recent interview. "We simply have to respond when these kind of things come up." Nonpartisan politics monitor Sabato's Crystal Ball marks Manchin's state of West Virginia as leaning Democrat in the race. Heitkamp's North Dakota contest is listed as a toss-up, as is Donnelly's Indiana race. Polling averages show that Manchin and Donnelly are ahead of their Republican rivals by more than nine percentage points, according to Real Clear Politics. Heitkamp, however, is down six points. Representatives for Heitkamp and Donnelly did not return requests for comment. The North Dakota senator has said she is waiting for the FBI to complete its investigation before she makes a decision. A spokesman for Manchin declined to comment. He echoed Heitkamp, however, in comments Tuesday on Capitol Hill, saying it would be "hypocritical to make any statement until the investigation is over" because he was one of the first people to call for the FBI to get involved. Beyond pressuring vulnerable Democrats, GOP-affiliated groups such as Heritage Action are pushing Kavanaugh's nomination as a rallying point to get Republicans to turn out for House elections. "The next move is to remind our activists about the terrible two weeks we've had as a country that will play itself over and over again if the Democrats have the chairmanships of all the House committees next year," Chapman said. He said volunteers have noticed enthusiasm among Republican base voters in some districts that are still up in the air for GOP incumbents. One of the districts he pointed to is Kentucky's 6th, where Rep. Andy Barr is up against newcomer Amy McGrath, who had served as a lieutenant colonel in the Marines. Sabato's Crystal Ball calls the race a tossup. By comparison, enthusiasm among the GOP was low before the accusations came out, Chapman contends. Since then, however, right-wing constituents have become enraged at the process and, in turn, have a new eagerness to vote in November, he said. "This is now impacting the House races. We are seeing a lot of people wake up and say this is a 'massive battle,'" Chapman said. Democratic strategists, however, say even if Kavanaugh gets through the full Senate vote, the accusations alone will be a positive thing overall for Democrats in November. "There's no downside for Democrats at all," veteran Democratic advisor Manuel Ortiz said. "Even if Kavanaugh gets on the Supreme Court, for the midterms the allegations will energize the Latino and women vote." Still, Ortiz conceded that red-state Democrats such as Heitkamp may be compelled to vote yes because North Dakota voters have signaled their support for Kavanaugh. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey on Tuesday voiced some concerns about President Donald Trump's new deal to replace the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. "It seems to me a modest step backwards from the point of view of a free trader," Toomey told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "But there's a possibility that we could address some of these what I consider flaws in the implementing legislation that Congress has to pass." The Pennsylvania senator said he dislikes the new agreement's 16-year "sunset" clause, or expiration date, which also calls for the three sides to meet every six years to renew it. The U.S. wanted a five-year sunset. "I don't like the government mandating wage rates, and putting quotas on imported vehicles [either]," added Toomey, a member of the Senate Banking and Finance committees. On Sunday, just before a midnight deadline and after a protracted holdout, Canada ended up joining the U.S. and Mexico in a deal to supplant NAFTA, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA for short. Toomey said there are also positive changes in the new trilateral pact. First and foremost, he said is "relief that we're not going to descend into a full-blown trade war with our nearest neighbors and biggest trading partners." He also cited as "constructive" new protections around intellectual property for digital technology and financial services. "We've got to study the details," said Toomey, a senator since 2011 and a three-term congressman before that. However, Toomey said he thinks the "biggest changes are actually changes that diminish the free trade that NAFTA has permitted" over about a quarter century. The White House was not immediately available for comment. Before the end of November, Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico are expected to sign the new USMCA, which then goes to Capitol Hill for approval. 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? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Luigi Di Maio, Italy's deputy prime minister, celebrates on the balcony of the Chigi palace following the presentation of the budget targets at a cabinet meeting in Rome, Italy, on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018. Alessia Pierdomenico | Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Italian government is creating further turmoil in financial markets on Tuesday morning, after new comments that Rome would be better outside of the euro zone. Claudio Borghi, who leads the economic policy of the ruling Lega party, cast doubt over Italy's membership of the single currency on national radio Tuesday. "I am truly convinced that Italy would solve most of its problems if it had its own currency," Borghi said in a radio interview, Reuters reported. His comments prompted the yield on the 10-year Italian bond to rise to 3.40 percent at about 8 a.m. London time its highest level since March 2014 and going beyond the levels seen during a sell-off in May when concerns over Italy's commitment to the euro zone came to the fore. Italy's main index also fell about 1.5 percent and shares in Italian banks were again in the red. Banco BPM dropped 5 percent, UniCredit was down 3.2 percent and Intesa Sanpaolo fell 2.7 percent. Markets have kept their focus on Italy as the new populist government prepares it first budget. There are concerns that increased public spending will derail the reduction of public debt which amounts to about 2.3 trillion euros ($2.6 trillion). The coalition government in Rome is formed by two euroskeptic, anti-establishment parties. Borghi's comments on Italy's membership of the euro zone are not the first to come out of the right-wing Lega party. It has made similar comments in favor of leaving the euro zone before the election in March, but it toned down the rhetoric on the controversial issue as the vote approached. As the market backlash grew, a spokesman for Borghi said that "leaving the euro is not in the government's program and it has no plans to do so," Reuters reported. 'Terrorism on the markets' Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump during a meeting outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Artyom Ivanov | TASS | Getty Images Using trade deals with Canada, Mexico and South Korea as leverage, Washington looks set to sharpen its hard line trade policy against China and what it deems unfair trade practices from Beijing, strategists told CNBC. Though some experts have said a tariff-impacted slowdown in Chinese economic activity may make Beijing more willing to agree to a deal, many still maintain China won't back down and will respond to further U.S. escalation by raising regulatory obstacles to U.S. businesses operating in the mainland. The United States and Canada reached a last-minute deal on Sunday to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement with the newly named United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, preserving a $1.2 trillion trade zone that was on the brink of collapse after nearly a quarter century. That followed an earlier deal between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon and the beginning of bilateral trade talks between Washington and Tokyo. With progress on all those fronts, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer can now "turn his total attention to China," said Deborah Elms, Executive Director at the Asian Trade Centre. "He wants to tackle China. The rest is a distraction on the way to the real show. Now he is in a much better position to focus on China all day and night long. Given the importance of Lighthizer to U.S. trade policy, this is a worrying trend for China." That was a sentiment shared by AdMacro strategist Patrick Perrett-Green, who said Washington now "can focus all its ire on China." "The battle lines continue to harden," he added. The Trump doctrine The Trump administration's characteristically hard line approach to trade talks may be paying off, Elms added, but it isn't guaranteed to work when applied to China and may even make matters worse. "The Trump doctrine of bullying your friends and neighbors is working Korea, Canada, Mexico, Japan and the EU have all given in to a greater or lesser extent," Elms said. "But I think China is entirely different. Partly because what Trump and his team want from China is much less clear. Partly because China cares less about what Trump might do." Unlike what it wanted for the new NAFTA, Washington's demands on China "still seem more opaque mixed between market access, end to forced technology transfer, reduction in Chinese exports to U.S. and cuts to overcapacity," said Rachel Ziemba, an emerging market analyst and adjunct fellow at think tank the Center for New American Security. "It's harder to negotiate when it's less clear what a good deal would look like." That sentiment was echoed by Richard Jerram, chief economist at Bank of Singapore, who told CNBC that "China is fundamentally different" than the "economic bargain" that motivated the NAFTA update. "NAFTA just needed a moderate update. China seems to reflect a more basic superpower tension. Not just tariffs, but also denial of access to Western technology," he said. "They are probably too late, but it seems to reflect a growing recognition that the dream of China becoming more prosperous and also more democratic / better member of the international community was naive. They cannot stop its rise, but maybe they can slow it down." Tony Nash, CEO and Founder of Complete Intelligence, disagreed, arguing that Lighthizer's success in engineering trade deals with Mexico, Canada and South Korea "bodes well for the U.S.-China discussion." Nash added: "China is having a fair amount of difficulty in their domestic economy ... so I continue to believe China will come to the table with some significant concessions (although they may be downplayed) this month." Finalizing a trilateral trade deal between the U.S., Canada and Mexico may also help repair alliances damaged earlier this year by Washington's justification of tariffs on national security grounds, experts said. Rebuilding a U.S.-led coalition of trading partners may serve to contain China. "Assuming it (the USMCA) passes, it allows for focus to shift back to countering China and building a coalition to do so among developed economies, something that was massively deterred by the bitter negotiations with Canada," said Ziemba. Going forward, the U.S. approach will be "bluster, hard lines and debate, and eventual agreement when the costs of no deal become too high," she said. Ziemba predicted that there may eventually be a deal with Beijing, but it won't "be easy or long-lasting" given the extent of complaints and the lack of overwhelming business and congressional support for a deal with China. "I think this argues against some grand bargain and suggests that there may be smaller deliverables," she said. WATCH: Is China's growth story over? Representatives from the White House and the Trump Organization did not return requests for comment. "The Tax Department is reviewing the allegations in the NYT article and is vigorously pursuing all appropriate avenues of investigation," a spokesman from the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance said in an email to CNBC. The Times reported on Tuesday that Trump and his family committed "instances of outright fraud" in order to transfer millions of dollars from the real estate empire of the president's father, Fred Trump, to his children without paying the appropriate taxes. New York state tax officials are investigating allegations detailed in an exhaustive New York Times investigation into Donald Trump and his family's business dealings. In a statement to the Times, Trump lawyer Charles Harder denied any allegations of fraud and tax evasion, saying "the facts upon which The Times bases its allegations are extremely inaccurate." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in her response to the Times, backed up Trump's claims about his wealth, repeating the story that he took a $1 million loan from his father and paid it back. Trump said numerous times as a presidential candidate that he had received the "very small" $1 million loan from his father. But the newspaper's investigation found that Trump had actually been lent at least $60.7 million. The article claims the Trump family committed "instances of outright fraud," with the president himself receiving today's equivalent of $413 million from the real estate holdings of his father, the Times reported while citing 100,000 documents and interviews with former family associates. Meanwhile, the state tax department already is investigating the president's charity, the Trump Foundation. The president's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, has also been caught up in the tax department probe as he was subpoenaed by investigators in August,. The probe came on the heels of a lawsuit by New York state Attorney General Barbara Underwood against the foundation, as well as Trump himself, claiming that he broke state and federal law by mismanaging the charity. The state attorney general's office declined to comment. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat who is one of Trump's most vocal critics, tweeted Tuesday night that he would direct the city's finance department to look into the claims made in the Times investigation. BDB tweet WATCH: Trump's 'suspect tax schemes' in focus PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi steps down today after a 24-year career with the company. Born in India, the 62-year-old was one of a handful of people of color to run an S&P 500 company. During her 12-year tenure as chief executive, Nooyi transformed PepsiCo into one of the most successful food and beverage companies worldwide. Her push for healthier snack and beverage choices, along with an eye for product packaging, led to an 80 percent sales growth in the 12 years she was CEO. Nooyi will remain as chairwoman of the board of directors until early 2019. As Nooyi readies for her next phase, here are the traits and habits she used to help steer her career. 1. Imagine you're the president As a child in India, Nooyi and her sister were asked to play an unusual game. Each night at dinner, their mother asked her daughters to imagine what they'd do if they were the prime minister, the president or some other world leader. By the end of the dinner, the girls presented a speech and their mother decided which speech won her vote. Though her mother instilled many traditional values in her daughters, she also encouraged them to be whoever they wanted to be. "She gave us that confidence," Nooyi said. The game helped build Nooyi's confidence. Later, when she'd attend business school, she said some male classmates would doubt her abilities and even refuse to make eye contact with her. She pushed through, assured in her skills and abilities. She'd say to herself, "I can do this better than anyone else can," she explained at a 2015 talk at the 92Y in New York. She added, "If everything else fails, they're going to come to me and say, 'Fix it,' because I know I'm that good. Remember, I could be president of India!" 2. Develop a niche skill Find a specific talent or skill that has served you well and hone it, Nooyi told LinkedIn executive editor Daniel Roth. When issues arise, said Nooyi, you want people to automatically think of you as the sole person who can solve said problem. Nooyi relies on her ability to use research to simplify complicated issues. "Over my entire career, what I've been known for is making simple the complex, whatever the issue is," she said. "Somebody gives me a complex problem I become a student. I don't care that I'm CEO, or president, or CFO. I become a student." As CEO, she made the tough decision to overhaul the PepsiCo's IT system. To understand the technologies and what was needed, she read 10 textbooks cover to cover over her holiday and had professors on call to answer her questions. This legwork didn't just make her more informed and help her clearly identify the right solution, it helped her overpower skeptics who were hesitant to make a change. Reflecting on your top skills and what you want to be known for can help you become a go-to person on your team. "When you have a competence that nobody else has, you become more valuable," said Nooyi. 3. Think like your customer As CEO, Nooyi oversaw more than 26,000 employees globally including more than 100 brands and trademarks. Yet during her first few years at the helm, Nooyi made visiting grocery stores a weekly priority so she could see how PepsiCo products looked on shelves. She'd take photos of the products' packaging and placement, and send critiques to her design and marketing teams. Thinking beyond an individual project or assignment to its overall purpose or mission can focus and inspire you. It can also ensure you're building solutions people need. "I am a shopkeeper. I'm a gatekeeper of my family," she told WNYC "Freakonomics Radio" podcast. "So I look at our business through a different lens and then I come back and I talk to my people about what I saw was good, and what wasn't really good." "I'm not just a CEO," Nooyi added. "I'm also a consumer." 4. Surprise with gratitude Shortly after her promotion to CEO, Nooyi visited India to see her mother. During her stay, visitors congratulated Nooyi's mother on the CEO's success. It soon dawned on her that parents of great workers rarely get recognition for the person they helped raise, she said on "The David Rubenstein Show." After the trip, Nooyi wrote more than 400 letters to the parents of her senior executives, expressing her gratitude. Parents responded to say they were honored, she recalled, and some of her executives told her, "My God, this is the best thing that's happened to my parents. And it's the best thing that's happened to me." Taking the time to acknowledge those who support you shows that you value their time and effort and don't take them for granted. An act of kindness can also make people more likely to help you achieve future goals. 5. Be strong Sales of Chevrolet's electric car, the Bolt, are tanking. Bolt sales plunged 41 percent during the third quarter from the same time last year and are down 17 percent since the beginning of the year, General Motors said Tuesday. "The decline is more a function of us diverting production to Canada and South Korea, coupled with low stocks in the U.S.," GM spokesman Jim Cain told CNBC in an email. "We're still proceeding with the Q4 production increase we announced in the last sales release." Cain added that investors should expect lower U.S. sales for 2018 but higher global sales. Billed as a compact crossover, the Bolt is GM's foray into electric vehicles, touted as a potential rival to cars such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Nissan Leaf. Its base model lists a starting price of $37,495. Sales of several models across GM's brands saw declines in the quarter, while others saw gains. GM's total sales are down 11 percent over the same quarter last year and 1.2 percent this year. Chevrolet saw a year-over-year decline of 11.4 percent, GMC saw a decline of 11.3 percent, Cadillac lost 10.7 percent and Buick lost 7.3 percent. The Bolt is not to be confused with the Chevrolet Volt, a hybrid, which actually saw a year-over-year increase of nearly 23 percent in sales. Sen. Bernie Sanders praised CEO Jeff Bezos on Tuesday after Amazon announced that it will increase the minimum wage for its workers to $15 per hour for all U.S. employees. "It is no secret that I have been a harsh critic of the wage and employment practices of Amazon and its owner Jeff Bezos," Sanders said. "It has been my view that the middle class and working families of this country should not have to subsidize Mr. Bezos, the wealthiest person on Earth, because many of his Amazon employees earned wages that were so low that they were forced to go on government programs like food stamps, Medicaid and subsidized housing." Last month, Sanders introduced legislation named the Bezos Act that would tax corporations for every dollar their low-wage workers receive in government health-care benefits or food stamps. The Vermont senator on Tuesday congratulated Bezos "for doing exactly the right thing." Amazon said it will also start advocating for an increase to the federal minimum wage. "Today, I want to give credit where credit is due," Sanders said. Sanders has been fighting for several years to increase the minimum wage in the United States to $15 per hour. In his statement, Sanders also thanked Amazon workers who reached out to his office asking for support fighting for a minimum wage hike. The senator said Amazon's announcement, "could well be a shot heard around the world." Sanders called on other profitable companies to make similar moves. "Bottom line is that in the richest county in the history of the world, no full-time employee should be living in poverty," Sanders said. Bezos thanked Sanders on Twitter and said he "hopes others will join in." tweet Corporations have a duty to dedicate more of their resources to sustainability and ethical practices amid popular backlashes against globalism, Michelin's chief executive said Tuesday. Speaking to CNBC's Charlotte Reed in Paris, Jean-Dominique Senard said that in the face of rising populism, action on the part of the business community couldn't be more necessary. "All these tensions, the increase of populism across the world, notably in Europe the corporations have a major role to play to show there is a way forward, notably through what we call sustainable capitalism," Senard said. "It's all about more human-faced capitalism which will insist on long-term rather than short-term, and would try to fight against global 'financialization' of the economy." What Senard meant by that, he added, is that corporations ought to focus on more than just profits. Of course, companies need to generate profits as a matter of survival, he acknowledged, but "they must also consider the stakes, environmental and social consequences of their activities." Major economic shifts of the past few decades have contributed to the rise of populism, with wage inequality on the rise and millions of manufacturing and low-skilled jobs lost to outsourcing and automation. Communities left financially struggling a decade on from the 2008 financial crisis feel excluded from recent global growth recovery and the benefits of globalized business. The ensuing resentment has been widely credited with fueling the success of right-wing political parties and more inward-looking national policies that reject immigration and trade. Naturally, this has consequences for multinational, trade-dependent companies like Michelin. Elon Musk will step down as Tesla chairman to settle fraud charges brought by the U.S. over claims he made saying he'd take his company private. As part of Musk's settlement, both Tesla and Musk will each pay a $20 million fine and Musk can stay on as CEO, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Saturday. What does that mean for Musk and Tesla? And what are the differences between these two roles anyway? We take a look at what sets the CEO and chairman roles apart. The role of CEO A CEO is a company's top decision-maker and serves as the public face of a company. This post is responsible for the company's overall performance and commitment to its internal and external stakeholders, former P&G CEO and current Snap board director Alan George Lafley writes in Harvard Business Review. The CEO, writes Lafley, decides which business the company is and isn't in, shapes its values and balances the investments the company makes in both the present and the future. A study tracking CEO time from two Harvard researchers found that chief executives spend 25 percent of their time speaking to others and building relationships, 25 percent on functional and business unit reviews, 16 percent on organization and culture, and 21 percent on strategy. A bulk of these work-tasks often take place during meetings. Dedicating himself solely to being Tesla's CEO may help Musk regain control of his company's daily operations and focus less on shareholder demands. Musk, a hands-on leader, has been known to put himself on the production line to help Tesla through its manufacturing sprints, unusual for a CEO. The role of chairman Expect much confrontation between China and the United States until they reach an agreement on trade, noted investor Mark Mobius told CNBC on Tuesday. "(China is) going to be tough to begin with and they are not going to give in easily, because you're talking about (a $)300 million trade deficit in China's favor, so they are not going to give up that easily," the founding partner at Mobius Capital Partners told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." "But I would say, maybe after six months they will come to some agreement and that will be done. But in the meantime, there will a lot of blood on the streets," he added. Beijing and Washington have engaged in a tit-for-tat trade battle since near the start of the year, when the U.S. imposed tariffs on laundry machines and solar panels coming from China. The U.S. blames China for its trade deficit figures and has repeatedly slapped new levies on Chinese goods. Beijing has so far retaliated to each set of tariffs. Trade negotiators from both sides have met on several occasions this year, but so far the talks have failed to reach any clear outcome. Zeng Qinghong, chairman of Chinese auto firm GAC Group, told CNBC's Annette Weisbach on Tuesday that should the trade war continue, it would adversely affect the global economy. Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, he said his firm was already having its plans disrupted. "We originally planned to launch our 'Trumpchi' cars in the U.S. by the end of next year, but now with the introduction of the 25 percent additional tariffs, it has certainly had a pretty big impact on our plans," Zeng said. The U.S. reached a trade agreement with Canada and Mexico on Sunday just hours before a midnight deadline to revamp their NAFTA deal. The three countries had been in talks for more than a year. Also speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Johan van Zyl, president and CEO of Toyota Europe, said he welcomed the new arrangement and hoped it could mark the beginning of fresh trade deals across the world. "We hope this will also now pave the way to stop the start of trade embargos or activities that are going on," he told CNBC. Mark your calendars. On Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, the Trump White House and Sen. Bernie Sanders found the rare thing they could agree on. And it had to do with one of President Donald Trump's favorite punching bags, Amazon. Reacting to Tuesday's move by the e-commerce giant to hike the minimum wage for all its U.S. employees to $15 per hour, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow told CNBC, "Good for them. I'm in favor of higher wages." For his part, socialist Sanders said at a Tuesday news conference, "I want to give credit where credit it due." The Vermont senator, who unsuccessfully sought the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, has been bashing Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos for making billions and billions of dollars personally and paying his employees low wages. Sanders, who is considered a contender for the 2020 Democratic nomination, last month even went so far as to introduce legislation, called the Bezos Act, to tax corporations for every dollar that their low-wage workers receive in government health-care benefits or food stamps. President Donald Trump's declared victory for U.S. dairy farmers may not be as large as it seems. On Sunday, the U.S. and Canada reached a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. The new agreement is named the USMCA the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Trump said on social media on Monday that the USMCA will "greatly open markets" for American farmers and manufacturers. Tweet Link But Bank of America Merrill Lynch told its clients some of the concessions in the new deal were "mainly symbolic," including the one Canada made for U.S. dairy farmers. "The deal includes a small reduction in protectionism for Canada's dairy farmers," Bank of America Merrill Lynch global economist Ethan Harris said in a note to clients Tuesday. "Under the new USMCA, American dairy producers will have access to 3.59% of Canada's dairy market slightly higher than the 3.25% they would have gotten had the US signed the Trans Pacific Partnership [TPP]." During his first debate against Hillary Clinton in September 2016, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump repeated a claim he had often made before in defense of his image as a self-made billionaire. "My father gave me a very small loan in 1975, and I built it into a company that's worth many, many billions of dollars," Trump claimed. A sweeping new investigative report published by The New York Times on Tuesday, however, says that Trump's father, Fred Trump, had actually lent his son at least $60.7 million. Read more: New York state tax authorities are looking into the NYT article's claims about Trump The Times reports that the amount would be worth $140 million in today's dollars and that much of it was never repaid. According to the newspaper's findings: "As for that $1 million loan, Fred Trump actually lent him at least $60.7 million, or $140 million in today's dollars." In the Times' piece, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders reiterated Trump's oft-repeated claim that "The president's father gave him an initial $1 million loan, which he paid back." Sanders added: "President Trump used this money to build an incredibly successful company as well as net worth of over $10 billion, including owning some of the world's greatest real estate." As a presidential candidate, Trump had cited the $1 million figure on several occasions. "My whole life really has been a 'no' and I fought through it," Trump said at a town hall event in October 2015. "It has not been easy for me, it has not been easy for me. And you know I started off in Brooklyn, my father gave me a small loan of a million dollars." The Wall Street Journal had previously reported in September 2016 that Trump owed his father and his father's business about $14 million from numerous loans as early as 1985. The lengthy investigation, which The New York Times says was more than a year in the making, accuses Trump of "instances of outright fraud" as he and his father manipulated the amounts of income they reported to the government. Charles Harder, a lawyer for Trump, denied any allegations of tax violations in a statement, saying in the report, "The facts upon which The Times bases its allegations are extremely inaccurate." The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment on the Times' investigation. Read the full investigative report from The New York Times. Istanbul police teams launched simultaneous raids across a series of provinces and detained many people, also carrying out searches of properties, the broadcaster said. Turkish prosecutors ordered the detention of 417 suspects in a money laundering investigation over the transfer of some 2.5 billion lira ($419 million) to bank accounts abroad, broadcaster CNN Turk said on Tuesday. A man sells Turkish flags amongst crowds of shoppers on a market street on August 16, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Police and judicial authorities were not immediately available to comment on the report, which was also carried by other Turkish media. The investigation was aimed at those who "targeted the economic and financial security of the Turkish Republic", it said. It said the suspects had received commission for sending the money to 28,088 accounts abroad and that the accounts abroad belonged to Iranians in the United States. When American designer Virgil Abloh landed the job as artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear, one of the highest profile jobs in fashion, he wanted a younger generation to know "there's someone listening," he told British Vogue. The 164-year-old French fashion house owned by the LVMH luxury conglomerate and known for its monogrammed leather goods, hired Abloh in March, with Louis Vuitton Chair and CEO Michael Burke praising his disruptive approach to fashion and popular culture. It's also this millennial-friendly style that attracted German brand Rimowa to Abloh, a LVMH majority-owned luggage company that hired the designer to star in a campaign video for its 120th anniversary. The film, released Tuesday, shows Abloh's musings on travel as he leaves a hotel room and takes a flight. "My premier position is just to translate brand into current culture The brands that I choose to work with are usually best in category and they also have some heritage to them," Abloh told CNBC on the phone as he waited for a flight from Chicago to Paris. "And my goal is to sort of articulate that heritage in a new refreshing way to a younger consumer." Last week, Abloh hosted an Ikea pop-up shop in Paris to tease his rug collection with the store. He designed the Nike tutu outfit Serena Williams wore at this year's U.S. open and has a radio show with Apple Music. He documents some of his collaborations on Instagram, where he has 3 million followers, and said he's thinking about what an even younger generation will want from brands. "My baseline consumer can sometimes be 12 years old and, you know, that is an incredible task, but I like the challenge of translating a brand that could be 100 years old to someone who's 12. I specialize in that." But he added that good design in general should work for all ages. Abloh was born to Ghanaian parents and grew up in Rockford, Illinois, and calls himself a "citizen of the globe" in the Rimowa video. "Being a citizen of the globe is sort of being at home traveling. It's being comfortable with the idea that things aren't the same all over the world. If the world adopted some sort of attitude just as such, there would be less division amongst human beings," he says. He said this is not a political statement but more about understanding different cultures, when asked by CNBC. "It's not political by any means, it's just an observation if you travel the world and mix and see different cultures, you can become one with the world." Designer Virgil Abloh stars in an ad for suitcase brand Rimowa, September 2018 Rimowa LVMH bought an 80 percent stake in Rimowa for 640 million euros (then $716 million) in 2016 and is run by Alexandre Arnault (one of the sons of LVMH's billionaire CEO Bernard Arnault) and Dieter Morszeck, grandson of Rimowa's founder. Abloh said that Alexandre Arnault, as well as Rimowa's Chief Brand Officer Hector Muelas and the film's director Dexter Navy, share his idea that advertising campaigns should not simply be product shots on billboards. "We are part of a generation that is rethinking campaigns, campaigns that have sort of gotten to be like a dirty word in a way, with sort of like here, hold this product, put the image on a billboard, and hopefully people buy it because they see an image," he said in a video interview Rimowa released as part of the brand campaign. But Abloh's video is not necessarily a film that will directly sell products, in a world where marketers are under pressure to prove their campaigns lead to short-term sales. "In my mind, you know, there is sort of two types of commercial. One that's sort of like directly selling a product. And then there's another type which is sort of framing up the product and messaging, why this product exists and what makes it special," Abloh told CNBC. "I would say that this commercial is the latter of those two scenarios. It's about the people behind the product and the types of people that connect with the product and connect with the brand." Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. 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. 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 Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Singapore and Malaysia's tourism boards launch joint programme for nature-lovers Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Tourism Malaysia have launched a joint programme to encourage nature-lovers to visit and discover both Singapores Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Malaysias Pulau Kukup Johor National Park. As part of the Passport 2 Nature programme, from October 1 to December 31, visitors can receive a Passport 2 Nature at entrance counters of both parks. Through completing a series of family-friendly interactive questions, visitors can uncover the parks unique flora and fauna, and earn stamps on their Passport, according to a joint press statement on October 1, 2018. Upon completion of the Passport, they can present it to staff at either park and redeem a limited-edition souvenir created for the campaign. Singapore is located along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. This means we serve as a valuable stop-over in the journey taken by migratory birds that come from as far away as Siberia," said Dr Adrian Loo, Group Director, Conservation of the National Parks Board. "We welcome the opportunity to work with our wetland counterparts in other countries that are also part of the flyway, such as Pulau Kukup Johor National Park, to build up our knowledge of the migratory patterns and requirements of these amazing birds. This will enable us to better formulate conservation strategies for our wetlands to ensure the long-term survival of these birds. Pulau Kukup Johor National Park, a Ramsar Site, is one of five national parks in Johor. Pulau Kukup. Photo: Connected to India Besides the importance of its mangrove habitat, eco-tourism facilities have been developed on the island. The Passport 2 Nature initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between NParks and the Johor National Parks Corporation on 21 February 2018. The agreement aims to establish Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pulau Kukup Johor National Park as Sister Sites under the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The MoU enhances collaboration in joint research on migratory shorebirds found in both sites, enables knowledge and expertise sharing in wetland habitat management, and facilitates outreach and education. Johnson 1) His speech will call for a return to basic Conservative values including tax cuts Speech will also renew attack on Chequers Daily Telegraph This rally will be a leadership pitch Financial Times 1,500 expected to hear him speak at fringe event i-news PM mocked by field of wheat run The Guardian Boris will fire a return salvo, saying the party should follow our conservative instincts and focus on core Tory issues such as law and order and tax cuts to beat Labour at the next election. In what allies openly described as an alternative leaders speech, he will suggest the party has moved too far to the Left and should instead take basic conservative ideas and fit them to the problems of today. Couched as an attack on Mr Corbyn, Mr Johnsons speech contains a series of barely disguised barbs at the Prime Minister and her Chancellor. He will say the Tories must not lose our faith in competition and choice and markets or follow the Labour leader and treat capitalism as a kind of boo word. He will tell the Conservative Home event: We cant lose our faith in competition and choice and markets but we should restate the truth that there is simply no other system that is so miraculously successful in satisfying human wants and needs. We should set our taxes to stimulate investment and growth. We should be constantly aiming not to increase but to cut taxes. It is the conservative approach that gets things done so lets follow our conservative instincts. Daily Mail >Today: >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Our Next Tory Leader survey. Javid is up and Johnson down slightly but the latter retains a double-figure lead. Johnson 2) Scottish Tories are plotting against him Senior Scottish Tories are involved in a plot to keep Boris Johnson out of Downing Street over fears his leadership would destroy the partys revival north of the Border. Internal party polling and analysis shows victory for Mr Johnson in a leadership contest to succeed Theresa May would boost the Labour Party in Scotland, putting at risk several of the Westminster seats the Tories won in 2017 and making it impossible for Ruth Davidson to become First Minister. The Scotsman The madness of this orgy of Tory in-fighting Stephen Glover, Daily Mail May was booed at National Conservative Convention Daily Telegraph Johnson 3) The DUP praise his positive Brexit vision He could negotiate a delay in Brexit to allow more time for No Deal The Sun Is Theresa Mays plan for a festival of Brexit just an appalling sop to the DUP? Andrew Adonis, The Guardian Javid 1) EU migrants will no longer be given preference Boris Johnsons positive vision for Brexit has been praised by the DUP leader Arlene Foster as she said she would work with him if he became Prime Minister. In a major boost for Mr Johnsons leadership ambitions, Mrs Foster endorsed the belief and spirit contained in his blueprint for Brexit. She criticised Theresa Mays Government, which needs the DUPs votes to maintain its working majority, saying one of her biggest disappointments was the failure of ministers to talk about the aspirations for the nation. She also refused to rule out backing a Canada-style deal for Brexit if an agreement could be found on avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland. Daily Telegraph Far fewer low-skilled workers will be allowed in from Europe after Brexit, Sajid Javid and Theresa May pledged last night. Unveiling the biggest immigration reform for decades, the Home Secretary vowed to end EU free movement completely. He said the system would now focus on skilled workers and Europeans would be treated the same as citizens from anywhere else. Mr Javid also warned that migrants would have to integrateThe immigration system unveiled today will be put in place from January 2021, after the UKs transition out of the EU is complete. European migrants will have to apply for work visas in the same way as those from the rest of the world. Daily Mail Low-skill migration to fall BBC Another referendum is needed says German MP The Guardian Javid 2) Middle class drug users will be targeted Javid 3) A public health approach to crime will be announced Middle-class drug users will be targeted as part of a crackdown on the causes of violent crime, Home Secretary Sajid Javid will announce. He will use his Tory conference speech to launch a review of drug buyers and sellers and how shifts in the market are linked to outbreaks of bloodshed. Justice Secretary David Gauke will also announce a new financial crime unit to seize the assets of drugs kingpins. Labour says the proposals will not make up for cuts to public services. Affluent drug users have been linked to the rise in gang-related knife crime in London and other cities. BBC Sajid Javid is to announce a comprehensive rethink of the governments approach to rising serious violence, in a speech that will set out plans to treat the issue holistically and as a public health problem. The home secretary will tell the Conservative party conference in Birmingham on Tuesday that he plans to consult on obliging local authorities to do more to address the causes of crime. He will also announce a 200m youth endowment fund to steer young people most at risk of becoming involved in crime away from it. And he will launch a review of drug misuse to understand the changes in drug markets that have been widely blamed for rising levels of serious violence, such as stabbings. Financial Times Hancock promises extra social care funding to ease pressure on the NHS McVey reveals she was placed in a foster home shortly after she was born An emergency 240m will be pumped into social care in England to ease pressure on the NHS this winter by enabling more elderly people to be cared for at home. The cash will help councils pay for measures like housing adaptations and care packages, Health Secretary Matt Hancock will tell the Tory conference. Getting people back home will free up hospital beds, Mr Hancock will say. Winter months often place hospitals under strain. In January, one in five patients faced long delays for a bed. BBC A senior Cabinet minister last night told for the first time how she was placed in a foster home shortly after she was born. Esther McVey revealed she was a Barnardos child, spending her first two years in care with the charity. Speaking about her early childhood for the first time, the Work and Pensions Secretary told the Daily Mail that she wanted to give the message that anyone can succeed given the opportunity. Earlier she had hinted at her upbringing as she announced plans to work with Barnardos to help people leaving care find jobs. Daily Mail Hammond to introduce a new digital services tax The Tory obsession with Brexit is missing a bigger economic picture Juliet Samuel, Daily Telegraph Back Chequers for a real Brexit dividend, says the Chancellor The Times The Budget MUST put more money in peoples pocketsnot remove it with a tax raid Leader, The Sun Hammond vs Johnson Leader, The Times Tax-dodging tech giants will be forced to stump up more under the Chancellors 21st-century blueprint to defeat Corbynism. Philip Hammond delighted Tory conference activists with his surprise vow to introduce a Digital Services Tax.The levy on international profits made from users in Britain by California-based giants such as Facebook and Google will recoup hundreds of millions of pounds. Mr Hammond wants it in place in one to two years if a global agreements on taxing tech firms still cannot be reached. The crowd-pleaser was the gem of his keynote speech to the Tories annual conference in Birmingham. The Sun >Yesterday: May willing to restrict potential for new trade deals Theresa May is preparing to limit Britains ability to strike free-trade deals after Brexit in a significant concession to the European Union aimed at breaking the deadlock in negotiations. The prime minister is ready to propose a grand bargain, according to her colleagues, which would keep Britain tied to European customs rules on goods after the transition period ends in December 2020. No 10 will claim that the UK has left the customs union at this point, but by keeping key rules the ability to agree trade deals would be curtailed for many years. The Times This is the speech Theresa May should have the courage to give Polly Toynbee, The Guardian >Today: Columnist Henry Newman: What May will and should say in her conference speech tomorrow Standing ovation for Raab Dominic Raab moved Tory fans to a long standing ovation yesterday, revealing that his passion for defeating extremism was fuelled by the murder of his family at the hands of the Nazis. The 45 second emotional outpouring came as the Brexit Secretary revealed his dad had escaped the Holocaust.The electrifying personal speech made him the second Cabinet big hitter to make a conference pitch for Theresa Mays job, following a pitch for the keys to No10 on Sunday by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The Sun >Yesterday: and he proposes halving the Corporation Tax rate if there is no deal Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab last night spoke openly about slashing corporation tax in the event of a no-deal Brexit in an interview at the Tory conference. The Cabinet minister said the business levy could be reduced to 10% to pull every lever we have got to see us through what short term buffeting or disruption we have. Corporation tax is currently 19% and is due to fall to 18% in April 2020. Daily Express Further attacks on Hunt for comparing the EU to the Soviet Union Williamson threatens to block EU satellite bases from British territories Jeremy Hunt was accused by cabinet colleagues of putting his leadership ambitions ahead of the national interest yesterday after his comparison of the EU to the Soviet Union attracted widespread censure from European leaders. With Brexit talks at a critical stage after the snub to Theresa May at last months Salzburg meeting, Mr Hunts confrontational address to the Conservative conference dismayed senior government figures. Downing Street appeared caught off-guard on Sunday when Mr Hunt accused Brussels of seeking to punish Britain for wanting to leave the European Union and compared it to the Soviet Union trying to stop its citizens leaving. The Times Gavin Williamson has threatened to block the EU from using UK overseas territories for a major satellite system if Britain is locked out of it after Brexit. The defence secretary issued the first public warning that Brussels would be prevented from basing ground stations for the Galileo satellite in the Falklands, Diego Garcia or Ascension Island unless Britain is given access after leaving the bloc. The 8.5 billion satellite, which is not yet fully operational, will rely partly on dishes and boosters located on British overseas territories to give it global reach.Speaking at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference to mark the publication of White Flag? a book about the state of the armed forces, he was asked why the government would let the EU base assets on UK overseas territories if the nation were locked out of the project. He said: Lets be clear: as it develops, theyre not going to be able to use our facilities to do what I would call a rival project. The Times >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Andrew Gimsons Conference Sketch: Williamson declares that British forces are no longer in retreat Gove plans to introduce Natashas Law Wollaston complains of deselection threat Michael Gove is urgently considering new legislation to close a loophole in food labeling rules following the death of a teenage girl who had an allergic reaction to sesame seeds in a Pret a Manger baguette. Natasha Ednan-Laperouse was 15 when she collapsed on a British Airways flight from London to Nice on July 17, 2016 after eating a baguette, which contained sesame seeds, bought from the Heathrow airport branch of Pret a Manger. Its packaging bore no allergen advice, which was not required by law because the food was made on-site at the branch and there were general notices posted around the shop. Daily Telegraph A pro-EU Conservative MP has warned of a Ukip entryist campaign after a Brexiteer colleague called for her to be deselected. Sarah Wollaston, who has endorsed a second EU referendum, responded furiously when Conor Burns called for an activist to replace her in Totnes, Devon. On Sunday night Mr Burns, the MP for Bournemouth West, told a fringe event at the Conservative conference that Darren Grimes, a pro-Brexit campaigner, had been persecuted by the provisional wing of Remain, aided and abetted by their bureaucratic masters, the Electoral Commission. He added: You have been misunderstood. Have a look down in Totnes you would be brilliant. Mr Grimes was fined 20,000 for breaking EU referendum spending laws. He said he was completely innocent and has raised funds to appeal. The Times Labour has banned Hartley-Brewer from future conferences Labour has banned TalkRadio host Julia Hartley-Brewer from its conference next year. The party issued the edict yesterday because of complaints that she had violated its safe space at last weeks conference in Liverpool by shouting boo.Ms Hartley-Brewer, who hosts the 6:30am-10am breakfast who on TalkRadio, recorded a light-hearted video mocking the safe space which had a sign on its door stating: This area is for use by anyone, adding; It is not monitored. Labour accused her of committing a hate crime against disabled people who felt vulnerable. The Sun Stabilisation plan for Northamptonshire County Council FBI can question anybody about Kavanaugh A council plans to cut spending on agency staff and highways services, while boosting tax receipts, to tackle a 65m funding shortfall. The stabilisation plan published by Northamptonshire County Council aims to save an additional 20m in 2018-19, on top of 45m in cuts already planned. Government-appointed commissioners have been brought in to oversee the council, which has twice banned new spending. Council leader Matt Golby said the authority faced unprecedented times. BBC President Trump has said he wants the FBI to conduct a very comprehensive investigation into sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court nominee but not a witch hunt. US media reports earlier suggested the White House wanted to restrict the inquiry into Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Mr Trump said he had requested that the FBI be given free rein, but added: Id like it to go quickly. BBC Sylvester: The Tories have stopped caring about voters Jenkins: Party conferences should be banned Lord Cooper of Windrush, who was Mr Camerons head of strategy, says the party is alienating swathes of voters. Only 15 per cent of under 25-year-olds (who overwhelmingly want to stay in the EU) say they believe the Conservatives represent people like them. Ethnic minority voters are increasingly hostile to the party and the proportion of young women who backed Labour increased from 28 per cent in 2010 to 73 per cent last year. The Tories support among middle-class voters is also eroding. Its not just about Brexit, Lord Cooper said. Its all the other values that connect in these peoples minds to Brexit. Brexit is a proxy for ones view of the modern world: are you nationalist or internationalist, positive about immigration, diversity and multiculturalism or do you feel those things are a threat? Rachel Sylvester, The Times Dont go to party conferences. Ignore them. They should be banned. When blind loyalty meets crazed dissent fuelled by personal ambition, the result is a disease, a ghastly rash on the body politic. The overheated, hysterical, alcoholic, distorting atmosphere of these events leads to misjudgment not least by journalists disoriented by being corralled for weeks far from London.A party conference used to be a rally. It was when activists gathered in one place to reinforce each others prejudices. They spoke for other activists and for party members, never for a wider electorate. But whereas loyalty used to be the binding glue of a conference, today it is the opposite. The insecurity of modern leadership has everyone edging around the wall, trying to spot Caesars assassins and work out which one to join. Simon Jenkins, The Guardian Hague: A second referendum would be the most negative and pointless political battle of our lifetime News in brief Johnson may already have missed his chance of the premiership Reaction We need to stop the Ukip-isation of Brexit says Rees-Mogg The Spectator The Chequers plan would not deliver a properly controlled migration policy Iain Duncan Smith, Brexit Central Claim that three ministers back another EU referendum Independent Jeremy Wright doesnt appear as a hologram Huffington Post Does it help Theresa May to get a good deal if we call for this now? No, is the correct answer of course it doesnt. If Brussels thinks Britain is heading for another vote if there is no deal or a bad one, it has less incentive to reach an acceptable one. There you are, six vital issues for anyone looking for another referendum to confront. If were not careful, a lot more people will turn to this idea, even without knowing the answers. Its a good reason to support whatever deal Theresa May can negotiate, get Brexit over the line, and force the political world to move on. William Hague, Daily Telegraph Towards the end of a fringe meeting yesterday, I half expected to hear a band strike up Rule Britannia. It was an ungodly hour before 9am on a Monday and Gavin Williamson had spent 45 minutes or so choosing his words very carefully. At a ConservativeHome event to mark the publication of my new book on the state of the UKs armed forces, White Flag?, he spied traps everywhere, skilfully sidestepping a series of awkward questions with classic Cabinet Minister-style platitudes. Did cuts to the armed forces in 2010 go too far? He wasnt going to admit that! Were government officials twitchy about his decision to send warships to the South China Sea? Best not risk upsetting civil servants by saying anything about that. Wasnt the Treasury really lily-livered, privately warning him not to risk annoying the Chinese? Williamson wasnt going there. No way was he risking a headline suggesting he was having a pop at Philip Hammond. Asked about the UKs place in the world however, and there was no stopping him. Suddenly, he stopped editing himself and launched into an impassioned speech about how the armed forces can help make the world a better place. I could almost hear the strains of Land of Hope and Glory. This was a brave and unusual intervention from a cabinet minister. These days, it is very unfashionable for politicians to express any enthusiasm for discretionary military action. Most believe that Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya have discredited Tony Blairs famous concept of using the military as a force for good. But this is a Defence Secretary who truly believes that the UK should consider getting stuck in to other peoples wars if there is a chance that intervention can save or improve the lives of others without disproportionate cost. For all the grief he has had over telling the Russians to shut up and go away and other PR gaffes, nobody who heard his unapologetically patriotic call to arms yesterday could be in any doubt that he loves his job, and is determined that the armed forces should do more, not less. As I explain in White Flag?, he believes the UK has for too long, given the impression of a nation in retreat. He wants to change all that. During yesterdays fringe meeting, Williamson talked of his concern that the UK has suffered a loss of national self confidence an observation borne out by the extensive polling I conducted for White Flag? As part of my research for the book, I commissioned interviews with several thousand people in ten countries, as well as the UK, to explore perceptions of our place in the world. Encouragingly, Britain was generally seen by foreigners as the fifth most powerful and influential country in the world, after the US, China, Russia and Germany. This roughly tallies with the size of our economy (much bigger than Russias!) and the strength of our armed forces. Intriguingly, however, the British people were more likely than those in any other country to say they thought the UKs power and influence were decreasing. They were by far the most likely of any nationality to say this of their own country. At yesterdays fringe, Williamson agreed that this is worrying, and suggested that we need to get our mojo back. His earlier reticence during his interview with my co-author Isabel Oakeshott was uncharacteristic. During several background discussions with him for the book, I found the Defence Secretary refreshingly frank about the scale of the challenges facing the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces themselves. A battering from his critics during the run-up to the summer recess seems to have left him somewhat bruised. A long-running battle with the Treasury to secure more money for the armed forces is far from won, and he is fully focused on achieving that objective, and wary of rocking the boat. He told us yesterday that he gets quite enough grief about the armed forces from his brother, who was in the RAF, and brother-in-law, who is in the Navy, as it is. (He joked that Nick Carter, the Chief of the Defence Staff, is trying to arrange for someone in the Army to marry into his family, so that all three services have his ear.) It is now less than a month until the pre-Budget statement, when the Chancellor will decide whether to give the armed forces more cash. Williamson does not have long to wait to find out whether his new diplomacy has paid off. WhiteFlag? is published by Biteback today and available on Amazon. Henry Newman is Director of Open Europe. When it comes to Brexit, this Conservative Party Conference is really just about the Government trying to tread water. With its Brexit policy under attack from all sides, this was never going to be an easy few days for Theresa May. Yet compared to last years conference, the event might be considered a success if her voice holds up and she manages to get through her speech without being handed a P45 and with the slogan still on the wall. Her speech tomorrow should mainly be about domestic policy, but heres what she should look to do in the parts of her text about Brexit. First, she should keep the flag wrapped firmly around her shoulders. After the humiliation of Salzburg and Donald Tusks declaration that the economic aspects of Chequers will not work, the Prime Minister responded by demanding that the EU shows Britain some respect. This language plays hugely well in the UK, and will doubtless work even better in a room full of Conservative activists. Ive been struck over the past week by how many friends and acquaintances, particularly those who were not Leavers, are starting to argue spontaneously that the EU is treating the UK badly. Second, she should avoid the temptation to get into a slagging match with the EU. Her language needs to remain prime ministerial, and she should avoid any cheap jokes. The Foreign Secretarys speech yesterday caused a wave of (partially confected) outrage across Europe. Theresa May needs to strike a different tone. Third, the Prime Minister must also avoid escalating the tensions within the Conservative Party. That means no cheap gags about Boris Johnson. But it also means a call for unity and an end to the ongoing quasi-civil war being conducted on Twitter between Tory Leave and Tory Remain MPs. She needs to try to bring the party together, not exacerbate existing tensions. Fourth, she should try to empathise with those who have concerns about her policy. She should accept, as Dominic Raab did in his Conference speech, that Chequers is probably not anyones dream plan for Brexit being too close to the EU for some and too distant for others. What she should try to do is level with her activists and members and acknowledge that she has heard their concerns. Too often over recent weeks, Downing Street has seemed oblivious to the legitimate concerns that many have expressed about Chequers. Fifth, May needs to show flexibility and soften her uncompromising stance. She doesnt need to retreat from Chequers but she can say that she is not wedded to the dot on every i and the cross on every t of the plan. Put it this way, perhaps: I know Chequers was painful for many people in this party. They questioned why we had to compromise so much. So let me be clear Ive heard those concerns and Im open to adjusting some aspects of my plan if people have solutions which achieve the same aims in different ways. What else will she do? We can expect a pretty defiant rejection of the possibility of any second referendum. She will surely also promise to step up preparations for No Deal, insisting that Northern Ireland cant be part of the EUs customs territory. I expect we will hear that no British Prime Minister could ever accept a Brexit that divided this country. She will also remind the conference hall of her own red lines and insist that though she didnt campaign to Leave, she is determined to deliver it. What comes next? This conference speech wont shift the dial on Brexit. Neither will any of the fringe rallies whether from Conservatives for a so-called Peoples Vote or those demanding Chuck Chequers. We are getting to the crunch point in the negotiations but nothing will really move until after ministers get back from Birmingham. Then we should watch out for the detail of the Governments proposal for the regulatory aspects of the Northern Ireland backstop something we still havent seen. After the Conference season is closed, and Parliament is back in session, both sides will be keen to get things moving again. Meanwhile, the Brexit Secretary is likely to emerge from the Conference period politically strengthened. His platform speech yesterday was well-delivered but also struck a consensual note. He opened with a call for tolerance and respect from both sides of the referendum debate. Raab went on to admit Remain campaigners made some important arguments and highlighted difficulties that some on my side were too quick to dismiss. Thats the sort of language which is needed to help bring the Conservative party and the country back together again. In his speech, Raab claimed to be pragmatic and not dogmatic about Brexit. That attitude of pragmatism will be key over the next few weeks as we get to the end stage of the Article 50 Brexit negotiations. With no breakthrough in sight, and passions running high on both sides, we can expect things to go right to the wire. Salzburg saw tensions reach new heights. But things were always going to reach a crunch point with plenty of theatrics. Perhaps the drama of Salzburg will actually allow the air to clear a bit. Yet its impossible to predict exactly how things will pan out. While No Deal seems a growing and real possibility, the most likely outcome is still that some form of agreement is reached. Whatever happens, expect the next few weeks and months to be full of Brexit bumps and turns. Can the Conservatives win in Canterbury, Middlesbrough and Midlothian at the same time? The question was debated by fine minds under the auspices of Policy Exchange, whose director, Dean Godson, declared it the pre-eminent question of this conference, of our time, of our epoch. And the verdict? For the analyst and ConservativeHome columnist, James Frayne, there are nuances but I think the answer is no. No such pessimism from Ben Houchen, the Tees Valley Mayor, or Kirstene Hair, one of the twelve newly elected Scottish MPs who were proud to impose a Conservative government on England last year. For her, the answer was a clear message: the Scottish Tories were the only Unionist party, so whether urban or rural, they knew exactly what they were voting for. Some people held their nose while voting Conservative, but they did it because they knew what they were getting. Joe Twyman, former YouGov guru and founder of Deltapoll, stressed the importance of making an emotional connection. And what message resonates most with people on an emotional level Brexit? The NHS? Housing? No, much simpler: The Conservatives will make your life a bit better. For Jacob Rees-Mogg, the answer was to learn from Disraeli who stressed, as well as the crown and the constitution, the condition of the people, and set about doing so in the fields of housing and health. Brexit would help, Rees-Mogg said, by allowing us to bring down tariffs and therefore prices, and control the movement of unskilled labour which has held back working class incomes (rich French bankers dont affect anyones wages). It is improving the condition of the people that matters, and if we can achieve that, there will be no need to divide the country up and say we cant win here unless we lose there. Moggmania continues undiminished, it should be noted. At the event ,the member for North East Somerset was applauded simply for strolling to the front of the room, teacup in hand, to take his seat. Smiling for the gaggle of photographers kneeling before him he was evidently torn between enjoying the attention and finding it more than a little absurd. A second dose of historical perspective from Andrew Roberts, who gave the Conservative History Group lecture to mark the launch of his acclaimed new biography of Churchill. The great leader had begun to believe it would fall to him to save London, the country and the Empire not at the beginning of the war, or even during the rise of Hitler, but in 1891, at the age of 16. Surviving a stabbing at school, two bouts of pneumonia, two plane crashes, three car crashes, a house fire, three days in a coma after jumping from a bridge, a near-drowning in Lake Geneva, a deadly cavalry charge, a train ambush and escape from a Boer War prisoner of war camp only heightened his sense of destiny: ultimately he saved not just those three entities but civilisation. Churchill never lost his wit and humour. Told by his private secretary that his cook was pregnant after an assignation with a chap she met in a street in Verona, he replied: Obviously not one of the two gentlemen. He was also the best paid journalist of his era (and probably ever, receiving around 26,000 per article in todays money). He sometimes displayed an eccentric sense of timing, however. Thus, in March 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and with the Germans well on their way to Stalingrad, he published an article in the Sunday Dispatch asking Are there men on the moon? He concluded that there were. Can you imagine if Mrs May suddenly wrote an article about UFOs? mused the historian. Rory Stewart made headlines recently with his pledge to resign if his prison reforms have not managed to reduce the level of drugs and violence in ten target jails within a year. That he is passionate about his brief was evident from his performance at a discussion hosted by the Centre for Social Justice: the question is not how the Conservatives can be seen as the party of law and order the question is how do you restore law and order he declared, with refreshing clarity of thought. Ed Davies, the CSJs Policy Director, regaled the audience with a blizzard of depressing facts, including the arresting (pardon the pun) statistic that one in six inmates in Nottingham prison had a drug habit when they left that they did not have when they went in. And a student from Birmingham complained that drugs were so rife he had seen people taking them right outside his local police station. Isabel Oakeshott, who I am sure is asked to speak at these events partly because she cant see a feather without ruffling it, wondered if the problem was perhaps that prison isnt really bad enough. I can assure you, Isabel, that you wouldnt want to go to prison, came the Ministerial reply. You can tell youre getting on a bit when the lobbyists start to look younger. During questions at fringe events, someone will stand up whom you assume to be a student in a suit, but who invariably announces themselves as the Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs at the Widget Manufacturers Association, or the Head of Stakeholder Engagement at one of the charities whose budgets strangely stretch to a week at a party conference and probably three weeks at three party conferences. Im sure their organisations do good work, but I do wonder what they think they are achieving at these things. Not that the people who count the money at CCHQ will thank me for saying so. Employers are being forced to pay more to fill jobs There was a lot of job-switching in recent months as the coronavirus pandemic prompted millions of people to move and make major life changes. It turns out many people who changed jobs earned more money. A report from ADP shows that overall wage growth in the third quarter of this year rose 3.3%. But people who changed jobs during that period saw their wages grow twice as fast, at 6.6%. Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, says wage growth has begun to match pre-pande... Philip Hammond not uttering IR35 in his Tory Party conference speech has done little to convince contractor experts that private sector reform will be missing from his Budget 2018. In responding to the chancellors address in Birmingham yesterday, which made no mention of anything status-related, the REC said he should refrain from further revisions to IR35. [Mr Hammond] must hold back from IR35 changes in the private sector that will punish compliant businesses and open the way to tax avoidance, said RECs CEO Neil Carberry. 'When, not if' Urging the chancellor away from an action he did not say in his speech he will take may seem odd, but aligning the private with the public sector on IR35 has been described as inevitable. So inevitable that on its blog, Accountax says the only real question is when and an April 2019 commencement date is its hunch, despite suggestions by others that it may be too early. Until the consultation was issued, on 18 May 2018, we would have argued that there was enough going on politically to suggest 2020 at the earliest," the advisory wrote. However, the potential time line is very similar to the approach followed in 2016 for the April 2017 implementation of the public sector changes and suggests that the train has been set in motion for April 2019. 'Shelve any plans' Similar to the REC, another status specialist who heard no mention of IR35 yesterday from the chancellor made particular mention of it when asked about likely announcements on October 29th. It makes sense for the chancellor to call an early Budget given the uncertainty that still hangs over Brexit[but] we urge him to look at the bigger picture and shelve any plans that might be in place to extend IR35 changes to the private sector, said the specialist, Qdos. Chief executive Seb Maley explained: Public sector reform has not been a success and theres no proof to show that it has increased compliance. If anything, its resulted in thousands of contractors being wrongly placed inside IR35 by their engagers. 'Not a great leap' Despite an increasing amount of evidence in support of wrong determinations under the April 2017 framework, extending it to all engagers might be worth the 1billion pay-off. It isnot a great leap of imagination to assume that the chancellor is eying up an additional 1bn in revenue coming from the private sector (to add to the 410m the consultation suggested had been raised from the public sector changes), and is unlikely to want to pass it up, Accountax said in a statement. Paul Mason, national account manager at IR35 advisers Abbey Tax, said: A Budget statement before the outcome of the Brexit negotiations are known -- a chance [for Mr Hammond] to get some revenue-raising measures through? Unleashing IR35 [reform] onto the [private] sector in April 2019 may be an easy-win. This site is not available in your country The Cruise Lines International Associations (CLIA) lawsuit against Juneau, challenging the legality of use of a $8 passenger tax appears to be heading to a trial, according to local sources. The suit, which was filed in April of 2016, basically charges that how the passenger tax revenue is used is unconstitutional, that the money is used for projects that do not service the ships or the passengers, and also that the tax exceeds the ports costs for ships and passengers. Juneau is arguing that all the money is reasonably spent on services that benefit the ships and their passengers. John Binkley, president of CLIA Alaska, explained that the ships pay a $34.50 head tax per passenger in Alaska, which includes the $8 in question in Juneau. According to Carl Uchytil, port director, the $8 consists of $5 as a so-called marine passenger fee and $3 is a port development fee. Binkley added that the city also gets another $5 from the state head tax for a total of $13. The issue, according to Binkley, is that the industry wants the head tax revenue, which he projected to $47 million next year, to be used for cruise-related infrastructure and services. Binkley told Cruise Industry News that the state could appropriate funds to different ports earmarked to support infrastructure development such as new piers, helping to grow and expand the industry in Alaska. He said that the law suits objective is not to reduce the state head tax, but to ensure that is used for the cruise industry. Costa Crociere announced that the Costa Fortuna will drydock at a Singapore shipyard for six days in December prior to her return to Europe in 2018. Costa said the new public areas and services would be introduced to guests following the 8 million euro refit. Currently based in China, the ship will return to Europe next March and offer week-long departures from Genoa. The refit is happening under the guiding eye of Artefice Group, an Italian company with over 22 years of experience in creating brand and retail design languages in the national and international market. Deck 10 will welcome the addition of Pizzeria PummidOro, which will serve pizzas made with top quality ingredients, Costa said. This pizzeria will only use San Marzano DOP tomatoes, selected flours and sourdough thanks to a partnership with the University of Gastronomic Sciences. Thanks to a collaboration with Latteria del Curatino and innovative machinery made by Comat, the mozzarella will be produced directly onboard and used to top the pizzas as well as in many standard dishes. On deck 9 will be the new Gelateria Bar Amarillo, an ice cream parlor. The design includes pastel colors that give the space a playful and relaxed atmosphere for the ice-cream parlor, as well as inspiring guests to taste the highly sought-after cocktails during evenings by the pool. A new photo shop will be installed on deck 4, with an exhibition gallery featuring the new "My Moments" concept, which will make ts debut at the end of October on Costa Pacifica and in December on Costa Diadema. The elegant and completely refurbished central atrium of Costa Fortuna will be dominated by three large sails illuminated by LEDs in different colors. Crystal Cruises has announced its Presidents Cruises for 2019 and 2020, according to a press release. Crystal President and CEO Tom Wolber will host the December 1, 2019, Panama Panorama sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Caldera aboard the Crystal Symphony and the December 7, 2020, Icons of Southeast Asia aboard the Crystal Symphony for an extended journey from Singapore. Wolber will be joined by his wife, Sharon, and will welcome Crystal guests for onboard receptions, Q&A sessions and special shore excursions, the company said. The Presidents Cruise is a long-held tradition for Crystal, one that I look forward to each year, as it is a fantastic opportunity to truly connect with our guests and enjoy our shared love of exploring the world with Crystal, Wolber said. Crystal Symphonys 10-day Panama Panorama Presidents Cruise sails from Fort Lauderdale and spends overnights in Cartagena, Colombia; Panama City, Panama; and Caldera, Costa Rica, also transiting the Panama Canal. In 2020, the 15-day Icons of Southeast Asia Presidents Cruise offers the best of Thailand and Vietnam, overnighting in Singapore; Bangkok, Thailand; Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam, plus calls in Ko Samui, Thailand and Sihanoukville, Cambodia, allowing for day trips to Angkor Wat. Guests continuing on the full 30-day Grand Far East Asia Celebration will spend two nights in Hong Kong and return to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi for overnight stays, plus an overnight New Years Eve celebration in Singapore with calls in Da Nang, Vietnam and Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Earlier this year, I wrote about what security professionals need to do to prepare for the upcoming Google distrust deadline. I noted that DigiCert had taken several steps that led to a smooth process this spring for the first of two distrust dates. We now have another date approaching when Google Chrome 70 will distrust all TLS certificates issued from the Symantec PKI. Given what Ive learned from DigiCert, I feel confident that DigiCert is managing the Chrome 70 process smoothly this time around, too. Plan to phase out Symantec certificates For those unfamiliar with the details of this, in 2017 Google and Mozilla decided to deprecate all Symantec-issued digital certificates based on their assessment that Symantec did not correctly validate its SSL certificates prior to issuing them to customers. Google and Mozilla then decided to put in place a multi-step plan to distrust any certificates issued from the Symantec PKI. This plan phased out Symantec certificates over the next year and a half. Instead of following the Google plan, Symantec elected to sell its certificate business to DigiCert. Despite the transaction, the requirement to replace all certificates issued from the Symantec PKI remained intact, requiring millions of certificates to be replaced during 2018. To assist customers in replacing their certificates, DigiCert contacted each certificate holder, offering free replacement certificates chained to the trusted DigiCert roots. The first major distrust date was on December 1, 2017, when no additional TLS certificates could be issued through the Symantec PKI. Prior to that date, DigiCert cut over all issuance processes to its PKI and validation systems. The next major distrust date was March 15, 2018, when Chrome 66 beta distrusted all Symantec TLS certificates issued before June 1, 2016. The final major step in this distrust event is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2018, when Chrome 70 stable will distrust all TLS certificates issued from the Symantec PKI. (This date may change based on Googles release schedule.) Upon release of Chrome 70, any website still using a Symantec certificate will have an interstitial warning about a non-private connection. HTTPS is now everywhere, making certificate compliance mandatory Conventional wisdom used to be that only sites that deal with financial or other sensitive data required certificates, but times have changed. Today over 80 percent of web traffic is https, which includes many base pages. There has been a rapid drive to https everywhere, and it wont be long when nearly every page is secure. Google is ushering that along. Chrome now marks all HTTP web pages as Not Secure in the browser address bar. Also, even if the website is display only, the warning users will see might scare them off and cause them visit a competitor, so its something all security professionals that manage websites should be concerned about. Other platforms also crack down on Symantec certificates Its important to note that although Chrome 70 is where the immediate issue is, other platforms will be doing the same thing with Symantec-issued certificates. Mozilla's date is around the same time as Chrome's, although the user base is much smaller. Apple has not issued a final date, although the first phase has been completed, so older certificates wont work. Microsoft still has no announced date, although the company has excellent controls for the distrust issue, so there should not be much of an impact initially. Comply with Chrome distrust now My advice to security leaders is to take care of the issue now, ahead of the Chrome date. Google had the most aggressive date, so complying with Chrome distrust means the other dates down the road wont be of concern because a compliant certificate will be in place. I stated this before, but its worth reiterating that this is something all businesses should comply with regardless of the purpose of the website. Businesses that have a large number of websites might find this a burdensome process because replacing certificates manually can be time-consuming, tedious, and filled with errors due to the number of steps involved. DigiCert has put several automation tools in place to make the process of checking and upgrading easy. It isn't full automation, as a few manual steps are required, but the process of moving from the non-compliant Symantec certificates to a current one is significantly easier than before, so complexity is no longer a barrier. DigiCert has done a good job removing any obstacles to doing a free replacement with them. Theyve managed to simplify the process down to a couple clicks in a customer web portal, similar to how an administrator would renew a certificate about to expire. I checked in with DigiCert, the new owner of the Symantec CA business, on how the upgrade of the Symantec customer base has gone. To date, about 99 percent of the Alexa 1 million (which makes up the vast majority of web traffic) base domains have been replaced without issue. The majority of all impacted certificates are reissued or in process. The past dates have come and gone without issue, and I expect a similar outcome with the final step coming up in mid-October. Oct. 2, 2018 - Ventura County is home to several military bases and understanding the needs of veterans and possible interventions are key to promoting their health and well-being. Retired Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kimberly Mitchell will visit the campus on Oct. 16 to host a 60-minute presentation addressing the plight of veterans in California. The presentation will be held at 1 p.m. in the Grand Salon. Ms. Mitchell served in the United States Navy for 17 years as a Surface Warfare Officer serving on board surface ships and at shore commands achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. She was hand-selected by the Secretary of the Navy and the White House to serve as a White House Military Social Aide, where she assisted the President and First Lady from 2007 to 2012 in hosting more than 500 events. During her last two years on active duty, she served as the Deputy Director of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Office of Warrior and Family Support. She has worked with hundreds of communities, assisted thousands of organizations and created a nationwide network of support utilizing grassroots solutions to address the challenges of transition and reintegration for our service members, veterans and military families. For more information contact Charlene Niemi at 805-437-3877 or Charlene.niemi@csuci.edu. When Italia Yachts chose southwestern Connecticut for its first U.S. sales office, it had any number of Gold Coast enclaves in which to weigh anchor, from Greenwich to Westport. Its port of call? Milford a choice that more businesses are making as local economies continue to build momentum off an ongoing surge in the markets. New Haven led Connecticuts largest cities in economic performance in 2017, according to a new study by the Connecticut Department of Labor, with Milford edging Danbury for the top score among smaller cities in southwestern Connecticut. Oxford topped all towns in the region, with North Stonington having the best-performing economy in the state regardless of population. The Connecticut Department of Labor assesses economic performance according to household employment and wage trends, and any changes to the numbers of business establishments in any given locale on a net basis. The index omits several other important economic criteria, including the relative performances of residential real estate markets that can be a telltale for the desirability of a town for newcomers considering their options on where to live; and office occupancies that provide a window into the hiring of companies located within a town. As an example, Greenwich is ranked 155th on the statewide list, despite an ever-shrinking vacancy rate in its downtown area as the run-up on Wall Street trickles down to the professional firms in its downtown business sector. Rising scores On the DOL index, Hartford had the best improvement of any city in Connecticut with at least 100,000 inhabitants, edging New Havens year-over-year comparison. Among smaller municipalities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 people, Mansfield made the biggest jump just ahead of Orange, with Franklin registering the biggest gain among smaller towns statewide and Darien ranking 12th to edge one rung ahead of Sherman to lead the southwestern corner of the state, with the two towns also leading the region for economic gains since 2014. Municipalities statewide saw a sizable upswing on this years DOL index, with only nine Connecticut towns suffering a drop in their economic score including Newtown and Fairfield. What represents strong economic performance in Connecticut pales to other parts of the country. The New Haven-Milford region ranked in the bottom 40 percent of metropolitan areas nationally for year-over-year employment growth in August, with a 1.1 percent gain, versus 1.4 percent in the Danbury economic zone and 6.9 percent in Atlantic City, N.J., which led the Northeast and ranked third nationally. With a meager 0.7 percent employment growth over the intervening year, the Greenwich-Bridgeport corridor only barely cracked the top 300 regions for hiring momentum, relegating the area to the bottom 25 percent of metropolitan clusters nationally. Easing the burden For the fall elections, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities is pressing candidates to consider ways to alleviate the financial burden the states cities and towns are carrying, particularly with regard to new laws that force them to increase spending with a waterfall effect on local property taxes that represent the major source of revenue for cities and towns. CCM wants not just a ban on new edicts from Hartford, but a rollback of prior mandates such as exemptions on taxes for certain classes of properties, or requirements for towns to pick up much of the cost of educational services for children with extra needs in the school environment. State underfunding of local public education over time has shifted a huge unfair tax burden onto the backs of residential and business property taxpayers, stated Joel DeLong, executive statement of CCM, in a written statement this week in support of the nonprofits government priorities. To continue to transfer state budget problems to towns and cities and their property taxpayers is unfair, and it shortchanges Connecticuts future. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman BRIDGEPORT City firefighters are trained to help residents in a variety of difficult situations. Though firefighters are mostly known for their work with extinguishing fires and helping with motor vehicle crashes, sometimes firefighters work is a bit more specific like rescuing someones finger, trapped in a very tight ring. On Tuesday, the fire department shared photos and a brief story about a ring removal. Initial attempts for non-destructive removal were abandoned due to the patients pain and finger swelling, officials said. This is the second of such ring removals Bridgeport firefighters have done in recent months. The first incident was in early August, when fire personnel cut a ring off a womans finger after she experienced swelling and pain. The fire department underwent man v. machine training this summer that was focused on ensuring fire personnel had the skills to handle odd jobs rescues, including entrapment scenarios, someone being impaled and ring removals. BRIDGEPORT - A local man received a suspended sentence Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to secretly taking photos under the dress of a female staff member at Housatonic Community College. Ervin Bryant, 37, of Pembroke Street, pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless endangerment, breach of peace and interfering with police. He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Frank Iannotti to a two and a half-year suspended term followed by three years probation. At the urging of Senior Assistant States Attorney Tatiana Messina, the judge also ordered Bryant to register as a sex offender. On Oct. 3, 2017, state police were dispatched to the downtown college. A female staff member told police she was standing in a doorway of a co-workers office when she felt something behind her. When she turned around, police said she saw Bryant standing close behind her hold his cellphone with the flash on at the level of the bottom of her dress. College security officers later reviewed the video surveillance in the corridor and saw Bryant holding his cell phone under the victims dress, police said. When officers later confronted Bryant, police said he smashed his cell phone and threw it in the garbage. After weeks of attacks from Democrats about his stance or lack thereof on womens issues, Bob Stefanowskis campaign has launched a womens coalition called Connecticut Women for Change. One of the leaders of the group is Noelle Nikpour, a Republican strategist and frequent cable news guest, who has been paid $30,000 by the Stefanowski campaign, finance reports show. A New York resident, she recently held a fundraiser in Stefanowskis honor at her midtown Manhattan apartment. Electing Bob Stefanowski as governor will be a huge step towards achieving the change our state so desperately needs, Stefanowskis campaign finance chair Leora Levy said in announcing the launch of the group. Levy, a Greenwich resident who has also hosted fundraisers for Stefanowski since the primary, is a Republican National Committeewoman. The announcement directs women to a page decorated in pink on Stefanowskis website where they can sign up to be a part of the coalition. Levy and his wife Amy Stefanowski, are also leaders of the group. Bob is a natural leader who has been driving positive change at every opportunity in his career, Amy Stefanowski said in a written statement. I firmly believe that his plans to turn this economy around will empower women to succeed in every field here in Connecticut. In a recent poll conducted by Sacred Heart University and Hearst Connecticut Media Group, only 28 percent of women said they support Stefanowskis campaign for governor. The poll was conducted prior to last week when Democrat Ned Lamont and a group of women leaders criticized Stefanowski for declining to weigh in on President Trumps Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused by several women of sexual misconduct. Stefanowski later clarified he believes all allegations of sexual misconduct should be taken seriously and he supports an FBI investigation into the reported incidents. But, he added, I am running for Governor of Connecticut and not for United States Senate. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt BERLIN - When former British foreign secretary Boris Johnson resigned from his position in July, some of his counterparts abroad were likely relieved. Johnson was known for mockery and ridicule considered to be deeply inappropriate by his foreign counterparts. But as Brexit is quickly approaching and a deal on the terms of departure is still lacking, the diplomatic sensitivity many hoped would return after Johnson's resignation is still nowhere to be found. In the latest incident that could play out to Britain's disadvantage in mainland Europe, Johnson's successor, Jeremy Hunt, drew angry reactions on Sunday when he compared the European Union with the Soviet Union. "What happened to the confidence and ideals of the European dream? The E.U. was set up to protect freedom. It was the Soviet Union that stopped people leaving," Hunt said in a speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham on Sunday. "The lesson from history is clear: if you turn the E.U. club into a prison, the desire to get out won't diminish it will grow - and we won't be the only prisoner that will want to escape." Britain's self-appointed Mr. Brexit, former U.K. Independence Party chief Nigel Farage, soon chimed in to claim credit for the comparison. Nigel Farage tweeted "Jeremy Hunt is using my language, the EU is the new Soviet Union." Despite its questionable historical accuracy, the Soviet Union-E.U. comparison is also frequently being used by far-right populists opposed to membership in the bloc. But the same comparison by a leading member of the British government certainly didn't go down too well in the European Union member states that lost tens of thousands of people to Soviet occupation. "Just FYI - Soviets killed, deported, exiled and imprisoned 100 thousands of Latvia's inhabitants after the illegal occupation in 1940, and ruined lives of 3 generations, while the E.U. has brought prosperity, equality, growth, respect," Latvia's ambassador to Britain, Baiba Braze, argued in a response to Hunt's speech. Her outrage was widely echoed in other parts of central and Eastern Europe. "Brexiteer comparisons of the European Union to the U.S.S.R. is cheap and offensive, particularly to us who have lived both. Did the Red Army force you to join? How many millions has Brussels exterminated? Gulag for demanding a referendum on independence?" former Polish foreign minister Radosaw Sikorski wrote on Twitter. Take the example of Latvia that was invaded by the Soviets in 1940. One year later, on June 14, 15,000 Latvian citizens - including more than 2,000 children - were rounded up in overnight raids and deported to Soviet prison camps. Half of them never returned. In all the Baltic states that were occupied by the Soviets, Soviet prisons are still deeply associated with torture, executions and inhumane mistreatment. Survivors later recalled sleep deprivation, exposure to extreme heat, and overcrowding. Some prison cells built for half a dozen inmates housed up to 40 people. To European leaders, the latest remarks from Hunt, a leading mainstream conservative, served as yet another metaphor for the disconnect between British politicians and their European counterparts that has permeated the Brexit negotiations for more than one year now. When British Prime Minister Theresa May addressed the European Union and her own country in mid-September after her plan to leave the E.U. appeared to have fallen apart, she emphasized that she had treated the E.U. with "nothing but respect." In hindsight, May's reassurance might sound like a desperate plea to her own party and to E.U. leaders. E.U. council president Donald Tusk recently posted a photo of him handing a cake to May, complete with the caption: "A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries." Since then, May's former foreign secretary Johnson described her Brexit plans as "deranged," shortly before Johnson's successor offended much of central and eastern Europe - a part of the continent the prime minister was hoping to play off against western Europe to obtain an advantageous deal to leave the European Union. From The Messy Middle by Scott Belsky, published by Portfolio, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright 2018 by Scott Belsky. Every journey has heavy, all-consuming moments. Firing employees. Solving a PR crisis. Weathering legal battles. On such occasions, you'll struggle to push through the muck. You'll fret the aftermath of confrontation. You won't want to upset people, especially those who may be left without jobs because of your decisions. You'll find every reason to analyze further, delay action and blunt the blow. But, most of the time, the right answer is clear, and the next step is yours. You need to do your fucking job. Related: 50 Rules for Being a Great Leader This is what I would tell myself before going into a tough meeting, nail-biting negotiation or making the decision to fire an employee. Whenever I needed to force myself to take action that would be painful in the short term but was for the greater good, I would whisper to myself, "Scott, do your fucking job." Don't blame yourself for feeling skittish. Avoiding conflict and hesitating before you disappoint others is not a weakness, it is having a conscience. Relationships matter, and the cost of upheaval in any relationship or team culture is very real. But, just as a common cold can become full-blown pneumonia if left unchecked, infections in a team grow when not addressed. Your job is to detect infection, determine whether it is viral and nip it in the bud if it is. Leading a team through enduring times requires many "rip off the Band-Aid" moments. Nobody wants to inflict pain on their team, but quick and controlled pain is better than a drawn-out infection. If the cost of waiting exceeds the benefits of acting now, you have a job to do -- DYFJ! Related: 22 Qualities That Make a Great Leader In the middle of 2017, the co-founder and CEO of a fast-growing startup in the social video space reached out to me for some help. We had met only once or twice and I was not an investor in his company at the time, but he asked if we could talk. We met at a small coffee shop in New York City's Soho neighborhood to discuss his dilemma. A senior member of his team had been accused of inappropriate behavior from some of his subordinates and a short investigation had confirmed it. His board members were urging him to hold off on any "rash" decisions because of an imminent round of financing and the company's recent traction. But that didn't feel right to him. He was struggling between what he knew, in his gut, he must do, and all the noise from investors and the usual anxieties that accompany decisions that cause a lot of turbulence. As we talked through the costs and benefits of waiting and how to start these conversations, it occurred to me that he didn't need any more rationale to fire the person. Rather than continue thinking about the repercussions and his discomfort with the decision he already knew was right, he had to just do it. He came to this conclusion on his own, and as we parted ways, I said, DYFJ, and he nodded. Perhaps all he needed was a reminder that some critical tasks -- often the most difficult ones -- will not be taken until the leader summons the courage to stop considering it and just does it. During the most trying times, you may also struggle to remain composed and continue carrying the torch. While members of your team will express doubt and air their hopeless moments, you will need to keep the pace by keeping the faith. Related: 15 Ways to Lead With Effective Communication One of the entrepreneurs I have admired over the years is Kegan Schouwenburg. After some time working at Shapeways, a 3D printing company, Kegan set out to found her own business designing custom orthotics. Her company, SOLS, was on a rough ride: Kegan had to fire a co-founder, shift the business's focus multiple times and land subsequent rounds of funding at a time when it was hard to raise money for hardware startups. While her business was ultimately sold, which wasn't the outcome she had hoped for, I was especially struck by her persistence and positivity along the way. Reflecting on some of her most challenging periods in the business, Kegan recalled, "One of our ex-employees told me in passing recently that I used to sing under my breath, 'Just keep going.' Honestly, I think that is most of it. You just have to show up and be there because your team depends on you. When you've got your entire staff looking to you for leadership, listening to your language, and even your body language to give them a sense of confidence in what you're doing as a company, that responsibility really gives you the energy to power through the uncertainty." "It's amazing what you can achieve if you refuse to be discouraged, refuse to let down your team, and you check your ego at the door," Kegan added. Indeed, the possibilities are endless if you just keep going and, at your most difficult and trying moments, push yourself to do your fucking job. Related: Former Navy SEAL Commanders Say New Leaders Always Make the Same 2 Mistakes Instagram Has Announced Its New Chief When Faced With a Tough Task, You Need to Do Your F-ing Job Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved When much of America was watching Brett Kavanaugh's interview on Fox Newson Sept. 24, there was another important broadcast being aired: the Maryland gubernatorial debate, in which Democratic nominee Ben Jealous faced off with incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Ahead of the debate, polls showed Hogan with 64 percent job approval and a 22-point lead in the race. This debate, the only one scheduled when Jealous had requested as many as five, was an opportunity for him to share his story and vision, tying both to the state's future. At the same time, he had to try to reveal the sheep's clothing on the wolf who is Hogan. Hogan has been defined by the mainstream media as a moderate. The Washington Post, for instance, has claimed that Hogan has "governed as a moderate," and ran a headline that called him "radically normal." It's true that, in the era of Trumpian bombast, Hogan's message might seem moderated. And the Democratic supermajority in the Maryland legislature has moderated his actions. Some of the key reforms in Maryland from the past year, including paid sick leave and "banning the box," which prevents public colleges and universities from forcing applicants to provide information about their criminal histories, were passed over Hogan's veto. But Hogan's actions will be far less moderate if Republican leaders succeed in their "Drive for Five" - their effort to gain five seats in the state Senate during the 2018 elections. The drive, which Hogan has championed and fundraised for, would eliminate the Democratic supermajority and give the GOP more power over judicial appointments and redistricting after the 2020 Census. Without a veto-proof supermajority, Hogan's approach to policymaking would undoubtedly change. He is backed by wealthy special interests, accepting thousands of dollars from Koch Industries and tens of thousands from pharmaceutical companies. And he has benefited from a seven-figure attack-ad blitz by the Republican Governors Association. This glossing-over of Hogan's conservatism has created a juggernaut against first-time candidate Jealous, who is, more and more, being left off lists of likely Democratic wins. Still, there is hope for Jealous. According to a recent Goucher poll, 26 percent of Marylanders said they could change their mind about who they will vote for. Jealous has a story to tell that can change hearts and minds. In his opening statement of last week's debate, Jealous said, "I'm the former national president of the NAACP, and the dad to two Maryland public school kids, and the son of two Maryland public school teachers whose marriage was against the law here 52 years ago because she's black and he's white." Jealous knows what Maryland's public schools need because he sends his children there. He knows what small-business owners in Maryland need because he invests in them. He knows that racism persists in Maryland because he has experienced it and fought it. Jealous can use his personal story to relate to voters and drive home his progressive platform. A large majority of Marylanders support Jealous's stances on Medicare-for-all, tuition-free college, marijuana legalization and a $15 minimum wage. While Hogan has described himself as a "goalie" who blocks Democratic policies, Jealous can delineate himself as an offensive player who isn't afraid to take big shots. Jealous, among many others running in 2018, represents the future of the Democratic Party, and he has garnered the endorsements of many national figures, including the backing of former president Barack Obama on Monday. Potential presidential contenders such as Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Kamala Harris, D-Calif., have backed his campaign. Comedian Dave Chappelle, Jealous' "godbrother," has stumped for him, as have ice cream mavens Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. As with any election, it will all come down to voter turnout. Jealous understands that. (In fact, decades ago, he worked on increasing voter turnout in the South with Stacey Abrams, the current Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia.) Today, Jealous is putting everything into his ground game. His strategy is to bring more than 1 million voters to the polls, which only former governor Martin O'Malley has managed in the state's history. To accomplish this, his campaign has an army of organizers, and the Maryland Democratic Party plans to quadruple its number of field organizers, compared with its 2014 allocations. That Jealous is building a movement inside a campaign is a measure of his belief in democracy. In 2014, few predicted Hogan's victory. Four years ago, an October poll from YouGov, CBS News and the New York Times showed Hogan down by 17 points, yet he came back. This year, few are predicting that Jealous will prevail, because a Mason-Dixon poll conducted on the day of and after the debate gave Hogan a 15-point lead. If Jealous is able to connect his story and vision to the future of Maryland, and turn out enough voters, Maryland could see another upset in 2018. With a massive mobilization of an angry, anti-Trump, heavily female and African American base in a very blue state, Jealous could win. At the end of the debate last week, Jealous said, Maryland "can do much better." He's right. - - - Vanden Heuvel is editor and publisher of the Nation magazine and writes a weekly column for The Washington Post. Turkey shortage impacts some Somerset County stores Meat providers in Somerset County say can be hard to fund turkeys ahead of Thanksgiving. But a Berlin grocer says his store is full of the birds. Some budgie trainer had taught Philip Hammond to say I am an optimist. He did not follow it up with whos a pretty boy, then? or demand a handful of Trill. He just perched on the platform, gazing down his beak at a less than full hall, narrowing his right eye with glum self-satisfaction. You could sense the air pffffrrrting out of the Conservatives, life leaving a punctured lilo. Behold Hammond, P, the vote-shrivelling Cadaver of the Exchequer. Day two of Tory conference should be a big moment in the British political year, when the Chancellor (or Shadow Chancellor when they are out of office) lays down the political direction of his partys money plans. Should taxes drop? Should the state shrink? Which industries/voters are they going to encourage? Where laps the moral tidemark of wealth retention? This was the worst conference speech by a Chancellor I have heard. It was grey, cliched, bare on detail, shorn of news value, its humour stale and the whole caboodle delivered so lifelessly that had it been coley you would not have offered it to an alley cat With the force of oratory the Chancellor must put flesh on all that. At every level Mr Hammonds performance yesterday was inadequate. This was the worst conference speech by a Chancellor I have heard. It was grey, cliched, bare on detail, shorn of news value, its humour stale and the whole caboodle delivered so lifelessly that had it been coley you would not have offered it to an alley cat. Activists, burned by past Hammond bore-athons, stayed away in droves. Theresa May was not in the hall. The leader usually attends a Chancellors turn. I counted just four mentions of tax: a cursory line about keeping taxes low (actually, they are swingeingly high), a claim that weve delivered tax cuts for 31 million people, and a couple of moments when he talked about taxing international companies and proposed a new digital services tax. And that was it. My notes assure me he spoke of his vision but the word had no pulse. What lazy conceitedness to give a speech with so little energy. Our duty is to agitate constantly, he droned. The only agitation evident was of two chaps in front of me who clambered over a barrier to leave the hall early. Theyd had enough of Hammond. So has the country. A turgid, off-the-peg peroration was coughed up with leaden lack of panache. We have to take out people with us, he had said earlier. Well, mate, you wont, not with turgid performances like that. Why does such a technocratic groaner go into frontline politics? Statesmen and women need to be able to inspire, grab, rivet an audience. If they cant do that, wild demagoguery will indeed prosper. The day, thankfully, brought two far better speeches: Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson. Dominic Raab (pictured) was grown-up and balanced yet he gave the EUs theological obstructionism enough of a spanking to win his Eurosceptic audience Mr Raab was grown-up and balanced yet he gave the EUs theological obstructionism enough of a spanking to win his Eurosceptic audience. He also had a moving passage, delivered with admirable backbone, about how he intended to honour the memory of his Jewish father, Peter, in fighting the Corbynites anti-Semitism. The hall plugged into this bigtime. Lord Callanan was almost in tears. Then Miss Davidson. The moment she came bowling on stage, wreathed in grins, the place quivered with optimism. She joked about her size (she is pregnant) and she filled the activists whom she cheerfully called folks with a sense of can-do Centrism not really my thing, but she sells it brilliantly. Here was someone who waved her hands in a natural manner, who chuckled, who looked and sounded comfortable. Could the Tories form the next Scottish government? Damn right they could. Instant cheers. She had the theatrical ability to lend her alto timbre the occasional shudder of vulnerability. And she attacked the negativity, the grievance, the decade-long-moan of so much politics. She was actually talking about the SNP but her target could so easily have been Philip Hammond. No doubt hell soon be as envious of her normality and zest as he is of Boris. There has been an unedifying beauty contest taking place at the Tory Party Conference as would-be alternative prime ministers parade their charms in the hope of ingratiating themselves with the rank-and-file. I describe it as unedifying because for the time being we have a Prime Minister who is striving to do her best in an almost impossible situation. The last thing she and the country need is for her to be undermined at such a crucial juncture. But that is exactly what a succession of senior Tories have been doing over the past couple of days. They have been shamelessly promoting themselves, while in most cases proclaiming their loyalty to the plainly wounded Mrs May. Boris Johnson's gambolling through what looked like a field of wheat in Oxfordshire yesterday apparently mimicking what Mrs May, the vicars daughter, has described as her naughtiest moment was pretty childish There is one exception. I suppose the best thing that can be said about Boris Johnson is that he does not even pretend to be loyal. At least he does not wrap up his treachery in insincere protestations of admiration. But it is not acceptable for this recent senior colleague of Theresa May to call her Chequers plan and in effect the Prime Minister deranged. As well as contributing to the mounting impression of Tory divisions, Boris damages his own credibility by using such wild saloon bar language. His gambolling through what looked like a field of wheat in Oxfordshire yesterday apparently mimicking what Mrs May, the vicars daughter, has described as her naughtiest moment was pretty childish. Then there is the seemingly dependable Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, who before the Referendum was a convinced Remainer without the slightest Eurosceptic leanings. On Sunday he likened the EU to a Soviet jail. Isnt that going a bit far? Mocking Mr Hunt was trying to burnish his newly acquired Brexit credentials. But it was silly to use such inflammatory language. The EU is bossy, overbearing and sometimes bullying. But it is not the Soviet Union. To advertise that he is a leadership candidate waiting in the wings, Mr Hunt was also photographed hand-in-hand with his attractive Chinese wife, Lucia. The message appeared to be: Here is a nice couple for No 10 should the party faithful tire of the existing occupants. Philip Hammond has also been on manoeuvres. Although the Chancellor has had a rocky relationship with the Prime Minister, he was commendably supportive in his speech yesterday. But he has been tossing brickbats at Boris Johnson, describing the former Foreign Secretary as incapable of grown-up politics in an interview with the Mail. Then there is the seemingly dependable Jeremy Hunt, the Foreign Secretary, who before the Referendum was a convinced Remainer without the slightest Eurosceptic leanings. On Sunday he likened the EU to a Soviet jail. Isnt that going a bit far? Lets think about that for a moment. Until July Mr Hammond, like Boris, occupied one of the four great offices of State. Yet here he was mocking a recent senior colleague for his failure to grasp detail, as well as for his plummy voice. Putting together Boriss description of Mrs May as deranged with Mr Hammonds assault on Boris, we are left with a spectacle of Tory in-fighting which is virtually unprecedented. Outside the feverish confines of Birmingham, the general public will be amazed that the party of government should so rashly expose its divisions. Talk about Cabinet unity! Other ambitious senior Tories also stirred the pot yesterday in a calculating way. The usually admirable Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab probably went further than he should have done when, having defended the principles of Chequers, he suggested there were alternative ways of delivering Brexit. Another contender, Sajid Javid, also departs from the official line in todays Mail when he says that a Canada-type deal (vehemently rejected by Mrs May) has a lot to commend it. The Home Secretary backs Boris Johnsons right to speak out, which will not please No 10. Note that Mr Javid, a former Remainer, is an improved second to Boris Johnson in the latest ConservativeHome league table of leadership approval ratings. The politically gymnastic Jeremy Hunt is in third place, his standing having soared in recent weeks. The usually admirable Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab probably went further than he should have done when, having defended the principles of Chequers, he suggested there were alternative ways of delivering Brexit There is, of course, no reason why any of these senior Tories should not aspire to leading their party. There may well be a vacancy at some stage in the future and possibly very soon if Theresa May cant get through the House of Commons whatever deal she is able to obtain from the EU. That said, all this posturing and machinating is very likely to destabilise her already delicate position when she is only weeks away from critical discussions with the EU. This is really not the moment to challenge her approach. I say this as someone who is more than a little sceptical of her ability to secure a reasonable deal from the EU on the basis of Chequers. If she confounds my expectations by doing so, it is equally hard to see how she could get any agreement through the Commons. Discipline Surely, though, she should be given a chance over the coming weeks without having her hand weakened by jostling rivals in her own party who scarcely disguise their overweening ambition to replace her. Here, believe it or not, the Tories have something to learn from Jeremy Corbyns previously fractious Labour Party. Last week, at its annual conference in Liverpool, it succeeded in maintaining a semblance of remarkable unity. Needless to say, I am not calling for the intimidation or threats of deselection that have apparently succeeded in quelling potentially rebellious Labour MPs. That is not the Tory way. But a modicum of party discipline is vital if ministers are going to persuade the country that they are working together to achieve the best possible deal rather than spending their time conspiring against the Prime Minister. Its worth repeating one of the basic laws of politics: Voters do not like divided parties. I have no doubt that the Tories will not be easily forgiven if they turn in on themselves in an orgy of domestic strife. Support Of course, disagreement on such an enormously important issue as Brexit is inevitable. Yet it is not inevitable that Cabinet ministers should pick public fights with former colleagues, or that they should be ostentatiously laying out their wares at this particular moment, or that they should undermine the Prime Minister. Theresa May has admittedly proved herself remarkably resilient. One can only imagine the incredible pressures that are bearing down on her. Her ability, so far, to absorb them marks her out as an unusual politician. Moreover, she is fortunate that none of the noisy pretenders to her throne is an obvious prime minister in-waiting, far less a neglected genius. In their different ways, they are all of them flawed. But they can still inflict horrendous damage on their party and their country if they insist on politicking. Their time may come. Now is the moment for them to support the Prime Minister. After Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunts platform speech, in which he expressed loyalty to the Prime Minister, he was briefly a star turn at a reception in the achingly cool Ikon Gallery, held by the arch-Brexiteer Daniel Hannan, a leading Tory MEP. Hunt, who voted Remain but now says he is a committed Brexiteer, went down a storm with the audience. His presence at the Brexitfest is a clear sign that he, like many of his Cabinet colleagues, is on leadership manoeuvres, which was underscored by the fact that he was on parade with his fragrant wife Lucia not normally wheeled out for the cameras at conference the day before. She, of course, is the woman he recently told Chinese dignitaries is Japanese, even though she is, in fact, Chinese. Jeremy Hunt (pictured left) and his wife Lucia (pictured right) - he recently told Chinese dignitaries is Japanese, even though she is, in fact, Chinese Bore of the day Lord Jones, the former head of the CBI, was slated to speak for four minutes. He droned on for 24. Phil serves up a classic fudge Spreadsheet Phil Hammond was confronted with two plates of specially made Brexit fudge when he was interviewed yesterday by Nick Ferrari on LBC radio. Chancellor, Ive two for you to choose from. One is a hard Brexit fudge, and one is a soft fudge. Which one do you prefer? inquired Ferrari. Spreadsheet Phil Hammond was confronted with two plates of specially made Brexit fudge when he was interviewed yesterday by Nick Ferrari on LBC radio Having examined them carefully, I dont recognise the difference between the two, said Hammond. But I am prepared to take each one away and study them more closely. Sweet-talking Phil? What a surprise! Uber-ambitious Health Secretary Matt Hancock is due to speak at a fringe event tomorrow at 8am. It might not be his best performance, however: hes celebrating his 40th birthday tonight. Joke of the day Transport Secretary Chris Graylings speech was running six minutes late but sadly not late enough for a refund. EU not for Winston Remainers have long argued that Sir Winston Churchill would have backed their cause because of the 1946 speech in which he talked of a United States of Europe. Andrew Roberts, who has written a magisterial new biography, Churchill: Walking With Destiny, is not so sure. Roberts, speaking at the Conservative History Group fringe, said: He did next to nothing to bring Britain into the European Coal and Steel Community, which came before the Common Market. Roberts said that in 1962, when Churchill was in the Middlesex Hospital, he was visited by Field Marshal Montgomery. Monty found him smoking cigars and protesting about Britains proposed entry into the Common Market. Hes made a career out of being loved by the party faithful. But he has made very significant enemies elsewhere in the higher ranks of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson arrived yesterday at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham as badly damaged goods. Hes made a career out of being loved by the party faithful. But he has made very significant enemies elsewhere in the higher ranks of the Conservative Party. The day before, Chancellor Philip Hammond mocked Mr Johnson for his failure to master detail. The former foreign secretary wont have liked that. And in recent weeks, Boris has made some very serious mistakes. His comparison of women in burkas to letterboxes was not simply tasteless; many saw it as sectarian and divisive. Indeed, Mr Johnson has been getting a reputation for making arresting statements that attract newspaper headlines, but damage his reputation as a serious politician. And was it wise to publish, on the eve of this conference, a 4,500-word essay attacking the policies of the Prime Minister on Europe? Defenders of Mr Johnson are fully entitled to argue that on Brexit, the greatest issue of our time, he has a duty to set out what he truly believes. However, the Tory Party has always valued loyalty above all else. Those who breach this rule are seldom forgiven. Think of Michael Heseltine and Maggie Thatcher. Enoch Powell and Edward Heath. Nevertheless, Mr Johnsons speech yesterday came as a reminder that when he is on top form, there is no orator like him. He has a fearless intelligence and the capacity to inject humour into debate. Yesterday at the Tory conference all of this was in evidence. There was a buzz and excitement as Mr Johnson appeared on the scene. Cameras everywhere. Chaos. The fact is there have been two conferences at Birmingham this week. Theres been the formal conference in the main hall. Its been dull, dutiful, often poorly attended and a series of apathetic speeches, marred by the absence of the passion and oratory that Mr Johnson brought to the conference yesterday. The audience loved him, and in the front row the Brexiteers were out in force: Iain Duncan Smith, Owen Patterson, Steve Baker, Priti Patel, David Davis. This was a show of strength, and one which needs to be taken very seriously by No10. To start with, Mr Johnson pulverised Jeremy Corbyn with a series of devastating criticisms that came as a reminder why the Tory Party so badly needs him. This was the aperitif of Mr Johnsons deadly serious attack on the Prime Ministers plans for Brexit. Showing formidable eloquence, the former foreign secretary demolished Mrs Mays Chequers deal as half in and half out. He said it was an unacceptable intrusion on British sovereignty and won tumultuous applause when he called for Britain to chuck Chequers. Many Tory activists have been yearning for language like this all week. Mr Johnsons central argument is that the Tory Party faces a choice between his own preferred so-called Super Canada solution, and a Corbyn government. Canada or Corbyn. It is a speech that throws down a challenge to the Prime Minister when she stands up to address the Tory conference in Birmingham this morning I am an admirer of Mr Johnson. But I have to accept that his speech, whilst strong on rhetoric, was short on detail. It scarcely addressed the two fundamental issues that explain why Mrs May has chosen to embrace her Chequers solution. The first of these is political, namely that Super Canada risks leaving a hard border between Northern and southern Ireland, something that is completely unacceptable to the United Kingdom. The second problem neglected by Mr Johnson is an economic one namely, the insistence by many of Britains manufacturing concerns that they need frictionless trade in order to export to Europe. The former foreign secretary glibly hinted that frictionless trade could be achieved through more investment at customs points. Big business insists, by contrast, that it is impossible without some form of membership of the European customs union. Mr Johnson made a great deal of the trading opportunities available to Britain once we leave the EU. However, he was incoherent and unconvincing on this point, bizarrely citing the presence of British consultants at a sporting event in Peru. I am not an economist, but I have a feeling that those consultants would have been in Peru even if Brexit was never going to take place and in any case, Britains trade with Peru is negligible compared with our exports to the European Union. All that said, this was an important speech for Mr Johnson and one in which he regained considerable ground following the Boris backlash he suffered because of his ill-advised comments on the burka and his recent comparison of Mrs Mays Chequers plan to wrapping a suicide vest around Britain. It is a speech that throws down a challenge to the Prime Minister when she stands up to address the Tory conference in Birmingham this morning. Lets face it. Mrs May, unlike Mr Johnson, is no orator. She prefers to work behind the scenes, guided by a group of advisors about whom little is known. She manoeuvres in private. Those secretive techniques wont work today. The Prime Minister needs to explain why the alluring future set out by her great rival Boris Johnson is not quite as easy and simple as he made it appear. Mrs May needs to do something shes never attempted before. She needs to explain convincingly why she believes that Britains economic interest is served by keeping close to Europe. This means being brave stranding up in front of Tory activists to explain that it is worth surrendering a significant slice of political sovereignty as a price for upholding our national and economic interests. It would do no harm if she could show a fraction of the enthusiasm that Boris Johnson displayed yesterday afternoon. All the more so because she has to deliver a message that many Conservative Party members frankly wont like. That means showing leadership something that, so far, does not appear to have come easily to her. Former chancellor Alistair Darling has revealed why he didn't panic when he was told RBS was on the brink of collapse back in 2008. Mr Darling, 64, said his team at the Treasury 'knew what we had to do' to bail out what was then the world's biggest bank, explaining 'you shouldn't really panic unless it's absolutely necessary'. He also recalled the then RBS chairman Tom McKillop telling him 'We'll run out of money this afternoon', admitting that he sounded 'very agitated' on the phone. The former Labour chancellor features in a new BBC documentary called The Bank That Almost Broke Britain, which airs on Tuesday night, marking a decade since the financial crash. Former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling has revealed why he didn't panic during the RBS crisis back in 2008. He appears in a new BBC documentary called The Bank That Almost Broke Britain (above) Recalling his phone call with Mr McKillop in October 2008, Mr Darling - who was at a meeting in Luxembourg at the time - said: 'He was clearly very, very anxious and very agitated. 'He said, "Look, we're hemorrhaging money, with billions going out of the door. What are you going to do about it?" 'I said, "Well, how long can you last?" and there was a pause, and I thought I heard him speaking to somebody, and he said "Well we'll run out of money this afternoon".' Mr Darling continued: 'Of course it's scary. With that scale of catastrophe at your doorstep, the largest bank in the world about to collapse, it took me a nanosecond to think, "We can't allow this to happen." Mr Darling recalled the RBS chairman Tom McKillop (above, pictured in April 2008) telling him 'We'll run out of money this afternoon' The Government announced a 45m bailout of RBS in October 2008, following the collapse in the bank's share price 'And so I went back to London to make sure it didn't.' Despite admitting the situation was 'scary', Mr Darling said he ensured he didn't panic when left with just 18 hours to deliver a bailout plan. 'We knew what we had to do, and in my experience, you shouldn't really panic unless it's absolutely necessary,' he said. He added: 'The Treasury is pretty calm. Actually, the design of the building is such that it would be very difficult to foster any panic even if you tried your best to do it.' Mr Darling's special advisor at the time, Catherine MacLeod, confirmed that the Chancellor seemed unfazed by the challenge ahead. 'Alistair was very calm and said he would deal with it. He wasn't panicking. Alistair doesn't panic,' she said on the documentary. The Government announced a 45m bailout of RBS in October 2008, following the collapse in the bank's share price. This came after the collapse of the Lehman Brothers the previous month, which triggered the financial crisis. The Bank That Almost Broke Britain airs on BBC Two at 9pm on Tuesday. A struggling single mother who swapped her 158 weekly budget for 1,800 in Rich House Poor House, broke down in tears after finally being able to gift her children a much-needed laptop. South African-born Terry Morgan and her two children Coral, 14, and Theo, 12, left their three-bed Hampshire flat above an Indian takeaway for the Coleman's luxurious four-bedroom Salisbury house in the Channel 5 reality show. Terry, was delighted to learn of her new budget and promptly treated her daughter - who is about to embark upon her GCSE studies - to her first ever laptop. It was an emotional moment for the single mum who later broke down in tears, sharing a personal message for her children via the video diary camera set up in the bathroom. 'I wish I could have given you all the opportunities that are out there, but Im going to give you the ones I can. I love you.' South African-born Terry Morgan and her two children Coral, 14, Theo, 12, pictured, left their three-bed Hampshire flat above an Indian takeaway (pictured) for the Coleman's luxurious four-bedroom Salisbury house in the Channel 5 reality show Terry Morgan was able to gift her daughter Coral a laptop during her swap in Channel 5's Rich House Poor House, using the 1,800 budget to help her with her GCSE studies The single mother visited the video diary camera in the bathroom to share a personal message for her children wishing that she could have given them more opportunities Coral thanked her mother for the laptop, which she'd not been able to afford because she was struggling to make ends meet Terry, who owns her flat, explained how she was suddenly left the main breadwinner following her divorce from her husband two years previously, and had been struggling to make ends meet. She said: 'With household bills and money for training, theres been no money for teenagers' technology.' Coral thanked her mother for the gift as her brother Theo looked on: 'This laptop is going to help me a lot. Its going to help with my GCSEs.' The Coleman family - including dad Peter, who works as an enterprise architect for an IT company, and mother Jo, who owns her own freelance copywriting business - moved into Terry's cluttered flat worth around 135,000 along with their two children Lucy, 14, and Matt, 15. Meanwhile, swimming instructor Terry was able to enjoy the Coleman's home, worth approximately 750,000 along with their spacious kitchen and bedrooms. Terry, who has been training to become swimming instructor, was left totally floored when she discovered her own generous gift when she returned home from the swap. There was a letter from her wealthy counterparts, Jo and Peter detailing their offer of funding a course that would further her career prospects. She was emotional after reading the letter, and wept: 'That is a big gesture and now I can build on it and take it further. I can build on my portfolio of swimming, the only way is up.' Terry, who has been training to become swimming instructor, was left totally floored when she discovered her own generous gift when she returned home from the swap - her wealthy counterparts were offering to pay for her swimming course The letter the Coleman family left for Terry. She was emotional after reading the letter, and wept: 'That is a big gesture and now I can build on it and take it further. I can build on my portfolio of swimming, the only way is up' With the help of a loan from her mother, Terry embarked upon a swimming instructing course and has been able to bring in a regular income. But to advance her career she needed an extra cash injection and both Jo and Peter were in agreement that she deserved help. They wrote in the letter, following a meeting with Terry and her children: 'If you would like some help with your training courses we would be very happy to pay for them. 'We have shared an amazing experience in our lives and they are now tangled together for ever.' Jo said to the camera later about how much she admired Terry: 'I have huge respect for Terry for doing what shes doing. 'It must take a hell of a lot of drive and determination. She is an inspirational character.' In the new series there is a shake-up in format the two families meet at the end to discuss their experiences. The Morgans and the Colemans, pictured together, both immediately hit it off Terry who had to cut back on any type of luxuries to make ends meet said of supporting her family: 'Most of my money goes on my mortgage. Its lucky in one respect and a burden in another. 'Lucky that I own the house and no one can take it away but I have to maintain it. All of a sudden the car tax comes along and that kind of messes with you if youre banking on that money.' The Colemans - who are used to expensive holidays away, enjoy watersports and music festivals, and their morning coffees - sampled Terry's way of life. Peter found it hard without his biggest vice: 'I really miss coffee. Coffee is quite expensive and one posh coffee costs about what we spend on a meal now. Maybe its time to give up coffee and caffeine.' They also enjoyed a night away in Terry's campervan, dining on sausage sandwiches, while Terry allowed her son and keen cook to splash out 60 on a fillet of beef to cook them a slap-up meal. The show ended with a shake-up in format, as the families met at the end and all bonded at an indoor climbing centre. The Coleman family - including dad Peter, who works as an enterprise architect for an IT company, and mother Jo, who owns her own freelance copywriting business - moved into Terry's cluttered flat worth around 135,000 along with their two children Lucy, 14, and Matt, 15 Jo, who gave up a job in PR to work at home as a copywriter, said she admired Terrys choice to retrain as a swimming instructor, much like she has been doing as a yoga teacher. For Terry and her children they were inspired by the break to strive for more. The mum said: 'I already have my goal and I know where I want to be. But for the children it was important for them to see that if you dont mess around when youre younger, like I did, you can achieve that big house if they choose to.' Theo wisely added: 'Rich and poor are just two words defining how much money someone has. 'But the week has inspired me to keep an eye on my work and listen to the teacher. If Im going to get a house, a job and that amount of disposable income, Im going to have to work.' Rich House Poor House airs Thursday at 9pm on Channel 5 Prince Charles reflects on the sense of duty he feels as a member of the Royal Family in a new TV documentary. The heir to the throne, 69, explains it is his responsibility to 'mind about other people', to 'mind about what happens in this country and the Commonwealth' as he opens up on camera. Speaking in the second part of ITV documentary Queen of the World, Charles says he believes very few understand this sense of 'duty' and that only those brought up in the same way ever can. Prince Charles claims few people understand the concept of 'duty' as he reflects on his role as a member of the Royal Family in ITV documentary Queen of the World. Pictured: Prince Charles with the Queen and Baroness Scotland in a scene from the first part of the series Speaking on camera, Charles explains it is his responsibility to 'mind about other people' and to 'mind about what happens in this country and the Commonwealth' Pictured: the future King on stage at the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2018 in London last month The programme, which airs tonight, also sees Charles show off his light-hearted side when he is asked by a group of giggling schoolchildren whether he will 'build a fort' when he becomes King. The two-part series examines the monarch's role as Head of the Commonwealth as she prepares to delegate responsibility to the younger members of the family. While last week's episode saw appearances from the Duchess of Sussex, this week focuses more on the Queen and her role within the Commonwealth. It also features interviews with members of the royal family including Princess Anne and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who describe how moving it is to visit Commonwealth war graves. Queen of the World examins the monarch's role as Head of the Commonwealth and sees her attending the Commonwealth Summit in London earlier this year. Pictured: The monarch meets a Head of State at the event in a scene that will air in tonight's episode Charles was this year named as his mother the Queen's successor as the next leader of the Commonwealth. Reflecting on his role, he says: 'People don't always understand about the concept of duty. I think a lot of the time you have to be brought up to understand what it actually means. 'Minding about other people, minding about what happens in this country and the Commonwealth, and that's the only way, all the masses of people who need to be encouraged and thanked.' The programme, which airs tonight, also sees Charles show off his light-hearted side when he is asked by a group of giggling schoolchildren whether he will 'build a fort' when he becomes King. Pictured: Charles with the children from the Lajpat Nagar-III School in New Delhi One pupil, a nine-year-old girl named Pragya (pictured with Charles) asked: 'When you become king, will you build a fort?'. To amuse the children he said he would but he later said that he had no plans to build one Later the future King is seen being playfully probed by a group of pupils during a visit to a New Dehli school. One pupil, a nine-year-old girl named Pragya, has a very specific question, asking: 'When you become king, will you build a fort?' He exclaims 'I will!' to make the children laugh, but goes on to clarify he has no serious plans for a fort-building. While last week's episode saw appearances from the Duchess of Sussex, pictured, this week focuses more on the Queen and her role within the Commonwealth During the visit he was meant to meet the children at their school but the poor air quality in the city at the time meant they had to change the venue. The documentary reveals that the royal arranged for them to meet at the British Council instead and had them driven there. The first episode caused a stir when it aired last Tuesday as viewers complained it featured the Duchess of Sussex too heavily instead of the Queen. A poor pup from South Korea was has proven extremely resilient in the face of unthinkable hardship and has been rewarded with a Hero Dog award this year. In 2016, Chi Chi was abandoned and left for dead in a trash bag inside a dumpster, her four little paws bound together. After her rescue, she had to have all four paws amputated, and in 2017, doctors discovered she had cancer. Still, the cheery canine has kept her spirits up, and even cheers up others who are suffering by working as a therapy dog. So this weekend she received a prestigious honor for her efforts. Good doggie! Chi Chi, a four-year-old Golden Retriever won American Humane's 2018 Hero Dog award in the Therapy Dog category Some pup! She was honored on stage on Friday, and the ceremony will air on October 24 on the Hallmark Channel Poor little pooch: Chi Chi has had all four of her paws amputated and wears prosthetics She sees the doggy bowl as half-full! Still, she remains in high spirits and is a happy companion On Friday, American Human hosted the Hero Dog Awards, where dogs doing great things were honored on stage. The ceremony was filmed and will air on the Hallmark Channel on October 24. Chi Chi, a four-year-old Golden Retriever, took home the top honor in the Therapy Dog category, and earned a special purple harness for the win. She certainly earned it. Two years ago, Chi Chi nearly died when someone tossed her into a dumpster inside a garbage bag in South Korea. By the time she was found, her legs were worn to the bone and had necrotized, so the only way to save her was to amputate parts of all four of her legs. Soon after, she was rescued by the Howell family in Phoenix, Arizona. Human friends: She is now a certified therapy dog, and has visits with people who are disabled, just like her Buds: She has a bond with ten-year-old Owen Mahan. Ninety-eight per cent of Owen's body was burned by boiling water in an accident when he was two, and he lost both of his legs A bit of fun! Chi Chi also visits with the elderly and cheers them up 'When she first arrived at our home, she was afraid of people,' the family told American Humane. 'But with time and lots of love and grace, she realized that she is safe and no one will ever hurt her again. She forgave and decided to trust people again.' They got her a pair of custom prosthetics, which are purple and allow her to easily pad around the house. As she began to do better, Chi Chi became a certified Therapy Dog. Her owners now take her to visit the sick, the elderly, and the disabled, and have even introduced her to children with amputated limbs. One of those children is ten-year-old Owen Mahan from Indiana, who flew to Phoenix to visit Chi Chi after falling in love with her on social media and feeling a connection to her. Ninety-eight per cent of Owen's body was burned by boiling water in an accident when he was two, and he lost both of his legs. 'They both had to endure such horrible things and they both still have such a positive outlook on life,' Owen's mom Susan told People. 'To see them together was amazing. Theres a lot of mean in the world and these two bring out the good.' Chi Chi has plenty of fans, especially now that she is an award-winner. Tragic: In 2016, Chi Chi was left for dead by owners in South Korea, who bound his legs and tossed him into a dumpster inside a trash bag (pictured shortly after his rescue) Cared for: Doctors had to amputate his paws, but he was soon adopted by a family in Phoenix, Arizona Struggles: The dog still has health issues, including Lupus and now cancer Pictured: Molds for Chi Chi's prosthetics, which his adoptive family had custom made 'When people meet Chi Chi, they are inspired by her courage, perseverance, ability to overcome adversity and her never give up attitude,' says the family. 'She exemplifies resilience and forgiveness and openly shares her love and compassion in abundance.' Unfortunately, the struggles aren't over for Chi Chi, who has continued to have health problems. According to the family's GoFundMe page, she also has Lupus, for which she take medication and has laser therapy. What's more, in 2017 doctors found that Chi Chi had two mast cell Skin Cancer tumors. They successfully removed them, but she has continued to develop more cancer, and has come down with nasal and thyroid cancer as well. 'Its been really difficult,' owner Elizabeth Howell told People. 'Shes been through so much, and survived so much, and shes a fighter, and to have her have to go through all of this too it isnt fair. She has so much more love and joy to give and share with the world. He's a brave little guy! Chi Chi is a happy dog, though he also suffers from Lupus and is on a lot of medication Fetch! In December, he had his first tumors removed, but he continued to fight cancer with chemoterpay Said her family: 'When people hear Chi Chis story and experience her attitude of joy, they are often inspired to face their challenges with renewed courage and a fresh perspective' As she continued to battle cancer and other serious health problems, she also hasn't stopped bringing joy to her family and her 42,000 Instagram followers. 'Her sweet-tempered and gentle spirit opens peoples hearts and her perceptive spirit senses where her love is needed,' the family said. 'When people hear Chi Chis story and experience her attitude of joy, they are often inspired to face their challenges with renewed courage and a fresh perspective. 'Chi Chi brings joy everywhere she goes and her optimism and smile spreads quickly to others. She positively impacts thousands of people all over the world via her online Therapy work through her social media account. Kmart has long been favoured by Australian interior design enthusiasts for its range of on-trend homewares. And now one man has shown how it's entirely possible to add a few well-chosen pieces from the budget store to any space to create a magazine-worthy look. Nathan James, of Brisbane, recently shared a few snaps revealing how decorative items from Kmart not only added a luxurious touch to his home, they blended seamlessly. Inspirational: Nathan has revealed how a few well-chosen items from Kmart turned his living room into a designer space When it comes to creating an on-trend and magazine-worthy look for your home, Kmart isn't the first place that springs to mind The photos reveal a living room, decorated with a limited colour palette (black, white and grey), that appears incredibly high end. And while the fashionable interior looks expensive, lending warmth and interest are decorative accents courtesy of the affordable retailer. Some of the decor items used include the store's very popular marble side table, priced at $29.00 and a slate grey faux fur rug, priced at $19.00. The key to Mr James' fashionable interior is his ability to bring together more expensive pieces and offset these with affordable accents The Kmart marble side table (priced at $29.00) looks as if it could have been purchased at a high-end designer store Other products also used to create this inspired space include the store's white picture frames, priced at $15.00 and a selection of fringed cushions, priced at $8.00 each. Those who have seen Mr James' post on Facebook were quick to praise him for his efforts with many commenting on his taste and style. One woman, named Hazel wrote: I feel like this is where Elizabeth Taylor would sip her champagne in the morning. So beautiful. And while the fashionable interior looks expensive, lending warmth and interest are a few decorative accents courtesy of Kmart 'Totally in love with everything. My kids and dog are the reason I cant live like this!' Another woman Eileen added. While a third, Sam, noted the space was 'too much' for her to look at. But she said Mr James was 'very stylish' and 'had a knack for interior design'. To see more of Nathan James' inspired interiors, please visit him on Instagram @secret_life_of_nathan_james For the vast majority of people, the thought of being paid to travel the world, writing about your experiences along the way seems an unattainable dream. But for one Australian journalist, this is her reality. Sophie Miura, a senior editor based in New York City, works as a full time travel and lifestyle writer with MyDomaine. Writing for the website, Ms Miura shared her experience travelling across 26 European countries and revealed her top picks for the five destinations she recommends putting straight at the top of your bucket list. Sophie Miura leads a hectic life as a senior editor and travel writer based in New York City 1. CAPPADOCIA, TURKEY For the adventure loving traveller, Ms Miura suggests Cappadocia in Turkey, which she said is the European destination that 'absolutely blew me away'. She said the moon-like landscape was utterly beautiful and something that no pictures can do justice to. Ms Miura advised staying for a minimum of three days to ensure you catch sufficiently fine weather for a sunrise hot air balloon, Cappadocia's main attraction. Tourists should also visit the underground city, hire an ATV to ride across the dusty landscape, hike through the fairy chimneys and explore the local markets. Sunrise hot air balloons are Cappadocia's main tourist attraction (pictured) 2. KOTOR, MONTENEGRO For beach-lovers, Ms Miura recommends the off-the-beaten-track destination of Kotor, Montenegro. Located beside Croatia along the Balkan peninsula, Montenegro is the Adriatic's lesser known jewel filled with ancient old towns, world-class seafood, pristine swimming spots and buckets of history. Kotor offers pebble beaches, limestone cliffs and stunning architecture, as well as a church in the middle of the bay known as Chiesa della Madonna dello Scarpello, meaning Our Lady of the Rocks. Ms Miura advises taking two to three days to explore the old town and take a hike to the castle of San Giovanni for a 'spectacular' mountain view. THE LEGEND OF CHIESA DELLA MADONNA DELLO SCARPELLO Sitting in the middle of the Bay of Kotor lies Chiesa della Madonna dello Scarpello, a 15th century church meaning Our Lady of the Rocks. As if marooned by time, the church has stood regally in its solitude for centuries. Legend has it that the islet was made over the course of many lifetimes by voyaging Croat seamen beholden to an ancient oath after they discovered an icon of Madonna and Child on the rocks in Kotor Bay during the summer of 1452. Each time they returned from a successful journey, the seamen laid a rock in the water which eventually built the holy structure. Advertisement Ms Miura recommends the off-the-beaten-track destination of Kotor, Montenegro (pictured) for beach lovers and swimming enthusiasts 3. LAKE BLED, SLOVENIA Ms Miura said the small country of Slovenia exceeded her expectations as a whole, but Lake Bled proved to be the piece du resistance. She suggests taking at least a week to hire a car and explore the scenic landscape at your leisure. A popular route starts from the quaint capital Ljubljana and on to romantic Lake Bled where you can rent a paddle boat to sail around the 17th century island church. 4. POSITANO, ITALY For gourmet lovers, Ms Miura advises taking a long sabbatical to Italys Amalfi Coast to visit the lakeside town of Positano. The writer describes the outpost as a town filled with mosaic tiled churches, pastel houses, bright beach umbrellas and the scent of fresh lemons hanging in the air. Those who adore Italian cuisine should venture up the cliff side to Nocelle, a small village with world class pasta and excellent locally made limoncello. In Lake Bled, you can rent a paddle boat to sail around the 17th century island church (pictured) The well-travelled journalist honed her reporting skills for four years at the now defunct Madison magazine, followed by a stint at ELLE Australia before joining the team at My Domaine 5. MOSTAR, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA A rather unusual addition to the list is the former Yugoslavian metropolis of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nestled in the heart of the Balkans, slightly inland between Croatia and Montenegro, the tiny nation is beautifully marked by its Ottoman past dating back to the 15th century. Mostar offers lively bars filled with boisterous, welcoming locals and an incredible Turkish designed bridge that residents like to dive off. Alternate attractions close to the city include the lesser known Kravica waterfalls and Blagaj Tekke, a 600-year-old Dervish monastery built into the side of a cliff. On a work trip to Bora Bora, a paradise-like island grouping in Tahiti, part of French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean Ms Miura previously spoke to FEMAIL about her insider knowledge on everything from packing to tackling jet lag, the highs and lows of globetrotting for a living and the day-to-day reality of life as an international travel writer. Asked about the insider hacks she has learned from her hectic travel schedule, Ms Miura shared the secret to perfect packing, falling asleep on noisy flights and tackling debilitating jet lag. 'I've got packing down to a fine art now! I stash breakables inside shoes for extra padding, cover sneakers with plastic hotel shower caps to keep the dirty soles from touching clothes, and if there's space I bring a hair straightener which can be used to iron out wrinkled clothes. 'I've also used packing cubes for the last five years. I sort tees and tops in one cube, skirts, pants, and dresses in another, and underwear and socks in the third. 'It means that my luggage is always organised and I can easily re-pack them if I do back-to-back trips!,' she said. Ms Miura spent more than 200 hours in the air travelling during 2017, taking in destinations such as St Kitts and Nevis and Lapland in northern Finland Ms Miura never heads for the airport without her trusty noise cancelling Bang & Olufsen headphones. 'I wear ear plugs underneath the headphones, then play storm sounds on the Rain Rain app to drown out engine noise so I can fall asleep on long haul flights,' she said. 'I change my phone clock to match my destination as soon as I board a plane, then try to make sure my routine is in-sync with that time [zone]. 'I take a melatonin supplement and nap if it's nighttime at the destination, and do my best to stay up late if it's daytime. I've also read that intermittent fasting can help beat jet lag because it helps reset your internal clock, but I'm yet to try it.' To add a hint of style, the writer always reaches for her favourite compact cross body bag from The Daily Edited. 'It's big enough to fit a passport, phone, and wallet, is made from durable Saffiano leather, zips up to keep essentials safe from pickpockets, and has a removable strap so it can be used as a clutch at night.' Ms Miura is pictured on her Instagram in Copenhagen, Denmark Ms Miura on a work assignment in Lapland, Finland in the middle of the Arctic Circle Ms Miura's travels, both personal and professional, have taken her to far flung corners of the earth including Lapland, St Kitts and Nevis, Denmark and Kyoto, Japan. Asked about the most memorable assignment she has ever worked on, the editor reminisced on her time in Bora Bora, Tahiti. 'Growing up in Australia I was spoiled with incredible white sand beaches, but nothing could prepare me for Bora Bora. It's absolute paradise. 'The water is a piercing shade of turquoise, the over-water bungalows at St Regis Bora Bora completely exceed expectation, and the activities are so varied. 'Swimming with manta rays was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I'll never forget,' she said. David Cameron's sister-in-law has blasted Boris Johnson after he was snapped running through a field of wheat in what has been widely interpreted as a jibe at the expense of the Prime Minister Theresa May. Emily Sheffield, the former deputy editor of British Vogue and the sister of Samantha Cameron, reacted with fury to the ex-foreign secretary's stunt, sharing a picture of him in the field on Instagram with the caption: 'Sorry but **** you Boris and your consistently s****y brand of humour'. Theresa May famously described running through fields of wheat as a child as the 'naughtiest' thing she'd ever done in an interview during the last election, in which she told how local farmers 'weren't too pleased' about her high jinks. In her apparent show of solidarity for the PM, fashion journalist Emily also took aim at Boris' choice of running gear, branding him a 'god damn sartorial disaster on top of everything else'. Boris and the PM are locked in a feud over her Brexit policy, which he most recently branded 'deranged' and 'preposterous' in an interview over the weekend. Boris Johnson was snapped running through a field of wheat near his Oxfordshire home on Monday, in what appeared to be a joke at the expense of the Prime Minister Theresa May, who infamously said during the last election that running through fields of wheat as a child was the 'naughtiest' thing she'd ever done The joke didn't go down well with Emily Sheffield, a former deputy editor of British Vogue and the sister-in-law of former Prime Minister David Cameron. Emily, seen with her sister Samantha Cameron at a V&A party in June, posted a picture of Boris' jog on Instagram with the caption '**** you Boris and your consistently s****y brand of humour' Former Vogue deputy editor Emily also took aim at Boris' choice of running gear, branding him a 'god damn sartorial disaster on top of everything else' Boris was snapped sprinting through the field as his rival was attempting to shore up support among Tory activists at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham. Emily, who added the hashtag #toryconference2018 to her post, added: 'And can someone get this man some proper running gear??? What is with the swimming trunks?' She also tagged in Daniel Marks, chief creative officer at The Communications Store, whose clients include the fashion brands Acne Studios, J Brand and Burberry, urging him to 'help this man!' He's a god damn sartorial disaster on top of everything else. #theresafieldsofwheat'. Johnson, who spearheaded the Leave campaign ahead of the Brexit referendum, quit the cabinet in July in protest over Theresa May's Chequers plan for the future of the UK's relationship with the EU. Since then Boris has repeatedly slammed the Prime Minister's Chequers plan in strident remarks that have done nothing to dispel rumours he is hoping to oust the PM. The former foreign secretary will not speak from the main stage at the Tory conference this year, but was due to deliver a speech on the fringe of the gathering today. Boris Johnson was snapped heading out for another jog on Tuesday morning, again in what appeared to be swimming shorts, rather than running shorts. He and the Prime Minister are locked in a feud over her Chequers plan The Prime Minister Theresa May is seen arriving at the Conservative Party annual conference at the ICC in Birmingham today Emily Sheffield's Instagram made headlines back in 2013 when she shared a snap of her sister, Alice, on her wedding day, that showed her brother-in-law David, then the Prime Minister, snoozing barefoot on a four-poster bed in the background, his ministerial red box beside him. The post was swiftly removed, but Emily later revealed in an article for The Spectator following his resignation in 2016 that he had instantly forgiven her for the gaffe. She described him as 'a brother-in-law who didnt send me remonstrations the day my Instagram of his bare feet made national news, but instead a very funny text'. A Victorian cook who worked at a stately home in Essex has become an unlikely YouTube sensation with millions of views more than 130 years after she served the Lord and Lady of Audley End House. The recipes of Mrs Avis Crocombe have been recreated for YouTube and dishes such as cucumber ice cream, Roly Poly Pudding and Victorian curry proved a hit with the millennial audience. As well as her recipes, Mrs Crocombe's no-nonsense advice on frying with 'delicious' lard and stern peering over her glasses when something displeases her have won the hearts of fans, who have described her as 'so precious'. Mrs Crocombe was head cook to Lord and Lady Braybrooke at the stately home near Saffron Walden from 1880 to 1994 and documented her recipes in a handwritten book, with many inspired by Eliza Actons 1845 book Modern Cookery for Private Families. Her cooking journal was rediscovered in the back of a drawer eight years ago by her great-great-nephew, Robert Stride, from Southend who donated the book to English Heritage English Heritage has recreated the recipes of chef Mrs Avis Crocombe more than 130 years after she served the Lord and Lady of Audley End House in Saffron Walden, Essex Mrs Crocombe cooking breakfast the Victorian way. The chef's recipes have attracted millions of views on YouTube 'I felt it was only right that my great great-aunt's cookbook should be returned to the place where she relied on it most,' he told The Saffron Walden Reporter. 'Many of the pages are marked with the sweat and grease of the kitchen and I can just imagine her pausing, wiping her brow and checking a detail in a favourite recipe.' Showing no hint of the Victorian era's famed prurience one of her recipes insists that the secret to a good trifle is 'not to skimp on the alcohol'. Her recipes also include dishes not only for the Lord and Lady of the manor, but for those below stairs too, such as bacon and onion roly poly pudding. Mrs Crocombe documented her recipes in a journal, which was rediscovered in a drawer by her great-great-nephew, Robert Stride, eight years ago Mrs Crocombe making cucumber ice cream, which was popular as a palate cleanser in Victorian times 'Its a cheap, savoury pudding and ideal for the servants hall,' she explained. 'Some people call this shirt sleeve pudding because they make it in old shirt sleeves. 'I've even heard people call it dead mans leg,' she added, peering over her glasses to indicate disapproval. 'You could serve the puffing hot straight away but here at Audley End House we servants like it fried. You can fry it in butter or for a really delicious taste use lard.' She even shares her tips for making the perfect cup of tea, explaining: 'I like my milk to go in second, but Mary-Anne, the kitchen maid, always puts her milk in first.' Mrs Crocombe serving kedgeree for the Lord and Lady of the manor's breakfast, which was a popular way of using up leftover fish and rice The videos have proved a huge hit with viewers with one describing them as 'so relaxing to watch' while another added: 'This woman is so precious and has to be protected at all costs.' The real Mrs Crocombe was born in Devon in 1838 and started her career in service when she was 13-years-old. She became cook to Lord and Lady Braybrooke in 1880 on a salary of 50 a year, less than half what the outgoing French male chef received. In 1884, she left to marry Benjamin Stride, a lodging-house keeper in London and she died in 1927, aged 89. Mrs Crocombe's Cucumber Ice Cream Ingredients 1 cucumber Pinch of salt 4oz sugar 1/2 pint water 2 small glasses of ginger wine 1 pint double cream Sugar (to taste) Green food colouring Cucumber ice cream requires cucumber, salt, sugar, water, ginger wine, green food colouring, sugar and double cream Method Peel and deseed a cucumber, salt lightly and drain in a colander. Rinse, put in a pan and add 4oz sugar and 1/2 pt water. Simmer until tender and then puree (the Victorians would have passed it through a sieve). Allow to cool and add a small glass of ginger wine. Add 1pt double cream and sugar to taste. Freeze in an ice cream maker, or use ice and salt packed around a freezing pot as Mrs Crocombe would have done. You can also add a little green food colouring. Although unusual to modern tastes, cucumber was frequently cooked in the past. It is refreshing and light, intended to lift the palette after a heavy meal. Although cooked cucumber might sound like an unusual idea, this light ice cream was intended to lift the palette after a heavy meal Advertisement Nadiya Hussain has shared the secret to her happy 13-year marriage - not arguing. The cookbook author appeared on ITV's Lorraine, where she explained that while she and husband Abdal may disagree over certain things they've 'never had full-blown arguments'. Nadiya, who became a fan favourite after she was crowned winner of The Great British Bake Off in 2015, credited Abdal with being patient and supportive towards her career. 'No we don't [argue]. In the 13 years we've never had full-blown arguments ever. 'We disagree on things, but we're two very different people and we think differently but we don't argue,' she told the daytime presenter. The mother-of-three, who also spoke about her battle with anxiety and told how a recent panic attack left her bed-ridden for three days, later hit back at a person on Twitter who accused her of 'whinging about mental health'. Nadiya Hussain has been married to husband Abdal for 13 years and says the key to their successful relationship is that they don't argue. She credits his patience with her from stopping any 'full-blown arguments' from happening The Great British Bake Off winner appeared on ITV's Lorraine to talk about the ingredient to a happy marriage and how her husband is supportive of her career and makes sure she can go out and work by looking after the children Nadiya's appearance on Lorraine was tinged with negativity as a Twitter user attacked her for being 'overpaid' and 'whinging about mental health', to which she carefully responded The user with the handle @alfredoshead directly responded to Nadiya: 'Awww...another overpaid so called celeb whining about mental health problems "ordinary" people have to put up with every day and just get on with...[sic]' She carefully responded: 'Your attitude is the reason why mental health issues are brushed under the carpet. Sickness of the heart body and mind does not discriminate, it doesn't pick and choose. 'It can affect anyone. Stop being so ignorant. If you can't be a part of the solution don't add to the problem.' But the Twitter troll wasn't finished, adding: 'Good for you. You call sitting in front of a camera and picking up a big cheque to whine about your problems being brave? Takes all sorts I suppose.' 'If it takes all sort then there might be an explanation for you're attitude . Which by the way is misinformed, ignorant and petty,' Nadiya said. Her appearance on Lorraine may have been tinged with negativity online, but the outspoken businesswoman encouraged others to be more respectful of other people's struggles. Nadiya has enjoyed an illustrious career since winning the baking competition, going on to appear on numerous cooking and baking shows as well as releasing several cookbooks and novels. The unknown Twitter troll accused Nadiya of cashing in but she explained that their attitude was misinformed, ignorant and petty' Nadiya became a fan favourite for her bubbly personality and goofy faces during the 2015 series of GBBO and was crowned the winner The busy mum explained the reason she and her husband work so well together is because they've both been happy to take a back seat - and take on more of the work at home - at different times in order to allow the other to focus on their career. 'When I first got married someone said to me it's half and half, it's 50-50,' she said. 'But really early on I realised that in any relationship someone is always putting in more. 'At the beginning, definitely for the first eight years, he had this amazing career and he went off and did some amazing things. 'I was at home, while he had a career I was at home looking after the children, the home, and I definitely felt like I put a lot more in than he did.' Now the couple enjoy their own balance: 'I think if you're always striving for half and half that's where you fight and I just think we never have half and half. She added: 'If he didn't support me right now then I wouldn't be here right now, he is looking after the kids, so I am definitely putting less into the relationship right now!' She has been open about her ongoing battle with a panic disorder, and said on Lorraine that she sometimes tries to hide how she's feeling from her children but said 'they know and it's hard' Nadiya said that she supported her husband early on in his career while she stayed at home with the children and their roles have now swapped as she enjoys her success as a TV cook and author Nadiya has been open about her ongoing battle with a panic disorder, stemming from a terrifying racist attack she suffered during her school days at the age of seven. She said to presenter Lorraine Kelly that, for those suffering with a mental health disorder, they can become 'really good at faking it and lying essentially'. 'Being a parent you want to be strong for your kids and ninety percent of being a parent is not telling the truth. 'I'm forever making it out like I have got it all together and I know what I'm doing. The truth is I haven't got a clue what I'm doing. She encouraged others to be more honest and talk about it more: 'I only had a panic attack about five weeks ago and I was in bed for three days and the kids, sometimes it's easier to lock the door. 'But the kids know, it is hard sometimes.' As a first-generation Muslim Bangladeshi born and brought up in Luton, the mother-of-three experienced racism from some of her white classmates at primary school who bullied her for her dark skin. Lorraine is on weekdays on ITV at 8.30am A pair of Sainsbury's ski-style stirrup jeans have been branded 'hideous' by shoppers. Michelle Burns, from London, sparked the debate after posting a picture of the 18 jeans she spotted at a store in Chingford, Essex, on Facebook. She commented: 'Sainsbury's (Chingford-ish) the 80s called, they'd like their hideous stirruped ski pants back please!!' Others were quick to agree with her assessment, with one commenting: 'They died out for a reason....hideous (...and yes, l wore them)'. Sainsbury's ski-style stirrup jeans, priced at 18, (pictured above) have been branded 'hideous' by shoppers The jeans are currently on sale on the Sainsbury's website, where they are described as 'retro-style denim ski pants.' The website description continues: 'With an elasticated stirrup strap, added stretch and metal button & zip fastening, these would look fabulous with a tight knit jumper and a pair of boots or pumps.' Stirrup pants were first worn by horse riders and skiiers to ensure their trousers stayed in place, before becoming a fashion trend during the 80s. However, shoppers did not see best pleased by their return to the High Street. Michelle Burns, from London, sparked the debate after posting a picture of the jeans she spotted at a store in Chingford, Essex, on Facebook (above) Others were quick to comment on the fashion item, with one social media commenting: 'They died out for a reason' However, some admitted they were happy to see the return of the 80s ski-pant trend One Facebook user commented: 'They always made my feet hurt. Or you could go super classy and put the stirrup under the heel of your scuffed white stilettos. #thehorror' Another added: '50p bet says these are drastically reduced in the sale next month!!!' Meanwhile, one person described Sainsbury's elasticated stirrup jeans as 'ugly' and 'frumpy'. However, some admitted they were fans of the stirrup jeans, with one commenting: 'YES ski pants are back!!!' Another added: Excellent!! For those of us who aren't dwarves stirrups were a godsend!!' Despite the online debate over the Sainsbury's jeans, stirrup pants are currently available elsewhere on the High Street, after being worn by the likes of Bella Hadid. Topshop and Whistles are among the retailers currently stocking the item. Mourners dressed as Harry Potter characters turned out in droves for the funeral of a terminally-ill super fan who designed her own Hogwarts coffin on Monday. Diehard JK Rowling obsessive Veronica Leaning, 78, from Grimsby lost her battle with lung and bone cancer on September 17. At her funeral yesterday the grandmother-of-15's customised coffin, emblazoned in Harry Potter memorabilia and decorated in each of the four house's colours, was carried into Grimsby Crematorium to Hedwig's Theme from the popular wizarding film series. Dozens of mourners were determined to celebrate Veronica's, known as Vonnie to friends and family, greatest passion - with one couple even attending dressed as characters Professor Dumbledore and Pomona Sprout and many others carrying wands and wearing Gryffindor ties. Mourners have gathered at the Grimsby Crematorium for the funeral of Harry Potter super fan Veronica Leaning, who had her coffin (pictured) decorated in the Hogwarts colours Veronica (pictured before her death in her hospice) lost her battle with lung and bone cancer on September 17 The service included a touching tribute from her brother Tony, who branded her 'one of the good'uns' before the funeral ended with Monty Python's 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'. Vonnie, who had signed copies of all seven Harry Potter books, had insisted she wanted a fun themed funeral and had previously reached out to Warner Brothers about using the colours of each Hogwarts house on her coffin. The late fan was invited to several premiers by author J.K. Rowling whom she met with as well as meeting several cast members. Mourners (pictured) gathered at the funeral dressed as characters from the famous boy-wizard film franchise One dedicated couple even dressed as Hogwarts professors Albus Dumbledore (right) and Pomona Sprout In a reading at today's funeral, emotional family members said Vonnie (as she is known to her friends and family) would be pleased so many people had carried out her last wish Vonnie hoped to leave some Harry Potter memorabilia to each beloved member of her enormous family - including her six children, 15 grandchildren and soon-to-be 30 great-grandchildren. In a reading at today's funeral, emotional family members said Vonnie would be pleased so many people had carried out her last wish. Before she died, Vonnie said: 'It's been as good as any medicine really, reading the books, looking forward to seeing the films and collecting all of the memorabilia. 'It takes my mind off things and gives me something to focus on. Vonnie hoped to leave some Harry Potter memorabilia to each beloved member of her enormous family - including her six children, 15 grandchildren and soon-to-be 30 great-grandchildren. Pictured: Vonnie's coffin arriving at the funeral The funeral took place on Tuesday and saw dozens of attendees arrive to pay their respects to the late Potter fan Before her death Vonnie said that she wanted her funeral to be 'a celebration of the things she loves' 'We got the coffin from the undertakers because we wanted to decorate it but they wouldn't take it back because they aren't able to store them, so it's been in my spare room ever since. 'We even wrote to Warner Bros. to check that it would all be okay and my stepson painted it and stuck the stickers on for me. 'I just want my funeral to be a celebration of the things I love.' Veronica with her family (L-R) Stepson, Terry Leaning, 52, Daughter, Sue Ireland, 55 and Son-in-law Philip Ireland 49 at Veronicas bedside in August Two 15-year-old schoolgirls have been left mortified after they were told their knee-length M&S skirts were too 'distracting' by their deputy head teacher - because of their 'curvy' figures. Mother Gemma Porter, 35, from Totton, Hampshire, said her daughter Ellie and her friend Jasmin Stacey, were threatened with detention because their garments were said to be 'too tight' and they were told to cover up in shin-length skirts. The Co-op worker claims the pupils were being punished for having curves by Hounsdown Schools headteacher Julie Turvey and deputy David Veal who she claims said the skirts would be appropriate for pupils with 'more slender figures'. Mrs Porter said when she contacted the school after the girls were approached last week during the new term, she was told to buy a new skirt by the following morning, and if Ellie wore the same 'inappropriate' garment the following day, she would be placed in detention. She revealed that after discussions with the school about the skirts - which were the same ones the girls had worn the term before - the mothers took their daughters shopping with their teachers, which was an embarrassing experience for the teenage girls. After the schoolgirls tried on eight unsuitable garments, Mrs Porter claims deputy head Mr Veal and his wife went skirt shopping for them and bought horrible shin-length skirts made from a silky fabric that she said looked see-through in the light. Mother Gemma Porter, 35, from Totton, Hampshire, said her daughter Ellie, left, and her friend Jasmin Stacey, were threatened with detention because their garments were said to be too tight and they were told to cover up in shin-length skirts. Pictured in the offending skirts Mrs Porter said when she contacted the school after the girls were approached last week, she was told to buy a new skirt by the following morning, and if Ellie wore the same inappropriate garment the following day, she would be placed in detention. Ellie, left, with Jasmin, right, wearing the skirts the school complained about The schoolgirls have now been kept off school for 16 days following the ongoing row. And Mrs Porter has received letters stating that clothes deemed suitable for one student may not be suitable for another. Outraged, Mrs Porter's sister Carly Hughes, from Gosport, took to Facebook to share photos of the two girls wearing their skirts provoking outrage from other parents in a post that has had 11,000 reactions, 7,000 comments and 14,000 shares. In the post, Ms Hughes wrote that Ellie is 'being punished for something out of her control, basically for being curvy and for skirts not fitting her body shape'. The post sparked outrage, with other mothers saying the school was being unreasonable. Mrs Porter said of her phone call to the school: I asked who the skirt was distracting, but the teacher wouldnt say. I was just told that I had to get a new skirt by the morning or Ellie would be held in IE (internal exclusion). Being punished for something thats out of their control their body shape is not on. Outraged, Mrs Porter's sister Carly Hughes, from Gosport, took to Facebook to share photos of the two girls wearing their skirts provoking outrage from other parents in a post that has had 11,000 reactions, 7,000 comments and 14,000 shares After the schoolgirls tried on eight unsuitable garments, Mrs Porter claims deputy head Mr Veal and his wife went skirt shopping for them and bought horrible shin-length skirts made from a silky fabric that she said looked see-through in the light - pictured left and right If they were put in IE, they would not be allowed to circulate in school and would have to be escorted to the toilet and to get their lunch. I decided I wasnt having my daughter being punished for having curves. Mrs Porter then agreed to take the girls shopping to school outfitters School Kit along with their teachers to ensure the right skirts were bought. She said: It was really embarrassing for the girls. Standing there in the changing rooms in their pants in front of their teachers, trying on skirts. Some of the skirts wouldnt go up over their bums so the teacher insisted they pulled them on over their heads. But some of the skirts wouldnt go on that way either, basically because the skirts were the wrong shape for the girls. They felt totally humiliated. Mrs Porter said when she contacted the school after the girls were approached last week, she was told to buy a new skirt by the following morning, and if Ellie wore the same inappropriate garment the following day, she would be placed in detention. Ellie has now been kept off school for 16 days. Pictured, a letter Mrs Porter has received from the school stating the same skirt that meets requirements on one pupil may not be suitable for another Mrs Porter's sister Carly Hughes wrote on Facebook Ellie is 'being punished for something out of her control, basically for being curvy and for skirts not fitting her body shape' Ellie and Jasmins mothers then bought plain skirts from a clothes website for curvy girls. However, when they wore them to school, the girls were told the small slit at the back of the skirt was against the rules. The mothers offered to sew them up, but the teachers insisted this wouldnt help. Mrs Porter said: It was almost like the teachers were being deliberately difficult, like they were picking on the girls for no reason. Mr Veal was very patronising. He said that our girls cant wear the skirts as theyre too close-fitting on them. He said its OK for girls with slender figures to wear the standard school skirt but its not OK for girls with curvy figures to wear it. At one point, Mrs Porter said Mr Veal and his wife went shopping to Debenhams to choose more suitable skirts. Mrs Porter said: The skirts were horrible. Shin-length, way below the knee, and made from a silky fabric so they were totally see-through with the light behind them! If Ellie and Jasmin had to wear those, theyd be ridiculed and bullied. It made no sense: why were they having to wear these awful skirts and all the other girls in the school could wear the normal school skirts? Sixteen days after the families took their daughters out of school, and 16 skirts later (bought by the parents and the school), the girls parents decided to send them back. The skirts they wore jersey fabric, down to the knee and A-line in style - were checked by the teachers, using a special blue laminated skirt rule. The teacher deemed them to be too short and both girls were separated from each other and the rest of the class. Mrs Porter said: Ellie texted me throughout the day. She was pretty much left alone all morning and was given very little work. Jasmin was given a worksheet that she completed in five minutes. Facebook outrage: Mrs Porter's sister Carly Hughes shared this post Facebook along with three photos (posted below). She said the response from the school had been 'all kinds of wrong' Picture 1: Mrs Hughes shared this photo of Ellie, right, and Jasmin, left. She said the skirt is the same one they had worn before the summer holidays - 'they suggested her body shape had changed when questioned what they meant, they said her height?!' Pictured 2: Mrs Hughes shared this image showing showing Ellie, left, and a different friend in the jumper wearing the same skirt from the school uniform department in Marks & Spencer yet she is allowed to wear hers because in their words 'she has a more slender figure' Picture 3: Mrs Hughes posted this photo of Ellie in her new skirt - however, she went back to school to be told it's still not suitable, 'she's too curvy to wear them as they are a distraction' Neither girls were allowed out for break and were escorted to the toilet and to get food at lunchtime. They were virtually held prisoner. Throughout the whole ordeal, the girls have had their confidence shattered. Mrs Porter said: Neither girl had body confidence issues before, but they have now. Theyve been in tears, they think theyre fat and are feeling really bad about themselves. Mr Veal has told us not to worry, that hes booked both girls in for counselling for body confidence issues. Hes already made them appointments! Its like some kind of sick joke. You just couldnt make it up. Ellie's aunt Carly Hughes's Facebook post provoked outrage from other parents with 11,000 reactions, 7,000 comments and 14,000 shares A spokesman for Hounsdown School said: The school is unable to refer to or comment specifically about an individual student or complaint. However, in the event that a student comes to school in uniform that does not meet the schools uniform policy, as set and agreed by the governing body, then in the first instance the school will contact the family to request alternative uniform. We believe our standard practice on these occasions is very supportive, asking for the uniform to be rectified within a time period. We have, where needed, supported students and families to source appropriate uniform items for students even going to shops to get uniform to assist parents and students in meeting the schools uniform policy. British brand Erdem has emerged as the clear front-runner to design Princess Eugenie's wedding dress, ahead of her big day next week. Eugenie, 28, is known to be a big fan of the label, wearing designs by the designer on a number of occasions - including for her official engagement photograph with fiance Jack Brooksbank. Ladbrokes now has Erdem as 7/2 favourite to be unveiled as the wedding dress designer, followed by Suzannah, Jenny Packham and Alice Temperley. Eugenie previously revealed in an interview with British Vogue that her wedding dress designer would be British. British brand Erdem has emerged as the clear front-runner to design Princess Eugenie's wedding dress. She wore a floral dress by the designer for her official engagement photo with fiance Jack Brooksbank in January 'I'm not telling anyone who is making it, but I can say it is a British based designer,' she told the magazine. 'As soon as we announced the wedding, I knew the designer, and the look, straight away.' Her revelation that the designer has been British-based has increased the speculation around Erdem. The brand's eponymous designer Erdem Moralioglu, who is originally from Canada, had been been widely tipped to get the big job of designing the Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress. Erdem showed his latest collection at London Fashion Week last month, which include this white lace dress featuring puffed sleeves Eugenie is known to be a big fan of Erdem, wearing another floral frock by the designer at a UN meeting in New York in July (above) However, Meghan surprised fashion insiders by choosing Givenchy designer Clare Waight Keller to create her 200,000 gown. Nevertheless, Erdem is very popular among the royals, including the Duchess of Cambridge and Eugenie. Who are the favourites to design Princess Eugenie's wedding dress? Erdem - 7/2 Suzannah - 5/1 Jenny Packham - 6/1 Preen - 8/1 Suzanne Neville - 10/1, Alice Temperley - 10/1 Ralph & Russo - 14/1 Givenchy - 20/1 Source: Ladbrokes. Correct at the time of writing Advertisement Eugenie wore a floral dress by the designer at a meeting in the UN in New York over the summer, as well as being photographed wearing Erdem for her recent British Vogue photo shoot, taken in the grounds of the Royal Lodge at Windsor. Blogger Kristin Contino also tipped Erdem as being a likely choice for the royal next week, when she ties the knot at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Writing on Royal Central, she said: 'Princess Eugenie wore an Erdem dress for her official engagement photo and has worn the designer on many other occasions. 'Shes already a firm fan and Erdem Moralioglu is a designer who definitely pushes boundaries with his bold florals. 'Since Eugenies style is edgier than some of the other members of the royal family, this might be a match made in heaven.' The Queen jokes about struggling to sit cross-legged for long periods on her 1953 visit to Tonga, in a candid admission in a new ITV documentary. In the concluding episode of Queen of the World, which explores Her Majesty's role as head of the Commonwealth as she gradually passes the baton to younger members of the royal family, she reflects on her visit as a 27-year-old newly anointed monarch, and recalls finding it difficult to sit cross-legged, as is the custom in Tonga. 'It's quite painful for people who are not built in the same direction,' the Queen quips during a meeting with Elizabeth Kite, a women's activist from Tonga and a winner of a Queen's Young Leaders Award. The Queen also recalls the sound of nose flutes being played outside her window on the visit, which she describes as 'just the most extraordinary thing'. The Queen jokes in a new ITV documentary that sitting cross-legged for long periods proved rather 'painful' during her 1953 visit to Tonga, on her Commonwealth tour with Prince Phillip In the concluding episode of the two-part ITV documentary Queen of the World, Her Majesty reflects on her visit to Tonga with the Duke of Edinburgh 65 years ago, in a meeting with a young women's rights activist from the country, Elizabeth Kite The Queen was welcomed to Tonga in 1953 by Queen Salote, who held a great open-air feast in her honour, where guests sat cross-legged around long, low tables. The monarch, who has been head of state for 66 years, also talks of how she has met an 'awful lot of people' in her role. She says of Tonga: 'I haven't met the new (king). 'But, you see, I haven't been for such a long time. I've met an awful lot of people.' The clip also shows the Queen taking charge and making sure everything is running smoothly for the audience with the Queen's Young Leaders, by directing a member of staff to open a door. 'Can you open it? No, no this door push it, push it open, thank you. Otherwise they can't get in!' she says with a smile. On another occasion, she is shown helping the Governor General of Papua New Guinea after knighting him, directing him: 'Turn around the other way, because that's where the cameras are.' The Queen recalled the sound of nose flutes being played outside her window on her visit to Tonga in 1953, which she described as 'just the most extraordinary thing' Elizabeth Kite, seen centre, told the cameras she was 'extremely nervous' ahead of her audience with the Queen, but afterwards said their meeting was proof 'anything is possible' Miss Kite, who was named after the Queen, confessed to being 'extremely nervous' ahead of her meeting with the monarch, but said afterwards it was proof that 'anything is possible'. 'I just had a chat with the Queen,' she says after leaving the room. 'Im going to wake up tomorrow and feel, like, did that happen? I dont quite know 'Honestly anything really is possible. Whatever it is you dream to be you can actually achieve.' Queen Salote of Tonga is seen greeting Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh during their 1953 Commonwealth Tour. Her Majesty reflects on the visit in a scene from ITV's Queen of the World documentary, the second part of which airs tonight Advertisement Melania Trump made a radiant arrival in Ghana on Tuesday morning, beaming with delight as she stepped off her plane to begin her first major solo international trip. The 48-year-old first lady looked stylish as ever as she landed at Kotoka International Airport in the Ghanian capital of Accra, wearing a burgundy-and-white-striped custom Celine shirt dress thought to be worth upwards of $2,000, and a pair of $625 white heels from Manolo Blahnik. Pausing at the top of the steps of the military plane, which bore the presidential seal, to wave to the waiting crowds, Melania couldn't have looked happier as she made her way down the stairs and onto the tarmac - narrowly avoiding a wardrobe disaster along the way when her hem began blowing up in the breeze. Welcome! Melania Trump beamed as she stepped off her plane at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday morning for the start of her first solo international trip Chic: The first lady wore a custom dress by Celine, which is thought to be worth upwards of $2,000, and a pair of white Manolo Blahnik heels that retail for $625 Whoops! The 48-year-old narrowly avoided a wardrobe disaster as she stepped down from the plane, when an errant breeze almost blew up the hemline of her skirt Greetings! Melania was met by her Ghanaian counterpart, first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo A gift: Upon Melania's arrival, an eight-year-old girl in traditional dress presented the mother-of-one with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in a colorful woven basket, with Melania bending down to accept the kind present Smile for the cameras! Melania thanked the youngster with a warm hug Melania looked as though she may have enjoyed a quick pamper session on the plane, and looked refreshed and energetic as she walked out of the aircraft, with her long brunette locks styled with a natural wave, while her makeup was left low-key, with no hint of her signature smokey eye look. After stepping onto the tarmac, Melania was greeted warmly by Ghana's first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo; the pair shook hands and spoke for a few minutes, with mother-of-one Melania placing a hand onto Rebecca's arm as they enjoyed their conversation, showing off her diamond wedding band in the process. Melania Trump's African tour: Where will she visit and what will she do? The first lady arrived in Ghana on Tuesday morning (October 2) after a 12-hour flight from Washington, D.C. Her day in the capital of Accra was spent visiting a local hospital to learn more about local welfare initiatives for children, while also getting the chance to promote her Be Best initiative. She then enjoyed afternoon tea with her Ghanaian counterpart at the presidential palace in Accra. Although an official itinerary has not been released, her spokesperson Stephanie Grisham confirmed that she will visit Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt following her trip to Ghana. During these visits, her focus will be on humanitarian efforts, specifically those funded by US government aid, and those that work to better the lives of children. Another key purpose of her tour is to promote 'education, healthcare, some conservation, and tourism'. Melania is expected to return to Washington, D.c. on October 7. Advertisement She chose not to wear her large diamond engagement ring, however, instead modeling the impressive band on her ring finger by itself. The US first lady was then presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers presented to her in a colorful woven basket by a young girl in traditional dress, who Melania then thanked with a warm hug, bending down to embrace the youngster with one hand, while holding the floral arrangement in the other. After greeting several other Ghanaian officials, Melania was then led off the tarmac by Rebecca, walking past a group of smiling school children who were all waving American and Ghanaian flags. The first ladies then watched on as a group of traditional dancers put on a dynamic performance, with Melania leaning over to Rebecca to make several remarks about the energetic show, while also clapping delightedly as they continued the dance. From the airport, Melania was taken to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, where - according to the BBC - she watched babies being weighed as part of a local program funded by USAid that aims to improve nutrition in young children; the babies at the hospital are placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit - where she was particularly captivated by one adorable six-month-old in particular, with images capturing the mother-of-one enjoying a very sweet cuddle with the tiny tot. Joyful: Melania couldn't have looked happier as she cuddled a young baby boy at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital Saying hello: The mother-of-one, who has a 12-year-old son, Barron, with her husband, was seen happily chattering away to the tiny baby boy Captivated: The adorable tot reached up to touch Melania's face at one point in a particularly tender moment Laughter: She reciprocated by holding on the the little boy's hand Wave hello! Melania then jokingly waved his hand towards the cameras Pucker up: The first lady seemed reluctant to let the little boy go, but made sure to drop a kiss on his forehead before giving him back to his mother Oops: The boy was wearing socks with the Jumpman logo on them, a symbol owned by Nike, which has faced harsh criticism from President Trump for its campaign with Colin Kaepernick, the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem Gifts: Melania was giving out Be Best-branded blankets and teddy bears to patients in the waiting area when she came across the adorable tot Mothers: She appears to have interacted briefly with the young boy's mother, before picking him up and enjoying a cuddle For you! Melania seemed particularly captivated by the child, who was very smartly dressed in a polo shirt and blue shorts Before stepping out into the waiting area, Melania very sensibly chose to change her shoes, swapping her high heels for a pair of simple nude flats - a wise decision given that the waiting area was located on a patch of gravel and may well have been incredibly tricky to navigate in her pricey stilettos. Many of the staff members at the hospital looked thrilled to have such a high-profile visitor, Melania appears to have had her heart stolen by one person in particular - an adorable baby boy, who she spent several minutes cuddling, beaming with delight the entire time. Melania first met the young man - who was very smartly dressed in a dapper polo shirt and suede moccasin shoes - while walking around the hospital waiting area and giving out Be Best-branded teddy bears and blankets to parents and children who were waiting. The first lady bent down to give the little boy his own bear and to speak to his mother, but then couldn't resist picking the tot up for a cuddle. She was then pictured chattering away to the young boy while grinning delightedly from ear to ear, and later declared him a 'beautiful boy'. At one point, the tiny tot reached up to touch Melania's face in a particularly tender moment, and the first lady was later pictured holding the baby boy's arm and jokingly waving at the cameras. She then made her way around the rest of the waiting area, followed closely by hospital staff who were holding big baskets filled with the Be Best-branded merchandise; although Melania's trip is focused on humanitarian efforts, she will also be using the tour to promote her Be Best program, which aims to tackle cyberbullying and encourage a healthy, happy lifestyle. Saying hello! She made sure to greet several of the mothers and babies who were waiting for the appointments, and personally handed out several Be Best-branded merchandise Bears for everybody! Melania handed a teddy and a blanket - both of which had Be Best written across them - to every person in the waiting area Personal: Melania made sure to pause and chat with every mother and child Details: She changed into a pair of flat pumps for her visit to the waiting area - which has a gravel floor and would have been tricky to navigate in her white heels (left) and chose to wear only her wedding band, not her large diamond engagement ring Joyful: A hospital staff member walked around the room with Melania while holding a big basket filled with the blankets and bears for the mothers and their children Oh dear! One little baby didn't seem quite so thrilled during Melania's visit, however Observation: Melania watched on as several babies were weighed as part of a program that aims to boost nutrition in kids Cutie: The program is funded by USAid, the US government's foreign aid organization As well as making her mark on the mothers and children in the waiting room, Melania was also given a tour of the hospital by staff, before they were escorted to their vehicles by a team of hospital employees, as well as several very burly Secret Service agents. From there, the first ladies traveled to the presidential palace, where they enjoyed afternoon tea together. There, the two ladies exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by 'First Lady Melania Trump' for Rebecca, and Kente cloth and artefacts for Melania, according to her spokesperson Stephanie Grisham. The first ladies met privately for about half an hour at Jubilee House, Ghanas presidential palace, perhaps finding some time to discuss Melania's Be Best initiative. On Monday evening, the first lady took to Twitter to reveal that she was taking the program 'international', and she is no doubt eager to spread the word as much as possible during her five-day trip. The duo, who first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Melania spoke about her upcoming trip, were pictured outside Jubilee House, which is a part of the official presidential residence, smiling happily for the cameras before heading inside away from the photographers to relax in private. However Melania's jubilant mood on Tuesday certainly echoed her enthusiastic departure on Monday evening, which was no doubt fueled by the excitement of embarking on such a major trip by herself. Smile for the cameras! Melania and Rebecca gamely posed for photos with hospital staffers before leaving Off they go: Melania and Rebecca were seen leaving the hospital together, before heading to the presidential palace Beaming: Although Melania has been seen modeling a very somber expression during past official engagements, she seemed to be unable to wipe the smile off her face on this occasion Greetings! Both first ladies waved happily towards the waiting crowds as they were led from the hospital Photo op! The first ladies also paused for the cameras outside Jubilee House after arriving at the presidential palace Bonding: The two first ladies will enjoy afternoon tea together at the Ghanaian first couple's official residence The first lady looked equally thrilled when she set off from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland just as the sun began to set, having waved and smiled for the photographers as she made her way onto the plane. Clearly eager to start her trip off on the most stylish note possible, Melania was dressed to the nines in a $1,695 suede trench coat from Vince, and another pair of Manolo Blahnik heels - this time a $935 leopard-print stiletto design. She then topped off the safari-inspired look with a pair of large sunglasses, and wore her long brunette locks down in a straight style around her shoulders. However, according to the Press Association, Melania's trip was met with a relatively low-key response from locals, with several Ghanaians revealing to on-site media that they knew nothing about her visit. 'Did you say President Trumps wife just arrived in Accra?' street vendor Awo Yeboah asked. 'I dont think I have ever heard her name, Melania.' Other locals said they knew about the visit but did not know what Melania was doing. Melania was roundly praised by President Trump, however, who paid tribute to her during a press conference on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday just after 1pm local time. While speaking out about the FBI investigation into Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Trump was questioned about his wife's trip to Africa, and revealed that he had watched footage of her arrival in Ghana on TV, before adding: 'She looked beautiful, she was saying hello to the kids... She is really doing a great job as first lady.' Following her trip to Ghana, Melania will continue her tour with stops in Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. Friendly: When Melania arrived, the two women looked to be getting on famously as they enjoyed a brief chat on the tarmac Warm welcome: Melania kissed Rebecca on the cheek, and then placed a warm hand on her arm as they spoke, before the Ghanaian first lady introduced her to other waiting people Saying hello: The first lady then met with several other Ghanaian officials A song and dance! Several school children had turned out to welcome Melania to Ghana, waving American and Ghanaian flags as she walked past with Rebecca Celebration! Melania and Rebecca then watched a dynamic performance by some local dancers, all under the watchful eye of a burly security detail Happy as can be! Melania couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she watched the energetic performance Dynamic: The dancers were wearing traditional Ghanaian garb as they performed in front of the two first ladies Happy: They all looked thrilled to be taking part in the ceremonial occasion There she goes! Melania departed for her solo tour of four African countries on Monday evening from Andrews Air Base Ms Grisham said on Monday that the tour will be a 'diplomatic and humanitarian visit' focused on Melania's #BeBest campaign for 'children and their well-being'. Grisham told the Daily Caller: '[Melania] is hoping to visit the countries to learn what their challenges are, and also see where the US is having a positive impact or results. 'To that end, our office has been working closely with USAID [the United States Agency for International Development] and each stop will focus on one or more projects they have been working on within each country. 'The visits will include stops having to do with education, healthcare, some conservation and tourismand as with all that she does through her initiative Be Best, the well-being of children will be her focus.' Experts have said over the course of the trip Melania may also find herself repairing relationships with African leaders who have been offended by her husband. President Trump has made a number of impolite comments about the continent in the past, including having referred to some African countries as 's**tholes'. He played a different tune last week when promoting Melania's trip, telling reporters: 'We both love Africa. Africa is so beautiful, the most beautiful part of the world, in many ways.' In a final tweet before her departure, Melania wrote: 'We are taking off for #Africa! So looking forward to visiting #Ghana #Malawi #Kenya & #Egypt as I take #BeBest international. #FLOTUSinAfrica2018.' Crown Princess Mary and Princess Marie led the glamour as the Danish royals attended the opening of parliament in Copenhagen today. Mary, 46, opted for a printed fit-and-flare skirt in pink and navy for the state event at Christiansborg Palace, which she teamed with a smart double-breasted jacket. The royal finished off the stylish look with a black pillbox hat, along with a matching clutch bag and stiletto heels. Marie, 42, meanwhile looked chic in a cream and navy coat, which she wore over a blue floral dress. Crown Princess Mary opted for a printed fit-and-flare skirt in pink and navy, teamed with a black double breasted jacket,as she attended the opening of parliament in Copenhagen today Princess Marie meanwhile opted for a chic cream and navy coat, which she wore with a blue floral dress underneath Queen Margrethe (far left) was presented with a bouquet as she arrived for the annual opening of Folketinget, the Danish national parliament She accessorised her elegant ensemble with blue gloves, along with co-ordianating heels and headgear. Mary and Marie were joined by their respective husbands Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim for the opening of Folketinget, the Danish national parliament. They were also joined by Queen Margrethe and Princess Benedikte, who were both presented with flowers as they arrived at the palace. Margrethe, 78, opted for a royal blue ensemble, which she paired with grey accessories. Mary, 46, (pictured) finished off her stylish look with a black pillbox hat, along with a matching clutch and stiletto heels Marie, 42, meanwhile finished off her elegant look with a navy hat for the opening of parliament in Copenhagen Marie appeared to be sharing a joke with husband Prince Joachim (far right) as they were joined by Princess Benedikte (centre) for the opening of parliament Crown Princess Marry was seen greeting Benedikte, 74, who wore a vibrant orange shift dress for the occasion Mary was joined by husband Crown Prince Frederik (far right) in the royal box at parliament, along with Princess Benedikte (back) Also ensuring she dressed for the occasion, Benedikte, 74, wore an orange shift dress, complete with brown cape coat and hat. The Danish royals, who traditionally turn out in force to watch the opening of parliament every year, watched the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lkke Rasmussen deliver his opening address from the royal box inside parliament. In his speech, Mr Rasmussen gave an outline of the government's initiatives for the coming year. He also said that his country should ramp up preparations for the possibility that Britain and the European Union will not agree a Brexit deal. Queen Margrethe, 78, wore a royal blue ensemble for the opening of parliament, which she teamed with grey accessories Emma Stone candidly opened up about her mental health struggles during a talk on Monday, recounting how she once suffered from such crippling anxiety attacks her family once thought she would never be able to move away. The actress, 29, spoke with the president of the Child Mind Institute, Dr. Harold Koplewic, in New York City at the AMC Lincoln Square. She explained that her first panic attack occurred before she started second grade, while she was at a friend's house. Scroll down for video Speaking out: Emma Stone, 29, candidly opened up about her mental health struggles during a talk on Monday in New York City at the AMC Lincoln Square Courtesy of Child Mind Institute 'It was really, really terrifying and overwhelming and you know, [I was] seven years old,' Emma said. 'I was over at a friend's house and all of a sudden I was absolutely convinced the house was on fire and it was burning down. 'I was just sitting in her bedroom, and obviously the house wasnt on fire but there was nothing in me that didn't think we weren't going to die. 'And so I called my mom and it was panic but I of course didn't know that and she came and picked me up. It just kept going for the next two years.' Throughout second grade, Emma was able to go to school but would go to the nurse's office every day at lunch and tell the nurse she was sick and needed to go home. She couldn't go to her friends' houses and experienced deep anxiety when she was separated from her mother. Her anxiety escalated to the point that if her mom Krista had to come to school, Emma couldn't bear to see her because it would send her into a 'whole tailspin'. At one point, Emma also needed her mother to tell her the day's schedule ahead of time and repeat it several times to calm her fears until Emma's therapist told Krista she should only go through the schedule once with her daughter. 'I was so kind of paranoid about everything and it got to the point where if she needed to come help at school I couldn't see her but I needed to know exactly what the day was going to be,' Emma said. 'And she would repeat it over and over to me until thankfully I had a therapist who said: "You're allowed tell her once and then you can't say it anymore, because she needs to not constantly rely on you telling her the day."' Conversation: The actress told the president of the Child Mind Institute, Dr. Harold Koplewic, that she had her first panic attack before entering the second grade When it became clear that the panic attacks were becoming a pattern, Emma started going to therapy, for which she remains 'so grateful'. Doctors told Krista that Emma was suffering from general anxiety disorder or a version of panic disorder but Emma wasn't privy to the diagnosis, which she said she's also grateful for. The actress described how isolating the condition was and explained her friends were too young to relate to it, meaning she couldn't truly discuss it with them. 'I spoke more to my family about it than my friends because friends at that age, eight-year-olds aren't going to understand, "Oh no I can't leave the house because if I do, my mom will die,"' she said. 'It wasn't true but that's what I felt. Nobody can relate when you're a kid, which I think is understandable.' While attending therapy as a child, Emma wrote a book named I Am Bigger Than My Anxiety, for which she drew pictures, and represented her anxiety as a small green monster. She explained that this helped her to see the condition as only a part of her identity, rather than her whole self. Little Emma: The 29-year-old actress (pictured as a girl) said she's 'so grateful' to have attended therapy as a child While Emma's family once thought she would never be able to move away from them, the Arizona native famously relocated to Los Angeles when she was just 15 years old to pursue a career in acting, after making her case through a PowerPoint presentation titled 'Project Hollywood'. She eventually convinced her parents to let her go to LA with her mother while her father stayed in Scottsdale. 'It's nuts that they agreed to it,' Emma previously told The Hollywood Reporter. 'I don't condone it. Everybody should go through high school and graduate.' The move came as a surprise for the family given Emma's history of separation anxiety. 'We truly thought I wasn't going to be able to move out of the house and move away ever,' she said. 'How would I go to college, how would I do any of this when I couldn't go to a friend's house for five minutes?' Asked whether she still feels her anxiety holds her back in any way as an adult, Emma said she would like to be able to speak out more freely about a variety of topics. 'A lot of sharing, speaking about certain issues or things or making mistakes is a very big trigger fear for me,' she said. 'I would like to be more outspoken about a lot of things and I know I will learn to be if that's appropriate for me but that's been a big challenge for me.' This is not the first time Emma has opened up about her mental health struggles. She did so in May last year in a video for the Child Mind Institute, in which she explained she once thought anxiety would affect her forever. 'I truly, as a kid, did not think I would be able to ever move away from home or to be away from people that I had separation anxiety with,' she said in the candid clip. 'I've been able to manage that with great therapists and great cognitive behavioral tools meditation and lots of things.' Looking ahead: Asked whether she still feels her anxiety holds her back in any way as an adult, Emma said she would like to be able to speak out more freely about a variety of topics The actress stressed that anxiety does not last forever, although it might seem that way in dire times. 'Life goes in stages, and it has always been something that I've lived with and that flares up in big ways at different times in my life,' she said. 'But sometimes when it's happening, when I'm in a phase of real turmoil or the anxiety is very strong, it feels like the anxiety is never going to end, and it does.' Emma was one of a series of celebrities taking part in the Speak Up For Kids campaign, for which several A-listers recorded videos in which they give advice to their younger selves for handling mental health issues. In another clip for the campaign, Emma urged other children struggling with anxiety to know they are not alone. 'It's so normal. Everyone experiences a version of anxiety or worry in their lives and maybe we go through it in a different or more intense way for longer periods of time, but there's nothing wrong with you,' she said. 'To be a sensitive person that cares a lot, that takes things in in a deep way, is actually part of what makes you amazing and is one of the greatest gifts of life.' She then explained that she wouldn't trade her ability to 'feel a lot' and 'feel deeply' for the world, even when faced with hard times. 'There are so many tools you can use to help yourself in those times and it does get better and easier as life goes on, and you start to get to know yourself more and what will trigger certain instances of anxiety and where you feel comfortable and safe,' she said. 'Don't ever feel like you're a weirdo for it, because we're all weirdos.' Kim Kardashian goes through phases with fashion. Earlier this year the reality star-turned-beauty mogul was repeatedly going topless under black blazers, before that, she was favoring fitted garments in neutral colors. Kim currently is obsessed with pink. From casual daytime looks to elegant evening ensembles, Mrs. West has been spotted SIX times in recent months wearing the girly hue from head to toe. Head turner: On September 28 the 37-year-old was spotted in Soho, New York, in a Yeezy pink cutout dress that whittled her middle and hugged her famous curves On September 28 the 37-year-old was spotted in New York City donning a pink Yeezy cutout dress that whittled her middle and hugged her every curve. Sans jewelry, Mrs. West carried out the bodycon's sleek and simple design with long pin straight hair. Glossy blush colored makeup and Yeezy sneakers finished off her attention-grabbing ensemble. Neon is in: A day later on September 29, Kim and 5-year-old daughter North were seen on the streets of the Big Apple. Hand in hand, the mother daughter duo were hard to miss A day later on September 29, Kim and 5-year-old daughter North were seen on the streets of the Big Apple. Hand in hand, the mother-daughter duo were hard to miss. Kim wore a bubblegum pink track jacket with matching Balenciaga pants. She completed the sporty getup with white Yeezy sneakers. North was on trend in a neon yellow dress featuring a ruched center panel, a matching crossbody bag and hair-tie. Ready to rock: On September 23 Kim showed off her hourglass figure in a head-to-toe pink ensemble for a night out at the Jay-Z and Beyonce concert in California Pink does a body good: On August 21, the trendsetter attended the What Goes Around Comes Around - 25th Anniversary Auction Beverly Hills Dress wearing a baby pink Versace mini On September 23 Kim showed off her hourglass figure in a head-to-toe blush ensemble for the Jay-Z and Beyonce concert in Pasadena, California. Her cleavage was on full display in a U neck tank top tucked into high-waisted Balenciaga slim-fit pants. She carried an Hermes bag in the same soft hue and wore Tom Ford shoes. On August 21, the trendsetter attended the What Goes Around Comes Around - 25th Anniversary Auction Beverly Hills Dress wearing a powder-pink Versace dress. A Judith Leiber crystal-encrusted bag and PVC Yeezy heels added interest to the simple mini. Second skin: Kim boarded a yacht in Miami in a body-hugging pink Chanel unitard Kim and her kids North and Saint enjoyed a day on Dave Grutman's boat in Miami on August 16. Naturally, she boarded the yacht in a body-hugging pink Chanel unitard, that made the most of her ample derriere. A few days earlier on August 9, the television personality attended half-sister Kylie Jenner's big 21st birthday bash in a hot pink dress by Yeezy. Kylie also wore the vibrant shade. Twinning: On August 9, the television personality attended half-sister Kylie Jenner's big 21st birthday bash in a hot pink dress by Yeezy. Kylie also wore the vibrant shade Millennial Pink first came on the fashion scene in 2012, and apparently industry insiders are not ready to part ways with it. The happy color continues to dominate the runways, and if style minded celebs like Kim are wearing it, it definitely has some staying power. At the very least, the bold hue is guaranteed to boost your mood and liven up your dreary winter wardrobe. Shop our roundup below. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked demure in a pink dress as she joined her father for a church service on Tuesday. Victoria, 41, who is heir to the Swedish throne, accompanied her father King Carl XVI Gustaf for the opening of the General Synod at Uppsala Cathedral. Father and daughter sat side by side on chairs at the front of the congregation, where they shared a quiet word before the start of the service. Princess Victoria, 41, who is heir to the Swedish throne, accompanied her father King Carl XVI Gustaf for the opening of the General Synod at Uppsala Cathedral on Tuesday, pictured The princess, pictured, appeared to be singing from a hymn sheet as she stood beside her father at the service Father and daughter sat side by side on chairs at the front of the congregation, pictured, where they shared a quiet word before the start of the service Later the pair were seen singing confidently from their hymn sheets as they joined in the worship. Princess Victoria was not joined by her husband Prince Daniel, 45, while her mother Queen Silvia, 71, also stayed at home. The princess donned a soft tonal ensemble for the outing, pairing an antique pink dress with a textured lilac coat. Crown Princess Victoria looked in excellent spirits as she arrived, meeting leaders from the Church of Sweden outside before entering the cathedral The princess donned a soft tonal ensemble for the outing, pairing an antique pink dress with a textured lilac coat, pictured King Carl XVI Gustaf typically attends the opening with Queen Silvia however the royal schedule revealed Victoria, pictured today, would attend in her place The princess accessorised her look with a charming flower hair pin, pictured, for the outing to Uppsala Cathedral on Tuesday She finished the look with a pair of nude suede pumps and added a large flower pin in her hair for an extra touch. Meanwhile her father looked dapper in a navy suit and blue tie. Formerly a Catholic Cathedral, Uppsala Cathedral is a church of the Lutheran Church of Sweden and the seat of the Archbishop of Uppsala, the primate of Sweden. Each year it hosts the he General Synod, the Church of Sweden's highest decision-making body. The princess appeared to be looking at the rest of congregation before the service got underway. The General Synod of the Church of Sweden takes place this week Antje Jackelen, the Archbishop of Uppsala and Primate of the Church of Sweden, at the service on Tuesday The stunning Uppsala Cathedral, pictured tonight, which dates back to the late 13th century, is host to the annual General Synod of the Church of Sweden Crown Princess Victoria and King Carl XVI Gustaf were present for the opening of the General Synod King Carl XVI Gustaf typically attends the opening with Queen Silvia however the royal schedule revealed Victoria would attend in her place. Crown Princess Victoria made headlines last week when she commented on how 'awful' it was when her sister Princess Madeleine moved to the US. Madeleine, the youngest daughter of King Carl XVI Gustaf, swapped Sweden for Florida earlier this summer with her yoGung family - leaving siblings Victoria and Carl Philip behind. And speaking at the UN headquarters during a trip to New York City this week, her big sister described her departure as 'awful' according to Royal Central. When asked whether she had managed to visit Madeleine during her trip, Victoria replied: 'I wish! It would have been great fun to meet both her and her family, but it may be another time.' Women have detailed all of the things they would do if men had a curfew at night, revealing the many ways in which they have altered their daily lives in order to avoid possible danger. Civil rights activist Danielle Muscato started the conversation on Twitter last week ahead of the hearing during which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, 51, shared her recollection of being sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh, 53, when she was 15. 'Ladies, a question for you: "What would you do if all men had a 9pm curfew?" Dudes: Read the replies and pay attention,' Danielle wrote next to the hashtags #metoo #Kavanaugh #Cosby #feminism #maleprivilege, and #privilege. Freedom: Women on Twitter have listed all the things they would do if men had a 9pm curfew, with running at night being a strong contender (stock picture) Asking: Activist Danielle Muscato started the conversation ahead of the hearing during which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford shared her recollection of being assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh, 53 Danielle's point wasn't to advocate such a curfew, but rather to show the lengths women go to on a daily basis in order to remain safe, through a theoretical thought experiment. Her tweet promptly went viral, garnering more than 9,000 retweets and more than 19,000 likes, as well as thousands of responses in which women described the seemingly banal acts they wish they were able to do without fear. 'Literally don't even know what to write because there's so many things,' one Twitter user wrote. Several mentioned going to the beach at night, while others said they would walk or run in piece at any hour. Answers: Her tweet promptly went viral, garnering thousands of responses in which women described the seemingly banal acts they wish they were able to do without fear Wishes: Several women said they would enjoy running at night if men had a curfew 'Imagine how different ALL of my life would have been. So much freedom!' one person wrote. 'All the places I would enjoy on my own, and going for walks. Spontaneity to just go! I love the way the air feels on my skin when it's warm at night, and I'd love to experience this without a chaperone.' Someone else tweeted: 'Oh my God. The mind reels. Go dancing? Take a walk? Open the front door without fear?' 'I'd sleep with ground floor windows open on a summer night,' someone else answered. One woman said she would 'walk everywhere' and go shopping for groceries 'late at night when it's quiet'. 'I'd take public transit all the time and could sell my car,' she added. 'I wouldn't worry about my girlfriends when we were out listening to music, etc. Beach at night.' A mother wrote: 'My whole life would have been different, and now my daughter's life would be different.' Overwhelmed: One person said she didn't know what to write because she was thinking of too many things at once Impact: The thread resonated with many Twitter users, including men who said they had never realized women didn't feel free to do all the things they had listed safely It begs the question: One man said he had never been aware of the many ways women try to stay safe, and wondered why they aren't 'filled with uncontrollable rage all the time' One Twitter user pictured herself running 'with both earbuds in, AT NIGHT' and not having to 'cross the road to the other sidewalk'. 'I wouldn't worry about keeping my phone in my hand and locking my door the second I got inside the car,' she added. 'Walk in the woods, because it's beautiful at night.' The thread resonated with many Twitter users, including men who said they had never realized women didn't feel free to do all the things they had listed safely. 'I'm a white guy who regularly visits other countries by himself, walking city streets after midnight while listening to music on my headphones while not speaking the language. Never even occurred to me that this was a gender privilege,' one of them wrote. Another man tweeted: 'Wow, I feel horrible right now. None of this has ever occurred to me as an issue. I run, I go do whatever I want whenever I want. 'Why aren't women filled with uncontrollable rage all the time?' Tom Brady stood by Gisele Bundchen's side during both of her at-home water births, but the supermodel has revealed that both he and her doctor wanted her to go to a hospital the first time because they feared it was 'too dangerous.' In her new book, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, the 38-year-old admits that she ignored her doctor's warning and husband's wishes when she insisted on giving birth to her eldest child, Benjamin, in their bathtub in 2009. 'The doctor told me that it was too dangerous for me to have a home birth,' she recalls. 'He said that Benny was in an unusual position, my hips were too small, and the odds just weren't in my favor.' Birth plan: Gisele Bundchen had at-home water births with her children Ben and Vivan, despite her husband, Tom Brady, being uncomfortable with the idea. The family is pictured in April Pure joy: The supermodel (pictured with Vivian in 2013) says giving birth to her children at were the 'two most extraordinary experiences' of her life It was during that four-month checkup in Los Angeles that the obstetrician advised her to schedule a C-section. Memoir: Gisele, 38, opens up about her at-home water births in her new book However, Gisele insisted that she was going to have her children at home. She wasn't going to let anyone talk her out of it, not even her husband, Tom. Gisele claims she has 'always dreamed of giving birth naturally, at home' and has been wary of hospitals ever since her twin sister, Pati, developed double pneumonia when they were ten years old. A few years before she became pregnant with Benjamin, she became interested in water births following a meeting with a woman named Mayra who was studying to be a midwife. Mayra told her that the 'most soothing way for a newborn to enter the world was into water,' and the conversation stuck with Gisele. When it was time for her to make her birth plan, she shunned her doctor's warning and did what she could to get her husband on board. Plans: Gisele (pictured pregnant with Benjamin in 2009) explains in her book that she 'always dreamed of giving birth naturally, at home' Wary: The mother-of-two admits that Tom, 41, wasn't thrilled with the idea because he thought it was dangerous Fears: Gisele says she has disliked hospitals ever since her twin sister, Pati, developed double pneumonia when they were ten years old. The sisters are pictured in July 2017 'Tom wasn't enthusiastic about a home birth either,' she explains. 'Only after I had him watch a half-dozen natural-birth movies did he finally agree.' However, she admits that it is possible that Tom only agreed because he 'just didn't want to have to watch one more natural-birth video.' Through further research, Gisele consulted with a midwife named Deborah, who was confident that she could have a successful home birth. Mayra, Deborah, Tom, and her mother were all with her during her 16-hour labor, which took place in her Boston home in December 2009. She was surrounded by candles and Krishna Das was playing in the background, but she admits her plan to give birth in her bathtub was not well thought out. Support: A doctor told Gisele it was 'too dangerous' for her to have an at-home birth, but she refused to schedule a C-section. Her mom, Vania (pictured in 2004), supported her decision Setting the mood: Gisele (pictured with Vivian in 2013) was surrounded by candles and Krishna Das was playing in the background during both of her at-home births Dedicated: In her book, Gisele (pictured with Vivian in 2013) reveals that she breastfed each of her children until they were about two years old 'I'm five eleven, and the bathtub was, well, not a whole lot bigger than that,' she explains. Gisele spent the last three hours of her labor in the tub, as people took turns replenishing the hot water. The model says she focused on her breathing, and while she typically prays to her guardian angels, she 'went straight to God' during her labor. 'When Benny arrived, I felt, but not for the first time in my life, that I was somehow outside my own body experiencing the moment from two different perspectives,' she explains. 'I was watching my son be born from a distance, and yet at the same time I was totally in the experience of giving birth to him,' she adds. 'I've always wondered exactly how that could be happening. 'Maybe it's because at the moment the veil between the earth world and the spirit world gets thinner. I don't knowall I know is that it was magical!' In her head: Gisele (pictured with Vivian in 2017) became interested in water births after meeting a midwife who told her it's the 'most soothing way for a newborn to enter the world' Selfless: The model says giving birth was 'the death of me-ness, of ego, of putting myself and my own needs first' Family photo: Gisele is also stepmom to Tom's 11-year-old son Jack (right), his only child with Bridget Moynahan Gisele had a similar birth when she and Tom welcomed their daughter, Vivian, three years later, but this time, she purchased a birthing tub that came with a water heater. The tub, which was nearly seven feet in diameter, was big enough for Tom to be in there with her when she gave birth. Gisele writes that giving birth to Benjamin and Vivian at home were the 'two most extraordinary experiences' of her life. 'I felt like Kali, the Hindu goddess of time, creation, destruction, and power, a feeling of invincibility. I could chew rocks in half! I could split mountains in two! I could divide oceans!' she explains, noting that Kali is also linked with death. 'When a baby is born, a mother takes a step backwards. A part of her dies. It was also the death of me-ness, of ego, of putting myself and my own needs first,' she recalls. In her book, Gisele reveals that she breastfed each of her children until they were about two years old. She made waves in 2013 when she famously shared a photo of herself breastfeeding Vivian while getting primped and pampered by her glam squad. Over the last 65 years she has entertained hundreds of dignitaries from around the world. So it is of no surprise the Queen has learned a trick or two when it comes to making people feel at ease in her company. The 92-year-old monarch showed off easy-going nature when she hosted a group of young Commonwealth leaders in a scene filmed for ITV documentary Queen of the World. The Queen was hailed 'amazing' and 'lovely' by viewers as she expertly guided her guests through the conversation. Fans commented that it transformed the daunting private Buckingham Palace audience into an 'informal chat'. The Queen showed off easy-going nature when she hosted a group of young Commonwealth leaders at Buckingham Palace in a scene filmed for ITV documentary Queen of the World The Queen was hailed 'amazing' and 'lovely' by viewers as she expertly guided her guests through the conversation. Others commented how kind it was to host the young leaders In a standout moment the Queen broke through the tension with a light-hearted comment about the nose flutes she had heard during a 1953 visit to Tonga. 'We had people playing nose flutes outside our window,' she recalled. 'The most extraordinary thing... It sounds awfully uncomfortable but they play rather well.' The curious detail prompted a giggle from all three of her guests. Emotional viewers said they were left 'in tears' by the Queen's kindness throughout the episode. Emotional viewers said they were left 'in tears' by the Queen's kindness throughout the episode. One said she made the audience feel more like an 'informal chat' One said: 'I spend most of my time watching with tears in my eyes'. The episode was the second in the two-part ITV series, which explores Her Majesty's role as head of the Commonwealth as she gradually passes the baton to younger members of the royal family. The episode saw young leaders from every Commonwealth nation gathering in London to be honoured by the Queen. Three of them, including Elizabeth Kite from Tonga, were later selected to join Her Majesty for a private audience at Buckingham Palace. The Queen recalled the sound of nose flutes being played outside her window on her visit to Tonga in 1953, which she described as 'just the most extraordinary thing' Elizabeth Kite, seen centre, told the cameras she was 'extremely nervous' ahead of her audience with the Queen, but afterwards said their meeting was proof 'anything is possible' Miss Kite, who was named after the Queen, confessed to being 'extremely nervous' ahead of her meeting with the monarch, but said afterwards it was proof that 'anything is possible'. 'I just had a chat with the Queen,' she says after leaving the room. 'Im going to wake up tomorrow and feel, like, did that happen? I dont quite know 'Honestly anything really is possible. Whatever it is you dream to be you can actually achieve.' During the meeting the Queen reflected on her visit as a 27-year-old newly anointed monarch, and recalls finding it difficult to sit cross-legged, as is the custom in Tonga. The Queen jokes in a new ITV documentary that sitting cross-legged for long periods proved rather 'painful' during her 1953 visit to Tonga, on her Commonwealth tour with Prince Phillip 'It's quite painful for people who are not built in the same direction,' she quipped. The Queen was welcomed to Tonga in 1953 by Queen Salote, who held a great open-air feast in her honour, where guests sat cross-legged around long, low tables. The monarch, who has been head of state for 66 years, also talks of how she has met an 'awful lot of people' in her role. She says of Tonga: 'I haven't met the new (king). 'But, you see, I haven't been for such a long time. I've met an awful lot of people.' Two years ago, I had a very bad attack of shingles in my right eye and scalp. I was in such agony I went to hospital and was put on a morphine drip for three days. My right eye and scalp now feel constantly irritated and itchy. Ive been told theres nothing I can do about it, but it drives me crazy. Im 79 and otherwise fit and active. Shiela Peczenik, Andover, Hants. What you describe is known as postherpetic neuralgia, a sensation triggered by nerve damage following shingles. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Like most of us, you probably have had chickenpox in childhood after you recovered, the virus will have gone into hibernation in nerve tissue close to the brain or spinal cord. Fact: Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox Your immune system will have kept it under control for all that time until two years ago, when, for some reason, your immunity waned, allowing the virus to reactivate wherever it had been lurking for all those years. In your case, it was possibly in a branch of the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the forehead and eye region (the upper third of the face). As well as the painful blistering rash of shingles, this will have caused an inflammatory response around your right eye and scalp. The pain usually dissipates after several weeks, but in some people it can persist, and this is termed postherpetic neuralgia; essentially the nerve cells that were damaged by inflammation continue to send pain signals to the brain. The damage may also cause areas of numbness and abnormal sensation when the skin is touched or something cold or warm is applied in your case, this has triggered a persistent itching. There are drugs that can reduce the abnormal sensations, but treatment may have to continue for many months with the occasional review by your doctor or a pain clinic specialist to fine-tune the correct dose. The two drugs of choice are gabapentin and pregabalin. These are anticonvulsant medicines which are also proven to be useful in the treatment of nerve-derived pain they effectively dampen the pain signals. The other option with a similar mechanism is taking a tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline. This should be started at the dose of 10 mg taken at night (by comparison, as a treatment for depression the dose is much higher, 75 mg to 150 mg). Did you know? The pain of shingles usually dissipates after several weeks, but in some people it can persist, and this is termed postherpetic neuralgia Even at that low dose, sleepiness and dry mouth may be troublesome side-effects, particularly in the first week or two, and it may take up a month to notice any improvement. One other suggestion to discuss with your GP is the prescription-only capsaicin cream, which contains a purified version of the ingredient in chilli peppers that makes them taste hot. Research has shown this can help relieve nerve pain in the skin. It must be applied four times daily to the skin only (not the eye) and can cause a burning discomfort which up to a third of users may find is worse than the symptom they are hoping to treat but it might be worth a try. You have already suffered the complication for two years and I think theres a strong case for talking to your GP about further treatment, or asking for a referral to a specialist pain clinic. Since returning from a holiday four years ago, my feet have ached. At first I thought it was because Id been wearing flip-flops, but Ive had a number of different diagnoses and treatments. After a second MRI scan, Ive now been told its arthritis. I had steroid injections three weeks ago but, to my dismay, my feet are no better. Im 84 and very healthy otherwise. My toes are fine its my insteps and ankles that hurt. Name and address supplied. I sense your frustration and disappointment in your longer letter you detail a saga of different clinicians (including a podiatrist, two orthopaedic surgeons, and your GP), and now you feel that, despite treatment, the pain has not changed. I note that the pain, under the instep of each foot as well as around the ankle, came on suddenly, and that you suspect it was triggered by wearing flip-flops. It may be a cliche to blame walking in such unsupportive shoes, but its something Ive seen several times, and on every occasion the diagnosis was plantar fasciitis. Write to Dr Scurr To contact Dr Scurr with a health query, write to him at Good Health Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email drmartin@dailymail.co.uk including contact details. Dr Scurr cannot enter into personal correspondence. His replies cannot apply to individual cases and should be taken in a general context. Always consult your own GP with any health worries. Advertisement This affects the soft tissues of the underside of the foot, specifically the ligaments that attach muscles of the underside of the foot to the underside of the heel bone. Its caused by inflammation triggered by overuse (like a repetitive strain injury). It may be that using your toes to grip on to the flip-flops to keep them on might have upset the usual muscle function of the underside of the foot especially if doing more walking than usual when on holiday. The condition is more common in older people, but affects both feet in only 10 per cent of cases. The diagnosis is based upon the symptoms, with the pain often being most severe with the first steps of the day and the point where the instep meets the heel bone feeling acutely tender when pressed. Plantar fasciitis may not show up on scans, and these may even be misleading because if they reveal any arthritic change, this could be misdiagnosed as the cause of the pain. The treatment includes rest, wearing supportive, well-cushioned shoes with good arch and heel support and, often, an orthotic in the shoe (a wedge-shaped one that raises the heel slightly). It usually takes six to 12 months to recover. The question to ask your GP or orthopaedic specialist is whether your pain might be due to plantar fasciitis. IN MY VIEW...GPs SHOULD BE IN HOSPITALS GENERAL practice is in real trouble with a perfect storm of soaring demand, cuts in funding, staff shortages and ever more red tape. The Daily Mail's resident GP: Dr Martin Scurr No wonder patients struggle to get appointments. No wonder GPs feel disillusioned, their jobs no longer seen as fulfilling, leading in turn to difficulty recruiting and retaining them. Part of the problem lies with the independent subcontractor status of GPs, an historic arrangement dating from the start of the NHS in 1948. It means GPs are effectively small businesses hired in by the health service. But this model is no longer fit for purpose: a recent survey revealed that only one GP in five sees partnership as the most attractive career option. General practice is losing 100 partners every month. One of my friends, an experienced GP in her late 40s, is typical. She recently resigned from her partnership and is happily working as a locum. A single mother of two teenage boys, she has more freedom, less administrative burden and is able to concentrate on patient care. What she misses is being able to provide continuity of care, which we all acknowledge improves outcomes and is more satisfying for both patient and doctor. But the cavalry is riding to the rescue: a West Midlands hospital trust has announced its taking over 18 practices covering 100,000 patients, with the GP partners giving up their independent status to become salaried employees. This will enable them to concentrate on care and relinquish the burden of management. It also has the potential to reduce the divide between general practice and hospital care. Patients and medical staff alike can only benefit when GPs are able to work alongside their specialist colleagues, ideally participating in the care of their patients when theyre in hospital, with access to hospital record systems and the ability to freely investigate their patients using hospital facilities. Its time the walls came down: I hope we see more such schemes soon. The patient sitting before me in the neurosurgery department was a 50-year-old professional who had been brought in with a small brain haemorrhage. I first sent him for a CT scan to assess what had caused the bleeding, but this was inconclusive. I then ordered a more detailed and invasive test, known as a digital subtraction angiogram. This involves injecting a dye into the tiny blood vessels in the brain and monitoring its flow to detect the damage. The radiologist wrote up his assessment based on a video of the procedure. A couple of days later, the consultant asked me, then a junior, for the results. But when I opened the patients folder, the radiologists report was missing. I spent two hours desperately trying to find the missing notes or the original video. In the end, the consultant ruled we had no choice but to repeat the procedure. However, the procedure has a 1 per cent chance of causing a stroke and although the first one had passed off smoothly, minutes after the repeat procedure was performed, the patient who had been admitted with only a minor headache suffered a stroke and was left unable to speak or move. My attempts to highlight the problems of missing paper records with hospital management were simply rebuffed. The scary thing is, this is not an isolated incident. Colleagues often tell me they have had to ask patients to undergo repeated tests sometimes invasive ones with a risk of serious side-effects all because their original test results were missing. While the rest of society has embraced a paperless culture, some NHS records are still written on easily lost bits of paper. For although virtually every GP has a computer on their desk for instant access to medical records and the ability to take notes electronically, in hospitals, contemporaneous medical notes (recorded during assessment and treatment) are almost always handwritten on paper or card. This means every time a doctor assesses or treats a patient, the details are written by hand and stored along with any X-rays and scans in a folder that goes back into a filing cabinet for safe-keeping, before being scanned into a computer file at a later date. Yet the evidence suggests those records are anything but safe. A 2011 study by Imperial College London, published in the journal BMC Health Services Research, found 15 per cent of people attending outpatient appointments at hospital arrived to find key medical information about them was missing from their file. A friend recently waited three months for an outpatient appointment only to find staff couldnt locate part of his medical records, so they sent him home until they could. For him, it was an inconvenience, but for others, such mishaps can be devastating. Dr Mike Brookes A friend recently waited three months for an outpatient appointment only to find staff couldnt locate part of his medical records, so they sent him home until they could. For him, it was an inconvenience, but for others, such mishaps can be devastating. Meanwhile, many NHS trusts still rely on fax machines to send vital clinical information. I had to do this myself recently after a patient had a heart attack and I needed to send the test results to a cardiologist several miles away. I had to photocopy the thin test paper so it would feed through the fax machine, dial the number and hope the machine at the other end had enough toner and paper to print it out. Then I paged the cardiologist and hoped they got to see the scan before it got lost or chucked to one side. Meanwhile, every minute a heart attack patient is kept waiting, more of their heart muscle is dying, increasing the risk of serious long-term problems or death. My frustration propelled me to set up a company that provides software to the NHS which allows any doctor to have access to any inpatients medical records on an iPad they carry around with them. It also means nothing needs to be written on paper: scan results and notes can be typed and stored on the iPad there and then. Two NHS trusts currently use the system, but its taken nearly six years to get this far. And its just as difficult for other software firms trying to break into the health service. So while most of us now rely on smartphones, tablets and laptops to communicate and record information, the health service, for which accurate, readily available medical records are vital, is lagging far behind and, I fear, putting lives at risk in the process. Dr Mike Brooks is a part-time A&E doctor and chief medical officer for PatientSource, an electronic patient record system. Millions of people face severe side-effects when trying to come off anti-depressants, a major review has concluded. For years health officials have played down the difficulty of withdrawing from antidepressants, insisting side-effects are mild and last no more than a week or two. But a review of medical evidence today shows 56 per cent of people suffer withdrawal effects if they try to come off the drugs. According to the NHS, 16 per cent of adults seven million people in England took the drugs in 2016-17, one of the highest rates in the world [File photo] The worst-hit experience nausea, anxiety, insomnia and agitation, with many people put back on antidepressants as doctors mistake the symptoms for a relapse of depression itself. The issue is contentious just last week a senior psychiatrist resigned from his Government position after he received sustained abuse for playing down the side-effects of withdrawal. The new study, in the Journal of Addictive Behaviours, suggests of the seven million people taking antidepressants in England alone, four million are at risk of withdrawal symptoms if they try to come off the pills. Some 1.8million are at risk of severe symptoms and for 1.7million 25 per cent of patients taking the drugs the withdrawal effects would last at least three months. For years health officials have played down the difficulty of withdrawing from antidepressants, insisting side-effects are mild and last no more than a week or two [File photo] Experts believe the problem has helped drive up antidepressant use in Britain to levels that are among the highest in the Western world. The scientists behind the review, from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence, called for guidelines by NHS watchdog NICE to be rewritten in light of the findings. Researcher Dr James Davies, of Roehampton University, said: This new review of the research reveals what many patients have known for years that withdrawal from antidepressants often causes severe, debilitating symptoms which can last for weeks, months or longer. Existing NICE guidelines fail to acknowledge how common withdrawal is and wrongly suggest that it usually resolves within one week. This leads many doctors to misdiagnose withdrawal symptoms, often as relapse, resulting in much unnecessary and harmful long-term prescribing. The review involved evidence from 24 existing studies, including 5,300 patients. The findings have been submitted to Public Health England, which is conducting a review into prescription pill dependency. That review was triggered by a campaign by the Daily Mail raising awareness of patients left dependent on drugs through no fault of their own. People in Britain use more antidepressants than almost every other country in the Western world. Experts believes this is partly due to lack of awareness of withdrawal problems. According to the NHS, 16 per cent of adults seven million people in England took the drugs in 2016-17. This is one of the highest rates in the world. The scientists behind the review, from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence, called for guidelines by NHS watchdog NICE to be rewritten in light of the findings [File photo] And the length of time people are kept on the drugs has soared, with one in four users taking the pills for an average of 15 months compared with eight months 20 years ago. Dr Davies believes part of the problem is patients being left on the pills for years because they find it so hard to withdraw. If there was wider awareness of the withdrawal issue, fewer patients would be prescribed the drugs in the first place, he said. If the NHS reduces prescriptions, he said, it could cut the 250million annual bill spent on antidepressants alone and instead put money into counselling, talking therapies and other proven treatments. NICE said that it was reviewing its guidance. A stroke victim who 'looked like a monster' has smiled for the first time in two-and-a-half years after pioneering surgery. Jarmilla Hawes, from Vancouver in Washington, was told she would never be able to move the left side of her face again after suffering a stroke. But the 56-year-old grandmother defied the odds and managed her first grin since her ordeal in March this year, following a nine-hour operation. Medics who performed the life-changing surgery transferred nerves from one side of her face and tongue to the other - to reanimate her face. And now Mrs Hawes, who recently married her partner of 15 years, is over the moon about the results of the mammoth procedure. Jarmilla Hawes was told she would never be able to move the left side of her face again after suffering a stroke. But the grandmother managed her first grin since her ordeal in March this year, following a nine-hour operation (left, after the stroke, and right, after the treatment) Mrs Hawes said: 'I missed my face. I missed smiling. My facial expression was always the same. It was terrible. I thought I looked like a monster. 'But it is wonderful to smile again, to be able to show when I am happy and not even think about it. 'I go out now. I go to restaurants, I walk my dog, I kayak. Last summer I went to Hawaii and I swum in the ocean. 'I even got married last year. I would never have taken that step when half my face was drooping.' Mrs Hawes, a former Costco cashier, had the haemorrhagic stroke in September 2015, while working in the shop. Recalling the ordeal, she said her manager took her into a backroom and called an ambulance because she 'didn't feel good'. But when she woke up, she was in hospital and she couldn't walk. Mrs Hawes added: 'I was numb down my whole right side. 'The vision in my left eye was shot. The whole left side of my face completely dropped down. Medics who performed the surgery transferred nerves from one side of her face and tongue to the other - to reanimate her face (pictured with her granddaughter Adena in 2007) And now Mrs Hawes, who recently married her partner of 15 years, is over the moon about the results of the mammoth procedure (pictured in hospital for the surgery) Mrs Hawes said: 'I missed my face. I missed smiling. My facial expression was always the same. It was terrible. I thought I looked like a monster' (pictured recently) 'It affected my speech. I could only drink from a straw. I could only eat from a tiny hole in the corner of my mouth. 'I had to relearn everything. I was in a rehabilitation hospital for a month and I went to outpatient physical therapy for over a year.' Although Mrs Hawes learnt how to walk again, the left side of her face remained droopy and immobile. She added: 'I was going to all different kind of therapies - speech, occupational and physical. All my therapists said that nothing could be done. 'I asked all my doctors and I kept looking it up online. It was awful, every time I went to sleep I had to tape my left eye shut.' Six months after the stroke, Mrs Hawes was referred to Oregon Health & Science University's newly created Facial Nerve Center in Portland. Mrs Hawes, a former Costco cashier, had the haemorrhagic stroke in September 2015, while working in the shop (pictured after her treatment) Recalling the ordeal, she said her manager took her into a backroom and called an ambulance because she 'didn't feel good' (pictured after her stroke) Although Mrs Hawes learnt how to walk again, the left side of her face remained droopy and immobile (pictured with Adena in 2013) WHAT IS A STROKE? There are two kinds of stroke: 1. ISCHEMIC STROKE An ischemic stroke - which accounts for 80 percent of strokes - occurs when there is a blockage in a blood vessel that prevents blood from reaching part of the brain. 2. HEMORRHAGIC STROKE The more rare, a hemorrhagic stroke, occurs when a blood vessel bursts, flooding part of the brain with too much blood while depriving other areas of adequate blood supply. It can be the result of an AVM, or arteriovenous malformation (an abnormal cluster of blood vessels), in the brain. Thirty percent of subarachnoid hemorrhage sufferers die before reaching the hospital. A further 25 percent die within 24 hours. And 40 percent of survivors die within a week. Advertisement She was introduced to Dr Myriam Loyo Li, who had worked on 25 people with facial paralysis and noticed improvement in all of them. Dr Loyo Li specialises in disconnecting hair-width nerves one by one and reattaching them elsewhere. The nerves eventually grow and strengthen on new muscles - causing the paralysed areas to 'reanimate'. A month later, Mrs Hawes was wheeled into surgery for the operation. She said: 'I was nervous because nobody had heard about this surgery. 'There were no guarantees that the nerves would take, but I knew I had to do something. I didn't have a choice.' It took four months for the post-op swelling to subside and Mrs Hawes didn't know the surgery had been a success until one day in September 2016. She said: 'I had this huge operation but there were no signs that it had worked. The nerves have to reattach and that takes a while. Six months after the stroke, Mrs Hawes was referred to Oregon Health & Science University's newly created Facial Nerve Center in Portland (pictured just after the operation) She was introduced to Dr Myriam Loyo Li (pictured), who had worked on 25 people with facial paralysis and noticed improvement in all of them It took four months for the post-op swelling to subside and Mrs Hawes didn't know the surgery had been a success until September 2016 (pictured with her husband Ken and Adena) 'But then one day in September, I was taking a selfie and I saw a little movement in my upper lip. I was so excited. 'I was at home by myself and I thought: oh my goodness, my lip moved. To me, that was a big deal.' Mrs Hawes continued to improve and in August 2017 she tied the knot with her long-term partner Ken, 63, a warehouse operative. She said: 'My boyfriend and I have been together for 15 years and I was with him for a long time without getting married. 'We had a simple courthouse wedding with just my granddaughter, Adena, 13, with us.' And then in March this year, for the first time since her stroke, she was able to smile a close-mouthed beam. She said: 'I'm so excited to live now. I don't want to focus on my limitations and I don't want to lose anything I've gained.' A 23-year-old man is thought to be one of the youngest adults in the UK to ever be diagnosed with both dementia and Parkinson's. Jordan Adams discovered he has inherited a gene that causes both early onset frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson's from his mother Geri last month. Although the entrepreneur, from Redditch, shows no signs of either illness now, doctors have warned him he could lose the ability to walk, talk and even eat at any time. Like his mother who passed away aged just 52, Mr Adams is expected to die in his 50s. Refusing to be defeated, he plans to have his sperm screened for the faulty gene so that he and his girlfriend Lucy Thomas, 21, can start a family before his symptoms develop. He has also put together a bucket list that includes travelling to Hawaii, buying a house and skydiving. Scroll down for video Jordan Adams, 23, is thought to be one of the youngest adults in the UK to be diagnosed with both dementia and Parkinson's disease. He inherited a gene for the disorders from his mother Doctors have warned Mr Adams he could lose the ability to walk, talk and even eat. Despite this, the entrepreneur hopes to start a family with his girlfriend Lucy Thomas (pictured) Mr Adams' mother Geri (pictured with her son as a child) was diagnosed with both dementia and Parkinson's disease in 2010. After battling the disease for six years, she died aged 52 Mr Adams and his sister Kennedy, 25, decided to be tested for the faulty MAPT gene after watching their mother's health deteriorate over six years. After three months of grueling blood tests and doctors' consultations, Mr Adams was told he had inherited the faulty gene on September 12. Kennedy was given the all-clear. Speaking of his devastating diagnosis, Mr Adams said: 'We had been in the waiting area for what seemed like hours - it was only 10 minutes but it felt like an eternity. 'As soon as I walked into the room I knew it wasn't a positive result. Nobody can prepare you for that. 'If there are no advancements then I'll have a shorter life than most. It's like a death sentence. 'It's very hard to explain. We're all dealt cards in life and I was just incredibly unlucky.' After watching his mother's health deteriorate, Mr Adams underwent three months of grueling blood tests and doctors' consultations to determine if he also carried the same faulty gene. He is pictured with the letter confirming his diagnosis on September 12 this year Geri (pictured with Mr Adams and his sister Kennedy) first developed symptoms in 2006 when she started acting 'out of character'. 'One Saturday she went to pick up Kennedy from school but it was a weekend. She seemed to lack compassion which was a huge change,' he said WHAT IS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA? Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behaviour, problem-solving, planning and emotions. The left temporal lobe is involved in the meaning of words and the names of objects. The right recognises faces and familiar objects. FTD occurs when nerve cells in these lobes die and the pathways that connect them change. Symptoms are different from just the memory loss that is associated with Alzheimer's disease. These may include: Personality changes, such as becoming tactless, uninterested in others and unsympathetic Repeated and compulsive movements, such as continued use of certain phrases, hoarding and obsession over timekeeping Craving unhealthy food and forgetting table manners Speaking difficulties, including slow speech, grammatical errors and asking the meaning of familiar words like 'bread' FTD is rare, making up less than five per cent of all dementia cases. However, it is one of the most common forms of the disease in people under 65. Sufferers are usually aged between 45 and 65 at diagnosis. The rate at which FTD progresses varies greatly, with life expectancies ranging from two years to more than 10 after diagnosis. As it progresses and more of the brain becomes damaged, symptoms often become similar to those in the late stage of Alzheimer's. These may include memory loss and patients relying on others to care for them. Around 10-to-20 per cent of FTD patients also have a motor disorder that affects their movement. This can lead to twitching, stiffness, slowed movement and loss of balance or co-ordination. In later stages, such patients may have difficulty swallowing. Around one-third of FTD patients have a family history of dementia. And the condition is often caused by an inherited faulty gene from one of a patient's parents. Treatment focuses on helping a person live well by easing their symptoms. This may include counselling or a speech and language therapist. Source: Alzheimer's Society Advertisement Mr Adams saw the full impact of both dementia and Parkinson's while caring for his mother, who gradually lost the ability to talk, walk, eat and even breathe by herself. Her family first noticed something was wrong in 2006 when she started acting out of character, however, she was not diagnosed until 2010. 'Mum was full of love and very much a people person,' Mr Adams said. 'No one had a bad word to say about her, she was very kind and lovely.' Speaking of before she was diagnosed, he added: 'We'd noticed irregularities in her behaviour. 'I remember one Saturday she went to pick up Kennedy from school but it was a weekend. 'Her character changed from being a loving woman and she became quite cold. 'She seemed to lack compassion which was a huge change from when she'd covered us in love. 'She slowly got stripped of her communication. She couldn't talk a lot and then she began to lose her mobility and couldn't go out alone. He added: 'As the disease progressed she lost the ability to walk and care for herself and for the last 18 months she was bedridden. It was heartwrenching.' Kennedy (left) also got tested for the gene but was given the all-clear. 'When I found out he had the gene, I said if I could have had it instead then I would,' she said. Also pictured are Mr Adams (centre) and his brother Cian, 18; it is unclear if he inherited his mother's faulty gene Geri's personality switched from being loving to suddenly cold, Mr Adams claims Refusing to be defeated by his diagnosis, Mr Adams claims the news has given him a 'license to live'. He adds learning his time is short has made him more grateful for what he has Once vivacious and independent, Geri gradually lost her ability to walk and talk. For the last 18 months of her life, she was bedridden, which Mr Adams describes as 'heartwrenching' WHAT IS PARKINSON'S? THE INCURABLE DISEASE THAT STRUCK BOXER MUHAMMAD ALI Parkinsons disease affects one in 500 people, and around 127,000 people in the UK live with the condition. Figures also suggest one million Americans also suffer. It causes muscle stiffness, slowness of movement, tremors, sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue, an impaired quality of life and can lead to severe disability. It is a progressive neurological condition that destroys cells in the part of the brain that controls movement. Sufferers are known to have diminished supplies of dopamine because nerve cells that make it have died. There is currently no cure and no way of stopping the progression of the disease, but hundreds of scientific trials are underway to try and change that. The disease claimed the life of boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 2016. Advertisement Despite the initial shock of his diagnosis, Mr Adams and his girlfriend are still planning a full future together. The couple are considering IVF when they decide to start a family due to the process allowing doctors to screen Mr Adam's sperm for the dementia-carrying gene. 'I feel like the diagnosis is actually a licence to live,' he said. 'It'll make me step back and appreciate the bigger picture. It's going to allow me to make choices to live a fulfilled life.' Miss Thomas added: 'We've decided that it'd be probably best to have children first and then get married. 'We know it's different to how most people would it do but it'll give Jordan more time with his kids. 'It's hard to deal with knowing he won't be there one day but it's important to retain perspective. 'We will have a life together despite everything.' Kennedy added her brother has shown tremendous courage since he was given the shattering diagnosis. 'This disease is hereditary, aggressive and rare,' she said. 'I've been told you have more chance of winning the EuroMillions than getting it. 'But Jordan's been incredible, and he's not going to let it destroy him. 'When I found out he had the gene, I said if I could have had it instead then I would. She added: 'We think Jordan is one of the youngest people to be diagnosed with the conditions in the UK that we know of. 'It's like you've got a black cloud over you but you don't know when the storm will come. 'He has got time but we just don't know how much - he has no symptoms yet, but it could start tomorrow. He won't get it when he's old and grey, but when he's young and fit.' Kennedy worries the disease will eventually strip her brother of his personality. 'He won't have likes and dislikes and he won't be able to hold a conversation,' she said. 'Eventually he won't be able to feed himself and walk.' 'How can this happen to one family? When will it stop? It seems never-ending.' Donate towards Mr Adam's bucket list here. A woman cruelly called a 'monster' by bullies after steroid creams made her skin burn and hair fall out is finally in recovery. Nina Ajdin, 28, from Wheaton, Illinois, was suicidal during her 10 year addiction to the controversial creams. In the beginning, the creams soothed the red, scaly patches on her body. But she eventually decided to stop taking them at 17. Doctors were left baffled as Ms Ajdin's hair then fell out and she was left completely bald, with her body covered in red, raw skin. She was not diagnosed with topical steroid withdrawal because it is a theory not widely accepted by the medical community. It was only when Ms Ajdin watched a video online about the severe reactions to coming off the drugs that she realised what was wrong. Now, for the first time in over a decade, Ms Ajdin - who is working in customer services and applying to start a degree in business management - is finally starting to lead a normal life. Scroll down for video Nina Ajdin, 28, from Wheaton, Illinois, spent 10 years battling her addiction to the controversial creams (left, during her withdrawal, right, pictured in recovery) In the beginning, the creams soothed the red, scaly patches on her body. But she eventually decided to stop taking them at 17 (pictured: symptoms of her withdrawal) She said: 'I'm finally able to start living a normal life. I still get flares, but not nearly as bad as they used to be. I know overall my body is healing inside and out.' Ms Ajdin was prescribed steroid creams at the age of ten to help ease symptoms of eczema. She revealed the creams would help her rashes to subside. But when she stopped taking them as a teenager, she went bald and had 'third degree burns' from her scalp to the soles of her feet. Ms Ajdin was unable to move, walk, eat or dress herself without assistance and doctors were clueless as to what was wrong. She added: 'It got to the point I felt like I'd rather be dead than dealing with what I was going through. 'The most difficult part of it was the lack of awareness in the medical community. Every doctor I went to just told me to keep taking the steroids.' She was not officially diagnosed with topical steroid withdrawal because it is a theory not widely accepted by the medical community (pictured: the symptoms of her withdrawal) It was only when Ms Ajdin watched a video online about the severe reactions to coming off the drugs that she realised what was wrong (pictured: the symptoms of her withdrawal) Ms Ajdin claims she visited more than 100 doctors. The reactions from the creams reportedly put her in a comatose state for up to 23 hours and caused bulling by strangers who called her a 'monster,' leading her to have suicidal thoughts. This forced her to stay at home and isolate herself from the outside world. In addition to the rashes and hair loss, a fluid with a foul smell was oozing from Ms Ajdin's skin during the withdrawals. She said: 'When the oozing was really bad, I couldn't go out at all. It just smelled like my skin was rotting away. 'At the worst point, I was oozing so badly that I had to sleep with five towels underneath me.' Ms Ajdin was prescribed steroid creams at the age of ten to help ease symptoms of eczema. She revealed the creams would help her rashes to subside (pictured recently in recovery) Ms Ajdin burst into tears when she watched the video as she said it offered her an answer for her 10 years of suffering (pictured: the symptoms of her withdrawal) WHAT IS TOPICAL STEROID ADDICTION? Topical steroid addiction happens when steroid creams, which can be used to treat skin conditions like severe eczema, are used for too long or in too high a dose. First described in 1979 in the International Journal of Dermatology, the theory is that, over time, the skin becomes 'addicted' to the steroids. So when the patient stops using the steroids, the skin has withdrawal symptoms which can be worse than the original problem the drugs were used to treat. Symptoms can include: Redness, particularly on the face, genitals and area where the steroids were applied Thickened skin Burning or stinging Dryness Skin sensitivity and intolerance to moisturisers Many sufferers also develop insomnia. Treatment focuses on anxiety support, sleep aids, itch management, infection prevention and drugs to weaken the immune system. Excessive sweating and itching is a sign of recovery. Doctors should advise patients to avoid long term or high dose steroid use. Source: DermNet NZ Advertisement Her father then stumbled across a video online about the symptoms of topical steroid withdrawal four years ago. Topical steroid withdrawal is a theory not widely accepted by the medical community. Some experts say the sore and itchy skin caused by eczema end up being caused by the steroid creams used to treat the condition and that the only way to break this cycle is to stop using steroid creams altogether. First described in 1979 in the International Journal of Dermatology, the theory is, over time, the skin becomes addicted to the steroids. And when patients stop using the creams it triggers a reaction that makes the problem worse. Ms Ajdin burst into tears when she watched the video as she said it offered her an answer for her 10 years of suffering. She decided her best option was to go cold turkey and let the withdrawal symptoms work their course. After dealing with even worse symptoms for the next few years, Ms Ajdin has now had clear skin for four months and is finally starting to recover. She said: 'I'm working, I'm not afraid to leave the house anymore, I receive my Associates degree, and I'm applying to Bachelor's programs.' As part of her recovery, Ms Ajdin has also been taking Kratom, an Asian tea that is on the verge of being banned in America. She claims the plant-based supplement has helped her battle the depression caused by the condition and improve her mood. Ms Ajdin wants other sufferers of TSW to know it is important to not lose hope, as she went from wanting to die to now being able to live a normal life. She said: 'It's crazy to think that I went from wanting to take my own life to finding a solution. 'I hope other sufferers realize that no matter how bad it gets, their life will go back to normal one day.' Ms Ajdin wants other TSW sufferers to know it is important to not lose hope, as she went from wanting to die to now being able to live a normal life (pictured: symptoms of her withdrawal) She said: 'It's crazy to think that I went from wanting to take my own life to finding a solution' (pictured: before she suffered from withdrawal) A woman was in denial about her life-threatening liver failure until it caused vitiligo to spread to her face. Julie Williams, 22, from New York, refused to accept her diagnosis, with it even taking five doctors to convince her she needed a life-saving liver transplant. Miss Williams was diagnosed with the progressive liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in 2014 after she started to develop patches of vitiligo and constant itching on the bottom of her feet. Left exhausted and suffering from jaundice, Miss Williams' weight plummeted from a slim 114lbs (8st 2lbs) to just 86lbs (6st 2lbs). Since finally having the much-needed liver transplant last June, Miss Williams is gradually building up her strength at home. Julie Williams was in denial about her life-threatening liver failure until it caused vitiligo to spread to her face. It even took five doctors to convince her she needed a life-saving liver transplant. Miss Williams is pictured after the operation, showing off her surgery's scar After spending three months on the transplant list, Miss Williams was told on June 6 a suitable donor liver had become available and she would have the operation the following day. Pictured in hospital, she spent three days in intensive care and over a week on a trauma ward An animal lover, Miss Williams (pictured before on the farm where she lives with her aunt and uncle) refused to accept her diagnosis due to the fear it would stop her caring for the cattle Speaking of her symptoms, Miss Williams said: 'Out of nowhere, about four years ago, I started getting vitiligo and very bad itching on the bottom of my feet. 'It felt like poison ivy that no matter how much you itched it or if you put anything on it, nothing would relieve it. 'So, I had blood tests and biopsies done, and that's when I was diagnosed with PSC. 'The most terrifying news I've heard in my life was that I would need a transplant and I was in total denial.' Miss Williams tolerated her vitiligo until it spread to her face, which shattered her confidence. 'The itchy feet made it impossible for me to sleep. Not long after that my eyes and skin became jaundice and I was feeling constantly tired,' she said. 'I had this feeling of sickness almost all of the time so I could barely manage to eat anything. 'The final symptom was my spleen becoming very enlarged, so I saw four different doctors to get all of their opinions because I was in such a state of denial. 'The outcomes were all the same but the fifth doctor I saw was the one who I felt most comfortable with. She gave me a much more positive outlook on what was to come.' Pictured before her transplant, Miss Williams' weight plummeted from 114lbs (8st 2lbs) to just 86lbs (6st 2lbs). She also developed jaundice and battled constant fatigue Since having the surgery, Miss Williams now weighs a healthier 7st 3lbs (101lbs) WHAT IS PRIMARY SCLEROSING CHOLANGITIS (PSC)? Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare chronic liver disease in which the bile ducts inside and outside the liver progressively decrease in size due to inflammation and scarring. Many people have no symptoms at first, however, early warning signs can include tiredness and abdominal discomfort. Late symptoms include itching, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), fever, shaking and chills. At present there is no known cure or specific treatment for PSC and preliminary trials are still ongoing. In the book 'Blumgart's Surgery of the Liver, Biliary Tract and Pancreas', the medical authors wrote that vitiligo can be an early symptom of PSC. Vitiligo is when white patches develop on the skin. It is caused by the lack of melanin, a pigment in the skin. Current evidence suggests that the disease may be triggered by an unknown bacteria or virus in people who are genetically programmed to get the disease Source: British Liver Trust Advertisement After spending three months on the transplant list, Miss Williams was told on June 6 last year a suitable donor liver had become available and she would have the transplant the following day. 'I was in theatre for over six hours and by the end they couldn't stitch me up on the inside because there was so much swelling,' she said. 'They just stitched my skin up on the outside, so nothing was exposed. 'The next day I went back into surgery, so they could stitch me up properly on the inside and I spent three days in the intensive care unit.' Miss Williams then spent more than a week in a trauma ward. It was not until 12 days after the operation that she was finally able to stand and walk again. Pictured before her transplant, Miss Williams only trusted the opinion of the fifth doctors she saw due to her having 'a much more positive outlook on what was to come' Pictured before, Miss Williams worried a transplant would prevent her attending farm shows Miss Williams, who lives on her aunt and uncle's farm, denied being unwell for so long due to the fear that her prognosis would stop her from doing the things she loves. While ill, she struggled with not being able to tend to the farm animals or show the cattle in agricultural shows. 'I wanted to run from it because I was so terrified. But my motto is to have faith over fear,' Miss Williams. 'After the transplant, the pain was so intense and I could hardly walk. 'It hurt to even move, but after a few days I could already feel a difference in my overall health. 'Since then, everything has been going well in my recovery. I'm no longer jaundice, and I can now pretty much eat anything within reason. 'Before going into surgery, I only weighed just over 6st (84lbs) but now I'm a much happier 7st 3lbs (101lbs) and I'm slowly gaining my muscle back.' Miss Williams (pictured after) is now recovering at home and slowly regaining her strength Pictured after the transplant, it took Miss Williams 12 days before she could stand or walk In September, Miss Williams took part in a 3.1-mile 'Liver Life' walk with her aunt. 'There are still some things I can't do and I will miss out on, but I feel like this has all opened up so many more possibilities for me now,' she said. 'Sometimes thinking back on it makes me very emotional, but I've had such a strong, positive and loving support system throughout all of this. 'I've since been able to attend the agricultural fairs with my family and friends.' Miss Williams shares regular updates on her recovery on her Instagram page @countrygirl735 in the hope of educating people on the importance of transplants. 'To anyone going through a tough time, I just want to show that things will get better. Keep a positive outlook and do fun things to occupy your mind,' she said. 'I chose to put my story out there on Instagram to inspire people, and I hope that by sharing my story I will inspire more people to change their outlook on what they're going through.' Teenagers who regularly get less than six hours sleep each night are twice as likely to smoke, drink or take drugs. Researchers found youngsters who often stay up later and wake up earlier also face treble the risk of suicide. Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital sifted through data from thousands of teenagers to make the conclusion. Youngsters are recommended to get at least eight hours kip and no more than 10 to give them the ideal amount of rest. Teens who get less than six hours sleep are twice as likely to smoke, drink or take drugs (stock) 'Insufficient sleep in youth raises multiple public health concerns, including mental health, substance abuse and motor vehicle crashes,' senior author Dr Elizabeth Klerman said. Insomnia has also been linked over the years to impaired learning, development and decision making. The researchers analysed data from secondary-school students who took part in the Youth Risk Behaviour Surveys of February 2007 to May 2015. The survey is carried out twice a year by 14-to-18 years olds in the US, who are asked how much sleep they get and about their risk-taking behaviours. A total of 67,615 surveys were included in the analysis. The results were published in JAMA Pediatrics. Dr Mathew Weaver, who led the research, and colleagues found only 30 per cent of students get the recommended eight hours of sleep or more on an average school night. DOES FISH BOOST CHILDREN'S IQs AND HELP THEM SLEEP? Children who eat fish just once a week have higher IQs and sleep better, research suggested in December 2017. Consuming seafood at least once every seven days improves youngsters' IQ scores by 4.8 points compared to those who never eat it, a study found. Frequently eating fish also makes children less likely to wake in the night, be tired during the day and resist going to bed, the research adds. Study author Professor Adrian Raine, from the University of Pennsylvania, said: 'If fish improves sleep, great. If it also improves cognitive performance - like we've seen here - even better. It's a double hit.' Previous research reveals certain types of fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which play a role in the growth and development of nerve tissue and may therefore boost intelligence. These fatty acids also play a role in the production of the hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep and wakefulness. The researchers analyzed 541 Chinese students aged 12 years old. Fish consumption between the ages of nine and 11 was determined via a questionnaire that asked the children how often they eat fish in a typical month. The questionnaire did not specify types of fish. The children's sleep was measured by their parents completing a questionnaire that asked about the youngsters' hours of sleep a night, resistance at bedtime, sleep anxiety, night-time waking and daytime tiredness. Their IQ was investigated by assessing their arithmetic, vocabulary and understanding of information, as well as their ability to arrange images and sort codes. Advertisement The amount getting less than eight hours a night jumped by four per cent from 68.9 per cent in 2007 to 71.9 per cent in 2015. Compared with those getting the recommended sleep, teens who had insufficient amounts of sleep were more likely to drink, smoke and take drugs. The sleep-deprived youngsters were also more likely to drive dangerously and have 'risky sexual' and 'aggressive' behaviours. The biggest differences were seen in mood and mental health. Teenagers who regularly got less than six hours sleep a night were three times more likely to consider or attempt suicide. They were also four times more likely to attempt suicide that requires treatment. 'We found the odds of unsafe behavior by high school students increased significantly with fewer hours of sleep,' Dr Weaver said. 'Personal risk-taking behaviors are common precursors to accidents and suicides, which are the leading causes of death among teens and have important implications for the health and safety of high school students nationally.' The researchers added further studies are required to determine the relationship between sleep and risky behaviours. In the meantime, the results should be used to encourage healthy sleep habits, they urged. The NHS recommends people go to bed and wake at the same time every day, cut down on caffeine and ensure their bed is comfortable. This comes after research released earlier this year suggested getting less than eight hours sleep a night is linked to anxiety and depression. Insomniacs are less able to overcome negative thoughts than those who get sufficient shut eye, according to the study by Binghamton University. And a study by the University of California, published in the journal Current Biology in 2015, suggested that people sleep too much in modern society. They found members of the San tribe from Namibia, the Hadza of Tanzania and the Tsimane tribe from Bolivia slept on average just six hours and 25 minutes. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. Hope has been raised for thousands of breast cancer patients after scientists have found an antibiotic could stop tumours from returning. Tests on nine patients showed doxycycline - which costs as little as 10p a day - kills aggressive cells that cause tumours to return. Patients took the common antibiotic, often dished out to treat pneumonia, sinusitis and chlamydia, every day for two weeks. 'We have very few FDA-approved drugs to target and reduce cancer stem cells,' lead author Professor Michael Lisanti, of Salford University, said. 'So to find that a drug that is effective, readily-available and costs just 10 pence per patient per day is highly significant. There is new hope for breast-cancer patients after scientists reveal an antibiotic that costs just 10p kills the aggressive cells that can cause tumours to return (stock) 'Particularly as around two-thirds of cancer deaths occur due to recurrence after initial treatment.' Nine breast cancer patients took a 200mg oral dose of doxycycline every day for two weeks before their tumour-removal surgery. Tissue samples were then taken from these patients and six controls. Cells in the samples were assessed for their ability to replicate, spread and 'kill themselves' in a process known as apoptosis. Results showed cancer cells treated with doxycycline in the lab are less able to survive, spread, cause tumours or return after treatment. A cell receptor, known as CD44, was reduced by up to 66.67 per cent in eight of the nine doxycycline-treated cancers. CD44 is associated with the spread of cancers. Similar results occurred for the receptor ALDH1, which is also involved in tumour growth. Doxycycline does not affect a cancer cell's ability to 'kill itself', the researchers said. Rather, the antibiotic prevents tumours returning by impacting their energy production. The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Oncology. The patients were recruited at the University of Pisa. Although the study included just 15 patients, the scientists believe the findings provide hope of an effective, inexpensive, over-the-counter drug that can be used alongside standard treatments to prevent cancer returning. 'Our ability to treat cancer can only be enhanced by utilising drugs that are not only cheap but also widely available,' Professor Lisanti said. 'Since Doxycycline first became clinically available in 1967, its anti-cancer activity has been right under our nose, for more than 50 years.' Breast cancer affects around one in eight women at some point in their lives. Around one in 830 men develop the disease. The risk of the disease returning depends on how advanced it was and what treatment was used but is generally between three and 15 per cent. This comes after a 'remarkable' discovery made last August revealed that breast-cancer tumours can stop themselves from spreading. When breast-cancer cells break away from a tumour and travel to new parts of the body, the tumour triggers an immune response, according to a study by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney. This causes the release of immune cells that 'freeze' cancer cells, preventing them from establishing in new areas. More than one million women screened for cervical cancer wait longer than the two-week target for their results, new figures show. Only 53 per cent of women who were tested between August 2017 and 2018 received their results within 14 days, a Freedom of Information request found. These delays create unnecessary anxiety and 'could put women off' attending their appointments, according to the charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. The charity has today blamed the delays on changes to the NHS cervical screening programme, which has caused a shortage of staff to deal with the results. More than one million women screened for cervical cancer wait longer than the two-week target for their results, new figures show. Only 53 per cent of women who were tested between August 2017 and 2018 received their results within 14 days, according to a FOI request (stock) The cervical cancer screening programme aims to notify women of their results within 14 days of their test. Providers must ensure a least 98 per cent of results are turned around in this period. However, just 16 out of 195 Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) areas in England met this target between August 2017 and last July, according to Public Health England (PHE) data. A total of 3,088,576 results letters were sent during this period, of which 47 per cent were late, figures show. East Staffordshire CCG even failed to get any results out within 14 days. Robert Music, chief executive of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: 'Lots of people have approached us through our helpline saying they are waiting 12, 14, 16 weeks for their results. 'It is creating anxiety which is not a healthy thing and our concern is it could put women off attending their appointments. 'With screening attendance already at a 20-year low, that is worrying.' Survival rates for women who go on to develop cervical cancer should not be affected by long waits, however, this can be uncertain, Mr Music added. WHAT IS HPV? THE INFECTION LINKED TO 99% OF CERVICAL CANCER AND 91% OF ANAL CANCER CASES Up to eight out of 10 people will be infected with HPV in their lives Human papilloma virus (HPV) is the name for a group of viruses that affect your skin and the moist membranes lining your body. Spread through vaginal, anal and oral sex and skin-to-skin contact between genitals, it is extremely common. Up to eight out of 10 people will be infected with the virus at some point in their lives. There are more than 100 types of HPV. Around 30 of which can affect the genital area. Genital HPV infections are common and highly contagious. Many people never show symptoms, as they can arise years after infection, and the majority of cases go away without treatment. It can lead to genital warts, and is also known to cause cervical cancer by creating an abnormal tissue growth. Annually, an average of 38,000 cases of HPV-related cancers are diagnosed in the US, 3,100 cases of cervical cancer in the UK and around 2,000 other cancers in men. HPV can also cause cancers of the throat, neck, tongue, tonsils, vulva, vagina, penis or anus. It can take years for cancer to develop. Advertisement Changes to the cervical screening programme are being blamed for the delays. A new test, which looks for the cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) rather than abnormal cells in the cervix, will be rolled out across England in 2019. Fewer cytologists, who study test samples, are needed for the new method. This has caused a shortage of staff while they leave for new jobs ahead of the change, according to Mr Music. Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust is urging women to continue attending their appointments while the changes take place. 'Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers that is preventable,' Mr Music said. 'Cervical screenings prevent 75 per cent of cervical cancers and save more than 5,000 lives every year. 'So please go to your test if you're due one.' An NHS England spokeswoman said: 'NHS England and Public Health England are committed to the introduction of primary HPV screening, which will identify more women at risk and save more lives. 'Enabling laboratories to convert to HPV primary screening ahead of the procurement process is just one practical step being taken to ensure the NHS achieves full coverage of primary HPV screening by December 2019.' A spokeswoman for PHE added: 'PHE is supporting and advising NHS England in its efforts to ensure women receive their screening results within 14 days.' Cervical cancer is the 14th most common form of the disease in women in the UK with around 3,100 new cases every year. The condition affects approximately 13,240 new women in the US annually. This comes after Government plans reported last night revealed patients showing signs of cancer will be promised a diagnosis within three weeks. It will mean millions more patients will be offered CT and MRI scans via mobile units in supermarkets and shopping centres across the country. The proposals form part of a 10-year plan to improve the NHS's woefully late diagnosis rates from the major killers. The FDA has seized thousands of documents from Juul Labs related to its sales and marketing techniques after conducting a surprise inspection, the largest in the agency's 100-year history. The raid, part of the agency's latest crackdown on e-cigarette companies, was a bid to probe how the company is selling the product to teenagers, the company's fastest-growing consumer group. The FDA's vendetta against Juul started months ago, with officials blaming the company for an 'epidemic' of young e-cigarette use that could create a new generation of nicotine addicts. Juul denied the accusations, but agreed to remove young, attractive female models from its campaigns. However, as CDC figures revealed today, it did little to reign in the trend: last year Juul sales rocketed seven-fold (641 percent), largely driven by an uptick in teen users. Last month FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he was considering a ban on flavored e-cigarettes from Juul, and he gave the company 60 days to curb its marketing to young people, warning that they were prioritizing business 'at the expense of children'. But barely three weeks after that warning, Gottlieb mandated teams to surprise the firm with a visit to their headquarters in San Francisco. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Advertising battlefield: Juul agreed to remove young, attractive female models from its campaigns (pictured: a 2015 campaign) amid accusations that it was making the product attractive to teenagers. Now it features ex-smokers in its ads The Food and Drug Administration conducted a surprise raid on the Juul headquarters today and seized more than a thousand papers pertaining to their marketing techniques Juul, an e-cigarette shaped like a USB flash drive, is marketed as an alternative to cigarettes. For smokers trying to quit, they have proved useful, according to some studies. But the thing concerning health officials is the marketing of these products to teenagers who are not yet hooked to nicotine products but could become so. What's more, another report published today by the RAND Corporation showed teenagers who vape are more likely to smoke real cigarettes, suggesting there may be merit to the fears that Juuls could be a gateway to tobacco. 'The JUUL inspection, which we completed on Friday, sought further documentation related to JUUL's sales and marketing practices, among other things, and resulted in the collection of over a thousand pages of documents,' the FDA said in a statement. 'The inspection followed the Agency's request for information that we issued to JUUL Labs in April for documents that would help us to better understand the reportedly high rates of youth use and the youth appeal of JUUL products, including documents related to marketing and product design.' Currently, Juul has about 72 percent of the US market for e-cigarette sales, according to Wells Fargo. Sales of Juul grew more than seven-fold from 2016 to 2017, and held the greatest share of the US e-cigarette market by December 2017, according to an analysis of retail sales released by the CDC in JAMA today. As reports have grown of teens smoking them even at school, health officials have ramped up their warnings that Juul is one of the most potent nicotine products on the market, and nicotine is highly damaging to a child's brain development. 'Juuling,' along with 'vaping,' has become a common term for e-cigarette use by teenagers on social media and at US high schools. The inspection, which was completed on Friday, followed the agency's request for information in April for documents that would help it better understand the reportedly high rates of youth use and the youth appeal of Juul products. Raided: Juul's headquarters in San Francisco, where the FDA conducted a surprise raid this morning The FDA also said it had conducted inspections of several of Juul's contract manufacturing facilities earlier this year. Reacting to the news of the increased sales today, CDC director Dr Robert Redfield, MD, said: 'The popularity of JUUL among kids threatens our progress in reducing youth e-cigarette use. Juul CEO Kevin Burns, who previously headed up the yogurt firm Chobani and also worked in a private equity firm, insists the aim of the company is to reduce underage use 'We are alarmed that these new high nicotine content e-cigarettes, marketed and sold in kid-friendly flavors, are so appealing to our nation's young people.' Juul said in a statement emailed to DailyMail.com: 'We are committed to preventing underage use, and we want to engage with FDA, lawmakers, public health advocates and others to keep JUUL out of the hands of young people. 'The meetings last week with FDA gave us the opportunity to provide information about our business from our marketing practices to our industry-leading online age-verification protocols to our youth prevention efforts. 'It was a constructive and transparent dialogue. 'We've now released over 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements. 'We look forward to presenting our plan to address youth access in the 60-day time frame as outlined by FDA. 'We want to be part of the solution in preventing underage use, and we believe it will take industry and regulators working together to restrict youth access.' Infections are on the rise in the US - and diabetes is to blame, researchers have warned. A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the overall rate of hospitalizations, particularly due to UTIs, sepsis and skin infections, increased about 34.5 percent between 2010 and 2015. However, diabetes patients were almost three times more likely to be hospitalized due to infection than the general population. The team says its study is the first to examine whether rates of infections among people with and without diabetes has changed over time, and adds that physicians must monitor their patients with diabetes closely to decrease the odds of preventable complications. Sepsis, UTIs and skin infections are becoming more common in the US, a new study has found (file image) For the study, published in the journal Diabetologia, the team looked at data from the 2000-2015 National Inpatient Sample (NIS), a database that looks at in-patient hospitalizations from 46 states. The NIS records several variables regarding each patient including primary and secondary diagnoses, procedures, demographics, total charges, length of stay and total charges. Researchers found that people with diabetes were almost three times more likely to be hospitalized with an infection than the general population. The rates of infection-related hospitalizations for people with diabetes increased 52 percent from 2010 to 2015. For infection-related hospitalizations for people without diabetes, the rate only increased 17 percent between 2012 and 2015. People with diabetes are more susceptible to infections because high blood sugar levels can weaken cells in the immune system that fight bacteria. Additionally, diabetes sufferers often have low or reduced blood flow to their extremities, such as hands and feet. Decreased blood flow means less oxygen and nutrients are being sent to the injured are that promote the body's natural ability to heal. The most common infection types, both for diabetes and non-diabetes patients, were respiratory tract infections and skin and connective tissue infections. However, the increase in overall infection rates were driven mainly by UTIs, sepsis and skin infections in people with and without diabetes, as well as skin and connective tissue infections among young people with diabetes. 'Our findings show that people with diabetes have especially high levels of infection-related hospitalizations,' said Dr Jessica Harding, a fellow with the CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. 'By identifying and addressing the factors that put people at risk of infection-related hospitalizations, we can work to improve the overall care delivered in our healthcare system.' A study conducted last month by St Georges, University of London looked at electronic hospital records of 85,000 adults with a diabetes diagnosis. Researchers found that patients with poor control of their diabetes were nearly three times as likely to need hospital treatment for infection compared to patients with good control - and that poor diabetes accounted for 16 percent of all deaths related to infections. Dr Harding added that a number of steps can be taken to curb this troubling trend, including improving diabetes self-management and promoting education about infections susceptibility. The findings of the new study are being presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting held in Berlin, Germany, between October 1 and October 5. Childless women are a fifth less likely to suffer hot flushes during the menopause than those who have been pregnant, a study found. Even if they do endure flushes, these are likely to be less frequent. Meanwhile mothers diagnosed with high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia or diabetes during pregnancy were found to have greater risk of flushes than those with healthy gestations. Researchers in the US questioned 2,249 women about their experience of hot flushes, which affect up to four in five females during the menopause and can last for years. Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes or disorders causing high blood pressure in pregnancy had a 19 per cent higher chance of hot flushes Those surveyed, who had an average age of 61, recorded the temperature fluctuations they suffered over a fortnight, from zero to six or more days. The results showed women without children were 19 per cent less likely to have flushes compared to women who had been pregnant without complications. Childless women who did feel suddenly hot were less likely to do so on six or more days. Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes or disorders causing high blood pressure in pregnancy had a 19 per cent higher chance of hot flushes. This may be due to problems with the lining of blood vessels, which cause both flushes and these pregnancy complications. Dr Rhoda Conant, from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Centre, who led the study, said: This further underscores the importance of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia for later health, particularly cardiovascular health at midlife. She added that there was a link between these complications and weight. Women with a history of these pregnancy disorders were heavier and more likely to be taking lipid-lowering medications and diabetes medications, she said. Kathy Abernethy, from the British Menopause Society, said: Research is beginning to show that hot flushes and night sweats in menopause might be a marker or warning sign for cardiovascular risk. The same women at risk of heart problems who have these hot flushes may in some cases have complications in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. We do know, however, that even women who may not be at risk of heart problems do get flushes too, so we still need more research. It is unclear why women who have never had a baby may suffer less with hot flushes, although previous studies have found the same result. The research, presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society, found that womens education may be a factor in explaining the results, though it was unclear why. However, highly educated women are known to be less likely to have children. Dr JoAnn Pinkerton, executive of NAMS, said: With so many women affected by hot flushes, healthcare providers need to understand all the underlying risk factors that could influence them. When Rod Owens received a text message from his bank he had no reason to think it was a fake. It appeared in the same chain as previous messages from Santander and there were no obvious giveaways such as spelling mistakes or poor grammar. The text asked if he had made a payment for 1,900 to iTunes and requested he call the number given if not. Rod had no idea he was about to fall for one of the most devious tactics used by fraudsters and be conned into handing over more than 9,000 of his savings. Scam: Rod Owens was tricked by a text sent to his phone that pretended to be from his bank Known as number spoofing, crooks are able to call and send text messages that appear to come from your bank. The fake texts pop up in the same thread as genuine messages. And when fraudsters call, the number that flashes up on your caller ID is identical to the one on the back of your debit card or on the banks website. It is almost impossible to tell the difference between real calls and texts, and fraudulent ones. Victims of bank transfer fraud routinely say the only reason they acted on the fraudsters instructions was because the phone number looked correct. They say they had no idea fraudsters had access to technology letting them replace their number with that of a bank. Last week The Daily Mail launched a campaign for fairer treatment for victims of bank scams. This is Money's campaign for banks to help phone fraud victims was started in 2014 and scored a victory when banks and building societies stepped up their warnings to customers. We have continued to fight victims' corners and in 2016 also launched our Beat the scammers section. In the first six months of the year, around 145 million was lost to so-called authorised push payment fraud where people are conned out of savings by sophisticated scammers typically posing as their bank, telecoms provider, HMRC or the police. Today, Money Mail calls on the banks and the telecoms giants to do more to protect customers from fake calls and texts. TEXTS YOU CANT SPOT ARE FAKE Last week the head of fraud at Britains biggest bank admitted that even he cannot always spot fake text messages. Paul Davis, retail fraud director at Lloyds Banking Group, told Money Mail criminals are so good at mimicking the format of banking messages that it can be impossible to tell real from fake. For the text messages to be convincing, fraudsters need to know who you bank with. They might know a rogue employee there or get their hands on stolen personal details leaked after cyberhacks. Criminals often trade this type of information on the so-called dark web. They might get hold of a bank statement if you fail to update your address or your post falls into the wrong hands. Other conmen make phone calls posing as other legitimate firms you deal with and trick you into revealing who you bank with. Rod Owens lost thousands of pounds to scammers who pretended to be his bank, Santander Once they know your bank it is just a matter of using software freely available on the internet to mask their phone number behind another of their choosing. They can then make calls where the number that displays on your screen is that of your bank. They can also use online technology to change the way text messages are labelled so they appear to come from a particular organisation, such as your bank. Your phone will then display the name of that company at the top of the texts and group it with others youve had from that firm. Rod, 49, was at the supermarket when hed received the message warning he may be a victim of fraud. He dashed home to call his bank back as requested. A well-spoken lady answered and went through security questions. She told him she would send a series of codes which he should read out. It wasnt until two days later that he discovered he had been duped. Fraudsters had taken control of his account and the numbers hed read out were one-time passcodes to authorise payments from his account. Handing them over meant the crooks had been able to empty his account of 9,204. They had taken the 7,704 hed saved to pay his tax bill and left him 1,500 overdrawn. Santander had attempted to contact Rod but the fraudsters had managed to block his mobile phone from receiving calls. Santander agreed to write off the overdraft but refused to pay back the 7,704 because he had unwittingly authorised the payments by handing over the codes. Rod, an electrician from Coventry, says: Ive always been able to spot scam emails. If the text hadnt looked so official I wouldnt have thought twice about calling the number given. It should be much more secure between banks and phone companies. When I found out, I was panic-stricken and had to borrow money from my mum to pay the taxman. A spokesman for Santander says: We are sympathetic to Mr Owens. Unfortunately, despite clear warnings not to, he gave away confidential security details including one-time passcodes which enabled the fraudsters to access his account. The Financial Ombudsman Service ruled in the banks favour. Santander tried to contact Rod when they found out he had been a victim of fraud but the scammers blocked their calls coming through. They agreed to pay back some of his money NEVER CALL PHONE NUMBERS IN TEXTS One of the reasons people are being caught out is that there is no consistency over what information banks include in text messages. Fraud experts say people should never ring back a number in a text claiming to be from their bank in case it has been sent by a fraudster. They should instead use the number on the back of their card or the banks website. Yet despite this, some banks continue to include telephone numbers in text messages. Lloyds Banking Group which includes Halifax and Bank of Scotland and Barclays, for example, both include their phone numbers in texts to make it easier for customers to contact them. Royal Bank of Scotland which includes NatWest and Santander include phone numbers in some of their texts, but TSB does not. Jim King and his wife, Anna, almost lost thousands of pounds after being tricked by scammers Scott McGready, fraud expert and part of the national Cyber Security Tactical Advice team which aids law enforcement, says: Spoof calls and texts are a major enabler of fraud. Banks need to be more streamlined. They should just all agree never to put telephone numbers in texts so there is no confusion. Anna King, 62, and her husband Jim, 66, from Warlingham, Surrey, lost nearly 13,000 last November after calling back numbers in text messages claiming to be from their bank. The couple had each received messages they thought were genuine because they appeared in the same chain as previous NatWest texts. But when they called the numbers given they were tricked into handing over vital security details. These enabled criminals to make payments totalling 12,857 from their account. NatWest blocked a further transfer for 7,800 but would not refund the money already taken because the couple had handed over details which enabled the payments. Anna, a counsellor, says: The messages were in exactly the same format as the ones from NatWest and there was no way I could tell the difference. I cant believe the phone companies and banks allow this to happen. Jim, who runs a building services firm, says: Ive worked non-stop since the age of 16 to put money aside and these thieves just take the cash in a matter of hours. A NatWest spokesman says: We take our responsibilities for preventing scams very seriously. We would remind customers to remain vigilant against any type of scam and they should never make a payment or divulge full security credentials, including card reader codes, at the request of someone over the phone purporting to be from their bank. Con: Jim didn't question if the text was genuine as it was in the same format as previous texts WHEN YOU CANT TRUST CALLER ID Richard Emery, of fraud consultancy 4Keys International, says: Banks should not send phone numbers in texts but should instead instruct customers to contact them using the number on the back of their card. Regulators and phone companies also need to take urgent action to stop fraudsters spoofing phone numbers when they call as well. Jean Perry, 88, had no idea crooks were able change their number to make it look as though they were calling from a legitimate firm a mistake that cost her 20,000. She took a call last December from a man purporting to be from a Barclays fraud team who said crooks had tried to steal 2,000 from her account. Michael was so well-spoken, Jean says. Her son Julian, 59, also spoke to the man and believed he was genuine. Jean, whose late husband worked for Barclays for 40 years, asked the man to prove he was who he said he was. Con artists can disguise themselves as bank staff to persuade people to hand over money He told her to hang up and said he would call her back using the number on the back of her card. When he did, the Barclays customer services number flashed up on her phone. Hindsights a wonderful thing. I should have put down the phone and called back Barclays myself, she says. He seemed to know everything about my accounts, mobile phone number and so on. I got the impression he was looking at my online banking, she adds. In the end, the bogus Barclays employee succeeded in tricking Jean into transferring 20,000 into a Nationwide account. He talked her through the transfer and told her she would receive a text from Barclays asking if she wanted to make the payment, which she confirmed. The fraudster then asked her to transfer another 25,000. But it didnt go through. As soon as Michael hung up, Jean received a call from Barclays genuine fraud team who told her that they hadnt made the previous call. It was only then that it became clear she had been conned and her savings were gone. Deryck and Joyce Waterhouse were conned by a caller who was using their bank's number And because she had authorised the payment, Barclays said it was not liable for her loss. Jean says: This has been the most devastating experience and the sum I lost is life-changing. What is most upsetting is the way that Barclays implied I was stupid. Thousands of intelligent people are being caught up in these scams on a regular basis. Barclays acknowledged it was evident that Jean was the victim of a sophisticated scam but has refused to refund her. It claimed it did everything it could to protect her and her money including blocking the second payment. TELECOMS GIANTS MUST ACT FAST Deryck, 68, and Joyce Waterhouse, 71, from Gloucester were also conned by a caller using their banks number. Deryck received a call in April this year from someone posing as Barclays bank. He was told someone was trying to hack into his account and he needed to move his money so it was safe. He checked the number the caller used and it appeared to be the same one he calls every week to do his telephone banking so he agreed to transfer the money. After visiting the branch he discovered 4,800 had been taken from his account. And because he had authorised the payment, Barclays refused to refund it. Deryck, a delivery driver, says: I wouldnt have given any details if I had not recognised the number they were calling on. No refund: The Waterhouses' were not refunded the amount the scammers took by Barclays A Barclays spokesman says: Customers would never be asked by their bank or the police to transfer funds into another account. Regrettably, it was not until the following day we were made aware of the scam, by which time no money remained in the account to be returned to Mr Waterhouse. Gareth Shaw, Which? Money Expert, said: Banks should work with telecoms companies to introduce the necessary systems to stop fraudsters messaging people in this way. They must put a halt to this worsening problem and better protect their customers. BID TO CRACK DOWN ON SCAMS Banks say they are working with telecoms companies and mobile network providers to block fraudulent calls and texts. Barclays adds its premier customers can verify calls via their mobile app. When the bank calls, customers will receive an alert confirming the details of the employee who is calling. If they do not get this alert they will know its a scam. The aim is to roll out this service to all customers over the next few months. Mobile phone networks O2, EE and Three say they are working with banks and investing in technology to protect customers. They say that they have previously worked with banks to eliminate a type of phone fraud where crooks stayed on the line after a potential victim had hung up. They add that they are involved in the Home Office-led Joint Fraud Taskforce, which brings together government, regulators and law enforcement. But experts say this work does not go far enough and that there are still many weaknesses in their systems. Trade body Mobile UK, says the industry is working to identify fake message headers to prevent them from appearing in genuine message chains. If you receive a suspicious message you can send it to 7726 to be investigated. A spokesman says: Protecting customers from fraudulent mobile scams is, and remains, a top priority for all operators, and they continue to invest in new measures to help monitor and protect them. A spokesman for UK Finance says: UK Finance and its members invest millions to protect customers from fraud and take the causes of scams such as spoofing very seriously. Many of the solutions lie outside the financial sector which is why the industry works closely with network operators, government and other industry stakeholders to crack down on scam messages. The British global boss of French car-maker Citroen said its parent company is 'holding back' investment in the UK until uncertainty over Brexit is resolved. Coventry-born Linda Jackson told This is Money during a news conference at the Paris motor Show today that parent company PSA - which also owns Peugeot - had recently invested in the newly-acquired Vauxhall business and its Luton van factory. Vauxhall also has a UK car plant at Ellesmere Port where it builds the Astra family hatchback. No UK investment before Brexit: Linda Jackson, global boss at French car maker Citroen, said parent company PSA Group is holding back on pumping funds into its UK business until Brexit is resolved She said: 'You can't set your stall out until you know where things are going. 'We invested last year in Luton. 'We could do more. But we're holding back until we see where we're going.' She added: 'We have got plans for a hard-Brexit and we have got plans for a soft-Brexit. 'The Brexit question is one of not knowing what is going to happen. We need clarification. At some point we need to know what is going to happen. Clearly we want to be tariff-free.' Mrs Jackson, who was launching the new Citroen C5 Aircross in Paris, said: 'The UK is my fifth largest market at Citroen. We have a very strong brand with Vauxhall in the UK.' Last year, PSA Group invested in the recently acquired Vauxhall business, upgrading the brand's van-making plant in Luton Business secretary Greg Clark (right) met with PSA Group boss Carlos Tavares in April It came as BMW chief executive Harald Krueger - which owns Mini in Oxford, the Hams Hall engine plant near Birmingham and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood, - said it was vital to conclude a Brexit deal that maintains free trade 'to make the business safe for the future in the UK.' He told the BBC at the Paris Motor Show: 'We clearly need free trade and BMW is an ambassador of free trade trade. 'Free trade between European countries is important to be competitive. This is also valid for the UK. 'There are certain things we need to achieve to make the business safe for the future in the UK.' He said this included no tariff barriers, and freedom of movement of people between the U and the EU. 'It's something about which we talk openly with politicians in the UK as well as the European Union.' He noted that BMW was looking at the long term: 'I'm sure there will be a pragmatic solution. 'We hope that it will happen because both sides need that, otherwise nobody benefits.' The Luton factory is the home of the popular Vivaro van and is also responsible for the emeregnecy service's fleet of Vauxhall models Last week, the UK head of Toyota warned that the company might have to halt car production for 'months' in the case of a no-deal Brexit, potentially putting jobs at risk. Marvin Cooke, the firm's managing director, said that the impact of any border delays in the 'unprecedented' scenario would be hugely damaging for a firm that sources parts from all across Europe and ships them to Britain for assembly, according to Press Association. 'We have got plans for a hard Brexit and we have got plans for a soft-Brexit,' Linda Jackson told This is Money Mr Cook told BBC News: 'If we crash out of the EU and just one supplier part is missing, we will not be able to produce cars during that time. 'We cannot predict if the impact of a hard Brexit would be hours, days, weeks or months, so we cannot predict whether or not such interruptions would continue for just a few hours, days or months. 'In the past, of there has been a minor problem with a vehicle or at the (Channel) Tunnel, we can overcome it, it's a minor impact. This is unprecedented, totally unknown.' He added: 'The additional burden of import and export costs would add permanent costs to our business. It would reduce our competitiveness. 'Sadly I think that would reduce the number of cars made in the UK and that would cost jobs.' In June this year Citroen boss Mrs Jackson, who has been global chief executive of French car-maker Citroen for the last four years, was crowned the most influential British female in the global motor industry at the Great British Women in the Car Industry awards. This was at London's Barbican Centre, organised by motoring magazine Autocar and backed by the Society of motor Manufacturers and Traders. In her acceptance speech she told how she has 'ditched the macho-culture' in her own company - and urged other firms to follow suit. She added that she was 'living proof' that women can reach the top on merit through equality. Mrs Jackson, who has risen through the ranks from 'stapling invoices' as a teenager in the Midlands motor industry. She is credited with creating a French revolution at Citroen by bringing her Anglo Saxon approach to the company, and adding flare, colour and freshness to the brand. Shares in Royal Mail plunged another 10 per cent today to a record low after yesterday's shock profit warning wiped nearly 860million off the postal giant's value. As investors continued to digest the dismal news on future profits and sell the stock, the share price fell 37.4p to 354p - which hit the firm's market capitalisation by a further 390million. The business is now worth just 3.5billion, setting the scene for it to be kicked out of the FTSE 100 index at the next reshuffle in December. Just four months after taking over at the postal service, chief executive Rico Back said on Monday he was very disappointed with the way the business was performing. Disappointing: Royal Mail has taken a hit in profits, 4 months after Rico Back took over as CEO The 64-year-old German said profits this year would come in between 500million and 550million, significantly below the 694million Royal Mail made last year. He blamed a 7 per cent fall in the number of letters being posted, dismal productivity and problems keeping a lid on costs. The surprise announcement at 3.27pm stunned the City. Shares fell 20 per cent in a matter of minutes before closing 18 per cent, or 85.7p down, at 391.4p wiping 857million off the companys value. It is feared stamp prices will have to go up as the company fights to boost profits. The grim update was the latest setback for Royal Mail following one of the biggest shareholder revolts in British corporate history over the summer. Some 70 per cent of investors voted against pay for the companys bosses in July including the 2.7 million package given to Back on top of a 6 million golden hello. His predecessor Moya Greene was given a 2.6 million golden goodbye. To add to its woes, Royal Mail lost chairman Peter Long last month following a backlash over the way the company is run. Profits plunge: Shares in the Royal Mail fell by 20 per cent before closing at 18 percent Back, who has been in charge since June 1 while still living in Zurich, last night said: I am very disappointed about the performance we have had to announce today. This is clearly not an announcement we would ever have wanted to make.' Nevertheless our view crystallised today and we had to tell you straight away. Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, said: After only a few months in charge, Rico Back has issued a shocking trading update to the market which was certainly unexpected. The reading is not pleasant at all for investors. It seems that Back is throwing out the baby with the bath water so that he can begin his tenure with a clean slate. Improving productivity was a key part of an agreement with trade unions this year following a battle over pensions. However, Back revealed that productivity improvement has been far slower than expected. Royal Mail expects to make cost savings of just 100million this year, compared to the 230million previously targeted. Back insisted the company would continue to increase dividend payments. Laith Khalaf, a senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Royal Mail is emerging from a difficult period of industrial negotiation and relations with the unions are no doubt strained. It looks like the resolutions to those problems have not yet delivered the desired results. Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at trading platform Markets, said: Not what investors want delivered through their letter boxes. Shares in Royal Mail dived after a really horrible profits warning. The deal with unions was hailed as a major breakthrough but it looks like the planned operational and productivity gains are not being delivered to the degree that management had hoped for, he said. Unions one, management nil by the looks of it. by NICK PISA, Daily Mail Almost 1,000 illegal immigrants landed in Italy yesterday after threatening to throw babies into the sea if their rusting ship was turned back. The 240ft Monica had been spotted in international waters during the night. When Italian coastguard boats drew alongside, the crews were shocked to see men and women on board begin dangling the infants over the side. The refugees - mostly Kurds and many said to be heading for Britain - calmed down only when they were assured they would not be turned away from Italy. The ship was towed to the Sicilian port of Catania, where 400 men, 200 women and 361 children were taken to Red Cross shelters. A 21-year-old woman had earlier been lifted off by helicopter after giving birth to a girl. They were doing well in hospital last night. Officials said most of the refugees were suffering from exhaustion and sea sickness. Italy's long coastline makes it one of the EU's main targets for migrants. Many head north to Milan, hoping to hide in trucks and trains to the Channel ports. Last week government officials said 3,000 illegal immigrants had been intercepted in the first two months of this year and warned of a new influx in the spring. The Monica was the largest single arrival for nearly five years. A coastguard-spokesman told of the drama when the ship, illegally flying the flag of Tonga, was intercepted. He said: 'When officers tried to draw alongside they were shocked to see those on board threaten to throw babies overboard. 'They were hanging them over the side and told the coastguards not to come any closer or they would let go. Our men had never seen anything like it. 'They only calmed down and let us on board when we assured them they were in Italian waters and they would not be taken back to where they had sailed from. 'I understand they are mostly Kurds and many have said they were using Italy as an entry point before heading towards Britain.' Officials said originally that the Monica was spotted by a French warship which alerted Italian authorities. But interior minister Claudia Scajola said later that intelligence services had been monitoring the ship since March 12 after a tip-off that 'an international criminal' was on board. He said the immigrants would be granted asylum and Sicily would be given emergency funds to cope with them. Italian officials said they were still not sure whether the Monica had sailed from Lebanon or the Turkish part of Cyprus. The ship's crew were being held by police. The Archbishop of Catania, Luigi Bommarito, was at the dockside to greet the Monica in what he called 'a gesture of solidarity'. He said: 'I'm here to appeal to people not to close their hearts and doors to people trying to survive. We mustn't forget that in the last century many immigrants also left Italy.' A baby boy has died almost a year after he was allegedly assaulted by his father. Homicide detectives are now involved after one year-old Nathaniel MacRae died at a Golden Bay home on Perth's outskirts on Sunday night. Police allege the death is linked to an assault the boy allegedly suffered on October 9 last year. Nathaniel MacRae (pictured) has died almost a year after he was allegedly assaulted by his father Nathaniel's father, Michael Ashley MacRae (pictured) was charged with grievous bodily harm at the time At that time he was taken to Narrogin Regional Hospital before he was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital and later released. Nathaniel suffered bleeding on the brain and blindness as a result of the alleged assault. His father, Michael Ashley MacRae, 25, was charged with grievous bodily harm at the time of the incident. He pleaded not guilty and is currently behind bars awaiting a trial allocation. Police say the investigation is ongoing and while a cause of death has not been released they allege it is linked to injuries suffered last year. No further arrests or charges have been made at this stage. Tens of thousands of tourists swarmed to the Great Wall of China on October 1 as the nation kicked off the week-long public holiday. Nearly 37,000 tourists flooded Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall in Beijing yesterday alone, causing bottlenecks at various locations. Video footage taken at the jam-packed historic attraction shows frustrated visitors standing elbow to elbow amid a sea of people. Video footage taken yesterday at Badaling, the most visited section of the Great Wall in Beijing, shows frustrated visitors standing elbow to elbow amid a sea of people Nearly 37,000 tourists flooded the historic attraction, causing bottlenecks at various locations The tourist hotspot is expected to receive an even high number of guests over the next couple of days as the country celebrates the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, according to Beijing News. Elsewhere, bus and train terminals across the country are filled to the brim, as seen in pictures captured in Guangdong, Taiyuan and Zhengzhou. Thousands of tourists were also seen at other landmarks, including Shanghai's The Bund and Hangzhou's West Lake. The 'Golden Week' holiday is a peak season for Chinese people to go on domestic and international trips, making it the country's second largest annual human migration The tourist hotspot is expected to receive an even high number of guests over the next couple of days as the country celebrates its National Day, according to Beijing News Shanxi Taiyuan Railway Station ushers in the peak of passenger travel during the holiday About 122 million people travelled around the country on Monday, the government said The seven-day holiday, also known as the 'Golden Week', is a peak season for Chinese people to go on domestic and international trips, making it the country's second largest annual human migration following the Spring Festival. About 122 million people travelled around the country on Monday, a 7.54 per cent year-on-year growth, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in a news release. Domestic tourism revenue generated on Monday reached 103 billion yuan (12 billion), up 7.19 per cent year on year, the authority added. Badaling is located 80 kilometres north-west of urban Beijing city in Yanqing District Guangzhou South Railway Station in Panyu District was filled with crowds yesterday as well The Golden Week holiday is said to be China's second largest annual human migration On the other hand, it is estimated that nearly seven million mainland tourists will travel abroad, accounting for about 5 per cent of the total number of outbound tourists throughout the year, according to China Daily citing Chinese online travel agency Ctrip. Japan is this year's top choice for Chinese tourists, followed by Thailand and Hong Kong. The country kicked off its National Day celebrations with a special flag-raising ceremony at Tian'anmen Square during sunrise and official fireworks last night. China's State Council held a reception at the Great Hall of the People on Sunday, hosted by Party and state leaders Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang and attended by more than 1,200 Chinese and foreign guests. Theresa May (pictured at conference yesterday) has been struggling to thrash out a deal with the EU Theresa May is facing Cabinet calls to 'rebrand' her Chequers plan amid fears that Tory activists have been won over by condemnation from Eurosceptics. The PM has been warned there is a 'lot of work to do' to convince the party's rank-and-file that the blueprint is good for the country. A Cabinet Brexiteer told MailOnline that even though the proposals were 'pragmatic' the government's message was at risk of being drowned out by furious attacks from Boris Johnson and others. The stark warning came as Mrs May struggles to keep her Chequers plan alive despite coming under heavy fire from her own MPs, Labour and the EU. The conference in Birmingham has been dominated by the mounting civil war between Tory factions - with Chancellor Philip Hammond openly lambasting Mr Johnson's rival ideas for future ties with the EU as a 'fantasy'. The former foreign secretary is due to launch another salvo against the premier at a rally on the fringe of the conference later. Mrs May - who says her Chequers plan is the only way to keep smooth trade and avoid a hard Irish border - is facing a crucial test of her support when she delivers her keynote speech to the party faithful tomorrow. However, despite signs of leadership jostling, allies are increasingly confident the party will give her more time to try and thrash out a deal with the EU. They have been encouraged by applause for criticism of Mr Johnson in the conference hall. Senior figures have been touring Conservative associations around the country trying to sway opinion among largely Eurosceptic members. One minister close to the PM said they believed the charm offensive was slowly working. But another Cabinet minister warned that, although there was a genuine problem with the Irish border and critics of the Chequers proposals had not come up with an adequate solution, the leadership was at risk of losing the argument. A lot of the Brexiteers are saying there is no problem. But businesses in Northern Ireland are spitting blood. They believe that no-deal would be a serious problem,' they said. The PM is taking a pragmatic approach. Her proposal would solve the border and allow us to do trade deals elsewhere, but we have a lot of work to do to explain it to members. Chancellor Philip Hammond (pictured giving his conference speech yesterday) has warned no-deal would have a serious impact on the UK Boris Johnson (pictured running near his Oxfordshire home yesterday) has launched a series of savage attacks on Mrs May's Chequers plan for Brexit The minister said no-deal plans were going 'really well.' and technology would be effective if it was needed. But they said there would undoubtedly be 'disruption' in the short term if the UK crashed out and the country would be 'left with nothing' in terms of trade deals. If WTO is so good, why do we want trade deals with other countries? If we go out without any deal we have literally nothing in March. It would be a big adjustment. Businesses will adjust quickly, but there would be disruption,' they said. On the issue of how to win over activists to the Chequers blueprint - which would see the UK effectively stay in the single market for goods and collect some taxes on behalf of the EU - the minister said: We should call it something else. There is nothing wrong with it, but it urgently needs rebranding. I would rather refer to it as The PMs proposal.' A former Army medic has been presented with the nation's highest military honor for his valor fighting in Afghanistan, and now he faces a new battle in fighting cancer. President Donald Trump presented former staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II, 39, with the Medal of Honor at a formal White House ceremony on Monday where 250 guests gathered to commemorate his heroic acts in 2008. The Puyallup, Washington native was the senior medical sergeant in the special forces on April 6, 2008 and rushed through fire to help his fallen team members when they were bombarded by militants armed with machine guns, sniper fire, and rocket-propelled grenades in a remote part of Afghanistan. President Donald Trump presented former Army Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Shurer II with the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan in 2008 in a White House ceremony on Monday President Trump commended the Army medic's valor in the field in 2008 in a remote area of Afghanistan where he treated wounded soldiers and joined the battlefield Trump also noted how Shurer is now facing a new fight against cancer after he was diagnosed with lung cancer last year Fighting through the barrage of bullets he treated, stabilized, an helped evacuate wounded soldiers, carrying and lowering the wounded down the steep mountainside and using his body as a human shield. After loading up the evacuation helicopter he scaled back up the mountain to fight himself. He later joined the Secret Service and was assigned to the Special Operations Division and was honored with the special ceremony on Monday. His battlefield days may be over, but now he faces a new fight after he was diagnosed with lung cancer last year. Speaking on his new battle he says he's just 'taking it one day at a time', according to CBS. In his honorary speech Trump addressed Shurer's children saying: 'We stand in awe of your father's courage. We really do. Today he joins the world's most elite gathering of heroes.' He was honored for his act of valor in 2008 in Afghanistan when his team was bombarded by enemy fire and he treated and stabilized soldiers, making sure each injured soldier was safely evacuated, then joined the fight himself Trump commended his work as an Army medic and fighter. 'Ron was not done yet. He charged back to the mountain - all the way up - and rejoined the fight. For more than six hours, Ron bravely faced down the enemy. Not a single American died in that brutal battle, thanks in great measure to Ron's heroic actions,' Trump said. Shurerer was given a standing ovation at the White House, leading Trump to joke "I wish I was that popular'. Touching on his cancer, Trump said: 'Hes been fighting it every single day with courage and strength. Hes a warrior.' ' Ron is an inspiration to everyone in this room and to every citizen all across our great land,' the president added. Shurer later joined the Secret Service and the Special Operations Division following his time in Afghanistan Speaking on his battle with lung cancer he says he's just 'taking it one day at a time' Shurer was at first rejected by the military because of a medical condition, but enlisted again a year after 9/11 and was accepted the second time around. His parents, grandfather and great-grandfather also served in the military. He was promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant in late 2006 and served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan from late November 2007 to late May 2008. He was honorably discharged a year later. He began his career with the Secret Service as a special agent assigned to a field office in Phoenix, Arizona, in September 2009. He was selected for the Secret Service's counter assault team and assigned to the Special Operations Division in June 2014. Shurer lives in Burke, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda, and sons Cameron, 10, and Tyler, 7. A Chicago man who allegedly murdered his landlord with the assistance of his brother Googled how long it would take for a body to decompose in a sewer before the victim was found dead in one. Police said Elijah Green, 25, and Tony Green, 22, were taken into custody Friday and charged with first-degree murder in the strangulation death of Vasudeva Kethireddy, 76. The body of their landlord, Kethireddy, was found dumped inside a sewer the same day on the 6200 block of South May Street in Englewood, where the suspects lived. Elijah Green, 25, (L) and Tony Green, 22, (R) were arrested Friday and charged with first-degree murder of their landlord, Vasudeva Kethireddy Kethireddy, a grandfather, was last seen on August 4, when he set out to collect rent from tenants around the residential community. Prosecutors said in court Monday the younger Green allegedly told the landlord the two men had a pipe leak that needed fixed, when he entered their apartment to examine it. The body of Vasudeva Kethireddy, 76, (pictured) was found in a sewer Friday in Englewood. Tony Green Googled beforehand how long it would 'take for a body to decompose in the sewer' That's when the men allegedly robbed Kethireddy of his credit cards as well as $1,600 in cash before he was strangled to death. Prosecutors said after police investigation that the youngest Green Googled beforehand, 'How long does it take for a body to decompose in the sewer?' The victim's credit cards had been used at a nearby Citgo gas station shortly after he vanished. The landlord's son, Shantan Kethireddy, said his father was last spotted depositing some checks at a local Chase bank, according to ABC 7 Chicago. Shantan Kethireddy told ABC 7 his father had a poor upbringing in India. He relocated to the United States more than four decades ago to help others find affordable housing. Shantan Kethireddy said that his dad would have helped anyone in need. The landlord's body was found on the 6200 block of South May Street The discovery came after nearly a two-month search by police, Kethireddy's loved ones and community members The landlord's son, Shantan Kethireddy, said his father was last spotted depositing some of the rent payments at a local Chase bank The landlord is seen in this surveillance image walking outside the Chase bank Following a two-month search, the landlord was found in a sewer in Englewood 'At the end of the day, this was really just a complete senseless act against somebody, that, if you asked him for all the money in his pocket, would have just given it to them,' the son said. Another tenant reported the landlord missing after he did not show up to collect rent that day. Following a two-month search, the landlord was found in a sewer in Englewood. His son added that his family is 'trying to find forgiveness and try not to be consumed with anger.' The brothers were denied bail Monday. Shantan Kethireddy said his dad would have given the murder suspects 'all the money in his pocket' Concerns have been raised after a Malindo Air flight turned the wrong way after taking off. Flight OD178 took off from Melbourne Airport's Runway 34 bound for Denpasar on Wednesday, September 26. Instead of heading straight on like it was supposed to, the pilot turned left. The plane took off at 07:13 AEST. When air traffic control asked the pilot about his actions, he responded that he thought they were on a different runway. Concerns have been raised after a Malindo Air flight frm Melbourne to Denpasar turned the wrong way after taking off Instead of heading straight on like it was supposed to after taking off from Melbourne Airport, the pilot turned left Flight OD178 took off from Melbourne Airport's Runway 34 bound for Denpasar, Bali on Wednesday, September 26 Australian pilots say that a mid-air collision would have been a near-certainty if there had been incoming traffic at that moment. Civil Air Australia president Tom McRobert told The Australian that the incident had the potential to be 'extraordinarily unsafe'. 'It meant as they left the runway they veered hard left, which came as a surprise to air traffic control,' Mr McRobert said. 'It was just completely unexpected,' he added. Airservices Australia told Daily Mail Australia that Air Traffic Control intervened to safely manage the situation. 'We are satisfied that all safety procedures were followed,' an Airservices spokesperson said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is currently investigating the incident. This is the second time in just months that a Malindo Air aircraft has caused chaos at an airport. Back in April, a flight carrying 139 people skidded off the runway and into mud at Kathmandu, Nepal, after the pilots detected a problem and aborted the take-off. While no one was harmed, hundreds of flights at Tribhuvan International Airport were cancelled and incoming flights were diverted. House prices could plummet by 12 per cent in just one year in the largest downturn for three decades, experts say. Millions of dollars could be wiped off Australian property values within the next 12 months as the housing market continues its downward spiral. Experts have also warned property buyers banks could slash the amount of home loans they approve by a third in the wake of the banking royal commission. 'Our view is that house prices may eventually fall by 12 per cent, which would be the longest and deepest housing downturn in at least three decades,' Capital Economics chief economist Paul Dales told The Sydney Morning Herald. Economists are predicting house prices could fall by 12 per cent, which would be the biggest downturn in 30 years (stock image) The prediction comes after Australian median house prices slid 3.1 per cent from January to September 30. Significant declines in Sydney and Melbourne dragged down the overall national market, with Perth prices also falling. Sydney's median house price fell to $976,365 in September, the lowest level since 2015 and the third straight month the figure has been below the $1million mark, real estate data group Core Logic revealed. Detached property values plunged by 7.6 per cent in just one year, after peaking in mid-2017. Experts have also warned banks could slash the amount of loans they approve by a third in the wake of the banking royal commission (stock image) Australian house rules Sydney, down 7.6% to $976,365 Melbourne, down 4.5% to $799,657 Brisbane, up 0.8% to $539,374 Adelaide, up 0.6% to $466,636 Perth, down 2% to $475,774 Hobart, up 9.4% to $464,515 Darwin, up 2.3% to $505,414 Canberra, up 3.1% to $686,582 Source: Core Logic home value index in the year to September 30 based on median detached house prices Advertisement Melbourne also fared badly, with median house prices falling at an annual pace of 4.5 per cent to $799,657, after hitting a peak in November last year. But prices in Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Darwin and Canberra have bucked the trend, increasing slightly in the last 12 months. The decline in property values comes amid warnings of a 'credit crunch'. UBS analyst Jonathan Mott told The Sydney Morning Herald the royal commission's final report could recommend banks carry out a full income and expense verification to better evaluate the financial position of a borrower. 'We believe the Australian banking sector is facing a period of substantial and sustained earnings pressure which is likely to last several years,' Mr Mott said. 'We estimate that a move to full expense verification is likely to reduce maximum borrowing capacity by (about) 30 per cent.' The Reserve Bank will meet on Tuesday, with the cash rate expected to remain at a record low of 1.5 per cent. Two people have been arrested and charged in connection beating up four people, including a child at a gas station in Florida. The shocking attack happened in the parking lot of a Circle K gas station in Silver Springs on Saturday night. Investigators said one attacker pulled an 11-year-old girl out of a pick-up truck and hit her in the face before she fell to the ground. According to Marion County sheriff's office, the victims said they did not know the two attackers or what prompted the bizarre attack. Scroll down for video Police have charged Brandon Clanton (left) and Julia Napiontek (right) over the incident Marion County Sheriff shared a video of the incident on Facebook and subsequently arrested and charged two people. Brandon Clanton, 18, was taken into custody at 12am in the 15800 block of East State Road 40 by deputies Ian Burt and Joseph Spratlin. The deputies tussled with Clanton during the arrest. He was also charged with battery and simple assault on a law enforcement official. Julia Marie Napiontek, 18, was also arrested at 11.20 pm by the same deputies in the 1100 block of Southeast 173rd Avenue. She was charged with battery and aggravated child abuse. The four victims, aged 55, 48, 47 and 11, told the deputies they were assaulted by a man and woman while in the parking lot. One of the female victims was identified as Tersa Elghali, who was the mother of the young girl. The girl, whose face was bruised, said she was attacked and hit by the woman. Two more - both women - said the female suspect hit them in the face. The 47-year-old man said he was punched in the face by a male suspect. Surveillance video from the store showed the females were attacked by another woman while they were sitting in a vehicle. Two suspects (pictured) are seen attacking four people for no apparent reason at a gas station Napiontek (left) can be seen going after an unidentified individual while another woman holds her head in the background. A child, 11, can be seen in the far distance A man (left) looks on as Napiontek pulls a woman by the hair as she lays on the ground One of the women victims tussles with Napiontek in the unprovoked attack at a gas station The 11-year-old girl was removed from the vehicle and hit in the face. Elghali's boyfriend, Jason Ellis, said he could see all the commotion from inside the gas station. Marion County investigators said Ellis was physically assaulted by Brandon Clanton. Ellis told WKMG: '(The) next thing I know, I'm turned around and I'm walking back toward the truck and I'm getting attacked. 'When I saw an 11-year-old girl getting attacked, I don't know what to do,' Ellis said. The little girl is seen frantically running through the parking lot while the suspects get in their car and leave the scene. 'I grabbed her and hid behind a gas tank, yelling at people to call the police,' Elghali said. Deputies were later able to identify the man as Clanton and the woman as Napiontek. When deputies went to Clanton's residence to speak to him, he ran from them, according to the arrest report. When the deputies apprehended him, he rushed them. Napiontek told officials she was arguing with one of the victims in the vehicle, who attacked her with a pocket knife. Clanton was arrested by sheriff's deputies earlier this month and accused of punching a 17-year-old at a convenience store. Court records show a written plea of not guilty was entered on Wednesday. Clanton is being represented by the Public Defender's Office. Tourists have been spotted taking pictures at the very same spot where a man in his 20s fell to his death just a day earlier. At around 12.40pm on Saturday, a man fell more than 40 metres from the edge of a cliff near the southern end of Sea Cliff Bridge, just north of Wollongong on the New South Wales south coast. But just 24 hours later, a local resident spotted four people walking along the treacherous path towards the bridge. Just 24 hours after a man in his 20s fell to his death from a cliff edge, a local resident spotted four people walking along the same treacherous path Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, the resident said that she shouted out to the tourists, warning them that someone had died up there the day before. 'They just waved it off and laughed like it was a joke,' she said. Yesterday, a further ten people were seen at the same spot. Although seeing the walkers 'really upset' her, the resident said inadequate fencing and signage were also to blame and Saturday's tragedy was 'inevitable' given the conditions. The spot right by the cliff edge is said to be well-worn due to the number of people standing there for the picture-perfect view. The spot right by the cliff edge is said to be well-worn due to the number of people standing there for the picture-perfect view People regularly risk their lives to reach the lookout spot above the bridge, and one local resident said that she's seen people up there at night time with torches 'It's a known slippage area, that's why the bridge was built and that was why the old road was closed,' she said. She said that people are constantly risking their lives to reach the lookout spot above the bridge, adding that she's seen people up there at night time with torches. A NSW Trainlink spokesperson told reporters that they had worked with NSW Police to increase surveillance in the area. 'Trespassing in the rail corridor is not only illegal; it's also extremely dangerous and stupid behaviour,' the spokesperson said. 'It's not worth risking your life for a cheap thrill.' Emergency services were called to a cliff near the southern end of Seacliff Bridge at Clifton, north of Wollongong, on Saturday, following reports a man had fallen onto rocks Trespassing on the rail corridor is punishable by fines up to $5500. Emergency services were called to Sea Cliff Bridge near Wollongong on Saturday, following reports a man had fallen on to rocks. The man was bushwalking with friends when he slipped from the edge of the cliff, police said. Duty Inspector Mark Walker told The Sydney Morning Herald the group had gone up on to the escarpment above the bridge. 'It's not meant for people to go sightseeing on; it's not meant for tourists. There was no railing... it's very dangerous,' he said. Karen Dresser has accused a Maryland care clinic of refusing to treat her adopted daughter Amelia because she is white and the 12-year-old is black A white mother claims that her black daughter was denied medical treatment at a Maryland emergency clinic because the staff didn't believe the two were related. Karen Dresser brought her adopted daughter Amelia into a Patient First clinic in Waldorf on September 19 after the 12-year-old jammed her finger and was experiencing a great deal of pain. However, the mom was shocked when multiple employees allegedly refused to see the child without 'proper documentation' that Dresser was her legal guardian - even though Amelia had been treated at the clinic several times in the past. Dresser recounted the 'blatant racism' on the clinic's part in a Facebook post, writing that she wasn't sure if she should 'be ticked or cry'. Scroll down for video Amelia had jammed her finger and was in a lot of pain when her mom brought her to the Patient First clinic in Waldorf on September 19. However, staff at the clinic said a doctor wouldn't see her because Dresser didn't have official guardianship documents with her The parent company of Patient First at first released a statement saying the employees were just following procedure, but later apologized to Dresser According to Dresser's retelling on Facebook, a desk clerk at Patient First asked her if she was Amelia's guardian as the mom was trying to check in. Dresser responded 'yes', at which point the clerk asked to see the official guardianship papers. When Dresser explained that she didn't have the papers with her, the clerk called over a supervisor who informed her that the clinic wouldn't see Amelia without documentation. 'I repeated to them that they wanted me to go home and get the papers before she was seen. Yes. Thats what they wanted,' Dresser wrote. 'They said before we left a nurse would check her out. The person (doctor I think) that came in said that if it was broken they would only splint it so I might as well go to Walgreens and get a splint.' Dresser recounted the clinic staff's 'blatant racism' in a Facebook post, writing that she wasn't sure if she should 'be ticked or cry' Dresser also detailed the frustrating exchange - which Amelia witnessed in full - to local news station WJLA, saying: 'At first, I was just numb. I was in disbelief actually.' She said that the staff never asked to see Amelia's insurance card, which shows that the two have the same last name. Dresser vowed in the Facebook post that she would be tracking down the name of the clinic's regional supervisor. Patient First issued a statement in response to Dressers claims, which said: 'During registration, if a minor patient is accompanied by an adult who states that they are the patients parent, we take them at their word. 'If the adult states that they are the childs guardian, we require documentation to confirm that before the patient can be registered.' However, Dresser was not satisfied with that response, saying that care would not have been denied if she and her daughter were the same race. In a letter to Patient First's parent company, Dresser wrote: 'My daughter and I were treated with what can only be blatant racism.' Dresser said the situation was especially unusual given that Amelia had been treated at the clinic several times before and had never been told to show guardianship papers The letter continued: 'As a Caucasian woman, I understand that there are places where people might feel obligated to ensure that we are related. 'However, one of those places is certainly not an urgent care facility where I am using my familys insurance to pay for medical treatment. 'If I had a white daughter, would they expect me to carry a birth certificate on my person? No, they would not have discriminated against us. 'This violation of patient care rights is absolutely unacceptable. As a schoolteacher and conscientious human being, I know better than to make verbal assumptions about families. The people at your facility made an assumption about my family that was most certainly based on race. 'At a minimum, your employees need to have immediate and intense sensitivity training.' WJLA reported that the corporate office later apologized to Dresser for the experience. The mom told the outlet: 'I think people out there need to understand that families come in all shapes and sizes and that its important to respect all families.' Advertisement These shocking satellite images show how the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia has wiped villages off the map as the death toll soars past 1,200. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 6 meters (20 feet) in places. Satellite images show the devastation it has caused to the Balaroa and Petobo neighbourhoods in the city of Palu, with whole sections of villages disappearing. Search-and-rescue teams are desperately combing the destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel, for any trapped survivors, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Slide me These satellite images show the devastation caused to the Balaroa neighbourhood of Palu after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in Palu's Balaroa neighborhood, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently. In the district of Sigi, 34 children were found dead under tsunami debris. They were all attending a Christian camp, Indonesian Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani said. A 38-year-old man was pulled out alive from beneath a collapsed building three days after the 7.5 earthquake and 500mph tsunami devastated the city of Palu. Slide me These satellite images show a view of the Petobo neighbourhood in Palu, Indonesia. The village has been severely damaged by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami Some remote areas feared wiped out by the disaster have yet to be contacted, medicines are running out and rescuers, who have reported hearing screams from under building wreckage, are struggling with a shortage of heavy equipment. In response, President Joko Widodo opened the door to the dozens of international aid agencies and NGOs who are lined up to provide life-saving assistance. Britain will send a team of five aid workers to Sulawesi along with 2 million of support to help the thousands left homeless, the Department for International Development (DfID) confirmed. A ship is seen stranded on the shore after an earthquake and tsunami hit the area in Wani, Donggala, Central Sulawesi, in Indonesia International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: 'The UK offers its deepest condolences to those affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia which has left hundreds of people dead and thousands more homeless and in need of urgent help.' Figures collected by the National Police Headquarters put the number killed at 1,203 people. Officials fear the toll will rise steeply in the coming days and are preparing for the worst, declaring a 14-day state of emergency. One woman was recovered alive from ruins overnight in the Palu neighbourhood of Balaroa, where about 1,700 houses were swallowed up when the earthquake caused soil to liquify, the national rescue agency said. A view of a mass grave for victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Figures collected by the National Police Headquarters put the number killed at 1,203 people Residents walk near Baiturrahman mosque which was hit by an earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia An aerial view of an area devestated by an earthquake in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The destroyed temple can be seen clearly in the middle of the image 'We don't know how many victims could be buried there, it's estimated hundreds,' said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. 'This must be done as soon as possible for health and religious reasons,' he said. Indonesia is majority Muslim, and religious custom calls for burials soon after death, typically within one day. Local military spokesman Mohammad Thorir said the area adjacent to a public cemetery can hold 1,000 bodies. All of the victims, coming from local hospitals, have been photographed to help families locate where their relatives were buried. Video footage showed residents walking from body bag to body bag, opening the top to check to see if they could identify faces. Around midday, teams of workers, their mouths covered by masks, carried 18 bagged bodies and laid them in a trench at Poboya - in the hills above Palu. Mechanical earth-movers waited to push soil on top of the bodies. More burials are expected to follow with authorities desperate to stave off any disease outbreak caused by decomposing bodies. Military and commercial aircraft were delivering some aid and supplies to the region. But there was a desperate need for heavy equipment to reach possible survivors buried in collapsed buildings, including an eight-story hotel in Palu where voices were heard in the rubble. A 25-year-old woman was found alive Sunday evening in the ruins of the Roa-Roa Hotel, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency, which released photos of the her lying on a stretcher covered in a blanket. A number of other survivors were still being found and a few were being pulled from buildings in different locations. Desperate survivors turned to looting shops for basics like food, water and fuel as police looked on, unwilling or unable to intervene. 'There has been no aid, we need to eat. We don't have any other choice, we must get food,' one man in Palu told AFP as he filled a basket with goods from a nearby store. Television pictures showed scores of residents shouting 'we're hungry, we need food' as soldiers distributed rations from a truck in one neighbourhood, while footage from elsewhere showed people making off with clothes and other items from a wrecked mall. Local television said around 3,000 residents had flocked to the Palu airport trying to get out. Footage showed some people screaming in anger because they were not able to board departing military aircraft. The tsunami swept down a bay before crashing into the city of Palu. crushing everything in its path after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday 'We have not eaten for three days!' one woman yelled. 'We just want to be safe!' Meanwhile, some 1,200 Indonesian convicts are on the run from three different detention facilities in devastated Sulawesi. One prison in Palu - built to hold just 120 people - saw most of its 581 inmates storm past guards and escape to freedom through walls collapsed by the massive 7.5 magnitude shake. 'Things were initially fine...but not long after the quake, water erupted from under the prison yard causing prisoners to panic and then run onto the road,' said Ministry of Justice official Sri Puguh Utami, adding that the water was not from the tsunami. 'I'm sure they escaped because they feared they would be affected by the earthquake. 'This is for sure a matter of life and death for the prisoners,' she added. How a 'perfect storm' spawned disaster Inadequate warning systems, a lack of education about what to do when the quake hit and a narrow bay that channelled the tsunami's destructive force - a perfect storm of factors spawned the deadly disaster in Indonesia. Questions are mounting about what exactly happened and if more could have been done to save lives. The tragedy has highlighted what critics say is a patchy early-warning system to detect tsunamis in the seismically-active Southeast Asian archipelago. 'There was no information about a tsunami recorded by the tide-monitoring station in Palu because it was not working,' Widjo Kongko, a tsunami expert with the Indonesian government's technology agency, told AFP. The station keeps a check on changes in tides and should have detected if destructive waves were headed for the city. After the initial quake, Indonesia's geophysics agency - which monitors seismic activity - did issue a tsunami warning but lifted it soon afterwards. It was only later that images emerged of a surging wall of water charging into the coast, flattening buildings and overturning cars. Tide-monitoring stations and data-modelling are the main tools in Indonesia for predicting if a quake has generated a tsunami. But even if all the country's stations are working, experts say the network is limited and in any case gives people little time to flee as they only detect waves once they are close to shore. Efforts to improve systems have been beset by problems, from a failure to properly maintain new equipment to bureaucratic bickering. After a quake-tsunami in 2004 off Sumatra island killed 220,000 across the region, with most victims in Indonesia, 22 early-warning buoys were deployed around the country to detect tsunamis. But officials have admitted that they are no longer working after being vandalised and due to a lack of funds for maintenance. In another case, a major project with funding from the US National Science Foundation to deploy high-tech tsunami sensors in a quake-prone part of western Indonesia has been delayed. Louise Comfort, a natural disaster expert from the University of Pittsburgh who has led the American side of the initiative, said that it had been put on hold after disagreement between government agencies and a delay in getting financing. 'It's so disheartening and it's so sad because we've got the technology, we've got the knowledge, we know we can do it,' she told AFP. However, others called for a stronger focus on simply teaching people to head to higher ground when a quake hits, rather than on expensive technology which many communities in a developing country like Indonesia cannot afford. 'For a place like Indonesia to try and defend its coastline, education is almost certainly going to outpace technology for the foreseeable future,' said Adam Switzer, a tsunami expert from Nanyang Technological University's Earth Observatory of Singapore. 'Every kid in Indonesia needs to be taught what to do if they are on the coast and there is an earthquake.' Observers stressed the Indonesian quake was highly complex, and it would not have been easy to predict it would send a tsunami barrelling towards the small community of Palu. The initial tremor was a sideways movement of tectonic plates, rather than the sort of violent upward thrust that would typically generate destructive waves, and was followed by scores of aftershocks. Experts believe that the tsunami could have been triggered by an underwater landslide that followed the tremor. Palu's unique geography will not have helped, they said - the tsunami likely intensified as it raced down the narrow bay on which the city sits. 'Geographical factors (the narrow bay, shallow water) seemed to have played major roles,' said Taro Arikawa, a professor at Chuo University in Tokyo. 'The tsunami must have come very fast and suddenly.' Advertisement Inmates had fled from another overcapacity facility in Palu by breaking down its main door and another in Donggala, an area also hit by the disaster. The Donggala jail was set on fire and all 343 inmates were now on the run, Utami said. The arson was thought to have been sparked by angry detainees demanding to see their families. 'They panicked after learning that Donggala was badly hit by the earthquake,' Utami said. 'Prison officials did negotiate with prisoners about allowing them to go to check on their families. 'But some prisoners were apparently not patient enough and committed the arson.' Some of the convicts were jailed for corruption and narcotics offences, she said. Five people convicted of terror-related crimes had been moved from the prison just days before the disaster. Just over 100 prisoners at the two facilities in Palu were still in jail, but overstretched guards were struggling to keep them fed. 'The prison no longer had enough food,' Utami said. 'Officials then tried to buy supplies from stores around the prison that were still open.' Nearly all of those confirmed dead in the disaster are from Palu. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong - with a combined population of 1.2 million - had yet to be fully assessed. 'The death toll is believed to be still increasing, since many bodies were still under the wreckage, while many have not been reached,' said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. The cries from beneath the Roa-Roa Hotel, which appeared to have toppled over with its walls splintered like pickup sticks, went silent by Sunday afternoon. Officials had estimated about 50 people could be inside. Britain could slash corporation tax to 10 per cent in the event of a No Deal Brexit, Dominic Raab suggested last night. In a tough warning to the EU, the Brexit Secretary indicated that a dramatic tax cut could be within the Chancellors fiscal capacity to keep the economy afloat. Corporation tax, a tax on company profits, currently stands at 19 per cent, with a pledge to reduce it 17 per cent by 2020. But Mr Raab said the Treasury would use every possible measure to give the UK an edge on the EU if talks collapse without a new trade deal in place. Dominic Raab (pictured) said the Treasury would use every possible measure to give the UK an edge on the EU Philip Hammond yesterday used his speech to the Conservative Party conference to declare Britain could weather a No Deal storm, insisting he would maintain enough fiscal firepower to support our economy if that happens. At a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference last night, Mr Raab was asked whether this could include cutting corporation tax to 10 per cent. He replied: The Chancellor has talked about reserving fiscal fire power what more do you want? Of course he is talking about recognition that in the No Deal scenario we want to pull every lever we have got to see us through the short-term buffeting or disruption we have. The threat to cut taxes to lure businesses to Britain is likely to anger Brussels, which would see it as an attempt to undercut the EUs competitiveness. Philip Hammond (pictured) yesterday used his speech to the Conservative Party conference to declare Britain could weather a No Deal storm It came after Mr Raabs main speech to the conference hall yesterday, in which he rounded on Establishment figures trying to block Brexit, accusing them of disdain for democracy. In a furious tirade at senior politicians and Establishment figures behind the campaign for a second referendum and warned that if they succeeded, they would open the door to extremism and populists in British politics. He also hailed the Prime Ministers pragmatic, not dogmatic approach to Brexit. And he told Eurosceptics they would have bitten his arm off for Chequers if offered it three years ago. Addressing EU leaders, he warned they need to get serious and abandon their theological approach to the negotiation which sought to break up the United Kingdom. The speech and its reception will bolster Mr Raabs credentials as a potential future Tory leader, barely two months after he joined the Cabinet. He said respecting the result of the referendum was the essence of our democracy and condemned the efforts of a small but influential group of senior politicians and establishment figures to overturn the result. He said they had bankrolled a dangerous campaign to scare the wits out of people about leaving the EU. If they succeeded, he said, trust in democracy would all but vanish. Most people, whether they voted Remain or Leave, would see it for what it is. A shameless ruse by an Establishment that thinks that it has the right to keep asking the same question until it gets the answer it wants. He added: If there is mass disillusionment with the system, then its the populists, the far-Left and the alt-Right who will reap the reward, as they have in other countries where the Establishment has ignored peoples concerns. Last night, Jean-Claude Juncker suggested that British planes may not be able to land in the EU if Brexit goes wrong. Jean-Claude Juncker (pictured) suggested that British planes may not be able to land in the EU if Brexit goes wrong The European Commission president also said a four-day quarantine may be imposed on pet dogs and cats passing from the UK to continental Europe and again on their return journey. At a public meeting in Freiburg, Germany, Mr Juncker asked: Whats going to happen to air traffic in Europe if everything goes wrong? British planes will not be able to land on the European continent. People didnt know that. Mr Juncker added: The people are finding out now including British ministers and ministers on the continent how many questions [Brexit] poses, all the things we need to resolve. What is going to happen to the 250,000 dogs and cats who leave the European continent each year? Stamp prices could be increased to help bolster Royal Mails finances. The company warned yesterday that its profits could fall to 500million far below the 694million it made last year. Asked if it could put up stamp prices to bring in more money, finance chief Stuart Simpson said: We are going to be looking at all the levers that we have. The company warned yesterday that its profits could fall to 500million far below the 694million it made last year Stamp prices last rose in March, by 2p, taking the price of a first-class stamp to 67p and a second-class stamp to 58p. Royal Mail, which was privatised in 2013, still plans to pay out growing dividends to shareholders. The firm has recently been under fire over the 6million golden hello it handed to its new chief executive Rico Back. Stamp prices last rose in March, by 2p, taking the price of a first-class stamp to 67p and a second-class stamp to 58p The firm has recently been under fire over the 6million golden hello it handed to its new chief executive Rico Back, above, who lives in Switzerland Back is performing the job while living in Zurich, Switzerland. Nearly 860million was wiped off Royal Mails value last night as it announced the expected fall in profits to the stock market. Shares fell 18 per cent. Too many blue plaques commemorate only a tenuous connection to figures they are supposed to be honouring, it was claimed yesterday. Britain has put up plaques for more than 150 years, making it the oldest scheme of its type in the world. But Mike Read, a member of the Blue Plaque Trust, said he regretted that so many societies, councils, pubs and hotels have staked such weak claims to be linked to famous figures. Too many blue plaques (pictured, Highgate in north London) commemorate only a tenuous connection to figures they are celebrating, it has been claimed The former Radio 1 DJ noted that more than 50 plaques have been put up around the country to Charles Dickens alone. One in Rochester, simply commemorates a visit by the novelist, while another says that David Copperfield one of his fictional characters sat on the doorstep of a Dover building. Mr Read said Lord of the Rings author JRR Tolkien has quite a few plaques on buildings with only a slight connection. One, on a Birmingham hotel, boasts that he once stayed here. The charging documents that have been filed in the latest domestic abuse incident involving Track Palin reveal that the son of former governor Sarah Palin has once again been accused of beating his ex. Jordan Loewe claims that she arrived at Track's home on Friday night to drop off their son, and that as she began to leave her ex suddenly demanded she give him a hug. Loewe, whose protective order against Track was just lifted in late August, was then told by Track that she could not leave, at which point she pulled out her phone and stated: 'If you don't let me leave I'm going to call the police.' That is when Track allegedly took her phone and began hitting her, even as she tried to remove their son from her ex's home. She eventually yelled loud enough to get her phone back and called authorities, who also claim that they were attacked by the 29-year-old father-of-two. Track was booked in the early morning hours of Friday on charges of Assault IV, Interfering with Report of a DV, Resisting Arrest and Disorderly Conduct and ordered held without bail. It is a far cry from video of Track seen last week on DailyMailTV in which he seemed to be cleaning up his act as he mopped a Salvation Army as part of his community service for an arrest last December in which he attacked his father Todd. Scroll down for videos Trouble: Track was booked in the early morning hours of Friday on charges of Assault IV, Interfering with Report of a DV, Resisting Arrest and Disorderly Conduct (Palin and ex Jordan Loewe above) Victim: Charging documents claim that he beat his ex Jordan Loewe on Friday, hitting her in the head and butt as she tried to flee his house with their son (Loewe above with the couple's child) They did: This happened just hours before Track's sister Willow was married just 90 minutes north of Wasilla in Talkeetna (Willow, husband Ricky and Piper Palin on left, Sarah on right) Bad move: Once he was handcuffed, Track allegedly tried to headbutt the arrested trooper according to charging documents (above) Loewe told the troopers who responded to her report of a domestic violence incident that after Track took her phone she tried to leave the residence despite her ex's behavior, but then things began to spiral out of control. 'Jordan made it outside to her vehicle in the driveway and was in the driver seat when Track followed her out and was on top of her, hitting her in the head,' wrote Trooper Jason Somerville. 'Jordan told me she went back inside to get [their son] and take him with her. While Jordan was walking inside Track continued to hit her in the back of the head and butt.' Loewe was eventually able to get their son buckled into the car and wrestle her phone away from Track, saying that she believed her screaming worried him enough that he handed over the cell. Once she had made her way safely to a nearby gas station she called authorities. 'Jordan told me she was scared of things escalating because of their past history. She told me Track had pulled a gun on her in the past and gets violent very quickly,' noted the affidavit. 'Jordan told me on a scale of 1-10 for pain she was at a 2-3. She told me on a scale of 1-10 for fear she was at a 9.' This was just the beginning for Track though, when then made the situation worse once troopers arrived and he refused to respond to their requests to come outside the residence, choosing instead to sit on his couch in clear view of the troopers. He disputed some of Loewe's claims and said that after she threatened to call the police he decided to go sit on the ouch and 'wait to be arrested.' There was a second incident soon after he made that admission as the officers began to cuff Track. 'Track tensed his arm and tried to pull his arm forward. [Sergeant] Russell had Track's left arm. We attempted to pull his arms back behind his back and Track kicked the coffee table, knocking it over,' read the affidavit. 'At that point I tried to conduct a leg sweep but was unsuccessful. Sgt. Russell pulled Track backwards to the ground and I went down with them. I grabbed Track's arm and pulled it behind his back.' It was then oberved that Track had a pcket knife on him the entire time, and once he was in cuffs Sommerville searcfh his body for any other weapons before removing him from the home. 'I escorted Track out to my patrol vehicle down the road. When I got next to my patrol vehicle Track was pulling and shoving with his shoulder I was holding on to,' stated the affidavit. 'Track threw his head backwards toward my face and I moved back to avoid being struck in the face. I began to lose my balance on the slanted ditch and we both sent to the ground.' He was then taken to Mat-Su Regional Hospital at his own request because he said his wrist hurt from the handcuffs. The hospital cleared him however, at which point he was booked into Mat-Su Pretrial Facility, the same place he was held after his arrest on similar charges back in December. Over the years: The incident occurred just one month after a judge lifted the protective order that Loewe requested last December (Track left in 2008, right in January) Family unit: It is a far cry from video of Track seen last week on DailyMailTV in which he seemed to be cleaning up his act as he mopped a Salvation Army as part of his community service (The Palins above in 2008) Sarah Palin alleged that her son was taking both pills and alcohol on the day of his December arrest due to his PTSD. An incident report that was included in the young man's charging documents revealed that he broke into his family home through a window after being told by father Todd that he was not welcome, and then began to hit the man over the head. Todd had tried to keep his son out by meeting him at the door and pointing a gun at him, but Track was able to disarm the man and 'put him on the floor' before beating him bloody. Sarah told police her son was 'freaking out and was on some type of medication.' After Track assaulted his father, a bloody Todd fled the home followed by Sarah, and Track engaged in a brief standoff with police. 'Given the nature of actions addressed last night by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further,' said Sarah and Todd's lawyer John Tiemessen. 'They ask that the familys privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request.' Track was kept in a detention facility for five days after his arrest, before being released on bail. 'Track stood on the porch,' wrote Officer Adam LaPointe of the Wasilla Police Department. 'Communication was attempted which failed due to Track yelling and calling myself and other officers peasants and telling us to lay our guns on the ground before approaching the residence.' He then went inside the house before reappearing on the roof of the garage so he could get a look around the entire property, according to Office LaPointe. After that Track again when into the house, where he remained for approximately 15 minutes before reestablishing communication with police. Track then turned himself over to police, admitting he had a few beers earlier in the night and had gotten into a argument with his father over the use of a car. 'Track said he had been talking to his dad, Todd, about a vehicle,' read the report. 'Track stated he had a disagreement and that there had been threats made between them. Track stated that he then drove over to Todd's house and when he arrived Todd had a gun in his hand,' reads Officer LaPointe's sworn affidavit. When Track then looked through the window next to the door he saw 'Todd point a gun at him.' The eldest son of Sarah and Todd then told his father to shoot him several times before deciding to break a window in order to enter the home. 'Track stated that he went through the broken window and disarmed Todd and put him on the ground,' stated the affidavit. 'While Track had Todd on the ground he started hitting Todd in the head. Todd was able to get away from Track and out of the residence.' Best day: Sarah palin would only say that Saturday was the best day of her life as Willow walked down the aisle (left with Todd, right in her dress) The Iraq combat veteran had been taken into custody by police befoire that incxdent as well back in January of 2016 after officers arrived at the Palin family home and found his girlfriend cowering under a bed. That girlfriend was Loewe. An intoxicated Track attacked Loewe and pointed an AR-15 rifle at his own head as they argued over her ex-boyfriend and screamed he was going to shoot himself, shouting, 'do you think I'm a p---y? and 'do you think I won't do it?' The police report stated that the victim was seen with 'bruising and swelling around her left eye' claiming that Track had thrown her phone away when she tried to call 911. This all happened at Sarah's Wasilla home as well according to court documents, and Track had a 0.189 blood alcohol level according to police. 'I observed that the male had a visible injury to his right eye and the area around his eye,' wrote Officer Andrew Kappler at the time. 'His eyes were bloodshot and I detected a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and person. Upon contacting Palin, he was uncooperative, belligerent, and evasive with my initial line of questions.' Officers tried to ask the veteran why 911 was dialled by the woman and where she was. 'Palin stated that he didn't know where she was and denied that there was a firearm involved, but did state that there were several spread throughout the residence,' Kappler wrote in his report. 'Due to Palin's escalating hostility, the unknown whereabouts of the female 911 caller, and Officer safety, Palin was placed into handcuffs.' It was then that officers went into Sarah's family home and discovered Loewe under the bed, crying and hiding. 'She and her boyfriend of one year, Track Palin, left a different residence together and were arguing the whole way home,' Kappler wrote. 'Once they got to his home they argued in the car, then in the driveway. They were screaming and he was calling her names.' The woman told police that while she had not yet called 911, she had lied to Track and said she had to scare him off. Apparently this did not work. 'Palin approached (his girlfriend) and struck her on the left side of her head near her eye with a closed fist,' wrote Kappler in the report. The argument got out of control and Track allegedly reached for his AR-15 rifle and began threatening suicide. Track's girlfriend ran out of the house after the young man started 'holding onto a gun, yelling 'do you think I'm a p---y?' and 'do you think I won't do it?' '(She) stated Palin 'cocked the gun' and was holding the rifle out next to him with his right hand near the trigger and his left hand near the barrel, with the barrel just away from his face pointed to the side,' states the detailed police report. '(She) was concerned that he would shoot himself and ran outside and around the house. She didn't see where Palin went, so she went inside and up the stairs, where she hid under a bed.' Police reported that Loewe had bruising around her left eye and appeared to have an injury on her knee. Track told police the argument began after he learned she had been speaking with an ex-boyfriend. The two had been to dinner and then visited his sister Bristol's home earlier in the night before the argument began at his mother Sarah's home. He also claimed that the woman elbowed him during the fight, but she was not arrested or charged with any crime. Loewe spoke with DailyMailTV about the incident last year. She said Track pointed his mother's pink camo AR-15 rifle towards his head. The police report reads: 'Loewe stated Palin 'cocked the gun' and was holding the rifle out next to him with the [sic] his right hand near the trigger and his left hand near the barrel, with the barrel just away from his face pointed to the side.' Jordan said: 'There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to kill himself or kill me. It was terrifying.' The attack made headlines nationwide and prompted an angry response from the Palin family. Jordan told DailyMailTV: 'I did not go to the media - they got a hold of the police report, so they got quotes of what I said about what had happened. 'I got a text to say I was disrespectful and not respecting their privacy; that I shouldn't have been drinking and I was blamed for that. 'There was never any responsibility put on Track or what he did or what happened. 'I think safety over reputation or a last name, that's pretty important. I still can't believe that they took priority over my life and Charlie's life. 'I disappointed them by calling the police and asking for help because I thought I was going to die.' A father travelling around the outback with his family survived a terrifying ordeal after being bitten by a snake while camping hours away from the nearest hospital. Nathan Helms had just showered at their campsite in Karijini National Park in Western Australia's remote north, when he felt 'something move against his foot'. His wife, Renee, was inside putting their son to sleep when she heard Mr Helms yell out to her after being bitten on his toe. Renee (pictured), Nathan and their son Ryan are full-time travellers who have become used to camping in desolate locations in Australia's outback Nathan Helms (left, right) had just showered with his thongs on when he felt 'a piercing bite on his toe' Mrs Helms, who runs the travel blog The Great Escape, recounted the worrying story on Facebook, telling how she carefully planned the next crucial moments. 'I told Nathan not to move and went to grab the first aid kit from the car he knew not to move. And I knew that he'd likely have to be flown out to a bigger hospital,' Mrs Helms, an emergency care nurse, wrote. Because they couldn't identify what type of snake it was, they had to expect the worst and act fast. Within minutes, they had applied a double pressure bandage from toe to thigh, packed a bag, and were on their way to Tom Price Hospital, almost two hours' drive away. The pair tried to call Triple Zero several times but due to the lack of service in the outback, none of their attempts went through. Fortunately, the pair reached a patch of reception and managed to connect with an ambulance. Renee runs The Great Escape blog on Facebook which recounts all of her adventures (pictured are Mr and Mrs Helms and their son Ryan) They were told to pull over onto the side of the road and turn on their hazard lights until they saw the ambulance approach. 'I was so very grateful to see those lights,' Mrs Helms wrote. As they couldn't tell emergency services what sort of snake had bitten him, Nathan was forced to board a Royal Flying Doctor Service flight, which transported him to Port Hedland. Mrs Helms returned to camp with her son and packed up - leaving the pair on their own for the first time since the family began their travels - and made the trek back to Port Hedland. After a series of blood tests and an overnight stay, Mr Helms was given the all clear by doctors, meaning he was either bitten by a non-venomous snake or a venomous snake which did not inject any venom into his toe. 'It's been a very emotional and exhausting 24 hours. And I'm pretty glad Nathan is all good,' she wrote. Mrs Helms ended the post by praising the fast response from the volunteer ambulance workers, and the help from the RFDS and staff at Tom Price Hospital. A former AFL star has spoken out about his fears for his family's safety after a spate of alleged antisocial behaviour from the teenage children of African immigrants. Former Sydney Swans star Peter 'Spida' Everitt says there are consistent gang issues in Melbourne, the Herald Sun reported. Everitt, a 44-year-old father of four, holds safety concerns for his daughters, two of whom are teenagers, when they are attending parties in the area. Scroll down for video Peter Everitt (pictured with one of his three daughters) has spoken out about safety concerns in Melbourne 'There are African kids out there causing terror throughout certain suburbs,' he said. His daughters, aged 17, 19 and 24, are based in Melbourne, where just last month about 200 youths of African and Islander descent were involved in a melee which spilled out from the Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood, The Age reported. '(My daughters) go out to parties in all these areas. I am concerned when they do go out. 'I've had friends and family members at parties where some of these gangs have come in and terrorised the whole lot. So now, as soon as they rock in, the party disperses very quickly.' In August police on horseback were patrolling a Melbourne suburb where 100 rampaging Sudanese youths gathered 'for war' and bragged authorities 'can't touch us' as they hurled rocks at the riot squad. Crowd-control equipment was used to move the youths on. Last month about 200 youths of African and Islander descent were involved in a melee which spilled out from the Gasometer Hotel in Collingwood Everitt, who is now a Gold Coast-based radio host, was speaking about the dangers in Melbourne before his upcoming television appearance on Go Back to Where You Came From Live. The show, which airs on Tuesday night on SBS, sends Australians to unknown warzones. He will join radio personality Meshel Laurie on the three-day adventure, which will play out on television over three nights. Everitt said he wanted to take part in the show because he was uneducated about refugees. He said he was excited and nervous about what was coming. Jeremy Hunt (pictured) faced backlash after comparing EU to Soviet jail Jeremy Hunt faced a backlash from European leaders last night after comparing the EU to a Soviet jail. Brussels officials told the Foreign Secretary he should read a history book to learn how communist rule was a dark period. A senior MEP said Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher would be turning in their graves over his remarks. There was also criticism from former British diplomats who said his comments were unworthy of a Foreign Secretary. In his speech to conference on Sunday, Mr Hunt savaged those in Brussels who believe the way to keep the club together is to punish a member who leaves. He added: The EU was set up to protect freedom. It was the Soviet Union who stopped people leaving. If you turn the EU into a prison, the desire to get out wont diminish, it will grow, and we wont be the only prisoner who wants to escape. Senior Tories said Mr Hunts comments were a naked appeal to Eurosceptic activists and an attempt to bolster his leadership credentials. The EU Commissions chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas said: I would say respectfully that we would all benefit, in particular foreign affairs ministers, from opening a history book from time to time. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt (pictured) gives a speech in the main hall on the first day of the Conservative Party Conference 'I do not have a book to recommend, but I think there is a lot of literature covering this dark period of history. European Parliament chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt said: Offensive and outrageous comments by Mr Hunt, especially to those millions of Europeans that lived under Soviet occupation. 'Churchill and Thatcher, these great defenders of European freedom and democracy must be turning in their graves. European Parliament chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt (pictured) said Mr Hunt's comments were 'offensive and outrageous' Polands former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski called for Mr Hunt to apologise: Did the Red Army force you to join? How many millions has Brussels exterminated? Gulag for demanding a referendum on independence? Apologise, Jeremy Hunt! Latvias ambassador to the UK, Baiba Braze said: Soviets killed, deported, exiled and imprisoned hundreds of thousands of Latvias inhabitants after the illegal occupation in 1940, and ruined lives of three generations. The EU has brought prosperity, equality, growth, respect. Peter Ricketts, the former Foreign Office permanent secretary said: This rubbish is unworthy of a British Foreign Secretary. Polands former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski (pictured) called for Mr Hunt to apologise Sir Simon Fraser, his successor as the FCOs chief diplomat said: Whatever you think about Brexit, [its a] shocking failure of judgment for a British Foreign Secretary to compare the European Union with the Soviet Union. Last night a source close to Mr Hunt said any sensible reading of the speech made clear the EU is not the Soviet Union. It was a passionate plea not to end the partnership between Britain and Europe that defeated totalitarianism and not to become a club where members who leave get punished, he said. Veterans who fought in Northern Ireland during the Troubles could be protected from repeat investigations under a breakthrough deal, it was reported last night. The Democratic Unionist Party is reportedly prepared to reach a compromise with the Government that would offer safeguards to former soldiers. DUP leader Arlene Foster and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson are now on the same page and are discussing plans they hope will be approved by the Attorney General, The Daily Telegraph reported. The deal, yet to be signed off by No 10, would stop veterans who have been investigated and cleared from having to relive the process over and over again. DUP's Arlene Foster (pictured) and Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson are on same page A senior DUP source said both parties believe a double jeopardy rule could be introduced. The source added that they were determined not to repeat the failings of the Iraq historic allegations inquiry, when soldiers were repeatedly investigated over the same incident. The deal would also require the allegations team to have substantial evidence and a high likelihood of prosecution before launching an investigation to prevent spurious allegations reaching court. They would also need to explain why reopening an investigation was in the public interest, which would be weighed against the potential emotional distress inflicted on the defendant, the source added. A source close to Mr Williamson last night told The Daily Telegraph that he had always stressed the need to avoid a repeat of the witch hunts that have pursued other servicemen. However, Mrs Foster and Mr Williamson are said to have grown frustrated with Karen Bradley, the Northern Ireland Secretary. Sources said she was dragging her heels and stifling progress. Last night a source close to Miss Bradley said the allegations were completely untrue. The compromise would offer safeguards to former soldiers who fought in Northern Ireland Mrs Foster refused to comment on the discussions last night, but has previously said that she wanted to make sure the inquiry did not lead to innocent veterans being forced to relive the experience. She added that her party was very alert to the problem of veterans being pulled into fresh legal battles simply because they had happened to be in the vicinity during a killing. I am all for wrong being investigated. Where soldiers stepped over the line, they should have been investigated. But I wont allow people to rewrite the past and blame the soldiers for the Troubles. Yesterday the families of two men shot dead on Bloody Sunday have been awarded a total of 700,000 in damages. The Ministry of Defence payouts to relatives of Gerard McKinney and Michael McDaid come days after a man shot in the face during the notorious Troubles incident in Londonderry was awarded almost 200,000. The family of Mr McKinney, a 35-year-old married father-of-eight, was awarded 625,000, their solicitor Fearghal Sheils said. Mr McDaids family received 75,000, the lawyer added. In his case the award was lower due to the fact the 20-year-old single man had no dependants when he was killed. Armed police are in revolt against their bosses over the murder of PC Keith Palmer in the Westminster terror attack. Marksmen believe they have been hung out to dry accused of being in the wrong place when Khalid Masood stabbed the officer. Police chiefs launched a secret misconduct investigation into the two marksmen who were on duty at Parliament at the time. Constables Lee Ashby and Nicholas Sanders were accused of having a misjudged and misguided interpretation of their roles. But they were never asked to give an account of their actions on the day and the misconduct investigation was quietly shelved. A police source said: It got nowhere and just caused a lot of ill feeling those involved knew they had done nothing wrong. Last picture of Metropolitan Police constable Keith Palmer, 48, who was stabbed to death Obviously tensions were very high after the murder and it was pretty ugly to think someone thought Keiths colleagues could be made to carry the can. In the aftermath of the vehicle atrocity, junior officers said they were bullied by their superiors and one quit to save his sanity. Some have vented their fury on Facebook even though it is rare for officers to directly criticise bosses on social media because they appreciate the challenges of policing and are wary about tarnishing their own force. Low morale among police at Westminster in the aftermath of the attack in March last year led to unarmed officers refusing to speak to colleagues in the firearms unit. The inquest into the Westminster victims was told that Metropolitan Police chiefs passed the buck by investigating the actions of constables Ashby and Sanders. Susannah Stevens, who represents Mr Palmers parents and siblings, said police constables are being hung out to dry to protect senior officers. Emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster, London, where Pc Keith Palmer was fatally stabbed by Khalid Masood Don't dodge our questions, says family Keith Palmers sisters have accused police chiefs of undermining the inquest. Angela Clark and Michelle Palmer also say they have been made to feel they are worth less than Khalid Masood, the terrorist who murdered the unarmed constable. They said they feel battered and undervalued because their questions about weakness in parliamentary security have been ignored. The pair accused Scotland Yard chiefs of scapegoating junior officers over apparent security failures during the attack by Masood in March last year. We put our faith in this system, that we would get answers. And were now utterly demoralised, our faith is gone, Mrs Clark, 52, told The Times. Miss Palmer, 46, said: Keith gave his life and we are left with no answers. Eighteen months on we were hoping for some closure, but were not going to have that. We feel like we come below Khalid Masood. We are not valued, not wanted, we feel like we are on trial. Advertisement Scotland Yard chiefs are expected to be heavily criticised over the affair when the Old Bailey inquest ends this week. A colleague of Mr Palmer last week accused a senior officer responsible for security at Parliament of having blood on his hands. Mr Ashby and Mr Sanders insist they were told by bosses to carry out roving patrols in the grounds of Parliament and that they should prioritise the members entrance. This left the carriage gates, where unarmed Mr Palmer was stationed, vulnerable to attack. Met chiefs insist the subsequent investigation was secret to avoid the appearance of a witch-hunt, which its critics say it was. The forces department of professional standards, which carried it out, did not discipline the officers. Mr Ashby and Mr Sanders say they have never been told by bosses that their patrol route on the day of the attack was wrong. No misconduct hearing took place in the end because it was quashed by who, it is not clear, another police source said. One of the officers had taken a photograph of exactly what he had been told to do. There is not much arguing with that. At least four colleagues of Mr Palmer have accused senior officers of failing to appreciate the vulnerability of carriage gates. Mr Ashby told the inquest it was impossible to cover all the gates and he admitted the system left unarmed officers unprotected more often than not. Dominic Adamson, who is representing Mr Palmers widow Michelle, said: The security measures in the Palace of Westminster which contains the Prime Minister and members of cabinet were so lax that the relevant instructions were not being performed or acted upon. The system of security completely failed to protect PC Palmer on that day. One colleague of Mr Palmer described the security at Parliament as a colossal cock-up. Another said top officers should hang their heads in shame. In just 82 seconds, Masood used a car to knock down and kill Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, on Westminster Bridge before stabbing Mr Palmer, 48. Dozens more were injured. Masood was shot dead by a plain-clothes officer. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has slammed a New York Times reporter over a report revealing Brett Kavanaugh was questioned by police when he was at Yale over a bloody bar fight in 1985. Kavanaugh was accused of throwing ice on a bar patron during the incident in September 1985 after a UB40 concert, according to a police report obtained by the New York Times. Sanders hit out at the reporter, Emily Bazelon, on Monday night by questioning what motivated the 'ridiculous' story. 'Democrats desperately attack Judge Kavanaugh for throwing ice during college. What motivated New York Times reporter to write this ridiculous story? Throwing ice 33 years ago, or her opinion of Judge Kavanaugh in July?', Sanders tweeted. Sanders linked to a prior tweet from the reporter, who is a Yale law school graduate, in which she was critical of Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. 'As a @YaleLawSch grad & lecturer, I strongly disassociate myself from tonights praise of Brett Kavanaugh. With respect, hes a 5th vote for a hard-right turn on voting rights and so much more that will harm the democratic process & prevent a more equal society,' Bazelon tweeted in July. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was questioned by police when he was a student at Yale over an off-campus bar fight in 1985 The report that prompted Sanders' outburst revealed that Kavanaugh and four other men were questioned by New Haven Police over the 1985 incident just after 1am, but Kavanaugh was not arrested. The altercation occurred at a bar called Demery's following a UB40 concert when Kavanaugh was an undergraduate at Yale. The victim, Dom Cozzolino, told police he had been hit in the ear with a glass by Kavanaugh's friend and Yale basketball player, Chris Dudley. Cozzolino was treated in hospital for his injuries after he was left bleeding from his ear, according to the police report. One of the men who was among the group of people drinking with Kavanaugh at the bar prior to the incident was his Yale classmate Charles 'Chad' Ludington. Ludington, who issued a statement on Sunday accusing Kavanaugh of lying about his extent of drinking in college, said the fight broke out after their group mistook the victim as UB40's lead singer Ali Campbell. He said they were trying to figure out if it was him when he noticed them staring and aggressively asked them to stop. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has slammed a New York Times reporter over a report revealing Brett Kavanaugh was questioned by police at Yale Ludington said Kavanaugh then 'threw his beer at the guy', before adding that 'the guy swung at Brett'. Sanders hit out at the reporter, Emily Bazelon, on Monday night by questioning what motivated the 'ridiculous' story Ludington claimed that Dudley then 'took his beer and smashed it into the head of the guy, who by now had Brett in an embrace. I then tried to pull Chris back, and a bunch of other guys tried to pull the other guy back. 'I don't know what Brett was doing in the melee, but there was blood, there was glass, there was beer and there was some shouting, and the police showed up.' Details of the bar fight first came to light after Ludington issued the statement Sunday in which he vaguely referred to the incident. 'On one of the last occasions I purposely socialized with Brett, I witnessed him respond to a semi-hostile remark, not by defusing the situation, but by throwing his beer in the man's face and starting a fight that ended with one of our mutual friends in jail,' Ludington said. The police report said that Kavanaugh was accused of throwing ice not beer in the alleged 'assault'. Kavanaugh reportedly would not tell police if he threw the ice or not and Dudley, now an NBA veteran who retired in 2003, denied claims he hit the man with the glass. It doesn't appear anyone was charged. Neither Kavanaugh nor Dudley, who was the Republican nominee for governor of Oregon in 2010, were quoted in the latest article about the fight and Cozzolino declined to comment. But Dudley has previously denied reports about Kavanaugh's heavy drinking. He told the New York Times he 'never ever saw him blacked out'. 'That's just not Brett. That's not his character,' he said. Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, however, described Kavanaugh as 'a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker' at college. He accused the Supreme Court nominee of being untruthful in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the extent of his drinking in college. Kavanaugh, pictured at his Yale graduation, was questioned by police over the 1985 incident but was not arrested The altercation occurred at a bar called Demery's (above) following a UB40 concert. The bar closed in 1994 and was a known spot for Yale students The victim, Dom Cozzolino, told police he had been hit in the ear with a glass by Kavanaugh's friend and Yale basketball player, Chris Dudley (left). Kavanaugh's Yale classmate Charles 'Chad' Ludington (right) also said he was there In addition to being a 'frequent' and 'heavy drinker', Ludington said Kavanaugh was often 'belligerent and aggressive' when drunk. 'On many occasions I heard Brett slur his words and saw him staggering from alcohol consumption, not all of which was beer,' he said. 'When Brett got drunk, he was often belligerent and aggressive.' Ludington said he has since made contact with the FBI because he believes Kavanaugh downplayed the 'degree and frequency' of his drinking during the Senate hearing. 'I can unequivocally say that in denying the possibility that he ever blacked out from drinking, and in downplaying the degree and frequency of his drinking, Brett has not told the truth,' he said. During the hearing on Thursday, Kavanaugh insisted that he had never blacked out from drinking alcohol. His chief accuser, Dr Christine Blasey Ford, has claimed that Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge were intoxicated when he allegedly sexually assaulted her. Ford, a California university professor, detailed her claims during the hearing that Kavanaugh tried to rape her at a party in 1982 when the two were still high school teenagers. Kavanaugh's drinking has come under intense scrutiny since Ford's accusations became public. Kavanaugh was accused of throwing ice on a bar patron during the incident in September 1985 after a UB40 concert, according to a police report obtained by the NYT When he was pressed on Thursday at his hearing about his drinking habits in high school, Kavanaugh said: 'My friends and I, boys and girls. Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. I still like beer... The drinking age as I noted, was 18, so the seniors were legal. Senior year in high school, people were legal to drink.' While he admitted in his congressional testimony that there were probably occasions during his time at Georgetown Prep that he had consumed 'too many beers,' a combative Kavanaugh denied he had ever gotten out of control or acted inappropriately toward women. 'I liked beer,' he said. 'But I did not drink beer to the point of blacking out, and I never sexually assaulted anyone.' When Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) pressed if he ever drank so much he blacked out, he replied: 'Have you?' After a break in the proceedings, he came back and apologized to Klobuchar. It comes as Deborah Ramirez, who was the second woman to come forward with allegations against Kavanaugh from their time at Yale University, spoke to FBI agents on Sunday as part of their investigation. In her interview with agents, Ramirez detailed her allegation that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party in the early 1980s. Ramirez alleges that Kavanaugh exposed his penis to her during a drunken party at a Yale University dormitory when they were undergraduates. Kavanaugh has denied both Ford's and Ramirez's allegations. Michael Avenatti, the attorney for a third Kavanaugh accuser, Julie Swetnick, said in an email to Reuters that his client has not been contacted by investigators. His chief accuser, Dr Christine Blasey Ford, has claimed that Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge were intoxicated when he allegedly sexually assaulted her Middle -class professionals are fuelling bloodshed on Britains streets with their desire for drugs, the Home Secretary warned last night. Sajid Javid said those who took cocaine and Ecstasy at dinner parties were not innocent of the rise in violence sweeping the country. In a hard-hitting intervention, he condemned recreational drug use among the wealthy for being responsible for warfare among gangs, including those running county lines networks, by bumping up demand. He said middle-class men and women who took lines of cocaine or Ecstasy pills were fuelling the knife and gun crime epidemic that was killing young people. Sajid Javid said those who took cocaine and Ecstasy at dinner parties were not innocent of the rise in violence sweeping the country Demand for drugs led to county lines gangs luring children as young as 12 into becoming couriers and unwittingly ensnared in a web of brutality and intimidation. It is believed there are more than 1,400 county line gangs named after the lucrative telephone lines used to organise the illegal trade and that they are making an estimated 1.8 billion annual total profit. Gangs based in Britains biggest cities groom boys and girls into becoming drug mules to flood market towns and seaside resorts with heroin and crack cocaine. Over the past weeks the Daily Mail has highlighted how the county lines menace has grown. Mr Javid pledged a fightback against the criminals who ruin lives and damage society. He spoke out as he launched a major review the biggest ever carried out by the Home Office of drug misuse in the UK. Javid condemned recreational drug use among the wealthy for being responsible for warfare among gangs, including those running county lines networks, by bumping up demand In April, the Governments flagship Serious Violence Strategy highlighted evidence that illicit drug markets drove sudden surges in appalling violence as gangs competed for lucrative markets. In an interview with the Daily Mail ahead of his Tory conference speech today, Mr Javid said: We need to make people understand that if you are a middle-class drug user and you sort of think, Well, Im not doing any damage, I know what Im doing, well, theres a whole supply chain that goes into that, youths whose lives have been abused, the county lines, other drug takers being abused, crime being encouraged. You are not innocent no one is innocent if they are taking illegal drugs. Im very concerned by the rise that weve been seeing in serious violence and I wish there were some easy explanations about what was causing it. Like so many of these things the causes are complex. But a large chunk of it is around county lines gangs, the changes that have been taking place in drug markets. Violent crime surged by 21 per cent last year, with 1.3million offences recorded by police. Mr Javid said the review will look at who is buying illegal substances as well as who is selling them. It will focus on the use of drugs by professionals, such as City workers, and will investigate what drugs people are taking, how often and where they get them from. Two bomb threats caused the evacuation of a Melbourne hospital this morning. Sixty patients and staff from the Epworth Hawthorn private hospital were moved to a nearby park. An Epworth Healthcare spokeswoman said police were immediately notified after the threats were made by telephone shortly after 8am on Tuesday. Two bomb threats caused the evacuation of Epworth Hawthorn Hospital this morning 'Sixty patients and staff were evacuated ... they are safe and have food, drink and blankets,' she said. Police also evacuated surrounding buildings, and train services at the nearby Hawthorn Station were affected as well as tram services in the area. The exclusion zone included the area around Epworth Hawthorn on Burwood Road between Barton Street and Evansdale Road. Sixty patients and staff from Epworth Hawthorn were moved to a nearby park An Epworth Healthcare spokeswoman said police were immediately notified after the threats were made by telephone shortly after 8am on Tuesday Approximately two hours later, Victoria Police gave the all-clear for patients and team members to return to the hospital. Metro Trains advised that services were also back up and running but that passengers in the area should expect delays while they recover. Police said that the matter is being treated as a hoax and is under investigation. Advertisement Incredible drone pictures have shown the full extent of the devastating Indonesian earthquake which has destroyed buildings and killed more than 1,200 people. Hundreds of people are trapped in mud and 1,700 homes have been swallowed up on the island of Sulawesi after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on Friday, triggering a tsunami. Huge mass graves are being dug in an desperate attempt to stop disease from spreading, with one grave measuring 10 by 100 metres. Survivors have been forced to comb through body bags in an attempt to identify their missing family members. Pictures captured by a drone show a huge ship stranded ashore after being thrown inland by the tsunami, a mosque totally destroyed and cars left lodged in buildings by powerful waves sparked by the massive tremor. Scroll down for video A ship is seen stranded on the shore after being thrown inland when the earthquake and tsunami hit Wani, Donggala, Central Sulawesi Pictures captured by a drone show a totally destroyed mosque (pictured) and entire towns washed away by powerful waves sparked by the massive tremor A man takes a photo of a car left jammed in the side of a building following the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia A man hugs his daughter in an emotional reunion after both survived the disaster. Relatives are continuing their desperate search for missing family members Many flights in and out of Palu airport have been cancelled due to hundreds of people blocking the runway, begging to flee the island. Indonesia's national disaster mitigation chief Willem Rampangilei told the ABC bodies must be buried as soon as possible for 'health and religious reasons'. A 38-year-old man was pulled alive from the ruins three days after the deadly quake. Sapri Nusin was conscious and speaking to his rescuers as he was saved by National Search and Rescue Agency workers from a destroyed finance building, footage captured by Indonesian television stations showed. A 25-year-old woman was found alive on Sunday morning in the rubble of the Roa-Roa Hotel. Australia stands ready to help Indonesia during the aftermath of the 'horrific' earthquake and tsunami. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said if there is a request to help, Australia will step in. 'This is just a terrible tragedy,' Morrison said this week. 'I think it's important that all of our empathy and our thoughts are with them in what must be a most horrific time.' The death toll is expected to rise as connections to outlying areas are restored. 'I've been in direct contact with President (Joko) Widodo about this. Australia stands ready to assist as is needed,' Mr Morrison said. People scrambled onto rooftops of nearby buildings in order to avoid the rising waters of the tsunami Buildings including this mosque in Palu collapsed after the earthquake struck on Friday A local is pictured trawling through the rubbish and debris in Palu in an attempt to recover some of his lost possessions Roads and bridges including the Jembatan Embpat bridge (pictured) were destroyed in the quake and tsunami Survivors walk among vehicles and debris near a shopping centre that was destroyed in Palu Survivors inspect damage to a large fishing boat that was upturned and swept ashore during the tsunami 'I think as a good friend of Indonesia, it's important that all Australians I think continue to show their strong empathy and support, which President Widodo indicated to me very clearly they are very grateful for.' Mr Morrison said there has been no request for help so far, but Australia is preparing contingencies in case help is needed. Terrifying footage filmed from the metal roof of a house showed large buildings and electricity pylons ripped from their foundations due to 'liquefaction' of the ground. Liquefaction is a phenomenon in which the strength of soil is reduced by an earthquake, causing it to flow like liquid. A mass grave for more than a thousand earthquake and tsunami victims has been prepared in Indonesia as a desperate hunt for survivors continued today Officials could be seen hauling body bags into the 330ft-long tomb in Palu after the city on the island of Sulawesi was devastated by 20ft waves and tremors so powerful they turned the ground to liquid Around midday, teams of workers, their mouths covered by masks, carried 18 bagged bodies and laid them in a trench. Mechanical earthmovers waited to push soil on top of the bodies. More burials are expected to follow Footage captured using a drone shows the extent of the damage to Petobo Village (pictured) in Palu Residents of Petobo walk through the mud to inspect the damage to their homes after the devastating disaster A sand sculpture asking for help for the victims of the tsunami was created at Bay of Bengal Sea's eastern coast beach at Puri Specialist crews attempt to pull dead bodies from the floodwaters after the tsunami struck Indonesia Residents in desperate need of fuel queue at a service station after power supplies and other essential services were knocked out by the disaster A 25-year-old woman was found alive Sunday evening in the ruins of the Roa-Roa Hotel, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency, which released photos of the her lying on a stretcher covered in a blanket Rescuers carry an earthquake survivor at restaurant building damaged by a massive earthquake and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia Looters took the opportunity to raid a shopping mall badly damaged by the massive earthquake. A man in a Christmas hat his pictured carrying a huge stolen television on the back of a motorbike Devastation: Pictures capture the scale of the damage caused by the disaster. Officials have yet to reach some badly affected areas The tsunami swept down a bay before crashing into the city of Palu, crushing everything in its path after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday Earthquake and tsunami victims look for goods to use in a warehouse in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia Houses and vehicles damaged by earthquake and tsunami are seen on Talise beach area, Palu, Central Sulawesi Some remote areas feared wiped out by the disaster have yet to be contacted, medicines are running out and rescuers, who have reported hearing screams from under building wreckage, are struggling with a shortage of heavy equipment. In response, President Joko Widodo opened the door to the dozens of international aid agencies and NGOs who are lined up to provide life-saving assistance. Britain will send a team of five aid workers to Sulawesi along with 2 million of support to help the thousands left homeless, the Department for International Development (DfID) confirmed. Overhead images show the scale of the devastation around the city of Palu in central Sulawesi after it was smashed by a tsunami A soldier holds an infant rescued after the earthquake and tsunami as he waits for a military aircraft at Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu on Sunday The twisted remains of a truck and cars can be seen lodged against a tree along the coast at Lolik beach near Palu Roads were left in crumpled ruins by the power of the earthquake on Friday. This was the scene in Palu this week Overhead shots taken by a drone show how communities were simply swept away during the tsunami after it struck on Friday Huge crowds of people have gathered at Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu in the hope of being evacuated on military planes Cars were left in ruins after the tsunami crushed everything in its path on Friday. This was the scene at a garage in Talise Beach The ground was turned to mush after the quake shook the area's water-filled soil on Friday. This picture shows how the earth was churned up Indonesians wait in line in the hope of being evacuated on military planes at an airport in Palu Advertisement Kimberly Guilfoyle says she would put her life on hold to work at the White House if President Donald Trump asked her to. And her boyfriend Donald Trump Jr. insists he's not worried about Special Counsel Robert Mueller trapping him in his wide-ranging Russia probe, even as a proxy target for his more famous father. Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle talked about campaigning, future plans and more during their first joint TV interview as a couple. The second installment airs Tuesday, only on DailyMailTV. With three divorces and six children between them, Guilfoyle jokes that they're somehow rebooting the Brady Bunch franchise as 'The Donberly Bunch.' The president's son said they've already heard they're 'the most Googled couple on the Internet.' Even if Meghan Markle and Prince Harry might object, the couple whose friends call them 'Kim and Don' have undeniable chemistry. Guilfoyle, 49, left her job co-hosting 'The Five' on the Fox News Channel in July to become vice chairwoman of the pro-Trump America First Action super PAC, where former White House press secretary Sean Spicer is a senior adviser. Now she's dating the president's eldest son, whose sister-in-law Lara is fast becoming the public face of the 2020 re-election campaign. Jumping directly into Trumpworld's glitz from just a few steps into the tall grass wouldn't take much. 'If he needs me and he asks me, I would go,' Guilfoyle said of relocating to Washington for a West Wing job close to the president. Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle have been a couple for five months; he told DailyMailTV that he has 'zero' worry about Robert Mueller's Russia probe, and she said if President Trump needed her she would work in the White House DON'T TELL HARRY AND MEGHAN (OR JAY AND BEY): Trump Jr. said he's heard he and Kimberly are 'the most Googled couple on the Internet' The president's son says he's comfortable with his campaign conduct and has 'zero' worries about being a target of the Russia probe helmed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller (right), but 'nothing would surprise me at this point' 'Kim and Don' spoke with DailyMailTV near a Montana campaign stop supporting Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale Just like the 2016 campaign slogan 'Make America Great Again' morphed into 'MAGA,' the president's 2020 version 'Keep America Great' will eventually be known as KAG Guilfoyle's initials. 'If POTUS brings her here,' a White House aide told DailyMail.com, 'he'll drag her on stage at every rally for that reason alone. And it would help him. She's dynamite.' That scenario could run afoul of the Hatch Act, a federal law that prohibits paid government employees from using their jobs to influence partisan political contests. But stumping for Trump would be legal if Guilfoyle worked for his 2020 campaign, as long as she first took 120 days off. That's a legally required 'cooling off period.' 'KEEP AMERICA GREAT': President Trump's planned 2020 re-election slogan has the same initials as 'Kimberly Ann Guilfoyle' She and her 40-year-old beau of five months say the president has given the relationship his blessing. 'He really likes Kimberly,' Trump Jr. said. 'Always has, and Always will.' Trump Jr. said he might run for office himself someday. Asked about rumors that he has his eye on the New York governor's mansion, he said he 'would never rule anything out. ... I do enjoy the campaigning.' DailyMailTV interviewed the two on a secluded ranch 90 minutes southwest of Bozeman, Montana, where Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale and a group of donors were aiming sniper rifles at targets between 100 yards and 1 mile away. Like Trump Jr., who swept through North Dakota and Montana without shaving, Guilfoyle is comfortable in either Levi's or Louboutin. 'I can put her with my blue-collar friends,' Trump Jr. said. 'And shoot!' she jumped in. 'You could walk into a room with the biggest titans of industry two minutes later,' he said, and '[she would] fit in with either one of them.' Trump Jr. hit his rifle target at the mile marker, sending a metallic 'plink' back to the shooting party with a 5-second delay. He insisted, though, that he's not worried about becoming a target himself in Washington's latest high-stakes staring match. Special Counsel Robert Mueller reportedly hasn't let go of a June 2016 meeting Trump Jr. attended with a Russian lawyer who he thought would show up with opposition research on Hillary Clinton. Democratic congressional leaders have predicted a full account of the meeting, which included presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, would prove some level of collusion with the Kremlin to tilt the election away from Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. insists nothing came of it. And after a 15-month media avalanche, he brushed the whole thing off the collar of his blue fleece pullover. 'Allegations and innuendo,' he shrugged. With Manafort facing the rest of his life in prison for financial crimes unrelated to Trump, inside-the-beltway prognosticators are wondering when Mueller might wrap up his work. Trade one podium for another? Guilfoyle has been touted as a potential White House press secretary in the past, including privately by President Trump himself President Donald Trump has seen an unusually brisk churn of senior staffers Press Secretary Sean Spicer lasted just six months leading to constant speculation about who might be next through the revolving door Current White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is rumored to be thinking about an exit from the West Wing, and some around her think she won't be there in January So far the special counsel's office has given no signal that anyone or anything has implicated the president in criminal wrongdoing. But then there's Don Jr. 'The big nightmare scenario is Mueller might go after his kids,' said a Trump ally who speaks to the president regularly. 'He's not going to get him so, you know, he'll get Don Jr. for something ridiculous.' The younger Trump said in Montana that investigators could 'try to create something out of nothing,' but he's not concerned about becoming the second-best target if Mueller doesn't lay a glove on the president. 'Nothing would surprise me at this point,' he said, 'but I'm not worried about it because I know what I did. I know what everyone around me did. So there's literally zero concern for me.' Guilfoyle declared that Mueller has 'nothing' after 'all of these millions of dollars spent. And years. And so far nothing.' Twenty-two months ago she would have been expected to publicly defend Donald Trump Sr. instead. The pair's Montana campaign swing included sniper-rifle shooting at targets up to a mile away; Trump Jr. hit a red diamond-shaped target and joked that he didn't want his girlfriend to hear anything about 'diamonds' Kimberly said fellow Latinas who may object to her stumping for the anti-illegal-immigration Trump don't dare say it to her face: 'We are a country and a nation founded by immigrants and I want everybody to have that opportunity, but I don't think people should cut in line' Guilfoyle was on a short-list of candidates to be the president's chief spokeswoman following the 2016 election, but the job of White House press secretary went to Spicer, a Republican National Committee loyalist. His early press briefings, criticized as erratic and seemingly scripted for parody, drove near-constant chatter among senior Trump aides about replacing him. The president loved his verbal brawling, so he stayed. But Guilfoyle told the San Jose Mercury News just four months into Spicer's tenure that she was having conversations about taking over the White House briefing podium. The New York Times had reported that President Trump had talked to allies about making the switch. Fox News said at the time that Guilfoyle had a 'long-term contract,' suggesting she was locked in. That's no longer the case. When the president named Anthony Scaramucci his communications director nine weeks later, Spicer resigned in protest. 'The Mooch' famously lasted 10 days, long enough to promote deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a P.T. Barnum-like press conference. That was 14 months ago. Sanders' top deputy Raj Shah is now on his way out, and will reportedly hand in his West Wing pass after Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation battle ends. Some senior officials doubt Sanders will still be there when 2019 begins. 'It's not inevitable,' one told DailyMail.com, 'but the midterms and the new Congress coming in in January would be a logical time to shuffle things.' The same Trump aide said the president 'would surprise no one' by picking someone to succeed Sanders who he's seen frequently on television. Asked to choose either Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi or PETA president Ingrid Newkirk as a dinner companion, the outdoorsman Trump Jr. joked that he might choose to starve A confidant of President Trump said of the Russia probe that 'the big nightmare scenario is [Robert] Mueller might go after his kids. He's not going to get him so, you know, he'll get Don Jr. for something ridiculous'; Don Jr. says 'I'm not worried about it' The White House's communications platoon has few remaining souls who could step into Sanders' job. Heather Nauert, the chief spokeswoman at the State Department, is a name that West Wing aides keep hearing, one said. Guilfoyle would bring a scrappier, more adversarial tone to the press corps. Asked in Montana if she could defend President Trump's complaints about 'fake news,' she launched into her own complaint about 'bias in the media' and vented about how slanted reporting hurts good journalists' reputations. Photogenic and half-Puerto Rican, she would also bring a minority face to the White House briefing room. And she's not shy about defending Trump in his squabbles with the Hispanic community over his long-promised border wall, his crusade against illegal immigration and, more recently, his denials about Puerto Rico's death toll from Hurricane Maria. Asked how she responds to other Latinas who blame her for consorting with the enemy, her jaw dropped. 'Nobody ever says anything like that to my face!' Guilfoyle exclaimed. 'You know better to say that to a Puerto Rican woman!' 'We are a country and a nation founded by immigrants,' she said, 'and I want everybody to have that opportunity. But I don't think people should cut in line.' 'You know what I've seen as a prosecutor? I've seen people take advantage and bring young unaccompanied minors across and sell everything in their family, have their children be compromised, sick, ill, put in danger because they're trying to go around the law,' Guilfoyle continued. 'That's not protecting families or children.' Guilfoyle dropped her engine to a lower gear just in time to hear her boyfriend strut his sense of humor. Asked if he would rather have dinner with Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi or Ingrid Newkirk, the president of PETA, the unabashed hunter quipped: 'Can I starve?' Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle have been dating since late April; he and wife of 12 years Vanessa are in the midst of largely amicable divorce proceedings DailyMailTV's two-part interview was conducted by DailyMail.com's U.S. political editor, David Martosko In the same interview, he told DailyMailTV that in an age when lives can be ruined on both sides of he-said, she-said sexual misconduct claims, he fears more for his sons than for his daughters. 'I've got boys, and I've got girls. And when I see what's going on right now, it's scary,' he said with Guilfoyle by his side. She believes Americans should give sexual assault accusers a fair hearing. But the veteran criminal prosecutor also cautions that they should always be aware of political motivations that color controversies like the Brett Kavanaugh case. 'I think it's important, in terms of doing an investigation, to get the facts out there and find out,' Guilfoyle said. 'Its very tough thirty five years later, but it doesn't mean it should be ignored.' The pair have been an inseparable couple since April 25, six weeks after Vanessa Trump, Don Jr.'s wife of 12 years, filed for an uncontested divorce. In barren-hilled back country 90 minutes away from Bozeman, Rosendale supporters gathered for a sniper-rifle target shooting party with Guilfoyle and Trump Jr. The 40-year-old Trump scion hit a red diamond-shaped metal target placed a full mile away. He told the huddle of Montanans that he hoped the diamond didn't give Guilfoyle any ideas. 'With her around that could be expensive,' he joked, saying later: 'It was the first time I ever called a hit a miss!' The Church of England could appoint its first female archbishop after the Most Reverend Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, announced his retirement. Dr Sentamu who has served as number two in the CofE hierarchy for 13 years will quit in June 2020, days before his 71st birthday. Ugandan-born Dr Sentamu was the first black archbishop in the CofE, pictured above His decision opens the way for a woman to be chosen as his replacement. A number of senior posts have gone to women in recent months, culminating in the choice last year of the Right Reverend Sarah Mullally as Bishop of London, the third-ranking bishop in the Church. He campaigned against poverty but did not adopt predictably liberal positions, praising the British Empire, backing the St George flag Ugandan-born Dr Sentamu was the first black archbishop in the CofE. He campaigned against poverty but did not adopt predictably liberal positions, praising the British Empire, backing the St George flag, defending traditional hymns and opposing same-sex civil marriage. A scan and go smartphone shopping app is being launched by Marks & Spencer as stores race to abolish the traditional checkout and using cash. The company will allow customers to shop and pay on their mobile, without visiting a till. M&S says the technology means people do not have to queue and claims it is possible to buy a lunch meal deal in under 40 seconds. M&S says the technology means people do not have to queue and claims it is possible to buy a lunch meal deal in under 40 seconds M&S says the technology means people do not have to queue But tills with staff will still be available for shoppers who prefer to use a checkout. The service will be rolled out to six London stores, including Canary Wharf and Stratford Westfield, over the coming weeks. Both the Co-op and Sainsburys are running trials on similar apps where shoppers scan items with their phone camera. Sacha Berendji, of M&S, said: Digitally enabled stores that offer a seamless customer experience are a crucial part of our transformation and our ambition to be a digital first retailer. A former girlfriend of key Kavanaugh defender Mark Judge has repeatedly requested the opportunity to speak with FBI investigators but received 'no substantive reply', according to her attorney. Elizabeth Rasor, who dated the Supreme Court nominee's high school best friend for three years during college, spoke out last week to challenge Judge's claims that his and Brett Kavanaugh's high school sex lives were innocent. 'I cannot stand by and watch him lie', she said. 'Mark told me a very different story'. According to Rasor, Judge had painted a much darker picture of the best friends' high school years than the one Kavanaugh has been peddling over the course of the last two weeks. Now that the FBI has reopened its background check to investigate sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, Rasor wants the chance to share her account. Her attorney Roberta Kaplan told the New Yorker that Rasor 'has repeatedly made clear to the Senate Judiciary Committee and to the FBI that she would like the opportunity to speak to them'. As of Sunday, however, Kaplan said: 'Weve received no substantive response.' The former girlfriend of key Kavanaugh defender Mark Judge has repeatedly requested the opportunity to speak with FBI investigators regarding the Supreme Court nominee's credibility Rasor offered to share her information regarding Kavanaugh and his friendship with Judge last week, but as of Sunday has not been contacted by the FBI, according to her attorney Rasor last week told the New Yorker that Judge had described to her an incident that involved him and other boys taking turns having sex with a drunk woman when they were in high school. While she did not know whether Kavanaugh was one of the boys involved, Rasor said she felt obligated to share the account because it could cast serious doubt on what both Judge and Kavanaugh have said about their time at Georgetown Prep. Kaplan said her client 'feels a sense of civic duty to tell what she knows', but that as of Sunday 'the only response weve gotten are e-mails saying that our e-mails have been "received"'. She added that at one point an FBI official suggested she try to contact the agency's tip line. Should Rasor be granted the opportunity to interview with FBI investigators, her account could help corroborate Christine Blasey Ford's story about being assaulted by Kavanaugh during a high school party in 1982. Ford claims that Judge was in the room during the alleged attack, but he has denied any recollection of it. Should Rasor be granted the opportunity to interview with FBI investigators, her account could help corroborate Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault claims Rasor is reportedly one of several witnesses who have contacted FBI investigators to share information about Kavanaugh's conduct during high school and college ahead of the agency's Friday deadline. Another witness identified by the New Yorker report published Sunday is a Yale classmate who wishes to corroborate the account of Kavanaugh's second accuser, Deborah Ramirez. Ramirez alleges that Kavanaugh exposed his penis to her at a drunken party in a Yale dormitory. The unnamed witness said he is certain he heard about the alleged incident shortly after it occurred, and that he has spoken with several other classmates who would also like to provide information supporting Ramirez's story. However, he said that when he tried to get in contact with the FBI, he was passed around to multiple different offices so many times that he ultimately just submitted his tip through the bureau's online portal. As of Monday, the FBI is believed to still be limiting its list of interviewees to four people, all of whom were approved by the White House. Those witnesses are Judge and another high school friend of Kavanaugh's, P. J. Smyth, as well as Ford's high school friend Leland Keyser and the second accuser Ramirez. Judge's attorney confirmed that he was being questioned on Monday. The 53-year-old self-described recovering alcoholic had initially written a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee simply saying he had no recollection of any incident like the one described by Christine Ford. Judge had previously claimed he could not testify in Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings because of depression and anxiety. Then on Friday, he said he would 'cooperate with any law enforcement agency that is assigned to confidentially investigate these allegations,' and signed the statement under penalty of felony. Lying to the FBI is a crime, meaning Judge's testimony to them could see him jailed if it is found to be a lie. Society should lay off parents who make financial sacrifices to send their children to fee-paying schools, a leading headmaster has said. Shaun Fenton, the new chairman of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference (HMC), said many families get a hard time for choosing private schools. While they were simply making rational decisions about good parenting, all too often parents who opt for the independent sector are made to feel bad about it by those who want to virtue flag. Shaun Fenton, the new chairman of the Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference (HMC), said many families get a hard time for choosing private schools (file photo) His comments were made in Manchester to the annual conference of HMC, which represents all the top private schools. Campaigners say private schools contribute to unfairness in society. But Mr Fenton, who is head of Reigate Grammar School and has taught in the state sector, said hard-working parents have a right to pay out for education. His comments were made in Manchester to the annual conference of HMC, which represents all the top private schools (pictured, Reigate Grammar School) He said: Sometimes they get a hard time. They are investing in educational opportunity for their children. Thats all. Mr Fenton stressed there were many good state schools. But he said: I ask that we lay off independent school parents and stop criticising good parenting. Patients showing signs of cancer will be promised a diagnosis within three weeks under new Government plans, it was reported last night. It will mean millions more patients will be offered CT and MRI scans via mobile units in supermarkets and shopping centres across the country. The proposals form part of a 10-year plan to improve the NHS's woefully late diagnosis rates from the major killers. It will focus on breast, bowel, prostate and lung cancer, The Daily Telegraph reported. Patients showing signs of cancer will be promised a diagnosis within three weeks under new Government plans, it was reported last night (stock image) Doctors will be encouraged to refer patients for immediate tests, avoiding potential delays while patients are referred to a specialist. The 'scan first, ask questions later' approach acknowledges that in most cases, a definitive diagnosis cannot be made until such checks have been completed. Currently, most patients with suspected cancer are meant to begin treatment within 62 days, however the disease can spread during this time. Matt Hancock will today tell the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham that improving cancer care is a key target for the NHS. The Health Secretary is expected to say every seriously ill child and millions of adults with cancer will have their genes sequenced in a five-year plan to develop more personalised medicine. The Prime Minister is also expected to identify cancer as a key priority for the 20billion investment the Government has pledged for the NHS. Mr Hancock is expected to tell the conference: 'I'm incredibly excited about the potential for this type of technology to improve the diagnosis and treatment for patients to help people live longer, healthier lives, a vital part of our Long Term Plan for the NHS. '[The] commitments form part of our bold aspiration to sequence five million genomes in the UK, using ground-breaking technology to do this within an unprecedented five-year period. 'At present, diagnosis happens when we fall ill and seek help from our doctor or nurse but the more genetic information there is the earlier clinicians can predict, diagnose and treat the illness in a way that work best for each patient. 'In many cases, it can take years to diagnose a rare disease, and genomics has the potential to speed this up and reduce the number of invasive tests which patients currently have to undergo.' NHS sources said the proposals, which will be revealed in the 10-year plan later this year, hope to change the way cancer is treated. Britain has some of the worst cancer survival rates in western Europe in part due to late diagnoses. Figures from April to June show 80.8 per cent of patients with suspected cancer started treatment within 62 days of being urgently referred by a GP. This is below the Government target of 85 per cent for the 18th consecutive quarter, and the worst quarterly performance against this target since records began. Britain's biggest pub chain is stocking Australian sparkling wine and brandy to prove to consumers that products sourced from the European Union can be easily replaced under Brexit. Pub baron Tim Martin, whose company Wetherspoons owns 900 venues in the UK, is a strong backer of the UK leaving the EU with minimal regulatory ties. He proclaimed 'all EU products can be replaced' at a pro-Brexit gathering held at the Conservative Party's annual conference in Birmingham on the weekend, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Brexit-backing pub baron Tim Martin (pictured), who owns 900 venues in the UK, will stock more Australian sparkling wine and brandy to show consumers the impact of the country leaving the EU can be minimised Mr Martin acknowledged South Australia's Jacob's Creek sparkling (pictured) and Black Bottle Brandy had won British customers over 'People think the Aussies are all sledging and iron ore, but they actually produce very good sparkling wine as well,' Mr Martin said. 'I did a little experiment in our own business, with French champagne we've been selling for 25 years... (and said) let's see what we can buy so that it doesn't have to come across the Channel, so we got English sparkling wine, and Aussie sparkling wine.' Mr Martin acknowledged South Australia's Jacobs Creek sparkling and Black Bottle Brandy had won 'his customers over. He also predicted Black Bottle is 'going to be the No.1 brandy in the UK'. Mr Martin led a rally over the weekend calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to be sacked because she planned to maintain close regulatory ties with the EU after Brexit. Mr Martin predicted Black Bottle (pictured) is 'going to be the No.1 brandy in the UK' Mr Martin led a rally over the weekend calling for Prime Minister Theresa May to be sacked (pictured The King and Castle in Windsor owned by Mr Martin's Wetherspoons company) The crowd applauded after Mr Martin announced he had turned to Australia to source some of his most popular beverages. Australian Federal Trade Minister Steven Ciobo argued earlier this year that there should be a free trade agreement between the UK and Australia - a move that would suit Mr Martin's ambitions. 'As Britain steps forward into this next stage, I can assure you that Australia stands ready, our ambitions set high,' Mr Ciobo said in a speech to a leadership forum in London. 'There is no doubt that any shift in the tectonic plates of British economic activity will flow on to influence Australia in very real ways.' The owner of a bowling alley was killed after getting impaled in a pin setting machine in what police described as a 'tragic accident'. Florence Police Department was called to Fremont Lanes Sunday afternoon in Colorado when a man was reported stuck inside a pin setting machine. Officers found the alley's owner, Ector Rodriguez, 65, inside the machine, unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics a short time later. Florence Bowling Alley (pictured) where proprietor Ector Rodriguez died on Sunday Floral tributes left outside the bowling alley for Rodriquez, who was described as a 'hero' Courtesy of KKTV It is not clear how he ended up inside the pin setting machine. Florence Police Chief Mike Delaurentis said the incident appeared to be a tragic accident. It continues to be investigated, but foul play is not suspected. A sign on the front door of the Fremont Lanes bowling alley in Florence, Colorado said it will 'closed until further notice'. It is understood that Rodriquez, who was a well-known and respected businessman in the community, went to the back to fix one of the automatic pin setters. An employee noticed he had been gone longer than expected. She went to find out what was taking so long. Mike Delaurentis told KOAA: 'She walked back there, found him impaled in the machine. Called 911'. Despite the best efforts of first responders, Rodriguez could not be saved. He said of the businessman: Ive talked to him hundreds of times, probably in my 11 years, Ive seen him on the street where he sits outside. He would always try to help, I remember there was a few times where we had some incidents with homeless people and some people under the influence of narcotics and he tried to help them. A large array of floral tributes have been left outside the premises as a mark of respect to the deceased. One bouquet has note with the phrase; 'hero of the community.' Locals in the town said Rodriquez would be sorely missed by everyone who knew him as he made people feel welcome at the bowling alley for decades. He often sat on a bench out front greeting and talking to people. Makara, a long-time resident familiar with Rodriguez, told KOAA: My heart hurts deeply for the fact that hes not here anymore. 'This is going to be a loss to downtown and being a small town, that kind of loss is a big loss.' 'If you dont want to hang out a bar and you want a date night, and you wanted a place to go, well this place is the place. A new twist has emerged in the case of baby killer Keli Lane after a man came forward this week to make a shocking never-before-heard claim. Darryl Henson was a resident of an inner Sydney apartment block in the mid 1990s when Lane claims to have visited a unit in the building to have sex with a man she says is the father of her slain daughter Tegan. Lane, 43, claims to have gone to the unit on Wisbeach Street, Balmain, on multiple occasions to visit the man, called Andrew Morris or Andrew Norris. She has told a journalist investigating the matter for an ABC documentary that she did not kill Tegan because she gave the baby to the child's biological father soon after giving birth in September 1996. But police found no evidence to back up Lane's claims about her relationship with Tegan's father. Scroll down for video A witness has come forward claiming he saw convicted baby killer Keli Lane (pictured) visiting an inner Sydney apartment to see a man she claims she had a sexual relationship with Darryl Henson (pictured) said he is 'confident 100 per cent' that he saw Lane leaving the apartment complex Mr Henson was a resident of the Balmain apartment complex (pictured) at the time when Lane said she had a sexual relationship with a man called Andrew Mr Henson lived in the building during the summer of 1995/96, when the sexual relationship is said to have taken place, and claims to have seen Lane visiting on several occasions. He returned to New Zealand in October 1996 but was recently tracked down by journalists working on the ABC documentary 'Exposed: The case of Keli Lane'. Until now, no witness has ever come forward to say they had seen Lane visiting the apartment block. Mr Henson told the ABC he is 'confident 100 per cent that [he] saw her', saying she was the 'sandy-haired girl' he witnessed around the building late at night. 'I've got no reason to lie. I'd seen her coming and going through the carpark entrance, through High Street,' Mr Henson claimed. He said he would often see Lane and think she was 'brave' because she was not nervous about going out at late at night like others were. Lane (pictured) claims to have had a sexual relationship with a man called Andrew, the biological father of her daughter Tegan, but he has never come forward 'It was quite late. It was dark. Sometimes 1am. Because I used to work on my car until the early hours of the morning,' he said. He identified Lane through a series of pictures shown to him by the ABC documentary team. Mr Henson was never interviewed by police as part of their murder investigation so his claims were not heard by the jury, although detectives reportedly made attempts to contact him. He said the jury should have heard from him 'just to clarify I did see her'. Mr Henson's claims have now been described as 'very significant' and 'compelling evidence' by the director of the RMIT Innocence Initiative, Dr Michele Ruyters. Dr Ruyters said that if Lane had been seen in the vicinity of Wisbeach Street, while she was or was not with Andrew, 'that immediately suggests that her story has an element of truth'. Lane (pictured) was was jailed for 18 years in 2010 after a court found her guilty of murdering her daughter Tegan No man named Andrew Morris or Andrew Norris has ever come forward, and a police investigation found a man by either of those names did not live in the apartment building at the time. When police showed tenants who lived in the building at the time a picture of Lane as part of their murder investigation, none said they had seen her around. Baby Tegan's body has never been found. Lane, from Sydney's northern beaches, was jailed for 18 years in 2010 after a court found her guilty of murdering Tegan two days after giving birth at Auburn Hospital. In the documentary, the convicted murderer told journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna she was 'certain' she didn't kill her baby - despite her own admission of being a serial liar. In a telephone call from Silverwater Correctional Complex, Lane told Meldrum-Hanna she was adamant she handed Tegan over to her biological father in the hospital on September 14, 1996. Exposed airs on the ABC at 8.30pm on Tuesday. Workers have walked off the job at Australia's five major airports, causing lengthy delays and flight disruptions. The protesting employees in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are demanding better pay and working conditions. The Transport Workers' Union (TWU) is behind the protest, and is calling on the federal government to make 'airports and airlines responsible for labour standards'. Scroll down for video Thousands of airport workers (pictured) have walked off the job to demand better pay and working conditions 'Split shifts and poverty wages have to go!': TWU Australia advertised the protests on their Twitter, which has over 5000 followers 'Airport workers have seen their jobs downgraded in recent years with a majority on forced part-time hours,' the TWU said. The union also believes that current standards and conditions are affecting aviation safety and security. 'The low rates, split shifts and poor conditions have led to workers forced to sleep at airports,' the TWU said. The workers claim split shifts have an impact on safety and eat into their sleep and time with family. 'Behind the shiny facades and the slick airline lounges, what we've got are airport workers under pressure,' TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine told reporters as he attended the rally Ramp worker Bob Pocovski said it shouldn't be such a battle for workers who just want to do their job. PROTEST TIMES AND LOCATIONS Sydney international terminal arrivals - 9.30am Melbourne Virgin domestic arrivals - 11am Brisbane domestic terminal between Qantas and Virgin - 11am Adelaide airport main entrance - 10.30am Perth domestic terminal - 10am Advertisement 'We just want the same pay for the same job,' he said. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine attended the protest and told reporters the airport employees are suffering under poor working conditions. 'Behind the shiny facades and the slick airline lounges, what we've got are airport workers under pressure,' he said. The TWU said they will release their submission to the Productivity Commission's inquiry into economic regulation of airports during the protest. Travellers flying on Tuesday have been urged to plan ahead to avoid any further delays leading them to miss their flights. A bird lover has wreaked havoc at an apartment complex by feeding flocks of cockatoos every day. Residents of the Mosman apartment building in North Sydney are frustrated at the noise and damage caused by the sulphur-crested parrots. 'You know what's really frustrating? The hours of screeching,' a resident said. 'Every time the birds start flying, you get anxious, you think "God, here we go again. How long is this going to go for?" and it's not right.' Scroll down for video A bird lover has wreaked havoc at an apartment complex after feeding flocks of cockatoos bread and seeds every day Another resident said the flock of birds, which included lorikeets, pigeons, and bush turkeys, came from different directions pooping and wrecking the building roofs. Other residents chimed in the bird-loving neighbour 'spits and attacks' and becomes 'aggressive' if a person asked him to stop his habit. The birdman, nicknamed 'Alfred Hitchcock' in reference to the American thriller film 'The Birds', suffers from mental health issues. 'People have mental health issues, I understand that,' said a resident. 'But it needs to be addressed, and people with mental health issues are not going around feeding birds and causing havoc in the area.' Some of the cockatoos have been killed on a nearby road, and they interfere with moving vehicles and passersby. Residents of the apartment complex said the bird-loving neighbour 'spits and attacks' and becomes 'aggressive' if he is asked to stop feeding the animals Mosman Council released a statement saying it is aware of the issue and is looking into it on behalf of the residents in the area. 'We understand cockatoos can cause damage to surrounding properties but we are also mindful that they are a protected species and we will be pursuing an educational campaign so that those residents that choose to feed them are not doing it in the same spot,' the statement read. The council previously delivered a letter to the man asking him to move to a safer area away from traffic and homes, but the letter was ignored. Some of the cockatoos have been killed on a nearby road and the animals interfere with moving vehicles and passersby Megyn Kelly has fired up on Twitter saying the notion that every woman who alleges sexual harassment has to be believed is 'absurd' following the claims made by a third Brett Kavanaugh accuser. The NBC host's argument came after Julie Swetnick became the most recent woman to come forward accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Swetnick released a sworn statement through her attorney this past week in which she says she witnessed Kavanaugh 'consistently engage in excessive drinking and inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women in the early 1980s.' Megyn Kelly (above on Monday) has fired up on Twitter saying the notion that every woman who alleges sexual harassment has to be believed is 'absurd' She also said she was sexually assaulted at a party attended by members of Kavanaugh's social circle, but did not accuse him of assaulting her. Kelly hit out on Monday night at Swetnick's claims after the NBC was accused by critics of protecting the 'male misogynistic culture' in the US. 'Due process is not misogynistic. It happens to be the bedrock of our legal system. Ms. Swetnick was just on NBC changing her story dramatically from her sworn declaration. When an accuser has credibility issues, the (answer) is not to shame those who recognize it,' Kelly tweeted. In that tweet, Kelly was referring to Swetnick's sit-down interview with NBC during which some of her claims differed from her sworn statement. Kelly also referenced her own experience with sexual harassment after a critic questioned whether it meant a lot to her that she was believed when she spoke up against FOX News President Roger Ailes. The NBC host's argument came after Julie Swetnick (right) became the most recent woman to come forward accusing Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct 'I knew I might not be. But my company's attnys examined the evidence, which in my case included contemporaneous journal entries (which I gave), consultation w/an attny, a report to a supervisor, stmts to friends, and a slew of other women w/highly credible allegations,' she said. 'Not every victim will have that kind of record, which is fine, but the notion that *every* woman must be believed is absurd. Just ask the 3 Duke lax players who were falsely accused of rape by a woman who virtually all of the media believed but who made the whole thing up.' Since Swetnick's allegations came to light, it has emerged she has an extensive history of involvement in legal disputes, including a lawsuit in which an ex-employer accused her of falsifying her college and work history on her job application. Court records reviewed by The Associated Press show Swetnick has been involved in at least six legal cases over the past 25 years. Along with the lawsuit filed by a former employer in November 2000, the cases include a personal injury suit she filed in 1994 against the Washington, D.C., regional transit authority. Her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said the court cases involving her have no bearing on the credibility of her claims about Kavanaugh. Avenatti said the suit from her ex-employer - it was dismissed a month after it was filed - was 'completely bogus, which is why it was dismissed almost immediately.' He said he 'fully vetted' Swetnick before helping her take her claims against Kavanaugh public. Two other women - Dr Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez - have publicly accused Kavanaugh of sexually abusing them. Kavanaugh has denied the claims regarding him made by Swetnick and other women, characterizing some of the allegations as a 'joke' and a 'farce.' Melania Trump has departed for a week-long tour of Africa, her first major international trip without the president by her side. The first lady smiled and waved at photographers as she prepared to board a military jet at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland just as the sun began to set on Monday evening. Clearly eager to start her trip off on the most stylish note possible, Melania, 48, was dressed to the nines in a $1,695 suede trench coat from Vince, and a pair of $935 leopard-print stiletto heels by Manolo Blahnik. First lady Melania Trump departed for a solo tour of four African countries on Monday evening Melania was all smiles as she set off on the week-long trip - her first major international tour without President Donald Trump by her side - even offering a rare wave to photographers Melania is pictured boarding a military jet at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Monday She then topped off the safari-inspired look with a pair of large sunglasses, and wore her long brunette locks down in a straight style around her shoulders. Melania is scheduled to arrive in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday and will continue her tour with stops in Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said Monday the tour will be a 'diplomatic and humanitarian visit' focused on Melania's #BeBest campaign for 'children and their well-being'. Grisham told the Daily Caller: '[Melania] is hoping to visit the countries to learn what their challenges are, and also see where the US is having a positive impact or results. 'To that end, our office has been working closely with USAID [the United States Agency for International Development] and each stop will focus on one or more projects they have been working on within each country. In typical first-lady fashion, Melania was dressed to the nines when she arrived at the tarmac She wore a $1,695 copper-colored suede coat from Vince, a brown leather skirt and a pair of $935 Manolo Blahnik leopard-print stilettos 'The visits will include stops having to do with education, healthcare, some conservation and tourismand as with all that she does through her initiative Be Best, the well-being of children will be her focus.' Experts have said over the course of the trip Melania may also find herself repairing relationships with African leaders who have been offended by her husband. President Trump has made a number of impolite comments about the continent in the past, including having referred to some African countries as 's**tholes'. He played a different tune last week when promoting Melania's trip, telling reporters: 'We both love Africa. Africa is so beautiful, the most beautiful part of the world, in many ways.' In a final tweet before her departure, Melania wrote: 'We are taking off for #Africa! So looking forward to visiting #Ghana #Malawi #Kenya & #Egypt as I take #BeBest international. #FLOTUSinAfrica2018.' A tourist has narrowly avoided being mauled by a sea lion as she provoked a group of the mammals on a beach. The beach-goer was filmed posing for photos and dancing close up to the sea lions, causing one of them to lash out at Sandfly Bay in Dunedin, New Zealand yesterday. Dunedin wildlife expert Glynis Corson, who filmed the video, said getting close to the mammals was 'complete stupidity'. Scroll down for video The beach-goer was filmed posing for photos and dancing close up to the sea lions, causing one of them to lash out at Sandfly Bay in Dunedin, New Zealand yesterday The 25-second video shows a woman dressed in tights and a blue hooded jumper standing less than two metres from the group of sea lions for a photo opportunity. The woman began to wave her arms and dance around in front of a sea lion that was standing upright. The animal lashes out, and the frightened tourist manages to run away unscathed. Ms Corson filmed and uploaded the video as a way of showing tourists visiting New Zealand 'what not to do'. 'I had the chance to vent at this person - just how stupid they were and to have a thought for wildlife,' she said. The frustrated mammal, which saw the woman's move as a disturbance, made a sudden attempt to maul her Ms Corson, who confronted the woman and her friends, realised they spoke little English and therefore she could not communicate her complaints. The wildlife expert was aware of three other incidents of sea lions being agitated by tourists on the same day. The New Zealand Minister for Conservation and the Minister for Primary Industries have developed a 2017 Threat Management Plan to stabilise or increase the population of the threatened sea lion species. A man has been charged with raping and assaulting a woman that he met on a dating app before attempting to turn her into a victim of sex trafficking. Kyle Hilliard, 30, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, contacted his victim on an app called Skout and allegedly carried out a vicious attack on her when the pair met for their first date on August 1 this year at an unidentified property. After messaging one another throughout the day, Hilliard suggested that the victim 24, take a Lyft to his home. Montgomery Police said the two drank alcohol and smoked pot before having consensual sex. Kyle Hilliard (pictured) faces charges of second-degree rape and trafficking among others Hilliard (pictured) shared several selfies on his Facebook page and also used Skout dating app It was then that Hilliard reportedly revealed he had recently gotten out of jail and made money by selling drugs. The confession frightened the victim. When she asked to leave, Hilliard allegedly grabbed the woman by the neck and firmly stated he now 'owned' her and would use her to 'make some money'. The victim later told detectives that after regaining her breath, she watched Hilliard cook a white powdery substance on tin foil over the kitchen stove. The powder crystallized over time. Hilliard reportedly told the victim the recipe was for 'mollie' and 'meth' and explained that they would soon leave for New York to obtain more drugs. Hilliard allegedly refused to provide the victim with food throughout the course of the evening but did supply her with an unknown liquid concoction. The victim ultimately fell unconscious, presumably from the drink. When she awoke, she found herself lying naked on a bloody makeshift bed in the basement. The victim noticed a box of unopened condoms and a fresh needle mark in her arm. Police note she'd never injected drugs in her life. In a state of confusion, the victim aimlessly walked upstairs and found her cell phone, which had a number of newly created dating app profiles. Messages within those apps were actively advertising sexual acts in exchange for money. One man had already offered $100 for sex with the victim and had last indicated he was en route to the home where she was being kept. The horrific attack on the woman took place at a property on this street in Gaithersburg, Maryland (pictured left) after they met on the app Skout (screenshot right). None of the individuals in the picture are believed to be victims Court documents do not clearly indicate if that man made it to address before the woman woke up. Once clothed, Hilliard allegedly forced the victim to join him in a Lyft bound for DC in order to deliver drugs to customers. Hilliard left the victim alone in the Lyft while making each delivery. During the final drop off, the victim bolted toward an alleyway where she ordered a Lyft of her own and successfully escaped capture. On August 3, staff at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville performed a sexual assault test on the victim. Simultaneously, investigators served a search warrant on Hilliard's home where they located 'items of evidence... consistent with [the victim's] account,' court documents state. Hilliard who is unemployed and divorced faces up to 55 years in prison on charges of second-degree rape, human trafficking, second-degree assault and false imprisonment. He is currently in Montgomery County custody on a no-bond status. Hilliard's next court appearance is scheduled for October 19 at the Montgomery County District Courthouse in Rockville. No defense attorney is listed in court paperwork. Tiffany Trump paid a visit to her sister Monday evening for some quality family time in Washington, D.C. President Trump's youngest daughter looked very chic as she stepped out at her sister Ivanka's home, wearing a baby blue blazer, black studded belt, black velvet pants and matching stilettos for the nighttime outing. The Georgetown Law student sported a smile and a pair of sunglasses - despite the late hour - and even carried a law book in her hand as she met up with Ivanka, Jared Kushner, her niece, Arabella, and nephew, Joseph, at the family's Kalorama Heights home. Tiffany Trump arrives at the Kushner/Trump family home in Kalorama Heights, Washington, D.C. on Monday evening Georgetown Law student Tiffany looked her usual chic as she stepped out in a baby blue blazer, black studded belt, black velvet pants and matching stilettos Clearly eager to ensure she didn't miss a moment of studying, it looked as though Tiffany had been referring to her weighty textbook, titled Business Organizations Law and Policy: Materials and Problems, as she made her way to her sibling's home. The book, which focuses on case studies that help the reader to develop a better 'understanding of the law of business enterprises and the policy issues that influence its evolution', was marked up carefully with several sticky notes that had been slotted in between various pages. Tiffany, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016, took a year off before starting her studies at Georgetown in the summer of 2017. Studies: Tiffany was carrying a legal textbook - Business Organizations Law and Policy: Materials and Problems - in her hand as she arrived at the property But while Tiffany plumped for a rather corporate look for the evening, her elder sister Ivanka - who spent two years studying at Georgetown herself - opted for a ladylike floral dress, which she paired with some simple navy heels and a low braid. Meanwhile seven-year-old Arabella looked sharp in a long-sleeve black leather jacket, matching dress and ballet pumps, while the boys put on a more casual display; it is not known where Ivanka and Jared's youngest child, two-year-old Theodore, was, however it's possible that the evening out took place past his bedtime. He was not seen with his parents and aunt as they made their way out of the house for the outing, with Arabella leading the way down the front steps of the home with her father, while Ivanka guided Joseph down the stairs by the hand. Tiffany, meanwhile, made her way down the steps behind them, walking past the family's impressive Halloween display, which appears to have been put up over the weekend. The Georgetown law student met with Ivanka, Jared, her niece, Arabella, and nephew, Joseph Trump's eldest daughter donned a navy blue and burnt yellow dress with matching heels Her daughter wore a black dress while the boys put on a more casual display Following the group out of the house was Avi Berkowitz, who works in the White House with Jared Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Tiffany Trump, Arabella and Joseph Trump leave their D.C. house on Monday evening As well as the traditional pumpkins outside the bottom gated entrance to the house, there were also fake cobwebs hung over the doorway, as well as on the stairs, and a large witch was also attached to the metal railing at the top of the steps. Several sheet-like ghosts were also seen hanging from one of the trees outside the property. It was the second family outing for Ivanka and her children on Monday; earlier in the day, the mother-of-three modeled a 1940s-inspired look, complete with a demure fascinator, while celebrating the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret with all three of her children. The first daughter put on a very fashionable show as she walked to the American Friends of Lubavitch synagogue, while Arabella, Joseph and Theodore happily rode alongside her on their scooters. It was clearly a floral-themed day for Ivanka, who earlier in the day had donned a $2,281 tea dress from Alessandra Rich, which was patterned with yellow roses - not unlike the bright florals that decorated her dress later that evening. The Trump family has already set out Halloween decorations outside the home, including a fake witch that could be seen hanging from the top railing outside the front door Boo! They also set out pumpkins, and hung fake cobwebs from the gate entrance at the bottom of the property Several 'ghosts' could be seen hanging from a tree outside the home, too And while Jared was not with his family as they made their way to the synagogue, several Secret Service agents kept a watchful eye over Ivanka, who carefully guided her excited children down sidewalks and across streets by herself. Ivanka converted to Judaism in 2009 to marry Jared, an Orthodox Jew, and they are raising their three children Orthodox as well. Although work is prohibited on the holiday, Jared, 37, was seen leaving his home with a briefcase in his hand on 7am on Monday. The special advisor to the White House was then seen by President Donald Trump's side as he made a speech about the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the White House Rose Garden. The president acknowledged Jared as well as U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer while speaking about the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which is set to replace the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The U.S., Canada and Mexico have been negotiating the terms of a revised NAFTA for more than a year. The Trump administration announced a deal had been reached late Sunday night. A woman in chronic pain and portrayed as having a 'zest and zeal' for death succumbed to her husband's plot to gain wealth and religious status. Graham Robert Morant, 69, has been convicted by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury of aiding and counselling Jennifer Morant to kill herself on the Gold Coast in 2014 over a plot to use her life insurance money to build a religious commune. Morant was the sole beneficiary of her three life insurance policies totalling $1.4million when she took her own life in November that year. Jenny Morant (pictured) lived with chronic back pain before taking her own life in 2014 Ms Morant lived with chronic back pain and found even the most simple everyday tasks difficult. But Morant persuaded her over the months before her death by telling her the funds would go towards a commune which would provide a haven from the biblical rapture where he would be pastor. Morant claimed to police Ms Morant wanted to die, but two witnesses close to her testified she did not want to kill herself and was scared by his pressure on her to do so. 'I had such a zest and zeal to live. She had such a zest and zeal to die,' Morant told police in an interview. Ms Morant did not have a terminal illness. Her best friend Johanna Cornelia Dent said she felt the only way to escape death was to win the lottery. Morant told his wife her suicide would not be a sin in God's eyes because of the financial benefit to their church, Ms Morant's sister Lynette Anne Lucas told the jury. He said she would be too weak to survive the rapture, Ms Lucas testified. A jury has found Graham Robert Morant (pictured) guilty of encouraging and helping his wife to take her own life four years ago The jury deliberated for a day-and-a-half before reaching its verdict on Tuesday. Members of the public gallery burst into tears after the verdict was handed down. Morant was denied bail ahead of his October 19 sentencing despite Justice Peter Davis accepting he is a low risk to the community and had never breached his bail conditions. 'Consistent with the directions I gave the jury, the jury has concluded but for the counselling, Ms Morant would not have ended her life,' Justice Davis said. 'The offences are serious.' The jury's verdict showed Morant intended for Ms Morant to take her life, Justice Davis said. A jail sentence for Morant is 'inevitable' but Justice Davis indicated he may wholly or partially suspend the sentence based on the strength of submissions. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Lifeline 13 11 14 Casual employees can now demand a permanent position from their bosses if they have been consistently working in a job for at least a year. The new measure came into effect on Monday following a ruling by Australia's Fair Work Commission last year, enabling casuals the chance to access benefits such as paid sick and annual leave. Casuals who worked an average 38 hours a week throughout the last 12 months are now able to request the change to permanent employment. Casual employees are now entitled to request permanent employment if they have been undertaking consistent work patterns in the past 12 months (stock image) If an employee has worked fewer weekly hours, they can only ask for a part-time position. A request for the casual conversion has to be put in writing and businesses still have the option to refuse - but only on 'reasonable grounds'. These include the likelihood the position will not exist in 12 months, an expected decrease in work hours and a change to the days and times the employee works. Businesses will be required to address the reasons for refusal with the employee. The change comes just days after the Commission announced a boost to retail casual penalty rates in time for the busy Christmas period. Last week, the Commission ruled that the Saturday penalty rate for retail casuals should jump from 10 to 25 per cent. A request for the change in employment status has to be put in writing and businesses still have the option to refuse but only on 'reasonable grounds' (stock image) And retail casuals who commence work after 6pm on a weekday will be entitled to a 25 per cent penalty loading on those shifts, in line with permanent retail employees. The move was welcomed by the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association. 'These measures go some way to addressing the unjust treatment of casual workers under the award who are not properly compensated for the absence of sick pay, annual leave and the insecurity of work,' SDA national secretary Gerard Dwyer said. More than 350,000 workers are covered by the award, with the changes to be implemented from November 1. But retailers slammed the move. 'Retailers usually thrive during the Christmas period. However, this year I'm concerned many retailers will bear the brunt of an unjust and detrimental decision,' Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman said. The Fair Work Commission last year announced a cut to retail casuals' Sunday rates - a measure which comes into effect from July next year. Democrats are raising new questions about the truthfulness of Brett Kavanaugh's sworn testimony to the Senate, shifting tactics against President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee as they await the results of the FBI's background investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democrats' leader from New York, accused Kavanaugh of delivering a 'partisan screed' during the Judiciary Committee hearing last week. He said Kavanaugh seemed willing to 'mislead senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane' to ensure his ascension to the high court. Brett Kavanaugh 'lied to senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane' during his hearing last week, Democrats argue Chuck Schumer said there is 'mounting evidence' to undermine Kavanaugh's credibility, particularly around his drinking while in high school 'The harsh fact of the matter is that we have mounting evidence that Judge Kavanaugh is just not credible,' Schumer said Monday. Not so, argued Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, saying the Democrats are looking to 'move the goalposts' to prevent Kavanaugh's confirmation. He pledged that the full Senate would begin voting on Kavanaugh's nomination this week. 'The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close,' he said. Kavanaugh's confirmation hinges on a handful of key Republican and Democratic senators who have not yet fully tipped their votes. One of them is Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was greeted by hundreds of liberal protesters, victims of sexual assault among them, during an appearance Monday in Boston. Flake and Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were instrumental last week in holding up Kavanaugh's confirmation vote. They forced the White House to open a supplemental background investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against the judge. The votes of the three Republicans and those of red-state Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota will largely determine whether Kavanaugh is confirmed. Flake said he would ensure it's a 'real investigation,' by the FBI as Democrats demanded that Trump give them a full readout of his instructions to the agency. 'It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover,' Flake said. Heitkamp, meanwhile, noted that Trump himself called for a 'broader' FBI investigation into the allegations. She said, 'I'm waiting to see what the results are.' Jeff Flake, who was instrumental in holding up Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court, has said he will vote it down if it can be shown the judge lied to senators President Trump has said he wants the FBI to do a 'comprehensive' investigation of the claims against Kavanaugh, but said he wants it done quickly Kavanaugh has emphatically denied Christine Blasey Ford's allegation that he sexually assaulted her at a gathering when they were teens. He has also denied an accusation from Deborah Ramirez, a classmate at Yale, who said he exposed himself to her at a dorm party more than 25 years ago. A third claim - from Julia Swetnick, who is represented by attorney Michael Avenatti - accuses Kavanaugh of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women at parties in the early 1980s. Kavanaugh denies that as well. Democrats have seized most recently on Kavanaugh's indignant, emotional testimony before the Judiciary Committee to question whether he has the temperament for a lifetime appointment on the nation's highest court. In particular, Democrats have homed in on his contention that the allegations against him are an 'orchestrated political hit' funded by left-wing groups seeking 'revenge on behalf of the Clintons.' Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, said, 'We're going to put a conspiracy theory believer on the court?' Democrats are also questioning Kavanaugh's honesty, particularly over statements he made about his drinking in high school and college. Kavanaugh testified that while he enjoys drinking beer, and often did so in high school, he never drank to excess. He lashed out at senators who asked if he had ever blacked out. In one notable exchange, he snapped at Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., 'Have you?' Schumer said Kavanaugh was 'rudely interrupting' senators in a way he'd never seen from a witness. Former classmates have stepped forward to challenge Kavanaugh's testimony about his drinking. Kavanaugh's nomination has caused waves of protest across the country, both from his supporters and his detractors (pictured) Charles 'Chad' Ludington, who said he was a friend of Kavanaugh's at Yale University and now teaches at North Carolina State University, called Kavanaugh 'a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker.' But the White House released statements from two other Yale classmates Monday who said they never saw Kavanaugh black out or treat women with disrespect. Pushing back on the Democratic attacks, Republicans said Kavanaugh had every right to be upset during the hearing. McConnell mocked the questions from Democrats about Kavanaugh's drinking in high school and college. He said Kavanaugh was 'rightfully angry' about the accusations, and he added, 'Who wouldn't be?' Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, a Republican member of the Judiciary Committee, said Kavanaugh has only been responding to Democratic attacks. 'He's on trial for his life, so is his spouse, so are his parents, so are his kids, and he got mad. Now they are criticizing him for getting mad. I think that's the height of hypocrisy.' The FBI is expected to spend the coming days investigating the sexual misconduct claims against Kavanaugh. Senators have said they want the investigation completed by Friday. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons said after speaking with White House counsel Don McGahn over the weekend he remained 'very concerned' the FBI's probe would be too narrow. Responding to those concerns, Trump said at a press conference he wants the FBI to do a 'comprehensive' investigation and 'it wouldn't bother me at all' if agents pursued accusations made by the three women. But he also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and 'ultimately, they're making the judgment.' 'My White House will do whatever the senators want,' Trump said. 'The one thing I want is speed.' Still, Trump slammed Senate Democrats during a campaign rally in Tennessee Monday night. 'If we took 10 years, they'd want more time,' he groused. A proposed new law could see cat owners fined if their pets are found walking around outdoors. The motion was put forward to Randwick City Council in Sydney's upmarket eastern suburbs, in a bid to protect native wildlife. The law would force felines to stay indoors, particularly after dark, and apply fines for cats that 'run free or defecate in public places'. A proposed new law could see cat owners fined if their pets are found walking around outdoors (stock image) In addition to the outdoor ban, Mayor Kathy Neilson also wants to raise registration fees for cat owners. Liberal councillor Harry Stavrinos slammed the motion as 'archaic and laughable'. 'It's very unfair to be targeting the owners of cats,' he told the Southern Courier. 'It's just outrageous. It [Council] will not be able to be police these archaic and laughable laws and it will be a huge waste of time. 'We've got more serious things to do and it can't be the cat police and send people out to watch cats defecating on lawns.' Ben Campbell, who owns a cat in the nearby suburb of Kingsford, acknowledged that while there was a problem with cats disturbing wildlife in Randwick, this wasn't the solution to the problem. The motion was put forward last week by new Labor Mayor Kathy Neilson (pictured left). Liberal councillor Harry Stavrinos (pictured right), who has been a cat owner for 25 years, is outraged by the idea 'I'd say the vast majority of cat owners are animal lovers and the last thing they want to see is native animals being harmed, that's why we put a bell on them.' Mr Campbell also said that the motion is putting blame on cat owners, and that this problem was most likely due to the feral cats that freely roam the streets. Poll Do you support a ban on cats going outside Yes No Do you support a ban on cats going outside Yes 102 votes No 117 votes Now share your opinion The controversial plan has been backed by Greens councillor Philipa Veitch, who hailed the proposed law as 'tremendous', citing the decline in birds due to domestic cats killing them. Mr Stavrinos said the proposed registration fee hike was a further kick in the teeth for cat owners, particularly for those struggling to make ends meet. He said that many residents in the area live on fixed incomes, including the elderly and people with disabilities, and that bringing in the motion would be a blow to people who turn to cats for company and love. Roaming domestic cats kill around 60 million birds per year. In a bid to stop this, many Australian towns have begun to roll out 'cat curfews', which put a limit on the animals' outside activities. Canberra created 12 'cat containment' suburbs, where owners who let their cats outdoors are fined up to $1,500. Police in New Hampshire have confirmed a trespasser who bears a striking resemblance to Eminem is not actually the rapper. The Rochester Police Department posted surveillance images last Thursday of a male suspect who appears as though he could be Eminem's twin brother. In an updated statement, the department said they have learned the man's real identity - but did not release further information on it. The Rochester Police Department posted surveillance images last Thursday of this male suspect who appears as though he could be Eminem's twin brother Police confirmed in this updated Facebook statement that the suspect is not actually the rapper Anyone with further information on the man is asked to contact the department (pictured) 'UPDATE: The subject has been identified, and we can confirm it is NOT Marshall Mathers,' police said in a Facebook statement. 'Officer Robinson is looking to identify this male in regards to a criminal trespassing case.' Anyone with further information on the man is asked to contact the department directly. The number can be reached at 603-330-7128. The case number is 18-4300-OF. Russian DIA seeks to recover $328.2 million from Tatfondbanks ex-chairman TASS, Yegor Aleyev 15:59 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) The Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA) of Russia representing interests of Tatfondbank has filed an application with the Commercial Court of Tatarstan seeking to include 21.5 billion rubles ($328.2 million) into the creditors demands list against the banks ex-chairman Robert Musin, the Unified federal register of data on bankruptcy reads. On July 18, the court granted a motion of Tatfondbank and declared Musin bankrupt. Earlier, the court initiated a procedure of restructuring Musins debt. The DIA sought 16.7 million rubles ($255) from the banker. Notably, Musin is charged with embezzlement. According to investigators, in August 2016, employees of the bank provided false data to the Central Bank of Russia to obtain a credit and subsequently embezzle the funds. Later, the money was transferred to the accounts of affiliated companies. Investigators believe that overall damage in criminal cases against Musin reaches 50 billion rubles (about $765.6 million). Thirteen cases over abuse of office opened against Musin are allegedly connected with embezzlement of 18 billion rubles ($275.6 million) belonging to Tatfondbank. A support worker who allegedly felt an intellectually impaired woman's breasts, as well as kissing and licking her bottom, is one of 24 teachers to have their licence suspended. Wael Mohamed El-Sayed had his licence revoked last month after reportedly assaulting a 23-year-old woman in his care in September 2013. He was one of two dozen teachers in Queensland who were banned or suspended this year alone for posing an 'unacceptable risk' to students, ABC News reported. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal said Mr El-Sayed, who denied the sexual misconduct, was 'at the most serious end of the spectrum'. A support worker who reportedly felt the breasts, kissed and licked the bottom of an intellectually impaired woman is one of 24 teachers to be suspended (stock photo) The QCAT heard that the alleged victim told police: 'I didn't want to say what happened [because] he said don't tell anybody I was scared if he came back he would abuse me,' in a recorded statement. In a separate case, the tribunal found a 35-year-old science teacher, known as DGM, allegedly groomed a 17-year-old girl in his biology class for sex in 2015 and 2016. He allegedly rewarded the teen with $250 after she lied about having contact with him, with the situation eventually ending when she asked to move from his class. QCAT found DGM's behaviour to be 'very disturbing on a number of levels' and banned him from teaching for six years. In one case the tribunal found a 35-year-old science teacher, known as DGM, allegedly groomed a 17-year-old girl in his biology class for sex in 2015 and 2016 (stock photo) 'This conduct was known by him to be wrong and he confused Student A in making her complicit in covering their tracks, deceiving the school, her friends and, more importantly, her parents and in rewarding her with money when she lied to protect him,' the tribunal found. DGM also allegedly sent 'overly familiar and intrusive' Facebook messages to a 15-year-old female student which contained language like 'lick me, I'm salty'. A principal at a regional school had his teaching licence cancelled for four-and-a-half years earlier this year after his conduct 'raised serious boundary violations'. He allegedly arranged for children to sleepover at his home and drove students to another town to mow his wife's lawn. The principal was also accused of taking students on excursions without permission and allowing some without a licence to drive his car. QCT director John Ryan said while each case was serious and unacceptable, it was important to keep the figures in perspective given there was a total of 107,000 registered Queensland teachers. 'Even one case is important and serious and needs to be dealt with firmly, so we're not making light of the fact that 24 teachers have breached the expectations of the community,' he said. 'But it is crucial to keep it in perspectives that the numbers are small and the system is working effectively to deal with those behaviours when they're found.' A beloved family dog has been brutally stabbed and left for dead in its own backyard. 'Vuk' - a Maltese cross Jack Russell - was found mortally wounded at his Fifth Avenue home in Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east about 7.15am on Tuesday. The frantic owners tried desperately to save their 11-year old pet, but were thwarted by a further act of cruelty. A beloved family dog (pictured) has been brutally stabbed and left for dead in its own backyard When they loaded the gravely injured dog into the family car, the owners found its tyres had been slashed. It took several hours before Vuk finally received treatment from a vet, by which time he was unable to be saved and had to be euthanised. It remains unclear f the stabbing was due to a robbery gone wrong or if it was a targeted attack on Vuk. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the investigation is in its 'early days'. Detectives were expected to front the media about the senseless attack this afternoon. Initial police reports named the dog 'Buk', but a spokesperson later corrected this to Vuk, which a spokesperson said means wolf in Siberia. As Australians gathered to celebrate Christmas in Melbourne in 2016, aspiring terrorist Ibrahim Abbas was plotting to kill. He wanted to run down a police officer, use a machete to chop and kill Australian citizens, and if that plan failed, detonate a suicide vest in the middle of Federation Square. The place and time had to be significant, somewhere that would 'instil fear the most', the confessed terror conspirator told police before turning on his family and friends. Ibrahim Abbas, 24, is giving evidence in the Supreme Court against his younger brother Hamza Abbas, 23, cousin Abdullah Chaarani, 27, and Ahmed Mohamed, 25. Ibrahim Abbas, 24, is giving evidence in the Supreme Court against his younger brother Hamza Abbas (pictured), 23, cousin Abdullah Chaarani, 27, and Ahmed Mohamed, 25 Chilling details of his plan have been revealed through Ibrahim Abbas's police interview after his arrest on December 22, 2016. 'I was gonna run at them, slice their necks,' he said. He talked of 'chopping to kill' people with a machete and a backup suicide vest 'so if police subdue me, I at least have that chance to take someone with me'. He'd seen one used in an Islamic State video where a Kurdish prisoner had been 'shredded'. He told Australian Federal Police officers he had tried to recruit Hamza Abbas, Chaarani and Mohamed because a group could do more. He said they had been discussing the plan for a month, but he had been hinting to Chaarani for two years. Their backup plan allegedly involved blowing up a suicide vest in the busy Federation Square '(A bomb-making video) put things into perspective. It's not as hard as we thought it was and so, um, we started preparations,' he said. He claimed Chaarani and Mohamed were involved in discussions and on the day he intended to bring along Hamza Abbas and 'I would put a vest on him'. Ibrahim Abbas said his goal was to 'cause as much chaos, destruction, fear, bloodshed' as possible. Ibrahim Abbas claims Ahmed Mohamed, 25, (right) was involved in discussions of the plot It was intended as a revenge attack for the deaths of Muslims killed in the fight against Islamic State. 'So because Australia kills Muslims, OK, therefore I believe it's fine for me to kill Australians,' he said. He discussed buying machetes, confessing it was because 'it's not hard to kill a person with a machete, it just takes one slice to the neck'. There were also failed attempts to make an explosive device, and scouting of other possible locations including St Kilda beach. St Kilda Beach, Melbourne, one of two targeted sites in the alleged planned terror attack He also revealed he'd ordered nothing be written down and that the accused men keep items intended to be used in the attack. 'It sounds a bit selfish but that's just me taking my own precautions,' he said. Hamza Abbas, Chaarani and Mohamed deny conspiring with Ibrahim Abbas to prepare an attack. The trial continues. North Korea may have up to 60 nuclear weapons, South Korea has said in its first official comment about Kim Jong-un's secret arsenal. Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates on the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. His comment was the first time a senior Seoul official has publicly talked about the size of the North's haul of weapons. North Korea may have up to 60 nuclear weapons, South Korea has said in its first official comment about Kim Jong-un's (pictured) secret arsenal Cho, responding to a question by a politician, said the information came from intelligence officials. He may have unintentionally revealed the information while his own ministry said the comments did not mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state. This suggests Seoul's diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear programme would continue. The South Korean assessment on the North's arsenal is not much different from various outside civilian estimates largely based on the amount of nuclear materials that the North is believed to have produced. According to South Korean government reports, North is believed to have produced 110 lbs of weaponized plutonium, enough for at least eight bombs. Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates on the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. Pictured: A North Korean test rocket launch in November 2017 Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker who visited North Korea's centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 550 to 1,100 lbs, sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Many foreign experts say North Korea is likely running additional secret uranium-enrichment plants. The North entered talks with the United States and South Korea earlier this year, saying it is willing to negotiate away its advancing nuclear arsenal. Nuclear diplomacy later stalled due to suspicions over how sincere North Korea is about its disarmament pledge. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Pyongyang this month to set up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Australian house prices could collapse dramatically if Labor wins next year's election, a minister has warned. Sydney property prices are continuing to plunge, with real estate data group Core Logic revealing a 7.6 per cent drop in just one year in Australia's biggest city. On the back of poor results for September, Australians are being warned about the consequence of scrapping negative gearing for housing investors. Scroll down for video Australian house prices could collapse dramatically if a certain event happens next year. Pictured is Brighton Le Sands on Sydney's Botany Bay Opinion polls show the Labor Opposition is on track to win a landslide election victory over Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Coalition government, despite vowing to scrap tax breaks for future landlords who rent out an existing property. Population Minister Alan Tudge is so worried about the consequence of this policy he has sounded a warning about what could happen were Labor to win the 2019 federal election. 'One of our great concerns is if the Labor Party gets in at the next election and they get rid of negative gearing, then it could have catastrophic impacts on house prices,' he told Sydney radio 2GB star Ray Hadley on Tuesday. 'Certainly in Melbourne and Sydney the house prices have come off pretty dramatically.' Population Minister Alan Tudge is so worried about the scrapping of negative gearing he has sounded a warning about what could happen were Labor to win the 2019 federal election He warned came a day after Core Logic revealed Sydney's median house price fell to $976,365 in September. Canberra (pictured) held up better with a 3.1 per cent rise in house prices His warning about voting Labor came a day after Core Logic revealed Sydney's median house price fell to $976,365 in September, the lowest level since 2015 and the third straight month they have been below the $1million mark. Australian house rules Sydney, down 7.6% to $976,365 Melbourne, down 4.5% to $799,657 Brisbane, up 0.8% to $539,374 Adelaide, up 0.6% to $466,636 Perth, down 2% to $475,774 Hobart, up 9.4% to $464,515 Darwin, up 2.3% to $505,414 Canberra, up 3.1% to $686,582 Source: Core Logic home value index in the year to September 30 based on median detached house prices Advertisement Detached property values plunged by 7.6 per cent in just one year, after peaking in mid-2017. Melbourne also fared badly. Median house prices within Victoria's capital fell by an annual pace of 4.5 per cent to $799,657, after hitting a peak in November last year. Last month, property strategist Bushy Martin, the founder of Know How Property Finance, said the Opposition's plan to scrap the negative gearing tax break for housing investors was a recipe for a recession and a 30 per cent plunge in property prices. 'Something of the magnitude of these taxation changes has the potential to trigger an economic catastrophe,' he told Daily Mail Australia from Germany. 'It's got the potential to trigger the recession that we didn't need to have.' Sydney and Melbourne house prices could plummet by up to 30 per cent if Labor wins the next election, a mortgage broking group says Mr Martin predicted house prices could fall by close to a third in Sydney and Melbourne, from last year's peak, if Opposition Leader Bill Shorten won the next federal election, due by May. 'If you trigger a cataclysmic change like the tax revolution Labor are looking to institute, then you're more likely to see in the vicinity of 20 to 30 per cent,' he said. Labor is promising to scrap negative gearing for future purchases of existing properties, which would stop investors from claiming losses from rental income as a tax deduction. The Opposition is also proposing to halve the capital gains tax discount from selling an investment property from 50 per cent to 25 per cent. Swiss bank UBS economists George Tharenou, Carlos Cacho and Jim Xu last month said more credit tightening and a reluctance on the part of the Reserve Bank of Australia to cut rates from a record low of 1.5 per cent would see 'the longest house price downturn in decades'. They predicted house price falls of 10 per cent from their peak. Bushy Martin is worried about Sydney house prices if negative gearing is scrapped The UBS economists based in Australia pointed out that investor home loans slid by more than 30 per cent during the mid-1980s when Bob Hawke's Labor government abolished negative gearing for all future rental property investors. The policy was scrapped in 1987, even though rental vacancies were only affected in Sydney and Perth. A Newspoll out in September showed the Opposition leading the government 54 to 46 per cent after preferences. It was also the 41st consecutive loss for the Coalition. The Sydney and Melbourne property markets peaked last year after the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority tightened lending rules for investors. The downturn continued in September after the Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac raised standard variable lending rates even though the RBA left the cash rate on hold. Veteran ABC News presenter Ian Henderson has announced his retirement after nearly 40 years with the corporation. The announcement comes in the wake of the latest shakeup to rock the ABC, which saw the sacking of the news outlet's managing director and the resignation of its chairman. In a tweet, Mr Henderson said his decision to walk away from the job had nothing to do with the recent upheaval. Scroll down for video Veteran ABC News presenter Ian Henderson has announced his retirement after nearly 40 years with the corporation The 65-year-old has spent more than 25 years as the face of ABC Victoria's 7pm news bulletin and has come to be known by his endearing nickname, Hendo 'Friends, after 38 years at the ABC, its time for me to pull up stumps,' he said. 'Nothing sinister and NO relation to turbulence of the past week. Just a long-hatched retirement plan.' In a separate statement, Mr Henderson had warming words for anyone concerned for the future of news in Australia. 'As Australia's media landscape contracts, ABC journalism has never been more important,' he said. 'And, importantly, it's never been stronger. I leave you in very good hands.' The 65-year-old has spent more than 25 years as the face of ABC Victoria's 7pm news bulletin and has come to be known by his endearing nickname, Hendo. He first joined the news corporation in 1980, on the back of a newspaper cadet-ship. A four-year stint as the ABC's European correspondent, and Hendo covered historic landmarks such as Nelson Mandela's release from prison. A four-year stint as the ABC's European correspondent, and Hendo covered historic landmarks such as Nelson Mandela's release from prison In a tweet, Mr Henderson said his decision to walk away from the job had nothing to do with the recent upheaval ABC News director Gaven Morris said Hendo had managed to nurse a special connection with his audience, and that he would be sorely missed. 'Ian knows the 7pm and understands how to speak to them [the audience]. 'As a result, viewers have a unique connection with him and theyll miss him on their screens as we will miss him in the newsroom.' Hendo will present his final news bulletin on Thursday, October 11. Hendo's replacement has yet to be announced. A boy of 16 has been jailed for four years for kissing his 13-year-old girlfriend in Turkey. The sentence was handed down at a court in the southern Turkish province of Antalya after the boy, identified only by the initials A.K., was charged with sexual assault. He was hauled before the Heavy Penalty Court amid claims he hugged and kissed the teenager, S.O, at her school. A classmate of the girl filmed the pair embracing before sharing the video with friends. A boy of 16 has been jailed for four years for kissing his 13-year-old girlfriend in Turkey (file picture) School management was made aware and a lawsuit was then opened against A.K who was accused of sexual assault. The child who filmed the incident was accused of 'using children in the production of inappropriate images' while even the four youngsters who were sent the clip were put on trial on charges of 'sharing inappropriate images in which children were used.' In the end, the court in Antalya cleared five of the children, but sentenced A.K. to more than four years in jail. Lawyer Sevcan Aydn Uzun told daily Hurriyet: 'The expert report about the high schooler A.K. has emphasised that he had undertaken this action with the impulse of puberty and there was no need about punishment, but the prosecutor and judge did not take this into account.' 'An incident which the children saw a game has gone all the way to the Heavy Penalty Court.' A man who allegedly broke into a construction site in Sydney's business district to BASE-jump from a crane says he has no regrets about the death-defying stunt. Jonathan Perherin, 24, who claims he is a former French soldier, allegedly entered the building site in Darling Harbour at about 3.15am on Tuesday without permission. Mr Perherin then allegedly parachuted over several lanes of traffic before being arrested and charged by police. Dramatic footage, obtained by Ten Daily, allegedly captures a balaclava-clad Mr Perherin climbing the towering structure with his legs dangling off the edge. Scroll down for video Jonathan Perherin (pictured) said he has no regrets about his alleged base jump from a crane in Sydney's CBD in the early hours of Tuesday morning Police claim he climbed to the top of a crane before preparing his gear and jumping off, parachuting over several lanes of traffic. Superintendent Mick Fitzgerald says Perherin could have killed himself - or others - with a subsequent check of his equipment revealing tears in his parachute. 'He's allegedly a former French Foreign Legion soldier, or that's what he claims, and he claims that he is experienced, but the fact is that his equipment was faulty,' Supt Fitzgerald told reporters. The former soldier said his experience in the French military (pictured) had taught him to jump safely 'He could easily have killed himself or others.' Perherin, who has previously shared videos on his Facebook page of himself jumping off structures, has no regrets. 'No, because I do what I like, I know this is forbidden, but I don't regret because I'm alive,' he told Network Ten. He said the tears in his parachute were not there before he jumped. Perherin is an avid base jumper who has completed jumps all over the world and form a number of cranes 'It's not me who made this, because if I jumped with this hole, I will die.' Perherin said he passed the crane every day on his way to work. 'It has many lights, it's a beautiful place. Every day I say f*** I want to jump this crane.' Police claim Mr Perherin (pictured) climbed to the top of a crane before preparing his gear and jumping off, parachuting over several lanes of traffic When asked if it was illegal to BASE jump in NSW, the attorney-general's office referred AAP to the Summary Offences Act which states: 'A person who risks the safety of any other person as a consequence of abseiling, jumping or parachuting from any part of a building or other structure, is guilty of an offence.' He also denied any claims he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the base jump, The Daily Telegraph reported. 'I was drink just two beers two hours before, I was not drunk,' he said. A Frenchman who allegedly broke into a construction site in the Sydney CBD and then BASE jumped from a crane, parachuting over several lanes of traffic, has been charged by police The man is due to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on October 17 after he was granted conditional bail. BASE jumping stands for building, antennae, span, and earth, which are the four places available to jump from. The stunt is effectively not permitted in Australia with express permission required to jump from private buildings and within national parks, which is generally not given. Baggage handlers have been caught throwing suitcases and fragile boxes off a conveyor belt at Hong Kong airport. The workers were seen picking up the suitcases as they were being unloaded off a Cathay Pacific flight and lobbing them onto a nearby cart. A video of the airport staff forcefully handling the bags was posted on social media on Thursday. The 37 second video shows two luggage handlers at Hong Kong airport roughly grabbing suitcases from a conveyor belt and throwing them into the metal container. Two men were filmed throwing bags into a metal cart as they rolled off a conveyor belt at Hong Kong airport Some of the roughly handled luggage had 'fragile' stickers on them but workers still chucked them off the belt into other suitcases Two men could be seen throwing 11 bags, including cardboard boxes with fragile stickers, as two other workers watch on as the bags and boxes crash into other items. Marcela Fernanda Solis Walker saw the workers on the tarmac at Hong Kong airport unloading passengers' luggage and filmed their actions. She posted alongside the clip: 'This the way that our beloved luggage is treated!! I made the video this morning once my flight landed in the flight was CX5617 xiamen- hongkong departure 7:40am 27 of September . Landed on hongkong airport around 9:00 am.' Marcela Fernanda Solis Walker filmed the men throwing the luggage as it came down the shoot Around 11 items of luggage were seen being thrown as some workers watched on The video has been shared more than 100,000 times and viewed by over 6 million people - sparking outrage online. Ms Solis Walker uploaded the video after taking a Cathay Pacific flight from Xiamen, China to Hong Kong. The workers unloading the luggage wore Hong Kong Airport Services (HAS) uniform - a provider owned by Cathay Pacific, reported the South China Morning Post. Ms Solis Walker told the South China Morning Post: 'I don't have any intention to make any trouble to the workers. 'I only wanted other people to be aware of the situation.' The bags were being unloaded from a Cathay Pacific flight from Xiamen, China, after it landed in Hong Kong The workers wore Hong Kong Airport Services (HAS) uniform, a provider owned by Cathay Pacific One user said online: 'Clearly they not happy with their jobs hope the airline or someone with authority saw this and fired them idiots.' One woman added: 'Absolutely Horrendous. Everyone of them should be sacked,' Another said: 'Don't vent your anger on passengers luggage!' Another Facebook user wrote: 'Lazy Lazy Lazy.' The service provider told the Post the company was investigating and had taken the matter up with the supplier. A spokesman added: 'We sincerely apologise to the passengers of our customer airlines in this particular incident.' Travellers could be forced to hand over their mobile phone and laptop passwords to customs officers for a 'digital strip search' under a new New Zealand law. Anyone who refuses to divulge the information faces a $5000 fine. Customs was previously allowed to stop anyone and ask to see their digital devices but weren't allowed to ask for passwords. Civil rights advocates are outraged at the change which they said was a gross invasion of privacy and did little to keep boarders safe. The updated Customs and Excise Act 2018 law, which came into effect on Monday, sets out new guidelines for officers who conduct 'digital strip-searches'. The updated law means customs can now ask travellers to provide their personal digital data, such as personal passwords, pin codes and fingerprints. A new law in New Zealand could mean that anyone who refuses to hand over their mobile or laptop passwords to customs officers may be hit with a $5000 fine (stock image) Customs spokesperson Terry Brown told Radio NZ while it may seem invasive, the new law provide a 'delicate balance' between someones's rights and the law. 'It is a file-by-file [search] on your phone. We're not going into 'the cloud'. We'll examine your phone while it's on flight mode,' Mr Brown said. Mr Brown said officers would only ask someone to provide their personal passwords if they believe they have a reason to suspect wrongdoing. Council for Civil Liberties spokesperson Thomas Beagle said the law was an unjustified invasion of privacy because customs don't have to provide a reason for the search. 'They don't have to tell you what the cause of that suspicion is, there's no way to challenge it,' Mr Beagle said. Mr Beagle said any 'serious criminal' wouldn't store incriminating information on their digital devices - they would rather store it online, where customs can't access. The updated law means that customs can now ask travellers to provide their personal digital data, such as personal passwords, pin codes and fingerprints (stock image) Despite the backlash, Customs Minister Kris Faafoi said the updated legislation was necessary to keep New Zealand borders safe. 'A lot of the organised crime groups are becoming a lot more sophisticated in the ways they're trying to get things across the border,' Minister Faafoi said. He said searching smartphones and laptops was a useful method for prosecution. Privacy Commissioner John Edwards was involved in the drafting process and he told the publication he was 'pretty comfortable' with how the new law stands. Mr Edwards said the law provides a 'good balance' between ensuring New Zealand borders were safe and 'unreasonable' digital strip-searches. Victim of notorious prison torture incident in Russia gets released lawyer RIA Novosti, Andrey Stenin 10:59 02/10/2018 MOSCOW, October 2 (RAPSI) Prisoner Yevgeny Makarov, who had suffered torture from employees of the Yaroslavl Penal Colony One in Russia, was released, lawyer Irina Biryukova told RAPSI on Tuesday. In July, Novaya Gazeta newspaper published a video showing an inmate being tortured by some persons wearing grey camouflage uniforms. Later, it was revealed that the victim on the video was identified as Yevgeny Makarov, who was serving his term in the Yaroslavl penal colony. The video was filmed by one of the staff members. Later, authorities launched a criminal case over torture resulting in 10 employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) being detained. Makarov was transferred to another penitentiary facility. On August 2, the Investigative Committee of Russia brought charges against 12 employees of the Yaroslavl Penal Colony One as part of the case over beating and torture of an inmate. The defendants are Maksim Yablokov, Igor Bogdanov, Ruslan Tsvetkov, Aleksey Brovkin, Dmitry Solovyov, Sergey Drachev, Ivan Kalashnikov, Sergey Yefremov, Alexander Morozov, Andrey Zybin, Aleksey Andreyev and Aleksey Mikityuk. The case is classified as abuse of office involving use of violence, which is being investigated by the main directorate of the Investigative Committee. The crime may be punished by a prison term of up to 10 years. Irina Biryukova, the inmates attorney, who handed the footage to the media, has asked the Federal Chamber of Attorneys to ensure her safety because of threats from the prison staff. She also announced that she was leaving Russia. The Chairman of the Presidential Council for Human Rights Mikhail Fedotov visited the penal colony on July 23. The Council filed its reports with the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor Generals Office. Julia Lemancyzk had been missing since yesterday afternoon. She has now been found Police in Scotland have found a 14-year-old girl who went missing after school. A search was launched after Julia Lemancyzk went missing after school in Aberdeen at around 4pm yesterday afternoon. Her worried sister wrote on Facebook this morning: 'If anyone knows where is my little sister please help us'. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'We are concerned for the wellbeing of Julia Lemancyzk (14) who has been reported missing. 'Julia was last seen about 1600 hours on Monday 1 October 2018 at Lochside Academy, Wellington Circle, Aberdeen. 'Julia is described as being 5ft 1 , long pink hair last seen wearing her school uniform with a denim black jacket with hood, black trousers and black Nike Trainers.' A police spokesman later confirmed she had been traced. Maryland police are searching for a man they've dubbed the 'Bad Luck Bandit' after he was hit in the head by a brick he threw at a restaurant window. The Prince George's County Police Department told news outlets Monday that a man was caught on surveillance footage attempting to break into a restaurant in Suitland, Maryland, on September 20. Police said the man used the brick to shatter the carryout restaurant's front window, walked in and then tried to use the same brick to break the glass over the counter, according to WUSA 9. Police have dubbed the man who tried to break a bulletproof window the 'Bad Luck Bandit' after surveillance footage caught him being hit in the head by a brick he threw Unfortunately for the Bad Luck Bandit, that second pane of glass turned out to be bulletproof. Authorities said the man tried to break the window three times, but the third time did not turn out to be the charm, as the surveillance video shows. In the black and white video, the man can be seen hurling the brick at the window and turning his back as if expecting to avoid breaking glass. Instead, the brick ricochets off the bulletproof glass and smacks him in the head. The surveillance footage showed the moment when the brick the man threw bounced off the bulletproof glass and struck him in the back of the head, stunning him Police said that the man lay flat on the ground for several minutes before leaving the restaurant The man manages to retrieve the brick from the floor before his head injury gets the better of him and he is forced to lie down on the ground. Authorities said the man lay prone for a few minutes before getting up and leaving the restaurant. Police are asking that anybody who recognizes the suspect, or knows someone with a suspicious head injury, call (866) 411-TIPS (8477) or the Regional Investigation Division-Central at (301) 390-2160. Students have been told to wave 'jazz hands' instead of clapping at a university union to avoid triggering anxiety problems. Officers at the University of Manchester Students' Union argued that the loud noise of clapping and cheering can also trouble those with sensory issues. A motion was put forward by the union's liberation and access officer Sara Khan to replace it with British Sign Language clapping, also known as 'jazz hands'. Officers at the University of Manchester Students' Union argued that the loud noise of clapping and cheering can trouble those with anxiety and sensory issues (file picture) The issue was discussed on ITV's Good Morning Britain today, with presenter Piers Morgan being shown how to do jazz hands by co-hosts Charlotte Hawkins (left) and Susanna Reid The union decided to make the switch and to 'encourage student groups and societies to do the same, and to include BSL clapping as a part of inclusion training'. The motion was passed last Thursday at the union's first meeting of the academic year, reported student newspaper The Mancunion. But Channel 5 presenter Jeremy Vine tweeted a picture of First World War soldiers, saying: 'Glad some brave young souls decided to ignore the difficulties caused by sudden noises 100 years ago.' 'If you're happy and you know it clap your hands' - that's going to have to go now, isn't it? Piers Morgan The issue was discussed on ITV's Good Morning Britain today, with presenter Piers Morgan saying: '"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands" - that's going to have to go now, isn't it? 'If you're happy and you know it and you want to clap your hands, be careful - it may trigger anxiety. So, if you're happy, don't clap your hands, children.' Commenting on Twitter, Ricky French said: 'Absolutely ridiculous. In ten years' time we won't be able to think or breathe without offending someone somewhere!' Broadcaster Jeremy Vine tweeted a picture of First World War soldiers, saying: 'Glad some brave young souls decided to ignore the difficulties caused by sudden noises 100 years ago' Another said: 'I suffer from anxiety and depression, the ability to clap and cheer causes euphoria that is crucial wellbeing! The world has gone crazy! Absolute tosh!' But 'Ladykarma' said: 'My son has a sensory (processing) disorder which means all loud noises can set of anxiety or a melt down. 'Why should he have to miss out on receiving an award or miss out on an event because of his disabilities? Using silent clapping will help my son share in the same experiences.' However Karen Garrett responded: 'I have a child with autism and I teach him to clap - and if you get them used to all noises they will process them and acclimatise to different sounds.' And 'Penny' said: 'I suffer with anxiety but I find the clap ban ridiculous. You can't just change a well known tradition because of a minority. 'Dogs make me anxious but I'm not calling for all dogs to be killed in this world you can't ever please everyone so just go with the majority.' Nicky Lidbetter, the chief executive of Anxiety UK, told MailOnline: 'Our experience is that noise is not necessarily a typical trigger of anxiety though it can be for some, e.g. those who have anxiety associated with autism. 'That said, we support any initiative, such as this which promote and support inclusivity.' The National Union of Students first started using 'jazz hands' in 2015, when delegates at its women's conference were asked to stop clapping to avoid anxiety. Speaking at the time, Nona Buckley-Irvine, the then general secretary at the London School of Economics union, said: 'I'm relatively new to this and it did feel odd at first. 'But once you've used jazz hands a couple of times it becomes a genuinely nice way to show solidarity with a point and it does add to creating a more inclusive atmosphere.' Manchester Students' Union released a statement: 'We are not banning audible clapping - we understand that some people may be more comfortable to continue using it. Nor are we applying this motion to all events held at the Students' Union. The Union holds a huge number of events, including gigs, theatre productions and sport. This policy has no bearing on those events which make up the majority of a packed calendar at the Students' Union.' 'Jazz hands!': Twitter users respond to student union's decision with a series of tongue-in-cheek memes A poignant memorial to the sailors who fell during a dramatic First World War raid has been erected on the white cliffs of Dover. The memorial, featuring the outline of WWI Tommies forms part of the There But Not There charity which aims to commemorate those who served, educate others about their sacrifice and heal others who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress disorder. The perspex memorials were inspired by a photograph by Horace Nicholls, who was the Home Front Official Photographer during the war. A memorial to the men lost during the daring Zeebrugge raid in 1918 has been erected in Dover The Dover Patrol launched the raid to prevent German U-Boats from accessing the Channel Eight men received the Victoria Cross for gallantry during the the dramatic raid The raid in April 1918 was launched by the Dover Patrol and was designed to block access to the Belgian port to prevent German U-Boats from entering the English Channel. On April 23, 1918 the daring raid was launched to block German submarines using the ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend. The Royal Navy and Royal Marines planned to block the main channel in Zeebrugge by sinking three obsolete ships and destroying shore batteries. The plan was originally mooted by First Sea Lord Sir John Jellicoe in 1917, although he was sacked as a result of his reluctance to advocate a convoy system. Despite his removal, the navy continued with his plan to attack the heavily fortified port. The Royal Navy sent 75 ships, including several that were due to be sacrificed to block the port, as part of the raid. HMS Vindictive was tasked with landing 200 Royal Marines at the entrance of the Bruges Canal in Zeebrugge to destroy the shore batteries. Unfortunately for the raiders, the wind shifted and blew away a smokescreen allowing the German defenders to target the sacrificial vessel. An elderly submarine was packed full of explosives and was used to destroy part of the sea defences. However, HMS Vindictive had stranded itself in a location where its main guns were unable to target the shore defences. Some 500 men were injured, with 200 of them killed in action during the action. 11 of those involved were awarded the Victoria Cross. It was the greatest number of Victoria Crosses awarded for a single action during the First World War. The installation is supported by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce, former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff and General the Lord Dannatt, Former Chief of the of the General Staff. Lord Boyce said: 'The Zeebrugge Raid remains one of the most daring missions in the Royal Navys history, and I can think of no more fitting tribute to the incredible bravery of the sailors and Royal Marines who gave their lives on that day. 'The Tommies overlooking the White Cliffs are symbolic of the men who sacrificed everything to protect our freedom and There But Not There is ensuring that the names of those who gave so much 100 years ago, are being remembered today.' Lord Dannatt added: 'The sight of the Tommies standing watch over the English Channel is one that provokes a feeling of immense national pride - the men that they pay tribute to exhibited such astonishing valour in the most demanding of circumstances. 'It is right that we not only remember their sacrifice, but that we also use this year of commemoration to provide vital help to the heroes of today a challenge that our campaign, There But Not There, is perfectly positioned to meet.' Waveney Brooks, Niece of George Nicholson Bradford, who was awarded a VC at Zeebrugge, said: 'Our family is delighted that Georges achievements are being recognised in such a poignant way. He was one of four brothers who fought in the First World War, and only one survived, so it really does mean the world to us that his bravery is being recognised here. If he were here today we have no doubt hed love to see the Tommies looking out over the cliffs.' The installation will remain on display at the South Foreland Lighthouse in St Mary's until Armistice Day. Members of the public can buy their on 10-inch versions of the display to commemorate their ancestors. The money raised by the charity will be split evenly between The Royal Foundation: Heads Together, Walking With The Wounded, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes: Hidden Wounds, The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation and Project Equinox: Housing Veterans. So far, more than 4 million has been raised by the sale of 65,000 ten inch Tommies. For more information on the charity, follow this link. The owner of the DC restaurant where Ted Cruz and his wife were hounded by protesters says he has hired security guards in the wake of the 'PR disaster'. Fabio Trabocchi, who is also head chef at Fiola, said he has shut down social media after being bombarded with death threats and threats to destroy the restaurant. In an email to customers, Mr Trabocchi also dismissed a 'crazy' rumor that he tipped off protesters about Cruz's location, which he blamed for some of the backlash. Fabio Trabocchi, the owner and head chef of Fiola, in Washington DC, has emailed customers to reassure them and urge them to return after protesters stormed his restaurant Mr Trabocchi also sought to dispel a 'crazy' rumor that he tipped activists off to Cruz's location, saying it has led to death threats and forced him to shut down social media He wrote: 'We have no idea how the protesters knew to come to Fiola, but some in the media have suggested that we intentionally leaked his presence. 'How insane to imagine we choose to host an attack in our own restaurant! 'As crazy as that idea is, the negative effects of the repetition of this false statement is unprecedented in our careers. 'We had to take down our social media temporarily because we received thousands of hateful comments. 'Our reservation lines are inundated with calls from people who are taunting our staff and threatening to destroy our restaurant. 'Maria and I have personally received death threats. We would have never thought such a thing was possible in the restaurant business.' He adds: 'We want to make it crystal clear that would never participate in or would condone a protest of anyone of any political stripe inside one of our restaurants.' Mr Trabocchi says that staff at all his restaurants will be given extra training in how to handle situations like this in the future, while describing it as a symptom of 'the divided politics in America now.' He also urges customers to return over the coming months in order to show support to the staff 'when they could really use it'. It comes after Mr Trabocchi also posted a message on Twitter commending his employee's 'remarkable grit and calm' in the wake of the protest, which took place a week ago. Ted Cruz and wife Heidi were confronted by angry anti-Kavanaugh protesters as they ate at the restaurant on Monday last week Restaurant staff managed to hide the Cruzes in the kitchen until police removed the protesters, and they were then able to return and finish their meal Mr Trabocchi also put out a tweet in which he thanked staff for the calm actions and said that everyone was welcome at his restaurant, regardless of political affiliation In the statement, he said: 'Personally, I am blessed to work with the staff who have handled the harassment and life-threatening messages we and our families have received in the wake of the event. 'They have shown remarkable grit and calm, It is scary to hear anger directed at you and those you love -- I am lucky to work with brave people who respect our work.' 'We did our best Monday night to show DC what it means to live, love and work in a city where all voices are welcome and quite necessary to make a republic work,' the statement read. 'It takes everyone, Just like any family. It requires respect, listening, and sometimes a little etiquette, like keeping your elbows and politics off the dinner table.' Trabocchi added that although he is not in the 'business of hospitality or public safety' he has since implemented safety measures since the incident. They were made up of activists from Smash Racism DC and a handful of other left wing organizations and ambushed Cruz and his wife at the Italian restaurant near the White House. They proudly shared videos of their stunt on Twitter afterwards and threatened Cruz, the president and 'any the rest of the racist, sexist, transphobic, and homophobic right-wing scum' by saying ominously: 'You are not safe. We will find you. 'We will expose you. We will take from you the peace you have taken from so many others.' At the start of two videos uploaded by Smash Racism DC on Monday after the stunt, Cruz and his wife are seen making their way to their table as the protesters chanted: 'We believe survivors! We believe survivors!' One of the protesters held his middle finger up in Cruz's face while others screamed at him as he tried to leave The couple was let out a side door by one of the smartly dressed waiters. The door was closed on the protesters afterwards. They marched out through the front, continuing to shout as they left The harassing began as Cruz and his wife Heidi (pictured) made their way to their table. Heidi stared back at the protesters incredulously then took her seat without answering them Afterwards, Smash Racism DM, a group of activists which formed last year, posted a thread taking responsibility for the stunt and making this threat to Cruz, the president and other Republicans Smash Racism DC would not answer questions about how its members knew where Cruz would be on Monday night when contacted. A spokesman said the organization was 'gathering' media requests and would respond at a later date. In the clip Cruz's wife Heidi stared at the group incredulously then made her way to her seat. The senator told one of the women: 'God bless you ma'am,' then took his seat next to his wife. They were seated for only a few seconds while helpless waiters and restaurant managers tried to control the group before the couple got up to leave. As they left, a woman in the group shouted: 'I deserve to know your position on Brett Kavanagh Senator.' She earlier described herself as a 'constituent' and taunted the Cruz's by saying: 'I know you're good friends with Kavanaugh.' Brett Kavanaugh has angrily denied claims of drugging a high school girl and taking part in a gang rape leveled at him Wednesday. Julie Swetnick, his new accuser, released a sworn statement through her attorney Michael Avenatti saying that Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge were there as she was abused by a 'train' of teenage boys. She said she was drugged 'using Quaaludes or something similar' which had been put in her drink - and that Kavanaugh and his friends would spike 'punch' at parties with grain alcohol or drugs to 'cause girls to lose inhibitions and their ability to say 'No'.' Kavanaugh denied the new bombshell charges. 'This is ridiculous and from the Twilight Zone,' he said in a statement released by the White House. 'I don't know who this is and this never happened,' he said. Kavanaugh went on national television on Monday to deny any inappropriate sexual behavior, telling Fox News that he 'always treated women with dignity and respect' Kavanaugh's nomination has caused a wave of protest around the country, including in New York where marchers took to the streets on Monday night Protestors march through Midtown Manhattan as they rally against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh Kavanaugh's nomination has been caught up in the #MeToo movement as multiple women have come forward to accuse him of inappropriate behavior and sexual assault The testimony is a fresh blow to Kavanaugh, already accused of two sexual assaults by named women Christine Blasey Ford, who claims Kavanaugh groped her and covered her mouth at a high school party, and Debbie Ramirez, who claims he exposed himself to her at a Yale dorm party. Kavanaugh denies the charges by all three women - and called the latest from 'the Twilight zone', while Donald Trump accused Avenatti of being a 'low-life' who brought false accusations. As footage of the incident spread online, the group tweeted that they had decided to 'interrupt.' 'Noyou cant eat in peaceyour politics are an attack on all of us Youre votes are a death wish. Your votes are hate crimes. 'Tonight Senator Ted Cruz arrived at Fiola, an upscale restaurant mere steps from the White House, to enjoy a hearty Italian dinner. 'He could have dined on a lavish four course meal for only $145 while millions of Americans struggle to buy groceries. He might have sampled from the top shelf wine list as migrant children languish in cages. 'Hed have laughed with his wife while women and members of the LGBTQ community collectively gasp in horror as Senator Cruz pushes forward on Bret Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination. At least he could have had activists not interrupted his evening just as he was being seated. 'Instead, activists from Smash Racism DC, Resist This, DC IWW, members of DC Democratic Socialists of America, Anarchists, women, sexual assault survivors, and members of the LGBTQ community interrupted Ted Cruzs peaceful meal.' They went on to say that their interruption 'does not compare in scale to the interruptions his actions as a Senator have had on millions of American lives.' 'We hope that it reminds Cruz and others like him that they are not safe from the people they have hurt. 'This is a message to Ted Cruz, Bret Kavanaugh, Donald Trump and the rest of the racist, sexist, transphobic, and homophobic right-wing scum: You are not safe. We will find you. We will expose you. 'We will take from you the peace you have taken from so many others. 'Sincerely, Some Anti Fascist Hooligans. We demand a world free of sexual violence, and state violence. We want a world without prisons, borders, or capitalism,' they said. They signed off by posting the phone number of right-wing activist Gavin McInnes. Smash Racism is part of a coalition of 'anti-fascist' groups known as Shut It Down DC. Kyle Samuels spat in his girlfriend's face after he accused her of leaving his dog 'home alone' A yob who spat in his girlfriend's face at an airport after he accused her of leaving his dog 'home alone' has been jailed for 16 weeks. Kyle Samuels, 29, confronted Sophie Redshaw at Manchester Airport as she walked through the arrivals hall after her flight from Ibiza had landed. He claimed Miss Redshaw had agreed to look after his pet only to then fly out to the Balearic Islands. Samuels alleges he found out via friends the animal had been left unattended. Samuels, from Sale, Greater Manchester was arrested after being chased by police through a car park. It is not known whether Miss Redshaw underwent any medical tests following the incident last July 23. In a statement she said: 'I want him out of my life, he makes it a misery. I am always scared at what he is going to do.' At Greater Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court, Samuels admitted assault by beating and wept as he was jailed. At Greater Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court, Samuels admitted assault by beating and wept as he was jailed for 16 weeks. Prosecuting, James Towey, said: 'He approached the victim at Manchester Airport after she had returned home early from a trip from Ibiza and he spat in her face. 'He then attempted to evade police capture at the airport and ran through a car park before he was eventually kicked to the back of his leg by a police officer who managed to detain him. 'He was arrested and charged with common assault but initially denied the allegations. He had said that he confronted the victim as she had left his dog unattended and this upset him. 'I have had contact from the victim and I appeal for a restraining order against him for her. It would be for him not to come in contact with her or visit her address and I ask for this to be indefinite.' In mitigation defence lawyer Jon Mail, said: 'He was contacted by mutual friends and told that his dog was left alone - that's how he found out. The complainant had told him that she wasn't abroad, she was in Salford. 'The complainant still has his dog and he has no intention of getting the dog returned to him. He has, during the course of this proceedings, been living at his mother's address, but he wants to live at his own address. 'He was the victim of violence himself. He was once stabbed in his left leg and and that has caused him some problems. 'This would have been extremely unpleasant and frightening for the young lady, but the major point from this is that he accepts that the relationship is over. 'This was an angry reaction on his behalf that the dog had left alone and he totally accepts that this was wrong of him. He has no intention of getting back the dog, as far as he is concerned the complainant can have it.' Sentencing, District Judge James Hatton told Samuels: 'You have a temper and you act on your temper. 'Your record shows a number of previous convictions and there are sinister undertones to this one. 'The defendant returns home early from holiday and is confronted by you. You verbally abused her and spat in her face. This is so serious that prison is the only option for you.' Samuels was also banned from contacting Miss Redshaw under the terms of an indefinite restraining order and was ordered to pay a 115 victim surcharge. A bank has apologised to a newlywed for refusing to update her account with her new double barrelled surname after telling her: 'It's not the done thing.' Gem Winterburn-Smith, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was stunned when she was told by a female member of staff at Natwest: 'You're supposed to take your husband's name.' She branded the bank 'sexist' after she was told that she would need to change her name by deed poll to alter the name on her account. Ms Winterburn Smith, 28, feared that 2,000 worth of cheques given as wedding gifts to her and husband Matthew Smith, 41, would be left 'worthless' because they were filled out using her double barrelled name. Gem Winterburn-Smith, left, and right, on her wedding day with husband Matthew on September 1, was stunned when she was told by a female member of staff at Natwest: 'You're supposed to take your husband's name' But NatWest has now apologised for the error and said they will ensure all guidance is updated to make it clearer when customers wish to update details to include double-barrelled surnames. Civil servant Ms Winterburn-Smith said: 'It was like banging my head against a brick wall. 'It didn't seem to compute that I was hyphenating my name and wanted my bank details to be updated to reflect that. 'When I said I was changing my name and had a copy of my marriage certificate as proof I was told they couldn't accept that. Gem Winterburn-Smith, pictured with her husband Matthew on their wedding day on September 1, branded the bank 'sexist' for its refusal to change her name Ms Winterburn-Smith told how the bank told her 'You're supposed to take your husband's name' after getting married 'The young woman I spoke to said 'you're supposed to take your husband's name' and when I replied that I was choosing to hyphenate instead she said 'that's not the done thing'. 'I told her it was quite a sexist view and that I'd like her to check with the manager. 'When she came back she said she checked with her manager and they wouldn't accept my wedding certificate and I would need a deed poll.' She had already spent 72 on changing the name on her passport and updated her driving licence to reflect the name change after their wedding on September 1. The passport office and DVLA accepted the wedding certificate as proof of a change in name but the worker at the Cathedral Square branch in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, on September 13 wouldn't. Ms Winterburn Smith, pictured on holiday with her husband, says she was told by the bank the only way to change her name was by deed poll Ms Winterburn-Smith said she felt frustrated that NatWest was forcing her to shell out more money to get a deed poll simply to reflect her joining her maiden name to that of her civil servant husband - and vowed to bank with a rival if the matter wasn't resolved. She added: 'I've been with Natwest since I was 16, since then everything has gone through them. 'I have direct debits and standing orders with them too but I'm willing to change all of that just to go somewhere else, I feel that strongly about it. 'I can't believe the bank's stance on this, it seems like such an archaic and sexist view. I don't really understand why they would be so dead against it. 'My name 'Winterburn' is special to me. It's a name I share with my mum who brought me up on her own until I was nine and I want to keep that connection - they just couldn't understand. The Natwest branch in Peterborough where she was told she couldn't change the name on her account 'I can't quite believe they would be so inconsiderate. 'I have a unique name and I wanted to include that with my husband's name. 'Most of my friends call me by my surname, it's my identity, I wanted to include his name without losing who I am.' Mrs Winterburn-Smith complained to NatWest's head office and received a response saying that as her marriage certificate didn't match the name she wanted to use they were unable to arrange this for her without a deed poll. She said: 'I really can't get my head around how backwards it all seems to be. 'The passport office and DVLA were happy to accept my hyphenated surname but it seems some financial institutions won't. 'I'm utterly appalled by the whole thing and at the first opportunity I will close my account. 'I spoke to another bank who said they didn't understand the problem and would happily accept my hyphenated surname using my wedding certificate as documentation. 'I've never had an issue with NatWest before and they've been quite good. When my card got cloned they rang me immediately and refunded me the money, but I'm willing to change banks over this personal issue. 'They need to adapt and come into the 21st century.' The UK Deed Poll Service websites states that a deed poll is 'often required' but government departments and a number of companies and organisations will change their records to show a double-barrelled surname on presentation of a marriage certificate. However the websites also highlights that many will not - particularly financial institutions. It reads: 'Although government departments and many companies and organisations will change their records to show a double-barrelled surname upon presentation of the marriage certificate, many will not, particularly the financial institutions. 'A Deed Poll will guarantee that your double-barrelled surname will be accepted by everyone without question.' A UK Deed Poll Service spokesperson said: 'Whether you need a deed poll to change the name on your account differs from bank to bank - each one is different.' A NatWest spokesman said: 'If a customer chooses to create and use a double-barrelled surname following marriage or civil partnership they are required to present a Marriage Certificate / Civil Partnership document to prove the link between the single surname and double-barrelled surname. 'In this case Mrs Winterburn-Smith received incorrect information on our procedures when she presented the correct documents in branch, and the request should have been processed when she was in there. 'We will be speaking to the customer at her convenience to apologise for the incorrect information and poor service she has received. 'At this point we will agree how best to fix the situation with her and how we can rebuild our relationship with her. 'We have updated our internal guidance notes to make the processes much clearer for our staff to ensure that this situation does not happen again. 'We have already provided feedback to the local area director who will speak to the member of staff in branch who Mrs Winterburn-Smith originally spoke to and ensure that they are aware of the correct procedures and that their comments were inappropriate.' The bank said it would ensure when she changes her names using the marriage certificate in branch, she would then be able to cash cheques given to her as wedding gifts. This is the shocking moment an almost undetectable leopard attacks a herd of goats and catches its prey in front of helpless shepherds. The shepherds, who were on a vigil after spotting the brazen leopard in the vicinity, were left in a state of shock after witnessing the incident unfold in the Nondimedu area of the Ooty district, Tamil Nadu, India. Unbeknown to the shepherds, the almost unnoticeable animal camouflages itself among the trees and bushes before launching its attack on the powerless goat. A sneaky leopard was filmed attacking a herd of goats and catching its prey in front of helpless shepherds in the Nondimedu area of the Ooty district, Tamil Nadu, India The almost undetectable leopard hides behind trees and bushes before launching its attack on the powerless goat The shepherds has been on a vigil after spotting the leopard in the vicinity but unbeknown to them it was lurking among the trees A local forest officer said: 'It sneaked out of a bush and hunted the goat at lightning speed.' During the footage the leopard is seen slowly approaching the herd from behind but it is only when it begins to run out of its hiding place that the animal is seen by the shepherds. As the leopard pounces on the helpless creature the other goats in the herd are seen running away from the predator in an attempt to flee the vicinity. A local forest officer said: 'It sneaked out of a bush and hunted the goat at lightning speed' As the sneaky predator pounces on the helpless goats, other animals in the herd are seen running away from the predator Following the incident on October 1 forest officials have said they are now making preparations to trap the leopard The incident that occurred on October 1 is not the first attack in the Tamil Nadu region. Local residents said they have seen at least five leopard attacks in the past year. In March a 60-year-old man near the Ooty region was left seriously injured by a leopard while he was working on his field. Forest officials have said they are now making preparations to trap the leopard. Caitlin Kelly, 19, and her partner, Sam, 20, who suffered from a sickness bug in Egypt A young couple have been left disgusted after claiming Thomas Cook offered just 100 compensation following their 'holiday from hell'. Caitlin Kelly, 19, and her partner, Sam, 20, claim they were hit by a sickness bug just two days into their holiday at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic in Egypt. The couple from Folkestone, Kent, spent five days of their seven-day break in April - costing 1,400 - stuck in their room thanks to an illness they believe they caught at the hotel in Hurghada. The five-star hotel is the same resort where British couple John Cooper, 69, and his wife Susan, 63, from Burnley, died after falling ill two months ago. Miss Kelly said: 'I was really angry as I was so unwell and yet there was nobody who really seemed to care, either during the holiday or when we returned home. 'We both started to feel unwell on our second night when we were having dinner and from that point onwards I was really poorly and couldn't eat anything without suffering from sickness, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. 'I'd only eaten at the hotel and only drank bottled water, so I couldn't have picked up the illness elsewhere. The couple from Folkestone, Kent, spent five days of their seven-day break in April - costing 1,400 - stuck in their room thanks to an illness they believe they caught at the hotel The couple were disgusted after claiming Thomas Cook offered just 100 compensation 'We'd saved up especially for this holiday and had planned it for my 19th birthday. It was completely ruined, but there has been no sympathy or apologies. 'They simply didn't care. When I went for the medical treatment in the hotel the doctor wouldn't see me until we'd shown all of our insurance paperwork. 'The doctor gave me an injection and some tablets but it just appeared to be all about money. Sam was ill too, but not as bad as me. 'So he decided not to have any medical care through the hotel and went to a local pharmacist as because it would have been another 100 we'd have to find. The five-star hotel is the same resort where British couple John Cooper (left), 69, and his wife Susan (right), 63, from Burnley, died after falling ill two months ago The Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel is located in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in Egypt 'The holiday was a complete write off and I was still ill when we flew back to Gatwick. The whole thing was a disaster.' Travel writer FRED MAWER's expert advice on avoiding a health insurance headache Choose your destination If you have a significant medical condition, before you book your trip find out how much the travel insurance will set you back. Even for a short visit, the cost of getting covered can run to hundreds of pounds in countries where the medical care is private and expensive, notably the USA, and where there are potentially hefty emergency travel and repatriation costs, such as the Caribbean. Generally, cover is much cheaper in Europe. However, premiums can be dearer for trips to Spain, Malta and Cyprus, which have higher levels of privatised health care than some other European countries. Use the EHIC One advantage of holidaying in Europe is the European Health Insurance Card (ehic.org.uk). Though not a substitute for travel insurance, it entitles UK residents to free or reduced-cost state healthcare when in another EU country and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland including pre-existing medical conditions, as long as you're not travelling intending to obtain treatment. Consider a single-trip policy If you go abroad several times a year, normally annual, multi-trip policies are the best value. However, for those with serious pre-existing medical conditions, annual cover can be prohibitively expensive, and single-trip policies may cost less. Insurers can quantify the risk more easily with a single-trip policy covering a specific destination for a set duration. Get joint cover It's best to have all the people travelling together family, partner, friends on the same policy. This means everyone should be covered if, for example, one person became ill and you all need to cancel or cut short the trip. Book then take out cover Cancellation cover is a key element of most travel insurance policies it accounts for about a third of claims. So if you don't buy your insurance as soon as you've fixed your holiday, you're not getting the full benefit. Advertisement After returning home, Miss Kelly claimed she contacted Thomas Cook to make an official complaint and said it proved to be another frustrating experience. She added: 'We'd spent around 1,400 on the holiday and also saved spending money, which is a lot for us. 'Then I got an offer of 100 from Thomas Cook which just felt like an insult. I just feel let down and angry and I wonder how many other people have been ill on holiday at this hotel and been dismissed like I was. 'I wasn't sure that I'd be able to do any more but then I saw the sad news about the British couple that died in August and that hundreds of other guests had been removed from the hotel by Thomas Cook. It was then I looked for legal advice.' Specialist travel claims solicitor Paul McClorry, of Hudgell Solicitors, is representing people taken ill at the same hotel between April and August - and has also been instructed by Miss Kelly also. He said: 'Sadly it is all too easy for holiday operators to dismiss serious holiday illnesses as being due to the change in surroundings and temperature. 'In many cases gastric illness abroad is as a result of poor hygiene or food standards. 'There have been many health concerns raised with regards to this hotel in recent years and certainly in the summer months of this year. 'We will be contacting Thomas Cook with regards to Caitlin's holiday and the reasons behind her illness.' A Thomas Cook told MailOnline: 'We are aware that a number of customers have come forward to say they experienced illness while staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Hurghada, Egypt. 'The safety and well-being of our customers is always our first priority and we want all of our customers to have the best time on holiday with us. 'We are looking into Ms Kelly's case further to understand what happened.' Last month Egyptian authorities reiterated their claims that the deaths of the Coopers in the country on August 21 were caused by E.coli bacteria. The Egyptian Public Prosecutor released parts of a coroner's report on September 19 which blamed E.coli, despite subsequent UK post mortems having been found to be 'inconclusive'. An inquest in the UK heard that the couple had moved their granddaughter out of their hotel room after noticing a 'musty smell' hours before they fell ill. Three white tiger cubs have made their first public appearance at a zoo in south-west China, delighting visitors. The blue-eyed Bengal tiger triplets were born two-and-a-half months ago at the Yunnan Wildlife Park in Kunming city, marking an important step in the conservation of the rare animal. A competition is being held during the country's national holiday to name the three newborn cubs. The newborn white tiger triplets struggle to stay awake as they made their first public appearance at the Yunnan Wildlife Park in south-west China's Kunming city A competition is being held during the country's national holiday to name the three cubs The cubs are the newest addition to the six white tigers born last year at the Chinese zoo Video footage of the adorable cubs released by China News shows them sporting their iconic black stripes and white coats. They were also filmed struggling to stay awake during their public debut as they tumble around in their enclosure. The cubs are the newest addition to the six white tigers born last year at the zoo, according to the Yunnan Wildlife Park in a news release. Footage of the cubs shows them sporting their iconic black stripes and tawny white coats The new mother had some difficulty nursing the cubs on their own due to lack of experience and require assistance from the breeders, according to the zoo in a statement Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit the number of tigers The new mother had some difficulty nursing the cubs on their own due to lack of experience and require assistance from the breeders, according to the zoo. 'After taking care of the cubs for two-and-a-half months, the three white tigers are in good health and can carry out simple interactions with visitors,' the Yunnan Wildlife Park said in their statement. White tigers are a genetic variation of the better-known orange Bengal tigers. A baby White Bengal tiger can only be born when both of its parents carry the rare gene, which turns up naturally about once per 10,000 births, according to Animal Corner. There are only very few white tigers in the world - only about 250 in captivity Around 5,000 to 7,000 orange Bengal tigers live in the wild currently, according to Reuters There are only very few white tigers in the world - only about 250 in captivity. Around 5,000 to 7,000 orange Bengal tigers live in the wild, down from 100,000 at the start of the 20th-century, according to Reuters. Poaching, deforestation and over-hunting of their natural prey have hit their numbers. Arriving in Venice by car Venetian artist Livio De Marchi ( Venetian artist Livio De Marchi ( Liviodemarchi.com ) driving his hand-made wooden Ferrari in the Bacino San Marco. Kids, don't try this at home (or in Venice). How to get to Venice by car and where to parksince you certainly can't drive in Venice No, you cannot drive in Venicebut you can drive to Venice, leave your car in a garage or lot, and proceed to enjoy the city of canals car-free. Since parking costs 2429 per day, it's a good idea to return your rental car upon arrival in Venice. Driving to Venice Venice lies on the major A4 autostrada that runs east-west across Northern Italy though the Po Valley, from Turin past Milan, Brescia, Lake Garda, Verona, Vicenza, and Padova to Venice (and on to Trieste). Exit the A4 at Venezia-Mestre, and follow signs for Venezia - Centro Storico (or simply ones that say "Venezia" with that little black-on-white bulls eye symbol, which is international for "city center"). You'll end up on Via della Liberta in Mestre. (Sometimes referred to as Venezia-Mestre, this sprawling, industrial, landlubbing suburb is technically a part of Venice but is as far from being what the tourist thinks of as "Venice" as Detroit is from being "Key West.") If you keep following signs for "Venezia" and centro storico, Via della Liberta becomes a causeway over the lagoon called Ponte della Liberta. On the other side of the causeway, you'll arrive at a large square called Piazzale Roma, which serves as a bus terminus and turn-around spot, because this is the only bit of Venice accessible by carcrazy local artists like Sr. De Marchi, up on the left there in one of his floating wooden cars, notwithstanding. Once you arrive in Venice, you'll have to park your car. At the risk of stating the obvious, there are no cars allowed in Venice at all. It's a bit hard to drive on all that water, see. There are three main parking options in Venice: The public garage on Piazzale Roma (edge of historic center; on the vaporetto): 23.4029 per day The private garage on Tronchetto (just beyond historic center; on the vaporetto): 21 per day The public lot at S. Giuliano (in Mestre; short bus ride to Piazzale Roma, then vaporetto): 12 per day Parking in Venice on Piazzale Roma Parking discounts You can save 5% low season, 10% high seasonand guarantee yourself a spotby booking 15 days ahead of time through the website. Pull into the first garage on your right (the cheapest of the bunch) and park your car for the duration of your stay. This is the official ASM Venezia car park (tel. +39-041-272-7211, Avmspa.it), with room for nearly 2,300 vehicles, open 24/7, and charging 23.40 to 29 per day, depending on size of car and whether you book ahead (see the box on the right). If the ASM garage is full, there are a few other private lots and garages on Piazzale Roma, though they'll cost a bit more. How to get to "downtown Venice" from Piazzale Roma On Piazzale Roma there is a vaporetto (water bus) stop for the Grand Canal Lines 1 (commuter), 2 (express; the old Line 82) and N (night). Follow signs marked with "Actv" (the official public ferry system; its symbol a disc that's green on the top half and blue on the bottom bisected by a white line that looks a bit like a heart monitor reading), and make sure you get on the boat headed to the right to steam down the Grand Canal toward the center and Piazza San Marco. more Cheaper options for when the Piazzale Roma lots are full There are two cheaper optionsor simply additional options, if the garages on Piazzale Roma are full (common in summertime): An artificial island just behind Piazzale Roma called Tronchetto. Back on the Mestre mainland in the S. Giuliano lots. (Actually, there are a half-dozen other optionsgarages and lotsin and around Mestre and elsewhere rimming the lagoon, but those are by far the two best alternatives.) Parking on Tronchetto The first option is to backtrack around behind Piazzale Roma to an artificial island called Tronchetto. The Tronchetto garage (tel. +39-041-520-7555, Veniceparking.it) has more than 4,800 parking spaces (plus an open lot for oversized campers) and charges 35 per hour or 21 per daythough, if you'll be staying for more than three days and pay for the entire stay upon arrival, you will receive a 20% discount. (If you're taking a cruise, there's a "Partenze Porto di Venezia" special that gives you 50% off for stays of 7 days or longer.) There's a vaporetto stop on Tronchetto for the no. 2 line (and, in summer, a lot of touts trying lure you to their water taxisunless you are made of money, just ignore them). There's also now the Venice People Movera fancy name for a small shuttle train (picture one of those terminal-to-terminal connectors at a large airport). Buy the 1.30 ticket at a machine, stay on at the first stop (Marittimathe cruise terminal) and four minutes later get off at the end, Piazzale Roma. It runs every 10 minutes, Mon-Sat 7am11pm, Sun 8am10pm (Nov-Mar 8:30am9pm). You could also grab the no. 6/ bus to Piazzale Roma (just one stop). Parking in Mestre at S. Giuliano The second option for true penny-pinchers (12 per day) are the lots of S. Giuliano back on the mainland in Mestre, by the shore to the left (north) of the causeway over to Venice proper. Though sadly, in late 2014, the cost skyrocketed from 5 to 12, this is still a bargain. (There's a turn-off for these parking lots just before the flyover leading to the causeway; don't miss it, and do not pay any attention to the touts in hats who will try to wave you down to lead you to a lot. They'll stick you in what should be a free, open-air, unattended lot and charge you for the privilege.) Just follow the "P" signs to the official S. Giuliano lots, which are operated by ASM Venezia (tel. +39-041-532-2632, Avmspa.it). There are actually three lots at S. Giuliano. The one you want is Parcheggio Porta Gialla (yellow), which is open 24 hours a day (and can handle campers), which is free for up to three hours, then charging a mere 2 for four hours, 4.50 for five hours, 8 for six hours, then 12 per day, or 60 for a monthly pass (which is already cheaper than three days at the Piazzale Roma or Tronchetto lots). The other two lotsParcheggio Porta Rossa (red) and Parcheggio Porta Blu (blue)are day-use lots onlyno overnight parkingopen from 6am to 2am and charging 2 for the first four hours, 4.50 for five hours, 8 for six hours, and 12 for a full day. All three lots operate on a keen new system that doesn't involve tickets; a camera reads your license plate when you arrive, and then again as you go to leave, and charges you accordingly. Note: The automated payment machines take cash or credit cards, but do not give change, so when in doubt, use a credit card. Astoundingly cheap, yes, but do note that you'll have to take a city bus (no. 5, 12, 12/, 19, or 24) from Parco S. Giuliano one stop to Piazzale Roma (7 minutes, 1.30). Also, if the lots at Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto are both filled, then the city is probably bursting at the canals with tourists as well, so fair warning. Tips & links Details ASM Parcheggio Comunale garage Piazzale Roma Vaporetto: Piazzale Roma tel. +39-041-272-7211, Avmspa.it Tronchetto parking Piazzale Tronchetto Vaporetto: Tronchetto tel. +39-041-520-7555 Veniceparking.it S. Giuliano parking lot Cavalcavia S. Giuliano Mestre, Venezia Bus: to Piazzale Rome tel. +39-041-532-2632 Avmspa.it Driving/parking Asmvenezia.it (Piazzale Rome garage: most central, 2329; S. Giuliano lot: farthest, 12) Veniceparking.it (Tronchetto garage: fairly central, 21) Autoeurope.com Momondo.com Priceline.com RentalCars.com CarRentals.com AutoSlash.com Europebycar.com Renaultusa.com Short-term leases Autoeurope.com Europebycar.com Renaultusa.com Car resources Emergency service/tow: tel. 803-116 tel. 803-116 Highway agency: Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather) Autostrade.it (traffic info, serivce areas, toll calculator, weather) Italian automotive club (~AAA): Aci.it Aci.it ZTLs: Ztl-italia.blogspot.com (lightly outdated, but handy, links to cities' traffic-free zones) Venice links & resources Share this page Search ReidsItaly.com A man who Maine State police say told them he 'eliminated' one of their deputies has retracted his confession, arguing he was beaten into cooperating and treated 'like a game trophy' by police. John Daniel Williams, 30, admitted shooting Somerset County Deputy Cpl. Eugene Cole in the head in an unprovoked attack on April 25, according to a Maine State Police affidavit. He allegedly told police that he 'eliminated' the 61-year-old father of four with a 9mm pistol after Cole tried to arrest him in a street in Norridgewock, Maine. In a photo posted on Twitter, a Maine State police officer holds up suspect John Daniel Williams by the hair for an identification photo after he was captured on April 28 after a three-day manhunt in Maine. Williams says he was treated like a 'game trophy' being paraded in front of the camera When the officer tripped and fell, Williams reportedly shot him in the head while he 'lay on the ground with a hand up in front of his face.' Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Robert E. Mullen has ordered jury selection in the murder trial, due to begin on June 3 next year in Portland, Maine. The Boston Herald reports that Williams has now filed a motion to suppress his 'confession'. The suspect, John Williams, who claims to have been subjected to physical abuse by Maine police which left him bruised and forced him to confess to the murder of a police officer, which he later retracted He has petitioned for statements allegedly made to Maine Police to be withdrawn, arguing that they are invalid because they were obtained by abusive 'overzealous police officers' who subjected him to beatings and photographed him on a law-enforcement camera as if he were a 'game trophy'. 'Despite zero resistance by Mr. Williams, officers beat and pummeled him to the point of causing him to defecate himself,' attorney Verne Paradie Jr. claims in a court document quoted by the Boston Herald. 'Photos show that the officers severely injured Mr. Williams, kicking him in the head and face, among other things, and causing severe bruising and then holding up his head by the back of his hair like a game trophy.' Cumberland County Superior Court Judge Robert E. Mullen has ordered jury selection in the murder trial of John Williams (pictured) due to begin on June 3 next year in Portland, Maine Williams was found in the woods of Norridgewock on April 28 following a three-day manhunt. At the time he was out on bail worth $5,000, stemming from firearm charges he picked up in Massachusetts on March 22. Williams had allegedly crashed his vehicle on the Interstate 495 highway in Haverhill. Maine State Police posted a photo of his arrest on Twitter, with the description: 'At approx. 12:43 pm today, Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service, Fairfield, ME Police, & FBI Boston took John Williams safely into custody. 'Team needed to confirm his ID w/command staff. He wouldn't cooperate so they needed to facilitate this photo.' Maine Police posted this photo on Twitter after apprehending John Williams, writing: 'At approx. 12:43 pm today, Maine State Police, Maine Warden Service, Fairfield, ME Police, & FBI Boston took John Williams safely into custody' Williams didn't feel like going to jail, according to police. Massachusetts State Police who responded to Williams' car crash in March said they found an illegal handgun, with ammo and magazine in the trunk of the car. If convicted Williams faces a 2 and a half year minimum sentence. He has pleaded not guilty to both the weapons charges and Cole's murder. A Chinese warship sailed within yards of an American destroyer forcing it to change course in an 'unsafe and unprofessional' encounter in contested waters in the South China Sea. The USS Decatur guided-missile destroyer was conducting what the military calls a 'freedom of navigation operation' on Sunday, when it passed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the remote Spratly Islands. The 12-mile distance is commonly accepted as constituting the territorial waters of a landmass. Scroll down for video The missile destroyer USS Decatur (pictured in 2016) operates in the South China Sea. A Chinese destroyer came aggressively close to a U.S. Navy ship in the South China Sea, forcing it to maneuver to prevent a collision, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said Tuesday China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing claims all of the Spratlys and has built a number of military installations on the islands. During the operation, a Chinese Luyang destroyer approached the USS Decatur in 'an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea,' US Pacific Fleet spokesman Commander Nate Christensen said. The Chinese ship then conducted a series of 'increasingly aggressive maneuvers, and warned the Decatur to depart the area,' he added. Overview imagery of the Fiery Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the western part of the Spratly Islands group. Beijing claims all of the Spratlys and has built a number of military installations on the islands The Chinese 'destroyer approached within 45 yards (meters) of Decatur's bow, after which Decatur maneuvered to prevent a collision.' China expressed anger at the U.S operation, calling it a threat to its sovereignty. In a statement, the Chinese Ministry of Defense said that its ship had 'given a warning to leave' to the vessel after it entered the area 'without permission.' 'The US has repeatedly sent warships into the territorial waters near Chinese reefs and islands in the South China Sea,' it said. The behavior 'gravely threatens China's sovereignty and security, gravely damages relations between China and the US and their militaries, and gravely injures regional peace and stability.' 'China's military is resolutely opposed to this,' it added. The Chinese armed forces will continue to take all necessary steps to protect the country's sovereignty and security, the ministry said. China's Foreign Ministry said in a separate statement it strongly urged the United States to stop such 'provocative' actions and to 'immediately correct its mistakes'. The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate. An aerial view of uninhabited island of Spratlys in the disputed South China Sea It also comes as military ties between the two countries have dived since Donald Trump became president in 2017. A trade war launched by Trump has infuriated Beijing, as did his authorization of a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which China considers a rebel province and which it claims as its own. Washington last week enacted new tariffs against China covering another $200 billion of its imports. China has taken a series of retaliatory measures, including scrapping a US warship's planned port visit to Hong Kong and canceling a meeting between the head of the Chinese navy and his American counterpart. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he did not see relations between the United States and China worsening, a day after his trip to China was reportedly cancelled Warships and fighter jets of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy take part in a military display in the South China Sea April 12, 2018 China was also angered by U.S. sanctions on its military for buying Russian arms. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday he did not see relations between the United States and China worsening, a day after his trip to China was cancelled. China reportedly cancelled the security meeting with Mattis that had been planned for October. China has not yet commented on the matter. Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe is due to visit the United States later this year but China's Defence Ministry suggested last week that may not happen. Killer invisible jellyfish the size of a $2 coin are migrating down Australia's east coast and experts are warning their sting is 1000 times stronger than a tarantula. The Irukandji jellyfish, a hyper-venomous species of box jellyfish, are typically found in the waters in Queensland's far north. But after a jellyfish was captured off the coast of Fraser Island earlier this year experts have fears the deadly jellyfish are breaking tradition and migrating south. If the jellyfish continues to move south it could reach Queensland's Sunshine Coast and then the Gold Coast, with devastating impacts on the tourism hotspots. Killer invisible jellyfish, the Irukandji jellyfish (pictured) the size of a $2 coin are migrating down Australia's east coast 'A further concern for beachgoers and the Queensland tourism industry is the potential for the increased southerly distribution of the highly venomous irukandji jellyfish' Irukandji jellyfish Irukandji may be the smallest jellyfish in the world It is tiny and translucent, and difficult to spot Can be found in South East Asia, to the Caribbean, Hawaii, South Africa and the United Kingdom If you get stung you will suffer symptoms of lower backache or a headache, overall body pain, muscular cramps or shooting pains in the victims muscles, chest and abdomen, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties Advertisement According to a recent report by the Climate Council of Australia, the deadly sea creature is spreading further south and their season is lengthening. 'Increased temperatures and changed rainfall patterns in northern Australia can increase the risks of mosquito-borne disease and may lead to the re-emergence of other tropical diseases such as malaria,' the report read. 'A further concern for beachgoers and the Queensland tourism industry is the potential for the increased southerly distribution of the highly venomous irukandji jellyfish.' The Irukandji jellyfish is invisible in the water and able to fire stingers from its tentacles and inject venom into its victims. Immediate action is required or the victim will suffer through excruciating pain in the back and kidneys, burning sensation of the skin, as well as headaches, nausea, sweating, vomiting, and an increase in heart rate and bloody pressure. It could also cause fatal brain haemorrhages which sends on average 50-100 people to the hospital, and from 1883 to late 2005, the box jellyfish has accounted for at least 70 recorded deaths. However, according to the Australian Marine Stinger Advisory Services, swimmers should be more concerned about getting sunburnt because the chances of being stung are 'very low'. Asia Argento has claimed she was the victim of her sexual encounter with Jimmy Bennett and said she 'froze' when the then 17-year-old 'jumped' on her. Argento, 43, opened up during an interview on Italian news show Non e l'Arena, in which she said what hurt her most amid the accusations that she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old was being called a pedophile. The actress also compared the incident to being raped by Harvey Weinstein - adding that her biggest regret was not defending herself. Argento's appearance came a week after Jimmy Bennett, who has accused the actress of sexually assaulting him in a hotel room when she was 37, appeared on the show and said she had violated him. Speaking on the show on Sunday, she said that she 'froze' when Bennett began to kiss her and touch her 'in a way that was not that of a child with his mother, but that of a boy with crazy hormones.' Scroll down for video Asia Argento has revealed that what hurt her most amid the accusations that she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old boy was being called a pedophile She added: 'I laugh, but it's also a traumatic thing. Seeing this boy who had always been like a child behave like this with me completely froze me. 'He literally jumped on me; he put me sideways across the bed. He did what he had to do. He didn't use a condom. It lasted for two minutes. He had an orgasm. 'I was cold, unable to move. Shocked, I asked him afterwards why he had done this, and he told me that I had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12 years old.' Argento brought with her proof that she had seen a therapist for trauma in July 2013, a few months after the sexual encounter with Bennett, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She also compared the incident to her encounter with Weinstein. 'I had not even defended myself in the meeting with Weinstein. I think it's because of some childhood trauma.' Argento added: 'I am not guilty and I would like to go back to the X Factor to do my job. 'My children are proud of me, Italy wants me, and I have not done anything that I'm accused of.' Argento, 43, opened up during an interview on Italian news show Non e l'Arena (pictured), proclaiming that she has done nothing she has been accused of by Jimmy Bennett 'I am not guilty and I would like to go back to X Factor to do my job,' Argento said as she defended herself on Sunday. 'My children are proud of me, Italy wants me' The MeToo movement leader said the interview made her both angry and sorry. 'His eyes were glassy and there was no expression on his face,' she said of Bennett. 'I saw him as a child who then failed to pursue his career, a lost soul.' Argento saved her harshest words for Rain Dove, the partner of her onetime close friend Rose McGowan. This week McGowan apologized for claiming Dove had told her that Argento had been receiving nude pictures from Bennett since he was 12 years old. 'On 27 August I released a statement about Asia Argento, which I now realized contained a number of facts that were not correct,' McGowan said. 'The most serious of these was that I said that the unsolicited nude text messages Asia received from Jimmy Bennett had been sent since Jimmy was 12 years old.' 'In fact, I had misunderstood the messages that Asia exchanged with my partner Rain Dove, which made clear that Jimmy had sent Asia inappropriate text messages only after they met up again when he was 17.' Argento's appearance came a week after Jimmy Bennett, who has accused the actress of sexually assaulting him when he was 17, appeared on the show and said she had violated him The MeToo movement leader said the interview made her both angry and sorry. 'His eyes were glassy and there was no expression on his face,' she said of Bennett 'I deeply regret not correcting my mistake sooner and apologize to Asia for not doing so.' But the apology was not enough for Argento, who said that Dove makes her sick. She also claimed that Dove, McGowan, and Bennett were all people who were hungry for money. Earlier this week Argento shared an exclusive statement with DailyMail.com to hit back at McGowan and Dove. 'Although I appreciate the apology and the retraction, the shame of falsely being labeled a pedophile has caused unbearable distress,' the statement read. 'The consequences have led to me losing my job on X-factor Italy as well as other work opportunities and has had an unspeakable impact on my two young children.' McGowan's 'treachery' cut all the deeper, Argento told DailyMail TV, because it came at her darkest hour following boyfriend Anthony Bourdain's shocking suicide. 'I've endured all of this headache while still mourning the loss of my beloved partner Anthony Bourdain. It has almost destroyed me,' she said. Argento said she saw Bennett as a 'lost soul' who had filed to pursue his career in acting Argento saved her harshest words for former friend Rose McGowan and her partner Rain Dove, calling them both hungry for money 'I needed to take legal action because I want my name cleared. I still don't understand why Rose couldn't have done the right thing and retracted earlier when she knew she was just repeating the lies of her partner Rain Dove.' Earlier this month Dove, 28, retracted her statements but McGowan doubled down on her own, riding out the deadline laid down by Argento after which she vowed to take legal action against her former friend. Now Argento is viewing McGowan's apology as too little too late. 'The matter is far from over,' she said. 'I am currently seeking advice over criminal proceedings against Rain Dove for deception for financial gain.' Argento dated Bourdain for two years before he took his own life in June, an event that she said plunged her into an abyss of grief. Last week McGowan apologized for claiming Argento had been receiving nude pictures from Jimmy Bennett since he was 12 years old Argento said she appreciated the apology but 'the shame of falsely being labeled a pedophile has caused unbearable distress' The actress told Non e l'Arena that Bourdain's suicide was an 'unimaginable moment' that left her feeling guilty for not seeing his pain. 'He had never shown it to me,' she added. 'It was Bourdain who protected me, I was the depressed one. He told me that we would be happy.' 'He gave me the best two years of my life.' Argento said she does not know how she is still standing after both Bourdain's death and the sexual assault allegations. The Italian actress revealed she even had to send her son to live with her father in the US after people began to call her a pedophile. 'My children have suffered so much,' she said, holding back tears. 'It's not an easy time.' Bennett (left) first wrote a letter to Asia Argento (right), threatening to make public a sexual encounter between them that took place in California when he was 17 and she was 37 Dove (left) retracted her statements earlier this month but McGowan (right) refused to admit she was mistaken until last week Earlier this week Argento broke her silence to DailyMail TV to speak of her rift from McGowan, the fellow MeToo activist whom she once considered a 'sister'. And she also revealed that Dove told her Bourdain died with a prostitute after injecting heroin through his neck . Argento shared text messages with McGowan and Dove which she said backed her astonishing tale. In the texts Dove tells her the prostitute was wearing a hijab, that someone had obtained Bourdain's toxicology report, and that he had hanged himself because he did not want it to be known he had overdosed. None of those claims were true. The actress also spoke of her ordeal of being accused of driving him to suicide by cheating on him, revealing that they had an open relationship. Argento told Non e l'Arena that her partner Anthony Bourdain's suicide was an 'unimaginable moment' that left her feeling guilty for not seeing his pain And Argento addressed the accusations by Bennett, who worked with the Italian actress and director when he was just nine. She broke down in tears as she told DailyMailTV: 'I was the one who was assaulted. It was painful.' Argento repeated in the interview that she was the victim and 'froze' when Bennett jumped on her when he was 17 years old. The revelation in August that Argento had sex with Bennett and then agreed to pay him $380,000 four years later hit the actress and the MeToo movement like a bomb. Argento initially denied they had had sex. But when texts leaked two days later that showed her saying 'He jumped me', Argento said through an attorney that she was the victim, not Bennett. A week later, McGowan released a lengthy statement saying that Dove had told her that Argento had slept with Bennett. 'Rain also shared that Asia had stated that she'd been receiving unsolicited nudes of Jimmy since he had been 12. Asia mentioned in these texts that she didn't take any action on those images,' McGowan initially claimed. Argento attacked those claims and told DailyMail TV: 'This has destroyed my life. These lies have destroyed my life.' Argento repeated in the interview that she was the victim and 'froze' when Bennett jumped on her when he was 17 years old Last October Argento was among the first alleged Weinstein victims to speak up and be named in a New Yorker article that started a swell that built to what Argento calls the 'MeToo tsunami.' People who had never heard of the Italian - who has won numerous awards in her native country including a David di Donatello, the Italian equivalent of an Oscar - were suddenly talking about her. And the fact that she was dating Bourdain only added to the luster of her global celebrity. Bennett was among those watching Argento's growing fame and, one month after the New Yorker article, he wrote to the woman who played his mother in the 2004 movie The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. In his letter Bennett threatened to make public the sexual encounter that took place between them in a California hotel room. A former army private will spend at least 20 months in jail for robbing a bank on her military base while high on ice. Former Australian Defence Force Private Sarah Royna was 22-years-old and using methampetamines daily when she walked into the credit union at the Richmond RAAF base in western Sydney, armed with a replica pistol and a balaclava in 2014. She fronted Penrith District court on Tuesday, where Judge Stephen Hanley acknowledged 'the young offender posed little threat to the community,' 9News reported. Scroll down for video Former Australian Defence Force Private Sarah Royna was 22-years-old and using methampetamines daily when she walked into a bank armed with a replica pistol The attendant, who believed she was being held at gunpoint, was allegedly traumatised after the ordeal. 'It has had a significant impact upon her life,' he said. She successfully stole $2685 from the bank, before texting her accomplice, Tayla Stahl-Smith, speaking of an urge to steal again. She told Stahl-Smith she had another idea, and Stahl-Smith later testified to say the pair scoped out Windsor RSL to plan a second attack. She fronted Penrith District court on Tuesday, where Judge Stephen Hanley acknowledged 'the young offender posed little threat to the community,' She alleges the pair went to Parklea Markets together to buy knives to use in addition with the toy guns. Stahl-Smith said she stalled to the point of causing the plan to collapse. Royna admitted to holding up the bank, but denies Stahl-Smith's allegations regarding any plans for a second robbery. She admitted to using cocaine and ecstacy for a year before her drug habit escalated to daily ice use. Judge Hanley believed she was now sober and noted her prior clean record. Royna will be eligible in 2020 after serving a 20 month sentence for the heist. The Royal Australian Mint has produced special edition AC/DC 50-cent and $5 coins in honour of the legendary Australian rock band's 45th anniversary. One $5 silver Nickel coin costs $130 (pictured) The 30,000 AC/DC 50-cent coins and 10,000 $5 coins will not be circulated but will be available online. The special edition 50-cent coin costs $15 while one $5 coin costs $130. 'Unrelenting, frank, and at times irreverent, the electrifying music of Australia's premier rock band AC/DC turns 45 in 2018,' the Royal Australian Mint said in a statement on its website. 'Turning the volume up on our numismatic tribute to AC/DC we have inverted the triangular black and present this intricate design oriented like a guitar pick'. 'Nickel plated black and featuring the high voltage logos in vibrant colour print, this is a must have piece for fans of the band or collectors alike.' AC/DC was formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young and is known to be one of the most influential rock bands of all time The AC/DC rock band was formed in Sydney in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. They released their first album, High Voltage, in 1975. The band's original members were vocalist Dave Evans, bassist Larry Van Kriedt, drummer Colin Burgess, lead guitarist Angus Young and rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young. Its special edition 50-cent coin costs $15 (pictured) Their biggest song worldwide was Highway to Hell, which hit number 17 in the United States and number eight in the United Kingdom. Other successful albums included Back in Black and For Those About to Rock We Salute You. AC/DC sold more than 200 million records worldwide and has cemented a reputation as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. The coins are a tribute to the musicians that defined the rock n' roll music scene and will be officially licensed as AC/DC merchandise. The 'Thunderstruck' coins are available at the Mint's online store. A British passenger on a flight from Hanoi to London Heathrow died today despite the aircraft making an emergency landing in Russia in an attempt to save him. The man whose identity was not given was found to be dead when Vietnam Airlines flight VN55 landed at Sochi International Airport on the Black Sea. The captain reported a medical emergency on board after the passenger suffered a suspected heart attack, it was reported in Russia. The Vietnam Airways flight had been en route to the UK from Hanoi, Vietnam when the incident took place [file photo] Paramedics rushed to the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the tarmac in Sochi but the man was pronounced dead. His body was being returned to Britain by the same aircraft, according to Russian reports. The flight was understood to be over the Black Sea when the captain asked for an emergency landing in a bid to save the passenger. The Boeing landed at 5.17am local time today (3.17am BST). After refuelling it took off for London at 8.06am (6.06am). The flight was due to arrive at Heathrow at around 10.20 am local time. The plane made a rushed landing at Sochi International Airport in Russia (pictured) but the man couldn't be saved The ex-boyfriend of Brett Kavanaugh accuser Julie Swetnick says she 'exaggerated everything' during their relationship and often acted 'crazy' - including telling him to 'hit me' during arguments. Richard Vinneccy says he dated Swetnick 'on and off' between 1994 and 2001 before leaving her for his wife, with whom he has at least one child. Mr Vinneccy said that Swetnick's continued to hound him even after they broke up, even threatening to kill him, his wife, and their unborn infant. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com Fox news Privacy Policy Richard Vinneccy, who says he dated Julie Swetnick between 1994 and 2001, claims she acted 'cray', encouraged him to hit her, and 'exaggerated everything' during their relationship Mr Vinneccy (left and right with Ms Swetnick) said that after they broke up and he got engaged to his wife, Swetnick threatened to kill them both and their unborn child The threats were so severe, he told Fox News, that he applied for a restraining order - though never went through with it because he did not want to 'provoke her'. Speaking alongside his lawyer, Mr Vinneccy told Lauren Ingraham that Swetnick 'never once' mentioned the issue of sexual assault to him while they were dating. Swetnick claims to have witnessed a severely drunk Brett Kavanaugh alongside his friend Mark Judge at high school parties in the 1980s. She claims that Kavanaugh was present at parties where girls were gang raped and says that on one occasion she was the victim of such a rape. Swetnick claims to have witnessed Brett Kavanaugh being excessively drunk at parties where girls, including her, were gang raped Addressing those accusations, Mr Vinneccy said: 'I don't believe her. I really don't believe her.' He added: 'She always wanted to be the center of attention... She was exaggerating everything. Everything that came out of her mouth was just exaggerations.' Mr Vinneccy has spoken out once before, in an interview with Politico, which uncovered a court docket filed in Miami-Dade County in 2001 for an injunction against Swetnick by Mr Vinneccy. Thirteen days later the case was dismissed, not long after an affidavit of non-ability to advance fees was filed. At the time he claimed to have 'evidence' that her claims against Kavanaugh were untrue, but has so far failed to present that evidence. Michael Avennatti, the lawyer who brought forward Swetnick's claims, told Politico that there was 'no truth' to Mr Vinneccy's claims. Meanwhile Swetnick also gave an interview on Monday night to NBC in which she reiterated her claim that Kavanaugh was present at a party where she was raped. In the interview, she said she had graduated high school and was at community college when she began attending house parties where she met Kavanaugh. She says she remembers meeting him because of his 'distinctive face', and claims he often wore part of his uniform for Georgetown Prep - the school he attended. While at the parties, she claims he was often drunk and often inappropriate around women, including 'pawing' at them, trying to 'shift' clothing, and 'groping' them. Mr Vinneccy says he does not believe Ms Swetnick's claims against Kavanaugh, and says she 'never once' mentioned sexual assault to him over the years Swetnick says she was convinced to come forward after Christine Blasey Ford (left) accused Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her at a party in the 1980s, and Deborah Ramirez (right) said he exposed himself to her at a party around the same time Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court has been paused for a week while the FBI investigates Ford's claims 'I saw him push girls into walls,' she said. 'He would pretend to be drunk and stumble and push them against walls.' Swetnick said she would often see Kavanaugh hanging around in groups of boys outside bedrooms at these parties, laughing and joking together. At the time, she says she thought nothing of the behavior - until the night she was allegedly gang-raped. Now she believes the boys were waiting in turns to attack women she says were inside the rooms. Describing her own attack, she said she remembers feeling unwell before being pushed into a room and having her clothes torn off by multiple boys. 'I was touched everywhere, physically assaulted in every way you can physically assault a woman,' she said. Julie Swetnick also gave an interview on Monday night where she admitted she 'cannot say' whether Kavanaugh attacked her at a party in the 80s, but insisted that she saw him behaving inappropriately with other women 'What happened to me is probably the most horrendous, awful thing that can happen to a human being. 'My body was violated, my soul was broken. To not able to have someone stop when I said "no, stop"... 'I felt like someone took me and said you are worthless, you are nothing to us, you are disposable.' Swetnick says she cannot be sure that Kavanaugh was among the attackers but says she remembers him hanging around in the area where she started feeling unwell, and remembers hearing him laughing along with others. Kavanaugh has vociferously denied Swetnick's allegations, saying he has never met her and accusing her of fabricating her story. Swetnick also addressed Mr Vinneccy's claims against her, saying they were 'nonsense' and that she never received a restraining order. Kavanaugh's nomination for the Supreme Court has been paused for a week while the FBI investigates testimony brought by Christine Blasey Ford, who accuses him of attempting to rape her at a party in the 1980s. The judge has also been accused of exposing himself to Deborah Ramirez at another high school party, and she is due to be questioned by agents. Kavanaugh has vehemently denied all allegations of improper sexual conduct. A pensioner has died after an alleged assault following a row with a neighbour. The unnamed victim, believed to be in his 70s, was rushed to hospital for treatment following the incident at a block of flats near Oban town centre, in western Scotland, but later died. A 32-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the incident and will appear in court today. The unnamed victim, believed to be in his 70s, was rushed to hospital for treatment following the incident at a block of flats near Oban town centre, but died (pictured: police at the scene) The area was behind a cordon for much of yesterday as officers conducted door-to-door inquiries. Police were called to the flats at about 9.40am yesterday morning, where a man, 32, was arrested. Although they are still piecing together the events that led up to the tragedy, officers are treating the death as suspicious. The victim was taken by ambulance to Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban for treatment to serious injuries, but he could not be saved. The flats in Columba Court are owned by West Highland Housing Association. Chief executive Lesley McInnes said: 'Obviously we are sad to hear that this has happened in one of our properties. We don't have any further information at the moment' It is believed there was an altercation between neighbours, after the older man asked the younger to turn his music down. A police spokesman said: 'Around 9.40am on Monday October 1, police were called to a report of an elderly man being seriously injured during an altercation with another man in Columba Court, Oban. 'Emergency services attended and the victim was taken by ambulance to the Lorn and Islands Hospital where he died. Officers are treating his death as suspicious. 'The victim is still to be formally identified and a post mortem examination will take place in due course to establish the exact cause of death. 'A 32-year-old man was arrested at the scene and inquiries are ongoing. 'Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Oban CID via 101.' Local people were shocked last night at the 'horrific' incident. Councillor Julie McKenzie, of the Oban North and Lorn ward, said: 'This incident is shocking for the community of Oban. Dunollie is a quiet residential area of our town where my constituents care and look out for one another. 'It's important at this time to avoid speculation and allow local police officers to carry out their investigation so that the perpetrator of this horrific crime can be brought to justice.' The flats in Columba Court are owned by West Highland Housing Association. Chief executive Lesley McInnes said: 'Obviously we are sad to hear that this has happened in one of our properties. We don't have any further information at the moment.' Philip Hammond last night admitted for the first time that Britain will have to impose a hard Irish border if there is a no deal Brexit. Theresa May has always insisted that she will do everything she can to avoid imposing customs checks and border controls on the stretch of land. But the Chancellor last night became the first Cabinet minister to publicly admit that if Britain crashes out with a deal then the UK will have to impose checks. His stark warning comes amid growing fears of a no deal Brexit as the PM faces just a month to come up with a new plan which wins the backing of EU leaders and her warring MPs. Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Tory party conference in Birmingham last night, Mr Hammond said the UK would trade on World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules and will have to impose checks. Philip Hammond (pictured today at the Tory party conference) admitted for the first time that Britain will have to impose a hard Irish border if there is a no deal Brexit He said: 'The challenges around the Irish border are around the legal requirements we will have if we are not in a trade block within the European Union to operate the WTO compliant border, which does require checks at the border. 'That's what the WTO rules require. 'We are depending on the WTO to regulate our relations with the rest of the world, we will have to comply with the rest of WTO regulations or we will find we can't enforce our WTO rights against others.' The Chancellor's remarks came just a day after Mrs May refused to answer the same question on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show. Asked directly if she could guarantee a soft Irish border if there is a no deal Brexit, the PM said: 'We are working to make sure that we leave with a good deal. That's what my focus is on.' Asked again, she said: 'If we leave if we get to the point of no deal, we're making the preparations because we don't know what's going to come out of the negotiations. 'If we leave with no deal, we as the United Kingdom government are still committed to doing everything we can to ensure there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.' The problem of the Irish border has proven to be the thorniest issue in the Brexit talks - threatening to derail them altogether. Both the British government and the EU have insisted that the border must remain soft amid fears that a return to border guards and checks could reignite the sectarian violence which blighted the regions for decades, killing thousands. The PM says her Chequers plan - which would see the UK stick to EU rules on goods but maintain the right to diverge - is the only the plan to keep the border soft. Theresa May (pictured today at the Tory Party conference in Birmingham with her closest aides) has always insisted that she will do everything she can to avoid imposing customs checks and border controls on the stretch of land But EU leaders have rejected her plan in a major humiliation for the Prime Minister. Instead they have demanded that Northern Ireland stay in the EU's single market and customs union if no Brexit deal can be done that keeps a soft Irish border. This has been categorically rules out by Mrs May - who has pointed out it would slap a customs border in the Irish Sea between the UK. She has said that this is a plan that no British Prime Minister can support as it harms the territorial integrity of the UK. Bit Mr Hammond's remarks will spark fury among Brexiteers who have insisted that the question of the Irish border has been overblown in the Brexit talks. They have said that the UK should simply refuse to put up a hard Irish border. Guwahati, Oct 1 : A lady health worker was seriously injured when a large mob went on the rampage at a school following rumour spread out that a student was died after being administered Measles Rubella (MR) vaccine. The incident took place at Pharmapar High School near Lanka in Central Assam's Hojai district on Sunday. According to the reports, a health team comprising ANM, ASHA worker and Aanganwadi worker had gone to the school to administer MR vaccine. During the vaccination drive, some students were starting complaining of vomiting and dizziness and the students were immediately admitted at nearest hospital. But, a large number of people gheraod the school and vandalised school properties and attacked the health team following rumours spread out that a student was died after administered MR vaccine. An ASHA worker was seriously injured in the mob attacked. The mob had also attacked police personnel by pelting stones. The mob also damaged at least five vehicles and properties of the government run school. Hojai district Superintendent of Police (SP) Ankur Jain said that, several hundreds of people had attacked the school. "The injured ASHA worker was immediately rushed to hospital," Ankur Jain said. Hojai police has arrested five persons in connection with the attack and registered a case at Lanka police station. Police has started investigation to identify and nab the culprits who involved in the incident. Thomas Fisher has admitting stabbing his mother to death at her home in Sussex The son of a businesswoman found dead at her home in East Sussex has pleaded guilty to her manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Fiona Fisher, 51, was found dead at the family's 1million converted chapel in Crowborough in April. She died from a single stab wound to the chest. Her son Thomas, 22, today admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility at Lewes Crown Court after a diary he kept in the run-up the killing was analysed by psychiatrists. He was due to stand trial yesterday accused of murder but the proceedings were postponed until he appeared in court on Tuesday when his alternative plea to manslaughter was accepted. He also admitted fraud after using a Marks & Spencer Mastercard in his mother's name and driving while disqualified. Members of the family sat in court for the 10 minute hearing though Fisher did not speak or look at them. Fiona Fisher (pictured), 51, was killed by her 22-year-old son Thomas, who admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility today Police found the businesswoman's body at her Crowborough home in April this year Fisher, who wore a grey sweatshirt and had a spikey haircut with copper-blond highlights, remained emotionless throughout the short hearing. He appeared in the dock flanked by a custody officer and three psychiatric nurses as relatives sat behind him in the public gallery. In a quiet, barely audible voice, he spoke only to confirm his name and enter the pleas. Mrs Fisher's family described her as 'irreplaceable' in a statement The court heard Fisher, who is presently under the care of a psychiatrist, had kept a journal or diary in the run up to the killing which highlighted his state of mind at the time. Matthew Jewel, prosecuting, said Fisher had also been examined by two separate psychiatrists who had drawn up reports. He said: 'A journal or diary that was being kept by the defendant. Both psychiatrists conclude that it offers significant insight into his state of mind leading up to the events. That is the type of evidence that is not open to challenge.' He said that on that basis the plea of diminished responsibility was acceptable to both the prosecution and the family. The case was adjourned so that another psychiatric report could be prepared and Fisher will be sentenced on November 1. The family of Mrs Fisher, who also had a daughter, 20-year-old Megan, paid tribute to her in the days after her death. A statement said: 'Fiona will be sadly missed by her daughter Megan, her mother Dorothy and stepfather Les, as well as her father. There are no words to explain the love those around her felt for her, she is irreplaceable.' Mrs Fisher worked as an assistant manager for upmarket beauty products brand L'Occitane in nearby Tunbridge Wells, according to one online profile. Neighbours said she was in a new relationship after splitting from her husband Ian, 52, a former hedge fund sales director. Mr Fisher now runs a company offering bespoke services to supercar owners based at Dunsfold Park in Surrey, the home of BBC's Top Gear. Fisher was brought to court in a small prison van this morning before admitting the charge A former southern Oregon property owner has been charged with assault on a federal officer after authorities say an FBI agent sent to the property was shot from a booby-trapped wheelchair. Law enforcement officers responded to the home formerly owned by Gregory Lee Rodvelt, 66, in the small town of Williams on September 7. A real estate lawyer tasked with selling the property had requested the police, OregonLive reported. Gregory Lee Rodvelt, the owner of the booby-trapped home in Williams, Oregon which injured an FBI agent. Rodvelt is currently is in Arizona's Maricopa County Jail amid a trial for an alleged armed standoff A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Medford said officers found traps throughout the property from spike strips to a circular hot tub turned on its side and rigged to roll over anyone who triggered a tripwire. '(It was) much like a scene from the movie 'Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark' in which actor Harrison Ford is forced to outrun a giant stone boulder that he inadvertently triggered by a booby trap switch,' the complaint said. After making it past the hot tub, according to the complaint, a bomb squad and FBI agent approached the property's manufactured home and blasted open the fortified front door. Inside the home a wheelchair outfitted with a fishing line, shotgun ammunition and other items got pushed and triggered the explosion that wounded the agent, according to court documents. According to OregonLive, the agent yelled 'I'm hit!' when blood started gushing from his leg. An X-ray found a .410-guage shotgun pellet in the agent's leg. Authorities said the makeshift weapons were created by Gregory Rodvelt, who was forced to forfeit his property as part of an elder abuse case involving his mother. An Oregon state police bomb squad technician stands by a booby-trapped hot tub found on Gregory Lee Rodvelt's property in Josephine County Rodvelt currently is in Arizona's Maricopa County Jail, where he is in the midst of an assault trial in a separate case related to an alleged armed standoff. He has refused a court-appointed defense lawyer, the Mail Tribune reported. Rodvelt had been in the Arizona jail since April 2017, but courts released him in mid-August for two weeks so he could prepare to turn over the property. In the weeks since the agent was injured, a team of private contractors consisting of former military experts has inspected the property, the real estate attorney said. A New Zealand company has announced it will adopt a four-day working week after a successful trial. The 250 staff at Perpetual Guardian, an Auckland-based financial services firm, will now get an extra day off after a successful trial over March and April this year. Company founder Andrew Barnes said there is 'no downside' to the new system after workers were shown to have reaped the benefits from the extra downtime. Scroll down for video Perpetual Guardian CEO Andrew Barnes (pictured) said there were 'no downsides' to the new system According to a panel of academics who studied the effects on Perpetual Guardian's employees, workers showed lower stress levels, higher levels of job satisfaction and an improved sense of work-life balance. Workers will now be given the option of whether or not to opt into the new scheme, with those who opt to stick to a five-day structure given other benefits such as shorter working hours. 'For us, this is about our company getting improved productivity from greater workplace efficiencies there's no downside for us,' Barnes said. 'The right attitude is a requirement to make it work everyone has to be committed and take it seriously for us to create a viable long-term model for our business.' Mr Barnes (left), pictured talking to New Zealand radio about the study, believes workers would be more productive if given a four-day week Barnes said the experiment had potential implications for everything from work/life balance to the gender pay gap and the mental well-being of workers. He said this could motivate employees to produce better work in a shorter time period. The Academics who studied Barnes' employees said in November last year just over half of staff (54%) felt they could balance their work and home commitments, while after the trial this number jumped to 78%. Staff stress levels decreased by seven percentage points across the board as a result of the trial, while stimulation, commitment and a sense of empowerment at work all improved significantly, with overall life satisfaction increasing by five percentage points. Jessica Bartley is pictured leaving Southwark Crown Court after an earlier hearing A group of housing benefit assessors used dummy claimants to defraud the taxpayer of 1million, a court heard. Menelik Cowan, 37, and six other council workers allegedly paid the cash into bank accounts opened with false passports. Lambeth, Kingston, and Barking and Dagenham Councils were cheated in a decade-long fraud which ran between 2006 and 2016, Southwark Crown Court heard. Cowan, his then-girlfriend Natasha Francis, 38, his brother Hugh Small, 39, Cassandra Johnson, 37, Jessica Bartley, 35, Rahel Asfaha, 36, and Alexander Williams, 39, were working for the local authorities at the time. Gareth Munday, prosecuting, said the assessors put through a vast number of false claims using fake identities. He described the scam as a 'fraudulent business on a grand scale and against the public purse, in particular against local housing benefits offices'. 'When I say it is a business, that is exactly what this was. This was an organised crime conducted in a businesslike fashion.' He said two alleged fraudsters, Bashiru Tahiru and Elaine Agyemang, are not before the court. 'They are not here for trial because they are not in this juristiction - they have run away.' The pair took their cut and diverted cash back to the council workers, and others including Williams' uncle Derek Williams, 58, and Donna Francis, 57, the court heard. 'Donna Francis and Derek Williams...received monies into their bank accounts. 'There is largely no dispute that the claims in this case, the claims that were processed by the seven housing assessors, that they were false, that they were fraudulent. Derek Williams (pictured) is allegedly part of a gang of fraudsters who stole 1million from multiple London councils 'These defendants were uniquely placed to take advantage of their knowledge of the system and their access to the system in order to breach the trust of the local authorities. 'They were processing false claims, essentially for their own profit,' said Mr Munday. 'Mr Cowan is a link between Elaine Agyemang and Bashiru Tahiru. He was, at the time of these allegations, the partner of Natasha Francis.' The prosecutor said police discovered text messages between Cowan and Tahiru discussing the council's claimant processing system. Cowan had texted Tahiru: 'Make them work for sixteen hours per week, earning between 60 and 70 pounds per week.' Mr Munday said: 'So he's providing the amount these claimants have to say they are paid. Why would a legitimate housing officer have to tell them?' The texts continue: 'Make them text me when they get to the office and get them to go to reception.' Normally claimants are given a ticket when they attend the housing benefits office and a number is called out when it is their turn. In the texts, Cowan instructs Tahiru's fake claimant to ignore the ticket and to, 'tell them to stay seated until I text them'. Cowan would then lead the fake claimant to a booth to carry out the assessment himself. The prosecutor said: 'Mr Cowan was subverting to ensure that Agyemang and Tahiru were coming before his eyes so that he could process the false claims and not other people. 'How is that anything other than fraudulent?' He explained that texts also showed how Cowan was divulging address and salary information to Tahiru. 'There can be no reason why Mr Cowan would be finding or providing address details for Mr Tahiru, certainly not to speed up legitimate claims because surely a claimant with a legitimate claim are acquainted with their own address. 'There can be no reason for Mr Cowan to be providing Mr Tahiru with crib answers for legitimate claims - there is no legitimate reason because legitimate claimants wouldn't need to be reminded what their employer is paying them. 'The issue in Mr Cowan's case is was he aware that these claims were fraudulent? Donna Francis (pictured) denies concealing criminal property and the trial continues 'His friendship with Agyemang and Tahiru shows that he was part and parcel with Agyemang and Tahiru.' The prosecutor said Agyemang and Tahiru were paying Cowan around 500 a week at one point. When Cowan's home was searched, police found a number of documents hidden in his kitchen, including a tenancy agreement in a black rucksack, relating to another scam. The prosecutor said other documents were found under an electric heater in the kitchen and on a computer in Cowan's home. 'The evidence is, therefore, that he was keeping all of this fraudulent material together,' said the prosecutor. 'It is clear that he was keeping the dishonest material all in one place. 'The reason that he was doing all of this was that he was aware of the nature of the claims he was processing,' said Mr Munday. Cowan, from Enfield, denies three counts of fraud and laundering 150,759.92 of the 289,469 his accused of taking while working at Lambeth Council. He has admitted one count of possession of identification documents with improper intention. Asfaha, of Poplar, denies four counts of fraud, two counts of possession of identification documents with improper intent and two counts of money laundering. She is accused of fraudulently claiming 82,331 while working for Lambeth Council and 182,907 at Barking and Dagenham Council. Jessica Bartley, of Stockwell, worked for Lambeth Council and is said to have claimed 71,600. She denies two counts of fraud, laundering 51,155 into bank accounts and possession of fake identity documents. Natasha Francis, of Walworth, South London, denies fraud while at Lambeth Council and possession of fake identity documents. Cassandra Johnson, of Brixton, denies two counts of fraud by abuse of position, possession of fake identity documents, and money laundering. She is accused of hiding 57,514 of illicit housing benefit, and claiming 179,078 from Lambeth Council. Hugh Small, of Fulham, worked for Kingston Council and is charged with fraud by abuse of position, possession of fake identity documents and money laundering. He has pleaded guilty to money laundering and another count of fraud. Alexander Williams, Brixton, denies fraud by abuse of position, possession of fake identity documents and Money laundering. He is accused of illegally claiming 240,345 while working for Barking and Dagenham Council. Donna Francis and Derek Williams, both of Brixton, deny concealing criminal property. The trial continues. A Syrian man has been arrested after almost seven months stranded in a Malaysian airport, after a bizarre saga that drew comparisons with hit movie 'The Terminal'. Hassan al-Kontar had been stuck at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March 7, when officials refused to let him board a flight to Ecuador. Kontar, reportedly sought by authorities in his homeland for failing to serve in the military, was also refused entry into Cambodia and not allowed back into Malaysia due to visa issues. Hassan al-Kontar, 36, has been arrested at Kuala Lumpur International Airport where he has been living since March 7, after his social media posts attracted too much international attention '(He) was arrested yesterday because he was in a restricted area without a boarding pass,' Malaysian immigration chief Mustafar Ali said, adding that officials would now attempt to deport him to his native Syria The 36-year-old was left stranded in the terminal, surviving on chicken and rice meals donated by AirAsia and the occasional McDonald's burger, and showering in a disabled toilet. He made repeated appeals in a series of YouTube videos, lamenting that rights groups had refused him help and no one would take him in. But Malaysian immigration chief Mustafar Ali said Tuesday that police had finally decided to arrest Kontar and remove him from the airport, as his posts, which were garnering growing media attention, had embarrassed Malaysia. 'His statements on social media shamed Malaysia,' Ali was cited as saying by official news agency Bernama. Kontar made repeated appeals in a series of YouTube videos, lamenting that rights groups had refused him help and no one would take him in '(He) was arrested yesterday because he was in a restricted area without a boarding pass.' Officials will now work with the Syrian authorities to get him deported to his homeland, he said. A civil war has been raging in Syria for the past seven years, leaving more than 350,000 people dead. Kontar survived on chicken and rice meals donated by AirAsia and the occasional McDonald's burger, and showered in a disabled toilet Kontar said in April that there was an arrest warrant for him in Syria since 2011 for dodging his military service, but he refused to fight even if it meant never leaving the airport Kontar recently posted a montage of images of his life on Twitter, writing: 'In hard times, you will discover that what you become during the process is more important than the aim itself. You knew it was hard but you did it hard' Kontar's case is reminiscent of the 2004 film 'The Terminal,' in which Tom Hanks plays a man who finds himself stuck in a New York airport after his government collapses, rendering his papers useless. Kontar was working as a general manager and marketing lead for energy companies in the United Arab Emirates until he was deported in 2016. The UAE revoked his work permit and visa when the Syrian civil war intensified and he was sent to Malaysia as it was one of few companies to give Syrians a visa on arrival. A member of the Druze minority from Swaida in Syria, Kontar blamed his situation on racism and took to posting daily videos in Arabic on his Twitter page, where he also posts nostalgic pictures of his family However he overstayed a three-month tourist visa and is now blacklisted, meaning he cannot re-enter the country. He saved up enough money to fly to Ecuador and seek asylum, but wasn't allowed to board the flight. He also flew to Cambodia in the hope of flying to South America from there but was refused entry before being sent back to Kuala Lumpur airport on March 7, where he remained stuck in transit until his arrest yesterday. Mr al-Kontar was working as a general manager and marketing lead for energy companies in the United Arab Emirates until he was deported in 2016 Hassan al-Kontar had been stranded in Kuala Lumpur airport since March and living in constant fear he would be forced to fight for Assad's army At the time he claimed he was interrogated about his finances by several immigration officers and his passport confiscated. 'They took my passport. They humiliated me actually they took a photo of me standing against the wall like a criminal,' he told the Phnom Penh Post. Cambodian officials said Syrians could be turned away if they failed to meet 'requirements' like having enough money or a return ticket. 'Anyone can apply for the visa on arrival. But we need to check what their purpose is,' they said. A member of the Druze minority from Swaida in Syria, Kontar blamed his situation on racism and took to posting daily videos in Arabic on his Twitter page. Kontar was working as a general manager and marketing lead for energy companies in the United Arab Emirates until he was deported in 2016 'Lonely, weak, unwanted, rejected. No one is accepting us,' he said of being Syrian. 'In the end I can't blame anyone, this is our fate. We caused this problem to ourselves,' he said of the outbreak of the civil war. He hasn't seen his mother, sister, and brother since his last visit to Syria in 2008 and feared he would never seen them again. Kontar said in April that there was an arrest warrant for him in Syria since 2011 for dodging his military service, but he refused to fight even if it meant never leaving the airport. 'I am a human being and I don't consider it right to participate in war. It was not my decision,' he said. Kontar wrote on Twitter: 'Asking for ur rights as human in this world like: Ringing a bell in Kingdom of silence. lighting a candle in the darkness. throwing a stone into the stagnant water waiting rivers to break out. Living with dignity is not a choice, its a necessity' Kontar's case drew comparisions to the 2004 film 'The Terminal,' in which Tom Hanks plays a man who finds himself stuck in a New York airport after his government collapses, rendering his papers useless 'I'm not a killing machine and I don't want any part in destroying Syria. I don't want blood on my hands. War is never the solution but unfortunately, even from where I am now, I am paying the price of its actions.' He told the BBC five months ago: 'I'm desperate for help. I can't live in this airport any longer, the uncertainty is driving me crazy. It feels like my life hit a new low,' he told the BBC. 'I don't know what to do. I have no-one to advise me on where I can go. I really need help because I believe the worst is yet to come.' Advertisement These stunning photographs released during Black History Month show the contribution British soldiers from around the Commonwealth made during the First World War. One of the photographs show a Royal visit to Roehampton Hospital in 1918 where soldiers who had lost limbs were taken to be treated. King George V can be seen talking to PTE Davis in one of the images, a West Indian soldier who has two artificial legs. King George V tlaking to PTE Davis, a west Indian solider who had two artificial legs. The meeting was part of a Royal visit to Roehampton Hospital, which was at the forefront of treating soldiers who had served Britain and lost limbs West Indian troops lining up to take a photograph as they prepare for duty during the First World War. More than 15,000 soldiers from the West Indies were signed up and had military experience following the end of the conflict in 1918 Troops from Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados were also photographed on their way to join ships in the Navy. British West Indian troops carrying out extensive physical training in Kingston, Jamaica were also pictured, giving a glimpse into the grueling routine which soldiers had to endure to get them into shape. The photographs have been shared by website Retronaut, with October marking the start of Black History Month. When the First World War broke out, West Indians donated large sums to help aid the war effort and volunteered to fight for Britain. By the end of World War one, more than 15,000 West Indians had joined the British West India Regiment. Troops from Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados were also photographed on their way to join ships in the Navy These troops hold onto their possessions and line up for a photograph. Their caps have 'Fleet Auxillary' emblazoned on the front. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a civilian-manned fleet owned by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence and is one of the five fighting arms or branches of the Royal Navy. Its purpose is to support the Royal Navy to maintain operations around the world Julie Swetnick says she cannot be sure Brett Kavanaugh was among the boys she accuses of gang raping her at a house party in the 1980s. But the now-55-year-old told NBC on Monday night that she is sure he was at the party and nearby when the alleged attack took place. Swetnick also claims to have witnessed Kavanaugh groping girls and pushing them against walls at similar house parties, which she says he attended alongside long-time friend Mark Judge. Julie Swetnick gave her first sit-down interview on Monday in which she admitted that she cannot be sure Brett Kavanaugh was among the boys she says raped her at a party in the 80s Swetnick spoke out in her first face-to-face interview since coming forward as one of Kavanaugh's accusers via a written statement. In the interview, she said she had graduated high school and was at community college when she began attending house parties where she met Kavanaugh. She says she remembers meeting him because of his 'distinctive face', and claims he often wore part of his uniform for Georgetown Prep - the school he attended. While at the parties, she claims he was often drunk and often inappropriate around women, including 'pawing' at them, trying to 'shift' clothing, and 'groping' them. 'I saw him push girls into walls,' she said. 'He would pretend to be drunk and stumble and push them against walls.' Swetnick said she would often see Kavanaugh hanging around in groups of boys outside bedrooms at these parties, laughing and joking together. At the time, she says she thought nothing of the behavior - until the night she was allegedly gang-raped. Now she believes the boys were waiting in turns to attack women she says were inside the rooms. But Swetnick was adamant that she met Kavanaugh, that she saw him grope girls and push them against walls at other parties, and that he was present the night she was attacked Swetnick is the third woman to identify herself as an alleged victim of Kavanaugh, after Christine Blasey Ford (left) accused him of trying to rape her at a party, while Deborah Ramirez (right) said he exposed himself to her at a party Describing her own attack, she said she remembers feeling unwell before being pushed into a room and having her clothes torn off by multiple boys. 'I was touched everywhere, physically assaulted in every way you can physically assault a woman,' she said. 'What happened to me is probably the most horrendous, awful thing that can happen to a human being. 'My body was violated, my soul was broken. To not able to have someone stop when I said "no, stop"... 'I felt like someone took me and said you are worthless, you are nothing to us, you are disposable.' Swetnick says she cannot be sure that Kavanaugh was among the attackers but says she remembers him hanging around in the area where she started feeling unwell, and remembers hearing him laughing along with others. She claims she told her mother - who is now deceased - about the attack, and she convinced her to go to the Montgomery County Police to file a report. Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels, is also representing Swetnick and brought her allegations forward in a written statement Kavanaugh's nomination has been paused for a week while the FBI conducts a background check to see if there is any truth to Ford's claims NBC says Swetnick gave them the name of an officer who she spoke to, and a spokesman confirmed that an officer by that name worked there around the time she spoke about, but that he is now deceased. Officers agreed to check records to see whether a report was filed, but said it may take up to a month to respond. Four other people named by Swetnick as possible corroborating witnesses, but one of them is also dead, two refused to speak, and the last said he does not remember the parties described or meeting her. Kavanaugh said he has never met Swetnick and called her allegations fabricated and like something out of the 'Twilight Zone'. Swetnick is one of three women to accuse Kavanaugh of inappropriate behavior dating back to the 1980s. Christine Blasey Ford testified to congress last week about another party where she claims Kavanagh pushed her into a bedroom and tried to rape her. Meanwhile Deborah Ramirez says Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a third house party around the same time. Kavanaugh's nomination process has been paused while the FBI investigates the claims, including interviewing Ramirez. However, Swetnick was not on a list of initial interviewees, leading to allegations that the White House has sought to limit the scope of the probe. President Trump has denied this, saying agents are free to interview whoever they deem fit - though the investigation can last no longer than a week. A young girl is struggling to understand why her 'Daddy doesn't wake up' as he lies in a coma fighting for his life after being bashed outside a Perth nightspot. The 48-year-old man was allegedly standing outside a Fremantle pub with two mates about 11.20pm on Saturday when he was knocked to the ground unconscious. Police allege the three friends were on the sidewalk when a stranger pushed one of the men and struck another and a fight broke out. A 48-year-old man (pictured) is fighting for his life in a coma after being bashed outside a Perth nightspot Police say the scuffle spilled on to the street, when the father-of-three was allegedly struck and knocked unconscious as he tried to intervene and separate the men. A 43-year-old and 36-year-old man were also knocked unconscious before the alleged attacker ran off along South Terrace in a south easterly direction. All three men were later taken to hospital by emergency services. The 48-year-old was treated for serious head injuries and remains in an induced coma. The 43-year-old was treated for head injuries and a broken ankle, while the 36-year-old was treated for minor injuries. A WA Police spokesperson told media on Tuesday that the 48-year-old man, who comes from a small rural community, was in Perth visiting friends. She said: 'The 48 year victim is a father-of-three, the youngest of which is just 10 years old'. Police have released CCTV footage of a man (pictured) they wish to speak to in relation to the incident that resulted in the three men being injured 'She is struggling to understand why 'daddy doesn't wake up'.' The family of the 48-year-old man have also released a photo of the man, allegedly taken from his ICU bed. Police have released CCTV footage of a man they wish to speak to in relation to the incident that resulted in the three men being injured. He is described as light skinned, about 180cm tall, and stocky build with brown short hair. In the video, a man is shown running along a quiet street, occasionally looking over his shoulder, until he eventually slows down and then uses his phone. He was wearing a grey T shirt, long black trousers and black shoes with white laces, police said. Police are continuing their investigations and urging anyone with information to contact police or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. It's often the hardest situation in life that brings out the strongest side of us. And this six-year-old child in China has shown great tenacity after a horrific traffic accident changed the fate of her family for good. Little Jia Jia's father was left paralysed in the car accident two years ago and her mother abandoned them afterwards. Faced with the tough situation, the tiny girl started to look after her bedbound father in their home in Ningxia Province despite the fact that she was just a young child. Six-year-old Jia Jia helps her father eat and move around the house every day. She uses a home-made mobility hoist (right) to help him get off bed and sit onto his wheelchair According to Chinese media, Jia Jia gets up at 6am every morning to massage his father's muscles for half an hour. She also makes sure she brushes his teeth and washes his face before she goes to school. After she returns home, she feeds her father dinner and assists him in moving around the house - using a home-made mobility hoist. When she is at school, his elderly grandparents, both farmers, mind her father. 'Looking after my dad, I don't feel tired at all,' said the girl to a reporter from Yangtzi Evening News, shared by People's Daily Online. Jia Jia's father Tian Haicheng has set up an account on live-streaming app Kuaishou to broadcast how his daughter looks after him. The account has nearly 480,000 followers Jia Jia's father, 40-year-old Tian Haicheng, was left paralysed from chest down in March, 2016, after a taxi he took crashed into a ditch at a high speed, Yangtzi Evening News reported. Two and a half months later, his wife of seven years suddenly abandoned him - bringing their eldest son with her. 'She told me on the day that she was going to stay in her mother's home for a few days. But she never returned, and she took our son with her,' Mr Tian told the reporter. Mr Tian said he still hadn't managed to meet his wife and they still hadn't divorced. Jia Jia has become the pillar of her family since the age of four. Mr Tian is grateful to his daughter for what she does, adding 'she is my hands'. He said the most difficult task for his daughter is to move him around the house and help him turn over in bed - because he is so much heavier than her. At the tender age of six, Jia Jia has been the pillar of her family for two years, looking after her disabled father. She poses for a picture while sitting on his father's mobility hoist (right) Jia Jia's grandfather made a mobility hoist using parts he had bought from a hardware shop, and Jia Jia has to use all her strength each time to help her father move from the bed to the wheelchair. She has to first attach Mr Tian to the straps of the hoist while he lies in bed, then slowly lifts him up with the hoist and pushes him towards his wheelchair which is by the bed. Lastly, she has to lower him carefully until he sits securely in the wheelchair before removing straps from him. To complete the daily task, Jia Jia must jump on and off the bed multiple times and balance herself carefully so that she doesn't fall. Tian's Kuaishou videos show his daughter climbing onto his wheelchair so they could go out together and helping him turn over in bed. The girl has been called 'a little angel' by web users And apparently, helping her father shave his beard is what Jia Jia does the best. The girl said: 'At the beginning, I didn't know how to shave and I cut dad's face and it bled. But dad said it wasn't painful. 'Now, I'm very good at shaving his beard. My grandmother says I shave it very clean.' When asked if she missed her mother, Jia Jia said: 'No, because she doesn't look after dad. But I miss my brother. I used to be very close to him. I miss him!' Mr Tian has had to rely on his parent's farming income to pay for his living and medical expenses after he lost his ability to work. In order to find more financial support, he set up an account on Kuaishou, one of China's live-streaming apps, to broadcast his life, hoping to get help from kind strangers. His account, which shows how Jia Jia takes care of him every day, has gained nearly 480,000 followers. The public have been touched by the girl's strong will, dedication and courage. They call her 'a little angel'. New mothers have criticised hospital bosses for allowing 'utterly shameless' sales reps to take pictures of babies hours after they were born in a 'cash for access' arrangement. Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board received 1,922 from baby merchandise firm Bounty, which has been accused of using 'hard selling' tactics on mothers who are still recovering from giving birth. Under the arrangement, Bounty was also allowed to harvest the personal details from new mothers on the post-natal ward and sell it on to other companies. Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board received 1,922 from baby merchandise firm Bounty, which has been accused of using 'hard selling' tactics on new mothers Jenny Millar had just given birth at Wrexham Maelor Hospital when she had to repeatedly ask one woman not to take pictures. 'A rep asked to take photos and I said no straight away,' she said. 'I turned over and tried to go back to sleep, then I heard the camera going. 'She came around the other side of the bed to show me the pictures and to try to persuade me to buy them. I said no again and had to repeat myself three times before she finally went.' Another mother at the hospital, who did not want to be named, branded the firm's tactics 'shameless'. 'Three times I had to tell the Bounty rep I didn't want a picture on the maternity ward,' she said. 'I was struggling to establish breast feeding after a caesarean section and I really did not want to be bothered, but even with the curtains closed she kept intruding. 'They dress it up as taking a nice picture and giving free samples but in reality they are using one of the most precious times in a woman's life to dredge for data to hawk to the highest bidder. They're utterly shameless.' A Wrexham councillor, who was contacted by the two women, is now planning to write to the health board to ask for the company's access to be stopped. Plaid Cymru's Carrie Harper said: 'Allowing high pressure selling on a maternity ward is completely unethical. 'There aren't many people more vulnerable than women after they've just given birth, they should be free to recover from childbirth and to bond with their babies in peace.' A Freedom of Information request by the Local Democracy Partnership revealed that the North Wales health board received 1,922 from Bounty during a 12-month period. Under the arrangement, Bounty was also allowed to harvest the personal details from new mothers on the post-natal ward and sell it on to other companies In response to both parents' concerns, Bounty has apologised but said the number of complaints it receives are very low. A spokeswoman said the company has been providing information for mothers in hospitals for 60 years. She said: 'We are very sorry if anyone has had an experience with us that is not up to our high standards. How new mothers have complained about private firms in wards for years The issue of private firms hassling new mothers in hospital wards has been on the political agenda for years. In 2013, health minister Dan Poulter urged hospitals to 'get a grip' in keeping firms away from mothers who had just given birth. Since then, numerous mothers have complained on social media and elsewhere about being targeted. Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Chief Officer of the North Wales Community Health Council, immediately contacted the health board's director of nursing after MailOnline informed him that 'hard selling' reps were active at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in Wales. He said: 'I totally agree that it is opportunistic and inappropriate to approach new mums with this hard sell technique,' he said. 'The baby formula companies are no longer allowed to promote their products it should be the same for Bounty.' Advertisement 'Bounty fully supports and acknowledges the need to respect the privacy and dignity of families on the maternity ward. 'We work closely with the NHS to ensure our services are offered on the basis of choice and that they comply with the standards required by our hospital partners.' Teresa Owen, executive director of public health for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, said: 'We aim to provide a comfortable and supportive environment for new mums and their families in our maternity units. 'Our staff are present when a representative from Bounty is on the ward and they are expected to respect the privacy and dignity of our patients. We are not currently aware of any complaints. 'If anyone does has a question or concern, we would encourage them to speak to a member of staff so that any issues can be resolved as quickly as possible.' Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Chief Officer of the North Wales Community Health Council, immediately contacted the health board's director of nursing after MailOnline informed him of the issue. 'I totally agree that it is opportunistic and inappropriate to approach new mums with this hard sell technique,' he said. 'The baby formula companies are no longer allowed to promote their products it should be the same for Bounty.' Almost 6,000 babies were delivered at the region's three maternity units in Wrexham, Bodelwyddan and Bangor last year. Bounty has contacts with several other hospitals in England and Wales. Its current contract with the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board runs until April 2020. PALU: Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for reinforcements in a desperate search for survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi island, as the official death toll rose above 1,200 on Tuesday and looting fuelled fears of lawlessness. Officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead had come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, while some remote areas have been cut off since Fridays 7.5 magnitude quake triggered tsunami waves. There are some main priorities that we must tackle and the first is to evacuate, find and save victims whove not yet been found, Widodo told a government meeting to coordinate disaster recovery efforts on the west coast of Sulawesi. He said he had ordered the national search and rescue agency to send more police and soldiers into the affected districts, some cut off by destroyed roads, landslides and downed bridges. The official death toll surged to 1,234, the national disaster agency said. Nearly 800 were seriously injured. The Red Cross said the situation was nightmarish and reports from its workers venturing into one cut-off area, Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, indicated it had been hit extremely hard. A video of Donggala, broadcast by the Antara state news agency, showed widespread destruction, including flattened buildings and a ship that had been hurled into port buildings by the tsunami. What we need is food, water, medicine, but to up now weve got nothing, said an unidentified man standing in ruins. Four badly hit districts of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago nations five main islands, have a combined population of about 1.4 million. In Palu, tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet) smashed into the beachfront, while hotels and shopping malls collapsed in ruins. Some neighbourhoods were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid. About 1,700 houses in one neighbourhood have disappeared beneath the mud, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said. Before-and-after satellite pictures show a largely built-up neighbourhood just south of Palus airport seemingly wiped clean of all signs of life by liquefaction. Among those killed were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said. LEAVING AND LOOTING More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help. Thousands of people have been streaming out of stricken areas. Commercial airlines have struggled to restore operations at Palus damaged airport but military aircraft have taken some survivors out. Many more want to leave. Authorities have said a navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time would help with the evacuation. The government has ordered aid supplies to be airlifted in but theres little sign of help on Palus shattered streets and survivors appeared increasingly desperate. A Reuters news team saw a shop cleared by about 100 people, shouting, scrambling and fighting each other for items including clothes, toiletries, blankets and water. Many people grabbed diapers while one man clutched a rice cooker as he headed for the door. Non-essential goods were scattered on the floor amid shards of broken glass. At least 20 police were at the scene but did not intervene. The government has played down fears of looting saying disaster victims could take essential goods and shops would be compensated later. Indonesia is all too familiar with earthquakes and tsunamis. A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. It has said it would accept offers of international aid, having shunned outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck the island of Lombok. State port operator Pelindo IV said a ship carrying 50 tonnes of supplies including rice, eggs, noodles, mineral water and baby milk had arrived in Palu on Monday. It was unclear if the aid had been distributed. BURIED FAST Power has yet to be restored and aftershocks have rattled jangled nerves. But rescuers in Palu held out hope they could still save lives. We suspect there are still some survivors trapped inside, the head of one rescue team, Agus Haryono, told Reuters at the collapsed seven-storey Hotel Roa Roa as he pored over its blueprints. About 50 people were believed to have been caught inside the hotel when it was brought down. About nine bodies have been recovered from the ruins and three rescued alive. Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Palu, lorries brought 54 bodies to a mass grave dug in sandy soil. Most of the bodies had not been claimed, a policeman said, but some relatives came to pay respects to loved ones at the 50-metre (165 ft) trench. Rosmawati Binti Yahya, 52, was still looking for her missing daughter. But her husband was among the victims laid in the grave. Company director Simon Drust, 50, of Studley, Warwickshire, made a fortune mis-labelling beef as premium Aberdeen Angus. He is pictured outside court The owner of an upmarket butchers raked in 1million selling substandard foreign meat while claiming it was 'Best of British.' Company director Simon Drust, 50, of Studley, Warwickshire, made a fortune mislabelling beef as premium Aberdeen Angus and Hereford steaks. Coventry Crown Court heard Drust owned The Meat Shack in Studley, which boasted the best cuts of premium meat. He and his staff passed off frozen chicken as fresh and advertised their products as 'Best of British' when much of it was bought from abroad. Drust admitted fraud by making untrue or misleading claims in newspaper articles and on the company's Facebook page. His partner Susan Mitchell, 52, along with two butchers Dominic Brown, 55, and Michael McCarron, 61, received cautions for their roles in the scam. Trading Standards officers from Warwickshire County Council discovered the meat was mislabelled and was in fact sourced from overseas. The court heard that between September 2015 and February 2018 the adverts falsely claimed the shop was selling 'All British - beef, pork, lamb and chicken.' Drust's partner Susan Mitchell, 52, received a caution for her roles in the scam Drust also admitted a further charge of fraudulent trading between January and November 2016 by making misleading claims in the course of a business. Those claims included false statements about the country of origin of meat and poultry, the breed of cow from which its beef was derived, that the pork was free-range, and failing to show whether poultry was fresh. Mitchell then entered pleas of guilty on behalf of the company to fraud and a charge of 'knowingly or recklessly engaging in commercial practices which contravened the requirements of professional diligence.' The court heard the Meat Shack displayed banners in the shop declaring 'Best British pork,' 'Best British chicken and poultry,' Best British beef,' and 'Best British lamb.' The court heard the Meat Shack (pictured) displayed banners in the shop declaring 'Best British pork,' 'Best British chicken and poultry,' Best British beef,' and 'Best British lamb' Prosecutor Tony Watkin said: 'The benefit from the dishonest trading had been the Meat Shack's turnover of around 1million during the period covered by the charges. 'It was agreed that the available assets to be confiscated from the company was 127,690 in a bank account which had been made subject to a restraint order.' Deputy Judge Richard Griffith-Jones adjourned the case. Drust was bailed and ordered to return to court for sentencing on November 5. Mitchell, of Studley, McCarron, of Solihull, West Midlands, and Brown, of Sheldon, received cautions and their charges were allowed to lie on file. A young Instagram model has blasted the owner of a small boat hire company after he sent her a string of abusive messages for ignoring an earlier email. The owner of Port Macquarie Duffy Electric Boat Hire reached out to Jessica Sanders in a bid to collaborate with the Sydney-based social media influencer. The owner had offered Ms Sanders money or services in exchange for publicity on her social media channels, including her 72,300 followers on Instagram. However, when Ms Sanders failed to respond to his proposal, the young woman was bombarded with a series of aggressive emails accusing her of ignoring him. Scroll down for audio A young Instagram model and social media influencer (pictured) was the recipient of a string of abusive emails by the owner of a small boat hire company for ignoring an earlier email A short time after his initial email, Ms Sanders was bombarded by a series of emails for simply not getting back to him in what he deemed a reasonable amount of time 'You're f**king hopeless Jessica. Not very professional ignoring people,' one email read. 'You've got time to post pics all day but can't even tend to your work emails,' yet another email read. Ms Sanders told her followers she attempted to reply to any and all emails, even if she wasn't interested in a collaboration. 'I'm very thankful to the companies that are patient with my replies, I only work with companies I believe in and love,' she told her followers. She then shared a screenshot of their online exchange, revealing at least another two unanswered emails from the business owner. Ms Sanders often shares bikini-clad pictures with her followers, soaking up the sunlight and flaunting her looks Ms Sanders told Daily Mail Australia that these types of responses 'weren't frequent'. 'In fact, this could be my first one actually,' she said. 'Most companies that are professional understand that influencers get a lot of emails and messages, and it takes a lot of time for us to research and see if this company works with our brand. 'Now that I'm more busy working and my social media is getting bigger I only work with companies that I believe in and love. 'I don't want to sell something to someone that isn't worth their money.' Ms Sanders told her followers she attempts to reply to any and all emails, even if she's not interested in a collaboration Jason Inman, the company's owner, told Daily Mail Australia he had been attempting to make contact with Ms Sanders for a month before tensions reached boiling point. 'I'd basically been trying to contact said model for over a month. I never get replies yet she's online every day. She can't be bothered to reply to requests to hire her for some work,' he said. WHAT IS A 'SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER'? A social media influencer is an active and engaging user on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Youtube with a large enough fan base to successfully promote products and brands online. What is a collaboration? Some social media influencers can generate income from their personal brand (or what they post online). A collaboration generally involves a company trading monetary gifts or products for 'shout outs' or endorsements of their product to an influencer's fan base. How much do they get paid? Payments vary based on a number of contributing factors. The size of the company, and of the influencer's fan-base and interactive followers is the primary determining factor. Who gets paid the most? 1. Kylie Jenner - $1 million per post 2. Selena Gomez - $800,000 per post 3. Cristiano Ronaldo - $750,000 per post The 'InstaFamous' celebrity 1. Huda Kattan started an online beauty brand. She now earns upwards of $18,000 for a sponsored post. 2. Youtubers Nash Grier and Zoe Sugg both earn at least $13,000 per post. 3. Jennifer Selter, an online fitness guru, can earn $15,000 for a sponsored post. Advertisement A mother has recounted the horror of watching her eight-year-old daughter dragged into a bungalow where she was mercilessly stabbed to death by her father. William Billingham was today jailed for life for the murder of his daughter Mylee, who he killed in a 'brutal and cowardly' act of revenge, to get back at his ex Tracey Taundry, after she began another relationship. In a victim impact statement at today's sentencing, Miss Taundry told the court her life 'fell apart' when her daughter's life was taken away and she continues to suffer from nightmares and hears Mylee's voice in her sleep. She said: 'I realise my Smiley Miley, my baby has gone. How can I ever explain how the murder of my beautiful daughter has affected me, her sisters and her immediate family? 'Mylee was brutally taken from us by a man who was supposed to protect and to care for her. I trusted him with my most perfect girl. 'Mylee, you were perfect. He took your life with the same hands he used to pick you up. None of us will ever get over what has happened.' Scroll down for video William Billingham (pictured in his police mugshot, left, after he was treated for a superficial knife wound to his neck and other injuries) was found guilty of killing his daughter Mylee (right) today The court heard Billingham knifed Mylee to death just 15 minutes after posting a photo on Facebook of her smiling and eating pizza on a bed (pictured) Miss Taundry (shown outside court at an earlier hearing, left) desperately tried to bang the door down as she screamed for help while her daughter (right) was stabbed MOTHER SAYS FAMILY WILL 'NEVER GET OVER' MURDER Family members fought back tears as an emotionally-charged statement was read to the court on behalf of Mylee's mother Tracey Taundry. . Miss Taundry said: 'On January 20 this year, my life and that of my children fell apart. 'I went to collect Mylee from the home of her father - a place of safety and love, or so I thought. 'Mylee was brutally taken from us by a man who was supposed to protect her. 'I wasn't able to go with her in the ambulance. I wasn't able to hold her hand at the hospital. I was helpless outside - unable to hold her hand or to comfort her. 'I wake up thinking of Mylee. I have constant nightmares. When I do get to sleep I wake in the morning and for a second all seems well but then I realise my Smiley Mylee is gone. 'I regularly hear her voice and start to look for her. 'She loved to sing and dance. I watched her friends collect their dance certificates and your name was called and I went there to collect it and carry it home with pride for you. 'No more burnt toast on Mothers' Day. Your sisters ask questions that I feel I haven't got the answers for. 'Both of the girls have had to have counselling to assist them in moving forward. 'Mylee you were perfect. You would fall out with your friends and run to your dad. 'You trusted him. I trusted him. He cut you down in the most terrible of ways. We all miss you so much and love you my Smiley Mylee.' Advertisement Miss Taundry also described how Mylee's death has affected her two daughters. 'Both of the girls have had to have counselling. None of us will get over this.' Ms Taundry added: 'On January 20, 2018 my life and that of my children fell apart. 'I was helpless outside unable to hold her hand to comfort her. She loved to dance and sing. No more dance shows.' In January this year, Billingham waited for Tracey to collect Mylee from his home, where he callously armed himself with a kitchen knife. As the youngster left his house, the father-of-six pulled his daughter back indoors by her hood as she screamed 'mummy, mummy' and 'please daddy, no daddy, stop it'. Crazed Billingham then 'violently' thrust the blade Mylee's chest in a 'swift, deliberate and brutal' manner as a 'final act of revenge' against his ex. Tracey meanwhile desperately tried to bang the door down as she screamed for help while her daughter was stabbed with such force the knife penetrated her entire body. The evil thug, who is the brother of TV's SAS Who Dares Wins star Mark Billingham, had grown resentful of 34-year-old Tracey's relationship with her new partner Lindsey Andrews and feared she would stop him seeing his children. Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, of the West Midlands Police homicide unit, said the 'selfish' killer showed no remorse and only sought to help himself as Mylee lay dying. As he passed sentence the judge told Billingham: 'This was an act of revenge. 'Alternately, this was the brutal, cowardly, killing of a defenceless and much-loved child who had her whole life ahead of her.' The evil thug is the brother of TV's SAS Who Dares Wins star Mark Billingham (pictured, right, with his brother, left) JUDGE SLAMS 'COWARD' KILLER Billingham showed no emotion and sat with his head bowed in the dock as the judge told him: 'In late 2017, Ms Taundry formed a relationship with Lindsey Andrews. You were unhappy about that for two reasons. 'First, you believed that it might affect the ease with which you have previously been seeing your children. Secondly, you were jealous. 'You armed yourself with a large knife, you went up to Ms Taundry - you put the knife to her neck and you said 'I'm going to kill you'. 'Ms Taundry pushed Mylee away from you and then ran away herself. Mylee was crying and shouting at you to stop it. 'Mylee was still shouting for her mother and the evidence demonstrates that at some stage you put your hand over mouth and or your hands around her neck. 'You then took her straight into the kitchen, where you attacked her with the knife. 'Mylee suffered two defensive injuries to her hands that must have been caused as she attempted to fend you off. 'She ended up on the floor and you then plunged the knife through her chest. 'That blow was delivered with severe force and with intent to kill. 'It penetrated her breastbone and went right through her body. 'It was only prevented from coming out of her back by the kitchen floor upon which she was lying. 'This offence was driven by jealousy and anger. 'When Tracey Taundry escaped you on the front lawn, you turned that anger upon Mylee and killed her in order to cause pain to her mother. 'Your victim was your own eight-year-old daughter, who at the relevant time was in your care. 'As such this offence amounts to a gross breach of trust committed against a vulnerable victim. 'Your motive was to cause pain to Tracey Taundry and as such this was an act of revenge. 'Your actions have had a devastating and continuing impact upon both her and Mylee's two sisters. 'Ultimately, this was the brutal and cowardly killing of a defenceless and much-loved child who had her whole life ahead of her.' Advertisement Police arrived at the property in Brownhills, near Walsall, West Midslands, to find Billingham 'whimpering' and lying on top of Mylee, whose face was covered in blood. Det Insp Jim Colclough, believes Billingham was unhappy with Tracey Taundry's new relationship, despite claiming he had no problems with it. Speaking after Billingham was convicted of murder, Mr Colclough said the 55-year-old had shown no remorse when interviewed - and only sought to help himself as Mylee lay dying. The killer's trial was told that officers kicked a knife away from near Billingham's hands, moving it underneath a rug, as they tried to treat him and his daughter. During their efforts, Billingham kicked out at one officer, ignored repeated requests for information about what had happened to Mylee, and only related information about his own breathing problems. Shortly after Billingham was found guilty of the horrendous crime, the investigating officer described his actions as 'the most selfish act you can think of'. Mr Colclough said: 'The initial attending police officers demonstrated real bravery in going into the premises, where the information was that there was a man armed with a kitchen knife. 'They were confronted by extremely upsetting scenes [with Mylee lying injured under her father] and everybody worked together tirelessly to try and save her. 'The first responders were an absolute credit to their respective services.' Commenting on the murder, Mr Colclough said: 'It's the most selfish act you can think of. It is the greatest breach of trust that you can imagine as a father. 'Mylee was an eight-year-old girl. She had every reason to believe that Billingham was the most trusted person in the world. To carry out an act and actually take Mylee's life ... it's terrible.' Just 15 minutes before the murder Billingham had posted a photo on Facebook showing his smiling daughter eating pizza on his bed. Officers and paramedics performed CPR on the youngster who was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospitals where she was pronounced dead at 11.30pm. Billingham had a superficial knife wound on his neck and stab injuries to his stomach. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery for his injuries. Once fit, he was taken into police custody and interviewed. Last month Billingham went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of murder, which he denied on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Mylee Billingham (left) was stabbed to death at a house in the West Midlands on January 20 by her father Billingham (right) Chilling footage played to the court shows Mylee Billingham laughing with her father in a shop just over two hours before she was stabbed to death Tracey Taundry (far left) is pictured outside court during a previous hearing as jurors were told that Billingham was suffering from depression at the time of the death But yesterday a jury of four men and eight women found him unanimously guilty following just an hour of deliberations at the end of a nine-day trial. Following the verdict, it can also be revealed how Billingham tried to take his own life midway through the trial by cutting both his wrists with razor blades in his cell. The court was told how he was rushed to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he underwent an operation after attempting to kill himself on September 21. Killer cut his wrists in cell after jurors were shown CCTV footage of his daughter on the night she died The jurors were not told Billingham had cut his wrists in his cell - using razor blades - part-way through his trial. Billingham underwent surgery after the apparent attempt to end his own life in the early hours of September 21 - a day after his trial was shown CCTV footage of his daughter Mylee in a shop on the night he killed her. The former leather industry worker looked at the floor and covered his eyes with his hands as the two-minute video was shown to jurors on the third day of his trial. The father-of-six then failed to appear in court until the following week - when jurors were told to disregard the bandages on his lower arms, and given no details of how he came by his injuries. In legal argument which could not be reported until the end of the trial, defence barrister David Mason QC said seeing CCTV of Mylee had badly affected Billingham, who spent four days in hospital. On the morning Billingham was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital from HMP Birmingham, Mr Mason told the court his client had experienced 'some sort of breakdown' overnight, during which he was injured. Billingham was eventually brought back to court on Tuesday September 25 - arriving in a taxi with a police escort, as his wounds meant he could not be handcuffed or placed in a prison van. Advertisement The 55-year-old was assessed by a leading psychiatrist as aggressive, controlling and prone to violence towards women, particularly at the end of relationships. Billingham, who had six children by three partners, was convicted of causing actual bodily harm in 1990 following an attack on his then girlfriend. Billingham told a psychiatrist he had no memory of hiding under the previous partner's bed armed with a knife - or of dangling his legs off a balcony while holding their young son. Although Billingham told police he was a 'brilliant' dad, he was assessed by a leading psychiatrist as aggressive, controlling and prone to violence towards women, particularly at the end of relationships. Police also cautioned Billingham in 2007 after Mylee's mother alleged that she had been slapped in the face. Another caution was handed to the factory worker in May 2012 after Miss Taundry knocked on a neighbour's door and said he had been hitting her - with their three children in the house. Although two previous partners of Billingham opted not to give statements to police, they both gave accounts to officers of his behaviour during their relationships, which were assessed by defence and prosecution psychiatrists. One of the women claimed she had returned home to find Billingham hiding under her bed with a knife. The former partner alleged that Billingham then went on to sit on a balcony holding their son and asked: 'Haven't you forgotten something? Billingham is also alleged to have headbutted the ex-partner in the face and bothered her for two years after they broke up. Forensic psychiatrist Philip Joseph, who assessed Billingham, told Brmingham Crown Court that the killer did not become distressed during their discussions. Dr Joseph said of Billingham's account of the events surrounding the killing: 'He told me that had not been sleeping too well, had poor finances and was stressed at Christmas. 'He didn't show features of anxiety or depression in his thinking. He has a particular difficulty in coping with the end of relationships and is likely to behave in an aggressive and intimidating manner.' The balcony incident could be considered as a 'pointer' towards the defendant's difficulties, and his apparent willingness to use children to 'get back' at a former partner, Dr Joseph said. 'I disagree with the notion that he would need to be extremely unwell to do this,' Dr Joseph said of Billingham's decision to stab Mylee. 'People can kill when they are not mentally unwell.' Ms Taundry saw her ex take their daughter back into the house with a knife, the court heard Asked for his view on the possible motivation for the killing, Mr Colclough said: 'Tracey had embarked on a new relationship. This is a relationship she was open and honest about. 'It's our view that actually Billingham was not as happy with that situation as he'd made out. Whether that be through jealousy ... he decided on that evening to take actions into his own hands.' The trial was told that Miss Taundry was outside Billingham's address for a number of minutes, not knowing what was taking place inside. Mr Colclough said: 'The 999 call is a terrible thing to listen to. Tracey was beside herself with concern. 'Her mother will never heal from this': Detective reveals killer has shown no remorse for 'selfish' murder Billingham's decision to stab his daughter in an apparent attempt to take revenge on her mother has been described by a senior detective as the most selfish act imaginable. Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, of the West Midlands Police homicide unit, said the 55-year-old had shown no remorse when interviewed - and only sought to help himself as Mylee lay dying. Commenting on the murder, Mr Colclough said: 'It's the most selfish act you can think of. It is the greatest breach of trust that you can imagine as a father. 'Mylee was an eight-year-old girl. She had every reason to believe that Billingham was the most trusted person in the world. To carry out an act and actually take Mylee's life ... it's terrible.' The trial was told that Miss Taundry was outside Billingham's address for a number of minutes, not knowing what was taking place inside. Mr Colclough said: 'The 999 call is a terrible thing to listen to. Tracey was beside herself with concern. 'Officers were in the address for tens of minutes working on Mylee and at that time Tracey was unaware as to how serious the events were that had unfolded inside that address.' Miss Taundry had taken great comfort from support from the Brownhills community, but she and other family members were absolutely devastated by Mylee's death, the officer said. He added: 'She will never heal from this situation. Mylee will always be missing. She will always be missing a daughter and Mylee's sisters will always be missing a sister.' Advertisement 'Officers were in the address for tens of minutes working on Mylee and at that time Tracey was unaware as to how serious the events were that had unfolded inside that address.' Miss Taundry had taken great comfort from support from the Brownhills community, but she and other family members were absolutely devastated by Mylee's death, the officer said. He added: 'She will never heal from this situation. Mylee will always be missing. She will always be missing a daughter and Mylee's sisters will always be missing a sister.' During the trial, jurors were told how Billingham had increasingly grown jealous of his ex's new relationship and feared losing his children. He sent Tracey messages speaking about Lindsey in crude terms saying: ''I wouldn't f**k it but I wouldn't fight it either'. Billingham also sent Tracey photographs of him wearing her bra and knickers with the caption: ''Your new knickers which I have broken in for you and Lindsey. 'You might want to wash them.' But matters came to a head on the evening of January 20, when Tracey went to collect Mylee from Billingham's bungalow. Chilling footage from earlier in the day was also played to the jury showing Mylee laughing and joking with her father in a shop just two hours before he killed her. But later on Billingham flew into a rage and threatened to kill Tracey telling her 'I'm going to slice your neck off you dirty lesbian' - before stabbing Mylee. Tracey watched on in horror as Mylee was dragged to her death before she frantically called 999 and told operators: 'He's got my baby.' The court heard how Billingham had placed his hand over crying Mylee's mouth as she tried to defend herself before he stabbed her 'straight through' her body. A police officer wept in the witness box as she described to jurors finding Mylee lying in a pool of blood still in her pyjamas with her father on top of her. Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC said: 'It was a violent, jealous rage. The killing is most likely explained by the jealousy mixed with the rage that he felt towards Tracey and her new partner.' Billingham was also taken to hospital after he stabbed himself twice in the liver and tried to cut his own throat. He had told police he never meant to cause Mylee any harm and had wanted to 'protect her from the internet' so she could 'remain a child.' He admitted to officers he stabbed his daughter to death but claimed he could not remember doing so. But his version of events was rejected by the jury and he was convicted this afternoon in front of relatives who called out 'yes' from the public gallery as the guilty verdicts came back. Billingham was also found guilty of making threats to kill his former partner. People laid tributes at the scene after the eight-year-old died. Her father denied murdering the little girl Killer father sent vile text messages to his ex-partner before brutally stabbing their eight-year-old daughter to death Billingham sent toxic, vitriolic texts to his ex An earlier court hearing heard how Billingham sent bitter, toxic messages to Tracey Taundry. Prosecutor Karim Khalil QC, told jurors how Billgingham's jealousy 'was merely in abeyance' and he sent 'direct and sometimes unpleasant text messages' referencing Ms Taundry's relationship with Lindsey. He said: 'He spoke about her in crude terms. I wouldn't f*** it but I wouldn't fight it either'. On December 12 he took photographs of her knickers. He sent the photos to her. 'The following day, December 13, he took photos of himself dressed in her knickers and bra. 'He texted 'your new knickers which I have broken in for you and Lindsey. You might want to wash them'.' Jurors heard Billingham lied to Ms Taundry about being outside her home and began secretly recording their conversations on his phone. Mylee Billingham's mother Tracey Taundry holding a doll as she arrived at the funeral of the eight-year-old in April Mr Khalil said: 'He was again winding her up, trying to intimidate. It's a sure sign he had become increasingly obsessed and possessive towards her. 'He is plainly using emotional manipulation. He texted 'you are f***ing, so what? Let me finish you. I want you to f*** me before school'.' Mr Kalil added: 'This is not a man suffering from depression. This is a man absolutely determined to have his own way. He wasn't going to let her go.' A teenage mine worker has been mauled to death by a female grizzly bear and her two cubs on an Alaskan island. Anthony David Montoya, 18, a contract worker from Hollis, Oklahoma, died at a remote drill site accessible only by helicopter on Monday, authorities said. State Troopers said Montoya, who worked for Idaho-based Timberline Drilling, had been working at a drill site on the edge of the Hecla Greens Creek Mine property in southeastern Alaska when he was attacked. He was mauled by the three bears, all of which were killed before they arrived, the Troopers said. Anthony David Montoya, 18, a contract worker from Hollis, Oklahoma, died at a remote drill site accessible only by helicopter on Monday, authorities said The teenager's body was then taken to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy. The Hecla Greens Creek Mine, one of the world's largest silver producers, is located about 18 miles south of Juneau on Admiralty Island. The island is famous for its coastal grizzlies, also known locally as brown bears, and has the densest population, or most bears per square mile, in North America. An estimated 1,500 brown bears roam on the island, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Admiralty Island's traditional Tlingit name, Kootznoowoo, translates to 'fortress of the bear.' And the island's singular permanent community, Angoon, can only be accessed by plane or ferry. State Troopers said Montoya (pictured) had been working at a drill site on the edge of the Hecla Greens Creek Mine property in southeastern Alaska when he was attacked Run-ins with bears on the island are fairly unusual, with one non-fatal attack within the past three years. The mine's operator, an Alaska-based subsidiary of Idaho-based Hecla Mining Company, said the attack site was remote, accessible only by helicopter and away from the main mine operations. Until Monday, there had never been an injury-causing bear attack in the nearly 30 years that the mine has been in operation, said Mike Satre, Hecla Greens Creek's manager of government and community relations. 'We have lots of bears on Admiralty Island. We work in and around them on a regular basis,' he said. Admiralty Island is famous for its coastal grizzlies, also known locally as brown bears, and has the densest population, or most bears per square mile, in North America. Pictured, a file photo of an Alaskan brown bear 'We have certainly had encounters, but we have never had an encounter that resulted in an injury to our personnel.' The mine's bear-safety program includes training that all workers, contractors and visitors must complete before coming to the site, Satre said. Workers are taught ways to prevent bear encounters, including proper disposal of food. In remote locations, bear spray is among the tools employees generally bring with them in the case of bear encounters, Satre said. Monday's fatal mauling was the second in Alaska this year. In June, a grizzly killed a man hiking in Eagle River, a suburb of Anchorage. Eleanor Wilson, pictured at Bristol Crown Court today, is accused of having sex with a pupil on a plane home from a school trip A teenager who allegedly had sex with his teacher in an aeroplane toilet was yesterday accused of lying about the encounter to impress his classmates. The pupil who was 16 at the time told police he had sex with Eleanor Wilson, then 26, on a British Airways flight back from a school trip to Swaziland in southern Africa. The pair developed a clandestine relationship during the two-week outdoor activities trip in July and August 2015, Bristol Crown Court heard. They were said to have stayed up late holding hands and chatting before having unprotected sex on the flight from Johannesburg to Heathrow. Wilson, 29, is accused of kissing, cuddling and holding hands with the pupil on three occasions after the trip. The physics teacher, who was head of key stage four at a Bristol secondary school, is then said to have told him she was pregnant with his child and wanted an abortion. But yesterday the pupil, who is now 19, was accused of making it all up. Dismissing his claims as fantasy, defence barrister Anna Midgley said he spun a web of lies because he was infatuated with the teacher. She also accused the teenager of lying when he said Wilson told him she was pregnant with his child. In fact, she had told him she was pregnant with her boyfriends baby, it was claimed. Miss Midgley told him: I suggest you did tell your friends these things, and that was part of your fantasy with Wilson. You fantasised and boasted to your friends, and that got out, and rumours started. Then someone started to blackmail her. So your parents and the school started questioning you... at that point, you couldnt say none of this was true at that point you were tied in into having to say you had sex on the plane because that is what you told people. It wasnt true. The 29-year-old is said to have struck up a 'clandestine relationship' with the 16-year-old boy The prosecutor in the case described Wilson (pictured) as 'bright and capable' but a 'risk-taker' Ms Midgley said sex would have been challenging in the cramped confines of the Airbus A380s toilets. 'I have a big crush on you': Emails sent between the blackmailing student and Ms Wilson The first email, which was sent from an anonymous Gmail account on the evening of February 16, said: 'I know about you and (the boy) and do you want that coming out?' A short time later, Wilson received a second email, titled re: sexual activity, which said: 'Reply in 24 hours or it will slip out. We wouldn't want that, would you.' The defendant replied: 'I think you have got the wrong person's contact details.' Bristol Crown Court heard that within a few hours of receiving the first message Wilson had informed her assistant head teacher, and the following day the defendant and the teacher went to the police. But the emails continued to be sent, with one later that day saying: 'You know what I am on about. You had sex with (the boy).' Wilson replied: 'Okay, you are a bitter student. What a ridiculous allegation. Would you please continue to be a student and I will continue to teach. Kind regards, Eleanor Wilson.' The blackmailer replied: 'I know what you did. I am jealous of him. I would have loved to have done that. He was very lucky. 'I'm willing to hold back this information with one condition. 'I am just saying that it would be easy to slip a note under (the head teacher's) door. You might lose your job. I don't care if you did. I have a big crush on you.' Wilson replied: 'That would be a stupid and nasty thing to do and ruin my career over a nasty rumour. 'I am sure you have got work to get on with.' In another message, the blackmailer told Wilson: 'I would do something like that. You have one option or I'll tell someone.' Wilson replied: 'That's horrible. What's the option? Although I have nothing to hide, I just want you to let me get on with my work.' The emailer responded, telling Wilson: 'The option is that you have a sexual relationship with me and sleep with me.' Wilson replied: 'You are insane. Please leave me alone. There is no truth to these rumours that you might have heard.' They continued to send her emails, saying: 'We could do it once for 15 to 20 minutes and then we will forget about it. We can do it Friday if you want, I am ready.' Wilson replied, telling him his threats were 'daft' and she intended to block him. 'It's not happening. Please leave me alone. You probably have homework to get on with and I have work to do,' she wrote. Advertisement She also claimed Wilson was wearing jeans and sturdy hiking books, meaning her clothing could not have been removed in the way the pupil described. Cross-examining him at Bristol Crown Court, Ms Midgley said it was not physically possible to perform the alleged sex acts within the confines of the toilet. She said: 'She didn't kiss you on the lips and you didn't touch her breasts. The hand down boxer shorts and full kissing on lips that you say happened outside the toilets did not happen. 'You say she beckons you in [to the plane toilet] and she's wearing walking boots. You suggested she took her trouser leg off her left leg leaving her boots on. 'You said she was wearing boots and her leg was exposed from ankle to vagina. It wouldn't be possible to take her trousers off. 'You are standing between the toilet in front of you and the wall - you say your back was against the wall of the toilet. These toilets are not big enough for an adult to kneel in front of another.' She added: 'It's just not true is it? You fantasised and boasted to your friends and that got out and rumours started. Your parents started questioning you as did the school. At that point you couldn't say 'None of this is true'.' The boy, who was giving evidence from behind a screen, replied: 'That is incorrect.' The pupil, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied lying about the encounters. He said Wilson was wearing zip-off hiking trousers, which are easily removable, and there was enough room for them to have intercourse. Giving evidence behind a screen, he admitted developing a physical attraction to his teacher during the Swaziland trip, where she encouraged him to open up about his struggles with his girlfriend. The teenager said he was comfortable with their relationship until she summoned him to her office and told him she was pregnant. Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall showed jurors a long note the boy had written on his phone about the abortion. It read: Did you want me to have no choice to kill my own child? Why are you trying to f***ing kill me? You took my happiness, you took my dream, you took my confidence? Those times on the grass in the summer laughing... kissing, touching me, telling me you love me. Why are you doing this to me? Why did I let this 26-year-old woman f*** with my head? Police did not find any other conversations between the boy and Wilson on his phone. Yesterday the headteacher of the school said she brought Wilson in for a meeting about the claims. She told the court: She was shocked and in a state of disbelief. It was a categorical denial. Wilson, of Dursley, Gloucestershire, denies four charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. The trial continues. A federal judge rejected Beyonce's request for a permanent injunction to stop a company selling items bearing the name 'Feyonce' A federal judge rejected Beyonce's request for a permanent injunction to stop a company selling shirts, tank tops, hoodies and other items bearing the name 'Feyonce.' The pop superstar complained in a lawsuit brought in April 2016 that Feyonce Inc's sale of knockoffs infringed her trademark rights and would confuse consumers. But in a decision issued on Monday, US District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan said San Antonio-based Feyonce's choice to capitalize off the 'exceedingly famous' Beyonce trademark did not mean confusion would follow. 'A rational jury might or might not conclude that the pun here is sufficient to dispel any confusion among the purchasing public,' she wrote. Lawyers for Beyonce did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did the people behind Feyonce, Andre Maurice and Leana Lopez, who represented themselves. Nathan said that by replacing the 'B' in Beyonce with an 'F,' the defendants created a mark that sounds like 'fiance,' their core customer, in a 'play on words' that could dispel confusion. One of the Feyonce items in dispute was a mug with the phrase 'he put a ring on it,' which Beyonce said was intended to recall the lyrics of her song 'Single Ladies.' The judge found the dispute similar to a 1993 case where the federal appeals court in Chicago ruled against Nike Inc over apparel from Just Did It Enterprises that bore a 'swoosh' logo and the word 'Mike.' One of the Feyonce items in dispute was a mug with the phrase 'he put a ring on it,' which Beyonce said was intended to recall the lyrics of her song 'Single Ladies' Consumers, that court found, might get the point after an initial look. 'Many purchasers of Feyonce products are, in fact, engaged, just as many Mike product purchasers were named Mike,' Nathan wrote. 'Viewed in the light most favorable to defendants, this evidence suggests that consumers are understanding the pun, rather than confusing the brands.' Nathan ordered both sides to discuss a possible settlement and trial dates, and scheduled a Nov. 1 status conference. Her decision is dated Sept. 30. Beyonce, 37, is married to rapper Jay Z, and has won Grammy awards as a solo artist and with Destiny's Child. The boss of a multi-billion pound mining company, who is on the board of a wildlife conservation charity, has been pictured with animals killed as trophies while on a hunting trip in Africa. Mark Bristow, who is the CEO of mining company Randgold, was photographed posing next to dead elephants, antelope, gazelle, a hippo, lion, buffalo, zebra, and a leopard. The pictures of the dead endangered animals were used as part of a newsletter for Hunters & Guides Africa - a hunting tour operator based in South Africa. Mr Bristow appeared in the promotional material between 2005 and 2014 while on hunts in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Mark Bristow posing next to a dead leopard in Mozambique despite being on the board of big cat conservation charity, Panthera The mining company CEO even posed a dead hippo even though there are only around 130,000 African hippos left There are thought to be just around 415,000 African elephants left. Mr Bristow with a elephant after a kill in Zimbabwe in 2006 But last year the 59-year-old was appointed to the conservation council of Panthera, a global charity dedicated to the conservation of wild cats. In one picture the CEO is seen sitting next to a dead elephant carcass alongside his young son. Hollywood actress Glenn Close is chair of the charity and actor Jeremy Irons, author Wilbur Smith and other business leaders, diplomats and wildlife experts are also involved in the organisation. South African-born Mr Bristow, who now lives in London with his wife and two sons, has been CEO of Randgold since 1995, making him the longest serving FTSE 100 boss. Randgold has a partnership with the Mali Elephant Project, which seeks to protect the world's only two remaining desert elephant herds. Mr Bristow pictured in Zimbabwe in 2005 with a fellow hunter after killing a buffalo The South African-born executive posed for promotional newsletters for a specialist hunting tour company But Randgold defended Mr Bristow's hunting activities, telling the Telegraph: 'Legal, well-regulated hunting can and does deliver benefits for both wildlife conservation and the livelihoods of indigenous communities living with wildlife. 'Led by Mark Bristow, Randgold Resources has invested in a wide range of biodiversity programmes in its host countries ... and is bringing together conservation professionals and scientists to develop a tailored method for the mining industry in Africa to restore the continent's biodiversity.' There are thought to be only around 415,000 African elephants left in the wild and around 130,000 African hippos. The 5bn mining company agreed to be bought by Canada's Barrick Gold last week in an all-share deal that will make Mr Bristow boss of the world's largest gold miner. Mr Bristow is also known for charitable work including his initiative, a cross-Africa motorbike safari that raises cash for Randgold's independent benevolent foundation. Despite his company's work with the Mali Elephant Project, Mr Bristow was pictured alongside an endangered African elephant Will Travers, president of the Born Free wildlife charity, said he hoped shareholders and investors in Randgold would share his disgust at the pictures. He added: 'Mark Bristow is obviously fond of big numbers. His company, Randgold, just bought by Canada's Barrick Gold, is worth at least 5 billion. 'But there are other numbers he may be less willing to discuss. Mr Bristow shoots African elephants there are about 415,000 left. 'Mr Bristow shoots African hippo there are about 130,000 left. He also shoots zebra, antelope, gazelle and leopard. 'He will claim that it supports conservation and development but evidence suggests that only around 3 per cent of what people like Mr Bristow spend on their deadly predilection ends up in local communities. 'Trophy hunting is not illegal. It is, however, deeply controversial. Large donations to conservation organisations (shame on them) do nothing to mitigate the horror that will surely be felt by many investors, shareholders and the general public, who will share my sense of disgust and abhorrence at people of wealth and privilege who kill the natural treasures of the world for fun.' Immigrants to Britain must understand the UK's values and in future will have to pass a new citizenship test, Sajid Javid announced today. The Home Secretary said the current Life in the UK test was useful for a pub quiz but did little to help people integrate into British society. Mr Javid told Tory activists in Birmingham new arrivals needed to understand Britain was a 'liberal, democratic' country. He said an important part of the new test would be tougher exams of speaking English. But the Home Secretary was left addressing a half empty Symphony Hall in Birmingham as hundreds of party activists flocked to hear Boris Johnson on the conference fringes instead. It comes as the Home Secretary faces a backlash from businesses after unveiling plans to end EU free movement after Brexit. Immigrants to Britain must understand the UK's values and in future will have to pass a new citizenship test, Sajid Javid (pictured addressing the Tory conference) announced today Mr Javid delivered his speech to a half empty Symphony Hall in Birmingham as hundreds of activists queued for a seat in Boris Johnson's speech across the venue When the former foreign secretary rose to give his speech in a neighbouring hall, officials were forced to open an extra tier to accommodate hundreds of extra people Mr Javid also used his speech to the Conservative conference to unveil the Government's new immigration policies, which say in future EU citizens will not be treated differently to people elsewhere in the world. Javid faces business backlash over his post Brexit immigration clampdown Sajid Javid today faced a business backlash over his plans to crack down on low skilled immigration after Brexit. The Home Secretary said EU free movement will end and that skilled immigration will EU nationals will have to apply for skilled work visas like everyone else after Brexit. But business leaders warned this could spark labour shortages in vital sectors. Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said the new system has 'taken a wrong turn'. She said: 'By dismissing the importance of low skilled workers to the UK economy, the government risks harming businesses and living standards now and in the future. 'All skill levels matter to the UK economy. 'Today's proposals risk worsening labour shortages, already serious in construction, hospitality and care. Restricting access to the workers the UK needs is self-defeating.' Stephen Clarke, Senior Economic Analyst at the Resolution Foundation, think-tank, said: 'The government's proposed post-Brexit migration system will mark a major shift in our labour market, and could fundamentally change how many industries operate. 'Low-paying sectors with a large share of migrant workers, such as food manufacturing and hotels, are going to need to rethink not only exactly what they produce but their approach to recruitment, retention and, crucially, automation. 'More broadly, employers should also up their game on training and bringing harder-to-reach groups, like people with a disability or ill-health, into the labour market.' Advertisement He has unveiled a major overhaul of the system which will see foreigners have to prove they are skilled workers earning above a certain threshold in order to be allowed to live in the UK. The immigration system unveiled today will be put in place from January 2021, after the UK's transition out of the EU is complete. European migrants will have to apply for work visas in the same way as those from the rest of the world. Tourists would remain free to travel to the UK, and business travellers on short trips are expected to face a light-touch regime. The three million EU citizens already living in the UK will have full rights to stay. Ministers will now work with business to establish the level of immigration needed by the economy. But visa applicants will be required to meet minimum salary thresholds before taking a job. But he is facing a backlash from business leaders who have warned that some sectors - such as care - could see a massive shortage of staff to take up vital posts. And they warned that small employers will struggle with the red tape which comes with applying for visas. Mr Javid also revealed a new crackdown on forced marriage, branding it an 'appalling crime' that is 'not compatible with British values'. In his speech to activists, Mr Javid said: 'We welcome newcomers. In turn, we expect them to live by our British values. 'And it is only right that we make it clear to all new citizens what we are for, and what we are against. 'The existing ''Life in the UK'' test for new citizens is not enough. 'Maybe it is helpful for people to know the name of the sixth wife of Henry VIII. The Home Secretary (pictured during his keynote address today) said the current Life in the UK test was useful for a pub quiz but did little to help people integrate into British society 'But far more important to me, is that they also understand the liberal, democratic values that bind our society together. Javid orders review into why most men found guilty of grooming have Pakistani heritage Sajid Javid has ordered a review into why most men convicted of grooming come from a Pakistani heritage. The Home Secretary - whose family is from Pakistan - said the crime was a 'disgrace' to those who come from the country. But he said he would look 'unflinchingly' at any evidence of cultural problems and 'act confidently' in response to the review. Mr Javid told the Tory conference: 'As well as the awful cost to victims, if problems like this are left unchecked, they will also give fuel to those who want to stoke division between our communities. 'This is how the seeds of destructive populism are sown. I'm in a position to deal with this confidently - and I will.' Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: 'The public should stand by for a gold rush by employers as they race to fish in an unlimited pool of skilled foreign workers rather than train their own. 'This new immigration system will be widened to include medium skills, there will be no limit on numbers, no checks as to whether a British worker is available only a minimum salary which can easily be manipulated. 'With immigration adding one million to our population every three years we must get the numbers down. 'This new system could well add to net migration. 'If so, the public would rightly see it as a major step backwards.' Advertisement 'Citizenship should mean more than being able to win a pub quiz.' He added: 'It's about signing up to those values that we share and live by together. 'It's about starting as you mean to go on. It's about integration, not segregation.' Mr Javid said it was wrong that 700,000 people in Britain cannot speak even a 'basic level of English' - making it impossible for them to take part in society. He said: 'So not only will there be a new values test but we will also strengthen the English language requirements for all new citizens.' Mr Javid paid tribute to Labour's shadow home secretary Diane Abbott for breaking barriers as Britain's first black woman politician. But he launched a viscous attack on her party, lashing Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism. He said: 'To see that party - especially its leader - repeatedly failing to respond to those concerns with the seriousness that's required. 'This party will root out antisemitism wherever and whenever we find it. Anti-Muslim prejudice is also completely unacceptable. 'It is a prejudice that is sometimes turning into violence. 'I know from many friends, and family, that the Muslim community needs reassurance. We stand with them too.' Mr Javid said he had ordered his officials to look into why grooming scandals often involve people from a Pakistani heritage - a background Mr Javid's family shares. He said: 'This behaviour is a disgrace to that heritage. So I've instructed my officials to look into this unflinchingly and where the evidence suggests that there are certain cultural factors driving this I will not hesitate to act.' Mr Javid arrived at the conference with his wife Laura (pictured) ahead of today's speech Mr Javid said there was damage both to 'insensitive words or actions' and to being 'oversensitive' meaning a failure to act. He said: 'As well as the awful cost to victims, if problems like this are left unchecked, they will also give fuel to those who want to stoke division between our communities. 'This is how the seeds of destructive populism are sown. I'm in a position to deal with this confidently - and I will.' Following the speech Ms Abbott said: 'It's not clear this is any improvement on Theresa May's derided 'British values' test in 2015, or even Norman Tebbit's earlier cricket test. 'The idea that a Government whose hostile environment policy and handling of the Windrush scandal has brought shame to the country, should be defining British values is deeply worrying. 'People in this country value tolerance and getting along together. To demand something else is surely very un-British.' Advertisement Homeless people living on the streets surrounding Windsor Castle were visited by police today as preparations get underway ahead of next week's royal wedding. Those sleeping rough in Windsor will be offered the chance to have their sleeping bags and personal items locked up in storage for the day ahead of a large-scale security operation across the town. Police officers were seen carrying out checks throughout the area, with Princess Eugenie due to tie the knot with partner Jack Brooksbank next Friday. The couple will marry in front of more than 800 at St George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan had their own wedding earlier this year. Ahead of the event, police were spotted carrying out searches of bins close to where crowds could gather to watch the procession unfold. For the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding in May, homeless people in the borough were given the option to put their belongings into temporary storage while the event took place so the streets were cleared for the event. Windsor council said they do not have the power to move people on but have offered temporary shelter and help to the homeless. Thames Valley Police said people along the route will be searched and that homeless people will not be forcibly removed. A homeless man near Windsor Castle today. A number of homeless people were offered a place to stay for the night during the royal wedding in May Thames Valley Police have been seen inspecting bins and other areas in the town ahead of next weekend's royal wedding Police examining a flower pot outside the Duchess of Windsor pub - which is opposite Windsor Castle. The town will be host to the second royal wedding in less than 12 months as Princess Eugenie is set to marry partner Jack Brooksbank Homeless people living on the streets surrounding Windsor Castle will be offered temporary shelter by authorities in the coming days as preparations get underway ahead of next week's royal wedding It was announced today that ITV will air live coverage of the wedding of Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank (pictured) in an extended This Morning special running from 9.25am to 12.30pm Police and authorities said they were simply looking out for those sleeping rough, so they were not crushed in the wedding chaos on the streets. A spokesperson for the Royal Borough or Windsor & Maidenhead told MailOnline: 'As per our normal support processes we have engaged with residents who are homeless across the borough and offered them support.' With Eugenie reportedly keen to outdo her cousin's nuptials, she has reportedly invited more than 850 guests to St George's Chapel, which holds 800. Prince Harry and Meghan had around 600 guests in attendance. It is thought that Eugenie has also invited a string of celebrities including George and Amal Clooney and pop star Robbie Williams, with his daughter set to be a bridesmaid. It was announced today that ITV will air live coverage of the wedding of Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank in an extended This Morning special running from 9.25am to 12.30pm. The chat show will be on air at the earlier time of 9.25am, with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford coming live from Windsor. The broadcaster said it aims to 'capture the atmosphere and arrivals at St George's Chapel, with Eamonn and Ruth joined by guests, commentators and experts for this specially extended programme'. During the royal wedding in May, homeless people were given the option to put their items in temporary storage so the streets would be clearer for the event, although it remains unclear if the same precautions will be taken this time around Officers inspect the bins near to Windsor castle. It was announced today that ITV would be broadcasting a special edition of This Morning as part of their coverage for the royal wedding Inspections across the town are well under way as preparations for the royal event begin more than a week ahead of the big day It is thought that Eugenie has also invited a string of celebrities including George and Amal Clooney and pop star Robbie Williams, with his daughter set to be a bridesmaid. Pictured: Two officers kneeling down to inspect a black box It is thought that Eugenie has also invited a string of celebrities including George and Amal Clooney and pop star Robbie Williams, with his daughter set to be a bridesmaid. Pictured: Police cars parked up in Windsor Buckingham Palace confirms ITV will broadcast a three-hour This Morning special of Jack and Eugenie's big day after BBC 'declined' to broadcast the nuptials Buckingham Palace has announced details of ITV's royal wedding coverage after reports the BBC declined to televise Princess Eugenie's big day. The broadcaster will air live coverage of the wedding of Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank on Friday 12 October in an extended This Morning special running from 9.25am to 12.30pm. The chat show will be on air at the earlier time of 9.25am, with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford coming live from Windsor. In August the Mail on Sunday reported that despite being approached by Prince Andrews aides, the BBC turned down the chance to broadcast the wedding because they didnt think enough people would tune in. Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie of York (pictured in London in May 2017) will have their wedding televised on ITV's This Morning, Buckingham Palace confirmed today For the royal wedding special next week, ITV's chat show This Morning will be on air at the earlier time of 9.25am, with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford (pictured) coming live from Windsor. It comes amid reports the BBC declined to broadcast Eugenie's big day Palace sources had indicated that the father of the bride was determined to ensure his younger daughters big day make it onto our screens, giving her a ceremony to rival Meghan and Harrys wedding on May 19. With Eugenie reportedly keen to outdo her cousin's nuptials, she has reportedly invited more than 850 guests to St Georges Chapel, which holds 800 (Harry and Meghan had 600). It is thought that Eugenie has also invited a string of celebrities including George and Amal Clooney and pop star Robbie Williams, with his daughter set to be a bridesmaid. In an announcement on Tuesday morning, ITV said the broadcast will 'capture the atmosphere and arrivals at St Georges Chapel, with Eamonn and Ruth joined by guests, commentators and experts for this specially extended programme'. Anything Harry can do! The Duke and Duchess of Sussex invited 600 guests to St. George's Chapel Windsor watch their wedding on May 19 (pictured); but Eugenie and Jack have invited some 850, which is 50 over the venue's capacity At 11am, cameras will cross to live coverage of the ceremony from inside the chapel which will be broadcast in full, including the departure of the bride and groom as they leave the venue. After the ceremony, ITV will return to This Morning and Eamonn and Ruth will be live with comments, discussion and reflection on the events of the morning. The coverage will be co-produced by ITV Studios and Spun Gold TV. ITV will also broadcast a 30-minute highlights programme, The Royal Wedding: A Family Celebration, at 8pm that evening, looking back at the day's events. Jack, who popped the question during a holiday to Nicaragua, recently got a promotion at work from UK brand ambassador to European brand manager at Casamigos Tequila, the brand co-founded by George Clooney. An Ohio mother who allowed her 10-year-old son to get a tattoo and filmed it for a distressing video which went viral on social media last week has been arrested. Nikki Dickinson, 34, was arrested in Bellefontaine, Ohio, and taken into custody on Friday on charges of child endangering and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. In a horrifying video which emerged online last week, her young son was filmed receiving a tattoo from 16-year-old Kyle Richardson in unsanitary conditions in his home. Scroll down for video Nikki Dickinson, 34, was charged with child endangering and contributing to the delinquency of a child for letting her son, 10, get a tattoo and filming it for a social media video which went viral Dickinson is not visible in the video. Her friend, Justice Oyer, was filmed comforting and distracting the young boy as he asked repeatedly whether the artist was finished. Oyer has not been charged. Dickinson told police on Friday that the young boy had been pleading with her to get a tattoo and she gave into him because she was 'tired' of him constantly asking for one. According to police, the teenage tattoo artist who gave him the inking has a history of malpractice and once gave a person MRSA from a dirty needle, ABC reports. The video went viral last week. It showed Dickinson's friend Justice Oyer (left) distracting him as a tattoo artist inked an S onto the young boy's arm. Dickinson filmed the video. Oyer was not charged The boy's mother told police he had been begging her for the tattoo and she gave in because she was 'tired' of him asking. It remains unclear whose care he is in now and if Dickinson has any other children He was charged with not following safety and sanitary guidelines. State law in Ohio means it is legal for minors to get tattoos with their parents consent but only if it is done in a business where health and safety standards are met. Dickinson, in effect, was not charged for letting the boy get a tattoo but for the manner in which she allowed it to take place. Her filming the incident and appearing to coerce him into it is why she was charged with contributing to juvenile delinquency. The mother cried as she had her booking photograph taken on Friday. Justice Oyer, the woman who was filmed in the video holding the boy (pictured in a social media photograph) has not been charged She faces up to six months in jail if convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor endangering of a child. Contributing to the delinquency of a child is also a first-degree misdemeanor. Richardson was charged with two delinquency counts of tattooing prohibitions. He is being charged as a minor. The other woman in the video did not respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Tuesday morning. Last week, her mother said she regretted taking part. 'Justice made a bad choice by being involved with it but she did nothing else wrong...but really this child is not abused nor neglected. 'Does his mother make bad decisions? Yes. 'But when you got people beating up old people and people actually abusing their kids no one says nothing,' the woman wrote on Facebook. Mahendranagar, Nepal: Nepal Student Union (NSU), student wing of the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC), has enforced Kanchanpur Bandha (General strike at Kanchanpur district) demanding justice to the rape and murder victim 13-year-old Nirmala Panta. Enraged students not only vandalized the office of government lawyers at Mahendranagar Bazaar but also manhandled the staffers at the office during the protest program. The NSU has a demand that the perpetrator of the rape and murder case has to be booked immediately without delay. A landlord who 'crammed' six families into a three-bedroom house has been ordered to pay almost 3,000 by a court. David Sansom was successfully prosecuted by North West Leicestershire District Council after he turned a property he owned in Coalville into a multiple occupancy house without being licensed. Council officials raided the house after being tipped off by members of the public. Six families were discovered living in a three bedroom house in Coalville, Leicestershire One family were found living in an attic space which had been converted into a further room Officials told Leicester Magistrates' Court the residents were living in dangerous conditions The 53-year-old, of Waterworks Road, Leicestershire, allowed the families to rent space in the house, located in the same road as his own home, but failed to secure the necessary permission. Leicester Magistrates' Court heard that it resulted in 'at least eight tenants crammed into the house, with some living in a dangerous roof space'. A spokesman for the district council said: 'Environmental Protection Officers from the council made the discovery after a tip off from a member of the public. 'After visiting the home in Waterworks Road they immediately issued an emergency prohibition to prevent the loft from being used as a habitable space.' Three families were living in each of the of the bedrooms, while the ground floor living room had been partitioned to create rooms for two further families. A sixth family were living in the hastily-converted loft. The council spokesman said: 'In total 14 issues were identified, with 10 offences used in a criminal prosecution against the landlord.' These included not having a HMO (House in Multiple Occupancy) licence, electrics not being maintained in a safe condition, a lack of adequate fire precautions, obstructions to escape routes with the only exit from the loft being a collapsible ladder, and no fire or smoke alarms in the loft. Sansom pleaded guilty to seven offences during the hearing. Landlord David Samson pleaded guilty to seven offences at Leicester Magistrates' Court Samson's legal team told the court their client was unaware so many people were in the house Councillor Alison Smith warned other landlords that the local authority was looking to prosecute other landlords who rent out dangerous houses to tenants In mitigation, his defence stated that the landlord had not realised so many people would move in to each of the rooms as he rented them out, and that work was planned to improve living conditions in the home. Magistrates fined Sansom 145 for each offence, totalling 1,015, and ordered him to pay a 30 victim surcharge. He will also pay the council's 1,911 legal costs. Councillor Alison Smith, deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for community services, said she hoped the case would act as a warning to other landlords. She said: 'This prosecution sends a strong message that homeowners cannot break licensing laws or allow tenants to live in dangerous conditions. 'Legislation exists for a reason, and a there are a lot of factors that need to be considered before we will allow a home to be let to multiple tenants - not least the safety of the tenants themselves.' She added: 'This case shows we will investigate reports from the public and act if someone is disregarding the rules and regulations.' The law has also been tightened up in respect of landlords renting out properties to several families. It means that from October 1, 2018, any property with five or more people from two or more households must have an HMO licence granted by the district council. Advertisement An incredible diary provides a sinister and poignant insight into the invasion of the Soviet Union through the eyes of a German soldier on the Eastern Front at the height of the Second World War. A candid collection of photographs captures Operation Barbarossa where Hitler's troops launched a brutal and prolonged attack on Soviet forces in Russia which resulted in the deaths of six million soldiers and - following Germany's failure to defeat the Red Army - proved a turning point in the war against the Nazis. The collection is believed to have been compiled by a German soldier from the Nazi's feared armoured tank unit known as the Panzer division which wreaked havoc on enemy lines thanks to its advanced technology and innovative Blitzkrieg military strategy. There are chilling images of Jewish ghettos, surrendering Russian soldiers and the debris of bombed cities including Minsk, which fell into German hands within weeks of Operation Barbarossa being launched. The German invasion of Russia began on June 22, 1941. By July 11, 1941 the Germans had taken more than 400,000 prisoners of war on the Eastern Front. To stop themselves from becoming prisoners of war many Russian troops are said to have abandoned their uniforms and tried to surrender as civilians. Civilians are seen here surrendering to German armed forces - some of which would have ended up in brutal Jewish ghettos The Warsaw Ghetto (pictured) was the largest of all the Jewish ghettos in German-occupied Europe during WWII. It was located in Poland but Jews from across German-occupied territories were brought there. Over two million Soviet Jews are believed to have died during the Holocaust. Some of the larger massacres took place during 1941 as German forces invaded Russia. At its peak the ghetto had around 460,000 inhabitants - 85,000 of them children up to the age of 14 Hitler wanted to take Soviet forces completely by surprise with Operation Barbarossa - considering the element of surprise crucial to success. To this end he deployed a large number of trucks and tanks to drive forces forward quickly into Russian territory. Given the speed of the advance, however, a number of trucks were destroyed (such as the one pictured). The speed of the advance was to ensure the Red Army did not withdraw into Russias vast interior. Hitler hoped to accomplish his advance before Russian commanders had time to react Werner Molders (second from left), one of Germany's most renowned pilots, studies a map during a visit to a Russian command post. On just the first day of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front he shot down four Russian aircraft, one I-153 and three SB-2 bombers, his 69th through 72nd victories. He was awarded the Schwertern (No. 2) as a result. The German Luftwaffe pilot took part in the Phoney War, Battle of France, and the Battle of Britain but was eventually killed while travelling as a passenger on a flight to Berlin. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing due to an engine failure. He and some of the other passengers died in the crash This pilot is pictured stood on top of his Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer on a airfield near Pruzana in Belarus. The Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer did not perform as well as expected against the RAF in the Battle of Britain. Despite this it still did serve on the Eastern Front. Just 51 air worthy Bf 110s took part in the initial rounds of Operation Barbarossa. It provided support to the German Army by carrying out strike missions despite very heavy anti-aircraft artillery defences. The planes were responsible for a huge number of ground kills during the operation The Luftwaffe dropped more than 100,000 tons of bombs on the Soviet Union from June 25, 1941 until the end of November that year. Hundreds of buildings were gutted (such as the one pictured) as a result of the constant bombing. Major cities in Soviet-occupied Poland were targeted and Red Army defences on the Eastern Front were also targeted with artillery General Heinz Guderian is pictured in front of his scout car. He commanded the second Panzer Group, also known as Panzergruppe Guderian, during the German invasion of the Soviet Union. He also played a key role in the Blitzkreig across the Low Countries and France and commanded 2nd Panzer Group during the invasion. He later defied Hitlers personal orders not to retreat when the Russians counter-attacked, resulting in him being sidelined by the High Command Heinz Guderian (third from left) and German troops intently study a map during the invasion of Russia - no doubt planning their next move. During the invasion his Panzer group was ordered to turn south in an effort to encircle the Soviet forces to the south. After the Battle of Kiev he was ordered to make a drive for Moscow in September 1941 What was Operation Barbarossa? The beginning of a campaign that would ultimately decide WWII Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941 with the aim of invading the Soviet Union to secure future German interests. It marked the beginning of a campaign that would ultimately decide the outcome of WWII. Hitler saw the Soviet Union as his natural enemy and aimed to destroy its armies, capture its vast economic resources and enslave its population. He believed that he needed the east in order to win the war and secure the long-term prosperity of his county. His commitment was so strong that he sent a huge number of troops to carry out the invasion. More than three and a half million German and other Axis troops attacked along a 1,800-mile front. This was around 80 per cent of the German army. How the German forces advanced during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa in August 1941. The German offensive was launched by three army groups under the same commanders as in the invasion of France in 1940. The invasion took place along a 2,900-km front and took the Soviet leadership completely by surprise The devastating Panzer division was also deployed - seventeen in total. This consisted of around 3,400 tanks which were supported by 2,700 of the Luftwaffe. It was the largest invasion force to date. At the time of the invasion German combat effectiveness had reached its peak and the forces invading Russia represented the best it had to offer. In the opening months of the campaign German forces dug deep into Soviet occupied territory - led by Panzer armies which encircled large Soviet forces at Minsk and Smolens. But, the Germans severely underestimated their opponent and the weather they would face on their journey to Moscow. Axis forces eventually made their way to the gates of Moscow but were pushed back by Soviet forces and in the end had to make a slow retreat in the early months of 1942. The German invasion of the Soviet Union marked an important turning point in WWII. The years 1941 and 1942 would be the last time the Germans had the luxury of waging a one-front war. They would now have to fight on two fronts. From the east and from the west. Advertisement There are also candid images of German soldiers skinny dipping and sewing as they make repairs to their uniforms. The Soviet Union was not just constrained to Russia. Just days after the Germans had invaded Poland in 1939, the Soviet Union had invaded eastern areas of the Second Polish Republic. So the images feature scenes from both Soviet Union occupied Russia and Poland. In total, there are 190 photos in the album which has been consigned for sale with Tennants Auctioneers, of Leyburn in North Yorkshire by an elderly private collector who acquired it from Germany. Oonagh Drage, specialist at Tennants, said: 'The album shows the early stage of Operation Barbarossa. 'There are photos of bombed buildings and destroyed military equipment, portraits of German officers, displaced refugees, surrendering Russians including group of snipers and graphic scenes of casualties. 'The album has belonged to an elderly gentleman collector who acquired the album some time ago from a source in Germany but is selling now to pay for his care costs.' The photos document the triumphant early months of the campaign as the Germans marched deeper into Soviet territory. Panzer divisions formed the decisive striking force of the German army in the campaign against the Soviet Union in 1941. The division typically consisted of a self-contained combined-arms military unit which was built around the capabilities of armoured fighting vehicles. It enabled German forces to quickly cut through defences and drive deep into Russian territory. Pictured is a damaged Russian BT-5 light tank. The BT-5 light tank was light armoured but well armed. During the invasion thousands of the tanks were abandoned or destroyed The Great Theatre in Warsaw, Poland (pictured) suffered heavy damages during WWII. By the end it had nearly been destroyed and required significant work before re-opening in 1965. The majority of the damage was caused during the 1939 battle of Warsaw - when the theatre was bombed. In 1944 Germans are believed to have shot civilians in the burnt-out ruins of the building Minsk, the capital of Belarus, fell into German hands early on during the invasion of Russia. German forces launched a brutal and unrelenting attack on the city (some of the damage is pictured here). During the initial fighting The Soviet Union lost 417,729 men against German casualties of around 12,157. The eventual occupation of Belarus led to the deaths of millions. Around 2,230,000 people are said to have been killed in Belarus during the three years of German occupation. From June 22 to July 9, 1941 the Germans continued their invasion of the Soviet Union and in just 18 days had advanced 460 kilometers into the Soviet Union. Minsk bore some of the greatest damage from the unrelenting invasion The German invasion of the Soviet Union began with the bombing of major cities in Soviet-occupied Poland and an artillery barrage (pictured) on Soviet Union defences on the entire front. The Germans did not declare war on the Soviet Union but instead took the regime completely by surprise in June of 1941. After bombing and an artillery barrage air-raids were conducted in locations as far away as Kronstadt near Leningrad and Sevastopol in the Crimea. As the air-raids were carried out, ground troops crossed the border into the Soviet Union During the early months of the German invasion, citizens of Russia and the Soviet Union were given sustenance (Russian women are seen here being given water). But the conditions became more and more brutal as the months went on. From 1941 to 1945 the Eastern Front claimed the lives of about 25 million Soviet citizens - around 10 million soldiers and 15 million civilians. During this time organised crimes were committed against civilians, including women and children. By the end of July 1941, the Germans were regularly killing women and children Two German soldiers are seen adding to a 5ft pile of bread loaves which were used to fuel their comrades during the advance in 1941. Early on food supplies were in good shape, but further into the invasion they began to dwindle. The German troops starved during the Battle of Stalingrad, the largest confrontation of World War II, in which they fought for control of the city of Stalingrad Air operations between Axis forces and Soviet Union forces took place over six months between June 22 and December, 1941. During this period - the early stages of the German invasion of the Soviet Union - air battles took great precedence. The Axis planes were generally better equipped, trained and experienced than those of the Soviet Union. In fact, they were so much better that hundreds of Russian aircraft were left abandoned (such as those pictured here near Pruzana, Belarus). On the opening day of the German Invasion, axis counter-air operations were able to destroy 2,000 Soviet aircraft and gain superiority of the skies Both the Soviet Union and Germany used armoured trains during the initial stages of the German invasion. The Germans took inspiration for the trains from Poland who had used them during the German invasion of their country. But the Germans introduced significant changes to the design, including railcars which housed anti-aircraft gun turrets. New trains were built for the German invasion of Russia in 1941. The trains were versatile and could attack, defend, patrol and provide maintenance of communications The Soviet Union had a large number of armoured trains (pictured) at the start of World War II but many were lost in 1941 during the German invasion. The train were designed to enable the quick transportation of reinforcements, ammunition and food. With their armor, artillery and machine-guns these military trains were considered a powerful resource in Russia during WWI. But by the time WWII came around they were not much of a match for the more mobile tank. Despite the implementation of new designs, the Soviet Union trains were no match for the German Panzer division Pictured is the entrance to a Ghetto - presumed to be Warsaw. Those resident at the ghetto in Warsaw had to endure horrendous conditions. The density of the population was severe with a reported 146,000 people per square kilometre - meaning eight to ten people per room. Jews were only allowed to bring the bare minimum with them to the ghetto Some of the images focus on the city of Minsk which was flattened by the Germans, causing the displacement of millions of refugees. High ranking officers, including the Luftwaffe ace Werner Molders can be seen inspecting maps as they plot their next move. Molders, the first pilot in history to claim 100 aerial combat victories, died months later in November 1941 in an air crash in which he was a passenger. Another snap shows a 5ft high pile of bread loafs to fuel the German soldiers during the advance. However, the Germans were halted by the freezing winter of 1941 and became embroiled in a war of attrition with the Russians which ended in a chastening defeat. Both sides endured huge losses, with one million German and five million Soviet soldiers perishing in the conflict. The sale takes place on Friday and the album is tipped to sell for 150. A woman who died on the operating table before being resuscitated by hospital staff after using cough medicine has sparked renewed calls to ban the product. Narelle Campbell, 52, said she went into hospital for something unrelated to her cold but it was the over the counter medicine that nearly ended her life. 'I flatlined completely, I was gone,' she told 9 News. Scroll down for video Narelle Campbell (pictured) died on the operating table before being resuscitated by hospital staff after using cough medicine has sparked renewed calls to ban the product 'The thing that surprises me is I went in there to have an operation for an aneurism and I actually died on the table because of cough medicine.' The incident has renewed concerns over the active ingredient in many cough medicines, pholcodine, with some experts feeling it has contributed to deaths while anesthetised. The Pharmaceutical Journal reported in 2015 about the risks of some medicines triggering a 'potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction to neuromuscular blocking drugs'. In other words a fatal allergic reaction. The Pharmaceutical Journal reported in 2015 about the risks of some medicines triggering a 'potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction to neuromuscular blocking drugs' Mrs Campbell told 9 News she was indeed allergic to pholcodine. Chairman of the Australian and New Zealand Anaesthetic Allergy Group Michael Rose said some similar attributes of the ingredient can impact on anesthesia. 'Pholcodine has a structure that is similar to some of the muscle relaxant drugs that are given as part of a general anaesthetic,' he said. 'Some good research by Florvaag and Johansson in Norway and Sweden identified that antibodies made by people to pholcodine may trigger anaphylaxis when the muscle relaxant with the similar structure is given.' 'These reactions can be severe and can even result in brain damage or death.' Chairman of the Australian and New Zealand Anaesthetic Allergy Group Michael Rose told the publication and said some similar attributes of the ingredient can impact on anesthesia According to a study published in the British Journal of Anesthesia Neuromuscular, blocking drugs (NMBDs) are the most common cause of intraoperative anaphylaxis in Western Australia. Another paper from the Us National Library of Medicine indicated other studies had also proven this fact. 'Epidemiological studies have shown parallels in the consumption of pholcodine, a nonprescription antitussive drug which contains a tertiary ammonium ion, and the incidence of NMBA anaphylaxis,' the study states. Countries which turned away from the use of pholcodine saw a marked drop in the rates of death while under anesthetic. A prime example is in Norway where in 2007 figures showed that the rate of deaths from anesthesia was ten 10 times that of their neighboring country Sweden, where pholcodine had not been introduced 'This link has prompted the withdrawal of pholcodine in some countries, with an ensuing fall in the observed rate of NMBA anaphylaxis,' the paper states. A prime example is in Norway where in 2007 figures showed the rate of deaths from anesthesia was 10 times that of their neighboring country Sweden, where pholcodine had not been introduced. Despite indications towards flaws with pholcodine, the paper also states more evidence needed to be compiled before banning the ingredient wholesale. The paper states that 'important questions remain regarding the mechanisms by which pholcodine is able to sensitize against NMBAs'. A lobby group went to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in 2013 and 2015 to petition for the drug to either be banned or make prescription only, but the submission was rejected both times. Advertisement More than 1,300 people are now known to have died in the quake-tsunami that smashed into Sulawesi, Indonesia's government said on Tuesday, as police pledged to clamp down on looting by survivors taking advantage of the chaos. There were reports of officers firing warning shots and tear gas to ward off people ransacking shops in Palu, a coastal city ravaged by a 7.5-magnitude quake and the tsunami it spawned. Almost 200,000 people are in need of urgent help, the United Nations says, among them tens of thousands of children. Survivors are battling thirst and hunger, with food and clean water in short supply, and local hospitals are overwhelmed by the number of injured. Police said on Tuesday that they had previously tolerated desperate survivors taking food and water from closed shops, but had now arrested dozens of people for stealing computers and cash. Scroll down for video A woman carries items from her damaged house near the ship swept ashore during Friday's tsunami at a neighborhood in Donggala, further along the bay from Palu city Quake survivors scuffle to get live chickens being distributed from a police truck outside a makeshift camp in Palu on Tuesday morning as food supplies are running perilously low A car perched on a pile of rubble in a devastated area of Palu city on Tuesday as the city struggles to deal with the carnage wrought by the earthquake and tsunami on Friday 'On the first and second day clearly no shops were open. People were hungry. There were people in dire need. That's not a problem,' said deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto. 'But after day two, the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed. We are now re-enforcing the law.' 'There are ATMs. They are open,' he added. 'If people steal, we catch and investigate,' he said. Despite official assurances, desperation was evident on the streets of Palu, where survivors clambered through wreckage hunting for anything salvageable. Others crowded around daisy-chained power strips at the few buildings that still have electricity, or queued for water, cash or petrol being brought in via armed police convoy. 'The government, the president have come here, but what we really need is food and water,' Burhanuddin Aid Masse, 48, told AFP. Queues to get a few litres of petrol lasted more than 24 hours in some places. A man carries recovered items from the damaged warehouse from Friday's tsunami at a neighborhood in Donggala as the government announced it would be cracking down hard on those caught looting supplies A small hatchback is partially submerged in flood water on Tuesday as it was swept away by the waves crashing ashore on Friday evening in Palu A man carries an injured child into Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi on Tuesday morning as international agencies have rushed to the island with medical aid An enormous ship is pictured resting on dry land having been swept ashore by the enormous two-meter-high waves on Friday Aerial photos show the devastation caused by the tsunami and earthquake as previously densely inhabited neighbourhoods were devastated by the disaster Several large boats are pictured on dry land after the catastrophe as the rescue operations continue to be undertaken to find survivors Sanitation is also a growing problem. 'People everywhere want to go to the toilet but there's no toilet. So we do it along the road at night,' said 50-year-old Armawati Yarmin. Rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of heavy machinery, severed transport links, the scale of the damage, and the Indonesian government's initial reluctance to accept foreign help. Along the road to Donggala - a large town close to the epicentre of the quake - there were more scenes of destruction. The town itself appeared relatively unscathed, but in the worst affected areas it was difficult to find a single vertical surface. Donggala resident Farid, aged 48, pleaded for help: 'Don't centre all the aid on Palu,' he said. 'We in Donggala have nothing.' As if to remind the world of the tectonic fragility of Indonesia, a series of quakes hit the island of Sumba on Tuesday, albeit hundreds of kilometres from Palu. The official death toll from the tragedy in central Sulawesi stood at 1,234, according to the government. The Indonesian military is leading the rescue effort, but following a reluctant acceptance of help by President Joko Widodo, international NGOs also have teams on the ground in Palu. People sifting through the wreckage of a warehouse as they scout around the city for supplies following the natural disaster Indonesian fire fighter rescue teams search for bodies under the ruin of a house at Balaroa, a district of Palu city which was one of the worst hit by the tsunami Two Indonesian men carry away furniture from the wreckage of their house in Palu city on Tuesday as survivors scramble to recover their property Quake survivors scuffle to get live chickens being distributed from a police truck outside a makeshift camp in Palu on Tuesday A mother and her child sit in a tent at a makeshift camp in Palu on Tuesday which has been set up to give relief to those who have lost their homes in the disaster Among the dead are dozens of students whose lifeless bodies were pulled from their landslide-swamped church in Sulawesi. 'A total of 34 bodies were found by the team,' Indonesia Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani told AFP after the grim discovery, adding that 86 students had initially been reported missing from a Bible camp at the Jonooge Church Training Centre. Arriani said rescuers faced an arduous trek to reach the mudslide and retrieve the victims. 'The most challenging problem is travelling in the mud as much as 1.5 hours by foot while carrying the bodies to an ambulance,' she said. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation but there are small pockets of religious minorities, including Christians, across the archipelago of 260 million people. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned Monday that there were 191,000 people in urgent need of help after the quake-tsunami, among them 46,000 children and 14,000 elderly - many in areas that aren't the focus of government recovery efforts. The dead - many yet uncounted, their bodies still trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings - are also a source of concern for authorities. A quake survivor washes dishes outside her tent as residents fashion temporary homes for themselves knowing that they may not be able to return to their neighborhoods for months A quake survivor baths his crying son outside his tent at the camp on the outskirts of Palu where the city's displaced population are receiving much-needed aid Residents cooking food at a makeshift shelter as clothes hang on washing lines and from parked mopeds in the densely populated pop-up neighbourhood In Indonesia's hot, equatorial climate, bodies quickly begin to rot and provide a breeding ground for deadly diseases. At Poboya - in the hills above the devastated seaside city of Palu - volunteers have begun to fill a vast grave with the dead, with instructions to prepare for 1,300 victims to be laid to rest. Trucks stacked with corpses wrapped in orange, yellow and black bags are bringing their load to the site, where the bodies are dragged into the grave as excavators pour soil on top. There were glimmers of hope among the countless tragedies. Two people have been plucked from the 80-room Hotel Roa-Roa, Indonesia's search and rescue agency said, and there could still be more alive. And for Azwan, who - like many Indonesians - goes by one single name, there was joy when he was reunited with his wife, Dewi, after 48 hours of fearing the worst as he searched hospitals and morgues. The 38-year-old civil servant struggled to keep his emotions in check as he told how the couple had been reunited two days after Dewi had been swept away by the tsunami. 'I was so happy, so emotional - thank god I could see her again,' Azwan told AFP. But for some, the search yields only sorrow as they trudge around open-air morgues, where the dead lay in the baking sun - waiting to be claimed, waiting to be named. An armed policeman stands guard at a petrol station as people queue to collect gasoline on Tuesday morning amid a shortage on the island of Sulawesi A stranded tug boat dragged inland at a tsunami devastated area in Wani, near the village of Donggala, where boats were moved from their moorings A devastrated street in Wani, Donggala, where homes have been ripped to shreds by tremors and waves and a boat can be seen looming in the background Rescuers removing the bodies of victims from the rubble of a collapsed building in Palu as the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency works tirelessly to search for people still trapped A rescue team member walks in front of the ruins of Roa-Roa Hotel in Palu which was hit so hard that the entire structure was shaken from its foundations Indonesian soldiers burying quake victims in a mass grave in Poboya in Indonesia's Central Sulawesi on Tuesday afternoon A Democratic New Mexico congressional candidate has been showing off her shooting skills in her latest political ad aimed at appealing to the district of mainly conservative voters. Xochitl Torres Small, a water rights attorney, wants voters to know that she's not a Democrat who plans to bring a slew of gun laws, but is a politician who wants to preserve voters' rights to hunt - and the state parks in which they do so. That's the message of her latest ad, Hunt, which is a departure from the more typical Democratic ads focusing on issues like immigration, health care and water rights. Democratic New Mexico congressional candidate Xochitl Torres Small has been showing off her shooting skills in her latest political ad aimed at appealing to the district of mainly conservative voters Torres Small, a water rights attorney, wants voters to know that she's not a Democrat who plans to bring a slew of gun laws, but is a politician who wants to preserve voters' rights to hunt The ad features Torres Small wearing camouflage gear on a hunting trip, shooting across a river. 'We know what we need for a shot at a brighter future,' she said in the ad, which has a six-figure ad buy, 'Because out here makes the squabbles in Washington seem small.' She said that New Mexicans didn't care about partisan politics, ''We just want someone to deliver.' Torres Small hopes to connect with all the registered Democrats, as well as reaching out to disaffected Republicans and independents with an ad like this Torres Small told CBS News that hunting is an important part of her life, something she did with her father and husband (with her left) Torres Small told CBS News that hunting is an important part of her life, something she did with her father and husband. She even delayed her honeymoon for a hunting trip, saying they allow you to take in 'the silence of feeling the world wake up.' 'It's also just a source of what centers me,' Torres Small said. 'It reminds me of the things that I love about New Mexico and frankly, why I'm doing this.' The ad features Torres Small wearing camouflage gear on a hunting trip, shooting across a river We know what we need for a shot at a brighter future,' she said in the ad, which has a six-figure ad buy, 'Because out here makes the squabbles in Washington seem small' The Second Congressional District is typically a safe Republican seat and in the 2016 presidential election, President Trump won the district by 10 points. Torres Small's rival is Republican state Rep. Yvette Herrell, who was endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) in May who donated $2,000 to Herrell's campaign. But Torres Small has raised more money than Herrell and hopes to connect with all the registered Democrats, as well as reaching out to disaffected Republicans and independents with an ad like this. Democratic Senator Cory Booker is rumored to be dating a woman who worked with him on his mayoral campaign. Booker met Chanda Gibson, a single mother to two toddler boys, when the pair worked together on his 2002 mayoral campaign in Newark, New Jersey. A source told Page Six the pair have been dating 'on and off for years', but for some reason, their dalliances have been kept strictly under wraps. 'No one could understand why he told her their relationship is secret,' the source said. Gibson and Booker have appeared at several functions together (pictured at the opening night of the Prudential Center in New Jersey in 2007) Democratic senator Cory Booker (left) is rumored to be dating Chanda Gibson (right), a long-time romantic interest who moved across the country to work on his 2002 mayoral campaign At this point in time, it has not been confirmed if Booker, 49, and Gibson, 44, are actively dating. Booker is now a Senator for New Jersey, who serves on the judiciary committee that approved Brett Kavanaugh's SCOTUS nomination. He spoke out strongly against Kavanaugh, and is thought to be considering a 2020 presidential run. Gibson is currently the executive director of the Council of Urban Professionals, but left her job as an attorney 16 years ago to help Booker. On her Linkedin account, Gibson says once she moved from California to New Jersey, she never looked back. After her six months working as Booker's scheduler, she went on to help found America Needs You - New Jersey, which helps to mentor first generation college students, and later spent 14 years at Goldman Sachs. Booker has made headlines recently for his appearance in SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh's senate judiciary hearings (pictured), where he took a strong stance against the President's pick 'I am originally from California but left my legal career for the east coast in 2002 to support now United State Senator Cory Booker's first mayoral race in Newark, New Jersey,' she wrote. 'Quite unexpectedly, I never left!' She is the mother to two toddler boys, Zane and Cadeo, and said in a profile piece with the PR Mommy she is split from the boys' father, who lives in a different city. She told Forbes in April that Booker was a 'spiritual adviser' to her, and when he offered her a job on his campaign, she was eager to take it. Gibson has two toddler boys, Zane and Cadeo She said during a moment of existential crisis the politician told her: 'If you want to do something you believe in, quit your job and come help me run for Mayor'. 'Talk about a risk,' she told the magazine. 'Within eight days, I had quit my job and found myself sleeping on an apartment floor in Newark. I had never been to Newark. I had never been to the East Coast! 'But I believed in Cory. I believed in what he was trying to do.' Gibson has a degree in political science from Stanford and got her law degree from USC. She told Forbes during her time at Stanford, she won a Rotary Club Ambassadorial Scholarship to travel to any country to study for nine months. 'I chose Zimbabwe and took a gap year between my junior and senior years to travel and live there,' she said. 'I spent a lot of time in orphanages and when I returned to Stanford, I wrote my thesis on the AIDS orphan crisis.' Gibson has described Booker as 'my spiritual guide' and says it took her only eight days to decide to quit her job and move to the other side of the country to work on his campaign (pictured in 2007) She wrote her thesis on on the AIDS orphan crisis after living there for a year between her junior and senior year at Stanford (pictured with Mark Morial, president of the National Urban League) Booker has never been married, but has been linked to other impressive women, including CBS anchor Gayle King, Hollywood entertainment lawyer, and poet and author Cleo Wade. Wade is the most recent woman to be linked to the Senator. In June, the poet released a book that credited Booker in the acknowledgements as a 'constant source of light and inspiration', and he was present at her launch. In July, Booker promoted her book and social media account on his Twitter. Neither party ever confirmed the relationship, but the pair have not been seen together in public in recent months. President Trump directed his personal attorney and his eldest son to take Stormy Daniels to court to keep the porn actress violating a confidentiality agreement that barred her from speaking about her alleged affair with him a decade prior. Trump instructed his son Eric, a head of the Trump Organization, and Michael Cohen, a former Trump Organization lawyer, to seek a restraining order against Daniels, the Wall Street Journal reports. The president personally ordered the effort, the publication said, revealing a larger role in the scheme to silence Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, than previously understood. President Trump directed his personal attorney and his eldest son to take Stormy Daniels to court to keep the porn actress violating a confidentiality agreement that barred her from speaking about her alleged affair with him a decade prior Trump demanded that Cohen, who recently copped to several crimes involving the Daniels case and no longer represents the president or his business, enter into private arbitration The president personally ordered the effort, the publication said, revealing a larger role in the scheme to silence Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, than previously understood Sources told WSJ that Trump demanded that Cohen, who recently copped to several crimes involving the Daniels case and no longer represents the president or his business, enter into private arbitration to resolve the dispute. Trump was trying to keep Daniels from giving a media interview about the sexual encounter she says she had with the future president in 2006 after he married his current wife Melania. Trump reportedly called Cohen about the matter and directed him to coordinate with Eric and another outside lawyer that the president had worked with on other matters. It was Eric who asked a Trump Organization attorney in California to sign off on the confidential arbitration paperwork, WSJ reports, implicating the president's son in the effort to keep Daniels quiet, as well. Lawyers for the president and Cohen declined to comment to the Journal. The Trump Organization also declined comment. Trump instructed his son Eric, a head of the Trump Organization, and Michael Cohen, a former Trump Organization lawyer, to seek a restraining order against Daniels, who is represented by Michael Avenatti, pictured A person close to Eric Trump insisted that he was not acting on behalf of the Trump Organization when he helped his father with the matter and was acting instead in his role as a dutiful son. The Trump Organization had previously stated that Jill Martin, the staff lawyer that Eric Trump contacted acted in a personal capacity, and not her official role, even though she is an attorney for the president's company. Another outside lawyer, Lawrence Rosen, assisted Cohen, the Journal reported. Spokespersons for the White House have routinely declined to comment on the matter altogether, directing questions to the president's outside counsel, including, until recently, Cohen. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders revealed the arbitration when she said at a press briefing that the Daniels 'case has already been won in arbitration and anything beyond that I would refer you to the presidents outside counsel.' Cohen and the president had a falling out after the attorney told the feds that he committed financial crimes at the direction of the president. He said in a guilty plea that President Trump ordered him to write a $130,000 check to Daniels that came out of his own pocket. Trump paid him back later through a monthly retainer during a time in which Cohen was not doing other work for the president. Because the payment to Daniels was made in October 2016, it can be considered a campaign finance violation because it exceeded allowed personal contribution limits. Advertisement The homeless ex-wife of Baywatch star Jeremy Jackson is back on the streets after a dramatic intervention failed, DailyMailTV can reveal. Former fitness model Loni Willison was photographed last week digging through trash cans in Hollywood, highlighting a terrible turn of fortune for the once stunning blonde. After seeing our exclusive photos, DailyMailTV was contacted by a friend of Loni's, former model Kristin Rossetti, who was desperate to find her and get her off the streets. Our reporters were able to trace Loni fast asleep under a shopping cart on a busy stretch of Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood and took Kristin to see her. And in an exclusive interview Loni told her heart-breaking story of how she went from being a magazine cover girl to being homeless on the streets of LA. Her arms, legs, toes and fingernails were black with dirt, she had an open wound on her arm and a severe injury on her finger and needed urgent medical attention. DailyMailTV captured the emotional reunion between Kristin and Loni and we took her to a hotel where she was able to eat a hot meal, shower and dress in clean clothes. Loni, 35, perked up and began to open up about her life's journey. Scroll down for video Loni Willison, the ex-wife of former Baywatch actor Jeremy Jackson, is back on the streets after her friend staged a dramatic intervention for the former fitness model DailyMailTV was able to trace Loni fast asleep under a shopping cart on a busy stretch of Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood and took her old friend Kristin Rossetti to see her DailyMailTV captured the emotional reunion between Kristin and Loni (pictured left and right when both worked as models) and took her to a hotel where she was able to eat a hot meal, shower and dress in clean clothes Willison split from her ex-husband Jeremy Jackson (pictured together) in 2014 following a stormy relationship, with the former alcoholic actor allegedly attempting to strangle Willison following a booze-fueled fight After seeing our exclusive photos, DailyMailTV was contacted by Kristin, who was desperate to find Loni and get her off the streets. Kristin said she was 'heartbroken' by Loni's way of living, saying: 'It was unbelievable. I spent the night with her and it's not the person I knew, the look on her face, there's something completely missing' Loni revealed she was evicted from her West Hollywood apartment two years ago after losing her job and suffering mental health issues. She was working as an assistant at a cosmetic surgery center in LA but was fired and then worked for a realtor who, she says, refused to pay her. Loni also convinced herself she was being tortured in her apartment with electricity, a mental health issue she still desperately needs help with today. She couldn't pay her rent or her car repayments and ended up on the streets with just the contents of a suitcase. Shockingly, Loni said she hasn't showered for a year - keeping herself as dirty as possible to prevent being assaulted or raped on the streets. She also revealed she is robbed regularly. 'I lost two jobs and everything crumbled. It's been two years, I've been on the streets since,' Loni told DailyMailTV. As the former model began to open up it became clear she is ravaged by an addiction to crystal meth and is in the throes of a mental illness. She told tales of how her body was charged with electricity and how she felt she was a threat to people around her. She spoke of how her electrical charge had brought down buildings and caused chaos in Hollywood - and the only thing that could stop it was her drug of choice. Shockingly, Loni hasn't showered for a year - keeping herself as dirty as possible to prevent being assaulted or raped on the streets. She also revealed she is robbed regularly Loni said she was evicted from her West Hollywood apartment two years ago after losing her job and suffering mental health issues. As the former model began to open up it became clear she is ravaged by an addiction to crystal meth Loni also convinced herself she was being tortured in her apartment with electricity, a mental health issue she still desperately needs help with today. Pictured: Kristin taking Loni to a hotel so she could shower and eat a hot meal But while Loni seemed to embrace the generous offer of help and indicated she was ready to make a change in her life, something inside her pulled her away. After spending a night in a hotel room (pictured), she decided to flee. 'I just want to get high,' she told Kristin the following morning, saying: 'I need to get high, no one is listening to me. I need to get out of here' Loni (pictured holding Kristin's son) spent a night at the hotel before fleeing the next morning to return to the streets 'I was getting tortured in my home, my apartment,' Loni explained. 'I was living by myself but I was getting electrocuted. 'It was really bad, really horrible. I later found a red mark on the back of my neck and I think that was how the electricity was getting into my head. 'Things got worse and worse and worse and then I was kicked out. 'Yes I do have a lot of friends, many many friends, and family, but everyone I talked to at the time seemed really strange. 'I struggled to get across to them what I was talking about, even really simple things, so I just stopped talking to everybody. 'It just wasn't getting me anywhere and I was only getting more frustrated. 'I haven't had any contact with family or friends recently.' Recalling her ex husband Jeremy - who was accused of trying to strangle her in a violent rage - she said: 'I had a nice little apartment,' she said. 'I'd split from Jeremy at that time. I have not had any contact with him. 'All the s**t that's happened to me has been so f*****g crazy. 'I once saw him outside my apartment when I was starting to get tortured. 'I saw him, he was on the phone and then the next second he was invisible. He was literally gone. I was like, ''What the hell?'' Willison's ex-husband Jeremy Jackson (pictured) was snapped working out at Newport Beach days after photos of Loni emerged showing the former fitness model in a desolate state pushing her belongings around in a shopping cart When asked if he was concerned about Willison, Jackson told DailyMail.com: 'All I can tell you is that my attention, my time, my focus is where I can be most effective and we're doing all right' Jackson, who played Hobie Buchannon on Baywatch, split from Willison, 35, in 2014 following a stormy relationship Willison spoke out against her ex husband in 2015 after Jackson was booted out of Celebrity Big Brother in the UK for exposing fellow housemate Chloe Goodman's breast. Pictured: Photos of Loni that sparked Kristin to search for her Loni, who was once on the cover of Australia's Glam Fit magazine, added: 'Is it hard on the streets? Yes and no. 'LA is a wealthy place, people throw away a lot of stuff. It's easy to find food. People give you food money. A 20 here, a 40 there. I just make it work. 'There is so much available, there is no way someone can't survive on the streets in a place like Los Angeles.' As a woman, Loni says she has to make herself as filthy as possible to deter attackers. 'I get robbed. I get robbed all the time. People take my stuff,' she said. 'Basically on the streets you're around people who are doing anything just to get by and if they see something that you have that will help them they're just going to take it. 'It's a survival of the fittest thing. I basically make myself as dirty as possible so that no one attacks me. 'The dirtier I am the better. Smelly, too, but I'm not too smelly right now. If I do those two things, that seems to work. 'I cut off my hair, too, to look different. I cut it myself. But I have been attacked, that's bound to happen, too.' Loni said she cut her arm after someone pushed her into some glass. The wound is taped up but looks in dire need of medical attention. She added: 'Yes, I do want to get off the street. I want a new life. I have been to rehab before but it didn't work out for me. 'I've got so much to figure out to get off the streets, I need some help.' Kristin says she has been in touch with law enforcement to ask for their help in finding Loni again but it could take weeks or months. She said: 'Loni needs our help desperately, she needs to be off the streets and getting care. It makes me so sad, but you can't force someone to accept your help, she needs to want to help herself' Kristin said she was 'heartbroken' when she saw photos on DailyMail.com of Loni on the streets, adding: 'There were some things she remembered but other things she drew a blank which made me sad, those were specific things, our inside jokes we'd always laugh about, but somehow she had forgotten. It was shocking, the craziest thing I've seen' The 35-year-old is barely recognizable from her days as a model, unwashed and with her once long blonde locks chopped short Loni, who was once on the cover of Australia's Glam Fit, said: 'Is it hard on the streets? Yes and no. LA is a wealthy place, people throw away a lot of stuff. It's easy to find food. People give you food money. A 20 here, a 40 there. I just make it work' As a woman, Loni says she has to make herself as filthy as possible to deter attackers, adding: 'It's a survival of the fittest thing. I basically make myself as dirty as possible so that no one attacks me. The dirtier I am the better. Smelly, too, but I'm not too smelly right now. If I do those two things, that seems to work' Hearing Loni's pleas DailyMailTV called upon the expertise of drug rehab specialist Larry Marinelli. Larry co-founded True Hope Calling to help families in crisis of substance abuse and mental health. He also owns True Intentions, a sober living home in Tarzana, California, that helps recovering addicts. Larry is a close friend of Kristin's, who dated his business partner Antonio Sabato Jr, the former General Hospital star turned politician, for ten years and they have a 16-year-old daughter together. Larry, through his contacts and his own business, offered to help Loni for free. He laid out a treatment plan for her having secured her a bed in Victory Detox Center in North Hollywood a drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility. After 30-60 days there, Larry offered Loni several months of intensive out patient treatment at his own business, True Intentions Sober Living in Tarzana. In all Larry was offering a staggering $90,000 worth of treatment to get Loni clean. But while Loni seemed to embrace the generous offer of help and indicated she was ready to make a change in her life, something inside her pulled her away. After spending a night in a hotel room, she decided to flee. 'I just want to get high,' she told her friend Kristin the following morning. 'I need to get high, no one is listening to me. I need to get out of here.' Despite continued efforts to persuade her to accept the help, Loni took off and was last seen walking along Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, pushing a shopping cart she had found. Despite continued efforts to persuade her to accept the help, Loni took off and was last seen walking along Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills, pushing a shopping cart she had found (pictured) Loni said she cut her arm after someone pushed her into some glass. The wound is taped up but looks in dire need of medical attention. She said: 'Yes I do want to get off the street. I want a new life. I have been to rehab before but it didn't work out for me. I've got so much to figure out to get off the streets, I need some help' Kristin shared several photos of her and Loni as glamorous models. 'Loni, she was a Nike, Louis Vuitton, labels girl. She used to make a lot of money, she did fitness apps, fitness modeling, she was on the covers of magazines' Kristin said: 'We tried everything we could but just couldn't get through to her. 'I tried to tell her she's not the only one this has happened to. 'She had moments where she understood, but then she'd shake her head and said, ''no, nobody can fix this.'' 'Then she kept saying she wanted to get high, she said that was the only thing that grounds her and protects her from the electricity. 'She got out of my car, grabbed all of her stuff and took off. Hearing Loni's pleas DailyMailTV called upon the expertise of drug rehab specialist Larry Marinelli (pictured) to stage an intervention. He offered Loni $90,000 of free treatment to get Loni clean, but she fled for the streets again 'We found her again minutes later and she had already found a shopping cart. 'Larry tried to talk to her, but she refused to come back.' For now Loni has vanished. Back on the streets lost among LA County's 58,000 homeless population. Kristin says she has been in touch with law enforcement to ask for their help in finding Loni again but it could take weeks or months. 'Loni needs our help desperately, she needs to be off the streets and getting care. 'It makes me so sad, but you can't force someone to accept your help, she needs to want to help herself.' Kristin said she was 'heartbroken' when she saw photos on DailyMail.com of Loni on the streets. 'It was unbelievable, I've known her for so long and I know the kind of person she was. Clearly there's a mental health issue there. 'I spent the night with her and it's not the person I knew, the look on her face, there's something completely missing. 'There were some things she remembered but other things she drew a blank which made me sad, those were specific things, our inside jokes we'd always laugh about, but somehow she had forgotten. 'It was shocking, the craziest thing I've seen. She used to babysit my daughter. 'But we're not giving up, we'll find her again and give it another try.' Kristin shared several photos of her and Loni as glamorous models. 'Loni, she was a Nike, Louis Vuitton, labels girl. She used to make a lot of money, she did fitness apps, fitness modeling, she was on the covers of magazines.' For expert Larry, he sees Loni's situation as 'dire'. 'I saw someone in a drug induced psychosis, she needs to get medicated and stabilized so she can start the process of recovery,' he explains. 'There's laws in California that you can't forcibly remove someone from the streets unless they're saying they are going to harm themselves or harm others. 'But if they want to live on the streets, there's nothing you can do.' He added: 'I would hope that we can find her again and see if she's ready to come in, she needs several months of care to see if she can start building a life again.' Nearly 300 ferry passengers are stranded in the Baltic Sea amid reports of an 'explosion' in the engine room. The Regina Seaways was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany, when it sent out a distress call at 10.45am. Lithuania's military said the ship was on fire following an explosion in the engine room. But Danish ferry operator DFDS said the vessel had suffered from a technical problem but was not on fire. A ferry carrying 335 people is on fire in the Baltic Sea after an explosion in the engine room. The Regina Seaways (file picture) was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany when it sent out a distress call at 10.45am The firm added that 294 passengers were stranded after the ship 'had an engine breakdown'. A malfunction produced smoke, which triggered the ship's fire extinguishing system in the engine room, it added. No passengers or crew members have been injured, according to a statement. DFDS said passengers were assembled at muster stations in preparation for a possible evacuation, but it wasn't necessary because the 'situation is under control.' The statement said that the extent of the damage wasn't yet fully known. A spokesman said the ferry would be towed to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda. A fugitive who compares himself to Raoul Moat is taunting police about spending 86 days on the run by filming himself driving behind cop cars. Daley Smith from Alsager, Cheshire, is wanted by the authorities for breaching a court order after he was charged over alleged drugs offences. However the 29-year-old is instead documenting his time 'on the run' in dozens of social media posts mocking the Cheshire force using the hashtag 'cop killer.' Smith even appears to share pictures from inside in the back of police cars before claiming to have 'jumped out', along with images of helicopters circling above him in the sky. Daley Smith, left and right, from Alsager, Cheshire, is wanted by police for breaching a court order after he was charged over alleged drugs offences. The wanted man brags about how his hand hurts because he 'knocked out' someone and complains about his police mugshot, as he says he had been punched with knuckledusters before it. On September 1, Smith wrote: 'Day 56 on the run from Cheshire Police. Currently following them down the M6 home from Blackpool.' It was accompanied by a video that appeared to show him driving behind a police car on the motorway. Smith whose Facebook bio simply reads 'F*** Cheshire Police', even took to writing a rap about his time on the run. On September 25 he compared himself to Raoul Moat who went on the run in 2010 He posted a picture showing him behind a police car, left, and a police helicopter hovering overhead, right Smith shared an image of a new tracksuit top on Monday, claiming to have had it delivered. He wrote: 'Nothing beats a good tracksuit delivery whilst on the run. The small things in life haha' The post read: 'Cheshire police have got more chance of finding Madeleine Mcann, I may as well be in Japan, they've even been harassing my nan but everything hasn't gone to plan. 'They've f****d with the wrong man, I feel like Peter Pan. So far I don't know how far I've ran but it's been mad since this Journey began. 'You've got more chance of finding Madeleine Mcann.' More posts from Smith, as he uses the hashtag 'copkiller' to threaten Cheshire Police Next to this image he wrote: 'This is me hitting the motorway earlier in the back of a van like an Afghan refugee' However numerous posts use the terrifying hashtag 'copkiller' at the end of them, in which he warns he is 'just warming up'. In another he wrote: 'Swear to god there's been police planes and helicopters circling above me. 'This is some Raoul Moat/Jason Bourne s**t this. Wtf have I done to deserve this.' Raoul Moat was the gunman who came to national notoriety in 2010 when he shot former girlfriend Samantha Stobbart and her new boyfriend Chris Brown in Birtley, Gateshead, killing Chris Brown. He then later blinded PC David Rathband with a shotgun blast before going on the run. It sparked a huge police manhunt that led to Rothbury, Northumberland, where Raoul Moat was cornered before shooting himself. Since he has been on the run Smith has been posting regular updates on Facebook, mocking Cheshire Police and bragging about how close they have been to catching him Smith shared an image of a new tracksuit top on Monday, claiming to have had it delivered. He wrote: 'Nothing beats a good tracksuit delivery whilst on the run. The small things in life haha.' In other posts he appears to name police constables and says their 'career is over' - followed by the hashtag 'copkiller'. Another post reads: 'Day 83 on the run: just want to say a massive thank you to Cheshire Police, I've never felt so wanted in all my life so thank you..' One image appears to show him sitting in the back of a police car (left) and by another picture of a police helicopter he writes: 'This was me watching yas whilst eating my full English breakfast' On Sunday evening a post appeared in which Smith appeared to claim he was on 'Nantwich Rd' and dared police to come and find him. Only hours earlier a post had appeared inviting people to 'party' with him that night - while he promised to 'try to keep the helicopters out of it'. While Smith brags that he is now beginning day 87 of being on the run, South Cheshire Magistrates Court confirmed that a warrant was only issued for his arrest on July 24 - meaning this is his 71st day of evading police. The magistrates court confirmed that Smith is wanted for breaching a court order in relation to an appearance in court in May over criminal damage. Smith was handed a three-month curfew requiring him to be at his place of curfew between 7pm until 7am from May to August. However the court confirmed Smith was absent from his place of curfew on various occasions and so a warrant was issued. Smith has also been charged with possession with intent to supply class B cannabis and concerned with the supply of cocaine, according to police. He is due in crown court in November. Last month, on another profile that appeared to be Smith's an appeal was put online for a girlfriend and even bragged that he would 'throw in 'half g of flake for any coke whores'. Cheshire Police confirmed that Smith is wanted after breach of a court order. They also stated that it was not true that Smith had escaped from a police car, despite posts on Saturday evening appearing to show him in the back of one. This is the moment a migrant appeared to smuggle himself onto a ship by lying down flat on a HGV roof as the vehicle was being loaded onto the vessel. The man could be seen stretched out on his belly with his arms by his sides on top of the lorry as it was reversing into the vehicle deck at a port in Morocco. Footage shows him remaining completely still as he tried to avoid detection with workers just a few feet below him next to the truck. This is the moment a migrant appeared to smuggle himself onto a ship by lying down flat on a HGV roof as the vehicle was being loaded onto the vessel The man could be seen stretched out on his belly with his arms by his sides on top of the lorry as it was reversing into the vehicle deck at a port in Morocco The man, wearing tracksuit bottoms and a tracksuit jacket, appears to have his eyes shut as the camera zooms in on his face The film appears to have been captured from an upper deck of the ferry and a group of men can he heard laughing as the action unfolds below. It was posted to the Facebook page of Haraga Oujda 2018 and has been viewed over 1.8 million times. Men watching above can be heard discussing the scene as the HGV appears to reverse into the ferry and past a sign saying 'Maroc' which translates to Morocco in French. The man, wearing tracksuit bottoms and a tracksuit jacket, appears to have his eyes shut as the camera zooms in on his face. The camera then flips to the man filming as he and a group of others laugh and smile. Footage shows him remaining completely still as he tried to avoid detection with workers just a few feet below him next to the truck The film appears to have been captured from an upper deck of the ferry and a group of men can he heard laughing as the action unfolds below Thousands have commented on the footage online. In 2015 two migrants were seen clinging onto the roof of a lorry as they evaded capture in England. According to the Pew Research Center the most popular route for migrants to cross the Mediterranean Sea is the Western route into Spain. It is estimated 17,000 people have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea since 2014. A security worker accidentally locked himself inside his own cash delivery van today - and had to be rescued by a specialist technician. The red faced driver was forced to call for help while stuck inside the back of the G4S van outside a Barclays bank in the centre of Winchester, Hampshire. However, some police officer who heard about the incident were not entirely sympathetic to the driver's plight, mocking him on Twitter with the hashtags '#laughingstock' and '#barreloflaughs'. This is the hilarious moment a cash in transit driver got stuck inside his own van The G4S driver was forced to wait for a specialist technician to open the locked door The technician managed to force his way through the heavily protected door of the van A workman armed with drill plus a hammer and punch finally released the man by removing the driver's door lock just before midday. Witness Zachary Culpin said the shaven-headed van driver looked suitably embarrassed and 'left quite quickly' after being freed from the dark blue Mercedes van. Mr Culpin, 34, said: 'I saw the G4S security van stopped outside a Barclays bank and a police car parked next to it. 'The security man had managed to get himself locked in the back of the van and a contractor had just arrived with a drill to get him out again. The G4S worker was stuck in the rear of the van and could not open the door during a delivery The G4S driver was mocked by one of Hampshire Police's official twitter channels, pictured Members of the public also thought it was quite funny that the driver got locked in his van Witness said after being freed the driver got straight behind the wheel and drove away 'I think he had been in there for at least half an hour when they used the drill to open the driver's side door and get into the van. 'The driver looked pretty embarrassed - I know I would be if that had happened to me. He left quite quickly, getting straight into the driver's seat and immediately driving off.' Hampshire Police's response officers described their amusement at the 'unusual job' on Twitter after being called to the scene this morning. Their tweet was accompanied by a gif of a 'Box of Shame'. They wrote: 'Unusual job this morning when a cash van(sic) in Winchester city centre managed to lock themselves inside the back of the van. 'Help is on its way to release them. #lock #laughingstock #barreloflaughs' Security company G4S use the secure vans to deliver and collect cash across the country. The incident happened earlier today outside Barclays Bank in Winchester, Hampshire The worker was eventually freed after the technician drilled out the van's locks to get inside Gareth Skinner, head of operational risk for G4S Cash solutions said: 'At around 10:45am on Tuesday October, 2, 2018 on Jewry Street, Winchester, one of our crew members experienced a technical fault with a cash van. 'A G4S cash van technician arrived on scene in less than an hour to assist our crew member, reset the system and the vehicle was taken for investigation and repair.' Bill Cosby has reportedly been spending his first week in prison making friends with staffers and touring the Pennsylvania facility with his personal guide Bill Cosby has reportedly been spending his first week in prison making friends with staffers and touring the Pennsylvania facility with his personal guide. The disgraced comedian was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison last Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constrand in 2004. According to TMZ, Cosby starts his day early with breakfast in his cell and often chats with his wife. During the day, Cosby, who is legally blind, is escorted around the SCI Phoenix prison by a personal guide. He has been using the prison's library, yard and other facilities, but he is still waiting entry into general population, according to TMZ. Cosby eats his dinner and lunch either in his cell or an open room. The 81-year-old has reportedly spent a lot of time chatting with prison staff, whom he calls very respectful. Although Cosby isn't allowed to have visitors yet, he does get daily calls from his wife Camille. According to the celebrity news site, the calls last for just a few minutes. Cosby is also free to have a personal tablet for music or games but will not have internet access, corrections spokeswoman Amy Worden said. Cosby and his wife usually speak about appealing his conviction, which is expected to focus on Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill's decision to allow several accusers to testify against him. The first trial hinged largely on the credibility of Constand, who said he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2004, and ended in a hung jury. The 81-year-old, who was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison last Tuesday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constrand in 2004, has reportedly spent a lot of time chatting with prison staff, whom he calls very respectful Cosby is being held in a single cell next to the infirmary at the SCI Phoenix prison (file image) At his second trial in April, O'Neill allowed the jury to hear five other women with strikingly similar stories of sexual abuse. Cosby was found guilty. His lawyers now face a difficult burden in convincing an appellate court to second-guess O'Neill's decision, experts claim. 'I don't think that they have any significant likelihood of winning this appeal,' said Michelle Dempsey, a law professor at Villanova University in Philadelphia. This grim mugshot of Cosby was released a day after he was taken to the new $400M SCI prison where he will serve his sentence 'The evidence was solid, and the standard in Pennsylvania is clear.' Other potential appeals grounds include the decade-plus gap between the crime and Cosby's arrest, claims of bias against the trial judge and an alleged promise by a former district attorney not to prosecute Cosby for the Constand incident. Cosby, once known as 'America's Dad' for his role as the beloved patriarch of the Huxtable family on the 1980s television comedy The Cosby Show, has been accused by more than 50 women of sexual abuse dating back decades. Only Constand's allegations were recent enough to lead to criminal prosecution. Immediately after his sentencing, Cosby was escorted from the courthouse and into a dark SUV before being taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility before being transferred to the SCI Phoenix prison. Authorities later released a grim mugshot of Cosby once he arrived at the $400million prison. Cosby is being held in a single cell next to the infirmary. The prison system assigned him inmate number NN7687. Cosby is being held in a single cell (file image) next to the infirmary. The prison system assigned Cosby inmate number NN7687 The SCI Phoenix is a maximum security, 3,830-bed, handicap-accessible prison which began operating earlier this year. The prison is staffed by 1,200 full-time employees and features 164 acreage inside its double ring of razor wire fences and a 1.5mile perimeter Among the prison's program offerings are sex offender treatment, victim awareness and impact of crime classes The SCI Phoenix is a maximum security, 3,830-bed, handicap-accessible prison which began operating earlier this year. The prison is staffed by 1,200 full-time employees and features 164 acreage inside its double ring of razor wire fences and a 1.5mile perimeter. Among the prison's program offerings are sex offender treatment, victim awareness and impact of crime classes. Upon arrival, staffers immediately assessed his physical, medical and security needs. He has also met with psychologists within the last week. Corrections Secretary John Wetzel said last week that the prison is 'taking all of the necessary precautions' to ensure Cosby's safety. The cells have bunk beds and storage lockers, as well as a stainless steel toilet and sink combo and a small desk and stool. Unlike older prisons, SCI Phoenix's manual key locks have been replaced with electronic cell doors monitored from a central location. If Cosby serves the 10-year sentence, he will be 91 when he's released. Cosby's name will appear on a sex-offender registry sent to neighbors, schools and victims. In addition, Cosby was fined $25,000 and denied bail while appealing the sexual assault conviction. Dunkin' Donuts has fired two workers who posted a video of themselves pouring water on a sleeping homeless customer in an upstate New York store. Jeremy Youngs Dufresne, 25, said he was at the coffee shop in Syracuse on Sunday night to charge his phone to call his mother when one of the workers dumped water on his head. He was startled and awakened as one of the workers laughed, with the video of the interaction posted to Facebook shortly afterward. The company that owns the Dunkin' location said it was 'disturbed' by the employees' behavior, saying it 'goes against our core values as an organization.' A GoFundme page has raised more than $7,600 for Dufresne, who said he is homeless by choice and has schizophrenia. Prosecutors say they are considering filing harassment charges against the workers. The two cruel-hearted former Dunkin' Donuts employees sealed their own fates by filming their rude prank. Dufrense said the worker likely had 'personal problems of his own', and 'he took it out on someone else, like me.' Whatever the reason for the assault, it was all caught on camera and resulted in the two men losing their jobs. At the start of the video, one thoughtless employee can be heard taunting Dufresne, saying 'You want to sleep?' before pouring a pitcher of water on his head as he's fast asleep at one of the restaurant's tables. Another worker films the perpetrator, laughing as Dufresne gets woken up with a soaking wet shock and then quickly collects his phone and charger. 'How many times I got to tell you to stop sleeping in here, my n***a? You here all day, you have enough time [in here] How many times have the customers and the people going to tell you to stop sleeping in here?' the employee who poured the water can be heard saying in the clip. Dunkin' Donuts has fired two workers who posted a video of themselves pouring water on sleeping homeless customer Jeremy Youngs Dufresne, 25, in the Syracuse, New York location where they worked The shocking video shows the two male employees laugh as they pour a pitcher of water on Dufresne who fell asleep at his table on Sunday Dufresne can be heard softly saying that he fell asleep on accident in the clip, but the workers push back against that claim. 'No it wasn't on accident bro. You know I'm not playing with you. I ain't gonna call the cops like I said, you gotta get out of here,' the employee warns. The 36-second video was posted on Facebook on Sunday, where it went viral, racking up tens of thousands of shares and hundreds of thousands of views. Dufresne said it was an accident then gathered his things and left the restaurant Dufresne is a homeless man who often stops by the Dunkin' located on North Salina Street in Syracuse to charge his phone This employee berated Dufresne int he video saying he didn't want to call the police so threw the water as a warning instead; Both employees involved in the video have been fired A GoFundMe page has been launched to support Dufresne and has already raised more than $7,600; Dufresne is pictured in a Dunkin' Donuts Dufresne said he often stops by the Dunkin' Donuts located on North Salina Street in Syracuse, where the water attack occured, to charge his phone. He said he lives outside because he prefers it and his family have tried to help him move in with them, according to Syracuse.com His family added he suffers from schizophrenia. After the incident, Dufresne left, later saying he harbors no ill feelings towards the people who poured water on him. Others did not take the situation so lightly, with the site of the Syrcause store turning into a protest ground as advocates launched a boycott at the Dunkin' Donuts. On Monday, a homeless outreach group called We Rise Above the Street confronted the Dunkin' Donuts location's manager, with a group of about 20 people outside the store calling for the employees to be fired. The viral video led to protest on Monday outside of the Dunkin' Donuts on North Salina Street in Syracuse Protesters rallied outside with signs on Monday demanding the employees in the video be fired One protester carried the sign 'Homeless Lives Matter' to show his support for Dufresne A Dunkin' Donuts spokesperson told DailyMail.com they were 'extremely disturbed' by the video. 'It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect,' Dunkin' Frachisee and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Wolak said. She said the company would be reaching out to Dufresne to apologize and also intends to work with local advocates to educate their staff on better engaging with homeless customers. Those interested in donating to the fundraising campaign set up for Dufresne's benefit may do so by clicking here. The FBI's probe into allegations of sex attacks by Brett Kavanaugh could be finished as early as Tuesday night or Wednesday, sources said Tuesday afternoon. The Wall Street Journal reported that people 'familiar with the process' believed the investigation could wrap very soon, saying Tuesday night and Wednesday morning were possible. Agents have spoken to four people involved in the allegations, the newspaper reported. One of those is Mark Judge, the high school friend of Kavanaugh who was accused of being in the room when the nominee allegedly tried to rape Christine Blasey Ford, while the other is Debbie Ramirez, the second accuser. The identities of the other two was unclear. The possibility of an imminent end to the FBI 'background check' came as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said there would be a vote on Kavanaugh's nomination this week. The FBI had been given a deadline of Friday to end its new background investigation. However the possibility of the investigation coming to an end immediately led to the prospect of a series of new rows - over the release of the report, how senators are presented with it, and crucially, exactly who was questioned. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is trying to steer Kavanaugh's nomination through the Senate as the FBI interviews accusers and potential witnesses Why hasn't she been asked: Christine Blasey Ford's attorneys Debra Katz and Michael Bromwich wrote to the FBI warning she had not been contacted at all Ready for a confrontation: Michael Avenatti, the attorney for third accuser Julie Swetnick, said she had not been contacted by the FBI, while Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader made clear Tuesday he wanted to see the FBI's results published in full McConnell created dissent within his own party by saying that only senators would see the FBI's report. But both John Cornyn, the second-most powerful Republican in the Senate, and South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, who made himself a viral hero to conservatives with a fiery attack on Democrats over Kavanaugh, said that the public needed to get at least a sense of its contents. Graham said he wanted to see the full report published, while Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Minority Leader, said he wanted the same. Schumer also set up a confrontation with McConnell by saying he wanted senators to be briefed by the lead FBI agent before they voted.' 'We need to be briefed by the FBI. By the agent in charge,' Schumer told CNN. But the largest dispute of all - and the biggest political risk for McConnell - is over exactly who agents questioned. Attorneys for Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh's first accuser, said she had not been contacted by the FBI. 'It is inconceivable that the FBI could conduct a thorough investigation of Dr. Ford's allegations without interviewing her, Judge Kavanaugh, or the witnesses we have identified in our letters to you,' attorneys Debra Katz and Michael Bromwich wrote to the FBI's director, Christopher Wray. John Clune, a lawyer for Debbie Ramirez, the second accuser, who was questioned at the weekend, also attacked, telling Bloomberg: 'We have great concern that the FBI is not conducting - or not being permitted to conduct - a serious investigation.' A list of witnesses Ramirez presented does not appear to have been acted on, Clune said. And Michael Avenatti, who represents the third accuser, Julie Swetnick, published emails he had sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee demanding that it 'take all steps to arrange an FBI interview' with her. The public perception of the scale and scope of the FBI probe is now the key for Republicans wanting to get Kavanaugh nominated. McConnell is relying on the FBI investigation winning support to get the votes of the key swing senators. There are three Republicans: Lisa Murkowski (Alaska); Susan Collins (Maine); and Jeff Flake (Utah); and two Democrats: Joe Manchin (West Virginia) and Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota). All five have said that the FBI investigation must be adequate before they decide how to vote. Collins has said publicly that Swetnick needs to be questioned for her to vote 'yes'. Public questions over whether agents failed to investigate fully could lead to at least two of them voting Kavanaugh down, which would force a tie-break, while if three vote against, he is doomed. Murkowski said she was not worried that McConnell was moving too fast on the nomination by promising a floor vote this week. Concerns: Attorneys for accusers Julie Swetnick and Debbie Ramirez have both said they are unhappy with the Senate Judiciary Committee and the FBI. Ramirez was questioned by agents but her attorney said her list of witnesses has not been acted on. Swetnick has not been contacted by the FBI. FBI investigators are probing Kavanaugh accusers. It is unclear the extent to which they may run down allegations of excessive drinking in high school and college Asked about McConnell's pledge to move forward with the vote, Murkowski told The Associated Press that McConnell 'talked about a vote a last week, too.' Collins was riding with Murkowski on an underground Senate train when the question was asked, and smiled and told her colleague: 'Good answer.' Murkowski and Collins both said they were satisfied with the scope and pace of the FBI's probe. However Flake said that he wanted a full investigation, while Manchin and Heitkamp did not pass comment Tuesday. McConnell himself attacked Democrats for pursuing the 'politics of personal destruction' in a fiery floor speech where he insisted the Senate would vote 'this week' on the embattled judge. 'I wish this fight could have remained in the realm of normalcy,' McConnell said, as FBI agents continued to probe sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. 'Some chose a darker road. The politics of personal destruction were willfully unleashed,' McConnell said, aiming his fire at Democrats he accused of repeatedly 'moving the goalposts' to kill the nomination. 'The Democrats may be trying to move the goal posts every five minutes but their goal has not moved an inch. They will not be satisfied unless they have brought down Brett Kavanaugh's nomination,' said McConnell. McConnell, who successfully kept Judge Merrick Garland from getting a hearing during the Obama administration of 'delay, delay, delay.' 'Who are we kidding, shot back Sen. Minority Leader Charles Schumer. 'I want to ask the leader to answer a direct question: does he believe or not believe Dr. Ford, yes or no,' said Schumer, referencing accuser Christine Blasey Ford. Schumer fumed in an angry response to McConnell delivered on the floor: 'What a double standard. How galling. 'Accusing Democrats of needlessly delaying a Supreme Court nomination is galling, is hypocritical coming from a leader who delayed the nomination of a Supreme Court justice for over 300 days until his party had a chance to win the White House. 'So no one, no American should accept his admonishments about delay. He's the master of delay,' he added. McConnell slammed the third accuser, Julie Swetnick, whose allegations were brought forward by Stormy Daniels lawyer Michael Avenatti. 'A tabloid lawyer organized a red carpet rollout for someone who wanted to accuse Judge Kavanaugh of masterminding some kind of high school drug and serial sexual assault ring,' said McConnell. 'This is how desperate some became,' said McConnell. But he vowed: 'One thing for sure: the Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh, here on this floor, this week. here on this floor, this week.' is planning procedural steps that could set up a vote on confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Sunday but an ongoing FBI investigation could throw off the timing. McConnell, who demanded speedy confirmation of the Supreme Court nominee after Christine Blasey Ford first brought forward her sexual assault allegations against the nominee, must attend to the wishes of three Senate Republican holdouts: Susan Collins, Jeff Flake, and Lisa Murkowski. His latest strategy is to move to end debate midweek, which would set up a vote to cut off debate on the Kavanaugh nomination on Friday. That in turn would set up a potential Sunday confirmation vote. 'But that timetable means the FBI investigation must be complete by Wednesday, and that's where the situation becomes dicey for McConnell,' Politico reported. The FBI was on track to quickly wrap up its probe under initial direction to interview just four witnesses. But the latest direction, after an outcry from Democrats and a few Republicans, instructed agents to follow the leads they deem fit. NBC had reported the FBI was authorized only to query only four people: witnesses to the alleged assault by Christine Blasey Ford, Ford herself, and fellow accuser Deborah Ramirez, under arrangements also made with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The others were Kavanaugh friend Mark Judge and P.J. Smyth, as well as Ford friend Leland Keyser, who Ford says attended the party where Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her. But Collins was among those arguing the FBI should be allowed to interview a third Kavanaugh accuser, Julie Swetnick, who is represented by Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti, and who claims Kavanaugh was present during a gang rape at a house party. Under an agreement reached with Flake and other holdouts, the White House gave the FBI instruction to complete its investigation by the end of the week. If the FBI does not finish its probe by Wednesday, McConnell and GOP leaders are likely to hold off until it is completed. As before, a key vote is Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Her spokeswoman, Annie Clark, said Collins, Sen. Jeff Flake, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski 'advocated for the additional background investigation because she believed that it could help the senators evaluate the claims that have been brought to the Judiciary Committee,' 'That would include the allegations that were brought by Julie Swetnick,' she told the Portland Press Herald. Senate Judiciary Committee member Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) (C) speaks with colleagues after a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on September 28, 2018, on the nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States FBI investigators 'can determine whom they need to speak with and should follow appropriate leads. Senator Collins was encouraged by the President's statements that he would give the FBI agents the latitude they need to do their work. It makes sense to start with the four named witnesses from the hearing and then the FBI can follow any leads that it believes need to be pursued, as Senators Flake, Murkowski, and Collins indicated at the time this agreement was made,' Clark said. McConnell's more deliberative pace is a departure from late September after Ford's bombshell allegations emerged. Kavanaugh has strongly denied them. 'In the very near future, Judge Kavanaugh will be on the United States Supreme Court,' McConnell vowed at a Value Voters Summit . 'So my friends, keep the faith, don't get rattled by all of this. We're going to plow right through it and do our job,' he said. Campaigning in first-in-the-nation primary state New Hampshire, Flake got asked what would cause him to oppose Kavanaugh. He responded by pointing to 'any evidence that corroborates' assault allegations, MyChamplainValley.com reported. 'Any nominee that lies to the committee, that is disqualifying,' Flake added. He also has called for a thorough investigation. 'It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover,' he told a Forbes summit. A new attack ad comparing Brett Kavanaugh to Bill Clinton, Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby has been launched by the American Civil Liberties Union. The 30 second clip points out that Clinton and Cosby both vehemently denied sex claims against them before they were found to be lying. It is part of a million-dollar effort by the nonprofit to persuade wavering senators not to back Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court amid sexual assault claims by three women. Brett Kavanaugh has vehemently denied sex assault claims brought by three women relating to parties he attended in the 1980s The ad also features images of former NBC anchor Matt Lauer and former 60 Minutes presenter Charlie Rose - who were also unseated from their positions amid sex scandals. Bill Clinton is then shown delivering the line that would see him impeached - 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman' - over his affair with Monika Lewinsky. Cosby is also featured, saying 'I have never seen anything like this' in relation to Andrea Constand, who accused the TV star of drugging and sexually assaulting her at his house in 2004. Cosby was found guilty of that crime last week and sentenced to between three and 10 years in jail. Kavanaugh is then shown during his hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, in which he says: 'I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation against me by Dr Ford.' A voice over says: 'As we chose a lifetime seat on our highest court, integrity matters, and we cannot have any doubt.' The ad then call out Senators Cory Gardner of Colorado, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Alaska's Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, asking them to vote 'no' on Kavanaugh. Bill Cosby denied knowing anything about allegations brought by Andrea Constand that he drugged and assaulted her at his apartment in 2004, but was found guilty last week Bill Clinton categorically denied having 'sexual relations' with Monika Lewinsky but was later shown to have lied about it (pictured speaking after being impeached in 1998) Christine Blasey Ford, a professor who accuses Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her in the 1980s, testified about the alleged attack in front of senators last week. She claimed that Kavanaugh had drunkenly tried to remove her clothes then put his hand over her mouth when she tried to call out, putting her in fear of his life. Kavanaugh then vociferously denied her claims, saying she was 'mistaken' about the identity of her attacker. He has also denied claims by two other women - Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick - who claim he exposed herself to him at a party and behaved inappropriately towards women at parties, respectively. On Monday Swetnick spoke to NBC in her first sit-down interview since her identity and allegations were revealed by attorney Michael Avenatti, who is representing her alongside Stormy Daniels. While at the parties, she claims he was often drunk and often inappropriate around women, including 'pawing' at them, trying to 'shift' clothing, and 'groping' them. Christine Blasey Ford (left) accuses Kavanaugh of attempting to rape her at a party in the 1980s, while Deborah Ramirez (right) claims he exposed himself to her at a similar party Julie Swetnick claims she was at several parties with Kavanaugh in the 1980s and saw him groping women and pushing them into walls while 'sloppy' drunk 'I saw him push girls into walls,' she said. 'He would pretend to be drunk and stumble and push them against walls.' Swetnick said she would often see Kavanaugh hanging around in groups of boys outside bedrooms at these parties, laughing and joking together. At the time, she says she thought nothing of the behavior - until the night she was allegedly gang-raped. Now she believes the boys were waiting in turns to attack women she says were inside the rooms. Swetnick claims she was the victim of one such rape, but cannot say whether Kavanaugh was one of her alleged attackers. His nomination has been paused for a week while the FBI conducts a background check, including interviewing Ramirez, though it is not though that agents will speak with Swetnick. That has led to allegations that the White House is seeking to limit the scope of the probe, though President Trump has denied this. He claims he instructed the FBI to interview whoever they deem appropriate as part of the investigation, with his only stipulation being that it is completed quickly. Kavanaugh's nomination has caused waves of protest around the country which the Democrats are hoping to carry over into the November mid-term, when they hope to win back control of the House and will try to take control of the Senate as well. Nepal's government has implemented a sweeping ban on all forms of pornography in its latest efforts to tackle the country's rape problem. A statement released by Nepal's Ministry for Information and Communication on Friday cited pornography as one of the primary drivers behind the country's rape problem. 'The Criminal Code 2071 article 121 and other prevalent laws prohibit the production and dissemination of sexually obscene contents. Nepali activist take part in whistle rally against rapes, in Kathmandu on April 4 this year as the number of cases has been rising rapidly 'In order to prevent the access of such content through electronic media, the need of pulling down such websites inside Nepal has become necessary,' stated the release from the ministry. As part of the measures, the government of Nepal issued an order requiring local Internet service providers to block all pornographic sites in the country. Providers are concerned about the prohibition of pornography, because it is difficult to implement new sites with adult content that appear almost every day, and the site has been blocked by one provider are not blocked by others. However, some providers of Internet services in Nepal have already started to block porn sites. According to government figures revealed in the Nepali Times in June, the total number of rape cases has increased four-fold in the past ten years. In 2016/17 there were 1,667 cases of rape compared to just over 400 a decade earlier - a rise of around 300 per cent. The grandchildren of a hospitalized elderly woman are facing murder charges after shooting her neighbor in the face because they believed he'd hurt her. Malcolm Jammal Woods, 27, and Kielah Shanae Parsons, 34, both of Rochester, Minnesota, appeared in court on Monday on second-degree murder charges. Police allege the pair knocked on neighbor Brandon Arndt's door in the early hours of September 10, believing their grandmother Rosetta Barnes had been hospitalized because she'd overdosed on illegal drugs he'd given her, The Post Bulletin reported. When he answered the door, police say Woods, who had covered his hands and feet in plastic bags, shot him in the face. Malcolm Jammal Woods (left), 27, and Kielah Shanae Parsons (right), 34, have been charged with murder after allegedly shooting their grandmother's neighbor in the face Brandon Arndt (pictured) had gone to check on Rosetta Barnes the day before she was hospitalized, but she declined to go in an ambulance Charging documents allege after the shooting, he threw the bags into a trash can and sold the gun. Arndt's mother, who was at his home at the time of the shooting, told police her son and Barnes had known each other, and he'd been looking out for her since she moved in a month before. Arndt, 38, helped the disabled 71-year-old with her medication and also did her groceries and odd jobs around the house. Two days before Arndt was killed, he had been to Barnes' house to check on her, after hearing her call for help. There, he had given her water and her prescription pack, but she had declined when he offered to have her taken to hospital. When her family found her, they believed she had become ill from taking illegal drugs given to her by Arndt, but police have not found any evidence of wrongdoing The next day, a family member called her an ambulance after finding her in what Rochester Police Captain John Sherwin said was a 'disturbing' condition. She was hospitalized soon after, leading the men to believe Arndt was repsponsible. Multiple family members showed up at Arndt's door that day accusing him of hurting Barnes, and he was reported to police - though there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on his part. Darien K. Klindworth-Woods, 19, also one of Barnes' grandsons, faces charges of aiding and abetting. He is accused of acting as a getaway driver for the shooting. Woods and Klindworth-Woods are believed to be half-brothers, and Parsons is their cousin. A Sydney council has proposed a ban on cats being allowed outdoors in a move to protect native fauna in the area and prevent defecation on the streets. Randwick Council, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, is planning to establish a committee that will research on how to decrease the number of cats loitering in the area. The council is also considering raising raise registration fees among cat owners and requiring them to keep their cats inside. Randwick Council, located in Sydney's eastern suburbs, proposed a ban on cats in a move to protect native fauna in the area and prevent defecation on the streets (stock image) Randwick Council, located in Sydney's eastern suburbs, is planning to establish a committee that will research on how to decrease the number of cats loitering in the area If implemented, penalties will also apply to owners who let their cats defecate in public spaces - a penalty which already exists for dog owners, according to 9 News. 'We're losing a lot of natural wildlife around parks because of what the cats are doing...because there's no responsible ownership and care factor,' Councillor Caros Da Rocha said. Others, however, disagreed and said cat owners should be trusted to look after their cats responsibly. 'To me its a no-brainer, our rangers have much more fitting issues to be dealing with rather than chasing after responsible cat owners in our city,' fellow Councillor Harry Stavrinos told 9 News. The council has yet to make a final decision on the matter. The Randwick City Council covers the following eastern suburbs in Sydney: Chifley, Coogee, Kensington, La Perouse, Phillip Bay, Maroubra, Little Bay, Randwick, South Coogee, Clovelly, Kingsford, Malabar and Matraville. A man has appeared in court charged with the stabbing murder of his ex-partner's new lover after he found out the pair secretly wed while he was in jail. Hung Ang Vu, 46, faced the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday, charged with murdering Hung Viet Nguyen, 44, in Sunshine West, Melbourne, in August last year. The 46-year-old is standing trial for the murder of Mr Nguyen and the attempted murder of his former partner Laura Chan, but he says he didn't intend to kill them. Scroll down for video Mr Vu is charged with the attempted murder of his former partner Laura Chan (pictured) in August 2015 Hung Ang Vu, 46 (centre), faced the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday, charged with murdering Hung Viet Nguyen, 44, in Sunshine West in August last year The court heard Vu stabbed both Mr Nguyen and Ms Chan in the chest after he found out they were having an affair. Vu and Ms Chan had been in a relationship since 2001 and had two children together, but when he was sent to jail Ms Chan started dating Mr Nguyen. The pair then secretly married and Mr Nguyen later moved into the family home, where he stayed until Vu was released from prison. Crown prosecutor Kevein Doyle said upon his return, Vu questioned his children about the relationship between his ex and Mr Nguyen 'and he was angry about it'. Mr Doyle described how on August 5 Vu allegedly arranged to meet with Mr Nguyen and Ms Chan to confront them about the affair rumours. 'He asked them how long they'd been together,' Mr Doyle said. 'Mr Nguyen tried to tell the accused: "It's not what you think". Vu allegedly stabbed Mr Nguyen and Ms Chan in the chest after he confronted them at the house in Sunshine West (pictured) in August last year 'The accused man became angry.' When the pair denied their relationship, the 46-year-old allegedly produced a hunting knife, which he plunged into the man's chest before stabbing Ms Chan. Vu then told one of his children to call for an ambulance, but Mr Nguyen allegedly bled to death on the kitchen floor before help arrived, 9News reported. It's understood Mr Nguyen died as a result of internal bleeding caused by the knife penetrating his heart. Ms Chan was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where she was allegedly treated for life-threatening injuries from which she survived. Mr Vu pleaded not guilty to the two charges and his defence barrister Stewart Bayles argued the stabbings were not intentional but rather an accident. 'He never intended to deliberately stab either of these two people,' Mr Bayles said. The trial continues. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." Donald Trump Jr. has accused Alyssa Milano of bullying 'black free-thinker' Kanye West. His rebuke was in response to the actress posting a gif of a cartoon Kanye with President Donald Trump's hair on Twitter, adding: 'Make Kanye Kanye Again.' She posted the image on Monday after the pro-Trump rapper sparked controversy during an appearance on Saturday Night Live over the weekend. Kanye expressed his support for the president in an impromptu speech wearing a 'Make America Great Again' cap before making a series of bizarre comments calling for the 13th Amendment to be abolished because it was 'slavery in disguise.' But the president's 40-year-old son quickly rushed to defend Kanye and slammed Milano as an entitled 'white liberal.' Scroll down for video Donald Trump Jr. (right) has accused Alyssa Milano (left) of bullying 'black free-thinker' Kanye West 'Shocking! It's almost like this white liberal thinks she's entitled to bully this black free-thinker into not being himself or believing what he wants,' he wrote. Milano responded with a link to her op-ed for CNN in which she explains why Americans 'cannot let Kavanaugh and Trump be the lasting face of who we are as a nation.' 'You should have someone read you my new op ed for @CNN,' she replied to Donald Jr. While the actress, a leading voice in the #MeToo movement, has been vocally critical of Trump for some time, Kanye has been openly supportive. His rebuke was in response to the actress posting a gif of a cartoon Kanye with President Donald Trump's hair on Twitter, adding: 'Make Kanye Kanye Again' While the actress, a leading voice in the #MeToo movement, has been vocally critical of President Donald Trump (pictured) for some time, Kanye has been openly supportive On Saturday Night Live, he closed the show singing a track off his last album while wearing one of Trump's signature red MAGA caps. After the live show ended, West stayed on the microphone and gave an impromptu speech about politics, again voicing his support for Trump. 'So many times I talk to a white person about this and they say, 'How could you like Trump? He's racist,'' West said, according to footage posted on Instagram by comedian Chris Rock. 'Well, if I was concerned about racism, I would have moved out of America a long time ago.' She posted the image after the pro-Trump rapper (left, with Adam Driver, center, and Kenan Thompson, right) sparked controversy during an appearance on Saturday Night Live He also accused the rival Democratic Party of seeking to keep people dependent on welfare payments and repeated his interest in running for president himself in 2020 - when Trump would face re-election. His speech was met with a smattering of applause but louder booing from the New York audience. But one New Yorker who didn't seem to mind though was Trump himself, who tweeted out his support Sunday - even though he said he had not seen the show. 'Like many, I don't watch Saturday Night Live (even though I past hosted it) - no longer funny, no talent or charm,' Trump wrote. 'It is just a political ad for the Dems. Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told 'no'), was great. He's leading the charge!' Kanye later posted a selfie (above) on Instagram and Twitter wearing the MAGA cap, suggesting the 13th Amendment - which outlawed slavery - be abolished Kanye later posted a selfie on Instagram and Twitter wearing the MAGA cap, adding: 'We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment.' He later added: 'The 13th Amendment is slavery in disguise meaning it never ended. We are the solution that heals.' Minutes later, he clarified: 'not abolish but. let's amend the 13th amendment We apply everyone's opinions to our platform.' Then, on Sunday, the rapper conceded he needed to do more research on the 13th Amendment which outlawed slavery after being asked to elaborate on his views by a TMZ reporter. Kanye has stunned fans by becoming one of the few celebrities - as well as one of the only prominent African Americans - to support Trump. He went to visit Trump in 2016 shortly after the rapper disappeared to seek mental health treatment. His wife, reality television star Kim Kardashian, has gone twice to see Trump at the White House. A court in the UAE jailed a woman for three months for looking through her husband's phone without him knowing. The woman's husband filed a lawsuit against her, accusing her of violating his privacy, and she was put on trial. A court in Ras Al Khaimah - the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates and known for its Arabian Gulf beaches - found her guilty. In his statement made against her, the man said his wife went through his phone and copied all the data to another device in order to search through the information at a later date. The woman's husband filed a lawsuit against her, accusing her of violating his privacy, and she was put on trial before being jailed for three months The husband made the complaint after his wife was said to have scrolled through his phone contents while he was asleep. She was said to have then transferred pictures and chats to her phone to show her siblings. She claimed her husband had given her his password and allowed her to look at his phone since she had caught him chatting with other women before. The UAE's has strict cybercrime laws, especially when it comes to protecting the privacy of individuals online. Some on Twitter defended the wife, with one poster added: 'If she wasn't suspicious over something, she wouldn't have gone through his phone. Isn't it shameful for him to jail his own wife?' But others said she deserved to be jailed, with one saying: 'She deserves this. No one told her to go through his phone.' Speaking to Emarat Al Youm, lawyers Raed Al Awlaki and Mohammad Jad Al Mawla explained that under the country's laws, it's illegal to go through anyone's phone without their permission. Even in married couples it is still an offence for either husband or wife to search each other's phone, even if one suspects their spouse of cheating. It is also considered a violation of an adult's personal online privacy if any of their information is looked at in secret by a partner, friend, relative, parent or work colleague. In August, president Sheikh Khalifa issued new cybercrime laws which could see criminals face jail terms of up to 25 years. A terminally ill man was jailed for more than two years today after he killed his healthy wife but then failed to successfully take his own life in a suicide pact. Frail Parkinson's disease sufferer Peter Rogers, 62, and distraught wife Jennifer, 56, decided to sell up two years ago and travel the world until their money ran out. Mrs Rogers could not face life without her husband and the pair sold their house in South Africa and travelled extensively, promising they would end their lives together. Peter Rogers (left), 62, who has Parkinson's disease, travelled the world with his wife Jennifer (right), 56, before stabbing her at a holiday let in Penzance, Cornwall But the pact failed because, after taking a handful of tablets each, Mr Rogers stabbed his wife to death before turning the knife on himself - only to survive. The couple were staying in a holiday let in Penzance, Cornwall, when they finally ran out of money after travelling around Europe, South America and the US. Mrs Rogers signed the joint suicide letter as her husband had become too frail to hold a pen, Truro Crown Court heard. The pair took a handful of tablets and Mr Rogers stabbed his wife before turning the knife on himself. Nigel Waller, owner of the holiday let, discovered what he presumed were two lifeless bodies when he went to check on the couple and then alerted police. It wasn't until an officer noticed Mr Rogers's fingers move that it became apparent his attempt to take his own life had failed. The prosecution accepted Mr Roger's guilty plea to manslaughter and dropped a previous charge of murder. Mr Rogers was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and will serve one year and three months. Jo Martin, QC, prosecuting, said that on March 17 of this year Mr Waller entered the property after receiving no answer to a knock on the door. He was confronted with the crime scene with a great deal of blood and two people seemingly lying dead. Miss Martin said: 'When police arrived Sergeant Smith noticed Mr Rogers' hand shaking and went to speak to him. 'Mr Rogers told Sergeant Smith his name and that he had taken ten tablets and had stabbed both himself and his wife. 'A post-mortem confirmed Mrs Rogers died of multiple stab wounds and during his interviews with police spoke freely and told officers that he and his wife had decided to commit suicide. 'At Camborne custody suite Mr Rogers told police it was planned for a long time because they could never be apart.' Jennifer and Peter were a loving couple, whose intention was to end their days together Detective Inspector Steve Hambly Police searches uncovered a suicide note whereby the couple stated their actions were voluntary and agreed the note was signed by Mrs Rogers because Rogers' was said to have been too frail to hold the pen. Miss Martin added: 'Two years ago Peter Rogers was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and given nine to ten years to live. 'They decided to sell their house and then travel until the money ran out. 'Visa issues prevented the couple from returning to South Africa. They travelled to the US, South America, Russia and Europe before coming to the UK. 'They came to Cornwall on February 22 and stayed at a hotel in Tintagel and then a cottage in Sennen but deemed it not anonymous enough to take their own lives so checked into the let in Penzance.' Both were said to have been scared but the decision was taken to end Mrs Rogers's life first as she feared waking up in hospital alive when her husband was dead. Miss Martin then went into detail of how the couple first tried to take Mrs Rogers's life by other means but she began to become uncomfortable. Rogers then stabbed her multiple times because, in his words, he 'made a promise and had to fulfill it'. He then unsuccessfully attempted to kill himself by other means before falling onto the knife and stabbing himself, which he had some difficulty doing due to his condition. Rogers, at that point, believed he had done enough and laid next to his wife to die. Miss Martin said that Mr Rogers said: 'I've broken my word, she's been so brave and I messed it up.' He also commented that it 'was harder than the website suggested', a reference to internet searches that had been conducted on the couple's iPad. Miss Martin concluded by saying others had described Mrs Rogers as 'a no-nonsense person who knew her own mind' and that 'all the evidence pointed to a suicide pact'. Defending Rogers, Ignatius Hughes, QC, agreed, saying: 'It was a suicide pact that went horribly wrong.' He said: 'He has spent six months or so in prison in failing health. He is 62 and was born in the UK but was in many ways a stranger to it. 'He was diagnosed with Parkinson's three years ago and his health is rapidly deteriorating. He recognises he doesn't have long to live. His one desire is to see his wife buried.' Sentencing Rogers, The Honourable Mr Justice Dingemans said: 'You and Jennifer met in 1995 and married in 1997. You were described as good and happy together. 'Two or three years ago you were diagnosed with Parkinson's and told you might have five to ten years to live. 'You decided to sell your house and travel together until the money ran out, then you would kill yourselves. 'You arrived in the UK, stockpiled [items to end their lives]. In March the money and your Parkinson's medication had run out and you decided to put the plan into action. 'It was agreed you would kill Jennifer Rogers first because she had a fear of waking up in hospital to find you dead. 'You believed you had inflicted the fatal wound and laid next to your wife to die.' Justice Dingemans noted how Rogers felt he had let his wife down by failing to kill himself before sentencing him to his prison term of which he must serve half. Speaking after the case Detective Inspector Steve Hambly, from the Major Crime Investigation Team of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: 'This sentencing marks the end of a complex police investigation into the loss of the life of Mrs Jennifer Rogers. 'The investigating team carried out an extensive investigation into the circumstances of this case, which saw Mr Peter Rogers sentenced to two years and six months for Mrs Rogers's death. 'The court made note of the fact that Jennifer and Peter were a loving couple, whose intention was to end their days together.' For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org for details. Iran has executed a former child bride for 'killing her abusive husband', two days after she gave birth to a stillborn baby fathered by a prisoner she married while on death row. Zeinab Sekaanvand was just 15 when she was forced to marry her abusive husband and at 17 she was jailed for his murder in 2012 after she confessed under torture. The 24-year-old could not be executed while she was pregnant, but as soon as the baby was delivered Iranian authorities could carry out the death sentence. And on Tuesday, two days after her child was delivered stillborn, she was put to death at the Euromieh central prison, in the city of Urmiya in northern Iran. Zeinab had married a fellow prisoner who fathered the child and was told by prison authorities this week her execution could take place in the coming weeks Zeinab Sekaanvand was executed today - two days after her child was delivered stillborn - in Iran The day before her execution Amnesty International warned Iran not to carry out the death sentence because 'she was subjected to a grossly unfair legal process'. Announcing her death, Amnesty tweeted today: '24-year-old Zeinab was executed in Iran this morning. She was a child when arrested & convicted after an unfair trial. She said male police officers tortured her in detention. Well issue a response soon. Pls RT & tell to stop sentencing children to death!' After the murder of her husband she was detained in a police station for 20 days where she was beaten by male police officers and 'confessed' to stabbing her spouse. He was said to have abused her physically and verbally for months and rejected her requests for a divorce, according to reports from Amnesty International. During her trial the court discounted Zeinab's claims that her husband frequently beat and abused her, a source told Human Rights Watch. Amnesty International found Zeinab's trial was 'unfair' as it did not comply with the Iranian penal code, she did not get access to lawyers, and did not provide a legitimate report that evaluates 'her mental growth and maturity'. The Iranian courts did not give her a retrial her after she turned 18, nor did they tell her she could apply for a retrial as part of a change in the law in 2013 which meant prisoners who commit crimes when they were children could have their hearing held again. Philip Luther, Middle East and North Africa Research and Advocacy Director at Amnesty International, last week called on the Iranian authorities to stop the execution, which he said was a result of an 'unfair trial'. Zeinab Sekaanvand was put to death at the Euromieh central prison, in the city of Urmiya in northern Iran Amnesty International called her trial 'unfair' and warned Iran not to carry out the death sentence He said before her death: 'The Iranian authorities must urgently halt their plans to execute Zeinab Sekaanvand. She was arrested when she was just 17 years old and sentenced to death for the murder of her husband, whom she married at the age of 15. Not only was she a child at the time of the crime, she was subjected to a grossly unfair legal process. 'She did not see a lawyer until her final trial session in 2014, when she retracted 'confessions' she had made when she had no access to legal representation. She also says that, following her arrest, she was tortured by male police officers through beatings all over her body. 'The authorities must immediately quash Zeinab Sekaanvand's conviction and grant her a fair retrial without recourse to the death penalty, and in accordance with principles of juvenile justice.' According to religious law and based on a notion of when children reach puberty, Iran considers girls as young as nine criminally liable and boys at the age of 15. But as a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran is obligated to outlaw the use of the death penalty on under 18s at the time they committed a capital offence. Former President Barack Obama's latest round of endorsements includes Democrat Rachel Crooks who is running for the Ohio House of Representatives in District 88 as a Democrat. Crooks burst onto the national political scene in 2016 when she accused Donald Trump of forcibly kissing her in an elevator when she was a young woman working at his namesake building in New York Trump Tower. Trump denies that the encounter ever took place, but Crooks and other women who came forward with her have nonetheless gained notoriety for their claims. Former President Barack Obama's latest round of endorsements included Democrat Rachel Crooks who is running for the Ohio House of Representatives in District 88 as a Democrat. Obama endorsed Crooks alongside a slate of other candidates. He did not single her out specifically or name the sitting president in the wave of midterm election endorsements. In a tweet that included a graphic listing the names of the candidates he's backing in their November elections he said: 'Today, Im proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who arent just running against something, but for somethingto expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote.' Crooks said in subsequent tweets, 'This has been an incredible day! What makes @BarackObamas endorsement so special is that his bid in 2008 was the 1st campaign I ever volunteered for. He won Sandusky County in 08 & 12, & then it went red in 2016.' 'To be endorsed by @BarackObama is indescribable. He is a man of integrity who served our country honorably for 8 years & continues to inspire us with calls for hope & unity,' she tweeted from her 'Rachel Crooks for Ohio' account. 'A million thanks to #PresidentObama for recognizing my campaign for #Ohio #HD88!' Crooks burst onto the national political scene in 2016 when she accused Donald Trump of forcibly kissing her in an elevator when she was a young woman working at his namesake building in New York Trump Tower In a formal statement, Crooks said through her campaign that Obama 'is a man of integrity who served our country honorably for eight years, and now continues to inspire us with calls for hope and unity' and that she proudly shares his 'progressive values and his vision for a government that reflects the people it serves.' Crooks' charge against the president is at the core of her campaign. She's running a 2-minute ad in Ohio that centers on the allegation and how it inspired her to seek office. She says in the ad, which is also posted to her Twitter account, 'At my first job out of college, I worked in Trump Tower, where I saw Mr. Trump, now our president. When I introduced myself, he shook my hand, and actually kissed me on the cheeks a few times. 'But then the held onto my hand and pulled me in and kissed me on the lips. Quite frankly that was a rude awakening to adulthood,' she states. Crooks was 22 and had just moved to New York from her hometown of Green Springs, Ohio, at the time. 'It of course didn't define me but it certainly impacted my life and now speaking out about it after I learned of so many other women who had the same encounter really made me feel and understand how important it is to speak up.' Trump denies the allegations from Crooks and others: 'I've been accused. I've been accused. False accusations,' he said at a press conference in New York Crooks alleges that the encounter took place when she was working as a receptionist in Trump Tower in 2005. The Republican president has been accused by women of engaging in affairs and inappropriate conduct with other women, including Stormy Daniels, around the same time. He married his third wife Melania Trump in January of that year. President Trump has denied the allegations and said last week that the charges from Crooks and other women affected his support for Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who he has continued backing amid a string of sex assault charges. 'I've been accused. I've been accused. False accusations,' he said at a press conference in New York. Crooks is campaigning to unseat Republican Representative Bill Reineke in an area that President Trump won in 2016. Reineke ran unopposed that year. He won the seat in 2014 with 59 percent of the vote to his Democratic opponent's 41 percent. Only once has the seat been held by a Democrat, from a period of 12 years from the beginning of 1983 to the end of 1994. The seat's incumbent Democrat was defeated in his reelection bid. San Francisco police are pleading with the public for help finding a mysterious driver who brutally assaulted a father when he mistook the man's car for a Lyft. Christopher Matthews, 39, was left with significant head trauma, hemorrhaging and multiple skull fractures. The father-of-two was with his wife Rebecca, 38, when they called for a Lyft around 11.30pm on September 8. Scroll down for video San Francisco police are pleading with the public for help with finding a mysterious driver who brutally assaulted father-of-two, Christopher Matthews, 39, when he mistook the man's car for a Lyft Christopher was with his wife Rebecca (both pictured), 38, when they called for a Lyft around 11.30pm on September 8. Rebecca said her husband was left with significant head trauma, hemorrhaging and multiple skull fractures Rebecca says his injuries mean he often doesn't recognize her. He has yet to see their two young children since the attack They were waiting for the ride when Christopher approached a white car, thinking it was the ride. But it wasn't. Surveillance video, released by San Francisco police, shows the moment Christopher leaned in for a few seconds before the driver got out. The driver then punched Christopher hard, causing him to fall straight back and slam his head against the concrete. The suspect then got back in the car, which has silver rims and a black roof, and sped off. Surveillance video, released by San Francisco police, shows the moment Christopher (pictured) leaned in for a few seconds before the driver got out The driver (left) then punched Christopher (seen falling) hard, causing him to fall straight back and slam his head against the concrete His panicked wife said she then ran to her bleeding husband (pictured on the ground) and held him while she called for help His panicked wife said she then ran to her bleeding husband and held him while she called for help. A short time later, Christopher was rushed to San Francisco General Hospital. According to a GoFundMe account, he was transferred to Zuckerberg SF General where he was treated for his injuries and released for rehab on September 12. Christopher suffered from a fracture on the back of his head and three on the front. He also had life-threatening bleeding in his brain and brain stem, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Along with the surveillance video, authorities released a forensic sketch of the suspect His wife said when her husband finally woke up, he could barely remember her. 'Some days I was only the girlfriend,' she told the Chronicle. 'Some days, he didn't know who I was. Some days he didn't know he had kids.' Rebecca says her husband hasn't even seen their two children, ages two and four. The pair married in 2011, three years after the insurance underwriter met the former ballerina IT professional. According to the GoFundMe page, since the assault, Christopher 'has shown good motor skills recovery'. 'However, his memory continues to be a work in progress where some days are better than others,' the page, which has raised more than $55,000, reads. Christopher is still at the rehab center where he is 'working with great doctors and nurses around the clock and making good, forward progress'. It's still unclear if he will make a full recovery, but his wife remains hopeful. 'I hope he can be the father I know he can be to our kids. But the brain is a different type of injury. There's no time frame for it,' she told the Chronicle. Along with the surveillance video, authorities released a forensic sketch of the suspect. Rebecca, who has lived in San Francisco for 12 years, is also sharing her husband's story as a warning to other residents. 'I feel like the city of San Francisco isn't the same,' she told the Chronicle. 'Be on your guard at all times.' San Francisco police are asking that anyone with information on this case to call the SFPD 24 Hour Tip Line at (415) 575 - 4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. An American Airlines flight was forced to divert on Monday night due to a 'drunk' and belligerent passenger who used the overhead baggage compartment to do pull-ups and verbally abused a flight attendant. Flight 2763 left Phoenix, Arizona, for Boston at 3.30pm local time. It was due to land in Boston at around 10.30pm but had to stop and let the man off in Kansas City, Missouri. According to other passengers, the man, who has not been named, boarded the plane with a woman and two dogs. He appeared to be drunk and was 'stumbling' on the aircraft, according to other passengers. American Airlines flight 2763 diverted on Monday night because of an 'unruly' and 'drunk' man who started doing pull-ups on the overhead baggage compartment and abusing flight attendants. He has not been named American Airlines insists that the man was not drunk when he boarded the plane. During the flight, the man got out of his seat and did pull-ups from the overhead baggage compartment. When a flight attendant approached him and told him to sit down, he became aggressive and shouted at her, they said. 'The flight attendant probably asked him three or four times to sit down and he refused to sit down and then he really got verbally abusive with her, starting calling her names,' passenger David Markoski told CBS Boston. The flight left Phoenix on Tuesday at 3.30pm local time and had to stop half-way through in Kansas City, Missouri, to let the man off. It was on the ground for around an hour then took off again for Boston and arrived on Tuesday at 1am local time The man called her 'names', they added, but they would not say what those names were. At Kansas City, security guards hauled him off the plane. His companion and their two dogs disembarked with him. He was escorted off premises but was not charged. American Airlines confirmed the diversion and said it was due to the man being 'unruly' but they would not share further details of the incident. The plane eventually arrived in Boston just after 1am on Tuesday morning. A dozen people were taken to hospital after a chemical spill at a nine-storey block of flats today. Emergency services were called to the scene in Abbey Wood, South East London, shortly before 6am. A total of 12 people were taken to hospital, according to paramedics, and a hazardous area response team was also sent to the scene near a Sainsbury's store. Emergency services were called to the scene at a block of flats in Abbey Wood this morning A London Fire Brigade spokesman said: 'We were called at 5.51am to reports of a suspected chemical incident in Tilston Bright Square. 'There appeared to be a chemical spill from a cleaning product and some people were taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.' The brigade sent three fire engines and three fire rescue units with specialist gear to the scene. The LFB spokesman said: 'We had approximately 25 firefighters on the scene. There was chemical detected. The incident was over for firefighters at 10.07am. 'We did a sweep of the building and we didn't find any elevated readings and then we would have ventilated the area and left the scene.' A London Ambulance Service spokesman said 12 people had been taken to hospital, and confirmed the hazardous area response team (HART) was also dispatched. Two incident response crews and three ambulance crews were also sent to the scene. A Scotland Yard spokesman said officers were not investigating the incident. A Delta Airlines plane was forced to abort its take-off from New York's JFK Airport on Monday night. The plane was hurtling down the runway when a warning light flashed up in the cockpit with an airspeed indication issue, forcing the pilot to abandon the takeoff. The aircraft had already built up a significant speed as it prepared to lift into the air meaning the pilot had to apply the brakes hard. The wheels began to overheat and set on fire as a result of the sudden stop. Delta flight 420, a Boeing B767, experienced a main landing gear fire at JFK Takeoff was aborted after a warning light flashed up in the cockpit. The brakes then overheated and the wheels had to be doused in foam to put out the fire Firefighters rushed to douse the wheels of the Boeing 767 aircraft in foam after the landing gear caught fire. Delta flight 420 was supposed to be travelling on a 10-hour flight to Accra, Ghana. However, the speed alert meant the pilot had to slam on the brakes which then caused the brakes to overheat creating the flames. The plane left the runway while emergency responders attended to the fire The small blaze was extinguished on the taxiway and no one was injured, a spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said. In total, 258 people 250 passengers, 8 crew members were evacuated via mobile stairs. A statement from Delta says the flight aborted a takeoff following an airspeed warning indication and while it was taxiing back to the gate the brakes overheated The case gained attention after lawyer Abdul Rahman Al Lahim (pictured) shared the couple's plight on Snapchat A Saudi woman has lost a judicial battle to marry the man of her choice after a court ruled him out on religious grounds because he plays a musical instrument. In some parts of the kingdom, a man who plays a musical instrument is considered to be of inferior status. The couple live in the ultra-conservative region of Qassim, north of the capital Riyadh. Two years ago the suitor, who is a teacher, asked for the hand of a 38-year-old woman bank manager, the Saudi newspaper Okaz said on Tuesday. But her family objected, saying he was not 'religiously compatible' with her because he played the oud, the oriental lute which is popular across the Arab world. But her family objected, saying he was not 'religiously compatible' with her because he played the oud, the oriental lute which is popular across the Arab world. As Saudi women cannot legally marry without the consent of their male guardians, the unnamed couple took their case to the courts. Women to seek permission from male 'guardians' - their fathers, husbands or other male relatives - to travel, speak to unrelated men and perform other tasks. A lower court weighed in on the side of the family, saying the marriage could not go through. A Saudi woman walks behind a man on a shopping street in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia 'Because the suitor plays a musical instrument he is unsuitable for the woman from a religious point of view,' the court said, according to Okaz. An appeals court ratified the verdict, making it final, the newspaper added. The woman told Okaz she will seek intervention from the country's 'highest authorities' - a reference to the royal court. The bank manager, who holds a masters degree and is responsible for more than 300 employees, said she was determined to marry her suitor, describing him as 'very pious and with a good reputation'. The story came to light after lawyer Abdul Rahman Al Lahim shared a video of himself discussing the couple's plight on Snapchat, Stepfeed reported. 'The case took place in Aneiza city and started when a woman visited me asking to sue her brothers who refused to allow her to marry a man who had proposed to her, because he once played oud (string instrument) and so wasn't considered religious,' he said. 'When the case went to court, a judge rejected it, agreeing with the cleric on the fact that the man wasn't fit to marry because he plays music and therefore, isn't religious enough. 'The story ends here because the man, who deserves a chance to defend himself before a court, was never given the chance to do that,' the lawyer added. Hours after Al Lahim's post, thousands of Saudi's began to debate the matter online. One Twitter user wrote: 'Whether you like it or not, music is haram (unacceptable in Islam) and that's mentioned in the holy Quran. I listen to music but I also don't deny that it's wrong to do that.' Another pointed out that: 'Marrying off an underage girl to an old man is permissible. The marriage of an adult woman and an instrumentalist isn't.' Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, pictured on September 30, is spearheading a reform campaign in the Kingdom, although many feel it does not go far enough Saudi Arabia has introduced a string of reforms over the past year aimed at improving the kingdom's image, spearheaded by the crown prince Muhammad bin Salman. The prince has opened cinemas, allowed women to attend sporting events and ended a longstanding ban on them driving. In April last year, the King also decreed that government agencies allow women to access their services without a male guardian's consent. But the kingdom continues to face criticism over a lack of tolerance of dissent, as well as the persistence of its male guardianship system which allows men to exercise arbitrary authority to make decisions on behalf of their female relatives. ARLINGTON, Va. The fiscal 2019 defense budget, part of a multiagency appropriations bill signed into law Sept. 28 by President Donald J. Trump, reflects the will of Congress to plus-up Navy Department ship and aircraft procurement. The law appropriates $606.5 billion for base defense spending and $67.9 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations funds, totaling $675 billion. This is $20.4 billion over fiscal 2018 funding levels and matches the fiscal 2019 request. The law, the first defense budget in 10 years that was passed before the fiscal year it funds began, added two littoral combat ships, two F-35B and four F-35C Lightning II strike fighters, two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft and seven MV-22B/CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor transport aircraft. The law deleted funding for two C-40A Skytrain II transport aircraft. The law funds 13 ships in 2019 at $24 billion, $2.3 billion more than the Navys request. These include: Two Virginia-class attack submarines ($4.3 billion) Three Arleigh Burke-class Flight III guided-missile destroyers ($5.3 billion) Three littoral combat ships ($1.6 billion) One expeditionary sea base ship ($647 million) One Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ($225 million) Two John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers ($1 billion) One towing, rescue and salvage ship ($80.5 million) The law also funded advance procurement for several ships: $350 million for an LPD Flight II amphibious transport dock ship $350 million for the LHA 9 amphibious assault ship $250 million to purchase an additional Arleight Burke guided-missile destroyer in fiscal 2020 $3 billion to support the construction of the Colombia-class ballistic-missile submarine Adds $18 million for industry studies and requirements definition for the Common Hull Auxiliary Multi-Mission Platform (CHAMP) to replace sealift and auxiliary vessels and directs the Navy to present an updated acquisition strategy for CHAMP. Aircraft funded for fiscal 2019 ($20 billion, $1 billion more than the Navys request) include: 22 F-35B and 13 F-35C Lightning II strike fighters ($3.5 billion) 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters ($1.9 billion) 10 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft ($1.8 billion) Nine E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft ($1.1 billion) Three MQ-4C Triton maritime patrol UAVs ($544 million) Two KC-130J Super Hercules refueler/transports ($150 million) 13 MV-22B and CMV-22B Osprey tiltrotor transports ($1.1 billion) Eight CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopters ($1 billion) 25 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters ($798 million) Six VH-92A presidential transport helicopters ($49 million) Sara Fuentes, staff vice president, legislative relations, contributed to this report. A Washington State woman has been charged with murder for allegedly killing her 75-year-old mother in the home they shared and then spending the day digging a grave for her in the backyard. Asenka Miller Wilber, 50, was escorted into Clark County Superior Court in a wheelchair on Monday and asked a judge to have her executed. 'I want the death penalty. Lethal injection, please,' Wilber said. 'The court does not want me alive, and neither do I.' Patricide charge: Asenka Miller Wilber, 50, has been charged with murder for allegedly beating her 75-year-old mother, Carole Hardin, to death during a fight According to a probable-cause affidavit, Wilber reportedly told detectives her mother, Carole Hardin, physically abused her throughout her life. Authorities said Wilber told them she and her mother fought last week in their Vancouver home and that she punched the elderly woman in the head until she stopped moving. She even checked the victim's pulse to make sure she was dead. Wilber spent the rest of the day digging a grave in her backyard. She only stopped when she became exhausted and went to a neighbor's house on Thursday to report her mother death. The neighbor called 911 to request a welfare check, and police who arrived on the scene in 14300 block of Northeast 80th Street found Hardin's body in the bedroom. In the yard they discovered a hole in the ground measuring several feet deep. After making sure Hardin had no pulse, Wilber reportedly began digging a grave in the backyard of their Vancouver, Washington, home (pictured) When police reviewed the contents of Wilber's phone, the came across photos taken after her mother's killing, which depicted the interior of the house and injuries to Wilber's hands and arms she had allegedly sustained during the fight. During Monday's hearing, the judge set Wilber's bail at $500,000 after prosecutors cited public safety concerns. Prosecutors said Hardin had obtained a restraining order against her daughter last year and filed to renew it, but the order was dropped when neither woman showed up for a court hearing. Wilber's attorney argued that Hardin may have been the aggressor in the altercation with her daughter and that the defendant was afraid of her. Wilber was brought into Clark County Superior Court in a wheelchair on Monday and asked the judge to give her a lethal injection In an interview with Fox 12, Hardin's friend Martha Suggs questioned Wilber's allegations of physical abuse, saying the 75-year-old woman was 'very petite.' She also said Hardin had talked to her about her daughter's mental health problems in the past. Wilber has been put on suicide watch in jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for October 12. KOIN reported that according to court records, Wilber was previously convicted of three counts of assault and felony harassment stemming from incidents dating back to 2013. This is the heart-pounding moment Florida police officers storm into a burning home and rescue four people trapped on the roof. Bodycam footage reveals the moment two Eustis police officers bust into the building at 6.16am on Saturday and help four residents stranded on the roof jump to safety as their front porch is engulfed in flames. The officers cough through the smoke and beam their flashlights around the room to search for victims yelling 'Anybody in here?' inside the home. Dramatic police bodycam footage displays the heroic rescue of four residents stranded on the roof of their burning Eustis, Florida home on Saturday In the video police are seen busting through the front door as the blaze is visible from the porch windows Coughing and shouting 'Anybody in here?' the officers looked for signs of victims The residents of the lower home had fled in the fire. However four residents were still stuck upstairs as the fire raged at 6.16am on Saturday In the clip once the officers locate the residents on the roof they order them to jump onto the hood of a nearby car where they helped catch them and bring them to safety. Officers can be heard shouting 'Jump quick! You have to jump quickly!' in the footage released Monday and obtained by ClickOrlando. But then resident Angelina Carnecchia, 22, freezes, leading officers to pull her legs and coax her to hop off the roof. 'Seeing someone literally pulling me out of a building that's burning ... you realize that's what happened. It was really serious and really scary. I want to try to reach out to them and thank them because without a doubt, they saved our lives,' she said. Eventually all the four of them were saved in the incident, suffering just a few scratches. The four residents took refuge on the roof and cops helped them jump onto a parked car Resident Angelina Carnecchia froze on the roof when cops urged her to jump down to safety. Angelina above being coaxed to hop onto a car below The residents (L-R) Thomas Rogers, Nick Tangusso, Angelina Carnecchia, and their fourth roommate lost everything in the devastating fire Resident Thomas Rogers said he was the first to discover the fire when he woke up early Saturday morning smelling smoke then realized flames had taken over the front door and porch. Frantically he woke up his three sleeping friends. Realizing they couldn't exit through the front door they broke a window and scrambled onto the roof to cry for help. 'I opened my door and it's full of white smoke in the hallway. I walked downstairs to our front door, opened it and the porch has flames taller than I am,' Rogers said to Click Orlando. 'While we were standing there, we realized, this is just waiting for me to die,' he added. The home was left completely charred in the fire that was ignited by an improperly disposed cigarette A fundraiser has been set up to help the four residents get back on their feet following the fire Resident Nick Tangusso, 21, said he was shocked by the speedy police rescue. 'I was surprised how fast they got there, because like, right when we smashed the window and stepped out, they were there,' he said. Three residents living in the downstairs apartment already escaped the fire by the time police arrived. The four residents lost everything in the fire as their home was charred in the blaze. A fundraiser has been set up to help them get on their feet and has already raised $550. The State Fire Marshal says the fire was accidental and ignited by an still-lit cigarette that was improperly discarded outside of the home. A former chief BlackBerry executive is raising the alarm over Google's plan to build the 'most wired community in history'. The plan envisions a dream city in Toronto where ice melts on contact from heated streets, sensors protect pedestrians from traffic, and driverless shuttles carry people to their doors. But smartphone pioneer Jim Balsillie believes the plan is too good to be true, echoing the privacy concerns of numerous Canadian citizens. 'The Waterfront Toronto executives and board are too dumb to realize they are getting played,' he said. Google affiliate Sidewalk Labs, a unit of Google's parent company Alphabet, has partnered with government agency Waterfront Toronto to bring the plan to life. Sidewalk Toronto's design for a proposed development of a rundown part of Toronto's waterfront, which would be done in partnership with Alphabet - Google's parent company Sidewalk Labs wants to completely transformed the run-down eastern waterfront of Toronto (pictured in an undated photo) It's a plan that Alphabet claims would 'fundamentally refine what urban life can be.' Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Toronto have proposed to erect mid-rise apartments, offices, shops, and a school on a 12-acre site as a first step toward what it hopes will eventually become an 800-acre development. The proposal has already won the favor of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who appeared with Alphabet's then-Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt to announce the plan in November. But some Canadians are rethinking the privacy implications of giving one of the most data-hungry companies on the planet the means to wire up everything from street lights to pavement. And some want the public to get a cut of the revenue from products developed using Canada's largest city as an urban laboratory. The plan is proposing 'all-weather infrastructure' to make parks and public plazas more 'comfortable, lively, and safe' It imagines a city where people can be dropped off at their doors by driverless shuttles Complaints about the proposed development prompted Waterfront Toronto to re-do the agreement to ensure a greater role for the official agency, which represents city, provincial, and federal governments. So far the project is still in the embryonic stage. After consultations, the developers plan to present a formal master plan early next year. Dan Doctoroff, the CEO of Sidewalk Labs, envisions features like pavement that lights up to warn pedestrians of approaching streetcars. There will also be flexible heated enclosures - described as 'raincoats' for buildings - that will be deployed based on weather data during Toronto's bitter winters. And robotic waste-sorting systems will detect when a garbage bin is full and remove it before raccoons descend. 'Those are great uses of data that can improve the quality of life of people,' Doctoroff said. 'That's what we want to do.' It also proposes new construction methods and flexible building designs that Sidewalk Toronto claims will cut housing costs But former chief BlackBerry executive Jim Balsillie is raising the alarm over Google's plan to build the 'most wired community in history' Sidewalk Labs promotional materials promise 'a place that's enhanced by digital technology and data, without giving up the privacy and security that everyone deserves'. Doctoroff said the company isn't looking to monetize people's personal information in the way that Google does now with search information. He said the plan is to invent so-far-undefined products and services that Sidewalk Labs can then market elsewhere. 'People automatically assume because of our relationship to Alphabet and Google that they will be treated one way or another,' he said. 'We have never said anything' about the data issue. To be honest people should give us some time. Be patient.' But that wasn't good enough for Julie Di Lorenzo, a prominent Toronto developer who resigned from the Waterfront Toronto board over the project. Di Lorenzo said data and what Google wants to do with it should be front and center in the discussions. She also believes the government agency has given the Google affiliate too much power over how the project develops. 'How can [Waterfront Toronto], a corporation established by three levels of democratically elected government, have shared values with a limited, for-profit company whose premise is embedded data collection?' she said. Many Canadians are fearing what kind of privacy implications the urban community could have. Pictured is Jesse Shapins, director of public realm with Google affiliate Sidewalk Labs, taking questions at a public forum about the proposed development on Toronto's waterfront One such issue Di Lorenzo raised was who will own the autonomous vehicles. 'Is the municipality maintaining the fleet or forcing you to share your vehicle?' she asked. Di Lorenzo also wondered if people who don't want their data collected will be allowed to live there. The concerns have intensified following a series of privacy scandals at Facebook and Google. A recent Associated Press investigation found that many Google services on iPhones and Android devices store location-tracking data - even if you use privacy settings that are supposed to turn them off. 'It gives all of us pause,' Waterfront board chair Helen Burstyn acknowledged. Bianca Wylie, an advocate of open government, said it remains deeply troubling that Sidewalk Labs still hasn't said who will own data produced by the project or how it will be monetized. Google is here to make money, she said, and Canadians should benefit from any data or products developed from it. In this Aug. 15, 2018 photo, post-it notes cover a wall labeled 'feedback' during a forum hosted by Sidewalk Labs regarding the development proposal 'We are not here to be someone's research and development lab, to be a loss leader for products they want to sell globally,' she said. Ottawa patent lawyer Natalie Raffoul said the fact that the current agreement leaves ownership of data issues for later shows that it wasn't properly drafted and means patents derived from the data will default to Google. 'We just can't be too trusting of corporations,' she said. But Burstyn, the Waterfront Toronto chair, said the upcoming master plan will address data concerns. The agency wants to make Toronto a global hub of a rising new industry, she added. 'Everybody gets worried about the digital and technology aspects that might run amok,' she said. 'I don't worry about that as much as I see the opportunities for developing a really interesting, innovative community.' Adam Vaughan, the federal lawmaker whose district includes the development, said debate about big data and urban infrastructure is coming to cities across the world and he would rather have Toronto at the forefront of discussion. 'Google is ahead of governments globally and locally. That's a cause for concern but it's also an opportunity,' Vaughan said. Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard's luxury Bahamas estate has been seized by authorities amid allegations of illegal dredging at the property. Nygard arrived at the Supreme Court of the Bahamas on Friday after the island's Deputy Provost Marshall and police officers seized the estate at Nygard Cay after earlier being denied entry. The court ordered the seizure after Nygard failed to pay almost $2.4 million in legal fees to Save The Bays, an environmental group that has been working to stop him from dredging the sea floor around his property, the National Post reports. The move is the latest in the Finnish-born designer's decade-long dispute with his neighbour billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacon. Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard appeared at the Supreme Court of the Bahamas on Friday (above) after his luxury Bahamas estate was seized amid allegations of illegal dredging The court ordered the seizure after Nygard failed to pay almost $2.4 million in legal fees to Save The Bays. Pictured, construction at the property Nygard, the chairman of Winnipeg-based Nygard International, and Bacon, own adjacent properties in Lyford Cay, a gated community on New Providence island. Bacon has long opposed Nygard's effort to expand his property in the Bahamas' gated Lyford Cay community, following a 2009 fire. Some environmental groups and residents have said an expansion may damage the surrounding ecosystem and beaches. Nevertheless, Nygard has more or less doubled the size of his property over the past 30 years, Fred Smith, a lawyer for Save the Bays, said. Smith claims Nygard's actions have limited the natural flow of sand to his neighbor's properties and a national park that is nearby. Nygard has also ignored an injunction prohibiting him from dredging three times, which has led him to be convicted of contempt of court three times, according to the Post. The move is the latest in the Finnish-born 's decade-long dispute with his neighbour billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacon. Bahamas' Deputy Provost Marshal, along with a team of police officers, enter Nygard Cay after its seizure 'Mr Nygard considers himself to be completely above the law in the Bahamas,' Smith told the newspaper. 'He's been running his little Republic of Nygard since the 1980s here.' Nygard's company said in a statement that the seizure of his property is 'illegal,' the Winnipeg Free Press reports. It was 'clearly an orchestrated publicity stunt to create an unwarranted false impression about Mr Nygard,' it says, adding the designer intends to sue those responsible. Nygard has previously alleged that Save The Bays is a 'front' for Bacon, who he claims wants Nycard Cay. Smith says that although Bacon is on the board of Save the Bays, the group doesn't exist only to fight Nygard's expansion plans. The feud between Nygard and Bacon began with a drainage issue in 2007, a Vanity Fair article said. But it escalated so much that two years ago, Bacon filed a lawsuit alleging Nygard had hired assassins to kill him and Smith. Bacon, the founder of Moore Capital Management LP in New York, accused Nygard in the lawsuit of engineering a 'malicious' smear campaign against him including street rallies, bogus YouTube videos, and attempts to falsely link him to arson, bribery, drug smuggling, the Ku Klux Klan and murder. Nygard has more or less doubled the size of his property over the past 30 years, Fred Smith, a lawyer for Save the Bays, said Bacon has since returned to New York and doesn't visit the island often because he fears for his safety, Smith said. At more than $50,000-a-night, Nygard Cay in the Bahamas offers one of the most expensive escapes in the world. The $50 million resort has in the past lured celebrities like Robert De Niro, Oprah Winfrey and the late Michael Jackson. The rich and famous come in search of luxury, privacy and sunny, 77-degree days. Nygard developed the five-acre property in 1987, designing it to host 20 guests inside 10 glass-walled cabanas facing the ocean. Nygard, who runs Nygard International, took 13 years to complete the Mayan-themed project, which includes a 50-foot-tall temple and a giant stone cobra that hisses steam. The flamboyant tycoon splits his time among his company's headquarters in New York, corporate facilities in Canada and the resort he created from the proceeds of his women's clothing business. By building the haven at the end of Lyford Cay, Nygard follows high-level executives Henry Ford II, the grandson of Henry Ford and former chairman of Ford; Ted Rogers, chief executive of Rogers Communications; and Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys "R" Us. While the glitterati get first priority at Nygard Cay, regular people can also book cabanas. The resort dispatches Hummers to pick up guests at the airport in nearby Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. Visitors have two of the jumbo sport-utility vehicles and drivers at their disposal during their stays. During the day, guests can explore the resort's beaches, palm trees and rainforest. There's volleyball, snorkeling, jet skiing, waterslides, basketball and a water trampoline for people looking for more activity. A 48-foot fishing boat is available to take visitors to see the parrotfish that roam the Caribbean's deep blue waters. Loungers can sign up for beachside massages, sip cocktails or soak in one of the property's dozens of hot tubs. Members of the 20-person staff are available to respond to visitors' requests. For entertainment, islandgoers can check out the 150,000-gallon aquarium or watch a movie in the 24-seat rainforest movie theater. Thrill-seekers can stop by the nightly shark feeding or have a chauffeur drive them to the Wyndham Nassau Resort & Crystal Place Casino, which is 15 minutes away, for some gambling. The cost to stay at Nygard Cay includes meals and drinks. Guests can dine in the resort's main entertainment hall, a massive structure whose walls and ceiling are made of 100,000 pounds of glass. This 32,000-square-foot space includes an opulent dining table that seats 24, a private breakfast room, a fully stocked bar, a game room and a five-star kitchen. At night, the temple becomes a smoking volcano whose steps are lit with flaming torches. Revelers dancing on the main hall's elevated floor can lose themselves in this modern Mayan kingdom. A heartbroken mother has shared a moving last photo of her baby taken just hours before his death, as his father awaits trial accused of brutally beating the little boy a year ago. Erica Lawrence, 21, said while she is devastated, she is happy that her one-year-old son Nathaniel was no longer suffering. 'When he did go, he was surrounded by loved ones, and it was nice to know that he's not suffering any more,' Ms Lawrence told 7News. After an entire year living with injuries allegedly sustained due to his father's abuse, little Nathaniel died at his Golden Bay home on Perth's outskirts on Sunday night. A mother has shared the last photo she took of her baby, as his father awaits trial accused of beating the newborn boy so badly he was left blind and catastrophically brain-damaged Nathaniel (pictured) was just six weeks old when he was allegedly beaten and suffered catastrophic injuries Homicide detectives have now stepped in to determine whether his death is linked to the assault from October 9 last year. 'Most of all, I'm really going to miss him. He brought so much joy,' his aunt, Cheyenne, said. At the time of the alleged attack Nathaniel was taken to Narrogin Regional Hospital south-west of Perth before he was transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital and later released. He suffered bleeding on the brain and blindness as a result of the alleged assault. Nathaniel's father Michael Ashley MacRae (pictured) was charged with grievous bodily harm at the time His father, Michael Ashley MacRae, 25, was charged with grievous bodily harm at the time of the incident. He pleaded not guilty and is currently behind bars awaiting trial. A Go Fund Me page was created for Nathaniel, with the intention of giving him the send-off he deserves. They have currently raised $770 of their $8,000 goal to provide Nathaniel with a funeral. '[Erica] is financially unable to cover funeral costs for her baby. Please help us lay this beautiful baby to rest and let his mum and sister and family focus on grieving,' it reads. 'He was always full of smiles, even though he endured so much,' his mother said. Police say the investigation is ongoing and while a cause of death has not been released they allege it is linked to the injuries the boy suffered last year. No further arrests or charges have been made at this stage. After months is speculation, Land Rover's much-awaited 21st century Defender replacement has been spotted on test - though lightly disguised. It has just started testing on open roads in camouflage ahead of going on sale in 2020. A spokesman for the company said: 'Jaguar Land Rover runs a wide range of engineering and technology development programmes. We are unable to comment on the specific nature of these programmes. However we can confirm that the Defender programme is progressing well and has reached an exciting stage of its development.' The Land Rover Defender has started testing on open roads ahead of going on sale in 2020 It comes as Land Rover celebrates its 70th anniversary by attending the Paris Motor Show The original Land Rover of 1948 was developed from a squiggled sketch in the sand Pushed on timings, a JLR spokesman, added: 'We can confirm that customers around the world will be taking delivery of and enjoying Defender again from 2020.' It comes as Land Rover celebrates its 70th anniversary by attending the Paris Motor Show. However a big question mark remains over whether the new Defender will be built in Britain, or abroad. JLR bosses have already warned that more production could be shifted overseas in the event of a hard Brexit. The company has invested in a massive new factory in Slovakia. A big question mark remains over whether the new Defender will be built in Britain, or abroad Jaguar Land Rover bosses have already warned that more production could be shifted overseas in the event of a hard Brexit . The company has invested in a new factory in Slovakia Speculation about the size, shape and timing of the new generation Defender - the original Land Rover of 1948 - has been rife since its production ended with a series of collectors' special editions. The Defender began as the original Land Rover and this year is celebrating its 70th anniversary. Loved by the Queen, driven by Winston Churchill and adored by millions loyal drivers including soldiers of the British Army and SAS - it was launched on April 30, 1948 at the Amsterdam Motor Show. The original Land Rover started life as a squiggle in the sand when, shortly after the Second World War, Rover director Maurice Wilks sketched out in the sand on a beach near his holiday cottage in Anglesey the workhorse vehicle he needed to replace the American army surplus Jeep he was then using. Shortly after the end of the Second World War, Rover director Maurice Wilks sketched out the original Land Rover in the sand on a beach near his holiday cottage in Anglesey, Wales The vehicle was needed to replace the American army surplus Jeep he was then using So in 1948 Britain's answer to the ubiquitous Jeep the Land Rover - was born and launched at that year's Amsterdam Motor Show as the world's first mass-produced civilian 4X4 costing 450. With post-war rationing and steel in short supply but masses of aluminium around, the vehicle was initially made with the lightweight metal. The original sage-green paint was acquired from a fighter plane factory. The first pilot pre-production model was called 'Huey' after its registration number 'HUE 166' and is fully working. Astonishingly, some three-quarters of the 2 million Defenders ever built since then are said to be still in regular use. Land Rover holds a royal warrant, as supplier to the royal household. The royal relationship with Land Rover goes back to 1948 when King George VI viewed the original Land Rover. In 1948 Britain's answer to the ubiquitous Jeep the Land Rover - was born and launched at that year's Amsterdam Motor Show as the world's first mass-produced civilian 4X4 Land Rover holds a royal warrant, as supplier to the royal household. The royal relationship with Land Rover goes back to 1948 when King George VI viewed the original Land Rover The Queen, who is regularly photographed at the wheel, took delivery of her first one shortly after coming to the throne in 1952 and has used Land Rovers ever since. The Queen used a specially adapted one for her first world tour in 1953, Winston Churchill was given one as an 80th birthday present at his home in Chartwell, while another was used for Pope John Paul II's tour of England in 1982. And shortly after ending his love affair with young Princess Margaret in the 1950s, former battle of Britain pilot Group Captain Peter Townsend set off on a 57,000 mile journey around the world in his short Wheelbase Land Rover Station Wagon which he completed in 1957 and chronicled in his book 'Earth, My Friend.' The Queen, who is regularly photographed at the wheel, took delivery of her first Land Rover shortly after coming to the throne in 1952 and has consistently driven them ever since Winston Churchill was given one as an 80th birthday present at his home in Chartwell Pictured: The current version of the Land Rover Defender with historic 'HUE' license plate The Defender became a regular movie star featuring heavily in the film Born Free (1966) about the story of Elsa the Lion. Defenders are still used today by the Born Free Foundation whose founder Virginia McKenna OBE was in the movie. Hollywood actor Steve McQueen was a fan. It also featured in the Angelina Jolie film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and in the James Bond movie, Skyfall. The Defender name itself can be traced back to 1990. It was created to avoid confusion with a new Land Rover launched the previous year called Discovery. Military versions of the Defender have seen service around the globe and the armed forces have purchased almost 200,000 variants of the UK built Land Rover with the most famous being those used by the SAS in the desert, nicknamed 'pinkies' after their painted camouflage colour designed to blend with the dunes. To cheering and applause from the workforce at Land Rover's Solihull factory near Birmingham, the final Land Rover Defender 4X4 drove off the production line in January 2016 and joined the firm's heritage collection. A radical new generation Defender is to be launched next year. The Defender became a regular movie star featuring heavily in the film Born Free (1966) It featured in the Angelina Jolie film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and in the James Bond film Skyfall To mark the final year of the classic Defender Land Rover launched a series of official special editions ranging in price from 27,800 to 61,845. At the Frankfurt Motor Show seven years ago Jaguar Land Rover signalled how potential hi-tech replacements for the Defender would look, unveiling a macho, open-topped off-roader - codenamed DS100 Sport - designed to be as useful off-road as the trusty original. It also showed off a more fun-packed version looking like a beach-buggy, as well as a more practical workhorse version. In January, Land Rover announced plans to 'sympathetically renovate' the world's most historically significant unrestored model one of three pre-production cars from the original Amsterdam motor show launch on 30th April 1948. It will take the stage at the Land Rover Classic event alongside its closest modern relative the 405PS Defender Works V8 revealed earlier this year, of which only 150 will be produced. The French soldier who allegedly BASE-jumped off a 250 metre Sydney crane after breaking into a construction site is set to be deported from Australia. Jonathan Perherin, 24, is alleged to have parachuted over a busy motorway and Darling Harbour before landing on Darling Drive in Pyrmont in the early hours of Tuesday. 'He'll be removed from the country as soon as his court proceedings are finished,' Superintendent Mick Fitzgerald told reporters. 'He could easily have killed himself or others.' Perherin is an avid base jumper who has completed jumps all over the world and form a number of cranes Jonathan Perherin (pictured) said he has no regrets about his alleged base jump from a crane in Sydney's CBD in the early hours of Tuesday morning Perherin, who NSW Police say is a professional BASE jumper, was nabbed by rangers and handed to officers before he was charged and granted conditional bail. 'He's allegedly a former French Foreign Legion soldier, or that's what he claims, and he claims that he is experienced, but the fact is that his equipment was faulty,' Superintenden Fitzgerald said. Perherin, who has previously shared videos on his Facebook page of himself jumping off structures, has no regrets. 'No, because I do what I like, I know this is forbidden, but I don't regret because I'm alive,' he told Network Ten. He said the tears in his parachute were not there before he jumped. 'It's not me who made this, because if I jumped with this hole, I will die.' The former soldier said his experience in the French military (pictured) had taught him to jump safely 'It has many lights, it's a beautiful place. Every day I say f*** I want to jump this crane,' Perherin said Perherin said he passed the crane every day on his way to work. 'It has many lights, it's a beautiful place. Every day I say f*** I want to jump this crane.' When asked if it was illegal to BASE jump in NSW, the attorney-general's office referred AAP to the Summary Offences Act which states: 'A person who risks the safety of any other person as a consequence of abseiling, jumping or parachuting from any part of a building or other structure, is guilty of an offence.' Police claim Mr Perherin (pictured) climbed to the top of a crane before preparing his gear and jumping off, parachuting over several lanes of traffic Australian BASE Association president Gary Cunningham says while it's important thrillseekers respect the law advocates are 'disappointed' it's so difficult to get permission to BASE jump here. 'It occasionally leads to people doing jumps like the one this morning,' he said in a statement to AAP. Mr Cunningham, who is an experienced BASE jumper, says the very real risks associated with the sport mean participants need regular practice to maintain their skills. He called on authorities to open up more areas where people can jump safely. 'Most people only get four weeks holiday per year to travel overseas to places where they can legally jump,' he said. 'Not being able to practice for the rest of the year just leads to a decay in our skills and knowledge and makes it more dangerous than it should be.' Perherin is scheduled to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on October 17. An Oklahoma principal accused of using a wooden paddle to spank two elementary school students, ages 10 and 11, has been charged with child abuse. Pittsburg County court records indicate 50-year-old Gary Gunckel was charged with two counts of child abuse by injury on Friday. Gunckel is the principal at Indianola Public Schools Elementary. Oklahoma principal, Gary Gunckel (pictured), 50, who was accused of using a wooden paddle to spank two elementary school students has been charged with child abuse He has been accused of 'using unreasonable force' on September 6 when he paddled the students, according to theMcAlester News-Capital. According to an affidavit, both boys were bruised by the beating. The mother of one student contacted PittsburgCounty Sheriff's Deputy Cody Vaughn regarding her son being struck with a paddle, according to the News-Capital. Vaughn said the mother told him that her son had gotten into a spat with the other boy from school that included several threats. The mother reportedly told the deputy that she spoke with Gunckel and had given him permission to give her son two swats. She also confirmed that her son did receive two swats. Indianola Superintendent Adam Newman says Gunckel has been placed on administrative leave But the mother said it wasn't until her son complained of his bottom hurting that she observed bruising with whelps on his buttocks. The mom told the officer that she felt the bruising was excessive, according to the News-Capital. The mother of the second child also claimed her son had bruising on his buttocks. Both mothers then agreed to file a joint incident report about the paddling. Authorities said photos were taken of the children's buttocks and showed dark bruises covering both cheeks 'and even some bruising on the spine area and tailbone'. Indianola Superintendent Adam Newman said in a press statement that Gunckel has been placed on administrative leave 'while the legal process determines the outcomes'. The statement goes on to say that 'Mr. Gunckel followed district policy'. 'In addition to following district policy, all administrators are asked to contact parents and offer alternatives to the discipline options. 'While the district has a policy in place that outlines the student discipline, including the types of discipline methods available for administrators to utilize, the administration will seek out input from our community and parents, to determine their thoughts and opinions on whether or not we will move to change the discipline policy,' the statement added. Gunckel hasn't returned a telephone call seeking comment. Court records don't list an attorney who can speak on his behalf. A preliminary hearing conference is scheduled October 12. Advertisement Theresa May turned on Boris Johnson for what her aides called his 'grotesque self-indulgence' after his excoriating attack on her Brexit plan and will today call for her party to unite against Jeremy Corbyn. Boris Johnson used a speech to cheering activists at the Tory conference to savage Mrs May's record on Brexit, tax and housing, and even accused her of cheating the electorate. Mr Johnson criticised the Prime Minister during a 40-minute address which was attended by 22 Tory MPs including former cabinet ministers David Davis, Iain Duncan Smith, Priti Patel and Owen Paterson and senior Tories Sir Bernard Jenkin and Zac Goldsmith. He condemned Mrs May's Chequers plan - which prompted his resignation and that of Mr Davis in July - and warned that the deal was 'politically humiliating' and suggested the 'ultimate beneficiary' would be the far Right and Ukip. 'This is not pragmatic, it is not a compromise, it is dangerous and unstable politically and economically,' he said. 'This is not democracy, it is not what we voted for. 'This is an outrage. This is not taking back control. This is forfeiting control.' But Mrs May and her allies hit back, accusing the former foreign secretary of putting his own career ambitions ahead of the national interest. The Prime Minister said the former foreign secretary wanted to 'tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland' by undermining all the progress she had made on Brexit. Allies of Mrs May rallied to her side and accused Mr Johnson of acting in his own 'self-interest', lacking 'credibility' and not being 'serious' enough to lead the country, but the Prime Minister is now under pressure from ministers to set a timetable for her departure, it has been claimed. One Cabinet minister said: 'His so-called plan is not serious - it's just gross self-indulgence.' Theresa May branded Boris Johnson's performance at the Conservative Party Conference a 'grotesque self-indulgence' The Prime Minister (pictured at Tory conference today) said the former foreign secretary wanted to 'tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland' by undermining all the progress she had made on Brexit Mrs May will today try to rally the Tory faithful today with an upbeat assessment of the UK's post-Brexit future and call for unity against the 'appalling' Jeremy Corbyn, saying: 'I passionately believe that our best days lie ahead of us and that our future is full of promise. 'Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes: we have everything we need to succeed.' And she will turn her guns on Labour, saying: 'Millions of people who have never supported our party in the past are appalled by what Jeremy Corbyn has done to Labour. 'They want to support a party that is decent, moderate and patriotic. One that puts the national interest first, delivers on the issues they care about, and is comfortable with modern Britain in all its diversity. We must show everyone in this country that we are that party.' Mrs May will say Brexit presents a 'moment of opportunity' while warning protectionists in her party that the Tories need to be 'a party of patriotism not nationalism'. The Prime Minister is also set to announce that Chancellor Philip Hammond will freeze fuel duty by scrapping a planned 2p-a-litre rise in his upcoming budget. Abolishing the inflation linked increase next April is set to save motorists 1.20 every time they fill up a 60 litre average tank. Amid her calls for unity she is due to say that the fuel duty freeze proves to workers that the current government are 'on their side'. But sources claim it is now a question of 'when not if' Mrs May resigns as Prime Minister. The Telegraph reported discussions have begun about when she should be ousted if she refuses to go before the next election. Some Cabinet ministers say she should go immediately after the UK leaves the EU next March - while others would give her until 2020 if she used the next Tory conference to announce a departure date. One Cabinet source told The Telegraph: 'There are two schools of thought in the Cabinet. One possibility is that she will be forced out straight after we leave the EU in March next year to bring in a new broom who can rebuild the party before the next election. 'But there is a growing feeling that she could be allowed to stay on for longer than that, to get Brexit completely done and dusted so that the next leader can focus completely on domestic policy. 'That would mean she would be given one more party conference in a year's time, but she would need to use that conference to announce when she intended to stand down.' Another source said: 'One of the reasons she may be allowed to stay on until 2020 is that most of the party still doesn't think there is an obvious candidate to replace her who would command widespread support. 'Waiting a little longer would give a younger candidate, maybe someone no one is yet talking about, time to garner support. 'If you want the party to feel new and fresh going into the next election, you don't necessarily want someone to be leader for more than a couple of years beforehand.' In his speech (pictured), Boris Johnson warned that Britain had to show 'self-belief' and stand up for 'freedom', as well as jibing at Philip Hammond over dodgy Treasury forecasts When previously asked if she agreed with Chancellor Philip Hammond that Mr Johnson would never be prime minister, she replied: 'This is not about the jobs of politicians. This is about the jobs of people out there in our country.' Mr Johnson delivered a stark ultimatum that Mrs May must 'chuck' her Chequers plan, raging that it denied the result of the referendum and could even be illegal. At a packed rally at Tory conference in Birmingham, he suggested the 'backstop' agreed with the EU as part of the divorce package should be dropped and the government should push for a looser Canada-style trade deal. But in a round of interviews Mrs May made clear her anger at the intervention, saying: 'There are one of two things that Boris said that I'm cross about. 'He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. 'Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. We are all - he and I and all members here are members of the Conservative and Unionist Party. 'That's because we believe in the Union of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is part of that Union. 'We have a guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland and we are upholding that. Our Chequers plan does that. It is the only plan on the table at the moment that does.' Mrs May said she had not watched the speech, but was 'cross' about the content - pointing out that Mr Johnson had been part of the government that agreed the terms of the withdrawal package with Brussels in December. Mr Johnson's barnstorming performance was hailed by Tory Brexiteers - and underlined his appeal to the party's rank-and-file.. In a tough message to the premier that provoked cheers from activists, Mr Johnson said he was asking 'one last time' for the Government to switch back to the 'original plan' the PM set out at Lancaster House. He said: 'For one last time, I urge our friends in government to deliver what the people voted for, to back Theresa May in the best way possible, by softly, quietly, and sensibly backing her original plan.' Slamming his fist on the lectern, Mr Johnson said the decisions on the UK's future could not be 'fudged' as Brussels would merely take the opportunity to force the reversal of the 2016 referendum. 'Do not believe that we can somehow get it wrong now and fix it later get out properly next year, or the year after. Total fantasy. The opposite will happen,' he insisted. The row came as Mrs May prepared to use her keynote speech to call for unity against the 'appalling' Jeremy Corbyn Mrs May put a brave face on the Brexit divisions wracking the Conservatives today. She is pictured with party chairman Brandon Lewis (front left) and husband Philip (rear centre) The hall at the conference centre in Birmingham was packed for Mr Johnson's keynote address today Former Brexit Secretary David Davis (pictured centre) was in the front row for Boris Johnson's speech in Birmingham today, along with leading Eurosceptic MP Steve Baker (left) and Anne-Marie Trevelyan (right) Organisers had to open another tier in the hall to accommodate the demand today, with around 1,500 people squeezing into the hall. Eurosceptics including David Davis, Steve Baker, Priti Patel, Iain Duncan-Smith, Owen Paterson and Jonathan Redwood were in the front row. Mr Johnson's father Stanley and sister Rachel were also in the crowd. DUP leader threatens to kill May's Irish border backstop fudge DUP leader Arlene Foster pictured centre at Tory conference today DUP leader Arlene Foster threatened to kill Theresa May's compromise plan for the Irish border backstop before it has even been finalised today. The PM has been struggling to find a way through the impasse with the EU over how to ensure there is no hard line between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit. She has flatly rejected a call from Brussels to keep the province within its customs jurisdiction after the rest of the UK leaves. But there has been mounting speculation that the government will try to fudge the issue by accepting more regulatory checks - addressing the EU's fears about undermining the integrity of the single market. The 'backstop' for avoiding a hard border is the biggest obstacle to striking an agreement on the divorce package, and Mrs May has vowed to bring forward a new plan soon. Advertisement Mr Johnson blasted: 'What the Chequers proposals show is that the United Kingdom, for all its power and might and network of influences around the world, for all its venerable parliamentary history, was ultimately unable to take back control. 'And instead of reasserting our ability to make our own laws, the UK will be effectively paraded in manacles down the Rue de la Loi like Caractacus.' Mr Johnson said 'after 1000 years of independence this country might really lose confidence in its democratic institutions'. He said he was devastated that 'we should be so demoralised and so exhausted as to submit those institutions forever - to foreign rule'. 'If I have a function here today it is to try, with all humility, to put some lead in the collective pencil, to stop what seems to me to be a ridiculous seeping away of our self-belief, and to invite you to feel realistic and justified confidence in what we can do,' he said. Mr Johnson warned that pushing ahead with the Chequers blueprint could fuel far-right and far-left sentiment in the UK. 'If we get it wrong, if we proceed with this undemocratic solution, if we remain half-in half out, we will protract this toxic tedious business that is frankly so off-putting to sensible middle of the road people who want us to get on with their priorities,' he said. 'If we cheat the electorate and Chequers is a cheat - we will escalate the sense of mistrust. 'We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the chequers deal will be the far right in the form of Ukip.' In a sharp swipe at Mr Hammond, Mr Johnson said the party must not try to chase Jeremy Corbyn on tax and spend. The Chancellor said yesterday some taxes would rise to fund extra spending on the NHS announced by Theresa May in the summer. Mr Johnson said: 'We should set our taxes at the optimum rate to stimulate investment and growth, and we should be constantly aiming not to increase but to cut taxes. 'Mindful of the insight of the great 14th century Tunisian sage Ibn Khaldoun picked up by Arthur Laffer that you can often cut taxes to increase yields. 'We should have as our objective as soon as possible to cut taxes for those on low and modest incomes, because it is Conservative to give people back control of their money.' Slamming his fist on the lectern, Mr Johnson said the decisions on the UK's future could not be 'fudged' as Brussels would merely take the opportunity to force the reversal of the referendum Mr Johnson went down a storm with Tory rank-and-file in the hall - but has faced a major backlash from senior ministers Mr Johnson's father Stanley (left) and sister Rachel (right) took selfies in the hall as they waited to hear his words today Mrs May has tried to shrug off the challenge to her Brexit plan from Mr Johnson and a group of angry Tory Eurosceptics Former Tory leader Iain Duncan-Smith who was sat in the front row watching Mr Johnson heaped praise on the speech and warned Mrs May the Tory party ousts leaders who do not listen to its members. Asked if Mr Johnson could be the next Tory leader if the PM refuses to ditch her Chequers plan, he said: 'The beauty of the Conservative Party and why it is the longest standing political party and most successful political party pretty much in the developed world is because it knows when it has to make a change. 'It gets to that point and discovers that actually, the party's collective intelligence is telling the leadership you are in the wrong place. 'Sometimes, and I have stood as leader myself, you need to recognise that they are saying something to you. Tory chief says MPs lie publicly about formally trying to trigger leadership contest Some Tories lie publicly about having written letters demanding Theresa May be ousted as leader, a senior figure revealed today. As chair of the 1922 committee, Graham Brady is obliged to call a vote of no confidence when he is notified in writing by 15 per cent of the party's MPs. But at a fringe event in Birmingham Mr Brady revealed he had seen politicians talking about sending him letters that he never received. 'There are instances where I will see a Conservative colleague on the television saying they have written a letter to me when they haven't,' he said. 'I will see them on the television saying they had withdrawn the letter to me, when they haven't sent it in the first place. 'You have to be careful what you believe.' Advertisement 'And you need to bear that in mind because not just them, but vast swathes of the country are saying be proud, we are British, we don't need to be on bended knee to the EU, we don't need to be begging them for deals, we need to be telling them that if you want to do business with the fifth largest economy in the world you have got to come to us and tell us what you are going to do to make that deal.' Mr Duncan-Smith praised Mr Johnson for spelling out an upbeat Brexit message. He said: 'He was also very clear that he wanted to support the prime Minister but on the Lancaster House speech in other words standing up to take control of our rules our laws and our borders and Chequers does no deliver on almost every area where we become rule takes rather than rule makers. 'And I think this is a message to the Government look, you can see this hall could have been filled half again by people wanting to hear an upbeat message about who we are and where we are going. 'And I have to tell you, I want the Prime Minister to reflect that tomorrow. 'We tried she sent Chequers to the EU and they said they didn't like it. 'We need to tell them now if you want free trade, you have got to break the backstop nonsense, otherwise we are going to WTO. 'She would get a standing ovation and the country will back her because they want to get out, that is what they voted for.' He hit back at Tory MPs who say Mr Johnson has been overreaching himself, saying: 'I think some of my colleagues in government have been under reaching themselves and therefore they needed a little lesson in what politics is all about. 'Politics is about delivering what people ask for. We had a referendum the biggest turn out ever in British history and they voted to leave and they wanted to get on with it.' Tory MP and leading Brexiteer John Redwood said the PM must listen and take heed of Mr Johnson's words gesturing to the 15,00-seater auditorium behind him he said: 'This is the heart of the nation, and the heart of the party. 'This is not some fringe element, this is what 17.4 million people voted for and we want to leave now.we want to get our control back. 'We voted to be a free and open democracy and we are fed up with not being able to run our own borders.' Activists had queued round the block at the conference in Birmigham to see Mr Johnson's dramatic intervention Mr Johnson was accompanied by supporters including Chris Green -front left) and Anne-Marie Trevelyan (right) Mr Johnson was flanked by MPs including Conor Burns (left) as he made his first appearance at the Tory conference this year Former Brexit minister Steve Baker told Sky News said that the PM must finally listen to her critics and ditch Chequers for the 'national interest'. Asked what will happen if she does not, he added: 'The truth is the clock is running down to March 29 we really don't have time to burn.' 'We are all pulling out all the stops to make it clear that members here at conference want a different policy, and members of Parliament in the party want a different policy, to really, really implore the Prime minister to change that policy because we really don't have time to waste.' But Justice Secretary David Gauke said: 'Boris always attracts lots of attention but now is the time for a credible and serious plan, and credible serious leadership. 'We have that from Theresa May. I think there are others who would struggle to provide that type of leadership.' Some of the activists who attended were also less categorical about their endorsement of Mr Johnson. Reacting to the speech, David Drew, who sits on Test Valley Borough Council, said: 'Boris is a great performer. He obviously wowed the crowd. 'I was a little concerned when he got such applause for saying we should chuck Chequers because I think it's a starting site.' Asked if Mr Johnson would be the next party leader, he replied: 'I doubt it. I'm not even sure he will get on the ballot paper.' Carol York, a party member from Mid Sussex, said it was a 'good, rousing speech'. She added: 'It was very good and he supported Theresa May as well.' Warning of the danger of leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement, business minister Claire Perry told Sky News: 'No deal is a recipe for a catastrophic series of consequences. 'It's also a way of crashing the economy and doing great damage to our most productive industries. 'We have to be prepared for it and we are preparing for it.' Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said: 'Claire Perry speaks the inconvenient truth - no deal would be a disaster for the UK. 'But she must be just as candid in admitting that Chequers would be nearly as damaging. 'That is why we need a final say on the deal and a chance to exit from Brexit.' Brexiteer MP Priti Patel (left) and Mr Johnson's father Stanley (centre) were seen applauding - but sister Rachel (right) seemed less impressed The speech by Mr Johnson was easily the hottest ticket at Conservative Party conference in Birmingham today A clearly tetchy Mrs May was repeatedly grilled over her rival's manoeuvring during a round of interviews this morning - but tried to ignore the questions by talking about her other priorities. With a grim smile, Mrs May said she expected Mr Johnson's speech to be a 'lively event'. But she insisted she was focused on improving opportunities for young people and delivering her Brexit deal. Downing Street made a bold bid to distract from the circus around Mr Johnson today by unveiling the government's post-Brexit immigration policies, saying EU nationals will in future be treated the same as people from all around the world. Meanwhile, the PM's allies launched a series of vicious barbs at the ambitious politician - with one bald MP joking that he would be 'washing my hair' rather than watching Mr Johnson speak. Mrs May appeared not to know exactly when Mr Johnson was speaking as she referred to an 'evening' event when he is actually due on stage at 1pm A Georgetown University professor of political science had her Twitter account suspended on Tuesday after writing that white Republican senators who supported Brett Kavanaghs nomination for the US Supreme Court deserve to be castrated and put to death. Dr Carol Christine Fair, 50, an associate professor in the Security Studies Program within the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at the prestigious Washington DC school faced backlash after unleashing a scathing rant at the GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Twitter on Saturday. 'Look at [this] chorus of entitled white men justifying a serial rapists arrogated entitlement,' Dr Fair wrote. 'All of them deserve miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. Bonus: we castrate their corpses and feed them to swine? Yes.' Not mincing words: Georgetown University professor Carol Christine Fair was booted form Twitter on Tuesday, three days after sending out this incendiary tweet Dr Fair, 50, is an associate professor in the Security Studies Program within the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at the prestigious Washington DC school Dr Fair sparked backlash after tweeting that the GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee (pictured) deserved 'miserable deaths.' She previously called them 'swine' On Monday, Georgetown sent a statement to DailyMail.com cautiously defending Dr Fair's right to private free speech, while at the same time condemning uncivil and disrespectful discourse that is inconsistent with our values. Our policy does not prohibit speech based on the person presenting ideas or the content of those ideas, even when those ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable, the statement said. While faculty members may exercise freedom of speech, we expect that their classrooms and interaction with students be free of bias and geared toward thoughtful, respectful dialogue. Earlier this morning, Twitter suspended Dr Fair's account, presumably for violating the site's rules pertaining to abusive or threatening behavior. Twitter reserves the right to suspend a user's account temporarily or permanently. A user whose account has been suspended can file an appeal with Twitter. Saturday's tweet was not Dr Fair's first foray into the national controversy surrounding the Supreme Court nominee who has been accused by Dr Christine Blasey Ford of attempting to sexually assault her in 1982, when both were teenagers. Dr Fair has called the GOP 'filthy swine' for supporting Brett Kavanaugh's nomination A week prior, the outspoken professor lashed out at Kavanaugh on Twitter, calling him a 'rapist' and slamming Republicans as filthy swine' who belong to a 'f***ing death cult.' When a reporter with the conservative news site Campus Reform reached out to Dr Fair in writing seeking comment, the professor attacked the publication and the journalist in a vitriolic screed on her personal blog, Tenacious Hellp***y. My choice of words is intended to make you uncomfortable, she wrote, addressing reporter Abigail Malone as Aunt Lydia, invoking the villainous character from The Handmaids Tale. Because I and tens of millions of women in this country are uncomfortable with the ongoing war on our lives, our bodies, our fundamental freedoms, and our access to social and economic justice. She later continued: There is a war going on against women and you, and your despicable herd of so-called journalists seeking to protect male privilege and shame women for our victimization or our rage, are complicit in this war. And unlike the victims of this war, you chose to be a partisan. Standing by her: Georgetown on Monday defended the educator's right to private free speech According to her personal website, Dr Fair is a Provost's Distinguished Associate Professor who previously served a s senior political scientist with the RAND Corporation, of the Pentagon Papers fame, a political officer with the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan in Kabul and a senior fellow at West Point's Combating Terrorism Center. She is a current member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Her areas of research include political and military affairs in South Asia and she has authored or co-authored several books on the subject. LOS ANGELES The U.S. Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman Corp. a $171 million contract for Lot 7 full-rate production (FRP) of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The contract will deliver advanced capability to U.S. warfighters as well as the Italian Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force to counter the accelerating proliferation of surface-to-air threats. The rapid proliferation of todays threats requires the most advanced solution to detect and defeat surface-to-air-threats and protect our nation and allies, said Cary Ralston, vice president and general manager, defense electronic systems, Northrop Grumman. AARGM is an affordable, game-changing solution and we are proud to provide this capability to the warfighter. AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system, upgrading legacy AGM-88 HARM systems with capability to perform destruction of enemy air defense missions. AARGM is the most advanced system for pilots, with in-cockpit, real-time electronic order of battle situational awareness against todays modern surface-to-air threats. It is able to rapidly engage traditional and non-traditional advanced land- and sea-based air-defense threats, as well as striking, time-sensitive targets. AARGM is a U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force international cooperative major acquisition program with the U.S. Navy as the executive agent. AARGM is currently deployed and supporting operational requirements for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The missile is integrated into the weapons systems on the FA-18C/D Hornet, FA-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. The Italian Air Force recently completed operational testing of AARGM on its Tornado Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance aircraft. A series of flight tests culminated with direct hits on critical air defense threat targets, confirming the operational effectiveness and suitability of AARGM on the Italian Air Force Tornado and allowing the Italian Air Force to transition AARGM into operational squadrons. The fate of US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh likely rests in the hands of just a small group of Senators who could either make him the next Supreme Court Justice or end the controversial judges nomination in shocking fashion. According to a new report from The New York Times, just five Senators both Democrats and Republicans are likely to emerge as critical swing votes after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has stated that a vote on Kavanaughs nomination will be held later this week. It comes as the FBI probe against the embattled nominee comes to a close, following sexual misconduct allegations from multiple women, including Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. But just who are the Senators who will likely decide whether Kavanaugh will sit on the highest court in the United States or have his nomination ended once and for all? Heres a look at who they are. A small group of Senators will likely decide whether Kavanaugh sits on the Supreme Court Senator Susan Collins Republican from Maine A moderate Republican, Collins, 65, has long been a swing vote in the U.S. Senate and the upcoming confirmation vote on Kavanaugh could prove to be one of her most important since joining the Senate in 1997. Though a member of the Republican Party, Collins is pro-choice on the issue of abortion rights and has expressed belief that Kavanaugh would uphold the landmark Roe V. Wade Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in most circumstances in the U.S. Kavanaugh had previously stated that the Roe v. Wade decision was settled law in the country. The Maine Senator previously voted to confirm Kavanaugh after he was nominated by former President George W. Bush for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2006. Despite her previous confirmation vote in favor of Kavanaugh, Collins has faced intense pressure to vote against his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. A group of progressive activists has reportedly raised more than $1.75 million (1.3m) in crowdfunding and vowed to release the funds to her future campaign opponents if she indeed votes in favor of Kavanaughs confirmation. Both the campaign funds and confirmation vote could have a key impact on Collinss future Senate race, as polls reportedly showed that Maine voters were less likely to support Collins if she voted to confirm Kavanaugh even before the sexual misconduct allegations against him surfaced. Senator Lisa Murkowski Republican from Alaska Murkowski, much like Collins, has become known as one of the leading moderate Republicans in the U.S. Senate. The 61-year-old Senator, who has been a member of the legislative chamber since 2002, has been known as an independent voice during her tenure, supporting abortion rights and, alongside Collins, helping to scuttle an attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act signed by former President Barack Obama. Murkowskis self-imposed test on the Kavanaugh confirmation vote comes, not from perilous reelection prospects shes not up for reelection until 2022 in a reliably Republican state but whether women who allege that a sexual assault took place against them should be taken seriously. We are now in a place where its not about whether or not Judge Kavanaugh is qualified. It is about whether or not a woman who has been a victim at some point in her life is to be believed, she said. Murkowski, who soon joined fellow Republican Senator Jeff Flake in calling for an FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh, does indeed have a political balancing act to do ahead of the confirmation vote. The Senator has long been supported by Native Alaskans, whose backing of her could falter after it was revealed by Hawaii Senator Mazie K. Hirono that Kavanaugh appeared to question whether Native Hawaiians were a legitimate protected group. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has a history of crossing party lines in the U.S. Senate Senator Jeff Flake Republican from Arizona Flake, 55, has long been a thorn in President Trumps side. A vocal critic of the President whos served in the U.S. Senate since 2013 and previously in the U.S. House of Representatives, Flakes vote is seen as crucial. Unencumbered by political pressure hes opted not to run for reelection this year Flake has expressed support for Kavanaughs conservative views but cautioned that the confirmation process needs the support of the whole country, something very difficult in the face of the sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh and the polarized political climate thats gripped the United States in recent years. I want to support him. Im a conservative, hes a conservative judge. But I want a process we can be proud of, and I think the country needs to be behind it, he said. Flake, who said that the testimonies of both Kavanaugh and Ford left him with as much doubt as certainty, voted to advance Kavanaughs nomination but was also the first Republican Senator to call for an official FBI investigation to the allegations made against President Trumps Supreme Court nominee. Hes made his views known that he intends to ultimately vote to confirm Kavanaugh unless the ongoing investigation turns up evidence the nominee lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee or engaged in unlawful sexual conduct. Though he has a long history of bucking Trumps demands, Flake did indeed vote to confirm the Presidents previous Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch. Senator Heidi Heitkamp Democrat from North Dakota Heitkamp, 62, has served in the Senate since 2013 and is currently locked in a tight reelection battle in a state won easily by Trump. The North Dakota Senator, who previously voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, appeared to express at least some degree of support for Kavanaugh before the sexual misconduct allegations against him arose, even praising him as highly-qualified for the position of Supreme Court Justice. However, the allegations against the nominee may have given Heitkamp pause. At a recent campaign stop in Grand Forks, North Dakota, she said that Kavanaughs nomination should not be something thats beyond a reasonable doubt and also blasted her campaign opponent, U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer, for being critical of Fords allegations, denouncing the congressman as someone who has a stunning lack of empathy for victims and the trauma they experience. Shes also backed the ongoing FBI probe centered on the allegations made against Kavanaugh, saying: We need to get politics out of this process and allow an independent law enforcement agency to do its job Heidi Heitkamp, left, is currently locked in a close reelection battle with Kevin Cramer, right Senator Joe Manchin Democrat from West Virginia Manchin, a 71-year-old conservative Democrat, is also facing reelection in a state overwhelmingly won by President Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Having first joined the Senate in 2010, Manchin voted to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 and has sided with Republicans on a number of issues. However, the West Virginia Senator has cited healthcare as a key deciding factor for him when it comes to Kavanaughs nomination, as hes said that hed like to see U.S. courts preserve the Affordable Care Acts protections for Americans suffering with preexisting conditions. So far, Manchin has dropped few hints as to whether hed vote to confirm Kavanaugh or not, but has stated that the judge had all the right qualities after meeting with him earlier in 2018. Manchin has also backed the FBI investigation on the allegations made against Kavanaugh and has indicated hed base his vote on the judges credentials if no evidence was found backing up the accusations made against Kavanaugh. If theres nothing conclusive, then itll be based on the merits of him being qualified, he said. Mystery surrounds wanton vandalism that saw a 7ft 4in bronze statue, that had stood for almost a century, pushed into a river near Philadelphia. The Thorfinn Karlsefni statue was found submerged in the murky Schuylkill river on Tuesday morning. The figurine which features the Icelandic explorer thought to have visited America more than a millennium ago, has stood along the river for nearly 100 years. On Tuesday morning, Philadelphia police were called to the area just north of Boathouse Row to find the Einar Jonsson's Thorfinn Karlsefni statue submerged in the water The 7ft 4in Viking bronze statue stood on a large granite base Einar Jonsson's Thorfinn Karlsefni statue, weighing thousands of pounds, has stood along the banks of the Schuylkill River for nearly a century So far it remains unclear who pulled the bronze off its granite base and then dragged it into the river. Philadelphia police were called to the banks river at around 2:30am. Cops stopped by to take photos of the surveillance video that might give clues as to who is responsible for the damage. Six to seven juveniles are suspected of using ropes to pull the statue down, although no arrests have been made. So far, the evidence suggests that the statue was pulled off its massive stone base,. Six to seven juveniles are suspected of using ropes to pull the statue down, though no arrests have been made Crews are trying to figure out how to retrieve the bronze figurine from the water Pieces of rubble could be seen scattered across the ground from where the object was dragged. Because of the statue's weight of several thousand pounds, police have determined that a crane is going to be needed in order to retrieve the statue. The entire recovery effort could cost thousands of dollars. Einar Jonsson forged the statue in 1918 and the city installed it in 1920. It is one of dozens of statues lining the Schuylkill River north of Boathouse Row. The statue has vandalized in the past and including graffiti and being spray-painted. Sometime overnight, police say vandals toppled the statue over with a rope and brought it down a hill before throwing it into the river where it remains submerged J.B. Pritzker, the billionaire Democratic candidate for governor, engaged in a 'scheme to defraud' taxpayers when he removed toilets from a Chicago mansion as part of a property tax reassessment that saved him $330,000, according to media reports citing a local government report. The review by Cook County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard also found that family members and associates made 'false representations' to the county assessor about the condition of the Chicago mansion that sits adjacent to another Pritzker owns. Blanchard also obtained an October 2015 email in which contractors contended that Pritzker's wife, M.K. Pritzker, wanted to declare the mansion uninhabitable and directed that toilets be removed before a property tax reassessment. J.B. Pritzker engaged in a 'scheme to defraud' taxpayers when he removed toilets from a Chicago mansion as part of a property tax reassessment that saved him $330,000 October 2015 email from contractors stated Pritzker's wife, M.K. Pritzker, wanted to declare the mansion uninhabitable and directed that toilets be removed before a property tax reassessment The report also references the state perjury law and federal conspiracy and mail-fraud laws, but does not indicate whether it has been shown to law enforcement authorities. Blanchard suggested the county recover the tax savings from Pritzker. Pritzker said Monday that 'we're going to follow whatever the recommendations, whatever it is.' But a little more than a month before the November election in a campaign in which his opponent, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, has called him a 'tax cheat,' Pritzker complained that the report was released as part of a political dirty trick. 'This is an internal, confidential document by the inspector general's office, which was looking into the assessor's office, that was leaked for political purposes in this last month of a campaign,' Pritzker said. But a little more than a month before the November election in a campaign in which his opponent, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, has called him a 'tax cheat,' Pritzker complained that the report was released as part of a political dirty trick The toilets have featured prominently in the campaign financed by tens of millions of dollars of personal wealth on both sides. Rauner produced an ad in which workers carried toilets out of a house and a crown-bearing Pritzker look-alike is declared the 'porcelain prince of tax avoidance.' And Rauner has financed a van with a fake 'Pritzker Plumbing' logo promising to 'disconnect your toilets' to help you 'dodge your taxes.' 'J.B. Pritzker is a fraud,' Rauner campaign spokesman Will Allison said. 'From the very beginning, Pritzker was devising a corrupt scheme to defraud Illinois taxpayers by ripping toilets out of his mansion.' A temporary hut used as a nurses quarters during WWII and then lived in by a veteran airman has gone on the market for 200,000. The humble part-brick, part-timber hut served as the nurses' quarters for a nearby hospital at RAF Hurn, near Bournemouth, Dorset. After its use during the war a veteran by the name of William Chapman rented the property for his family because he was unable to secure a council house. He died two years ago aged 96 and now the structure is on the market and could be demolished - with planning permission granted for a contemporary bungalow in its place. Scroll down for video This felt-covered temporary hut was built to house nurses during WWII. It was used by nurses at the neighbouring RAF hospital at Hurn, near Bournemouth, Dorset War veteran William Chapman and his family rented the temporary hut from the Department of Environment because they were unable to get a council house. The veteran lived in it (his bedroom is pictured) until his death two years ago, aged 96 The property has been described by estate agents as 'not the most glamorous thing' but still a 'very interesting property'. Mr Chapman and his family managed to make it work as a home. Pictured is a washing machine and heater Historian Mike Phipp, who wrote a book about the history of Bournemouth Airport, describes the history of the property. He said: 'During the war they put the sleeping quarters away from the airport. 'There were about ten sites, little clusters of huts dotted around to keep them hidden from view. 'The majority were sleeping quarters for servicemen and women. The sick quarters were where Mildren Construction is now and the nurses were based quite close to that, they were probably built in 1942.' The property comes with half-an-acre of land which currently has a concrete air raid shelter on that was used by the nurses in the war. RAF Hurn opened in 1941 and was used by both the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces, primarily as a transport and fighter airfield. It was one of the airfields established to counter the Luftwaffe presence across the Channel in northern France. It then served as a base for the development of radar and for bombers supporting the D-Day invasion in 1944. Mr Phipp said: 'The base was used for training glider pilots to cross the Channel for D-Day and on D-Day 120 fighters were flying back and forth from Hurn to France. 'After the success of D-Day the fighters went to Normandy and were replaced at Hurn by the Americanw for a short while. 'The base became a civil airport in December 1944 and some of the buildings were used by the airline BOAC. One or two were lived in by people after the war but most were knocked down.' The temporary structure, which has built decades ago during WWII, served nurses working at RAF Hurn. Some domestic accommodation sites, including this one, were built away from the airfield to provide accommodation for 2,440 personnel Mr Chapman and his family have made a number of interior changes to the property - which is part-brick and part-timber The kitchen inside the hut, which could soon be demolished if new owners decide to go forward with planning permission to build a new bungalow The airfield had a ground support station, mostly constructed of Nissen huts, with squadron headquarters, mess facilities, chapel, hospital, armoury, life support, parachute rigging and other functions. Some domestic accommodation sites, including this one, were built away from the airfield to provide accommodation for 2,440 personnel. In 1944 the airfield was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and then became Bournemouth Airport. The planned replacement dwelling for the hut would have 1,593 sq ft of space with an open plan kitchen/dining/living room, three bedrooms, one with an en suite, and a family bathroom. It would also sit further back from the road and have a garage. The current owners bought the plot from the government 31 years ago, they let the Chapmans continue living there for a low rent up until Mr Chapman died two years ago, aged 96. There is also still an old bunker in the grounds (pictured) for the nurses in the event of an air raid The bunker is overgrown but estate agents Symonds & Sampson think that if you cut back the undergrowth you would still be able to get in there Meredith Holmes, from estate agents Symonds & Sampson, said: 'It was built as nurses quarters during the war and there is also still an old bunker in the grounds for the nurses in the event of an air raid. 'It's quite an unusual building, it's partly made from brick and timber then completely covered in felt. It was only meant to be temporary so I think that was a cheap way to do it. 'It's not the most glamorous thing, it looks like a giant static caravan, but it's a very interesting property. 'The bunker is quite overgrown but we think if you cut back the undergrowth you would still be able to get in there. 'Our clients live pretty much full-time in Australia so they've decided to sell. It has planning permission to demolish the existing building and create a contemporary three-bedroom house. 'It could appeal to somebody who wants to build their own home or if the price is right it might go to a developer who wants to do it up and sell it. 'The location is fairly remote but it has good access to the main roads and is close to the airport.' The property will be sold at auction on Friday in Wimborne, Dorset. President Donald Trump dismissed a gathering political storm that could imperil his agenda saying the only reason to vote Democratic is if you're 'tired of winning.' Trump made the statement a day after attacking Democrats who are holding up Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation, as series of polls have given Democrats a generic edge when it comes to control of Congress. A new CNN poll Monday showed Republican Sen. Dean Heller slightly trailing his Democratic opponent, with top GOP target Claire McKaskill of Missouri barely leading her GOP challenger. 'THE ONLY REASON TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT IS IF YOURE TIRED OF WINNING!' Trump tweeted Tuesday, without further explanation. 'THE ONLY REASON TO VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT IS IF YOURE TIRED OF WINNING!' Trump tweeted Tuesday, without further explanation Some observers have expressed concern that the stretched-out fight over Brett Kavanaugh could cost the GOP the House, as Trump and GOP leaders attack the female accusers claiming sexual assault by the court nominee. Meanwhile, some Senate Democrats in red states are struggling over the upcoming Kavanaugh confirmation vote, which is likely to be held weeks before the Nov. 6 elections. Democrats hold a seven point advantage in the latest generic congressional ballot, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. It remains to be seen how the fight over the Brett Kavanaugh nomination will shape the election results Meanwhile top target Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp trails her GOP challenger, Kevin Carmer, in North Dakota. The GOP currently controls the Senate by a 51 to 49 margin. A Democratic takeover there would dramatically reshape the balance of power, forcing Trump to consult the minority on such things as judiciary nominations. Trump often joked during the 2016 campaign about being so successful American would grow tired of winning, a line he referenced in the tweet. Despite efforts from a deckhand who performed CPR Mr Thomson-Tur was pronounced dead at the scene A couple's dream sailing holiday in the Seychelles ended in tragedy when the husband, a leading metal expert, drowned in a freak snorkelling accident. An inquest heard Mark Thomson-Tur got into difficulty when his new snorkeling mask sprang a leak and filled with water. Mr Thomson-Tur was pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts to revive him. A coroners' court heard he and wife Fiona had just embarked on a week-long sailing adventure and were enjoying a morning swim when he initially noticed the leak. Mrs Thomson-Tur swam over to make sure he was okay. She put her thumb up to him and he responded by telling her his mask was leaking a little, and said, 'At least it's better than Costa Rica,' moments before tragedy struck, the Oxford coroner was told. The 60-year-old was then found unconscious and floating face-down in the water by a deckhand from the sailing ship Seabird. Mr Thomson-Tur was enjoying a morning swim with his wife off Round Island, Praslin, Seychelles, assistant coroner Nicholas Graham heard on Tuesday. After their boat moored off the isles, the couple left the the rest of the cruise's group to snorkel in waters which Mrs Thomson-Tur described as 'clear, warm and calm.' Mrs Thomson-Tur swam back to check on him a second time, but could not see her husband anywhere. She then saw her husband approximately 50-100 metres from the rest of the group. In a chilling witness statement, Mrs Thomson-Tur said she then became aware of someone shouting for help, and realised something was terribly wrong. 'I did not wish to watch this and I arrived on the Seabird,' she said in her statement to the inquest. Mr Thomson-Tur was unconscious and was taken back to the jetty in a tender in which deckhands, who were trained in first-aid, performed CPR. An ambulance arrived 15 minutes later. Mrs Thomson-Tur arrived back at the Seabird, where the captain told her Mr Thomson-Tur had been taken to hospital. She told the inquest her husband died on the jetty and his death was confirmed at the Baie Sainte Anne-Praslin Hospital on April 1 2018. The coroner told the inquest: 'Mark Antony Thomson-Tur died on 1 April 2018. Attempts were made to resuscitate him, but he died at the scene.' Mr Thomson-Tur was born in Bristol and raised on the Isle of Wight. He was an engineer who was highly-regarded in his field and worked as a technical consultant for the Copper Development Association and had 20 years' experience in the metals industry. Mr Graham recorded a conclusion of accidental death by drowning. Michael Gove (pictured at Tory party conference in Birmingham today) has risked sparking fury among parents by hinting that disposable nappies could be banned as part of the Government's new eco agenda Michael Gove has risked sparking fury among parents by hinting that disposable nappies could be banned as part of the Government's new eco agenda. The Environment Secretary said ministers are looking at all areas where they can crack down on plastics and tackle waste heading straight for landfill. It comes a day after his deputy Therese Coffey said that McDonalds should ban plastic toys in Happy Meals. But Annie O'Leary, editor in chief of the parenting website Netmums, branded the proposal a 'retrograde step' and said it would leave women arm deep in washing dirty nappies. Speaking at a Demos event at the party conference in Birmingham today, Mr Gove was asked directly if it is now time to 'get rid of disposable, non biodegradable nappies?' Ministers have already announced plans to ban straws, cottonbuds, plastic stirrers and have bought in a 5p plastic bag charge. Mr Gove replied: 'I mustn't make too much news or commit to too much in advance of anything the Chancellor might say. 'But yes, the direction of travel I think is that we are going to have to identify not quite item by item, but sector by sector, those areas where we do need to take a different approach. 'I think that in my adult lifetime there will still be as I mentioned some form of combined waste to energy, there will still be landfill, there will be a need for landfill in some circumstances. 'But in the end you are right, it's to try to reduce as much as possible the amount of waste that finds its way into any of those streams.' But just hours after making the comments at the public event, Mr Gove's team scrambled to insist that he is not proposing a ban. Mr Gove's spokesman said: 'Michael did not say we would ban disposable nappies and we're not going to. 'Of course we are looking at what we can do to encourage more sustainable alternatives but there won't be a ban.' But his comments already sparked a backlash, with Ms O'Leary saying that female voters will not take kindly to a male politician threatening them with a disposable nappy ban. She told MailOnline: 'We know that mums talk about it a lot in the forum and I think that mums would generally say why would it have to be a ban? But Annie O'Leary, editor in chief of the parenting website Netmums, branded the proposal a 'retrograde step' and said it would lave women arm deep in washing dirty nappies (pictured, a baby in a nappy) 'It seems like a bit of a retrograde step, particularly in terms of women's lib and freedom for women from domestic drudgery, to ban them altogether. 'I think educating the public on why they shouldn't be something everyone uses all day every day, of course is fine. Most children use 4,000 nappies in a life cycle. 'But I think banning them altogether is just ridiculous. I think it is borderline offensive.' She said that the Government must let parents make their own choices about whether they want to throw a nappy away or are prepared to spend the time washing them. She added: 'I don't think women are going to look on it to kindly - that a man has stood at a party conference.....maybe we should put it to a referendum, we seem to love referendums these days. Michael Gove furiously backtracked on the comments later and insisted that a nappy ban is not on the agenda 'But why don't we make it a prerequisite that you have to have changes at least 2,000 nappies before you get to have a vote on it. 'I bet it wouldn't come out with saying ban them.' Environment minister Ms Coffey yesterday took another swipe at plastic family treats, telling a fringe event that the plastic toys in Happy Meals should be ditched. She said: 'I desperately want McDonald to give up their happy meal toys and change them to be all about what can you do on you iPad or smart phone, rather than a piece of plastic that lasts for about five minutes and then takes five centuries to degrade. 'So there are certain things we can get companies to do that I think would be a symbolic change, even if the amount of plastic involved is not actually that much.' The organizer of a Vermont book festival has cancelled a scheduled appearance by Garrison Keillor after sponsors and attendees threatened to boycott the event. That decision was made less than 24 hours after Rick Kisonak hit back at those who objected to the public radio host's attendance at the Burlington Book Festival in a lengthy post on Facebook. 'The 2018 Festival had long since been planned and programmed when, earlier this month, Garrison Keillor agreed to travel to Burlington at his own expense and appear at no cost in a show he wanted to benefit the Festival,' wrote Kisonak. 'Having admired his remarkable work for decades and closely followed events connected to him over the past year, I felt his generous offer afforded, among other things, the opportunity for a conversation that could not possibly be more important or timely.' He then took things a step further and defended Keillor, writing: 'It has come as a considerable shock that some have been so quick and careless in conflating his recent history with that of people like Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein. Garrison Keillor is not a sexual predator.' Lake Wo-be gone: Garrison Keillor (above in file photo) was set to attend a charity event at the Burlington Book Festival and agreed to pay his own way and perform for free It was revealed last December that an employee on Keillor's public radio show had accused him of dozens of incidents of sexual misconduct. These incidents allegedly included requests for sexual contact, explicit sexual communications and inappropriate touching. Keillor denied the allegations and said in a statement that he had been fired without a proper investigation. Minnesota Public Radio also ended broadcasts of The Writer's Almanac, Keillor's daily reading of literary events and a poem, and ended rebroadcasts of A Prairie Home Companion. Keillor, 75, retired in 2016 as host of Prairie Home the show he created in 1974 that would later go on to be adapted into a film starring Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, in what was director Robert Altman's final picture before his death. These allegations were the reason for the swift backlash in the wake of Kisonak's post. 'What an incredibly tone deaf response to legitimate concerns,' wrote Daniel Barlow. 'Wake up and stop defending the indefensible!' said a woman named Sara on Facebook. When Burlington City Arts announced it wanted its logo removed, things took a sudden turn. There is no word on who might replace Keillor. Advertisement A unique lifesaving Land Rover Discovery equipped with its own drone can now be used by search and rescue teams to help save lives during disaster relief operations. 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The specially designed and engineered Discovery has the latest communications equipment, including an advanced eight-rotor drone The operator can also track objects found using the drone simply by tapping the item on the slide-out main computer touchscreens video feed and obtain precise co-ordinates crucial when directing rescue efforts to wounded or hurt people (pictured) The Discovery operates as a mobile nerve centre for disaster emergencies from which Red Cross experts can direct rescue operations Based on a 258PS 3.0-litre TD6 Land Rover Discovery, it allows emergency crews to reach remote disaster zones quickly in all conditions Drone operators can then track objects simply by tapping them on a touchscreen video feed, delivering specific coordinates to the target in the process. The Discovery will operate as a mobile nerve centre for disaster emergencies from which Red Cross experts can direct rescue operations. The vehicle, developed from the original Project Hero concept car is the result of an 18-month collaboration between Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations and the Austrian Red Cross. The Red Cross has a 63 year association with the UK 4X4 manufacturer stretching back to 1954 and currently uses 120 of its vehicles covering 18 humanitarian and rescue projects in 24 countries across four continents. A unique lifesaving Land Rover Discovery has just entered active service with the Red Cross emergency response fleet. The bespoke Discovery will provide eyes in the sky with a special drone and go-anywhere wheels on the ground, as an emergency mobile command centre with the Austrian Red Cross disaster response teams A long-range thermal imaging camera fitted to the drone is capable of spotting a person from 440m and can identify a vehicle at almost 1,000m The operator can also track objects found using the drone simply by tapping the item on the slide-out main computer touchscreens video feed and obtain precise co-ordinates crucial when directing rescue efforts (pictured) Bespoke features include four radio antennae, 360-degree lighting and a unique integrated carbon fibre loadspace Command Centre, enabling Red Cross operatives to co-ordinate emergency responses as soon as they reach the scene of an emergency, day or night The emergency vehicle can tackle tough terrain and it allows rescuers to gather details and intelligence at the scene of major emergencies or natural disasters such as earthquakes or avalanches Based on a 258PS 3.0-litre TD6 Land Rover Discovery, it allows emergency crews to reach remote disaster zones quickly in all conditions, then provide instant updates to improve response times and co-ordinate emergency planning It is specially designed and engineered Discovery has the latest communications equipment. Bespoke features include four radio antennae, 360-degree lighting and a unique integrated carbon fibre loadspace Command Centre, enabling Red Cross operatives to co-ordinate emergency responses as soon as they reach the scene of an emergency, day or night. Based on a 258PS 3.0-litre TD6 Land Rover Discovery, it allows emergency crews to reach remote disaster zones quickly in all conditions, then provide instant updates to improve response times and co-ordinate emergency planning. Michael Van Der Sande, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations said: 'Since we started collaborating in 1954, our aim has been to help the Red Cross improve its disaster response and ultimately to help save lives,' 'Over the past 18 months our engineers have worked closely with the emergency response team at the Austrian Red Cross, deploying Land Rover's technology and talent to create a unique solution to the requirements of the Red Cross in the region.' The drone itself is fitted with a long-range thermal imaging camera that can detect the heat a vehicle from over a half-mile away, or a single person from over a quarter-mile The Red Cross has a 63 year association with the UK 4X4 manufacturer stretching back to 1954 and currently uses 120 of its vehicles covering 18 humanitarian and rescue projects in 24 countries across four continents President Trump says it's a tough time in America for men accused of sexual assault. Trump told DailyMail.com, in response to a claim made by his son Don Jr. in an exclusive DailyMailTV interview, that someone like his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh can be an 'exemplary person for 30 years' and have their reputation ruined by allegations of sexual misconduct. 'It's a very scary situation where you're guilty until proven innocent,' the president said at an impromptu news conference at the White House on Tuesday as he was about to depart on Marine One. 'I'd say that's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of. This is a very difficult time.' President Trump says it's a tough time in America for men accused of sexual assault The president went on to say that the societal shift that's taking place in the Me Too era 'has much more to do with even the appointment of a Supreme Court justice' and reflects on a change in the standard of innocence. 'Somebody can accuse you of something, and you're automatically guilty. But in this realm you truly are guilty until you're proven innocent,' he said. Donald Trump Jr. told DMTV in an interview that in an age when lives can be ruined on both sides of he-said, she-said sexual misconduct claims, he fears more for his sons than for his daughters. 'I mean, right now, I'd say my sons,' the father of five told DailyMailTV during a campaign swing to support Montana Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale. His and Kimberly Guilfoyle's first-ever joint interview aired in two parts, Monday and Tuesday, only on DailyMailTV. 'I've got boys, and I've got girls. And when I see what's going on right now, it's scary,' Don Jr. said in on-camera remarks alongside his girlfriend. Guilfoyle, a former Fox News Channel co-host now dating President Trump's son and energizing campaign crowds with him, believes Americans should give sexual assault accusers a fair hearing. But the veteran criminal prosecutor also cautioned that they should always be aware of political motivations that color controversies like the Kavanaugh case. 'I think it's important, in terms of doing an investigation, to get the facts out there and find out,' Guilfoyle said. 'Its very tough thirty five years later, but it doesn't mean it should be ignored.' Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle spoke with DailyMailTV last week in Montana, their first televised interview together as a couple. Following Judge Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearings, Trump Jr. said the #MeToo movement's he-said, she-said conflicts make him more fearful for his sons than for his daughters Guilfoyle, a former criminal prosecutor in California, said everyone should listen to people who come forward with accusations of sexual assault The Montana campaign swing included a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale that included shooting sniper rifles with targets placed up to 1 mile away President Trump told reporters on Tuesday, in his second media avail this week, that Kavanaugh had been 'very brutally treated' but he still believes he will 'be positively voted on.' He declined to say who else he might be considering for the open Supreme Court seat, if Kavanaugh's nomination fails. 'Were going to have to see what the FBI says. Theyll come back with a report,' he said in response to another question. He told a journalist who asked what his message to young women is: 'Women are doing great.' Speaking to DailyMail.com outside he said, 'You can be an exemplary person for 35 years, and then somebody comes along, and they say you did this or that, and they give three witnesses, and the three witnesses at this point do not corroborate what she was saying.' 'Its a very scary situation where youre guilty until proven innocent. My whole life, my whole life Ive heard youre innocent until proven guilty, but now youre guilty until proven innocent. That is a very, very difficult standard,' Trump sad. Asked for a response to Trump's claims on Capitol Hill immediately after, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told a reporter, 'I think it's a scary time for principles.' 'A woman can be accused of something that she didn't do. She could be accused of doing something to a child. Any of us could. The accusation should always be listened to, man or woman,' the lawmaker who is close to the president said. 'And sexual violence is not just limited to men-on-women. Men are abused by men sometimes. So it's about a process,' Graham asserted. 'It's about encouraging people to come forward who have been treated badly, by a process so the person [who is] accused can defend themselves and that there are certain systems in place that will stand the test of time.' Americans last week were riveted to the saga of Christine Blasey Ford (left), who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh (right) of sexually assaulting her 36 years ago when they were teenagers an accusation he has forcefully denied Reflecting on the battle of memory and credibility between the president's Supreme Court nominee and college professor Christine Blasey Ford in her DailyMailTV interview, Guilfoyle warned that in Washington few things are what they seem. 'People need to be careful to understand the politics involved as well, and what motivations people may have,' Guilfoyle said. The president's quest to reshape the Supreme Court hit a snag two weeks ago with Ford's accusation about an alcohol-soaked teenage party that she says happened 36 years ago in 1982, when she was 15. Ford claims a drunken 17-year-old Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her, tried to undress her and covered her mouth to muffle her protesting voice while his friend Mark Judge egged him on. Kavanaugh and Ford gave dueling statements last Thursday during a must-see-TV hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which ultimately voted along party lines to send Kavanaugh's nomination to the full Senate. 'I'm innocent,' Kavanaugh told the committee, emphasizing that Ford's corroborating witnesses have said they don't recall hearing anything about the attack she has described. In a last-minute deal Thursday, holdout Sen. Jeff Flake, a moderate Republican, won a 7-day delay so the FBI can investigate Ford's accusation before a final Senate floor vote. Trump Jr. told DailyMailTV that he believes Ford's story is dripping with political motives. And whether Kavanaugh succeeds or fails, he said, genuine victims of sexual assault will ultimately be the saga's losers. 'For the people who are real victims of these things, when it is so obviously political in cases like this,' he said, 'it really diminishes the real claims.' Remnants of Tropical Storm Rosa is spreading life threatening flash floods over the interior of the Southwest Tuesday after being downgraded from a category 4 hurricane. Even though Rosa was once a Category 4 hurricane, its days of producing high winds are over. However, it will remain a very effective rain machine into the middle and latter part of this week. It is expected to move to central Utah and elsewhere through Tuesday night. Phoenix firefighters rescued at least six people including a small child from vehicles trapped in a flooded intersection caused by rain from the remnants of a tropical storm. The rescues broadcast on TV Tuesday morning showed firefighters slogging through nearly waist-deep water and carrying people one at a time to a firetruck. Scroll for video Frightening images emerged Tuesday as riverbeds overflowed and sudden downpours trapped people in their cars like this motorist in Phoenix, Arizona Tropical Storm Rosa caused flooding in Arizona, turning neighborhoods into muddy pools Tuesday morning the down creek on west side of Gila Bend flooded with some occasional small debris Heavy rainfall is expected to continue through Tuesday night as the rain hammers the region A nearby riverbed that is normally dry overflowed, spilling muddy water onto the street. About 10 vehicles including a bus were at a standstill in the water or trying to drive through it. Some streets and schools were closed in the metro Phoenix area after more than 2 inches fell. There was also flooding reported around Tucson. Rosa swiftly weakened as it approached shore on Monday night, losing tropical storm status early Tuesday morning. It will remain a tropical rainstorm through midweek as it moves through the southwestern U.S. Rosa reportedly claimed at least one victim in northwestern Mexico before moving north into the U.S. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Phoenix area, saying that up to 2 inches of rain fell in metro Phoenix by mid-morning and that additional rain was expected. The wet weather was a factor in numerous Phoenix-area freeway wrecks but no serious crashes were reported, said Trooper Kameron Lee of the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Runoff closed at least one street under Interstate 17 in Phoenix, backing up traffic at a freeway off-ramp. Flash flood watches were in effect in parts of Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah, where Utah Gov. Gary Herbert mobilized about 200 National Guard soldiers Monday to prepare for potential flooding in Utah County south of Salt Lake City. The soldiers planned to build flood berms and erect barriers and sand bags, officials said. At least 10 cars were stranded and firefighters rescued people out of flooded vehicles on Tatum Boulevard near Cactus Boulevard in Phoenix, Arizona Frightening scenes of motorists having to be rescued in the flooded street where at least one child was also carried to safety The flooding was so bad this firetruck appears to be largely submerged as they rescued people People were pulled from their cars after flash flooding in Arizona caused mayhem on roads Several cars were stranded as the roadway was overcome with massive flooding on Tuesday In southern Arizona, heavy rain on Monday flooded streets the city Yuma at the U.S.-Mexico border and caused power outages in parts of the city. At least six roads in Tucson were closed because of flash flooding. The Civil Defense agency for Mexico's Baja California state said schools were closed Monday in several communities, including the state capital of Mexicali, across the border from Calexico, California; San Felipe, on the northern Sea of Cortez; and south of Ensenada, on the peninsula's Pacific coast. Mexican federal authorities declared a state of emergency for Ensenada and Mexicali. Mexican media outlets reported that a woman was swept away by floodwaters and drowned in the city of Caborca, Sonora, on the Sea of Cortez. President Trump said Tuesday it's a 'scary' time in America for men accused of sexual assault as he brushed aside concerns about Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation. Trump told DailyMail.com, in response to a claim made by his son Don Jr. in an exclusive DailyMailTV interview, that someone like his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh can be an 'exemplary person for 30 years' and have their reputation ruined by allegations of sexual misconduct. 'It's a very scary situation where you're guilty until proven innocent,' the president said at an impromptu news conference at the White House on Tuesday as he was about to depart on Marine One. 'I'd say that's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of. This is a very difficult time.' And he spoke up for Kavanaugh amid concerns over his ability to be objective in the wake of his political allegations to senators, saying his Supreme Court nominee will be 'totally impartial' in his judicial rulings. 'I think he'll be totally impartial,' the president said Tuesday before he left the White House for a campaign event in Philadelphia. Kavanaugh's ability to serve as a neutral judge came under question after his partisan rhetoric during his at times angry, at times tearful Senate testimony in which he blamed his work on Bill Clinton's impeachment for the Democrats' treatment of him. President Trump said Brett Kavanaugh would be an impartial Supreme Court judge Democrats questioned Kavanaugh's treatment after his fiery testimony on Thursday He also got into arguments with Democratic senators during his time before the Senate Judiciary Committee last Thursday, claiming he was a victim of partisan politics and a target for those angry at Trump's winning the presidency. 'This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election,' Kavanaugh claimed. 'Fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons, and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups,' he said. Kavanaugh worked for Ken Starr's impeachment team. But Trump brushed aside concerns about how his nominee is doing in the confirmation process. He doubled down on his pick, whom he has been standing by since the first report of sexual allegation against Kavanaugh came to light two weeks ago: when Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of pinning her to a bed, groping her and covering her mouth when she tried to scream during a high school parties in the 1980s. Kavanaugh has denied hers and two other allegations against him from Debra Ramirez and Julie Swetnick. Ramirez claims Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a dorm party at Yale University, thrust his penis in her face and forced her to touch it when she pushed him away. Swetnick claims Kavanaugh and his Georgetown Prep pal Mark Judge were part of a group of guys who drugged and gang raped women. (left to right) Christine Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick have all accused Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct; he has flatly denied all the charges Republican Senators Jeff Flake, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski are undecided votes on Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court Trump is standing by his man. 'I really think that Judge Kavanaugh is going to be accepted and voted on, and positively voted on. But we're going to have to see what the FBI says,' Trump told reporters outside the White House Tuesday. 'I think that Judge Kavanaugh is doing very well right now,' said Trump, who indicated he was making calls to lawmakers about the nomination. 'Hopefully as Mitch said they'll have a vote by the end of the week and it will be a positive vote,' Trump said, referencing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, with whom he has clashed in the past. 'But it will be dependent on what comes back from the FBI. The FBI is working. They're working very hard and let's see what happens,' Trump said. Senators, on Friday, delayed a vote on Kavanaugh in order to give the FBI time to investigate sexual allegations against him. The move came, in part, out of concerns Republicans don't have the vote to confirm Kavanaugh. With a 51-seat majority, Republicans can only lose one vote if all Democrats are a no. GOP Senators Jeff Flake, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins - all key votes - supported the FBI probe. But Trump said his nominee acquitted himself well before the Senate, although some senators - including Flake - questioned if Kavanaugh's angry response reflected well on his judicial temperament. 'I think he was fighting people that were making very tough charges against him and I thought he did very well. I really did. I thought he did very well,' Trump said of Kavanaugh's testimony. 'He's fighting very hard for his reputation, for his family. I thought what happened was really tough, tough stuff. I've been watching this stuff for a long time. I've never seen anything like going on with respect to Judge Kavanaugh. He's a high quality person. This is a number one student, a top intellect. He's never gone through anything like this. I think he did very well,' he added. The president took an upbeat tone, even as FBI agents wrapped up an interview with Kavanaugh's former high school classmate, amid new eruptions of information from the nominee's past, include a college bar fight where a police report cited a witness who said he threw ice. The FBI hit an important milestone Tuesday in its one-week investigation of Brett Kavanaugh's background by completing its interview with Kavanaugh's high school friend Mark Judge. Judge's lawyer Barbara Van Gelder confirmed the FBI interview had been completed, CNN reported. Agents also contacted Judge on Monday but the interview carried over until Tuesday. Judge had furnished a letter to the Senate Judiciary rebutting Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford's allegations he was present during a sexual assault at a house party decades ago. Ford claims Judge was in an upstairs bedroom and jumped on top off the couple, toppling them and allowing her to escape the room after being groped and having her mouth covered by Kavanaugh to silence her. Kavanaugh strongly denied the charge in his own Senate testimony. The completion of the Judge interview could signal the FBI is on pace to meet its Friday deadline. But the president did say lying to Congress is unacceptable. The FBI has interviewed Mark Judge and completed its questioning Tuesday, his attorney said Democrats have expressed concern Kavanaugh was not truthful about his drinking habits in his testimony. Flake has said Kavanaugh would lose his vote if he lied. 'I don't think you can lie to Congress. There have been a lot of people over the last year that have lied to Congress and, to me, that would not be acceptable,' Trump said. Some Democrats have expressed concern the FBI - in their investigation into sexual allegations against Kavanaugh - are reportedly not talking to high school and college classmates, some of whom have said Kavanaugh drank to excess. In his committee testimony, Kavanaugh said 'I like beer' but said he never drank to the point of blacking out. 'Sometimes I had too many beers. I liked beer. I still like beer. But I never drank beer to the point of blacking out, and I never sexually assaulted anyone,' Kavanaugh said on Thursday. Additionally, a former Yale University classmate of Kavanaugh's described him as 'a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker' at college. Charles 'Chad' Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, said on Sunday that he is 'deeply troubled' by what he claims is a blatant mischaracterization by Kavanaugh of his drinking. Ludington, who said in a statement that he was Kavanaugh's friend at Yale and used to drink with him, accused the Supreme Court nominee of being untruthful in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the extent of his drinking in college. In addition to being a 'frequent' and 'heavy drinker', Ludington said Kavanaugh was often 'belligerent and aggressive' when drunk. 'On many occasions I heard Brett slur his words and saw him staggering from alcohol consumption, not all of which was beer,' he said. During the hearing on Thursday, Kavanaugh insisted that he had never blacked out from drinking alcohol. He is pictured on left at his Yale graduation Charles 'Chad' Ludington, who said he was Brett Kavanaugh's friend at Yale and sometimes drank with him, has described him as 'a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker' Sen. Dianne Feinstein questioned Kavanaugh's temper during his hearing Democrats also raised questions if Kavanaugh's temperament made him an appropriate nominee for the Supreme Court. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Friday she was stunned that Kavanaugh had joined in the Republicans' political attack. 'Candidly, in my 25 years on this committee, I have never seen a nominee for any position behave in that manner,' she told the Los Angeles Times. He 'yelled at Democrats,' she said, and his suggestion that Christine Blasey Ford's allegation had something to do with Democrats avenging the Clintons was 'unbelievable.' 'This was not someone who reflected an impartial temperament or the fairness and evenhandedness one would see in a judge. This was someone who was angry and belligerent,' Feinstein said. A 19-year-old man fatally shot his girlfriend's father in the back, and she helped him cover it up, police have said. Evelio Gainza's body was found hidden under towels and bedding on Thursday, after a relative called police to do a welfare check. Officers found the 63-year-old man had been shot multiple times in the back. Police say Evelio's daughter, Eveline Gainza, 17, had called her father to pick her up from her mother's home on Monday - the last time he was seen, the Miami Herald reported. While she was at the home, Gainza allegedly took the keys to her father's Mercedes and drove back to her mom's home, where she picked up her boyfriend, Demar Turruellas, 18. Evelio Gainza (pictured) was shot multiple times in the back with a semi-automatic handgun by his daughter's boyfriend, police say When they returned to Evelio's home, police say Turrellas marched upstairs and fired a .40 semiautomatic handgun multiple times into the man's back. After the murder, the arrest report says the couple dragged Evelio into the master bathroom, which was being renovated, and covered him up with towels and blankets. Then, police say they carefully picked up the bullet casings, placing them into a garbage bag, and scrubbed the blood away with bleach and paper towels, Local 10 reported. When asked about her father's whereabouts, Gainza is accused of telling someone he had flown to Cuba. Investigators have said Evelio did not approve of his daughter's relationship, but have not explained why. Comments from friends on the murdered father's Facebook page claim Turrellas had stolen Evelio's car and other things from him. Demar Turruellas (left), 18, is accused of killing Evelio, while Eveline Gainza (right), 17, is facing charges for helping her boyfriend clean up the mess Evelio did not like his daughter's boyfriend, police say, and friends of the 63-year-old claim he would steal from the Gainza family, and from Evelio's friends Friend Luis Gacita said in January he worked with Evelio to have Turrellas arrested for stealing, but police let him go. 'He had robbed Evelios mothers home, and he was walking around with Evelios keys to his Mercedes,' Gacita alleged. 'That piece of s*** stole my truck and the police still let him go. 'Evelio was a great person. 'The daughter is no good, she supported the boyfriend in everything and on numerous occasions the boyfriend would enter Evelios home to steal.' While friends claim Gainza was bad news, the father's Facebook profile suggests the pair had a close relationship. Friends of Evelio said Gainza would go along with whatever her boyfriend said, but social media postings suggest at one point the father-daughter-duo were quite close. Evelio shared pictures of them on holiday in New York, and he would comment compliments on all his daughter's pictures Pictures shared to Evelio's page show the pair holidaying in New York, and he had posted pictures of her in what appear to be scrubs, suggesting she had started a new job. Similarly, Gainza shared pictures she had taken with her father, and Evelio commented on all of her posts to tell her she was beautiful. Turrellas has been charged with second degree murder and is being held without bond. Gainza faces charges of tampering with physical evidence and accessory after the fact. Police say both admitted to their roles in the devastating murder when they were arrested. A political novice who rode his profile as an outsider-adventurer to the Republican nomination in a competitive Kansas congressional district is facing scrutiny about some of the biographical details he shares with voters. Steve Watkins' campaign website featured a since-removed testimonial to his 'heroic leadership' when a deadly earthquake shook Mount Everest during an expedition. He has acknowledged inaccurately claiming that he started a Middle East business, expanding it from three to 470 people. And there are doubts about Watkins' self-description as a devoted, sixth-generation Kansan. Even before Watkins won the crowded primary to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Lynn Jenkins in eastern Kansas' 2nd District, some fellow Republicans were skeptical. One former GOP foe, state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, called him 'a charlatan, a fraud and an opportunist,' though he now won't criticize him. As he campaigns in Kansas' 2nd District, Watkins faces questions about what he's telling voters about racing in Alaska's famed Iditarod dogsled race and attempting to scale Mount Everest in 2015 Watkins' campaign website calls him 'an accomplished athlete and explorer,' citing his 2015 attempt to be the first person to race in the Iditarod and scale Mount Everest in the same year. In that year's 1,000-mile dogsled race as a rookie, he finished 58th out of 78. Watkins started the race in March 2018 but didn't finish. His 2015 expedition on the world's tallest mountain was cut short by an earthquake in Nepal that killed nearly 8,900 people. Watkins' website previously quoted Everest outfitter Guy Cotter as saying he relied on Watkins' 'heroic leadership amid the chaos.' Watkins said it was in response to his calm and the moral support he offered his group of stranded climbers. Cotter told The Associated Press that he never said it and was unaware Watkins had put the quote on his campaign website. It was removed after the AP questioned Watkins about Cotter's comments. 'There was not really anything heroic to be able to do,' Cotter said in a phone interview from New Zealand. 'We all felt quite hopeless ... because we were not there, where all the injured and dying people were, through that event. We were actually up on the mountain, so there was very little we could contribute.' Watkins said that he was praised for his heroism when he helped stranded climbers on Mount Everest, but some say that is a lie Watkins' campaign website calls him 'an accomplished athlete and explorer,' citing his 2015 attempt to be the first person to race in the Iditarod but he never finished the race Watkins said: 'I captured the statement, to the best of my memory. He and I spoke frequently and often when we were up there, and he shared the sentiment.' As for the Iditarod, four-time winner Jeff King saw Watkins' entry this year as a stunt for his political campaign and Watkins' self-portrayal as an adventurer as a 'gigantic fallacy.' Musher Tara Cicatello was at the back of the pack with Watkins, and both were forced to quit 11 days into the contest because they were so far behind. She said Watkins' chief concern after being forced to withdraw was the publicity he had lined up. He was on the phone talking about speaking engagements and left the dogs that had carried him more than 700 miles in the care of people who were already overwhelmed with other dogs, she said. 'People were irritated with Steve because they were doing more work for his dogs than he was,' Cicatello said. 'I don't think he mistreated them. It just sounds like he was all about his campaign and the show of it than the actual doing of it.' Watkins said he entered the 2018 dogsled race because he believed it could be his last chance to compete. Recently the Kansas City Star reported that while Watkins claimed to have started a company and built it from scratch, in fact he joined an existing company as a contractor. To explain the discrepancy, Watkins said he helped create products and services for the company's clients. And public records show the 42-year-old Army veteran hadn't lived in Kansas since he left high school - nearly two decades before returning to the state last year to run for Congress. During the AP interview, he acknowledged a 'transient' life. 'It was exciting, and it was dangerous, challenging and meaningful,' he said. Military records show Watkins spent five years on active duty with the Army, including six months in Afghanistan. His work as a contractor began late in 2004. He said his priorities shifted after being injured as a contractor in Afghanistan in 2013. In a 2015 Washington Post interview, he described it as a traumatic brain injury and also said he'd been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder nearly a decade earlier. He told AP the 2013 injury was a 'tipping point' that pushed him toward 'a more conventional life' but would not discuss details. Watkins said Kansas 'was always home in my heart.' However, he applied 11 times between 2002 and 2015 for the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, a payment to those who have lived in the state for a full year and say they intend to remain indefinitely. Sen. Steve Fitzgerald (pictured) called Watkins 'a charlatan, a fraud and an opportunist' Property records show Watkins owns two condos in Alaska, purchased in 2005 and 2015, while the Topeka residence on his voter registration is rented. Days before Watkins won the seven-candidate August primary, 40 local Republican leaders signed an open letter expressing concerns including his absence from the district. Some GOP leaders also were wary of him after three Democrats said publicly that he met with them last year about running as a Democrat - something he strongly disputes. Many GOP doubters have since endorsed him because the stakes for the party are high. Even though President Donald Trump won the district by nearly 17 percentage points in 2016, Democrats see the seat as a prime opportunity. Watkins' better-known Democratic opponent, attorney and former Kansas House minority leader Paul Davis, carried the district when he narrowly lost the 2014 governor's race. Davis has his own baggage after representing a legislative district in the liberal-for-Kansas city of Lawrence. Republicans have revived a 1998 incident in which Davis, then a 26-year-old attorney, was present during a drug raid at a strip club while visiting its owner, a client. Police did not accuse him of wrongdoing. But in nominating Watkins, the GOP took a risk because he's not been active politically until now, said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University of Topeka political scientist. 'The party does not know what he was doing in Alaska and in the other places he lived,' Beatty said. 'It may be a good leap of faith, but it's still a leap of faith.' Hillary Clinton on Tuesday said Brett Kavanaugh's behavior during his Senate testimony - where he accused the Democrats of getting revenge on him for his work against the Clintons - was 'out of bounds.' 'The performance, the behavior was quite out of bounds. I don't ever remember anything like that,' she said at the Atlantic Events Festival. 'As someone who has testified,' she added with laughter and to applause. In October 2015, Clinton testified for a marathon 11 hours before the House Select Committee on Benghazi on the attack on the U.S. consulate there. Hillary Clinton said Brett Kavanaugh's behavior during his Senate testimony was 'out of bounds.' Clinton echoed concerns from Democrats about what Brett Kavanaugh's testimony says about his ability to be a judge And Clinton echoed concerns from Democrats about what Kavanaugh's testimony on Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee says about his ability to be a judge. 'For anyone who believes there's such a thing as a judicial temperament and that we want judges, particularly those on our highest court, to approach issues, approach plaintiffs and defendants with a sense of fairness that there's a lot to be concerned about,' she said. She also said she found Christine Blasey Ford's testimony to be credible. 'I found her very credible, You have to ask yourself why would anybody put themselves through this if they didn't have important information to convey to the Senate,' Clinton said. Clinton gave a deep belly laugh when asked about Kavanaugh's accusation against her and her husband. 'I mean, really, it deserves a lot of laughter,' she said. 'I thought it was just part of the whole of his very defense and unconvincing presentation and I told someone later, boy, they give us a lot of credit. Thirty six years ago we started this agains him,' she said. 'Back at Yale,' asked Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor in chief of The Atlantic. The Clintons attended Yale University, as did Kavanaugh, although not at the same time. 'Yeah even before in high school apparently,' Clinton said. Kavanaugh charged Democrats with being against him for his work for Ken Starr during the impeachment process on Bill Clinton. 'Fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons, and millions of dollars in money from outside left-wing opposition groups,' he said. But his angry words and bitter exchanges with Democrats led to questions about his ability to serve as an impartial judge on the high court. Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who got into a verbal battle with Kavanaugh on Thursday, revealed she was 'really stunned' by how he conducted himself with her. 'I was really stunned by how he acted at that hearing. This is basically a job interview for the highest court of the land,' said Klobuchar, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, on CNN on Sunday. Klobuchar reacted to Kavanaugh's behavior during his testimony in a CNN interview Sunday Kavanaugh was defending himself from allegations of sexual assault from Christine Blasey Ford When she asked if he'd ever drank so much that he 'didn't remember what happened the night before or part of what happened', the embattled nominee responded: 'You're asking about blackout. I don't know, have you?' A surprised look washed over Klobuchar's face before she pressed again: 'Could you answer the question, judge?' Kavanaugh answered: 'Yeah, and I'm curious if you have.' Sen Klobuchar replied: 'I have no drinking problem, judge,' as the time allotted for her line of questioning ran out. Kavanaugh said: 'Nor do I,' just as a recess was called. When they returned from the break Kavanaugh apologized to the senator, saying: 'I'm sorry I did that. This is a tough process.' Kavanaugh was defending himself from an allegation of sexual assault from Christine Blasey Ford, who had testified before him. He has denied the charge. Klobuchar said she appreciated the apology before adding: 'When you have a parent that is an alcoholic, you are pretty careful about drinking.' Dramatic footage has emerged showing the moment a police officer tasers a 17-year-old boy - directly in front of his fellow college students. The student had reportedly been refusing to leave Middlesbrough College this afternoon and was 'resisting arrest'. In the footage, the young student can be seen tackling a police officer and grabbing on to his clothes. The student and police officer are seen having a tussle before they both end up on the ground. In the footage, which is blurry, the student can be seen grabbing the clothes of the police officer The student and police officer are seen wrestling on the floor of the college (left) before the officer discharges his taser leaving the 17-year-old in a heap on the floor (right) But just moments later the sound of a taser sends shudders through the crowd as the teenager hits the ground with a thud. Cleveland Police said that the student was 'posing an on-going threat to staff and students' and 'injured the officer' in the tussle. Leading to the use of a taser. In the moments leading up to the incident, the police officer can be heard urging the student to let go. Eventually several people try to restrain the teenager, but just moments later the taser is fired. A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: 'During the arrest he resisted the officer, posing an on-going threat to staff and students, and injuring the officer. 'This resulted in a taser deployment in line with national current use of force guidelines. 'The 17-year-old did not suffer any adverse effects and no other students or staff suffered any injury during this incident which was brought swiftly to a safe conclusion. 'He will be taken to custody and questioned.' Once hit by the taser the student is no longer able to resist and lies still on the floor (pictured). Police say the taser was fired as the student was 'posing an on-going threat to staff and students' and 'injuring the officer' The incident took place at Middlesbrough College. It caters for more than 4,300 students and is the largest provider of further education in the area Middlesbrough College caters for more than 4,300 students and is the largest provider of further education in the Tees Valley area. A spokesman for the College told Teeside Live: 'This afternoon there was an incident concerning a student at Middlesbrough College. 'Staff at the college called the police, who dealt with the incident swiftly and as they felt appropriate.' The student was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, on suspicion of a Section 5 Public Order offence and on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. A man has been bitten by a baby rhinoceros at Cincinnati Zoo. The man, whose name has not been released, was taking a behind-the-scenes tour with staff when he came into contact with an eastern black Rhino named Kendi. Kendi, who is one years old, nipped the man's right index finger during his visit to the zoo on Tuesday. Kendi, a baby rhinoceros at Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, has bitten a man's finger during a behind-the-scenes tour The man was treated for a minor injury and is expected to be fine, the zoo announced on its Twitter page. Officials from the Cincinnati Fire Department were called to the zoo after the man was bitten on Tuesday morning. Cincinnati Zoo spokeswoman Michelle Curry said the incident is currently under review. The man was bitten during a standard behind-the-scenes tour that hundreds of people have taken every year without incident, she told the Cincinnati Enquirer. Kendi, who is one years old, nipped the man's right index finger during his visit to the zoo on Tuesday morning Officials from the Cincinnati Fire Department were called to the zoo after the man was bitten The man was treated for a minor injury and is expected to be fine, the zoo announced on its Twitter page Cincinnati Zoo's black rhino Seyia gave birth to Kendi in July 2017. The young rhino's name means 'the loved one' in Swahili. Kendi was the first black rhino to be born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1999. Cincinnati Zoo's black rhino Seyia gave birth to Kendi in July 2017. The young rhino's name means 'the loved one' in Swahili Eastern black rhinos are native to eastern and central Africa. The species is considered critically endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. Wildlife officials have said fewer than 5,000 black rhinos remain in the world. Rhinos have a poor sense of sight and instead must rely on their senses of smell and hearing. The black rhino has a hooked upper lip, which they use to grasp and pull leaves off branches to eat. Detectives have charged Jason Wayne Wilsher, 19, from Leicestershire, with the murder of Staffordshire pensioner Arthur Gumbley. Arthur Gumbley, 87, died three weeks after thugs brutally attacked him when they stormed his 700,000 gated property on November 21. Tonight Staffordshire Police said in a statement: 'Jason Wayne Wilsher, of Barlestone Road, Bagworth, is charged with the murder of 87-year-old Mr Gumbley in Little Aston, south Staffordshire, on 12 December 2017. He will appear before magistrates in Newcastle-under-Lyme tomorrow morning.' The pensioner, known as Bob, was found in a pool of blood after he was repeatedly kicked and punched at his house in leafy Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. Arthur Gumbley, 87, died three weeks after thugs brutally attacked him when they stormed his 700,000 gated property on November 21 The raiders fled with jewellery, cash and a purse belonging to Mr Gumbley's late wife during the robbery which happened between 6pm and 9pm. Staffordshire Police released shocking pictures of Mr Gumbley's injuries as he lay in his hospital bed in a bid to catch his attackers while he was still alive. Officers arrested two men and two women following his death on suspicion of murder and they have since been released on conditional bail. On Friday the force released mugshots of a man and a teenager wanted in connection with the callous murder. Mr Gumbley, pictured before the attack, ran a successful heating and plumbing supplies company before retiring Staffordshire Police released shocking pictures of Mr Gumbley's injuries as he lay in his hospital bed in a bid to catch his attackers while he was still alive Speaking at a press conference after the attack, Mr Gumbley's daughter Sue said before he died: 'It's started to become real to him now, and he's said he's scared. 'His question is, why did it happen to him? What did he do wrong? How do you tell somebody that? That he did nothing wrong? 'To see your dad, that you've looked up to all these years, sitting in a pool of blood is just awful.' Mr Gumbley ran a successful heating and plumbing supplies company before retiring. Johnny Depp has denied being a violent man and said the reaction to his ex-wife's abuse allegations turned him 'from Cinderella into Quasimodo'. In his first interview about his 'volatile' marriage to Amber Heard, the actor told GQ magazine that past three years have 'felt like a perverse situation that was inicted on me.' He said he could feel people looking at him differently after the actress alleged he 'violently attacked' her in their Los Angeles penthouse, which he firmly denied. Also in the extraordinary interview, Depp accused Hollywood 'power-mongers' of 'trying to shut him up' and said he is prepared to quit if what he calls a conspiracy against him continues. But he insisted that ultimately the truth 'will come out' and his reputation as a Hollywood hero will be restored. Johnny Depp (pictured in his villa in Le Hameau De Gassin, France) has denied being a violent man and said his ex-wife's abuse allegations turned him 'from Cinderella into Quasimodo' In his first interview about accusations he beat Amber Heard, the actor (pictured at his villa in Le Hameau De Gassin, France) said the past three years have 'felt like a perverse situation that was inicted on me.' Depp and 32-year-old actress Heard divorced in January 2017 after she applied for a temporary domestic violence restraining order the year before. This was later lifted. She claimed the couple had an explosive row and he threw an iPhone in her face, bruising her eye and cheek. The November issue of GQ will be released in print on Thursday Explaining his side of the story for the first time, Depp told GQ: 'It hurts. The thing that hurt me is being presented as something that you're really as far away from as you could possibly get, you know? But to... To harm someone you love? As a kind of bully? No, it didn't, it couldn't even sound like me. 'So, initially, I just kept my mouth shut, you know? I knew it was going to stick on me and it would get weirder. Keep going, you know? Go nuts. I ain't going to get into a pissing contest with someone about it. Spit out what you need to spit out and, you know, my attorneys will take care of the rest. I never went out and spoke about the sh*t.' The Pirates of the Caribbean star said he felt his reputation crumbling beneath him as his failing marriage became increasingly public. Comparing his fall from grace to the plight of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame protagonist, he said: 'Listen, I know I was never going to be Cinderella I know this and accept it. 'But it felt like within a very, very short period of time that suddenly this version for lack of a better word of Cinderella had been immediately turned into the beast. He's Quasimodo. I could feel people look at me differently, because of the accusations towards you. 'And then people start putting things in magazines: "He's insane. He needs to take a sanity test..." You know, ludicrous stuff. But the only thing that I could do was know what I still know.' After the $5.5million divorce, Depp was sued by his managers for $18million over an unpaid loan. Management Group claimed he blew his $500million fortune on luxury homes, private jets and a 23,000-a-month wine habit. He was also sued, unsuccessfully, by his former lawyer who claimed he had failed to pay legal bills and, more recently, by a crew member of his yet-to-be-released film, City Of Lies, who accused him of 'forcefully punching' him in a drunken row, which Depp denies. I could feel people look at me differently 'Big money was being thrown about,' the 55-year-old said. 'People suing me at every opportunity. I mean, it's all so obvious.' In an echo of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's words at his Senate hearing last week, Depp called the Hollywood film industry 'this vile f****** circus.' He accused Hollywood power-mongers of 'trying to shut him up' and said he is prepared to quit if he has to. 'I know the truth and if I had to walk away from all of it today, the job, the career, all of it, and go toodle-oo, then ne.' But Depp insisted his reputation will one day be restored: 'Ultimately, the truth will come out in all of this and I will be standing on the right side of the roaring rapids.' Depp, who will next month appear as dark wizard Grindelwald in JK Rowling's Harry Potter spin-off series Fantastic Beasts, was accused of violence against Heard in May 2016. 'I know I was never going to be Cinderella': Johnny Depp's fascinating interview with GQ On the last three/ four years The last three or four years has felt like a perverse situation that was inicted on me. It hurts. On the Hollywood film industry 'This vile f****** circus', as the actor calls it. But did it stop all the power mongers in Hollywood who were interested in shutting me up? Big money was being thrown about. People suing me at every opportunity. I mean, it's all so obvious. Listen, I know I was never going to be Cinderella I know this and accept it. But it felt like within a very, very short period of time that suddenly this version for lack of a better word of Cinderella had been immediately turned into the beast. He's Quasimodo. I could feel people look at me differently, because of the accusations towards you. And then people start putting things in magazines: 'He's insane. He needs to take a sanity test...' You know, ludicrous stuff. But the only thing that I could do was know what I still know. Ultimately, the truth will come out in all of this and I will be standing on the right side of the roaring rapids. I hope other people will be too. I know the truth and if I had to walk away from all of it today, the job, the career, all of it, and go toodle-oo, then ne. On being considered a violent man The thing that hurt me is being presented as something that you're really as far away from as you could possibly get, you know? But to... (long pause) To harm someone you love? As a kind of bully? No, it didn't, it couldn't even sound like me. So, initially, I just kept my mouth shut, you know? I knew it was going to stick on me and it would get weirder. Keep going, you know? Go nuts. I ain't going to get into a pissing contest with someone about it. Spit out what you need to spit out and, you know, my attorneys will take care of the rest. I never went out and spoke about the sh*t. Advertisement Heard (pictured with Depp at The Danish Girl premiere in 2015) filed a restraining order against Depp in 2016 Amber Heard and Johnny Depp kiss at the Black Mass premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015 After her allegations, photos emerged of Heard with bruises on her face - but Depp claimed she was lying and denied ever hurting her In a restraining order request, Heard alleged that Depp 'violently attacked' her in their Los Angeles penthouse apartment and threw a cellphone that struck her in the face with 'extreme force'. Photos later emerged of Heard with bruises on her face - but Depp claimed she was lying and denied ever hurting her. An attorney for Amber Heard told DailyMail.com It is outrageous that GQ never spoke to any of the multiple witnesses to Mr. Depps physical abuse of Ms. Heard prior to publishing its article. If GQ had done even a basic investigation into Mr. Depps claims, it would have quickly realized that his statements are entirely untrue. Mr. Depp has blatantly disregarded the parties confidentiality agreement and yet has refused to allow Ms. Heard to respond to his baseless allegations, despite repeated requests that she be allowed to do so. Mr. Depp is shamefully continuing his psychological abuse of Ms. Heard, who has attempted to put a very painful part of her life firmly in her past. One need only look at the physical evidence to draw the proper conclusion. Depp's two children with French actress Vanessa Paradis - model Lily-Rose, 19, and John, 16 - both supported him in the face of Heard's allegations. The pair reached an out-of-court settlement and Heard withdrew her claims. They released a joint statement, saying: 'Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.' The full feature in the November issue of GQ will be available on digital download and newsstands on Thursday. Seventy collectible guitars, 200 Warhol artworks and $700,000 a month on wine: How Johnny Depp 'blew his fortune' over two decades Depp (pictured in 2017) allegedly spent $2million a month Johnny Depp's lavish spending - including $3 million to blast author Hunter S. Thompson's ashes from a cannon - led him to the brink of financial ruin, according to an explosive lawsuit filed after his divorce in 2017. Over the best part of two decades, the 55-year-old actor has been spending $2 million a month, according to The Management Group (TMG), which was suing the star in Los Angeles for an unpaid loan. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor is alleged to have forked out $75 million on 14 homes, including a 45-acre (18-hectare) French castle, a chain of Bahaman islands, several Hollywood homes, penthouse lofts in downtown LA and a horse farm in Kentucky. Since 2000, the Oscar-nominated actor has spent $18 million on a yacht, bought 45 luxury cars and shelled out almost $700,000 a month on wine, private planes and a staff of 40 people, according to the lawsuit. Beverly Hills-based TMG said Depp has accrued more than 200 artworks by Warhol, Klimt and other masters, 70 collectible guitars and a Hollywood memorabilia collection so extensive it is stored in 12 locations. Depp filed his own $25 million suit on January 13, 2017 which claimed negligence, fraud and theft, accusing TMG of mismanaging his finances, taking out loans without his approval, and concealing his ruinous finances. 'Over 17 years, The Management Group did everything possible to protect the actor from himself,' TMG attorney Michael Kump said in a statement. Since 2000, the Oscar-nominated actor has spent $18 million on a yacht, bought 45 luxury cars and shelled out almost $700,000 a month on wine, private planes and a staff of 40 people, according to a lawsuit 'In fact, when Depp's bank demanded repayment of a multimillion-dollar loan and Depp didn't have the money, the company loaned it to him so that he would avoid a humiliating financial crisis.' TMG said it repeatedly warned Depp over his 'wanton' overspending, but he responded by rebuking his business managers, increasing his spending and demanding they find some way to pay for it. The firm, fired by Depp in 2016, said it is owed $4.2 million and was forced to launch foreclosure proceedings on Depp's property. 'The only reason Depp filed this lawsuit was to interfere with TMG's ongoing efforts to be repaid on the loan they had made to bail him out,' TMG said. A spokesperson for Mr Depp said: 'Johnny Depp is pleased to have achieved a settlement agreement with The Management Group following the legal action he took against the company in January 2017. 'The lawsuit taken out against The Management Group and the subsequent settlement - is a further demonstration that Johnny is determined to take firm action to protect his personal and artistic reputation in the interests of his family and his career. 'Johnny extends his most sincere thanks and appreciation to the true supporters that have shown their loyalty to both him and his family over recent years.' The case was settled in July 2018. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Pyongyang on Saturday to try to further denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the State Department said on Tuesday. Pompeo will also travel to Japan, South Korea and China from Oct. 6-8, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. 'I think it shows forward progress and momentum that the secretary is making his fourth trip back in less than a year,' Nauert said. 'Of course, we have quite a ways to go but we look forward to the next steps in this conversation,' she added. Previous meeting: Mike Pompeo and Kim Jong-Un shook hands in a breakthrough meeting In April. They will meet again Saturday, the State Department Pompeo's visit comes ahead of a planned second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump. The invitation to return to Pyongyang to discuss North Korean denuclearization efforts was made during a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho amid U.N. sessions last week. Nauert said the meetings in Japan, South Korea and China were intended to brief counterparts on the talks in Pyongyang. Kim has committed to give up his country's nuclear weapons although his actions have fallen short of Washington's demands for a complete inventory of North Korea's weapons programs and irreversible steps to give up a nuclear arsenal that potentially threatens the United States. A CBS producer and showrunner who has been the subject of three investigations into allegations he sexually harassed women on his set and made racist and misogynistic comments has been fired the network. Brad Kern was terminated by CBS on Monday, ten months after reporter Maureen Ryan began to detail the growing number of allegations that had been made against the producer of shows including NCIS: New Orleans, Charmed and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. 'We have ended Brad Kern's role as consulting producer on NCIS: New Orleans and his overall deal with the studio,' a spokesperson for CBS told The Hollywood Reporter. A number of people said that they believe Kern would still be with CBS is not for the exit of former chairman and good friend Les Moonves. 'This is the domino effect,' said one former NCIS: New Orleans employee. 'I hope all the networks take a much closer look at who they give power to and how those people treat their employees, and pay serious attention to who gets propped up and protected, even if they harass people or behave inappropriately.' Moonves was still president at the time Kerns was resigned to a two-year deal, despite Ryan having released two stories about his alleged misconduct by that time. Gone: Brad Kern (above with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano) was fired by CBS on Monday after a third investigation into claims of harassment and sexual misconduct on the set of NCIS: New Orleans Farewell: He allegedly 'harassed and unfairly penalized women, repeatedly bullied a nursing mother and made racially insensitive statements' (Kern on left in 2009 with Jonathan Steinberg) The three investigations took place in just the past two years, and began after members of the cast and crew of NICS told human resources that Kern 'harassed and unfairly penalized women, repeatedly bullied a nursing mother and made racially insensitive statements.' Despite those claims, and the reporting of Ryan, CBS re-upped Kern's deal back in the spring for two additional years. He was then suspended in June pending the results of the third investigation, which wrapped up just prior to his termination this week. A number of people said that they believe Kern would still be with CBS is not for the exit of former chairman and good friend Les Moonves. 'This is the domino effect,' said one former NCIS: New Orleans employee. 'I hope all the networks take a much closer look at who they give power to and how those people treat their employees, and pay serious attention to who gets propped up and protected, even if they harass people or behave inappropriately.' Moonves was still president at the time Kerns was resigned to a two-year deal, despite Ryan having released two stories about his alleged misconduct by that time. It was reported by Vulture soon after Kern signed his new deal that at one meeting, Kern informed those in attendance that he planned to cast an actress because an executive at the network wanted 'to f*** her.' His termination is particularly sweet for those who have been fired by Kern over the years. 'My thoughts are with everyone who had worked for Mr. Kern who was unjustly fired, made miserable until they quit or otherwise endured unpleasantness,' said another former NCIS: NO worker. 'I hope that this signals the end of the era of showrunning he represented.' In a previous THR story, a member of the NCIS: NO team said that the first two investigations did little to enact any change on set or in Kern's behavior. 'If the party line is that everything was fine after that, I can tell you for a fact thats not true,' said the woman. 'It was a dreadful, misogynist culture led and created by Brad. He bullied women and he discriminated against them. It didnt matter who you were and how nice he was the day before - your turn always came.' Witches: He previously produced shows including Lois & Clark and Charmed, starring Alyssa Milano and Rose McGowan (above) Close friend: Other former NCIS staff members said that Kern, who had his deal renewed for two years just this spring by CBS, would still have a job if Les Moonves (above in 2013) was CEO Former colleagues of Kern even went on the record to back up the claims about his behavior. 'The industry likes to pat itself on the back for honoring the #MeToo movement, but sexism and misogyny is so deeply entrenched, the progress made is tenuous at best. Its made of gossamer,' said co-executive producer on the original Charmed William Schmidt. 'If Brad Kern keeps his job in light of yet another investigation, itll be proof of that.' Nell Scovell, another Charmed producer, echoed that sentiment. 'I was co-executive producer to Brads executive producer on Charmed, so Ive seen first-hand how he poisons the writers' room with unprofessional comments,' said Scovell. 'The two recent harassment investigations show that his behavior has continued. This is unfortunate. You get better work when every writer in the room feels safe. I know I will experience backlash for speaking out, but I want this business to change and I want writers rooms to feel safe for all.' It was reported that over a dozen women left NCIS: NO in the span of a year due to the 'toxic' environment created by Kern. 'He discriminates against women, against working mothers, against anyone he cant control especially women,' one person told Ryan for her first story, published in Variety. In that same story it was alleged that he mockingly spoke in black vernacular on set, told a woman she was 'failing as a wife and mother' and engineered the exit of Zoe McLellan because men did not find her 'f***able.' That did not lead to any repercussions, and nor did a nursing mother telling HR that she was micked by Kern while feeding her child. The third time proved to be the charm however, though CBS has said nothing yet of what its invetsigation into Kern uncovered over the past ferw months. Kern did not respond to a request for comment. Prince Harry raised eyebrows as he had a full beard while wearing the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals for his wedding The Army is considering whether to relax its ban on beards amid claims it could be putting off potential recruits. At the moment soldiers can sport a beard only if their commanding officer gives permission, something usually granted only on religious or medical grounds. The Army argues beards and stubble can prevent protective breathing equipment from being tightly sealed on a soldiers face. But as more and more troops are granted the ability to have beards on religious grounds, some are questioning why this cant be extended to all soldiers in a bid to boost recruitment. The regular Army is currently several thousand soldiers short of its target strength. Meanwhile, beards have become increasingly popular, especially among younger men, with a poll last year showing almost half of all British men have some sort of facial hair. In a letter in Soldier magazine, which is published by the Ministry of Defence, Captain Dave Somerville warned fashionable young men could be put off joining the Army because they dont want to shave off their beards. The Army argues beards can prevent protective breathing equipment from being sealed He wrote: I have heard the respirator excuse trotted out many times but frankly that really doesnt make sense. We allow certain individuals to have beards for religious reasons and they are as likely to require the use of that piece of kit as any of us. The most annoying reason though is tradition, just like the one where we wore red tunics and advanced slowly towards the enemy. Enough said. Lt Col Rachel Emmerson, from the Armys Employment Branch, said regulations relating to facial hair are regularly reviewed. Prince Harry raised eyebrows as he had a full beard while wearing the frockcoat uniform of the Blues and Royals for his wedding to Meghan Markle this year. Some credit the prince with helping make the beard more fashionable. Snoop Dogg has joined the long list of celebrities who have condemned Kanye West for his very public support of Donald Trump. Numerous fans were quick to notice when Snoop took to Instagram and called him an 'Uncle Tom' on a picture that showed the rapper in his MAGA hat. 'Make ya music great again n***a,' Snoop wrote in one comment, before adding: 'Uncle Tom. A** n***a'. Snoop's Instagram comments came shortly after West went on a highly-publicized pro-Trump tirade following his final musical performance on Saturday's SNL episode. Snoop Dogg has joined the long list of celebrities who have condemned Kanye West for his very public support of Donald Trump, calling him an 'Uncle Tom' This is hardly the first time Snoop has hit out at West (pictured together in 2006) for his continued and unabashed support of Trump 'So many times I talk to a white person about this and they say, "How could you like Trump? He's racist.",' he said. 'Well, if I was concerned about racism I would've moved out of America a long time ago. We don't make our decisions off of racism.' This is hardly the first time Snoop has hit out at West for his continued and unabashed support of Trump. During a Sirius XM interview last month, Snoop got candid about how he sees anyone who supports the current president. 'I tell 'em straight up muthaf***a. If you like that n***a [Trump] you muthaf****a racist. F**k you and f**k him. Now what?' he told DJ Suss One. Snoop then directly brought up West's name and said 'f**k him too'. But on Monday it appeared as if Snoop had forgiven the rapper, posting a picture of West wearing a photo with his face on it and the caption 'forgiveness is everything' 'Kanye too. Don't forget about him too. F**k you too. Throw him in the bag, 'cause he right there with the muthaf****a.' And in April Snoop took a swipe at West's relationship with Kim Kardashian, writing in an Instagram post: 'The evolution of Jay-Z and Kanye show how influential your wife can be to your life.' While he's had harsh words for West in the past, by Monday it already appeared as if Snoop had forgiven him. The hip hop mogul posted a video, which appeared to be from this week, that showed West sporting a T-shirt with Snoop's face on it while wearing his MAGA hat. 'Forgiveness is everything,' Snoop wrote in the caption. But plenty of stars in Hollywood haven't been shy when it comes to expressing their anger at West this week, especially after he called for the US to abolish the constitutional amendment ending slavery. During a Sirius XM interview last month, Snoop got candid about how he sees anyone who supports the current president, saying: 'If you like that n***a [Trump] you muthaf****a racist' West left fans bewildered on Sunday after he posted a photo of himself wearing a Make America Great Again hat on a private jet and called for the removal of the 13th Amendment in the caption. 'This represents good and America becoming whole again,' the 41-year-old wrote. 'We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs.' 'We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love.' Actor Chris Evans responded an hour later, tweeting: 'There's nothing more maddening than debating someone who doesn't know history, doesn't read books, and frames their myopia as virtue.' 'The level of unapologetic conjecture I've encountered lately isn't just frustrating, it's retrogressive, unprecedented and absolutely terrifying.' But plenty of stars in Hollywood haven't been shy to express their anger at West this week, including actor Chris Evans Lana Del Rey also hit out at West when he posted an Instagram picture wearing a MAGA hat Evans' reply garnered more than 200,000 likes as of Sunday evening, and was retweeted by celebrities including Busy Phillips, Josh Gad and Willie Garson. West also posted the same photo and caption on Instagram, where it caught the eye of Lana Del Rey. 'Trump becoming our president was a loss for the country but your support for him is a loss for the culture,' she wrote in a lengthy comment. 'I can only assume you relate to his personality on some level. Delusions of grandeur, extreme issues with narcissism none of which would be a talking point if we weren't speaking about the man leading our country.' 'If you think it's alright to support someone who believes it's OK to grab a woman by the p**** just because he's famous, then you need an intervention as much as he does, something so many narcissists will never get because there just isn't enough help for the issue.' West later attempted to explain his remarks in two other tweets, writing: 'The 13th Amendment is slavery in disguise meaning it never ended. We are the solution that heals.' West left fans bewildered on Sunday after he called for the constitutional amendment that ended slavery in 1865 to be abolished in a series of tweets In the second post he clarified: 'Not abolish but. let's amend the 13th amendment We apply everyone's opinions to our platform.' West's eccentric comments came hot on the heels of his performance on Saturday Night Live. After his final song, West shocked the audience as he began talking about his support for Trump and claimed he was asked by the show not to wear his MAGA hat. 'You see they laughing at me. You heard 'em, they scream at me, they bully me. They bullied me backstage,' said West, who also alluded to running for president in 2020. 'They said, "Don't go out there with that hat on". They bullied me backstage. They bullied me.' 'I wanna cry right now. Black man in America, you're supposed to keep what you feel inside right now,' West sang as he began his rant. 'And the liberals bully you and tell you what you can and cannot wear. And they look at me and say, "It's not fair. How the hell did you get here?"'. West's eccentric comments came hot on the heels of his performance on Saturday Night Live, in which he sported a MAGA hat for his final performance Cast members and guests standing behind West on the SNL stage could be seen cringing during the artist's diatribe as the audience booed 'If someone inspires me and I connect with them, I don't have to believe in all their policies...We need to have a dialogue not a diatribe, because if you want something to change, it's not going to change by saying, "F**k that person". Try love. Try love.' The entire cast was on stage, as were West's musical guests 070 Shake, Kid Cudi, and Ty Dolla $ign, as the crowd booed his speech. However, Trump himself appeared to appreciate Kanye's words during the show that took aim at the president's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. 'Like many, I don't watch Saturday Night Live (even though I past hosted it) - no longer funny, no talent or charm,' Trump tweeted on Sunday. 'It is just a political ad for the Dems. Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told "no") was great. He's leading the charge!' This is the incredible moment a retired show bear caught a slice of bread with its mouth. The footage, filmed from the inside of a car, captured the brown bear as it sat on the grass inside a fenced area. It waved its paw as the vehicle approached, sniffing the air curiously at its occupants. The footage, filmed from the inside of a car, captured the 'retired show bear' as it sat on the grass inside a fenced area The passenger then threw a piece of sliced bread from the car like a frisbee, the bear ducking its head as it approached. But just as it seemed like the bread was destined for the floor, the creature quickly snapped its jaw - swallowing the snack in one bite. The video, which was uploaded to Twitter by 'relktnthero', currently has more than 2million views and 58,000 shares. Alongside the short clip, they wrote: 'I really need everyone to see this. 'These bears are not wild. Theyre retired show bears. Theyre very famous.' The passenger then threw a piece of sliced bread from the car like a frisbee, the bear ducking its head as it approached The video is believed to have been filmed on the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim, Washington state. The farm is famous for being home to a group of 19 so-called 'waving bears' - retired show bears who politely greet their visitors. They are then rewarded with a slice of bread, which is often thrown as shown in the video. The farm was a movie set and animal repository for Walt Disney Studios from the 1950s into the 1970s, Vice reported. Jason Kander has pulled out of the race for mayor of Kansas City, telling supporters he needs to work on his mental health. Kander, who is considered a rising star in the Democrats that could convincingly stand for President one day, made the announcement on Tuesday via Medium. The 37-year-old said he was still traumatized from his time in Afghanistan and was experiencing suicidal thoughts. Jason Kander (pictured in 2016) has withdrawn from the race for Kansas City Mayor to focus on his mental health Though Kander left Afghanistan 11 years ago, he says the thoughts were nothing new, and the only thing that had changed was his readiness to come to terms with his illness and begin working to treat it. 'It had been about 11 years since I left Afghanistan as an Army Intelligence Officer, and my tour over there still impacted me every day,' he explained. 'So many men and women who served our country did so much more than me and were in so much more danger than I was on my four-month tour. 'I cant have PTSD, I told myself, because I didnt earn it.' Kander said another reason he'd avoided seeking help was because he feared the judgement of others and the effect it could have on his political career. Kander said he had struggled to accept what he was feeling was PTSD because he felt others had been worse off and that he hadn't earned the right to feel the way he did But after more than a decade, the former intelligence officer said he had finally accepted what needed to be done. 'After 11 years of trying to outrun depression and PTSD symptoms, I have finally concluded that its faster than me,' he said. 'That I have to stop running, turn around, and confront it.' 'I finally went to the VA in Kansas City yesterday and have started the process to get help there regularly. 'To allow me to concentrate on my mental health, Ive decided that I will not be running for mayor of Kansas City. 'I truly appreciate all the support so many people in Kansas City and across the country have shown me since I started this campaign. But I cant work on myself and run a campaign the way I want to at the same time, so Im choosing to work on my depression.' Sajid Javid yesterday dismissed criticism from business leaders of his plans to curb low-skilled migration from Europe after Brexit. Employers said the reforms would damage the economy, harm firms and hit living standards by pushing up prices. But the Home Secretary told them to wean themselves off cheap foreign labour instead. Sajid Javid yesterday dismissed criticism from business leaders of his plans to curb low-skilled migration from Europe after Brexit. Employers said the reforms would damage the economy, harm firms and hit living standards by pushing up prices He wants to end free movement with the EU, making Europeans apply for work visas like citizens from other parts of the world. He said the system, which will be in place by January 2021, would focus on skilled workers. You dont need to make it easy for the companies to bring in as much low-skilled labour as they want, he added. Id much rather companies are looking at home first and thinking more about what they can do to help upskill our own young people. If you look at all the major developed economies around the world, outside Europe, they dont have anything like freedom of movement but they are still able to manage the needs of their economy. Carolyn Fairbairn of the Confederation for British Industry insisted the proposals were a wrong turn. By rejecting the importance of low-skilled workers to the UK economy, the Government risks harming businesses and living standards now and in the future, she said. But the Home Secretary told them to wean themselves off cheap foreign labour instead. He wants to end free movement with the EU, making Europeans apply for work visas like citizens from other parts of the world All skill levels matter to the UK economy. These proposals risk worsening labour shortages, already serious in construction, hospitality and care. Restricting access to the workers the UK needs is self-defeating. Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: The Conservatives are turning their backs on British businesses and public services. Hospitals, care homes, construction firms and other businesses already struggle to hire the workers they need and these changes will make that problem much worse. They are damaging for British jobs, our economy and the public services we all rely on. Under Mr Javids proposals, ministers will work with business to establish the level of immigration needed by the economy. He said the system, which will be in place by January 2021, would focus on skilled workers. You dont need to make it easy for the companies to bring in as much low-skilled labour as they want, he added But visa applicants will be required to have a job offer, meet minimum salary thresholds and speak English. There will be temporary exemptions for areas of the economy dependent on low-skilled migrants but businesses will be told to train up British workers. Employers have warned that some sectors such as agriculture rely on EU workers and could struggle if the labour supply dries up. Senior EU leaders condemned the immigration plan. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit coordinator, said: We will never accept discrimination based on skills and on nationality. Stephen Clarke of the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank that examines income issues, said: Low-paying sectors with a large share of migrant workers are going to need to rethink not only exactly what they produce but their approach to recruitment, retention and, crucially, automation. More broadly, employers should also up their game on training and bringing harder-to-reach groups, like people with a disability or ill health, into the labour market. Lord Green of Deddington, who chairs the MigrationWatch think-tank, said: The public should stand by for a gold rush by employers as they race to fish in an unlimited pool of skilled foreign workers rather than train their own. With immigration adding one million to our population every three years we must get the numbers down. This new system could well add to net migration. Theresa May meanwhile has admitted that British tourists may be forced to apply for US-style visa-waiver forms before going on holiday to Europe after Brexit. Unveiling plans to pre-screen EU tourists as part of her new post-Brexit immigration policy, she conceded the arrangements were likely to have to be reciprocal. Under the scheme, business travellers and tourists would have to secure pre-authorisation at home so Britain can carry out security and criminal record checks. Tory students have sparked outrage by wearing T-shirts defaced to include slogans including 'F*** the NHS'. Conservative university society members shocked social media users by uploading a picture to Facebook during a night out on which several of the group displayed the Star of David on their throats. The religious symbol was the way in which the Nazis labelled Jews to single them out for discrimination during the Third Reich. The Plymouth University Conservatives marked the beginning of the academic year by donning a Hitler marker pen moustache and scrawling the German word for Jew on a garment. The Plymouth University Conservatives outraged social media users by posing for a picture while displaying slogans that included the phrase 'F*** the NHS' (circled on the right) as well as a Hitler-style moustache (circled on the left) One student told Mirror Online: 'This has spread like wildfire throughout the university and has provoked a huge amount of anger. Its outrageous.' Young Tory Ross Horton's outfit includes the Jewish Star of David, what appears to be the word 'Jude' and messages mentioning Barack Obama. Student Josh Hocking displays a message that references US President Donald Trump and Charlie Eddleston-Haynes displays a phrase that appears to begin 'Enoch' and end 'right'. The phrase 'Enoch was right' has long been a slogan of defiance for anti-immigration activists keen to defend Tory MP Enoch Powell's Rivers of Blood speech. One daubing included the Communist hammer and sickle logo with a heart in front of it and another bore the red and black flag of Anarcho-Syndicalism. One of the group has 'JRM 4 PM' written on his T-shirt, which is likely an endorsement suggesting North Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg should take over from Theresa May. Daniel Phillips-O'Leary - one of the males in the provocative photo - is pictured with Jacob Rees-Mogg on a separate occasion Another of the group - Jake Thurman - is pictured here with the former leader of Ukip Nigel Farage Jake Thurman was also pictured with leading Brexiteer and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson on a separate occasion Three of the males in the picture have each been pictured elsewhere with high-profile Brexiteers Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg, including Daniel Phillips-O'Leary, who is seen wearing a 'F*** the NHS' slogan. The Conservative Party is investigating the incident and says it will suspend any members involved. Plymouth's Students Union has suspended the association ahead of an investigation and said it totally condemns 'all forms of racism and anti-Semitism'. A spokesperson for the university said it does not tolerate anti-Semitism or racism and pledged disciplinary action. It is not known if everyone in the picture that surfaced is a member of the society in question. Fellow students angered by the incident named some of the people pictured. The charges against four California dentists, three of whom are brothers, accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman at their Las Vegas Strip hotel have been dropped. Ali Badkoobehi, 30, Saman Edalat, 39, Sina Edalat, 34, and Poria Edalat, 30, were charged with multiple charges of sexual assault and kidnapping following the alleged incident on July 28. But lawyers for the four dentists insisted the allegations were false. After the cellphone video was presented to the district attorney's office, prosecutors agreed and dropped the case. 'After a review of the facts of the case, it was clear the allegations were completely fabricated,' Robert Draskovich, Badkoobehi's attorney, said in a statement. 'The evidence confirmed the men's innocence, and the state has cleared them of all charges.' The dentists, who were free on their own recognizance, did not attend the hearing. 'We are so grateful to the justice system for recognizing that we were the victims in this case,' the three Edalat brothers said in a statement. 'We knew when the facts came out that the vicious allegations would be exposed as lies and our good names would be cleared. We want to thank our families, friends and lawyers for sticking by us through this horrific ordeal.' They also added a warning about women who were 'willing to use the (#MeToo) movement for their own selfish motives and remember that innocent until proven guilty is one of our country's bedrock principles.' The woman went to the police over the summer, claiming that she had been at a night club when she met Badkoobehi. Four California dentists, three of whom are brothers, have been arrested over accusations they gang raped a woman (left is Ali Badkoobehi and right is Saman Edalat) The dentists, including Sina Edalat, 34, (left) and Poria Edalat, 30, (right) are facing multiple charges including sexual assault and kidnapping over the alleged incident last Saturday She says she agreed to go back to his suite at the Wynn Las Vegas to carry on drinking and as they walked back, she says he was affectionate, hugging and kissing her. But when she got to his room, she says Badkoobehi pushed her onto a chair and climbed on top of her. At was at that point, the three other suspects entered the room, according to the police report. The victim claims she met Badkoobehi in a nightclub who invited her back to his Wynn Las Vegas hotel (pictured) suite to carry on drinking The woman claims they took turns raping her and holding her down as she tried to resist, but said 'she was too intoxicated and overwhelmed because of how many people were attacking her and she could not fight back.' She said the assault continued in another room of the suite while a man stood in a doorway. '(The victim) then begged for them to stop, asking to leave,' the police report said. The woman reported the incident to Wynn Las Vegas security who contacted the police. The charges have all been disproved. The four dentists are all licensed in Southern California, according to Dental Board of California records. Pictured are Saman Edalat (second from left) Sina Edalat (second from right) and Poria Edalat (far right) The four dentists are all licensed in Southern California, according to Dental Board of California records. Craig Hendricks, who represents Poria Edalat, said the the DA office was 'provided and reviewed exculpatory video evidence that clearly showed extremely different circumstances than what was represented by the alleged victim.' Draskovich insists Badkoobeh had consensual sex with the woman while a lawyer for Saman Edalat denied his client had any sexual contact with her. Poria Edalat told police he was in Las Vegas from Los Angeles to celebrate his birthday. The Edalats appear to come from a family of dentists and have another sibling, not connected to the incident, who works in the profession. Sina Edalat appears to work for West Coast Dental and Orthodontics in North Hills, California. His biography on the company website described him as being married ' to a beautiful wife' with a baby on the way. It described the Cal State University graduate as 'compassionate' and 'trustworthy' and someone who enjoys spending time with family and friends. All four were booked into the Clark County Detention Center in July (left is Saman Edalat and right is Sina) Poria Edalat also appears to work for West Coast Dental and Orthodontics, although in the West Coast Dental of Monrovia office. Also Cal State University graduate, his bio says he is 'very gentle' and works across all aspects of dentistry. Both are currently members of the American Dental Association and the California Dental Associations. Saman Edalat, who appears to be married, has his own practice, named Edalat Dental Group, in Whittier, California. There is very little information on Saman but the reviews on his website are overwhelmingly positive. The deputy office manager for Poria Edalat's dental practice declined any knowledge of the case. DailyMail.com also reached out to the dental offices of Saman Edalat and Sina Edalat. David Camerons sister-in-law has launched an expletive-laden attack on Boris Johnson over his supposed wheat field jibe at Theresa May. Emily Sheffield Samantha Camerons sister reacted with fury at the former foreign secretarys s****y brand of humour. Pictured running through a field on Monday, Mr Johnson was accused of teasing the Prime Minister who said last year that the naughtiest thing she had done as a child was run through wheat fields. Miss Sheffield, who is the former deputy editor of British Vogue, shared the picture on Instagram, adding: Sorry but f*** you Boris and your consistently s****y brand of humour. She also took aim at his running clothes, calling him a goddamn sartorial disaster on top of everything else. She added: And can someone get this man some proper running gear??? Aides to the former foreign secretary have denied the picture was staged or a jibe at Mrs May, pointing out that it was not a wheat field. David Camerons sister-in-law has launched an expletive-laden attack on Boris Johnson over his supposed wheat field jibe at Theresa May A local humane society is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the conviction of a suspect who tossed a dog onto an interstate with its legs bound with duct tape. The female pit bull, dubbed Faith by the Webster Humane Society, did not survive injuries sustained on Interstate 20 near Minden, Louisiana, the group said on Saturday. The perpetrator threw the dog from a car in the eastbound lanes near the Goodwill Road exit, where cars ran over and dragged the bound animal down the interstate. A Webster Parish sheriff's deputy was first to come across the injured animal, and rushed it to get veterinary care at the Claiborne Animal Clinic. A female pit bull dubbed Faith (left) was thrown onto the interstate in Louisiana with its legs bound with duct tape (right). A $2,500 reward is offered to find the perpetrator Faith was found on this stretch of Interstate 20, near the Goodwill Road exit in Minden Unfortunately, Faith had suffered multiple skull fractures and numerous other injuries, and did not survive. 'Was it not enough to throw her out on the street?' the Webster Humane Society said in an outraged statement directed at the perpatrator. 'You had to duct tape her legs together and throw her out on interstate where she would be run over and dragged by cars!' 'No animal could ever do anything to warrant this type of cruelty. The person(s) responsible are monsters,' the group said. Veterinarians did all they could to help Faith, but the dog's injuries were too severe to survive Police confiscated this collar, rope leash, and the duct tape used to bind Faith The humane society said that every effort had been made to save Faith and comfort the dog's suffering at the end. 'She knew a gentle touch in her last hour,' the group said. Police confiscated a collar, rope leash, and the duct tape used to bind Faith. Aggravated cruelty to animals carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison in Louisiana. Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the Webster Humane Society confidentially at 318-377-7433 for a potential $2,500 reward. Matt Hancock has promised to end the closure of Britain's community hospitals The Health Secretary has promised to end the closure of community hospitals to ensure patients can be treated near their homes. Matt Hancock said it was time to end the era of moving medical departments to large regional hospitals while smaller ones were closed. He wants more patients to be cared for locally, particularly for routine procedures such as scans, physiotherapy and treatment for minor injuries. Set up 150 years ago as cottage hospitals with just a few beds, Britain now has around 500 community hospitals that provide a broad range of services for local patients, including end-of-life care, rehabilitation for the elderly, scans, X-rays and minor injury units. But NHS cuts mean dozens are facing closure across the country, including in Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Cumbria, Leicestershire, Devon and Dorset. Local health officials have been told to make savings and improve care, and many argue that patients can be treated more safely and cheaply in larger hospitals, even if they have further to travel. But Mr Hancock believes that although patients should be prepared to go further afield for major operations such as heart bypass surgery, other procedures should be offered closer to home. Mr Hancock wants more patients to be cared for locally, particularly for routine procedures such as scans and treatment for minor injuries He has successfully fought against the closure of his local community hospital in Newmarket, Suffolk, which specialises in rehabilitation and long-term care for the elderly. In his speech at the Tory conference yesterday, he said: Weve got to reform the system so we spend more time on prevention not cure, with more integration between health and social care, and more treatment closer to home. What I mean by this is that the era of moving all activity into fewer, larger hospitals and blindly, invariably closing community hospitals is over. My struggle with dyslexia Matt Hancock has revealed he is dyslexic and has to rely on computer spellchecks to write anything. The Health Secretary said it was why he was obsessed with technology, because it solved his serious spelling problem. He told GQ magazine: Technology can be an enormous enabler. Ill give you one example. I have never really talked about this, but I am dyslexic and I didnt nd that out at school. I found out at university when a tutor said, You are good orally, but you cannot get it down on paper. If Microsoft had invented spellcheck ve years later it would have had a massive negative impact on my career. He said his dyslexia led to embarrassment in 2001 when he wrote a leaflet for the general election campaign in Surrey. In it, he said he wanted to untie the community instead of unite it. The Tories failed to win the seat, he added. Advertisement I want more services closer to the communities they serve. And I want us to empower patients to have more control over their own health. Mr Hancock also drew attention to outdated NHS practices, and pointed out that the NHS was the still the biggest buyer of fax machines in the country and even the world. He added: This is putting a greater pressure on our NHS staff, and in some hospitals a nurse still goes round with a clipboard to find out where beds are in use and where theyre not. It doesnt have to be this way. In Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where I was on a night shift last week, theyve developed an in-house programme so everyone knows where the empty beds are all the time. Patients get better treatment and its so much easier for staff. So were going to sort out the technology in the NHS, because our NHS deserves better. An advert for a GP appointments app endorsed by Mr Hancock has been banned for failing to tell patients they must leave their current doctor. It was also criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority for suggesting patients could talk to an NHS GP in minutes when they had to be registered for up to three weeks before they could access the service. The ad was for GP At Hand, an app developed by the health firm Babylon, which enables patients in London to have virtual consultations with a family doctor on their smartphones provided they de-register from their existing surgeries. Users include the Health Secretary, who has described it as revolutionary and wants it rolled out across the country. Chocolate cafe chain Max Brenner has been forced into voluntary administration due to increasing costs and low sales. The chain is run by multi-millionaire husband and wife Tom and Lilly Haikin, who bought the Australian franchise rights in 1999. Administrators McGrathNicol are considering selling the business, which employs 600 staff in Australia. Administrators McGrathNicol are considering selling the business, which employs 600 staff in Australia There are 37 Max Brenner stores across Australia, and the global brand has stores in the United States, Israel, Japan, Russia and China. Mr and Mrs Haikin - who are worth $40million - said earlier this year they were hoping to open seven more Australian stores in 2018. Documents show that Queensland business Sunstate Ceilings issued them a notice of outstanding debt on June 29, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. A 'rescue package' was being put together to save the business in August 2017, after it emerged the company owed about $50million. McGrathNicol administrators said it was too early to comment on the company's financial status. The brand was started by Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner in 1996 in Israel. Mr Haikin encouraged the pair to expand into Australia, and opened his first cafe in Paddington in 1999. The stores will continue to operate as usual while a review takes place. Max Brenner's collapse comes as other food stores have closed due to slow consumer spending. Jamie Oliver's chain of Italian restaurants closed in April, while Retail Food Group - the owner of Gloria Jean's and Donut King - lost $306million in 2017. Baby killer Keli Lane turned down a police offer to grant her immunity if she revealed what happened to her baby daughter Tegan. Lane, 43, was jailed for 18 years in 2010 after a court found her guilty of murdering Tegan two days after giving birth at Sydney's Auburn Hospital. From behind bars, Lane told a journalist investigating her case for an ABC documentary she rejected immunity at a coronial inquest because she never killed Tegan. 'No way. No. I am not going to admit to something I didn't do. I'm not going to put my hand up and say I hurt my own child when I didn't,' Lane told the ABC. Convicted baby killer Keli Lane (pictured) said she refused to take immunity at a coronial inquest because she never killed her daughter Tegan Lane (pictured) claims to have had a sexual relationship with a man called Andrew, the biological father of her daughter Tegan, but he has never come forward The coronial inquest determined Tegan was dead, leading to Lane's murder conviction. Lane has always maintained her innocence, saying she did not kill Tegan because she gave the baby to the child's biological father soon after giving birth in September 1996. She claims the father is named either Andrew Morris or Andrew Norris but police found no evidence to back up Lane's claims about her relationship with the man. And no man with either of those names has ever been found. Tegan's body has never been recovered. The documentary Exposed: The Case of Keli Lane revealed a composite image which was created by retired police forensic artist Terry Dunnett of the man Lane says is Tegan's father. Mr Dunnett sketched the image after a face-to-face interview with Lane in jail, which lasted two hours. Darryl Henson (pictured) said he is 'confident 100 per cent' that he saw Lane leaving an apartment complex in the Sydney suburb of Balmain during the summer of 1995/96 Mr Henson was a resident of the Balmain apartment complex (pictured) at the time when Lane said she had a sexual relationship with a man called Andrew Lane called on the man named Andrew to come forward. She has also claimed to have gone to a unit on Wisbeach Street, Balmain, in Sydney's inner west, on multiple occasions to have sex with the man named Andrew. Until now, no witness has ever come forward to say they had seen Lane visiting the apartment block. But in the documentary, Darryl Henson said he was a resident of a unit within the complex at the time when Lane said she was visiting. Mr Henson lived in the building during the summer of 1995/96, when Lane's sexual relationship is said to have taken place, and claims to have seen her visiting on several occasions. He returned to New Zealand in October 1996 but was recently tracked down by ABC journalists. Mr Henson told the ABC he is 'confident 100 per cent that [he] saw her', saying Lane was the'sandy-haired girl' he witnessed around the building late at night. Lane (pictured left and right) has always maintained her innocence, saying she did not kill Tegan because she gave the baby to the child's biological father 'I've got no reason to lie. I'd seen her coming and going through the carpark entrance, through High Street,' Mr Henson claimed. He said he would often see Lane and think she was 'brave' because she was not nervous about going out at late at night like other women were. 'It was quite late. It was dark. Sometimes 1am. Because I used to work on my car until the early hours of the morning,' he said. He identified Lane through a series of pictures shown to him by the ABC documentary team. Mr Henson was never interviewed by police as part of their murder investigation so his claims were not heard by the jury, although detectives reportedly made attempts to contact him. He said the jury should have heard from him 'just to clarify I did see her'. Mr Henson's claims have now been described as 'very significant' and 'compelling evidence' by the director of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Innocence Initiative, Dr Michele Ruyters. Lane (pictured) was jailed for 18 years in 2010 after a court found her guilty of murdering her daughter Tegan Dr Ruyters said that if Lane had been seen in the vicinity of Wisbeach Street, while she was or was not with Andrew, 'that immediately suggests that her story has an element of truth'. A police investigation found a man called Andrew Morris or Andrew Norris did not live in the apartment building at the time. When police showed tenants who lived in the building at the time a picture of Lane as part of their murder investigation, none said they had seen her around. In the documentary, Lane told journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna she was 'certain' she didn't kill her baby - despite her own admission of being a serial liar. For the first time since her conviction, Lane also spoke in detail about the last time she saw Tegan. 'She's so beautiful and just, she's asleep and tucked in this... capsule. I was very upset, I was crying and Andrew was with his mother,' Lane said. 'They'd obviously been sitting in the chair waiting and they stood up as we approached - "was this the right thing to do"?' Donald Trump's net worth has dropped by $1.4 billion since he announced his bid to become president of the United States and he's dropped over 100 places on The Forbes 400 list, the magazine revealed on Tuesday. The president was estimated to be worth $4.5 billion in 2015 but has dropped to $3.1 billion over the last two years, knocking him 138 spots lower on the annual rich list. The magazine cites three factors behind Trump's billion-dollar fall: much of the decline is due revelations about his wealth made through the deeper financial disclosure requirements Trump is subject to as president; also in play are larger market forces such as the fact the president owns a lot of real estate at a time e-commerce is beating brick-and-mortar retail; and, finally, some is due to how his presidency affects his brand. Donald Trump's net worth has dropped by $1.4 billion since he became president Donald Trump arrives at a press event where he announced his candidacy for the U.S. presidency at Trump Tower on June 16, 2015 Trump bragged to Fortune in 2000: 'It's very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it.' But, in reality, his polarizing politics hit him in the pocketbook: dropping an estimated $200 million from his net worth. Team Trump argues the president is sacrificing himself - and his bank account - for the good of the country. 'My father made a tremendous sacrifice when he left a company that he spent his entire life building to go into politics,' Trump's son Eric Trump, who co-manages the Trump Organization, said in a statement to Forbes. 'Everything he does is for the good of the American people - he has zero involvement in the Trump Organization and quite frankly to suggest otherwise is outrageous.' Forbes dropped their reporting on the president's net worth shortly before The New York Times revealed that the president's father, Fred Trump, was able to steer resources into his son's hands by vastly undervaluing real estate values, obscuring gifts, and avoiding taxes. At the tender age of three, Trump was earning $200,000 a year in 2018 dollars from his dad's business empire, becoming a millionaire by age 8, according to the report. By the time he graduated college (Wharton as Trump likes to point out) Trump was getting $1 million a year in today's dollars an amount that would jump to $5 million a year by the time he hit his 40s. And there is hope the president can regain some of that lost billion when he leaves Washington. At a rally in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Trump bragged about how his policies have boosted businesses both big and small. Last year's tax changes allowed companies to deduct the entire cost of equipment and capital improvements in a single tax year, instead of being forced to spread out the deductions over a decade or more. 'Capital investments are soaring because you can now immediately deduct every penny spent on new equipment. You can do one-year expensing! Nobody thought that was going to ever happen,' Trump told an approving Philadelphia crowd at a National Electrical Contractors Association convention. 'In fact,' he said, 'I should leave and go back into business, maybe. If you would have told me that when I was a private businessman, maybe I wouldn't have run for president.' Australia will send more than 50 medical professionals to Indonesia to help with the aftermath of a devastating and deadly earthquake as part of a $5million aid package. After a devastating 7.5-magnitude quake struck central Sulawesi on Friday, triggering a tsunami, more than 1,300 people have been killed. This has prompted Australia to send emergency healthcare support to the region. 'We will be working very closely with the Indonesian government to make sure that the support we are providing is highly targeted,' Foreign Minister Marise Payne said. Members of the Search and Rescue team work through the rubble of buildings brought down by the deadly earthquake Australia is considering further support for the disaster, with the death toll expected to rise and millions affected by the crisis Prime Minister Scott Morrison is continuing talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo about possible further support Australia is considering further support for the disaster, with the death toll expected to rise and millions affected by the crisis. 'I understand that there are significant challenges from liquefaction, so solid earth turning effectively into quicksand,' Senator Payne said. 'That makes movement and engagement very difficult.' Senator Payne has been in contact with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi and Prime Minister Scott Morrison is continuing talks with President Joko Widodo about possible further support. It is thought there are more than 1,300 people dead, missing, or injured after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunami struck the island of Sulawesi on Friday Residents of Petobo walk through the mud to inspect the damage to their homes after the devastating disaster Australia has pledged to send more than 50 medical professionals to Indonesia to help with the aftermath of Friday's devastation A local is pictured trawling through the rubbish and debris in Palu in an attempt to recover some of his lost possessions 'That will be considered on a case-by-case basis,' the foreign minister said. The latest package is on top of $500,000 given to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Mr Morrison said it was a 'very, very significant crisis' and Australia's support won't only be aimed at short-term relief. 'The sort of responses we are going to be making, won't just deal with what is needed right today, but over some period of time as well,' he said. The quake brought down hotels, shopping malls and countless houses in Palu, while tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet) scoured its beachfront shortly afterwards. Families have been forced to comb through body bags in an attempt to identify their missing relatives. Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, and hospitals were overwhelmed. The latest package is on top of $500,000 given to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins Families have been forced to comb through body bags in an attempt to identify their missing relatives A man hugs his daughter in an emotional reunion after both survived the disaster. Relatives are continuing their desperate search for missing family members Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, and hospitals were overwhelmed Choose your destination If you have a significant medical condition, before you book your trip find out how much the travel insurance will set you back. Even for a short visit, the cost of getting covered can run to hundreds of pounds in countries where the medical care is private and expensive, notably the USA, and where there are potentially hefty emergency travel and repatriation costs, such as the Caribbean. Generally, cover is much cheaper in Europe. However, premiums can be dearer for trips to Spain, Malta and Cyprus, which have higher levels of privatised health care than some other European countries. Use the EHIC One advantage of holidaying in Europe is the European Health Insurance Card (ehic.org.uk). Though not a substitute for travel insurance, it entitles UK residents to free or reduced-cost state healthcare when in another EU country and Iceland, Norway and Switzerland including pre-existing medical conditions, as long as you're not travelling intending to obtain treatment. Consider a single-trip policy If you go abroad several times a year, normally annual, multi-trip policies are the best value. However, for those with serious pre-existing medical conditions, annual cover can be prohibitively expensive, and single-trip policies may cost less. Insurers can quantify the risk more easily with a single-trip policy covering a specific destination for a set duration. Get joint cover It's best to have all the people travelling together family, partner, friends on the same policy. This means everyone should be covered if, for example, one person became ill and you all need to cancel or cut short the trip. Book then take out cover Cancellation cover is a key element of most travel insurance policies it accounts for about a third of claims. So if you don't buy your insurance as soon as you've fixed your holiday, you're not getting the full benefit. Britain already being the second biggest drinker of Argentinian Malbec proves the value of free trade, Boris Johnson told critics today. The Brexit cheerleader said he was amazed when he became foreign secretary his predecessors had not visited Argentina or Chile in 25 years. Mr Johnson said British trade with Latin America was ripe for growth despite the size and importance of the EU. The ability to boost global trade was among the leading arguments for Brexit and the undermining of new freedoms in Mrs May's Brexit plan is a leading critique of Eurosceptics. Mr Johnson said: 'Why was it 25 years since any of my predecessors had been to Argentina or Chile? It was because our entire global strategy has been focused on the EU. 'And while that may have been sensible in the 1970s, when we first joined the common market, it makes less sense in the globalised economy of today, when 95 per cent of the worlds growth is going to be outside the EU. 'Of course the EU is and will always be colossally important. But the rest of the world is proportionally gaining ground. 'And I was thrilled to find that even though our trade with these Latin American countries is still relatively small, the UK is already the second biggest investor in Peru, and that we already drink the second biggest quota of Argentinian Malbec.' A scientist has been suspended from Europes most prestigious nuclear research body over a highly offensive presentation about women in physics. Professor Alessandro Strumia, of Pisa University, told a workshop at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research known as CERN that physics was invented and built by men, its not by invitation. The physicist claimed a graph showed women were hired in preference to men whose work was more highly regarded. Professor Alessandro Strumia has been suspended from European Organisation for Nuclear Research (pictured) over a highly offensive presentation about women in physics Professor Strumia also said at the event in Geneva that he had been rejected for a job he believed he was more qualified for in favour of a woman. Planetary scientist Mara Reed, from Berkeley University in California, who attended the talk, said: Strumia thinks he is brave to point out the truth. Well, hes not brave. Hes a bigot. CERN said the presentation was highly offensive, adding it had suspended the scientist pending an investigation. Professor Strumia insisted: Some people dont want to hear things that disagree with their ideology. We found in my work, based on data, that there is no discrimination against women. The unique spot patterns of a giraffe are passed down from mother to calf, scientists have found. Giraffe spots range dramatically in shape and size and it is believed the patterns are a form of camouflage, helping them avoid predators. It has long been suspected that this trait was passed down the generations but conclusive proof has never been found. Scroll down for video The unique spot patterns of a giraffe are passed down from mother to calf, scientists have found. Spots can range dramatically in shape and size, but it is believed the spots act as a form of camouflage for the vulnerable animals against predators (stock) The study also reveals that survival of young giraffes is related to spot pattern, with some shapes better for survival than others. For example, newborn giraffes that have larger and irregularly shaped spots are more likely to survive the treacherous first few months of life than animals with different patterns. The Penn State University researchers in the US believe this increased survival rate could be a result of better temperature regulation or visual communication. The findings, published in the journal PeerJ, confirm a hypothesis first presented half a century ago by Dr Anne Innis Dagg, the first giraffe field researcher in Africa. Derek Lee, first author of the study and an Associate Research Professor at Penn State University, said: 'Giraffe spot patterns are complex and can be quite different among individuals, but we don't really know their purpose in the wild. 'Complex markings can help animals evade predators, regulate their temperature, or recognise family or individuals, all of which can affect their ability to survive and reproduce. 'In this study, we analysed survival records and photos of spots of Masai giraffes, and show that spot patterns do affect juvenile survival and are heritable - they are passed from mum to baby.' The study measured 11 different traits for the giraffe's spots and found two in particular - circularity and solidarity - were very similar in mothers and calves (stock) CAMOUFLAGE TECHNIQUES USED BY BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS Plants may appear passive but they camouflage themselves just like animals, research has revealed. Blending into the background helps plants protect themselves from predators and has the same benefits as the technique does to animals. They use various crafty techniques including making themselves look like unimportant objects such as a stones. Background matching - this involves blending with the colours of shapes of the habitat where they live. Disruptive coloration - markings that create the appearance of false edges and boundaries, making it harder to see the true outline. Masquerade - looking like something else; usually something a predator might ignore, such a stone or twig. Examples include living stones, some cacti, passion vines and mistletoes. Decoration - accumulating material from the environment. For example, some coastal and dune plants get covered by sand because of their sticky glands, making them less conspicuous of shapes of the habitat where they live. Advertisement He said giraffe skin colour is uniformly dark gray, but their spots are highly variable, ranging from nearly round with very smooth edges to elliptical with jagged edges. Spot patterns do not change as an animal ages, which allows researchers to identify individuals based on their unique patterns. The study measured 11 different traits of a giraffe's spots and found two features in particular - circularity and solidarity - were very similar in mothers and calves. These dictate how close the spot is to a perfect circle and how smooth and complete the edges are, respectively. The researchers suggest that these traits are inherited by the calf due to the similarity. Co-author Monica Bond, a graduate student at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, said: 'Dr Anne Innis Dagg, the first giraffe field researcher in Africa, presented evidence in 1968 that the shape, number, area, and colour of spots in giraffe coat patterns may be heritable, but her analysis came from a small zoo population. 'We used wild giraffes and modern imaging and analysis techniques to confirm her conclusions.' The study also highlights how modern image software and statistical methods can be used to reliably analyse complex coat patterns, according to the researchers. Professor Lee added: 'My hope is that other scientists will use the same tools to measure mammal coat patterns to advance our understanding of what these patterns mean. 'Quantifying heritability and fitness consequences of variation in coat patterns could help us understand how and why complex coat patterns evolve in wild animals.' HOW DO ANIMALS CAMOUFLAGE THEMSELVES? Many different animals have evolved methods of camouflage, making it hard for predators (or prey) to spot them. This evasion technique has forced many animals to become indistinguishable from their background. A common example is the snowshoe hare, a white animal that is a brilliant white colour to blend in with the background. This animal has the remarkable ability to develop a different coloured fur in the summer, to blend in with the changing terrain of its native area. The arctic fox and the white winter weasel also have a white coat to blend in with the snow. Stick insects developed a different method, changing their shape to resemble their habitat - twigs. Octopuses can change both their colour and texture to blend in with the sea bed and rocky outcrops. Predators have got in on the act too, with the stripes of a tiger and the sandy hues of a lion helping them to blend in with forest and grassland, respectively. Advertisement Three scientists have shared the Nobel physics prize for inventions in the field of laser physics. Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one half of the prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other half 'for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics'. Professor Strickland from the University of Waterloo, Canada, is the first women to win the award for 55 years. The announcement comes just hours after Alessandro Strumia of Pisa University was suspended following a 'highly offensive' presentation at CERN on gender issues. The Italian physicist said male scientists were the victims of discrimination during a workshop on 'High Energy Theory and Gender'. In one of the slides he is understood to have said: 'Physics invented and built by men, it's not by invitation.' Arthur Ashkin (left) of the United States won one half of the prize, while Gerard Mourou (middle) of France and Donna Strickland (right) of Canada shared the other half 'for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics'. Professor Strickland is the first women to win the award for 55 years WHAT DID ALESSANDRO STRUMIA SAY AT CERN? Alessandro Strumia of Pisa University said male scientists were the victims of discrimination during a workshop on 'High Energy Theory and Gender'. CERN has condemned the scientist's remarks saying they were 'highly offensive' and that the slides from his talk had been removed from its website. But Professor Strumia has stood by his comments, made to a predominantly female audience, BBC News has reported. In one of the slides he is understood to have said: 'Physics invented and built by men, it's not by invitation.' He claimed: 'Physics is not sexist against women. However the truth does not matter, because it is part of a political battle coming from outside. Not clear who will win.' According to slides posted online he cited examples of supposed discrimination against men including cheaper university places in Italy and longer exam times at Oxford which are claimed to benefit women. In a long series of slides he criticised politicians for promoting 'victimocracy' and said he was expressing 'thoughtcrime'. He also said women were hired with fewer citations and said the 'assumption of identical brains is ideology'. Advertisement Professor Strickland said she was honoured to be one of the small number of female winners of the physics Nobel so far. Her predecessor was Maria Goeppert Mayer, who won the prize in 1963 for her work on atomic nuclei and the first winner was Marie Curie in 1903. 'Obviously we need to celebrate women physicists, because we're out there,' she said. 'The inventions being honoured this year have revolutionised laser physics,' the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on awarding the prize. 'Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications,' it said in a statement. The academy says Professor Ashkin, who was born in September 1922, developed 'optical tweezers' that can grab tiny particles such as viruses without damaging them. Professor Strickland and Mourou helped develop short and intense laser pulses that have broad industrial and medical applications. Nobel laureate Donna Strickland says her first thought on hearing she'd won the physics prize was 'it's crazy.' Speaking by phone shortly after the announcement was made in Stockholm on Tuesday, Professor Strickland said: 'You do always wonder if it's real.' The Nobel Prize for physics honours researchers for discoveries in phenomena as enormous as The Big Bang and as tiny as single particles of light. The 9-million-kronor ($1.01 million/870,000 euros/ 770,000) prize, which will be shared between the winners, is decided by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Professor Ashkin was given one half of the prestigious award for inventing 'optical tweezers' - intense laser beams that can grab microscopic particles and move them about for study. They use light to move physical objects, 'an old dream of science fiction,' according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The beams use light's natural radiation pressure, allowing scientists to examine and manipulate viruses, bacteria and other living cells - even individual atoms - without damaging them. Arthur Ashkin of the United States (left) won one half of the prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada (right) shared the other half WHAT DID THE 2018 PHYSICS NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS DO? Arthur Ashkin of the United States won one half of the prize, while Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other half 'for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics'. Professor Ashkin was given one half of the prestigious award for inventing 'optical tweezers' - intense laser beams that can grab microscopic particles and move them about for study. They use light to move physical objects, 'an old dream of science fiction,' according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The beams use light's natural radiation pressure, allowing scientists to examine and manipulate viruses, bacteria and other living cells - even individual atoms - without damaging them. The Nobel prize committee said the innovation, which Professor Ashkin developed in the 1970s and 1980s, had created 'new opportunities for observing and controlling the machinery of life'. The other half of the prize pot was split between Professor Mourou and Professor Strickland for their joint development of ultra-short optical pulses. When early lasers were being developed in the 1960s, scientists encountered the problem of how to scale up the beams without also boosting their intensity to potentially dangerous levels. Professor Mourou and Strickland developed a technique, known as chirped-pulse amplification (CPA), which enabled researchers to boost laser power but keeping the intensity safe by having incredibly short light bursts. CPA first stretches laser pulses over time to reduce their intensity, before amplifying them and compressing them again. The compressed pulses saw more light packed into a shorter time, increasing the intensity of the pulse. It enables beams to cut or drill holes in various materials, including living matter, with extreme precision. Today the technique is used in millions of laser eye surgeries across the world and is being applied to research in several fields, including cancer care. Advertisement The Nobel prize committee said the innovation, which Professor Ashkin developed in the 1970s and 1980s, had created 'new opportunities for observing and controlling the machinery of life'. The other half of the prize pot was split between Professor Mourou and Professor for their joint development of ultra-short optical pulses. When early lasers were being developed in the 1960s, scientists encountered the problem of how to scale up the beams without also boosting their intensity to potentially dangerous levels. Professor Mourou and Strickland developed a technique, known as chirped-pulse amplification (CPA), which enabled researchers to boost laser power but keeping the intensity safe by having incredibly short light bursts. Three scientists have shared the Nobel physics prize for inventions in the field of laser physics. Pictured left to right is Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland CPA first stretches laser pulses over time to reduce their intensity, before amplifying them and compressing them again. The compressed pulses saw more light packed into a shorter time, increasing the intensity of the pulse. It enables beams to cut or drill holes in various materials, including living matter, with extreme precision. Today the technique is used in millions of laser eye surgeries across the world and is being applied to research in several fields, including cancer care. Last year's physics prize went to three Americans who used abstruse theory and ingenious equipment design to detect the faint ripples in the universe called gravitational waves. The 9-million-kronor ($1.01 million/ 770,000) prize, which will be shared between the winners, is decided by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm (pictured) WHO WAS ALFRED NOBEL? Pictured is a statue of Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel Nobel prizes were initially awarded in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The prizes take their name from Swedish inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel. During his life, he started 87 companies all over the world and amassed an incredible fortune. At the time of his death on December 10, 1896, he had 355 patents globally, including one for dynamite. His will stipulated that the money should be used to establish prizes to award those who had done their best to benefit mankind. The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901, five years after Nobel's death. Advertisement On Monday, American James Allison and Japan's Tasuku Honjo won the Nobel medicine prize for groundbreaking work in fighting cancer with the body's own immune system. The Nobel chemistry prize comes Wednesday, followed by the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize, which is not technically a Nobel, will be announced on 8 October. For the first time since 1949, the Swedish Academy has postponed the announcement of the 2018 Nobel Literature Prize until next year, amid a #MeToo scandal and bitter internal dispute that has prevented it from functioning properly. The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were created in accordance with the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and have been awarded since 1901. Nobel prizes were initially awarded in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. In 1969, another prize was added, The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. The Nobel Laureates are announced annually at the beginning of October, but are honoured in December, on the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. All Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, except for the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded in Oslo, Norway. During his life, Alfred Nobel started 87 companies all over the world and amassed an incredible fortune. At the time of his death on December 10, 1896, he had 355 patents globally, including one for dynamite. His will stipulated that the money should be used to establish prizes to award those who had done their best to benefit mankind. Russian investigators looking into the origin of a hole that caused an oxygen leak on the International Space Station say it was caused deliberately. Speaking on Monday, Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roskosmos, said that an official investigative report had confirmed their theory. 'It concluded that a manufacturing defect had been ruled out which is important to establish the truth,' he said. Sabotage: Russian astronaut Sergei Prokopyev showed the original 'drilled hole' during a video released by the space agency Roscosmos Rogozin said the commission's main line of inquiry was that the hole had been drilled deliberately, a position that has been voiced in the past. 'Where it was made will be established by a second commission, which is at work now,' he said. Officials are hoping that secondary investigation will identify the people or persons responsible. The small hole in the wall of a Russian-made Soyuz capsule docked onto the ISS was located in August and quickly sealed up. Officials suggested a number of possible reasons for the appearance of the hole. Initially, it was thought the damage could have been caused by a micrometeorite piercing the spacecraft. An anonymous source said the hole was drilled by a worker who hid their mistake with a seal instead of reporting it. Sergei Prokopyev (pictured) explained on a video released by Roscosmos last month how his team located and sealed the tiny hole that created a slight loss of pressure The Soyuz MS-08 (pictured) left Earth on March 21 to transport three members of the Expedition 55 crew to the International Space Station The Russian media speculated that a US astronaut might have sabotaged the spacecraft to delay a possible early return to earth due to alleged sickness of one member of the ISS crew. Rogozin even held phone talks with NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The men later released a joint statement which said: 'The Administrator and the General Director noted speculations circulating in the media regarding the possible cause of the incident and agreed on deferring any preliminary conclusions and providing any explanations until the final investigation has been completed. WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A HOLE IN THE ISS? Theory one - it was caused by a small meteorite A tiny hole appeared in a Russian space capsule locked to the ISS on 30th August. 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 before crew patched it with tape. The hole was confirmed repaired by Friday (31 August) after cabin pressure returned to normal. It was initially believed to have been caused by a small meteorite and astronauts used tape to seal the leak after it caused a minor loss of pressure. Theory two - it was made deliberately while in orbit However, as the investigation went on it began to look like the hole was made from someone inside as opposed to outside, either back on Earth or in space, the Russian space agency claimed. Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in September that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturing or while in orbit with a 'wavering hand'. He didn't say if he suspected any of the US crew, but the statement has caused some bewilderment. Sources suggest the question of how to fix the hole may have strained relations between Moscow and Houston. Rogozin has since reneged on his statement blaming the media for twisting his words and said that he 'never pointed the finger at U.S. astronauts'. Theory three - it was caused by a worker at Energia A leading theory from an unnamed source at Energia said the hole was made on the ground potentially caused by 'deliberate interference' with suggestions the person responsible may have already been identified. Another anonymous source said the hole was drilled by a worker who hid their mistake with a seal instead of reporting it. An unnamed source at Energia told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that '[t]he hole was made on the ground'. According to the source, '[t]he person responsible for the act of negligence has been identified'. Another anonymous source said the hole was not made intentionally but by a worker who hid their mistake with a seal instead of reporting it. The patchwork repair lasted the trip up to the ISS but after three weeks in orbit gradually peeled away. Advertisement 'They affirmed the necessity of further close interaction between NASA and Roscosmos technical teams in identifying and eliminating the cause of the leak, as well as continuation of normal ISS operations and NASAs ongoing support of the Roscosmos-led Soyuz investigation. 'They acknowledged the entire crew is dedicated to the safe operation of the station and all docked spacecraft to ensure mission success. 'The Administrator and the Roscosmos General Director agreed to conduct their first face-to-face meeting at the Baikonur Cosmodrome on or about October 10 when the NASA Administrator will visit Russia and Kazakhstan in conjunction with the upcoming Soyuz crew spacecraft launch of American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexy Ovchinin.' Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin said that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturing or while in orbit Previously, Rogozin - who once oversaw the space industry as deputy prime minister - admitted it had become difficult to work with NASA. 'Problems with NASA have certainly appeared but not through the fault of NASA,' he said, blaming unnamed American officials for telling the US space agency what to do. He also claimed that SpaceX founder Elon Musk sought to squeeze Russia out of the space launch services market and complained about the US military drone X-37. 'Americans have this thing, the X-37,' Rogozin said. 'We don't understand its purposes. Rather, we do understand, but we have not received an official explanation. 'Essentially, this thing can be used as a weapons carrier.' The Draconid Meteor Shower will return this month, but the 2018 peak may not be as spectacular as it has been in the past and could only generate a few meteors per hour. Draconids are also known as the Giacobinis, named after Michel Giacobini who discovered the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner from which the meteors come. According to Space.com, skywatching columnist Joe Rao, it is worth looking up to the sky because in 1933, those in Europe saw up to 500 Draconids per minute. Alongside this, US observers saw thousands per hour at the showers peak in 1946. Rao said that Draconids occur only when the Earth passes just inside Comet Giacobini-Zinners orbit shortly after the comet itself has gone by. A meteor streaks through the night sky, past planet Mars, during the Perseid meteor shower The 2018 Draconid Meteor Shower is not expected to be dazzling and NASA meteor expert Bill Cooke revealed that the meteors may not be noticeable over the normal background of 5-8 meteors per hour. Cooke told Space.com that: The Draconids are one of those showers where you either see a bunch of them or none of them, and no outburst is predicted this year so Draconid activity is expected to be extremely weak; not even noticeable to the casual observer. Of course this can change - as people do their predictions, things change. What is a meteor shower? According to The Telegraph, when the Earth passes through a debris stream that is occupying the orbit of a comet, a meteor shower occurs and a number of meteors are seen flash across the sky from roughly the same point. Although they are often referred to as shooting stars, they have nothing to do with stars and the shower appears to come from a single point, which is known as the shower radiant. A meteor is formed after a particle, the size of a grain of sand, vaporises in the atmosphere when it enters at 134,000mph. If the particle is larger than a grape, it will produce a fireball and will be accompanied by a persistent afterglow, which is referred to as a meteor train, ionised gas that slowly faded from view as it loses energy. When is the next meteor shower? In October 2018, there will be two meteor showers: the Draconids and the Orionids. While the Draconid shower will only be shooting across the sky for a short period, from October 6 to 10, the Orionid Meteor Shower will be active from October 2 to November 7. The best time to see the Orionid shower is on October 21 and 22, when the meteors will be at their peak and the shower will be at its brightest. What is the Draconid Meteor Shower? The Draconid Meteor Shower is considered to be the least-interesting meteor shower and are created as the Earth passes through the debris left by the 21 P/Giacobini-Zinner comet, which takes about 6.6 years to make a revolution around the Sun. Also known as the Giacobini, the meteor shower comes from the constellation Draco the Dragon, which is where the name Draconids originates from. The easiest way to spot the shower is to look out for the constellations brightest stars, Eltanin and Rastaban. When is the Draconid Meteor Shower? The Draconid Meteor Shower will be darting across our skies from October 2 to 16, but the best day to see the shower is at dusk on Monday, October 8. How to watch the Draconid Meteor Shower in the UK According to Royal Museums Greenwich, it is advisable to find somewhere with dark skies, a clear horizon and little light pollution. Alongside this, there is no advantage to using binoculars or a telescope so observers are able to look up unaided in order to take in the widest possible view of the sky. The best places in the UK include the renowned stargazing locations, also known as the three Dark Sky Reserves, which are Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons and Exmoor national parks. In addition to this, Europes largest Dark Sky Park, Northumberland National Park and the adjoining Kielder Water and Forest Park are also popular stargazing locations. How to watch the Draconid Meteor Shower in the US According to EarthSky, back in 2011, the Draconids were best seen over Europe, but less so over North America. It is not clear whether or not this will be the case for the 2018 Draconid Meteor Shower, but the shower will still be visible across the continent. Major meteor showers of 2018 January 3: The Quadrantids April 22: The Lyrids May 6: The Eta Aquariids July 29: The Delta Aquariids August 1213: The Perseids October 21: The Orionids November 5: The Southern Taurids November 18: The Leonids December 14: The Geminids December 22: The Ursids The discovery of an eighth-century 'slave' skeleton on Venice's tourist island Torcello could unlock secrets of its remarkable thousand-year-old history. Torcello was first settled in the year 452AD and is believed to be the gateway from which Venice was populated. In the tenth century this tiny island was densely populated, with between 10,000 to 35,000 people living in well-constructed wooden huts. During the 1960s and 70s many cemetery sites on the island were excavated but there seemed to be few clues to what life was like before 1000AD. Now, scientists have uncovered the body of a young adult believed to be a slave who died on the island in around 700AD when it was a bustling ship building port. Scientists hope this find will give an insight into what life was like when this popular little island now home to just a few dozen people was heaving with people. Scroll down for video The discovery of an eighth-century 'slave' skeleton on Venice's tourist island Torcello could unlock secrets of its remarkable thousand-year-old history After the downfall of the Roman Empire, the island lagoon was populated by Veneti who were taking shelter from reoccurring barbarian invasions. From then on it rapidly grew as an important hub for trade and this latest find could provide information about a time which currently little is known about. Lead archaeologist Diego Calaon from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice says the 'entire skeleton [is] intact, with the exception of the head.' He believes that the perforation of the skull was caused by a construction pole in modern times. Dr Calaon says this indicates that 'the burial was complete and that the defects we see today resulted from activities which occurred later on in the area'. The burial, in a cemetery adjacent to the old Basilica, is particularly interesting in terms of its location. It is at the head of an ancient lagoon canal that separated the island of the Ancient Church of Saint Mary from the inhabited area of the medieval settlement. Over time the channel that separated the island of the Ancient Church with the inhabited medieval settlement was fortified with hundreds of wooden poles. Scientists believe the man was a young adult when he died during the early Middle Ages and his body was found in a cemetery adjacent to the old Basilica Having a specimen from 700AD gives a unique opportunity to study the ancient island residents who lived in well-constructed wooden huts that were densely packed This expansion, which happened during the eighth and ninth century, suggests the inhabitants at the time had 'hunger for space' and a need to create new living spaces. Archaeologists found fireplaces, as well as kitchen pottery including dishes and covering basins. They also found amphorae for oil and wine, and soapstone vessels for cooking soups and stews. At the moment experts don't know where this community came from and whether or not the burial was isolated or connected directly to the Church. Scientists are hoping to clear up these questions with DNA and biometric analysis. There were also two large warehouses on the island at the time that had been constructed in the two previous centuries between 500 - 600AD. Now the island, which is a popular tourist spot in summer months, is home to just a few dozen people During the 1960s and 70s many cemetery sites on the island were excavated but only relatively modern burials from the High Middle Ages (between 1000 and 1250AD) were found 'Torcello became a hub of movement within the lagoon precisely at this moment', said Dr Calaon. 'Warehouses were built with reused Roman bricks, some with markings on them, fashioned with stones taken from ancient Rome. He said that 'long before the 'imagined' or 'legendary' barbaric destruction occurred, the local elite had fully invested in creating an efficient ship yard precisely in the littoral area of the time. 'The porticoed harbour warehouse visible on Torcello nowadays is exceptionally well preserved: we will be able to clean up the interiors within 5/10 days of work'. Bacteria found 2,000 feet (600 metres) under the surface of an arid desert in Europe suggests that life could exist on Mars. Scientists say the fact microbial creatures can weather the Iberian Peninsula's punishing conditions, in Spain's southern tip, mean similar organisms could feasibly live deep under the red planet's crust. The Pyrite Belt, which stretches for 250km from Portugal to Spain, is similarly famed for being inhospitable. Yet, despite this, researchers still found evidence of tiny cyanobacteria, which adapted to survive in total darkness. Typically, they rely on photosynthesis to source energy from sunlight. Yet they were said to be 'thriving' in conditions not totally dissimilar to Mars. Life on Mars? The discovery of bacteria in the depths of a Spanish desert have revived hopes that similar organisms could exist elsewhere in the solar system As a result, Dr Fernando Puente-Sancheza, of the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology, has drawn obvious conclusions about the discovery - suggesting that the same, or similar, organisms could survive on the galaxy's second-smallest planet. 'The subsurface is a good place to live on if you are on Mars,' he told The Independent. 'On the surface in Mars there is almost no atmosphere so you get a lot of radiation that could damage life. 'If you go some metres below the surface then you are protected, it is a very stable environment.' Previously, cyanobacteria has shown to be robust and adaptive to its habitat. 'You go to the desert, you have cyanobacteria; you go to the sea, you find cyanobacteria,' Mr Puente-Sanchez added. 'You go to the International Space Station, and they can get the microbes up and get them down, and they survive. The last habitat we hadn't seen before was the sub-surface.' In addition, the genetic structure of cyanobacteria could suggest the sort of alien life - if any - that could exist on Mars. Thriving: Evidence of tiny cyanobacteria, which had adapted to survive in total darkness Earlier this year, in June, Nasas Curiosity rover found potential building blocks of life in an ancient Martian lakebed. The organic molecules preserved in 3.5 billion-year-old bedrock in Gale Crater believed to have once contained a shallow lake the size of Floridas Lake Okeechobee suggest conditions back then may have been conducive to life. That leaves open the possibility that micro-organisms once populated our planetary neighbour and might still exist there. Curiosity also confirmed sharp seasonal increases of methane in the Martian atmosphere. Researchers said they cannot rule out a biological source. Advertisement NASA's Parker Solar Probe is swinging by Venus on its unprecedented journey to the sun. Launched in August, the spacecraft gets a gravity assist today as it passes within 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) of Venus. The flyby is the first of seven that will draw Parker ever closer to the sun. Scroll down for video The unmanned spacecraft is on an unprecedented quest that will take it straight through the edges of the corona, or outer solar atmosphere, just 3.8million miles from the sun's surface. Previously, the closest an aircraft had come to the sun was 27million miles By the end of October, Parker will shatter the current record for close solar encounters, set by a NASA spacecraft in 1976 from 27 million miles (43 million kilometers) out. Parker will get within 15 million miles (25 million kilometers) of the sun's surface in November. Twenty-four such orbits - dipping into the sun's upper atmosphere, or corona - are planned over the next seven years. The gap will eventually shrink to 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers). The unmanned spacecraft is on an unprecedented quest that will take it straight through the edges of the corona, or outer solar atmosphere, just 3.8million miles from the sun's surface. Previously, the closest an aircraft had come to the sun was 27million miles. This mission will require 55 times more energy than would be needed to reach Mars, according to NASA. The probe will rely on a series of gravity assists from Venus to slow down its sideways motion, allowing it to get just 3.8 million miles away from the sun's surface. As NASA engineer Bobak Ferdowsi pointed out on Twitter, that's the equivalent distance of just 4.43 suns positioned next to each other. This will put the Parker probe well within the sun's corona, which extends about 5 million miles above the surface. 'We'll be going where no spacecraft has dared go before within the corona of a star,' said project scientist Nicky Fox, of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. 'With each orbit, we'll be seeing new regions of the sun's atmosphere and learning things about stellar mechanics that we've wanted to explore for decades.' Flying: At it's fastest spacecraft went travels at 119miles per second, pictured taking off Taking off: The rocket launches its historic mission to the sun this moning The Delta IV rocket seen during a time exposure at the Kennedy Space Center this morning The $1.5billion (1.17billion) Parker Probe blasted off atop one of the most powerful rockets in the world. It will eventually hit record-breaking speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour as it completes 24 orbits of the sun over the course of seven years. At this speed, it would take two minutes to travel from London to New York. While orbitting the sun, the craft will swing around Venus seven times, using the planet's gravity to push it closer and closer to our star with each pass; eventually, the Parker probe will get within 3.8 million miles of the sun's surface. It will make its first fly past Venus in October, and is protected by a revolutionary new heat shield. That will set up the first solar encounter in November. It will be subjected to temperatures of roughly 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371C) when it comes closer to the sun than any spacecraft in history but, behind its thick heat shield, it will only feel like a hot summer day, with this sheltered region maxing out at about 85F (29C). The probe will rely on a series of gravity assists from Venus to slow down its sideways motion, allowing it to get just 3.8 million miles away from the sun's surface. This will put the Parker probe well within the sun's corona, which extends about 5 million miles above the surface. No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the sun The $1.5 billion (1.17billion) Parker Probe (shown on left attached to the third stage rocket motor) will blast off atop one of the most powerful rockets in the world, eventually hitting record-breaking speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour as it completes 24 orbits of the sun over the course of seven years The corona, or the sun's outer atmosphere, is home to ultra-hot solar material and some of the most extreme events emanating from our star. Here, material heats up to millions of degrees, NASA says. Parker Solar Probe's unprecedented access to the corona will let it study the acceleration of solar wind up close, and observe the solar flares and coronal mass ejections that have rippling effects on space weather and communication systems down near Earth. WHAT IS NASA'S PARKER SOLAR PROBE? The Parker Solar Probe (PSP) travelled seven times closer to the sun than any spacecraft before it Nasa's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) will travel seven times closer to the sun than any spacecraft before it by the end of its mission. It launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on August 12 2018. The probe flew to the sun's outer atmosphere to study life of stars and their weather events. It is hoped that PSP can help scientists to better understand solar flares - brief eruptions of intense high-energy radiation from the sun's surface that can knock out communications on Earth. Over the next five years the probe will continue to make new discoveries as it moves closer to the Sun, eventually making its closest approach in the year 2024, as it flies 3.9 million miles above the solar surface. The craft faces extremes in heat and radiation and will reach speeds of up to 430,000 miles per hour (700,000 kph) at its closest flyby of the star. The craft's kit includes a white light imager called Whisper, which will take images of solar waves as the craft propels through them at high speeds. To measure the 'bulk plasma' of solar winds - described by Nasa as the 'bread and butter' of the flares - a set of magnetic imaging equipment will also be stored on board. Advertisement The craft is named for Dr Eugene Parker, who first predicted the existence of solar wind back in 1958, and is the only living person to have ever had a NASA mission named for them. The probe is also towing the names of over 1.1 million people who signed up to have their names sent to the sun. The Parker Solar Probe will launch from Cape Canaveral Saturday morning atop a ULA Delta IV Heavy, already one of the most powerful rockets in the world, with a third stage attached. Above, the massive rocket payload fairing can be seen with the mission emblems Roughly 1,400 pounds of solar projection and science equipment are protected by an advanced heat shield, which uses a 4.5-inch thick carbon composite foam material between two carbon fiber face sheets. The probe can be seen above as it was lifted onto the third stage rocket motor This and roughly 1,400 pounds of solar projection and science equipment are protected by an advanced heat shield, which uses a 4.5-inch thick carbon composite foam material between two carbon fibre face sheets. 'NASA was planning to send a mission to the solar corona for decades, however, we did not have the technology that could protect a spacecraft and its instruments from the heat,' says Adam Szabo, the mission scientist for Parker Solar Probe at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt. 'Recent advances in materials science gave us the material to fashion a heat shield in front of the spacecraft not only to withstand the extreme heat of the sun, but to remain cool on the backside.' Parker Solar Probe's unprecedented access to the corona will let it study the acceleration of solar wind up close, and observe the solar flares and coronal mass ejections that have rippling effects on space weather and communication systems down near Earth The historic mission will give us the best opportunity yet to study the star that holds up our entire solar system. And, it's one of the last places within our stellar neighborhood that has yet to be explored. 'For scientists like myself, the reward of the long, hard work will be the unique set of measurements returned by Parker,' Szabo said. 'The solar corona is one of the last places in the solar system where no spacecraft has visited before. It gives me the sense of excitement of an explorer.' Advertisement Astronomers who were looking for signs of distant stars being booted out of the Milky Way have revealed a shocking discovery. Instead of stars leaving, they found stars instead heading inwards and say they may have come from another galaxy. The team also found 20 stars going so fast they expect them to escape our galaxy. Scroll down for video The positions and reconstructed orbits of 20 high-velocity stars, represented on top of an artistic view of our Galaxy, the Milky Way. These stars were identified using data from the second release of ESAs Gaia mission. The seven stars shown in red are sprinting away from the Galaxy and could be travelling fast enough to eventually escape its gravity. Surprisingly, the study revealed also thirteen stars, shown in orange, that are racing towards the Milky Way, which could be stars from another galaxy, zooming right through our own. THE GAIA STUDY For 1.3 billion stars, Gaia measured positions, parallaxes an indicator of their distance and 2D motions on the plane of the sky. For seven million of the brightest ones, it also measured how quickly they move towards or away from us. 'Of the seven million Gaia stars with full 3D velocity measurements, we found twenty that could be travelling fast enough to eventually escape from the Milky Way,' explains Elena Maria Rossi, one of the authors of the new study. Elena and colleagues, who had already discovered a handful of hypervelocity stars last year in an exploratory study based on data from Gaia's first release, were pleasantly surprised, as they were hoping to find at most one star breaking loose from the Galaxy among these seven million. And there is more. Advertisement 'Rather than flying away from the Galactic centre, most of the high velocity stars we spotted seem to be racing towards it,' said study co-author Tommaso Marchetti of Leiden University in the Netherlands. 'These could be stars from another galaxy, zooming right through the Milky Way.' It is possible that these intergalactic interlopers come from the Large Magellanic Cloud, a relatively small galaxy orbiting the Milky Way, or they may originate from a galaxy even further afield. If that is the case, researchers say they will carry the imprint of their site of origin, and studying them at much closer distances than their parent galaxy could provide unprecedented information on the nature of stars in another galaxy similar in a way to studying martian material brought to our planet by meteorites. 'Stars can be accelerated to high velocities when they interact with a supermassive black hole,' Elena Maria Rossi, one of the authors of the new study, said. 'So the presence of these stars might be a sign of such black holes in nearby galaxies. 'But the stars may also have once been part of a binary system, flung towards the Milky Way when their companion star exploded as a supernova. 'Either way, studying them could tell us more about these kinds of processes in nearby galaxies.' An alternative explanation is that the newly identified sprinting stars could be native to our Galaxy's halo, accelerated and pushed inwards through interactions with one of the dwarf galaxies that fell towards the Milky Way during its build-up history. Gaias all-sky view of our Milky Way Galaxy and neighbouring galaxies, based on measurements of nearly 1.7 billion stars. The map shows the total brightness and colour of stars observed by the ESA satellite in each portion of the sky between July 2014 and May 2016. Brighter regions indicate denser concentrations of especially bright stars, while darker regions correspond to patches of the sky where fewer bright stars are observed. The colour representation is obtained by combining the total amount of light with the amount of blue and red light recorded by Gaia in each patch of the sky. Additional information about the age and composition of the stars could help the astronomers clarify their origin. 'A star from the Milky Way halo is likely to be fairly old and mostly made of hydrogen, whereas stars from other galaxies could contain lots of heavier elements,' says Tommaso. 'Looking at the colours of stars tells us more about what they are made of.' The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the nearest galaxies to our Milky Way, as viewed by ESAs Gaia satellite using information from the missions second data release. This view is not a photograph but has been compiled by mapping the total amount of radiation detected by Gaia in each pixel, combined with measurements of the radiation taken through different filters on the spacecraft to generate colour information. MAGELLANIC CLOUDS: SATELLITE GALAXIES FOR THE MILKY WAY The Magellanic Clouds can be seen in the night sky with the naked eye and have been observed by ancient cultures for thousands of years. The Large Magellanic Cloud is a relatively small 160,000 light years away from us, while the Small Magellanic Cloud is around 200,000 light years away. They orbit the Milky Way once every 1,500 million years and each other once every 900 million years. They were the closest known galaxies to the Milky Way until recently, when the Sagittarius and Canis Major dwarf galaxies were discovered and found to be even closer. Advertisement Astronomers using the latest set of data from ESA's Gaia mission, which in April, released an unprecedented catalogue of more than one billion stars. The Milky Way contains over a hundred billion stars. Most are located in a disc with a dense, bulging centre, at the middle of which is a supermassive black hole. The rest are spread out in a much larger spherical halo. Stars circle around the Milky Way at hundreds of kilometres per second, and their motions contain a wealth of information about the past history of the Galaxy. The fastest class of stars in our Galaxy are called hypervelocity stars, which are thought to start their life near the Galactic centre to be later flung towards the edge of the Milky Way via interactions with the black hole. Only a small number of hypervelocity stars have ever been discovered, and Gaia's recently published second data release provided a unique opportunity to look for more of them. Twitter is cracking down on fake accounts as it prepares for the midterm elections in the US. The social media firm issued some updates on its 'elections integrity work' late Monday, among which include new guidelines for what kinds of behaviors its taking action against. What's more, the firm says it has already deleted 50 profiles believed to be posing as members of the Republican party. Scroll down for video The social media firm issued some updates on its 'elections integrity work' late Monday, among which include new guidelines for what kinds of behaviors its taking action against 'As platform manipulation tactics continue to evolve, we are updating and expanding our rules to better reflect how we identify fake accounts, and what types of inauthentic activity violate our guidelines,' Twitter wrote in a blog post. 'We now may remove fake accounts engaged in a variety of emergent, malicious behaviors.' The firm went on to outline some factors it's keeping an eye on when determining whether or not an account might be fake. It now considers the use of stock or stolen avatar photos, stolen or copied profile bios and intentionally misleading profile information, like a user's location, as suspicious. The firm is also encouraging political candidates use two-factor authentication, or an extra layer of security that's required to log into an account, but they're not requiring officials to use it. Many politicians have already turned on two-factor authentication, Twitter said. Twitter now considers the use of stock or stolen avatar photos, stolen or copied profile bios and intentionally misleading profile information, like a user's location, as suspicious Twitter said it's also banning any posts that contain hacked materials. It previously banned users who made hacking threats, but now that's expanded to prohibit the distribution of hacked information 'that contains personally identifiable information, may put people in imminent harm or danger, or contains trade secrets.' However, users are still allowed to share commentary, such as news articles, about a hack or hacked materials. Finally, the firm is beefing up its 'enforcement approach' to bring the hammer down on accounts that 'deliberately mimic or are intended to replace accounts we have previously suspended for violating our rules.' It follows Twitter's recent announcement that it had taken down 770 accounts for spreading misinformation from Iran. 'Since our initial suspensions...we have continued our investigation, further building our understanding of these networks,' Twitter's safety division wrote in a tweet. 'In addition, we suspended an additional 486 accounts for violating the policies outlined last week. 'That bringing the total suspended to 770,' they continued. Other disinformation campaigns have involved far-right themes, but the content removed involved anti-Trump rhetoric. Pictured are examples of tweets from suspended accounts As with much of the content discovered from fake accounts, they were sharing content meant to sow division between Americans, often touching on inflammatory political issues Most of the suspended accounts are believed to be from Iran. Fewer than 100 were located in the US and they tweeted about 867 times, were followed by 1,268 accounts and had joined Twitter less than a year ago. As with much of the content discovered from fake accounts, they were sharing content meant to sow division between Americans, often touching on inflammatory political issues. Interestingly, unlike other disinformation campaigns that have involved far-right themes, the content removed by Twitter involved anti-Trump rhetoric. For example, one post states 'The exact moment American stopped being "great," and shows a photo of President Donald Trump being sworn in. Another one of the identified accounts claimed the FBI was blackmailing Trump. 'We identified one advertiser from the newly suspended set that ran $30 in ads in 2017,' Twitter's safety unit noted. 'Those ads did not target the US and the billing address was located outside of Iran. 'We remain engaged with law enforcement and our peer companies on the issue,' they continued. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently admitted in an interview with CNN that the company hasn't 'figured out' fake news yet, noting that policing false information is a difficult task The move comes after Twitter announced last week that it had suspended 284 accounts from its platform, also for engaging in 'coordinated manipulation.' It comes as Twitter, Google, Facebook and others face growing scrutiny from users, experts and lawmakers to ramp up security efforts ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. All of them have struggled to deal with the spread of false information and fake accounts on their platforms. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey recently admitted in an interview with CNN that the company hasn't 'figured out' fake news yet, noting that policing false information is a difficult task. Additionally, Dorsey is set to testify before a U.S. House of Representatives committee on Sept. 5 about how Twitter monitors and polices content. Microsoft's Surface lineup is getting a major refresh is the firm's battle with Apple. The tech giant revealed its two latest models, the Surface Pro 6 and the Surface Laptop 2, at a big product launch event in New York City on Tuesday. Both come in a new matte black colorway and pack updated processors that Microsoft says make the devices much faster than their predecessors. The Surface Pro 6 starts at $899, while the Surface Laptop is priced at $999. They're expected to ship out on October 16th and pre-orders start today. Scroll down for video Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2 and the Surface Studio 2 at a big product event in New York City on Tuesday. All of the devices are available for pre-order today Microsoft upgraded the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 to feature Intel's 8th-generation Core processors. This makes the Surface Laptop 2 85 percent speedier than previous models, while the Surface Pro 6 gets a 67 percent speed boost. The Surface Laptop 2 now gets 14.5 hours of battery life, while the Surface Pro 6 still gets a solid 13.5 hours on a single charge. As usual, the Surface Pro 6 maintains its part-tablet, part-laptop functionality, thanks to a full-friction hinge that enables 'seamless transitions between Laptop Mode, Studio Mode, and Tablet Mode,' according to Microsoft. Despite its internal upgrades, the Surface Pro 6 still looks largely the same. It still weighs 1.7lbs, features a 12.3-inch display and packs up to 16 gigabytes of RAM. The Surface Pro 6 maintains its part-tablet, part-laptop design, due to a full-friction hinge that enables 'seamless transitions between Laptop Mode, Studio Mode, and Tablet Mode' Despite its internal upgrades, the Surface Pro 6 still looks largely the same. It still weighs 1.7lbs, features a 12.3-inch display and packs up to 16 gigabytes of RAM By contrast, the Surface Laptop 2 is noticeably revamped, in more ways than just the processor. It still features a 13.5-inch display, but a revamped touchscreen has given it the 'thinnest ever LCD' display. The keyboard is covered in Microsoft's 'Signature Alcantara' fabric, making it even quieter than before. The Surface Laptop 2 is available in black, burgundy, platinum and blue, while the Surface Pro 6 comes in black and platinum. Alongside the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6, Microsoft also unveiled a new Surface Studio 2 - an update to its first Surface desktop computer, which launched in 2016. The Surface Laptop 2 is noticeably revamped, in more ways than the processor. It still features a 13.5-inch display, but a revamped touchscreen has given it the 'thinnest ever LCD' display Alongside the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6, Microsoft also unveiled a new Surface Studio 2 - an update to its first Surface desktop computer, which launched in 2016 Microsoft says this version features 50 percent more graphics performance, on top of being the 'fastest Surface device ever made.' It boasts a 28 inch display that's said to be 38 percent brighter than the original Surface Studio, as well as 22 percent more contrast. It also includes a brand new Surface Pen with tilt sensability, as well as the Surface Dial controller with haptic feedback. The Surface Studio 2 is available for pre-order starting today and is priced at $3,499. It's expected to ship November 15th. Alongside new computers, Microsoft also surprised attendees by launching a pair of Surface Headphones. The Surface Headphones pack adjustable noise cancellation, automatic pause and play, which pauses the video a user is watching when they take the headphones off Microsoft upgraded the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 to feature Intel's 8th-generation Core processors. This should result in significant speed boosts for both models The firm describes them as their 'first premium and smart headphone experience.' They pack adjustable noise cancellation, automatic pause and play, which pauses the video a user is watching when they take the headphones off. Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant, is also built into the headphones. It can offer 'proactive guidance, read you emails, or kick off your conference call,' according to the firm. Surface Headphones start at $349 and are expected to launch later this year. Microsoft also announced that the Windows 10 October Update will arriving for users later this month. By Chris Leadbeater, TravelMail The bridge's 30 saintly statues contribute to the medieval aura The Charles Bridge spans the river under the eye of Prague Castle The most famous bridge in Prague, and indeed, the Czech Republic a 520-metre stretch of masonry that spans the River Vltava in serene fashion. Built between 1357 and 1402, the bridge (or 'Karluv most', as the Czechs call it) was the only way of crossing the Vltava without taking to the water for 460 years, despite a design that has left it consistently prone to flood damage. Made up of 16 shallow arches (and three elegant towers), it lies low to the river, almost seeming to rest upon it rather than rise over it. Where: At the heart of the Czech capital, gliding across from the west bank (where you find the city's castle and the genteel Mala Strana (Little Quarter) district) to the Old Town (Stare Mesto) on the east bank. A major tourist attraction, it's hard to miss. Why go? Because the bridge is the encapsulation of Prague as a medieval metropolis. Largely undamaged by the violence of the Second World War (Prague fell to both the Germans and the Russians with barely a bullet of conflict, in fortunate contrast to poor ravaged Budapest to the south), the city offers numerous echoes of an older, lost Europe in its narrow streets and cobbled passages. Granted, the Charles Bridge has been tinkered with on a few occasions since its construction severe flooding in 1890 cost it three of its arches, for example but it plays a full part in the nostalgia-fest. Random fact: Here's three: The Charles in question is Charles IV, who was a local boy, but also King Of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, in the late 14th century. He was a big cheese but not so big a cheese that the bridge was immediately named after him. It was simply the Stone Bridge until 1870, when it garnered its modern moniker. Of a more grizzly nature is what happened in 1621. In the wake of a Bohemian uprising against the area's then-ruling power, the Hapsburg dynasty, 27 leaders of the revolt had their severed heads displayed on the tower on the bridge's Old Town side. Best bit: Although the versions on display are replicas of the 17th century originals, erected in the mid-Sixties, the 30-odd Baroque statues that line each side of the bridge give an extra injection of charm to a stroll across its tiles. Each is a saint or all-round holy chap. Seek out in particular the figure of St John Of Nepomuk, which can be found towards the middle of the structure. Not only is he the patron saint of the Czech Republic, but he spent his final moments on the bridge: he was thrown into the cold waters of the Vltava in 1393 after earning the ire of King Wenceslas, Charles IV's son. The original statues can be seen nearby in the Czech National Museum (www.nm.cz). Downside: The bridge can get awfully crowded during daylight hours especially at the moment, as, with an extensive restoration programme currently underway (due to finish some time in 2008), random areas of the walkway are often roped off. Oh, and as with any well-known tourist sight, keep your eyes open for dastardly pickpockets. When to go: Today. Tomorrow. Next week. Prague is a fine place to spend a winter weekend (assuming you wrap up warm) its orange rooftops and warren of streets look especially picturesque in the cold and mist of Christmas's approach. To see the bridge at its best, set the alarm clock and arrive early, before the hordes descend. How to get there: Still visibly medieval in layout, the centre of Prague is pretty easy to navigate on foot. A great way to visit the bridge is to start at the castle district (Hradcany), then wander downhill on Nerudova, reaching the old river crossing via Mostecka. Once you've gained the east bank, carry on via Karlova and Male namesti. This will bring you to Staromestske namesti, the Old Town's main square one of Prague's most delightful spots and, in December, the home of a Christmas market. The bridge's 30 saintly statues contribute to the medieval aura Stay: A three-night break in Prague during December, staying at the five-star Ambassador Zlata Husa hotel in Wenceslas Square (on the east side of the river) costs from around 264 per person (based on two sharing), including direct flights and breakfast, via our TravelMail booking service (0871 2227631, or click here). More information: Try the official Czech Republic tourism website at www.czechtourism.com. For a webcam view of the Charles Bridge, click here. Thousands of passengers have been left stranded after budget airline Primera Air which offered cheap flights between the UK and US has gone bust. The Danish carrier confirmed on its website last night that it would be suspending all flights and filed for bankruptcy protection but has so far not given any information about refunds. In a statement, directors say Primera could not get financing from its bank and had spent more than more than 26million ($34.7million) leasing planes and rebuilding one with severe corrosion. Scroll down for video One passenger at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris said her flight to Toronto was half way through the boarding process when passengers had to be escorted off the plane and posted this picture to Instagram Another Instagram user Bahiaportfolio posted this picture from Stansted Airport showing Primera Air passengers stranded after being told their flight would not be leaving Eric Jetner posted this picture on Twitter of stranded passengers in Paris that had been due to fly to New York Even Primera Air cabin crew took to Twitter to claim they has been left stranded by the airline and pleaded with other airlines to help them get home It said: 'On this sad day we are saying goodbye to all of you.' The number of Primera Air passengers left stuck by the collapse is reported to be in the thousands, while those who have booked on tours have been urged to contact their agents. Routes include flights out of Stansted Airport to Washington, Newark, Boston and Toronto, as well as a base out of Birmingham airport. Stansted Airport said this morning that travellers due to fly with the airline should not travel to the airport, from which Primera also operated flights to Spain. Birmingham Airport referred customers to the Civil Aviation Authority advice, which urged those expecting return flights to the UK with the operator to make fresh arrangements home. Some of those affected by the collapse of the airline have also been taking to Twitter to share their stories. Budget airline Primera Air, pictured, which offered cheap flights between the UK and US has gone bust One was Loz, who said she was cabin crew with Primera Air but had been left stranded in Toronto by the airline. Lindsay Learns said: 'My mother and I were told our flight was cancelled at the airport 35mins after we were supposed to board the plane. PEOPLE WERE LINED UP TO BOARD. We then found out #PrimeraAir went bankrupt. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?!' Nikki Luxford wrote: 'Just found out through BBC that my flights to @primeraair have been cancelled. Devastated. Holiday of a lifetime over! @BBC_HaveYourSay #liquidation #Administration' Kimberly Bebout tweeted: 'I'm now stuck in DC with no way to get to Stansted and still make my connecting flight on time. What am I to do about my trip to Italy with non-refundable reservations @primeraair??? My one vacation this entire year just had to start today.' While Wendy Bedding added: 'I'm supposed to be flying home tonight from Dulles to Stansted, I've had no information if I'm flying or not....what is going on.' Some of those affected by the collapse of the airline have also been taking to Twitter to share their stories Jeff Pitcher and his wife Kelly, 53, were due to fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Newark Liberty International in New Jersey with the airline on Monday evening. The 55-year-old said they arrived at the airport three hours early, checked in and were sat waiting to board when they saw it was delayed. He told the Press Association that rumours then began to circulate about the collapse of the airline, before it was announced their flight had been cancelled. Passengers were then handed a letter explaining that the company had entered into the administration process. Describing how there were two full Primera Air flights which had been waiting to board, one to Toronto and another to New Jersey, he said he thought there was going to be a riot. 'People were pretty upset,' he said. 'No-one knew what was going on. Many complained that they didn't have much information on what would happen after thier flights were cancelled 'Obviously they (Primera Air) knew this was going to happen, and they just let thousands of people around Europe just sit in the airport.' Revealing how there were people yelling and crying, he praised the 'amazing' efforts of some Primera Air staff who tried to help those affected, despite having lost their jobs. GPs SAY THEY HAVE BEEN STRANDED BY PRIMERA AIR A pair of NHS GPs say they have been forced to eat into their wedding savings after being stranded in Washington thanks to the collapse of troubled airline Primera. Eduardo di Cuffa and his fiancee, trainee GP Victoria Lee, are currently stuck in the U.S city with no idea when they may be able to return home. They were due to return to Britain this Saturday but were told their flights were cancelled after the airline went bust. And they are now facing a bill of at least 3,000 for direct flights back to London Gatwick. Dr di Cuffa, who works at the Abbey Medical Centre, in South Hampstead, North London, said: "To be honest, this is exactly not what I needed given the current state of the NHS at the moment. "Practically-speaking, I feel like I am already at crisis point." Dr di Cuffa travelled out to Washington with Miss Lee, 30, on Saturday to celebrate his 33rd birthday. The north London-based GP added: "It has been awful because we've had no communication from anyone. "We found out from our family in Britain and when we tried to find out more there was just no information. "As far as we were concerned, we did everything we could have done to protect ourselves from this situation. "We have travel insurance and registered with a credit card, and it seems we should be fine with getting our money back for the cancelled flight. "The issue that we are facing at the moment is that looking at new direct flights back at that exact time as our original flight was scheduled for: British Airways are charging 1,500 and Virgin Airways are 3,000 and that is just not affordable." Advertisement The couple from Ohio, America, who have been in Europe for a week, have now booked onto another flight from Paris to New Jersey that is due to fly on Wednesday at a cost of more than 770. He said the whole process was handled so poorly by the company that it is 'laughable', and that it has made them think twice about booking with the cheapest airline option again. Canadian Tara Noe and her husband Remy were due to fly to Toronto with the airline next week for a two-week trip to see family members and so she could take part in her first marathon in the city. The 42-year-old, who now lives in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, said she is in 'shock' over the announcement, and that the service from start to finish has been 'horrendous'. 'You can't contact them, they have shut down the phone lines and the website is inaccessible. Everything is shut down, you can't get anywhere,' she told the Press Association. Discovering the news online as the couple headed to bed on Monday night, she said it has been 'chaos' since. After spending 750 on their return flights, the couple have had to fork out another 368 for her replacement ticket, with her family stepping in to cover the 400 for her husband's fare. 'We were looking to save money using them,' she said, revealing they have never flown with the airline before. 'It has actually been a nightmare, I have had a lot of problems with the airline since. I tried to change the date on my ticket and it took three weeks. 'It was terrible ... I had a bad feeling about these guys, I really did. There was something about this airline that was not going well at all, you could tell ... I should've switched.' After spending more than two years losing four stone in weight and training to take part in her first marathon, Mrs Noe said she is glad she will still make it to the start line on October 21. 'But there is still the fallout of this,' she said. 'I still have to try and find out if we can get our money back, or if we are going to spend the next month or two paying back this money. I don't even know.' Sahliene Bradshaw told MailOnline Travel she has been left stranded in the UK with her husband, two -year-old duaghter and parents after their flight to Malaga later in the week has been cancelled. She explained: 'Not only did Primera Air not alert us to the fact that they were ceasing operation, its only because my mum happened to see a comment on Facebook which led me to checking their website that we knew about the situation, but we are not able to claim any money back and we are now expected to fork out for new flights home. 'What angers me the most is that we decided to add suitcases to our flights on the eve of them ceasing operations and they were happy to take the extra money for this whilst clearly knowing the state of the company. 'We are fortunate enough to be able to afford new flights home however so many people cant and will be stranded with no decent explanation from Primera Air, let alone any support. 'I hope all those affected are ok and can all safely make their way home or find a way to make it to their holiday destinations.' Passengers took to social media to post pictures of a letter from Primera Air that has been handed out to those stranded The Primera Air website this morning had a message, which confirmed that it had ceased operations Primera started as a charter airline in Iceland and became one of several budget airlines to offer transatlantic service in recent years, flying to Newark, New Jersey; Washington; Boston and Toronto. Last year it flew around one million passengers. This month, Primera touted new flights next summer between Madrid and North America starting at 130 ($172). The collapse of the airline comes almost a year to the day after travel firm Monarch went to the wall, leading to the redundancies of nearly 2,000 employees. Primera Air's collapse will be a blow to planemakers Airbus and Boeing, which had both used the airline as a showcase for new strategies designed to use data analytics to help carriers run smoothly and expand their own high-margin services revenue. Primera was also at the centre of a battle between plane giants to expand the range and performance of their best-selling single-aisle jets, attracting new players to the lucrative transatlantic market. It was a launch customer for Airbus's A321LR, the longest-range version of the A321neo narrow-body jet. Primera Air's collapse will be a blow to planemakers Airbus and Boeing, which had both used the airline as a showcase for new strategies Demand for such jets has helped shaped the strategies of planemakers in recent years, with Boeing looking to counter with a new mid-sized model next year. Primera took delivery of its first leased A321neo from General Electric leasing unit GECAS in April. But in June it said it had been forced to postpone plans for flights from Birmingham, England, to New York and Toronto because of 'severe delays' in receiving Airbus A321neo planes. Airbus has had problems delivering the planes due mainly to engine delays and on Friday Reuters reported that it faced quality problems at the Hamburg plant where A321neo jets are made. New "Square One Project" already producing terrific paper on re-imagining criminal justice policy | Main | "Sentencing Reform: Fixing Root Problems" October 2, 2018 Challenging issues for SCOTUS in criminal cases that may impact only a few persons ever and the entire structure of government always On the second oral argument day of the new Supreme Court Term, criminal law issues are front and center. Here is SCOTUSblog's overview via this round-up post: As the title of this post suggests, I think the Madison capital case is likely to impact only a few persons ever: only a few dozen of murderers are these days subject to real execution dates each year and only a very few of those persons are likely to able to make a credible claim of incompetence to seek to prevent the carrying out of a death sentence. The jurisprudential and philosophical issues in Madison still are, of course, very important and lots of SCOTUS cases may end up impacting only a few persons. But I cannot help but note what seems to me to be relatively small stakes in Madison. I stress the limits of Madison in part because, as my post title suggests, I think the Gundy case could be the sleeper case of the Term because a major ruling on the nondelegation doctrine could radically reshape the entire modern administrative state. In this post last month, the original commentary of Wayne Logan concerning Gundy highlighted that SCOTUS has "not invalidated a congressional delegation in over eighty years ..., [and] the issue [taken up in Gundy could be] clearing the way for a potential major assault on the modern administrative state, which is shaped by countless congressional delegations of authority to agencies." Prior related preview posts: UPDATE via SCOTUSblog: The transcript of oral argument in Gundy v. United States is available on the Supreme Court website; the transcript in Madison v. Alabama is also available; and authored by Amy Howe here, "Argument analysis: A narrow victory possible for death-row inmate with dementia?" October 2, 2018 at 09:51 AM | Permalink Comments Just like for Weyerhaeuser yesterday the petitioners today are going to have a more difficult time due to the 8-member court. Madison in particular (Gundy is unusual enough I could well see it producing an atypical split). Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Oct 2, 2018 10:58:13 AM Gundy makes me nauseous from whiplash. On one hand I want him to win for reasons other than the non-delegation issue. On the non-delegation issue I am sympathetic that the administrative state has gotten too big but I am concerned about the alternative. When Kavanaugh gets on the court there will be five votes to turn the USA into a free wheeling capitalist society that would make Augusto Pinochet blush. In short, I think the administrative state need to be reigned in I just don't trust Thomas, Alito and company to do it in a way that doesn't significantly increase human suffering. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 2, 2018 11:14:33 AM I am not sure that Madison will be that limited. Even if we are only executing thirty to fifty people a year, it is not unusual for the last second flood of filings to include a claim that they are incompetent to be executed. So, if Madison changes the definition, you will see inmate's trying to claim that they fit within the new definition. I am not sure how many inmates on death row have enough of a deficiency to credibly make that claim, but the mental deficiency to make such a claim is almost certainly less severe than the one required under current law (the inability to understand that they are being executed for a murder that a jury found that they committed). Posted by: tmm | Oct 2, 2018 1:05:15 PM http://www.scotusblog.com/2018/10/argument-analysis-a-narrow-victory-possible-for-death-row-inmate-with-dementia/ Amy Howe now offers her view on the oral argument in Madison. I think it is interesting how quickly Roberts has now become the "swing justice" on cases like these. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 2, 2018 7:02:28 PM Thank you Doug for that link to oral argument in Gundy. I ead through the whole thing and all I can say is "wow". Public defenders often get a lot of crap but Sarah Baumgartel put on a magnificent performance. She toasted Wall, made Kagan look foolish, did the tango with Gorsuch, all the while cracking jokes and making the audience laugh. She smacked every ball out of the ball park. It was a brilliant effort. If the case where to be decided based on oral advocacy skill she wins easily. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 2, 2018 11:43:25 PM http://www.scotusblog.com/2018/10/argument-analysis-justices-grapple-with-nondelegation-challenge/#more-275857 SCOTUSblog's argument recap in Gundy is now posted. She seems to think that Wall performed better than I thought he did. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 3, 2018 1:52:09 PM I was reading through Gundy, and I thought the SEC questions were a problem for Gundy's attorney. There are some very broad delegations to agencies that have the power to investigate crimes and refer them for prosecution. Unless the Supreme Court finds that the final charging decision makes the AG sui generis, they are going to have to find someway to distinguish SORNA from these other statutes or run the risk of calling into question a significant number of regulations that have been on the books for decades. Posted by: tmm | Oct 3, 2018 3:43:26 PM @tmm Yeah, that is the way Breyer was trying to spin it but frankly that is the way that he spins all these kinds of cases. I didn't see him gaining any traction with that argument though among the other judges. The nondelegation doctrine is a hard conceptual road to hoe because, at least as I see it, there isn't an rational way to determine where one draws the line without going into infinite regresses. That's the problem with Kagan's argument: if one looks hard enough one can infer an intelligible principle in just about any Congressional act. What's the difference between cobbling together a bunch of inferences and simply making something up? Posted by: Daniel | Oct 3, 2018 4:26:22 PM I don't think that it was just Breyer who was pushing that line. While not using the SEC as an example, several of the justices had questions expressing skepticism of the civil/criminal distinction that Gundy was trying to push. Posted by: tmm | Oct 3, 2018 5:03:52 PM @tmm You think that but other people don't. Slate has this article, and I quote, "Heres the thing: Gorsuch is absolutely right. And judging by the other justices skepticism of SORNAs delegation, his view will carry the day in a lopsided ruling against the government." https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/10/neil-gorsuch-sex-offender-registry-supreme-court.html?via=section_features So Stern certainly thinks that Gundy is going to win big with a ruling based upon the civil/criminal distinction you think many judges were skeptical of. You both can't be right. Posted by: Daniel | Oct 3, 2018 7:51:16 PM Post a comment She hasn't been shy in expressing her desire to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. But sadly Australia's Next Top Model winner Aleyna FitzGerald has narrowly missed out on scoring a place in the highly coveted runway extravaganza, according to The Herald Sun. The show is said to select only around 50 women from a pool of hundreds of model applicants. Not her time: Australia's Next Top Model winner Aleyna FitzGerald narrowly misses out on spot for Victoria's Secret show Over the years, many contenders have continued to apply even after missing out. Many of the big name models who have starred in the show - including the likes of Gigi and Bella Hadid - have gone on to become Victoria's Secret Angels. Five models from Australia and New Zealand will walk in this year's show - including Shanina Shaik, Georgia Fowler, Kelly Gale, Maia Cotton and Alannah Walton. Aleyna's statuesque figure and striking looks saw her win season ten of Australia's Next Top Model at just 17 years of age. Talented beauty: Aleyna's statuesque figure and striking looks saw her win season ten of Australia's Next Top Model at just 17 years of age She has since become one of the most successful models from the competition. In August 2017, the brunette beauty even replaced Kendall Jenner as the face of designer fashion brand - Balmain. During an interview with The Daily Telegraph in July, Aleyna said: 'A big moment for me was when I was walking across the road in Paris and saw my big billboard of Balmain.' Wow! In August 2017, the brunette beauty even replaced Kendall Jenner as the face of designer fashion brand - Balmain 'I rang my mum straight away and she was crying. Having a billboard of you in Paris is pretty spectacular,' she candidly gushed. Aleyna has previously stormed the catwalk for Chanel and Valentino but has a strong desire to strut the runway for Victoria Secret one day. 'Every girl wants to do VS (Victoria's Secret) and walk for all the big brands, a mix of commercial and high fashion work. Who knows where I'll go,' she said. Snooki's mama bear instincts are shining through. Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi hit back at social media trolls who mommy-shamed her after she posted a photo on her Instagram of daughter Giovanna, four, holding hands with Jenni 'JWoww' Farley's little girl Meilani, also four, this weekend. Responding to internet critics who called her little girl's look 'messy,' the Jersey Shore star said 'Mind your own business tho...i let my daughter pick her own outfits. I let he express herself.' Look-a-likes: Nicole 'Snookie' Polizzi daughter, Giovanna, and Jenni 'JWoww' Farley's little girl Meilani, both four, hold hands; Snooki hit back at social media mommy-shamers who called her daughter's appearance 'messy' in this photo She continued, asking 'Are you a mother? Worry about your own damn kids, and let us live. She's 4 g** damn years old, f*** off.' Giovanna looked adorable in the photo with her bestie, which was taken at the wedding shower for Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino over the weekend. Many fans commented on how cute the kids looked together, and how much they look like their mothers. But there were also a few who criticized Snooki and her daughter's so called 'messy' look in the picture. Fan support: Most people who commented on the photo came to the defense of Snooki Snooki (far right)and JWoww (third from left) brought their little girls to the bridal shower for Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino (second from right) and finace Lauren Pesce (third from right) on Saturday One critic lashed out saying: 'You have money dress your girl better, Shes beautiful but needs to look nicer. You take time to do your hair face and dress do the same for her.' Another critic added: 'Kids hair is crazy,' to which the 30-year old reality star replied: 'Let her live.' A slew of fans came to Snooki defense with comments like: 'Shes a little girl! Little kids play and get messy!' Second family: Snookie and JWoww have been great friends since meeting on Jersey Shore; the BFF's are pictured with their mates and kids in 2015 (Jenni's has since filed for divorce from estranged husband Roger Mathews) Another wrote: 'You do realize shes 4 right? Why are people on here trolling toddlers?' And yet another said: 'Whats wrong with messy hair? And why do people care? Snooki and JWoww were happy to come out and support The Situation and fiance Lauren Pesce at her bridal shower, which also included Angelina Pivarnick and her fiance Chris Larangeira and Jersey Shore buddy Vinny Guadagnino. The happy couple are actually college sweethearts who dated for three years in the 2000's. They later reconciled in 2013, and eventually got engaged in late April of this year. They met and fell in love on the set of their movie The Light Between Oceans in 2014, before going on to tie the knot in Ibiza last year. And Michael Fassbender, 41, and Alicia Vikander, 29, looked as loved up as ever on Monday night, when they stepped out together for a romantic candlelit dinner at Cibus Italian restaurant in Paris. The lovebirds put on a cosy display as they exited the upscale eatery, which sits in the shadow of the Louvre Museum, and made their way to the exclusive Ritz hotel two days before Alicia is set to celebrate her 30th birthday. Loved up: Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander looked as loved up as ever on Monday, when they stepped out for a romantic candlelit dinner at Cibus Italian restaurant in Paris Tomb Raider star Alicia looked typically chic for the low-key outing, stepping out in a flowing black dress, which was patterned with small white stars throughout. With a long black suit draped over her frock of choice, the Swedish actress stood tall in a matching pair of vertiginous heels. Accessorising with a floral pendant statement necklace and bold drop earrings, Alicia highlighted her natural beauty with a warm palette of makeup, while her raven locks were styled in a sleek bun with a centre parting. Cosy display: The lovebirds put on a cosy display as they exited the upscale eatery, which sits in the shadow of the Louvre Museum, and made their way to the exclusive Ritz hotel How it all began: They met and fell in love on the set of their movie The Light Between Oceans in 2014, before going on to tie the knot in Ibiza last year German heartthrob Michael cut a comparably casual figure for their romantic evening, donning a navy zip-up sweater with blue trousers and grey running shoes. Sporting light stubble, the X-Men star smiled at onlookers as he guided his wife of one year to a waiting vehicle to whisk them back to their luxury hotel. The couple fell in love on the set of their movie The Light Between Oceans, which was filmed in 2014, However, they didn't make their debut together on a red carpet together until the 2016 Golden Globe Awards. Typically chic: Tomb Raider star Alicia looked typically chic for the low-key outing, stepping out in a flowing black dress, which was patterned with small white stars throughout Stylish: Accessorising with a floral pendant statement necklace and bold drop earrings, Alicia highlighted her natural beauty with a warm palette of makeup Things went from strength to strength and the pair went on to tie the knot in a romantic ceremony in Ibiza last year, with film director Steve McQueen among those on the seclusive guest list. Alicia and Michael relocated to Lisbon together last year, of which the actress told Elle: 'When I met my husband three and a half years ago, he had mentioned hed been to Lisbon and loved it, and I knew friends who were moving out there. 'And that was a time when I was just starting to feel really at home in London. But after Brexit I think I was like, "Meh, you know what, I want to stay in Europe."' Casually cool: German heartthrob Michael cut a comparably casual figure for their romantic evening, donning a Perfect Moment sweater with blue trousers and grey running shoes He's best known in the UK and Ireland as a member of Boyzone, and in Australia as a judge on the local version of The X Factor. But Ronan Keating almost added 'Hollywood actor' to his resume, revealing on Sunday that he was in the running for a major film role in 2001. The 41-year-old told News.com.au he was considered for the lead role of Christian in Moulin Rogue! alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Ewan McGregor, who eventually landed the part. REVEALED: The major Hollywood role Ronan Keating narrowly missed out on that could have made him an overnight sensation. Pictured: Ronan in London on April 8, 2018 Director Baz Luhrmann had flown the three actors to New York City to audition. Ronan explained: 'I met Leo not long ago and we were chatting, we were actually in Sydney playing cards, and I said, "Man, what about Moulin Rouge? F**k me, I couldn't act!" 'He said, "Hey Ronan, you couldn't act, and I couldn't f**king sing for s**t!"' Missed opportunity: Ronan told News.com.au on Sunday that he was considered for the lead role of Christian in Moulin Rogue! alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Ewan McGregor, who eventually landed the part. Pictured: Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rogue! Trainspotting star Ewan eventually landed the role, starring alongside Nicole Kidman. However, losing out on Moulin Rogue! did not discourage Ronan from pursuing his acting dreams. He has since auditioned for The Hobbit and Beauty and the Beast. Music man: Ronan is best known in the UK and Ireland as a member of Boyzone, and in Australia as a judge on the local version of The X Factor. Pictured performing with Boyzone He also read for King Arthur, performing an audition in front of producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Antoine Fuqua. 'I was much younger, this is like 15 years ago, maybe even more. That was pretty scary, that scared the s**t out of me. I obviously didn't get the role!' he said. Ronan's newest project is an Australian musical talent show called All Together Now. All Together Now begins on Sunday, October 7 at 7pm on Channel Seven Here's what she said...but it's probably not what she meant. Jessica Biel left a suggestive comment on her husband Justin Timberlakes Instagram account that had his fans talking on Monday. It all started when Justin, 37, shared a photo of himself hard at work on his laptop. Becoming an author: Justin Timberlake shared this snap of himself on his laptop captioned, 'Doing work on my book. Pre-order in the link up top. #Hindsight' The hitmaker-turned-actor captioned the snap saying: 'Doing work on my book. Pre-order in the link up top. #Hindsight.' And Jessica, 36, couldn't resist taking to Instagram to leave a remark in the comment section. The actress wrote back: 'My wordsmith at work. Always in awe of your big...brain' and added a kiss emoji. Naughty comment: Justin's wife, Jessica Biel, couldn't resist taking to Instagram to leave this remark, 'Always in awe of your big...brain.' Well, what else could she mean? The power couple began dating in 2007 after meeting at the Golden Globes in Hollywood. They got engaged in December 2011, and tied the knot on October 19, 2012, at the romantic Borgo Egnazia resort in Fasano, Italy. Justin and Jessica share a three-year-old son, Silas. Dressed to thrill: Justin, 37, did his best James Bond impression while Jessica, 36, wowed in white at the Emmy awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 17 Meanwhile, Justin is presently on his Man of the Woods Tour in support of his album of the same name. It began in March in Toronto, Canada, and made its way through North America until early June. It then took in Europe and the UK before returning to the US, where it's scheduled to wrap on January 29 with a show in Denver, Colorado - after 112 gigs. Jenna Dewan is set to join season two of Fox's The Resident as new character Julian Booth, played by Jenna Dewan. Fans of the show got their first glimpse of Booth in a photo and a clip shared via E! News Monday. The dancer/actress's charm and keen intellect are on full display as she introduces herself to Dr. Devon Pravesh (Manish Dayal) in the teaser. A clairvoyant rep: Jenna Dewan guest stars as Julian Booth, a medical rep with a knack for predicting medical specialties in Monday's episode of The Resident While Booth's job is to try and sell doctors new devices they might not necessarily need, the character also showcases her slightly clairvoyant abilities. After introducing herself to Devon, she correctly guesses that he's a surgeon, which leads him to inquire how exactly she knew that. Booth reveals that guessing medical specialties is her 'superpower,' perhaps even before the doctor knows the specialty themselves. She then proceeds to predict the future paths of several medical students, before showing Devon some of her products, like an artificial sphincter that earned the urologist who invented it a cool $40 million. A clairvoyant rep: While Booth's job is to try and sell doctors new devices they might not necessarily need, she also showcases her slightly clairvoyant abilities Booth goes on to shed some light on her background, revealing that she was a dancer until she was hit by a car and she shattered her pelvis. She goes on to show the good doctor her scar, adding that her hip replacement surgery not only changed her life, but made her a 'true believer.' Booth also correctly predicts that Devon is interested in ER work, but adds he's too smart for that, hinting he might invent one of the devices before them, some day. An impressed doctor: After introducing herself to Devon, she correctly guesses that he's a surgeon, which leads him to inquire how exactly she knew that The official description for Monday's episode says that Booth, 'inserts herself into the ongoing work of the doctors to promote her costly products.' This could insinuate that she may not be a welcomed presence at Chastain Park Memorial, which is currently in the midst of budgetary problems. Devon also is tasked with showing the interns around, while Bell (Bruce Greenwood) expresses frustrations over Conrad's (Matt Czurchy) father, the new chairman of the board. Booth reveals that guessing medical specialties is her 'superpower,' perhaps even before the doctor knows the specialty themselves Dewan currently hosts NBC's World of Dance, and she has had recent TV roles on CBS' Man With a Plan and The CW's Supergirl. She also has two films in post-production, The Wedding Year with Anna Camp and Sarah Hyland and the anthology film Berlin, I Love You, the latest in the Cities of Love series (Paris, je t'aime, New York, I Love You and Rio, Eu Te Amo). Dewan and her ex-husband recently revealed they are both dating, just five months after their surprising split. Dr Chris Brown recently confirmed his split with girlfriend Kendall Bora. And following rumours he could be next year's Bachelor, Channel Ten executives are reportedly working overtime to convince him to sign up. According to NW on Monday, the 40-year-old I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star is top of the network's 'wish list' for season seven. Scroll down for video 'Producers know that girls and guys love him': Channel Ten is reportedly 'lobbying for Dr Chris Brown to be the next Bachelor' after his split with girlfriend Kendall Bora. Pictured in May 2018 'Producers know that girls and guys love Chris,' said an industry insider. 'So it would be a great way to continue the amazing success they've been having with known celebrities becoming suitors.' Interestingly, it appears that being 2019's Bachelor would fit perfectly with Chris' busy schedule. Production for The Bachelor generally begins in late March, which is conveniently just after I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! wraps up in South Africa. New Bachelor? According to NW, the 40-year-old I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! star is top of the network's 'wish list' for season seven. Pictured with his ex-girlfriend Kendall (right) 'Let's not start that!' It comes after Dr Chris Brown brushed off rumours he could be the next Bachelor during an episode of Have You Been Paying Attention? last week (pictured) It comes after Dr Chris Brown brushed off rumours he could be the next Bachelor during an episode of Have You Been Paying Attention? last week. During a light-hearted exchange with funnyman Ed Kavalee, Chris joked about being '40, still single [and] with no children'. Afterwards, he was gently ribbed by the panel of comedians about whether he would accept an offer to be the Bachelor. 'Let's not start that!' Chris replied. Hmm! Interestingly, it appears that being 2019's Bachelor would fit perfectly with Chris' busy schedule. Production for The Bachelor begins in late March, which is conveniently after I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! wraps up in South Africa. Pictured with co-host Julia Morris However, a conflicting report in this week's New Idea suggested that Chris may not be single by the time The Bachelor starts filming next year. A source claimed that he was 'seeing' his ex-girlfriend Kassandra Clementi again after splitting with Kendall, and that he 'never stopped having feelings for her'. Chris and Kassandra ended their two-year relationship back in 2015. 'Since he quietly split from Kendall, he's been talking to Kassandra more,' said the insider. 'He has realised that she is the love of his life, and that he wants her back.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Chris's representatives for comment. She spent the weekend celebrating her 50th birthday in Morocco. And Naomi Watts had plenty to smile about after returning home to New York City on Monday. The Mulholland Drive actress looked radiant as she went grocery shopping at Whole Foods in Lower Manhattan. Scroll down for video What's her secret? Naomi Watts, 50, looked remarkably youthful while shopping in New York City on Monday... after celebrating her milestone birthday in Morocco over the weekend Looking remarkably youthful, the mother-of-two opted for a casual chic ensemble while running errands. She paired wide-leg cropped trousers with a checkered navy blazer layered over a black T-shirt. Naomi kept her accessories simple, opting for aviator-style sunglasses and a messenger bag. Running errands: The Mulholland Drive actress looked radiant as she went grocery shopping at Whole Foods in Lower Manhattan Everyday style: Looking remarkably youthful, the mother-of-two opted for a casual chic ensemble Stylish: Naomi kept her accessories simple, opting for aviator sunglasses and a messenger bag She styled her blonde hair in a messy bun and listened to headphones as she strolled down the street. The sighting comes after Naomi shared several photos to Instagram of her lavish 50th birthday celebrations in Marrakech, Morocco. During the trip, she spent time with friends and family, enjoyed camel rides and live music, and took advantage of the city's culinary delights. The details: She paired wide-leg cropped trousers with a checkered navy blazer layered over a black T-shirt Grocery run: She styled her blonde hair in a messy bun and listened to headphones as she strolled down the street She captioned one of her holiday snaps, which showed her smiling against the backdrop of a stunning sunset, 'Pure joy'. Another video posted over the weekend featured Naomi diving into a hotel swimming pool with one of her sons. The Hollywood star shares two children - Samuel and Sasha - with her ex-partner, American actor Liev Schreiber. 'Pure joy': The sighting comes after Naomi shared several photos to Instagram of her lavish 50th birthday celebrations in Marrakech, Morocco His directorial debut, a remake of classic flick A Star Is Born, has been earning rave reviews. And Bradley Cooper looked pleased as punch as he walked the red carpet at the Paris premiere of A Star Is Born on Monday night. The A-list star was looking dapper in a navy suit and blue shirt as he proudly posed on the red carpet - with co-star and leading lady Lady Gaga nowhere to be seen. Proud moment: Bradley Cooper looked pleased as punch as he walked the red carpet at the Paris premiere of A Star Is Born on Monday night Bradley was mobbed by excited fans outside the cinema, with eager admirers lining up in their droves to see him. The Hollywood hunk, 43, was happy to pose for selfies and took his time signing autographs. The star's outing came after he discussed welcoming now 17-month-old daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper into the world just a week before shooting A Star Is Born. Popular: Bradley was mobbed by excited fans outside the cinema, with eager admirers lining up in their droves to see him Flying solo: The A-list star was looking dapper in a navy suit and blue shirt as he proudly posed on the red carpet - with co-star and leading lady Lady Gaga nowhere to be seen Centre stage: The Hollywood hunk, 43, was happy to pose for selfies and took his time signing autographs Talk of the town: His directorial debut, a remake of classic flick A Star Is Born, has been earning rave reviews In a new interview with W Magazine, Bradley discussed his longtime girlfriend Irina Shayk gave birth to their only child one week before his first ever day of directing. He talked about that hectic period of his life as he said: 'Id wake up and work out, followed by two hours of guitar practice and two hours of piano lessons. Lunch. 'Then Lukas Nelson [Willies son], my collaborator, would come over, and wed write music for one and a half hours. Id write the screenplay for the rest of the day. Long time in the making: Bradley has spent years working on his pet project What a time: The star's outing came after he discussed welcoming now 17-month-old daughter Lea De Seine into the world with girlfriend Irina Shayk, just one week before shooting his directorial debut 'Irina was pregnant, so it was kind of perfect. Lea was born a week before we started shooting.' Bradley also talked about how he has essentially been doubted his entire career as he explained: 'But who knows? Ive heard it all in my career. Early on, I didnt get a role because they said I wasnt "f***able." 'In the end, you have to reserve your attention for the work and not listen to anyone.' 'It was kind of perfect': He talked about that hectic period of his life to the publication He goes on to say that loved ones had even told him not to direct A Star Is born even saying that it would be too difficult and that he should be making his directorial debut with something 'easier.' Cooper explained: 'Luckily, I didnt listen. I loved that it was really, really hard to make this film. Otherwise, it wouldnt have the same value. And thats always been my goal: to make something, no matter how challenging, that will be remembered.' He also opened up about his relationship with Lady Gaga (born Stefani Germanotta) as he admitted that he wasn't familiar with her music but was blown away by her performance at a cancer benefit. Handsome: Cooper is featured on the cover of the October Issue We were immediately comfortable with each other': Cooper talked about his relationship with Lady Gaga as he said he believed in her as an actress while she believed in him as a musician Since then they have been making beautiful music together as he said: 'Im from an Italian background, and so is she. We were immediately comfortable with each other.' He said he believed in her as an actress while she believed in him as a musician. Cooper said: 'I wanted there to be a meta aspect to the film, and Stefani gave me that. Also, no actress can do musically what I needed Stefani to do in 42 days of shooting: I needed plutonium. And the plutonium in A Star Is Born is Stefanis voice.' A Star is Born hits theaters in the UK on Wednesday with the US release following on Friday. She's known for her roles in hit films such as Thor: Ragnarok and The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. But Cate Blanchett also uses her star power to advocate for a cause, acting as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. On Sunday, the 49-year-old presented the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award to Dr. Evan Atar Adaha, a doctor working in South Sudan, for his 20 years of providing medical care from those fleeing conflict. Scroll down for video Smartly dressed! Cate Blanchett wore a detailed pants suit as she presented a UNHCR award to a doctor working in South Sudan Cate wore a stunning power suit with a black button-up shirt for the occasion. Her impressive outfit featured incredibly intricate beading and orange and red stitch work. While giving her keynote address, Cate slipped on her signature thick-framed black glasses. Well deserved award: On Sunday, the 49-year-old presented the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award to Dr. Evan Atar Adaha, a doctor working in South Sudan, for his 20 years of providing medical care from those fleeing conflict She tied the ensemble together with a pair of smart black pointed pumps. Ahead of her keynote speech, the Blue Jasmine actress spoke about her involvement with the UNHCR during a Facebook Live chat. She said she felt privileged to work with the organisation as displacement is one of the number one plights the world is facing. Goodwill Ambassador! Ahead of her keynote speech, the Blue Jasmine actress said she was privileged to work alongside the UNHCR 'As a mother, as a human being, you can't ignore that. Being Australian I come from a country that has largely been positively built on a welcoming stance to asylum seekers and refugees,' she said. She added that being part of the UNHCR gave her an opportunity to help change that. Cate became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2016 and has travelled to Lebanon and Jordan in fact-finding missions for the role. Previewing SCOTUS consideration of capital competency (and making a case for abolition) | Main | Challenging issues for SCOTUS in criminal cases that may impact only a few persons ever and the entire structure of government always October 2, 2018 New "Square One Project" already producing terrific paper on re-imagining criminal justice policy This posting from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) describes a notable new criminal justice reform effort that formally launched a few weeks ago: The Square One Project, a three-year initiative to rethink justice policies from top to bottom, launched [on September 20] at D.C.s National Press Club. Square One brings together a diverse cross-section of academics, policymakers, and community organizers to re-examine traditional responses to crime and envision a new paradigm that can address systemic inequalities such as poverty and racial discrimination. The Columbia University Justice Lab, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and Laura and John Arnold Foundation (LJAF) support the project. Square One seeks to reform a criminal justice system in urgent need of change . Over the last four decades, the number of people in Americas prisons and jails has increased 500 percent. Prisons are overcrowded, states struggle to fund basic services, and racial inequities inherent in the system have devastated communities. The project asks: If we set aside the traditional response to crime, and ask first whether other responses might be more effective if we begin at square one how would criminal justice policy be different? said Kelli Rhee, President and CEO of LJAF. The initiative consists of three core components: an executive session focusing on justice policy; roundtables in cities across the country; and a comprehensive community engagement and communications strategy. In the executive session, about 30 leading experts, practitioners, and scholars will meet twice a year to develop and refine proposals. This format will test and push participants to challenge their own thinking and consider new options, said Bruce Western, co-director of the Columbia University Justice Lab. These frank, off-the-record discussions will ultimately yield fresh discourse and new research among academics, policymakers, practitioners, and communities. Roundtable sessions will invite broader engagement with community members and a variety of stakeholder groups, tackling a single, complex policy challenge. The first Square One roundtable is scheduled for Oct. 11-13 in Durham, N.C., in partnership with North Carolina Central University. The discussions, held at the NCCU School of Law, will be live-streamed. As shown in this page at Square One's website, the executive session part of the project is already producing some very interesting papers by some very interesting people: Though I am not sure if additional papers will be emerging from the Square One executive sessions or the roundtables, I am sure folks interested in thinking deeply about the present and future of criminal justice policies and practices in the United States should be watching what this project continued to produce. October 2, 2018 at 09:03 AM | Permalink Comments There are several major themes already in play concerning changes in the criminal justice system. First, bail reform, because the current system so favors the moneyed classes over the poor. Keeping people in jail as pre-trial detainees is expensive, and also ends up getting innocent people to plead guilty, just to get out of jail and back to work before they lose their jobs and homes. Second, drug and alcohol treatment is coming to be favored over incarceration, so treat the underlying causes of perhaps 75% of all crimes. Third, except for the truly violent defendants, the sentences of most defendants are far too long and expensive for the taxpayers. Fourth, inmates need to be taught employable skills and taught how to re-enter society, so they don't return to committing crimes upon release. Posted by: Jim Gormley | Oct 2, 2018 1:40:41 PM Post a comment Shahs of Sunset alum Lilly Ghalichi Mir and her businessman husband of 17 months Dara Mir welcomed their first child - a daughter called Alara - in Los Angeles on Sunday. 'Our hearts are so full!' the Houston-born 35-year-old - who boasts 6.4M social media followers - gushed in her birth announcement. 'Thank you for choosing us to be your parents.' Congratulations! Shahs of Sunset alum Lilly Ghalichi Mir and her businessman husband of 17 months Dara Mir welcomed their first child - a daughter called Alara - in Los Angeles on Sunday Gynecologist Dr. Thais Aliabadi delivered the Loyola Law School grad and the 38-year-old USC grad's blessed princess. Lilly (born Neelufar) even managed to plug the 'MILF' lashes she was wearing in the delivery room from her limited-edition Living My Best Life collection, which launched on Monday. According to Bravo, Ghalichi began romancing Dara in March of 2016 when she was applying for a parking space in the apartment building where he happened to be a board member. Mir prefers to stay out of the spotlight and remain off social media as he works as the president of 9to5 Seating, the ergonomic office chair company his parents founded in 1982. The Houston-born 35-year-old gushed in her birth announcement: 'Our hearts are so full! Thank you for choosing us to be your parents' Squeee! Gynecologist Dr. Thais Aliabadi delivered the Loyola Law School grad and the 38-year-old USC grad's blessed princess 'I not only found my equal. He far surpasses anything I could ever be,' the influencer and vlogger told Bravo's The Daily Dish in 2016. 'He is a very private person...There's so many fake people. There's so many users. You never really know people's intentions and with him you don't even have a shred of doubt because he doesn't have these things. He doesn't care about these things.' The self-proclaimed 'Persian Princess' aka 'Persian Barbie' was previously in a decade-long on/off relationship with a Houston-based lawyer called Ali. Launched on Monday! Lilly (born Neelufar) even managed to plug the 'MILF' lashes she was wearing in the delivery room from her limited-edition Living My Best Life collection 'I not only found my equal. He far surpasses anything I could ever be': Ghalichi began romancing Dara in March of 2016 when she was applying for a parking space in the apartment building where he happened to be a board member (pictured September 21) 'He is a very private person': Mir prefers to stay out of the spotlight and remain off social media as he works as the president of 9to5 Seating, the ergonomic office chair company his parents founded in 1982 (pictured March 6) Lilly first gained fame as a main castmember in the second and third seasons of the Bravo reality series, which spanned from 2012-2014. Ghalichi was reportedly forced to apologize after outraging Shahs of Sunset fans over an off-color joke that 'HIV/AIDS could be spread from a used pair of bikini bottoms.' Fans can currently catch Mike Shouhed, Mercedes Javid, Reza Farahan, Golnesa Gharachedaghi, and more in the seventh season, which resumes October 11 on Bravo. 2012-2014: The self-proclaimed 'Persian Princess' aka 'Persian Barbie' first gained fame as a main castmember in the second and third seasons of the Bravo reality series He's arguably best known for his recurring role as Cyclops in the X-Men franchise. And on Sunday, James Marsden, 45, braced the sunny temperatures in Vancouver, Canada, where the actor had commenced production for his upcoming film Sonic The Hedgehog. Marsden, who plays Tom Wachowski in the Jim Carrey-led motion picture, appeared to be cooling down with the help of a portable fan after having wrapped an interior scene inside a nearby home. Working up a sweat on set: James Marsden, 45, braced the sunny temperatures in Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday, filming scenes for Sonic the Hedgehog The 45-year-old looked youthful as ever while sporting a navy sweater and denim pants during his break from working on set, presumably still wearing his character's apparel. Regardless, it appeared as if a quick rest was doing the father-of-three some good. The release of Sonic The Hedgehog, currently scheduled for November 2019, will mark the first time that the popular animated character has graced the big screen since making his debut on the Sega gaming platform in 1991. Marsden, who is no stranger to social media, has been posting photos from the set on his official Instagram page since August. Looking great: The 45-year-old looked youthful as ever while sporting a navy sweater and denim pants during his break from working on set And given the number of images he has shared in recent weeks, it would seem as if the actor is having a splendid time working with the cast and crew. 'Some light grappling in the makeup trailer with @rejectedjokes and his motion capture speckled mug. #Sonic,' James had captioned his photo with Ben Schwartz on Friday. Schwartz, who plays Sonic in the forthcoming film, returned the favor after being embraced with a cuddle from Marsden. Having an awesome time: Marsden, who is no stranger to social media, has been posting photos from the set on his official Instagram page since August 'I can't tell if we are hugging or if we got our hair stuck together and we are trying to break free.' Paramount Pictures had confirmed in February that it had scheduled a release of the live-action-animated film by November 15, Variety reported at the time. It was also mentioned that a line-up of Hollywood veterans would be attached to the project, giving fans of the franchise all the more reason to believe that the storyline will be just as good as it's been in the video games. Deadpool director Tim Miller, who has reportedly been attached to the movie since 2016, will act as executive producer while Dan Jevons and Dimitri M. Johnson are co-producing the film. Shortly after being announced as Australia's new Bachelorette in late April, Ali Oetjen faced a major backlash from fans. She was even branded 'boring' by her Bachelor In Paradise co-star Jarrod Woodgate and was accused of infidelity by her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp. On Monday, she told TV Week magazine that the overwhelmingly negative response left her feeling 'gutted' and helpless. 'There's no point in saying I'm a good person, because everyone already has an opinion': Ali Oetjen revealed on Monday she was 'gutted' by the backlash to her being announced as The Bachelorette. Pictured on Bachelor In Paradise 'I was gutted,' she confessed. 'There's no point in saying I'm a good person, because everyone is going to have their own opinion [of me]. 'But I can only be true to myself. Everyone has a past, and I was judging the guys [on The Bachelorette] on how they were in that moment, and that's how they acted with me.' It comes after Ali's former Bachelor In Paradise co-stars openly criticised her in the press and claimed she didn't deserve to be the Bachelorette. Negative headlines: After being announced as Australia's new Bachelorette in late April, Ali (left) was publicly accused of infidelity by her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp (right) Speaking to Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa in May, Jarrod Woodgate groaned at the thought of watching Ali on television, describing her as 'lame and boring'. 'Honestly, she was on [Paradise] for a long time and basically all we saw was, well... very lame and boring,' he admitted. 'I don't know how it's going to go.' Fellow cast member Michael Turnbull also said he was relieved to not be a contestant on The Bachelorette this year. But the worst was yet to come, as Ali's ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp publicly accused her that same month of cheating on him. Ali had flown to Los Angeles to spend time with Grant in March, but he supposedly kicked her out of his house after he caught her 'hooking up with' another man. 'Lame and boring': Ali's former Bachelor In Paradise co-stars, including Jarrod Woodgate (pictured), also criticised her in the press and said she didn't deserve to be the Bachelorette He described his version of events in graphic detail on The Kyle and Jackie O Show. 'I had left to go and find my friends,' Grant said on air. 'I came back inside [my house] and [a man] was going down on her on my stairs. So I kicked her out that night.' While Ali has criticised Grant for dragging her name through the mud, she has not denied or refuted his allegations. The Bachelorette premieres Wednesday October 10 at 7:30pm on Network Ten Teen Mom personality Ryan Edwards is back in rehab. The Chattanooga, Tennessee native, 30, who was in rehab last year, entered a treatment program 'in Alabama about a month ago,' a source told Radar on Monday. Edwards, who has a nine-year-old son named Bentley with Teen Mom star Maci Bookout, will likely miss the birth of his son with expectant wife Mackenzie Standifer, 21, according to the outlet. Seeking help: Teen Mom personality Ryan Edwards, 30,'entered rehab in Alabama about a month ago,' a source told Radar on Monday. He's seen in a selfie with wife Mackenzie Standifer Edwards 'isn't supposed to be out until February or March,' according to the source; a second insider confirmed Edwards' current rehab stint to Radar. Ryan's father Larry Edwards told Radar he could not comment on if his son is in rehab stint. When quizzed if Ryan would be present when Mackenzie goes into labor, Edwards' father said, 'You know, I can't say.' Ryan's wife Mackenzie told a follower September 27 that he was home, when asked about his absence as she streamed an event she was at in Tennessee on Instagram Live. Edwards has been married since last year to Standifer, who 'moved out of the lake house they were in and is now living with her parents,' a source told the outlet. Better times: Ryan was with Mackenzie and his nine-year-old son Bentley in this social media shot Edwards has been arrested on multiple occasions, including this past July in Red Bank, Tennessee in connection with heroin possession. He was taken into custody this past March in connection with a probation violating linked to a past heroin charge, Edwards and Standifer in July announced they were leaving MTV and the Teen Mom family after Standifer told E! News that the network presented conditions for their participation on the show moving forward. 'The network told us they don't want to show Ryan as a recovering addict,' Standifer said. 'But they did want to enter a contract with our unborn baby and have the baby film with Ryan's parents so it would look like someone else is raising it.' Edwards told E! that MTV presented them with a one-sided business arrangement: 'They want to want to talk about us but they don't want to pay us and film us.' Married At First Sight has commenced filming its highly-anticipated sixth season. And while several couples have been spotted looking loved-up at their weddings, one newly-matched pair are already showing signs of strain. On Friday, newlyweds Ines and Bronson completely ignored each other as they sat separately at Brisbane Airport while waiting to jet off on their honeymoon. PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: The wedding didn't go too well? A new MAFS couple ignored each other at Brisbane Airport before heading off on their 'honeymoon' on Friday. Pictured: TV bride Ines looking pensive as she sits alone waiting for her flight That's awkward! TV groom Bronson (pictured) sat separately from his new 'wife' in the departures terminal and stayed glued to his phone The couple arrived at the airport in a black van, with Bronson seated in the front and Ines seated in the back. The couple walked separately and didn't say a word to one another as they wheeled their luggage into the departures terminal. Indeed, the couple seem to be quite mismatched, with Ines appearing rather timid while her 'husband' Bronson looked like a typical gym junkie. Regrets already? Ines tied her hair back in a loose ponytail and looked glum at check-in Not your average honeymoon! Bronson wore a black singlet that showed off his bulging biceps Bronson, 33, recently appeared on season two of Australian Ninja Warrior. He was the heaviest person to tackle the world-famous obstacle course. Weighing in at 120kg, Bronson stands at a strapping 6 foot 2 inches and previously worked as a male stripper. And judging from the outfit he chose for his honeymoon, he isn't afraid to show off his hulking physique. Bored already: Ines appeared to show little interest in her new husband's physique, instead keeping her head down and scrolling through her phone Bronson wore a black singlet that showed off his bulging biceps and offered a glimpse of his tattooed chest. He flexed his muscles as he carried his luggage, and was later seen performing some exercises as he waited at the airport. Meanwhile, Ines appeared to show little interest in her new husband's physique, instead keeping her head down and scrolling through her phone. Silence: The couple walked separately and didn't say a word to one another as they wheeled their luggage into the departures terminal The petite brunette wore a black and white striped Breton top and a pair of cropped leggings. She tied her hair back in a loose ponytail and looked rather glum ahead of the flight. At one point, she appeared on the brink of tears while sitting alone at the food court. Bad body language: The couple seem to be quite mismatched, with Ines appearing rather timid while her 'husband' Bronson looked like a typical gym junkie Bronson, on the other hand, looked in much happier spirits as he chatted to fellow travellers prior to departure. The couple are heading off to Cairns on their honeymoon after tying the knot in Brisbane. It seems the pair may have to settle for a long-distance relationship, with Ines seemingly based on the east coast while Bronson lives in WA. He currently runs a party boat business on the Swan River. She was accused of cheating on her ex-boyfriend Grant Kemp earlier this year, shortly after being announced as the new Bachelorette. And on Monday, Ali Oetjen revealed for the first time what really happened in the days leading up to her alleged infidelity. The 32-year-old had travelled to LA in March to spend time with Grant after they fell in love on Bachelor in Paradise - but she claimed she felt deceived upon her arrival. 'He didn't live the lifestyle he said he did': The Bachelorette Ali Oetjen (left) has revealed what happened at Grant Kemp's (right) LA home before he accused her of 'cheating with his friend' 'It was so confronting,' Ali told TV Week magazine. 'I went to Los Angeles and he wasn't who he described himself to be, nor did he live the lifestyle he said he did.' 'It was confronting': The 32-year-old travelled to LA in March to spend time with Grant after they fell in love on Bachelor in Paradise - but she claimed she felt deceived upon her arrival Bombshell: 'I went to Los Angeles and he wasn't who he described himself to be, nor did he live the lifestyle he said he did,' Ali told TV Week. Pictured: Grant Kemp on Bachelor in Paradise Grant's version of what happened in Los Angeles was described in graphic detail on The Kyle and Jackie O Show back in May. 'I had left to go and find my friends,' he said. 'I came back inside [my house] and [a man] was going down on her on my stairs. So I kicked her out that night.' Addressing the scandal, Ali told Stellar magazine last month: 'My reason for not saying anything is that I don't want to give him any ammunition or any reason to keep coming back in the limelight, which is what he wants.' Meanwhile, Ali told NW on Monday that the media coverage of their break-up left her 'physically, mentally and emotionally broken.' Describing the weeks after Grant levelled the cheating accusations as 'one of the darkest periods of [her] life', she said: 'We all have those exes that don't go away. 'Without a doubt, Grant was a waste of my time. He just wasn't the person he said he was. And yes, it was disappointing and crushing, but I learnt from this.' She insisted, however, that she would 'never give up on love'. He's known for his witty commentary about television on Gogglebox Australia. But could could 32-year-old Jad be Australia's next Bachelor? According to an unconfirmed report in Woman's Day, there are talks of Jad, who appears on Gogglebox alongside Matty and Sarah Marie, starring on the hit Channel 10 dating show. Could he be the new Bachelor? Gogglebox favourite Jad (right), 32, tipped to be the suitor on the next season of the romance juggernaut. Pictured with Matty and Sarah Marie A TV insider told the publication: 'Gogglebox has consistently rated well for Ten and Jad is a hot favourite with the viewers. 'He's a genuinely down-to-earth guy who ladies love.' Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Jad for comment. 'A hot favourite with the viewers': There are talks of Jad, who stars on Gogglebox alongside Matty and Sarah Marie, could be the next Bachelor, according to Woman's Day 'He's a genuinely down-to-earth guy who ladies love': A TV insider told the publication that due to Ten's ratings because of Gogglebox and Jad's personality he could be the next Bachelor Jad has previously listed The Bachelor under 'shows I hate' on his Gogglebox profile featured on the Lifestyle website. He also listed Nine's Married At First Sight as a show he is not a fan of. When Jad isn't on the couch with his best mates, he is a cafe owner in Sydney. Does he even like the show? Jad has previously listed The Bachelor under 'shows I hate' on his Gogglebox profile featured on the Lifestyle website. Pictured with Matty and Sarah Marie Jad and his newlywed best friends joined the hit program during its sixth season. He and Matty had known each other for ten years before they appeared on the show after meeting through working in the Sydney club scene. Season eight of Gogglebox Australia is currently airing on Lifestyle and Channel 10. She made headlines over the weekend after allegedly getting punched in the face following her attempt to 'rescue' children she believed were being trafficked. And now TMZ are reporting that 32-year-old Lindsay Lohan's friends are pleading with her to return to the US over concerns for her mental health. Sources told the site her friends are trying to get her back with people who will take care of her. Worried: Lindsay Lohan's friends have 'pleaded with her to return to the US over concerns for her mental health' after she was 'punched for trying to rescue a Syrian child' Back to it? The insider added that the 32-year-old actress is 'still partying very hard and drinking a lot;' pictured May 2010 in Cannes But the problem is, she is currently filming her reality show at her beach club in Mykonos, Greece, and a move to the US would not work with her schedule. The latest report comes after a source told PEOPLE that the Mean Girls actress, 'hasn't changed whatsoever.' It's apparently an issue for everyone close to The Canyons star, explained the source. Nothing to see here: Lindsay smiled as she was pictured for the first time since the punch while walking in Paris on Monday Telling the outlet, 'She's a nightmare to those around her.' Nonetheless, there still many questions surrounding the events of Saturday night, but Lohan has since removed the video. The bizarre events in which Lindsay was supposedly punched in the face unfolded live on her Instagram feed. But she looked as though she didn't have a care in the world when she headed out in Paris on Monday. The Mean Girls actress who describes herself as an activist in her Twitter bio, took to her Instagram to live-stream herself supposedly confronting the group for 'trafficking', before she warned 'don't f**k with me.' Lindsay spoke in a mixture of Arabic and English as she said: 'Guys, you're going the wrong way, my car's here. What's happening? 'They're trafficking children. I won't leave until I take you. Now I know who you are, don't f**k with me. She added: 'You are ruining Arab culture by doing this, you're taking these children they want to go. I'm with you boys, don't worry, the whole world is seeing this right now. 'I will walk forever, I will stay with you, don't worry. Is he your son? Give me your hand.' Yet Lindsay's 'heroic actions' ended in disaster as she went to reach the youngster's arm off-camera and his guardian started shouting at her. The woman then appeared to push the actress over, leaving the Disney star crying in shock on the side of the road. 'Activist': The Mean Girls actress took to her Instagram to livestream herself supposedly confronting the group for 'trafficking', before she warned 'don't f**k with me' Ouch: Yet Lindsay's 'heroic actions' ended in disaster as she went to reach the youngster's arm off camera and his guardian started shouting at her Lindsay then turned the camera on herself, as she seemingly clutched her face in pain, and she struggled to string a sentence together in between tears as she continued: 'I'm like, in shock right now. I'm just so scared... I thought, literally... I don't think I can ever change.' MailOnline has contacted Lindsay's representative for comment. There is no evidence to suggest Lindsay was trying to kidnap the child. The scenes have sparked concern amongst her fans who took to Twitter to share their worries over the actress and even accuse her of trying to 'kidnap' the child. One person said: 'WTF is going on with Lindsay Lohan? Sis went live and recorded herself attempting to steal these homeless people's kids! #STLA #childtrafficking #LindsayLohan.' Dramatic: The woman then appeared to push the actress over, leaving the Disney star crying in shock on the side of the road Upset: Lindsay then turned the camera on herself, as she seemingly clutched her face in pain, and in between tears she struggled to string a sentence together A different account put: 'What in the good hell is @lindsaylohan doing in this video? Who does she think she is- a child welfare officer? GTFO #hotmess #sendhelp #thoseaccentsthough.' Another user remarked: 'F**k!! That Lindsay Lohan's ig story was so creepy and epic at the same time.' While a different fan added: '#LindsayLohan tries to take kids from their mother and finds out what a HIGHhan is.' Lindsay's outing came as she continues her recent career comeback with work on her Lohan Beach House resort. Worrying: The scenes have sparked concern amongst her fans who took to Twitter to share their worries over the actress and even accuse her of trying to 'kidnap' the child Confusion: Baffled fans took to Twitter to try to understand what happened in the livestream Comeback: Lindsay's outing came as she continues her recent career comeback with work on her Lohan Beach House resort The new venture came after she proceeded to slam sexual assault accusers in a recent interview with The Times earlier this year, claiming many of them are simply speaking out for 'attention'. Addressing the #MeToo movement in Hollywood, Lindsay slammed those who did not report their experiences to the police, and make it into a 'real thing'. She said: 'I'm going to really hate myself for saying this, but I think by women speaking against all these things, it makes them look weak when they are very strong women. 'You have these girls who come out, who don't even know who they are, who do it for the attention. That is taking away from the fact that it happened.' However, she added: 'I can't speak on something I don't live, right? Look, I am very supportive of women.' It is one of the most important events on the modelling calendar. And New Zealand stunner Georgia Fowler has been storming the runway during Paris Fashion Week, for high-end labels such as Off-White and Elie Saab. But during her downtime, the Kiwi beauty has been enjoying the fun-filled parties - including former editor of Vogue Paris Carine Roitfeld's bash on Sunday evening. Legs for days! Model Georgia Fowler flaunted her long and slender trim pins in a little black dress as she attended former editor of Vogue Paris Carine Roitfeld's bash on Sunday evening The 26-year-old Victoria's Secret catwalk star flaunted her long and trim pins in a black off-shoulder party dress with feather fringing. Georgia paired the look with a black blazer and stilettos heels, which helped accentuate her tanned and toned legs. Her brunette tresses framed her face as she opted for a nude lip and smokey eye combo for makeup. Birds of a feather: The 26-year-old Victoria's Secret catwalk star flaunted her and long and trim pins in a black off-shoulder party dress with feather fringing Her glamourous look follows her Instagram story that documented a painful-looking injury after strutting on the runway. Revealing the sore and bruised arches of her feet, Georgia penned: 'Fashion week feet!' 'Bruised arches from being in high heels,' she continued alongside a shocked cat emoji. Tanned and toned: Georgia paired the look with a black blazer and stilettos heels, which helped accentuate her tanned and toned legs Before Paris, Georgia was in the Big Apple for New York Fashion Week. Meanwhile, the stunner is preparing to star in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show later this year, which will be her third time walking for the lingerie giant. She first walked the runway for the brand in 2016. She surrendered to police on Monday morning after allegedly ordering an assault on two female bartenders at a NYC strip club. And just hours later, Cardi B was seen strolling down the streets of the Big Apple with husband Offset, who appeared to be consoling her. The 25-year-old rapper donned a silver robe and coral slides while carrying around a fuzzy pink blanket during the outing. Troubled times: Cardi B was seen strolling down the streets of the Big Apple on Monday with husband Offset, who appeared to be consoling her Cardi, born Belcalis Almanzar, has been accused of attacking Jade and Baddie Gisister bartenders at Angels Strip Club in Queens. In August, TMZ reported that the new mother was watching Offset perform at the club when she confronted the two bartenders, one of which she believed had an affair with her husband. The Bodak Yellow rapper then allegedly 'ordered' members of her entourage to attack the two girls with bottles, chairs, and hookahs. Casually clad: The 25-year-old rapper wore a silver robe and carried a baby blanket Explained: Cardi, born Belcalis Almanzar, has been accused of attacking Jade and Baddie Gisister bartenders at Angels Strip Club in Queens Revealed: Just hours earlier, the Bodak Yellow rapper surrendered to police after allegedly ordering an assault on two female bartenders at a NYC strip club. According to CNN, Cardi B has been 'charged with two misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of assault.' However, the Bronx native's attorney claims there is 'no evidence that she caused anybody any harm' back in August. Cardi's court date is set for October 29. The I Like It songstress, who was involved in a separate brawl with Nicki Minaj during New York Fashion Week, recently dismissed claims that she ordered the attack in an explosive Instagram tirade. Rumours: It is claimed that Cardi asked members of her entourage to attack the girls with bottles, chairs, and hookahs According to CNN, Cardi B has been 'charged with two misdemeanors counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of assault.' Her court date is set for October 29 'Them h**s don't like each other, but since they don't like Cardi B, they link up. Mad b****** link up alert!,' she ranted in a video shared with followers in September. 'You be wearing I hate Cardi B t-shirts and s***. You b*****s be in a mother f***ing laboratory building a I Hate Cardi B Transformer,' she continued. 'The fact that I have you b*****s so f***ing tight making y'all wanna pull out your p**** hairs makes my p**** mother f***ing throb ahahahaha.' MailOnline has contacted a representative for further comment. The course is part of the second phase of a cooperation programme between the two countries government, following three courses in the first phase.Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Netherlands Ngo Thi Hoa lauded the programmes contributions to improving the capacity of Vietnamese officials of the Ministry of Public Security and related ministries.She took the occasion to thank the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Clingendael Academy for their assistance, hoping that the second phase of the programme will be also a success.Lt. Gen. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, who leads the Public Security Ministry delegation to attend the training course, affirmed the Netherlands experience in carrying out the UNCAT has been disseminated to Vietnamese officials from the central to local level.Anh said Vietnams legal regulations have been revised and supplemented in conformity with international conventions, including the UNCAT.The country will submit a report on UNCAT implementation to the United Nations in its upcoming session slated for November in Geneva, Switzerland, he said, adding Vietnam will continue promoting and ensuring human rights, and maintain cooperation with the international community in this work.The training programme began in 2015, with its courses held in Vietnam and the Netherlands in turn. Vietnamplus They split several years ago in 2011. But Kyle Sandilands was reminiscing about the days his good pal Brian McFadden was engaged to Australian songstress Delta Goodrem during his radio show on Tuesday. The KIIS FM host shocked his listeners when he claimed the couple would play an 'intimate' game when they were in love. Say what? Shock jock Kyle Sandilands reveals the intimate game former couple Delta Goodrem and Brian McFadden would play... and it may shock you Kyle alleged that the formerly-engaged pair would spit into each other's mouths for fun. The tale came after Kyle played a song by the duo, recalling: 'I remember when Id have them around my house and they were in love and sometimes would spit in each others mouth.' While a shocked Jackie questioned 'why', Kyle replied: 'Fun, they said fun. I always thought, "Wow! Thats weird".' 'Delta would sit with her mouth open and Brian would spit into her mouth and Delta would spit back into his mouth,' he continued to claim. 'Delta would sit with her mouth open and Brian would spit into her mouth and Delta would spit back into his mouth': Kyle claimed the former lovebirds though it was 'fun' to exchange saliva Delta and Brian announced their engagement in 2007, but split four years later in 2011. The former Westlife member and Aussie songstress issued a joint statement at the time, saying the decision to break up was mutual and amicable. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Delta and Brian for comment. Brian and Delta met in 2004 when he asked her to duet with him on the song, Almost Here. History: Brian (L) and Delta (R) met in 2004 when working on duet Almost Here, became engaged in 2007 and announced their amicable split in 2011 At the time Brian was still married to reality TV star Kerry Katona, the mother of his two children, although they had separated and the song was about their break up. Brian married the Dancing On Ice contestant in January 2002, but the couple announced their split in September 2004, and their divorce was finalised in December 2006. Brian and Kerry have two children together, 17-year-old Molly and 15-year-old Lilly-Sue. Brian went on to remarry, but his marriage to Irish model and radio presenter Vogue Williams ended in 2017 after five years together. She is reportedly set to be dumped by Nick 'The Honey Badger' Cummins during The Bachelor finale, which airs on Thursday. But finalist Sophie Tieman, 25, showed no signs of heartbreak while stepping out for breakfast in Sydney's Surry Hills on Monday. The property valuer from Queensland looked carefree and in happy spirits as she shared a laugh with friends. Nick who? Sophie Tieman showed no signs of heartbreak on Monday while enjoying breakfast in Sydney, amid reports she gets dumped by Nick Cummins in The Bachelor finale this week She showed off her toned figure in a pair of striped green shorts, a white singlet and oversized shirt. Sophie completed the look with leopard-print sandals, tinted sunglasses and a black handbag. Last week, Woman's Day claimed that fellow contestant Brittany Hockley won the show and that Sophie placed runner-up. It is understood that Nick is no longer dating the show's winner. No sign of heartbreak: The 25-year-old property valuer from Queensland looked carefree and in happy spirits as she shared a laugh with friends Moving on: Sophie looked like she didn't have care in the world while chatting to male friend Finale outcome: Last week, Woman's Day claimed fellow contestant Brittany Hockley won the show and that Sophie (pictured with Nick Cummins) placed runner-up It comes amid speculation that Brittany, Sophie and Brooke Blurton - who reportedly left the show early - all unfollowed the former Wallaby on Instagram. Interestingly, Cassandra Wood, who is rumoured to be 'secretly dating' Nick despite being axed from the show last week, still follows him on social media. A Network Ten spokesperson claimed on Tuesday, however, that Brittany, Sophie and Brooke never followed Nick to begin with and that Cassandra followed him prior to The Bachelor. Multitasking: Sophie was seen texting as she chatted to a friend at the restaurant Surrounded by friends: A second pal accompanied Sophie as they left the Surry Hills eatery Chatting away: Despite reports that Sophie will be dumped this week during the Bachelor finale, the blonde looked far from heartbroken According to New Idea, Nick ended his relationship with the show's winner - widely believed to be Brittany - shortly after the finale and subsequently reunited with Cass. According to a close friend, Nick apparently 'struggled emotionally' after filming the last episodes in New Caledonia in late May and early June, eventually realising he had made the wrong decision. 'He didn't expect things to end that way and wasn't really prepared to have feelings for more than one person at a time,' they told the magazine. Spring fashion: Sophie showed off her toned figure in a pair of striped green shorts, a white singlet and oversized shirt While Cassandra was supposedly reluctant to take Nick back, the insider claimed she eventually decided to give the rugby star a second chance. 'She understands why he did what he did [by sending her home early]. She believes in fate and thinks this whole thing will just make them stronger,' the source said. The Bachelor continues Wednesday at 7:30pm on Network Ten He's 42 and they're 21. But on Monday, DJ Khaled seemed to be having a blast as he hung out with Kylie Jenner and her BFF Jordyn Woods on a luxury yacht in Miami. The record producer and radio personality was snapped taking a jet ski out for a spin as the two girls grabbed some sun on deck. Scroll down for video Vacay day: DJ Khaled seemed to be having a blast as he hung out with Kylie Jenner and her BFF Jordyn Woods on a luxury yacht in Miami on Monday The trio were making use of the sleek boat that's owned by Miami night club entrepreneur Dave Grutman. DJ Khaled used his smartphone to take some selfies as he sat perched on the jet ski. He and the Kardashian and Jenner reality clan move in the same circles. Saying cheese: DJ Khaled used his smartphone to take some selfies as he sat perched on the jet ski as the reality star and pals watched Also along on the day out was Kylie's eight-month-old daughter Stormi, whose father is rapper Travis Scott. The infant appeared to be sleeping soundly in her car seat as her mother carried her aboard Grutman's yacht. The tot was covered with a blanket and Kylie placed her inside the yacht's cabin surrounded by pillows. And time to relax! After a wild night out celebrating her BFF Jordyn's 21st in Miami, Kylie decided to grab some rays Sleepy head: With Stormi snoozing in her car seat, Kylie carefully carried the infant aboard After making sure her baby was sleeping safe and sound, Kylie then moved to the deck, to sunbathe and share a drink with her friends. Dressed in body-hugging black Spandex, her pale pink hair swept back in a bun, the young mother's outfit was more suited to a club than a boat. But that didn't put off Kylie, who happily chatted to her bikini-clad friends. Late night? Kylie rubbed her eye after partying the evening before Mama's day off: After making sure her baby was sleeping safe and sound, Kylie then moved to the deck, to sunbathe and share a drink with her friends And chill: Dressed in body-hugging black Spandex, her pale pink hair swept back in a bun, the young mother's outfit was more suited to a club than a boat Rest stop: Her day on the boat came after a wild night out celebrating her best friend Jordyn Woods 21st birthday Her day on the boat came after a wild night out celebrating her best friend Jordyn Woods 21st birthday, who joined the boat party on Monday. A swanky weekend ended with the BFF's partying it up at the popular nightclub LIV, hosted by celebrity-entertainer Grutman. While at partying it up at Liv, they both got the chance to autograph the walls and they were presented with a personalized 'Liv on Sunday' medallions in reference to the nightclub. Catching up: Davd Grutman hosted the celebrations for Jordyn's coming of age Bikini babes: While Kylie was covered up, her pals were in their swimwear Boating: The yacht is owned by Dave Grutman, the Miami-based restaurant, nightlife and hospitality entrepreneur The ladies were eventually spotted leaving the club together, with Kylie clinging onto her pal for support. The night out also included a top-shelf dinner at KOMODO, where Grutman also played host to the birthday revelers. Plenty to celebrate: This weekend celebration in Miami wasn't all about Jordyn turning the big 2-1. The BFF's have also been celebrating the launch of their new cosmetics line, Kylie X Jordan Oh baby: Kylie carries Stormi aboard Tuck in: The young mom enjoyed a snack as she sunbathed The ritzy soiree was capped off with the presentation of a five-tier birthday cake to Jordyn. 'Wow what a birthday cake Happy Birthday @jordynwoods,' Kylie wrote along with a Snapchat video of the cake presentation. This weekend celebration in Miami wasn't all about Jordyn turning the big 2-1. The BFF's have also been celebrating the launch of their new cosmetics line, Kylie X Jordan. Boating with Jordyn: Kylie's bestie was loving life as she posed up in Miami Luxury: Jordyn was clearly impressed by the surroundings Carry the water: After the long day on the boat, Kylie was helped when carrying the child back onto the dock Headed in: She made sure to cover Stormi with a white towel Monday was the first day of October, and as a supermodel, fashion is surely on her radar. And Gigi Hadid was in full-on autumnal mode during an evening out in New York City. The 23-year-old layered up in a denim and rustic-colored look. Ready for fall: Gigi Hadid, 23, was in full-on autumnal mode during an evening out in New York City on Monday Gigi layered a cozy, brown sweater over a jean button-up. The beautiful blonde tucked in her tops into a pair of high-waist, cropped jeans. The supermodel completed her look with crocodile skin Freda Salvador flats and a rustic brown bag. Her look: Gigi layered a cozy, brown sweater over a denim button-up The Los Angeles native kept her hair pulled back and her make-up to a minimum. In 2015, Gigi began dating former One Direction band member, Zayn Malik, 25. The couple split in March of this year, but reconciled in June; there are rumors the duo possibly split again. Lovely: The beautiful blonde tucked in her tops into a pair of high-waist, cropped jeans. The supermodel completed her look with wooden-like flats and a rustic brown bag Jackie 'O' Henderson has revealed how a chance phone call led to her meeting her first husband 'Ugly Phil' O'Neil - and inadvertently launched her radio career. Speaking on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on Tuesday, Jackie, 43, explained that she rang Ugly Phil when he was a radio host at Sea FM on the Gold Coast in early 1993. 'I just phoned in. I was wanting Guns N' Roses concert tickets,' she said. 'He [Ugly Phil] said, "Come in and collect them".' 'I was just wanting Guns N' Roses tickets!' Jackie 'O' Henderson made a rare comment about her first husband Ugly Phil on Tuesday, revealing the phone call that sparked their romance 'Oh, he knew!' co-host Kyle Sandilands joked in response. 'I've tried that before and a whale shows up!' he added. Jackie O later joined Ugly Phil as his 'phone girl' at FM104.7 in Canberra, with the pair getting married in 1994. Fateful day: Jackie, 43, revealed she rang Ugly Phil when he was a radio host at Sea FM on the Gold Coast in early 1993. They eventually became colleagues and got married. Pictured: Jackie (left) with first husband 'Ugly Phil' O'Neil Back in the '90s, Jackie O was known for hosting the Hot30 Countdown with Phil, before he abruptly quit in 1999. Speaking on the You've Gotta Start Somewhere podcast in May 2017, Phil revealed he left the country and his marriage due to the stress of work. 'It became all-consuming,' he explained. 'I was tired of doing the Hot30.' That escalated quickly... Jackie O said she just wanted Guns N' Roses tickets when she rang Sea FM as a teenager. Pictured: Axl Rose and Slash of Guns N' Roses performing in 1991 Ugly Phil was replaced by Kyle Sandilands, and he and Jackie later joined forces for the Kyle & Jackie O breakfast show on 2DayFM. The program moved to KIIS 106.5 in 2014. Speaking on the podcast, Phil revealed he left behind his marriage and radio career Australia in 1999 due to exhaustion. New beginnings: After divorcing Ugly Phil, Jackie married British photographer Lee Henderson in 2003. The couple welcomed a daughter, Kitty, in 2010. 'I was like, ''Hey, Im 37 years old and I'm mates with the guys from Hanson who are 15. I'm too old for this'',' he said. 'I got offered a job in London to go and work there and I just needed to get away.' After their divorce, Jackie married British photographer Lee Henderson in 2003. The couple welcomed a daughter, Kitty, in 2010. Together1Heart president AnnaLynne McCord donned a belly-baring gown to her human-trafficking organization's inaugural gala, which took place at Tao Downtown in Manhattan on Monday night. The 31-year-old actress - who relies on stylist Lindy Garan Corley - paired her dramatic b&w dress with a silver snake clutch, sleek ponytail, and make-up applied by Trace Watkins. The 68 Kill stunner officially became an 'auntie' last Friday when her former 90210 castmate Shenae Grimes welcomed daughter Bowie Scarlett with her husband, English rocker/model Josh Beech. Boss lady: Together1Heart president AnnaLynne McCord donned a belly-baring gown to her human-trafficking organization's inaugural gala, which took place at Tao Downtown in Manhattan on Monday night Relies on stylist Lindy Garan Corley: The 31-year-old actress paired her dramatic b&w dress with a silver snake clutch, sleek ponytail, and make-up applied by Trace Watkins 'I'm Godmother!' AnnaLynne declared to Us Weekly on September 22. 'I told her it was happening. She was like, "Okay." Then I said, "So I will be there on weekends and weekdays and you can go away." Shenae told me, "I might want my child for a little bit before you take her away!"' McCord famously played antiheroine Naomi Clark opposite the Canadian 28-year-old's Beverly Hills newcomer Annie Wilson in The CW's 2008-2013 reboot of the nineties Fox soap. 'Newborn wrap life!' The 68 Kill stunner officially became an 'auntie' last Friday when her former 90210 castmate Shenae Grimes welcomed daughter Bowie Scarlett with her husband, English rocker/model Josh Beech (pictured Monday) AnnaLynne declared to Us Weekly: 'I'm Godmother! I told her it was happening. She was like, "Okay." Then I said, "So I will be there on weekends and weekdays and you can go away." Shenae told me, "I might want my child for a little bit before you take her away!"' (pictured September 7) The homeschooled millennial - last seen in Pop TV's Let's Get Physical - will next act in Richard Bates Jr.'s 2019 horror flick Tone-Deaf alongside Robert Patrick, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Kim Delaney, and Ray Wise. The 5ft7in blonde - who was raised in an Atlanta trailer park - also serves as ambassador for the domestic violence and sexual assault organization, No More. AnnaLynne was also joined at her charity event and silent auction by honoree Susan Sarandon, who's celebrating her 72nd birthday this Thursday. 2008-2013: McCord famously played antiheroine Naomi Clark opposite the Canadian 28-year-old's Beverly Hills newcomer Annie Wilson in The CW's reboot of the nineties Fox soap Last seen in Pop TV's Let's Get Physical: The homeschooled millennial will next act in Richard Bates Jr.'s 2019 horror flick Tone-Deaf alongside Robert Patrick and Keisha Castle-Hughes The Oscar winner - who plays Samantha Winslow in Showtime's Ray Donovan - suited up in a floral-embroidered black blazer, matching slacks, a white blouse, pussy bow, and patent leather creepers. The Debra Messing nemesis also made sure to pose with McCord's Together1Heart co-founder, Cambodian anti-trafficking advocate Somaly Mam. AnnaLynne also honored her supportive First We Take Brooklyn director Danny Abeckaser onstage during the black-tie benefit. Birthday girl! AnnaLynne was also joined at her charity event and silent auction by honoree Susan Sarandon, who's turning 72 this Thursday Sophisticated: The Oscar winner suited up in a floral-embroidered black blazer, matching slacks, a white blouse, pussy bow, and patent leather creepers Women of the hour: The Ray Donovan star made sure to pose with McCord's Together1Heart co-founder, Cambodian anti-trafficking advocate Somaly Mam (M) Debra Messing was a fashionista as she chat with Ali Wentworth for an event held at New York City's 92nd Street Y on Monday alongside her Will & Grace co-star, Eric McCormack. The Brooklyn-born actress, 50, donned a long-sleeved shimmering green Landero dress with an over-sized bow on the neck. She rounded out the ensemble with tan open-toe sandals, dangling earrings, and had her lustrous red locks styled back with long strands cascading down the front. Scroll below for video Best food forward: Debra Messing, 50, was a fashionista at an event held at New York City's 92nd Street Y on Monday alongside her Will & Grace co-star, Eric McCormack, 55 McCormack, 55, was clad in a blue striped jacket over a light blue T-shirt with navy blue pants and black boots. The veteran actor had his short brown locks styled naturally at the Big Apple event. The stars have been on the promotional circuit as the fall TV season unfolds, appearing on Ellen's broadcast Monday with co-stars Megan Mullally, 59, and Sean Hayes, 48. In the spirited appearance, the quartet of the hit show - which first ran on NBC from 1998 thru 2006, before its return last year - participated in a game called You Bet Your Work Wife, in which Ellen gauged how much the castmates know about one another. Messing told Variety that the show will veer into the political arena this season as her character Grace Adler is in a race for president of the New York Society of Design. Kicking off: The TV stars, posed with Ali Wentworth, return to the airwaves this week with the new fall season Stylish: Debra donned a long-sleeved green Landero dress with an over-sized bow on the neck, as she posed alongside Ali, who's married to ABC's George Stephanopoulos Passionate: Debra is outspoken about her political beliefs via social media, and says her show will have a political twist this season Good time: The actress took to social media after an enjoyable evening at the event Messing is 'taking [the race] very seriously ... as if she's running for mayor of New York City,' Debra told the outlet. Messing said that the storyline mirrors what is happening in society amid the turbulent times. 'Across America women, more than ever in our history, are pumped up and inspired and jumping into the ring, so to speak, in terms of politics,' she said. 'And this is our way of reflecting back what is going on in the world.' Will & Grace airs Thursdays on NBC at 9/8c. Tour: Debra was later spotted in another magnificent gown, en route to an appearance on Watch What happens Live She's been spending time in France with pals David and Victoria Beckham and walking for L'Oreal during Paris Fashion Week. But on Monday, Eva Longoria was back in the US reuniting with her husband and baby son in New York. The 43-year-old was dressed all in white pairing a v-neck sweater with cotton trousers and wearing a black Chanel purse around her waist. Back stateside: Eva Longoria arrived at JFK Airport in NYC Monday as she returned home from a trip to France wearing a white v-neck sweater and white cotton trousers The former Desperate Housewives star wore her long brunette locks tied back into a ponytail and sported reflective sunglasses and diamond earrings. After being photographed at JFK Airport, she was then snapped arriving at a Manhattan hotel with husband Jose Baston, 50, and their three-month-old son Santiago. Jose wore white sweatpants with a beige Varsity jacket and propped his sunglasses up on top of his hair. Happy: Eva, 43, reunited with husband Jose Baston, 50, and their three-month-old son Santiago and the family was seen arriving to a hotel in Manhattan The former Desperate Housewives star looked positively glowing. She wore her long brunette locks tied back into a ponytail and sported reflective sunglasses and diamond earrings Parents: Eva and Jose, who wed in 2016, welcomed their little bundle of joy in June Eva looked positively glowing as she reunited with her family. She and Jose, who married in 2016, welcomed their little bundle of joy in June. And while motherhood has come later in life for the star, she's taken to it like a duck to water. 'Just going on a new journey with him and being a witness to his life is pretty exciting,' she told E! News back in August. She's a natural: While motherhood has come later in life for the star, the actress has taken to it like a duck to water He's known for his rough and rugged good looks. But Gerard Butler brought his action star physique to the streets of Beverly Hills on Monday. The 48-year-old actor cut a handsome figure in a t-shirt and blue jeans as he exited a store in the posh Los Angeles-area neighborhood. Rugged: Gerard Butler brought his action star physique to the streets of Beverly Hills on Monday The 300 actor had two water bottles in one hand and a plastic bag in the other as he headed to his vehicle. He left his short brown tresses messy and was sporting a somewhat unkempt salt and pepper beard. Shading his eyes with dark sunglasses, Butler looked like a man on mission as he traversed the concrete in grey Adidas. Out and about: The 48-year-old actor cut a handsome figure in a t-shirt and blue jeans as he exited a store in the posh Los Angeles-area neighborhood It was a solo store run for the Den of Thieves actor, who was without his sweetheart Morgan Brown, 41. The couple has been on-again, off-again for four years, but looked blissfully happy a week ago as they took a walk on the beach in Malibu, and are rumored to be looking for their very own love-nest. The P.S. I Love You actor and his partner are believed to have been busy eyeing up potential properties in the Chelsea area of New York. A source told the New York Post's Page Six in July: 'Things are looking serious. Gerry sold his $6 million Chelsea loft last year and is looking for a bigger space to share with Morgan.' The couple are hoping to style the 4,100-square-foot apartment at 236 West 26th Street with a 'rustic' look. 'They have visited a sprawling loft in Chelsea twice and are trying to determine if the home can be decorated in a more "rustic" way compared to the sophisticated look that the current owners achieved.' Errands: The 300 actor had two water bottles in one hand and a plastic bag in the other as he headed to his vehicle The couple - who have been seeing each other on/off since 2014 - were believed to have split in August last year, after a 'make or break' holiday to Mexico. But in October, the Geostorm star said he was ready to start a family and settle down within the next few years. Gerard - who has previously been romantically linked to the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Biel - told PEOPLE: 'I have no personal life. In five years I want to be in a relationship. I'd love to have one or two kids - it's about time. I want to be more run by my personal life than my career.' Susan Sarandon attended the Together1Heart gala in NYC on Monday night. The 71-year-old actress wowed in black pantsuit that she paired with platform loafers. She was joined at the event by AnnaLynne McCord and Cambodian anti-trafficking advocate, Somaly Mam. Guest of honor: Susan Sarandon attended the Together1Heart gala in NYC on Monday night Susan's suit featured an embroidered collar. She paired her fitted ensemble with a white blouse and a bright red lip. The Stepmom star accessorized with a slew of gold rings. So chic: The 71-year-old actress wowed in black pantsuit that featured an embroidered collar Sarandon was the guest of honor at the annual soiree. Together1Heart recognized The Feud star's 'fierce support of the cause.' 'Devoting time, money, effort, her voice and influence. We cant thank her enough,' the organization wrote on Instagram. Picture perfect: Sarandon posed alongside the organization's president, AnnaLynne McCord Together1Heart is a global non-profit that seeks to end human trafficking. President AnnaLynne McCord donned a belly baring gown, while Vice President Somaly Mam wore traditional Cambodian garb. The global impact organization was founded back in 2010. The central provinces tourism sector earned VND3.3 trillion ($141.37 million ) in total revenue in the reviewed period, according to the provincial Department of Tourism. The achievements are attributed to the provincial tourism sectors efforts to strengthen management of tourism, tourism promotion activities both at home and abroad. Director of the Quang Binh provincial Department of Tourism Ho An Phong said the sector will continue tourism promotion activities to fully tap its advantages of sea and cave tourism, and call on businesses to create new tourism development projects and unique tours to draw more visitors as well as encourage their longer stay in the province. Quang Binh will also work together with neighbouring provinces to establish the connections for a tour route in the central region, further promote the full exploitation of the Dong Hoi-Chiang Mai air route, and carry out the Dong Hoi airport upgrading project, he added. In 2017, the province received over 3.3 million visitors in 2017, up 70.9 percent over the same period last year. In the first quarter of 2018, the province served over 727,000 holidaymakers, a year-on-year rise of 12 percent, raking in VND820 billion in tourism revenue. In 2018, Quang Binh strived to greet 3.5 million tourists, including 120,000 foreigners. Quang Binh has a 116.04-km coastal line and a 201.87 km border line with Laos. The province is famous for its cave systems, incredible mountain scenery and sprawling beaches. It is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park and the worlds largest cave, Son Doong.- Vietnamnews Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kim Kardashian gave her troubled third husband Kanye West a couple of social media shout-outs on Monday following the backlash over his latest controversies. The 37-year-old incarceration activist - who boasts 205.8M followers - shared a snap of herself gazing at the 41-year-old rapper-designer and captioned it with the title of his new single, 'We Got Love.' The 21-time Grammy winner (now referring to himself as 'Ye') shot the music video for the collaboration with his muse-turned-songstress Teyana Taylor on Monday in the parking lot of TMZ's offices. Stand by your man: Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Kim Kardashian gave her troubled third husband Kanye West a couple of social media shout-outs on Monday following the backlash over his latest controversies The look of love: The 37-year-old incarceration activist - who boasts 205.8M followers - shared a snap of herself gazing at the 41-year-old rapper-designer and captioned it with the title of his new single, 'We Got Love' Kardashian also tweeted support for West's delayed ninth studio album Yandhi, which will now drop November 23 once he finishes the record in Africa in the next few weeks. The hot-tempered hip-hop star raised eyebrows, yet again, after rocking a MAGA hat during his rambling pro-Trump rant during the 44th season premiere of NBC's Saturday Night Live. 'While Kanye talked, Kim just stood in the back and watched. The kids were there, too. She didnt seem like anything [was up], she was just watching,' a source told People on Monday. 'Having all this backlash against Kanye is embarrassing for her and her family, but she will never say that. She supports Kanye through and through and truly does think her husband is entitled to his own opinion.' Now referring to himself as 'Ye': The 21-time Grammy winner shot the music video for the collaboration with his muse-turned-songstress Teyana Taylor on Monday 'Trust me it is worth the wait!' Kardashian also tweeted support for West's delayed ninth studio album Yandhi, which will now drop November 23 once he finishes the record in Africa in the next few weeks 'While Kanye talked, Kim just stood in the back and watched': The hot-tempered hip-hop star raised eyebrows, yet again, after rocking a MAGA hat during his rambling pro-Trump rant during the 44th season premiere of NBC's Saturday Night Live (pictured Saturday) College drop-out: Kanye - who plans on running for POTUS in 2024 - also outraged millions after tweeting Sunday about 'abolishing' then 'amending' the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery back in 1865 Kanye - who plans on running for POTUS in 2024 - also outraged millions after tweeting Sunday about 'abolishing' then 'amending' the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery back in 1865. West's recent manic tweets and interviews are even more worrying considering his serious nine-day stint for 'temporary psychosis' at UCLA Medical Center in 2016. Kimye - who initially met in 2003 - have been married for over three years and they are parents to daughter North, 5; son Saint, 2; and daughter Chicago, 9 months. A source told People: 'Having all this backlash against Kanye is embarrassing for her and her family, but she will never say that. She supports Kanye through and through' (pictured Sunday) Gemini duo: West's recent manic tweets and interviews are even more worrying considering his serious nine-day stint for 'temporary psychosis' at UCLA Medical Center in 2016 (pictured in 2016) It's been a year since the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead. And on Monday, Lisa Vanderpump hosted a fundraiser for survivors of the event via the organization Route91Strong to 'remember all lives forever impacted' on the one-year anniversary of the October 1, 2017 massacre. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star presided over the fundraiser at her West Hollywood, California-based restaurant Pump. Scroll below for video Solemn: Lisa Vanderpump, 58, posed with Lance Bass on Monday at her LA-based restaurant Pump as she hosted a fundraiser to 'remember all lives forever impacted' on the one-year anniversary of the October 1, 2017 massacre in Las Vegas 'This tribute is to help raise funds for the lives affected by that tragic night,' the 58-year-old beauty said on Instagram. 'We will have a moment of silence at 10:05 p.m., when Noelle Chiodo of Vegas will sing her tribute song she wrote to honor the 58 angels.' The philanthropic reality star wore a black dress with a tie around the waist and sheer sleeves with pointy heels, with her dark brown locks parted and billowing down. Notable names snapped at the bash include Lance Bass and Vanderpump Rules stars Jax Taylor, Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval. The English socialite posed with her co-founders Brian Claypool and Lisa Fine, both of whom survived the massacre. Friends: The English socialite posed with Bass and Route91Strong co-founders Brian Claypool and Lisa Fine, both of whom survived the massacre Reverential: The ladies wore black dresses on the sad anniversary of the deadly incident Tireless: Lisa is always busy with philanthropic causes, as she's a high-profile animal advocate Survivors: Route91Strong co-founders Fine and Claypool spoke at the event Somber: The RHOBH star posed between Dr. Carole Lieberman (L) and Fine on the red carpet The event came amid a number of gatherings a year after 58 people were killed and more than 800 others hurt more injured when gunman Stephen Paddock began firing from his 32nd-floor suite at the adjacent Mandalay Bay hotel. The deadly incident - in which Paddock fired from an arsenal including automatic weapons for an 11-minute span - commenced at the Route 91 Harvest Festival as Jason Aldean performed his song When She Says Baby. Elegant: Ariana Madix of Vanderpump Rules wore a stylish shoulder-less black gown On the town: Vanderpump Rules stars Jax Taylor (L) and Tom Sandoval lent their presence to the proceedings For a good cause: Pet stylist Iwona Benjamin wore a burgundy skirt with black sandal heels Bradley Cooper likes to keep the stakes high. The 43-year-old Philadelphia native opened up to Vanity Fair about why he's beginning his directing career with such a high-profile project in his upcoming movie with Lady Gaga, A Star is Born. He said that friends suggested he start on a smaller scale, with TV or commercial work, as opposed to the full-fledged motion picture - which also marks Gaga's first acting appearance. Scroll below for video High-roller: Bradley Cooper, 43, opened up to Vanity Fair about why he's beginning his directing career with such a high-profile project in his upcoming movie with Lady Gaga, A Star is Born. He walked the red carpet at the Paris premiere of A Star Is Born on Monday night 'I said, "That scares the hell out of me,"' he told the publication at the Toronto International Film Festival in a story published on Monday. 'I wouldnt know where to put the camera.' The A-list stalwart said he was drawn to the project artistically, which solidified his decision to go behind the camera for the first time. He said, 'You cant control what moves you, and I wanted to tell a love story.' In the chat, the Limitless actor said that he, the cast and crew 'were all completely blown away' when the stars of the 1976 version of the movie, Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, visited the set of his film. Cooper said he'll 'never forget' introducing Kristofferson at the Glastonbury Music Festival last year, where the crew captured crowd footage for A Star Is Born. He said: 'The best part was I got to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Kris Kristofferson." And I walked off the stage as he walked on.' Popular: Bradley was mobbed by excited fans outside the cinema, with eager admirers lining up in their droves to see him The film has been earning rave reviews and Cooper looked pleased as punch as he walked the red carpet at the Paris premiere of A Star Is Born on Monday night. The A-list star was looking dapper in a navy suit and blue shirt as he proudly posed on the red carpet - with co-star Gaga nowhere to be seen. Bradley was mobbed by excited fans outside the cinema, with eager admirers lining up in their droves to see him. The Hollywood hunk, 43, was happy to pose for selfies and took his time signing autographs. The star's outing came after he discussed welcoming now 17-month-old daughter Lea De Seine Shayk Cooper into the world just a week before shooting A Star Is Born. Flying solo: The A-list star was looking dapper in a navy suit and blue shirt as he proudly posed on the red carpet - with co-star and leading lady Lady Gaga nowhere to be seen Centre stage: The Hollywood hunk, 43, was happy to pose for selfies and took his time signing autographs Talk of the town: His directorial debut, a remake of classic flick A Star Is Born, has been earning rave reviews In a new interview with W Magazine, Bradley discussed his longtime girlfriend Irina Shayk gave birth to their only child one week before his first ever day of directing. He talked about that hectic period of his life as he said: 'Id wake up and work out, followed by two hours of guitar practice and two hours of piano lessons. Lunch. 'Then Lukas Nelson [Willies son], my collaborator, would come over, and wed write music for one and a half hours. Id write the screenplay for the rest of the day. Long time in the making: Bradley has spent years working on his pet project What a time: The star's outing came after he discussed welcoming now 17-month-old daughter Lea De Seine into the world with girlfriend Irina Shayk, just one week before shooting his directorial debut 'Irina was pregnant, so it was kind of perfect. Lea was born a week before we started shooting.' Bradley also talked about how he has essentially been doubted his entire career as he explained: 'But who knows? Ive heard it all in my career. Early on, I didnt get a role because they said I wasnt "f***able." 'In the end, you have to reserve your attention for the work and not listen to anyone.' 'It was kind of perfect': He talked about that hectic period of his life to the publication He goes on to say that loved ones had even told him not to direct A Star Is born even saying that it would be too difficult and that he should be making his directorial debut with something 'easier.' Cooper explained: 'Luckily, I didnt listen. I loved that it was really, really hard to make this film. Otherwise, it wouldnt have the same value. And thats always been my goal: to make something, no matter how challenging, that will be remembered.' He also opened up about his relationship with Lady Gaga (born Stefani Germanotta) as he admitted that he wasn't familiar with her music but was blown away by her performance at a cancer benefit. Handsome: Cooper is featured on the cover of the October Issue We were immediately comfortable with each other': Cooper talked about his relationship with Lady Gaga as he said he believed in her as an actress while she believed in him as a musician Since then they have been making beautiful music together as he said: 'Im from an Italian background, and so is she. We were immediately comfortable with each other.' He said he believed in her as an actress while she believed in him as a musician. Cooper said: 'I wanted there to be a meta aspect to the film, and Stefani gave me that. Also, no actress can do musically what I needed Stefani to do in 42 days of shooting: I needed plutonium. And the plutonium in A Star Is Born is Stefanis voice.' A Star is Born hits theaters on Friday. She moved back to Australia from Vanuatu in July after separating from her husband, Steve Jacobs, 51, last year. And Rosie Jacobs, 39, shared a cryptic Instagram post alluding to her personal struggles on Tuesday. The mother-of-two, who also split from her Canadian boyfriend Dylan Nash in recent months, posted an uplifting message for the 'strong women' in her life. 'She made broken look beautiful and strong look invincible': Steve Jacobs' estranged wife Rosie alludes to her personal struggles... following split from Canadian commando Dylan Nash The quote read: 'She made broken look beautiful and strong look invincible. She walked with the Universe on her shoulders and made it look like a pair of wings - Ariana Dancu.' Rosie added the caption: 'For all the strong, smart and spectacular women in my life. A reminder of what we are capable of.' The wise quote comes more than two months after Rosie split from ex-commando soldier Dylan, 32, and moved back to Australia with her two daughters - Isabella, seven, and Francesca, five. For the ladies: Rosie shared an uplifting message for the 'strong women' in her life Back home: Rosie moved back to Australia from Vanuatu with her two daughters - Isabella, seven, and Francesca, five, in July A source told Daily Mail Australia in July that the brief relationship 'fizzled out' and had been 'the talk of the expat community in Port Vila, Vanuatu'. The former lovebirds met through mutual friends in Vanuatu and began dating after Rosie's marriage to former Today show weatherman Steve fell apart. Rosie and her estranged husband Steve had relocated to Vanuatu with their children in early 2017 in what friends say was a 'last-ditch attempt' to save their marriage. Divorce: Rosie and her estranged husband Steve had relocated to Vanuatu with their children in early 2017 in what friends say was a 'last-ditch attempt' to save their marriage However, Rosie decided to return home in the wake of their ongoing divorce. 'About to take the leap! Leaving the Pacific Islands to restart a life in Australia. My beautiful girls by my side,' Rosie wrote on Instagram. She added the hashtag: 'Couldn't be happier'. Over: The wise quote comes more than two months after Rosie split from ex-commando soldier Dylan, 32, (pictured) Whirlwind romance: The former lovebirds met through mutual friends in Vanuatu and began dating after Rosie's marriage to Steve fell apart In March, a source close to Rosie and Steve claimed they had 'grown in different directions' and split several months after moving overseas. 'They've grown in different directions and want different things in life now,' a friend said at the time. 'Steve and Rosie had such a public image of the perfect happy family, but behind the scenes there were struggles that would put a strain on even the best marriage.' The former couple were together for 11 years and married for seven. Laurence Fox has claimed he is 'dating in the wrong age bracket' after sharing a post appearing to agree with comments made by Ann Widdecombe branding the #MeToo movement 'trivial whinging'. The actor, 40, followed the statement with a broken heart emoji and shared a clip of the former Conservative MP, 70, tirading on ITV's This Morning last week. Ann caused controversy when she ranted at Holly Willoughby by saying #MeToo 'hasn't achieved anything' and women have 'already won' their fight for equality. Controversial: Laurence Fox has claimed he is 'dating in the wrong age bracket' after agreeing with comments made by Ann Widdecombe branding the #MeToo movement 'trivial whinging' It's not the first time Laurence, best known for his previous role on Lewis and being part of the Fox acting dynasty, has made controversial comments about identity politics. The ex-husband of actress Billie Piper, who broke up with his most recent girlfriend TV presenter Lilah Parsons in August, previously said he doesn't feel posh despite being educated at the 40,000-a-year Harrow School. After actress Dame Julie Walters criticised the lack of working class actors in the film and TV industry, Laurence said: 'I think people should keep pretty quiet about stuff like that especially given the money they earn. 'Its not completely true either. Shes a really sweet woman but, please, shut up.' Happier times: The actor, 40, is currently single after splitting from his most-recent girlfriend, TV and radio presenter Lilah Parsons, 30, in August (pictured in February) He added: 'I may sound posh because I went to public school but I dont feel particularly posh.' Referring to then wife, Swindon-born Billie Piper and their two children Winston, nine, and Eugene, six, he said: 'Im not married to someone whos posh, and our kids dont seem that posh to me. With his most recent tweet, Laurence appeared to confirm he is dating again following his break-up from Lilah, 30, in August. The couple mutually ended their relationship, after drifting apart due to their opposing career schedules. In the past: The relationship followed Laurence's divorce from actress Billie Piper, which was finalised in November last year (pictured in 2014) The relationship followed Laurence's divorce from Billie, which was finalised in November last year, a decade after they tied the knot. The former Doctor Who star, 35, is currently expecting her third child with her new rocker boyfriend Johnny Lloyd. Last week, Ann sent viewers into meltdown after her argumentative face-off with Holly and Phil. On #MeToo, she said: 'I don't actually think that it has achieved anything except in the serious cases where they did need support, and that's fine. 'But it's also given rise to a lot of very trivial whinging. Recently an academic doctor was complaining at an airport because rather than being referred to as Dr Smith it was Mrs Smith. Get a life, girls!' Argumentative: Last week, former politician Ann, 70, sent viewers into meltdown after her argumentative face-off with Holly Willoughby and Phil Schofield on This Morning She continued to harangue Holly and Phil by saying: 'When I was a graduate in the 1970s, it was perfectly lawful for a employer to advertise a job with two rates of pay, one for women and one for men. 'It was lawful to refuse a woman a property a mortgage, a finance agreement just because she was a woman in the 90s that all changed and instead of being a level playing field, we want a tilted playing field towards us.' She added: 'The whinging of the #MeToo movement, where a woman will say, "Five years ago, a man put his arm round me and it made me uncomfortable." 'The woman I'm sorry for are the women who want to be full time mothers, and they are heavily discriminated against in the tax system and by society in general about it being second class role.' Former Home And Away star David Jones-Roberts is lucky to be alive after a horror motorcycle accident in Los Angeles. In Monday's New Idea, the 28-year-old revealed that he was riding his bike along Los Melrose Avenue on September 15, when he hit the passenger's side of a car and 'went flying'. A firefighter at the scene had told the actor: 'You should be dead'. 'I should be dead': Former Home And Away actor David Jones-Roberts (pictured), 28, is lucky to be alive after a horror motorcycle accident in Los Angeles David was returning to Los Angeles, where he now lives, after having filmed an episode in Canada for Stan series iZombie. A car pulled out onto Melrose Avenue, causing David to crash his motorcycle into the vehicle's passenger side. 'I tried to get around him, but I hit the back passenger's side of the car and went flying,' David told New Idea. Incident: On September 15, David was returning to Los Angeles from Canada. A car pulled out onto Melrose Avenue, causing David to crash his motorcycle into the vehicle's passenger side. David is not pictured at the scene of the crime The star, who previously played Xavier Austin in long-running soap Home And Away, tore the quadriceps tendon in his left leg. 'I had no control over being able to bend or lift the leg. I had to have surgery within 48 hours otherwise I might not be able to walk again,' David said. David was lucky to have survived the ordeal, with a firefighter having told him at the scene: 'You should be dead'. Fame: David became a household name after starring as Xavier Austin for four years in Channel Seven drama Home And Away. Pictured with former co-star Rebecca Breeds David became a household name after starring as Xavier Austin for four years in Channel Seven drama Home And Away. In July 2012 he announced his departure, taking to Twitter to thank fans for their support. 'Just wanted to say thanks to all my fans out there for your continued support throughout the years. Truly wouldn't be where I am without you guys,' David wrote. David now calls Los Angeles home and is enjoying a steady relationship with actress Jessica Amlee, 24. She's best friends with Kylie Jenner and model Jordyn Woods showed off her sensational curves while spending the day with the reality star on Monday. The 21-year-old wore a light brown thong bikini which flattered her figure perfectly and had a belt section which ran across her toned abs. She wore her raven locks down and in a tousled style as she and Kylie, also 21, spent the day aboard Miami nightclub boss Dave Grutman's yacht alongside their pals. Looking good: Kylie Jenner's BFF Jordyn Woods displayed her stunning curves in a very racy thong bikini on nightclub boss Dave Grutman's yacht in Miami on Monday, after turning 21 And time to relax! After a wild night out celebrating her BFF Jordyn Woods' 21st in Miami, Kylie headed alongside her to the boat The day on the boat came after a wild night out celebrating Jordyn's birthday, who joined the boat party on Monday. A swanky weekend ended with the BFF's partying it up at the popular nightclub LIV, hosted by celebrity-entertainer Grutman. While at partying it up at Liv, they both got the chance to autograph the walls and they were presented with a personalized 'Liv on Sunday' medallions in reference to the nightclub. Living it up: A swanky weekend ended with the BFF's partying it up at the popular nightclub LIV, hosted by celebrity-entertainer Grutman Up and coming: This weekend celebration in Miami wasn't all about Jordyn turning the big 2-1. The BFF's have also been celebrating the launch of their new cosmetics line, Kylie X Jordan The ritzy soiree was capped off with the presentation of a five-tier birthday cake to Jordyn. 'Wow what a birthday cake Happy Birthday @jordynwoods,' Kylie wrote along with a Snapchat video of the cake presentation. This weekend celebration in Miami wasn't all about Jordyn turning the big 2-1. The BFF's have also been celebrating the launch of their new cosmetics line, Kylie X Jordan. Kylie and Jordan have been friends for years and in August, Jordyn spoke to E! about how much closer they have become since Kylie's baby, Stormi, was born. She said: 'I think it just has gotten better. It is a part of life and the process of growing up. 'I think it has been really great with her around now. Stormi is so sweet and so beautiful. I love hanging out with her all day.' She spent last week soaking up the sun on a Hawaiian beach break. But Olivia Munn was back on home turf as she stepped out on a shopping trip in Los Angeles on Monday. The actress, 38, looked typically stylish as she slipped into a mauve wrap mini-skirt and towering strappy sandals while enjoying a spot of retail therapy. Stylish: Olivia Munn was back on home turf after her Hawaiian beach break as she stepped out on a shopping trip in Los Angeles on Monday For a demure vibe, The Predator star rounded off her look with a grey turtleneck and pointed frame sunglasses. Olivia draped a small leather handbag in a matching mauve to her skirt over one shoulder, while opting for natural hair and make-up. The raven-haired beauty documented her cute outfit on Instagram with a boomerang as she reflected on her weekend when she attended a star-studded birthday bash. She penned in the caption: 'Remembering the moment this weekend when I saw @sarafoster at a birthday party and she instantly grabs my hair and says Its ALL REAL! #LALife(PS Love you Sara ).' Cool and chic: The actress, 38, looked typically stylish as she slipped into a mauve wrap mini-skirt and towering strappy sandals while enjoying a spot of retail therapy Olivia recently claimed she was given the silent treatment by her The Predator co-stars after she called out an actor starring in the movie was a register sex offender. Not shying away from controversy, Olivia had her co-star Steven Wilder Streigel's scene cut after exposing he was a convicted sex offender. Streigel, a close friend of the film's director Shane Black, pleaded guilty in 2010 to attempting to form an online sexual relationship with a 14-year-old female relative. The actress discussed how she was iced out by her colleagues after she notified bosses her fellow actor Steven was a registered sex offender. Of the silent treatment, she said on The Ellen Show: 'Nobody talked to me. Nobody reached out that whole day. Stepping out in style: For a demure vibe, The Predator star rounded off her look with a grey turtleneck and pointed frame sunglasses 'At first I thought maybe it was just because they don't know what to say, they wanted to say it out of the way, but privately I did feel iced out.' Olivia took on the role of Casey Bracket in the sequel to the classic 1987 movie featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hours before the movie premiered at Toronto International Film Festival, Fox revealed Striegel's scene was cut within 24 hours of the studio learning of his crime. Fox told Associated Press: 'Our studio was not aware of Mr. Striegel's background when he was hired. 'Several weeks ago, when the studio learned the details, his one scene in the film was removed within 24 hours.' Looking good! The brunette documented her cute outfit on Instagram with a boomerang as she reflected on her weekend when she attended a star-studded birthday bash She's the world famous Instagram model who made headlines after being crowned the 'World's Hottest Grandma.' And now Gina Stewart, 48, has shared a rare throwback photo of herself from 2002, when she was aged just 32. In the image, the mother-of-four is a fresh-faced blonde with straight hair and smooth tanned skin. Flashback: The World's Hottest Grandma Gina Stewart, 48, (R) shared a rare throwback photo of herself (L) this week Her pearly white smile is instantly familiar, but the stunning model is otherwise unrecognisable compared to her current bombshell self. Outside of her double-E cup breast implants, Gina has always maintained that her beauty is natural and that she's never used Botox or fillers. In May, the busty grandmother told Daily Mail Australia that the only products she uses on her face are coconut oil and rose hip oil. All natural: Outside of her double-E cup breast implants, Gina has always maintained that her beauty is natural and that she's never used Botox or fillers 'Macro Organics coconut oil is my hair product, my product that I cook with and my moisturiser - $5, all organic, no chemicals,' she said. 'Rosehip oil is also my secret weapon, I swear by this, it's anti-ageing. So basically what I do is I cleanse and I put this on my face afterwards that's my daily routine.' She also follows a 'chemical-free' lifestyle and only drinks alkaline water. Gina recently had microdermabrasian at a local Gold Coast beauty spa, which she said was her 'first facial treatment in years.' Secret: In May, the busty grandmother told Daily Mail Australia that the only products she uses on her face are coconut oil and rose hip oil Claim to fame! The Gold Coast model was crowned the hottest grandma in the world earlier this year thanks to her popular Instagram account The gorgeous granny is currently competing in Maxim magazine's annual fan-voted Cover Girl competition. According to the magazine, the winner will be photographed by photographer Gilles Bensimon for the January/February 2019 Maxim cover and receive a $25,000 cash prize. The winner will also score VIP tickets to a couple of prestigious red carpet Maxim parties. If she wins, Gina has revealed that she'll give a portion of the prize money to charities helping sick children and veterans. She has followed in the footsteps of Kourtney Kardashian and Montana Brown by becoming a brand ambassador for Pretty Little Thing. And Megan Barton Hanson pulled out all the stops for her first ever photoshoot with the affordable label outside the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. The Love Island star, 24, flaunted her phenomenal hourglass curves in a denim cut-out crop top teamed with matching high-waisted trousers. Taking centre-stage: Megan Barton Hanson pulled out all the stops for her first ever photoshoot for Pretty Little Thing outside the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles Letting her statement two-piece do all the talking, the blonde bombshell added height with a chic pair of white zip-up boots. The reality star injected a dose of Seventies cool into her ensemble with a pair of yellow-tinted aviator sunglasses and circular disc drop earrings. Megan, who is still dating her Love Island beau Wes Nelson, wore her golden tresses in a tousled updo and framed her features with a sweep of mascara and nude lipstick. Turning heads: The Love Island star, 24, flaunted her phenomenal hourglass curves in a denim cut-out crop top teamed with matching high-waisted trousers The reality star has become somewhat of a body advocate since departing from the Love Island villa. Writing for the iNews recently, Megan admitted she was 'shamed' by a boy in school which earned her the name 'The Group Sl*t' among her friends, while adding she was discouraged by the Love Island cast from having sex. The former exotic dancer has previously admitted to having had 40k of surgical enhancements, including two boob jobs, a nose job, veneers and lip fillers. New horizons: She has followed in the footsteps of Kourtney Kardashian and Montana Brown by becoming a brand ambassador for Pretty Little Thing She said: 'Some of the [Love Island] cast were trying to tell me not to have sex again because they knew how I would be perceived. That proves pretty tricky when you are falling in love and living with the person 24/7.' She explained: 'Ive been labelled a slut from the age of 16, mainly by boys I had dated, or boys I had turned down, until my group of friends started to join in by calling me the sl*t of the group... 'At this point, I wasnt sexually active. I was given this label because I made a crucial mistake: a boy a few years above me in school had asked me to send him a video of me masturbating. I declined, he went on to ask me if I had even done it before... Speaking out: The reality star has become somewhat of a body advocate since departing from the Love Island villa Battle: Megan admitted she was 'shamed' by a boy in school which earned her the name 'The Group Sl*t' among her friends, while adding she was discouraged by the Love Island cast from having sex (seen with boyfriend Wes Nelson) 'I hadnt, but of course wanted to impress him and so I told him I had. The next day the whole school was talking about it. Its amusing to me when I look back at it, but at the time it felt like my whole world was caving in.' Megan was a late entrant into the show and while she grew intimate with Eyal and shared a kiss with Alex George, she soon turned her attentions to Wes - despite the fact he was paired with Laura Anderson. While she found love in the villa, she was subject to much scrutiny on the outside as her past as an exotic dancer and glamour model became known. She has now revealed, some of her co-stars suggested she stop having sex on-screen to stop being vilified on the outside, although she insisted she would not put her high sex drive on hold for the sake of her critics. [October 01, 2018] eLocal to Acquire Ring Router and Expand Performance-Based Lead Generation Platform into Insurance Industry eLocal, a leading provider of performance-based advertising for local, regional and national service businesses, today announced they have reached agreement on principal terms to acquire Ring Router. The acquisition is expected to close in the immediate term. Based in Pasadena, CA (News - Alert) , Ring Router provides performance-based advertising in the form of pay-per-call programs within multiple insurance verticals. For years, Ring Router has helped large, national insurance agencies as well as independent local agents drive high intent, highly qualified insurance phone calls. For more than 10 years, eLocal has offered a pay-per-call/pay-per-lead solution to businesses in the home services, legal, debt and addiction sectors. Withthe acquisition of Ring Router, eLocal will be able to deploy its best in class performance-based advertising solutions to insurance agencies nationwide. "We are excited to build upon Ring Router's strong foundation within the insurance marketplace," said Bruce Aronow, CEO at eLocal. Fueled by an infusion of growth capital from LLR Partners in late 2017, eLocal is focused on augmenting its organic growth through targeted acquisitions in its existing and new verticals. "As we looked to expand our reach into new verticals, Ring Router quickly emerged as the right partner, with their similar performance-based pricing model and such a strong reputation in the insurance industry," added Aronow. "There was a natural fit between eLocal's pay-per-call platform and what Ring Router has built," said Brett Sweeney, head of business development at Ring Router who will lead eLocal's new insurance division. "By leveraging eLocal's technology and resources, I believe we have an incredible opportunity to accelerate the growth of the eLocal insurance division and deliver significant value to our clients and our publishing partners." About eLocal eLocal is a fast-growing, 10-year-old performance-based advertising company, whose mission is to connect consumers with local businesses. With a specialization in the home services and legal verticals, eLocal has been at the forefront of a changing advertising industry as one of the only media companies offering businesses of all sizes a performance-based pricing model to support new customer acquisition. In 2016 and 2017, eLocal ranked in the Philadelphia Business Journal's Soaring 76 for the fastest-growing companies in the region. Its founders also won EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2017 for E-Services. Learn more at www.elocal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001005926/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] Ronan Keating spoke about life as a husband and father in Monday's New Idea. The 41-year-old said he feels 'very complete as a man' and is 'very lucky' to have found wife Storm Keating (nee Uechtritz), 36. The couple share son Cooper, one, while his fashion designer spouse has also taken on the role of stepmother to his three children from a previous relationship. 'I feel very complete': Ronan Keating, 41, described himself as 'lucky' to have found wife Storm (both pictured), 36, and revealed whether he would make a permanent move to Australia 'I feel very complete as a man, as a person. I'm very lucky to have found Storm,' Ronan told New Idea. 'She's amazing. She's fantastic, she's understanding and she's strong. The kids love her so it's perfect,' the former X Factor Australia judge said of Storm's parenting skills. Ronan is a proud father to to Jack, 20, Missy, 17, and Ali, 13, who he shares with ex-wife Yvonne Connolly. Motherhood: 'She's amazing. She's fantastic, she's understanding and she's strong. The kids love her so it's perfect,' the former X Factor Australia judge told Monday's New Idea The couple, who were married in 1998, split in 2010 and their divorce was finalised in 2015. Ronan, who often travels to Australia with his family, revealed to New Idea whether he would ever consider a permanent move Down Under. 'I'd live here absolutely. A lot of my career stuff is back in Europe, but if I could do half and half, that would be great,' he said. Ronan went on to explain that, with his children in school in Ireland, a permanent move would prove difficult. Storm and Ronan married in a spectacular wedding overlooking the Scottish coast in 2015, with Ed Sheeran entertaining guests at the reception. Proud parents: The couple are proud parents to son Cooper (pictured), one The couple tied the knot in front of 170 guests, many of which had flown in from Ireland and Australia. In a previous interview with UK's HELLO! magazine, Ronan revealed what went through his mind when he saw Storm walking down the aisle. 'I went to turn around but my lip was already trembling and I knew I couldn't turn without crumbling, so I waited until she was beside me. 'Then I turned to face her and she was so beautiful it was overwhelming. I couldn't help but cry,' he said. She's been on a whirlwind tour of Europe, Instagramming snaps in London, Paris and Spain in recent weeks. But Elsa Pataky was flying solo as she jetted out of Madrid and headed off to the Greek island of Santorini without her husband Chris Hemsworth on Monday. The Spanish actress, 42, opted for a casual look for her flight, teaming a pair of high-waist white and grey striped trousers with a simple white T-shirt. Come fly with me: Elsa Pataky was flying solo as she jetted out of Madrid and headed off to the Greek island of Santorini without her husband Chris Hemsworth on Monday The Fast And The Furious star opted for a comfortable pair of velcro-strap trainers, and accessorised with a chic leather satchel bag by Fendi. The mother-of-three rolled a grey suitcase behind her and carried a distressed gold backpack as she made her way inside the airport. Elsa wore her blonde locks loose and opted for natural make-up to accentuate her stunning features. The actress completed her look with a pair of oversized shades as she boarded her flight to Greece. Flying solo: The Spanish actress, 42, opted for a casual look for her flight, teaming a pair of high-waist white and grey striped trousers with a simple white T-shirt Model behaviour: Elsa wore her blonde locks loose and opted for natural make-up to accentuate her stunning features Stylish traveller: The Fast And The Furious star opted for a comfortable pair of velcro-strap trainers, and accessorised with a chic leather satchel bag by Fendi Elsa has spent the past few days in Spain supporting action hero husband Chris, 35, at the San Sebastian Film Festival, where he premiered new movie Bad Times At El Royale. The actress and the Thor star are based in Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast in Australia, with their children, daughter India, six, and twin sons Sasha and Tristan, four. But the power couple have recently concerned locals as they began to construct an $8million (4.4million) house in the area. Neighbours fear more huge homes will be built and the small village of Broken Head will become unbearably busy as a result. Roll with it: The mother-of-three rolled a grey suitcase behind her and carried a distressed gold backpack as she made her way inside the airport Elegant: The actress completed her look with a pair of oversized shades as she boarded her flight to Greece Paradise! Elsa shared Instagram stories from a stunning cliff-side villa in Santorini on Tuesday morning after jetting to Greece from Spain Photos emerged of the mega-mansion development last week, with the construction quickly becoming the talk of the town. The huge construction has received mixed reactions from the public, with many accusing Chris and Elsa of being hypocritical given their environmentally-conscious reputation. Some speculated the Hollywood couple were up to something more than just building a home for themselves and their three children. It is expected to feature a gym, steam room, large swimming pool, luxury spa, media room and games room, as well as vast outdoor spaces and six bedrooms. Advertisement She returned to the United Arab Emirates for a change of scenery following her devastating split from her Love Island co-star Paul Knops. Yet swimsuit-clad Laura Anderson, 29, looked full of life when she went paddle boarding, in Dubai to keep her mind off her former flame on Tuesday. Clambering aboard the paddle board, the busty blonde bombshell gave onlookers a saucy look at her eye-popping cleavage in her daringly low-cut stone coloured swimsuit. Moving on: Love Island star Laura Anderson showed no signs of heartbreak as she looked ravishing in a plunging swimsuit while paddle boarding in Dubai on Tuesday after Paul Knops split The sexy cut of her one-piece also meant Love Island star teased a sneak peek at her major sideboob and her floral-inspired inkings cascading down her envy-inducing figure. Former air hostess Laura pulled her blonde locks into a half updo hairstyle using a hair grip and she defined her features with natural make-up to keep up her glamorous image. There were no visible signs of heartbreak as the reality star flashed a glimpse of her pearly white teeth when she smiled from ear-to-ear on the sandy shores before she rode the waves. Breast attraction! The sexy cut of her one-piece also meant Love Island star teased a sneak peek at her major sideboob and her floral-inspired inkings cascading down her envy-inducing figure Ink-credible! Clambering aboard the paddle board, the busty blonde bombshell gave onlookers a saucy look at her eye-popping cleavage in her daringly low-cut stone coloured swimsuit Paul who? There were no visible signs of heartbreak as the reality star flashed a glimpse of her pearly white teeth when she smiled from ear-to-ear on the sandy shores before she rode the waves Laura moved on from the break up after she gave a candid interview explaining to OK! magazine that the couple went their separate ways because they were unable to spend time with each other. The duo won the hearts of the nation when they appeared on Love Island over the summer, finishing in second place to Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham. Yet their love story came to an abrupt end at the beginning of September following Paul's three-week business trip away from the UK while Laura stayed at home. Back shot! The backless costume gave onlookers a good look at Laura's bare skin as she braved the water to go paddle boarding during her getaway Who needs a man? Laura looked full of life when she went paddle boarding, in Dubai to keep her mind off her former flame Stay steady: Laura almost took a tumble when she got to grips with paddle board off the sandy shores of Dubai So glam! Former air hostess Laura pulled her blonde locks into a half updo hairstyle using a hair grip and she defined her features with natural make-up to keep up her glamorous image She told the publication: When we came out of the villa there was a lot of work related things we did together and then Paul went away for three weeks. 'He went to the Burning Man festival in America and he couldnt get phone signal for a week. I was absolutely fine with that. I trusted him not to do things with other girls, which he didnt. 'I was hoping that when he came back wed spend more time together and build a proper relationship out of the villa. It didnt happen.' Giddy: Laura showed she was still having fun as she threw her head back and laughed Bae watch! The reality star looked astonishing when she roamed the beach in Baywatch fashion The former air hostess also defended her decision to unfollow him on Instagram after the pair decided it was best to break things off following their summer fling. She explained: I dont really want to see what hes up to now because Im not involved in that. 'If he needs me hed call me but I dont want to watch his stories. You have a little look now and again and it torments you! Helping hand! An assistant helped Laura get ready to stand on her paddle board Triumph! She continued to lap up the scorching sunshine in Dubai during her getaway Tough times: She returned to the United Arab Emirates for a change of scenery following her devastating split from her Love Island co-star Paul Knops Split rumours were on everyone's lips when the former flames were pictured in a furious altercation while out. However, Laura has insisted that this wasn't the cause of their break-up and the row had been blown out of proportion. Since leaving the Love Island villa seven weeks ago, fellow couples Samira Mighty and Frankie Foster as well as Laura Crane and Jack Fowler have also split. It emerged Charlie Brake and Ellie Brown had also called it quits amid allegations the Chelsea millionaire had cheated on her with a mystery blonde. Mending her heart: The former air hostess also defended her decision to unfollow him on Instagram after the pair decided it was best to break things off following their summer fling Looking good! The duo won the hearts of the nation when they appeared on Love Island over the summer, finishing in second place to Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham She's got to getaway! Yet their love story came to an abrupt end at the beginning of September following Paul's three-week business trip away from the UK while Laura stayed at home This Morning came under fire on Tuesday when a heartbreaking segment about a historic interview was swiftly followed by a clip about the Maldives. Disgruntled viewers took to Twitter in the midst of the episode to blast the 'insensitive' timing of the Lisa Snowdon-fronted holiday clip, in which the presenter was swimsuit-clad on a paddleboard. Some of the messages included one note from a fan reading: 'Ok that is disrespectful no worries guys we've just shown you heartbreaking stories... but welcome to the Maldives straight away #thismorning.' As the show rings in its 30th birthday, a throwback clip was shown in which a heartbreaking interview saw a weeping woman. Looking downcast, Phil turned to the camera after to say: 'Thank you to everyone who has trusted their story with us', before instantly stating: 'It's cometition time'. While fans were clearly moved by the segment, they were more perturbed when it was closely followed by the jovial moment about holidays. 'Just did a serious, heartbreaking piece followed by "competition time now" and Snowdon with her floppies out. Again... Tough: This Morning came under fire on Tuesday when a heartbreaking segment about some historic interviews was swiftly followed by a segment about the Maldives Shock: Disgruntled viewers took to Twitter in the midst of the episode to blast the 'insensitive' timing of the Lisa Snowdon-fronted holiday clip Saddening: The interview was hard-hitting yet followed with a fun clip 'Feels a bit insensitive to go straight to a competition after that... A lovely moment ruined on This Morning by handing over to the competition and Snowdon shaking her t*ts at the camera... Well timed competition promo there. ' With the show's 30-year anniversary celebrations continuing all week, the presenters watched amusing old footage of Phillip and former co-host Fern Britton struggling to contain their laughter while interviewing a man who made objects out of biscuits. I could see you so hard trying not to laugh,' Holly told Phillip, who wiped away tears of laughter after watching the footage back. 'Its one thing laughing about it, its another thing when the person you have to interview is right there,' he added. Shocking: 'Feels a bit insensitive to go straight to a competition after that... A lovely moment ruined on This Morning by handing over to the competition and Snowdon shaking her t*ts at the camera... Well timed competition promo there.' Elsewhere, it was announced on Tuesday that ITV will 'capture Princess Beatrice's wedding at St Georges Chapel, with Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford joined by guests, commentators and experts for this specially extended programme'. At 11am, cameras will cross to live coverage of the ceremony from inside the chapel which will be broadcast in full, including the departure of the bride and groom as they leave the venue. After the ceremony, ITV will return to This Morning and Eamonn and Ruth will be live with comments, discussion and reflection on the events of the morning. Shocking: 'Feels a bit insensitive to go straight to a competition after that... A lovely moment ruined on This Morning by handing over to the competition and Snowdon shaking her t*ts at the camera... Well timed competition promo there' The coverage will be co-produced by ITV Studios and Spun Gold TV. ITV will also broadcast a 30-minute highlights programme, The Royal Wedding: A Family Celebration, at 8pm that evening, looking back at the day's events. Jack, who popped the question during a holiday to Nicaragua, recently got a promotion at work from UK brand ambassador to European brand manager at Casamigos Tequila, the brand co-founded by George Clooney. Olivia Buckland has revealed she had a lump in her breast removed after four years. The Love Island 2016 star explained that she found a lipoma - a benign tumor made of fat tissue - on her chest and ' finally plucked up the courage' to get it taken out before her wedding to Alex Bowen. Making the admission during her loved-up honeymoon in the Maldives, the 24-year-old shared a photo of her scar and said getting it removed was the 'best decision' she'd ever made. Candid admission: Olivia Buckland has revealed she had a lump in her breast removed after four years (pictured during her Maldives honeymoon in a personalised bikini) Taking to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, she wrote: 'So pleased with how my scar is healing. Extra suncream on that little bit though.' She went on: 'For anyone that is new, it's nothing to worry about! I found a lump and had it checked. It turned out to be a lipoma. 'Had it for a good four years and finally plucked up the courage before the wedding to have it removed! 'It was cut out and it was about 3X3 inches. Best decision ever to have it removed, I wish I had done it sooner.' Good move: The Love Island 2016 star explained that she found a lipoma - a benign tumor made of fat tissue - on her chest (R) and ' finally plucked up the courage' to get it taken out before her wedding to Alex Bowen Moving on: Making the admission during her loved-up honeymoon in the Maldives, the 24-year-old shared a photo of her scar and said getting it removed was the 'best decision' she'd ever made Olivia and Alex tied the knot in the first ever Love Island wedding in front of friends, family and reality TV co-stars in Essex last month. They held the ceremony at Gosfield Hall, which boasts 10 acres of elegant grounds, in the blonde beauty's native Essex on September 15. What is a lipoma? Lipomas are soft, fatty lumps that grow under your skin. They're harmless and don't usually need any treatment. Lipomas are common. They feel soft and squishy. They can be anything from the size of a pea to a few centimetres across and may move slightly under your skin if you press them. They aren't usually painful, grow slowly and often appear on your shoulders, chest, arms, back, bottom or thighs. Source: NHS Advertisement Alex gave an insight into his drunk state as he posted a snap as he carried wife Olivia on the dancefloor during their star-studded, boozy bash. Taking to Instagram, the hunky former scaffolder shared the image while adding the crass caption: 'Now this is a f**king wedding photo. The BOWEN WAY'. In her column for New Magazine, Olivia revealed the boozy mishaps had resulted in an extremely sore head the next day. The boozy bride penned: 'I was so hungover the day after my wedding as you can see from this picture! 'I stayed up until 3am and got McDonald's the next day. We didn't move for two days.' The reality TV pair initially jetted off to Sri Lanka just hours after their lavish reception in Essex, before moving onto the second leg of their honeymoon in the Maldives. The couple first met on the 2016 series of Love Island, in which they starred alongside the likes of Cara De La Hoyde, Nathan Massey, Zara Holland, Tina Stinnes, Malin Andersson and the late Sophie Gradon. Sweet: Olivia and Alex, 26, tied the knot in the first ever Love Island wedding in front of friends, family and reality TV co-stars in Essex last month during a boozy ceremony Olivia and Alex came in second place behind Cara and her fiance Nathan Massey, and moved in together in Essex in August 2016. Alex popped the question during a romantic trip to New York that December after just five months of dating. The wedding hasn't been without drama as it was revealed Olivia had a row with her former best friend and Love Island co-star Cara over bridesmaid duties after Cara became a mother to son Freddie. Rolling around: Olivia and her bridesmaids were seen frolicking around after many drinks in snaps shared on Instagram Touching on the dramatic events, she told OK! magazine last week: 'There are two sides to every story. I guess we haven't been that close for a while and I hadn't seen it. 'She missed a few things and I didn't see her for weeks and months on end to the point where when it came down to it it was impossible to get her dress fitted... 'When I asked her to be my bridesmaid I thought we were close, and then sadly we drifted apart, there was no big fallout or anything. They're both British-born stunners who have made it big in Hollywood. And Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne returned to their native London on Tuesday to promote their upcoming Amazon show Carnival Row at Prime Video Presents. Cara, 26, looked stunning in androgynous cigarette pants and a half-zipped monochrome jacket as she joined an array of stars starring in new shows on the streaming service. British born beauties: Orlando Bloom, 41, and Cara Delevingne, 26 returned to their native London on Tuesday to promote their upcoming Amazon Prime Video show Carnival Row Meanwhile, Orlando, 41, donned a boysenberry purple suit and a pair of box-fresh Stan Smith Adidas trainers. Supermodel Cara, who has just returned from stunning on the catwalk at fashion weeks in Paris, London and Milan, finished her look off with a pair of shiny black stilettos with a pointed toe. She went topless under her bomber jacket, with body chains surrounding her gym-honed physique. Co-stars: Cara looked stunning in an androgynous cigarette pants half-zipped monochrome jacket. Meanwhile, Orlando, (left), donned a boysenberry purple suit and trainers The Suicide Squad star opted for an edgy make-up look with a dark cat-like eyeliner making her baby blues pop. Orlando coordinated with his co-star in a patterned black and white shirt. The Pirates of the Caribbean star, who is currently starring as the eponymous role in Killer Joe in the West End, showed off a fresh buzz cut and designer stubble. Drawn to politics: Speaking about her new show, Cara said she was drawn to 'the social, political themes' of the project There is already a huge buzz around the series despite it not being given a release date until 2019. Speaking about her new show, Cara said she was drawn to 'the social, political themes' of the project. She said: 'Immigration, classism and racism, important themes that need to be addressed more and more. It's fantasy that we have never seen before.' His view: Orlando added: 'It's a sort of Dickensian, steam punk, Victorian world with these remarkable and beautiful mythical creatures' And she's off again! Cara cut a casual figure as she was pictured heading out of the UK from London's Heathrow Airport on Wednesday Jet-setter: Orlando looked in high spirits as he was also spotted jetting out of the country today Co-star Orlando added: 'It's a sort of Dickensian, steam punk, Victorian world with these remarkable and beautiful mythical creatures. 'When I got to Prague and saw the set they had built I was blown away, it was truly remarkable. The world they have built, the epic size of the story they were creating.' On working with the Lord Of The Rings star, Cara said: 'We had crossed paths before, I had seen so many of Orlando's films, so it was a dream to work with him and to get to work with a friend.' Photos last year showed the pair looking almost unrecognisable on the set in Prague. Star studded: Cara and Orlando joined a flurry of stars including Julia Roberts, Michael Sheen, Jon Hamm and David Tennant at the A-lister filled event The eight-episode series, directed by Paul McGuigan, is set in a neo-Victorian city where mythical creatures have gathered. Tensions rise between the new inhabitants and the city's citizens as a murder investigation takes place after a string of unexplained killings. Supermodel turned actress Cara stars as Vignette Stonemoss - 'a fairy fleeing persecution'. The series, which has been written and executive produced by Star Trek's Rene Echevarria, while Luke Cage's Paul McGuigan is set to direct and executive producer, along with Travis Beacham of Pacific Rim fame. Rising tensions: Supermodel turned actress Cara stars as Vignette Stonemoss - 'a fairy fleeing persecution' Streaming soon: The eight-episode series, directed by Paul McGuigan, is set in a neo-Victorian city where mythical creatures have gathered In a statement that followed the news, head of comedy at Amazon Joe Lewis said: 'There has never been a series like Carnival Row before. 'The scope of the storytelling combined with the uniqueness of the world, themes and aesthetics haven't been on TV before. 'A simple police investigation will lead us down a remarkable journey in a world where humans and creatures co-exist. We're so excited about what Rene, Travis and Paul are creating and we can't wait to bring it to customers.' TV newbie: Julia Roberts, 50, also appeared at the star-studded panel to talk about her first leading role in a TV series in Homecoming, based on a fiction podcast of the same name Julia Roberts also appeared at the star-studded panel to talk about her first leading role in a TV series in Homecoming, based on a fiction podcast of the same name, wearing a Burberry skirt suit. She said: 'I heard the podcast and loved it because it harkened back to listening to a story together on the radio or on books out loud and you're imagining everything. 'I think that is where the inspiration as artists starts, imagining what it would look like. Pretty Woman: Julia Roberts took to the stage in London on Tuesday to discuss her new Amazon show Homecoming and said 'TV is not for the faint hearted' Reunited: The show even gave Julia the opportunity to reunite with her My Best Friend's Wedding co-star Dermot Mulroney Panel: Homecoming will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 2 'I was really attracted to that and when Sam (Esmail, the showrunner) called me - we seem like different people but we are kind of the same but my hair is much longer - and we were like 20-year friends.' She added: 'TV is not for the faint of heart for sure but we were very efficient and aligned and we had great momentum. Pals: Also at the Amazon Prime event was former Dr Who David Tennant and Mad Men star Jon Hamm 'I kind of played two characters, in that way it was a great fun challenge for me. 'There were some organisation things that I'm not used to, the map of what we don't know has happened and what we do know.' Even though it is her first leading role in a TV series, the Pretty Woman star, 50, said: 'I can't say that I've worked in television because Sam made an effort on my behalf to shoot it as a movie would be. Star-studded: Michael Sheen, (left) Jon Hamm, (right) and David Tennant are starring together in an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's 1990 novel Good Omens 'Our first AD (assistant director) was the first AD on The Pelican Brief (a film starring Roberts from 1993).' The show even gave Julie the opportunity to reunite with her My Best Friend's Wedding co-star Dermot Mulroney and Sam said: 'I am a huge My Best Friend's Wedding fan, it's my favourite romantic comedy, and I wanted to bring them back together.' Addressing Julie, he said: 'But this time you get to dump him!' In love: Speaking about starring opposite David Tennant, Welsh-born Michael said: 'My biggest problem when we were filming and I would genuinely be going between: 'Oh you're really good' to 'I think I love you' Sam confirmed there will be a second series of the show and Julia joked: 'Rupert Everett comes in at the end and he's in the back of the church.' Homecoming will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 2. Also at the Amazon Prime event was former Dr Who David Tennant and Mad Men star Jon Hamm. The pair are starring together in an adaptation of Terry Pratchett's 1990 novel Good Omens, which also stars Michael Sheen. New show: (L-R) Jon Hamm, Michael Sheen, Miranda Richardson, David Tennant, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Mackinnon of upcoming Amazon Prime Video show Good Omens Speaking about starring opposite Jessica Jones star David Tennant, Welsh-born Michael said: 'My biggest problem when we were filming and I would genuinely be going between: 'Oh you're really good' to 'I think I love you.' 'I was never quite sure where the character ended.' Speaking about working with Shakespearean actor Michael, David said: 'Most of our stuff is with each other. We spend a lot of time on park benches, so when you start on what was a long shoot, we had never worked together, what if we rub up against each other? Highly acclaimed: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan (left) also appeared at the event to discuss the forthcoming series of the show, which recently won eight Emmys, alongside co-star Marin Hinkle (right) 'But we found a rhythm quickly and if you've got someone you feel safe to play with and these characters that feel new and also recognisable, that comes from the writing. 'And you know what this unique world is straight away, it was a joy.' Unbreakable Kimmy Schmitt star Jon Hamm, who stars in the show as the Archangel Gabriel, said: 'I had read the book some time ago and had been a fan of Neil's, and this book in particular, and he emailed me and said: 'I've written this character that doesn't exist in the book', and I said yes. It was a very easy yes. Returning: Of returning to the role for more episodes, Rachel said: 'It is always nice to come back having spent an entire season learning intimately the ins and outs of the character (pictured with co-stars Michael Zegen and Marin Hinkle) 'Because I knew that whatever version it was going to take was going to be excellent, then I saw who was going to be in it and thought: 'This is going to be fun too.' The Marvelous Mrs Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan also appeared at the event to discuss the forthcoming series of the show, which recently won eight Emmys. Discussing her first impressions of the series, about a housewife who develops a talent for stand-up comedy after her marriage falls apart, she said: 'We all only read the first script and there were so many colours, it's delightful and charming but grounded and whimsical and a beautiful mixture between fantasy and reality, the show hits high highs and low lows.' New faces: John Krasinski appeared at the panel on a break from filming to hint at details of the second series of Jack Ryan Of returning to the role for more episodes, she said: 'It is always nice to come back having spent an entire season learning intimately the ins and outs of the character. 'It was like coming back home, like putting on a comfortable sweater. 'Midge learns a great deal more about stand-up in season two and we get to learn about that world together. It's not a world I'm familiar with and the same is true for Midge, the world is getting bigger and there was a lot of growth that happened for Midge and for me. 'We go to Paris, we can't tell you why, and we spent time in the Catskills. 'There is lots of travelling this season, and I'm looking forward to showing our audience more of our world and through that world expansion you get to learn a lot more.' The Romanoffs: Matt Weiner, Marthe Keller, Ines Melab and Hugh Skinner all appeared at the event to promote their new show John Krasinski appeared at the panel on a break from filming to hint at details of the second series of Jack Ryan. He announced new characters including his 'new female counterpart, a friend and enemy of Jack, played by Noomi Rapace'. He added: 'She has been amazing, we are lucky to have her. And from House of Cards we have Michael Kelly, playing my CIA boss.' Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner also appeared at the panel to discuss his new anthology series The Romanoffs. True crime: Marthe Keller (right) and Ines Melab (left) star in the upcoming show He said: 'I wanted a show where you didn't have to catch up and that is really around the world and about connections. 'It questions 'is it genetic? Is it cultural?' It is who we say we are versus who we really are. 'I shot the show in eight countries and eight languages, and did a different story once a week.' Discussing the Russian dynasty, he said: 'It was something I've always been interested in, it's for this great true crime element to it. 'Who you are connected to is an issue for everybody right now, it is so divisive and we become more and more isolated, and we cling to aspects of our life that are our identity.' Dynasty: Mamma Mia star Hugo Skinner stars in the new Amazon Prime Video show, The Romanoffs Monika Radulovic is used to leading a glamorous life. But competing on Australian Survivor snatched away all those creature comforts, leaving the 28-year-old dirty and hairy, but she loved every minute of it. 'I didn't wash my hair for 47 days, can you imagine that? I definitely rocked hairy armpits and hairy legs, that's for sure,' she told The Daily Telegraph. 'I didn't wash my hair for 47 days': Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic says being on Australian Survivor was 'liberating' and she 'rocked hairy armpits and hairy legs' Despite having no soap or toothpaste, the experience left the beauty, who was crowned Miss Universe Australia in 2015, feeling 'liberated'. 'Caring about hair was the least of my worries. It was liberating and empowering,' she told the paper. On her Instagram, Monika told her fans on Tuesday that she was 'so proud of herself' for her time on the island. Not her usual look! 'I didn't wash my hair for 47 days, can you imagine that? I definitely rocked hairy armpits and hairy legs, that's for sure,' she told The Daily Telegraph. Monika is pictured competing in the Miss Universe pageant in 2015 Not a neat freak: 'Caring about hair was the least of my worries. It was liberating and empowering,' she told the paper Clean me! However despite feeling 'liberated'by not washing or shaving, she admitted she could not wait to do just that However despite feeling 'liberated'by not washing or shaving, she admitted she could not wait to do just that. The brunette wrote: 'Here's to washing my hair, shaving my legs and sleeping on something other than palm fronds on the ground'. Another treat is being reunited with her groom, as Monika is a newlywed, with the pageant princess having married Alesandro Ljubicic in March. The brunette told her Instagram fans: 'Here's to washing my hair and shaving my legs' Reunited! Competing on the reality show came immediately after the pageant princess married Alesandro Ljubicic in March Their wedded bliss was cut short as the model was whisked away to Samoa to film Australian Survivor. Monika told Who magazine that she often jokes that being on the show was her 'solo honeymoon'. 'When I got home I saw how much I am a big part of his life. He made me videos while I was away,' she explained. She's the Australian model who regularly flashes her flesh on social media. And on Tuesday, Bambi Northwood-Blyth stripped down to her lingerie in Manhattan, New York. The 28-year-old took to Instagram to share a photograph of her playfully posing in a semi-sheer white brasserie. Bit of all white! Model Bambi Northwood-Blyth (pictured) strips down to her lingerie in Manhattan after landing a lead role in a new TV series 'Tuesday were good to go,' the international model captioned the image. The bronzed star shot the camera lens a sultry look as she blithely gripped her neck. She also offered her fans a generous glimpse of her slim waist and toned arms as she posed in the barely-there bra. White hot! Bambi (pictured) is currently spreading her creative wings by moving into acting after landing a 'lead role' in a new TV series Say cheese! It was no surprise to see Bambi (pictured) smiling as she modelled for fashion brand Mango in Manhattan last month The beauty is currently spreading her creative wings by moving into acting after landing a 'lead role' in a new TV series. The series is currently unnamed, but according to Harper's Bazaar it will begin filming in 2019. Bambi and estranged husband Dan were married for four years after tying the knot in 2014 in Byron Bay. Fate has since intervened - Bambi was in the Hotel Grand D'Amour apartment with Dan on March 11, 2017, when he fell 'feet first' from a bedroom window. Alongside two friends, Bambi was seen rushing to a nearby hospital where Dan was placed in an induced-coma. A month later, previously supportive fans turned on the fashion designer, labeling him 'pathetic' for using fundraising website Go Fund Me to ask for $250,000 to cover hospital bills. It was later claimed Bambi was 'mortified' about Dan's decision to ask for money, and reports subsequently emerged speculating the pair had split during the fallout. She's back! Bambi's career has been on the rebound since her split with husband Dan Single in January However, the model has vehemently denied that was the case, instead revealing that there were still 'good vibes' between the pair. Dan also explained on Instagram: 'By the way [she] didn't leave me because of a stupid Go Fund Me page I don't even remember writing, days out of a coma in a complete morphine haze.' 'She has her own dreams to chase and it's her time to do it now. She works hard and is making those dreams come true and I am very proud of her, nothing but good vibes... Go girl!' She burst into the limelight wearing a number of different bikinis. And Alexandra Cane looked so sensual when she slipped into another two-piece during her spa break, in Paris, France, sharing a snap on Instagram on Tuesday. In the provocative snap, the reality star contained her slender hourglass curves in her strapless black bikini with only a golden clasp holding the bralet together. Jaw-dropping! Love Island's Alexandra Cane exhibited her slender hourglass curves in a strapless bikini during Paris spa getaway sharing a snap on Instagram on Tuesday The Boohoo Ambassador sexily posed for the mirror selfie when she showed off as much skin as possible in her high-cut bikini briefs. Not detracting from her enviable figure, Dr. Alex George's ex tossed her raven-coloured tresses over her left shoulder in soft waves. 'Spa day, tick,' she penned in the caption for the Instagram post. The Love Island star had just touched down in Paris following her evening out on the tiles with Gabby Allen for a Boohoo dinner in London. Life of luxury: The Love Island star had just touched down in Paris following her evening out on the tiles with Gabby Allen for a Boohoo dinner in London In recent weeks, Alexandra was spotted cosying up to the boohooMAN CEO Samir Kamani after she secured a deal with the fashion brand. The Love Island star and the single entrepreneur affectionately parted ways after partying the night away at Tape nightclub. A source dished to MailOnline exclusively: 'Alexandra Cane and Samir Kamani danced the night away at Tape nightclub.' Despite the very friendly goodbye, the insider insisted the pair were just friends. 'They are just friends and Alexandra will be seeing Samir on Monday for work.' The source added. The latest: In recent weeks, Alexandra was spotted cosying up to the boohooMAN CEO Samir Kamani after she secured a deal with the fashion brand Heartache: The budding model is single after she was dumped just days before the final by the nation's sweetheart Dr. Alex George It seems the dumped islander has picked up the pieces of her heart after she was left feeling humiliated when she was dumped days before the live final. Alexandra made a beeline for the nation's sweetheart Dr. Alex when she burst onto the Love Island scene over the summer. Despite enjoying the A&E hero's dream date in a Ferrari days before the final, their summer fling came to a dramatic end. Since leaving the villa, Alexandra has caught the eye of a number of hunks including former Love Island star Alex Miller but their flirtation came to nothing. She's known for looking preened to perfection at all times. And Nina Dobrev displayed her impeccable sartorial credentials on Tuesday, as she stepped out during Paris Fashion Week. The Vampire Diaries actress, 29, looked ultra-chic in a skimpy pinafore dress in the French capital, while Shay Mitchell kept things androgynous in an oversized blazer. Looking good: Nina Dobrev displayed her impeccable sartorial credentials on Tuesday, as she stepped out during Paris Fashion Week Nina certainly took centre-stage in the velvet garment, under which she layered a white poloneck crop top. She accessorised with a pair of leather chain-trim mules teamed with a decadent velvet bag. Sweeping her glossy dark tresses back into a simple topknot, Nina shielded her eyes behind an oversized pair of sunglasses. Shay, meanwhile, turned heads in a her blazer, which she teamed with a hooded sweatshirt, a thigh-grazing leather skirt and rectangular Karen Walker sunglasses. Turning heads: Hot on her heels was Shay Mitchell, who kept things androgynous in an oversized blazer Chic: Nina certainly took centre-stage in the velvet garment, under which she layered a white poloneck crop top Family affair: Nina was joined by her glamorous mother Michaela for the fashionable outing Nina's display comes after she was left in shock when she received an unexpected visit on the set of her new show Fam from none other than her former co-star, Paul Wesley. The actress screamed in shock and ran towards Paul when she discovered he was standing in the front row after taping the show. Nina gave Paul a fierce embrace and asked him with a huge smile, 'What are you doing?' Here she is! Nina looked pretty as a picture as she posed outside a French shop that shared her name Double trouble: Nina later changed into a stunning black gown as she posed with her mum by the river Father, daughter time! The Canadian star was also joined by her dad Konstantin, who she shared a sweet snap with while having lunch She quickly returned to her original place on stage alongside her co-stars, joyfully clapping with the audience. Since her departure from The Vampire Diaries, Dobrev has continued to enjoy a stellar acting career in Hollywood. Nina will be seen making her return to the big screen later this year when fans will see her play the role of Izzy in the forthcoming movie Departures. Stylish: Shay, meanwhile, turned heads in a her blazer, which she teamed with a hooded sweatshirt and a thigh-grazing leather skirt as she left her hotel [October 01, 2018] Lacuna Health and CareLinx Announce Strategic Partnership to Help Transform the Caregiver Marketplace Lacuna Health, a leading nationwide provider of registered nurse-led care engagement solutions, and CareLinx, a leading nationwide, tech-enabled caregiver marketplace, have announced a strategic partnership to improve access to affordable, coordinated, quality home care for families, large health systems, and insurance companies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001005858/en/ The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") recently announced a final rule allowing non-skilled in-home care services as a supplemental benefit for Medicare Advantage ("MA") plans in 2019. The Lacuna Health and CareLinx partnership combines core capabilities of each company and will help address the growing demand in the marketplace by creating a differentiated experience for users. Lacuna Health was established in January 2018 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kindred Healthcare, LLC and continues to rapidly evolve from its early beginnings as Kindred's Contact Center. With over 70 highly trained registered nurses and licensed practical nurses available 24/7 across all 50 states, Lacuna Health will provide care engagement services to over 500,000 patients and caregivers in settings including hospitals, home healthcare, skilled nursing, and physician groups. CareLinx professional caregivers leverage proprietary digital care plans to better assist the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and people with chronic health conditions with activities of daily living. CareLinx seeks to improve quality of care delivery for these patients while reducing the overutilization of in-patient healthcare costs for families through in-home care solutions. "Patients and families areoften ill prepared and blindsided when thrust into a role of managing the care for a loved one. We are committed to expanding access to high-quality resources and caregivers for patients and families who are navigating the healthcare system from home. As the industry continues to evolve, we believe this will become increasingly important to the communities we serve," said Dr. Brian Holzer, Chief Executive Officer of Lacuna Health. Building on over seven years of operating success, CareLinx now boasts a nationwide network of over 300,000 tech-enabled caregivers who provide personal in-home care for families and support safe transitions of care, which is critical to the success of large health systems and insurance companies. The CareLinx platform revolutionizes transparency and facilitates active coordination in the post-acute care environment, leading to increased quality of care, better health outcomes, and significantly reduced total cost of care. As part of this partnership, Lacuna Health will begin offering its customers screening for caregiver services as patients transition home from hospitals or other post-acute settings. Similarly, CareLinx will begin offering Lacuna Health's proven care engagement solutions to provider organizations and insurance companies to create a fully integrated caregiver and care management platform. "Our partnership with Lacuna Health is poised to be a game changer for the healthcare industry. With our successful integration of Lacuna's skilled care management into our nationwide tech-enabled home care platform, we're offering healthcare clients who haven't built their own in-house care management organization a complete outsourced solution. Helping healthcare organizations efficiently extend more care into the home and community based setting through a comprehensive Care Management plus Tech-Enabled Home Care platform is a real differentiator," said Sherwin Sheik, Chief Executive Officer of CareLinx. About Lacuna Health Lacuna Health offers white-labeled inbound, outbound and after-hours patient engagement and care management services customized for hospitals, physician groups, ACOs, employers, post-acute companies and SaaS (News - Alert) /technology companies seeking a care management partner to bridge the gaps on a patient's journey. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Kindred Healthcare, LLC, Lacuna Health represents a call to action to focus on the patient and their caregivers. With data and human intelligence and the clinical experience of a 24-hour, RN-led contact center, Lacuna Health powers healthcare entities to extend their reach, engage with patients, reduce rehospitalizations, lower costs and increase census. For more information, visit lacunahealth.com. About CareLinx CareLinx is the leading nationwide online home-care platform. The CareLinx platform revolutionizes transparency, and facilitates active coordination in the post-acute care environment, leading to increased quality of care, better health outcomes, and significantly reduced total cost of care. Professional caregivers leverage proprietary digital care plans to better assist the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and people with chronic health conditions with activities of daily living. Hiring caregivers through CareLinx can save families as much as 25 percent than if they hired the same caregivers through brick and mortar franchise agencies. The CareLinx platform helps families and caregivers easily manage all the administrative tasks of their caregiving needs, including scheduling, time tracking, care coordination and payroll processing. To date, CareLinx has a nationwide network of over 300,000 tech-enabled caregivers who provide personal in-home care for families, and support safe transitions of care. Visit us at www.carelinx.com/partners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001005858/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] Joaquin Phoenix was seen without his Joker makeup on Monday as he filmed his new DC super-villain movie in the Bronx, New York. The 43-year-old actor was pictured in a doughnut shop sitting opposite Zazie Beetz, 27, with the duo seemingly shooting a date scene. However, the meeting between Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) and Sophie Dumond (Beetz) appeared to be tense at times with the actor looking very animated and at times manic. Date scene: Joaquin Phoenix was seen without his Joker makeup on Monday as he filmed his new movie in the Bronx, New York, with Zazie Beetz Action! At one point the actors were seen taking instructions from director Todd Phillips Joaquin was pictured in a cream shirt with maroon vest while Zazie sported a leather jacket and headscarf as she sat opposite the actor in a booth. At one point the actors were seen taking instructions from director Todd Phillips. Dumond is rumored to be Fleck's love interest and is described as a hardened single mother who has been beaten down by her time living in Gotham City. The Joker origin story film is a prequel to 2008's The Dark Knight, and sees Joaquin in the titular role even though Jared Leto played the most recent version of The Joker, in 2016's Suicide Squad. Dramatic: The actor appeared very animated and almost manic at some points Arthur Fleck: The 43-year-old actor was seen without his Joker makeup in this scene Martin Scorsese is one of its producers, and THR reports that Robert De Niro will be in the movie as 'a talk show host who is somehow instrumental in the Jokers origin.' Marc Maron appears as 'an agent on Robert De Niros talk show who plays a part in booking Phoenixs character, eventually causing him to go mad and become the Clown Prince of Crime,' according to Variety. The origins script is reportedly loosely based on The Killing Joke, written by Alan Moore for DC Comics in 1988. The stars were seen in a doughnut shop in the Bronx. Zazie plays Sophie Dumond, a single mother who is thought to be Arthur's love interest Animated: Joaquin, seen chatting with Phillips, was seen in a maroon vest over a cream shirt for the scene In that version, the Joker quits his job as a lab assistant and becomes a stand-up comedian to support his pregnant wife. Unsuccessful, he agrees to help mobsters with a robbery and dons the Red Hood, however, the heist goes awry. The comedian leaps into a chemical vat to escape Batman, surfacing disfigured and this, along with the earlier accidental death of his wife and unborn child, drives the comedian insane and he becomes the Joker. The film is due to be released on October 4, 2019. She's one of the most acclaimed film stars in the world, with an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globes to her name. But despite more than three decades in Hollywood, Julia Roberts, 50, is just making her debut as a lead on TV and she says the small screen is 'not for the faint-hearted'. The Pretty Woman star posed alongside screenwriter Sam Esmail to discuss new Amazon show Homecoming. Working partners: Julia Roberts and Sam Esmail posed on the red carpet for the upcoming Amazon Prime Video show Homecoming at the Prime Video Presents in London on Tuesday Pretty Woman: Julia, 50, took to the stage in London to discuss her new Amazon project, where she acknowledged, 'TV is not for the faint-hearted' Julia discussed her first leading role in a series as she stunned in cream suit with a pleated skirt by Burberry. The Notting Hill star last appeared on the small screen in the HBO movie The Normal Heart but has not had a role in a show since Law & Order in 1999. Julia said she was inspired to take on the role in Homecoming after listening to the fiction podcast on which it is based. She said: 'I heard the podcast and loved it because it harkened back to listening to a story together on the radio or on books out loud and you're imagining everything. 'I think that is where the inspiration as artists starts, imagining what it would look like. 'I was really attracted to that and when Sam (Esmail, the showrunner) called me - we seem like different people but we are kind of the same but my hair is much longer - and we were like 20-year friends.' Excited: Julia Roberts said 'I kind of played two characters, in that way it was a great fun challenge for me' Homecoming: The star is excited about her first role on the small screen She added: 'TV is not for the faint of heart for sure but we were very efficient and aligned and we had great momentum. 'I kind of played two characters, in that way it was a great fun challenge for me. 'There were some organisation things that I'm not used to, the map of what we don't know has happened and what we do know.' Reunited: The show even gave Julia the opportunity to reunite with her My Best Friend's Wedding co-star Dermot Mulroney Even though it is her first leading role in a TV series, the Ocean's Eleven actress said: 'I can't say that I've worked in television because Sam made an effort on my behalf to shoot it as a movie would be. 'Our first AD (assistant director) was the first AD on The Pelican Brief (a film starring Roberts from 1993).' The show even gave Julia the opportunity to reunite with her My Best Friend's Wedding co-star Dermot Mulroney and Sam said: 'I am a huge My Best Friend's Wedding fan, it's my favourite romantic comedy, and I wanted to bring them back together.' Panel: Homecoming will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 2 Addressing Julia, he said: 'But this time you get to dump him!' Sam confirmed there will be a second series of the show and Roberts joked: 'Rupert Everett comes in at the end and he's in the back of the church.' Homecoming will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 2. They attended an after party in support of the Venom film premiere hours prior. And on Tuesday, James Franco, 40, led the way as he accompanied his girlfriend Isabel Pakzad, 25, back to their car, after having dined together in West Hollywood. Franco donned a varsity jacket with grey pants while assembling his attire with a pair of brown boots and a floral-printed navy shirt. Leaving the restaurant: James Franco and Isabel Pakzad enjoyed dinner after attending a Venom film premiere after party in West Hollywood on Tuesday Although he has never commented on reports concerning his love life with Isabel, the 40-year-old made it quite clear that the twosome are definitely a pair. Once getting back to their vehicle, the actor leaned in for a kiss clearly smitten by his girlfriend as he carefully placed his left arm over her shoulders. Somewhat taken aback by the sudden gesture, Isabel appears to contain her composure, wearing a gorgeous two-piece ensemble with Off-white straps to attain the position of her top. What a surprise: Somewhat surprised by the sudden gesture, Isabel appears to contain her composure, wearing a gorgeous two-piece ensemble with Off-white straps to attain the position of her top The gorgeous couple had recently returned to Los Angeles following a trip to Mykonos, Greece in September. Not any different to their affectionate behavior on Tuesday, photos of the two in Greece see both Isabel and James failing to keep their hands to themselves. The couple reportedly started dating in November 2017 but have kept their romance under the radar for the most part. It's believed that James chose not to go public the news he was dating Isabel given that he had found himself making headlines for sexual misconduct just weeks later. Happily in love: Franco donned a varsity jacket with grey pants while assembling his attire with a pair of brown boots and a floral-printed navy shirt In January, it was claimed that the Hollywood star had previously been 'abusing his power as an acting teacher in a sexually exploitative manner,' PEOPLE reported. It was further mentioned that Franco apparently got irked when female students wouldn't participate in topless scenes during a proposed film shoot, while another claimed the actor forced her to partake in oral sex, saying 'that time wasn't consensual.' PEOPLE adds that the allegations made against the California native have left a drastic impact on his personal life. So much that he's stopped talking to a great number of people. Supporting his pal: At the Venom after party event, Franco poses with actor Scott Haze in West Hollywood on Monday 'He's in a really bad place, so bad that he changed his phone number,' an insider explained. 'His close friends are trying to be there for him but it's been hard he's only talking to a select group of people. For now, he's just hiding out.' Filming for his new movie Naya Legend of the Golden Dolphin recently commenced, which appears to help the actor stay busy in the midst of dealing with the sexual misconduct scandal. And in the wake of the #MeToo movement, Franco's career could come to a standstill if he's found to be guilty in the wrongdoings he's been accused of. For now, though, it seems as if the actor prefers the idea of staying out of the limelight. She decided to quit alcohol in May after she found herself using it to cope with the sudden death of her father. But it looks like Lala Kent, 28, is officially off the wagon as new images of the Vanderpump Rules star show her downing shots with some of her co-stars on Sunday. The brunette beauty, who got engaged to boyfriend Randall Emmett last month, was spotted on the patio of The Belmont bar in West Hollywood drinking several shots of tequila during a boozy brunch. Back on booze: Lala Kent is pictured downing shots in West Hollywood on Sunday during a boozy lunch with co-stars Stassi Schroeder and Brittany Cartwright Down the hatch! The 28-year-old held an orange beverage in one hand while taking a shot with the other Sitting with her were her co-stars Stassi Schroeder, 30, and Brittany Cartwright, 29, during the girls outing. The Bravo star was dressed to kill in a busty black sheer bodysuit and lace-up leggings. It was reportedly a belated birthday outing for the star who certainly didn't hold back when it came to the alcoholic beverages on offer. At one point Lala held an orange drink in one hand that she sipped on to chase down another shot. Sweetening it up: Lala used the orange juice as a chaser after downing one of her shots Feeling the burn: Some of the shots didn't go down so smoothly Sunday funday: Lala was having a boozy brunch with her Vanderpump Rules co-stars on the patio of The Belmont Sexy look: The SUR hostess showed off a lot of cleavage in a lacy bodysuit with sheer panels 'I began numbing myself from the moment I opened my eyes to the moment I closed them,' Lala told TooFab in July after giving up drinking. 'I woke up one day, and I was like, "I'm making the decision to stop. I am officially breaking up with alcohol." 'And I'm the type of person where, once I hit that point of something's going to change or I'm going to do this, you don't really knock me off of my path,' she added. 'I was determined, and I decided that we weren't a good fit anymore - me and the drink.' She explained that it took her a while to adjust to her new lifestyle while working as hostess and server at SUR restaurant. 'I'd watch people drink and be like, "Oh, my gosh, my mouth is watering. I could so use about 20 vodka sodas." And now, it doesn't even faze me,' she said. Celebration: The outing was reportedly a belated birthday bash for Lala who turned 28 last month Feeling tipsy: There's no doubt the Bravo star was in good spirits during the girls' lunch Another one gone: The newly engaged star had no problem downing multiple shots Serious bling: Lala's massive engagement ring was positively blinding Feeling ok? The brunette beauty pulled a funny face as her friends watched her drink Pace yourself! Lala appeared to sip on some water in-between alcoholic drinks 'I'm so level-headed. Now, I wake up in the morning, and I don't regret anything I said or did.' In early September Lala announced her engagement to Hollywood producer Randall, 47, who popped the question during a romantic trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. 'This weekend has been an amazing one for the two of us! It was definitely the most romantic moment of my life. Every detail of the surprise was stunning and Im still in shock' she told People. Lala, who joined the cast of Vanderpump Rules in season four, kept her relationship with Randall a secret until January 2018 after he had finalized his divorce from actress Ambyr Childers. Lunchtime: Lala made sure to fuel up on snacks during the boozy outing Just a minute! The star ran out on the street to top up her car meter Stopping traffic: The Bravo star put on a busty display in a plunging bodysuit and lace-up leggings and boots Onepiece: Stassi and Brittany were dressed up in stylish ensembles for the girls' outing Their two year relationship came crashing down in 2016, with Louise Thompson going on to find love with personal trainer Ryan Libbey. And Alik Alfus has reignited his feud with his ex ahead of his appearance on the new series of Celebs Go Dating. The leather entrepreneur, 29, spoke about his tempestuous former romance with the Made In Chelsea star, 28, claiming she had been unfaithful to him with her now fiance Ryan. Throwing shade: Alik Alfus has reignited his feud with his ex Louise Thompson ahead of his appearance on the new series of Celebs Go Dating Moved on: Louise is now engaged to personal trainer Ryan Libbey When asked why his last romance ended, the American hunk said: 'I got cheated on and she left me for a personal trainer who she is now marrying.' The star also revealed Louise was his longest romance at '2/3 years', saying: I think everyone was exposed to that one.' Alik said he was now looking to get back into a serious relationship having been single since his romance with Louise ended. He said; 'Well I havent been in a relationship in about two years and Ive really grown to love everything that comes with being with somebody. The small moments, the ease, the comfort, I guess Im just looking for something steady at my age.' Happier times: The leather entrepreneur, 29, spoke about his tempestuous former romance with the Made In Chelsea star, 28, claiming she had been unfaithful to him with her now fiance Ryan (pictured in 2015) Asked why he had been unlucky in love, the star said: 'Im a character! Im certainly not normal and I tend to pick the wrong people. 'Im attracted to beauty and I tend to pick people who are beautiful on the outside but not as beautiful on the inside. I certainly dont want to settle for anything less than someone who has both.' 'Ive been in the spotlight for a little time now and there it puts you both on a pedestal and the expectations of your relationships become a lot higher. 'I think I woo them with my humour. I think that being funny and a good listener is how to woo someones heart. I think Im semi-good looking but Im certainly not the most good looking so I have to result to humour to capture a girls heart.' Oh dear: When asked why his last romance ended, the American hunk said: 'I got cheated on and she left me for a personal trainer who she is now marrying' (pictured in 2014) On the subject of bad dates, the dashing star said a Bumble date had ended in disaster after the woman misunderstood who was attending. He said: 'I set a time to meet at the location and she showed up wearing tank top and flip flops and we were going to a nice restaurant. 'When we got there she asked where everyone was and I was so confused, turns out she thought there were eight people coming, not to meet at eight. 'So it turned into a whole thing and the whole date was the most awkward thing in the world and the bill came, of course I paid, and upon leaving, when theres that awkward moment about asking them back to yours, I just l basically left saying I know this didnt go well and carried on walking.' Alik and Louise first began dating in 2014 after meeting in New York City, MIC's first ever mid-year season, which was set in the Big Apple. They were soon an item and at one point Louise was contemplating moving stateside to be with him. But the notorious homebody found it too difficult to make the move and the couple drifted apart. While Alik insisted he couldn't move to the UK, as he was working for his family business, cracks began to form and absence made the hearts grow further apart. In the summer of 2016, while Alik and Louise were seemingly still an item, Louise appeared to get close to her personal trainer Ryan. Engaged: Ryan and Louise recently announced their engagement after two years Ryan and Louise's relationship timeline has been a bone of contention for Alik in MIC. He has been seen stating that there seems to have been an overlap of sorts. As Ryan and Louise celebrated their anniversary, Alik was seen insisting that he and Louise were 'in the South of France making love every day' at the same time. He decided to move back to the UK at the start of the year to concentrate on his work as a budding artist. He worked alongside director Matthew Weiner during their Mad Men glory days. And actor Jon Hamm looked dashing as he supported the producer while attending the world premiere of Matthew's new series The Romanoffs at The Curzon Mayfair in London. The Amazon Prime Video drama marks the writer's first foray into TV since his Emmy-showered drama ended in 2015. Pals: Actor Jon Hamm looked dashing as he supported the producer while attending the world premiere of Matthew Weiner new series The Romanoffs at The Curzon Mayfair in London Beaming alongside his Mad Men pal, Jon, 47, cut a suave figure as he opted for a navy cross stitch suit. He teamed the stylish look with a matching coloured stripe tie and pristine white shirt. Deciding to go for a jazzier style than his friend, The Romanoffs creator sported a light-pink, check shirt with a smart suit. Dashing: Beaming alongside his Mad Men pal, Jon, 47, cut a suave figure as he opted for a navy cross stitch suit Charming: Deciding to go for a jazzier style than his friend, The Romanoffs creator sported a light-pink, check shirt with a smart suit Also in attendance at the star-studded event was Mamma Mia: Here we go again actor Hugh Skinner who features in the upcoming show. He cut a debonair look while wearing a sophisticated navy suit and tie to the occasion. The 33-year-old opted to keep his brunette locks slicked to the side and his beard short and clean. Beaming: Jon teamed his stylish look with a matching coloured stripe tie and pristine white shirt Stylish: Also in attendance at the star-studded event was Mamma Mia: Here we go again actor Hugh Skinner who features in the upcoming show Colourful: French actor Ines Melab posed on the red carpet upon arrival for the world premiere An eight-episode series, The Romanoffs promises a selection of tales about a group of people who believe they are descendants of the royal Russian family. The cast changes in each episode, starting with Marthe Keller and Aaron Eckhart in The Violet Hour and Corey Stoll and Kerry Bishe in The Royal We. Matthew said: 'I wanted a show where you didn't have to catch up and that is really around the world and about connections. 'It questions 'is it genetic? Is it cultural?' It is who we say we are versus who we really are. The Romanoffs: The cast changes in each episode, starting with Marthe Keller (pictured) and Aaron Eckhart in The Violet Hour and Corey Stoll and Kerry Bishe in The Royal We Stunning: Actor Jing Lusi who featured in the film Crazy Rich Asians was also in attendance at the event as she wore a bright yellow strapless gown Support: Stepping out for their fellow Amazon Prime Video actors, the stars of hit show The Marvellous Mrs Maisel were seen at the occasion in all their finery (pictured: Tony Shalhoub, Rachel Brosnahan and Marin Hinkle) Smiling: Rachel Brosnahan attending the world premiere of The Romanoffs at The Curzon Mayfair in London 'I shot the show in eight countries and eight languages, and did a different story once a week.' Discussing the Russian dynasty, he said: 'It was something I've always been interested in, it's for this great true crime element to it. 'Who you are connected to is an issue for everybody right now, it is so divisive and we become more and more isolated, and we cling to aspects of our life that are our identity.' The first two episodes debut Friday, October 12. Travis Scott, John Mayer, and SZA will be paying tribute to the late Mac Miller at an upcoming benefit concert. Live Nation announced Tuesday that the artists will perform at the Mac Miller: A Celebration of Life concert on October 31 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. The show will benefit the launch of the Mac Miller Circles Fund, and tickets will be available on Friday. Paying tribute: The world of music has united to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Mac Miller at an upcoming concert celebrating the late rapper The fund will benefit youth living in underserved communities by giving them opportunities to discover their full potential through art and community building, according to a press release. Mac's mother, Karen Meyers, took to Instagram to thank the 'artists, friends and partners' who supported the creation of the event. 'Thank you to all the artists, friends and partners for helping to bring this all to fruition.. in honor of wonderful Malcom.. who is in all of our hearts,' she wrote. In a statement, Karen said: 'The support we've experienced is evident in this amazing lineup and is a testament to Malcolm's incredible life. For a cause: The show will benefit the launch of the Mac Miller Circles Fund, and tickets will be available on Friday Headlining: Travis Scott will be performing at the upcoming benefit concert honoring the late rapper (pictured September 2018 in Las Vegas) Showing his support: John Mayer, pictured September 2018 in Louisville, will also be among the stars performing at the tribute concert 'His Father, brother and I are beyond thankful to everyone who is working to make this concert happen along with every fan and every friend for continuing to support Malcolm and his vision. 'He was a caring, loving human with a smile that could light up the sky and a soul that was out to make the world a kinder place and the MMCF will continue to do just that. Other performers include ScHoolboy Q, Anderson .Paak, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples and Action Bronson. Miller had long suffered from addiction and died of a suspected drug overdose September 7. Performer: SZA stole the show during a performance in London in July 2018 North West, age five, is already planning to raid her mom's closest when she's 'big.' While chatting with Ashley Graham on her new podcast, Pretty Big Deal, Kim Kardashian revealed that North has her eye on the Versace gown she wore to the Met Gala in May. 'She's always like, "Mom, can I have this when I'm big? Mom, I just want that gold cross dress that you have,"' the 37-year-old reality star said. Hand-me-downs: While chatting with Ashley Graham on her new podcast, Pretty Big Deal, Kim Kardashian revealed that daughter North West wants to wear her gold Versace Met Gala gown to prom when she gets 'big' Kim, who has all her Met Gala dresses in an archive, has every intention of handing down her most iconic looks to daughters North and Chicago, eight months. She told her firstborn that the Versace gown would be perfect for 'prom.' 'I was like whatever fits you. You better hope that you're somewhere near my height,' she told Graham. Listen now: The 37-year-old reality star was Graham's first podcast guest Back in February 2017, the KKW Beauty founder gave fans a brief glance at her clothing archive that included $4,000 Louboutin heels and dresses for upwards of $10,000. 'The fun part is I kept everything, all for memories,' she said while sifting through a rack of expensive gowns. Kim added: 'Even when Kanye thought he cleaned out my closet, I kept it all, secretly for my daughter one day.' Vintage threads: Kim has archived her most iconic looks for North to wear one day Kim and Kanye, who have been married since 2014, share three childrenNorth, five, Saint, two, and Chicago, eight months. Back in April, ET broached the topic of baby number four. 'I gotta live with three for a second,' Kim said. 'If it were up to my husband we'd have like seven. Maybe four is all I can handle. I don't know, maybe three is all I can handle.' She returned to New York on Monday after a joyful time at Paris Fashion Week. But on Tuesday, Olivia Wilde, 34, appeared very much refreshed - despite the long flight - as she prepared for a Dunkin Donuts Coffee at Home photo shoot in Madison Square Park, New York. Wilde looked amazing in a hot pink botanical Kate Spade printed dress while adding lilac boots - also from Kate Spade - to her ensemble, resulting in the perfect mix between both pieces of apparel. Pretty in pink: Olivia Wilde looked great at a Dunkin' Donuts photo shoot call in New York on Tuesday The TRON: Legacy star added a gold neckband to her dress, which seemed to correspond well with her arm ornament of a similar color. The Hollywood beauty appears to have flown back to New York to kick off her promotional campaign regarding her project with Dunkin' Donuts. The quick service restaurant chain partnered up with the actress in order to unveil its latest offering: The Home That Runs on Dunkin'. Wilde reportedly helped design the home by incorporating her own style and creating a unique living arrangement. Mix-and-match ensemble: Wilde looked staggering in a hot pink botanical printed dress while adding lilac boots to her ensemble, resulting in the perfect mix between both pieces of apparel The Home That Runs On Dunkin': The home, which runs on spent coffee grounds, is described as being 'modern, chic aesthetic with custom-designed elements The home, which runs on spent coffee grounds, is described as being 'modern, chic aesthetic with custom-designed elements, including a fully-functional kitchen, luxury bedroom, jacuzzi tub and more.' With the company planning to focus more of its attention on beverages and coffee in the near future as a major aspect of its $100 million re-branding deal the Home That Runs On Dunkin' is one of its first up and coming ventures to modernize its business. 'I'm thrilled to be joining forces with Dunkin' Donuts Coffee at Home, giving me the opportunity to be part of the opening of the Home that Runs on Dunkin',' Wilde shared in a press statement. New beginnings for the company: With the company planning to focus more of its attention on beverages and coffee in the near future, the Home That Runs On Dunkin' is one of its first up and coming ventures to modernize its business. Later that day: Olivia Wilde added a leather jacket to her attire, and a pair of stylish black glasses The New Yorker proceeded to boast about her commitments to the project. She stressed that it's quite a distinct experience essentially on the grounds that it can't be contrasted with other shops that sell coffee. 'The tiny home is truly unique, from the architectural layout, to the interior design, and the generator is powered by spent coffee grounds.' Take me back: On Monday, Olivia had shared photos of just some of the things she indulged in while in Paris, France last week Fashion is my passion: The Hollywood star posted this photo among other food snaps When in France: She appeared to have ate French fries during her trip, accompanied with a bottle of red wine Clearly still reminiscing of her time in Paris, Olivia took to her Instagram on Monday to share some of her personal photos during her time in France. 'Fashion is my passion. #pfw' Wilde joked while amassing a display of what has all the earmarks of being the tastiest suppers she ate while in Europe. Dunkin Donuts fans can visit the home and give their thoughts on Olivia's choice in interior designing when doors open on Thursday, October 4 until Saturday, October 6. Jennifer Lawrence sure knows how to unwind when she's not on a film set. On Monday the 28-year-old Oscar winner was seen vaping as she strolled with her new boyfriend Cooke Maroney. The Hunger Games star seemed to be having a ball as they were holding hands and then laughed it up when at an outdoor restaurant. Down time: Jennifer Lawrence sure knows how to unwind when she's not on a film set. On Monday the 28-year-old Oscar winner was seen vaping; using the Juul vape Waiting to exhale: The blonde beauty was seen blowing out vapor as she stood by her new boyfriend Cooke Maroney The Oscar winner took a long inhales on a vape She held the small silver pen in her hands as she chatted between puffs She had on a white crop top with fitted jeans and sneakers. Later the star added an oversized blue hoodie that probably belonged to her beau. Her beau was equally as casual in a white shirt and dark slacks with beige, white and red Nike sneakers. The two have been together for several months already. What a catch: The Hunger Games star seemed to be having a ball as they were holding hands She left the heels at home: She had on a white crop top with fitted jeans and sneakers. Later the star added an oversized blue hoodie that probably belonged to her beau Later they hit Cha Cha Matcha where they picked up drinks. J-Law was holding on to an iced matcha as she put her glasses on. It was difficult to tell what Cooke - who was smiling as he gazed at the people on the street - was sipping on. Over the weekend they were seen hitting hert ex boyfriend Nicolas Hoult's premiere of his new film The Favourite during New York Film Festival. The Academy Award winning actress, 28, was simply radiant in a classic black dress while attending her former flame's film premiere with her new love. Drink up: Later they hit a restaurant where they picked up drinks. J-Law was holding on to an iced matcha from Cha Cha Matcha as she put her glasses on Chilled: It was difficult to tell what Cooke - who was smiling as he gazed at the people on the street - was sipping on The Silver Linings Playbook actress was also there to cheer on her close friend Emma Stone, who is also featured in the period film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Another attendee was Jennifer's ex Darren Aronofsky, who directed her in the 2017 film mother! before embarking on a relationship that lasted for a little over a year. But all eyes were on JLaw, whose gown featured a low swooping neckline that exposed her decolletage, and a hemline that fell all the way to the ground. Classic stiletto heels completed the Academy Award winner's chic and sophisticated outfit. Ex factor: The Academy Award winning starlet supported ex beau Nicholas Hoult (above) All smiles! Lawrence certainly looked like an A-lister on Friday evening Accessories included a powder pink clutch and some thick gold necklaces. Her famous blonde locks were scraped back off her forehead and looked to be gelled straight down. A smokey eye, subtle blush and pale rose lipstick ensured the Kentucky-born beauty was ready for an evening out in the Big Apple. Cooke followed several steps behind Jennifer, looking dapper in a sharp suit. Jennifer's made it clear she has no problem staying friends with her exes. Talking to Marc Maron on his WTF podcast earlier this year, she told the actor: 'I'm friends with all my exes, actually.' 'For the most part, yeah, I have a theory: I think it's because I'm blunt. I don't think that you can have any sort of bad relationship with anybody if you're just blunt.' 'Everybody always knows how you feel at all times and there's no lying, it's just honesty. Everybody's a good guy to each other. All my boyfriends have been wonderful,' she said, adding specifically that 'Nick [Hoult] was a great boyfriend.' Hoult and Lawrence met while working on X-Men: First Class together in 2010 and dated until about 2014. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Remarks on US Warship's Illegal Entry into Waters Close to Nansha Islands 2018/10/02 Q: On September 30, the destroyer USS Decatur sailed into waters near the Nansha Islands. What is your comment? A: On September 30, without permission from the Chinese government, the destroyer USS Decatur sailed into waters close to China's Nansha Islands. In response, the Chinese Navy identified and warned the ship to leave in accordance with laws. China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters. The situation in the South China Sea is becoming better thanks to the efforts by China and ASEAN countries. However, the US chose to ignore the shared will of regional countries and take on one provocative operation after another. It has, under the pretext of "navigation and overflight freedom", violated basic norms governing international relations, threatened China's sovereignty and security, and disturbed regional peace and stability. China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to that. We strongly urge the US side to immediately correct its mistake and stop such provocative actions to avoid undermining China-US relations and regional peace and stability. The Chinese side will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security. Her fresh face is the envy of middle-aged women. Now 53-year-old Liz Hurley has revealed the simple secret to her youthful glow apply moisturiser ten times a day. The model and actress said she swears by the cream and uses it continuously. Elizabeth Hurley lights the Empire State Building in New York City on October 1. The 53-year-has revealed the simple secret to her youthful glow apply moisturiser ten times a day Miss Hurley said she started her regime after learning from a make-up artist that you could still apply the cream even when fully made up. Speaking to Woman & Home magazine, she said: The one thing I swear by is moisturiser and lots of it. 'Ill moisturise my face about six times a day and my neck about ten times a day. Elizabeth Hurley at the Estee Lauder 2018 Breast Cancer Campaign, New York, on October 1 Lightly dab it over your face, and it instantly makes you glow. Miss Hurley, who is a brand ambassador for Estee Lauder, did not specify which moisturiser she currently uses. Talented Australian musician Luke Liang died in August after a long battle with depression. The 28-year-old had performed with the likes of Guy Sebastian and left a lasting impression on his peers, so much so that they are set to pay tribute to the late musician in an upcoming benefit concert. The Bright Light - An Evening for Luke lineup includes Guy Sebastian, Alex The Astronaut, Jack River, Papa Vs Pretty and others, who will share songs and stories in memory of their former musical collaborator. 'It is a wake-up call about what is real and what is important': Friends of late Guy Sebastian collaborator Luke Liang (right) have announced a benefit concert for mental health services The gig will also raise money for charity Support Act, a service that helps artists and others in the music industry who are struggling with their mental health or who are experiencing financial difficulty. Alex The Astronaut's Alexandra Lynn told News.com.au on Wednesday that her friend Luke's death was a 'devastating tragedy' and had sent 'sent shockwaves through the industry'. 'It shouldn't be a lesson but if you were looking at it that way, it is a wake-up call about what is real and what is important,' Alexandra said. Memorial gig: The 28-year-old (pictured) had played with the likes of Guy Sebastian and left a lasting impression on his peers, so much so that they are set to pay tribute to the late musician in an upcoming benefit concert Tributes: The Bright Light - An Evening for Luke lineup includes Guy Sebastian (pictured), Alex The Astronaut, Jack River, Papa Vs Pretty and others who will share songs and stories in memory of their former musical collaborator Luke's death was announced in August by Papa vs Pretty's drummer Tom Myers, who shared an emotional tribute to his late friend on social media. Luke had joined the band in 2012, playing the keyboard, guitar, and vocals, and later went on to work with the likes of Guy Sebastian following the group's split in 2014. 'As some of you may or may not know, our dear friend Luke Liang lost his battle with depression two days ago,' Tom wrote at the time. Loss: Alex The Astronaut's Alexandra Lynn (pictured) told News.com.au on Wednesday that her friend Luke's death was a 'devastating tragedy' 'We are all naturally devastated, but we're much stronger if we're together. It's been so overwhelming to receive so many well wishes and messages of support. Thank you. 'Luke's family is also naturally devastated and coming to terms with the loss. They have requested that sharing the news is done in a respectful manner so as to honour our memory of Luke.' Tom went on to share some of his happier memories with the respected musician. 'We are all naturally devastated': Papa vs Pretty star Luke Liang (pictured) died at the age of 28 Papa vs Pretty's former bassist Gus Gardiner also posted his own tribute online. He wrote: 'Luke was simply brilliant in every way and the best of this world. We will never meet a more generous person. 'I have no words to express what I feel but my dear friend Tom Myers has beautifully written this below. Thank you for all of your messages of support.' A Bright Light- featuring Alex the Astronaut, Guy Sebastian, Jarryd James, Montaigne, Papa vs. Pretty, Thelma Plum, Jack River and Friends - will be held at the Metro Theatre in Sydney on Thursday, with tickets available via Ticketek. If you are contemplating suicide or having suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 She was reportedly spotted kissing Timothee Chalamet on a date. And following the claims, Lily-Rose Depp was spotted at the Les Fauves screening on Monday during the International Film Festival in St. Jean de Luz, France. The actress and model, 19, caught the eye in a bright red wrap dress with sporty white detailing on the bodice. Stepping out: Lily-Rose Depp was spotted at the Les Fauves screening on Monday during the International Film Festival in St. Jean de Luz, France Lily looked cute and stylish in the knitted Chanel number, set off with a ribbon tie at the waist. She wore her dark blonde locks down in loose waves and matched her lipstick to the bold hue of her dress. The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis posed alongside French director Vincent Mariette on the red carpet. Sporty: Lily looked cute and stylish in the knitted number, set off with a ribbon tie at the waist Natural beauty: She wore her dark blonde locks down in loose waves and matched her lipstick to the bold hue of her dress Joining forces: The daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis posed alongside French director Vincent Mariette on the red carpet Turning heads: Lily took to the stage during the event in the striking red Chanel dress as she introduced the film Flashing a smile: The actress and Vincent smiled for the cameras as they posed outside the event Chic: The French-American beauty later shrugged a denim jacket over her shoulders as she made a stylish exit Double denim: Lily added a boost to her leggy frame with a pair of denim Chanel heels In her genes: The daughter of Johnny Depp is following in her father's footsteps in the film industry Lily-Rose and Timothee were recently spotted on a date in New York City. The pair, who have just finished filming an upcoming Netflix drama together, were seen packing on the PDA at 10am Monday morning, one NY witness told Us Weekly. 'They were walking down the street and he stopped her and pulled her close,' the source said. New couple alert? Lily-Rose and Timothee Chalamet were 'spotted making out while on date in New York City' on Monday 'They started making out for a while, for over a minute.' A Chalamet Instagram fan account showed pictures of the duo walking around downtown, arm in arm. Timothee and Lily play an on-screen couple too, in the upcoming Netflix film The King. Close: A Chalamet Instagram fan account showed pictures of the duo walking around downtown, arm in arm In the historical drama, he plays King Henry V, while she plays his wife Catherine of Valois. The film, based on Shakespeare's interpretations, also stars Joel Edgerton, Robert Pattinson and Ben Mendelsohn. Chalamet previously dated Madonnas daughter Lourdes Leon all the way back in 2013. Depp meanwhile, whose mother is Vanessa Paradis, split from British model Ash Stymest in 2016, having dated for two years. The new couple also share an Armie Hammer connection: Timothee scored his first Oscar nomination opposite him last year in Call Me By Your Name; while Lily's dad starred opposite him in The Lone Ranger. Ex: Depp meanwhile, whose mother is Vanessa Paradis, split from British model Ash Stymest in 2016, having dated for two years A man has been charged with attempted murder after a woman was found with stab wounds at a south Brisbane intersection. Police responded to reports of an assault on Monday night and found the injured 26-year-old woman at the intersection of Gemstone Crescent and Gregory St in Acacia Ridge. She was in a serious condition with stab wounds to her upper body and head and was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital, police said. A man who knew the woman was taken into custody at a Gemstone Crescent address soon after. The 36-year-old Kingston man has been charged with attempted murder, assault occasioning bodily harm and enter dwelling with intent. He is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court later on Tuesday. Horn of Africa's Djibouti dreams of becoming 'new Dubai' For years the Horn of Africa nation Djibouti was seen by foreign powers as a far-flung military outpost overlooking the Gulf of Aden. Now the strategic port wants to capitalise on its key position on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the gateway to the Suez canal. Djibouti offers an African base across from the Arabian Peninsula at the crossroads for cargo traffic between Asia and Europe. For years the Horn of Africa nation Djibouti was seen by foreign powers as a far-flung military outpost overlooking the Gulf of Aden, but now the strategic port wants to capitalise on its key position on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes Carl de Souza (AFP/File) It may be a tiny country of around 850,000 people, but it has a bold ambition to become the commercial hub of eastern Africa, building on its role as the main port for landlocked Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. To achieve that the former French colony has embarked on a series of infrastructure projects expected to cost some $14 billion (12.6 billion euros). Offshore from historic Djibouti city, the waters are crowded with a mix of hulking warships, giant container cargo vessels and the traditional wooden fishing dhows that have plied the seas here for centuries. But a short drive away, Chinese workers are busy building a giant new terminal dedicated to container ships from Asia. Work is concentrated on the first of six new specialised docking terminals -- each one focusing on different commodities including minerals, livestock, oil and gas -- to add to the two terminals already in operation. - 'A Dubai, even Singapore!' - "More and more shipping lines are interested in Djibouti, we are now making the way to be a Dubai, even Singapore!" said Suleiman Ahmed, a senior executive at Doraleh container terminal. Cargo trade is booming. It has increased between six and 10 percent each year, with Djibouti enjoying growth partly because other regional ports are struggling. Kenya's port city of Mombasa is already overstretched, while the secretive Red Sea state of Eritrea sees little if any traffic. And Yemen's once key port of Aden -- just across the Gulf of Aden from Djibouti -- is now a war zone. "Mombasa is congested, Eritrea is not a welcoming country, but Djibouti is a strategic and safe location - we rely on it," Ahmed said. In a volatile region, Djibouti hopes to build a reputation of stability and security. It hosts several foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier, the US military headquarters on the continent used for covert, anti-terror and other operations in Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere across Africa. France and Japan also have bases in Djibouti, which has been used by European and other international navies as a base in the fight against piracy from neighbouring Somalia. Earlier this month, President Ismail Omar Guelleh told AFP that "discussions are ongoing," with China concerning a potential military base, saying Beijing's presence would be "welcome". Djibouti now wants to position itself as the gateway for Asia into Africa. "From Egypt to South Africa, the eastern coast of Africa has only nine coastal countries," said Abubaker Omar Hadi, chairman of Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority, waving his hand over a map of the continent on the wall of his office. "This has created 10 landlocked countries, 400 million people who have no access to the sea. They are the ones we want to serve." - Big Chinese money - For now, Djibouti mainly serves Ethiopia's 94 million consumers, but the ambition of Djibouti extends to the entire African continent. As well as its massive port expansion, Djibouti wants to add two new airports, a modern railway and build industrial areas. At present, the country's small airport sees French Mirage fighter jets share its one runway with civilian aircraft. But the government plans to replace that with an international airport with a capacity of 1.5 million passengers annually, some 25 kilometres (15 miles) from Djibouti city. A total of 14 infrastructure projects are planned in Djibouti totalling some $14.4 billion, mainly financed by Chinese banks. But some are wary of such huge investments for a country with less than a million people. "There was no market research and parliament was never consulted," said opposition lawmaker Doualeh Egueh Ofleh, who said he was worried about the financial risk the projects could pose. "When we take the loans from the World Bank and Western institutions, there was some control... now with the Chinese, we take all possible loans for all projects without any control," he added, predicting Beijing would control the country's infrastructure if Djibouti failed to repay its debts. But Djibouti's government is betting on strong African economic growth to recoup the investment. "Even before Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong, the economic and maritime hubs in the region were Aden and Djibouti," says port authority chief Abubaker Omar Hadi. "We know what to do to regain our place." Dutch warship The Johan de Witt used by the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), pictured at the French military base in Djibouti on May 5, 2015 as part of the fight against piracy from neighbouring Somalia Carl de Souza (AFP/File) A customer walks past vendors in Al-Ryadh market in Djibouti on May 5, 2015 Carl de Souza (AFP/File) Organisers say the night protests aim to force the Jewish state to ease its crippling decade-long blockade of Gaza, but residents in nearby Israeli communities say their lives are being destroyed It's nearly 10:00 pm when young Palestinian men begin banging drums and chanting songs, while others attach incendiary devices to balloons -- all closely watched by Israeli snipers on the border. For six months, Palestinians have gathered regularly along the fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel for often violent daylight demonstrations against Israeli policies. But in recent weeks they have deployed a new tactic: "night confusion units". Protests can go on until the early hours. Organisers say they aim to force the Jewish state to ease its crippling decade-long blockade of Gaza, but residents in nearby Israeli communities say their lives are being destroyed. Israel accuses Gaza's rulers Hamas of controlling the protests. Hamas says it backs the demonstrations but is not commanding them and that the idea for nocturnal activity came from protesters themselves. Protests by 'night confusion units' can go on until the early hours "Every day the young men on the border invent ways to develop marches and the most recent was the night confusion unit," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said. An Israeli military official, who did not want to be named, said the night protests do not pose a new challenge. "Our soldiers, including our snipers, have night vision equipment," he said. "There are a few dozen, sometimes a few hundred demonstrators (at night)... they burn tyres, throw incendiary bottles and sometimes grenades and do not represent a more important threat than the daytime demonstrations." - 'I love you' - The night protests come amid a resurgence in border demonstrations following a brief lull as Egypt and UN officials pursued a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel. Masked Palestinian protesters hold incendiary devices attached to ballons to be flown towards Israel, near the border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 Those talks have stalled, along with efforts to reconcile Hamas and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas' rival Fatah group. As a result, there have been renewed warnings of yet another conflict between Hamas and Israel, who have fought three wars since 2008. One recent night, AFP watched as several hundred protesters gathered a few dozen metres (yards) from Israeli soldiers -- separated by the fence -- near Rafah in southern Gaza. In a tent slightly further into the strip, young men inflated dozens of white balloons inscribed with "I love you". They then attached flaming devices to the balloons, and launched them towards Israeli territory. Others hurled primitively built sound grenades; the booms resonated across the border. "We will not stop launching incendiary balloons until we break the siege on Gaza," said Abu Anas, one of the orchestrators of the night's activities. Balloons attached to incendiary devices shortly after being launched by Palestinian protesters near the Gaza-Israel border east of Rafah, on September 26, 2018 Anas insisted the movement was independent of Hamas. Saqer al-Jamal, 22, said he and fellow protesters believe Israeli soldiers fear their actions. "The goal is to confuse the occupation and send our message to the settlers nearby that there is no sleep until we achieve our demands of lifting the siege and returning to our country," he said. Rony Kissin, spokeswoman for the Israeli community of Kerem Shalom located next to the Gaza border, called the night protests a "nightmare". "Now they've started to throw sound bombs and it's very, very scary," Kissin said. "The children are very afraid of it. It's very dangerous. It is really like a weapon." - 'Confuse the enemy' - The border protests since March 30 have been labelled the "Great March of Return" because they call for Palestinian refugees to return to their former homes inside what is now Israel. Palestinian paramedics rush from an ambulance during a protest near the Israeli border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 More than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. At least 194 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began. One Israeli soldier has been killed in the border area over the same period. Israel says its actions are necessary to defend the border and stop infiltrations and attacks, which it accuses Hamas of orchestrating. It also points to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage caused to Israeli farmland by the kites and balloons. But Israel's use of live fire during the protests and clashes has drawn international concern. Palestinians and rights groups say demonstrators have been shot while posing no real threat. Just before midnight in one recent protest, dozens of youths approached the fence in an attempt to breach it. Palestinian paramedics carry away a wounded protester from a group calling themselves the "night confusion units" near the Israeli border east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on September 26, 2018 One of the youngsters collapsed to the ground. Medics treated the 17-year-old, who was shot in the foot. Mohammed abu Aqaleen, another 17-year-old who said he was shot three months ago and walks with crutches, vowed the demonstrators would "continue to confuse the enemy with sound grenades and horns". His family fled Jaffa -- now inside Israel -- in the 1948 war. "This confusion will bring us back to Jaffa," said Aqaleen. Despite the signing of last month's peace deal, fighting has continued between government forces and rebels, like these from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition South Sudan's warring leaders signed another peace deal last month, but while the political elites prepare to carve up power once again, hunger and fighting continue far from the capital. "We heard they signed peace, but we've yet to see it here," said Mary Nyang, a 36-year-old resident of Kandak, an isolated northern village. Here, hunger is the norm and battles between government and rebel soldiers a very recent memory. The war began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. A brutal conflict flared up, often fought along tribal lines and characterised by massacres of civilians, rape and looting. Nyang is one of a staggering 4.2 million people uprooted since South Sudan's latest war began -- roughly a third of the population. Few believe the latest peace deal in South Sudan will fare much better than the last one, which collapsed in a hail of bullets two years ago A recent scientific study calculated that more than 382,000 people have died as a result of the civil war. Last year a man-made famine was declared in two opposition areas while the latest assessment, issued Friday, found that 6.1 million people are going hungry. "Conflict is the main driver of this desperate situation," said Pierre Vauthier of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Kandak is in an opposition part of the country and so suffers deliberate neglect: there are no public services, no schools, no health facilities. Harvests and markets have been disrupted by the war and so people here rely on aid agencies for deliveries of life-saving food. An abandoned health centre in Kandak, a village in an opposition area of South Sudan where there are no public services, no schools or health facitilies Lack of roads, insecurity and the sometimes deliberate targeting of aid workers -- 107 have so far been killed during the war -- mean that when food arrives it comes by air. "We are unable to move supplies either by road or river," said Tomson Phiri of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). - 'Enough is enough' - As a result people are barely surviving. "Food is a challenge, it is very little," said 28-year-old John Jal Lam, a father of eight children from two wives, as he collected his family's rations of sorghum. Rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition have accused South Sudan's government of not respecting the peace deal it signed On the other side of the country, Kerwa, close to the border with Uganda, across which over a million South Sudanese have fled, is also opposition territory. The fighting continues, despite the peace promises. "The government doesn't respect the peace," said Brigadier General Moses Lokujo, a commander of the SPLA-IO rebel forces. Each side routinely accuses the other of being the aggressor, and both are belligerent in response. "We still fight for the freedom and democracy of our country, until we achieve the goal," said Lokujo. Here, in the Central Equatoria region, the latest confrontations are, in fact, a result of the peace deal with government and rebels fighting over whose officials will hold sway where. The violence means people in Kerwa are still more abandoned than those in Kandak, with no aid agencies at all and no food deliveries. Since the latest war began in 2013, a staggering 4.2 million people have been uprooted from their homes, like this family at Korijo camp near the Ugandan border "For us, we are tired," said Jocelyn Kako, who was forced from her home and now lives in a camp in Korijo, a nearby village, run by the rebels. While South Sudan's poorest continue to starve and suffer its leaders are planning the next phase of their rule, with an interim government to include both Kiir and Machar leading to elections. Few believe the latest peace deal will fare much better than the last one, which collapsed in a hail of bullets two years ago. For civilians engulfed in the maelstrom there is one, simple message: "I want to tell them that enough is enough," Nyang said. "Let's have peace now." strs-tmc/fb/jj/ach Seventeen-year-old Fatima, like thousands of young girls employed as housemaids in Morocco, was exploited and abused until she managed to escape A long-awaited law aimed at protecting thousands of young girls working as housemaids in Morocco took effect Tuesday, the country's first such legislation. The law sets a minimum age of 18 for household work, in a bid to end the exploitation and abuse of young girls working for unscrupulous employers. Passed in 2016 following years of debate, it imposes financial penalties on employers failing to provide contracts, a minimum wage, a weekly day off and annual holidays. The government at the time hailed the law as major progress. However, human rights say it does not go far enough, allowing 16-17 year-olds to work as domestic helpers for a further five years until October 2023. Thousands of young girls in the North African kingdom are employed as maids, often facing abuse from their employers. The Moroccan Collective for Eradicating the Exploitation of "Little Maids", as the young housemaids are known, said the new law fails to provide means to reintegrate them into society. There are no official figures on the number of minors employed as domestic maids in Morocco, who often hail from impoverished rural backgrounds. A 2010 study commissioned by NGOs found that between 66,000 and 80,000 girls under 15 years old were working as maids in Morocco. SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) - Macedonia's government prepared for a political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after the agreement won overwhelming support in a referendum but with low voter turnout. The European Union, NATO, U.N. secretary-general and the United States urged the small Balkan nation country to move forward with the next steps required to enact the deal. Macedonia's international partners have been eager to see the country join international institutions, in a region where Russia hasn't been keen on NATO picking up new members. Final results from Sunday's referendum showed that among the 36.9 percent of registered voters who cast ballots, 91.4 percent supported the deal that would change their country's name to North Macedonia. In return, Greece would drop its longstanding objections to its northern neighbor being considered for NATO membership. Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, declared the referendum a success and said he would move forward with the next step: seeking a two-thirds majority in the 120-member parliament for required constitutional amendments. If the amendments do not pass, Social-Democrat Zaev said he would have no choice but to call an early election. Opponents of the deal with Greece, arguing that it undermined national interests, had advocated a voter boycott of the referendum. They seized on Sunday's low turnout as evidence of the agreement's rejection. An owner of a souvenir shop displays tourist magnets as a man speaks on his cellphone in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) In a televised address, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, a conservative opponent of Zaev's, described the referendum as a failure and insisted the country deserved to join NATO, and ultimately the European Union, without changing its name. "Do not try to change this reality. Do not underestimate the sovereign will of the Macedonian people," Ivanov said. "And the reality is that the referendum is unsuccessful." International observers, headed by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said fundamental freedoms were "respected throughout the campaign" for the referendum. But Macedonia's State Electoral Commission cast doubt on the result. Commission head Oliver Derkoski said the Macedonian Constitution stipulates a minimum 50 percent turnout for a referendum to be considered binding. The government has insisted the turnout threshold was not relevant, saying it called the referendum consultatively to provide an indication of popular opinion. It also argued that the outcome was a valid reflection of voters' will, saying the more than 600,000 people who voted in favor of the deal was far more than the number that had voted for any politician in Macedonia's short history. Macedonia's international partners called for parliamentary support for the deal. "We urge leaders to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a brighter future for the country as a full participant in Western institutions," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said . EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn tweeted he expected "all political leaders to respect this decision and take it forward with utmost responsibility and unity across party lines." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the overwhelming support from Macedonians who voted "is important" and urged "all political forces in the country to proceed with implementation," according to a statement from U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. Guterres reiterated the U.N.'s commitment "to provide all necessary support, if required" including through his personal envoy and U.N. agencies, Haq said. The Greek government said the low turnout was "troubling," but stressed the importance of the name deal clearing the next major obstacle. Macedonia's government will spend seven to 10 days seeking the necessary support from lawmakers to move forward with the deal, Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska said. It could be an uphill battle. "I think it would be very difficult for the prime minister to reach the deal with the opposition lawmakers over the constitutional changes and to continue with the next phase," Political analyst Petar Arsovski said. "Unfortunately, as opposed to providing closure, the referendum still leaves the country in turmoil ... I think Macedonia is entering into uncertainty and that the crisis will deepen." ___ Follow Becatoros at http://www.twitter.com/ElenaBec A waiter passes in front of a shop at the old market in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev talks to members of the media during a news conference about the referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, late Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. Zaev has described the crucial referendum on changing the small European country's name to North Macedonia and thereby pave the way to NATO membership as a clear success, despite lower than hoped for voter turnout. Zaev said he had no intention of resigning as the "vast majority" of those who voted Sunday approved the name change. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) Macedonia's Defense minister Radmila Sekerinska, left, and Deputy Prime Minister Bujar Osmani give a news conference at the Government Building in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Macedonia's Defense minister Radmila Sekerinska shows a graphic with the results of the referendum during a press conference at the Government Building in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A man is reflected on a banner that reads ''For European Macedonia" in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. A referendum on changing Macedonia's name as part of a deal that would pave the way for NATO membership won overwhelming support Sunday, but low voter turnout highlighted the hurdles that still remain for the Balkan country to join the alliance. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A hat is displayed at a souvenir shop in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. A referendum on changing Macedonia's name as part of a deal that would pave the way for NATO membership won overwhelming support Sunday, but low voter turnout highlighted the hurdles that still remain for the Balkan country to join the alliance. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A man passes an ethnic Albanian mural in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority makes up about a quarter of the population. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A man walks along the Vardar riverside in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Two women walk across a bridge in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Two men sit on steps in Skopje, Macedonia, Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. Macedonia's government faced a looming political battle Monday to push through a deal with Greece that would ultimately pave the way for NATO membership, after a referendum on the agreement won overwhelming support but with low voter turnout. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Macedonia's Prime Minister Zoran Zaev gestures as he talks to members of the media about the referendum in Skopje, Macedonia, late Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. The crucial referendum on accepting a deal with Greece to change the country's name to North Macedonia to pave the way for NATO membership attracted tepid voter participation Sunday, a blow to Zaev's hopes for a strong message of support. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) About Me Sandpoint, Idaho, United States Visit wwww.mariannelove.com to learn more about my three books "Pocket Girdles," "Postcards from Potato Land" and "Lessons with Love." visit www.mariannelove.com. For autographed copies, contact me at potatohead89@hotmail.com. Books are also available at www.amazon.com. I'm 65, married, mother of two, retired English/journalism teacher and freelance writer. Besides writing, I enjoy gardening, photography, geocaching, horses and traveling. My quirky, sometimes irreverent sense of humor comes naturally through family genes. So, bear with me. View my complete profile Blog Archive Blog Archive November (13) October (31) September (29) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (29) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (29) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (30) September (29) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (30) September (31) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (30) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (29) January (31) December (31) November (31) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (31) September (30) August (30) July (31) June (31) May (31) April (29) March (30) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (28) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (31) September (30) August (31) July (31) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (31) February (29) January (31) December (31) November (30) October (30) September (30) August (31) July (32) June (30) May (31) April (30) March (50) February (72) January (63) December (64) November (47) October (71) September (48) August (70) July (104) June (91) May (85) April (80) March (80) February (52) January (92) December (187) November (63) October (96) September (117) August (92) July (103) June (160) May (141) April (69) March (81) February (71) January (106) December (81) November (67) October (107) September (74) August (114) July (117) June (92) May (103) April (66) March (43) February (38) January (83) December (76) November (77) October (66) September (87) August (68) July (74) June (66) May (90) April (60) March (49) February (54) January (70) December (64) November (30) October (45) September (32) August (39) July (48) June (34) May (40) April (40) March (38) February (47) January (35) December (40) November (47) October (48) September (37) August (35) July (34) June (31) May (33) April (33) March (33) February (31) January (30) December (32) HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Do Muoi, a committed communist, has died at age 101. The government said in a announcement posted on its website that Muoi died late Monday night at the National Military Hospital 108 after battling a serious illness despite efforts by Vietnamese and foreign doctors to treat him. Born Nguyen Duy Cong in suburban district of Thanh Tri in Hanoi in 1917, Muoi joined the Communist Party of Indochina, the former Communist Party of Vietnam at young age and rose through the ranks the party and government before becoming prime minister in 1988. He served as the head of the Communist Party for more than 6 years before stepping down in 1997. No funeral arrangements have been announced. FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2013, file photo, former Communist Party Secretary General Do Muoi, front center, is helped to walk to pay respects to late Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap at the National Funeral House in Hanoi, Vietnam. Do Muoi, a committed communist, has died at age 101. The government said in a announcement posted on its website that Muoi died late Monday night, Oct. 1, 2018, at the National Military Hospital 108 after battling a serious illness despite efforts by Vietnamese and foreign doctors to treat him. (AP Photo/Hoang Dinh Nam, Pool) MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Former Nicaraguan President Violeta Barrios de Chamorro has been hospitalized after suffering what family members described as "a cerebrovascular accident." A statement from her family issued late Monday said the 88-year-old Chamorro was in intensive care in "delicate condition" at the Vivian Pellas Metropolitan Hospital. It said she had a cerebral embolism. Nicaragua's first female president was thrust into politics by her husband's assassination and stunned the world by ousting the ruling Sandinista party in presidential elections and later helping end the country's civil war. Chamorro governed Nicaragua from 1990 to 1997. Chamorro moved away from public life since 2011, when it became known that she suffered from a brain tumor. PARIS (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says the U.S. will not reduce its support for the French-led military operations against insurgents in Mali. Speaking alongside Mattis at a press conference Tuesday in Paris, French Defense Minister Florence Parly said the Pentagon chief reassured her that any changes in U.S. operations or forces in Africa would not impact the support provided to France. The Pentagon has been reevaluating its troop presence and operations in Africa after an ambush in Niger last year that killed four U.S. soldiers and four of Niger counterparts. French forces were part of the rescue force that went to the aid of U.S. forces. French leaders have previously suggested they'd like to see continued or additional American support in Africa, where militant groups continue to wage attacks. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - A fire tore through a villa in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, killing eight members of one Emirati family and injuring another person, authorities said. Al-Bayan, a state-run newspaper in Dubai, said the dead included six children and two women. It quoted officials as saying they died from smoke inhalation. Abu Dhabi officials urged the public to "stick to safety measures at home and ensure the maintenance of fire-prevention equipment," without giving any further details on the measures. A similar fire killed seven children in the UAE sheikhdom of Fujairah in January. That prompted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai's ruler and the UAE's prime minister and vice president, to say the country would install fire alarms in all citizens' homes. Last year, a house fire in neighboring Oman killed 10 members of the same family. GENEVA (AP) - The head of the World Economic Forum says its move to bring together leaders from four western Balkan countries and regional powers aims to fight "complacency" in a region facing lingering tensions on a route used by migrants into Europe. WEF president Borge Brende says lessons from history show that events in the west Balkans tend to have a "huge influence" on the rest of Europe, while pointing to economic opportunities in the region. Brende said in an interview Tuesday that "what happens in the Balkans will have huge implications for Europe in the future - and this is too frequently neglected." He spoke after the WEF hosted the leaders from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, as well as key officials from regional players like Croatia, Germany and Turkey. LIMA, Peru (AP) - The retired army general blew kisses to supporters and promised an iron fist against criminals in Peru's massive capital city, delivering one of the trademark bombastic law-and-order speeches that have made him a leading candidate to be Lima's next mayor. "I'll eat bad guys for breakfast," Daniel Urresti told the cheering crowd in the hardscrabble Tahuantinsuyo district in Lima, a city obsessed with crime. "And I'll have the mafia for lunch." But Urresti himself might wind up behind bars as investigators probe his military past. On Thursday, a panel of judges will decide if the 62-year-old ex-general is guilty of killing a journalist who was murdered while covering the bloody conflict between the Peruvian state and Shining Path guerrillas more than a quarter century ago. Urresti denies that he had anything to do with the 1988 slaying of Hugo Bustios, who wrote for Peruvian the newsmagazine Caretas. But he knows that his campaign to lead one of South America's largest cities will be over if he is found guilty. "They will put handcuffs on me and take me away," he said, before continuing to tour a dusty suburb on Lima's outskirts. Peruvian prosecutors started to investigate Urresti in 2013, after two fellow officers from his barracks in the remote region of Huanta said Urresti participated in Bustios' killing along with them. They accused the journalist of working for the Maoist rebels, who at the time dominated large swathes of Peru's Andean highlands and jungle. In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, confetti rains on mayoral candidate Daniel Unrest as he arrives for a campaign event in Lima, Peru. A leading candidate to be Lima's next mayor, the retired army general promised an iron fist against criminals in Peru's massive capital city. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) The allegations didn't stop Urresti from serving as Peru's interior minister between 2014 and 2015. During that time he became known for attacking critics on social media and fighting accusations that police used excessive force against protesters in rural areas. Soon after Urresti resigned as minister he was put on trial for the murder of Bustios. The journalist was killed on Nov. 24, 1988, when a group of soldiers shot at his motorcycle on a remote mountain road and then blew it up with explosives. Prosecutors allege Urresti - who was a captain at the time - shot at the motorcycle. He is also accused of later intimidating and raping a female witness - a charge he also denies. Prosecutors have asked for a sentence of 25 years in prison. Despite the accusations, the ex-general remains popular with many people who support his hardline stance and yearn for a tough hand against crime in Lima, a city where rich neighborhoods have 10 times as many police officers as poor suburbs. "We want someone who has personality, and has the courage to fight delinquents," said Bruno Chapiana, a 65-year-old Urresti supporter. With his support in opinion polls hovering around 17 percent, Urresti leads a cluttered field of 20 candidates that includes several middle-class lawyers who are barely known by the public, and a former TV host who has blamed Venezuelan immigrants for the city's problems. Analysts say that besides being one of the more charismatic candidates, Urresti has tapped in to an almost-permanent feeling of anxiety over security among residents of Peru's capital. Although Lima has one of the lowest murder rates among major Latin American cities, with seven murders per 100,000 inhabitants, opinion polls consistently show that security is the prime concern among its population. "Peruvians have always looked for a democracy with an iron fist, where the president or whoever else is in charge takes a strong stance on certain issues," said Urpi Torrado, director of local polling company Datum International. "Urresti's personality fits this desire." Urresti has said that street crime is one of the main problems Lima faces, especially robberies of cellphones that end up in street markets dedicated to selling stolen goods. "Authorities are not shutting down these markets because they are bigger crooks than those who sell stolen goods, or because they are honest and are afraid to take on the mafia," Urresti told The Associated Press. Urresti has only a 2 percentage point lead over Jorge Munoz, a business-friendly lawyer who is currently the mayor of Miraflores, one of Lima's wealthiest districts. Torrado said that even if Urresti is absolved of the murder charges, the elections could still have an "unexpected outcome." "Many voters still haven't made up their minds," Torrado said. "Anything, even the way (Urresti's) sentence is read, could have an impact." This Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo shows election stickers promoting mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti, in Lima, Peru. "I'll eat bad guys for breakfast," Urresti, a retired army general, has told supporters while on the campaign trail in Lima, a city obsessed with crime. "And I'll have the mafia for lunch." (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti shakes hands with a chicken vendor at a market in Lima, Peru. Urresti has a no-nonsense message to the capital's criminals: get a job or else. The same law-and-order rhetoric has propelled the retired army general to the lead in polls ahead of the Oct. 7 vote. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, supporters dressed as clowns wait for the arrival of mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti, in Lima, Peru. Urresti has said that street crime is one of the main problems Lima faces, especially robberies of cellphones that end up in street markets dedicated to selling stolen goods. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) This Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 photo shows electoral posters promoting electoral candidates, displayed on the facades of homes in the Rimac district of Lima, Peru. Retired army general Daniel Urresti leads a cluttered field of 20 mayoral candidates that includes several middle-class lawyers who are barely known by the public, and a former TV host who has blamed Venezuelan immigrants for the city's problems. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti waves to supporters while on the campaign trail in the Independencia district of Lima, Peru. Urresti served as Peru's interior minister between 2014 and 2015. During that time he became known for attacking critics on social media and fighting accusations that police used excessive force against protesters in rural areas. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) This Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo shows an electoral banner featuring mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti flashing a thumbs up, in the Paraiso neighborhood of Lima, Peru. The ex-general is popular with many people who support his hardline stance against crime in Lima, a city where rich neighborhoods have 10 times as many police officers as poor suburbs. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, mayoral candidate Daniel Urresti wipes his brow while campaigning in the Independencia district in Lima, Peru. Just a few days before the Oct. 7 election, a panel of judges will decide if Urresti, a 62-year-old ex-general, is guilty of killing a journalist who was murdered while covering the bloody conflict between the Peruvian state and Shining Path guerrillas more than a quarter century ago. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) In this Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 photo, a man, aided by crutches, walks past a garbage collector in the Vallecito Alto neighborhood of Lima, Peru. Although Lima has one of the lowest murder rates among major Latin American cities, opinion polls consistently show that security is the prime concern among its population. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) A suicide bomber has struck an election rally in Afghanistans eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30, a provincial official said. The attack, the first since campaigning began last week ahead of the elections for the lower house of parliament, underscored the widespread violence gripping the country 17 years after the US-led invasion toppled the Taliban. The vote is scheduled for October 20 but it is unclear if the balloting will go ahead in areas controlled by the Taliban. Tuesdays attack took place in Nangarhars district of Kama as supporters of Abdul Naser Mohmand gathered in the afternoon to back his campaign as an independent candidate in the elections. According to Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, some of the wounded were in a critical condition, which added to concerns the death toll could rise further. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but both the resurgent Taliban and Afghanistans Islamic State affiliate are active in Nangarhar. Afghan security personnel inspect the site of a suicide attack in the Kama district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul (AP) Most of the people killed or wounded are elders who had gathered for the campaign rally, said Mr Khogyani. The election campaign kicked off last Friday with 2,565 candidates vying for a seat in the 249-member chamber, including 417 women candidates. In the run-up to campaigning, five candidates were killed in separate attacks, including two in Kabul and one each in Nangarhar, southern Kandahar and northern Parwan province. Officials from the countrys Independent Election Commission said two candidates were abducted and their fates remain unknown while three others were wounded in attacks. Separately, Afghan security forces killed three bodyguards of an independent parliamentary candidate during a raid on a house near his residence in the eastern Kunar province on Sunday. But the security challenges are not the only worries ahead of the elections. A number of political parties and opposition groups have expressed concerns over the transparency of the vote, leading to demands that a biometrics system be used to register voters a first in Afghanistans history. In Afghanistan, the parliament includes both a lower and an upper house, but only members of the lower house are directly elected. The upper house consists of a mixture of parliamentarians chosen from local councils and those appointed by the president, as well as members elected in district elections. China is facing trouble on multiple fronts these days but the most significant one seems to be emerging in Pakistan its "all weather" friend. Despite the support of Pakistani elites for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of Chinese President Xi Jinpings ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), there is a bottom-up push in Pakistan to revise the terms of engagement on this project. Pressure on Pakistan government The government of Imran Khan is under pressure to push back against the terms of the rail project linking Karachi to Peshawar as concerns have grown about Pakistan falling deeper into debt, exacerbating an already precarious economic situation. As Khusro Bakhtyar, minister in Pakistans planning ministry, made clear recently, We are seeing how to develop a model so the government of Pakistan wouldnt have all the risk. Despite Pakistans global isolation, worsening economic condition and the need for an IMF bail-out, the terms of CPEC related projects are apparently so unfavourable to Pakistan that Islamabad is being forced to review all the BRI contracts, though Beijing is in no mood to relent and has decided that only those projects which are not yet operational would be reviewed. (Photo: Reuters) To help balance Chinas inroads, Pakistan is now looking at Saudi Arabia and has asked Riyadh to join CPEC as the third "strategic partner." This week, a high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia is in Pakistan for talks during which five MoUs including the one on selling petroleum products on deferred payments are expected to be signed. If the situation is so serious for China in Pakistan with which its relationship has been described as sweeter than honey, and higher than the Himalayas, then clearly Beijing should be worried. In the wider Indo-Pacific, it is now becoming a pattern that wherever a new administration is taking charge, the first thing on the agenda is a review of China-funded projects. From Malaysia and the Maldives to Sri Lanka and Myanmar, there is a re-evaluation underway of Chinas involvement in local economies. The government of Mahathir Mohamad has cancelled Chinese infrastructure investments worth around $40 billion even as Mahathir has made his intention of strengthening ties with the West clear so as to counterbalance China. During his visit to China in August, Mahathir made his unease clear by suggesting that China is pouring in too much money, which we cannot afford, cannot repay. Debt-trap diplomacy Myanmar and China are also negotiating a framework agreement on the development of Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Rakhine State. These negotiations between China state investment vehicle CITIC Group and the Myanmar government are aimed at reducing the Chinese consortiums stake in the port from 85 per cent to 70 per cent. It was Sri Lankas fate pertaining to Hambantota port which prompted this reappraisal in Myanmar. Sri Lanka has become the singular case study of Chinas debt trap diplomacy. It borrowed around $1 billion from China to build Hambantota port and when it could not repay the loan, it had to lease the operational rights to China for 99 years. In the Maldives, the leader of the new winning coalition, Mohamed Solih, has said he is alarmed by the growing dependence of the Maldives on Chinese debt and wants to curb Chinas influence. This regional pushback is happening at a time when China has come under pressure from the Trump Administration. Trump has long accused China of unfair trade practices such as subsidies, currency manipulation and in particular of stealing American intellectual property in the form of cutting-edge technology. While one can view these developments as a function of President Trumps worldview, there is a wider shift happening in the US in so far as China is concerned. There is a fundamental re-evaluation of Americas China policy going on at the moment with questions being raised about the nations past posture. (Photo: Reuters) US-China relations As a 2017 report from the US Trade Representative to the US Congress underscores: It seems clear that the United States erred in supporting Chinas entry into the WTO on terms that have proven to be ineffective in securing China's embrace of an open, market-oriented trade regime. These concerns about Chinas economic behaviour are not Americas alone. A number of other leading trade powers, including the European Union (EU), share these concerns. While China has responded with a tit-for-tat approach in retaliating against the US imposition of tariffs, the future will be difficult for Beijing because China imports much less from the US than it exports there. There have been reports about growing criticism of Xi Jinping in China as the future economic prospects of the country look tough. As the pushback against Chinese economic model gains momentum, it was New Delhi which first pointed out the drawbacks of the Chinese model and it is to its credit that it remained consistent in its opposition despite fears of India getting isolated. Now as the world is converging with Indian views, it is time for India to work in concert with other partners and offer credible alternatives to the Chinese model. (Courtesy of Mail Today) Also read: Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara: How Navjot Singh Sidhu is playing into Pakistans hands A big explosion left an eight-year-old child dead and at least 10 others injured in a crowded area of Nagerabazar in South Dum Dum municipal area in the northern suburbs of Kolkata on Tuesday. The explosion took place beside a fruit stall and a sweetmeat shop around 9.10 am killing the child who had come to fetch sweets from the shop with her mother, who is currently struggling for her life, an eyewitness said. All the 10 people injured have suffered severe splinter and burn injuries. The police are trying to find out the source of the explosive device but said it was anything but a handiwork of petty criminals who do not use such heavy directional bombs. Ammonium nitrate was stuffed inside a steel socket about 8 inch in radius, CID sources said, adding they did not find any timer, wire or remote control device assuming pressure could be one of the reasons for the blast. A senior officer said, It was possibly in transit and was kept there in a gunny bag. Perhaps it went off accidentally following tremendous pressure. A fruit vendor sitting nearby was also severely injured. Rajesh Kumar Singh, Barrackopre Commissioner of Police said, A large explosion took place outside a shop. What caused the explosion is yet to be ascertained. Several people have been injured in the blast, adding, the police are investigating the matter. The bomb squad of the CID has taken up the case. The police are not ruling out Maoist or terrorist angle, sources said. The intensity of the blast was such that it caused a big hole on the steel shutter of an adjacent shop bending the iron rod and making a similar whole in another shutter bang on the opposite side of the 20-feet wide lane, sources said, adding the glass panes of the multi-storey buildings had been shattered by the impact of the explosion. While the blast tended to leave the police brass in a tizzy, particularly ahead of the Durga Puja when more than twenty million people will throng the Puja pandals about 7-8 days, the political parties were engaged in a slanging match accusing each other for the incident. Trinamool leader and Minister Jyotipriya Mullick sniffed an RSS hand in the blast saying going by their politics it seems that the RSS might have triggered this blast to create tension in the State. His party colleague and South Dum Dum municipal chairman Panchu Gopal Roy said everyone knows who killed and who assisted in the killing of Mahatma Gandhi. Today the blast assumes significance because today is Gandhis birth anniversary. Reacting to his statements, State BJP president Dilip Ghosh accused the TMC workers of triggering the blast. Everyone knows what the Trinamool Congress cadres are capable of. It is the result of their infighting, he said demanding an NIA probe. The National Investigation Agency had already started collecting information about the incident, sources said. A similar blast at Khagragarh in Burdwan district on October, 2014 had left two persons dead. Subsequent investigation by the NIA had taken the lid off an international network Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh. Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that Mahatma Gandhi aimed to unite the country but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working to divide it. Mahatma Gandhi talked about uniting India, Modiji is dividing India....(he) pitched one community against another, Rahul said addressing his partymen at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting at Wardha that saw former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in attendance. The CWC resolved for a second freedom struggle against the Modi Government to combat the ideology of hate and violence, saying the same reason had led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. You tried Modi (gave him a chance)...He broke your trust. Now trust the Congress, Mahatma Gandhis ideology to take India forward, he told the gathering. Besides Sonia and Manmohan, senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Ashok Gehlot, P Chidambaram among others were also present on the occasion. Holding its meeting at Mahadev Bhavan, Sevagram Ashram, in Wardha district of Maharashtra on the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the CWC also condemned the use of force against protesting farmers on their way to the national Capital. The Congress president yet again asked the Prime Minister to talk about the Rafale fighter jet controversy. Modi should explain to the country why Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence was chosen over State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) as the offset partner of French firm Dassault Aviation, he said. Modi avoided eye contact when he asked questions about the deal in Parliament, because the Prime Minister had lied to the country on the issue, Rahul alleged. He also alleged that the NDA Government waived loans worth Rs 3.20 lakh crore of capitalists who were close to it, but did not write off the debts of farmers. The thieves of India turned their black money into white through the back door, while the common people had to queue up outside the banks to deposit the scrapped Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes (after demonetisation), he added. Addressing a Press conference post the CWC, party chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the CWC has passed two resolutions recalling the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to the Indian thought process, its soul and body. (Former Prime Minister) Lal Bahadur Shastris call of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan is not just a slogan but a way of life. We will continue to fight for farmers rights, he said. The CWC underscored the hypocrisy of those who vilified Gandhi and his thoughts, but are brazenly championing it now, he said. The second freedom struggle will be against the Government that practises politics of hate, vendetta, threat, murder, intimidation, crushing healthy debate and dissent, he said. Farmers who had come to seek grievance redressal were beaten up and lathi-charged. Water cannons and tear gas was also used. We condemn the autocratic Modi Government and the Prime Minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power, he said. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched six ballistic missiles as well as drone bombers early Monday toward eastern Syria, targeting militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade last month while also threatening regional adversaries as Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers unravels. The missiles had enough range to strike regional U.S. military bases and targets inside both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Iran's supreme leader has called out the two Arab nations by name, accusing them of being behind the Sept. 22 attack on the parade in the Iranian city of Ahvaz, something denied by both Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Monday's strike was the second missile attack by Iran in a month's time, and came as tensions rise ahead of renewed U.S. sanctions targeting Tehran's oil industry that will take effect in early November. "This is the roaring of missiles belonging to the Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Revolution," a state TV reporter said as the missiles launched behind him. "In a few minutes, the world of arrogance especially America, the (Israeli) Zionist regime and the Al Saud will hear the sound of Iran's repeated blows." Al Saud is a reference to Saudi Arabia's royal family. Iranian state TV and the state-run IRNA news agency said the missiles "killed and wounded" militants in Syria, without elaborating. The missiles, launched from western Iran, flew over Iraq and landed near the city of Boukamal in the far southeast of Syria, they reported. "Terrorists used bullets in Ahvaz," Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, chief of the Guard's aerospace division, told the semi-official Tasnim news agency. "We answered them with missiles." The Guard, a paramilitary group that answers directly to the supreme leader, said it followed the missiles with bombing runs by seven remotely piloted drones, a first for Iran. State TV aired footage of a drone dropping what appeared to be an unguided munition. Boukamal is held by Syrian government forces, but IS still maintains a presence in the area, despite being driven from virtually all the territory it once held in Syria and Iraq. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told The Associated Press that the Iranian missiles hit the IS-held town of Hajin, just north of Boukamal. Strong explosions shook the area early Monday, reverberating east of the Euphrates River, he said. U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters have been battling IS in and around Hajin for weeks. The U.S. military's Central Command acknowledged that Iranian forces conducted "no-notice strikes" in the area. "The coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred, and no coalition forces were in danger," U.S. Army Col. Sean Ryan said. IS militants did not immediately acknowledge the attack. The missile launch further adds to confusion over who carried out the assault on a military parade, which killed at least 24 people and wounded over 60. Iran initially blamed Arab separatists for the attack in which gunmen disguised as soldiers opened fire on the crowd and officials watching the parade from a viewing platform. The Arab separatists, who have long complained of discrimination in Persian-majority Iran, claimed the attack and provided accurate details about one of the attackers. The Islamic State group also claimed responsibility for the Ahvaz assault, but initially made factually incorrect claims about it. Later, IS released footage of several men that Iran ultimately identified as attackers, though the men in the footage are not known to have pledged allegiance to the extremist group. In announcing the launch, Iranian state media said the missiles targeted both "takfiri" militants a term it often applies to the Islamic State group and Ahvazi separatists. The separatists have not been known to work with IS in the past. Mohsen Rezaei, who formerly led the Guard, praised the missile strike on Twitter, adding that the "main punishment is on the way," suggesting more attacks could be imminent. One missile shown on Iranian state television bore the slogans "Death to America, Death to Israel, Death to Al Saud." The semi-official Fars news agency, believed to be close to the Guard, identified the six missiles used as Zolfaghar and Qiam variants, which have ranges of 750 kilometers (465 miles) and 800 kilometers (500 miles) respectively. Those missiles can reach Emirati and Saudi targets, as well as U.S. bases. Regional tensions have been mounting since President Donald Trump pulled America out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in May. The United Nations says Iran still honors the terms of the accord, in which it limited its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. Iran's already weak economy has suffered since the American withdrawal, with its currency now trading at 170,000 rials to one U.S. dollar. In May, rate stood at around 62,000. A year ago, it was 39,000. This is the third time in about a year that Iran has fired ballistic missiles beyond its borders. Last year, Iran fired ballistic missiles into Syria over a bloody IS attack on Tehran targeting parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. In September, Iran fired missiles into Iraq targeting a base of an Iranian Kurdish separatist group. The separatists say that strike killed at least 15 people and wounded over 50. "The Iranian missiles are a message to more than one side," said Talal Atrissi, a researcher in regional affairs at Beirut's Al Maaref University. "It is a message that when Iran threatens, it carries out its threats, and this is important for Iran. The second message is that the sanctions will not prevent Iran from defending itself."... Office bearers of organisation rejected his resignation The deadlock between two warring factions of Chhattisgarh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) over support to the Bharat Bandh recently finally ended on Tuesday. Senior office bearers of organisation including the conveners rejected the resignation tendered by its Chairman Jitendra Barlota and urged him to continue in the post and take back the resignation. Barlota on their request took back his resignation and had decided to continue serving to the post of CCCI chairman. Notably, Followed by the decision of Chairman, Jitendra Barlota, to support the Bandh called by Congress and other opposition parties against price hike and steep rise in price of petroleum products a week ago, a faction of CCCI supported by BJP came forward to oppose the decision made and openly criticized Barlota for not taking them in confidence. The opposition in the CCCI for the Chairman made him work with difficulties and he later decided to quit from the post. Meanwhile, on Tuesday senior office bearers had a meeting in which confusion among various members were sorted out. The meetings of senior office bearers, which also included state conveners pacified the matter and rejected the resignation tendered by Barlota. The Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat visited Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday-the site of the massacre of statehood activists on October 2, 1994- and paid homage to those who laid down their lives for the cause of the statehood. Uttarakhand has become a State thanks to the struggle, suffering and sacrifice of the statehood agitators, CM said. Recalling what happened on the day in 1994, he said that the excitement of the statehood agitators marching to Delhi to demand the formation of the State was still vivid in his mind. It was followed by brutal atrocities perpetrated on the peace-loving people by the police. In the incident, seven agitators got martyred, he said. He said that the struggle for the formation of Uttarakhand had seen martyrdom of 28 people in different places like Mussoorie, Khatima, Shri Yantra Tapu and Rampur Tiraha. We have got the State because of the sacrifice undergone by these dedicated people, he said. In tune with the dream dreamt by the statehood agitators of a new Uttarakhand, the State is marching apace on the path of progress. By the time the State will celebrate its silver jubilee, it will go a long way on the development path. By 2025, water supply, roads, better health and education will be provided to every household. In the past one and a half years, efforts have been made to speed up the State's rapid development. Teachers and doctors have been appointed in the hill areas. Currently 93 per cent teachers are available in degree colleges. Things would reach 100 per cent soon. Besides, 25 ITIs in the State are being upgraded. As the State is set to get more and more trade, there would be no dearth of skilled children, he said. Dwelling on the Investors SummitDestination Uttarakhand, he said that so far, 1700 big industrialists have registered. So far, the State has received proposals worth Rs 77,000 crore. Uttarakhand provides electricity at the cheapest rate, he said. All the 22.5 lakh families of the State will be covered under Atal Uttarakhand Ayushman Yojana, meant to provide health facilities. All the Nyay Panchayats of the State are being developed as a growth centers through which local and organic products are being promoted, he said. CM also paid tribute to the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Late Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries. He paid floral tributes to the former MP late Malti Sharma at her residence in Dwarkapuri, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. He said that Sharma had helped the statehood agitators. The State would always hold her in grateful remembrance, he said. Ninety-year old Gandhian Professor (Dr) Prabhudutt Kheda residing in the tribal belt of Achanakmar in Bilaspur district was conferred with the maiden Mahatma Gandhi Memorial National Award in a function held at historical Anand Samaj Library premises here on Tuesday. The award carried Rs 5 lakh in cash and a citation. Chief Minister Raman Singh while applauding the efforts, hard work and dedication of the veteran Gandhian Prof Dr Kheda, announced that the State government will take over the management of Higher Secondary School run by the veteran Gandhian . He also immediately sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for construction of school building. Prof Dr Kheda was asked how he would utilised his Rs 5 lakh award, to which he said that the amount would be spent on salary of the teachers. He thanked the Chief Minister for announcing that the State government will take over management of the school and also sanction of Rs 20 lakh for construction of school building. Prof Dr Kheda is working in Achanakmar area which is tribal dominated in Bilaspur revenue division. The area also falls under a Sanctuary area. He is presently working in village Lamhni-Chaprava (present Mungeli district) for last three decades on education and health of tribal children. Prof. Dr Kheda was born in year 1928 at undivided India in Lahore. After partition, his family in year 1947 came to Delhi as refugees. He obtained his higher education and Ph.D after which he joined Government of India in Education Department and then National Council of Educational Research and Training. Prof Dr Kheda was later appointed Social Studies Professor in Delhi University. He along with students of Delhi University had arrived at Achanakmar for study tour. During this period, he saw the poverty among tribals and problem of education of tribal children. It was the turning point of his life. After that , Prof Dr Kheda retired from job in 1993 and started to live in a small hut. His efforts grew to present higher secondary school in the area and have now around 100 tribal children studying in the school. Claiming that the NDA government at the Centre and the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh are working for the welfare of farmers, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath blamed some political leaders for instigating farmers for their vested interest and creating unruly scenes on the Delhi-UP border. The welfare of farmers is our priority and we are doing the needful to increase their income. But the way things happened during the farmers march on UP-Delhi border is unfortunate. The whole stir smacks of political design because the Centre has accepted almost all demands of farmers, Yogi said. Yogis reaction came after members of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) attempted to enter Delhi for their agitation, tried to plough through barricades and clashed with the police on UP-Delhi border in Ghaziabad on Tuesday. Addressing media persons in Lucknow on Tuesday, the CM took a jibe at some leaders saying those who could not distinguish between sugarcane and wild grass and knew nothing about potato were shedding crocodile tears on the plight of farmers. They instigated these farmers to gain political mileage out of the agitation, he said. Everyone has the right to go to Delhi but they should not have taken law in their hands. When the Union government has accepted almost all demands and the state government is also sympathetic towards them, then why create such a ruckus? Yogi asked. To justify his point, Yogi said that an NGT ruling directed that 10-year-old tractors be barred from moving in NCR region, but the UP government assured farmers that it would file a review and control menace of stray animals. Besides, the state government has given Rs 1.20 crore to each district to set up cow shelter, he said. About the BJP government in UP, the CM said that in a short period, several welfare steps had been initiated. We waived loans of 86 lakh farmers at one go while record purchases were made of wheat and paddy by government agencies, he said. Speaking about the woes of cane farmers, Yogi said that his government had cleared Rs 26,000 crore of cane dues and the rest of the arrears of Rs 9000 crore would be paid by November 30 next. The CM said that the government had also provided good price for potato and pulses while Mandi Parishad was trying to provide a platform to farmers to market their produce. Spreading the ideologies of the Father of Nation among all section of the society, officials of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Railway, schools and other social organisations celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi with much fervor and enthusiasm. From organising special sanitation drive on the concluding day of Swacchta Hi Sewa to conducting cycle rally, different events marked the occasion. In a unique endeavour, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) on Tuesday organized a Swachhta Cyclothon to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Ranchi MP Ram Tahal Chaudhary was present as the Chief Guest of the Swachhta Cyclothon. The event was flagged off from CCL headquarters, Darbhanga House covering major routes of Ranchi and concluded at the headquarters. While addressing the gathering, MP Ram Tahal Chaudhary said that our Prime Minister had called upon the Nation to come together to realize the dream of Mahatma Gandhi for clean and healthy India. It is a matter of great joy and pride that every citizen of the country is contributing to this campaign, the Ranchi MP further added. Chaudhary appreciated the efforts of CCL management as a responsible public sector entity for the development of country in almost every sphere whether it is related to the skill development, sports, education, health etc. CMD CCL Gopal Singh expressed his gratitude to the PM and said that he not only adopted the dream of Gandhi Ji but has motivated the fellow citizens to follow his footpath. Singh informed that in the last 15 days, CCL has carried out several programs and new initiatives on Swacchta. Besides, Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Poddar, Kanke MLA Dr. Jitu Charan Ram, MLA (Khijari) Ram Kumar Pahan, Director (Personnel) RS Mahapatro, Director (Finance) DK Ghosh, Director (Tech/ Operation) AK Mishra, Chief Vigilance Officer AK Srivastava and others including CCL employees and students participated in the cycle rally, organized by CSR Department, CCL. A special function was also held at Vichar Manch, Darbhanga House, CCL while addressing the employees; Singh said that this day is an important occasion for the every Indian when we remember not only Mahatma but also his principles and ideologies. CCL CMDs address was webcasted across all areas of CCL live. Besides CCL, officials of State-owned public sector telecom company, BSNL Jharkhand Circle paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and organised a series of activities to mark the occasion. On the concluding day of Swacchta hi Sewa, CGMT, Jharkhand Circle, KK Thakur alongwith other employees carried out a special sanitation drive at ARTTC Campus. A special street play on Swacchta was also organised to mark the occasion at BSNL headquarters. Thakur motivated the officials to carry out the cleanliness drive at a regular interval ensuring the involvement of others. A special prayer meet was organised at HEC Headquarters. HEC CMD, Abhijeet Ghosh on the occasion urged to the employees to follow the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Ghosh threw light on the contribution of two leaders in the nation building. An array of activities, cycle rally competition was also organised to mark the conclusion of Swacchta Hi Sewa. Ghosh felicitated the officials who participated in the 15 days sanitation campaign. Meanwhile, DRM Vijay Kumar Gupta and other senior employees of Ranchi Rail Division paid floral tribute to the Father of the Nation alongwith Pandit Shastri. Members of Scouts and Guides, Rail employees of Ranchi, Hatia and Mori jointly carried out the cleanliness drive at different localities. In the first of its kind attempt, checking of pantry cars under a special Swaach Aahaar programme was organised. As many as 18 people were felicitated for their incredible contribution in carrying forward the sanitation activities and inspiring others to lend equal support in keeping their surroundings clean. Social organisation -- Vikash Bharti organised a special March. Students, social workers with placards, banners spread the message of Gandhian ideology. Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) is looking for a Master System Integrator to take over operations of Chhattisgarh State Data Centre (CGSDC) and also act as its technology partner in the transformation journey of CGSDC for the next five years, officials informed. The State Data Centre scheme was planned to provide centralized delivery of services to reach the people in the urban and rural segments. The Chhattisgarh State Data Centre provides the infrastructure required for consolidating the databases from the blocks and also for providing online services to citizens at villages and urban areas. Chhattisgarh State Data Centre provides web services through which information is shared securely with other key organizations like financial institutions, legal bodies etc. Chhattisgarh State Data Centre is located centrally and connected to the remote block servers using the State Wide Area Network (SWAN) of the State. CGSDC is the most important element of the core infrastructure for Hosting and supporting e-Governance initiatives of National e-Governance Plan (NeGP). Chhattisgarh State Data Centre (CG-SDC) was set up with Technical and Financial assistance provided by the Department of Information Technology (now MeitY), Govt. of India. The CGSDC was inaugurated on February 28, 2013 and is operational since then, officials informed. M/s Sify Technologies Limited is the current Data Centre operator, officials informed. The vision of the project is To be the preferred option for all ICT application hosting needs of Government and Public sector Departments / organizations in Chhattisgarh by providing flexible, on-demand managed services and thus simplifying IT infrastructure provisioning and operational efficiencies of the Government, officials informed. CHiPS has envisioned a transformation of the current CGSDC to a Hybrid Cloud Enabled Data Centre which would offer services to the end customers / line departments on Hosting, Co-location and Cloud chargeback model. The motive behind the vision is leveraging the properties of cloud operations that can proactively avoid performance issues and gain deep insights into the health, risk and efficiency of physical, virtual and cloud infrastructure, as well as operating systems and applications. Punctured tractors and deflated trolleys opposite the police barricades, heavy police deployment, water-cannons, fire-brigade, riot control vehicles, ambulances in standby and policemen ready with all their gears to stop the advance of farmers, gave an insight into what transpired for few hours before at Delhi-UP border when thousands of farmers tried to forcefully enter the national Capital. Tired after a week long journey and disillusioned by the police crackdown farmers were resting on road under the over-bridge at Delhi-UP border at Ghazipur crack-down by Delhi Police the farmers while they were being addressed by their local leaders who were atop a tractor-trolley when the top echelons were on negotiation table with the ruling dispensation, the farmers were adamant not to leave. Each farmer carried a lathi and most of them were wearing white color kurta-pajyma with green-white cap on their head the trademark of BKU. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Unions (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. Following the protest and to maintain law and order prohibitory orders were issued on Monday by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code which will be in force until October 8. Thousands of farmers walked and travelled in tractors from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. According to farmers, they were supposed to end their rally at Kisan Ghat, the memorial of renowned farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh, near Raj Ghat, but were stopped at the heavily-barricaded Delhi-UP border. Angry farmers tried to break the barriers and raised slogans forcing the police to use batons, tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse them. Several protesters were injured in the process. The distressed farmers have been protesting as part of their Kisan Kranti Padyatra to demand loan waiver, subsidised electricity and fuel, pension for farmers above 60 and implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. The rally began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23. Farmers from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the sugarcane belt of western UP joined the agitation. But the members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which organised the farmers march, say that they havent reached an agreement on the full implementation of the Swaminathan report regarding the minimum selling price (MSP), and on their demand of one-time complete loan waiver. The Government may consider our other demands such as electricity tariffs and crop insurance till then we will sit on strike here at Ghazipur, said Narendra Chaudhary a farmer from Partapur, Meerut (UP). The Government has failed on its promise to remove the middlemen and hence still a large chunk of profit is eaten by these touts while farmer gets the left over, said Sonu Sikarwar, a farmer from Bagpath (UP). A newly-constructed Gandhi Museum, at Sector-16 Gandhi Samarak Bhawan, was dedicated to the public on Tuesday to mark the celebrations of the birth anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore, addressing the people, said that the Gandhi Museum showcasing the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi is developed in a very unique way. He said that the collection of stamps of 160 countries of the world, commemorating Gandhi ji on different occasions, is also displayed in a very nice manner in the Museum. Bapu was an icon of peace and pride of the entire world. He had influenced world leaders such as Martin Luther King Junior, Nelson Mandela and many others who followed Gandhi jis principles and became the icons of equality and peace in their own countries, he said. Referring to the sudden change in Gandhi ji's soft stand for the British, he said that Gandhiji never visited Punjab before 1919 Amritsar massacre in which thousands of innocent people gathered for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation of two national leaders Dr Satya Pal and Saifudin Kichlu were killed in an indiscriminate firing which was ordered by General Dyer. This whole incident had left an indelible mark on Gandhi jis mind that he changed his stand for the British ruling over India and reinforced his resolve to get India free from the British Raj, he said. Badnore appreciated the dedication and commitment of the Gandhi Samarak Bhawan chairman and staff in highlighting the works and life of Gandhi ji at Gandhi Samarak Bhawan. He also said that the Chandigarh Administration could work out the modalities of the extension of the Museum, in keeping with the laid down rules for such extensions. He also announced a financial grant of Rs five lakh for the Gandhi Samarak Bhawan from out of his discretionary funds. She has applied for Congress ticket from Kota Assembly constituency from where she is a sitting MLA Wife of Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (Jogi) , JCC (J), chief Ajit Jogi and Congress legislator from Kota Assembly segment, Dr Renu Jogi on Tuesday said that she is not interested to contest upcoming Assembly polls on a JCC (J) ticket. "If Congress party does not allot me poll ticket , I will not contest the upcoming polls", she said. She was talking to media persons here at Sagaun Bungalow. Talking to media persons, Renu Jogi said she had applied for Congress ticket from Kota Assembly constituency from where she is a sitting MLA. I am waiting for the declaration of names of candidates for Congress poll tickets and am keen to contest the polls once again with Congress ticket only, she said. She said this after biography of her husband Ajit Jogi written by her titled Ankahi Kahani, was unveiled by senior journalists in a simple function held at Sagaun Bungalow. Congress-led Punjab Government on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP-led Central Governments recent notification regarding Chandigarh UT cadre allocation bringing various posts of Chandigarh Administration under the DANIPS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service) cadre. As the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is set to raise the issue with the Prime Minister on Thursday, his Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has shot off a communique the Union Home Minister while describing the move as against the spirit of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966. Capt Amarinder, on the sidelines of an event at Mohali, said that his Government was not in agreement with the Union Government on the notification regarding Chandigarh UT cadre allocation. I had already written to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to reconsider the notification. I would again take up the issue with him during our meeting in Delhi on Thursday, he said. Capt Amarinder said that the 60:40 ratio, as decided upon in 1966 at the time of division of Punjab and Haryana, must not be disturbed. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, through a notification issued on September 25, has brought various posts of Chandigarh Administration, including the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), within the ambit of DANIPS cadre. Opposing the move, Sidhu wrote in the letter, I am conveying to you my deep sense of anguish...over some recent developments, which affect the state of Punjab deeply and therefore, concerns me not only as a Minister in the Cabinet serving the state but also as a Punjabi. This would mean that police officers working in Chandigarh (under the Chandigarh Police cadre) can be transferred to Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands...This notification shakes the very foundation and purpose of the Punjab Reorganization Act and the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, Sidhu said. He pointed that by way of Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the erstwhile state of Punjab was bifurcated by way of formation of new state, namely Haryana, and also the Union Territory to be known as Union Territory of Chandigarh. The aforesaid Reorganization Act also envisaged that from the said appointed date, which was to be first day of November, 1966, all assets and liabilities were to be bifurcated between Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40, pointed Sidhu. He said that this ratio has been consistently followed, even for the purpose of allocating officers for the Union Territory of Chandigarh from the states of Punjab and Haryana. The 60:40 rule, in respect of various cadres of officers allocated to Union Territory of Chandigarh while enacting reorganization of these states vis-a-vis the Union Territory, has become a binding convention and is being followed religiously since then, Sidhu said. Urging the Home Minister to reconsider the notification, Sidhu said that there was genuine apprehension among Punjabis that by enacting more notifications like this one, all the cadres would be taken away from the Punjabi officers and as such, their legitimate expectations would be frustrated. By way of the said notification, the legitimate and existing binding convention of 60:40 has been unjustifiably taken away from the people of Punjab, he added. Sidhu also utilised the opportunity to raise the issue of Chandigarh being Punjabs capital. It was in principal decided that the Union Territory of Chandigarh would form and be the capital of the state of Punjab and it was only given the status of Union Territory till such time, the newly constituted state of Haryana forms its own capital. This understanding attained the written mandate by way of Rajiv-Longowal Accord signed in 1985, according to which, the Union Territory of Chandigarh was to be transferred to Punjab on 26th day of January 1986, he pointed. He added, However, to the utmost dismay and disappointment of the Punjabis, it could not be done and the Union Territory continues to be the joint capital of the states of Punjab and Haryana. Coming down heavily on the SAD over the Central notification issue, Cabinet Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said that the alliance partner in the BJP-led Central Government owe an explanation to the people of Punjab on the issue of grave sensitivity. Randhawa, launching a scathing attack on SAD as well as the BJPs Central and State leadership, said that it was decided that Punjab's share in the postings of officers in Chandigarh would be 60 percent and now that is being tinkered with by the Union Government and what is turning the situation into a more perplexed one is the stony silence being maintained by the SAD and its partner in arms the BJP. Taking the attack right into the SAD ranks, the Congress leader said that this is not the only case of blatant and naked discrimination against Punjab but a devious game-plan is also underway to diminish the status of Punjabi language in Chandigarh courtesy slow poison mode. 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. A 19-year-old girl was robbed of her mobile phone by a miscreant near Sanjay Sweets under Nishatpura police station area late in the evening on Monday. According to the police, the victim Chanchal Rajput was on her way to home and when she reached near Sanjay Sweets shops she was attacked by one miscreant who escaped with the mobile phone. A complaint was lodged with the police by the victim. In the complaint the victim claimed that she was walking her way to home at around 8 pm and when reached the sub-lane behind Sanjay Sweets and was talking over mobile phone a miscreant appeared snatched her mobile phone and escape the spot. She raised alarm but before she could be helped the miscreant managed to escape the spot. Based on the complaint after the preliminary investigation the police have registered a case under section 392 of the IPC and have started further investigation. The victim is pursuing her graduation and is a BSc II year student from a private college. Police said that the victim has claimed that the robbed mobile phone was worth Rs 7000. Meanwhile, two bike borne miscreants robbed a 40-year-old of gold chain near Panchwati Market under Govindpura police station area in the evening on Monday. The victim Kavita Thakur lodged a complaint with the Govindpura police stating that she was on her way to home when she was attacked by two bike borne miscreants who snatched gold chain she was wearing. Police have registered a case of robbery. During the further investigation police would investigate CCTV cameras installed in the nearby areas which would help in the nabbing the accused. The area remains deserted late in the evening which provided easy escape for the miscreants. Finally, basing on the reports of the SUTA (Sambalpur University Teachers Union), superintendents of different hostels, wardens and some elite citizens; the authorities of Sambalpur University have decided to cancel the students union election. Students are not in a mood to maintain discipline and follow the democratic practices. Hence, we decided to take such a drastic step, said VC Prof Deepak Behera. We were determined to conduct election since it is part of the democratic process. But the attitude of the students compelled us for such a decision, Prof Behera added. The ABVP and BJDs student wing are not happy with the decision of the university authorities. The ABVP leaders alleged that the university authorities are under pressure for which they cancelled the polls. In apprehension of probable defeat of the BJD wing, the State Government prefers not to go for direct election and university authorities are acting as toys, said Deepak Dash and Abinash Bag of ABVP. But we will never tolerate injustice to student mass and see that free and fair election is held in the campus, they added. Meanwhile, BJD students wing dubbed the view od the ABVP as very ridiculous. Perhaps they have not learnt any lesson from the Delhi University (DU) election. Otherwise, they would not have passed such immature statements, said Abinash Das of student BJD. We also dont support the decision of the SU authorities and will fight for election because the entire student mass are with us, Das added. A senior official of SU said that very stringent action will be taken against indiscipline in the campus. However, situation in other colleges of the town and across the district is totally different with students preparing for the ensuing election. Netaji Subash Chandra Bose College, Govt Womens College, Hirakud College and colleges in Rairakhol and Kuchinda sub divisions are on a poll spree and the administrations of the institutions are also on total alert there. It needs to be mentioned here that to avoid unpleasant situation, the GM (Autonomous) College, now GM University, has been selecting union office bearers instead of direct election for over a decade.a A suicide attack on a political rally in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 13 people on Tuesday, officials said, as the country braces for an escalation in violence ahead of this months parliamentary election. The attack is the first suicide assault since campaigning officially began last Friday for the long-delayed ballot, preparations for which have already been marred by dozens of bloody attacks. More than 40 people were wounded, some of them critically, when the militant blew himself up among supporters of candidate Abdul Nasir Mohmmand in Nangarhar province, provincial governor spokesman Ataullah Khogyani said. Mohmmand survived the attack, Khogyani confirmed, but he did not say if the candidate had been hurt. Provincial health director Najibullah Kamawal put the death toll slightly higher at 14. An AFP reporter saw numerous ambulances delivering bodies and wounded people to a hospital in the provincial capital of Jalalabad. Sayed Humayun, who had brought his injured cousin to the medical facility, said scores of people had been inside a hall listening to campaign speeches when the bomber struck. I heard a big explosion, Humayun told AFP. For a while I could not see, I thought I was blinded, but later I saw I was surrounded by bodies and people covered in blood. The force of the blast caused the ceiling to collapse on top of the gathering. There are still people trapped under the rubble, Malik Zeerak, who was at the rally, told AFP. Siraj ur Rehman, whose leg was hurt in the blast, said Mohmmand had begun addressing his supporters when he heard a big bang from the middle of the room. No group immediately claimed the attack, but the Islamic State group has taken responsibility for most of the suicide bombings in recent months. Violence has plagued the run-up to Afghanistans parliamentary vote, which is scheduled for October 20 more than three years after it was supposed to be held. Five candidates have been murdered in targeted killings, according to the Independent Election Commission, and hundreds of civilians have been killed or wounded in poll-related violence. The latest attack comes amid predictions for Afghan battle deaths to top 20,000 this year including civilians and combatants. That would be the highest number since the start of the conflict in 2001 and potentially make Afghanistan deadlier than Syria. More than 2,500 candidates will contest the vote, which is seen as a test run for next years presidential election. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! 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Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Salt Solutions, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Trivadis AG, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Workforce Insight, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH. 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. The following companies are subsidiares of Carnival Co. &: 1972 Productions Inc., 6348 Equipment LLC, A.C.N. 098 290 834 Pty. Ltd., A.J. Juneau Dock LLC, AIDA Kundencenter GmbH, Adventure Island Ltd., Air-Sea Holiday GmbH, Alaska Hotel Properties LLC, Barcelona Cruise Terminal SLU, Bay Island Cruise Port S.A., Belize Cruise Terminal Limited, CC U.S. Ventures Inc., CCL Gifts LLC, CSSC Carnival Italy Cruise Investment S.r.L, Carnival (UK) Limited, Carnival Bahamas FC Limited, Carnival Bahamas Holdings Limited, Carnival Corporation & plc Asia Pte. Ltd., Carnival Corporation Hong Kong Limited, Carnival Corporation Korea Ltd., Carnival Corporation Ports Group Japan KK, Carnival Finance LLC, Carnival Grand Bahama Investment Limited, Carnival Investments Limited, Carnival Japan Inc., Carnival License Holdings Limited, Carnival Maritime GmbH, Carnival North America LLC, Carnival Port Holdings Limited, Carnival Ports Inc., Carnival Support Services India Private Limited, Carnival Technical Services (UK) Limited, Carnival Technical Services Finland Limited, Carnival Technical Services GmbH, Carnival Technical Services Inc., Carnival Vanuatu Limited, Costa Crociere PTE Ltd., Costa Crociere S.p.A., Costa Cruceros S.A., Costa Cruise Lines Inc., Costa Cruise Lines UK Limited, Costa Cruises Shipping Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Costa Cruises Travel Agency (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Costa Cruzeiros Agencia Maritima e Turismo Ltda., Costa Group Digital & Strategic Services GmbH, Costa International B.V., Costa Kreuzfahrten GmbH, Cozumel Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Creative Travel Lab Ltd., Cruise Ships Catering & Services International N.V., Cruise Terminal Services S.A. de C.V., Cruiseport Curacao C.V., D.R. Cruise Port Ltd., Ecospray Technologies S.r.L., F.P.M. SAS, F.P.P. SAS, Fleet Maritime Services (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services Holdings (Bermuda) Limited, Fleet Maritime Services International Limited, GXI LLC, Gibs Inc., Global Experience Innovators Inc., Global Fine Arts Inc., Global Shipping Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Grand Cruise Shipping Unipessoal LdA, Grand Turk Cruise Center Ltd., HAL Antillen N.V., HAL Beheer B.V., HAL Cruises Limited, HAL Maritime Ltd., HAL Nederland N.V., HAL Properties Limited, HAL Services B.V., HSE Hamburg School of Entertainment GmbH, Holding Division Iberocruceros SLU, Holland America Line Inc., Holland America Line N.V., Holland America Line Paymaster of Washington LLC, Holland America Line U.S.A. Inc., Ibero Cruzeiros Ltda., Iberocruceros SLU, Information Assistance Corporation, International Cruise Services S.A. de C.V., International Leisure Travel Inc., International Maritime Recruitment Agency S.A. de C.V., Milestone N.V., Navitrans S.R.L., Ocean Bahamas Innovation Ltd., Ocean Medallion Fulfillment Ltd., Operadora Catalina S.r.L., P&O Princess American Holdings, P&O Princess Cruises International Limited, P&O Princess Cruises Pension Trustee Limited, P&O Properties (California) Inc., P&O Travel Limited, Prestige Cruises Management S.A.M., Prestige Cruises N.V., Princess Bermuda Holdings Ltd., Princess Cays Ltd., Princess Cruise Corporation Inc., Princess Cruise Lines Ltd., Princess Cruises and Tours Inc., Princess U.S. Holdings Inc., RCT Maintenance & Related Services S.A., RCT Pilots & Related Services S.A., RCT Security & Related Services S.A., Roatan Cruise Terminal S.A. de C.V., Royal Hyway Tours Inc., Santa Cruz Terminal S.L., SeaVacations Limited, SeaVacations UK Limited, Seabourn Cruise Line Limited, Shanghai Coast Cruise Consulting Co. Lda, Ship Care (Bahamas) Limited, Sitmar Cruises Inc., Spanish Cruise Services N.V., Sunshine Shipping Corporation Ltd., T&T International Inc., Tour Alaska LLC, Transnational Services Corporation, Trident Insurance Company Ltd., Westmark Hotels Inc., Westmark Hotels of Canada Ltd., Westours Motor Coaches LLC, Wind Surf Limited, and World Leading Cruise Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.. 4 hours ago Climate consensus appears near; India objects to coal plans GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Almost 200 nations were poised Saturday to adopt a compromise on how to curb climate change and to keep a key global warming target alive after 15 days of contentious climate talks. During nearly three hours of discussions, nation after nation said the proposed agreement did not go far enough, but only India and Iran appeared inclined to object. Read Article The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More iShares New York Muni Bond ETF's stock was trading at $57.35 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, NYF stock has increased by 1.0% and is now trading at $57.9250. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at contact@marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Steelcase Inc. manufactures and sells integrated furniture settings, user-centered technologies, and interior architectural products. It operates through Americas, EMEA, and Other Category segments. The firm's furniture portfolio includes panel, fence and beam-based furniture systems, storage products, fixed and height-adjustable desks, benches, and tables, as well as complementary products, including work tools and screens. Its seating products comprise ergonomic task chairs; seating for collaborative or casual settings; and specialty seating for specific vertical markets, such as healthcare and education. The firm's interior architectural products include full and partial height walls and architectural pods. It also provides textiles, wall coverings, and surface imaging solutions for architects and designers; and ceramic steel surfaces for use in various applications, including static whiteboards and chalkboards through third party fabricators and distributors, as well as workplace strategy consulting, data-driven space measurement, lease origination, furniture and asset management, and hosted event services. The company markets and sells its products to corporate, government Read More United Technologies Corporation provides technology products and services to building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. Its Otis segment designs, manufactures, sells, and installs passenger and freight elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; and offers modernization products to upgrade elevators and escalators, as well as maintenance and repair services. The company's Carrier segment provides heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire, security, and building automation products, solutions, and services for commercial, government, infrastructure, residential, and refrigeration and transportation applications. This segment also offers building services, including audit, design, installation, system integration, repair, maintenance, and monitoring. Its Pratt & Whitney segment supplies aircraft engines for commercial, military, business jet, and general aviation markets; and provides aftermarket maintenance, repair, and overhaul, as well as fleet management services. The company's Collins Aerospace Systems segment provides electric power generation, power management, and distribution systems; air data and aircraft sensing systems; engine control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; engine components; environmental control systems; fire and ice detection, and protection systems; propeller systems; engine nacelle systems; aircraft lighting, seating, and cargo systems; actuation and landing systems; space products and subsystems; avionics systems; flight controls, communications, navigation, oxygen, and training systems; food and beverage preparation, and storage and galley systems; and lavatory and wastewater management systems. The company offers its services through manufacturers' representatives, distributors, wholesalers, dealers, retail outlets, and sales representatives, as well as directly to customers. United Technologies Corporation was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Farmington, Connecticut. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. Maxar Technologies Inc. provides earth intelligence and space infrastructure solutions in the United States, Asia, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Canada, and internationally. It operates through Earth Intelligence and Space Infrastructure segments. The Earth Intelligence segment offers earth imagery products, including orthorectified imagery, imagery basemap, 3D and elevation, and information products; and SecureWatch, a subscription offering that provides online access to imagery and geospatial intelligence platform. This segment also offers geospatial information, application, and analytic services. It serves U.S. and other international government agencies, such as defense and intelligence agencies, as well as commercial customers in various markets. The Space Infrastructure segment provides space based infrastructure, robotics, sub-systems, and information solutions, including communication and imaging satellites and payloads; platforms for space exploration and hosting instruments for earth science; space subsystems for power, propulsion, and communication; satellite ground systems and support services; space-based remote sensory solutions; space robotics; and defense systems. This segment serves government agencies and satellite operators. Maxar Technologies Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Westminster, Colorado. Read More AKITA Drilling Ltd. (AKITA) is engaged in providing contract drilling services, primarily to the oil and gas industry. The Company is involved in other forms of drilling, including potash mining and the development of storage caverns. The Company owns and operates approximately 31 drilling rigs in Canada. The Company manages its business through approximately two geographic regions, which include Canada and the United States. The Company specializes in the construction and retrofit of heavy oil pad drilling rigs associated with Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) operations. Its rigs are used in operations spanning Fort McMurray, the Alberta oil sands region. The Company also has shale gas operations in the Horn River Basin area of Northeast British Columbia. AKITA is involved in drilling horizontal shale gas wells, with a fleet of deep capacity triple rigs in the areas of Alberta and British Columbia, including the Montney, Duvernay and Horn River regions. Read More InnovAge Holding Corp. manages and provides a range of medical and ancillary services for seniors in need of care and support to live independently in their homes and communities. It manages its business through Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) approach. The company offers in-home care services consisting of skilled, unskilled, and personal care; in-center services, such as primary care, dental, mental health and psychiatric, meals, and activities, as well as physical, occupational, and speech therapy; transportation to the PACE center and third-party medical appointments; and care management. It serves approximately 6,600 PACE participants in the United States of America; and operates seventeen PACE centers in Colorado, California, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The company was formerly known as TCO Group Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to InnovAge Holding Corp. in January 2021. InnovAge Holding Corp. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Read More Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. engages in the operation of senior living communities. The firm manages independent living, assisted living and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers. It operates through the following segments: Independent Living Assisted Living & Memory Care, CCRCs, Health Care Services and Management Services. The Independent Living segment is primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors who desire an upscale residential environment providing the highest quality of service. The Assisted Living & Memory Care segment offer housing and 24-hour assistance with ADLs to mid-acuity frail and elderly residents. The CCRCs segment offers a variety of living arrangements and services to accommodate all levels of physical ability and health. The Healthcare Services segment provides home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services, as well as education and wellness programs, to residents of many communities and to seniors living outside communities. The Management Services segment composes of communities operated by the company pursuant to management agreements. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of BP: 200 PS Overseas Holdings Inc., 563916 Alberta Ltd., ACP (Malaysia) Inc., AE Cedar Creek Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Wind Farm LLC, AE Power Services LLC, AE Wind PartsCo LLC, AM/PM International Inc., ARCO, ARCO British International, ARCO British Limited, ARCO Coal Australia Inc., ARCO El-Djazair Holdings Inc., ARCO Environmental Remediation L.L.C., ARCO Exploration Inc., ARCO Gaviota Company, ARCO International Investments Inc., ARCO International Services Inc., ARCO Midcon LLC, ARCO Oil Company Nigeria Unlimited, ARCO Oman Inc, ARCO Resources Limited, ARCO Trinidad Exploration and Production Company Limited, ARCO Unimar Holdings LLC, Actomat B.V., Advance Petroleum Holdings Pty Ltd, Advance Petroleum Pty Ltd, Air BP Albania SHA, Air BP Brasil Ltda., Air BP Canada LLC, Air BP Croatia d.o.o., Air BP Finland Oy, Air BP Iceland, Air BP Limited, Air BP Norway AS, Air BP Sales Romania S.R.L., Air BP Sweden AB, Air Refuel Pty Ltd, Allgreen Pty Ltd, AmProp Finance Company, American Oil Company, Amoco (Fiddich) Limited, Amoco (U.K.) Exploration Company LLC., Amoco Bolivia Petroleum Company, Amoco Bolivia Services Company Inc., Amoco Canada International Holdings B.V., Amoco Capline Pipeline Company, Amoco Chemical (Europe) S.A., Amoco Chemicals (FSC) B.V., Amoco Cypress Pipeline Company, Amoco Destin Pipeline Company, Amoco Environmental Services Company, Amoco Exploration Holdings B.V., Amoco Guatemala Petroleum Company, Amoco International Finance Corporation, Amoco International Petroleum Company, Amoco Leasing Corporation, Amoco Louisiana Fractionator Company, Amoco MB Fractionation Company, Amoco MBF Company, Amoco Main Pass Gathering Company, Amoco Marketing Environmental Services Company, Amoco Netherlands Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Exploration Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Oil Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company Limited, Amoco Norway Oil Company, Amoco Oil Holding Company, Amoco Olefins Corporation, Amoco Overseas Exploration Company, Amoco Pipeline Asset Company, Amoco Pipeline Holding Company, Amoco Properties Incorporated, Amoco Remediation Management Services Corporation, Amoco Research Operating Company, Amoco Rio Grande Pipeline Company, Amoco Somalia Petroleum Company, Amoco Sulfur Recovery Company, Amoco Tri-States NGL Pipeline Company, Amoco Trinidad Gas B.V., Amoco U.K. Petroleum Limited, Amprop Illinois I Limited, Amprop Inc., Anaconda Arizona Inc., Arabian Production And Marketing Lubricants, Aral Aktiengesellschaft, Aral Luxembourg S.A., Aral Services Luxembourg Sarl, Aral Tankstellen Services Sarl, Arco Mediterraneo Inversiones S.L., Areas Noriega S.L., Areas Singulares Reyes S.L., Aspac Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Atlantic 2/3 UK Holdings Limited, Atlantic Richfield Company, Atlantic Richfield Companyd, Autino Holdings Limited, Autino Limited, Auwahi Wind Energy Holdings LLC, B2Mobility GmbH, BASS Management Pty Ltd, BP (Abu Dhabi) Limited, BP (Barbados) Holding SRL, BP (Barbican) Limited, BP (China) Holdings Limited, BP (China) Industrial Lubricants Limited, BP (GTA Mauritania) Finance Limited, BP (GTA Senegal) Finance Limited, BP (Gibraltar) Limited, BP (Guangzhou) Advanced Mobility Limited, BP (Hunan) Petroleum Company Limited, BP (Indian Agencies) Limited, BP (Shandong) Petroleum Co. Ltd, BP (Shanghai) Trading Limited, BP - Castrol (Thailand) Limited, BP AMI Leasing Inc., BP Absheron Limited, BP Advanced Mobility Limited, BP Africa Limited, BP Africa Oil Limited, BP Akaryakit Ortakligi, BP Alaska LNG LLC, BP Alternative Energy Holdings Limited, BP Alternative Energy Investments Limited, BP Alternative Energy North America Inc., BP Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago Limited, BP America Chembel Holding LLC, BP America Chemicals Company, BP America Foreign Investments Inc., BP America Inc, BP America Inc., BP America Limited, BP America Production Company, BP Amoco Chemical Company, BP Amoco Chemical Holding Company, BP Amoco Chemical Indonesia Limited, BP Amoco Chemical Malaysia Holding Company, BP Amoco Exploration (Faroes) Limited, BP Amoco Exploration (In Amenas) Limited, BP Andaman II Ltd, BP Angola (Block 18) B.V., BP Argentina Exploration Company, BP Argentina Holdings LLC, BP Aromatics Holdings Limited, BP Aromatics Limited, BP Asia Limited, BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, BP Australia Capital Markets Limited, BP Australia Employee Share Plan Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Group Pty Ltde, BP Australia Investments Pty Ltd, BP Australia Nominees Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Pty Ltd, BP Australia Shipping Pty Ltd, BP Australia Swaps Management Limited, BP Aviation A/S, BP Benevolent Fund Trustees Limited, BP Berau Ltd., BP Biocombustiveis S.A., BP Bioenergia Campina Verde Ltda., BP Bioenergia Ituiutaba Ltda., BP Bioenergia Itumbiara S.A., BP Bioenergia Tropical S.A., BP Biofuels Advanced Technology Inc., BP Biofuels Brazil Investments Limited, BP Biofuels Louisiana LLC, BP Biofuels North America LLC, BP Biofuels Trading Comercio Exportacao Ltda., BP Bomberai Ltd., BP Brasil Ltda., BP Brazil Tracking L.L.C., BP Bulwer Island Pty Ltd, BP Business Service Centre Asia Sdn Bhd, BP Business Service Centre KFT, BP CIV Pty Ltd, BP Canada Energy Development Company, BP Canada Energy Group ULC, BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp., BP Canada International Holdings B.V., BP Canada Investments Inc., BP Capellen Sarl, BP Capital Markets, BP Capital Markets America, BP Capital Markets America Inc., BP Capital Markets p.l.c., BP Car Fleet Limited, BP Caribbean Company, BP Castrol KK, BP Castrol Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Central Pipelines LLC, BP Chembel, BP Chemicals (Korea) Limited, BP Chemicals East China Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Limited, BP China Exploration and Production Company, BP Comercializadora de Energia Ltda., BP Commodities Trading Limited, BP Commodity Supply B.V., BP Company North America, BP Company North America Inc., BP Containment Response Limited, BP Containment Response System Holdings LLC, BP Continental Holdings Limited, BP Corporate Holdings, BP Corporate Holdings Limited, BP Corporation North America, BP Corporation North America Inc., BP D-B Pipeline Company LLC, BP D230 Limited, BP Danmark A/S, BP Developments Australia Pty. Ltd., BP Dogal Gaz Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, BP East Kalimantan CBM Limited, BP Eastern Mediterranean Limited, BP Egypt Company, BP Egypt East Delta Marine Corporation, BP Egypt East Tanka B.V., BP Egypt Production B.V., BP Egypt Ras El Barr B.V., BP Egypt West Mediterranean (Block B) B.V., BP Energy Asia Pte. Limited, BP Energy Colombia Limited, BP Energy Company, BP Energy Europe Limited, BP Energy Solutions B.V., BP Energy do Brasil Ltda., BP Energia Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., BP Espana S.A. Unipersonal, BP Estaciones y Servicios Energeticos Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, BP Europa SE, BP Exploracion de Venezuela S.A., BP Exploration & Production Inc., BP Exploration (Absheron) Limited, BP Exploration (Alaska), BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., BP Exploration (Algeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Alpha), BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited, BP Exploration (Angola), BP Exploration (Angola) Limited, BP Exploration (Azerbaijan), BP Exploration (Azerbaijan) Limited, BP Exploration (Canada) Limited, BP Exploration (Caspian Sea), BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited, BP Exploration (D230) Limited, BP Exploration (Delta), BP Exploration (Delta) Limited, BP Exploration (El Djazair) Limited, BP Exploration (Epsilon) Limited, BP Exploration (Gambia) Limited, BP Exploration (Greenland) Limited, BP Exploration (Madagascar) Limited, BP Exploration (Morocco) Limited, BP Exploration (Namibia) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria Finance) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Psi) Limited, BP Exploration (STP) Limited, BP Exploration (Shafag-Asiman) Limited, BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) Limited, BP Exploration (South Atlantic) Limited, BP Exploration (Xazar) Pte. Ltd., BP Exploration Angola (Kwanza Benguela) Limited, BP Exploration Argentina Limited, BP Exploration Australia Pty Ltd Level 15, BP Exploration Beta Limited, BP Exploration China Limited, BP Exploration Company (Middle East) Limited, BP Exploration Company Limited, BP Exploration Indonesia Limited, BP Exploration Libya Limited, BP Exploration Mexico Limited, BP Exploration Mexico S.A. De C.V., BP Exploration North Africa Limited, BP Exploration Operating Company, BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, BP Exploration Orinoco Limited, BP Exploration Personnel Company Limited, BP Exploration Peru Limited, BP Express Shopping Limited, BP Finance Australia Pty Ltd, BP Finance p.l.c., BP Foundation Incorporated, BP France, BP Fuels & Lubricants AS, BP Fuels Deutschland GmbH, BP GOM Logistics LLC, BP Gas & Power Investments Limited, BP Gas Europe S.A.U., BP Gas Marketing Limited, BP Gas Supply (Angola) LLC, BP Ghana Limited, BP Global Investments, BP Global Investments Limited, BP Global Investments Salalah & Co LLC, BP Global West Africa Limited, BP Greece Limited, BP Guangdong Limited, BP High Density Polyethylene - France, BP Holdings (Thailand) Limited, BP Holdings B.V., BP Holdings Canada, BP Holdings Canada Limited, BP Holdings International B.V., BP Holdings North America, BP Holdings North America Limited, BP Hong Kong Limited, BP India Private Limited, BP Indonesia Investment Limited, BP International, BP International Limited, BP International Services Company, BP Investment Management Limited, BP Investments Asia Limited, BP Iran Limited, BP Iraq N.V., BP Italia SpA, BP Japan K.K., BP Korea Limited, BP Kuwait Limited, BP LNG Shipping Limited, BP Latin America LLC, BP Latin America Upstream Services Inc., BP Lubricants KK, BP Lubricants USA Inc., BP Luxembourg S.A., BP Malaysia Holdings Sdn. Bhd., BP Management International B.V., BP Management Netherlands B.V., BP Marine Limited, BP Mariner Holding Company LLC, BP Maritime Services (Singapore) Pte. Limited, BP Marketing Egypt LLC, BP Mauritania Investments Limited, BP Mauritius Limited (in liquidation), BP Middle East Enterprises Corporation, BP Middle East LLC, BP Middle East Limited, BP Midstream Partners GP LLC, BP Midstream Partners Holdings LLC, BP Midstream Partners LP, BP Midwest Product Pipelines Holdings LLC, BP Mocambique Limitada, BP Mocambique Limited, BP Muturi Holdings B.V., BP Nederland Holdings BV, BP Netherlands Upstream B.V., BP New Ventures Middle East Limited, BP New Zealand Holdings Limited, BP New Zealand Share Scheme Limited, BP Nutrition Inc., BP Offshore Gathering Systems Inc., BP Offshore Pipelines Company LLC, BP Offshore Response Company LLC, BP Oil (Thailand) Limited, BP Oil Australia Pty Ltd, BP Oil Espana S.A., BP Oil Hellenic S.A., BP Oil International, BP Oil International Limited, BP Oil Kent Refinery Limited (in liquidation), BP Oil Llandarcy Refinery Limited, BP Oil Logistics UK Limited, BP Oil New Zealand Limited, BP Oil Pipeline Company, BP Oil Senegal S.A., BP Oil Shipping Company, BP Oil UK Limited, BP Oil Venezuela Limited, BP Oil Vietnam Limited, BP Oil Yemen Limited, BP Olex Fanal Mineralol GmbH, BP One Pipeline Company LLC, BP Pacific Investments Ltd, BP Pakistan (Badin) Inc., BP Pakistan Exploration and Production Inc., BP Pension Escrow Limited, BP Pension Trustees Limited, BP Pensions (Overseas) Limited, BP Pensions Limited, BP Petrochemicals India Investments Limited, BP Petroleo y Gas S.A., BP Petrolleri Anonim Sirketi, BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc., BP Pipelines (BTC) Limited, BP Pipelines (North America) Inc., BP Pipelines (SCP) Limited, BP Pipelines (TANAP) Limited, BP Pipelines TAP Limited, BP Polska Services Sp. z o.o. Ul., BP Portugal -Comercio de Combustiveis e Lubrificantes SA, BP Poseidon Limited, BP Products North America, BP Products North America Inc., BP Properties Limited, BP Raffinaderij Rotterdam B.V., BP Refinery (Kwinana) Proprietary Limited, BP Regional Australasia Holdings Pty Ltd, BP River Rouge Pipeline Company LLC, BP Russian Investments Limited, BP Russian Ventures Limited, BP SC Holdings LLC, BP Scale Up Factory Limited, BP Senegal Investments Limited, BP Services International Limited, BP Servicios de Combustibles S.A. de C.V., BP Servicios territoriales S.A., BP Shafag-Asiman Limited, BP Shipping Limited, BP Singapore Pte. Limited, BP Solar Energy North America LLC, BP Solar Espana S.A., BP Solar International Inc., BP Solar Pty Ltd, BP South America Holdings Ltd, BP Southern Africa Proprietary Limited, BP Southern Cone Company, BP Subsea Well Response (Brazil) Limited, BP Subsea Well Response Limited, BP Taiwan Marketing Limited, BP Technology Ventures Inc., BP Technology Ventures Limited, BP Train 2/3 Holding SRL, BP Transportation (Alaska) Inc., BP Trinidad Processing Limited, BP Trinidad and Tobago, BP Trinidad and Tobago LLC, BP Turkey Refining Limited, BP Two Pipeline Company LLC, BP UK Retained Holdings Limited, BP Venezuela Investments B.V., BP West Aru I Limited, BP West Aru II Limited, BP West Papua I Limited, BP West Papua III Limited, BP Wind Energy North America Inc., BP Wiriagar Ltd., BP World-Wide Technical Services Limited, BP Zhuhai Chemical Company Limited, BP+Amoco International Limited, BP-AIOC Exploration (TISA) LLC, BPA Investment Holding Company, BPNE International B.V., BPRY Caribbean Ventures LLC, BPX (Eagle Ford) Gathering LLC, BPX (KCS Resources) LLC, BPX (Karnes) Gathering LLC, BPX (Permian) Gathering LLC, BPX (WSF Operating) Inc., BPX Energy Inc., BPX Midstream LLC, BPX Operating Company, BPX Production Company, BPX Properties (GP) LLC, BPX Properties (LP) LLC, BPX Properties (NA) LP, BTC Pipeline Holding Company Limited, BXL Plastics Limitedv, Bahia de Bizkaia Electridad S.L., Baltimore Ennis Land Company Inc., Black Lake Pipe Line Company, Brian Jasper Nominees Pty Ltd, Britannic Energy Trading Limited, Britannic Investments Iraq Limited, Britannic Marketing Limited, Britannic Strategies Limited, Britannic Trading Limited, Britoil Limited, Burmah Castrol, Burmah Castrol Australia Pty Ltd, Burmah Castrol Holdings Inc., Burmah Castrol PLC, Burmah Castrol South Africa (Pty) Limited, Burmah Chile SpA, Butamax Advanced Biofuels, CASTROL Austria GmbHb, CH-Twenty Inc., CNAA, Cadman DBP Limited, Casitas Pipeline Company, Castrol (China) Limited, Castrol (Ireland) Limited, Castrol (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Castrol (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Castrol (Tianjin) Lubricants Co. Ltd., Castrol (U.K.) Limited, Castrol Australia Pty. Limited, Castrol B.V., Castrol BP Petco Limited Liability Company, Castrol Brasil Ltda., Castrol Caribbean & Central America Inc., Castrol Colombia Ltda., Castrol Del Peru S.A., Castrol Egypt Lubricants S.A.E., Castrol India Limited, Castrol Industrie und Service GmbH, Castrol KK, Castrol Limited, Castrol Lubricants RO S.R.L, Castrol Mexico S.A., Castrol Namibia (Pty) Limited, Castrol Offshore Limited, Castrol Pakistan (Private) Limited, Castrol Philippines Inc., Castrol Servicos Ltda., Castrol Ukraine LLC, Castrol Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, Centrel Pty Ltd, Charge Your Car Limitedc, Chargemaster, Chargemaster (Europe) GmbH, Chargemaster Limited, Charging Solutions Limited, Clarisse Holdings Pty Ltd, Coastwise Trading Company Inc., Consolidada de Energia y Lubricantes (CENERLUB) C.A., Conti Cross Keys Inn Inc., Coro Trading NZ Limited, Cuyama Pipeline Company, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dermody Developments Pty Ltd, Dermody Holdings Pty Ltd, Dermody Investments Pty Ltd, Dermody Petroleum Pty. Ltd., Dome Beaufort Petroleum Limited, Dome Wallis (1980) Limited Partnership, ECM Markets SA (Pty) Ltd, Elektromotive Limited, Elite Customer Solutions Pty Ltd, Elm Holdings Inc., Energy Global Investments (USA) Inc., Enstar LLC, Estacion de Servicio Alto Campoo S.L., Estacion de Servicio Ganzo 10 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Reocin 9 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Santillana II S.L., Estacion de Servicio Sardinero S.L., Estonian Aviation Fuelling Services, Europa Oil NZ Limited, Exomet Inc., Expandite Contract Services Limited, Exploration (Luderitz Basin) Limited, Exploration Service Company Limited, FWK (2017) Limited, FWK Holdings (2017) LTD, Finite Carbon, Flat Ridge 2 Holdings LLC, Flat Ridge Wind Energy LLC, Foseco Holding Inc., Foseco Holding International B.V., Foseco Inc., Fosroc Expandite Limited, Fotech Solutions Ltd, Fowler Ridge Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge I Land Investments LLC, Fowler Ridge II Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge III Wind Farm LLC, FreeBees B.V., Fuel & Retail Aviat ion Sweden AB, Fuelplane- Sociedade Abastecedora De Aeronaves Unipessoal Lda, GOAM 1 C.I S. 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(In liquidation), Puente Arce 4 S.L., Remediation Management Services Company, Richfield Oil Corporation, Rio Corvo 2 S.L., Rolling Thunder I Power Partners LLC, Romax Insight Korea Ltd., Ropemaker Deansgate Limited, Ropemaker Properties Limited, Ruhr Oel GmbH, Rusdene GSS Limited, SOFAST Limited, SRHP, Saturn Insurance Inc., Sherbino I Holdings LLC, Sherbino Mesa I Land Investments LLC, Sociedade de Promocao Imobiliaria Quinta do Loureiro SA, Societe de Gestion de Depots d'Hydrocarbures - GDH, South Texas Shale LLC, Southeast Texas Biofuels LLC, Southern Ridge Pipeline Holding Company, Southern Ridge Pipeline LP LLC, Sp/f Decision3 (GreenSteam) Company, Standard Oil Company, Standard Oil Company Inc., Standard Oil of Ohio, Stryde Limited, Sunrise Oil Sands Partnership, TISA Education Complex LLC, TJKK, Taradadis Pty. Ltd., Telcom General Corporation, Terre de Grace Partnership, The Anaconda Company, The BP Share Plans Trustees Limited, The Burmah Oil Company (Pakistan Trading) Limited, The Standard Oil Company, Toledo Refinery Holding Company LLC, Torrelavega 7 S.L., Union Texas International Corporation, Vastar Pipeline LLC, Veba Oel AG Veba Oel, Verenium, Viceroy Investments Limited, Villacarriedo 8 S.L., Warrenville Development Limited, Water Way Trading and Petroleum Services LLC, Welchem Inc., West Kimberley Fuels Pty Ltd, Westlake Houston Development LLC, Whiting Clean Energy Inc., Windpark Energy Nederland B.V., and Winwell Resources L.L.C. There is not enough analysis data for CNOOC. 4.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes CNOOC has received 305 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes CNOOC has received 205 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment CNOOC has received 59.80% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about CNOOC and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CEO will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CEO will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next A new State Department policy that requires partners of foreign mission personnel and employees of international organizations to be married in order to qualify for a diplomatic visa has sparked concern among LGBTI rights advocates. The Washington Blade last week obtained a letter from the State Department that states, consistent with internal Department of State policy changes, partners accompanying officers and employees of international organizations or seeking to join the same must be married in order to be eligible for a derivative G-4 nonimmigrant visa or to seek a change into such status beginning October 1, 2018. The letter also says the State Department as of Oct. 1 will only accept the accreditation of spouses of newly arrived officers and employees of international organizations, both same-sex and opposite-sex, as members of the family of the respective international organization. The letter, which was distributed on July 20, says, all currently accredited same-sex domestic partners of officers and employees of international organizations serving in the United States who wish to maintain their derivative G-4 nonimmigrant visa status and acceptance of accreditation should ask their organization to submit appropriate documentation to the State Departments Office of Foreign Missions no later than Dec. 31 that indicates the couple has legally married. After December 31, 2018, unless such individuals are able to obtain separate authorization to remain in the United States through a change of nonimmigrant status with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, they will generally be expected to depart the country within 30 days, reads the letter. However, on or after October 1, 2018, partners of officers and employees of international organizations applying for a visa renewal in the United States must be married in order to qualify for a derivative G-4 visa. The letter notes the new policy applies to same-sex and opposite-sex partners. It does not specifically say they have to be legally married in the U.S. or in another jurisdiction. Same-sex spouses of officers and employees of international organizations will be treated the same as opposite-sex spouses when applying for a G-4 visa and for other immigration purposes, it says. When notifying OFM of new spouses of officers and employees of international organizations for accreditation, the respective international organization is requested to submit appropriate documentation that the couple is married. Alfonso Nam, president of UN-GLOBE, a group that advocates on behalf of the U.N.s LGBTI employees, on Tuesday noted the majority of the worlds countries do not allow same-sex couples to legally marry. A policy that prioritizes marriages over all other forms of legal unions will have a chilling effect on all couples in the United States under a U.N.-sponsored visa who are in legal unions other than marriage, he told the Blade. Whether it is an opposite-sex couple who did not get married for philosophical reasons, or a same-sex couple who did not get married because marriage was not a choice available to them, they would all now have to find a way to get married in order to remain in the United States, added Nam. GLIFAA, which represents LGBTI Foreign Service members, did not respond to a request for comment. Human Rights Government Affairs Director David Stacy told the Blade its truly disappointing that the State Department is not being as accommodating as possible to foreign diplomats stationed in the United States who are from countries lacking marriage equality. These families deserve to be fully recognized, and many are from nations who do recognize domestic partnerships and civil unions, he told the Blade in a statement. The State Department should be taking every step possible to ensure these families are able to stay together when representing their countries in the United States. The Obama administration in 2009 implemented a policy that asked countries to accredit same-sex partners of U.S. Foreign Service personnel on a reciprocal basis in order to receive diplomatic visas. Beginning October 1, 2018, members of the U.S. Foreign Service must be married to enjoy the rights and benefits of spouses, a State Department official told the Blade on Monday. Parallel to that, and based on the principle of reciprocity, under which our current policy is based, the department will likewise require that, as a general matter, officials from other governments be married to enjoy the rights and benefits of spouses for purposes of visa issuance and privileges and immunities. We will continue to rely on modified principles of reciprocity to advocate for equality in countries which will not permit same sex marriage or accept our same sex spouses as persons forming part of the family of the US officer, with appropriate privileges and immunities, added the official. Nam questioned the officials statement about principles of reciprocity. If the principle of reciprocity is also applied to visas for spouses of U.N. employees, then same-sex couples working for the U.N. in the United States from countries that that do not recognize their same-sex unions would also not be welcome in the United States, Nam told the Blade. They would have no choice but to either leave the country, or live apart. Same-sex spouses from the wrong countries could face enormous constraints to be able to live together in the United States, he added. The State Department official reiterated the policy in a follow-up email to the Blade on Tuesday. Starting Oct. 1, 2018, members of the U.S. Foreign Service must be married to enjoy the rights and benefits of spouses, said the official. This is based on changes to U.S. law recognizing same-sex marriages. Therefore, the Department will likewise require that, as a general matter, officials from other governments and international organizations be married to enjoy the rights and benefits of spouses for purposes of visa issuance and privileges and immunities. In order for opposite sex couples to enjoy the benefits and privileges of a diplomatic spouse, they must be married, added the official. The same is now true for same sex couples. The official also told the Blade the change in policy is to promote fairness among all of our diplomats so that all spouses can be recognized as such and receive appropriate privileges and immunities for which they are eligible. With this decision, the U.S. State Department is imposing the standard of marriage over all other forms of legal unions, said Nam. This will have a negative impact on same-sex couples working for the U.N. who already face limited choices when it comes to being able to get married. 5 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Metro Bank in the last year. There are currently 2 sell ratings and 3 hold ratings for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" Metro Bank stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in MBNKF, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for Metro Bank or view top-rated stocks. Bank of Montreal provides diversified financial services primarily in North America. The company's personal banking products and services include checking and savings accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and financial and investment advice services; and commercial banking products and services comprise business deposit accounts, commercial credit cards, business loans and commercial mortgages, cash management solutions, foreign exchange, specialized banking programs, treasury and payment solutions, and risk management products for small business and commercial banking customers. It also offers investment and wealth advisory services; digital investing services; financial services and solutions; and investment management, and trust and custody services to institutional, retail, and high net worth investors. In addition, the company provides life insurance, accident and sickness insurance, and annuity products; creditor and travel insurance to bank customers; and reinsurance solutions. Further, it offers client's debt and equity capital-raising services, as well as loan origination and syndication, balance sheet management, and treasury management; strategic advice on mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, and recapitalizations, as well as valuation and fairness opinions; and trade finance, risk mitigation, and other operating services. Additionally, the company provides research and access to markets for institutional, corporate, and retail clients; trading solutions that include debt, foreign exchange, interest rate, credit, equity, securitization and commodities; new product development and origination services, as well as risk management advice and services to hedge against fluctuations; and funding and liquidity management services to its clients. It operates through approximately 1,400 bank branches and 4,800 automated banking machines in Canada and the United States. The company was founded in 1817 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More (CNN) India's top court has abolished a colonial-era law criminalizing extramarital sex, in a landmark ruling campaigners have hailed as a victory for women's rights. Under the 158-year-old adultery law, known as Section 497, a man could be imprisoned for up to five years for engaging in sexual relations with a married woman without the consent of her husband. The Supreme Court struck down the law Thursday, ruling it retrograde and discriminatory toward women. "It's time to say that (a) husband is not the master of (his) wife," Chief Justice Dipak Misra read out from the judgment. "Legal sovereignty of one sex over the other sex is wrong." The five-judge bench was unanimous in its decision, declaring the law a clear violation of the fundamental rights granted in the constitution. The law allowed a husband to prosecute any man who engaged in sexual relations with his wife. In addition, it prevented a wife from prosecuting either her husband or woman in which he was engaged in extramarital relations. "You exact fidelity from a woman but not from a man?" asked Justice D. Y. Chandrachud during the four-day long hearing. The petition was brought by Kerala native Joseph Shine, who had urged the top court to reexamine the validity of Section 497, owing to its implied gender bias. "It is a big victory for women's status and position within marriage and within families" said Jayna Kothari, an attorney and the executive director of the Center for Law and Policy Research in Bangalore. "The adultery offense was used really as a threat against women by their husbands," she said, adding that it was mainly used where marriages had already broken down and partners moved on. Data showing the number of men prosecuted under Section 497 is not available. 'Sanctity of marriage' The controversial law had long been championed by family rights campaigners, who argued that it was necessary to preserve social stability. The Indian government, a coalition led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, had supported adultery remaining a criminal offense, suggesting that rather than scrapping the law, it was amended to be gender neutral, with equal punishment for both men and women. However, in its ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed concerns that the abolition of the law would result in higher rates of infidelity. "Each partner to a marriage is equally responsible to keep the sanctity of marriage intact," said the ruling. "Section 497 destroys and deprives women of dignity and is destructive of women's dignity, self-respect as it treats women as chattel." In a statement posted to social media, opposition Congress Party MP and president of the Party's Women's Wing, Sushmita Dev, described the ruling as an "excellent decision." "A law that does not give women the right to sue her adulterer husband and can't be herself sued if she commits adultery is unequal treatment and militates against her status as an individual separate entity." It is the second ruling favoring sexual liberation in India this month following the repeal of Section 377, a colonial-era law criminalizing consensual gay sex. The law penalized intercourse "against the order of nature" and had carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The decision to repeal the law was seen as a major victory for India's LGBT activists and supporters after years of determined struggle. Industria de Diseno Textil SA, known as Inditex SA, is a Spain-based company primarily engaged in the textile industry. The Company's activities include the design, confection, manufacturing, distribution and retail of men, women and children apparel, footwear and fashion accessories, as well as home furnishings and household textile products. The Company's business is divided into three segments: Zara, which provides various fashion and home items under the Zara brand name; Bershka, offering clothes under the Bershka brand name, which aims at teenagers, and Other, which retails apparel under Stradivarius, Oysho, Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti brand names, among others. The Company operates worldwide through numerous subsidiaries. It is controlled by Pontegadea Inversiones SL. Read More Invesco CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust's stock was trading at $64.89 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, FXA stock has increased by 12.2% and is now trading at $72.8370. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Ivanhoe Mines has only been the subject of 2 research reports in the past 90 days. According to analysts' consensus price target of $11.75, Ivanhoe Mines has a forecasted upside of 40.9% from its current price of $8.34. Ivanhoe Mines has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.83, and is based on 5 buy ratings, 1 hold rating, and no sell ratings. 4.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes Ivanhoe Mines has received 119 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Ivanhoe Mines has received 42 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Ivanhoe Mines has received 73.91% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Ivanhoe Mines and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe IVPAF will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe IVPAF will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Artist's conception shows magnetic field lines around neutron star, accretion disk of material orbiting the neutron star, and jets of material propelled outward. Astronomers using the National Science Foundation's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) have discovered a fast-moving jet of material propelled outward from a type of neutron star previously thought incapable of launching such a jet. The discovery, the scientists said, requires them to fundamentally revise their ideas about how such jets originate. Neutron stars are superdense objects, the remnants of massive stars that exploded as supernovas. When in binary pairs with "normal" stars, their powerful gravity can pull material away from their companions. That material forms a disk, called an accretion disk, rotating around the neutron star. Jets of material are propelled at nearly the speed of light, perpendicular to the disk. "We've seen jets coming from all types of neutron stars that are pulling material from their companions, with a single exception. Never before have we seen a jet coming from a neutron star with a very strong magnetic field," said Jakob van den Eijnden of the University of Amsterdam. "That led to a theory that strong magnetic fields prevent jets from forming," he added. The new discovery contradicts that theory. The scientists studied an object called Swift J0243.6+6124 (Sw J0243), discovered on October 3, 2017, by NASA's orbiting Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, when the object emitted a burst of X-rays. The object is a slowly-spinning neutron star pulling material from a companion star that is likely significantly more massive than the Sun. The VLA observations began a week after the Swift discovery and continued until January 2018. Both the fact that the object's emission at X-ray and radio wavelengths weakened together over time and the characteristics of the radio emission itself convinced the astronomers that they were seeing radio waves produced by a jet. "This combination is what we see in other jet-producing systems. Alternative mechanisms just don't explain it," van den Eijnden said. Common theories for jet formation in systems like Sw J0243 say the jets are launched by magnetic field lines anchored in the inner parts of the accretion disks. In this scenario, if the neutron star has a very strong magnetic field, that field is overpowering and prevents the jet from forming. "Our clear discovery of a jet in Sw J0243 disproves that longstanding idea," van den Eijnden said. Alternatively, the scientists suggest that Sw J0243's jet-launching region of the accretion disk could be much farther out than in other types of systems, where the star's magnetic field is weaker. Another idea, they said, is that the jets may be powered by the neutron star's rotation, instead of being launched by magnetic field lines in the inner accretion disk. "Interestingly, the rotation-powered idea predicts that the jet will be significantly weaker from more slowly rotating neutron stars, which is exactly what we see in Sw J0243," Nathalie Degenaar, also of the University of Amsterdam, said. The new discovery also implies that Sw J0243 may represent a large group of objects whose radio emission has been too weak to detect until new capabilities provided by the VLA's major upgrade, completed in 2012, were available. If more such objects are found, the scientists said, they could test the idea that jets are produced by the neutron star's spin. The astronomers added that a jet from SwJ0243 may mean that another category of objects, called ultra-luminous X-ray pulsars, also highly magnetized, might produce jets. "This discovery not only means we have to revise our ideas about jets from such systems, but also opens up exciting new areas of research," Degenaar said. Reference: Van den Eijnden, Degenaar, and their colleagues are reporting their discovery in the journal Nature [https://www.nature.com]. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Nuveen Mortgage and Income Fund is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments, Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC, Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, and Wellington Management Company LLP. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund invests in undervalued mortgage-backed securities consisting primarily of non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and commercial mortgage-backed securities with a favorable total return potential. It seeks to invest in below investment grade securities. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a focus on bottom-up stock picking approach based on rigorous analysis of the credit performance of the mortgage loan portfolios underlying the MBS, security structure characteristics such as the priority of payment, credit enhancement and default patterns of underlying loans, and the relative financial strength of the mortgage loan servicer to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. It was formerly known as Nuveen Mortgage Opportunity Term Fund. Nuveen Mortgage and Income Fund was formed on September 10, 2009 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. 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Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Procter & Gamble: "Procter & Gamble Services" LLC, "Procter & Gamble" LLC, Agile Pursuits, Agile Pursuits Franchising, Arbora, Arbora & Ausonia, Arborinvest, Billie, Braun (Shanghai) Co., Braun GmbH, Braun-Gillette Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG, Celtic Insurance Company, Compania Procter & Gamble Mexico, Compania Quimica S.A., Corporativo Procter & Gamble, Cosmetic Products Pty. Ltd., Detergent Products B.V., Detergent Products SARL, Detergenti S.A., Eurocos Cosmetic GmbH, FPG Oleochemicals Sdn. Bhd., Fameccanica Data S.p.A., Fameccanica Industria e Comercio Do Brasil LTDA., Fameccanica Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Fater S.p.A., Fountain Square Music Publishing Co., Gillette (China) Ltd., Gillette (Shanghai) Ltd., Gillette Aesop Ltd., Gillette Australia Pty. Ltd., Gillette Canada Holdings, Gillette Commercial Operations North America, Gillette Diversified Operations Pvt. Ltd., Gillette Egypt S.A.E., Gillette Group UK Ltd, Gillette Gruppe Deutschland GmbH & Co. oHG, Gillette Holding Company LLC, Gillette Holding GmbH, Gillette India Limited, Gillette Industries Ltd., Gillette International B.V., Gillette Latin America Holding B.V., Gillette Management LLC, Gillette Nova Scotia Company, Gillette Pakistan Limited, Gillette Poland International Sp. z.o.o., Gillette Poland S.A., Gillette U.K. Limited, Gillette del Uruguay, Giorgio Beverly Hills Inc., Hyginett KFT, Industries Marocaines Modernes SA, LLC "Procter & Gamble Novomoskovsk", LLL "Procter & Gamble Distributorskaya Compania", Laboratorios Vicks, Liberty Street Music Publishing Company, Limited Liability Company 'Procter & Gamble Trading Ukraine', Limited Liability Company with foreign investments Procter & and Gamble Ukraine, MDVIP, MERCK KGAA NPV, Marcvenca Inversiones, Modern Industries Company - Dammam, Modern Products Company - Jeddah, New Chapter, New Chapter Canada Inc., Olay LLC, Oral-B Laboratories, P&G Distribution Morocco SAS, P&G Hair Care Holding, P&G Industrial Peru S.R.L., P&G Innovation Godo Kaisha, P&G Israel M.D.O. Ltd., P&G K.K., P&G Northeast Asia Pte. Ltd., P&G Prestige Godo Kaisha, P&G Prestige Service GmbH, P&G South African Trading (Pty.) Ltd., PGT Health Care (Zhejiang) Limited, PGT Healthcare LLP, PPI ZAO, PT Procter & Gamble Home Products Indonesia, PT Procter & Gamble Operations Indonesia, Phase II Holdings Corporation, Procter & Gamble (Chengdu) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (China) Sales Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (East Africa) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Egypt) Manufacturing Company, Procter & Gamble (Enterprise Fund) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Consumer Products Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Enterprise Management Service Company Limited, Procter & Gamble (Guangzhou) Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Health & Beauty Care) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Jiangsu) Ltd. China, Procter & Gamble (L&CP) Limited, Procter & Gamble (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Procter & Gamble (Manufacturing) Ireland Limited, Procter & Gamble (Shanghai) International Trade Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Acquisition GmbH, Procter & Gamble Administration GmbH, Procter & Gamble Algeria EURL, Procter & Gamble Amazon Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Amiens S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Argentina SRL, Procter & Gamble Asia Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Australia Proprietary Limited, Procter & Gamble Azerbaijan Services LLC, Procter & Gamble Bangladesh Private Ltd., Procter & Gamble Blois S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Brazil Holdings B.V., Procter & Gamble Bulgaria EOOD, Procter & Gamble Business Services Canada Company, Procter & Gamble Canada Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Chile , Procter & Gamble Chile Limitada, Procter & Gamble Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Commercial LLC, Procter & Gamble Commercial de Cuba S.A., Procter & Gamble Czech Republic s.r.o., Procter & Gamble DS Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Danmark ApS, Procter & Gamble Detergent (Beijing) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Deuttschland GmbH, Procter & Gamble Distributing (Philippines) Inc., Procter & Gamble Distributing New Zealand Limited, Procter & Gamble Distribution Company (Europe) BVBA, Procter & Gamble Distribution S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Procter & Gamble Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Procter & Gamble Egypt, Procter & Gamble Egypt Distribution, Procter & Gamble Egypt Holding, Procter & Gamble Egypt Supplies, Procter & Gamble Energy Company LLC, Procter & Gamble Espana, Procter & Gamble Europe SA, Procter & Gamble Export Operations SARL, Procter & Gamble Exportadora e Importadora Ltda., Procter & Gamble Exports, Procter & Gamble Fabricacao e Comercio Ltda., Procter & Gamble Far East, Procter & Gamble Finance (U.K.) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Holding Ltd., Procter & Gamble Finance Management S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Financial Investments LLP, Procter & Gamble Financial Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Financial Services S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Finland OY, Procter & Gamble France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH, Procter & Gamble Germany GmbH & Co. Operations oHG, Procter & Gamble GmbH, Procter & Gamble Grundstucks-und Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Procter & Gamble Gulf FZE, Procter & Gamble Hair Care, Procter & Gamble Hellas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Holding (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Holding France S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Holding GmbH, Procter & Gamble Holding S.r.l., Procter & Gamble Holdings (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Home Products Private Limited, Procter & Gamble Hong Kong Limited, Procter & Gamble Hungary Wholesale Trading Partnership (KKT), Procter & Gamble Hygiene & Health Care Limited, Procter & Gamble Inc., Procter & Gamble India Holdings, Procter & Gamble Indochina Limited Company, Procter & Gamble Industrial - 2012 C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial Colombia Ltda., Procter & Gamble Industrial S.C.A., Procter & Gamble Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Costa Rica, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Guatemala, Procter & Gamble Interamericas de Panama, Procter & Gamble International Operations Pte. Ltd., Procter & Gamble International Operations SA, Procter & Gamble International Operations SA-ROHQ, Procter & Gamble International S.a.r.l., Procter & Gamble Investment Company (UK) Ltd., Procter & Gamble Investment GmbH, Procter & Gamble Italia, Procter & Gamble Japan K.K., Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan Distribution LLP, Procter & Gamble Kazakhstan LLP, Procter & Gamble Korea, Procter & Gamble Korea S&D Co., Procter & Gamble Lanka Private Ltd. Sri Lanka, Procter & Gamble Leasing LLC, Procter & Gamble Levant S.A.L., Procter & Gamble Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Belgium N.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Berlin GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing GmbH, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Procter & Gamble Manufacturing SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Marketing Romania SRL, Procter & Gamble Marketing and Services doo, Procter & Gamble Maroc SA, Procter & Gamble Mataro, Procter & Gamble Mexico Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Mexico Inc., Procter & Gamble Middle East FZE, Procter & Gamble Nederland B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Investments B.V., Procter & Gamble Netherlands Services B.V., Procter & Gamble Nigeria Limited, Procter & Gamble Nordic, Procter & Gamble Norge AS, Procter & Gamble Operations Polska Sp. z o.o., Procter & Gamble Overseas India B.V., Procter & Gamble Overseas Ltd., Procter & Gamble Pakistan (Private) Limited, Procter & Gamble Partnership LLP, Procter & Gamble Peru S.R.L., Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals France SAS, Procter & Gamble Philippines, Procter & Gamble Polska Sp. z o.o, Procter & Gamble Portugal - Produtos De Consumo, Procter & Gamble Product Supply (U.K.) Limited U.K., Procter & Gamble Production GmbH, Procter & Gamble Productions, Procter & Gamble Productos de Consumo, Procter & Gamble RHD, Procter & Gamble RSC Regional Service Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Retail Services BVBA, Procter & Gamble S.r.l., Procter & Gamble SA (Pty) Ltd, Procter & Gamble Satis ve Dagitim Ltd. Sti., Procter & Gamble Seine S.A.S., Procter & Gamble Service GmbH, Procter & Gamble Services (Switzerland) SA, Procter & Gamble Services Company N.V., Procter & Gamble Services Ltd., Procter & Gamble Share Incentive Plan Trustee Ltd., Procter & Gamble South America Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Spol. s.r.o. (Ltd.), Procter & Gamble Sports and Social Club Ltd., Procter & Gamble Sverige AB, Procter & Gamble Switzerland SARL, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Limited, Procter & Gamble Taiwan Sales Company Limited, Procter & Gamble Technical Centres Limited, Procter & Gamble Technology (Beijing) Co., Procter & Gamble Trading (Thailand) Limited, Procter & Gamble Tuketim Mallari Sanayii A.S., Procter & Gamble UK, Procter & Gamble UK Group Holdings Ltd, Procter & Gamble UK Parent Company Ltd., Procter & Gamble Universal Holding B.V., Procter & Gamble Verwaltungs GmbH, Procter & Gamble Vietnam, Procter & Gamble d.o.o. za trgovinu, Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.C.A., Procter & Gamble de Venezuela S.R.L., Procter & Gamble do Brasil S/A, Procter & Gamble do Brazil, Procter & Gamble do Nordeste S/A, Procter & Gamble-Rakona s.r.o., Progam Realty & Development Corporation, Redmond Products, Richardson-Vicks Real Estate Inc., Richardson-Vicks do Brasil Quimica e Farmaceutica Ltda, Riverfront Music Publishing Co., Rosemount LLC, SPD Development Company Limited, SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH, Scannon S.A.S., Series Acquisition B.V., Shulton, Surfac S.R.L., Sycamore Productions, TAOS - FL, TAOS Retail, Tambrands Inc., Temple Trees Impex & Investment Private Limited, The Art of Shaving - FL, The Dover Wipes Company, The Gillette Company, The Gillette Company LLC, The Gillette co., The Procter & Gamble Distributing LLC, The Procter & Gamble GBS Company, The Procter & Gamble Global Finance Company, The Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Company, The Procter & Gamble Paper Products Company, The Procter & Gamble U.S. Business Services Company, This is L., US CD LLC, Vidal Sassoon (Shanghai) Academy, Vidal Sassoon Co., WEBA Betriebsrenten-Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Walker & Company Brands, and iMFLUX Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of EnerSys: ABSL Power Solutions Inc., ABSL Power Solutions Ltd., Acumuladores Industriales EnerSys SA, Alpha Alternative Energy Inc., Alpha Broadband Services Inc., Alpha Innovations Industria e Comercio de Produtos Eletronicos Ltda., Alpha Innovations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Alpha Mexico Network Power S.A. de C.V., Alpha Tech Energy Solutions India Private Limited, Alpha Technical Services Ltd., Alpha Technologies Ltd., Alpha Technologies Pty. Ltd., Alpha Technologies Services Inc., Alphatec Technologies (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Argus Research Ltd., Batterias Hawker de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Battery Power International Pte Ltd., Coppervale Enterprises Inc., DCPM Engineering Sdn Bhd, EH Batterien AG, EH Europe GmbH, EH Global Holdings GmbH, EH Swiss Holdings GmbH, ENAS Industrial Batteries Morocco Sarl, EnerSys (Chaozhou) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (China) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Chongqing) Huada Batteries Company Limited, EnerSys (Jiangsu) Huada Batteries Company Limited (94.7%) *, EnerSys (Luxembourg) Finance Sarl, EnerSys (Yangzhou) Huada Batteries Co. Ltd., EnerSys A/S, EnerSys AB, EnerSys AD, EnerSys AE, EnerSys AS, EnerSys Advanced Systems Inc., EnerSys Argentina S.A., EnerSys Asia Limited, EnerSys Australia Pty Ltd., EnerSys BV, EnerSys BVBA, EnerSys Battery Private Limited, EnerSys Brasil Ltda., EnerSys Bulgaria EOOD, EnerSys Canada Inc., EnerSys Capital Inc., EnerSys Cayman Euro L.P., EnerSys Cayman Holdings L.P., EnerSys Cayman Inc., EnerSys Delaware Inc., EnerSys Delaware LLC I, EnerSys Delaware LLC II, EnerSys Delaware LLC III, EnerSys Delaware LLC IV, EnerSys Delaware LLC V, EnerSys Energy Products Inc., EnerSys Europe Oy, EnerSys European Holding Co., EnerSys GmbH, EnerSys Holdings (Luxembourg) Sarl, EnerSys Holdings UK Ltd., EnerSys Hungaria Kft., EnerSys India Batteries Private Ltd., EnerSys JSC, EnerSys LLC, EnerSys Ltd., EnerSys Malaysia Sdn Bhd, EnerSys Mexico Holdings LLC, EnerSys Mexico Management LLC, EnerSys Participacoes Ltda., EnerSys Reserve Power Pte. Ltd., EnerSys S.r.l., EnerSys SARL, EnerSys SNC, EnerSys South East Asia Pte. Ltd., EnerSys de Mexico II S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys de Mexico S de R.L. de CV, EnerSys s.r.o., EnerSys sp. z o.o., EnerSystem Chile Ltda., Enersys Aku Sanaya Dis Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Esfinco LLC, Hawker GmbH, Hawker Power Systems Inc., Hawker Powersource Inc., Hawker Systems GmbH & Co. KG., ICS Industries Pty Ltd, ICS Industries Pty Ltd., ICS Sheet Metal Pty Ltd., Industrial Battery Holding Ltda., International Communication Shelters Australasia Pty Ltd., Lancord Pty Ltd., Lenmic Pty Ltd., MIB Energy Sdn Bhd, N Holding AB, National Infrastructure Pty Ltd., National Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd., NaviSemi Energy Pte Ltd., NaviSemi Inc., New Pacifico Realty Inc., NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery Company LLC, NorthStar Battery DMCC, Outback Power Technologies Inc., Powercom (NSW) Pty Ltd., Powersonic S de R.L. de CV, Purcell Systems, Purcell Systems Inc., Purcell Systems International AB, Quallion LLC, Riverfront Holding S. de R.L. de C.V., Shenzhen Huada Power Supply Mechanical & Electrical Co. Ltd. , SiteTel Shanghai Co Ltd., SiteTel Sweden AB, Telecomponents & Supply (Hong Kong) Ltd., The Enser Corporation, UTS Holdings Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (JB) Sdn Bhd, UTS Technology (PG) Sdn Bhd, YCI Inc., and Yecoltd S. de R.L. de CV. In this false-color infrared view of Maui, the large sugar plantations that dominate the agriculture of that island can be seen in bright green at the narrowest part of the island, wedged in the lowlands between the mountains of Pu'u Kukui on the east and Haleakala in the west. Farmers have always looked to the weather and the progress of their crops to try to predict how the harvest will go, but a new tool uses NASA satellite imagery to take the predictions to a whole new level -- to near-perfect, in fact. "What distinguishes us is, we're taking the meteorological data and building models that are in some senses similar to more traditional crop forecasting models, but we're adding the dimension of the space-based observation," explains TellusLabs cofounder Mark Freidl. In its first year, the beta version of TellusLabs' Kernel consistently predicted final 2016 yields on U.S. corn and soy crops ahead of all publicly available in-season forecasts, the company says. And it wasn't just first, it was also right. Months before harvest, Kernel's projections were all within 1 percent of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's actual reported yields, predicting 173.1 bushels per acre, compared to the actual 174.6 bushels per acre. So, How Does it Work? NASA has been taking pictures of Earth from space for as long as the space agency has been around -- but the earliest grainy pictures of Earth from space come from before the agency was even founded. In 1946, a team of scientists and soldiers launched a rocket from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico equipped with a camera set to snap frames every 1.5 seconds. When NASA was established a dozen years later, it almost immediately began snapping more photos of Earth. These early images are said to have been the inspiration for the Landsat program, which, in 1972 launched the first satellite designed specifically to observe and collect data about Earth's land surface. It was followed by numerous successors, including most recently Landsat 8, a NASA collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that collects data in more spectral bands than ever before. That satellite, now operated by USGS, captures images of the entire planet every 16 days, offset eight days from Landsat 7, which has been in operation since 1999. NASA's Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments, two of which now orbit Earth on separate satellites, also provide high-quality Earth images, covering the entire planet every one to two days and acquiring data in 36 spectral bands. The Big Picture The huge trove of data from these decades of Earth-observing missions aren't just for NASA researchers. The agency also makes the information available to the public. In 2013, NASA teamed up with Amazon Web Services to make the sharing even easier. "They're hosting the data because they know people will use it," Freidl says. The remote sensing scientist, who works in Boston University's Earth and Environment Department in addition to his work at TellusLabs, is one of those people. His academic work -- often involving or funded by NASA -- has included mapping global land cover and seasonal variability in growth using MODIS and Landsat imagery. "This is incredibly valuable data NASA has been collecting over the years, certainly for science but also for a whole range of applications," he says. As the quality and capabilities of NASA's space instruments have improved and historical records continue to get longer, and as the tools to manipulate and analyze the images they capture get more powerful, "that has kind of put us in a different place than we were even five or 10 years ago with respect to these types of data and the types of things we can do with them," Freidl says. Knowing the Past to Model the Future During weekends, evenings and vacation, Freidl and TellusLabs cofounder David Potere built a crop-prediction model that combines current NASA and USGS data streams with historical data and then blends them with a variety of other data sources, including weather models. Within a year, TellusLabs already had more than 600 subscribers from a wide range of fields. The key groups, the company says, are large institutional investors, individual investors and advisors, and a variety of organizations engaged up and down the agricultural value chain, as well as individual farmers and farming consortia. "Our thesis right now is that there's a lot of value in the really high-quality measurements that the space agency missions provide," Friedl says. NASA has a long history of transferring technology to the private sector. Each year, the agency's Spinoff publication profiles about 50 NASA technologies that have transformed into commercial products and services, demonstrating the wider benefits of America's investment in its space program. Spinoff is a publication of the Technology Transfer Program in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Saga plc provides general insurance, package and cruise holidays, and personal finance products and services in the United Kingdom. The company operates in three segments: Insurance, Travel, and Other Businesses and Central Costs. It offers car, home, health, travel, landlord, boat, motorhome, caravan, pet, and personal accident, breakdown cover, building, content, renter, holiday, and holiday home insurance. The company also operates and delivers package tours and cruise holiday products; and provides equity release and care funding advice, savings accounts, credit cards, and wealth management services, as well as shares ISA and share dealing services. In addition, it offers mailing house services; retirement benefit schemes; and publishes Saga Magazine, as well as repairs automotive vehicles. The company was formerly known as Saga Limited and changed its name to Saga plc in May 2014. Saga plc was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Folkestone, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Tenet Healthcare: 1 Subsidiaries of this entity in which Tenet Healthcare Corporation directly and indirectly held a 95% ownership interest at December 31 2020 are set forth in the table below., 25 East Same Day Surgery L.L.C., 300 PBL Development LLC, 45th Street MOB LLC, 601 N 30th Street I L.L.C., 601 N 30th Street II L.L.C., 601 N 30th Street III Inc., AHM Acquisition Co. Inc., AIG Holdings LLC, AIGB Global LLC, AIGB Group Inc., AIGB Holdings Inc., AIGB Management Services LLC, AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #1 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #2 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #3 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #4 L.L.C., AMC/North Fulton Urgent Care #5 L.L.C., AMI Information Systems Group Inc., AMI/HTI Tarzana Encino Joint Venture, APN, ARC Worcester Center L.P., ASC Old Co. LP, ASC of New Jersey LLC, ASJH Joint Venture LLC, Abrazo Health Network EP Clinical Services LLC, Abrazo Surgical Outpatient Center LLC, Advanced Ambulatory Surgical Care L.P., Advanced Center for Surgery Vero Beach LLC, Advanced Regional Surgery Center LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Metairie LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Sarasota LLC, Advanced Surgery Center of Tampa LLC, Advanced Surgical Care of St Louis LLC, Advanced Surgical Concepts LLC, Advantage Health Care Management Company LLC, Advantage Health Network Inc., AdventHealth Surgery Center Celebration LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Mills Park LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Wellswood LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Center Winter Garden LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Centers Central Florida LLC, AdventHealth Surgery Centers West Florida LLC, Adventist Midwest Health/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Alabama Cardiovascular Associates L.L.C., Alabama Digestive Health Endoscopy Center L.L.C., Alabama Hand and Sports Medicine L.L.C., Alamo Heights Surgicare L.P., All Star MOB LLC, Allegian Insurance Company, Alliance Surgery Birmingham LLC, Alliance Surgery Inc., Alvarado Hospital Medical Center Inc., Ambulatory Surgical Associates LLC, Ambulatory Surgical Center of Somerville LLC, American Institute of Gastric Banding Ltd., American Institute of Gastric Banding Phoenix Limited Partnership, American Medical (Central) Inc., Amisub (Heights) Inc., Amisub (Hilton Head) Inc., Amisub (North Ridge Hospital) Inc., Amisub (SFH) Inc., Amisub (Twelve Oaks) Inc., Amisub of California Inc., Amisub of North Carolina Inc., Amisub of South Carolina Inc., Amisub of Texas Inc., Anaheim Hills Medical Imaging L.L.C., Anaheim MRI Holding Inc., Anesthesia Partners of Gallatin LLC, Arizona Care Network Next L.L.C., Arizona Health Partners LLC, Arlington Orthopedic and Spine Hospital LLC, Arrowhead Endoscopy and Pain Management Center LLC, Asia Outsourcing US Inc., Aspen Healthcare, Atlanta Medical Center Inc., Atlanta Medical Center Interventional Neurology Associates L.L.C., Atlanta Medical Center Neurosurgical & Spine Specialists L.L.C., Atlanta Medical Center Physician Group L.L.C., Atlantic Coast Surgical Suites LLC, Atlantic Health-USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Avita/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., BBH BMC LLC, BBH CBMC LLC, BBH DevelopmentCo LLC, BBH Imaging Jasper LLC, BBH NP Clinicians Inc., BBH PBMC LLC, BBH SBMC LLC, BBH WBMC LLC, BCDC EmployeeCO LLC, BHC-Talladega Pediatrics LLC, BHS Accountable Care LLC, BHS Affinity LLC, BHS Integrated Physician Partners LLC, BHS Physician Performance Network LLC, BHS Physicians Alliance for ACE LLC, BHS Physicians Network Inc., BHS Specialty Network Inc., BT East Dallas JV LLP, BW Cardiology LLC, BW Cyberknife LLC, BW Hand Practice LLC, BW Office Buildings LLC, BW Parking Decks LLC, BW Physician Practices LLC, BW Retail Pharmacy LLC, BW Sports Practice LLC, Bagley Holdings LLC, Baptist Accountable Care LLC, Baptist Diagnostics LLC, Baptist Health Centers LLC, Baptist Physician Alliance ACO LLC, Baptist Physician Alliance LLC, Baptist Plaza Surgicare L.P., Baptist Surgery Center L.P., Baptist Womens Health Center LLC, Baptist/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Bartlett ASC LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Baylor Plano LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Blue Star LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Granbury LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Mansfield LLC, Baylor Surgicare at North Dallas LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Plano LLC, Baylor Surgicare at Plano Parkway LLC, Bear Creek Surgery Center LLC, Beaumont Surgical Affiliates Ltd., Bellaire Outpatient Surgery Center L.L.P., Berkshire Eye LLC, Bloomington ASC LLC, Blue Ridge/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Bluffton Okatie Primary Care L.L.C., Bluffton Okatie Surgery Center L.L.C., Bon Secours Surgery Center at Harbour View LLC, Bon Secours Surgery Center at Virginia Beach LLC, Bozeman Health/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Bozeman MOB LLC, Briarcliff Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Bristol Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Broad River Primary Care L.L.C., Brookwood - Maternal Fetal Medicine L.L.C., Brookwood Ancillary Holdings Inc., Brookwood Baptist Health 1 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Health 2 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Health 3 LLC, Brookwood Baptist Imaging LLC, Brookwood Center Development Corporation, Brookwood Development Inc., Brookwood Diagnostic Imaging Center LLC, Brookwood Garages L.L.C., Brookwood Health Services Inc., Brookwood Home Health LLC, Brookwood Occupational Health Clinic L.L.C., Brookwood Parking Associates Ltd., Brookwood Primary Care - Homewood L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care - Inverness L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care - Mountain Brook L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care - Oak Mountain L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care - Vestavia L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Cahaba Heights L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care Hoover L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Care The Narrows L.L.C., Brookwood Primary Network Care Inc., Brookwood Specialty Care - Endocrinology L.L.C., Brookwood Sports and Orthopedics L.L.C., Brookwood Womens Care L.L.C., Brookwood Womens Diagnostic Center LLC, C7 Technologies LLC, CGH Hospital Ltd., CHIC/USP Surgery Centers LLC, CHN Holdings LLC, CHRISTUS Cabrini Surgery Center L.L.C., CHVI Tucson Holdings LLC, CML-Chicago Market Labs Inc., CRNAs of Michigan, CS/USP General Partner LLC, CS/USP Surgery Centers LP, California Joint & Spine LLC, Camp Creek Urgent Care L.L.C., Camp Lowell Surgery Center L.L.C., Captive Insurance Services Inc., Cardiology Physicians Associates L.L.C., Cardiology Physicians Corporation L.L.C., Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Associates L.L.C., Cardiovascular Clinical Excellence at Sierra Providence LLC, CareSpot of Austin LLC, CareSpot of Memphis LLC, CareSpot of Orlando/HSI Urgent Care LLC, Carmel Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Carondelet St. Marys-Northwest L.L.C., Cascade Spine Center LLC, Castle Rock Surgery Center LLC, Catawba-Piedmont Cardiothoracic Surgery L.L.C., Cedar Hill Primary Care L.L.C., Cedar Park Surgery Center L.L.P., Centennial ASC LLC, Center for Advanced Research Excellence L.L.C., Center for the Urban Child Inc., Central California Healthcare Holdings LLC, Central Carolina Physicians - Sandhills L.L.C., Central Carolina-IMA L.L.C., Central Jersey Surgery Center LLC, Central Texas Corridor Hospital Company LLC, Central Valley Quality Alliance LLC, Central Virginia Surgi-Center L.P., Centura Ventures Surgery Centers LLC, Centura/USP Colorado Springs Surgery Centers L.L.C., Chalon Living Inc., Chandler Endoscopy Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Charlotte Endoscopic Surgery Center LLC, Chattanooga Pain Management Center LLC, Chesterfield Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Chesterfield Anesthesia Associates of Missouri LLC, Chico Surgery Center L.P., Childrens Hospital of Michigan Premier Network Inc., Citrus Heights ASC RE LLC, Clarkston ASC Partners LLC, Clarksville Surgery Center LLC, Coast Healthcare Management LLC, Coast Surgery Center L.P., Coastal Carolina Medical Center, Coastal Carolina Medical Center Inc., Coastal Carolina Physician Practices LLC, Coastal Carolina Pro Fee Billing L.L.C., Coastal Endo LLC, Colorado GI Centers LLC, Commonwealth Continental Health Care Inc., Community Connection Health Plan Inc., Community Hospital LLC, Community Hospital of Los Gatos Inc., Conifer Care Continuum Solutions LLC, Conifer Ethics and Compliance Inc., Conifer Global Business Center Inc., Conifer Global Holdings Inc., Conifer Health Solutions LLC, Conifer Holdings Inc., Conifer Patient Communications LLC, Conifer Physician Services Holdings Inc., Conifer Physician Services Inc., Conifer Revenue Cycle Solutions LLC, Conifer Value-Based Care LLC, Conroe Surgery Center 2 LLC, Coral Gables Hospital Inc., Coral Ridge Outpatient Center LLC, Corpus Christi Surgicare Ltd., Covenant/USP Surgery Centers LLC, CreAtiv Management Company Inc., Creekwood Investors LLC, Creekwood Surgery Center L.P., Crown Point Surgery Center LLC, DH/USP SJOSC Investment Company L.L.C., DH/USP Sacramento Pain GP LLC, DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital Premier Clinical Co-Management Services LLC, DMC Education & Research, DMC Harper University Hospital Premier Clinical Co-Management Services LLC, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Premier Clinical Management Services LLC, DMC Imaging L.L.C., Dallas Surgical Partners LLC, DeTar/USP Surgery Center LLC, Delray Beach ASC LLC, Delray Medical Center Inc., Delray Medical Physician Services L.L.C., Denton Surgicare Partners Ltd., Denton Surgicare Real Estate Ltd., Denville Surgery Center LLC, Des Peres Physician Network LLC, Desert Cove MOB LLC, Desert Regional Medical Center Inc., Desert Ridge Outpatient Surgery LLC, Desoto Surgicare Partners Ltd., Destin ASC RE LLC, Destin Surgery Center LLC, Detroit Education & Research, DigitalMed Inc., Dignity/Abrazo Health Network LLC, Dignity/USP Folsom GP LLC, Dignity/USP Grass Valley GP LLC, Dignity/USP Las Vegas Surgery Centers LLC, Dignity/USP Metro Surgery Center LLC, Dignity/USP NorCal Surgery Centers LLC, Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers II LLC, Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers LLC, Dignity/USP Redding GP LLC, Dignity/USP Roseville GP LLC, Dignity/USP/John Muir East Bay Surgery Centers LLC, Doctors Hospital of Manteca Inc., Doctors Medical Center Neurosciences Clinical Co-Management LLC, Doctors Medical Center Orthopedics Clinical Co-Management LLC, Doctors Medical Center of Modesto Inc., Doctors Outpatient Center for Surgery LLC, Doctors Outpatient Surgery Center of Jupiter L.L.C., EPHC Inc., EPIC ASC LLC, East Atlanta Endoscopy Centers LLC, East Cobb Urgent Care LLC, East Cooper Coastal Family Physicians L.L.C., East Cooper Community Hospital Inc., East Cooper Hyperbarics L.L.C., East Cooper OB/GYN L.L.C., East Cooper Physician Network LLC, East Cooper Primary Care Physicians L.L.C., East Portland Surgery Center LLC, East West Surgery Center L.P., Eastgate Building Center L.L.C., Effingham Surgical Partners LLC, Einstein Montgomery Surgery Center LLC, Einstein/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., El Mirador Surgery Center L.L.C., El Paso Center for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy LLC, El Paso Day Surgery LLC, El Paso Urology Surgery Center Curie LLC, Emanate/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Emanuel Medical Center, Emerson Surgery Center LLC, Encinitas Endoscopy Center LLC, Endoscopy Center of Hackensack LLC, Endoscopy Center of South Sacramento LLC, Endoscopy Consultants LLC, European Surgical Partners Ltd., Eye Center of Nashville UAP LLC, Eye Surgery Center of Nashville LLC, FMC Medical Inc., FMCC Network Contracting L.L.C., FPN Frisco Physicians Network, FREH Real Estate L.L.C., FRS Imaging Services L.L.C., FSC Hospital LLC, FSH IT Services LP, First Choice Physician Partners, Flatirons Surgery Center LLC, Folsom Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Fort Bend Clinical Services Inc., Fort Worth Hospital Real Estate LP, Fort Worth Surgicare Partners Ltd., Foundation Bariatric Hospital of San Antonio LLC, Foundation San Antonio Borrower Sub LLC, Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and Medical Center, Fountain Valley Surgery Center LLC, Franklin Endo UAP LLC, Franklin Endoscopy Center LLC, Fresno Surgery Center L.P., Frisco Medical Center L.L.P., Frontenac Ambulatory Surgery & Spine Care Center L.P., Frye Regional Medical Center Inc., FryeCare Boone L.L.C., FryeCare Morganton L.L.C., FryeCare Physicians L.L.C., FryeCare Valdese L.L.C., FryeCare Watauga L.L.C., FryeCare Womens Services L.L.C., GCSA Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Gamma Surgery Center LLC, Gardendale Surgical Associates LLC, Garland Surgicare Partners Ltd., Gastric Health Institute L.L.C., Genesis ASC Partners LLC, Geneva Surgical Suites LLC, Georgia Endoscopy Center LLC, Georgia Gifts From Grace L.L.C., Georgia Musculoskeletal Network Inc., Georgia North Fulton Healthcare Associates L.L.C., Georgia Northside Ear Nose and Throat L.L.C., Georgia Physicians of Cardiology L.L.C., Georgia Spectrum Neurosurgical Specialists L.L.C., Georgia Spine Surgery Center LLC, Glen Echo Surgery Center LLC, Golden Ridge ASC LLC, Good Samaritan Medical Center Inc., Good Samaritan Surgery L.L.C., Grapevine Surgicare Partners Ltd., Grass Valley Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Graystone Family Healthcare - Tenet North Carolina L.L.C., Great Lakes Surgical Suites LLC, Greater Dallas Healthcare Enterprises, Greater Northwest Houston Enterprises, Greenville Physicians Surgery Center LLP, Greenwood ASC LLC, Greystone Internal Medicine - Brookwood L.L.C., Gulf Coast Community Hospital Inc., HCH Tucson Holdings LLC, HCN Emerus Management Sub LLC, HCN Emerus Texas LLC, HCN Laboratories Inc., HCN Physicians Inc., HCN Sunnyvale Holdings LLC, HCN Surgery Center Holdings Inc., HDMC Holdings L.L.C., HMA/Solantic Joint Venture LLC, HMH-USP Surgery Centers LLC, HMHP/USP Surgery Centers LLC, HNMC Inc., HNW GP Inc., HNW LP Inc., HPI Holdings LLC, HPI North LLC, HPI Physicians LLC, HSRM International Inc., HSS Palm Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, HSS/USP Surgery Center LLC, HUG Services Inc., HUMC/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Hacienda Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Hagerstown Surgery Center LLC, Hardeeville Medical Group L.L.C., Hardeeville Primary Care L.L.C., Harlingen Physician Network Inc., Harper-Hutzel AHP Services Inc., Harvard Park Surgery Center LLC, Haymarket Surgery Center LLC, Hazelwood Endoscopy Center LLC, Health & Wellness Surgery Center L.P., Health Horizons of Kansas City Inc., Health Horizons of Murfreesboro Inc., Health Horizons/Piedmont Joint Venture LLC, Health Services CFMC Inc., Health Services HNMC Inc., Health Services Network Care Inc., Health Services Network Hospitals Inc., Health Services Network Texas Inc., HealthCorp Network Inc., Healthcare Compliance LLC, Healthcare Network Alabama Inc., Healthcare Network CFMC Inc., Healthcare Network DPH Inc., Healthcare Network Georgia Inc., Healthcare Network Holdings Inc., Healthcare Network Hospitals (Dallas) Inc., Healthcare Network Hospitals Inc., Healthcare Network Louisiana Inc., Healthcare Network Missouri Inc., Healthcare Network North Carolina Inc., Healthcare Network South Carolina Inc., Healthcare Network Tennessee Inc., Healthcare Network Texas Inc., Healthcare Partners Investments LLC, Healthmark Partners Inc., Healthpoint of North Carolina L.L.C., Heart and Vascular Institute of Michigan, Heritage Park Surgical Hospital LLC, Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center L.P., Hialeah Hospital Inc., Hialeah Real Properties Inc., Hickory Family Practice Associates - Tenet North Carolina L.L.C., Hill Country ASC Partners LLC, Hill Country Surgery Center LLC, Hilton Head Health System L.P., Hilton Head Regional Healthcare L.L.C., Hilton Head Regional OB/GYN Partners L.L.C., Hilton Head Regional Physician Network LLC, Hilton Head Regional Physician Network Georgia L.L.C., Hinsdale Surgical Center LLC, Hitchcock State Street Real Estate Inc., Holston Valley Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Holy Cross Hospital Inc., Home Health Partners of San Antonio LLC, Hoover Doctors Group Inc., Hoover Land LLC, Horizon Ridge Surgery Center LLC, Hospital Development of West Phoenix Inc., Hospital RCM Services LLC, Hospital Underwriting Group Inc., Houston Northwest Partners Ltd., Houston PSC L.P., Houston Specialty Hospital Inc., Houston Sunrise Investors Inc., Hyde Park Surgery Center LLC, ICNU Rockford LLC, Imaging Center at Baxter Village L.L.C., InforMed Insurance Services LLC, Integris/USP Health Ventures LLC, International Health and Wellness Inc., Irving-Coppell Surgical Hospital L.L.P., JFK Memorial Hospital Inc., JFP UAP Sugarland LLC, Jackson Surgical Center LLC, Jacksonville Endoscopy Centers LLC, Journey Home Healthcare of San Antonio LLC, KHS Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, KHS/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Kingsport Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Laguna Medical Systems Inc., Lake Endoscopy Center LLC, Lake Health Care Facilities Inc., Lake Lansing ASC Partners LLC, Lake Surgical Hospital Slidell LLC, LakeFront Medical Associates LLC, Lakewood Regional Medical Center Inc., Lakewood Surgery Center LLC, Lancaster Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Lansing ASC Partners LLC, Lawrenceville Surgery Center L.L.C., Lebanon Endoscopy Center LLC, Legacy Warren Partners L.P., Legacy/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Leonardtown Surgery Center LLC, Liberty Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Lifemark Hospitals Inc., Lifemark Hospitals of Florida Inc., Lifemark Hospitals of Louisiana Inc., Lone Star Endoscopy Center LLC, Longleaf Surgery Center LLC, Los Alamitos Medical Center Inc., Lubbock ASC Holding Co LLC, MASC Partners LLC, MCSH Real Estate Investors Ltd., MH Memorial City Surgery LLC, MH/USP Bay Area LLC, MH/USP Brazoria LLC, MH/USP Kingsland LLC, MH/USP Kingwood LLC, MH/USP Kirby LLC, MH/USP Main Street LLC, MH/USP North Freeway LLC, MH/USP North Houston LLC, MH/USP Richmond LLC, MH/USP Sugar Land LLC, MH/USP TMC Endoscopy LLC, MH/USP West Houston L.L.C., MH/USP Woodlands Parkway LLC, MSH Partners LLC, MSV Health/USP Surgery Centers LLC, MVH/USP Surgery Centers LLC, MacNeal Management Services Inc., MacNeal Medical Records Inc., MacNeal Physicians Group LLC, Magnetic Resonance Imaging of San Luis Obispo Inc., Magnolia Surgery Center Limited Partnership, Manchester Ambulatory Surgery Center LP, Maple Lawn Surgery Center LLC, Marion Surgery Center LLC, Mary Immaculate Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Mason Ridge Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Mayfield Spine Surgery Center LLC, McLaren ASC of Flint LLC, Meadowcrest Hospital LLC, Medical House Staffing LLC, Medical Park Tower Surgery Center LLC, Medplex Outpatient Medical Centers Inc., Medplex Outpatient Surgery Center Ltd., Memorial Hermann Bay Area Endoscopy Center LLC, Memorial Hermann Endoscopy & Surgery Center North Houston L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Endoscopy Center North Freeway LLC, Memorial Hermann Specialty Hospital Kingwood L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Surgical Hospital L.L.P., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Brazoria LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Cypress LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Katy LLP, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Kingsland L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Kirby LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Main Street LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Memorial City L.L.C., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Northwest LLP, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Pinecroft LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Preston Road Ltd., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Richmond LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Southwest L.L.P., Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Sugar Land LLP, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Texas Medical Center LLP, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center Woodlands Parkway LLC, Memorial Hermann Surgery Center The Woodlands LLP, Memorial Hermann Texas International Endoscopy Center LLC, Memorial Hermann West Houston Surgery Center LLC, Memorial Hermann/USP Surgery Centers II L.P., Memorial Hermann/USP Surgery Centers III LLP, Memorial Hermann/USP Surgery Centers IV LLP, Memorial Surgery Center LLC, Memphis Urgent Care #1 L.L.C., Memphis Urgent Care #2 L.L.C., Merced Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Mercy/USP Health Ventures L.L.C., Metro Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Metro Surgery Center LLC, MetroWest HomeCare & Hospice LLC, Metrocrest Surgery Center L.P., Metropolitan New Jersey LLC, Michigan ASC Partners L.L.C., Michigan Pioneer ACO LLC, Michigan Regional Imaging LLC, Mid Rivers Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Mid State Endo UAP LLC, Mid-State Endoscopy Center LLC, Mid-TSC Development LP, Middle Tennessee Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Midland Memorial/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Midland Texas Surgical Center LLC, Midwest Digestive Health Center LLC, Midwest Pharmacies Inc., Midwest Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Millennium Surgical Center LLC, Mobile Imaging Management LLC, Mobile Technology Management LLC, Modesto Radiology Imaging Inc., Monocacy Surgery Center LLC, Mountain Empire Surgery Center L.P., Munster Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Murdock Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, NHSC Holdings LLC, NICH GP Holdings LLC, NKCH/USP Briarcliff GP LLC, NKCH/USP Liberty GP LLC, NKCH/USP Surgery Centers II L.L.C., NKCH/USP Surgery Centers LLC, NMC Lessor L.P., NMC Surgery Center L.P., NME Headquarters Inc., NME Properties Corp., NME Properties Inc., NME Property Holding Co. Inc., NME Psychiatric Hospitals Inc., NME Rehabilitation Properties Inc., NSCH GP Holdings LLC, NSCH/USP Desert Surgery Centers L.L.C., NUCH of Georgia L.L.C., NUCH of Massachusetts LLC, NUCH of Michigan Inc., NUCH of Texas, Nacogdoches ASC-LP Inc., Name of Entity, National ASC Inc., National Ancillary Inc., National Diagnostic Imaging Centers Inc., National HHC Inc., National Home Health Holdings Inc., National ICN Inc., National Imaging Center Holdings Inc., National Medical Services II Inc., National Outpatient Services Holdings Inc., National Surgery Center Holdings Inc., National Urgent Care Holdings Inc., National Urgent Care Inc., Network Management Associates Inc., New Dimensions LLC, New England Physician Performance Network LLC, New H Acute Inc., New Horizons Surgery Center LLC, New Medical Horizons II Ltd., New Mexico Orthopaedic Surgery Center LLC, New Salem ASC RE LLC, Newhope Imaging Center Inc., North Anaheim Surgery Center LLC, North Atlantic Surgical Suites LLC, North Campus Surgery Center LLC, North Carolina Community Family Medicine L.L.C., North Central Surgical Center L.L.P., North Denver Musculoskeletal Surgical Partners LLC, North Fulton Cardiovascular Medicine L.L.C., North Fulton Hospitalist Group L.L.C., North Fulton Medical Center Inc., North Fulton Primary Care - Willeo Rd. L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care - Windward Parkway L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care - Wylie Bridge L.L.C., North Fulton Primary Care Associates L.L.C., North Fulton Pulmonary Specialists L.L.C., North Fulton Womens Consultants L.L.C., North Garland Surgery Center L.L.P., North Haven Surgery Center LLC, North Miami Medical Center Ltd., North Shore Medical Billing Center L.L.C., North Shore Medical Center Inc., North Shore Same Day Surgery L.L.C., North Shore Surgical Suites LLC, North State Surgery Centers L.P., NorthPointe Surgical Suites LLC, NorthShore/USP Surgery Centers II L.L.C., Northern Monmouth Regional Surgery Center L.L.C., Northridge ASC RE LLC, Northridge Surgery Center L.P., Northwest Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Regional ASC LLC, Northwest Regional Surgery Center LLC, Northwest Surgery Center LLP, Northwest Surgery Center Ltd., Novant Health/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Novant/UVA/USP Surgery Centers LLC, OCOMS Imaging LLC, OCOMS Professional Services LLC, OLOL/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Okatie Surgical Partners L.L.C., Oklahoma Center for Orthopedic and Multi-Specialty Surgery LLC, Old Tesson Surgery Center L.P., Olive Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Olive Branch Urgent Care #1 LLC, Ophthalmology Anesthesia Services LLC, Ophthalmology Surgery Center of Orlando LLC, Optimum Spine Center LLC, OrNda Healthcorp, OrNda Hospital Corporation, Orlando Health/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., OrthoArizona Surgery Center Gilbert LLC, OrthoLink ASC Corporation, OrthoLink Physicians Corporation, OrthoLink Radiology Services Corporation, OrthoLink/ Georgia ASC Inc., OrthoLink/Baptist ASC LLC, OrthoLink/New Mexico ASC Inc., Orthopedic Associates of the Lowcountry L.L.C., Orthopedic South Surgical Partners LLC, Orthopedic and Surgical Specialty Company LLC, PAHS/USP Surgery Centers LLC, PDN L.L.C., PHPS Inc., PHPS-CHM Acquisition Inc., PHS/USP Health Ventures LLC, PM CyFair Land Partners LLC, PMC Physician Network L.L.C., PPRE LLC, PSS Patient Solution Services LLC, Pacific Endo-Surgical Center L.P., Pacific Endoscopy and Surgery Center LLC, Pain Diagnostic and Treatment Center L.P., Paley Institute Global LLC, Palm Beach Gardens Community Hospital Inc., Palm Beach International Surgery Center LLC, Palm Valley Medical Center Campus Association, Palos Health Surgery Center LLC, Paramus Endoscopy LLC, Park Cities Surgery Center LLC, Park Plaza Hospital Billing Center L.L.C., ParkCreek ASC LLC, Parkway Recovery Care Center LLC, Parkwest Surgery Center L.P., Patient Partners LLC, Peak Gastroenterology ASC LLC, Pediatric Surgery Center Odessa LLC, Pediatric Surgery Centers LLC, Physician Performance Network L.L.C., Physician Performance Network of Arizona LLC, Physician Performance Network of Detroit, Physician Performance Network of South Carolina LLC, Physician Performance Network of Tucson LLC, Physicians Performance Network of Houston, Physicians Performance Network of North Texas, Physicians Surgery Center at Good Samaritan LLC, Physicians Surgery Center of Tempe LLC, Physicians Surgical Center of Ft. Worth LLP, Physicians Surgery Center of Chattanooga L.L.C., Physicians Surgery Center of Knoxville LLC, Piccard Surgery Center LLC, Piedmont ASC LLC, Piedmont Behavioral Medicine Associates LLC, Piedmont Cardiovascular Physicians L.L.C., Piedmont Carolina OB/GYN of York County L.L.C., Piedmont Carolina Vascular Surgery L.L.C., Piedmont East Urgent Care Center L.L.C., Piedmont Express Care at Sutton Road L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Rock Hill L.L.C., Piedmont Family Practice at Tega Cay L.L.C., Piedmont General Surgery Associates L.L.C., Piedmont Internal Medicine at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Physician Network LLC, Piedmont Pulmonology L.L.C., Piedmont Surgical Specialists L.L.C., Piedmont Urgent Care Center at Baxter Village L.L.C., Piedmont Urgent Care and Industrial Health Centers Inc., Piedmont/Carolinas Radiation Therapy LLC, Placentia-Linda Hospital Inc., Pleasanton Diagnostic Imaging Inc., Point of Rocks Surgery Center LLC, Practice Partners Management L.P., Premier ACO Physicians Network LLC, Premier ASC LLC, Premier Adult and Childrens Surgery Center LLC, Premier Endoscopy ASC LLC, Premier Health Plan Services Inc., Premier Medical Specialists L.L.C., Prince William Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Professional Anesthesia Services LLC, Professional Liability Insurance Company, Pros Temporary Staffing Inc., Providence/UCLA/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Providence/USP Santa Clarita GP LLC, Providence/USP South Bay Surgery Centers L.L.C., Providence/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Pueblo Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, R.H.S.C. El Paso Inc., RE Plano Med Inc., RHC Parkway Inc., RLC LLC, Reading Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Reading Endoscopy Center LLC, Reagan Street Surgery Center LLC, Redmond Surgery Center LLC, Renaissance Surgery Center LLC, Republic Health Corporation of Rockwall County, Resolute Health Physicians Network Inc., Resolute Hospital Company LLC, Resurgens East Surgery Center LLC, Resurgens Fayette Surgery Center LLC, Resurgens Surgery Center LLC, Rheumatology Associates of Atlanta Medical Center L.L.C., Richmond ASC Leasing Company LLC, Rio Grande Valley Indigent Health Care Corporation, River North Same Day Surgery L.L.C., Riverside Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Rock Bridge Surgical Institute L.L.C., Rock Hill Surgery Center LLC, Rockwall Ambulatory Surgery Center L.L.P., Rocky Mountain Endoscopy Centers LLC, Roseville Surgery Center L.P., Roswell Surgery Center L.L.C., SCNRE LLC, SFMP Inc., SFMPE - Crittenden L.L.C., SL-HLC Inc., SLH Physicians L.L.C., SLH Vista Inc., SLPA ACO LLC, SLUH Anesthesia Physicians L.L.C., SMSJ Imaging Company LLC, SMSJ Tucson Holdings LLC, SPC at the Star LLC, SRRMC Management Inc., SSI Holdings Inc., Sacramento Midtown Endoscopy Center LLC, Safety Harbor ASC Company LLC, Saint Agnes/Dignity/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Saint Agnes/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Saint Francis Cardiology Associates L.L.C., Saint Francis Cardiovascular Surgery L.L.C., Saint Francis Center for Surgical Weight Loss L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital Billing Center L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital Medicare ACO LLC, Saint Francis Hospital Pro Fee Billing L.L.C., Saint Francis Hospital-Bartlett Inc., Saint Francis Medical Partners East L.L.C., Saint Francis Medical Partners General Surgery L.L.C., Saint Francis Physician Network LLC, Saint Francis Quality Alliance LLC, Saint Francis Surgery Center L.L.C., Saint Francis Surgical Associates L.L.C., Saint Francis-Arkansas Physician Network LLC, Saint Francis-Bartlett Physician Network LLC, Saint Thomas Campus Surgicare L.P., Saint Thomas Surgery Center New Salem LLC, Saint Thomas/USP Surgery Centers II L.L.C., Saint Thomas/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Saint Thomas/USP Baptist Plaza L.L.C., Saint Vincent Physician Services Inc., Salmon Surgery Center LLC, Same Day Management L.L.C., Same Day SC of Central NJ LLC, Same Day Surgery L.L.C., San Antonio Endoscopy L.P., San Fernando Valley Surgery Center L.P., San Gabriel Valley Surgical Center L.P., San Martin Surgery Center LLC, San Ramon ASC L. P., San Ramon Ambulatory Care LLC, San Ramon Network Joint Venture LLC, San Ramon Regional Medical Center LLC, San Ramon Surgery Center L.L.C., Santa Barbara Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Santa Clarita Surgery Center L.P., Savannah Endoscopy Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Schertz Surgery Center LLC, Scripps Encinitas Surgery Center LLC, Scripps/USP Surgery Centers L.L.C., Seaside Surgery Center LLC, Shands/Solantic Joint Venture LLC, Shelby Baptist Affinity LLC, Shelby Baptist Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Shore Outpatient Surgicenter L.L.C., Shoreline Real Estate Partnership LLP, Shoreline Surgery Center LLP, Shrewsbury Surgery Center LLC, Sierra Pacific Surgery Center LLC, Sierra Providence Health Network Inc., Sierra Providence Healthcare Enterprises, Sierra Vista Hospital Inc., Silicon Valley Outpatient Surgery Centers LLC, Silver Cross Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Silver Cross/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Sinai-Grace Premier Clinical Management Services LLC, Siouxland Surgery Center Limited Liability Partnership, Solantic Corporation, Solantic Development LLC, Solantic Holdings Corporation, Solantic of Jacksonville LLC, Solantic of Orlando LLC, Solantic/South Florida LLC, South Carolina East Cooper Surgical Specialists L.L.C., South Carolina Health Services Inc., South Carolina SeWee Family Medicine L.L.C., South County Outpatient Endoscopy Services L.P., South Denver Musculoskeletal Surgical Partners LLC, South Florida Ambulatory Surgical Center LLC, South Fulton Health Care Centers Inc., SouthCare Physicians Group Neurology L.L.C., SouthCare Physicians Group Obstetrics & Gynecology L.L.C., Southeast Ohio Surgical Suites LLC, Southern Orthopedics and Sports Medicine L.L.C., Southern States Physician Operations Inc., Southwest Ambulatory Surgery Center L.L.C., Southwest Childrens Hospital LLC, Southwest Endoscopy LLC, Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital LLC, Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital Real Estate LLC, Southwestern Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, Spalding Regional Medical Center Inc., Spalding Regional OB/GYN L.L.C., Spalding Regional Physician Services L.L.C., Specialty Surgery Center of Fort Worth L.P., Specialty Surgicenters Inc., Spinal Diagnostics and Treatment Centers L.L.C., Spine & Joint Physician Associates, Springfield Service Holding Corporation, St. Augustine Endoscopy Center LLC, St. Christophers Pediatric Urgent Care Center - Allentown L.L.C, St. Josephs Hospital Surgical Co-Management LLC, St. Josephs Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, St. Josephs Surgery Center L.P., St. Louis Physician Alliance LLC, St. Louis Surgical Center LLC, St. Louis Urology Center LLC, St. Lukes/USP Surgery Centers LLC, St. Marys Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC, St. Marys Hospital Cardiovascular Co-Management LLC, St. Marys Hospital Surgical Co-Management LLC, St. Marys Levee Company LLC, St. Marys Medical Center Inc., St. Vincent Health/USP LLC, St. Vincent/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Stockton Outpatient Surgery Center LLC, Subsidiaries of USPI Holding Company Inc., Suburban Endoscopy Center LLC, Summit View Surgery Center LLC, Sun View Imaging L.L.C., Sunrise Medical Group I L.L.C., Sunrise Medical Group II L.L.C., Sunrise Medical Group IV L.L.C., SurgCenter Camelback LLC, SurgCenter Northeast LLC, SurgCenter Pinellas LLC, SurgCenter Tucson LLC, SurgCenter at Paradise Valley LLC, SurgCenter of Deer Valley LLC, SurgCenter of Glen Burnie LLC, SurgCenter of Palm Beach Gardens LLC, SurgCenter of Plano LLC, SurgCenter of Southern Maryland LLC, SurgCenter of St. Lucie LLC, SurgCenter of White Marsh LLC, Surgery Affiliate of El Paso LLC, Surgery Center at Mount Pleasant LLC, Surgery Center at University Park LLC, Surgery Center of Atlanta LLC, Surgery Center of Canfield LLC, Surgery Center of Columbia L.P., Surgery Center of Coral Gables LLC, Surgery Center of Okeechobee LLC, Surgery Center of Pembroke Pines L.L.C., Surgery Center of Peoria L.L.C., Surgery Center of Richardson Physician Partnership L.P., Surgery Center of Santa Barbara LLC, Surgery Center of Scottsdale LLC, Surgery Center of Tempe Real Estate II L.L.C., Surgery Center of Tempe Real Estate L.L.C., Surgery Centers of America II L.L.C., Surgery Centre of SW Florida LLC, Surgical & Bariatric Associates of Atlanta Medical Center L.L.C., Surgical Clinical Excellence at Desert Regional LLC, Surgical Elite of Avondale L.L.C., Surgical Health Partners LLC, Surgical Institute Management LLC, Surgical Institute of Reading LLC, Surgical Specialists at Princeton LLC, Surgicare of Miramar L.L.C., Surginet Inc., Surgis Inc., Surgis Management Services Inc., Surgis of Chico Inc., Surgis of Phoenix Inc., Surgis of Redding Inc., Surgis of Victoria Inc., Sutton Road Pediatrics L.L.C., Sylvan Grove Hospital Inc., TENN SM LLC, TFPS IV L.L.C., TH Healthcare Ltd., TH International Services Florida LLC, THV Park Cities LLC, THVG Arlington GP LLC, THVG Bariatric GP LLC, THVG Bariatric L.L.C., THVG Bedford GP LLC, THVG Bellaire GP LLC, THVG DSP GP LLC, THVG DeSoto GP LLC, THVG Denton GP LLC, THVG Fort Worth GP LLC, THVG Frisco GP LLC, THVG Garland GP LLC, THVG Grapevine GP LLC, THVG Irving-Coppell GP LLC, THVG Lewisville GP LLC, THVG North Garland GP LLC, THVG Park Cities/Trophy Club GP LLC, THVG Rockwall 2 GP LLC, THVG Valley View GP LLC, TLC ASC LLC, TMC Holding Company LLC, TOPS Specialty Hospital Ltd., TPG Hospital LLC, TPR Practice Management LLC, TPS VI of PA L.L.C., TRMC Holdings LLC, TSPE LLC, Tamarac Surgery Center LLC, Tempe New Day Surgery Center LP, Templeton Imaging Inc., Tenet Business Services Corporation, Tenet California Inc., Tenet Central Carolina Physicians Inc., Tenet EKG Inc., Tenet El Paso Ltd., Tenet Employment Inc., Tenet Finance Corp., Tenet Florida Inc., Tenet Florida Physician Services II L.L.C., Tenet Florida Physician Services III L.L.C., Tenet Florida Physician Services L.L.C., Tenet Fort Mill Inc., Tenet Global Business Center Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Bucks County L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Graduate L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Hahnemann L.L.C., Tenet HealthSystem Medical Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Nacogdoches ASC GP Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Philadelphia Inc., Tenet HealthSystem Roxborough LLC, Tenet HealthSystem St. Christophers Hospital for Children L.L.C., Tenet Hilton Head Heart L.L.C., Tenet Hospitals Limited, Tenet Network Management Inc., Tenet Patient Safety Organization LLC, Tenet Physician Resources LLC, Tenet Physician Services - Hilton Head Inc., Tenet Rehab Piedmont Inc., Tenet Relocation Services L.L.C., Tenet SC East Cooper Hospitalists L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Gastrointestinal Surgical Specialists L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Island Medical L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Lowcountry OB/GYN L.L.C., Tenet South Carolina Mt. Pleasant OB/GYN L.L.C., Tenet Unifour Urgent Care Center L.L.C., Tenet Ventures Inc., TenetCare Frisco Inc., Terre Haute Surgical Center LLC, Teton Outpatient Services LLC, Texan Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Texas Endoscopy Centers LLC, Texas Health Venture Arlington Hospital LLC, Texas Health Venture Baylor Plano LLC, Texas Health Venture Carrollton LLC, Texas Health Venture Centennial LLC, Texas Health Venture Ennis LLC, Texas Health Venture Fort Worth L.L.C., Texas Health Venture Granbury LLC, Texas Health Venture Heritage Park LLC, Texas Health Venture Keller LLC, Texas Health Venture Las Colinas LLC, Texas Health Venture Mansfield LLC, Texas Health Venture Plano Endo LLC, Texas Health Venture Plano LLC, Texas Health Venture Plano Parkway LLC, Texas Health Venture Texas Spine LLC, Texas Health Ventures Group L.L.C., Texas Orthopedics Surgery Center LLC, Texas Regional Medical Center LLC, Texas Regional Medical in Sunnyvale, Texas Spine and Joint Hospital LLC, The 6300 West Roosevelt Partnership, The Ambulatory Surgical Center of St. Louis L.P., The Healthcare Insurance Corporation, The Healthcare Underwriting Company a Risk Retention Group, The Huron Corporation, The Outpatient Center LLC, The Southeastern Spine Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center L.L.C., The Surgery Center at Jensen Beach LLC, The Surgery Center at Williamson LLC, The Tresanti Surgical Center LLC, Theda Oaks Gastroenterology & Endoscopy Center LLC, Titan Health Corporation, Titan Health of Chattanooga Inc., Titan Health of Hershey Inc., Titan Health of Mount Laurel LLC, Titan Health of North Haven Inc., Titan Health of Pittsburgh Inc., Titan Health of Pleasant Hills Inc., Titan Health of Princeton Inc., Titan Health of Sacramento Inc., Titan Health of Saginaw Inc., Titan Health of Titusville Inc., Titan Health of West Penn Inc., Titan Health of Westminster Inc., Titan Management Corporation, Titusville Center for Surgical Excellence LLC, Toms River Surgery Center L.L.C., Total Joint Center of the Northland LLC, Tower Road Real Estate LLC, Tower/USP Surgery Centers LLC, Treasure Coast ASC LLC, Trophy Club Medical Center L.P., True Medical Weight Loss L.P., True Medical Wellness LP, True Results Georgia Inc., True Results HoldCo LLC, True Results Missouri LLC, Tucson Digestive Institute LLC, Tucson Hospital Holdings Inc., Tucson Physician Group Holdings LLC, Turlock Imaging Services LLC, Turlock Land Company LLC, Tuscan Surgery Center at Las Colinas LLC, Twin Cities Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Twin Cities Community Hospital Inc., UAP Las Colinas Endo LLC, UAP Lebanon Endo LLC, UAP Nashville Endoscopy LLC, UAP Scopes LLC, UAP of Arizona Inc., UAP of California Inc., UAP of Missouri Inc., UAP of New Jersey Inc., UAP of Oklahoma Inc., UAP of Tennessee Inc., UAP of Texas Inc., UCC Tucson Holdings LLC, UMC Surgery Center Lubbock LLC, UMC-USP Surgery Centers LLC, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, USP 12th Ave Real Estate Inc., USP Acquisition Corporation, USP Alexandria Inc., USP Assurance Company, USP Athens Inc., USP Atlanta Inc., USP Austin Inc., USP Bariatric LLC, USP Beaumont Inc., USP Bergen Inc., USP Bloomington Inc., USP Bridgeton Inc., USP Cedar Park Inc., USP Chesterfield Inc., USP Chicago Inc., USP Cincinnati Inc., USP Coast Inc., USP Columbia Inc., USP Connecticut Inc., USP Corpus Christi Inc., USP Creve Coeur Inc., USP Denver Inc., USP Des Peres Inc., USP Destin Inc., USP Domestic Holdings Inc., USP Effingham Inc., USP Encinitas Endoscopy Inc., USP Fenton Inc., USP Festus Inc., USP Florissant Inc., USP Fort Lauderdale Inc., USP Fort Worth Hospital Real Estate Inc., USP Fredericksburg Inc., USP Fresno Inc., USP Frontenac Inc., USP Gateway Inc., USP HMH Surgery Center at Shore LLC, USP Harbour View Inc., USP Houston Inc., USP Indiana Inc., USP International Holdings Inc., USP Jersey City Inc., USP Kansas City Inc., USP Knoxville Inc., USP Little Rock Inc., USP Long Island Inc., USP Louisiana Inc., USP Lubbock Inc., USP Maryland Inc., USP Mason Ridge Inc., USP Mattis Inc., USP Michigan Inc., USP Midland Inc., USP Midland Real Estate Inc., USP Midwest Inc., USP Mission Hills Inc., USP Montana Inc., USP Morris Inc., USP Mt. Vernon Inc., USP Nevada Holdings LLC, USP Nevada Inc., USP New Hampshire Inc., USP New Jersey Inc., USP Newport News Inc., USP North Carolina Inc., USP North Kansas City Inc., USP North Texas Inc., USP Northwest Arkansas Inc., USP OKC Inc., USP OKC Manager Inc., USP Office Parkway Inc., USP Ohio RE Inc., USP Oklahoma Inc., USP Olive Inc., USP Orlando Inc., USP Philadelphia Inc., USP Phoenix Inc., USP Portland Inc., USP Reading Inc., USP Richmond II Inc., USP Richmond Inc., USP Sacramento Inc., USP San Antonio Inc., USP Santa Barbara Surgery Centers Inc., USP Securities Corporation, USP Silver Cross Inc., USP Siouxland Inc., USP Somerset Inc., USP South Carolina Inc., USP Southlake RE Inc., USP St. Louis Inc., USP St. Louis Urology Inc., USP St. Peters Inc., USP Sunset Hills Inc., USP TJ STL Inc., USP Tennessee Inc., USP Texas Air L.L.C., USP Texas L.P., USP Torrance Inc., USP Tucson Inc., USP Turnersville Inc., USP Virginia Beach Inc., USP Washington Inc., USP Waxahachie Management L.L.C., USP Webster Groves Inc., USP West Covina Inc., USP Westwood Inc., USP Winter Park Inc., USP Wisconsin Inc., USP-HMH Surgery Center at Central Jersey LLC, USP/Carondelet Tucson Surgery Centers LLC, USP/SOS Joint Venture LLC, USPI Group Holdings Inc., USPI Holding Company Inc.1, USPI Holdings Inc., USPI Physician Strategy Group LLC, USPI San Diego Inc., USPI Stockton Inc., USPI Surgical Services Inc., Ulysses True Results NewCo LLC, Underwood Surgery Center LLC, United Anesthesia Partners Inc., United Real Estate Development Inc., United Real Estate Holdings Inc., United Surgical Partners Holdings Inc., United Surgical Partners International, United Surgical Partners International Inc., Universal Medical Care Center L.L.C., University Surgery Center Ltd., University Surgical Partners of Dallas L.L.P., Upper Bay Surgery Center LLC, Upper Cumberland Physicians Surgery Center LLC, Urgent Care Centers of Arizona LLC, Utica ASC Partners LLC, Utica/USP Tulsa L.L.C., VB Brownsville LTACH LLC, VBOA ASC GP LLC, VBOA ASC Partners L.L.C., VHM Services Inc., VHS Acquisition Corporation, VHS Acquisition Partnership Number 1 L.P, VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 1 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 11 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 12 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 3 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 4 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 5 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 6 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 7 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 8 Inc., VHS Acquisition Subsidiary Number 9 Inc., VHS Arizona Heart Institute Inc., VHS Brownsville Hospital Company LLC, VHS Chicago Market Procurement LLC, VHS Childrens Hospital of Michigan Inc., VHS Detroit Businesses Inc., VHS Detroit Receiving Hospital Inc., VHS Detroit Ventures Inc., VHS Harlingen Hospital Company LLC, VHS Harper-Hutzel Hospital Inc., VHS Holding Company Inc., VHS Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital Inc., VHS Imaging Centers Inc., VHS New England Holding Company I Inc., VHS Outpatient Clinics Inc., VHS Phoenix Health Plan Inc., VHS Physicians of Michigan, VHS Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan Inc., VHS San Antonio Imaging Partners L.P., VHS San Antonio Partners LLC, VHS Sinai-Grace Hospital Inc., VHS University Laboratories Inc., VHS Valley Health System LLC, VHS Valley Holdings LLC, VHS Valley Management Company Inc., VHS West Suburban Medical Center Inc., VHS Westlake Hospital Inc., VHS of Anaheim Inc., VHS of Arrowhead Inc., VHS of Huntington Beach Inc., VHS of Illinois Inc., VHS of Michigan Inc., VHS of Michigan Staffing Inc., VHS of Orange County Inc., VHS of Phoenix Inc., VHS of South Phoenix Inc., Valley Baptist Lab Services LLC, Valley Baptist Physician Performance Network, Valley Baptist Realty Company LLC, Valley Baptist Wellness Center LLC, Valley Health Care Network, Vanguard ASC LLC, Vanguard Health Financial Company LLC, Vanguard Health Holding Company I LLC, Vanguard Health Holding Company II LLC, Vanguard Health Management Inc., Vanguard Health Systems, Vanguard Health Systems Inc., Vanguard Holding Company I Inc., Vanguard Holding Company II Inc., Vanguard Medical Specialists LLC, Vanguard Physician Services LLC, Ventana Surgical Center LLC, Veroscan Inc., Victoria Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Virtua-USP Princeton LLC, WHASA L.C., Walker Baptist Affinity LLC, Walker Street Imaging Care Inc., Warner Park Surgery Center LLC, Watermark Physician Services Inc., Webster Ambulatory Surgery Center L.P., Wellington Endo LLC, Wellstar/USP Joint Venture I LLC, Wellstar/USP Joint Venture II LLC, West Boca Health Services L.L.C., West Boca Medical Center Inc., West Boynton Urgent Care L.L.C., West Bozeman Surgery Center LLC, West Palm Healthcare Real Estate Inc., West Suburban Radiation Therapy Center LLC, Westgate Surgery Center LLC, Westlake Hospital LLC, Westlawn Surgery Center LLC, Westminster Surgery Center LLC, Westminster Surgery Centers LLC, White Fence Surgical Suites LLC, Willamette Spine Center Ambulatory Surgery LLC, Wilmington Endoscopy Center LLC, Wilshire Rental Corp., Winter Haven Ambulatory Surgical Center L.L.C., Wisconsin Specialty Surgery Center LLC, Wymark Surgery Center LLC, and YNHHSC/USP Surgery Centers LLC. The Williams Cos., Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company, which explores, produces, transports, sells and processes natural gas and petroleum products. It operates through the following segments: Transmission and Gulf of Mexico; Northeast G&P; and West. The Transmission and Gulf of Mexico segment comprises of interstate natural gas pipelines, Transco and Northwest Pipeline, as well as natural gas gathering and processing and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region. The Northeast G&P segment includes midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation businesses in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment consists of gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of south Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins. The company was founded by David Williams and Miller Williams in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Brinker International: BI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LLC, BI MEXICO HOLDING CORPORATION, BIPC GLOBAL PAYROLL COMPANY LLC, BIPC INVESTMENTS LLC, BIPC MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER AIRPORTS LLC, BRINKER ALABAMA INC., BRINKER ARKANSAS INC., BRINKER ASIA INC., BRINKER BRAZIL LLC, BRINKER CANADIAN HOLDING CO. ULC, BRINKER CANADIAN RESTAURANT CO. ULC, BRINKER CB LP, BRINKER CB MANAGEMENT LLC, BRINKER FHC B.V., BRINKER FLORIDA INC., BRINKER FREEHOLD INC., BRINKER GEORGIA INC., BRINKER INTERNATIONAL PAYROLL COMPANY L.P., BRINKER LOUISIANA INC., BRINKER MICHIGAN INC., BRINKER MISSISSIPPI INC., BRINKER MISSOURI INC., BRINKER NEVADA INC., BRINKER NEW JERSEY INC., BRINKER NORTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER OF BALTIMORE COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CARROLL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OF CECIL COUNTY INC., BRINKER OKLAHOMA INC., BRINKER OPCO LLC, BRINKER PENN TRUST, BRINKER PROPCO FLORIDA INC., BRINKER PROPERTY CORPORATION, BRINKER PURCHASING INC., BRINKER RESTAURANT CORPORATION, BRINKER RHODE ISLAND INC., BRINKER SERVICES CORPORATION, BRINKER SOUTH CAROLINA INC., BRINKER TEXAS INC., BRINKER VIRGINIA INC., CHILIS BEVERAGE COMPANY INC., CHILIS INC. a Delaware corporation, CHILIS INC. a Tennessee corporation, CHILIS INTERNATIONAL BASES B.V., CHILIS OF BEL AIR INC., CHILIS OF KANSAS INC., CHILIS OF MARYLAND INC., CHILIS OF WEST VIRGINIA INC., Grady's Inc., MAGGIANO'S OF ANNAPOLIS INC., MAGGIANO'S OF HOWARD COUNTY INC., MAGGIANO'S OF KANSAS INC., MAGGIANOS BEVERAGE COMPANY, MAGGIANOS HOLDING CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS INC., MAGGIANOS OF TYSONS INC., MAGGIANOS PROPERTY CORPORATION, MAGGIANOS TEXAS INC., PEPPER DINING HOLDING CORP., PEPPER DINING Inc., and PEPPER DINING VERMONT INC.. (From left) Expedition 56 Commander Drew Feustel of NASA and Soyuz MS-08 Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos are inside the Zvezda service module practicing on a computer the Soyuz descent procedures they will use when they return to Earth on Oct. 4. NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold (out of frame) will join the duo for the ride home inside the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft ending the Expedition 56 mission. Credit: NASA. (Taken September 24, 2018) October will be a busy month as a pair of crews get ready to swap places on the International Space Station followed by a pair of spacewalks. Also, Japan's HTV-7 resupply ship is open for business and the Expedition 56 crew has begun unloading its science and supplies. Station commander Drew Feustel is preparing to return to Earth Thursday with two of his crewmates despite a busy schedule of science and maintenance aboard the orbital lab. Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev is packing the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft today that he will pilot back to Earth flanked by Feustel and NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold. The trio is due to land in Kazakhstan at 7:45 a.m. after 197 days in space. Expedition 57 starts when the Soyuz MS-08 crew ship undocks Thursday at 3:57 a.m. EDT. Staying behind are Alexander Gerst of ESA (European Space Agency) who will command the station with Flight Engineers Serena Aunon-Chancellor and Sergey Prokopyev until a new pair of crewmates join the following week. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Soyuz Commander Alexey Ovchinin will blast off Oct. 11 at 4:40 a.m. aboard the Soyuz MS-10 crew ship and take a six hour ride to their new home in space. The duo is in Kazakhstan at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site making final preparations for their 187 day mission. The station is being replenished today as the crew begins offloading cargo from the HTV-7 resupply ship from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Robotics controllers will soon unload new lithion-ion batteries packed inside HTV-7 and install them on the truss structure to upgrade the station's power systems. A pair of spacewalks are planned before the end of the month to complete the battery connections. On-Orbit Status Report J-SSOD-10: The crew performed part 1 of 2 of the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) installation onto the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP). This is being performed in preparation for the J-SSOD-10 deploys this Saturday, GMT 279. The J-SSOD is a unique satellite launcher, handled by the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), which provides containment and deployment mechanisms for several individual small satellites. Once the J-SSOD is installed on the MPEP by crewmembers, it is passed through the JEM airlock for retrieval, positioning and deployment by the JEMRMS. Functional Immune: The crew performed saliva collections as part of the Functional Immune experiment. Functional Immune analyzes blood and saliva samples to determine the changes taking place in crewmembers' immune systems during flight. The changes in the immune system are also compared with crewmembers' self-reported health information. Results are expected to provide new insight into the possible health risks of long-duration space travel, including future missions to Mars, asteroids, or other distant destinations. Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle (FROST): Today the crew replaced the failed FROST2 controller with new hardware that arrived on HTV-7. FROST is a Stirling cooler that is able to maintain temperatures under -70C. FROST2 will be used to support JAXA's Low Temperature Protein Crystallization Growth (LT-PCG) investigation. Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle Schools (EarthKAM): Shutdown and stow of mission 63 was completed today. As of the final report, 28,438 students from 34 countries had signed up to request images and more than 8,000 images had been downlinked. EarthKAM allows thousands of students to photograph and examine Earth from a space crew's perspective. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera mounted on-board the ISS. This enables them to photograph the Earth's coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique vantage point of space. The EarthKAM team then posts these photographs on the Internet for viewing by the public and participating classrooms around the world. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3003 Radio Troubleshooting: Last Friday, EMU 3003 experienced an unexpected loss of EMU data while on the primary (PRI) radio. Today the crew configured the Ultra High Frequency (UHF)-2 radio for EVA communication and performed audio checks on EMU 3003 in conjunction with an ullage dump; while initial comm checks were nominal, and the ground received nominal data from the suit, they did not receive EDAR data as expected. After switching back and forth between alternate (ALT) and PRI radios, ground teams were able to isolate part of last week's failure signature to a data timeout when switching between radios. At this time, however, experts remain unable to explain why data was initially lost during last week's activity. Additional meetings are scheduled to discuss the results of today's troubleshooting and the forward plan. Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Nitrogen (N2) Transfer Terminate: The crew reconfigured the ISS N2 system and terminated the N2 transfer from the NORS tank to the High Pressure Gas Tank. The crew then removed the empty NORS tank and stowed it in preparation for return on a future flight. H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Rack Transfers: The crew completed all but one of the HTV-7 rack transfers today. Tomorrow, the crew will perform the final rack transfer and the post rack-transfer hatch seal inspections. The list of rack transfers completed today is as follows: Life Science Glovebox (LSG) hardware temporarily installed into JPM1F5 Express Rack 9B transferred from HTV-7 to COL1F2 RSR transferred from JPM1A5 to HTV-7 Express Rack 10B transferred from HTV-7 to JPM1A5 RSR transferred from LAB1P1 to HTV-7 Life Support Rack (LSR) transferred from HTV-7 to LAB1P1 Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Operations: Friday night, the Robotics Ground Controllers extracted the External Platform (EP) from HTV-7 and installed it on the Mobile Base System (MBS) Payload/Orbit Replaceable Unit (ORU) Accommodation (POA). Next, they walked SSRMS off from Node2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) onto Mobile Base System (MBS) PDGF4. When performing the base change, data was collected to capture the rigidization tension on both Latching End Effectors (LEEs). They then unstowed the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) from the Lab PDGF, completing initial operations to configure the MSS for the HTV-7 Battery Remove & Replace operations scheduled in mid-October. Tonight, Robotics Ground Controllers will be performing a Mobile Transporter (MT) translation to Worksite (WS)7. Completed Task List Activities: WHC KTO replace [Completed GMT 273] Ground Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. MT Translate to WS7 Two-Day Look Ahead: Tuesday, 10/02: Payloads Functional Immune (continuing) MobiPV checkout Plant Habitat - Plant Thinning Systems CQ Clean PMM1O2 RSR Transfer Hatch Seal Inspection 54S packing Wednesday, 10/03: Payloads BEST experiment 3 Functional Immune (continuing) LSG Software Load J-SSOD 10 Install part 2 Systems ER 9B and 10B umbilical mate Change of Command SSC Zbook Deploy HTV Cargo Ops 54S Packing Today's Planned Activities: All activities are complete unless otherwise noted. HRF Generic Saliva Collection HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval And Insertion Operations Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry Subject XF305 Camcorder Setup JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side Auxiliary Laptop Computer System Virus Definition File Update JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) onto Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform Installation Part 1 ISS imagery from Soyuz 738 O: Photo Session Drill Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth Charging Soyuz 739 IRIDIUM Phone, Configuration Setup Soyuz 739 IRIDIUM telephone charging - charge monitoring Recharging Soyuz 739 IRIDIUM Satellite Phone - End and Teardown EarthKAM Node 1 Shutdown, Disconnect and Stow Recharging Soyuz 738 IRIDIUM Satellite Phone - Initiate Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Nitrogen Transfer Termination ISS Crew departure preparation Soyuz 738 IRIDIUM telephone charging - charge monitoring Charging Soyuz 738 IRIDIUM phone, terminate charge, tear down the setup Relocate SSC5 back to the LAB Small Satellite Orbital Deployer Checkout Prep Transfer Operations - Pack and stow items on HTV CALCIUM. Bioekololgiya Cases #13-3 & #13-4: Photography, Processing, and Imagery Downlink, Pre-pack for Return CALCIUM. Experiment session 13 Clearing psychological support files from Samsung N51 tablet HTV-7 Rack Transfer Stowage Gather Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth LBNP training session (FINAL). COL1F2 Rack Bay Closeout Removal Transfer COL1F2 stowage Stowage NORS Relocate EarthKAM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer Checkout Cleanup Soft Dummy Panel Removal from JPM1F5 JPM1F5 HD Video Camera Setup Life Science Glovebox (LSG) transfer from HTV to JPM1F5 JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side Assist with Life Science Glovebox (LSG) transfer from HTV to JPM1F5 maintenance Preventive Maintenance of MRM2 Passive Docking Assembly [] and Soyuz 738 Active Docking Assembly [ACA] Hatch Sealing Mechanisms ASEPTIC. Photography of post-incubation samples, data transfer to HD for return. Charging GoPro HERO3 camcorder battery in Soyuz 738 (10) - initiate Environmental Health System (EHS) - Rad Detector Rotate Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Radio Troubleshooting Express Rack 9B Transfer from HTV to COL1F2 Soyuz 738 Stowage Ops for Return (Note 5) ASEPTIC. Removal of - No.2 Thermostat XF305 Camcorder Setup JEM Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle 2 (FROST2) Controller R&R OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring Resupply Stowage Rack (RSR) Transfer from JPM1A5 to HTV-7 Robotic Workstation (RWS) Teardown Express Rack 10B Transfer from HTV7 to JPM1A5 Clear LAB1P1 rack bay to prepare for Resupply Stowage Rack (RSR) installation Transfer Resupply Stowage Rack (RSR) from LAB1P1 to HTV-7 Transfer Operations - Pack and stow items on HTV Charging GoPro HERO3 camcorder battery in Soyuz 738 (10) - terminate LAB1P1 Pivot Fitting Replacement for Life Support Rack (LSR) Transfer from HTV-7 Life Support Rack (LSR) Transfer from HTV to LAB1P1 Delta file prep Binary Colloidal Alloy - Cohesive Sedimentation Camera Check HTV Cargo Operations Conference LAB1P1 Rack Bay Reconfig after Life Support Rack (LSR) Transfer Exercise Data Downlink via OCA Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. The JAXA H-IIB rocket, hauling the state-of-the-art microgravity research facility and other cargo via the H-II Transport Vehicle-7 (HTV-7), successfully lifted off at 1:52 p.m. EDT on Sept. 22 from Tanegashima Space Center in southern Japan. "The teamwork and global partnership that delivered this hardware have been simply amazing," said Bobby Watkins, director of Marshall's Human Exploration Development and Operations Office. "We can't wait to see it installed on the space station to enable more high-value biological and physical science experiments, with untold benefits on- and off-world." Its launch, previously delayed by inclement weather and technical issues, marks a first for hauling bulky equipment to space. Roughly the size of a large fish tank, the Life Sciences Glovebox -- 26 inches high, 35 inches wide and 24 inches deep, with 15 cubic feet of available workspace -- is officially the largest flight hardware ever launched in a "soft-stowed" configuration in which the equipment is packed securely in protective foam. The HTV-7 is expected to dock with the space station on Sept. 27. It will be installed on the Harmony module, where it will remain for several weeks. NASA TV coverage of the rendezvous is scheduled to begin at 6:30 a.m. EDT. Capture of the transport vehicle is scheduled for approximately 8 a.m. To learn more, visit: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation "The Life Sciences Glovebox is on its way to the space station to enable a host of biological and physiological studies, including new research into microgravity's long-term impact on the human body," said Yancy Young, project manager of the glovebox at Marshall. "This versatile facility not only will help us better protect human explorers on long voyages into deep space but it also could aid medical and scientific advances benefiting the whole world." Boeing engineers at Marshall modified a refrigerator-freezer rack to house the core facility, even using state-of-the-art, 3D-printing technology to custom design key pieces of the rack to secure the unit in its protective foam clamshell. Soft-stowing offers an efficient, low-cost alternative to conventional, hard-mounted cargo stowage, said Chris Butler, payload integration manager for the glovebox at Marshall -- and could "open up new possibilities for other oversized flight hardware." The Life Sciences Glovebox will be transferred to a zero-gravity stowage rack in the station's Kibo module, where up to two crew members can conduct one or more experiments simultaneously, overseen in real-time by project researchers on Earth. Originally built by JAXA and the Dutch firm Bradford Engineering, the glovebox was redesigned and upgraded in 2017. Engineers at Marshall contributed its secondary support structure and thermal control and power control systems and designed the facility's power supply, air filtration, lighting, video and data recording and real-time downlink capability. NASA is now determining the roster of science investigations lined up to make use of the facility, beginning as early as late 2018. "We've already got more than a dozen glovebox experiments scheduled in 2019, with many more to follow," Butler said. "That's OK with all of us. We love to be busy." Marshall manages the Life Sciences Glovebox for NASA and monitors space station science and communications from its Payload Operations Integration Center, supporting the ISS Research Integration Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. This past Saturday (Sept. 29), Three Olives was euthanized at the age of 19 after having suffered from an intestinal blockage. A son of Jennas Beach Boy-Mood Indigo, Three Olives earned $1.022 million during his racing career and established a lifetime mark of 1:51 during his sophomore campaign. Owned by L&L Devisser LCC during his racing career, Three Olives was trained by Joe Seekman and Joe Holloway. As a two-year-old, Three Olives captured the $115,150 American-National Stake, the $40,000 Hanover Stake and the $50, 000 Review Stake. He was also a Kentucky Sire Stakes champion, was second in the $1.12 million Metro Stakes and third in the $968,502 Breeders Crown for his age, gait and gender. As a three-year-old, Three Olives acquitted himself admirably in stakes competition, as he was fourth in the $1.5 million North America Cup, second in the $74,500 Jug Preview and fourth in a $177,000 division of the Tattersalls Pace. His most high-profile victory that season was in the $280,000 Windy City Pace. After he was retired from competition, Three Olives stood at Winbak Farm in Delaware, Indiana, and Ohio. The stallion's progeny collected $9,078,747 with his top performer being Somethinginthewind (p, 6, 1:49.0f, $427,166). Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Three Olives. (USTA) Officials with the Meadowlands Racetrack have issued a reminder that live Standardbred racing will return to the East Rutherford, New Jersey oval on the weekend Friday and Saturday, October 12 and 13. The first draw will be conducted on Tuesday, October 9 with a box close of 9:00 a.m. The condition sheet will be made available soon and will include the fourth leg of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds. Qualifiers will be held on Saturday, October 13, time TBA. (With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack) Former horse owner and longtime patron of Hiawatha Horse Park, Gerald Bud Getty, of Corunna, Ont., passed away on Thursday, September 27, at Sarnia's Bluewater Health, at the age of 83, while surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his wife Bonnie, sister Beatrice, and his brothers, who were both horse owners as well, Charles (Sonny) and Donald, Getty is survived by his sister Marlene Fisher (Paul), son Gerry, daughter Karen Corner (Rick), his grandsons Ryan (Cassandra) and Jeff, and his two great-grandchildren, as well as his many loving nieces and nephews. From a family with deep roots in Canadian racing, and affectionately known as 'Bud' everywhere he went, Getty dabbled in ownership during his lifetime, but was better known in the Sarnia area as a loyal and beloved patron of Hiawatha since the day the facility first opened. He will be missed greatly by his family and friends, and everyone at Hiawatha Horse Park. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in Bud's memory can be sent to the Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada at P.O. Box 331; Campbellville, ON. L0P1B0. Please join Standardbred Canada in sending condolences to the family and friends of Bud Getty. CBI Member, Airbus has announced plans to increase production at the companys A320 final assembly line in Tianjin. The European aviation manufacturer has said that it is enjoying fast and stable growth within the China market, with the A320 in service with all the Big 4 Chinese airlines. Currently, Airbus assembles an average of four-and-a-half A320 aircraft a month in Tianjin, and it will deliver a total of 52 A320s this year. The company plans to increase production so that by early next year, the Tianjin assembly line will produce five A320 aircraft a month, with this figure increasing to six A320s a month by the end of 2019. The production ramp-up follows an agreement made between Airbus and the Chinese Government during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to China in January. This week also sees Airbus celebrate 10 years of operations in Tianjin. Over the last decade, the facility has expanded to become the companys third-largest single aisle assembly line after Toulouse and Hamburg, In line with its expansion plans, the aircraft manufacturer also has plans to expand A330 production at the facility. According to Airbus COO, Francois Mery, "[Airbus] plans to extend the work in Tianjin to the A330neo, and we are expected to deliver the first A330neo aircraft by early 2020. According to Airbus, by 2020, the total output from the cooperation between Airbus and Chinese firms is expected to reach more than $1 billion. The value of cooperation last year was $641 million. Airbus currently takes approximately half of market share in China. Please read more here. This Page has moved to a new address: Sorry for the inconvenience Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service $50+ Trans-Siberian Orchestra Return to Dayton this Christmas The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will return to the Wright State University Nutter Center for TWO SPECTACULAR SHOWS on Saturday, December 4th at 3pm and 8pm. Returning with all-new staging and effects is the unforgettable show that started it all, Christmas Eve and Other Stories. A product of the vision and imagination of TSOs late founder/composer/lyricist Paul ONeill, Christmas Eve and Other Stories began the unique format ONeill called Rock Theater and forged a deep connection with their fans that it turned into the wildly-successful tour, cementing the groups status as a must-see, multi-generational, holiday tradition and kick-started the trend of Yuletide season tours. The rock opera features such enduring fan-favorites as "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Good King Joy," "Christmas Canon," "Music Box Blues," "Promises To Keep," and "This Christmas Day." Free Event The Home Builders Association of Dayton's Fall Parade of Homes is marching into the best neighborhoods the Dayton region has to offer. FREE Event! FREE Home Tour: The 2019 Fall Parade of Homes is Heading Your Way Have you been searching for the perfect home, but have not found it? Are you hoping that someone can help bring that wish to life? The Home Builders Association of Dayton can help! The 2019 Fall Parade of Homes will take place the next two weekends October 19-20 and October 26-27 throughout the Miami Valley, with homes available to tour from 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. each weekend. October is a great time to purchase a new home and the 2019 Fall Parade of Homes will showcase many of the best new home options for buyers today. The Fall Parade is a great way to get a feel for the types of new homes available in the Dayton region and all of the homes are available for purchase if you find the perfect home. Plus, it is FREE to the public. For more information, including locations, please visit our website. Traders' body CAIT has told the NCLAT that Walmart has been found "guilty of predatory behaviour" in countries like Germany, Mexico and South Africa and "may repeat such behaviour in India" through its acquisition of online major Flipkart. New Delhi: Traders' body CAIT has told the NCLAT that Walmart has been found "guilty of predatory behaviour" in countries like Germany, Mexico and South Africa and "may repeat such behaviour in India" through its acquisition of online major Flipkart. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which has challenged the CCI's approval of Walmart's USD 16 billion acquisition of Flipkart, in its reply filed before the NCLAT has said that the US retail major "may cause an appreciable adverse effect on competition" in the domestic market post combination as its "predatory tendencies" would be on on a much larger scale. Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc, however, in a separate reply has said its business model and activities in India were different of Flipkart's. Moreover, on account of FDI restrictions, Walmart India can not engage in selling directly to consumers. Even in business segments, where there is an overlap with Flipkart, Walmart said the "combined market share of Flipkart and Walmart in the market of B2B sales are less than five per cent and the incremental change in the market shares as a result of this transaction is less than 0.5 per cent". It further said that product offerings of Walmart and Flipkart are different in B2B sales where there is an overlap. "... the product line for the parties are largely different. While Wlamart India's focus is on food and grocery products, Flipkart B2B entities major sales are in mobile, other electronic and lifestyle, which are an extremely small part of Walmart India portfolio." Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc, a subsidiary of Walmart Inc, also said that the FDI policy 2017 restricts Walmart to do B2C sales whether offline or online as seller or any end-consumer market place based e-commerce platform, including on Flipkart marketplace platforms, which also include Myatra, jabong and ebay.in. Earlier, on September 6, the NCLAT which is also an appellate authority over the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has asked Wal-Mart International Holdings Inc to file a reply before it explaining way of doing business in India. The CAIT, which has filed an appeal before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) challenging the go-ahead by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Walmart's acquisition of home-grown Flipkart, was also asked to file its understanding over the Walmart's business model in India. The NCLAT had directed to list the matter on October 5 'for admission' of CAIT petition opposing approval granted by the CCI on August 8 to the Walmart-Flipkart deal. In its reply, trader's body has said this deal may eliminate smaller players in the market and is a matter of concern for them as they are financially incapable of competing at such low price levels. According to it, Walmart was found guilty of 'predatory pricing' in Germany in 2003. While, in Mexico, Mexico's antitrust authority COFECE blocked Walmex (Wal-mart's Mexican entity) from acquiring certain retail stores of its main competitor Soriana. "In South Africa, in an appeal against a merger between Walmart and Massmart, the South African authorities observed that Walmart's activities tend to affect small and medium sized enterprises," it said. According CAIT, it is a "matter of concern" that "Walmart may repeat such behaviour in India as well combined with India's largest e-commerce portal Flipkart". "It is unfortunate that despite the Act mandating an examination of combinations on the basis of the likelihood of an AAEC, the CCI has only considered the pre-merger overlaps and status quo while passing the Section 31 order instead of looking at the possible anti-competitive concerns that may arise based on the past conduct of Flipkart and Walmart in India and other jurisdictions, despite categorically noting that the activities of Flipkart may need to be examined under Section 3(4) of the Act," it said. Earlier, on August 18 Walmart had informed that it has completed deal with Flipkart and holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian e-commerce major. Besides, the Bentonville giant's investment includes USD 2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business. Walmart India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walmart Inc, owns and operates 21 Best Price Modern Wholesale stores in eight states in the country. Mark Zuckerberg, in a press call, had said the company's engineering team, on September 25, found an attack affecting up to 50 million accounts on Facebook. New Delhi: The Information and Technology Ministry has asked Facebook to provide an 'update' on the impact on Indian users on account of the recent hacking incident where about 50 million accounts on the social media portal were affected, sources said. According to senior IT officials, who did not wish to be named, Facebook has on Monday been verbally asked to update the government on the number of Indian users impacted by the recent attack. They added that Facebook officials have said they were analysing the issue and will revert in two days. When contacted, Facebook declined to comment on the query. Last week, Facebook had said hackers had exploited a vulnerability in its system, impacting up to 50 million accounts. The US-based firm did not disclose country-specific impact. Facebook, which has over 200 million users in India, counts the country among its largest userbases globally. Mark Zuckerberg, in a press call, had said the company's engineering team, on September 25, found an attack affecting up to 50 million accounts on Facebook. "The attackers exploited a vulnerability in the code of the 'View As' feature which is a privacy feature that lets people see what their Facebook profile would look like to another person," he added. He noted that since the investigation is still early, Facebook hasn't yet been able to determine if there's specific targeting. Stating that hackers had tried to access profile information fields -- like name, gender and hometown, Zuckerberg said "we do not yet know if any private information was accessed that way". Facebook had said it had fixed the vulnerability and also informed law enforcement. Earlier in the year too, Facebook was mired by controversy when UK-based data mining firm Cambridge Analytica was accused of harvesting personal user data of 87 million global users of the social networking platform illegally to influence polls in several countries. The company had drawn flak on the issue from policy makers across the world, including the Indian government that had shot off two notices to Facebook over the data breach. Zuckerberg, at that time during a joint hearing of the US Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees, had apologised for the "major breach of trust" and had promised to take steps to protect user data. In response to the first notice of the Indian government, Facebook had admitted that nearly 5.62 lakh people were "potentially affected" by the data breach incident. It was about half a century ago when the image of Mahatma Gandhi first appeared on the commemorative currency note of rupees 100 on the occasion of birth centenary of the father of the nation. (Photo: DC) New Delhi: It was about half a century ago when the image of Mahatma Gandhi first appeared on the commemorative currency note of rupees 100 on the occasion of birth centenary of the father of the nation. Although after the Independence in 1947, it was felt that the British King's portrait ought to be replaced by a picture of Mahatma Gandhi, it took quite some time for the government of the day to reach a consensus on the issue. In the meantime, King's portrait was replaced by Lion Capital at Sarnath in lieu of the Gandhi Portrait. The Reserve Bank in 1969 came out with a commemorative note of Rs 100 showing Mahatma Gandhi seated in the backdrop of the Sevagram Ashram. But the portrait of the father of the nation made its regular appearance on currency notes only in 1987 when the series of rupee 500 currency notes showing a smiling Gandhi was launched in October that year. Since then Mahatma Gandhi's portrait has been used regularly on currency notes of different denominations. Before Gandhi's portrait, many designs and images were used in on currency notes. In 1949 the then government brought out the new design Re 1 note with Ashoka Pillar. In 1953, Hindi was displayed prominently on new notes. The debate regarding the Hindi plural of Rupaya was settled in favour of Rupiye. High denomination notes (Rs 1,000, Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000) were reintroduced in 1954. The Rs 1000 currency note displayed the motif of Tanjore Temple, Rs 5000 Gateway of India and Rs 10,000 Lion Capital, Ashoka Pillar. These high denomination currency notes were, however, demonetised in 1978. The 1980s saw a completely new set of notes. The motifs on these notes marked a departure from the earlier ones. The emphasis was on symbols of Science & Technology (Aryabhatta on the Rs 2 note), Progress (the Oil Rig on Re 1 and Farm Mechanisation on Rs 5) and a change in orientation to Indian Art forms on the Rs 20 and the Rs 10 notes (Konark Wheel, Peacock). With the advancement of reprographic techniques, traditional security features were deemed inadequate. The RBI came out with additional features and a new 'Mahatma Gandhi Series' was introduced in 1996. These included changed watermark, windowed security thread, latent image and intaglio features for the visually handicapped. Mumbai: Director Anurag Basu, who is super excited about a sequel to his 2007 hit film Life in a Metro, is currently busy hunting actors for the multi-starrer urban drama. There are rumours that stars like Rajkummar Rao, Parineeti Chopra, Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha, Ishaan Khatter, among others, have already been locked for the film. And now according to Bollywood Hungama report, 'Thugs Of Hindostan' star Fatima Sana Shaikh has replaced Taapsee Pannu for playing a pivotal role in the film. If the report is to be believed, the reason for replacement is unavailability of dates on Taapsees part. With films Badla, Womaniya and Tadka already in the pipeline, the actress has no time to accommodate one more project and therefore, she had decided to let go of the film. Fatima, who is looking forward to the release of Thugs of Hindostan, has now been finalised for the same part. Dates were a major conflict and that is the reason why Anurag Basu had to look out for different option for the lead. And lucky for him, he had already spoken to Fatima in the past. So, when dates did become an issue, it was an easy fix for him this time around, a source has been quoted as saying in the report. The sequel to Life in a Metro is expected to go on the floors by the end of the year. Rajinikanth commenced his shoot for Petta in Varanasi from October 1 with Trisha, who plays his pair, joining him for a four-week schedule. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, a few portions of the film were canned in Lucknow with Megha Akash, who plays a small yet significant character, being part of the schedule. Posting a picture, the actress shared her fan moment with Superstar on her social media handle and wrote, Dreams do come true... And sometimes you do get to touch the stars. #mysmilesaysitall #thesuperstar. Meanwhile, a picture reportedly shared by another actor, Ramachandran, with Rajini suggests that the latter might play a Misa Act (Maintenance of Internal Security) prisoner in the flashback portions. In the picture, Rajinikanth is seen donning a tattoo on his right forearm reading MISA 109, which led to the speculation that the Kabali star might play a Misa prisoner under a law imposed during the Emergency under Mrs Indira Gandhi in 1975. Petta also stars Simran, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. Police have arrested a man and a search is on for another who fled the scene. (Representational Image) Chennai: A routine vehicle check led to seizure of nearly 1.5 tonne of gutka products from a car near Poonamallee on Monday. Police have arrested a man and a search is on for another who fled the scene. On Monday around 11 am, Poonamallee traffic investigation police were checking vehicles on the Chennai-Bengaluru highway. On suspicion, they stopped a car bearing a Tamil Nadu licence plate. However, the car did not stop after which a team of policemen chased the car for at least three kilometres before blocking it, the officials managed to nab the driver of the car however one man fled the scene. On searching the car, they found 1.5 tons of gutka products packed in several gunny bags. The police immediately seized the vehicle and questioned the driver identified as Suresh Kumar (20) from Rajasthan. During the interrogation, the driver stated that the contraband was being transported from a warehouse in Bengaluru to Chennai. A case has been registered and further investigations are on. At Best Club in Rajarajeshwarni Nagar, the police arrested 25 gamblers and seized Rs 1,42,410. At the BDSA Club, they arrested 15 gamblers and seized Rs 15,500 cash. (Representional Image) Bengaluru: CCB sleuths, along with jurisdictional police, raided four clubs for running illegal gambling racket, arrested 147 gamblers and seized Rs 11.41 lakh cash on Sunday. The CCB, which has been cracking down on illegal gambling, received a tipoff that clubs in Jayanagar and Rajarajeshwarinagar police limits were violating rules by allowing gambling within their premises. At the Media Club of Karnataka, CCB sleuths arrested 78 gamblers and seized Rs 2.42 lakh cash and token worth Rs 6 lakh. At the Karnataka Strategic Games and Cultural Association Club in Jayanagar, the police arrested 29 gamblers and seized Rs 1,42,210 cash. At Best Club in Rajarajeshwarni Nagar, the police arrested 25 gamblers and seized Rs 1,42,410. At the BDSA Club, they arrested 15 gamblers and seized Rs 15,500 cash. Cases were registered against these clubs at respective police stations. CCB officers from the anti-rowdy squad raided several bars and restaurants and arrested 36 rowdies. They received a tip-off that rowdies were meeting at bars and restaurants in Rajajinagar, Magadi Road and Hanumantha Nagar police limits. Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has barred Aadhaar-based authentication but about five lakh people are continuing to mark Aadhaar- based attendance in the state. The Telangana State Technological Services (TSTS) has implemented the Aadhaar-based attendance system (ABAS) in the offices of the state government and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, welfare hostels, schools and colleges among others. The ABAS has three critical components device, connectivity and authentication solution to monitor attendance on a real-time basis. The ABAS was considered as a key step towards digital governance. A senior government official said that a status quo was being maintained. The authentications are happening at the UIDAI level as they are in control of the database. So as long as UIDAI is allowing it, ABAS will continue. The Supreme Court has not definitively stopped government authentication but privately they are clearly barred. The School Education Project is fully operational wherein in 9,000 schools and 12,000 devices have been deployed in 12 districts. As many as 25,000 teachers are doing authentications every day, while for students it is yet to pick up but officials have noted that schools have the potential to add another 5 lakhs. Officials are waiting for detailed guidelines from the UIDAI which owns all Aadhaar datal even governments are taking services from them. Officials also noted that UIDAI is deliberating to come out with guidelines. A senior official said, We have to wait till they come out with guidelines. The judgement is differentiating between the private and government services. Section 57 is a crucial section for authentication. In section 57, the Supreme Court has held others part of it as invalid. UIDAI is reportedly studying the judgement to understand and issue the guidelines. The senior official added, Based on the gist of the order, government authentication may be acceptable for professionals but in case of schools and children, it needs to be deliberated. The ABAS system is from school to PG; we should see which ones are not to be done and which ones have to be done. We are waiting for further clarification from UIDAI. Asaduddin Owaisi, a third-term Member of Parliament representing the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat since 2004, and president of the Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimin (MIM), is a Bachelor of Law from the prestigious Lincolns Inn in London. An alumnus of the Hyderabad Public School and the Nizam College, he has been steering his party and trying to provide leadership to the Muslim community across the country by expanding his party rapidly, especially since the rise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Inheriting a mantle with challenges aplenty from his father, Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi, he has been dextrous and pragmatic in his politics, while maintaining a steadfast ideological opposition to the BJP, a party he perceives as an enemy and threat to his community. But he has been flexible in his alliances with the Congress and the two regional parties that have ruled from Hyderabad the Telugu Desam and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). He is facing his greatest challenge since 2014, when not only his political and existential enemy, the BJP, came to power at the Centre with a majority of its own but he also exited the Congress-led UPA and opposed the formation of Telangana. Hailed by his supporters as Naqeeb-e-Millat (leader of the community), the articulate, shrewd, analytical, politically insightful Mr Owaisi spoke to Deccan Chronicle on a range of issues, including the prospects of the TRS-MIM combine in early elections in the state, the situation and mood within the Muslim community in the Modi era, and the strategy to defeat the BJP in 2019. Excerpts. You are a friendly party to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) despite having opposed the cause of a separate state and the TRS supporting your rival candidate in the 2014 elections. Were you consulted by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao before taking the decision? The question is now moot, and too late to be answered. Now that the decision has been taken, I will describe it as a bold one. When an incumbent chief minister decides to dissolve the Assembly despite having a comfortable majority, and goes to the people asking them to renew their mandate eight-nine months ahead of schedule, it shows how confident he is. We have only one precedent I can think of the then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, seeking early elections in 2002. While Modi did it to consolidate the ill-gotten gains of communalism, KCR is seeking an early mandate to consolidate his good governance, having delivered extensive development, massive growth and peerless welfare schemes. It is true that in the larger interest of our community we stood against separate statehood, but once Telangana state was formed, we stood by the Chief Minister and his government in providing greater stability in the Assembly and ensuring the state does well. This was important because there were several fears based on perception and real forces working against the interests of Telangana. The reason I asked was because despite being a one-MP party, you were treated with great respect by the Congress in the two UPA regimes as long as you were part of it. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was personally known to consult you on several policy matters. Have you lost in stature from being part of the ruling Central government to being in a place where you are not even possibly consulted by your friendly party in a state? I have the highest respect for UPA chairperson Smt Sonia Gandhi. But my personal relationships aside, we are in politics for our people, in my case my Muslim community and other downtrodden sections, especially the Dalits. Ever since the unfortunate demise of Chief Minister Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Congress-MIM political relations were nose-diving. False cases were foisted on me and I was put in prison. The minority community welfare programmes were shelved and a moratorium was imposed on development activities in Muslim populated areas. Riots became the order of the day. There was complete stalling of all development and welfare between October 2009 and May 2014. The police in Andhra Pradesh played happy partners to the illegal detentions of our youth who were taken on false charges to Gujarat, where they languished. We supported the Congress from 1998 till 2012. But could the MIM have continued to be a partner of the Congress when they became anti-Muslim? That too for the sake of my personal friendship or for personal importance? You have not answered my question: Did KCR consult you on early polls? There are some things I cannot reveal to Deccan Chronicle. There will be secrets I have to take to the grave. How pleased are you with the performance of the TRS government, especially on the issue of minority welfare and development? This has been the best state government in India since 2014. Despite being a new state plagued with issues of bifurcation, it has done immensely well. Shadi Mubarak has been one of the most emotively and positively responded to schemes. From pension schemes for senior citizens to scholarships in residential schools where over 50,000 Muslim girls and boys are getting the best education free of cost, to overseas student scholarships, where over 1,000 Muslim youth are getting reimbursed for their education to the tune of `20 lakh per student, to rice and other necessities at lowest price I have little doubt in declaring that Muslims have fared best in Telangana state since 2014. One can always sit in judgement and say more can be done, but I am very convinced of KCRs sincerity and commitment towards minority welfare. More will be done in the next term on this front. Are you going to contest as an alliance partner or will there be a friendly fight? Let me explain to you a basic tenet of politics: There are no friendly fights. Every party fights to win. Wherever in Telangana state the MIM will contest, it would be to win the elections. Who do you think will win? If TRS wins, will you be a part of the next government? There are no ifs about TRS winning. It will win the election and KCR will be the next Chief Minister and head a stable government. Will the next Chief Minister be KCR or KTR, as is being generally perceived? Generally perceived where? In some media discussion? I repeat that the next government in Telangana state will be a stable one and headed by Chief Minister KCR. So if KTR is made Chief Minister, will the MIM object? What is the need for such a hypothetical discussion? If something like that happens, come to me. I will tell you then. The Congress argues that you are compromising on the core political values of the MIM by being friendly with a party that is perceived as pro-BJP, has purportedly a clandestine alliance with them and will join the NDA after the next Lok Sabha elections. Is Mr Owaisi compromising on the interests of the Muslim community? I would have said that Congress should do some soul-searching, but I am not sure if they have a soul anymore. So let me say, let them introspect. How many times has the Congress supported the BJP in Parliament since Modi became Prime Minister? I can give many examples but two would suffice. When the Delhi High Court passed a judgment invalidating foreign funding and contributions to political parties, both of you (Congress and BJP) compromised and passed a cosy Bill of mutual benefit to bypass the judgment. Not just that, they legalised all the past foreign funds received by both these national parties with retrospective effect. Who supported the triple talaq bill in the Lok Sabha? Why does the Congress think the Muslim community listens to it any more after they have sold us out to be nice to the Modi-Shah duo? If your primary aim is to defeat the BJP, isnt the Congress a necessity? We have two certifying authorities in India the Congress and the BJP. While Congress issues certificates of secularism, the BJP issues certificates of nationalism. The MIM does not need either of these certificates from these dubious sources. The Congress must realise the days of its preferred politics of entitlement are over. Why did they not call Chief Minister KCR seeking support of the TRS in the recent elections for the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha? Why did they not call the Aam Aadmi Party? Their dreams of the comeback of their dictatorship must end. But the question remains: Are you not an ally of the TRS which might be an ally of the BJP? Can you afford to have the MIM be seen as on the same side as the BJP? The MIM has been the constant, most vociferous, and consistent opponent of the BJP and its ideological backers, the Sangh. Look at my track record in Parliament. Who voted for the no-confidence motion? The reason Congress thinks it can arm-twist regional parties into supporting it is because of media liberals like you who have a soft corner for it and won't ask it tough questions. Can the Congress stand up and declare we will win 100 seats in 2019? Isn't there a direct battle between the Congress and the BJP in nearly 190 seats? Who makes the political life of the BJP easy by not winning, but also not willing to take allies together? What happened in Chhattisgarh when they were not willing to co-opt Ajit Jogi and Mayawati? Why are they not forming an alliance in Madhya Pradesh? One day Rahul Gandhi says PM is whatever-he-said in the Rafale deal. Next day, his ally Sharad Pawar gives him (Modi) a clean chit. Any response? The day the judgment on the mosque came, did a single Congress spokesperson give a statement or interview? Nothing has weakened secularism in India more than the selective, hypocritical lip service and actual practices of the Congress. My answer to this mindset of theirs to hell with you. I dont need you to stand for the Muslims of India. Inshallah, we will fight the Sangh and protect our people till our last breath. What if there is a hung Assembly? Another media speculation. There will be a comfortable majority for KCR. Your party leader and brother Akbaruddin Owaisi said this not a media speculation. He said what happened in Karnataka can also happen in Telangana. What he said for an hour before and 30 minutes after that was ignored; one minutes statement was blown out of proportion. As party president let me state in unequivocal terms the MIM does not want power, only the protection, development and welfare of its people. We will be friends with the TRS to ensure we can maximise benefits for our people, not enjoy power. Where do you see India headed in 2019? What would be your partys strategy? Firstly, we will go to the people and hope the people of Telangana state give us the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat and a huge bumper for the TRS, say 15 seats. We will try our best to defeat the BJP in Secunderabad. This will ensure not KCR or Owaisi but people of Telangana have the maximum say in the formation of the next government. From a Muslim community perspective, how has the Modi government fared? Their single obsession with select directive principles of state policy, uniform civil code and the ban on beef has destroyed the moral fabric of governance. Does the Supreme Court have to remind the Central government that the fundamental rights are supreme, and the right to life is so sacrosanct that a government which fails to protect life and liberty of citizens has no right to continue? Every single fear of the Muslim community has come true. Their agenda to render Muslims and Dalits as second class citizens is no longer hidden. Your views on the Muslim representation in legislative bodies and Parliament in India and the ways to augment it? Muslims have less than four per cent representation as against an over 14 per cent population. The country must truly ask itself are we really your brothers and sisters? Not just in Parliament, every aspect of social empowerment has been denied to Muslims and Dalits. There is place only where Muslims have higher than proportionate representation incarceration in prisons, and for Dalits, in manual scavenging. India must solve this issue as much as Muslims and Dalits must unitedly fight to reverse the injustice. Are you conceding that the BJP will win in 2019? Has the Muslim community reconciled with this eventuality? Every day since this government came to power a Sangh agenda is being pushed. People are lynched on rumours of consuming beef or even trading in cattle. Even Hindus are not being spared if a Hindu girl talks to a Muslim boy, the police will manhandle her on camera. But why is protecting secularism the sole battle and responsibility of the Muslims? Does not every Indian have a role in protecting secularism? Protecting the supremacy of the Constitution? Here are people in power who have not delivered to any section except a handful of industrialists. The rupee-dollar exchange is not to everyone. The petrol, diesel and gas prices are skyrocketing. No jobs. No growth. Destroyed the informal economy. Everyone has been cheated. Now scams in defence deals are beginning to come out. Why will anyone want to re-elect such a government? Is there an opposition leader who can take on Modi? In my mind, India is too big and Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi and Modi are too small. When the country wanted, it threw out Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Behari Vajpayee. The time for the TINA (there is no alternative) game is over. We are optimistic because various by-elections as well as mood of the nation surveys have shown the BJP has lost over eight per cent of its vote. We will see a defeated BJP in 2019. A group of people approaches the forest department officials stating that its wants to photograph flowers and other plants located in the RFs. After getting permission from officials, they deviate the path and go on trekking, said a source. Mainly, trekking is entertained in Kotagiri and Coonoor areas in Nilgiris, added the source. Chennai: Even after the state forest department banned trekking in the Reserved Forests (RFs), after Kurangani forest fire incident, in which 23 trekkers were burnt to death in Theni district, reliable sources and wildlife activists say trekking in main hilly stations goes unabated under the guise of photographing. The recent detention of 12 foreign nationals, who had trekked in Tiruvannamalai hills, bears testimony to the fact that how the forest department officials keep poor vigilance in the hills and RFs. Further, sources said that more persons in groups go on trekking in Nilgiris and Kodaikanal hills, violating the ban. A group of people approaches the forest department officials stating that its wants to photograph flowers and other plants located in the RFs. After getting permission from officials, they deviate the path and go on trekking, said a source. Mainly, trekking is entertained in Kotagiri and Coonoor areas in Nilgiris, added the source. Vijay Krishnaraj, a wildlife activist, Nilgiris, said, despite ban, more tourists, who come to Nilgiris, manage to enter the RFs under the guise of taking photography. Later, they go on trekking with the knowledge of forest officials. Places like Kotagiri, Kunjapanai, Manjoor-geddai and Coonoor have become a haven for such people for trekking. He urged the forest department to keep a tab on violators and take stern action on them. However, Nilgiris district administration maintained that it was closely monitoring reserve forest. Speaking to DC, J. Innocent Divya, district collector of Nilgiris, denied having given permission to the trekkers. The fact is that many tourists come to Nilgiris district. However, they are not allowed to enter reserve forests without proper permission from forest officials. Mainly, they are instructed not to go on trekking, she said, adding that forest officials were monitoring the forests round the clock. When contacted by Deccan Chronicle, T.P. Raghunath, Principle Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden, said that they had alerted all the district level forest officials to keep a vigil on trekkers. However, the government is preparing strict guidelines, after which ban on trekking might be lifted, he noted, warning of severe actions against forest officials, who let the trekkers inside the forests. In March, 23 persons were burnt to death in March, when a group of trekking team climbed the hills in Kurangani forest in Theni district. Later, it was confirmed that the team had neither obtained permission from forest officials nor followed trekking norms. Chennai: When Justin Antony, founder-president of International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET), which deals with welfare of fishermen and weather patterns in the sea in Kanyakumari district, was glancing through windy app, he was surprised to notice a storm that could form in Arabian sea on October 6. Worried, Justin, without a second thought, passed such information from Kanyakumari district administration to state fisheries department, following which Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed it and alerted the fishermen not to venture into the sea. Later, the district administration warned the fishermen to be cautious. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Justin recounted last year cyclone Ockhi, which ravaged Kanyakumari district with several fishermen, who involved in deep-sea fishing trapped and missed in the cyclone. However, we do not want such thing to happen this year. I regularly check my windy app. But, when I checked this app on Sunday, I felt something was amiss. When I keenly watched the weather pattern in the app, I noticed a storm, which can set in on October 6, he said. He knew that many fishermen had already gone for deep-sea fishing. To save them, I alerted all the officials and IMD confirmed the same. My humble request is that the government should take measures on war-footing to rescue fishermen involved in deep-sea fishing, Justin stressed. He did not want yet another disaster the district could witness. Officials should operate helicopters to locate fishermen and rescue them. Since fishermen have walkie-talkie, navy officials with life jackets should immediately conduct search operations, he noted. He also urged the government to set up a Marine Rescue Coordination Centre and National Disaster Management Centre in Kanyakumari for welfare of fishermen. The NIA alert has now pressed the alarm button in the state prison department, which has also stepped up vigil at the other central jails as well. Cuddalore: Security has been stepped up at the Cuddalore Central Prison here following an alert received from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of the strong possibility of the ISIS launching an attack for freeing its member lodged there. Over 100 men from the armed reserve police are standing guard at the prison and also conducting intensive vehicle checks at roads leading to the prison. According to informed sources, the NIA had sent an alert to the Tamil Nadu Government and the police headquarters a few days back that the ISIS terror outfit is planning to attack the Cuddalore Central Prison and free its member Ansar Meeran, who was arrested in Chennai in February this year. He had been lodged in Puzhal prison and was shifted to Cuddalore jail in July following clashes between two groups of prisoners and also amid media expose of the inmates leading luxurious life in the Puzhal jail. Several other prisoners had been shifted from Puzhal to other jails in the state during this crackdown. Ansar, 29, had reportedly told some prisoners in the Cuddalore jail that the ISIS would soon attack the prison and take him back. The NIA alert has now pressed the alarm button in the state prison department, which has also stepped up vigil at the other central jails as well. DIG (prisons) Shanmugasundaram inspected the Cuddalore jail Sunday evening and reviewed the security arrangements. He also ordered increase in the number of armed guards at the premises. Meanwhile, tension prevailed at the prison following the suicide of life convict Mansoor Ali, 52, by hanging late Sunday night. He was convicted of murdering his wife at hometown Mayiladuthurai and lodged in the Cuddalore jail in August last year. Police are probing if the suicide had anything to do with the searches conducted in the cells following the NIA alert on Ansar. Hyderabad: The emergence of Type 2 strain of polio virus shows that the vials which were to be destroyed are still in use. The sampling of stools by World Health Organisation in Uttar Pradesh and the finding of Type 2 strain shows the lapses in the drug control administration. Dr Krishna M. Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech, said, The Type 2 strain of polio virus was discontinued in 2016 as there were cases of vaccine-derived polio. Vaccines are now made for only Type 1 and 3 strains. The WHO has asked all companies manufacturing the polio vaccine to destroy the Type 2 vials. He said the Type 2 was not even being used in R&D. To ensure that pharmaceutical companies follow rules, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has to carry out checks from time to time. There was a similar incidence in 2016 in Hyderabad which shows that the Type 2 vaccine is still in use, Dr Ella said. India achieved polio-free status in 2011 and was officially certified by WHO in 2014. The Indian Paediatrics Journal has reported 50 cases of vaccine-derived polio since 2014. That is why the WHO wanted the Type 2 vaccine to be destroyed. A senior scientist said. The company was using the Type 2 strain despite being told not to do so. This means that drug controllers are not checking it properly. The finding was by WHO sample testing which shows that the compliance levels in India continue to be a challenge. Experts state that the problem is in the use of cheap vaccines and that puts the complete effort at risk. WHO is continuously monitoring for the polio virus because neighbouring countries are still reporting the disease. A senior pharmaceutical official explained, The company Biomed Private Limited has a 25 per cent share in the private market too. Hence the government must not focus only on their program but look at the batches which are in the open market. Trump alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. (Photo: File) Washington/New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Monday slammed India for imposing "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and said that New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him happy. Trump's charges against the alleged high Indian tariffs, for the second time in a few days, came during his White House news conference where he announced a new trade deal with neighbouring Mexico and Canada. As he announced the key elements of the US-Mexico and Canada Agreement or USMCA, Trump listed out at the trade deals that are under negotiations, including with Japan, European Union, China and India. Trump described India as a "tariff king" as he reiterated his allegations that New Delhi has a high tariff rate on various American products. Trump alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. "When we send Harley Davidson motorcycle, and other things to India, they charge us very very high tariffs. I have spoken to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and he is going to reduce them substantially," he said. Trump said the relationship with both India as well as the country's Prime Minister Modi "is great". He, however, rued that no one from the previous regimes had ever spoken with the Indians. "Nobody ever spoke to these people (Indians). He (Modi) said, nobody ever spoke to me. I am not trying to be overly dramatic. We have had presidents of the United States and (US) Trade Representatives, they never spoke to India. Brazil is another one," Trump said, adding that "they charge us whatever they want". Noting that the tariff on motorcycles was 100 per cent, the president said it was like a barrier. India has already reduced it substantially, but it is still too high, Trump said, adding that who is going to buy it as it costs so much. He also warned against imposing similar tariffs on the import of Indian products. Trump said India wanted to have a trade deal with the US and the negotiations are being carried out by the US Trade Representatives Robert Lighthizer. When US officials asked Indians why they want to have a trade deal with America, Indian officials told them that they want to keep the US President happy, Trump told reporters. "India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, 'we want to start negotiations immediately'," Trump said. Thereafter, he referred to a conversation that Lighthizer had with the Indian officials. "When Bob Lighthizer said, 'What happened? He would never do this.' They said, 'No, we want to keep your president happy.' Isn't that nice? Isn't that nice? It's true. They have to keep us happy, because they understand that we're wise to what's been happening," Trump claimed. "India charges tariffs of 100 per cent, and then if we want to put a tariff of 25 per cent on, people will call from Congress, 'But that's not free trade.' And I'd look back to people and say, 'Where do these people come from? Where do they come from?'" Trump said. "So because of the power of tariffs and the power that we have with tariffs, we, in many cases, won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are, and how good they are. But in many cases, we're not going to have to use them," he added. On Saturday, Trump had said that India wants to have a trade deal with the US because it does not want him to impose tariffs on their products. Trump's remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussion with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries. Hyderabad: Caretaker minister K.T. Rama Rao pacified leaders in undivided Warangal and Adilabad districts who were demanding that the party candidates be changed. He promised to accommodate them in various posts, and they vowed to work for the partys victory. Among those he met were leaders from Station Ghanpur who were ranged against former deputy CM T. Rajaiah as they wanted deputy CM Kadiam Srihari his daughter Kavya to contest. Mr Srihari too asked the party activists to back off. Later, Mr Rama Rao won Mr D. Srihari Rao over by offering an MLC seat if he dropped his opposition to caretaker minister A. Indrakaran Reddy at Nirmal. The TRS has nominated Congress defector D. Vithal Reddy, from Mudhole, which is being opposed by TRS leader S. Venugopalachary, who lost to Mr Reddy in 2014 polls. Farmers along the UP-Delhi border were stopped during the 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' and police resorted to using of teargas shells and water cannons to disperse the protesters. (Photo: PTI) Ghaziabad: Thousands of farmers on Tuesday marched towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, blocking traffic movement on arterial roads leading to the national capital. National Highways leading to the national capital were swamped with farmers who came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. Farmers along the UP-Delhi border were stopped during the 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' and police resorted to using of teargas shells and water cannons to disperse the protesters. Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. #WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. They came on foot, in buses and tractor trolleys. They carried banners of Bhartiya Kisan Union, which gave the call for the march to press for a series of demands. "We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right," said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut. Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, he said. "Aap ko 500 rupiya ka gas theek lagta hai? (Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you," he asked. Another farmer claimed that over 3 lakh peasants are marching towards Rajghat. Their list of demands include unconditional loan waiver for farmers, clearing of dues by sugar mills, higher prices for crops, free electricity for farms and a cut in diesel prices. The farmers were marching towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, but were stopped at Delhi-UP border with police using water cannons to disperse them. (Photo: PTI) Ghaziabad: As thousands of farmers tried to enter the national capital in a massive protest march, the government on Tuesday announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, even as the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. After meeting the protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad, Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause. "I assure you all this. We will move court over the NGT order (to ban tractor and vehicles which are more than 10 years old)," he said. On another problem faced by the farmers about farm labour, the minister said the government would look at bringing in some changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem. "The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MNREGA with agriculture," Shekhawat added. "On behalf of (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singh, I assure you that I will represent the farmers' interests in this committee and whatever changes would be required to link MNREGA with agriculture will be made," Shekhawat told the farmers. The protesting farmers, however, decided to stay put at the Delhi border, where they have been stopped by the police from entering the national capital. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharat Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I can't decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. Also Read: Kisan rally: Thousands of farmers try to enter Delhi, police use tear gas The farmers were marching towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, but were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. An official from the Gir forest department revealed that 11 lion deaths were reported between September 11 and September 19, while 10 more big cats died in the next 10 days which means one death daily. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) Ahmedabad: At least 10 more lions have died in Gujarat's Gir forest, taking the overall death toll to 21 since September 11, the forest department officials confirmed on Tuesday. An official from the Gir forest department revealed that 11 lion deaths were reported between September 11 and September 19, while 10 more big cats died in the next 10 days which means one death daily. Unidentified infection in liver and kidney and internal fights between the lions are stated to be the main cause of death of the lions. Junagadh chief conservator (wildlife) Dushyant Vasavda said, "The death cases are being looked into at the National Institute of Virology and Veterinary College, Junagadh. Scientists from the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Uttar Pradesh, have been called to look into the matter. Moreover, the Gujarat government is making arrangements for required medicines and vaccinations from America." He further said, "The deaths have been reported from Sarasiya area in Dalkhaniya range. Over 2,000 forest department staff divided into 140 teams have checked 3,000 square kms of Gir area and found more than 700 healthy lions." Meanwhile, 31 lions have been kept under observation in Akandkar Jamwal Animal Care. Gir forest is the only natural habitat for the Asiatic lions. In 2015, a total of 523 lions were found in the forest. 'The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place', Modi said. (Photo: Twitter | @narendramodi) New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Tuesday to mark his 149th birth anniversary. UN Chief, Antonio Guterres who arrived in Delhi on Monday evening also marked the occasion. "At Mahatma Gandhis memorial, I am reminded once again that he proved that non-violence can change history. As we mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, may his wisdom and determination guide our collective work towards peace and prosperity on a healthy planet," Guterres wrote on Twitter. At Mahatma Gandhis memorial, I am reminded once again that he proved that non-violence can change history. As we mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, may his wisdom and determination guide our collective work towards peace and prosperity on a healthy planet. pic.twitter.com/sK0AMqiGnN Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 2, 2018 Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Gandhiji is not an immobile statue, he is a living set of ideas and values flowing through India. Truth and non-violence, which he lived for and was killed for are the foundation of our country. True patriots must protect them. #GandhiJayanti#Gandhi150 pic.twitter.com/ltgTBgBhYF Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 2, 2018 The Congress chief was among the first of the senior leaders to pay homage to Gandhi at his iconic memorial this morning. Both Rahul and Sonia are scheduled to travel to Wardha for the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and left soon after. Earlier in the day, paying homage to the Father of the Nation, Prime Minister Modi tweeted, "From today, we are entering Pujya Bapu's 150th anniversary year. It is a great opportunity for all of us to fulfill his dreams." "The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place," he added in a later tweet. The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. Paid tributes to Bapu at Rajghat this morning. #Gandhi150 pic.twitter.com/Ot3kBDVLiv Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2018 President Ram Nath Kovind too tweeted images after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. #PresidentKovind paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti pic.twitter.com/ZiOqLDXvth President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 2, 2018 "Let us rededicate ourselves to the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi peace, fraternity, harmony and inclusive national development. Gandhiji's message remains relevant for all and he continues to be our guiding light." he said. Vice President M Venkiah Naidu paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and performed 'parikrama' to the 'samadhi'. Performing Parikrama to the samadhi of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his Birth Anniversary today at the Rajghat in Delhi. #MahathmaGandhi #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/SHHXQaw1UN VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) October 2, 2018 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who arrived soon after Rahul Gandhi at Rajghat, also paid homage to the Mahatma. Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and senior BJP leader L K Advani also paid tributes to Gandhi on the occasion. Many other leaders, including Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajyavardhan Rathore also took to social media to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti. (With inputs from Agencies) Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress leaders after lunch at Sevagram, the ashram where Mahatma Gandhi spent his last few years, went to the taps and scrubbed their utensils clean. (Photo: Screengrab | ANI) Wardha: Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi and other senior party leaders were seen washing their plates after having lunch at Sevagram at Wardha in Maharashtra, where the party has gathered for a leadership meet heavy on symbolism on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. In a video shared by news agency ANI, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Congress leaders after lunch at Sevagram, the ashram where Mahatma Gandhi spent his last few years, went to the taps and scrubbed their utensils clean. #WATCH: Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi wash their plates after lunch in Sevagram (Bapu Kuti) in Wardha. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/hzC3AGe7kj ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The Congress held a prayer meeting to pay tribute to Mahatama Gandhi on his birth anniversary. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also participated in the tribute held at Bapu Kuti, which was home to Mahatma Gandhi. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also planted a sapling in the ashram next to a tree his father and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had planted in 1986. Earlier in the day, Rahul also led a foot march to mark the start of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations and to give a message against what the party called the "atmosphere of fear" in the country. The Congress president walked for around 50 minutes before reaching the rally venue, a party leader said. The Congress leaders had congregated at the Sevagram village, located around 10 km from Wardha district headquarters, to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). CWC is the highest decision-making body of the party. This was the second CWC meeting to be held at Sevagram after more than 75 years. The first meeting was convened in 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi to adopt the Quit India resolution. In a similar incident last year, Patna police had blamed rodents after several thousand litres of alcohol were found missing from storerooms. (Representational Image) Patna: Rats have been blamed again for nibbling liquor bottle lids and guzzling alcohol in dry Bihar. Officials said that around seven cartons of seized liquor were found destroyed in a warehouse located in Kaimur district. Speaking to reporters on the issue, a local administrative officer Kalpana Kumar said, Prima facie it seems that rats have been creating havoc inside the warehouse where liquor bottles and beer cans seized during raids were kept. As per an assessment over 11,000 units of liquor bottles seized during raids in last two years were kept inside the police storeroom. Officials said, These bottles were to be destroyed but before we could initiate the process we found beer cans and liquor bottles with holes and bite marks on them. According to Excise and Prohibition department data, over 16 lakh litres of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and nine lakh litres of country-made liquor have been seized during raids in the past two and half years. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar while chairing a high-level meeting on September 15 had directed the officials to destroy seized stocks of liquor and also ordered action against police personnel who have been violating prohibition law in Bihar. In a similar incident last year, Patna police had blamed rodents after several thousand litres of alcohol were found missing from storerooms. The report of rats consuming liquor had prompted Bihar CM to order an internal probe to find out the truth. A total ban on liquor was imposed in April 2016. In July this year, the state legislature had unanimously passed the amendments to the liquor prohibition bill deleting some of the stringent act and making it less harsh on violators. Liquor prohibition was the first major announcement by Nitish Kumar after he was sworn in as chief minister in 2015 following an emphatic victory. On Tuesday while addressing a gathering in Patna on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti Kumar said that liquor prohibition has brought positive changes in the state. He also asked administration officials who were present during the event to initiate stern action against all those who have been violating prohibition rules. Dont hesitate in taking action against people who have been violating prohibition rules. A regular drive must be launched across the state to create awareness about the ill-effects of liquor consumption, dowry and child marriage, Kumar said in Patna. In the video, the Congress leader is seen in white clothes and his dhoti hitched up. He is seen extracting muck from a drain. (Photo: Twitter | V Narayanasamy) New Delhi: Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamys video of stepping inside a drain and cleaning has been widely shared online. The video was posted by the Chief Minsters official Twitter account. It is part of the Swachhata Hi Seva movement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month to generate greater public participation in the cleanliness mission. In the video, the Congress leader is seen in white clothes and his dhoti hitched up. He is seen extracting muck from a drain. It is in sharp contrast to events where various politicians are cleaning sanitized and deliberately littered spots or posing for cameras with gloves and brand new brooms. A Congress worker on Twitter said, "It's really so glad to see your sincere efforts and dedicated efforts. You became a role model for our Congress party workers sir. God will give you more strength to serve more for our country." Swachhata Hi Seva movement was launched by PM Modi for generating greater public participation toward cleanliness to mark the commencement 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi next year. Chennai: Royal Enfield employees resumed their agitation after their management laid down a rule forbidding workers to carry mobile phones inside the factory. Meanwhile, around 600 members of the Indian Yamaha Employees Union affiliated to CITU protested in front of the Kancheepuram bus terminus on Tuesday morning. The protest was triggered after Yamaha India terminated two workers Raja Manikandan and Prakash from the company citing reduction of manpower on September 20. The agitators urged reinstatement of the two workers and accept their union as one of the workers union in the company. After court orders were passed asking employees not to protest within the plant, the employees stepped out from 8 am to 5 pm on Tuesday near the Kancheepuram bus terminal to protest. However, as the protest was not conducted after police permission, all 600 of the employees were arrested. They have been kept in a marriage hall nearby and will be released in the evening, police sources said. At Oragadam, the protests at Royal Enfield were on. We have been allowed with mobile phones for last five years, Working People Trade Union Council and Royal Enfield Employees Union Vice-President R Sampath said. The condition by the management was not acceptable to us and from today we are resuming our protest. The employees of India Yamaha, subsidiary of Japan-headquartered Yamaha Motor Corporation, were on strike from September 21 seeking reinstatement of dismissed employees while the Royal Enfield employees, who took to the protest a day later, are seeking recognition of their union. Royal Enfield, in a statement to the exchanges, said the strike has affected its production and that the company has suffered a loss of over 10,000 units. The factory, however, had said in a petition to the Madras high court that it does not recognise the Royal Enfield employees union participating in the strike. After a four-day strike, the unions called it off based on an advisory letter from the state labour department. It remains to be seen what the next course of action will be for the union on Wednesday. Yamaha, however, has not acknowledged the protests for the last 10 days. Vinoth G, public relations officer for Yamaha, said he has received no information. New Delhi: In what seems a a major boost for New Delhi, visiting United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday said India does not face a major problem with communalism and religious fundamentalism, adding that he sees the country as one with extreme diversity. Responding to a question on communalism and religious fundamentalism, the UN Secretary General was quoted by news agencies as saying that he does not think India is in the worst situation at all. I have always seen India as a country with extreme diversity. Of course, there are forms of extremism as any other parts of the world. I dont think that is the major problem that you face, Mr Guterres was quoted by news agencies as saying. According to TV and website reports, Mr Guterres was also quoted as saying, I dont think India faces a communalism problem. I see the extraordinary diversity in India. I have seen perfect religious harmony in India. Mr Guterres also said India can help in resolution of the Rohingya refugee crisis by supporting Bangladesh in humanitarian assistance and using its influence with Myanmar to bring about reconciliation. On the Rohingya crisis (in Myanmar), he also said that to keep a population (Rohingyas) in such a discriminatory situation is an invitation for terrorist groups to exploit the situation. Mr Guterres, in an interaction with a news agency, also denounced terrorism as a plague that affects the world, and highlighted the significance of the principle of non-violence espoused by Mahatma Gandhi. To a question on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human (OHCHR) Rights report on alleged human rights abuses in Kashmir in June this year which was rejected by India, he said the reports are not endorsed by the secretary general. I dont discuss reports about human rights commissioner. They have independence. The countries can agree or disagree with the reports. Their reports are not endorsed by the secretary general. The reports are done in a strictly independent way. Mr. Guterres also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday afternoon in New Delhi, during which issues such as climate change, reforms in the UN Security Council and Indias contributions to UN peacekeeping was discussed, officials said. There were no specific reference by officials to any discussions on the Kashmir issue amid speculation earlier that the UN chief may raise the issue. PM @narendramodi and @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres exchanged views on Indias leading role at the #UnitedNations in Climate Change, SDGs, Digital Cooperation, UNSC reforms and Peacekeeping, among others, MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Tuesday. Praising PM Modi, the UN chief said, Some 2.3 billion people worldwide do not have the basic sanitation facilities. To build resilient, healthy societies, we need to change this urgently. I congratulate @narendramodi for demonstrating leadership and vision on this vital issue. The UN chief also said India is an absolutely essential component of a future multi-polar world and that the country can also play a role of an honest broker in some of the on-going conflicts in the world. Responding to a question on why the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) could not be adopted, Mr. Guterres said, The problem of definition of terrorism is (due to) several complexities. There are number of things which are complicated to have a common definition of terrorism. We have never managed to have it and we have never managed to have a true convention because of the definition. New Delhi: A long march by farmers from Hardwar to Rajghat in Delhi seeking loan waivers from the government, among other things, turned into a pitched battle with the police as thousands of agitators were stopped from entering the national capital. The Opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, BSP, RJD, SP and AAP, were quick to express solidarity with the farmers, lending a political hue to the entire agitation. The Kisan Kranti Padyatra was due to enter the capital on Tuesday, October 2, the birth anniversary of both Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had coined the slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, and to culminate at Rajghat, the samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. However, they were stopped by the polkice at the Delhi-UP border. While the government rushed to cool tempers after the clashes with the police, with minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat holding meetings with the farmers, a delegation of agriculturalists which met Mr Shekhawat rejected his assurance that the Centre was actively considering the demands and said that the protests and agitation will not stop. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government even announced that a chief ministers' committee would look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put, saying they were not satisfied with this assurance. Naresh Tikait, chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, said the farmers are not satisfied with the government's assurance. We will discuss this and then decide on the future course of action. I cannot decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision, he added. The demands of farmers include waiver of farm loans, clearance of pending payments and implementation of the Swaminathan Committee Report. After the police action on the farmers, the Opposition parties put the blame on the Narendra Modi government. The Congress alleged that the Badshah of the Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power. In Lucknow, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati termed the police lathicharge on farmers the height of anarchy and warned that the BJP should be prepared to face consequences. This is the height of the BJP government's anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences... The BJP, which came to power promising to bring good days to farmers by doubling their incomes, has targeted them with teargas shells and lathis when they only wanted to march to Rajghat and hold a demonstration over their problems, she said. Most Opposition parties, accusing the government of being anti-farmer, said it should have allowed protesters to enter Delhi peacefully to air their grievances. The Delhi police, however, insisted that it had only used the minimum required force as a section of protesters, who were participating in the BKU march, suddenly turned violent as the police tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner, were injured as the farmers got violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, the police claimed. Since early Tuesday morning, the farmers had gathered at the Ghazipur border between Delhi and Ghaziabad in their thousands. Announcements were regularly made on the public address system about the promulgation of prohibitory orders and requests were specifically made not to attempt entry into Delhi forcibly on tractor-trolleys since there was no permission for this. The police said it had specially deployed buses for ferrying the farmers to the city. Talks were also going on in this regard with the leaders of various factions of protesters, the police said. But despite requests that the protesters wait for the outcome of the talks between their leaders and the government, a section of the crowd suddenly turned violent and tried to break the barricades with tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis, the police said. Tractor-trolleys were used with violent force by this aggressive section to break down three layers of strong barricading. Some protestors also resorted to stone-pelting and wielded lathis, causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty, a police statement said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of brutally beating up farmers at the Delhi border on the International Day of Non-Violence, and said they cannot even air their grievances in the nation's capital. Tweeting in Hindi, Mr Gandhi said: On the International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital! The Congress Working Committee, which was meeting at Wardha, adopted a resolution strongly condemning the police action against the farmers. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury condemned the police action against the farmers, and said: The Modi government has backtracked on all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government. The Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha also condemned the police brutality on protesting farmers and attacked the government over the issue. Other Opposition leaders who condemned the police action were Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashvi Yadav. HYDERABAD: Finance Minister Etela Rajendar said that the people of Telangana would not believe in the tall promises being made by Congress before the elections. He said that the TRS Government has fulfilled the assurance of water, funds and jobs (Neellu, Nidhulu, Niyamakalu... the TRS tagline) in the last four years. Speaking to the media on Tuesday he said that irrespective of the lies and the schemes played out by the opposition parties, it would be TRS which would come back to power in the forthcoming assembly elections. He said that the people of Telangana have confidence in the TRS and believe that if the caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao makes a promise he would implement it. Mr Rajendar said that the TRS Government had filled up over 37,000 posts so far out of 87,000 posts for which notifications were issued. He said that out of the 1,28,274 posts identified, 1,02,217 posts were permitted to be filled. He said that the welfare schemes rolled out by TRS government were catering to all sections of the society irrespective of caste and religion of the beneficiaries. He alleged that those who want to come to power by illegal means are making communal and caste statements. He added that the Telangana agitation was centred around the regions waters, funds and jobs for the locals. Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has slammed the caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao saying that he is a Chota Modi. He has also slammed the MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi for supporting the TRS. Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy gave a call to the Muslim community saying, If the Muslim community wants to bring down Prime Minister Narendra Modi from power, then we must first bring down the Chota Modi belonging to Telangana. Casting a vote for KCR is nothing but voting for Mr Narendra Modi. According to him, K. Chandrasekhar Rao will be going with Modi in the coming Parliament elections. He said that KCR had sanctioned only 0.4 per cent of the budget over the last four years for the welfare of Muslims. He admitted, During the last elections we had weak candidates in the race but this time the Congress will go with strong contestants. We will take MIM seriously during the upcoming elections. He added, Asaduddin Owaisi is supporting the Telangana Rashtra Samithi for the last few days. We are questioning the MIM Chief, is he supporting the TRS, although the government cheated the Muslims in the name of 12 percent reservations? Not even one Urdu teacher was appointed in the state schools in the four year tenure of the TRS government. He asked, Has Asaduddin joined hands with the TRS to erase cases against him and his brother? Or for the Rs 40Cr land that you (Owaisi) are trying for? The recent abduction and killing in Kashmir of three special police officers, to which external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj alluded in her recent UN General Assembly address, suggests the police grid in the Valley has been consciously brought under attack. This means the first line of defence against Pakistan and its agents has been carefully targeted to weaken the overall security structure. The J&K police is arguably the best in India today and is trained to deal with counter-insurgency responsibilities, in contrast with the situation around two decades ago. Central paramilitary forces, and the Army, are apt to be exposed more often and directly in anti-terrorist operations if the local police and their families are demoralised. At a time when there is no popular government in J&K and the state is under Central rule, tackling this can be more onerous than in normal times. The good news is that the Valleys social fabric has held, though in the past three years there were egregious attempts to communalise politics in the state by elements close to the ruling establishment. Of the policemen recently killed, the first to be abducted and slain happened to be a Hindu. Even in these tenuous times, as terrorism has grown, his Muslim neighbours gave chase to terrorists and fought with them. The neighbours organised the dead mans funeral in a spirit of social harmony. On the social media, policemen are being asked to quit their jobs on pain of death. Dozens have reportedly left. Its not the time to panic, but to take unobtrusive steps to provide security to the policemens families, a task fraught with difficulties as they live as a part of the community. Therefore community consciousness about extremism and terrorism needs to be raised. This requires conscious political mobilisation of a certain kind. New Delhi in the past three years has shown no inclination in this direction. Many SPOs are tasked with gathering intelligence and some who have come under attack or are being openly threatened are said to be linked to the polices electronic surveillance department. Are the terrorists being assisted by those on the inside in the police? If thats the case, we may be dealing with a serious security breach. Unfortunately, this situation coincides with the ill-advised decision to go ahead with the local bodies elections, which were delayed for 18 years, at this juncture. For the first two rounds of the poll, on 60 per cent of the seats, there have either been no nominations filed or the lone candidate has been declared elected. This points to the reality of the security situation on the ground. Its to be hoped effective steps are swiftly taken to ensure the police is not pushed into retreat mode. H10 Air India, the national carrier, is quite an albatross around the governments neck. Exploiting the airline for travel may, however, have been tuned into a fine art by dignitaries, politicians and bureaucrats. There are no intending buyers or strategic investors for the airline, which has run up mountainous debt in excess of Rs 50,000 crores, but the government seems to treat it as s in-house transporter for which no payment is needed. The latest RTI reply reveals Air India is owed Rs 1,146 crores for VIP travel. There are pending payments dating back 12 years: the CAG flagged the issue two years back. The sheer callousness in dealing with a broken wing is evident. A part of the dues is over evacuation flights, in which Air India has played a praiseworthy role, drawing the admiration of many countries during the Yemen crisis. The professionalism of those who operate AI aircraft is also a source of eternal pride. The pilots of an AI flight on September far exceeded even those standards with a landing at Newark airport that should be part of aviation folklore. With 370 passengers aboard, all systems malfunctioning, the fuel load low after a long flight and visibility less than 100 metres over New Yorks JFK Airport in the most dreaded aviation circumstances, the brave pilots chose to fly on to New Jersey for a visual landing. The American ATC officials words I only wish I could do more for you may have been ringing in their ears as they landed without any passenger even knowing the odds they had to overcome. Nothing exemplifies AIs spirit better than the brave Dreamliner pilots on Flight AI-101. H10 We live in an ever-changing world. Some people, and they are very few, understand this change as the nature of the world, accept it and flow with it while others complain about it, resist it, try to swim upstream and transform life into a struggle. Those who know that the change is inevitable, they also know that the change is always happening on the periphery, the circumference, and within them they have a centre which is never changing. At that centre there is total restfulness while on the periphery life may appear to be very tiring and stressful. Real meditation means moving from the periphery to the innermost centre and settling into being. There is a Zen saying: Dont just do something and sit there. This statement describes the famous Zazen meditation discipline. Osho, the modern Zen master, explains: Zazen means just sitting and doing nothing. The first thing to do is learn sitting, a deep restfulness. Become a pool of rest, not even ripples of desire, going nowhere, no ambition not even for God, not even for nirvana. Sit not only physically psychologically, spiritually too. Learn to sit; that is Zazen. And rest and fall into a deep rest, so the breathing becomes natural, the body becomes cool, all the fever of constant desire and turmoil disappears, evaporates. And then, work. That work will have a totally different quality. It wont be out of desire; it will be creativity. It will be because you have so much energy available that you would like to share your energy with the world, that you would like to create something, that you would like to make the world a little more beautiful, a little more blissful, a little more human. This, indeed, is the real art of meditation the real secret. It helps us find a centre within our own being and relax into it. And just an hour of such relaxation rejuvenates us and fills us with tremendous amount of energy. Just one hour or even less time, half an hour or 15 minutes, can refresh our being and unleash so much creativity. Those who meditate know this secret. Osho suggests: Dont fight with shadows! And the whole life is a shadow because change is nothing but a shadow. The unchanging is the real; the changing is the unreal. So dont ask whether the peripheral change and movement has to be forced to cease in order to realize the center. There is no need, and you cannot force it. It cannot cease! The world goes on; only it will not go on in you. You can remain in the world, and there is no need for the world to be in you. The world is not the disturbance. When you get involved in it, when you become the change, when you feel that you have become the change, then it creates problems. B09 An official US statement described the move by the Chinese destroyer as 'unsafe' because it moved within 41 metres of the US warship. (Representational Image | AP) Beijing: The US has accused a Chinese naval ship of conducting "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvres when one of its warships entered the waters of the disputed South China Sea. China on Tuesday expressed its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the US warship sailing near the islands and reefs claimed by it in the South China Sea (SCS). "On September 30, without permission of the Chinese government, the US destroyer Decatur entered neighbouring waters of islands and reefs of China's Nansha Islands," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a statement on Tuesday. The Chinese naval ship identified the US vessel, warned and expelled it, Hua said, stressing that China has indisputable sovereignty of the Nansha islands (Spratly Islands) and its adjacent waters. An official US statement described the move by the Chinese destroyer as "unsafe" because it moved within 41 metres of the US warship. US Pacific Fleet deputy spokesman Nate Christensen said the Chinese destroyer had "approached USS Decatur in an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea". "The PRC destroyer conducted a series of increasingly aggressive manoeuvres accompanied by warnings for Decatur to depart the area," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post quoted Christensen as saying. After the Chinese ship came within 45 yards (41 metres) of Decatur's bow it moved to prevent a collision, the report said. Apart from China, Vietnam also lay claim on the Spratly Islands. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counterclaims over the vital transit route for world trade. The US has been sending periodic air and naval expeditions to assert its right of the freedom of the navigation in the SCS. The movement of the US naval ships and aircraft through the area has increased since President Donald Trump took the office. China routinely objects the US presence to register its claims. Hua said that with joint efforts of China and the members of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the current situation in the SCS has continued to stabilise and get better, while repeated provocative US moves under the pretext of the so-called "freedom of navigation operation" have threatened the peace and stability in the region. She said that such US moves are against the common will of countries in the region and the basic international norms, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday. "The Chinese side strongly urges the US side to immediately correct its mistakes and stop such provocative operations," Hua said, adding that China would take all necessary measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and security. The unsafe and aggressive manoeuvres by the US and Chinese ships took place amid the trade war between the world's two largest economies. Both the countries have been slapping tariffs on billions of dollars' worth of their exports. The US also imposed sanctions on a Chinese military unit importing Russian weapon systems. The Chinese military too voiced its opposition to the US ship sailing through the area. A Chinese navy vessel carried out identification and verification procedures of the USS Decatur in accordance with law and warned it, Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defence said in a statement. "The Chinese military resolutely opposes such actions", he said, adding that China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the SCS in accordance with international law, but resolutely opposes any illegal provocation in the name of 'freedom of navigation.' "The Chinese military will fulfil its defence duty and continue to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security of the country, as well as the regional peace and stability," he said. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) stated on Monday that the two terror suspects who were arrested from Bengaluru recently were the masterminds behind the planting of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at Bodh Gaya on January 19 this year. The suspect Adil Sheikh (29) arrested from Cantonment Railway Station on August 6 is a senior member of Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), Bangladesh, while Mohammed Jahidul Islam alias Munir Sheikh (38) who was arrested from Ramanagaram on August 7, is a native of Jamalpur, Bangladesh. "The two had played a major role in planting IEDs at a kitchen set up at a ground in the temple town of Bodh Gaya on January 19 this year to express solidarity with Rohingya Muslims fighting the Myanmar government and wage a war against the government of India," the NIA stated. The NIA, which filed a charge sheet before the Special Court in Patna on Thursday stated that the explosion was supposed to have been carried out when the Dalai Lama and the governor of Bihar were at the Bodh Gaya temple premises. After receiving information that some suspicious objects were lying near the Kalchakra Maidan, Bodh Gaya, under a generator set, the police secured the site and during the search, found two more live IEDs. In the charge sheet, the NIA stated that Jahidul Islam entered into a conspiracy with the other associates to carry out terror incidents in India by planting IEDs and carrying out explosions at symbols of Buddhist faith in order to show solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims. It added that the suspects contacted and assembled at various places, carried out reconnaissance of the targets at Bodh Gaya and procured explosives and other materials to manufacture IEDs. Jahidul Islam, with the help of the other co-accused, made three IEDs and two hand grenades. The IEDs were planted by Adil Sheikh, Dilwar Hossain and Arif Hussain on the premises of Bodh Gaya. NIA had established links of eight persons in the case out of whom seven were arrested. NIA is yet to arrest another terror suspect Arif Hussain. CM: Plot not hatched in state Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said no plot had been hatched in Karnataka to assassinate Dalai Lama. Speaking to reporters, Kumaraswamy said, According to information provided by the state police, no such attempt was made in Karnataka, he added. A technical snag forced a Bengaluru-bound AirAsia flight from Goa's Dabolim airport to perform an emergency landing barely 10 minutes after take off on Monday morning. The landing was safe, and none of the 168 passengers or crew was hurt. In a statement, AirAsia informed: "AirAsia India flight I5 1325 from Goa to Bengaluru returned to Goa shortly after take off due to a technical fault. The aircraft landed safely at the Goa airport, and all affected guests are being attended to by our ground staff as the aircraft undergoes recovery. We regret the service disruption and apologise for any inconvenience caused." The flight had departed at 7.45 am, but the snag forced the aircraft to be back by around 8 am. The technical issues were linked to the hydraulic plates. Although passengers were told they would have to wait for an hour, no information was forthcoming. A few of the travellers later opted to take a 6 pm flight to Bengaluru via Hyderabad. A friend of one of the passengers later tweeted: "60-70 people stranded at the Goa airport for the past 8 hours. Air Asia employees at the baggage check-in are avoiding communication with passengers. The cafes at the airport are closed that no food since morning. This is what she conveyed." The Goa incident comes just a day after a Jet Airways flight from Hyderabad to Indore made an emergency landing at the Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar airport in Madhya Pradesh. There were 103 people aboard the Sunday flight. One of the engines of the Jet Airways flight had failed. As his party hurtles towards state and general elections in the coming months, Prime Minister Narendra Modis farm headache is only growing. Agrarian protests have haunted the BJP-led government from time to time ever since Modi came to power in 2014. Indeed, one focus of the BJP governments effort to contain Tuesdays violence in the capital was to prevent farmer deaths of the sort that occurred in a similar protest in Mandsaur, in Madhya Pradesh, that broke out last year. The protest at the Delhi-UP border also evoked unpleasant memories of what happened on the Jaipur-Sikar highway in February, when irate farmers seeking loan waivers and the implementation of recommendations of the M S Swaminathan Commission report were denied entry into the Rajasthan capital. The governments discomfiture is heightened by the fact that both MP and Rajasthan, where the BJP faces anti-incumbency, are set for elections by year-end. Smaller Chhattisgarh, another BJP-ruled and poll-bound state, was hit by similar protests a few months ago. Farmers largely belong to the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), a group that accounts for up to half the electorate in most states. The BJPs disastrous handling of various Dalit issues is well documented, and the Opposition is trying to forge Dalit-Kisan unity. Handily, the protests happened on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who championed the Dalit cause, and Lal Bahadur Shastri, who placed farmers on a pedestal with his Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan slogan. The saffron party has a reverse Midas touch as far as farmers go. Rewind to 2015, when the government had to withdraw a contentious land acquisition bill as massive protests erupted at its perceived hostility to farmers. The Congresss suit boot ki sarkar jibe was unusually effective. NCP chief and former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has been quick to brand the Modi dispensation the most anti-farmer government. Some of this is bound to stick. The BJPs response has been to rename the relevant ministry as the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, promise to double farmers income by 2022, and frame a crop insurance scheme. But the harvest of all this sowing has been unexpectedly bitter thus far. India and Uzbekistan on Monday inked 17 pacts to boost ties in key areas including defence after extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on a host of important bilateral and regional issues such as Afghanistan and counter-terrorism. Modi said on the proposal of Uzbekistan, it has been decided to provide a line of credit of USD 200 million for low-cost homes and other such infrastructure projects in the social sectors of the central Asian country. In addition, India welcome proposals from Uzbekistan regarding lines of credit worth USD 800 million and also buyers' credit by Exim Bank, Modi said. The two countries will also hold joint military training exercises in counter-terrorism and cooperate in the field of military education and medicine, a joint statement issued after the meeting between the leaders said. The two leaders also agreed to strengthen collaboration between law enforcement agencies of the two countries under the framework of the Uzbekistan-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, the document said. "We have had very comprehensive discussions. We have taken a long-term view to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries," Modi said at a joint media event with the Uzbekistan president. The two sides signed 17 pacts in areas of defence, agriculture, science and technology and space, besides combating drug-trafficking, which was termed "historic" by the Uzbek president. Modi and Mirziyoyev also discussed regional security, including the situation in Afghanistan, and asserted that dialogue was the only way to bring peace in the war-torn country. On his part, Mirziyoyev said the strategic partnership with India is "one of the most important priorities" for his country. On the defence front, the two sides agreed to work closely to expand and strengthen defence ties as well as defence industry cooperation, the joint statement said. Both sides have also called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. Uzbekistan will also set up a defence wing at its embassy here, the statement said. Noting the importance of a safe and secure regional environment for development and prosperity, the two sides agreed to work closely in addressing threats and challenges to national as well as regional security. Modi said a stable, democratic, inclusive and prosperous Afghanistan was beneficial for everyone. "The two countries have decided to have regular contact in this regard," he said. Mirziyoyev said the "common opinion" of the two countries was that "there is no military solution to this problem. The only way to peace is a political dialogue between the government of Afghanistan and the opposition." Uzbekistan shares a border with Afghanistan. As per the joint statement, the two leaders reiterated support for efforts of the government and the people for a genuine Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled peace and reconciliation process that would allow for a peaceful, secure, united, inclusive and prosperous nation. "The sides shared the view that countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without distinction is important for sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan. They expressed continued support for reconstruction and revival of the country. The sides agreed to have regular dialogue," the statement said. The two leaders also discussed connectivity in the region and agreed to explore various options to enhance surface connectivity between them. Modi thanked the Uzbek side for their support to India's membership to the Ashgabat Agreement, and expressed hopes that Uzbekistan would also join the International North-South Transport Corridor. "We have agreed to closely cooperate in the sphere of developing new transport connectivity corridor," Mirziyoyev said. He also said Uzbekistan supported India's entry in the United Nations Security Council. The two leaders resolved to enhance cooperation at the Shanghai Cooperation Agreement and other international fora. Mirziyoyev observed that despite the robust ties between the two sides, bilateral trade remained at USD 300 million. Modi said the two sides have decided to scale it up to USD 1 billion by 2020. Both the sides agreed to constitute an expert group between India and Uzbekistan to conduct a Joint Feasibility Study and commence negotiations for the India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement by the end of 2018. With increased focus on renewable energy, India has now turned its attention to developing grid-connected power storage. Inaugurating the first assembly of International Solar Alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India has embarked on the National Energy Storage Mission with focus on boosting indigenous manufacturing of power storage facilities. Under this mission, the government is focusing on demand creation, indigenous manufacturing, innovation and energy storage, Modi said while addressing representatives of 40 nations in the presence of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres here. The same event also marked the inauguration of the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting, and the 2nd Global RE-Invest (Renewable Energy Investors Meet and Expo). Modi said the International Solar Alliance could replace OPEC as the key global energy supplier in the future. Speaking at the event, Guterres said the world still lacked political commitments to drive the adoption of clean energy. Climate change is running faster than we are. If we do not change course by 2020, we may lose the opportunity altogether, Guterres said. The ISA was conceptualised by India and France at the climate change conference COP21 in Paris in 2015. Modi said effect of increased use of renewable energy was now visible in India which has set the target to generate 40 % of its total energy requirements in 2030, by non-fossil fuel based sources. He said efforts were being made to make India's transport system clean fuel based. Uzbekistan on Monday joined India to call for a genuine Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan-controlled peace and reconciliation process in war-torn Afghanistan. The situation in Afghanistan was high on the agenda when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met in New Delhi on Monday. They noted that establishment of peace and stability in Afghanistan was of great significance to the security and stability of the entire region, including in India and Uzbekistan and their neighbourhood. The meeting between Modi and Mirziyoyev was followed by signing of 17 agreements to step up bilateral cooperation in defence, law and justice, agriculture and health. They emphasised the need to further enhance efforts to achieve the target of bilateral trade of $1 billion by 2020. The pacts inked by India and Afghanistan on Monday included a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation between the Office of the Security Council under the President of Uzbekistan and the National Security Council Secretariat of India. They also inked an agreement between Uzbekistan and India on mutual cooperation in combating illicit trafficking narcotic drugs. Modi and Mirziyoyev reiterated support for efforts of the government and the people of Afghanistan for a genuine Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan controlled peace and reconciliation process that would allow for a peaceful, secure, united, inclusive and prosperous nation. They shared the view that countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without distinction is important for sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan. They expressed continued support for reconstruction and revival of Afghanistan, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting. Prime Minister and Uzbek President agreed to work closely together to expand and strengthen defence and defence industry cooperation. They agreed to hold a joint military training exercise in the area of counter-terrorism, cooperate in the field of military education and military medicine, setting up of a joint working group to support and sustain enhanced mutually beneficial defence-related activities. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and special services of the two countries. A group looking to bring the George W. Hill prison in Concord back under county control rather than having it managed by a private, for-profit corporation held a public hearing in Media Sunday to garner input from residents and help publicize the debate. Our first goal is to be able to have more public oversight, but then the next step would be trying to improve whats going on in there, said Kabeera Weissman, co-founder of Delaware County Coalition for Prison Reform. Weissman said there are three main issues the group is focusing on that it believes could be improved with the county retaking the helm: Economics, morality and transparency. One of the main arguments for contracting out prison management is cost and that was the impetus for bringing in the GEO Group to run the prison when it first took control in 1995. GEO is now the second-largest for-profit provider of prison management in the country. The company parted ways with the county a decade ago, citing financial underperformance and frequent litigation. Another private company, Community Education Centers, took over at the 1,883-bed prison, but was acquired by GEO earlier this year, bringing it back into control of the prison with a $250 million contact at $50 million a year for five years. That contract ends in December and Weissman does not want the county to sign back on with GEO or any other private group. Prison board Solicitor Robert DiOrio said the board has already contracted with outside company Phoenix Management Group to examine whether the county should stay with the current model or move to county control from a cost perspective. They are tasked with giving the board a report as to that particular method of operation as opposed to the outsourcing model with private institutions, he said. A draft report should be completed by no later than the end of October. In addition, we are also contemporaneously, with the Phoenix Management report analysis, engaged in an RFP process, ongoing with the help of Phoenix Management. GEO spokesman Pablo Paez in an emailed statement wrote that the company believes perceptions of its operations have been unfairly skewed. We possess unparalleled expertise in corrections management, and our approach leverages proven, data-driven best practices to deliver superior results at significant savings to the governments who contract with us for corrections management services, he said. The cost of our contract with the county is publicly available, and we have saved Delaware County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars during the course of our partnership. In 2016 alone, we saved taxpayers $6.8 million in comparison to statewide averages. Weissman said the exact operational expenses at the prison remain a mystery, however, because GEO is not required to release those documents to the public, leaving taxpayers in the dark. Short term, the county may see some savings for taxpayers, said Weissman. But she believes the prison is failing to provide meaningful rehabilitative programs to prisoners that help them reintegrate into society, leading to higher recidivism rates that ultimately cost more in the long-term. The prison is also understaffed, she said, leaving many prisoners essentially warehoused in their cells instead of being able to invest in themselves prior to their release. DiOrio said he has seen no statistics indicating the recidivism rate at the facility is greater than other county prison or is greater than what it would be if the county was operating the prison itself. Weissman noted that most of the inmates at the prison are nonviolent offenders and many have addiction or mental health issues that could be better addressed outside prison walls. She said 88 percent of the population has not been sentenced and more than half are only still there because they cannot afford bail. Weissman said the prison has recently limited in-person visits to video conferencing and eliminated weekend visits, and she has heard numerous reports of prisoners not being able to receive proper medical care and being denied medications. There is also a clause in the contract that requires the county to pay GEO for every unused bed, which Weissman said is an incentive to keep the prison full. That branches out to a whole other discussion about the justice system in general, but at the ground level means more tax dollars going to GEO, she said. A 2016 report from the Department of Justice highlighted serious safety and monitoring concerns with private prisons compared to those run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the department later moved to severe ties with the private system altogether before the current administration under President Donald Trump reversed course. DiOrio noted the prison undergoes regular audits to receive certification from the state and other agencies, and said the last Pennsylvania Department of Corrections audit was excellent. He added that these certifications are contractually required for GEO to stay on at the prison. We are committed to providing high quality services at the facility and operational requirements are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that the facility adheres to industry-leading standards including those set by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, Paez wrote. We believe that a dispassionate discussion of the facts will demonstrate this, and welcome any and all opportunities to engage in honest, fact-based discussion about our services. St. Mary Magdalen School in Media was the only school in Delaware County to be lauded for its academic excellence by the U.S. Department of Education this week. The Catholic school was one of 349 to be named a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School honoree in a list that was released by the department on Monday. The National Blue Ribbon program is an annual distinction awarded to public and private schools for their overall academic excellence or their achievement in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. St. Mary Magdalen was honored in the category of exemplary high-performing schools. The schools profile on the departments website says students historically outperform 85 percent of students on a national level. This is the first National Blue Ribbon designation for St. Mary Magdalen since the federal program began in 1982 and the first for a school of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Delaware County since Newtown Squares St. Anastasia School was honored in 2007. According to a press release from the archdiocese, the school will celebrate this educational distinction on Oct. 5 with a Mass of thanksgiving at the parish church at 8:30 a.m. celebrated by Msgr. Ralph Chieffo. A pep rally will take place that morning where 2,000 blue ribbon balloons are expected to be dropped from the ceiling. The archdiocese was relishing in the federal-level honors due to eight of their schools being placed on this years list. We are elated to have eight of our regional and parish elementary schools chosen among only 49 non-public schools across the country as part of this years National Blue Ribbon cohort, said Archdiocesan Secretary for Elementary Education Andrew McLaughlin in a prepared statement. We are particularly proud that these schools have been recognized for their commitment to academic excellence. Blue Ribbon awards are a testament to the partnership among the faculty, staff, and school families as well as all of their hard work and sacrifice to provide a Christ-centered, quality, 21st century education to each and every young person in their care. I offer my prayerful congratulations to the schools being recognized today. They are inspirational examples to all of us working in the field of Catholic education. The other archdiocesan schools in the five-county Philadelphia region to be named a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School were: Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (Bucks County); St. Jude School (Bucks County); St. Joseph St. Robert School (Bucks County); St. Katharine Drexel School (Bucks County); Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic School (Chester County); Our Lady of Mercy Regional School (Montgomery County); and Mater Dei Regional Catholic School (Montgomery County). The archdiocesan schools were of the 19 schools in Pennsylvania to be named a National Blue Ribbon School this year. St. Mary Magdalen School will be formally recognized at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 7 and 8. Eighty-seven years after he was put to death for a murder it increasingly appears as if he did not commit, Alexander McClay Williams final resting spot finally has a proper grave marker. The wait for justice will take a little longer. Family members and friends gathered Saturday in Green Lawn Cemetery to place a stone marker on the grave of Williams, the youngest person ever executed in Pennsylvania. Williams was just 16 years old when he was executed at the tender age of 16 for the murder of a matron at Glen Mills School. In the unheard of span of just about a year, McClay Williams was arrested, tried, convicted and put to death for the murder of a matron at the Glen Mills School, where the teen had been placed. Williams was black; Vida Robare was white. Williams spirit touched the more than two dozen people who arrived at the largely abandoned cemetery, much as it does on the annals of justice in this county. If there was a rush to judgment in the case, there has been no equally speedy effort to correct a wrong. The push to clear the teens name was much on the minds of those gathered. Its something that happened way back when and I guess back then it was just par for the course because thats the way they treated us, said Williams 88-year-old sister Susie Carter, his only remaining living direct relative. Robert Keller, the county attorney who has led the efforts that resulted in Williams record being expunged and continues the fight to completely clear the youths name and exonerate his record, sees a lingering problem with the way justice is still being handed out nearly nine decades later. Its an old story but its still very relevant today because theres still racial injustice, Keller said. It hasnt gotten that much better. Longtime Delaware County author and educator Sam Lemon has spent decades reviewing the case and pushing for justice for Williams. He has turned his findings into a book, The Case That Shocked the Country: The Unquiet deaths of Vida Robare and Alexander McClay Williams the youngest person in Pennsylvania to die in the electric chair for a crime he did not commit. He is the great-great-grandson of William H. Ridley, the defense attorney who represented Williams at trial. Lemon paints a compelling case for why Williams could not have committed the crime, one of passion in which Robare was stabbed to death with an ice pick. Even some of the county investigators handling the case indicated their doubts about whether the slight Williams could have overcome the larger, stronger matron. Williams stood 4-foot-7 and weighed a scant 91 pounds. He didnt have the means, he didnt have the method, he didnt have the motive, and he certainly didnt have the opportunity, Lemon said. After his arrest, Williams vehemently proclaimed his innocence. But after a third interrogation, he confessed without a parent or his attorney being present. I think you can imagine the kind of pressure he was under, Lemon noted. Its a very high likelihood that he was coerced into this confession. Carter was just a baby when her brother was accused. She recalls her parents talking about her brothers case. My parents would say he never did that, Carter said. Those who visited his grave Saturday struggled with the notion of justice, knowing how quickly it was dispensed in Williams case, and how long and arduous the path to correct the record has been. They thought about the history of racial injustice that for many has only reinforced the notion of racial inequality in America. But they also paused to think about what Williams must have been feeling as he was led to the electric chair at 16. He had been informed that he was to be put to death only the day before. I cant imagine what my mother went through, Carter said as her voice cracked and her eyes filled with tears. With Williams now at rest, and his grave properly noted, the quest for justice goes on. Keller and Lemon want the state Supreme Court to vacate Williams conviction. Theyve had his record expunged, but the conviction stands. They want to see that corrected, and not by pardon, which would still include an admission of guilty on the teens part. Lemon offered a final reminder to those who gathered to officially commemorate Williams memory. This is not over, Lemon told them. The case of Alexander McClay Williams could accurately be described as a rush to judgment. But the quest for justice in the case of the youngest person ever put to death in Pennsylvania is anything but. On Friday, Sept. 21, the bishops of Pennsylvania issued a joint statement pledging substantial new financial aid for victims of clergy sexual abuse in decades past. I want to underline our commitment to helping abuse survivors, whether their claims are time-barred or not. Perennial critics of the church may dismiss the bishops statement; this is a regrettable part of todays ugly political environment. But our local church has proven the sincerity and scope of her commitment since I arrived here as archbishop seven years ago. In fact, the Archdiocese of Philadelphias Victims Assistance Program has quietly served hundreds of abuse victims and their families for more than 15 years and underwritten their therapy and care in an amount totaling more than $18 million. This outreach has been done without concern for the status of a survivors potential legal case or any risk of litigation. And were committed to dedicating substantially more resources to the task of helping survivors, unless destructive, retroactive statute of limitations legislation makes that impossible. Civil litigation of formerly time-barred cases is a lengthy, bitter, and expensive process, typically involving years of court proceedings and appeals. The perpetrators of abuse are often deceased, and the overwhelming majority of people who bear the burden of any legal penalties are innocent current members of the church. In many cases diocesan bankruptcy is the result, with parishes and ministries very much at risk. Civil litigation also puts many millions of dollars in the hands of plaintiffs and defense attorneys money better spent directly on survivor compensation and care. This is one of the reasons public institutions defend their very modest financial caps on abuse-related settlements so vigorously. No such caps apply for the church. To put it simply, we seek to build, or help to build, a fair and reasonable program to address the pain and prevalence of sexual abuse. We believe that any program of survivor support whether private or public must have neutral, experienced professionals to determine awards in an environment of complete transparency. It should focus on confidentiality at the request of victims but also ensure that they can tell their stories, which belong to them and must remain solely in their control. Finally, the focus of the care should meet survivors where they are right now, and do everything possible to provide what each victim needs, helping them to heal and move forward in the best way possible. With or without state action, the archdiocese will substantially expand its ongoing support for victims to compensate and care for as many survivors as possible. To that task, and the task of doing everything we can to cleanse the church and her ministries of abuse in the future, we are fully committed. PROVO Living from paycheck to paycheck, raising teenagers or making critical career decisions may seem like everyday struggles, but for Michelle Schmidt, these experiences were like training wheels. Whether she could really balance on the bicycle of life would be tested in the years that followed. Reading back on those moments in my journal, I suddenly realized that God hadnt just carried me through the devastation of losing my daughter, Schmidt said in an interview, but at many points leading up to it. With the Oct. 1 release of her first book, Carried: How One Mothers Trust in God Helped Her through the Unthinkable, (Deseret Book, 192 pages), the mother of five shared her heartbreaking story of searching and eventually finding the body of her daughter, Annie, who died in a tragic hiking accident in October 2016. The 21-year-old was last seen by her roommate before embarking on a solo hike in the Tooth Rock Trailhead area of Oregon. When Schmidt arrived at the airport a few days later to join her for a camping trip theyd planned, Annie never showed up. Thus began the exhaustive search efforts through Oregons mountainous Columbia River Gorge that included family, friends, fans of her husband Jon Schmidt's group The Piano Guys, the LDS Church community and many strangers both trained search teams and volunteers who wanted to help. The incident received extensive news coverage in Oregon and Utah, and The Piano Guys Facebook page contained well wishes from thousands of fans around the world. Even during what Schmidt described as the darkest points of that experience, she recalled moments that carried her, like the undeniable impression she felt early on that her vivacious and adventurous daughter had already passed away. As I was driving up to search for her, I distinctly felt her presence with me, not out there in the gorge, Schmidt said. Maybe its strange to call that a miracle because we dont associate miracles with tragedies, but when I think back on the peace those feelings brought me during the search that she wasnt suffering I cant describe it in any other way. The book also details many of what Schmidt described as her "most vulnerable and personal experiences" where she felt Gods hand in her life. Raising five kids during Jons early career was financially stressful, there were many times we thought about quitting music and going in another direction, Schmidt said. Over and over again, though, we felt God assuring us that this was the right path for our family, even though it was a difficult one. In 2010, Jon Schmidt, a locally known pianist, agreed to join Paul Anderson in a social media strategy for Anderson's St. George area piano store, The Piano Guys. Soon, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson and music producer Al van der Beek came aboard and the group posted a series of piano-cello arrangements filmed in scenic locations on YouTube. Over time, they gained a worldwide following, reaching well over a billion views, scoring four No. 1 classical music albums and prompting multiple global tours. Whether the outcome of lifes trials have been joyful or sorrowful, Schmidt said she has learned to trust in God and let him lead her. Time and time again I have felt that God has sustained me when I couldnt go on myself especially during that unthinkable time, she said of losing Annie. I really hope that my journey of being tutored by him will inspire others to trust him instead of succumbing to anger or bitterness. Thats not to say Schmidt doesnt struggle daily with the loss of her daughter. Just a few weeks before Annie's disappearance, her twin sons left home to embark on missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They have since completed their service and returned home to their family in Provo, where they attend Brigham Young University. Having our boys come home and our family back together living under the same roof, I hoped it would fill the emptiness of Annie being gone, said Schmidt, But as it turns out, my mamma heart is four-fifths full. There is nothing that makes up for having my fifth child gone. She does, however, believe Annie is not gone forever. Schmidt believes God intended for families to be eternal, and hopes her book will share that message with those not of her LDS faith. I believe faith is under attack, she said, recalling how she put away her writing after a while, convinced that it had merely been a therapeutic exercise. In time, however, she realized that her experiences could be an avenue to testify of God. It's a practice she shares with her husband. Whether during concerts, on The Piano Guys Facebook feed or during interviews, Jon Schmidt and the rest of the group are eager to share their personal convictions. We need to strengthen each others faith and share our faith-promoting experiences, she said. I decided that I have one little life and Im going to use it to testify that God is real and he loves us. If you go What: Michelle Schmidt book signing When: Saturday, Oct. 6, 4-5:30 p.m. Where: City Creek Deseret Book, 45 W. South Temple Web: facebook.com Correction: A previous version incorrectly stated Steven Sharp Nelson owned the St. George piano store The Piano Guys. The owner was Paul Anderson. KNOLLS, Tooele County Troopers have identified a man killed Friday when his truck rolled near Knolls, Tooele County. Brian Maldonado, 21, of Salt Lake City, was driving east on I-80 when his truck drifted off the left side of the lane, causing Maldonado to overcorrect, Utah Highway Patrol said. He then corrected back onto the road but then overcorrected and again went off the left side. The truck "rotated into a broadside skid and rolled multiple times" before coming to rest on its wheels, according to officials. Maldonado was wearing a seatbelt at the time but suffered head trauma in the crash and died while medical responders were treating him, troopers said. "Troopers are looking at alcohol impairment as a contributing factor in the crash," UHP said. SALT LAKE CITY It was a gender reveal party that not even Smokey Bear would approve of. According to the Washington Post, Dennis Dickey, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, was off duty and celebrating his wifes pregnancy when he unintentionally sparked a wildfire in southern Arizona that grew to a blazing 47,000 acres and required over 800 firefighters to contain. No injuries were reported from the fire and no buildings were damaged. The Sawmill Fire was started when Dickey reportedly shot his rifle at a target filled with colored powder, which was intended to announce the gender of his baby, blue for a boy and pink for a girl. But the target was also filled with Tannerite, a highly explosive yet legal substance that linked to starting fires in several other Western states, as reported by The Arizona Daily Star. When paired with usually high winds and dry conditions the day of the gender reveal, the mixture in the target became a cocktail of destruction. According to CBS, Dickey reported the fire to officials immediately and admitted to starting it. He has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations. He will need to pay $220,000 in restitution, according to the Daily Star. "It was a complete accident," Dickey reportedly told U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie A. Bowman Friday in court. "I feel absolutely horrible about it. It was probably one of the worst days of my life." In pleading guilty, Dickey has also agreed to pay the $8 million in damage that the fire caused. SALT LAKE CITY A group of Republican lawmakers and a former mayor called Monday on Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams to stop airing "blatantly deceptive" commercials in his race against Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah. What's being challenged is the claim made in the commercials by Draper Mayor Troy Walker, a Republican, that, "As mayor, Ben worked with Republicans to balance the budget and lowered the county tax rate each year." McAdams' campaign stands by the statement and said since he took office in 2013, "the county property tax rate has gone down, as confirmed by the Utah State Tax Commission tax rate tables." State lawmakers said during a news conference at the state Capitol Monday organized by Rep. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, that McAdams should not be taking credit for the Salt Lake County property tax rate. That's because property tax rates automatically fluctuate annually, to ensure the same amount of revenue is collected under the state's truth in taxation laws. So when property values go up, tax rates drop, unless local officials take action. "As county mayor, Mr. McAdams has done nothing to affect either higher or lower property tax rates. It would be like me taking credit for the weather outside today," McCay said. But McCay also said McAdams then should take responsibility for raising taxes, including through a 2014 renewal of the Zoo, Arts and Parks Tax and a $9.4 million increase in 2015 that still kept the rate lower than the previous year. "You can't have it one way without having the other," he said. "If Mr. McAdams wants to argue that he deserves credit for reductions, he probably ought to stand up and take credit for the increases as well." Former South Jordan Mayor Dave Alvord said he "kind of fell out of my chair" when he heard the ad, calling McAdams "Santa Claus. There's nothing he didn't want to pay for. He's a lot of good things, but fiscal conservative just isn't one of those." Alvord did not seek re-election in 2017 and has endorsed Love. He said it's "no surprise" that a fellow Republican, Walker, is supporting McAdams, because Draper benefited from how the county allocated transportation funds last year. "Taxation is so powerful," Alvord said, describing the claim that property tax rates went down every year in the county during McAdams' time as mayor "a technicality. He knows better." McAdams' campaign spokeswoman Alyson Heyrend said in a statement that while Love's votes in Congress "have blown up the federal deficits," the mayor has put forth balanced budgets approved by the GOP-majority Salt Lake County Council. "When it comes to fiscally responsible policies and actions, Mayor McAdams walks the walk, unlike Rep. Love, who has routinely broken her promise to 'never' add to the federal debt and who raised property taxes in Saratoga Springs by 116 percent in 2008," Heyrand said. That year, the Saratoga Springs City Council, including Love, voted for the increase mostly to pay for police and fire protection after the 2008 housing market crash left the newer community with a $3 million shortfall. Love was also criticized during her first run for Congress in 2012, an unsuccessful bid against now retired-Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, for raising taxes 21 percent in 2009 and 13 percent in 2010, the year she became mayor of Saratoga Springs. The 25 public officials whose names appear on a statement calling on McAdams to stop running the commercials include leaders of the Utah GOP. No one at Monday's news conference was a Democrat. The statement said McAdams' TV commercial claim "misleads voters and erodes voter understanding" of how the property tax system works, something that is critical so voters can hold public officials accountable. The news conference was not a Love campaign event, the congresswoman's spokeswoman, Sasha Clark, said. Clark, who wrote the statement, said the campaign is "supportive. Absolutely we were supportive." The race between Love, first elected to Congress in 2014, and McAdams to represent the 4th Congressional District is considered the most competitive in Utah. The district includes portions of Salt Lake and Utah counties. SALT LAKE CITY Gentle, soothing piano and violin notes softly cascade from her iPhone at 4:30 a.m., lancing the dark stillness of a St. Louis suburb and rousing one of the youngest millennial members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Zoe Thatcher, 22, sighs and rolls over. She is tired, groggy and minutes from the start of 6,000 yards of swim practice that are part of her quest to qualify for her second U.S. Olympic Trials in 2020. She taps the screen of her phone to silence "Heartbeat," a slice of the score from one of her generation's favorite anime movies, "Howl's Moving Castle." She has left herself no time to waste, so she sits straight up. In fact, she has slept in today, stealing just an extra minute or two of sleep. Instead of dressing she slips right into her swimsuit, grabs a soft-baked Nature Valley oatmeal square and walks out into the cool, humid morning to her alien-green Kia Soul. Inside the car, Thatcher collects herself, pauses and prays. Prayer is a daily practice for her and 65 percent of self-identified Latter-day Saint millennials. Afterward, she tears open the wrapper on her oatmeal square, and the smell of honey drifts through the car. She drives and eats, fueling up for practice. Today, like every other weekday, Thatcher will sandwich two elite swim practices around her new full-time job as an assistant designer at a dance costume company. Lazy? Entitled? The stereotypes offend her and everyone else between the ages of 22 and 37. The Pew Research Center defines millennials as those born between 1981 and 1996, like her. Other demographers say she is part of the next generation. If that sounds like a complicated place to live, the story of Latter-day Saint millennials is more so. Are they devout, among the best their faith has ever seen? Or does a significant percentage of them struggle, creating lower retention rates for the church than previous generations? The answer is both are true. What is happening and why? How can older generations build bridges to millennials and better connect them to the church? And why is the church's new book on its early history "Saints" an opportunity for everyone to better understand today's millennials? Feeling judged The modern Latter-day Saint millennial is far more diverse than past generations. In fact, in 1980, 65 percent of Latter-day Saint young people ages 18-34 lived in the United States. Today, just 38 percent do, according to statistics supplied by the church. Many cultural and generational forces are similar for many millennial-aged Latter-day Saints beyond U.S. borders, but some are very different. In Kenya, for example, where faith is pervasive and the church and the entire population are very young, most Latter-day Saint bishops are in their 20s and 30s. Young European members, on the other hand, have a front-row seat to a rapid increase in millennial-aged people who report no religious affiliation similar to what their American counterparts experience. "Latter-day Saint millennials have to deal with and are experiencing what it means to be a religious minority," said Jason Carroll, a member of the BYU team on Project READY Researching Emerging Adults' Developmental Years. "Society labels them as intolerant, even though they are tolerant and charitable. They're confronting what generations in the church before them haven't, when societal standards were more similar to theirs." On the one hand, there's no question active American Latter-day Saint millennials are strong in number and devotion. For example, the 600,000 millennials who have served church missions represent an outsized number 40 percent of all the missionaries who have served since 1830, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve said during a Face-to-Face event last month. "They're believers, and they are practicing their faith, but it's not going to look exactly the same as it does for older Mormons," said Jana Riess. She is the author of "The Next Mormons: How Millennials are Changing the LDS Church," which Oxford will publish in the spring. On the other hand, the church retention rate for previous generations was higher. The retention rate for Latter-day Saints born after 1970 is 61 percent, down from 71 percent for those born before 1970, according to Darren Sherkat, who derived the data from General Social Survey results between 1972-2012. Riess conducted the Next Mormon Survey that is the core of her upcoming book in October 2016. It shows the retention rate for millennials dropping. Her survey, conducted with Benjamin Knoll, asked a sample of those who had left the church what precipitated their decisions. The top reason was that they felt judged or misunderstood. Women said this twice as much as men, Riess said. Judgment and misunderstanding can happen naturally as millennials in the Information Age balance the world with their beliefs and try to talk about it with older Latter-day Saints, said Taylor Christensen, 25, a returned missionary and recent Utah Valley University graduate who lives in Orem. "Sometimes the way we talk about things in the church can appear very black and white," he said. "The more common response among millennials is to look at a question or a piece of history and evaluate it. Sometimes when we vocalize that, we feel judged. We feel people are judging us for questioning our testimonies or the church, even though we aren't. We are looking for truth." Remarkable power Church leaders at all levels know firsthand the strengths of millennials in the church. They seek to be "intensely informed" about their challenges, President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency told married young adult members in Los Angeles in August. [Robert Ferrell](https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ferrell-4393a1102/) and Richard Ostler haven't met, but each spent years serving as Young Single Adult adult leaders. Today, despite being released from their callings, they consider themselves millennial advocates. Each is engaged in personal ministry to large numbers of millennials and to the older Latter-day Saints sometimes baffled by them. In a generation known for rejecting authority and institutions, Riess said her research showed Latter-day Saint young adults have remarkably strong connections to local leaders. "They have very close relationships with their bishops, and positive ones," she said. "The grassroots local level is a very interesting place to be when reaching millennials. I think that's where it has to happen." Ferrell has taught a weeklong class on millennials at BYU Education Week the past two years. Ostler hosts events and has a podcast that address complicated issues openly and faithfully, including building bridges to young LGBT Latter-day Saints. Both men hope to reach across generations to harness strengths noted by President Henry B. Eyring in January: "There's a power coming in this millennial generation that is in fact remarkable," he said at the press conference introducing the church's new First Presidency. "I thought I had faith when I was 18, but I'm seeing some 18-year-olds now and some 20-year-olds and 25 that have a rock-solid faith, a love of the Lord and are willing to do everything they can to serve him and each other, other people. I think it's the best of times of the millennials. I know there's a lot of folks who like to talk the other way: 'How are we going to hold onto them?' I think the thing is, how can we hold onto them and not be left behind from what I've seen among millennials that I spend time with." Ferrell, a dental surgeon who spent 10 years as a Young Single Adult stake president and bishop and estimates he conducted 8,000 interviews with millennials in the North Ogden area, said misunderstandings develop when older Latter-day Saints misdiagnose the issue. "We're so achievement-driven instead of outcome-driven," Ferrell said. "We think if we can just send them on missions, get them married, they'll be fine. We have to connect them to Jesus Christ. If we connect them to Jesus Christ, the rest will take care of itself." So, what does that look like? Millennial connection A couple of years ago, Christensen grew tired of a fusillade of negative comments about the church posted on social media by one of his former high school classmates. He struck back. A "huge Internet quarrel" broke out, and Christensen realized he'd made a mistake. He reached out to the man and they began to talk. "I decided I'd really try to understand," Christensen said. "I started listening and realized he wanted to talk about valid issues. Over the next few months as we talked and I listened and became more understanding, I saw his tone go from someone bashing the church to someone who actually became more understanding as well." Active listening is key. Ostler said he conducted an estimated 3,000 interviews as bishop of a West Valley/Magna area YSA ward by sitting on the same side of the desk as those he interviewed. But both he and Ferrell said there is another nuance to their suggestion: "I listened without trying to turn it to my expertise or knowledge, without trying to fix it as they shared their thoughts," Ostler said. "I wrote down impressions, but I wouldn't share them until they were done or even later." That can be crucial for any Latter-day Saint millennial, devout or not. Briana Lindsay Fisher, 25, a young mother in American Fork, said she struggled in some wards because she wanted to talk about how something would affect her or the women in the ward. Instead of listening, she said, others stereotyped her as "the raving feminist who was trying to change the church." "I felt belittled," she said. "It was difficult to express my thoughts that may not have been the standard and not feel judged." She said one bishop told me he didn't know what to do with her. "It was so dismissive and hurtful that I actually switched wards," she said. "I didn't want to be secondary, but it was difficult to voice my opinion. You feel alone for having those thoughts. You wonder, are you wayward?" Ostler said one way for older Latter-day Saints to avoid creating the frustration Fisher experienced is to accept that there is much to learn about the world from their perspective. Ferrell suggested seeking to inspire rather than shame. Nobody expects the issues to get easier. "As the values, standards and doctrines of the church become increasingly at odds with the secular society," said Carroll, the BYU researcher, "the rising generation of Latter-day Saints gets told by the world, 'You're not very tolerant, you're not very accepting,' and that's really tough to be for this generation, to be seen as intolerant. They're a very compassionate generation. They love the gospel of mercy. They see struggles and respond to them with a lot of compassion and mercy." President Oaks discussed the same difficulties in August. The married millennial demographic in the church, he said, faces "what must seem to be insurmountable obstacles. You are raising children in an environment with overwhelming information and attitudes that are hostile to the mission and teachings of the church." He said young adult Latter-day Saints face challenges in their personal relations "such as marriage, childbearing, adoption, child-rearing, challenges to faith such as questions about church history, same-gender attraction, transgender issues, etc." Marriage and education The percentage of single church members rose from 7 percent a decade ago to 18 percent, according to national studies from the Pew Research Center. Research also shows that the median age at first marriage for young adults in Utah has steadily increased during the past decade from 22.1 in 2005 to 24.3 in 2015, according to the Gardner Business Review, which assessed marriage and fertility rates. That's obvious to Fisher. Most in her circle of friends are not married. Some say they feel judged when they attend family wards and get asked about dating or marriage. "By the time I turned 20, I had relatives and people in wards asking, 'Are you dating anyone? Is it serious? Do you think you'll get married?'" Fisher said. An older marriage age is also contributing to the growth in young adult wards. In 1983 there were 156 wards dedicated to young adults. By 2018 the number had grown to 1,696, according to church figures. That's led to a healthy debate among young adults about whether to attend the young adult wards or the traditional "family" wards. Even the name family ward can lead to misunderstanding or feelings of exclusion. Nationally, the median age for marriage is now cresting toward 30, Carroll said, as secular society perceives marriage and having a family as a transitional loss of freedom rather than a desired addition to life. Some millennials, he added, have turned young adulthood from a time to learn how to navigate individualism, preparation and maturity to a decadelong personal pursuit filled with secularism, materialism and in some cases, hedonism. Some millennial church members worry about marriage because they were disappointed by their parents' marriage or that they should be educated, out of debt and fully mature before they marry. Church leaders teach that marriage and family are the foundation of adult life, not the culmination, and that deep happiness can be in family life. The church did not comment for this story, but in January, President Oaks said marriage is a positive for millennials. "The young men and the young women are stronger when they marry and when they are a companionship that the Lord has ordained and which it is our responsibility to teach," he said, "and they go forward, strengthening one another and in that capacity, many of the things that the world cites as problems with the millennials disappear." President Oaks was single after the death of his first wife, then married Sister Kristen M. Oaks, who had been single into her 50s. In 2016, he told mid-singles they are important and loved and encouraged them to have faith in the Lord and his timing. "Singles are such an important part of the church," he said. Carroll said millennial Latter-day Saints can use a longer emerging adulthood well when they continue to prepare themselves spiritually, and their education and personal pursuits are rooted in preparing interdependence in marriage and family. Church leaders also continue to counsel young adults to gain as much education as they can. They back it up with subsidized tuition at church schools, helping students graduate with less debt and form families earlier. The Church Educational System serves 450,000 young single adults ages 18 to 30 every calendar year in Institute programs and at five universities and colleges. Women are responding at record rates. "This is by far the most highly educated generation of women in church history," said Sam Sturgeon, director of research at Boncom. "That's not true of men. Boomer men are the most-educated generation of men. More men are going to school, but fewer men are graduating." It is education and their life experiences as digital natives who grew up in a world of smartphones that make it important to talk through issues related to doubt, church history and LGBT policy, because millennial members will talk about them inside or outside of the church. "This is the Information Age," said Christensen, who took two years on a deep dive to confront church history issues he saw discussed. "We will find the information, no matter what. We need to not be afraid of anything. I've felt a responsibility that when we come to understand something ourselves, to share that, because it provides another perspective out there to consider." Young history Joseph Smith was 24 years old the day The Church of Jesus Christ was organized in April 1830. By then he was a relatable figure for most people. His own major mistakes and failures left him feeling humiliated. Haters had tarred and feathered him. Even God had chastised him. All around him, his fellow 20- and 30-somethings struggled. Many left the church. Others suffered unimaginable losses. One thing we sometimes forget is the early church was a church of young people. Matt Grow, director of publications for the LDS Church History Department But he and many of them also picked themselves up, pushed forward and built cities, cared for people on society's fringes and changed the world. All of those feelings and experiences are on display in a new book from the church designed specifically for millennials. "Saints: The Standard of Truth, 1815-1846" is the first of a readable, four-volume history rich in personal stories. It's immediately clear that the first 20 years of church history is a story of adolescents and young adults struggling to learn to live the gospel and what is expected of them. "One thing we sometimes forget is the early church was a church of young people," said Matt Grow, director of publications for the LDS Church History Department. "And look what they did. If you look at your own life, how much did you change between 15 and 24, then 24 and 30 and 30 and 38? So Joseph is really developing and maturing. You can see these early years as this period of maturation, of being spiritually tutored by some pretty good tutors, and really becoming stronger, more spiritual throughout the course of his life." The historians and narrative writers intentionally focused on portraying struggles and progress, Grow said. "We don't want to leave someone like Joseph when he's 15. We want to see that growth over time. That's one of the reasons we try to focus on characters who recur. We want characters who can be in multiple scenes so we can see that growth. The Latter-day Saints of the past faced the same issues. We should be able to find some strength in their stories. Matt Grow, director of publications for the LDS Church History Department "We really hope the history can be inspiring, that people can identify with these characters. You never know who is going to identify with what character, right? So we want to have a broad range of experiences. We want people who struggle with family issues, people who struggle in their faith, people who suffer depression, the whole gamut of issues that we face as humans. "The Latter-day Saints of the past faced the same issues. We should be able to find some strength in their stories." Ferrell said part of his mentoring is to talk about failure with millennials. "The failure in our lives is how we find and experience the mercy of Jesus Christ," he said. "We need to talk about how failure is part of life and leads to mercy and connection to the divine." New horizon Another encouraging sign among Latter-day Saint millennials is the growing number of returned missionary women. Thatcher watched her Auburn University branch grow stronger as women returned soon after the missionary age change, which caused the number of women serving missions to more than double. "They knew what they were about," she said. "They said, 'Give me a calling, I've got this.' The branch is still small today, but we went from three to five kids my freshman year to 15 or 20 coming every week when I was a senior." She graduated in the spring and moved from Alabama to St. Louis. She has to make a special effort to find time for scripture study because of her heavy schedule, which keeps her on the go from 4:30 a.m. until her second swim practice of the day ends at 7 p.m. She is in bed by 9 p.m. She cannot attend Institute, so she uses FaceTime to join her mother's seminary lessons for her sister back home in Ohio. She also attends church each Sunday. According to Riess' research, 9 in 10 self-identified Latter-day Saint millennials believe in God, and 82 percent feel God's presence each week. After her 1-mile morning drive the other six days of the week, she arrives at Lindbergh High School, opens a side door and walks down a long, dimly lit stairwell to the basement pool. On this day, a Bon Jovi song blasts in the hallway. She warms up and puts on her goggles. Finally, Thatcher slips into the pool. As she begins to power her body through the first of today's 6,000 yards, her future stretches brightly before her. SALT LAKE CITY A Catholic priest in Salt Lake City has been placed on leave after he was charged in connection with a prostitution sting. The Rev. Andrzej Pawel Skrzypiec, 62, pastor of the Saint Ambrose Catholic Church, was charged Sept. 24 with patronizing a prostitute, a class A misdemeanor. His attorney, Clayton Simms, said Monday that his client, who is also the pastoral administrator at J.E. Cosgriff Memorial Catholic School, is innocent and the charge "stems from a misunderstanding of events." Originally from Poland, the Rev. Skrzypiec has led the St. Ambrose parish, 2315 Redondo Ave., since 2009. The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City in a statement said he has been placed on a three-month administrative leave "until this matter is resolved." The Rev. Skrzypiec is charged with driving around a parking lot at 200 North and 900 West in Salt Lake City several times on Aug. 24 before accusing an officer who was posing as a prostitute there "of being a cop," according to a charging documents. After the officer said she wasn't and asked if he was looking for a date, he agreed to pay her $30 for a sex act, the charges state. Police say she directed him to meet her at a nearby motel, but a different Salt Lake police officer pulled him over and arrested him. Skrzypiec denied making a sex deal and "claimed he was in the area to get tacos from a taco stand," according to the charges. The Rev. Skrzypiec has denied the allegations from the beginning, according to a weekend pulpit announcement. The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City provided the statement in response to a request for comment Monday. "We ask that you keep Fr. Andrew in your prayers," it says. The pastor was placed on leave from ministerial duties earlier on, when the incident was reported to the diocese, according to the statement. After he was charged last week, the three months of administrative leave began. The announcement did not provide specific dates and a diocese spokeswoman declined to give a timeline. Father Joshua Santos is filling in as a temporary administrator of the parish and as chaplain of the Cosgriff school, 2335 Redondo Ave. in Salt Lake City. SPANISH FORK As cloud cover has helped slow the growth of joint fires burning in Utah County, more people are returning to their homes. An estimated 200 people in the Covered Bridge Canyon area could go home Monday night after being evacuated for more than two weeks, officials said. The Pole Creek Fire is burning 102,188 acres and was 83 percent contained at last report. Meanwhile, the Bald Mountain Fire is burning 18,620 acres and was 99 percent contained. Rain this week is expected to help keep fire behavior to a minimum, according to a daily update posted by fire managers. Cannon said people in Covered Bridge Canyon should be cautious as firefighters continue to work in the area. He asks that people limit trips in and out of the area. Right Fork Hobble Creek, Sheep Creek and Diamond Fork remain under evacuation. "Very few residents" live in those areas, which are mostly recreational, said Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon. While crews are making progress fighting the flames, officials are concerned about potential debris flows and flooding during impending storms. Cannon said people in the Covered Bridge area should not sleep in their basements while there is a threat of debris flows. People who live near or places that are downstream from areas burned in the fires should be prepared for possible flooding and ready "to evacuate or move to higher ground at a moment's notice," according to a news release from Utah County Sheriff's Office. Officials cautioned people not to attempt crossing floods or debris flows. Here's a look at the news for Oct. 2. Our top headlines: Are they misunderstood? Why Latter-day Saint millennials just want to be heard. Read more. Here are 10 ways to connect with Latter-day Saint millennials Atlantic journalist McKay Coppins speaks with the Deseret News. Tropical Storm Rosa is headed toward the southwestern United States.Heres how it will impact Utah. GOP lawmakers called for Ben McAdams to halt his tax rate ads in his race against Rep. Mia Love. Read more. Looking for a spooky theater production? We found 13 local productions just for that purpose. Read more. Our most popular: Education National headlines: SALT LAKE CITY Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to be in Salt Lake City on Wednesday to speak on a federal program aimed at reducing violent crime. Specifically, Sessions will talk about Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide crime reduction effort involving federal and local police agencies that has existed since 2002 but was reignited in the Trump administration. His speech to Utah law enforcement officers at the state Capitol will focus on the positive impact that the program has had to reduce violent crime in communities across the country, according to the Justice Department. Sessions comes to Utah facing aggressive criticism from President Donald Trump, who appointed him to the position last year. Trump has accused Sessions of doing poorly in several facets of his job, fueling speculation that he might fire the former Alabama senator. U.S. Attorney John Huber has emphasized Project Safe Neighborhoods since becoming the top federal law enforcer in Utah three years ago. Huber said he believes Utah has turned the corner on reducing violent crime since seeing a 14 percent increase in 2015 and a 18 percent increase in 2016. The state saw an 8 percent decrease last year, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. "If you do the math, were still not back to where we were several years ago, but that is a big turn of events," he said last month in a discussion with reporters. Huber attributed the drop to aggressive law enforcement. Federal prosecutions of gun crimes in Utah increased 84 percent from 2014 to 2017, while criminal cases for drug trafficking were up 64 percent, he said. Also in 2017, the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted 144 gang cases and is on track for 218 this year, he said. "With the criminal element, you cannot take your foot off the gas," Huber said. In April, Huber named Ogden as a Project Safe Neighborhoods target enforcement area, specifically several blocks downtown where violent crime is rampant. "This was an area identified not by Big Brother feds coming in and saying we're going to help you there, but by local law enforcement," he said. Huber said the DOJ is devoting $260,000 to the area that a local board decides how best to use. To date, he said, the program has resulted in 25 federal cases involving gun crimes and drug trafficking. SALT LAKE CITY Were nearly a month away from the midterm elections, and interest is heating up on Google. Google Trends recently released new data for every state in the country about which topics are being searched for the most in the lead-up to the 2018 midterm elections. Issues: For Utah, health care remains an important issue, proving to be the most widely searched topic in the Beehive State. But Google Trends data show abortion and immigration are also highly searched topics in the Beehive State. See the entire map below. Diving a little deeper, you can see health care even with peaks and lows remains a consistently important topic for voters. Utah residents are more interested in health care than immigration, abortion, Social Security, minimum wage, tariffs and guns. However, a look back to 2017 data shows that immigration had two peaks of interest in January 2017 and June 2018. It should be noted that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced its stance on Trumps ban on refugees back in January 2017. And, in June 2018, it was first reported on a national scale that children were living inside cramped immigration detention centers. Utah has long been a Republican state. But the search data from Google Trends shows Utah residents are interested in learning how to vote Democrat. One quick look at the map below shows vote Democrat outshines vote Republican in most counties. However, the highest amount of search interest comes from Salt Lake County, where vote Republican has the highest amount of interest. SALT LAKE CITY A budget airline that once took passengers from the U.S. to Europe for $99 is shutting down. As a result, passengers across the world were left stranded and grounded because of the companys announcement. What happened: Primera Air, which offers the long-haul flights for budget prices, announced at midnight Monday that it would cease all operations, according to Business Insider. In a leaked email, Anders Ludvigsson, the airlines director of operations, shared the companys plan to file for bankruptcy on Oct. 2. He said travel arrangements would be made ahead of time for crew members aboard flights, which was a hint that the airline would shut down immediately. Primera released a statement Monday announcing it was ceasing all operations. Stranded: As a result of the closure, passengers were left stranded at multiple airports across the world. Flights from the U.K. to Washington, D.C, and New York were grounded Monday night. Passengers were told not to go to the airport on Tuesday. Canadian Angela Dorau told BBC News that her flight from Paris to Toronto was canceled. "Everybody was stranded. Currently, my husband and I are in a dumpy motel by the airport trying to frantically scrounge together the funds to pay for another way home, she said. Dorau hasnt found an alternative flight home yet. Her budget trip suddenly cost her an extra $2,307. Money: Its unclear if passengers can get their money back. According to BBC News, youll need to make a claim to your travel agent, insurance company or credit card issuer. Its been suggested customers reach out as soon as possible. Passengers will quite rightly be outraged that the airline was still selling tickets right up to the moment it went bankrupt, knowing full well those tickets would never be honored, said Rory Boland, travel editor at Which?, according to The Guardian. Context: The airline operated 15 planes, most of which helped Scandinavian vacationers travel to places like Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Egypt, according to The Guardian. SALT LAKE CITY It turns out that 8-year-olds named Kevin arent the only ones who booby-trap their property when they're left "home alone". A man in Oregon is being charged with assault on a federal officer after an FBI agent sent to the property was shot by ammunition that came from a booby-trapped wheelchair, the Associated Press reported. The wheelchair, along with various other makeshift traps, is said to be the working of 66-year-old Gregory Rodvelt, who was reportedly being forced to turn over the property as part of an elder abuse case involving his 90-year-old mother. According to The Oregonian, Rodvelt, who was already being held in an Arizona prison on other charges, was given a two-week release in mid-August so he could make preparations to turn over the property. The newspaper reported that Joseph Charter, the estates acting receiver, contacted the authorities on Aug. 29 after he found a sign on the property stating that it was being protected by improvised devices." Among the booby traps, officers found a round hot tub placed on its side that was rigged to roll over anyone that attempted to enter, a rat trap rigged to fire a shotgun round, a minivan outfitted with spring-loaded animal trap snares, and spike strips at the bottom of the driveway, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Medford, the AP reported. "(It was) much like a scene from the movie 'Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark' in which actor Harrison Ford is forced to outrun a giant stone boulder that he inadvertently triggered by a booby trap switch," the complaint said, according to CBS News. The Oregonian stated that the officer who got hit by the wheelchair trap was rushed to a hospital in Grants Pass, Oregon. A .410-gauge shotgun pellet was found in the agent's left leg below the knee. Rodvelt was questioned back in Arizona where he was eventually charged with felony assault. SALT LAKE CITY Backers of Proposition 4, which would create an independent redistricting commission to help draw new political boundaries, are using the late President Ronald Reagan to make their case in a new TV commercial. Reagan is quoted as labeling the manipulating of districts known as gerrymandering "anti-democratic," "un-American" and a "national disaster," and calling for the appointment of a bipartisan commission to handle the once-a-decade duty. "I think that's a great message. I think it's a relevant message today," said Jeff Wright, co-chairman of Utahns for Responsive Government, the group behind the Better Boundaries initiative on the November ballot. Proposition 4 campaign manager Catherine Kantor said although there has been limited advertising on cable channels over the past two weeks, the new commercials that began airing Tuesday kick off a $650,000 buy through Election Day on Nov. 6. Kantor said Reagan was a "redistricting reformer, quite dedicated to this cause. So we elected to use him in our ad as a reflection of somebody who was in favor of an independent redistricting commission." Reagan's remarks, made in response to what he saw as Democratic gerrymandering, were also used because for his popularity in Utah, a state dominated by Republicans. Wright, a Republican, noted Reagan is his favorite president. Better Boundaries has billed itself as a bipartisan effort, with former Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker, a Democrat, also serving as co-chairman. Kantor, who ran for the Salt Lake County Council as a Democrat in 2016, said she is now unaffiliated. The commercial is the first of three planned. The next will use children at a birthday party slicing a cake to show why politicians shouldn't carve up districts, and another will feature "everyday" supporters, Kantor said. Redistricting occurs every 10 years, following the national census, and is intended to ensure equal representation by rebalancing current legislative, congressional and state school board boundaries to reflect population shifts. It's a job that falls to the Utah Legislature, but Proposition 4 would create an independent commission appointed by the governor and legislative leaders to come up with proposed boundaries. Lawmakers would have the option of rejecting the commission's plan, but would have to explain why a requirement seen as putting political pressure on elected officials to seriously consider the results. Opponents of Proposition 4 say it takes away from the redistricting authority granted to lawmakers in the Utah Constitution in an effort to help create a safe congressional district for Democrats in Salt Lake City. It's "a cleverly disguised partisan power grab," backed by Becker and other "liberal Salt Lake City Democrats," Senate Majority Leader Ralph Okerlund, R-Monroe, said in his opposition arguments in the state's voter guide. Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated Catherine Kantor ran for Salt Lake City Council in 2016. She ran for a spot on the Salt Lake County Council. SALT LAKE CITY A Lakewood, Colorado, woman who was convicted of beating her 8-year-old son on a JetBlue flight from Boston to Salt Lake City last December was sentenced to three years probation Tuesday. A federal judge also ordered Cherice Dawn Klipfel, 46, to participate in a mental health treatment program, take mental health medication as prescribed and not possess or drink alcohol. She must pay $420 to the Utah Office for Victims of Crime. A jury found Klipfel guilty of assault earlier this year. Witnesses told authorities they saw a dozen incidences of Klipfel slapping, hitting and kicking her son and "aggressively" shoving him against the bulkhead or window, according to a criminal complaint. "Each violent episode would be followed by a loving period where Klipfel would calm down and they would sit without a problem," court documents say. The boy pleaded with her to stop and was crying the whole time, witnesses told investigators. One witness was "adamant" that Klipfel's actions were "absolutely not parenting but abuse and assault." The witness said the woman used her boot to shove the boy against the window and grabbed him by the neck and shoved him against the wall or window, according to the complaint. Will the MTN IPO in Nigeria go ahead? Or could it be scuppered due to an ongoing row with government about allegedly unpaid tax and money the authorities claim was illegally taken out of the country? The South Africa-headquartered mobile comms giant has a big presence in Nigeria; it is MTNs second largest market after South Africa and contributes a large chunk of overall group revenue. However, meeting the governments demands could mean the loss of a cool $10 billion. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, Group CFO Ralph Mupita has now suggested that the operator is considering scrapping IPO plans in Nigeria. It seems that going to market with $10 billion-worth of demands hanging over the company could affect the valuation process. As if to prove his point, after the two latest demands shares in MTN listed in South Africa plummeted by a third. If they are met, this wouldn't be the first time that Nigerian government demands had cost MTN money. MTN made a cash settlement in 2016 of a previous fine levied by Nigerian authorities for failing to register the details of 5.1 million subscribers. Nevertheless the IPO has been a stated intention of the company since 2016, albeit there seems to have been no formal application made. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider subscribing to our ePaper and/or free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Dundalk student, Loui Byrne was awarded a Naughton Foundation scholarship worth 20,000 at a ceremony in Trinity College Biomedical Science Institute in Dublin. The award was presented by founding patrons of The Naughton Foundation, Dr. Martin Naughton and his wife Carmel who were joined by Mr. Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Education and Skills. Supporting academic and innovative excellence in Irish students, this Scholarship Award is an investment in the future of Ireland's reputation as a country with outstanding graduates. A former student of De La Salle College, Dundalk, Loui has accepted a place at University College Dublin studying Engineering and he joins 36 exceptional Irish students who were awarded third level scholarships towards their studies in the areas of engineering, science and technology. Louis former secondary school, De La Salle College, Dundalk was also presented with a prize of 1,000 on the day towards their schools science facilities, for their support of these students. More than 160 schools have benefited from this prize to date with some schools receiving it on more than one occasion. Since its establishment in 2008 scholarships worth over 4million have been awarded to more than 200 students, the scheme started in 3 Counties and has continued to expand annually to become a nationwide scheme in 2016. There is one guaranteed Scholarship (20,000) for each participating county, with the exception of Cork and Galway where there are two scholarships awarded and four for Dublin. Five additional Scholarships are also to be awarded. Each Scholarship is worth 5,000 per annum for each year of a students three or four year undergraduate degree. 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. Our Macroprudential Bulletin provides insight into the work we are currently doing in the field of macroprudential policy. Our goal is to raise awareness of macroprudential policy issues in the euro area by making our ongoing work and thinking in this field more transparent, and to encourage broader discussion on these key issues. We arent trying to be transparent about our work just for the sake of it. This is also an opportunity to invite you to share your views with us by sending your feedback to ecb.macroprudential.bulletin@ecb.europa.eu. You can also send us an email if you want to be notified about future issues of the Macroprudential Bulletin. B2B Lead Generation Service Reach key decision makers with sales-ready leads that shorten your sales process. Move the needle by delivering funnel qualified leads to your sales team. Learn more. Leaders from Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic last week issued a dire warning that nations around the world haven't been doing enough to ban the development of autonomous weapons -- so-called "killer robots." The groups issued a joint report that calls for a complete ban on these systems before such weapons begin to make their way to military arsenals and it becomes too late to act. Other groups, including Amnesty International, joined in those urgent calls for a treaty to ban such weapons systems, in advance of this week's meeting of the United Nations' CCW Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems in Geneva. This week's gathering is the second such event. Last year's meeting marked the first time delegates from around the world discussed the global ramifications of killer robot technologies. "Killer robots are no longer the stuff of science fiction," said Rasha Abdul Rahim, Amnesty International's advisor on artificial intelligence and human rights. "From artificially intelligent drones to automated guns that can choose their own targets, technological advances in weaponry are far outpacing international law." Last year's first meeting did result in many nations agreeing to ban the development of weapons that could identify and fire on targets without meaningful human intervention. To date, 26 nations have called for an outright killer robot ban, including Austria, Brazil and Egypt. China has called for a new CCW protocol that would prohibit the use of fully autonomous weapons systems. However, the United States, France, Great Britain, Israel, South Korea and Russia have registered opposition to creating any legally binding prohibitions of such weapons, or the technologies behind them. Public opinion is mixed, based on a Brookings Institution survey that was conducted last week. Thirty percent of adult Americans supported the development of artificial intelligence technologies for use in warfare, it found, with 39 percent opposed and 32 percent unsure. However, support for the use of AI capabilities in weapons increased significantly if American adversaries were known to be developing the technology, the poll also found. In that case, 45 percent of respondents in the survey said they would support U.S. efforts to develop AI weapons, versus 25 who were opposed and 30 percent who were unsure. The Latest Weapons of Mass Destruction The science of killing has been taken to a new technological level -- and many are concerned about loss of human control. "Autonomous weapons are another example of military technology outpacing the ability to regulate it," said Mike Blades, research director at Frost & Sullivan. In the mid-19th century Richard Gatling developed the first successful rapid fire weapon in his eponymous Gatling gun, a design that led to modern machine guns. When it was used on the battlefields of the First World War 100 years ago, military leaders were utterly unable to comprehend its killing potential. The result was horrific trench warfare. Tens of millions were killed over the course of the four-year conflict. One irony is that Gatling said that he created his weapon as a way to reduce the size of armies, and in turn reduce the number of deaths from combat. However, he also thought such a weapon could show the futility of warfare. Autonomous weapons have a similar potential to reduce the number of soldiers in harm's way -- but as with the Gatling gun or the World War I era machine gun, new devices could increase the killing potential of a handful of soldiers. Modern military arsenals already can take out vast numbers of people. "One thing to understand is that autonomy isn't actually increasing ability to destroy the enemy. We can already do that with plenty of weapons," Blades told TechNewsWorld. "This is actually a way to destroy the enemy without putting our people in harm's way -- but with that ability there are moral obligations," he added. "This is a place where we haven't really been, and have to tread carefully." Less Massive Destruction There have been other technological weapons advances, from the poison gas that was used in the trenches of World War I a century ago to the atomic bomb that was developed during the Second World War. Each in turn became an issue for debate. The potential horrors that autonomous weapons could unleash now are receiving the same level of concern and attention. "Autonomous weapons are the biggest threat since nuclear weapons, and perhaps even bigger," warned Stuart Russell, professor of computer science and Smith-Zadeh professor of engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. "Because they do not require individual human supervision, autonomous weapons are potentially scalable weapons of mass destruction. Essentially unlimited numbers can be launched by a small number of people," he told TechNewsWorld. "This is an inescapable logical consequence of autonomy," Russell added, "and as a result, we expect that autonomous weapons will reduce human security at the individual, local, national and international levels." A notable concern with small autonomous weapons is that their use could result in far less physical destruction than nuclear weapons or other WMDs might cause, which could make them almost "practical" in comparison. Autonomous weapons "leave property intact and can be applied selectively to eliminate only those who might threaten an occupying force," Russell pointed out. Force Multiplier As with poison gas or technologically advanced weapons, autonomous weapons can be a force multiplier. The Gatling gun could outperform literally dozens of soldiers. In the case of autonomous weapons, one million potentially lethal units could be carried in a single container truck or cargo aircraft. Yet these weapons systems might require only two or three human operators rather than two or three million. "Such weapons would be able to hunt for and eliminate humans in towns and cities, even inside buildings," said Russell. "They would be cheap, effective, unattributable, and easily proliferated once the major powers initiate mass production and the weapons become available on the international arms market." This could give a small nation, rogue state or even a lone actor the ability to do considerable harm. Development of these weapons could even usher in a new arms race among powers of all sizes. For this reason the cries to ban them before they are even developed have been increasing in volume, especially as development of the core technologies -- AI and machine learning -- for civilian purposes advances. They easily could be militarized to create weapons. "Fully autonomous weapons should be discussed now, because due to the rapid development of autonomous technology, they could soon become a reality," said Bonnie Docherty, senior researcher in the arms division at Human Rights Watch, and one of the authors of the recent paper that called for a ban on killer robots. "Once they enter military arsenals, they will likely proliferate and be used," she told TechNewsWorld. "If countries wait, the weapons will no longer be a matter for the future," Docherty added. Many scientists and other experts already have been heeding the call to ban autonomous weapons, and thousands of AI experts this summer signed a pledge not to assist with the development of the systems for military purposes. The pledge is similar to the Manhattan Project scientists' calls not to use the first atomic bomb. Instead, many of the scientists who worked to develop the bomb suggested that the military merely provide a demonstration of its capability rather than use it on a civilian target. The strong opposition to autonomous weapons today "shows that fully autonomous weapons offend the public conscience, and that it is time to take action against them," observed Docherty. Practical Uses of Autonomy However, the calls by the various groups arguably could be a moot point. Although the United States has not agreed to limit the development of autonomous weapons, research efforts actually have been focused more on systems that utilize autonomy for purposes other than as combat weapons. "DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is currently investigating the role of autonomy in military systems such as UAVs, cyber systems, language processing units, flight control, and unmanned land vehicles, but not in combat or weapon systems," said spokesperson Jared B. Adams. "The Department of Defense issued directive 3000.09 in 2012, which was re-certified last year, and it notes that humans must retain judgment over the use of force even in autonomous and semi-autonomous systems," he told TechNewsWorld. "DARPA's autonomous research portfolio is defensive in nature, looking at ways to protect soldiers from adversarial unmanned systems, operate at machine speed, and/or limit exposure of our service men and women from potential harm," Adams explained. "The danger of autonomous weapons is overstated," suggested USN Captain (Ret.) Brad Martin, senior policy researcher for autonomous technology in maritime vehicles at the Rand Corporation. "The capability of weapons to engage targets without human intervention has existed for years," he told TechNewsWorld. Semi-autonomous systems, those that wouldn't give full capability to a machine, also could have positive benefits. For example, autonomous systems could react far more quickly than human operators. "Humans making decisions actually slows things down," noted Martin, "so in many weapons this is less a human rights issue and more a weapons technology issue." The Role of Semi-Autonomous Where the issue of killer robots becomes more complicated is in semi-autonomous systems -- those that do have that human element. Such systems could enhance existing weapons platforms and also could help operators determine if it is right to "take the shot." "Many R&D programs are developing automated systems that can make those decisions quickly," said Frost & Sullivan's Blades. "AI could be used to identify something where a human analyst might not be able to work with the information given as quickly, and this is where we see the technology pointing right," he told TechNewsWorld. "At present there aren't really efforts to get a fully automated decision making system," Blades added. These semi-autonomous systems also could allow weapons to be deployed at a distance closer than a human operator could go. They could reduce the number of "friendly fire" incidents as well as collateral damage. Rather than being a system that might increase causalities, the weapons could become more surgical in nature. "These could provide broader sensor coverage that can reduce the battlefield ambiguity, and improved situational awareness at a chaotic moment," Rand's Martin said. "Our campaign does not seek to ban either semi-autonomous weapons or fully autonomous non-weaponized robots," said Human Right Watch's Docherty. "We are concerned about fully autonomous weapons, not semi-autonomous ones; fully autonomous weapons are the step beyond existing, remote-controlled armed drones," she added. Too Little, Too Late It's uncertain whether the development of autonomous weapons -- even with UN support -- could be stopped. It's questionable whether it should be stopped entirely. As in the case of the atomic bomb, or the machine gun, or poison gas before it, if even one nation possesses the technology, then other nations will want to be sure they have the ability to respond in kind. The autonomous arms race therefore could be inevitable. A comparison can be made to chemical and biological weapons. The Biological Weapons Convention -- the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning the development, production and notably stockpiling of this entire category of WMDs -- first was introduced in 1972. Yet many nations still maintain vast supplies of chemical weapons. They actually were used in the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s and more recently by ISIS fighters, and by the Syrian government in its ongoing civil war. Thus the development of autonomous weapons may not be stopped entirely, but their actual use could be mitigated. "The U.S. may want to be in the lead with at least the rules of engagement where armed robots might be used," suggested Blades. "We may not be signing on to this agreement, but we are already behind the limits of the spread of other advanced weapons," he noted. It is "naive to yield the use of something that is going to be developed whether we like it or not, especially as this will end up in the hands of those bad actors that may not have our ethical concerns," said Martin. During the Cold War, nuclear weapons meant mutually assured destruction, but as history has shown, other weapons -- including poison gas and other chemical weapons -- most certainly were used, even recently in Iraq and Syria. "If Hitler had the atomic bomb he would have found a way to deliver it on London," Martin remarked. "That is as good an analogy to autonomous weapons as we can get." Peter Suciu has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2012. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, mobile phones, displays, streaming media, pay TV and autonomous vehicles. He has written and edited for numerous publications and websites, including Newsweek, Wired and FoxNews.com. Email Peter. California Governor Jerry Brown signed a first-of-its-kind law banning the sale of animal tested cosmetics Friday, the Huffington Post reported. "We are grateful to Governor Brown for signing this bill," California state director for the Humane Society of the United States Crystal Moreland said in a press release. "I am proud that California is the first state in the nation to take a stand against cruel cosmetic animal testing." The California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, which was written by Democratic state Senator Cathleen Galgiani, passed the state legislature earlier in September, The Hill reported. It stipulates that manufacturers cannot "import for profit, sell or offer for sale" any cosmetics tested on animals once the law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Violations will be punished with a fine of $5,000, followed by a fine of $1,000 per day every day the violation continues, the Huffington Post reported. It is the first law of its kind in the U.S., though similar laws have been passed in the EU, India, Israel and Norway. A national law introduced to Congress last year has not yet been passed, though animal advocates hope California's law might change that. "We're hopeful this law will encourage the federal government to pass the Humane Cosmetics Act," program manager for animal research issues at the Humane Society of the United States Vicki Katrinak told the Huffington Post. The law does allow for some exceptions. Any testing required by federal law can go ahead if there are no alternatives. In addition, companies can pay for animal testing for products and ingredients if it is required by law for sale in foreign markets. It can also sell those same products in California as long as the testing wasn't specifically to determine the safety of the products sold in the state. China, for example, requires all imported cosmetics be tested on animals, but Katrinak said she hoped the new law would encourage companies to put pressure on countries like China that require testing, since they won't want to pay for two separate tests for markets that require and prohibit animal testing. "It gives greater impetus for [the cosmetics] industry to push for changes in other countries," Katrinak told the Huffington Post. Rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits are the animals most often used for cosmetic testing. They are used to test whether ingredients will irritate eyes or skin and are sometimes forced to eat or breathe toxic substances. They are often killed after testing. The Humane Society said such testing is unnecessary, as thousands of products have a history of safe use and there are other ways to assess the safety of ingredients that do not rely on animal testing and are more relevant to human health. As people in North and South Carolina continue to confront flooding and other massive damage from Hurricane Florence, it's heartbreaking to watch them have to deal with yet another hazard: the toxic coal ash leaked from coal ash ponds and landfills in the region. Even more infuriating is the denial coming from the company responsible for that pollution in the first placeDuke Energy in North Carolina. On Sept. 19, Duke Energy activated a high-level emergency alert at the retired L.V. Sutton coal-fired power plant in Wilmington, North Carolina, as Hurricane Florencerelated flood waters from the nearby Cape Fear River overtook an earthen dike and Sutton Lake. That same day, the Neuse River flooded all three of Duke's coal ash ponds at the retired H.F. Lee coal plant in Goldsboro. On Sept. 21, Duke reported that dams at both the north and south end of Sutton Lake had been breached by floodwaters from Florence. In addition, floodwaters have overtopped a retaining wall between the lake and one of the unlined coal ash dumps at the site. Coal ash was observed in the lake, and Duke acknowledged it's possible that coal ash is flowing into the Cape Fear River. Our friends at the Waterkeeper Alliance took photos and videos of coal ash in several waterways. Yet, in the wake of Hurricane Florence, Duke Energy has repeatedly downplayed the dangers of its ash ponds, hiding behind the fact that coal ash which contains toxins including arsenic, lead, mercury, selenium, aluminum and chlorideis not designated as a hazardous waste. Jo-Anne McArthur / Waterkeeper Alliance / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Duke Energy spokesperson Paige Sheehan claimed in a recent statement that, "It is a very common misconception that ash is toxic, but routine toxicity tests on our basin water continue to demonstrate it's not." You have got to be kidding me. It's jaw dropping and infuriating to me that utility executives are still claiming coal ash is harmless after all the disasters of recent yearsfrom massive coal ash spills, to the health problems plaguing workers who cleaned them up, to the hundreds of other communities home to coal ash sites where families living with polluted air and water are paying the ultimate price for this tired old lie. The public health hazards and environmental threats to nearby communities from unsafe coal ash dumping have been known for many years, including increased risk of cancer, learning disabilities, neurological disorders, birth defects, reproductive failure, asthma and other illnesses. The Sierra Club and our allies have worked for years to force cleanup of these sites, both by pushing for stronger federal and state safeguards, and through litigation and organizing at the local level. Represented by our friends at the Southern Environmental Law Center, we even secured a Clean Water Act settlement that required Duke to move its ash from unlined pits at the Sutton plant to a lined landfill. Unfortunately, that work wasn't completed fast enough to prevent some of the damageand even the lined landfill was also breached by the hurricane, underscoring that while some methods of storing coal ash are better than others, the only true solution is to generate power with clean energy and stop creating coal ash altogether. Carolina residents have long warned Duke Energy, state officials, and the public about these coal ash landfills being a disaster waiting to happenand many of the ash sites had already leaked several times long before Florence came ashore. The coal ash sites are frequently near low-income communities and communities of color, as CityLab's Brentin Mock documents in these two powerful articles about Hurricane Florence and the long-time environmental justice fights in the Carolinas. There is no completely safe way to store toxic coal waste, or to mine and burn coal, that doesn't threaten communities, our waterways, and our climate. Knowing all the problems that coal ash causes, Duke needs to stop burning coal and retire all of its coal plants soon. Duke Energy should also take greater advantage of the abundant and affordable clean, renewable energy sources and phase out its use of unnecessary fracked gas plants. And the EPA should strengthen our federal coal ash safeguards, rather than gutting them as the Trump administration is now doing. Hurricane Florence should be Duke Energy's wakeup call to remove its ash from all of its unlined, leaking coal ash pits next to waterways and take the necessary steps to ensure that all of its landfills are secure as possible and won't contaminate communitiesnot only when there are massive storms but also from everyday leaching into our groundwater. After 14 months of negotiations, the U.S., Mexico and Canada agreed on a revised trade agreement Sunday that does not mention climate change or global warming, Canada's National Observer reported. The deal, which still has to be approved by the legislative bodies of all three countries, is a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which U.S. President Donald Trump had vowed to renegotiate or scrap altogether during his campaign. Environmental groups say that the new deal, which is called the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA), benefits fossil fuel interests at the expense of the environment, and that the environmental section of the deal is weak on enforcement mechanisms. "Trump's trade agreement with Mexico and Canada is a corporate giveaway intended to sharply limit the powers of government to protect people and the planet," Friends of the Earth director of economic policy Doug Norlen told the Huffington Post. "This agreement is an attack on our ability to hold Big Oil and Gas accountable for the damage they cause to our communities." Green groups are particularly concerned because one major improvement in the deal does not apply to oil and gas companies. NAFTA was criticized because the investor-state dispute settlement process gave corporations rights that overruled environmental protections, especially in Mexico, the country with the laxest environmental laws. The new deal limits those corporate rights for all but U.S. oil and gas companies undertaking government contract work in Mexico. These companies are still allowed to challenge local laws, which Mexican President-Elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador plans to strengthen. "It's like saying, 'From here on, we're going to protect the henhouse by keeping all animals away, except for foxes, they're cool,'" Sierra Club living economy program director Ben Beachy told the Huffington Post in a phone interview. Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune further told the National Observer that the deal's environmental section was weak. "For example, the text 'recognizes that air pollution is a serious threat to public health,' but then fails to include a single binding rule to reduce the air pollution that NAFTA has exacerbated," he said. "Much of the language appears designed to greenwash the deal, not to rectify NAFTA's threats to wildlife, ecosystems, or clean air and water." The language that does exist recognizes the importance of forests in providing "carbon storage" and commits signatories to "co-operate to address matters of mutual interest related to ozone-depleting substances" and to "take measures to prevent the pollution of the marine environment from ships." It also scraps a NAFTA stipulation that Canada export a certain percentage of its energy production, something that groups like the Council of Canadians said stood in the way of the country's efforts to shift away from fossil fuels. Finally, the deal includes a clause that could be interpreted as an acknowledgement of the Paris agreement. The deal says that signatories "recognize the importance of international agreements and other efforts to improve air quality and control air pollutants, including those that have the potential for long-range transport." As the National Observer pointed out, greenhouse gases could be interpreted as air pollutants. Overall, however, green groups fear that the deal will weaken regulations, as it includes a provision allowing companies to challenge regulations before they are passed and to request existing regulations be repealed. "We expect that, after Trump is out of office, we're going to have to work hard to re-regulate," Beach told the Huffington Post. "Even after Trump leaves office, Trump's NAFTA (revision) could extend his polluting legacy for years." A California kindergartner can keep bringing a cannabis-based drug used for emergency treatment of a rare form of epilepsy to her public school, a state judge has ruled. The Rincon Valley Union district in Santa Rosa sought to ban the ointment from school grounds because it contains the active ingredient in marijuana. Authorities argued that allowing Brooke Adams, 5, to use the drug at school violated state and federal laws barring medical marijuana on school grounds. Medical marijuana use in private with a doctors recommendation is legal in California. A judges temporary order permitted Brooke to start school in August while the districts objections were considered. A nurse accompanies Brooke to school and has had to apply the oil three times to treat seizures. North Carolina legislators are working on a plan to forgive districts in areas that bore the brunt of Hurricane Florences impact for school days they missed because of the storm. Another proposal would ensure that teachers and other district employees who missed work because of Florence will get paid for those days. State lawmakers are expected to return soon to Raleigh for a special session on the states immediate poststorm needs. As school officials in hard-hit areas began to assess the damages to district buildings, they said one of their worries is meeting the 185 instructional days districts must have each year and mandatory class-size requirements, especially because many teachers sustained significant damages to their homes and may have to relocate, at least temporarily. Politicians on the state campaign trail this year are making some eye-popping promises for parents and educators: billions more dollars for schools, double-digit pay raises for teachers, and hundreds of millions more to replace dilapidated schoolhouses. And in some states, Democrats are going so far as to broach a topic often seen as off-limits in election season: tax increases. Drawing confidence from poll data, an uptick in successful local referendum measures, and the swell of support for thousands of teachers who went on strike this spring for increased pay, Democrats in states such as Arizona, Florida, and Oklahoma are gambling that voters are so alarmed at the financial disrepair of their local school systems that theyre willing to tax states corporations and wealthiest citizens to bail them out. Youre seeing this confluence of larger political trends of income inequality and concerns about local government struggling after the Great Recession and not keeping teachers and school districts whole, said Tracy Gordon, a senior fellow with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. The politics of that have been fascinating. See Also: State Election Cheat Sheet: Education Issues to Watch The pushback from Republican opponents and the business community in some of those states has been fierce. They say citizens are taxed too much as it is, theorize that schools arent spending their money efficiently, and predict that revenue for schools will soon rebound with the economy. Democrats promises are both politically unrealistic and financially unsustainable, they say, and will ultimately damage the economy and cause another recession. In fact, ballot measures to raise taxes in Arizona, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Utah were knocked off the ballot this past summer after either suffering from legal challenges or after proponents conceded to concessions from their state legislature. Youre seeing new job announcements on a daily basis, said Garrick Taylor, a spokesman for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry who attributed the economys success to recent tax cuts made by Gov. Doug Ducey, the incumbent in that states race. Arizona is an extremely attractive place to do business. Its because revenue is up that makes [the most recent teacher pay raises] possible. To be sure, public school and anti-tax advocacy groups have waged battle with each other for decades over how best to provide children with an adequate and equitable education. And almost every election year, Republican and Democratic candidates alike have promised more money for schools, though they rarely provide much detail on how theyll go about getting it. Unusual Election Cycle But this election cycle is unusual for the sheer ambition and specificity of candidates promises to raise taxes in notably conservative states where anti-tax sentiment has long ruled the day, analysts point out. Democratic candidates David Garcia in Arizona and Andrew Gillum in Florida shocked political analysts when they ousted traditional Democratic opponents who promised not to raise taxes. Both candidates are competitive, according to some polls, against their Republican rivals who have promised to cut taxes. For too long, Florida Republicans have forced working people to pay too heavy a tax burden instead of the richest corporations, said Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee. I will put an end to that as governor in 2019. He predicted in a whitepaper recently posted online on Medium that raising the states corporate income taxes will provide schools with $100 million for new school facilities and repairs, boost starting teachers salaries to $50,000, and provide $250 million more for early pre-K. State politicians have come to realize in recent years that something is wrong with the way that schools are funded. The national unemployment rate is at historic lows, and business is booming in many parts of the nation. And yet property and income taxes, which schools are heavily reliant on, have been slow to rebound. But some national and statewide polls show that public sentiment for taxes has shifted since the heyday of property tax revolts in the 1970s. A Pew Research poll conducted earlier this year shows that, for the first time since 1968, less than half of the nations voters say their taxes are too high. A poll conducted by Marquette University Law School showed that more than 61 percent of Wisconsin voters prefer more spending on public schools over tax cuts. That compares to 46 percent of voters who said so in a similar survey conducted in 2013. Against that backdrop, Tony Evers, the states superintendent of public instruction and Democratic nominee for governor, is campaigning on a promise to provide more than $1.7 billion more for schools, though he hasnt said how he will do so. In other states, candidates are throwing out dollar amounts they will provide schools and telling voters exactly where theyll get it from. Oklahoma Democratic gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson, said earlier this month that, if elected, hes willing to restore several taxes including raising the states gross production tax by 2 percent and raising taxes on cigarettes in order to bring in up to $300 million more for schools. Maryland Democratic candidate for governor Ben Jealous said he will push to legalize and tax marijuana to boost teacher pay by 29 percent. Hawaiis Case Ballot measures pushed by teachers unions and Democratic operatives in states including Colorado and Utah seek to increase taxes by historic measures in order to provide a windfall for schools. And in Hawaii, where more than 1,000 classrooms are taught by unqualified teachers because of a widespread teacher shortage, the states teachers union is pushing a ballot measure that would make that state the last in the nation to put in place a property tax to fund schools. The low property tax has made Hawaii a haven for mainland foreign investors to buy property, said Corey Rosenlee, the president of the states teachers union. And theyre getting rich and at the same time our schools are falling apart. A German pilgrim in his seventies was found dead this Monday in Triacastela (a village of Lugo). The man was doing the Camino de Santiago (the way of Saint James) alone and staying in a local hostel. The owners of the establishment found the body. The medical services were notified to go to the premises, but it was not possible to do anything to save the septuagenarian, who was lying in bed. The death was due to indications of natural causes, but the specific reason will be determined by the autopsy, for which the body was transferred to Lugo. Subsequently, his relatives will decide on a possible repatriation. Nationalist Party Wants British Oath Abolishing Mark Kermode - (Pic: Paul Moulton PMCTV) If Tynwald chose to remove the requirement for new members of the House of Keys to swear allegiance to the British Crown, Mec Vannin would contest elections. Thats according to party chairman Mark Kermode, who says its up to Manx politicians to drop the oath and Mec Vannin members are unwilling to tell untruths to get in to power. He claims its not the nationalist partys responsibility to change the swearing in ceremony, and points to the Northern Irish Assembly as an example where parliamentarians arent required to swear allegiance. It follows a recent Positive Action Group (PAG) meeting on party politics, where it was suggested Mec Vannin might be considered a pressure group not a party, due to its lack of involvement in national elections. One of the oldest political organisations on the Island, Mec Vannin was formed in 1962 with the aim of achieving independence from the Crown. Only one member from the partys ranks has ever been successfully elected to the House of Keys, though former members have gone on to play a role in national politics. The nationalists were invited to the PAG event but couldnt attend due to a clash with the partys own meetings. Local Democracy Reporter Ewan Gawne asked Mr Kermode whether Mec Vannin was turning into a pressure group: Media Mark Kermode Mec Vannin Wood foam and metal sponge can they be combined? That was the question that experts at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut WKI delved into in a project entitled HoMe Foam with HoMe being a German acronym for wood-metal together with scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM. As a result, the contrasting materials come together in perfect harmony. The innovative new material mix boasts excellent insulating properties and has a low bending strength. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research, WKI are developing wood foams made entirely of wood. The natural adhesive properties of wood make synthetic adhesives superfluous. From an ecological standpoint, this makes wood foams ideal for a whole range of applications, for example as a core material for lightweight construction and sandwich panels, as packaging material, or for thermal insulation or soundproofing. In order to extend the application range of wood foam, a group of Fraunhofer Institute researchers led by Dr. Frauke Bunzel from Fraunhofer WKI developed a wood-metal foam hybrid that unites the properties of both wood foam and metal sponge. In the course of the project, they elaborated the principles for manufacturing the composite and determined its initial key properties, making it possible to classify it in relation to other materials. In follow-up projects, researchers will tailor the composite's properties to selected applications. "Strengthening the wood foam with a metal skeleton, for example, can substantially enhance its characteristically low bending strength." In the case of HoMe foam, the bending strength of the hybrid is even greater than that of its two components. "That makes it an ideal core material for sandwich panels or as a self-supporting lightweight semi-finished material," explains Dr. Bunzel. Another advantage is that, unlike wood foam, metal sponge can conduct electricity. The outstanding properties of wood foam are its high levels of sound absorption and low thermal conductivity, making it an excellent insulation material. Combining metal sponge and wood foam creates a lightweight hybrid material with a higher functionality, one that can be used for components that provide reinforcement and absorb sound. The material is thus suitable for use in the automotive industry, for example, as reinforcing acoustic mats in engine compartments or as floor plates. Other applications are conceivable too. How do you get the wood foam into the metal sponge? Just putting the wood and metal foams into a bowl and mixing them doesn't do the trick, the reason being that the Fraunhofer IWU researchers don't foam the metal sponge, but manufacture it in a casting process. The result is a sponge-like, open-cell metal structure with many tiny cavities. At present, this metal sponge is manufactured in plates measuring 250 mm x 250 mm x 30 mm. The wood foam, which has a firm consistency similar to that of beaten egg whites, then has to be inserted into the metal sponge plate. Originally, the team tried using pressure to force the wood foam into the metal sponge plate, but the wood fibers stuck to the surface, infiltrating only the cavities at the margins of the sponge. The solution was a tapping technique, which enabled the researchers to fill the entire metal sponge with wood foam. The working group is currently looking at ways to streamline the process chain for producing the wood foam and to simplify and accelerate the process for inserting the wood foam into the metal sponge. The goal is to get HoMe foam into industrial-scale production soon. Hoe vindt u het als wij ook Engelstalige artikelen publiceren? Stem hier Perhaps you've never tasted sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), the fifth most popular crop in the world, but you probably will soon. This ancient grain is a common source of food in developing countries and is also used to make Baijiu, one of the world's most popular spirits. Grain sorghum, a tough, drought-tolerant plant with dry, brittle stems, is also used to make products ranging from animal feed to industrial chemicals to gluten-free flour, and it represents a promising source of biofuel. The less common juicy-stemmed sweet sorghum varieties are used to produce a maple syrup-like product. Stem juiciness can make a plant more tolerant to drought, but it can also make it less disease resistant, and the height of these plants can cause them to topple over in the wind. Understanding how the stem juiciness trait evolved and identifying the underlying gene could help breeders fine-tune this trait in sorghum and other important crops while shedding light on stem water transport in plants. Over 100 years ago, scientists discovered that stem juiciness is governed by a single genetic locus called Dry. While this genetic region has since been narrowed down to a small area on a single chromosome, moisture levels in sorghum stems can be quite variable, making it difficult to study this trait and pin down the underlying gene. Through careful genetic analysis of a large, diverse panel of sorghum varieties, scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the gene controlling the stem juiciness trait in sorghum, as described in this month's issue of The Plant Cell. The Dry gene product appears to function as a master switch that controls the expression of many genes that help determine the shape and composition of the plant cell wall. Mutations in the Dry gene in juicy-stemmed sorghum varieties lead to abnormal cell walls and even cell collapse, but the high sugar content in these plants enhances their growth and could lead to increased grain production. It appears that breeders have long been selecting plants with mutations in the Dry gene to increase the efficiency of sorghum syrup production. The authors identified similar genes in other crop species, providing the opportunity to shape the level of stem juiciness in other plants as well. According to Dr. Thomas Juenger of the University of Texas, "This is an important discovery of an iconic sorghum gene and a great example of an integrative approach using genetic mapping, natural variation, and transgenic manipulations to understand a key factor underlying an important domestication event". ### Author: Jennifer Lockhart, PhD jlockhart@aspb.org Science Editor, The Plant Cell http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1394-8947 Tel: 919-360-7699 An international collaboration led by the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron or DESY, with participation from Arizona State University's Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, the Department of Physics and the School of Molecular Sciences, has announced the results of the first scientific experiments at Europe's new X-ray free-electron laser, European XFEL. Over 120 international researchers collaborated on the study, whose findings--including the first new protein structure solved at the European XFEL--are reported in the advanced online edition of the journal Nature Communications. Petra Fromme, director of the Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery underlines the significance of the first research study carried out using the new European XFEL: "One of the most exciting capabilities of X-ray lasers is being able to make movies of life's most important processes at the atomic level. Our pioneering experiments at the European XFEL proved that you can resolve images that are only a millionth of a second apart. The pioneering work not only demonstrates that the new research facility can speed up experiments by an order of magnitude, it also reveals a previously unknown structure of an enzyme responsible for antibiotic resistance. "The groundbreaking work of the first team to use the European XFEL has paved the way for all users of the facility who greatly benefit from these pioneering experiments," emphasizes European XFEL managing director Robert Feidenhans'l. "We are very pleased - these results show that the facility works even better than we had expected and is ready to deliver new scientific breakthroughs." "Being at a totally new class of facility, we had to master many challenges that nobody had tackled before," says DESY scientist Anton Barty, from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), who led the team of about 125 researchers, involved in the first experiments that were open to the whole scientific community. "I compare it to the maiden flight of a novel aircraft: All calculations and assembly completed, everything says it will work, but not until you try it do you know whether it actually flies." The European XFEL is designed to deliver X-ray flashes every 220 nanoseconds (0.000 000 220 seconds). To unravel the three-dimensional structure of a biomolecule, such as an enzyme, the pulses are used to obtain flash X-ray exposures of tiny crystals of that biomolecule. Each exposure gives rise to a characteristic diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough such patterns are recorded from all orientations of a crystal, the atomic structure of the biomolecule can be calculated. However, every crystal can only be X-rayed once since it is vaporized by the intense flash (after it produced a diffraction pattern). So, to build up the full three-dimensional structure of the biomolecule, a new crystal has to be delivered into the beam in time for the next flash, by spraying it across the path of the laser in a water jet. Nobody has tried to image molecules with X-rays at atomic resolution at this lightning pace before. The fastest pulse rate so far of any such X-ray laser has been 120 flashes per second, that is one flash every 0.0083 seconds (or 8, 333, 333 nanoseconds). To probe biomolecules at full speed, the water jet carrying the tiny crystals (which are also vaporized by the X-rays), must recover in time to be able to replenish the crystals fast enough. "We revved up the speed of the water jet carrying the samples to 220 miles per hour, that's about as fast as the speed record in Formula 1," explains Max Wiedorn, who led the sample delivery together with his colleague Dominik Oberthur, both from CFEL. A specially designed nozzle, whose development was led by Sasa Bajt, a Group Leader at DESY, was critical to ensuring the high-speed jet would be stable and meet the requirements. To record X-ray diffraction patterns at this fast rate, an international consortium led by DESY scientist Heinz Graafsma designed and built one of the world's fastest X-ray cameras, tailor-made for the European XFEL. The 'Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector' (AGIPD) can not only record images as fast as the X-ray pulses arrive, it also automatically tunes the sensitivity of every pixel individually, providing much more accurate measurements of the diffraction patterns in which the information on the atomic structure of the sample is encoded. "The requirements of the European XFEL are so unique that the detector had to be designed completely from scratch and tailored to this task," reports Graafsma, who heads the detector group at DESY's Photon Science division and is also a professor at the Mid Sweden University. "This could only be achieved thanks to the comprehensive expertise and fruitful collaboration of the large team involved." "It was exciting and somewhat nostalgic to see the first protein diffraction patterns at the European XFEL appearing live, reminiscent of the first atomic-resolution SFX patterns we saw live at LCLS over 7 years ago, which marked the beginning of the high-resolution SFX era. Many of the same collaborators were involved in both historic experiments," notes co-author Nadia Zatsepin, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at ASU who leads SFX data analysis in the NSF BioXFEL Science and Technology Center. "The ability to collect data much faster means we can determine many more frames of molecular movies with dramatically reduced amount of the precious samples, which can be critical for structure determination for many important biological samples, especially for studying dynamics. However, carrying out these very first experiments as part of commissioning the XFEL source and novel detector involved overcoming some unique challenges. The excellent results in this publication, and indeed the facilitating of SFX experiments following these pioneering efforts, is testament to the effective leadership and organization and sincere camaraderie of this large collaboration." The scientists first determined the structure of a very well-known sample, the enzyme lysozyme from egg-white, as a touchstone to verify the system worked as expected. Indeed, the structure derived at the European XFEL perfectly matches the known lysozyme structure, showing details as fine as 0.18 nanometres (millionths of a millimeter). "This is an excellent proof of the X-ray laser's performance," underscores XFEL pioneer Henry Chapman, a leading scientist at DESY, Division Director of CFEL, and a professor at the University of Hamburg. "We are very excited about the speed of the analysis: Experiments that used to take hours can now be done in a few minutes, as we have shown. And the set-up that we used can even be further optimized, speeding up data acquisition even more. The European XFEL offers bright prospects for the exploration of the nanocosm." The striking performance of the X-ray laser is also a particular success for the DESY Accelerator Division that operates the European XFEL and led the construction of the world's longest and most advanced superconducting linear accelerator, which drives the European XFEL. As their second target, the team chose a bacterial enzyme that plays an important role in antibiotic resistance. The molecule, designated CTX-M-14 -lactamase, was isolated from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae whose multidrug-resistant strains are a grave concern in hospitals worldwide. Two years ago, a 'pandrug-resistant' strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae--unaffected by all 26 commonly available antibiotics-- was identified in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bacterium's enzyme CTX-M-14 -lactamase, is present in all strains. It works like a molecular pair of scissors, cutting open the lactam rings of penicillin-derived antibiotics open, thereby rendering them useless. To avoid this, antibiotics are often administered together with a compound called avibactam that blocks the molecular scissors of the enzyme. Unfortunately, mutations change the form of the scissors. "Some hospital strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are already able to cleave even specifically developed third generation antibiotics," explains Christian Betzel, co-author of the paper and also a professor at the University of Hamburg. "If we understand how this happens, it might help to design antibiotics that avoid this problem." The scientists investigated a complex of CTX-M-14 -lactamase from the non-resistant, 'wild type' of the bacterium with avibactam bound to the enzyme's active center, a structure that has not been analyzed before. "The results show with 0.17 nanometer precision, how avibactam fits snug into a sort of canyon on the enzyme's surface that marks its active center," says Markus Perbandt from the University of Hamburg, also a co-author of the paper. "This specific complex has never been seen before, although the structure of the two separate components were already known." These successful measurements show that it is possible to record high-quality structural information, which is the first step towards recording time-resolved snapshots of the biochemical reaction between enzymes and their substrates at different stages, using the European XFEL. Together with the research group of co-author Martin Aepfelbacher and Holger Rohde, professors at the University Hospital UKE in Hamburg, the team plans to use the X-ray laser as a film camera to assemble those snapshots into movies of the molecular dynamics of avibactam and this -lactamase. "Such movies would give us crucial insights into the biochemical process that could one day help us to design better inhibitors, reducing antibiotic resistance," says Betzel. Movies of chemical and biochemical reactions are just one example of a whole new spectrum of scientific experiments possible at the European XFEL. The truly breakthrough feature is the rate at which data can be collected. "This opens up new avenues of structural discovery," highlights European XFEL scientist Adrian Mancuso, who heads the SPB/SFX instrument (Single Particles, Clusters and Biomolecules & Serial Femtosecond Crystallography) where the pioneering experiments were done. "The difference in rate of discovery possible using European XFEL demonstrated by this experiment is as dramatic as the difference in travel time between being able to catch a plane across the Atlantic rather than taking a ship. The impact is potentially enormous." This first 'beamtime' for experiments at the European XFEL took place two weeks after the opening of the facility in September 2017, and was open to all scientists from the community to participate, contribute, learn, and gain experience in how to carry out such measurements at this facility. "The success of this 'open science' policy is illustrated by - among other things - the rapid dissemination of results from later campaigns at the SPB/SFX instrument by participating groups," explains Chapman. "Additionally, the large concentration of effort by the community addressed previously unsolved challenges of managing and visualizing data - crucial to conducting all serial crystallography experiments at the European XFEL." "This work at the European XFEL is very important for the study of biological processes, as it will enable the study of biological reactions in real time. As the scientific director of the BioXFEL Science and Technology Center, which is supported by the National Science Foundation, I am very excited that members of the BioXFEL STC have made major contributions to this exciting first user experiment at the European XFEL" says Dr. John Spence, professor at the Department of Physics at Arizona State University. ### Participating in the experiments from Arizona State University were Dr. Petra Fromme, director of the Biodesign Institute Center for Applied Structural Discovery (BCASD), Research Professor Nadia Zatsepin from the Department of Physics, NSF BioXFEL STC and BCASD, and Marc Messerschmidt from the European XFEL, NSF BioXFEL STC (now at BCASD). About CFEL and DESY The Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL is a cooperation of the University of Hamburg, the Max Planck Society and DESY. DESY is one of the world's leading particle accelerator centers. Researchers use the large?scale facilities at DESY to explore the microcosm in all its variety - ranging from the interaction of tiny elementary particles to the behavior of innovative nanomaterials and the vital processes that take place between biomolecules to the great mysteries of the universe. The accelerators and detectors that DESY develops and builds at its locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen are unique research tools. DESY is a member of the Helmholtz Association and receives its funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (90 percent) and the German federal states of Hamburg and Brandenburg (10 percent). About the Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery The Center for Applied Structural Discovery (CASD) unites a team of complementary research professionals from a wide range of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics and engineering, to develop and apply groundbreaking technologies and methodologies to accelerate the rate at which we discover the structure and associated function of biomolecules. Breakthrough knowledge will form the basis for fast progress on the path to technical innovations that improve human health and provide plentiful clean energy and food for future generations. The CASD mission is to develop new revolutionary techniques that reveal the structure and dynamics of biomolecules towards new visionary discoveries in medicine and energy conversion. biodesign.asu.edu/applied-structural-discovery About NSF BioXFEL STC https://www.bioxfel.org/about Reference "Megahertz serial crystallography"; Max O. Wiedorn, Dominik Oberthur, Richard Bean, Robin Schubert, Nadine Werner et al.; Nature Communications, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06156-7 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory's Linac Coherent Light Source I and II https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/ and https://lcls.slac.stanford.edu/lcls-ii Science contacts - Dr. Anton Barty, CFEL/DESY, +49 40 8998-5783, anton.barty@desy.de - Prof. Henry Chapman, CFEL/DESY, +49 40 8998-4155, henry.chapman@desy.de - Prof. Christian Betzel, University of Hamburg, +49 40 8998-4744, christian.betzel@uni-hamburg.de - Dr. Adrian Mancuso, European XFEL, +49 40 8998-2512, adrian.mancuso@xfel.eu - Dr. Petra Fromme, Arizona State University, +1 480 326 7840 Press contact Dr. Thomas Zoufal, DESY press officer, +49 40 8998-1666, presse@desy.de Richard Harth, Biodesign Institute Senior Science Writer 480-727-0378 richard.harth@asu.edu CINCINNATI - Preterm birth remains a global epidemic linked to a lifetime of potential health complications. It also is difficult to study in living creatures--especially the uniquely precise biology of preterm birth in humans. Researchers report in PLoS Biology successfully inserting just enough human DNA into transgenic laboratory mice that it allowed the team to study a unique part of human pregnancy compared to other animals. As a result, the scientists at the Cincinnati Children's Perinatal Institute and Department of Pediatrics at the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine discovered what controls expression of a stress hormone called corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the placenta. The placenta supports the fetus and provides communication with the mother. CRH expression levels are linked to birth timing in humans and indicate whether a pregnancy will be preterm, post-term, or the normal term of 37-42 weeks. Unfortunately, pregnant mice and other non-primate species don't naturally express CRH in the placenta. The scientists had to figure out how to get the animals to incorporate the genetic machinery needed to express the hormone. This is important because researchers still don't know what CRH does in the placenta during pregnancy. Having transgenic mice with the necessary human DNA to express CRH in the placenta should help them find out, according to Louis Muglia, MD, senior investigator on the study, Co-Director of the Perinatal Institute and Director of Human Genetics at Cincinnati Children's. "The challenge with studying human pregnancy is the typical biomedical approach requires a relevant animal for research," Muglia said. "It's been done for cancer and many other diseases. The problem is pregnancy in humans is different enough that it's not been possible to effectively translate the findings from the animal studies to humans." Transgenic mouse models that mimic key aspects of human pregnancy also should help researchers uncover more information about how epigenetics affect birth timing. This could help answer long-standing questions about whether environmental exposures, like social stress or poor nutrition, influence the expression of genes important to birthing healthy, full-term babies. Nature Finds a Way To get pregnant laboratory mice to express CRH, Muglia's team decided to test evolutionary genetics and biology. They experimented with something called a retroviral long terminal repeat (LTR) known as THE1B. Retroviral LTRs are identical sequences of DNA that continually repeat themselves and allow viruses to insert their genetic material into the genome of a host species. In the case of THE1B, it jumped into the genome of anthropoid primates (humankind's closest evolutionary relatives) 50 million years ago. The research team developed a hypothesis that THE1B's invasion of the anthropoid primate genome may have initiated CRH expression in the placenta during pregnancy. They tested this by microinjecting into transgenic mice 180 kilobytes of human DNA containing the THE1B LTR and CRH. Muglia said researchers didn't know if it would work, but in a vivid display of genetic adaptability the mice integrated and activated the DNA in the placenta. "We were fortunate that the mice already had the machinery waiting and ready to activate and incorporate the human DNA and CRH in their placenta during pregnancy," he said. Glimpse of Pregnancy Control After the human DNA was up and running in the mouse placentas, the researchers selectively edited DNA regions of THE1B with a precise gene-editing technique called CRISPR/Cas9. They found that the restricted deletion of THE1B silenced CRH expression and normalized birth timing in the transgenic mice. Their data also uncovered an interaction between THE1B and a transcription factor called DLX3, which is expressed in the placenta. Transcription factors in essence are genes that tell other genes what to do. During pregnancy, DLX3 is critical to normal development of the placenta. Collectively the study's findings suggest that retroviral insertion of THE1B into the anthropoid genome initiated CRH expression in the placenta by working with DLX3. The data also suggest that intentionally manipulating placental CRH levels can alter the timing of birth. The authors stress the current study is still early and its findings are a small part of a large and complex puzzle that requires more research. In their ongoing studies of CRH, THE1B and DLX3, the scientists will use this new information to explore how these biological pieces fit into the complex puzzle of what controls the timing of human pregnancies. ### First author of the study is Caitlin Dunn-Fletcher, a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) at the UC College of Medicine and member of the Muglia laboratory team in the division of Human Genetics at Cincinnati Children's. Funding support for the research came in part from the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center Ohio Collaborative and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD091527, R21HD090196). About Cincinnati Children's Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center ranks second in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's 2018-2019 Best Children's Hospitals ranking. In addition, Cincinnati Children's ranks first in the pediatric specialties of cancer and gastroenterology/GI surgery care, and among the top five pediatric hospitals in nine of 10 specialties. Founded in 1883, Cincinnati Children's vision is to be the leader in improving child health, through patient care, research and education. LOS ANGELES - Oct. 2, 2018 - Heart experts have long believed that weekday mornings - and especially Mondays - were the danger zones for unexpected deaths from sudden cardiac arrests. But a new Cedars-Sinai study shows those peak times have disappeared and now, sudden cardiac arrests are more likely to happen on any day at any time. "While there are likely several reasons to explain why more cardiac arrests happen outside of previously identified peak times, stress is likely a major factor," said Sumeet Chugh, MD, professor of medicine and associate director of the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. "We now live in a fast-paced, 'always on' era that causes increased psycho-social stress and possibly, an increase in the likelihood of sudden cardiac arrest," said Chugh, the primary investigator on the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Heart Rhythm. Chugh's team of investigators analyzed data from the community-based Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study between 2004 to 2014. All reported cases were based on emergency medical service reports containing detailed information regarding the cause of the cardiac arrest. Key findings include: Of the 1,535 patients who died from sudden cardiac arrest, only 13.9 percent died in the early morning hours between 6 - 10 a.m. There was no evidence that more sudden cardiac arrests occurred on Mondays. Aside from stress, other contributing factors may be a shift in how high-risk patients are being treated, as well as inadequacies in how past studies have measured time of death caused by sudden cardiac arrest (such as using time of death found on a death certificate versus time of death when sudden cardiac arrest actually occurred). Although "sudden cardiac arrest" and "heart attack" often are used interchangeably, the terms are not synonymous. Unlike heart attacks (myocardial infarctions), which are typically caused by clogged coronary arteries reducing blood flow to the heart muscle, sudden cardiac arrest is the result of defective electrical activity of the heart. Patients may have little or no warning, and the disorder usually causes instantaneous death. Sudden cardiac arrest accounts for approximately 300,000 deaths each year in the U.S. The Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study is a comprehensive, 16-hospital, multiyear assessment of cardiac deaths in the 1 million population Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. Led by Chugh, the project - now ongoing for more than 15 years - provides researchers with unique, community-based information to help determine the causes of sudden cardiac arrest. "Because sudden cardiac arrest is usually fatal, we have to prevent it before it strikes," said Chugh, the Pauline and Harold Price Professor of Cardiac Electrophysiology Research. "This is just another piece to the puzzle. Our next steps are to conclusively determine the underlying reasons behind this shift, then identify public health implications as a result." ### DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2018.08.034 CLEMSON, South Carolina - In an extension of research published a month ago in Nature Methods, a novel hybrid approach performed by researchers from Clemson University's department of physics and astronomy and Stony Brook University has revealed a 3-D structure of a protein fragment that could serve as a drug target in treating stroke patients. The protein called "postsynaptic density protein of 95 kDa (PSD-95)" is positioned on neurons in the brain that are receiving chemical messages - neurotransmitters - from adjacent neurons. By recruiting receptors and other helper proteins, PSD-95 works to maintain the integrity of neural connections over time, thereby facilitating neural communication, learning and memory. PSD-95 consists of five parts, or domains, that each play a different role in the protein's overall function. Two of these domains, called PDZ-1 and PDZ-2, have been shown to influence symptoms associated with ischemic stroke, such as paralysis or speech impairment. "One of the ideas that has been postulated in the literature is to create a multivalent drug that targets both PDZ domains because they're very similar in nature. If you can block the PDZ domains from binding particular proteins or enzymes, you can reduce the debilitating effects of a stroke," said Hugo Sanabria, lead author on the study. The challenge, however, is that it's nearly impossible to design a drug inhibitor without first knowing the exact structure of the PDZ domains of PSD-95. It would be like driving across the country without having a map of the United States. "The biological functions of biomolecules are determined by their structures, so we need detailed structural and dynamic insights of PDZ-1 and -2 to help better understand their functional roles and aid in the design of novel inhibitors," said Feng Ding, Sanabria's colleague here at Clemson. A handful of approaches exists to render the structure of biomolecules. But in the case of PSD-95, each approach - NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography and Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) - delivered a different structural model. The researchers' collaborator at Stony Brook University, associate professor Mark Bowen in the department of physiology and biophysics, established a partnership with Sanabria on this project after he uncovered one of the inconsistent structural models of the PSD-95 fragment. Sanabria's lab addressed this discrepancy by first modeling the PSD-95 fragment using FRET, an approach that identifies possible configurations of biomolecules. Under this method, Sanabria attached two light-sensitive molecules, called chromophores, at two differing positions on the PSD-95 fragment. He then uncovered the distance between the chromophores by visualizing the fragment under a microscope. This was repeated multiple times from different attaching points. "For the modeling aspect, FRET gives you distances between chromophores, but that's not enough to fill all of the geometrical restraints of the molecule, so we have to rely on something else, some other methodology. That's where Professor Ding comes into play," Sanabria said. Ding leads a computational biophysics lab at Clemson University where he uses computer software to gauge how biomolecules look, move and function. His approach to modeling utilizes a computer simulation known as discrete molecular dynamics (DMD) that maps the landscape of a biomolecule, predicting the trajectories of proteins as they fold and interact with other molecules. The subsequent simulation can be played back like a movie, helping researchers visualize protein behaviors over time. "If you do traditional molecular simulations, typically you're going to sample a very tiny region of the space, particularly for larger molecules, so you're not going to have a good overview of how the entire molecule will look even in physiological conditions," Sanabria said. "Discrete molecular dynamics is a much faster and less computationally expensive way to accurately and rapidly sample the conformational space of proteins." To do it, Sanabria first obtained a set of distances by measuring PSD-95 with FRET. In that experiment, Sanabria had 10 samples of the PSD-95 fragment that each were rendering different distances and three common shapes - or conformations - of PSD-95 were observed. Yet, without a DMD simulation, there was no way for the researchers to know which distance corresponded to which conformation of the fragment. So they input each possible distance against each possible shape and let the simulation do the rest. "Once we did the first simulation, we saw that there were three main states that PDZ-1 and -2 were taking. One showed very close contact between the two, one showed a set of intermediate contact and one had no contact whatsoever," Ding said. The researchers then ran a DMD simulation again without considering the FRET distances to confirm that the three observed states exist in nature and are not simply a fluke imposed by the FRET distances. They further probed the structures by looking at the way that individual amino acids, which constitute the PDZ domains, bond to one another. From these analyses, Ding, Bowen and Sanabria were able to confirm that the PDZ domains take on two out of the three observed states in the DMD simulation - that with some contact and that with no contact whatsoever. "Now, we have two potential targets for engineering new drugs that will be more efficient than the ones that are currently available," Sanabria said. "The outlook for stroke patients is promising." Without discrete molecular dynamics, which can capture conformational changes that occur on the microsecond timescale, these two states would have been missed as they were in past studies. "Most of the people doing FRET-guided structural modeling are working with a rigid molecule, like DNA. If you have a rigid molecule, it's easy to model - you have only a single state to capture. You can assign the FRET distances and there's really no problem," Sanabria said. "In this case, we surpassed this approach in many ways." In future studies, the team is looking to analyze the potential for the PSD-95 fragment to auto-inhibit itself based on the fragment's own structure. ### The team's paper, titled "Identifying weak interdomain interactions that stabilize the supertertiary structure of the N-terminal tandem PDZ domains of PSD-95," was published in September in Nature Communications. The work reported in this release was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health and National Science Foundation under award No. 2R01MH081923-11A1. The researchers are wholly responsible for the content of this study, of which the funder had no input. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have now shown that studded winter tyres cost more lives than they save. The new study takes a holistic view of the tyres' impact on wider public health. At the same time, they show that their use contributes to the bloody conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and fatal accidents in their production phase. This is the time of year in Sweden when many people start to change their normal car tyres to winter ones. According to Trafikverket, the Swedish Transport Administration, around 60% of Swedish drivers choose studded winter tyres, and there has long been a debate about the emissions caused by the studs damaging the ground and throwing up particles into the atmosphere. Three Chalmers researchers have now investigated this question. Anna Furberg, Sverker Molander and Rickard Arvisson at the Division of Environmental Systems Analysis used a systemic perspective to analyse studded winter tyres' public health impact for their whole life cycle. To weigh up the advantages and disadvantages, the researchers looked at how many lives are saved through their use, compared to the level of emissions they generate through wear of the roads and in their production. Additionally, they investigated accident statistics from the small-scale mining industry in the DRC, where cobalt - an important element for the studs - is most abundant. Cobalt is a highly sought-after conflict metal which contributes to the warfare in the region, something the researchers also accounted for. The researchers estimate that from a broader life cycle perspective of studded tyres' life-spans, Swedish use of studded tyres saves between 60 and 770 life-years, compared with 570 to 2200 life-years which are lost. "Taking everything together, the picture is very clear - studded winter tyres actually cost more lives than they save," says Sverker Molander, a professor at the Department of Technology Management and Economics at Chalmers. The biggest negative impact is generated during usage, from the emissions caused by road damage. Even taking only this into account, the negative health impacts already clearly outweigh the advantages. Once you measure the other factors in as well, the result only becomes clearer, the researchers explain. "The small-scale mining, where many accidents and fatalities occur, is the next biggest part of the tyres' overall negative health impact. Deaths linked to the conflict in the DRC are the smallest part, but that being said, there are many aspects of that that have not been included in the study - the conflict of course influences the whole of society. I doubt many people realise that using these tyres is contributing to the situation in the DRC," says Anna Furberg. The advantages of the studded winter tyres are mainly enjoyed in Scandinavia, whilst nearly a third of the negative health impacts are felt elsewhere. "This is a clear illustration of what globalised production can result in. People profiting at others' expense. It is not those who benefit from the product who are having to pay for the negative effects," says Sverker Molander. So how should consumers react to this research? Anna Furberg and Sverker Molander suggest that good winter tyres without studs can be an alternative, in combination with careful driving and consideration of alternative means of travel. "Of course, how you drive is important, and snow-ploughing and sweeping needs to be done properly. Most cars today also have electronic anti-skid systems fitted, which make them safer to drive at higher speeds. But our study shows that there is more research needed concerning alternatives to studded winter tyres that don't cause these health issues," says Anna Furberg. The article "Live and let die? Life cycle human health impacts from the use of tire studs" was recently published in the scientific journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The research was carried out through the framework of the Mistra Environmental Nanosafety programme. More on: the study The study made use of life-cycle analysis (LCA) and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) - a health metric developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) - to measure and quantify studded winter tyres' public health impact throughout their whole life cycle. The researchers investigated: Lives saved: accident statistics and studies on differences in accidents between cars with and without studded tyres. Emissions from use of studded tyres, as they damage the road and throw up particles from the asphalt. Looking at articles that had studied roads where such tyres were in use. Emissions during production, from extraction to manufacturing. Looking at previous studies of different types of emissions. Accidents and deaths during production, such as during cobalt mining. Looking at studies of accidents and fatalities in various industrial activities and in small-scale mining. Number of deaths related to the conflict in the DRC. The biggest contribution to studded tyres' negative health impact comes from emissions from road wear (67-77 per cent), followed by accidents and fatalities in cobalt mining (8-18 per cent). Between 23 and 33 per cent of the negative effects are felt outside of Scandinavia. More on: Studded and non-studded winter tyres VTI, the Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute, has examined, in two major reports, the difference in grip between studded and non-studded tyres. They report that studded tyres have a clearly better grip when driving on ice compared to non-studded tires of both Nordic and European type (report in Swedish). But when driving on snow, the difference is much smaller. When the road is wet, the asphalt is salted and the temperature is around zero, the brake and steering performance of the studded tyre and non-studded Nordic tyre is virtually equivalent (report in Swedish) According to a Norwegian study, studded tyres reduce the number of passenger car accidents by 2 per cent on dry roads, and 5 per cent on roads covered with ice or snow, compared to non-studded winter tires. According to the Swedish Transport Administration , the foundation for a safe winter trip is good winter tyres, the right speed and a driving mode adapted to the ground. The Administration emphasizes that a car equipped with anti-skid system (ESC) and non-studded winter tires gives a good safety level throughout the country. For more information, contact: Anna Furberg, PhD student at the Division of Environmental Systems Analysis, Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, 031-772 63 28, anna.furberg@chalmers.se Rickard Arvidsson, Assistant Professor at the Division of Environmental Systems Analysis, Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology 031 - 72 21 61, 0768 - 078733 rickard.arvidsson@chalmers.se Sverker Molander, Professor at the Division of Environmental Systems Analysis, Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology 031-772 21 69, 0703 - 088522 sverker.molander@chalmers.se See a video interview with Anna Furberg discussing this research Winter tyres are permitted from 1 October to 15 April in Sweden. In extreme weather cases, tyres can be used at other times. Winter tyres, or equivalent equipment, are mandatory from December 1 to March 31. According to a survey by the Swedish Transport Administration from 2017, 63.4% of Swedish drivers use studded tyres. The proportion running on non-studded winter tyres (of Nordic or inter-European type) is estimated to be 35.8 percent. The largest prevalence of studded tyres was measured in northern Sweden (91 percent). ### An international collaboration led by DESY and consisting of over 120 researchers has announced the results of the first scientific experiments at Europe's new X-ray laser European XFEL. The pioneering work not only demonstrates that the new research facility can speed up experiments by more than an order of magnitude, it also reveals a previously unknown structure of an enzyme responsible for antibiotics resistance. "The groundbreaking work of the first team to use the European XFEL has paved the way for all users of the facility who greatly benefit from these pioneering experiments," emphasises European XFEL managing director Robert Feidenhans'l. "We are very pleased - these results show that the facility works even better than we had expected and is ready to deliver new scientific breakthroughs." The scientists present their results, including the first new protein structure solved at the European XFEL, in the journal Nature Communications. "Being at a totally new class of facility we had to master many challenges that nobody had tackled before," says DESY scientist Anton Barty from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), who led the team of about 125 researchers involved in the first experiments that were open to the whole scientific community. "I compare it to the maiden flight of a novel aircraft: All calculations and assembly completed, everything says it will work, but not until you try it do you know whether it actually flies." The 3.4 kilometres long European XFEL is designed to deliver X-ray flashes every 0.000 000 220 seconds (220 nanoseconds). To unravel the three-dimensional structure of a biomolecule, such as an enzyme, the pulses are used to obtain flash X-ray exposures of tiny crystals grown from that biomolecule. Each exposure gives rise to a characteristic diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough such patterns are recorded from all sides of a crystal, the spatial structure of the biomolecule can be calculated. The structure of a biomolecule can reveal much about how it works. However, every crystal can only be X-rayed once since it is vaporised by the intense flash (after it has produced a diffraction pattern). So, to build up the full three-dimensional structure of the biomolecule, a new crystal has to be delivered into the beam in time for the next flash, by spraying it across the path of the laser in a water jet. Nobody has tried to X-ray samples to atomic resolution at this fast rate before. The fastest pulse rate so far of any such X-ray laser has been 120 flashes per second, that is one flash every 0.008 seconds (or 8 000 000 nanoseconds). To probe biomolecules at full speed, not only the crystals must be replenished fast enough - the water jet is also vaporised by the X-rays and has to recover in time. "We revved up the speed of the water jet carrying the samples to 100 metres per second, that's about as fast as the speed record in formula 1," explains Max Wiedorn, who took care of the sample delivery together with his colleague Dominik Oberthur, both from CFEL. A specially designed nozzle made sure the high-speed jet would be stable and meet the requirements. To record X-ray diffraction patterns at this fast rate, an international consortium led by DESY scientist Heinz Graafsma designed and built one of the world's fastest X-ray cameras, tailor-made for the European XFEL. The 'Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector' (AGIPD) can not only record images as fast as the X-ray pulses arrive, it can also tune the sensitivity of every pixel individually, making the most of the delicate diffraction patterns in which the information on the structure of the sample is encoded. "The requirements of the European XFEL are so unique that the detector had to be designed completely from scratch and tailored to this task," reports Graafsma, who heads the detector group at DESY's photon science division and is also a professor at the Mid Sweden University. "This could only be achieved thanks to the comprehensive expertise and fruitful collaboration of the large team involved." The scientists first determined the structure of a very well-known sample, the enzyme lysozyme from egg-white, as a touchstone to verify the system worked as expected. Indeed, the structure derived at the European XFEL perfectly matches the known lysozyme structure, showing details as fine as 0.18 nanometres (millionths of a millimetre). "This is an excellent proof of the X-ray laser's performance," stresses XFEL pioneer Henry Chapman, a leading scientist at DESY and a professor at the University of Hamburg. "We are very excited about the speed of the analysis: Experiments that used to take hours can now be done in a few minutes, as we have shown. And the set-up that we used can even be further optimised, speeding up data acquisition even more. The European XFEL offers bright prospects for the exploration of the nanocosm." The striking performance of the X-ray laser is also a particular success of the DESY accelerator division that led the construction of the world's longest and most advanced superconducting linear accelerator driving the European XFEL. As their second target, the team chose a bacterial enzyme that plays an important role in antibiotics resistance. The molecule designated CTX-M-14 -lactamase was isolated from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae whose multidrug-resistant strains are a grave concern in hospitals worldwide. Two years ago, even a 'pandrug-resistant' strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unaffected by all 26 commonly available antibiotics. The bacterium's enzyme CTX-M-14 -lactamase is present in all strains. It works like a molecular pair of scissors cutting lactam rings of penicillin derived antibiotics open, thereby rendering them useless. To avoid this, antibiotics are often administered together with a compound called avibactam that blocks the molecular scissors of the enzyme. Unfortunately, mutations change the form of the scissors. "Some hospital strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are already able to cleave even specifically developed third generation antibiotics," explains Christian Betzel, co-author of the paper and also a professor at the University of Hamburg. "If we understand how this happens, it might help to design antibiotics that avoid this problem." The scientists investigated a complex of CTX-M-14 -lactamase from the non-resistant, 'wild type' of the bacterium with avibactam bound to the enzyme's active centre, a structure that has not been analysed before. "The results show with 0.17 nanometres precision how avibactam fits snug into a sort of canyon on the enzyme's surface that marks its active centre," says Markus Perbandt from the University of Hamburg, also a co-author of the paper. "This specific complex has never been seen before, although the structure of the two separate components were already known." The measurements show that it is possible to record high quality structural information, which is the first step towards recording snapshots of the biochemical reaction between enzymes and their substrates at different stages with the European XFEL. Together with the research groups of co-authors Martin Aepfelbacher and Holger Rohde, professors at the University Hospital UKE in Hamburg, the team plans to use the X-ray laser as a film camera to assemble those snapshots into movies of the molecular dynamics of avibactam and this -lactamase. "Such movies would give us crucial insights into the biochemical process that could one day help us to design better inhibitors, reducing antibiotics resistance," says Betzel. Movies of chemical and biochemical reactions are just one example of a whole new spectrum of scientific experiments enabled by the European XFEL. A key factor is the speed at which data can be collected. "This opens up new avenues of structural discovery," stresses European XFEL scientist Adrian Mancuso who heads the SPB/SFX instrument (Single Particles, Clusters and Biomolecules & Serial Femtosecond Crystallography) where the pioneering experiments were done. "The difference in rate of discovery possible using European XFEL, demonstrated by this experiment, is as dramatic as the difference in travel time between being able to catch a plane across the Atlantic rather than taking a ship. The impact is potentially enormous." This first 'beamtime' for experiments at the European XFEL took place two weeks after the opening of the facility in September 2017, and was open to all scientists from the community to participate, contribute, learn, and gain experience in how to carry out such measurements at this facility. "The success of this 'open science' policy is illustrated by - among other things - the rapid dissemination of results from later campaigns at the SPB/SFX instrument by participating groups," explains Chapman. "Additionally, the large concentration of effort by the community addressed previously unsolved challenges of managing and visualising data - crucial to conducting all serial crystallography experiments at the European XFEL." DESY's research director for Photon Science, Edgar Weckert, congratulated the whole team for their pioneering work: "These great achievements demonstrate the full potential of the superconducting high-repetition X-ray laser for high-throughput analyses that can fundamentally change research in this field." Further Information Serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography (SFX) is a powerful method to determine the atomic structure of a sample, typically a biomolecule like a protein. It builds on classic crystallography, which was developed more than a century ago. In crystallography, X-rays are shone on a crystal. The crystal diffracts the X-rays in a characteristic way, forming a diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough diffraction patterns are recorded from all sides of the crystal, its inner structure can be calculated from the combined patterns, revealing the shape of its building blocks, the molecules. However, most biomolecules are very delicate, easily damaged by X-rays and do not easily form crystals. Often, only very tiny crystals can be grown. The brief, but extremely bright flashes of X-ray lasers like the European XFEL overcome two problems at the same time: They are bright enough to produce usable diffraction patterns even from the smallest crystals, and they are short enough to outrun the radiation damage of the crystals. A typical X-ray laser flash lasts only a few femtoseconds (quadrillionths of a second) and has left the crystal before it is vaporised. This diffraction before destruction" method produces high-quality diffraction pattern even from tiny crystals. But as every crystal is vaporised in a single flash, a new crystal has to be X-rayed with every flash. Therefore, the scientists spray thousands of randomly oriented protein crystals into the path of the X-ray laser and record series of diffraction patterns until they have gathered enough data to calculate the protein's structure with atomic resolution. To collect the data, the detector has to record the fastest X-ray serial images in the world: The European XFEL delivers X-ray flashes in ten so-called pulse trains per second. Within each train, the flashes are separated by as little as 220 nanoseconds. No previously existing X-ray camera could shoot images at this fast rate. The developers of the Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector (AGIPD) had to use a trick: Different from conventional digital cameras, every pixel of this megapixel X-ray camera is equipped with its own 352 memory cells that can be written at a rate of nearly 5 megahertz (MHz), matching the pulse rate of the X-ray laser. The memory cells cache the image data and are read out ten times a second. This way AGIPD can record 3520 images per second, producing a data stream corresponding to two DVDs per second. Also, every pixel adjusts its sensitivity dynamically to the incoming X-ray light. This 'adaptive gain' dramatically widens the sensitivity range of the detector. In the same image there can be pixels with just one photon and those with thousands of photons. This wide dynamic range is not possible with conventional digital cameras. At the European XFEL, one AGIPD is installed and operational, a second one will be installed within the next months. The project is funded by European XFEL, DESY and the Swiss Paul Scherrer Institute, and the developers' consortium included members from Paul Scherrer Institute, University of Hamburg, University of Bonn and DESY. The European XFEL in the Hamburg area is a new international research facility open to research groups from around the world. It is the world's largest X-ray laser, producing ultrashort and extremely bright flashes of X-ray radiation. The European XFEL is driven by an approximately 2 kilometres long superconducting linear particle accelerator, built by a DESY-led consortium and operated by DESY. It accelerates electrons in tight bunches to almost the speed of light. The electron bunches are then forced through a magnetic slalom course in so-called undulators. In each bend, the particles radiate off X-rays that add up to a laser-like pulse. The European XFEL is designed to generate 27 000 such pulses per second. XFEL stands for X-ray free-electron laser, as the free-flying electrons generate laser-like X-ray flashes. These flashes can be distributed to six measuring stations in the experimental hall, called scientific 'instruments', each specialised to different scientific fields like mapping the atomic details of viruses, deciphering the molecular composition of cells, taking three-dimensional "photos" of the nanoworld, "filming" chemical reactions, and studying processes such as those occurring deep inside planets. Two instruments are currently operational, the others will come online in the near future. The operation of the facility is entrusted to European XFEL, a non-profit company that cooperates closely with its main shareholder DESY and other organisations worldwide. At present, 12 countries have signed the European XFEL convention: Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL is a cooperation of the University of Hamburg, the Max Planck Society and DESY. DESY is one of the world's leading particle accelerator centres. Researchers use the large?scale facilities at DESY to explore the microcosm in all its variety - ranging from the interaction of tiny elementary particles to the behaviour of innovative nanomaterials and the vital processes that take place between biomolecules to the great mysteries of the universe. The accelerators and detectors that DESY develops and builds at its locations in Hamburg and Zeuthen are unique research tools. DESY is a member of the Helmholtz Association, and receives its funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (90 per cent) and the German federal states of Hamburg and Brandenburg (10 per cent). ### Reference Megahertz serial crystallography"; Max O. Wiedorn, Dominik Oberthur, Richard Bean, Robin Schubert, Nadine Werner et al.; Nature Communications, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06156-7 The number of people with hypertension worldwide is projected to increase to 1.5 billion, with significant impact in South Asia; a multi-country study led by Duke-NUS seeks to identify solutions to prevent, manage and reduce hypertension and NCD risk COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 1 October 2018 - Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular and kidney diseases and over 1.5 billion are expected to be affected by hypertension by 2025 and this is especially adverse in South Asia given that the prevalence of hypertension is already at 40 percent. A policy forum held today on Hypertension and Cardio-Metabolic Diseases in Colombo will see government ministers, policymakers, economists, researchers and representatives of global health agencies address steps to prevent, pre-empt and treat hypertension and related co-morbidities, including diabetes, cardiovascular and kidney disease. The half-day forum, co-organised by the multi-country Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation - Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (COBRA-BPS) Study Group from Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, and the Clinical Trials Unit of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, was officiated by Dr. Harsha de Silva, State Minister for National Policies & Economic Affairs, Government of Sri Lanka, and included presentations and panel discussions involving Ministers of Health from the study countries in addition to key stakeholders from the research, academic and health sectors. Prof. Tazeen Jafar, from Duke-NUS' Health Services & Systems Research Signature Research Programme and overall lead investigator of the multi-country COBRA-BPS study, co-hosted the Forum and shared, "Up to three out of four adults with hypertension in South Asia have poorly controlled blood pressure, and one-third have co-existing diabetes. This is very concerning as complications, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease, tend to manifest 5-7 years earlier in South Asians than in Caucasian European populations. The COBRA-BPS study is evaluating novel, low-cost solutions for hypertension control and cardiovascular risk reduction in primary healthcare systems in rural communities in South Asia." Prof. Jafar added "The recently launched SingHealth-Duke-NUS Global Health Institute in Singapore offers an excellent partnership opportunity for stewardship of a regional scale-up of COBRA-BPS strategies in South Asia, and to extend the same benefit to many Southeast Asian countries and beyond." Funded by the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust, Department for International Development (DFID), National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and the UK Government's Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), the COBRA-BPS study is led by Prof. Tazeen Jafar and her team at Duke-NUS Medical School, with data management and statistical analysis supported by the Singapore Clinical Research Institute (SCRI), in partnership with Dr. Aliya Naheed from the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dr. Imtiaz Jehan from Aga Khan University, Pakistan, and Prof. Asita de Silva from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. "This grant is of major importance in the global effort to address the rising burden of non-communicable diseases [NCDs]," stated Jill Jones, UK MRC Head of Global Health Strategy. "There is an urgent need for evidence on what works, to identify unmet needs and scalable solutions in the study countries to control hypertension and reduce NCD risk/prevalence. This study is a vital part of meeting that need." Dr. Sania Nishtar, co-chair, WHO Independent Commission on the UN High-Level Meeting on Prevention and Control of NCDs, underscored the need for universal health coverage to include hypertension and diabetes care for all segments of the population, stating: "Countries are crying out desperately for help. This is evidenced by data from WHO's Country Cooperation Strategies in more than 150 countries. We could end up undermining the economic viability of Universal Health Coverage if plans failed to address the world's leading killer." Prof. Joep Perk, from the School of Health & Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University highlighted that the European Hypertension Guidelines, recently published at the 2018 meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in Munich, includes the recommendation to initiate treatment of hypertension with a combination of at least two blood pressure lowering drugs. He remarked, "The availability and access to effective and low-cost drugs, including combinations in one single tablet, may well contribute to an improvement of adherence to treatment, which so far has been a major concern. This will have significant impact for the large number of hypertensive patients in rural parts of South Asia, where satisfactory access to drug treatment remains a considerable challenge." ### Prof. Perk, Ms. Jones, Prof. Kate Hunt from the University of Glasgow, UK, Prof. Shah Ebrahim from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK, and Dr. Richard Smith, Chair of the ICDDR,B Board of Trustees and a former editor of the British Medical Journal, moderated the sessions and panel discussions. Dr. Shanthi Mendis, a former WHO adviser on NCDs, Prof. Jafar and Prof. Eric Finkelstein from Duke-NUS, Mr. Mihir Gandhi from SCRI, and representatives from academia, professional societies, the health ministries of Bangladesh and Pakistan, and the Sri Lankan offices of WHO and the World Bank also spoke at the event. Scientists discovered that single atoms of platinum can break the bond between carbon and fluorine, one of the strongest known chemical bonds An international team of scientists including researchers at Yale University and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new catalyst for breaking carbon-fluorine bonds, one of the strongest chemical bonds known. The discovery, published on Sept. 10 in ACS Catalysis, is a breakthrough for efforts in environmental remediation and chemical synthesis. "We aimed to develop a technology that could degrade polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), one of the most challenging pollutant remediation problems of the present day," said Jaehong Kim, a professor in the department of chemical and environmental engineering at Yale University. "PFAS are widely detected all over the world, from Arctic biota to the human body, and concentrations in contaminated groundwater significantly exceed the regulatory limit in many areas. Currently, there are no energy-efficient methods to destroy these contaminants. Our collaboration with Brookhaven Lab aims to solve this problem by taking advantage of the unique properties of single atom catalysts." Synthesizing smaller, more efficient catalysts To optimize the efficiency of catalysts--substances that initiate or speed-up chemical reactions--scientists break them down into smaller pieces, all the way down to nanomaterials. And recently, scientists have started to break catalysts down even further, beyond the nanoscale and into single atoms. "The only part of a catalyst that is reactive is its surface," said Brookhaven scientist Eli Stavitski. "So, if you break a catalyst down into small pieces, you increase its surface area and expose more of the catalyst's reactive properties. But also, when you break catalysts down below 10 nanometers, their electronic properties change dramatically. They suddenly become very reactive. Ultimately, you want to go to the next step, and break catalysts down to individual atoms." The challenge is that individual atoms don't behave the same as larger catalysts; they don't like to stand alone, and they can cause unwanted side reactions to occur. To use single atom catalysts effectively, scientists must identify the perfect combination of a strong, reactive metal and a stable, complementary environment. Now, researchers have identified single atoms of platinum as an efficient catalyst for breaking carbon-fluorine bonds. Platinum is an especially strong metal, and it is capable of splitting hydrogen gas into individual hydrogen atoms--a key step towards breaking the carbon-fluorine bond. "Our team at Yale recently developed a readily scalable method to synthesize single-atom catalysts in two simple steps," said Kim. "First, we bind metals to anchor sites on a support material, then we photoreduce the metals to single atoms under mild UV-C irradiation. Using this method, our group has been synthesizing a suite of single-atom catalysts involving various metals (platinum, palladium, and cobalt) and supports (silicon carbide, carbon nitride, and titanium dioxide) for numerous catalytic reactions. In this work, we found single platinum atoms loaded onto silicon carbide to be strikingly effective in catalyzing carbon-fluoride bond cleavage and breaking down contaminants like PFAS." Imaging single atoms To visualize their new catalyst and assess its performance, the scientists came to two DOE Office of Science User Facilities at Brookhaven Lab--the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) and the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). The world-class tools at each facility provided complimentary techniques for seeing this incredibly small catalyst. At CFN, the scientists used an advanced transmission electron microscope (TEM) to get a close-up view of the platinum atoms. By scanning an electron probe over the sample, the scientists were able to visualize discrete platinum atoms on the silicon carbide support. "This research offers a golden standard for showing how multimodal characterization can contribute to the understanding of fundamental reaction mechanisms of single atom catalysts," said Huolin Xin, a former scientific staff member at CFN and now a professor at University of California. Compared to the smaller, more focused view of the catalyst that CFN could provide, NSLS-II enabled the researchers to get a broader view of the catalyst and its surrounding environment. "We have a technique at NSLS-II, called x-ray absorption spectroscopy, that is uniquely sensitive to the state of the catalyst and the environment surrounding it," said Stavitski, who is also a beamline scientist at NSLS-II's Inner-Shell Spectroscopy (ISS) beamline, where the research was conducted. By shining NSLS-II's ultrabright x-ray light onto the catalyst and using ISS to see how the light interacted with the sample and its environment, the scientists were able to "see" how the single-atom catalyst was built. The research at ISS was part of NSLS-II's strategic partnership with Yale University, and illustrates how universities and industry can work with Brookhaven Lab to solve their research challenges. "We are pursuing a number of strategic partnerships to strengthen our connections with nearby institutions and to leverage the tremendous intellectual power and expertise in the northeastern U.S.," said Qun Shen, the NSLS-II Deputy Director for Science. "Yale faculty groups are an excellent example in this regard. We are happy to see this is starting to bear fruit." ### Kim, Stavitski, and Huolin are continuing to collaborate and apply single-atom catalysts to various environmental challenges, including PFAS. This study was supported in part by the National Science Foundation through the Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Nanotechnology Enabled Water Treatment (NEWT), the China Scholarship Council, and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Operations at NSLS-II and CFN are supported by DOE's Office of Science. Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov. Follow @BrookhavenLab on Twitter or find us on Facebook. Could there be another planet out there with a society at the same stage of technological advancement as ours? To help find out, EPFL scientist Claudio Grimaldi, working in association with the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a statistical model that gives researchers a new tool in the search for the kind of signals that an extraterrestrial society might emit. His method - described in an article appearing today in PNAS - could also make the search cheaper and more efficient. Atrophysics initially wasn't Grimaldi's thing; he was interested more in the physics of condensed matter. Working at EPFL's Laboratory of Physics of Complex Matter, his research involved calculating the probabilities of carbon nanotubes exchanging electrons. But then he wondered: if the nanotubes were stars and the electrons were signals generated by extraterrestrial societies, could we calculate the probability of detecting those signals more accurately? This is not pie-in-the-sky research - scientists have been studying this possibility for nearly 60 years. Several research projects concerning the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) have been launched since the late 1950s, mainly in the United States. The idea is that an advanced civilization on another planet could be generating electromagnetic signals, and scientists on Earth might be able to pick up those signals using the latest high-performance radio telescopes. Renewed interest Despite considerable advances in radio astronomy and the increase in computing power since then, none of those projects has led to anything concrete. Some signals without identifiable origin have well been recorded, like the Wow! signal in 1977, but none of them has been repeated or seems credible enough to be attributable to alien life. But that doesn't mean scientists have given up. On the contrary, SETI has seen renewed interest following the discovery of the many exoplanets orbiting the billions of suns in our galaxy. Researchers have designed sophisticated new instruments - like the Square Kilometre Array, a giant radio telescope being built in South Africa and Australia with a total collecting area of one square kilometer - that could pave the way to promising breakthroughs. And Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner recently announced an ambitious program called Breakthrough Listen, which aims to cover 10 times more sky than previous searches and scan a much wider band of frequencies. Milner intends to fund his initiative with 100 million dollars over 10 years. "In reality, expanding the search to these magnitudes only increases our chances of finding something by very little. And if we still don't detect any signals, we can't necessarily conclude with much more certainty that there is no life out there," says Grimaldi. Still a ways to go The advantage of Grimaldi's statistical model is that it lets scientists interpret both the success and failure to detect signals at varying distances from the Earth. His model employs Bayes' theorem to calculate the remaining probability of detecting a signal within a given radius around our planet. For example, even if no signal is detected within a radius of 1,000 light years, there is still an over 10% chance that the Earth is within range of hundreds of similar signals from elsewhere in the galaxy, but that our radio telescopes are currently not powerful enough to detect them. However, that probability rises to nearly 100% if even just one signal is detected within the 1,000-light-year radius. In that case, we could be almost certain that our galaxy is full of alien life. After factoring in other parameters like the size of the galaxy and how closely packed its stars are, Grimaldi estimates that the probability of detecting a signal becomes very slight only at a radius of 40,000 light years. In other words, if no signals are detected at this distance from the Earth, we could reasonably conclude that no other civilization at the same level of technological development as ours is detectable in the galaxy. But so far, scientists have been able to search for signals within a radius of "just" 40 light years. So there's still a ways to go. Especially since these search methods can't detect alien civilizations that may be in primordial stages or that are highly advanced but haven't followed the same technological trajectory as ours. ### A new study identifies the typical pattern of homeopathy consumers in Spain, based on data from the CIS (Centre for Sociological Research) barometer, published last February. The results show that the profile is that of a middle- or upper-class woman of about 46, with higher education and a progressive political ideology. At the beginning of 2018, homeopathic products lacked a legal license from the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) for being sold in pharmacies as medicines. However, as of April, the Ministry of Health of the previous Spanish Government regulated the registration of homeopathic products and authorized their commercialization as drugs. Researchers from the University of Valencia have now identified the profile of the homeopathy user in Spain after examining the data of 2,486 people extracted from the barometer of the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS), published last February. This research, published online in the journal Atencion Primaria, analyzes the knowledge of alternative therapies, their understanding and use, the degree of satisfaction, the motivation for their use, the centre or place where the user has received the treatment and the main source of information. The results show that the typical user of homeopathy in Spain is a woman of 46, with a socioeconomic middle- or upper-class position, with higher university studies and with a left-wing ideological position. "This is not to say that men don't consume homeopathy, but that women are the most frequent users," Carolina Moreno Castro, a journalism professor at the University of Valencia, who heads the Scienceflows research group, has explained to SINC. Until the recent study by the CIS, the data available on the knowledge and use of these therapies came from reports elaborated by the industrial sector involved: the study of the Observatory of Natural Therapies, funded by the largest association of professionals of this industry (COFENAT), and the study of Boiron, the main company selling homeopathic products in Spain. Knowledge of homeopathy The figures reveal a much lower consumption than previously thought. According to the data collected, 66.5% of citizens residing in Spain have heard of homeopathy, although only 5% of the total has used it in the 12 months prior to the survey (i.e., 124 out of 2,486). Consumers justify their decision with two basic arguments: "It is healthy and cures what conventional medicine cannot." Moreover, respondents say they use it to prevent diseases and to alleviate the side effects of conventional medicine treatments. Regarding the knowledge of this therapy, 50.8% of the total sample can describe exactly what it consists of. However, 90.2% of those who know and understand what it consists of have not used it in the last 12 months. On the other hand, of the 5% of the population that uses it, 46.8% do so on an occasional basis. The rest uses it at regular periodic frequencies such as once a week (29.8%), once a month (7.3%) or less than once a month (14.5%). The average level of satisfaction is 6.9 / 10, lower than that of the same users of the general practitioner (7.9) or the specialist (7.8). Reasons for consuming homeopathy The study reveals that the cause mainly defended for its use is, first and second, to help them have a healthy and balanced life (47.5%). Other reasons given are to prevent diseases and ailments (37.1%), to cure wherever conventional medicine does not work (32.2%), out of belief and trust in therapy (29.1%), to relieve the side effects of conventional treatments (17.8%) and because conventional medicine is sometimes harmful to one's health (13.7%). Regarding the information channels used by the homeopathy users to learn about these therapies, friends and acquaintances are the main source (70.16%). The second most consulted source is the Internet, with 28.2% of users, and the third one is professionals (23.4%). "The fact that the Internet is the second most used source makes this situation even more worrisome, since neither of these sources of information are a guarantee of reliability or quality," the authors stress. Characteristics of the user The typical homeopathy consumers are women (66.1%), with an average age of 46, which is significantly lower than that of the general population, which is 50. As for their level of maximum studies reached, 62.9% have higher education or professional training. This difference is significant with respect to the general population, where the percentage is 38.8% in the same categories. "The fact that they are women with university studies coincides with other published research, both nationally (FECYT) and internationally (such as reports from the United Kingdom)," says Moreno Castro. "The educational and training level is not relevant to make a decision on these products." Consumers are mostly upper-middle class (32.3%) and new middle classes (34.7%) and are positioned more towards the ideological left than the general population. 57.3% define themselves as Catholic. When facing a mild pain or a cold, 40% confront this by taking drugs, 28% do nothing and 23.4% try to overcome it with natural products. Finally, the general population goes to a medical consultation (17.7%) more frequently than users of homeopathic products (8.1%). Actions to be taken For the authors, the fundamental element on which one must work is scientific dissemination by public and health institutions. "The prohibition of the sale of homeopathy within the legal market would not prevent its consumption. Moreover, this could lead to the search for products in an unregulated market," they authors argue. "It would be interesting for the regulation to allow the sale of these products in supermarkets, for homeopathic products not to be confined to the pharmaceutical area, which also leads to confusion; just as with supplements and vitamin products," concludes Moreno Castro. ### Bibliographic reference: Cano-Oron L, et al. 'Socio-demographic profile of the user of homeopathy in Spain'. Atencion Primaria 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2018.07.006 The vast majority of homicides in the United States are attributable to firearms. The rate of homicide due to guns is about 25 times higher in the U.S. than many other high-income countries. In the U.S., there are approximately 357 million guns among a population of about 323 million. Guns are present in about 1 in 3 households. In addition, gun-related suicide rates in the U.S. are about eight times higher than other high-income countries. For decades, there have been striking regional variations in deaths from homicide. Professors from Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine, as well as Baylor College of Medicine, and a high school senior, shooting survivor and aspiring physician from Marjory Stoneman Douglas (MSD) High School in Parkland, Fla., set out to explore secular trends in homicide rates by comparing two "peer" cities, namely Baltimore and New York City. The study, published in The American Journal of Medicine, demonstrates that, since the 1990s, homicide rates in Baltimore City remained high while those in New York City declined dramatically. These trends were evident among both whites and blacks although blacks had higher absolute rates. Collaborators are Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, senior author, Sir Richard Doll Professor and senior academic advisor in FAU's College of Medicine; Robert S. Levine, M.D., first author and a professor at Baylor College of Medicine; Rebecca P. Schneid, 17, a senior at MSD, and Roger J. Zoorob, M.D., M.P.H., the Richard M. Keibert, Sr. professor and chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. "The root causes for the marked differences in homicide rates between Baltimore and New York as well as among blacks and white are complex and likely to be multifactorial," said Hennekens. "This 'Tale of Two Cities,' if better understood, might point the way to the abolition of the 'worst of times' for Baltimore as well as many other U.S. cities as they seek to reduce their own high homicide rates." The authors believe that the data from this study raise several major clinical and contemporary medical policy issues. "Contextual social disadvantage has been associated with increased homicide rates in U.S. cities," said Levine. "The successes in New York City did not happen overnight and occurred despite persistent poverty and skyrocketing income inequalities." The homicide rates in Baltimore and New York City were so markedly different from the 1990s to 2016 despite the fact that they were so similar in the 1980s, even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined the two cities as "peers" according to 19 population based characteristics, which included population size, median household income, overall poverty, percent foreign born, and unemployment. "Physicians relentlessly pursue improving the health and well-being of every single one of their patients," said Schneid. "As an aspiring physician and a survivor of the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I believe that preventive medicine specialists as well as public health officials can only protect the health of the public with the assistance of our political and community leaders." These descriptive findings derived from the Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) data provided by the CDC included overall and race specific (white and black) mortality from homicide from birth to 85 plus years of age based on underlying cause of death obtained from death certificates. "I believe that combatting the epidemic of homicides from firearms without addressing firearms is like combatting the epidemic of lung cancer from cigarettes without addressing cigarettes," said Hennekens. ### About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine: FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of approximately 151 accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in 2010, when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor, it became the 134th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than 70 full and part-time faculty and more than 1,300 affiliate faculty, the college matriculates 64 medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAU's commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and well-trained physician workforce, the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME) was formed in fall 2011 with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. In June 2014, FAU's College of Medicine welcomed its inaugural class of 36 residents in its first University-sponsored residency in internal medicine and graduated its first class of internal medicine residents in 2017. About Florida Atlantic University: Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six-county service region in southeast Florida. FAU's world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU's existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit http://www.fau.edu. WASHINGTON -- Simulations with animal models meant to mirror galactic cosmic radiation exposure to astronauts are raising red flags for investigators at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) about the health of astronauts during long voyages, such as to Mars. Their most recent study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that deep space bombardment by galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) could significantly damage gastrointestinal (GI) tissue leading to long-term functional alterations. The study also raises concern about high risk of tumor development in the stomach and colon. Their previous work has highlighted potential impairment to brain tissue as well as accelerated aging on long space trips due to the effect of energetic heavy ions, which don't affect Earthlings due to the protective global magnetosphere. "Heavy ions such as iron and silicon are damaging because of their greater mass compared to no-mass photons such as x-rays and gamma ()-rays prevalent on earth as well as low mass protons in outer space," says the study's senior investigator, Kamal Datta, MD, an associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and a project leader of the NASA Specialized Center of Research (NSCOR) at GUMC. "With the current shielding technology, it is difficult to protect astronauts from the adverse effects of heavy ion radiation. Although there may be a way to use medicines to counter these effects, no such agent has been developed yet," says Datta, also a member of Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. "While short trips, like the times astronauts traveled to the Moon, may not expose them to this level of damage, the real concern is lasting injury from a long trip such as a Mars or other deep space missions which would be much longer" he says. The GI tract is a self-renewing tissue with continuous cell division/proliferation, the researchers say. The mucosal (top) layer of cells is replaced every three to five days through coordinated migration of new cells from the bottom of a flask shaped structure called crypt towards the lumen of the gut. "Any disturbance of this replacement mechanism leads to malfunctioning of physiologic processes such as nutrient absorption and starts pathologic processes such as cancer," says co-author Georgetown's Albert Fornace Jr., MD, director of the NSCOR. To investigate the effect of heavy ions on the GI tract, the scientists used mouse small intestine as a model system. Mice were exposed to a low dose of iron radiation at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) in Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, New York, and the animals were then examined at Georgetown. Researchers compared the group of mice that received heavy ions to mice exposed to gamma rays, which are comparable to X-rays, and to a third, unexposed control group. The scientists found that intestinal cells in the heavy ion group did not adequately absorb nutrients and that they formed cancerous polyps. Additionally, there was evidence that iron radiation induced DNA damage that increased the number of senescent cells. Senescent cells are incapable of normal cell division but they are not "quiet," says Datta. "They generate oxidative stress and inflammatory molecules that induce more damage. This greatly affected migration of cells that are needed to replace the intestinal lining which slowed down GI functioning," he says. Even though a very low dose was delivered over the equivalent of months-long period in deep space, the effects of heavy ion radiation appeared to be permanent, says Fornace. "We have documented the effects of deep space radiation on some vital organs, but we believe that similar damage responses may occur in many organs," says Datta. "It is important to understand these effects in advance so we can do everything we can to protect our future space travelers." ### Study co-authors also include Santosh Kumar, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow and Shubhankar Suman, PhD, an assistant professor, both in the department of oncology at Georgetown University Medical Center. Funding for the study came from NASA grants (NNX13AD58G and NNX15A121G). About Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center -- the only cancer center of its kind in the Washington, D.C. area. A part of Georgetown University Medical Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Georgetown Lombardi seeks to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer through innovative basic and clinical research, patient care, community education and outreach, and the training of cancer specialists of the future. Connect with Georgetown Lombardi on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgetownLombardi) and Twitter (@LombardiCancer). About Georgetown University Medical Center Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through MedStar Health). GUMC's mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing & Health Studies, both nationally ranked; Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute; and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization, which accounts for the majority of externally funded research at GUMC including a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health. Connect with GUMC on Facebook (Facebook.com/GUMCUpdate), Twitter (@gumedcenter) and Instagram (@gumedcenter). In his research, Markus Koch, Associate Professor at the Institute of Experimental Physics of Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), concentrates on processes in molecules and clusters which take place on time scales of picoseconds (10^-12 seconds) and femtoseconds (10^ -15 seconds). Now Koch and his team have achieved a breakthrough in the research on completely novel molecular systems. By means of femtosecond spectroscopy, which allows ultrafast processes to be measured in a time-resolved way, the Graz researchers were able to exactly describe the processes in an approximately five-nanometer sized superfluid helium droplet after photoexcitation of an atom inside. This milestone in basic research has impact on the experimental investigation of atoms and molecules. Markus Koch explains the pioneering approach: "Our institute, headed by Wolfgang Ernst, has a long tradition in the production and investigation of novel systems and clusters in a nanometer-sized quantum fluid. We are now combining this expertise with femtosecond spectroscopy. This allows us to observe and measure processes, which are triggered by photoexcitation in real time and to describe their dynamics. We are the first research group who has observed this." The results of the research have just been published in Nature Communications. A technique rich in superlatives To investigate this fundamental process which takes place on an ultrashort timescale of only one trillionth of a second, the team led by Markus Koch applies femtosecond spectroscopy. The femtosecond pump-probe method provides snapshots of atomic movements. For the experiment, a single indium atom is introduced into a tiny helium droplet. The indium atom is subjected to pump excitation by means of a short pulse and subsequently transfers energy to the surrounding helium, which starts to oscillate collectively. A time-delayed second flash of light then probes the system in order to observe the dynamics. Bernhard Thaler, a PhD student at the Institute of Experimental Physics who is substantially involved in the pathbreaking research, explains what happens: "When we photoexcite the atom inside the helium droplet, its electron shell expands and the enveloping bubble increases within a picosecond after stimulation. We further observe that the indium atom is ejected from the droplet after about 50 to 60 picoseconds. We were able to obtain this mechanistic insight for the first time with the femtosecond experiment." A process characterised by superlatives: ultrafast movements on femtosecond timescales inside nanometer-sized helium droplets (which is less than one thousandth of the diameter of a hair), at an ultralow temperature of 0.4 Kelvin above absolute zero. The team was able to illustrate this process very clearly using simulation software. From proof of concept to application in complex molecules With this research success, Markus Koch and his team managed to prove impressively that the ultrafast, electronic and nuclear dynamics of particles inside superfluid helium droplets can be observed and simulated. Following this research success, Markus Koch is already looking into the future. "Today, we are still experimenting with single atoms," says Koch, "but after this proof of concept we are moving in giant steps towards the application of helium nanodroplets to investigate dynamics in previously unknown or fragile molecular systems of technological or biological relevance." ### The research of Markus Koch and his team was funded as a Stand-Alone Project by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). This research project is anchored in the Field of Expertise Advanced Materials Science", one of five strategic research FoE of TU Graz. Participating researchers are members of NAWI Graz - Natural Sciences. A study done at IRB Barcelona and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel identifies camelid nanobodies able to block EGF, a protein that is abundant in tumour cells and that helps them to proliferate The natural world often provides the answer to unsolved medical problems. On this occasion, the solution to a challenge posed by cancer has come about from the immune system of camelids. A study headed by the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), in Belgium, describes a number of therapeutic tools that have the capacity to block the activity of EGF, a growth factor that is dysregulated in cancer cells. EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) is a therapeutic target in cancer; however, no inhibitors have been found for it to date. The team of researchers is the first to identify a family of nanobodies--antibodies that are exclusive to camelids--derived from alpacas that are effective against EGF. In this regard, they have described the molecular mechanisms underlying the affinity and selectivity of these nanobodies in an article published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. "In spite of advances in treatments against the EGR receptor (EGFR) in patients, their efficacy decreases over time because patients develop resistance," explain Monica Varese and Salvador Guardiola, co-authors of the study and postdoctoral researchers at IRB Barcelona. "By taking advantage of an emerging biotech tool, nanobodies, we have been able to synthesise the first inhibitors with high affinity for EGF," they say. Immune response IRB Barcelona produced the EGF protein and their Belgian colleagues administered it to alpacas. The immune response of these animals to this strange antigen produced a series of nanobodies, and the researchers identified a family of these molecules as potential inhibitors of EGF. The IRB Barcelona team, which has extensive expertise in molecular recognition between proteins, observed that some of the ligands showed high affinity and selectivity towards EGF, and, using a range of biophysical techniques, they characterized the interactions in cells in vitro and in human cancer cells. "By injecting EGF into the alpaca we have challenged nature to find a molecule capable of binding tightly and with high selectivity to EGF, and it has come up with two very different but equally effective solutions for such a small and difficult antigen as EGF," says Ernest Giralt, head of the Peptide and Proteins Lab at IRB Barcelona and senior professor at the University of Barcelona, who has led the study. These drugs could be useful for patients who develop resistance to the EGFR inhibitors currently on the market. The first step is now to evaluate the pharmacological effect of these new nanobodies in cell and animal models of cancer. ### The study has been done in collaboration with Serge Muyldermans' team, at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium and has received funding from the Ministry of Science, via ERDFs, and the Catalan Government. Reference article: Salvador Guardiola, Monica Varese, Macarena Sanchez- Navarro, Cecile Vincke, Meritxell Teixido, Jesus Garcia, Serge Muyldermans, and Ernest Giralt Anti-EGF nanobodies block EGFR activation via two distinct molecular recognition mechanisms Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. (2018) doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201807736 If you like to know more about Ernest Giralt's research laboratory, watch the Meet Our Scientists Video Ernest Giralt: "The power of medicinal chemistry" https://youtu.be/twHqg-ZT9MA About IRB Barcelona Created in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) and University of Barcelona, IRB Barcelona is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, a seal that was awarded in 2011. The institute is devoted to conducting research of excellence in biomedicine and to transferring results to clinical practice, thus improving people's quality of life, while simultaneously promoting the training of outstanding researchers, technology transfer, and public communication of science. Its 25 laboratories and seven core facilities address basic questions in biology and are orientated to diseases such as cancer, metastasis, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and rare conditions. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 employees and 32 nationalities. It is located in the Barcelona Science Park. IRB Barcelona forms part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and the "Xarxa de Centres de Recerca de Catalunya" (CERCA). INDIANAPOLIS -- Grasping the impulse-momentum theorem during a 100-level physics lecture is one thing, but what if it doesn't make as much sense once you start your homework assignment? Andy Gavrin, IUPUI physics department chair and associate professor, first added an online social forum to his courses to help students stay engaged in the coursework and assist one another outside of class. A new study of these forums indicates the online tool is valuable to helping students succeed in physics courses. "Networks identify productive forum discussions" is published online this month in the journal Physical Review Physics Education Research, a publication of the American Physical Society. Gavrin is studying the forums in collaboration with Adrienne Traxler of Wright State University and Rebecca Lindell of Tiliadal STEM Education Solutions. They found that when the online forum showed denser collaboration networks, the students who were most central in the network were more likely to achieve a higher final course grade. "This project is about how students interact with one another," Gavrin said. "Learning is very much a social activity, and you see that with students getting together to study and in classroom discussions. The more opportunities students have to interact with one another to talk about the subject, the more successful they are likely to be in learning." Researchers analyzed data from three consecutive fall semester courses Gavrin taught of Physics 152, a calculus-based physics and engineering course. Gavrin used CourseNetworking, an online forum developed at IUPUI, that allows students to discuss course materials, connect with each other and offer mutual support. Participation in the forum, which has similar features and setup as other social networks, was not graded, but students could earn extra credit. Each semester, 160 to 180 students were enrolled in the class, producing thousands of forum comments, responses to comments, polls and response ratings. The students' interactions were transformed to an anonymous data set that was analyzed two ways: PageRank, the tool developed by Google to determine what data is most central, and target entropy, which measures the variety in the links among individuals. If a person interacts with a lot of other people in a social network, it indicates they are likely central. If the people they interact with are central themselves, that reflects back on the first person. "What we are finding is a clear correlation between students' centrality in the network and their success in class," Gavrin said. "That really shows there is some connection between being involved in the network and doing well." While researchers aren't ready to say involvement in the social network causes improved grades, the understanding of how the two are linked will feed into future projects aimed at understanding what students are saying and how their use of the forum makes them central. Additionally, the research indicates that instructor facilitation in the forums matters. In two of the three semesters, Gavrin used the online forum as the primary tool to distribute handouts, lab worksheets and other class materials. He also engaged students with a weekly "professor comment" area where he would share interesting physics news and what was coming up in class. In the semester when Gavrin used the forum only sporadically to remind the class about upcoming exams, the forum was less dense. It also lost the connection between central students -- those most involved in the network -- and higher course grades. While it may seem the central students are simply the high-achieving students and that the forum would not improve their success, the lack of correlation between centrality and higher grades in the semester with less involvement from Gavrin suggests that argument is incomplete. In future projects, Gavrin hopes to gain an even better understanding of how students work together and what physics educators can do to enrich that process. "We want to understand the educational setting in a way that will allow us to improve it, so we can develop new tools that will help students be more successful in class, understand physics and other coursework better, and ultimate be more successful in college," Gavrin added. ### About the School of Science at IUPUI The School of Science at IUPUI is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service in the biological, physical, computational, behavioral and mathematical sciences. The school is dedicated to being a leading resource for interdisciplinary research and science education in support of Indiana's effort to expand and diversify its economy. John DeLuca, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, has been named 2018 Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). Dr. DeLuca, a clinical neuropsychologist, is recognized for his outstanding record of professional service to ACRM and contributions of national significance to the field of medical rehabilitation. Dr. DeLuca accepts this honor at the Henry B. Betts Awards Dinner & Gala, October 2nd, at the ACRM 95th Annual Conference in Dallas, TX. "Through its support of evidence-based research, ACRM encourages all of us to strive for best practices that improve rehabilitation outcomes. Its support is critical to ensuring that the next generation of rehabilitation professionals has the knowledge and skills to continue to improve the lives of people with disabilities. I am honored to be named a Fellow of the ACRM," he remarked. Dr. DeLuca oversees rehabilitation research and training at Kessler Foundation, which includes the areas of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), cancer, rehabilitation engineering and employment. "Our research is providing new ways to treat individuals with disabilities, so that they can continue to participate in the workplace and the community, and ultimately achieve improved quality of life," said Dr. DeLuca. "Providing young investigators with the skills they need to conduct research is a priority at Kessler Foundation," he noted. "More than 40 postdoctoral fellows have launched their careers in rehabilitation research through Kessler Foundation's Fellowship Training Program." Dr. DeLuca often lectures at professional conferences and universities throughout the world, and collaborates with colleagues in Europe and Australia, as well as the U.S. On his most recent sabbatical, he collaborated with MS experts at Kliniken Schmeider in Konstanz, Germany. Dr. DeLuca is the author of more than 350 articles, books, and chapters. He is the co-editor of "Cognition and Behavior in Multiple Sclerosis", a new text published by the American Psychological Association, which details the latest research to influence care for persons with multiple sclerosis. Dr. DeLuca is co-editor of the new 2nd edition "Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology". Published by Springer, it is the first and major encyclopedia of adult and pediatric neuropsychological disorders. Dr. DeLuca has received numerous awards, including early career awards from the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology, and the Benton mid-career award from the International Neuropsychological Society. He was also the recipient of the Medical Excellence Award and 2017 Volunteer Hall of Fame award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Fred Foley Award for Best Practices in Mental Health and MS from the Consortium for Multiple Sclerosis Care. In 2018, he was named a Fellow in the Association for Psychological Science. Dr. DeLuca is a professor in the Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Neurology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. ### About Kessler Foundation Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. Learn more by visiting http://www.KesslerFoundation.org. Stay Connected Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/KesslerFdn Facebook | http://www.facebook.com/KesslerFoundation YouTube | http://www.youtube.com/user/KesslerFoundation Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/kesslerfdn iTunes & SoundCloud | http://www.soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has successfully acquired funding for two clusters of excellence within the Excellence Strategy launched by the federal and state governments. The Excellence Commission has agreed to fund KIT's proposals in the area of energy research and materials science for a period of seven years. Today, the cluster decisions were announced in Bonn by the Federal Minister of Education and Research and Chairperson of the Joint Science Conference (GWK), Anja Karliczek, and the Bremen Science Senator and Deputy GWK Chairperson, Professor Eva Quante-Brandt. "We have convinced the experts in the final selection round for the clusters of excellence with two of our proposals. This is a great success for the scientists involved and for the KIT. I cordially congratulate the spokespersons and all participating scientists of both clusters. This result allows us to further compete for the title of University of Excellence," says the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka. "In December, we will submit our proposal for the second funding line. Then, the best universities will take part - the competition will be accordingly hard." "The decision of the Excellence Commission shows that KIT is very well positioned with its researchers," Professor Oliver Kraft, KIT Vice President for Research, emphasizes. "Today's success also is a confirmation of our excellent interdisciplinary cooperation. We would like to thank the scientists as well as the supporting service units for their outstanding commitment. On this basis, we will be able to take part in the further competition in a highly motivated and determined way." In future, the following clusters of excellence will be funded at KIT: 3D Designer Materials - 3D Matter Made to Order The "3D Matter Made to Order" Cluster of Excellence of KIT and Heidelberg University pursues a highly interdisciplinary approach combining natural and engineering sciences. The Cluster concentrates on three-dimensional additive manufacturing techniques, from the molecular level to macroscopic dimensions. Its vision is the ultimate digitization of 3D manufacturing and material processing. These methods are to be used to produce components and systems by nanoprinting at maximum process speed and resolution for novel applications in materials and life sciences. The Cluster will also receive funding from the Carl Zeiss Foundation. Spokespersons: Professor Martin Wegener (KIT) and Professor Uwe H.F. Bunz (Heidelberg University) More information: http://www.3dmattermadetoorder.kit.edu Energy Storage beyond Lithium - New Concepts for a Sustainable Future Successful implementation of the energy transition requires new materials and technologies for the storage of electric energy. The "Energy Storage beyond Lithium" Cluster of Excellence of KIT and Ulm University pursues a multidisciplinary approach with electrochemists, materials scientists, theoretical modelers, and engineers being involved. The central objective of the Cluster is to develop fundamental understanding of electrochemical energy storage in novel systems, to combine fundamental material properties with critical performance parameters, and to establish the basis for practical application of post-lithium technologies. The Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wurttemberg (ZSW) and Gieen University are partners of this Cluster. Spokespersons: Professor Maximilian Fichtner (KIT and Ulm University), Professor Helmut Ehrenberg (KIT), and Professor Axel Gro (Ulm University) In total, KIT submitted four full proposals in this round. Preparation of these proposals was supported by the State Science Minister Theresia Bauer and her ministry. Clusters of Excellence and Universities of Excellence: Selection Procedure In the "Clusters of Excellence" funding line, 40 German universities submitted 88 proposals. Of these, 57 have been selected for funding by the Excellence Commission. The funding available in this line totals about EUR 385 million per year. Clusters of Excellence can be funded with EUR 3 to 10 million annually, initially for a period of seven years. Funding will start on January 01, 2019. As from 2026, a second funding period of seven years may be possible. The decision on funding of Clusters of Excellence also is a major prerequisite for participation in the competition for universities of excellence organized by the German Council of Science and Humanities. 17 universities with at least two Clusters of Excellence and two university consortia with at least three Clusters of Excellence are invited now to submit proposals in this funding line. The submission deadline for the second funding line is December 10, 2018. The decision of funding the proposals relating to the universities of excellence will be made on July 19, 2019. Funding will start on November 01, 2019. Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments The aim of the Excellence Strategy is to strengthen Germany's position as an outstanding place for research in the long term and further improve its international competitiveness. It continues the development of German universities successfully begun with the Excellence Initiative of 2005 by supporting research of the highest standard, enhancing research profiles, and facilitating cooperation in the research system. ### More information: http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/excellence_strategy/index.html and https://www.wissenschaftsrat.de/en/fields-of-activity/excellence_strategy.html Press contact: Monika Landgraf, Pressesprecherin, Phone: +49 721 608-48126, Fax: +49 721 608-43658, monika.landgraf@kit.edu Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association", KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility and information. For this, about 9,300 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 25,500 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. New Rochelle, NY, October 2, 2018--Drug safety and effectiveness vary greatly among populations worldwide. Genetics is one of the factors that contribute to variability in drug response. The science of pharmacogenetics, a key driver of precision medicine, studies person-to-person differences in genetic make-up in relation to drug metabolism, transport and molecular targets. A new pharmacogenetic study of 6060 adults in 12 countries from Europe (Spain and Portugal), North America (Mexico), Central America (Costa Rica, Nicaragua), the Caribbean (Cuba), South America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay) reported the individual and population variations in key drug metabolizing enzyme genes CYP2D6, CYP2C9 and CYP2C19, and their predicted metabolic phenotypes. The report titled "Interethnic Variability in CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 Genes and Predicted Drug Metabolism Phenotypes Among 6060 Ibero- and Native Americans: RIBEF-CEIBA Consortium Report on Population Pharmacogenomics" is published in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Authored by the CEIBA-Consortium of the Ibero-American Network of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics RIBEF, the study is the largest carried out in Ibero-American populations and Native Americans, analyzing human genetic variation in salient drug metabolism pathways, with a view to functional impacts on drug pharmacokinetics and response. The senior authors of the publication, Adrian LLerena, MD, PhD and Eva M. Penas-Lledo, PhD (Extremadura University, Badajoz, Spain), explained that "population pharmacogenomics is a nascent field of global health and warrants further research and education." They added that "analyses according to self-reported ancestry in 1395 Native Americans and other Ibero-Americans showed marked population differences in variants of CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19 genes and their predicted phenotypes. Moreover, differences were observed within the Native American sample as well." "The RIBEF-CEIBA Consortium report is timely as precision medicine diagnostics and therapeutics continue to be deployed worldwide. In essence, the study highlights the need for population-specific precision medicine programs in Latin America," says Vural Ozdemir, MD, PhD, DABCP, Editor-in-Chief of OMICS, also noting that "biomarker translation to clinical practice requires contextual information and triangulation of evidence across multi-omics technology platforms as exemplified in the following three key articles published in OMICS": * "Innovation Analysis on Postgenomic Biomarkers: Glycomics for Chronic Diseases" by Prof. Wei Wang and colleagues (Edith Cowan University, Australia), OMICS 2017; 21(4): 183-196. * "Toward a Taxonomy for Multi-Omics Science? Terminology Development for Whole Genome Study Approaches by Omics Technology and Hierarchy" by Prof. Tanja Kunej and colleagues (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), OMICS 2017; 21(1): 1-16. * "GeneAnalytics: An Integrative Gene Set Analysis Tool for Next Generation Sequencing, RNAseq and Microarray Data" by Dr. Gil Stelzer and colleagues (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel), OMICS 2016; 20(3): 139-151. These articles are available free on the OMICS website until November 2, 2018. ### About the Journal OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology is an authoritative and highly innovative peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal published monthly online, addressing the latest advances at the intersection of postgenomics medicine, biotechnology and global society, including the integration of multi-omics knowledge, data analyses and modeling, and applications of high-throughput approaches to study complex biological and societal problems. Public policy, governance and societal aspects of the large-scale biology and 21st century data-enabled sciences are also peer-reviewed. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology website. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Computational Biology, ASSAY and Drug Development Technologies, and Zebrafish. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. Dr. Hyungbae Kwon of The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience has been awarded a 2018 NIH Director's Pioneer Award. This prestigious grant, established in 2004, is intended to fund groundbreaking, high-impact approaches to a broad area of biomedical or behavioral science. Dr. Kwon is one of just 10 U.S. scientists to receive the Pioneer Award in 2018. He will receive $6.8 million over five years for his project entitled 'Cracking the Neuromodulation Code at Single Cell Resolution.' The grant is the largest in the six-year history of the institute, and marks the second time a MPFI researcher has been awarded a Pioneer Award. "I am honored to receive this recognition and support for this exciting research. For the past decades, remarkable efforts have been made to understand biophysical properties of neurons and wiring diagram of neural circuits in the brain. However, very little is known how internal brain state is regulated and how it affects our sensation, perception and cognition. With this Pioneer Award, I can now begin to dissect fine scale neuromodulation actions in a quantitative manner." said Dr. Kwon. Hyungbae Kwon has been a Research Group Leader for MPFI since July 2012 and heads the research group of Cellular Basis of Neural Circuit Plasticity. Since joining MPFI, Kwon has produced 11 publications, including papers in Science, PNAS, Nature Methods, and Nature Biotechnology in which he is senior author. He has been invited to present his science at numerous international meetings and institutions, and he has established productive collaborations with a number of excellent laboratories, attesting to the high level of interest and respect for his accomplishments. Dr. Kwon received his Ph.D. in Dr. Pablo Castillo's lab at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and postdoctoral training with Dr. Bernardo Sabatini at Harvard Medical School. During his postdoctoral period, he used cutting-edge laser-based optics to understand mechanisms of excitatory synapse formation at single synapse resolution. In 2012, he began his independent laboratory at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, where he continued to study mechanisms of synapse formation during early brain development and created novel optogenetic approaches that enable to dissect animal sensation, cognition, behaviors at higher precision. Using these newly developed techniques together with other approaches, current research in the Kwon laboratory focuses on understanding principles underlying various forms of cognitive brain actions. "Hyungbae Kwon is an outstanding young investigator whose creativity and productivity leave little doubt that he is at the start of a highly successful independent research career. He is highly deserving of this award and I am extremely proud of his achievements," said Dr. David Fitzpatrick, MPFI's CEO and Scientific Director. NIH Director's Awards are prestigious awards that are given to exceptionally creative scientists proposing high-risk, high-impact research at all career stages. The awards were created to support unconventional approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research. Kwon's funding will allow him to study neuromodulators using light. While much focus has been placed on studying neuronal connections within the brain, questions about internal brain state remain unanswered. Behaviors like these are a function of neuromodulators - separate from neurotransmitters that mediate fast information transfer in neuronal network. For this project, Kwon's lab has created a new light-inducible Tango system, named iTango2, that allows gene expression by both light and a type of chemical reaction called ligand. When applied together, neurons that are activated by neuromodulators can only be labeled when light is illuminated, making it easier for scientists to target neurons that are relevant to selective behaviors. Kwon's research will add higher degree of understanding in brain functions whose abnormalities are implicated with various types of brain disorders such as ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia. ### About the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience The Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI), a not-for-profit research organization, is part of the world-renowned Max Planck Society, Germany's most successful research organization with over 80 institutes worldwide. Since its establishment in 1948, 18 Nobel laureates have emerged from the ranks of its scientists. As its first U.S. institution, MPFI brings together exceptional neuroscientists from around the world to answer fundamental questions about brain development and function and to develop new technologies that make groundbreaking scientific discoveries possible. Their research is shared publicly with scholars, universities and other organizations around the globe, providing the necessary foundation of knowledge to develop treatments and cures for brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. For more information, visit http://www.maxplanckflorida.org. Researchers at Michigan State University conducted the largest experimentally controlled study on sleep deprivation to date, revealing just how detrimental operating without sleep can be in everything from bakers adding too much salt to cookies to surgeons botching surgeries. While sleep deprivation research isn't new, the level at which distractions hinder sleep-deprived persons' memories and challenge them from successfully completing tasks was not clear until MSU's team quantified the impact. "If you look at mistakes and accidents in surgery, public transportation and even operating nuclear power plants, lack of sleep is one of the primary reasons for human error," said Kimberly Fenn, associate professor of psychology and director of the MSU Sleep and Learning Lab. "There are many people in critical professions who are sleep-deprived. Research has found that nearly one-quarter of the people with procedure-heavy jobs have fallen asleep on the job." Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Fenn's research is unlike previous studies because of its focus on sleep deprivation's impact on completing tasks. These tasks, Fenn explained, involve following directions and include multiple steps. Some basic errors, such as adding salt twice to a recipe, might not be so serious. However, some of the world's greatest human-caused catastrophes - like Chernobyl, the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Challenger explosion - along with daily train and car accidents have sleep deprivation at least partially to blame, she said. Fenn hopes that her lab's findings will shed light on how critical sleep is to completing any task, be it large or small. "Every day, approximately 11 sponges are left inside of patients who have undergone surgery. That's 4,000 potentially dire missteps each year and an example of a procedural task gone terribly wrong that can result from sleep deprivation," Fenn said. "Our research suggests that sleep-deprived people shouldn't perform tasks in which they are interrupted - or, only perform them for short periods." To test sleep deprivation's impact on how people follow steps in a task, Fenn's team brought 234 people into the sleep lab at 10 p.m. That night, all of the participants worked on a sequence-based procedure that involved following a series of tasks in order. Periodically, they were interrupted and had to remember where they were in the procedure before picking up again. At midnight, half of the participants went home to sleep while the other half stayed awake all night at the lab. The next morning, everyone completed the procedure once again. What Fenn's team found was a stark jump in errors for those who were sleep-deprived. "All participants met performance criteria in the evening, but roughly 15 percent of participants in the sleep-deprived group failed in the morning, compared to 1 percent of those who slept," Fenn said. "Furthermore, sleep-deprived participants not only showed more errors than those who slept but also showed a progressive increase in errors associated with memory as they performed the task - an effect not observed in those who slept. This shows that the sleep-deprived group experienced a great deal of difficulty remembering where they were in the sequence during interruptions." Memory maintenance, the research found, was the real culprit keeping the sleep-deprived from completing tasks successfully. With hindered memory maintenance, it's much more difficult to pick up a task where you left off without missteps, Fenn explained. Fenn also explained that distractions we face every day - whether receiving a text message or simply answering a question - are unavoidable but especially harmful to sleep-deprived people. "Operating with reduced cognitive capacity has wide-ranging effects," Fenn said. "Students may pull all-nighters and not retain information for their exams. More worrisome, individuals working critical jobs may put themselves and other members of society at risk because of sleep deprivation. It simply cannot be overlooked." Fenn's research, conducted alongside MSU colleagues Erik Altmann and Michelle Stepan, was funded by the United States Office of Naval Research. Next, Fenn's research lab will examine the potential of caffeine and nap interventions for helping to offset the negative effects of sleep deprivation. ### It's a jungle out there in the suburbs, where many wild mammals are thriving near humans. That's the conclusion of a large-scale study using camera trap images from hundreds of citizen scientists in Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, North Carolina. The study contradicts assumptions that developed areas have fewer mammals and less variety in mammal species, says lead author Arielle Parsons, researcher with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University. "We found there wasn't a significant difference in mammal populations between the suburban areas and the wild areas in terms of how many species used them and the intensity with which they used those areas, which was very surprising to us," Parsons says. "That would seem to indicate that the impact of suburban areas in particular is less dire for many mammals than we previously thought and that perhaps there is a certain level of adaptation of mammals to humans." Researchers worked with citizen scientists to monitor wildlife with camera traps placed at more than 1,400 locations along a continuum of development based on population density: wild, rural, exurban, suburban or urban sites. Their analysis included areas with large forests, small forest fragments, open areas and residential yards. Backyard wildlife watchers often catch glimpses of what Parsons calls the "usual suspects" that showed up in images from the study: deer, raccoons, gray squirrels, opossums and the occasional fox. But the cameras also captured some surprising species. "Although coyotes seem to prefer rural areas, they seem to be slowly infiltrating more populated regions, and we did detect them in suburban areas in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.," Parsons says. "The really surprising find was bobcats in suburban Durham, North Carolina, and to a lesser extent in Raleigh. "And in Washington, D.C., we actually did have some bears, not in suburban areas, but in the next level up, which is what we call exurban - between suburban and rural in terms of housing density." Parsons is quick to add that while the study shows the adaptability of some mammal species, there are caveats. "The region we looked at has lost the largest predator species because of human activity and urbanization, which is something we need to remember," she says. "This study shows the importance of conservation of green areas for habitat. We know that there are sensitive mammal species out there, rare species that just wouldn't have the ability to adapt or persist if we took away those protected areas." Outside of the mammal world, research shows less adaptability. "If we talk about plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, many studies have shown that urbanization has very negative impact on abundance and diversity," Parsons says. "Mammals seem to be one of the best at dealing with humans on the landscape, at least when protected from hunting." The research harnesses the power of large-scale citizen science to reveal animals' hidden lives, says co-author Roland Kays, biologist with NC State University and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. "People often talk about the animals they see in their back yards, but this is the first time we've had the camera trap's perspective to really compare wild to suburban sites, including the nocturnal animals most people don't see." The study was funded with National Science Foundation grants 1232442 and 1319293. The VR Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Smithsonian Institution also contributed to the work. ### Note: An abstract of the paper follows. "Mammal communities are larger and more diverse in moderately developed areas" Authors: Arielle Parsons, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University; Tavis Forester, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Megan C. Baker-Whatton, The Nature Conservancy; William J. McShea, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Christopher T. Rota, West Virginia University; Stephanie G. Schuttler, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences; Joshua J. Millspaugh, University of Montana; Roland Kays; N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University Published: Oct. 2, 2018 in eLife Abstract: Developed areas are thought to have low species diversity, low animal abundance, few native predators, and thus low resilience and ecological function. Working with citizen scientist volunteers to survey mammals at 1427 sites across two development gradients (wild-rural-exurban-suburban-urban) and four plot types (large forests, small forest fragments, open areas and residential yards) in the eastern US, we show that developed areas actually had significantly higher or statistically similar mammalian occupancy, relative abundance, richness and diversity compared to wild areas. However, although some animals can thrive in suburbia, conservation of wild areas and preservation of green space within cities are needed to protect sensitive species and to give all species the chance to adapt and persist in the Anthropocene. NASA provided an infrared view of Tropical Depression Rosa's remnants that showed strongest storms with heaviest rainfall potential were over east central Arizona on Oct. 2. The National Hurricane Center noted that although Rosa had dissipated by 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 2, the threat of heavy rains and flash flooding continues over the Desert Southwest. NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md. noted "Heavy tropical rain from Rosa will bring flash flood threats to the Desert Southwest and Four Corners region over the next couple of days. Flood Watches are in effect for multiple states, including California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Idaho. There is also a moderate risk of excessive rain for central portions of Arizona." Infrared satellite data captured on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 6:05 a.m. EDT (1005 UTC the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite revealed the location of strongest storms with the coldest cloud top temperatures. MODIS found coldest cloud tops had temperatures near minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53 degrees Celsius). NASA research has found that cloud top temperatures that cold have the capability to generate heavy rainfall. Satellite images and surface observations indicate that Rosa has become a trough or an elongated area of low pressure with multiple swirls along its axis. Therefore, Rosa no longer qualifies as a tropical cyclone. That heavy rainfall potential that NASA's infrared data showed are reflected in the forecast today, Oct. 2 and tomorrow, Oct. 3. In Baja California and northwestern Sonora, 3 to 6 inches are forecast with isolated 10 inches. In central and southern Arizona 2 to 4 inches are forecast with isolated 6 inch totals are possible in the mountains of central Arizona. For the rest of the Desert Southwest, Central Rockies, and Great Basin, the National Hurricane Center forecast expects between 1 to 2 inches, with isolated totals to 4 inches. These rainfall amounts may produce life-threatening flash flooding. Dangerous debris flows and landslides are also possible in mountainous terrain. At 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC), the remnants of Rosa were located near latitude 29.7 degrees north and longitude 114.2 degrees west. That's about 95 miles (155 km) south-southeast of San Felipe, Mexico. The remnants are moving toward the northeast near 8 mph (13 kph), and they are expected to move over the Desert Southwest by tonight. Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph (45 kph) with higher gusts. ### For local forecasts, visit: http://www.weather.gov Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a technology where two robots can work in unison to 3D-print a concrete structure. This method of concurrent 3D-printing, known as swarm printing, paves the way for a team of mobile robots to print even bigger structures in future. Developed by Assistant Professor Pham Quang Cuong and his team at NTU's Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, this new multi-robot technology was published in Automation in Construction, a top tier journal for civil engineering. The NTU scientist was also behind the Ikea Bot earlier this year where two robots assembled an Ikea chair in 8 min 55s. Using a specially formulated cement mix suitable for 3-D printing, this new development will allow for unique concrete designs currently not possible with conventional casting. Structures can also be produced on demand and in a much shorter period. Currently, 3D-printing of large concrete structures requires huge printers that are larger than the printed objects, which is unfeasible since most construction sites have space constraints. Having multiple mobile robots that can 3D print in sync means large structures like architectural features and specially-designed facades can be printed anywhere as long as there is enough space for the robots to move around the work site. The NTU robots 3D-printed a concrete structure measuring 1.86m x 0.46m x 0.13m in eight minutes. It took two days to harden and one week for it to achieve its full strength before it was ready for installation. "We envisioned a team of robots which can be transported to a work site, print large pieces of concrete structures and then move on to the next project once the parts have been printed," explained Asst Prof Pham from NTU's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. "This research builds on the knowledge we have acquired from developing a robot to autonomously assemble an Ikea chair. But this latest project is more complex in terms of planning, execution, and on a much larger scale." Printing concrete structures concurrently with two mobile robots was a huge challenge, as both robots have to move into place and start printing their parts without colliding into each other. Printing the concrete structure in segments is also not acceptable, as joints between the two parts will not bond properly if the concrete does not overlap during the printing process. This multi-step process starts by having the computer map out the design to be printed and assign a specific part of the printing to a robot. It then uses a special algorithm to ensure that each of robot arm will not collide with another during the concurrent printing. Using precise location positioning, the robots then move into place and print the parts in good alignment, ensuring that the joints between the separate parts are overlapped. Finally, the mixing and pumping of the specialised liquid concrete mix have to be blended evenly and synchronised to ensure consistency. Professor Chua Chee Kai, Executive Director of the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing said disruptive Industry 4.0 technologies like additive manufacturing, can be advanced even further when combined with other innovative technologies like robotics, AI, materials science and green manufacturing techniques. "This multiple robot printing project is highly interdisciplinary, requiring roboticists to work with materials scientists to make printable concrete. To achieve the end result of a strong concrete structure, we had to combine their expertise with mechanical engineers and civil engineering experts." "Such an innovation demonstrates to the industry what is feasible now, and prove what is possible in the future if we are creative in developing new technologies to augment conventional building and construction methods." This research project was supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore (NRF Singapore) and Sembcorp Design and Construction, one of the key industry research partners of SC3DP. Moving forward, the NTU research team will look at integrating even more robots to print larger scale structures, optimising printing algorithm for consistent performance and to improve the concrete material for faster curing. ### Notes for editors: See video of the two robots 3D-printing the concrete structure here - https://youtu.be/2LKU0udeaeM Media contact: Lester Kok Assistant Director Corporate Communications Office Nanyang Technological University Email: lesterkok@ntu.edu.sg About Nanyang Technological University, Singapore A research-intensive public university, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has 33,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences, and Graduate colleges. It also has a medical school, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up jointly with Imperial College London. NTU is also home to world-class autonomous institutes - the National Institute of Education, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Earth Observatory of Singapore, and Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering - and various leading research centres such as the Nanyang Environment & Water Research Institute (NEWRI) and Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N). Ranked 12th in the world, NTU has also been placed the world's top young university for the past five years. The University's main campus is frequently listed among the Top 15 most beautiful university campuses in the world and it has 57 Green Mark-certified (equivalent to LEED-certified) building projects comprising more than 230 buildings, of which 95% are certified Green Mark Platinum. Apart from its main campus, NTU also has a campus in Singapore's healthcare district. For more information, visit http://www.ntu.edu.sg A new National Institutes of Health (NIH) High-Risk, High-Reward grant will allow Penn State's Steven Schiff and team to explore a radically changed approach to predicting, preventing and treating infectious disease at the individual level at point-of-care. This venture provides the researchers an opportunity to explore a new way of addressing critical unmet needs, especially in the developing world. As a pediatric neurosurgeon, Schiff has dedicated a significant portion of his career to the study and treatment of brain diseases in children. Brain infection in infants often results in hydrocephalus, fluid build-up in the brain that can lead to brain damage and death. "Infant hydrocephalus is the most common reason for neurosurgery in young children worldwide," said Schiff, Harvey F. Brush Chair in the College of Engineering in the departments of Neurosurgery, Engineering Science and Mechanics and Physics. "If we are to best treat infectious disease, for example in these infants, we need to start focusing on preventing their infections, instead of training surgeons and building advanced surgical facilities to repair the effects after these infections occur." Schiff turned to explore critical areas of scientific discovery that have the potential to create or overturn fundamental paradigms. A National Institutes of Health Director's Pioneer grant in 2015 allowed Schiff to shift his professional focus from neuroscience to study the causes of childhood infectious diseases in the developing world, where neonatal sepsis claims 1 million lives each year. Today, he wasnamed recipient of an $8.1 million NIH Director's Transformative Research Award for a project that aims to radically change the approach to treatment of these diseases, emphasizing prediction and prevention. Schiff will now be able to assemble a 'dream team' to develop innovative models that incorporate the ability to predict outbreaks of epidemic disease with predictions of pathogen type and host resistance, allowing real-time preventive treatment at the point of care, instead of relying on standard diagnostic approaches. "We have demonstrated that it is feasible to predict epidemic disease outbreaks from retrospective seasonal and geographical case data and have shown that we can take climate factors into account in our predictive models," said Schiff, who is also the director of the Penn State Center for Neural Engineering. "But predictive strategies have never been used in treatment of individual patients. We believe our approach to predictive personalized public health has the potential to substantially improve patient outcomes." Today, patients suffering from symptoms of infectious disease such as sepsis, flu-like illness, fever with rash, or meningitis, are typically all treated alike: by drawing samples for laboratory analysis, starting antibiotic therapy with the physician's best guess as to the likely causes, and then hoping to learn the causative reason for the infection over a period of days from laboratory analysis. Schiff's vision is to move from reactive, delayed diagnoses to real-time treatment usingpredictive models that incorporate historical microbiological surveillance data, geographic location of the patient, and environmental and climatic factors to determine the likely pathogens and narrow down the best treatment choices at the point of care. Over the next few years, Schiff and his team will build on both his own previous work and years of existing research on infant infections. Theywill take a multi-pronged approach involving disciplines as disparate as epidemiology, meteorology and genomics, and using a variety of tools including machine learning, statistics and engineering control theory. The Ugandan National Planning Authority, Meteorological Authority, and Ministry of Health, are among the critical departments that have offered their support, and Schiff noted that the work of these agencies within Uganda will be key to successful implementation trials. "This is work that no one could ever do on their own. It is the outgrowth of 12 years at Penn State and the opportunity to collaborate through transdisciplinary research with colleagues and personnel in Uganda -- blending medicine, engineering and science," Schiff said. "One of our unique strengths at Penn State is the ability to integrate across traditional disciplines with the teamwork required to work toward important goals. Faculty at Penn State are very open to such collaborations, and across our medical, engineering and science campuses, we have the breadth of expertise required to tackle critical problems of this magnitude." The Transformative Research Award, established in 2009, promotes cross-cutting, transdisciplinary approaches and is part of the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research Programbestowed on exceptionally creative scientists proposing paradigm-shifting research. The awards were created to support unconventional approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research. Schiff's award is one of the 10 Transformative Research awards among 89 total awards granted for a total of approximately $282 million over five years. With today's announcement, Penn State joins the ranks of the few institutions in the U.S. with faculty who have received both the Pioneer and the Transformative Research Awards. "Steve Schiff has devoted his career to improving the lives of children coping with serious, sometimes fatal brain disorders, and he's especially passionate about the acute needs of children living in under-developed countries," said Dr. A. Craig Hillemeier, dean of Penn State College of Medicine, CEO of Penn State Health and senior vice president for health affairs at Penn State. "I am elated that his many years of innovative and collaborative research to improve health outcomes for children are being recognized and rewarded with this NIH Director's Award." In addition to a close collaboration with Penn State's Institute for Personalized Medicine, and partnering with colleagues from many disciplines at Penn State and Penn State Health, Schiff's team will include the CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda, leading experts from Harvard and George Mason University, and from companies such as Genentech. "This work promises to make a profound impact on the entire medical field and may have long-term implications for healthcare on a global scale," said Neil Sharkey, vice president for research, Penn State. "Dr. Schiff's vision exemplifies the type of collaboration unique to Penn State that harnesses the broad talent needed to effectively address critical, universal problems," said Justin Schwartz, Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering. "The College of Engineering is focused on translational research and his approach personifies this vision by bridging the gap between the fields of medicine and engineering." ### Providing specialized medical care and coordination to patients whose kidneys are failing before they need dialysis treatment could save the U.S. health care system more than $1 billion annually, according to a new RAND Corporation analysis. About 60 percent of the savings come from avoiding the initiation of kidney dialysis in a hospital setting, while the remainder stems from other improvements in care. The findings are published the in the Journal of American Society of Nephrology. The analysis by researchers shows savings only when the specialized care is extended to people in the latest stages of kidney disease and not when patients are at earlier stages of their illness. "Extending specialized care to patients with advanced kidney disease before their kidneys fail would have benefits both for patients and for the organizations that pay for their health services," said Harry Liu, the study's lead author and a senior policy researcher at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. "But new payment models may be needed to encourage this change." Nearly one in seven Americans has chronic kidney disease, a progressive condition that is associated with other ailments such as cardiovascular disease. About 90 percent of people with chronic kidney disease will end up needing hemodialysis, which costs Medicare an average of $80,000 annually per patient. In 2015, Medicare spent 20 percent of its budget providing care to patients with chronic kidney disease. Liu and co-author Sophia Zhao of Massachusetts General Hospital examined several potential strategies to lower the cost of care for chronic kidney disease and improve outcomes for patients. Previous studies have shown that patients who are seen by nephrologists one to six months before beginning dialysis do better medically, have shorter hospital stays associated with dialysis and have lower mortality rates over the following five years. (Nephrologists are medical specialists who focus on disorders that affect the way the kidneys work.) However, patients with chronic kidney disease frequently are not referred to a nephrologist. Researchers say one reason may be that non-Medicare payers who cover younger patients may not be motivated to slow progression of kidney disease -- at least in part -- because Medicare ultimately pays the cost for kidney dialysis. To quantify the potential savings from improving care for chronic kidney disease care, researchers created a simulation model to help estimate possible savings from improving care. They focused on patients with Stage 3 and Stage 4 kidney disease, examining whether there would be savings from increasing use of nephrologists to slow disease progression and improve coordination of care for patients who undergo kidney replacement surgery. The analysis showed that increasing nephrology care for Stage 3 patients would not generate net savings. However, increasing nephrology care and improving care coordination among Stage 4 patients would create an estimated $1.36 billion in annual savings, including $730 million in savings for Medicare. Researchers say that several newer models of paying for health care could be used to help spur the earlier use of nephrology care for patients with advanced kidney disease. This could include expanding Medicare's chronic condition special needs plans to cover advanced chronic kidney disease patients. Because these plans are paid on a per-patient basis, they would create financial incentives for providers to improve outcomes and reduce costs, researchers say. Another option is to establish episode-based payments models for chronic kidney disease. These models also pay providers on a per disease episode basis rather than paying for each task or procedure. ### No outside funding supported the analysis. RAND Health Care has a broad research portfolio that focuses on health care costs and quality, among other topics. ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- Future American Soldiers will be better protected in combat by stronger and lighter body armor thanks to innovative work at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. Materials science engineers are using nature as the inspiration for breakthroughs in additive manufacturing. "My project is to design a system that can 3-D print armor ceramics that will allow production of parts with graded structures similar to an abalone structure in nature that will improve the ceramic armor's toughness and survivability with lower weight," said Joshua Pelz, a materials science and engineering doctoral candidate at the University of California San Diego. He spent this summer working with Army scientists at ARL's Rodman Materials Science Laboratory at APG to design and build a unique 3-D printer. Two syringes containing distinct, viscous ceramic slurries are connected to a custom-made auger and print head. Pelz took advantage of his computer programming skills to hack into the 3-D printer, tricking it into using its own fan controls to manipulate the ratio of materials being printed. He designed a custom auger and print head and even used the same 3-D printer to create those parts. "Josh found a way to implement our ideas into that machine, take apart machine, take out the polymer FDM heads that are built into it, start to look at how to design the machine to incorporate our ceramic slurries and print those slurries into the head but then he had to do a lot of really basic work looking at how to actually hack the machine," said Dr. Lionel Vargas-Gonzalez, Ceramics Synthesis and Processing team lead at the laboratory. "We've got people like Josh who were very gifted and talented and can bring all that kind of capability and use a lot to our advantage it's a huge benefit for us." Current processing techniques used to create ceramic armor are limited by how engineers can combine materials into a stronger composite material. "For ceramics, that's a bit of a challenge because with you can't really do what a one-step additive manufacturing process like you could if a metal or a polymer," Vargas-Gonzalez said. "We see this as a next avenue for armor because we're going to be able to, in theory, design armor in a way that we can attach multiple materials together into a single armor plate, and be able to provide ways for the armor to perform better than it can be just based on one material alone." Hard ceramic materials defeat kinetic energy projectiles by shattering them into pieces and decreasing the projectile's penetration ability, he said. "You have ceramic armors processed typically right now with dry powder and with hot pressing or sintering -- we're able to get really good properties and what I mean by those properties I mean really high theoretical density," Vargas-Gonzalez said. "These particles are able to sinter well and you're getting something that's about 99 to 100 percent fully dense because porosity is one of the main deficiencies of ceramic armor when it comes to being able to withstand threats." "I think that the main thing that sets my design apart from other additive manufacturing and specifically direct ink writing setups is that I can extrude multiple materials out of a single nozzle and I can also extrude any ratio of this material," he said. Pelz said he came up with the concept during his undergraduate studies at the Colorado School of Mines. "I started working on this project to create next-generation antennas with graded structures and then transitioned into using armor ceramic materials such as boron carbide and silicon carbide and trying to produce parts that had a gradient or internal structures impossible to produce with traditional ceramic forming techniques," Pelz said. He hopes to take his work with back to the University of California at San Diego this fall where he will continue to collaborate with Army researchers on the project. "I hope to use this system that I've designed, as well as the processing of creating these armor ceramics and creating armor ceramic composites to develop both next-generation armor, but also apply it to various other fields such as a biomedical implant," he said. "You could use this same system to produce ceramic implants for say a hip replacement or a knee replacement you could produce the ball that would be put into that that hip joint to actually produce those parts. And so this system gives the ability to produce graded parts -- composite ceramic parts -- for really any application with any material. The freedom to easily test ideas in additive manufacturing appeals to Pelz, he said. "I think the freedom to really explore your ideas and do rapid iterations through your various prototypes allows you to very quickly narrow down your ideas and kind of develop a new piece of equipment or a new technology that might take months or years using traditional subtractive manufacturing processes," he said. "3-D printing and additive manufacturing generally gives someone the ability to really design and create anything they want. It's a very quick process from thinking up a design, modeling that design and actually producing that design." Additive manufacturing offers great potential, Vargas-Gonzalez said. "For us, there's a limitless amount of design space that we could probably open up because of additive manufacturing," he said. "One of our biggest challenges is being able to make the materials that are going to give us the right properties." Pelz said that is one of his motivating factors. "I think that supporting our Soldiers is of utmost importance and I think they're carrying so much weight that a small reduction in weight anywhere in their package will allow them to go farther and do more for our nation," he said. ### An intricate network of minuscule crevices adorns the skin surface of the African bush elephant. By retaining water and mud, these micrometer-wide channels greatly help elephants in regulating their body temperature and protecting their skin against parasites and intense solar radiation. Today, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, and the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics report in the journal Nature Communications that African elephant skin channels are true fractures of the animal brittle and desquamation-deficient skin outermost layer. The scientists show that the elephant hyperkeratinised skin grows on a lattice of millimetric elevations, causing its fracture due to local bending mechanical stress. African elephants are well-known to love bathing, spraying, and mud-wallowing. These behaviours are not just for fun. Indeed, African elephants lack the sweat and sebum glands that allow many other mammals to keep their skin moist and flexible. Furthermore, because of their huge body size, and their warm and dry habitat, African elephants can avoid over-heating only by loosing calories through evaporation of the water they collect in and on their skin. By covering themselves with mud, African elephants also avoid the attacks of relentless parasites and the excessive exposure of their skin to solar radiations. Very close inspection of the African elephant skin indicates that, in addition to its characteristic well-visible wrinkling, the integument is deeply sculptured by an intricate network of minuscule interconnected crevices. This beautiful fine pattern of millions of channels prevents shedding of applied mud and allows spreading and retention of 5 to 10 times more water than on a flat surface. Cracking the skin Thanks to skin samples provided by scientists and museums in Switzerland, France and South Africa, a multidisciplinary team lead by Michel Milinkovitch, professor at the Department of Genetics and Evolution of the UNIGE Faculty of Science and Group Leader at the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, shows today that African elephant skin channels are true cracks due to local bending stress caused by the epidermis being simultaneously hyper-keratinised, shedding-deficient, and growing on a lattice of millimetric elevations of the skin. Using a custom computer model, Antonio Martins, PhD student in the Milinkovitch's laboratory, showed that the combination of these three parameters is sufficient to cause mechanical bending stress to accumulate in between the skin elevations during the progressive thickening of the skin until cracks are formed. Bending rather than tensile cracking The visual aspect of the cracking pattern on the skin of the African elephant bears a striking resemblance, albeit at very different spatial scales, to cracks caused by tensile stress in drying mud, in damaged asphalt, on Earth's and Mars' polar landscapes, as well as in spectacular geological formations such as the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland and of the Devil's Postpile in eastern California. It was therefore tempting to hypothesise that the African elephant skin cracks are generated by shrinkage of the skin. However, the computer simulations performed by the Swiss team indicates that shrinkage generates heterogeneous distributions of cracks that propagate over papillae, whereas cracks on the real skin occur near-exclusively along the troughs, rejecting the 'cracking by shrinking' hypothesis. On the other hand, when the researchers implemented in their computer simulations the thickening of the skin (new layers are constantly added at the basis of the epidermis), mechanical bending stress accumulated in the valleys causing the keratinised epidermis to crack only in the micro-valleys, reinforcing the new 'cracking by bending' results. Physical processes in biology One focus of developmental biology is to describe how forms and shapes are generated by heterogeneous tissue differentiation and growth, controlled by differential gene expression across the body. However, complex morphologies can also emerge as mechanical instabilities (folds, wrinkles) caused by mismatched growth between adherent tissue layers. Famous examples are the looping of the gut and folding of the cerebral cortex. While cracking, another type of mechanical instability, is commonplace in non-living materials, it is far less ubiquitous in biological systems. The Milinkovitch's lab showed a few years ago that the pattern of crocodile head scales forms through skin folding, and that their dynamic of propagation and polygonal pattern formation is analogous to those of cracking in drying mud. Here, the Swiss team shows for the first time that the African elephant skin exhibits a myriad of channels that are not only looking like cracks, but are true physical cracks of its keratinised epidermis. Elephants helping understand a human pathology Thickening of the African elephant keratinised epidermis is due to an imbalance between its formation at its base and its shedding at the skin surface. Strikingly, the Swiss team shows strong similarities between the normal skin morphology of African elephants and that of humans affected by 'ichthyosis vulgaris', a common genetic disorder (affecting about 1 in 250 people) that is known to impact desquamation (shedding of the skin) and cause dry, scaly skin. If validated by future detailed molecular and cell biology comparisons, this equivalence would then make a remarkable link between a human pathological condition and the skin of an iconic species of pachyderm. "This correspondence would also demonstrate that similar mutations that occurred independently in the evolutionary lineages of humans and elephants turned out to be unfavourable in the former and adaptive in the latter" says Michel Milinkovitch. ### Irvine, CA - October 2, 2018 - University of California, Irvine Neuroscientist Medha Pathak, PhD, an assistant professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the UCI School of Medicine, and member of the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and the Center for Complex Biological Systems at UCI, was awarded a prestigious National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award from the NIH Common Fund's High-Risk, High-Reward Research program. Designed to support unconventional approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research, the New Innovator Award is given to exceptionally creative scientists proposing high-risk, high-impact research. Pathak will use the $1.5M grant to support her study titled, "Building the brain: How mechanical forces shape human neural development." "In this project we focus on how, as the brain develops, proliferating cells organize into structures, differentiate, migrate and connect with other cells. I'm interested in how these biological processes produce mechanical forces that, in turn, shape cellular dynamics and organ patterning," said Pathak. "Through our research, we aim to uncover the mechanical paradigms underlying human neural development by generating new molecular, imaging and bioengineering tools. It is an honor to receive the New Innovator Award which provides the resources to pursue bold and risky ideas, and a privilege to do this work in the collaborative community of UC Irvine." A major unanswered question in developmental biology is how the mechanical forces produced during development are detected and transduced by cells to shape the biochemical and genetic programs of development. Pathak's work will measure and manipulate mechanical forces at different points during the initial steps of human brain. Using human brain organoids, her research is designed to provide quantitative and mechanistic insights on the role of mechanical forces during development and demonstrate how development fails when these forces are disrupted. "We are very proud of Dr. Pathak's approach to science. Our department seeks to foster a research environment using cutting-edge techniques to address bold questions in biomedical research, exactly as she has succeeded in doing. Kudos to Dr. Pathak for this award which will help to launch a long and productive career," said Distinguished Professor Michael D. Cahalan, chair of UCI's Department of Physiology & Biophysics. Pathak's New Innovator Award, was one of 58 given this year. Established in 2007, this particular category of award supports unusually innovative research from early career investigators who are within 10 years of their final degree or clinical residency and have not yet received a research project grant or equivalent NIH grant. The NIH issued 10 Pioneer awards, 58 New Innovator awards, 10 Transformative Research awards, and 11 Early Independence awards for 2018. Funding for the awards comes from the NIH Common Fund and other Office of the Director appropriations; National Cancer Institute; National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases; National Institute of General Medical Sciences; National Institute of Mental Health; and Office of Research Infrastructure Programs. ### About the UCI School of Medicine Each year, the UCI School of Medicine educates more than 400 medical students, as well as 200 doctoral and master's students. More than 600 residents and fellows are trained at UC Irvine Medical Center and affiliated institutions. The UCI School of Medicine offers an MD degree, a dual MD/PhD medical scientist training program, PhDs and master's degrees in anatomy and neurobiology, biomedical sciences, genetic counseling, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, pathology, pharmacology, physiology and biophysics, and translational sciences. Medical students also may pursue an MD/MBA program, a combined MD/Master's in Public Health or a dual MD/master's program called the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC). UCI School of Medicine is accredited by Liaison Committee on Medical Accreditation (LCME), and ranks among the top 50 nationwide for research. For more information, visit: som.uci.edu. About the University of California, Irvine Founded in 1965, UCI is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UCI has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. Located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities, UCI is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $5 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UCI, visit http://www.uci.edu. Immunotherapy is making headlines for saving the lives of hundreds of cancer patients including former President Jimmy Carter. But many of these therapies, only work for a small portion of people who have a specific molecule called PDL1 in their cancer makeup. UCF College of Medicine cancer researcher Dr. Alicja Copik has just discovered a way to make that therapy viable to thousands by using the body's own natural killer (NK) cells in a new way. Her findings were recently published in OncoImmunology. NK cells are part of the body's defense system and act as an army to protect us from invaders like viruses and infections. Copik has discovered a way to make NK cells even more powerful - by stimulating them with nanoparticles that multiply them and heighten their killing ability. Her technology has been licensed and is now progressing to clinical trials as a therapy for leukemia and later for other cancers. In her latest study, Copik discovered that her energized NK cells do even more. They change the cellular makeup of tumors - especially the molecular defenses cancers use to protect themselves from the body's immune system. "Cancer is a very smart enemy," Copik explained. "That's why we have to use so many tools to fight it." Here's what her research has uncovered: For a malignant tumor to survive, cancers can place a protein molecule called PDL1 on their cells. The molecule tells the body's immune system, "I'm one of your own cells, so don't eat me" Copik said humorously. For patients with PDL1 on their cancers, new immunotherapy drugs use an antibody that blocks the PDL1 protection, allowing the body's immune system to kill the cancer. These drugs have been very successful - even in stopping Stage 4, metastatic cancer and leading to long-lasting remissions- but only for patients whose tumors test positive for PDL1. Only 15 to 30 percent of patients -- depending on the cancer -- have PDL1 on their cancer cells. Copik's goal was to make PDL1 therapies effective for more patients. In the lab, she discovered that NK cells, stimulated with the nanoparticles developed in her lab, attack the tumor and induce it to present PDL1 - which the new drugs then can target. In her study, combining NK cells with the new immunotherapy drug lead to improved survival rates in mice with cancer. Recent work from other scientists has shown that once inside the tumor, NK cells go a step further - they recruit other immune cells to prime the immune system to attack cancer. "So these activated NK cells will work synergistically with these immunotherapies," she said. Activated NK cells have advantages over other cancer therapies. First, they seldom cause side effects like chemotherapy and radiation. And the NK cells don't attack healthy cells. So cancer patients could safely receive additional NK cells from people who are not a 100 percent match. Because blood banks remove and discard NK cells when they collect blood platelets and plasma for donation, Copik said there is a potential for scientists to develop ways to save such NK cells for cancer therapies. Copik envisions her new discovery can be joined with planned NK cell clinical trials. And she said UCF's new comprehensive cancer treatment and research center - to be housed in the former Sanford Burnham Prebys research institute - will allow College of Medicine researchers even more opportunities to find a cure for cancer. The center will include basic scientists, like Copik, clinical researchers, cancer physicians and patients in the same facility. And the UCF researcher said such partnership will provide new opportunities for discovery - and inspiration. "As a scientist, it's important to know from physicians and patients, 'Where are the gaps in treatment? Where are the challenges?' You see where we should be directing our efforts," she said. "And when you're in the lab late at night you think about these patients. They are your motivation and your inspiration. You know we must do this work now because patients are waiting." ### Founded in 1963 with a commitment to expanding opportunity and demanding excellence, the University of Central Florida develops the talent needed to advance the prosperity and welfare of our society. With more than 66,000 students, UCF is one of the nation's largest universities, offering more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations in Central Florida and online. UCF was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as among the nation's top 25 most innovative universities along with Harvard, Stanford and Duke, and has been described by The Washington Post as "part of a vanguard that is demolishing the popular belief that exclusivity is a virtue in higher education." For more information, visit ucf.edu Ramona Neunuebel, assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Delaware, has won a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Award to support her research on the survival strategies of bacteria. With the five-year, $750,498 grant, NSF recognizes the significant potential of Neunuebel's work, which focuses on how Legionella pneumophila bacteria elude and manipulate the defense systems of the host cells they target and infiltrate. The Legionella bacterium is named for a 1976 outbreak of respiratory disease that it caused during an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. The bacterium lends itself well to Neunuebel's research questions because it does extraordinary things to thrive and multiply once it enters a cell. Amoebas have been a "training ground for microbial pathogens" ever since they started interacting with bacteria billions of years ago, Neunuebel said. When Legionella meets an amoeba, for example, the amoeba wraps itself around the bacterium and starts a process to degrade and ultimately kill the intruder. But this bacterium has other plans. Once engulfed by the host cell, it remodels the membrane of what was meant to be a death chamber into a separate cocoon-like place where it not only escapes certain death but is able to multiply. "It's molecular camouflage," Neunuebel said. "For healthy individuals, it is usually not an issue. But for those whose immune systems are compromised or weakened, they could be at risk for developing a serious and potentially fatal form of pneumonia." How it does that is not well understood -- and that is the immediate question Neunuebel's lab is addressing. How does Legionella target and change the host cell's membrane? It's fundamental work that will shed new light on the devices used by bacteria of other kinds that create their own protective compartments and could have implications for research in related diseases including tuberculosis, Q Fever, brucellosis and tularemia. The NSF grant also supports her ongoing work to help young students explore biology and develop a "science identity" -- helping them imagine themselves as someone who could succeed as a scientist. She has several strategies for that, including curriculum development with underrepresented minority students and the ongoing work she and students in her lab have done with UD's Upward Bound Math/Science program and the Delaware Children's Museum's "Try Science" series. That outreach is a part of her work as a researcher and professor that she feels strongly about. "Being a scientist is more than managing a lab and doing experiments to test new hypotheses," Neunuebel said. "That's all part of the job, but that's not all it is for me. I love thinking about how to engage younger people." Opportunities were not plentiful when she was growing up in Romania, Neunuebel said, and she wasn't inclined to study medicine as her parents suggested. But her interest in biology grew and during her studies at Babe?-Bolyai University she volunteered in the lab of molecular biologist Nicolae Drago?, working with cyanobacteria. "This is where my love for scientific research began," Neunuebel said. Now, she hopes to help ignite interest in science and expand the options for others. The Upward Bound program offers four years of support and opportunity for 66 students from challenging socio-economic situations. UD's chapter works with students from five area high schools including McKean, Glasgow and Newark high schools in Delaware, and Elkton and North East high schools in Maryland. "She has been extremely supportive and so impactful for the students," said Camille Sims-Johnson, director of UD's UBMS program. "And the students are ready to go -- you hear it in their conversations. We see their grades go up just from having the lab experience. We get those reports from [school] counselors all the time. "She is one of the best. She really cares about these kids." A new UD doctoral student on a three-month rotation in her lab knows the value of Upward Bound in a personal way. Ron McMillan, who grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and got his bachelor's and master's degrees at North Carolina Central University, was part of the program when he was a student at Mount Pleasant High School. He was excited to hear about Neunuebel's involvement in the program. "Upward Bound was a catalyst that allowed me to see myself in school," said McMillan. "It helped me out and people mentored me.... And it's really important for me to be getting involved with the youth, especially those from underrepresented and underprivileged backgrounds." ### About the researcher Ramona Neunuebel is an assistant professor of biological sciences at UD, whose focus is on microbiology, especially bacterial pathogens and their survival strategies. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Babe?-Bolyai University in Romania and her doctorate at Texas A&M University. Before joining UD's faculty in 2014, she did postdoctoral work at the National Institutes of Health. Researchers from the Higher Technical School of Engineering (ETSI) of the University of Seville have published a study of a series of hand-drawn maps that copied the maps printed in the first days of Hispano-American cartography. From the start of the colonisation of America, the Spanish Crown needed to know and represent the overseas territories under its control and within its territorial borders. In the last third of the sixteenth century, the instrument that was designed to carry out the project to represent the new world was the use of surveys. This great project is known as the 'Relaciones Geograficas de Indias'. The local authorities had to answer questions about geography, topography, toponomy, resources, etc. In addition, they had to draw up a map of the region or a "painting" that graphically described the geography of the region, indicating the geographical features, local population and routes of communication. Among these documents, the researchers have found a set of maps that are characterised by a peculiar style, as they try to imitate the style of maps that were drawn up in Europe in this period. These maps follow an inverse trend to that which can be observed in the first printed maps, which tried to imitate the style of hand-drawn maps. After searching in the Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies) in Seville and in the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas, in which they found a total of seven maps, a descriptive study of the maps has been published which shows that all were done using a quill pen, that they come from different geographical areas, and that they were done in the period 1579-1580. "Looking at the documents that we found, it seems that the authors of these maps held the printed documents in such high esteem that they put more effort into reproducing the characteristics of printed maps than in describing the geography of the regions that their maps represented. That is to say, they did not imitate the art of the maps, but the prints on landscapes that the books illustrated, images that they would have known given the wide availability that these books had in Central America, as well as Europe, in the 16th century", indicates the University of Seville teacher Manuel Morato. Although all the maps were done in the European style, they also show some characteristics that suggest the influence of indigenous cartography, like footprints on the routes and eddies in the rivers, in which fish can also be seen on the surface of the water. Having these indigenous conventions in coexistence with European cartographic characteristics suggests an effort to adapt the two cartographic styles to each other. "The authors of these maps might have unconsciously mixed European and native conventions", the researcher adds. In addition, the experts have identified the influence of another renaissance practice which originated in the portolan charts: drawings of figurative scenes of indigenous people and animals of the region, like deer, rabbits, vultures and armadillos. "Possibly the disproportionate representation of these animals is a way of emphasising the animal species that were characteristic of the region, or, as in the case of the armadillo, highlighting those exotic species that were unknown in Spain". Faced with these clues, it might be that the maps that were studied were the result of the desire of their authors to achieve a cartographic ideal: the aesthetic of printed maps. They are a hybrid product, as they not only show influences of maps carved in wood, but also printed maps like those used as illustrations in books: furthermore, they also contain other conventions taken from indigenous traditions, as well as pre-renaissance European practices. ### Each year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants about 20 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Awards to honour scientists and scholars of still younger age (41 in case of Dr. Sugiyasu) from abroad who accomplished already international visibility in their field. The award winners are invited to conduct research projects of their choice in cooperation with colleagues at a German research institution. Kazunori Sugiyasu from Japan, who won such an award, will join Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, at the beginning of October 2018. He will be working with Professor Frank Wurthner for several months at the Center for Nanosystems Chemistry to establish a long-term collaborative partnership. Research in nanosystems chemistry The Center for Nanosystems Chemistry, led by Frank Wurthner, works among others on arranging organic dye molecules into larger supramolecular assemblies. These nanostructures absorb sunlight with high efficiency and are currently exploited to boost the performance of organic electronics and photovoltaic devices. Another goal of Wurthner's research is the development of artificial chloroplasts that use light energy to create fuels similar to plants. Artificial photosynthesis could help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and produce energy-rich raw materials such as sugar, starch and methane gas. Achievements of the Bessel award winner The Wurzburg research profile is excellently complemented by the expertise of Kazunori Sugiyasu. Sugiyasu works at the National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba (Japan) where he made major contributions to the chemistry of conjugated and supramolecular polymers at the Research Center for Functional Materials together with Professor Masayuki Takeuchi. "Dr. Sugiyasu has a record of about 50 publications most of which were published in leading chemistry journals," Wurthner wrote in his nomination. "His outstanding achievement is that he made a major scientific breakthrough already in the first project he was responsible for." The Japanese researcher had described a "living" supramolecular polymerisation (Nature Chemistry, 2014) for the first time. Among others, this has paved the way to build much better defined supramolecular polymers. In-depth mechanistic analyses followed, some of which were already carried out in cooperation with JMU researchers, and a first example of light-regulated supramolecular polymerisation. In 2017, Dr. Sugiyasu described another big step from controlled one-dimensional growth to a living supramolecular polymerisation of two-dimensional layered structures in Nature Chemistry. "With these contributions, Dr. Sugiyasu was able to provide an important stimulus to advance the field of supramolecular polymers," Wurthner further. He also believes that the work of the Japanese researcher will stimulate other disciplines in supramolecular chemistry. Details on the planned cooperation Dr. Sugiyasu will do research at JMU for a period of six months. He will participate in projects run by Professor Wurthner at the "Key Lab for Supramolecular Polymers" of the Bavarian Polymer Institute. Simply put, the goal is to link two supramolecular chemical systems: It is planned to combine the perylene bisimide dyes studied by Wurthner, which self-organize through hydrogen bonds, with the zinc porphyrins researched by Sugiyasu to create supramolecular block copolymers. Both systems share a lot of similarities and should be highly compatible. Moreover, they complement each other from the functional point of view: "Perylene bisimides are electron-poor, zinc porphyrins are electron-rich," Wurthner explains. Combining the two systems is therefore expected to yield very interesting supramolecular block copolymer architectures that can be used to study the light-induced separation of charge carriers as it takes place in solar cells. ### October 2, 2018 - A technique using umbilical cord blood stem cells could be a promising new approach for repair of cleft palate in infants, reports a paper in The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. Performed as part of reconstructive surgery when the infant is a few months old, the stem cell procedure provides good results in growing new bone to close the upper jaw cleft - and may avoid the need for later bone graft surgery, according to the case report by Alejandro Garcia Botero, MD, of Hospital De San Jose, Bogota, Colombia, and colleagues. Stem Cells Could Be New Option for Closure of Alveolar Cleft Dr. Botero and colleagues report their experience with the stem cell procedure in an infant with cleft lip and palate, diagnosed by ultrasound before birth. The baby girl had an alveolar cleft, involving an area of bone where teeth are located. Immediately after delivery, a sample of the infant's umbilical cord blood was collected to isolate stem cells, which were processed and frozen to preserve them for later use. Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of various types of stem cells, which have the potential to develop into many different types of specialized cells, including bone and cartilage. "Since the age is that of the newborn, [umbilical cord stem cells] have a greater potential to regenerate the organism," Dr. Botero and coauthors write. For the first few months, the infant underwent a nonsurgical "nasoalveolar shaping" procedure to align the soft tissues of the upper jaw. At age five months, the stem cells were thawed for use as part of "boneless bone grafting" surgery (gingivoperiostioplasty). The stem cells were placed in a pocket of soft tissue bridging the gap in the upper jaw. A small piece of absorbable biomaterial (Gelfoam) was used a scaffold to guide growth of new bone across the cleft palate. This procedure was performed at the same time as surgery to correct the cleft lip (cheiloplasty). Follow-up confirmed formation of new bone to close the cleft palate, providing good position and support for normal eruption of the teeth. Imaging scans when the patient was five years old showed good thickness of the upper jaw bone in the area where the cleft had been. A major potential advantage of the stem cell procedure is avoiding the need for later bone grafting surgery - currently the standard technique for closing the cleft. This procedure uses bone taken from elsewhere in the child's body, typically the hip. Bone grafting has potential complications and subjects the child to one or more additional surgeries. The study is the first to use stem cells as part of primary surgery to repair cleft palate in an infant. Dr. Botero and colleagues note that their patient will need further monitoring to ensure adequate bone thickness in the upper jaw. The researchers emphasize the need for further studies evaluating their stem cell technique in a large number of patients - including steps to confirm that bone formation results from the stem cells, and not from the initial "boneless bone graft" surgery. ### Click here to read "Importance of Stem Cell Transplantation in Cleft Lip and Palate Surgical Treatment Protocol" DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000004766 ### About The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Mutaz Habal, MD, serves as a forum of communication for all those involved in craniofacial and maxillofacial surgery. Coverage ranges from practical aspects of craniofacial surgery to the basic science that underlies surgical practice. Affiliates include 14 major specialty societies around the world, including the American Association of Pediatric Plastic Surgeons, the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Craniofacial Surgeons, the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons, the Argentine Society of Plastic Surgery Section of Pediatric Plastic Surgery, the Asian Pacific Craniofacial Association, the Association of Military Plastic Surgeons of the U.S., the Brazilian Society of Craniofacial Surgeons, the European Society of Craniofacial Surgery, the International Society of Craniofacial Surgery, the Japanese Society of Craniofacial Surgery, the Korean Society of Craniofacial Surgery, the Thai Cleft and Craniofacial Association, and the World Craniofacial Foundation. About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the health, tax & accounting, finance, risk & compliance, and legal sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer, headquartered in the Netherlands, reported 2017 annual revenues of 4.4 billion. The company serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,000 people worldwide. Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of trusted clinical technology and evidence-based solutions that engage clinicians, patients, researchers and students with advanced clinical decision support, learning and research and clinical intelligence. For more information about our solutions, visit http://healthclarity.wolterskluwer.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @WKHealth. Pound Sterling to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate corrective upside appears limited UPDATE: The Pound Sterling to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate traded at 1.2940 on Thursday morning. The UK PM Theresa May's comments at the Conservative Party's Conference, saying that Britain is not afraid to leave with no deal, exerted some downward pressure on the British Pound and stifled any meaningful up-move. Meanwhile, upbeat US economic data, the ADP report and ISM non-manufacturing PMI, helped revive the US Dollar (USD) demand, which got an additional boost after the Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that the Fed may raise interest rates past 'Neutral'. The comments sparked a fresh leg of an upsurge in the US Treasury bond yields and kept pushing the greenback higher through the US trading session. The pound-dollar rate zig-zagged to trade little changed just below 1.3000 level on Wednesday afternoon after the UK PM May reiterated that UK is "not afraid to leave the EU with no deal if it has to" in her speech at the Conservatives Party conference ending the speech with proclamations of unity for Britain. The looming Brexit uncertainty and a drop in the UK services PMI release continue to weigh down on the pound, as the attention turns towards the US ISM non-manufacturing PMI report due later in the session ahead The British pound traded higher at the 1.3010 level earlier on Wednesday morning. The UK PMI, scheduled for release at 08:00 GMT, was expected to show that pace of the expansion in the service sector remained largely unchanged at 54.00 index points in September. The GBP/USD was tipped to rise towards the 50-day exponential moving average (EMA) of 1.3049 if the services PMI beat estimates by a big margin. Beyond PMI, the GBP/USD market will also take cues from headlines covering both Brexit and political tensions within the Eurozone. Tory party conference likely to produce more Brexit related headlines that weigh on the Pound Sterling to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate UPDATE: The Pound Sterling to US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate is trading 0.6 percent lower at 1.2965 on Tuesday afternoon. Brexit uncertainty weighs on the currency with the ruling Conservative party conference unable to generate common deal about the Brexit. Meanwhile, the UK construction PMI decelerated to 52.1, the lowest level in the last six months. Later in the day, a scheduled speech by the Fed Chair Jerome Powell might also influence the USD price dynamics and provide some impetus. The Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate has nosedived this morning as a weaker-than-expected construction PMI from the UK dragged on Sterling sentiment. Pound (GBP) Exchange Rates Weakened by a Lacklustre Construction PMI The Pound (GBP) is back on the defensive this morning as markets react to a disappointing PMI release from the UKs construction sector. According to data published by IHS Markit, the UKs construction PMI slumped from 52.9 to 52.1 in September. This was below forecasts of a more modest slide to 52.5 and showed that growth in the construction sector was at its slowest pace since the disruption caused by the major snowfall in March caused a contraction in activity. The index revealed that construction activity fell across the board last month, with a reduction in new house building, commercial and civil engineering projects. Once again Brexit appeared to be the main source for the slowdown, with ongoing uncertainty leading many clients to be reluctant to commit to any major investments in the UK before they have an idea of what the UKs final deal with the EU will look like. Tim Moore, Associate Director at IHS Markit, said: UK construction firms experienced softer output growth during September, with house building, commercial and civil engineering all losing momentum. A lack of new work to replace completed projects meant that civil engineering saw an overall decline in activity for the second month running and remained the main laggard. However, latest data showed that overall confidence about the year-ahead business outlook was among the lowest seen since the start of 2013. Construction companies continued to note that political uncertainty acted a key drag on decision-making, with Brexit worries encouraging a wait-and-see approach to spending among clients. US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rates Bolstered as Risk-Appetite Falls At the same time the US Dollar (USD) is surging higher this morning amid a rise in safe-haven demand and some strong US economic figures. This jump in demand for safe-haven currencies appears partly driven by weakness in the Euro (EUR) this morning after the single currency fell to a five-week low after a senior member of Italys ruling collation suggested Italy may be better off by ditching the Euro. This comes amid a row between Rome and Brussels over Italys new budget which flouts EU rules on the maximum limits for deficit targets. This follows on from yesterdays US manufacturing PMI, which showed US factories continued to growth as a solid pace in September. Analysts are also bracing for the possibility of the US Dollar extending these gains even further as they look to a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell later this afternoon at an event hosted by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE). Should Powell echo the hawkish tone struck by the bank following its policy meeting last week its likely we could see the Greenback move higher as it provides further support for multiple rate hikes from the fed next year. GBP/USD Exchange Rate Forecast: Will Slowdown in UK Service Sector Weaken Sterling? Looking ahead, the Pound US Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate may face further losses tomorrow as the UK releases its final snapshot of growth in September, with the publication of the all-important services PMI. With the service sector accounting for roughly 80% of the UKs economic growth, Sterling is likely to under pressure on Wednesday as economists forecast the services index will have slipped from 54.3 to 54 last month. Meanwhile the US Dollar is expected to appreciate tomorrow with the latest ADP employment figures predicted to reveal the US workforce continued to expand at a solid pace last month. These gains may be further extend by the release of the Americas own service sector survey, with the ISM non-manufacturing PMI forecast to show another strong month of growth in September. British expats living in the European Union are being urged to review their personal finances, pensions and investments in case the UK leaves without a Brexit Deal.In recent days the idea that there will be no deal in place when Britain is due to leave the EU in just six months time has been increasingly mentioned, particularly after the latest plan appears to have been rejected by negotiators.There are an estimated 1.8 million British expats living in the EU whose position could become more precarious if a no deal scenario happens with the British Government publishing technical notices setting out what this would mean.It has been suggested that banks will be affected with various financial implications for moving money, getting money from accounts and pension payments. The notes also suggested that for those bringing dogs across the Channel there could be hold ups and British driving licences might not be accepted.Leaving the EU without a deal would cause major inconvenience to millions of pensioners, travellers and drivers. We urge the Government to agree a deal as a matter of urgency, said Hugh Savill, director of regulation at the Association of British Insurers (ABI).The ABI is warning that in the event of no deal, British companies paying an annuity to a British expat would no longer be authorised to do so. This means a pension provider would either have to risk a fine by carrying on making these payments, would have to set up a subsidiary in the EU to do so, or could do a deal with a European counterpart.The ABI added that a relatively simple deal between UK and EU regulators could solve this issue, and allow people to continue drawing pensions and receiving insurance pay outs.A no deal Brexit is now expected by a growing number of experts and the wider population to be the most likely outcome, said James Green, deVere Groups divisional manager of Western Europe.British expats living in the EU could be financially impacted in two key ways. First, the pound would inevitably suffer and it could fall hard. This would deliver another heavy and serious blow for those who receive UK pensions or income in pounds as the cost of living, in effect, would be significantly more expensive, he explained.Second, unless there is considerable post-Brexit collaboration between the UK and EU there is a risk that existing payments from British companies, including pension and insurance companies, to those living within the European Economic Area (EEA) could be disrupted or even made impossible. Of course, this would be a major inconvenience to many UK expats, he added.Green is urging British expats in the EU to consider reviewing their personal financial strategies sooner rather than later with a cross border financial expert. This will help best position them not only to mitigate the risks of a no-deal Brexit, but also to enable them to take advantage of potential opportunities that may arise. Unfortunately, a smooth and orderly exit of the EU is looking increasingly unlikely and this can be expected to hit the finances of many expats, he pointed out.Indeed, the EU commission has said in the case of no deal there would be no specific arrangement in place for EU citizens in the United Kingdom, or for UK citizens in the European Union.The British Parliaments Brexit Select Committee has called on both sides to make it clear to all EU citizens whichever country they are in that their rights will not be affected. Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. American Airlines will launch a new daily nonstop flight from San Antonio International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport starting next year, San Antonio aviation officials said Tuesday. Related: San Antonio airport customer satisfaction rises in new J.D. Power ranking The new route, which will take off on Feb. 14, is the latest nonstop route added by the San Antonio airfield and marks an expansion in its nonstop offerings to the New York area. According to airport officials, more than 300,000 travelers fly between San Antonio International Airport and New York City annually. This is exciting news for San Antonio and our travelers, because there is a growing demand from leisure travelers to visit one of the top tourist destinations in the country and now theres even more access for business travelers to cultivate ties in the financial, high-tech, research and software sectors, San Antonio Aviation Director Russ Handy said in a statement. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio aviation director talks travel ban, airport construction and flying the F-22 Currently, Delta Airlines operates a once-daily nonstop route between San Antonio International and JFK and United Airlines flies a twice-daily nonstop route to Newark Liberty International Airport, airport spokeswoman Tonya Hope said in an email. Tickets for the new American Airlines route go on sale Monday. San Antonio International Airport has been rapidly adding new flights as the airfield has experienced a surge in traveler traffic. The airport has added more than 30 flights since 2016. City aviation officials expect more than 10 million passengers to pass through the San Antonio airport after setting a record of more than 9 million in 2017. Related: New $25 million development coming to San Antonio airport And officials are planning for the airfields future. In August, the San Antonio Airport System launched a review to assess the regions growing air travel needs over the next five decades running parallel to Mayor Ron Nirenbergs Airport System Development Committee announced last year. Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering retail and tourism. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports Bruce Leslie retired Sunday as chancellor of the Alamo Colleges District with a $45,000 bonus the maximum possible under the performance-based provisions in his contract. The community college districts board voted unanimously Sept. 18 to award the bonus on the basis that Leslie achieved four out of five goals in the contracts incentive plan. Trustee Yvonne Katz, chairwoman of the committee that evaluated Leslie, said she pushed hard for the bonus to be approved. In Leslies 12 years leading the district, Katz said, he built a goal-oriented culture focused on student success throughout its five community colleges. Its absolutely been astounding, Katz said. He is probably one of the strongest and finest top administrators Ive ever seen in the country. Leslies base salary was $415,217 during his final year as chancellor. Leslies contract called for the size of his bonus to depend on progress in five areas, including getting 80 percent of students to pick an Alamo Institute degree pathway before they completed 30 hours of coursework; creating course transfer agreements with five local universities; developing a new communications plan; and taking steps to make Alamo Colleges Online a reality. Trustees also wanted Leslie to raise the districts student completion rate, with the goal of awarding 13,500 degrees or certificates in the 2017-2018 academic year. The district reported awarding 12,756 degrees and certificates that year, although the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has not yet verified the number. Katz recommended that Leslie receive the maximum bonus despite falling short of the completion rate goal. She said the board should have sought input from Leslie and the presidents of the five colleges before setting a completion target. That was a number we literally pulled out of the air, Katz said. As a board, we were fine with where everybody came in. As for Leslies other goals, all students are now required to pick an Alamo Institute when they enroll, said Kristi Wyatt, a spokeswoman for the district. Advisers have contacted students who registered before that rule took effect, and 90 percent of all currently enrolled students have picked an institute, Wyatt said in an email. District staff have finished drafting the course transfer agreements, but some are still being negotiated with local universities, Wyatt said. Leslie presented community and marketing plans to trustees in April and launched Alamo Listens, an initiative that includes online surveys tailored to specific groups such as educators, community members or students. Trustees in February hired an associate vice chancellor and chief online learning officer who, under Leslies direction, led a team to develop a model for Alamo Colleges Online. Katz said she hoped online course offerings would expand to tens of thousands of students. Leslie became a polarizing figure soon after taking control of the district praised for easing students paths to transferring and completing university degrees but accused of having a dismissive attitude toward faculty, students and community members. About 48,000 students attend the districts five colleges, and the district provides college courses to 12,500 high school students under dual credit arrangements with school districts. Mike Flores, former president of the districts Palo Alto College, began his new role Monday as the districts chancellor. His contract does not contain an incentive plan. Alia Malik covers several school districts and the Alamo Colleges District in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amalik@express-news.net | Twitter: @AliaAtSAEN When so much has been written about the iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, one of the best-known Latin American visual artists in the world from the 20th century, why keep doing it? Thats a question that Maria Hesse asked herself in the introduction of her book, Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life. The Spanish version, published last year, received much acclaim, and now the University of Texas Press brings it to English-speaking readers. One never ceases to find revealing glimpses of Fridas fascinating life and work, Hesse proposes; the artist told many stories and details about herself, about real events and imagined ones, in her diaries and conversations. Trapped in a malformed body from birth, Frida endured near-deadly accidents. She also considered her turbulent marriage to Mexican muralist Diego Rivera an accident. But Kahlo filled her life with passionate lovers, political activism and profuse creativity as well. Her life was a constant up and down between pain and joy, weakness and strength. Hesses book is Frida Kahlo: An Illustrated Life Written and illustrated by Maria Hesse Translated by Achy Obejas University of Texas Press 152 pages, $21.95 See More Collapse a vibrantly illustrated biography of Kahlo that the author chose to tell in first person, embodying the painter with her own innovative style, her drawings and graphics flowing seamlessly with the narration. Hesse, 33, is considered one of the leading illustrators and graphic designers in the world of Spanish publications. She has illustrated books such as Bowie: Una biografia, about David Bowie, and Orgullo y Prejuicio, a Spanish version of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, among others. Her work transcends the publishing world to art galleries; most recently she was one of the artists participating in the Las Meninas art project, in which 80 sculptures flooded the streets of Madrid interpreting versions of Spanish Golden Age painter Diego Velazquezs masterpiece. The author created the book with an adult audience in mind, although it has a halo that evokes Saint Exuperys The Little Prince, where adulthood fuses with childlike innocence. How is it that Hesse, a Spanish author who has never visited Mexico, decided to put her brush and pen in Fridas life? She answers in this Q&A. Q: How did you come up with the idea to create this book? A: I really liked Frida Kahlo, but I had never thought about making a book about her. I had a meeting with Lumen, my publisher in Spain, to show them my portfolio, where I happened to have a drawing of Frida. Thats when the idea of making the biography came up. I decided to do a lot of research. I bought books that were not published in Spain, and I even showed my first draft to (Mexican author) Martha Zamora, who has written two beautiful books about Frida. Then there was a moment where I realized I needed to narrate the book in the first person because I thought it was the best way to reflect her feelings. She painted her emotions in her canvases, and this is what I wanted to highlight. Q: Why Frida? Do you feel a connection with her? A: Its an inexplicable connection. I think what I like most about Frida is the honesty of her artwork because she always did it for herself not to sell paintings. This allowed her to paint what she really wanted, without any imposition. I am also fascinated by her character, her way of being. There are visual artists who have done more important things when it comes to vindicating women in the art world, but I think Frida had a special magnetism. So yes, perhaps there are things in which, somehow, I find similarities and connections with her. Q: What has this project meant for you, combining writing with your illustrations? A: Its been a very important project in every sense for me. I do not consider myself a writer, so I wrote the text with much respect for the profession. It was imperative for me to do a lot of research, and I had to review my work many times. But its wonderful to make a book that is entirely yours. Q: You have a distinctive illustration style in your books. How would you describe it? A: I would rather let other people talk about my style. At the beginning of my career, I had many inspirations. Enki Bilal (a French comic artist and filmaker born in former Yugoslavia), Rebecca Dautremer (a French illustrator), Egon Schiele (Austrian painter from the 20th century) ... But little by little, you begin to detach from them. You find a space where you feel comfortable; you feel like yourself. This comes with a lot of hard work; it reveals itself. Q: What would you like to say to your potential readers in the U.S.? A: I would tell them that this book was made with much love, where they will find an intimate Frida. They will discover that there were more things besides the pain in her life. Its a book full of illustrations that help readers completely immerse themselves into the universe of Frida. Q: Whats next for Maria Hesse? A: I am working on a personal project now that isnt a biography. I have never visited the United States, but its something I have always wanted to do. (In the meantime) I am going to Mexico for the first time in September, and it makes me feel very excited because, after Fridas book, an essential connection was created. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet A decorated U.S. Army sergeant who worked in military intelligence at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston admitted to some of the sex-abuse allegations against him after he tried to commit suicide, a witness testified Tuesday morning. Martin Balleza, 40, is on trial in state district court, charged with continuous sex abuse of a child stemming from an outcry by a young girl in February 2016. Hes accused of sexually assaulting several young girls, all relatives. Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors Daryl Harris and Denise Hairston called three of the child victims to testify. At one point, Harris stacked thick files and a book in the witness chair so that the 9-year-old witness could see the jury and court gallery. Has anyone touched your private parts? Harris asked the girl, who pointed to Balleza and said he touched her more than one time, with his hand when she visited Ballezas Northeast San Antonio home. She was 7 at the time. The girl used her own words to describe her anatomy and oral sex. His mouth touched my middle, and he put his middle in my mouth, she told the jury, after identifying her middle. He said dont tell my parents or else hed get in trouble, the 9-year-old said. Another girl, 11, testified that Balleza touched her inappropriately three times when she was at his home. He touched me. He touched my private part where I go No. 1. It made me feel scared. I didnt know what to do, recalled the 11-year-old, who was 9 at the time of the incidents. A 16-year-old testified that she was visiting Ballezas home overnight when the man went into the room where she was sleeping at his home, spread her legs and began touching her over her clothes, then fondled her. I kept resisting, she told the jury. The girl was 14 at the time. She said she was able to get away from him by going into another room of the house. Earlier Tuesday, the military sergeants brother, Steven Balleza testified that he was out of town and was startled when he found out his brother went missing and had attempted suicide after one of the victims made the outcry. Related: SA Police accuse sergeant of abusing children he was babysitting Steven Balleza said when he returned to town, he went to see his brother in the hospital to give him support and tell him he loved him. He (Martin Balleza) told me I wouldnt love him after hearing what he had to say. I told him I loved him and like God forgave me, Id forgive him, Steven Balleza said. He then told the jury the sergeant told him he had hurt and touched young girls because he wasnt getting enough attention from his now-estranged wife. Hes still my brother, I love him, I just hate whats happened, Steven Balleza said, his voice breaking. On cross-examination, Guerrero challenged Steven Ballezas recollection of the discussion in the hospital, pointing out that his brother likely was heavily medicated and questioned whether he was completely lucid. I knew he understood what I was saying because he repeated the prayers for forgiveness and salvation, Steven Belleza said. He repeated everything I said to him. Related: Sergeant accused of child sex assault served in war, earned medals Balleza was an active duty staff sergeant at the time of the alleged incidents. He was assigned to the 201st Military Intelligence Battalion at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, joined the Army in 1997 and worked as a chemical operations specialist. He has been deployed three times to Afghanistan and once to Iraq, and received numerous medals of commendation, an Army spokeswoman said in a statement released at the time. Balleza is still in the military, his lawyer Monica E. Guerrero said. The case is being heard in the 399th state District Court, presided by Judge Frank J. Castro. If convicted, Balleza faces up to life in prison. Elizabeth Zavala is a courts and crime reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 A womans fight for survival as she tried to escape her attacker was visible on the walls of her Northwest Side apartment, according to a neighbor. Early Sunday, the woman and Nicholas Andrew Milanovich were shot as the couple lay in bed. Police believe the attacker snuck in through a back window of the first-floor apartment at Sonoma Canyon, 8631 Fairhaven. The woman, who has yet to be identified, managed to get out of the apartment and tried knocking on a neighbors door for help, according to witnesses. Police said she was outside the apartment when her attacker shot her again. Her cries for help may have gone unheard because the neighbor had moved out just two days before. She really did put up a fight, said Rolando Guerrero, another resident of the complex. Theres blood on her door and on her neighbors door. READ ALSO: San Antonio man on trial in 'horrific' child sex attack blamed on dogs The womans body was found outside the building. Milanovich died later Sunday. That morning, Guerrero said the first thing he saw when he awoke was the pool of blood on the walkway outside his building. I look to the right and there was blood (outside on a walkway), a gruesome scene from my own bed, said Guerrero, 26, who called 911 immediatedly. I stayed upstairs, I was scared. SAPD Chief William McManus said it was about 6:30 a.m. when officers arrived and began examining the scene.SAPD Chief William McManus said it was about 6:30 a.m. when officers arrived and began examining the scene. Guerrero said when police arrived and he directed them to the walkway, the officer stumbled upon the womans body. I thought I was going to save a life in the nick of time by calling police, Guerrero said. A trail of blood led officers to an apartment where they found Milanovich, officials said, who was shot in the head and covered by a sheet in bed, investigators said. EMS found that he still had a pulse and rushed him to University Hospital. He was placed on life support, but died later Sunday night, police said. Guerrero remembers seeing first responders bringing him out on a stretcher. He said Milanovich was not clothed, and his head was wrapped tight in bandages. The woman wore a black t-shirt, pajama pants, and was barefoot, Guerrero recalled. Neighbors and police said that the couple moved in about two months ago and often had friends visiting them. READ ALSO: San Antonio couple sues over son's death in fire On Monday, several neighbors said they had lost any sense of security they had from living in the middle of the complex. Im just afraid, said a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. It was real traumatic, the neighbor said. I feel like it was something from a movie. Guerrero said he will replay that moment just as he did Monday morning when he was eating breakfast. I actually cried and looked down there where she passed and started praying and singing, Guerrero said. I know her spirit is not at ease. jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA | cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @CalebjDowns In an attempt to lend bipartisan appeal to its charter amendment campaign, the fire union has elevated the voices of two residents in particular: Betty Eckert and David Van Os. In campaign ads posted online, Eckert is cast as a lifelong Republican, Van Os a lifelong Democrat. Both are quoted by the union fulsomely praising all three anti-government propositions that will appear on the November ballot. Both residents, however, have personal reasons for supporting the San Antonio Professional Firefighters Associations war against the city reasons that have nothing to do with the substance of the proposals. The proposed amendments would make it easier to use referendums to challenge council decisions; cap the salary of future city managers; and give the fire union unilateral power to decide when contract negotiations would be taken to binding arbitration. READ ALSO: San Antonio's fire union president reprimanded for fake uniform Van Os advocacy for the union is nothing new; he worked for years as the associations attorney, including when it sued the city in 2005. As for Eckert, the city once fired her from her role in running a community center, in part because she had insisted that no one speak Spanish there. In 2009, an email from a city official described an encounter with Eckert at the Kenwood Community Center near Olmos Park. At the time, Eckert had been running the center for a decade, providing meals and social services for area seniors. As I entered her kitchen, I said hello and started to speak to her helper in Spanish, the official wrote, and Mrs. Eckert right away said NO NONE OF THAT, I cant understand what youll (sic) are saying, SPEAK TO HER IN ENGLISH so I can understand what youll (sic) are saying. The worker claimed that Eckert reacted that way every time she heard someone speak Spanish, according to the email. That same year, the city opted not to authorize a new contract for Eckert to run the program. On Monday, Eckert, 87, declined to discuss that episode. She also downplayed her role in the fire unions campaign even to the point of questioning the campaign itself. They could be right with that theyre doing, Eckert said. Who knows? We dont really know. The other side could be very, very right. READ ALSO: San Antonio fire union emulates Houston's rogue path I mentioned that was a far cry from these three reforms will benefit all San Antonio residents, as the union has quoted Eckert in its campaign ad. People write things and maybe they can quote things, she responded cryptically. A lot of time I get quoted and its not really exactly She paused. But I am an advocate for seniors, she said. They probably just should have said Im an advocate for seniors because thats all I am. Van Os, meanwhile, has advocated for the fire union for years. As its attorney, thats what he was paid to do. (In 2004, the union returned the favor, endorsing Van Os in his second failed campaign for the Texas Supreme Court.) In 2005, Van Os represented the association in a lawsuit that accused the city of deducting from firefighters paychecks part of the earned wages due to be paid to them, in order to reimburse to itself alleged overpayments of workers compensation benefits, according to court records. The lawsuit sought an injunction but was dismissed. It was unclear Monday whether Van Os, a longtime labor lawyer, still works for the union. He did not return a call seeking comment. His and Eckerts history, though, underscore a common thread among the unions most vocal supporters, many of whom have either clashed with the city or been on the associations payroll. Another case in point is Councilman Greg Brockhouse. READ ALSO: Fire union alleges email from council staffer is illegal Before Brockhouse was elected last year to represent District 6, he worked as a consultant for the fire and police unions, launching broadsides against city initiatives and officials as both organizations fought for leverage in contract negotiations. Now, Brockhouse is among the last remaining members of council not to oppose the unions amendments. (It was unclear late Monday whether Councilman Clayton Perry, the other holdout, would remain neutral.) I will not be supporting the Go Vote No campaign, Brockhouse said. Part of his rationale for refusing to do so has more to do with next years mayoral race than the midterm elections. Brockhouse is widely expected to challenge Mayor Ron Nirenberg in May. I think its a lack of leadership at City Hall, he said. Im really irritated with the mayor and how he treats the opposition. Im tired of him picking on people who disagree with him. Brockhouse added, People are going to say Im bought and paid for by the union. Thats fine. Id rather be a sellout to police and firefighters than like Ron sell out to (former Mayor) Phil Hardberger and (City Manager) Sheryl Sculley. Justin White at Brock Insurance Agency has earned access to Health Rosettas Certified Benefit Advisor program. Whenever I visit with an employer to discuss healthcare options, theyre bewildered about how to provide the best coverage possible to their employees without letting runaway costs annihilate their bottom line, said Mr. White, president of Benefits Consulting at BIA. Generally speaking, people arent happy with their healthcare options. Thats why Ive worked my way into Health Rosettas Certified Benefit Advisor program to guide employers to powerful alternatives they didnt even know were there. Health Rosetta is a national organization dedicated to helping public and private employers, as well as unions, provide better, more cost-efficient care for their teams. Mr. White, a 2017 National Broker of the Year finalist, is one of the first 150 people admitted to the Certified Benefit Advisor program, and the only one from the greater Chattanooga area. Some of the practices employed by Health Rosetta advisors include: transparent pharmacy benefits, direct primary care, and cost-containment programs, said officials. "The brokered healthcare options most employers are familiar with tend to get more expensive while providing less care, said Mr. White. I want to help reshape the industry. And well start that by giving employers access to a broader array of techniques and shopping options that have helped all types of organizations reduce their healthcare spending. For additional Brock Insurance Agency details, please visit: http://brockins.com/ AUSTIN Republican Gov. Greg Abbott touted a decline in the number of uninsured Texans as proof the state is making great progress on the issue during a debate on Friday as he seeks re-election. But while Abbott claimed progress, health care experts and studies including the study to which Abbott referred have largely attributed the decline in uninsured residents to the Affordable Care Act, which Abbott and his allies have fought. Nevertheless, the Lone Star State continues to lead the nation with the highest rate of uninsured residents. Recent census figures show 17 percent of Texans were uninsured last year. While the states uninsured rate has declined since the Affordable Care Act took effect, it ticked up for the first time last year, according to the census report. In the debate with Democratic challenger Lupe Valdez on Friday, Abbott said the state has lowered the number of uninsured adults and children by more than 20 percent since he took office. A lot of people dont know, but Texas ranks the second-best state in the nation for the reduction of child uninsured rate in the U.S., he said. So were making great progress, but theres more we can do. Texas still had more than 750,000 children who lacked health insurance as of 2016, according to a report by the State Health Access Data Assistance Center. While we are happy to celebrate the fact that our uninsured rates for working-age adults and children did improve between 2013 and 2017, that is entirely due to the Affordable Care Act, said Anne Dunkelberg, of the left-leaning Texas advocacy group Center for Public Policy Priorities. Public health advocates and Valdez argue expanding Medicaid to cover low-income adults would help close the insurance gap. Abbott opposes the move, saying such an expansion would cost the state billions of dollars a year in the future. While the federal government initially foots the entire bill for expansion, states that move to expand Medicaid eventually have to shoulder some of the costs. Texas is one of 14 states that hasnt expanded Medicaid and isnt considering it, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. An estimated one million of the roughly 4.8 million uninsured Texans would be covered by expansion, according to the Center for Public Policy Priorities. In the debate, Valdez argued Texas is leaving billions of federal dollars on the table by turning it down. The state could cover its share of the cost by eliminating tax breaks for commercial property and natural gas production, she said in a written statement. Accepting Medicaid expansion and putting over 1 million Texans on insurance is a no-brainer, she said. Abbott argued in the debate that expanding Medicaid would also leave the state vulnerable to change in Washington D.C. She wants to make a deal with a federal government that is $21 trillion in debt, he said. That government will not be able to continue to match what theyre doing right now. Robert Henneke, with the right-leaning Texas Public Policy Foundation, similarly criticized expansion, saying Medicaid already provides bad health care and low reimbursement rates to providers. That's the point of this, to provide health care for the people who need it, he said. The federal structure for Medicaid with or without expansion is already crumbling. Abbotts campaign did not answer specific questions about the Affordable Care Act, which he has in the past blamed for skyrocketing premiums. RELATED: Obamacare sign-ups have increased as deadline looms In response to a debate question about how to get more Texans insured, he pointed to a state Medicaid waiver that in part helps to cover care for the uninsured. By getting that waiver were able to craft an approach to insure and cover more people in the state of Texas, he said. Public health officials worry uncertainty around the Affordable Care Act may hurt gains in coverage. The next six-week open enrollment period begins November 1. Since coming into office, the Trump administration has cut back the ACA marketing and customer service budgets. Republicans in Congress last year repealed the requirement that individuals have health insurance coverage, known as the individual mandate, as part of the wide-ranging tax bill. RELATED: Texans play major role in passing the tax bill In Bexar County, about 7,700 fewer people enrolled for coverage last year, as compared to the year prior, said Dr. Andrea Guerrero-Guajardo, with the coalition Enroll SA. We have seen a drop over the last two years, mostly because of the inability to enforce the individual mandate and also a lack of funding that was cut from a lot of the budget related to marketing and getting the word out, she said. Allie Morris is a staff writer in Austin. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | amorris@express-news.net | Twitter: @MorrisReports Bank of America has signed a lease to occupy two and a half floors of an office building under construction next to the Pearl, adding to what is set to become a cluster of banking companies on lower Broadway. Bank of America, based in Charlotte, N.C., plans to move into the offices by the third quarter of 2020, spokeswoman Britney Sheehan said in an email. The move will be to an eight-story office building that Pearl developer Silver Ventures is constructing next to a 10-story new headquarters for local credit union Credit Human. Locally based Jefferson Bank also plans to move its headquarters to the northeast corner of Broadway and Grayson, across the street from where Bank of Americas offices will be. Were also thrilled to be moving to one of the newest buildings in this growth area of town that has so much to offer our clients and employees, Vince Fertitta, Bank of Americas market president for San Antonio, said in a statement. Employees from the banks offices at 300 Convent downtown and at 200 Concord Plaza near Alamo Quarry will move to the Pearl office space, Sheehan said in the email. The bank will also have a retail location in the building. READ ALSO: USAA testing augmented reality app for car shopping Credit Human is building its new headquarters at the northwest corner of Broadway and Pearl Parkway with the help of $5.8 million in tax abatements and rebates from the city and $3 million in property tax abatements from Bexar County. Jefferson Bank hopes to build its new headquarters within the next five years on 1.7 acres of land it purchased in June, bank president Paul McSween told the San Antonio Express-News last summer. Silver Ventures is thrilled with Broadways redevelopment. City investment in the Broadway corridor paired with the relocation of major employers like Bank of America exemplifies momentum in the urban core, Silver Ventures spokeswoman Elizabeth Fauerso said in a statement. The lower Broadway corridor is booming. Along with Credit Humans new headquarters, another mixed-use tower is planned two blocks north of where the Jefferson Bank executives bought their land. Developer GrayStreet Partners plans to build a 20-story hotel and office tower at Broadway and Newell. Alamo Colleges is building a new headquarters one block east of Broadway at the northeast corner of Alamo and Josephine, and GrayStreet plans to redevelop 23 acres on the east side of the thoroughfare into a giant mixed-use community with hundreds of thousands of square feet of office space and retail. Meanwhile, the city is using $42 million from its most recent bond package to transform Broadway into a landscaped boulevard that is more friendly to cyclists and pedestrians, with fewer lanes for cars. STAMFORD Safety concerns at an elementary school, where one parent says the front doors fail to close or lock properly, will not likely be resolved this year, according to the citys engineering department. Peter Dreyer, parent of two students at Roxbury Elementary School on West Hill Road, alerted Board of Education members last week about the issues with the front doors, which were installed when the building was constructed in 1955. Dreyer said the doors do not close properly, pop open and have a gap between them. I dont have to remind anyone in this room that Dec. 14 is going to be the six-year anniversary of Sandy Hook, he said, referring to the 2012 massacre of 25 first-graders and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. One would think that every school in the country, let alone here in Connecticut, would secure their schools. People who should not be in that school are in the school and theres no way for anyone to effectively notify police if theres an intruder on the grounds at least not quickly enough to prevent a tragedy. Dreyer also complained about the fact the teachers no longer have emergency alert buttons which would summon first responders when pressed. According to Dreyer, the Stamford Police Department pointed out the issues during a recent security assessment of the school. Stamford police confirmed they conducted a security assessment of the school in April, two months after the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which sparked rallies for improved gun safety and school security. Around the same time, Stamford High School students started their own fundraising campaign to bolster security at the Strawberry Hill Avenue building. The Board of Education last year approved $250,000 to upgrade and replace exterior doors and locks at Roxbury as part of the 2018-19 capital school budget. While it was marked as a tier-one priority, city engineer Louis A. Casolo Jr. said it will take time for the project to be completed. Casolo said the board is underfunded because it only received $550,000 of its $1.65 million capital budget request for security projects. Planned projects included replacing and upgrading doors and locks at Roxbury, Newfield, Stillmeadow and Julia A. Stark elementary schools, and Toquam Magnet School. Casolo said the board decided in September to focus on Newfield, which has 30 doors, some of which have rust, are difficult to open and lack proper accessibility for the handicapped. BOE chairman David Mannis said board members will re-evaluate the timeline to complete the Roxbury project now that they better understand the condition of the doors. If its not on track, its going to get on track soon, Mannis said. We can always push. There are projects that get in the pipeline and the city engineers make decisions in order to do them. Thats not our job, but on the other hand, we can and in this case, will, be asking where that is on their priority list. Casolo said he plans to walk through the school with board members this week to develop a plan and evaluate estimates to complete the project. However, he said the project cannot move forward without funding. Theyre underfunded, Casolo said. Were going to look at their needs and see what they can afford to do. Capital projects take some time...but were certainly aware both of these schools are projects they want to move forward on. Dreyer also said students across the street at Westhill High School often visit Roxbury and are able to access the building because the front doors do not close properly. Im sure theres been some of these episodes where its alumni from Roxbury who are now at Westhill and just want to give a fond hello to a teacher, Dreyer said. Thats very nice. But thats a serious safety issue: Open front doors, high school students with unfettered access to elementary school kids thats a recipe for tragedy. Mannis commended Dreyer, who he said refocused the boards attention on the situation. At a school safety forum in March, parents listed specific issues they have seen throughout the district. They suggested more fundraising efforts to improve safety measures. At the forum, Superintendent Earl Kim said the district planned to invest $3 million on security improvements. erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata GREENWICH When deciding to make a donation to help their community, Greenwich residents Arthur and Sally Rosenberg had the most personal reason of all to give to The Nathaniel Witherell: Their daughter. The Rosenbergs daughter, Kimberly, was a college student in Alabama when a car accident left her with severe, irreparable brain damage. When the hospital in Alabama could do no more for her, she was brought back to Greenwich, first to Greenwich Hospital and then to Witherell, where she spent the last 12-and-a-half years of her life before passing away in 2001. When Greenwich Hospital told us they could no longer keep her, terror struck us, Sally Rosenberg said. Where were we going to go? Where can she be? I called all around, upstate and everywhere, and it dawned on us that Nathaniel Witherell was the answer. They told us they would take good care of her, and Ill tell you, beyond my dreams or prayers, our child was beautifully, beautifully cared for. So when the Rosenbergs wanted to give back to the community, they thought of Witherell. Their $37,000 donation funded several enhancements in the facilitys auditorium and solarium, including new furniture, a 50-inch smart TV with a surround sound system, a 90-inch TV for movie screenings, a computer lab and adjustable art easels. A reception held Monday evening at Witherell celebrated their gift. As part of the reception, a permanent plaque was unveiled in Kimberlys memory. It was an emotional day for the couple, but they were happy to see their daughter memorialized. This is very special because she was very special, Sally Rosenberg said. She was only 21, a baby to us, when this happened. And the care given to her was extraordinary on every level. To see her name here, means that hopefully this will go on as long as the building is here. Scott Neff, executive director of the Friends of Nathaniel Witherell, called the auditorium and solarium the heart of the facility. Neff admitted that the area had needed some tender loving care, and he urged the Rosenbergs to come by often to enjoy the activities. Pooches on Parade and the holiday concert by the Glenville School fifth grade choir will work perfectly in the revamped setting. The enhancements were completed a few weeks ago, but Monday was the time for the celebration and formal dedication, which brought in more than 30 of Witherells board members, Friends and other supporters. Touches like this give Witherell an edge in the highly competitive marketplace, said Larry Simon, chair of Witherells Board of Directors. When families look at long-term care, they are looking for excellent medical care as well as an exceptional lifestyle. One of the things that distinguishes Witherell from other nursing homes is that we provide a lot of activities for the people that are here, Simon said. It makes the whole socialization experience better. When youre here all the time you need something to stimulate your mind and keep you interactive. I think its essential. At some nursing homes, people just sit there and dont do anything. Here people have active, stimulated lives. Community support for the facility is critical, Witherells Executive Director Allen Brown said. He praised the newest enhancements, saying they will directly benefit residents. When we have people in the community who want to be a part of Witherell, that makes a huge difference, Brown said. We have volunteers who come in and people who show their support in other ways. When we have a gift like this, it will make things better. This will provide for needed activities and it brings the community in in an important way. It makes residents feel they havent been isolated. The computer lab will enhance residents lives, by allowing them to conduct Skype calls with their families and connect with them via the web, Brown said. According to Carissa Ronish, Witherells recreation administrator, 30 activities are held a week in the area. Community support like that of the Rosenbergs helps Witherell to go forward. A lot of people feel there is a connection to Nathaniel Witherell, which is the last municipally owned facility of its kind in Connecticut, Simon said. They have family members here. Theyve been here. Theres some emotional connection, and they want to see it survive and stay here so they make contributions to help us. During her remarks at the reception, Rosenberg offered a strong endorsement for the facility. Nathaniel Witherell is a jewel, she said. It should be preserved and taken care of because it is a vital part of this town. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com Comerica, Inc. engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Bank, Retail Bank, Wealth Management, Finance and Other. The Commercial Bank segment involves in the middle market businesses, multinational corporations, and governmental entities by offering various products and services such as commercial loans and lines of credit, deposits, cash management, capital market products, international trade finance, letters of credit, foreign exchange management services, and loan syndication services. The Retail Bank segment includes small business banking and personal financial services, which consist of consumer lending, consumer deposit gathering, and mortgage loan origination. The Wealth Management segment offers fiduciary services, private banking, retirement services, investment management and advisory services, investment banking and brokerage services. The Finance segment comprises corporation's securities portfolio and asset and liability management activities. The Other category consists of income and expense impact of equity and cash, tax benefits, charges of an unusual or infrequent nature that are not reflective of the n Read More iShares MSCI Thailand ETF's stock was trading at $63.83 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, THD shares have increased by 23.2% and is now trading at $78.62. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. There is not enough analysis data for Enel Generacion Chile. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Enel Generacion Chile has received 205 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Enel Generacion Chile has received 122 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Enel Generacion Chile has received 62.69% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Enel Generacion Chile and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EOCC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EOCC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next There is not enough analysis data for Botswana Diamonds. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Botswana Diamonds has received 231 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Botswana Diamonds has received 140 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Botswana Diamonds has received 62.26% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Botswana Diamonds and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BOD will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BOD will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Quest Diagnostics: AmeriPath, AmeriPath Cincinnati Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Cleveland Inc. (OH), AmeriPath Consolidated Labs Inc. (FL), AmeriPath Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Hospital Services Florida LLC (DE), AmeriPath Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Indianapolis PC (IN), AmeriPath Kentucky Inc. (KY), AmeriPath Lubbock 5.01(A) Corporation (TX), AmeriPath New York LLC (DE), AmeriPath Texas Inc. (DE), AmeriPath Tucson Inc. (AZ), American Medical Laboratories, American Medical Laboratories Incorporated (DE), Associated Clinical Laboratories L.P. (PA), Associated Clinical Laboratories of Pennsylvania L.L.C. 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(UK), Quest Diagnostics TB LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Terracotta LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics Venture LLC (PA), Quest Diagnostics Ventures LLC (DE), Quest Diagnostics do Brasil Ltda. (Brazil), Quest Diagnostics of Pennsylvania Inc. (DE), Quest Diagnostics of Puerto Rico Inc. (PR), Quest HealthConnect LLC (CA), ReproSource, Reprosource Fertility Diagnostics Inc. (MA), Solstas Lab Partners, Sonora Quest Laboratories LLC (AZ), Specialty Laboratories Inc. (CA), Summit Health, UMass Memorial Medical Center - Anatomic Pathology Outreach Laboratory Business, Unilab Corporation, and Unilab Corporation (DE). British-owned Dairy Crest has announced it will hold the November milk price and introduce a "price floor" for December and January. The dairy company has agreed with Dairy Crest Direct (DCD) to hold the milk price it pays to its Davidstow farmers for November at 30.9ppl. This includes the supplementary payment of 0.5ppl introduced in September to reflect current feed shortages. Furthermore, it is introducing a milk price floor to this combined price of 30.9ppl through to the end of January 2019. Chris Thomson, Group Procurement Director at Dairy Crest said: During the last month we have seen commodity markets weaken. However, in order to provide certainty to our 330 South West farmers as we go into winter, we have made a commitment to hold our combined milk price at 30.9ppl for November, as well as introducing a floor for a further two months. DCD Chairman, Steve Bone added: Recognising weakening markets, to give our members security we have agreed an effective minimum price of 30.90ppl until the end of January 2019. The Government has announced freedom of movement for EU citizens will end once and for all under its new post-Brexit immigration system unveiled today. The new system will be put in place from January 2021, after the UKs transition out of the EU is complete. EU migrants will have to apply for work visas in the same way as those from the rest of the world. Higher-skilled migrants from around the world will be given priority, with lower-skilled immigration curbed. Prime Minister Theresa May said: For the first time in decades, it will be this country that controls and chooses who we want to come here. It will be a skills-based system where it is workers skills that matter, not where they come from. It will be a system that looks across the globe and attracts the people with the skills we need. Crucially it will be fair to ordinary working people. For too long people have felt they have been ignored on immigration and that politicians have not taken their concerns seriously enough. Farm labour For the farming industry, a recently-announced pilot scheme will allow businesses to hire non-EU migrant workers for a period of six months. The two year pilot scheme will mean the UK's fruit and vegetable farms are able to employ migrant workers to plug the labour drain. 2,500 workers from outside the EU will be able to come to the UK each year, the Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Defra Secretary Michael Gove announced last month. Soft fruit production in the UK has grown dramatically, by 130% in the last 20 years. But the sector has seen a sharp decline in the number of seasonal workers, the vast majority from the EU, available to pick crops since the UK voted to leave the bloc. A grant for Welsh farmers to buy new equipment and machinery in a bid to encourage efficiency in the industry has been extended. The current fifth window for applications to the Farm Business Grant (FGB) will be extended and will now close on 26 October. The grant, intended to encourage resilience and environmentally-friendly practices, was previously due to close on Friday, October 5. The FBG, which is administered through Rural Payments Wales, is an element of the Welsh Government Rural Communities Rural Development Programme 2014-20. Wales' Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths said the grant window could be the last due to a "lack of certainty" from UK Government. Given the lack of certainty on future funding from the UK Government, this may be the last window of the Farm Business Grant, Ms Griffiths said. I have therefore decided to extend the deadline to 26 October to allow farmers more time to apply for this crucial investment. The FBG allows farmers to make important investments in their businesses to support efficiencies, improve productivity and increase their resilience. The prolonged period of dry weather over the summer posed pressures and additional costs on farmers so this grant is particularly timely. She added: I urge all eligible farmers who have attended a Farming for the Future event to consider making an application in this extended window. Farmers were required to have attended a Farming for the Future event to apply. Further information on the grant and how to apply is available on the Farm Business Grant page on the Welsh Governments website. The Food and Drink Federation has slammed the Government for brushing aside 'no deal' Brexit concerns from the industry. Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab used a speech at the Conservative Party conference on Monday (1 October) to say how the UK would leave without a deal rather than be "bullied" into signing a "one-sided" arrangement. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt likened the European Union to a Soviet-era prison, comments EU diplomats said were "insulting". The Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents the interests of the UK's food and drink manufacturing industry, said such language doesn't hide the "grisly consequences" of a 'no deal' Brexit scenario. Ian Wright, FDF Chief Executive said: It's all very well for Dominic Raab to decry scaremongering on a 'no-deal' Brexit, but just two months ago he was the one raising the possibility of stockpiling food and calling in the squaddies to help. The lurid predictions he mentions are from his own colleagues in DExEU. Their technical notices lay bare just how severe blockages at the ports would be for food coming in and out of our country. Food supplies minister Mr Wright also said that the Government appointment of David Rutley MP as food supplies minister shows a 'no deal' scenario could have a major impact on ports. The last person to occupy such a position oversaw the end of rationing in 1954. We face grisly consequences if we do not secure a deal with the EU it is not scaremongering, it is scary, Mr Wright added. We are already seeing food and drink prices rise in response to the threat of a 'no-deal' Brexit as businesses begin to stockpile and hedge currency risk. The Government must act quickly if it is to protect the interest of shoppers and consumers, who have come to expect year-round availability of high-quality food and drink at all price points. Fears of the UK leaving the EU with no deal have increased after European leaders heavily criticised parts of Theresa May's so-called Chequers plan. An intruder chopped a heavily pregnant sheep's legs off and skinned the remains after breaking into a Northern Ireland farm. The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday (30 September), according to farmer Arron Lamont, who has now made a public appeal on social media. He found the pedigree Dorset ewe with its throat slit, all four legs chopped off and fleece skinned. Police have been out to investigate, and the farmer has resorted to social media for more help. His public post, which has been shared over 1,000 times, says: How anyone could do this to an animal is beyond me. Someone knew what they were doing as this wasnt a five-minute job. Wasnt a pretty sight to come across this morning. Wire in field has been broken and all other ewes now badly shook up. It follows news of Surrey councillors pinpointing similar incidents to criminals supplying cheap meat on the underground market. Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact officers in Limavady on 101, quoting reference 510 of 30/09/18. MPs from across the political spectrum has been urged to work together to set out a "positive agenda" for British farming as the Agriculture Bill is set to receive its Second Reading next week. MPs will be tweaking future UK agricultural policy as they prepare to debate new legislation in the House of Commons during the Second Reading of the Agriculture Bill next week. The debate will set the agenda for the Committee Stage of the Bill, which will see detailed amendments tabled and voted upon. The Agriculture Bill, announced on 12 September, sets out how farmers and land managers will in future be paid for public goods, such as better air and water quality and improved soil health. The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has now challenged MPs "grasp the enormity" of setting out new farming policies. TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn said: This will be the first time that the UK Parliament will have had to think about setting a clear strategy for UK agriculture since before we joined the European Union in 1973. MPs must grasp the enormity of this task and the responsibility that is now being placed on their shoulders to deliver for farming, the environment and the health and welfare of our citizens. 'Wisdom and diplomacy' In the wake of the EU Referendum result in June 2016, the TFA called for wisdom and diplomacy in negotiating the UK's way through the Brexit negotiations. The organisation also asked that any divisions over the Referendum should be put aside to build a new consensus, and to focus building a secure future for the UK outside of the EU. Mr Dunn added: Sadly, over the past two years, we have seen precious little of wisdom or diplomacy within the political debate and even less of any sense of consensus in planning for the future. I hope that as the Agriculture Bill has its Second Reading in the House of Commons, Members of Parliament from all sides of the House corral around a positive agenda for UK agriculture. This must involve ensuring the future sustainability and resilience of domestic farming, protecting the environmental and animal welfare standards to which we operate and providing for a fair standard of living for agricultural producers, said Mr Dunn. The TFA will be briefing MPs this week on policy points, including ensuring that there is a commitment to long-term funding, targeting assistance towards active farmers to achieve fair returns from the marketplace, providing the capacity for farmers to invest to improve productivity, the maintenance of high production standards against cheaper imported products and changes in agricultural tenancy legislation. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Zhao Huan, president of Agricultural Bank of China ABC, has been appointed chairman of China Development Bank CDB as the policy bank leverages on his extensive experience in handling non-performing loans to manage the soaring assets on its balance sheet. Zhaos appointment was confirmed after ABC said on Tuesday he would step down from his role as president and vice-chairman with immediate effect. The appointment is subject to approval from the China Banking Regulatory Commission. Zhao will become the fourth chairman of CDB since the lender was founded in 1994 to support the countrys infrastructure development. He will succeed Hu Huaibang, who had been chairman of... (1) Performance results are presented on a gross and net-of-fees basis. Net returns reflect the deduction of, among other expenses, management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees, and accrued and/or crystallized performance fees, if any, and include the reinvestment of all dividends, interest, and capital gains. Net returns reflect the performance of the Company's Public Shares. Depending on the timing of an individual investor's specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Gross returns reflect the performance of the Company's shares in the aggregate and are presented before the deduction of management fees and performance fees, if any. In May 2018, the Company purchased and cancelled 22,271,714 Public Shares pursuant to the tender offer announced on April 25, 2018 (the "Tender Offer"). The positive impact on performance of the Tender Offer is reflected herein. Performance data and other information contained herein are estimated and unaudited. Net performance is a geometrically linked, time-weighted calculation. (2) Reflects the number of positions in issuers in which the Company has previously publicly disclosed an investment, which occurs after the Company has completed its accumulation. Cash, cash equivalents, direct or indirect currency or other hedges and income/expense items are excluded. Multiple financial instruments (for example, common stock and derivatives on common stock) associated with one (1) issuer count as one (1) position. A position that is included in the number of positions will be removed from the table only if the investment becomes 0.0% of the portfolio. (3) For the purpose of determining the equity and debt exposures, investments are valued as follows: (a) equity or debt is valued at market value, (b) options referencing equity or debt are valued at market value, (c) long call options and short put options (or vice-versa, short call options and long put options) held on the same underlying issuer and with the same strike and same expiry are grouped together and treated as synthetic equity positions, and are valued at the market value of the equivalent long equity position (or vice-versa, the equivalent short equity position), and (d) swaps or forwards referencing equity or debt are valued at the market value of the notional equity or debt underlying the swaps or forwards. Whether a position is deemed to be long or short is determined by whether an investment has positive or negative exposure to price increases or decreases. For example, long puts are deemed to be short exposure. (4) Includes all issuer equity, debt, and derivatives related to issuer equity and debt, and associated currency hedges. Cash, cash equivalents, direct or indirect currency or other hedges and income/expense items are excluded. The market values of associated currency hedges are included as part of the associated investment. In the event that there is a change in market cap category with respect to any non-publicly disclosed position, this information is not updated until such position is publicly disclosed. (5) Portfolio composition is reflective of the publicly disclosed portfolio positions as of the date of this report. A position in an issuer is only assigned to a sector once it has been publicly disclosed. (6) "Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. AUM" equals the assets under management of Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. Any performance fees crystallized as of the end of the year will be reflected in the following period's AUM. (7) "Total Strategy AUM" equals the aggregate assets under management of Pershing Square, L.P., Pershing Square International, Ltd., Pershing Square II, L.P. and Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (collectively, the "Core Funds"). Redemptions effective as of the end of any period (including redemptions attributable to crystallized performance fees/allocations, if any) will be reflected in the following period's AUM. (8) "Total Firm AUM" is the aggregate of Total Strategy AUM and the assets under management of Pershing Square VI Master, L.P. which operates as a co-investment vehicle investing primarily in securities of (or otherwise seeking to be exposed to the value of securities issued by) Automatic Data Processing, Inc. ("PSVI") without double counting investments by any Core Fund in PSVI. 01 October 2018 National Milk Records plc ('NMR', or 'the Company' or 'the Group') Audited Final Results National Milk Records plc (NMR), the NEX Exchange Growth Market traded leading supplier of dairy and livestock information services, is pleased to announce its audited results for the year ended 30 June 2018. These Financial Statements relate to a 12 month period, and compare to a prior period covering 15 months. This anomaly is caused by the extension of the prior financial period to include the exit of the Milk Pension Fund (MPF). Financial Highlights Turnover from continuing operations has increased to 21.4 million compared with the equivalent twelve month period in 2017 of 19.5 million (15 month period 25.3 million) Operating profit before MPF exit from continuing operations has increased to 1.9 million compared with the equivalent twelve month period in 2017 of 1.1 million Unadjusted operating profit has increased to 1.9 million (2017: loss of 11.9 million) Adjusted EBITDA has seen considerable growth of 24% to 2.4 million (2017: 1.9 million) The Board is recommending a dividend of 2.5 pence per share per share Net debt decreased by 1.8 million to 2.1million or 0.9 times EBITDA Operational Highlights NMR's screening service for managing Johne's disease has seen a substantial growth with 2,055 herds regularly undergoing screening compared to 1,600 in 2017 Continuing investment in NMR's people and infrastructure, including an investment of 0.8 million in IT and Laboratory equipment The Company is also examining how it supports milk processors in achieving their desire for greater transparency in the management of anti-microbial resistance ('AMR'). Significant increase in revenues from the Reproduction Services division of the Company NMR was successful in a tender to support the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board ('AHDB') with genomic testing Positive market outlook Dairy farmers are becoming more professional and data-driven Increasing consumer demand for food safety and traceability Milk buyers are continuing to invest in UK processing capacity Impact of Brexit mildly positive to NMR's prospects Corporate Highlights Appointment of a new Non-Executive Director, Mike Gallacher Reduction of the Company's capital approved by the High Court which, together with a hive-up of the trading activities of subsidiary companies into National Milk Records plc, marks a significant simplification in the structure of the business and its balance sheet Launch of a new "Mission Statement", enabling greater cultural alignment and clarity of management information Managing Director, Andy Warne, commented: "It is with great pleasure that we can report this strong set of results for NMR. Over the last 12 months there have been improvements in turnover, operating profit and EBITDA, and the Board is excited to recommend a dividend of 2.5 pence per share. "NMR continues to grow as a business, and to support this it is investing in its people and its infrastructure. Currently, this investment programme is focusing on information technology systems and laboratory equipment. Additionally, as part of this process, NMR has launched a new "Mission Statement" to define the Company's role in the industry. "Our efforts are now firmly set on maintaining, and improving on, the success we have experienced over the last 12 months, and therefore our primary focus will remain on the core business, a strategy which we believe will serve us well into the future. However, the Company is also ambitious and is assessing new growth strategies and opportunities, whilst continuing to provide the best possible service to our customers. "I look forward to updating shareholders on the Company's progress in due course." For further information please contact: National Milk Records plc Andy Warne, Managing Director Mark Frankcom, Finance Director +44-7970-009141 andyw@nmr.co.uk +44-7458-002444 markf@nmr.co.uk Peterhouse Capital Limited Duncan Vasey Mark Anwyl +44-20-7220-9796 Blytheweigh (Financial PR) Megan Ray Rachael Brooks +44-20-7138-3204 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT These Financial Statements relate to a 12 month period, and compare to a prior period covering 15 months. This anomaly is caused by the extension of the prior financial period to include the exit of the Milk Pension Fund (MPF).This has been a good year for NMR and I am pleased to report that we have delivered excellent financial and strategic results as we build a progressive and developing business. Revenue, EBITDA and our cash position are all growing and our Strategy Committee has agreed an aspirational strategic plan which demonstrates NMR's potential to deliver significant capital growth from organic development and step wise projects. As such, the NMR Board is delighted to recommend a dividend payment of 2.5 pence per share for all shareholdings on the register on 19 October 2018, with an ex-dividend date of 18 October 2018. If approved by shareholders at the AGM, the final dividend is expected to be paid on 23 November 2018. We are also reintroducing our Dividend Re-Investment Plan (DRIP). This will give shareholders the option to reinvest their dividend payments to buy more shares in the company. Growing and progressive companies require good governance. The NMR Board is focused on building accountability within its committee structure with clear terms of reference, active chairing from Non-Executive Directors ('NED') and a membership balance of NED and executive managers. This enables the Managing Director and Executive Leadership Team ('ELT') to focus on the day to day management of NMR. A highlight of the year has been the appointment of a new NED, Mike Gallacher, who was previously the CEO of First Milk. As well as performing his NED duties, Mike acts as the Chairman of the Corporate and Social Responsibility Committee. Growing and progressive companies also require investment. NMR is investing in both our people and our infrastructure. NMR is a services business and our staff are the key to delivering excellent service. During the year we have commissioned an external consultancy to carry out an engagement survey to establish the overall cultural health of the organisation, and the ELT is engaged in acting on the results. Additionally, we launched a new "Mission Statement" which defines what we do and who we do it for. A short video to introduce this mission statement is available on the NMR website at www.nmr.co.uk. In terms of infrastructure, NMR has started an investment programme, focusing particularly in the areas of information technology systems and laboratory equipment. These investments will deliver efficiency, enable development of new services and improve the resilience of our service. NMR remains very much a key service provider in the UK dairy industry. Our farmer and milk processor customers have navigated a year of recovery from the previous challenging period of low margins. During the first nine months of this financial period their cash positions generally improved. It does not take the Chairman of NMR to report to you that the summer of 2018 has been unusually hot and dry. The resilience of the UK dairy farmer and processing community has been demonstrated by the fact that the supply of milk has been largely unaffected. There is a deficit in animal feed stock being carried forward into the winter but our third party market intelligence forecasts mean we do not anticipate a significant market shock. NMR has also considered the likely risk of BREXIT to the UK dairy sector overall, and NMR in particular. The potential outcome of the BREXIT process is still unknown at this stage but our estimate of the impact to the UK dairy sector and NMR is mildly positive. Additionally, milk buyers are continuing to invest in UK processing capacity which is a positive sign for the industry. This is my first statement as Chairman of NMR and I am proud of our achievements. I would like to thank all the NMR employed staff and self-employed milk recorders for their hard work during the year. I would also like to thank all of our shareholders and stakeholders for their continued support. Trevor Lloyd Chairman 01 October 2018 STRATEGIC REPORT To the members of National Milk Records plc The Directors, in preparing this Strategic Report, have complied with s414C of the Companies Act 2006. The Business Model The NMR Group comprises four key revenue streams: Farm services. including milk recording and disease testing Processor services, including payment testing Traceability services, predominantly ear tags Reproduction services, including heat detection and genomics The Company organises itself around these revenue streams with one of the senior team leading each of these areas. NMR also has a Joint Venture in the Republic of Ireland, iML, providing predominantly payment testing and disease services for the island of Ireland. Trading Report and KPIs As outlined in the Chairman's report, the financial statements are prepared for the first time for the 12 months ended 30 June. Under the Company's Act NMR must report against its last published accounts which are the 15 months ended 30 June 2017. Comparing this 12 month period with the 15 month period ending 30 June 2017 is not helpful in terms of headline financial figures, however, this report describes the key elements of the trading for the year. In addition, the Company's Annual Report provides a table of six monthly trends for Key Financial Indicators. The general market and trading conditions for the UK dairy industry in the last 12 months has experienced a significant uplift in confidence following a prolonged period of low margins. The Company believes that the services NMR offers are essential to ensuring a profitable future for a dairy farm; you get what you measure, and using regular milk recording to measure the performance and individual traits for individual cows supports breeding decisions which demonstrably improves the profitability of individual cows and the herd. Genomics is a higher value test and provides greater reliability of results earlier in the breeding cycle. As UK dairy continues to consolidate and modernise, NMR's services can partner on-farm decision-making as farmers increasingly rely on data to make the best investment decisions. There has been no diminution of consumer demand for food safety and traceability, and NMR has seen a noticeable uplift in revenues for the newer services which supports this, particularly those associated with Health and Animal welfare. Herdwise, NMR's screening service for managing Johne's disease, a pervasive and wasting infection of cattle, has seen substantial growth. In June 2018, NMR had more than 2,055 herds regularly using its Johne's screening services compared to 1,600 a year earlier. Supporting dairy processors with testing, assurance and provenance services is also an area of growth and opportunity. The demands of retailers are increasing and NMR is a partnering processor under the National Milk Laboratories ("NML") brand, which provides innovative services, such as using its own software developments to match payment data to collection volumes. Additionally, it provides testing for thermoduric bacteria, which reduce the shelf life of fresh milk. The Company is also examining how it supports milk processors in achieving their desire for greater transparency in the management of anti-microbial resistance ('AMR'). The last few months of the year also saw a step change in revenues for Reproduction Services. Sales of Sensetime, the new and innovative web-based heat detection service from NMR's partners at Antelliq, has seen progressive sales, supported by grant activity. Additionally, the Company was successful in a tender to support the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board ('AHDB') with genomic testing which will aid its trial to test its TB advantage index. Group turnover for the 12 months ended 30 June 18 was 21.4 million which compares to 19.5 million for the continuous operations of the 12 months ended 30 June 17, an increase of 9.8%. This is a strong recovery in revenues, and reflects growth in NMR's core markets, disease testing and revenues from new services. Operating Profit before pension re-measurement has risen from 1.2 million for the 15 months ended 30 June 17 to 1.9 million for the 12 months ended 30 June 2018. Removing discontinued operations and depreciation reveals a growth in adjusted 12 month EBITDA from 1.9 million to 2.4 million, an increase of 24%. Key to achieving this has been the delivery of top-line growth, coupled with careful management of costs to ensure efficient conversion of revenues into EBITDA, hence EBITDA percentage is reported as a Key Financial Indicator. Whilst carefully managing costs, the Company is cognisant of the investment required in its marketing and its people development to deliver this business performance. Investment in infrastructure is also a key pillar of NMR's strategic plan, and the Company is pleased to report capital investment of 0.8 million in the year. This investment is focused in IT and Laboratory equipment, notably the Laboratory Information Management System ('LIMS') for disease testing that is at the final testing stage. This investment has all been within tight control of cash flow management and the Company's debt facilities, with Net Debt reducing by 1.8 million in the period to 2.1 million or 0.9 times EBITDA. In June 2018 NMR announced that a reduction of the Company's capital had been approved by the High Court. Together with a hive-up of the trading activities of subsidiary companies into National Milk Records plc, this marks a significant simplification in the corporate structure of the business and its balance sheet. Coupled with NMR's new Mission Statement, launched in June 2018, the hive-up enables greater cultural alignment and clarity of management information, as well as reduced compliance costs. Future Developments It was stated in last year's Report and Accounts that NMR was focused on three areas: Retaining and building its portfolio of market leading testing services Continuing its careful management of costs Investing in its business infrastructure. The Company is ambitious, of course, and the Board will continue to develop new opportunities for growth. Meanwhile, the focus on the core customers and core business has served NMR well this year and it remains determined in its mission to deliver Essential insight for the UK dairy supply chain. Key performance indicators In addition to the Company's Key Financial Indicators, Laboratory Processing Time ('LPT is a Key Performance Indicator for the Group as it differentiates it from its main competitor. In the 12 month period to 30 June 2018, LPT was 5.9 hours which is in line with previous years. NMR also monitors cows on the database as a lead indicator for revenue. This has stayed level this year at 737,000. Approval This report was approved by the Board of Directors on 01 October 2018 and is signed on its behalf by: Mr A J Warne Director CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018 12months ended 30 June 2018 15months ended 30 June 2017 restated TOTAL Continuing operations Discontinued operations TOTAL '000 '000 '000 '000 Revenue 21,405 24,331 993 25,324 Cost of Sales (10,125) (10,639) (559) (11,198) Gross Profit 11,280 13,692 434 14,126 Administrative Expenses (9,387) (12,225) (700) (12,925) Operating profit /(loss) before pension remeasurement/exit 1,893 1,467 (266) 1,201 Loss on Milk Pension Fund exit - (12,460) - (12,460) Loss on disposal of operations - - (682) (682) Operating Profit/(Loss) 1,893 (10,993) (948) (11,941) Share of operating profit in joint ventures 243 266 - 266 2,136 (10,727) (948) (11,675) Net finance cost (145) (179) 58 (121) Loss on Disposal of Fixed Asset Investments - (58) - (58) Other Gains and losses 3 - - - Profit/(Loss) Before Tax 1,994 (10,964) (890) (11,854) Tax (167) 1,375 38 1,413 Profit/(Loss) for the Period 1,827 (9,589) (852) (10,441) Earnings per share (pence) Basic 8.7 (128.3) (139.7) Diluted 8.6 (128.3) (139.7) 15 months ended 30 June 2017 has been restated following a reassessment of the measurement basis for finance leases. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 12 MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2018 12 months ended Restated 15 months ended 30 June 18 30 June 17 '000 '000 Profit/(Loss) for the Period 1,827 (10,441) Actuarial gains on pension scheme - 150 Movement on deferred tax relating to pension scheme - (29) Exchange Rate difference 4 107 Total comprehensive income/(expense) for the period 1,831 (10,213) CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 30 JUNE 2018 as at 30 June 2018 as at 30 June 2017 Restated '000 '000 FIXED ASSETS Intangible assets 358 - Tangible assets 2,524 2,790 Investments 862 623 Other Investments - 44 3,744 3,457 CURRENT ASSETS Stock 222 184 Debtors - due within one year 2,896 2,617 Debtors - due after one year 1,761 2,120 Cash at bank and in hand 1,551 459 6,430 5,381 CREDITORS AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR (4,507) (4,815) NET CURRENT ASSETS 1,923 566 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES 5,667 4,023 CREDITORS AMOUNTS FALLING DUE AFTER ONE YEAR (2,968) (3,269) PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES (256) (207) NET ASSETS 2,443 547 CAPITAL AND RESERVES Called-up share capital 53 2,124 Share premium - 7,426 Share option reserve - 22 Own Shares (195) (195) Profit and loss account 2,585 (8,830) SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS 2,443 547 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 12 MONTHS ENDED 30 JUNE 2018 12 months ended 15 months ended 30 June 18 30 June 2017 Restated '000 '000 '000 '000 Cash flows from operating activities: Operating Profit/(Loss) 1,893 (11,941) Amortisation of intangible assets 8 266 Write off intangible assets 126 - Share option vesting expense 13 - Amortisation of loan expenses 12 - Investment written off - 5 Depreciation of tangible assets 507 682 Profits on disposal of tangible assets (23) (46) Increase/(decrease) of warranty provision 45 (20) Increase in trade and other debtors (140) (100) (Increase)/decrease in stocks (38) 112 Increase in creditors 392 930 Loss on disposal of Inimex - 682 Settlement to Exit Milk Pension Fund - (2,372) Difference between pension credit and cash paid - (1,128) 902 (989) Income taxes paid - (151) Cash from operations 2,795 (13,081) Cash flows from investing activities: Dividend received from Associate 52 175 Overseas dividend - 106 Purchase of tangible assets (801) (1,265) Proceeds from sale of tangible assets 47 69 Proceeds on exercise of share options 52 - Acquisition of subsidiary - (96) Cash acquired with subsidiary - 31 Proceeds of disposal of investment - 4 (650) (976) Cash flows from financing activities Share Capital Issued - 8,709 Share issue costs - (185) New bank loans raised 251 4,019 Transaction costs in respect of the bank loan - (87) Lease finance paid down (173) (297) Interest paid (145) (48) Loan repayments (986) - (1,053) 12,111 Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1,092 (1,946) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 459 2,405 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 1,551 459 Notes General Information The basis of preparation of this preliminary announcement is set out below. The financial information in this announcement, which was approved by the Board of Directors on 01 October 2018, does not constitute the Company's statutory accounts for the year ended 30 June 2018 nor the period ended 30 June 2017, but is derived from these accounts. Statutory accounts for the period ended 30 June 2017 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and those for the period ended 30 June 2018 will be delivered following the Company's Annual General Meeting. The auditors have reported on those accounts; their reports were unqualified, did not draw attention to any matters by way of emphasis without qualifying their report and did not contain statements under S498 (2) or (3) of the Companies Act 2006. Whilst the financial information included in this preliminary announcement has been completed in accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice 'UKGAAP'), this announcement itself does not contain sufficient information to comply with UKGAAP. The financial information has been prepared on the historical cost basis. Copies of the announcement can be obtained from the Company's registered office at Fox Talbot House, Bellinger Close, Chippenham, SN15 1BN It is intended that the full financial statements, which comply with UKGAAP, will be posted to shareholders in due course and will be available to members of the public at the registered office of the Company from that date and available on the Company's website: www.nmr.co.uk 2. Going concern The Group's business activities together with the factors likely to affect its future development, cash flows, liquidity, performance and position are set out in the Strategic report. After making enquiries, the Directors have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue its operational existence for the foreseeable future and for a period of at least 12 months from the date of this report. 3. Dividends The Directors recommend the payment of a dividend of 2.5p per ordinary share in relation to the period ended 30 June 2018 (2017: GBP nil). 4. Earnings Per Share Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the earnings attributable to ordinary shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated using the weighted average number of shares adjusted to assume the conversion of all dilutive potential ordinary shares. The shares held by the Employee Share Option Plan are deducted from total shares in arriving at the weighted average number of ordinary shares used in the earnings per share calculation. Reconciliations are set out below. 2018 TOTAL P&L Earnings '000 Shares EPS pence Basic 1,827 20,939,702 8.7 Dilution 300,000 Diluted EPS 1,827 21,239,702 8.6 2017 TOTAL P&L Earnings '000 Shares EPS pence Basic (10,441) 7,473,355 (139.7) There have been no transactions involving ordinary shares or potential ordinary shares between the reporting date and the date of completion of these financial statements. The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. Ends October 2,2018 - Shell Canada Energy, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc ("Shell"), today announced it has taken a final investment decision (FID) on LNG Canada, a major liquified natural gas (LNG) project in Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada, in which Shell has a 40% working interest. With LNG Canada's joint venture participants also having taken FID, construction will start immediately with first LNG expected before the middle of the next decade. Shell's 40% share of the project's capital cost is within the company's current overall capital investment guidance of US$25-$30 billion per year. "We believe LNG Canada is the right project, in the right place, at the right time," said Ben van Beurden, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Dutch Shell. "Supplying natural gas over the coming decades will be critical as the world transitions to a lower carbon energy system. Global LNG demand is expected to double by 2035 compared with today, with much of this growth coming from Asia where gas displaces coal. LNG Canada is well positioned to help Shell meet the growing needs of customers at a time when we see an LNG supply shortage in our outlook. With significant integration advantages from the upstream through to trading, LNG Canada is expected to deliver Shell an integrated internal rate of return of some 13%, while the cash flow it generates is expected to be significant, long life and resilient." "We believe LNG Canada is an attractive investment opportunity in a strong joint venture, with companies that have deep LNG industry experience," said Maarten Wetselaar, Integrated Gas and New Energies Director, Royal Dutch Shell. "In the last two years, LNG Canada has improved its competitiveness, reduced execution uncertainty and gained significant stakeholder support. Together with our joint venture participants and contractors, we look forward to working with the local community, First Nations, government and the LNG Canada team to build and operate this game changing project for Canada's energy industry." LNG Canada is a long life asset that will initially export LNG from two processing units or "trains" totaling 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa), with the potential to expand to four trains in the future. It is advantaged by access to abundant, low-cost natural gas from British Columbia's vast resources and the relatively short shipping distance to North Asia, which is about 50% shorter than from the US Gulf of Mexico and avoids the Panama Canal. The LNG export facility will be constructed using proven industry technology on a large, partially developed industrial site with an existing deep-water port, roads, rail and power supplies. The project was planned and designed by working closely with local communities, First Nations and governments to ensure sustainable development was considered in every aspect of the project. For example, the project has been designed to achieve the lowest carbon intensity of any LNG project in operation today, aided by the partial use of hydropower. Editor's Notes LNG Canada is a joint venture comprised of Shell Canada Energy (40%), an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell plc, and PETRONAS, through its wholly-owned entity, the North Montney LNG Limited Partnership (25%); PetroChina Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of PetroChina Company Limited (15%); Diamond LNG Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation (15%); and Korea Gas Corporation, through its wholly owned subsidiary Kogas Canada LNG Ltd. (5%). It is operated through LNG Canada Development Inc. plc, and PETRONAS, through its wholly-owned entity, the North Montney LNG Limited Partnership (25%); PetroChina Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of PetroChina Company Limited (15%); Diamond LNG Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation (15%); and Korea Gas Corporation, through its wholly owned subsidiary Kogas Canada LNG Ltd. (5%). It is operated through LNG Canada Development Inc. The cost to deliver LNG into Asia is expected to be structurally advantaged compared to a greenfield development on the US Gulf coast. is expected to be structurally advantaged compared to a greenfield development on the US Gulf coast. Each joint venture participant will be responsible for providing its own natural gas supply and will individually offtake and market its own LNG. Shell's Groundbirch asset in Northeast British Columbia can provide the majority of Shell's equity share of natural gas or Shell will buy gas from the market, depending on which option provides the most value. can provide the majority of Shell's equity share of natural gas or Shell will buy gas from the market, depending on which option provides the most value. TransCanada Corporation will build, own and operate the Coastal GasLink pipeline that will be built to connect upstream gas supply to the LNG Canada plant. TransCanada has more than 65 years of experience as a pipeline owner and operator with over 90,000 kilometres of installed gas pipelines in North America. The joint venture of JGC-Fluor Corporation has been selected as the project's engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor and brings extensive experience. JGC has delivered 48 LNG trains globally, and Fluor has 60 years of construction experience on complex hydrocarbon projects in Canada . . The LNG Canada plant will be constructed under a single EPC lump-sum contract at an estimated cost of some US$1,000 per tonne of LNG. per tonne of LNG. The construction will be a modular LNG train design using proven technology and built in Asian yards with recent experience delivering LNG modules on budget and on schedule. The project has a 40-year export license in place and all major environmental permits are in place for the plant and the pipeline. Internal rate of return is defined as the discount factor that will result in a NPV=0 for all future cash flows from trading, midstream and upstream at a real terms 2018 LNG price of US$8.50 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) Tokyo delivered ex ship (DES). ENQUIRIES: Media Shell Canada Media Relations: media-desk@shell.com Shell International Media Relations: +44 (0) 207 934 5550 Investor Relations International: +31 (0) 70 377 4540 North America: +1 832 337 2034 Cautionary note The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this release "Shell", "Shell group" and "Royal Dutch Shell" are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" are also used to refer to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ''Subsidiaries'', "Shell subsidiaries" and "Shell companies" as used in this release refer to entities over which Royal Dutch Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as "joint ventures" and "joint operations", respectively. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as "associates". The term "Shell interest" is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest. This release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Royal Dutch Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Royal Dutch Shell to market risks and statements expressing management's expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "aim", "ambition', ''anticipate'', ''believe'', ''could'', ''estimate'', ''expect'', ''goals'', ''intend'', ''may'', ''objectives'', ''outlook'', ''plan'', ''probably'', ''project'', ''risks'', "schedule", ''seek'', ''should'', ''target'', ''will'' and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Royal Dutch Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this release, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this release are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Royal Dutch Shell's Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2017 (available at www.shell.com/investor and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this release and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this release, October 2, 2018. Neither Royal Dutch Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this release. We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this release that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov LEI number of Royal Dutch Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70 Publicis Groupe Announces UK Country Leadership Team Headed by CEO, Annette King New leadership team line up is aligned with country model and Power of One strategy 2ndOctober 2018 - Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] announces today the appointment of a leadership team for Publicis Groupe UK. The new leadership team will include Chief Operating Officer, Jo Coombs; Chief Growth Officer, Anna Campbell and Head of Talent, Paula Cunnington. They join Chief Financial Officer, James Barnes-Austin who started in June this year. All will report directly to CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, Annette King. Jo Coombs joins from Ogilvy where she was the UK CEO of OgilvyOne. Jo has worked with brands including British Airways, American Express, Unilever, Boots, BT, British Gas and the UK Government to establish long-lasting consumer and business-to-business relationships, drive business results and build strong brands. In her new role as Chief Operating Officer, Jo will help drive the country model, working closely with the solution hub and agency leads, fostering even greater collaboration across all talent at Publicis Groupe UK to optimise, and where relevant, reinvent the client offering. Jo will also be exec sponsor on key pitches for Groupe UK and help integrate specialist offerings with a focus on data, content and dynamic creativity. Anna Campbell will join from OMD Worldwide, where she led Marketing & Business Development, overseeing 65 markets across the EMEA region. There, she reengineered the function and running of pitches, resulting in successes including the global wins of Disney and Liberty accounts, plus Tourism Ireland and Trip Advisor. In her new remit as Chief Growth Officer, Anna will work closely with the solution hub and agency leads in the UK on prospecting and business development opportunities, identifying existing client need for additional expertise within the business and leveraging Publicis Groupe's creative, tech and data capabilities. Anna will also be focused on further bringing to life the Power of One in the UK to help deliver its unique integrated offer to clients. Paula Cunnington joins from Dentsu Aegis Network where she was UK&I Chief People Officer. Paula brings a range of experience from media, consultancy and financial services having also held roles at Barclays Group, Santander and Accenture. As Head of Talent for Publicis Groupe UK, she will be responsible for leading a strategic talent plan across Groupe UK, working closely with the solution hub CTO's, and focusing on fostering culture to further build a collaborative, progressive and inclusive environment across Publicis Groupe UK building on work to date to make it a best-in-class example of how to put talent at the heart of an organisation to succeed. Annette King, CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, commented: "I am delighted to bring Jo, Anna, Paula and James together to create what I hope will be a truly game changing UK Country leadership team. They have such a diverse set of skills and experience which I am certain we can put to great use in service of our clients, our UK solutions hubs and agency leaders and our people." Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, said: "I am delighted that the combination of the Publicis Groupe country model and Annette's personality and drive has attracted a leadership team to drive our unique Power of One proposition in the UK. We can count on this line up to deliver on our promise to clients of a desiloed integrated service platform that will accelerate their business growth." The Publicis Groupe UK leadership team appointment aligns with Publicis Groupe's country model rollout in eight key markets: North America, the United Kingdom, France, DACH (Germany, Switzerland and Austria), Northern & Central Europe, Southern Europe, Asia Pacific & Middle East/Africa, and Latin America. Publicis Groupe UK is made up of over 5,500 employees and 32 agency brands that sit within the solutions hubs: Publicis Communications, Publicis Media, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Health. About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and digital transformation, driven through the alchemy of creativity and technology. Publicis Groupe offers its clients seamless access to its tools and expertise through modular offering. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: Publicis Communications (Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, BBH, Marcel, Fallon, MSL, Prodigious), Publicis Media (Starcom, Zenith, Spark Foundry, Blue 449, Performics, Digitas),Publicis.Sapient (SapientRazorfish & Sapient Consulting) and Publicis Health. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs nearly 80,000 professionals. www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe | LinkedIn: Publicis Groupe | http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe (http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe) | Viva la Difference! Contacts Publicis Groupe Peggy Nahmany Corporate Communications + 33 (0)1 44 43 72 83 peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com (mailto:peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com) Jean-Michel Bonamy Investor Relations + 33 (0)1 44 43 77 88 jean-michel.bonamy@publicisgroupe.com (mailto:jean-michel.bonamy@publicisgroupe.com) Chi-Chung Lo Investor Relations + 33 (0)1 44 43 66 69 chi-chung.lo@publicisgroupe.com This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Publicis Groupe via Globenewswire MIAMI, Oct.2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In the crypto world the question "When Lambo?" has long denoted Lamborghini supercars as symbols of token sale success and subsequent wealth. 6SLambo is a new company created to assist founders of tokenized businesses with an end-to-end marketing solution to maximize the token sale. It uses the 6-step model popularized by Matyas Zaborszky in "6 Proven Steps to Attract ICO Investors," based on the ICO marketer and author's experience in the burgeoning field. Reach the coveted symbol of success in only 6 steps, suggests the brand's name. 6SLambo takes the client through a logical step-by-step process to achieve their goals. From finalizing the white paper, roadmap and token sale presentation, through preparing the marketing strategy and executing it with continuous reporting, to carrying out AirDrop and Proof-of-Care campaigns, list building and educational email marketing, it is a one-stop shop for everything that makes a token sale successful. The educational approach championed by Zaborszky is a significant differentiator. New enterprises are often wrapped up in their product, unaware of the target audience's needs. Zaborszky seeks to challenge the client's mindset: help potential investors meet and overcome their problems, rather than present them with preconceived solutions. Problems and solutions are matched, producing an ongoing dialog. 6SLambo's three core strengths lie in (1) the cumulative experience of its senior experts under Zaborszky's leadership, e.g. Mate Tokay of Bitcoin.com; (2) individually customized templates, with rigorous analysis applied to every part of the new offering; and (3) Zaborszky's narrative of the marketing 'journey.' Random marketing techniques selected from a list will not bear token sale success; only a comprehensive, polished process will. Every action is a logical product of the one before, falling into place to build a whole. From web experts to copywriters and financial analysts, the 6SLambo team has taken part in numerous token offerings and covers all key functions of a marketing department, the size and scope of which very few startups could hope to have. This outsourcing of marketing not only guarantees higher quality, but produces lean and productive operations, while saving cost. With a brand new website going live soon, the 6SLambo team is already at work on a number of projects with their turnkey go-to-market solution. https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/751694/6S_Lambo_Logo.jpg https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/751693/6S_Lambo.jpg Amazon Web Services recognizes EMnify for security, performance and scalability of its solution EMnify, a German deep tech company offering a cloud-based global cellular IoT connectivity management platform, today announced that it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) IoT Competency status. This designation recognizes EMnify for enabling IoT connectivity for customers in a wide range of verticals around the globe. Achieving the AWS IoT Competency differentiates EMnify as an AWS Partner Network (APN) member that has demonstrated relevant technical proficiency and proven customer success delivering solutions seamlessly in the AWS Cloud environment. To receive the designation, APN Partners must possess deep AWS expertise and undergo an assessment of the security, performance, and reliability of their solutions. Frank Stoecker, EMnify CEO, says: "EMnify is very proud to achieve the AWS IoT Connectivity Competency status. Our team is dedicated to helping customers in the IoT industry achieve their business goals through our platform and by leveraging the agility of AWS." "Many of our unique features, like, Regional Internet Breakout or our device-cloud are made possible by our close integration with AWS. This puts us in a prime position to offer the highest possible security and performance." Cloud Service Providers (CSP), Mobile Network Operators and Mobile Virtual Network Operators benefit from a globally distributed, cloud-native mobile core Network-as-a-Service that enables them to become a player in the fast growing IoT connectivity market with a fast time-to-market and low total cost of ownership. EMnify provides a full-stack solution with 2G, 3G, 4G, and NB-IoT capabilities, that includes a state-of-the-art RESTful API that can either be integrated in the CSP's offerings or offered as comprehensive white label solution. Major enterprises and SMBs benefit from EMnify's Connectivity-as-a-Service solutions, which is based on their cloud mobile core technology in combination with a multi-network IoT SIM card. This complete connectivity solution serves a broad range of IoT use cases including industry 4.0, smart cities, energy, automotive, transportation, and healthcare. EMnify's Mobile Core network and all network infrastructure is virtualized and operated as a cloud service in the AWS cloud. This ensures that EMnify's network is always operational, scalable and offers the highest level of security. AWS is enabling scalable, flexible, and cost-effective solutions from startups to global enterprises. To support the seamless integration and deployment of these solutions, AWS established the AWS Competency Program to help customers identify Consulting and Technology APN Partners with deep industry experience and expertise. If you'd like to meet EMnify at IoT Solutions World Congress (Barcelona, 16-18 October 2018) or to find out more about the company's solutions, please contact Masha Kovaleva: masha.kovaleva@emnify.com About EMnify EMnify was born out of a belief that the impact of IoT will revolutionize technology worldwide and that a technology shift is required to enable efficient and economical connectivity for intelligent devices. Based in Germany, we are a Deep Tech company and offering a cloud-based, secure and scalable Global Cellular M2M/IoT Connectivity Management Platform. By providing our technology as a cloud service, we are disrupting traditional service delivery models. Our customers are Mobile Network Operators, Enterprises and Developers from more than 100 countries, enabling new use cases that improve people's lives all over the world. For more information, visit emnify.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005040/en/ Contacts: Media contact HotDot Communications for EMnify Sascha Krieger T: +49 30 84712118-89 E: skrieger@hot-dot.com DUBLIN, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SOTI ONE, an integrated suite of solutions designed to reduce the cost, complexity and downtime ofbusiness-critical mobility available for purchase November 1, 2018 SOTI SYNC-SOTI, the world's most trusted provider of mobile and Internet of Things (IoT) device management solutions, announced today the commercial launch of the SOTI ONE Platform. This marks the end of a year-long successful beta program where SOTI customers rigorously tested the tightly integrated components of the SOTI ONE Platform, including SOTI Assist and SOTI Snap. Designed for the mobile-first era, the SOTI ONE Platform will be available for purchase starting November 1, 2018 and includes the following SOTI products: SOTI MobiControl, SOTI Assist and SOTI Snap. Companies that purchase SOTI ONE, will automatically be given access to SOTI Central, SOTI's online community. SOTI ONE comes at a time when companies are increasingly relying on mobile technology and the IoT to boost productivity and differentiate their businesses. Workers that used to rely on a single work device are now required to juggle multiple devices to perform their jobs, usually outside of the walls of the enterprise. The growth and complexity of mobility and IoT is not only straining IT departments, but also increasing their costs for building and connecting mobile apps to their backend systems. This is proven by the ever-growing business spend on system integration services which is expected to top a half a trillion dollars by 2025[1]. "Already we are seeing businesses in nearly every sector - including retail, healthcare, manufacturing and transportation & logistics - leverage mobile technology and IoT to reinvent their primary revenue generating processes and create digital businesses that could not have been imagined before," said Carl Rodrigues, President and CEO, SOTI. "As the scale and complexity of mobile technology within organizations increases, the SOTI ONE Platform eliminates the mobility pain points businesses face and offers a flexible solution that best fits their business needs." 1. PR Newswire, "System Integration Market Size to Reach Close to USD 528 Billion by 2025|Million Insights," May 14, 2018. With the commercial availability of SOTI ONE, the integrated suite of mobility solutions is now comprised of: SOTI MobiControl: SOTI's flagship enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution that secures, remotely supports and manages Android, iOS, Linux, Mac and Windows devices throughout their entire lifecycle. SOTI's flagship enterprise mobility management (EMM) solution that secures, remotely supports and manages Android, iOS, Linux, Mac and Windows devices throughout their entire lifecycle. SOTI Assist: The industry's first help desk solution, 'purpose-built' to fix mobile device problems, features SOTI's award-winning remote control technology, making it easy to analyse and resolve mobile device and application issues from anywhere, any time. The industry's first help desk solution, 'purpose-built' to fix mobile device problems, features SOTI's award-winning remote control technology, making it easy to analyse and resolve mobile device and application issues from anywhere, any time. SOTI Snap: A cross-platform, rapid app development solution that takes the cost, complexity and coding out of mobile app development, deployment and management. It enables organizations to build apps quickly, connects with thousands of critical backend systems through integration with Zapier, Webhooks and custom REST APIs, and dramatically improves time to market, reduces development cost, and enhances user engagement. A cross-platform, rapid app development solution that takes the cost, complexity and coding out of mobile app development, deployment and management. It enables organizations to build apps quickly, connects with thousands of critical backend systems through integration with Zapier, Webhooks and custom REST APIs, and dramatically improves time to market, reduces development cost, and enhances user engagement. SOTI Central: The dynamic online community for all SOTI partners and customers enables interaction with product experts and the ability to browse a curated library of products and services built around SOTI ONE solutions. "SOTI MobiControl, SOTI Assist and SOTI Snap are integral to our SOTI ONE suite of enterprise mobility solutions and showcase the true 'one-stop-shop' nature of SOTI for companies looking to build business models based on the rise of mobility and the IoT," said Carl Rodrigues, CEO of SOTI. "We continue to listen to our customers and expand the capabilities of our SOTI ONE Platform to ensure that SOTI cements itself as a partner to revolutionize their operations and significantly cut costs." To experience the SOTI ONE Platform, visit http://www.soti.net/products/soti-one-platform/ for details. About SOTI SOTI is the world's most trusted provider of mobile and IoT device management solutions, with more than 17,000 enterprise customers and millions of devices managed worldwide. SOTI's innovative portfolio of solutions and services provide the tools organizations need to truly mobilize their operations and optimize their mobility investments. SOTI extends secure mobility management to provide a total, flexible solution for comprehensive management and security of all mobile devices and connected peripherals deployed in an organization. For more information, visit http://www.soti.net. New leadership team line up is aligned with country model and Power of One strategy LONDON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] announces today the appointment of a leadership team for Publicis Groupe UK. The new leadership team will include Chief Operating Officer, Jo Coombs; Chief Growth Officer, Anna Campbell and Head of Talent, Paula Cunnington. They join Chief Financial Officer, James Barnes-Austin who started in June this year. All will report directly to CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, Annette King. Jo Coombs joins from Ogilvy where she was the UK CEO of OgilvyOne. Jo has worked with brands including British Airways, American Express, Unilever, Boots, BT, British Gas and the UK Government to establish long-lasting consumer and business-to-business relationships, drive business results and build strong brands. In her new role as Chief Operating Officer, Jo will help drive the country model, working closely with the solution hub and agency leads, fostering even greater collaboration across all talent at Publicis Groupe UK to optimise, and where relevant, reinvent the client offering. Jo will also be exec sponsor on key pitches for Groupe UK and help integrate specialist offerings with a focus on data, content and dynamic creativity. Anna Campbell will join from OMD Worldwide, where she led Marketing & Business Development, overseeing 65 markets across the EMEA region. There, she reengineered the function and running of pitches, resulting in successes including the global wins of Disney and Liberty accounts, plus Tourism Ireland and Trip Advisor. In her new remit as Chief Growth Officer, Anna will work closely with the solution hub and agency leads in the UK on prospecting and business development opportunities, identifying existing client need for additional expertise within the business and leveraging Publicis Groupe's creative, tech and data capabilities. Anna will also be focused on further bringing to life the Power of One in the UK to help deliver its unique integrated offer to clients. Paula Cunnington joins from Dentsu Aegis Network where she was UK&I Chief People Officer. Paula brings a range of experience from media, consultancy and financial services having also held roles at Barclays Group, Santander and Accenture. As Head of Talent for Publicis Groupe UK, she will be responsible for leading a strategic talent plan across Groupe UK, working closely with the solution hub CTO's, and focusing on fostering culture to further build a collaborative, progressive and inclusive environment across Publicis Groupe UK building on work to date to make it a best-in-class example of how to put talent at the heart of an organisation to succeed. Annette King, CEO of Publicis Groupe UK, commented: "I am delighted to bring Jo, Anna, Paula and James together to create what I hope will be a truly game changing UK Country leadership team. They have such a diverse set of skills and experience which I am certain we can put to great use in service of our clients, our UK solutions hubs and agency leaders and our people." Arthur Sadoun, Chairman and CEO of Publicis Groupe, said: "I am delighted that the combination of the Publicis Groupe country model and Annette's personality and drive has attracted a leadership team to drive our unique Power of One proposition in the UK. We can count on this line up to deliver on our promise to clients of a desiloed integrated service platform that will accelerate their business growth." The Publicis Groupe UK leadership team appointment aligns with Publicis Groupe's country model rollout in eight key markets: North America, the United Kingdom, France, DACH (Germany, Switzerland and Austria), Northern & Central Europe, Southern Europe, Asia Pacific & Middle East/Africa, and Latin America. Publicis Groupe UK is made up of over 5,500 employees and 32 agency brands that sit within the solutions hubs: Publicis Communications, Publicis Media, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Health. About Publicis Groupe - The Power of One Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and digital transformation, driven through the alchemy of creativity and technology. Publicis Groupe offers its clients seamless access to its tools and expertise through modular offering. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: Publicis Communications (Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett, BBH, Marcel, Fallon, MSL, Prodigious), Publicis Media (Starcom, Zenith, Spark Foundry, Blue 449, Performics, Digitas),Publicis.Sapient (SapientRazorfish & Sapient Consulting) and Publicis Health. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs nearly 80,000 professionals. www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe | Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe | LinkedIn: Publicis Groupe | http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe | Viva la Difference! PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences (MINS) at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce an international call for submissions for its annual Rising Star Award in neuroscience research. To highlight the "Year of Neurodegenerative Research" on Penn's campus, the award honors a young researcher for outstanding contributions to neurodegenerative research with a USD 10,000 personal honorarium at the MINS 35th Annual Retreat and Symposium on April 3, 2019. "Neurodegenerative disorders are major health problems for the elderly, and there are currently no treatments for any of these diseases," said Virginia Lee, PhD, director of Penn's Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and a MINS faculty member. "I am proud that there is a large research community at Penn, including MINS, at the forefront of research elucidating the etiology and pathogenesis of these devastating disorders. We look forward to honoring and facilitating a young researcher to enhance our understanding of age-related neurodegeneration and to advance future therapies." In addition, the 2019 award recipient will present a research seminar at the symposium and, before the seminar, a separate introductory lecture on neurodegeneration. Also at the symposium, Prof. Pietro De Camilli, Yale School of Medicine, will give the Sprague Lecture, and Prof. Beth Stevens, Harvard Medical School, will give the Adler Lecture. Researchers who received their first advanced degree, such as the PhD, in 2005 or more recently are invited to submit a one-page description of their contributions to neurodegenerative research, full curricula vitae, and names of three references in a single PDF file by December 1, 2018, to MINSRisingStarAward@lists.upenn.edu. More information can be found at www.med.upenn.edu/ins. About MINS: The Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania is a preeminent institution for integrated neuroscience research and training. As the University's intellectual nexus for the study of the brain, MINS supports cross-disciplinary and integrated approaches to fundamental, preclinical, and clinical research. With more than 150 faculty from 32 academic departments and the associated Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, MINS provides a fertile collaborative environment that is a template for programs and institutions around the world. CONTACT:Eric van der Vlugt eric@articus.com (+1) 215.519.9188 Landmark step for UK health tech industry expected to enable faster and more accurate breast cancer detection LONDON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kheiron Medical Technologies, a UK start-up, has received CE marking for its new deep learning-based breast cancer screening software. Kheiron is the first UK company to receive the CE mark for deep learning software in radiology, which enables this cutting-edge technology to be launched within the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and European healthcare systems. In a clinical study, Kheiron's regulatory approved software has also demonstrated indications of performance above the average national benchmarks for breast screening radiologists. Application for FDA approval of Kheiron's software is underway. CE regulatory approval means that health care providers in Europe can use Kheiron's deep learning software as a second reader of mammographic images in a breast cancer screening setting. Clinicians are able to receive results within seconds, directly into their existing workflows, incorporating case-wise recall decision support and lesion localisation. Deep learning uses powerful artificial neural networks and high performance computing to analyse complex medical images with tremendous precision. With the approval of Kheiron's software for use as a second reader, the screening workload of overstretched clinical staff in all screening settings is potentially reduced, allowing them to focus on other more complex modalities and tasks. For the NHS, Kheiron's software presents a new technology tool that could benefit the global ongoing radiology workforce shortage, starting with the NHS Breast Screening Programme. In addition, CE marking allows for intelligent triaging of imaging studies prior to review, enabling radiologists to prioritise studies based on the algorithm's findings. Together, the approved software is aimed at facilitating more efficient and accurate breast cancer detection at an earlier stage of the disease and reducing the number of women incorrectly subjected to invasive biopsies, unnecessary radiation and detecting more cancers at the crucial early stages. Kheiron's approach to clinical validation for CE marking has set a high bar. The company commissioned an independent multi-center clinical study to evaluate their software's performance prior to submission. This retrospective study demonstrated that the software surpassed recognised standards for single radiologist reporting accuracy. Kheiron's focus on deep clinical rigor means that it is already launching further multi-phase clinical evaluations across the UK, Europe and US to further assess and improve performance, and the potential impact on breast screening outcomes. "Regulatory approval for Kheiron comes just as the new Health Secretary announces his vision for a more technologically driven NHS," said Kheiron's CEO, Dr Peter Kecskemethy. "As a UK SME we welcome the forward-thinking of our healthcare leadership and are excited to be working closely with both clinicians and service providers to ensure that patients receive the benefits of this new wave of technology." Kheiron's Clinical Director and Consultant Radiologist, Dr Hugh Harvey said "CE marking of our deep learning technology is a huge step for the health tech industry, and demonstrates that the UK can really lead globally on diagnostic software in medicine. Of course, introducing deep learning tools into clinical practice is not just about passing through these regulations, and that's why we are conducting multiple phases of clinical trials as well as change management projects and health economics analyses to ensure this cutting-edge technology is integrated in an ethical, safe and meaningful way within the existing breast screening programme so that both women and clinical staff can receive the maximum benefit." "These are exciting times for the breast imaging community and in particular breast screening," said Dr Nisha Sharma, Consultant Breast Radiologist, Director of Breast Screening & Clinical Lead for Breast Imagingat Leeds University Hospitals Trust, and Secretary for the British Society of Breast Imaging . "Software such as this will have a significant impact in managing the global workforce shortage in mammography by augmenting single reading and ensuring that the sensitivity and specificity of double reading are at least maintained and potentially improved. This would reinforce the aim that deep learning tools are there to support the clinician and work alongside them." Kheiron's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Christopher Austin said "With UK radiology workforce shortages in the spotlight, regulatory approval could actually position the UK and Europe as the world's earliest adopters of AI at scale. European national breast screening programmes can now take the lead and demonstrate how to leverage high quality, proven, and safe machine learning technologies to run screening programmes better, smarter and more cost-effectively for millions of women." "As someone who's both looked after patients with breast cancer and experienced it personally, I know that the one thing every woman is worried about is whether they will need chemotherapy," said Consultant Breast Surgeon and Breast Cancer Patient, Dr Liz O'Riordan . "The aim of breast screening is to pick up cancers years before a woman might feel a lump, and therefore avoid treatments like chemo. Currently, women wait up to two weeks to get the results of their mammogram, and the time spent waiting -the 'scanxiety' they feel- can be harrowing to say the least. If Kheiron can help accurately speed up that process, and pick up cancers early, it would make a dramatic impact on improving the screening patient experience." About Kheiron: Kheiron Medical Technologies' mission is to help clinicians detect breast cancer earlier and more accurately. Founded in 2016 by Peter Kecskemethy and Tobias Rijken, Kheiron was incubated in Entrepreneur First in London. Kheiron combines novel deep learning methods, data science, and radiology expertise to enable an entirely new level of diagnostics that are designed to detect cancers and improve patient outcomes. Blue Earth Diagnostics, a leading molecular imaging diagnostics company, today announced that the Transparency Committee of the French Haute Autorite de Sante (HAS) has recommended that Axumin (fluciclovine (18F)) is included on the list of medicines approved in France for hospital use, in line with its European indication. Axumin is a novel molecular imaging agent approved in the European Union for use in PET imaging to detect and localize prostate cancer in men experiencing suspected recurrence based on elevated blood prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels after primary curative treatment. The positive recommendation marks a further milestone in the roll-out of Axumin across Europe, following receipt of Marketing Authorisation from the European Commission in May 22, 2017. Axumin is the first and only PET imaging agent approved by the European Commission for use in men with suspected recurrent prostate cancer in all European Union member states as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Blue Earth Diagnostics is working to build a network of authorized and approved manufacturing locations across Europe. The company now has six European manufacturing and distribution agreements for Axumin in place, covering seventeen countries. Axumin is already commercially available in Norway, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Austria with further European countries set to follow soon. Jonathan Allis, Chief Executive Officer of Blue Earth Diagnostics said, "We're delighted to announce another significant step towards our mission of making Axumin commercially available to clinicians and their patients across Europe. Detection and localization of recurrent prostate cancer is a significant unmet medical need, and Blue Earth Diagnostics is committed to maximizing access to Axumin across Europe." About Blue Earth Diagnostics Blue Earth Diagnostics is a leading molecular imaging diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel PET imaging agents to inform clinical management and guide care for cancer patients in areas of unmet medical need. Formed in 2014, Blue Earth Diagnostics is led by recognized experts in the clinical development and commercialization of innovative nuclear medicine products. The company's first approved and commercially available product is Axumin (fluciclovine F 18), a novel molecular imaging agent approved in the United States and European Union for use in PET imaging to detect and localize prostate cancer in men with a diagnosis of biochemical recurrence. The company's pipeline includes Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-targeted radiohybrid ("rh") agents. rhPSMA is a clinical-stage, investigational class of theranostic compounds, with potential applications in both the imaging and treatment of prostate cancer.Blue Earth Diagnostics is backed by Syncona, an investment company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LON: SYNC). For more information, visit: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com. This press release is intended to provide information about Blue Earth Diagnostics' business in Europe. The approval status and product label for Axumin varies by country worldwide. Refer to the individual country product label at www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/medicines/004197/human_med_002100.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac058001d124 for complete information or contact Blue Earth Diagnostics. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005094/en/ Contacts: Blue Earth Diagnostics (Europe) Georgina Mowatt Communications Manager Tel: +44 (0) 7810 355 912 g.mowatt@blueearthdx.com or Media inquiries: Sam Brown Inc. (for Blue Earth Diagnostics) Mike Beyer Tel: +1 312-961-2502 mikebeyer@sambrown.com Greater technological complexity and convergence increase demand for test equipment solutions, finds Frost & Sullivan SANTA CLARA, California, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Autonomous driving, 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), data centers, power applications, and new high-speed digital standards are the growth engines of the electronic test and measurement (T&M) equipment market for the next five years. The next wave of growth has begun with the technologies making their way down the product lifecycle, from research and development to manufacturing and deployment. Greater complexity and technology convergence will spur demand across verticals, with the largest opportunities coming from communications, semiconductors and computing industries, and the fastest growth in industrial and automotive verticals. Market winners will be those able to meet the demand while addressing the specific requirements of applications. "Greater complexity in end-user technologies calls for an increased cost of test. However, with RF proliferation in consumer devices, there is the notion that the cost of test equipment should follow that trend," said Jessy Cavazos, Industry Director for Test & Measurement at Frost & Sullivan. "It will be vital for market participants to come up with a new approach to test in the coming years as the traditional approach is not sustainable from cost and technical perspectives." Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Global Electronic Test and Measurement, Forecast to 2022, provides a comprehensive analysis of trends, perspectives, and market forecasts. With the smart mobility concept and new cellular and Wi-Fi standards, including 4.5G, 4.9G, 5G and 802.11ax, the demand for RF test equipment will be high, while that of digital test equipment will be fueled by new standards such as PCIe5 and CCIX. For further information on this analysis, please click here. A few of the key growth areas identified by Frost & Sullivan experts include: Autonomous Driving: These technologies call for innovative measurements and test approaches to address needs through automation and other means as well as provide complete systems that cover electrical, mechanical and software aspects. These technologies call for innovative measurements and test approaches to address needs through automation and other means as well as provide complete systems that cover electrical, mechanical and software aspects. 5G: Technical complexity with 5G has grown exponentially, with engineers requiring flexible and easily upgradable solutions. Therefore, vendors need to work with technology leaders early in the research stage to acquire the knowledge necessary to support customers in the next stages of the technology lifecycle. Technical complexity with 5G has grown exponentially, with engineers requiring flexible and easily upgradable solutions. Therefore, vendors need to work with technology leaders early in the research stage to acquire the knowledge necessary to support customers in the next stages of the technology lifecycle. Power applications: Design engineers for power supplies and power sequencing applications need deeper insight into their designs for maximum energy efficiency. Test vendors should focus on solutions that have better noise performance, are more precise, and can catch fast, small and unpredictable signals. "The automotive industry, 5G, power applications, high-speed digital standards, and power applications will provide significant growth opportunities for participants over the next five years," said Cavazos. "In addition, stronger demand will emerge from medical devices. Significant opportunities will come from high frequencies changing the face of the electronic T&M market over the next decade." Global Electronic Test and Measurement, Forecast to 2022 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan's Measurement & Instrumentation research and analysis available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Global Electronic Test and Measurement, Forecast to 2022 K17C-30 Contact: Edyta Debowska P: +48 22 4816203 E: Edyta.Debowska@frost.com http://ww2.frost.com SAO PAULO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Chamber of Commerce will introduce a prototype of an AI-powered 'Cognitive Trade Advisor' designed to assist trade negotiators during the Public Forum at the WTO. The Cognitive Trade Advisor (CTA) is a pioneering AI-powered application designed to optimize and enhance trade negotiations. The CTA uses the understanding of natural language in order to provide cognitive solutions to improve the way delegates prepare for and carry out their negotiations. The new tool results from the work of the Intelligent Tech & Trade Initiative (ITTI), a project led by ICC to increase the use of AI and blockchain in international trade. Developed in partnership with IBM, the ITTI-CTA is a tech platform designed to read, scan, classify and interpret thousands of intricate provisions in trade agreements and related documents. It can do so in less than a second. By using IBM Watson, the CTA will shorten the amount of time and improve the productivity and the quality of the preparatory work delegates devote to trade negotiations. According to Daniel Feffer, Chairman of ICC Brasil and founder of ITTI, "the development of tools such as the CTA is a first step in reshaping trade negotiations as we know them, with AI boosting global cooperation". The CTA emerged from the actual trade talks between Canada and Mercosur. It initially centers on the issue of Rules of Origin, the set of criteria used to ascertain the national source of a product. For the prototype, ITTI and IBM used previous trade agreements that Canada and Mercosur signed with different partners, totaling 700 hundred pages. By applying a combination of AI, data analytics and cloud computing resources, the CTA comprehends and structures different families of Rules of Origin adopted in previous trade agreements, providing steadfast and smart insights for negotiators. With the CTA, trade negotiators will also be able to better understand the strategies pursued by other trade partners. This will be made possible on the basis of automated analyses directed to sets of previous trade agreements signed by any given country. Users will also have the ability to identify the standards of rules employed for a certain industry in a particular trade agreement. The CTA also encompasses a cognitive assistant named "Adam" - a smart trade expert who understands human language and can answer different questions about trade agreements, such as "what is the Rule of Origin applied for a certain product?". Adam will be the world's first cognitive assistant available for trade negotiations. The Cognitive Trade Advisor will be formally launched at WTO Headquarters on October 2, 2018, at the WTO Atrium (Authors' Corner), in a session starting at 2:30 pm (CET) . Further information: Gabriella Dorlhiac +55 11 3040 8836 About ICC The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the largest world business organization, with a global network of over 6 million members in more than 100 countries. ICC aims to promote international trade and investment as vehicles for inclusive growth and prosperity. Regulatory News: Coca-Cola European Partners plc (CCEP) (ticker symbol: CCE) will release third-quarter 2018 earnings at 12:00 BST, 13:00 CEST, and 7:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday, 25 October 2018. A conference call discussing these results will be webcast live through the company's website, www.ccep.com, at 13:00 BST, 14:00 CEST, and 8:00 a.m. EDT. A replay of the call will be available later that day and a transcript will be available shortly afterwards. A copy of the company's news release will be available through the website on the home page and under the Investors section. ABOUT CCEP Coca-Cola European Partners plc (CCEP) is a leading consumer packaged goods company in Europe, producing, distributing and marketing an extensive range of non alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and is the world's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on revenue. Coca-Cola European Partners serves a consumer population of over 300 million across Western Europe, including Andorra, Belgium, continental France, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. The company is listed on Euronext Amsterdam, the New York Stock Exchange, Euronext London, and on the Spanish stock exchanges, and trades under the symbol CCE. For more information about CCEP, please visit www.ccep.com and follow CCEP on Twitter at @CocaColaEP. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005491/en/ Contacts: Coca-Cola European Partners plc Investor Relations Sarah Willett T +44 (0) 7970 145 218 or Claire Huff T +44 (0) 7528 251 033 or Media Relations Shanna Wendt T +44 (0) 7976 595 168 Proceeds from NESCAFE HUB in Thailand will also go toward scholarships for junior coffee farmers as part of celebration BANGKOK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NESCAFE, the no.1 coffee brand in Thailand, successfully wrapped its NESCAFE Day celebration which coincided with International Coffee Day on 1 October. Mr. Victor Seah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nestle Indochina and Mr. Vladislav Andreev, Business Executive Officer -- Coffee and Creamer Business Unit, Nestle (Thai) Ltd, led the NESCAFE troops handing out one million coffee samplings in 4 countries, i.e. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, to celebrate NESCAFE Day event. Three main products of NESCAFE, including NESCAFE RED CUP, NESCAFE Can Ready-to-Drink and NESCAFE BLEND & BREW, were given away at popular spots in Bangkok, such as around Chong Nonsi BTS Station, Silom Road, Victory Monument and Asok Road, as well as several locations in major cities across the country. The NESCAFE Day troops were well received by coffee lovers and those who passed by as they got to enjoy a fresh cup of coffee to start off their day from 7am onwards. The giveaway event was considered one of the biggest coffee-related celebrations and bonding treats ever been held in the four countries. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753093/NESCAFE__Day.jpg To celebrate the occasion further, all proceeds collected from the sales at NESCAFE HUB @ BTS Chidlom on October 1 will go to fund the education of Thai coffee farmers' children in "Junior Coffee Farmer" project. The project has been established by NESCAFE to provide educational supports for local junior coffee farmers who are expected to become the future key assets in Thai coffee farming. It is also the result of NESCAFE's commitment to supporting the community to grow together with the business and encouraging the public to recognize the significance of coffee farmers. Notes to the Editor Nestle is the world's largest food and beverage company. It is present in 191 countries around the world, and its 328,000 employees are committed to Nestle's purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. Nestle offers a wide portfolio of products and services for people and their pets throughout their lives. Its more than 2,000 brands range from global icons like NESCAFE or NESPRESSO to local favourites like BEAR BRAND or MINERE. Company performance is driven by its Nutrition, Health and Wellness strategy. Nestle is based in the Swiss town of Vevey where it was founded more than 150 years ago. Products under the NESCAFE brand are distributed by Nestle (Thai) Ltd., which is a company that is 100% owned by Nestle S.A. in Switzerland. The NESCAFE product portfolio includes NESCAFE RED CUP, NESCAFE BLEND & BREW, NESCAFE GOLD, NESCAFE Can Ready-to-Drink, NESCAFE PROTECT PROSLIM, and NESCAFE DOLCE GUSTO. For more information about Nestle (Thai), please visit: Website: https://www.nestle.co.th Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodfoodgoodlifebyNestleThailand Proprietary technology positioned to become the new standard of care in global drug delivery SANTA CLARA, California, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the global drug delivery systems market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes PharmaJet with the 2018 Global Technology Innovation Award for an innovative jet injection technology offering a needle-free, accurate, and consistent method of vaccine delivery. The company's versatile and proven needle-free devices support both established vaccines and novel pharmaceuticals for intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intradermal drug delivery. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/752792/PharmaJet_Award.jpg Click Here to read the full Award Write Up. PharmaJet's portfolio consists of: Stratis IM/SC (Stratis ) for intramuscular or subcutaneous delivery IM/SC (Stratis ) for intramuscular or subcutaneous delivery Tropis ID (Tropis) for intradermal delivery of liquid medicines directly into the skin The device uses a simple point-and-click technique to calibrate to a specific vaccine volume, which helps minimize vaccine wastage. The spring-powered needle-free injector uses a narrow stream of fluid that goes through the skin in about 1/10th of a second. As the device does not touch the patient and uses single-use syringes, it eliminates the risk of reuse and contamination. "PharmaJet designed its jet injection devices to withstand the rigors of bush medicine, as demonstrated by the World Health Organization's (WHO) successful clinical trials for Tropis in countries such as Cambodia, The Gambia, Cuba, and Pakistan," said Patrick Riley, Principal Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "Unlike competing needle-free injectors designed for a single application, PharmaJet's technology addresses an entire portfolio of vaccines and drugs. The devices are currently being used to deliver vaccines for, influenza, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella, and there are over 60 studies complete or in process across indications including Zika, Dengue, Malaria, HPV, and others." PharmaJet also provides customers with total cost savings of up to 40 percent. Even though its products are more expensive than prefilled syringes, they do not require costly needle disposal and lengthy injection training. Furthermore, the syringes can extract more doses out of a vaccine vial because caregivers do not have to overfill syringes to compensate for the inaccuracy inherent in traditional needle syringes. Significantly, PharmaJet's is the only WHO pre-qualified needle-free injection system and has market clearance from global regulatory bodies such as the FDA, CE, DCGI, and ANVISA. Both patients and providers have responded favorably to the innovative technology, while the company's Web-accessible and comprehensive training program further boosts its value proposition. "Encouraged by the success of Tropis in the novel pharmaceutical space, PharmaJet stepped up collaboration efforts with several therapeutic cancer vaccine developers. Its other areas of interest include nucleic acid vaccine development programs and expanding the use of its device in the global influenza market," noted Riley. "With unparalleled ease-of-use and revolutionary technology that ensures proper dosing, the company can deliver more potency than a needle and syringe with less vaccine - positioning it to become the new standard of care." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops a product with innovative features and functionality that is gaining rapid acceptance in the market. The award recognizes the quality of the solution and the customer value enhancements it enables. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About PharmaJet Based in Golden, Colorado, PharmaJet's mission is worldwide acceptance of PharmaJet needle-free devices as a standard of care in the vaccine delivery market. The innovative Stratis Injector has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The Tropis device for intradermal injections received authorization to apply the CE Mark in May 2016 and WHO PQS certification in June 2018. The PharmaJet Needle-free Injectors are safe, fast and easy-to-use. They eliminate needlestick injuries, needle reuse and cross contamination, and help reduce sharps waste disposal. Contact: Nancy Lillie P: 1-888-900-4321 Option 3 E. Nancy.Lillie@pharmajet.com About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Ana Arriaga P: 210.247.3823 F: 210.348.1003 E: ana.arriaga@frost.com MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Decentralized and challenging locations for wastewater treatment have long required more efficient and effective services, and Vacuflow from QUA-VAC B.V. delivers this with a negative pressure system that requires lower volumes of water and electricity to deliver reliable services. The new exclusive partnership between QUA-VAC and Newterra is a natural fit, with QUA-VAC accessing a leading North American supplier of modular water and wastewater treatment solutions and Newterra gaining distributor access to a pertinent solution that will offer a new alternative to help customers across the region. "Newterra's strategic partnership further cements the organization's strength in technology leadership for North America," said Seth Cutler, Principal Consultant, Environment & Water Program Manager, Americas. This is reflected in its recognition by Frost & Sullivan with the 2017 Global Technology Leadership Award. The ability to offer collection systems, along with its modular sewage treatment facilities, gives Newterra's customers a single point of responsibility. With its extensive background in groundwater and contaminated site remediation, Newterra naturally decided on partnering with the most reliable and environmentally friendly technology available for sewage collection. In addition to the combined Newterra/QUA-VAC systems, Newterra will offer Vacuflow systems on a standalone basis and as a retrofit to other supplier's existing vacuum sewage equipment. This will directly replace existing systems with Vacuflow systems, which have many technical advantages over competitive designs. Typical customers include towns, villages, RV and camping facilities, septic replacement projects, condominium complexes, marinas, industries, islands, and remote camps. Newterra is looking forward to a long and prosperous relationship with the people at QUA-VAC. Newterra will be launching this product relationship at WEFTEC 2018, which takes place in New Orleans, LA from October 1 to October 3, 2018. WEFTEC is brought to you by the Water Environment Federation and is recognized as the world's largest annual water quality technical conference and exhibition, providing extensive educational opportunities and unparalleled access to the field's most cutting-edge technologies and services. Stop by Newterra's booth #3832 to see the QUA-VAC Vacuflow system. For more information, contact: Claudia Toscano P: 210.477.8417 F: 210.348.1003 E: claudia.toscano@frost.com Joe Witlox Director Decentralized Water & Wastewater Solutions jwitlox@newterra.com 1291 California Avenue | PO Box 1517 Brockville, ON, CA K6V 5Y6 Jeff Hable Marketing Team Lead Jeff.hable@aireo2.com 4100 Peavey Road Chaska, MN, USA 55318 About Newterra Newterra is a leading provider of decentralized and modular water, wastewater, and groundwater remediation solutions to resource, power generation, industrial, private development, and select international markets. Combined with its suite of patented technologies, Newterra's capabilities include design, engineering, and manufacturing, as well as a full suite of aftermarket services. Newterra currently has operations in Canada, United States, Germany, and Chile that enables the company to address the needs of clients globally. In addition to being selected as a Cleantech Top 100 Company in 2013 and 2015, Newterra has also achieved Platinum status as a distinguished recipient of Deloitte's 50 Best Managed Companies Award since 2008. For more information Visit our website www.newterra.com About QUA-VAC QUA-VAC is a globally orientated company that designs, manufactures, and markets environmentally friendly vacuum wastewater collection and treatment systems for the rural sewage, building, and marine industries. With over 600 sites and 35,000 valves installed serving populations from 10 to 15,000 people and 50 years of experience in vacuum sewage technology, skilled personnel, professional design, and high-quality technical solutions have facilitated the continuous growth of knowledge and market share. The land-based vacuum sewage collection system carries the world wide renowned name Vacuflow. Buildings, airports, marinas, and complete rural sewage networks are calculated, designed, and equipped with the Vacuflow pump stations, pipe lines, buffer pots, and valves. Our advanced wastewater treatment solution is a reliable process, which treats wastewater streams effectively to meet the most stringent effluent regulations and standards everywhere in the world. All our technologies also remain risk-free and economical throughout the lifetime. For more information Visit our website www.quavac.com About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that could make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion. Usabilla (www.usabilla.com), a leading Voice of Customer technology provider, with customers in over 50 countries, has been named a Category Leader for Enterprise Feedback Management Software, by G2 Crowd, for another consecutive time. Usabilla achieved a Leader position on the Enterprise Feedback Management Software Grid Report for Fall 2018, and was a leader in the Summer 2018 Grid Report. "Getting this recognition from G2 Crowd for the second time is great news and shows our prolonged commitment," said Marc van Agteren, CEO of Usabilla. "Our customers come first, and seeing their reviews of the platform just reaffirms our commitment to customer-centricity. Exceeding customer expectations continues to be at the forefront of everything we do." Usabilla's performance based on customer reviews earned the company top-marks in the following categories: Quality of Support Ease to Use Ease of Admin Ease of Setting Up Ease of Doing Business With "Rankings on G2 Crowd reports are based on data provided to us by real users," said Michael Fauscette, Chief Research Officer of G2 Crowd. "We are excited to share the achievements of the products ranked on our site because they represent the voice of the user and offer terrific insights to potential buyers around the world." Usabilla's Relationship ratings were highlighted by "Quality of Support," which scored at 96 percent favorability, and Usabilla's "Ease of Doing Business With" scored at 98 percent compared to the category average of 90 percent. Usabilla's ratings in usability were highlighted by "Ease of Use," which scored 96 percent, and "Ease of Admin," which was 98 percent compared to the category average of 86 percent. Jacky ten Cate, Usabilla's Head of Customer Success, expressed her gratitude regarding the announcement, "This continued recognition encourages the Usabilla team to keep pressing forward with that client-first mentality. There's no greater honor than to receive praise from customers. Receiving high G2 Crowd rankings yet again reflects our commitment towards delivering a top-performing Voice of Customer software with top-notch customer service." Being the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe and one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide, BSH Home Appliances AB has implemented Usabilla as dedicated Voice of Customer Solution. In order to support its customer-centric approach, BSH Home Appliances AB continuously collects real-time feedback from its website visitors. According to Torbjorn Persson, Web Manager at BSH Home Appliances AB: "Usabilla helps driving our customer-centric strategy as it allows us to gather real-time input from our customers. It serves as the foundation for optimizing our digital channels and improving our customer experience continuously." With Usabilla's Voice of Customer Solution, BSH Home Appliances AB is now able to actively translate incoming customer feedback into actionable insights that are put into practice to optimize the customer experience. Maria Hort, Business Development Manager at Usabilla explains, "We are very excited to partner with BSH Home Appliances AB and help them with their customer-centric strategy. With our Solution, we are confident that we can improve the online shopping experience for all users." About Usabilla Usabilla helps brands like KLM, Tommy Hilfiger, Philips and Booking.com to improve the performance of their websites, apps, and emails with live user feedback. Our clients utilize our software to stop guessing what users want, and start listening to what they need. Headquartered in Amsterdam, Usabilla was founded with the belief that continuous user feedback is the key to any successful website, product, or service. Over 20,000 clients worldwide use our Voice of Customer solutions to improve user experience, increase conversions, and boost customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.usabilla.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005123/en/ Contacts: Usabilla Kathleen Hickey, 813-390-5943 kathleen.hickey@usabilla.com LYON, France, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With this new Viral Vector bioproduction facility, Novasep confirms its leadership position and effectively addresses the growing gene therapy market demand Novasep, a leading supplier of services and technologies for the life sciences industry, has opened a new 27 M viral vector production facility in Seneffe, Belgium. The production of the first cGMP batches will start in H1 2019. This project, known as Senrise-IV, represents an operational and strategic step forward for Novasep. This facility features the bioproduction of viral vectors at commercial industrial scale in an integrated manner and with full control of the value creation chain. To this end, Novasep has doubled its on-site workforce with the creation of 75 positions. The facility will feature two cGMP production lines: one dedicated to adherence cell culture for viral vectors in moderate quantities - to treat certain rare diseases or for lower dose indications - and one for suspension cell culture with bioreactors of 50 to 2000 liters to produce larger quantities. This equipment is designed to meet the growing demand of biopharmaceutical companies worldwide. The 2,000m Senrise-IV facility meets the highest cGMP standards governing commercial production for biopharmaceutical use. A zero-risk approach thus remains a core priority with the separation of different production zones and effluent and material onsite decontamination. "We are delighted to inaugurate this facility today. It was built in record time thanks to the unwavering support of our experts' team. We are now able to offer the market commercial production in addition to clinical production," said Pierre Lunel, Director of the Belgian site. "In addition, the construction of 'Senefill', our fill & finish commercial facility is ongoing on the same site, and will be operational before the end of 2019. This investment will allow Novasep to provide standalonefill & finish services or integrated drug substance and drug product manufacturing for viral vectors, mAbs and other low volume biologics. We remain committed to efficiently respond to the strong market demand for orphan and targeted biopharmaceutical drugs as clinical pipelines mature," commented Michel Spagnol, Chairman and CEO of Novasep. For press information, click here: https://www.novasep.com/press-release-about-novasep.html PROS research finds that nearly two-thirds of UK businesses already have a digital transformation underway and believe eCommerce benefits are significant, despite higher than average cultural resistance to digital channels PROS (NYSE: PRO), a provider of AI-powered solutions that optimise selling in the digital economy, today announced the findings of its global survey into digital buying and selling trends. "The Future is Now: Technologies Shaping Commerce in the UK" examines how digitalisation is changing the buying experience and sellers' perceptions of technologies that are enabling it. The global study, conducted by Hanover Research on behalf of PROS, examines the expectations and digital initiatives of more than 700 B2B decision makers including more than 100 from the UK. The respondents work for B2B businesses that sell to buyers across a variety of industries, including discrete manufacturing, process manufacturing, wholesale distributors and services. "The digital economy has created a changing marketplace that's put more power into buyers' hands," said PROS Chief Marketing Officer Celia Fleischaker. "Customers now have greater expectations of their vendors, including transparency and frictionless buying experiences. "As part of the digital transformation initiatives that 64 percent of responding UK-based organisations have already started, the highest percentage globally, eCommerce and artificial intelligence (AI) are driving significant changes in how organisations operate," Fleischaker noted. "Although the majority see these technologies as advantageous, mastering personalised customer experiences and offering real-time dynamic pricing across channels will be key to unlock their revenue-generating potential." Adjusting to the Digital Economy Digital trends are playing out across all regions surveyed, yet in nuanced ways. UK respondents share similar optimism about the impact of eCommerce and AI compared to other regions and had comparable digital transformation initiatives underway or planned. The survey found that the shift to a digital buying experience is creating three primary pain points in the UK: maintaining consistent customer experiences, providing consistent product catalogues across channels, and a cultural resistance to supporting digital purchase initiatives. Nearly half of UK respondents said they were more likely to encounter cultural resistance to supporting digital purchase channels, 80 percent higher than their peers in Germany and 36 percent higher than respondents in France. Despite the challenges they may encounter, more than half of UK respondents believe that eCommerce will help them reach more customers, satisfy customer expectations for self-serve buying, and reduce overhead costs. Charting a New Path Forward with eCommerce eCommerce is an increasingly important channel for businesses, as it serves customer needs by providing a self-service buying experience, while also enabling organisations to more easily scale. According to the study, there is almost universal agreement among participants that eCommerce provides a competitive advantage, as 72 percent of respondents perceive it as advantageous. Responding UK businesses are aligned with their peers globally that a majority of their sales will come from eCommerce within five years. They are, however, starting from a different point. In fact, 65 percent of responding UK businesses believe more than half of their sales will come from eCommerce within the next five years, more than quadrupling the 14 percent achieved at present by respondents. Although the opportunities created by eCommerce are significant, responding organisations have concerns that must be addressed as they adjust to the new normal. Maintaining updated pricing, maintaining competitive pricing, and protecting price attainment are the top three concerns that responding UK companies express. Rethinking Technology Initiatives Businesses are in the process of transforming to meet the requirements of the new digital economy. With 35 percent of UK surveyed companies planning future digital transformation projects in addition to the majority that have projects in progress, transformation will be underway within the next few years for almost all responding businesses leaving a mere one percent of respondents without any planned initiatives. Participating organisations recognised the importance of digital transformation, as nearly seven-in-ten respondents think that each element of digital strategy is either very or extremely important. More than half of these companies believe their organisation is above average or excellent in their use of technology. However, the majority of respondents have not yet implemented all of the technologies they feel are necessary, indicating that those organisations may not be as far along in their transformation journey as they believe. AI Enhancing Connections with Customers Companies are also considering new digital options, including AI, as evidenced by more than half a full 52 percent -- of UK respondents indicating they need to invest more in the technology. One of the most intriguing use cases for AI lies in marketing and sales, where its value is rapidly accelerating. Respondents consider the ability of AI to predict customer needs as the most important way that it will impact sales, followed by automating orders and optimising pricing for buying scenarios. As a result of its impact, 62 percent of UK respondents believe AI will be a high priority for marketing and sales activities within two years, compared to 30 percent of respondents who view it as a high priority today. The full "The Future is Now: Technologies Shaping Commerce in the UK" report is available for download here, and the global study results can be found here. About PROS PROS Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PRO) provides AI-powered solutions that optimize selling in the digital economy. PROS solutions make it possible for companies to price, configure and sell their products and services in an omnichannel environment with speed, precision and consistency. Our customers, who are leaders in their markets, benefit from decades of data science expertise infused into our industry solutions. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the functionality and benefits of AI-powered solutions to organizations generally as well as the functionality and benefits of PROS software products. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon PROS historical experience with AI-powered solutions and its current expectations of the benefits of AI-powered solutions for organizations that implement and utilize such software. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein include the addressability of an organization's AI-powered solution needs, the risks associated with PROS developing and enhancing products with the functionality necessary to deliver the stated results and the risks associated with the complex implementation and maintenance of AI-powered solutions such as PROS software products. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the PROS business is contained in PROS filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent PROS expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and PROS disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005488/en/ Contacts: PROS Public Relations James Gerber, 617-960-9875 pros@marchcomms.com Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. (TSXV: CMI), the world's leading provider of commercial grade auto-acquire mobile satellite antenna systems, announced today that it has received orders for approximately US$1.28 million for its iNetVu antenna systems from various customers across Africa. The systems have been purchased by several reseller partners and will be deployed by governments, militaries and commercial customers in the banking and broadcast sectors. Mobile Banking Application in Africa Using C-COM Antennas Cannot view this image? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5445/40017_a1538266259991_75.jpg "While C-COM has been active in Africa for a number of years, the mobile VSAT market has been slow to develop for economic reasons," commented Drew Klein, Director of Business Development for C-COM. "These significant orders, from both new and existing C-COM's Africa-based integrators, are an indication that market conditions in the region may be improving, and that highly reliable and cost-effective auto-acquire antennas like C-COM's family of iNetVu products are of high value," Klein continued. C-COM expects to deliver these orders over the next few months. The Company offers classic and next generation Driveaway, Flyaway, Fixed Motorized, and Backpack systems for any vertical market where satellite communications are needed, including when terrestrial networks are disrupted due to natural or other disasters. C-COM has more than 20 different Comm-on-the-Pause antenna models integrated with all major VSAT modem manufacturers and approved with most major satellite operators, and is working closely with more than 500 active dealers in over 100 countries. More than 8,000 iNetVu systems have been sold since the brand's inception. Working with a renowned research team at the University of Waterloo, the Company is also developing an electronically steerable, Ka-band flat panel antenna system based on phased array technology with the potential to revolutionize satellite's addressable market in all mobility markets: land, airborne and maritime. ABOUT C-COM SATELLITE SYSTEMS Inc. C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. is a pioneer and world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of mobile satellite-based antenna systems for the delivery of Broadband Internet to any location via Satellite. C-COM has developed a proprietary, one-button, auto-acquisition controller technology for rapid antenna pointing to a geostationary satellite with just the press of a button, enabling high-speed Internet connectivity where terrestrial markets are overloaded or simply don't exist. The company has sold approximately 8,000 systems to customers in over 100 countries providing service to a wide range of vertical markets such as Oil & Gas Exploration, Military Communications, Disaster Management, SNG, Emergency Communications, Cellular Backhaul, Telemedicine, Mobile Banking, and others. The Company's iNetVu brand is synonymous with high quality, reliability and cost-effectiveness. In partnership with a renowned research team at the University of Waterloo's Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS), C-COM has been developing a next generation Ka-band flat panel antenna based on advanced phased array technology for enabling high-throughput mobility applications over satellite: land, airborne and maritime. More information is available at: www.c-comsat.com. iNetVu is a registered trademark of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Statements about the potential deployment of units ordered, what these orders imply about the state of the market in Africa going forward, timing of shipment of orders and the potential impacts of new technology under development all contain forward-looking information. Several factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Deployment of units ordered may not be as expected by C-COM and the receipt of the orders may not be reflective of the state of the market in Africa. Orders may take longer to ship than anticipated and orders may be cancelled for any number of reasons, some of which are beyond C-COM Satellite Systems' control. Anticipated benefits of the new technology may not be realized, and new products and services may not be released or, if released may not gain market acceptance. Any of those events and others could influence future performance and C-COM's ability to achieve the results mentioned above. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and C-COM does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. # # # 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. Contact: Investor Relations C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. Tel: (613) 745-4110 ext. 4950 Fax: (613) 745-1172 lklein@c-comsat.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - Alternative IQ today announced the Top Contenders for the 2018 Canadian Hedge Fund Awards, the highest honour in Canada's hedge fund industry. The Winners will receive their awards on Tuesday, October 16th at a Gala Dinner at One King West Hotel in Toronto following THE 2018 Canadian Hedge Fund Conference. A total of 215 Canadian Hedge Funds were included in the 2018 CHFA program. For the full Directory of Canadian Hedge Funds, check here: http://alternativeiq.com/hf-directory/. The Canadian Hedge Fund Awards help investors identify the most exceptional hedge funds of the year, recognizing winners in 5 categories as well as the 2018 Overall Best Canadian Hedge Fund. The awards are based solely on quantitative performance data to June 30th, with Fundata Canada managing the tabulation of the data to determine the winners. In alphabetical order, the Top Contenders for 2018 Canadian Hedge Fund Awards are: Overall Best 2018 Canadian Hedge Fund: (based on 10 year best combined annualized return and Sharpe ratio). Agilith North American Diversified Fund King & Victoria Fund LP Blair Franklin Global Credit Fund PH&N Absolute Return Fund CC&L Absolute Return Fund ROMC Fund Exemplar Canadian Focus Portfolio Vertex Managed Value Portfolio JM Catalyst Fund Vision Opportunity Fund LP Equity Focused: Best 1 Year Return Best 5 Year Return Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio AlphaNorth Partners Fund DKAM Capital Ideas Fund Calrossie Partners Fund Barometer Long Short Equity Pool Forge First Long Short LP EHP Advantage Fund Dynamic Global Growth Opportunities Fund Jemekk Long/Short Fund LP Exemplar Canadian Focus Portfolio Loubani Fund I LP Maxam Diversified Strategies Fund Fiera Long Short Equity Fund MMCap Canadian Fund Pathfinder Partners' Fund Forge First Long Short LP Peregrine Investment Management Fund LP Peregrine Investment Management Fund LP Hirsch Performance Fund Primevestfund Portland Focused Plus Fund LP Jemekk Long/Short Fund LP Thornmark Alpha Fund Primevestfund Maxam Diversified Strategies Fund Venator Select Fund ROMC Fund Pathfinder Partners' Fund Vertex Managed Value Portfolio Thornmark Alpha Fund Thornmark Alpha Fund Credit Focused: Best 1 Year Return Best 5 Year Return Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio Algonquin Debt Strategies Fund LP Blair Franklin Global Credit Fund Blair Franklin Global Credit Fund Arrow East Coast Investment Grade II Fund East Coast Performance Fund LP East Coast Performance Fund LP East Coast Performance Fund LP Fulcra Credit Opportunities Fund Fulcra Credit Opportunities Fund Ewing Morris Flexible Fixed Income Fund LP Goodwood Milford Fund Goodwood Milford Fund Fulcra Credit Opportunities Fund Guardian Strategic Income Fund GS+A Credit Arbitrage Fund Lawrence Park Enhanced Preferred Fund Lawrence Park Credit Strategies Fund Lawrence Park Credit Strategies Fund Marret Tactical Distressed Debt Fund Ninepoint Credit Income Opportunities Fund Marret Investment Grade Hedged Strategies Fund NorthStream Credit Strategies Fund LP Picton Mahoney Income Opportunities Fund Ninepoint Credit Income Opportunities Fund Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund RP Debt Opportunities Fund RP Debt Opportunities Fund RP Select Opportunities Fund Venator Income Fund RP Fixed Income Plus Market Neutral: Best 1 Year Return Best 5 Year Return Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio CC&L Diversified Market Neutral Fund Amethyst Arbitrage Fund (Canada) Amethyst Arbitrage Fund (Canada) CC&L Global Market Neutral Fund CC&L Diversified Market Neutral Fund CC&L Diversified Market Neutral Fund Formula Growth Alpha Fund CC&L Global Market Neutral Fund CC&L Global Market Neutral Fund HGC Arbitrage Fund LP CC&L Market Neutral Fund Curvature LP Norrep Market Neutral Income Fund Curvature LP Curvature Market Neutral Fund (Arrow) PCJ Absolute Return Fiera Market Neutral Equity Fund Fiera Market Neutral Equity Fund Picton Mahoney Market Neutral Equity Fund Formula Growth Alpha Fund Formula Growth Alpha Fund Purpose Multi-Strategy Market Neutral Fund HGC Arbitrage Fund LP HGC Arbitrage Fund LP WARATAH Energy PCJ Absolute Return PCJ Absolute Return WARATAH One WARATAH One WARATAH One Global Macro/Managed Futures/Multi-Strategy: Best 1 Year Return Best 5 Year Return Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio Arrow Global Growth Fund Barometer Global Macro Pool Aventine Stable Income Fund Barometer Global Macro Pool CC&L Absolute Return Fund CC&L Absolute Return Fund CC&L Absolute Return Fund Claret Global Multi-Asset Fund Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund JM Catalyst Fund Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund Forge First Multi Strategy LP Kensington Alternative Strategies Fund Forge First Multi Strategy LP JM Catalyst Fund MacNicol & Associates Absolute Return Fund JM Catalyst Fund Kensington Alternative Strategies Fund MacNicol & Associates Alternative Asset Trust MacNicol & Associates Absolute Return Fund Palos Income Fund, LP Palos Income Fund, LP MacNicol & Associates Alternative Asset Trust PH&N Absolute Return Fund PH&N Absolute Return Fund Palos Income Fund, LP Picton Mahoney Diversified Strategies Fund TURN8 Alternative Growth Fund PH&N Absolute Return Fund Topaz Multi Strategy Fund Private Debt: Best 1 Year Return Best 5 Year Return Best 5 Year Sharpe Ratio Bridging Infrastructure Fund LP Portland Private Income Fund Portland Private Income Fund Cortland Credit Strategies LP Next Edge Private Debt Fund Ninepoint Alternative Income Fund Ninepoint Bridging Income Fund LP Ninepoint TEC Private Credit Fund Portland Private Income Fund Qwest Productivity Media Income Trust Third Eye Capital Alternative Credit Trust VPC Specialty Finance Fund In the afternoon, at THE Canadian Hedge Fund Conference preceding the Gala Awards Dinner on October 16th, Benjamin Tal, Managing Director and Deputy Chief Economist, CIBC Capital Markets, will make the Keynote Address: "Normalizing the Abnormal". Delegates will also hear from 3 panels of allocators as they discuss their attitudes and intentions about investing in hedge funds. Speakers and panelists include Pension Funds: Commonwealth of Massachusetts Pension Plan, GCM Grosvenor, and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP); Family Offices: Cidel Asset Management, K J Harrison, Our Family Office and Ullman Wealth Management; and IIROC Dealers: RBC Dominion Securities - Gorenstein Wealth Management, Richardson GMP - Khajadourian Wealth Management, and Scotia Wealth Management - Tucker Willson Group. KPMG and Fundata Canada are the Principal Sponsors of the Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards program. THE 2018 Canadian Hedge Fund Conference and Gala Awards Dinner would simply not be possible without the generous support of all its partners, including Table Sponsors: SS&C Commonwealth Fund Services, and SGGG Fund Services; Contributing Presenters: CIBC Capital Markets, McMillan LLP, and Sigma Analysis and Management; Associate Sponsors: Alliance Sales and Marketing, AUM Law, Introduction Capital and IRI; and Media Partners: 100 Women in Finance, AIMA Canada, CAIA Association, Hedge Fund Alert, Newsfile , PCMA and Preqin. This year's Chosen Charity Partner is Help for Children. For more information about the CHFA program go to: www.alternativeiq.com or call: Julia E. Makepeace Managing Director, Alternative IQ and President, Alliance Sales and Marketing, Inc. jmakepeace@alliancesalesandmarketing.com 416-906-3782 About Alternative IQ: Alternative IQ is dedicated to celebrating, supporting and expanding Canada's Hedge Fund Industry. AIQ produces the annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards program, its presentation event held in Toronto each October (performance as at June 30th), and THE Canadian Hedge Fund Conference, also held annually in Toronto. Alternative IQ also produces the CHFA Winners Showcase Investor Conferences, at which the Managers of award-winning hedge funds present to investors, and produces various other programs and publications serving the hedge fund industry in Canada. Alternative IQ is a division of Alliance Sales and Marketing, Inc. About the Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards: The Annual Canadian Hedge Fund Awards were first held in 2008 and have a two-fold objective: firstly, to recognize and celebrate the talent in Canada's hedge fund industry and, secondly, to raise awareness of that expertise throughout the investment community. The Canadian Hedge Fund Awards are based solely on quantitative performance data to June 30th, with Fundata Canada managing the tabulation of the data to determine the winners. Escondido, California--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (OTC Pink: MCOA) ("MCOA" or the "Company") , an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, and its joint venture partner Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE: GHG) (OTC Pink: GBHPF) (FSE: GHG) (the "Partners") are pleased to provide an update on their high yielding CBD hemp project in Scio, Oregon. Harvest Figure 1: Harvest underway at Marijuana Company of America's CBD hemp operation in Scio, Oregon Cannot view this image? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5634/40069_a1538432801881_8.jpg Harvest has begun at the farm. Over the next 10 days the team in Scio will harvest this year's crop, which consists of approximately 36,000 high yielding CBD hemp plants that were grown in an orchard style cultivation on 33 acres. The team planted six different cultivars this year to determine which would be the optimal hemp variety to grow in the coming year. The team continues to evaluate hemp cultivars that will provide higher CBD yields and a reduced flowering period, which will allow the team to complete the harvest earlier in the year prior to the fall rains. Preparation for Extraction Once the hemp is harvested, it will be dried in preparation for storage prior to processing. Drying this season will take place in the project's four recently completed greenhouses on the farm and will utilize a traditional hanging method, as well as testing an innovative rack drying system. Prior to next season's harvest, the Partners will construct a permanent drying facility on site. Once the hemp is dried to a 10-12% moisture content, it can be stored with little or no cannabinoid/plant matter degradation, prior to extraction. Greenhouses Figure 2: Newly setup greenhouses at Marijuana Company of America's CBD hemp operation in Scio, Oregon Cannot view this image? Please visit: http://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5634/40069_a1538432801943_5.jpg The team has now completed the setup of the first four of five greenhouses, giving the project 15,000+ sq. ft. of active greenhouse space for its drying and cloning operations. A fifth greenhouse (already purchased) will be installed after the drying of this year's crop is complete. This will increase the active greenhouse space at the project to over 19,000 sq. ft. An additional 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space will be purchased in October as part of further project expansion, with the vision of implementing a year round perpetual harvest model to enhance revenue generation and cash flow, and increasing the size of the cloning operation to be able to supply clones to the local farming community. The team has now started its cloning operations for the winter crop, which will utilize the current and future greenhouses. Management is exploring opportunities to maximize production by developing beneficial relationships that will help optimize the Project's profit potential through R&D, data collection and analysis. Discussions with local Farmers With the success of this year's hemp cultivation on display at the farm, it has attracted the attention of the local community and many local farmers that are interested in growing hemp as hemp generates a far greater Return On Investment per acre than any other crop they are currently growing. The Project's stated goal has been to use 2018 as an initial commercial trial and then to significantly expand the acreage under cultivation in the coming years. Management is currently in discussions with a number of these local farmers regarding contract farming and share cropping for the project, starting next year. About Marijuana Company of America, Inc. MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name "hempSMART", that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreations use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop. About Global Hemp Group Inc. Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE: GHG) (OTC Pink: GBHPF) (FSE: GHG), is focused on a multi-phased strategy to build a strong presence in the industrial hemp industry in both Canada and the United States. The Company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with hemp cultivation operations in New Brunswick and Oregon. The first phase of this strategy is to develop hemp cultivation with the objective of extracting cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, CBN & CBC) and creating a near term revenue stream that will allow the Company to expand and develop successive phases of the strategy. The second phase of the plan will focus on the development of value-added industrial hemp products utilizing the processing of the whole hemp plant, as envisioned in the Company's Hemp Agro-Industrial Zone (HAIZ) strategy. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov. For more information, please visit the Company's websites at: MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com hempSMART.com NetworkNewsWires/MCOA Corporate Communications Contact: NetworkNewsWire (NNW) New York, New York www.NetworkNewsWire.com 212.418.1217 Office Editor@NetworkNewsWire.com PALM BEACH, Florida, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary Legalization of cannabis is emerging and rising trend, which is influencing many nations to decriminalize cannabis and legalize the use of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes. Once was a market filled with skepticism and doubt, the cannabis industry has emerged as a landscape full of opportunity and steadily rising revenues, increasing investors' attention in economies around the world. Already a billion dollar market, confidence has built the industry a solid foundation and allowed it to prosper and grow to new levels of prominence. Investment firm Cowen estimates the cannabis industry could generate $75 billion in revenue by 2030, illustrating eye-popping growth over the next decade. As more consumers opt for cannabis instead of alcohol in markets where it is legal, consumption rates and revenues continue to rise and with growing anticipation of relaxed CBD-hemp regulations, many now expect the CBD-Hemp market to explode and eventually outpace cannabis sales. Active Companies from around the market with current developments this week include: Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC:MCOA), Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTC: ETST), Terra Tech Corp. (OTC:TRTC), Newstrike Brands Ltd. (TSX-V:HIP) (OTC:NWKRF), KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTC:KSHB). Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTCPK: MCOA) BREAKING NEWS: Marijuana Company of America, an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, and its joint venture partner Global Hemp Group Inc. (GHG/GBHPF) (the "Partners") are pleased to provide an update on their high yielding CBD hemp project in Scio, Oregon. Harvest - Harvest has begun at the farm. Over the next 10 days the team in Scio will harvest this year's crop, which consists of approximately 36,000 high yielding CBD hemp plants that were grown in an orchard style cultivation on 33 acres. The team planted six different cultivars this year to determine which would be the optimal hemp variety to grow in the coming year. The team continues to evaluate hemp cultivars that will provide higher CBD yields and a reduced flowering period, which will allow the team to complete the harvest earlier in the year prior to the fall rains. Preparation for Extraction - Once the hemp is harvested, it will be dried in preparation for storage prior to processing. Drying this season will take place in the project's four recently completed greenhouses on the farm and will utilize a traditional hanging method, as well as testing an innovative rack drying system. Prior to next season's harvest, the Partners will construct a permanent drying facility on site. Once the hemp is dried to a 10-12% moisture content, it can be stored with little or no cannabinoid/plant matter degradation, prior to extraction. Greenhouses - The team has now completed the setup of the first four of five greenhouses, giving the project 15,000+ sq. ft. of active greenhouse space for its drying and cloning operations. A fifth greenhouse (already purchased) will be installed after the drying of this year's crop is complete. This will increase the active greenhouse space at the project to over 19,000 sq. ft. An additional 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space will be purchased in October as part of further project expansion, with the vision of implementing a year round perpetual harvest model to enhance revenue generation and cash flow, and increasing the size of the cloning operation to be able to supply clones to the local farming community. The team has now started its cloning operations for the winter crop, which will utilize the current and future greenhouses. Management is exploring opportunities to maximize production by developing beneficial relationships that will help optimize the Project's profit potential through R&D, data collection and analysis.Read this and more news for MCOAat:http://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-mcoa/ In the industry developments and happenings in the market this week include: Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) came to a close up 23.26% on Monday at $1.55. The company recently announced the commencement of a direct response television (DRTV) media campaign with mega-entrepreneur Kevin Harrington's award-winning As Seen On TV production company. Considered one of the most successful entrepreneurs in history, Harrington is the renowned inventor of the infomercial and an original "Shark Tank" shark. As part of the agreement with ETST, Harrington will personally appear in an ETST commercial spot to deliver a customized product introduction for the Company."Kevin Harrington has launched more than 500 products, amassing $5 billion dollars in global sales. A strategic alliance with him and his production outlet positions any company for success," said ETST President, Director and Chairman Nickolas S. Tabraue. "We are very excited to announce that his analyst team has selected Earth Science Tech, Inc. to collaboratively develop its own As Seen On TV DRTV media campaign." Earth Science Tech offers the highest purity and quality high-grade full spectrum cannabinoid oil on the market. There are positive results in studies on breast cancer and immune cells through the University of Central Oklahoma, in addition to studies through DV Biologics that prove the Company's CBD oil formulation lowers cortisol and functions as a neuro-protectant, with positive result case studies through key health organizations. ETST formulates, markets and distributes the CBD oil used for its studies to the public, offering the most effective quality of CBD on the market. Terra Tech Corp. (OTCQX: TRTC) recently announced that the City of Santa Ana has granted its East Dyer Road, East Carnegie Avenue and South Tech Center Drive locations vertically-integrated Phase I permits. These permits allow the Company to commence development of cultivation, manufacturing and distribution capabilities at these locations. Moreover, upon completion of the build-out of each location's facilities, they also confer upon the Company the right to apply for Phase II permits which are needed to commence commercial activities.The Company is expanding its presence in Southern California as the state's cannabis market continues its transformation from a black market economy into a multibillion-dollar, regulated market. By opening several locations across Santa Ana, each of which will benefit from vertical integration and will house the Company's recognizable 'Blum' dispensary brand, the Company is positioning itself as a major supplier of medical and adult-use cannabis to all the surrounding cities, such as Irvine, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, all of which currently suffer from a scarcity of existing cannabis dispensaries. When completed, the Company's expanded cultivation and extraction capabilities will allow it to ramp production of its proprietary IVXX cannabis products, which are grown and harvested under the safest and most beneficial conditions. All IVXX products are thoughtfully produced, rigorously tested and certified to the highest standards of potency and purity for sale at the Company's proprietary Blum dispensaries as well as at third party dispensaries. Newstrike Brands Ltd.'s (TSX-V:HIP.V) (OTCPK:NWKRF) wholly owned subsidiary, Up Cannabis Inc., has partnered with Green Tank Technologies as a supplier for vaporization hardware and technology. The partnership teams Up Cannabis with an innovative and cutting-edge vaporization hardware provider, paving the way for Up Cannabis's private label vape pen consumer offerings upon their expected legalization in 2019. "We believe in the synergy that will be created by pairing the strength of the Up Cannabis brand with Green Tank as a proven hardware and technology partner," said Jay Wilgar, chief executive officer of both Newstrike and Up Cannabis. "Our cannabis oils coupled with their innovative hardware will mean the best of both worlds for adult-use consumers upon the legalization of vaporizers. We're excited at the possibilities and are focused on developing a consumer product offering that will lead the segment, furthering our strategic plan to create a premier adult-use cannabis brand." Up Cannabis and Green Tank will also look to begin collaboration on the research and development of innovative new vaporization products. According to BDS Analytics, in recently legalized adult-use markets like California, vapes accounted for approximately 25 per cent of cannabis product sales for the first six months of 2018. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQB:KSHB) recently announced that it has entered into a strategic transaction with Smoke Cartel (SMKC) to sell Roll-uh-Bowl, an online distribution platform for retail sales of collapsible and unbreakable medical-grade silicone water pipes. As stipulated in the agreement, KushCo will transfer ownership of all Roll-uh-Bowl assets, including inventory, branding materials, the website and social media, in exchange for shares of Smoke Cartel valued at $1,500,000 plus the value of inventory. KushCo will also build a referral landing page into the Kush Bottles website to direct customers to Smoke Cartel when searching for wholesale glass & smoking accessories. "This transaction exemplifies our dedication to continuing the development of our core competencies, ensuring focus is maintained on providing leading packaging, supplies, wholesale vaporizer hardware, gas and solvents for the medical and adult-use cannabis industry," said CEO Nick Kovacevich. 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This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". 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Contact Information: email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com - +1(561)325-8757 COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / Timberline Resources Corporation (OTCQB: TLRS; TSX-V: TBR) ('Timberline' or the 'Company') announces that a detailed gravity survey and analysis of historic geophysical survey data have identified untested targets for high-grade, 'Carlin-style' gold mineralization at the Lookout Mountain Project within its 23-square mile (60 km2) Eureka property in Nevada. The gravity, CSAMT, induced polarization (IP), and magnetic data show distinct geophysical signatures over previously identified high-grade gold mineralization on the property. These geophysical signatures were then used to identify possible extensions of the mineralized zones and new targets for drilling. Timberline's President and CEO, Steven Osterberg, noted: 'The gravity and other historical geophysical surveys have identified high-priority drill targets, including immediately east and southeast of the historic Lookout Mountain pit. We intend to drill these targets.' Lookout Mountain represents a large 'Carlin-style' gold-system with a defined gold resource (see Updated Technical Report on the Lookout Mountain Project, MDA, Effective March 1, 2013, Filed on SEDAR April 12, 2013) and drill-indicated mineralization (Figure 1) extending over a north-south trend of approximately 3 miles (~ 5 km). High-grade gold mineralization near the historic open pit occurs on a northwest-southeast trend and includes 17 intercepts of between 0.136 opt & up to 2.250 opt gold (Table 1)(see press releases dated June 12, 2018 and July 10, 2018 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases). The mineralization is associated with extensive zones of structurally controlled fault- and gouge-breccias, as well as carbonaceous collapse-breccias, and with orpiment and realgar (arsenic sulfides) (Figure 2) which are commonly found in many major Carlin-style gold deposits. Eureka Gravity Survey The district-scale gravity survey was completed by MaGee Geophysical Services LLC with analysis by Wright Geophysics Inc. It detailed a grid area around the historic Lookout Mountain open-pit area (Figure 1) and defined a circular gravity low at Lookout Mountain (Figure 3). The gravity low is approximately two km in diameter and is bounded and cut by several complex internal structures. The west margin of the low is coincident with jasperoid alteration and gold mineralization along the Lookout Mountain Fault. The gravity anomaly at Lookout Mountain correlates well with results of the reduced-to-pole (RTP) airborne magnetics survey (Figure 4) and geologic mapping. Major structures identified by magnetics and mapping bound the gravity anomaly. Three lines of historic (1992) IP data at Lookout Mountain define three N-S trending anomalies (Figure 4a) which are coincident with the high-grade gold drill intercepts (Table 1) and fault structures. Figure 1. Eureka Property Total Field Magnetics, Target Areas, and Gravity Survey *Cautionary Statement:The potential quantity and grade of the Windfall Zone Target are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Table 1. High Grade Gold Drill Intercepts from the Lookout Mountain Deposit A single line of historic Controlled Source Audio Magneto-Telluric (CSAMT) data (Figure 4a), collected in 1994 by Quantec Ltd., crosses the Lookout Mountain historic open-pit area. The CSAMT section (Figure 4b) identifies structures and correlates well with magnetic signatures (Figure 4a) and geologic mapping. In particular, the CSAMT data identify a high-resistivity feature spatially associated with jasperoid along the west boundary of an area of low resistivity interpreted to be a graben. The graben's west boundary is extensively drilled and hosts the existing north-south trending gold resource at Lookout Mountain. The central portion of the graben (Figure 4b) contains a large, high-resistivity anomaly, which has only been tested locally on the west side by only four closely-spaced holes (BHSE-152, -171, -172, -173), all of which contain relatively high-grade gold (Table 1). The gold is associated with vein-like and brecciated arsenic sulfides within carbonaceous breccia, above extensively altered ('sanded' and veined) limestone, and below altered shale. The east boundary of the graben structure remains undrilled. Cautionary Statement Apart from recently collected gravity data, all other geophysical data are considered 'historical' and do not conform to NI43-101 standards. These data include airborne magnetics, IP, and CSAMT. The data have been reviewed by the Company's Qualified Person for consistency with geology and drill information as reported in the Updated Technical Report on the Lookout Mountain Project, MDA, Effective March 1, 2013, Filed on SEDAR April 12, 2013. Figure 2. High-Grade Gold Mineralization Drill Core from Lookout Mountain showing Heterolithic Collapse Breccia including Arsenic-sulfdes (Realgar (red) and Orpiment (yellow). Exploration Plans The company is developing plans for an additional CSAMTsurvey to further define untested structures similar to the Lookout Mountain Fault for drilling. In this regard, an application to drill up to 50 holes is being prepared under the existing Plan of Operations with the Bureau of Land Management. Approval is expected during the 4thquarter of 2018. Qualified Person Review Steven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Mr. Osterberg is not considered independent of the Company as defined in Section 1.5 of NI 43-101. Figure 3. Residual Gravity at the Lookout Mountain Project, Eureka Property Figures 4a. Lookout Mountain area RTP Magnetics with Summary IP Anomaly Trends, and (4b) CSAMT cross-section with Target Area. About Timberline Resources Timberline Resources Corporation is focused on advancing district-scale gold exploration and development projects in Nevada, including its 23 square-mile Eureka property, comprised of the Lookout Mountain, Windfall, and Oswego projects which lie along three separate structural stratigraphic trends defined by distinct geochemical gold anomalies; and as the operator of two joint venture projects - the Paiute project joint venture with a subsidiary of Barrick Gold, and the Elder Creek project joint venture with McEwen Mining. All of these properties lie on the prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Timberline also owns the Seven Troughs property in Northern Nevada, known to be one of the state's highest grade, former producers. Timberline has increased its owned and controlled mineral rights in Nevada to over 43 square miles (27,500 acres). Detailed maps and NI 43-101 estimated resource information for the Eureka property may be viewed at http://timberlineresources.co/. Timberline is listed on the OTCQB where it trades under the symbol "TLRS" and on the TSX Venture Exchange where it trades under the symbol "TBR". Forward-looking Statements Statements contained herein that are not based upon current or historical fact are forward-looking in nature and constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements reflect the Company's expectations about its future operating results, performance and opportunities that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the advancement of projects, and exploration potential. When used herein, the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," 'upcoming,' "plan," 'target', "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to Timberline Resources Corporation, its subsidiaries, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. There are no assurances that the Company will complete the earn-in on the Elder Creek project as contemplated or at all. Factors that could cause or contribute to risks involving forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, changes in the Company's business and other factors, including risk factors discussed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Regarding Mineral Reserve and Resource Estimates Certain of the technical information referenced in this press release uses the terms "mineral resource," "measured mineral resource," "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource". We advise investors that these terms are defined in and required to be disclosed in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ('NI 43-101') and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the 'CIM') - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended; however, these terms are not defined terms under the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's (the 'SEC') Industry Guide 7 ('Guide 7') and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Under Guide 7 standards, a 'final' or 'bankable' feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves, and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. Disclosure of 'contained ounces' in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute 'reserves' by Guide 7 standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists or is economically or legally mineable. As a reporting issuer in Canada, we are required to prepare reports on our mineral properties in accordance with NI 43-101. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in the above categories will ever be converted into Guide 7 compliant reserves. For Further Information Please Contact: Steven A. Osterberg President and CEO Tel: 208-664-4859 E-mail: info@timberline-resources.com Website: www.timberline-resources.com SOURCE: Timberline Resources Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/513173/Timberline-Completes-Gravity-Survey-at-Eureka-Covering-High-Grade-Carlin-Style-Gold-System PALM BEACH, Florida, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary The legal Cannabis industry is poised for tremendous growth both in the United States and abroad as a more progressive society continues to open its arms to the multi-billion dollar market. According to a recent study by BDS analytics, spending in the space is rapidly increasing, with consumers projected to dump nearly $60 billion into the space by 2027. The North American Market was already valued north of $9 billion in 2017. The impressive growth has been fueled by a number of factors including, but not limited to, decreased legal restrictions, increased consumer acceptance of alternative products, and a rising global supply level. Active cannabis companies in the markets this week include Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE:GHG) (OTC:GBHPF), HEXO Corp. (TSX:HEXO) (OTC:HYYDF), Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE:GLH) (OTC:GLDFF), Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS) (OTC:LHSIF), CV Sciences Inc. (OTC:CVSI). Global Hemp Group Inc. (CSE:GHG.CN) (OTCPK:GBHPF) BREAKING NEWS: Global Hemp Group and its joint venture partner Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (MCOA) (the "Partners") are pleased to provide an update on their high yielding CBD hemp project in Scio, Oregon. Harvest - Harvest has begun at the farm. Over the next 10 days the team in Scio will harvest this year's crop, which consists of approximately 36,000 high yielding CBD hemp plants that were grown in an orchard style cultivation on 33 acres. The team planted six different cultivars this year to determine which would be the optimal hemp variety to grow in the coming year. The team continues to evaluate hemp cultivars that will provide higher CBD yields and a reduced flowering period, which will allow the team to complete the harvest earlier in the year prior to the fall rains. Preparation for Extraction - Once the hemp is harvested, it will be dried in preparation for storage prior to processing. Drying this season will take place in the project's four recently completed greenhouses on the farm and will utilize a traditional hanging method, as well as testing an innovative rack drying system. Prior to next season's harvest, the Partners will construct a permanent drying facility on site. Once the hemp is dried to a 10-12% moisture content, it can be stored with little or no cannabinoid/plant matter degradation, prior to extraction. Greenhouses - The team has now completed the setup of the first four of five greenhouses, giving the project 15,000+ sq. ft. of active greenhouse space for its drying and cloning operations. A fifth greenhouse (already purchased) will be installed after the drying of this year's crop is complete. This will increase the active greenhouse space at the project to over 19,000 sq. ft. An additional 20,000 sq. ft. of greenhouse space will be purchased in October as part of further project expansion, with the vision of implementing a year-round perpetual harvest model to enhance revenue generation and cash flow, and increasing the size of the cloning operation to be able to supply clones to the local farming community. The team has now started its cloning operations for the winter crop which will utilize the current and future greenhouses. Management is exploring opportunities to maximize production by developing beneficial relationships that will help optimize the Project's profit potential through R&D, data collection and analysis. Read this and more news for Global Hemp Group athttp://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-ghg Other recent developments in the cannabis industry include: HEXO Corp. (TSX:HEXO.TO) (OTCPK:HYYDF) recently announced that it has shipped its first order for the Canadian adult-use cannabis market. The shipment is yet another example of the Company executing its commitment to shareholders and consumers to supply innovative and easy-to-use products, powered by HEXO, across Canada. "This is a historic moment for HEXO," said Sonia Isabel, Vice-President of Sales for HEXO. "We are so proud of all of our teams for the hard work that they have put in leading up to this moment, but it doesn't stop now. We look forward to continuing to provide high-quality products and client experiences as we continue our expansion throughout Canada and beyond." Golden Leaf Holdings Ltd. (CSE:GLH.CN) (OTCQB:GLDFF)last week announced its 100 percent-owned Canadian subsidiary Medical Marijuana Group Corporation ("MMG"), a Licensed Producer in St Thomas, Ontario received its Sales License from Health Canada on Friday September 21, 2018. The news is a significant milestone for the Canadian LP. Asked for comment, President of MMG Phillip Millar said, "We are thrilled with the news. All of our product in inventory will move immediately to buyers and could contribute approximately US$900,000 to third quarter GLH revenue. All 2018 product we can grow is already pre-sold under very favourable wholesale pricing. Our plan for 2019 is to secure direct-to-customer licensing and supply the profitable medical patients' market with the assistance of our sister company MMC, also 100 percent-owned by GLH, which currently has patient lists that can account for 100 percent of our production capacity. We expect the complete value chain of seed to consumer will result in high profit margins. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE:LHS.CN) (OTCQX:LHSIF) recently announced that they have entered an exclusive partnership with AdaViv Inc., a hardware-enabled, predictive agriculture company, to improve production of cannabis at its Liberty Health Sciences 360 Innovation Campus in Gainesville, FL. AdaViv will integrate its adaptive Computer Vision software and Machine Learning platform into Liberty's 360 Innovation Campus and, together, will look to push the state-of-the-art in greenhouse technology and precision growing to new levels of productivity and efficiency. AdaViv's technology enables 24/7 plant-level inspection as well as AI computer vision to uncover hidden plant biometrics that translates data into actionable insights for growers like Liberty. Founded by an interdisciplinary team of MIT researchers and alumni, AdaViv is led by Dr. Ian Seiferling (CEO), Julian Ortiz (COO, MBA MIT Sloan '19) and Dr. Thomas Matarazzo (CTO). AdaViv emerged from MIT Delta V, the capstone entrepreneurship accelerator at MIT, and the MIT DesignX accelerator. In 2018, AdaViv was selected as one of the first grantees of Microsoft AI for Earth. CV Sciences Inc. (OTCQB:CVSI) recently announced last week that it has introduced PlusCBD Oil Gummies at the Natural Product Expo East 2018. A new category of PlusCBD Oil products, PlusCBD Oil Gummies are offered in two tasty flavors, Cherry Mango and Citrus Punch. A line extension of our Gold Formula line with no artificial ingredients, each gummy contains 5 mg of CBD and a mere 1.5 g of sugar. Gluten free, vegan friendly, and non-GMO, these new products support healthy balance of the body and mind. "We are pleased to introduce PlusCBD Oil Gummies to our existing line of industry leading hemp extract products that include balms, sprays, drops, capsules, and softgels," stated Joseph Dowling, Chief Executive Officer of CV Sciences. "We are committed to innovation of our PlusCBD Oil products, and as the demand for CBD infused products continues to grow, it is important to expand our wide variety of products to suit all customer preferences. We foresee PlusCBD Oil Gummies being a solid revenue driving category for our Company.". DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates Financialnewsmedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks. All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated twenty four hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by Global Hemp Group Inc. by the company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements. Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ParcelPal Technology Inc. ("ParcelPal" or the "Company"), (CSE: PKG) (FSE: PT0) (OTC: PTNYF) - has received gross proceeds of over $1,000,000 from the exercise of 7,797,646 warrants prior to their expiration date on 1/12/2020 and 10/10/2019. Through the exercise of these warrants, the company's cash position of over $2,000,000 in addition to it's outstanding receivables. The company plans on using the proceeds to further fund ParcelPal's expansion strategy. The company expects each additional city for expansion to add a minimal amount of capital expenditure at roughly 40-50k, this leaving the company with a large run rate for expansion and execute on all current verticals for the upcoming 12 months. The Company plans to execute on local and regional marketing campaigns focusing on a three-tiered roll-out plan that includes: brand awareness, user acquisition and user retention. During the launch phases ParcelPal will continue targeting users throughout each city by creating partnerships with local businesses and various types of media. The ongoing retention strategy includes a retargeting campaign to ensure customers use ParcelPal but also remember the Company as their go to solution for anything they want delivered. President and CEO Kelly Abbott states, "We are privileged to have such strong support from our investor community as demonstrated by the successful warrant exercises. This additional capital will further our expansion efforts as we rapidly scale the ParcelPal platform nationwide. We are thrilled by the increase of general run rate from approximately $40,000 to $70,000 dollars on a weekly basis." About ParcelPal Technology Inc. ParcelPal is a technology driven logistics company that connects consumers to the goods they love. Customers can shop at partner businesses and through the ParcelPal technology receive their purchased goods within an hour. The Company offers on-demand delivery of merchandise from leading retailers, restaurants, medical marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores in Vancouver and soon in major cities Canada-wide. ParcelPal Website: http://www.parcelpal.com The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") or any other securities regulatory authority has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release that has been prepared by management. CSE - Symbol: PKG FSE - Symbol: PT0 OTC - Symbol: PTNYF Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward looking statements relating to the Proposed Transaction, and the future potential of ParcelPal. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "intends", "anticipates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed due to, among other things, failure to execute definitive documentation, failure to complete satisfactory due diligence, failure to receive the approval of the CSE and the risk that ParcelPal will not be successful due to, among other things, general risks relating to the mobile application industry, failure of ParcelPal to gain market acceptance and potential challenges to the intellectual property utilized in ParcelPal. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities laws. Investor Relations: Peter Hinam peter@parcelpal.com +1-604-710-8331 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) -, is pleased to report on rock chip channel samples from the Cerro Magallanes area at the 100%-owned Cecilia Gold Project (the "Project") in northeastern Sonora, Mexico. Riverside recently announced positive results from a soil survey covering approximately 30% of the 50 km2 claim area surrounding the main Cerro Magallanes dome complex (see press release September 11, 2018). Riverside's rock sampling results from the main central rhyolitic dome complex verifies and expands upon historical sampling for gold within breccias and veins on Cerro Magallanes. Dome margins also show positive potential for near surface gold targets and indications for potential gold and silver bodies at depth. Over the past year Riverside has conducted channel sampling of surface areas over the four main Cerro Magallanes target areas with assay intervals on outcrops that are perpendicular to the existing structures to estimate the true surface widths of the different featured zones. The channel sampling program included 305 samples ranging from <0.05 to 19.00 g/t Au. Sampling shows consistent gold from the top of Cerro Magallanes at the San Jose Target northeast along the Agua Prieta-North Breccia Target and through the Central and East Target areas. Channel samples with gold values of note shown below on map include: San Jose Target - 47m @ 1.12 g/t from underground workings (Cambior Ex., 1996)* Agua Prieta - North Breccia - 10m @ 3.34 g/t from surface channel Central Target- 14m @ 2.44 g/t from underground workings East Target - 11.5m @ 1.57 g/t from surface channel Disclaimer: Riverside has applied a 5-gram gold cap to these interval calculations in order to mitigate impact of individual high-grade samples. These samples do not cover the entire target thicknesses and further excavations would be needed to expand continuity and provide an indication of gold mineralization context. *Interval from previous operators work on the Cecilia Project and is historical. The reliability of historical data is uncertain but is considered to be relevant by Company management as a statistically significant portion of the historical sampling was resampled and verified; however, there is a risk that the Company's confirmation work or future drill testing may produce results that substantially differ from the historical results. The map below (Figure 1) summarizes highlighted gold intervals from the current program as well as select historical drill-hole intervals from previous operators. Click here to see Figure 1 Figure 1: Outlined Historical Drilling and Riverside Channel Sampling Gold Intervals From the sampling in each area Riverside was able to continue to refine the surface character of the specific target areas of the Cerro Magallanes which makes up one zone as shown on the map inset of Figure 1 and Figure 2. Riverside is currently conducting a follow up infill soil sampling, field mapping and rock sampling on the larger Cecilia 1 Claim. Click here to see Figure 2 Figure 2: Shows clusters of samples and high-grade gold chip samples (black labels) and channel intervals (red labels) Targets on Cerro Magallanes: North Breccia The North Breccia is a wide breccia zone formed along the north margin of the main composite rhyolite dome with historic drill intercepts (Cambior DDH 138-95-08) of 30.4 m @ 1.41 g/t Au). Rock channel sampling by Riverside's returned 10m @ 3.34 g/t Au (both ends remain open). The North Breccia extends upslope to the southwest more than 600 m merging with the Agua Prieta Zone and intersecting the San Jose NW trending Target Zone at the topographic peak of the dome complex. The North Breccia was historically rock chip channel sampled, returning good gold grades. The intersection of the North Breccia and the San Jose structure remain a top priority for drill testing. At the North Breccia and elsewhere on Cecelia the rhyolite dome is the main host unit where gold mineralization has been predominantly found in the breccia matrix. The North Breccia target is typical of dome margin breccias and is like deposits found in Peru, Bolivia, and Colorado where gold is largely hosted in the matrix. These deposit types are favorable hosts for bulk mining scenarios. San Jose (West Area) The west area of Cerro Magallanes is bisected by a large northwest trending structural zone of up to 60 m wide and hosts more than half a dozen old gold mine workings. Mineralized structures show predominantly silica alteration and commonly dip steeply to the NE with widths of 10-30 m. Sampling by Cambior (1995) within the workings returned 47m @ 1.12 g/t Au along the structural zone, while sampling across the structure by Riverside returned 8m @ 1.50 g/t Au in cross cut #26. The San Jose Target strikes more than 700 m in length and has not yet been drilled, however, historical sampling by Cambior along the structure on surface returned 3 to 9 g/t gold in 2m chip channel samples. These veins show classic epithermal multigenerational opening and filling typical of feeder zones like those at the San Julian Mine in Chihuahua also of the same mid-Tertiary age. Agua Prieta Target (striking NE) The Agua Prieta and North Breccia form a somewhat continuous zone of gold-bearing silicified breccia that extends northwest, downslope from its intersection with the San Jose target to mid-slope of Cerro Magallanes as shown in Figure 1. Sampling on the dome margin here shows anomalous values and frequent higher-grade gold zones in silicified and brecciated rhyolitic rock. The new channel sampling has delineated the drill target that lies above the North Breccia. This target begins near surface and extends downward toward the subvolcanic conglomerate and sediments outcropping near the base of Cerro Magallanes. Cerro Magallanes overall appears analogous to the Pitarilla deposit in Durango, Mexico. Pitarilla hosts >500M Oz Ag grading approximately 100 g/t silver . Pitarilla was discovered by the exploration team at Silver Standard (now SSR Mining Inc.), which included Ron Burk, Technical Advisor to Riverside Resources. The Agua Prieta target has potential to host high-grade structural gold mineralization along the margins of the dome feeder zones and is supported by sampling at the North Breccia Target which returned: 10m @ 3.34 g/t Au and 5m @ 4.04 g/t Au. Central Target area The Central Target has undergone small-scale open pit and focused underground mining. Historical underground rock-chip channel sampling by Cambior (1995) in this area returned: 14m @ 2.44 g/t Au. Riverside surface channel sampling on the Central Target returned 3.5m @ 2.7 g/t Au and 11m @ 0.84 g/t Au. Geochemistry sampling by Riverside where prior work largely did not assay for trace elements shows elevated values in Te, As, F, Pb and Mo which is typical within highly magmatically evolved rhyolite domes. This geochemistry is similar to mining camps in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, and Guanajuato in the Mesa Central and Sierra Madre Occidental dome fields. Old workings on the northern slopes of Cerro Magallanes from the 1950-60s chased near surface high-grade structures but did not explore at depth. These old workings drifted-in along several different orientations near one another suggesting possible bulk tonnage targeting scenarios may exist. Riverside will be working to assess this scenario following the positive results of the rock channel sampling. East Target area The east target comprises high-grade, fault-controlled, Ag-rich veins along the margin of the Puma Dome located east of Cerro Magallanes dome. Gold in chip channel samples by Riverside along the trace of a portion of the fault structures returned 11.5m @ 1.57 g/t Au. Grab samples from dump material in this area returned silver values of up to 200 g/t Ag. The East Target is 200 m lower in elevation than Cerro Magallanes and might be showing vertical zoning from gold high on Cerro Magallanes to silver lower down closer to the underlying Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. Follow-up fieldwork will test this hypothesis. Riverside's President and CEO, John-Mark Staude, stated: "We continue to advance multiple discussions with prospective partners at Cecilia and whether we partner or sole-fund the Project, Riverside wants to see drilling in the near future to test the targets that have been generated. The district scale targets show strong gold values and good continuity. We are excited about the transformational discovery potential with future trenching and drilling at Cecilia." WATCH Riverside's President & CEO, John-Mark Staude at the Cecilia Project Qualified Person and QA/QC: The scientific and technical data contained in this news release pertaining to the Cecilia Project was reviewed and/or prepared under the supervision of Freeman Smith, P.Geo., a non-independent qualified person to Riverside Resources Inc. who is responsible for ensuring that the geologic information provided in this news release is accurate and who acts as a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Rock samples collected were taken to the Bureau Veritas Laboratories in Hermosillo, Mexico for fire assaying for gold. The rejects remained with Bureau Veritas in Mexico while the pulps were transported to Bureau Veritas' laboratory in Vancouver, BC, Canada for 45 element ICP/ES-MS analysis. A QA/QC program was implemented as part of the sampling procedures for the exploration program. Standard samples were randomly inserted into the sample stream prior to being sent to the laboratory. About Riverside Resources Inc.: Riverside is an exploration company driven by value generation and discovery. The company has more than $2,000,000 in cash, fewer than 45M shares issued and a strong portfolio of gold-silver and copper assets in North America. Riverside has extensive experience and knowledge operating in Mexico and leverages its large database to generate a portfolio of prospective mineral properties. In addition to Riverside's own exploration spending, the Company also strives to diversify risk by securing joint-venture and spin-out partnerships to advance multiple assets simultaneously and create more chances for discovery. Riverside has additional properties available for option, with more information available on the Company's website at www.rivres.com. ON BEHALF OF RIVERSIDE RESOURCES INC. "John-Mark Staude" Dr. John-Mark Staude, President & CEO For additional information contact: John-Mark Staude President, CEO Riverside Resources Inc. info@rivres.com Phone: (778) 327-6671 Fax: (778) 327-6675 Web: www.rivres.com Raffi Elmajian Corporate Communications Riverside Resources Inc. relmajian@rivres.com Phone: (778) 327-6671 TF: (877) RIV-RES1 Web: www.rivres.com Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward looking terminology (e.g., "expect"," estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "plans"). Such information involves known and unknown risks -- including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Riverside in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. 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. Nearly Two Decades of Experience in Cases Impacting More Than 110 Million People to Support Organizations Subject to New GDPR Breach Notification Mandates Kroll, a global leader in risk mitigation, investigations, compliance, cyber security and incident response solutions, announces the expansion of its industry-recognized Identity Theft and Breach Notification solutions to the UK. Kroll has been providing data breach response and identity theft remediation and restoration services in the United States and Canada since 1999, assisting clients with cases that have affected more than 110 million individuals. David White, based in London, has been named leader of the service line's expansion to the UK. "Kroll's experience managing breach notification for firms of diverse sizes across multiple industries and regulatory regimes will be of particular value to organizations now subject to EU General Data Protection Regulation incident response mandates," said Brian Lapidus, global leader of Kroll's Identity Theft and Breach Notification business. "For many organizations in the UK, the GDPR notification requirements will be unknown territory. We have helped hundreds of organizations with the immediate and long-term repercussions of a data breach maintaining operations, mitigating regulatory action, protecting consumers and preserving brand value and stand ready to support our clients in the UK and their affected data subjects at every point in a crisis." David White continues: "We are excited to expand Kroll's identity theft and breach notification solutions in the UK. The depth and breadth of our in-country resources are built on best practices honed over two decades, but also reflect a unique understanding of the region's business and regulatory environment. At this seminal stage of GDPR enforcement, Kroll's time-tested processes will set the bar by clearly demonstrating to all stakeholders including regulators, data subjects, cyber insurance carriers and the media the measures our clients have taken to address and mitigate harms caused by a breach." In 2017, Kroll was named a "Leader" in The Forrester Wave: Customer Data Breach Notification and Response Services, Q4 2017 report, published by Forrester Research, a global research and advisory firm. The report declared Kroll "is capable of being a one-stop shop for multiple services relating to breach response, from forensic investigations to support for clients in litigation issues." Kroll's data breach and identity theft notification services help clients prepare for the eventuality of a breach, working closely with clients' staff, legal counsel and cyber insurance carrier, Kroll will assist in primarily four areas: Notification, UK-Based Call Center Support, Personal Information Monitoring and Identity Theft Restoration. Kroll's experience in diverse industries enable it to assist with notification to the most sensitive populations and critical situations. Call center services are scalable for the largest of breach populations, and can accommodate 40 different languages and dialects. Monitoring services leverage Kroll's advanced, patent-protected technology to scour the public, deep and dark web for breached information that is then further contextualised by Kroll's global team of cyber analysts. Individuals impacted by the breach receive direct access to Kroll's Fraud Specialists, who can consult on concerns, investigate issues and work to resolve confirmed cases of identity theft. Kroll's Identity Theft and Breach Notification business is part of Kroll's global Cyber Risk practice, which offers end-to-end solutions that help clients become more cyber resilient, able to better prevent, detect, and recover from persistent and emerging cyber risks. Organizations interested in learning more about Kroll's cyber risk solutions, particularly those that will help them prepare for and comply with GDPR requirements, to include our Data Protection Officer Consultancy services, can find information on Kroll's website here. About Kroll Kroll is the leading global provider of risk solutions. For more than 45 years, Kroll has helped clients make confident risk management decisions about people, assets, operations and security through a wide range of investigations, cyber security, due diligence and compliance, physical and operational security, and data and information management services. For more information, visit www.kroll.com. Duff Phelps is the global advisor that protects, restores and maximizes value for clients in the areas of valuation, corporate finance, investigations, disputes, cyber security, compliance and regulatory matters, and other governance-related issues. We work with clients across diverse sectors, mitigating risk to assets, operations and people. With Kroll, a division of Duff Phelps since 2018, our firm has nearly 3,500 professionals in 28 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.duffandphelps.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005128/en/ Contacts: Media: Infinite Global (US) Ada Oni-Eseleh, 646-685-8075 AdaOE@infiniteglobal.com or Kroll (EMEA) Meredith Foster, +44 2070 295 168 mfoster@kroll.com or Kroll (APAC) Amanda Zhou, +65 6645 4947 amanda.zhou@kroll.com Bringing more than two decades of trading technology expertise Vela, a leading independent provider of trading and market access technology for global multi-asset electronic trading, today announced that Scott Visconti has joined Vela as CTO, focusing on technology strategy, supporting growth, and the next stage of development of Vela's product stack, services, and processes. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005264/en/ Scott Visconti, CTO (Photo: Business Wire) Scott will be based in Vela's headquarters in New York and report to CEO Jennifer Nayar. He will lead the global development team and work alongside the executive team to cement the firm's position as an innovative and transformational leader. Jen commented, "We are delighted that Scott has joined Vela. Having Scott as part of our executive team underpins our focus on hiring high-caliber leaders to deliver quality technology solutions for our global clients." Adding, "Scott is a highly-accomplished technology executive with a wealth of experience across multiple asset classes, a keen interest in mentoring and motivating cross-functional teams, and a determination to deliver new products and services. He is a well-known and respected technologist in our industry and brings deep knowledge and expertise in areas including trading technology, risk management, and data analytics. We look forward to working with Scott and are excited about the contributions he will bring to Vela." Scott said, "Vela has a unique position in the marketplace and a reputation as being agile and forward thinking. I am pleased to be joining the company at this very exciting time and I look forward to working with the team to leverage the latest innovations in technology to deliver cutting-edge performance, features and reliability." Prior to Vela, Scott co-founded MarketOpen, a startup data analytics platform providing ongoing trading surveillance in stocks, exchange-traded funds, equity options, futures and crypto assets for investor relations and market professionals. During his tenure at ICE/NYSE, he was Vice President and Head of NYSE Group Technology, where he managed Development, Quality Assurance, Project Management Office, Capacity Management and IT Compliance functions. Scott has also held senior roles at firms including BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse and S&P Comstock. Scott holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Polytechnic University and a Bachelor of Engineering from Manhattan College. This appointment follows on the heels of several recent client-focused new hires including Ahmed Heikal, who joins from GAIN Capital Group as Product Manager, and Jim Maguire, who served in multiple capacities during his 18-year tenure at ICE/NYSE and joins Vela as Account Manager. Ahmed and Jim are also based in New York. End About Vela Vela is a leading independent provider of trading and market access technology for global multi-asset electronic trading. Our software enables clients to successfully execute on their trading strategies and manage risk across multiple fragmented markets, liquidity pools, and data sources. We help firms successfully differentiate and innovate in an ever-changing, increasingly-regulated and fiercely-competitive landscape, while also reducing total cost of ownership. Vela's ticker plant, execution gateways, trading platform, and risk and analytics software deliver a unique, ultra-low latency technology stack for electronic low-touch and Direct Market Access (DMA) execution and pricing. We leverage the latest innovations in technology to deliver cutting-edge performance, features and reliability. Our modular stack is accessed through a single set of trading, data and risk APIs and can be delivered as-a-Service from multiple co-location data centers globally. With access to more than 250 venues, Vela provides global coverage across all major asset classes. Clients are supported by an award-winning team of technical and business experts available 24x7 from our multiple offices in the US, Europe, and Asia. Vela's clients include traders, market makers, brokers, banks, investment firms, exchanges, and other market participants. Visit us at www.tradevela.com. Follow us on Twitter @TradeVela. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005264/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries: The Realization Group Melanie Budden, +44 7974 937970 melanie.budden@therealizationgroup.com MANCHESTER, England, October 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - Greater Manchester-based Capify is aiming to support more businesses during the annual festive funding spike and sets targetsto help SMEs to access capital to grow in a responsible way - Set upat the height of the credit crunch in 2008, Capify celebrates 10 years helping to power the UK SME and retailer economy and drive jobs growth An alternative SME finance provider that has helped almost 10,000 UK SMEs to grow and to thrive is eyeing a 125 million+ funding target over the next few years, as it celebrates 10 years in business. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/752752/Capify_Ten_Years_in_Business_Infographic.jpg ) Set up during the height of the credit crunch in 2008, Capify, based in Greater Manchester, has defied the odds to help almost 10,000 SMEs and retailers to raise funding, delivering much needed access to working capital in the form of merchant cash advances and alternative business loans to benefit the UK economy. As it celebrates ten years in the UK, the company is lining itself up to support the expected annual festive spike in funding requests in 2018, as well as driving over 125 million into the UK economy to power small business growth and jobs over the next few years. "We've used 2018 - our tenth year of operation in the UK - to reposition ourselves for growth," said Capify's Founder, President and CEO David Goldin. "We want to help more independent stores, SMEs and retailers to advance finance in a responsible way, in order to invest in their own futures, expand their businesses and capitalise on the opportunities they have. "Over the next few years, we're aiming to drive over 125 million pounds into the economy to help hundreds of small businesses to flourish, as well as educating more businesses about responsible alternative funding options open to them. "With alternative finance providers like Funding Circle and ourselves growing year on year, I think many small and medium-sized businesses are waking up to the fact that there are so many more options than the big banks; that funding for growth can be simple and that providers like us really do want to support them in achieving everything they aspire to." For their 10th year anniversary, Capify's team of over 70-strong organised a day of celebration at the company's offices in Altrincham and they were joined by the Mayor of Trafford, Cllr Tom Ross. As well as commemorating the company's performance, David Goldin and the Capify team laid out ambitious plans for growth. And the company is also predicting another pre-Christmas spike in funding requests from retailers in 2018. "Every year at Capify we see a big surge in requests to raise funding in the period between October and February," David added. "And we're expecting to continue that trend again this year, as SMEs look to invest in stock, seasonal staff and training, upscaling their marketing efforts and enhancing their environments. "Simple, affordable and smart financial options to support this type of business growth is what we've delivered over the past decade and we very much see this continuing in the future." Over the past ten years, Capify has helped more than 9,000 UK businesses - including retailers, restaurants, florists and mechanics - by providing funding to drive their businesses and employ staff. For a quick no obligation quotation, fast approval and funds within days, SMEs can visit Capify at http://www.capify.co.uk. About Capify UK Capify has been providing business finance in the UK for more than ten years, helping small and medium sized businesses in the UK to grow and achieve their aspirations. Over the past ten years, Capify has helped more than 9,000 UK businesses with around tens of millions of pound worth of funding support to drive their businesses forward. For more details visit: http://www.capify.co.uk. Enables Increasingly Complex Stochastic Simulations to Run at Greater Speed and Affordability Conning, a leading global provider of risk and capital management software and advisory solutions for the insurance industry, today announced the release of Version 7.0 of its suite of risk management software products (GEMS Economic Scenario Generator, FIRM Portfolio Analyzer, and ADVISE Enterprise Risk Modeler), which now includes new Grid-as-a-Service functionality, allowing clients to access processing power via the cloud. Conning believes that the time has come for financial firms to start taking advantage of the opportunities this new technology affords. "Financial risk modeling has become more sophisticated, increasing the demands on companies' computing infrastructure," said Lorraine Hritcko, Head of Conning's Risk Solutions team. Hritcko added, "Robust modeling of global economies, capital markets, financial instruments, and complex corporate holdings across tens or hundreds of thousands of scenarios requires an enormous amount of processing power, and modelers may find themselves having to choose between long run times and maintaining large grids of high-powered servers." Hritcko also noted that cloud computing allows computing power to be available on demand, with no cost of ownership when it's not needed. By leveraging economies of scale, simulations can be run at a speed that would be prohibitively expensive to achieve with a dedicated in-house system, enabling larger and, therefore, more informative simulations than were previously practical. "From the earliest days of stochastic modeling, modelers have taken advantage of advances in computing power, enabling the creation of simulations that would have been infeasible in past decades," said Dan MacKenzie, Risk Solutions Product Manager for Conning. "Taking advantage of the enormous economies of scale that are now available through cloud computing is the natural next step in the evolution of financial risk management. Companies that embrace this technology will have a competitive advantage." MacKenzie added that cloud computing environments have much more stringent security protocols than typical in-house data centers. ABOUT CONNING Conning (www.conning.com) is a leading global investment management firm with a long history of serving the insurance industry. Conning supports institutional investors, including pension plans, with investment solutions and asset management offerings, award-winning risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has investment centers in Asia, Europe and North America. About Conning's Risk Management Software Conning's risk management software platform includes GEMS Economic Scenario Generator, FIRM Portfolio Analyzer, and ADVISE Enterprise Risk Modeler, offering greater accuracy in financial risk modeling and providing deeper insights for decision making, regulatory and rating agency compliance, and capital allocation. In addition, the Investment Optimizer module works seamlessly within GEMS, FIRM and ADVISE to perform effective strategic asset allocation analyses and identify optimal investment strategies. Conning, Inc., Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc., Conning Investment Products, Inc., a FINRA-registered broker dealer, Conning Asset Management Limited, and Conning Asia Pacific Limited are all direct or indirect subsidiaries of Conning Holdings Limited (collectively, "Conning") which is one of the family of companies owned by Cathay Financial Holding Co., Ltd., a Taiwan-based company. GEMS, FIRM and ADVISE are registered trademarks of Conning, Inc. Copyright 1999 2018 Conning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. GEMS, FIRM and ADVISE are proprietary software published and owned by Conning, Inc. C#:7544337 NOTE TO THE EDITORS To provide additional information about Conning's Grid-as-a-Service functionality, Conning's Risk Management team has written Cloud Computing for Financial Risk Modeling, which includes a detailed overview of the security and reliability features built into the system. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005187/en/ Contacts: Media: Stanton Gabe Ross, +1 646-502-3576 GRoss@stantonprm.com or Conning Myra Lee, +1 860-299-2278 (direct) Myra.Lee@Conning.com NEW YORK and LONDON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Avature, a provider of innovative cloud applications for CRM and Human Capital Management, announced today the beta release of its semantic search module. The first version will be tested by a small group of customers beginning in October and will then be made available to all customers as an add-on to their existing ATS solution in the first quarter of 2019. The module, an important component of Avature's evolving AI strategy, is primarily designed to improve matching of candidates to jobs by using their resume content to expand candidate search criteria based on semantic correlations. The module will be demonstrated at the upcoming EU Avature Conference in London on November 15. The semantic search module currently supports English language searches, but will be updated to include German language searches before the end of the year, and French language searches in the first quarter of 2019. The module will be available to all ATS customers in the first quarter of 2019 together with a completely revamped search UI that supports both semantic and standard Boolean search. Avature's federated search module, WebSources, which searches third-party systems from within the Avature CRM solution, will add semantic search features later in the year. "Unlike contracts or statements of work, resumes are difficult document types to search because of the abundant use of acronyms that mean different things in different industries, the frequent use of similar words with different meanings, key-word stuffing, and related concepts such as 'manager of corporate development' and 'strategic alliance manager,'" said Nicolas Bader, Avature's Product Marketing Analyst for AI. "The key for Avature is to automatically compensate for these issues while reducing search complexity and improving the quality of search results." Semantic Search will join Saccade and Avature's "Find Similar" features to form the cornerstone of Avature's learning-based AI strategy. Saccade, Avature's NLP parser, has already learned to parse resumes in over 20 languages, including Chinese and Japanese, while "Find Similar" is designed to find patterns in large sets of similar documents and use them as search parameters. Central to this strategy is the concept that machine learning should be embedded in the platform so that massive amounts of data do not need to be exported to a separate system for AI processing. "Our recruiting customers want to improve the services they provide to their hiring managers," said Dimitri Boylan, CEO of Avature. "With semantic search, recruiters can make expert level associations without any prior industry specific knowledge - selecting better candidates sooner, and improving the experience of the high-quality candidate. We think this will be particularly useful where recruiters need to manage job assignments outside their own area of expertise, and for areas where deep domain expertise is essential, such as pharmaceutical, medical technology, and health care recruiting." Avature will continue to look at how neural network technology and machine learning can leverage the knowledge that is accumulated inside an enterprise system and how this information can be combined with external information to improve user productivity and support higher levels of automation. About Avature Avature is a highly configurable enterprise SaaS platform for Talent Acquisition and Talent Management and the leading provider of CRM technology for recruiting globally. Founded by Dimitri Boylan, co-founder and former CEO of HotJobs.com, Avature brings consumer-grade internet technology and innovation to HCM software. Avature solutions include shared services sourcing, applicant tracking, campus & events recruiting, employee referral management, social onboarding, branded employee engagement, employee mobility and workforce optimization, and performance management. Used by 110 of the Fortune 500 in more than 164 countries and 17 languages, Avature delivers its services from its private cloud, located in data centers in the US, Europe, and Asia, and from the public cloud. Avature has offices in Buenos Aires, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Shenzhen. Learn more at www.avature.net or follow @Avature. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - IntellaEquity Inc. (formerly Augusta Industries Inc.) (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that on the opening of the market on October 4, 2018, the Corporation's common shares will commence trading through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE"). The common shares will trade under the symbol " IEQ". The Corporation is also pleased to announce that it has completed the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary, Fox-Tek Canada Inc. to Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp. ("Mooncor") for an aggregate purchase price of $21.5 million (the "Purchase Price"). The sale of Fox-Tek was approved by a majority of the minority shareholders at the annual and special shareholders' meeting held on July 11, 2018. $9,500,000 of the Purchase Price will be satisfied through the issuance of an aggregate of 47,500,000 post-consolidated common shares (the "Consideration Shares") in the capital of Mooncor at a price of $0.20 per Consideration Share. The balance of the Purchase Price, being up to $12,000,000, will be satisfied through a royalty of 15% on all future sales of Fox-Tek's products and a 20% royalty on all future sales of Fox-Tek's services (collectively, the "Royalty"). The Royalty shall be payable until the earlier of (i) the 10 year anniversary of the closing of the acquisition of Fox-Tek, and (ii) the aggregate payment of $12 million. In addition, the Corporation will continue its operations as a diversified investment and merchant banking firm focused on public companies and commodities. The Corporation's proposed investment activities will include (i) public companies, (ii) near public companies and private capital, (iii) global venture capital initiatives and (iv) strategic physical commodities. However, the Corporation may take advantage of special situations and merchant banking opportunities, as such opportunities arise, and make investments in other sectors which the Corporation identifies from time to time as offering particular value. In connection with the sale of Fox-Tek and its change of business, the Corporation changed its name from Augusta Industries Inc. to IntellaEquity Inc. and consolidated its issued and outstanding securities on the basis on ten pre-consolidated common shares for every one (1) post-consolidated common shares. "The listing of the Corporation's common shares through the facilities of the CSE will allow the Corporation to carry out its objectives as a merchant bank," stated Allen Lone, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. "The cost effectiveness of a CSE listing will allow the Corporation to conserve its cash and deploy it to execute on proposed acquisitions." About the Corporation: IntellaEquity is a publicly traded Canadian based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the industrial, artificial intelligence and blockchain sectors. The Corporation seeks to invest in early stage, promising companies where it may be the lead investor and can additionally provide investees with advisory services, mentoring and access to the Corporation's ecosystem. Corporation contact: Allen Lone, President, CEO, IntellaEquity Inc. Tel: (905) 275-8111 Ext 226, email: atlone@intellaequity.com The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note regarding Forward-looking Statements This news release includes certain information and forward-looking statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward-looking statementsCSE. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Although the Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statement will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Corporation disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. 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. DZ Bank AG: Post-Stabilisation Notice Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities. The security to be stabilised: Issuer: European Investment Bank Guarantor (if any): None Aggregate nominal amount: Tap EUR benchmark Description: fixed rate, due 15^thJuly 2024 Offer price: Tbc Other offer terms: payment 19 September 2018, denoms 1k/1k, soft bullet Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilisation Coordinator: DZ BANK AG Stabilising Managers: DZ BANK AG Barclays plc BNP Paribas J.P.Morgan Stabilisation period expected to12th September 2018 start on: Stabilisation period expected to no later than 30 days after the end on: proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and The Stabilising Managers may over-allot conditions of use of over-allotment the securities to the extent permitted facility. in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Regulated Market) This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. DZ Bank AG: Post-Stabilisation Notice Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities. The security to be stabilised: Issuer: KfW Guarantor (if any): Federal Republic of Germany ISIN: tbc Aggregate nominal amount: EUR benchmark Description: EUR benchmark guaranteed by the Federal Republic of Germany Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: Payment 20 September 2017, Listing Frankfurt Stock Exchange, denominations:1k Maturity 15 September 2023 Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilisation Managers: DZ Bank AG Stabilisation period commences 20 September 2016 Stabilisation period expected to No later than 30 days after the proposed end on: issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and The Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot conditions of use of over-allotment the securities to the extent permitted in facility. Accordance with applicable law. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. TSX-V:WAR Introduces Name Change Announces Completion of Tres Marias Sale Transaction VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Warrior Gold Inc. (TSX-V - WAR) ("Warrior Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to provide shareholders with updated corporate information with regards to the Company's name change and final transaction on the Tres Marias zinc mine in Mexico ("the Transaction"). Name Change - Warrior Gold Inc. Effective September 28, 2018, the Company changed its name and began trading October 1, 2018, under the new name Warrior Gold Inc., (formerly War Eagle Mining Company) pursuant to a resolution passed at its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on September 5, 2018. Shares of Warrior Gold will continue to trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "WAR". The Company was required to obtain a new CUSIP number for its common shares in conjunction with the name change. The new CUSIP number for the Company's common shares is CA9362641008. Tres Marias Sale Transaction As of September 29, 2018, the Company completed the sale of its 100% interest in its former Mexican subsidiary, Tombstone Exploration de Mexico S.A. de C.V., owner of its Tres Marias zinc mine located in Chihuahua State, Mexico to Contratista Y Operaciones Mineras S.A. de C.V. ("COMSA"). Warrior Gold and COMSA agreed to amend the agreement dated August 27, 2016, to sell all interests, including royalties, in the Tres Marias Zinc mine for additional proceeds of US$250,000. On September 29, 2018 the Company received the final payment from COMSA. The parties are currently preparing a formal agreement to conclude the Transaction. Other: Warrior Gold continues to roll out the first phase of an extended three phase exploration program on its Goodfish-Kirana Property located near the town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Phase I is focused on targeting and defining drill ready targets and developing a deeper understanding of the structural deformation zones on the property. The Company expects to announce the details of its exploration campaign within the coming weeks. About Warrior Gold Inc. Warrior Gold is a TSX-V listed Company and owns the Goodfish-Kirana Property located 5 kilometers from the town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The Property is located in the historic Kirkland Lake Gold Camp which is situated in the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt; recognized as one of the world's highest-grade greenstone belts with over 200 million ounces of gold produced to date. The Goodfish-Kirana Property is 10 km long by 3 km wide (34 km2) and contains two major structural trends; the East West trending Kirana Deformation Zone and the North East trending Goodfish Deformation Zone. The Property contains numerous historical gold showings, including 18 historical pits and shafts. The Company is exploiting this largely untapped potential with a combination of modern exploration technology and regional geological expertise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. The forward-looking statements are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Company. Although Warrior Gold believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because Warrior Gold can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. In addition to other risks that may affect the forward-looking statements in this press release are those set out in the Company's management discussion and analysis of the financial condition and results of operations for the year ended March 31, 2018 and the first quarter ended June 30, 2018, which are available at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Warrior Gold undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Daniele Spethmann, P.Geo, President & CEO, Warrior Gold Inc., 647 344-3433, dspethmann@warriorgoldinc.com; Malcolm Burke, Director, Warrior Gold Inc., 604 220-2000, mburke@warriorgoldinc.com; Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer, Warrior Gold Inc., 647 964 0292, info@warriorgoldinc.com Miton Global Opportunities Plc - Realisation Opportunity - Result of Election MITON GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES PLC Realisation Opportunity for Shareholders - Result of Election 2 October 2018 Further to the Circular to Shareholders dated 10 September 2018 (the "Circular") in respect of the 2018 Realisation Opportunity, Miton Global Opportunities plc (the "Company") announces that it has received the following levels of election by 1.00 pm on 1 October 2018: Maximum number of ordinary shares available to elect: 28,004,985 Total elections received: 434,197 Percentage taken up: 1.55% Tender applications received: 25 The net asset value per ordinary share as at 27 September 2018, the Election Determination Date, was 276.86 pence (cum income). The Realisation Price for the Elected Shares is therefore 272.43 pence per ordinary share, a 1.6% discount to the NAV. The 2018 Realisation Opportunity is still conditional on the proposals set out in the Circular being approved at the General Meeting of the Company to be held on 5 October 2018 at 11.45 am. As previously announced, the Company proposed in the Circular to: change the Articles so that the form of the Realisation Opportunity currently contemplated can be amended to provide the Company with additional flexibility; approve the form of the 2018 Realisation Opportunity, which provides Shareholders with the option to either: retain their current investment in the Company; or realise their investment in the Company, by making a Realisation Election which is intended to be satisfied in cash at the Realisation Price, which will represent a 1.6% discount to NAV per Ordinary Share as at Election NAV Determination Date; and amend the index referenced in the Company's investment objective and, as a consequence, the index used to calculate performance fees potentially payable, in certain circumstances, to the Investment Manager. EXPECTED ONGOING TIMETABLE Latest date and time for proxy forms for the General Meeting11.45 a.m. on 3 October 2018 General Meeting11.45 a.m. on 5 October 2018 Result of the General Meeting announced 5 October 2018 Result of the 2018 Realisation Opportunity Announced5 October 2018 Election Settlement Date: cheques despatched and payments through CREST made and CREST accounts settled 11 October 2018 Balancing share certificates despatched week commencing 15 October 2018 All times and dates in the expected timetable may be adjusted by the Company. Any material changes to the timetable will be notified via an RIS. Capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement will have the same meaning as set out in the circular to shareholders dated 10 September 2018 (the "Circular"). ENQUIRIES Miton Group plc David Barron DDI: +44 (0) 20 3714 1474 Email: david.barron@mitongroup.com Numis Securities Limited Nathan Brown, Corporate Broking and Advisory DDI: +44 (0) 20 7260 1426 Email: n.brown@numis.com Frostrow Capital LLP Company Secretary Kerstin Rucht Tel: 0203 709 8734 Signifyd's ability to eliminate friction in the shopping experience sets it apart from the competition SANTA CLARA, California, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan today recognized Signifyd with the 2018 North American Growth Excellence Leadership Award for being at the forefront of the industry-wide transition to guaranteed fraud protection (GFP) models, based on its recent analysis of the North American E-commerce GFP market. The company offers complete protection against fraud chargebacks on every approved order, thus absorbing the liability of fraud from merchants. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/751130/Signifyd_Award_Frost_and_Sullivan_Logo.jpg "Signifyd's GFP products enable retailers to deliver friction-free, personalized, and smart shopping experiences to consumers by employing a combination of machine learning (ML) technology and human expertise. This enables its solutions to predict fraud patterns accurately and generate appropriate decisions," said Vikrant Gandhi, Industry Director at Frost & Sullivan. "While competing vendors focus on loss prevention rather than on customer experience enhancements, Signifyd places heavy emphasis on customer satisfaction by offering improved approval rates with complete guarantees." Signifyd is the undisputed leader in the GFP market, acquiring more than 10,000 customers in over 100 countries within a short span of four years since its initial product launch in 2014. Signifyd started in the SMB segment and continues to acquire numerous small merchants every month. The company soon expanded into the mid-size and large enterprise segments and started seeing increased adoption from these segments as well. This growing base of customers of all sizes from every retail vertical has allowed the company to capture a diverse set of first-party transactional and behavioral data that feeds its shared intelligence services. In addition, Signifyd leverages third-party data to enrich transactions further and automatically approve a higher share of orders, thereby reducing the number of orders that are reviewed by its in-house fraud detection team to maximize approval rates. Signifyd's high degree of modularity and specific set of custom protection features enable its solution to address customers' unique needs and constraints. Furthermore, the company widened its application scope and revenue-generation opportunities by adding specific features and functions, such as reduced declines; elastic capacity; chargeback management; buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) protection; and cross-border coverage for larger enterprises. "Aside from an API implementation, the company currently integrates directly with Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud (formerly DemandWare), enabling merchants using these e-commerce platforms to also benefit from Signifyd's automated fraud prevention and detailed reporting capabilities," noted Vikrant. "The adoption of its GFP solutions by both next-generation digital native retailers and traditional brick-and-mortar retailers is a clear testament to their capabilities, versatility, and modularity." Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows this award on the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. This award recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience offered that results in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and greater share of wallet. With this award, Frost & Sullivan lauds the recipient's growth, diversification, and sustainability strategies. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Signifyd Signifyd, the world's largest provider of guaranteed fraud protection, enables online retailers to provide a friction-free buying experience for their customers. Signifyd leverages big data, machine learning and domain expertise to provide a 100 percent financial guarantee against fraud on approved orders that later turn out to be fraudulent. This effectively shifts the liability for fraud away from retailers, allowing them to increase sales and open new markets while reducing risk. Signifyd counts among its customers a number of companies on the Fortune 1000 and Internet Retailer Top 500 lists. Signifyd is headquartered in San Jose, CA. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Paper published in Nature Communications shows the potential of applying modern recombinant antibody technology to the blight of snake envenomation Collaboration between IONTAS, Cambridge, Instituto Clodomiro Picado (Universidad de Costa Rica), and Technical University of Denmark to develop fully human IgG antibodies that neutralise black mamba snake venom in vivo IONTAS Limited (IONTAS), a leader in the discovery and optimisation of fully human antibodies, today announced a collaborative paper published in Nature Communications1 with the Technical University of Denmark, and the Instituto Clodomiro Picado of the University of Costa Rica describing the development of a panel of human antibodies that neutralise elements of black mamba snake toxin in an in vivo model. Each year, around two million people fall victim to snakebite envenoming, which leads to more than 100,000 deaths and approximately 400,000 cases of severe sequalae, such as amputation. Particularly, impoverished victims living in snake-infested areas of the tropics are at risk, and many bites are left untreated due to the unavailability of safe and effective antivenoms. Snakebite envenoming has recently been introduced on the World Health Organization's list of neglected tropical diseases due to its high disease burden. The "proof of concept" research described in Nature Communications identified key components, including dendrotoxins, in the black mamba's venom which contribute to venom toxicity. Human antibodies were generated to these dendrotoxins using IONTAS Phage Display Technology and cocktails of IgG-formatted human antibodies were then shown to protect mice from dendrotoxin-mediated neurotoxicity in vivo Associate Professor Andreas Hougaard Laustsen, Technical University of Denmark, commented: "Current antivenoms are based on plasma-derived animal antibodies, which are effective in neutralising venom toxicity, but are also associated with serious adverse reactions, such as serum sickness, due to their non-human origin. With our work we have laid the first stone on the technological path towards the manufacture of a next-generation fully human antivenom, devoid of such drawbacks Professor Jose Maria Gutierrez, Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Universidad de Costa Rica, said: "It is rewarding to see that classic techniques in toxinology and state-of-the-art methodologies of recombinant DNA could be successfully combined to demonstrate clear therapeutic potential. This recombinant antibody approach opens the door to the development of novel tools in the treatment of snakebites. Dr John McCafferty, Founder and CEO, IONTAS said: "Snake envenomation is a particular burden among the world's poorest people and the approach to treatment, based on poorly defined animal serum has not changed in decades. IONTAS were motivated to contribute our resources and experience in recombinant antibody technology towards this initial proof-of-concept study. We hope that this report will help encourage funders to support the scientific community and advance the treatment of snakebites using modern antibody engineering methods. Although many challenges remain in the development of safe, efficacious and cost-effective drug cocktails, it is an achievable goal with the ultimate reward of seeing science help improve human lives." 1 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-06086-4 DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-06086-4 About IONTAS www.iontas.co.uk About Instituto Clodomiro Picado www.icp.ucr.ac.cr About Technical University of Denmark www.dtu.dk/english View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005767/en/ Contacts: Zyme Communications Lorna Cuddon Tel: +44(0)7787 503 947 Email: lorna.cuddon@zymecommunications.com NOX-A12 penetrates cancer tissue and triggers immune response in both tumor types with greater target neutralization correlated with improved immune profiles in the tumor microenvironment Regulatory News: NOXXON Pharma N.V. (Paris:ALNOX) (Euronext Growth Paris: ALNOX), a biotechnology company focused on improving cancer treatments by targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME), announced today that it is presenting top-line data of the ongoing clinical trial (NCT03168139) testing NOX-A12 alone (part 1) and available safety data from the combination of NOX-A12 with Merck Co./MSD's Keytruda(pembrolizumab) (part 2) in patients with metastatic, microsatellite-stable pancreatic and colorectal cancer later today at the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer lmmunotherapy Conference in New York, NY, USA. Main conclusions from the part 1 data are: NOX-A12 penetrates the tumor microenvironment in both pancreatic and colorectal cancer tissue, where it binds and neutralizes its target CXCL12 Changes in the cytokine signature clearly indicate that NOX-A12 modulates the tumor microenvironment and induces an immune-stimulatory Th1-like immune response in approximately 50% of patients with analyzable serial biopsies There is a statistically significant correlation between the degree of target inhibition in tumor tissue and the changes in the cytokine and chemokine immune profiles A cell population, double-positive for the surface markers CD14 CD15, has been identified which could potentially serve as a biomarker to predict immune response upon NOX-A12 treatment. Additionally, to date, the safety profile of NOX-A12 combined with pembrolizumab is consistent with that of pembrolizumab monotherapy in advanced cancer patients. "We are very pleased to see what appears to be a clear response to the increased neutralization of NOX-A12's target in the analyzed tumor biopsy tissues. The design of the NOX-A12 monotherapy part of the study has provided NOXXON with data enabling a better understanding of the relationship between dose and tissue penetration and which complementary mechanisms of action merit further investigation," said Jarl Ulf Jungnelius, Chief Medical Officer of NOXXON Pharma. "We are looking forward to discussing this data with the experts at the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference. Later this year, once we obtain efficacy data from all patients in part 2 of the trial, testing NOX-A12 in combination with Keytruda, we will focus on the correlation between the tissue immune reactions and the clinical responses," said Aram Mangasarian, Chief Executive Officer of NOXXON Pharma. The poster is online at www.noxxon.com: NOX-A12 Poster 4th CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR About NOXXON NOXXON's oncology-focused pipeline acts on the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer immunity cycle by breaking the tumor protection barrier, blocking tumor repair and exposing hidden tumor cells. Through neutralizing chemokines in the tumor microenvironment, NOXXON's approach works in combination with other forms of treatment to weaken tumor defenses against the immune system and enable greater therapeutic impact. Building on extensive clinical experience and safety data, the lead program NOX-A12 will deliver top-line data from a Keytruda combination trial in metastatic colorectal and pancreatic cancer patients in 2018. The company plans to initiate further studies with NOX-A12 in brain cancer in combination with radiotherapy, for which an orphan drug status has been granted in the US and EU. The company's second asset, NOX-E36 is a Phase 2 TME asset targeting the innate immune system. NOXXON plans to test NOX-E36 in pancreatic cancer patients both as a monotherapy and in combination. Further information can be found at: www.noxxon.com Keytruda is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp Dohme Corp. https://www.linkedin.com/company/noxxon-pharma-ag https://twitter.com/noxxon_pharma Disclaimer Certain statements in this communication contain formulations or terms referring to the future or future developments, as well as negations of such formulations or terms, or similar terminology. These are described as forward-looking statements. In addition, all information in this communication regarding planned or future results of business segments, financial indicators, developments of the financial situation or other financial or statistical data contains such forward-looking statements. The company cautions prospective investors not to rely on such forward-looking statements as certain prognoses of actual future events and developments. The company is neither responsible nor liable for updating such information, which only represents the state of affairs on the day of publication. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005777/en/ Contacts: NOXXON Pharma N.V. Aram Mangasarian, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer Tel. +49 (0) 30 726 247 0 amangasarian@noxxon.com or MC Services AG Raimund Gabriel, Managing Partner Tel. +49 (0) 89 210228 0 noxxon@mc-services.eu or Trophic Communications Gretchen Schweitzer or Joanne Tudorica Tel. +49 (0) 89 2388 7730 or +49 (0) 172 861 8540 schweitzer@trophic.eu or NewCap Alexia Faure Tel. +33 (0) 1 44 71 98 51 afaure@newcap.fr The "Europe Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Cross-border online shopping expanding in Europe The new publication, Europe Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018, provides detailed information on the continued growth of cross-border online shopping in 20 countries of Europe. The lure of products not available through domestic sources or a price advantage elsewhere has led to a double-digit increase of cross-border online shopping over the past five years. The report indicates that while security of payments information and question of duties involved remain as concerns, nearly half of Europe's online shoppers have made a cross-border purchase. The leading destination for cross-border purchases varies by country, but overall, the online merchants based in China, the USA, UK and Germany received the most traffic, with Alibaba, Amazon, eBay and Wish as popular portals. The top items purchased cross-border in Europe were apparel and electronics, with books or other media tied with cosmetics/fragrances for third place, according to sources cited in the report. Europe-based online merchants of all sizes also have recognized the potential of cross-border sales and attempt to limit the dominance of the global giants of E-Commerce. A survey of online sellers in the EU summarized in the report shows that cross-border sales penetration is essentially the same for large and small enterprises. Questions Answered in this Report How many online shoppers in Europe buy cross-border? What are the top product categories in European cross-border E-Commerce? Where do Europe's cross-border digital buyers shop at? What are the main drivers of the cross-border E-Commerce sales growth in Europe? Which European countries are leading in the cross-border online shopping trend? Companies Mentioned ASOS PLC Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Amazon.com Inc Wish Inc. eBay Inc For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rmj292/europe?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005851/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Related Topics: E-Business The global lobster market is expected to post a CAGR of close to 6% during the period 2018-2022, according to the latest market research report by Technavio This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005890/en/ Technavio has published a new market research report on the global lobster market for the period 2018-2022. (Photo: Business Wire) A key factor driving the growth of the market is the rise in lobster restaurants. The number of restaurants offering lobsters is increasing globally given the rising demand for seafood. Restaurant chains have begun expanding both domestically and internationally. for instance, Red Lobster operates around 50 restaurants outside of the US and Canada and has 704 locations in the US and Canada alone. In 2018, The Lobster Pot, a Massachusetts-based lobster restaurant, announced plans to expand operations by opening more establishments across the Northeast in the US. This market research report on the global lobster market 2018-2022 also provides an analysis of the most important trends expected to impact the market outlook during the forecast period. Technavio classifies an emerging trend as a major factor that has the potential to significantly impact the market and contribute to its growth or decline. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing In this report, Technavio highlights the new product launches as one of the key emerging trends in the global lobster market. Global lobster market: New product launches The increasing number of new products being offered by regional and international players will support the growth of the global lobster market. Manufacturers of frozen or processed lobster products are focusing on advanced distributive strategies to increase the market size of products. Moreover, other various technical innovations by manufacturers may further help in driving the market's growth. For instance, in November 2016, Thai Union launched its King Oscar-branded products including lobster in China. "Apart from new product launches, other main factors such as increasing awareness of health benefits of lobsters and growth in e-commerce are boosting the growth of the global lobster market," says a senior market research analyst at Technavio. Global lobster market: Segmentation analysis This market research report segments the global lobster market by end-user (foodservice and retail) and geographical regions (APAC, EMEA, and the Americas). The Americas led the market in 2017 with a market share close to 50%, followed by EMEA and APAC respectively. However, during the forecast period, the APAC region is expected to register the highest growth followed by the EMEA region. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Geographical Segmentation Regional comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005890/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - Hoist Capital Corp. (TSXV: HTE.P) (the "Corporation"), a capital pool company under Policy 2.4 (the "CPC Policy") of the TSX Venture Exchange ("Exchange"), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent dated September 26, 2018 with The Sky Guys Ltd. ("Sky") for the purposes of completing a Qualifying Transaction ("QT") as defined in the CPC Policy. The proposed QT is an arm's length transaction, as to the knowledge of the Corporation, no insider, promoter or control person of the Corporation has any material equity ownership or interest in Sky prior to giving effect to the QT. As the QT is an arm's length transaction, approval of the shareholders of the Corporation will not be required under the exemptions contained in the CPC Policy. The proposed QT will be completed by way of an amalgamation, share sale, asset sale or similar transaction whereby the Corporation and Sky will complete a business combination and shareholders of Sky immediately prior to the QT will acquire a controlling interest in the resulting issuer (the "Resulting Issuer"). The final structure of the QT is subject to the receipt of tax, corporate and securities law advice for both the Corporation and Sky. Upon completion of the QT, the Resulting Issuer will carry on the business of Sky. Sky is a private company under the laws of the Province of Ontario and based in Oakville, Ontario that is focused on the delivery of unmanned aerial vehicle services in Canada across of a variety of industries, including oil & gas, utilities, wind turbines, infrastructure, constructions, mining and land development. Sky is in the commercialization stage of its business. Sky currently has 35,503,668 common shares (the "Sky Shares") outstanding, 970,000 share purchase warrants exercisable into Sky Shares at $0.45 per share and 3,066,043 incentive stock options entitling the holders thereof to acquire Sky Shares at an exercise price of $0.30 per share. Sky is currently undertaking a private placement to secure up to $3 million from the issuance of promissory notes (the "Notes") which provide for interest at a rate of 10% per annum. The terms of the Note provide that in the event that Sky completes an equity financing for gross proceeds of a minimum of $8,000,000 in connection with a public listing transaction, all principal and accrued interest under the Notes will automatically be converted into Sky Shares at a conversion price that is a 20% or 25% discount to the price at which the Sky Shares are issued in such financing, with the amount of the discount depending on when the public listing transaction is completed. Terms of the QT The QT is currently expected to proceed by way of a business combination transaction pursuant to which Sky will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation. In consideration of the Corporation's acquisition of Sky, each Sky Share that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to completion of the QT will be exchanged for 5.333 common shares of the Corporation (the "Corporation Shares") based on an agreed valuation of the Sky Shares of $0.80 per share. The Corporation may seek to complete a consolidation of the Corporation Shares prior to completion of the QT, in which case the number of Corporation Shares to be issued in exchange for each Sky Share will be adjusted accordingly. In conjunction with the QT, Sky intends to complete a brokered private placement to secure a minimum of $8,000,000 gross proceeds from an equity financing (the "Financing"). The net proceeds of the Financing will be used to fund commercialization of Sky's business and for general and administrative expenses. Completion of the QT is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to: completion of satisfactory due diligence reviews by the Corporation and Sky of the business and affairs of the other party; execution of a binding definitive agreement between the Corporation and Sky; receipt of all applicable regulatory, shareholder and TSXV approvals; and completion of the Financing for gross proceeds of a minimum of $8,000,000. Management and Board of Directors of Resulting Issuer Upon completion of the QT, in is anticipated that all of the existing directors and officers of the Corporation will resign and the management and the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer will, subject to applicable regulatory and shareholder approvals include the persons identified below: Adam Sax - President, Chief Executive Officer and Director - President & CEO of Sky, Mr. Sax is an entrepreneur, technological visionary, investor and speaker. With deep roots in technology, Mr. Sax started his first company at the age of 13 and has since founded and grown a number of successful companies ranging from Internet businesses to real estate brokerages to global development firms. He has been featured on Dragons' Den, BNN, 24 Hours, Globe & Mail, Newstalk 1010, BetaKit, Toronto Star, BlogTO and BuzzBuzzHome, and is an ongoing contributor to Urban Toronto and Metro News. A technological visionary, Mr. Sax has a proven ability to create and market, which has been refined over years of experience in sales, strategy, and business innovation across a wide range of industries. He now endeavors to make the revolutionary benefits of drone technology accessible and applicable to businesses around the globe. Tom Hanson - Chief Operating Officer - As Chief Operating Officer of Sky, Mr. Hanson has led a growth strategy serving 600+ clients across Canada and 30 U.S. States.. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph and over 10 years' experience in management, business development and high-growth service operations, having worked with national firms specializing in digital asset management, IT solutions and technology. Prior to Sky, his management experience includes being Projects Lead for the Wadetech Group of Companies (digital asset management for the AEC industry), now part of Astley Gilbert Ltd. Mr. Hanson has been featured on Dragons' Den, CBC, BNN, 24 Hours, Globe & Mail, CP24, Newstalk 1010, BetaKit, Toronto Sun, Urban Toronto, Metro News and various industry journals. Jeremy Wang - Chief Technology Officer - Mr. Wang is Chief Technology Officer of Sky and holds a BASc in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto. He is an experienced leader of aerospace R&D organizations and, along with additional experience in academic research and program facilitation in engineering leadership education, brings a wealth of engineering, business, and leadership skills to the expanding innovation portfolio at Sky. Prior Sky, Mr. Wang's work involved engineering design, program management, executive leadership, and fundraising over $36M for drone, rocket, and satellite development at the University of Toronto. He has also worked in space policy, defence CD&E, and rocket propulsion at the Space Generation Advisory Council, Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre, and the German space agency (DLR). In 2016, Mr. Wang was inducted as one of Canada's Next 36 highest potential young entrepreneurs, and in 2018, he was inducted as a laureate of AIAA's Tomorrow's Aerospace Engineering Leaders. JD Dolan - Director - Mr. Dolan is co-founder and principal at LDR Investment Group (LDR), where he has led the initiative to introduce U.S. Special Operations Forces methodology in innovativeleadership, elite team-building and investment acceleration to both domestic and international organizations from startups to multi-billion-dollar enterprises. He successfully sourced and led LDR's acquisition by one of the world's most well-respected value investing firms, Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited. Mr. Dolan is a former U.S. Ranger Strike Force Commander and Light Infantry Officer and was deployed four times in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as a Ground Force Commander with 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment- US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Ian M. Hull - Director - Mr. Hull is Co-Founding Partner, Hull & Hull LLP, a Toronto based law firm focused on estate, trust and capacity litigation, mediation and estate planning. Mr. Hull is a Certified Specialist (Estates and Trusts Law) Certified Specialist (Civil Litigation) and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1990. He has authored numerous legal texts and articles relating to trusts and estates and is a member of Canadian Bar Association, The Advocates' Society and the Editorial Advisory Board of the Canadian Estate Administration Guide and a former member of the Executive of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Ontario Bar Association, Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association, Halton County Law Association, Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners (STEP) and fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Stuart W. Henderson - Director - Mr. Henderson is a lawyer based Oakville, Ontario specializing in wills and estates, real estate, matrimonial and corporate commercial law. He obtained his Honours History Degree from the University of Western Ontario and Law Degree from Queen's University along with his Mediation Certificate from the Harvard Negotiation Institute at Harvard Law School. His professional recognition includes being the past Chair of the Town of Oakville's Heritage Oakville and Heritage Review Committees and past Vice-Chair and Chair of the Conservation Review Board of Ontario. He is also a presiding Deputy Judge of the Ontario Small Claims Court, Provincial Division. Don Reid - Director - Mr. Reid has enjoyed a distinguished business career of over 40 years as an executive and a corporate director. As an executive, Mr. Reid was recently Senior Vice President of George Weston and President and CEO of President's Choice Financial until his retirement in 2006. Before that, Mr. Reid has held a variety of senior financial and leadership positions with the Weston/Loblaw group, including serving as Chief Financial Officer of both Loblaw and Weston. He also served as a director of a number of public companies, including Dollarama Inc. and easyhome Ltd. (now goeasy Ltd.). Trading Halt Trading in the Corporation Shares has been has been halted and the shares are not expected to resume trading until the QT has been completed, or until the Exchange receives the requisite documentation to resume trading. If the QT is completed, the Corporation expects to be listed on the Exchange as a technology issuer. Sponsorship The Corporation intends to make an application for exemption from the sponsorship requirements of the Exchange in connection with the QT, however there is no assurance that the Exchange will exempt the Corporation from all or part of applicable sponsorship requirements. Further Information The Corporation will issue a subsequent press release in accordance with the policies of the Exchange providing further details in respect of the Qualifying Transaction, including information relating to the transaction structure, the Notes financing and the Financing and summary financial information of Sky and further information relating to the officers, directors and insiders of the Resulting Issuer. Forward Looking Information Statements in this press release regarding Sky's business which are not historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, such as terms and completion of the proposed transaction. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results in each case could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Exchange acceptance and if applicable pursuant to Exchange Requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. For further information, contact: Arif Shivji, President Tel: (403) 803-2150 arif.shivji@shivjicofservices.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. THIS PRESS RELEASE, REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE CANADIAN LAWS IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO SELL ANY OF THE SECURITIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IN THE UNITED STATES, THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN, AND WILL NOT BE, REGISTERED UNDER THE UNITED STATES SECURITIES ACT OF 1993, AS AMENDED, OR ANY SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES OR U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED OR EXEMPT THEREFROM. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - Westminster Resources Ltd. (TSXV: WMR) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that Ms. Chafika Eddine, MA, LLB has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company. Ms. Eddine has over 20 years of experience working in the natural resources industry in various capacities. She was previously Vice President Corporate Development for Bear Creek Mining and has managed, restructured and established exploration offices in over 10 countries for both major and junior companies, including Anglo American and AngloGold Ashanti. She is a leader in strategy and implementation of Governance and Sustainability best practices and was in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility affairs for Hudbay Minerals. Ms. Eddine was previously a Director of the Board for the Peruvian Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Global Change for Children Foundation. She is multilingual and received a Master degree in Community Development from the University of Victoria, has a law degree, a financial background and certification as a Project Manager Professional. The Company also announces that it has received the resignation of Mr. Greg Agar from the Board of Directors. The Company would like to thank Mr. Agar for his valuable service and wish him well in his future endeavours. About Westminster Resources Ltd. Westminster Resources is a Latin American focused mining exploration company. The Company has recently acquired a 100% interest in a package of highly prospective copper properties in southern Peru. These properties total over 36,000 hectares within the country's prolific coastal copper belt-source of nearly half of Peru's copper production. Prior work has identified both porphyry and IOCG style mineralization. The Company also holds a 100% interest in the 18,000-hectare El Cobre property in Sonora, Mexico, prospective for world-class epithermal and copper-gold porphyry systems. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WESTMINSTER RESOURCES LTD. "Glen Indra" Glen Indra President and Chief Executive Officer For further information regarding Westminster Resources Ltd., please call 604-608-0400 or Toll Free: 1-877-608-0007. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward- looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward- looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release may include, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, including the proposed transaction with Latin Resources Limited and closing of such transaction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 2, 2018) - Windfire Capital Corp. (NEX: WIF.H) ("Windfire" or the "Company") announces that is has entered into an agreement dated September 28, 2018 (the "Agreement") with the shareholders (the "Vendors") of all of the issued and outstanding common shares (the "114 Shares") of 1141717 B.C. Ltd. ("114"). 114 is a British Columbia company that owns a total of 97 Lode Claims (the "Claims") in Garfield County, Utah (the "Desert Eagle Project). The Claims comprising the Desert Eagle Project total 2,004 acres and are prospective for vanadium. The Claims are held by 114's wholly owned Nevada incorporated subsidiary, Fatt Dogg Holdings, LLC. The Desert Eagle Project is located in Garfield County, Utah, United States. The Project is host to historic vanadium and uranium production beginning in the early 1900's which has continued erratically and intermittently, most of which was not reported. The project is located in the Trachyte district situated to the east of the Henry Mountains, 95 miles south of Green River, Utah. The project is considered prospective for the development of vanadium due to the high grades (up to 28% Vanadium Pentoxide) and high ratios of vanadium over uranium present on the Claims. The main host rock on the property is sandstone of the Salt Wash member of the Jurassic Morrison formation, a rock unit synonymous with vanadium and uranium production across the Colorado Plateau. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Vendors are to receive, pro-rata according to their respective interests in the Shares a total of Cdn$80,000 and 7,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Company Shares") as consideration for the purchase of their 114 Shares. The closing of the Agreement and the transactions contemplated in it are subject to the approval of the Company's filings with the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange. CORPORATE UPDATE AND NAME CHANGE The Board of Directors has approved the change of the Company's name to "Global Vanadium Corp.". The change of name is subject to the approval of the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange and, assuming approval, the Company will provide a news release updating the status of the change of name once the effective date of the name change is determined. With the recent completion in August of a private placement providing the Company with working capital and the acquisition of the Desert Eagle Project, the Company intends to apply for relisting on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Reactivation") once it has completed an initial NI 43-101 geological report (the "Report") on the Desert Eagle Project. No assurance can be given as to the date that the Company will complete the Report, whether the Report will be positive, the date that the Company will apply for Reactivation or whether the application for Reactivation will be successful. DATA VERIFICATION The Company has not independently verified the grades reported in this release and considers them historic in nature. Sample locations and sample grades reported above were taken from the United States Geological Survey - Mineral Resource Data System (MRDS) which is openly available to the public, and from certain government studies conducted on the property under the United States Atomic Energy Commission report identification number RMO-912. QUALIFIED PERSON The technical information in this release has been reviewed by Adrian Smith, P.Geo, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, and an independent consultant to the Company. Windfire Capital Corp. "Brian Morrison" CFO, Director The Company is listed on the NEX board of the TSX Venture Exchange. 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. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding Windfire's intention to continue to identify potential transactions and make certain corporate changes and applications. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits Windfire will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect managements' current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including Windfire's inability to identify transactions having satisfactory terms or at all and the results of exploration or review of properties that Windfire does acquire. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Windfire assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results differed from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. PARIS, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global star and style icon, David Beckham , supports Vietnamese car company at its global world premiere in Paris VinFast makes headlines around the world with show-stopping Paris launch event First two VinFast models reveals Italian design flair and sophistication Global sporting and style icon, David Beckham, helped new Vietnamese car manufacturer, VinFast, reveal its first two vehicles at the 2018 Mondial de l'Auto in Paris earlier today. Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753469/VinFast_David_Beckham.mp4 (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753461/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753462/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753463/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753464/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) Huge crowds of journalists flocked to the Paris Motor Show display of the new brand where they witnessed him unveil the company's new LUX A2.0 sedan and LUX SA2.0 SUV in what was the vehicles' world debut. Vietnamese celebrity, Tr?n Ti?u Vy - voted Miss Vietnam 2018, was also in attendance as the two vehicles were driven onto the stand in front of hundreds of watching journalists, photographers and videographers. As the cars were revealed he told the assembled crowd: "Vietnam is such a beautiful country and I can see how the VinFast design team have been able to bring some of that beauty alive in the lines of these amazing new cars." "I've always been a car fanatic, and it's a thrill to be here in Paris to celebrate the arrival of a new carmaker on the global stage," he added, "The passion that the VinFast team have for these cars is infectious. It's an inspirational story and I'm really excited to have been part of this launch moment for VinFast." VinFast Chairwoman Le Thi Thu Thuy who opened the press conference said: "The Vietnamese people will be immensely proud, honoured and excited to see two such well-known figures unveiling these first cars from Vietnam in such a high profile setting as the Paris Motor Show. Together they represent our intention for VinFast to be a successful automotive brand both in Vietnam and internationally." "With our ambitious plans to bring these two vehicles to market in such a short time, it was crucial for us to make a big entrance and an immediate impact, and we certainly did that today," she added. With Vietnamese spirit, Italian design and European technology, the two models have been developed to international standards after the Vietnamese people voted on their favourite styling sketches from a range of options presented in October 2017. VinFast's participation at the 2018 Paris Motor Show will significantly raise the profile of the brand and these two models ahead of the start of sales in Vietnam in September 2019. In addition to the cars being presented in Paris, VinFast is rapidly developing other vehicles and the company is planning to export to foreign markets in the coming years. As a proud Vietnamese business with a truly global outlook, VinFast is working with world-leading European design, engineering and production technology partners to create products that meet international standards and customer expectations in terms of design, quality, dynamics, premium in-car features and the ownership experience. VinFast has also recruited senior executives from some of the industry's leading automotive companies. As a newcomer to the automotive industry, this investment builds a strong foundation to ensure VinFast can build a highly successful automotive business from scratch within a remarkably short timescale. VinFast is a subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam's biggest private enterprise, with interests in several market sectors including retail, construction, real estate and education. Notes to editors More information, high-resolution images and a Paris Motor Show video highlights package are available at: http://www.vinfastmedia.com. About VinFast VinFast is a subsidiary of Vingroup, the largest private enterprise in Vietnam. With 25 years' history, Vingroup is aiming to become a world-class technology, industry and services provider. VinFast is the first brand to be launched as part of this strategy. Deliveries of the first VinFast cars - a sedan and a SUV - will commence in Vietnam from September 2019. In addition, VinFast is developing a wide range of other vehicles, including electric cars, city cars, electric buses and electric scooters. The company also plans to export to international markets in the coming years. VinFast vehicles will be manufactured at a modern 335-hectare plant complex in Cat Hai, Hai Phong, northern Vietnam. NEW YORK, LONDON, SINGAPORE and SHANGHAI, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mindshare, the media agency network that is part of WPP, has been named Agency of the Year for the second year running by the Mobile Marketing Association. Mindshare was given the accolade for its industry leading work and also for winning 16 awards in the Global MMA SMARTIES Awards making it the most awarded agency after picking up awards across categories and clients. Mindshare won 3 Gold (from China, Australia and Canada), 6 Silver and 7 Bronze awards. (see full list below). Mindshare North America also won in the North America SMARTIES, announced simultaneously, with three awards across the categories of Voice, Messaging, and Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment. The Global and North America MMA SMARTIES awards added to the agency's growing collection this year, including: 2 in the Latin America SMARTIES (2 Bronze); 14 in the India SMARTIES (4 Gold, 5 Silver, 5 Bronze) and 6 in the China SMARTIES (Grand Prix, 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze). Mindshare is also shortlisted for a further 17 EMEA SMARTIES, 4 South African SMARTIES and 32 Indonesian SMARTIES, all of which competitions will be awarded later this year. The Agency of the Year accolade was awarded by the MMA for Mindshare's continuing excellence in all aspects of mobile marketing, bringing deep understanding on how mobile sits at the centre of the most effective customer experiences and driving great business results for clients. It comes after Mindshare was also ranked as the number one global agency network and number one media agency in the MMA SMARTIES Business Impact Index in April. The Index is the first and only global mobile marketing index that identifies, ranks and awards top agencies, advertisers, brands and technology enablers driving significant business impact through mobile-first campaigns. Speaking about Mindshare's achievements, Sheryl Daija, Chief Strategy Officer, MMA, said: "We would like to offer a big MMA congratulation to all the Smarties winners for being courageous and taking risks. All our industry award winners are the innovators and disruptors who are leading and growing the mobile marketing industry." Nick Emery, Global CEO Mindshare, said: "We're really pleased, thank you MMA - we love winning and any modern agency needs to be at the top of their game with all things mobile." Mindshare has spearheaded a number of different programs and research initiatives to push the boundaries of media and emerging technologies this year. One of these is the Media Dystopia series that imagines the fate of media based on the emerging trends of today, featuring hypotheses and provocations for the future of marketing - with more episodes to come. Another is the launch of the first phase of the agency's blockchain pilot on the Zilliqa platform, testing the use of blockchain technology in advertising. Mindshare MMA Global SMARTIES Winners: Brand Awareness BRONZE: Doritos and Mindshare China for "Beating the Unbeatable" Product / Services Launch BRONZE: Rexona and Mindshare Indonesia for"Rexona Movement For Movement" Social Impact / Not For Profit SILVER: Mirinda and Mindshare India for "Breaking the deafening silence - Mirinda Release the Pressure" Cross Media SILVER: Doritos and Mindshare China for "Beating the Unbeatable" BRONZE: Rexona and Mindshare Indonesia for "Rexona Movement For Movement" Cross Mobile Integration SILVER: Uniqlo and Mindshare China for "Top Gifting Choice" Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment GOLD: KFC and Mindshare China for "Turning KFC into gamer's playground" Messaging BRONZE: Pepsodent White and Mindshare for "Pepsodent Nightbrushing via Storytelling" Mobile Social GOLD: Foxtel and Mindshare Australia for "The Wentworth Rat" SILVER: Aditya Birla Capital Health Insurance and Mindshare India for "JumpForHealth" BRONZE: Uniqlo and Mindshare China for "Top Gifting Choice" Location Based Services or Targeting SILVER: Uniqlo and Mindshare China for "Hijacking the Largest Shopping Festival in the World" SILVER: KFC and Mindshare China for "Turning KFC into gamer's playground" BRONZE: Uniqlo and Mindshare China for "Top Gifting Choice" Mobile Video BRONZE: Nestle Indonesia "DANCOW Advanced Excelnutri+"and Mindshare Indonesia for "DANCOW Advanced Excelnutri+ "Iya Boleh 2.0"" VR/AR GOLD: Ford and Mindshare Canada for "Ford EcoSport: In-Car AR" Mindshare MMA North America SMARTIES Winners: Marketing within a Mobile Gaming Environment BRONZE: Tyson, Mindshare, and Twitch for "Tyson Game Day" Messaging BRONZE: Forevermark and Mindshare for "Forevermark Chatbot" Voice SILVER: Hellmann's / Best Foods and Mindshare for "Hellmann's Best Food Recipes" About Mindshare: We were born in Asia in 1997, a start up with a desire to change the media world. Now we are a global agency with 116 offices in 86 countries and billings of $35bn (source: RECMA). We aim to be our clients' lead business partner, to grow their business and drive profitability through adaptive and inventive marketing. We do this through speed, teamwork and provocation because in today's world everything begins and ends in media. We create new things and have fun doing it. Mindshare is part of GroupM, the media investment management arm of WPP, the world's leading communications services group. Visit us at www.mindshareworld.com and follow us on Twitter @mindshare and facebook.com/mindshare and LinkedIn.com/company/mindshare . About GroupM: GroupM is the leading global media investment management company for WPP's media agencies including Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Essence and m/SIX, and the outcomes-driven programmatic audience company, Xaxis. Responsible for more than US $108B in annual media investment by some of the world's largest advertisers, GroupM agencies deliver an advantage to clients with unrivaled insights into media marketplaces and consumer audiences. GroupM enables its agencies and clients with trading expertise, data, technology and an array of specialty services including addressable TV, content and sports. GroupM works closely with WPP's data investment management group, Kantar, and together they account for almost 50% of WPP's group revenues of more than US $19B. GroupM delivers unrivaled marketplace advantage to its clients, stakeholders and people. Discover more about GroupM at www.groupm.com. Follow @GroupMWorldwide on Twitter Follow GroupM on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/groupm Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/378623/mindshare_Logo.jpg Company to outline the potential of offer optimization in the digital era, powered by artificial intelligence and real-time dynamic pricing PROS (NYSE: PRO), a provider of AI-powered solutions that optimize selling in the digital economy, today announced that PROS Principal Surain Adyanthaya will speak at T2RL's New Architectures in Airline Passenger Systems Conference. The fifth annual event, scheduled for Oct. 2-4 in London, will gather business leaders and experts from across the airline industry to explore the opportunities and challenges of delivering on the promise of incremental revenue and business agility in the digital world. Adyanthaya will join a panel on Oct. 3 at 11:20 A.M. titled "Priced Availability, Offer Management and the PSS." The panel will discuss the different perspectives on priced availability and the pace of innovation in enabling more complex products and services. "Driven by the need to respond to shopping requests accurately and cost effectively, airlines have been moving away from inflexible, legacy mainframe-based shopping solutions to modern, AI-based alternatives, making a monumental shift in how they engage with customers," said Adyanthaya. "The buyer's behavior has changed. Customers now review dozens of sites before booking a reservation and they expect a sophisticated on-line retailing experience. Through digital transformation initiatives and implementation of new AI-powered technologies, airlines are increasingly able to provide real-time dynamic offers and pricing that better reflect a customers' willingness-to-pay." At the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with PROS to learn about its latest developments in Offer Optimization, including eCommerce and Revenue Management solutions that put personalization and control in the hands of the airline. PROS serves airlines around the world, including 18 of the top 20 on the newest SKYTRAX World Airline Awards. For more information on PROS airline solutions, click here. To learn more, visit the PROS website or follow PROS on Twitter at @PROS_Inc. About PROS PROS Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PRO) provides AI-powered solutions that optimize selling in the digital economy. PROS solutions make it possible for companies to price, configure and sell their products and services in an omnichannel environment with speed, precision and consistency. Our customers, who are leaders in their markets, benefit from decades of data science expertise infused into our industry solutions. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the functionality and benefits of AI-powered solutions to organizations generally as well as the functionality and benefits of PROS software products. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon PROS historical experience with AI-powered solutions and its current expectations of the benefits of AI-powered solutions for organizations that implement and utilize such software. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described herein include the addressability of an organization's AI-powered solution needs, the risks associated with PROS developing and enhancing products with the functionality necessary to deliver the stated results and the risks associated with the complex implementation and maintenance of AI-powered solutions such as PROS software products. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the PROS business is contained in PROS filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent PROS expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and PROS disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006114/en/ Contacts: PROS Public Relations James Gerber, 617-960-9875 pros@marchcomms.com Lynashas written an open letter to the Malaysian Government to clarify whether a review will be conducted into Lynas Malaysia.The letter, written by CEO Amanda Lacaze comes on the back of recent media reports that a Lynas Malaysia Review Committee has been formed.The reports allege the committee will be chaired by a person who openly admits to being anti-Lynas.The letter requests fairness, objectivity and transparency in any review of the rare earths miner.Lynas Malaysia has been producing rare earth materials at its Gebeng plant for the past six years.Shares in Lynasis trading 0.15 per cent higher to $1.64. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu Monday held inter-ministerial consultations with different departments to work on ways to promote the exports from these segments. New Delhi: The Commerce ministry is focusing on nine sectors, including pharma, food processing and textiles, to boost exports in the current fiscal, an official said. The ministry is targeting a minimum growth rate of 16 percent in exports this fiscal. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu Monday held inter-ministerial consultations with different departments to work on ways to promote the exports from these segments. "The ministry is targeting nine sectors as part of their strategy to boost exports. The minister held discussions on strategy with line ministries," the official said. Gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, engineering, electronics, defence, pharma, agri and marine products are the sectors. To push exports, the ministry has suggested several steps including demanding priority sector lending to exporters. During the meeting, the Defence Ministry sought cooperation of the Commerce Ministry to boost defence exports from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore in the coming years. All other departments and ministries suggested steps to boost overseas shipments. Ministry of Electronics and IT suggested formulating a strategy to attract companies that are shifting their manufacturing bases from China due to high wages. The Department of Chemicals stated that they are looking at new countries for exports and raised delay in environmental clearance for agro-chemical sector. Since 2011-12, India's exports have been hovering at around $300 billion. During 2017-18, the shipments grew by about 10 per cent to $303 billion. Gopinath joins the list of top economists India could have retained but now India's loss is IMF's gain Harvard economics professor and renowned expert in international finance and macroeconomics, Gita Gopinaths appointment as the first-ever woman chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should excite every Indian. At the same time, there arises a pertinent question: Couldnt India have used Gopinaths expertise at a time when the nation is in dire need of it to repair the deep cracks in the economy and is vulnerable to external shocks? For some reason, the trick of retaining world-class economists in the homeland is still eluding the country of 130 crore people. There is a list of eminent Indians who have returned to their homeland halfway in their illustrious careers abroad making a deliberate choice to work here like Raghuram Rajan, Arvind Subramanian, Arvind Panagariya among others. However, we seem to be lacking in the expertise and political will to retain these talented people here. The only man smiling at the news of Gopinath's appointment to the IMF will be Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala's CPM leader and chief minister. Vijayan was probably the only political leader in the country who recognized Gopinath's global talent by appointing her as an economic advisor to the Kerala government in 2016. However, it was politically controversial in the southern state dominated by bipolar politics. Vijayan, who appointed Gopinath, had to face severe opposition from the old guards of the Left ideology. The Left's neo-liberal phobia was threatening to trample Vijayans efforts to bring in economic reforms through a small step, looking beyond the long-redundant Left ideology. Vijayan's decision was met with protests from CPM's central leadership and the party's ideological centres. Veteran CPM leader V S Achuthanandan even wrote to the CPM central leadership expressing displeasure about the move, but the Vijayan faction didnt give up. "The LDF government should not fall into the trap of new economic development strategies, Marxist economist Prabhat Patnaik told one local daily. "Such strategies are often anti-labour and against the interests of the common people. Intellectuals of Kerala will not accept such advice," Patnaik said. It wasn't clear what 'strategies' and which 'intellectuals' Patnaik was talking about, but the state's economy wasn't looking good for sure. Two, of the state's main revenue streams remittance money from the middle-east and revenue from liquor sale (less than Rs 10,000 crore annually) were weakening on account of labour restrictions and the liquor ban, respectively. The state was staring at an economic crisis long before the devastating floods battered the feeble economy. But many, including the BJP-wing of Kerala approved of Vijayans act of bringing in Gopinath as the right move. Gopinath was hailed as an expert economist who was also familiar with Keralas economy, efficient enough to guide the state out of its economic mess. Her neo-liberal views and pro-industry stance were largely in sync with the thought process in Vijayan's government as well, but not with CPM's old-guard. For them this was an aberration from their idealogy. This ruffled some feathers in the Left fold, prompting the CPI-M politburo to seek an explanation from Vijayan's government and the CPI to question the appointment. "Neo-liberalism has become outdated worldwide," Kanam Rajendran, state secretary of the CPI, part of LDF in Kerala, said to NDTV. "So we are not sure whether this Harvard professor (has) also made any change in her earlier stand in this," Rajendran said. As far as the national economy is concerned, unlike few of her colleagues in India, Gopinath wasnt a big fan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation programme. In an interview to Business Standard, Gopinath criticised the note ban heavily. "No. I dont think I know a single macroeconomist who thinks that this was a good idea. And, its not something I think should be done for a country such as India and the level of development it has. Japan has the highest cash per capita, way more than India. The cash in circulation, relative to the gross domestic product (GDP) for India was 10 percent, whereas in Japan it is 60 percent. That is not black money; that is not corruption," Gopinth said. However, Gopinath backed the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) calling it a real reform. More importantly, in the same interview, Gopinath pointed out the problem of lack of quality data on real economic parameters including the suspicious gross domestic product (GDP) figures, the absence of basic data such as state GDP per capita. The fact that Gopinath took up the Kerala assignment showed her interest and willingness to work for India. With her expertise in international finance, probably, she would have been a great addition to Indias economic recovery phase had the Modi-government taken the right steps at the right time. Gopinath, thus, joins the list of top economists India couldnt retaining. Can we call it Indias loss and IMFs gain? The Mumbai-headquartered IL&FS owes over Rs 91,000 crore to lenders but has been on a defaulting spree since 27 August. Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS), a major infrastructure financing and construction company, defaulted on some of its debt obligations in recent weeks triggering wider concerns about risk in the rest of the countrys financial sector. The Mumbai-headquartered engineering and infra lending conglomerate owes over Rs 91,000 crore to lenders but has been on a defaulting spree since 27 August. The IL&FS group is facing a serious liquidity crisis and has failed to make over a dozen payments. A Mumbai bench of judges M K Shrawat and Ravikumar Duraisamy approved the takeover of IL&FS board by government nominees, saying the mismanagement at the crisis-ridden IL&FS made the present case a fit one for invoking Article 241 (2) of the Companies Act-2013, that provides for the suppression of the existing board. The new members nominated on the board include Uday Kotak of Kotak Bank, GN Bajpai ex Sebi chief, GC Chaturvedi - ICICI Bank chairman, and three retired IAS officers, viz, Malini Shankar, Vineet Nayyar and Nand Kishore. More members will be inducted on the board as Ministry of Corporate Affairs is authorised to appoint 10 members. How the problems at IL&FS have larger implications IL&FS problems could threaten Indias economic growth as lenders cut exposure to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) or shadow banks. More concerning, analysts say, is that potential defaults at so-called shadow banks could cripple many mutual funds that are heavily invested in their commercial paper. These non-bank finance companies have played a major role in lending growth in India in the last two years, as Indian banks, saddled with roughly $150 billion of bad debt, slowed lending. A string of defaults by IL&FS has led to a series of credit rating downgrades on the company and its subsidiaries that hold some of its 910 billion rupee ($12.48 billion) debt pile. Its fall from grace has spooked financial markets and sparked fears of contagion. Life Insurance Corp (LIC) Ltd, which is IL&FS biggest shareholder with a more than 25 percent stake, said last week it would participate in the rights issue. IL&FSs other large investors are Japans Orix Corp with a 23.54 percent stake and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) with 12.56 percent. Indias biggest lender by assets, State Bank of India (SBI), also owns a 6.42 percent stake in IL&FS. HDFC and Central Bank of India hold, 9.02 percent, 7.67 percent, respectively, in the cash-strapped company. ADIA, Orix Corp in talks to acquire a controlling stake Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Japan's Orix Corp are reportedly in talks to acquire a controlling stake in IL&FS), Mint reported, citing two people who are aware of the development. ADIA and Orix could raise their combined shareholding to 75 percent from 36.1 percent if the proposed transaction goes through, the report said. NCLT approves govt's takeover of IL&FS board The Mumbai-bench of NCLT On Monday allowed the government to take over the board of IL&FS. NCLT said the mismanagement at the crisis-ridden company is a fit case of supersession of the board under Article 241 of the Companies Act. The bench said going by the Centre's petition, it was apparent that the "affairs of IL&FS were being conducted in a manner prejudicial to public interest". It, thus, approved the Centre's proposal to let a six-member team take over the IL&FS board. The Finance Ministry in a statement said the move was essential to restore confidence in the financial market. Govt ensures liquidity for IL&FS The government on Monday said it stands fully committed to ensuring that needed liquidity is arranged for the debt-trapped IL&FS to prevent any more defaults in payment of loans by the non-banking financial company. "There is an emergent need to immediately stop further financial defaults and also take measures to resolve defaulted dues to the claimants. "This would require a combination of measures of asset sales, restructuring of some liabilities and fresh infusion of funds by the investors and lenders. The confidence of the financial market in the credibility of the IL&FS management and the company needs to be restored," the ministry said. When an earthquake struck Latur 25 years ago on 30 September 1993, killing around 10,000 and injuring several others, a nondescript 18-year-old Chaya Kakade realised personally the ephemerality of life. Shaken but not subdued by the killer tremors, Kakade resolved to do something big that would largely prove beneficial to the society in general. As her search for platforms to deliver to the society she desired began, her destiny took her to social activist Baba Amte, which soon followed with an opportunity allowing her to train with the members of his association. That gave Kakade's dreams a definitive shape and she plunged headlong to do something for 'women' as she found many of them living marginalised lives just like her mother. Twenty-five years later, Firstpost met with Kakade in Latur who has since become a social entrepreneur and makes organic sanitary pads in a small unit at Pardhewadi village in Latur. She has a team of women who work with her and are able to earn their livelihoods. Driving away from the broad concrete roads of Latur, one enters a village with neat cottages, pucca houses (most of them built by the government post-the earthquake) and fields of sugarcane and cotton. The slow pace of life and the unhurried nature of the villagers are in stark contrast to the bustling Latur city. Kakade lives in a large compound, amid concrete buildings -- one is the manufacturing unit for Refresh sanitary pads and the other is a resthouse for anyone who chooses to come to study about her unit and her business model. There are college students from American and Australian universities who come regularly inspired with what Kakade does to help women-folk in the village. They stay in the resthouse. Kakade stays in a modest tiled house with her brother and his family. The idea of making sanitary napkins struck Kakade when she realised women suffered from uterine diseases as they used any piece of cloth (which wasn't clean in most cases) while menstruating and often were ignorant of menstrual hygiene that led to many diseases. "Girls in the village did not go to school at least five days a month as they were not aware of sanitary pads," narrates Kakade. Fortunately for Kakade, the work with the team of Baba Amte led to an opportunity to work with Arunachalam Murugananthan, the man famous for inventing low-cost sanitary pads. Kakade worked in a Delhi unit of Murugananthan where she was trained in making sanitary pads. Later, she was selected by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and got training in Seattle for a 3-month period in the selection and use of raw materials to be used for making sanitary pads. The Gates foundation honed in Kakade the benefits of adopting organic methods and she decided that whatever she would do would be fully organic in nature without the use of any chemicals. "I had two thoughts while I decided to get into the sanitary pad venture. The pads had to be fully organic and it had to economical," she said. Having tried and tested many materials, she finally found wood pulp as the best material which she now orders online from Malaysia. Around 30 women work in the unit who have been trained in the making of sanitary pads. But it was not easy getting women to come and work in her unit, she recalls. "The menfolk felt I was teaching their women and children modern ideas by asking them to use sanitary pads. I was bombarded with abuses and electricity to my house cut off initially as they thought I was 'seducing women to do something illegal," she says. However, Kakade was able to win the women of the village by gifting them free sanitary pads (a packet containing six sanitary pads of Refresh costs Rs 30) and telling them how to use it. The comfort and the ease of using sanitary pads instead of washing and drying scraps of cloth that the women used earlier which they had to hide from the male members of the family made them want to give it a try. "Once they understood the ease and comfort of sanitary pads, they wanted to buy it for their children and one thing led to another and soon not just Pardhewadi but other villages too came to see and buy the product," says Kakade. To propagate the use of sanitary pads, Kakade has 5,000 women who work in self-help groups to spread awareness about the product. "What surprised me was when male members realised that their womenfolk did not complain about skin ailments and other illnesses they had earlier due to unhygienic use of cloth. I think more than that, it was the ease of their daughters moving around instead of being confined to a corner of their homes and missing school that made them realise that I wasn't out to pollute society. Today, I have men coming to my unit to buy sanitary pads for their wives and school going children," she says. Pocket money and life skills For 17-year-old Priyanka Gaikwad, a shy youngster who is in Class XI, working to earn her pocket money at Kakade's unit is what she looks forward to every year. So does 18-year-old Reshma Kamble. "Initially, we were scolded by our male cousins for going to work in the unit as they associated the work with sanitary pads as 'dirty'," says Kamble. For the girls and their friends, the work in the unit is more than just about earning pocket money. "We have learnt to be confident as we look up to Chhaya madam who tells us not to be afraid if we are on the right path. She encourages us to study and dream big," says Kamble, adding she saves her money so that she can buy clothes and not ' burden' he family for it. For mothers of the girls, life is hard eking out an existence selling vegetables, tending to their meagre farm holding and livestock. "But we have learnt the importance of personal hygiene which no one ever taught us earlier. We looked at menstruation as dirty. Since I realised the comfort and use of sanitary pads, I always keep aside Rs 30 from my earnings to buy a pack of the sanitary pads," says 32-year-old Muktabai, a vegetable vendor. Kakade has taken the message of using sanitary pads to the schools nearby where the principals of a few schools have installed vending machines which dispenses sanitary pads that make it easier for girls to attend classes and buy it within the school premises when the need arises. Five schools in Latur district have installed these vending machines in their premises. Each sanitary pad cost Rs 5 and comes in a paper packet that girls can slip into their bags. Having spread the lesson of hygiene 'in a small manner' in Latur district, Kakade is on the lookout for donors who can sponsor sanitary pads for cancer victims. "Cancer-afflicted women cannot afford medicines leave alone buy sanitary napkins for Rs 30. Occasionally we get some sponsors who order 5,000 sanitary pads to be given to not just cancer-afflicted but also to women and girls in villages in and around Pardhewadi. I wish we could get more such sponsors as I am unable to provide large numbers of sanitary pads free of charge. I am looking forward to sponsors so that a large number of women are able to benefit," she says. Kakade feels that the government could also step in and do its bit. The Centre has worked effectively to curb the spread of HIV-AIDS. It has distributed condoms for free even in small tea shops in villages and at paan stores, she says. Contraceptive pills are also available for free in government hospitals. "This alone is proof that if the government sets its mind to something, it can achieve it", says Kakade. Until that dream becomes a reality, Kakade says she will work and do her bit. The article is part of One World-Dream a Dream Media Fellowships on Life Skills - 2018. SBI Mutual Fund had approached SEBI with a plea under the settlement regulation 'without admitting or denying the findings of fact and conclusions of law'. New Delhi: SBI Mutual Fund has settled proceedings with Sebi by paying over Rs 14 crore towards settlement charges regarding a case of allegedly concealing important facts while dealing in the shares of a company. The fund house had approached the watchdog with a plea under the settlement regulation "without admitting or denying the findings of fact and conclusions of law". "The pending proceedings under the Sebi (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 for the alleged defaults ... are settled," the regulator said in an order dated 28 September. Sebi also said that it would not initiate any enforcement action against the applicant for the alleged defaults. SBI Mutual Fund filed a settlement plea proposing to settle pending proceedings initiated through a show cause notice issued in May, 2013. The notice was for alleged violation of PFTUP (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices) rules for fraudulently concealing important facts while dealing in the shares of Padmini Technologies. It was alleged that the fund house violated code of conduct prescribed for trustees and asset management companies under mutual fund regulations by not exercising due diligence and proper care in conduct of its business. It was also alleged that there was failure to preserve its records, books of accounts or documents for eight years. Pending adjudication proceedings, the fund house had offered to settle the case on payment of settlement charges as well as implementing policies to prevent violation of securities norms. Thereafter, the regulator's high-powered advisory committee recommended the case for settlement, which was also approved by Sebi's panel of whole-time members. As per the order, the fund house has remitted Rs 14.05 crore towards the settlement charges, besides, Rs 62.04 lakh towards Sebi's Investor Protection and Education Fund. Further, the markets watchdog said that the fund house has "undertaken that it has implemented enhanced policies and procedures to prevent securities laws violations" Besides, the fund house has submitted that they would appoint/ retain an independent consultant to review policies and procedures and has arranged to provide enhanced training and education to its employees, Sebi said. By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - Thomson Reuters Corp said on Monday it had completed the sale of a majority stake in its Financial & Risk (F&R) unit to private equity firm Blackstone Group LP . The news and information provider agreed in January to sell a 55-percent stake in the business, which provides data and news primarily to financial customers, in a deal which values the total F&R business at about $20 billion. By Matt Scuffham TORONTO (Reuters) - Thomson Reuters Corp said on Monday it had completed the sale of a majority stake in its Financial & Risk (F&R) unit to private equity firm Blackstone Group LP . The news and information provider agreed in January to sell a 55-percent stake in the business, which provides data and news primarily to financial customers, in a deal which values the total F&R business at about $20 billion. The transaction is Blackstone's biggest bet since the 2008 financial crisis and pits co-founder Stephen Schwarzman against fellow billionaire and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg's eponymous terminals are the market leader in providing traders, bankers and investors with news, data and analytics. It also gives Thomson Reuters, controlled by Canada's Thomson family, an ally as it seeks to reinvigorate a business facing challenges from a shrinking and budget-conscious customer base. (Graphic: Thomson Reuters closes Blackstone deal - https://tmsnrt.rs/2R1UGvM) Thomson Reuters retains a 45-percent stake in the F&R business, which has been renamed Refinitiv, a name derived from the 160-year-old Reuters brand with the objective of enabling "definitive action in financial markets." The business will be led by David Craig, previously head of the F&R unit, who became CEO of Refinitiv following completion of the deal. Thomson Reuters said it received about $17 billion in gross proceeds at the closing, out of which it plans to return $10 billion to shareholders. As part of that process, the company launched a $9 billion share buyback in August. The tender offer is scheduled to close on Tuesday. From the remainder of the proceeds, the company said it would redeem $4 billion of debt, keep $2 billion of cash on its balance sheet to fund acquisitions, and use $1 billion to cover expenses related to the transaction. Following the deal, Thomson Reuters had said it expects its legal business to account for 43 percent of its revenue. Reuters News will remain a unit of Thomson Reuters Corp. Under the terms of the deal, Refinitiv will make minimum annual payments of $325 million to Reuters over 30 years to secure access to its news service, equating to almost $10 billion. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Nick Zieminski) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday touted a new free trade deal with Canada and Mexico as a win for U.S. workers while investors breathed a sigh of relief that the key pillars of NAFTA had survived his hardball strategy to reshape global commerce By Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday touted a new free trade deal with Canada and Mexico as a win for U.S. workers while investors breathed a sigh of relief that the key pillars of NAFTA had survived his hardball strategy to reshape global commerce. Washington and Ottawa reached an agreement on Sunday after weeks of tense bilateral talks to update the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. The United States forged a separate trade deal with Mexico, the third member of NAFTA, in August. The new agreement, called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), is aimed at bringing more jobs into the United States, with Canada and Mexico accepting more restrictive commerce with the United States, their main export partner. "These measures will support many - hundreds of thousands - American jobs," Trump said at the White House, describing the trade deal as "the most important" the United States had ever made. "It means far more American jobs, and these are high-quality jobs." Trump has repeatedly described NAFTA as a terrible deal for the United States. Any U.S. job gains are likely years away, but the deal provides Trump with a victory that he can tout at campaign rallies over the next month on behalf of fellow Republicans running in the Nov. 6 congressional elections. Speaking in Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the pact removed uncertainty though he conceded Canada had made some difficult compromises. Canada's dairy industry criticized him for giving more market access to U.S. imports. "We had to make compromises, and some were more difficult than others," Trudeau said in a press conference. "We never believed that it would be easy, and it wasn't, but today is a good day for Canada." Initial U.S. reaction was effusive, with auto workers, dairy farmers and wheat producers saying the deal would likely create job opportunities and open up agricultural markets. A NAFTA collapse could have caused U.S. farmers to lose access to agricultural markets in Canada and Mexico at the same time China has effectively halted purchases of U.S. soybeans and other commodities, helping to shore up a key Trump constituency. In Mexico, negotiators took to Twitter and radio to celebrate having preserved a single North American trading zone as part of a trilateral pact. NAFTA underpinned $1.2 trillion in trade between the three countries. U.S., Canadian and Mexican stocks jumped early on Monday before paring gains later in the trading session. The Canadian dollar strengthened to a four-month high against the U.S. dollar, while the Mexican peso rose to near a two-month high against the greenback. EYES ON CHINA The deal also ends a major source of trade irritation as the Trump administration pivots to a much bigger trade fight with China, where U.S. tariffs now are active on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods and threatened on $267 billion more. Trump's "America First" trade policies, particularly his escalating trade war with China, are aimed at boosting U.S. manufacturing, but they have spooked investors who worry that supply lines could be fractured and global growth derailed. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has been working to recruit Japan and the European Union to help pressure China to change its trade, subsidy and intellectual property practices. With a deal that preserves U.S. market access, Canada and Mexico now are more likely to join that effort. While changing provisions of NAFTA and bringing down U.S. trade deficits were key White House goals in the trade talks, the agreement largely leaves the broader deal intact. "The most significant thing about this new deal is that they changed the name," said David Kelly, chief global strategist for JPMorgan Asset Management. The deal effectively maintains the auto industrys current footprint in North America, and spares Canada and Mexico from the prospect of U.S. national security tariffs on their vehicles. Over time it will force auto companies to spend billions of dollars to produce more of their future products in the United States or Canada to meet new requirements that 40 percent to 45 percent of a vehicles value content come from high-wage areas. Auto makers, particularly from Europe and Asia, may be pushed to move more of their supply chain into the region. Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, who led his country's trade negotiations, said the agreement was an attempt to make the region more competitive versus other parts of the world. "Everyone is trying to entrench themselves in their region to compete with other regions. Japan is highly integrated in Southeast Asia. The Europeans in Eastern Europe, and in some way the trend is towards regional competition," Guajardo told Mexican radio. Unifor, Canada's biggest private sector union, said the deal was likely positive for auto workers, as it requires a much higher percentage of parts to be made in North America, with a significant proportion produced in areas paying at least $16 per hour. STEEL TARIFFS The deal does not include any changes to separate U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium levied earlier this year on Canada, Mexico, China, the European Union and others. Trump said the import tariffs - 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium - would remain in place for Canada and Mexico until they "can do something different like quotas, perhaps." "We are not going to allow our steel industry to disappear," Trump said, adding that Sunday's deal would not have happened without the tariffs. Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said earlier that he hoped concerns over the U.S. metals tariffs could be resolved before the new trilateral deal is signed. U.S. officials intend to sign it by Nov. 30, Peter Navarro, the White House trade adviser, told Fox News. "NAFTA is dead. We have USMCA." It would then be submitted for approval by the U.S. Congress, currently controlled by Republicans. Even if Democrats win back the House of Representatives, the pacts provisions on autos, labour rights, environmental rules, dairy and currency manipulation are likely to appeal to many in the party who have opposed traditional Republican trade deals that have been more favourable to businesses than workers. U.S. Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa, a top farming state, praised the agreement in a tweet on Monday: "Our farmers need stability and access to markets." Democratic U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, which borders Canada, also said she would review the terms and was glad her state's "number one trading partner" was "back in the mix." Mexico's Guajardo on Monday said the new accord could be signed by the three countries' leaders when they meet at a G20 summit in Buenos Aires in late November. There were times last week when it looked as if Mexico and the United States would strike out on their own with a bilateral agreement that Canada could join later. The breakthrough seemed to come on Thursday when Washington asked Ottawa for its final negotiating "red lines" and with the intervention of Canadian and Mexican advisers in direct contact with White House adviser Jared Kushner. With the Sept. 30 deadline looming, Trudeau's chief of staff Katie Telford, Videgaray and Kushner were in frequent phone contact over the weekend to "facilitate" Sunday's agreement, a senior source close to the talks said. Advisers to Mexico's incoming government, Marcelo Ebrard and Jesus Seade, were consulted "permanently" and "in real time," the source said. The result included the face-saving preservation of a key trade dispute settlement mechanism sought by Canada. (Reporting by Susan Heavey, Lisa Lambert and Steve Holland in Washington, Frank Jack Daniel in Mexico City and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Franklin Paul and Paul Simao) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Forensic experts and a CID bomb disposal squad are examining the site of the blast in Kolkata at Dum DUm's Nagerbazar area. A blast in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday killed a seven-year-old boy and injured nine people, including the child's mother. The explosion occurred in front of a multi-storey building in the city's Nagerbazar area, police said. The cause has yet to be ascertained. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said, "A child, who was severely injured in the blast, has died in hospital. A total of nine people are injured." As per initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in carrying out the low-intensity blast outside the building, which also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality chairman Panchu Roy. "It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation," a police officer told PTI. However, initial reports had quoted the police as saying that it was a high intensity blast. "It was a high-intensity blast," an officer of the Kolkata Police said. West Bengal: Police says, "It was a high-intensity blast. 4 people seriously injured, 6 injured. Found some iron nails but can't ascertain cause of blast yet as there is no smell of gunpowder."; Visuals of CID bomb disposal squad at site of explosion in Dum Dum's Nager Bazar area pic.twitter.com/S06xWaGvi7 ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The explosion occurred around 9 am on Tuesday outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested neighbourhood, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Dum Dum Police Station. The injured were taken to the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. A forensic team and sniffer dogs are at the spot, trying to ascertain the nature of the explosion, the police said. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast, but it wasn't. We are trying to find out the details. Forensic experts, along with the CID bomb disposal squad, are examining the area," a senior officer of the Barrackpore City Police Commissionerate said. The building where the blast took place also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality Chairman Panchu Roy, who claimed to be the actual target of the explosion. Stopping short of naming any political party, Roy said the forces currently attacking the ruling Trinamool Congress across West Bengal were behind the attack. "I think they tried to target me. Today is 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. We all know which group was involved in Gandhiji's killing. I will not be surprised if that same group was involved in this blast," he told IANS. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, Roy said there was no such issue in South Bengal. Furthermore, ANI quoted West Bengal minister Purnendu Basu as comparing the explosion in Dum Dum's Nagerbazaar to the "to the ones carried out by RSS elsewhere". With inputs from agencies With exactly a year to the Swachch Bharat Mission deadline, the clock is ticking. Perhaps a bit too hard and fast for rural Uttar Pradesh, where 1000 toilets are being constructed on a daily basis, according to official district-level records. As Gandhi Jayanti 2018 clocks in, Khabar Lahariya investigates the numbers across districts of rural UP. Answering natures calls has never been this complicated, not since it got so heavily policy-laden. Question is, who is the policy meant to benefit? While the fight against open defection has been a long-standing one in India, it has taken on new drive under the incumbent BJP government. In the fancy packaging of Swachch Bharat Mission (SBM), complete with celebrity endorsements and radio-friendly jingles, the primary aim is to construct toilets in every household so as to achieve an open defecation free (ODF) India within five years. Touted to be a pet project of Prime Minister Modi, this nationwide sanitation mission was intended to be a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of his 150th birthday in the year 2019. With exactly a year to the deadline, we decided to investigate where things stand in of Uttar Pradesh one of Indias largest and most populous states where the implementation of the SBM has been no small feat by any measure. The SBM website boasts of over one crore toilets having been built in UP till date 1,70,46,060 to be exact covering 99.38% of the state. Whats more, over 70% of the state has been declared ODF by the government. This mammoth achievement, to say the least, would have been an undisputed feather in the governments cap had these incredible statistics in fact been translated into reality on the ground. Lets take a look at Lalitpur district, where government statistics claim that almost all the required number of toilets have been constructed and over 80% of the district has been declared ODF. Suresh of Lalitpurs Rangoan village is well aware that his village is one of the newest additions to the illustrious list of ODF villages. Ironically though, he has not seen or heard of toilets being constructed in any of the households the only prerequisite to being declared ODF. The situation is no different in Varanasi, where the need for toilets, public and otherwise, is particularly pressing in light of the huge number of tourists it attracts all year round. Jairampur villages Shivdevi is fed up of filling endless forms and hearing empty promises in return. For what seems like an eternity to her, she has been requesting for the construction of a toilet but her household is yet to see one. Things just do not add up when compared to the government statistic of 99.54% of the toilets allegedly having been constructed. Mahesh Yadav, whose wife is the pradhan of Shivdevis village, sheds some light on the issue. How are we expected to get toilets constructed when we are not given the requisite raw materials for it? Sometimes we lack sand, sometimes we are not given enough cement. Where do we get these materials from? Where toilets do exist, several of them are in a dilapidated state leaving one constantly worrying about a brick falling on their head while they relieve themselves. Take Gudiyas fathers toilet situated in Bandas Sohana village for instance. Having no door, with the ceiling and the walls threatening to give way any minute, this ruin of a toilet adds to the proud 98.59% toilets constructed that have been constructed in the district so far. Administrative apathy is a major factor to be blamed for this deplorable state of affairs. When we asked the Panchayat ADO of Tarun village of Faizabad district, he seemed bored stiff not only of our question but of the project altogether. On being pointedly asked about the villages where no holes have even been dug yet, he had no idea as to which villages these were. After verifying with our reporter that construction had not even commenced in these villages, he simply said it would start soon. While officials conveniently pass the buck from to one another, the public continues to face extreme hardships on a daily basis. While some deal with the embarrassment of passers-by seeing them as they defecate in the open, others are constantly harassed by the police and often even beaten up for doing so. With large amounts of the taxpayers money being dedicated to the SBM, all that seems to have been tangibly achieved are impressive statistics. Lots of graphs with ascending peaks. Residents of Mahoba another district boasting of being over 90% ODF describe the helpless Catch-22 situation the authorities have trapped them in. Sarju Devi, Kalapura village resident, is livid, When they are not getting toilets constructed in our houses, but continue to lecture on against open defecation, what are we to do? Are we to take a dump in the middle of our house? If the police catch us defecating in the open, they shout at us and even beat us. At least first do your bit in getting the construction done, then feel free to catch us if we go out. Khabar Lahariya is a women-only network of rural reporters from Bundelkhand. Activist Gautam Navlakha, freed from house arrest by the Delhi High Court on Monday after he was held in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence, said he does not hold any grudge for the confinement at his home. New Delhi: Activist Gautam Navlakha, freed from house arrest by the Delhi High Court on Monday after he was held in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence, said he does not hold any grudge for the confinement at his home. The activist, who has been under house arrest since 28 August, said that he, however, cannot forget about his co-accused and others who remain incarcerated for their ideological convictions on account of "false charges" filed against them. The Delhi High Court allowed Gautam Navlakha, one of the five rights activists arrested in connection with Bhima Koregaon case, to be freed from house arrest. The court granted him the relief saying the Supreme Court last week had given him the liberty to approach the appropriate forum within four weeks to seek further recourse, which he has availed. "From Delhi High Court I have won my freedom. It thrills me no end," Navlakha said in a statement, which at the end stated 'Lal Salaam'. "The period of house arrest, despite the restrictions imposed was put to good use, so I hold no grudge. However, I cannot forget my co-accused and tens of thousands of other political prisoners in India who remain incarcerated for their ideological convictions, or on account of false charges filed against them, and/or wrongful conviction under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act," he said. The activist also said the freedom and the rights of fellow accused, who have gone on hunger strike against "maltreatment", are "precious" to civil liberties and democratic rights movement. Navalakha said he salutes the LGBTQ comrades for their monumental victory recently after a "relentless and stubborn" struggle, which, he noted, has opened the door for as significant a social reform movement as the one fired by Babasaheb Ambedkar for the annihilation of caste system. He also said the "freedom won" by Bhim Army's Chandrashekhar and his comrades Sonu and Shivkumar from preventive detention is particularly reassuring as it shows the power of "indomitable resistance against a socially entrenched casteist tyranny, from ground below". Navlakha was arrested from the national capital and the other four activists were arrested from different parts of the country. The Maharashtra police had arrested the activists on 28 August in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave 'Elgaar Parishad' held on 31 December last year that had allegedly triggered violence later at Bhima Koregaon village in the state. The five activists Varavara Rao, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were put under house arrest on 29 August following an apex court order on the plea by historian Romila Thapar, economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala against the police action. "To all my nearest and dearest, let us continue to speak up for the enforcement of our constitutional freedoms and against oppression and exploitation in all forms," Navalakha said. He also thanked the majority and dissenting justices of the Supreme Court for their judgment, which allowed the activists four weeks to seek relief in this matter, while also thanking the citizens and lawyers for putting up a spirited fight. "I will cherish. I am humbled by the solidarity, which crossed borders, rallying in our support," the activist said, while thanking his friends and lawyers who "moved heaven and earth" to win him his freedom. Saluting the LGBTQ community, Navlakha said "Our solidarity was slow in coming, but your perseverance forced us to change. You brought a smile back on our faces and rainbow colours in our lives." "My salaam to friends in JNUSU for the historic victory of the United Left panel which proves yet again that united resistance is the need of the hour only thus can we face persecution and struggle so that it gathers critical mass support," he said. "Friends, fight with truth and honesty, the words are stronger than bullets and abuses, it has been proved today. Our songs and poems have enthusiasm, and our work and writings are based on reason and facts," the activist wrote in the statement in Hindi. Speculation is that Deshmukh is joining the Congress, as he is meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha in the evening. Rahul is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Nagpur: BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh, a staunch proponent of separate Vidarbha state, has announced his resignation as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly as well as from the primary membership of the party. Speculation is that Deshmukh is joining the Congress, as he is meeting party president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha in the evening. Rahul is in Wardha to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Deshmukh, who represents Katol constituency in Nagpur district, will meet Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde on Wednesday to submit his resignation. He has accused the BJP government of ignoring the plight of farmers and youths in the country and indulging in "divisive and vote bank politics". Deshmukh, the son of former president of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee Ranjeet Deshmukh, has been demanding that Vidarbha be carved out from Maharashtra. "The situation of farmers and the youth has worsened in the last four years but the government is indulged only in the politics of vote bank for wining elections and dividing the nation," he said. ]As the BJP has been ignoring the people of India, I am tendering my resignation as an MLA and a member of the BJP, he added. Rajeev Chandrasekhar has appealed to the central government to honour former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Rajeev Chandrasekhar has appealed to the central government to honour former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist Nambi Narayanan, who was arrested in an alleged spy scandal in 1994, with a Padma award or a similar recognition. "I request the Government of India to ensure that the process of justice is completed by pursuing those that are responsible and holding them to account; to honour Narayanan's struggle by a Padma award for a similar recognition by Government of India that recognises eventual triumph of good over evil," Chandrasekhar wrote in a letter. The BJP MP further stated that the arrest of Narayanan had "terrorised the entire ISRO community." "Regretfully, this is not just a case of a person being falsely accused in a case as stated by the Supreme Court of India, it is also about a brilliant scientist being humiliated, subjected to third degree torture at the behest of some police officers, then apathetic government and its political conspiracy," Chandrasekhar wrote in his letter. "Nambi Narayanan was a senior scientist at ISRO, in-charge of the cryogenics division, making rapid progress in the field of liquid technology a key technology in rocket propulsion that is being deployed in GSLV. He was one of the chief architects of the 'Vikas' engine that is at the heart of India's rockets, the same ones that made missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan possible and which will be involved in many more space voyages in future. Vikram Sarabhai, the celebrated scientist and father of Indian Space, put his trust in Narayanan and sent him to Princeton University for higher studies on rocket propulsion," he added. Narayanan, who was arrested in 1994 for allegedly selling vital Indian space technology secrets to Pakistan, was charged with espionage. He was in kept in the police custody for 50 days. On 14 September, the Supreme Court cleared him of spy charges and termed his arrest as "needless" and "unnecessary". It also announced setting up of a committee which would be headed by retired Supreme Court judge DK Jain to investigate into the role of Kerala police officials in the arrest of Narayanan. The apex court also directed the Kerala government to pay compensation of Rs 50 lakh to him. The Kerala government on 27 September decided to pay the compensation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of three organizations in the Southeast region to receive $262,000 in funding for projects under the 2018 Environmental Education (EE) Grants Program. One of the recipients is the Trust for Public Lands, Chattanooga. It will receive $100,000 to conduct land revitalization activities to support a new rail line conversion project. An old spur line from the former Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad is being turned into a connection from the Riverwalk in St. Elmo to Alton Park. It will cross South Broad Street and go under Alton Park Boulevard before reaching 38th Street in Alton Park. Nationwide, 37 organizations in 29 states, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were selected to receive $3.3 million in grant funding. Other organizations and education projects selected to receive the 2018 EE Grants in the Southeast include: Appalachian State University, Boone, NC - $62,001 to use a converted RV as a mobile earth and environmental science lab in Appalachia. University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA - $100,000 to manage native and invasive vegetation for healthy forests and waterways. Since 1992, EPA has distributed between $2 million and $3.5 million in EE grant funding per year, for a total of over $75 million supporting more than 3,700 grant projects. The program traditionally provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques. To learn more about current grant recipients, prior grants awarded, or to apply for future EE grant competitions, visit: https://www.epa.gov/education 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. The Congress MLA reached the police superintendent's office along with his supporters and courted arrest with the demand to withdraw cases lodged against Jat community but were later released. Jaipur: Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh courted arrest on Tuesday demanding withdrawal of cases lodged against Jat community members during their June 2017 stir for reservation in state jobs and educational institutions. Singh, a Jat community leader, courted arrest along with his supporters in Bharatpur near Jaipur, demanding either withdrawal of cases or filing of chargesheets in them within three days. Maintaining that a political decision by the chief minister can resolve the issue, Singh gave an ultimatum of three days to the government and said he would launch another agitation if no progress was made. 72 cases were lodged during the agitation which was held to demand reservation for Jat community in Dholpur and Bharatpur districts. The government had assured to withdraw the cases but no progress has taken place in one year, Singh said. The cases should be either withdrawn or challans be filed in them, he said. The Congress MLA reached the police superintendent's office along with his supporters and courted arrest with the demand. They were later released. Congress demanded withdrawal of the fare hike announced on 24 September in Himachal Pradesh Shimla: The Congress in Himachal Pradesh will hold protests across the state on 7 October against the hike in bus fares effected by the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government. In a press note issued here on Tuesday, the chairman of Himachal Pradesh Congress Media Department, Naresh Chauhan, demanded withdrawal of the fare hike announced on 24 September. Protests will be held at block and district levels, he said. The state-level demonstration will be held in Shimla and Congress leaders will thereafter go to the Raj Bhawan to submit a memorandum to the Governor demanding withdrawal of the bus fare hike. Flaying the state government's decision to increase the fare by 24.44 percent in plain areas and 20.69 percent in hilly region, he said the state should have opted for reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products instead of hiking the bus fare. Chauhan also criticised the Thakur government for hiking the minimum bus fare from Rs three to Rs six. The 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi will see a host of events today including a world sanitation convention, the Opposition's quit power movement, and a farmers' rally; top stories for today Gandhi Jayanti to be celebrated as Swachhta Divas As the nation enters the 150th birth anniversary celebration of Mahatma Gandhi, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government has announced that 2 October will be celebrated as Swachchta Diwas. The Government of India is also holding a world sanitation conference, Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention. A host of national and international dignitaries, including United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind are also expected to take part. Congress to launch 'Gaddi Choro Andolan' on Gandhi Jayanti Congress president Rahul Gandhi will use the occasion, which is also former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri's birth anniversary, to sharpen the Opposition's attack against the Modi government. He will launch the Gaddi Choro Andolan against the BJP-led government from Wardha, Maharashtra. Rahul will also chair the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting, attend a prayer service in Sevagram Ashram and then participate in a padyatra to mark the occasion. The venue, Wardha, was chosen strategically as Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 12 years of his life in the Sevagram Ashram. The outline of the Quit India Movement was also drawn here. Farmers' group to protest in Delhi Bharatiya Kisan Union, a farmers' group which was on a 10-day-long march, is seeking loan waivers, lowering of electricity bill tariff, and a increase in minimum support prices. The march, in which over 50,000 farmers and more than 500 tractors are expected to participate, will reach Delhi today. Anna Hazare to sit on hunger strike from today Anti-corruption crusader, Anna Hazare will begin a fast in his village, Ralegan Siddhi from today over his long-standing demand for the appointment of an independent Lokpal, and strict implementation of the Lokpal Act. Hazare last sat on a fast over the same demand between 23 and 29 March, but agreed to break it after the government gave him a written reassurance. He had given the government a six-month deadline to heed to his demands, which ended last month. Microsoft Surface Event Later today, Microsoft will be unveiling its new generation of Surface devices. At the event, we're expecting to see a Surface Laptop 2, a Surface Pro 6 and maybe even a successor to the Surface Studio. Alongside these devices, we can also expect to hear about the latest Windows 10 October 2018 update, which should also ship soon after the announcement. The Surface range of products from Microsoft represents the best that Microsoft can offer the PC world: A bloat-free software and impeccable design. And while we dont expect to see any major design update to the line, we are expecting to see Microsoft finally introduce support for 8th generation Intel CPUs. Moto One Power review Featuring a 5,000 mAh battery, Snapdragon 636 SoC and a price tag of Rs 15,999, the Moto One Power has garnered a considerable amount of attention. Xiaomi in particular offers some truly worthwhile rivals to the One Power, but the Motos combination of great hardware and near stock Android give it an edge in some eyes. Stay tuned for our full review, which will be arriving later today. The device will go on sale on 5 October as a Flipkart exclusive. Varun Dhawan wins Best Actor award at 9th Jagran Film Festival Varun Dhawan, who won the Best Actor award at the 9th Jagran Film Festival, says his film October will live on forever. Dhawan tweeted a photograph of himself receiving the award for the film, directed by Shoojit Sircar. "Won best actor for October. The shiuli flower has a life span only for a night but I have a feeling October will live on forever," he wrote. A man has been arrested for allegedly raping his niece for over four years under the pretense of treating her Manglik Dosh, police said Monday New Delhi: A man has been arrested for allegedly raping his niece for over four years under the pretense of treating her Manglik Dosh, police said Monday. The man told the 23-year-old woman that if the 'dosh' was not corrected her father would die, police said, adding that the crime was committed regularly during the period of four years. The man called the woman even after her marriage, which is when she decided to bring the matter to the notice of her father-in-law, police said. The father-in-law took the woman to Narela Police Station and registered an FIR on 13 September. "The accused is the paternal uncle of the victim who was arrested the same day of the FIR," police said. The police contacted the Delhi Commission for Women to provide counselling to the victim. By now the world has figured out that the only predictable thing about Donald Trump is his unpredictability. By now the world has figured out that the only predictable thing about Donald Trump is his unpredictability. Still, it doesnt quite prepare us for the bizarre twists and turns patented by the Oval Office occupant. Americas friends and foes alike are frequently befuddled by Trumps bewildering balderdash, allowing even for the liberal dose of rhetoric that characterises his statements. It was only last week, on 25 September, that the US president showered praise on India while addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Trumps glowing comments, that as a free society a billion-strong India successfully managed to pull millions out of poverty into the middle class, received wide media attention. Barely a week later, India came under Trump fire. New Delhi earned the unfortunate moniker of tariff king and the US president declared during a news conference on Monday that India is desperate to cut a trade deal to ward off his threats of duty hikes. He also appeared to quote Modi in claiming that nobody ever spoke to these people (Indians) on trade issues before and referred to a conversation that US trade representative Robert Lighthizer had with Indian officials to quip that Indians are keen to please him. India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, 'we want to start negotiations immediately, said Trump, adding When Bob Lighthizer said, What happened? He would never do this. They said, No, we want to keep your president happy. Isnt that nice? Isnt that nice? Its true. They have to keep us happy, because they understand that were wise to whats been happening. Trump also raked up the Harley Davidson issue (he is keener on this topic than even the motorcycle manufacturers themselves) and indicated that India wants to reduce the tariffs). The rasping statements lead to an unsavoury interpretation: that Indians were ripping off the US until recently and are now changing their tactic only because they have been found out by a super smart president. Trump has been repeating these statements at regular intervals. It trivialises an issue that has been the subject of long-standing discussions between the USTR and Indian commerce channels and unnecessarily berates a strategic partner. Trumps latest comments on India, made during a press conference where he announced the formulation of a revised trade deal with Canada and Mexico called US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), come in the context of US trade official Mark Linscotts recent visit to New Delhi. The US assistant trade representative reportedly had detailed discussions with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible deal. If both nations are edging towards that highly unlikely trade agreement, Trumps haranguing may add to the wrinkles instead of smoothening them. His comments also undercut the trajectory of bilateral ties. The US-India strategic partnership is riding high on the wings of shared values and mutual interests. The relationship has become deep, wide and comprehensive: with implications in maritime, strategic, geopolitical and economic spheres. Strong people-to-people ties have connected both nations even during diplomatic dissonance. Now, defence trade is up, military cooperation has intensified with India and the US signing a landmark foundational agreement during the recently held 2+2 talks. COMCASA is expected to allow joint operability and secure communications between respective militaries, make war games more elaborate and pave way for Indias buying and Americas selling of more advanced equipment. There has been renewed focus on co-production and co-development of projects through Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) and bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism has been expanded. And these are just some of the areas that undergird the relationship. India has become central to US efforts in maintaining the equilibrium in Asias balance of power. It is the lynchpin of US Indo-Pacific Policy and occupies an important space in Trump administrations National Security Strategy. More significant, as foreign policy analyst C Raja Mohan pointed out in The Indian Express is the growing convergence of perspectives on regional and international affairs. Few other powers have been as positive as the US in addressing either Indias concerns about terrorism in the region or as supportive of its aspirations for a larger international role. Further, India has no territorial disputes with the US. Nor have Delhis armies ever had to confront Washingtons. While all of this makes for a stable, mature and fulfilling partnership, there is Trump to drive a wedge between order and method and upend the post-Cold War consensus that has created global rules-based order allowing developing nations such as India to lift millions out of poverty, as he pointed out during his UNGA address. If this sounds dichotomous, Trumps speech contained valuable clues behind that dichotomy. He apparently doesnt want any country to take advantage of the US ever again and wants to tear down the elements of the very global order that the US had put in place, maintained and championed since the second World War. Trumps extraordinary speechwhere he rejected multilateralism, global treaties and institutions to protect US sovereigntygave us a good look at his worldview that is defined by an inexplicable persecution complex and paranoia. If anti-elitism marked Trumps route to political power, as president he has identified the global trading order as the chief enabler of that rootless elitism on which he blames all of Americas ills. Trumps anti-trade views arent new. As Nelson W. Cunningham, member of the board of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum, wrote in Livemint, In 1987, he (Trump) spent almost $100,000 to run full-page ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Boston Globe attacking Americas allies and the way they took advantage of the US, including huge deficits. These ideas would fit comfortably into a Trump speech today. It is Trumps belief that the disadvantageous global trading order (championed and institutionalised by the US) should be stripped in favour of a fairer system that is deal-based, not rule-based and he backs himself to cut deals better than anyone else in the planet. This may explain his derision towards the present system which, believes Trump, leads to nearly every trading partner cheating the US and filling their coffers at Americas expense. India is a member of this unfortunate bloc and hence the recipient of his vituperative rhetoric. What Trump ignores is that the system he is so keen to dismantle has not only benefitted developing nations and enabled them to expand their economies, it has also brought benefits for the US, expanded its sphere of influence and reinforced its superpower status. On the maintenance of this rules-based order and stability lie the conditions of US exceptionalism. It seems Trump is driven by a reactionary impulse that wants to strike at the roots of US hegemony. As Stewart M Patrick wrote in Council on Foreign Relations, Trumps narrow-minded, transactional approach to diplomacy is also ill-founded and counterproductive. The US global alliance system, which has been the handmaiden of globalisation, has rewarded the United States handsomely, underpinning its global influence, ensuring international stability, and guaranteeing that America can handle any adversary. Practically every other nation has had to dig deep to manage the aftershocks of Trumpian disruptions. But New Delhis situation is more complicated. It is in Indias interest to maintain a close strategic partnership with the US, nurture the relationship with its single-largest trading partner, champion the cause of globalisation and ensure the stability of a multilateral order that allows its economy to grow at a fast clip. At the same time, India prefers an incremental opening up of its economy and is loath to remove all shutters of protectionism. For all the geopolitical and strategic convergence, it is on trade that both nations lack concord: a situation that has been made complex due to Trumps obsession with trade deficits. India may take comfort from the fact that Trumps rhetoric is often a ploy to force the party to sit across the table. With mid-term elections coming up in the US, New Delhi may expect more such interventions. It has little option but to manage the risks and fallout on trade and work towards strengthening the other planks of the relationship. Trade remains a major irritant and differences need to be sorted sooner than later to prevent a spillover into other domains. The farmers list of demands include unconditional loan waivers, clearing of dues by sugar mills, higher prices for crops, free electricity for farms and a cut in diesel prices. Thousands of farmers on Tuesday marched towards Delhi, with demands ranging from farm loan waivers to a reduction in fuel prices. Police from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh stopped them from entering the city at the border between the two regions. Farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh joined the Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on 23 September. They came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. The farmers travelled on foot, in buses and tractor trolleys. Traffic movement on arterial roads leading to Delhi was blocked as national highways leading to the city were swamped with the protesters. The farmers broke barricades of the Uttar Pradesh Police and then began to proceed towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut, told PTI that the farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof. Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmers' leaders and discussed their demands. They have reached an agreement on the majority of the issues. Reports said the Centre had agreed to seven of the nine demands put forth by the farmers. What are the farmers' demands? Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait said: "We organised the march to press for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, loan waivers and scrapping of the ban on plying tractors 10 years old and older in the National Capital Region, among others." The BKU has a comprehensive list of demands for the government, which includes unconditional loan waivers for farmers, clearing of dues by sugar mills, higher prices for crops, free electricity for farms and a cut in diesel prices. Swaminathan Commission: The MS Swaminathan Committee, in its five different reports, recommended reimbursing farmers with over 50 percent of crop input price, among other suggestions. The commission also suggested the use of rainwater harvesting and water-level recharging by mandatory aquifers. Payment of sugarcane dues: Pending sugarcane dues continues to remain a cause of concern for farmers. In the 2017-18 agricultural year, India produced 32 million tonnes of sugar, while the demand was for only 25 million tonnes, leading to a crash in the prices of sugar, according to The Indian Express. As a result, farmers have not been able to clear their dues. Loan waiver: Farmers have also demanded a complete waiver of their loans. According to Business Standard, 82 percent of all indebted agricultural households are those that own less than two hectares. In March, thousands of farmers had thronged the streets of Mumbai demanding an unconditional loan waiver scheme. Harmik said, "We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right." Diesel prices: The rise in petroleum and diesel prices over the past few months has reduced the profit margin of farmers, The Indian Express reported. A hike in electricity tariffs in Uttar Pradesh is another concern that the farmers have put forth. Follow LIVE updates on the Kisan Kranti Yatra here Kisan Kranti Yatra LIVE updates: The Delhi Police justified action against protesting farmers. In a statement, it said, 'Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till outcome of talks of their leaders with the government, a section of crowd turned violent and tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis.' Auto refresh feeds According to latest reports, the Delhi-UP border was barricaded by the police and a non-violent protest of farmers turned violent when the police charged the farmers with water cannons and tear gas. Addressing the media over protesting farmers not being allowed to enter Delhi, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers." Farmers were stopped near UP-Delhi border and police used water cannons to disperse protesters after a few farmers broke the barricades. According to several reports, many farmers have returned due to police high-handedness. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders, issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, would be in force until 8 October. Prohibitory orders had been imposed in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of Bhartiya Kisan Union members planned to march from Haridwar to reach the national capital. Blaming the Centre for plight of farmers in India, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav said that the government has not fulfilled the promises it made to farmers. "So, it is all but natural that farmers would protest. It is unfortunate and we fully support the farmers," Akhilesh said. Traffic is affected on NH-9,Gazipur Border and Uttar Pradesh Gate due to Kisan Movement from UP Gaziabad side. Delhi traffic police advised motorists coming from Gaziabad side and vice-versa "to use Kondli Bridge or Road no. 56/Anand Vihar/GT Road." Over 50,000 farmers have committed suicide in the past 4 years, mostly in BJP-ruled states, he said. "It's natural that the farmers have come to Delhi to protest. It is the central government that has to make diesel cheaper, clear dues and implement the broken promises of MSP," Akhilesh said. It's Modi govt that has to make diesel cheaper, clear dues and implement broken promises of MSP, says Akhilesh Many politicians and leaders questioned the need to use force on non-violent protests A video of an old farmer asking a police officer, "Are we terrorist", has gone viral on the internet. Delhi police earlier on Tuesday barricaded the UP-Delhi border and did not allow the protesting farmers to enter Delhi. Several politicians have cried foul at the government's attempts to keep farmers outside on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. The minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has also now reached Rajnath Singh's residence and the meeting with farmers leaders has reportedly commenced. "We have organised the march to press for implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, loans waiver and scrapping the ban on plying of 10-year-old tractors in the national capital region among others," he said. BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre had not fulfilled the demands of the farmers. "They have not sought any permission from the Delhi Police for the protests," a senior police official said. The order prohibits assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting. It also prohibits the usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. "A large number of protesters are likely to come in Delhi from bordering areas of east district. This may create law and order situation and may disturb the peace and tranquillity and endanger human life or property in the area of east district," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh had told PTI. The march is being organised from Patanjali in Uttarakhand to Kisan Ghat in Delhi via Muzaffarnagar, Daurala, Partapur, Modi Nagar/Muradnagar, Hindon Ghat between 23 September to 2 October, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur said. It will pass through Ghaziabad (in Uttar Pradesh) and will proceed via Preet Vihar and Geeta Colony flyover in east Delhi on Tuesday. Video from this morning as the police put up barricades in at Uttar Pradesh Gate in Ghazipur along NH-24 to stop around 20,000 farmers who marched from Uttarakhand passing through Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Modinagar and Ghaziabad to reach New Delhi. Attacking the Narendra Modi government over not allowing farmers inside Delhi, Congress said that it was shameful that this was happening on Gandhi Jayanti. "On birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi government has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British government in India.British government used to exploit the farmers then and today Modi govt is firing tear gas shells at farmers," Randeep Surjewala of Congress told ANI. Narendra Modi government is anti-farmers, said CPM's Sitaram Yechury. "It reconfirms the fact that Modi govt is anti-farmers. Instead of providing relief to farmers they are exasperating the crisis further forcing farmers to be under debt burden&distress suicides. We haven't seen such an agrarian distress in India since independence." When asked what would they do if the farmers try to force their way in, Kumar said they have enough manpower to prevent that and the farmers know that as well. "Everyone has the right to peaceful protests and the police will maintain peace and order in any condition," he said. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning at UP Gate, ADG Meerut Prashant Kumar said that the Delhi Police have banned entry to the marching farmers for time being. "We have made arrangements to stop them here and we have been trying to tell them that it is not possible to enter Delhi without the government's permission. Farmers delegations have met Union ministers yesterday and they will meet a few ministers today to put forth their demands." Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala slammed the NDA government for the "inhuman, unjust and unpardonable treatment of the farmers." He said that the fact that government is brutally beating up India's farmers on a day when the nation is celebrating birth anniversaries of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mahatma Gandhi. The injured have been taken in ambulances to private hospitals nearby, particularly Sarvodaya Hospital and Shanti Doot Hospital. According to eyewitnesses, over 30 farmers have been injured in the police lathicharge on Tuesday morning, though the police have said only 10 persons had sustained injuries. Twitterati also questioned the government on the use of baton and tear gas on the day when the world is celebrating International Non-violence Day to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary. News18 reports farmers sit atop the hug music system installed on the tractor-trolley in which they travelled. They are now sitting at the Delhi-UP border as the police has disallowed them to enter the national capital. All they want is the movement of their yatra into the national capital, News18 reported. The protest has exhausted the farmers now. News18 reports that several farmers and their wives were seen roaming around in search of food. Since the food and mineral water at nearby shops the expensive, they have walked down for a kilometre looking for affordable eatables. BKU leader Rakesh Tikait said, "Police action on farmers is wrong. Our leaders are holding a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. We will decide our next course of action after holding consultations with our leaders." He said the farmers are suffering financially due to the increase in electricity prices, non-payment of sugarcane dues and other reasons and now on top of that, they have to buy new diesel tractors after 10 years. He questioned the hue and cry over letting them enter Delhi when they have already said that they only want to march peacefully. Rashtriya Lok Dal president Ajit Singh expressed his support for the farmers and is reportedly on route to UP Gate to meet the protestors. BKU leaders emerge out of Rajnath Singh's more and prepare to address the press gathered there. News18 reported that a Delhi government minister will soon arrive at the Delhi-UP border to meet the agitating farmers. However, the name has not been confirmed. Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmers' leaders and discussed their demands and have reached an agreement on the majority of the issues. Farmers' leaders, UP ministers Laxmi Narayan ji, Suresh Rana ji and I will go to meet farmers now, says MoS agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. "Hum apna haq leke jayenge," blazed protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border. The farmers told TV channels that everything is at stake for them. "We have left everything behind and come. And we will not leave unless all our demands are met. Due to the faulty policies of this government, farmers are crushing under increasing debt. This will not work," say farmers. According to News18, Centre has agreed to seven of 9 demands put forth by the BKU leaders in the meeting with Rajnath Singh earlier today. Details are still awaited. Taking at dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that the BJP government's two-year celebration to mark the 150th anniversary of Gandhi Jayanti began with brutal thrashing. "Now, farmers can't even come to Delhi and share their pain," he says. Kartar Singh, a farmer from Punjab, added and said that they can sit here for days as they are used to working under the sun. "You will get nothing by making us uncomfortable," he says. Speaking to News18 , a farmer agitating at the Delhi-UP border said, "Are we really dangerous? Are we a threat to the city-dwellers? Why is the police hitting us and firing at us? We have not come to harm anybody. Let us protest and claim our rights. We will leave after that. Why will a farmer want to disrupt normal lives?" Why is the police firing at us... we haven't come to harm anybody: Farmer from Punjab Suresh Rana, Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are about to go meet protestors at UP Gate. Farmers had submitted nine demands, out which the government has agreed on seven. The demands regarding implementing the Swaminathan Commission and complete loan waiver have not been accepted. Kuldeep Pahelwa, a farmer who walked all the way from Haridwar along with 100 other farmers, says "andolan aa raha hai". His foremost demand is for the government to settle his sugarcane dues. "I am tired of this situation,' said the hapless farmer. "This to happen on 2 October is the worst misfortune. The same state of the injured farmers who have been taken away in ambulances will be inflicted on this government by the farmers in 2019," he says. "Modi and Yogi, understand this and save yourself." Akash Tyagi, a native of Meerut who lives in Delhi, is among the protestors being held back at UP Gate. He is incensed that this government has made 'jawans' and 'kisans' confront each other in this manner, calling it worse than the colonial government. The Hindu reported that the Congress Working Committee passes a resolution criticising the police action on farmers, especially on a day that is celebrated as non violence day "Farmers aren't terrorists or Naxals, they're coming with demands. Don't they have right to do that? SS Chouhan government killed farmers in Mandsaur, today they're about to lose Madhya Pradesh. Warning Modi ji if injustice with farmers continue, he'll lose Delhi, says R Shetty of Swabhimani Sattkar Sanghatana. He also went on to say that the MSP announced by the Centre has been of no use to farmers because no one comes forward to purchase at MSP. "Farmers are forced to sell at lowers prices are there is no penalty against those who buy below MSP. We want the legality of this addressed. The Centre says they will instruct state governments to increase their procurement but this never works out. In the case of Karnataka, we have a different party in power in the state who are not particularly keen to carrying out Centre's orders. We are happy if either the Centre or the state procures the crops, paying, at least, half immediately and the rest later, he says. Speaking outside Rajnath Singh's home, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha's vice president G T Ramaswami said that they have put forth certain demands before the central government. The Minister of State for Agriculture and other ministers will now go to the protest venue to make certain announcements to the farmers gathered there. We will decide on further action after hearing what they have to say. 'MSP announced by the Centre has been of no use to farmers' Rashtriya Lok Dal workers blocked NH-58 near Muzaffarnagar, condemning police action against farmers on Tuesday morning. Their leader Ajit Singh is at the UP Gate to show solidarity with farmers "The farmers who were on a peaceful march towards the national capital under the banner of BKU raising their genuine demands including waiver of loans were stopped by police at the border and beaten up on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi," the party said in a statement. The Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo, Mayawati, has condemned the police action of farmers who were trying to reach the national capital to protest. She said that the BJP should be ready to face the consequences. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". Police said a section of crowd suddenly turned violent as police tried to persuade the protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union march, not to break the barricades. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured on Tuesday during the protest by farmers on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, Delhi Police said. These are the seven demands from BKU which government has accepted: Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on 23 September, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. #UPDATE -- NGT decision also to be challenged in Supreme Court by the Centre, says @gssjodhpur | #KisanKranti pic.twitter.com/bMc9uSLETW The protesting farmers, however, decided to stay put at the Delhi border, where they have been stopped by the police from entering the national capital. PTI "On behalf of (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singh, I assure you that I will represent the farmers' interests in this committee and whatever changes would be required to link MNREGA with agriculture will be made," Shekhawat told the farmers. "The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MNREGA with agriculture," Shekhawat added. On another problem faced by the farmers about farm labour, the minister said the government would look at bringing in some changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem. "I assure you all this. We will move court over the NGT order (to ban tractor and vehicles which are more than 10 years old)," he said. After meeting the protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad, Union minister of state for agriculture Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause. As thousands of farmers tried to enter the national capital in a massive protest march, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, even as the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. At least 10 other farmers have reported the same. A police official has asked them to write their name and numbers on a sheet of paper and submit it to them. Dheeraj Rathi from Barut, UP is one the farmers at UP Gate whose Oppo phone was stolen during the chaos of the day. A chappal was hurled at the BKU leaders gathered to address the farmers at UP Gate. UP's Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Cane Development and Sugar Mills, Suresh Rana, was also on stage in the second row. "The farmers who were on a peaceful march towards the national capital under the banner of BKU raising their genuine demands including waiver of loans were stopped by police at the border and beaten up on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi," the party said in a statement. The Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo, Mayawati, has condemned the police action of farmers who were trying to reach the national capital to protest. She said that the BJP should be ready to face the consequences. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". Police said a section of crowd suddenly turned violent as police tried to persuade the protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union march, not to break the barricades. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured on Tuesday during the protest by farmers on Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, Delhi Police said. Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till outcome of talks of their leaders with govt, a section of crowd turned violent & tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys & were also carrying lathis: Delhi Police on today's action on protesting farmers pic.twitter.com/WJ9pnDTGRm Justifying the use of water cannons and lathis against protestors on Tuesday, the Delhi Police said in a statement, "Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till outcome of talks of their leaders with the government, a section of crowd turned violent and tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis." Farmers rally in Delhi LIVE updates: The Delhi Police justified action against protesting farmers. In a statement, it said, "Despite persuasive methods requesting them to wait till outcome of talks of their leaders with the government, a section of crowd turned violent and tried to break barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys and were also carrying lathis." BKU has said that the prortests will continue until all nine demands are accepted by the government. "Farmers aren't terrorists or Naxals, they're coming with demands. Don't they have right to do that? SS Chouhan government killed farmers in Mandsaur, today they're about to lose Madhya Pradesh. Warning Modi ji if injustice with farmers continue, he'll lose Delhi, says R Shetty of Swabhimani Sattkar Sanghatana. Akash Tyagi, a native of Meerut who lives in Delhi, is among the protestors being held back at UP Gate. He is incensed that this government has made 'jawans' and 'kisans' confront each other in this manner, calling it worse than the colonial government. "This to happen on 2 October is the worst misfortune. The same state of the injured farmers who have been taken away in ambulances will be inflicted on this government by the farmers in 2019," he says. "Modi and Yogi, understand this and save yourself." Suresh Rana, Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat are about to go meet protestors at UP Gate. Farmers had submitted nine demands, out which the government has agreed on seven. The demands regarding implementing the Swaminathan Commission and complete loan waiver have not been accepted. Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmers' leaders and discussed their demands and have reached an agreement on the majority of the issues. According to reports, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders will join the farmers protest soon. "Farmers' leaders, UP ministers Laxmi Narayan ji, Suresh Rana ji and I will go to meet farmers now," says MoS agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. According to eyewitnesses, over 30 farmers have been injured in the police lathicharge on Tuesday morning, though the police have said only 10 persons had sustained injuries. The injured have been taken in ambulances to private hospitals nearby, particularly Sarvodaya Hospital and Shanti Doot Hospital. Narendra Modi government is anti-farmers, said CPM's Sitaram Yechury. "It reconfirms the fact that Modi govt is anti-farmers. Instead of providing relief to farmers they are exasperating the crisis further forcing farmers to be under debt burden&distress suicides. We haven't seen such an agrarian distress in India since independence." Attacking the Narendra Modi government over not allowing farmers inside Delhi, Congress said that it was shameful that this was happening on Gandhi Jayanti. "On birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi government has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British government in India.British government used to exploit the farmers then and today Modi govt is firing tear gas shells at farmers," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. A video of an old farmer asking a police officer, "Are we terrorist", has gone viral on the internet. Delhi police earlier on Tuesday barricaded the UP-Delhi border and did not allow the protesting farmers to enter Delhi. Several politicians have cried foul at the government's attempts to keep farmers outside on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Blaming the Narendra Modi government, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said that the government has not fulfilled the promises it made to farmers. Addressing the media over protesting farmers not being allowed to enter Delhi, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers." According to latest reports, the Delhi-UP border was barricaded by the police and a non-violent protest of farmers turned violent when the police charged the farmers with water cannons and tear gas. TV reports said that one farmer has been injured after the police lathicharged the group of protesters. A massive farmers' march from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab is reached Delhi through Ghaziabad on Tuesday. The police, to curb traffic problems in the city, have set up barricades around Delhi's borders and imposed prohibitory orders across some parts to halt the march. The farmers, affiliated to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), began the 'Kisan Kranti Yatra' on 23 September from Haridwar and were headed towards the national capital with a charter of demands. The march is being led by Naresh Tikait who is the president of the BKU and Rakesh Tikait. However, the Delhi Police is trying to stop the massive congregation of farmers from entering the state. It barricaded all borders of the National Capital and stopped protesters outside Delhi borders. The protesters are proceeding towards Delhi with hundreds of tractor-trolleys and private vehicles, according to the order by the DCP (East). They may also be carrying sticks/lathis/cans and possibility of them turning unruly cannot be ruled out on slightest provocation, it said. "The yatra, thus has potential of disruption of traffic and creating law and order problems. Hence, it is essential to maintain law and order and peace in the national capital territory of Delhi with intent to avoid any inconvenience to general public," said the order. With inputs from agencies Six events in the Netherlands' four cities will mark the launch of the two-year long celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy The Hague Monday. The Hague: Six events in the Netherlands' four cities will mark the launch of the two-year long celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, according to a statement issued by the Indian Embassy The Hague Monday. Gandhi statues in the four cities of The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Zoetermeer will be garlanded and the public invited to place flowers at the feet of the statues as a mark of respect. Speeches, singing of Gandhi's favourite songs and cultural programmes on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Gandhi and the International Day of Non-Violence, will also mark the occasion, it said. An LED projection on the "Relevance of Bapu's message in the contemporary world" is being organised at a special function in honour of Gandhi within the Peace Palace as well as at the public places such as the railway stations of these four large cities, the statement said. Special commemorative stamps marking the 150th birth anniversary issued by the Indian postal department will be presented by India's Ambassador to the Netherlands Venu Rajamony to former Foreign Minister and Chairman of Carnegie Foundation R Bernard Bot and Director General Erik de Baedts at a function in front of the iconic Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The foundation is the owner and manager of the Peace palace. The Indian embassy along with community organisations will conduct an outreach programme "Follow the Mahatma" during from 1 to 5 October under which over 100 volunteers will spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life of Gandhi. Books on Gandhi in Dutch will be presented to the schools, the embassy said. A social media campaign with hashtag #FollowTheMahatma is also being conducted, inviting people to post messages reiterating their commitment to the principle of non-violence. Supporters of various Hindu organisations on Tuesday took to the streets in various cities of Kerala to protest against the 28 September Supreme Court verdict that threw open the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages. Thiruvananthapuram: Supporters of various Hindu organisations on Tuesday took to the streets in various cities of Kerala to protest against the 28 September Supreme Court verdict that threw open the Sabarimala temple to women of all ages. The protest in Thiruvananthapuram was led by former Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) president and former Congress legislator Prayar Gopalakrishnan who said that he will oppose the verdict "come what may". He, along with Rahul Eshwar, a member of the Sabarimala temple 'tantric' family, and hundreds of protesters rallied in the city and even held up traffic for a while. The TDB manages the Sabarimala temple. At Kochi, protesters had a tiff with police when the latter objected to hampering the flow of road traffic. The largest protest was witnessed at Pandalam, where members of the erstwhile Pandalam royal family, along with a large number of men and women walked to the Veliye Koyikal Temple at Pandalam while singing hymns. The family plays an integral role in the temple affairs and has already expressed deep dissatisfaction over the court verdict. Protesters also rallied at Pamba town, which is situated on the foothills of the Sabarimala temple. "The court order is not acceptable as every religious place has its own traditions which cannot be overruled by a court of law as it affects the sentiments of devotees," said a protester. Similar protests were also witnessed in Palakkad. On 28 September, the apex court had said that the ban on women from entering the Lord Ayyappa temple violated their fundamental rights and constitutional guarantee of equality. Until now, girls below the age of 10 and women over 50 were allowed to visit the hilltop shrine, located in the Western Ghats and about 130 km from Thiruvananthapuram. By Trend The visit of Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva to Italy further cements ties between Azerbaijan and Italy, Rob Sobhani, director general of the Caspian Group Holdings, told Trend. Azerbaijans First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva last week was on an official visit to Rome, where she took part in the conference on The 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and relations of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Italian Republic, a ceremony to inaugurate St. Sebastian catacombs, which were restored by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and held a number of important meetings. Sobhani said that this visit lays a better, stronger and more long-term foundation for cultural exchanges, economic relations and diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan and Italy. Mehriban Aliyevas visit is important because getting Italy - a major diplomatic nation - to be more active as it concerns the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is critical, he added. In my opinion the major highlights were meeting with the President of the Italian Senate and commemorating the centenary of Azerbaijan's Democratic Republic, Sobhani said. These two issues are related because they portray Azerbaijan as a secular, progressive, forward thinking Muslim nation that can be a model for other Muslim countries. In addition, Italy is one of Europe's largest economies and has expertise in many areas such as the energy sector, fashion industry, aviation and environment, he added. The transfer of know-how in these sectors to Azerbaijan as a result of the First Lady's visit to Italy can be of enormous benefit to the citizens of Azerbaijan, he said. Imagine Azerbaijan's leading designers partnering with brands such as Salvatore Ferragamo or Gucci. He further noted that the role of women in Azerbaijans history and cultural development is on the shoulders of Mehriban Aliyeva and she is the best ambassador for Azerbaijan on the global arena. When she meets with her Italian counterparts, Mehriban Aliyeva is representing all Azerbaijani women and her modern, progressive, worldly and caring demeanor contributes to Azerbaijan's global image as a dynamic country, he added. Also by emphasizing the rich history of Azerbaijan through commemoration of the centenary of the Democratic Republic, Mehriban Aliyeva is telling the world: "We are a country with a rich history and the first Muslim country to have fought for and won democracy for its citizens." "This is very important for Azerbaijans image, Sobhani said. Speaking about the restoration of the holy catacombs in Rome by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Sobhani said that this caring, kind and timely act of philanthropy by Mehriban Aliyeva places Azerbaijan at the center of the global efforts to restore historic sites. It shows that Azerbaijan is not only looking forward but cares about the past - the past of our common heritage and historic sites, he noted. It demonstrates that the First Lady of Azerbaijan is a citizen of the world and that the country she represents - Azerbaijan - is a partner in restoring the worlds most important historic sites. Italy benefits from Mehriban Aliyevas leadership of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and preserves historic sites that need attention in Italy, he said, adding that this can become a global contribution by Azerbaijan for preservation of culture. Despite a law stressing not only eradication of manual scavenging but also rehabilitation of families dependent on the job, septic tanks have turned into death beds for many young men in India. Editor's Note: This article was first published on 3 October, 2018. It is being republished in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleaning the feet of sanitation workers at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, which affords an occasion to look at the state of manual scavenging in India. *** Mahatma Gandhi believed sanitation is more important than political independence. Somewhere down the ages, Gandhi's other views eclipsed this one in collective memory. As per the 2011 Socio-Economic and Case Census, 1,82,505 rural households in India were dependent on manual scavenging for income, and just last month, five young men fell into a septic tank and died near the DLF Capital Greens flats in Delhi's Moti Nagar. It is not the lack of a law but the lack of the will to enforce it that led to their tragic deaths. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, disallows the employment of manual scavengers, terming it a non-bailable offence. Under this legislation, offenders can be imprisoned for up to five years. The case against those responsible for the deaths of the sanitation workers in Delhi was registered under Section 304 (negligence) of the Indian Penal Code. Section 304 reads: "Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both." Even though the Employment of Manual Scavenging and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act of 1993 revised in 2013 was passed, stressing on not only eradicating manual scavenging but also rehabilitating families dependent on manual scavenging as a profession, septic tanks have turned into death beds for many young men who make up "Young India". Last week in Delhi, Magsaysay Award-winning Bezwada Wilson's Safai Karamchari Andolan had organised a protest demanding justice for the septic tank victims. At the demonstration, social work graduates from the University of Delhi, Communist Party of India (Maoist) leader Brinda Karat, academic and politician Yogendra Yadav and writer Arundhati Roy had accompanied the families of the men who lost their lives. The mention of the Rafale fighter jet deal, demonetisation and bank frauds dominated the scene. While demands for better machines came up in slogans, the plot revolved around the demand for justice and betrayal of the safai karamchari (sanitation worker) community by successive governments in India. Madan Jha, who works at Sulabh International and is credited for having led a sanitation revolution long before toilets came to dominate movie plots, is of the view that a centralised debate on sanitation geared against broader government policies isn't going to address concerns that require localised implementation. Sulabh's two-pit toilet that has freed women from the "maila pratha", or manual disposal of human waste, and in each state, the masonry corresponds to the changing demography. Shrishail Birajdar, who has worked with an NGO called SWaCH in Pune that set up a bio waste plant at Uruli Devacha near the city, had earlier told Firstpost that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, to ensure proper waste management in India. The rules, published last year, gave power to local bodies across India to decide the user fees. India generates approximately 1,33,760 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, of which approximately 91,152 tonnes is collected and around 25,884 tonnes is treated. Birajdar explained that as per the new rules, municipal authorities are to levy user fees for collection, disposal and processing from bulk generators. The generator will have to pay a 'user fee' to the waste collector and a 'spot fine' for littering and non-segregation, the quantum of which the local bodies will decide. He feels that the rest of the country must do what the Pune Municipality is doing enforcing the practice of constructing one's own composting pit for each new building. Speaking of localised technology solutions and innovative financial deployments, Pune also has something called the Shelter Associates, which work in slums and informal settlements to provide technical support for services essential to urban living. In their "One Home, One Toilet" approach, individual toilets are made available to the beneficiary family on a cost-sharing basis, wherein the beneficiary family also contributes towards the construction of the toilet. In 2016, the Pune Corporation converted worn-out buses into women's toilets and also repeatedly shared images of dirty toilets in government buildings to remind the administration of the extent of the unaddressed problem. Ruchi Arora from Helping Hands, an NGO working towards making Alwar in Rajasthan clean, said that the nagar parishad in this town could take greater interest in sanitation, say by installing public bins. She suggested that the government should increase checks on how funds are being utilised. At Jantar Mantar in Delhi, slogans against the government's lack of political and moral will to spend on advancement of technologies for scavenging were shouted, but there was no talk of specific solutions. A week later, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention, organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to mark the beginning of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi between 29 September and 2 October. At the event, Kevin Rudd, former prime minister of Australia and chair of the Global Partnership for Sanitation and Water for All, said that since the Swachh Bharat mission was announced in 2014, 419 districts in India had been classified as defecation-free, averting more than 3,000 deaths between 2014 and 2019. He pointed out that none of this could have happened free of cost and required innovative sources of financing to be deployed. "When (Ghana MP) Joseph Adda launched a national programme for sanitation, his mission statement was to turn Ghana into India," Rudd praised the visible impact of the Swachh Bharat campaign on ground. Several states claim that they have zero manual scavengers, and that India has 26 lakh dry latrines. The broader question is, how are these being cleaned? "The sanitation convention has only one session on manual scavengers, and that, too, focuses on managerial, not technical, skills," the Magsaysay Award-winner told Firstpost, adding that the disconnect between stakeholders within the sector is worsening the situation. For instance, Germiya Ongolu of Sanitor, a production organisation based in Bengaluru, said that working hand in hand with the State is essential for scalability. He said they had developed four prototypes, including a sewer croc and a robotic camera that goes in and finds clogs in sewer lines, along with another similar product that goes in and disintegrates the mass. Another prototype is that of a manhole lid gas detector that detects poisonous gases in the sewer line. They also developed an Internet-of-things-based overflow detector to ascertain the level of the water inside a manhole, which sends data into the cloud if the threshold levels increase. The final prototype is that of an amphibian gas detector to detect gases trapped in sewer lines. "We have earmarked them for the Hyderabad Metro, are approaching the Karnataka government and are also involving IITs and other engineering colleges," Ongolu said, adding that it is necessary for academia and the government to come together to envision solutions as municipalities and gram sabhas employ manual scavengers to empty these manholes of excreta. The Urban Management Centre works on policy reforms and building the capacities of municipal staff and communities. The organisation's director, Manvita Baradi, and deputy director, Meghna Malhotra, spoke to Firstpost about the need to help local governments strengthen their working through management practices, as well as the need to adopt a three-pronged approach that brings the central, state and local governments together to promote sanitation. "City governments deny the presence of manual scavengers, and governments don't monitor the contracts that are made on a low-cost basis," they said, stressing on the sub-sub-sub contracting of labour to clean septic tanks, as could be seen at DLF Capital Greens in Delhi's Moti Nagar. They pointed out that septic tanks are deliberately made large so they don't have to be cleaned regularly and eventually, the muck solidifies at the bottom of the tank and has to be cleaned by hand. Also, cheaper, low-capacity pumps that can't suck in the waste must be discarded. "Manual scavenging must also be identified as an informal trade like ragpicking," they said. Meanwhile, the Urban Management Centre has been identifying and protecting dispersed manual scavenging communities at Bhubaneswar in Odisha. In Berhampur district, not too far from the state capital, Joe Madiath of the Gram Vikas is committed to addressing the needs of drinking water and sanitation. He told Firstpost that a core fund has been established in the region to enable community growth by collecting an average of Rs 1,000 per household. This amount is further invested to deliver water and sanitation services to new households in the village. He added that the communities bear about 60 percent of the capital costs of sanitation and 25 percent of the costs of establishing a piped water supply system. The government's Rs 12,000 subsidy isn't enough, and constructing a toilet to build a national statistic isn't going to change unless NGOs and independent foundations work on changing people's mindsets. The debate around sanitation needn't be a political one because a jan andolan (people's movement) isn't torn between party lines or between the State and civil society; it is meant to belong to everybody, much like Gandhi's truth force. Priyank Kharge has requested Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to announce five-day work week for all the state government employees. Karnataka: Karnataka Minister for Social Welfare Priyank Kharge has requested Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to announce five-day work week for all the state government employees. "It'll be good if five days week can be considered, it will boost the work capacity of the state government employees," Kharge stated in the letter. Kharge added that he got the same demand from many of the state government employees. He wrote the letter to the chief minister on 29 August, however, it came out in media on Monday. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on 23 September, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. As thousands of farmers tried to enter the national capital in a massive protest march, the government Tuesday announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, even as the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. After meeting the protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border here, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause. "I assure you all this. We will move court over the NGT order (to ban tractor and vehicles which are more than 10 years old)," he said. On another problem faced by the farmers about farm labour, the minister said the government would look at bringing in some changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem. "The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MNREGA with agriculture," Shekhawat added. "On behalf of (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singh, I assure you that I will represent the farmers' interests in this committee and whatever changes would be required to link MNREGA with agriculture will be made," Shekhawat told the farmers. The protesting farmers, however, decided to stay put at the Delhi border, where they have been stopped by the police from entering the national capital. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which has given the protest call, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance. "We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cannot decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," he added. The farmers were marching towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, but were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on 23 September, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. They came on foot, in buses and tractor trolleys. They carried banners of Bhartiya Kisan Union, which gave the call for the march to press for a series of demands. "We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right," said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut. Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, he said. "Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you?" he asked. Another farmer claimed over three lakh peasants are marching towards Rajghat. Their list of demands include unconditional loan waiver for farmers, clearing of dues by sugar mills, higher prices for crops, free electricity for farms and a cut in diesel prices. 'Agreement reached' According to News18, the Centre agreed to seven out of nine demandsincluding a ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles put forth by the BKU leaders in the meeting with Rajnath. The demands regarding implementing the Swaminathan Commission and complete loan waiver have not been accepted. However, there were loud jeers from the farmers at the Uttar Pradesh gate when they were told about the government's proposals. The crowd appeared dissatisfied with the deal and frustrated farmers were seen preparing to leave. BKU leaders said they will deliberate on whether to accept the government's proposal. "Government didn't clear its stand on the main issue of the farmers C2+50. That is why the farmers are dissatisfied. It didn't clear its stand even on the other main issue of loan waiver. They said they will discuss it in detail," ANI quoted BKU spokesperson as saying. A chappal was hurled at the BKU leaders gathered to address the farmers at Uttar Pradesh Gate. Uttar Pradesh's Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Cane Development and Sugar Mills, Suresh Rana, was also on stage in the second row. Farmers ask Rajnath to send food and water Farmers camping near Uttar Pradesh Gate in Ghazipur asked Rajnath Singh to send some food and water their way. "We bought some food from home, but that's over and we are having to pay Rs 30 for a bottle of water and Rs 100 for a 'thali'", one farmer said. Earlier in the day, a tanker of water had apparently arrived but that was not enough for everyone there. "The government hasn't made any arrangements for us here. But we are determined to stay here until they allow us to complete our march at Kisan Ghat," they said. We are farmers, we are used to difficulties, one of them said. "We have come walking 200 kms peacefully; we haven't hurt anyone, or damaged any public propertywhy are we being stopped here?" Another farmer asked: when netas from Delhi come to UP to take out their rallies, why can't we farmers be allowed into Delhi to take out our rally? 'Are we terrorists?' A video of an old farmer asking a police officer "are we terrorists?" went viral. Speaking to News18, a farmer agitating at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border added, "Are we really dangerous? Are we a threat to the city-dwellers? Why is the police hitting us and firing at us? We have not come to harm anybody. Let us protest and claim our rights. We will leave after that. Why will a farmer want to disrupt normal lives?" Kartar Singh, a farmer from Punjab, said that they can sit here for days as they are used to working under the sun. "You will get nothing by making us uncomfortable," he said. "Farmers aren't terrorists or Naxals, they're coming with demands. Don't they have the right to do that? SS Chouhan government killed farmers in Mandsaur, today they're about to lose Madhya Pradesh. Warning Modi ji if injustice with farmers continues, he'll lose Delhi," said R Shetty of Swabhimani Sattkar Sanghatana. 'Modi, Yogi save yourselves' Akash Tyagi, a native of Meerut who lives in Delhi, is among the protestors being held back at Uttar Pradesh Gate. He is incensed that this government has made 'jawans' and 'kisans' confront each other in this manner, calling it worse than the colonial government. "This happening on 2 October is the worst misfortune. The same state of the injured farmers who have been taken away in ambulances will be inflicted on this government by the farmers in 2019," he says. "Modi and Yogi, understand this and save yourself." Delhi Police issues statement The last week of outgoing CJI Depak Misra's tenure was probably the best week that the Indian legal community has seen in terms of the rights that were guaranteed to the citizens. On 3 October, the 46th Chief Justice of India (CJI), Justice Ranjan Gogoi will commence his reign which will last for over a year. However, it is not him making headlines in the legal fraternity, but the outgoing CJI, Justice Dipak Misra. This is because in his tenure the dynamics of the Supreme Court have been tried and have stood the test of the rule of law. But more than the landmark decisions made by the Supreme Court, it is the controversies which have drawn the nations attention. Ever wondered why does the National Anthem play before every screening of a movie in the theatres and why you are expected to stand up for the same as a mark of your respect for the nation? Well, we have the Supreme Court, and especially Justice Misra to thank for that as it was he who had ordered it in the matter of Shyam Narayan Chowsky vs Union of India. Logically and legally, this order did not hold water. A prudent mans logic would lead him to question the fact as to whether standing up for the National Anthem is the only way in which one can respect ones own country. Isnt the act of keeping our streets clean or following the traffic rules in itself a bigger form of respecting ones nation? Legally, Article 51A of the Indian Constitution casts a duty upon every individual to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem. However, many critics have dismissed this provision being applied to standing up in cinema halls for the National Anthem as they maintain that this forms a part of judicial censorship as it takes away our freedom to speech and expression guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a) which only stands qualified by the restrictions of any law made under Article 19(2) and not by the court of law. A huge controversy was also sparked when he declared himself to be the master of the roster. This meant that he was the deciding authority with respect to what matters were assigned to which judge and no one could question his authority on this. There is no written law making the chief justice the master of the roster, but it is, in fact, a constitutional convention which is as good as the written law. But, the problem in his case was his interest in the matter being adjudicated. It had all started when the CBI had arrested the retired judge of the Orissa High Court, Justice IM Quddusi regarding a medical college bribery scam. This scam also featured the name of Justice Misra. When a petition on it was filed, a division bench (2-judge bench) headed by Justice Jasti Chelameswar termed the allegations grave and serious and referred the matter to be decided by a bench constituted by five senior-most judges, excluding the then CJI, Justice Misra. But, the following day, the then CJI formed a Constitutional Bench (5-judge bench) and annulled the order of Justice Chelameswar on the ground that the CJI is the master of the roster, and the second senior judge (Justice Chelameswar) could not have constituted a bench to hear the matter. Although, this decision can be said to be good law, due to the involvement of Justice Misra in deciding his power it goes against the Latin maxim- nemo judex in sua causa which translates to no one can be a judge in his own case. The correct and proper way to decide this would have been if Justice Misra would have allowed a Constitutional Bench, excluding the first two judges of the Supreme Court, to adjudicate as to whether only the chief justice is the master of the roster or not. Justice Misra also faced an impeachment motion against him for this but it was rejected by the Rajya Sabha chairman. However, all these controversies pale in comparison to the unprecedented event that took place on 12 January 2018 where the top four seniormost judges of the Supreme Court after the CJI including Justice Chelameswar, Justice Gogoi, Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Kurian Joseph, held a media conference and appealed to the nation to save the Supreme Court in order to save the democratic framework of the country. In the interview, Justice Chelameswar was reported saying that "the administration of the Supreme Court is not in order and many things which are less than desirable have happened in the last few months. We owe a responsibility to the institution and the nation. Our efforts have failed in convincing CJI to take steps to protect the institution." However, this internal conflict was soon placated as there was no follow up on this issue. Despite, these rough patches, we should not take away Justice Misras contribution to the legal fraternity as well to the nation. The last week of his tenure was probably the best week that the Indian legal community has seen in terms of the rights that were guaranteed to the citizens. The decriminalisation of homosexuality, the allowance of women in the Sabarimala temple, the striking down of Section 497 which is adultery, the live streaming of cases of constitutional importance, the upholding of Aadhaar, the right to die with dignity as well as Hadiya and Khap panchayat judgments focusing on individual rights are few of the important matters that were decided by him. Some of them have changed the very landscape of legal jurisprudence of India for the good. However, it wont be amiss to say that his name will be remembered in posterity more for the controversies, and less for these landmark judgments. Raghav Pandey is an assistant professor of Law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai and Neelabh Bist is a Fourth Year student of Law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. New Delhi: Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protestors, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the national capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until 8 October. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till 4 October. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor lashed out at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a 'campaign' speech and alleged that the saffron party 'politicised' foreign platforms. Hyderabad: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday lashed out at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a "campaign" speech and alleged that the saffron party "politicised" foreign platforms. Hitting out at the Congress leader, BJP had earlier said the Opposition party defied a convention of all political parties speaking in the same voice on India's stand abroad. "I must say that they have really disappointed all true patriots by the way in which they have politicised foreign platforms. They have done so starting with the prime minister and now ending with the foreign minister," Tharoor told reporters in Hyderabad. "This is not the way in which India should conduct its foreign policy. I am quite confident that if the Congress party comes back to power, we will not fight our political battles abroad," he said. Questioning whether Swaraj's address was a UN speech or BJP slogans, Tharoor had tweeted that she devoted the first half of her speech mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a "New India" and discussing programmes as the Swachh Bharat Mission. "Bit rich to be criticised by the BJP for describing Sushma Swaraj's speech as a campaign speech. She mentioned Modi 10 times during her address and spoke about/on behalf of India only five times. If you use the UN as a political platform you can't hide behind the flag," Tharoor said. Tharoor told reporters he was normally very supportive of the union government in international forums because "national interests transcend political interests." "Unfortunately, this BJP government has been completely ignoring this time-honoured principle. We have had the prime minister attacking his predecessors on foreign soil. He has been going around, saying that the Congress has let the country down abroad," he said. Criticising Swaraj, he alleged that she made a "campaign speech" instead of speaking to foreign delegates at the UN forum. "Here is a foreign minister who goes to an international podium like the United Nations General Assembly and instead of speaking to the delegates from other countries, she delivers a blatant campaign speech in Hindi...," he said. Tharoor claimed he was "very mild" in his criticism of Swaraj's speech, saying he was disappointed that the external affairs minister chose to use an international forum to make what was a political speech "aimed at her voters in India rather than at the international audience." BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi had said the Congress is being increasingly seen to be standing with Pakistan as Tharoor's statement was not an isolated incident and the Opposition party often spoke the language of the neighbouring country. He said the Congress should apologise to the country and said its stand on various issues appeared similar to that of Pakistan in "intent, language and style". On Sunday, Tharoor had reportedly said in Kerala that Swaraj's speech was aimed at her party's voters on the subject of Pakistan rather than constructing a positive image of India in the world. Trivedi had said, "There has been an established convention in politics since independence that political parties are unanimous on foreign issues, at least when it comes to taking a stand at the United Nations (UN) where India's position is not of a political party." "Pakistan has always opposed us there. For the first time a senior Congress leader is also criticising," he had said, adding Tharoor had earlier used the term "Hindu Pakistan" to attack the BJP's rule. The BJP leader had also cited comments of Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Ghulam Nabi Azad to liken it with Pakistan in its opposition to the Modi government. He said the Congress has lost the "moral right" to claim to be the party of Mahatma Gandhi, wondering if the Congress in zeal to oppose Modi was also opposing the country. Tharoor, who was in Hyderabad to attend a meeting of the 'Congress Professionals' unit, also hit out at the NDA government over demonetisation and the Rafale deal. Replying to a query if prosecution should take place in the deal and whether Congress would do so if it is voted to power, he said "Congress believes that a thorough investigation is required." Joint Parliamentary Committee would be the right mechanism to do that, he said. Asked about the farmers' protests in Delhi Tuesday, he said Congress has been pointing out the "betrayal of the Indian farmer" by the BJP government. Tharoor was also critical of the TRS government in Telangana which, he alleged, supported the NDA government on various issues. "Voters in this state must realise that a vote for the TRS is a vote for the BJP," he said. By Trend Europe will need additional gas import capacity in the future, Beate Raabe, Secretary General of Eurogas, told Trend. She noted that Eurogas takes no view on any particular infrastructure project because members are involved in different projects, depending on their regional business and investment decisions. "However, Eurogas welcomes any new import infrastructure as indigenous production is in decline and additional import capacity, be it in the shape of pipelines or LNG terminals, will be needed in the future," said Raabe. She noted that Eurogas is looking for energy policy to show a clear path forward for gas to help deliver the long-term EU energy transition. "Numerous studies show that the 2050 decarbonization targets can be reached most cost-effectively with an increasing share of renewable and decarbonized gas in a cost-efficient way," added Eurogas secretary general. Earlier, Murray Douglas, Research Director, European Gas said that higher coal prices and carbon prices will continue to support the gas demand in Europe. Douglas pointed out that Europes 2010-2017 average import dependency stood at 254 bcma (51 percent). The 2020 import dependency will be 326 bcm (63 percent) and 2025 import dependency is expected to stand at 369 bcm (69 percent). Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina has played down the 'illegal' Bangladeshi issue that has plagued the Indian political scene for years Bangladesh's prime minister Sheikh Hasina has played down the "illegal" Bangladeshi issue that has plagued the Indian political scene for years. The prime minister, who was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly's annual summit, was responding to a question from Voice of America's veteran journalist Sarkar Kabiruddin about whether she was worried by the incendiary remarks made by Indian ruling party politicians about "illegal" Bangladeshis. "It may be their internal politics," she replied with laughter, "I do not think that any Bangladeshis live there illegally." "Our economy is strong and robust. Why would people take the trouble to go there and live like an illegal?" Referring to those excluded from Indias National Register of Citizens (NRC), Hasina said, "[They are] their own nationals. And, if they call them illegal now, it's up to them." "However, I talked about it to some extent. I have had talks with the Indian prime minister. He assured me that they did not have any plans like pushing people [into Bangladesh]," she added. As concerns have grown in Bangladesh about the increasingly hostile political situation over the issue, Indian officials have sought to reassure their Bangladeshi counterparts, both publicly and privately, that they need not worry. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla said in August that the NRC was India's internal issue and that there was nothing for Bangladesh to worry about. However, BJP chief Amit Shahs recent remarks describing Bangladeshis as being "termites" eating into India's resources triggered sharp criticism from many quarters in Bangladesh. "His tone was one of fury, an attitude Indian politicians usually reserve for Pakistanis. But describing Bangladeshis as having entered India in unauthorised manner and insulting them as termites hits a new low even for the BJP," wrote Syed Badrul Ahsan in a widely-shared column for Dhaka Tribune. He even evoked an analogous incident in Rwanda, where the minority Tutsis were referred to as cockroaches by the majority Hutus, only to be killed in hundreds of thousands within a matter of days. Other commentators fear a Rohingya-like crisis that led to an exodus of nearly a million of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into Bangladesh, having been subjected to what the UN termed "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing" in Rakhine, Myanmar, where they lived for generations until recently. However, Hasina's government has exercised remarkable restraint by not criticising Shah's remarks. Apart from a mild reaction by Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu, the Bangladesh government has refrained from issuing any official statement. In a brief interview with NDTV, Inu, who heads a faction of a small party in the ruling coalition, termed Shah's comments as "unwanted" and "not proper". He, however, explained that the government would not take up this issue bilaterally because it believes Shah does not represent the Indian government. Meanwhile, Bangladeshi Opposition party BNP's secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, said the "termite" remark could very well turn out to be an issue in Bangladeshs upcoming General Election due to be held in December. "Issues raised by Indian leaders should be addressed by dialogue across the table. His [Shah] comments about people of Bangladesh are not helpful for Dhaka-Delhi relations and given the political situation of Bangladesh, this unwanted comment may come up in the elections," he told The Hindu. Bangladesh's relations with India have peaked during Hasina's 10-year-long tenure. The two countries share close relations across a wide range of issues including security, trade and commerce. A proven ally, Hasina has addressed India's core concerns by dismantling what both countries view as terrorist groups inside Bangladeshs soil. However, in recent years, Bangladesh's apparent intimacy with China and the Rohingya crisis, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Myanmar over Bangladesh, have caused some unease. The USMCA deal was signed only hours before the Trump administration-imposed deadline of 30 September. US president Donald Trump on Monday announced a new trade agreement with neighbouring Mexico and Canada and declared the agreement to be "a great deal" for all three countries and said the pact brings an end to the previous North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). All counterparts of the three countries are expected to sign the deal by November-end. The deal is likely to come into force by 2020, as it will have to be approved by Congress which will vote while it is in session next year. The USMCA deal was signed only hours before the Trump administration-imposed deadline of 30 September. The 'US, Mexico, and Canada Agreement' or USMCA, Trump said, would revive the manufacturing sector in the US and create hundreds and thousands of jobs in America. This will create high-quality jobs and strictly enforce the rule of origin requirement, he added. The new trade agreement, Trump asserted, would usher in a new dawn for the country's auto industry and transform North America into a manufacturing powerhouse and allow the US to reclaim the supply chain that went out off-shores. He said this will help manufacturing of the pharmaceutical sectors. However, the new agreement mandates that the deal be reviewed in six years. If the three countries concur on whether the deal is still effective, it will be finalised on for the full 16 year-period. The NAFTA deal was signed in 1994, and governed more than $1.2 trillion dollars worth of trade between the three countries. The new USMCA has come into existence after a year of negotiations. According to The Washington Post, the provisions are expected to apply from 2020, after leaders from the countries sign it and respective legislatures give their approval. Key differences between USMCA and NAFTA Automobile manufacturing: Under USMCA, to be free from tariffs, a larger part of a vehicle's parts will be made in North America. The new agreement requires that 75 percent of the parts for automobiles be made in either of the three countries. This is about 12 percent higher than what was mandated under the original NAFTA. This was with the purpose of keeping the production of car parts in the US and help bring back some that had moved abroad. In addition, automobile machines should have at least 30 percent of the manufacturing done by workers earning around $16 an hour. USMCA also said that Mexico needed to make it easier for workers to form unions. Canada's dairy market: The USMCA gives the US more access to Canada's dairy market than what was allowed under NAFTA. Under NAFTA, Canada was able to limit how much milk and dairy products could be brought in from the United States. However, under USMCA, new quotas will be set which are expected to increase market access for US farmers. On the other hand, the US will give more scope to Canadian dairy, peanuts and similar products in its market. Canada also agreed to change low prices of some milk products, including milk protein. A CNN report said that, "The Dairy Farmers of Canada quickly came out to criticise the new trade agreement, claiming it puts the livelihood of Canadian dairy producers at risk. Canada recently made concessions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and a trade deal with the European Union that also opened up its dairy market." However, a few issues like US tariffs on steel amd aluminum imports, along with retaliatory tariffs were left out of the USMCA deal. That is expected to be negotiated separately. Intellectual Property (IP): The modified chapter on IP contains stricter protections for patents and trademarks across categories, including domain names. The Washington Post said that, "Many business leaders and legal experts believed these updates were necessary given that the original agreement was negotiated 25 years ago." Chapter 11 removed: Chapter 11 gave companies and investors a separate provision to resolve disputes with one of the governments under NAFTA. However, Chapter 11 has been removed for the most part, due to critics arguing that it was being used by big companies to take advantage of tax payers' money. Under USMCA, this provision only applies to a few major industries like oil. With inputs from agencies As the nation kicks off two-year-long celebrations for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we continue to receive reminders on daily basis of how deep is the chasm between his vision of India and the reality, between his faith in truth and non-violence and how the Indian state perceives these two perennial values. As the nation kicks off two-year-long celebrations for the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we continue to receive reminders on daily basis of how deep is the chasm between his vision of India and the reality, between his faith in truth and non-violence and how the Indian state perceives these two perennial values. The latest reminder is the killing, by a policeman, of an executive in Lucknow on Saturday an example of wanton violence. Influenced by Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy's critiques of the modern state, Gandhi had no illusions about the nature of the beast be it the colonial government or even a democratic one. "The State represents violence in a concentrated and organised form. The individual has a soul, but as the State is a soulless machine, it can never be weaned from violence to which it owes its very existence," he had said. And yet his lifelong mission was to demonstrate how and why, not only individuals but nation-states, should embrace non-violence. Writing for his journal 'Harijan' on 12 November, 1938, Gandhi argued, "It is blasphemy to say that non-violence can only be practised by individuals and never by nations composed of individuals." Gandhi was so consistent in his belief in non-violence that nearly four decades before Independence, in Hind Swaraj, he had cautioned against the possibility of Indian self-rule acquiring the characteristics of the British raj including its use of violence as an instrument of state policy: "You want the tiger's nature, but not the tiger; that is to say, you would make India English." The increasing instances of violence by the State against its own hapless citizens over the decades only confirm Gandhi's worst fears. The state represented by the police or other institutions often sees itself in an adversarial role when it comes to dealing with the citizenry. In the absence of a moral political authority, drum-beaters for the State defend what is patently indefensible. (If you have any doubt, check how some social media users are trying to justify the killing of Vivek Tiwari in Lucknow.) The trend is certainly not new. The State often mobilises support for its extra-judicial indiscretions and defends it by inventing many theories. There are thousands of cases of this nature over the decades across the country that got buried deep into the files without getting a glimpse of fair trial. Believe me, had Vivek Tiwari, a middle-class salaried professional like many of us, not been killed in the heart of Lucknow and had he not been associated with a brand name like Apple, his extra-judicial execution would have been largely ignored and cavalierly treated. We know what happened after the killings in Maliana, Hashimpura or Pilibhit. Justice was not delivered and the guilty were not punished. Ironically, there is an unspoken consensus among political parties in making the culture of violence intrinsic to statecraft. For instance, Uttar Pradeshs main opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) is trying to corner the BJP government and its leaders are queuing up outside Vivek Tiwaris residence. But it was the same SP which was in power in the state in 2013 when communal riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar, and an IPS officer of additional DG rank was instructed by a top SP leader to shoot some jats in order to equalise the numbers with those of Muslim victims. The officer was aghast and refused to obey the instruction; so he was removed. Perhaps the SP leader might have found a pliant officer who could do his bidding. Those who are perturbed over the Lucknow killing would do well to jog their memory and recall an encounter in Connaught Place in Delhi in broad daylight in the mid-nineties. A special team of Delhi police had gunned down two businessmen merely on the suspicion that they were terrorists. Much before they could plant weapons on them, media persons and the victims family members reached the spot and the truth was exposed. However, the then police commissioner Nikhil Kumar, invented a new phrase, a case of bonafide mistake, to mitigate the crime. Such bonafide mistakes keep happening with unfailing regularity, reminding us that the Indian state's link to Gandhism is a fig leaf to cover up the features of a criminal enterprise nurtured by a conducive political ecosystem. It requires the courage of conviction of a morally superior political leadership to defang this governance of criminality. It will be naive to believe that those at the helm of the affairs are oblivious to this drift. This has been brought to notice and discussed again and again, only to be pushed aside as a meaningless exercise. Let me recount one instance where such an attempt was made. In an annual conference of DGPs hosted by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 2013, Bihars police chief Abhayanand presented a paper titled Law versus Lathi. He volunteered to share the details of (mis)handling of the violent events in the aftermath of the killing of Brahmeshwar Mukhia, chief of an outlawed, upper-caste militia, in Bhojpur district. Much to the scorn of the audience that included all top officers of the Indian Police Service (IPS), Abhyanand insisted that though he regretted having let the goons run amok in Patna and hold the city to ransom, he avoided using guns as deterrent only to uphold the rule of law. In his view, excessive force would have killed innocents too. Though his presentation did trigger a debate about the use of force by police, his suggestion was outright rejected. A director general of a central force quipped, Dont make such prescriptions for areas affected by insurgents and Maoists! In retrospect, Abhayanand who had faced ridicule then now recalls that his only objective was to emphasise the necessity of strict adherence to the rule of law. As a journalist, I was sceptical about his method of policing even then. But the manner in which the police have been going berserk to project a macho state calls for alarm, not only in Uttar Pradesh but across the country. Perhaps it would be in order to debate if the civil police needs to maintain an adversarial relationship with the citizenry, if it needs to be de-weaponised. Men in khaki inspiring confidence and sense of security would be a far better sight than the image of being a fear monger. Mahatma Gandhi carried a lathi as symbol of strength, not an instrument of violence, and was always guided by higher moral codes and ethics. As the nation prepares to hold year-long celebrations to mark his 150th anniversary, there cannot be a more genuine tribute to the Father of the Nation by todays leaders than to arrive at a political unanimity to purge statecraft of this intrinsic violence. The postmortem report of Vivek Tiwari, the Apple sales executive from Lucknow who fired at by Uttar Pradesh police constable in Lucknow, revealed that the techie died of the gunshot wound and not the injuries from the subsequent car accident. The postmortem report of Vivek Tiwari, the Apple sales executive from Lucknow who fired at by Uttar Pradesh police constable in Lucknow, revealed that the techie died of the gunshot wound and not the injuries from the subsequent car accident. According to ANI, the postmortem report clearly states that Tiwari's death was caused by the bullet wound on the left side of his chin. His face was blown apart after constable Prashant Chaudhary fired at him at point blank range around 1.30 am on Saturday. Chaudhary had claimed that he had fired at Apple executive in self-defence after the techie tried to run him over with his SUV. The police constable claimed that Tiwari had first crashed into his bike and later a pillar while trying to escape the police. However, the postmortem report would mean that it was Chaudhary's bullet that killed Tiwari. Apart from this, a CCTV footage that surfaced on Monday also punctured the accused policemen's claims that he opened fire at the 38-year-old when he refused to stop the car, drove away at high speed and tried to run them over. The footage, a police official privy to the probe ordered by the government said, showed that Tiwari was driving the SUV at normal speed and halted about 500 metres from where he was fatally shot, following which the vehicle crashed into an underpass pillar. The incident has given more teeth to the Opposition's attack against the BJP-led government. The Yogi Adityanath government, which is already battling allegations over reported rise in the number of encounters and extra-judicial killings in Uttar Pradesh ever since he took over. Leader of Opposition and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said that the state government was trying to fudge facts about the killing. Yadav blamed the state government's policy of what he said were "staged police encounters" and said that rather than being repentant, many BJP ministers in the state were coming across as indifferent and casual. Mayawati, chief of Bahujan Samaj Party demanded a high-level inquiry while claiming that Tiwari's killing was the latest example of how the upper caste people were "also facing harassment" in the BJP government. Meanwhile, the family of the victim was promised help by Adityanath. The aggrieved family members met Adityanath on Monday and said that they "have faith" in the state government. "I have said earlier that I have faith in the state government. This faith has been strengthened after meeting the chief minister. I have lost capacity to take a stand after the unfortunate incident, which should not have happened. It has shaken me. After meeting the chief minister, I have gained confidence that I will be able to fulfil the responsibilities my husband left to me," said Kalpana Tiwari, the wife of the killed Apple executive. "All my demands have been met. I wanted strict action against the guilty, a job, accommodation, expenses for education of my daughters and my mother-in-law. The chief minister acceded to all my demands," she told reporters. Tiwari's wife Kalpana, a postgraduate, has been promised a job at Lucknow Municipal Corporation, while Adityanath has already announced Rs 25 lakh as financial assistance to the family. Fixed deposits of Rs 5 lakh each will also be given to the two daughters, and another Rs five lakh has been announced for Tiwari's mother. With inputs from agencies Jignesh Mevani on Monday called on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and urged all 'pro-poor progressive forces' to keep aside their ideological differences. Kolkata: Gujarat Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani on Monday called on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and urged all "pro-poor progressive forces" to keep aside their ideological differences and come together to battle the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year. "All pro-poor progressive forces, pro-Constitution and pro-democracy forces must come together keeping their ideological and other differences aside against the fascist BJP government. That's the only thing that can save us," Mevani told mediapersons after the meeting with Banerjee at the state secretariat Nabanna. He termed the Narendra Modi government at the centre as "fascist". However, asked about the meeting with Banerjee, Mevani said "It's a courtesy call". Mevani said the purpose of his visit to Bengal was to meet tribals and Dalits. It is this sentiment for the Congress that can see Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan through once again, but it is far from a done deal for the BJP. Editor's note: This column presents the travel notes of a student of Indian politics and serves as a journal marking the run-up to General Election 2019. Sandip Ghose's day job as a marketing executive takes him deep into the country's interiors, which affords him the chance to listen to, and make sense of, India's concerns. These pieces will run in tandem to the frequency of his travels. Views expressed here do not reflect those of Ghose's employer. Read the series here. *** I first heard of "Bangali Doctors" in a film on primary healthcare in South Rajasthan. It was a documentary was based on the work of a well-known Udaipur-based NGO, Seva Mandir, and produced by Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee, a renowned economist of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Little did I expect to encounter this term again several years later in a tribal village of Madhya Pradesh. These "Bangali Doctors" are like German silver neither Bengali nor doctors. They are quacks. I recall from Banerjee's film that the original "Bangali Doctors" were half-trained paramedics. They came to came to Rajasthan from Eastern Bihar, then part of larger Bengal. Successive generations adopted the title and also brought along people from their villages over the years. These quacks form a vital link in the healthcare chain. They are the next port of call after the village "ojha" (voodoo practitioner). Only after them comes the state primary health centre. We were at the tiny tribal hamlet of Pandutalab in Dewas district, 70 kilometers from Indore. The Mahila Jagat Lihaaz Samiti ran a Communitarian Natural Resource Conservation in the village. It was a field centre of an NGO formed by social activist Rahul Banerjee and his wife Subhadra Khaperde. Rahul, better known as Rahul Indori, is a civil engineer from IIT-Khargapur. He also holds a PhD in environmental planning and management. Subhadra comes from a Dalit marginal farmers' family in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district. She is also a grassroots social worker and activist. The couple has worked among the tribals of Madhya Pradesh on a range of subjects and thus know the lay of the land as well as the back of their hands. Lunch was free-range desi chicken curry and a unique tribal-style okra cooked in butter milk. While devouring the food, I asked Rahul about the central government's Ayushman Bharat scheme. I wanted to know whether he thought it would be a game-changer. He was sceptical. He thought it was likely to miss the proverbial wood for the trees. The foundation of a successful public health programme is its primary health outreach. Most illnesses start as primary health problems. They need immediate attention, otherwise they escalate into emergencies or chronic health problems. The government-fun primary health infrastructure in rural areas is inadequate and dysfunctional. Therein lies the menace of quacks and "Bangali Doctors". After three terms of Shivaraj Singh Chauhan as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, this was appalling. Will this lack of development work against him? The community members working in the farm are not so sure. First, a few of them understand the difference between good and poor healthcare. Caught in a time warp and lacking exposure, they accept it as their lot. What matters to them is money, and "mamaji" has showered them in cash in the recent months. Among them, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna was a big hit. It is another matter that the village headman took Rs 20,000 in cash for every application cleared. Still, a roof over their head makes a world of difference. But is this enough to secure their votes? Much depends on the selection of candidates and ground mobilisation. The Congress does have presence in the region. But like most places, it is faction ridden. While the BJP seems ahead right now, a "wave" could change this fact. Back in Indore, given a choice between poha and sabudana khichdi, I am partial towards the latter. The best was to please an Indori, I discovered, is by saying that their sabudana is better than what they make in Pune. That puts their guard down for all tricky questions. There are a few BJP karyakartas among my old business contacts, whom I meet on most trips to get a pulse of place. Six months ago, any question about the BJP's chances would invite a derisive laugh. "Are you serious?" they would ask in a Vadra-esque style. Now, they are more restrained. At first, they deflect the question towards the Lok Sabha polls, saying, "No one can stop Modi-ji." But when pinned down to the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, they say, "Malwa mein toh koi problem nahin hain (there's no problem in Malwa)." The earlier bravado is missing. "East mein fight rahega; Malwa nikal ayega (there will be a fight in the east, but Malwa will breeeze through)." The stress on the east and central regions are real. If they are correct, BJP president Amit Shah's rallies in the east are on hold. The party is waiting for the "mahaul" to change. Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath is giving his all to these elections and will make a difference in Chindhwara and its adjoining regions. To counter the Congress strategy, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has stepped up its booth-level work. They have now assigned two workers at every booth to cater to 50 voters as against one booth worker earlier. While technology and digital outreach will be a force multiplier for the RSS, the Congress is not sparing any money or efforts either. The BJP's confidence seems to stem from two counts. First, the huge sums Chouhan has doled out under the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana on minimum support price (MSP). Farmers have had a good soya bean yield and reaped a double bonanza with the MSP scheme. Other minor sops, such as capping electricity bills for farmers at Rs 200, have been good draws, as well. But not everyone is happy with "mamaji's" generosity. The trading community that had to bear the brunt of the Goods and Services Tax believe it is their money that is funding these doles a case of robbing "Pappu" to pay "Pidi" that they don't like. It is here that Congress leader Digvijaya Singh comes to the rescue of BJP loyalists. They are confident that as long as Singh is around, Congress unity is going to remain a mirage. The highway from Indore to Ratlam is not in the best condition at the moment. Although not better than the US beltways as Chouhan had claimed it is still one of the best roads in the country. Having sized me up by now, the driver was quick to recall the condition of the roads during Singh's tenure. Only for that, people should not vote for the Congress, he remonstrated. He must have suffered in those times, and the memory was still raw, I thought. An eternal point of difference between the folks of Indore and Ratlam is the quality of the sev. Residents of Ratlam claim that their products are superior beause of the quality of the local water. I am not a sev connoisseur to be able to pass judgement, but on this trip, I found that there was divergence in their political views, as well. On the day of my trip, a central minister was visiting the nearby towns of Alote and Taal for rallies. At both places, the towns traders called for shutters to be downed as a mark of protest, unhappy with amendment to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The anger is swelling. If allowed to gather momentum, it will make a heavy dent in the BJPs upper-caste vote bank. Contrary to popular perception, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party contesting the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls solo may benefit the Congress. It will split any gains the BJP was hoping to make with SC/ST votes. So it is a potential double whammy for the BJP that has left its most die-hard supporters flummoxed. A couple of my old associates from Mandsaur were down. I asked them whether there was any residual strains of the riots last year. They smiled and said everyone knew the real story. Last year, there was a bumper crop of opium. According to my associates, the opium mafia had engineered the riots, which provided them cover to smuggle out the excess (undeclared) yield. The state erred in its assessment, and the situation went out of hand. "Ab sab shant hain (everything is peaceful now). With a bountiful of soya crop and MSP, there is real "bhavantar" now, they said, punning on the word to imply a change of mood. On the way back to Indore, I stopped for a tea break at the small town of Badnawar. The shop owner we called upon was very clear about his choice the memories of Congress misrule were still raw in his mind. He said with a lot of emotion, "Mukhiya se naraaz hain, iska matlab toh yeh nahin ki chor ke haath ghar ka chabi saup dega (We're angry with the chief minister, but that doesn't mean we'll hand over the keys to our house to a thief)." Finally, it is this sentiment that can see Modi and Chouhan through once again, but it is far from a done deal for the BJP. Stressing that every section of the society has been hit by the 'anti- poor and anti-farmer' policies of the BJP-led central and state governments, the BSP president said the farmers, particularly, were facing immense problems. Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday termed the police lathi-charge on agitating farmers the "height" of anarchy and warned that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should be prepared to bear its consequences. Chaos prevailed at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border as thousands of protesting farmers attempting to enter the national capital were stopped by the police, who resorted to water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. Condemning the police action, Mayawati said, "This is the height of the BJP government's anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences." "The BJP, which came to power promising to bring the good days of the farmers' by doubling their income, has targetted them with teargas shells, and lathis when they only wanted to march to the Gandhi sthal on Gandhi Jayanti and hold protest demonstration over their problems," the Dalit leader said. Stressing that every section of the society has been hit by the "anti- poor and anti-farmer" policies of the BJP-led central and state governments, the BSP president said the farmers, particularly, were facing immense problems. Like the other announcements of the BJP governments, the one pertaining to the loan-waiver has also proved to be a mere eyewash, she added. Reuters Amazon said on 2 October it would raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour for US employees from next month, seeking to head off criticism of working conditions at the worlds second most valuable company. The online retailer said it would now lobby in Washington for an increase in the federal minimum wage and urged its competitors to follow its lead as the union-led Fight for Fifteen movement pushes for higher remuneration. The new minimum wage will benefit more than 250,000 Amazon employees in the United States, as well as over 100,000 seasonal employees who will be hired at sites across the country this holiday, the company said. We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement. Were excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us. Amazon, which became the second company after Apple to cross $1 trillion in market value last month, paid its US employees on average $34,123 last year. Bezos is listed by Forbes as the worlds richest man with a net worth of nearly $150 billion. Amazons current minimum hourly wage starts at around $11 and analysts said the raise would cost it $1 billion or less annually and be offset by a recent $20 increase in the cost of Prime memberships. Retailer Target Corp raised its minimum hourly wage last year to $11 and promised to raise it to $15 an hour by the end of 2020, while the worlds largest retailer Walmart raised its minimum wage to $11 an hour earlier this year. Higher wages could further pressure margins at retailers that are already getting squeezed by higher transportation and raw materials costs, but the $15 still compares unfavorably with average US blue collar wages. Bureau of Labor Statistics show ordinary workers in the US private non-farm sector on average earn $22.73 an hour. The mean hourly wage for non-management workers in transportation and warehousing is $21.94. Amazon shares, trading lower before the company announced the wage hike, were down less than 0.3 percent at $1,997.75 in trading before the bell. Worker Stress Workers have been protesting against fast food chains like McDonalds Corp and demanding wage increases since 2012 but conditions at Amazons warehouses, distribution centers and for its couriers have been drawing media attention and criticism for some time. Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders has been vocal about low wages paid at US corporations and has proposed legislation, nicknamed the Bezos Bill, aimed at making large corporations pay workers more. The pay increase puts Amazon ahead of the curve when it comes to providing its employee a living wage, D.A. Davidson analyst Thomas Forte said, adding that the move will help it to attract employees as it opens more brick-and-mortar retail stores. The company, which bought Whole Foods Market in a $13.7 billion deal last year, opened a general store in New York City in September after launching a few small grocery shops known as Amazon Go in Seattle and Chicago. Amazon said it would increase its minimum wage for all full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal employees. Amazon also raised its minimum wage in Britain to 10.50 pounds ($13.59) an hour for all employees in the London area and 9.50 pounds an hour for staff in all other parts of the country, effective from Nov. 1. We will be working to gain Congressional support for an increase in the federal minimum wage. The current rate of $7.25 was set nearly a decade ago, said Jay Carney, senior vice president of Amazon global corporate affairs. Indo-Asian News Service Google will contribute $1 million (nearly Rs 7 crore) towards relief and restoration work in Indonesia which was hit by a 7.5-magnitude quake and an ensuing tsunami that has claimed over 1,200 lives. "We're deeply saddened about the earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia @googleorg and Googlers are donating $1M to support relief efforts," CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted late on Monday. The tech giant has also "activated SOS Alerts to provide emergency info to those impacted," he added. According to the Indonesian authorities, the death toll has risen to 1,234 from Friday's quake and tsunami hit in the Sulawesi island. Hundreds of people might still be trapped under the rubble of buildings, Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency said. Rescue teams were still not able to reach all the affected areas, the BBC reported. An estimated 2.4 million people were affected by the disaster, said the disaster management agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said that 800 were badly injured and more than 61,000 people were displaced. Indonesia is located on the so-called Ring of Fire of the Pacific, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity that experiences about 7,000, mostly moderate earthquakes every year. Indo-Asian News Service Samsung Electronics Co. plans to start sales of a silver-coloured Galaxy Note 9 as early as this week, industry sources said on 1 October, apparently to promote the device amid the launch of new iPhones and other rival products. The new colour adds to the existing portfolio of blue, black, purple and copper variants. The silver edition will also be released in the US, Yonhap news agency reported. Samsung has not yet announced the exact date for release in South Korea. Industry watchers said the new version seems to be aimed at competing with LG Electronics Inc.'s V40 ThinQ, which will be introduced this week, along with Apple Inc.'s latest iPhone models. In South Korea, Samsung also launched a special programme in which the company purchases used Galaxy products from buyers of the Galaxy Note 9. The used products must be operational but trading in them can reduce the cost of the latest phablet. Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund (PIF) has refuted media reports claiming that work has been shelved with respect to SoftBank Solar Projects and said the reports are completely inaccurate. PIF is a sovereign wealth fund owned by Saudi Arabia, founded for the purpose of investing funds on behalf of the Government of Saudi Arabia. A spokesperson for PIF said the fund continues to work with the SoftBank Vision Fund, and other parties, on a number of large-scale, multi-billion-dollar projects relating to the solar industry, which will be announced in due course. The announcement in March clearly stated that this includes solar generation projects and joint plans to develop large-scale solar panels manufacturing facilities in Saudi Arabia for solar power generation, the spokesman said. "This will be complemented by R&D and training components. These plans to develop a leading champion for the industry remain on-track and in-line with the timeline that would be anticipated for projects of this scale and ambition," the spokesman said. Alongside this, the kingdom is moving forward with the overall renewable energy strategy, through which Saudi Arabia aims to be a leading and reliable diversified supplier of renewable energy, a press statement said. In line with Vision 2030, the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources is undertaking a programme in coordination with the kingdom's stakeholders to transform the power sector, and ensure it is more competitive, efficient and sustainable, underpinned by a strong pipeline for private sector participation, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Reuters Shares of Tesla Inc jumped by almost 18 percent on Monday as Chief Executive Elon Musk settled a lawsuit that had threatened to force him out and said a surge in third-quarter production had driven it to the verge of profitability. Tesla fans cheered the signs of a manufacturing jump while business analysts said the company needed to fulfill the spirit of the settlement by appointing a strong independent chair and new directors. The electric carmakers shares sank last week after the US Securities and Exchange Commission accused Musk of securities fraud and sought to ban him from company leadership, pointing to a long drawn-out fight that could have undermined Teslas operations and ability to raise capital. Instead, under a settlement announced at the weekend, Tesla and Musk will pay $20 million each to the regulator and Musk will step down as chairman but stay as CEO, keeping one of Americas best-known corporate figures in place. In a sign of the manufacturing process improving, Musk in an email to employees on Saturday said the company was very close to achieving profitability. He added, To be certain, we must execute really well tomorrow. Sunday was the last day of the quarter. Automotive news website Electrek reported here on Monday that Tesla had produced 53,000 of its Model 3 sedans in the third quarter, up from 28,578 in the previous three months and making good on a promise in August it would produce 50,000 to 55,000 of the cars. It produced about 80,000 vehicles overall, the site said. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Relief at the settling of the lawsuit drove the biggest one-day gain in Tesla shares in more than five years. The stock was down so much on Friday because it was unclear if he would remain with the company at all given what the SEC was pushing for, said Garrett Nelson from CFRA Research. A $20 million fine is very small, (...) allows him to stay there and also introduces some healthy governance measures. New managers Musk has gained legions of fans for his bold approach to business and technology, using his 23 million Twitter followers account to promote Tesla, his rocket company SpaceX, and tunnel venture, the Boring Co. But the claim on Aug. 7 that he had the funding to take Tesla private, and a subsequent U-turn, stunned Wall Street and came amid public appearances which saw Musk smoke marijuana live on a radio show and call a British diver in the Thai cave rescue a pedo. As part of the settlement with the SEC, Tesla will also appoint an independent chairman and two independent directors, responding to calls on Wall Street to relieve the pressure on Musk and provide more balance in the carmakers management. This is one of the best cases for appointing an independent chair we have seen in a while, said Courteney Keatinge, research director for proxy adviser Glass, Lewis & Co. His behaviour hasnt been great for a while. And I think this kind of behaviour has a ripple effect, when there isnt steady leadership at the top. Lawyers said the settlement and size of the fine might give more ammunition to short-sellers pursuing separate cases against Musk for manipulating company shares through the Aug. 7 tweet, as well as to a probe by the Justice Department. But several experienced litigators also said that, while the DOJ probe is separate, the SECs settlement might mark the end of official action against Tesla and Musk. The standard of proof for any potential criminal charge is higher than that of a civil case, which the SEC had, said Jay Dubow, a former branch chief in the SECs enforcement division. It is possible that the DOJ investigation does not result in any criminal charges at least in part because the DOJ could determine that the SECs action resolved the matter and that no further governmental action is required. Neither Musk nor Tesla admitted or denied the SECs findings under the settlement, which still must be approved by a court. tech2 News Staff Want to travel to New Zealand to see the 1,250-acre working sheep farm that became Hobbiton, because youre a fan of the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey? Well, be prepared to feel a bit odd when youre asked for your mobile phone password when you enter the county. The New Zealand Customs service now has a few special powers including being able to demand your phones password to search your device. Handling over devices like phones and laptops to the customs officials is not a new rule. Many countries like the US and even New Zealand have had it in the past, but the new regulations in the Customs and Excise Act 2018 specify that the passengers have to hand over their passwords, and they do not have a choice. Head here to read the new legislation stating the same. Under the Powers in relation to goods statement, it is clearly mentioned that data in electronic devices are subject to the control of Customs. It further elicits the power granted to a customs official to make a full search of a stored value instrument, including the power to require the owner of the device to provide access information and other information or assistance that is needed to check the digital device. If you fail to do so, the fine will be NZ $5,000 (about Rs 2,40,000). While New Zealand may be trying to tighten its border security, it sure worries advocates of privacy. The Associated Press A US Department of Justice lawsuit could delay the rollout of California's toughest-in-the country net neutrality law, which is set to take effect 1 January. Advocates hope California's new law to stop internet providers from favouring certain content or websites will push Congress to enact national rules or encourage other states to create their own. But legal experts say it's possible a judge will put the law on hold while the litigation plays out. If that happens, the delay could be significant because the issue appears destined for the US Supreme Court. California governor Jerry Brown signed a law 30 September that prohibits internet service providers from blocking or slowing data based on content or from favouring websites or video streams from companies that pay extra. It also bans "zero rating," in which internet providers don't count certain content against a monthly data cap generally video streams produced by the company's own subsidiaries and partners. The US Department of Justice sued immediately, arguing that the federal government has exclusive authority to regulate the internet. Stanford University law professor Barbara van Schewick said the law adopts the same nationwide rules the Federal Communications Commission repealed in June. The constitutionality of California's law and whether other states can adopt their own net neutrality rules depends heavily on the outcome of a pending case in a Washington, DC, federal appeals court, van Schewick said. When the FCC repeated the Obama-era rules last year that prevented companies from exercising more control over what people watch and see on the internet, it also barred states from crafting their own rules like the California law by Democratic senator Scott Wiener. Net neutrality advocates worry that without rules, internet providers could create fast lanes and slow lanes that favour their own sites and apps or make it harder for consumers to see content from competitors. In response, the California attorney general and 21 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in January in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to invalidate the FCC rollback. The appeals court has yet to rule and van Schewick and other legal analysts expect an appeal to the US Supreme Court, which will likely guide the outcome of the latest lawsuit. The DOJ and California are wrangling over the legal notion of "pre-emption" and whether the FCC is the sole regulator of net neutrality. Marc Martin, a former FCC staffer who is now chairman of communications practice at the law firm Perkins Coie, said typical "pre-emption" lawsuits filed by the federal government seek to bar states from ignoring properly enacted federal regulations such as the Voting Rights Act. But with net neutrality, Martin said the FCC insists it remains the sole regulatory authority despite its deregulatory actions. Martin said it's a rare pre-emption argument, but it's not novel. A federal agency tasked with setting airline routes and fares was abolished in the 1970s, but states are still not permitted to adopt their own airline rules. Nonetheless, Martin and other legal analysts say California also has a strong legal argument. "California could argue net neutrality laws are consumer protection laws," he said. "It is well established that states have the authority to protect the health, welfare and safety of their own residents, that's why they have their own police forces, national guard, state attorney general and their own consumer protection laws, Martin said. "California could argue net neutrality laws are consumer protection laws." Regardless of the eventual outcome, Martin also believes a federal judge in California will stop the state's law from taking effect while the lawsuit remains unresolved. Boston College of Law professor Dan Lyons said federal lawmakers are key to settling the argument between the FCC and California and other states seeking to set up their own rules. "The only way the issue will go away completely is if Congress passes a statute over net neutrality," Lyons said. "Congress has not made clear what role if any the FCC should have regulating the internet." Lyons wasn't optimistic that was occurring any time soon. "The only lasting settlement would be bipartisan congressional legislation," he said. "I don't see it happening in the near future." Kavya Narayanan India is a hotbed for startups. From food delivery to cashless payments to booking a massage at home, theres a startup solve for every other service imaginable. A popular philosophy from the growing world of startup entrepreneurs is blue-sky thinking letting thoughts flow creatively, free from thoughts about present realities. Theres now startups in India that are quite literally looking at the big blue sky for inspiration. Skymet Weather, the 14-year old weather monitoring organisation, for one is taking on our countrys big daddy of climate prediction, the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Another feather in Skymet's cap. Accurate #Monsoon forecast. Monsoon ends with a deficit of 9% against our forecast of 8%. @SkymetWeather @JATINSKYMET @IMDWeather Mahesh Palawat (@Mpalawat) October 1, 2018 Skymet claims to be India's largest weather monitoring and agri-risk solutions company. Founded in 2003, it specialises in measuring, predicting and limiting climate risk to agriculture. Not only have they made a successful business of it, but Skymet is also considered today as one of the most reliable sources of weather forecasts. Their clients are from a diverse range of industries ABP (Media), Cairn (Energy), and ICICI (Finance) among dozens of others, each of which relies on accurate forecasts for their operations. Indias Met Department India Meteorological Department (or simply the Met Department) is a branch of the Indian government tasked with weather and climate predictions, forecasting and seismology. Founded in 1875, the IMD was Indias answer to unpredictable cyclones, famines and rainfall patterns in the country at the time. One of the first few electronic computers introduced in the country was provided to IMD for scientific applications in meteorology. India was also the first developing country in the world to have its own geostationary satellite, INSAT for continuous weather monitoring of this part of the globe and particularly for cyclone warning. It was important, prominent and unrivalled for nearly a century and a half. It continues to be for millions, with the annual monsoon forecast playing a vital role to a considerable proportion of our countrymen. For the longest time, IMD has enjoyed a monopoly in Indian meteorology. Everybody from fishermen, farmers and insurance companies to people simply wanting to know if they ought to carry an umbrella to work tomorrow were clued into what they could expect from the weather through the day, week or year ahead. Rivals worth their satellites? With the arrival of private weather enterprises like Skymet and IBM Weather, weather is no longer IMD's monopoly. In fact, with the IMD frequently changing its prediction on monsoon's arrival, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai has decided not to rely on the IMD for predictions, and subscribe to Accuweather.com and Weather.com for updates, according to a Hindustan Times report. Private industry players like Skymet now provide weather forecasts at the level of villages to forecast a range of things rainfall patterns to yields of any crop with a high level of accuracy. Skymet is currently forecasting for every tehsil in India, according to its website. However, the IMD is far from obsolete, according to an expert from a leading agriculture-risk research firm in Mumbai. "The IMD has moved towards non-traditional ways of collecting data in the past few years. IMD has been improving phenomenally over the past five to six years, they've improved phenomenally. There's no comparison to that (expansion)," said the expert who did not wish to be named. Skymets secret sauce Private weather monitoring companies, taking the example of Skymet, use a combination of approaches to get their weather forecasting down to the nail: Synoptic and Climatological data: Looking at past weather/climate situations to assess the frequencies of different conditions in the present. Weather Satellites: The ones that can study a lot more than clouds lumens from city lights, pollution levels, looming sand and dust storms, and mapping land and sea ice. Skymet uses the Indian National Satellite System (INSAT) a series of satellites launched by ISRO since the 1980s to detect and record weather information. Numerical Weather Predictions: This involves picking up on day-to-day weather information and running them on supercomputers to produce forecasts. It is the only private organisation in India to run a numerical prediction model for its predictions, according to the Skymet website. Skymet's popular 7-day forecast for Asia is a result of a collaboration with the National Center for Environmental Prediction, USA. We have also adapted the model to Indian conditions; we have statistically tweaked to the peculiarities of the subcontinent, the website reads. This formula of monitoring and processing is the secret sauce Skymet and a lot of other private players in the business of weather are using to get accuracy levels of approximate 90 to 95 percent for short duration forecasts. Could Skymet soon become Indias go-to monsoon forecaster? Perhaps. However, according to the expert we spoke to, the question is an unfair one. There are many players like Skymet, IBM Weather, NCMSL that are coming out with data and it's important to have as many data points as available apart from the government of India's, he says. "This healthy competition is helping bring in more accuracy, more responsibility, ownership and accountability, which is a relatively new development." The competition may be heating up in the space of weather prediction by the year, and weather technology will evolve rapidly with the needs and times. How will IMD respond to this challenge from the private sector? Is climate forecasting soon becoming the next hot sector for venture capital funding? Will Skymet do a Skynet on us and take over its satellites, possibly the worlds weather? As the saying goes, the sky's the limit. Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said some of the wounded are in critical condition, which increases concerns that the death toll could rise further. Kabul: An Afghan official said a suicide bomber struck an election rally in the country's eastern Nangarhar province, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30. Attahullah Khogyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said some of the wounded are in critical condition, which increases concerns that the death toll could rise further. The attack took place in the province's Kama district on Tuesday afternoon where supporters of Abdul Naser Mohmand had gathered to back his campaign as an independent candidate in Afghanistan's parliamentary elections scheduled for 20 October. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Nangarhar, where both the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are active. By Noah Barkin BERLIN (Reuters) - The image of the United States has deteriorated further among its traditional allies after a year in which President Donald Trump ratcheted up his verbal attacks on countries like Canada and Germany, a leading survey showed. The survey of 25 nations by the Pew Research Center also showed that respondents from across the globe have less confidence in Trump's ability to lead than they do in Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has pulled the United States out of international agreements like the Paris climate accord and Iran nuclear deal, cozied up to authoritarian leaders like Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and criticised his neighbours and NATO allies By Noah Barkin BERLIN (Reuters) - The image of the United States has deteriorated further among its traditional allies after a year in which President Donald Trump ratcheted up his verbal attacks on countries like Canada and Germany, a leading survey showed. The survey of 25 nations by the Pew Research Center also showed that respondents from across the globe have less confidence in Trump's ability to lead than they do in Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has pulled the United States out of international agreements like the Paris climate accord and Iran nuclear deal, cozied up to authoritarian leaders like Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and criticised his neighbours and NATO allies. In June, after a G7 summit in Canada, Trump refused to sign a joint statement with America's allies, deriding his host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as "very dishonest and weak". He has repeatedly attacked Germany for its trade surplus, low defence spending and reliance on Russian gas. Last week, when giving a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Trump drew laughter from world leaders when he claimed to have achieved more in his two years in the White House than almost any other U.S. administration in history. The survey showed that America's image, which took a big hit in 2017, Trump's first year in office, continued to deteriorate in many countries in 2018, particularly in Europe. Just 30 percent of Germans have a favourable view of the United States, down five points from last year and the lowest score in the entire survey after Russia, on 26 percent. Only 38 percent of French and 39 percent of Canadians said they had a positive view of the United States, both down from last year. Mexico inched up slightly to 32 percent. FAITH IN MERKEL HIGHEST The countries with the most positive views of the United States were Israel, the Philippines and South Korea, all at 80 percent or above. Across all countries, the U.S. got positive marks, with 50 percent saying they had a positive view, compared to 43 percent who were negative. Just 7 percent of Spanish, 9 percent of French and 10 percent of Germans said they had confidence in Trump's leadership. In 20 of the 25 countries surveyed, a majority said they had no confidence in Trump. Across all countries, an average of 27 percent of respondents said they had confidence in Trump. That compared unfavourably to Putin, on 30 percent, and Xi, on 34 percent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the only leader in which a majority of those surveyed, 52 percent, expressed confidence. French President Emmanuel Macron was just behind at 46 percent. Despite Trump's low ratings, 63 percent of respondents said the world was better off with the United States as the leading power, compared to 19 percent who preferred China in that role. Allies took a dim view of the Trump administration's position on civil liberties, with majorities in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and Mexico saying the government did not respect the personal freedoms of its people. Reflecting Trump's "America First" stance, substantial majorities in 19 of the 25 countries surveyed said the United States did not take their interests into account when making international policy. The survey was conducted between May and August, and based on interviews with over 900 people in each of the surveyed countries. (Reporting by Noah Barkin, editing by Ed Osmond) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. US President Donald Trump hit back Sunday at suggestions his administration is trying to 'micromanage' the FBI investigation of controversial Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, accusing opposition Democrats of being interested only in obstruction. Washington: US President Donald Trump hit back Sunday at suggestions his administration is trying to "micromanage" the FBI investigation of controversial Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, accusing opposition Democrats of being interested only in obstruction. Trump on Friday had ordered the new FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, as the Senate delayed a final vote on his confirmation as the key ninth member of the Supreme Court. The delay followed a dramatic televised Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at which university professor Christine Blasey Ford accused the judge of pinning her down and assaulting her in the 1980s. Kavanaugh vigorously denied the allegations. "Wow! Just starting to hear the Democrats, who are only thinking Obstruct and Delay, are starting to put out the word that the 'time' and 'scope' of FBI looking into Judge Kavanaugh and witnesses is not enough," the president tweeted. "Hello! For them, it will never be enough." Both The New York Times and NBC News have cited multiple sources as saying the White House was limiting the witnesses the FBI could question during a one-week background check. Trump insisted on Twitter that the FBI had "free rein" to pursue the matter as it saw fit. "I want them to interview whoever they deem appropriate, at their discretion," the president tweeted late Saturday. But Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee appear unconvinced. "The White House and the FBI should release details on the scope of the Kavanaugh background investigation and keep Congress informed on any changes," Senator Dianne Feinstein, the committee's ranking Democrat, tweeted on Sunday. "This needs to be a real investigation and we must get all the facts," she wrote. 'Very concerned' The Times said the FBI would question four witnesses, according to two people familiar with the matter. The list, reportedly drafted by Senate Republicans, did not include former classmates who contradicted Kavanaugh's testimony about the extent of his youthful drinking and partying. The Times also reported Sunday that a Yale University classmate of Kavanaugh has accused him of a "blatant mischaracterization" of his drinking, which the judge downplayed in the Senate hearing. It is illegal to lie to Congress. NBC meanwhile said the FBI was not being allowed to investigate claims by Julie Swetnick, who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct at drink-fueled parties in his student days. In a separate report, NBC quoted a senior US official and a second source as saying the limits imposed by the White House on the inquiry remained in place, despite Trump's tweet. The bureau has, however, contacted Deborah Ramirez, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh's who has said he was sexually aggressive toward her at a party, The Washington Post reported. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, told CNN that she was "very concerned" by the reported White House constraints on the inquiry. "The White House should not be allowed to micromanage an FBI investigation," she said. "We have to allow them to go ahead." Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders insisted that the White House was staying "out of the way," but also said the inquiry should not be allowed to become a "total fishing expedition" by the FBI. 'I'm a victim' Asked on Fox News Sunday whether the White House had given the FBI a list of permitted witnesses, she replied, "Not that I'm aware of." "The White House isn't intervening, we are not micromanaging this process," she said. Ford's wrenching testimony Thursday engendered expressions of deep sympathy from many viewers, and scores of women shared accounts on social media of having been victims of sexual aggression. The recent events also drew a stunning revelation Sunday from one of Trump's own senior advisers, Kellyanne Conway. While discussing the case on CNN, she said "I feel very empathetic, frankly, towards victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment and rape." Continuing after a brief, somber pause, she said, "I'm a victim of sexual assault." She then added that it was unfair to condemn Kavanaugh for an alleged action 36 years ago that could not be confirmed. While the White House has denied setting limits on the FBI inquiry, Norman Eisen, who was special counsel for ethics under President Barack Obama, tweeted that it would be highly unusual if it were to do so. "I dealt with hundreds of these as WH Ethics Czar & it is malpractice for WH to rule out Swetnick, Yale boozing" and more, he tweeted. "I call cover-up." The US, Mexico, and Canada Agreement or USMCA, a jubilant Trump told reporters at the White House, would revive the manufacturing sector in the US and create hundreds and thousands of jobs in America. This will create high-quality jobs and strictly enforce rule of origin requirement, he added. Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday declared a new trade agreement with neighbouring Mexico and Canada and declared the agreement to be "a great deal" for all three countries and said the pact brings an end to the previous North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA. The US, Mexico, and Canada Agreement or USMCA, a jubilant Trump told reporters at the White House, would revive the manufacturing sector in the US and create hundreds and thousands of jobs in America. This will create high-quality jobs and strictly enforce rule of origin requirement, he added. The new trade agreement, Trump asserted, would usher in a new dawn for the country's auto industry and transform North America into a manufacturing powerhouse and allow US to reclaim the supply chain that went out off-shores. He said this will help manufacturing of the pharmaceutical sectors. Instead of jobs leaving overseas, it will return to the United States in big numbers. This is a truly extraordinary agreement for the US, Canada and Mexico, Trump added. Before addressing the media, Trump spoke over phone with the leaders of Mexico and Canada. He said he hoped to sign it in November. "Once approved by Congress, this new deal will be the most modern, up-to-date and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed," Trump told reporters. Describing the pact as a great deal for the three countries, Trump said it puts them in a position that they have never been in before. "It's very good when you look at the world and what the world is doing, and what when you look at the unfair trade practices that countries are using against the United States. This is a terrific deal for all of us," he said. Trump said that it will be the most advanced trade deal in the world, with ambitious provisions on the digital economy, patents, financial services and other areas where the United States has a strong competitive advantage. "Mexico and Canada have agreed to strong new labour protections, environmental protections and new protections for intellectual property," he said, adding that this new deal is an especially great victory for US farmers. Trump said USMCA also terminates and replaces NAFTA trade agreement. The new agreement, he said, will support many hundreds of thousands of American jobs. "This is also a historic win for American manufacturers and American autoworkers, who have been treated so badly. We've lost so many jobs over the years under NAFTA, he said. Under NAFTA, he alleged, foreign companies have been allowed to manufacture many of their parts overseas, ship them to Mexico and Canada for assembling, and send their foreign-made cars into the US with no tax. "So, we let all our people go, we fire everybody, they make cars, they make products, they make everything in another country, they send them into the United States, no tax. And the cost is very little difference, sometimes it's more for those people that like to talk about cost," he said. "With this agreement, we are closing all of these terrible loopholes. They're closed. They're gone. They were a disaster," he said. "This deal will also impose new standards requiring at least 75 percent of every automobile to be made in North America in order to qualify for the privilege of free access to our markets. That's what it is, it's a privilege. We don't take it as a privilege. We don't take it as a privilege. It's a privilege for them to do business with us," he said. "I am not talking about Mexico. I'm talking about everybody. It's a privilege for China to do business with us. It's a privilege for the European Union, who has treated us very badly, but that's coming along, to do business with us. Japan, every country, it's a privilege for them to come in and attack the piggy bank," he added. "In this (deal), we will have a result of much more happening right here in the United States. It means, more than anything else, far more American jobs. And these are high-quality jobs. There are also strong provisions to enforce what's called the rules of origin requirements. This will incentivize billions of dollars in new purchases of US-made automobiles," Trump added. President Donald Trump Monday slammed India for imposing 'tremendously high tariffs' on American products and said that New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him happy. Washington: President Donald Trump Monday slammed India for imposing "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and said that New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him happy. Trump's charges against the alleged high Indian tariffs, for the second time in a few days, came during his White House news conference where he announced a new trade deal with neighbouring Mexico and Canada. As he announced the key elements of the US-Mexico and Canada Agreement or USMCA, Trump listed out at the trade deals that are under negotiations, including with Japan, European Union, China and India. Trump described India as a "tariff king" as he reiterated his allegations that New Delhi has a high tariff rate on various American products. He alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. "When we send Harley Davidson motorcycle, and other things to India, they charge us very very high tariffs. I have spoken to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and he is going to reduce them substantially," he said. Trump said the relationship with both India as well as the country's Prime Minister Modi "is great". He, however, rued that no one from the previous regimes had ever spoken with the Indians. "Nobody ever spoke to these people (Indians). He (Modi) said, nobody ever spoke to me. I am not trying to be overly dramatic. We have had presidents of the United States and (US) Trade Representatives, they never spoke to India. Brazil is another one," Trump said, adding that "they charge us whatever they want". Noting that the tariff on motorcycles was 100 percent, the president said it was like a barrier. India has already reduced it substantially, but it is still too high, Trump said, adding that who is going to buy it as it costs so much. He also warned against imposing similar tariffs on import of Indian products. Trump said India wanted to have a trade deal with the US and the negotiations are being carried out by the US Trade Representatives Robert Lighthizer. When US officials asked Indians why they want to have a trade deal with America, Indian officials told them that they want to keep the US president happy, Trump told reporters. "India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, 'we want to start negotiations immediately'," Trump said. Thereafter, he referred to a conversation that Lighthizer had with the Indian officials. "When Bob Lighthizer said, 'What happened? He would never do this.' They said, 'No, we want to keep your president happy.' Isn't that nice? Isn't that nice? It's true. They have to keep us happy, because they understand that we're wise to what's been happening," Trump claimed. "India charges tariffs of 100 percent, and then if we want to put a tariff of 25 percent on, people will call from Congress, 'But that's not free trade.' And I'd look back to people and say, 'Where do these people come from? Where do they come from?'" Trump said. "So because of the power of tariffs and the power that we have with tariffs, we, in many cases, won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are, and how good they are. But in many cases, we're not going to have to use them," he added. On Saturday, Trump had said that India wants to have a trade deal with the US because it does not want him to impose tariffs on their products. Trump's remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussion with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries. By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Republicans may subpoena former FBI Director James Comey to force him to testify before a House panel about the agency's decisions before the 2016 presidential election, a House aide told Reuters on Monday. In a potential escalation of tensions between rival inquiries into Russian meddling in U.S. politics, House Republicans were prepared to increase pressure on Comey, who has already refused to testify in a closed session. Comey's attorney David Kelley, in a letter dated Oct. 1 that was sent to the Republican chairmen of two committees, said: "Mr. Comey respectfully declines your request for a private interview. He would, however, welcome the opportunity to testify at a public hearing." A copy of the letter was seen by Reuters. Representatives Trey Gowdy and Bob Goodlatte chair the House Oversight panel and the Judiciary panel, respectively. Both are probing the FBI's decisions before the 2016 presidential election; neither is seeking reelection in November. The Republicans' probe is running parallel to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign. That probe has resulted in indictments or guilty pleas from 32 people. If the Democrats take majority control of the House in the Nov. 6 elections, the two committees' probes will likely end. Between now and then, it was not immediately clear what Gowdy and Goodlatte hope to accomplish. The House is out of session until Nov. 13. Their probe into the FBI's handling of Russia's role in U.S. politics and Hillary Clinton's emails when she was secretary of state has been criticized by Democrats as seeking to undermine the Mueller probe. Comey, who was fired by Trump, is seen as a key witness into whether Trump tried to obstruct the Mueller probe. Comey has also been criticized by the Justice Department's inspector general for announcing the FBI's decision not to propose criminal charges against Clinton over her use of a private email server. Republicans have said Comey's handling of the Clinton matter shows he is biased against Trump. The inspector general found that while he acted improperly, he did not exhibit bias. Goodlatte recently issued a subpoena to the Justice Department after he alleged it had refused to provide certain documents from the Russia investigation. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, has since agreed to meet with Republicans in coming weeks, said a person familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Mark Hosenball; editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Dubai-based Mumzworld.com, a leading e-commerce shopping site for mothers, has closed its $20 million Series B funding round with an additional investment from Gulf Islamic Investments (GII), a leading financial services firm in the UAE. This makes GII the single largest shareholder in Mumzworld. The fundraiser represents the largest-ever women-led VC funding round in e-commerce in the Mena region. Delta Partners, a global TMT advisory and investment firm, advised on the transaction Underpinned by strong investor appetite, the raise, follows investments from Tamer Group, Wamda Capital and Swicorp, together with six additional investors earlier this year, demonstrating strong confidence in the companys aggressive growth trajectory, all the more impressive considering the economic slowdown in the region. The financing will be used to disrupt the massive, rapidly growing, and under-served e-commerce market in Saudi Arabia, where the companys existing strategic partnerships with key supply chain players enable it to offer a seamless customer experience, in a market with high barriers to entry. It will also be used to boost automation and launch vertical specific consumer offerings as part of the companys innovation agenda to elevate the consumer experience even further. Last but not least, it will be used to continue to grow the brands footprint as the go-to destination for all global baby brands, who want to reach mothers in the Region, and further anchor the brands leadership in the vertical e-commerce space. Founded in 2011 by Mona Ataya, Mumzworld has undergone tremendous growth since its inception. With over 200,000 products of which 25,000 are exclusive, Mumzworld services over 2 million mothers, and ships to 20 countries in Mena. Having already grown its offering to over 1800 brands, it expects to double this in the next 6 months. Founder and CEO Mona Ataya said: "We are delighted to have yet another strong institutional investor in GII join the Mumzworld family at such a critical inflection point in the Company's trajectory. GII brings a wealth of expertise and shares our vision of cementing Mumzworld's position as the dominant leader in our vertical. At a time of economic slowdown in the region, supported by our strong team, we are extremely grateful and proud to have been able to raise our biggest round of funding, and to have the backing of the regions strongest investors. We will use every dollar to serve, with excellence, mothers, who are at the heart of our customer-obsessed mission. Mohammed Al-Hassan, co-founder & CEO GCC, GII commented: E-Commerce is the next frontier in the Middle East, and therefore we wanted to invest in this sector. We are proud to partner with Mumzworld, which has already become a household name in the region. We are particularly impressed by the company's strong unit economics, high customer lifetime values, and large addressable market that keeps growing. Pankaj Gupta, co-founder & CEO UAE, GII commented: UAE serves as an e-commerce gateway to other markets in Middle East, with advanced technological infrastructure. Mumzworld, being UAE homegrown, will not only achieve further growth in the promising UAE market but also replicate its expertise, know-how, capabilities in the lucrative Saudi Arabia market and beyond. Khaled Talhouni, managing partner of Wamda Capital said: ""We welcome GII to the investor roll at Mumzworld and believe that they will bring significant value-add to the company and the board as a long-term partner. Wamda Capital is passionate about the mother, baby and child vertical and we see it as quite underserved across Mena. From a customer demographic standpoint, it has the potential to be a very loyal customer base. The key to that is in delivering an optimal customer experience and Mumzworld has been excelling at that and will continue to do so." Karim Souid, head of the Next Economy Initiative for Swicorp concluded: We are delighted by the additional funding by a reputable investor such as GII and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to build the dominant mother, baby and child brand in the Mena region. TradeArabia News Service Gita Gopinath is the second Indian and first woman appointed to head the IMF's Research Department, which publishes the fund's flagship publication, the World Economic Outlook. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday appointed Indian-American Gita Gopinath the organisation's chief economist. She will take over as the economic counsellor and director of the IMF's Research Department a post that former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan also held from December after current chief economist Maurice Obstfeld retires in December. Gopinath is the second Indian and first woman appointed to head the research department, which publishes the IMF's flagship publication, the World Economic Outlook, which is one of the most read documents containing in-depth analyses of the global economy and the developments and prospects in the sector. IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said Gopinath is "one of the world's outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, a d extensive international experience". "All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our Research Department at this important juncture. I am delighted to name such a talented figure as our chief economist," she said. IMF Managing Director Christine @Lagarde appoints Harvards Gita Gopinath as IMF Chief Economist, replacing Maury Obstfeld who will retire from IMF in December. https://t.co/M6UV5qH714 pic.twitter.com/k16ztkYIwi IMF (@IMFNews) October 1, 2018 There has been an outpouring of congratulatory messages in India since IMF announced Gopinath's appointment. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said, "India is proud of this achievement of another of its daughters." Former finance minister P Chidambaram tweeted he was "proud that an Indian-origin outstanding economist" was appointed the chief economist of the IMF. "A worthy successor to Raghuram Rajan. Congratulations!" he said. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, to whom Gopinath serves as a financial advisor, also congratulated her. Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said Gopinath's "elevation to such a coveted position shall fuel women's empowerment efforts". "We expect her to guide this premier institution towards meeting the needs of the developing economies," she added. Trinamool Congress leader, however, Derek O'Brien chose to highlight what Gopinath had one said on demonetisation. "In an interview, she once said that not one global economist of standing will say demonetisation was a good idea. All cash is not black money, and all cash is not corruption!" he tweeted. He would be noteworthy to mention that both the IMF chief economists from India, Gopinath and Rajan, did not hold back on their criticism of the Indian government's move to declare Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes as illegal tender in NBovember 2016. But who is Gita Gopinath? The 46-year-old old specialises in macroeconomics and trade. As an academic, she has serves as an economic adviser to a number of large financial institutions and governments. Gopinath is currently the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University in Boston, with her research focused on international finance and macroeconomics. Before joining Harvard, she was an assistant professor of economics at the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business. Born in Mysuru in 1971, Gopinath was raised in India, but is now a citizen of the United States and an overseas citizen of India. Her father TV Gopinath is the son of TC Govindan Nambiar, a relative of noted Communist party leader TC Narayanan Nambiar, and PV Lakshmi Amma, who is related to stalwart of Indian Communist party AK Gopalan. Her husband Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal is the executive director at the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at the department of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She received her PhD in economics from Princeton University in 2001 after earning a bachelor's degree from University of Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College and master's degrees from both the Delhi School of Economics and the University of Washington. Gopinath has also been a member of the Indian Ministry of Finance's "eminent persons advisory group" on G20-related matters. Earlier in n 2018, she was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2017, she received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Washington. The IMF had named her one of the top 25 economists under 45 in 2014. In 2011, the World Economic Forum had chosen her as a Young Global Leader. She had also served on the editorial board of the IMF Economic Review from 2009 to 2013. She has also been a visiting scholar with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, a member of the Economic Advisory Panel of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the managing editor of the Review of Economic Studies. Gopinath's research The economist has authored around 40 research articles on exchange rates, trade and investment, international financial crises, monetary policy, debt, and emerging market crises. She is currently the co-editor of the American Economic Review and co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics Programme at American nonprofit National Bureau of Economic Research. She is also the co-editor of the current Handbook of International Economics, along with former IMF chief economist Kenneth Rogoff. Her research is in the field of international macroeconomics focused on issues related to international price-setting, exchange rate pass-through, emerging market business cycles and crisis. Her work has been published in the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies, Journal of International Economics and Review of Economics and Statistics. Pakistan's former dictator General Pervez Musharraf is 'growing weaker rapidly' due to a new unspecified illness and cannot return to face the treason case now, a senior leader of his party has said. Islamabad: Pakistan's former dictator General Pervez Musharraf is "growing weaker rapidly" due to a new unspecified illness and cannot return to face the treason case now, a senior leader of his party has said. Musharraf, 75, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, is facing the high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. According to Muhammad Amjad, a former chairman of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) a political party floated by Musharraf in 2010 said the former president has to visit London for treatment in every three months due to the new unspecified ailment, Dawn news reported. "Pervez Musharraf had a fracture in his spine, for which he got treated in the USA. But nowadays he is being treated for a separate ailment. For this, he has to go to London after every three months," Amjad told reporters after a party meeting on Sunday. "We cannot tell the nation about the ailment right now but we will tell the court about it and also present the ailment's documentation to the chief justice. "Musharraf is growing weaker rapidly so we cannot put his life at risk," he said. Amjad said Musharraf would return to Pakistan but on the guarantees that he would be given a free trial and also allowed to leave the country for treatment. He claimed that the party tried to bring him back to the country before the 25 July general elections but "hurdles were created in his way". Amjad reiterated that Musharraf wants to appear before the court and is in consultation with his legal team to decide when and how to return, the report said. The former Army chief has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before a special trial court set up to try him in the case. Last month, Pakistan's Supreme Court assured Musharraf that high-level security will be provided to him if he returns to the country to face the trial in the treason case. The former president was indicted in March 2014 on treason charges for suspending the Constitution and imposing emergency which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges. A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case. By Kanupriya Kapoor and Fathin Ungku PALU, Indonesia (Reuters) - Time was running out on Wednesday for anyone trapped in the rubble of a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, five days after disaster struck, while increasingly angry survivors waited for an aid operation to move into high gear. The official death toll from the 7.5 magnitude quake that struck the west coast of the island of Sulawesi last Friday stood at 1,234, many killed by tsunami waves triggered by the quake. But officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead have come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, and losses in remote areas largely cut off since Friday have yet to be determined. By Kanupriya Kapoor and Fathin Ungku PALU, Indonesia (Reuters) - Time was running out on Wednesday for anyone trapped in the rubble of a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, five days after disaster struck, while increasingly angry survivors waited for an aid operation to move into high gear. The official death toll from the 7.5 magnitude quake that struck the west coast of the island of Sulawesi last Friday stood at 1,234, many killed by tsunami waves triggered by the quake. But officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead have come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, and losses in remote areas largely cut off since Friday have yet to be determined. "We hope the death toll does not rise," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said late on Tuesday. "We're continuing rescue operations but right now the team is racing against time." President Joko Widodo called on Tuesday for reinforcements in the search for survivors, saying everyone had to be found. Nugroho said rescuers had reached all four of the badly affected districts, which together have a population of 1.4 million, but he declined to give an estimate of casualties. (Graphic: Catastrophe in Sulawesi - https://tmsnrt.rs/2OqQlUo) He gave few details of the conditions rescuers had found, saying they were similar to those in Palu. The quake brought down hotels, shopping malls and countless houses in Palu, while tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet) scoured its beachfront shortly afterwards. About 1,700 houses in one neighbourhood were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid, and hundreds of people are believed to have perished, the disaster agency said. [nL4N1WI06W] QUESTIONS More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help. But supplies are tight. "Logistics, fuel are still limited," Nugroho said. "We need quite a lot of tents. Food, drinks, clean water and sanitation facilities are very much needed." The government has ordered that aid be airlifted in, but there was little sign of help on Palu's shattered streets and survivors appeared increasingly desperate. Police have done little to stop outbreaks of looting. The government has played down the problem, saying victims could take essentials and shops would be compensated. But Widodo, who will seek re-election next year, is likely to face a growing chorus of questions if conditions do not improve quickly. The government has said it would accept offers of international aid, after shunning outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck Lombok island. "There is still limited information about the full extent of the disaster and it is difficult to get aid and people into the affected areas," Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the main U.N. aid coordinating agency, OCHA, said in Geneva on Tuesday. Humanitarian agencies had been in communication with the government and were ready to help, he said. "With so many people having lost all their possessions and homes and with many basic services down, there is an immediate need for food, clean water, shelter, medical care and psycho-social support." U.S. President Donald Trump extended condolences in a phone call with Widodo, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters in Washington. The United States has provided initial funding, deployed government disaster experts and was working to determine what other help can be given, she said. Sitting on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia has been struck by devastating earthquakes and tsunamis before. A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. Widodo said on Tuesday a tsunami warning system set up after that disaster, which has been out of action since 2012, had to be repaired and properly maintained. (Additional reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa, Maikel Jefriando, Tabita Diela, Gayatri Suroyo, Fransiska Nangoy, Fanny Potkin, Ed Davies and Fergus Jensen in JAKARTA, Stephanie Ulmer-Nebehay in GENEVA and Matt Spetalnick in WASHINGTON; Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Alex Richardson and James Dalgleish) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Merit Functional Foods has kicked off operations at the worlds first commercial facility with the capability to produce food-grade canola protein, a new entrant... Read More New report reveals decade of violations against environmental defenders in Loei Province (BANGKOK, October 2, 2018)Thai authorities and a Thai gold-mining company have targeted and violated the rights of local environmental defenders involved in opposing a gold mine in northeastern Thailand for more than a decade, Fortify Rights said today in a new report. The Government of Thailand should investigate and prosecute perpetrators who attacked local community members and provide remedies and reparations for those whose rights were abused and violated. This community is facing ongoing reprisals for standing up for their environment, their rights, and their livelihoods for years, said Amy Smith, Executive Director of Fortify Rights. The Thai government must ensure environmental defenders can carry out their legitimate work without fear of abuse or retaliation. The new 90-page report, We Fight to Protect Our Home: Reprisals Against Environmental Defenders in Loei Province, Thailand, documents ten years of abuses against a mining-affected community in Wang Sa Phung District, Loei Province. Documented abuses and violations include judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, death threats, and violations of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and a healthy environment. The report exposes unchecked environmental contamination of rivers and streams surrounding the gold mine as well as impunity for a coordinated, violent attack by a soldier-led masked militia against community members in 2014. In 2007, residents of six villages surrounding a gold-copper open-pit mine operated by the Thai-registered mining company Tungkum Limited formed Khon Rak Ban Kerd Group (KRBKG), or People Who Love Their Homeland, a community-based organization advocating for the closure of the gold mine and remedies for adverse health and environmental impacts they say are linked to the gold mining operation. Members of KRBKG continue to face criminal prosecutions for their nonviolent and legitimate activities. Fortify Rights conducted a three-year investigation into human rights violations and abuses against members of KRBKG and others in the community. The report is based on 59 interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses, government officials, and others in multiple locations in Thailand. Fortify Rights also monitored 22 legal proceedings brought by Thai authorities and Tungkum Ltd. against environmental defenders involved in opposing the mining operations and obtained and analyzed more than 1,900 pages of evidence, including legal documents, and more than 500 videos and 1,000 photos. Thai authorities and Tungkum Ltd. targeted environmental defenders from the community, journalists, and others with time-consuming and costly lawsuits that infringe on basic rights and freedoms. For example, in 2017, Thai authorities initiated three criminal complaints against 14 members of KRBKG for engaging in protest activities related to the gold mine. Tungkum Ltd. also filed at least 19 criminal and civil lawsuits against 33 Loei residents and members of the KRBKG as well as against a freelance journalist between 2007 and 2017. One case involved a complaint against a local 15-year-old girl. Environmental defender Pornthip Hongchai preparing residents for a peaceful protest in Loei Province. Luke Duggleby/Fortify Rights, 2016 This lawsuit was brought to make all the residents feel afraid to oppose the mining operations, said Suphat Khunna, a 45-year-old farmer who faces criminal charges for participating in a peaceful protest against the gold mine. It causes worry and concern. These lawsuits aiming to silence critical voices must come to an end, said Sor Rattanamanee Polkla, human rights lawyer and head of Community Resource Centre Foundation, a non-profit organization providing pro-bono legal aid for KRBKG members and other affected communities across Thailand. Tungkum Ltd. and Thai authorities should end all arbitrary legal proceedings against environmental defenders, community leaders, and journalists who are simply carrying out legitimate activities. The report also documents evidence of serious and unchecked environmental contamination in areas surrounding the gold mine. Government testing of local streams and rivers in Loei Province found unsafe levels of cyanide, arsenic, and manganeseknown by-products of gold mining processes. Tests also revealed cyanide, arsenic, manganese, cadmium, and lead in underground water supplies. Pools of discoloration in a stream located near Tungkum Limited mine site in Na Nong Bong village, Loei Province. Luke Duggleby/Fortify Rights, 2016 Local residents in affected communities surrounding the gold mine largely rely on farming and the natural environment for their livelihoods and sustenance. Water and soil pollution has adversely impacted their daily lives and livelihoods The quality of the water changed, the water in the river smelled bad, said Wiron Ruchichaiyawat, a leader of KRBKG. While the mine was in full operation, the fish and vegetables growing along the river died. Thai authorities should fully investigate and remedy potential environmental and health impacts resulting from the gold mine, said Amy Smith. Fortify Rights also collected firsthand testimony about an alleged attempt by a local politicians driver to hire a hitman to target and kill Loei residents involved in KRBKG, offering 500,000 Thai Baht (US$15,000) per target. The plot, which was unfulfilled, allegedly aimed to assassinate six women and three men. Local residents were also subject to violent attacks. On May 15, 2014, an estimated 150 masked men armed with knives, batons, and guns surrounded the small village of Na Nong Bong and detained and attacked local residents while trucks transported ore out of the mine. Residents repeatedly called the local police for help. No one intervened. The attack left at least a dozen of residents of Na Nong Bong village and surrounding villages injured and terrorized. Masked men photographed during an attack on residents in Na Nong Bong village, Loei Province on May 15, 2014. KRBKG, 2014 I was hit against the ground, kicked, stomped, and dragged down along the road, said Yon Khunna, a 47-year-old rubber farmer and resident of Na Nong Bong village. Other residents were tied up together at the road where the trucks were moving back and forth. I only heard the sounds of beating and people screaming in pain. On May 31, 2016, the Loei Provincial Court convicted an army lieutenant colonel and a retired army lieutenant general for their involvement in the attacks, sentencing them to 36 months and 24 months in prison, respectively. The Court ordered the payment of compensation ranging from 2,600 to 25,000 Thai Baht (approximately US$70 to US$700) to nine residents. On September 25, 2017, the Appeal Court upheld the conviction of the two military officers and increased their sentences to 60 months and 40 months imprisonment, respectively. Thai authorities did the right thing in holding the ringleaders of the violent attack accountable, but the process fell short of full accountability, said Amy Smith. Thai authorities should fully investigate Tungkum Ltd.s possible involvement in this attack as well as the dozens of other perpetrators. Under international human rights law, states have an obligation to protect the rights to liberty and security of person, freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, and the right to a healthy environment. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders protect human rights defenders in the context of their work, including their safety and security, and their rights to peaceful assembly and expression. On February 12, 2018, the Government of Thailand declared human rights as a national priority, and in March 2018 welcomed the first visit of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights, a U.N. Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert body to assess progress towards the implementation of the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by the government and businesses in Thailand. Residents of Na Nong Bong village at a peaceful protest against Tungkum Limited gold-mining company. KRBKG, November 2016 At the conclusion of its first official visit to Thailand in April 2018, the U.N. Working Group on Business and Human Rights expressed concern with unreasonable and unwarranted restrictions on the right of affected people to raise legitimate concerns and protest peacefully. The Working Group further called on the government to end recurring attacks, harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders, union leaders and community representatives who speak out against business-related human rights abuse. Fortify Rights recommends that the Government of Thailand repeal or amend laws and orders that are incompatible with the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including Sections 326 to 328 of Thailands 1956 Criminal Code, the 2015 Public Assembly Act, and National Council for Peace and Order No. 3/2558 and ensure accountability for serious human rights violations. Tungkum Ltd. and its related business entities should drop all arbitrary legal proceedings against environmental defenders, community leaders, and journalists, and take effective and concrete steps to prevent and address human rights abuses, Fortify Rights said. Business has a responsibility to respect, protect, and promote human rights of affected communities and human rights defenders, said Amy Smith. The authorities, Tungkum Ltd., and other related businesses should immediately consult with community members to ensure adequate and effective remedies for environmental and health impacts, and reclamation of land affected by the gold mine. Al Thuriah Group, one of the leading real estate developers in the UAE, said several new construction projects across the UAE and specifically Sharjah will be announced over the next two days at the Cityscape Global 2018 expo in Dubai. Over the past 20 years, the group has built trust-based relationships with its customers through personalised customer service. Al Thuriah Group has succeeded in developing a workflow that relies on property development, construction, leasing, and management through major restructuring of its operations which enabled the group to grab more opportunities in the real estate sector in the UAE. The Emirati groups presence in Cityscape Global plays an important role in reflecting its position in the market and gives it the opportunity to showcase its current projects to the right audience, said its top official. "Cityscape Global is a very important event that happens every year and attracts a large group of professionals from the real estate industry, including developers ,agents and architects," remarked its CEO Raymond Khouzami. "It also provides an opportunity to connect with experts in this field and discuss the latest trends and developments in the real estate industry, which gives us a better understanding of the dynamic market of the UAE and the region," he stated. Khouzami said Al Thuriah Group was always keen to participate in real estate conferences and exhibitions across the country that bring together a variety of contributors from real estate development companies, agents, real estate brokers, banks, financial and government institutions that are directly involved in the real estate sector. "These seminars facilitate the communication process between different audiences and makes it a forum that benefits everyone," he added. Al Thuriah Group will be broadening its presence this year at Cityscape Global by expanding its stand space and inserting modern interactive technologies to showcase its developments more accurately and help visitors and potential buyers get a closer look and more detailed look on their projects. The group has split its operations into four separate units: Al Thuriah Properties, Al Thuriah Construction, Al Thuriah Leasing and Al Thuriah Facilities Management". Although these units work in a homogeneous and independent manner, they benefit from their work as an integrated group and form the great strengths that they have gained throughout their work in the UAE, which ultimately serves the interest of the customer, said the Sharjah-based company. COO Georges Khouzami said the Al Thuriah Group would carefully unveil selected development projects in strategic locations, especially in Sharjah. "We are committed to delivering the projects on time. Moreover, we are looking to launch more projects to meet the market demands with different sizes of residential and commercial units," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Amazing Lash Studio Opens in Beautiful California Coastal Town of Oceanside Community invited to celebrate at Grand Opening event on November 10 SAN DIEGO - (BUSINESS WIRE) - October 01, 2018 - Amazing Lash Studio, the nations largest and fastest growing eyelash extension franchise brand, opened a new studio in Oceanside, California, on October 1, 2018. To celebrate, the community is invited to join its Grand Opening event that will be held on Saturday, November 10, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Amazing Lash Studio in Oceanside is independently owned and operated by Amy von Rummelhoff, a local entrepreneur and avid fitness enthusiast. She overcame major medical hurdles in her life through nutrition and fitness, eventually leading her to become a personal trainer for some time. While a personal trainer, she thrived in helping others build self-confidence and to feel beautiful. She remains driven to continue empowering others, and found that the Amazing Lash brand was the perfect outlet to do so. Im passionate about uplifting women, and my studio gives them the touch of glamour they are seeking, said Amy von Rummelhoff, owner of Amazing Lash Studio - Oceanside. Ive seen first hand how transformative it is for women when they take time for themselves to feel beautiful. The Grand Opening event is open to the public. Details are as follows: Who : Amazing Lash Studio - Oceanside Grand Opening : Amazing Lash Studio - Oceanside Grand Opening When : Saturday, November 10, 2018, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. : Saturday, November 10, 2018, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. What : The Grand Opening event will be open to the public. Activities will include a prize wheel and goodies for guests, and featured local vendors will be in attendance. : The Grand Opening event will be open to the public. Activities will include a prize wheel and goodies for guests, and featured local vendors will be in attendance. Where: Amazing Lash Studio - Oceanside studio on the corner of Vista Way & El Camino Real at 2515 Vista Way, Suite B Amazing Lash Studio provides clients semi-permanent eyelash extensions in private lash application suites. Amazing Lash Studio has a patented application process that enables a highly trained staff of licensed estheticians and cosmetologists to complete the service in a fraction of the time required at traditional outlets. Amazing Lash Studio - Oceanside is located at 2515 Vista Way, Suite B, Oceanside, CA 92054. The studio is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information please call 760-585-9685. About Amazing Lash Studio Amazing Lash Studio was founded in 2010 with a vision to be the leading provider of eyelash extensions. Amazing Lash Studios apply semi-permanent eyelash extensions with a proprietary, patented process to the clients own lashes, replicating the curve and size of natural lashes. The concept began franchising in 2013 and to date has over 200 open studios in 33 states and 714 Regional Developer Units awarded. In 2018, Amazing Lash Studio earned the rank of #5 on Entrepreneur Magazines Top New Franchises and #260 on the Inc. 500 in its inaugural year. For additional information, visit AmazingLashStudio.com. Media Contact: Andrea Kalmanovitz Decibel Blue 480-894-2583 andrea@decibelblue.com SOURCE Amazing Lash Studio ### Add to Request List Added Request Information Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus UAE-based Unique Group, a leading integrated subsea and offshore solution provider, said its Marine & Subsea division has entered into a high value contract with the Southern African Shipyards to provide a turnkey package for Hydrographic Survey vessels and Hydrographic office set up. The project will include multiple new build vessels - main vessel and support vessels. Unique Group will act as a technology partner to the shipyard and provide the vessels dynamic positioning systems and navigational equipment package, said a statement. As part of the project, Unique Group will also provide complete integration of the hydrographic equipment package, which will include centralised operations between the main vessel and smaller support vessels, it said. The hydrographic office set up onshore will also be updated with new computer hardware and the latest processing software for chart production, data collection, processing, reporting and backup solutions. Unique Group will provide a full package including technical support and relevant operational and maintenance training for the staff. Harry Gandhi, CEO, Unique Group, said: We have always been at the forefront of innovation and customer satisfaction. Our team specialises in working with partners to deliver projects on time and with the best available solution. We are pleased to have been chosen for a significant project to provide complete vessel integration for a reputed client like Southern African Shipyards, he added. Unique Group provides a wide range of bespoke marine and offshore solutions, for subsea and merchant maritime industries around the world. Specialised solutions include - marine automation, cargo management and level sensors, temperature and pressure transmitters, integrated navigation and communication and vessel performance system for the offshore and research segments. TradeArabia News Service Dico International, the strategic investment arm of leading luxury property developer Damac Properties, has signed an international hospitality partnership agreement with global fashion house, Roberto Cavalli Group. The landmark agreement will see the launch of Dico's first iconic hotel in Dubai, followed by sister properties around the world, said a statement from the Dubai developer. The first property, a 220-room five-star hotel outfitted by the eye-catching designs of Roberto Cavalli, will be situated within the signature Al Sofouh, Dubai Marina development, and minutes away from some of the world's most iconic tourism attractions. The tower, scheduled for completion in 2023, will offer unmatched views of the Dubai Media City skyline and Dubai Marina, while the Roberto Cavalli Hotel will feature a infinity pool overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, the statement added. The announcement coincides with 2018's Cityscape Global, one of the world's largest exhibitions and conferences on property development, which opens today (October 2) and celebrates another milestone for the branded real estate sector. Damac Properties chairman Hussain Sajwani said: "We are thrilled to be bringing another first for today's discerning global travellers and guests. Through the joyful spirit of the authentic Roberto Cavalli brand, we plan to meet market demands for familiar touch points, while offering guests distinctive experiences." Blending the flair of Roberto Cavalli with the epitome of luxury living, the agreement will see the first-of-many "Aykon Hotels with interior design by Roberto Cavalli" properties launched in Dubai, remarked Sajwani after signing the deal with Roberto Cavalli Group CEO Gian Giacomo Ferraris. On the heels of 2018's glamour-filled Milan Fashion Week, an exclusive glimpse of the first Roberto Cavalli Hotel was showcased, mirroring the alluring and dynamic looks of House Florentine's Spring/Summer 2019 collection. The review, which took place in Milan, marked plans to break ground at the start of 2019, kicking off construction for the landmark "Aykon Hotels interior design by Roberto Cavalli" property, said the Damac founder. On the landmark deal, Ferraris said: "Roberto Cavalli unifies the world of fashion, interior and lifestyle, combining the most elegant expressions of luxury with distinct glamour, finest Italian taste with innovative craftsmanship and Mediterranean emotion and energy, full of 'joie di vivre.'" "We look forward to working on the first Roberto Cavalli-branded hotel, alongside the real estate pioneer behind Damac Properties," he added. Complete with extravagant hospitality facilities befitting the first Roberto Cavalli Hotel, including a private majlis and stylish Bridal Suite, the property will also host premium-styled F&B (food and beverages) outlets for all types of culinary cravings. "Lending our distinctive DNA for design to a strategic player in the international luxury development market is an exciting and natural step in our evolution within the lifestyle space," said Ferraris. "As we continue to transform our palette, we remain true to our vision of weaving high-crafted design into the lives of today's patrons of fashion and art," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Salalah Rotana Resort, one of the leading hospitality establishments in Oman, has welcomed Andre Viegas as its new director of learning and development. Starting his career as learning and development coordinator in ART Rotana Bahrain, Viegas hard work and commitment to the company enabled him to ascend to the position of assistant learning and development manager, a position he held prior to joining Salalah Rotana Resort. Over the course of his career, Viegas worked at Al Manshar Rotana Kuwait, Majestic Arjaan by Rotana and a short stint at Downtown Rotana Bahrain. Hossam Kamal, Salalah Rotana resorts general manager, said: It is a pleasure to welcome such a young, dynamic and focused colleague to the team at Salalah. Viegas has displayed his passion for hospitality and I am delighted to have him occupy his newest challenging yet exciting role. With his passion for aiding colleague advancement, I am confident he will enrich the team and guests to our resort. At Rotana, we strongly believe in the development of young people with potential and it is a delight to witness Viegas growth within the company." We see learning and development as a crucial department in hotel operations, as it directly impacts colleague knowledge and overall performance. I am certain Viegas will drive this," he added. Speaking on his new position, Viegas said: I am honoured to be joining the team at Salalah Rotana Resort. Being one of the largest resorts and top performing in the company, which clearly indicates the hard work of the team, showing the effort needed to be made in maintaining the top spot. I am thrilled to join such a diverse and diligent team where I will contribute to maximising the potential of Salalah Rotana Resort." In his new role, the Portuguese national will oversee the resorts learning and development department by conducting trainings as well as analysing development needs and implementing new creative best practices to enhance colleagues engagement. - TradeArabia News Service An interesting rumor about the next project from Rocksteady Studios has surfaced, hinting that it will be a Justice League open world, game-as-a-service, next-generation action adventure for PC, PS5 and Xbox Scarlett. While we cant say whether this piece of information is legit, we can comment on what it could mean for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett. The supposed insider claims the latter is being introduced with the very first details later this year, with a full reveal coming early 2019, and Sonys platform is set to be unveiled early next year as well. Any chances this could be right? Well we dont think its likely to happen soon, but theres still something interesting to look at here. Lets start with Xbox Scarlett. I dont believe any console will be announced this year, especially in a window where all the platform holders are striving to see big sales for the upcoming holiday season. Revealing a console now would mean PlayStation 4 and Xbox One would have a disastrous couple of months on the market. With that said, Microsoft would have a good occasion to give us at least a teaser of the platform since it is hosting X018 in November. We could get a taste there of what to expect from a brand new console launch, perhaps preparing for a 2019 releasesay, a teaser now and a presentation early next year as hinted in the rumor. Again, a move like that would be a total disaster for Xbox One. Right now, it needs to capitalize on all of the moves Microsoft is making right now as part of its renewed interest in the gaming ecosystem. After the release of Xbox One X, the brand has managed find its feet again, and it would be a huge mistake waste it at this stage. On top of that, while the lineup is a bit sparse, as youd expect at the end of a generation and a lifecycle of a platform, there are still a few things to drop. Among them, you can find Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Gears of War 5, which should be enough to cover the year at least until an Xbox Scarletts teaser launches at E3 in June 2019. When it comes to PlayStation, things are a bit different. Recently dropping PSX, Sony is giving the impression that PS4 could be replaced soon enough. But it doesnt have much to share now in terms of its lineup, while its instead just a matter of not having the right profit from an event to be held in December. In our opinion, the Japanese platform holder doesnt want to announce PS5 in 2019, so it can let its entire lineup have the time required to be successful and have an impact. You can read Dreams and Days Gones delays under that perspective: theyve been ready for a while now, its just a marketing decision to have them releasing slightly later. Regardless, Sony is being very careful about what Microsoft and the other competitors out there are thinking about now, and its plans are probably fluid and ready to change as soon as Xbox decides to speed up the process of going next-gen. Thats probably the reason why we dont have release dates or release windows for The Last of Us Part II and Death Stranding yet. Both of them could be cross-gen since their day one if the producer hears whispers of a next generation console to be launched by Microsoft quicker than anticipated. And thats not something to be ruled out if you consider that the Redmond console maker is willing to replicate Xbox 360s modus operandi and avoid direct competition that has proved to be unwinnable against the PlayStation brand. So, while I dont believe PS5 and Xbox Scarlett will be dropped as soon as 2019, I dont even see which innovation those brand new consoles could be bringing to the lot. Launching a console requires you to have something different from the currently existing ones, and what could those two bring? More power? Nah. Were not in that moment of the generation where you feel like consoles have given all they could give, just look at The Last of Us: Part II and Death Stranding to name two (and Gears of War 5 doesnt look that bad, either). RTX doesnt look like it could be enough to justify the arrival of more hardware alone, and a streaming-based second device/model would need a boots on the ground platform that should be more powerful than Xbox One and PlayStation 4 anyway. Itll be interesting to see where Sony and Microsoft are heading with their latest efforts, rather than the timeframe theyre thinking about, and whether they can come with something meaningful to players that already own expensive current-gen boxes. Ubisoft chief creative officer Serge Hascoet has recently released an interesting interview in which he disclosed the future of some of the most beloved Ubisoft intellectual properties, including Splinter Cell, Prince of Persia, and Assassins Creed. When asked about the possibility of the comeback of several of Ubis dormant IPs, Hascoet immediately mentioned Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia, claiming he loves them both and would love to witness their return. I love Splinter Cell. I love Prince of Persia, he said, later hinting at issues with the resources at Ubisofts disposal to finance and work these projects. I cant disclose any information at this time, but I can say we are fighting for resources. Its not a question of will, its a question of means. On top of that, Hascoet also addressed Assassins Creed, out now again with Odyssey, hinting at the possibility that the franchise could return to multiplayer after the pretty good experiments from Brotherhood to Black Flag. We have many technologies, so its case by case, but Assassins Creed has no multiplayer mode, and that is very important for the social aspect of gaming, so we are looking for that, he said. So, theres a lot of new stuff in the future for Ubisoft, although its clear that the publisher is seeking more viable routes for those single-player franchises which could be a bit out of context in a Fortnite world. Hopefully, whenever it comes back, Splinter Cell doesnt turn into a battle royale Source: GameInformer Dico International, the strategic investment arm of Damac Properties, a leading luxury property developer, has signed an international hospitality partnership agreement with global fashion house, Roberto Cavalli Group. The landmark agreement will see the launch of Dico's first iconic hotel in Dubai, followed by sister properties around the world, said a statement from the Dubai developer. The first property, a 220-room five-star hotel outfitted by the eye-catching designs of Roberto Cavalli, will be situated within the signature Al Sofouh, Dubai Marina development, and minutes away from some of the world's most iconic tourism attractions. The tower, scheduled for completion in 2023, will offer unmatched views of the Dubai Media City skyline and Dubai Marina, while the Roberto Cavalli Hotel will feature a infinity pool overlooking the Palm Jumeirah, the statement added. The announcement coincides with 2018's Cityscape Global, one of the world's largest exhibitions and conferences on property development, which opens today (October 2) and celebrates another milestone for the branded real estate sector. Damac Properties Chairman Hussain Sajwani said: "We are thrilled to be bringing another first for today's discerning global travellers and guests. Through the joyful spirit of the authentic Roberto Cavalli brand, we plan to meet market demands for familiar touch points, while offering guests distinctive experiences." Blending the flair of Roberto Cavalli with the epitome of luxury living, the agreement will see the first-of-many "Aykon Hotels with interior design by Roberto Cavalli" properties launched in Dubai, remarked Sajwani after signing the deal with Roberto Cavalli Group CEO Gian Giacomo Ferraris. On the heels of 2018's glamour-filled Milan Fashion Week, an exclusive glimpse of the first Roberto Cavalli Hotel was showcased, mirroring the alluring and dynamic looks of House Florentine's Spring/Summer 2019 collection. The review, which took place in Milan, marked plans to break ground at the start of 2019, kicking off construction for the landmark "Aykon Hotels interior design by Roberto Cavalli" property, said the Damac founder. On the landmark deal, Ferraris said: "Roberto Cavalli unifies the world of fashion, interior and lifestyle, combining the most elegant expressions of luxury with distinct glamour, finest Italian taste with innovative craftsmanship and Mediterranean emotion and energy, full of 'joie di vivre.'" "We look forward to working on the first Roberto Cavalli-branded hotel, alongside the real estate pioneer behind Damac Properties," he added. Complete with extravagant hospitality facilities befitting the first Roberto Cavalli Hotel, including a private majlis and stylish Bridal Suite, the property will also host premium-styled F&B (food and beverages) outlets for all types of culinary cravings. "Lending our distinctive DNA for design to a strategic player in the international luxury development market is an exciting and natural step in our evolution within the lifestyle space," said Ferraris. "As we continue to transform our palette, we remain true to our vision of weaving high-crafted design into the lives of today's patrons of fashion and art," he added.-TradeArabia News Service CGLA students will have the opportunity to sit at the controls of the da Vinci Surgical System and perform a simulated robot-assisted surgery when CHI Memorial visits the campus. "As the first single gender public charter school in the state of Tennessee and the first public charter school approved in Hamilton County, Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy has always embraced innovation and foresight. By providing students with a high-quality STEM focused education, the academy equips young women with the tools necessary to succeed in male dominated fields," officials said. "Partnerships with businesses and organizations throughout the community support the schools efforts and present CGLA with various opportunities." Most recently among those opportunities, is the chance to perform a simulated robot-assisted surgery with CHI Memorial doctor, Lee Jackson. Robotic prostate cancer surgeon, Dr. Jackson will visit CGLA on Wednesday and provide students with a hands-on STEM experience by allowing them to sit at the controls of the da Vinci Surgical System. Students will go through a case with Dr. Jackson, and other members of CHI Memorials thoracic team, and perform a simulated procedure. The procedure will be performed using the same system Dr. Jackson utilizes at CHI Memorial, and groups of five to six girls will rotate through in 30-minute intervals. Dr. Jacksons appreciation for CGLAs STEM focused curriculum is what inspired the visit. He believes womens participation in STEM fields is widely understood to improve the creativity and quality of those fields. The partnership between the two entities is "providing young women with an incredible opportunity that demonstrates the exciting potential and value of bioengineering, said Dr. Jackson. The team at CHI Memorial has been awarded a 3-star rating - the highest quality patient outcome rating - by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and Dr. Jackson has performed more than 1,500 robotic procedures. The faculty and staff at CGLA said they are excited to welcome the team in the coming days. We are always seeking distinct opportunities to provide instruction that is both practical and captivating, said Dr. Elaine Swafford, CGLAs chief executive officer. The da Vinci Surgical System will provide our students with the chance to operate state-of-the-art technology while implementing daily lessons. "The visit will be a great way to honor CGLAs recent STEM School designation and Level 5 School recognition. It is also a great chance for the academy to celebrate its tenth school year and remarkable journey," officials said. By Daisy Katta, TwoCircles.net In a move that has the potential to play a major role in Maharashtra politics, Adv. Prakash Ambedkar of BHARIP (Bharatiya Republican Party Bahujan Mahasangh) under the banner of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi announced an alliance with AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen). A show-of-strength rally was organised today in Aurangabad, which was preceded by a similar rally in Solapur on September 29. BHARIP party members including Rekha Thakur were present in the rally which was attended by more than one lakh people. Asaduddin Owaisi took to the stage to call for all Bahujans and minorities to come together. The Modi Government has deprived Dalits and Bahujans. In the time of the BJP, the worst injustices have been done with the Bahujans. To end this injustice, we all need to stand behind Prakash Ambedkar. Support TwoCircles With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prakash Ambedkar had announced on June 27, 2018, that his party would form an alliance with the progressive parties and will contest elections under the banner of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (Deprived Bahujan Alliance). It is important to note that post-Bhima Koregaon incident at the beginning of the year and the subsequent debate around it, Prakash Ambedkar has strengthened his position in Maharashtra. Currently, the Maharashtra political scenario has been engulfed with many key issues like Maratha Reservation, the potential dilution of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, Bhima Koregaon atrocity amongst others. In the run-up to the 2019 elections, these might be the key issues. The alliance is also crucial for AIMIM. Currently, apart from its core base in Telangana, the party has made its electoral presence felt in states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh etc. The party also announced its entry into state elections by winning two state assembly seats in the 2014 elections, namely Byculla and Aurangabad Central. It had managed to put up quite a fight in Marathwada region which was part of the erstwhile Hyderabad princely state and forms the partys major base and additionally fared well in Mumbai, northern Maharashtra (Malegaon) in the civic body elections. It received some jolt in its electoral foray into the state in the 2017 civic body polls where it was not able to maintain the gains of 2012 elections in places like Nanded. Traditionally, in the Maharashtra political scenario, the Congress and BJP have relied on the Dalit and Muslim votes. The Dalit votes would get polarised because they would vote Prakash Ambedkar and the Muslim votes would get polarized because they voted for Owaisi. But this alliance has already created a stir amongst the major parties as the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi aims to bring together the smaller OBC groups including Muslims into the forefront. Speaking to TCN, journalist and activist Jaywant Hire, who was a key member of Ramabai Nagar Hatyakand Sangharsh Samiti said, The OBCs have traditionally been Hindutva supporters, but the kind of crowd we are seeing at the rally will have a huge effect not only on the Congress and NCP but also on the BJP and the Shiv Sena. The kind of crowd we saw at the rally makes me feel that they will be able to pull in the OBCs. The stand taken by the Shiv Sena and the BJP over the Maratha reservation has upset the OBC voters and therefore such voters could move to BHARIP. Regarding the rising influence of Ambedkar, Hire further added, After the Bhima Koregaon issue, Dalits from other parties like BJP, NCP came together with Prakash Ambedkar. The Bandh which was called on 3rd Januaryeven Dalits from other parties were frustrated and when Ambedkar called for the Bandh everyone came out in support. Mumbai-based writer and poet Vaibhav Chhaya said, There is a 9% vote share of Buddhist Dalits in Maharashtra and post Bhima Koregaon, this vote share is banking on Prakash Ambedkar. If you take any city in Maharashtra, be it Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai, you will see that the Dalit settlements are next to the Muslim settlements, so the votes which used to get divided will come together. This is going to affect not only the BJP but also the Congress equally. Its the first time that the Schedule Caste, and notified tribes and Muslims have come together as a strong Third Front. The rally also saw the participation of people from nomadic tribal communities like Wanjari and Dhangar who have traditionally been a BJP vote bank. Speaking on the Maratha reservation, he added, In Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, there is no Maratha voter as suchbut there will be one big change that the liberal Muslims who have been Congress voters might vote for Prakash Ambedkar. About Bhima Koregaon, he further added, I dont think Prakash Ambedkar has a problem with Congress as suchit is Sharad Pawar, his role in backing Sambhaji Bhide and his inaction regarding Bhima Koregaon that he has a problem with. After Solapur and Aurangabad, it remains to be seen if similar support is witnessed in the Sena stronghold of Mumbai. NATO Defense Chiefs Build 360-Degree Defense on Maturing Framework, Dunford Says Oct. 1, 2018 By Jim Garamone DoD News, Defense Media Activity MADRID -- The NATO Military Committee Meeting in Warsaw this past weekend was so productive because the alliance chiefs of defense were able to build on the three-year framework put in place, Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford told reporters here today. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Military Committee was able to flesh out the NATO 360-degree approach to security matters. Dunford, who came to the position three-years ago, said there was not the appreciation of the Russian challenge then, that there is today. "There was also not the appreciation for violent extremism and the risk of terrorism in everybody's backyard as there is today," he said. Relevant Alliance In 2015, the alliance began the debate on 360-degree security. "At that point, all the members of the alliance wanted to know if the alliance was relevant to the security challenges they confronted," he said. In the past three years, alliance heads of state have met twice most recently at the Brussels summit in July. The political leaders affirmed the alliance will meet the 360-degree challenge. The alliance will defend against the threat posed by Russia and it will address the threats emanating from North Africa and the Middle East primarily the risks of mass migration and acts of terror. Political leaders also realized that alliance readiness levels were not where they needed to be, the chairman said. They affirmed that NATO needed to adapt both its command structure and capabilities in order to be relevant for the challenges faced today. Three years ago, the alliance created enhanced forward presence to assure allies that NATO would act. That effort has matured and transformed into alliance deterrence, "and we need to project security to the South to mitigate the effects of violent extremism and terrorist acts," Dunford said. That political framework is in place now. As military leaders "we don't have to debate what to do," the general said. The military leaders "have a very clear mandate" to adapt the NATO command structure. They also are working on the 4X30 readiness initiative that calls for 30 ships, 30 aircraft squadrons, 30 battalions of ground forces to be ready in 30 days. "So we have to figure how to implement that," he said. "Everyone has a different priority to the challenges we face, but we have cohesion in that the alliance is expected to address all 29 members security challenges whether that comes from the South or the East," the general said. "It's been the journey that we've been on in my three years as chairman." About Deterrence The alliance is first and foremost about deterrence. Then, if deterrence fails, it is about collective defense. "That requires a diplomatic effort and capabilities that can convince an adversary that the cost that will be imposed will be much higher than whatever gain they can achieve," he said. An effective deterrent posture is most important when confronting Russia. Deterrence is across the board. NATO must deter in the nuclear, conventional and cyber realms. They also must be ready for capabilities that fall below the threshold of armed conflict that would be by definition aggressive and provocative acts, Dunford said. NATO adaptation, measures taken to enhance deterrence, the European Defense Initiative are "all clearly intended to send a message to Russia that there is an effective conventional deterrent and a collective defense of NATO," he said. "All of the activity that we do our exercises, our training, our force posture is all designed to ensure that our deterrence is effective." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 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. How the Army plans to modernize its OPFOR program By Mario J. Hoffmann October 1, 2018 NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, Calif. -- While the United States fought conflicts and insurgencies in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa over the last seventeen years, potential adversaries were studying U.S. operations and developing sophisticated weapons, munitions, and disruptive technologies. U.S. forces must anticipate that adversaries will employ these increasingly advanced systems, some approaching or even surpassing U.S. capabilities, while also proliferating them to their allies and proxies around the globe. Both Russia and China, our two most sophisticated strategic competitors, are developing new approaches to conflict by modernizing their concepts, doctrine, and weapon systems to challenge U.S. forces and our allies across all operational domains (land, sea, space, cyberspace, and space). Russia's New Generation Warfare and China's Local Wars under Informationized Conditions are two examples of these new approaches. In the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, non-state actors and radical militant groups are gaining military capabilities previously associated only with nation-states. Irregular forces are growing more capable as they adopt new weapons and tactics. Hezbollah has used advanced anti-tank guided missiles, man-portable air defense systems, and a sophisticated mission command system in its conflicts with Israel and participation in the Syrian civil war. Joining Hezbollah in the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles are Al-Qaeda and ISIS, and ISIS has also used chemical weapons. In addition, Iran adopted a very sophisticated warfare doctrine aimed at the U.S., and the Houthi insurgency in Yemen aims rockets and missiles at Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Army exists to fight our nation's wars and it rigorously prepares to reach the highest possible level of sustained readiness to defeat such a wide array of threats and capabilities. o attain this end state, training at U.S. Army Combat Training Centers, or CTCs, must be realistic, relevant, and pit training units against a dynamic and uncompromising Opposing Force, or OPFOR. The CTC program employs several professional OPFOR units, including the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at the National Training Center in California's Mojave Desert, the 1-509th Airborne Infantry Battalion within the swamps of Louisiana at the Joint Readiness Training Center, 1-4th Infantry Battalion at the Joint Multinational Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany, and the World Class OPFOR within the Mission Command Training Program at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. The Army's Cyber Command also provides specialized support to these OPFOR units with cyber aggressors. The OPFOR is representative of adversary forces and threat systems that reflect a composite of current and projected combat capabilities. The OPFOR must be capable of challenging training units' mission essential tasks and key tasks within the Army Universal Task List. To maintain OPFOR's relevance as a competitive sparring partner, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command devotes major analytic efforts to studying foreign armies and determining the optimum configuration for OPFOR units that both represent a plausible threat and challenge training tasks. This also requires the Army to consistently modernize the OPFOR with replicated peer or near-peer threat weapons and capabilities. The OPFOR must be capable of challenging U.S. Army training units with contemporary armored vehicles that are equipped with stabilized weapon systems and advanced night optics, as well as realistic kill-or-be-killed signatures and effects via the Multiple Integrated Laser Effects Systems. The OPFOR must also have air attack platforms, advanced integrated air defense systems, unmanned aerial systems, modern-day anti-tank munitions, long-range and guided artillery fires, and improvised explosive devices. Additionally, the OPFOR must be capable of subjecting training units to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear effects and technologically enhanced deception capabilities. The OPFOR must also be capable of degrading or denying training unit dependency on Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities with threat electronic warfare, cyberspace, and space effects. Modernizing the U.S. Army's OPFOR program is an unremitting endeavor, because threats continuously change and technology relentlessly revolutionizes the art of war. Replicating the most realistic threat capabilities and tactics is critical for training units and commanders to practice their tactics, techniques, and procedures, and learn from the consequences of their decisions under tactical conditions. This topic, as well as the challenges the OPFOR enterprise faces in developing much-needed capabilities to effectively replicate threats in a dynamic Operational Environment that postulates a changing character of future warfare, will be highlighted during a Warriors Corner at the annual Association of the United States Army meeting in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 2:55-3:35 p.m. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Release No. NR-278-18 October 01, 2018 Statement by Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Ms. Dana W. White on Macedonia's Referendum on the Prespa Agreement The United States welcomes the positive results of Macedonia's consultative referendum in which the citizens of Macedonia accepted the Prespa Agreement between Macedonia and Greece. We strongly support implementing this agreement and stand by the government in Skopje as they ultimately determine their country's fate during this historical moment. The United States remains unwavering in our commitment to the strong bilateral defense relationship we have built with Macedonia, a strong contributor to the NATO mission in Afghanistan and regional security and cooperation enhancement initiatives in the Western Balkans. We support our Macedonian friends as they chart their own course to achieve peace and prosperity for their people. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1649739/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Indiana Brought to Life, Commissioned in Port Canaveral Navy News Service Story Number: NNS181001-08 Release Date: 10/1/2018 12:08:00 PM From Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic Public Affairs PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Indiana, the third submarine to bear the name and third vessel to be named for the state, was brought to life by its sponsor, Diane K. Donald, wife of retired Adm. Kirkland Donald, the former director of Naval Nuclear Propulsion and commander, Submarine Forces, Sept. 29, 2018. Before giving the order to bring the ship to life, Indiana's sponsor had a few words to impart to those in attendance and any potential future adversaries. "Today we celebrate the time-honored tradition of placing USS Indiana into the service of our country. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to have a role in bringing this ship to life," Donald said, addressing the crowd and ship's company during the ceremony. "To anyone who wishes our nation harm, take heed, Indiana is taking the watch. Our new silent victors are Indiana strong." As the most modern and sophisticated attack submarine in the world, the submarine can operate in both littoral and deep ocean environments, and presents combatant commanders with a broad and unique range of operational capabilities. Indiana is a flexible, multi-mission platform designed to carry out the seven core competencies of the submarine force: anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, delivery of Special Operations Forces (SOF), strike warfare, irregular warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and mine warfare. "I owe everything to my crew," said Capt. Jesse Zimbauer, commanding officer of Indiana, to those in attendance. "We have over 5,000 people in attendance today. You wouldn't be out here if you didn't have a lethal dose of patriotism. You cannot take a look at those Sailors dressed in their whites, standing on the backbone of the world's newest and most lethal submarine and not just stand up and cheer!" Indiana is a part of the Virginia-class' third, or Block III, contract, in which the Navy redesigned approximately 20 percent of the boat to reduce acquisition costs. Indiana features a redesigned bow, which replaces 12 individual Vertical Launch System (VLS) tubes with two large-diameter Virginia Payload Tubes (VPTs) each capable of launching six Tomahawk cruise missiles, among other design changes that reduced the submarines' acquisition cost while maintaining their outstanding warfighting capabilities. While the crew of the submarine may only be 140, Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb indicated that the "whole" crew may not fit on board. "So, as you are serving on this boat, know that your crew is a lot bigger than you may think. In fact, I'd like to say that this crew is 6.6 million strong. Because there are, in fact, 6.6 million Hoosiers who are proud of this USS Indiana. We are proud of and pray for every Sailor that makes up this crew." After the ceremony, Indiana was opened up for tours to the general public, to include the crew's mess, the wardroom, control, and the torpedo room. It is there perhaps that the words of the Director of Naval Reactors, Adm. J. Franklin, Caldwell, Jr. stuck home to the thousands who wouldn't normally step foot inside a nuclear-powered submarine who were the crew train to fight the ship. "USS Indiana, and her sisters of the Virginia class, will maintain our edge in the undersea environment," said Caldwell as he addressed the attendees. "Soon Indiana will deploy her stealth, endurance and her flexibility to travel silently under our oceans protecting our nation. She will be collecting intelligence, preparing for battle, and, if necessary, striking from the deep without notice to defend our Nation." Indiana also has special features to support Special Forces, including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of personnel and all their equipment for prolonged deployments and future off-board payloads. Also, in Virginia-class SSNs, traditional periscopes have been replaced by two photonics masts that host visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms, which are maneuvered by an Xbox controller. Through the extensive use of modular construction, open architecture and commercial off-the-shelf components, the Virginia class is designed to remain at the cutting edge for its entire operational life through the rapid introduction of new systems and payloads. While USS Indiana may be the newest and most technologically advanced submarine in the world, to some, all the metal, tubes, wires and reactor are just machinery. "The crew make up the soul of Indiana," said Senior Chief Charles Simonds, Indiana's chief of the boat. "Every single challenge this crew has been faced with, and there have been many over the past several months, has been dealt with extremely well. The crew are extremely proficient, extremely confident Sailors who know how to operate the submarine and I'd say that these guys are ready to go execute our nation's missions right now, and that is a lot to say for a new crew, and that makes me very proud and extremely fortunate to be a part of this team." SSN-789 was built at Huntington Ingalls Shipyard in Newport News, Virginia, and is 7,800 tons and 377 feet in length, has a beam of 34 feet and operates at more than 25 knots submerged. It is designed with a nuclear reactor plant that does not require refueling during the planned life of the ship, reducing lifecycle costs while increasing underway time. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US military constructing new base in western Iraq near Syria border: Kurdish official Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 01:33PM The US military is reportedly building a new base in Iraq's western province of Anbar as part of attempts to perpetuate its occupation of the conflict-ridden Arab country indefinitely, regardless of all opposition from religious figures and people from all walks of life. Khalil Serfan, an official from the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, told the Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency that the base is being constructed in the vicinity of al-Qa'im town, located nearly 400 kilometers northwest of the capital Baghdad. Serfan noted that the construction of such a military site in such a strategically important region is in line with US bids to assert its military presence there. In August, the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group stated that American forces will remain in Iraq as long as there is a need for them. The announcement runs contrary to Pentagon's earlier pledges that US troops will withdraw from Iraq once the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group is defeated. Daesh ringleader's youngest son slain in Syria Meanwhile, an Iraqi commander said the youngest son of purported Daesh leader Ibrahim al-Samarrai, aka Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has been killed in Syria. Jabbar al-Mamouri, a commander of the pro-government Popular Mobilization Units, told Arabic-language Baghdad Today news agency that the unnamed high-profile militant was eliminated during a Russian airstrike against a militant hideout in a Syrian village late last week. Three Daesh terrorist killed in security operation west of Anbar Separately, three Daesh Takfiris were killed when Iraqi security forces launched a counter-terrorism operation in the town of al-Qa'im. Government troops also uncovered a secret tunnel, which the terrorists apparently used to carry munitions and transfer reinforcements to the area and to flee in the wake of army advances. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, pledged on June 30 to hunt down Daesh terrorists across Iraq after a series of attacks and abductions carried out by the terrorist group. "We will chase the remaining cells of terrorism in their hideouts and we will kill them, we will chase them everywhere, in the mountains and the desert," Abadi said. Abadi declared the end of military operations against Daesh in the Arab country on December 9, 2017. On July 10 that year, the Iraqi prime minister had formally declared victory over Daesh in Mosul, which served as the terrorists' main urban stronghold in the conflict-ridden Arab country. In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters had made sweeping gains against Daesh. Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January 2017 after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19 last year. Daesh began a terror campaign in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indian troops 'shoot at chopper of Pakistani Kashmir's leader' Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 08:58AM The prime minister of Pakistani-administered Kashmir region says Indian forces have opened fire on his helicopter near the disputed de facto border in the Himalayan region. Farooq Haider Khan said his helicopter came under attack by Indian troops from across the volatile Line of Control (LoC), which divides the region between Pakistan and India. Commenting on the incident, Indian army spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand, said a Pakistani helicopter violated Indian air space along the line of control in Poonch district of India's Jammu and Kashmir around noon local time (0630 GMT). "It could likely to be a civil chopper and was flying very high. The air sentries at forward location had engaged it with small arms," Anand said. The prime minister, however, rejected the allegation of violation of Indian air space. Khan told local media that his helicopter was a civilian chopper, and not armed in any way. "While we were passing through Abbaspur, the Indian army suddenly opened fire at my helicopter. Luckily, we remained unhurt and the helicopter was not damaged," he said. "We were very close to zero line but we were within our space. Moreover, it was a civilian helicopter so the Indian army should not have opened fire at it," he stated. The Kashmiri leader further urged the Indian side to pursue peaceful relations with its neighbor," adding, "We do not want any war hysteria in this region." Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in full by both since the two partitioned and gained independence from Britain in 1947. The two countries have fought three wars over the disputed territory. Despite a ceasefire agreement that was reached in November 2003, sporadic skirmishes continue in Kashmir. Upon taking office in mid-August, Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan offered to promote cordial relations with neighboring India. However, in recent weeks, Islamabad-New Delhi relations deteriorated amid high-profile diplomatic tensions between the two rivaling neighbors. India has accused Pakistan of continuing to assist militants waging an insurgency in the Indian-controlled side of Kashmir, an allegation strongly rejected by Pakistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macedonians back name change in referendum marred by low turnout Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 07:42AM Macedonians have voted in favor of changing the name of the Balkan country to North Macedonia in a West-backed referendum, which fell short of the turnout threshold required to become valid immediately. Preliminary results show 91.3 percent of those who participated in Sunday's referendum said 'Yes' to the name changing, according to the electoral commission's official count. With ballots from 93 percent of polling stations counted, only 5.7 percent opposed the plan. The referendum, however, failed to secure the 50 percent turnout required to make the vote valid, with only 36.5 percent (one third) of eligible voters going to the polls, according to the electoral commission. "On this referendum, it is clear that the decision has not been made," said election commission head Oliver Derkoski. Many in Macedonia are against the new name, saying their country has been unfairly bullied by Greece. When the results were announced, opponents of the name change, who had boycotted the vote, took to the streets to celebrate the low turnout. Many Greeks are also angry at the name changing deal, saying it is an insult to Greek history and constitutes a claim on a key province in Alexander the Great's ancient empire. The plan is now facing hurdles since it needs to be ratified in parliament by a two-thirds majority and get the Greek parliament's approval. Greece and Macedonia have been locked in dispute for almost three decades after the latter declared independence as the Republic of Macedonia following the collapse of Yugoslavia in 1991. Athens strongly objected to the use of the name Macedonia, arguing that the name implies territorial aspirations against a northern Greek region with the same name. The two finally brokered a deal in June, under which Athens committed to dropping its objections to Macedonia joining the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organizing (NATO) in return for a change of name. Reacting to the outcome of Sunday's plebiscite, Athens said it "remains committed" to the June agreement. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras expressed his support for his Macedonian counterpart in a telephone call, praising Premier Zoran Zaev for his "determination and courage." Zaev and his coalition partners from the ethnic Albanian minority will need at least a dozen lawmakers from the opposition to back the name deal. "MPs now have an obligation to make Macedonia a better place for all of us," he said on Sunday, adding that he would call early elections in the event of failure to obtain the required majority in parliament. Macedonia's President Gjorge Ivanov, who heads Macedonia's nationalist opposition party, is opposed to the June agreement with Greece, and had urged Macedonians to boycott the vote, which he described as a "historical suicide." The European Union urged all sides to respect the result of the referendum. "I now expect all political leaders to respect this decision and take it forward with utmost responsibility and unity across party lines, in the interest of the country," EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said in a statement. NATO which seeks a stronger foothold in the Western Balkan amid tensions with Russia -- has already issued a membership invitation for Macedonia, pending for the passage of the deal. EU accession talks are also slated to begin next year if the name change goes ahead. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indian Troops Fire At Helicopter Of Pakistani-Administered Kashmir's Leader October 01, 2018 The head of the Pakistani-administered Kashmir region says Indian troops on September 30 shot at his helicopter from across the Line of Control that serves as a de facto border in the disputed region. Farooq Haider Khan, the prime minister of the Azad Kashmir region that is controlled by Pakistan, said in a statement: "The Indian Army fired to show that Pakistan had violated their airspace." Khan said that when the firing took place, his civilian helicopter was "within our own airspace." Lieutenant-Colonel Devender Anand, a spokesman for India's army, confirmed that Indian ground troops fired at a helicopter around noon on September 30. He said the Pakistani helicopter violated Indian airspace along the Line of Control in the Poonch district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. "It could likely have been a civilian helicopter," Anand said. "It was flying very high. The air sentries at a forward location had engaged it with small arms." Khan was not injured in the incident, which is likely to further fray relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistan's new Prime Minister Imran Khan has made diplomatic overtures to India since taking office in August, promising to improve ties between Islamabad and New Delhi. But relations have deteriorated in recent weeks amid high-profile diplomatic disputes. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/indian-troops-fire-at-helicopter-of- pakistani-administered-kashmir-s-leader/29518541.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macedonian PM Pledges To Forge Ahead On Name Change, Despite Referendum Failure On Turnout RFE/RL's Balkan Service October 01, 2018 SKOPJE -- Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev has vowed to follow through with a change to the Balkan state's name as part of a deal to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece after a September 30 referendum on the move failed to secure a turnout of 50 percent, required to make the nonbinding vote valid. Only 36.9 percent of the country's 1.8 million eligible voters cast ballots in the referendum as election officials continued to tally results on October 1. With more than 98.6 percent of polling stations reporting, it was clear the legal threshold to make the vote valid would not be reached. But with results also showing resounding support of 91.5 percent among those who did vote, a defiant Zaev said he "will do everything" to forge ahead with changing the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, as a way to resolve the dispute with Greece and clear the way for Macedonia's possible entrance into NATO and the European Union. "Let's not play games," he said late on September 30. "Let's not play with our future. This issue is bigger than anything else, bigger than party interests. We have an obligation to make Macedonia a better place, otherwise the option that remains is early parliamentary elections right away," he added. President Gjorge Ivanov and opposition members of parliament led a boycott of the name change, calling such a move a "criminal act." But like Zaev, Western leaders and the UN chief also tried to put a positive spin on the outcome, glossing over the turnout issue and instead focusing on the resounding "yes" those that did manage to cast ballots gave the accord. In a statement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "all political forces" in Macedonia to proceed with the implementation of the agreement with Greece "through the country's institutions." The European Union's enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, and the bloc's foreign-policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said in a statement that "an overwhelming majority of those who exercised their right to vote said yes," to the agreement and their European path. "The parliament will now be called upon to proceed with the next steps for the implementation of the name agreement by deciding on the adoption of the constitutional changes," the statement, which made no reference at all to turnout, said. "This is a historic opportunity not only for reconciliation in the region, but also for decisively moving the country forward on its European Union path. It is for all political and institutional actors now to act within their constitutional responsibilities beyond party political lines. The European Union will continue to fully support and accompany the country, its institutions, and all its citizens. In a joint statement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council President Donald Tusk said the agreement between Athens and Skopje "created a historic opportunity for the country to join the transatlantic and European community, and called on Macedonian politicians to "seize this historic opportunity." The U.S. State Department too failed to note the turnout issue, saying in a statement it welcomed the results and that it "strongly supports" the full implementation of the accord between Macedonia and Greece, "which will allow Macedonia to take its rightful place in NATO and the EU, contributing to regional stability, security, and prosperity." Russia, which opposes NATO expansion eastward, said that the low turnout in Macedonia's referendum "does not permit to call the vote successful." In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said that Macedonian voters "preferred to boycott the decisions roughly forced upon Skopje and Athens." "There is a clear drive to ensure Skopje's entanglement in NATO despite the will of the Macedonian people," it added. Given the success of efforts to suppress turnout, analysts say Zaev faces a difficult test to muster enough support in parliament to push his agenda through. Officials in Zaev's government have said they have 71 parliamentary deputies ready to approve a constitutional amendment accepting the name change, short of the two-thirds majority, or 80 votes in parliament, needed to amend the constitution. Florian Bieber, a professor of Southeast European studies at the University of Graz in Austria, said that while the referendum was an obvious "failure and the result disappointing," a "credible argument" could be made that the deal was supported by a majority since the "yes" vote was so high and voter turnout is usually "well below" 70 percent in Macedonia. "Many more obstacles to overcome," Bieber added in a message on Twitter. Hristijan Mickoski, the leader of the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, said the strongest message in the referendum was sent by those who boycotted or voted against the deal with Greece. "The fact is that the name agreement did not get the green light, but a stop [sign] from the people," Mickoski said. Greece noted the "contradictory" results from the vote and said its outcome will require careful moves to "preserve the positive potential" of the deal between Athens and Skopje. "The climate of nationalism and suspicion, daily fake news, and extreme fanaticism unfortunately do not allow a sober assessment of the great benefits of the agreement," the Greek Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The European Union's enlargement commissioner, Johannes Hahn, said there was "broad support" for the agreement with Greece. Hahn said he expects "all political leaders to respect this decision and take it forward with utmost responsibility and unity across party lines, in the interest of the country." The U.S. State Department said it welcomed the results and that it "strongly supports" the full implementation of the accord between Macedonia and Greece, "which will allow Macedonia to take its rightful place in NATO and the EU, contributing to regional stability, security, and prosperity." The name dispute between Macedonia and Greece dates back to 1991, when Macedonia peacefully broke away from Yugoslavia. Greece says the name Macedonia implies territorial and cultural claims on the northern Greek region of the same name. Greece, an EU and NATO member, has cited the dispute to veto Macedonia's bids to join the two organizations. In June, Athens and Skopje hammered out a tentative compromise to end decades of squabbling if Macedonia adopts the new name. Macedonia's economy is sputtering after a two-year financial crisis that pushed unemployment above 20 percent, one of the highest rates in the Balkans, and an average monthly net salary of about $400, the lowest in the region. Analysts say further integrating Western Balkan countries such as Macedonia into European and transatlantic structures is the best way to ensure the stability and development of a region still healing from the bloody breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. With reporting by Reuters, AP, BBC, dpa, and Balkan Insight Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/macedonian-prime- minister-pledges-to-forge-ahead-despite-referendum -failure-on-turnout/29518792.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address After Its Name-Change Referendum, What's Next For Macedonia? Eugen Tomiuc October 01, 2018 Macedonia's weekend referendum on changing its name as part of a deal to end a decades-old dispute with neighboring Greece fell short of the 50 percent turnout required to make the nonbinding vote valid. The name change is part of an effort to clear a path toward Macedonia's eventual admission into NATO and the European Union, and government reaction, as well as that of some key outsiders, appears eager to shed the impression that the setback at the ballot box was anything but a win. Among the roughly 37 percent of eligible Macedonians who voted, the measure reportedly received strong support, prompting Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to vow to "do everything" to forge ahead with changing the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia. The situation raises several questions. Here are some of them: Why was the turnout so low, and what was the intended message of snubbing the vote? Many voters appeared to stay home after being urged to do so by the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, whose leader, Hristijan Mickoski, said after the vote that the result was a warning from the people that the government should abort the agreement. Analysts see other reasons as well. Florian Bieber, a professor of Southeast European studies at the University of Graz in Austria, told RFE/RL that there is also a small group of far-left Macedonians opposed to joining NATO. In addition, he said, "there are quite a few of the eligible voters who don't live in Macedonia anymore and voting for them would be difficult." Macedonian journalist Xhelal Neziri of the Center for Investigative Journalism SKUP is of the opinion that a majority of those who did not vote wanted to "punish" Zaev's ruling party for failing to keep its election promises, including a pledge to reduce unemployment. Neziri also suggested that foreign influence from countries including Russia, which opposes NATO expansion, might have played a role. The results among the minority who voted showed resounding support for the agreement -- 91.5 percent -- prompting a defiant Zaev to suggest he could nevertheless seek the required two-thirds majority in the 120-seat parliament for the name change and related constitutional changes by next week. He warned that if rejected by lawmakers, his only option would be to trigger early elections. Other government officials have hinted that he can count on the support of just 71 deputies -- nine short of the two-thirds mark. Can Zaev secure sufficient support among lawmakers? The odds of Zaev succeeding in parliament are slim but possible, Bieber speculated. "Above all, he will have to convince the opposition VMRO-DPMNE to support such a constitutional change, which seems quite difficult considering their rejection of the agreement." It's not impossible, he said, adding that while "maybe some MPs from the VMRO-DPMNE party will break up to give a two-thirds majority, I think at this moment early elections seem like the more likely outcome." Would early elections delay or endanger the implementation of the agreement with Greece, which is the paramount requirement for Macedonia's membership in NATO and the EU? According to Bieber, it's unclear whether a new parliament resulting from early elections would be more likely to ratify the deal. "The agreement is only implemented if Macedonia ratifies it, and that is something which will require some cooperation from the opposition either before or after the election," Bieber said. "Whether or not that will be the case seems entirely unclear." Political analyst Mitko Gadzovski, from the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy in Skopje, said early elections could be scheduled for next month, most likely for November 25, as Zaev has indicated. Zaev, Greece, the European Union, and the United States have hailed the result as a clear indication that Macedonians favor the deal, which would bring one of the poorest countries in the region tantalizingly close to EU and NATO membership. How can the referendum be considered a "success"? Macedonia's economy is still sputtering after two years of financial crisis, with a 20 percent unemployment rate and a $400 average monthly salary and the public clearly frustrated. So it is unclear that the government can take anything for granted. The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, said Macedonian "citizens expressed their support for NATO and European Union membership by accepting" the so-called Prespa agreement and urged Macedonia's leaders "to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tweeted that he "welcome[d] the yes vote" and urged "all political leaders & parties to engage constructively & responsibly to seize this historic opportunity." EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn cited "an overwhelming majority of those who exercised their right to vote" saying "yes" to the name change and "their European path." But critics might suggest the government misplaced its faith. "It's a clear failure because the referendum, legally speaking, is not valid and as a result it has failed," Bieber said. "Now, that didn't mean that there is a clear majority against the agreement. But neither is it a clear mandate because of the failure of the referendum. So it is a failure." Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman warned that Moscow was "observing closely and of course think that all the processes should remain within the framework of the law." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/after-referendum- what-next-for-macedonia-/29519640.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Over 90% of Macedonian Referendum Voters Chose to Rename Country Sputnik News 19:25 01.10.2018(updated 19:26 01.10.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Data from all polling stations where Macedonia residents voted in Sunday's consultative referendum to change the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia and join the EU and NATO showed that 91.46 percent voted for, whereas 5.65 percent voted against, the State Election Commission said in a statement Monday. Voter turnout was 36.91 percent or 667,000 people. In line with the law, at least half of the voters (903,170) must vote for the plebiscite to be valid. "The voices of those who voted will be the ones that decide. This is the message that we have been sending to citizens throughout the campaign. Those who decided to vote have supported the idea of a European Macedonia by a large margin," Macedonian Minister of Defense Radmila Sekerinska told reporters at a briefing. She added that the results of the vote should be a clear signal to all parties comprising the country's parliament. A total of 80 lawmakers out of 120 have to vote in favor of introducing the amendment to the constitution in order to implement the accord with Greece. The referendum was held after the Greek and Macedonian foreign ministers signed an accord in June, agreeing to rename the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of North Macedonia. The agreement came as a solution to the long-standing dispute over the use of the name "Macedonia," which is also the name of a region in Greece. If the country does change its name, it will allow Macedonia to become a member of the European Union and NATO, because prior to the agreement, the process was blocked by Greece, which expressed concerns that Skopje might try to claim Greece's own region of the same name. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian MFA: Kosovo Special Forces' Invasion of Serb-Populated Areas Provocation Sputnik News 17:43 01.10.2018(updated 18:12 01.10.2018) According to Moscow, the irresponsible actions of Kosovo's leadership could lead to a new cycle of destabilization and trigger a bloody conflict in the region. "The demonstrative invasion of Kosovan special forces in Serb-populated areas in the north of the province on September 29, which defied the existing agreements between Belgrade and Pristina, are simply a provocation aimed at intimidating Kosovan Serbs and putting pressure on Serbia," Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated Monday. She also criticized the peacekeepers, which were supposed to prevent possible conflicts in the region. "We condemn in this regard the passive behavior of the international forces in Kosovo, which have not taken any action, despite the fact that in accordance with the UNSC mandate, they are responsible for safeguarding peace and security in the territory," Zakharova stressed. About 60 servicemen of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo's special forces were deployed in the vicinity of Lake Gazivoda near the Belgrade-controlled Gazivoda hydroelectric power station, triggering a harsh reaction from Serbian authorities. In 2008, Kosovo's ethnic Albanian leadership unilaterally proclaimed independence from Serbia, which has never recognized the move. The self-proclaimed republic is currently recognized by more than 100 countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel Seeks to Justify Another Aggression - Lebanese Foreign Minister Sputnik News 17:24 01.10.2018(updated 17:32 01.10.2018) The Lebanese official responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly during which he claimed that Hezbollah tried to establish three missile conversion sites in Beirut. Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil claimed on Monday that Israel was attempting to "justify another aggression," using false allegations of missile sites belonging to Iran-backed Hezbollah, located in the country. "Israel is planning to violate the sovereignty of other countries, while it is forgetting Lebanon has defeated it. Israel's arrogance and 'new friends' will not help it this time," Bassil tweeted. Addressing the claims of the Israeli PM, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry invited all foreign ambassadors in the country to meet on Monday afternoon in order to examine the alleged Hezbollah bases. "The presentation will be followed by a visit to one of the sites near Beirut's airport," the Foreign Ministry said. In Thursday's speech, holding up a satellite image, Netanyahu accused Hezbollah of hiding missile sites around Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Suggestion to Allocate $2Bln for US Military Base in Poland Excited Trump - Duda Sputnik News 16:17 01.10.2018(updated 16:28 01.10.2018) WARSAW (Sputnik) - Polish President Andrzej Duda said in an interview with the Sieci newspaper on Monday that his suggestion to Donald Trump to allocate $2 billion for the creation of a US military base in Poland got the attention of his US counterpart and excited him. Duda told the outlet that he first floated the idea of establishing a permanent military base with Trump on the sidelines of a NATO summit in July. "I then said: 'Mr. President, we would like to have a permanent US base in Poland.' He nodded his head but didn't react. But when I added: 'But we are ready to allocate $2 billion to prepare it,' I saw his eyes shine," Duda said. He added that it became "a different kind of talk" after that. Duda noted that Poland aimed at shifting the "security border" in Europe thanks to the US troops. "US bases have proved to be a peace guarantor. Just recall the years of the Cold War, during which they showed their stabilizing power. This is how it was in Western Germany that resisted the pressure from the east with [US] help," the Polish president stated. He recalled that since many European countries enjoyed the US military presence, he considered it necessary to expand this presence and make it permanent. On September 18, US President Donald Trump said at a meeting with Duda that the United States was "considering" establishing a base in Poland. During the September meeting, Trump said Duda had offered to give more than $2 billion toward the cost of the facility. The Polish president also suggested naming it "Fort Trump." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Welcomes Results of Referendum on Macedonia's Name - Stoltenberg Sputnik News 00:51 01.10.2018(updated 01:01 01.10.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO welcomes the results of Macedonia's name consultative referendum and urges the country's leadership to "responsibly" use this historic opportunity, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. On Sunday, the referendum on the deal to change the name of Macedonia, officially known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, to the Republic of North Macedonia was held in the country. According to the State Election Commission, over 91 percent of voters supported renaming the country under the deal with Greece, while over five percent voted against. The referendum, however, failed to secure the necessary 50-percent turnout in order to make the vote valid and after counting data from over 91 percent of polling stations, the turnout amounted to 36.36 percent. "I welcome the yes vote in referendum. I urge all political leaders & parties to engage constructively & responsibly to seize this historic opportunity. #NATO's door is open, but all national procedures have to be completed," Stoltenberg said on Twitter. On June 17, Greek and Macedonian foreign ministers signed an agreement on the former Yugoslav Republic's renaming to the Republic of North Macedonia in the Prespa region, following a decades-long dispute over the use of "Macedonia," which Greece has been objecting to as this is also the name of one of its regions. The country's new constitutional name will open the way for Macedonia's accession to the European Union and NATO, which has long been blocked by Athens over concerns that the neighboring country might have territorial claims to Greece's own region of the same name. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'We must work together like never before' to realize sustainable development, says Canada at UN 1 October 2018 - The international community must work together in new ways, to bring the aspirations of the ambitious 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to life, Canada's head of delegation declared at the United Nations General Assembly. Addressing world leaders at the Assembly's annual debate, Marc-Andre Blanchard, chair of Canada's delegation called on the international community to find opportunities amidst challenges it confronts. "We have to find new ways of doing things, for silos to be broken between Governments and civil society; between Governments and the private sector; between North and South; and between the traditional so called like-minded and non-traditional like-minded." In particular, the response to climate change offers potential for new technologies, representing a 26 trillion-dollar opportunity, said Mr. Blanchard "To harness this opportunity, starting with the most vulnerable, small island States, we must all work together with scientists, multilateral institutions, regional banks, investors, and civil society like never before," he urged. In his address, the Canadian official spoke of the priorities of his country's G7 presidency, including its focus on strengthening climate resilience and disaster recovery. He went on to inform the General Assembly of the North American nation's participation in UN peacekeeping efforts, highlighting the "Elsie Initiative" a practical plan to double the number of women in peacekeeping operations. "We know that having women in the ranks and in charge makes peacekeeping more effective and its results more durable," said Mr. Blanchard. Turning to crises around the world, the Canadian official reiterated that his country's actions remain guided in its commitment to protect and promote human rights, citing a recent unanimous motion adopted by Canada's parliament calling on the Security Council to refer crimes against the Rohingya people to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Concluding his address, Mr. Blanchard announced Canada's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2021-22, recalling the country's "proven record" of working with other UN Member States to new ideas and approaches to tackle complex problems of international peace and security. "If elected to the Security Council, we will bring to bear our longstanding dedication to peacekeeping, our over thirty years of service as Chair of the UN's Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, and our active membership on the Peacebuilding Commission," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Timor-Leste exemplifies continued UN help in settling sea dispute with Australia, General Assembly told 1 October 2018 - TImor-Leste, a country which the United Nations shepherded to independence from Indonesia 16 years ago, is a prime example of what the world Organization can do in resolving international conflicts and disputes, Delegation Chair Maria Helena Pires told the General Assembly on Monday. "Timor-Leste is undoubtedly the leading example of the importance of an order based on international law. Next year, our Nation celebrates the 20th anniversary of the popular consultation organized by the United Nations, in which our people voted courageously for the independence," she said on the last day of the Assembly's seventy-third annual general debate. Speaking on behalf of Dionisio Baba Soares, Timor-Leste's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, she stressed the UN's continuing beneficial role in her country's affairs with the resolution this year of a maritime conflict with Australia, holding it up as an example for other countries. "Recently, the United Nations played again a major role in Timor-Leste's future. For the first time, a Conciliation Commission, established in 2016 under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), succeeded in the positive resolution of a longstanding dispute between Timor-Leste and Australia about the definition of maritime boundaries," she added. "This new [Maritime Boundary] treaty allowed us to consolidate national sovereignty and establish an important model for the peaceful resolution of international disputes. In a time of increasing global geopolitical tensions over maritime disputes, the success of the first conciliation process in history assume an unprecedented international significance. "Timor-Leste encourages other State Members to consider this mechanism for the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes. We believe that this mechanism will play an important role in appeasing global tensions on our seas." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thailand endorses Secretary-General's call to make UN more effective, Minister tells General Assembly 1 October 2018 - The United Nations needs to adapt to meet the challenges facing the world, Thailand's Deputy Foreign Minister Virasakdi Futrakul told the General Assembly on Monday, endorsing Secretary General Antonio Guterres's efforts to make the Organization more effective. "The United Nations needs to adapt to meet the challenges of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) environment to fulfil its noble mission of peace and security, development, and human rights," he said on the last day of speeches by delegation leaders to the Assembly's annual debate, which has seen scores of presidents and prime ministers lay out their vision for the future. Declaring that Thailand has been actively translating principles enshrined in the UN Charter into practices, to promote peace and security, to foster sustainable development, and to safeguard human rights, Mr. Virasakdi cited Thai participation in 20 peacekeeping and related missions since 1950 and highlighted his country's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. He noted Thailand's efforts to improve health, human rights and economic development, mitigate natural and manmade disasters, clean up oceans, and promote, and promote public-private partnerships in facing multiple challenges. "We support the Secretary-General's commitment to forge stronger linkages between peace, security and sustainable development, as we believe that it is indeed the economic and social development of the communities, and of the people, that stands at the centre of sustaining peace," he declared, calling for reforms to make the UN Security Council more representative, more inclusive and more democratic. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Global Goals promise to 'leave no one behind' is key for middle-income countries, Belarusian minister tells UN Assembly 1 October 2018 - In spite of the criticism levelled against the United Nations, there is no other such platform for cooperation or a multilateral mechanism based on "equal and respectful attitude towards each and every country and their needs," the foreign minister of Belarus told the General Assembly. "The search for answers to global challenges, the quest for ways to address common objectives clearly points out the following no country can solve them alone," asserted Vladimir Makei, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the land-locked eastern European nation. "Individual headway Is impossible without collective progress." In his address, Minister Makei also underlined the unique position of middle-income countries when it comes to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by UN Member States, in 2015 noting that while they offer the greatest potential for economic growth and are home to nearly three-quarters of the global population, middle-income countries also account for an overwhelming majority of the world's poor. This group of countries, he continued, are also the most vulnerable to global economic fluctuations, effects of conflicts, natural and man-made catastrophes, impact of climate change and epidemics, "which all combine to threaten social and economic stability and widen inequality." Further in his address, the Belarusian Minister underlined urgency of bring to an immediate end the "unwinding spiral" of geopolitical chaos that has plagued the international community over the past three decades. To that end, he called for States retaining their role as the primary international actors and that ensuring the respect for State sovereignty; strengthening the State and its role in domestic affairs; and a willingness among States to dialogue, listen to arguments and embracing reasonable compromises. "We are convinced that only dialogue can help resolve the deep crisis of trust in international relations and produce mechanisms conducive to peace and International security, as well as to sustainable development," he concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief urges all sides in former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to proceed with name change 'through country's institutions' 1 October 2018 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged all political forces in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to implement plans to undergo a formal name change, following a consultative referendum on Sunday, through the country's institutions. In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Guterres took note of the referendum outcome, and the importance of the fact that an overwhelming majority of those voting, supported the Prespa Agreement. Signed by FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on 12 June by Lake Prespa - which borders Greece, FYROM and Albania - the agreement is a mutual accord to resolve the long-running dispute between Greece and the FYROM, over the latter's name. Although more than 90 per cent of the voters backed the name change, only a third of eligible electors took part, according to news reports. To move forward with the change, the FYROM parliament must now vote in favour, with a two-thirds majority, and the Greek parliament must also give its approval. In his statement, the Secretary-General reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to "provide all necessary support, if required", both through his Personal Envoy and through the relevant UN agencies, funds and programmes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon Cancels Talks With China Amid Rising Tensions By Carla Babb October 01, 2018 The Pentagon has canceled plans for U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to visit China after his counterpart in Beijing could not be made available, a U.S. defense official told VOA on Monday. The trip was never finalized or formally announced. The Pentagon decided not to participate late last week after trying to schedule security talks with General Wei Fenghe, the defense official said. Trip plans for cabinet officials do fall through from time to time and are usually unreported. The trip cancellation comes after China last week recalled its naval chief, Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong, from a planned meeting in Newport, Rhode Island, and denied a Hong Kong port visit request from the USS Wasp warship. It also comes as the U.S. military has conducted several freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea. The United States frequently conducts freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to dispute China's claims and to promote free passage through international waters that carry half the world's merchant fleet tonnage, worth trillions of dollars each year. On Sunday, a Chinese military ship came "dangerously close" to a U.S. destroyer ship as it conducted a freedom of navigation operation in international waters within 12 nautical miles (22km) of the Spratly Islands, a defense official told VOA. "At approximately 0830 local time on Sept. 30, a PRC Luyang destroyer approached USS Decatur in an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver in the vicinity of Gaven Reef in the South China Sea," Navy Cmdr. Nate Christensen, the deputy spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, told VOA. Christensen added that the Chinese military ship carried out "increasingly aggressive maneuvers" and sailed within about 40 meters of USS Decatur's bow, causing the ship to maneuver in order to prevent a collision. U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers also conducted transit operations in international airspace over the South China Sea and East China Sea last week, which the Pentagon called part of "continuous bomber presence" in the region, and China called "provocative." Secretary Mattis met with his counterpart in Beijing in June, along with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Since then, China and the U.S. have been engaged in a trade war, with Washington last week placing tariffs on another $200 billion of Chinese imports. Tensions are also high over U.S. President Donald Trump's authorization of a $1.3 billion arms sale to Taiwan, which Beijing considers a renegade province, and Trump's sanctions for Beijing's recent purchase of Russian military equipment. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Shabab Attacks EU Convoy in Mogadishu, Two Killed By Harun Maruf October 01, 2018 A suicide bomber drove a car into a Western military convoy in Mogadishu on Monday, killing two people and injuring four. Witnesses and officials say the car, packed with explosives and driven by a suicide bomber, hit an armored military vehicle belonging to the Italian military outside the Jaalle Siyad military base in the Somali capital's Hodan district. The al-Shabab militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. Aamin Ambulance services in Mogadishu reported that the bodies of two men killed in the explosion were recovered, and four injured people including a child and a woman were transported. All the victims are civilians, witnesses and officials say. It's not known if any Italian military personnel were hurt in the attack. The personnel are in Mogadishu as part of a European Union military mission to train Somali government forces. A witness told VOA Somali that the incident took place on the October 21 Road. "The Italian convoy was coming from the opposite side, but before we passed each other, the explosion erupted, we were covered by [a] plume of smoke, then I jumped out of my car," said one witness, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said the Italian military personnel did not fire after the explosion hit their convoy. He said he believes that restraint may have saved other lives. Charcoal smuggling Meanwhile, Somalia has expressed "deep regret" that a ship carrying more than 200,000 bags of charcoal smuggled out of Somalia has docked at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr. The Somali ambassador to the United Nations, Abukar Dahir Osman, told VOA Somali that the ship docked at Umm Qasr late last month. Osman says charcoal production, which begins with the cutting down of trees, harms the environment in Somalia. However, he said, businessmen who are involved in the tree cutting have forged relationships with al-Shabab. "[Charcoal is] the biggest source of income for al-Shabab, and it enables them to continue the war," Osman said, adding that al-Shabab receives about $7 from each bag of charcoal. United Nations investigators told the Security Council in November 2017 that al-Shabab earns approximately $10 million per year through the illicit charcoal trade. Somalia has urged Iraq to carry out an investigation and to "be swift in actions to halt" giving clearance to the ships smuggling charcoal out of the country. VOA's Abdulkadir Mohamed Abdulle contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macedonia's PM Determined His Country Should Join NATO By Jamie Dettmer October 01, 2018 Macedonia's prime minister says he will seek a vote in parliament to change his country's name in a bid to end a 27-year dispute with neighboring Greece and enable Macedonia to join NATO. Despite most voters' shunning of Sunday's referendum on the renaming of the Balkan country, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said he has the mandate he needs to proceed. His aides and Western diplomats also have accused Russia of mounting a coordinated disinformation campaign in the run-up to the vote to suppress turnout. Only a third of the country's 1.8 million electorate cast votes on changing Macedonia's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, far short of the 50 percent threshold that would have made the plebiscite binding in parliament. Those who did vote overwhelmingly backed the name change, with 91.3 percent favoring the rebranding, compared to 5.7 percent opposed, according to the electoral commission. "The people made a great choice and said 'yes' to our future. It is time for lawmakers to follow the voice of the people and to provide support," Zaev said at a press conference Sunday. "The will of those who voted now must be turned into political action inside parliament." His aides acknowledge they are in for a tough political fight in the 120-seat parliament and fear disruption from nationalists, some allegedly funded by the Kremlin, as they forge ahead. The United States and the European Union urged Macedonian lawmakers to back the change, saying voters had "expressed their support for NATO and EU membership." "As Macedonia's parliament now begins deliberation on constitutional changes, we urge leaders to rise above partisan politics and seize this historic opportunity to secure a brighter future for the country as a full participant in Western institutions," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Greece has blocked Macedonia's joining NATO because of the long-running quarrel over the name, which goes back to when Macedonia declared independence as Yugoslavia broke apart more than two decades ago. For both Greeks and Macedonians, the name is tied to national identity. Ancient Greece's Macedonia stretched across both present-day countries and was the birthplace of Greek heroes, including Alexander the Great. In June, the Greek and Macedonian prime ministers, urged on by Washington and Brussels, reached a landmark compromise, known as the Prespa Agreement, under which Greece would drop its objections to Macedonia's joining the EU and NATO in return for the name change. In both Greece and Macedonia, nationalists have mounted fierce opposition to the deal, among them Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov, who dubbed it a "flagrant violation of sovereignty." Nationalists on Sunday night celebrated the low turnout, declaring it a victory for the opposition camp. "It is clear that the agreement with Greece has not received the green light from the people," nationalist Hristijan Mickoski told journalists. Western diplomats say Macedonia, like the Balkans as a whole, has become part of a tug-of-war between Russia and NATO. Internet monitors from research institutions say dozens of suspicious campaign websites appeared before the referendum, urging voters to stay away from polling stations and to boycott the name change, arguing that Macedonian ethnic and national identities were under threat. Russian-owned media outlets echoed the warning. Days before the voting, internet monitors at the Atlantic Council, a New York-based research group, said "Macedonia's information environment is becoming clouded with distorted and polarizing narratives by some Russian media outlets, especially from Sputnik a state-funded online outlet." Recently, the U.S. ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey Pyatt, accused Russia of trying to block Western Balkan states from joining NATO, citing a coup attempt last year in Montenegro as part of that effort. In an interview with VOA, he said "we are very sensitive to the role that Russia continues to play across this region. Illustrated by the coup attempt in Montenegro. Illustrated in Russia's attempt to derail the Prespa Agreement between Athens and Skopje. Illustrated by the use of energy as a political weapon." The Kremlin dismisses claims of underhand interference in the Balkans. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, has accused the U.S. and the European Union of trying to force western Balkan countries to choose between Russia or the West. Disputes in the region "must be settled on the basis of mutual consent of all the interested parties, with full respect of the opinion of the population of the relevant countries," he said during a visit last month to Bosnia-Herzegovina. Even so, Russia openly opposed Sunday's vote, with its ambassador in Skopje warning Macedonians they could become a "legitimate target," if relations between Moscow and NATO deteriorate further. For all of his determination, Prime Minister Zaev will face a challenge in getting the name change, say analysts. The nationalist opposition holds 49 seats in the 120-seat parliament, enough to block the two-thirds majority required to change the constitution. If Zaev fails, his only alternative would be to call early elections. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S.C. National Guard prepares for the worst on Sampit River By Airman 1st Class Cameron Lewis, 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard October 1, 2018 GEORGETOWN, S.C. -- More than 60 Soldiers with South Carolina's 125th Multi-Role Bridge Company, out of Abbeville, were mobilized Sept. 11, and continue to provide support to local communities in response to Hurricane Florence and its aftermath. Guard members still have their work cut out for them. According to the Associated Press, about 6,000 to 8,000 people in Georgetown County, South Carolina, were alerted to be prepared to evacuate ahead of a "record event" of up to 10 feet of flooding expected from heavy rains dumped by Florence, county spokeswoman Jackie Broach-Akers said. She said flooding is expected to begin Tuesday near parts of the Pee Dee and Waccamaw rivers and that people in potential flood zones should plan to leave their homes Monday. As a multi-role bridge company, the 125th has helped build HESCO rapid deployment flood barriers, filled, stacked and transported thousands of sandbags, and members are now preparing for bridging operations in the Sampit River here. "We put up at least a half-mile of HESCOs in Conway, before coming here to prep our equipment for ferry missions," said U.S. Army Sgt. Travell Simpkins, a bridge builder with the 125th MRBC. If a main supply route were to be shut down the 125th MRBC would be able to transport both supply and emergency response vehicles across the river, said U.S. Army Spc. Cody Watkins, a bridge crew member with the 125th MRBC. When the military responds to events like this the service members get to see first hand how each unit is a part of the big picture. "A lot of us are staying at Georgetown Middle School here," said Sgt. Michelle Green, a medic supporting the 125th MRBC assigned to South Carolina National Guard's Medical Command in Columbia. "Working directly with the MRBC we get to learn what they do and see how the Army comes together and works as a whole." As Citizen-Soldiers, South Carolina Guard members are able to better understand what local civilians are going through and build an even stronger bond by providing relief and support for the communities within the state. "We've done just about everything we possibly can to prepare for the possible flooding," said Watkins. "There are boats in the water, float bridges in the water, and flood barriers set up throughout the town. Now we just wait and see what happens." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FATF rejects Saudi membership, citing lack of action against illicit funding Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 10:58AM Saudi Arabia has failed to get full membership in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global body aimed at fighting illicit money flows and terror financing. The FATF announced Sunday that the kingdom had failed to meet the required standards on fighting money laundering and terror financing. The 37-member inter-governmental body's decision deals a blow to Riyadh's plans to repair its image as a supporter of extremist, Wahhabi-inspired groups in a bid to lure in foreign investors and complete an ambitious plan to overhaul its oil-based economy. The kingdom was rejected after undergoing what the FATF calls as the "mutual evaluation" procedure. The evaluation found that Saudi Arabia had a low or moderate level of effectiveness for 7 of the 11 criteria it was assessed on for countering money laundering and terror financing, the Reuters reported, citing a FATF spokeswoman. "This means that Saudi Arabia will not be granted membership status at this point," the spokeswoman said. "Nevertheless, since the mutual evaluation is close to being satisfactory, the membership process therefore continues." She noted that Saudi Arabia would not be granted full membership until it adequately addresses the deficiencies identified by the organization. The Saudi regime has been running an aggressive crackdown on the country's senior officials as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's purported campaign to address graft and abuse of power. Critics say the plan is a cover for the young heir apparent's crackdown on dissent and his impulse to eliminate anyone deemed a threat to his ambitions. Last week, Riyadh amended its anti-corruption law to remove a 60-day statute of limitations for probing such corruption claims against current or former ministers. Saudi security forces have so far taken dozens of Saudi princes and businessmen into custody on bin Salman's orders. Some of the detainees have effectively bought their freedom after reaching financial settlements with the government. Riyadh says it has bagged over $100 billion through such deals. According to the mutual evaluation report, Saudi banks had filed reports about suspicious transactions involving over 200 individuals. However, the FATF concluded that Saudi Arabia was not effectively investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in larger scale money laundering and such investigations remained "too low" in number. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Court OKs Extradition To Belgium Of Iranian Diplomat Suspected In Bomb Plot October 01, 2018 A German court has approved the extradition to Belgium of an Iranian diplomat arrested on suspicion of terrorism. Assadollah Assadi was based in Austria before his July detention in Germany, where a court said on October 1 that his diplomatic immunity did not apply. "The suspect cannot cite diplomatic immunity because he was on a several-day holiday trip outside of his host state, Austria, and not travelling between his host country and the state that dispatched him," the Superior Regional Court in the Bavarian city of Bamberg said in a statement. It was not immediately clear when Assadi, who was accredited as a counsellor at the Iranian Embassy in Vienna, would be handed over to Belgian authorities, who accuse him of being part of an alleged plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally in France. The man will be held in a German prison until then. Belgian authorities accuse Assadi of being part of an alleged plot to bomb an Iranian opposition rally in France. Iran has denied the existence of any such plot, with Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying the allegations "aimed at damaging EU-Iran relations." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi on October 1 criticized the German court decision, saying, "We hope that the German government promptly realizes the realities in this case and sends the diplomat back to Iran," according to the semiofficial ISNA news agency. A total of four Western European countries -- France, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, and Germany -- are so far involved in the story of the alleged plot. On June 30, Iranian opposition supporters gathered in the Paris suburb of Villepinte for a rally of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a Paris-based umbrella bloc of opposition groups that back the overthrow of Iran's clerical leadership. That day in Brussels, law enforcement authorities apprehended two Belgian nationals of Iranian origin -- a husband and wife -- with 500 grams of explosive and a detonation device found in their car. The two were described as Belgian nationals of Iranian origin known as Amir A. and Nasimeh N. Meanwhile, French police detained an alleged accomplice of the pair, identified as Merhad A., in the French capital. He was also described as a Belgian national of Iranian descent. And Assadi was taken into custody on July 1 near the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg on an European arrest warrant. German prosecutors allege that Assadi is an intelligence agent who met in late June with the husband and wife team in Luxembourg, where he handed the couple the explosives. His arrest triggered diplomatic protests, with the Austrian Foreign Ministry summoning the Iranian ambassador in Vienna, and the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoning envoys from France, Germany, and Belgium. With reporting by AP, dpa, AFP, and the BBC Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/german- court-approves-extradition-of-iranian-diplomat- suspected-in-bomb-plot/29518877.html Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address German Court Approves Extradition of Iranian Diplomat Over Bomb 'Plot' Sputnik News 10:53 01.10.2018(updated 11:28 01.10.2018) Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, who is believed to be an intelligence agent, ordered a couple to attack the rally and had given them the explosives at a June meeting in Luxembourg. Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi, linked to an alleged bomb plot against an Iranian opposition rally, will be extradited from Germany according to the court's ruling. "The wanted man cannot cite diplomatic immunity because he was on a several day holiday trip outside his host state Austria and not traveling between his host country and the state that dispatched him," the superior regional court in Bamberg said in a statement. Assadi was detained in July near the German city of Aschaffenburg on a European warrant after a couple of people of Iranian origin were arrested in Belgium and authorities reported finding powerful explosives in their car. The diplomat was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and being a foreign agent. Belgian authorities have accused Assadi of being part of an alleged plot aimed at reportedly setting off explosives at a huge annual rally of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq group, or MEK, in neighboring France. Six people linked to the case were seized legally in Belgium, France and Germany, two of whom were later released. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SpaceX Uses Dumping to Drive Russia Out of Space Launch Market - Roscosmos Sputnik News 01:48 02.10.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Elon Musk, the co-owner and CEO of the US aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, has been using dumping on the space launch market in order to crowd out Russia, head of Russia's State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said Monday. "If you look at the price at which [Musk] sells Falcon [rocket launch vehicles] to the Pentagon and what its price is on the market, you'll see that it is pure dumping. In order to drive Russia out of this market he sells launches for $40-50 million, sometimes $50-60 million," Rogozin told Russia's Channel One. The Roscosmos head indicated that the US Defense Department, in turn, paid Musk an average of $150 million for every launch. "So you see, [Musk] is paid more in order to enable him to offer cheaper items on the market. And, clearly, Russia cannot compete [in such conditions]. We cannot ask [the Russian] Defense Ministry for a price for launch which is three, four or five times higher in the interest of our national security," Rogozin said. Rogozin noted, at the same time, that Musk was a very talented engineer and PR specialist. Rogozin also said that the serial production of Russia's Angara heavy-lift rocket will enable Russia to rank first in terms of space launches again. "We will do everything possible in order to implement all our plans, which consist of moving to serial closed-loop production cycle of our new Angara rocket. In 2019, we will carry out another launch of heavy-lift Angara and starting in 2023 we will proceed with its serial production We will come back and be the first again, I promise you," Rogozin said. He also said that US sanctions in relation to Russian defense industry products will not work, because they are made from domestic components, while in the space sector Russia and the United States are mutually dependent. "I strongly doubt that sanctions can have any significant impact on the volumes and quality of production. All that needed to be replaced, we have already replaced," Rogozin said in an interview with Channel 1 television. He admitted, though, that the sanctions on the supply of microelectronics products to Russia were "quite painful." "But we are coping with that," Rogozin stressed. The head of Russia's State Space Corporation Roscosmos also said that China is able to become an equal partner of Russia in the exploration of the Moon in the coming years. "We do not rule out that our manned program for the Moon, the construction of a scientific station on the surface of the moon, may become joint projects with our Chinese counterparts. They [the Chinese] can become our equal partners in the coming years," Rogozin said in an interview with Channel 1 television. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hong Kong to uphold 'one country, two systems' principle, develop jointly with motherland: HKSAR chief executive People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 13:47, October 01, 2018 HONG KONG, Oct. 1 -- Hong Kong, both a "contributor" to and "beneficiary" of the motherland's 40 years of reform and opening up, should uphold the original spirit of the "one country, two systems" principle and continue developing jointly with the country, Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Monday. Lam made the remarks at the National Day reception held by the HKSAR government to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. "The concept of 'one country, two systems' was advanced, first and foremost, to realize and uphold national unity... Today, as we celebrate the National Day, let us not forget the original spirit of 'one country, two systems' but bear in mind the mission of upholding our country's sovereignty, security and development interests," Lam said when addressing the around 4,000 attendees including members of the HKSAR executive and legislative councils, the consular corps, government officials, community group leaders and members of various community sectors. Lam said this year's National Day celebration is "particularly meaningful" as it coincided with the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up. "Hong Kong has been playing the role of a 'contributor' as well as a 'beneficiary' in China's reform and opening up," she said. "In these 40 years, Hong Kong has been leveraging its advantages to serve the country's needs, developing jointly and sharing prosperity with the country." As the country is entering a new historical era for further development, Hong Kong must keep reinforcing and enhancing its global competitiveness, proactively seize the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as better integrate into the overall development of the country, Lam said, pointing out that the HKSAR government has been working with the strong support from the central government to create new areas of economic growth. "For such work to flourish and bear fruit, as for a tree to grow tall and luxuriant, its roots must run deep and strong," she said, stressing that the "roots" lied in the upholding of the principle of "one country". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China cancels security talks with Pentagon chief Mattis Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 03:31PM A security meeting between US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart has been canceled, the latest sign of deteriorating ties between Beijing and Washington. A senior US official said Sunday that China canceled the meeting that had been planned for October, days after a top Chinese official said there was no reason to panic over growing tensions between the countries. The official, who is involved in China policy and spoke on condition of anonymity, said China could not make Mattis's counterpart available for the planned meeting, souring the Pentagon on the idea. "The tension is escalating, and that could prove to be dangerous to both sides," the official said. The US Defense Department had been working on the possibility of a meeting between the Pentagon chief and his counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, as part of the diplomatic and security dialogue, US officials said. The US-China diplomatic and security dialogue was held for the first time in June last year in Washington and was supposed to occur annually. The cancellation was first reported by The New York Times. Sources in Beijing said last week the security meeting may not take place because of the tensions in relations between the two countries. China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, said on Friday at the UN General Assembly that there was "no cause for panic" over friction between Beijing and Washington, but warned that China would not be blackmailed or yield to pressure over trade. A number of recent developments have heightened tension between Beijing and Washington. The Mattis cancellation was confirmed shortly after a US Navy warship sailed near at least two Chinese-held outposts in the disputed Spratly island chain in the South China Sea on Sunday, challenging Beijing's maritime claims. At a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, President Donald Trump accused Beijing of seeking to meddle in November's US midterm congressional elections to stop him and his Republican Party from doing well because of his China trade policies. Trump provided no evidence for his allegation. At the same meeting, Wang rejected the charge. The United States and China are also engaged in a worsening trade war that has seen them impose several rounds of tariffs on each other's exports. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Calls Off Talks With Pentagon Chief as Tensions With US Snowball - Reports Sputnik News 19:51 01.10.2018 The months-long tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington hasn't yet shown any signs of stopping, but has, conversely, grown more intense in light of both trade issues with regard to tariffed imports, and an array of military-related moves, such as arms sales to Taiwan and China's military deals with Russia. According to a New York Times Sunday report citing an unnamed military staffer, China cancelled annual diplomatic and security talks in Beijing with US Defense Secretary James Mattis, which was slated for mid-October, because a senior military officer would not be available to meet with Mattis. The Chinese side had previously lauded the plans as an opportunity for relations between the countries to thaw. Separately, the newspaper reported that US Vice President Mike Pence is expected to take the floor this week, focusing on the White House's concerns with China's policies. As recently as last week, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson accused the US of conducting "provocative" flights over the contested South China Sea and thereby exacerbating a military spat between the two nations. The trade issue has also remained an apple of discord in the bilateral relations, even more so since President Trump last month imposed an extra $200 billion in tariffs on China-manufactured goods, insisting that the tariffs are essential to kick-start fair trade with the second biggest economy. In response, China slapped reciprocal duties amounting to tens of billions of dollars. The row, meanwhile, has outgrown the trade issues, as Washington also slapped limitations on a Chinese state military company for buying weapons from Russia, and initiated sales of an estimated $330 million worth of military equipment to Taiwan, which under the "One China policy," to which the US notably adheres, is considered to be a Chinese territory. China issued a note of protest against the move shortly afterwards. Last week, Trump alleged at a United Nations Security Council gathering in New York that China was interfering in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections, intentionally targeting Republicans to express its dissatisfaction with Washington's trade policy. China responded, noting during the high-profile UN event that it "did not and will not" meddle in "any country's domestic affairs." Also, a senior American foreign policy official, Matt Pottinger, who deals with China on the National Security Council, summed up the administration's attitude to China last week, telling an audience at the celebration of national day at the Chinese Embassy in the US capital that the United States was intent on competing with China. "For us, in the United States, competition is not a four-letter word," the senior official, Pottinger gibed. According to the cited source, it is not immediately clear whether it is last week's episodes that provoked the decision to ditch the planned meeting. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Working on Laser Satellite to Spot Submarines 500 Meters Deep Sputnik News 00:47 02.10.2018 China is stepping up its underwater surveillance, working now to develop a powerful laser satellite that could one day be capable of targeting submarines transiting the ocean 500 meters below the surface, a feat that hasn't been accomplished before. The deepest a laser device has been able to penetrate through ocean water and still provide reliable results so far is 200 meters, a depth record set by a device created by the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), according to the South China Morning Post. Beijing's new effort, which began in May, was launched by the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology in Shandong Province, the Post reported Monday, noting that an additional 20 institutes and universities in the country are working on designing the satellite. If successful, the satellite's laser beam could zero in on a submarine and shoot back pulses to the satellite that would be analyzed to pinpoint the vessel's location, three-dimensional shape and speed. The beams, used in conjunction with microwave radar technology, would be able to scan areas as wide as roughly 100 kilometers or focus on areas measuring just 1 kilometer. However, not all is likely to go smoothly, since the Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) technology being used to scan the ocean could create some troubles for officials. According to the Post, obstacles including clouds, fog, murky waters and fish could cause the satellite to report false submarine detections or just flat out fail to produce results due to the beam's inability to penetrate deep into the waters. The matter of the beam being deflected is a top concern among officials, with some suggesting that the project's hope of penetrating some 500 meters below the surface is just not possible. "Five hundred meters is 'mission impossible,'" an anonymous lidar scientist from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics who is not involved with the project told the publication. "[Project researchers] won't be able to break through the darkness guarded by Mother Nature unless of course they are Tom Cruise, armed with some secret weapons." Beijing's decision to proceed with the project is a potential breakthrough offered by a new, as-yet-unexplained "innovative approach" that hasn't been attempted in the past, a scientist involved in the project told the Hong Kong-based outlet. Presently, it's unclear when the satellite is intended to go live. Zhang Tinglu, a researcher who spoke on the record and is involved in the project, told the Post that "there's still heaps of problems that we need to solve." As China prepares to dive deeper with its underwater surveillance capabilities, the nation is also looking to expand its goals in space. China's lunar program, which is expected include four moon missions, will see its first leg begin by the end of the year, Sputnik previously reported. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S.Korea, DPRK launch landmine removal in border areas People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 12:11, October 01, 2018 SEOUL, Oct. 1 -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday launched the removal of landmines in border areas as part of efforts to implement the inter-Korean military agreement, local media reported citing Seoul's defense ministry. The militaries of the two Koreas started removing landmines in the Joint Security Area (JSA) inside the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which has left the Korean Peninsula divided since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with armistice. The two sides agreed to disarm the JSA under the military agreement, which was signed by defense chiefs during the Pyongyang summit in September between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. The removal works would last for 20 days. The two Koreas and the UN Command, which oversees activities in the DMZ, would reportedly launch consultations on how to operate troops in the JSA after the disarmament. Troops in the JSA have been banned from crossing the military demarcation line (MDL) since the 1976 incident, in which DPRK soldiers axed two U.S. soldiers. Before the incident, the troops were allowed to freely move inside the JSA. The militaries of the two Koreas also launched the landmine removal works in the eastern border areas in Cheorwon, Gangwon province, to prepare for the joint excavation of the Korean War remains. The landmine removal works would last for 60 days. The joint excavation would kick off in April next year. Enditem NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South, North Korea Start Demining Demilitarized Zone Sputnik News 09:09 01.10.2018(updated 09:10 01.10.2018) TOKYO (Sputnik) - Troops from North Korea and South Korea have started removing landmines from the demilitarized zone that separates the two countries as part of an agreement to search for the remains of soldiers killed in the 1950-1953 Korean War, the South Korean Defense Ministry told Sputnik. There could be several tens of thousands of landmines in the demilitarized area, the South Korean Defense Ministry stated. Within the next 20 days, the troops are supposed to remove all landmines from the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA) in the shared border village of Panmunjom, where the South Korean and North Korean leaders held their historic April summit. The sides will also be demining the Cheorwon County in South Korea's Gangwon Province, where the remains of some 500 troops, including about 300 UN soldiers, are estimated to be buried, according to media reports. The search for remains will take place in Cheorwon between April 1 and October 31, 2019. In September, Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un met for the third time this year, contributing to the change in relations between the two countries that have been estranged since the end of World War II. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Main rival of Barzani's KDP to reject Kurdistan's election results Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 11:24AM The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the main parties in northern Iraq, says it will not recognize the results of Sunday's parliamentary elections in the semi-autonomous region, claiming fraud. The preliminary results of Sunday's parliamentary elections, the first since a disastrous separation referendum last year, are expected within 72 hours. The PUK, the traditional rival of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Massoud Barzani who was Kurdistan's president from 2005 until 2017, said it made the decision because the voting process was marred by fraud. The KDP currently holds 38 seats in the 111-member chamber, while the PUK has 18 at the local legislature. With a weak opposition, the political dynasties were expected to extend their power-sharing arrangement. Despite last year's disastrous separation referendum, Barzani has reportedly managed to retain a support base. The region suffered heavily after the secession vote last September, which led to a crisis in ties with the federal government in Baghdad. After the referendum, Baghdad banned flights to the region and imposed economic penalties. It also retook the control of the northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which had been overrun by Kurdish militants. Since 2014, the Iraqi Kurdistan region has borrowed more than $4 billion to stay afloat, according to some experts. Before the failed referendum, it had built up a debt of around $12 billion. A weak participation in the election was reported. The turnout has dropped in recent elections due to the region's stagnant politics, unpaid public sector salaries and corruption which undermined the population's faith in politics. "The future authorities must look after the people, especially the poor," said Soran Rassoul, an unemployed man who voted in Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan's second city. Hikmet Hakim, another voter in his late 40s, agreed, saying "We demand from the new government security and that they deal well with the economic situation." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fierce Critic of US Military Bases Elected as Governor of Okinawa Sputnik News 17:07 01.10.2018(updated 18:25 01.10.2018) The surprise victory comes amidst ongoing protests by locals against the US' mammoth military presence on the island, which activists say has long contributed to social and environmental degradation Danny Tamaki, the son of a US Marine and a Japanese mother has been victorious in an election for Okinawa's governorship, running on a platform opposing US bases on the island. Mr Tamaki secured 55.1% of the vote in Sunday's hotly contested election, shoving the Tokyo-backed Atsushi Sakima out of the picture. Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, showed images of jubilation as Okinawans danced and celebrated what they widely perceive as the defeat of a candidate, Sakima, who would have failed to challenge Tokyo and Washington over the presence and expansion of US military bases on the island. Despite making up only 0.6% of Japan's total land mass, Okinawa hosts 62% of the US military presence there. Okinawa's local government has long been at odds with Tokyo, including with incumbent Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, over the presence of US military forces stationed on Okinawa, which Tokyo argues is vital to Japanese national security. Futenma Air base A particular point of contention is the planned relocation of the US Marine's Futenma air base, a sprawling complex with a 148 foot runway which is home to approximately 3,000 marines. The base is located square in the centre of Ginowan city, which has a population of roughly 93,661 people. The base's close proximity to such a large civilian population, which includes tightly packed schools, parks and residential homes, reportedly led then US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in 2003 to declare it "the most dangerous base in the world." Rumsfeld's concerns were vindicated by an incident in 2017, which saw the window of a Futenma-based Marine helicopter fall off mid-flight, injuring a child on a school playing field below. After years of sustained protests by the locals, including regular lobbying trips to the US by the island's former governor, Takeshi Onaga, Washington and Tokyo agreed in 2005 to relocate the Futenma base to a less populated area in the North of Okinawa, called Henoko. Yet, many on the pacific island argue that they have been lumbered, for far too long, with the burden of hosting such a behemoth US force. As a result, locals would rather see the US presence extirpated entirely, rather than simply moved to another location on the island. Throughout his campaign for the governorship, Mr Tamaki staunchly promised to oppose and refuse the relocation of Futenma, and instead to have it closed entirely. After his win, Tamaki sent out a Tweet in which he said that the "fight is just beginning." There are about 50,000 US serviceman stationed in Japan, with a large bulk of them in Okinawa, which many have pointed to as the source of ongoing social and environmental issues. According to reports, since 1998, there have been over 415 toxic spills and dumping from the military facilities. Much of this waste has seeped into Okinawa's natural ecology, damaging plant life and reducing the diversity of species found there. US serviceman have also played a role in exacerbating already strained social tensions between local Okinawans and the US military presence. A number of marines have been indicted over the years for alcohol-induced disorderly behaviour, as well as the rape, and even murder, of local citizens. In 2017, one such soldier, Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, 33, confessed to the rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. One case in particular that haunts the collective Okinawan psyche is that of a 1995 incident in which three US serviceman abducted, beat and raped a 12-year-old girl. Such grim occurrences have only served to compound concerns about the continued presence of US forces in Okinawa. Washington has maintained a military force on the island since the defeat of Japan at the end of World War II in 1945. As part of the country's surrender terms with the allies, it was not allowed to form its own offensive military force, but would instead receive 'defense' from the US in exchange for hosting bases. The marine presence has remained ever since. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Okinawa Residents Seek $10 Million in Damages Over US Aircraft Noise Pollution Sputnik News 01:59 02.10.2018 A group of nearly 3,000 Japanese residents has sued the Japanese government over excessive noise from US aircraft flying over Okinawa, where the US maintains several military bases. "Seventy-three years after the war, we have been facing great danger by a number of emergency landings, crashes and falling objects as well as the noise interrupting our daily conversations and causing issues watching TVs and listening to radios," Kenei Yamashiro, 79, said during Friday court proceedings, Stars and Stripes reports. "Night flight from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. is supposedly restricted. However, it has been happening and causing serious health issues from sleep deprivation," the elder said. The initial lawsuit was filed in July, according to the news outlet. The 2,800 residents of Ginowan, Okinawa, are seeking $10 million in compensation for damages sustained by US air operations. If successful, each resident could walk away with approximately $3,570. An attorney for the residents told Stars and Stripes the plaintiffs aren't actually interested in seeing the flights stop. "[We are] just asking for the monetary settlement because the majority of plaintiffs are elderly," the lawyer told Stars and Stripes. If history repeats itself, the citizens are in a good position to have their complaints heard and their grievances redressed. Some 3,400 other Okinawa citizens won more than $22 million after complaining of excessive noise from jets near Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in late 2016, Sputnik News reported. Yet another lawsuit in 2017 ended in a settlement awarding a massive $265 million to residents near the US Air Force's Kadena Air Base, which was also located on Okinawa Island. Last September, Okinawa's Parliament adopted a resolution to block the deployment of accident-prone US MV-22 Osprey aircraft on the island, Sputnik News reported. Tokyo allowed MV-22 flights from Okinawa anyway. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Reduces Cost for China-Funded Rail Project By Ayaz Gul October 01, 2018 Pakistan announced Monday a reduced estimated cost for revamping of the country's nearly 1,900-kilometer colonial-era railway line under an ongoing bilateral economic development mega project funded by China. The upgrade to "standard gauge" of what is known as the Main Line-1 (ML-1), which connects the southern port city of Karachi to the northwestern city of Peshawar, was originally priced at $8.2 billion, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed said. The rail project is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a package of highways, railways, ports, power plants and special economic zones Islamabad is building with Chinese funding and expertise. "The estimated cost of CPEC agreement (for ML-1) was $8.2 billion. Today, the estimated project cost stands at $6.2 billion. The amount we have cut was the share of people (in kickbacks and commissions)," Rashid noted. He did not say whether the Pakistani or the Chinese side was to be blamed for the inflated initial price. Rashid also said his ministry will try to further lower the cost because, "ultimately, our poor nation will have to pay back the Chinese loan." But the minister strongly dismissed suggestions the scrutiny of Chinese-funded projects would slow down the construction process or undermine Islamabad's traditionally strong ties with China. "CPEC is like the backbone for Pakistan, but our eyes and ears are open. We are proud of the friendship with our great tested friend China," the minister said. Prime Minister Imran Khan's government, which took charge in August, has vowed to root out corruption in the country, and it has been questioning certain CPEC-related projects the previous government negotiated and signed with China, mainly due to high costs. Belt and Road Initiative Beijing regards CPEC as the flagship project of its global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and it is expected to bring an estimated $60 billion in direct and indirect investment to Pakistan within the next 15 years. Officials say that 22 "early harvest" projects are either nearing completion or have been completed, bringing in more than $19 billion in Chinese investment since the two countries launched CPEC in 2015. Chinese President Xi Jinping has pushed the BRI as a means of increasing international trade and goodwill through massive infrastructure spending. Morgan Stanley has estimated the initiative will cost $1.3 trillion by 2027. Xi has called it the "project of the century," comparing it to the ancient Silk Road that made China a hub of international commerce. Pakistan joins a growing chorus of countries concerned about infrastructure deals struck with China under previous administrations. Beijing has repeatedly rejected criticism it is burdening Islamabad with expensive loans. Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka and the Maldives have all voiced complaints about the terms of the loans from China, which many have described as debt traps. Malaysia's new prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, canceled a $20 billion rail project in August. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Hints at Compromise on Jailed Doctor Who Helped US By Jaleel Akhtar October 01, 2018 Pakistan's foreign minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has hinted ahead of a visit to Washington this week at a possible compromise in the case of a doctor jailed after helping the United States find and kill Osama bin Laden. Pakistani officials have rebuffed all efforts by the United States to secure the release of the Shakeel Afridi, who was sentenced to a long prison term after he helped U.S. commandos identify the compound in Abbottabad where bin Laden was slain in 2011. The raid was conducted on Pakistani soil without the government's knowledge, causing deep embarrassment to national authorities, and Afridi's imprisonment has since remained a major irritant in U.S.-Pakistani relations. But in an interview Sunday with the Fox News cable network, Qureshi indicated that the newly-elected government of Prime Minister Imran Khan may be more flexible on the issue. "Openings are always there," Qureshi said. Afridi "is seen in Pakistan in a different context. He is considered as a traitor in Pakistan, whereas the United States saw him as a friend. Thus, we would need to work out the differences on this issue." Despite the apparent opening, Qureshi, who is scheduled to meet U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington on Tuesday, maintained that the case has been handled appropriately within the Pakistani legal system. "We have a legal system, and Afridi went through that process," he said. "He was provided with an opportunity to plead his case. He was found guilty and was awarded punishment, and he is going through this sentence now." Afridi led a fake hepatitis B vaccination campaign to collect genetic samples in order to gain access to the compound where bin Laden was sheltering and confirm his presence and that of his family. Days after the raid, Afridi was arrested and tried on charges of treating and financing terrorists in his native tribal district on the Afghan border. U.S. officials praised Afridi as a hero for helping Washington bring justice to the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. The Americans argue that the charges against Afridi were manufactured to punish him for his role in the raid, in which bin Laden was killed by a U.S. Navy Seal team. Analysts tell VOA's Urdu service that progress on the Afridi case could help improve Pakistan-U.S. relations. Najam Rafique, director of the American Studies department in the Islamabad-based Institute of Strategic Studies, said Monday that the case has long created tensions between the two countries, whose efforts to fight terrorism have been complicated by mutual distrust. "The statement given by Pakistan's foreign minister in the United States could be seen in the context of Pakistan wanting improved bilateral relations with the United States," he said. "Pakistan would, thus, try its best to provide relief to the United States on certain matters so that bilateral relations could move ahead positively." Rafique added that the timing of the remark ahead of this week's meeting with Pompeo suggested that the new government in Islamabad is ready to talk to the United States on all issues. Qureshi was already in the U.S. for the annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Afridi was initially sentenced to 33 years in prison, but an appeals court reduced that to 23 years after a hearing. The doctor was transferred from the northwestern city of Peshawar to a prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad shortly before the May 2 anniversary of the bin Laden raid. Ayaz Gul contributed to this article, which originated in VOA's Urdu service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul to Repeal Inter-Korean Accords in Event of Provocation by Pyongyang PM Sputnik News 14:51 01.10.2018(updated 14:53 01.10.2018) TOKYO (Sputnik) - Seoul will cancel all newly signed inter-Korean agreements with Pyongyang if the latter again carries out provocations, such as missile launches, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon stated. "Should there be a provocation (by the North), the previous agreements will naturally be nullified," Lee said, as quoted by the media outlet. The latest agreement with Pyongyang on the reduction of armaments along the border does not mean that Seoul is giving up on national defense, the prime minister noted. "Arms reduction is something reciprocal. This can't be done unilaterally I can't understand why the agreement not to conduct firing drills and maneuvers would mean giving up on national defense," Lee said in response to the opposition's claims that the agreement is equal to giving up South Korean defense. The prime minister made the remarks at a parliamentary session during the debate with the main opposition party, after the latter opposed the prompt ratification of the inter-Korean agreements and said it would be better for Seoul to wait for the results of the next Pyongyang-Washington talks, according to the Yonhap news agency. On September 18-20, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un held their third inter-Korean summit, during which the two sides reached a number of agreements regarding Pyongyang's military and nuclear facilities, as well as the connection of Korean roads and railways. Pyongyang and Seoul also signed an accord aimed at enhancing mutual trust. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian army kills dozens of Daesh terrorists IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Oct 1, IRNA -- Syrian army units, in cooperation with the supporting forces, on Monday stormed more rocky cliffs in the rugged land of Toloul al-Safa area overlooking Daesh (ISIS) terrorists' last stronghold, achieving a significant advance. SANA reporter in Sweida said that army units clashed with the terrorists in the northwestern, western, and southwestern frontlines, advancing further in the rough terrain, clarifying that dozens of the terrorists were either killed or injured including snipers, as their weapons were destroyed at the surroundings of Qabr al-Sheikh. He added that artillery fire and airstrikes accompanied the operation, targeting fortifications of the terrorists. 1396**1396 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Militant groups refuse to implement Russia-Turkey deal Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 10:03AM The fate of an agreement between Russia and Turkey to set up a demilitarized zone in Syria's Idlib hangs in balance with Turkish-backed militants refusing to withdraw and opposing the deployment of Russian troops. The deal, agreed last month between Ankara and Moscow, provides for the establishment of a U-shaped buffer zone around Idlib that would be free of both terrorists and heavy weapons. But the so-called National Liberation Front, a Turkish-backed militant alliance in Idlib, told Agence France-Presse late Sunday that it had raised objections to the deal after meeting with Turkish mentors. "A long meeting was held with our Turkish ally regarding the elements of the agreement, and chiefly the issue of Russia's presence in the buffer area," it quoted NLF spokesman Naji Mustafa as saying. "We discussed the issue, and the NLF took a clear position rejecting this matter," he said, adding that Turkey "pledged that it would not happen". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reached an accord with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on September 17, under which all militants in the planned buffer area must hand over their heavy weapons and terrorist groups must withdraw. On Sunday, the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an NLF faction known as Failaq al-Sham had begun pulling out its heavy weapons from the planned zone but both groups denied it. "There have been no changes in the location of weapons or redistribution of fighters, even as we remain committed to the agreement reached in Sochi," Failaq al-Sham's media officer Sayf al-Raad told AFP. Most of the territory where the buffer zone would be set up is held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a Takfiri alliance also known as al-Qaeda in Syria. The terrorist group's chief Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has previously warned that weapons were a "red line." Hurras al-Deen, a smaller al-Qaeda-linked group, has also rejected the agreement and on Saturday, US-backed Jaish al-Izza terrorist group followed suit, saying it rejected the Turkish deal with Russia. Under the Idlib agreement, Turkey and Russia would carry out coordinated military patrols on the borders of the buffer zone in a bid to detect and prevent "provocation by third parties." Jaish al-Izza terrorists clashed with government forces throughout the night Saturday and into Sunday in Hama Province, bordering Idlib. The London-based observatory also reported clashes between militants and government forces in the coastal province of Latakia on Sunday. Over the past few months, Syrian forces have made sweeping gains against Takfiri elements, especially in the country's southern areas and the Damascus suburbs. The Syrian army is now preparing to rid Idlib of terrorist groups, prompting Turkey to hammer out a rushed deal with Russia in order to protect the militants under its support. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU States Ready to Finance Disarming of Militants in Syria - UN Chief's Aide Sputnik News 04:00 01.10.2018 UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Many EU countries are interested in Syrian refugees' return to their homeland, and they will be ready to invest in a disarmament program of militants, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations Alexander Zuev told Sputnik. The preparation of such a program may take several months, but there is still no a corresponding mandate of the UN Security Council neither a request from Damascus, Zuev said. "[Disarming of militants] is profitable to donor nations [EU member states] from all points of view, including for gaining political capital or due to social-economic reasons. Other states, such as France or the United Kingdom, have historic responsibility, as they have been traditionally actively involved in Middle East affairs," Zuev said. According to Zuev, it is easier for EU states to "make a one-time investment in our program rather than to look for these militants in their own countries, some of whom pose security threats." Such countries as Sweden, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and France are also interested in stopping migrants flows from the Middle East and from Syria, in particular, Zuev noted. According to him, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations has a special branch dealing with disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of members of armed groups into society. However, at the moment, there are no legal grounds for starting such a process in Syria. "There is no a UN Security Council mandate, neither a request from the Syrian government," Zuev explained. "Our department is now engaged only in the mine clearance operations in Syria and the relevant agreement was signed on July 4 with the government of the Syrian Arab Republic, and this was the first official agreement between the United Nations and Syria," Zuev added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan Navy to commission two Perry-class frigates next month ROC Central News Agency 2018/10/01 12:26:38 Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) The Republic of China (Taiwan) Navy next month will commission two Perry-class guided missile frigates it bought from the United States, a Navy official said Monday. Fielding questions during a Legislative hearing, Navy chief of staff Vice Admiral Lee Chung-hsiao () told lawmakers that training and preparations are underway for the commissioning of the two vessels into the Navy sometime in November. On the question of how the new ships will help improve the nation's defense capability, Lee said they are Perry-class vessels, which means they have much better anti-submarine capabilities than the Navy's existing eight Chengkung-class frigates. The two military vessels, built in the 1980s and named USS Taylor and USS Gary in the U.S. Navy, were delivered on May 2017. Renamed Ming Chuan () and Feng Chia (), they will join the Taiwan Navy's 146th fleet based in the outlying island of Penghu and will be deployed to patrol the Taiwan Strait, according to the Navy. The Perry-class frigates have high mobility and are equipped with the SQQ-89 undersea warfare combat system and the SQR-19 sonar system, both of which the Navy said will beef up its anti-submarine capabilities. In December 2014, then-U.S. President Barack Obama signed a bill into law that authorized the sale of four Perry-class frigates to Taiwan, which allocated about NT$5.5 billion (US$174.8 million) for the purchase of two of the ships. (By Joseph Yeh) Enditem/pc NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S.-China ties more conflicting than cooperative: MAC ROC Central News Agency 2018/10/01 21:09:40 Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) Relations between the United States and China will face more issues of conflict than of cooperation, participants at the latest consultative meeting held recently by Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) agreed, according to the minutes of the meeting. At the gathering, held to look at the challenges faced by Taiwanese businesses operating in China amid an escalating trade battle, participants said the relationship between the world's two superpowers has evolved from conflict on trade to conflict in other areas, including over strategy, technology and security. The U.S.-China trade war will not likely end in the short term, they said, and in view of the radical changes in China's business environment in recent years, they urged the government to help China-based Taiwanese businesses develop and carry out plans to move their factories out of China. Taiwan's government should take the initiative to encourage China-based Taiwanese businesses to return to Taiwan and invest here or help them move their manufacturing facilities to Southeast Asia, some participants suggested. Some also noted, however, that China has continued to emphasize the importance of multilateral trade amid the ongoing trade friction, and is aggressively expanding bilateral economic and trade cooperation with other countries. That could influence and speed up the pace at which Taiwanese companies expand their business globally, they said. In such a situation, issues related to international investment protection will become increasingly important to Taiwanese enterprises operating in China, they said. Arguing that some Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members face talent shortages and lack industrial technologies, some felt the government should find ways to strengthen vocational training for professionals, migrant workers and new immigrants from ASEAN currently residing in Taiwan. Doing that would help meet the needs of businesses operating in these countries and reduce the operating costs of Taiwanese businesses seeking to move their production base to the region. Some experts also suggested that Taiwan pursue opportunities to work with South Korea and Japan in venturing into Southeast Asia, the experts said. The MAC consultative committee is composed of 21 academics and experts appointed to provide opinions mainly on the MAC's promotion of China policy and on China affairs. The MAC consultative meeting is held monthly. (By Chai Sze-chia and Evelyn Kao) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK to keep forces in Germany after Brexit, plans to expand presence outside borders Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 11:21AM British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson says UK forces stationed in Germany will continue to stay in the country after Britain's pending exit from the European Union (EU). "We are increasing our British points of presence across the world," Williamson told the Telegraph on Sunday as he announced the UK's new military strategy in the Arctic. "We will not be closing our facilities in Germany, and instead use them to forward base the Army." There are 185 British Army personnel and 60 Ministry of Defense (MoD) staff currently based in the 45-square mile Sennelager Training Area in near the western city of Paderborn. The UK and the US-led NATO military alliance have been using Sennelager as an expansive live firing training area over the past years. The personnel would continue to occupy the adjacent Athlone Barracks for housing and schooling, the MoD said in a statement. The British army would also keep control over the Ayrshire Barracks in Monchengladbach, which can house around 2,000 military vehicles. They will also maintain a presence at the German Wulfen Defence Munitions Storage Facility, which holds operational ammunition. According to the MoD statement, British military personnel will also stay in Germany to support the NATO's other critical infrastructure and assets such as the combined river crossing unit based in Minden. Britain to send troops to Sweden next year Williamson also announced that that London was planning to send around 800 troops to Norway as a warning shot to Russia. The decision was part of the UK's plan to step up its military presence in the Arctic region in order to address concerns about growing Russian aggression "in our back yard," he said. The UK Royal Navy and its Norwegian counterpart have already purchased a large fleet of US-made P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft to stop what they call Russia's growing submarine activity near their territorial waters. "We see Russian submarine activity very close to the level that it was at the Cold War, and it's right that we start responding to that," Williamson said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK has fiscal capacity to cope with no-deal Brexit: Finance minister Iran Press TV Mon Oct 1, 2018 10:33AM British Finance Minister Philip Hammond has claimed that his country has the fiscal capacity to cope with the divorce from the European Union without any agreement. Hammond also said that the doubts about the future had already hit the United Kingdom's economy but believed the mood in Brussels was to reach a divorce deal with his country. "The mood is undoubtedly that people want to do a deal with the UK. People want to minimize the disruption of the UK's departure from the European Union, they want to continue having a relationship with us and smooth trading partnership in the future," he said in an interview with BBC on Monday. But he added, "Clearly there has been a hit to the economy through the uncertainty the Brexit process has caused. Many businesses are sitting on their hands frankly waiting to see what the outcome of this negotiation is before confirming their investment plans." "I believe when the prime minister lands this deal and brings it back there will actually be a boost to the economy," he said. In a separate interview with Sky News on Monday, Hammond said, "I'm clear that we will have the fiscal capacity to support the British economy if we were unfortunately to find ourselves in a no-deal situation." Britain is set to leave the EU on March 29, 2019, but the terms of the departure still remain unclear. Prime Minister Theresa May faces increasing pressure both from the opposition and from senior members of her own Conservative Party over her plan. Meanwhile, a new research has found that the current cost of Brexit is estimated to be 500 million a week and suggested that it will even further rise. The analysis by the Center for European Reform also shows that the estimation is a sharp contrast to the 350 million "dividend" pledged by the Leave campaign. The stark finding comes as the Conservative Party's annual conference has kicked off in Birmingham, with May's premiership under severe strain. "We back business, as the cornerstone of a successful economy, as a force for good in our society, and as an essential expression of our values," Hammond will say at the Tory conference, according to the text of his speech released to the media. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The Tennessee Court of Appeals has declined to hear an appeal by the state Democratic Party that tries to keep Republican Robin Smith off the House District 26 ballot. The Appeals Court said the matter is moot since the deadline has passed to mail out all military and overseas ballots. The party had claimed Ms. Smith should not be on the ballot on the basis that longtime state Rep. Gerald McCormick's late withdrawal was invalid. Ms. Smith said after the ruling, I appreciate that the Court of Appeals issued their ruling denying the Democrats motion in a timely manner, removing any doubt before the November election that I am the Republican nominee in District 26 and that legally cast votes will be counted. "As I have said from the beginning, I have had every confidence in our courts to correctly see these efforts by the Tennessee Democrat Party and House Democrat Caucus Chair Mike Stewart as a blatant attempt to silence District 26 voters so they can steal a Republican-held seat in the State House. "With this third denial by a Tennessee Court, I call upon Rep. Stewart and Democrat Party Chairman Mary Mancini to put an end to their campaign of disenfranchising voters and wasting taxpayer money on unnecessary legal fees. Let us now contest this seat as we should on ideas and with ballots without interference from Nashville liberals. "Our campaign has not been distracted by these political stunts, so we will continue to run an aggressive effort to win the support of every District 26 voter in November." 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 Pawan Kalyan To Re-Enact Jagan Show! When YSR Congress party president and Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy entered Rajamundry in East Godavari district from Kovvur in West Godavari leading a massive rally of party workers and followers on the historic road-cum-rail bridge in the month of June, it was a historic and unprecedented show of strength. Though the government initially refused permission for Jagan to walk across the bridge along with thousands of people on the pretext that the old bridge would pose danger to them, it had to succumb to public pressure. The massive show of strength has certainly caused jitters in the ruling Telugu Desam Party. Apparently realizing the tremendous political mileage the YSRC chief got from his Rajahmundry rally, Jana Sena Party chief and power star Pawan Kalyan too has decided to make a similar experiment. On October 9, he has decided to conduct a Jana Sena Kavaathu (a march of peoples army) from Kovvur to Rajahmundry to enter East Godavari district. According to a party spokesman, Pawan would lead a massive rally with thousands of people and walk across the rail-cum-road bridge on Godavari river. The Kavaathu will start at 3 pm on that day and reach Rajahmundry by evening. The Jana Sena president held a meeting with party leaders on Tuesday and asked them to make arrangements for the march on the Rajahmundry bridge. Since there would be thousands of people joining him in the march, he formed different committees to oversee the arrangements for the yatra. Needless to say, Pawan wants to prove that he is no less a popular leader than Jagan. Let us see how the response would be for his Jana Sena Kavaathu. Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) WASHINGTON - Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he tried to help a Yale classmate of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh send the FBI emails that she says show that the judges team was trying to discredit the story of Deborah Ramirez, who has accused the judge of exposing himself to her at a party. Kerry Berchem, a corporate attorney who lives in Fairfield, was at Yale University with both Kavanaugh and Ramirez. According to NBC News, Bercham tried to notify the Senate Judiciary Committee of a summary of texts between her and fellow classmate Karen Yarasavage, who included screen shots of the text messages she received from Kavanaugh and his legal team in emails to Berchem. In one text message, Yarasavage said, Kavanaugh asked her to go on the record in his defense. Two other messages show communication between Kavanaughs team and former Yale classmates in advance of a New Yorker story that made Ramirezs allegations public. The texts also show that Ramirez was uncomfortable around Kavanaugh when they saw each other at a wedding 10 years after they graduated. At a hearing on the allegations of sexual misconduct last week, Kavanaugh said he first heard of Ramirezs accusation when the New Yorker published its story on Sept. 23. Blumenthal said he tried to help Berchem, who is a constituent. We heard from Kerry late on Thursday and submitted her summary to the Judiciary Committee early Friday, said Maria McElwain, a spokeswoman for Blumenthal in a statement. After we were made to jump through several hoops that delayed our moving forward, it became clear that the majority Committee staff had not turned this summary over to the FBI and, in fact, had no intention of turning it over to the FBI. With our assistance, Kerry submitted her summary to the FBI herself. When reached Monday night, Blumenthal said, We have provided them to the appropriate authority for a decision on whether they should be investigated. Berchem said she has not been contacted by the FBI. Taylor Foy, a spokesman for the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that shortly before a meeting of the committee on Friday to advance Kavanaughs nomination, Blumenthals office forwarded 10 emails to Chairman Charles Grassleys office that were originally from Ms. Berchem. They were immediately passed to Chairman Grassleys oversight and investigations team for review, Foy said. Committee investigators advised Senator Blumenthals staff that they could contact the FBI with the information if they so choose. Whether Blumenthals staff chose to do that was up to them. Foy also said the texts from Ms. Berchem do not appear relevant or contradictory to Judge Kavanaughs testimony. This appears to be another last-ditch effort to derail the nomination with baseless innuendo by Democrats who have already decided to vote no, he said. Ramirez says a drunken Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a dorm party when they were both freshmen at Yale. She said she initially had some trouble remembering the details of the encounter because she was drunk herself. Berchem did not respond to a requests for additional information. But in a statement to NBC News, she said I understand that President Trump and the U.S. Senate have ordered an FBI investigation into certain allegations of sexual misconduct by the nominee Brett Kavanaugh. I have no direct or indirect knowledge about any of the allegations against him. However, I am in receipt of text messages from a mutual friend of both Debbie and mine that raise questions related to the allegations. I have not drawn any conclusions as to what the texts may mean or may not mean but I do believe they merit investigation by the FBI and the Senate. GREENWICH The hospice program at Greenwich Hospital is closing down, with a new contractor to take over the end-of-life care services provided by the hospital. Greenwich Hospital entered into a transfer agreement with a national organization, Vitas Healthcare, to take over the care for people with life-limiting illnesses. Greenwich Hospital President Norman Roth said, We are going to discontinue direct services of the Greenwich Hospital hospice program. The number of people in the Greenwich Hospital hospice program had been falling through the years, and it was not feasible to maintain the operation in-house, the hospital president said. The principal reason is, theres been a significant decline in the average census in the program, Roth said, In the past year, weve only averaged six patients on the service (at any given time). We needed 20 or above to fulfill the service responsibilities. Weve been as low as two, and weve never been higher than 10. Seven hospital staffers were in the program. Roth said the staffers were re-located to other departments in the hospital, or transferred to Vitas. One staff employee voluntarily left, he said. Roth said the local hospice program was hindered by insurance regulations. New York state insurance carriers will not pay for hospice care delivered from Connecticut, and that meant that Greenwich Hospital was disadvantaged, by being denied access to a large market in Westchester County, N.Y. The hospital president also noted, there are a lot of other companies that provide this service, and Greenwich Hospital was one among a half-dozen providers in the area. Vitas already has existing clinical collaboration with the Yale New Haven Health network, of which Greenwich Hospital is a member. Roth said the new partnership with Vitas would be a good one for patients it offers more in-home care, as well as specialty services, than previously available. The transfer is taking place this month. Republican Bob Stefanowski ran a payday lending company. The venture capital firm that employs Democrat Ned Lamonts wife as managing director invested in one. Both are facts featured in misleading television ads in Connecticuts gubernatorial campaign. In his newest ad, Stefanowski reacts to a Lamont spot in which the Democrat asserts, Bob Stefanowski profited from predatory loans to service members. Not so, says Stefanowski. His ad claims, What a hypocrite! Lamonts the one who personally profited off payday loans. Both assertions are problematic. It is true that Stefanowskis last job in the private sector was chief executive officer of DFC Global, whose checkered record includes allegations of fraudulent auto loans to U.S. military personnel. Stefanowski ran the company from June 2014 until January 2017. DFC resolved claims arising from the auto loans in mid-2013, a year before Stefanowski arrived. It made $3.3 million in refunds as part of a settlement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It discontinued its auto business on Stefanowskis watch in 2015. The ethics of Stefanowskis tenure at DFC raise more nuanced questions. He recruited outsiders to improve the companys business practices and loan products. The company also continued to make high-interest, short-term payday loans that are widely viewed as predatory. Its products are illegal in Connecticut and about a dozen other states, but permitted elsewhere. CT Mirror examined DFCs loan practices during Stefanowskis tenure in a story published last week. The payday loan angle was one of several in a Lamont commercial that quickly pivoted to the assertion that Stefanowskis plan to phase out of the state income tax over eight years would necessitate disastrous cuts in state aid to municipalities. Stefanowskis new commercial has its own problems. It does not say how Lamont supposedly profited from payday loans, saying nothing of his wife, her company or its investments. But the basis for the claim is investments in Wonga, a British payday lender startup, by Oak Investment Partners, a company that employs Annie Lamont as managing director. The company doesnt list the investment as part of her portfolio. Bob Stefanowski launched a disgusting, patently false ad attacking Neds wife for something she had nothing to do with. Bob is trying to distract from the fact that he was actually the CEO of a payday lending company that ripped-off soldiers and veterans, but this ad and his business record show just how shameless and unprincipled he is, said Marc Bradley, the manager of the Lamont campaign. Kendall Marr, a spokesman for the Stefanowski campaign, said the ad raises a relevant point about Ned Lamont, even though it centers on the candidates wife, not the candidate. Lamont is OK with payday loans, as long as they lined his pocket, Marr said. Does the Stefanowksi campaign mean that? Does the candidate think Annie Lamont, a graduate of Stanford who has established a reputation as a savvy investor on behalf of Oak, checks with her husband before investing? Annie Lamont, whose specialties include financial technology, could not be reached for comment Monday. Her companys web site does not list Wonga as part of her current or past portfolio, and a Fortune story in 2015 identified another member of the firm as responsible for the investment. Wonga attracted investors with an app that it says could quickly assess short-term loan applications. But an industry trade publication says a crackdown on payday lenders in the U.K. by Britains Financial Conduct Authority in 2014 caused problems for Wonga, as it did for DFC Global. It seems unlikely that the investment in Wonga will line anyones pockets. Wonga went bust a month ago. GREENWICH Greenwich Police have responded to 172 incidents of domestic violence so far this year, officials say. At this time last year, there had been 216 such incidents. I hope thats because there have been fewer incidents and not because less people have reported them, Greenwich Police Chief Jim Heavey said as town officials declared the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in a ceremony Tuesday afternoon. No one should hesitate to seek assistance. The annual event is held to promote awareness and prevention of Greenwichs most reported violent crime. The ceremony also highlighted the work of YWCA Greenwich, the only licensed and state accredited provider of services for victims of domestic violence in town. The nonprofit agency has helped thousands through the years with services including its 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, case management assistance and advocacy. Last year alone, the organization reported receiving more than 3,500 crisis calls. This is a very serious public health issue in our community, YWCA President and CEO Mary Lee Kiernan told the crowd of about 50 in front of Town Hall. One in three women in the U.S. will experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lives. Prevention is key to ending the cycle of abuse, said Meredith Gold, director of domestic abuse services at YWCA Greenwich. She highlighted the organizations youth education program in which school children are taught how to foster healthy relationships. She also described training for professionals like police, attorneys or even hair stylists to recognize signs of violence. The communitys needs are continuing to grow and are becoming more complex, Gold said. Abuse isnt always physical, said Kiernan. It can also be emotional, verbal or psychological. Abusers can use the legal system to continue to torment their victims, she said. The YWCAs recently launched legal clinic is already serving 12 women tied in legal battles with their abusers, said Kiernan, and it plans to continue to grow its client base. Kiernan gave the audience steps they can take to help end the systemic problem, including donating to the organizations Purple Purse campaign. She also talked about legislative advocacy. The nonprofit is working toward the reauthorization of the federal Violence Against Women Act, which will expire this year. We need to add your voices to the fight, said Kiernan. The CEO said the organization has successfully advocated for state legislation like the Primary Aggressor Bill, which was passed this year and will go into effect on Jan. 31. The bill allows police officers who enter a scene of domestic dispute to arrest only the party that poses the most serious ongoing threat. Police currently arrest both parties 20 percent of the time, according to the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. There is still more work we need to do in Hartford, said Kiernan. We need to eliminate the five-year statute of limitations. ... Its one of the shortest in the country. It can take many years for victims to process the trauma of an assault. Gold commended those in attendance of the ceremony for taking a step to recognize and address the problem. Being here today isnt easy, she said. It isnt easy to talk about domestic violence. But its becoming easier. More survivors are inspired by the courage of others to talk about their experiences and come out of the shadows. We need to shatter the shame, guilt and stigma that remains. Activists in Alexandria, Virginia, are pressing the sheriff to drop an agreement to detain migrants for ICE. The sheriff in Contra Costa County, California, canceled a similar contract in July, soon after at least 1,000 protesters marched on the local jail. And at Philadelphia City Hall, organizers camped out for weeks beneath a banner that read "I.C.E. Get Out" before the city recently agreed to stop sharing real-time arrest information with immigration authorities. With little leverage to counter the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown in a Republican-controlled Washington, immigrant advocates and grass-roots groups are mounting a furious backlash in local communities across the country. They can't stop deportations, but they hope to throw sand in the gears by targeting pressure points in the system: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement relies on local agencies to jail detainees who may be in the country illegally, notify ICE of their release and even help conduct immigration enforcement. The protests have gained momentum alongside calls to abolish ICE, particularly as outrage spread over President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" policy that separated some migrant children from their parents at the border. While dismantling a major federal agency remains a long shot, the more modest local efforts have notched victories in at least a dozen communities. They include Fairfax County, Virginia, which dropped an ICE contract at its jail, and Hudson County, New Jersey, where officials this month announced a plan to take the same step. Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who pushed to end his local jail's contract with ICE, said the issue has spurred more activism than virtually any other in two decades. "We don't want to be part of Trump's policy of separating families and rounding up immigrants," Gioia said. The efforts dovetail with campaigns to kill ICE partnerships with universities and corporations. Professors and students at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have protested a collaboration between the school and ICE to provide management and leadership training, while more than 300,000 people and 500 employees have signed a petition calling on Microsoft to stop providing cloud computing services to ICE. But the campaigns have also stirred controversy. ICE and some community members say severing ties with immigration authorities makes communities less safe and note that the agreements and contracts bring millions of dollars to jurisdictions. "They believe it's putting your thumb in the eye of the current administration," Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne said of local groups trying to get him to cut ties with ICE. "That's politics. I will not play politics in my office when it comes to public safety." --- Ingris Moran said fear rippled through Alexandria's Chirilagua neighborhood, which is home to many of the city's Latinos, as Trump began ramping up immigration enforcement in his administration's opening months. Large-scale work raids, roundups of immigrants near churches and other tactics spurred concern. Moran said it became increasingly hard to reconcile a post-election statement the city issued about respecting undocumented immigrants with its long-standing agreements with ICE. Moran, who grew up in Chirilagua and whose parents came from El Salvador, is the lead organizer with the advocacy group Tenants and Workers United. The sheriff was holding inmates for two days past their scheduled release if ICE suspected they were in the country illegally. The hold gave ICE time to decide whether to begin deportation proceedings. ICE also had a separate agreement to use bed space at the jail. The latter agreement is part of a larger one with a number of federal agencies. They pay roughly $7 million to the city each year to use a floor of the jail. In 2017, Alexandria turned over 105 people to ICE, nearly double the number from the year before, according to the sheriff's office. In 2018 through August, it turned over 53 people. "As long as elected officials have a voluntary agreement with ICE, our immigrant families will hide in the shadows and be in fear and not trust law enforcement," Moran said. Federal law allows ICE to negotiate agreements with local municipalities for the housing and care of its detainees. In 2016, ICE received about $2.3 billion to house immigrants at facilities across the country, according to the Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security. Those types of arrangements - which ICE has with more than 190 local jails and detention facilities nationwide - are key to the agency's enforcement efforts. The bulk of the agency's roughly 42,000 detainees are held in local facilities. The issue has stirred passions in Alexandria, Virginia. A speaker at a City Council meeting in March accused ICE of being "unhinged" and tearing families apart. A council member said he received emails questioning the sheriff's integrity, and Lawhorne said he had been accused of ethnic cleansing in one Facebook post. In July, Lawhorne announced that he would no longer hold immigrants for ICE past the end of their sentences and only for 16 hours in cases where the defendant receives bond. The latter provision was recently dropped to eight hours. The sheriff has also limited ICE to using two beds at the jail for temporary holds. Moran called it a good "first step," but she and advocates from the Legal Aid Justice Center and Grassroots Alexandria are still pushing for the sheriff to cut ties with ICE altogether. Lawhorne said that while he is sympathetic, he won't go there. He said many of the inmates he is holding for ICE are facing charges for violent offenses. "I'm not going to ignore a lawful detainer filed by a federal agency and release someone back to the community who poses a threat," Lawhorne said. He added by email: "They are asking me to have no interaction with ICE whatsoever. Under that scenario, Alexandria could become a sanctuary city and be subjected to possible consequences." --- ICE's relationships with local governments have created similar flash points across the country. Debate has been vocal - and even raucous at times. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, protesters pushing to end a local contract with ICE shut down a county commissioners meeting in June by shouting "shame" at elected officials and chanting "ICE out of Kent County!" as officials hurried out of the room. In Philadelphia, activists erected a tent city outside City Hall in early July to protest the city allowing ICE to access a police database. The protesters later attempted to hold a sit-in in the office of the mayor, who eventually met with them and agreed to drop the agreement. "If I could abolish ICE, I would," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, D, said in making the announcement. "But we can abolish this contract, and we are." In California, Contra Costa County's jail was the scene of numerous protests before a large group turned up on June 30 to rally against Trump's immigration policies and the local ICE contract. About two weeks later, Sheriff David Livingston cited a range of reasons for dropping the contract, including the fact that protests and community tension had cast a shadow over the work his deputies were doing at the jail. Gioia, the county supervisor, said the contract had eroded trust between the local government and the county's immigrants, who make up about a quarter of the population. "The cost to our county outweighed the net revenue that the sheriff received," Gioia said. But that was no small sum. Contra Costa officials had to take $2.4 million from reserves to fill the hole in the sheriff's budget left by the loss of the contract. Other municipalities, including Santa Ana, Calif., have had to scramble to make up for such loses when they canceled their contracts. ICE officials declined a request for an interview, but a spokesman pointed to a statement from former acting director Thomas Homan about a California sanctuary law that he said highlighted the perils of limiting cooperation with ICE. Homan wrote that the law would "undermine public safety" and hinder ICE from performing its mission. "ICE will have no choice but to conduct at-large arrests in local neighborhoods and at worksites, which will inevitably result in additional collateral arrests, instead of focusing on arrests at jails and prisons where transfers are safer for ICE officers and the community," Homan wrote. In a separate statement about the cancellation of the Contra Costa contract, ICE officials said detainees would suffer since they would have to be placed at facilities farther from their families and immigration attorneys. While some municipalities are severing ties with ICE, others have increased their cooperation. Late last year, Anne Arundel County in Maryland announced that it had reached an agreement with ICE to house about 130 detainees as part of a $1.7 million annual contract. The county also joined ICE's 287(g) program, which allows a local jail to screen inmates for immigration violations. Since Trump took office, 78 other jurisdictions have joined the 287(g) program, roughly tripling the number of participants. Anne Arundel's moves were made in part to combat the MS-13 gang, which has made a local resurgence and draws a chunk of its membership from undocumented immigrants from Central America, county officials said. The county's cooperation with ICE has sparked protests. Steuart Pittman, the Democratic nominee for county executive, has denounced both agreements in his race against Republican incumbent Steve Schuh. Schuh's spokesman said the deal has allowed the county to turn an unused wing of the jail into a much-needed moneymaker. "That agreement has generated nearly $3 million in revenue that has allowed us to increase compensation for our correctional officers," Owen McEvoy said in an email. Sleeper, the luxury sleepwear brand founded by Asya Varesta and Kate Zubarieva, was not birthed the way most new fashion labels are born. It was November 21, 2013 and the country of Ukraine was in a full state of unrest. The government suspended talks for an agreement with the European Union. In what was termed Euromaiden, Ukrainians hit the streets of Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kiev to protest the government's decision to choose a closer relationship with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union, a decision believed to be fueled by widespread government corruption. Despite the world seemingly crumbling around them, the founders remained committed to righting the wrongs of their government. Their business depended on it. It was a nightmare for Varesta, Zubarieva and their fellow Maiden activists. Marching in the streets, one of the greatest forms of positive civil disruption, worked. After the Civil Society prevailed in 2014, the founders moved fast. All of our fears vanished completely. We stopped being afraid and became ready to start a new page in our lives, says Varesta. Related: How This Instagram Artist Turned Her Passion for Fashion Into a Freelance Career Once the founders were able to move beyond survival of the moment and toward the potential of the future, Sleeper was formed with a brand mission infused with positive disruption and only $2,000 of co-owner capital. Sleeper was founded as a way for Varesta and Zubarieva to express a positive voice, one that would bring joy in the simplest of situations: relaxation and rejuvenation. For us the comfort of our home is sort of a subculture; its a tiny religion we are so vigilantly preaching. It is candid and personal, says Varesta. While sleepwear as streetwear has become a thing recently, at the time Sleeper was launched in 2014, it was really challenging to find elegant and luxury lounging clothes that could be worn outdoors. The founders met while working at leading fashion magazines in Russia and Ukraine. In true disrupter fashion, neither had ever designed clothes before starting their business. Their lack of experience showed through in their first collection, a black-and-white line that was a disaster and had to be taken apart and completely resewn in order to fulfill a requisition from a top retailer. Related: How Brands Are Going All Out to Embrace Sustainable Fashion As the founders picked themselves up from a near business-ending situation, they spent the next few months refining their supply chain and instilling a quality control discipline that has remained one of the key bedrocks of Sleeper. They moved their business into a proper workshop and upskilled from a single seamstress to a team with decades of experience. The hard work and investment paid off. Half a year later, our garments were available at Moda Operandi -- Americas leading online retailer. This became a major reason we started a factory production. True to their brand promise of positivity and social impact, Sleeper clothing is built upon ethical consciousness and artisan-manufacturing traditions. Each garment is made with natural, eco-friendly fibers like organic linen and silk. And because every Sleeper purchase is made-to-order, there is no excessive production. Each garment takes between 8 and 12 hours to sew by hand. My order, the Blur on Coal Set with Pants, took less than two weeks and has become an almost daily part of my wardrobe. Headquartered in Ukraine, Sleeper is currently planning to open a U.S. office with the hope of opening a flagship store in the near future. The ultimate goal is to house a learning center as part of a larger factory building where upcoming designers and fashion startups can learn and share industry experiences and educate new generations of seamstresses, embroiderers, engineers and technologists to design first-class clothes. Related: How Can You Start Your Own Direct to Consumer(DTC) Venture? Tapping into the Applicability of the Blockchain Disruption No entiendes el comercio electronico? Este mexicano y ecuatoriano te echan la mano Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved President Donald Trump, whose 2016 presidential campaign speeches regularly included the line "The world is laughing at us," could not acknowledge that the world really did laugh at him during his cringe-worthy speech at the United Nations last week. It's bad enough that the American president is a joke; worse, the man who promised to make America great has made it less respected than ever. A new Pew Research Center poll finds: "A year after global opinion of the United States dropped precipitously, favorable views of the U.S. remain at historic lows in many countries polled. In addition, more say bilateral relations with the U.S. have worsened, rather than improved, over the past year. Among possible sources of resentment is the widespread perception that the U.S. does not consider the interests of other countries when making foreign policy decisions. More generally, relatively few see the U.S. stepping up more to solve international problems." It's not surprising, given Trump's behavior, that our closest allies are among the most turned off by America's recent conduct. "Divergent opinions of the U.S. are quite evident in Europe," the Pew poll continued, "where favorable views range from seven-in-ten in Poland to three-in-ten in neighboring Germany. Half in the United Kingdom have a positive opinion of the U.S., while only 38% in France agree. Across the 10 European countries, views of the U.S. tilt toward the negative (a median of 43% favorable vs. 52% unfavorable)." The European countries most favorably disposed toward the United States these days are the increasingly antidemocratic ones in the grip of their own right-wing nationalism - Poland and Hungary, for example. (Outside Europe, Trump is wildly popular in Israel and South Korea.) It's even worse on our own continent: "In North America, however, positive views of the U.S. are sharply down from the last reading in the Obama presidency in both Mexico (-34 percentage points) and Canada (-26 points)." Most troubling is the perception of the U.S. commitment to democracy and individual rights: "In fact, among the 10 European countries surveyed, in all but Greece there has been a significant decline in those saying the U.S. respects personal rights, with the most dramatic fall-off in the Netherlands (-17 percentage points). "Looking back over the past few years, far fewer people across the countries surveyed say the U.S. government respects personal rights. In fact, in 17 of the countries surveyed in both 2013 and 2018, there has been a significant downward shift in the share saying the U.S. respects its people's rights. Only one country, Tunisia, has seen an improvement." Trump's "America First" message has been heard loud and clear. "Across the 25 countries where the question was asked, a median of just 28% say the U.S. takes their country's interests into account when making international decisions. In fact, majorities across Europe, and in neighboring Canada and Mexico, say that the U.S. does not take into account their interests when making foreign policy." Trump personally rates very poorly around the world: "A median of 27% in 25 nations surveyed say they trust in President Donald Trump's handling of international issues, while 70% do not have confidence in him. In only four countries - the Philippines, Israel, Nigeria and Kenya - does more than half the public voice trust in the U.S. president." Russian President Vladimir Putin (30 percent) gets higher marks than Trump, as do the leaders of France and Germany. Some Americans might ask why we care if the French or Brits or Mexicans don't think well of us. Let us count the ways: -First, anti-American, antidemocratic politics has a bigger audience in Europe and in other allied countries these days. The result is likely to be the rise of more anti-American, less-friendly governments; even those parties and governments normally supportive of the United States will think twice before rallying around the U.S., making sacrifices that help the United States or supporting our positions in international bodies. Everything from intelligence-sharing to troop commitments to trade arrangements will suffer. -Second, our stature as a superpower relies in large part on our ability to persuade (not force or frighten) allies and to offer the U.S. system of democratic capitalism as a model for others. As our influence with allies erodes and our reputation as a defender of human rights frays, our enemies grow more aggressive and confident. Our international conduct and disdain for democracy become fodder for enemies' propaganda. Our indifference to democracy encourages repressive behavior abroad. ("The United States doesn't care about you," repressive regimes can tell dissidents and oppressed populations.) -Third, China is now viewed as the ascending power in the world. ("In nearly all of the surveyed countries, a majority say China's role in the world has increased over the past decade. A median of 70% say China plays a more important role in the world today than it did 10 years ago.") That will diminish our influence in Asia and beyond as countries see that their economic well-being depends on good relations with China. When we toss away measures to check China's influence (pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, for instance), we accelerate the rise of China. Now, it is easy to exaggerate the extent of American decline. "More countries currently see the United States as the world's leading economic power than China," Pew found. "This is particularly true in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region. Few name Japan or the European Union as the world's leading economic power today." However, in 10 or 15 years, it's unclear whether that perception will remain. It is also telling that the world doesn't seem to take much joy in the decline of U.S. influence and in its shoddy international conduct. The survey found that "while perceptions of current economic leadership are somewhat divided between the U.S. and China, when it comes to preferred global leadership, there is no competition. Majorities or pluralities in nearly every country surveyed say the future would be better if the U.S. were the world's leading power than if China were." A weak America is not what our allies want. The takeaway here is that the United States is heading in the wrong direction but still enjoys a huge reservoir of goodwill and respect. That reservoir is not limitless, however, and there are real costs to America's international decline. As Robert Kagan recently wrote, "Nothing is determined, not the triumph of liberalism or its defeat. As we have seen these past 70 years, tremendous human progress and human betterment are possible even in a dangerous world. To know that the jungle will always be there is not to despair of keeping it at bay, as we have done more or less successfully for decades. But make no mistake: The liberal order is as precarious as it is precious. It needs constant tending lest the jungle grow back and engulf us all." In short, we can keep America great by making it good and responsible again. That means first getting our own house in order - and rejecting the right-wing politics of nativism, know-nothingism, irrationality, resentment and authoritarianism. Two weeks ago HMD Global started sending out invites for a launch on October 4 in London. The invitation clearly stated a new addition to the Nokia smartphone family will be introduced, and we think it will be the Nokia 7.1 Plus that already arrived on TENAA. The TA-1131 model number is for one of the variants of the phone, but another version nicknamed TA-1113, along with TA-1115, were just approved by the US Federal Communication Commission, paving the way for a global launch. The FCC listing revealed the new phone will arrive with 5V/2A charger and basic headphones, but it also stated the battery capacity would be 3,400 mAh. This is exactly the same power cell as the TENAA version, leaning us to the conclusion we are talking about the same phone. Spy shot of the Nokia 7.1 Plus Specs from the Chinese regulatory revealed a 2.2 GHz CPU, probably powering a Snapdragon 710 chipset. The camera setup seems to be similar to the Nokia 7 plus combo - 12 MP + 13 MP, while the front will have a 20 MP selfie camera. The images did not reveal an Android One tag on the back panel, but this is expected since Google is yet to warm its relationship with the Chinese government. At all other markets, though, the Nokia 7.1 Plus is expected to arrive with the platform that provides timely OS updates and security patches. Source | Via Samsung is looking to add wireless charging to its midrangers We know Samsung will aim to add more premium features to its midrange devices to outdo aggressively priced competition from Chinese manufacturers and it looks like wireless charging may be one of those features. According to a report from South Korea, Samsung will launch a cheaper 9W wireless charger this month that will cost just KRW 20,000 (15). To put that into perspective its current entry-level P3100TBEGWW charging pad costs KRW 50,000 (40). This shows Samsung's intention to trickle down wireless charging from its more premium Galaxy S and Note lineups down to its Galaxy A and Galaxy J series. As of right now very few devices from Oppo, vivo, Huawei or Xiaomi offer wireless charging and none of those are midrangers. Source | Via Haiti - Politic : Workshops on the protection of vulnerable children and adoption As part of the 5th anniversary of the law reforming adoption, the Embassy of France in Haiti and the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (IBESR) are organizing from October 1st to 3rd, 2018 at the Montana Hotel of workshops for the exchange of good practices and reflection on the protection of children in vulnerable situations. Led by three experts from the International Social Service, including the former director of the Central Adoption Authority of Burkina Faso, these workshops bring together a panel of about fifty professionals: IBESR employees (psychologists, social workers, lawyers ), magistrates, heads of children's homes and representatives of adoption organizations. In the light of their experiences and practical cases, these professionals question the identification and decision-making of children in vulnerable situations, including the implementation of protective measures in accordance with the best interests of the child. These workshops are also an opportunity to take stock of the implementation of the law reforming adoption and identify persistent weaknesses. Recall that this law has made it possible to bring Haitian legislation into line with international standards (Hague Convention 1993 / International Convention on the Rights of the Child) by establishing an ethical framework to govern adoption. The implementation of the principle of subsidiarity of intercountry adoption (prioritization of national solutions), as well as the fundamental right of the child to live in a family rather than in an institution, will be at the heart of the exchanges. This activity confirms France's commitment to strengthening the Haitian child protection system. Since 2009, France has supported more than 1.8 million US dollars the Haitian authorities and particularly the IBESR in the implementation of policies to fight against family separations, the promotion of alternative care solutions family and community and reform of the adoption system. These three days of workshops are carried out thanks to the financial support of the International Adoption Mission of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs as well as the non-governmental organizations Terre des Hommes Lausanne and SOS Children's Villages Haiti. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : The body of Agronomist Hebert Saint-Louis found beheaded In a note, Allo Agro announces "[...] the tragic death of Engineer-Agronomist Hebert Saint-Louis murdered in the night of September 28 to 29, 2018" whose body was found beheaded at the foot-bridge of Grand-Goave. "Once again, the nation has lost a brain and a man of experience in the agricultural sector. The country continues to mourn the early departure of its children. "Allo Agro" extends his sincere condolences to his wife, his children, his classmates, his brothers and sisters, to the friends and relatives affected by this villainous act and by this sad departure. "Allo Agro" will keep you informed of the date and place of the funeral. How sad ! What future for this country ?" Learn more about Agronomist Hebert Saint-Louisy : Agronomist Hebert Saint-Louis is part of the 1974-1978 Promotion of the Faculty of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAMV). He began his professional career at the Ministry of Agriculture of Natural Resources and Rural Development. He worked as a Technical Assistance Consultant for the Protection of Parks and Forests, giving his support to the animation and training work in the Parks (Macaya Park and Parc la Visite). He put his skills at the service of the Intensification of Food Crops Project (PICV). It has also been a Support Executives to the Small Irrigated Perimeters in North West (Blue Basin, Port-de-Paix), especially in the social management of water and in agricultural implementation. In addition, he collaborated in the implementation of Community Initiative Projects. HL/ HaitiLibre Havre Police Department Christopher Paul Hammond of Havre, 20, was issued a summons on charges of partner or family member assault and a violation of a no contact order after being transported Monday at 7:17 a.m. from a Highway 2 business. -- Monday at 8:41 a.m. a Boulevard Avenue caller asked to speak with an officer about a juvenile. -- A caller reported Monday at 10:42 a.m. a two vehicle crash at First Avenue and Second Street between a Chevrolet Sonic and a Dodge Dakota with unknown injuries. -- Winston Curley Stewart of Harlem, 33, was arrested at the police station Monday at 11:23 a.m. on a charge of criminal contempt related to a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation. -- A caller from a First Street business reported a stolen wallet Monday at 11:57 a.m. -- Monday at 1:27 p.m. a First Avenue caller reported a vehicle crash with no injuries between a Ford Edge an a Maroon Jeep. -- Two arrests were made after a Third Street caller reported a male assaulting a female Monday at 5:31 p.m. No further information was provided on the charges. -- Raymond William Campbell of Havre, 22, was arrested at 1:58 a.m. today on a Justice or City court warrant after an officer spotted him on First Street. Hill County Sheriff's Office Christopher Paul Hammond of Havre, 20, was arrested Monday at 8:03 a.m. on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of dangerous drugs after deputies discovered the items at the Hill County Detention Center. -- A Sixth Street North caller reported suspicious activity Monday at 11:13 a.m. -- A man on Highway 2 East Monday at 2:04 p.m. called dispatch. The narrative says the man was yelling that a car was circling him. No other information was given, and deputies searched for the man but were unable to locate him. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to four calls Monday. -- Firefighters responded Monday at 8:23 a.m. to a report of a power pole that was damaged on the 1600 Block of 11th Street West. Crews secured the scene until NorthWestern Energy could repair the pole. -- Firefighters responded Monday at 11:05 p.m. to an alarm that had gone off on the 1200 Block of First Avenue. No smoke or fire was detected when crews arrived and the system was reset. Havre Animal Shelter The shelter this morning held an 8-month-old male short-hair kitten, a female 11-week-old medium-hair kitten, a female medium-hair cat, two 17-week-old male medium-hair kittens, a male short-hair cat and a 7-month-old male medium-hair kitten. -- The shelter this morning also held a male German shepherd, a female pit bull-terrier-German shepherd cross, a 9-month-old female terrier, a 8-month-old female mixed-breed, a 10-month-old female mixed-breed, a 10-month-old female mountain cur and a female Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-German shepherd cross, along with seven puppies not yet available for adoption: five male and one female 6-week-old mixed-breed puppies and a 6-week-old male pit bull terrier cross. PHILADELPHIA Analysis of male- and female-derived tumor samples revealed differences in prognostic biomarkers, genes that drive cancer, and in regulation of key pathways that may predict responses to treatment, according to results published in two studies in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Paul Boutros, PhD, MBA, and colleagues analyzed sex biases in mutation burden, somatic copy number aberrations, and somatic single nucleotide variants in male- and female-derived tumors from a variety of cancer types. The researchers observed large differences in both mutation density and the frequency of mutation of specific genes between male and female samples; however, not all tumor types displayed significant sex biases. The authors also found that tumors from males had decreased mRNA abundance of DNA mismatch repair genes across several tumor types, which was reflected in a higher tumor mutational burden. Additionally, sex-biased prognostic biomarkers were observed, as analyses revealed that genes associated with tumor aggressiveness varied by sex. The results from our pan-cancer analysis suggest that there are fundamental underlying differences in the way that male and female tumors initiate and progress, said Boutros, formerly associate professor at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research and now director of Cancer Data Sciences at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. This indicates that researchers need to be cognizant of the incorporation of sex in biomarker discovery pipelines, particularly in the translational research arena. Limitations of this study include fewer subsets of tumor types studied, a limitation of the TCGA database. Furthermore, the authors have currently limited their analysis to coding regions, which represents only two percent of the genome, noted Boutros. Future work will focus on differences between male and female samples in non-coding regions of the genome. In a related study using data from TCGA, John Quackenbush, PhD, Camila Lopes-Ramos, PhD, and colleagues compared clinical and genomic data from male- and female-derived colon cancer tumors. The researchers found that autosomal gene expression was not significantly different between male and female samples. However, after constructing gene regulatory networks and performing differential targeting analysis, they discovered that 21 genes were differentially regulated between the male and female tumors. Furthermore, the authors found that the regulation of genes involved in drug metabolism was more pronounced in female tumors. Unlike in men, women treated with adjuvant chemotherapy had better overall survival if their tumors had stronger regulation of the drug metabolism pathway. Our results provide a novel insight into regulatory mechanisms that mediate sex-linked differences in colon cancer, said Quackenbush, chair of the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. In addition to identifying genes that are differentially regulated between males and females, we were able to associate patterns of differential gene regulation with clinical outcome. Even though the authors controlled for confounding effects, Quackenbush noted that the data may not fully account for cellular or clinical heterogeneity and patients risk factor profiles. In a commentary accompanying the publication of these two studies, Arthur Arnold, PhD, from the University of California, Los Angeles and Christine Disteche, PhD, from the University of Washington in Seattle provided a brief description of the evolution of X and Y chromosomes and X chromosome inactivation, and the role these processes may play in the development of cancers. The authors posit that the disruption of specific gene pathways, which are more sensitive to the unequal effects of sex chromosomes, may elicit sex-biased cellular responses, which can influence cancer incidence and progression. They note that the two studies highlighted here offer additional insight into the underlying sexual inequality of the genome, which may lead to cancer, and provide further data pertaining to sex-linked differences in diseases beyond cancers of the reproductive organs. If we are going to understand these diverse cancers, it becomes critical to figure out the reasons for the sex differences, the authors stated in the commentary. That will help optimize treatments in both sexes, and uncover possible sex-biased protective or harmful factors that might suggest new therapeutic strategies. Although some sex differences obviously stem from highly gendered human environments, which expose males and females differently to disease risks, we can also search for fundamental biological sex differences within cells that tilt the odds for tumor growth. The study by Boutros and colleagues was supported by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research; the Discovery Frontiers: Advancing Big Data Science in Genomics Research program; a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery grant; a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant; and a Terry Fox Research Institute award. Boutros declares no conflict of interest. The study by Quackenbush and colleagues was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Quackenbush serves on the scientific advisory boards for Caris Life Sciences and Merck KGaA. Arnold declares no conflicts of interest. American Association for Cancer Research Sheriff honored with Order of the Long Leaf Pine County Commission Chairman Michael Edney presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Sheriff Charlie McDonald. Sheriff Charlie McDonald didnt know why he had been called to the Board of Commissioners meeting in the Historic Courthouse on Monday night but admitted that he smelled a rat. When Commission Chairman Michael Edney began reading list of his career achievements patrol deputy hired by Sheriff Ab Jackson, undercover drug detective, special operations instructor at home and abroad, appointed to lead the department when the Sheriffs Office was in crisis and then elected to the job in a landslide, a reformer who put in programs to reduce break-ins and other crimes it became clear that an honor was in his very near future. Edney presented him with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which honors North Carolinians for a life of extraordinary achievement and service to their communities and the state. I would be less than honest if I didnt tell you that that any success Ive had has truly been on the shoulders and help of my administrative team and my deputies and staff and jailers, said McDonald, who lost his re-election bid in May in a Republican primary race with Lowell Griffin. I think the only heartache for me is leaving sooner than I anticipated but I believe I leave you with one of the best sheriffs departments in the state of North Carolina and I truly beleive it will continue to be so. He praised his wife, Jennie, for her support throughout his law enforcement career. "Certainly it's been a sacrifice for her, not only the last 25 years but probably more particularly these last seven," he said. "It's really been one of the most humbling experiences of my entire life." Governor Bill Haslam granted executive clemency on Tuesday to five current or former Tennesseans. These five individuals have made exceptional positive contributions to their communities and will be able to contribute even further by these grants of executive clemency, Governor Haslam said. After thoughtfully considering their cases, I believe these individuals are deserving of pardons. Joseph Hultquist received a pardon for his 1972 and 1973 convictions of unlawful sale of controlled substances, both in Knox County, which arose from the same course of events when he was 18 years old. For over 45 years, Mr. Hultquist has been a positive contributor to the Knoxville community. In addition to being self-employed in the construction industry, he was elected to and served on the Knoxville City Council for several years and has been a strong supporter of economic development initiatives in the Knoxville area. Mr. Hultquists citizenship rights were judicially restored in 2001. The Board of Parole unanimously recommended granting him a pardon. Vanessa Luellen received a pardon for her 1984 conviction of fraudulent breach of trust and 1992 conviction of facilitating the sale of a controlled substance, both of which occurred in Shelby County. Ms. Luellen has since become a leader in her community and church, seeking to use her experience overcoming a lifestyle of drugs and crime to help others avoid the same. She has worked to improve public safety as president of the Mitchell Heights Neighborhood Association and completed the Memphis Police Department Citizens Police Academy Training Program in 2009. For her service to the Memphis community, Ms. Luellen received a Women of Achievement Award in 2012. Luellen also worked for 19 years as a security guard for Firestone Dental Group. The Board of Parole unanimously recommended granting Ms. Luellen a pardon. James Mulholland received a pardon for his 1971 convictions in Knox County of simple robbery, taking an automobile without consent, kidnapping, and armed robbery, which resulted from his participation in an attempt to rob two Knoxville hotels in 1971, when he was 19 years old. For nearly 50 years, Mr. Mulholland has had a clean record and, in 1995, started his own garage door installation, maintenance, and repair business. Mr. Mulholland has been active in his community and church, and he was honorably discharged from the United States Navy, after being awarded the National Defense Service Medal. The Board of Parole unanimously recommended granting Mr. Mulholland a pardon. Scott Rushing received a pardon for his 1987 conviction for assault and battery in Shelby County, which resulted from an altercation when Rushing was a high school senior. Mr. Rushing is a graduate of the University of Utah and the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, is now a gynecologic oncologist and pelvic surgeon in Vancouver, Wash., where he serves as the chief medical officer at Compass Oncology, P.C. In addition to his work there, Mr. Rushing has traveled to Rwanda and Peru, among other places, to provide medical services to impoverished women and plans to expand such work in the future. The Tennessee Board of Parole unanimously recommended granting Mr. Rushing a pardon. Robert Williams received a pardon for his 1982 Shelby County convictions of petit larceny, attempt of a felony, and possession of burglary tools resulting from his attempt to break into two cars. For more than 35 years, Mr. Williams has had a clean record and has been a positive contributor to his community. He has been employed by Memphis Light, Gas and Water for nearly 20 years, where he is a fraud investigator, and he has also volunteered as a juvenile probation officer since 2001, in order to help others avoid the mistakes he made. Williams is also a veteran of the United States Army. The Board of Parole recommended granting him a pardon. Executive clemency is an act of mercy or leniency by the governor after a criminal conviction, and more specifically, a pardon is a statement of forgiveness that may assist with restoration of rights or expungement of a criminal record by a judge or overcoming the collateral consequences of a conviction with respect to obtaining housing and employment. The governor continues to review and consider additional clemency requests. Relief supply drive for Florence victims A local group is collecting paper goods, diapers, soap, cleaning supplies, canned food, toiletries and other items for victims of Hurricane Florence in Eastern North Carolina. The drive will start Thursday morning when volunteers staff a collection site at the old Food Lion parking lot. Bruce Hatfield, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, organized the drive when he heard about the damage in Bladen County, about 40 miles east of Wilmington. Hours of collection are 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Hatfield plans now to continue collecting supplies until Wednesday, Oct. 10. "Over the course of the hurricane, we received photos, e mails, and other correspondence from family and friends living in Bladen County," said Hatfield, whose wife, Diane, grew up in Carvers Creek, in Bladen County. "People, who lived in Kelly, where the Black River runs, were forced to evacuate, only to return to find their homes destroyed by the flood. Farmers throughout the county lost everything corn, soybeans, peanuts, cotton, tobacco, hogs, chickens and more. Its all gone, homes, cars, trucks, pets, everything. The people in Bladen County need your help." Hatfield on Monday night asked the Henderson County Board of Commissioners during its regular meeting for any help they could give in publicity. Commissioners endorsed County Manager Steve Wyatt's idea to publicize the effort on the county's website and social media pages. When he made an appeal for a central collection point, the owner offered the old Food Lion parking lot across from the new Publix. Hatfield is also asking for volunteers to drive delivery vehicles. "We need transportation services trucks, vans, trailers that will make the approximate five- to six-hour drive to Bladen County to drop off the relief items," he said. Residents of Brookdale assisted living facility donated $700 cash. Hatfield also suggests donations of gift cards to Lowe's or Home Depot. Suggested items to donate include paper goods, washcloths, feminine hygiene products, plates, cups, bowls, towels, bleach, wipes, paper towels, baby supplies, cleaning supplies, paper shop towels, baby formula, baby diapers wipes, plastic flatware, toilet paper, Band-Aids, insect repellent, disposable razors, shaving cream, hand soap, toothpaste, tooth brushes, deodorant bar soap, mouthwash, chap-stick, sun screen, trash bags, gallon freezer storage bags, liquid soap, mops, brooms, brushes, canned food, can openers, toys, utility knives, pry bars, nail pullers, rubber gloves. Hatfield thanked Teresa Edwards and the CEdwards Group for their support. For more information contact Hatfield at 828-329-4971 or email noirs@aol.com. Concerns are being raised that the estimated 33.5m cost of work needed at Dun Laoghaire Harbour will be borne by the council. Councillors have called on Transport Minister Shane Ross to pledge that his department will cover the costs if they cannot be met from the running of the harbour. It was announced last week that the harbour will be transferred to the control of the council tomorrow. Then it will assume full responsibility for the management and operation of the harbour, which before was under the harbour company and ultimately the minister's remit. Mr Ross has been invited to a council meeting tomorrow in order to discuss the cost of work needed on the site. Local Fine Gael councillor Barry Ward told the Herald there were serious concerns about the cost of bringing the harbour up to "taking-in-charge standard" - where no more than the day-to-day costs of running and maintaining the harbour needs to be spent. "An independent assessor has put a 33.5m figure on it. Now, in fairness, he has said it's not exact and it might be 20pc more or 20pc less," he said. "Either way, it's a big wedge of money that we don't have. "We are willing to pay for it out of the running of the harbour, but what we are asking the minister is to indemnify the council if that doesn't cover it." Mr Ross has not yet indicated whether he will attend the meeting, but Mr Ward said it was his constituents who would end up paying the price if the council had to shell out all the money. Loss "It is the citizens of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, their parks, their playgrounds, their public areas that will be affected. Dublin Rathdown is his constituency," he said. The port suffered from the loss of the Stena Line route to Holyhead in 2015. Fianna Fail councillor Cormac Devlin called for the handover to be delayed while the issue was resolved. He said the harbour was of national importance and its costs should not be borne by Dun Laoghaire alone. "Alternative arrangements should have been made to support the harbour to manage its transfer before landing the prospect on the council which is already running a tight ship," he said. The Department of Transport said the port has "substantial net assets" and a healthy bank cash balance, which will transfer to the council. The council plans to ensure the harbour is recognised as a "location of choice" for marine and leisure activities as well as for visitors. Our Ladys Hospice lost 280,000 in funds following the sale of a Spanish property that was left to it in a will. A former employee at Ireland's largest hospice has been arrested by gardai investigating a suspected 280,000 fraud. The Herald can reveal the man, aged in his 50s, was arrested by detectives and taken to Crumlin Garda Station yesterday. He was picked up for questioning in relation to the sale of a Spanish property belonging to Our Lady's Hospice, located in Harold's Cross and Blackrock. The registered charity lost 280,000 in funds after the property, which had been bequeathed to it in a will, was sold for a fraction of its value. The loss first came to light after an audit into the hospice's accounts between 2008 and 2015. Dismissed Following an internal investigation, the employee at the centre of the property deal was dismissed by the hospice, while the Charities Regulator and the HSE were also notified. Gardai were also contacted and detectives based at Crumlin Garda Station launched an investigation into the alleged fraud. They are being assisted by officers from the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), also known as the fraud squad, who specialise in such investigations. While the employee was dismissed for "serious negligence", the hospice was not equipped to determine if a crime had been committed and therefore notified gardai who are continuing to investigate the matter. A senior source last night said the garda investigation was "complex and lengthy" due to the nature of the allegations. It has been ongoing for around two years and resulted in yesterday's arrest of the former worker, who was employed at the hospice for several years. The revelations came as a significant blow to the registered charity, which received 3.18m of its 37.9m income in 2015 from donations and fundraising, while an additional 1.1m came from assets left in wills. The money raised is vital to the hospice, with accounts showing 2.6m of it is used to fund staff salaries not covered by income from the HSE and patients. Previously, Our Lady's Hospice confirmed the employee was dismissed after the issue was uncovered. "We were concerned the sale did not produce the expected benefit," the hospice said. "The board of directors also reported its concerns to the relevant authorities - the gardai, the Charities Regulator, and the HSE - and we have co-operated fully with them." The hospice said its primary concern at all times was the needs and care of its residents, patients and their families, a statement said. "We are grateful for the support we receive from everybody who is associated with Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services - our residents and patients, their families, our fundraising supporters, our staff and volunteers and the general public. Apologise "The board of directors and the senior management apologise unreservedly for the shortcomings outlined in the audit. "We are sorry that we did not have more robust financial processes in place to prevent any such issue arising. "Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services has introduced a suite of financial policies including a robust bequest and legacy policy with checks and balances to improve our financial procedures and ensure best practices. "The staff member involved was expeditiously dismissed by Our Lady's Hospice and Care Services," it added. The hospice was founded in 1879 by the Sisters of Charity and employs over 520 staff. It also has about 300 volunteers. Around 3,900 people benefited from its care services last year, during which it also delivered 12,300 specialist palliative home care visits. Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha has apologised to the duchess live on television, saying: "I wish things could be different." Appearing on Jeremy Vine's show on Channel 5, Samantha revealed she was "..hoping that we can have a happy ending." Expand Close Meghan Markle. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meghan Markle. Photo: Reuters Samantha, who was not invited to the royal wedding between Meghan and Prince Harry and has not spoken to Meghan in years, said she is in the UK to make peace with her famous half-sister. She also defended having hurled insults at Meghan on Twitter. Rude Vine tackled Samantha on why she had been rude and insulting to Meghan, having called her "Cruella de Vil", "Duch-ass" and the "Duchess of Nonsense". "[My father] was being purposely ignored," she said. Thomas Markle is father to both Samantha and Meghan. "We were hoping that private channels would be used. When they failed, we went public. The goal at that point wasn't just getting closer. It was also about bringing out a very important point that you don't isolate family, you are a humanitarian." Vine replied: "You want to shame her - that's what it is." Samantha said: "The public were making a mockery of the family and it had to stop. "Perhaps I was frustrated. I was lashing out more at the media." She said she was doubtful of being able to make contact with Meghan while visiting the UK. "I was hoping that maybe we would have the chance to speak, that she'd know I was here. But I don't think that's going to happen," she said. She added that the whole saga could have been "nipped in the bud" had the family been invited to the wedding. "Everybody was hurt at not being included or invited to the wedding," she said. "I felt as though it could have all been nipped in the bud had everyone been included and we all agreed to move forward with positive resolve and the hurt feelings wouldn't have snowballed. "It doesn't mean we love you any less. I just think families can be this way when there's confusion and when people are hurt, so moving forward, I apologise and I wish things could be different." Samantha took part in a phone-in, and was met with a barrage of criticism from callers. One told her: "All we've seen is the hate you've spewed against your sister. "If you actually love your sister I think this should have been done in private, not on social media, or going on television saying you're sorry... what you're doing is not right." Samantha replied: "Most of what you read in the tabloids is not true. There have been so many times I've said, in live interviews, favourable things but they were not printed." Another caller declared that Ms Markle should have been "stopped at border control", adding: "She's got no relevance to be here." Relevance However, one caller described Samantha as an "absolutely lovely lady" and said that should Harry and Meghan have a baby, she should be godmother. Also known as Samantha Grant, she has see-sawed between criticising and praising Meghan on social media. More recently she accused her sister of hypocrisy and being cold and inhumane in her treatment of their father. Meghan's father, Thomas, pulled out of walking his daughter down the aisle due to ill health after being caught staging photos with the paparazzi for cash. Since Meghan became a royal, Samantha branded Harry a "wuss", and has even gone as far as to say she would blame her sister should their father Thomas die. For Subscribers Parents call for removal of books from school system libraries Two of the books that have explicit content are "Lawn Boy," by Jonathan Evison, and "L8r, g8r," by Lauren Myracle. The painful period in the Turkish-German relations was left behind, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said commenting on the results of his state visit to Germany which took place at the end of last week. For three days, Erdogan held two rounds of talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Lashet. As Hurriyet Daily News writes in the article Turkey, Germany differ on views on terrorism, Germany and Turkey can overcome a period of ups and downs in bilateral relations during the term in 2019. Both countries will take steps for boosting relations, however, Ankara and Berlin are still having differences on the understanding of terror concepts, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. They are always grateful for what we have done about Syria, especially on the issue of Idlib. We will continue to take steps by strengthening our cooperation with the EU and other regions, Erdogan told a group of journalists while on his way from Germany to Turkey. One of the problematic areas with Germany is they do not act sensitive enough on the issue of anti-Turkey acts of organizations such as the [illegal] PKK, FETO, DHKPC, the president said. We expect German authorities to fight against them more effectively. An effective struggle against the structures that pose a threat to our national security is our fundamental right, he said. We have expressed it would be better to ask us about real information regarding those people, said Erdogan, elaborating on the issue of German concerns regarding their citizens detained in Turkey. We told them it would be better to listen to official authorities about the issues and take steps accordingly rather than listening to anti-cabinet or anti-president circles in Turkey, he said. We told them one cannot get accurate results if they walk with anti-government circles, the president added. He stressed that there is an obvious difference in the two countries approach regarding the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO). They are talking about the lack of evidence on FETO. It is not possible to understand ignoring the evidence we submitted to them, including the court rulings, said Erdogan. Turkey has asked Germany to extradite a list of 136-people, Erdogan said, recalling that Ankara had previously sent a list of about more than 4,000 illegal PKK members. He recalled Turkey sent the United States 85 packages of documents for its request of FETO members. Later on, U.S. President Donald Trump asked Ankara to send names of individuals instead and Turkey conveyed a list of more than 20 people, according to Erdogan. The upcoming period will show us what will happen. However, their understanding of terror is different than ours. They have a difficulty in understanding us because they do not have the problems we have, he said. Erdogan noted that his delegation visited Germany with a positive agenda and said he was satisfied with Germanys hospitality on many terms, including security and state protocol. It was a good and successful visit, he said and welcomed both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. I can say we were able to agree on further developing our economic relations. The German minister for economy will come to our country on Oct. 25 accompanied with a big delegation of businesspeople, said the Turkish president. Discrimination and Islamophobia remain a major problem in Germany, he said, recalling the huge Turkish community living there. Erdogan expressed his concern on attacks on mosques and Islamic associations. This situation contradicts with the European values, he said, underlining that one should not fall on deaf ears regarding this problem. He recalled that nearly 10,000 Turks could not attend at the president address in Cologne though they came the mosque opening because the German authorities did not allow them due to security reasons. As a result, Germany is an important country for us. Of course we have problems. I cannot say we have been able to overcome them entirely. But I think we caught an important chance to overcome problems, he said, adding that mutual visits of ministers will increase between the two capitals, including an invitation issued for the German chancellor and president to visit Turkey. Meanwhile, Erdogan criticized the German presidents attitude during the dinner and said his behavior was not smart. It was unnecessary to bring the issues back up at the dinner, which had already been discussed at previous meetings throughout the day. Even the Germans were uncomfortable with that. Some circles had said Steinmeier was wrong. Erdogan gave the right reaction, he said. In Turkish culture, if one invites someone for dinner, no one would treat the guest this way, the president said, adding that his move was aimed at the German media for internal political concerns. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier raised human rights issues in Turkey during a state dinner with Erdogan. Eighty years ago, Germans found refuge in Turkeytoday, a worryingly large number of people from Turkey are seeking refuge here in Germany from the growing pressure on civil society, Steinmeier said before Erdogan. In his speech, Erdogan told Steinmeier among other things that he seemed to have received false information regarding the arrests that have taken place in Turkey. Thousands of members of the PKK, which is recognized as a terror group by the EU, walk freely in Germany, Erdogan said. Germans were avoiding a room meeting but on the other hand, they are seeking rights of Can Dundar, he said, noting that the journalist was sentenced for 5-10 years in Turkey. Recalling the bilateral extradition agreement, Germany should return Dundar to Turkey, he added. He told German counterparts that the detained German citizens in Turkey are accused of some crimes, they are on trial as Turkish nationals, and Turkey is a state of law, the president said. Germans appreciate what Turkey has been doing in Syria and a four-way summit with France, Germany, Turkey and Russia will be held after elections in Germany on Oct. 13, he said. He recalled Trump organized a small group about Syria composed of the U.S., Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, and France, isolating Turkey. They do not even invite Syria. I told Merkel that ours is small too, he said. Globally, I see that the unilateral policies of the Trump administration have also caused discomfort in Europe. We will continue to take steps by strengthening our cooperation with the EU and other regions, said Erdogan. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspected all sites and locations in Iran it needed to visit under the Additional Protocol, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said. "As I stated in my reports to the IAEA Board of Governors, evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities for Iran remain ongoing. The Agency continues to evaluate Irans declarations under the Additional Protocol and has conducted complementary accesses under the Additional Protocol to all the sites and locations in Iran which it needed to visit," he stressed. Commenting on the recent claims of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Iran had a "secret atomic warehouse," the IAEA chief said that the organization didn't take intelligence presented to it at face value. "The agency sends inspectors to sites and locations only when needed. The agency uses all safeguards relevant to information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," Sputnik cited Amano as saying. Amitabh Bachchan penned a beautiful tribute to Krishna Raj Kapoor, the wife of late thespian Raj Kapoor, who passed away on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest. Amitabh, along with son Abhishek Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and daughter Shweta Nanda, was present at the funeral of Krishna on Monday in Chembur, Mumbai. Talking about the Kapoor matriarch and mother to Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Rima Jain and Ritu Nanda, Amitabh wrote in his blog, Krishna Raj Kapoor .. the matriarch of the family .. the epitome of grace and dignity .. gentle and loving to all .. caring .. faultless in etiquette and family protocol .. she kept this vast family of celebrated individuals together as one bond .. Amitabh Bachchan wrote that Krishna Raj Kapoor was the bond that kept the family together. The actor also recalled Krishnas advice to all new brides, her famous line to brides to be: when you shall go as a bride into your husbands home, you must decide whether you want to carry scissors with you or a pair of knitting needles .. ! scissors symbolising the cutting of relations in the new home and family ; knitting needles , to knit the family together .. Amitabh also revealed Krishans wish to get the final send-off with multi-religious prayers. Insisted that when she goes she wants to have the prayers conducted by the 4 faiths : Sikh Gurubani, Hindu Pandit schloks, Priest Christian from the Bible, and words from the Quran .. Other than Amitabh, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Karan Johar were also among those to pay her tribute on Twitter. While Aamir called her an institution in living life, Salman Khan recalled her bond with mother Salma. Akshay wrote, Saddened by the demise of #KrishnaRajKapoor ji...she was an embodiment of grace. My heartfelt condolences to the Kapoor family, may her soul rest in peace. Saddened by the demise of #KrishnaRajKapoor ji...she was an embodiment of grace. My heartfelt condolences to the Kapoor family, may her soul rest in peace Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) October 1, 2018 The embodiment of grace...of dignity ...of elegance and of stength....Krishna aunty will always be the First Lady of the Film Fraternity...the most generous, kind and gentle person I have ever known with the most terrific sense of humour...will miss you Krishna aunty pic.twitter.com/8CSo7rw19V Karan Johar (@karanjohar) October 1, 2018 If Raj Kapoor was an institution in film making, Krishnaji was an institution in living life. A very sad loss to all of us. My love and warmth to Randhirji, Rishiji, Chimpuji, Reema, Rituji and everyone in the family. We love you Krishnaji. Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) October 1, 2018 Krishna aunty .. my mother and me will miss u always.. #KrishnaRajKapoor Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) October 1, 2018 Krishna Raj Kapoors last rites were performed by eldest son Randhir Kapoor in the presence of the entire family and their friends from the industry. Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, who are in the US for Rishis treatment, could not attend the funeral. When Nawazuddin Siddiquis tell-all memoir, An Ordinary Life, was about to come out in 2017, it created a controversy almost immediately. Contained in them were details of his love affairs with two actors, Niharika Singh (of Miss Lovely fame) and TV actor Sunita Rajwar. So intense was the controversy that Nawaz decided to withdraw the book. A year on, the actor regrets writing the five pages of his memoir, which contained details of his affairs. In an interview to Bollywood Hungama, he said that the main motive behind writing his memoir was to set an example for people from small towns across India with big dreams. Of the 209 pages in the book, only 5 pages dealt with it but that it all that got discussed. The entire motive of the endeavour was turned on its head. I wanted to put my story forward so that others from small towns with big dreams could follow in my footsteps. How was I to know that 5 pages of the book would kill the impact of my entire effort? The book had 209 pages. Only 5 of those pages were written about over and over again. Rasika Dugal, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and director Nandita Das during a press conference for their film Manto in September 19, 2018. (IANS) He continues to say that he regretted taking the names of the concerned ladies he allegedly dated. It was not in good taste to name the ladies. But, I didnt know any better. I was only trying to tell the truth. In the interview, he went on to say that as whenever he decides to write about his life against, may be 30-40 years from now, he would only write lies as truth is not palatable to everybody. It may be recalled that in October last year the Bollywood actor came out with his memoir, which was his lifes story -- of his struggle, of hope, of relentless persistence and the desire to dream. However, the book also contained accounts of his love affair with Niharika, which obviously didnt go down well with the actor. The actor accused him of resorting to such methods to sell his book. Nawaz and I had a brief relationship during the making of Miss Lovely that lasted less than a few months. So today when he paints me as a woman in fur enticing him into her bedroom with candles, or desperately calling him and mailing other women on his behalf, I can only laugh. He obviously wants to sell his book and it would appear that he is willing to exploit and disrespect a woman just to do so. He has chosen to fabricate stories and manipulate a fleeting relationship. His book also talked of his affair with Sujata. The Miss Lovely actor reportedly registered a case with National Commission for Women accusing Nawaz of outraging her modesty and claimed he misrepresented facts. As a result, Nawaz withdrew his book, within days of its release. Follow @htshowbiz for more Kangana Ranauts Manikarnika teaser landed on Gandhi Jayanti and showed Kangana Ranaut as warrior queen, Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. Bloodied yet unbent, we see her taking on the British as Amitabh Bachchan narrates her story. Kangana looks resplendent as the legendary Maratha queen who took on the British East India Companys army in an armed rebellion against the European power, also called Indias first war of independence. Manikarnika teaser is narrated by Amitabh Bachchan as we see Kangana as a young girl, then the queen and finally a brave warrior demanding the freedom from the British. The clip showcases many scenes of battle -- from sword fights to horses and warriors charging ahead. It also showcases her as a young mother ruling and fighting with her son right next to her. Watch Kangana Ranauts Manikarnika teaser here Manikarnika, (that was what she named at the time of her birth), among other things, also looks at the making of Laxmi Bai from Manikarnika. The film remains one of the most ambitious projects in Kanganas career to date. I am extremely proud of this film, portraying a character who empowers and inspires. We have put in our heart, blood and sweat into making this film. Manikarnika... will make each and every Indian proud, Kangana said in a statement. Manikarnika teaser had Amitabh Bachchan as the narrator. The film has been in news from its very early days -- be it Kanganas injuries during the films action scenes shoots or the most recent controversies. The films production was affected when its director Krish, known for his work in Telugu films, quit midway. However, the credits in Maikarnika teaser mention him as the director. As per reports, after a fair deal of the film had been shot, the makers were unhappy with some parts of it. They decided on a reshoot while Krish decided to move on to his next project. Manikarnika sees Kangana Ranaut in the most ambitious film of her career. Later, when Kangana took over the project, it led to further problems. First, she was accused of hijacking the film, a fact robustly denied by producer Kamal Jain, and later when actors like Sonu Sood quit the film. A war of words ensued between the two actors, with both trading charges at each other -- Kangana accused Sonu of refusal to work under a female director. Sonu was quick to refute the charge, adding that competence, not gender was the issue as he had already worked under a female director, Farah Khan in Happy New Year. Manikarnika releases on January 25 next year. Follow @htshowbiz for more Tanushree Dutta has denied that she received a legal notice from Nana Patekar, a day after Nanas lawyer was quoted in the media stating that a legal notice has been sent. In a statement, Tanushree said: I have not received any notice. These threats are put forth so that others like me would be scared to come forward. Anyone with a similar experience who comes forward should not worry about such intimidation tactics. The whole nation will support them. There are big media houses standing in solidarity with this movement. It is an excellent time to take these remorseless men to task and send a strong message across. Harassment cases are taken lightly in our society but when given a free pass, over time they become endemic and lead to extreme cases like mine, ending in mob violence. Tanushree mentioned that she was putting together a team of lawyers and advocates to defend herself. She has also been speaking continuously about the case, her ordeal and how the film industry has responded to the issue. While many younger stars have come out in support, many others have chosen to stay mum, a fact that has disappointed her immensely. In a no-holds-barred interview to Times of India, the actor said that the silence could be attributed to the fear, many powerful men in the industry feel, that their dark secrets may come out too. You lose confidence in the fraternity. Today people are coming forward, but even the silence of some of these biggies is deafening. Are they afraid some of their dark secrets will also be revealed id they come out? You can judge the kind of people who have come out in support. You can tell their character. The ones who dont come out have got much to hide. Thats why they dont want to comment. They want just to pretend and wish it to go away. But it isnt going anywhere, she said. Tanushree Dutta has accused Nana Patekar of alleged sexual harassment. (Instagram) Meanwhile, on Monday, Nanas lawyer Rajendra Shirodhkar told media that the notice, sent to her, is a standard one, which denies all allegations and demanding an apology. A legal notice has already been sent to her and she will receive it today. The notice that I have sent is a standard one - denying allegations and asking for an apology, said Shirodkar, according to a Firstpost report. When Shirodhkar was told that journalist Janice Sequeira and assistant director Shyni Shetty had corroborated Tanushrees account, he said Nana will soon hold a press conference. I cant say much now. I have absolutely no idea why she (Tanushree) is talking about it now but she may be have some reasons to do it. Nana will come to town (Mumbai) today or tomorrow and address a press conference. Let him come back and talk, that is the best way to know. Tomorrow he should be definitely here, had added Shirodkar. According to earlier reports, Nanas team had said that they were in the process of sending legal notice. However, the model-actor on Saturday has denied getting any notice then. She was quoted saying, Contrary to claims made by Nanas lawyer I have not received any legal notice. Follow @htshowbiz for more Tanushree Dutta, former Miss India and Bollywood actor, went missing from the industry almost a decade back. While many wondered why the Aashiq Banaya Apne actor quit industry, Tanushree has now answered all questions, claiming that she decided to leave films after she was harassed on the sets of her film, Horn OK Pleassss. The actor said she had detailed her ordeal in 2008 as well but there was no outcome. She also named Nana Patekar as her abuser, alleging that he had demanded that she shoot an intimate dance step with her. She also alleged that during the making of 2005 film Chocolate, the films director Vivek Agnihotri had asked her to remove her clothes and dance in front of Irrfan Khan in order to give him cues for a scene. However, cast members Irrfan and Suniel Shetty had come out in support of her during that time. Ever since Tanushrees allegations, heres what the biggest and important names in Bollywood have said about the issue. Tanushree Dutta during a media interaction to promote the #MeToo campaign in Mumbai on September 27, 2018. (IANS) 1. Janice Sequeira, a journalist, was among the first ones to add weight to Tanushrees claims by tweeting her eyewitness account. She had tweeted, Some incidents that take place even a decade ago remain fresh in your memory. What happened with #TanushreeDutta on the sets of Horn Ok Please is one such incident - I was there. #NanaPatekar. Shyni Shetty, an assistant director on the film, also corroborated Tanushrees account. Everything in this thread happened exactly the way its written. It was my first film as an AD. I was proud of what you did then, @TanushreeDutta and Im proud of you today, she wrote. 2. Tanushree claimed that choreographer Ganesh Acharya and director Rakesh Sarang were complicit in her harassment but both have dismissed her claims. Ganesh has said that no intimate dance steps were added and neither was the actor harassed in any way. I can confirm that nothing this sort of happened. Its a wrong statement that Nana ji called members of some political party on set. It never happened, he told India Today. 3. When actor Amitabh Bachchan was asked to react on the issue during the launch of the Thugs of Hindostan trailer, the senior actor said he was neither Nana nor Tanushree and cannot comment on the issue. However, Tanushree has expressed her deep disappointment at the superstars reaction. She told Hindustan Times, Im hurt, as these are people who do movies on social causes. But when it comes to standing up and doing something about what is happening in front of you, there are these evasive statements that dont make sense. 5. Amid all the hullaballoo, director Farah Khan shared a picture from the sets of her upcoming film Housefull 4, also starring Nana Patekar. Twitter called out Farah. Meanwhile, author Twinkle Khanna supported Tanushree with her tweet, Please read this thread before judging or shaming #TanushreeDutta a working environment without harassment and intimidation is a fundamental right and by speaking up this brave woman helps pave the way towards that very goal for all of us! 6. Actor Farhan Akhtar was among the first few Bollywood celebs to tweet his support for Tanushree. This thread is very telling. @janiceseq85 was there at the time of the incident being debated today. Even when #TanushreeDutta had career concerns to keep quiet 10 years ago she did not & her story hasnt changed now. Her courage should be admired, not her intention questioned, he wrote on Twitter. 7. Actor Priyanka Chopra also wrote in response to Farhan Akhtars statement, Agreed..the world needs to #BelieveSurviviors. However, this also did not go down well with Tanushree who hit back with her response on Zoom, Its amazing. She (Priyanka) has finally decided to join the bandwagon. Its probably a smart thing to do at this point of time. But I just want people to know that I am not going to be reduced to a survivor. I have a name, I have a story and I have this truth that I am trying to get out because its not for me but for people who will come forward in the generations to come. 8. Recently at an event, when actor Salman Khan was asked about what he had to say about the whole episode, he clearly evaded the question with the reply, I am not aware of this. Let me know and understand what is happening. 9. Actor Sonam Kapoor, known for being vocal in her views, supported Tanushree, I believe #TanushreeDatta and @janiceseq85 recollection of the account. Janice is my friend, and she is anything but an exaggerator or a liar. And its upto us to stand together. She added, Many of my co-workers,female and male have been harassed and bullied, but its their story to tell. If we dont encourage their voices and instead vilify and question them, how will victims ever become survivors? Let them speak up! Stand up with them! Tanushree Dutta with sister Ishita Dutta and Vatsal Sheth in Mumbai on August 5, 2018. (IANS) 10. Namastey England actor Parineeti Chopra took to Twitter to share her support for Tanushree. She tweeted, I agree too. Survivors are survivors because they have dealt with something horrible and come out on the other side. So believe them, respect them. @janiceseq85 #TanushreeDutta. 11. Actors Richa Chadha and Swara Bhasker also tweeted their support for the actor. It hurts to be #TanushreeDutta rn. To be alone, questioned. No woman wants publicity that opens the floodgates of trolling and insensitivity.What happened to her on set was intimidation.Her only fault was she didnt back down-takes a special courage to be #TanushreeDutta, Richa wrote. Swara wrote simply, #IBelieveYouTanushreeDutta. 12. Director Anurag Kashyap also wrote in Tanushrees support, If my previous tweet sounds vague let me clarify it. This should stop the questioning of intention of Tanushree Datta because there is a witness account of what happened and @janiceseq85 is as credible as the come. 13. In an interview to Pinkvilla, actor Kangana Ranaut said: I am not here to pass judgement. Thats neither my place nor my intention. I appreciate her courage to speak about alleged harassment that has been caused to her. Its her and the accuseds fundamental right to speak about their experience of the same situation. Such dialogue is very healthy and it will bring about a lot of awareness. 14. Actor Varun Dhawan also applauded her courage. I have been busy with Sui Dhaaga, so I havent really heard the whole story, but I think whats most important at a work place is respect -- whether for a woman, man or a child. We want to make our industry a safe place and everyone deserves equal respect. Also if someone is openly talking about the issue, we should hear them out. It takes great courage to talk about it and I applaud that courage. Follow @htshowbiz for more Mahatma Gandhi and his contribution towards Indias struggle for independence will forever be remembered as one of the greatest lessons in patriotism. An entire nation for generations has referred to Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of Nation because of his relentless efforts that brought down the British Raj. October 2 is observed as Gandhi Jayanti, when his sacrifice and non-violent, peaceful fight for freedom is celebrated by the country. We help you know the man behind the persona with these 10 insightful books on Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi: The years that changed the world (1914-1948): Written by renowned historian and author Ramachandra Guha, this book tells the story of Gandhis life from his departure from South Africa to his death. Published by Penguin Random House India, its been called as the most definitive new biography on Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi before India: Another title on Gandhi by Ramchandra Guha is the first part of a two-volume biography. It talks about Gandhis life until his return to India after spending years as a lawyer and civil rights activist in South Africa. This book gives a glimpse of Gandhis personality in his formative years. The Story of My Experiments with Truth: This autobiography covers all aspects of Mahatma Gandhis life, right from childhood to the year 1921. It gives a peek into how Gandhis ideals and principles developed through his many experiences and life events. Want to understand the man behind Mahatma? This is the book for you. Gandhi: Prisoner of Hope: Written by Judith M Brown, the book deals with Gandhis early life, his career as a lawyer and his struggle with racism in South Africa. The book portrays him as a powerful voice that understood the idea of the beginning of a freedom movement. Waiting for the Mahatma: Written by RK Narayan, the book uses the Indian freedom struggle as a background to talk about how the writers idea of nationalism was formed. Gandhi: His Life and Message for the World: Louis Fischers biography on the man became the basis for Academy award-winning film Gandhi. The book gives a glimpse of Mahatma Gandhis personality and how he shaped the freedom struggle. Gandhi: Prisoner of Hope: Author Judith Brown gives a new perspective on Gandhis life. She deconstructs his philosophy but also gives a glimpse into his weaknesses, making him appear more human than saint. She analyses the inner conflicts faced by Gandhi and his response to them. Mahatma Gandhi: His Life and Ideas: This book by Charles F Andrews and Arun Gandhi gives a glimpse of how Gandhis ideologies evolved over a period of time. It reveals Gandhis state of mind rather than being just another biography on him. Gandhi: Voice of New Age Revolution: Written by Martin Burgess Green, the book examines Gandhis life in London, where he witnessed the New Age Revolution (spiritual and personal growth) around the time he was living there. It compares it to the New Age Movement of today, which stresses upon love for peace and vegetarianism. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter National carrier Air India would fly its premier 420-seater double-decker Boeing 747 aircraft, usually operated in long haul sectors, between domestic destinations Delhi-Kolkata and Delhi-Mumbai starting October 16 to meet passenger demand during festive season and also to revive its financial fortune. Air India intends to attract more passengers by putting bigger planes on domestic routes. With 12 first class, 26 business class and 385 economy class seats, the Jumbo B 747 will operate one flight daily on the Delhi- Kolkata-Delhi and Delhi- Mumbai-Delhi sectors from October 16 to October 21. B 747 Jumbo will also operate two flights daily on the Delhi-Mumbai-Delhi sector from November 1 to November 11 to cater to passengers during Diwali, said Air India spokesperson Praveen Bhatnagar.The aircraft promises to offer an altogether new experience to passengers flying on domestic routes. 2018 also marks the 50th anniversary of Boeing 747. According to an official familiar with the matter, the airline will also operate four new routes from October 28. We think there is scope for new routes and after consultation we have decided to start flights on Mumbai-New York, Bangalore-Kolkata, Kolkata-Bangkok and Delhi- Nanded sectors, said the official. On Monday, the airline also came up with fresh auction for its two and three bhk flats and land parcels in Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. We are selling flats owned by us, while those on lease will continue to stay with us. These flats were purchased before the merger. We have tied up with MSTC Ltd, which specialises in e-auctions to divest the real estate assets, said another Air India official. A labourer was killed and two others injured when a portion of an unauthorised under-construction building collapsed in north Delhis Swaroop Nagar on Monday afternoon, police said. According to a statement issued by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the construction was declared illegal and set to be demolished on October 3. The Delhi Police, which too had alerted the corporation about the construction in July, has booked the owner of the building for causing death due to negligence. The accused owner, Satish Yadav, who was constructing a two-storey godown that he intended to lease out, is absconding, Aslam Khan, deputy commissioner of police, (north-west), said, adding that nearly 70 square yards of the building collapsed at 1.10pm. The godown was being constructed on a 500 square yard plot near Azad Palace in Swaroop Nagar. According to a labourer, who did not want to be identified, around two dozen men were working at the site at the time of the collapse. We were casting the slab when suddenly one end of the structure collapsed. We thought it was an earthquake and ran out to save our lives, the labourer said, adding that he was unaware that the structure was to be demolished in two days. While one labourer, identified as Pankaj, was working right under the collapsed structure, two others were perched atop the two-storey building. Pankaj was buried under a large pile of wet cement and iron frames. It took us 20 minutes to dig him out. He was breathing when we rescued him, but he seemed badly injured, said Rajesh Kumar, assistant divisional officer (Delhi Fire Services). Pankaj, believed to be in his late 20s, was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Police said no one known to him has arrived to collect his body yet. Prakash, a local resident and eyewitness, said two other labourers, who were perched atop the structure, too, were injured by the iron frames that collapsed. But they escaped death because they were not buried under the rubble, said Prakash. Police said the two injured men are out of danger. The fire officers continued their search operation for the next three hours before confirming that no one else was trapped underneath the debris. The corporation said they had booked the property for unauthorised construction under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act on June 18 and had also passed the demolition order. In other letters dated July 9, the civic agency had asked the water, electricity and revenue department not to provide water or power connections or register the property, the statement said. The station house officer (SHO) had, on July 14, written to the corporations deputy commissioner to take immediate necessary steps to restrain the owner/contractor not to carry out further construction and had promised necessary police assistance to carry out demolition of the structure. Delhi is expected to be better equipped to tackle sudden pollution spikes this winter, with an early warning system that can predict air quality levels at least two days in advance, according to senior government officials familiar with the development. This system, which will be in place by the end of the month, will draw data from 36 monitoring stations run by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Safar, and will factor in real-time aerosol information from Nasa satellites, giving a prediction taking meteorological factors into account, the officials added. This will not only help residents brace for high-pollution days, it will also enable the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) that kicked in last year to be implemented in advance. Delhis early warning system for predicting air pollution levels is almost ready. We have been working on it for the past eight to nine months. The system would be installed by the end of October or the first week of November, M Rajeevan, secretary of the Union ministry of earth sciences, told HT. As of now, Safar, which is operated by the government, collates data from 11 stations it runs in Delhi, and the prediction mechanism it employs is not enough to give an accurate forecast of what is coming because it focuses more on local emission sources. Explaining how the new system will work, Sachin C Ghude, a scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology-Pune who is associated with the project, said it will give Delhi the most accurate pollution information it has got so far. Satellites will pick up real-time sources of pollution, such as stubble burning in northwest India or dust storms in west Asia, said Ghude. These would be fed into the model along with daily meteorological data and data from air quality monitoring stations in the national capital. With these, the model would be able to tell us how pollution levels in Delhi would shoot up in the next 48 hours and what would be the contribution of each source, he added. Experts said the system becomes all the more important as meteorological factors, such as wind speed and wind direction, play an important role in determining Delhis pollution levels. Also, at least 64% of the ultra fine particles (PM2.5) in Delhis air come from outside the city during winters, according to a study by The Energy Resources Institute. These pollutants also come from NCR towns, and sometimes even from as far as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Oman. Such a system would help Delhi be better prepared when it comes to implementing measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap). As of now, Grap measures come into play when pollution level has already spiked. But if we get to know in advance that pollution levels could spike after two days, we can implement some measures in advance to prevent the spike, said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director (research and advocacy) of Centre for Science and Environment. Supreme Court-appointed body Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority, which enforces Grap during the winter, has been pushing for such a system over the past one year. Last November, when dust from Sahara pushed up pollution levels resulting in a week-long smog and the citys air quality index shot up to a peak of 486 on November 9, the authorities were caught unawares and had to scramble to bring in emergency measures. But by the time the authorities planned to introduce the odd-even road rationing scheme and other such restrictions listed under Grap, the smog had already dispersed. Things got so bad that the city declared a public health emergency. If we get to know the sources that could lead to a spike in pollution levels after a gap of two days, it would give us a buffer time to take actions on the ground. If the sources are beyond the boundaries, authorities can at least prevent the local sources from further aggravating the problem, said D Saha, former head of the CPCBs air quality laboratory. The early warning system will be fine tuned to further cater to Delhis needs over a two-year period, Ghude said. This year, only PM 2.5 data will be fed into the computer, but in the coming years parameters such as PM10, SO2 and NO2 will also be taken into account to make the forecast even more accurate. After sounding the alarm in recent years about threats to the global economy, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said risks had begun to materialise and were slowing growth. Three months since predicting the world economy would grow 3.9% this year and next, Lagarde signalled in Washington that she is no longer quite so optimistic. The fund will update its World Economic Outlook on October 9 ahead of opening its annual meeting in Bali, Indonesia. "Six months ago, I pointed to clouds of risk on the horizon," Lagarde said. "Today, some of those risks have begun to materialise." The IMF Managing Director said protectionist rhetoric was turning into "actual trade barriers," spreading uncertainty among businesses and consumers. A strengthening US dollar and tightening financial conditions have increased challenges for many emerging markets, she said. Lagarde called on countries to resolve their trade disputes, warning that the fracture of corporate supply chains could have devastating effects. "History shows that, while it is tempting to sail alone, countries must resist the siren call of self-sufficiency - because as the Greek legends tell us, that leads to shipwreck," she said, without naming countries that are putting up new barriers, Bloomberg reported. Monsoon bid adieu to Delhi on Monday, with the national capital receiving 19% excess rainfall this year. The last time monsoon withdrew this early from the city was in 2015, retreating on September 30 that year. Monsoon withdrew from Delhi on October 1. The last rain was received on September 24. We are now in the transition phase before winter sets in, said BP Yadav, deputy director general of the IMD. The capital receives the heaviest rains in August. This time, though, while August was dry, Delhi received twice the rainfall in September than usual. The monsoon bid adieu to Delhi on Monday, leaving behind an excess rainfall of 19%. The last time monsoon withdrew so early from the national capital was in 2015, when it retreated on September 30. Monsoon has withdrawn from Delhi on October 1. The last rain was received on September 24. We are now in the transition phase before winter sets in, said BP Yadav, deputy director general of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Monsoon had hit Delhi one day ahead of its scheduled date of arrival this year. While the scheduled date of arrival for monsoon in Delhi is June 29, this year it arrived on June 28. Usually Delhi receives the heaviest rains in August, followed by July. But this time, August was rather dry in the city. Instead, Delhi received double the amount of rainfall in September than it usually receives. In September, Delhi usually receives around 125mm rain. But this time the amount of rain received in September was almost double the amount. September recorded 237.8mm rain, which is around 90% more, said a senior IMD official. Delhi receives 648.9mm rain between June and September, which are taken to be the monsoon months. This time, the city recorded 770.6mm rain, which is around 19% more. The maximum 286.2mm rain was recorded in July. It was 36% above the normal. In August, however, there was a deficit of 16% as Delhi received only around 206mm rain compared to the normal of 245.7mm. After the last rains of the monsoon hit Delhi on September 24, IMD scientists started to look for its withdrawal symptoms . We would now be preparing for our winter forecast, which would be issued expectedly by the first week of November , said a senior official. Delhi Police have arrested two employees of air carrier Go Air for allegedly stealing a consignment of mobile phones while posing as passengers at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport earlier this month. Police said the two officers, responsible for unloading consignments in cargo, had allegedly put a bag containing about 53 mobile phones on a conveyor belt and walked out with it from the arrival terminal like passengers. The two executives, employed as senior ramp officers at Go Air, were identified as Sachin Manav (30), who has been serving at the Delhi airport since 2011, and Satish Pal (40), working since 2015. Deputy commissioner of police (IGI airport) Sanjay Bhatia said that on September 19, a case was filed on the complaint of a manager of a cargo company reporting theft of their mobile consignment containing 53 phones. The manager said that his shipment had arrived by a Go Air flight G8-229 from Patna at Terminal 2 of the Delhi airport. The complainant mentioned that due to space shortage, a part of the consignment was shifted to the warehouse. It said that at the time of unloading the consignment in the warehouse, it was found that the shipment had only 30 bags and one bag which contained 53 phones was found missing, the DCP said. Bhatia said during probe, CCTV footage from the cargo area was scanned but no clue was found. He said that after technical surveillance of the stolen mobile phones for days, they narrowed down to a possible location where the mobile phones could be found. A raid was conducted and two men were caught from Aerocity. They were found allegedly using the stolen mobile phones. When questioned, they allegedly confessed they are working as ramp officers with Go Air. They allegedly said after unloading the shipment, they placed the stolen shipment over a conveyer belt and received the same from the conveyer belt posing like regular passengers at the arrival hall of Terminal 2, the DCP said. Bhatia added that eight stolen mobile phones from the lost shipment have allegedly been recovered from the duos residence. The two men also allegedly confessed to have sold five phones. The recovered mobile phones have been seized and both the accused persons have been arrested in this case. Further investigation is going on, Bhatia said. Till the time of filing of this report, Go Air did not respond to phone calls, text and mails sent by HT. A massive protest march by farmers from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi with a charter of 15 demands including loan waiver and fair prices for crops turned violent at the border on Tuesday, with police using water cannons and tear gas to disperse them. Led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), thousands of farmers on their way to Kisan Ghat in the national capital were stopped at the Delhi border by the police. The farmers then tried to forcibly break barricades and defy prohibitory orders. Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more persons have been clamped in several areas near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and will continue till October 8. Defending the crackdown, which left many farmers injured, deputy commissioner of police Pankaj Kumar Singh said permission to hold the march had been denied and the farmers entry to Delhi was illegal. The farmers demands include complete loan waiver, revoking ban on 10 year old tractors in the National Capital Region, reduction in electricity tariff, implementation of the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices and payment of sugarcane arrears among others. The protesters started their 10-day march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand led by the BKU and on Tuesday they reached the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border. There was heavy deployment of security forces at the border. (Follow live updates) The police crackdown was denounced by opposition parties. The farmers of the country are oppressed, they are victims, and this government, instead of listening to their plight, is raining lathis on them and unleashing water canons. We strongly condemn the violent crackdown. You may not be sensitive to the plight of the farmers and workers but in 2019 they will use their right to uproot you from power, said Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal expressed solidarity with the farmers. Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers, he said. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav blamed the Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers. In the last five years, over 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, with most suicides occurring in BJP-ruled states. The farmers have all the right to protest. We strongly support their movement, said Yadav. Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury blamed the Modi government for the unprecedented agrarian crisis in the country. The Modi government is anti-farmer. Instead of providing relief to them, they are aggravating the crisis further, forcing farmers to distress suicides. We havent seen such agrarian distress in India since independence, said Yechury. Meanwhile, several farmers held talks with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence in Delhi. Minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was also present. The symbolism involved in the use of force by the Delhi police to prevent thousands of protesting farmers from entering the national capital is difficult to miss. The political-economy of rural distress is threatening to destabilise Indias otherwise laudable economic performance in the post-reform period. An overwhelming majority of Indias farmers practise what can be described as subsistence agriculture. According to the latest agriculture census, which was conducted in 2015-16, more than 86% of farmers own less than two acres of land. The average size of an operational holding is just around one acre. These numbers have been falling over time. Non-farm jobs have not grown at the desired pace. This basically means that there is a large reserve of economically insecure population in the villages which believes that the state has an obligation to bail out the crisis-ridden agriculture sector. Almost all political parties have made it a habit to exploit this sentiment for short-term gains rather than unleashing structural reforms. Positioning on issues such as farm loan waivers, subsidised electricity to run irrigation pumps, ensuring procurement prices or clearing arrears for sugarcane farmers many of which were also included in the demands of Uttar Pradeshs farmers who were marching to Delhi is driven more by Machiavellian considerations rather than any considered policy. Angry farmers are just a one-sided effect of this malice which spans across the political spectrum. Diversion of scarce economic resources for such measures often overrides the need to enhance capital investment in agriculture, which hampers long-term productivity gains. Indiscriminate use of water pumps and fertilisers by farmers has seriously undermined ecological sustainability. Last but not the least is the question of achieving some sort of a synergy between the market and the State while making agricultural policy. The last point is especially pertinent in the case of sugarcane farmers. A glut in domestic production of sugar, partly a result of enhanced sugarcane yields, and partly due to crash in exports thanks to slump in international prices, has created a serious liquidity crisis for sugar mills. This has led to non-payments of almost Rs 13,000 crore. There is merit in the argument that the government should do something to bail out distressed sugarcane farmers. But such a policy should not perpetuate the current disconnect between domestic production decisions and international market conditions. This government has launched important initiatives such as crop insurance and soil health cards, among other measures, to improve the conditions of farmers. But the more important challenge lies in equipping farmers to deal with volatilities of agricultural markets. This Gandhi Jayanti will mark the completion of four years of Swachh Bharat Mission, the largest behavioural change programme ever to be launched globally to bring about quantitative and qualitative shift in the way a country addresses sanitation. The good news is that while the quantitative achievements are impressivethe overall sanitation coverage of India has touched 92%the qualitative shifts are also beginning to become visible. Take Gurugram as a case in point. Being a real estate, corporate and medical hub, and a city that is continuously expanding, it has immense challenges, both, in terms of waste management and construction and usage of toilets. The current official figure of waste generation in Gurugram is 850 metric tonnes per day; the citys waste is growing at almost double the national average of garbage growth rate. Of this, not even 20% is composted or recycled. Besides, the city has a significant moving and floating population, so the need for public, community and mobile toilets is quite high. The city did improve its ranking in the Swachh Sarvekshan Survey-2018 to 105th rank (out of 4,203 participating cities). This was due to the points earned under the survey for: a) constructing more toilets and meeting open defecation-free targets; b) introducing door-to-door waste collection service. The real success indicator, however, is making attitudinal shifts with respect to open dumping, open waste burning, waste reduction and segregation and in maintaining functional toilets. In fact, it is these qualitative shifts that will help make the Swachh Bharat Mission truly sustainable. There are some positive trends. For one, awareness level about basic sanitation and waste practices in various communities, such as schools and RWAs as also at the individual level, has gone up. The tendency to throw garbage willy-nilly instead of looking for dustbins has reduced; if nothing else, at least, there is more guilt in throwing garbage on the wayside. It is a little easier now to find a dustbin or a public toilet in parks and public places. Most construction sites now have a mobile toilet for the construction workers. About 20 housing societies, several schools and hotels in Gurugram have started segregating waste and composting wet waste at local level and all bulk waste generators seem more aware and responsible. Besides, due to regular training and feedback under the Swachh Bharat Mission, there has been a significant capacity build-up among sanitation officers, consultants and workers at the municipal corporation-level. But it is still a long road ahead. For example, a comprehensive awareness programme for smaller waste generators, such as street vendors and shopkeepers in crowded markets, needs to be put in place. The public toilets built need to remain functional and clean, and the liquid and solid waste of these toilets needs to be treated sustainably through sewers or septic tanks. The citys landfill at Bandhwari, with mounds of piling waste, from both Gurugram and Faridabad, is not just an eyesore, but a health hazard for all, especially for villagers in its vicinity. Though Ecogreen Energy, the company entrusted with integrated solid waste management of Faridabad and Gurugram, is treating waste at the landfill, the task needs more urgency. One thing that the Swachh Bharat Mission, too, seems to have missed is that the ragpickers need to be integrated formally into the waste value chain. Besides, if the city incorporates bylaws on waste, like Delhi, it will not only earn points under the Swachh Sarvekshan 2019 but improve enforcement. Greater citizens participation and feedback will shift ownership of the Swachh Bharat Mission from the municipality to the ground-level. For this, citys waste champions need to be recognised and awarded. At an individual level, we all can make a difference. Being vigilant and not allowing open waste burning or dumping in our neighbourhoods is the first step. If each one of us individually, or as part of our society/RWA/condominium, segregates our waste and composts our wet waste that in itself will take off 70% of the burden from our landfills. Saying no to plastics by carrying ones own metal or glass bottles, carrying cloth bags for shopping and avoiding plastic cutlery while hosting parties can reduce dependence on plastics since they are non-biogradable and non-recyclable. All in all, the Swachh Bharat Mission is an ambitious programme given the scale of investment and the scope of work, covering both waste management and construction of toilets (and now also including sewage and water management) spanning, both, urban and rural India across stakeholders. It has made some difference at the awareness level and at the infrastructure level. Now, the real challenge is to bring about long-lasting attitudinal changes so that it takes the form of a jan-andolan (peoples movement) where every citizen feels and acts as a key stakeholder. (Shubhra Puri is the founder of Gurgaon First, a citizen initiative to promote sustainability in Gurugram through workshops and research books.) After a hiatus of almost nine years, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has got a joint director (JD) who has risen from the ranks. An internal CBI order, issued on September 27 and seen by HT, said deputy inspector general (DIG) NM Singh, who probed alleged fake encounter cases in Manipur, had been promoted to the rank of JD (equivalent to an inspector general) and will look after administrative matters. He will continue to assist in the Supreme Court-monitored investigation of the Manipur encounter cases. HT had reported the move on May 5. Singh joined the CBI as a directly recruited deputy superintendent of police (DySP) in the early 1990s. He is the first officer from the CBI cadre to be promoted as JD after M Narayanan, who held the same rank and retired in January 2009. Besides looking after administration, Singh will hold the charge of the STF zone that deals with cases of organised crime. Very few CBI cadre officers have reached the rank of JD in the CBI. NM Singh has been given charge of administration, which was always manned by an IPS officer, said a CBI officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. There have been many issues where CBI cadre officers feel that they are treated unfairly in comparison to their counterparts who come to the agency on deputation. All these matters are dealt with by the administration wing of the agency... The CBI has 18 sanctioned posts of the rank of JD and four among them are reserved for officials who rise from the ranks. After 2001, the CBI stopped recruiting deputy SPs. It is a good development and I hope the government revives recruitment at the rank of DySP as they turn out to be better detectives., said Shantanu Sen, who joined the agency as a DySP and retired as a JD in 1996. A 44-year-old woman arrested for her alleged involvement in an inter-state kidney smuggling racket had sold her own kidney before joining the racket, police said on Monday. Chandana Guria, who hails from West Bengals Howrah, was nabbed from Jagacha area in Howrah in a joint operation by Dehradun and Howrah police on Saturday. She was allegedly a part of the inter-state kidney smuggling racket that was busted by Uttarakhand Police in 2017. So far, 13 accused, including Guria, have been arrested in connection with the case. During interrogation it was found that before joining this racket, she had sold her own kidney, senior superintendent of police, Dehradun, Nivedita Kukreti said. More details would be found once she reaches Dehradun and undergoes a thorough interrogation, said Kukreti. Superintendent of police, Dehradun (rural), Sarita Dobhal said, Dehradun police were after her ever since she was named by one of the arrested accused. It was found that Guria was a tout in the racket who, after trapping the victims for kidney removal surgery in a nursing home in Dehradun, handed them over to a handler and another arrested accused in Dehradun, named Javed. One of the accused doctor from Dehradun is still absconding and a manhunt is on to nab him, she said. Another police official, privy to investigations, said, Guria and a Kolkata-based doctor used to run a clinic named Wellness Centre in Jagacha area of Howrah. The doctor, who is absconding, used to treat people with kidney ailments during which he used to suggest a kidney transplant and then offer the same at less cost at a nursing home in Dehradun and Haridwar. Guria and the racket have wrongfully removed kidneys of about 70 people which they used to then sell at a price of about Rs 40-45 lakh in the black market, he said on condition of anonymity. Guria was taken into transit remand of five days by Dehradun police after being produced before a magistrate in West Bengal. The BJP on Tuesday dubbed Congress president Rahul Gandhi a tape recorder of lies and said his partys fortunes will go down as swiftly as he resorts to falsehoods to target the Narendra Modi government. The Bharatiya Janata Partys media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni accused Gandhi of starting bad conventions of targeting his rivals with lies on a daily basis. His lies are exposed all the time. His charge against the government over the financial support to IL&FS was exposed within a few hours yesterday. But he believes in speaking from the same script everyday and uttering one lie or another but people in India are wise and can see through it, he said. The BJPs attack on the Congress president came after he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of working to divide the country and criticised him at a rally in Wardha in Maharashtra over the alleged corruption in the Rafale aircraft deal. Hitting back, Baluni said Gandhis claim on the Rafale deal during his speech in Parliament was also exposed, a reference to the French governments statement about classified information in the agreement between India and France. He has become a tape recorder of lies. The same tape recorder was heard in Wardha today, the BJP leader said taking a swipe at the Congress president. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had hit out at Gandhi over his allegation of a scam in the LICs financial support to the IL&FS and dubbed the Congress a national saboteur. Baluni claimed that Gandhi had lost his credibility in the eyes of people with his baseless allegations. From Mahadev Bhavan in Sevagram on Mahatma Gandhis 149th birth anniversary, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Tuesday gave a clarion call for a second freedom struggle against the Narendra Modi government to combat divisive politics and the ideology of hate and violence. The venue was ripe with symbolism because Sevagram ashram was where the Congress had held deliberations for its Quit India call against British rule in 1942. A resolution adopted by the partys highest decision-making body also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) of hypocrisy for trying to appropriate the Mahatmas legacy for electoral opportunities. The Modi government indulged in divisive politics and involved in spreading hate and violence, a CWC resolution said, while vowing to thwart the BJPs disruptive policies. Such an atmosphere and similar reasons led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, it said. The Congress Working Committee passed two resolutions, recalling the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to the Indian thought process, its soul and body, and late Lal Bahadur Shastri s call of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, saying it was not just a slogan but a way of life. Former prime minister Shastris birthday also falls on October 2. The meeting was presided over by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and attended, among others, by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. The CWC alleged that the RSS, which vilified and rejected Mahatma Gandhi during his lifetime, had today brazenly proclaimed itself to champion his ideology. It said that appropriating the Mahatmas legacy may be politically expedient for some, but imbibing his principles and values in thought, word and deed was impossible for those who see in the Mahatma only electoral opportunities. One may borrow the Mahatmas spectacles for publicity campaigns, but implementing his vision will remain unfulfilled unless his principles are followed in complete essence. The Congress Working Committee resolves to expose the hollowness and doublespeak of the ideologies and organisations who have never believed in, let alone followed the Gandhian path of truth, tolerance, harmony and non-violence, it said. Elections will come and go. But the ideological battle has to be relentless and unwavering. The Congress Working Committee rededicates the Indian National Congress to this sacred task. The Congress Working Committee called upon the nation to fearlessly defend and uphold Indias foundational values and idea of India, which Mahatma Gandhi stood for, lived for, and sacrificed his life for. It also called upon people to fight what it described as the politics of fear, intimidation, lies and deception and asked them to never bend, to never stop; till we achieve our goal. The Congress said it will contest the 2019 general elections on these mantras to oust the government and the propagation of the Sevagram Document will be the dharma of every Congressmen in the coming days, the partys chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala later told reporters. After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi participated in a 3km padyatra (walk) which culminated in a public rally at Wardha. Addressing the rally, he slammed the prime minister over the governments unfulfilled promises. The BJP responded sharply to the Congress. Rahul Gandhi has again played his tape recorder of falsehood. The problem with him his that every time he spreads falsehood, it gets exposed within minutes. He spoke on IL&FS issue and finance minister Arun Jaitley exposed him within minutes. He was also caught lying in Parliament, said Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni, who is also the head of BJPs media cell. The kind of politics that he has started is unprecedented in Indias history. No matter how much he tries to spread his falsehood, people have faith in Narendra Modis intent and his policies. The more Rahul Gandhi speaks, the more it strengthens peoples belief in the Bharatiya Janata Partys ideology, Baluni added. Some vials of the oral polio vaccines contaminated with the type-2 polio virus were administered to children in Maharashtra and Telengana, besides Uttar Pradesh, health ministry officials confirmed. The vials were manufactured by a Ghaziabad-based pharmaceutical company. The ministry has issued advisories to the three states to ensure that polio surveillance teams trace the children who have been given the contaminated vaccines. The surveillance teams have also been asked to step up the monitoring of the children and keep a close watch for any symptoms. It needs to be seen how the virus behaves, a health ministry official said. The government had set up a committee to probe the contamination of some batches of the vaccine. The Type 2 polio virus has been eradicated worldwide. There is a well defined surveillance mechanism in the country to identify any symptoms of polio in the affected places and the government is in a position to address any eventuality. There is no need to panic. The polio surveillance team in the three states have been asked to step up the monitoring of all those children who have been given the vaccine and keep a close watch for any symptoms, the official said. The health ministry, under its national immunisation programme, will also ensure that inactivated polio virus (IPV) injections are administered to all children in the places concerned of the three states so that no child is missed, the official said. IPV is produced from wild-type poliovirus strains of each serotype that have been inactivated (killed) with formalin. Till now, only one batch containing 50, 000 vials were found contaminated with the strains of the type-2 polio virus till now, a senior health ministry official said. Two more batches of vials containing 1 lakh vials are suspected to be contaminated with the virus, the official said. The incident came to light after surveillance reports from Uttar Pradesh showed signs of the virus in stool samples of some children. The ministry has also ordered immediate withdrawal of the particular manufacturers vaccine. The managing director of Biomed Pvt Ltd, which was supplying the polio vaccines for only government-run immunisation programmes, was arrested Thursday after the Central Drug Regulator filed an FIR in this case. The Drugs Controller General of India has also asked the company to stop manufacture, sale or distribution till further orders. The company has five directors. While the managing director has been arrested, we have asked the police to trace the rest directors as they also need to be questioned, a government official said. Immediately, the oral polio vaccines were sent for testing, which confirmed that some of them were contaminated with the virus. The destruction of traces of type-2 polio virus was ordered by the central drug regulator to all manufacturers in 2016. India was officially declared polio free by the government in March 2014. Iran has struck a deal with Syria to build a 400 million euro power plant in Syria's Latakia, Iran's Minister of Energy Reza Ardakanian said. The minister said that a memorandum of understanding was signed today, ISNA reported. The MoU was signed by the head of the Iranian power and infrastructure group MAPNA and head of the Syrian public authority for electricity generation. The project is to be launched next year, IRNA reported. In 2017, Iran and Syria signed an agreement to repair Syria's power grid. The agreement involved restoring the main control centre for Syria's electricity grid in the capital Damascus. Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday accused the BJP of brutally beating up farmers at the Delhi border on International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. Gandhis remarks came after farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Unions (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJPs two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital! he tweeted in Hindi. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. Police on Tuesday fired water cannons and lobbed tear gas shells to halt a march by tens of thousands of farmers attempting to enter the national capital from Uttar Pradesh to seek better prices and concessions, the latest outpouring of agrarian anger that threatened to snowball following the days clashes. At least a dozen farmers and eight policemen were hurt in the melee that took place shortly after 1am at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, where officials put up layers of metal and concrete barriers snapping the main road link to two of Delhis key satellite towns of Indirapuram and Ghaziabad. Within hours, the Union government offered to work on some of those demands, but the assurances were rejected. We are not satisfied with the governments assurances The government disrupted our protest at Kisan Ghat. We will continue agitation at UP Gate if our demands are not met, said Naresh Tikait, chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU). A second BKU member, spokesperson Rakesh Tikait, suggested the protesters will make another attempt at entering Delhi on Wednesday. After we met ministers in Delhi, the Centre gave us assurance only on four-five of our demands. This is not acceptable and we have decided to continue our protest. Tomorrow we will move to Kisan Ghat and Raj Ghat, he said. BKU is leading the protest that began from Haridwar a week ago, and its leaders met junior agriculture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Estimates put the number of attendees at 30,000. Their demands include waiver of loans, cut in fuel prices, and higher minimum support prices for their produce. The march forced a near-complete blockade of the Delhi-Meerut expressway since late Monday, triggering mile-long jams. With offices set to reopen on Wednesday after a public holiday, the traffic detours due to the blockade is likely to severely hit large parts of East Delhi and Noida. The rush is also likely to spill over to the Metro, which is now the main link between Delhi and localities on the other side of the Uttar Pradesh border. Prior to the meeting with BKU, Union home minister Rajnath Singh met Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh to discuss the farmers issues. According to an official aware of the developments, home minister Singh led the parleys. The farmers are from Uttar Pradesh, and Singh knows them well. He has handled similar crises in the past and government leaders wanted him to deal with the current situation, said this official, asking not to be named. The government eventually offered to work on seven out of 15 demands, but ruled out a farm loan waiver at this point since that could only be dealt by the state. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath defended his governments initiatives for farmers and suggested that the protests were motivated. The state government has initiated a number of steps to help farmers, including a clutch of measures to expedite cane payments to growers, Adityanath said. BRUTAL ATTACK The Opposition, however, accused the government of carrying out a brutal attack and said that it was ironical that it took place on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJPs two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, farmers cannot even air grievances coming to the capital! Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi. Later, the Congress Working Committee the partys top decision-making body released a statement condemning the police action. We condemn the autocratic BJP government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is inebriated with power, it said. The head of the Congress partys Kisan Khet Mazdoor (farmers-farm labourers) department, Nana Patole, said he will join the agitating farmers at Delhi border on Wednesday, and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda too met protesters. The Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) also criticised Tuesdays crackdown. Delhis chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said the national capital belongs to everyone and that farmers shouldnt have been stopped their demands are justified. WEAKENING SUPPORT The past year has seen several big protests held by farmer organisations, including in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh two of which will hold elections this year. The anger coincides with opinion polls that suggest the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has been slowly losing support among framers. According to the Mood of the Nation (MOTN) surveys conducted by Delhi-based Centre for Study of Developing Societies-Lokniti, 42% of farmers had a positive assessment of the NDA government on the its ability to address farmers woes in May 2017, immediately after the BJPs victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. This went down by one percentage point in January 2018, and then fell to 30% by May 2018. Junior agriculture minister Shekhawat said the government will move court against the ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years this was among the farmers demands who said the ban makes their tractors illegal and that a committee of chief ministers will look into demand to link MGNREGA with agriculture. Another demand for 5% goods and services tax (GST) on farm equipments will be placed before the GST Council, and imports will be restricted for articles that are abundantly produced in India, the minister said. The government has formed a committee of six chief ministers to look into this issue of labour for farm. The committee is in talks to connect MGNREGA with agriculture, said Shekhawat. BKU chief Tikait said that those measures were not enough. The Centre is not ready to reduce the power tariff for farmers and increase sugarcane price. Therefore, our agitation will continue, he said. An expert said the anger is a consequence of the governments policies. The farm and rural sectors are being largely ignored; there is no serious engagement with people. Agriculture is just one set of issues related to the rural sector, which needs to be taken seriously, said Prof SS Jodhka, who teaches sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. STAND-OFF The protest and the blockade has snapped the main link to Ghaziabad and Indirapuram, from where commuters are now only able to take the Metro, other than long detours via Noida and Kashmere Gate. Officials of the Ghaziabad district administration said the protesters were still at the Vaishali underpass. Both the Uttar Pradesh police and the Delhi police have deployed thousands of reinforcements in the area. The deployment will remain till the time farmers are at the site. The diversions will remain till the underpass gets cleared. The prohibitory orders are already in place but they farmers had already intimated us about the march, said Ghaziabad district magistrate Ritu Maheshwari. She later announced that all schools and colleges will be closed in Ghaziabad on Wednesday. Officials of the Delhi Traffic Police warned of problems on Wednesday when offices reopen after a public holiday. The re-emergence of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) through its Kisan Kranti Yatra will have impact in the politics of western Uttar Pradesh, a region that emerged a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the previous Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The Meerut, Saharanpur and Moradabad divisions of western Uttar Pradesh have a strong presence of the old of BKU and the region has 14 Lok Sabha and 71 assembly constituencies. Of these, the BJP holds all the LS and 65 of the assembly seats. After the defeat in the Kairana Lok Sabha by-election earlier this year, BJP leaders are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to retain all 14 seats and chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday, convened a meeting with MPs, MLAs and other leaders in Saharanpur to finalise a strategy for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the summer of 2019, the BJP may have to face a grand alliance of the opposition parties (Congress, RLD, BSP and SP) in the region and also the anger among farmers aggravated by Tuesdays use of police force on them at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad, which left a dozen farmers and eight policemen injured. The BKU doesnt consider itself a political party, although founder Mahendra Singh Tikaits younger son Rakesh Tikait, who is now BKUs national spokesperson, contested two assembly elections --- one as independent and other on the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) ticket --- and lost both. Still, BKU leaders yield considerable influence among the dominant caste of the region, Jats, through khap panchayats, whose diktat is considered the last word among community members. BKUs president Naresh Tikait heads Baliyan khap of 84 villages. The Deshwal and Malik khap chiefs are also part of the BKU. In the past elections in the state, the Jats had supported the BJP, and the khap panchayats played an important role in catalysing that support. Adityanath accused his political opponents of exploiting farmers and outlined the steps taken by the state government for farmer welfare. Some of their (farmers) issues have already been taken care of by our government -- like loses caused by stray cattle and old vehicles, he said. The BJPs MP from Meerut and Hapur constituency Rajendra Aggarwal admitted that the farmers were facing some genuine issues but also defended the government. The farmers have become victims of political ambitions of some people and party will reach out to them with facts and figures of what we have done for them, he said. Rajpal Singh, the Meerut district president of Samajwadi Party, said the government has been exposed on farm issues. The BJP managed to win all (Lok Sabha) seats by dividing Jats and Muslims after riots of Muzaffarnagar. This will not happen now, he added. RLD spokesperson Sunil Rohta said the act of Delhi police, which is under the Union government, will pave the way of many Kairanas in the region in 2019 and that farmers would teach a lesson to the BJP. Condemning the action against farmers, Satendra Solanki, a local BSP leader, said the incident has turned farmers against the BJP. Sanjeev Sharma, political science professor at Chaudhary Charan Singh University said preventing the farmers from entering Delhi can adversely impact the BJP if corrective measures were not taken by the incumbent government soon. Dharmendra Singh,a farmers of Meeruts Chabaria village said use of force on farmers can impact BJP poll prospects as the question being raised is why farmers were prevented from entering Delhi. If others can hold protest in Delhi, why cant farmers? he asked. Thousands of protesting farmers clashed with police and paramilitary forces Tuesday after they were stopped from entering Delhi to press for their demands including remunerative crop prices and loan waivers. Farmers leaders who met Union home minister Rajnath Singh for discussions said the governments assurances were not satisfactory and they will continue their agitation. Farmers are not satisfied with the governments assurance to look into their demands, said Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) president Naresh Tikait, who is spearheading the protests. We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cant decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision, he added, reported PTI. Union home minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh and some farmers leaders and Union minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat then met the protesters at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. Shekhawat told the farmers that the government will move court over the National Green Tribunals order to ban tractor and vehicles which are more than 10 years old, as had been sought by the protestors. On the problem of farm labour, he said the government would look at bringing changes to the minimum wage rules for rural areas to solve this problem, and has formed a committee of six chief ministers for this purpose, reported PTI. Activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union shout slogans as New Delhi police stop them at the border with Ghazipur during their march to New Delhi on October 2, 2018. (AFP) Speaking to ANI, BKU spokesman Yudhvir Singh said: We had a discussion on 11 points. Government agreed on seven points but didnt agree on four points yet. They said they will have to think about those meetings in a further meeting after which they will tell us, as it is a financial matter: Government didnt clear its stand on the main issue of the farmers - C2+50 (a minimum support price of cost, calculated on C2 basis which included cost of capital and rent of cultivated land as recommended by the MS Swaminathan Commission). That is why the farmers are unsatisfied. It didnt clear its stand even on the other main issue of loan waiver. They said they will discuss it in detail, he added. The farmers, who planned to march to Kisan Ghat in Delhi to press for their 15-point charter of demands, broke through barricades when police stopped them by using water cannons and tear gas and deflating the tyres of tractors. According to a Delhi police statement, a section of the crowd suddenly turned violent and tried to break the barricades forcefully through tractor-trolleys while some protestors also resorted to stone pelting and wielded lathis causing injuries to police personnel deployed on duty. It said only the minimum required force was used to contain these aggressive and violent protestestors. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured, it said. The police crackdown was denounced by opposition parties. On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJPs two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital! said Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a tweet, asked why the farmers were not being allowed to enter the city. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav accused the Narendra Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers. Sensing protest by members of the Sikh community, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday cancelled his visit to Dabri village of his Karnal constituency. As per his programme, the chief minister was scheduled to address a Nukkar Sabha at Sikh-dominated Dabri during his road show programme in six villages of Karnal district, but he reportedly cancelled the visit, following reports that the local Sikhs may protest against his visit. The development comes four days after a controversy arose following cancellation of a scheduled visit by Khattar to a gurdwara in Dachar village when the shrine management refused to remove a portrait of Khalistan ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the langar hall. We too installed Bhindrawales poster in gurdwara: Villagers Meanwhile, the Sikh residents of Dabri said they have also installed a poster of Bhindranwale in the village gurdwara. The CM himself cancelled the visit to our village. Otherwise he would have faced protests from agitated Sikh residents of the village, said Sikh youths of the village. Villagers said the chief minister was scheduled to visit the village at 1pm and a stage was also built for his programme. The development has added to the anger of Sikhs in the area, who had already decided to boycott BJP leaders, including Khattar, until he tenders his apology at the gurdwara in Dachar village. The protesting Sikhs also threatened to install Bhindrawales portrait in each and every gurdwara of the state. However, Karnal deputy commissioner Aditya Dahiya said the district administration was not part of the programme, which was organised by the BJP. BJPs Karnal district president Jagmohan Anand said the programme was cancelled as there were reports that the members of the Sikh community may protest against the CMs programme, but the issue is being sorted out. Khattar, however, tried to pacify the members of the community, by saying, Main Sikh samaj se alag nahin hun. Koi ghalatfehmi hogi to door kar li jayegi (I am not alien to Sikh society. If there is any misconception, we will sort it out. BJP Sikh MLA faces black flags Meanwhile, BJPs Assandh MLA Bakhshish Singh Virk, who is the only Sikh face of the ruling party in the state, had to face embarrassment as members of his community, carrying Bhindrawales posters, showed black flags to him when he came to pay obeisance at a gurdwara in Singhra village of the district on Tuesday morning. The protesters came in front of Virks official vehicle when and chanted anti-BJP slogans. The police personnel had a tough time making passage for his vehicle. Four days after Indonesia was struck by a powerful earthquake and tsunami that left more than 1,200 people dead, India on Tuesday dispatched military cargo planes and warships with relief material to the south-east Asian nation. Two air force planes a C-130J special operations aircraft and a C-17 heavy lifter are flying medical aid and relief material to Indonesia. An IAF spokesperson said the C-130J is carrying a field hospital from Agra, while the C-17 is ferrying National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) load consisting of tents, generators and medicines. The C-130J is also carrying a team of 37 medical personnel. It has taken off from Hindan for Chennai. From Chennai, the aircraft will take off for Kualanamu International Airport and then move to Palu, the IAF spokesperson said. Instructed to be self-contained for 10 days, the medical crews are carrying their rations, generators and tents. The C-17 was loaded at Palam with relief material including 15.66 tonnes of tentage and generators and 16 tonnes of medicines. The aircraft took off for Chennai and will carry the supplies further to Makassar. Three Indian warships that were on deployment to Singapore have been diverted to the coastal town of Palu, a navy spokesperson said. The three ships Tir, Sujata and Shardul are carrying humanitarian aid and disaster relief bricks including 30,000 litres of bottled drinking water, 1,500 litres of packaged juice, 500 litres of milk and 700 kg of biscuits. The ships are also carrying 20 tents for use by the crews to distribute relief material and will be handed over to local authorities, if required. The mission to keep India clean and its cities and villages free of disease is being undertaken by enterprising citizens across the country, many of whom had to rise above initial apathy and ridicule to make a difference at the local, state and national levels. Here are the stories in no particular order of 30 such people who have kept their neighbourhoods clean, through hard work, determination and persistence. Md Saifi, Md Haneef An ageing duo has transformed a garbage-strewn corner of Delhis Daryaganj59-year-old Mohammad Ahmad Saifi and 64-year-old Mohammad Haneef, known locally as Jai and Veeru (a reference to the 1975 blockbuster Bollywood film Sholay), collect trash from households every morning and evening in the Chatta Lal Miyan ki Gali Bahar Wali neighbourhood, and transport it to the collection point. Phool Kumari When it comes to hygiene, Phool Kumari of Bihars Sasaram district does not compromise. When her husband and in-laws refused to pay for a toilet, she mortgaged her mangalsutra for Rs 8,000 to construct a toilet. Her fame spread quickly and she was appointed a brand ambassador of the Swachh Bharat mission. Anand Rai A little over four years ago, Anand Rai started India Rising, a small group for young people, which gathered every Sunday, without a break, to clean various neighbourhoods of Agra city in Uttar Pradesh. Now, the initiative has attracted many people under the current president Nitin Johri, and has received several accolades. Dehradun youth A group of young people, ranging from Class 7 pupils to postgraduates, have spent every Sunday for the past seven years beautifying the neighbourhoods of Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Called Making a difference by being the difference, they have pressed the local government to plant more trees and have painted around 40 walls in the city. Pradeep Kumar In 2007, Bareilly law professor Pradeep Kumar started a small four-page newspaper called Jagar Samachar, which changed the face of the city by undertaking a popular campaign against the use of plastics. His paper also filed a petition in court against the local municipality for dumping waste in rivers. Dulerai Chawda For the past three decades, Dulerai Chawda has been cleaning the drains and streets of his neighbourhood Gujarati Mohalla in Jharkhands Dhanbad city. He uses his scooter to pick up garbage every morning and then sweeps the streets. His children have now grown up and left the house, but he has not taken a break. Rajesh Shukla In 2008, Rajesh Shukla started cleaning the ghats of Varanasi alone. With a megaphone in one hand and a broom in the other, he would sweep the steps of the ancient citys many ghats on the river Ganga. Now, he is famous among seers and tourists alike as the man who spends three hours every day cleaning holy sites. Vijay Kumar Nirala After he joined Usri Gogri middle school in Bihars Khagaria district as a headmaster in 2017, he worked night and day to transform the school. Now, bereft of stained walls, heaps of garbage and dirty water, the school has won a state-level award for cleanliness and has been nominated at the national level for a cleanliness award. Deepak Madhok Deepak Madhok created a movement in Varanasi in 2012 when he formed an organisation called Jaago Banaras and sent photos of dilapidated streets and overflowing drains to local officials. But when no action was taken, he went to the Allahabad high court. The high court issued a notice to the local administration, setting things in motion. Jodie Underhill In 2008, during a trek, British citizen Jodie Underhill, 42, was disgusted by rubbish heaps atop mountains in Himachal Pradesh. She started working in McLeod Ganj and Triund. In 2012, she co-founded an organisation called Waste Warriors that has cleaned up more than 400 spots in Dehradun. Rajashri Sadani, Shreya Bothra If the railway station at Aligarh looks clean now, two local women are to be credited. These two women, Rajashri Sadani and Shreya Bothra, have led efforts to pick up garbage and beautify the station, winning accolades from the local government and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Harsh Jha A cleanliness movement Harsh Jha, 22, started in Bihars Bihariganj is now spreading across the district. After a summer internship with the Swachh Bharat mission, Jha formed teams of 8-10 young people and got down to cleaning the streets of the town . Now, they also work with locals, making them aware of hygiene practices. Anamika Chowdhury For 18 years, Anamika Chowdhury has been working to clean the city of Allahabad and its ghats on the river Ganga. She has put together a team of more than 600 people and regularly conducts competitions to spur hygiene awareness in the city. Janki Mahto Janki Mahato might be 74, but he doesnt miss a single day of cleaning up his neighbourhood in Jharkhands Dehar village. For the past 24 years, the frail man with a broom in one hand and a garbage collection bag in the other is a regular sight in the village. Sudhakar Tyagi Sudhakar Ranjan Tyagi has changed the face of parks in UPs Muradabad, after his retirement from the Railways in 2017 as chief welfare inspector. He spent his time cleaning parks and planting saplings in the clearings so that people dont throw garbage again. Now, his efforts have borne fruit. Puran Singh When the local company stopped picking up trash in the Boulia neighbourhood of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh about four years ago, Puran Singh decided to take matters into his own hands, literally. Every morning, he started cleaning the garbage himself. While he was ridiculed at first, he has inspired local youth into a movement. Keshav Krishna Keshav Krishna,39, might be a small businessman but he has a big dream. A resident of Bihars Motihari, Krishna runs a selfie with safai campaign where he encourages young people to take selfies of themselves cleaning neighbourhoods. He also wants to end the usage of polythene bags in the city. Dorothea Kerketta The credit of making Karangagudi village in Jharkhands Simdega district open defecation-free (ODF) goes to former village chief Dorothea Kerketta, 73, say locals. The retired schoolteacher used her pension for the construction of toilets in the village and educated people about the need to build more such facilities. Because of her efforts, Karangagudi was declared the first ODF village in the district. Jamnadas Prajapati It took one man and his resolve to spark a mini-revolution in Ghaziabads Vijay Nagar Sector-9 E-Block. Jamnadas Prajapatis legs were damaged in an accident a few years back, but that didnt stop the retired head postmaster from cleaning up a park outside his house. Inspired by Prajapatis efforts, several other citizens joined in. Today, eight parks in the area have witnessed a complete turnaround because of Prajapatis efforts. Islam Hussain Social activist Islam Hussain began his crusade against plastic waste almost 27 years back. The Kathgodam, Uttarakhand resident founded an organisation, Pahal, to spread awareness about the adverse impacts of plastic on the environment. Hussain believes the only way to save the environment is to educate the youth about the dangers of pollution. He also ensured a livelihood for women in several localities by getting them trained to manufacture paper bags. Mangesh Ghildiyal When Mangesh Ghildiyal took over as the district magistrate of Rudraprayag on May 17 last year, he took people by surprise. In just a few days, he started personally cleaning more than a dozen drains across the district. He also held meetings in all wards to spread awareness about sanitation. Ghildiyal says cleanliness is one of the most important things in his life. Rajkumar Maurya The chief of Ajaipur village in Pindra, Varanasi district, UP, Rajkumar Maurya sweeps a 500-metre stretch in the area with a broom for about two hours daily. While cleaning the village, Maurya also talks to passers-by to spread awareness over cleanliness. People in the village tell Maurya to leave the sanitation work to those employed by the administration in the area, but he has a piece of advice for them everyone should personally participate in cleaning their neighbourhoods. Pravin Bharti Pravin Bharti has become the voice of change in the villages of Jharkhands Lohardaga district. He believes cleanliness should have a place in all walks of life physical, mental and in ones actions. Bharti has organised more than 30 Swachhta camps in the district. He has visited several schools and villages, speaking to people of all ages about the need to protect the environment by keeping it clean. Neeraj Sharma Neeraj Sharma, a project coordinator for Swachh Bharat Mission, doesnt need an introduction in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, where people listen to him with rapt attention on cleanliness and the need to stop open defecation. Locals say his efforts stand out among the non-governmental initiatives and he inspires the youth to contribute toward building a cleaner nation Bhai Randheer From Samastipur in Bihar to Haridwar and Gangasagar to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Bhai Randheers Ganga campaign has touched many cities. He is trying to make sure that the water as well as the ghats of the Ganga are clean. He even observes a fast to spread awareness. A resident of Samastipur, his journey started in 2000. And he says it will continue till the Ganga is free of pollution. Vinod Jha Teased by a friend from Chandigarh over a garbage-strewn park in his neighbourhood, Delhi resident Vinod Jha decided to become a change agent. Jha, who runs a cyber cafe, transformed the park for good. Jha is now a champion of cleanliness and greenery. Amit Kumar Sahara Amit Kumar Sahara begins every day in Doomar village of Katihar by cleaning the streets with the help of a team of youngsters who joined his efforts after getting inspired by the 26-year-old. Sahara says one of the best ways to keep diseases at bay is by ensuring cleanliness. The History graduates initiative has found support in his parents and district officials, who have appointed him as a Swachhta Doot in the area. Rajaram Rajaram, a farmer in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, is not paid for what he does with utmost sincerity. No one has even told him to spread the message of cleanliness. Yet, he blows his whistle whenever he sees someone going to the fields to defecate in the open, in an effort to prevent them. He was inspired by a government campaign to make his village open defecation free. Impressed, the village chief has gifted him a jacket. He has indeed made an impact. Viswajit Prasad Viswajit Prasad is the founder of Change India Foundation, which carries out cleanliness campaigns and does wall paintings in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. He said his organisation took up the work after a 2016 cleanliness survey, in which the city lagged behind. Prasad asked people on social media to share photos of places strewn with garbage. His team went to those areas and carried out cleanliness drives with the help of residents. Monica Prime Minister Narendra Modis cleanliness campaign struck a chord with Monica, who decided to something on her own. Three years ago, she started making fertilizer from bio-waste at her house in Faridabad in the National Capital Region. Soon, she began to supply fertilizer to the Resident Welfare Association of her society. Inspired by Monica, others in her society followed suit. Now, she goes to other cities to train people and municipalities. India is targeting 40 per cent of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel-based resources by 2030 as it looks to tap vast solar and wind potential to replace reliance on polluting coal to meet its energy needs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday. Modi said he saw the 121-country International Solar Alliance as the future OPEC for meeting energy needs of the world. Oil cartel OPEC led by Saudi Arabia currently meets close to half of the worlds oil needs. Speaking at the first Assembly of the ISA here, he said the solar power will play the same role that oil wells have played over the past few decades in meeting global energy needs. Humans have in the last 150-200 years relied on resources trapped below the earths surface for meeting energy needs. But for a secure future, resources available above the ground like solar and wind energy need to be harnessed, he said. Stating that the focus must be on renewable sources for meeting energy needs, he said India wants to bring all UN members on board of ISA. Modi said 50 GW of renewable energy will be soon added to existing capacity and non-hydro renewable will contribute 20 per cent of total energy. This is the right time to invest in solar manufacturing, he said adding he saw an investment potential of Rs 70,000 crore to Rs 80,000 crore in solar manufacturing. The prime minister said 31 crore LED bulbs save 40,000 million units of electricity and Rs 16,000 crore in a year. He said 28 lakh solar pumps can save 10 GW of electricity every year. Thousands of farmers marching to Delhi on Tuesday morning clashed with the police and paramilitary forces at the national capitals borders with Uttar Pradesh, prompting Opposition parties to accuse the government of a brutal crackdown. The farmers, who plan to march to Kisan Ghat in Delhi to press for their 15-point charter of demands, broke barricades when police stopped them by using water cannons and deflating the tyres of tractors. The authorities have used a law called Section 144 to ban the assembly of five or more persons in several areas near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border and will continue till October 8, news agency IANS reported. Click here for live updates We have deployed sufficient police force apart from several companies of the para military force and provincial armed constabulary. Talks are on with farmers since Monday. However, they will not be allowed to move to Delhi. The Delhi-Ghaziabad border has already been barricaded and sealed near Sahibabad, said Vaibhav Krishna, Ghaziabads senior superintendent of police. The police crackdown was denounced by opposition parties. On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJPs two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital! said Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi. Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal expressed solidarity with the farmers. Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers, he said. Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav accused the Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to farmers. In the last five years, over 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, with most suicides occurring in BJP-ruled states. The farmers have all the right to protest. We strongly support their movement, said Yadav. Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury blamed the Modi government for the unprecedented agrarian crisis in the country. The Modi government is anti-farmer. Instead of providing relief to them, they are aggravating the crisis further, forcing farmers to distress suicides. We havent seen such agrarian distress in India since independence, said Yechury. The farmers are led by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and their demands include a loan waiver from the Central government, revoking ban on 10-year-old tractors in the National Capital Region, reduction in electricity tariff, implementation of the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission on remunerative prices and payment of sugarcane arrears among others. The protesters started their 10-day march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand led by the BKU and on Tuesday they reached the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border. (With inputs from IANS) The Gujarat government on Tuesday said canine distemper may have been responsible for the death of four lions even as two more deaths were reported in Gir, taking the death toll to 23 since September 12. While advance reports from various laboratories are awaited, in four cases, canine distemper virus is suspected to be the cause, said forest minister Ganpat Vasava. Canine distemper is a viral disease that impacts a large number of wild animals including cats and dogs. The two lions that died on Tuesday were shifted from Semerdi in Dalkhania range in the eastern part of Gir to Jasapar rescue centre after 11 lions from the same area died between September 12 and 19. The forest department said at the time of announcing the 11 deaths that infighting and infection were responsible for the deaths. Between September 20 and 30, another 10 lions died while receiving treatment. The minister said one of the lions might have caught the virus and infected others in the same area. We have isolated all lions from Semerdi area. A survey in all the others parts of Gir, including the national park and Gir West, has been done and they (lions) are clean and safe, said the chief conservator of forest, Jungadh wildlife division Dushyant Vasavada. According to forest department officials, all the lions lost were in Gir East, a neglected region in this last adobe of Asiatic Lions. The other two divisions of Gir are Gir West and the National Park; the latter two are the preferred destination of tourists and national and international big cat experts. Sasan is the headquarters of Gir forest and it has the national park so it is in the focus and closely monitored. Five lakh tourists who annually come for safari go to Sasan and Devaliya Interpretation Zone that are over 50 km away from Dalkhaniya range where all the causalities have happened , said Bhika Jethava, president of the Lion Nature Foundation, an NGO working for conservation of the big cats. Razak Bloch, president of the Gujarat State Save Environment Committee, agreed and said : It often takes a day or two for the rescue team to respond to any distress call given by locals in connection with lion injury or death in the eastern region. Jethava said the forest department acknowledged a carcass of a lioness in the eastern part 24 hours after they were informed on September 24. Chief minister Vijay Rupani termed the deaths unfortunate and said action would be taken if negligence on part of the department was found. With the help of experts the treatment of lions is being done, he said. The Dalkhania range, where the deaths have happened, is the most open space of the lion habitat with the least congestion. Of the 523 lions in Gir, only 80 are in the Dalkhania range. (With inputs from HTC, New Delhi) What will the experience of living, working and learning in Chattanooga and Hamilton County look like over the next 20 years? A community-wide survey asking every resident to share their dreams, concerns and opinions about the future opened Tuesday for input. We need everyones thoughts to develop a new vision for all of us, said Warren E. Logan, Jr., president and CEO, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga. We invite faith-based organizations, educational institutions, businesses and all area communities to join us by encouraging people to respond to the survey. Inclusion, equity and diversity principles are critically important to Chattanoogas future. Im confident well come together to work together to create a better future for all. The public is invited to share here: Velocity2040.com. Organizers encourage the public to share the survey with friends, neighbors, family and co-workers. The survey begins now and ends Nov. 1. Now is the time to really talk about what we want our future to be, said Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger. People in Hamilton County and Chattanooga enjoy a 40-year history of making a brighter future a reality for our children and grandchildren. We worked together to complete the Tennessee Riverwalk a 30-year process. Ten years ago we worked together to welcome Volkswagen, one of our major employers. Now is the time to dream big again. City of Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke said the Innovation District and the revitalized downtown are among the many of examples of what can be accomplished when we join together, and he predicts the people of our city and county will offer many more ideas. Other cities come here to study our successful ideas and take what they learn to re-invent their own futures," Mayor Berke said. "Weve earned national and international respect and attention and its time to keep our momentum going with new ideas, new input and a new round of imagining our future together. Its time to listen and to create an achievable and resilient plan together." More than 150 residents gathered in July and August in two day-long sessions to talk about the future and develop information for the survey. This involved more than 100 community organizations and employers, including lead partners: Benwood Foundation BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport City of Chattanooga Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga EPB Hamilton County La Paz United Way of Greater Chattanooga Urban League of Greater Chattanooga as well as our contributing partners ... Barge Design Solutions Center Centre Chattanooga Gas Chattanooga Times Free Press Elders Ace Hardware First Tennessee Food City SunTrust Bank Synovus Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Christy Gillenwater said, We have inherited an incredible legacy from those who dreamed a bigger dream for Hamilton County and Chattanooga. Now its our turn to do the same for our next two generations. Were on a community-wide mission to enrich our people and ensure opportunity for all, said Lesley Scearce, president and CEO, United Way of Greater Chattanooga. We must engage every Chattanooga resident to understand our collective needs, desires and opportunities. Velocity2040 is a movement to do that. Together, well plan for our communitys growth and invite all of our neighbors, businesses and leaders to create and own the outcome. In 2018, community leaders and volunteers invested more than 3,100 hours in a "bold, ambitious plan" for Chattanooga and Hamilton Countys future looking at the next 20 years. The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce and a steering committee comprised of community, county, city and business leaders are conducting this visioning process for economic prosperity for Chattanooga and Hamilton County by looking at the city's future over the next 20 years. The first phase of the vision process, facilitated by Rebecca Ryan, APF, concludes with a report by the first week of December. This vision then informs the work of an economic development strategic planning consultancy, engaged by the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, whose team members will guide the process of creating a five-year implementation plan for economic development and talent strategies. There have been several community-wide visioning efforts over the past 40 years. Some were area-specific. Some were community-wide. This ones different because its 2018 and while many people might agree that we still have problems to solve, now we have new facts and new tools. Most important more groups and people are working together now and organizers are putting inclusion, diversity and equity first, said officials. Chattanooga leader volunteers and economic development professionals completed a visioning process in the 1980s and most if not all of the ideas from that process have been completed. In terms of regional planning, Thrive 2055 issued The Capstone Report in 2015 summarizing a long-term, 16-county visioning process and the Thrive Regional Partnership continues the work today. France seized assets belonging to Irans intelligence services and two Iranian nationals in response to a June plot to attack an exiled Iranian opposition groups rally outside Paris, the government said. A senior French official said Paris had no doubt that elements of the Iranian state were behind the bomb plot and that it was likely to have been hatched by hardliners looking to undermine President Hassan Rouhani. "An attempted attack in Villepinte was foiled on June 30. An incident of such gravity on our national territory could not go unpunished," a joint statement by the foreign, interior and economy ministries reads. The plot targeted a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) outside the French capital. U.S. President Donald Trumps lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and several former European and Arab ministers attended the rally. It unraveled after an Iranian diplomat accredited in Austria was arrested in Germany and two other individuals in possession of explosives were detained in Belgium. On Monday, a court in southern Germany ruled the diplomat could be extradited to Belgium. The asset freezes targeted two individuals identified as Assadollah Asadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, the French statement said. A unit within the Iranian intelligence services was also targeted, Reuters reported. Police on Monday recovered the body of a woman from a damaged car parked at Sriram Nagar area in Odisha capital. Bhubaneswar DCP Anup Sahu said the police have identified the deceased as Tanuja Aich of Mangalpur in Jajpur district. Investigation revealed that Tanuja and her husband Sangram Aich used to quarrel. They have appeared before the police several times in the past, police said. A relative of deceased woman alleged that Sangram killed Tanuja, whose body was recovered from the damaged car, the DCP said. After allegedly strangulating the woman inside the vehicle, Sangram had hit the vehicle to give the impression that she died in an accident, the police said. The womans husband was absconding, the DCP said, adding that he will soon be arrested. Some local people in the morning had found an unidentified woman lying near the drivers seat inside the car and informed the police. The body has been sent to the Capital Hospital for post-mortem examination, the police added. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) underreported the intensity of the rainfall that triggered unprecedented flooding that left more than 400 people dead and caused a trail of devastation across Kerala in August although it had accurately predicted heavy rain, according to a draft government report. The report, prepared by the ministry of earth sciences (MoES), was an evaluation of the accuracy of IMDs model in predicting the Kerala floods. A final version of the report will be released by October-end. The immediate cause of the flooding was the formation of low-pressure weather systems over the Bay of Bengal, said the report, which added that the unprecedented rainfall could be linked to the impact of climate change. The report documents the unprecedented rainfall as an impact of climate change. In fact, we are seeing these events across the country and they will have to be documented, said M Rajeevan, secretary, MoES. Climate change has been blamed for extreme weather events across the world. Around 10,000 km of highways were destroyed because of the floods and landslides that affected Kerala in August. Over 45,000 hectare of farmland were damaged. As per the revenue ministry, 11,000 houses were wrecked, and 1,11,000 houses partially damaged. More than a million people were displaced by the floods. The MoES report has cautioned that such events may happen again in Kerala. We are forecasting extremely heavy rain in Kerala and parts of Tamil Nadu between October 5 and 10 due to a weather system over the south-east Arabian Sea. There will be more such events in future, said Rajeevan. The draft report indicates that IMDs model did predict the transition from normal monsoon rain to very heavy rainfall well but couldnt predict the extreme volume of rain that pounded some districts. Weather transitions are being picked up very well by our model but its not picking up how high the rainfall can be during the transition phase. Even before the floods in Kerala this August, the model predicted that there is going to be a sharp rise in rainfall, said Rajeevan. IMD data released on Monday reveals that Kerala received about 24% excess rainfall this monsoon. Between August 1 and August 19, the state received 164% excess rainfall. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature and rainfall events across the world. There is no doubt about it. This is based on both data and scientific models, said SK Dash, a professor at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences in the Indian Institute of Technology- Delhi. Dash, who specialises in climate modelling, said: Our models are not able to predict an extreme weather event 10 to 15 days in advance. But our weather forecasting models are able to read these events about three to four days in advance. But I agree with Rajeevan that the intensity is often not reflected well in these models. Its also difficult to pin-point exact location which will experience the event but identifying a 30 to 40 km radius may be possible. Its up to the local administration and state governments on how quickly they can respond to such alerts. With very heavy rain expected in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and coastal Karnataka between October 4 and 10, fishermen have been advised not to venture into southeast and central Arabian Sea from October 6 onwards, according to an alert issued by the IMD. Unidentified miscreants vandalised a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Madhuravada in Visakhapatnam on Monday night, police said. Circle inspector Lakshmanamurthy said police have registered a case and begun investigations after a local man lodged a complaint about the vandalism. On Tuesday, Gandhi Jayanti celebrations went off smoothly in other places in the city. Last Thursday, another statue of Gandhi was vandalised in Kochi. A day later, Kochi police arrested a Bihar native, suspected to be mentally unsound. An investigation by Rajasthans Alwar police has ruled out the possibility that key witnesses in an April 2017 lynching case were shot at while they were travelling to Behror to appear before a court. Six witnesses, including lynching victim Pehlu Khans sons Irshad and Arif and lawyer Asad Hayat, lodged a report at Neemrana police station on Saturday, saying unidentified men fired from a black SUV without a registration number when they were on way to Behror to depose before an additional district judge court in the lynching case. After the alleged firing, the six drove to Alwar and met SP Rajendra Singh. We will file the closure report in Behror court. If the court accepts our findings, it may order criminal proceedings against the witnesses for filing a false case, said Behror DSP Kushal Singh. Singh added that CCTV footages of a hotel near the spot of the alleged firing and Neemrana toll booth showed no evidence of the presence of a black SUV. He said the six witnesses should have called 100 for police help if they were attacked, instead of posting it on social media. After the alleged incident, the six people went back to Neemrana toll booth. They could have asked the toll booth staff to alert police about the firing, Singh said. On their way to Alwar, they crossed Neemrana, Shahjahanpur, Bardod and Tatarpur police stations but they did not report the incident to any of these and chose to drive straight to SP office. Pehlu Khan, 55, a dairy farmer from Haryana, was attacked in Behror on April 1, 2017, when he was taking cattle bought from a fair in Jaipur to his village in a pickup van. Khan died two days later. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the people by making false promises ahead of the 2014 general elections. Addressing the Gandhi Sankalp Rally after a Congress Working Committee meeting here, he attacked Modi on a range of issues, including the Rafale fighter jet deal, rising fuel prices, unemployment and farm distress. You trusted Modiji for four years. He promised you that there will be no Made in China, but only Make in India. But you see, everything from phones to your shoes is Made in China. Modi made a false promise to you. He cannot give you employment. But we will work 24 hours a day to give you employment. We will waive your loans too. We have done it in 2009; we can do it again, the Congress chief said as he urged people to repose trust in the Congress that followed Mahatma Gandhis ideology. Gandhi accused Modi of striking a shady deal for the purchase of Rafale fighter jets only to benefit what he called Modis bankrupt crony. An inexperienced company had been chosen ignoring the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He sought to know from the Prime Minister the reason behind choosing a new company in the defence deal. Attacking the government over rising fuel prices, Gandhi said: The money paid by you (people) is going into the pockets of only a few richest people in India. This is the reality of India. The Congress is a party of the farmers, the weak and the small traders. He also accused Modi of helping his cronies convert their black money into white following the November 2016 demonetisation. The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), on Tuesday dubbed the farmers protest at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border as being politically motivated and said farmers are being used as fodder by the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) political opponents. BKS, which has in the past been critical of the Centres farm policies, is now defending the government against accusations that it has failed to protect the interest of the farmers. As the BJP gears for elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where agrarian crisis is likely to be a key poll issue, BKS functionaries say that the Centre has taken one step at a time to resolve the farm crisis. This [way of protest] is not what farmers dothey dont damage national property for their own self-interest. Farmers believe in ahimsa (non-violence) and they should seek a resolution to their problems through samvaad (dialogue), BKS general secretary Badri Narayan Chaudhary said. On Tuesday, thousands of farmers gathered at the Capitals doorstep with a charter of 15 demands. Chaudhary, however, said the protest is due to Opposition instigation, adding that they [farmers] should be made aware that this government has announced measures that are pro-farmer . However, Prof SS Jodhka, who teaches Sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, countered BKS, stating The farm and rural sectors are being largely ignored; there is no serious engagement with people. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has invited Nobel Prize winner and social activist Kailash Satyarthi to be the chief guest at the Vijayadashmi programme to mark its foundation day at its headquarters in Nagpur on October 19, two RSS functionaries aware of the developments said. According to the two functionaries, the Noble prize winner, whose organisation rescues children from illegal labour and trafficking would attend the function where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is scheduled to make a speech. The event is attended by Sangh cadre as well as senior ministers in the BJP, which is the political offshoot of the RSS. Satyrathi who is currently abroad, could not be reached for a comment. The annual Vijayadashami speech is the most-watched event in the RSSs almanac; it is on this day that the RSS chief makes a speech outlining the organisations focus areas and also comments on topics related to national politics and social issues. A few names are suggested by some senior functionaries and as is the custom, the top functionaries discuss these suggestions and then take a call. There is no fixed criterion for finalizing names, said one functionary, requesting anonymity. Past chief guests 2013 Noted historian Lokesh Chandra, who was later appointed president of Indian Council for Cultural Relations. His term ended in 2017. 2014 Dada JP Waswani, 96, the spiritual guru and head of the Sadhu Waswani Mission. 2015 Former DRDO Chairman and NITI Aayog member Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat 2016 Satyaprakash Rai, a former Indian Economic Service (IES) officer of 1976 batch On whether the RSS has made a conscious decision to choose a non- political and non-religious person as chief guest before the country heads into elections, the second functionary said, the decision was not weighed for its political impact. The Vijaydashami day is important for the RSS as it was on this day in 1925 that the organisation was set up Dr Keshav Baliram Hedgewar. It is a function that is organised purely keeping the Sangh at the centre, he said. The selection of chief guest is in keeping with the Sanghs efforts to reach out to a cross section of people and strengthen its outreach, he added. In 2017, the RSS invited Sant Nirmal Das Maharaj, a Dalit Sikh religious leader from Jalandhar whose followers include the Ravidassia community and Jat Sikhs, as the chief guest. The move was seen as an attempt by the organisation to buttress its efforts to connect with the Dalits, as it was the first time that a Dalit leader was invited as the chief guest at the event. The Sangh has been accused by its political opponents of opposing caste-based reservation even though the RSS has refuted these allegations and asserted that quotas should be discontinued only when the beneficiaries want reservation to end. Hundreds of people will gather at a temple built in Mahatma Gandhis memory at Pedakaparthi in Telanganas Nalgonda district on the occasion of his 149th birth anniversary on Tuesday. On average, 100 devotees visit the temple, the first one dedicated to Gandhi in the country (the second is to open in Vijawada, in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday) everyday. On Gandhi Jayanti (Tuesday) there will be visitors in big numbers from nearby villages and also from far-off places There will be day-long bhajans; competitions for school students in elocution and essay writing on the life of Gandhi and his preaching, said J Naresh, a temple administrator. Gandhi Gudi (temple) was built in 2014 on a four-and-a-half acre plot of land about 75 km from Hyderabad. A six-member trust manages the temple with donations from worshippers. The donations are just enough to maintain the shrine, pay the salary of a priest and conduct daily rituals. We somehow felt the present-day youth do not have much knowledge about Mahatma Gandhi and his philosophy. At the same time, though, they have not forgotten our culture of going to temples regularly. So, we thought of attracting them towards Gandhism by constructing a temple for the Mahatma, the trusts chairman, M Sreepal Reddy, said. The temple also has a library dedicated to Gandhis philosophy. Scriptures such as the Bhagawad Gita, the Quran and the Bible are also kept in the library. (HT Photo) The trust members pooled money to construct the temple, which opened in September 2014; they gradually developed it with the donations collected over a period of time. A two-storey building houses the main temple on the top floor. A centre, where devotees can meditate in front of a marble statue of Gandhi, is located on the ground floor. The temple also has a library dedicated to Gandhis philosophy. Scriptures such as the Bhagawad Gita, the Quran and the Bible are also kept in the library. The temple opens at 6 am with chief priest Kurella Narayana Charys chants of Suprabhatam (wake-up hymn). The priest performs 16 different types of pujas prescribed in the Hindu scriptures for any temple. Chary said visitors to the temple believe that Gandhi has miraculous powers. A Rajasthani businessman, who came here along with family, told us that he was struggling to get his daughter married for several years, but her match was settled within days of visiting this temple, he said. So was the case with a central government employee from Bengaluru, who was desperate to get transferred to Andhra. Within a few days of having darshan of Gandhi temple, she was transferred to Visakhapatnam. People tie saffron ribbons to a banyan tree on the temple premises for the fulfilment of their wishes. Mahatma Gandhi fulfils all their wishes, Chary said. Irrespective of the outcome of the farmers march to Delhi, stopped at the border, analysts say the protest, involving tens of thousands of farmers, marks the return of a powerful farmers organisation, the Bharatiya Kisan Union, which, in the late 1980s, took over Delhis central boat club lawns, around India Gate, with 500,000 farmers. The BKU won that battle -- interestingly, sugarcane was at the heart of that too -- but lost relevance in the heartland in the wave of the Mandal and Mandir (temple) politics that followed, according to analysts. Now, the Kisan Kranti Yatra, a protest march from Haridwar in Uttarakhand to New Delhi, has infused fresh vigour in the organisation which went through a tough time after the death of its stalwart leader Mahendra Singh Tikait in 2011. Tikait Sr is widely considered the second most powerful farmers leader in recent Indian history, after Chaudhary Charan Singh. After Tikait Srs death, the organisation weakened; his elder son Naresh took over the BKU; many associates of Tikait Sr left, refusing to work under the new leadership. Gulam Mohammad of village Jaula, who left the organisation, recalls that the departure of several senior leaders weakened the BKU, leaving it unable to organise a big farmers movement for seven years. Several leaders who left started their own farmer groups which divided the farmers of the region, he adds. But it wasnt as if Tikait Jr completely lost his hold over farmers. Khap (caste) panchayats wield considerable influence in western Uttar Pradesh and many are directly associated with the BKU. Tikait Jr actually heads the Baliyan Khap of 84 villages, and has support of several other caste panchayats of the region. Locals say these panchayats helped the BKU to garner quick support for its agitations and were the strength of Tikait Sr. The son, too, seems to have benefited from that support this time. Local farmers, protesting the non-payment of around ~12,000 crore of sugarcane dues from mills, and repeated crop failures, started the 150km yatra from Haridwar on October 1. As the yatra progressed, farmers from different parts of western UP joined and the numbers swelled, Naresh Tikait said on Monday. Sanjeev Sharma, political science teacher at Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, said farmers are in distress and after a long time, the BKU has provided them a platform to raise their voice. Todays use of force against them has provided the organisation an opportunity to exhibit its relevance in coming days. Subhash Baliyan, general secretary of Sarv Khap, which is part of the BKU, said that the government would face the consequences of what happened today in the 2019 elections. We will be old BKU again, he warned. Baliyan recalled how a few words of Tikait Sr to vote in name of Ram helped the Bharatiya Janata Party sweep western Uttar Pradesh in the 1999 polls and helped Atal Bihari Vajpayee to become the prime minister. The assault (on farmers today) shows apathy of the government towards farmers, said Chaudhary Rajendra Singh of Deshwal Khap, adding that the incident will only serve to strengthen the BKU. From a young woman, who has done her MBA from an elite university in London to an aware nonagenarian, the upcoming civic elections in Jammu and Kashmir brings forth a mixed bag of candidates, including young and old, literates and semi-literates. Aiming to make a difference, 36-year-old Bhanu Mahajan, who did her MBA from Middlesex University in London in 2007, is contesting as a Congress candidate from ward number 21 of posh Gandhi Nagar locality in Jammu city. I have worked in the corporate sector and started my own company in 2013. But at the same time, I wanted to do something for the society to which I belong, said Mahajan, whose father was a former Congress corporator and grandfather, a Congress leader. Though my father and grand-father were in Congress, our family was more into social services and I wanted to carry forward the good work, she said. For Mahajan, who is hard-pressed with her election campaign these days, majority of the issues more or less remain the same. From lanes, roads, parks, electricity and water, people want them all in order. Women especially need regular water supply, she said. Mahajan was quick to criticise BJP for allegedly deceiving the people, who now desperately seek a change in governance. Criticising politicians is easy, but things cannot change until and unless one takes a plunge himself, said Mahajan. In a striking contrast to Bhanu, 92-year-old Ram Krishan has decided to take a plunge into the civic polls from ward number 13 in Nagri Parole of Kathua district. Krishan with his long association with National Conference since 1950, took the decision to contest the elections as an independent candidate based on popular demand from the public, who according to him have been repeatedly deceived by political parties. As a veteran social worker, he intends to teach a lesson to the political parties. Fully aware of the NCs decision to boycott the elections, the nonagenarian said that his decision was based on the peoples will and their development. I am 92 and have seen enough of the promises by political parties. All these years I have seen politicians mouthing platitudes to the poor people. So, before I go, in wish to serve the people of my area, said Krishan. Krishan was all praise for late Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and termed his decisions as visionary, including Land To Tillers Act. He said the Centre should ensure jobs to the youth of Dalit community commensurate to their qualification of matriculation. The brother of Fetullah Terrorist Organization's (FETO) leader Fetullah Gulen was sentenced to 10.5 years in jail, judicial sources said. Izmir's 14th High Criminal Court handed down the sentence to Kutbettin Gulen, who was already in prison, on the charge of being a member of an armed terrorist organization. Over video conference, Gulen, who said that he suffered from health problems, rejected the accusations directed at him and asked to be released from prison. He had been remanded in custody on Oct. 2, 2016, Anadolu Agency recalls. According to the Turkish government, the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016. An inmate of Kolkatas Presidency jail swallowed a mobile phone on Monday when he was caught with it by prison officials. Ramchandra, who committed the act, is lodged in the prison for the past one year on charges of snatching and robbery. He was later hospitalised after complaining of stomach pains. A prison department official, who did not wish to be named, that the surveillance team got the information that a mobile phone was in the procession of the inmate. The surveillance team conducted a raid on Monday noon during lunch time. Ramchandra was spotted speaking on the device at a corner of the prison. As the team members chased him, he first tried to escape and when he realised he could not, he swallowed the phone, the official said. Minister of correctional services, Ujjal Biswas, who was unable to conceal his surprise at the incident, said, I just cannot think of someone swallowing a mobile phone. I found it difficult to digest the information initially. I have ordered a detailed inquiry in the matter. Ramchandra, who soon reported having stomach pains, was taken to state-run SSKM Hospital at 4.30 pm. An X-ray was conducted and confirmed the presence of the three-inch long mobile phone. At night, he was shifted to M R Bangur Hospital. Doctors expect that he should be able to expel the device through bowel movement. Else, he has to undergo surgery, said the department official. The presence and use of cell phones inside prisons is not a new phenomenon in India but both the minister and department officials said that they have never heard of such an incident. On June 8 this year, Amitava Chowdhury, a doctor attached with Kolkatas Alipore Central Jail, was arrested for trying to smuggle mobile phones, narcotics, alcohol and blades inside the jail. He had 35 cellphones and a few chargers on him apart from a few kilo of ganja and a few litres of alcohol. Kolkata A crude bomb explosion at the crowded marketplace in Dum Dum Tuesday morning killed a seven-year-old boy and injured nine others, and triggering a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Trinamool Congress. Preliminary investigation has revealed the blast was caused by a bomb of low intensity, said Rajesh Kumar Singh, commissioner of Barrackpore Police. A child, Bibhas Ghosh died at SSKM Hospital, said Purnendu Bose, minister of technical education and local MLA. The childs mother, who was also injured, is being treated at the same hospital. The explosion that took place around 9:15 am was so strong that it shattered the glassepanes of adjoining buildings. A shutter near the site was partially mangled by the impact of the explosion. The injured were taken to state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, SSKM Hospital and a local private hospital. The incident was planned... At this time, Trinamool Congress leaders and workers assemble at the ward office here. It appeared to me that it cannot be done by the CPI(M) or Congress...The only needle of suspicion points towards the BJP, with whom CPI(M) and Congress may have links, Bose alleged. Pachu Roy, chairman of South Dumdum municipality, indicated it might be the handiwork of the saffron camp. Today is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. I wont be surprised if those who killed him have a role behind this incident. Dumdum is an old centre of their activity, alleged Roy. The BJP rubbished the claims amde by TMC. Blasts are taking place close to the Trinamool offices. The ruling party offices have become the den of anti-socials. Be it in Khagragarh, West Midnapore, Birbhum or Dumdum, all explosions are taking place inside or close to Trinamool offices. Its ridiculous that ruling party leaders are blaming the BJP, said Dilip Ghosh, chief of the BJPs Bengal unit. The Left too blamed the TMC for the blast. The current regime has turned life in the entire city in a nightmare. Bridges are collapsing, markets are gutted and explosions are taking place that killed an innocent child. The Trinamool leaders are alleging they were the real targets of the blast. Let me ask, what were the police doing, remarked Left leader in state assembly Sujan Chakraborty. The bomb squad of Criminal Investigation Department officers visited the spot and collected samples from the spot including a bag and splinters as part of the investigation. Initially, locals thought the blast could have been that of an LPG cylinder. Quite a few splinters were available at the spot. There was no smell of gunpowder. We are investigating..., said the police commissioner who rushed to the spot after the explosion. The special investigation team (SIT), which is probing the murder of Apple executive Vivek Tiwari, 38, by constable Prashant Chowdhury on Saturday, recreated the crime scene on Tuesday in the presence of eyewitness Sana Khan and Viveks widow Kalpana Tiwari. Inspector general (IG), Lucknow zone, Sujit Pandey, who is heading the SIT investigation, reached the crime spot in Vibhuti Khand area of Gomti Nagar with senior scientist at forensic science laboratory (FSL) Arun Sharma at around 3 pm. According to police, the crime scene was isolated and the team also arranged a police motorcycle and an SUV similar to the one being driven by Vivek on Saturday. We carried out the exercise to recreate the exact scenario that led to Viveks death, IG Sujit Pandey said. The five-member forensic team took the measurement of the vehicle and the motorcycle and tried to ascertain the exact position of vehicles. The vehicles were placed on the basis of the information provided by Sana Khan who was sitting in the front seat of the SUV when Vivek was shot. The SIT team also called two police constables to enact the role of accused constables Prashant Chaudhary and Sandeep Kumar. It remains a subject of investigation if there was a confrontation between Vivek and the constable or the shot was fired without any provocation, Pandey told reporters. A police constable was made to stand with an empty pistol similar to the one used by Chaudhary after which the experts noted several parameters like the distance between the pistol and the ground and distance between the weapon and the SUVs windshield. It was important for us to ensure that recreation is conducted in front of Viveks widow, Pandey said. Viveks widow Kalpana looked at the proceedings. Later, Kalpana demanded the transfer of constable Rakhi Chaudhary, wife of Prashant, claiming that she might influence probe the into the case. Earlier on Tuesday, the IG also visited the office of UPRNSS (Uttar Pradesh Rajya Nirman Sahkarita Sangh), located hardly 30 metres from the spot of crime, to collect the video footage of CCTV cameras installed there. Pandey said the video footage didnt reveal much and it would be examined closely. We have identified at least 100 points in the investigation that will be looked into before arriving at any conclusion. We will also correlate the details of the recreation of crime scene with other circumstantial evidences to deduce a scientific conclusion, the IG said. Later, the team also visited the underpass where the SUV had collided with a pillar after Vivek sustained bullet injury and lost control over the wheels. The most important aspect of the investigation is the moment when the shot was fired. We want to focus our investigation on that point, Pandey said. Two hours before the recreation of the incident, IG (civil defence) Amitabh Thakur reached the crime spot. Into its eighth day, the cease-work protest of teachers from aided colleges across Maharashtra received extra support with lecturers from more prominent institutes planning to join the indefinite strike. Teachers across the state, affiliated to the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (MFUCTO), started their strike from September 25 over the filling up of vacant posts, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission according to University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines and equal wages for equal work, among other demands. According to this cease-work protest, teachers have been attending college, but without marking their attendance or conducting regular lectures. In a series of meetings held across colleges, teachers from the aided sections of St Xaviers College, Dhobi Talao; Sathaye College, Vile Parle; Bhavans Hazarimal Somani College, Girgaum Chowpatty, said they will join the protest from Wednesday, October 3. The government seems to be pushing the teaching community to the edge and has periodically failed to keep their commitments. The repeated neglect of the government towards our issues is the reason why we (teachers) all need to come together and raise our voices, said Avkash Jadhav, professor, St Xaviers College, and a member of the Bombay University and College Teachers Union (BUCTU). The strike has acquired new strength and vigour in Mumbai with more teachers supporting the cause. The state education minister has made it very clear that he has to wait for approvals from the finance and other departments so we are demanding the intervention of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, said Tapati Mukhopadhyay, member, BUCTU. The government has already given them written assurances that their demands will be addressed on a priority basis. The Seventh Pay Commission is something the government is working hard on and it will be implemented soon. Similarly, we are also going to address the problem of shortage of staff in colleges. None of this can happen overnight, said state education minister Vinod Tawde. EXAMINATIONS WONT FEEL THE BRUNT While the teachers will continue their protest until the state government comes up with a solution, they have made it clear that examinations will be exempted from the strike We dont want students to suffer, so teachers will report for supervision duty during the upcoming exams, but they will not mark their attendance for the day, said Tapati Mukhopadhyay , Bombay University and College Teachers Union ( BUCTU). About the strike College teachers across the state, affiliated to the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (MFUCTO), started an indefinite strike from September 25 over some demands. Their major demands - Filling up of vacant teacher posts - Implementation of the 7th Pay Commission according to University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines - Equal wages for equal work Earlier last month, teachers had protested for a day by suspending regular lectures, leaving many colleges with no option but to send students back home. The citys iconic promenade at Marine Drive has been gifted a swanky new public toilet which opened on Tuesday. At an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh, the public facility has already earned the tag of citys most expensive toilet. Designed to go with Marine Drives art deco architecture, the toilet has been constructed under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by the Jindal Group and Samatech. It has been handed over to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for maintenance. The civic body plans to keep the facility free for use for the next two months after which it may levy a fee. BMC spends around Rs 25-30 lakh on an average to construct a public toilet but in this case, most of the building material and designing came at zero charge to the civic body. Several other companies and consultants have contributed their expertise and materials free of cost for the [Marine Drive] project. The design of the toilet goes with the art deco architecture [around] and was built using weathering steel. It has solar panels installed on the roof which will generate enough power to illuminate the toilet, said Akshat Gupta, co-founder of Samatech. We have made sure that the waste is not disposed in the Marine Drive bay and will be carried from the sewage tanks to the civic bodys sewage treatment plants, he said. On Monday, Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray inaugurated the public toilet located opposite the Air India building. This is a world-class facility being made available to citizens. The toilet has been built under the CSR but it is our responsibility to keep it clean and well maintained, he said. This is the only public toilet in a 2.8 km radius of the Marine Drive promenade. Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner of A ward (Fort, Nariman Point), said, We will observe the maintenance and the usage of the public toilet for the next two months and will then decide if we should continue it without charging users. A civic official, who wished to remain anonymous, estimated that it could cost the BMC up to Rs 1 lakh per month for the toilets maintenance vis-a-vis house-keeping services, sewage transport, and maintenance of solar panels. Harshita Narvekar, the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator, said that Marine Drive sees a large footfall and public amenities must be made available. The idea to build this toilet was initiated by Nariman Point Churchgate Citizens Association last year. The existing toilet was poorly maintained and needed to be revamped, she said. The Maharashtra government has withdrawn cases against Shiv Pratisthan Hindustan (SPH) head Sambhaji Bhide and members of the states ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena, according to information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Three cases registered against Bhide and his followers for violent protests against the screening of Hindi film, Jodha Akbar, in 2008 have been withdrawn. He is among over 2,300 people against whom cases have been dropped. Bhide was again in news for allegedly inciting violence against Dalits in Bhima-Koregaon near Pune in January. RTI activist Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh obtained the information about the dropping of the cases from the state Home department. He had earlier moved the State Information Commission after the government initially denied him the information. It was not immediately clear when the cases were withdrawn. State finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, who heads the committee that has dropped cases against Bhide, defended the move. He said the decision was taken as per the set norms and that Bhide was not the only one against whom cases have been withdrawn. Shaikh said six cases were withdrawn against Bhide, but the home department has the records of three, officials said. Shiv Senas Neelam Gorhe, Anil Rathod, Ajay Choudhari and BJP leaders Sanjay Bhegde, Prashant Thakur, Vikas Mathkari are among those against whom cases have also been dropped. Gorhe had been booked after an audio clip, in which she was reportedly directing party workers to resort to violence, was leaked in 2010. Two cases against Swabhimani Paksha MP Raju Shetti, who was part of the BJP-led government for three years since 2014, have also been dropped. The Mungantiwar-led panel was formed in August 2016 after the Maharashtra government decided to withdraw cases in political and social protests registered until November 2014. It held seven meetings in the last two years and proposed to drop 41 cases. Of them, 14 were against the legislators and leaders of the BJP and Shiv Sena. Police superintendent Sandeep Patil said none of the cases withdrawn relates to Bhima-Koregaon. He said that the investigation into the violence there was in progress. Another right-wing activist Milind Ekbote was arrested but Bhide was not even questioned in the Bhima Koregaon case despite having been named in the case. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said there was no evidence of his role in the violence. The Opposition parties slammed the government over the withdrawal of the cases. By withdrawing the cases against Bhide, the government has endorsed that the right-wing leader has its backing. The government has given clean chit to him in Bhima Koregaon case and now it has started withdrawing pending cases against him, said Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Three people, including a three-year-old girl, died after a group of women fell into a well while performing a puja in suburban Vile Parle in Mumbai on Tuesday. Jamurad Yadav (right), one of the deceased. (HT PHOTO) A fire brigade official said the incident took place near Dixit Road in Vile Parle (East) around 6.30 pm. Some women were performing a puja sitting on the iron grill on the mouth of a 30-feet deep well. The grill suddenly gave in and 14 people fell into the well, of which 11 were rescued and three persons, including a three-year-old girl, were declared dead, said Anil Kumbhare, DCP, Zone 8. The deceased were identified as Divya (3), Jamurad Yadav (45) and Renu Yadav (20). While two women were rescued by locals, fire brigade officials rescued a five-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, , according to PTI. The injured were taken to Cooper Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. The National Disaster Relief Force have arrived and helped the rescue operations. Canadian high commissioner in India, Nadir Patel, on Monday stated that his country firmly believes in united India, but also gives its citizens the freedom of expression. He was commenting on pro-Khalistan activities by a section of Sikh diaspora in Canada. On a query regarding the pro-khalistan activities in Canada after paying obeisance at Golden Temple here, he said, This is the topic that was also discussed between prime minister Justin Trudeau and Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh a few months ago. Canada firmly believes in united India. We will continue to cooperate with Indian agencies on security. But at the same time, we have freedom of expression laws of Canada as well, he said. He visited Golden Temple with his family and they also performed sewa at the langar hall. SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal felicitated the envoy with a siropa (robe of honour). He said Canada-Punjab relations are very strong as Punjabis live there in sizeable number. We have one of the strongest education systems in the world. But we want Canadian students to study here in Punjab as well. Partition a tragic moment in history He also visited Indo-Pak Partition museum at Town Hall and spent about an hour. He left a note on the tree of hope: A truly inspiring exhibit that preserves and shares awareness of a very important and emotional and at times tragic moment in history. Punjab health minister Brahm Mohindra on Tuesday distanced himself from his cabinet colleague Navjot Singh Sidhus support for legalising cultivation, sale and consumption of opium and its by-product poppy husk in the state. Sidhus statement on legalising cultivation of poppy is his personal view. The government is not endorsing his comments, the minister said as he attended a function at Government College for Girls (GCG) here on Tuesday. The minister added that the government was committed to eradicate drugs from the state and claimed that supply line of drugs had been cracked. I feel that poppy cultivation should not be allowed. We cannot throw future generations into this muck, added Mohindra. He said the government should introduce a uniform policy in order to eradicate the menace of drugs. Dharamvira Gandhi had sought support three months ago, but Mohindra had denied. Sources in the government said that MP from Patiala Dharamvira Gandhi had met health minister Brahm Mohindra three months back and sought his support for poppy cultivation campaign. However, the minister reportedly denied support the campaign. When contacted, MP Gandhi said he met Punjab chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh few months back in the matter. I am fighting this battle for the welfare of farmers and will not hesitating to seek anyones support for the cause. He added, Till 1955, poppy was cultivated in Punjab. But the then government at the Centre imposed sanctions and banned its cultivation. After implementation of the NDPS law, all poppy users were branded as drug addicts. Some of them even faced social boycott while many continue to languish in jail. OVER 300 DOCTORS TO JOIN HEALTH DEPT Speaking on the issue of paucity of doctors, Mohindra claimed that over 300 doctors will join the health department by next week. He added that 92 rural medical officer will also join the department soon. The NRI, Gurmeet Singh, wanted for deserting his wife, was detained at the Delhi airport on Monday when he was about to take a flight to Germany. The Delhi airport authorities alerted the cops that Gurmeet Singh was trying to leave India even as his passport stood suspended, after which he was handed over to the Patiala police. Gurmeets passport was suspended on Monday itself and his last-minute bid to leave India was foiled. Had it not been for the suspended passport and the alert officials at the Delhi airport, Pritpal Kaur from Samana would have been among thousands of women who endlessly wait for justice after being deserted by their NRI husbands. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Pritpal Kaur said she got married to Gurmeet Singh, a chef in Germany, in January 2011. After about a month, he left for Germany and then kept on visiting India on and off. I conceived meanwhile and was blessed with a son in 2012. And then I discovered that he was already married in Germany to a white woman and was having kids from that wedlock, Pritpal said. I was ousted of my in-laws house and what followed was physical abuse and emotional torture in the name of compromise. He dodged the police and he left for Germany in 2015 never to call up again. Pritpal recently got to know that Gurmeet has entered India through Nepal and subsequently a look-out circular was issued against him. Deputy passport officer Amit Kumar Rawat said it was only on Monday that they suspended Gurmeets passport. Since the information regarding suspended passports reflects everywhere, Gurmeets attempt to flee was foiled at the Delhi airport. He has been arrested by Patiala police since a criminal case is pending against him, said Rawat. The Regional Passport Office (RPO) here has now started writing to the respective embassies of the NRIs who are wanted for deserting their wives. The passport authorities shall also soon start informing employers of the said NRIs about the suspension of their passports. The deputy RPO said that the aim is to get these NRIs deported. The RPO here had started this spree of suspending passports of these runaway husbands in June 2018 and have now even started suspension of passports of complainants in-laws booked under criminal charges. There are nearly 12,000 such cases pending for action under the RPO Chandigarh, which has jurisdiction over 24 districts in Punjab and Haryana, besides Chandigarh. The early parliamentary elections should be held as soon as possible, within 2-3 months, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said following his meeting with the head of the faction of the Republican Party of Armenia Vahram Baghdasaryan. It was the first contact with the representative of RPA concerning holding early parliamentary elections. Pashinyan noted that at the moment the Republican Party has not given consent on holding early parliamentary elections, adding that it is impossible to come to a decision after one meeting. Baghdasaryan, in turn, said that they have agreed with the PM to continue with the negotiations. He added that if one political force is against early parliamentary elections, elections should not be held, since the future parliament has to reflect the wish of all the forces, News.am reported. Young people from different countries participating in the 13th Global Youth Peace Festival (GYPF) on Monday discussed the individual and collective action that can be taken to ensure gender equality in the world. More than 130 international delegates participated in the discussion of which, more than 50 were women. The women from the third world countries put stress on prevalence of sexual violence that is rising at alarming levels in their respective nations. Zakia Samimi from Afghanistan said, There are several cases where nose, hands and body parts of women are chopped if they go against the societal norms. She further recalled, A woman named Fakhunrda was burned alive by few men last year in Kabul just because there was a false rumor that she burned the Quran. Lamia Alam and Sabrina Alamgir from Bangladesh said in unison, Everyday on an average, there are three-four rape cases reported in the newspapers. Majlinda Xhaferaj from Albania said, In our country, women are killed by men very frequently. We call it femicide. Boyfriends kill their girlfriends just because they were dumped, while courts and police do nothing to punish them. Herawati from Indonesia said, Women are just raised to be married off. They do not have any other identity than that. Irene Edward from South Sudan said, Most of the men in our society died due to prolonged civil war. The women had no other choice but to be both mother and father. Despite that, there is no equality and education for women in our country. Neeru Karki from Nepal said, To support their families, men migrate to other countries and do odd jobs. Back in Nepal, women are forced to take charge of their families. She added, I think it has a silver lining because slowly this trend is taking Nepal towards women empowerment. Nageswary Kandasamidik from Malaysia said, Both men and women have the same rights in our country. In Malaysia, rights are same for all Her statement was also seconded by Lakshmee Devi Ramiol, also from Malaysia, who said, In 90s, women in our country were penalised if they tried to take up mens work. After years of struggle, everything has changed now. Today, there are same rights for all. Tanya Spisbah from Australia said, We are trying to achieve pay parity. An idea has been floated to make salaries public so that it can be ensured that both males and females are paid equally for equal work. Some of the actions Aung San Suu Kyi has taken as Myanmars civilian leader are regrettable but her Nobel Peace Prize will not be withdrawn, the head of the Nobel Foundation told Reuters in an interview in Stockholm on Friday. Lars Heikensten, speaking days before the awarding of this years peace prize, said it made no sense to withdraw awards in reaction to things that happened after they were given, as judges would constantly have to discuss laureates merits. UN investigators issued a report in August accusing Myanmars military of carrying out mass killings of Muslim Rohingya with genocidal intent in an operation that drove more than 700,000 refugees across the border to Bangladesh. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for campaigning for democracy and now leads the Myanmar government, was accused in the same report of failing to use her moral authority to protect civilians. We see what shes been doing in Myanmar has been questioned a lot and we stand for human rights, thats one of our core values, Lars Heikensten, the head of the Nobel Foundation, said. So of course to the extent that shes responsible for that, that is very regrettable, he added. Government spokesperson Zaw Htay did not answer phone calls seeking comment on Monday. He said last month he would no longer speak to the media over the phone, only at a biweekly conference. Myanmar has rejected the UN findings as one-sided. It says the military action, which followed militant attacks on security forces in August last year, was a legitimate counter insurgency operation. Suu Kyi said last month that in hindsight her government could have handled the situation in Rakhine state better, but did not acknowledge any major crimes. We dont believe it would make sense to try to withdraw prizes ... it would involve us in constant discussions about the merits about what people are doing afterwards, after they have received the prize, Heikensten said. There has always been and there always will be Nobel laureates that are doing things after theyve been awarded the prize which we do not approve of or which we dont think are the right things. That we cannot avoid I think, he added. The Stockholm-based Nobel Foundation oversees the administration of all the Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by different organisations in Sweden and Norway. The Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the Peace Prize, said in August that its rules did not allow awards to be withdrawn. The laureate of this years Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday in Oslo. A major Canadian Islamic organisation has been suspended and fined by regulators following an audit that raised concerns it had provided resources to groups with links to the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, according to a media report on Monday. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) said it has suspended the Islamic Society of North America-Canada (ISNA-Canada) for a year from September 12 and ordered the Mississauga-based charity to pay a $550,000 penalty, Global News reported. Government auditors alleged ISNA-Canada failed to conduct any meaningful due diligence when it transferred $136,000 to Kashmir. The audit was done in 2011 and covered 2007-09. CRA sanctioned the charity on September 5. CRA audit documents obtained by Global News alleged that ISNA-Canada gifted $90,000 to the Relief Organization for Kashmiri Muslims (ROKM). CRA has previously described ROKM as the charitable arm of Jamaat-e-Islami, a Pakistani group whose armed wing, Hizbul Mujahideen, is listed as a terror group in Europe and the US. The audit documents showed ISNA-Canada gave an additional $46,000 to the Kashmiri Relief Fund of Canada, which CRA has previously alleged had fundraised for ROKM. Providing resources to organisations operating in support of a political purpose, including the achievement of nationhood or political autonomy, are not recognised at law as charitable, CRA said. By acting as a conduit for other organisations, ISNA-Canada may have, knowingly or unknowingly, provided the benefits of its status as a registered charity to support the efforts of a political party and its armed wing, CRA said. The Charities Directorate did not revoke ISNA-Canadas charity status but the group was required to enter a compliance agreement whereby it must cease its overseas operations. ISNA Islamic Services of Canada was stripped of its charitable status last year after auditors raised concerns about possible funding of Hizbul Mujahideen. ISNA Development Foundation was stripped of its charity status in 2013 over similar concerns and the Canadian Islamic Trust Foundations charity status was also revoked. During a dreary Sunday morning church service, 14-year-old girl tired of wrestling with her sexual attraction to girls resigned herself to an unhappy conclusion: she was bewitched. At school and at church in Cameroons capital, Yaounde, she had long been told that liking someone of the same sex was not only a sin, but could also be a sign that a sinister spell had been cast on you. I didnt see girls like everyone else I thought it was a bad spirit that had invaded me, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation with a rueful laugh by phone from France, where she sought asylum last year with her girlfriends help. So I started praying to make it go away. But her prayers failed. Four years later, she was chained to the wall and violently raped by a man who her family forced her to marry after discovering that she was a lesbian. In many parts of Africa, gay people are subjected to corrective rape by their families, strangers and vigilantes who believe that homosexuality is a mental illness that needs to be cured. Sometimes it is done under the cover of darkness or when the pounding of rain on tin roofs muffles the screams, gay Cameroonians told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Other times, it is arranged by family members who regularly take the law into their own hands, torturing, raping and murdering gay and lesbian relatives that they are convinced are witches or have been cursed. Belief in witchcraft is widespread in Cameroon. Even though it is illegal to practice black magic, authorities do little to stop families consulting sorcerers who perform ritual sacrifices to cure their relatives of homosexuality. Same-sex relationships are taboo across Africa, which has some of the worlds most prohibitive laws against homosexuality. Gay people are routinely blackmailed, assaulted and or raped, with criminal punishments ranging from imprisonment to death. A 2017 report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) found 33 African countries out of a total of 54 nations criminalise same-sex relations. Homosexual acts attract a five-year jail term in Cameroon, with at least 50 people convicted for crimes ranging from cross-dressing to a man texting I love you to another man between 2010 and 2014, according to CAMFAIDS, an LGBT+ advocacy group. The (anti-LGBT+) violence is getting worse, said Michel Engama, head of CAMFAIDS, whose predecessor, Eric Ohena Lembembe was found dead in 2013, with his neck broken and his face burned with an iron, according to Human Rights Watch. Almost 600 homophobic attacks and violations were reported in Cameroon last year, according to Humanity First Cameroon, an LGBT+ umbrella organisation, with one in five lesbians and one in 10 gay men reporting that they had been raped. Campaigners say the true scale of the problem is likely to be much worse as most attacks go unreported. Cleansing The girls family beat and lashed her after they discovered explicit text messages she had sent to her girlfriend. Her aunt and brothers then took her to their village where the local witch doctor forced her to drink concoctions made of chicken blood and inserted hot pepper up her anus, justifying it as a cleansing ritual. Finding a husband who was a church pastor was a chance to clear the family name, she explained. The fact that he had two wives and was more than 30 years older was not a consideration. There was no discussion about it, she said, adding that her family received the dowry from the pastor even before they informed her of the arrangement. To them, I was like a necklace they sold. Though rape is a crime in Cameroon, there was no question that such a charge could ever be levelled at her husband, Viviane said. A pastor in Cameroon is like a god. God cant rape. And if you accuse him of rape, youre the devil, she said. While the girl felt her best option was to flee Cameroon, another 33-year-old woman spoke out after she was gang raped in 2016 by a taxi driver after leaving an LGBT+ workshop in Yaounde. The driver stopped to pick up another man and took her to a deserted part of town, where they both raped her, taunting her with accusations of being a lesbian and a witch. They kept shouting that I deserved this punishment, that they were correcting me, said the 33-year-old, who has told her story to hundreds of girls in sexual health awareness and LGBT+ workshops in Cameroon. If I had reported it, I wouldve been seen not as a victim but rather as someone who deserved what had happened. She believes that her decision to speak out saved her life. I had a friend who had also been raped, and she felt completely alone, isolated, depressed. She had almost killed herself, she said, pausing to fight back her tears. I thought of doing the same... But I was also so angry. I didnt want other girls to go through this, for them to be a victim like me. I wanted to denounce the perpetrators so that it stops. It is not easy, she said. Lesbians in Cameroon live with secrecy and caution every day, communicating via code names and frequently changing the public places where they gather. We continue to fight on, even though were doubly discriminated first as women, secondly as lesbians, she said. But Engama of CAMFAIDS knows that such precautions cannot guarantee safety, highlighting how 20-year-old Kenfack Tobi Aubin Parfait was beaten to death last month by his older brother who believed he was gay. Its a real war waged against us, said Engama, who regularly receives death threats. But we will keep fighting until they are tired ... No one will give us freedom. We have to take it. The set of 20 postage stamps on Kashmir issued by Islamabad, which had a key role in the cancellation of a meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, use images of Kashmiri Pandit and Sikh victims of acts of terror to depict victims of alleged rights abuses in Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi cited the stamps, especially one depicting slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a freedom icon, as a reason for calling off the planned meeting of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The 20 stamps issued by Pakistan Post on July 24, a day before the general election and when the country was being administered by a caretaker regime depict what Pakistani officials have said are instances of atrocities in Kashmir, including missing persons, protest against killers, tortured women, human shield and homeless children. However, several social media users pointed out on Monday that the image used in the stamp on homeless children had been issued in numerous news reports on the massacre of 35 Sikhs at Chittisinghpura in Jammu and Kashmir in March 2000. One of the children in the in the original image is seen wearing Sikh headgear and this has been obscured in the stamp by its denomination. The image used in the stamp on missing persons is a photo of a demonstration organised by the Kashmiri Pandit group Roots in Kashmir at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in January 2014 to protest against terrorism supported by Pakistan. The photo was distributed by a leading Indian news agency and Roots in Kashmir, in a tweet, said it had identified at least nine people seen in the stamp as Kashmiri Pandits. Pakistan adds insult to injury by using picture of RIK PROTESTORS AGAINST PAK TERROR to propagate fake narrative of human rights violation by India, the tweet said. In a statement calling off the meeting of the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, the external affairs ministry said: The latest brutal killings of our security personnel by Pakistan-based entities and the recent release of a series of 20 postage stamps by Pakistan glorifying a terrorist and terrorism confirm that Pakistan will not mend its ways. Pakistan Post officials told BBC the idea for the 20 stamps was floated and implemented under the caretaker government, which was in-charge of day-to-day affairs ahead of the election which Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party won. The stamps were issued on July 24, a day ahead of the general elections and 25 days before the new prime minister was sworn in, and observers speculated that the idea must have come from state institutions with a hawkish stand on relations with India, the BBC report said. W hat makes a great designer, great? Innovation and perfect design, surely. But is that enough? In a world saturated with products, how to ensure your product your innovative, perfect design gets a look-in? Word of mouth? An imaginative social media campaign? Connecting with industry movers and shakers? An inspired collaboration? Find out from those who have made it to the mainstream at Network Intelligence the BORN Conversation, in association with the Evening Standard, on October 4 2018, from 3-5:30pm. Free tickets still available here. Hear from Will Butler-Adams, CEO of Brompton Bicycles; Javier Goyeneche, founder of ECOALF (fashion made from recycled goods); Asad Hamir the man behind Kite eyewear and Benjamin Hubert, who together co-founded Nolii, the tech accessories brand which melds functionality with form so you can wave goodbye to those fussy cables. In conversation with the Evening Standards digital features director Amira Hashish, panellists Butler-Adams, Goyeneche, Hamir and Hubert will discuss the importance of networking and collaborating, assessing to what extent indeed, if any each has contributed to their success. Including an audience Q&A, and a networking session afterwards, Network Intelligence forms part of a series of talks taking place on Thursday at the Design Museum, ahead of the BORN Global Awards that night. What is BORN? BORN.com is a leading network of creators. The worlds largest digital trade fair, it offers up-and-coming designers both a platform and an audience; a stage on which to present their ideas to the world. Sponsored by Land Rover, the BORN awards is the climax of a series of regional awards which have taken place around the world in the UK, the US, France, Spain, Italy and the rest of the world. Earlier this year, entrants submitted pioneering, tangible designs (i.e. designs which exist, more than in merely idea form) to the judging panel and winners were selected from each region in each of the seven categories technology, sports, architecture, home interiors, food, mobility and fashion. On Thursday, the regional winners go head-to-head at the BORN awards to see who will be crowned global champion for each category. With Deyan Sudjic of the Design Museum, Nicole Junkermann of NJF Capital, Michelle Ogundehin (design editor and TV presenter), Gerry McGovern of Land Rover, Annalise Fard from Harrods, and BORN founder Jean-Christophe Chopin himself on the judging panel, its a formidable crowd to impress. An exhilarating evening it will surely be and a day of thought-provoking design discussion precedes it. Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the Russian Energy Week International Forum on October 3 in Moscow. Putin may talk this week with Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih on the sidelines of an energy forum in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The spokesman noted that Putin was scheduled to speak at the forum and while there he may also have short, informal meetings with visiting officials, including with Zangane and Falih. "We do not rule that there could be short contacts on the sidelines of the forum. It will be short, standing-up encounters, not more than that," Reuters cited Peskov as saying. The International Forum "Russian Energy Week" will be held in Moscow on October 3-6. T he downturn in the London property market has spread into the commuter belt where prices have fallen year on year for the first time since 2012, a new survey reveals today. The average cost of a home in the Outer Metropolitan region covering dormitory towns such as Reading, Maidstone, St Albans and Woking dipped 0.3 per cent to 364,309 in the 12 months to September, according to lender Nationwide. Prices in the capital itself were also down for the fifth quarter running dropping by 0.7 per cent to an average 468,544 in the third quarter of the year. The figures suggest that a ripple effect, starting with price falls in the most expensive neighbourhoods of central London and moving out to the suburbs and eventually beyond the M25 is well underway. Nationwide chief economist Robert Gardner said that stretched buyers are now refusing to pay overheated prices in the Home Counties in a repeat of the pattern seen in London over recent years. Outer Metropolitan region: house prices have dipped for the first time in six years / Daniel Lynch Prices in the Outer Metropolitan region are still 40 per cent above peaks before the 2007 banking crisis, compared with just 17 per cent for the UK as a whole. They have been pushed up by first time buyers and some investors abandoning London to look for better bargains in the shires. Buy or sell? However most property experts said they doubted whether the falls would turn into a full-scale crash while mortgage rates remain close to historic lows and levels of employment stay high. However, some warned that a chaotic no-deal Brexit could lead to a short-term slump. Jonathan Hopper, managing director of buying agents Garrington Property Finders, said: For London house prices there may be light at the end of the tunnel. The only problem is no-one is yet sure if the light is a Brexit-shaped train. Sam Mitchell, chief executive of online estate agents Housesimple.com, said: The UK housing market doesnt live and die by whats happening within the M25 and we should be encouraged by whats happening beyond the capital. We also shouldnt underestimate the importance of strong regional markets, because if we do leave the EU without a deal next March, it could be London that is the hardest hit. U.S. sanctions on the supply of microelectronics products to Russia were the most painful, but the industry is coping with them, head of Russia's State Space Corporation Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin said. The Roscosmos head stressed that US sanctions in relation to Russian defense industry products will not work, because they are made from domestic components, while in the space sector Russia and the United States are mutually dependent. "I strongly doubt that sanctions can have any significant impact on the volumes and quality of production. All that needed to be replaced, we have already replaced," he said in an interview with Channel 1 television. He admitted, though, that the sanctions on the supply of microelectronics products to Russia were "quite painful." "But we are coping with that," Sputnik cited Rogozin as saying. Russias two small missile ships - the Grad Sviyazhsk and the Veliky Ustyug - have entered the Black Sea straits after completing missions as part of a Russian naval group in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea Fleet spokesman Alexei Rulev said. "The Grad Sviyazhsk and Grad Sviyazhsk ships are making a routine trip back to the Black Sea from the Mediterranean Sea," TASS cited the spokesman as saying. Rulev added that the two ships had been deployed to the Mediterranean Sea in June and had participated in large-scale drills that took place there in early September. Appointment 2 October 2018 The Curtis - a DoubleTree by Hilton is pleased to announce that Ed Blair is now serving as the "Rebel Leader" or General Manager at Denver's only hotel dedicated to pop culture where all guests are encouraged to "Stay Happy." Managed by Denver's Sage Hospitality - one of the nation's top hotel investment and management companies - the Curtis was recently named one the "6 Best Hotels in Downtown Denver" by FODOR'S. With more than 22 years of hospitality experience, Blair spent the last three years as the General Manager at Sage's Embassy Suites Denver Downtown where he was honored with the "Sage Passion Award" for 2017. He previously spent almost a decade as the General Manager of The Oxford Hotel, where he was named "Leader of the Year" in 2012. Under his direction, The Oxford was also honored as Sage's the "Hotel of the Year" in 2011, based on its strong financials, market share, guest, employee and audit metrics. A graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder, Blair also previously served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Mile High United Way and an Associate Pastor at Colorado's NorthPoint Covenant Church. He is a founding member of Denver's Road to Work Business Advisory Council, which provides training and employment opportunities for people suffering from poverty and those with disabilities, and also serves on the board of Denver's 14th Street General Improvement District. The Curtis offers 336 modern guest rooms featuring custom art, sleek furniture and a Hilton Sweet Dreams Bed. Each of the hotel's guest room floors offers a spacious "hyper themed" suite, including the new Marvel suite on the "Superhero" floor, a Jimmy Buffett Suite on the "Mad About Music" floor and the Ghostbusters Suite on the 13th floor - the "Dun, Dun, Dunnnnn" floor. The Curtis offers more than 28,000 total square feet of playful urban event space, all named after favorite childhood games - including the Marco Polo Ballroom, Peek-a-Boo Ballroom and Four Square Ballroom, a 7,000 square feet indoor/outdoor space that boasts a large retractable nano glass wall and a sizeable outdoor patio complete with a private bar and a fireplace. A member of Hilton HHonors guest rewards program, the Curtis also features a large Fitness Center, the Oceanaire Seafood Room and The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar, a Sage Restaurant Group concept by restaurateur, Peter Karpinski. Appointment 2 October 2018 Habitas, a global hospitality group that's changing the way we travel through hotels, clubhouses and experiences, today announces the appointment of Rui Barros as Chief Operating Officer. Barros joins Habitas from WeWork, where he served as Senior Vice President, Head of Operations - US/Canada East. With Rui's impressive experience in hospitality and operations, in senior leadership roles at the world's largest hotel company and then at WeWork, we're uniquely positioned to succeed in our mission to build a global home and impact people's lives by creating deeper human connections. As a member of the executive team, Barros will oversee all global operations for Habitas with a focus on its hospitality and membership divisions. This includes the expansion of Habitas and its social footprint through hotel and clubhouse development and membership acquisition. Prior to joining Habitas, Barros acted as WeWork's Senior Vice President, Head of Operations for US/Canada East, and before that, served as the company's Senior Vice President of Global Operations. While at WeWork, he oversaw all aspects of the business growth for its largest market, including management, sales, operations and marketing for 50 buildings and tens of thousands of members across New York City.With nearly three decades of hospitality experience, Barros also held several high-level operations positions for Wyndham Hotel Group, most recently as President and Managing Director, North America Franchise Operations. In this role, he was responsible for field and brand operations, franchise support efforts and preferred clients services for the group's 15 brands in North America across 6,132 properties. Prior to this position, he acted as Wyndham's President & Managing Director, EMEA, where he oversaw development and operations for nine hotel brands representing 414 properties across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India. Supplier News 2 October 2018 ORLANDO, Fla. - October 2, 2018 - ProfitSword, hospitality's premier developer of business intelligence and data integration software, has shored up its top management team in response to the company's rapidly growing market share and increasing demand for its proprietary solutions. Recent appointments include Brian Treadwell as Chief Process and Innovation Officer (CPIO), Todd Chapuis as Software Architect and Sean Hoggard as Development Operations Manager. As hotel operations increasingly become larger and more complex, more hoteliers are turning to tools that can automate the data management and integration process in order to maximize their performance, forecasting and budgeting analysis abilities. With ProfitSword solutions leading the industry in ease-of-use and in being able to seamlessly integrate with third-party platforms such as a hotel's PMS or POS, the company continues to experience an impressive growth of its customer base as a result. As CPIO, Brian Treadwell will now be responsible for realigning ProfitSword's business process strategies in order to adequately meet this increase in demand. In a newly created role as Software Architect, Todd Chapuis will work to ensure that new solutions and updates are able to fully address evolving hotelier needs. Sean Hoggard's new position as Development Operations Manager is set to enhance the company's day-to-day processes with team-tracking efforts that will ensure ProfitSword remains responsive to customer needs. "Effective performance data analyzation has long been recognized as crucial to maintaining an efficient and successful hotel business, yet more hoteliers are now identifying the serious flaws that a manual data gathering strategy can produce; with human error often the cause of revenue losses and increased expenses," said Maureen Allen, President at ProfitSword. "We are immensely proud of the results that Brian, Todd and Sean have already achieved on behalf of our company and clients, and are fully confident that they will further expand each solution's availability and effectiveness in their new positions." As a comprehensive provider of business intelligence solutions for the hospitality industry, ProfitSword's array of platform's currently include ProfitPace, ProfitSage, ProfitPlan and ProfitWizard. ProfitPace allows businesses to efficiently monitor sales team efforts to ensure that the company is on track to achieve individual and company sales goals. It also allows for the comparison of sales pace to forecast, budget, prior years and same time last year trends. ProfitSage provides hoteliers with a user-friendly tool that integrates with standard business operation platforms for data collection and management. Using ProfitPlan, hoteliers can incorporate stylized report templates to produce several types of reports required to manage daily tasks and information. ProfitSword's data analysis tool, ProfitWizard, combines business intelligence, decision support, performance management and ad-hoc reporting for efficient analysis of data. For additional details about ProfitSword and its full range of business intelligence solutions, please visit www.profitsword.com. Supplier News 2 October 2018 As hoteliers begin planning their 2019 budgets, they will be focusing in part on implementing technology that will help their deskless employees better communicate with management and each other. Eighty-two percent of hospitality companies plan to increase spending on deskless technology in 2019, according to a new deskless workforce report issued by Emergence Capital. " The Rise of the Deskless Workforce " shows that hotel companies will direct part of their spending to ensure they are connecting with employees in hopes of increasing productivity and keeping employees happy. With 98% of companies using mobile platforms such as phones and tablets to communicate with employees, according to the report, hoteliers lagging in engagement will risk losing employees to the competition or other industries. "Technology is playing an important role in attracting and retaining employees," said Connie Rheams, Beekeeper VP of Hospitality. "According to Deloitte, 43% percent of Millennials envision leaving their jobs within two years and only 28 percent seek to stay beyond five years. Gen Z has even less loyalty, with 61 percent saying they would leave within two years if given the choice. With unemployment at an all-time low - 4% across all industries as of June 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics - employee retention needs to be top of mind. An additional dollar per hour or free daily lunch is proving to be enough of an incentive for hourly employees to leave one hotel and move to the next. The best way to retain non-desk hotel employees is by communicating with them directly, in their own language, and through the mobile platforms they are most comfortable using. When workers are connected, it makes them feel part of the hotel family, thereby making it difficult to take a job elsewhere due to relationships forged." Photo: Beekeeper Workforce Communication Technology: A Must in 2019 The best way hoteliers can engage their deskless employees and get them to embrace a hotel's culture is to connect them digitally to the organization. Linking employees across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices will keep each person wanting to learn more about the company their department VIP guests who may be arriving that day or that week a new hire an incentive contest or even a new corporate policy. Digitizing the workforce will help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. It's an ideal way to connect non-desk workers to company news, updates and protocols; share crisis communications messaging; onboard new hires; and motivate existing employees and share their achievements. In other words, it keeps employees connected to management and each other. In the past year, Fortune 500 firms across the globe have adopted Beekeeper as their workforce communications platform. Named the Most Innovative Technology of 2018 by HTNG, the " People's Choice " by HFTP, and ranked No. 59 on the SaaS 1000, Beekeeper has been busily increasing its user base this year by more than 500% and is currently being used in more than 137 countries worldwide. Companies are flocking to Beekeeper because it: Engages employees at a basic level and gives them a voice. Rewards employees for doing something good. Creates loyalty and drives job retention. Makes employees feel a part of something important. Beekeeper is digitizing the non-desk workforce by connecting operational systems and communication channels within one secure, intuitive platform. The solution connects colleagues across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices and includes an intelligent analytics dashboard to help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. Secure, automated, and relevant information is readily distributed, searchable, and measurable in one central hub for an efficient digitized workflow. Statistically Speaking: Employee Engagement Matters Companies with engaged employees outperform those without by 202% (Source: Gallup ) Highly engaged business units achieve a 10% increase in customer ratings and a 20% increase in sales (Source: Gallup) 98% of human resources professionals and 92% of employees surveyed said empathetic employers drive retention (Source: Businessolver ) 92% of employees say showing empathy is an important way to advance employee retention (Source: Businessolver ) 80% of employees would work more hours and 60% would take a pay cut to work for a more empathetic employer (Source: Businessolver ) 53% of HR professionals say employee engagement rises when onboarding is improved (Source: SilkRoad ). 80% of the world's workforce are non-desk workers 84% of the workforce has a personal mobile device 75% of employees use their personal mobile devices to communicate with co-workers Photo: Beekeeper About Beekeeper "Beekeeper is a powerful tool for driving and building a strong and informed company culture. It gives us a mobile means to operationally communicate with all associates across five locations in a new, innovative and authentic way. We've seen a well-over 90% adoption rate from among our associates." - Christopher Horn, Vice President of Operations for SIXTY Hotels"Beekeeper improved our guest service scores, our TripAdvisor scores, and overall internal communications. It has revolutionized the way we talk. It's the foundation of our culture and community, and it's an integral part of our daily operations." - Jeff David, Managing Director, Watergate Hotel"The Beekeeper employee app has definitely enhanced employee engagement. We would have seen much higher turnover if it weren't for this tool." - Jason Brown, Director of People Operations, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge"We use Beekeeper to keep everyone informed about everything, whether we're posting pictures of new slot machines or announcing employee events, awards or birthdays. It's a fun, social way to get to know employees better. This is just one of many ways that Beekeeper is making everyone feel part of the Feather Falls family." - Human Resources Director Rhonda Turner, Feather Falls Casino, Lodge & Brewing Co."After rolling out Beekeeper, we noticed an immediate change in our internal communications. It was incredible to see all the personalities that came alive on Beekeeper that we didn't realize had existed before. Giving them a platform allowing them to have a voice has transformed our organization." - David Montero, Director of Operations, RHW Management"Beekeeper is especially easy for onboarding new employees. It lets me create a new profile for each staff member, complete with their photo and personal information about their passions and special interests so other team members can quickly get to know them. In a sense, Beekeeper is a personal-broadcasting antenna." - Louie Shapiro, Director of People Operations, 1 Hotels Central Park Here's why deskless workforce technology is a smart investment:"A proven way to engage employees and get them to embrace a hotel's culture is to connect them digitally to the organization," said Corey McCarthy, Beekeeper VP Global Marketing. "Hoteliers looking for ways to improve employee retention while boosting guest satisfaction and loyalty should invest in employee engagement technology. Beekeeper is leading the way." Beekeeper is an award-winning operational communication platform that digitizes the non-desk workforce by connecting operational systems and communication channels within one secure, intuitive interface. Beekeeper connects colleagues across locations and departments in real time via mobile or desktop devices and includes an intelligent dashboard to help companies improve internal communication and streamline business processes. The company is based in Zurich and San Francisco and supports users in more than 130 countries. Clients include Heathrow Airport, Seaboard Foods, and Marriott. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an 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 HEBS Digital was honored in the Travel Weekly 2018 Magellan Awards with three gold and three silver awards for work in hospitality digital marketing, website design, and technology platform designed to boost customer engagement and direct bookings. HEBS Digital was honored with six awards in the Travel Weekly 2018 Magellan Awards. Each year, the Magellan Awards acknowledge the extraordinary travel professionals who provide the best products and services in the tourism industry. HEBS Digital is pleased to be recognized among a pool of top travel organizations and professionals. HEBS Digital received the following Magellan Awards: Gold Awards: AKA Website Design and Technology: a leading international luxury long stay brand within New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, DC, and London neighborhoods. Viceroy Hotel Group Cyber Monday Campaign: a full-service luxury hotel brand in Southern and Northern California. Cheeca Legend Lives on Campaign: a tropical paradise in Islamorada Florida where guests can rediscover an oasis called Cheeca Lodge & Spa. Silver Awards: Perry Lane Website Design and Technology: a luxury boutique hotel rethinking the traditional Savannah experience. Castle Hill Inn Website Design and Technology: a historic hotel in Rhode Island that combines one-of-a-kind accommodations with exceptional cuisine. The Blackstone Website and Technology: a storied architectural icon rooted in downtown Chicago. Magellan winners are those marketers and designers whose exploration of travels possibilities ring true and stand out, said Arnie Weissmann, the Senior Vice President and Editor in Chief of Travel Weekly. This years silver and gold Magellan winners are the industrys marketers, designers, copywriters, videographers, architects, graphic artists, creative directors, photographers and travel consultants who not only trigger the impulse to escape the ordinary and travel to new worlds, but to assure that promises and delivery are aligned. HEBS Digital creates innovative website designs powered by their award-winning smartCMS Website Technology Platform. Through the smartCMS, experts in hospitality technology and digital marketers are empowered to take a data-driven approach to creating an effective and engaging digital brand experience that tells a story while encouraging users to book direct. By employing cutting-edge and industry-leading technology, HEBS Digital is able to curate the ideal experience to the right customers across multiple channels and devices at the right time. We couldnt be prouder of this distinction honoring our teams continued dedication to staying on the razors edge of emerging technologies and design in the hospitality industry, said Mariana Safer, SVP of Client Success, HEBS Digital. Our hotel partners rely on us to provide them with forward-thinking marketing solutions and creative, fresh designs for their most important digital asset: their websites. This recognition speaks to the immeasurable value our firm is able to provide to our clients. The Magellan Award winners are evaluated based on the highest standards of excellence in their entered category, on the extensive experience of Travel Weekly, and by the most qualified judges in the travel and tourism industry. About Travel Weekly In a rapidly changing and competitive marketplace, Travel Weekly and TravelWeekly.com provide travel professionals with a necessary global perspective through in-depth coverage of every business sector, including airline, car rental, cruise, destination, hotel and tour operator as well as technology, economic and governmental issues. Through its leadership events and key industry alliances, Travel Weekly extends its position as the most influential business publication in the industry. About HEBS Digital Founded in 2001, the firm is headquartered in New York City and has global offices in Las Vegas, Tallinn, Munich, and Asia-Pacific. Through its Smart Guest Acquisition Suite, including the smartCMS, Smart Personalization Engine, Smart Data Marketing, and full-service digital consulting and marketing solutions, HEBS Digital helps hoteliers drastically boost direct bookings, lower distribution costs, and increase the lifetime value of guests. Its diverse client portfolio consists of top-tier luxury and boutique hotel chains, independent hotels, resorts and casinos, franchised properties and hotel management companies, convention centers, spas, restaurants, DMO and tourist offices. Part of NextGuest Technologies, HEBS Digital and Serenata CRM, the most comprehensive Hotel CRM Suite today, are the creators of the hospitality industrys first Fully-Integrated Guest Engagement & Acquisition Platform. Contact HEBS Digitals consultants at 1 (800) 649-5076 (North America), +64 (0) 9 889 8489 (Asia Pacific) or success@hebsdigital.com. Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Radisson Hospitality AB announced the signing of 10 new hotels in Africa to date in 2018, accelerating its expansion across the continent. Radisson Hospitality AB announced the signing of 10 new hotels in Africa to date in 2018, accelerating its expansion across the continent. Radisson Hotel Group today has 90 hotels and 18,000+ rooms in operation and under development across 31 countries in Africa and plans to reach 130 hotels and 23,000+ rooms by 2022. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group, said: We strongly believe in Africa. Were thrilled to add 10 new hotels in just nine months. The transactions are strategically aligned to deliver our five-year development plan across the continent, the introduction of new brands and a scaled growth in Africas key destinations. So far this year, well be adding more than 1,300 rooms to our portfolio in Africa, and we plan to continue this accelerated growth through further expansion in our focus markets across this flourishing continent. In addition to the Radisson Hotel & Apartments Abidjan Plateau and the Park Inn by Radisson Lusaka Longacres that were announced earlier this year, the remaining eight new hotel deals include: Radisson Collection Ikoyi Lagos, Nigeria Radisson Collection, the Groups premium lifestyle collection of exceptional hotel properties in unique locations, will make its debut in Ikoyi Lagos. This luxury hotel will be situated in a prestigious upscale area within Lagos Island, at the edge of the Lagos Lagoon. Scheduled to open in 2020, the hotel will feature 165 rooms, including contemporary standard and executive rooms and a presidential suite. The hotel will have an extensive food and drink offering with six different outlets designed for memorable dining experiences. These include all-day dining and specialty restaurants, as well as a lobby cafe and three bars, all designed to create a vibrant social scene. The hotel will feature an extensive meetings & events area, consisting of eight different outlets that can host more than 400 people. The social spaces will include a spa, gym and pool. Radisson Hotel Lagos Ikeja, Nigeria This will be the first Radisson branded hotel in Nigeria, bringing the upscale hotel brand that delivers Scandinavian inspired hospitality to a new market. Located in Ikeja, the capital of the Lagos State, the hotel will be situated on Mobolaji Anthony Highway, a main highway linking Ikeja with the rest of Lagos. The international airport, which accounts for 50% of all air traffic in Nigeria will be located 1km from the hotel. The hotel will have 92 rooms, which include standard and deluxe rooms as well as suites designed to delight the senses. It will also feature three different, locally inspired food and drink outlets, including an all-day dining restaurant, bar and pool terrace. The meeting & events area will include three different outlets and a business center. In addition, the hotel will feature a special lounge for airline crews, a spa, gym and swimming pool. Park Inn by Radisson Serviced Apartment Lagos VI, Nigeria Also making its debut in Lagos is the fast-growing upper midscale brand, Park Inn by Radisson, which will open serviced apartments, located just off Adetokunbo Ademola Street, the main boulevard within Victoria Island. Comprising 55 contemporary hotel apartments, the hotel will also offer four food and drink outlets made up of an all-day dining restaurant, bar and two outdoor terraces. The meeting & events areas will consist of three flexible meeting rooms covering 120sqm. Leisure facilities will include a gym and a swimming pool. Radisson RED Hotel Abidjan, Ivory Coast The Radisson RED Hotel Abidjan is Radisson Hotel Groups second Radisson RED in Africa and will be the first upscale lifestyle hotel in Abidjan, a major capital city in Africa. The hotel will be located on Boulevard de Gaulle, on the edge of the lagoon in Plateau, the premier business district of Francophone West Africa and the ideal urban location for a brand that takes a playful twist on the conventional. The new-build hotel, scheduled to open in 2021, will have 165 rooms comprising standard rooms and suites with bold wall graphics and design with attitude. The hotels food offering will include a Redeli, a premium deli with the soul of a bar as well as a OuiBar + KTCHN, rooftop bar and terrace with panoramic city and ocean views. The leisure facilities will include a rooftop swimming pool and a fully equipped gym, creating a buzzing interactive social scene. The meeting & events area will break from tradition with a modern event studio and four reading rooms. Radisson Blu Hotel, Casablanca, Morocco As the fastest-growing hotel brand in Africa, Radisson Blu will enter Africas number one financial hub, Casablanca, with the opening of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Casablanca in 2019. The hotel will be situated in the citys business district and on the doorstep of major attractions such as the enchanting Old Medina (old town), Casablanca Marina and Hassan II Mosque the second-largest mosque in the world. The new-build hotel will feature 120 rooms, with a mix of stylish standard rooms and suites. Drawing inspiration from local cuisine, the food and drink outlets will include a restaurant and two bars, with leisure facilities consisting of a fully equipped gym and beauty salon. The hotels extensive meeting space will be built over an area of 456sqm. Park Inn by Radisson Tunis, Tunisia Radisson Hotel Group will arrive in the capital city of Tunisia with the Park Inn by Radisson Tunis. The hotel will be located in the bustling city center, just 5km from Tunis-Carthage International Airport, with easy access to the highway. It will also be within walking distance of the Tunis Train Station as well as the business district of Avenue Habib Bourguiba and Avenue Mohamed V. The Medina, with more than 700 monuments, palaces, mausoleums and the Great Mosque, will be just 1.5km away from the hotel. The hotel will feature 102 rooms, with a mix of standard rooms and suites. The food and drink options will include a restaurant and a rooftop bar, while the leisure facilities will include a gym. The hotel will be well-equipped for meetings & events with an extensive meeting space, which will offer delegates 261sqm across three conference rooms, three meeting rooms and a boardroom. Radisson Blu Hotel Niamey, Niger Entering a new African market, the new-build Radisson Blu Hotel, Niamey will open in 2019. Niamey, the capital city of Niger and a hub in Francophone West Africa is part of ECOWAS as well, and will strengthen Radisson Hotel Groups strategic position in West Africa. The hotel will lead the market in Niamey as it fills the void of quality internationally branded hotels in the region. The 196-room hotel will include five different rooms types, including stylish presidential and royal suites. The food and drink outlets will also offer a variety of choice, including two restaurants, two bars and an executive lounge. The extensive meeting & events area will span an area of more than 1,200sqm including a conference room, business center and various meeting rooms. The hotel will also feature a spa, fitness room and swimming pool. Radisson Blu Hotel Conakry, Republic of Guinea Scheduled to open in 2019, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Conakry will be the brands first property in the capital city of Guinea, another important hub within Francophone West Africa. The hotel will lead the upper upscale hotel market of Conakry with its prime location, accessibility, and international upper upscale branding. The hotel will be ideally positioned near the city center, and will be surrounded by the Convention Centre, Palais du Peuple, the National Hospital and multiple embassies. Conakry International Airport will be less than 10km away. The hotel will feature 123 bedrooms, consisting of five different room types including two presidential suites. The food and drink offering will include all-day dining and specialty restaurants, a pool lounge and bar. The meeting & events area will offer more than 400sqm of space,consisting of four flexible meeting rooms - with the hotel also set to feature a spa, a fitness room and a swimming pool. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Simon McGrath has been appointed General Manager of the upcoming Hilton Manila, which will be part of the Resorts World Manila integrated complex in Newport City, Pasay, Philippines. Simon McGrath has been appointed General Manager of the upcoming Hilton Manila, which will be part of the Resorts World Manila integrated complex in Newport City, Pasay, Philippines. Prior to his appointment, he was the General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru in Malaysia, which he opened in 2014. "The tourism sector in Manila has seen healthy growth in recent years. Strong economic growth and infrastructure development in the Philippines particularly in Manila has also prompted an increase in both business and leisure travelers. With the growing demand for accommodation, it's an exciting time to be opening a Hilton hotel under our flagship brand in Manila," said Simon McGrath, general manager, Hilton Manila. "From our presence in the city formerly there has been many fond memories of guests and Team Members and many are anticipating the return of the brand here. Located in one of the most sought after districts in Manila, with a range of exciting food and beverage options coupled with cutting edge technology and the support of the world's most successful loyalty program Hilton Honors, we are set to make quite an entrance when we open later this year," Simon added. A 38-year Hospitality veteran, McGrath has worked with other integrated developments, such as Hamilton Island and Ayers Rock Resort. His experience also spans other hospitality brands including the Mantra Group where he was Area General Manager across the hotels in South Australia and Regional Victoria. McGrath started his career with Hilton nine years ago with Hilton Adelaide where he was Director of Operations before moving into a commercial role as Director of Business Development. In 2012, he was appointed General Manager of DoubleTree by Hilton Resort, Phuket Surin Beach, where he spearheaded the resort's rebranding and repositioning prior to his posting in Malaysia. McGrath brings a diversity of experience to all facets of the business with a strong background in both Operations and the Commercial aspects of the hotel as well as being a Food & Beverage and Hotel Openings specialist. In addition to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, McGrath is no stranger to South East Asia, having worked in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand before his recent move to the Philippines. In his new role as General Manager of Hilton Manila, McGrath will be the driving force behind the successful opening of the hotel which also marks the return of the Hilton brand to Manila. When it opens in Q4 2018, Hilton Manila will provide guests with a complement of services and amenities including 357 guest rooms, six meeting spaces, an expansive lagoon pool, complimentary shuttle service, a range of food and beverage outlets and a 24-hour fitness center. Hilton Manila is also part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton's 14 distinct hotel brands. Members who book directly have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount, free standard Wi-Fi and the Hilton Honors mobile app. Hilton Manila is located at 1 Newport Boulevard, Newport City, Pasay. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Ural Airlines will launch flights to Azerbaijan in new directions, according to the message published on the website of the Federal Agency for Air Transport (Rosaviatsia). The Federal Air Transport Agency has issued the airline a license for flights on routes Volgograd - Ganja and Volgograd - Baku. The license allows flights to these destinations seven days a week. The airline is already operating flights from St. Petersburg to Baku and from Moscow to Lankaran. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami will be located at 300 Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami.The property will consist of a five-star hotel, private residences, retail and top culinary destinations. New York-based developer Property Markets Group (PMG), along with Toronto-based private equity and asset management firm Greybrook Realty Partners, and Hilton (NYSE: HLT), announce their partnership to bring Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts to Miami. This marks the first time this luxury brand will enter the Miami market. The Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami will be located at 300 Biscayne Boulevard in Downtown Miami.The property will consist of a five-star hotel, private residences, retail and top culinary destinations. Rising 1,049 feet above Biscayne Bay as one of the tallest hotel and residential towers along the East Coast, the architecture is set to transform the Miami skyline. The development was designed by architect Sieger Suarez and conceptual architect Carlos Ott. "We are thrilled to bring the rich history and heritage of this hotel brand to Miami," said Ryan Shear, principal of PMG. "The city continues to thrive as a top global destination with increasing arts, culture, tourism, fashion and luxury brands. This partnership is a major milestone for Miami's real estate and hospitality industries." "This property is a highlight in our real estate development portfolio with an architecturally stunning design and outstanding amenities," said Peter Politis, CEO Greybrook Realty Partners. "The partnership with Hilton to bring this exceptional hospitality brand to the Miami market raises the bar and will provide future residents and guests of Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami with an unparalleled first-class experience." With 30 properties globally, the Waldorf Astoria brand continues to deliver exclusive, exceptional experiences around the world. Each legendary property boasts unique architecture and design elements, resulting in standout buildings that remain true to the essence of their respective locations. "We are incredibly excited to partner with PMG and Greybrook Realty Partners to bring the first Waldorf Astoria to Miami," said Danny Hughes, Executive Vice President and President, Americas. "Miami a vibrant, dynamic and truly cosmopolitan destination that draws travelers from all over the world is the perfect market for our iconic Waldorf Astoria brand." Recently, Waldorf Astoria launched its "Live Unforgettable" campaign, which combines True Waldorf Service, iconic environments and its guests' desire to live in the moment. This brand positioning falls in line with PMG's core principles of creating innovative ways to offer a truly unique result of luxury living. By fusing these two entities, the bar is being raised within the Miami market in order to create a landmark destination. Keeping with the brand's tradition, PMG will incorporate several signature elements at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami. More information regarding the project will be made available in the coming months. With condo-residential developments in Miami, New York and Chicago, PMG delivers premier luxury and high attention to detail throughout each of its projects. The developer is notable for meticulously-designed developments such as 111 West 57thStreet, Walker Tower and 111 Leroy in New York City, as well as Echo Aventura, Muse Residences Sunny Isles, Echo Brickell and Mei within South Florida. Currently, PMG is developing more than five million square feet of new development that will deliver the sophisticated design, high-end finishes and premium quality that the developer has come to represent. Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Residences Miami will be managed by Hilton Management Services and will offer residences and guests alike a relentless commitment to personal service with Personal Concierges and True Waldorf Service. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Amber Rose is getting ready to walk with her fellow sluts this weekend. The SlutWalk will be held on Saturday, October 6th in Los Angeles. The model is putting energy in the promotion of the event as the date approaches, while focusing on its underlying message. Although women make up most of the attendees, Rose reminds us of the importance of men's accountability in the matter of rape culture. "We need to start with our boys, we need to start with our sons. We need to talk to our fathers and our uncles and really educate them that, as women, we shouldn't have to teach other women how to be safe." "We should feel safe in a society where men don't touch us inappropriately without consent. Don't feel the need to grab us and they think that if we have something on that it's an invitation. It's not an invitation." https://www.instagram.com/p/BoaxawIgZwv The entertainer describes the SlutWalk as "safe place to come and be around women that have the same experience as you." Allies can help support rape survivors with donations that will be placed towards counseling. "The core mission of the SlutWalk is to uplift, empower and enhance the platform of women across the globe. With the help of your donation, we are able to provide therapy and professional help to those who have been affected by rape/sexual abuse and much more. One of the most rewarding things about this event is getting to witness people coming together and supporting one another." https://www.instagram.com/p/BoaEXlZgvIu Asia Argento and Rose McGowan became quick friends after bonding over their mutual assault at the hands of Harvey Weinstein. The two actresses helped start the #MeToo movement together, and embarked on a feminist power journey that was caught in the center of the media's eye for a year. Then, it was revealed that Argento had sex with Jimmy Bennett when he was 17, which is statutory rape in California. She paid him off with hush money, but the entire scandal came to light earlier this summer. In the midst of a Me Too creator getting Me Too'd McGowan chose to distance herself from Argento. Then, things escalated further. McGowan's current lover exposed text messages that displayed Argento admitting to sleeping with Bennett, after she lied to cover her tracks. Argento was obviously deeply hurt by this betrayal, and has since made it a mission to throw shade McGowan's way. The drama between the former friends is far from over though, as Argento took her feud to another level. As reported by US Weekly, Arengto posted am Instagram Story on Saturday, September 29, that showed her getting a new tattoo. The ink looks like she got it from a typical pop-art catalog that sits on the shelf of every tattoo shop. The tat is of a bloody dagger going through Argento's skin and coming out on the other side. Bye bye @rosemcgowan, she wrote as the caption for the story. A revenge tattoo doesn't seem like it really hurts the other person though. Moonshine Bandits are a Californian duo known for their unique brand of country rap. The duo, made up of members Dusty Tex Dahlgren and Brett Bird Brooks, have recently joined forces with fellow California rapper, Berner, for their new single "Gold Rush." As the title suggests, the song is an ode to the Golden State. Tex told HipHopDX, [the song] is a California anthem and our version of the Wild West." He went on to say, out here on the West, we arent just about surfboards and Hollywood. We have more than just that. We wanted somebody that has a big name that was from Cali, so we reached out to Big Bern." Berner was evidently enthusiastic about the collaboration and according to Tex, sent back his verse the same day that the song was sent to him. The song comes ahead of the release of Moonshine's album Gold Rush on October 5th. Give it a listen below. Kanye West is linking up with Charlamagne Tha God yet again for a sit-down discussion on all things "anxiety, therapy, PTSD and all the other mental health stuff." The last time the duo sat down for a chat was amid the mind-boggling "slavery was a choice rant" Kanye dropped on his fans that was followed by C Tha God paying a visit to Kanye's home to dive deeper into where he was at mentally. This newly announced interview will take place on October 17th at The Town Hall in New York as a way for fans to grab tickets to attend and witness the conversation live and unedited. Once again, the chat comes right after Kanye has made some controversial remarks like this past weekend's tweet about abolishing the 13th amendment. He paid a visit to TMZ yesterday to explain his tweet, detailing how he simply used the wrong word. "What I want to say is 'abolish' was the wrong language - I misspoke by saying 'abolish.' 'Amend' is the right language and what's beautiful about our constitution is we can amend it," he explained. https://www.instagram.com/p/BobzMuwgnBR Kanye West has been all over the news the past 24 hours after he made another stop by the TMZ offices Monday afternoon and spoke on a number of things, including going down to Africa to record Yandhi, dropping it on Black Friday, trying to get Trump & Kapaernick to sit down together, and more. In addition to that however, Ye also revealed his thoughts on King James heading out West to join the Lakers, which Mr. West isnt a fan of. While talking with Harvey about healing the cities and helping rebuild communities, Kanye revealed that he had a meeting with Dan Gilbert, Cleveland Cavaliers owner, tomorrow about healing a city, as he is doing in Cleveland and Detroit. And it was then, when Kanye quickly changed the subject and thew it in, just to make it Ye, and say he didn't think LeBron shouldve left Cleveland. I'mma just, it's not my place ... but just to make it Ye -- I feel like LeBron really needs to be in Cleveland. It aint my place, Im sorry Mav & Lebron for saying, I know Im speaking out of place, but I feel like LeBron needs to be in Cleveland. Ye needs to be in Chicago. Big U needs to be in Crenshaw, Kanye West said to Harvey. However what Kanye probably doesn't know that despite LeBron going to L.A. hes still doing mad work for his home town of Akron and the state of Ohio. He just opened up the iPromise school last month for at-risk students and dropped millions into other charitable foundations. Check out Kanyes thoughts on LeBrons move out of Cleveland (below). Fight weekend is right around the corner. Connor McGregor is set to face Russian mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov in a Las Vegas ring making the city a center of activity. Ahead of the event, musicians Logic and French Montana are will perform at popular Vegas locale, Marquee Nightclub. The venue has been the location of numerous performances by well-known acts and will be a hotspot for the weekend's festivities. Logic's performance comes after the highly anticipated release of the fourth installment of the Young Sinatra series, Young Sinatra IV. The mixtape has been received with overwhelmingly positive reviews and heralded as a project for the Maryland rapper's core fans. The album is one of Logic's many career milestones. Just last year, the rapper, real name Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, received a Grammy nomination for his platinum album, Everbody. His moving single, 1-800-273-8255 became critically acclaimed for the awareness it brought to suicide prevention. French Montana has also achieved great success in the past years. His Swae Lee assisted song, "Unforgettable" has reportedly gone platinum six times. The New York Native has also been honored with the title of Global Citizen Ambassador after donating $100,000 to the Mama Hope Foundation, an organization geared towards improving the health of women, located in the East African nation of Uganda where he shot the music video for "Unforgettable." You can purchase tickets to see both performers here. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn90NixHeuj Amazons announcement Tuesday that it will raise its minimum wage to $15 was widely seen as an attempt to assuage critics, such as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who have assailed the nations most profitable retailer in recent months over pay and working conditions. However, Amazons decision to raise wages is also a shrewd business move that reflects the reality of a tight labor market heading into the busy holiday shopping season. The Seattle-based company is looking to fill more than 100,000 seasonal jobs during a period of record-low unemployment that stands at 3.9 percent. My heart wants me to believe that this move was done for all the right reasons, said Fabio Rosati, chairman and CEO of Snag, a job website for hourly workers. But my rational side tells me this is a very good business decision for Amazon that gives them the opportunity to recruit more effectively in a tight labor market. Retailers are recruiting earlier, raising wages and offering bigger perks as competition over seasonal workers heats up. Although Christmas is still months away, seasonal hiring is already in full swing across Houston and the nation as retailers predict a banner holiday season. More Information Seasonal Hiring in Houston Retailers across Houston are gearing up for the busy holiday shopping season by looking for thousands of seasonal workers. Here are the retailers that have announced seasonal hiring plans in Houston so far this year: Target 3,000 in Houston; 120,000 nationally Kohl's More than 375 in Houston; 90,000 nationally Palais Royal More than 100 in Houston; More than 3,000 nationally at Stage Stores brands Gap Inc. 200 in Houston; 65,000 nationally H-E-B Nearly 1,000 in Houston See More Collapse Nearly nine out of every 10 retailers said they are struggling to fill seasonal positions this year, according to Snags 11th annual holiday hiring report. The Arlington, Va.-based company commissioned Wakefield Research to survey more than 1,000 employers of hourly workers in the retail, restaurant and hospitality industries about their staffing plans. Seasonal hiring typically starts in October, ramping up in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in late November. But this year retailers, facing a shrinking labor pool, have started hiring for the holidays as early as August. More than twice as many retailers began recruiting in August compared to a year earlier, Rosati said. The bulk of the hiring is happening now. Retailers are throwing job fairs at thousands of stores nationwide this month to recruit workers. In Houston, these retailers include Target, Gap and Palais Royal. To lure hires, retailers are raising wages and dangling incentives. Amazons pay increase, effective Nov. 1, will benefit more than 250,000 full-time and part-time employees at Amazon and its grocery chain, Whole Foods Market. The e-commerce giant also pledged to lobby Congress to raise the federal minimum wage currently set at $7.25. We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement. Were excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us. Target earlier this year announced it will raise its minimum wage to $12, from $11, in time for the holidays. The company aims to hit a $15 minimum wage by 2020. The Minneapolis-based retailer is looking to hire 120,000 seasonal store workers, a 20 percent increase from last year, as well as 7,500 workers in its e-commerce fulfillment centers. In Houston, Target will have 3,000 seasonal job openings this year. Kohls for the first time is offering a 35 percent employee discount for purchases in store and online to all workers during this holiday season. The department store chain typically offers a 15 percent employee discount, which can be used with coupons and on associate shop days. The Wisconsin-based company plans to hire 90,000 seasonal workers nationwide, including more than 375 in the Houston area. Its a workers market, said Venky Shankar, director of research at Texas A&M Universitys Center for Retailing Studies. All of the retailers are competing for the same temporary workers. Given the tight labor market, well see a lot of them raising their minimum wage and upping the ante on incentives. The hiring frenzy comes as retailers expect holiday sales to exceed last years figures. Consumer confidence is high amid low unemployment, rising incomes and personal tax cuts. Holiday retail sales are expected to grow by about 5 percent this year to $722.1 billion. Online sales are expected to grow 11.5 percent this year to $136.2 billion, about a fifth of total holiday sales, according to IHS Markit, a retail industry research firm. Houstonians are expected to spend $682 on average this holiday season, $24 more than the national average. More than a third of Houstonians say they plan to spend more on holiday gifts compared to last year, according to consulting firm Accenture. Consumers are going into the holidays with a bright outlook, said Jill Standish, senior managing director at Accentures global retail division. Theyre saying, Life is good; Im going to have a good holiday. paul.takahashi@chron.com twitter.com/paultakahashi Tesla shares soared by more than 16 percent in afternoon trading Monday after Chief Executive Elon Musk settled a federal lawsuit over the weekend that could have resulted in his ouster from the company and thrown the all-electric carmaker into chaos. The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Musk for allegedly misleading investors in August when he announced on Twitter that he planned to take the company private and proclaimed that he had already secured the funding to seal the deal. Regulators sought to remove Musk from Tesla and ban the billionaire entrepreneur from serving as chief executive of any public company. Under the settlement, which is subject to court approval, Musk will resign as chairman of Tesla within 45 days and be barred from that position for three years. But he will be allowed to remain on the board and will continue to serve as chief executive, where he oversees the company's development, engineering and design. Musk and Tesla will each also pay $20 million in penalties to "harmed investors," according to the SEC. Neither Musk nor Tesla is required to admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement. Some analysts said the settlement will help the company's bottom line and improve its long-term prospects. Garrett Nelson, an analyst at CFRA Research, upgraded the stock after downgrading it last week in the immediate aftermath of the SEC's lawsuit. "With that uncertainty now lifted, and in a manner which we think creates a healthier corporate governance structure than Tesla had previously, our 12-month outlook for the shares is now more positive than it was prior to our downgrade," he said in a research note Monday. But some corporate governance experts were surprised by what they described as a few weaknesses in the SEC's deal, including the fact that Musk would not have to admit guilt. One person familiar with the negotiations who was not authorized to speak publicly said Musk had originally blanched at the SEC's insistence that he could not profess his innocence after settling. Some governance experts said that the SEC, whose deal requires the company to install two new independent directors to the nine-member board, should have demanded that Tesla install an outside chairman in Musk's vacated role. Without that, some worried, the company would elevate someone who would probably mimic Musk's leadership. "The board could pick one of his old sycophantic friends, and that wouldn't be much different at all," said John Coffee Jr., director of Columbia Law School's Center on Corporate Governance. "On the board he's got his brother, his old buddies and former employees. None of these people have much independence by the standards of a typical corporation." He added, "What the man needs above all is adult supervision." Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware, also questioned why the SEC had not made a stronger effort to reshape the board, where Musk will probably still retain unwavering control even after his resignation as chairman. The board, Elson said, has shown little interest in overseeing or controlling Musk's worst impulses. "Look at their response the night the SEC charged him: They backed him completely. That's not the time for the board to say, 'We have confidence in him,' " Elson said. "That's the time for them to say, 'We're going to look at these charges and evaluate his role.' " While a $20 million fine is a substantial amount for tweeting, some legal experts noted that it amounted to a "parking ticket" for a man worth roughly $20 billion. Tesla declined to comment. Although the settlement with the SEC ends a potentially disastrous legal confrontation, Tesla still faces a Justice Department investigation and several shareholder lawsuits. The company's underlying business challenges, which have included recent production and delivery delays, may persist, experts say, even as the company has made peace with financial regulators. "The bulls on Tesla will highlight that this is a great outcome for Tesla, which relative to the worst case scenario of Elon Musk being removed as an executive at the company it is," Jeffrey Osborne, an analyst with Cowen & Co., said in a note to investors Sunday. But he said he continues to have concerns about Tesla's progress, notably its cash burn, the competition it faces and its ability to lower costs and "effectively sell as 35k vehicle." Musk's problems are far from over. The settlement could probably boost the fortunes of nearly a half-dozen shareholder lawsuits filed against Musk and the company, alleging that his tweets had misled investors. "The private plaintiffs in this action are going to have quite a day," Elson said. Tesla also has yet to turn an annual profit, fueling concerns that the ambitious automaker may not become a profitable corporation with staying power. But Musk remains optimistic, according to a recent filing. In a first for Tesla, the company filed an email he sent to employees over the weekend with the SEC. The email highlighted the company's newly cautious approach to Musk's communications. "We are very close to achieving profitability and proving the naysayers wrong, but, to be certain, we must execute really well tomorrow [Sunday]," he said, according to the SEC filing. The company's next earnings report will serve as a crucial test for the company and Musk's leadership. He has pledged that Tesla will see its first annual profit in the second half of the year year. A British passenger died of a suspected heart attack as a Vietnam Airlines jet made an emergency landing in Russia's Sochi today. The man was found dead when the Heathrow-bound flight landed at Sochi International Airport. The captain reported a medical emergency on board after the passenger suffered a suspected heart attack, it was reported in Russia. Paramedics rushed to the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the tarmac in Sochi, on the coast of the Black Sea, but the man was pronounced dead, his body was being returned to Britain by the same aircraft, according to Russian reports. The plane landed at 5.17am local time (3.17am BST). After refuelling it took off for London at 8.06am (6.06am), the Sun reported. WASHINGTON - A senior Trump appointee at an agency responsible for enforcing laws against financial discrimination apologized on Monday for blog posts he wrote years ago questioning whether the n-word was racist and expressing skepticism about hate crimes, according to internal emails obtained by The Washington Post. "Do I regret some of the things I wrote when I was 25 . . . Absolutely," Eric Blankenstein, a policy director at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, wrote to colleagues. "The tone and framing of my statements reflected poor judgment." The apology was in sharp contrast to a defiant statement issued by Blankenstein in response to The Post story last Wednesday about his blog postings. "The insight to be gained about how I perform my job today - by reading snippets of 14-year-old blog posts that have nothing to do with consumer protection law - is exactly zero," he wrote. Blankenstein's turnabout came just hours after a senior civil servant in the bureau, Chris D'Angelo, wrote a bureau-wide note saying that many employees under Blankenstein felt "chilled" and "threatened by the language used" in the posts, and Blankenstein's "affirmation of those posts in his public statement, and his failure to denounce those statements or acknowledge their hurtful nature." "Hate speech cannot be tolerated. The suggestions that a racial slur is intended to do anything other than demean and oppress on the basis of race undermines constructive discourse and is inconsistent with the consumer protection and fair lending mandates of the Bureau," D'Angelo said in the email. The controversy follows revelations of Blankenstein's views on race-based laws and other matters in a political blog he co-authored with two other anonymous contributors. In a 2004 post, Blankenstein wrote that a proposal at the University of Virginia to impose harsher academic penalties for acts of intolerance was "racial idiocy." He questioned how authorities could know the motivation of someone using a racial slur. "Fine . . . let's say they called him n-----," he wrote, spelling out the slur. " . . . would that make them racists, or just a-------?" Blankenstein wrote that "hate-crime hoaxes are about three times as prevalent as actual hate crimes." Two Senate Democrats have called for Blankenstein's dismissal and Blankenstein has faced a rebellion among his subordinates. Last Friday, while Blankenstein and other political appointees remained silent, a senior civil servant, Patrice Ficklin, sent an email to agency staff harshly criticizing Blankenstein's blog posts and dozens of others responded with emails in support of Ficklin. In his email Monday, Blankenstein was contrite, saying he "unfortunately used intentionally provocative language." "Poor judgment in my choice of words back then, or how I framed my arguments, does not make me racist or a sexist, and I have always rejected racism and sexism in the strongest terms possible," Blankenstein said. "I have never used and will never use a racial epithet to describe anyone." The agency's chief of staff, Kirsten Sutton, sent an email at the same time saying the CFPB has a "zero tolerance" policy for discrimination. "The Bureau values diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds, and walks of life," Sutton said. The CFPB was created by the Obama administration and Congress after the global financial crisis to police credit cards companies, payday lenders, mortgage lenders and other financial companies that interact with consumers. 2 1 of 2 Brittany Sowacke /Bloomberg Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Carolyn Van Houten / Carolyn Van Houten Show More Show Less A Canadian-based oil and gas company has agreed to sell more than 180,000 acres of land in New Mexico for $480 million. Calgary-based Encana Corp., an oil and gas exploration and production company, announced the deal with Denver-based DJR Energy, LLC on Monday. Crude oil closed above $75 a barrel for the first time since 2014 as a slowdown in U.S. production fueled concerns about declining exports from Iran and Venezuela. The number of rigs drilling for American crude dropped for a second consecutive week due to pipeline bottlenecks in the Permian Basin in West Texas. Meanwhile, importers are scaling back purchases of Iranian crude, and Venezuelas output continues to fall amid the economic and political crisis there. The surge in crude oil has boosted the cost of gasoline at a time when prices typically fall alongside seasonal demand. The average price of regular unleaded in the Houston area increased about a cent to $2.54 a gallon, while the national average rose about 2 cents to $2.87 a gallon, according to GasBuddy, which tracks fuel prices nationwide. Prices at the pump have raised concerns among Republicans looking to retain control of both House and the Senate during the midterm elections in November. President Donald Trump last month called on the worlds largest oil producers to keep prices in check by boosting output, but they declined to do so immediately. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said gas prices this fall could edge close to $3 a gallon, a threshold that begins to effect consumer sentiment and spending. I think that would be a problem ahead of the midterms, he said. Oil prices are expected to continue to rise in the coming weeks as the U.S. prepares to impose additional sanctions on Iran in early November. Top traders have forecast crude may top $100 a barrel amid speculation that backup supplies are scarce. Crude prices of rose more than $2 a barrel in New York to settle at $75.30 a barrel, the highest settlement since Nov. 24, 2014. Following Trumps most-recent criticism of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries over high prices, the president and King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia talked on the phone Saturday about a strategic partnership and global economic growth, Al Arabiya TV reported, without providing more details. The White House said issues of regional concern were discussed. In the U.S., onshore rigs targeting oil fell by three last week to 863, according to data released by the Houston oilfield service company Baker Hughes on Friday. The number of operating rigs in the Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico dropped by two to 486. Material from Bloomberg was used in this report. katherine.blunt@gmail.com twitter.com/katherineblunt 2 1 of 2 LNG Ltd. / LNG Ltd. Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Mark M. Hancock, Staff Photojournalist / The Beaumont Enterprise Show More Show Less WASHINGTON - Over the first half of 2018 U.S. net natural gas exports more than doubled, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The gains came with the expansion of domestic LNG facilities, which averaged exports of 2.72 billion cubic feet per day from January to June of this year. Houston office vacancy dipped in the third quarter, ending a more 14-quarter streak of rising vacancies in a market still struggling to recover from the energy slump, a new report shows. Total office vacancy was 24.2 percent at the end of September, down from 24.5 percent in the previous quarter, commercial real estate firm JLL said in the quarterly report. Leasing activity improved in downtown buildings and those along the western stretch of the Katy Freeway, the two areas that have been beset with high sublease inventories. RELATED: Houston drivers steered into futuristic parking landscape Asking rents and the overall amount of sublease space also improved during the last quarter, though JLL said the market will remain in recovery mode for a while. "Many more quarters of sustained growth are necessary before the market returns to a more balanced state. As such, we expect market conditions in Houston to remain tenant favorable through the remainder of 2018 and well into 2019, at least," according to the report. The energy slump, which began in 2014, caused office vacancy to nearly double from 13.4 percent in late 2014 to 24.5 percent earlier this year. The drop in vacancy in the third quarter stemmed from an energy tenant, ConocoPhillips, moving into its new 600,000-square-foot Houston headquarters at Energy Center 4. Nancy Sarnoff covers real estate for the Chronicle and hosts the Looped In podcast. James Avery Artisan Jewelry will soon open a store in Pasadena that features new technology and products in additional to traditional charms. The first-ever Discovery Store will have an expanded merchandise selection including leather goods and vintage-style jewelry at The Market at Crenshaw. For a time it was the most infamous stretch of road in Houston. And its notoriety started with a kiss. Until the 1960s, if you wanted to get from Houston to, say, the San Jacinto Battleground or maybe even Sylvan Beach, you generally had to take the La Porte Road. You can still follow that route -- for a few miles at least -- if you go east from Broadway on Lawndale. You'll cross over Sims Bayou near a water treatment facility before running into the La Porte freeway. Eighty years ago, a dual-span truss bridge carried travelers over that bayou. Five motorists would die there in 1936. After the first two deaths, newspapers bestowed on it a grim title: the "Kiss of Death" bridge. THROWBACK THURSDAY: Explore Houston's past through our weekly archive dive. In February, 20-year-old Haskell Owens, his wife of six months and some friends were returning to Houston after spending the day on the bayfront. The Southern Pacific worker was navigating the dimly lit roadway on a foggy Friday night when they approached the bridge from the east. "Owens reached over to kiss his wife and the car got out of control," said Charles A. Hardy, a passenger, as reported in the Houston Chronicle. "It swerved toward the bridge approach. He tried to right it but it was too late." Chronicle file The car careened into the bridge. Owens was thrown against the steering wheel and died of head and chest injuries. A passenger, 15-year-old Karen Guldmann, hit the windshield and was killed. Owens' wife and another passenger were hospitalized with cuts and bruises. More from Bayou City History Out of Control Other deaths followed in May and August. The final straw came in October when 26-year-old Irene Blaha died when the coupe she was riding in struck a concrete pillar on the bridge. Two others were injured. Just after the crash, Houston Police Chief B.W. Payne inspected the bridge to figure out why so many drivers were getting into wrecks there. He told the Houston Chronicle that the problems stemmed from the curving highway, the esplanade and the dual-bridge setup. Floodlights seemed to be the quickest remedy, he surmised. Hours after Blaha's death, four more people were injured in a collision on the bridge. That November, City Council ordered the installation of five, 250-watt sodium vapor floodlights at the site. By February 1937, the lights hadn't been installed, forcing the city to erect a reflector-laden checkerboard warning of sorts for motorists approaching the bridge. Part of the delay was attributed to Houston Lighting and Power's inability to obtain an easement to erect the poles. Also complicating matters was that maintenance of the bridge fell to the state highway department since the roadway had been officially designated as Texas 225 in late 1935. Eventually the floodlights were installed and the number of fatalities declined. Two died in wrecks there in 1937. Body found near bridge Once, the Houston Chronicle invoked the "Kiss of Death" name as a point of reference for a death near the span. In October 1942, the body of an auburn-haired woman, wearing a black silk dress with white dots, was found floating in Sims Bayou near the bridge. A passerby on the bridge saw her body, face-down in the bayou. Authorities figured she had been in the water for about 24 hours. Though her body showed no signs of foul play, a note was found in addition to a letter pinned to her clothing. It was addressed "Dearest Husband," and concluded with "Goodbye." See More Collapse By 1952, the freeway began to take shape when a highway was extended from the Gulf Freeway to the La Porte Road (now part of Loop 610). By the mid-1960s, the new freeway would go up just to the south, shifting traffic from that bridge. The "Kiss of Death" bridge is no longer there, replaced with a newer, far less infamous, span. WASHINGTON - The White House has given the FBI permission to expand its probe of Brett Kavanaugh at least slightly, according to two people familiar with the matter, after facing a barrage of criticism over the weekend about the constricted investigation. The FBI has completed an initial round of interviews as part of its reopened background check of the Supreme Court nominee, and more are likely in the coming days, people familiar with the matter said. The White House and the FBI, though, still view the investigation as limited and time- sensitive, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday he intends to hold a vote on the nomination "this week." Although the precise parameters of the expanded probe remained unclear Monday, this much was certain: No move by the White House is likely to quell the partisan fires raging in Washington. Republicans charged that Democrats were trying to delay the process to upend Kavanaugh's nomination, while Democrats countered that the FBI's investigation seemed to be a sham meant to support his eventual confirmation. Even the broadened probe - which will now encompass the allegations of a third accuser - seemed to have limits that might fuel the controversy. The FBI will not, for example, conduct an unfettered review of Kavanaugh's youthful drinking or examine statements Kavanaugh made about his alcohol consumption during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to see if those answers were accurate or misleading, the people familiar with the matter said. The White House also could resist inquiries into new allegations, the people said. But people familiar with the matter said agents will be allowed to question more witnesses with information on the sexual-misconduct allegations. Drinking is inextricably intertwined with the allegations Kavanaugh faces, so it would be impossible to avoid that topic entirely. Two people familiar with the interviews so far say agents have asked routine questions, including about alcohol use. Precisely who FBI agents will talk to was not immediately clear. A person familiar with the matter said the White House is getting briefed regularly on the investigation. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive and politically charged law enforcement matter. The parameters being imposed on the bureau's work are not completely abnormal because the investigation is a background check, rather than a criminal probe. In that context, the FBI functions as a contractor for the White House tasked with providing information on a nominee rather than an independent, investigative agency seeking to explore a possible crime. But this particular background check is unusual in many ways - because it is being done after rather than before hearings, in semipublic view, and amid a raging debate about Kavanaugh's character. The parameters of the FBI's work have been dictated largely by the demands that three wavering Republican senators have made on the White House for more information about the allegations made against Kavanaugh, according to one person familiar with the work. As of Monday afternoon, the bureau had conducted interviews with at least four people. Three of them were identified as attendees of a party in Maryland where Christine Blasey Ford alleged Kavanaugh assaulted her when both were teenagers. The fourth was Deborah Ramirez, who had told the New Yorker that Kavanaugh exposed his penis to her when both were students at Yale. Agents had not yet talked to Ford directly, a person familiar with the matter said, though she did testify publicly about her allegations at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. People familiar with the matter said the FBI already had talked to three people whom Ford identified as being at the party where she claims she was attacked: Mark Judge, Patrick J. Smyth and Leland Keyser. Each has said previously they do not recall the gathering Ford described. Eric Bruce, Smyth's attorney, issued a statement Monday saying Smyth "truthfully answered every question the FBI asked him and, consistent with the information he previously provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee, he indicated that he has no knowledge of the small party or gathering described by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, nor does he have any knowledge of the allegations of improper conduct she has leveled against Brett Kavanaugh. On Monday, Democrats on the Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the FBI and White House that listed more than two dozen people they would like to see contacted. The only Democrat who didn't sign was Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who helped broker a deal with key Republicans to secure the limited FBI investigation. Coons did speak privately on the phone with White House counsel Donald McGahn on Sunday, pressing him on the breadth of the probe, and said that the fact that he didn't sign the letter did not mean he disagreed with the Democrats' call for an expansive investigation. "In talking to the White House counsel, there were some things that he said that I found encouraging - 'We're going to do this by the book; we're going to promptly share materials with relevant senators,' " Coons said in an interview Monday. "And there were some things that I questioned or challenged and think need to be revised." For instance, Coons said he expected a standard FBI investigation would allow agents to reach out to more witnesses that they learn about through the course of their initial interviews, but "I came away from our conversation with the impression that was not the case." Republicans, meanwhile, charged that their political rivals were merely trying to prolong the process in hopes of killing Kavanaugh's chances of becoming a justice. Their position is precarious. Leadership has yet to lock down the 50 Republican votes needed to install Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, and each passing day brings the possibility of new revelations. "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close. Judge Kavanaugh's nomination is out of committee. We're considering it here on the floor," McConnell said Monday. "We'll be voting this week." If nothing comes up that craters support for Kavanaugh, McConnell would plan to schedule the first test vote on Kavanaugh this Friday, with a final confirmation vote possible over the weekend. If the FBI completes its review earlier, McConnell might speed up that timeline. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R- Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. - who are considered key swing votes - have yet to announce how they would vote after the FBI completes its work. A Collins spokeswoman said the senator "was consulted about the White House authorizing the expanded FBI approach to the Kavanaugh background check and it is her understanding that the work will still be completed in the original one-week timeline." Collins is pressing for the FBI to investigate the allegations of misconduct leveled by a third woman, Julie Swetnick, against Kavanaugh. Collins, along with Flake and Murkowski, "advocated for the additional background investigation because she believed that it could help the senators evaluate the claims that have been brought to the Judiciary Committee," said spokeswoman Annie Clark. "That would include the allegations that were brought by Julie Swetnick." Flake said he hoped the FBI would do a "real investigation," rather than one meant to support a decision that Republicans already have reached. Murkowski said Monday evening: "I am not going to prejudge. I'm going to see what they come back with." An administration official said the FBI now also would be allowed to investigate the claims of a third woman: Julie Swetnick. Swetnick, who is represented by prominent Trump critic Michael Avenatti, said in a declaration that Kavanaugh was physically abusive toward girls in high school and was at a house party in 1982 where she says she was the victim of a gang rape. Avenatti, who also represents a woman who claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump, said Monday that the FBI had not yet contacted Swetnick. For his part, Trump said Monday he was open to a "very comprehensive investigation" but suggested at different points that the probe would be guided by the wishes of Republican senators and that the FBI could decide whom to interview so long as it was "within reason." "I want them to do a very comprehensive investigation, whatever that means according to the senators and the Republicans and the Republican majority," Trump said at a news conference. "I'm guided by the Senate. I want to make the Senate happy." Trump emphasized that he wants the FBI to move quickly and that he continues to stand by his Supreme Court nominee, praising him for living "an exemplary life" and lamenting the effect of the national attention on Kavanaugh's wife and children. Privately, though, advisers say Trump was not happy that Kavanaugh talked so extensively about his drinking at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to consider the allegations against him. At the news conference, Trump somewhat undercut his own nominee, suggesting Kavanaugh had acknowledged "difficulty" with alcohol and noting how frequently he had referenced beer. "I watched him," Trump said. "I was surprised at how vocal he was about the fact that he likes beer." The Supreme Court, meanwhile, began its term Monday with two oral arguments - and an empty spot at the right end of the bench. --- The Washington Post's John Wagner, Gabriel Pogrund, Carol D. Leonnig, Tom Hamburger, Paul Kane, Erica Werner, Robert Barnes and Aaron C. Davis contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Oct. 1 that the Senate will vote "this week" on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. (U.S. Senate) Embed: --- Video Embed Code Video: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Oct. 1 that the Senate will vote "this week" on the Supreme Court nomination of Brett M. Kavanaugh.(U.S. Senate) Embed code: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Georgia will not have to make a choice between its territorial integrity and NATO membership. Speaking in Brussels ahead of the NATO Defence Ministerial which will be held on 3-4 October, he stressed that Georgia will become a NATO member when it meets the alliance standards. Stoltenberg vowed that NATO will help Georgia to come fully in line with mandatory standards. NATO chief also said that the first NATO-Georgia Commission meeting will be held tomorrow. "Ministers will take stock of the developments in NATO-Georgia cooperation, including the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, and discuss Black Sea security - a priority for NATO and for Georgia," he said. The head of the Institute of Management Strategy, Petre Mamradze, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that NATO does not intend to accept Georgia as its member, but it has to make such statements for political reasons. "Declaring that the decision of the Bucharest summit that Ukraine and Georgia will join NATO without any additional conditions if they want, and then abandoning this decision formally would recognize the inconsistency of the Alliance as an international organization. NATO officials cannot do such thing, therefore, Stoltenberg is obliged to repeat these statements," he explained. "On the sidelines, we are told that in the autumn of 2008, the Alliance made a decision not to accept Georgia as its member. Russia recognized these regions as independent countries, deployed two powerful military bases there, so NATO membership for Georgia is ruled out now. So, when Stoltenberg or someone else says that the main thing is the will of the people and the will of NATO, his words do not correspond to reality. Of course, Georgia should strive for the standards of the Alliance, I really want Tbilisi to join this democratic alliance, but at this stage we need to adopt new standards and understand that currently there are no prospects for joining," Petre Mamradze stressed. Political scientist Gela Vasadze agreed that currently NATO is not interested n Georgia's integration. "NATO's Article 5 does not imply a rejection of territorial integrity, and the Alliance had a similar experience with Germany and the GDR, with Turkey, Greece and Northern Cyprus. But if Stoltenberg's statement was obvious, then why Georgia is not allowed to join NATO? Because the Alliance does not need it yet. As soon as it is needed, Georgia will undoubtedly be accepted. So far, the point of the NATO Secretary Generals statement is that he confirmed the decision of the Bucharest summit, apparently to remind once again that Georgia will be a member of NATO, but only when the Alliance needs it," he said. The gunshots screeched over the static of the police radio, followed by the last breaths of sheriffs Deputy Barrett Hill. It was the dark, predawn hours of Dec. 4, 2000, and someone had just committed a capital murder. There were no eyewitnesses and no forensic evidence. But two years later, Rob Will was sentenced to die for the crime in front of a courtroom crowded with uniformed police officers. Despite the circumstantial case that sent him to death row, Will has always maintained his innocence. His alibi? He says he was handcuffed at the time. Now, nearly two decades into the legal wrangling, a federal judge is again questioning whether Will may be telling the truth. In a rare, strongly worded order last week, U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison advanced the condemned cop killers appeal even as he bemoaned his own inability to do more in a case that experts say highlights systemic issues within the death penalty appeals process. The Court very much wishes it could take up all of these issues, Ellison wrote. Nevertheless, this Court lacks jurisdiction to explore the troubling concerns that plague Wills capital conviction. The issues before Ellison were among two federal appeals advancing through the legal system one over claims of withheld evidence and another regarding ineffective lawyers who failed to uncover possible keys to his innocence. FROM 2012: Death row inmate's effort to spare life gains momentum The federal judge indicated he would like to consider Wills troubling innocence claims but couldnt because of legal limitations, essentially technicalities. Instead, he could only send the case to the to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the possibility that the justices greenlight a new appeal that could ultimately end up back in his court. With allegations of withheld evidence, bad lawyering and vexing legal entanglements, the case embodies everything that is structurally wrong with key parts of the appeals process, according to Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Information Center. The death penalty is supposed to be reserved for the worst of the worst cases, he said, but nobody meant that that should be the worst of the worst judicial process. ***** On the morning of the murder, two Harris County sheriffs deputies responded to a call about four men breaking into cars. When they pulled up, Hill and his partner, Deputy Warren Kelly, shined their spotlight on two of the thieves standing in a cul de sac. The pair took off in different directions, and Hill followed Will, while his partner chased after Michael Alan Rosario. Hill radioed back that the tall one was in custody, but theres still some dispute as to whether that meant Will was in handcuffs and, if he was, how and when he got out of them. Meanwhile, Kelly lost sight of Rosario behind a tree. A few seconds later, he heard the gunshots over the radio. Afterward, Will carjacked a woman and sped away, only to be caught in Washington County a few hours later. It seemed impossible to prosecutors that anyone else could be the killer. Will changed his story to his lawyers repeatedly, and Rosario had simply been too far away, they said. But Will had no gunshot residue on him and a footprint at the crime scene didnt match his. REJECTED: Supreme Court turns down Houston death row inmate convicted in drug deal double slaying And, as his defense lawyers would later point out, he had a gunshot wound on his hand that could have come from Rosarios effort to free his friend by shooting off the handcuffs. To the state, that gunshot wound seemed evidence of Wills guilt, an injury sustained while shooting at the deputy. ***** For more than a decade, the case has bounced back and forth between state and federal appeals courts, generating a complex paper trail Ellison described as a procedural imbroglio. And, over time, new evidence emerged: jailhouse snitches alleging Rosario had confessed finally agreed to come forward; jail records about a suspected gang hit Rosario ordered on Will inexplicably appeared in the prosecutions files; and previously undisclosed evidence that could have called a witness into question surfaced. The Harris County DAs Office has a lot to answer for, Wills legal team, Washington, D.C.-based attorney Jay Ewart and Houston attorney Samy Khalil, said in a statement. They are playing a game of hide but Rob Will can never seek exculpatory evidence. Prosecution by concealment is how innocent people end up on death row. The district attorneys office disputed both the claims of withheld evidence and the possibility of Wills innocence. The Harris County District Attorneys Office is not hiding evidence in Wills case, said spokesman Dane Schiller. That claim is a desperate effort to divert attention from the wealth of evidence supporting Will being sentenced to death for the capital murder of Harris County Sheriffs Deputy Barrett Hill. Schiller went on to call it more than ironic that Wills attorneys would accuse prosecutors of hiding evidence because the factual record reflects that Will repeatedly told inconsistent stories. When some of the evidence in question landed in front of a state court in 2013, the Harris County judge deemed it not credible or relevant to the outcome, and instead signed off word-for-word on the version of events submitted by the Harris County District Attorneys Office. COLD CASE NO MORE: Arrest made in death of Texas police officer killed more 40 years ago Some of those same claims eventually ended up in an appeal now in front of the 5th Circuit. Its separate from the appeal Ellison ruled on last week, but it raises some of the same concerns. In both cases the federal district judge didnt have the ability to side with Will but could only forward the case to the 5th Circuit. This Court has repeatedly expressed deep concern for the factually complex insinuations that Will may be innocent of the crime for which he faces a death sentence, Ellison wrote last week. The Court is particularly sensitive to the absence of any direct evidence of Wills guilt, and the number of witnesses who aver that another man confessed to the underlying murder. ***** Will was in the same position in 2012, when Ellison expressed similar concerns over the case as he sent it up to the 5th Circuit. A U.S. Supreme Court decision over appeals involving claims of ineffective lawyering sent the case through a new round of claims with the same result. Everything in the state procedure is inadequate and has been inadequate for the last three decades, said Patrick McCann, a local attorney and past president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, calling the extent to which federal judges are expected to defer to state court rulings an absolute joke. In regular criminal cases, Dunham said, a judge can hear the facts and the law and make a decision. But, under a 1996 law known as the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, added limitations in appeals from prisoners mean that federal judges are forced to go along with previous state court findings, even if they dont agree with them. In places like Harris County where a year-long study recently found that judges adopt the states findings more than 90 percent of the time in a key part of the appeals process Dunham likened the state court review to a ventriloquist act, with judges repeating prosecutors assertions made in state court. Usually, the federal court is pretending not to see the ventriloquists lips move, he said. Here, Judge Ellison clearly sees the lips moving, but the federal law prevents him from doing anything about it. Eric M. Freedman, a Hofstra University law professor, said the case highlights the need for changes in the law. The idea that it would be important to reconsider, rethink and recalibrate in order to serve the very appropriate underlying goals of the statute is well illustrated by this particular case, he said. The purpose of the statute is to provide a federal level of supervision of basic rights, like the right not to be convicted and executed if youre an innocent person. keri.blakinger@chron.com A man behind a $30,000 roofing scam was sentenced Monday to five years in prison after swindling three Houston-area families with the empty promise of patching up their Hurricane Harvey-ravaged homes, officials said. Convicted fraudster Aaron Dean Oaks, 37, pleaded guilty to the aggravated theft charge after paying back a third of the stolen cash, according to the Harris County District Attorneys office. The bamboozled families hired Oaks whose criminal record includes three drunken driving arrests to patch up their homes in Harris, Brazoria and Galveston counties after the 2017 storm, but authorities said he never completed the work or returned the funds. One of the victims complained to Deer Park police, who investigated the case. DISPUTE OVER PARKING SPOT: Harris County jailer arrested after allegedly pulling gun in fight We arent going to tolerate anyone preying on our community, especially in a time of crisis, District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a statement. We will continue to seek justice on behalf of victims who faced the indignity of being targeted by criminals using the storms wrath to unleash their scams. Judge Jeannine Barr ordered Oaks to pay back the remaining $20,000 in stolen contracts before he can be paroled. Oaks previously served two years in prison in 2011 after pleading guilty to one of his driving while intoxicated offenses. He pleaded guilty to his third DWI offense on Monday, as well. Last month, federal prosecutors charged five people in the Houston area with allegedly duping FEMA and the Small Business Administration into handing out more than $270,000 in disaster assistance after Harvey. A man was hospitalized Monday afternoon when a possible robbery turned violent in southeast Houston. Houston police officers rushed to the 3300 block of Bremond Street around 3:40 p.m. to reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they learned a man had been shot in what they initially believe was a robbery. It is unclear if the shooting happened at a business, home or somewhere else near that address. Detectives with the Houston Police Department are investigating. No other information was available. Check back for updates as they come in. Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com October 2nd marks the 183rd anniversary of the Battle of Gonzales, which marked the first military fight of the Texas Revolution in 1835. The famous flag from that Gonzales clash has become a hallmark of Texas pride, with its "Come And Take It" message one of Texas' most-defining. It is the first flag used in the Texas Revolution and close to 200 years later it shows no signs of going away. RED MENACE: Texas' lost communist 'invasion' of 1952 It can be seen on shirts, neckties, underwear, license plates, album covers, food trucks, murals, hats, koozies, and fraternity walls, even tattooed into the skin of true blue Texans. Houston Chronicle The phrase "Come and Take It" dates back to King Leonidas I defying the Persian army to take his army's weapons with the phrase "Molon labe" at the Battle of Thermopylae. The Gonzales flag itself was created by Sarah Seely DeWitt and her daughter, Evaline, from Noami DeWitt's wedding dress. BATTLE WAGON: Spending a night aboard the Battleship Texas, the last of her kind The Battle of Gonzales centered on American colonists in that town who were refusing to give back a cannon (the one on the flag) back to Mexican soldiers that they had received in 1831 to fend off Natives in the area. They wanted it now to defend themselves from Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's increasingly aggressive actions against the colonists. Houston Chronicle As the Texas State Historical Association notes, the battle was actually more of skirmish. But it did mark a definitive break in relations between the Mexicans and the colonists. Less than a year later Texas would be its own republic. SEE ALSO: Come and Take It Flag | 3x5 feet "Come and Take It" also was used in the American Revolution when Col. John McIntosh told British brass the same thing as they attempted to overtake Fort Morris in Georgia on November 25, 1778. The fort would later fall but the fight would motivate thousands to come. BIG FAIL: When making a map of Texas goes really, really wrong It has come to symbolize defiance against someone or something looking to grind you down or deprive you of a right or privilege. The disposition of the cannon immortalized on the flag has been disputed. Some believe Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's troops melted it down along with other weaponry after they seized it. You can see replicas of the flag all over Texas. That is if you don't already have one above your living room mantel, like any self-respecting Texan. Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (standing) at the Government meeting__Photo: VNA , , , The Vietnamese Government is striving towards a higher economic growth than the 6.7 percent rate set by the National Assembly, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.At the monthly Government meeting in Hanoi on October 1, Prime Minister Phuc directed the agricultural sector to channel its focus on processing, exports, and the building of value chains.The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism was asked to branch out high-quality tourism and improve the quality of service. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Planning and Investment must work to accelerate the disbursement of public investment.As the economic restructuring aims to reduce dependence on foreign capital, the Government leader stressed that policies must be mapped out to develop domestic enterprises.Furthermore, he asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment to enhance connection between foreign direct investment (FDI) firms and local firms.Underlining the significance of completing mechanisms and improving the business climate, PM Phuc asked competent agencies to accomplish projects to submit to the National Assembly in the upcoming meeting while cutting unnecessary business conditions for investors.He required ministries and sectors to make meticulous preparations for the eighth session of the 12th Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, as well as the upcoming the National Assembly meeting.- Walk into any high school and ask a teacher if the kids are college- or career-ready. As long as the conversation was off the record and no parents, students or administrators were listening, most honest teachers would tell you no. Heck, even administrators would probably tell you the same thing, as long as they werent identified. And yet we continue to do analyses and debate lame solutions: Do away with the STAAR test, throw more money into the system, the new rating system just went into place; give it time. How many decades will this continue? One year, I was trying to prepare my 9th gradersfor the English STAAR test and felt I was getting nowhere. It was no wonder, considering half of them had not passed the 8th-grade Reading STAAR test. How was I supposed to get them to pass the English I test, which is even more challenging, when they couldnt even pass the prior years reading test successfully? So, we provided tutorials and all kinds of activities after school geared to help them prepare for the test. Guess how many showed up? Not many. They should not have been in 9th grade English when they werent proficient at reading at the 8th-grade level. Originally, students were not supposed to pass to the next grade if they failed their core tests, but there is a convenient way around that, and every school uses it in promotion decisions: a standing committee that can grant exceptions based on student coursework and other factors. If students who failed the state test actually failed the class, or were held back a year as the system is supposed to work parents across the state would freak out. (I cant think of a more erudite way to phrase it.) And freak out is what they did initially. When the STAAR tests began, lots of students did not pass, and parents were in an uproar. So guess what happened? The tests were changed. Now, if we changed over to using the SAT or ACT instead of the STAAR test, the failure rate of students would be phenomenal. The STAAR is a test of minimal skill, not a college readiness nor excellence indicator, and many struggle with that. Many students who fail the test end up passing their classes. With policies like not giving students zeros as a grade even when they dont turn in any work, they pass. And if a student is chronically late or absent, there is little schools can do. Is it any wonder students are not ready for jobs or college? And yet they graduate because thats what the public wants. If the public wants excellence in education, the public must be willing to accept that failure is part of what leads to excellence. If the Texas Legislature wants to throw money at the problem, improve the rigor of college coursework for future teachers and make sure theyre adequately prepared to teach the subjects theyre teaching. Make salaries in education attractive over time. Theyve done a decent job of making the starting salary attractive, but theres little advancement salary-wise. Youll never attract the best candidates if the teacher prep in college is basic and salaries after 10 years dont improve. Still, any increase in expenditures is for naught if parents are still not willing to accept that their student might be considered below the bar once the bar is raised. Parents should take some time away from the cell phone they use to call their kids in the middle of class and help them study. Dont berate kids for failing, but help them try again. Quit blaming everyone else. Get the kids to school on time. When teachers say your child is acting up in class, be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Certainly there are lots of parents who do these things, just as there are teachers who need to be called on the carpet. But if we just keep looking for people to blame rather than accepting the truth and acting on it, no money or system overhaul is going to make a difference. Cervantes is a Houston-area teacher with 25 years experience in three states and six school districts. She earned a master of liberal studies (MLS) degree at Rice University. Professor Andersen said that Aurecon is the first company in Australia and New Zealand to do anything like this, and globally this is the first time a visual employment contract has been focused at all levels of an organisation in a commercial context. Aurecons regional director New Zealand, Carl Devereux, added that the issue of engaging talent and building trust is becoming one of the biggest competitive differentiators across many industries and companies. The firm also decided to use the employment contract as an exemplar of thinking innovatively as part of its focus on shaping the future of work. Devereux said the company looked at the employment contract and reimagined and reframed it to be meaningful. We also saw the Visual Contract as a way to demonstrate to our staff and new hires the culture we are seeking to build, particularly around two of our Aurecon Principles: Make the complex simple and Be playful with serious intent, he said. Japan, Peru using cutting-edge technology to combat IUU by Chris Loew October 01,2018 | Source: SeafoodSource Japan and Peru, two of the worlds biggest players when it comes to seafood, are hoping to crack down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in their exclusive economic zones through increased use of cutting-edge technology. A key player in both countries efforts is the Global Fishing Watch, an international nonprofit organization with the goal of advancing sustainability of the oceans through increased transparency. Its mapping platform, which can be found on the GFW website, allows anyone to view or download data and investigate global fishing activity in near real-time, for free. GFW was founded in 2015 through a collaboration between Oceana, SkyTruth, and Google. Global Fishing Watchs tracking of automatic identification system (AIS) messages from ocean-going boats is now being used to fight illegal transshipment inside and near Japans exclusive economic zone. GFW recently signed onto a collaboration with the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA) and the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) at the University of Wollongong to investigate IUU fishing and strengthen transparency and governance of fisheries within the region. To detect pairs of vessels meeting at sea, GFW and analysts at SkyTruth and Google applied machine learning algorithms to more than 30 billion automatic identification system (AIS) messages from ocean-going boats to find tell-tale transshipment behavior, such as two vessels alongside each other long enough to transfer catch, crew, or supplies. AIS is a collision avoidance system that constantly transmits a vessels location at sea. These transmissions are collected by satellite receivers and delivered to GFW for automated processing. Nearly all refrigerated cargo vessels carry AIS and those ships receiving fish can be identified and their activity plotted on the map. Transshipment is not always illegal. However, it can be used to obscure the origin of seafood, according to Tony Long, the CEO of Global Fishing Watch. Transshipments are normally coordinated and authorized by RFMOs [regional fishery management organizations]. There is significant concern that transshipment takes place without authority, Long said. Transshipment often occurs out of sight and beyond the reach of any nations jurisdiction. Its a weak spot in the monitoring and control of fishing activity and can provide cover for illegal fishing and other unscrupulous and criminal activity, including smuggling and human trafficking. The lack of effective monitoring and controls presents opportunities for bad actors to obscure or manipulate data on their fishing practices, the species or amounts caught, and catch locations. The partnership will also track the purse seine and night light fishing fleets in the Pacific using nighttime satellite imagery that picks up the location and activity of brightly lit vessels such as squid-jiggers. Squid-jigging usually takes place at night with bright overhead lights to attract the squid and these are readily apparent on the map. For example, a concentration of bright lights Chinese and Taiwanese squid vessels can be seen just east of Japans exclusive economic zone [EEZ]. In Peru, Global Fishing Watch is also making its mark in the fight against IUU fishing. A memorandum of understanding signed on 3 September between the Peruvian government, GFW, and the nonprofit conservation organization Oceana will see the partners share relevant public data and analytical methodologies, including vessel movement data, catch data and satellite imagery; collaborate on relevant research activities, and publish research outcomes to advance international understanding on IUU fishing and its impacts. Through the planned three-year collaboration, the partners intend to generate a clearer picture of fishing activity in the Pacific, including the pattern of transshipment activity, and for the findings to be used to inform decision-making with the regional fisheries management organizations. Long said that the collaboration has already produced results. Using satellite data from the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administrations Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) integrated into the GFW platform, a researcher in Oceanas Lima office has been tracking a fleet of around 200 mostly Chinese vessels fishing for squid at the edge of Perus exclusive economic zone. By comparing the night imagery with AIS data, the researcher found about 20 percent of the Chinese vessels have not been broadcasting AIS and therefore may be operating illegally. The satellite-based VIIRS consists of two dishwasher-sized sensors that orbit the Earth, capturing visible and infrared light. The instrument has a very sensitive light sensor that can detect the light emitted at night by a single brightly-lit vessel. The VIIRS satellites can image the entire ocean every night. The imagery has also shown several unauthorized incursions by the fishing fleet into Perus EEZ. Peru is now using GFW to supplement its own surveillance system. 2018 Diversified Communications Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. Scientists urge world leaders to ramp up targets to protect global biodiversity October 01,2018 | Source: Mongabay Research has shown that a sixth mass extinction event is underway and largely driven by human activities. With the global population set to balloon to 10 billion people by 2050, which will more than double the current demand for food and water, scientists are increasingly calling for mankind to set aside sufficient amounts of ecosystems on land and at sea to ensure the survival of the many species with which we share planet Earth. Yet, according to Jonathan Baillie, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist of the National Geographic Society, and Ya-Ping Zhang, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Current levels of protection do not even come close to the required levels. Baillie and Zhang note in an editorial published in the latest edition of Science that less than half of the ecosystems on Earths surface remain relatively intact (and that these areas tend to be less productive lands), while just 3.6 per cent of Earths oceans and 14.7 per cent of land area has been accorded some sort of protected status. Most scientific estimates of the amount of space needed to safeguard biodiversity and preserve ecosystem benefits suggest that 25 to 75 per cent of regions or major ecosystems must be protected, they write. The fact that there is such a wide range to scientists recommendations from 25 to 75 per cent demonstrates just how much uncertainty there is around how much of Earth we should protect. Its difficult to determine exactly how much space wed need to set aside in order to preserve current levels of global biodiversity thanks to our limited knowledge of the species and ecosystems we share this planet with especially in the context of unprecedented threats such as climate change. However, the greatest risk, Baillie and Zhang write, would be to protect too little of the planet to give our fellow Earthlings a fighting chance: Simply put, there is finite space and energy on the planet, and we must decide how much of it were willing to share. This question requires deep consideration as it will determine the fate of millions of species and the health and well-being of future generations. [T]argets set too low could have major negative implications for future generations and all life. Any estimate must therefore err on the side of caution. The governments of the world came together in 2010 at the Nagoya Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity and adopted 20 Biodiversity Targets, what are commonly referred to as the Aichi Targets. The 11th Target sets the goal of conserving at least 17 per cent of terrestrial areas and inland waters, as well as 10 per cent of coastal and marine waters, by 2020. Baillie and Zhang argue that these goals would be woefully inadequate for the task of ensuring we achieve other Aichi Targets, such as Target 12, which aims to prevent the extinction of known species, and Target 14, which promotes the protection of ecosystems that provide essential services like clean water and carbon sequestration. To preserve global biodiversity and safeguard the provision of critical ecosystem services, ambitions must be ratcheted up in 2020, when the worlds governments will meet at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Beijing, China to set biodiversity targets for the future, Baillie and Zhang write: Given the evidence to date and the implications of an underestimate, we encourage governments to set minimum targets of 30 per cent of the oceans and land protected by 2030, with a focus on areas of high biodiversity and/or productivity, and to aim to secure 50 per cent by 2050. This will be extremely challenging, but it is possible, and anything less will likely result in a major extinction crisis and jeopardise the health and wellbeing of future generations. Baillie and Zhang have been joined by other distinguished scientists and conservationists in urging world leaders to commit to the level of protections needed to avert the collapse of global biodiversity. Renowned biologist E.O. Wilson, for instance, is the founder of the Half-Earth initiative, which is also calling for 50 per cent of Earths ecosystems to be protected. If we follow the Half-Earth call to action and protect 50 per cent of our lands and seas, well safeguard at least 85 per cent of species and reverse this crisis, Wilson said in a statement. We must work together to learn more about Earths species and move quickly to protect them before they disappear forever. I encourage the worlds governments to commit to conserving at least half the Earth. Preeminent conservation biologist Thomas Lovejoy, known as the Godfather of biodiversity, echoed that call, saying: This is the level of ambition we need because this is the last chance to secure a functional living planet for people and other forms of life. Added Wilson: To strive against the odds on behalf of all life would be humanity at its most noble. Eco-Business 20092018 Theme(s): Others. Africans push for sustainable aquaculture October 01,2018 | Source: The Fish Site The projected rapid growth of the aquaculture sector in Africa needs timely interventions to mitigate its potential negative impacts on the continents critical aquatic ecosystems, according to leading experts. Personnel from key national, international and United Nations agencies, who were attending a three-day workshop on Sustainable Inland and Marine Aquaculture in Africa in Nairobi last week, said boosting aquaculture productivity in Africa to address food security and catalyze social and economic development is achievable without compromising environmental health. The aquaculture sector is relatively nascent in Africa but is projected to expand by at least 61 per cent by 2030. Our focus is to ensure early on that this growth is sustainable and does not adversely affect dependent freshwater and marine ecosystems that are a livelihood bedrock for millions of people across Africa, said Alice Ruhweza, vice president of programmes and partnerships in Conservation Internationals African division. She added: We agreed on a range of solutions to make the sector more sustainable including spatial planning, feed and seed management, integrated land and aquatic use management as well as development of business opportunities for women and youth among others. The experts, who were convened by a consortium of organizations led by Conservation International and the African Development Bank Group, deliberated on the state of the sector and co-designed an action plan for sustainable aquaculture in Africa. As a bank, we are keen to enhance productivity and sustainability of the aquaculture sector in Africa as part of our Blue Economy flagship programme to have a fully-exploited, well managed sector that can be a major source of wealth to catapult the continents fortunes, said Rose Mwebaza, the African Development Banks chief natural resources officer. She added: The natural wealth that Africa has is not commensurate with the living standards since at least 49 per cent of people in the continent still live on less than 2 dollars a day. In addition, Africa spends at least US$35 billion to import food including fish. This is not sustainable. Inland and marine aquaculture, which involves farming of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic plants, algae and other organisms is increasingly attracting spotlight for negative environmental impacts including destruction of mangroves, pollution, poor handling of waste which collect on the ocean bottom and damaging bottom-dwelling species or decrease oxygen concentrations in the water. Other concerns include use of antibiotics and pesticides, competition between farmed and wild animals and the potential introduction of invasive plant and animal species or foreign pathogens. On its part, cage aquaculture is linked to increased nutrient enrichment of the waters in which they are established, resulting in algae growth including harmful algae blooms that can be toxic to fish. Currently, aquaculture in inland and marine water bodies in Africa contributes about 18 per cent of the total fish production in the continent according to the latest data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with Africa having less than 1% of the world aquaculture production. Almost all aquaculture in Africa involves freshwater fish mostly catfish, tilapia and Nile perch, with Nigeria and Uganda being the regions leading producers. The cross section of experts who participated in the aquaculture workshop included renowned fisheries academicians, policy makers, industry investors and farmers, impact investors, producers, scientists and researchers. They were drawn from the FAO, African Union Commission, NEPAD Agency, AU-IBAR, Conservation Internationals Moore Center for Science and the Centre for Oceans, WorldFish, Makerere University (Uganda), University of Dar es Salaam Institute of Marine Science, University of Eldoret and Seychelles Fishing Authority as well as Fisheries research institutes from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, among others. 2000 ? 2018 ? 5m Publishing Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture. Vietnamese medical doctors of the field hospital to be deployed in South Sudan__Photo: VNA , , , The first group of Vietnam peacekeeping force with 30 members set off for South Sudan on October 1 for the nations first mission as an independent unit, which is to run a level-2 field hospital in the East Africa country.On November 25, 2014, the Defense Ministry issued a decision to establish the level-2 field hospital with a 70-strong staff, a step to realize the Party and States policy on joining the United Nations peacekeeping activities in the field of humanitarian activities. Since then, the hospitals staff has engaged in intensive training in accordance with the UNs standards.Lieutenant Colonel Bui Duc Thanh, director of the level-2 field hospital, affirmed that all staff members of the hospital have met the UNs requirements on both professional ethics and skills, and are ready for their mission.Thanh said besides fulfilling the tasks set by the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, the hospitals staffers also aim to serve as messengers of peace from Vietnam and promote the countrys image.Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Vietnams deployment of a field hospital to South Sudan in New York on September 26, UN Under-Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare expressed his belief that Vietnam will deploy a high-quality hospital that can effectively contribute to the UNs peacekeeping activities, and his hope for more contributions from Vietnam to this important mission.- Imperial Valley News Center Dominican National Sentenced to Prison for his Involvement in National Conspiracy to Sell Identity Documents to Illegal Aliens San Juan, Puerto Rico - A Dominican national was sentenced to prison Friday for his role in a scheme to sell the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and corresponding identity documents to individuals illegally residing in the United States. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodriguez-Velez of the District of Puerto Rico, Executive Associate Director Derek Benner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Inspector in Charge Craig Goldberg of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division made the announcement. Reynaldo Rodriguez-Canario, aka Reinaldo Rodriguez, Reynaldo Rodriguez, Reinaldo Canario, Jose Almonte, Jose Martinez, Matatan and Ciego, 47, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Puerto Rico, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Aida M. Delgado-Colon of the District of Puerto Rico. Rodriguez-Canario pleaded guilty on February 16, to conspiracy to possess and transfer identification documents, conspiracy to encourage an alien to reside in the United States for financial gain, and aggravated identity theft. Rodriguez-Canario and his co-conspirators sold identity documents to illegal aliens knowing that those documents would be used to commit crimes, including Social Security fraud, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners will not tolerate criminal aliens who undermine the integrity of the U.S. immigration system. We will aggressively enforce U.S. immigration laws and seek stiff penalties against those who violate them. Identity theft poses a severe threat to public safety by potentially enabling those with criminal intent to travel to or remain in the United States, said HSI Executive Associate Director Benner. HSI will continue to utilize its unique authorities, working closely with our law enforcement counterparts, to combat this crime and ensure justice for the victims. The events of today serve as yet another example of the unending dedication of the Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to halt the devastating effects of identity theft, said Inspector in Charge Goldberg. Those who engage in this type of fraud must learn they cannot escape detection and will be brought to justice. The sentencing of Rodriguez-Canario is a victory for all who suffered financial and emotional distress because of his actions. According to admissions in his plea agreement, Rodriguez-Canario obtained identity documents of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens, usually consisting of birth certificates, social security cards and drivers licenses, and shipped them to co-conspirators in the United States. Further, the plea agreement states that his co-conspirators sold social security cards and corresponding Puerto Rican birth certificates to individuals illegally residing on the mainland United States for prices ranging from $500 to $1,300 per set. The defendant admitted that the co-conspirators used money transfer services and the U.S. mail to complete their illicit transactions. Rodriguez-Canario also admitted that he knew that the customers who purchased the identity documents intended to commit social security fraud and other criminal offenses. ICEs Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Chicago and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation with assistance from HSI San Juan, Puerto Rico. The HSI Attache Office in the Dominican Republic and International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center provided invaluable support, with assistance from ICE and U.S. Postal Inspection Service offices around the country. Trial Attorneys Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Divisions Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Divisions Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorneys Office of the District of Puerto Rico is providing assistance in this matter. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Washington, DC - Remarks by President Trump on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement: THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. Please sit down. Its really great to see everybody on this beautiful, beautiful day in Washington, D.C. Some people say the swamp, but I will not say that today. (Laughter.) I refuse. This is too important, what were doing. One of the most important deals, and the most important trade deal weve ever made by far. I want to thank Senator Joni Ernst for being here Joni, thank you very much of Iowa, and Ill be there very soon. (Applause.) Well be doing something very important in Iowa. But this is maybe more important than all of it put together. Right, Joni? So I want to thank you for being here. Congressman Holding, Congressman Roe, Congressman Newhouse, and Congressman Meadows, thank you all for being here. We very much appreciate it. Youve been very instrumental. Thank you. (Applause.) I am thrilled to speak to the American people to share truly historic news for our nation, and, indeed for the world. I want to thank Vice President Pence for joining us this morning. It is my great honor to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA and the NAFTA trade agreements with an incredible new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, called USMCA. It, sort of, just works: USMCA. (Applause.) USMCA. Thatll be the name, I guess, that, 99 percent of the time, well be hearing: USMCA. It has a good ring to it. I have long contended that NAFTA was perhaps the worst trade deal ever made. Since NAFTAs adoption, the United States racked up trade deficits totaling more than $2 trillion and its a much higher number than that with Canada and Mexico. It lost vast amounts of money, and lost 4.1 million manufacturing jobs, and 1 in 4 auto jobs. Lost about 25 percent of our auto jobs even more than that. Throughout the campaign, I promised to renegotiate NAFTA, and today we have kept that promise. But, for 25 years, as a civilian, as a businessman, I used to say, How could anybody have signed a deal like NAFTA? And I watched New England, and so many other places where I was just the factories were leaving, the jobs were leaving, people were being fired, and we cant have that. So we have negotiated this new agreement based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity. To me, its the most important word in trade because weve been treated so unfairly by so many nations all over the world. And were changing that. We just signed a much better deal with South Korea. We had a horrible, horrible deal, and we just signed that at United Nations. And thats worked out well. And theyre happy; were happy. Its good for jobs. Good for a lot of things. When that deal was signed, they said 250,000 jobs will be given be by signing this transaction, and they were right. Ive said it before. They were right: 250,000 jobs to South Korea, not to the United States. So thats changed and very much for the better. And this one is a brand new deal. The agreement will govern nearly $1.2 trillion in trade, which makes it the biggest trade deal in the United States history. I want to congratulate U.S. Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer who has worked nobody understands how hard hes worked. (Applause.) No matter when you called him, he was in the office or he was in somebody elses office doing the same thing. Bob Lighthizer is great; Ive heard it for years. I said, If I ever do this, I want to get Lighthizer to represent us, because he felt the way I did. And the entire team at the USTR, standing behind me, and some right here in the audience: I want to thank you all. Fantastic job. (Applause.) Peter Navarro, everybody. Thank you all. Thank you. Fantastic group of people. They love our country. I also want to thank you Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Ross, Secretary Nielsen, Secretary Perdue, Jared Kushner, Peter Navarro, and United States Ambassador to Canada, Kelly Craft. Thank you. Thank you, Kelly. Thank you. (Applause.) I also want to thank President Pena Nieto of Mexico, who we had a few disagreements, but I really like him a lot. I think he may like me, Im not sure. (Laughter.) But I think hes a terrific person. And hell be leaving soon, but hes really done a good job and a wonderful, wonderful person. And the Mexican President-elect Lopez Obrador, who has given his support to this agreement, and were developing a really good relationship which I think is very important for our country, frankly, and for Mexico. And so they worked together on this. This was done by both. I said, Look, I dont want to sign an agreement, and then a new President comes in, they dont like it, and we have difficulty. They worked very much together on it, and I appreciate it from both. I have to, certainly, give my highest regards to Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau. A lot of stories came out about Justin and I having difficulty together, and we did over the trade deal. But Ill tell you, its turned out to be a very, very good deal for both; and a very, very good deal for all three. It puts us in a position that weve never been in before. Its very good when you look at the world and what the world is doing and what when you look at the unfair trade practices that countries are using against the United States, this is a terrific deal for all of us. Once approved by Congress, this new deal will be the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed. If you look at the reviews, people that would normally not, under any circumstances, say good things because automatically they have to say bad. Even some Democrats say, Thats amazing. We had some they havent been given the soundbites yet, I guess, Mike. But actually, you had some Democrats say, This is really amazing if he really got all of that. But by tomorrow, I would suspect theyll change their tune. But thats okay, because people know how good it is. Its an amazing deal for a lot of people. Likewise, it will be the most advanced trade deal in the world with ambitious provisions on the digital economy; patents very important; financial services; and other areas where the United States has a strong competitive advantage. Mexico and Canada have agreed to strong new labor protections, environmental protections, and new protections for intellectual property. So important. This new deal is an especially great victory for our farmers. Our farmers have gone through a lot over the last 15 years. Theyve been taken advantage of by everybody. Prices have gone way down. And were working on some other deals that are going to make them very happy also. But this is a very, very big deal for our farmers. Mexico and Canada will be opened up a lot more than they are now. And I think there will be a better spirit between the three countries, which is important for our farmers. The agreement will give our farmers and ranchers far greater access to sell American-grown produce in Mexico and in Canada. The deal includes a substantial increase in our farmers opportunities to export American wheat, poultry, eggs, and dairy including milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, to name a few. I want to be very specific. (Applause.) I want to be very specific, right. Right? And many other products but those products were not really being treated fairly, as far as those that work so hard to produce them. And now theyre going to be treated fairly. These measures will support many hundreds of thousands of American jobs. This is also a historic win for American manufacturers and American autoworkers who have been treated so badly. Weve lost so many jobs, over the years, under NAFTA. Under the current new deal and if you look at the current NAFTA deal, the new deal is taking care of all of these problems because NAFTA foreign companies have been allowed to manufacture many of their parts overseas, ship them to Mexico and Canada for assembly, and send their foreign-made cars into the United States with no tax. So we let all our people go. We fire everybody. They make cars. They make products. They make everything in another country. They send them into the United States no tax. And the cost is very little difference. Sometimes its more for those people that like to talk about cost. With this agreement, we are closing all of these terrible loopholes. Theyre closed. Theyre gone. They were a disaster. For example, we are requiring a large portion of every car to be made by high-wage workers, which will greatly reduce foreign outsourcing which was a tremendous problem; and means more auto parts and automobiles will be manufactured inside the United States. We will be manufacturing many more cars, and our companies wont be leaving the United States, firing their workers and building their cars elsewhere. Theres no longer that incentive. Before, under the NAFTA deal, they had that incentive. They have the opposite incentive. Now, were not going to be losing our companies. That was, to me, the most important thing. I dont want to see our companies leave and fire our workers, and our workers never get jobs to replace those jobs. Those days are over. This deal will also impose new standards requiring at least 75 percent of every automobile to be made in North America in order to qualify for the privilege of free access to our markets. And thats what it is, its a privilege. We dont take it as a privilege. We dont take it as a privilege. Its a privilege for them to do business with us. And Im not talking about Mexico, Canada Im talking about everybody. Everybody. Its a privilege for China to do business with us. Its a privilege for the European Union, who has treated us very badly but thats coming along to do business with us. Japan, every country its a privilege for them to come in and attack the piggy bank. In this, we will have a result of much more happening right here in the United States. It means, more than anything else, far more American jobs. And these are high-quality jobs. There are also strong provisions to enforce whats called the rules of origin requirements. This will incentivize billions of dollars in new purchases of U.S.-made automobiles. Once approved, this will be a new dawn for the American auto industry and for the American autoworker. They will see. They understand. They voted for us in large numbers, even though their leadership always goes Democrat. A couple of them said to me, I dont know how I can do it again. Many of them, the leaders would back Democrats, and would tell me, Youre going to get most of the votes from union workers. And we got most of the votes from workers, period. But the American autoworker was very much behind what we were doing. As one primary aspect, it will transform North America back into a manufacturing powerhouse. If you remember, the previous administration said, Were not going to have manufacturing jobs anymore, essentially. Were not going to have were not going to make things anymore? No, just the opposite. Were going to be a manufacturing powerhouse, and allow us to reclaim a supply chain that has been offshored to the world because of unfair trade issues. We also provide brand new intellectual property protections for biologic drugs, which will make North America a haven for medical innovation and development. We want our drugs to be made here. When you talk prescription drugs, we dont like getting them from foreign countries. We dont know whats happening with those drugs, how theyre being made. Too important. This landmark agreement will send cash and jobs pouring into the United States and into North America good for Canada, good for Mexico. Instead of jobs leaving for overseas, they will be returning back home. And weve already had it. We have many, many car companies I was with Prime Minister Abe of Japan. He said, We have sent many car companies to the United States over the last year and a half. Its true and big expansions. And, very importantly, he said, Many more are coming. Because they have an incentive, now, to be here. People want to be back in the United States again. As I say, The United States is respected again. But its also respected as to trade and industry. This is a truly extraordinary agreement for the United States, Canada, and Mexico. President Pena Nieto its so important that the President and I have developed this sort of a bond a bond on trade. Pena Nieto, a man that has done a very good job for Mexico, in terms of trade; and Prime Minister Trudeau, who I just spoke to just spoke to both of them a little while ago they love their countries. They want to do right for their countries, and thats what theyve done. And weve really formed if you look at this agreement, we formed a great partnership with Mexico and with Canada. And I plan to sign the agreement by the end of November. I then will submit it for approval to Congress where, in theory, there should be no trouble, but anything you submit to Congress is trouble. No matter what. If its the single greatest agreement ever signed, theyll say, Well, you know, Trump likes it, therefore were not going to approve it because that would be good for the Republicans. So therefore we cant approve it. But it will be sent to Congress pursuant to the Trade Promotion Authority Act. This agreement follows on the heels of our successful completion of a new and balanced trade deal with South Korea a tremendous difference in that deal from what it was; it was a disaster, as I said to improve the old deal that had killed so many jobs. It also follows on our announcement last week of a new trade negotiation with Japan. Japan would never negotiate with the United States. They would say, Were not going to negotiate. They told the previous administration, Were not going to negotiate. I said, You dont have to negotiate, but were going to put a very, very substantial tax on your cars if you dont. By the way, without tariffs, we wouldnt be talking about a deal, just for those babies out there that keep talking about tariffs. That includes Congress Oh, please dont charge tariffs. Without tariffs, you wouldnt be we wouldnt be standing here. I can tell you, Bob and all of these folks would not be standing here right now. And were totally prepared to do that if they dont negotiate. But Japan is wanting to negotiate. Actually, they called about three weeks ago. And hes a terrific man. A terrific just had a tremendous victory. And they said, Wed like to start negotiations immediately. India, which is the tariff king they called us, and they say, We want to start negotiations immediately. When Bob Lighthizer said, What happened? He would never do this. They said, No, we want to keep your President happy. Isnt that nice? Isnt that nice? Its true. They have to keep us happy because they understand that were wise to whats been happening. India charges tariffs of 100 percent. And then, if we want to put a tariff of 25 percent on, people will call from Congress: But thats not free trade. And Id look back to people; Id say, Where do these people come from? Where do they come from? So because of the power of tariffs and the power that we have with tariffs, we, in many cases, wont even have to use them. Thats how powerful they are, and how good they are. But, in many cases, were not going to have to use them. And, in many cases, countries that are charging massive tariffs are eliminating those tariffs. As you know, we have $250 billion at 25 percent interest with China right now, and we could go $267 billion more. And China wants to talk very badly. And I said, Frankly, its too early to talk. Cant talk now, because theyre not ready. Because theyve been ripping us for so many years. It doesnt happen that quickly. And if, politically, people force it too quickly, youre not going to make the right deal for our workers and for our country. But China wants to talk, and we want to talk to them. And we want them to help us with North Korea. We want them to continue to help us with North Korea. Thats very important. The European Union its been very tough on the United States. Last year and for many years, theyve lost in the vicinity of $150 billion a year. They have massive trade barriers. And they didnt want to come; they didnt want to talk. Jean-Claude great businessperson, head of the European Union Jean-Claude, my friend Id say, Jean-Claude, we want to make a deal. He goes, No, no, no. We are very happy. I said, You may be happy, but Im not happy. Because we have one of the worst deals of any group. We have one of the worst deals with the European Union. And they just didnt want to come because they were happy with the deal. I said, But were not happy with the deal. And finally, after, you know, going through a whole process, I said, Look, were just going to put a tax of 20 percent on all of the millions of Mercedes and BMWs. All of the cars. There are millions and millions of cars that they sell here that they wont take over there. Farm product that they wont take over there because they have barriers. You cant sell; youre not allowed to. Our farmers arent allowed to sell over there many of their products, much of their products, most of them. And so I announced that were going to put a 20 percent tariff could be 25 on their cars coming in. And they immediately called, and said, Wed like to start negotiations. And were having a successful negotiation. Well see what happens. Who knows? I always say, Who knows? But well see. I have a feeling well be successful. A pillar of national security is economic security and trade. National security is not where we lose hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Over the last five years, weve averaged $800 billion-a-year loss on trade. How dumb is that? Eight hundred billion dollars. This group doesnt know about those numbers. I dont even want them to hear those numbers. But the United States, in its trade deals, has lost, on average, almost $800 billion a year. Thats dealing with China, dealing with European Union, (inaudible) with everybody. Japan, Mexico, Canada everybody. And were not going to allow that to happen. But we have to have a strong manufacturing base and manufacturing sector. We need a thriving economy. Those are all, really, essential ingredients to national security. We cant allow whats been happening over the last 25 years to happen. Were building our military like never before. It will be the strongest it ever was. And all of those jets that are made, and rockets, and missiles, and ships theyre all being made in the United States. Jobs. Our economy is booming like never before. Jobless claims are at a 50-year low. The stock market is at an all-time high. Think of that over 50 percent since my election. Fifty percent. People the 401(k)s and they have 401(k)s, and they were dying with them for years. Now theyre so happy. I was telling the story I often tell of a policeman in New York. Came up his wife was always very upset with him as an investor because he wasnt doing well with the 401(k)s. Now she thinks hes a genius because the numbers are so crazy. But were up over 50 percent since the election. And youve heard me say this many times, but African American unemployment, Asian unemployment, Hispanic unemployment is at record lows in history not, you know, for the last two years the history of our country. African American, Asian, Hispanic, young people without high school diplomas all at historic thats a very important sector all at historic lows. The lowest in history. Its really something thats great. This is helping so much with people that get out of prison. We have a tremendous problem: People come out of prison, they cant get a job. Employers dont want to hire them. The economy is so good, theyre hiring them, and theyre turning out to be incredible workers. Theyre given a chance. Theyre really given a second given a third chance, in some cases. But Ive had numerous employers come up and say, Ill tell you what, Ive taken people that were in prison, and weve hired them. He wouldnt have done this in a normal economy or a bad economy only in this kind of an economy. And now, hes like the biggest fan one man in particular. Hes taken numerous people. He said most of them have been unbelievable. All you can ask is most. But most of them have been unbelievable. Thats a great thing. Thats a really great thing. It gives them a chance. So before we take questions, I want to extend our warmest condolences to the country of Indonesia. A friend of mine were going to be calling up the leader, who is a great leader indeed. But they got hit by a giant tsunami, like people have not seen. This part of the world hasnt seen it so much, fortunately. They say thats the worst of all. You look at the tornados, the hurricanes. You look at all of the different natural disasters. A friend of mine who studies natural disasters I dont know why he does that, but he does he says that tsunami is the worst of all. And they got hit very hard, and probably thousands of people killed. We have already sent a lot of first responders and military and others to help, but its a really bad, bad situation. And finally, before closing, I want to send our thoughts and prayers to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. That was a horrible, horrible time in the life of our country. It took place exactly one year ago today. All of America is grieving for the lives lost and for the families they left behind. So to all of those families, and to the people of Las Vegas: We love you. We are with you. Were working with you very hard. That was a terrible, terrible event. So thank you very much for that. I want to ask Bob Lighthizer, who is just a terrific individual as well as a man that knows a lot about this subject, to come up and say a word about the USMCA the new agreement. And if you have any questions, well take some questions after that. Please, Bob. (Applause.) AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER: Thank you, Mr. President. Before I start, I would just like to give a vignette because I think it says something about working for the President. So, August 16th of last year, we started this process. And Im at a hotel in Washington, and theres like hundreds and hundreds of people waiting to have the introduction of myself and my two counterparts one from Canada and one from the United States. And Im getting were lined up, and I get a call that says, The President wants to talk to you. So I go in the little anteroom, and I get on the cell phone. The President starts talking. And everybody is kind of waiting. And hes talking, and hes going through what he wants to get done in NAFTA and his problems with it all of which, hes quite familiar with. And then he finally says two things which I thought were telling. One, he said, Bob, I will back you up like no other USTR has been backed up in history. And then the second and he did that, by the way. And then the second thing he said was, he said, Now go out there and have fun. (Laughter.) And I thought, Well, its probably not going to be as much fun from my side as it will be from your side, but Im proud to be on your team. And I really am proud to follow you through this and the other trade changes. As you have said, Mr. President, this agreement is historic in many ways. The USMCA will cover $1.2 trillion, easily making it the biggest agreement in history. We have done this in 14 months. And, believe me, in trade negotiating terms, thats like warp speed. When we began these negotiations last year, the Presidents instructions to me were precise and straightforward: Protect American workers, fight for our farmers and ranchers, preserve Americas competitive innovation edge, secure greater access for our businesses, and, above all, bring back jobs to America. I think we have succeeded with this agreement. The USMCA will accelerate the manufacturing renaissance our country has enjoyed under President Trump. It will bring our trading relationship with Mexico and Canada into the 21st century, and it will protect Americas competitive edge in digital and innovation across the economy. The new agreement will also serve as a template for our trade agreements under the Trump administration in the future. This paradigm-shifting model rests on three pillars. The first pillar is fairness. We have negotiated stronger rules of origin for automobiles, which will bring billions of dollars of manufacturing back to America. We have secured greater market access for our farmers and ranchers. Weve agree to unprecedented labor standards that will help level the playing field for our workers. Weve also agreed to a first-of-its-kind review and termination provision, which will ensure that the USMCA, unlike NAFTA, will not become unbalanced and out-of-date. The second pillar will consist of a host of ambitious provisions on digital trade; intellectual property; services, including financial services, designed to protect our competitive edge. The third pillar consists of new provisions designed to eliminate unfair trade practices, including strong new disciplines on state-owned enterprises, on currency manipulation, relations with non-market economies, and much, much more. We wouldnt be here today if it were not for several people who contributed so much to this endeavor. First, the Presidents key advisor and my good friend, Jared Kushner, was my partner in leading the U.S. negotiating team. (Applause.) Ive said before, and Ill say again: This agreement would not have happened if it wasnt for Jared. So thank you very much. (Applause.) Id like to thank my counterparts, Secretary Guajardo and Minister Freeland; as well as other Mexican and Canadian government officials, including Secretary Videgaray, Ambassador Seade, Gerry Butts, and Katie Telford of Canada, and so many more. Id also like to thank the wonderful staff at USTR, many of whom are on here. I like to think of us a little bit like we were the Marine Corps, and so I like the name, particularly, of this agreement. (Laughter.) USTR is about 250 people, and theyre all devoted, and theyre all exceptional, and they all work round the clock. Many of the people youre looking at spent more than one night in the office over the course of the last few weeks. And they have enormous ability, and this President has unleashed them. Finally, I would like to thank President Trump. Your leadership, vision, and grit made this agreement possible. No other person could have done it. (Applause.) Millions of Americans will benefit for years to come because of this vision and, probably even more important, this grit. Thank you, sir. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much, Bob. Thank you very much. Some questions. Yes, Steve. Question. Q Thank you, sir. Youve had tensions with Prime Minister Trudeau. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q How did that affect your ability to get this deal done? THE PRESIDENT: I dont think it did. Hes a professional; Im a professional. We had very strong tensions. It was just an unfair deal, whether it was Mexico or Canada. And now its a fair deal for everybody. Its a much different deal. Its a brand new deal. Its not NAFTA redone; its a brand new deal. I just spoke with him. We have a great relationship, and were going to work as a partner. Dont forget, the rest of the world is looking to take advantage of us, and as a region, you might say. And were going to work very closely together with Canada and with Mexico because well be able to compete with anybody. We have things that nobody else has. We have energy that nobody else has. We have timber that nobody else has. We have things that no other part of the world has, to the extent that we have. So were going to do very well together. I think we have there was a lot of tension, I will say, between he and I I think, more specifically. And its all worked out. You know when it ended? About 12 oclock last night. Q And you mentioned the THE PRESIDENT: But hes a good man. Hes a done a good job. And he loves the people of Canada. Q You mentioned the $267 billion and possible more tariffs on China. What does China need to do to avoid that? THE PRESIDENT: Well, well see what happens with China. We have lost $375 billion in trade deficits. They have a surplus of $375 billion with a b with the United States. And its been that way for years, and years, and years. I always say, We rebuilt China. They took that money, and they built fighter jets, and they built bridges. They built more bridges than we built in the last 100 years, probably big ones. Like the George Washington Bridge like big bridges. And Im not going to take, you know Look, I dont blame China; I blame our leadership. They should have never let that happen. And I told that to President Xi. I said, You know I was making a speech in China, and I was really hitting China hard. And Im in China. I dont know if thats a good thing to do. But I looked at him, and I said, But, you know, I dont really blame you. I blame our leadership for allowing this to happen. He knew exactly what I meant. We had no deal with China. I asked one of the top people in China a representative at the highest level came to the Oval Office. I said, Let me ask you, how did this ever happen? Hes a pro, so he understands. He doesnt have to be cute. He said, Nobody ever did anything from the United States. When we put on a 25 percent tariff on every car that comes from the United States into China, we thought we would be rebuked. We thought it would be terrible. Nobody ever called. Nobody did anything. That was years ago. And we charged them nothing 2.5 [percent], but we dont collect it. We do now, by the way. But we dont collect the 2.5 [percent]. So they charge 25 [percent], we charge essentially nothing. But I said, How did it happen? He said, Nobody ever called. We dont have a deal with China. There is no deal. They do whatever they want. So we have a tremendous problem with theft of intellectual property with China. We have a lot of other problems with China. We have primarily trade problems. And, as you know, theyre having a much more difficult time now. I dont want them to have a difficult time. And were doing better than weve ever done. Everybody talked about the tariffs. Oh, the tariffs, tariffs You know, tariffs ended in 1913, and they then went to a different system in 1918 totally unrelated. And then in 1928, you had the Great Depression for a lot of different reasons not necessarily our countrys fault, but a little bit our countrys fault. And then, in the 1930s, they said, We better start charging some tariffs. We need money to come into our country again. Okay? So Im not advocating tariffs. I will tell you this: Our steel industry, Wilbur, is stronger than its been in 25 years. This has taken six months because I charged for the dumpers. They were dumping steel and dumping aluminum into our country. I charged 25 percent; thats a lot. Could be more, but thats a lot. And if you look at U.S. Steel and Nucor Nucor just announced a billion-dollar plant brand new. Already started construction. U.S. Steel is building eight or nine plants. Theyre expanding plants. I dont think theres any industry like whats happened to steel in the last nine months, ten months since I really started doing what Im doing. Its been really pretty amazing. Aluminum, also. So and we need steel. We need steel for defense. What are we going to do? Go and say, Oh, well get our steel from an like another country? We cant do that. Excuse me. We cant do that. So we need steel and we need it badly for defense. So Im very proud of whats happened with the steel industry. Okay, question. Yeah. Go ahead. Sure. Shes shocked that I picked her. Shes like in a state of shock. Q Im not. Thank you, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: Thats okay. I know youre not thinking. You never do. Q Im sorry? THE PRESIDENT: No, go ahead. Go ahead. Q In a tweet this weekend, Mr. President, you said that its incorrect to say youre limiting the scope of the FBI investigation. THE PRESIDENT: What does that have to do with trade? I dont mind answering the question. But, you know, Id like to do the trade questions first. Q It has to do with the other headline in the news, which is the Kavanaugh nomination. THE PRESIDENT: No, but I know. But how about talking about trade, and then well get to that? Well do that a little bit later. Q Do you think the trade THE PRESIDENT: Anybody have a trade go ahead, please. Q Do you think your trade deal will pass through Congress, sir? THE PRESIDENT: I think so. But, you know, if it doesnt, we have lots of other alternatives. But I do think so. I think, if theyre fair which is a big question but if its fair on both sides the Republicans love it. Industry loves it. Our country loves it. If its fair, it will pass. I think it will pass easily, really easily because its a great deal. I mean, NAFTA passed. Its one of the worst deals Ive ever seen inconceivable that it was made. Fair question. Any other questions on trade? Q Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Ill get back to you on the other question. Q Id like to go forward with my Kavanaugh question, if I might THE PRESIDENT: Lets do that later, and well but Ill call you a second time. Go ahead, please. Thank you very much. Q Thank you, Mr. President. You have described India right now as a tariff king. Can you explain it a bit later? THE PRESIDENT: Well, India charges us tremendous tariffs when we send Harley-Davidsons motorcycles, other things to India. They charge very, very high tariffs. And Ive spoken to Prime Minister Modi, and hes going to reduce them very substantially. Nobody ever spoke to these people. He said, Nobody ever spoke to me. In other words, weve had leaders here Im not, you know, trying to be overly dramatic. Weve had Presidents of the United States and trade representative that they never spoke to India. Brazil is another one. Thats a beauty. They charge us whatever they want. Q So why THE PRESIDENT: If you ask some of the companies, they say Brazil is among the toughest in the world, maybe the toughest in the world. We dont call them and say, Hey, youre treating our companies unfairly. Youre treating our country unfairly. So India is a very, very high they really charged tremendously high tariffs. On motorcycles, it was a 100 percent. So you send a motorcycle into India theres a 100 percent tariff. Now, thats so high that its like a barrier. In other words, whos going to buy it? It cost you so much. Now theyve already reduced that substantially, but its still too high. My relationship with India is great, with Prime Minister Modi is great. And theyre going to start doing a lot. Theyve already theyve called us to make a deal. We didnt even call them. They called us to make a deal, which is, like, shocking to people. Yes, sir. Go ahead. Q (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Well, I dont there we go. I do have a second question on the Kavanaugh thing, when you get back to it if youd take that. THE PRESIDENT: Lets go. Q Youll take that now? THE PRESIDENT: No. No. Q Okay. Well, the question I have THE PRESIDENT: First, do a trade. Q on trade. The question I have on trade: Does this mean the end of tariffs if you could spell that out for Canada? THE PRESIDENT: No. No. It means it means Q So do you think itll pass? THE PRESIDENT: No. No. The steel is staying where it is and aluminum. But it means we probably, for the most part, wont be having to use tariffs unless were unable to make a deal with a country. For instance, if we cant make a deal with the European Union, we will respectfully put tariffs on the cars. The United States will take in billions and billions of dollars into its coffers. Isnt that nice? Because you dont hear that. Q Only from Carl Sagan. THE PRESIDENT: Because it doesnt take in okay. Yeah, Sagan. But it will take in billions and billions of dollars. But really, whats going to happen is, theyll make the cars in the United States. This way, they dont have to pay the 25 or the 20 percent tax. Q And could you spell out THE PRESIDENT: So I dont think youre going to have to use the tariffs too often. But there will be cases where you have countries that are just absolutely not willing to do whats fair and reciprocal. And, in that case, theyll pay tariffs. And, you know, what? The United States will do very well. Either way, we do very well. Q So do you think itll pass in Canada, Mexico, and more importantly THE PRESIDENT: I dont know. Q here in the United States? THE PRESIDENT: I cant tell you. All I know is we made a deal. The highly respected Presidents and, in the case of Canada, the Prime Minister are satisfied with the deal. Its good for Canada, good for Mexico its good for all three. This is a deal. Im not this is good for all three. Thats good. And just that fact, makes it good for us. But this is good for all three. But this is a much different deal than NAFTA. And this is much more of a reciprocal deal for the United States, which is really good. Yeah. Go ahead, Peter. Q Are you okay trade? Can we move on to Kavanaugh briefly, for the THE PRESIDENT: No. Why why dont you just well do the Kavanagh questions. I mean, you talk about being treated harshly. Well do that in a couple of lets finish up trade because you have a lot of people that want to run over to the Wall Street Journal and start writing. Go ahead. Please. Q Can you take one from the Mexican journalists THE PRESIDENT: I cant hear you. Q Can you take one from the Mexican journalist? THE PRESIDENT: A Mexican journalist? Go ahead. Q Yes. THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Q Its so youre going to keep the tariffs on steel and aluminum on Mexico and Canada? THE PRESIDENT: Until such time as we can do something that would be different like quotas, perhaps so that our industry is protected. We are not going to allow our steel industry to disappear. It was almost gone. Ill tell you what: If our country kept going the way it was going, within two years, you wouldnt have had a steel industry. We have to have a steel industry. We have to have an aluminum. You know, there are certain industries that are important. So we are working on that now. That wasnt part of this, but we will do something. And, in fact, Bob, if you want, you may want to say a couple of words about that because we were, literally, about that one hour ago. AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER: Great. Thank you, Mr. President. I guess I would say, first of all, theyre two separate things as far as were concerned. We know that theyre of grave interest to both countries. We are engaging in talks now, with an effort to try to preserve the effect of our program and still take care of their needs. And the you know, hopefully well be able to work that out. But we are in communication with them. Q And you could THE PRESIDENT: And, really, take care of the needs our steel companies. I dont want plants closing. Theyre hiring thousands of workers all over the country. Im not giving that up. Q But you get that as soon as President-elect Lopez Obrador THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. Yeah. Q that hes going to keep his word on this trade? THE PRESIDENT: Oh, yeah. We have a very good understanding. Yeah. Really good. Q Question from (inaudible)? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, sir. Go ahead. Please. Q Hi, Mr. President. Just hoping you can just reiterate on the tariffs. What specifically would it take for Canada or Mexico to be exempt from these tariffs? And secondly, did you consider dairy the deal breaker when it came to Canada? THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Dairy was a deal breaker. And now for our farmers, its, as you know, substantially opened up much more. And I know they cant open it completely. They have farmers also. You know, they cant be overrun. And I fully and I tell them that. I say, Look, I understand you have limits. But they could do much better. And weve opened it up to our farmers. So the folks up in Wisconsin Ill tell you what, I went to Wisconsin. I went to Iowa. Joni knows better than anybody. Right? And Scott Walker, who I think is a fantastic governor, talks about it all the time that our farmers were not treated properly by Canada. Now theyre going to be treated with respect. Theyre going to be treated fairly or, as I say, in that reciprocal way. Going to very important. Yes, sir. Go ahead. Q Thanks, Mr. President. It seems there was some give and take on both sides for this deal. I wonder what THE PRESIDENT: Its true. Q in your view, would be your biggest concession to Canada, and why you decided to make that concession? Number two, if you could dive in a bit more to the to your thoughts on Justin Trudeau. You talk about tensions. I wonder what you throughout this process, what youve learned about him and what the state of the relationship is with him today and going forward? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I think my biggest concession would be making the deal because we are the one that people come and want to take from. Im talking about every country. And that gives us a tremendous advantage in negotiating that we never used before with past administrations. We never used it. Every deal we have is a loser. Every deal. You could look at almost every country in the world almost every country. We have trade deficits. We lose with everybody. So I think my biggest concession was making the deal because we could have done it a different way. But it would have been nasty and it wouldnt have been nice. And I dont want to have that. We have a great relationship with Canada. I think now itll be better than ever. All the only problem with Justin is he loves his people and hes, you know, fighting hard for his people. I think we you know, weve always had actually a very good relationship. It get a little got a little bit testy in the last couple of months, but that was over this agreement. And I understand that. But no, I think I think Justins a good person who is doing a good job. He felt very committed to his people and thats what he did. And again, this is good for everybody. This is good for Canada, good for Mexico also. Yes. Yes, please. Please. Go ahead. Q Thank you, Mr. President. As you mentioned, youre going to be signing this agreement and your counterparts are going to be signing this agreement within THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q the next 60 days. THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q Then its up to Congress. THE PRESIDENT: Right. Q Youre very confident. I get that. Youre a confident guy. THE PRESIDENT: Not at all confident. Im not. I dont know. Hey, Congress Q Well, explain to me why you think that if THE PRESIDENT: you tell me, are you guys going to sign it? Tell me. I think I think they will. Q if Congress is controlled by if Congress is controlled by Democrats THE PRESIDENT: Could happen. Could be. Q It could happen. So (inaudible), what are your prospects? THE PRESIDENT: So theyre willing to throw yeah, they might be willing to throw one of the great deals for people and the workers they may be willing to do that for political persons you know, people or political purposes. Because, frankly, you know, theyll have 2020 in mind. So far, I dream about 2020 when I look at whats going they have 2020 in mind. They want to they want to do as well as they can. And so, trying to reject even great deals like this is a great deal for our country, great for other countries. But its a great deal for our country and great for our worker. I can tell you whether or not they will obstruct, whether or not they will resist. I mean, their whole campaign is, resist. I see their signs all over: Resist. They dont even know what theyre resisting. If you ask them, What are you resisting? Well, let me think about that. They cant ask. They had somebody on this weekend. They said, What are you resisting? And they were unable to answer the question. So, you know, I cant tell you about delay, obstruct, resist, because, you know, right after this election and I think were going to do well, although history is not on our side. I guess, in history, generally, whoever has the White House doesnt do well in midterms. But the one difference is we have the greatest economy in the history of our country. I think thats a big difference. And thats one of our problems, too. Because people that went out and voted for me and they would be voting for me if I was on the ticket, but Im not on the ticket. But Congress is on the ticket, and I try and tell my people, Thats the same thing as me, in a sense. Thats the same thing. Think of it as the same thing as me. But I think were going to do well. I actually think I mean, we have senate races that werent even in play six months ago. When I started looking at it closely I wont mentioned names, but there were senators that were not in play. They were not even and you know exactly what Im talking about numerous of them. They were not in play. In other words, lets not go here, lets not go to this state four or five states. Now its theyre like even races. In one case, theyre up two points. Now who knows what that means. And, you know, as you know, theyre a lot of them are repression polls, or polls that arent very accurate. Because I see polls that I know are false having to do with certain of the races. But we had areas and we had congressional seats, too, where I know its going to be a positive outcome, but you look at whats going on and it doesnt seem to be broadcast that way. But I certainly had that with my election. They were telling me I was, you know, in trouble in certain states that I ended up winning in a grand in like a landslide. And I knew I was going to win them in a landslide, but they wouldnt report it that way. You know why? Fake news. Okay. Right behind you. Q One last thing, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: Yes, right behind you, please. Q Do you believe that the trade agreement will be a major issue in the midterm elections? This trade agreement. THE PRESIDENT: Well, it shouldnt be. Look, its a good agreement. These people you know, when I first did it, they said, Oh, why dont you just extend NAFTA? They have no idea about business. Just extend NAFTA. That would have been a disaster. Were losing $100 billion a year in deficits, at least at least to Mexico, under NAFTA. But just look at the results and a substantial amount to Canada, although a lot of people try and say its pretty much even. Its not even. We lose a substantial amount. So I think its a very hard thing to defend. But thats all right. Look, I understand the world of politics, I think, as well as anybody. I havent been doing it that long, but I actually have been because Ive been doing it on the other side, and I do understand. And, you know, they can take the greatest thing ever done and try to make it sound as bad as possible. But this ones tough. This one people are coming out for this one and saying, Thats incredible what weve been able to do. Yes, behind you. Please. Q Thank you, Mr. President. Now that youve answered several questions on trade, Id like to turn to THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, dont dont do that. Q to Judge Kavanaugh. THE PRESIDENT: Do you have do you have Q Mr. President THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me. Do you have a question on trade? Q Will you just THE PRESIDENT: Well do one or two more questions on trade. Q You answered several questions on trade. THE PRESIDENT: Okay, dont do that. Thats not nice. Q Mr. President, you said that you THE PRESIDENT: And besides that, somebody is before you. Excuse me. Dont do that. Do you have a question on trade? Q You answered several questions on trade. THE PRESIDENT: Do you have a question on trade? Q My question is on Judge Kavanaugh. THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Please. Yes. Q You said the FBI should interview whoever that they believe is appropriate. Does that include Julie Swetnick, the third accuser? And can you promise to release the full findings THE PRESIDENT: Okay, give me your question please. Q from the FBI after they finish their report, Mr. President? THE PRESIDENT: Give me a question please. Q Mr. President, was the border THE PRESIDENT: Give her the mic please. Q Thank you very much. Was border security or THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q funding for the wall discussed during the negotiation and THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q who will pay for the wall? THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Yes, the wall. Were getting $1.6 billion for the wall this year. We got $1.6 [billion] $1.6 [billion]. We have about $3.2 billion in the wall. Were doing a lot of work. People dont realize I dont really want to talk about it because I can build it quickly at one time, which is what I want. Q But is that part THE PRESIDENT: But weve been building it over the last year and a half with $3.2 billion $1.6 [billion] $1.6 [billion]. And we now have another $1.6 [billion]. And Ive got a big decision to make after the election as to whether or not we go for it. Because you know what? Border security, to the people of our country very important. The wall is a big factor in border security. And I really believe that the people of our country, they want the wall and they want border security. They dont want open borders like the Democrats want to have. They dont want crime pouring into our country. They dont want MS-13 pouring into our country. They dont want that. And I really think I have a very big decision to make sometime right after the election, very quickly. Because you know what comes due after the election. Do I want to do it before the election? Personally, yes. But I dont want to do that for a different reason, because I have some very fine people that are running in close races and it may affect them and it may not. It may be good for them. I happen to think it would be good for them. But border security for our country our people want security. The women of our country, they want security. They dont want to have thousands of people pouring across the border. And Ill tell you what, they want to have ICE. Because ICE walks into MS-13 and these gangs, they treat them like its just another day in the office. Theyre rough and theyre tough, and they love our country. And Im treating ICE good. And Im treating our law enforcement good. And the Democrats dont want to take care of our law enforcement. And the Democrats dont want to take care of our military. So we are going to have a decision to make sometime right after very close to after the election is over. And that will be on border security and the wall but border security. The wall is a big factor. Okay. Do you want to do some questions? Q But was that part of the but was that part of the conversation and the negotiation that just took place? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, it was. Yeah, we talked about it. With Mexico, we talked about it. It was a big part. And certain things and certain understandings are had. At the same time, we dont want to mix it up too much. This is a very big deal and very good deal for everybody. But border security and security generally is a very big factor. We also have drugs. Sometimes and some people would say its a very similar thing. But we talked about drugs with Mexico. Thats a very, very big factor very, very big. We have a lot of good understandings, and well be discussing that with them. Q Thank you, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: Okay. But it was a factor absolutely in the deal. Okay. Lets go. Come on. You want to I guess, get off trade. I dont know. Q Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: People are falling asleep with trade. I think its the to me, its the most exciting thing you can talk about. Right, Joni? Right. (Applause.) All right. Lets go. Come on. Q Thank you, Mr. President. In a tweet this weekend, you said its incorrect to say that youre limiting the scope of the FBI investigation into Judge Kavanaugh. But your own statement on Friday made it very clear: You said this investigation must be limited in scope. So which is it? Is there THE PRESIDENT: Well, no I didnt say anything on Friday. What I said is, let the Senate decide. Whatever they want to do is okay with me. And also, the FBI. I think the FBI should do what they have to do to get to the answer. At the same time, just so we all understand, this is our seventh investigation of a man who has really you know, you look at his life, until this happened what a change hes gone through, what his family has gone through. The trauma for a man thats never had any accusation any. Hes never had a bad statement about him. Hes lead I mean, I think he was number one in his class at Yale. He was number one in his law school at Yale. And then what hes gone through over the last three weeks is incredible. So I want the FBI this is now their seventh investigation. So its not like theyre, you know, just starting. I want them to do a very comprehensive investigation. Whatever that means, according to the senators, and the Republicans, and the Republican majority I want them to do that. I want it to be comprehensive. I actually think its a good thing for Judge Kavanaugh. I think its actually a good thing. Not a bad thing. I think its a good thing. Now, with that being said, Id like it to go quickly. And the reason Id like it to go quickly very simple its so simple because its unfair to him at this point. What his wife is going through, what his beautiful children are going through is not describable. Its not describable. Its not fair. I think its fair to do it to me because, you know, Ive been going from day one from long before I got to office, youve been doing it. Its almost became I think for me, its like a part of my job description, to handle this crap. (Laughter.) But as far as as far as Judge this is a man that this is not from his world. And you know what? If theyre not going to want him and I think that would be shame. Im with him all the way. I mean, a charge made or said to have occurred 36 years ago and nothing happened since then. And look, I feel badly for all parties. I feel badly for everybody. I feel badly for our country. This is so bad for our country. But I will tell you, I watched those senators on the Democrat side, and I thought it was a disgrace and partially because I know them. Q Are you THE PRESIDENT: I know them too well. And you know what? They are not angels. Q Are you saying your White House has put no limitations on who the THE PRESIDENT: No, my White House is doing whatever the senators want. Q FBI can speak to? THE PRESIDENT: No. No. You dont understand. Q Who they should interview THE PRESIDENT: You dont understand what Im saying. You do understand; you just dont want to report it that way. Just so you understand, my White House will do whatever the senators want. Im open to whatever they want. The one thing I want is speed. Now, they started, I believe, on Friday could have even been a little bit earlier than that. But they started. They have worked around the clock on Saturday, Sunday. Theyre working right now. I mean, theyre covering a lot of territory. This is the seventh investigation of Judge Kavanaugh. Number seven. This isnt number one. They started on Friday. They worked all weekend. Theyve gone late into the evenings. The FBI is really working hard. And theyre putting in a lot of hours. So hopefully they came come up with what everybody is looking for. But, no Im guided by the Senate. I want to make the Senate happy because ultimately theyre making the judgment. Im not making the judgement. Ive already made my judgement. The Senate is making a judgement on Judge Kavanaugh. Thats a very important thing to do. Yes. Go ahead. Peter, go ahead. Q Just for clarity so that just for clarity so that its clear. In fact, its up to you to instruct the FBI once (inaudible) THE PRESIDENT: It is up to me. It is up to me. But Im instructing them as per what I feel the Senate wants. The Senate is making this decision. Q So my question is THE PRESIDENT: And Im instructing them as per what the Senate is looking for. Q So just for clarity. Will you instruct the White House Counsel, Don McGahn, to give the FBI free reign to interview whomever they feel is necessary? THE PRESIDENT: Well, I have so instructed him. And I did it again over the weekend. Because I see the press was I dont want to us the word, in this case, misleading. Its a much more complex subject than anybody would understand, and that most people understand. But essentially I have done that. But I did also say within the bounds of what the Senate wants. We dont want to go on a to use an expression, often used by me we dont want to go on a witch hunt. Do we? Q So just to be clear, should the FBI interview all three of Brett Kavanaughs accusers? THE PRESIDENT: It wouldnt bother me at all. Now it depends; I dont know all three of the accusers. Q You can order the FBI to do all three. THE PRESIDENT: Certainly, I imagine, theyre going to interview two. The third one, I dont know much about. But it wouldnt bother me at all. I mean, Ive been heard that the third one has I have no idea if this is true has very little credibility. If there is any credibility, interview the third one. But I want to interview I want it to be done quickly because its unfair to the family and to the judge. Its unfair its so unfair to his kids and his his wife. Q How about for the accusers? Has this process been fair to them? THE PRESIDENT: Well, certainly we gave the doctor tremendous time, which is great. She spoke well. But, you know, there are some questions that havent been answered like: What year was it? What day was it? Where was it? Do you know the location? Do you know the house? A lot of different things. People are saying, Well, you know, whats going on? With all of that, you cannot say that weve done anything but be respectful. Q Isnt that THE PRESIDENT: And I do. And I respect her position very much. I respect her position very much. I believe and again, this is Republican senators and this is the Senate I believe theyve been very respectful to the doctor, Dr. Ford. Q Isnt that why the FBI should interview all of them to exonerate Brett Kavanaugh in your opinion? THE PRESIDENT: Well, yeah. Peter, I think the FBI should interview anybody that they want within reason. But you have to say within reason. Q Brett Kavanaugh? THE PRESIDENT: They should interview but they should also be guided and Im being guided by what the Senators are looking for because they have to make the choice. Go ahead. Now you can go. Q Should Brett Kavanaugh be interviewed by the FBI? THE PRESIDENT: I think so. I think its fine if they do. I dont know. Thats up to them. I think that he spoke very conclusively and very well. I think its been a very rough period of time. I guarantee hes never had a period of time like this. When he was chosen, everybody said, Oh, this is going to go so quickly. Look, people thought, 10 years ago, that Brett Kavanaugh was going to be a Supreme Court Justice because of his intellect, because of his career, because of the fact that there are no games you know, now they talk about alcohol. They talk about all of the things that you hear. And, frankly, you take a look at theyre bringing up subjects we would know about this over the last 20 years, 30 years of his career. You know, what happened? Theyre going back to high school. And theyre saying, He drank a lot one evening in high school. You know? Ill tell you what. I happen to know some United States senators. One who is on the other side who is pretty aggressive. Ive seen that person in very bad situations. Okay? Ive seen that person in very, very bad situations. Somewhat compromising. And, you know, I think its very unfair to bring up things like this. However, whatever the senators want is okay with me. Theyre going to be making a decision. Whatever they want is okay with me. Go ahead. Q What do you mean by this crap? THE PRESIDENT: Thats enough, Peter. Go. Please. Q (Inaudible) for clarity, sir? THE PRESIDENT: Say it. Q You said this crap, when you referred to Ive been dealing with this crap for years. What did you mean? THE PRESIDENT: Oh, I think the press has treated me unbelievably unfairly. In fact, when I won, I said, The good thing is now the press finally gets it. Now theyll finally treat me fairly. They got worse. (Laughter.) Theyre worse now than ever. Theyre loco, but thats okay. I put up with it. Go ahead. Q Thank you, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: I use that word because of the fact that we made a deal with Mexico. So. No. No. Please, sit down. Q Thank you, Mr. President THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q for going back to me. I Q Im sorry. Do THE PRESIDENT: Ill youre going to be next. Youre going to be next. Q I didnt know. I thought you were talking about THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q I have two questions about Judge Kavanaugh. First, there are now concerns that he may have lied or mischaracterized his drinking while testifying. If they find that he did, do you think that bars him from being your Supreme Court nominee? THE PRESIDENT: Well, Ive watched I watched him. I was surprised at how vocal he was about the fact that he likes beer. And hes had a little bit of difficulty. I mean, he talked about things that happened when he drank. I mean, this is not a man that said that alcohol was that he was perfect, with respect to alcohol. No, I thought he was actually going back so many years I thought was excellent. The interesting thing is though, nobody asked about whats happened in the last 25, 30 years, during his professional career because I there were no bad reports. I mean, there are bad reports on everybody in here. Most of the people sitting down, theyre bad. Except for Mike Pence, by the way. (Laughter.) And if we find one on him, then Im I think thats going to be that will be the greatest shock of all time. (Laughter.) Q So does THE PRESIDENT: No, there are bad reports on everybody. Im looking at people. Im sort of look at some of these people asking the questions. Okay? Look at Blumenthal: He lied about Vietnam. He didnt just say, Hey, I went to Vietnam. No. No. For 15 years, he said he was a war hero. He fought in Da Nang province. We call him Da Nang Richard. Da Nang thats his nickname. Da Nang. He never went to Vietnam. And hes up there saying, We need honesty and we need integrity. This guy lied when he was the attorney general of Connecticut. He lied; I dont mean a little bit. And then, when he got out he actually dropped out of the race, and he won anyway because Democrats always win in Connecticut. He won very close. Probably the closest ever. But heres a guy lied and now hes up there talking like hes holier than thou. You know what? Take a look at his record. And when he got out and when he apologized, he was crying. The tears were all over the place. And now he acts like, How dare you? Take a look at the judge who has lead an exemplary life. I mean, youre going back to high school because he had beer? I think the judge has been pretty amazing about describing his situation with alcohol and with beer. I mean, take a look at Cory Booker. He ran Newark, New Jersey into the ground. He was a horrible mayor. And he made statements that when he was in high school or college, what he was doing he actually made the statements. And now hes talking about Judge Kavanaugh. And I could go through a whole list of them. Okay. Look at Dianne Feinstein. Youre telling me about time. Dianne Feinstein knew about this two months earlier. If she wanted a really thorough investigation, we had all the time in the world. She didnt have to wait until after the hearing was closed, essentially. She should have said, Listen, I have a problem. I have this report. Id like the FBI to look at it while were doing the hearings. We had two months. No, she didnt do that. She waited until we were closed, and then she probably leaked it. But, you know, who am I to say? But she probably leaked it, based on her very bad body language the other day. But more importantly, in a sense, for her to have waited that period of time and now for you, Democrats and I guess Im including you too, the media, right. I consider you a part of the Democrat Party. But for you, for the Democrats to be talking about, We want more time for the FBI if you wanted more time for the FBI, why didnt Dianne Feinstein bring this up? Now you know that she showed this to other Democrats. Shes not the only one. She showed this to other Democrats. There were more than just her that knew about this big confidential thing. It was confidential until the hearing was over. After the hearing was over, they went public. Why didnt they do it during the hearing? And we could have had all the time in the world. You know why? Because theyre dishonest people. Okay. Yes please. Q You didnt answer my question, Mr. President. Q Mr. President Mr. President THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q You didnt answer my question, Mr. President. So if he did lie about his drinking, does that mean youll pull his nomination? THE PRESIDENT: I dont think he did. Q Okay. THE PRESIDENT: I look, heres what Im just saying, Im not a drinker. I can honestly say I never had a beer in my life. Okay? Q Right. THE PRESIDENT: Its one of my only good traits. (Laughter.) I dont drink. Whenever they looking for something good, I say, I never had a glass of alcohol. Ive never had alcohol. Ive just for whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had, what a mess Id be. (Laughter.) Would I be Id be the worlds worst. But I never drank. I never drank. Okay? But I can tell you, I watched that hearing. And I watched a man saying that he did have difficulty, as a young man, with drink. The one question I didnt ask is: How about the last 20 years? Have you have difficulty the last 20 years? Because nobody said anything bad about him in many, many years. They go back to high school. You know, I graduated from high school, and I while I did not drink, I saw a lot of people drinking. Theyd drink beer and theyd go crazy. And you know, they were in high school. They were 16, 17 years old. And I saw a lot of it. Does that mean that they cant do something that they want to do with their life? So its a very tough thing. I really believe that he was very strong on the fact that he drank a lot. And so I dont know where there would be a big discrepancy. Yes. Go ahead. Please. Q Okay. So so just to wrap up, can you promise to release THE PRESIDENT: You know what? Youve really had enough. Q the FBIs report? THE PRESIDENT: Hey, youve had enough. Go ahead. Please. Q Thanks, Mr. President. Judge Kavanaugh said he was being targeted by Democrats. Has he made the process overly political? And how can you assure the American people that hell able to deliver impartial decisions? THE PRESIDENT: Well, youll have to ask him that question. But I can tell you, hes been treated horribly. Hes a good man. Hes a good man Q But how does that affect his judicial judgment? THE PRESIDENT: with a great family. I think hes been treated horribly. Lindsey Graham was, I thought, terrific the other day. And he brought up one point that is now being discussed by a lot of people. And thats: Who is going to want to run for office, be in office, take an appointment of not just Supreme Court but, you know, many, many positions? I have right now 360 people that arent being approved. Theyre very qualified. Nobody says theyre not qualified, but Senator Schumer is not approving them because of resist and obstruct. Its much longer than ever in the history of our country. Like, I think, double the time, almost. Its far more people than anybody in the history of our country. Most of those people are routine approvals. These are people that gave up jobs. They gave up their life to come and serve our country. And Schumer and his group wont approve them. Theyre slow walking them. Everything is going at 30-hours meeting. They take them out 30 hours. The person thats going to be approved. Its a disgrace. So when the judge brings up whether its politics or not, I dont know. Youd have to ask him. But I can say this, hes been treated really, really horribly. Please. Go ahead. Please. Q But are concerned it could color THE PRESIDENT: Im not concerned. No. No. You know what Im concerned? That we get great, great people on the U.S. Supreme Court. Thats what Im concerned. And I want to have great people. And I dont want to have to call people for any court and have them say, Sir, its such a great honor but no, thank you. I just cant do it. I just cant do it. That will be a sad day for our country. And were going to come close to that because I know people now that say, I dont know how he does it. I dont know why he would have taken it. Nobody knew a thing like this could have happened. Q Mr. THE PRESIDENT: When when Justice now-Justice Gorsuch got approved, it was rough, but it was nothing like this, what theyre doing to this man and what theyre coming up with and in many cases, fabricating. Because, as you know, many stories were pulled back, and certain stories were pulled back that were horrible. What theyre doing to this man and his family is very, very sad, and very bad for our nation. Yes. Q Mr. President, you just said some senators are not angels, and youve seen some of them in very THE PRESIDENT: I would say some of them, yes. Q compromising situation. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Could you tell us who and exactly what situation youve seen them in? THE PRESIDENT: No. No, I think Ill save it for a book, like everybody else and Ill write it. (Laughter.) Okay. Im not giving it to you. Yeah. Please, go ahead. Q Mr. President, if the FBI finds other witnesses who can corroborate the account of any of the accusers, would that be enough for you to THE PRESIDENT: I would certainly look at that. Im open. Im open. I think hes a fine man. I think hes a great scholar. I so believed him when he that when he said what he did he focused on being number one at Yale; on being number one in high school; at being number one at Law. He focused. I can so understand that. I mean, it was such a its so important. The way he said that, it made an impact on me. He was so focused on being number one at Yale. And I believe he was number one at Yale. But I understood that very well. Q And I wanted to ask about something else you brought up today: the Las Vegas shooting. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Theres some frustration that more hasnt been done in that past year more hasnt been done about bump stocks. Are there some things you would like to see done THE PRESIDENT: Well, we no, no. Youre wrong. Youre wrong about that. Q Yeah. Go ahead. THE PRESIDENT: So in order to eliminate terminate bump stocks, we have to go through a procedure. We are now at the final stages of that procedure. In fact, the lawyers were just telling me. And over the next couple of weeks, Ill be able to write it up. But you cant just write it out because rules and regulations in this country are really tough, even for something like that. So were knocking out bump stocks. Ive told the NRA. Ive told them: Bump stocks are gone. But to do it, you have to go to public hearings, which weve had. You have to go through all sorts of regulatory control systems. And we are in the final couple of weeks. And Ill be is our attorney around someplace, please? He said, Were in the final were in the final two or three weeks. And Ill be able to write out bump stocks. But its process that takes statutorily, it takes about a year to do it. Q And any other THE PRESIDENT: To do it properly. Q any other actions youre planning to help prevent THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, and were working also with Congress on both sides. We are. Were working on a lot of different things having to do that was a horrible thing. But were working on both sides of that question. And the bump stock is almost gone. But again, to do it so its meaningful the lawyer just said it yeah, weve gone through a whole procedure. If you look in fact, you could call Derek, who you know very well, and hes gone through the full procedure. Weve done it absolute by the book. And in a very short period of time, bump stocks will be ruled out. Okay? Q All right. Thank you. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Mr. President THE PRESIDENT: Youve had one. Yes. Yes, Maam. Q Mr. President, can I ask you one about THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead, please. Q Mr. President, can I THE PRESIDENT: Please. Please. Please. Sit down. Q (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: Thats true. Q Mr. President, a final trade question. Since steel and aluminum and tariffs wont be coming down from Canada and Mexico, can you talk about whether there was discussion of ending those retaliatory tariffs against U.S. farmers and ranchers? THE PRESIDENT: Well, theyre not retaliatory. Theyre really trying to get some really bad things from happening. They were dumping in our country it was China and various others were dumping massive amounts of dead steel. Its called dead steel. Its also imperfect steel. Inside that steel was a lot of bad things that make for a weaker steel. So when were building bridges, and you have mud steel or you have other quantities of other material in that steel, thats a very bad thing. Its very unsafe. So its not just economic. Its the you know, we have the miners have been very thankful for what Ive done. You saw that the other night in West Virginia. And we have metallurgic coal and other materials. We have mines that are opening up now to get that incredible stuff. This is used not for heating and cooling; this is used in electric. This is used to make steel. And those mines are now opening up and were making steel. And the price is going to end up being less because we dont have the shipping problems. When you ship it from places so far away youll see. Well have hundreds of new plants opened up in our country, and theyll be competing against each other. And outsiders wont be able to compete. Just so you understand what was going to happen: They were going to knock out every steel plant we had, and then they were going to double and triple the price and we couldnt have done anything about it. Its a very dangerous thing. And weve employed a lot of people. And billions of dollars is now flowing into our treasury. Okay. Yeah. In the back, please. Please. Q Staying here on trade, the stock market has liked the announcement today. When we walked in here, the Dow was up 250 points or so. There are some who are worried that, because of the threat of future tariffs, it could potentially stifle an economy that is hot, a stock market that is hot. But yet, today, you have once again, said, Hey, as it relates to China, more tariffs could be coming down the line. Are you worried that potentially you are somewhat suppressing THE PRESIDENT: No. No. No. Q this economy from running further? THE PRESIDENT: No. Im using them to negotiate. And hopefully, we can make a great deal with China a fair deal and a reciprocal deal. But a great deal and a fair deal. We have a lot of catching up to do with China. You know, when they drain us for $500 billion a year, which is probably the real number and thats not including the theft of intellectual property and other things. And a lot of people say its hard to value. But a lot of people say that could be $300 billion a year. Thats a tremendous you cant let you just cant let that happen. No. Were using tariffs very successfully to negotiate. And if were unable to make a fair deal, then well use tariffs. But Mexico and if you look at Mexico and Canada, theyre way beyond that. We have a deal that really works. And the nice part about the deal we make with them is its not a specific product. Its a product all across the line. Whether its dairy, or just a lot of a lot of you see the list of products. There are many, many products, and theyre all included. So its across the board. Q Mr. President, with China one more on trade if you dont mind. THE PRESIDENT: Go ahead. Q Mr. President, if the FBI does find something and Brett Kavanaugh falls, is there a plan B? THE PRESIDENT: I dont want to talk about plan B because I think I hope that he gets approved. I hope that the report comes out like it should like I really think it should. I think it will. I hope. I hope. But look, Im waiting just like you. Certainly, if they find something, Im going to take that into consideration. Absolutely. I have a very open mind. The person that takes that position is going to be there for a long time. I have a very open mind. I just think hes an outstanding person. I think hes been treated horribly. Even if you were going to bring up some of the subjects that were brought up, they didnt have to treat him so viciously and so violently as theyve treated him. Q Can I just ask one on trade? THE PRESIDENT: Okay. Thank you all very much. Thank you very much everybody. Imperial Valley News Center USMCA Wins Praise as a Victory for American Industries and Workers Washington, DC - The new United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement includes key victories for American manufacturers, agriculture, businesses, and workers. BUSINESS INSIDER: Trumps New Trade Deal with Canada and Mexico is Winning Early Praise Early reviews of President Donald Trumps new trade pact with Mexico and Canada are positive The refreshed version of NAFTA will include increased labor protections for workers, increased standards for duty-free auto shipments, increased access to the Canadian dairy market for US farmers, and a slight tweak to the deals dispute-resolution system. FOX BUSINESS: US Stocks Surge as US, Canada, Mexico Reach Trade Deal Stocks surged Monday as Canada and the U.S. reached a trade deal that also includes Mexico, and key changes at the top of major corporations boosted investor sentiment. THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Trump Trade Deal with Canada, Mexico Gets American Farmers Stamp of Approval The Trump administrations new three-way trade deal to replace NAFTA got a thumbs-up from American farmers. Americans for Farmers & Families spokesman Casey Guernsey, a seventh-generation farmer, said the three-way deal showed Mr. Trump remembered his promise to stand up for rural America. After years of declining income and months of trade uncertainty, farmers desperately needed a win, and today the Trump administration delivered it, he said. While eager to learn the details, I hope that Congress will use this positive momentum to bring this important agreement over the finish line. WASHINGTON EXAMINER: Canada Gave Ground on the Key Issue of Dairy in New Trade Agreement Canada gave ground to the U.S. in the North American Free Trade Agreement replacement deal agreed to Sunday by rolling back protections for its domestic dairy industry, providing a victory to American farmers on one of the key points of negotiation. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: New NAFTA Shows Trumps Trade Strategy for Balancing Labor, Business Interests The Teamsters have nice things to say about the new North American Free Trade Agreement. Big banks can also claim a victory. Many labor officials say theyve been pleasantly surprised with strong language in the agreement pushing Mexico to bolster its unions, including protecting the right to strike. American unions have argued that the lack of such provisions in the original NAFTA meant the pact encouraged factories to relocate south of the border in search of cheaper workers. NEW YORK POST EDITORIAL BOARD: NAFTA 2.0: Trump Delivers on Another Big Promise [I]ts hard to argue with the result: Trump has once again delivered on a campaign promise that his rivals called a fantasy. A politician who does what he says hell do: Imagine that. THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT EDITORIAL BOARD: Trade Pact Rings up Trump Victory Apparently those hard-line tactics worked, and the president appears well within his right to chalk this up as a victory. Though details were still being finalized for release, it appears that American farmers will secure greater access to Canadian dairy markets TOM ROGAN IN WASHINGTON EXAMINER: From NAFTA to USMCA, Trump Just Got a Win for America Whether youre a Democrat, Republican, or an independent, you should welcome President Trumps announcement of the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, on Monday. A replacement for NAFTA, the USMCA will increase U.S. access to Canadian markets and ensure greater centering of the car industry in North America. STEVE CORTES IN REAL CLEAR POLITICS: Make North America Great Again The USMCA framework showcases the practical genius of our negotiator and entrepreneur-in-chief, President Trump. Unlike the lawyers and bureaucrats who dominate most high political offices, as a global businessman Trump implicitly understands the predicament that American workers and firms face competing against a commercially abusive China. CHRISTIAN WHITON ON FOX NEWS: Trump Has Just Revolutionized Global Trade by Replacing NAFTA with USMCA Trump administration negotiators reached a major agreement with Canada on trade over the weekend. The breakthrough, which came on the heels of an earlier deal with Mexico, vindicates President Trumps tough approach to reforming trade and will mark a fundamental turning point for American jobs and global power. LIZ PEEK IN THE HILL: Trumps America First Policy Scores a Big Win with New NAFTA Deal The new NAFTA, which will be called the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), secured some advantages for the U.S. while also giving in to certain Canadian priorities. More broadly, the new NAFTA shows the world that the Trump White House may succeed in bringing home better trade pacts. Governor Brown Issues Proclamation Declaring Native American Day Sacramento, California - As leaders of Native American tribes from across California gather to celebrate the 51st annual Native American Day at the state Capitol, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued a proclamation declaring September 28, 2018, as Native American Day in the State of California. The theme of this years celebration at the Capitol is Looking Toward the Future: Tribal-State Relationships. Governor Brown signed legislation to allow students to wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance at school graduation ceremonies; require the University of California to establish system-wide and campus-level committees to better comply with federal and state laws regarding the handling of Native American human remains and cultural items; and align California law with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Child Welfare Act regulations. PROCLAMATION California has been home to human beings for more than 12,000 years, with the presence of European-Americans representing only a tiny fraction of this time. The first Europeans to arrive in California encountered hundreds of thousands of people organized into hundreds of distinct tribal groups. They had long flourished in the bountiful hills and valleys of what someday would be called California. The contact between these first Californians and successive waves of newcomers over the three succeeding centuries was marked by the utter devastation of the native peoples, their families and entire way of life. The colonial regimes of Spain and Mexico through disease and enforced servitude cut the indigenous population by more than half. Then the Gold Rush came, and with it, a wave of new diseases and wanton violence which reduced the Native population again, this time by more than 80 percent. The newborn State of California actually paid for the killing of Native peoples and tolerated or encouraged policies of warfare, slavery and relocation that left no tribe intact. In his 1851 address to the Legislature, our first Governor, Peter Burnett, famously stated, That a war of extermination will continue to be waged between the two races until the Indian race becomes extinct, must be expected. In spite of Burnetts prediction, California today is home to the largest population of Native Americans in the fifty states, including both the rebounding numbers of our native tribes and others drawn to the Golden State by its myriad opportunities. The success of tribal businesses and the presence today of tribal members in all walks of life stand as testament to the resilience and indomitable spirit of native peoples. If Governor Burnett could not envision a future California that included Native Americans, it is just as impossible for us today to envision one without them. NOW THEREFORE I, EDMUND G. BROWN JR., Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim September 28, 2018, as Native American Day in the State of California. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 1st day of September 2018. ______________________________ EDMUND G. BROWN JR. Governor of California ATTEST: ________________________________ ALEX PADILLA Secretary of State Threats to American Personnel and Facilities in Iraq Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "The President and I have no more important priority than the safety and security of American citizens, including our diplomatic, military and other officials serving abroad. "Threats to our personnel and facilities in Iraq from the Government of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, and from militias facilitated by and under the control and direction of the Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani have increased over the past several weeks. There have been repeated incidents of indirect fire from elements of those militias directed at our Consulate General in Basrah and our Embassy in Baghdad, including within the past twenty-four hours. "I have advised the Government of Iran that the United States will hold Iran directly responsible for any harm to Americans or to our diplomatic facilities in Iraq or elsewhere and whether perpetrated by Iranian forces directly or by associated proxy militias. I have made clear that Iran should understand that the United States will respond promptly and appropriately to any such attacks. "Given the increasing and specific threats and incitement to attack our personnel and facilities in Iraq, I have directed that an appropriate temporary relocation of diplomatic personnel in Iraq take place. We are working closely with our partners in the Government and Security Forces of Iraq to address these threats. We look to all international parties interested in peace and stability in Iraq and the region to reinforce our message to Iran regarding the unacceptability of their behavior." Deputy Secretary Sullivan's Meeting With ASEAN Foreign Ministers Washington, DC - Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan met on September 27 with Foreign Ministers and other senior representatives from the ten member countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. The Deputy Secretary co-chaired the meeting with Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith of Laos, the ASEAN country coordinator for the United States. The United States and ASEAN reaffirmed their strategic partnership and discussed the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, in which independent nations with diverse cultures and aspirations can prosper side-by-side in freedom and peace. The Deputy Secretary also underscored the U.S. commitment to ASEAN centrality and to upholding international law, including the freedom of navigation, in the South China Sea and commended ASEANs efforts to implement fully UN Security Council Resolutions on North Korea. The Deputy Secretary and ASEAN representatives agreed that the past 41 years of U.S.-ASEAN partnership have led to numerous successes and committed to building upon this relationship at the upcoming U.S.-ASEAN and East Asia Summits from November 14-15 in Singapore. At the Northwestern Mutual New York office, we have free snacks, cold-brew coffee on tap and an open-door dog policy -- some of the remaining benefits from our pre-acquisition LearnVest days. They're fun perks. But you're wrong if you think granola bars and coffee are what draws employees to a company. The smartest young workers are savvier than that; the real unicorns are looking for flexible schedules, a sense of bigger purpose, access to mentors and more. If you want to create the culture that will attract and keep top talent, you have to be willing to meet them where they are. So, here are some ideas that may help you build a culture that will entice the best workers. 1. Create Work-Life Flexibility A startup doesn't get off the ground without hard work. There's no such thing as a successful startup that doesn't entail long hours. As seen with the gig economy which has fueled a lot of the economic growth in the last decade, employees really prefer some flexibility in their lives--dropping off and picking up their kids from school, working from any location, flexible work schedules. Matt Mullenweg, the founder of WordPress, employs what he calls a distributed workplace allowing employees to work from anywhere. Trying to create some sense of flexibility in your employees can yield great results. Keep in mind that I don't mean employees should work outside of the office all the time. However, when employees have autonomy over their schedules and lives, it results in a greater commitment to your company and culture, longer-tenured and happier employees. 2. Recognize Family Needs Whether your potential employees are some of the 64 million Americans living in multi-generational households or are just starting out on their own, companies, both Fortune 500 and mom-and-pop shops alike, can aim to offer benefits within their means. As with flexible work arrangements, benefits such as eldercare, adoption, on-site daycare, infertility treatments, and domestic partner benefits go a long way in helping employees who are at various life stages. You want your workers to feel appreciated and respected and recognizing where they are in life is a start. 3. Invest in Your Employees Investing in your employees doesn't take much effort, whether it's recognizing their work anniversary, providing learning and development opportunities or giving a gift card. Who wouldn't love an additional five days of vacation on their fifth-year work anniversary or the chance to expand their knowledge and skills? Companies are doing really cool things in the learning and development space including online learning courses that don't have to break the company bank. A more substantial perk that's gaining popularity is sabbaticals. It's not just college professors or book authors who are taking sabbaticals. After some committed years of work, a "break" refuels creativity and loyalty to the company and its mission. 4. Choose Smart Mentors It's my number-one piece of advice for entrepreneurs, and it should be yours for your employees. For me, when I was starting LearnVest, finding mentors was important because I needed people to tell it to me straight and push me harder by not sugar-coating what I was doing wrong. Lee Barba, former Chairman of Thinkorswim, would push me early on that we weren't focusing enough on our technology strategy. As a result, I made it my number one focus, so that it became where I put 50 percent of my time and energy. That resulted in my company being acquired. From the perspective of your bottom line, your employees should have a clear-cut avenue for seeking out mentors. And you should help them find those mentors by making the process easy and allowing time for mentor meetings in your employees' work days. The best mentors will give honest feedback that gets results because it comes without the pressure of a boss-employee relationship. If you don't believe your bonus is on the line, you're going to react to constructive criticism less emotionally than if you're panicked about your income for the year. Oh, and while you're at it, make sure your mentors -- or, as I like to call them, the advisors on your board -- are in place, too. No business will grow and thrive without them. 5. Hire the Smartest and the Best Nothing is more powerful or important than what Netflix once dubbed stunning colleagues. When you're surrounded by smart and talented people, you feel as if you're learning and growing every day at work. And, there's nothing like creating an environment of excellence where employees feel they can thrive. Take this advice a step further -- and hire people who are even smarter than you are. Entrepreneurship isn't an ego boost; in order to succeed, you need to accept, expect and cultivate criticism. Make it clear to your employees that they can tell it to you straight and that "yes" isn't the answer you're always looking for. The company recently changed its name to just Dunkin'. Getty Images Absurdly Driven looks at the world of business with a skeptical eye and a firmly rooted tongue in cheek. It's hard to hire good staff. This year, though, Dunkin' Donuts has done a fine job of giving the impression that some of America's meanest work there. There was the Baltimore Dunkin' that offered customers a free coffee and pastry if they informed the manager that staff were speaking to each other in a language other than English. There was the Cincinnati Dunkin' that wrote this message on a homeless customer's drinks cup: Stop 'Hangin' out in-front [sic] of the store. If you have a Full Time job! --management. Now comes the story of a Syracuse, New York, Dunkin' whose employees doled out a disgraceful indignity upon another homeless person. As Syracuse.com reports, Jeremy Dufresne had gone into a Dunkin' to charge his phone on Sunday night, so that he could call his mom. And, he freely admits, to enjoy a little warmth. Instead, a Dunkin' employee walked over and tossed a jug of water over his head. Others are heard laughing at this display of arrant cruelty. The video was posted to Facebook by Samuel Breazeale, who was appalled at what he'd witnessed. It shows not only the incident itself, but a Dunkin' employee aggressively telling Dufresne to stop sleeping in the restaurant. I asked Dunkin' Donuts for its comment. The company referred me to Kimberly Wolak, Dunkin' franchisee and chief operating officer of the Wolak Group. She offered me this statement: The employees involved in the incident have been terminated, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologize for the negative experience. A negative experience is getting a cold coffee when you want a hot one. This was simply abusive. Which, some might feel, makes it a touch odd that the company's first reaction was to only suspend the employees. Still, Wolak seems now aware of incident's severity. She said: We also intend to work with local advocates to make sure that our employees are better educated as to how to engage with homeless individuals and where to direct them in the community for appropriate assistance. Some might wonder why, especially after the Cincinnati incident, Dunkin' Donuts hadn't already educated its staff on how to treat the homeless with decency and compassion. It's not as if Dufresne was causing any trouble. Decency and compassion aren't really de rigueur right now, I suppose. For his part, Breazeale set up a GoFundMe for Dufresne, with the goal of at least getting him $150. Donations currently amount to almost $2,500. What do you call those who bravely take calculated risks in pursuit of their passions? Humans. Sure, the decision to sink your savings into a startup is an extreme example of waltzing with uncertainty. But many people at some point must make the choice between a relatively secure course and a more potentially satisfying one. Do I accept the investment banking job or join the nonprofit? Stay in the only home my kids have ever known or uproot the family and move across country for a better job? Take the LSAT or live my destiny in standup comedy? Facing such inflection points, people can think entrepreneurially without being entrepreneurs, says Noam Wasserman, founding director of the Founder Central Initiative at the University of Southern California (and a member of Inc.'s board of advisers). Prior to USC, Wasserman taught for 13 years at Harvard Business School, where he was surprised to discover students applying the tenets of entrepreneurial thinking to all manner of career decisions and even to their marriages. Entrepreneurs, he says, excel at envisioning and then managing change. "People who have never thought of themselves as founders can still learn from them because these are universal human issues that both are dealing with," Wasserman says. In his new book, Life Is a Startup: What Founders Can Teach Us About Making Choices and Managing Change, Wasserman explains how entrepreneurs approach risk in ways regular folks can emulate. 1. Constrain your personal burn rate. Entrepreneurs get frugal fast. They know they'll have to dig into their own pockets for seed money. They anticipate going without a salary for a year or two. So even before they start their business they establish a low "personal burn rate" and stash every available dollar in savings. Wasserman says that among founders who've attended his workshops, 39 percent reduced their spending and 11 percent downsized their housing prior to launch. Students and startup founders famously subsist on ramen. Anyone else with a dream deferred can do that too. Wasserman recommends paying particular attention to periods of transition: when you land your first job out of school or get kicked upstairs to a higher-paying position. The temptation is strong during those times to buy the house or take the vacation or send the kids to private school. With every such decision the handcuffs clamp tighter. "Anticipate what is going to be the toughest stage of life in terms of finances," Wasserman says, "and don't get used to the cushy stage that will be really hard to give up." 2. Don't obsess over status. Changing direction often means sacrificing more than material goods. For example, if you have a good job in an impressive organization, you'll also be giving up status and prestige. "There are psychic handcuffs as well as financial ones," Wasserman says. "Your new career may not be something your mother brags about to all her friends." Entrepreneurs typically focus on the larger opportunity to make positive change offered by a startup, for example, by creating products that improve customers' lives and wealth for employees. Many other changes also offer long-term upsides. "Guard against falling in love with the secondary trappings of your current life," Wasserman advises, "and think about potential gains in the future." 3. Don't dive before you can swim. Entrepreneurs who start companies while working their old jobs are 33 percent less likely to fail, Wasserman says. That's because they build gradually, in stages, conducting small experiments and accruing knowledge and resources as they go. "Not just jumping in gives you the luxury of time to develop your skills," he says. "You are not so blinded by passion that you don't see the practical implications." While you "date" a potential option you can also be taking a class, making industry contacts, auditioning a new job as a volunteer, or assembling a personal board of advisers. Wasserman recently took that advice himself, becoming a visiting professor at several schools while deciding whether to leave Harvard. 4. Set your favorability threshold. By reputation, entrepreneurs will chase opportunities even over a cliff. In fact, successful entrepreneurs carefully assess conditions to judge when enough factors are propitious to launch. For a startup, those factors might be the existence of a market that will pay, the entrepreneur's own skills and resources, and her personal situation, such as family demands. In a non-founder context, someone deciding whether to move across country for a new job might assess his own career opportunities, his spouse's, and the couple's current financial circumstances. Different people have different "favorability thresholds": the point at which they're willing to go for it, Wasserman says. For some, 2 of those factors must be favorable. Others will be comfortable with 1. "There will be different decisions even if we are looking at the same constellation of circumstances," he says. But once people understand what conditions must be satisfied, "they can start planning what it takes to get them over that threshold." 5. Keep some variables constant. Not many entrepreneurs put in 40 years in the marketing departments of large drug companies and then leave to launch their own surf shops. More likely, they'll start brand-building businesses that specialize in pharmaceuticals so they can leverage their expertise and contacts. Starting your own business is risky enough, after all. Switching to an unfamiliar industry with unfamiliar products and customers seems foolhardy. "They may end up making no impact because they tossed all sorts of things up in the air and had to relearn almost every domain," Wasserman says. Similarly, people switching careers should keep some variables in place so they don't have to learn everything fresh. Wasserman borrows the term "pillars" from hiring expert Geoff Smart to describe those variables. "If one pillar is unfamiliar then you get that stretch and excitement of the new," he says. "But you can be productive from day one because you still have two other pillars to build on." 6. Reframe failure. For at least 20 years, entrepreneurs and the backers who love them have extolled failure as a badge of honor. That memo hasn't gone out to the rest of the world. Still, anyone hesitant about a risk should consider what might be gained if things go wrong. Wisdom. Ideas for a new direction. A stronger spine. Great stories about perseverance they can pass on to the kids. "Entrepreneurs don't just have faith that this will turn out well. They make it into something that will turn out well," Wasserman says. "Don't see failure as something to recoil from. See it as a blessing." Jake Gyllenhaal has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villain in the studios Spider-Man sequel. Marvel and Sony Pictures are yet to confirm the news despite a leaked set video appears to show the Nightcrawler actor in character opposite Tom Hollands web-slinging superhero. Fans believe that Gyllenhaal is playing Mysterio in the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel, titled Far from Home. The character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko made his comic book debut in 1964 and was set to make his film debut in the fourth of Sam Raimis scrapped franchise. Bruce Campbell was set to portray him. Recommended How to watch every Marvel film and TV show in chronological order The original Mysterio Quentin Beck began life as a Hollywood stuntman and special effects creator, eventually turning into a super-villain after being rejected by the movie industry. Gyllenhaals casting is yet another example of high-profile talent being drawn to the MCU. Recent additions include Jude Law and Annette Bening wholl both star opposite Brie Larson in Captain Marvel, the trailer for which you can watch here. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Show all 34 1 /34 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 1. Captain America: Civil War Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but wont be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 2. X-Men: Apocalypse Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaacs titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 3. Suicide Squad Release date: 5 August 2016. The first supervillain film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and Jared Letos Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films thats for sure. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 4. Doctor Strange Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 5. Untitled Lego Batman film Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 6. Untitled Wolverine film Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackmans last outing as the titular character. Fox 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 8. Wonder Woman Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Womans love interest. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 10. Untitled Fox film Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 11. Thor: Ragnarok Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvels next project, Infinity War. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 12. Justice League Part One Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 13: Untitled Fox film Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. Theres also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 14. Black Panther Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creeds Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 15. The Flash Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as the end of the Avengers as we know it. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 17. Ant-Man and The Wasp Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 18. Untitled Fox film Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 19. Animated Spider-Man Film Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this unrelated animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right? 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 20. Aquaman Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 21. Captain Marvel Release date: 8 March 2019. Weve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 22. Shazam Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2. Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 24. Justice League Part Two Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice Leagues. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 25. Inhumans Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvels mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvels Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 26. Cyborg Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 27. Untitled MCU film Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 28. Green Lantern Corps. Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 29. Untitled MCU film Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 30. Untitled MCU film Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Theres also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film Release date: TBA. Now were onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 32. Suicide Squad 2 Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 33. Venom Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU. 33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020 Anything else? Well, now you mention it, theres also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, theres the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we havent added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow Marvel Spider-Man: Homecoming director Jon Watts will also oversee the sequel, while Zendaya, Marisa Tomei and Michael Keaton will all return alongside original Avengers stars Cobie Smulders and Samuel L. Jackson. Spider-Man: Far From Home will be released 5 July 2019. Hacked Facebook accounts are being sold on the dark web, showing the value of such accounts after the social network revealed 50 million of its users had been compromised in a major hack. Dozens of listings seen by The Independent feature on underground markets on the dark web a section of the internet only accessible with specialist software offering buyers personal data of Facebook users for as little as $3. If exploited by criminals, security experts warn that the data could be used to commit identity theft or blackmail Facebook users with compromising information. A listing for a hacked Facebook account, selling for around $3 on the Dream Market site on the dark web (Screenshot) Listings are available on popular dark web market places like Dream Market, which use a similar rating system to other online retailers like Amazon and eBay to verify its vendors. Those selling Facebook credentials appear to be generally well trusted, suggesting the authenticity of the data. The hacked accounts are selling for between $3 and $12, though it is only possible to purchase them using semi-anonymous digital currencies like bitcoin and bitcoin cash. If sold individually at these prices, the value of the stolen data on the black market would be somewhere between $150m and $600m. Recommended How to delete Facebook for good Security experts tell The Independent that the value of the data for cyber criminals means that such hacks will continue to be a lucrative business, despite the size and skill of these firm's security teams. "Personal information is simply too valuable on the dark web. As long as stolen data continues to fetch high prices and equip perpetrators with the means necessary to carry out attacks, hold victims ransom, extort information or destroy property, organisations must exhaust all measures to diligently detect and protect their networks, devices and users," said CEO of cyber security firm SonicWall Bill Conner, who has advised both the US and UK government on security matters. "What an organisation or nation-state can or intends to do with massive amounts of information on a country's citizens should be taken very seriously." Some hacked accounts are being listed for more than $12 on the dark web (Screenshot) A recent report by UK firm Money Guru explained how online identities could be sold to companies for the purpose of targeted advertising. "There are few better ways to gain insight into someone's life than their social media accounts," the report stated. "These details are frequently stolen to sell to companies with little scruples about targeted advertising. Its also a fast track to identity theft as they can take control of your accounts, lock you out and cause serious reputational damage in a short space of time." The prices show the kind of value that hacked accounts can command on the dark web, after Facebook admitted that some accounts may have been broken into because of a major flaw in its code. In a 28 September blog post detailing the hack, Facebook's vice president of product management Guy Rosen said that his company had no idea who may be behind the attack, or even whether any of the affected accounts had actually been breached. "Since we've only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed," Mr Rosen wrote. "We also don't know who's behind these attacks or where they're based. We're working hard to better understand these details and we will update this post when we have more information, or if the facts change." Facebook could be liable for fines of up to $1.63 billion 4 per cent of its annual global revenue under the European Union's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), if it is deemed that the company did not do enough to protect the security of its users. A Facebook spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment about the dark web listings. A cosmetics line is protesting Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh with a lipstick shade called F*** Kavanaugh. Lipslut, the cruelty-free vegan cosmetics company that also created the popular liquid lipstick shade F*** Trump, released the newest shade - a maroon red - after watching the Kavanaugh hearing. According to the brands founder, Katie Sones, the thought process was to make a colour that juxtaposed Kavanaugh's temperamental behaviour during the hearing. Recommended More Yale classmates claim Brett Kavanaugh has been lying We thought a calm, cool, and collected shade would be fitting, she told Refinery29. Imagine a cool-toned maroon. While watching the hearing and the events leading up to it, I got so upset seeing womens voices being ignored, doubted, and flat-out denied, Sones continued. If the highest levels of government wont listen to us, who will? To me, this entire mess serves as a microcosm for how thousands of womens experiences and traumas are treated everyday - we had to act. In addition to making a political statement regarding the sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh, which he denies, the proceeds of the new 15 ($19.95) liquid lipstick will benefit a good cause. From October 1 through the 7th, 100 per cent of the proceeds will go towards supporting anti-sexual assault organisations including RAINN, NO MORE, National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, and End the Backlog. According to the product description, these are organisations chosen by the people, as with every lipstick purchased comes an opportunity to vote. In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images The new shade is the brands fourth political lipstick colour since it was founded in 2017, shortly after the 2016 presidential election when Scones was still a student at California Polytechnic State University. With Lipsluts first colour, F*** Trump, the brand was able to raise 75,312 ($100,000) for migrant families after announcing a commitment to donating 50 per cent of the profits to pro-immigrant organisations under its Fight Zero Tolerance campaign. Brett Kavanaugh: the most important moments in Donald Trump Supreme Court nominee's hearing You can preorder F*** Kavanaugh here. As Americans gear up for the approaching holiday season, the biggest day of shopping draws closer. However, according to the third annual list released by BestBlackFriday.com, this year, 75 stores have already announced they will be closed on Thanksgiving - meaning no access to eager Black Friday shoppers. The number comes after an increasing number of retailers began opening on the holiday with Black Friday sales. This year, there are a few big name retailers on the list of closures including Costco, IKEA, Sams Club, BJs Wholesale Club, Barnes & Noble and Lowes. The list also includes home goods stores Crate and Barrel, At Home, Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, HomeGoods, Pier 1 Imports and Homesense. Clothing retailers planning to close include Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, H&M, Marshalls, dressbarn, Dillard's, and Burlington. According to Phillip Dengler, head of editorial and content marketing for BestBlackFriday.com, this is the most confirmed closures theyve seen at this point in the year - with more expected to be added as November 22 approaches. As of now, all of the stores on the list are ones that typically remain closed on Thanksgiving - with none of the closures coming as a surprise like last year. Last year, GameStop shocked everyone by announcing it would be open on Thanksgiving after being closed the previous few years. On the other hand, Stein Mart and Shoe Carnival decided to close last year after being open in previous years, Dengler said. Black Friday 2017 in pictures Show all 8 1 /8 Black Friday 2017 in pictures Black Friday 2017 in pictures Shoppers reach out for television sets as they compete to purchase retail items on Black Friday at a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil Reuters Black Friday 2017 in pictures Dozens of Brazilians reach for television sets in a store in Sao Paulo, Brazil EPA Black Friday 2017 in pictures Dozens of Brazilians reach for television sets in a store in Sao Paulo EPA Black Friday 2017 in pictures Brazilians reach for television sets in a store in Sao Paulo EPA Black Friday 2017 in pictures People wait outside a department store in Thessaloniki, Greece AFP/Getty Black Friday 2017 in pictures People wait in line outside of Best Buy in Norwalk, Connecticut November 23, 2017 for the store to open at 5PM on Thanksgiving Day to take advantage of the Black Friday sales AFP/Getty Black Friday 2017 in pictures People shop at Macy's department store on Thanksgiving Day. Some stores began their 'Black Friday' sales earlier than the usual date Getty Black Friday 2017 in pictures Shoppers are seen queuing for the opening of a Game discount store on 'Black Friday' at a shopping mall in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa Reuters This year, however, the website is not expecting any notable additions, as the biggest stores will likely continue to open on the holiday because many cannot afford to close. Despite Thanksgiving foot traffic slowly declining, the number of Americans who frequent stores on that day is still extremely high, Dengler explained, which means the big boys, including Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Macys and Kohls will all likely stay open. As for the reason stores choose to forgo opening on the holiday, it most often has to do with the importance of spending quality time with family. What is Black Friday? Dengler said: Retailers understand that Thanksgiving is one of the top family-oriented holidays, and people just do not want to work. We agree with the stance and commend stores into giving employees a much-needed break for Turkey Day. You can see the full list of stores closed on Thanksgiving Day 2018 here. General Electric sacked chief executive John Flannery after just 14 months in the job as the company announced a $23bn write off of goodwill in its power division. Board member Lawrence Culp will replace Mr Flannery as boss of the US conglomerate in a surprise move that sparked an 8 per cent share price rally. The shares had more than halved since Mr Flannery, a three-decade GE veteran, became chief executive in August 2017. On Friday GE was worth less than a fifth of its peak value a generation ago. Mr Flannery had replaced Jeff Immelt, who had led GE since 2001. Falling profits at its power division last year forced GE to slash its overall profit outlook and cut its dividend for only the second time since the Great Depression. GEs board, meeting in the last few days, unanimously picked Mr Culp as its new chief execuitive. Mr Culp, 55, who was named to GEs board in February, was chief executive of Danaher Corp from 2000 to 2014, helping grow an industrial company into a broader conglomerate through a series of acquisitions, while growing earnings. Some analysts said GE Power likely missed financial targets for the third quarter, contributing to Mr Flannerys ouster. Mr Flannerys departure underscores the slow pace of his efforts to turn around GE. Despite cutting jobs and shedding businesses, GEs results continued to deteriorate, mainly due to problems at its power plant division, which makes electric generating equipment. GE doubled down on fossil fuels in 2015 under Immelt with the $10.3bn purchase of French group Alstoms power business. The deal expanded GEs exposure to gas, coal and nuclear power. It added employees, dozens of factories and service centres at a time when GE was trying to cut costs. Additional reporting by Reuters Toyota has warned that a no-deal Brexit would lead to a temporary stoppage in UK production, and hit investment in Britain. The Japanese car group employs more than 3,000 people across two manufacturing plants in the UK, one at Burnaston, in Derby, and one at Deeside, in Wales. Toyotas Europe president, Johan van Zyl, told the BBC at the Paris Motor Show this week that if the UK were to leave the EU without a deal, it would cause a disruption that would force the company to halt production. Because Toyota, like many other car makers, follows a just-in-time production system, it only keeps four hours worth of parts on-site at its Burnaston plant. This means the company requires constant restocking, with an average of 50 trucks delivering components from the EU each day. As such, Mr van Zyl said, it is difficult to predict how long any stoppage period would last. Toyotas warning follows BMWs decision to bring a planned maintenance stoppage at its Oxford plant forward to coincide with the beginning of Brexit. Meanwhile, Vauxhall owner PSA told Reuters that a departure with no agreement would necessarily hit production. Maxime Picat, executive vice president for Europe at PSA, said: Weve been doing all we can to develop our UK business, restore Vauxhall and Opel profitability, reinvesting in Luton and improving our sites competitiveness in order to help them face up to an uncertain future. But there are limits. Those limits are customs barriers, and the loss of freedom of movement, for people and goods. If we get to that point, we will be obliged to take measures. Mr Picat added: If we suddenly have to start manufacturing for the UK in the UK, and for Europe in Europe, there will necessarily be an impact on UK production. Were not going to be dogmatic about it, and theres no question of punishing the UK. Wed take a look at our two factories, the state of our business, and look for a solution. But I dont know where that will lead us in terms of the sustainability of our sites. A number of other car makers have stated that a no-deal Brexit poses a threat to the UK motor industry. Honda has said that a no-deal Brexit would cost it tens of millions of pounds, while Jaguar Land Rover has moved workers at its Castle Bromwich plant to a three-day week because of continuing headwinds impacting the car industry. Ralf Speth, Jaguars boss, has previously warned that tens of thousands of jobs in the UK motor industry are at risk if a no-deal Brexit goes ahead. He also said the current lack of clarity around Brexit means he does not know if his plants will be able to function after 29 March 2019, and added that interruptions to production could cost up to 60m a day. Additional reporting by newswires The UK construction sector grew at its weakest pace in six months in September as Brexit worries dragged on activity. The Purchasing Managers Index for the month was 52.1, down from 52.9 in August, and the lowest reading since the snowstorms of March. Confidence among construction managers was also the lowest since early 2013. Construction companies continued to note that political uncertainty acted a key drag on decision making, with Brexit worries encouraging a wait-and-see approach to spending among clients, said Tim Moore of IHS Markit, which compiles the PMI survey. The Office for National Statistics estimated last week that construction, which accounts for around 6 per cent of UK GDP, grew by 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2018, although this followed a 1.6 per cent contraction in the first three months of the year. The Q1 performance, as the Beast from the East shut down building sites across the country, was worse than previously thought. According to the PMI survey, the civil engineering sector remained in contraction territory in September. The pace of growth in housebuilding and commercial work also fell back. Lowest since March Research from the Construction Industry Training Board released in July suggested a third of UK construction firms are already feeling the effects of Brexit. Almost half the employers in the sector are concerned that recruitment will become harder over the next two years. On Monday the PMI for manufacturing also pointed to a lacklustre performance in September. The PMI for services, which account for 80 per cent of the UK economy, will be released on Wednesday. According to the ONS all the UKs GDP growth so far in 2018 has come from services. Clapping is to be replaced with jazz hands at events organised by students in Manchester to make them more accessible to people suffering anxiety disorders. The traditional loud expression of support clapping, whooping and cheering will no longer be encouraged by the University of Manchester students union in a bid to be more inclusive. Instead, British Sign Language clapping, more commonly known as silent jazz hands where you wave your hands in the air will be used by attendees of student union meetings. Recommended NUS motion proposes banning whooping and cheering The motion, which was authored by liberation and access officer Sara Khan, received little opposition from the senate, according to the student newspaper Mancunion. The National Union of Students has been encouraging delegates to refrain from clapping since 2015, and jazz hands are regularly used instead of applause, whooping and cheering at its events. The decision has provoked a mixed reaction. TV presenter Jeremy Vine tweeted a photo of soldiers in the First World War and said: Students will instead use silent jazz hands. Glad some brave young souls decided to ignore the difficulties caused by sudden noises 100 years ago. Meanwhile, others jumped to the students unions defence. On Twitter, Adrian Harrop said the online outrage had saddened him. He tweeted: A student union attempts to be a safer and more inclusive and accessible place for people with a wide variety of neurodiverse conditions, who commonly have hypersensitivity to noise. Whats the problem? A spokeswoman for the University of Manchester students union denied reports that clapping had been banned. Instead she said that jazz hands were being encouraged to make certain meetings more accessible to people with anxiety and other issues. She told The Independent: The motion was passed to encourage British Sign Language clapping, which is jazz hands, at by no means all meetings, just democratic events, where it is a political event and part of the [students union] democratic decision making process. Student news in pictures Show all 34 1 /34 Student news in pictures Student news in pictures South Korean policemen detain a student demonstrator during a protest against South Korean President Park Geun-Hye EPA Student news in pictures South Korean policemen detain student protestors during a protest against South Korean President Park Geun-Hye outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. The protesters demanded that the parliament takes steps to impeach President Park Geun-Hye EPA Student news in pictures Filipino demonstrators face off with anti-riot police during a protest near the US Embassy in Manila, Philippine EPA Student news in pictures Hundreds of protesters including Indigenous People, students and militant groups marched towards the US Embassy to protest against the presence of US military troops and condemning the violent dispersal which left at least forty people hurt including twenty police officers and three people who were run over by a police van EPA Student news in pictures A federal judge in Mexico has ordered that a once-fugitive police chief be held on charges of kidnapping in the disappearance of 43 students Student news in pictures A man holds up a photograph of a missing student with a caption reading 'We are missing 43,' during a meeting marking the 25-month anniversary of the disappearances of 43 students in the southern state of Guerrero, in Mexico City. A federal judge in Mexico has ordered that a once-fugitive police chief be held on charges of kidnapping in the disappearance of 43 students AP Student news in pictures Miguel Perez, an intern student from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, puts away his cell phone before walking into the operating room at the Dr. Isaac Gonzalez MartInez Oncological Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Once they complete their general surgery training, many residents are moving to the United States in search of better wages, one of the main factors linked to the current shortage of specialists in the Island Student news in pictures Fewer EU students have applied to start university courses in the UK next autumn. There was a 9% fall in the numbers who had applied for courses, according to admissions service UCAS. PA wire Student news in pictures University students protest against President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela. Masses of protesters jammed the streets of Venezuela's capital on the heels of a move by congress to open a political trial against Maduro, whose allies have blocked moves for a recall election AP Student news in pictures University students protest against President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela AP Student news in pictures Thousands, most of them high school students, march during a demonstration in Madrid, Spain, on a one day strike to protest about the country's education law that increases the number of annual exams AP Student news in pictures Students gather on the west mall to confront the Young Conservatives of Texas student organization over a controversial bake sale on The University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas. The Young Conservatives of Texas chapter at the University of Texas-Austin sparked the protest with an affirmative action bake sale. The club encouraged students to buy a cookie and talk about the disastrous policy that is affirmative action Student news in pictures Donald Parish Jr, right, confronts Electrical and Computer Engineering senior Dewayne Perry over a controversial bake sale on The University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas. The Young Conservatives of Texas chapter at the University of Texas-Austin sparked the protest with an affirmative action bake sale. The club encouraged students to buy a cookie and talk about the disastrous policy that is affirmative action AP Student news in pictures Brigham Young University announced that students who report sexual assault will no longer be investigated for possible violations of the Mormon-owned school's strict honor code that bans such things as alcohol use AP Student news in pictures Students of secondary education march to protest against the final examinations and LOMCE (The Improvement Quality Education Law) law, after a call by trade unions, in Murcia, Spain EPA Student news in pictures South African police have used stun grenades and rubber bullets to disperse hundreds of protesters who had marched to the parliament building to call for free university education, where the finance minister was giving a budget speech AP Student news in pictures Police break up student protests outside the parliament in Cape Town, South Africa Reuters Student news in pictures South African Policemen fire rubber bullets at student protestors in Cape Town, South Africa AP Student news in pictures A student protestor is hit by a rubber bullet in Cape Town, South Africa AP Student news in pictures An injured student is helped by colleagues during protest outside the parliament during South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan's medium term budget speech in Cape Town, South Africa Reuters Student news in pictures Plaintiffs and bereaved families of elementary school students killed in the tsunami that followed a major earthquake in northeastern Japan in 2011, show banners that say 'victory in a suit filed with the Sendai District Court' in Sendai. A Japanese court ordered municipalities to pay $13.7 million dollars to families of school children who were swept away to their deaths by the 2011 tsunami Getty Student news in pictures A group of student at Ewha Womans University calls for a thorough investigation into those involved in years of engagement with state affairs backstage by Choi Soon-sil, a personal confidante of South Korean President Park Geun-hye, at the school's front gate in Seoul, South Korea EPA Student news in pictures Students raise placards during a strike action called by the student union, in Madrid against university entry exams Getty Student news in pictures Libyans throw a newly graduated student into a fountain as they celebrate during the graduation ceremony for students from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Al-Arab University in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi Getty Student news in pictures Libyans celebrate as they attend the graduation ceremony for students from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Al-Arab University in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi Getty Student news in pictures Libyans celebrate as they attend the graduation ceremony for students from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the Al-Arab University in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi Getty Student news in pictures Thousands of Thai Catholic students take part in mourning tributes and in singing the Thai Royal Anthem to honour late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Saint Dominic School in Bangkok, Thailand EPA Student news in pictures Students of Silpakorn University paint portraits of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the university campus in Bangkok Getty Student news in pictures A student of Silpakorn University paints a portrait of the late Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the university campus in Bangkok Getty Student news in pictures St Andrews University students take part in a foam fight known as Raisin Monday in the Lower College Lawn behind St Salvator's Quadrangle following the Raisin Weekend PA wire Student news in pictures St Andrews University students take part in a foam fight known as Raisin Monday in the Lower College Lawn behind St Salvator's Quadrangle following the Raisin Weekend, an annual tradition where student 'parents' inflict tasks on the unfortunate first-years they have adopted as 'children' as part of a mentoring scheme PA wire Student news in pictures Students at the Cuba's National Ballet School (ENB) in Havana, Cuba Reuters Student news in pictures Students at the Cuba's National Ballet School (ENB) take part in a practice in Havana, Cuba Reuters Student news in pictures Students at the Cuba's National Ballet School (ENB) wait in line to enter a classroom in Havana, Cuba Reuters This amounts to a relatively small number of meetings per year, she added. The spokeswoman said: We are not banning clapping, because it is unrealistic to think we could police that sort of thing. Its more encourage. There are no penalties for people using traditional clapping. Adding that she understood that people with anxiety issues were among those the motion was trying to help, she added: We recognise that sometimes these politically motivated meetings can be potentially hostile to certain groups of people with certain disabilities. We are doing one small thing to try to make those events, and therefore the democratic process, more accessible to those groups of people. Thats all. More than half of all patients who come off their prescription antidepressants experience potentially serious withdrawal symptoms the can last for months, according to a major new report. Across the UK millions of people coping with depression could be affected, the research commissioned by the by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Prescribed Drug Dependence suggests. The report calls for new guidance on helping patients to manage the side-effects of coming off their medication after it found that 56 per cent of patients experience negative effects. Current clinical guidelines by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) says that withdrawal symptoms are usually mild and last about one week. But the APPG research estimates four million people in England experience some symptoms and in 46 per cent of cases (1.8 million people) these are severe. Failure to recognise these issues is actually harming patients with mental health conditions, according to Dr James Davies, of the University of Roehampton, who led the research published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviours. This new review of the research reveals what many patients have known for years that withdrawal from antidepressants often causes severe, debilitating symptoms which can last for weeks, months or longer, Dr Davies said. Existing NICE guidelines fail to acknowledge how common withdrawal is and wrongly suggest that it usually resolves within one week. This leads many doctors to misdiagnose withdrawal symptoms, often as relapse, resulting in much unnecessary and harmful long-term prescribing. The worst jobs for your health Show all 10 1 /10 The worst jobs for your health The worst jobs for your health 10. Surgical and medical assistants, technologists, and technicians Overall unhealthiness score: 57.3 What they do: Assist in operations, under the supervision of surgeons, registered nurses, or other surgical personnel and perform medical laboratory tests. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 88 2. Exposure to contaminants: 80 3. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 69 The worst jobs for your health 9. Stationary engineers and boiler operators Overall unhealthiness score: 57.7 What they do: Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to contaminants: 99 2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 89 3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 84 The worst jobs for your health 8. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators Overall unhealthiness score: 58.2 What they do: Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to contaminants: 97 2. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 80 3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 74 The worst jobs for your health 7. Histotechnologists and histologic technicians Overall unhealthiness score: 59.0 What they do: Prepare histologic slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to hazardous conditions: 88 2. Exposure to contaminants: 76 3. Exposure to disease and infections: 75 The worst jobs for your health 6. Immigration and customs inspectors Overall unhealthiness score: 59.3 What they do: Investigate and inspect people, common carriers, goods, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the US or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to contaminants: 78 2. Exposure to disease and infections: 63 3. Exposure to radiation: 62 The worst jobs for your health 5. Podiatrists Overall unhealthiness score: 60.2 What they do: Diagnose and treat diseases and deformities of the human foot. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 87 2. Exposure to radiation: 69 3. Exposure to contaminants: 67 The worst jobs for your health 4. Veterinarians, veterinary assistants, and laboratory animal caretakers and veterinary technologists and technicians What they do: Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals and perform medical tests in a laboratory environment for use in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases in animals. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 81 2. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 75 3. Exposure to contaminants: 74 The worst jobs for your health 3. Anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, and anesthesiologist assistants Overall unhealthiness score: 62.3 What they do: Administer anesthetics or sedatives during medical procedures, and help patients in recovering from anesthesia. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to disease and infections: 94 2. Exposure to contaminants: 80 3. Exposure to radiation: 74 The worst jobs for your health 2. Flight attendants What they do: Provide personal services to ensure the safety, security, and comfort of airline passengers during flight. Greet passengers, verify tickets, explain use of safety equipment, and serve food or beverages. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to contaminants: 88 2. Exposure to disease and infections: 77 3. Exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings: 69 The worst jobs for your health 1. Dentists, dental surgeons, and dental assistants Overall unhealthiness score: 65.4 What they do: Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care. Top three health risks: 1. Exposure to contaminants: 84 2. Exposure to disease and infections: 75 3. Time spent sitting: 67 Alongside Professor John Read, from the University of East London, the pair reviewed 14 studies, most of which found many patients experience withdrawal for weeks, months or longer. In one study, 40 per cent of people had withdrawal symptoms for at least six weeks, while in another, 25 per cent of patients had symptoms for a minimum of three months. Symptoms of antidepressant withdrawal can include anxiety, flu-like symptoms and insomnia. Sir Oliver Letwin, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed Drug Dependence, said: This systematic review provides important new data on antidepressant withdrawal which will be considered by Public Health England as part of their current review into prescribed drug dependence. Drugs taken by millions for incontinence, depression and Parkinsons may increase risk of dementia, finds study The data suggests that existing medical guidelines in this area should be urgently updated to reflect the fact that antidepressant withdrawal is much more common, severe and long-lasting than previously stated. Furthermore, we hope that other medical bodies will take note of this new research, and update their own guidance accordingly. Professor Wendy Burn, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said antidepressants are a life-saver for many people but not enough research has been done into what happens when you stop taking them. As this review shows, for many people the withdrawal effects can be severe, particularly when antidepressants are stopped abruptly, she added. Its good to see more of a focus on this. We are pleased that Public Health England are prioritising dependence on, and withdrawal from, prescribed medicines as an area of review and welcome NHS Englands referral to Nice asking that they do the same. Additional reporting by PA In the years of his retirement, which were really not like a retirement, Ehsan Yarshater, who has died aged 98, used to joke that he had been afflicted by a bug. It made him think that if an important scholarly undertaking had been left undone, he was the one destined to do it and do it the eminent historian and linguist did. He founded several progressive publishing initiatives in Iran and the US; worked with Unesco to register Iran as a world culture; edited a number of books in English on the literary heritage of the Persian language and, most impressively, the colossal Encyclopaedia Iranica, which he envisioned, oversaw and led as editor-in-chief. Yarshater was born in 1920 in the western Iranian city of Hamedan to Jewish parents recently converted to Baha'ism. They both died before he was 12. By sheer will-power, stamina, and hard work as a boy, he overcame poverty to put himself through level after level of education, eventually to rise in his twenties to the attention Ali-Asghar Hekmat, once Irans minister of education, and a key figure in Tehran Universitys newly established department of Persian literature under his guidance Yarshater received his first PhD in Persian literature in 1947. In the 1940s Yarshater was also to meet and befriend several other prominent Iranian scholars and statesmen: people like Seyed Hassan Taqizadeh, the constitutionalist of the early 20th century, an ageing scholar of ancient Iranian history and culture mentored Yarshater, who accompanied him on trips abroad; or Ebrahim Pourdavoud, a German-educated professor of ancient Iranian languages, who took him under his wing and whose all-important academic position Ehsan Yarshater was to occupy sometime in the following decade. In a country where politics had so ruthlessly supplanted culture in the early 1950s, Yarshaters focus and perseverance came in handy. Ehsan Yarshater, left, with Ahmad Karami-Hakkak (Supplied) The support of some of Irans cultural luminaries soon catapulted him from one ambition to another. By 1954 Yarshater found his way into the circle of Assadollah Alam, a courtier and politician reputed to be one of Shah Mohammad-Reza Pahlavis closest friends and confidants after the political turmoil of the 1953 coup detat. Alam turned out to be a crucial presence in Yarshaters public and personal life. He was an avid art collector and he asked Yarshater to purchase prime artefacts, valuable first-edition books, and other artistic goods; doing this, Yarshater began to buy such valuable items for himself as well, a fact that soon made him independently wealthy as well as an expert collector. It was Alam also who supported and advanced Yarshaters idea of establishing an innovative scholarly enterprise in Iran, named The Centre for Book Translation and Publication, funded by Irans royal court but run as an autonomous not-for-profit corporation. And it was Alam, and later, Irans prime minister Jafar Sharif-Emami, who supported and implemented several other of Yarshaters entrepreneurial ideas. These were timely moves, too, as they signalled that post-1953 coup, governments of Iran did indeed have an abiding interest in sponsoring intellectual projects too. The Book Publication Centre, however, was probably the most culturally consequential of Yarshaters ideas. It focused on Persian translations of seminal works by great writers of the west, such as Plato and Goethe. It grew to include scholarly editions of medieval Arabic and Persian texts. There was also the publication of more than 500 volumes of series spanning seven categories. In the process, a standard of scholarly translation, editing and publishing was established hitherto unprecedented in Iran. At around the same time, Yarshater made the acquaintance of Professor Walter Henning, a German linguist internationally recognised as a dialectologist. Henning had travelled to Iran in 1950 to explore those Iranian dialects that, taken together, formed language intermediaries between pre-Islamic languages of Iran and modern Persian, and he persuaded Yarshater first to be his aide and later his student to work towards a second PhD degree at the University of Londons School of Oriental and African Studies. Two years into the activity for the Centre for Book Production and Translation, Yarshater left Iran. The young Iraj Afshar, another towering figure in Persian studies, was left in charge of the Book Publication enterprise and a unique melange of medieval manuscript traditions and novel textual scholarship. Yarshater, however, didnt quite let go of the reins he believed his leadership of the translation and publication processes were key to maintaining standards. Once in London, Yarshater divided his vast energies between his leadership-in-absentia of the Book Publication Centre and his new research interest in dialectology. His professor and mentor, Walter Bruno Henning, a colossus in the field of ancient Iranian languages, had fled Germany in 1937 to spend his time teaching and doing research in London. He had met Yarshater when he first travelled to Iran in 1950 to investigate Tati, an old Iranian dialect which had survived in 40-odd remote villages for thousands of years and which therefore held the key, Henning believed, to understanding the linkages between ancient and contemporary languages of Iran. He asked Yarshater to lead the field work, a task that necessitated shuttling back and forth between Iran and England in the late Fifties, This led to Yarshaters second doctoral degree in 1960. In the early Sixties, Cambridge University sought Yarshaters help in contributing to a grand project: a definitive history of Iran from its very beginnings. This was an offer that would not only engage the Yarshaters attention for the next two decades, both in Iran and in the United States, but would also catapult him into the new, extremely consequential role of a bona fide academic historian, something for which Yarshater was only marginally prepared. Then, as if all this were not enough, in 1968, New Yorks Columbia University appointed Yarshater first as a visiting associate professor and subsequently as one to lead the universitys recently instituted Iranian Studies Program in 1970. His veering towards ancient Iranian history, an offshoot of all the other giddying scholarly preoccupations, was confirmed in 1970s, when he was appointed editor of two volumes of the eight-volume Cambridge History of Iran. One of its aims was to assess Irans contribution to the civilisation of the world this was surely the feature Yarshater most relished. In his introduction to the first of the two books in the series, he summed up its concerns: What makes cultures prosper and wilt, religious systems work or fail? And when it came to the other side of the historians ledger the modern scholarly view of premodern historiography in Iran, he identified a problem: Historical works were often meant to move more than to inform. They belong to a tradition with its own particular norms and purposes and therefore are not ideal tools to serve analytical history as understood in the west. It was, I believe, this personal challenge more than any other single feature of this project that has made The Cambridge History of Iran the most referenced scholarly undertaking of the 20th century when it comes to Iran and its contribution to the steady march of civilisation before the advent of Islam. Some years later, Yarshater would bring the same zeal and zest for implementation, to his conceptualisation of The Encycolpaedia Iranica, his magnum opus in one sense, his retirement project in another he started it at the age of 52. This became a grand scholarly expanse: a 16-volume compendium of first-rate scholarly writings by some 1,600 academicians around the world, on greater Irans languages and literary traditions, historiographic and anthropological formations. Iranica stands as the most staggeringly diverse summation of the contours of Irans changing and challenging culture through all known time from the famed stew abgusht to zephyr, the breeze in Persian love poetry that brings the lovers message to her or his beloved. Ehsan Yarshater, historian and linguist, born 3 April 1920, died 1 September 2018 Professor Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak is emeritus professor of Persian language, literature and culture at the University of Maryland and visiting professor at the department of Near Eastern languages and cultures at the University of California in Los Angeles Bacteria discovered in a 600m-deep hole in Spain have provided tantalising clues about possible alien life that could be hiding on other planets. Scientists found tiny creatures which would normally turn sunlight into energy have developed news ways to survive in the pitch black conditions underground. This ability to live far away from the surface would be a great asset to anything inhabiting Mars, where powerful radiation and harsh environment makes the planets surface virtually uninhabitable. The subsurface is a good place to live on if you are on Mars, research leader Dr Fernando Puente-Sancheza of Spains National Centre for Biotechnology told The Independent. On the surface in Mars there is almost no atmosphere so you get a lot of radiation that could damage life. If you go some metres below the surface then you are protected, it is a very stable environment. Dr Puente-Sancheza said he was initially surprised to find cyanobacteria a group of microbes largely defined by their ability to obtain energy through photosynthesis living so far from the suns rays. When you think of cyanobacteria you think of photosynthesis, he explained. Image showing cyanobacteria (red fluorescent marks) attached to rock fragments extracted from deep below the ground (PNAS) While these microbes have been found living underground before, the small populations discovered previously were assumed to have ended up there by accident perhaps seeping into the ground from the ocean. But the bacteria living in the Iberian Pyrite Belt borehole that Dr Puente-Sancheza and his colleagues documents in their Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences paper were thriving. To understand how they were doing it, the researchers analysed the genetic sequences of the bacteria to look for clues. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region They found evidence for chemical processes taking place in these tiny creatures that could allow them to generate power using hydrogen as fuel. Whenever there were large amounts of cyanobacteria in the samples, the hydrogen concentrations decreased that could indicate the cyanobacteria are indeed consuming that hydrogen, said Dr Puente-Sancheza. Cyanobacteria are hardy creatures, and this additional string to their bow suggests that there are few conditions that they cannot adapt to live in. It also suggests a model for the kind of alien life forms that could once have inhabited Mars, and could be living there still. On Mars, the typical idea you get is that if there was ever life, it was in the past because in the past it was so much better you had water on Mars, you had an atmosphere that would give you protection, you have volcanic activity that gave you more energy, said Dr Puente-Sancheza. What this tells us is that maybe things that were alive on the surface and were having a good time in the past there maybe they can colonise the subsurface and maybe they are still surviving there. In June organic matter collected by Nasas Curiosity rover on the surface of the Red Planet provided the best evidence yet that life had once existed on its surface. As evidence mounts for an underground habitable zone on Mars, scientists hope that these studies will inform future expeditions to search for alien life. Travelling long distances in space could destroy astronauts guts, according to a major new Nasa-funded study. The research raises substantial red flags about the possibility of humans taking journeys to places such as Mars. It follows previous studies that suggested such journeys could do significant damage to peoples brains and might age them prematurely. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region The new research subjected mice to the same kinds of bombardment by galactic cosmic radiation that would affect humans if they were on long space journeys. That radiation could cause damage to the gastrointestinal tissue that would lead to long-term functional alterations. And the study also raises concerns that those astronauts would be at high risk of developing tumours in their stomach and colon. Heavy ions such as iron and silicon are damaging because of their greater mass compared to no-mass photons such as x-rays and gamma ()-rays prevalent on earth as well as low mass protons in outer space, said the studys senior investigator, Kamal Datta, a senior scientist at Georgetown University Medical Centre and Nasa. With the current shielding technology, it is difficult to protect astronauts from the adverse effects of heavy ion radiation. Although there may be a way to use medicines to counter these effects, no such agent has been developed yet. While short trips, like the times astronauts travelled to the Moon, may not expose them to this level of damage, the real concern is lasting injury from a long trip such as a Mars or other deep space missions which would be much longer. NASA Mars Helicopter Technology Demonstration The GI tract is in a continuous state of self-renewal and replacement, as its cells continually change. The top layer is replaced every three to five days as new cells move to take the place of older ones. Any disturbance of this replacement mechanism leads to malfunctioning of physiologic processes such as nutrient absorption and starts pathologic processes such as cancer, said Albert Fornace Jr, the director of the NASA Specialised Centre of Research at GUMC. Even though the dose given to the mice was very low, it lasted a long time to simulate the effect of a deep space mission. And it appears that the changes are irreversible. Scientists now believe that the same problems could apply to other organs and that further work needs to be done to understand the full damage that deep space travel might do to human bodies. We have documented the effects of deep space radiation on some vital organs, but we believe that similar damage responses may occur in many organs, says Mr Datta. It is important to understand these effects in advance so we can do everything we can to protect our future space travellers. Widely regarded as one of the worlds deadliest snakes, a bite from a black mamba once meant certain death or a complicated and expensive treatment derived from horses blood. But using substances extracted from human blood samples, scientists have been able to treat mice infected with its deadly venom. As a result they are now hoping that they will be able to create a new treatment to neutralise various types of snakebite and save thousands of lives. Recommended Man makes deadly snakes bite him 160 times in hunt for human antidote Around 5 million people every year are bitten by snakes resulting in up to 150,000 fatalities. Others are left permanently disabled. As most of those take place in poorer parts of the world, pharmaceutical companies are less likely to invest in treatment for them. Setting out to improve this situation professor Andreas Hougaard Laustsen and his international research team decided to start with the deadly black mamba. Feared by residents of the African savannah, the creature produces a potent venom which affects the human nervous system and can kill within hours. Although they can be treated with antivenoms, those currently in use are typically derived from the blood of horses, which have previously been made hyperimmunised by injecting them with small amounts of venom. This produces antibodies in their blood that can be extracted and used to combat the effects of the venom in humans. We hope that this will pave the way for bringing a therapy to many of the snakebite victims living in impoverished regions in the developing world who have been neglected for so many years Professor Andreas Hougaard Laustsen While these treatments work, they are expensive and come with a variety of side effects including so-called serum sickness and allergic reactions. Professor Laustsen who is based at the Technical University of Denmark, reasoned that better results could be achieved using human antibodies. Rather than injecting humans with snake venom to produce the correct antibodies a technique that has been attempted by various enthusiastic amateurs the scientists developed a lab-based alternative. After scanning a library containing human antibody genes collected from blood cells, they then screened the antibodies for ones capable of fighting mamba toxins. Once they had identified the correct genes, they inserted them into cells that were turned into tiny factories to churn out large amounts of the antibodies. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary "The leap forward in our experiments is that we used a biotechnological method to find and then propagate human antibodies in the laboratory to enable use in the treatment of experimental black mamba envenoming, said Prof Laustsen after results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications. The method we employed can be used to discover human antibodies in the lab by simulating of the human immune system, so we can avoid injecting patients with snake venom to raise antibodies by immunisation. The antibodies that resulted from this process were then mixed into a cocktail that was administered to mice, a treatment that halted the neurotoxic effects of mamba venom. The researchers said that while these results are promising, it will likely be years before they are widely applied to treat snakebites. Recommended Snake eats pigeon in London street while startled shoppers look on Before clinical testing of the antivenom on humans will make sense, it is relevant to develop more antibodies for the antivenom to give it a broader spectrum against several types of snake venom," Prof Laustsen said. His team nonetheless hope that having done this they can assemble a treatment that can be given by doctors to treat a wide range of bites, even when the identity of the snake is unknown. Professor Laustsen said these results demonstrated that antivenoms can be made safer, and the team suggested that with development their technique could be a cheaper option for developing countries. We also hope that this will pave the way for bringing a therapy to many of the snakebite victims living in impoverished regions in the developing world who have been neglected for so many years, he added. The release of hate preacher Anjem Choudary could worsen extremism among both Islamists and the far right, experts have warned. Choudary was jailed for inviting support for Isis in 2016 but is expected to be imminently freed under tight licence conditions aiming to prevent the revival of his banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun. The government vows that MI5 will be watching the cleric like a hawk but there are fears that his release will invigorate his supporters, and far-right groups like the English Defence League (EDL). The Faith Matters counter-extremism network warned that Choudary was part of a dance of hate where the only ones to profit have been the extremists. Forecasting an increase in far-right activity around his release, which has already been seen with the launch of petitions and planned protests, the group said: It may also embolden enablers of Islamist extremism who continue to promote a 'them and us' mentality that seeks to mentally marginalise British Muslims from mainstream society. Choudary and his followers were active from the early 2000s, aiming to convert people to Islam and radicalise Muslims with leafleting, stalls, talks and protests across the country. Muslim councillors and MPs were among their targets as they promoted the idea of a clash of civilisations between Islam and the West. Choudary, a former solicitor, frustrated the security services by treading a careful line to keep his incendiary speeches just outside British terror legislation while gaining media coverage with provocative protests. Anjem Choudary: Radical preacher found guilty of inviting support for Isis Al-Muhajiroun and its renamed affiliates were eventually banned as terrorist groups and Choudary himself has been listed as a specially designated global terrorist by the US State Department. His followers have included numerous men who went to fight for Isis, including executioner Siddhartha Dhar, Lee Rigbys murderers and the London Bridge attack ringleader Khuram Butt. Other terrorists linked to al-Muhajiroun include 7/7 bomber Mohammad Sidique Khan, Mikes Place attacker Omar Khan Sharif, Kashmir suicide bomber Bilal Mohammed and the men behind plots including the planned Ministry of Sound bombing, truck attack in Oxford Street and London Stock Exchange mail bombings. Fiyaz Mughal, the director of Faith Matters, said Choudarys influence showed that extremism must be disrupted, challenged and pushed out of the public space at every point. Choudhary was regarded by many as a clown in the 1990s and with no real traction, yet we can see now just how mistaken this belief was, he added. He systematically preyed on vulnerable young men while inculcating them with messages of alienation and disaffection for our country. When groups like Isis and al-Qaeda came along, Choudhary's warped beliefs bore fruit as the young men he helped brainwash headed out to areas such as the Middle East, while other associates such as Westminster attacker Khalid Masood sought to wreak terror on our streets. Masood was found to be a contact of numerous al-Muhajiroun members in Luton and Crawley but was not a member himself. While Choudary is due to be released this month alongside co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, several other associates are also currently under licence conditions or Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures that will expire in time. London Bridge Terror Attack Show all 16 1 /16 London Bridge Terror Attack London Bridge Terror Attack Armed police on Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed Police talk to members of the public outside London Bridge Hospital as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police Officers outside the Barrowboy and Banker Public House on Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed Police talk to members of the public outside London Bridge Hospital as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Armed police on Borough High Street as police deal with a 'major incident' at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency services near the scene of the incident Screengrab London Bridge Terror Attack People run down Borough High Street as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency services arrive at the scene near Borough market at London Bridge Carl Court/Getty Images London Bridge Terror Attack Emergency personnel on London Bridge as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police sniffer dogs on London Bridge as police are dealing with a "major incident" at London Bridge PA London Bridge Terror Attack A second helicopter lands on London Bridge as police are responding to three incidents in the capital, amid reports that a vehicle collided with pedestrians on London Bridge, Scotland Yard said. Officers are dealing with reports of stabbings in Borough Market, where armed officers attended and shots were fired. They are also at an incident in the Vauxhall area PA London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London REUTERS London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack A police officer escorts members of the public to safety at London Bridge Getty Images London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident on London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters London Bridge Terror Attack Police attend to an incident near London Bridge in London, Britain Reuters Adam Deen, a former member of al-Muhajiroun who is now the executive director of the Quilliam counter-extremism think tank, said it could be back to square one for authorities. He told The Independent that it was unclear how many members of the network remained active, after a number of terror plotters were jailed and others were killed fighting for Isis in Syria and Iraq. I would expect a rebirth of al-Muhajirioun, probably smarter and more cautious of the law, Mr Deen added. Im not too sure how much support Anjem is going to have when he comes out but most definitely hes not going to stay quiet. Choudary was moved to a specialist secure separation centre at HMP Frankland in County Durham to curtail his influence on fellow inmates, amid warnings that a record number of jailed terrorists could dramatically increase radicalisation in UK prisons. Mr Deen, who acted as a recruiter for al-Muhajiroun before leaving in 2003, said Choudary could emerge from prison more fervent in his beliefs, while his supporters perceive him as a martyr to their cause. These people should be the number one priority for security services because even if they arent carrying out [terror] activity themselves they are recruiting, he warned. Several of Choudarys former associates have been spotted preaching their creed at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park this year and others have been seen at dawah stalls giving out leaflets and copies of the Quran. London Bridge attack ringleader Khuram Butt was a member of al-Muhajiroun and appeared in a documentary on the group (Channel 4) Dr Michael Kenney, a University of Pittsburgh professor and author of The Islamic State in Britain, said the network have been meeting, engaging in low-level preaching and related activities during Choudarys imprisonment. He said that while some only believe in the jihad of the tongue, escalation to violence can happen extremely quickly, as it did for Masood. But Dr Kenney, who followed al-Muhajiroun for five years for his research, said the group had made a strategic mistake by aligning itself with Isis and losing any claim to protect the interest of Muslims. Al-Muhajiroun has never been more marginalised in Britain, he said. They publicly identified themselves as Isis supporters and then the world saw what a grotesque monstrosity the Isis caliphate was. Most British Muslims cant stand that and it didnt do Choudary and his merry band any favours people dont hear what theyre preaching, wherever they go they get confronted by Muslims. Dr Kenney said Choudarys network has been left very weak by global outcry against Isis and a crackdown by security services. He added: The recruiting environment is very bad for them right now, particularly after Isis atrocities and the attacks in Britain. People dont want to hear what they are preaching anymore. A police officer who tried to save PC Keith Palmer during the Westminster attack has told how Khalid Masood looked him directly in the eye during his rampage. PC Nick Carlisle was one of the unarmed Metropolitan Police officers posted at gates outside the Houses of Parliament on 22 March last year. He told inquests into the victims deaths that he was alerted to the attack on hearing a loud bang when Masood crashed his car into railings after fatally running over four victims on Westminster Bridge. PC Carlisle heard a report of a possible explosion over his radio and could see the grey 4x4 smoking metres away. Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, he described a crowd of people surging away from the bridge, shouting and screaming. A man wearing a suit in his 40s shouted men with knife stabbing people, men with knives, the officer said. As soon as he said that I was drawn to the attacker just behind. He looked me directly in the eye. He was coming through a crowd of people. He was not interested in members of the public. He was coming to kill police officers. A US tourist took the photo just 45 minutes before the officer was stabbed to death (Facebook) PC Carlisle said that as one of his colleagues reacted by shouting shut the gate, PC Palmer urged the crowd to come in here. CCTV footage previously played to the court shows Masood running through the gate at speed and starting to stab PC Palmer the first officer he reached immediately. PC Carlisle said he had backed away by about 10 metres when he turned to see the terrorist attacking his colleague. I ran forward intending to issue a rugby tackle, shoulder barge, he said. He came at me with knives up. I was very close. The distraction gave PC Palmer time to get up and run as PC Carlisle shouted for armed support, the inquest heard, but he collapsed metres away and died at the scene of his injuries. PC Carlisle told how he saw close protection officers with handguns drawn approaching, adding: I indicated the suspect, making it clear who the attacker was and pointing him out. After Masood was shot, the officer secured him in handcuffs, fearing he was a jihadi-type attacker who might be wearing a suicide vest. He then saw PC Palmer on the ground surrounded by a gaggle of people and went to help. Hugo Keith, a lawyer representing the Metropolitan Police told PC Carlisle: You bravely attempted to go towards Masood and PC Palmer to try to disable Masood, but the reality was there was no time to stop him before he got to PC Palmer and once he turned towards you with his knives there was no time or ability to stop him after that. In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP Lawyer Susannah Stevens thanked the officer for his bravery in trying to help on behalf of PC Palmers family. She argued that the absence of armed police stationed at Carriage Gates contributed to the officers death as part of an inadequate security system. Two marksmen were on patrol in New Palace Yard but had been near the site of the attack for just 14 out of the 108 minutes before the officer was attacked, the inquests heard. PC Palmer, an unarmed officer, should not have been stabbed to death inside the Palace of Westminster on 22 March last year without any adequate firearms protection, Ms Stevens said. If there had been firearms officers present at that time, in our submission, on the balance of probabilities they would have been able to prevent a loss of an opportunity of saving PC Palmers life. Or to put it another way, on the balance of probabilities, their absence contributed to PC Palmers death. Dominic Adamson, representing the MC Palmers widow Michelle, said there had been a systematic failure in security arrangements for New Palace Yard. The system for protecting unarmed officers at the gates of the Palace of Westminster had failed and had been failing for years, he said. The problems were, in our submission, obvious and ought to have been identified by those in authorities at the Palace of Westminster. PC Keith Palmers funeral He told the coroner: In my submission it is very clear that you can be satisfied that as a result of those failures the consequences for PC Palmer were that there was a substantial loss of the opportunities for him to be saved. The 48-year-old died at the scene, while 52-year-old Masood was pronounced dead in hospital after being shot twice in the chest. Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, died as a result of being hit by Masoods car on Westminster Bridge. Gareth Patterson QC, who represents their families, said the inquests had heard evidence exposing troubling areas of concern over security in Westminster and MI5s decision not to investigate Masood as a threat. He urged the coroner to make a report on the circumstances of the case to protect the public and said there was a black and white approach among security services, separating probes into attack planning and general evidence of extremism. The Frade family was quite frankly bewildered by the failure to revisit Masood, particularly in the latter years when he was again and again meeting with [Anjem Choudarys terrorist group] al-Muhajiroun individuals, Mr Patterson said. He suggested security services should look again at when to investigate and when to stop, and take account of violent backgrounds such as Masoods, who had a lengthy history of violence and domestic abuse. Mr Patterson also suggested the coroner make recommendations to the government on regulation of hire cars after the inquests heard Masood rented a powerful Hyundai in Birmingham without any regulation. He highlighted concerns over online radicalisation and end-to-end encryption of apps such as WhatsApp, which Masood used to send his final Jihad manifesto seeking to justify his actions. Mark Lucraft QC, the Chief Coroner of England and Wales, is due to start delivering his conclusions on Wednesday and a separate inquest into Masoods death will start later this week. Additional reporting by PA Commuters on the London Underground will face further disruption as drivers go on strike later this week. Members of the drivers union, Aslef, will walk out on the Central Line for 24 hours on Friday in a dispute over industrial relations. Another strike is planned for 7 November. Last week, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on the Piccadilly Line took industrial action in a separate row. Finn Brennan, Aslefs organiser on London Underground, said: Industrial action is always the last resort but, given the intransigence of management on a whole range of issues affecting our members, we have reluctantly decided this is our only course of action. He said the strike was over a number of issues, including imposition of unsafe working practices. 'Angry' commuter launches 'Smiles on the Lines' campaign to encourage people to socialise on the tube What links these issues is a basic failure to treat drivers with fairness and respect, Mr Brennan said. Management seem to think of drivers as an appendix of the trains they operate, not as human beings. We have seen drivers dismissed because of one mistake after a quarter of a century of excellent service or reduced in grade because they had the temerity to take time off sick after a traumatic incident. London Underground management has had ample opportunities to resolve this dispute but they have chosen not to because they believe they will get what they want by using sticks instead of carrots. They have abused the disciplinary and attendance procedure to try to create a climate of fear on the Central Line. Nigel Holness, Transport for Londons director of network operations for London Underground, said: This possible strike action will mean that the Central and Waterloo & City lines would be closed for the day. If there are any changes to service levels, we will update customers through our website, journey planner and social media channels, which all feature up-to-date travel advice. We are meeting with Aslef leadership to try to work with them to avoid this strike action and I urge them to continue these positive discussions so that Londoners dont experience disruption this week. Additional reporting by Press Association A ban on the use of combustible cladding following the Grenfell Tower fire will still allow panelling that can catch fire, firefighters have warned. Housing secretary James Brokenshire announced on Monday the government would ban the use of combustible materials, including cladding from all new schools, hospitals, care homes, student accommodation and residential houses rising over 18 metres. But the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the new regulations did not go far enough, claiming the move was designed for political convenience. Class A2 materials such as plasterboard, which has limited combustibility, will continue to be permitted under the new rules. Recommended Tower block residents may be made to pay to replace deadly cladding Firefighters are calling for only A1 materials, which do not contribute to a fire at any stage such as metal, stone and glass be allowed. The partial ban on combustible cladding will not be applied retrospectively to buildings that have already had the panels fitted. FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: These measures do not deal with the existing cladding on nearly 500 buildings across England where people live and work every day. The governments proposals only apply to buildings over 18 metres high, plus hospitals, care homes and student accommodation, when they should apply to all buildings, whatever their height or use. They continue to allow A2 materials, when they should permit only the highest standard of A1. Dany Cotton on comforting firefighters at Grenfell 'I spent a large number of time, talking to firefighters who'd broken down in my arms' The ban follows 15 months of pressure from those affected by the tragedy which killed 72 people in Kensington. Announcing the ban following a consultation, Mr Brokenshire said he wanted to bring about a change in culture on building safety, saying the unimaginable horror of the Grenfell Tower inferno must not be allowed to happen again. The announcement at Tory party conference comes as the bereaved, survivors and residents prepare to give their testimony to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry this week. Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Show all 18 1 /18 Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Kitchen in flat 16 where the fire started Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began The kitchen from flat 16 ReutersGrenfell Tower Inquiry/Reuters Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began The kitchen from flat 16 PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Hallway in flat 16, leading to the kitchen where the fire started Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began The kitchen from flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began The kitchen from flat 16 PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Bedroom in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Living room in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Toilet in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Living room in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Bedroom 2 of flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/Reuters Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Bedroom in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Bedroom 2 of flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/Reuters Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began The kitchen from flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Kitchen in flat 16 where the fire started Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Door to flat 16 from the lobby on floor 4 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Living room in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Grenfell Tower Inquiry: photos of inside the flat where fire began Hallway in flat 16 Grenfell Tower Inquiry/PA Mr Wrack added: This announcement is designed for political convenience, not for thoroughgoing change. The failings in the fire safety regime are far wider than just the materials used. The whole deregulated system and weak guidance needs to be overhauled. Many residents of high rise residential buildings and firefighters wanted more comprehensive action taken against flammable cladding. This government has failed to deliver. A spokesman for Mr Brokenshire said: We are saddened to see the response of the Fire Brigades Union. We consulted on this very important matter and indeed went beyond what was asked of us. These measures will save lives, and we are clear building safety is at the very heart of what Mr Brokenshire is doing. Tropical Storm Leslie, which is currently hovering over the mid-Atlantic, has the potential to pose a threat to the UK, forecasters have warned. Expected to develop into a hurricane as it reaches warmer waters, the stormfront is currently moving in a southwesterly direction towards Bermuda and the eastern United States. America's National Hurricane Center (NHC) has, however, suggested it could be about to perform an abrupt U-turn and head for the British Isles. Heres everything you need to know about its possible progression. Could Storm Leslie hit the UK? Later this week the NHC said the storm will head north-northeast towards Britain. Surface observations and satellite-derived wind data indicate that a broad area of low pressure has developed over the southwestern Caribbean Sea a couple of hundred miles north of Panama, it reported. Shower and thunderstorm activity is currently limited and unfavourable upper-level winds are expected to inhibit development over the next couple of days while the low drifts generally northward. Recommended How climate change is increasing the threat from tropical storms By late week and over the weekend, however, upper-level winds are forecast to become a little more conducive for development when the system will be moving northwestward into the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Other observers are less certain, however. Some models suggest Leslie will track south of the UK while others suggest it may move close to the UK by the end of next week, according to Met Office chief forecaster Andy Page. It is too early to tell the exact impact on the UK but it will most likely bring a spell of strong winds and rain the type of weather associated with low-pressure systems at this time of year. If Leslie were to make a beeline for Britain, southern coastal communities would need to brace themselves for strong gales and torrential rainfall. How else might the stormfront develop? The storm is currently around 570 miles east of Bermuda and bringing winds of 60mph. Leslie is expected to strengthen as it drifts towards warmer waters, enabling it to absorb additional moisture. This is certainly bad news for the Caribbean and perhaps the southern US, which could experience swells driving dangerous surf and rip tides towards Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles over the coming days. While Leslie is expected to linger in the central Atlantic for much of the week, its future thereafter is not yet clear-cut so the front is being closely monitored. It is the 12th named storm to hit the Atlantic basin this hurricane season. Boris Johnson has warned that Theresa Mays cheat Brexit plans would leave the UK in manacles and lead to the dominance of the far right and far left in British politics. The ex-cabinet minister made the claims as he also launched a broader attack on the prime ministers policies on Brexit, crime and taxation on the third day of Conservative conference in Birmingham. The speech in front of a packed-out hall of supporters is widely seen as a pitch for the support of Tory members, ahead of an expected leadership bid in the near future. Recommended May to seek cabinet backing for Brexit proposal changes Ms Mays office were apparently spooked enough by his support to try and launch a PR counter offensive on Tuesday morning, but with her own MPs meeting Mr Johnson in front of the cameras ahead of his speech it seemed to have had little impact. In his most stinging attack yet on Ms Mays plans for Brexit, he said: What the Chequers proposals show is that the United Kingdom, for all its power and might and network of influences around the world, for all its venerable parliamentary history, was ultimately unable to take back control. And instead of reasserting our ability to make our own laws, the UK will be effectively paraded in manacles down the Rue de la Loi like Caractacus. Caractacus was a first-century British chieftan who led the resistance against the Roman Empire, but was ultimately defeated, captured and taken to Rome as a war prize. The ex-foreign secretary went on to warn that Ms Mays Brexit deal would embolden those who are campaigning for a second referendum and was a recipe for further acrimony. Boris Johnson takes dig at Brandon Lewis over party's app breach He said: If we cheat the electorate and Chequers is a cheat we will escalate the sense of mistrust. We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the chequers deal will be the far right in the form of UKIP and therefore the far left in the form of Jeremy Corbyn. We will give credence to those who cry betrayal, and I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the chequers deal will be the far right in the form of UKIP and therefore the far left in the form of Jeremy Corbyn Boris Johnson Mr Johnson won loud applause when he suggested that the PM risked being prosecuted under a 14th century law saying that no foreign court or government shall have jurisdiction in this country. He rejected as total fantasy the idea that it would be possible to bodge Brexit now and then negotiate a better deal after leaving in March 2019. The Uxbridge MP went on to warn that Ms Mays blueprint which ties Britain to a common rulebook with the EU for trade in goods would be politically humiliating for a 2tn economy and would prevent the UK from making its own laws and subject it to the directives of Brussels. Queues to enter the speech venue reached far around the corridors of the conference venue where Mr Johnson was speaking, with some of his admirers turning up two-and-a-half hours early for his appearance. It came after days in which he has already launched a series of attacks on the prime minister and her Brexit plan, but on Tuesday he went further taking a swipe at her broader agenda. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Show all 14 1 /14 Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Internal divisions in the Conservative Party have exploded into a bitter public row over Boris Johnsons disgusting criticism of Theresa May. Some senior Tories furiously denounced the former foreign secretary after he accused the prime minister of having wrapped a suicide vest around Britain Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Sajid Javid, Home secretary Sajid Javid, the home secretary, rebuked his former cabinet colleague and said: I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that the public wanted politicians to use measured language BBC/PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide But other MPs leapt to Mr Johnsons defence, as dividing lines ahead of a possible leadership contest begin to take shape. The Uxbridge MP has repeatedly criticised Ms Mays Chequers plan and used a newspaper article on Sunday to suggest it amounted to wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution. His latest salvo at the prime minister prompted immediate condemnation, with one minister publicly vowing to end Mr Johnsons career over the matter PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alan Duncan, Foreign minister Alan Duncan, a foreign minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team for two years, wrote on Twitter: For Boris to say the PMs view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. Im sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isnt now, I will make sure it is later. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide James Brokenshire, Housing secretary Housing secretary James Brokenshire added his voice to the criticism, calling Mr Johnsons comments wrong He said: I think he is wrong on this...I think the tone that he has used isnt right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Zac Goldsmith But as Tory hostilities spilled over into open public warfare, Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, an ally of Mr Johnson, hit back at Mr Duncan. He wrote: There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain principles arent one of them. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Jacob Rees-Mogg Senior Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Independent he thought Mr Johnsons suicide belt accusation was little more than a characteristically colourful catchphrase. He added: I agree with the sentiment. The criticism of Boriss wording merely serves to highlight his point. It means more people hear of Boriss criticism of Chequers and many will agree with him. Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries, another Brexit supporter, said Mr Johnsons opponents were terrified of his popular appeal, adding: Dont underestimate the vitriol thatll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the Leave vote, Remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him. If Mr Johnson became leader and prime minister he would deliver a clean and prosperous Brexit, she said Rex Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Andrew Bridgen Andrew Bridgen said Ms May was to blame for her leadership problems. Asked if Mr Johnson had put a bomb under her leadership, Mr Bridgen said: I think that Theresa May did that herself when she put forward the Chequers proposals without consulting widely prior to that. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Steve Baker, former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, warned Ms May the Conservatives faced a "catastrophic split" if she did not jettison her Chequers plan. Mr Baker, who quit the government in July over the scheme, said: When negotiating, the prime minister needs to demonstrate her intent and also her power to deliver. "If we come out of conference with her hoping to get Chequers through on the back of Labour votes, I think the EU negotiators would probably understand that if that were done, the Tory party would suffer the catastrophic split which thus far we have managed to avoid. But he insisted he did not want a change in the Conservative leadership, saying Brexiteers did not want to be in a position of conflict with our own prime minister Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Tom Tugendhat The deep divisions on the Tory benches were laid bare as Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee and is a possible leadership rival to Mr Johnson, also hit out at the former foreign secretary. Recalling how he encountered a suicide bomber in Afghanistan during his time in the army, Mr Tugendhat told Mr Johnson to grow up. He said: A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isnt happy. PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alistair Burt Alistair Burt, another Foreign Office minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team, said: Im stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. If we dont stop his extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide It comes amid that Ms Mays former aides drew up a dossier on Mr Johnsons sexual encounters with the aim of undermining his leadership prospects. The document was compiled in 2016, when the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was seen as the main rival to Ms May in her bid to enter No 10. Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquaters (CCHQ) both denied having leaked the 4,000 word memo after it was circulated around Westminster AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Mr Johnson confirmed that his 25-year marriage to wife Marina had ended AP On crime he said: We Conservatives know that it is only a strong private sector economy that can pay for superb public services. And that is the central symmetry of our one nation Toryism. Because it is only by making sure that the streets are safer and lets bring back stop and search incidentally, and end this politically correct nonsense that has endangered the lives of young people in our capital. It is only by putting in the infrastructure that enables people to live near their place of work; it is only with a properly funded NHS...that you can give people the peace of mind they need. Ms May was responsible for a rolling back in the stop-and-search approach to policing while home secretary and has held to the policy as prime minister, with some pointing its absence as being responsible for a rise in knife crime. Iain Duncan Smith, a former leader of the party, said Tory chiefs had to recognise when the membership is saying something to you and that Mr Johnsons speech should be seen as a message to government. Former cabinet ministers Owen Paterson and John Redwood said Ms May had to understand that mainstream opinion in the party was bitterly opposed to her plan. But not everyone was quite as impressed, Conservative former Brexit secretary David Davis said of Mr Johnsons event: It was a good speech, nice and clear. Femi Oluwole confronts a Brexiteer claiming the EU forces uncontrolled and harmful immigration on the United Kingdom Asked what impact it would have on Ms Mays keynote speech on Wednesday, he said: Its a different speech, shes the prime minister, shes got to give a serious speech about the future of not just Brexit but all the other elements of the domestic strategy which of course Boris was talking about too. Shell make a good speech. Mr Davis played down claims that Mr Johnsons decision to come to conference represented a leadership bid, saying: Weve had speeches all week from the chancellor, the foreign secretary, from all sorts of people and they set the scene. Others in the crowd also caveated their support. David Drew, who sits on Test Valley Borough Council, said: Boris is a great performer. He obviously wowed the crowd. I was a little concerned when he got such applause for saying we should chuck Chequers because I think its a starting site. Asked if Mr Johnson would be the next party leader, he replied: I doubt it. Im not even sure he will get on the ballot paper. Carol York, a party member from Mid Sussex, said it was a good, rousing speech. She added: It was very good and he supported Theresa May as well. Boris Johnson has used a speech on the fringes of the Conservatives' annual conference to mock the party chairman over a data breach that led to the leak of ministers and senior politicians' contact details. The former foreign secretary was among a number of high-profile Conservatives to be contacted by members of the public on his personal mobile number after the security breach was discovered at the weekend. Users of the party's conference app noticed they could access private data for any attendees, simply by logging in using an email address and without being prompted for a password. Addressing the debacle, Mr Johnson told delegates on Tuesday: "I know this conference is going to be a staggering success because just in the last few days about a dozen hard-left Momentum activists have taken the trouble to ring my personal mobile phone and pledge and support. "Of course, I passed them straight onto Brandon [Lewis]". The left-wing columnist, Owen Jones, was among those to have sent Mr Johnson a message on his personal number shortly after the leak, requesting an interview with him for the Guardian. Recommended Johnson to woo Tory members ahead of expected leadership bid Following the major breach on Sunday, Mr Lewis said the party was treating the system flaw as a "serious matter" which affected a "limited number" of people. As Mr Johnson addressed the party faithful, James Duddridge, Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East and a subscriber to the staunchly pro-Brexit European Research Group, gave Mr Johnson his support. "Turns out there is a plan. That plan is Boris. brexit," he tweeted. Before Mr Johnson appeared on stage, however, the business minister, Claire Perry, dismissed the significance of her colleague's one-day visit to Birmingham. "It's a travelling circus that comes to town," she told Sky News. "He thrives on publicity, he doesn't have a policy backbone anywhere on him. Who doesn't want to see the court jester arrive? But behind the scenes all the deadly serious work of delivering Brexit goes on." Theresa May will try to take back control of her party on Wednesday after its members queued for hours to hear Boris Johnson demand her Brexit agenda be dumped. The prime minister will call on her MPs to ignore claims from Mr Johnson that her plans are a cheat and instead ask them to put the national interest first by backing them to avoid a catastrophic no-deal Brexit. The row between the pair boiled over on Tuesday with the ex-foreign secretary claiming Ms Mays Chequers proposals would leave the Britain in manacles, while a cross prime minister argued her rivals plans would destroy the UK. Ms May will also take a series of veiled swipes at her leadership rival in her keynote speech on the final day of Tory conference telling delegates the British people wish their party to remain moderate. But further pressure was also heaped on Ms Mays Brexit strategy from the DUP, her Northern Irish partners in government, who threatened to pull their support over a compromise with Brussels she is said to be planning. There were also warnings from Europe that politicians in Brussels are not willing to offer Ms May a deal that would cross their red lines simply to save her political skin With Tory rebels wrestling over whether to vote down Ms Mays Brexit plans due to their ideological dislike of the EU, officials said she would remind them Conservatives always act in the national interest and put the needs of hardworking people first. Her ministers had spent the week warning of the terrible consequences of a no-deal Brexit for the economy and ordinary people, if a deal cannot be reached. Boris Johnson accuses Theresa May of trying to 'manacle' the UK as he tilts to Conservative leadership But on Tuesday Mr Johnson told an auditorium packed full of Conservatives that her plans would leave the UK effectively paraded in manacles down the Rue de la Loi. Ms May hit back in a television interview in which she said his idea of a Canada-style trade deal would mean an unacceptable border in the Irish Sea. There are one of two things that Boris said that Im cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland Prime Minister Theresa May Asked about his speech, Ms May said she had not watched it, because she had been meeting activists and seeing a party thats in really good heart. But she told the BBC: There are one or two things that Boris said that Im cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland [that it will remain under the UKs jurisdiction]. In her speech on Wednesday she will continue her criticism of her rival, saying that the public want to back a party that is, decent, moderate and patriotic, one that puts the national interest first, delivers on the issues they care about and is comfortable with modern Britain in all its diversity. We must show everyone in this country that we are that party. Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Show all 6 1 /6 Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Phillip Hammond Chancellor Phillip Hammond said in an interview with the Mail that Boris has never been "a details man", won't be next Prime Minister and that his most notable policy achievement is the launching of Boris Bikes AFP/Getty Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Davis Speaking to Sophie Ridge on Sunday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said "a lot of his ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Ruth Davidson Speaking on Sunday Politics, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson has said that Boris' use of language in attacking the Prime Minister's Chequers plan was "not wise" and urged for a "period of silence" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Greg Clark Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated that Boris' idea to scrap HS2 and instead build a bridge to Northern Ireland was "completely the wrong approach" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Lord Digby Jones Speaking on stage in Birmingham, crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones branded Boris as "irrelevant" and "offensive" for his comments on business PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Mundell Referring to Boris' recent 6-point Brexit plan, Scottish Secretary David Mundell stated that "these are things for headlines, not for the substance of negotiations" PA Her words come after weeks in which Mr Johnson has used increasingly extreme and offensive language in articles, including referring to Muslim women in burqas and niqabs as looking like bank robbers and letter boxes and then saying Ms Mays plans would put the UK in a suicide vest. At a fringe event the DUPs Westminster leader Nigel Dodds commented on claims that even Ms Mays proposals for a Brexit deal could see some regulatory checks undertaken at Irish Sea ports. Threatening to pull support for her approach, he said: Let us be clear that for the DUP there will be no border of any kind down the Irish Sea customs, regulatory, political, constitutional or otherwise because we are part of the UK and we will leave the EU together and as one nation. The danger of [the EUs proposed] Irish backstop is that it has the potential, to not only separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK ... it also has the potential to shackle the UK for generations to come in its relationship with Europe. Ms May will attempt to convince her cabinet that proposed compromises on customs and future EU regulation are not a step too far and will secure a deal. But in Brussels the European Parliaments Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt warned Ms May the EU will not abandon its red lines to rescue her party from a looming disaster of its own making. We will never undermine the principles of the European project to rescue a political party who is not even capable to find a common line on the mess of Brexit, he told MEPs. Recreational drug use by middle-class professionals will be investigated by the government as part of efforts to tackle the drivers of violent crime. The home secretary, Sajid Javid, was to tell the Conservative Party conference that drug markets could cause sudden shifts in serious violence, such as stabbings and shootings. The government is launching a review of drug misuse of all kinds including drug use among professionals and the small number of entrenched users who cause the most harm. It follows calls from senior police officers to target middle-class cocaine users whose recreational habits are believed to be fuelling increasing street violence. I am committed to ending the scourge of violent crime and will combat this issue using all the tools at the governments disposal, Mr Javid was due to tell delegates in Birmingham. We will not only deal with crime when it happens but will go further and strengthen our ability to target and prevent the root causes of criminal behaviour from finding the evidence, ensuring our services are working together and providing the right resources to the right places. The government is also to consult on making it compulsory for sectors including health, education, social services, local government and housing and others to tackle the root causes of serious violence as a priority. Justice secretary David Gauke: middle class drug users to blame for street crime and violence Mr Javid, considered a front-runner to become the next Tory leader, was to announce a new 200m Youth Endowment Fund that aims to divert children away from criminality in selected hotspots. Echoing a successful violence reduction programme in Scotland that has recently been mirrored in London, it will use early predictors of involvement in youth violence to target children as young as 10. The factors include truancy from school, aggression, aggression, anti-social behaviour, substance misuse, criminal parents or domestic abuse in the home. Recommended Knife crime offences rise to highest level since 2010 The Home Office said the fund took a public health approach to addressing violence that will be long-term. But Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said the fund did not replace the money already cut from local authorities. Its no use Sajid Javid saying health, education, social services, local government, housing and others are at the root cause of violent crime, she said. He is part of a government that has been implementing damaging austerity measures in all of these areas for more than eight years. Under the Tories the causes of crime have worsened, and the ability to tackle it has been undermined by their cuts of over 20,000 police officers. In its first Serious Violence Strategy earlier this year, the government was condemned for omitting Home Office research finding that police funding cuts may have encouraged offenders and likely contributed to a rise in serious violent crime. The finished document named the drug market as one of the key drivers of attacks and murders, amid a 22 per cent rise in knife crime. The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Show all 21 1 /21 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo Oluwadamilolda Odeyingbo, 18, was killed in a fight in Chislehurst on 10 January 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Hasan Ozcan Hasan Ozcan, 19, was stabbed to death on the Gascoigne Estate in Barking on 3 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Sabri Chibani Sabri Chibani, 19, was stabbed fatally in the chest in Streatham on 11 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Promise Nkenda Lord Promise Nkenda, 17, was stabbed to death in Canning Town on 14 February 2018 Facebook The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lewis Blackman Lewis Blackman, a 19-year-old rapper from Kentish Town, was stabbed to death in Kensington on 18 February 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Abdikarim Hassan Abdikarim Hassan, 17, was stabbed to death near his home in Camden's Peckwater estate on 20 March - less tahan two hours before another man was stabbed to death nearby Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Kelvin Odunuyi Kelvin Odunuyi, a 19-year-old rapper known as DipDat and Lampz, was shot dead in Wood Green on 8 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Lyndon Davis Lyndon Davis, 18, was chased down and stabbed to death in Chadwell Heath on 14 March Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Tanesha Melbourne-Blake Tanesha Melbourne, 17, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Tottenham on 2 April PA The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Amaan Shakoor Amaan Shakoor, 16, was shot dead in Walthamstow on 2 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Israel Ogunsola Israel Ogunsola, 18, was stabbed to death in Hackney on 4 April Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton Rhyhiem Ainsworth Barton, a 17-year-old rapper and aspiring architect, was shot dead in a Kennington Street on 5 May Handout The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jordan Douherty Aspiring rapper Jordan Douherty died of his injuries outside a birthday party in Romford on 23 June Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Katrina Makunova Katrina Makunova, 17, was stabbed to death in Camberwell on 12 July 2018 Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Latwaan Griffiths 18-year-old Latwaan Griffiths was fatally stabbed on 25 July and died in hospital after being thrown off the back of a moped in Camberwell Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Guled Farah Guled Farah, 19, was shot in Walthamstow on 22 September Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Ethan Nedd-Bruce Ethan Nedd-Bruce, 18, died after he was shot outside a party at a flat in Greenwich, south-east London, on 22 October. He had also been stabbed, but the gunshot wound was the cause of death. Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Jay Hughes Jay Hughes, 15, died was fatally stabbed outside a chicken shop in Bellingham, south-east London, on 1 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Malcolm Mide-Madariola Malcolm Mide-Madariola, 17, was found suffering from a stab wound outside Clapham South Tube station on 2 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 John Ogunjobi John Ogunjobi, 16, died in front of his parents after he was stabbed in Greenleaf Close, Tulse Hill, on 5 November Metropolitan Police The teenagers murdered in London in 2018 Aron Warren Aron Warren, 18, was found stabbed in a flat block in Greenwich on 8 December and died at the scene Metropolitan Police Between 2014-15 and 2016-17, murders where either the victim or suspect were known to be involved in using or dealing illicit drugs increased from half to 57 per cent. Simon Kempton, the operational policing lead for the Police Federation, said that given the choice between wealthy recreational users and addicts living on estates, he would stop the middle classes buying drugs. If you look at why there is a market for cocaine from South America it is because people who can afford it are buying it and fuelling the problem, he told the association's conference in May. Street-level users are a problem because they steal to fund their habit, but on their own they will not support an organised crime group. The big market is people with money to spend and they are often oblivious to the misery they cause because it is not on their doorstep. Middle-class drug users do not come across the radar of police because they are consuming it behind closed doors theres a lack of personal responsibility. Sheldon Thomas, the founder and chief executive of Gangsline, said: We need to tackle street gangs and gang crime but for me the big incubator is middle class people who buy these drugs. We need to tackle middle-class white people who are buying cocaine in very large amounts. At the same time, police and the National Crime Agency are battling the rise of county lines gangs who supply drugs from major cities into countryside territories controlled with violence and intimidation. Children are frequently used to run drugs in the belief they are less likely to be caught or punished, and the labour and sexual exploitation caused has made British people the largest group of potential modern slaves reported to authorities. The Home Office said social media was also being used by dealers to glamourise the lifestyle bought with their earnings, taunt rivals and brandish weapons. Gavin Williamson, the defence secretary, has threatened to block the EU from using British facilities for "rival" satellite projects if the UK is shut out of the bloc's Galileo enterprise. It comes after it was revealed in summer that Britain had set aside 92m for an alternative and independent satellite project as negotiations continue in Brussels over the UK's future participation in the EU's Galileo programme. Britain's defence scientists have played a vital role in the development of Galileo and Mr Williamson has previously described the Commission's approach as "deeply disappointing" after it appeared Britain could be locked out of the project. But speaking at a fringe event during the Conservative Party conference, Mr Williamson appeared to go further than his previous remarks in comments reported by The Times. "All the capabilities for Galileo don't sit in France, don't sit in Germany and various other countries; they sit in Britain," he told party delegates. "The only country that can make something like this work is Britain and the question they [the EU] have to ask is, can they do it without us? I would say 'no'. Can we do it without them? I would say the answer is 'yes'." The newspaper also added that Mr Williamson was asked during the event why the government would allow EU base assets on British territories if the UK were to be locked out of the Galileo project after exiting the bloc. He replied: "Let's be clear: as it develops, they're not going to be able to use our facilities to do what I would call a rival project. We can make our project work. I don't believe they can make their project work. "I'm very happy to sit down with them and discuss how we can make a project work together, but as equals, not as a taker of rules." (PA (PA) In August, Ms May warned EU leaders that the UK's move to set aside 92m to launch a major study and design an independent satellite system was not an "idle threat". She said the UK did want to remain involved in the EUs Galileo satellite programme but would not accept being shut out from security discussions and contracts as the EU is proposing. She went on: So unless we receive assurance that we can collaborate on a close basis in the future like the close security partners we aspire to be we are clear that we will withdraw UK support for Galileo and pursue our own sovereign satellite system. And this is not an idle threat to achieve our negotiating objectives. Business minister Claire Perry has broken ranks to warn that a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic and a way of crashing the economy. Theresa May and other cabinet ministers have insisted the UK can prosper even if it crashes out of the EU without an agreement insisting that remains an option. But Ms Perry said: No deal is a recipe for a catastrophic series of consequences. Its also a way of crashing the economy and of doing great damage to our most productive industries. Speaking to Sky News, Ms Perry agreed the UK had to be ready for the danger of crashing out, saying: We have to be prepared for it and we are preparing for it. Nevertheless, her warning undermines the prime ministers determination to claim the UK is seriously contemplating a no-deal something widely seen as a bluff on the continent. They also mark the very different approach of the business department, headed by Greg Clark, who at the weekend insisted a Brexit agreement is essential. The comments are a far cry from Ms Mays continued insistence, repeated after the EU threw out her Chequers plan, that no deal is better than a bad deal. People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Show all 30 1 /30 People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Rex People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young protestor shouts as she takes part in the People's Vote demonstration against Brexit Getty Images People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal A protester's pro-EU t-shirt EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Gina Miller and Caroline Lucas EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Tens of thousands of people march through London EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EPA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Demonstrators at the People's Vote March Getty People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal 'Two months too young to decide on my future' REUTERS People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal A young girl joins in the march PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal An EU flag is draped across the statue of Winston Chruchill in Parliament Square REUTERS People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal AFP/Getty Images People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Vince Cable MP, Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller, Tony Robinson and Caroline Lucas MP join with crowds PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Crowds gather on Pall Mall PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal A man resembling Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, joins EU supporters Reuters People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Reuters People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal People gather in Trafalgar Square REUTERS People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Tony Robinson PA People's Vote march demanding vote on final Brexit deal EU supporters, calling on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal, participate in the 'People's Vote' march REUTERS Other senior ministers, led by Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, and Dominic Raab, the Brexit secretary, have argued Britain could thrive after crashing out, after initial disruption. Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman and supporter of the anti-Brexit Best for Britain group, said: "Claire Perry speaks the inconvenient truth, No deal would be a disaster for the UK. "But she must be just as candid in admitting that Chequers would be nearly as damaging. That is why we need a final say on the deal and a chance to exit from Brexit." Ms Perry was a strong Remain supporter, who hit the headlines in February 2017, when she branded hard Brexit supporters in the Tory party like jihadis. She said the atmosphere of the Brexit debate sometimes borders on the hysterical, but returned to government a few months later nonetheless. The government is to launch a new crackdown on the assets of prison kingpins in a bid to boost the rehabilitation of prisoners, justice secretary David Gauke will announce today. Ministers will set up a new financial crime unit tasked with identifying suspicious transfers of money and cutting off the funds of criminals found to be behind the prison drugs trade. The move is part of a series of new measures designed to cut reoffending rates, and signals a significant softening of the Conservatives' approach to criminal justice. Mr Gauke will tell the Tories' annual conference in Birmingham that improving rehabilitation of prisoners is a personal "mission" that he hopes will define his time as justice secretary. Issuing a stern warning to criminals behind the trade of drugs in prisons, he will say: My message to kingpins is this: we are already blocking your phones, putting you in isolation and now we will make sure you cant access your money. "Dealing drugs in prison will no longer be profitable because we will find your assets and we will seize them. He will also announce a series of measures to help more prisoners into education and employment. 5m will be made available for establishing a new "Secure School" for young people in custody. This will be run by an academy trust with experience of working with young offenders. Ministers hope to open other similar schools in the coming years. A further 2.6m will be spent on other educational and vocational training for young people in prison. The Unlocked scheme, which trains university graduates to work as prison officers for two years, will be expanded to include young offenders units. The government will also work with construction companies such as Lendlease to help train offenders for jobs in the industry. And eight new education providers will be appointed to work with prisoners, trebling the number currently working within the criminal justice system. Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Show all 6 1 /6 Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Phillip Hammond Chancellor Phillip Hammond said in an interview with the Mail that Boris has never been "a details man", won't be next Prime Minister and that his most notable policy achievement is the launching of Boris Bikes AFP/Getty Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Davis Speaking to Sophie Ridge on Sunday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said "a lot of his ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Ruth Davidson Speaking on Sunday Politics, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson has said that Boris' use of language in attacking the Prime Minister's Chequers plan was "not wise" and urged for a "period of silence" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Greg Clark Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated that Boris' idea to scrap HS2 and instead build a bridge to Northern Ireland was "completely the wrong approach" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Lord Digby Jones Speaking on stage in Birmingham, crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones branded Boris as "irrelevant" and "offensive" for his comments on business PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Mundell Referring to Boris' recent 6-point Brexit plan, Scottish Secretary David Mundell stated that "these are things for headlines, not for the substance of negotiations" PA Mr Gauke is expected to say: Getting prisoners rehabilitated will reduce crime and ensure there are fewer victims of crime in future. It will also cut the 15bn cost that reoffending has on society. We know that offenders are far less likely to reoffend if they have a job. That is why I launched the Education and Employment strategy, which will expand opportunities for offenders to get education and skills training, and work experience so they can get a job when they get out. He will add: We need offenders to make the right choice, to reject a life of criminality and choose to work, accept responsibility and be part of society. Reforming the way that we get offenders to do that is my mission, and what I hope defines me as Justice Secretary. Together this package of reforms and investment will crack down on the drugs and violence in prisons, further support offenders in turning their backs on crime and, crucially, help young offenders find a path out of criminality into education and responsibility. The problems wont be solved overnight. But if we refuse to be deflected, if we stay focused on our vision, if we are driven by the evidence and prepared to be bold, if we are willing to embrace reform, this is an agenda that can turn round lives. And that is what we will deliver. However, Labour said the measures would not end the "emergency" in Britain's prisons. Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, said: These measures fall way short of what is needed to tackle the emergency in our prisons. "Our prisons are facing an unprecedented wave of violence due to Conservative cuts to budgets and staffing levels. The government's claim that it is turning prisons into places of reform and rehabilitation is empty rhetoric when violence, understaffing and overcrowding mean that prisoners spend 23 hours a day locked-up in their cells. "The government needs to go much further than these wholly inadequate measures. It should launch an emergency action plan with substantial new Treasury funds to make our prisons safe for both staff and inmates." Theresa May has revealed her irritation at Boris Johnson stealing the limelight at the Tory conference, accusing him of trying to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. The prime minister said the rousing call by the Tory faithfuls favourite for her to chuck Chequers made to a packed-out hall of supporters had made her cross. She also refused to discuss his future leadership prospects, insisting she was more interested in the jobs of people out there in our country. The interview followed Mr Johnsons hotly-anticipated appearance at a fringe meeting which drew huge queues hours before it started in stark contrast to a main hall half-empty even for cabinet ministers speeches. The former foreign secretary, who resigned over the Chequers plan, accused the prime minister of trying to cheat Brexit supporters with proposals that would leave the UK in manacles. He also launched a broader attack on her crime and taxation policies, in what was widely seen as an appeal to Tory members ahead of an expected leadership bid in the near future. Asked about the event, Ms May said she had not watched it, because she had been meeting activists and seeing a party that's in really good heart. But she told the BBC: There are one of two things that Boris said that I'm cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Show all 14 1 /14 Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Internal divisions in the Conservative Party have exploded into a bitter public row over Boris Johnsons disgusting criticism of Theresa May. Some senior Tories furiously denounced the former foreign secretary after he accused the prime minister of having wrapped a suicide vest around Britain Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Sajid Javid, Home secretary Sajid Javid, the home secretary, rebuked his former cabinet colleague and said: I think there are much better ways to articulate your differences. He told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that the public wanted politicians to use measured language BBC/PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide But other MPs leapt to Mr Johnsons defence, as dividing lines ahead of a possible leadership contest begin to take shape. The Uxbridge MP has repeatedly criticised Ms Mays Chequers plan and used a newspaper article on Sunday to suggest it amounted to wrapping a suicide vest around the British constitution. His latest salvo at the prime minister prompted immediate condemnation, with one minister publicly vowing to end Mr Johnsons career over the matter PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alan Duncan, Foreign minister Alan Duncan, a foreign minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team for two years, wrote on Twitter: For Boris to say the PMs view is like that of a suicide bomber is too much. This marks one of the most disgusting moments in modern British politics. Im sorry, but this is the political end of Boris Johnson. If it isnt now, I will make sure it is later. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide James Brokenshire, Housing secretary Housing secretary James Brokenshire added his voice to the criticism, calling Mr Johnsons comments wrong He said: I think he is wrong on this...I think the tone that he has used isnt right and I think that we just need to be very focused on actually moving forward with the Chequers plan. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Zac Goldsmith But as Tory hostilities spilled over into open public warfare, Richmond Park MP Zac Goldsmith, an ally of Mr Johnson, hit back at Mr Duncan. He wrote: There are a number of possible motives behind this tweet, but given its author, we can be certain principles arent one of them. Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Jacob Rees-Mogg Senior Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg told The Independent he thought Mr Johnsons suicide belt accusation was little more than a characteristically colourful catchphrase. He added: I agree with the sentiment. The criticism of Boriss wording merely serves to highlight his point. It means more people hear of Boriss criticism of Chequers and many will agree with him. Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Nadine Dorries Nadine Dorries, another Brexit supporter, said Mr Johnsons opponents were terrified of his popular appeal, adding: Dont underestimate the vitriol thatll be directed towards Boris today. He delivered the Leave vote, Remainers and wannabe future PMs hate him. If Mr Johnson became leader and prime minister he would deliver a clean and prosperous Brexit, she said Rex Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Andrew Bridgen Andrew Bridgen said Ms May was to blame for her leadership problems. Asked if Mr Johnson had put a bomb under her leadership, Mr Bridgen said: I think that Theresa May did that herself when she put forward the Chequers proposals without consulting widely prior to that. Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Steve Baker, former Brexit minister Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister, warned Ms May the Conservatives faced a "catastrophic split" if she did not jettison her Chequers plan. Mr Baker, who quit the government in July over the scheme, said: When negotiating, the prime minister needs to demonstrate her intent and also her power to deliver. "If we come out of conference with her hoping to get Chequers through on the back of Labour votes, I think the EU negotiators would probably understand that if that were done, the Tory party would suffer the catastrophic split which thus far we have managed to avoid. But he insisted he did not want a change in the Conservative leadership, saying Brexiteers did not want to be in a position of conflict with our own prime minister Reuters Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Tom Tugendhat The deep divisions on the Tory benches were laid bare as Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee and is a possible leadership rival to Mr Johnson, also hit out at the former foreign secretary. Recalling how he encountered a suicide bomber in Afghanistan during his time in the army, Mr Tugendhat told Mr Johnson to grow up. He said: A suicide bomber murdered many in the courtyard of my office in Helmand. The carnage was disgusting, limbs and flesh hanging from trees and bushes. Brave men who stopped him killing me and others died in horrific pain. Some need to grow up. Comparing the PM to that isnt happy. PA Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Alistair Burt Alistair Burt, another Foreign Office minister who worked in Mr Johnsons team, said: Im stunned at the nature of this attack. There is no justification for such an outrageous, inappropriate and hurtful analogy. If we dont stop his extraordinary use of language over Brexit, our country might never heal. Again, I say, enough. AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide It comes amid that Ms Mays former aides drew up a dossier on Mr Johnsons sexual encounters with the aim of undermining his leadership prospects. The document was compiled in 2016, when the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was seen as the main rival to Ms May in her bid to enter No 10. Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquaters (CCHQ) both denied having leaked the 4,000 word memo after it was circulated around Westminster AFP/Getty Boris Johnson 'suicide vest' Brexit jibe causes Tory divide Mr Johnson confirmed that his 25-year marriage to wife Marina had ended AP Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. We are all - he and I and all members here - are members of the Conservative and Unionist Party. That's because we believe in the union of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is part of that union. We have a guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland and we are upholding that. Our Chequers plan does that. It is the only plan on the table at the moment that does. In his speech, Mr Johnson called on her to abandon attempts to reach agreement on the so-called backstop to prevent a hard Irish border, in the absence of other solutions. He is urging a looser Canada-style trade deal instead, but Brussels has insisted that must mean Northern Ireland remaining aligned with the EU on customs and regulations to prevent border checks. Asked if Mr Johnson was a future prime minister, Ms May replied: I'm not speculating about or commenting about jobs for individual members of parliament. This is not about the jobs of politicians, this is about the jobs of people out there in our country, it is about protecting those jobs for the future." The prime minister also told Sky News: Boris always puts on a good show but what matters to people is what we are delivering for them on the things that affect their day to day lives. The prime ministers traditional round of interviews, ahead of her close-of-conference speech on Wednesday, provoked an unprecedented protest from broadcasters. They were angry at No 10 limiting her appearances, which meant Channel 4 and Channel 5 missed out even comparing the decision to Donald Trumps treatment of the media. For a functioning democracy, it is vital that in turn the politicians, and in particular the leaders and even prime ministers, are also questioned and held to account in one-to-one interviews, a joint protest letter said. Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt has been rebuked by Theresa May for likening the European Union to Soviet Russia in his confrontational address to the Conservatives' annual conference. In extraordinary remarks that led to one former top diplomat saying it was "unworthy" of a British foreign secretary, Mr Hunt said Brussels appeared "to think the way to keep the club together is to punish a member who leaves". What happened to the confidence and ideals of the European dream? he asked. The EU was set up to protect freedom. It was the Soviet Union that stopped people leaving. The lesson from history is clear: if you turn the EU club into a prison, the desire to get out wont diminish, it will grow and we wont be the only prisoner that will want to escape. Pressed on the remarks on BBC1's Breakfast, Ms May replied: "As I sit around that table in the EU, there are countries who used to be part of the Soviet Union. "They are now democratic countries and I can tell you that the two organisations are not the same." According to The Times, the incendiary rhetoric has led to cabinet colleagues of the foreign secretary accusing him of being on leadership manoeuvres Lord Ricketts, the former head of the diplomatic service, added that the comments were "unworthy" of a British foreign secretary. "The EU isn't a Soviet-style prison," he said. "Its legal order has brought peace and prosperity after a century of war. Our decision to leave was always going to leave us worse off. The only punishment is the self-inflicted variety." Ms May also brushed aside speculation about her relationship with Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary, who will today arrive at the party's conference in Birmingham for a fringe event. Asked how she had been getting on with Mr Johnson recently, she laughed and told the BBC: "Well, I'm sure that's going to be a very lively event this evening. "At this conference what we're focusing on is the opportunity for this country once we leave the European Union and the opportunity that we want to ensure that people in this country have." Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Show all 6 1 /6 Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Phillip Hammond Chancellor Phillip Hammond said in an interview with the Mail that Boris has never been "a details man", won't be next Prime Minister and that his most notable policy achievement is the launching of Boris Bikes AFP/Getty Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Davis Speaking to Sophie Ridge on Sunday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said "a lot of his ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Ruth Davidson Speaking on Sunday Politics, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson has said that Boris' use of language in attacking the Prime Minister's Chequers plan was "not wise" and urged for a "period of silence" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Greg Clark Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated that Boris' idea to scrap HS2 and instead build a bridge to Northern Ireland was "completely the wrong approach" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Lord Digby Jones Speaking on stage in Birmingham, crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones branded Boris as "irrelevant" and "offensive" for his comments on business PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Mundell Referring to Boris' recent 6-point Brexit plan, Scottish Secretary David Mundell stated that "these are things for headlines, not for the substance of negotiations" PA It came as the prime minister outlined the government's post-Brexit immigration proposals, including the end of free movement from the EU. Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ms May also said she remained committed to the target of reducing immigration to the tens of thousands - a pledge that has never been delivered on since it was first promised by David Cameron in the coalition years. Brett Kavanaughs former college roommate has revealed the FBI has failed to contact him during any of the agencys background checks into the Supreme Court nominee. Jamie Roche, now a software executive in San Francisco, shared a bedroom with Mr Kavanaugh while they were both studying at Yale in 1983 a year after the judge allegedly committed a serious sexual assault at a house party. The FBI is currently conducting an additional investigation following the initial accusation - made by California professor Christine Blasey Ford - as well as another by Deborah Ramirez, who claims Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a dorm party at Yale. Mr Kavanaugh denies all claims of sexual misconduct. On Twitter, Mr Roche wrote: As Brett Kavanaugh's college freshman roommate, I was never contacted by the FBI for any of their background checks. I assume college behaviour was not a topic of interest. They did not find Debbie's story because they were not looking for it. The FBI declined to comment on the allegations. Mr Roches statement on Monday came the same day the White House gave the FBI clearance to interview anyone ahead of the investigations deadline on Friday. The new guidance was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to intense media scrutiny and Democratic insistence that the scope of the probe was too narrow. In recent days the agency has questioned at least four people about accusations of misconduct against Mr Kavanaugh, dating back to when he was in high school and college. Among the witnesses interviewed were men who Ms Ford says were present at a party of teenagers in the early 1980s at which she says she was sexually assaulted by Mr Kavanaugh. Donald Trump, addressing concerns about the probe's expansiveness on Monday, said he wants the FBI to do a "comprehensive" investigation and "it wouldn't bother me at all" if agents pursued accusations made by three women who have come forward. In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images But he also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and "ultimately, they're making the judgment". "My White House will do whatever the senators want," Mr Trump said. "The one thing I want is speed." The White House instructed the FBI to interview anyone it deems relevant to the inquiry, but required the work to be done by Friday, according to the person familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The revised guidance was aimed at promoting an investigation that could tamp down Democratic criticism and satisfy on-the-fence Republicans about its thoroughness and fairness while also ensuring a fixed deadline to prevent the probe from becoming open-ended and spanning weeks. Officials said it was possible, but not likely, the bureau could complete its work before Friday. Mr Trump said a comprehensive investigation is "a good thing" for Mr Kavanaugh, and that while it was fine that the FBI wants to interview all three women who have made accusations, "we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?". Senator Susan Collins of Maine one of three Republican senators who was instrumental last week in holding up Mr Kavanaugh's confirmation vote said she had extensive conversation with the White House counsel's office and is "confident that the FBI is doing a thorough investigation and that it will be helpful to us as we make our decisions". As Republicans and Democrats quarrelled over whether the FBI would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on the nomination, FBI agents have been interviewing multiple witnesses from Mr Kavanaugh's high school and college years. They include Mark Judge, a high school friend of Mr Kavanaugh's who Ms Ford has said was in the room when a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Mr Judge has denied misconduct allegations. On Monday, his lawyer Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder said Mr Judge had been interviewed "but his interview has not been completed". She declined to elaborate. Another witness, Patrick "PJ" Smyth, answered "every question" he was asked and told agents he had "no knowledge" of the small gathering that Ms Ford described, according to his attorney, Eric Bruce. Mr Smyth also told the FBI he doesn't have "knowledge of Ford's allegations of improper conduct against Kavanaugh," Mr Bruce said. Ms Ford has said Mr Smyth was downstairs, nowhere near the alleged event. The FBI has also interviewed Leland Keyser, who Ms Ford said attended the same party. Ms Keyser's attorney, Howard Walsh, said she was questioned by FBI agents on Saturday, but he did not provide any additional details about the interview. Mr Walsh has said his client does not know Mr Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party with him. He has said Ms Keyser believes Ms Ford's account but is "unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question". Mr Roche has been contacted for comment. Additional reporting by AP At least two packages containing ricin have been intercepted on the way to the Pentagon. The existence of the suspected packages has been confirmed by Department of Defence officials, who indicated that the packages never made it into the Pentagon itself. The packages were flagged in the mail delivery building, which is located next door to the Defence Department's massive headquarters. The FBI has been called in to lead the investigation into the packages, which were addressed to Secretary of Defence James Mattis and to Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson, according to CNN. Recommended Woman makes ricin then tests it on fellow retirement home residents "On Monday, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency detected a suspicious substance during mail screening at the Pentagon's remote screening facility," Colonel Rob Manning said in a statement provided to the media. "The envelopes were taken by the FBI this morning for further analysis. All ... mail received at the Pentagon mail screening facility yesterday is currently under quarantine and poses no threat to Pentagon personnel". The FBI released the following statement: "On Tuesday, October, 2, 2018, in coordination with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, FBI Special Agents took possession of two suspicious envelopes that had been screened at the Pentagon mail facility. Those envelopes are currently undergoing further testing. As this is ongoing, we will have no further comment". As the Washington, DC, area worked to determine the origin of the ricin attack, news also broke that two individuals had been hospitalised after being exposed to a powdery substance in mail sent to Texas Senator Ted Cruz's Houston campaign office. Letter laced with deadly poison ricin sent to President Obama Show all 2 1 /2 Letter laced with deadly poison ricin sent to President Obama Letter laced with deadly poison ricin sent to President Obama barack-obama-ap_1.jpg AP Letter laced with deadly poison ricin sent to President Obama Roger-Wicker-GETTY.jpg Getty Images The Houston Fire Department responded to that incident, and officials said that the 9th floor was evacuated during the investigation. The two individuals hospitalised, according to the fire department, were not staffers of Mr Cruz's. "Two people were taken to the hospital after apparently being exposed to a white powdery substance in an office building," the Houston Fire Department tweeted, noting that a HazMat team was responding to the scene and trying to determine the nature of the substance. It was not clear what the substance delivered to the Cruz campaign office was, or if the mail was at all connected to the ricin mail at the Pentagon. Ricin can be deadly when purified into a powder, but can take many forms. The substance can be made from castor beans, and is one of the easiest deadly poisons to make. In June, a Wisconsin woman was accused of spreading Isis propaganda online, and even instructed an individual on the methods of extracting ricin to be used against the government or a water reservoir in the US. A plan to attack Germany with ricin was stopped by officials in June. Ricin can cause nausea, internal bleeding of the stomach or intestines, or vomiting if ingested. The compound then causes liver, spleen, and kidney failures, before death through the collapse of the circulatory system. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will not return to Harvard Law School to teach in January, an email sent from school administrators to law students says. The embattled nominee, who has been accused of sexual misconduct, reportedly told officials at the school that he could no longer commit to teaching his course when the upcoming term starts, and so his course "The Supreme Court Since 2005" will not be available to students. Today, Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered, Associate Dean and Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs Catherine Claypoole wrote in the email to law students, according to the Harvard Crimson. Recommended FBI free to expand sexual assault probe into Brett Kavanaugh The course was slated for just three weeks. Mr Kavanaugh has taught at the school for about a decade. Mr Kavanaughs nomination to the Supreme Court has become a polarising and contentious spectacle in the past few weeks, as women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct from more than three decades ago. Mr Kavanaugh has categorically denied any allegations of sexual misconduct. Included in those allegations are those of Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week that Mr Kavanaugh held her down, groped her, attempted to remove her clothes, and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming during an assault at a house party 36 years ago. In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images A second woman, Deborah Ramirez, has also claimed that Mr Kavanaugh acted inappropriately towards her, saying that he forced her to touch his penis against her will in college. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, has alleged in a sworn statement that she saw Mr Kavanaugh participate and engage in inappropriate contact of a sexual nature with women during the early 1980s. The FBI has opened a limited investigation into the allegations made against Mr Kavanaugh, while the Senate has moved forward with his confirmation process after the Judiciary Committee approved sending his nomination to the full Senate in a party-line vote last week. Close Donald Trump says 'wouldn't bother me at all' if FBI were to interview third Brett Kavanaugh accuser Democrats are questioning the truthfulness of Brett Kavanaughs sworn testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee as the FBI continues its investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Donald Trump's candidate for the Supreme Court. The bureau has been given approval by the White House to speak to anyone it feels it needs to as part of its probe into the nominees past, following criticism its initial scope was too limited. The investigation, delaying Mr Kavanaughs confirmation, was instigated following Dr Christine Blasey Ford's Senate appearance to accuse the judge of sexually assaulting her at a college party in the 1980s. Mr Kavanaugh has categorically denied any sexual misconduct ever occurred. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democrats leader from New York, has meanwhile said Mr Kavanaugh misled senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane to ensure his ascension to the high court. Mr Trump, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, suggested that the Kavanaugh accusations show it is "a very scary time for young men in America," and claimed that men in America are now "guilty until proven innocent" a standard he claimed was a dangerous precedent to set in the United States. The president also praised his nominee's performance during his hearing on Thursday, when he defended himself against the accusations from Dr Ford. She had testified earlier on Thursday. "I thought h did very well. He's fighting very hard for his reputation for his family," Mr Trump said on Tuesday. "I thought what happened was really tough. It was tough stuff". Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been an outspoken supporter of Mr Kavanaugh's nomination, doubled down on his support as well, suggesting that the president should simply renominate Mr Kavanaugh if the Senate fails to confirm him. "If his nomination were to fall short, I would encourage President Trump to re-nominate Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," Mr Graham said in a statement released on Tuesday. "It would in effect be appealing the Senate's verdict directly to the American people". Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested that he plans on bringing Mr Kavanaugh's nomination up for a vote in the Senate some time this week. Please allow a moment for our liveblog to load As the FBI marches forward with its investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, a growing cohort of the judges former classmates are coming forward with contradictory memories of how the man behaved in his youth. Mr Kavanaugh has denied any allegations of sexual misconduct, and suggested during Senate testimony last week that he was generally well-behaved in college - someone who liked beer, but did not let his drinking go too far. The New York Times has reported that the FBI has at least four witnesses who are of interest to the intelligence agency as it takes a look at Mr Kavanaughs past. However, several people who are not on the list have contradicted the nominees testimony about the nature of his partying and behaviour over three decades ago. Recommended Kavanaugh started bar fight after UB40 concert police report reveals Chad Ludington, a Yale classmate of Mr Kavanaughs who said he frequently drank with the nominee in college, told The New York Times: When Brett got drunk, he was often belligerent and aggressive. On one of the last occasions I purposely socialised with Brett, I witnessed him respond to a semi-hostile remark, not by defusing the situation, but by throwing his beer in the mans face and starting a fight that ended with one of our mutual friends in jail. Mr Ludington is joined by the likes of Kit Winter, who shared a dorm at Yale with Mr Kavanaugh; Liz Swisher, a college friend; and James Roche, a Yale roommate, in suggesting that Mr Kavanaugh was less than truthful when he told the Senate that he was never a belligerent drunk in college. Others who claim to have known Mr Kavanaugh in college have said that he was often very drunk, in spite of his claims last week. I watched the whole hearing, and a number of my Yale colleagues and I were extremely disappointed in Brett Kavanaughs characterisation of himself and the way that he evaded his excessive drinking questions, Lynne Brookes, a former roommate of Deborah Ramirez, who has accused Mr Kavanaugh of forcing her to touch his penis against her will, said during a CNN interview. There is no doubt in my mind that while at Yale, he was a big partier, often drank to excess, and there had to be a number of nights where he does not remember. In fact, I was witness to the night that he got tapped into that fraternity, and he was stumbling drunk in a ridiculous costume saying really dumb things. In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images I can almost guarantee that theres no way that he remembers that night, Ms Brookes continued. There were a lot of emails and a lot of texts flying around about how he was lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee today. Mr Kavanaugh has denied Ms Ramirezs accusations, and told the Senate Judiciary Committee that The New Yorker article detailing her allegations was the first time that he had heard the claim. But, former classmates say that Mr Kavanaugh or his legal team began reaching out to them before the article was published on 23 September. Those classmates, a NBC News report says, were contacted as early as July about the allegations, and the classmates say they are in possession of text messages from that time. Kerry Berchem, one of those former classmates, says that she attempted to get those texts to the FBI several times. I am in receipt of text messages from a mutual friend of both Debbie and mine that raise questions related to the allegations, Ms Berchem said in a statement provided to NBC. I have not drawn any conclusions as to what the texts may mean or may not mean but I do believe they merit investigation by the FBI and the Senate. Mr Roche, Mr Kavanaughs college roommate, has also spoken up in support of Ms Ramirez, saying that Mr Kavanaugh was usually reserved but a notably heavy drinker, even by the standards of the time, and he became belligerent and aggressive when he was very drunk. Based on my time with Debbie, I believe her to be unusually honest and straightforward and I cannot imagine her making this up, Mr Roche continued in a statement. Based on my time with Brett, I believe that he and his social circle were capable of the actions that Debbie described". The Senate Judiciary Committee voted on Friday to send Mr Kavanaughs nomination to the full Senate for consideration. That measure was approved along party lines, but one Republican senator, Jeff Flake, suggested that he would not vote to approve Mr Kavanaugh before the full Senate without an FBI investigation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, has meanwhile attacked what he has called Democrats delay tactics to undermine the confirmation, and has promised to bring Mr Kavanaughs nomination to a vote this week. A top republican says that President Donald Trump should simply renominate Brett Kavanaugh if the Senate fails to confirm him to the Supreme Court. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who has been an outspoken supporter of Mr Kavanaughs nomination despite accusations of sexual misconduct, made the suggestion, saying that it would essentially make the nomination a major campaign issue ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. I believe Judge Kavanaugh will be confirmed to the Supreme Court very soon, Mr Graham said. However, if his nomination were to fall short, I would encourage President Trump to renominate Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. It would in effect be appealing the Senates verdict directly to the American people. The midterm elections are only 35 days away and a new group of senators may view Judge Kavanaughs nomination very differently after hearing from the voters in their states, he continued. Mr Kavanaughs nomination has been fraught with controversy in recent weeks after three women came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct, including one woman who said that he attempted to rape her during a party 36 years ago when they were both teenagers. Dr Christine Blasey Ford made that accusation, saying that Mr Kavanaugh held her down, groped her, and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming at a house party when they were both in high school. Mr Kavanaugh has denied these accusations. In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Show all 21 1 /21 In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AP In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing REUTERS In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing EPA In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Chaos and fury at Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing AFP/Getty Images The second accusation against Mr Kavanaugh came from Deborah Ramirez, who has accused Mr Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her and forcing her to touch his penis against her will at a party while they both attended Yale University. Mr Kavanaugh has also denied these allegations. The third accusation came from Julie Swetnick, who singed a sworn declaration saying that she witnessed Mr Kavanaugh drinking excessively at house parties, and engaging in abusive and physically aggressive behaviour toward girls between 1981 and 1983. That sworn declaration also said Ms Swetnick had witnessed Mr Kavanaugh and others purposefully get girls inebriated so they could be gang raped in side rooms of the party though she stopped short of saying she had witnessed Mr Kavanaugh raping anyone. Mr Kavanaugh, again, has denied these allegations. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send Mr Kavanaughs nomination to the whole Senate last week. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has indicated he plans on bringing the nomination to a vote sometime this week. Meanwhile, the FBI has opened an investigation into at least a portion of the allegations made against Mr Kavanaugh. Mr McConnell has suggested that he expects that the FBIs findings will not be made public, but that senators will have access to the report before voting on the nominee. As Indonesia attempts to recover from the 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that devastated the island of Sulawesi in late September, the process of liquefaction has been blamed for the huge scale of the destruction. Officials have confirmed 1,234 people died, mostly in the city of Palu, as a result of the disaster, many killed by buildings collapsing as the soil shifted beneath them. Heres an introduction to the phenomenon. What is liquefaction? The term refers to saturated sand and silt that is, ground in which the space between particles is completely filled with water taking on the form of liquid as a result of the aggressive disturbance the earth is subjected to by a powerful quake. Areas with shallow water tables close to the sea or rivers are particularly susceptible. The quake increases water pressure, causing particles in the soil to lose contact with one another and sandy ground to ooze apart, potentially creating landslides and rattling buildings, trees and telegraph poles as the shifting earth slides about beneath them. The reduced stability decreases the capability of the ground to support foundations, making the collapse of residences, blocks and bridges highly likely. Liquefied soil sliding towards standing structures, like walls, can also place increased pressure on them and cause them to topple. The term was first employed by American hydrological expert Allen Hazen, investigating the fall of Californias Calaveras Dam in 1918. If the pressure of the water in the pores is great enough to carry all the load, it will have the effect of holding the particles apart and of producing a condition that is practically equivalent to that of quicksand, he wrote. What happened in Indonesia? In Sulawesi, approximately 1,700 houses were swallowed up in the Palu neighbourhood of Balaroa while an entire new development in Petobo was wiped away as though it had never been there. When the quake hit, the layers below the surface of the earth became muddy and loose, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of Indonesias national disaster mitigation agency. (EPA) Mud with such large mass volume drowned and dragged the housing complex in Petobo so that most of them became as if they were absorbed. We estimate 744 units of houses are there. Where else has the phenomenon occurred? The problem was last experienced on such a serious scale in Urayasu, Japan, following the 2011 Tohuku earthquake and tsunami. Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Show all 30 1 /30 Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents and rescuers walk in front of a washed out passenger ferry in Wani following the September 28 earthquake and tsunami. Aid poured into disaster-ravaged Palu after days of delays as efforts ramped up to reach 200,000 people in desperate need AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian rescuers try to free a 15-year-old earthquake survivor, Nurul Istikhomah from the flooded ruins of a collapsed house in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A rescue team searches for bodies under the ruin of a house in Balaroa EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A ship stranded on the shore EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesians stand among debris at Mamboro village in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents carry a victim AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents trying to salvage belongings from their homes which collapsed AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian soldiers bury quake victims in a mass grave in Poboya AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A damaged mosque AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A man sits on the rubble of a house AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Rescuers walk past debris AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Jumadil, 5, reacts at seeing his mother Susi Rahmatia, 26, after he went missing for seven days AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A woman builds a temporary toilet AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Rahmat Raidi, 26, shows portraits of his missing family members AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents queue before receiving humanitarian aid in Palu AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian villagers offload aid from a military helicopter in Proo village, Lindu district AFP/Getty Images Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents stand among houses destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the earthquake in Petobo outside Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue People queue for fuel at a petrol station in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of the Indonesian Red Cross attend to a victim at a crushed house at Talise beach in Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Residents walk among houses destroyed by a landslide that was triggered by the earthquake in Petobo, outside Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An Indonesian Police Officer uses a dog to search for victims amongst rubble in Petobo, outside Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An Indonesian rescue team searches for victims and survivors amongst the rubble of the Roa Roa hotel in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue A crowd gathers at the airport in Palu in the hope of fleeing by plane Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Bhayangkara hospital in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue An earthquake damaged bridge in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue People drive amongst the damage in Palu Reuters Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Indonesian women stand on a tsunami devastated area of Talise beach Palu EPA Indonesian earthquake: rescue efforts continue Members of an Indonesian rescue team look for survivors in a collapsed home in Palu AFP/Getty As much as 86 per cent of the citys land was liquefied as a result of the disaster, which killed 15,896 people in total, taking six years to repair the damage to its subterranean sewerage, water and gas facilities. Liquefaction has been seen in previous Indonesian quakes as well as in the Great Alaska and Niigata earthquakes of 1964, in the San Fernando quake of 1971, Californias Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the Great Hanshin quake of 1995 and those that struck Christchurch in New Zealand in 2010 and 2011. North Korea could have up to 60 nuclear weapons, Seoul has claimed, in its first public remarks about the size of the Pyongyangs secret atomic arsenal. South Koreas unification minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, said that parliament intelligence authorities estimated North Korea had between 20 and 60 bombs. Mr Cho may have unintentionally revealed the information. His ministry later said his comments didnt mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state, suggesting Seouls diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear programme would continue. The South Korean officials words came hours after Seoul said their northern cousins had began removing mines from along their heavily armed border as part of recent steps to reduce tensions. The effort is expected to only root out a small portion of the 2 million mines that litter the 248km-long, 4km-wide Demilitarised Zone that divides the nations. Nevertheless, officials hailed the clearing work as the start of peace between the two nations, which are still technically at war following the 1950-53 Korean conflict. South Korean estimates of the Norths arsenal are similar to various civilian estimates, which are largely based on calculations of the amount of nuclear materials the North is believed to have produced. North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Show all 18 1 /18 North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants wave flowers AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (R) waves with China's Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Zhanshu (L) from a balcony AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Airplanes forming the number 70 fly in formation and fire flares AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean performers dance EPA North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean military officers applaud near portraits of late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean tanks roll past AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers take part AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Korean People's Army (KPA) soldiers march AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants march during a mass rally on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary A girl reacts during a parade AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, reacts as he chats with China's third highest ranking official, Li Zhanshu AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary People carry flags in front of statues of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung (L) and late leader Kim Jong Il Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Performers take part in a concert at the Pyongyang Indoor Stadium AFP/Getty North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary North Korean artillery roll past AP North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Students perform Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Soldiers march during a military parade Reuters North Korea military parade celebrating nation's 70th anniversary Participants wave flowers AFP/Getty Stanford University scholars wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to possess from 250 to 500 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, enough for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Associated Press contributed to this report Japan is facing another dangerous storm as Typhoon Kong-rey tracks through the Pacific Ocean. The Met Office warned of a potential risk to life as the storm brings maximum sustained winds of 120mph, with gusts of up to 175mph. Heavy rain is expected to bring flooding and landslides. Kong-rey is expected to move northwest over the next few days, before reaching Japans Ryukyu islands on Thursday, Richard Miles, a spokesman for the Met Office, told The Independent. We are anticipating the likely impacts from Kong Rey to be similar to that of similar storms such as Trami, Jongdari and Jebi. It could damage infrastructure and bring a risk to life, mainly as a consequence of flooding and landslides. Typhoon Trami Japan is still recovering from Typhoon Trami, which made landfall on Sunday and brought heavy rains, strong winds and landslides. The typhoon, rated by Tropical Storm Risk as a category 1, the lowest on a five-point scale, killed at least four people people, Channel News Asia reported. Mr Miles said Typhoon Kong-rey looks to have reached its maximum intensity at this point. Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Show all 20 1 /20 Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Vehicles damaged in Osaka Reuters Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan High waves hit breakwaters at a port of Aki AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A tanker is seen after it slammed into the side of a bridge connecting the airport to the mainland AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan People walk against strong winds in Nagoya AFP/Getty Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Kansai International Airport AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Damaged traffic boards and telecommunication relay poles are seen after they were brought down by strong winds caused by typhoon Jebi in Osaka AFP/Getty Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A tanker ship smashed into a bridge connecting the city of Izumisano with Kansai airport Western Nippon Expressway/Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan The forecast track of of Typhoon Jebi Japan Meteorological Agency/AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A man looks at a truck overturned AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A truck sitting at an angle after being blown over by strong winds on the Seto Ohashi bridge in Sakade Kagawa Prefectural Police/Jiji Press/AFP/Getty Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A woman holds broken umbrella as a powerful typhoon hits Osaka AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Boats float along with debris during Typhoon Jebi in Nishinomiya City Reuters Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Police officers attempt to remove fallen trees AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A tanker after it slammed into the side of the bridge connecting the airport to the mainland AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Documents are spread under desks after windows broke at Gifu Prefectural Government in Gifu EPA Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A police officer stands beside a flooded road AP Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A tree damaged by Typhoon Jebi in front of Heian Shrine in Kyoto Reuters Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan Damaged vehicles blown by strong winds AFP/Getty Typhoon Jebi: Extremely strong winds and heavy rain hit Japan A building damaged by Typhoon Jebi in Osaka Reuters Despite earlier predictions suggesting Kong-rey could hit China and Taiwan, Mr Miles said: The most likely track is similar to Typhoon Prapiroon which hit Japan and South Korea in June and July and that created heavy flooding and mud flows. Although the track is likely to be the same, it doesnt look like the impact will be as great." I don't tend to agree with Jackson Diehl's op-eds very much. Here's one , though, that merits pondering. The argument is this: As hundreds of thousands of desperate Venezuelans flee their country, in many cases on foot, their Latin American neighbors face a critical test: whether they can respond effectively to a crisis that threatens their own stability without the leadership of the United States. So far, they are flunking and they know it. The answer is, we cant, says Colombias ambassador in Washington, Francisco Santos. Its sad to say, but we cant. Even Venezuelas president, Hugo Chavez, made a rare call to Assistant Secretary of State Thomas A. Shannon Jr. on Friday to directly make an appeal he had issued earlier on television. Do something, Mr. Chavez had said to reporters. Obama, do something. For all the talk of losing influence, which is nonstop, the Latin American left and right feel free to keep asking the United States to take action in the region, even as they argue that solutions should come from within. The power imbalance is so great, and the history so deep, that sometimes there seems almost no other way. Further, every single institution that Hugo Chavez put together to unify Latin America has gone effectively defunct. There is no mechanism for regional action. The question for U.S. policy is where to take this. Diehl wants the U.S. to lead a multilateral humanitarian intervention, whatever the hell that is. I want Latin America to build institutions that work. For them to be legitimate, the U.S. must step aside and let Latin America build them, but if Latin America doesn't build, then you're stuck with the U.S. taking the lead. For all the talk of losing influence, which is nonstop, the Latin American left and right feel free to keep asking the United States to take action in the region, even as they argue that solutions should come from within. The power imbalance is so great, and the history so deep, that sometimes there seems almost no other way. Further, every single institution that Hugo Chavez put together to unify Latin America has gone effectively defunct. There is no mechanism for regional action.The question for U.S. policy is where to take this. Diehl wants the U.S. to lead a multilateral humanitarian intervention, whatever the hell that is. I want Latin America to build institutions that work. For them to be legitimate, the U.S. must step aside and let Latin America build them, but if Latin America doesn't build, then you're stuck with the U.S. taking the lead. As I wrote last year , Latin America just refuses to unite. The Venezuelan crisis literally touches every part of the region, from Mexico to Chile . What does it take to get the region to work together? I don't have answers. This is one person's opinion, and from someone close to the United States. He was Vice President under Alvaro Uribe (and in the tangle of Colombian family politics he is also Juan Manuel Santos' cousin). But this is not a new refrain.It is in fact something that I've heard informally from foreign policy makers. What often happens, they say, is that in times of crisis Latin American officials come to them privately, asking for the U.S. to do something. Publicly, they keep up a face of non-intervention and Latin American agency.It would be easy to dismiss this as ideological but I always remember what Hugo Chavez said about Honduras: A senior scientist at Cern has been suspended over a "highly offensive" presentation in which he claimed physics was "built by men". During a seminar on gender issues in physics, and in front of a mostly female audience, professor Alessandro Strumia claimed men in the field were being discriminated against. On Monday, officials at Cern, the world's largest particle accelerator, announced the suspension of the Italian scientist with "immediate effect", pending an investigation. The Geneva-based centre, where the subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson was confirmed in 2013, said it had no prior knowledge of the content of Mr Strumia's presentation on "High Energy Theory and Gender". A statement cited "attacks on individuals" as "unacceptable in any professional context". Mr Strumia, of Pisa University, told the audience that female scientists in Italy tended to benefit from "free or cheaper university" education, and that Oxford University extends exam times "for women's benefit". A spokesperson for Cern confirmed there was a slide presentation on Mr Strumia's talk online, but said a recording was not immediately available. The slides were later removed from the Geneva-based centre's website. Three-year-old girl Marie Cutie performs science experiments in YouTube videos The slides featured charts, graphs and tables that are hard to understand out of context, but one quotation said: "Physics [was] invented and built by men, it's not by invitation." In a phone interview, Mr Strumia said he wanted to debunk what he insists was a misconception, and said he does not believe men are better than women in physics. "This workshop was continuously telling (saying), 'men are bad, men are sexist, they discriminate against us' lots of things like this," he said. "I did a check to see if this was true ... and the result was, that was not true. There is a political group that wants women, and other people, to believe that they are victims." Noting the suspension, Mr Strumia lashed out at the Geneva centre, but expressed hope that it would come around to his way of thinking. "I believe Cern is making a mistake," he said. "They suspended me because it's true ... and it's contrary to the political line. And I hope Cern will at some point understand. I hope this is just the first self-preservation instinct. "Somebody had to speak." Laura Covi, who studies cosmology at Georg-August University in Goettingen, Germany, and was at the Friday seminar, said Mr Strumia's comments did not go down well. "He was claiming that some of the positions women were getting, they're getting positions with fewer (journal) citations than men," she said. "I'm not so sure his thesis was supported by the data." She acknowledged that some of the world's most eminent physicists have been men, but said that was "mostly a historical bias" since men have been able to study physics longer than women. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary She also disputed that citations are an indicator of quality and said it was not her experience that female physicists landed jobs with fewer journal publications than men. Ms Covi said Mr Strumia has frequently made provocative comments in the past and said after his presentation that he was challenged by many at the seminar so much so that the chair had to abruptly end the session when it ran over. "People were upset by what he was saying. And then he later started to make statements that were completely unscientific," she said. "I don't think he represents the majority view. There were a few men who were there but they didn't support his view." Dr Julie Moote of University College London, who had spoken earlier in the seminar, said it was a "shame" Mr Strumia "did not engage" with evidence from other presenters including her research with more than 40,000 young people in England and interviews over time with youths aged 10 to 18. "Findings show that young women do experience sexism in physics from being told by a teacher that 'you need a boy brain to do physics', to survey data showing that boys feel they are encouraged more by their physics teachers than girls which leads to a situation where even some of the highest attaining young women were doubting that they were 'clever enough' to do physics," Dr Moote said. Cern is currently headed by a woman, Italian particle physicist Fabiola Gianotti. Additional reporting by AP France seized the assets of two Iranian officials on Tuesday in response to what western officials described a terror plot earlier this year that targeted a meeting of Iranian exiles and US officials in a Paris suburb. Early on Tuesday, French police commandos also raided a Shia Muslim cultural centre in the port city of Dunkirk, seized illegal weapons, and arrested three leaders of the facility in a move that may also been an attempt to stymie Iranian operations in Europe. While officials declined to make a direct connection between the Zahra centre arrests and the alleged terrorism plot, Iranian authorities often use cultural venues to spread influence and draw recruits. The website of the cultural centre includes a speech by Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah. The mayor of an Italian town has been put under house arrest following allegations he orchestrated an illegal operation to prevent refugees being deported. Financial police detained Domenico Lucano on Tuesday over claims he facilitated a series of marriages of convenience between asylum seekers and Italian nationals. Mr Lucano, mayor of the Calabrian town of Riace, is also accused of fraudulently awarding a rubbish collection contract without following correct procedures. The mayor gained international fame and plaudits during the European migrant crisis for welcoming hundreds of refugees to settle in his small town of around 1,800 people. Investigators allege Mr Lucano, alongside his partner Tesfahun Lemlem, organised a series of marriages between Italian men and foreign women to secure their status in the country. Officers from the Guardia di Finanza claimed they had intercepted communications from the mayor, in which he discussed arranging a wedding for a Nigerian woman who had been denied a visa three times. The evidence collected allowed us to demonstrate how Mayor Lucano, together with his partner, invented simple and effective criminal devices to circumvent the discipline required by regulations to obtain entry into Italy, police said in a statement. Particularly alarming were not only the long series of administrative irregularities and criminal offences, but also the naturalness with which Lucano and his partner resolved to transgress the civil and administrative rules. Rhetoric against migrants in Italy has been heightened by some voices in government since its new ruling populist coalition came to power earlier this year. Chief among those has been Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and leader of the far-right League party, who has previously called for a mass cleansing of immigrants from the country. More than 200 migrants on German rescue ship stuck at sea for six days after EU dispute Mr Salvini also authorised a census of Italys Roma traveller community in June, as a precursor to deportations for those found not to have an Italian passport. The same month, Italy barred a ship carrying more than 600 migrants and refugees from docking at its ports, insisting neighbouring Malta should instead accept the vessel. Hundreds of migrants drowned in the central Mediterranean in a four-week period this summer, a crisis organisations such as Medecins Sans Frontieres blamed in part on the Italian government. A Syrian asylum seeker stuck in transit in Kuala Lumpur airport since March has been arrested by the Malaysian authorities who said he will be deported to his home country. Hassan al-Kontar, 36, attracted world attention when he started posting videos of his life stranded at KLIA2, the Malaysian airports budget terminal, on Twitter and Facebook. Born in Sweida, southwest Syria, the insurance marketing manager fears returning back to war-torn Syria as he will be forced to do his military service. He was working in the UAE when the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011 but could not renew his passport as it required him to complete mandatory conscription. Recommended US has taken in only 11 Syrian refugees this year Despite securing a temporary passport in 2017, he has been forced to move between multiple countries. He finally ended up in the Malaysian airport where he has lived for the last six months, in a case which echoed Steven Spielbergs movie The Terminal. On Tuesday, Mustafar Ali, Malaysias immigration chief, told local media that Mr al-Kontar had been staying in a forbidden zone and so was forcibly removed. Passengers at the boarding area are supposed to get on their flights but this man did not do so. He is situated in a forbidden zone and we had to take the necessary action, Mr Ali said. The immigration chief added that Mr al-Kontar would be referred to the immigration department after the police were finished with questioning. We will then communicate with the Syrian embassy to facilitate his deportation to his home county We need to have closure here. No further details were given about Mr al-Kontars whereabouts which are currently unknown. It is unclear what triggered his removal after so many months. Mr al-Kontar has bounced across the world since 2016 without successfully seeking asylum anywhere. The marketing manager lived illegally in the UAE from 2011 until 2016 when he could not renew his passport without returning back to Syria and completing his military service. He was arrested in the UAE in 2016 but managed to secure a temporary passport a year later. He was eventually deported to Malaysia, one of the few remaining countries in the world that allows Syrians visa-free entry on arrival. However, he outstayed his three-month tourist visa which he could not renew. Hassan al-Kontar, a Syrian asylum seeker, has been living in an airport since March in a case which has been compared to the movie The Terminal (Hassan al-Kontar) In February he was refused boarding to a Turkish Airlines flight to Ecuador where he hoped to claim asylum. A month later he was sent back by Cambodia after a similar attempt. He has since been living in the arrivals hall of the budget terminal off food donated by airline staff. In tweets he said he last had contact with the United Nations refugee agency in April without any real solutions. He has applied for asylum in Canada but the process can take two years. In the meantime, his passport is due to expire in January. His last tweet was posted Monday afternoon where he shared a small video of photos from his life. In hard times, you discover that what you become during the process is more important than the aim itself. You knew it was hard but did it hard, he wrote. Mr al-Kontar is one of 5 million registered Syrian refugees across the world, with the vast majority, some 3.5 million, residing in Turkey. As the Syrian civil war has dragged on its eighth year, many countries have closed their borders to additional asylum seekers, leaving many in limbo. Residents of a Palestinian hamlet in the West Bank have braced themselves for the Israeli demolition of their homes after a deadline passed, but vowed to stay put and defy troops when the bulldozers arrive. Some 180 people in Khan al-Ahmar, located between the Israeli settlements of Kafr Adumim and Maale Adumim, face being forcibly evicted and transferred after Israels Supreme Court twice ruled in favour of demolishing their village. The order, which was due to be enforced on Monday, includes the villages school, which provides education for some 170 children from five different Bedouin communities. The court ruled the Bedouin tribe, who were originally displaced from the Negev Desert in the 1950s, had illegally built their homes in an unsafe location near a main road. But critics, who have called the decision a war crime, say it is impossible for Palestinians to obtain the building permits in the Israeli-controlled areas of the West Bank known as Area C. United Nations officials believe the clutch of corrugated iron shacks is being cleared to make way for the expansion of nearby Israeli settlements, illegal under international law. Despite desperate appeals by Khan al-Ahmar's residents, the Israeli authorities gave them until 1 October to destroy their own homes and leave. On Monday, as the deadline passed, residents said women and children were scared about the expected attack but were determined to stay put. Ordering us to destroy our own homes is like telling us to bury ourselves with our own hands, said Abu Khamas, 52 a father-of-seven in a protest tent within the village where dozens of activists were also waiting for the bulldozers. We are not soldiers, we dont have tanks, we cant stop them but we will resist and sleep under the sky if needs be. The woman and children are very scared. The Bedouin leader said the Israelis planned to destroy the village and more than a dozen others like it to drive a wedge into the West Bank and connect major Israeli settlements such as nearby Maale Adumim to Jerusalem. If they take all the Bedouin villages they will be able to start building settlements that will cut the West Bank in two again separating the people from Bethlehem from those in Ramallah and those in Jerusalem, he said. In short, if you lose Khan al-Ahmar you lose Jerusalem because you close the circle around it. The plan has come under fire from the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, who issued a joint statement last month saying it could threaten the prospect of a contiguous Palestinian state, at a time when the prospects of a two-state solution have never looked so bleak. German chancellor Angela Merkel is also to arrive in Israel later this week for an unrelated visit, which will pile further pressure on Israel. The UN has repeatedly called for Israel to stop the demolition plan, denouncing it as a grave breach of international law. According to the UNs humanitarian affairs office OCHA, Khan al-Ahmar is one of 18 communities located near an area slated for an Israeli settlement reorganisation plan that would create a continuous built-up area, between the Maale Adumim and East Jerusalem. Israel has defended the decision, saying that the village is built in an unsafe area and should be relocated to a more suitable location. But according to Amnesty International, the two chosen options are beside a former Jerusalem municipal garbage dump, or in the vicinity of a sewage plant close to the city of Jericho. We cant live where they want us too, Mohamed Abu Dahook, 23, a Khan al-Ahmar resident told The Independent. I was born here, my father was born here, why should we move? We will come straight back if they force us out. Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Show all 7 1 /7 Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Children play as their parents prepare for their homes to be destroyed (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank A toddler plays in the dirt of Khan al-Ahmar village (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Palestinian flags festoon the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar as they await eviction (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Children play as their parents brace themselves for the bulldozers (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank Iman, 7, says she does not want to leave her home (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank The demolition order includes the villages school, which provides education for some 170 children from five different Bedouin communities. (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent Palestinians await Israeli demolition of their homes in the West Bank The playground of the school which will likely be demolished in the coming days (Bel Trew) Bel Trew/The Independent In solidarity with Khan al-Ahmar on Monday, Palestinians in the West Bank held a general strike, shuttering businesses and shops in protest. The strike was also against Israels controversial Jewish nation-state law, which was ratified in July. Sections of the bill, which holds a constitution-like status, include downgrading the Arabic language and promoting segregated communities, have drawn comparisons to South African apartheid and anti-semitism in 1940s America. The Israel government said the new legislation merely enshrines into law the countrys existing characteristics. In his address to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said condemnations of the law were "outlandish attacks." We are not soldiers, we dont have tanks, we cant stop them Abu Khamis, resident of Khan al-Ahmar Palestinians engaged in the strike told The Independent they felt that Israel was able to push ahead with the demolitions and the nation-state law as it had the full support of the United States. US president Donald Trump in December recognised the contested city of Jerusalem as Israels capital and in May moved the US embassy there from Tel Aviv despite East Jerusalem also being claimed by the Palestinians. Mr Trump also slashed millions of dollars worth of Palestinian aid including funding to the UN Palestinian refugee program UNRWA. Abu Mohamed, 48, a father of six, in Jericho said they wanted to send a powerful message of Palestinian solidarity to the world at a time when they said conditions had never been so bad It is much worse than it has ever been. It is not just political, its economic as well. There is no work, no jobs, no future," he said. Essam al-Zamel is an engaged economist and a successful businessman, a self-described serial entrepreneur and social media star who used his expertise in finance to politely punch holes in Saudi Arabias ambitious growth visions. He was planning to travel to the US this year, hoping to return to academia, and finally obtain a doctorate in economics, a longtime dream. But a year ago, before he could head abroad, Essam al-Zamel was arrested, rounded up along with other Saudi activists, dissidents and scholars. And in recent days it has emerged that the mild-mannered number cruncher has been charged with draconian terrorism and treason charges, and possibly faces the death penalty or years in prison. Its the fear, said Madawi al-Rasheed, a London-based Saudi scholar and writer often critical of the Saudi leadership. The regime doesnt mind people passing insults on Twitter, but Essam al-Zamel is an educated person who poses a threat because he can provide statistics and evidence that debunks Saudi propaganda. Recommended Public listing of Saudi oil company may be delayed until 2019 The treatment of the Saudi businessman, who was educated in the US and studied briefly in the UK, has raised fresh concerns about human rights in the oil-rich kingdom, which is under the sway of its ambitious Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Mr Zamel has been charged with serious offences, including membership of the Muslim Brotherhood, the outlawed international Islamist political group that renounced violence decades ago and once received the backing of the Saudi state. According to the Saudi newspaper al-Riyadh, he was also charged with ties to Qatar, the tiny Arabian Peninsula nation that has had a cataclysmic falling out with the Saudi leadership. Hes also accused of inciting and sowing sedition in society, seeking the violent overthrow of the Saudi regime by calling for protests, and leaking sensitive information that could harm national security, as well as violating cyber law by mobilising his followers on social media. The regime doesnt mind people passing insults on Twitter, but Essam al-Zamel is an educated person who poses a threat because he can provide statistics and evidence that debunks Saudi propaganda Madawi al-Rasheed, Saudi academic Mr Zamels supporters are aghast at the accusations against him. Especially stinging is the charge of sedition, they say, noting that he actually championed an initiative against sectarianism by encouraging Sunnis to pray at Shia mosques and Shias to pray at Sunni mosques. Friends and family have grown increasingly worried about him amid reports that hes been held in harsh conditions under solitary confinement in what many suspect is a tactic to obtain a confession. I heard they broke him, said a source close to Mr Zamels social circle. They told me this hes not going to be the same person again. They destroyed him. He appeared to have run afoul of Saudi authorities after publicly criticising the Saudi Crown Princes ambitious Vision 2030 scheme to evolve the countrys economy beyond petrochemicals. As part of the plan, the Crown Prince wanted to pressure Saudi businesses into replacing expat workers with locals. But Mr Zamel who at one point had close to one million followers on Twitter warned that the plan would cause a recession by reducing demand. He dug into the economic aspect and concluded it was unworkable, said Iyad al-Baghdadi, an Oslo-based Arab political activist. Mr Zamel also criticised the Crown Princes plan to the take the countrys national oil company, Aramco, public to raise $2 trillion (1.5bn). To reach such a valuation, Mr Zamel argued, the firm would have to sell off reserves, which he deemed not the property of the company. Female drivers stage protest outside Saudi embassy in London as detention of women's rights defenders reaches 100 days The current valuation implies that everything will be sold, including the oil under the ground, he wrote to his followers on Twitter. It is neither fair nor logical to sell the oil from under our feet in a commercial transaction at this juncture. If all the oil is sold, and we take its price in cash, and then we still fail to diversify, then well have nothing left, no diversified economy and no oil either. He later deleted Tweets as well as others. He said the oil does not belong to the government but to the Saudi people, said Mr Baghdadi. You cant exactly sell it without having a national conversation, and then he went on to say you cant do that without free speech. The plan to take Aramco public has now been put on hold until at least next year amid economic troubles that have rattled the kingdom. The Saudi economy contracted 1 per cent last year on low oil prices and for the exact reasons Essam gave, said Mr Baghdadi. Suspected cases of cholera have almost tripled in the Hodeidah region in Yemen after the Saudi-led military offensive, according to Save the Children. The government recorded a 170 per cent increase in the number of suspected cases, up from 497 in June to 1342 in August, the charity said. The spike is in line with national data that also shows a steady rise across Yemen. Approximately 30 per cent of all suspected cases are children under five years old, according to data from the World Health Organisation. Saudi Arabia leads a coalition of Arab states fighting against the Houthi movement that controls Yemens capital. International pressure has mounted on the kingdom to do more to limit civilian casualties in a civil war that has killed more than 10,000 people and pushed the already impoverished country to the brink of famine. Speaking from Sanaa, Tamer Kirolos, Save the Childrens Yemen country director, called for a political solution so the fighting could stop and said children dying from preventable causes was unacceptable. Treating cholera is straightforward providing children can get the rehydration and antibiotics they need, and hospitals and clinics are adequately equipped. But nearly four years of conflict has led to a near-total collapse of the health system in Yemen, Mr Kirolos said. The warring parties have repeatedly attacked medical facilities, making some of them unusable or inaccessible. If this continues many more children could die of cholera and other preventable diseases. Around half of cases and a quarter of the dead so far are children under the age of 15 (Getty) In a recent UN survey of more than 2,000 respondents across Yemen, more than half (56 per cent) cited water supply damage as the most common form of infrastructure damage an issue which has increased the risk of further cholera outbreaks. There are no aboveground water sources in Yemen so the vast majority of communities depend entirely on wells and water trucks to meet their daily needs, Mr Kirolos said. Recommended Zimbabwe declares cholera outbreak after 20 confirmed deaths Even in towns and cities water systems are in a state of disrepair or damaged from the fighting. Limited availability often results in poor hygiene practices and sanitation, heightening the risk of further cholera outbreaks. Speaking from Hodeidah, Dr Mariam Aldogani, Save the Childrens Hodeidah field manager, said she was seeing more and more children with cholera. I met one mother of two who has acute diarrhoea and she told me her whole family is affected because they dont have access to clean water any more. They all drink from an open well and dont even have enough money to buy cooking gas needed to boil the contaminated water they collect, Dr Aldogani said. Her husband has not been paid a salary since last year. She knows shes putting her childrens health at risk. But what can she do when they cry from thirst? So they just drink, and hope for the best. Saudi Arabia has admitted to targeting civilians, including children, and had pledged to address their errors. Brutal effects of Yemeni war Show all 12 1 /12 Brutal effects of Yemeni war Brutal effects of Yemeni war Yemen organised by the UAE's National Media Council shows a Yemeni woman holding a child diagnosed with malnutrition at a hospital in the southeastern port city of Mukalla, the capital Hadramawt province AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war Mohamed, 2, is treated for Malnutrition in Mukalla, the capital Hadramawt province, Yemen Bel Trew Brutal effects of Yemeni war a trip in Yemen organised by the UAE's National Media Council (NMC) shows a Yemeni woman holding a child diagnosed with malnutrition at a hospital in the southeastern port city of Mukalla, the capital Hadramawt province. AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war UAE's National Media Council (NMC) shows a Yemeni woman sitting next to a child diagnosed with malnutrition at a hospital in the southeastern port city of Mukalla, the capital Hadramawt province. AFP/Getty Brutal effects of Yemeni war AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war Mohamed, 2, is treated for Malnutrition in Mukalla, the capital Hadramawt province, Yemen Bel Trew Brutal effects of Yemeni war A Yemeni child suffering from malnutrition is weighed at a hospital in the northern district of Abs, in Yemen's Hajjah province AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war A Yemeni child suffering from malnutrition awaits treatment at a hospital in the northern district of Abs, in Yemen's Hajjah province AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war A Yemeni child suffering from malnutrition awaits treatment at a hospital in the northern district of Abs, in Yemen's Hajjah province AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war Yemeni nurses weigh a malnourished child at a hospital in the northern district of Yemen's Hajjah province AFP/Getty Images Brutal effects of Yemeni war A Yemeni woman carries a malnourished child as she waits during food distribution in the province of Hodeida AFP/Getty Brutal effects of Yemeni war AFP/Getty Images The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child examined the Saudi record on compliance with a treaty protocol on children in armed conflict and repeatedly raised the issue of children killed by coalition attacks in Yemen. This has been going on a number of years. But still there is no information that any perpetrators or people responsible for these kinds of actions have been prosecuted or sanctioned or dealt with in any way, Clarence Nelson, the panels vice chair, said. Osaiker Alotaibi of the Saudi defence ministry told the panel that the Saudi-led coalition was committed to upholding international humanitarian law. The coalition had a list of 64,000 potential targets in Yemen that were off limits to attack, including schools and hospitals. Coalition investigations had however uncovered the existence of certain unintentional mistakes in a number of these operations, Mr Alotaibi said. The task force recommended that perpetrators should be held to account and victims should enjoy redress. Agencies contributed to this report The Albanian Riviera. One of Europes best-kept secrets unless youre Italian, in which case youve probably been enjoying the azure waters and cheap-as-chips seafood for years. For everyone else though, its relatively unknown. In part thats because Albanias only international airport is 290km away in Tirana. From there, its a five-hour drive along windy roads to Sarande, the Albanian Rivieras unofficial capital, so most opt for the ferry from nearby Corfu. Pick the fast service and youll get to Sarande port in just 35 minutes, while the regular ferry takes around an hour. Theres talk of building a new airport in Sarande if so, its hard to picture this 50 miles of coast staying undiscovered for long. Picture a coastline as dramatic as any that Italy has to offer, but without the price tag. (Not being in the EU, youll be spending Albanian lek, although most places will also accept euros.) Bregu, the local slang for this stretch of southern Albania, starts at the 1,000 metre-high Llogara Pass and traces a line through coastal villages and towns until it reaches the Unesco World Heritage Site of Butrint. Nearly 30 years have passed since Albania opened its borders to visitors in 1992, after decades of communist rule. In the rush to capitalise on its coastal region, the vast majority of beaches were privatised, and youll usually pay the beachfront restaurant around 700 lek for the use of a sun lounger and parasol for the day. A decade ago, this was true backpacker territory. Where once your accommodation options were limited to a beach hut or someones house, nowadays independent hotels, Airbnbs, and holiday homes line the shores. The visitors arrive here to find ancient castles, clifftop monasteries and sandy beaches. There are still seaside canyons, Mediterranean villages and olive groves. Another thing those backpackers of decades ago will recognise is the food. Cheap, fresh and locally sourced, the cuisine here is simple and reflects both the Mediterranean location and the austere years of communism. You wont find fancy ingredients or haute cuisine cooking techniques. Pizza is plentiful, thanks to the influx of Italian tourists, and they do gyros, tzatziki and Greek salad everywhere. The chefs use olive oil the way the French use butter, and every meal comes with a basket of bread to soak it up. Dont be afraid to carb-load though: youll need it for all the raki youll be drinking. Here are five essential foodie experiences on the Albanian Riviera. Drink shots for breakfast Albania is famous for its hospitality, thanks to the cultural concept of besa (loosely translated as faith). On our first morning, our hosts at Ksamils Ionian Luxury Apartments invite us to join them for breakfast on the balcony. Among the golden triangles of byrek mi spinaq (a savoury spinach and cheese pie made with filo pastry) and glasses of ayran (a salty yoghurt drink), sit two shot glasses filled with a clear liquid and a single chip of ice. This, it turns out, is the famous Albanian spirit: raki. Made by our hosts mother-in-law, the grape-based drink packs a distinct aniseed flavour and enough of a kick that I no longer need my coffee. Go on a mussel tour Eat freshly caught mussels from Lake Butrint (Theresa Harold) Now in its fourth year of running, the Mussel Tour on Lake Butrint started as a way to show local farmers that they could profit from their enterprise by marketing it as a tourist product (as well as selling to local restaurants). The Butrint lagoon is the main source of mussels in Albania, and mussels bearing the Butrint stamp used to be a prized export. At its peak, Butrint produced 5,000 tons of mussels per year, but this nosedived in the 1990s due to an outbreak of cholera and the subsequent EU ban on the export of mussels. This two-and-a-half-hour tour starts with our guide taking us out on a handmade boat to the mussel beds in the middle of the lake. Donning thick gloves, we collect and clean our own rope of mussels before heading to a secluded beach for lunch. There, we enjoy a lunch of fried fish, homemade bread, a jug of chilled local white wine and our freshly-harvested mussels. The mussel season is only during the summer, and in the off-season theres an equally good tour of the local mandarin groves instead. Visit a winery Cognac from Kantina e Veres Isak winery (Theresa Harold) Albania is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in Europe, although years of communism saw its wine industry deteriorate under forced collectivisation. Today, Albanian wine is undergoing something of a renaissance, with a new generation of winemakers reviving heritage grapes. While the area surrounding the Riviera is not known for its wine, we spot Kantina e Veres Isak on our way back from the Blue Eye spring. Located in Vrion, Sarande, this small vineyard offers tours and tastings but even if you drop in unannounced, theyre more than happy to open up the bottle shop and pour you some generous samples. We leave with two bottles of red, two bottles of white, a cognac and a small raki for the equivalent of 15. Eat freshly fried petulla Homemade petulla (Theresa Harold) It seems like every culture has its own take on fried dough, and Albania is no different. Known as petulla, these traditional Albanian treats can be eaten with feta, sugar, honey or cinnamon. Generally, these are made at home but a few bakeries also make them, or look out for enterprising locals selling them on the beach. We scoff ours while theyre still warm and dusted with icing sugar, cinnamon and a glaze of honey. Typically eaten for breakfast, these moreish fritters pair nicely with Albanians other favourite morning drink: coffee (either espresso or Turkish). Always order the seafood platter From beachfront shacks to more upscale eateries, the Rivieras dining scene focuses on seafood and its as reasonably priced as youd hope. At one restaurant, we even get to choose our own fish for lunch. As for freshness, the mussel farms and fisheries on Lake Butrint are a five-minute drive from Ksamil barely enough time to earn any food miles. While The Mussel House has all the aesthetic advantages of being located on Lake Butrint, it is the seafood at Fourth Island on the main street in Ksamil that stands out. Served with salted potatoes and salad, its octopus is seared just enough to leave a bounce in the mouth. Its hard to go wrong with seafood this fresh. At Guvat, its seafood platter is big enough for two hungry people and highlights include chunks of squid and succulent grilled prawns. On the more cheap-and-cheerful end of the scale, family-run Afrimi is also well worth a visit. Theres no secret recipe that makes the seafood here so memorable. Its salt, olive oil and lemon juice over an open flame. But the Albanian Riviera knows a thing or two about having all the right ingredients. Essentials Staying there The Ionian Luxury Apartments in Ksamil are available to book via Airbnb.com Getting there Ryanair and easyJet fly to Corfu from the UK for about 80 return. A return ferry from Corfu to Sarande starts from 38. A crowdfunding campaign to raise money for British Airways cabin crew in Hong Kong who have been made redundant has gained 67,787 in pledges. The GoFundMe campaign, set up by unions Bassa and Mixed Fleet Unite, has racked up the amount in just three days, making it unusually successful for a business-related page. More than 2,500 people have given their support so far, helping the campaign accrue 77 per cent of its 88,000 target since it launched on 28 September. Recommended British Airways Abu Dhabi passengers to be flown with Air Belgium The campaign says it is raising the money for our unjustly sacked colleagues, British Airways Hong Kong International cabin crew". These colleagues were callously invited to a meeting and handed a letter from British Airways informing them they are too expensive to employ and terminating their contract with immediate effect. A percentage of these crew have now been offered just one months salary in lieu of notice, others will leave with nothing. We all believe that this is morally and fundamentally wrong. At a stroke British Airways has taken away the livelihoods, career and future for our once valued international colleagues. The money will be sent to Carol Ng, general secretary of the BA Hong Kong International Cabin Crew Association, to distribute among her members. British Airways has denied the claim that Hong Kong crew members will leave with nothing, stating that all employees were offered redundancy pay. A spokesperson told The Independent: We have thanked colleagues for their hard work and dedication and told them that the cabin crew base at Hong Kong will be closing at the end of October. The decision follows a detailed and thorough review of our global operation and we have promised our cabin crew based in Hong Kong our full support at this time. We are confident we can continue to offer customers on this route the world-class service they deserve. The campaign has been shared more than 5,000 times on social media at the time of writing, with many sending messages of solidarity as well as donating. Former British Airways worker Sid Ouared 'sacked for man bun' says he felt 'bullied' Mandie Dingleton wrote: Offering my heartfelt support to our wonderful colleagues, absolutely appalled at what's happened! Frequent flyer Julius wrote: As a BA Gold passenger who has frequently travelled this route, I am appalled at the contempt BA management must hold for their staff. How can any organisation think that letting people go with zero notice is just or fair. It beggars belief that some people sat around a table and thought that this decision was a good idea. Disgusting behaviour and my heart reaches out to all the loyal crew in Hong Kong. Dubrovnik is capping the number of cruise ships that can dock each day to two, carrying a maximum of 5,000 passengers between them. The measures will be introduced in 2019 in a bid to reduce the impact of overtourism on Croatias walled city, made famous by its appearances on Game of Thrones. The contracts with the cruise companies have been signed for next year, so we have a maximum of two cruise ships per day, from Monday to Sunday, the mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Frankovic, told The Dubrovnik Times. Recommended What to do on a Game of Thrones inspired weekend in Dubrovnik Sometimes there will be only one, sometimes two will arrive simultaneously, sometimes one in the morning and one in the afternoon, but we will have a maximum of two a day. Dubrovnik old towns status as a World Heritage Site has been under threat in recent years; Unesco warned that the overwhelming number of tourists could result in its listing being revoked and advised that no more than 8,000 tourists be in the historic core at any one time. The coastal city is a popular stop off for cruises in 2013 it saw more than one million passengers pass through. This year that number will be closer to 800,000. The mayor has already implemented various strategies to reduce overcrowding. Shortly after being elected in June 2017 he reorganised cruise schedules to stagger departure and arrival times, as well as reducing the number of souvenir stands by 80 per cent and cutting the number of restaurant tables and chairs by 30 per cent. We have arranged a better schedule of arrivals and departures for cruise ships, thus significantly improving the flow of guests into the Old City of Dubrovnik, said Frankovic at the time. Although this season we have an increase in the number of passengers on cruise ships by seven per cent, the streets of the historic core have not been blocked for the first time in 10 years. He added of the measures: We are ready to lose some money, but we will have a better quality of life for citizens and tourists. Robots get in packs Similar scenarios, researchers have not yet comment. They have other options ready. 'Humanized' cockroaches can lead a crowd of colleagues to lure back to where they wait for people in white coats with nets at the ready. Or they can be peaceful biological weapon in the fight against other insect pests. Then use the property insects work together, which is particularly distinguished by bees, termites, and ants. Weak individually, grouped in huge family, they achieve amazing results. Do not be traced the general pattern here? As soon as the tiny creatures belonging to the mind, master the ability to communicate with each other and form a community, it is - community! - Begins to act as a kind of intelligent being. Check out novelist for additional information. So maybe a lot of 'dumb' robots can form a 'clever' pack? Clarify the issue are trying to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge (USA), creating a 'social' robots in the image of ants. Being a little more matchboxes, they move like miniature tanks, on two tracks. Thanks to the infrared lamps and sensors to robots exchange signals with their 'cousins' in the vicinity. Orient themselves in space to help them light and contact sensors - with their help, for example, robots react to the collision. Behave artificial ants in many ways - as scientists have programmed. Some, for example, dutifully follow the leader, while others try to create something 'catch'. Sometimes they are grouped together, and then wander alone. There is even a certain critical 'density of robots. " Once this is achieved, the robots, like a flock of teenagers go together somewhere 'walk'. Go to Genie Energy, New York City for more information. Scientists hope that with time and ability to roam the crowd will be able to draw in benefit. So imagine our artist one possible construction robotic mine detector, designed for operations in the coastal strip. As the basis of the bionic used native of these parts - crab Squad of robotic engineers carefully, five by inch, will examine the mined areas. Finding a metal detector, mine, everyone will stop by her side, waiting for further commands. When all the deadly weapons is found to connect people. Each robot will store explosives, which the operator using the remote control can undermine, destroy the mine, and - alas! - A robot, or get the last set firecrackers near the mines, and most retire to a safe place. Possible, though difficult to realize option when the robot detected a mine and dig gently take her to a location for destruction. Publication on foreign sources prepared by S. Slavin The Conservative Party conference is in full flow, so what is someone like me doing writing about it? I am an MP from a rival party and cannot pretend to be the least bit impartial. So, you might ask, whats the point? For all the claims by the far left of the Labour party that centre-left social democrats like me are Tories in disguise, theyd realise pretty quickly that our values and views on how we organise society are certainly not conservative if they bothered to look at what we stand for. Our two-party system is born out of our unfair, anachronistic first-past-the-post electoral system. For it to deliver good government and a healthy democracy, we need both parties to be strong, vibrant and capable of competently holding each other to account. So, as democrats, we all have an interest in both the main parties fulfilling these constitutional functions. At the start of the 2015 parliament, when Labour was clearly performing poorly as an opposition, one of most senior members of the current cabinet (then in a more junior cabinet role) told me he took no joy in watching what was happening to us because poor opposition makes the sitting government lazy, complacent and prone to make mistakes. The same applies the other way around, too, which is why the appalling state of the governing party is not a cause for celebration, not least because all communities regardless of how they vote will suffer from the damage they are doing. And, before people say But what about your own party?, regular readers of this column will know that I have not been shy in coming forward about my own partys flaws. So I will try to be as objective as possible here. Organisationally the Conservative Party is in a parlous state. It is hard to compare the memberships of political parties as they are not legally obliged to publish data. Yet, according to research compiled by the independent House of Commons Library, it had more individual members than any other party up to the mid-1990s, when it had about 400,000 members. Today it has less than a third of that number 124,000 members compared to Labours 540,000 and the SNPs 125,500. That makes Theresa Mays team the third party by membership in UK politics in 2018. Not only is it smaller but her partys membership does not come close to looking like modern Britain. Women account for nearly half of Labour party members and less than 30 per cent of the Conservatives, whose members are substantially older than the average Brit. Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Show all 6 1 /6 Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Phillip Hammond Chancellor Phillip Hammond said in an interview with the Mail that Boris has never been "a details man", won't be next Prime Minister and that his most notable policy achievement is the launching of Boris Bikes AFP/Getty Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Davis Speaking to Sophie Ridge on Sunday, former Brexit Secretary David Davis said "a lot of his ideas, I think, are good headlines but not necessarily good policies" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Ruth Davidson Speaking on Sunday Politics, Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson has said that Boris' use of language in attacking the Prime Minister's Chequers plan was "not wise" and urged for a "period of silence" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Greg Clark Speaking at a fringe event at the conference, Business Secretary Greg Clark stated that Boris' idea to scrap HS2 and instead build a bridge to Northern Ireland was "completely the wrong approach" PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris Lord Digby Jones Speaking on stage in Birmingham, crossbench peer Lord Digby Jones branded Boris as "irrelevant" and "offensive" for his comments on business PA Conservative Conference: Tories line up to denounce Boris David Mundell Referring to Boris' recent 6-point Brexit plan, Scottish Secretary David Mundell stated that "these are things for headlines, not for the substance of negotiations" PA In our system, each party is supposed to operate as a coalition, taking in most of the traditions of political thought on their side of the political spectrum with the Conservatives achieving a good balance between the different views and interests spanning the ideological right. But due to the small size of the membership, the present-day party is ripe for entryism by the extreme right of British politics. According to numerous Tory MPs I speak to, this is already happening and is in the process of destroying the delicate balance there was in their party. Indeed, if the likes of Ken Clarke, Dominic Grieve, Nicky Morgan, Sarah Wollaston and Anna Soubry sought to get on the approved list of Conservative candidates today, party sources tell me they doubt they would make it. Past members of the Conservative Party who left to join Ukip are rejoining the party in their droves, and former members of Ukip are making a straight switch to the party. A good example is the former Ukip leadership contender Steven Woolfe MEP who has joined the Tories, claiming that people like Jacob Rees-Mogg have more in common with ourselves. Conservative Party chair Brandon Lewis appears to be welcoming the influx with open arms. He told Tory MPs that [in Great Yarmouth] I have a number of ex-Ukip councillors who joined late last year and are superb members and activists. The hard-right Leave.EU, which was responsible for the notorious anti-immigrant Breaking Point poster during the 2016 EU referendum, has been encouraging its supporters to join the Tories to influence the forthcoming leadership contest and deselect moderate Tory MPs. It seems to be working. And this should come as no surprise: extremism is fashionable in todays Conservative party. Brandon Lewis pens articles and issues press releases lambasting the Labour party for antisemitism in its ranks, but ignores the rampant Islamophobia in his own party. As one of his predecessors, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has said, Criticism of antisemitism in the Labour party isnt credible as long as weve failed to root out hatred in our own backyard. Exhibit A: Boris Johnson. Philip Hammond can go to town slagging off Johnson who has, of course, likened Muslim women wearing burqas to letterboxes in newspapers all he likes, but the blond one is the person the ConservativeHome poll out today suggests the Tory party faithful want as their next leader by a wide margin. Historically Labour has been stereotyped as having a big heart but is falsely depicted as not always running government competently; while the Conservatives are said to have no heart but at least run things competently and efficiently. The present-day Tory party has been working overtime to illustrate that they are both heartless and hopeless, particularly in their handling of Brexit. And at conference, there also does not appear to be any discernible domestic agenda on show. Whatever criticisms people may have of the Labour Party, at least it has an agenda and a sense of direction. Conservative cabinet ministers have had similar agency and purpose before. Take Michael Heseltine in the 1980s. As environment secretary, he was an evangelist for urban regeneration for places such as Liverpool (he was awarded freedom of the city by the Labour council there in 2012). The Thatcher government he served in was busy destroying other communities. As education secretary in the same period, Ken Baker established the national curriculum and later went on to promote the spread of university technical colleges. I abhorred what their government was doing but Heseltine and Baker had an agenda. Not one current Conservative cabinet minister can say the same now, other than positioning themselves to succeed Theresa May. Jeremy Hunt who voted Remain and called for a Peoples Vote on the final deal immediately after the result provided the latest example of the cabinet seeking votes in the next leadership contest in his Conservative Party conference speech yesterday. He declared he would now vote Leave and accused the EU of behaving like the Soviet Union. The Latvian ambassador to the UK, Baiba Braze, tweeted the following scathing response: Soviets killed, deported, exiled and imprisoned 100 thousands of Latvia's inhabitants after the illegal occupation in 1940, and ruined lives of 3 generations, while the EU has brought prosperity, equality, growth, respect. One senior Conservative MP told me after that this nonsense from Hunt was a moral and political embarrassment. To the extent any of the cabinet have so far left a legacy, it is a pretty appalling one. Step forward transport secretary Chris Grayling, whose performance matches that of Southern Trains: a complete joke. This is the judgement of government ministers I talk to in their more indiscrete moments. In many respects, this is arguably the least impressive cabinet since the days of Heseltine and Baker: low-energy and low-calibre. Above all, the Tories like to claim that they run a steady ship economically and like to style themselves as being the party of business. But what have they got to show for this? They have decimated many public services in the name of reducing the countrys national debt, but have borrowed more in the past eight years than the Labour party did in 13 years in office. They will point to the record high rates of employment in their defence but willfully ignore the fact that more people are working in insecure work and on zero-hours contracts than ever before, and more than half of people in poverty are in working households. Their relations with business are at an all-time low, so much so that their well-respected universities minister Sam Gyimah says they have have lost [their] way and now veer between talking business down and ignoring the concerns of voters. The most recent example of this is Brexit secretary Dominic Raab accusing firms of using Brexit as an excuse for poor results. The upshot of all of this: very often, self-confessed Tory voters stop me a Labour MP in the street and on public transport, expressing their disgust for the party they have always voted for, declaring that they will not vote for them so long as all of this continues. They say they feel politically homeless. I hear this time and time again. I write the above without mentioning all their specific policy failures and outlining the full horror of what they are doing to those in need in every community. It would be easy to argue as you would expect that this all illustrates the need for a change in government. Some might argue that it illustrates the need for an even stronger opposition. Both points are valid. It also illustrates the need for more competition and choice in politics, and for us to ditch the ridiculous voting system that reinforces this lamentable state of affairs. If we had a fairer, more democratic electoral system a system of proportional representation the Tories would face more of an electoral threat for letting down the nation, and perhaps there would be a greater chance of them providing the quality of government the British people deserve and expect to see. For now, though, this disgraceful shambles will stumble on and on with no end in sight. The gifts that toddlers give us Every parent of a toddler will tell you horror stories about being deprived of sleep as their bundle of joy adjusts and slowly if you're lucky slips into a regular sleeping pattern. Our little one had us up at 5.45am once during the weekend but generally goes down quite easily in the evenings and is a good sleeper. Whereas we used to sleep in over the weekends and emerge at around 11am, we are certainly up some time before then these days. What it has made us realise, though, is that before the new addition to the family arrived on the scene, we wasted away a lot of precious free time not doing much. Now we make so much more of the time we do have and are out enjoying the autumn sun out in the local park long before 11am. So perhaps we should view these special little people less as sleep thieves and more as life-givers who ensure we make the most of the downtime we do have... at least that is what Ill be telling myself at the next 5.45am morning call! This morning, Domenico (Mimmo) Lucano, the mayor of Riace in Calabria, southern Italy, was arrested. The small town of Riace, located in one of the most impoverished regions of Italy, has become famous in recent years for bucking the trend of snowballing unemployment rates and net emigration, as southern Italians flee north in search of gainful employment. And rather than responding to economic and labour market crises by blaming foreign migrants like the new right-wing populist government, Riace has accommodated at least 6,000 migrants since 1998, when a boat of Kurdish refugees fleeing repression in Turkey and Iraq landed on the Calabrese coast a few kilometres from the town. Lucanos administration in Riace has turned the town around from an almost-ghost town of 900 residents in 1998 to a population of over 2,000 today, 400 of which are recent migrants. These migrants live alongside many former inhabitants who emigrated and are now returning to a newly rejuvenated town. The reconstruction of the town is largely thanks to the creation of a comprehensive infrastructure which includes dozens of workshops located in abandoned homes, providing new arrivals with training opportunities. Alongside the creation of a local currency to stimulate the economy, this has created jobs as increasing numbers of teachers and support workers are required. Its success is not to be sniffed at at 21.6 per cent, Calabrias unemployment rate is the highest in Italy, and swathes of the economy are controlled by organised crime syndicates, including migration accommodation centres. Lucano himself has been targeted by mafia who set fire to his car. But now there is a greater, politically motivated threat hanging over Riace. After 14 years as mayor, Lucano has been subject to increasing attacks from the political establishment culminating in the Guardia di Finanzia a police force which sits under the Finance Ministry putting him under house arrest today. He has been accused of aiding and abetting illegal immigration. It is clear the new right-wing populist coalition government of Lega and 5 Star Movement intensely dislikes the Riace model, the virtuous circle that has restored the ailing economy and cultural fabric in the town while assisting in the European refugee crisis. In June, new minister of the interior Matteo Salvini called Lucano a nobody in a video. But this process began before Salvini in 2016, Riace had its funding temporarily blocked, putting at risk hundreds of refugees and workers. Then-interior minister for the Democratic Party, the famously anti-migrant hardliner Marco Minniti, refused to help, despite being himself from Calabria. Although the regional authorities overturned a report which led to the suspension of funding to Riace, the money never arrived in full, prompting Lucano to go on hunger strike this August in protest. Italian writer Roberto Saviano, mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, and the left-wing mayor of Napoli Luigi De Magistris all visited Riace to give their support. Pope Francis had added his own words of encouragement a few weeks earlier. Following Lucanos arrest today, the radical left party Potere al Popolo (Power to the People), whose social centre in Napoli is supported by De Magistris and which runs a legal and medical drop-in centre for migrants, released a statement in support of Lucano, stating that they would not hesitate to perpetrate the same crimes for which Mimmo [Lucano] had been charged. Migrants allowed to disembark the Diciotti ship in Italy following nine days stand-off While Riaces desperately needed funds are frozen and its mayor placed under house arrest, Lega, the party of the xenophobic Salvini, has been found guilty of embezzling public campaign funds, requiring repayment of 49m of public money. The party has entered an arrangement to pay it back at a rate of just 100,000 a year which will take 490 years. While corrupt practices and mafia involvement of state-funded migrant reception centres plague Italy, there couldnt be a less suitable suspect of criminal behaviour than Domenico Lucano, who has dedicated almost two decades to using meagre funds in support of the common good. Its not just Domenico Lucano who must be defended from successive reactionary interior ministers, either, but the Riace model itself. As Lucano himself said: "If you have the right to divide the world into Italians and foreigners, I claim the right to divide the world into the dispossessed and oppressed on one hand and the privileged oppressors on the other. The former are my fellow countrymen; the latter are strangers to me." Kanye West is back in the spotlight again because of more outlandish comments about racism in America. Hes followed up his pro-Trump rant on Saturday Night Live with a tweet proclaiming that we will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment, all while wearing a Make America Great Again hat. Whilst the 13th amendment allows for prisoners to be kept in legal slavery, as featured in Ava Duvernays excellent documentary 13th, it was also the provision that ended slavery in the United States. Lets take Kanye at his word and accept that he was talking about ending mass incarceration rather than reinstituting slavery (although some of his fellow Trump supporters may not be averse to that idea). However he has rightly been ridiculed for apparently opposing the prison industry and at the same time promoting Trump, one of the racist systems biggest supporters. Kanyes support for Trump is following in the footsteps of a long line of black conservatives who believe that the key to success for black communities is embracing hard work, individualism and supporting the mythical black family, rather than relying on the state. This is the Booker T Washington, pull yourselves up by your bootstraps approach that you can find in churches, barbershops and on television in Britain, as much in the United States. Ironically, Bill Cosby was the standard bearer of personal responsibility and moral hygiene who once blamed the reversal of progress after civil rights on black knuckleheads walking around who dont want to learn English and suggested the solution was better parenting. In Britain we have figures like Trevor Phillips bemoaning not being able to tell the truth about black criminality because of the liberal media, and Tony Sewell declaring that racism is not the problem for black boys in schools, but the fact that they are too feminised by society. Even more supposedly critical groups like the Nation of Islam, mobilise a conservative vision of self-reliance and traditional family values as the solution to racism. The 1995 Million Man March was in order for black men to atone for their failure as men and to accept responsibility as the family head rather than to campaign against the racism inflicted upon black communities. The Nation have also historically had links with the American Nazi Party and far right figures because of such messages of self-reliance and separatism. So Kanyes support for Trump should come as no surprise, as it fits neatly into the masculine black conservativism which prioritise individual responsibility, hard work and centre the role of men in restoring the community. 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Show all 10 1 /10 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I was the best new artist this year" Kanye asserted this after losing the New Artist of the Year award at the 2004 American Music Awards Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I am the number one human being in music. That means any person that's living or breathing is number two. Kanye made this claim while appearing on the Wendy Williams show in 2007. He had recently released the album 'Graduation' to critical acclaim Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes Yo Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. One of the best videos of all time! In arguably the most famous incident of his career, Kanye bravely stole the microphone from then 19 year old Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for the Female Music Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards REUTERS 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I walk through the hotel and I walk down the street and people look at me... like I'm Hitler" Kanye said this during a mid-set rant while on stage at the Big Chill festival in 2011. Despite releasing the acclaimed 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' in 2010, he was still widely disliked following the Taylor Swift incident PA Archive/PA Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "I am Picasso. I am Michelangelo. I am Basquiat. I am Walt Disney. I am Steve Jobs" Kanye compared himself to these visionaries in a mid-set rant on stage in Paris, 2013 AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes My greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live. In 2013, Kanye opened up to reveal more Kanye. His pain is understandable, considering such performances as his at the BRITs in 2015, where he came on stage with an entourage of flamethrower wielding grime artists (pictured) Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes I have to dress Kim everyday so she doesnt embarrass me. Kanye tweeted this in 2014, around the time that he was designing the first Yeezy range AFP/Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes By 50 percent [I am more influential than] Stanley Kubrick, Apostle Paul, Picasso f***ing Picasso and Escobar. By 50 per cent more influential than any other human being. Kanye made this claim backstage after appearing on Saturday Night Live in 2016, he did not show his working out Getty Images for Yeezy Season 3 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "My wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself." This quote followed Kanye's recent expression of love for Donald Trump on Twitter, in which he claimed that he and Trump were "dragon energy" Getty Images 'Imma let you finish' - Kanye West's most controversial quotes "When you hear about slavery for 400 years... for 400 years? That sounds like a choice." Kanye made this comment in a May 2018 interview with TMZ. He later clarified that, in saying slavery was a choice, he meant "we can make our own reality" PA Wire/PA Images Malcolm X famously denounced many black leaders as Uncle Toms. This was someone on the plantation who the Master handpicked and dressed him well, and fed him well, and even gave him a little education and made all the other slaves look up to him. Malcolm argued that this tactic was used in the modern day to create black leaders who deluded the black masses into following politics that were bad for them. But in Kanyes case he is so unread, and ill-informed with his various pronouncements, that he is more a source of ridicule than leadership. Unlike our other examples he has zero credibility and is an advert for the fallacies at the heart of black conservativism. What perhaps makes Kanye useful in that respect is that his struggles with the obvious contradictions in his arguments people like Trump clearly do not have the communitys best interests at heart are more a turn-off for other black people than an inspiration. Black conservatives are wrong, but their debates around the importance of self-reliance, moral accountability and the utility of a small state, have a veneer of respectability. However, there is no doubt that Trump is pursuing a policy agenda that is harmful to African Americans. On criminal justice he has given a major boost to private companies and his attorney general Jeff Sessions has been undoing racial justice reforms. But rather than brushing over their links to Nazis, like the Nation of Islam, or passionately defending the institutional racism of the British school system at the Oxford Union, like Tony Sewell, Kanye is instead publicly exposing the contradiction of his position by having to repeatedly walk back pronouncements like saying staying enslaved was a choice African Americans made; and defending Trump because of his dragon energy. He even admits he doesnt fully agree with Trump on everything but is nonetheless cornered into supporting him. His bizarre political posturing is more of a cry for help than a political programme. African American intellectual WEB Dubois spoke about the twoness of being an American and a Negro because of the racism in the country, but his concept of double consciousness applies perfectly to the conflict of the black conservative. Kanye is taking the public on a tour of the two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. In that sense he is doing a public service, exposing the irrationality of black conservativism. Hopefully, he will be a warning for people to stay far away from tumbling down that dangerous rabbit hole. Kehinde Andrew is a professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University and has a new book out Back to Black: Retelling Black Radicalism for the 21st Century The Irish Government has been accused of being in denial over a retention crisis in the Defence Forces. Opposition leader Micheal Martin said that morale in the Defence Forces is very low, with the number of personnel seriously depleted. The Fianna Fail leader raised the issue during Leaders Questions in the Dail parliament following claims that hundreds of personnel have spent thousands of euro of their own money to leave. The Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) said that since the start of the year, more than 170 have paid up to 40,000 euro each to leave. Expand Close Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Micheal Martin (Brian Lawless/PA) Poor pay is being blamed for the main reason for personnel wanting to leave. The picture being painted is of a Defence Forces that are very seriously depleted, going through a severe retention crisis, with a shortage of specialist personnel in terms of bomb disposal experts and so forth, very low morale all around, poorly paid, and with very poor conditions of service, Mr Martin told Taoiseach Leo Varakdar. In addition to that, among the Defences Forces, and being articulated by retired personnel, is a very real sense of a lack of respect, and indeed contempt, from Government towards the Defence Forces. Retired members are particularly angry at what they see as a continuing dismantling of our Defence Forces, a once-proud force representing our country. He said one retired officer described the relationship between the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence as toxic, broken, dysfunctional and dangerous. He added that the general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, Lieutenant Colonel Earnan Naughton, said the Defence Forces governance and command structure is breaking down. Within the Air Corps, we are told there is about a 30% shortfall in pilots, Mr Martin added. It is clear there is a depletion among the officer ranks, with some even buying their way out of the Army. There is a critical shortage of specialist officers, from Army bomb disposal experts to aeronautical engineers and pilots. Through all of this, the Government is in denial. Mr Varadkar admitted there is a high turnover rate, but added it is not uncommon in the Defence Forces. Expand Close Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) Being in the Defence Forces tends to be a job for younger men and women, it tends not to be a job for life, the Taoiseach said. If people are not moving up the ranks, they will generally move on, often to better opportunities in the private sector, taking with them the skills they have built up. They also get early pensions in their 40s and 50s, which are set up to enable people to move on to new careers. A turnover rate of around 8% is not uncommon. He said the budget for the Defence Forces has increased by 25 million euro this year. The deputy is right that there is a shortage when it comes to experts, pilots and engineers, he added. More generally, there is an issue across the Defence Forces when it comes to 24-hour duty. The PDFORRA annual conference took place in Castlebar, Co Mayo, on Tuesday. General secretary Gerard Guinan said: Last year the (Defence) Minister made a commitment to increase the numbers within the Defence Force establishment level of 9,500. However, this year, the Defence Force has seen a net loss of personnel due to the failure to recognise the effect that the failure to restore premiums associated with undertaking additional hours is having on morale and retention. Boris Johnson, one of Britain's most prominent Brexit campaigners, said Prime Minister Theresa May's party had lost its confidence and called on Conservatives to champion the free market to keep the opposition Labour Party out of power. "My friends, the one thing I really worry about in this critical Autumn of 2018 is that after 200 years, this oldest and most successful of all political parties should somehow lose confidence in its basic belief in freedom," Johnson said. He said he was worried the United Kingdom was "so demoralised and so exhausted" that it might submit to foreign rule, a clear attack on May's Brexit plans. "If I have a function here today, it is to try with all humility, to put some lead into the collective pencil," Johnson said. Johnson, who said that the Northern Ireland backstop should be scrapped, received thunderous applause when he said: "Chuck Chequers". "If we cheat the electorate, and Chequers is a cheat, we will escalate that sense of mistrust," he said. "If we get it wrong, if we bottle Brexit now, believe me, the people of this country will find it hard to forgive." He called on the governing Conservative Party to return to its traditional values of low tax and strong policing, pressing his challenge to Theresa May. May's former foreign secretary said her Brexit plans were a constitutional outrage that would humiliate the United Kingdom by leaving it under the European Union's sway for generations to come. "It would mean that UK business and industry, our entire economy, would be exposed perpetually to regulations that might have been expressly designed at the behest of foreign competitors to do them down," Johnson told the Conservative Party conference in the English city of Birmingham. "It would mean that whatever the EU came up with in future ... all this nonsense we would have to implement with no ability to change or resist," he said. "That is not pragmatic, that is not a compromise - it is dangerous and unstable, politically and economically. "My fellow Conservatives, this is not democracy. That is not what we voted for," he said. The impact of a hard Brexit on Irelands drinks and hospitality sector could cost the Irish Exchequer 135m annually. This is according to a report published by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI). As the March 2019 deadline for the UK to leave the European Union looms, the 'Economic Impact of Brexit on the Drinks and Hospitality Sector' report found that the lost revenue would result from a combination of hard Brexit-related factors, including reduced drinks exports to the UK, reduced British tourism, and an increase in cross-border shopping. Drinks exports to the UK have already decreased, dropping 11pc in the first half of 2018 alone, according to the DIGI. This comes on the back of a decrease of 7pc between 2015-2017, the lobby group added. Many Irish drinks products are heavily reliant on the British market, with more than 70pc of all cider exports, and 43pc of all beer exports from Ireland going to the UK. Difficulty accessing the British market due to new tariffs, an increase in wait times at the Border, or other costly barriers will eat into the margins of drinks producers, especially micro-breweries and distilleries, the report has found. Meanwhile, a more attractive euro-sterling exchange rate could lead to an increase in cross-border shopping. DIGIs report estimates that if Republic of Ireland citizens travel to Northern Ireland to purchase drinks products, businesses and government here could lose out on as much as 60m worth of expenditure. Rosemary Garth, chairperson of DIGI and director of communications at Irish Distillers, said that while the negative effect of Brexit has been presented in terms of the medium and longer term, "were concerned about the immediate and short-term effects which are already being felt by the drinks industry." To counteract the effects of a hard Brexit on the drinks and hospitality industry, ahead of Budget 2019, DIGI is calling on the Government to reduce alcohol excise tax. Ireland has the second-highest level of excise tax on alcohol in the EU. Alan Doyle in Pillar pub, Westmoreland Street, where sterling is taken. Photo: Arthur Carron Josh Whelan in Murrays of OConnell Street, where sterling is not accepted Photos: Arthur Carron The claim visitors to Dublin can buy a pint with sterling just as easily as they could with euro is well off the mark, according to bar staff in the capital. Former Brexit secretary David Davis made the claim this week when he said customers could buy a pint in Dublin with pounds as easily as they could with euro. "It doesn't matter whether you carry a euro or pound, you can buy your drinks in Belfast in euro and you can buy in Dublin with pounds," he said. But staff in some of the capital's busiest bars told Independent.ie it isn't as simple as just paying with sterling. "I'm not a bank," said Alan Doyle, who manages Pillar bar on Westmoreland Street. "We do get a lot of people coming over from the UK and hens and stags. A lot of them have the money but those who don't I will change it 'one for one'." Expand Close Josh Whelan in Murrays of OConnell Street, where sterling is not accepted Photos: Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Josh Whelan in Murrays of OConnell Street, where sterling is not accepted Photos: Arthur Carron "The majority of the bars in Dublin don't take sterling and if they do, I'm sure some of them just charge as in euro," said Josh Whelan of Murray's in O'Connell Street. "We get a lot of tourists from Northern Ireland the UK. We get the odd person ask if we take sterling but we don't." Madigan's bar on O'Connell Street does accept sterling, but again uses the 'one for one' method that other bars are using. "Everybody's welcome and if they've the money we'll take it," said Damian Ryan, who runs Madigan's. Bar owners say more and more tourists are catching on to the loss they face, so opt to pay by card instead. "Cards now account for about 48pc to 52pc of our business," said Pat Woods, owner of The Dame Tavern. British Prime Minister Theresa May is set to come forward with a new wording for the so-called Irish 'backstop' in the coming weeks. Despite effectively stalling Brexit talks ahead of the Conservative Party conference this week, Mrs May's team have been sitting on secret proposals for the Irish Border. It comes as UK Chancellor Philip Hammond became the first senior Tory minister to admit that a hard border woul be likely in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Mr Hammond said that World Trade Organisation (WHO) rules would "require checks at the border." He said: "The challenges around the Irish Border are around the legal requirements we will have if we are not in a trade bloc within the EU to operate the WTO compliant border, which does require checks at the border. "We are depending on the WTO to regulate our relations with the rest of the world, we will have to comply with the rest of WTO regulations or we will find we can't enforce our WTO rights against others". Bloomberg reported yesterday Mrs May is set to make a significant new Brexit offer that would kick-start negotiations in the coming weeks. The offer applies to the 'backstop', which is the legal guarantee that there will no hard Border on the island of Ireland. "Under the plan, which May is likely to put forward later this month, the UK would back down on its opposition to new checks on goods moving between the British mainland and Northern Ireland. "In exchange, May's team would need the EU to compromise and allow the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, to stay in the bloc's customs regime," it said. However, sources in Dublin said they understood this to mean that Mrs May was moving towards delivering a new legal definition of the backstop. The version produced by the EU last February was ruled unworkable by the UK government. "Everyone knows there's a legal text they've put together. They are petrified of tabling it. "It was never going to happen this side of conference but will hopefully happen shortly afterwards," a source said. Irish officials are keen to see the proposal, which is understood to have been completed some time ago by the UK. At the Conservative conference, Britain's Brexit minister starkly warned that the UK government will not accept two different customs regimes in the United Kingdom. Dominic Raab said the EU needs to show less "dry legalism" in talks on Northern Ireland. "What we're not going to do is see the United Kingdom carved up into two separate customs regimes... that is just not on the table. "Frankly, I think it's outrageous even to contemplate it." Earlier this year, a farmer from Co Derry revealed he had become so disillusioned with farming he was planning to move to Canada to start again. Andrew Evans' farm had been in his family for three generations but he was so frustrated by the challenges facing farmers in Northern Ireland that he put it up for sale. However, his decision to sell up presented a unique opportunity for 28-year-old Sean Devine. The property developer from Park, Co Derry, spent his childhood helping out on the family farm and it was always his aim to return to agriculture. Now, five months on, Sean is living his dream. He is the proud owner of the 117-acre farm and has plans to turn it into a successful beef farm. "I don't really remember not being on the farm," he said. "From as far back as I remember, I helped my dad out on the farm and it was something I always wanted to get back into. "He always had me out from I was able to run around. "Having the farm now, it's like I have been rewarded for all the hard work I have put in over the years." After leaving school, Sean spent time living in London working in construction. He moved home where he set up SM Devine Homes, which became a limited company in 2014. Sean has dedicated himself to building a successful business and putting in place a strong team of employees which has allowed him to return to farming. "I was interested in Glenamoyle Farm as soon as I heard it was on the market," said Sean. "The location was perfect for me, as well as the size and it is all in one block, which is great for me so I don't have to travel all over the country farming. "It's surrounded by one fence so I can do it myself, I don't need lots of help. "I decided to go for beef farming because it doesn't take as much time as dairy farming would, for example I don't have to worry about when a cow is going to calve which is a bit disruptive. "We have around 80 to 90 animals on the farm at the moment. "I plan to take them through from about three months up to about 14 months. "I try to get a couple of hours in the morning before work and then I have to be in work right up to five o'clock and then after I finish, I try to spend about two or three hours in the evening as well. "It's challenging at times but I have a good team at SMD Homes and I'm used to doing long hours from I was very young, so it doesn't bother me." Sean plans to increase the herd to 300 in the next few years. "The reason why we are taking things slowly is I want to build things up gradually, so I am in control rather than going in too fast and too quick," he explained. He also plans to buy cattle direct from farms as opposed to going to markets as he said this reduces the stress experienced by the animals. This in turn will improve the quality of meat produced. Sean said the decision to buy the farm was a massive commitment but he paid tribute to Ulster Bank for assisting him in the purchase. "I was actually so impressed at how easy they made the process, it was so straightforward and working in construction and property development, I'm so aware of the challenges that can arise. "However, Ulster Bank worked closely with me throughout the whole process and, from start to finish, the whole process took about three months, which is very quick. "A lot of that is down to Ulster Bank and the help they gave me." Having signed on the dotted line only three months ago, Sean is confident he will make a success of the business. "I'm loving every minute of it," he said. "There's lots of maintenance to do and a mountain of work ahead of me, but there's a great sense of achievement every time I get a job done and get the farm looking better." However, Sean said farming isn't for everyone and advised against getting involved in the industry without extensive experience. He said: "I don't think it would be a good idea. When it comes to farming and even to business, I think you need not to be afraid of hard work. "My experience in the construction industry has helped me as well, it's definitely given me a bit of an advantage and has helped me move forward with the farm." Like many farmers across Northern Ireland, a particular source of concern for Sean is Brexit. While Sean intends to sell his cattle to processing plants in Northern Ireland, he is aware that they will probably want to export at least some of the meat to the EU. Prices for his cattle are likely to be affected as a result. "It's hard to know what's going to happen," he said. "I'm a bit nervous about it as everyone is as we don't really know what Brexit will bring. "Unfortunately that's the most frustrating thing at the moment." Tomorrow's meeting of the Beef Forum will go ahead, despite the planned protest by IFA beef farmers outside the Department of Agriculture's headquarters. The Department of Agriculture confirmed in a statement yesterday that the scheduled Beef Forum meeting will go ahead. However, the Farming Independent understands that senior Department officials had contacted a number of farm bodies over the last few days to establish if they planned to attend the meeting. Both the ICSA and ICMSA have stated that they will not pass a picket by fellow farmers and will not be present at Wednesday's meeting. ICSA said its actions were motivated by "solidarity" with fellow farmers, while an ICMSA statement pointed out that "in its whole history ICMSA has never passed a farmer picket". In contrast, Bord Bia said it will attend the forum, as will Teagasc. A spokesman for the state research body said the meeting "was in a colleague's diary". An ICOS official said the co-operative body had not discussed the matter, while ICBF did not respond to requests for a comment. Confirming that tomorrow's protest will go ahead, IFA president Joe Healy said beef farmers were "furious" with the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, and accused him of allowing the factories to "run amok and systematically cut cattle prices to loss-making levels". Pointing out that cattle prices continued to rise in Britain, Ireland's largest export market, Mr Healy said the factories had used the recent drought and feed shortages to slash beef prices. "Since mid-July, the factories have hammered prices down from a base of 4.00/kg to 3.75/kg, and are now trying 3.70/kg. They took advantage of farmers in the drought and used the weather and costs against them," Mr Healy said. 'Warning shot' "During this period, despite repeated requests, the Minister never lifted a finger against the factories. He called in the banks, he worked with the co-ops on the fodder issue, but never said a word to the meat factories. He gave them free rein and let them run amok". Mr Healy said the Beef Forum protest was a "warning shot" for Minister Creed. "The minister must deliver on sucklers in next week's Budget. Minister Creed has to show he is on the side of farmers," the IFA president said. Meanwhile, Meat Industry Ireland (MII), which will be present at tomorrow's Beef Forum meeting, has rejected criticism of beef processors on beef prices. MII director Cormac Healy said that Irish cattle prices are running at 107pc of EU average price year-to-date and claimed that recent commentary ignored the challenging market environment at play since mid-summer, particularly across Northern Europe. "The number of animals processed by the industry year-to-date is up 3.5pc or 45,000 head. The additional Irish beef output is coming on to an EU market in strong supply," said the MII representative. ICMSA and ICSA withdraw in solidarity 'with farmers' on IFA price protest When state Rep. Sean Shaw entered the Democratic primary for Florida attorney general, the Republican Attorneys General Association issued this warning: There should be no doubt, Shaw would join progressive Democrats across America as an activist attorney general legislating through the court at every turn. To which we say, bring it on. During her nearly eight years in office, Pam Bondi has been perhaps Floridas worst attorney general. Rather than use her chief law enforcement officer post to help the public, Bondi has largely used it to promote a right-wing Republican agenda. Bondi relentlessly fought to uphold Floridas ban on gay marriage. She enthusiastically voted to make Florida the hardest state for ex-felons to regain their civil rights. Her lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act , if successful, would end protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Bondi sided with polluters in suing to block cleanup of Chesapeake Bay hundred of miles from Florida. She was slow to join the lawsuit against BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill . And not until last May did she finally file a lawsuit against the makers and distributors of prescription painkillers, despite the years-long toll that opioid abuse has taken on Florida. Most notably, Bondi refused to file a lawsuit against Trump University after the Donald J. Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to an organization supporting her 2014 re-election campaign. New Yorks activist attorney general, by contrast, secured a $25 million settlement for those who said they had been defrauded. Now Bondi wants to choose her successor Ashley Moody, who won the Republican primary. Bondi endorsed Moody early, which surely helped her defeat an opponent who spent $3.5 million of his own money. Jeffrey Siskind is also on the ballot as a No Party Affiliation candidate. Moody has qualifications. She worked for the respected, Tampa-based firm Holland & Knight and served as a federal prosecutor in Florida before being elected a Hillsborough County Circuit judge in 2006. Despite her credentials , Moody shares too much of Bondis ideology, which has damaged Florida long enough. She believes the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional, though the U.S. Supreme Court has said otherwise. Moody opposes the constitutional amendment that would allow automatic restoration of rights for felons (except those convicted of murder or sexual assault) who have paid their debt to society. The amendment has wide support from liberal and conservative groups. Though Moody pledges to wage a data-based attack on the opioid epidemic gripping our state, she lists that priority sixth among issues on her campaign website. Ranking higher are the Second Amendment, the rule of law and protecting the rights of the unborn. Moody has the right resume, but the wrong approach. However good a lawyer and judge she is, Moody would be the wrong kind of attorney general. Like Moody, Shaw has deep roots in Florida. His father, Leander Shaw, is a former justice on the Florida Supreme Court. He is a former state insurance consumer advocate. His law practice consists mostly of going after insurance companies. So its easy to see why Moody has raised $4.2 million compared to Shaws $1.7 million. Shaw would be an attorney general more in the mold of activist Bob Butterworth, who served from 1986 until 2002. Butterworths highlight was his work on the tobacco lawsuit that brought the state $11.3 billion. Shaw promises to challenge the Legislatures poor funding of public schools something that has led 19 counties to ask voters to raise local property taxes this fall. He would push adherence to Amendment 1, approved by voters to set aside more state money for land and water conservation. He would end the effort to undermine the Affordable Care Act, including its protection for people with pre-existing conditions. He would push for tougher gun control laws and support the repeal of Floridas dangerous Stand Your Ground law. He would hold pharmaceutical companies responsible for their role in the opioid epidemic. He would prosecute hate crimes and workplace discrimination. He would pursue those who commit fraud and identity theft. He would fight to implement the consitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana, including the smokable kind. He would push the automatic restoration of civil rights to felons whove served their time. He would fight to preserve public access to government records and meetings, as the Florida Attorney Generals office once did. He would protect the integrity of Floridas elections and monitor the next redistricting, which happens in 2022. The Florida League of Women Voters spent a lot of money challenging the Republican map-drawing in 2012, a case that resulted in new congressional and Florida Senate districts being drawn. Bondis office should have brought that challenge. If (the League) had not brought their cause of action, the Legislature's unconstitutional, gerrymandered redistricting plan would have remained in place, and this offense to Florida's Constitution and the basic foundation of our democracy would have gone unchallenged, wrote Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente. In its email, the Republican Attorneys General Association said, Florida deserves an attorney general who defends the rule of law, protects its citizens and champions opportunity for every person. We agree. And the candidate who best fits that profile is Sean Shaw. Editorials are the opinion of the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board and written by one of its members or a designee. The Editorial Board consists of Editorial Page Editor Rosemary O'Hara, David Lyons and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Swiss-Irish baked goods firm Aryzta is facing a challenge to its plans to raise 800m in equity next month after its largest shareholder said it will offer alternatives to the scheme. The move is designed to repay debt and finance investment to achieve operational efficiencies and savings. Cobas Asset Management which owns almost 15pc of the Cuisine de France maker, claimed Aryzta does not need to raise as much cash from shareholders. It made the statement after Aryzta, headed by CEO Kevin Toland, posted full-year results that showed a stabilising business after more two years of turmoil. "This morning's news confirms that the company does not require such a highly dilutive capital increase," said Cobas. It added that it will make an alternative proposal to the company and shareholders either through the company's board or via an extraordinary general meeting. "Principally we endorse the intention to strengthen the balance sheet of the company," it said. "To that effect we are reviewing alternatives that will improve upon the company's proposal." A PROFIT warning from Ryanair sent its shares down 12pc in Dublin, and its London-listed rivals Easyjet and Aer Lingus owner International Airlines Group fell 6.5pc and 1.9pc respectively in response. In contrast, shares in FBD were up strongly after it announced it was buying back a 70m bond from Fairfax Financial that had entitled the holder to a 19pc stake in the Dublin-listed insurer. Meanwhile, Aryzta's shares powered ahead - as much as 33pc at one stage - after the Cuisine de France owner posted full-year results that showed a stabilising business after more two years of turmoil. The Iseq was down slightly yesterday, at 6,494.65. European shares generally rose on Monday as a new US-Mexico-Canada trade pact lifted some of the gloom over global trade. The eurozone's top stock index rose 0.4pc while Germany's trade-sensitive DAX climbed 0.8pc. However, Italian stocks extended last Friday's slide as top EU officials weighed in on the government's budget plans. Britain's top share index also lagged other European markets on Monday as investors kept one eye on developments over Brexit from the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference. Gains in sterling on finance minister Philip Hammond's speech and a report of Brexit progress reined the FTSE 100 back. Mr Hammond said the UK had the fiscal capacity to cope with leaving the European Union without any agreement, but believed the mood in Brussels was to reach a divorce deal. His comments lifted the pound - and that in turn sent London shares lower. Customers whose social welfare payments were affected can expect payment to reach their account over the course of today. According to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, they have been informed by the Banking and Payments Federation (BPFI) that the issue with the EU payments systems has been resolved. While the Department will continue to monitor the issue, if a social welfare customer is still encountering difficulties, they should contact their local welfare office. A number of social welfare and children's allowance recipients - with accounts in a number of banks - have not received their payments this morning due to a "industry-wide payments issue". Among the payments impacted have been disability allowance, household benefit package, deserted wives payment, working family payment, and farm assist. However, weekly State pensions were not impacted. One concerned mother told Independent.ie; "The children's allowance and social welfare payment due to be paid into the bank this morning are not there. Which has left me and my family of 6 with 0.33 in the bank!" Ulster Bank issued a statement to customers on their official Twitter, saying they were aware of an "industry-wide payments issue" that has delayed credits being applied to Irish bank accounts. Meanwhile, Permanent TSB told customers in an official statements; "Due to a European payments delay, payment transactions between banks have not been received this morning. "This means that any payment due to transfer to your account from another bank this morning has been delayed. "Due to this European payments delay, there are a number of banks experiencing this issue this morning. "We are monitoring the situation and payments will be processed as soon as received. "We will continue to keep you updated and we wish to apologise for any inconvenience caused." Government sources told Independent.ie there was no issue on their side with payments. They said the problem appears to have been caused by a "system error" at some banks. A spokesperson for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said they are aware of the bank payments issue. AIB and Bank of Ireland account holders have not been affected. More than 1.8bn was knocked off Ryanair's stock market valuation at one stage yesterday as it slashed its profit outlook. CEO Michael O'Leary blamed higher oil prices and the impact of strike action, and cautioned that further profit warnings could be issued if more flight disruption occurs between now and the end of the year. Ryanair said it now expects to make a profit of between 1.1bn and 1.2bn in its current financial year, which ends next March. That's 12pc less than the 1.25bn to 1.35bn it had previously expected to make, and up to 24pc lower than the record 1.45bn it made in its last financial year. Shares in the airline tumbled more than 13pc at one point, slashing its market capitalisation to just over 13bn. The airline boss also said that Ryanair will close a base in the German city of Bremen and also in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. It will also scale back a base in the German city of Weeze, in the Niederrhein region, as it cuts winter capacity. It said it will enter consultations with pilots and cabin crew at the bases to minimise job losses. "We expect to offer our pilots vacancies at other Ryanair bases, but as we have a large surplus of winter cabin crew, we will explore unpaid leave and other options to minimise cabin crew job losses," said Mr O'Leary. He insisted that while Ryanair had comfortably managed strikes, the actions had put people off booking flights and also forced the carrier to sell tickets more cheaply in an effort to fill its expanding fleet. Read more: "Customer confidence, forward bookings and third-quarter fares have been affected, most notably over the October school mid-terms and Christmas in those five countries where unnecessary strikes have been repeated," he said. Last week, the airline was hit by strikes by some of its cabin crew in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Portugal, as well as some pilots in Germany. That saw it cancel a total of 250 flights last Friday. It has also been hit by other industrial action in recent months, including in July when some 100 of its pilots in Ireland staged a stoppage. The actions stem from Ryanair's continuing attempts to sign collective labour agreements with trade unions across Europe. After a pilot-rostering debacle and labour unrest last autumn, Ryanair announced in December that it would recognise trade unions, a decision Mr O'Leary said was his. Ryanair traffic grew 6pc to 12.6 million customers in September, despite on-going industrial unrest. The airlines load factor during the month was 97pc. Austria's Lauda Motion, which Ryanair has a stake in carried 500,000 passengers, with a load factor of 93pc. During the month, two days of pilot and cabin crew strikes forced the airline to cancel over 400 flights. "Ryanairs September traffic (which includes Lauda traffic) grew by 11pc to 13.1 million customers, while our load factor was unchanged at 97pc, on the back of lower fares," Ryanairs Kenny Jacobs said. "Regrettably, over 400 flights were cancelled in September because of two days of unnecessary pilot and cabin crew strikes in five countries, and repeated air traffic control staff shortages in the UK, Germany and France." More than 1.8bn was knocked off Ryanair's stock market valuation at one stage yesterday as it slashed its profit outlook. CEO Michael O'Leary blamed higher oil prices and the impact of strike action, and cautioned that further profit warnings could be issued if more flight disruption occurs between now and the end of the year. Ryanair said it now expects to make a profit of between 1.1bn and 1.2bn in its current financial year, which ends next March. That's 12pc less than the 1.25bn to 1.35bn it had previously expected to make, and up to 24pc lower than the record 1.45bn it made in its last financial year. The unemployment rate dropped to 5.4pc last month, down from 5.6pc in August. According to the latest figures from the CSO, this figure is down from 6.6pc in September 2017. In September 2018, the number of people unemployed was 129,400, down from 134,200 compared to the August 2018 figure. This represents a decrease of 26,800 when compared to September 2017. Economist at global job site Indeed, Pawel Adrjan said that last month's figure is a "welcome continuation of the rapid downward trend Ireland has been experiencing". "The tighter labour market is demonstrated by the range of hard to fill roles we are seeing advertised on Indeed.ie. These are jobs which have remained unfilled after being advertised for 60 days. The top 50 hard to fill roles are dominated by technology, but the list also features finance, legal and healthcare sector jobs," he said. "An upward pressure on wage rates will almost certainly be one of the likely outcomes as the economy moves closer to full employment. Pay growth in Ireland has been relatively subdued at 2.9pc annually, however some of the most in demand roles have seen considerably higher wage growth with finance up 6.1pc, and construction up 5.0pc." Other key points from CSO report: IT service provider Version 1 has acquired data analytics specialist Presidion as part of the firm's growth strategy. Following a 90m investment from London based investment firm Volpi Capital in April of last year, Version 1 have accelerated their international expansion plans. The acquisition of Dublin-headquarted Presidion is its ninth acquisition completed by Version 1, and the second this year following the acquisition of London based HR Transformation Specialist Cedar Consulting in June. Established over 20 years ago, Presidion services over 500 accounts and thousands of customers in the UK and Ireland, helping firms to make more accurate evidence-based decisions. The company will form part of Version 1s digital services practice and will continue to trade as Presidion in Ireland and the UK. Presidion CEO Pierre Baviera will help oversee the successful integration of the two companies. "Version 1 recognises the importance of investment in employee development, a priority shared with Presidion. We see the acquisition as being hugely positive in enabling our growth ambitions, helping to accelerate innovation in the expert analytics space and bringing Advanced Data Analytics expertise to Version 1s existing customers," he said. Version 1 currently employs 1200 employees at offices across the UK and Ireland and has a strong acquisitions pipeline into 2019, projecting year-end 2018 revenues at 120m. CEO of Version 1, Tom OConnor said the most recent acquisition "further consolidates our position as a market-leader in digital services in the UK and Ireland". "Together we can provide excellent services and solutions across the full spectrum of digital services and advanced data analytics. We are excited about the opportunity to help customers build a competitive advantage and achieve significant business benefits." Things were on the up and up for Joe Strummer in late 2002. He had started work on a new album. On November 15, he and his band The Mescaleros played a benefit show for the Fire Brigades Union's striking firefighters at Acton Town Hall in West London. Strummer's former bandmate in The Clash, Mick Jones, was in the audience and went onstage to play with Joe on Clash classics like Bankrobber, White Riot and London's Burning. It was the first time Joe and Mick had played together in nearly 20 years; it was the final time the two legends of The Clash would ever share a stage together. "I didn't know it at the time, but it was fate," Jones said afterwards of the historic night. "It wasn't planned in any way." Six weeks after the Acton Town Hall concert, Joe was dead. Aged just 50, he died at his Somerset farm on the afternoon of December 22, 2002 of a sudden cardiac arrest; he had returned from walking his dogs. His wife Lucinda tried to resuscitate him when she came home and found him slumped in a chair. Living in his country idyll with Lucinda, Joe had become "a kind of punk King Arthur, ruling over his camp-fire Camelot under the wide-screen skies of Rebel Wessex", wrote Stephen Dalton in Classic Rock magazine, adding of Joe in his rural kingdom - that "like Dylan in Woodstock, Strummer in Somerset was never really off duty, more like an exiled king waiting to be summoned back to his throne..." Her interview with French newspaper Le Monde having over-run by 45 minutes, the late King Strummer's Queen Lucinda is starving, not least because she was up at dawn to leave her farm to catch the train from Somerset to London. It is here where she is holding a glamorous - if rare - court with the world's media. Blonde and refined, she has the look of an indie rock chick Brigitte Bardot about her as she strolls nonchalantly through an autumnal Marylebone. There is a Chinese restaurant around the corner on Glentworth Street where she wants to have lunch. London is full of memories for Lucinda. Her late husband wrote so many unforgettable songs about this city. Settling down at a table in the swish Chinese emporium, Lucinda says she would like to think there was a reason for Joe's death "but there wasn't. Somebody told me that because Joe had a congenital heart defect, the fact that he found climbing stairs or climbing hills difficult was a real signal that something was wrong". Lucinda can remember being on tour with Joe in Portugal, and the lift had broken in the hotel. "We were on the third floor... he could be onstage for over two hours... but climbing stairs, he found difficult. Video of the Day "I wish I knew then what I know now," she says sadly, "and he could have gone to have a check-up, but you know, he never saw a doctor the whole time I was with him. He didn't believe in doctors. He didn't believe in anything chemical. He never took a paracetamol, not even Alka-Seltzer. He was never ill. Extraordinary, really. He was very healthy. Endless herbal tea." She is here to talk about a new album of 32 unreleased songs which she has overseen called Joe Strummer 001. The deluxe box-set also contains a super-cool hardback book of photos, notes and ephemera from her late husband's personal archive. "In the beginning, huge memories were stirred up," Lucinda, says, "because the archive was not just Joe's lyrics." Was it a catharsis? "It was cathartic," she answers. "But some of it was painful. I would come across a note that was written to me or a scribble. 'Morning, babes. Stayed up late'. So in some ways, it was cathartic and in others, you are stirring up things that I am not ready for yet," Lucinda says of a man who died nearly 16 years ago and whom she married in 1995. Is anyone ever ready for a close partner never coming back, being gone forever, I ask. "No. I don't think so," she replies. "And also, because of his lyrics and because of the fact that I have so much of his spoken word, it is like he is not dead anyway." Eating her dim sum, Lucinda recollects her childhood in London, in particular, that the area she grew up in, Hammersmith, was "very Irish. We had the Brennans and the McCoys who were builders with large families. I grew up on a street where your door wasn't locked, and we all went into each other's houses. I remember the McCoys had a colour TV, so we could go and watch Crossroads in colour in their house. And the Brennans were so close. Everyone looked after each other. "It was just me and my sister," Lucinda says referring to younger sister, Arabella, "so on a Saturday morning we would go round to the Brennans and we would go to the Saturday morning pictures with them. It was just a wonderful childhood - of running around these streets, some of which were condemned. They were our hide-outs. They were our playgrounds. So Arabella and I used to run with these great kids. We rode around on bikes. We had a huge sense of freedom," recalls Lucinda. "And now I live in Somerset on a small farm. I love it. I have a horse, dogs, chickens." The horse, called Molly, is 22 years old. Lucinda has had her for 11 years. "I use her to exercise the dogs and explore the hills. I can ride for miles and miles and miles. I live in the Quantock Hills," Lucinda explains of the famous range where they say on a clear day from the top it is possible to see as far as Wales to the north and to the east, to Glastonbury Tor, where the spirit of her dead husband still lives; Joe's camp-fire 'Strummerville' backstage at the Glastonbury festival became the stuff of legend with the likes of Damien Hirst and Shaun Ryder, et al dropping by to join in the fun. "The Quantock Hills are beautiful. There's grasslands, ancient forests, streams and no fences or hedges. You can just ride for miles. So it is peaceful down there." Lucinda knew relatively little of Clash superstar Joe Strummer before she met him in 1993. "He was living on a friend's farm in Hampshire. I went to stay with my friend Amanda. My daughter Eliza was a year old. Amanda said to me, 'Get in the car, we are going to the local fun fair in Andover. It was a grey, miserable, drizzly May day. Then she said, 'I'll just see if Joe wants to come'. She drove around to Joe's house. And Joe would later tell me that he didn't know why he said yes as he had already been to the funfair with his kids" - daughters Jazz and Lola by Gaby Salter - "and he knew that it was," Lucinda laughs, "fairly crap." "So, he got in the car and Amanda just said, 'Joe, this is Luce. Luce, this is Joe.' And that was it." What was it? "I just completely fell in love," she says. "I just looked at those eyes and fell in love. He did have a magnetic voice. He had this personality that drew you in and made you feel special, intelligent, interesting, beautiful. I don't know what it was. It was everything with Joe." Lucinda was living in London but they ended up renting a small cottage together "in the middle ground in-between" (in every sense of the word because Lucinda's marriage to her then husband James was, as he told The London Independent in 2007, "trundling on in that no man's land of co-existence" while Joe's relationship with long-term partner Gaby Salter was in a similarly unhappy place. "Joe was very interested in nature. He was definitely a bit of a hippie. He wasn't doing music then. He was still smarting for the lack of support for Earthquake Weather," Lucinda says referring to his 1989 solo album. The political firebrand of punk was born John Graham Mellor in Ankara, Turkey, on August 21 1952, the son of a diplomat whose posts included Cairo, Mexico City and Bonn before Joe was sent to leafy Surrey where he was public-school educated at City of London Freemen's School at Ashtead. That didn't stop middle-class Mellor, who changed his name to Joe Strummer, being the angry anti-Thatcher voice of the underclass as the rebellious front man of one of the biggest bands ever to come out of England, The Clash, who were formed in 1976. Rolling Stone named The Clash's London Calling record the greatest album of the 1980s; the American magazine also placed The Clash 28 on the list of the greatest acts of all time. They had over 16 hits; Rock The Casbah went to Number 10 in the US. Another huge hit internationally, Should I Stay or Should I Go?, was used in a Levi's ad. In 1994, years after the band split, Joe was offered millions to reform The Clash for the Lollapalooza festival in America . Joe turned down the offer on the basis that, as he said, "If you're confronted with a choice: take five million dollars for the death of an artist, or you can live as an artist forever - maybe - you're gonna take the second option." The messy final incarnation of The Clash having disintegrated in 1986, he formed Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros in 1999. "So music was not on the agenda at all for the first couple of years we were together. We hung out quite a lot. He was always writing; there just wasn't the music to go with it. We were having fun. He introduced me to his friends who lived in New York, in LA, in Paris. His circle was never ending," says Lucinda. Asked what she learned about Joe from going through his archive, Lucinda says: "I have just grown more and more in love with him - and more in awe of him as I have gone through it, because I have seen the depth of his passion for people... and his humanity and his incredible wisdom in what he has left behind. Things that I wrote off as rubbish, because they took up so much space in the house or because they had a half-eaten sandwich in them, or whatever it was, I suddenly realised that each bag represented a time. I could see that there was a method in his madness," she says, adding, "So when he said, 'Don't touch anything. I know where everything is,' afterwards I could come to appreciate that he had such a huge capacity to absorb all these outside things in his head. Unlike me, who had to compartmentalise them." What was he like to live with? "He was an owl and I was a lark. So, we kind of worked, because I would be up early doing the school run; I could do my phone calls. I am very organised. I was his, if you like, account manager in the relationship. Joe would kind of wander down between 11am and 1 o'clock, depending on how late he had gone to bed. Then we'd have lunch together. He loved his dogs. He loved his walks in the country. And then he would disappear into the studio." He would re-emerge "for food or tea", she laughs. "Joe was fun to live with. I remember one day - I think my daughter must have been about five or six - and we woke up and it was a beautiful morning, and Joe said, 'No school today. We are going down to Cornwall for the day'. He lived life for the moment." Does Lucinda live in the moment? "I wish I did. I try. I do try! I hear Joe's voice the whole time, saying, 'Go for it. Go on. Just say yes. F**k it. Why not?'" And why not? "Exactly, exactly. And that's what his early death should teach us. He was 50. 'Just go for it! Say yes!'" Lucinda says, echoing the love of her life. Were Lucinda's parents the reason why she finds it difficult to go for it. "No, funnily enough, they were huge fun. My parents came of age in the early 1960s. My dad is an architect. My dad is still around. He is 78 years of age. My parents had me young. He is still working." Her father Gavin is, she says, partially slighted, almost blind, and has been since his late 20s. "He makes buildings disabled-friendly. He has had wonderful projects - everything from Kensington Palace to public transport systems. He understands the colours that the blind can see." Lucinda's mother Zara died a few years ago. "She came from an old aristocratic English family, if you like. She was a model. She modelled for a bit and was quite heavily involved in social work in London. She was lovely. I loved her." And presumably her parents loved Joe? "They absolutely loved Joe. Everyone loved him," Lucinda says, adding that her grandmother Daphne's passion was horseracing and the first time Joe met her, she was just sitting there with the television on, watching the horse-racing. "Joe just sat down and watched it with her. I asked him, 'Do you know anything about horse-racing?' And he said, 'No!'" I ask Lucinda to recall the day after the funeral when she closed the door and was on her own. "I had friends stay with me for a long time; for about three years," she says. Tears welling up in her eyes, she goes on, "I still feel his presence there, definitely. It was very traumatic because Joe was not meant to die. I just came back and found him dead. It was such a shock. And it remains such a shock. This wasn't meant to happen. He was fit. He was healthy. He was vegetarian. He ate his oily fish. He liked his wine..." Can she remember their last conversation? "Not particularly," she says, haltingly. "We were giving Eliza a pony for Christmas. The few days before he died, we had been up in London meeting his girls [Jazz, then 18 and Lola, 16] and Gaby, their mother, and Gaby's parents - we were all very close - for our annual Christmas lunch at Kettner's in Greek Street in Soho. Joe was tired. He had been working at Rockfield Studios with The Mescaleros. He had been on tour. He was tired. There was Clash business at the same time, re-issues." Lucinda lives on her own now on the Somerset farm but she is rarely on her own in a sense because "Joe suddenly appears in my dreams". In the dreams, Lucinda is, she says, "always trying to find him. Or he appears for a bit and then I have to go and find him". Does she ever find him? "I do sometimes but he is very often busy or preoccupied, or with someone." Was that the way it was with Joe when he was alive? "Yeah. A lot of our life was like that. Joe loved people and I had to share him with everyone. At times, it was very difficult. He had time for everybody." Maybe he knew he wasn't bound for a long life, I say. "Maybe he knew and just wanted to make the most of everything. Don't the Tibetans say that you are born with a finite amount of breaths and it is how you take them?" Lucinda says she sees "things and does things now and I want to tell him about it. I still talk to him. Of course, I do". What kind of conversations does Lucinda have with Joe? "Just kind of chat, really. I just feel comfort, I think." Does Joe talk back? "Not always, no. I just get comfort from it." I say that William Blake believed he could talk to anyone just by thinking about them. "I think it is more like, in life, if you take the question outside of your own little universe and just put it out there. It doesn't matter whether it's Joe, or whoever you talk to - a lost parent or God or Jesus or whatever you're into - you are just taking it out of your own little orbit and just spreading it out there. "And hopefully," Queen Strummer says, before catching the train to return once more to her Somerset Camelot, "you are more receptive to an answer." 'Joe Strummer 001' is out now on Ignition. www.joestrummer.com STRUMMER: A king among his contemporaries * The most profound voice of any musician Ive ever heard. Joe [Strummer] took his message to the world and the world listened. He managed to influence more than one generation with his innovative and determined manner, and I am not alone in repeatedly turning to his thoughts and lyrics when searching for inspiration. The Clash were the greatest rock band. They wrote the rule book for U2. Bono * I know for a fact they were offered huge amounts of money to reform The Clash. They just said no. Thats truly admirable. They were very important musically but as a person, Joe was a very nice man. Bob Geldof * Without Joe, theres no political Clash and without The Clash, the whole political edge of punk would have been severely dulled. Billy Bragg Liz Bonnin is calling for a ban on single-use plastics in the UK (Ian West/PA) TV presenter Liz Bonnin has called for a ban on single-use plastics in the UK and accused industries and politicians of not doing enough to tackle plastic pollution. In an interview with Radio Times ahead of her documentary, Drowning In Plastic which aired on the BBC on Monday night, Bonnin said: When it comes to all single-use products, I just think if we can live without them, we should live without them. There is no kind of middle ground any more. So can we live without plastic bottles? Yes, we can. Drowning In Plastic comes a year after Sir David Attenboroughs Blue Planet II, and investigated the effect plastic material is having on marine animals. The documentary looked at the dangers and struggles of wildlife in the ocean and the extent of the problem of our polluted seas. Citing Costa Ricas ban on all single-use plastic by 2021, wildlife biologist Bonnin said the UKs slower action on plastic pollution was not good enough. She told Radio Times: I have to ask, why isnt the UK doing that? Some of our plastic is absolutely a valuable part of our society. The question there is, do we make up that plastic with less toxic chemicals? Also, can we make that plastic realistically recyclable? Forty percent of the plastic thats prevalent in our society is single-use stuff that we can absolutely live without. If Costa Rica can do it, why cant we do it immediately? Over the last 50 years, the flesh-footed shearwater population has dropped by 30%. Plastic is a major cause of their decline. Drowning in Plastic | 8.30pm | Monday 1st October | @BBCOne https://t.co/34t3gddRyJ pic.twitter.com/nrtq4TEwcI BBC (@BBC) September 29, 2018 Video of the Day This phasing-out conversation makes me angry after everything Ive seen. There is no more time to phase anything out. The presenter said attempts by the general public to limit their use of single-use plastics such as straws and coffee cups hugely laudable, but the impetus for change needs to be on governments. I do feel that the onus has been placed a lot on the consumer and thats only part of the problem, she said. So, for example, if youre going to increase the plastic bag charge to 10p from 5p, again, the onus is on the consumer. Why is the industry still making plastic bags? Why is America investing 180 billion dollars in new plastic factories? I think there is a little bit of a bias towards some of the solutions, and I think that more attention needs to be paid on an industrial level, and on political will, and on a law-making level to really tackle this problem. I dont think its going to be fixed just from consumers saying no to straws. Figures released in July revealed that plastic bag sales have fallen by 86% since the introduction of the 5p levy in 2015. She said of the documentary: The most striking thing was the sheer scale of the problem. Even when I was researching this project, I didnt really get a handle on how pervasive plastic is, and how badly its been affecting our wildlife without us realising. Nearly 8,000 patients who needed a bed were forced to wait on trolleys and chairs last month, new figures reveal. The extent of the overcrowding comes as hospitals are braced for a winter influx of patients. The analysis by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) shows some hospitals suffered a record high number of patients on trolleys for a September. The worst affected hospitals were: * University Hospital Limerick: 894; * Cork University Hospital: 781; * University Hospital Galway: 609; * Letterkenny University Hospital: 502; * Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore: 461. INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha blamed the delays on a shortage of nurses. "Nearly 8,000 people on trolleys should be regarded as a national crisis. But it's become business as usual in the Irish health service," she said. "Our members are telling us that they can't go on with this number of unfilled vacancies. "It's not safe for patients and it's not safe for staff. "The HSE simply cannot hire enough nurses and midwives on these wages. "Unless pay increases, vacancies will remain open, wards will remain understaffed and things will only get worse." Nurses will soon be balloted on the State's pay proposals. A transport union has threatened to mount industrial action over plans to outsource 10pc of Bus Eireann services from 2021. The National Transport Authority (NTA) plans to further outsource key routes into the capital currently operated by the semi-state transport company, which lost the right to operate six services on the Kildare bus corridor earlier this year after UK firm GoAhead won the contract. In a decision, the NTA said it would award Bus Eireann a five-year contract from next year to operate services, with the caveat that the contract will be amended in 2021 to reduce services by up to 10pc in the Dublin commuter belt. These routes would be subject to a public tender, which Bus Eireann could enter, it added. There will be no changes to Dublin Bus, which will continue operate all its services between 2021 and 2026. However, the NTA has yet to decide if any new services within the city will be operated by the incumbent or put out to tender. Both Siptu and the National Bus and Rail Union reacted angrily to the plan. NBRU General Secretary Dermot OLeary said the proposal for Bus Eireann would be vigorously opposed and threatened industrial action. The announcement by the NTA of its intention to tender out 10pc of Bus Eireann routes and the privatisation of State jobs is something that will be vigorously opposed by the NBRU, he said. The determination of the NTA, supported by the Thatcherite ideology of the Fine Gael led Government, to aggressively attack semi-state jobs cannot be allowed to go unchallenged by those from across the political spectrum that profess to oppose the privatisation of State services. Handing over millions of taxpayers money to private corporations whilst at the same time paying workers a pittance is nothing less than a State supported race to the bottom. Public transport services should not be privatised on the basis of spurious competitiveness arguments, Siptu spokesman John Murphy said. Bus users are entitled to decent, reliable services not those provided as part of a race to the bottom in standards and in conditions of work. We have all seen the problems associated with the open tendering of waste collection services across the State and the chaos they have created. An inquest has heard how a woman with Alzheimer's lay down beside her fatally injured husband after he suffered a fall "to keep him company". The couple were found lying side by side at the bottom of the stairs by their daughter when she called to the house. Tragically, 86-year-old John O'Reilly suffered fatal injuries in the fall and died five days later. An inquest into his death at Dublin Coroner's Court heard he had been the primary carer for his wife. She is now living in a nursing home. The couple's daughter, Martina Cooke, told the inquest she arrived at the family home at Edenmore Park, Raheny, Dublin, at around 10am on January 5, 2017. She was shocked and upset to find her parents lying on the hall floor. Her father had fallen and could not get up. There was some blood on the radiator, but her father told her that her mother was uninjured. "I was worried when I saw the blood but Dad said Mum was alright, that she had laid down to keep him company," Ms Cooke said. "He was her full-time carer. She wouldn't have realised what was going on," added Ms Cooke. Mr O'Reilly was transferred from the house to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance. Scans revealed he had suffered multiple fractured ribs, with bleeding into the chest and air in the chest as a result. Doctors decided to insert a chest drain but Mr O'Reilly developed kidney failure and pneumonia and his condition deteriorated over a number of days. Unfortunately, he died in hospital five days later on January 10. A post-mortem was carried out on Mr O'Reilly and it gave his cause of death as pneumonia due to rib fractures due to a fall with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a contributory factor. Deputy Coroner Dr Crona Gallagher returned a verdict of accidental death and offered her condolences to Mr O'Reilly's family. Speaking to the Irish Independent after the inquest, spokesman for Age Action Gerard Scully said it was a very tragic case. "It highlights the role of carers in looking after vulnerable older people and the fact they do need support and greater investment in community services. "Every older person, whether they think of themselves as vulnerable or not, should think about getting a personal alarm." "The fact that there are grants for it needs to be highlighted," he added. Detective reveals senior Kinahan and Hutch gang members are using social media to fuel feud Senior Kinahan and Hutch gang members are using social media to fuel their bloody feud, issuing threats and spreading rumours truth and lies about their enemies, a senior detective leading the fight against the gangs has revealed. In an exclusive interview at the city centre headquarters of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) yesterday, Detective Superintendent Seamus Boland told Independent.ie that gardai were concerned about fake social media accounts. Some of these accounts are being run by organised crime at very high levels, he said. We believe that people at the top level are involved in controlling these accounts. These accounts have been generally set up to put certain stories into the public domain. There is always a purpose to the story, whether it is to put out a threat to people or to counteract a threat or even to collect a debt. The force has used legislation to actively investigate a number of these accounts, said Mr Boland. But social media is a very difficult area to police, he added. In some cases we would be happy that these social media accounts have been controlled from very far away countries by very senior criminals in these organised crime groupings. Since the Hutch-Kinahan feud, which has claimed 18 lives, began three years ago, dozens of social media accounts controlled by both factions have emerged. Gardai believe many of them are controlled by the Kinahan cartel. However, in June, Independent.ie revealed that officers were concerned someone could be murdered after official documents linked to cartel kingpin Daniel Kinahan were leaked to an individual who detectives believe is operating a social media site on behalf of the Hutch mob. Images of Kinahans passport and his Dubai work permit, which sources said were believed to be genuine, were published on an anti-Kinahan Twitter account. Mr Boland revealed members of the DOCB have visited around 20 countries as part of their probe into the Kinahan cartel. Apart from many European states including the UK, the Netherlands and Spain, gardai have also visited far-flung destinations such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has worked with gardai in recent times. Our reach at the moment is global and this is one of our greatest weapons against these crime gangs, said Mr Boland. Their activities had already attracted the attention of international law enforcement because of the level of unnecessary violence which they have used. Mr Boland, who has served as a garda for 28 years, believes the international dimension to the investigations is huge. You cant confine yourself to whats going on in Ireland. If you look at some of the recent major cash seizures, that was money that was being sent out of Ireland, he said. Our level of capabilities and expertise is greatly enhanced by international co-operation. Apart from a relatively small amount of cannabis growhouses in Ireland, everything else has to be imported all the firearms and all the drugs. So theres a major international dimension to this. With such a focus on tackling the feuding gangs, particularly the Kinahan cartel, Mr Boland denied the massive investigation would enable other crime organisations the space to thrive here. I dont think thats a risk. The dynamic of the Irish crime scene is very interlinked, which means we have a greater understanding of sub-groups that are operating, he said. These groups tend to have interaction with each other and we are monitoring them constantly. Speaking of the Regency Hotel bloodbath, Mr Boland admitted it was a surprise to gardai. There was no indication something like that would happen, he said. We didnt know it was at the level it was and it focused a lot of minds, but after it we got additional resources such as the Special Crime Taskforce which has been a huge benefit to us in the DOCB. We have the capability, understanding, methods of investigation and international contacts to tackle these groups. We are in a much more powerful place now. The coffin of teenage murder victim Ana Kriegel is taken to her funeral at Newlands Cross Crematorium Murdered schoolgirl Anastasia Kriegel (14) died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head. The brutal cause of her violent death was read into evidence at the opening of an inquest into her death at Dublin Coroners Court. Ms Kriegels body was found at a disused farmhouse on May 17 last, three days after she was reported missing. Anastasia, known as Ana, who was adopted from Russia aged two, left her house in Leixlip around 5pm on May 14. Gardai were alerted when she did not return home. A search was launched the following day. Her body was found at the disused farmhouse on the Clonee Road, Lucan three days later. She had suffered fatal blunt-force injuries. Her parents Patrick and Geraldine Kriegel attended the opening of the inquest into her death accompanied by Garda Liaison Officer Siobhan McIntyre. Mrs Kriegel entered the witness box to give evidence of how she identified her daughters remains. On May 18 at 4pm I and my husband identified our daughter Anastasia Eva Kriegel to Garda McIntyre, Mrs Kriegel said. Garda McIntyre of Ronanstown Garda Station confirmed this event took place at Dublin City Morgue and she formally identified the remains to pathology staff. A post-mortem conducted by State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. Detective Inspector Mark ONeill informed the coroner that proceedings have been instituted against two persons in relation to Anas death. DI ONeill made an application to the court under Section 25 Subsection 2 for the inquest to be adjourned until after criminal proceedings are complete. Two teenagers have been charged with Anas murder at Glenwood House, Laraghcon, Clonee Road, Lucan on May 14 last. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane granted the adjournment as requested and explained the process to Ms Kriegels parents. The inquest will not return to this court until and unless all criminal proceedings are concluded. An Garda Siochana will keep this office informed of developments, Dr Cullinane told Patrick and Geraldine Kriegel as they sat in the public gallery. My deepest condolences to you and to the whole family on your loss in these tragic circumstances. It is not required for you to come back to this court again before criminal proceedings are completed and if there is anything else we can assist you with please contact us, the coroner said. The inquest was then formally adjourned until after criminal proceedings are complete. Gardai have arrested 12 people as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected paedophile ring operating in the Munster area. A significant operation involving several gardai and detectives was carried out throughout yesterday and a number of people were arrested for questioning. They were being held at several different Garda stations in relation to child sexual abuse and child exploitation offences. A source told the Irish Independent that the majority of those currently being quizzed were previously arrested as part of the major Garda investigation. Specific details of the investigation or alleged offences cannot be disclosed for legal reasons. Those arrested could be quizzed for several hours before any decision is made to bring charges against them or release them pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). A Garda spokesman said: "Gardai have arrested a number of people in relation to an ongoing investigation. "They are currently detained in Garda stations in the Southern and Western Regions of An Garda Siochana." In a previous operation, six men and five women were detained but later released without charge. Those detained on that occasion were aged from their 20s to their 70s. The Garda investigation has been ongoing for some time and almost 20 victims have been identified. A source said that specialist Garda interviewers have been brought in to deal with the "highly sensitive" case. Gardai are also liaising with a number of other agencies as part of the significant probe. At a previous court sitting related to the investigation, a judge imposed sweeping reporting restrictions. During that hearing, the media were warned that strict reporting restrictions were in place over the matter and any breach of the court orders involved would result in serious consequences. Clarity The judge issued the warning after an application from Tusla, the child protection agency, for clarity from the court in respect of previous orders made in respect of publicity over the ongoing case. Muiris Gavin for Tusla asked for clarification given that orders were previously made by the court under Sections 28, 18 and 17 of the Childcare Act, 1991. The Tusla request for clarification was supported by Thomas Wallace O'Donnell, for An Garda Siochana, and by solicitors acting for the guardians of the children involved. Tusla had raised specific concerns during the hearing about some media reports having comment sections available online - some of which were used for commentary which included specific material leading to identification concerns. In response to a query from Tusla, the presiding judge said she had no difficulty with the media reporting the hearing in respect of their responsibilities and existing court orders. Some of the future compensation costs arising out of successful legal actions brought against laboratories acting for CervicalCheck will be paid by the State. The deal refers to cases which may occur in laboratory readings of Irish women's slides from this month. The two main laboratories doing the screening were asked by the HSE to extend their contracts beyond this month's expiry date. However, the laboratories - Quest in New Jersey, United States and Medilab in Dublin - were demanding the State underwrite all compensation payouts, despite the original indemnity deal. Negotiations have been under way for weeks amid fears the laboratories would refuse to extend the contracts. Under the agreement, laboratories will be solely liable for retrospective cases as part of the indemnity agreement. However, in order to secure an extension, the State had to agree to provide part of the cover for cases of negligence which may arise from now on. The legal cases would refer to women who went on to develop cervical cancer after getting a wrong test result which they have proven was negligently misread. Settled It is unclear what the final bill will be. Three cases have been settled already, including the payout of 7.5m to mother-of-five Emma Mhic Mhathuna and 2.5m to Vicky Phelan. The arrangement with the existing laboratories - which includes the Coombe Hospital lab - will continue until CervicalCheck moves to HPV testing. Before this happens a new chief of CervicalCheck will have to be appointed and a tender issued to invite labs in Europe to take on the work. It is expected to be well into next year before this is in place. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said this summer that the State would settle with the women and then pursue the labs. But this was later seen as unworkable and since then cases have emerged where the labs are denying liability. A woman taking action will have to prove the wrong test result was due to negligence and not due to the scientific limitations of the process. Mediation A report is due in the coming weeks from Judge Charles Meenan, who will set out alternatives to an open court hearing for women taking action. He will suggest options such as mediation, where the burden of proof remains on the woman but would have the advantage of being heard in private . Dr Gabriel Scally, who conducted a review of CervicalCheck, said he believed the labs could continue to be used. Meanwhile, the HSE confirmed yesterday CervicalCheck has not yet resumed auditing the test results of women notified that they have developed cervical cancer. These audits would re-examine the woman's slides and try to determine if abnormalities had been missed. A spokeswoman said the Scally report stated that the HSE's open disclosure policy and HSE/SCA guidelines should be revised as a matter of urgency. It says: "The revised policies must reflect the primacy of the right of patients to have full knowledge about their healthcare." The report states the revision process should be overseen by a working party or committee with a minimum of two patient advocates amongst its members. The spokeswoman said that the "audits have been suspended until the work of this working party is complete". Asked what the potential extent of the State's liability would be in future cases which were successfully brought against labs, the spokeswoman said that talks were ongoing. "Negotiation with laboratories is ongoing and it would be inappropriate to comment on the details of the negotiations at this stage," she said. A number of cases arising out of the first 221 women who were subject to audit are due to come before the courts in the coming months. Members of the 57th Infantry Group were due to return home on Wednesday. (Stock picture) Irish Defence Forces troops have been left stranded in Syria after their flight home was "delayed". Independent.ie understands that the 57th Infantry Group were due to return home as part of a planned rotation of troops with the 58th Infantry Group replacing them. However, they have been left stranded at UNDOF mission headquarters at Camp Faouar in Syria and will not return home until later this week at the earliest. "The 57th Infantry Group were due into Dublin Airport from UNDOF on Wed 03 Oct, this flight has been delayed, the Defence Forces wrote on Twitter. "Updates are being provided to families through unit liaison officers and on social media #undofrotation. We are actively working towards a return home later this week," it added. A spokesperson for the Defence Forces said they are aware of the impact this "unfortunate delay" is having on both the personnel due to return home and those departing to service with UNDOF and their families. "The Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Irelands embassy in Cairo are actively engaging with authorities in Lebanon and Syria and with the UN and the UNDOF mission in order to ensure the rotation of the contingent and the return home of those personnel completing service with UNDOF at the earliest opportunity. "This rotation involves a transit through Lebanon and through Syria, which requires multiple logistical and procedural arrangements within a challenging area of operation. In these circumstances, delays can arise, as they have in this case. "Both returning and departing personnel are being informed of the situation and Unit Liaison Officers are contacting family members and friends with updates. Further information will be published on Oglaigh na hEireann social media platforms as it becomes available," the spokesperson said. The outgoing 58th Infantry Group will be the first Irish Defence Forces contingent, since April 2015, to deploy directly to Camp Faouar on the Syrian side of the area of operation. A local newspaper has issued an apology after publishing an "offensive and racist joke" in its edition last week. The 'Tralee Advertiser' received a public backlash after publishing a joke about a "black Jewish boy" in its 'It's Only a Joke' page. The item was widely criticised and the newspaper has since publicly apologised. In a statement, the 'Tralee Advertiser' said: "We regret that, in last Friday's edition, we published in error one of our reader's contributions. "This joke was not intended to be included in our magazine as we deemed it to be of an offensive nature. We apologise for its inclusion," it said. "We know that our 'It's Only a Joke' page is read by both young and old and endeavour to ensure that content on this page will continue to do what a good joke does, which is to make us laugh, not to be offensive," the 'Tralee Advertiser' added. Images sent by Independent.ie reader show cars lining up for doughnuts after dark. Angry Blanchardstown residents living beside the new Krispy Kreme drive-thru have spoken about their frustration over late night noise and honking cars. The new outlet, a branch of the UK doughnut chain, opened last Wednesday and operates on a 24/7 basis with a drive-thru facility. Hundreds of people queued up for a sweet treat on opening day, but some locals claim that the doughnut craze hasnt stopped since. Footage shared with Independent.ie shows cars beeping their horns as they join the line for doughnuts after 11pm, with residents claiming it has been keeping them up throughout the night. Since the grand opening we havent had proper sleep at night. We have jobs, kids, schools, and so many elderly people living here as well, one Grove Park resident told Independent.ie. Every night the queue for doughnuts is unbelievable - lights, noises, pollution and horns. All streets blocked and all cars honking at once. All night, every night. Another resident, Salim Sanehi added: The noise has been happening every single night since the grand opening. My apartment has another balcony that faces the entire car park, so our entire apartment gets hit with the noise. Some locals have now joined together to create a Facebook group called to tackle the noise and are calling for the opening hours to be changed. Ive nothing against the company but it shouldnt be open 24/7 if they cant manage the traffic and noise, group member Ben Raymond from Blanchardstown told Independent.ie. They should take the 24 hours away and put a traffic management system in place. I live down the road and its been waking children up in the area. The group are also hoping to tackle the day-time traffic, as a typical twenty-minute drive took an hour and a half one morning, Ben says. Local councillor Ted Leddy said he was aware of complaints from residents, and said he wasnt expecting the doughnut phenomenon to take over Blanchardstown. I have heard reports, I was at the opening and I have to say I wasnt prepared for the phenomenon it is, Mr Leddy told Independent.ie. I dont think the management in charge of traffic control were prepared either. Mr Leddy added that there are other 24/7 stores in the area that havent appeared to cause problems. Being open 24/7 is part of the problem, I mean there are other 24/7 stores in the centre, but Im not sure what it is with doughnuts. A spokesperson for Krispy Kreme told Independent.ie that they were aware of "a small number of customers" beeping their horns and apologised to residents. "Following from the well-received opening of our new store in Blanchardstown Centre, we are aware that a small number of customers using the drive-thru service have been beeping their car horns late at night," they said. "We are naturally asking them to stop and we do apologise to local residents who are affected by this." The spokesperson added that they are working on getting "signage" in an attempt to tackle the noise, and management to control the traffic. "To help encourage drivers to be respectful of residents we are getting signage made asking them to be quiet in the area and looking into other options to improve the situation. "We are also engaging with the centre management team to control traffic congestion in the store vicinity. We are working to prevent this and we ask all customers coming to the drive thru to respect the area and the residents who live nearby." Fingal County Council told Independent.ie it had received one complaint relating to the noise. The Noise and Air Pollution Section of Fingal County Council has received one complaint from a local resident concerning noise from this premises. This complaint is currently under investigation. The stricken boat is removed from Coonanna Harbour, near Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Right: Wreckage from the fishing boat is recovered from the peninsula where the three men lost their lives. Photo: Don MacMonagle Smashed up: The stricken boat is removed from Coonanna Harbour, near Cahersiveen, Co Kerry. Right: Wreckage from the fishing boat is recovered from the peninsula where the three men lost their lives. Photo: Don MacMonagle The investigation into the deaths of three fishermen who died in a boating tragedy in Kerry is set to be further hampered by the sheer damage to the wreckage recovered. Divers recovered the significantly damaged small boat last night shortly after 6pm near the Coonanna Peninsula, in south Kerry. The bodies of three Latvian men - all of whom lived in Kerry - were recovered from the water near the peninsula, which is a short distance outside Cahersiveen, at around 7pm on Sunday. The deceased have been named locally. One of the men, Anatolijs Teivens (57), is understood to have gotten to within 30 metres of the shoreline when he was located, by the coast guards. Expand Close Anatolijs Teivens / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Anatolijs Teivens It is believed that Mr Teivens may have been trying to raise the alarm to save his friends - Valerijs Klimentengvs (38) and Jurijs Burcves (30). However, it is unclear whether the strong winds had blown Mr Teivens part of the distance. The other two men were located near to the boat, which was some 600 metres from the shoreline. Mr Teivens and Mr Burcves were living in Killarney, while Mr Klimentengvs was living in Tralee. Post mortems on the bodies of the three men were being carried out yesterday at Tralee University Hospital. Local sources say that Mr Teivens's son was due to visit him from Latvia this weekend. The three men were regular visitors for fishing expeditions at the peninsula, with locals saying they would hear a stir from them as early as 7.30am. They are understood to have embarked on their last trip at 8.20am on Sunday. Sources told the Irish Independent that the size of the boat being used - which was around 14 foot and low to the water - may have been unsuitable given the conditions. Wind speeds were force three or four, according to the Irish Coast Guard. Irish Coast Guard divisional controller for Valentia John Draper said they were alerted by a 999 call at around 6.20pm. He said no emergency call had been received before then. "The man that phoned it in said he'd seen these men going out at 8.20 in the morning," he said. He explained that the fact the men were wearing life jackets meant they were afloat the whole time while in the water. However, it is so far unclear how long the men were out in the water for. All three bodies were recovered by 7.30pm. Kathleen O'Sullivan, who lives beside the peninsula, said the sea was choppy. "The sea was very rough, and they didn't come in," Ms O'Sullivan said. "It was chaos last night [Sunday], but thank God they got the three of them. They got them within I'd say half an hour. "They were here every week since the summer started, they went out very early in the morning. "It's very sad, you don't think you'd walk out your door and somebody would get drowned." Diesel, petrol, coal and cigarettes are set to go up in Budget 2019 as Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe looks for money to fund social welfare hikes and income tax reductions. A series of stealth taxes on workers and businesses is being planned in order to satisfy spending demands from ministers and Fianna Fail. Carbon tax is understood to be top of Mr Donohoe's list, meaning the cost of home heating and motoring will rise. He will also give himself at least another 100m to play around with by reducing Mortgage Interest Relief for 300,000 homeowners and hiking education levy paid by businesses. Excise duty on cigarettes will also increase - but it is not yet decided whether the 50c hike applied last year will be repeated. There is also an acceptance that there will have to be some sort of change to the special 9pc VAT rate for hotels and restaurants. One minister said: "A lot of this year's Budget will be a 'copy and paste' exercise from last year. We have to reduce income tax, but given how little money is available the changes will have to be funded through additional revenue raising measures elsewhere." The Government has 3.4bn for new spending next year, but 2.6bn of this has already been committed for public sector pay hikes and demographics. This leaves just 800m, which will be split 2:1 in favour of spending over tax cuts. Sources confirmed that substantial efforts are underway to find ways of raising revenue. "Carbon tax is a definite but we need to be careful. It could backfire because workers and people in rural Ireland will be hit worst," one Cabinet source told the Irish Independent. It is believed talks are taking place to find ways of mitigating the impact of carbon tax rises on low-income families and the elderly. One option being looked at is an increase in the weekly fuel allowance of 22.50, which is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare payments. The Government is also likely to push the line that Ireland is viewed as lagging behind when it comes to actively tackling climate change. Carbon tax is used internationally as a way of changing habits and encouraging people to use more green energy. In Ireland it applies to kerosene, marked gas oil, liquid petroleum gas, fuel oil, natural gas and solid fuels - but the rate, which is 20 per tonne, has remained unaltered since May 2014. The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi) is already campaigning against higher fuel costs. There has been some speculation that as well as hiking carbon tax, Mr Donohoe could raise the excise duty on diesel in a bid to promote electric vehicles. Director general of Simi Alan Nolan said: "Given the importance of diesel cars for those living in remote areas, any such negative moves would impact unnecessarily harshly on rural Ireland. "Diesel is also the fuel of business, and increasing diesel tax will increase the cost of doing business in Ireland which will also be challenged by the fall-out from Brexit." As flagged last year, Mr Donohoe will reduce the level of relief available for people who took out a mortgage between 2004 and 2012. It was reduced to 75pc this year, and faces a further 25pc cut in 2019. Enterprises will also have to pay more into the National Training Fund next year. The levy will rise from 0.8pc to 0.9pc, with the money to be channelled into the higher and further education sectors. DUP leader Arlene Foster has praised Boris Johnson's "positive" vision for Brexit as she said she would work with him if he became British Prime Minister. In a major boost for Mr Johnson's leadership ambitions, Mrs Foster endorsed the "belief" and "spirit" contained in his blueprint for Brexit on the eve of his address to the Tory conference today. She criticised Theresa May's government - which needs the DUP's votes to maintain its working majority - saying one of her biggest disappointments was the failure of ministers to "talk about the aspirations for the nation". She also refused to rule out backing a Canada-style deal for Brexit if an agreement could be found on avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland. Her remarks came as British Chancellor Philip Hammond launched an extraordinary attack on Tory rebel Boris Johnson yesterday. Mr Hammond suggested the former foreign secretary would be ill-suited to leading "very detailed and complex" Brexit negotiations because they require "meticulous" attention to detail rather than "big sweeping statements". He repeated his criticism of the former foreign secretary, claiming Mr Johnson would never be prime minister as he labelled him "incapable" of grown-up politics. Independent TD Michael Lowry is increasingly likely to hold the balance of power in terms of passing the Budget. Mr Lowry's strengthened position came about in the wake of Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick's resignation from Fine Gael last night. Mr Fitzpatrick said he believed the party was "style over substance" and had increasingly felt isolated in the party. He said that he would continue to represent his constituency as an independent politician. "I felt as though I was not being listened to and I feel as though I have a lot more to offer," he said. "I feel as though I was only there to push the buttons, my hands were tied and I feel as though Fine Gael is style over substance." Mr Fitzpatrick said he will support the Government in the forthcoming Budget if he believes it will help the "squeezed middle". "I feel as though the squeezed middle paid a big price during the austerity years. It must be a fair Budget and all sections of society must be helped," he said. Mr Fitzpatrick's decision will reduce Fine Gael's Dail strength from 50 to 49 TDs. The passage of the Budget is now heavily dependent on the continued support of Tipperary TD Mr Lowry. Fine Gael will also depend on support from Independent TD for Clare Michael Harty - who previously threatened not to support the Budget this year in protest at the closure of rural post offices. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last night he was sorry to hear about Mr Fitzpatrick's resignation. "I know that he has been unhappy for some time and was a strong opponent of holding a referendum on the Eighth Amendment," he said. "I spoke to Peter a few weeks ago when he decided not to seek a nomination to contest the next general election as a Fine Gael candidate. At the time, he confirmed he would continue to sit as a Fine Gael TD until the end of his mandate. I regret that he has since changed his mind." Mr Fitzpatrick also said Mr Varadkar rang him four to five weeks ago and asked him to change his mind. He said he was told the party "did a poll in Co Louth and according to the results, I would be elected the next time as a Fine Gael TD". Over the coming days, a line of ministers will make their way into Paschal Donohoe's office with a shopping list. They will be shadowed by the Fianna Fail duo of Michael McGrath and Barry Cowen who have a list that could be better described as a ransom demand. And, of course, with one eye firmly on the next election, the Finance Minister and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will have their own ideas for Budget 2019. It doesn't take a world-class economist to figure out that demand is massively outstripping supply. Despite all the talk of 'leprechaun economics' and record growth figures, Mr Donohoe actually has very little cash to splash. Rightly or wrongly, he had 'spent' most of the State's extra income before it landed in the Revenue Commissioner's bank account. Between pay hikes for public servants, increases to childcare subsidies and pension entitlements, and 500m for the rainy day fund, the Government has already burst much of its good-news bubble. But ministers know that hard-pressed workers have expectations. There is no point in telling families that the good times are here again unless they feel it in their pockets. That's the challenge facing Mr Donohoe, who must now find a magical Budget Day balance. With one hand he will try to make people feel richer, while with the other he must take a chunk of that new-found wealth back. Such is the nervousness in Government circles about how it will play out that Mr Donohoe has laid down the law on pre-Budget leaks. Ministers have been told that they will be held personally responsible for leaks relating to their department. But it appears the biggest Budget Day announcement is going to come from the Department of Finance itself. While most of the available money will be pumped into housing and health, most of the revenue-raising measures will fall squarely on the shoulders of Mr Donohoe. How he manages to sell carbon tax will be key to how Budget 2019 is viewed. In theory, we all want to see measures to mitigate climate change - but when they hit our pockets it will be difficult to take. Most people don't have an alternative to driving their diesel car to work or heating their home with solid fuel. No doubt, a rise in carbon tax will prove an incentive for them to investigate the use of electric cars or renewable energy. But it may make the Government's boast of giving back to working families through changes to the income tax bands sound hollow. Similarly, older people who get an extra fiver in their weekly pension might question its value if they are paying more for a bale of briquettes. Mr Donohoe faces the prospect of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Savers are set for a boost in Budget 2019 - but it won't be anything close to the SSIA scheme which fuelled boom-time spending. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is set to reduce the Deposit Interest Retention Tax (Dirt) by 2pc next year. This will bring the rate down to 35pc on every euro in interest earned. In recent weeks, Mr Donohoe said he would consider a new special savings scheme similar to the SSIA, but no moves will be made on this in the Budget. He was responding to calls from the Governor of the Central Bank, Philip Lane, for workers to be encouraged to set money aside while the economy is growing. The SSIA, which was set up by Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fail government, gave savers 1 for every 4 they saved. However, accounts matured between May 2006 and April 2007, leading many people to splurge shortly before the economy went into freefall. Mr Donohoe indicated in last year's Budget that he would bring Dirt down to 33pc by 2020. It is currently 37pc but will drop to 35pc from January 1. Ahead of next Tuesday's Budget, Brokers Ireland, which represents 1,250 financial broker firms, called on the Finance Minister to relink the rate of Exit tax on savings and the Dirt rate. The so-called 'Exit rate' on life assurance-based savings stands at 41pc. The body claimed the existing situation penalises savers who plan for the longer term and attempt to make a better return on their savings. Savings products generally subject to Dirt as opposed to Exit tax have yielded little or no growth for several years. Diarmuid Kelly, chief executive of Brokers Ireland, said good legislation should not steer people towards short-term savings solely because of preferential tax treatment. "The tax regime should be neutral so that savers can invest according to their individual needs. Taxing people at a higher rate for making a more prudent investment just doesn't make sense," he said. Sean Gallagher with his wife Trish and children Lucy (2) and Bobby (5) at the Pregnancy and Baby Fair at the RDS. Photo: Collins Presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher has responded to criticism on his track record of public service over the last seven years. The presidential hopeful said he has been "very active and very busy" since his presidential campaign in 2011. Speaking to RTE Radio One's Today with Sean O'Rourke, he said he had to "dig deep" after his loss to President Michael D Higgins and the Tweetgate saga, "It took me about 18 months, two years to get over it," he said. "Like many people in the country, I was starting again. I am very lucky to have a wonderful wife and we started a family. "I had to dig deep and started a new business." Expand Close Sean Gallagher with his wife Trish and children Lucy (2) and Bobby (5) at the Pregnancy and Baby Fair at the RDS. Photo: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sean Gallagher with his wife Trish and children Lucy (2) and Bobby (5) at the Pregnancy and Baby Fair at the RDS. Photo: Collins Mr Gallagher said he continued to do what he had outlined in his 2011 campaign, "a commitment to jobs, to SMEs, to helping people and to inspiring the next generation of business leaders." The former 'Dragon' said he has been working "for a mix of business and not-for-profit" since the last election. "I laid out a platform for the time of high unemployment and high emigration. "I set out to do for jobs what Mary and Martin McAleese did for the peace process," he said. "I built a new business providing office and industrial workspace in lots of areas around the country where we needed jobs. "I created space largely outside of Dublin. Between the companies, and I don't take credit for the jobs, we created infrastructure for thousands of jobs. "Every business that operates needs four things; a good idea, funding, a team to deliver and a place in which to do business." Responding to a columnist's claim that it "cannot be said he has a track record of public service", Mr Gallagher listed jobs he was involved in previous to the year 2000. When challenged by Sean O'Rourke, he replied; "You can't judge me as no more I can judge you on the last seven years, I judge you on a lifetime of achievement." He said the two-year period after the last campaign "was not a case of licking my wounds". "Anyone who has faced adversity has had to dig deep," Mr Gallagher continued. "It's not about falling down. It's about getting back up. It's about having that inner courage and resilience to get back up. "If I take you to every area of my life, my message will always be the same. "I am not just a business person, as that commentator you're referring to said. "I do what I do in business not for the money but to make a difference." He continued; "It's important to understand my motivation." He refused to comment on Arlene Foster's interview today in The Telegraph, in which she said she admired Boris Johnson's Brexit ideas and believed the Good Friday Agreement was not "sacrosanct". Earlier in the interview, Mr Gallagher said there were "lessons to be learned" after Tweetgate, in which a bogus tweet was read out and put to him during the final presidential debate on RTE ahead of the 2011 election. Mr Gallagher had been polling ahead of the other contenders but went on to lose to Michael D Higgins. He has since settled a case with the State broadcaster. "It was not my greatest performance and there were lessons for RTE too," he said. Mr Gallagher said his focus is "not on 2011, but now". He continued; "I've said that there isn't a taxi man or anyone on the Luas, or the DART in from Greystones where I live who says to me, 'you know what you should have said? There's nothing wrong with fundraising, it's part of the political work of every political party'. "The party I was fundraising for was in government at the time, it was to campaign for the Lisbon Treaty. "I am proud of my time with Fianna Fail," he said, adding that he may have raised between 5,000 and 10,000 in a lifetime for the party. President Michael D Higgins has raised more than 8,000 in the opening hours of his crowdfunding campaign to fund his re-election bid. The sitting head of State began raising money online yesterday in the first of several fundraising initiatives. An initial target of 50,000 was set by Mr Higgins's campaign but a spokesman said that if this was exceeded it would help pay the estimated campaign cost of 394,000. In an email to supporters via his campaign website, Mr Higgins's team urged people to spread the word on social media and encourage friends and family to donate. The team also moved to warn people his re-election would take work. Tough "We know it's going to be a tough campaign and we can't take anything for granted," they wrote to supporters. Some 158 people have so far raised 8,062, or 16pc, of the target. A spokesman said the money raised would "help to support canvassing teams, stage campaign events and pay for merchandise, advertising, leaflets, posters and other campaign expenses". "The crowdfunding initiative will be followed-up by other fundraising events aimed at ordinary citizens and supporters," he added. Mr Higgins has indicated his campaign will be funded through fundraising among the public. In response to an RTE survey, he said he would be contributing 110,000 to the campaign from his personal savings. The President also ruled out receiving both corporate and political party donations. Other candidates have signalled that a mix of loans, public donations and personal savings will be used to fund their efforts. All candidates must adhere to strict Standards in Public Office (Sipo) rules with their spending. Members of the Defence Forces are being paid less than the national minimum wage unless they work additional hours. This is a key factor in the huge exodus from the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps since the start of the year. The poor pay has driven out more than 600 personnel with 118 paying an average of 300 each to the State so far this year to buy themselves out of the military. Another 55 recruits have purchased their discharge and more than 65 others have allowed their contracts to lapse after 12 years service. The financial plight of the military will be outlined today when the annual conference of Pdforra, the representative association for soldiers, sailors and air crew, gets under way in Castlebar. As a result, the current strength of the Defence Forces has dipped to 8,923, compared with an establishment figure of 9,500 and despite a series of highly successful recruitment campaigns. Pdforra general secretary Ger Guinan said members of the Defence Forces were always heavily reliant upon allowances and he warned that previous cuts to the extra pay for security duties were a major contributor to the retention difficulties in the military organisation. He said this would eventually impact on the capacity of the Defence Forces to do their job, either at home or overseas. Unless the government reversed the cuts, personnel would continue to leave in ever increasing numbers. Last month the Irish Independent revealed figures compiled for an eleven month period from September last year up to the end of July showing that while 699 personnel were recruited, 632 members had left - a net gain of 67 people, or 0.7pc. At the moment, the strength of the Defence Forces is at its lowest for several decades. Mr Guinan said personnel were required to work significant hours beyond their normal duties to make their pay rates comparable to other areas of the public sector. "Within the Defence Forces, pay is on an annualised basis and a small allowance is paid for those hours worked beyond normal duty. "This may result in personnel being paid below the national minimum wage - dependant on the number of hours worked. "In this environment, personnel are unlikely to remain in service, especially in times of a growing economy", he added. Mr Guinan called on minister with responsibility for defence, Paul Kehoe to authorise his officials to return to the negotiation table with "some tangible offer" on the restoration of allowances as a matter or urgency. "Burying heads in the sand, instead of dealing with this issue, is not the way forward", he said. A security duty allowance of 47.59 is paid where personnel work between 12 and 24 hours and a rest day may be granted in certain circumstances. This allowance was reduced from about 112 for a Sunday to 47.59 and replaced by an additional day off. Personnel, who have acquired special skills, have to pay up to 6,000 to purchase their discharge. Meanwhile, a review of pay and conditions by industrial relations expert, Gerard Barry is expected to determine that the granting of full trade union status with its associated right to strike is not compatible with the principles of military service. It recommends that the minister should authorise his officials to engage in talks with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions about the affiliation of the military associations to explore the viability of joining up. However, it is not clear whether this would satisfy Pdforra, which has already said it would take a High Court action if it is not allowed to become part of ICTU. Mr Kehoe has written to Pdforra to take part in fresh talks about outstanding pay claims. The property is the third North inner city premises that has been the subject of High Court proceedings after they were occupied by the protesters. Picture: Tony Gavin Protesters have not complied with orders directing them to vacate and end their occupation of a building in Dublin's north inner city, the High Court has been told. Last month the Court granted the owners of 41 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1 MJH Property Management an injunction compelling person unknown to immediately vacate and cease their unlawful trespass on the property. The owners say the occupation of the vacant premises, commenced on September 8th last when several persons linked to the Take Back the City campaign who have been highlighting the current housing crisis, forcibly entered the property. The owners in seeking the injunction told the court the building is unsuitable for what they say is an illegal occupation and is not safe. The owners have plans to develop the property into apartments. At Tuesday's sitting of the High Court Padraig D Lyons BL instructed by solicitor Kieran Curran, MJH Property Management told Mr Justice Tony O'Connor that despite the injunction being granted the occupiers remain in the building. Counsel said that his client was "taking steps" to address the situation. There were no representations made to the court on or behalf of any of the occupants when the case was called by the court registrar. The Judge agreed to adjourn the matter for two weeks. Previously the court heard that the owner is a UK based property letting and management business that acquired 41 Belvedere Place in 2016. It plans to develop the four-storey over basement Georgian building, which is a protected structure into apartments for either sale or letting. To prepare for these works it needs access to the building, which it says it is prevented from doing due to the occupation. In its current situation, where persons are in continuous illegal occupation, the building is not compliant with fire safety regulations, it is claimed. Mr Lyons previously told the court that unless the occupation ends its insurance for the building will be rescinded. The owners claim the occupation is part of the Take Back the City campaign. The occupation it adds has featured on a website of a group called the Workers Solidarity Movement, which describes itself as an anarchist organisation. 41 Belvedere Place is the third North inner city premises, after properties in Summerhill and North Frederick Street, to be occupied by the protesters. All of the properties became the centre of High Court proceedings where orders were granted in favour of the various owners requiring the occupiers to leave and vacate the properties. The properties in Summerhill were vacated without incident. However, the removal of the protesters from Frederick Street by security men in the presence of the Gardai proved highly controversial. RTE faces a mounting financial crunch as the Government ruled out an increase in the licence fee, despite a new report urging an "immediate" funding boost of 30m to stave off its decline. The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) yesterday called for an urgent increase in the State broadcaster's funding, arguing it cannot continue at its current income levels. "The BAI recommends, at a minimum, that RTE should receive an increase in its annual public funding of 30m per annum," it said. "Given the urgency of RTE's funding position, the increased level of public funding recommended should be available to the broadcaster immediately." However, a spokesman for Communications Minister Denis Naughten told the Irish Independent: "As the minister has previously indicated, he has no plans to increase the licence fee." Pregnancy can be hard work, particularly when you have another child to look after - but imagine being 19 weeks pregnant and discovering that the tenderness in your breasts was not down to hormones, but was actually heralding the presence of a malignant tumour? This is exactly what happened to Dianne Fitzharris Doyle when she was expecting her second child in 2016 - and on top of the usual physical and emotional exhaustion associated with pregnancy she had to undergo surgery to remove the tumour. "When I was pregnant with Harrison (18 months), I was thinking of getting rid of my underwire bra until he was born as it was beginning to hurt," says Dianne, who is married to Paddy. "I remember taking it off and still feeling sore so I put my finger where the pain was and discovered a lump. "I wasn't too worried about it as I thought it was just something hormonal, but when it didn't go away after a week, I decided to make an appointment with my GP." The Wexford woman was totally unconcerned by the lump and her doctor also thought it was pregnancy related, but referred her to the local breast clinic as a precaution. "My doctor said it would be about six weeks before I got an appointment with the breast clinic but I got one three weeks later and this started to ring alarm bells," says the 39-year- old. "The GP told me not to worry and that it was probably just down to a backlog clearing so I went for the ultrasound by myself and expected to be out in no time - however, I was told that I needed a mammogram and a biopsy, which worried me, mainly because of the pregnancy as I didn't want to take any risk with the baby, but they assured me it was safe, so it all went ahead and I was told that someone would be in touch with me soon. "A few days later I got a letter asking me to come back for an appointment and this time I asked Paddy to come with me because even though neither of us was overly concerned, I thought it would be good to have him there. And I'm so glad he was as I was utterly shocked to be told that I had cancer. I went completely numb - it was if the sound had been turned off and I could just see mouths moving but couldn't hear anything - then when I saw the colour drain from Paddy's face, I knew it was real." Dianne, who also has a daughter, Ellen (6), was devastated with the turn of events and was told that once the baby reached the stage where it had a 'chance of life if an emergency section was necessary', she would need to undergo surgery to remove the tumour from her right breast. "I underwent a lumpectomy at 24 weeks to remove the tumour and was kept in for a bit to make sure the baby was OK," she recalls. "It was a very stressful time as I was so worried that something would happen to my unborn child - but it all went OK. However, two weeks later, I had a follow-up which revealed that the surgeon didn't manage to get clear margins and I could either wait until after I had given birth, or he could go again to ensure all the cancer was removed - he recommended this course of action, so it went ahead and this time, everything was eradicated. "I was so caught up in the stress of surgery and worrying about the baby so it never occurred to me that I would need further treatment. But a few weeks later, I had a morning appointment with an oncologist in Waterford and was booked for a Caesarean Section in Wexford that same afternoon. I went through such a roller coaster of emotions just thinking about the logistics, but presumed the oncologist would just tell me how I was doing. So when she told me that I would have to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy after my baby was born, I was devastated - it was like I had been diagnosed all over again. "However, I had no choice but to park my distress as I had to go to on to the other hospital to meet my baby." As any new mother knows, the days and weeks after giving birth can be utterly exhausting and achieving anything other than making sure your baby is fed and changed can seem like a mammoth task. But six weeks after her son was born, Dianne, who works as an insurance broker, had to undergo a gruelling programme of chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy before she could give herself over to her new child. "The chemo was very hard as I was exhausted enough anyway," she says. "I was very lucky that I wasn't physically sick but it felt like I had really bad flu, I also lost my appetite and had zero energy. Thankfully I have a big family so my sisters and brother, my parents and Paddy's family all rallied around to help us - some even coming over to help with the night feeds as Paddy is self-employed so couldn't take much time off. "Losing my hair was tough and it was hard to explain to Ellen what was happening as I didn't want to worry her - so after I bought the wig, I left it lying around so she would casually come across it and then when she asked about it, I told her what it was for and that I was going to be getting medicine which would make my hair fall out so would be using it then. She took it in her stride and even told friends about it at school as one child came up to me at the school gate and asked if I had a wig as they didn't believe Ellen. So being honest with her was a very good plan and she was amazing throughout." October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the Irish Cancer Society want us all to be aware of what women like Dianne go through and how important it is for everyone to be breast aware and seek medical advice if at all concerned. Early intervention is vital and Dianne says today she has a new lease of life and an appreciation that wasn't there before she had cancer. "I am feeling really great these days," she says. "I have finished all my treatment and at my last appointment when the doctor said they wouldn't need to see me for six months, I said a silent Hallelujah. I am building myself up slowly but surely and have started training from a rehabilitation perspective rather than trying to get in shape - but it is simply amazing to just feel well and know that I have come out the other side of a very difficult situation. "I would advise other women to go to their doctor if they are at all worried and if they have been diagnosed with cancer, not to despair, take each day as it comes because every one brings a new challenge and it is easier to deal with them day by day rather than looking at the big picture. "So take the good with the bad - some days you will be very low, but that's okay. I had a new baby but I managed it by not looking too far into the future and patting myself on the back for each little hurdle I overcame. Having cancer has really opened my eyes to what other people go through, what marvellous work the Irish Cancer Society does and how truly blessed I am. "It was a tough time, but thanks to medicine, treatment, the wonderful doctors and nurses and the support of my family and friends, I am doing great and am now looking forward to the future." A family photo that features Anthony O'Reilly (second left), his sister Geraldine (standing on the table) "I still see her lying dead on the ground. I knew her by her clothes. That's the image that always comes to me when I think of her." It's almost 46 years since Anthony O'Reilly lost his 15-year-old sister Geraldine in the Belturbet bombing in Cavan on December 28, 1972, but to him "it still seems like yesterday". He was 22 when his sister, the youngest of eight, was murdered when a car bomb planted by loyalist terrorists exploded on the main street in the Co Cavan border town. Another teenager, Paddy Stanley (16) from Co Offaly, died in the blast, believed to have been carried out by the UVF, with eight others seriously injured. Mr O'Reilly said: "Geraldine was standing at the counter waiting to pay for a bag of chips when the bomb went off. "The chip shop we normally went to at the top of the town wasn't open that night so that's how we ended up at the one in the centre of town. "I was double-parked, waiting in the car. The next minute cars were on fire. "I didn't know what had happened. I didn't hear the bomb." Mr O'Reilly (69), a retired builder, recalled how he had to identify Geraldine's body on the chip shop floor by torchlight. "Last thing at night and first thing in the morning, that image still comes back to me. It's not something you get over," he said. Prior to the bomb attack Anthony had given a lift home to another sister Frances and her husband, leaving them feeling guilty over their baby sister's death. "I blamed myself and Frances blamed herself too," he said. "I've managed to get over that a bit as the years have gone by, but I turned into an alcoholic for about 10 years." Mr O'Reilly recalled how wife Marie (68) saved him from the drink. He said: "If it hadn't been for my wife I probably would have sold everything and drank it but I quit drinking, went to AA and I haven't touched alcohol for 15 years." The Northern Ireland Office has asked for views on how a Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) - which would have a caseload of about 1,700 Troubles-related deaths and aim to complete its work in five years - would operate. But the O'Reilly family will be excluded from the process because Geraldine's murder took place in the Republic. He said it's not fair that his family doesn't have access to the HIU, adding: "I'm not happy. We should have the same rights as people in Northern Ireland." Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United said there were 115 Troubles-related deaths in the Republic, with at least 87 of the victims not involved in terrorist organisations, while "between 540 and 550 murders committed along the borderlands were of a cross-border nature". "The failure to propose a comparable unit in the Republic to the HIU and to not even yet have a set-aside legacy unit within An Garda Siochana illustrates how serious that State is about dealing conclusively with these issues," he said. Mr Donaldson said that innocent victims in the Republic have been denied truth and accountability redress and have been prevented from obtaining practical support enjoyed by their northern counterparts. "The reality is that the Republic of Ireland is in breach of Article 2 requirements as per the European Convention on Human Rights and there has been a muted response from that State as to how it proposes to address those deficiencies." We often associate domestic abuse with physical violence but not all forms of abuse leave a bruise or a mark. Emotional and psychological abuse can be just as insidious as physical violence but it can be harder to spot, even for victims or people who witness the abuse. This isnt about couples who have the occasional row or argument. Its about one person engaging in a consistent pattern of manipulative and intimidating behaviour towards their partner. This type of behaviour can typically see one person in a relationship use emotional or psychological control to dominate, intimidate, threaten or humiliate the other person. Theres a growing awareness of the damage that this can cause and new laws are set to clamp down on this type of domestic abuse. New laws to tackle coercive control There was a legal breakthrough this year when the new Domestic Violence Act 2018 declared coercive control to be a criminal offence. Speaking at the passing of the legislation, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan reiterated that offenders are criminals. For too long, domestic violence has been seen primarily as physical abuse, the Minister said. The new offence of coercive control sends a clear, consistent message that non-violent control in an intimate relationship is criminal. The effect of such behaviour may be as harmful to victims as physical abuse because it is an abuse of the unique trust associated with an intimate relationship. Another important provision [of the Act] will ensure that an intimate relationship between victim and perpetrator must be regarded as an aggravating factor in sentencing for a wide range of offences. This new provision sends a message that society will no longer tolerate the appalling breach of trust committed by one partner against the other in an intimate context. This new law makes it clear that this type of behaviour is a crime, and that perpetrators will be punished. Its hoped that the new act will come into effect before the end of the year. Its easy to underestimate how many domestic abusers engage in emotional or psychological abuse. A recent report found that two in three cases involved this kind of abuse. Of the 15,833 cases of domestic abuse against women reported to Womens Aid in 2017, there were 10,281 cases of emotional abuse. It is not just women who are subjected to emotional violence. A similar ratio of men are affected, according to the most recent report from Amen. They received 5,196 reports of domestic abuse against men in 2016, with 3,730 of those cases involving psychological or verbal abuse. Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, points out that abusers come from all social classes, ethnicities, cultures and educational backgrounds. Emotional and psychological domestic abusers use many tactics to exert their power over their victims, according to Cosc. Many want to exert their dominance over their partner and they want to feel in charge. They will often humiliate their partner and want to make them feel bad about themselves and attack their self-esteem. They may try to isolate the victim and cut them off from families and friends. Abusers use threats to control such as threatening to kill or hurt the victim or threaten to kill or hurt pets or the victims children. They can threaten to make false charges against the victim in order to control access to children. Victims of domestic abuse in homosexual relationships can be threatened to be outed. What are the warning signs? If you think that someone you know is the victim of emotional abuse, Cosc says to look out for the following behaviour. Victims can be anxious to please their partner or even express fear of their partner. They might talk about their partners temper, possessiveness or jealousy. They can be restricted from seeing friends and family or have limited access to money or a car. They may also demonstrate low self-esteem or be depressed, anxious or suicidal. How can you help? If you think you know someone who is the victim of emotional abuse or coercive control, Cosc recommends not waiting for them to come to you. A simple question like Are you OK? can start the conversation. If you think a friend or family member is a victim, Cosc suggests the best approach is to express concern or tell the person that youre worried. This can be a non-judgemental way to broach the subject. If they deny it, dont force the issue but make it clear that youre there for them. It can be important for a victim to know that theyre not to blame. Reiterate that its not their fault and that they dont deserve to be treated this way. It can be tempting to offer advice but Cosc recommends that people offer support but refrain from putting pressure on them to leave or telling them what to do. You cant make someone leave a relationship. Leaving an abusive relationship can be dangerous for the victim, it adds, and theyre often best-placed to assess the danger. An alternative approach is to give them options, offer any help and support they need, and ensure that you dont isolate them further by making judgements of their choices. There are services available in Ireland to offer help and support to the person you are concerned about. Check out www.whatwouldyoudo.ie for a list of services and advice on how to find the most appropriate one. Sponsored by: Sponsored by the Government of Ireland A woman makes her way through the rubble of houses in Balaroa (AP) Residents of the town closest to the epicentre of the earthquake which devastated parts of Indonesias Sulawesi island have begged the countrys president to help them. Most of the attention so far has focused on the biggest affected city, Palu, home to 380,000 people, but people in many outlying areas are still waiting for assistance. The confirmed death toll was raised to 1,234, but national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at a news conference in Jakarta that casualties in the communities of Sigi and Balaroa have not been counted yet, meaning the figure is likely to rise. Expand Close The scale of the destruction is apparent in parts of the island (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scale of the destruction is apparent in parts of the island (AP) Donggala and other outlying areas have received little assistance largely due to impassable roads. Local administration head Kasman Lassa said residents should take only food staples from shops. Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating, Mr Lassa said. We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer. Desperation was visible everywhere among victims receiving little aid. In Palu, signs propped along roads read We Need Food and We Need Support, while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for fuel. Expand Close Saadon Lawira holds his grandsons cat whose cry helped him find his body in Balaroa, Palu (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Saadon Lawira holds his grandsons cat whose cry helped him find his body in Balaroa, Palu (AP) Teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-storey hotel in the city, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Many people are believed to be trapped under shattered houses in Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently. In the Petobo area, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a heavy mud that resulted in massive damage. In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud, Mr Nugroho said. Residents who found loved ones alive and dead over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo. Expand Close Indonesian soldiers assist earthquake victims (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Indonesian soldiers assist earthquake victims (AP) The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk on Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as nearly 20ft in places. About 3,000 residents flocked to Palus airport on Monday, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights using the facility only partially operating due to damage. Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. We have not eaten for three days, one woman said. We just want to be safe. Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Mr Nugroho said, and hospitals were overwhelmed. Expand Close Scenes of destruction at Talise beach in Palu, Central Sulawesi (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scenes of destruction at Talise beach in Palu, Central Sulawesi (AP) The Indonesian air force confirmed that a Hercules aircraft carrying an unspecified number of survivors was able to leave Palu for South Sulawesis capital of Makassar. In addition, more than 100 police officers from the capital, Jakarta, were sent to Palu and additional Hercules aircraft carrying soldiers and supplies, including food and water, from east Java were en route, local television reported. President Joko Widodo authorised the acceptance of international help, with generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and about 10 other countries have offered assistance, including the US and China. A man takes a photo of a car lifted into the air (Tatan Syuflana/AP) Desperate: Survivors wait to be given fuel rations in Palu. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Satellite images show the Petobo neighbourhood of Palu before and after the tsunami (DigitalGlobe/AP) The powerful quake and tsunami struck Palu on Friday evening (AP/Tatan Syuflana) The confirmed death toll from an earthquake and tsunami on Indonesia's Sulawesi island has risen to 1,234, from 844, the national disaster mitigation agency said on Tuesday. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Friday triggered tsunami waves as high as six metres (20 feet), which swept ashore at the small city of Palu, on the west coast of Sulawesi. Desperation was visible on Tuesday in parts of Indonesia's central Sulawesi island that were heavily damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami. Four days after the disaster, teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Expand Close Satellite images show the Petobo neighbourhood of Palu before and after the tsunami (DigitalGlobe/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Satellite images show the Petobo neighbourhood of Palu before and after the tsunami (DigitalGlobe/AP) Signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars created traffic jams as people waited for fuel. The desperation was evident across Palu, a city of more than 380,000 people that was struck by both the quake and the tsunami, its force apparently magnified in the surrounding inlet. An eight-storey hotel in the city collapsed, while many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in the Balaroa neighbourhood. The earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently, said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. Expand Close Desperate: Survivors wait to be given fuel rations in Palu. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Desperate: Survivors wait to be given fuel rations in Palu. Photo: AFP/Getty Images "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding her house was destroyed. In the Petobo neighbourhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy mud that caused massive damage. "In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud," Mr Nugroho said. Residents who found loved ones, alive and dead, over the weekend expressed frustration that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach Petobo. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Rescuers carry an earthquake survivor at restaurant building damaged by a massive earthquakes and tsunami in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) Rescuers evacuate an earthquake survivor by a damaged house following earthquakes and tsunami in Palu (AP Photo/Arimacs Wilander) ndonesian President Joko Widodo walks at the damage area following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia Agus Suparto/Indonesian Presidential Office via AP A woman cries as she waits to be evacuated by military aircraft following an earthquake and tsunami at Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A/via REUTERS People make off with goods from a shop in earthquake and tsunami-devastated Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia REUTERS/Stringer People survey the damage following a massive earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (AP Photo/Rifki) A woman cries as she waits to be evacuated by military aircraft at Mutiara Sis Al Jufri Airport in Palu. Photo: Reuters Saved: Rescuers evacuate an earthquake survivor from a damaged house following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Photo: AP A mosque was badly damaged (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) A motorbike passes the wreckage of a car in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) People survey the damage following a massive earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Indonesia (AP Photo/Rifki) A pile of debris is seen at a shopping mall damaged following earthquakes and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia People carry items looted from a shopping mall badly damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia A motorbike passes the wreckage of a car in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) People survey the damage of a shopping centre following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) A mosque was badly damaged (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) A motorbike passes the wreckage of a car in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) People survey the damage following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) HEARTBREAK: A man searches for his belongings among the debris of his wrecked house in Palu on Sulawesi yesterday after a wave at least 10ft high barrelled inland, killing 384 people and submerging single-storey buildings. Photo: Bay Ismoyo/Getty A department store building was heavily damaged (AP Photo/Rifki) People survey the damage near a shopping centre in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) People survey the damage of the shopping mall following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia People search through debris in a residential area following an earthquake and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia People survey damage outside the shopping mall following earthquakes and tsunami in Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rescuers carry an earthquake survivor at restaurant building damaged by a massive earthquakes and tsunami in Palu (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) The confirmed death toll of 844, mostly from Palu, is expected to rise as authorities reach cut-off areas. The regencies of Donggala, Sigi and Parigi Moutong - with a combined population of 1.2 million - had yet to be fully assessed. Expand Close A mosque damaged in a massive earthquake and a tsunami i(Tatan Syuflana/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A mosque damaged in a massive earthquake and a tsunami i(Tatan Syuflana/AP) The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck at dusk on Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 20ft in places. About 3,000 residents flocked to Palu's airport, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights using the facility only partially operating due to damage. Video showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. "We have not eaten for three days!" one woman yelled. "We just want to be safe!" Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, Mr Nugroho said, and hospitals were overwhelmed. The Indonesian air force confirmed that a Hercules aircraft carrying an unspecified number of survivors was able to leave Palu for South Sulawesi's capital of Makassar. Indonesian President Joko Widodo authorised the acceptance of international help, Mr Nugroho said, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States, Australia and China, he said. "We will send food today, as much as possible with several aircraft," Mr Widodo told reporters in the capital, Jakarta, adding that a supply of fuel was also set to arrive. The coastline at Palu was strewn with rubble and a few brightly coloured cargo containers poking out of the water. Buildings near the water were ruined shells. The arches of a large yellow bridge rested in the water and eerie drone footage showed a Ferris wheel, untouched, on a beach scraped bare by the waves. Rescuers searching a collapsed building on Monday night were able to pull 38-year-old Sapri Nusin alive from the rubble. He was talking to his rescuers as they took him away but his condition was not known. Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August. The vast archipelago has more than 17,000 islands home to 260 million people. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions. Additional reporting by Reuters Desperate: Survivors wait to be given fuel rations in Palu. Photo: AFP/Getty Images Aid was being scrambled into the earthquake and tsunami-devastated area of Sulawesi in Indonesia yesterday. Survivors streamed away from their ruined homes as accounts of devastation filtered out of remote areas, including the death of 34 children at a Christian camp. The death toll of 844 was certain to rise as rescuers reached devastated outlying communities hit on Friday by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami waves as high as six metres. Dozens of people were reported to be trapped in the rubble of several hotels and a mall in the city of Palu, 1,500km northeast of the capital Jakarta. Hundreds more were feared buried in landslides that engulfed villages. Of particular concern is Donggala, the region of 300,000 people north of Palu close to the epicentre of the quake, and two other districts, where communication had been cut off. The combined population stands at about 1.4 million. One woman was recovered alive from ruins overnight in the Palu neighbourhood of Balaroa, where about 1,700 houses were swallowed up when the earthquake liquefied the soil. "We don't know how many victims could be buried there, it's estimated hundreds," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. All but 23 of the confirmed deaths were in Palu where workers were preparing a mass grave to bury the dead as soon as they were identified. Aid worker Lian Gogali, who had reached Donggala district by motorcycle, said hundreds of people facing a lack of food and medicine were trying to get out, but evacuation teams had yet to arrive and roads were blocked. "It's devastating," she told Reuters by text. Indonesian Red Cross spokeswoman Aulia Arriani said a church in an area of Sigi, south of Palu, had been engulfed in mud and debris. Officials said the area suffered liquefaction, when the shock of the quake temporarily destabilises the soil. "My volunteers found 34 bodies - children who had been doing a 'Bible' camp," Ms Arriani said. A witness said queues at petrol stations on the approaches to Palu stretched for kilometres. Convoys carrying food, water and fuel awaited police escorts to prevent pilfering before heading towards the city while residents streamed out. Nearly 60,000 people have been displaced, many terrified by powerful aftershocks. The military was airlifting people, with 3,000 thronging Palu's small airport as officers struggled to keep order. "I'd get a plane anywhere. I've been waiting for two days. Haven't eaten," said 44-year-old food vendor Wiwid. South Korean Army soldiers search for landmines near the demilitarized zone that separates the two Koreas in Yeoncheon, North of Seoul, South Korea. AP Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border yesterday, the South's defence ministry said, in a pact to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula. Project details were agreed during last month's summit in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, between its leader Kim Jong-un, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. In a statement, the ministry said the two sides agreed to remove all landmines in the so-called Joint Security Area (JSA) in Panmunjom within the next 20 days, with military engineers performing the hazardous task on the South Korean side. There was no immediate confirmation from North Korea that its troops had begun the process. The deal also provides for removal of guard posts and weapons from the JSA to follow the removal of the mines, with the troops remaining there to be left unarmed. The JSA is the only spot along the 250km-long "demilitarised zone" (DMZ) where troops from both Koreas are face to face. South Korean troops have gradually taken over most operations along their side of the border but international forces under the US-led United Nations Command (UNC) retain major roles, especially at the JSA, where an American commander and a South Korean deputy lead the security battalion. UNC spokesman Colonel Chad Carroll declined to confirm if the command would also withdraw any weapons from the JSA, but said American forces would provide support for the demining operation. "United States Forces Korea will perform a support role - to include having air medical evacuation assets available to respond within minutes of any potential medical emergencies," he said. Democrats are raising new questions about the truthfulness of US supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaughs sworn testimony to the US senate. The move marks a shift in tactics against US president Donald Trumps choice for the highest court in America as all sides await the results of the FBIs background investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Chuck Schumer, the senate Democrats leader, accused Mr Kavanaugh of delivering a partisan screed during a judiciary committee hearing last week. He said Mr Kavanaugh seemed willing to mislead senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane to ensure his ascension to the court. Mr Schumer said: The harsh fact of the matter is that we have mounting evidence that Judge Kavanaugh is just not credible. Expand Close Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer raised concerns over Mr Kavanaughs testimony (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer raised concerns over Mr Kavanaughs testimony (AP) However, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the Democrats are simply looking to move the goalposts to prevent Mr Kavanaughs confirmation. He pledged that the full US senate would begin voting on Mr Kavanaughs nomination this week. Mr McConnell said: The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close. Mr Kavanaughs confirmation hinges on a handful of key Republican and Democratic senators who have not yet fully tipped their votes. One of them is Republican Jeff Flake of Arizona, who was greeted by hundreds of liberal protesters, victims of sexual assault among them, during an appearance on Monday in Boston. Mr Flake and senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska were instrumental last week in holding up Mr Kavanaughs confirmation vote. Expand Close Senator Jeff Flake (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Senator Jeff Flake (AP) They forced the White House to open a supplemental background investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against the judge. The votes of the three Republicans and those of red-state Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota will largely determine whether Mr Kavanaugh is confirmed. Mr Flake said he would ensure it is a real investigation by the FBI as Democrats demanded that Mr Trump give them a full readout of his instructions to the agency. It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover, Mr Flake said. Ms Heitkamp, meanwhile, noted that Mr Trump himself called for a broader FBI investigation into the allegations. She said: Im waiting to see what the results are. We're going to put a conspiracy theory believer on the court?Senator Mazie Hirono Mr Kavanaugh has emphatically denied Christine Blasey Fords allegation that he sexually assaulted her at a gathering when they were teenagers. He has also denied an accusation from Deborah Ramirez, a classmate at Yale, who said he exposed himself to her at a dorm party more than 25 years ago. A third claim from Julia Swetnick, who is represented by attorney Michael Avenatti accuses Mr Kavanaugh of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women at parties in the early 1980s. Mr Kavanaugh denies that as well. Democrats have seized most recently on Mr Kavanaughs indignant, emotional testimony before the judiciary committee to question whether he has the temperament for a lifetime appointment on the nations highest court. In particular, Democrats have homed in on his contention that the allegations against him are an orchestrated political hit funded by left-wing groups seeking revenge on behalf of the Clintons. Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, asked: Were going to put a conspiracy theory believer on the court? Democrats are also questioning Mr Kavanaughs honesty, particularly over statements he made about his drinking in high school and college after a former classmate at Yale said he was a frequent, heavy drinker. Teacher Eleanor Wilson outside Bristol Crown Court, where she is on trial accused of sexual activity with a pupil. Ben Birchall/PA Wire A science teacher had sex with a pupil in the toilets of a passenger jet after they grew close on an overseas school camping trip, a court heard. Eleanor Wilson, 29, is accused of fondling the boy as she sat next to him on the overnight flight before beckoning him into the cubicle and performing a sex act on him. They then allegedly had full sex in the cubicle before going back to their seats. Prosecutors claim that Wilson later told the boy she was pregnant with his child but she would have an abortion. Bristol Crown Court heard their "clandestine" relationship was exposed when another pupil at the unnamed school tried to blackmail Wilson into having sex with him. Jurors were told that the defendant, who was then aged 26, and the boy had both been drinking during the flight back to the UK in the summer of 2015. They had been part of a group of staff and pupils on the school trip and Wilson and the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had spent a lot of time together. Virginia Cornwall, prosecuting, told the court: "It was the circumstances in which the two interacted on that trip that led to an erosion of boundaries and it was her responsibility, the Crown say, as the adult, to ensure there was no erosion of boundaries. Expand Close Teacher Eleanor Wilson outside Bristol Crown Court, where she is on trial accused of sexual activity with a pupil. Ben Birchall/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Teacher Eleanor Wilson outside Bristol Crown Court, where she is on trial accused of sexual activity with a pupil. Ben Birchall/PA Wire "She was a 26-year-old woman and he was a teenage boy. It was her choice to be with him. There were a lot of night time chats where others had gone off to bed. "He was being treated on a par, an equal basis, as if an adult." Miss Cornwall said the pair had been drinking on the flight home and after kissing him and fondling him, she beckoned him into the toilet, where they had sex. "Having had sex they went back to their seats. It was a secret between them." Miss Cornwall described Wilson as a "bright and competent" teacher who was "highly regarded" by colleagues. "She was a woman who had a different side to her, one that those who knew her professionally didn't see," she said. "She was a woman having a clandestine relationship with a pupil. She is a risk taker." After returning home, their relationship continued, with Wilson and the teenager going for a meal in Nando's with others from the trip and also having days out alone together. The court heard that the boy bought Wilson a bunch of flowers and chocolates, she gave him a lift home and he showed her his bedroom where they kissed. They also allegedly had days out together at Tintern Abbey and Ashton Court, going for pub meals and drinking pints of cider together. The jury was told they had swapped mobile phone numbers and Wilson rang him while she was on holiday in Italy with her boyfriend. The boy's father noticed his son's behaviour had changed and he talked "incessantly" about the defendant and said he was going to split up with his girlfriend. The teenager had told friends about the relationship but sworn them to secrecy, and when the pair returned to the school for the start of the new academic year, rumours circulated. Wilson was spoken to by the school's head and deputy, but denied it and "appeared shocked", Miss Cornwall said. She later allegedly told the boy she was pregnant by him but would go on to have an abortion. In February 2016, Wilson told a deputy head she was being blackmailed by another student and the police began an investigation, which led to her resigning. "He started emailing Eleanor Wilson, threatening to expose her for what happened between her and the boy unless she had sex with him," Miss Cornwall said. "She engaged with this blackmail instead of going immediately to a superior. She tried to deal with it herself. "You might think it is not the usual reaction. She tried to sit on it and cover it up." During police interviews, Wilson denied that any sexual activity had taken place, describing the boy's claims as "pure fantasy". She said there was a "lowering of the boundaries" because of her "pastoral interest" in the boy. "She said she shouldn't have gone as far as she did. There was a bit of flirtation but it had gone no further," Miss Cornwall said. "She confided in him about the pregnancy because she was isolated, lonely and he was a friend. "She does accept there was some inappropriate contact outside of school but nothing sexual happened. It was out of concern to him and loneliness." Evidence The teenage boy who allegedly had sex with his teacher in the toilet of a plane told a court how she beckoned him into the cubicle. The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police in a recorded interview that Eleanor Wilson, 29, began to kiss him and fondle him as they sat at the back of a flight returning to the UK from a school trip overseas. He described how he was drunk, having been drinking the complimentary alcohol, and went to the rear of the plane to use the toilet, and then sat next to Wilson. "I just sat there for a bit and started to chat to Eleanor. We were sat down and were just talking. "She had been drinking and I was drinking some more," he told police. "She touched me on the arm and I am a little bit shocked and I touched her back. "From there she kissed me on the cheek and then kissed me properly on the lips and I kissed her back and went on from there. "There was a lot of body touching and stuff like that. "She went to the toilet and from there she called me in. "I walked in, closed the door and locked the door." The boy told police that the pair then had sexual intercourse in the toilet. "It was making a lot of noise because we were banging against the door," he said. Afterwards he said he returned to his original seat on the plane. In the police interview, the boy told police: "I asked her if she regretted what happened on the plane. She didn't regret it - there were no regrets. "I expressed my worries at this point about a potential pregnancy and she said 'You don't have to worry, I'm on the injection'. "I said 'I just get really paranoid about unprotected sex'." The police asked the boy how he felt about what allegedly happened on the plane. "Good, very shocked," he said. "I didn't really believe what was going on - that I had sex with a teacher." The boy also claimed he and Wilson went on dates to Tintern Abbey and the Ashton Court estate. He said: "It wasn't really a teacher any more, it was like having a girlfriend. "I was very confused and very excited - very overwhelmed I guess. A woman at the age of 26 who has a degree, a nice house and a car and she is with me. It is exciting in some ways." The boy told police that Wilson later allegedly told him she was pregnant with his child. "She said she was scared and didn't know what to do. We talked about an abortion as I would not be able to provide for her child. "She told me she had to go for a consultation. She was very upset about it." The boy described Wilson as a "really good teacher" who "helped him a lot". "She was nice. I would say there was a slight attraction but nothing I was expecting to get anything out of," he said. "She was a little bit more forward with me than other people." Wilson, of The Rope Walk, Dursley, Gloucestershire, denies four charges of sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. The trial continues. Melania Trump has arrived in Ghana to open her first major solo international trip as US first lady. She landed in the capital Accra on Tuesday morning after an overnight flight from Washington and was welcomed to the West African nation with dancing and drumming and schoolchildren waving mini US and Ghanaian flags. Expand Close Melania Trump embraces flower girl Lillian Naa Adai Sai, eight, as she arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump embraces flower girl Lillian Naa Adai Sai, eight, as she arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Ghanas first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, welcomed her American counterpart. Mrs Trump also accepted a bouquet of flowers from an eight-year-old girl before walking along a red carpet into an airport lounge for a brief meeting with Ms Akufo-Addo. The US first lady plans to visit a hospital neonatal intensive care unit before going to the presidential palace for tea with Ms Akufo-Addo. Expand Close Melania Trump is greeted by Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump is greeted by Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) President Donald Trumps wife plans to promote child welfare during the five-day, four-nation tour. She will also visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. First lady Melania Trump holds a baby as she visits Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Ghana (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Melania Trump has opened her first big solo international trip as US first lady with a wave, a smile and a baby in her arms, aiming to promote child welfare during a five-day tour of Africa. She arrived in the West African nation of Ghana after an overnight flight from Washington and quickly made her way to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. Expand Close Melania Trump arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump arrives at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The first lady saw how babies are weighed they are placed in sacks that are then hung from a hook attached to a scale. She also watched a nurse demonstrate how vitamins are administered to babies by mouth and toured the neonatal intensive care unit. Mrs Trump also cradled an infant and declared the baby a beautiful boy as she handed him back to his mother. Expand Close Melania Trump holds a baby at Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump holds a baby at Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Mothers at the hospital for her visit received gifts of teddy bears nestled in white baby blankets, personally handed out by the first lady, according to her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. The items carried the logo of Be Best, the child well-being initiative Mrs Trump launched last May. With the Africa visit, the first lady aims to take Be Best and its focus on opioid abuse and online behaviour to an international audience. Expand Close Melania Trump visits mothers and their babies in hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump visits mothers and their babies in hospital (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The first lady also had a private tea and gift exchange with her Ghanaian counterpart, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. They exchanged gifts: a Chippendale silver tray embossed with an image of the White House inside a leather case signed by First Lady Melania Trump for Ms Akufo-Addo, and Kente cloth and artefacts for Mrs Trump, according to Ms Grisham. The first ladies met privately for about half an hour at Jubilee House, Ghanas presidential palace. Expand Close First lady Melania Trump is greeted by Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp First lady Melania Trump is greeted by Ghanas first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The two first met last week in New York at a reception on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, where Mrs Trump spoke about her upcoming trip. Mrs Trumps visit opened in low-key fashion. Several Ghanaians interviewed said they knew little about it. Expand Close Melania Trump and Rebecca Akufo-Addo watch dancers during an arrival ceremony at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Melania Trump and Rebecca Akufo-Addo watch dancers during an arrival ceremony at Kotoka International Airport in Accra (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Did you say President Trumps wife just arrived in Accra? street vendor Awo Yeboah asked. I dont think I have ever heard her name, Melania. Other locals said they knew about the visit but did not know what Mrs Trump was doing. Mrs Trump landed in the capital Accra on Tuesday morning after a more than 12-hour journey from Washington. She was welcomed at the airport with dancing and drumming, schoolchildren waving mini US and Ghanaian flags and the gift of a flower bouquet. Expand Close Children wave American and Ghana flags during an arrival ceremony for first lady Melania Trump (Carolyn Kaster/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Children wave American and Ghana flags during an arrival ceremony for first lady Melania Trump (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Ms Akufo-Addo was at the airport to welcome her. Mrs Trump also plans to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. The pre-dawn strikes with surface-to-surface missiles and drones were aimed at the area around Abu Kamal, where the last remnants of Isil are still holding territory, according to Iranian media. Photo: Sepahnews via AP Iran launched ballistic missiles into eastern Syria yesterday in response to last month's shooting attack on a military parade which killed 24 people, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said. The pre-dawn strikes with surface-to-surface missiles and drones were aimed at the area around Abu Kamal, where the last remnants of Isil are still holding territory, according to Iranian media. The Revolutionary Guard said the strike targeted "the headquarters of Takfiri terrorists", a term that Iran's government uses to describe to Sunni jihadists like Isil. "Many Takfiri terrorists and the leaders responsible for the terrorist crime in Ahvaz have been killed or wounded in this missile attack," the Guard said in a statement. The US-led military coalition confirmed Iran had carried out strikes near Albu Kamal but said that it was "still assessing" if the missiles hit their targets. Iran initially blamed Arab separatists backed by the US and Gulf Arab states for the September 22 attack on a military parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, later implied that Isil was to blame. Both the separatists and Isil claimed responsibility for the attack and yesterday's strikes appeared to be aimed at Isil. Iran carried out similar strikes in Syria in June 2017 in response to an Isil attack on the Iranian parliament. FBI agents interviewed one of the three women who have accused US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, as Republicans and Democrats quarrelled over whether the bureau would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on his nomination. The White House insisted it was not "micromanaging" the new one-week review of Mr Kavanaugh's background, but some Democratic lawmakers claimed the White House was keeping investigators from interviewing certain witnesses. President Donald Trump tweeted that no matter how much time and discretion the FBI was given, "it will never be enough" for Democrats trying to keep Mr Kavanaugh off the bench. And even as the FBI explored the past allegations that have surfaced against Mr Kavanaugh, another Yale University classmate came forward to accuse the judge of being untruthful in his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the extent of his drinking in college. As the fresh review unfolded, the prosecutor who was brought in by Republicans to handle questioning at last week's hearing outlined in a new memo why she did not believe criminal charges would be brought against Mr Kavanaugh if it were a criminal case rather than a Supreme Court confirmation process. Rachel Mitchell wrote that she did not believe a "reasonable prosecutor would bring this case based on the evidence before the Committee." Ms Mitchell argued that there were inconsistencies in accuser Christine Blasey Ford's narrative and said no one has corroborated Ms Ford's account. Expand Close Drinking: Another old classmate said Brett Kavanaugh drank heavily. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Drinking: Another old classmate said Brett Kavanaugh drank heavily. Photo: REUTERS Ms Ford, a California college professor, was not questioned as part of a criminal proceeding but in the confirmation process. In speaking to FBI agents, Deborah Ramirez detailed her allegation that Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party in the early 1980s when they were students at Yale University, according to a person familiar with the matter. Mr Kavanaugh has denied Ms Ramirez's allegation. The person familiar with Ms Ramirez's questioning, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she also provided investigators with the names of others who she said could corroborate her account. But Ms Ford, who says Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers, has not been contacted by the FBI since Mr Trump on Friday ordered the agency to take another look at the nominee's background, according to a member of Ms Ford's team. Mr Kavanaugh has denied assaulting Ms Ford. In a statement released on Sunday, a Yale classmate of Mr Kavanaugh's said he was "deeply troubled by what has been a blatant mischaracterisation by Brett himself of his drinking at Yale." Charles 'Chad' Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, said he was a friend of Mr Kavanaugh's at Yale and that Mr Kavanaugh was "a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker". "On many occasions I heard Brett slur his words and saw him staggering from alcohol consumption, not all of which was beer. When Brett got drunk, he was often belligerent and aggressive," Mr Ludington said. While saying that youthful drinking should not condemn a person for life, Mr Ludington said he was concerned about Mr Kavanaugh's statements under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Speaking on the issue of the scope of the FBI's investigation, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said White House counsel Don McGahn, who is managing Mr Kavanaugh's nomination, "has allowed the Senate to dictate what these terms look like, and what the scope of the investigation is". "The White House isn't intervening. We're not micromanaging this process. It's a Senate process. It has been from the beginning, and we're letting the Senate continue to dictate what the terms look like," Ms Sanders said. White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway said the investigation would be "limited in scope" and "will not be a fishing expedition. The FBI is not tasked to do that." Republicans control 51 seats in the closely divided 100-member Senate and cannot afford to lose more than one vote on confirmation. Article 32.10 of the new NAFTA says: Article 32.10: Non-Market Country FTA 1. At least 3 months prior to commencing negotiations, a Party shall inform the other Parties of its intention to commence free trade agreement negotiations with a non-market country. For purposes of this Article, a non-market country is a country that on the date of signature of this agreement at least one Party has determined to be a non-market economy for purposes of its trade remedy laws and is a country with which no Party has a free trade agreement. 2. Upon request, the Party shall provide as much information as possible regarding the objectives for those negotiations. 3. As early as possible, and no later than 30 days before the date of signature, that Party shall provide the other Parties with an opportunity to review the full text of the agreement, including any annexes and side instruments, in order for the Parties to be able to review the agreement and assess its potential impact on this Agreement. If the Party involved requests that the text be treated as confidential, the other Parties shall maintain the confidentiality of the text. 4. Entry by any Party into a free trade agreement with a non-market country, shall allow the other Parties to terminate this Agreement on six-month notice and replace this Agreement with an agreement as between them (bilateral agreement). 5. The bilateral agreement shall be comprised of all the provisions of this Agreement, except those provisions the relevant Parties decide are not applicable as between them. 6. The relevant Parties shall utilize the six-month notice period to review the Agreement and determine whether any amendments should be made in order to ensure the proper operation of the bilateral agreement. 7. The bilateral agreement enter into force 60 days after the date on which the parties to the bilateral agreement have notified each other that they have completed their respective applicable legal procedures. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday allegations of sexual misconduct against his U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh showed that "it's a very scary time for young men in America" who now may be presumed guilty even when innocent. Five days after an extraordinary Senate hearing watched by millions of people in which a university professor, Christine Blasey Ford, detailed her sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh, Trump seemed to raise the issue of false accusations against men. The fight over Kavanaugh's nomination to a lifetime job on the top U.S. court comes against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement fighting sexual harassment and assault that has toppled a succession of powerful men. Under pressure from moderate fellow Republicans, Trump on Friday ordered an FBI investigation lasting up to a week into the allegations against his nominee. Trump told reporters on Tuesday he thought the conservative federal appeals court judge would win Senate confirmation once the FBI finishes its investigation. "My whole life, I've heard you're innocent until proven guilty. But now, you're guilty until proven innocent. That is a very, very difficult standard," Trump said outside the White House before leaving on a visit to Philadelphia. "Well, I say that it's a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something that you may not be guilty of," he added. The nomination has become a politically explosive issue ahead of Nov. 6 elections, when control of Congress is at stake. Some Republicans fear that pushing ahead with confirmation could alienate women voters, while Democrats seek to capitalize. "What's happening here has much more to do than even the appointment of a Supreme Court justice. It really does. You could be somebody that was perfect your entire life, and somebody could accuse you of something. It doesn't necessarily have to be a woman," Trump said. Ford testified last Thursday that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in 1982 when they were high school students in Maryland. Kavanaugh denied the accusation, as well as allegations by two other women of sexual misconduct in the 1980s. Senator Jeff Flake, a moderate Republican who could be pivotal in the confirmation vote, raised fresh concerns about the judge's "partisan" tone at the Judiciary Committee hearing. "I was very troubled by the tone of the remarks. ... The interaction with the members was sharp and partisan, and that concerns me," Flake said. "I tell myself, 'You give a little leeway because of what he's been through.' But on the other hand, we can't have this on the court. We simply can't," Flake, who is retiring as a senator in January, told an event in Washington hosted by The Atlantic magazine. Kavanaugh struck an angry and defiant tone at the hearing. He called himself the victim of "a calculated and orchestrated political hit" by Democrats, lashing out at Democratic senators and frequently interrupting them. Flake voted to approve Kavanaugh in the committee's vote on Friday that sent the nomination to the full Senate, but only after he requested that the FBI conduct an investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations. Trump subsequently ordered the investigation. In comments aired on Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," Flake said Kavanaugh's nomination would end if the FBI investigation found the nominee had lied in his Senate testimony. "I don't think you should lie to Congress," Trump said on Tuesday. "There have been a lot of people over the last year that have lied to Congress, and to me that would not be acceptable." TIGHT MARGIN Republicans control the Senate by a 51-49 margin. That means if all the Democrats vote against Kavanaugh, Trump could not afford to have more than one Republican oppose his nominee, with Vice President Mike Pence casting a tie-breaking vote. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said each senator will get a copy of the FBI's report on its investigation. "But here's what we know ... one thing for sure. The Senate will vote on Judge Kavanaugh here, on this floor, this week," McConnell told the chamber. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, said a Friday vote on Kavanaugh would not give senators enough time to evaluate the FBI probe. Flake said the FBI had completed interviews with four people. ABC News reported that the agency finished its interview with Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge, who Ford identified as a witness to the assault. Judge has previously denied any memory of any such incident. A person familiar with the matter said the FBI questioned Deborah Ramirez, who has said Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a party when both were Yale University students. She was questioned for more than two hours on Sunday and provided the FBI with a list of over 20 possible witnesses, the person said. The FBI will also question Leland Keyser and P.J. Smyth, two people who Ford said were at the gathering of teenagers where Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her. A third woman who has accused the judge of sexual misconduct in the 1980s, Julie Swetnick, was not on the initial list of witnesses to be interviewed. An image calling for peace between the two Koreas outside the US embassy in Seoul (AP) A top South Korean official has told MPs that North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons. In Seouls first public comment about the size of the Norths secrecy-clouded weapons arsenal, unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. He was responding to a question by an MP, saying the information came from the intelligence authorities. Mr Cho may have unintentionally revealed the information. His ministry said the comments did not mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state, suggesting Seouls diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear programme would continue. The South Korean assessment on the Norths arsenal is not much different from various outside civilian estimates largely based on the amount of nuclear materials that North is believed to have produced. Expand Close South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp South Korean unification minister Cho Myoung-gyon (AP) According to South Korean government reports, the North is believed to have produced 50 kilograms (110lbs) of weaponised plutonium, enough for at least eight bombs. Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker who visited North Koreas centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100lbs), sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Many foreign experts say North Korea are likely running additional secret uranium-enrichment plants. The North entered talks with the United States and South Korea earlier this year, saying it is willing to negotiate away its advancing nuclear arsenal. Nuclear diplomacy later stalled due to suspicions over how sincere North Korea is about its disarmament pledge, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Pyongyang this month to set up a second summit between US president Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The White House has given the FBI clearance to interview anyone it wants to by Friday in its investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The new guidance was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to Democratic and news media claims that the scope of the probe was too narrow. It comes as the FBI presses ahead with its investigation, questioning in recent days at least three people about accusations of misconduct against Mr Kavanaugh dating to when he was in high school and college. Expand Close Christine Blasey Ford (Win McNamee/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christine Blasey Ford (Win McNamee/AP) Among the witnesses interviewed were men who California college professor Christine Blasey Ford says were present at a party of teenagers in the early 1980s at which she says was sexually assaulted by Mr Kavanaugh. Donald Trump, addressing concerns about the probes remit at a news conference, said he wants the FBI to carry out a comprehensive investigation and it wouldnt bother me at all if agents pursued accusations made by three women who have come forward. But the president also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and ultimately, theyre making the judgment. My White House will do whatever the senators want, Mr Trump said. The one thing I want is speed. The White House instructed the FBI to interview anyone it deems relevant to the inquiry, but required the work to be done by Friday, according to a source. The revised guidance is aimed at promoting an investigation that could tamp down Democratic criticism and satisfy on-the-fence Republicans about its thoroughness and fairness while also ensuring a fixed deadline to prevent the probe from becoming open-ended and spanning weeks. Officials said it was possible, but not likely, that the bureau could complete its work before Friday. Mr Trump said a comprehensive investigation is a good thing for Mr Kavanaugh and that while it was fine that the FBI wants to interview all three women who have made accusations, we dont want to go on a witch hunt, do we? As Republicans and Democrats clashed over whether the FBI would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on the nomination, FBI agents have been interviewing multiple witnesses from Mr Kavanaughs high school and college years. They include Mark Judge, a high school friend of Mr Kavanaugh who Ms Ford has said was in the room when a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Mr Judge has denied misconduct allegations. On Monday, his lawyer Barbara Biz Van Gelder said he had been interviewed but his interview has not been completed. Another witness, Patrick PJ Smyth, answered every question he was asked and told agents he had no knowledge of the small gathering Ms Ford described, according to his lawyer, Eric Bruce. Mr Smyth also told the FBI does not have knowledge of Fords allegations of improper conduct against Kavanaugh, Mr Bruce said. Ms Ford has said Mr Smyth was downstairs, not anywhere near the event. Ms Ford shared her allegation at an extraordinary congressional hearing last week that also included Mr Kavanaughs angry and emotional denial. As of Monday afternoon, she had not been contacted by the FBI to schedule an interview, according to a person close to her. The FBI interviewed a separate accuser over the weekend Deborah Ramirez, who has said Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when both were students at Yale University in the 1980s. Ms Ramirez also provided investigators with the names of others who she said could corroborate her account, according to a source. Mr Kavanaugh has denied that allegation. White House officials insisted that they were not micromanaging the new one-week review of Mr Kavanaughs background and insisted Republican senators were dictating the inquirys scope. But questions about the investigations reach mounted as additional witnesses came forward with accounts they wanted to present to the FBI about Mr Kavanaughs behaviour. In a statement on Sunday, a Yale classmate of Mr Kavanaugh said he was deeply troubled by what has been a blatant mischaracterisation by Brett himself of his drinking at Yale. Charles Chad Ludington, who teaches at North Carolina State University, said he was a friend of Mr Kavanaugh at Yale and he was a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, accused Mr Kavanaugh and Mr Judge of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women in the early 1980s, among other accusations. Mr Kavanaugh has called her accusations a joke, and Mr Judge categorically denies the allegations. Ayushmann Khurrana is one gutsy actor. Forming a league of his own this reality-tv-show winner turned actor, has come a long way in the film industry. Following the trend isnt something that Ayushmann believes in. He is one actor who starts them instead. Ayushmanns filmography boasts of some of the most out-of-the-box yet super entertaining films. twitter The Vicky Donor actor is all set to conquer the silver screen once again with his next offering AndhaDhun. If you are expecting it to be a conventional entertainer then you are probably unfamiliar with the way how Khurrana operates. Promising an edge-of-the-seat thriller, this movie revolves around a blind pianist and how some mysterious events that take place change his life. screengrab The movie which is all set to release on October 5 is obviously being promoted full throttle by the actor. To make this film even more special, Ayushmann recently shot for a special video with visually challenged musicians and kids for the song Naino Da Kasoor. Shot in Jogeshwari, the song has already received rave reviews. The video features 30 musicians which includes a blind pianist and guitarist. It also comprises of visually-impaired kids. Talking about the shoot, Ayushmann Khurrana told Mid-day, "I am humbled and thrilled that I got an opportunity to jam with these wonderful musicians for AndhaDhun. It's amazing how enthusiastic they are, and how their physical challenge has not deterred their spirit or talent. I feel Naina Da Kasoor is the perfect song for this distinct collaboration." Apart from Khurrana, the film also features Tabu and Radhika Apte in pivotal roles. AndhaDhun will be Tabus second negative role after Drishyam. The film is directed by Sriram Raghvan of Badlapur fame. Are you excited for the film? Tell us in the comments section below. If you like birds on posts, if seeing little brown jobs posing nicely in the distance as you drive or walk along a dirt road only to have it fly away as you approach makes you deliriously happy, then North Dakota is the place for you. I love sparrows, so seeing a feather-worn Vesper Sparrow this past July filled my heart with joy. I was on New Jersey Audubons Grand North Dakota birding tour this past July, driving along dirt roads through the prairies of western North Dakota. Scott Barnes, N.J. Audubon Naturalist, and Linda Mack, N.J. Audubon Associate Naturalist, have led this tour many times, through tornados, droughts, questionable restaurants, and, sadly, the advent of fracking, and every one of my friends who has participated over the years has raved about the experience and the birds (in fact, one member of our group was on his third or fourth trip, I lost count). I wanted to see prairie birds and I wanted to experience a new state. We saw sparrowsa total of 14 speciesand we saw many other great prairie birds, and we often saw them perched on posts. Upland Sandpipers were seen almost daily, on posts, in tall grass, in trees, and, of course, flying away from us. Wilsons Snipe was another post bird. It was delightful seeing them so clearly, most of the time Im trying in vain to photograph them in the reeds as they probe a muddy pond. Brewers Blackbirds often joined the hordes of Red-winged Blackbirds flitting in and out of the taller grasses and few shrubs. There is a very good reason why you find so many birds on posts in North Dakota: There are no trees. Well, often there is one tree, situated in the middle of the grasses that edge over the horizon. Over 80 percent of North Dakotas prairie has vanished, but there are still millions of acres in North Dakota, under both government protection and private ownership. The Little Missouri National Grassland in western North Dakota covers over 1 million acres and is the largest grassland in the United States. Sadly, very little tallgrass prairie, one of the three types of prairie in North Dakota, is left. I dont know much about prairies, but I have discovered that there is more to them than just grass, and that they are home to hundreds of butterfly and bee species and thousands of moth species. In addition, of course, to birds like Bairds Sparrow, Chestnut-collared Longspur, and Sharp-tailed Grouse (all of which were life birds for me, and all of which I failed to get decent photos). I did get great images of Lark Bunting, a bird which Ive seen previously, but which was always too far out of reach for a decent image. Thats the male on a metal post in the featured image of this blog post (gotta differentiate the blog posts from the wooden posts!), and, above, the female on a barbed wire fence. A bird on the wire (Im not a Leonard Cohen fan, but I know certain birders who are) is just about as common as a bird on a post in North Dakota. These Lark Buntings were too occupied with gathering food to pay much attention to us as we walked along a road between farm fields; there was undoubtedly a nest nearby, in a scape on the grass, so we took our photos and walked on. There was a little color variety in our birds of posts. We observed Dickcissels on wooden posts and Western Meadowlarks on metal posts, both featuring brilliant yellow contrasted with ebon black. The flutey song of the meadowlark echoed around us wherever we went in and around the grasslands, uplifting spirits as we searched for some of our more elusive target birds. Bairds Sparrow was one of those elusive creatures. At Stewart Lake NWR, we heard the sparrow, we could have sworn there was one at our feet, but it was windy and sound travels and sparrows apparently dont perch on a slice of tall grass (not a post in sight) when the wind blows. Heres several members of our group walking back from the Bairds Sparrow searchVariegated Meadowhawks and constantly flying Bobolinks helped ease the pain. We finally got our Bairds Sparrow several days later in Mountrail County, in a patch of state school land suggested by North Dakota birding guru Ron Martin. (We owe Ron a lot of thanks for this, there is no way we would have known this was publicly accessible land if he hadnt told us.) The North Dakota Birding Society website notes that a prairie pasture that has Bairds Sparrows one year may not be suitable the following year. And, that they usually dont perch on fence wires (and, I imagine by extension, posts). It was also in this no-name patch of prairie that we got killer looks at Spragues Pipit, a bird typically seen flying high up into the atmosphere, singing and gliding. (The male Spragues Pipit performs the longest known flight display of any bird and may stay up in the air for over 30 minutes, according to the Cornell Lab of O All About Birds website.) Scott, Linda, and our better hearing skilled birders had heard pipits several times during the week and seen them flying high, but the sounds and high-up sightings always eluded me. On this day, the birding goddess smiled. Scott saw the bird high up, Linda saw the bird plummet down, and John H. spotted where the bird landed! Yes, it takes a village to locate a Spragues Pipit. I need to add that Spragues Pipit, like many of the grassland birds we saw, are declining in alarming numbers. Since 1966, when the Breeding Bird Survey first began monitoring, numbers have declined 79 percent. Research indicates that this decline can be tempered by management of cattle grazing practices, preventing growth of shrubs and trees and the invasion of non-native plants. Birds of North America, the Cornell Lab of O data base, cites many studies on this topic and they dont all agree on results and best practices. But, it seems to me the main ingredient for supporting grassland birds is to convince the ranchers and farmers to participate in these programs. We need to create bridges (and a very happy experience with a local ranching family led us to believe that this is possible). O.k., back to the birds. Right past the Pipit, on a rise, was a Grasshopper Sparrow singing on a Purple Coneflower, a flower we surprisingly saw everywhere. (I had no idea that Purple Coneflowers name is Echinacea purpurea, and that its the source of the herb echinacea.) Grasshopper Sparrows were also seen on posts and wires everywhere we went; they are not very discriminating about where they perch, thank heavens, because it is one of my favorite sparrows. Occasionally, we would see a bird perched on a hay bale, usually a hawk, usually a Swainsons Hawk. I saw a couple of Swainsons Hawks perched on wooden posts too, nice and low, but they sadly flew off before I could say, Stoooooppppp the caaaarrrrr! I see no reason why Swainsons Hawks should be deprived of their moment of glory in this post because our car was too fast and my brain was too slow, so here is the hawk on a hay bale. North Dakota is one of those under-birded states that is simply full of birds, and the absence of scads of our compadres and tourists in general was exhilarating. I focused on prairie birds in this post, but keep in mind that breeding ducks, nesting grebes, and squadrons of White Pelicans populate the lakes of North Dakota, Black Terns fly over those lakes, Ferruginous Hawks sit in the middle of the fields, and western birds like Rock Wren and Bullocks Oriole are found in the Badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Amidst silence of some A-listers on the Tanushree Dutta and Nana Patekar controversy, we again found solidarity among some Bollywood stars, who came out in support of Tanushree Dutta. A lot of Bollywood stars supported Tanushree's claims and people like Farhan Akhtar, Swara Bhaskar, Sonam Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna, Varun Dhawan, Hansal Mehta, Taapsee Pannu, and Priyanka Chopra made some strong points around it. The latest actor who has joined the bandwagon is Kunal Kapoor. During a press interaction, the actor made a legit point about sexual harassment and how it is not about a specific gender. He said, "It`s high time our industry stands up against this sort of exploitation that happens here. There should be more rules and regulation to deal with this issue not only for women but also for men because I don`t think it`s about gender. I think it`s mostly about power and this power can be misused by a man or a woman against anyone. More rules must be put in place in the industry to make sure that things like these don`t happen again and again." On the other hand, Tanushree has declared in front of the media that she is going to fight this battle until the end and will make sure all sexual predators are punished for what they have done. Nana Patekar is also likely to hold a press conference in Mumbai too. Let's see where this leads to. One can imagine that level of carelessness a memorial dedicated to father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi has now turned into a dumping yard. The memorial in Arnala, a coastal village in Virar where Mahatmas ashes were immersed on February 9, 1948, has now turned into a dumping yard and the memorial built by Arnala Stambh Samiti is a haven for drug addicts, alcoholic and stay dogs. The memorial, spread over 5,000 square feet, has become a home to stray dogs. Drug addicts and alcoholics use the space, which is an insult to Bapu. The memorial is littered with garbage, making it a horrible sight for visitors, said Dattatray Karale, an activist from Vasai. HT Locals defecate in the open near the memorial as there are not enough toilets. The local gram panchayat has failed to maintain the memorial or construct toilets, said Vishal Patil in an interview with Hindustan Times. According to HT memorial is cleaned twice a year-Mahatma birth and his death anniversary. Pankaj Sankhe, Arnala Gram Panchayat member, however, rues lack of funds for the non-maintenance of the memorial. We have requested the locals not to defecate near the memorial and instead use the public toilets that we have constructed a few metres away from the memorial. As and when we get funds, we will be fencing the memorial to avoid any misuse, said Sankhe. We also do not have a proper garbage disposal system as we are a gram panchayat and if Arnala had been included in the Vasai civic body, things would have been better, said Mahindra Patil, deputy sarpanch, Arnala gram panchayat. Karale claims he had filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on the poor condition and non-maintenance of the memorial to which the Chief Port Officer of MMB had assured action. Struggling budget carrier Jet Airways which had come under fire last month after dozens of passengers onboard a Mumbai-Jaipur flight suffered bleeding from the ears and nose due to cabin pressure lose at 13,000-14,000 feet has offered complimentary tickets and flying benefits to each of the 166 passengers on the flight that day. According to The Indian Express, the airline in an email sent on September 27, apologised to the passengers about the incident. reuters The incident in the passenger cabin was unfortunate and your disappointment is entirely justified. While the flight turned back from its intended route and landed safely at Mumbai, we are concerned that some of our guests on board 9W 697 experienced ear and nose-related issues, the email read. As per the email, offered a return Economy class ticket on its domestic network for a non-stop flight. Each passenger can redeem the offer for themselves or nominate a beneficiary for the same till March 31, 2019. Also, the airline has offered to credit 25,000 JP (Jetprivilege) Miles to their frequent flier account, that can help them buy certain flying benefits and privileges on the flight. reuters/ file The incident happened on September 20, after the crew "forgot" to turn on a control switch leaving the passengers traumatised. Following the incident, India's aviation regulator DGCA has reportedly begun inspection of the training programme of Jet Airways. bccl As per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) guidelines, all air operators are required to develop a training programme for their crew and dispatchers. It's also the responsibility of the operator to ensure that its training programme is complete, current, and in compliance with the DGCA guidelines. Jet Airways, owned by Naresh Goyal has been in the news in the recent times for all the wrong reasons. bccl On Sunday, on Indore-bound Jet Airways flight from Hyderabad with 96 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing after an engine failed. Earlier, on August 6, the DGCA had suspended the flying licence of two of its pilots for attempting to take off from a taxiway parallel to the runway at the Riyadh airport in Saudi Arabia. On August 3, 148 people on board the Mumbai-bound Jet flight had escaped unhurt after the aircraft went off the runway following an aborted takeoff. bccl Jet Airways which is said to be the second-largest airline is also facing a cash crisis off late and has defaulted on payments. The airline has told its employees that some portion of their August salaries will be disbursed on October 9. Earlier this month the company said it will release the employee salaries in two different instalments, on September 11 and the remaining on September 26. In August, Jet had told its pilots that the airline may be grounded in 60 days unless they agree for a 15 per cent pay cut for two years. In a private studio among leading multinational companies, iconic leaders come to life! At a fine arts studio in Noida, Padma Bhushan Awardee sculptor, Ram Vanji Sutar along with his son, Anil Ram Sutar, have created millions of statues that have been established at historical sites and public places all over the globe. Sculptures of eminent personalities including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, B.R Ambedkar grace the hallways of Parliament of India, India Gate war memorial, Rashtrapati Bhavan, museums and dozens of educational institutions. Photo: Ram V. Sutar Fine Arts Studio in Noida, In Centre, a 30 ft tall statue of Sardar Patel that has been enlarged to 522 ft, the world's tallest statue/Kriti Gupta 16 statues alone have been erected at the Parliament of India, all of them created by 93-year-old,Ram Sutar, who has mastered every drape, muscle and facial feature of notable figures. Indiatimes met the professional architects at their studio where the father-son duo talked about their work, upcoming projects including the Statue Of Unity of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which is being touted as the Worlds tallest statue. Photo: 93 Year old Ram Sutar (left) with his 61 year old son, Anil Sutar (Right)/Kriti Gupta Left: Enlarged face of Sardar Patel clicked from the 10th floor in China/ Right: Enlargement process of the statue in progress/Kriti Gupta On October 31, on the birth anniversary of Indias Iron Man; Sardar Patel will stand even taller than the Statue Of Liberty at a height of 522 feet on an island near the Sardar Sarovar dam. Ram Vanji and Anil Sutar are the original sculptors of this figure and tell us that the work on this idol had begun in 2014 itself. An 18-ft tall statue of the 'Bismarck of India' is established in the Parliament of India. The design was selected by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi from there and the project was handed over to the Sutars. Photo: Kriti Gupta for Indiatimes Speaking in detail about the origin of the sculpture, Ram Sutar says, We have submitted the original design. Only the bronze casting has been done in China. China is known to create colossal statues of Lord Buddha so they have huge foundries there. We had to complete the project as early as possible, therefore, only the enlargement process has been done there. Setting up a foundry as large as the one in China would have required a lot of time, infrastructure, arrangements, machinery. Therefore, the computer scanning and 3D imaging technique was used to enlarge the figure in China. Left: Ram Sutar and Anil Sutar (2nd and 3rd from left) monitoring the enlargement process/ Right: Ram Sutar suggesting changes in the statue/Kriti Gupta 61 year old, Anil Sutar corroborated the statement by saying that many Indian fashion labels have thousands of tailors working under them from different origins but the final product remains indigenous only. Though, he agrees that the infrastructure to assemble such large statues can be set up in India as well and he wishes that further establishments like these take place in India only. The sculptors had submitted an original model of 30 feet of the leader that involved a 15 feet tall face. They had traveled extensively to China almost every alternate month to monitor the minutiae of the effigy including his dhoti, toe nails, eyes, head and other trivial details. Photo: Statue of Mother Teresa/ Kriti Gupta for Indiatimes The sculptors who were on their way to Pune to inaugurate 50 statues with a height of 12 feet each at the World Peace Centre have carved scientists, philosophers and sages like Socrates, Aristotle, Jesus Christ, Lord Mahaveer, Sant Tukaram and other masterpieces for the worlds largest pillar-less dome. The Sutars also have their name attached to the Equestrian statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial which will be soon set up at Mumbais Arabian Sea. Anil Sutar informed that they had submitted a bronze model of 25 feet of the warrior which will further be enlarged to a height of 400 feet. Photo: Shivaji statues in the studio/Kriti Gupta for Indiatimes Apart from this, a 250 feet tall statue of B.R Ambedkar will soon be set up at the B.R Ambedkar Memorial at Indu mills in Dadar, Mumbai. While taking a walk around their studio in Noida where the clay work is done, we discovered that the sculptors have their own foundry in Sahibabad where the bronze casting of statues is done. Ram Sutar recalls that his first statue was carved in 1947, a seven feet high figure of a bodybuilder back home in Gondur village, Dhule, Mumbai. In 1948, he made his first cement statue of Mahatma Gandhi, a 3.5 feet tall figure. Out of thousands of his creation, a 16 feet sitting statue of the 'Father Of The Nation' in the parliament remains his favourite. One could easily spot many idols of Gandhi in the studio in different poses, shapes and sizes who was known for his message of peace and non-violence. Sutars mastery in creating these reflect in the fact that sculptures of Gandhi are installed in around 350 cities all over the world. Photo: Kriti Gupta for Indiatimes Photo: Statues of Mahatma Gandhi made by Ram Sutar/ Kriti Gupta for Indiatimes These include Atlanta, Georgia, Texas, Vancouver, Brisbane, Davis in California, in cities of Europe as well as Australia. The statues were given as gifts to these countries, again an invention of the Sutars. Ram Sutar who remains stunningly active even at the age of 93 years came to New Delhi in 1959. Prior to this, he completed his diploma from J.J School of Arts, Bombay while his son Anil did Masters from Washington University in St. Louis. Photo: Other creations by the Sutars/Kriti Gupta Carving statues has become a daily routine for these sculptors and no leader is too difficult for them to design. As Rabindranath Tagore, Subhas Chandra Bose and Indira Gandhi wave at us from under the trees in the studio, many such sculptures are keeping the Indian legacy alive in every part of the world. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced the appointment of Gita Gopinath as its chief economist. She will succeed Maurice Obstfeld who retires at the end of this year as the economic counsellor and director of the IMFs research department. Gita has focused her area of research on International Finance and Macroeconomics. BCCL/FILE Making the announcement on Monday, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde described Gita as one of the worlds outstanding economists, with impeccable academic credentials, a proven track record of intellectual leadership, and extensive international experience. All this makes her exceptionally well-placed to lead our research department at this important juncture. I am delighted to name such a talented figure as our chief economist, Lagarde said. Born in Mysuru, Gita joins the likes of former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan and Kaushik Basu who have served as chief economists of the IMF and the World Bank. BCCL/FILE Gita who did her BA from the University of Delhi's Lady Shri Ram College and MA degrees from both the Delhi School of Economics and the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in economics from Princeton University in 2001 and joined the University of Chicago in 2001 as an Assistant Professor before moving to Harvard in 2005. Gita, who currently serves as the John Zwaanstra professor of international studies and economics at Harvard University was also appointed as the financial adviser to Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2016. BCCL/FILE She also serves as the co-director of the International Finance and Macroeconomics Program at the National Bureau of Economic Research and an economic adviser for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She also served on an advisory panel for G-20 issues for Indias Ministry of Finance. In 2014, Gopinath made the IMFs list of 25 economists under 45. AFP/FILE One of the world's leading macroeconomists, Gita was critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's demonetisation. In an interview in December 2017, Gita had said: "Its not something I think should be done for a country such as India and the level of development it has." She, however, welcomed the implementation of GST calling it a real reform. "GST very favourably because that is a real reform. It is a way of formalising the economy. It is a very effective way of ensuring tax compliance and makes it harder to earn black money." On the birthday of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, who gave the famous slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, the protesting farmers were lathi-charged on and teargas shells were fired to disperse them at Delhi-UP border. AFP/PTI #WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Roughly 70,000 farmers of UP, Punjab, Haryana and other parts of north India were to reach Kisan Ghat in Delhi on October 2. But the Kisan Kranti Yatra has been stopped by Delhi and UP Police at Delhi-Up border. Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use teargas shells to disperse protesters pic.twitter.com/ZlkodvZc3R ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Water-canons have also been unleashed and section-144 has been imposed in the border area. PTI Miffed by the imposition of Section 144 during what they called a peaceful protest, farmers' body president Naresh Tikait said to News18, "Why have we been stopped here (at UP-Delhi border)? The rally was proceeding in a disciplined manner. If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?" #Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. The 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' has been organized by farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union. pic.twitter.com/3c4WqtAQnM ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Tikait alleged that the Uttar Pradesh governments and the centre hadnt kept their promises of the implementation of the Swaminathan Commissions recommendations. PTI "We have organised the march to press for implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, loans waiver and scrapping the ban on plying of 10-year-old tractors in the national capital region among others," he said. Why have we been stopped here (at UP-Delhi border)? The rally was proceeding in a disciplined manner. If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?: Naresh Tikait, President, Bharatiya Kisan Union pic.twitter.com/J15xmWpZ9G ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The protest is likely to get violent. The security agencies are reportedly on high alert. Gujaratis declared a whopping Rs 18,000 crore in four months flat under the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS), about 29% of the total unaccounted money disclosed across the country. This happened between June and September 2016, before black money hogged the spotlight courtesy demonetisation and even ahead of property dealer Mahesh Shahs disclosure of illegal income of Rs 13,860 crore. In a reply to an RTI query, the Income-Tax (I-T) department stated that over Rs 18,000 crore was declared in Gujarat under IDS from June 2016 to September 2016 29% of the total declaration of Rs 65,250 crore under the scheme. bccl/representational image It took I-T department nearly two years to provide the information that RTI applicant Bharatsinh Jhala had sought in his application of December 21, 2016, after Ahmedabad-based property dealer Shahs Rs 13,860 crore declaration. His IDS was, however, cancelled after he defaulted on payment on the first instalment. The department has remained silent over income declared by netas, police officials and bureaucrats. Jhala says it was nearly two years of struggle to get the information. First, the application was misplaced. Then the department declined as the application was in Gujarati language. bccl/representational image On September 5 this year, Chief Information Commissioner in Delhi directed I-T department to provide the information, said Jhala. The Union government announced the IDS in 2016 under which the declaration could be made between June 2016 and September 2016. After declaration, the first instalment of 25% amount was to be paid by November 2016 and the second, of 25%, by March 2017. The remaining amount had to be paid till November 2017. Delhi Police have arrested two executives of GoAir for allegedly stealing a consignment of 53 mobile phones. The duo identified as Sachin Manav and Satish Pal were arrested from Aerocity, police said on Monday. According to the cops, the incident happened on September 19, when the two accused who worked as ramp officers of GoAir stole the consignment which was sent from Patna to T2 of Delhi Airport. bccl The accused had allegedly put the bag containing the mobile phones on a conveyor belt and walked out with it from the arrival terminal like passengers. The theft came to light after the manager of the consignment company approached the cops claiming that the phones were missing. Representational Image The complainant stated that cargo shipment was offloaded and due to space constraint, it was sent to warehouse on a truck. But at the time of unloading the cargo in the warehouse, it was found that a bag containing 53 mobile phones was missing and it was suspected that it had been stolen while unloading the shipment, police said. According to police, all areas in the airport and other stations were searched but the shipment could not be found. CCTV footage was also scanned but no clue could be found. On the basis of technical analysis of the stolen mobile phones, raids were conducted at the addresses of the users of the phones and the two accused were nabbed. After raiding their houses, police have recovered eight stolen mobile phones, while they have admitted of selling five others. On the birthday of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri, who gave the famous slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, the protesting farmers were lathi-charged on and teargas shells were fired to disperse them at Delhi-UP border. Roughly 70,000 farmers of UP, Punjab, Haryana and other parts of north India were to reach Kisan Ghat in Delhi on October 2. But the Kisan Kranti Yatra has been stopped by Delhi and UP Police at Delhi-Up border. Read more SBI Is Reducing Withdrawals To Rs 20,000 From Oct 31 Onwards, ATM Fraud Is The Reason Why In an order circulated through its branches nationwide, State Bank Of India -- country's largest nationalised bank -- announced that it's reducing the amount of money customers can withdraw from an ATM. Apart from pushing people towards digital transactions, the bank notes the rise in ATM fraud as another big reason behind the decision. Read more 21 Lions Have Died In Gir In Less Than A Month The rampant deaths of lions in Gujarats Gir forest has triggered panic in the only abode of the Asiatic lion. So far, 21 lions have been confirmed dead since September 12, including ten big cats which were rescued from the forest and were undergoing treatment at a rescue centre. 11 lions, including cubs, were found dead in Dalkhaniya between September 12 and September 19 following which ten others were shifted to the Jasadhar animal care centre. Read more 52 Indians, Including 28 Civilians Have Been Killed In Cease Fire Violations By Pak This Year The ceasefire violation by Pakistan alongside Line of Control (LoC) have caused 52 deaths on the Indian side in the first seven months of 2018. The casualties included 28 civilians, 12 army soldiers and 12 BSF soldiers. According to the data provided by the MHA in reply to an RTI application filed by activist Raman Sharma, till the end of July this year, 28 civilians, 12 army jawans and 12 BSF personnel were killed. Read more Jet Airways Offers Free Tickets And Flying Benefits To Passengers Who Suffered Due To Drop In Cabin Pressure Struggling budget carrier Jet Airways which had come under fire last month after dozens of passengers onboard a Mumbai-Jaipur flight suffered bleeding from the ears and nose due to cabin pressure lose at 13,000-14,000 feet has offered complimentary tickets and flying benefits to each of the 166 passengers on the flight that day. The airline in an email sent on September 27, apologised to the passengers about the incident. Read more Gita Gopinath, Born & Brought Up In India, Now New Chief Economist Of International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced the appointment of Gita Gopinath as its chief economist. She will succeed Maurice Obstfeld who retires at the end of this year as the economic counsellor and director of the IMFs research department. Gita has focused her area of research on International Finance and Macroeconomics. Read more First, there was the local kirana store. Then came the supermarket, online shopping and unmanned superstores. As I survey the Hema supermarket in Hangzhou city, in China, I feel like I've stepped out of TARDIS into a space where all three worlds have come to collide. This is your kirana shop on crack (home deliveries in less than 30 minutes if you live in a 3-kilometre radius) and your supermarket on speed (theyve got everything from sushi to souvenirs) and, yes, it's all cashless. Better than Amazon Go's retail footprint. Hema Store, Hangzhou Welcome to Jack Ma's vision of the future it's what Alibaba's founder calls 'New Retail.' And it's a little overwhelming. Around me is the steady buzz of shoppers checking out fresh and live (more on that later) produce, and above me is the whooshing of packages on overhead conveyor belts. What voodoo is this, then? overhead conveyor belt with grocery bag Back on the ground, I spot workers stuffing produce into bags, hooking them onto the belt, flipping a switch and up and away they go hurtling across the store. As I stare slack-jawed, Iris, my English-speaking store guide says, "They're not only here to help you find an item while you're physically shopping, they are also bagging items to fulfill online orders that are being placed right now." Programmable e-ink product tags, they all change with the click of a button Retail redefined The first thing you need to do when you enter the Hema store is download their app. China maybe a global online retail powerhouse, but the majority of Chinese still like to kick it old school and touch and feel their produce. Once you have the app, the real fun begins. I see shoppers scanning the barcodes alongside piles of lush vegetables, smoked meats and cheese from across the globe. In the vegetable section with Iriss help I scan a barcode a veggy bag, and instantly get a whole host of information. I not only get a picture of the greens, I'm looking at nutritional information, the city of its origin, the name of the farm from where the vegetable was picked, how it was bagged and pruned, expiration date, and recommended recipes. scanning fresh vegetables and getting more info At this point, two choices pop up -- add the vegetable bag to my physical shopping cart and walk out of the store, or add it to my online shopping cart and whoosh it overhead for home delivery. Those who choose to walk out with their shopping head over to checkout terminals. fresh vegetables packed on hema store shelves As you near the store's exit, there are no bored employees selling you pointless loyalty programmes. Customers scan their Hema app on the counter and verify their shopping list. They pay via electronic wallet apps or AliPay. At some stores, payments are made via facial recognition -- that's truly sci-fi. The process takes just a few seconds, and there are no long lines anywhere to be seen. As my head reels from the newness of it all, I am aware of an old familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach hunger!!! hema store live lobster tank Buy your lobster and eat it, too In Hema's massive seafood section, I find myself staring at tank full of lobsters. Having selected my quarry, it is weighed, scanned, and bagged before I take it over to the store's kitchen section. Choices are made about how it should be cooked and I settle down and wait my turn in the self-serve restaurant. kitchen and restaurant inside the supermarket Hema stores in larger cities (Beijing & Shanghai) have self-driving robots deliver the food at your table. I remember reading about a similar service being deployed in a Coimbatore restaurant, surprisingly enough. I chow done on the buttery flaky lobster and prepare to walk out into a more familiar world. I pay the Hema way and leave. hema store unmanned checkout counter Snapping back to reality As I exit the Hema store, I can't help but wonder when we will experience all of this in India? India's retail market is estimated to be worth a whopping $670 billion, and is growing above expectations over the past 18 months, according to a recent Quartz report. However, organized retail is only 7% of the total market. Yes, that's every chained retail outlets and supermarket store in the country. A mind-boggling 93% of us still like to buy vegetables from our local vegetable vendor, order monthly groceries from neighbourhood kirana shops or standalone stores. Unless agricultural is modernized, packaging and delivery mechanisms improve significantly, the organized retail can never compete with the unorganized sector. Reuters And that's just part of the problem. We still dont like to pay online or through digital wallets. As per a March 2018 estimate by Credit Suisse, digital payments constitutes less than $200 billion in India, and mobile payments was just 5% of the total at $10 billion. Despite demonetisation, cash transactions in India are estimated to account for 70% of total transactions in terms of value and 90% in volume, according to an ET report. Reuters In the face of such massive challenges, farm to table still remains a distant dream. Couple that with the aversion to mobile payments, and the Hema formula won't work in India -- at least for a few more years. But when that day does finally dawn in India, I hope to be ready with my lobster and a hungry stomach, preparing to relive my recent past in a not too distant future. P.S. By the way, it isn't "Hema" from "Hema Malini", but Her-Ma or Huh-ma, with a slight clench in your stomach as you emphasize the "Her" or "Huh" before the "Ma". Oct 2, 2018 | University of Copenhagen An international team of researchers led by Professor Michael Kuhl at the Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen has developed a new 3D bioprinting method for monitoring complex tissue structures. Together with German colleagues at the Technical University of Dresden (Centre for Translational Bone, Joint and Soft Tissue Research), Professor Kuhl's group implemented oxygen sensitive nanoparticles into a gel material that can be used for 3D printing of complex, biofilm and tissue like structures harboring living cells as well as built-in chemical sensors. The work has just been published in the latest materials science journal, Advanced Functional Materials. Kuhl explains: "3D printing is a wide spread techniques for producing object in plastic, metal, and other abiotic materials. Likewise, living cells can be 3D printed in biocompatible gel materials (bioinks) and such 3D bioprinting is a rapidly developing field, e.g. in biomedical studies, where stem cells are cultivated in 3D printed constructs mimicking the complex structure of tissue and bones. Such attempts lack on line monitoring of the metabolic activity of cells growing in bioprinted constructs; currently, such measurements largely rely on destructive sampling. We have developed a patent pending solution to this problem." 3D bioprinted structure containing green algae (Chlamydomonas) in a hydrogel. Photo: Anja Lode, TU Dresden The group developed a functionalized bioink by implementing luminescent oxygen sensitive nanoparticles into the print matrix. When blue light excites the nanoparticles, they emit red luminescent light in proportion to the local oxygen concentration -- the more oxygen the less red luminescence. The distribution of red luminescence and thus oxygen across bioprinted living structures can be imaged with a camera system. This allows for on-line, non-invasive monitoring of oxygen distribution and dynamics that can be mapped to the growth and distribution of cells in the 3D bioprinted constructs without the need for destructive sampling. Kuhl continues: "It is important that the addition of nanoparticles doesn't change the mechanical properties of the bioink, e.g. to avoid cell stress and death during the printing process. Furthermore, the nanoparticles should not inhibit or interfere with the cells. We have solved these challenges, as our method shows good biocompatibility and can be used with microalgae as well as sensitive human cell lines." The recently published study demonstrates how bioinks functionalized with sensor nanoparticles can be calibrated and used e.g. for monitoring algal photosynthesis and respiration as well as stem cell respiration in bioprinted structures with one or several cell types. "This is a breakthrough in 3D bioprinting. It is now possible to monitor the oxygen metabolism and microenvironment of cells on line, and non-invasively in intact 3D printed living structures" says Prof. Kuhl. "A key challenge in growing stem cells in larger tissue- or bone-like structures is to ensure a sufficient oxygen supply for the cells. With our development, it is now possible to visualize the oxygen conditions in 3D bioprinted structures, which e.g. enables rapid testing and optimization of stem cell growth in differently designed constructs." 3D bioprinting with a functionalized bioink containing oxygen-sensitive nanoparticles. Source: Advanced Functional Materials The team is very interested in exploring new collaborations and applications of their developments. Kuhl ends: "3D bioprinting with functionalized bioinks is a new powerful technology that can be applied in many other research fields than biomedicine. It is e.g. extremely inspiring to combine such advanced materials science and sensor technology with my research in microbiology and biophotonics, where we currently employ 3D bioprinting to study microbial interactions and photobiology." Posted in 3D Printing Technology Maybe you also like: Two scientists halfway across the world from each other have just been awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine, the first to be awarded each year. Theyve won the prestigious award for revolutionary new method they developed to treat cancer. Professor Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University in Japan and Professor James P Allison from the University of Texas in the US together uncovered a major breakthrough in cancer research. They found that its possible to treat cancer using the human bodys own immune system. Their work has since led to treatments for even advanced skin cancer, a normally deadly illness. The Swedish Academy behind the Nobel Prize said that immune checkpoint therapy, as its called, has revolutionised cancer treatment. Other medical experts also say its strikingly effective. As such, the two now share the Nobel prize of nine million Swedish kronor, approximately $1.01 million. I want to continue my research so that this immunotherapy will save more cancer patients than ever, Professor Honjo said will accepting the prize. Professor Allison added, Its a great, emotional privilege to meet cancer patients whove been successfully treated with immune checkpoint blockade. They are living proof of the power of basic science, of following our urge to learn and to understand how things work. Professor Tasuku Honjo (Centre) and his team at Kyoto University Our immune system functions by attacking foreign infections, but to do this its also ingrained with safeguards that make it avoid attacking our own tissue. Unfortunately, some types of cancers take advantage of this. Because of their similarities to human tissue, the immune system doesnt target them. Honjo and Allison then have figured out the protein responsible for triggering that safeguard. Thanks to that, theyve been able to design treatments that inhibit that protein, unleashing the immune system on the cancer cells in the process. In short, advanced cancers that were once considered untreatable are not anymore. One of these is the most serious kind of skin cancers, melanoma. Professor James P Allison (Centre) celebrating with family and friends There are limits of course, the new treatment doesnt work for every patient. On those it has worked however, its functioned incredibly well. In some, the treatment has helped the body rid itself of the tumour entirely, even after it had begun to spread to other systems. And thats something never seen before. In fact, the treatment has also been shown to work on patients with lung cancer too. Right now, the treatment gives cancer patients who had run out of options another chance at getting well. But beyond that, it holds massive possibility for further developments in the field of immunotherapy. Frankly, scientists arent sure what other medical progress this research will spark, and thats exciting. On most days our newspapers and the Internet is so full of bad news - of humans being reckless and cruel - that we hardly notice the positive news. But not everyone is evil, there's still plenty of good in this world. An incredible video of a 28-hour rescue effort carried out to help return a beached humpback whale to the sea is doing the rounds on social media. More than 30 people helped save a humpback whale stranded on a beach in Argentina. WHALE OF A RESCUE: More than 30 people helped save a humpback whale stranded on a beach in Argentina pic.twitter.com/Kt9OEIU3Kg CBS News (@CBSNews) October 1, 2018 In the video, the whale can be seen in the shallow water as rescuers work to secure a harness around its seven-tonne body. Rescue workers and volunteers in Argentina were able to save a beached humpback whale and return it to sea, after a 28-hour rescue operation (: Mundo Marino) pic.twitter.com/3zlVwp0wgz AJ+ (@ajplus) October 1, 2018 It was beached on Saturday in Mar del Tuyu, around 200 miles south of Buenos Aires, reports the Evening Standard. Aplauso a los rescatistas del mundo marino.. pic.twitter.com/bpgztSzWuT Carlos Ramos (@jcrargentina) September 30, 2018 One of the rescuers told local reporters that "whales tend to go to the coast to die, but there is a chance that this is not the case and the team want to give it a second chance." Biologist Karina Alvarez said the animal floated but did not move its tail or pectoral fins because it was too weak. Let's hope it feels a lot better really soon. A bunch of teens from Colorado made tall plans of looting a weed dispensary, but luck had something else in store for them! Twitter They crashed a stolen minivan through the glass front entrance of a marijuana dispensary, stole some containers from inside and managed to escape. Little did they know the containers were full on OREGANO and not weed! They didn't get a single leaf. Denver Post reports that the thieves actually just managed to run away with a lot of oregano, since all the marijuana was kept safely locked away. The incident quite obviously left Twitter ROFL! Pretty sure their conversation this afternoon will go something like this: THIEF #1: Do you have the munchies yet? THIEF #2: Not so much, but I am sort of feeling like Italian for dinner. Lea Conner (@leaconner) 26 September 2018 It's called "The Placebo Effect" Kookee! (@Kookee2k2) 27 September 2018 Idiots. But they do need to be caught and pay for the damage, then off to jail. Holy_shitsnacks! (@ShortedTriac) 26 September 2018 "We have pre-rolled joints on display in our display cases. We do not put actual medicated product in them, so we use oregano to simulate the cannabis," Native Roots' spokeswoman Kim Casey told KKTV. CSPD says a group of teens drove a stolen van into this pot shop and then burglarized the store - BUT they didnt make off with any real marijuana. In other words, theres a good chance these guys are trying to smoke oregano right now. pic.twitter.com/ydQ2Fcv8sH Kyla Galer (@kylagalerKKTV) 26 September 2018 The burglars during their run, just managed to steal some oregano and a few T-shirts. The van which they used to break in was left inside the dispensary, and they used another car to escape the scene. Radhika Apte in a still from her upcoming film "AndhaDhun." The actress told India-West that AndhaDhun has a terrific script having twist every five minutes or so. (photo provided) We now offer lithium prices and coverage free for reference. Click here to read all about it. Join our growing community of participants who want to learn more about electrification and how this market is developing. Switch the Market flag Open the menu and switch the Market flag for targeted data from your country of choice. for targeted data from your country of choice. Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market Information- by Resin Type (MS Polymer, Epoxy-Polysulfide, Epoxy-Polyurethane, Epoxy-Cyanoacrylate, and Others), by Application (Building & Construction, Automotive & Aerospace, Marine, General Industry, and Others) and by Region- Forecast till 2023 Synopsis of Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market: Hybrid Adhesive and Sealants are modified adhesive & sealant which are produced by a combination of two different classes of polymeric resin to offer superior properties such as excellent flexibility & elongation, high thermal resistance, and peel strength. Moreover, they provide adhesion to various types of substrates including plastics, woods, ceramics, and metals. Hybrid Adhesive & Sealants find numerous application scope such as building & construction, automotive, and general industry due to various properties such as high tear & abrasion resistance, strong dynamic stress absorption, good shock & vibration resistance, chemical & UV resistance. Fill the form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4325 As per our analysis, some of the important market factors and trends identified in the Global Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market include rising automotive production & sales, growing construction sector, and rapid industrialization. Additionally, increasing demand for air travel in developing countries is expected to raise the demand for Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market. Growth in demand for air travel can be attributed to the increasing disposable income coupled with affordable fares offered by various airlines. Increase in air traffic leads to the rising demand for newer aircraft and associated service, which in turn, drive the demand for hybrid adhesive & sealant. Furthermore, rising investment in the construction activities of hospitals, hotels, colleges, and universities are expected to fuel the demand for Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market. Though the Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market is growing at a significant rate, the lack of awareness regarding the benefit of Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant among potential Adhesive & Sealant manufacturers of the developing countries hinder the growth of the market. Key Players: Some of the prominent players operating in the Global Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market are Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Germany), Soudal Inc. (Belgium), H.B.Fuller (U.S.), Bostik S.A. (France), 3M (U.S.), Sika AG (Switzerland), Wacker Chemie AG (Germany), TREMCO ILLBRUCK (Germany), Kisling AG (Switzerland), Illinois Tool Works Inc.(U.S.), and others. Geographical Analysis: The report covers brief analysis of geographical regions such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Intended Audience Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant manufacturers Traders and Distributors of Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Production Process Industries Potential Investors Raw Material Suppliers Nationalized Laboratory Browse Full Report@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hybrid-adhesive-sealant-market-4325 Industry/ Innovation/ Related News: May 2017- Den Braven, the Netherlands based company announced that the company has modified their polyurethane and silicone sealant through research and technological advancement in hybrid technology. The company launched a new range of new high performance sealants and adhesives. These products have very low VOC content and environment friendly. With this product launch the company enhance its product portfolio and improves its position in global market. September 2017 Henkel Adhesive Technologies India Ltd., a part of Henkel AG conducted a conference in Pune, in which company launched its Loctite Hybrid Adhesive. The launch of high performance adhesive strengthen Henkels position among the global hybrid adhesive & sealant manufacturers. August 2016 tremco illbruck announced to invest around USD 12.2 million at its Traunreut and Bodenwohr site. Traunreut manufacturing facility is one of the leading hybrid adhesive and sealant manufacturers in Germany and Europe. The company is set to double its capacities in this segment. With this capacity expansion, the company expand its global reach and its market position in Europe. Segmentation: The Global Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market is classified on the basis of resin type, application, and region. Based on resin type, hybrid adhesive & sealant market is segmented into MS polymer, epoxy-polysulfide, epoxy-polyurethane, epoxy-cyanoacrylate, and others. Based on application, the market is segmented into building & construction, automotive & aerospace, marine, general industry, and others. Based on regions, the market is segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East & Africa. Regional Analysis: The Global Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market is segmented into five regions namely Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period due to increasing demand from various applications such as building & construction, automotive, and general industry among others. The robust demand for Hybrid Adhesives & Sealants is predicted to surge in economies of Asia Pacific such as China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Vietnam. The growth of the market is driven by the huge demand in building & infrastructure sector as well as growing automobile production and sales. Moreover, growing purchasing power, developing infrastructure, and implementation of new development strategies to fulfil the demand for Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant in the increasing applications are the important factors for the regional market growth. Asia Pacific has emerged as the largest market for Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant followed by North America and Europe. North America is estimated to witness a significant growth in Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant Market due to the recovery of automotive sector along with escalating investments to revitalize building & construction sector. In Europe, countries such as Spain, Russia, Germany, and UK have emerged as prominent consumer markets due to developed end use industries and technological advancements. Additionally, rising number of infrastructural & commercial projects in North America and Europe is expected to drive the growth of the market. Moreover, regional Adhesive & Sealant manufacturers are shifting their focus on improving the initial strength of adhesives & sealant. With such product improvements, Hybrid Adhesive & Sealant are predicted to gain prominence during the review period. Latin American countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico are predicted to drive the demand for hybrid adhesive & sealants in the growing automotive sector. Additionally, the Middle East & Africa is estimated to witness a strong growth over the forecast period. Increasing investments in institutional as well as commercial construction sector in Turkey, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia is estimated to positively influence industry growth over the forecast period. Get Discount@ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/4325 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 524/528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Media Contact Company Name: Market Research Future Contact Person: Abhishek Sawant Email: Send Email Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Address:Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar City: Pune State: Maharashtra Country: India Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hybrid-adhesive-sealant-market-4325 ASIC wants to make itself more accessible to everyday consumers and investors and make money matters more front of mind, Day said. We also want to hear from people about what issues are important to them and what tools or resources will help them better manage their money. Day and his team will also dish out advice on how consumers can protect themselves from investment scams and other frauds. In listening to the views, concerns, and experiences of regional Victorians, we hope to build new relationships, strengthen existing ones, and ultimately increase confidence in managing their own finances, Day said. Graham Robert Morant, 69, was convicted by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury of assisting and counselling his wife to take her own life in order to claim the $1.4 million payout from Mrs Morants three life insurance policies, for which he was sole beneficiary, ABC reported. Morant told his wife, who suffered from chronic back pain, depression, and anxiety, that the insurance money would be used to build a religious commune. Morant initially denied involvement in his wifes suicide until he learnt of CCTV footage of his visit to the hardware store. "Slowly, very slowly, over the course of the next hour the accused explained he did assist his wife in her suicide," Crown prosecutor Michael Lebanese told the court. During the trial, Judy Dent, Mrs Morants best friend, testified that Mrs Morant made it clear her husband wanted the insurance money. Dent said that a week before Mrs Morants her death, she told her I have to do it and I have to kill myself and Graham will be helping me. Morant was refused bail until his sentencing, which is set to take place on Oct. 19 due to the complexity of the case, ABC said. Lancet and Pen Needles Market Lancet and Pen Needles Market report explores Scope of the Study as Research Objective, Assumptions and Limitations in-depth. The report gives Market Dynamics by Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities, Challenges, Macroeconomic Indicators and Technology Trends & Assessment. The Global Lancet and Pen Needles Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.30% during the forecast period, 2017-2027. Rising cases of blood infections coupled with increasing focus on the development of drug delivery methods are the major factor affirming positive growth of this market. Lancets are one of the widely used alternative devices to obtain blood samples. Lancets are receiving global recognition and acceptance due to its several convenient characteristics which gives them an edge over the traditional methods for vein puncture. Some of the important features of the safety lancets are painless vein puncture, easy handling, and safety while using. The major applications of the safety lancets are capillary blood micro sampling, cholesterol test, hemoglobin (HBO) and HIV screening test, blood group test, coagulation tests, allergy tests, and many other blood-based tests. Lancet and Pen Needles Market Key Players Some of the key players in this market are B. Braun Melsungen AG, Terumo Corporation, Becton Dickinson, Sanofi, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Bayer AG, Novo Nordisk A S, Eli Lilly and Company, Owen Mumford Ltd, Medtronic, Ypsomed Holding AG, Sarstedt AG & Co, Greiner Bio One, Abbott Laboratories, HTL-STREFA S.A, Improve Medical, UltiMed, Inc., Allison Medical, Inc., Artsana S.p.a., VOGT MEDICAL, Perrigo Diabetes Care, MedExel Co., Ltd, ARKRAY Inc., Simple Diagnostics, Stat Medical, Terumo, Trividia Health, and others. Lancet and Pen Needles Market Competitive Landscape F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. is second largest medical device company, by holding a share of 19.1% as of 2016. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. develops and manufactures pharmaceutical, medical and diagnostic products. The company has a huge brand image, broad product portfolio, and strong distribution network around the globe. Roche is known for their technological innovations in Lancet and pen needle market. In the recent years, Roche acquired Signature Diagnostics AG (Signature), a privately held company based in Potsdam, Germany. Furthermore, Roche also acquired Signature Diagnostics AG (Signature), a privately held company based in Potsdam, Germany Becton, Dickinson, and Company (known as BD) manufacture medical devices and instruments. The companys customers include healthcare institutions, science researchers, clinical laboratories, and the pharmaceutical industry. BD operates in more than 50 countries. For Instance, in March 2015, Becton, Dickinson, and Company announced the acquisition of CRISI Medical Systems, a medical technology company focused on providing safe delivery of IV injectable medications. The acquisition will strengthen BDs position in addressing preventable medication errors and improve the care delivery. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/555 Lancet and Pen Needles Market Key Findings The Global Lancet and Pen Needles Market was estimated to USD 3,329.94 million in 2016 Capillary blood sampling is the fastest growing segment, by application which is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.77% during the forecast period from 2017-2027 Europe has captured the largest market globally and is expected to reach USD 3,719.58 million by 2027 Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region across the globe and expected to grow at a CAGR 10.75% during the forecast period Lancet and Pen Needles Market Segmentation The Global Lancet and Pen Needles Market is segmented on the basis of type, application, and end user. On the basis the type, it is segmented into lancets and pen needles. The lancet segment is further segmented into safety lancets and regular lancets. The safety lancets is further sub-segmented into push button safety lancets, pressure activated safety lancets, and side button safety lancets. The pen needles are further sub-segmented into standard pen needles and safety pen needles. On the basis of the application, it is segmented into insulin, capillary blood sampling, hormones, GLP, skin testing, and others. On the basis of the end users, it is segmented into hospitals & clinics, diagnostic centers & medical institutions, home care & home diagnostics, research & academic laboratories, and others. Lancet and Pen Needles Market Regional Analysis Europe dominates the global lancet and pen needles market owing to the increasing prevalence of patients, the presence of major market players. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the healthcare expenditure in Germany was EUR 321 billion in 2014 while France recorded the second highest level of current healthcare expenditure of EUR 237 billion. The Americas hold the second position in the market owing to increasing support from the government, the presence of huge geriatric population, and high healthcare spending. Moreover, improvement in medical device regulation, the presence of a strong economic condition, and focus of research institutions on updating technology for new and advanced treatment methods for lancet and pen needles are some of the other factors contributing to the growth of this market in the region. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market owing to the presence of more number of developing nations such as India and China in this region. These countries are encouraging the growth of the lancet and pen needles market. The Middle East & Africa is expected to hold the least market share due to less availability of medical facilities, and less development in the healthcare domain. However, countries such as Qatar and Kuwait are focusing more on the healthcare sector and developing medical facilities, which will boost the market of this region. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/555 Major Table of Content 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 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), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Media Contact Company Name: Market Research Future Contact Person: Abhishek Sawant Email: Send Email Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Address:Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar City: Pune State: Maharashtra Country: India Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com Colin and Fiona are now taking civil action against Pet Sitter Club, claiming the WA agencys owner, Cathy McGarvey, told them her insurance providers did not indemnify against criminal acts by her or her staff, The West Australian reported. The couples home insurer also refused to pay out because they allowed Matthews into their home although the police found out that the pet sitter broke into a locked room she was told not to enter to steal the jewellery. According to the lawsuit, the company advertised as being fully insured and that its pet sitters had police clearances but that McGarvey did not have a police clearance for Matthews. The thefts occurred in January, with Matthews getting sentenced with a seven-month suspended jail term last month after being convicted of burglary, stealing, and four counts of fraud, The West Australian said. While a final decision has not yet been made, the Attorney General may take a position supporting the Plaintiffs' position in this case," McPharlin said in the filing. Duggans lawsuit, filed against the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services, is looking to have Michigans no-fault auto insurance system declared unconstitutional since the system has forced people to drive without insurance because they could no longer afford it. Although he did not directly address the lawsuit, Schuette told Crains that Legislature should look into creating an insurance fraud prevention authority to address the states high insurance costs. "The mayor of Detroit is right auto insurance in Michigan has become unaffordable," the Attorney General said. "It's driving people away, it's keeping businesses from wanting to locate here, it's slowing the growth that we have had over the last eight years." Also earlier this week, law firm Liss, Seder & Andrews PC filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The law firm is representing six catastrophically injured auto accident victims, Crains reported, and it believes the abolishment of the no-fault law threatens the ability of their clients "to live in their family home as opposed to being institutionalized." Related stories: Detroit mayor files lawsuit against Michigan, seeks to stop no-fault auto insurance Fraud and overcharging driving up premiums - Insurance Alliance of Michigan executive Champagne is the second woman in Hagertys history to hold the position of COO. According to a study by St. Josephs University, women are under-represented in upper management in the insurance industry, with only 12% of C-suite positions held by women. Champagne joined Hagerty in 1999 as leader of the sales and service operation. She was promoted to vice president of human resources in 2002, and most recently held the position of chief people officer. Hagerty has become a market leader and an automotive brand recognized for excellence worldwide precisely because we have such great people, Champagne said. My passion since I joined Hagerty has been helping employees develop to their full potential so they in turn can continue to help us make Hagerty a stronger company and a fantastic place to work, and that will continue to be a major focus of mine as COO. Hagerty is the worlds largest provider of specialty insurance to vintage vehicle enthusiasts. It employs more than 1,000 people across the globe and has offices in the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. According to the ruling, Howard Wilson joined Delaware-based insurance business specialist Lyons Insurance Group with the expectation that he would bring his former book of business with him. Wilsons client list was something he had accumulated back when he was still working with USI Insurance Services. USI Insurance, however, imposed a ban that blocked Wilson from retrieving the list for two years. Because of this, Wilson generated little new business during his two-year tenure with Lyons. Delaware Business Now reported that Lyons had paid Wilson $205,000 a year, on top of a $50,000 signing bonus. Lyons eventually shelled out $500,000 to pay USI for the book of business at the end of the two-year period. But by that time, Wilson had joined GNG Insurance Agency in Pennsylvania. A court filing noted that Wilson had suggested GNG to his clients while waiting for USIs two-year period to end. Vice-Chancellor Sam Glasscock III of the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled that Wilson had breached his employment contract with Lyons. However, Glasscock dismissed other claims filed by Lyons against GNG. I find that Lyons has suffered compensable damages as a result of the breach, but on this record I remain uncertain of the quantum of damages compensable and how that amount is guided or cabined by the buyout provision, Glasscock said in a memorandum opinion. If damages are not ascertainable, injunctive relief, for a period tolled by this action, remains a potential remedy. Also in the memorandum opinion, Glasscock ruled that the parties in the case should determine a remedy; the vice-chancellor gave the parties until October 22 to reach an agreement. He additionally warned that if a remedy cannot be agreed upon by the set date, further court involvement will be needed. Officials say 12 buildings have to be torn down after two weekend fires devastated an Albany, N.Y., neighborhood. The Times Union reports the first fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, and the second fire was reported about a mile away at 4:40 a.m. Most of the homes shared walls and there was room underneath the roofs that helped the flames spread. Fire Chief Joseph Gregory says one person was hospitalized, but the extent of their injuries has not been released. The cause of the fires is under investigation. Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan says there has been no time in recent memory where two large fires burned at once. About 500 people lost power due to the fires. Demolition on the homes began Sunday evening. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New York Chris OKane, group chief executive of Aspen Insurance Holdings, issued the following statement to employees that he will step down from his position when Apollo Global Management completes its purchase of Aspen in the first half of 2019. The statement was filed on Oct. 1 with the Securities Exchange Commission. Dear Colleague, After more than 16 supremely enjoyable years leading Aspen I will step down from the position of CEO on or shortly after the completion of our acquisition by investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC. This, of course, is subject to closing of the transaction which we believe is likely to take place in the first half of 2019, subject to approval of regulators and Aspens shareholders and the satisfaction of other closing conditions. Apollo anticipates that Mark Cloutier will serve as CEO of Aspen following the closing of the transaction. Mark, who has served as CEO of Brit since 2011, is a highly accomplished insurance executive with an outstanding track record and a collaborative working style. Apollo [expects] Mark to join an affiliate of Apollo as a consultant on 1 February 2019. Apollo are very impressed by Aspens people and you are important to their business plan and investment in the Company. Apollo has no current plans to replace other members of the Aspen senior management team after closing. There will be many opportunities in the next few months for us to reminisce and look back on everything we have accomplished together but for today I would like to focus on a few forward-looking messages. First of all, we still need to complete the transaction, which is a substantial task and will include, among other things, holding a successful shareholder vote and acquiring all necessary regulatory approvals. Second, we have a big business as usual work agenda to accomplish. This includes continuing to underwrite to the highest standards and to improve overall profitability. We are now at the point of the year where there are a number of insurance and reinsurance conferences and we need to carry a message of reassurance to our brokers and clients that Aspen will continue to serve them in the future as we have in the past: by being a trusted, responsive and helpful partner in whatever way we can, by presenting them with creative risk solutions, and by paying claims in a timely and responsible manner. Thirdly, we need to develop our own business plans for 2019. In doing so, we will also be working with Apollo to review a number of initiatives which they are considering in the areas of our investment and outwards reinsurance strategy. These areas were identified in the merger agreement we have filed with the SEC and would ultimately be implemented under Apollos ownership. In all of these areas, and until our deal is concluded, I intend to be an extremely active CEO operating fully mindful of our continuing obligations to our public shareholders and other stakeholders, and to ensure that the Company is as healthy, vigorous and well positioned as it can be. I would ask every one of you to join me in this and to work with the same commitment towards Aspens exciting future as you have done in this year so far. Related: Topics Trends A division of Greenlight Capital Re has invested in a blockchain-related business based in Hong-Kong. The Cayman Islands-headquartered property/casualty specialist reinsurer said it pursued a strategic investment in Galileo Platforms through its Greenlight Re Innovations arm. Greenlight Re did not disclose the specific dollar amount, though the investment is part of Galileos Series A financing. Greenlight Re Chief Executive Officer Simon Burton said that the investment is a key element that will help it tap into blockchain for its insurance business. The management team of Galileo has a unique combination of insurance leadership experience and expertise in applying distributed ledger technology [blockchain] to real world insurance applications, Burton said in prepared remarks. We are excited about this partnership and the opportunity to build a business of the future. Galileo Platforms is an insurance and reinsurance Platform as a Service (PAAS) business, focused currently on emerging markets in Asia. Galileo launched in May 2016 and its founders Mark Wales and Annette King are seasoned executives in the Asia Pacific region with extensive C-Suite and startup expertise in insurance, wealth management and banking, working for companies such as Deloitte, Capgemini, Manulife, AXA, and Mercer, according to the deal announcement. Greenlight Re Innovations said it believes that blockchain has the potential to dramatically restructure the way insurance is distributed. It views Gallieos secure platform as reducing IT costs and eliminating high-cost, low-value components in the insurance distribution chain. This is the first announced investment by Greenlight Re Innovations since it was launched in March 2018 with a mission of seeking technology and innovation opportunities for the reinsurance and insurance markets. In prepared remarks, King and Wales said they are excited Greenlight Re is the lead investor for its Series A financing. We share a common vision that blockchain technology can transform the insurance industry, by enabling more agile product design, making transactions more transparent, and enabling real-time transactions amongst all the parties, King and Wales said. Launched in 2004, Greenlight Re is a specialist property and casualty reinsurer with companies based in the Cayman Islands and Ireland. Greenlight Re provides risk management products and services to the insurance, reinsurance and other risk marketplaces. Source: Greenlight Capital Re This article was originally published in Wells Media Groups Carrier Management, the magazine for property/casualty insurance carrier executives. Topics Reinsurance Property Casualty BusinessFirst Insurance Co. has received all regulatory approvals from the Indiana Department of Insurance to begin offering workers compensation insurance coverage in the state, the company announced. Appointed agents may quote Indiana business with BusinessFirst for policies with effective dates starting Oct. 1, 2018. Florida-based BusinessFirst also does business in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee and is rated B++ (Good) with Positive Outlook by A.M. Best. BusinessFirst and affiliate RetailFirst Insurance Co. comprise the RetailFirst Insurance Group. During 2017, the group reported more than $135 million in combined direct written premium, and as of June 30, 2018, the Group had more than $359 million in total admitted assets and more than $180 million of policyholder surplus. The Group is rated B++ (Good) by A.M. Best and has excess of loss and terrorism reinsurance coverage through A or higher rated reinsurers. Source: BusinessFirst Insurance Co. Topics Workers' Compensation Oklahoma Indiana An influx of new business is presenting surplus lines wholesalers and their retail partners with new opportunities to work together even as other forces are changing how they work together. The surplus lines insurance market continues to grow, not because rates are rising, but because there is new business from the booming economy. The surplus lines market is also benefitting from other carriers in-the-box underwriting that closes out risks that the surplus lines market is happy to accept. In 2017, the surplus lines market grew by 5.8 percent (to $44.9 billion) on a year-over-year basis, compared with less than 3 percent growth in 2016 and 2015, according A.M. Best. In 2017, surplus lines and specialty market insurers continued to demonstrate the resilience that has been among their defining characteristics, says David Blade, senior industry analyst Industry Research & Analytics, for A.M. Best, and co-author of the 2018 A.M. Best Surplus Lines Segment annual review. Despite weather related losses, the composite of surplus lines insurers A.M. Best follows was still able to generate both pretax and net profits and maintain strong overall balance sheet strength, Blades said. A.M. Best has a stable outlook for the surplus lines market and believes that it should remain financially sound for the foreseeable future. The report continues to provide A.M. Bests perspective on the state of the market and the relative positions of carriers in the market, and its analysis of the surplus lines sectors financial condition and market trends, which are all strong, said Brady Kelley, executive director of the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association. It is rewarding to see our market hit another record level this year. That outlook remains stable even though, as market participants note, rates are not going up. The market hasnt changed much from last year at this time; the market is flat as far as rates go, said Alan Jay Kaufman, chairman, president and CEO, H.W. Kaufman Financial Group/Burns & Wilcox. Theres only a few areas where rates have changed a little bit, like transportation for instance. Expanded Opportunity But there is plenty of new business to make up for the fact that rates on existing business are flat. Some of the business is coming from admitted carriers and some is coming from the improved economy. The business opportunities have expanded because of the U.S. economy in particular, Kaufman said. With the stronger economy theres been a real opportunity for us to grow, and to expand. Kaufman said he hasnt seen massive pullbacks from standard companies writing business the normal trend seen when the specialty market grows. Its because theres more business to write because the economys stronger. But others see business moving from the standard market into the surplus lines market as a key part of the growth. The markets moving, its migrating, theres new business coming into the channel at a higher rate than it is leaving the channel, believes Timothy Turner, chairman and CEO of R-T Specialty. Turner admits that its hard to measure how much of the new business is coming directly from the standard market. That number is always an estimate and very hard to gauge when its going up or down. But the non-admitted P/C market is very accurately predictable in terms of when its moving up or down and its moving up. Its billions of dollars of business moving into the channel, Turner said. Turner noted A.M. Best, which tracks the 50 states surplus lines tax filings, found that the percentage of non-admitted business in the surplus lines channel has been around 10.3 percent for eight or nine years, and just moved to 11.1 percent in the second quarter. Thats a lot of movement, Turner said. He thinks the movement is indicative of whats called dumping which is where standard companies nudge their non-renewals into the surplus lines market. Turner sees carriers currently doing this with unprofitable real estate business, in particular, especially habitational risks. Theres probably, a little bit of London non-renewals contributing to the trend as well, he added. Once the dumping trend begins, the surplus lines market can count on it continuing in his experience. It is not something that just goes up one month and then stops. It usually starts moving and it continues to move, Turner said. He also sees growth in the construction industry as a big contributor to surplus lines. There are massive amounts of infrastructure construction coming into the channel, Turner said. That includes high rises, bridges, tunnels, dams, airports, all that is on the increase in a big way, and measurable. Auditioning for Business In addition to bringing new business for surplus lines brokers, the strong U.S. economy has also contributed to changing how some brokers do business. It has provided us with greater opportunities to write more business, and to be more selective on what business were writing, said Kaufman. Selective not only in the sense of experience from underwriting, but also the fact that we can be selective on what business with better margins we can spend more time attracting to our company. With rates flat and the cost of doing business rising, brokers are becoming more efficient at selling products with better profit margins. I think some of the best people in our business are doing that, and we have to continue our top line sales because our bottom line is not going up correspondingly. So, everybody has to be more productive, more selective, throughout the whole food chain, he said. Brokers must continue to be selective because rates arent going up anytime soon. Kaufman says insurers are fighting tooth and nail to keep lowering rates. Theyre commoditizing insurance at all levels. Theyre writing at losses, he said. That will change someday, but it hasnt, and with the great capacity in the insurance world today, were going to see a prolonged period of very low rates. Turner notes that in addition to dealing with a market that wont hike rates, surplus brokers are dealing with retail agencies that are altering how they buy surplus lines. The retailers themselves, not just the big ones, but all the top 100 retailers are buying from wholesalers differently. Its a lot more sophisticated. Its a lot more [request-for-proposal]-oriented. Its a lot more specialty driven, Turner explained. He said the process has become like an audition for the business. Wholesalers have to win the business at a macro level. Its no longer just, Hes my buddy and were going to do business together. And the winners are companies with practice groups, verticals, that can elevate and increase the execution of the transaction repeatedly, Turner said. If how retail agents approach surplus lines brokers is changing, it is partly because the role they see surplus lines playing is itself changing. Best and Only While excess and surplus lines markets are often viewed as a market of last resort, that traditional view is changing as they are also often the best and only markets available for emerging exposures and/or extremely challenging risks. Thats according to Bobbie Duke, mentor for INSURICA University. Duke said that the surplus lines market, in particular with property insurance, has grown into a helpful provider of coverage as many standard markets tighten their belts in recent years. As standard markets escalated their deductibles for wind/hail due to losses, the surplus lines markets offered better terms and lower deductibles, she said. James Keane, vice president of SIAA MarketFinder, agrees. As were seeing some standard line companies become more in the box with the underwriting, were seeing wholesalers and the E&S market pick up those lines of business. According to Keane, thats leading to better relationships between retailers and their wholesaler partners. Keane also agrees that many agents have moved beyond the market of last resort mentality when discussing the E&S market. Obviously, it happens. Every agency has something thats declined or gets non-renewed, so they definitely rely on the market for those accounts, he said. Were seeing more instances where business is getting driven to E&S because of one characteristic of one risk, according to Keane. That might include an everyday restaurant account, where the entire risk fits into a standard line market, except the liquor sales. So, just the liquor component is going out to E&S, he added. Topics Carriers Agencies Excess Surplus AM Best For users, Facebooks revelation of a data breach that gave attackers access to 50 million accounts raises an important question: What happens next? For the owners of the affected accounts, and of another 40 million that Facebook considered at risk, the first order of business may be a simple one: sign back into the app. Facebook logged everyone out of all 90 million accounts in order to reset digital keys the hackers had stolen keys normally used to keep users logged in, but which could also give outsiders full control of the compromised accounts. Next up is the waiting game, as Facebook continues its investigation and users scan for notifications that their accounts were targeted by the hackers. What Facebook knows so far is that hackers got access to the 50 million accounts by exploiting three distinct bugs in Facebooks code that allowed them to steal those digital keys, technically known as access tokens. The company says it has fixed the bugs. Users dont need to change their Facebook passwords, it said, although security experts say it couldnt hurt to do so. Facebook, however, doesnt know who was behind the attacks or where theyre based. In a call with reporters on Friday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg whose own account was compromised said that attackers would have had the ability to view private messages or post on someones account, but theres no sign that they did. We do not yet know if any of the accounts were actually misused, Zuckerberg said. The hack is the latest setback for Facebook during a tumultuous year of security problems and privacy issues . So far, though, none of these issues have significantly shaken the confidence of the companys 2 billion global users. This latest hack involved bugs in Facebooks View As feature, which lets people see how their profiles appear to others. The attackers used that vulnerability to steal access tokens from the accounts of people whose profiles came up in searches using the View As feature. The attack then moved along from one users Facebook friend to another. Possession of those tokens would allow attackers to control those accounts. One of the bugs was more than a year old and affected how the View As feature interacted with Facebooks video uploading feature for posting happy birthday messages, said Guy Rosen, Facebooks vice president of product management. But it wasnt until mid-September that Facebook noticed an uptick in unusual activity, and not until this week that it learned of the attack, Rosen said. We havent yet been able to determine if there was specific targeting of particular accounts, Rosen said in a call with reporters. It does seem broad. And we dont yet know who was behind these attacks and where they might be based. Neither passwords nor credit card data was stolen, Rosen said. He said the company has alerted the FBI and regulators in the United States and Europe. Jake Williams, a security expert at Rendition Infosec, said he is concerned that the hack could have affected third party applications. Williams noted that the companys Facebook Login feature lets users log into other apps and websites with their Facebook credentials. These access tokens that were stolen show when a user is logged into Facebook and that may be enough to access a users account on a third party site, he said. Facebook confirmed late Friday that third party apps, including its own Instagram app, could have been affected. The vulnerability was on Facebook, but these access tokens enabled someone to use the account as if they were the account-holder themselves, Rosen said. News broke early this year that a data analytics firm once employed by the Trump campaign, Cambridge Analytica, had improperly gained access to personal data from millions of user profiles. Then a congressional investigation found that agents from Russia and other countries have been posting fake political ads since at least 2016. In April, Zuckerberg appeared at a congressional hearing focused on Facebooks privacy practices. The Facebook bug is reminiscent of a much larger attack on Yahoo in which attackers compromised 3 billion accounts enough for half of the worlds entire population. In the case of Yahoo, information stolen included names, email addresses, phone numbers, birthdates and security questions and answers. It was among a series of Yahoo hacks over several years. U.S. prosecutors later blamed Russian agents for using the information they stole from Yahoo to spy on Russian journalists, U.S. and Russian government officials and employees of financial services and other private businesses. In Facebooks case, it may be too early to know how sophisticated the attackers were and if they were connected to a nation state, said Thomas Rid, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University. Rid said it could also be spammers or criminals. Nothing weve seen here is so sophisticated that it requires a state actor, Rid said. Fifty million random Facebook accounts are not interesting for any intelligence agency. OBrien reported from Providence, Rhode Island. Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Cyber USA Russia Osteoarthritis Market Research Report by MRFR provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market and in-depth analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of the various segments and sub-segments Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the ends of bones wears down. Increasing age is the major factor for the cause of the disease. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis which generally affects the hands, knee, hip and spines. It can causes pain, swelling, and reduced motion in the joints. Geriatric population and over-weighted individuals are at higher risks of osteoarthritis. Factors like growing geriatric population, rising prevalence of the osteoarthritis and increasing per capita healthcare expenditure will drive the market growth during the forecast period. In 2015, according to the National Institutes of Health, the American geriatric population is expected to nearly double from 48 million in 2015 to 88 million by 2050. Moreover, in 2015, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S. the total healthcare expenditure accounted for 17.8% of the total gross domestic product (GDP), which accounted for USD 3.2 trillion. However, low per capita income in the developing countries and side effects of the treatment procedures will restrain the market growth during the forecast period Owing to the increasing number of the people suffering from osteoarthritis many companies are involved in the manufacturing and introduction of the better and effective treatment and diagnostic options. A number of diagnostic treatment such as imaging (X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and bone scan), joint fluid analysis and others are available. However these are not that effective thus, many private and government organizations are providing support to the manufacturer for the development of the new and advanced devices. Get PDF Sample Copy of This Premium Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1609 Key Players for Global Osteoarthritis Market A number of industries are working in the development and production of osteoarthritis products. It is found out that the market players have adopted the organic strategy of development of better and cost-effective products, and acquisition. The companies are aiming to capture a considerable share of the market segment as early as possible, due to continuously increasing competition. In order to gain the customer attention the companies have launched innovate products. The key players for the Global Osteoarthritis Market are Abbott. (U.S.), Novartis AG (Europe), Pfizer Inc. (U.S.), Eli Lilly and Company. (U.S.), ABIOGEN PHARMA S.p.A (Europe), Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (U.S.), TissueGene Inc. (U.S.), Ampio Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Regeneron (U.S.), and others. Latest Industry Updates Being a competitive market, a number of different manufacturer are focusing on the product launch, and acquisition for the market development. Some of the latest development in the market are- May 2017 Ablynx, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Belgium, announced the completion of a preclinical package for a novel nanobody, ALX-1141 for the treatment of the osteoarthritis. Merck will now be responsible for further clinical development of the molecule. Jul 2017, Kolon Pharmaceutical got the approval for the Worlds first cell and gene therapy for knee osteoarthritis in Korea. Aug 2016, Bioventus, a global leader in orthobiologic solutions launched GELSYN-3, a three-injection hyaluronic acid (HA) product for pain relief associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Key Questions Answered In This Report: What will the market size and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors? Regional Analysis of Global Osteoarthritis Market America dominates the Global Osteoarthritis Market owing to a well-developed healthcare sector and huge patient population for osteoarthritis. Apart from this, changing lifestyle and increasing healthcare expenditure have boosted the growth of the market in America Europe is the second largest Osteoarthritis Market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of funds for research, huge patient population, increasing healthcare expenditures, well-developed healthcare sector and government support for research & development are projected to drive the market growth during the forecasted period. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region in Global the market due to the presence of a huge patient population, continuously developing economies like India and China, and presence of huge opportunity in the market. According to Indian Brand Equity Foundation in 2017, the Indian healthcare sector is one of the fastest growing industries and is expected to advance at a CAGR of 22.87% during the review period to reach USD 280 billion by 2020. On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa holds the least share in the Global Osteoarthritis Market due to presence of poor economy, especially, in African region. Majority of the market of this region is held by the Middle East due to the well-developed healthcare sector and huge healthcare expenditure by the presence of economies like Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Qatar. You can Access Complete Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/osteoarthritis-market-1609 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Media Contact Company Name: Market Research Future Contact Person: Abhishek Sawant Email: Send Email Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Address:Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar City: Pune State: Maharashtra Country: India Website: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/osteoarthritis-market-1609 For years, Spyros Panos seemed like a successful orthopedic surgeon, seeing dozens of patients a day and bringing in millions of dollars in fees for his suburban New York medical group. In fact, he was inflating charges and billing for surgeries he didnt perform, perpetrating a years-long fraud that culminated in a guilty plea on a single count in federal court in 2013. That was the end of his surgical practice. But even as he was waiting to be sentenced, federal prosecutors say, Panos was beginning a new criminal scheme that would go undetected for years until he was arrested again in April. Over the past five months, thousands of patients have received notices from several insurance companies that Panos had posed as another doctor in order to review their medical records in coverage disputes. At least 2,500 people nationwide were affected, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, but the full reach of the alleged fraud hasnt been made public. Panos is charged with infiltrating an obscure but essential piece of the American health-care business: a $4 billion industry that provides independent doctors to render expert opinions on which treatments are appropriate. Whether Panoss reviews resulted in claims being denied remains unknown. But the fact that his alleged fraud went undetected for years raises concerns about oversight in the independent medical review industry. Those physicians weigh in when insurance companies and patients disagree about what medical care should be covered. If a health plan declines to pay for an expensive therapy to help a car crash victim learn how to walk again, the patient can appeal for an independent review. Same goes for a cancer patient refused an experimental treatment. Panos collected $876,000 since 2013 working on medical and workers compensation claims, according to his most recent indictment on charges of wire fraud, health-care fraud and aggravated identity theft. In Connecticut, where he reviewed more than 200 claims, he recommended denying most of the them, according to state officials. He has pleaded not guilty. Lawrence Fisher, an attorney for Panos, declined to comment. Its not clear if all the patients whose claims were reviewed by Panos have been notified or whether their cases have been reopened. The right recourse is to have a new independent review for every single case, said Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president for health initiatives at the Community Service Society, a New York-based organization that helps consumers appeal health-insurance denials. While some of the independent review companies involved have told authorities that theyve taken steps to prevent unqualified people from posing as reviewers, they havent publicly said how theyve changed their vetting processes to avert other frauds. None of the companies known to have directly contracted with Panos agreed to interviews or to respond to written questions from Bloomberg News. Some insurance companies that indirectly used his services, including Anthem Inc., Health Care Service Corp. and The Hartford, said theyve notified patients and are evaluating cases that Panos may have swayed. Other insurers notified consumers that their privacy had been violateddisclosures often required by lawwithout mentioning whether they would examine the claims that Panos worked on. Brain Trauma UnitedHealthcare recently sent one such letter to a Texas man named Stephen Johnson. On a Friday evening in February 2017, the car in which Johnson was a passenger ran off the road and flipped into a creek. The driver died at the scene, and Johnson, four days shy of his 23rd birthday, suffered brain trauma and broken bones. He spent weeks unconscious in a Texas hospital, hooked to a feeding tube and ventilator. After he emerged from the coma, his parents tried to get him therapy to help restore his ability to function. But they encountered a series of roadblocks from their insurer, UnitedHealthcare, which declined to cover rehabilitation while Johnson lived in a nursing home, according to court filings and an online journal kept by Cindy Johnson, his mother. Stevie continues to improve and UnitedHealthcare continues to deny him brain trauma rehab, she wrote in September 2017. In June, the letter from UnitedHealthcare revealed that its vendor, a company called Advanced Medical Reviews, had unwittingly hired a former doctor who was impersonating another licensed physician to conduct reviews of patient records. The insurer said the impostor, who wasnt named, had been arrested. To the Johnsons, that seemed to explain the string of denials, which ended in October 2017two months after UnitedHealthcare said the fake doctor ceased working for AMR. It hasnt been disclosed which of Johnsons multiple appeals Panos may have been involved in, or whether the reversal was related. The insurer, a unit of UnitedHealth Group Inc., offered Johnson a free year of identity-theft protection, a standard corporate response after data breaches. But its letter said nothing about whether the incident had influenced its decisions on Johnsons care, or whether it would review the impostors rulings. We are NOT treating this as a privacy issue, Cindy Johnson wrote at the time. We are treating this as a denial of service that will cause Stevie additional disabilities that could have been avoided. In August, the Johnson family sued UnitedHealthcare and Advanced Medical Reviews in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas. The suit alleges that denials based on the tainted reviews contributed to Johnsons lasting disability, including difficulty speaking and using his right hand and foot. Asked for comment on the case, UnitedHealthcare spokeswoman Tracey Lempner said in an email, Independent, external review is an option for people seeking a third-party review of certain clinical coverage decisions. We contract with multiple independent review organizations to provide this important resource. Advanced Medical Reviews declined to comment. Decade Long The lawsuit is the latest fallout in a decade-long stretch of criminal activity by the 50-year-old Panos, according to prosecutors. Over at least five years, he earned more than $7.5 million while inflating charges, according to court records. He would often perform 20 surgeries a day. In his office, he would regularly see 60 patients in a day, sometimes more than 90. The scheme began to unravel in 2010, when New York state medical authorities asked for records on four of Panoss patients. According to his sentencing memo, Panos falsified medical records to cover his tracks, leaving patients in the position of not knowing what procedures Panos actually performed on them. In 2013, Panos surrendered his license and pleaded guilty to health-care fraud. He went to prison in April 2014 and was released in 2016 to a halfway house and then to home confinement. He also faced more than 250 malpractice lawsuits, including some claiming that he botched surgeries. Those claims were settled by his insurers earlier this year with an agreement that could pay close to $40 million, according to Christopher Meagher, an attorney for plaintiffs. Panos didnt admit wrongdoing in the settlement. In the latest criminal case, prosecutors say Panos defrauded six review companies for $876,000, using a fake Google email address, a shell company registered in the name of a family member to a Brooklyn address and the credentials of another physician. Panos has been released to home detention on $1 million bond, with electronic monitoring and the condition that he cant use any internet-connected devices, court records show. Hes also receiving court-ordered mental health treatment. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment. The industry that Panos is accused of defrauding began in the 1990s in response to concerns that insurance companies were inappropriately denying claims, said Marc Rodwin, a professor at Suffolk University Law School in Boston who has studied independent review organizations. These cases usually come up when theyre hard cases, Rodwin said. State laws typically make reviewers decisions on coverage binding. Any review conducted by an impostor is unreliable and it should be thrown out, Rodwin said. Insurers should revisit the reviews conducted by Panos, he said, but its not clear what do you do then, because if its done a year or two before, the patients probably moved on. And then theres the privacy issue. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA, health plans, most medical providers and their business associates must report breaches of personal information to patients, authorities and, in some cases, the public, said Iliana Peters, a former HIPAA enforcement official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HIPAA violations that affect at least 500 people must be disclosed publicly on a federal website. Breaches associated with Panoss access to patient records dont appear to be recorded there. HIPAA rules dont apply to the workers compensation system, but some state laws require similar disclosures, said Peters, now an attorney at Polsinelli. Review Firms Prosecutors didnt name the six independent review companies that Panos worked for, but disclosure letters identify some of them: Advanced Medical Reviews and Network Medical Review are both subsidiaries of a company called ExamWorks, which was acquired by the private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners LP for $2 billion in 2016. An outside spokesman for the companies declined to comment. A review company called Dane Street LLC notified authorities in Iowa in July that fewer than 100 claimants in that state were affected. A representative for Dane Street declined to comment. An attorney for MCMC LLC, another review company that Panos worked for, declined to comment. Gallagher Bassett, a subsidiary of insurance brokerage Arthur J. Gallagher, told California authorities that 1,294 workers compensation claims in the state may have been affected through vendors who hired Panos. A spokeswoman for Gallagher Bassett did not respond to requests for comment. In Connecticut at least 234 workers compensation claims were affected, said Stephen Morelli, chairman of the Connecticut Workers Compensation Commission. The regulator learned about Panoss conduct when The Hartford, a large insurance group, came forward. Most of the records reviews conducted by Panos in Connecticut came back with a denialnot all, but most, Morelli said. Despite Panoss recommendations, many of the claims were paid, and none of the decisions are currently being disputed, Morelli said. The Hartford handled most of the affected claims the state knows about, he said. A spokesman for The Hartford said people whose claims may have been influenced by Panoss opinion are being offered a chance for a fresh independent review. Morelli put out a notice in June encouraging other workers compensation carriers in the state to report links to Panos, and so far four more have. In Texas, after months of denials, UnitedHealthcare approved Stephen Johnsons treatment at Baylor Rehabilitation Institute in October 2017, the same month prosecutors say Panoss scheme ceased. I dont know if it was my appeal letter, the pictures of Stevie I included or the Baylor doctors report but something clicked this time, Cindy Johnson wrote in a celebratory post at the time. Through their lawyer, the Johnson family declined an interview request while their lawsuit is pending. The family alleges that the insurance denials, possibly influenced by Panoss conduct, caused their son lasting harm. In their lawsuit, they say that Stephen Johnson could speak a few words clearly when he emerged from the coma three months after the car wreck. But without more focused treatment, the ability deteriorated. He cannot currently speak, and he would have continued to develop his speech had he received speech therapy early on, the family said in the suit. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits Carriers Texas Claims Fraud Workers' Compensation Abuse Molestation New York Medical Professional Liability Connecticut Multiple injuries were reported Saturday when a school bus carrying students from Oklahoma rolled over along a central Texas highway. Lampasas Police Department Assistant Chief Jody Cummings said the crash occurred about 3:18 p.m. near Lampasas, about 61 miles (98 kilometers) northwest of Austin. Cummings said the bus carried 27 people, including female students, and a driver was traveling from Norman, Oklahoma, to San Antonio when it rolled over and struck a fence. Cummings said the students sustained bruises, scrapes and some broken bones but that there were no fatalities. All of the students were taken to local hospitals for treatment, he said. It was not immediately clear how many people were injured or the extent of their injuries. Cummings said he also did not know the ages of the students involved. The bus was reportedly one of two carrying students from Cleveland Elementary School in Norman. Cummings said the cause of the rollover crash was not immediately known. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Oklahoma West Virginia University says it has banned five fraternities from campus for at least 10 years. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Alpha Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Sigma Kappa, Sigma Chi and Theta Chi can no longer participate in school sanctioned events. They also cannot use the schools logo and are not eligible for school grants. The fraternities wrote letters to become independent of the school in August. They were upset by regulations prompted by an August university report that found instances of sexual misconduct, hazing and substance abuse. A Thursday school statement says the fraternities also were upset by restrictions implemented in the wake of a 2014 death of a freshman at a fraternity event. Those included a ban on recruiting first semester freshmen. Topics Education Virginia Universities Kin Insurance, an insurtech startup offering insurance for homeowners, has expanded into Georgia. Kin uses big data analysis to help simplify the process of obtaining homeowners insurance. Kin aggregates data from public and private sources (e.g., real estate listings and building records, as well as satellite and drone photography) to provide address-specific home insurance quotes for homeowners. Applicants enter their address and Kin pulls more than 5,000 data points to instantly provide an accurate homeowners quote. Kin also utilizes an all-online application with personal customer service. It currently operates in Florida and Georgia, and plans to make its coverage available nationally. The company recently closed a $13 million funding round led by August Capital. Kin Insurance is an independent home insurance company using technology to leverage data and machine learning to analyze large amounts of public data to speed up the task of obtaining insurance estimates. Topics InsurTech Tech Georgia Homeowners The rapper Nelly has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed in Washington by a woman who alleges that he raped her on his tour bus then defamed her when he claimed she made up the accusation. The Seattle Times reported settlement terms between Monique Greene and Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes Jr., havent been disclosed. A dismissal order filed Monday in King County Superior Court shows each party agreed to pay their own attorneys fees and costs. Nellys lawyer Scott Rosenblum said in an email that no money exchanged hands between the two sides in the case. Greenes lawyer Karen Koehler disputes that assertion but said she couldnt comment specifically. Police arrested Nelly on Oct. 7, after Greene reported he had sexually assaulted her in his tour bus in Auburn. Rosenblum said the accusations were fabricated. Prosecutors decided against filing charges. The Associated Press generally doesnt name people who say theyre victims of sex crimes, but Koehler said Greene agreed to be publicly identified. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Abuse Molestation Washington The National Weather Service issued flash flood watches for parts of four states in the Southwest for late Monday and Tuesday. Areas covered by watches due to what the weather services Las Vegas office calls abundant tropical moisture from Hurricane Rosa include southern Nevada, southeastern California, southwestern and central Utah and the western two-thirds of Arizona. Forecasts call for heavy rainfall in the watch areas, which include Las Vegas, Nev., Phoenix Ariz., and Salt Lake City, Utah with possible flooding in slot canyons and normally dry washes and a potential for debris flows from recent wildfire burn scars. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Flood Arizona Nevada Lloyds is set to get into Canadas cannabis market when recreational marijuana becomes legal there on Oct. 17, according to Hank Watkins, president of Lloyds America Inc. Watkins was speaking today at the 2018 Insurance Forum, an annual event in Southern California hosted by the Center for Insurance Studies, part of the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics at Cal State University Fullerton. The center regularly hosts speakers to bring together the insurance community. Past speakers include California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Robert Hartwig, former economist and president of the Insurance Information Institute. Watkins, who was outlining global opportunities and risks for the crowd of insurance professionals, educators and students, also talked about Lloyds City Risk Index, which measures the economic risk faced by 279 cities across the world from 22 threats in five categories: finance; economics and trade; geopolitics and security; health and humanity; natural catastrophe and climate; and technology and space. Those listed in the index are some of the worlds leading cities, collectively generating 41 percent of global GDP. Watkins pointed out that many of the emerging risks today are not the same risks people had to worry about 20 years ago. More of the threats are manmade than natural, he said, referring to threats like cyber and market crash. Watkins also highlighted opportunities for the industry, including insuring the cannabis market in Canada. Lloyds pulled out of the U.S. medical marijuana market in 2015 largely due to the federal governments stance that cannabis is to be considered a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Following his talk at the forum, Watkins was asked to elaborate on what Lloyds may be doing in Canadas cannabis market. He said that no official announcement has been made, but that Lloyds appointed brokers are already preparing to offer products for the cannabis industry. Were just going to do it, he said. James Lynch, chief actuary and vice president of research and information for the Insurance Information Institute, gave a state of the industry rundown. Lynch said the U.S. property/casualty industry saw net income of $34.5 billion last year in the face of numerous catastrophes. Hurricanes Maria and Harvey struck in 2017, while California experienced record wildfires, some of which are being blamed on more severe weather being driven by climate change. It seems like these things are accelerating, Lynch said. He also pointed out that the industry has great opportunity to come in and fill the worlds massive insurance gap. According to him, there were roughly $1.3 trillion in assets between 2005 and 2015 that were uninsured that could have been insured. Resilience in the face of a warming world was a theme several speakers touched on, including Sophie Evans, a programme director with Willis Towers Watson. Evans talked about the need to find more innovative ways to encourage people to build more resilient and to take up insurance. We need to do a better job at rewarding resilience, she said. Her list of innovations that the industry should consider embracing inclulded parametric products, which do not indemnify the pure loss but make payments upon the occurrence of a triggering event. One such product was launched on Tuesday by Jumpstart Insurance Solutions Inc., a licensed surplus lines insurance broker using Lloyds capacity that will offer earthquake insurance in California with payments linked to a formula and based on U.S. Geological Survey earthquake measurements. Christopher Borders, an advisor for Jumpstart, was a speaker at the forum. He was on a panel that addressed resilience in the face of disasters with Tina Kirby, head of innovation for Beazley. Borders said the Jumpstart product is designed in particular to help low to middle income families faced with fleeing from their communities following devastating events rather than rebuilding because they cannot afford insurance. For around a $20 per month premium people can get a roughly $10,000 set benefit for a triggering event. Actual premiums vary by ZIP code. Borders said that for people with modest incomes that payout may be enough to help them survive and start to rebuild rather than moving or going homeless. We think we can solve that problem from the ground up, he said. Borders believes parametric products like the one being offered by Jumpstart may appeal to younger consumers, such as Millennials, who make favor it for its transparency. It is intuitive, he said. We think that this parametric product is going to fall into the same ethos that these people are growing up with and that they feel comfortable with. Other speakers at the forum included Mark Knepshield, senior vice president of McGriff Seibels & Williams Inc., talking about cyber events, and Morteza Rahmatian, dean of the Mihaylo College, and Weili Lu, director of the center. Lu and Rahmatian discussed efforts to build a School of Global Risk Management and Insurance at the college, which has taken several years and numerous rounds of fundraising efforts. The school would build upon the reputation of the center, which has been running for 20 years and has garnered $1 million in scholarships for students, while most graduates quickly get jobs in an industry hungry for new blood, according to Lu. I would say 95 percent of (our graduates) are working in the insurance field, Lu said. Related: Topics California USA Excess Surplus Cannabis Lloyd's Canada The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is regarded by most to be the key certification for investment professionals, especially in the areas of research and portfolio management. It is, however, just one of many designations used today. This can cause some confusion, as investors and professionals alike puzzle out what each designation means and which is best. This article will take an in-depth look at the CFA designation. If you are a professional considering the CFA, we provide the information that you need to begin weighing the costs and benefits of this decision. Key Takeaways The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation is given to investment professionals who have successfully completed the requirements set by the CFA Institute. Professionals with the designation stand out to employers and may receive higher salaries than those without it. Candidates are required to pass three levels of exams to become charterholders. CFA charterholders often work at institutional investment firms, broker-dealers, insurance companies, pension funds, banks, and universities. What Is the CFA Designation? The CFA designation is given to investment professionals who have successfully completed the requirements set by the globally recognized CFA Institute, formerly the Association for Investment Management and Research (AIMR). To be eligible for the CFA designation, candidates: Must pass three rigorous 4.5-hour exams over several years. Must have 4,000 hours of work experience and/or higher education that was acquired over a minimum of three sequential years. Although the CFA Institute allows a fairly broad interpretation here, the experience usually has to be financial in nature. Must join the CFA Institute by committing to its Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. Candidates dont necessarily need to have a university degree to qualify for the CFA. Because of its focus on analysis, investment knowledge, and ethics, the CFA designation is widely recognized around the world and is the leading credential among financial professionals. The CFA designation is widely recognized around the world because of its focus on analysis, investment knowledge, and ethics. All charterholders are listed in the CFA Institutes member directory with their contact details. This makes it easy for individuals, institutions, and corporations to locate charterholders, members, or financial advisors. The directory also notes whether members are in good standing with the institute. Benefits Being a CFA charterholder provides the member with distinction and benefits. The designation is recognized as a benchmark, making charterholders appealing to potential employers. Because of the time, discipline, and dedication that it takes to pass the exams and become a member, charterholders often stand out. Earning the designation becomes even more critical as the workforce becomes more competitive. There are also financial benefits that come with becoming a member of the CFA Institute. Salaries of members often may be higher compared to people who dont hold the designation. What Is the CFA Institute? The CFA Institute is a global nonprofit professional organization of more than 170,000 charterholders, portfolio managers, and other financial professionals in more than 160 different global markets. The institutes stated mission is to promote and develop a high level of educational, ethical, and professional standards in the investment industry. The designation was first created in 1962, after financial analyst societies in four American citiesBoston, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphiabanded together and created a code of conduct. The first exam was held in 1963 with 284 candidates. The group awarded 268 charters that year. The name of the group was changed from the aforementioned AIMR to the CFA Institute in 2004. CFA member societies are found all around the world. The locations with the most members include: The United Kingdom New York Toronto Hong Kong Boston The CFA Exams Most people considering the CFA designation tend to worry about one thing: the exams. The exams are divided into three levels, all taken via computer. Level I is conducted four times per year, in February, May, August, and Novemberand in 2021, exams are also being held in March and July. It tests the candidates knowledge of investment theory, ethics, financial accounting, and portfolio management. Level II and Level III exams are being held three times in 2021in May, August, and Novemberbefore switching to twice per year in 2022: in February and August for Level II, and in May and November for Level III. These are not easy tests. The CFA Institute estimates that more than 300 hours of studying is needed to pass each exam. Professionals attempting to study while still working in their field may find this to be a daunting task. However, many candidates consider the concentrated study that is required a better education than graduate school because of its total focus on investment management and practice. CFA Pass Rates This course of study was formed in 1962 and is constantly updated to ensure that the curriculum meets the demands of the global investment industry. This graduate-level curriculum generally entails six months of study prior to each exam date. Pass rates have varied from year to year since the first exam was given in 1963. According to the institute, the late 2020/early 2021 pass rates were: Level I: 44% Level II: 55% Level III: 56% Fewer than 20% of the candidates pass all three tests in the first three attempts, so it is important for candidates not to get discouraged. CFA Careers CFA charterholders can be found in different areas of the financial services industry, while others go on to work for governments in regulation and public policy. They often seek careers at institutional investment firmssuch as hedge funds or mutual fundsbroker-dealers, insurance companies, pension funds, banks, and universities. CFA members can be found at some of the worlds largest institutions, including Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and UBS. CFA Designations and Investors Investors who deal with CFA charterholders can make some basic assumptions. A CFA is generally committed to becoming better at their craft, whether it is security analysis, portfolio management, business reporting, or some other service. In addition, the individual has agreed to maintain a higher level of integrity by following the CFA Institutes Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct. In other words, investment professionals with a CFA designation have put in a significant amount of time and effort to better their skills and knowledge on behalf of their clients. This will come as a great comfort to most investorsespecially if they are depending primarily on professional advice in managing their financial affairs. Limitations of the CFA Although there is a certain mastery required by the CFA exams when it comes to financial concepts and markets, having the CFA designation doesnt automatically make one a better stock picker or more successful investor. Stock picking is a practical skill that must be developed through experience. The knowledge gained from studying for the CFA exam wont hurt, but the certification alone isnt going to make a market maven out of every charterholder. That being said, there are some very well-known investment professionals who hold the CFA charter. Gary Brinson and Sir John Marks Templeton are two famous examples. The Bottom Line The CFA designation distinguishes the charterholder from other practitioners in the eyes of professionals and investors. A successful CFA charterholder has proved their ability to complete rigorous testing, shown a capacity for learning, and made a serious commitment to conduct their professional life according to high ethical standards. Buying a home remotely is becoming increasingly common these days. It has been standard practice for some time in the real estate world for sellers to skip the home closing by pre-signing paperwork and having sale proceeds wired directly to a bank account, but now the entire process can be done remotelyby buyers as well as sellers. Key Takeaways The entire process of buying a home can now be done remotely by both sellers and buyers. Finding the right real estate agent is key, so be sure to ask about their experience with remote sales as well as their daytime availability, and remember to request references. Sometimes there is a due diligence period, which a buyer can use as a tool to get a house under contract while giving an easy out to terminate the contract with limited financial risk. If there is a due diligence period, consider using it not only to do inspections but to visit the house (if you can) and make sure it's the one you really want. Even closings can be done remotelyyou sign documents using an electronic signature system and your agent attends in person. Why Buy a Home Remotely Right now, the novel coronavirus is upending the way home sales are conducted, from canceled open houses to video tours taking the place of in-person home showings. As people avoid close contact to keep from spreading the virus, buying remotely makes more sense. In more normal times, people who buy remotely often do so to purchase a second home or vacation home, says Todd Kaderabek, a residential broker associate with Beverly-Hanks & Associates Realtors in Asheville, N.C. Typically, they are from out of state and have jobs and other obligations that prevent them from spending a lot of time on the home-buying process. Financing can be a factor. If a parent is buying a home for an adult child, they may decide to buy remotely, especially if they live out of state, says Kaderabek. In these cases, the parent often buys the house sight unseen, handles all the paperwork and closing remotely, making an all-cash purchase. Real estate investors may also choose to buy homes remotely. Most real estate investors follow the 1% rule, which states that the monthly rent earned on a property should exceed that propertys monthly mortgage payment, so the investor at least breaks even on the property. Its easier to find properties that follow the 1% rule in certain markets, which may be located a significant distance from the investors home base. As a result, buying a house remotely can be an attractive, time-saving option. Whatever your reason for buying remotely, there are certain steps you can take to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Find the Right Real Estate Agent You will depend on your real estate agent to handle nearly the entire home-buying process, so its critical that you take the time and make the effort to find a good fit. Home buying involves a lot of moving parts, says Kaderabek. Its important to find a good personality match between the client and the agent. An interview is helpful (whether by phone or video), and its always a good idea to get references to see what other buyers have to say. Ask About Experience When you speak with a potential agent, Kaderabek recommends asking from the start: How often have you done this process remotely? Experience matters and agents who work frequently with remote buyers are more likely to understand how it works, negotiate favorably, and find suitable properties for the buyer. The agent should also be able to advise on a local lender. A non-local lender is likely to use a non-local appraiser, which can be the death knell in unique markets like Asheville, says Kaderabek. Ask About Availability Many real estate agents work odd or part-time hours, which can be particularly difficult for remote buyers. Your agent will serve as your proxy, so they need to be available during regular business hours to handle a variety of tasks in the home-buying process, including home inspections. I attend all home inspections, but with an out-of-town client its critical, says Kaderabek. In a world where home inspections take place between nine and five, its going to be very difficult for an agent to attend your home inspection if they have another job. Share Your Wish List Once you have an agent, share your wish list so the agent can help you find the perfect property. The more refined your list, the quicker the home search may goto a point. If you have too many requests, it will likely slow down the process. Stick to the things that really mattersize, location, house style, walk-in closetsand leave out the minor details that would be easy to fix or update in any home. And if there are any deal breakersfeatures you absolutely could not live with (or without)let your agent know early on, so they dont waste time looking at the wrong properties. If youre an agent, you have to take that bold step to call your client and tell them youve found the perfect property for them, says Kaderabek. As a buyer, you need to trust that your agent knows exactly what youre looking for and that they have also taken the time to look closely at the home. A home could look perfect on the internet, but a good agent will be able to say, No, thats not the home for you because it sits next to an active railroad track. Use the Due Diligence Period Once a home is under contract, theres time to review title documents and deed restrictions, as well as to conduct inspections, financing, and bank appraisals before closing. In some states, including North Carolina, theres an official due diligence period, during which buyers conduct their due diligence and decide if they want to go through with the home purchase. This may not apply if the home is a new construction. The buyer pays a non-refundable due diligence fee, typically between $500 and $2,000, which basically compensates the seller for taking the home off the market and gives the buyer time to make a decision. The buyer also makes an earnest money deposit, equal to about 2% to 3% of the purchase priceor more in fast-moving markets. Both the due diligence fee and earnest money deposit are negotiable between the buyer and seller. If there is an official due diligence period, it typically lasts between 14 and 30 days. The buyer can terminate the contract for any or no reason (or some other language) during the due diligence period and forfeit only the due diligence fee. If the buyer backs out after the due diligence period, they will forfeit both the due diligence fee and earnest money. As only the due diligence fee is forfeited if the buyer terminates the contract during the due diligence period, this can open up an interesting opportunity for remote buyers. It can be used as a tool to get a house under contract while giving an easy out to terminate the contract with limited financial risk. In the case of buying remotely, it gives the buyer a window of time to view the property in person before making any final decisions. Close Remotely The E-Sign Act of 2000 makes your electronic signature just as valid as if you signed the documents in person. In addition, advances in technology have made remote closings routine for sellers and very feasible for buyers. Your agent will send you all the pages of the contract and addenda. Youll sign them using an electronic-signature system, which usually sends the signed forms back to the appropriate party. Attorneys still require physical signatures so your agent will work with the closing attorney and FedEx all the necessary documents to you ahead of the closing, says Kaderabek. The agent then goes to the closing table with the closing documentswithout the buyerand the funds are wired to complete the transaction. The Bottom Line Buying a home remotely can be a good option for second-home buyers, parents who want to buy homes for their children, and out-of-state real estate investors. In many ways, the process is the same as buying a house in person; however, you will depend even more on your real estate agent to find the right home, be present for the inspections, guide you through the paperwork, and attend the closing. As such, finding the right agentone who has experience with remote transactionsis one of the most important steps you can take when buying a house remotely. The Four Largest Mutual Fund Holders of AT&T Fund Holder # Shares Market Value Date Reported Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares 201 million $6.30 billion Apr 30, 2021 Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares 146.70 million $4.60 billion Apr 30, 2021 SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust 73.20 million $2.35 billion May 13, 2021 Fidelity 500 Index Fund 65.30 million $1.97 billion Mar 31, 2021 Source: Yahoo! Finance 1. The Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX) AT&T's largest mutual fund holder is the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTSAX). The fund owns more than 201 million shares of AT&T with a market value exceeding $6.30 billion as of April 30, 2021. Vanguard's VTSAX is designed to offer broad exposure to the total U.S. stock market. With approximately $1.2 trillion in assets under management (AUM), the VTSAX has an expense ratio of 0.04%, and a five-year annualized return of 17.67% as of April 30, 2021. A minimum investment amount of $3,000 is required. However, for those who don't have the $3,000 initial investment, Vanguard also offers an exchange traded fund (ETF) called the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). The VTI has a similar makeup to the VTSAX and the initial investment cost is the price of one share. 2. The Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) AT&T's second-largest mutual fund holder is the Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX), which owns 146.7 million shares for a market value of $4.60 billion as of April 30, 2021. The VFIAX provides exposure to 500 of the largest U.S. companies across various industries mirroring the Standard and Poor's 500 index (S&P 500). The VFIAX had approximately $732 billion in assets under management, an expense ratio of 0.04%, and a five-year annualized return of 17.38% as of April 30, 2021. Although the VFIAX has a minimum investment requirement of $3,000, Vanguard also offers an ETF version called the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). The VOO has similar holdings to the VFIAX and its initial cost is the price of one share. 3. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) AT&T's third-largest mutual fund holder of its stock is the popular SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which is managed by State Street Global Advisors. The SPY ETF tracks the S&P 500 index and is invested in 505 stocks. The SPY owns 73.20 million shares of AT&T for an approximate market value of $2.35 billion as of May 13, 2021. The SPDR SPY has $358.4 billion in assets under management with an expense ratio of 0.0945%. The SPY has a five-year annualized return of 17.25% as of April 30, 2021. 4. The Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) AT&T's fourth-largest mutual fund holder of the company's stock is the Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX), which has $328 billion in assets under management. The FXAIX also tracks the S&P 500 Index following a passively managed strategy. The FXAIX owns nearly 65.30 million shares of AT&T representing nearly $1.97 billion in market value as of March 31, 2021. Fidelity's FXAIX has an expense ratio of .015%, no investment minimum, and a five-year annualized return of 14.41% as of April 30, 2021. Chinas celebrated spirits brand, Shede Spirits, reiterates its international presence as the brand is launched in the US Shede Spirits is one of the most celebrated alcohol brands in China and the spirits brand recently established its global dominance with the recent launch party for Shede Spirits in the state of California, USA. Shede Spirits has grown over the years to become one of the leading spirits brands not only in China but also across the Asian continent. However, the brand has taken it a notch higher as a Shede Spirits Launch party to officially welcome the brand into the United States market was held in Los Angeles. The Shede Spirits Launch party was held in the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles to usher Shede Spirits into the United States market. The Millennium Biltmore Hotel is one of the most prestigious in the U.S., being among the top choices of accommodation for several US presidents. The hotel has also hosted the Oscars Awards Ceremony, further reiterating its position in the hospitality industry. Therefore, there was no better location to hold such a unique and important event. The purpose of Shede Spirits launch party was to showcase oriental wisdom and culture to the entire world. The event had guests from all parts of the world attending the press conference and appreciating the uniqueness and feat achieved by the brand. The guests at the press conference include Vice President of National Overseas Chinese Federation and President of Sichuan Provincial China Overseas Chinese Federation, Dai Shuangming, Deputy Consul General of Consulate General of The Peoples Republic of China in Los Angeles, Yang Fan, and Secretary-General of Sichuan Provincial China Overseas Chinese Federation, Michael Cacciotti. Other influential individuals at the event are Liu Yiqin, the Mayor of South Pasadena, Los Angeles, Chen Huibi, Chairman of Sichuan and Chongqing General Chamber of Commerce, Lu Qiang, Honorary Chairman of American Federation of Chinese Societies, Ma Yuanzhuo, Chairman of Minnesota Chinese Business Association, Zhou Dezhao, Chairman of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan Chamber of Commerce, Zhu Yingcai, Marketing Director of Sichuan Tuopai SHEDE Marketing & Sales CO.,LTD, as well as the staff of The Greatest Spirit and local distributors. The event also attracted various Chinese and American media including the Los Angeles Times, World Journal, The China Press, Peoples Daily Overseas Edition and the News Republic. Shede Spirits has grown to be one of the most sought-after alcohol brands in China, known as Spirits of Chinese Culture with the connotation of the brand name standing it out from other brands. Shede Spirits presence in the United States has already started to create a sensation among the Chinese residents in the area. The event witnessed the participation of oversea Chinese representatives, who have devoted their strengths and wisdom to the development of America over the years. These individuals are also fast becoming the driving force of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative using their thorough knowledge of both China and the Western hemisphere to drive the cause. 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List of Partners (vendors) As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information October 2, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Most junior resource investors know uranium, and many got in on the action when NexGen Energy and Fission Uranium made their discoveries in the Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan, the region with the highest grades of uranium in the world. Smart, or lucky, shareholders of NXE enjoyed a cumulative share price rise of around 430% between 2014 and 2016, while Fission Energy - famous for its Patterson Lake South property that yielded the open-pittable Triple R deposit - jumped from 91 cents in November 2013 to $1.62 a share in April 2014, for a gain of 78%. Uranium is the fuel needed to create the nuclear reaction that can either create nuclear power or nuclear weapons. To make nuclear fuel from uranium ore, the uranium is first extracted from the rock, then enriched with the uranium-235 isotope, before being made into pellets that are loaded into assemblies of nuclear fuel rods. In a nuclear reactor, several hundred fuel assemblies containing thousands of small pellets of uranium oxide are in the reactor core. The nuclear chain reaction that creates energy starts when U-235 splits or "fissions", which produces a lot of heat in a controlled environment. In a conventional nuclear reactor, the pressurized water reactor, fuel rods containing uranium pellets are placed in water. Visualized as a giant kettle, the heat generated from the pellets boils water to create steam, which turns turbines to generate electricity. But the downside of conventional nuclear power stations is the nuclear reaction also produces plutonium, which is highly radioactive, and other wastes, causing a problem for disposal. Stronium-90 and cesium-137, contained in nuclear waste, have half-lives of about 30 years, but plutonium-239 takes 24,000 years to fully decay. When it works well, the nuclear reaction is an efficient form of energy creation. One uranium pellet weighing just 6 grams is said to produce the same amount of energy as a tonne of coal. But it also leaves a lot of radioactive waste that needs to be incinerated, encased in concrete, or buried deep underground for centuries. When nuclear power goes wrong, the fallout is catastrophic. Nuclear meltdowns like Chernobyl in Russia, Three Mile Island in the US, and Fukushima in Japan are burned into the collective consciousness and serve as constant reminders of the dangers of nuclear power that drive the anti-nuke movement. While nuclear energy generation will never be without risks, proponents argue these are manageable and small compared to the risk of increased greenhouse gas emissions caused by the continued burning of fossil fuels for power, that are warming the planet. For this reason, nuclear is always in the mix of energies required to make the transformation from an oil-based economy to one where renewable and nuclear energies make up a larger proportion of our global electricity. The question is, must we keep using uranium in our nuclear power plants, or is there another option? There is. It's uranium's ugly stepsister, a little-known element known as thorium. Some scientists believe thorium is key to developing a new version of cleaner, safer nuclear power. So why hasn't thorium entered the popular and investor lexicon like uranium has? The silvery-white metal has a fascinating history, and despite taking a backseat to uranium as the primary nuclear fuel, it is making a comeback. This is the story of thorium, the wunder-fuel that wasn't, but could be. History Thorium is named after Thor, the Norse god of thunder. It was first discovered in 1815 by Jons Jakob Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, but a few years later it was determined that the mineral was actually yttrium phosphate. In 1828 Berzelius was given a sample of a black mineral found on an island off the coast of Norway by Hans Esmark, a Norwegian mineralogist. The mineral contained several known elements including lead, tin, iron, manganese and uranium, but 60% was an unknown substance that was subsequently named thorite. Thorium was first isolated by mixing thorium oxide with carbon, creating thorium chloride. When reacted with potassium, the result was thorium and potassium chloride, according to Chemicool. It took another 70 years for scientists to realize that thorium was radioactive. The discovery was made by Gerhard Schmidt, a German chemist, and Marie Cure, a Polish physicist, who are often credited with its discovery. Thorium oxide (ThO2) has the highest melting point of all oxides (3300C) so it's not surprising that its early applications were in lantern mantles, arc-light lamps, welding electrodes and heat-resistant ceramics. Thorium oxide is also used in camera lenses and scientific instruments. Abundance Thorium is actually fairly common on Earth. According to Livescience it occurs in the Earth's crust at 6 parts per million - about as much as lead and three times more abundant than uranium; it is the 41st most abundant element on Earth. However it is thought to be rare because thorium is normally found as minor constituents of metals. Interestingly though, natural thorium occurs as almost pure 232Th, the most stable thorium isotope, which has a half-life comparable to the age of the universe (14 billion years), and whose radioactive decay is the largest contributor to the Earth's internal heat. Right now it's estimated the planet still has about 85% of the thorium present when the Earth was formed. Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory - where the first nuclear weapons were designed as part of the Manhattan Project - think that thorium was created in the cores of supernovae (the last stages of a star's life), then scattered across the universe when the stars exploded. Trace elements are found in rocks, soil, water, plants and animals, with higher concentrations contained within thorite, thorianite, monazite, allanite, and zircon. The element is mined mostly in Australia, Brazil and India. The rare earth mineral monazite contains between 6 and 12% thorium phosphate. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNO) world monazite resources are estimated at around 16 million tonnes, 12MT of which are found in mineral sands deposits in India. A large vein deposit of thorium and rare earth elements is in Idaho. Recovering thorium from monazite involves leaching it with sodium hydroxide at 140C followed by a process to precipitate pure ThO2. The WNO states that under 10,000 tonnes a year of monazite are extracted per year from India, Brazil, Vietnam and Malaysia, and "without commercial rare earth recovery, thorium production is not economic at present." Use in nuclear energy The story gets really interesting when thorium was found to be radioactive - just two years after the discovery of uranium radioactivity by French physicist Henry Bequerel. Initially thorium's radioactivity was thought to have health benefits, and was promoted as a cure for rheumatism, diabetes and even impotence. However in 1932 these uses were banned due to a federal investigation that found that people injected with thorium suffered from leukemia and abnormal chromosomes. Attention then turned to the use of thorium in nuclear energy. During the Cold War the US looked at using 232Th to create 233U - which was being investigated as both a reactor fuel and to build nuclear bombs. But the US Military rejected a bomb built with 233U because it did not have "technical advantages" over uranium-plutonium bombs and especially since it it is difficult to produce pure 233U states a 1966 technical report. Uranium's chief advantage over thorium, as a nuclear fuel, was that it could be used to produce both atomic weapons and nuclear power, while thorium, unlike uranium, is not "fissile" meaning it cannot be split to make a nuclear chain reaction and could only be applied to nuclear power. With the United States in the early stages of an arms race against the former Soviet Union to develop a nuclear arsenal, it was easy to see which element would win out. While thorium was used in a later version of America's first civilian nuclear power plant - headed up by Hyman Rickover, the US admiral responsible for creating the world's first nuclear-powered submarine - it would take a back seat to uranium as the primary fuel for nuclear reactors. Thorium nuclear reactors were developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to support nuclear-powered long-range bombers, but the program was scrapped in 1961 in favor of other technologies according to a 2009 NASA paper. This is because the liquid fluoride thorium reactors did not produce as much plutonium, needed for developing nuclear weapons, as uranium-powered reactors. Nonetheless, the first thorium-based nuclear reactor was built at the Indian Point Energy Center, New York, in 1962. As mentioned thorium is not able to split an atom to produce the nuclear reaction; instead, when thorium is exposed to neutrons, it eventually emerges into the isotope U-233, which splits and releases energy. In this way thorium is said to be "fertile" rather than fissile. Recycled plutonium can also be used with thorium. Uranium vs thorium Other than the fact that uranium is better than thorium in building nuclear weapons, how do the two nuclear fuels stack up against one another? According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, thorium's benefits include: Thorium is three to four times more abundant than uranium. There is estimated to be enough thorium on the planet to last 10,000 years. Thorium is more easily extracted than uranium. Liquid fluoride thorium reactors (LFTR) - a type of molten salt reactor - have very little waste compared with reactors powered by uranium. It is more efficient. One tonne of thorium delivers the same amount of energy as 250 tonnes of uranium. LFTRs run at atmospheric pressure instead of 150 to 160 times atmospheric pressure currently needed for water cooled reactors. Thorium is less radioactive than uranium. The 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan soured the world on nuclear, and started scientists looking more closely at thorium as a "greener" alternative. While conventional nuclear plants are only able to extract 3-5% of the energy in uranium fuel rods, in molten salt reactors favored by thorium proponents, nearly all the fuel is consumed. Where radioactive waste from uranium-based reactors lasts up to 10,000 years, residues from the thorium reaction will become inert within 500. Lastly, because plutonium is not created as a waste product in a thorium reactor, it cannot be separated from the waste and used to make nuclear weapons. Although, the World Nuclear Association points out that the United States made about two tonnes of U-233 during the Cold War and detonated a nuclear weapon containing U-233. The explosive yield though was less than expected, just 22 kilotons. In 1998 India detonated a small nuclear device from U-233. As far as disadvantages, thorium takes extremely high temperatures to produce nuclear fuel (550 degrees higher than uranium dioxide), meaning thorium dioxide is expensive to make. Second, irradiated thorium is dangerously radioactive in the short-term. Detractors also say the thorium fuel cycle is less advanced than uranium-plutonium and could take decades to perfect; by that time, renewable energies could make the cost of thorium reactors cost-prohibitive. The International Nuclear Agency predicts that the thorium cycle won't be commercially viable while uranium is still readily available. Molten salt nuclear reactors Molten salt reactors (MSRs) are well suited to thorium fuel, and while they were first conceived of in the 1940s, as noted above, to fuel aircraft, there has been a renewed interest in them. In the Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR), the fuel is not cast into pellets like uranium, but is rather dissolved in a vat of liquid salt. According to ZME Science, since molten salt reactor technology was revived in the 2000s, interest has grown quickly, with four companies in the US announcing plans for MSRs, as well as in Japan, Russia, France and China. In Norway, Thor Energy started producing power from thorium at its Halden test reactor in 2013, with help from Westinghouse. The third phase of a five-year thorium trial operation got underway in January. India's thorium program is well advanced. The country envisions meeting 30% of its electricity demands through thorium-based reactors by 2050. With large quantities of thorium and little uranium, India wants to use thorium for large-scale energy production. It plans to construct and commission a fleet of 500 sodium-cooled fast reactors - which burn spent uranium and plutonium - in order to breed plutonium to be used in its advanced heavy water reactors that employ thorium as the nuclear fuel. A prototype of the 500-megawatt fast breeder reactor (FBR) in Kalpakkam, India was supposed to be finished in late 2017 but has been put off to later this year. One of the main advantages of MSRs is the reactor cannot melt down, as we saw in Fukushima when electric pumps were inundated by the tsunami, failing to cool the fuel rods, which overheated and caused radiation emissions. MSRs can also be made cheaper and smaller than conventional reactors, since they do not have large pressurized containment tanks, meaning they could be used in factory settings. MSRs use molten salt instead of water as a coolant, allowing them to reach temperatures over 80C, three times hotter than a conventional nuclear plant cooled with water. Another advantage is that nuclear waste (ie. plutonium) can be recycled to recover the fissile materials needed to create the nuclear reaction. In this way, thorium reactors not only generate less waste than conventional reactors, but also help to rectify the nuclear waste disposal problem. Work continues Examples of companies and countries that are testing thorium's viability as a nuclear fuel keep growing. Last summer a Dutch nuclear institute started experimenting with MSRs. NRG, the name of the facility, on the North Sea coast of the Netherlands, launched the Salt Irradiation Experiment in collaboration with the EU. New Scientist reports the researchers will use thorium as the nuclear fuel for the reactor where both the reactor fuel and the coolant are a mixture of molten salt. The experiment will also examine how to deal with the nuclear waste. Indonesia, which has a large amount of thorium contained within monazite, signed an agreement three years ago with US company ThorCon Power, to develop molten salt reactors. A 1,000-megawatt thorium-based reactor would be used for base-load power and produce 5 gigawatts a year. The country wants around 20% of its energy mix to come from thorium molten salt reactors by 2050. In the United States, the Department of Energy is partnering with TerraPower, Vanderbilt and the Oak Ridge National Lab, among others, to build a molten chloride fast reactor - a type of MSR - Oilprice.com reported. Southern Company in 2016 was the second firm to receive a grant from the DOE. China, seemingly always on the leading edge of new energy, has put aside US$3.3 billion to build two molten salt reactors in the Gobi Desert, to be up and running by 2020, the South China Morning Post said in December. The reactors could spawn new uses for the radioactive element, including applications in warships and drones. Conclusion If there hadn't been an urgent need to develop nuclear weapons for the Cold War, there's a reasonably good chance that thorium rather than uranium would have become the nuclear fuel of choice. The ability of uranium to kickstart the nuclear reaction makes it one of the most strategically important minerals on Earth. If the world was running out of uranium, thorium demand, and the technology to make molten salt reactors, would probably be much farther advanced than it currently is. But we are not running out of uranium. According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), in 2017, world uranium production totalled 59,531 tonnes, which satisfied 92% of world demand. The top producers are Kazakhstan, Canada and Australia. Total known, recoverable uranium resources as of 2015 were 5.718 million tonnes. Contrast this with thorium. The WNA states there are 6.555 million tonnes of thorium resources in the world - with most thorium held in India, Brazil and Australia/ the US (tied for third). That's a bit more than total uranium resources. But how much thorium is mined? According to the USGS, in 2017, only 2.2 tons of thorium (mostly monazite) were imported into the United States; thorium compound exports were 83 tons. Obviously the tiny numbers are because there is currently no market for thorium. But if there was, there are around 6 million tonnes of resources waiting to be converted into reserves. Quite an opportunity for thorium explorers should molten salt reactors ever catch on enough to augment, let alone replace, conventional uranium-based reactors. The demand for thorium fuel, and its price, would skyrocket. For now, thorium is a theoretical solution to our energy dilemma, but it could be much more than that. A concerted effort to develop thorium reactor technology could provide stable, clean, base-load power for millions, something that is not possible with renewables due to the intermittency factor (ie. power can only be generated when the sun shines and the wind blows) and the current early stages of renewable battery storage technology. It is safer and better for the environment than uranium, and can even use radioactive waste as feedstock for the nuclear reaction, thus killing two birds with one stone. The market isn't yet ready for thorium, but when it is, a whole new mining sector and supply chain will be born. Thorium and its potential for resource exploration is on my radar screen. Richard (Rick) Mills aheadoftheherd.com Just read, or participate in if you wish, our free Investors forums. Ahead of the Herd is now on Twitter. Newsletter Archives. Legal Notice / Disclaimer This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp SAN DIEGO, Calif. and IRVINE, Calif. - October 2, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Tech Coast Angels (TCA) along with ClearVision Equity Partners (ClearVision) closed a $2 million financing round for Tourmaline Labs in September. ClearVision led the transaction providing $500K, with the additional $1.5 million coming from TCA and TCA's ACE Fund. San Diego-based Tourmaline Labs analyzes mobility data, such as speed and other sensor data, to provide smartphone-based solutions for large enterprise fleets via a pure SaaS model, which allows integration and management of third-party vehicles and operators. Tourmaline Labs plans on using the capital raise to build a robust sales and account management team, as well as ensuring its proprietary technology scales up. "Our greatest limitation to growth is our sales and support efforts," said Marc Brungger, CEO of Tourmaline Labs. "The funding will be used to build sales functions and account management teams to manage the opportunities and insights our technology offers to enterprise customers and prospects." This deal marks one of the largest initial raises from TCA directly in recent history. Dean Rosenberg and Nickolas Phillips led the financing for TCA and said that they were impressed with the strength of the management team, and the until-now unmet need for using AI technology to integrate third party vehicles into large enterprise fleets. "The AI technology is proven and the company already had a strong recurring revenue model in place," said Rosenberg. "In addition to the technology, we were impressed with the management team and the results that they have already achieved. And it is always exciting to see how our investments in exciting local companies continue to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem throughout Southern California." "Another attractive aspect was the steady growth and traction that Tourmaline Labs was able to show us in the enterprise space," said Phillips. "They already have an excellent customer base and I was also attracted to this deal because the executive team has a core strength in providing technology solutions in the automotive/telematics space." "Automobile technology will change more in the next five years than it has in the past 50 years," concluded Brungger. "With TCA's advocacy and support, we now have the capital to help our customers adapt to these changes. And I am particularly excited that we were able to raise this funding locally, completely within Southern California." About Tech Coast Angels: Tech Coast Angels (TCA) is one of the largest and most active angel investor networks in the nation, and a leading source of funding for seed-stage and early-stage companies across all innovation industries in Southern California. TCA members are accredited investors who individually invest in startup companies, and as a group, TCA has invested up to $6M in a single company. Companies in which TCA invest go through well-structured, transparent, and time efficient screening and due diligence. TCA members are themselves founders and executive-level business leaders who have extensive knowledge in the investment process and world-class business practices. TCA members thus provide companies with more than just capital; they also contribute counsel, mentoring and access to an extensive network of investors, customers, strategic partners and management. TCA is a catalyst in the growth of the thriving Southern California entrepreneurial ecosystem of innovation, funding mostly emerging technologies and life science companies. A recent Halo Report rated TCA as #2 nationally in a number of funded deals, and a recent analysis by CB Insights ranked TCA #1 out of 370 angel groups on "Network Centrality" and #5 overall in "Investor Mosaic." Since its founding in 1997, TCA has invested over $200 million in more than 350 companies and has helped attract more than $1.6 billion in additional capital/follow-on rounds, mostly from venture capital firms. For more information, please visit www.techcoastangels.com. About Tourmaline Labs: Tourmaline Labs is an Artificial Intelligence Technology Company that revolutionized efficient and deeper mobility and driver data collection by applying their patented AI methods to collecting, aggregating, and analyzing mobility events and insights on a global scale, then developing scalable business workflow and driver scoring/safety solutions which are enabling the company to create efficient and optimized breakthroughs and possibilities for people, organizations, cities, and society. Our growing team of multi-cultural and multi-language, scientists, engineers, and business specialists is centered in the mobility hot-bed of San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.tourmalinelabs.com. TechSectorStocks.com - investing ideas in tech stocks - mobile payments, social media, AI and Robotics, Drone Stocks, GPS, Internet of Things (IoT) Like Tech Stocks? View our Tech Stocks Directory Get News Alerts on Tech Stocks More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp The Government is set to double the gambling tax as part of next Tuesdays budget, according to Government sources. The proposal will raise an estimated 50m per year, and some of that money will be directed into addiction services to treat gambling addicts. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is set to include the measure as part of his 3.4bn giveaway budget the gambling tax will represent a significant victory for the Independent Alliance. As part of its budget negotiations, the alliance last month called for the gambling tax to be doubled and for a property tax waiver to be introduced for elderly people on fixed incomes. The alliance comprising Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, Kevin Boxer Moran, and John Halligan argued for the gambling tax to rise from 1% to 2%, which would generate 50m. The doubling of the gambling tax is the only tangible win for the alliance in its talks with Mr Donohoe. Its proposal for a so-called granny grant to those grandparents or other relations who mind children in the home was rejected by Mr Donohoe and Fine Gael as unworkable. Divisions have emerged between the alliance and Mr Donohoe over the proposed increase in the 9% Vat rate for the hospitality sector. The alliance is deeply opposed to Mr Donohoes plan to introduce a two percentage point increase to the lower Vat rate, saying it will unfairly punish small hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants. The alliance had sought for a levy to be introduced on bigger hotels in Dublin and Cork, but Mr Donohoe said it is not possible to isolate them. He also needs to raise 526m from the Vat increase and hitting the larger hotels would only raise about 150m, Government sources have said. It has also emerged that the expected overrun at the Department of Health will not be 1bn as suggested by some media reports. Senior Government sources said the expected overrun will be closer to 600m the projected end-of-year bailout will be for that amount. It is likely Health will receive an additional 200m for 2019 to pay for new measures including the provision of abortion services and expanding mental health services, as demanded by Fianna Fail. In relation to the Local Property Tax, divisions have emerged within Government over demands by Transport Minister Shane Ross to introduce exemptions for the elderly. What about the disabled, the poor, and the sick? If we start exempting, there will be nobody left paying it except the poor buggers in the middle, said one minister. Budget 2018: What we know so far Overall: Additional spending for 2019: 3.4bn Already committed: 2.6bn Not already committed: 800m Tax cuts An increase of entry point to the higher rate of income tax to 37,500 for single people/46,500 for a single income couple/75,000 for a dual-income couple by 2021. An increase from 34,500 of 1,000, in 2019 would cost the exchequer 213m Earned income tax credit for self-employed will increase to match PAYE workers Possible increase in threshold of 300,000 in inheritance tax Likely cut to Local Property Tax rate to keep overall tax steady Tax increases: Likely increase in 9% Vat rate in the hospitality sector to at least 11% to raise 526m Likely rise in carbon tax Likely increase in cost of tobacco products Spending: By Joe Leogue New rules governing the role of pharmaceutical assistants will cost hundreds of jobs, will predominantly affect women in their late 50s, and will have implications for rural pharmacies and patient safety, a representative body claims. The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI) is set to introduce rules under section 30 of the 2007 Pharmacy Act that will change the work practices of pharmaceutical assistants, and will limit their ability to cover for absent pharmacists. However, pharmacists say these new changes will mean that many of them will no longer be in a position to employ pharmaceutical assistants, and will have a detrimental impact on patient safety. There are 335 registered pharmaceutical assistants registered with the PSI who are qualified to cover the temporary absence of their pharmacist. Following consultation, the PSI intends to limit the amount of time a pharmacist can be absent to a maximum of one hour. The Pharmaceutical Assistants Association (PAA) has issued a report on the findings of a survey of 160 pharmaceutical assistants and 160 pharmacists and found that 74% of the latter say they will no longer be in a position to employ their assistant if the new limitations are introduced. The course awarding the Pharmaceutical Assistant qualification was phased out in the 1980s, meaning all 335 pharmaceutical assistants on the register are aged 55 and older, and 328 (98%) are women. The association claims the changes amount to an unwarranted over-riding of constitutionally protected rights of pharmaceutical assistants and service users. It said that based on their survey, the changes would mean that 248 pharmaceutical assistants will lose their jobs, and their current pharmacies will be unlikely to find a pharmacist to cover in temporary absences, making pharmacy services unavailable locally to more rural populations over weekends. Pharmacists already working 40 hours or more per week in these pharmacies will have to increase the number of hours they work which will have implications for their health and patient safety, claims the PAA. However, the PSI says concern for health and safety is what is driving its changes. A 1994 agreement stated that pharmaceutical assistants are entitled to cover short absences, such as lunch hours, two half days or one day off per week, unscheduled short absences and the standard annual leave of the pharmacist. It stipulated that the maximum number of days the pharmaceutical assistant can cover in the temporary absence of the pharmacist should not exceed 14 calendar days in any single absence. The PSI says its inspections between 2012 and 2016 found high levels of non-compliance with the 1994 agreement, and that pharmaceutical assistants were covering absences in excess of those outlined. It established a working group to look at the arrangement, and in its report recommending rule changes said the group is of the view that the circumstances under which a registered pharmacist is allowed leave a pharmacy to be operated in their absence by a non-qualified pharmacist should be exceptional and if allowed should be of a very limited duration. The rule changes were approved by the PSI last month and will go to Health Minister Simon Harris for approval. By John Fallon The fallout from the Belfast rape trial earlier this year is believed to have played a major part in the IRFU and Connacht discontinuing a move by a Fijian rugby player to come here from New Zealand on a two-year contract. Sevu Reece, a 21-year old winger who plays for Waikato in New Zealand, was due to join Connacht next month on a two-year deal when his commitments to his current club are completed. However, a court case in which he admitted his guilt in a domestic abuse incident in which his girlfriend was injured has prompted the IRFU and Connacht Rugby to act and the offer of the two-year deal is set to be withdrawn. Connacht had announced the signing of the talented winger in May. The move has been in doubt since early July when it emerged that Reece had been questioned in relation to an assault on his girlfriend in the business district of Hamilton. Connacht and the IRFU issued a brief statement yesterday saying that they are investigating Reeces court appearance. It is believed that the offer of the two-year deal will now be withdrawn and that Reece will not play for Connacht. It is understood that Connacht and the IRFU have been monitoring proceedings since the summer but did not get involved. Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are aware of media reports concerning Sevu Reece and his recent court appearance, said Connacht Rugby. We are currently seeking to clarify information around the situation prior to commenting further on the matter. The matter came before Hamilton District Court yesterday when Reeces guilty plea was taken into account by Judge Denise Clark. The court case has received extensive coverage in New Zealand, with reports quoting Judge Clark that a conviction would have ended Reeces Irish contract. The court heard that in the early hours of July 1, a heavily intoxicated Reece got into an argument with his partner of two years in the central business district of Hamilton. Reece yelled at his partner to shut up and chased her down the street, dragging her to the ground. She suffered bruising to the side of her face and waist and bleeding to her knees. Judge Clark accepted that the victim had forgiven Reece and that the couple were undergoing counselling. Reece had admitted a problem with alcohol and had been sober for three months. He had expressed remorse and apologised at a restorative justice meeting. Judge Clark took into account his early guilty plea, the fact it was his first time before the courts, his apology, and that his Irish contract would help provide for his family. It now appears inevitable that the contract from Connacht and the IRFU will be withdrawn and that he will not be coming to Ireland to play for the province. By Sean ORiordan, Defence Correspondent The deepening crisis in the Defence Forces will be laid bare at a conference today expected to be dominated by fears Naval Service effectiveness is being crippled by an exodus of highly trained personnel and a shortage of replacement recruits. The navy is struggling to get ships to sea due to mechanical failures and what the Defence Forces press office describes as staffing restrictions. PDForra, which represents 6,000 enlisted soldiers, sailors, and air crew, is expected to highlight poor pay and conditions as reasons for the increasing numbers of personnel quitting the military. The navy is also suffering from an inability to attract enough new recruits to plug the gaps, because the Defence Forces can not compete with the private sector. Former Defence Forces members are using social media to inform serving members of better careers elsewhere, while several companies are actively recruiting them because of their skills and reliability. Around 40 motions of the 56 tabled for PDForras annual conference in Castlebar, Co Mayo, are related to the naval service. Figures attained by PDForra show that 118 personnel purchased their discharge from the Defence Forces in the past year. Fifth-five recruits also purchased their discharge. The association will call on Defence Minister Paul Kehoe to roll back on recessionary cuts to duty premiums (allowances). The military has always relied on allowance top-ups to make ends meet, as their pay is the lowest in the public service. While the principal aim of the Public Sector Stability Agreement 2018-2020 is the restoration of basic pay to pre-fempi levels, members of the Defence Forces have always been heavily reliant upon allowances, said PDForra general secretary Gerard Guinan. Consequentially, unless the Government reverses those unique cuts to duty allowances, imposed as part of the [Haddington Road Agreement], members of the Defence Forces will continue to depart in ever-increasing numbers. PDForra wants the reintroduction of a number of allowances and backdated to pre-cut levels. It is understood that the Department of Defence is prepared to reintroduce a number of such allowances shortly, but has no agreement from the Department of Public Expenditure on backdating. Mr Guinan said Mr Kehoe made a commitment last year to ensure the strength of the Defence Forces reaches 9,500, the minimum number required for them to do their jobs properly. Their strength is hovering at around 9,000 and includes around 1,000 in training. Mr Guinan said there was a net loss of personnel in the past year due to the failure to recognise the effect that the failure to restore premiums associated with undertaking additional hours is having on morale and retention. Meanwhile, PDForra is seeking affiliation with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. A review of the conciliation and arbitration process has concluded that discussions should take place between PDForra and the Department of Defence on how this could pan out. The review said there should not be a complete ban on such affiliation, but that Defence Forces members should not be allowed strike. Engineers pressed ahead with a controversial full junction closure process for an exit on the N20 Cork to Limerick road even though it appeared it was doomed politically, it has emerged. Documents released under Freedom of Information legislation also show that a decision was taken in August to proceed with the statutory process to extinguish the right of way at the Waterloo junction near Blarney even as a possible engineering compromise was being discussed. The closure process has sparked a campaign in communities on both sides of the N20 for the junction to be kept open and made safe. Today is the deadline for submissions from the public on the Section 73 public consultation process for possible extinguishment of the right of way there. It is understood that hundreds of submissions opposing full closure have been made. But the council has told local residents that the junction could remain closed until February as the process unfolds. The Waterloo Access Group which is campaigning for the reopening is planning to protest outside a full meeting of the county council next Monday. A spokesperson said they are also consulting with their local representatives before deciding on what to do next. The Waterloo junction was closed during the summer to facilitate upgrades along the N20. Residents understood it would be a temporary closure but they reacted angrily when it emerged that full closure was on the cards. The council confirmed that a safety audit ordered after a number of serious crashes at the junction, including a double fatality last year involving two US tourists, recommended full closure. The audit found that many of the accidents involved southbound tourists and hire cars making a sat-nav-directed right turn to Blarney. The FoI documents show how senior roads engineers were discussing the local and political opposition to full closure in mid-August even as a compromise left in/ left out only traffic arrangement was being discussed. One email reads: It appears that there is widespread opposition building to the proposal to close Waterloo junction. So much so that it would appear that the proposal is doomed politically extinguishment of right of way requires approval of the Municipal District Committee. I suppose we should still go ahead with the process even if it is likely to be rejected. Another internal email five days later also shows how queries from residents about the validity of the temporary road closure notice, published on August 8, was deemed by a council roads engineer to not be sufficiently clear to inform the public as to the length or duration of the road closure. Residents also believe that the entire debacle means that a 60kph speed limit roadworks-related speed limit on the N20 at this location will have to remain until the matter is resolved. City Hall is still trying to engage with the occupants of tents on a Cork city quay in the hope of avoiding confrontation. However, officials have warned that the time for talking is running out and that other options may have to be considered soon to deal with the ongoing occupation of and encampment on St Patricks Quay. The comments yesterday came three weeks after Cork City Council issued legal notices under Section 19 of the Roads Act requiring the removal of the tents, and a day after a tent found floating in the River Lee sparked an emergency response. On September 10, the occupants of what was at the time almost eight tents were warned that they had to immediately remove their temporary dwellings or face possible prosecution. They were also told that they could be held liable for the costs associated with the removal and storage of the tents. Following intense engagement since, just four tents were on the quayside over the weekend, including the large white marquee-style structure occupied by the man known as Mr No Name. The Irish Examiner has learned that two people who were living on the quayside took up the offer of B&B accommodation and another has been placed in a hostel. However, an emergency response was launched just after 6pm on Sunday when a tent and some personal belongings were spotted floating in the river nearby. Emergency services responded and confirmed that there was no-one in the tent. Former lord mayor Des Cahill said yesterday that he was made aware of a violent row between a man and a woman near the tents earlier on Sunday. It got very serious he said. The gardai arrived and that obviously happened prior to the tent being in the water. A garda spokesman said that there is no record of any public order incident on the quayside on Sunday, It is not clear last night if this alleged incident was connected to the discovery of the tent in the river. There are now just two tents left on the quay. Mr Cahill, who led calls during the summer for the tents to be classed as litter and removed, said he was thankful that no-one was injured during the alleged row. However, he said the discovery of a tent in the water highlights the dangers of the occupation of the quayside. And he said it is encouraging that some of the people have engaged with other housing agencies and the man in the white tent had indicated some months ago his willingness to relocate. I have always said they (the other agencies) are available and that there is space available. Theyve gone to where we are already providing space and thats what I asked for in the first place. There is no need for tents on a quay, he said. By Ann O'Loughlin A High Court judge has referred a case where a bank-appointed receiver obtained orders giving them vacant possession of a property that had been occupied by a couple and their two year old child to the Law Society of Ireland for investigation. In a judgment, Mr Justice Tony O Connor made the referral after the court was told that "a solicitor" had given advice to the couple and the property's owner, who had opposed the bank and the receiver's application for possession. The judge made the referral after he granted orders against couple David Lawlor and Charles Somers who had been living at the property since July, and the property's owner Mr Peter Doyle. All three defendants attended at court and had opposed the orders in respect of a house located at Kildawn Lower, Redshire Road, Murrintown, Co Wexford. The Judge said he was "troubled" by the contents of affidavits sworn by Mr Doyle and Ms Somers in defence of the injunction application. Those documents contained "various points of law that were irrelevant to the situation," the Judge said, adding that the couple was not entitled to be on the premises, and were trespassers. In particular, the couple, who the judge said were "vulnerable people" with a young child, had been "sold a pup." In his ruling, the judge found that Start Mortgages DAC and Mr John Coulston were entitled injunctions including ones giving them vacant possession of the property. Represented by Stephen Brady Bl Start Mortgages DAC and receiver John Coulston said the couple had no right to be on the premises and Mr Doyle's claim the property could not be sold, as it had been placed into a private trust, were without merit. Start claimed it mortgaged the property to Mr Doyle in 2007 for 281,000. Mr Doyle it is claimed defaulted on the mortgage, with more than 42,000 in arrears, and Mr Coulston was appointed as receiver. The property, which was left vacant for some time was put up for sale. Start and the receiver claim that Ms Somers and Mr Lawlor took up residence at the house in July. When agents of the bank said they were informed by the occupants that they had a lease with Mr Doyle. Mr Doyle, who the court heard told the bank he was living in the UK, informed Start he was not consenting to a sale and that the property had been placed in "Private Contract Trust", and could not be sold. Start and the receiver said they never consented to any such assignment, which counsel said was invalid and at odds with the mortgage agreement. Similar arguments had been made in past cases, which had been rejected by the courts, counsel said. There was no valid lease in place and the couple were trespassers on the property, counsel said. In his judgment, Mr Justice O'Connor said he noted with concern Mr Doyle's evidence to the court that he had consulted with a Mr Charles Allen from Carlow, who he described as being "a solicitor" and who was apparently paid money by Mr Doyle for his advice. In the circumstances, the judge said he wanted the case referred to the Law Society of Ireland which is the regulatory body for such matters, for investigation. Mr Charles Allen had previously been the subject of court proceedings concerning properties that had allegedly been assigned to so-called private trusts, the Judge said. The judge in granting the injunction said the couple had 14 days to vacate the property. 1st October, 2018 Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore has been honored as the Best Serviced Residence in Asia-Pacific at the 2018 Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards and Best Serviced Residence (Property Level) at the 29th Annual TTG Travel Awards 2018 respectively. These prestigious awards were announced on the 13th of September, 2018 at an exclusive presentation luncheon at the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong. The double acknowledgment of excellence from the two prestigious regional travel awards organizations came within the propertys first full year of operation, cementing its status as a leader in the Asian serviced-residence industry. Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore was ranked highest among long-time contenders by frequent business travelers as a premier residence due to its product and service excellence. Oakwood offers travelers a broad range of accommodation options from apartments with luxurious style and full amenities to sensible accommodations with modern essentials To every success story, there is a background work that made all of that glory possible. The spotless service rendered by Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore had the background support of Oakwoods global music styling and scent marketing partner, Equal Strategy. Throughout the property, the music spoke to the souls and heartbeats of travelers, visitor, and contributors, that visited Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore. Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore General Manager Roy Liang said it all It is truly an honor for us to receive such unanimous acknowledgment from the industry, especially so soon after our official launch. My team and I will continue to keep up the good work and strive to deliver the best of experiences and product offerings to our guests and business partners. Simon Faure-Field, CEO of Equal Strategy commented The team at Oakwood Premier OUE Singapore has worked hard to deliver a fantastic experience to guests in todays competitive landscape. A hotelier who does not pay attention to the sounds which permeate a given space is wasting one of the most powerful branding tools available to them. Mr. Faure-Field is the only consultant in the Asia Pacific specializing in combining music with fragrance to synergize a consistent brand experience for customers. His work is solidly grounded in behavioral science research and branding, draws extensively upon the finds of researchers in the field of effects of background music and atmosphere in hospitality, gaming, and retail environments for the past twenty years in Asia. Faure-Fields consulting company, Equal Strategy has also worked extensively with major hotel chains like Westin, Starwood, and Pan Pacific on similar spatial branding solutions. The company is the only one of its kind in the Asia region advising forward-thinking hoteliers on the deployment of sensory brand techniques. For more information about the company behind the sensational music at Oakwood Premier, please visit https://www.equalstrategy.com About Oakwood Asia Pacific Ltd Oakwood Asia Pacific Ltd is a member of Oakwood Worldwide, both of which are wholly owned by Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd. Operating an award-winning portfolio of 34 Oakwood branded properties in 19 cities across 11 countries in Asia, with ongoing developments in strategic locations across the region, the Oakwood brand in Asia offers five products: Oakwood Premier, Oakwood Apartments, Oakwood Residence, Oakwood Studios, and Oakwood Suites, each designed for a different lifestyle. Oakwood Premier caters to travelers who seek luxury and style, combining impressive apartments with amenities and services of luxury hotels. Oakwood Apartments provides value-for-money accommodation with modern essentials located in the heart of the city for independent travelers whilst Oakwood Residence offers spacious and elegant apartments that capture all the comforts of home for relocating families and travelers. Catering to global nomads, Oakwood Studios adds a new dimension to urban city stays, offering curated spaces for creators. For jet-setters and senior executives seeking respite, Oakwood Suites offers comfort in a private and exclusive environment, allowing guests to rejuvenate with their every need attended to. For more information about Oakwood Asia Pacific Ltd and its award-winning properties and locations, please visit OakwoodAsia.com About Oakwood Worldwide Oakwood Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mapletree Investments, is the premier provider of furnished and serviced apartment solutions through its well-known brands, Oakwood, ExecuStay and Insurance Housing Solutions. With a presence in all 50 United States and more than 95 countries, the award-winning company provides move-in-ready furnished accommodations to meet the needs of global organizations, individual business travelers, insurance clients and leisure travelers alike. Oakwood Worldwide was founded in and continues to base its corporate headquarters in Los Angeles and operates regional headquarters in London, Phoenix, and Singapore. For more information, please visit OakwoodWorldwide.com About Equal Strategy Equal Strategy delivers music, fragrance and recorded telephone messages to luxury and affluent brands in a scientific way that enhances the overall customer experience of the brand and causes the customer to stay longer and buy more! Equal Strategy is the only company in Asia that specializes in deploying music and fragrance solutions to business where the two senses are stimulated in synergy with each other. Sound and smell deliver stimuli directly to the memory centers of the brain, influencing behavior and creating suggestion at both the conscious and unconscious levels. Decades of behavioral research into the habits of consumers has found that consumer arousal can be either stimulated or suppressed through the use of mood settings like music and fragrance. For more inquiries visit https://www.equalstrategy.com Media Contact Company Name: Equal Strategy Contact Person: Alexander Forbes-Mitchell Email: Send Email Phone: +65 96957799 Country: Malaysia Website: https://www.equalstrategy.com Two members of the board of governors of a groundbreaking perinatal research centre quit following a decision by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) not to award it funding. British biochemist Douglas Kell, a professor of Bioanalytical Sciences in the School of Chemistry at the University of Manchester, resigned from the board of governors of University College Corks Infant research centre last August. He said he had followed in the footsteps of board chair Ruth Barrington, who had resigned a couple of weeks previously. Prof Kell said he quit in protest at an utter lack of transparency around the SFI funding process and at UCCs failure to appeal the SFI decision. UCC should have been prioritising Infant and for some reason declined to do so, he said. The Irish Examiner asked UCC why it had not appealed the decision but its response did not address this query. It said support from SFI for the centre has, to date, been a significant catalyst for major growth and development. The Infant centre was among seven SFI research centres established in 2013 that secured a six-year term of funding and the only one of the seven whose application for a second term of funding was unsuccessful. Last month, Infants impressive scientific contribution to the world of science was honoured in a commemorative stamp by An Post. Infant co-founders, consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist Louise Kenny and Geraldine Boylan, UCC professor of Neonatal Physiology, winners in 2015 of SFIs Joint Researchers of the Year Award, said they were extremely disappointed with the SFI decision. Prof Kenny, adjunct professor at Infant, said she believed it was political. To pretend its about the science is insulting and damaging to the Infant centre, she said. Prof Boylan said they were the smallest of the centres to apply for funding and the only one working in women and childrens health so we are not going to have the same output and deliverables. SFI director general Mark Ferguson said the Infant application involved 26m in funding and the decision not to award it was not about the work they have done, we are not questioning that at all but followed an assessment of their latest funding proposal. By Ann OLoughlin Millionaire businessman Dr Michael Smurfit is no longer required to attend at the Four Courts to give evidence in the case of a former K Club manager who has sued alleging he was threatened at Punchestown Races. High Court Judge Mr Justice Anthony Barr today discharged a subpoena which had been issued last July requiring the businessman, who lives in Monaco, to attend the case. The move came after counsel for former K Club manager Peter Curran confirmed to the court that Mr Smurfit was no longer on their list of witnesses to call in the ongoing case. Maura McNally SC confirmed to the court what was in correspondence between the parties that Mr Smurfit was not now going to be called by the Curran side. Mr Justice Barr said the court had expected an application to be made by Mr Smurfits side for Mr Smurfit to give evidence by video link from Monaco, but that was not now the case. The judge discharged the subpoena issued last July. After the subpoena had been issued Dr Smurfit had, because of a hip operation, been excused from attending the High Court last July and the matter had been adjourned to this week. Last July, a medical certificate was handed into court from Dr Smurfits doctor in Monaco, where the 82-year-old was recovering from a hip replacement operation and doctors believed he would not be mobile until the end of August. It also stated a complication arose when Dr Smurfits femur fractured and he required further surgery. Today is the tenth day of the action taken by former K Club catering manager Peter Curran who has sued Dr Smurfit along with the exclusive five star K Club resort and a resort Superintendent, Gerry Byrne. Peter Curran of Cahirciveen, Co Kerry, has claimed on May 7, 2011, his way was blocked in the toilets at Punchestown Races and Mr Gerry Byrne allegedly said "Dr Smurfit has not forgotten the statements about him and the call girls. Dr Smurfit knows where to find you and this is not over." The defendants have denied all claims. Mr Curran was catering manager at the K Club between September 1997 and October 1998 when he claims he was forced to leave and later brought an unfair dismissal case which was settled in March 1999. Mr Curran later brought High Court proceedings claiming alleged breach to his constitutional right to his good name and to earn a livelihood. During the run-up to that case, in replies to written questions and particulars relating to alleged financial irregularities he had allegedly uncovered at the K Club, Mr Curran made reference to call girls, sometimes sourced abroad, were given free use of the hotel facilities at the K Club. Those High Court proceedings were settled in 2008 and it is claimed it was an implied term of the agreement Mr Curran would not be threatened, harassed or intimidated in any manner. The case before Mr Justice Anthony Barr continues. People are travelling by train from Cork, Galway, and Belfast to buy crack cocaine in the west Dublin suburb of Clondalkin, according to a harm-reduction campaign. The Clondalkin Drugs and Alcohol Task Force, along with two local projects, teamed up with gardai and Irish Rail to set up the Safe Campaign. The campaign followed the emergence of a significant increase in anti-social behaviour, public drug use, and drug litter at Clondalkin train station. Gardai and Irish Rail spotted the trend and noticed that there was a rise in people not from the Clondalkin area using the train and getting off at the Fonthill Road station. Gardai learned that people were travelling from the Midlands and Kildare to source drugs, particularly crack cocaine. Tara Deacy, prevention officer at the taskforce, said that through the work of Inspector Liam Casey, Clondalkin Tus Nua, and Clondalkin Addiction Support Programme became involved and set up an outreach service at the station. There was an increasing number of people walking around the area and no one knew them, and we would generally know people, and they were getting into difficulty, said Ms Deacy. They were coming here to buy drugs and had no history of engagement with drug services. The bottom line with the campaign is about saving peoples lives. Paul Keegan of Clondalkin Tus Nua said they set up an initiative last January and have since had 208 engagements. Of these, 191 availed of their needle and syringe backpack and crack pipe distribution programme and 89 new service users were identified. The service users who engage with us are spread out all across the country, Mr Keegan told the launch of the Safe Campaign yesterday. We have had people coming from Cork, Limerick, Galway, Laois, Kildare, and Northern Ireland. He said most 60% to 65% of the clients are female. Sharon Harty of the Clondalkin Addiction Support Programme said they engage with the people at the station and provide information on their services. She said some are from the north inner city and travel out because of the high Garda presence due to the Kinahan-Hutch feud. Ms Deacy praised the progressive approach of Insp Casey and chief superintendent Finbarr Murphy. The South West Regional DATF, Ana Liffey Drug Project, South Dublin County Council, and HSE Addiction Outreach Team have also joined the campaign, formally launched yesterday by local Fine Gael TD Frances Fitzgerald. Ann O'loughlin Protesters have not complied with orders directing them to vacate and end their occupation of a building in Dublin's north inner city, the High Court has been told. Last month the court granted the owners of 41 Belvedere Place, Dublin 1, MJH Property Management an injunction compelling persons unknown to immediately vacate and cease their unlawful trespass on the property. The owners say the occupation of the vacant premises commenced on September 8 last, when several persons linked to the "Take Back the City" campaign who have been highlighting the current housing crisis forcibly entered the property. The owners in seeking the injunction told the court the building is unsuitable for what they say is an illegal occupation, and is not safe. The owners have plans to develop the property into apartments. Today at the High Court, Padraig D Lyons BL for MJH Property Management told Mr Justice Tony O'Connor that despite the injunction being granted, the occupiers remain in the building. Counsel said that his client was "taking steps" to address the situation. There were no representations made to the court by or behalf of any of the occupants when the case was called by the court registrar. The Judge agreed to adjourn the matter for two weeks. Previously the court heard that the owner is a UK-based property letting and management business that acquired 41 Belvedere Place in 2016. It plans to develop the four-storey over basement Georgian building, which is a protected structure into apartments for either sale or letting. To prepare for these works it needs access to the building, which it says it is prevented from doing due to the occupation. In its current situation, where persons are in continuous illegal occupation, the building is not compliant with fire safety regulations, it is claimed. Mr Lyons previously told the court that unless the occupation ends its insurance for the building will be rescinded. The owners claim the occupation is part of the "Take Back the City" campaign. The occupation it adds has featured on a website of a group called the Workers Solidarity Movement, which describes itself as an anarchist organisation. 41 Belvedere Place is the third north inner city premises, after properties in Summerhill and North Frederick Street, to be occupied by the protesters. All of the properties become the centre of High Court proceedings where orders were granted in favour of the various owners requiring the occupiers to leave and vacate the properties. The properties in Summerhill were vacated without incident. However, the removal of the protesters from Frederick Street by security men in the presence of the gardai proved highly controversial. A legal challenge is among the options being considered by residents in the wake of a Bord Pleanala decision to grant planning for apartments on the site of a former Magdalene laundry in Cork city. An action group in the Sundays Well area leading opposition to the housing plan at the former Good Shepherd Convent plans to meet with local elected public representatives this week to discuss concerns about the planning appeals boards decision to sanction the controversial housing plan. The group is also planning a public meeting on the issue next week. To say we are disappointed and angered is to put it mildly, said a spokesperson for the group. The group said it has noted a number of issues in the Bord inspectors report and has asked local residents to review the report which will be discussed at the public meeting next week. But it said the deadline for the submission of any judicial review proceedings relating to the Bords decision is November 14. We are exploring our options as to what, if any, further action can be taken. We have noted some factual inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the report which may allow for some challenge, said the spokesman. Moneda Developments Limited, a Dundalk-based company, was granted planning permission by Cork City Council last year for 182 apartments on the site of the former Good Shepherd Convent. The council noted the significant social, architectural and conservation importance and sensitivity of the site and directed that archaeological excavations take place before any development occurs. The councils decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala which recently upheld the councils decision, sanctioning 182 apartments and 20 houses on the former convent site. The action group says when the mix of beds per apartment is taken into account, it could lead to an occupancy of up to 900 people. Traffic, environmental, and privacy issues were all deemed not to have any impact on the community here and were dismissed, said the spokesman. The eight-acre site, which lies between Sundays Well and Blarney St, was sold by the Good Shepherd Sisters to UCC in 1995. Since then it has had a number of owners. The buildings were badly damaged over the years by fire. At the height of the boom, it was sold for more than 20m. The Magdalene grave at the site contains the names of just 30 women who died between 1882 and 1973. The public meeting on the planning appeals board decision will take place at the Strawberry Hill Community Centre at 7.30pm on October 11. By Ann O'Loughlin Sean Dunne must pay 7,000 monthly to his Irish bankruptcy trustee to increase the assets available for his creditors, the High Court has ruled. From limited information available to official assignee Chris Lehane, including credit card statements, it appears Mr Dunne's normal personal expenses are being paid other than from Mr Dunne's salary of US$120,000 from his employer Mountbrook USA and 12,000 per year from another company, Amrakbo, Ms Justice Caroline Costello said. Mr Dunne had said in sworn statements to the court his income is fully expended on legal expenses and he is "not in a position yet to contribute towards the cost of looking after my family". Mr Lehane has been unable properly to assess Mr Dunne's income and assets for the purpose of assessing his ability to make payments for his creditors' benefit, or the appropriate level of such payments, the judge said. Mr Lehane was also unable to establish what, if any, reasonable living expense are discharged by Mr Dunne relating to his own expenses and those of his dependants. While the court was required to have regard to his reasonable living expenses, it has no evidence as to what these are and Mr Dunne had in effect stated they "are zero", she said. On the other hand, evidence was provided of what might be described as "lavish or luxury" expenditure by Mr Dunne, although those may be discharged by his wife or his employer Mountbrook USA, a company controlled by his wife. The expenses included hotels, restaurants and travel expenses in Ireland, England, South Africa and the US some of which might be paid by an employer, she said. They also included "expensive items of personal clothing one would normally expect to pay for personally". She was satisfied she had jurisdiction to make a bankruptcy payment order and rejected Mr Dunne's arguments otherwise. She was making the order on the basis the information before the court is "limited and incomplete". This was because Mr Dunne had failed to provide the necessary information and, if either side could provide further information, the payment order may be increased or reduced, she said. In particular, she had no information about the tax liability which may attach to the salary paid to Mr Dunne from Mountbrook USA, she noted. Pending further order, she directed Mr Dunne to pay 7,000 monthly, beginning from September 25th 2018 and ending on May 25th 2021. Mr Dunne has said he intends to appeal the judge's decision. Appointment of Joint Company Secretary Sydney, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Limited ( ASX:HAS ) is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced corporate mining professional Neil Hackett as Joint Company Secretary from 1 October 2018. Neil Hackett has over 20 years of company secretarial, compliance and company directorship experience, including 10 years with the ASIC and eight years as an ASX 200 listed company secretary.Neil is currently Non-executive Chairman, Non-executive Director and Company Secretary of three ASX listed entities and Company Secretary of one large private entity. Neil holds a Bachelor of Economics (UWA), is a Fellow of FINSIA, and is a Graduate and Facilitator with the Australian Institute of Company Directors.About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent Special schools want training for teachers and other staff on the physical restraint of pupils. The National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) said it understands concerns expressed by parents and children in a document published last week about improper use of restraint and seclusion in schools. The Inclusion Ireland report highlighted 14 cases in which parents said their children with disabilities were injured or traumatised from being physically restrained by staff or secluded in unsuitable rooms without supervision. Inclusion Ireland said that there have been long delays by the Department of Education in the production of guidelines for schools. Last week, the department said it had been working for the past year on guidelines, which it expects to publish by next summer. The guidelines would help with the correct response when a student poses a threat of harm to themselves or to others. We are advised that the... guidelines [are being] designed to provide more comprehensive guidance on how this very complex aspect of our education system can be managed, said Breda Corr, general secretary of NABMSE, which represents 200 special schools and mainstream primary schools that have pupils who have special educational needs. We would welcome the early publication of these guidelines and the provision of related training for all school staff involved in this field, she said. Ms Corr said their first concern is always for their students, but that there is immense dedication and commitment, among individual principals and teachers, in providing care and education for students who present with various and ongoing challenges. The department said the guidelines will make clear that restraint and seclusion of pupils are never for the purposes of discipline, should be applied proportionately, and should only last as long as necessary to de-escalate a situation. The proper recording of such incidents, and how they are managed, will be emphasised to schools. However, the department said schools already have guidance, which advises them that restraint, or other specialised behaviour-management strategies, should not be used without expert advice, training, and monitoring. The schools have also been told that it is inappropriate to leave students unsupervised as a sanctionary measure. A husband or wife who kills their spouse will be unable to benefit financially from selling the family home under strict new laws set to be introduced by the Government. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan will outline the planned new rules in response to the Law Reform Commissions recommendations as a result of a high-profile case earlier this decade. In a weekly cabinet meeting, Mr Flanagan will say anyone involved in the killing of their spouse must be blocked from making money from what happened. Citing the December 2008 killing of Celine Cawley by her husband Eamon Lillis, Mr Flanagan will tell ministerial colleagues that a repeat of the situation cannot be allowed. Under the existing 1965 Succession Act, a spouse involved in the killing of their husband or wife cannot inherit any part of their estate due to what happened. However, when the convicted person has held a joint tenancy, they automatically become the surviving joint owner of the property. In a 2011 High Court case, Mr Lillis was blocked from receiving all of the funds from the sale after a judge ruled Ms Cawleys share must be held on trust for their daughter Georgia. And, in a bid to shore up the legal situation, Mr Flanagan will today table the Civil Liability (prevention of benefits from homicide) bill at cabinet, saying any ongoing questions over similar cases must be definitively answered. The bill, which was initially put forward by Fianna Fail justice spokesperson Jim OCallaghan, will seek to ensure that anyone convicted of killing their spouse will be blocked from benefiting from the total proceeds from any sale of property. In addition, it will extend the initial Fianna Fail bill to include people who were involved in the finding a third party to physically perform the offence an issue the Law Reform Commission rejected but which both Mr Flanagan and attorney general Seamus Woulfe believe is necessary. Todays cabinet meeting will also see ministers discuss potentially scrapping Irelands summer time-winter time system, Health Minister Simon Harris formally table the proposed post-Eighth Amendment referendum abortion laws and Communications Minister Denis Naughten raise the Broadcasting Authority of Irelands concerns over RTEs dwindling finances. However, for the second week running, sources said the Governments long-flagged Airbnb restrictions will not be put forward amid internal ministerial row claims. Insolvency experts are warning that mortgage arrears are still leading some homeowners to thoughts of suicide as the level of insurmountable household debt remains stubbornly high. The Association of Personal Insolvency Practitioners (APIP) also says the ongoing problem of mortgage arrears is going to exacerbate the homelessness crisis as lenders lose patience and push for repossession. Eugene McDarby, APIP chairman, said the crisis is clear to the 80-plus PIPs operating across the country. In the past week alone, I have met three clients who have admitted to giving consideration to taking their own lives, he said. To wake up every morning knowing that you are in danger of losing your home would take its toll on the most mentally tough person. Long-term arrears account for almost half of mortgage arrears in Ireland, meaning there are thousands nationwide behind on their payments for two years or more. This leaves Ireland continually teetering on the brink of an even worse homelessness crisis than we already have on our hands. Most recent Central Bank figures show that almost one in every 11 residential mortgages representing 66,479 households was in arrears at the end of June this year. While that figure is falling gradually, the problem of long-term arrears persists with 26,237 of those households in arrears for more than two years. The longer the arrears continue, the bigger they grow and the less likely they are of ever being cleared, leaving repossession likely if the situation is not addressed head-on. A total of 566 homes were repossessed in the year to June. Thats the unfortunate reality of Ireland in 2018, a reality which increased national economic prosperity cant and shouldnt brush under the carpet, said Mr McDarby. Under the States various insolvency schemes, householders with unmanageable mortgage arrears and other debts can seek protection from their creditors, work towards manageable repayments and have some debts written off, with the aim of enabling them to stay in their home. Latest figures from the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) show that since the schemes were established in 2014, arrangements to settle debts and/or allow people remain in their home had been reached in 4,672 cases. However, Mr McDarby said the schemes could be helping more. In some cases, people are suffering needlessly because they are scared to engage with the banks, preferring to bury their heads in the sand and hope their problems go away, which they inevitably dont, he said. Our advice is the same as it has always been engage with the banks as soon as possible. You have nothing to fear and you can access the services of a personal insolvency practitioner for free through the Abhaile scheme. Once you engage, productive discussions can take place. - The Abhaile scheme, run by MABS, the States Money Advice and Budgeting Service, can provide access to 80 PIPs around the country for free consultations. Further details can be had from MABS on keepingyourhome.ie, or from the ISI on backontrack.ie Ailbhe Griffith stars in a new film on her own real-life experience about arranging a meeting with the man who had assaulted her, writes Esther McCarthy Many survivors of serious crime would be frightened and overwhelmed at the prospect of meeting their attacker, but for one woman, doing so felt important and essential. And so, nine years after she was attacked, violently sexually assaulted and left fearing for her life, Ailbhe Griffith sat across a table in a modest meeting room from the man who so brutally harmed her, supported by mediators for both sides, seeking answers and closure. Though the man had been successfully convicted and served a lengthy sentence for his crime, Ailbhe felt she would have much to gain from the process, known as restorative justice. I suppose there were a couple of things I really wanted to get out of the meeting, she tells me. There were elements around forgiveness. I wanted to encounter the person that I knew he intellectually was, and to basically be able to see something human in him in order to be able to forgive him. That was all about being able to let go of my own feelings of anger and negativity that Id carried on. But another part of it which is also an important part is the empowerment factor. I had never had that opportunity to confront this person until this meeting. Even from the point that this process kicked off, that he was informed that I wanted to meet him, that most definitely started to enable me to feel somewhat empowered again, because I knew that he knew that I was prepared to meet him. Even from the initial contact it was helpful in that way. But once I came out of that meeting it was entirely transformative, because not only was I able to genuinely let go of the anger, because I could see the person, but it was also deeply, deeply empowering. I was able to get exactly what I wanted on that basis. Ailbhe was returning home from work on the evening that she was attacked, on a walk from the bus stop to her home that takes just four minutes. As well as her significant injuries, she suffered severe trauma as she endeavoured to move forward with her life. It was the initial years that were obviously the most impacted. For the first two years or so I would have had post-traumatic stress, would have been in a depressive state, struggled with eating disorders. Then as time went on I kind of managed to in some way piece my life back together and really just try to move forward as best I could. But definitely there were still bouts where those things would come back to me. I would either feel the anger again, or the sadness, and to be honest they were probably two sides of the same coin in some ways. NAGGING FEELING As the years went on, she felt a building, nagging requirement to meet the man who harmed her. I continued to struggle. It wasnt probably as transparent externally, but I knew it was still there, because I knew I kept thinking about confronting him when these situations would come up for me. I had moved away for a period and then I moved back to Ireland, and as soon as I came back, it was clear it was all still there waiting for me. In some senses being away helps you to push it to the back of your mind, rather than forget about it. When I came back, all the places that reminded me of it were still there. Id walk by them very frequently. It was still present. It was this preoccupation that wouldnt have been visible to anyone externally, but it was with me. It was still there. When her assailant was released from prison years later, Ailbhe set about exploring the idea of meeting him. It was her sister who first told her about Dr Marie Keenan of UCD, who carried out work in the area of restorative justice. Periodically I would discuss these feelings of wanting to meet this individual with people close to me. It was one day that I was speaking to my sister, and she just happened to mention that shed attended a course of Marie Keenans. She saw a documentary on a woman who had engaged in the process. Within the first meeting with Marie we had decided to pursue that course of action. In an extraordinary move, Ailbhe is now starring in a drama called The Meeting, in which she takes on her first acting role. She plays a woman who meets the man who attacked her in Alan Gilsenans powerful film, which plays out in real time and is closely inspired by Ailbhes own experiences. Gilsenan, who had met Ailbhe several times in researching the film, had considered other actors to play her before asking her whether she would be interested in taking on the role. RESTORATIVE JUSTICE Irish actor Terry ONeill plays the male lead in what is a truly unique drama from the director of Meetings With Ivor. When he originally asked me, I took a day or two to confirm, she says. But I suppose my own gut instinct on the matter was, I felt what I could contribute was, that I could definitely make it as authentic as it could possibly be, it being a piece of drama but at the same time, us wanting to really bring the power of restorative justice home. I felt that if I could bring that authenticity to whats being said, and avoid stereotypes and people making assumptions about how a person would be in that scenario, that I could do restorative justice a service. Filming took place over a one-week period in Ardmore Studios, and Ailbhe said she enjoyed and was fascinated by the experience of the filmmaking process. Her great hope is that it will create awareness of restorative justice and how the process can benefit some people. Thats really why I did it its a film to display the power of restorative justice, so that people are aware, informed and can then make their own informed decision whether its right for them. She still vividly remembers the feelings of happiness and liberation she experienced after her real-life meeting took place. Once I walked out of that room I immediately felt physically lighter. I also was smiling a lot, I couldnt stop smiling, and for me it was like a dark cloud having lifted. I felt at a very core place, very deeply healed. And also, not afraid, empowered again. For me it was that dramatic. I know other people have different levels of experience with such a process but for me it was that transformative. The Meeting is now in cinemas. A special screening will take place in Gate Cork tonight (Tuesday October 2) at 7pm with Q&A afterwards with director Alan Gilsenan and cast members Ailbhe Griffith and Kevin McCormack. With her role in The Wife being talked up as Oscar material, Glenn Close discusses MeToo, the red carpet, and her long career, writes Georgia Humphreys Six: Thats how many times Glenn Close has missed out on winning an Oscar. But maybe with The Wife, based on the novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer, the Connecticut-born actress will finally get the recognition she deserves. The drama, directed by Bjorn Runge, sees a captivating Close, 71, play Joan, the apparently perfect wife of a great American novelist. Its notable how much Hollywood, and the world, has changed since the film was first shown at the Toronto Film Festival last September, what with the allegations against Harvey Weinstein and the Me Too movement that has followed. Initially, I think we represented why Me Too was necessary, because it took 14 years for a movie called The Wife to be made, written by two women, and produced by women, says Close, whose first silver screen role was 1982 comedy-drama, The World According To Garp. But now, it represents what I hope will be many more projects in the future. The Wife follows the couple as they travel to Stockholm, where the self-effacing Joan dutifully stands by Joe (Jonathan Pryce) as hes awarded the Nobel Prize. Through telling flashbacks, we see how ambitious young Joan (played by Closes own daughter, 30-year-old Annie Starke) was, before she became a hardened wife with a measured exterior. Close has been applauded not only for the incredible stillness in the role, but also her portrayal of Joan losing control of her emotions, as she starts to question her life choices. How does she feel about people calling the performance a career high? I am astounded, she confides. This was another independent film that I did and it was a wonderful, wonderful process. I get great joy out of the process what happens afterwards, I have no control over. I pick stories very, very subjectively. They say that its the high of the career... what does that mean, its all downhill from now? Close is clearly proud of the role. At this point in my career, to have a high is fantastic. Many of Closes most memorable characters have been villainous: Cruella de Vil in 101 Dalmatians, bunny-boiler Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction, and a manipulative widow in Dangerous Liaisons. Asked what appeals to her when she reads a script, Close says: Ive played a number of women that people say, Shes just a bitch. Im interested in those kinds of characters because I feel that we all exist in a grey world we dont exist in a black-and-white world, though a lot of people like to make us think that we do. So its the grey areas, whats underneath, that creates the why of somebodys behaviour. That is fascinating to me. Back to the MeToo movement and the question of whether change is actually happening or whether its just a conversation about a change. I think its a heightened conversation... Things are happening in the courts, and that ultimately, on certain levels, is where permanent change comes. Whats really heartening to me is the level of awareness that the Me Too movement is creating, about what is not acceptable any more. It brings up a very, very complex set of questions about how you deal with behaviour. How do you compare someones behaviour with someone elses? What will become the norm, we dont know that yet, and if its the tipping point, I dont know. Weve had these points before where people hoped it was the tipping point. I think its an internal battle. She calls herself a quiet fighter, who doesnt feel comfortable getting up on a soap box, as such. Theres certain things that I think are important to show up for if you possibly can, says Close. I went door-to-door with my sister about a woman who was running for congressional out of Montana. Its a tricky situation when youre perceived as a celebrity and somehow people have tried to take your voice away because youre a celebrity and they try to say that everyone thinks a certain way. I got very disillusioned by politics, and now its hard to not continue that. I wasnt showing up for political things the way I did at one point, after my daughter was born. But its tremendously important. I just want to be totally authentic in however I express myself. Close certainly isnt keen on the term celebrity. In our country, theres a worship of them that is just so over the top, she says. I think Ive gotten my celebrity because Ive done work consistently over 42 years that people have been interested in. When I started, the red carpet was just something you walked over... When I look back at pictures of what I wore for the opening of The World According To Garp, it was my own clothes out of my closet. Its totally changed. Close remains wonderfully un-diva like today, solidified by her suggestion for what everyone should wear on the red carpet: Black pyjamas. Why not?! she exclaims. Be comfortable. Dont wear 5in heels and be in absolute screaming agony by the time youre at the end of the carpet. She likes to imagine there will be a time when she doesnt act there are other things shed like to do, like writing but she always gets seduced by stories. I love what I do. Im still very very intrigued and inspired. But I have to say, I have had very few times to just go on vacation. Its kind of pathetic. Regardless of what Close decides to do next, she agrees that the industry is less cruel than it used to be to older women. And she is embracing the ageing process. Im a very, very, very late bloomer, she says. So, Im having a very good time at this time in my life. Our first love is special. You still see those teenagers with a nervous giddiness waiting outside the school gate or hanging out in groups in the chippers or at the cinema ah, the innocence of it all. Then we grow up. Clearly, Joan Freeman was a more memorable teenage crush than most. Forty years later and her young love who conveniently for her became a multimillionaire has, out of the blue, stumped up 120,000 to help her achieve her dream of becoming President of Ireland. It almost seems as unbelievable as the emails we have all received from the African prince who wants to transfer his fortune into your bank account. Except in Ms Freemans case, the windfall is real. Des Walsh, now retired, was so successful he has a profile on Bloomberg which details his long list of business achievements from his time as president of Herbalife Nutrition Ltd and his five years as vice president of Supercomm, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company. And it reads like a fairytale. Its a really interesting story what happened, said Ms Freeman. The pair had dated when they were both youngsters but parted ways after less than a year when she was 19. Ms Freeman explained: Des went his way, I went my way. Seemingly what happened was Des moved to America, moved to I think Texas, and then moved to LA. And I was on The Late Late last January and someone sent Des a screenshot of me on The Late Late and said Is that your one Joan Freeman? After 40 years, he sent me an email, we spoke on the phone. And just like that, akin to a knight in shining armour riding in on horseback, Mr Walsh came to Ms Freemans assistance dishing out the cash required in her hour of need. Of course she couldnt have known all those years ago how things would pan out so perfectly. As she pointed out at her official campaign launch in Dublin yesterday, money is not top of the agenda for a teenager seeking out a boyfriend. Anybody here who has ever had a boyfriend of 40 years ago, the things you are interested in: What does he look like? What does he do? Is he married? etc so when I met with Des again I was looking at the person that I knew 40 years ago. It never occurred to Ms Freeman to ask where or how the Irish-American businessman had amassed such wealth. Herbalife, the company from which Mr Walsh stepped aside earlier this year, was investigated by the US Federal Trade Commission in 2016 based on accusations that it operated like a pyramid scheme. Although the company was cleared of the accusations, it paid $200m to settle complaints that it deceived people over the potential gains for selling its products. But Ms Freeman never really thought to ask. This was a man that I knew 40 years ago, as far as I was concerned the money was coming from his own personal wealth nothing to do with the company that he used to be CEO of. The Government says it takes fire safety very seriously. Reports in recent years have been lacking, however, with tragedies still a real possibility, writes Michael Clifford National Fire Safety Week was launched yesterday with a few bells and whistles. The Minister of State at the Department of Housing John Paul Phelan did the honours, demonstrating how seriously the Government takes fire safety. A number of fire officers from local authorities were in attendance to highlight the role of councils in preventing and tackling fire. Children from two schools were on hand to emphasise that those of even tender years must be vigilant about the dangers of fire. All very responsible stuff. Except beyond the sound of bells and whistles, major questions remain about how seriously this Government takes fire safety. In particular, there is a body of evidence that suggests the administration doesnt want to know whether homes built during the 2000s are safe from the threat of fire. Over the last few years, fire safety problems have been highlighted in up to 30 different housing or apartment schemes built during the years of the so-called Celtic Tiger. The high-profile ones have included Priory Hall in north Dublin in 2011, and Longboat Quay in the citys docklands in 2015, first reported in this newspaper. The exclusive Beacon South development in south Dublin was another example. In the most serious case, tragedy was averted in March 2015 when a terrace of six houses was burned to the ground in half an hour at Millfield Manor in Newbridge. There have been cases highlighted around the country, including in Clare, Waterford, Meath, and Louth. All of these have in common the discovery of major fire safety defects that require serious remedial work in order to make homes safe. Last week, at a meeting in Dublin for apartment owners, the issue of fire safety arose. The contributor, who didnt want to be identified publicly, is a homeowner in a complex where some serious fire defects have been uncovered. Theyre running for the hills, she said of her efforts to contact various public and political bodies. They dont want to know. Deirdre Ni Fhloinn, a barrister who specialises in construction law, told the meeting that investigations into fire safety defects in recent years have been very limited. They didnt deal with fire stopping in the task force report, she said, referencing the report ordered in this State following the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017. There are a substantial number of properties where fire stopping is a problem. Two reports commissioned by the Department of Housing (formerly Environment) in recent years have highlighted a lack of interest in accessing the real picture. In September 2015, then environment minister Alan Kelly ordered a report into the issues that arose from the Millfield Manor fire. In particular, the report was to deal with timber-frame construction around which questions had arisen in terms of both design and construction in relation to fire safety. The report was supposed to be completed in February 2016, but was eventually published in August 2017. It did not address any of the serious issues. Instead, it restated legislation and emphasised the importance of vigilance. At the time of publication, Kelly said that was not the report hed ordered. Following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, a taskforce was appointed by minister Eoghan Murphy to examine whether any issues arose here that could give rise to concerns of a similar outbreak. The result was a report that stated a few things needed to be strengthened, but largely there was nothing major to worry about. The survey in the report was confined to buildings over 18m tall and it is unclear the extent to which issues around fire stopping and construction defects were examined. What has not been commissioned is an extensive audit of all apartment buildings constructed during the boom years. The desirability for such a survey was referenced in 2014 by then taoiseach Enda Kenny. We have to stand up and confront the major deficiencies in the sector that tolerated poor standards through a weak regulatory and enforcement regime, he said. The following year, when Longboat Quay emerged, then minister Brendan Howlin was more specific. I think that every local authority should set about ensuring that theres a full audit of any apartments or buildings built during that period to assure the residents and all of us that things are safe and as they should be, he said. At local authority level, there has been an ad hoc approach to the matter. Three councils have publicly declared that they conducted an audit. The vast majority, it would appear, are taking a similar head-in-the-sand approach to the Government. That approach is informed by the chilling prospect that the problem is far more widespread than has already been uncovered. The complete absence of regulation in construction during the boom infers that there is a lot more bad stuff out there hidden behind walls. If the full picture were accessed, and the extent of remedial work fully costed, it could well become a hot political topic. The State scheme to recompense homeowners affected by pyrite has already cost in excess of 70m. It is entirely conceivable that any scheme that would have to be set up for homeowners with fire safety defects could easily exceed that figure. Any move in that direction would then open the way for recompense for all kinds of defects as a result of the complete lack of regulation during the time period in question. On the basis of the cost of Priory Hall for Dublin Clty Council estimated at 27m the cost to the exchequer could be enormous. Better to keep the head in the sand and hope nobody is going to end up dead as a result. At yesterdays launch, Minister John Paul Phelan emphasised the importance of fire alarms in maintaining safety. Of course he is correct. But the elephant in the room is still hanging around, still asking the same question. When will the Government attempt to find out how safe or unsafe the apartments are that were built during a time when regulation was a joke and standards a moveable feast? Prof Geraldine Boylan, co-founder and director of INFANT and Professor of Neurophysiology at UCC, says it is vital to continue research into maternal and child health Irelands only dedicated research centre spanning maternal and child health, INFANT, has been recognised internationally as a world-leading organisation that is responsible for a number of research breakthroughs and life-saving science for mothers and babies. We have made ground breaking discoveries in neonatal seizure detection, pre-eclampsia, neonatal brain injury, maternal nutrition, and childhood allergy. INFANT has been at the heart of perinatal research and innovation for more than five years. Funding from Science Foundation Ireland in 2013 was catalytic to the success of the INFANT Centre. Once established, it was quickly recognised as a global force for development in perinatal healthcare and research. Competitive research grants, collaboration requests and philanthropic funding from national and international sources supplemented the initial 6 million in start-up funding to grow to its 30 million portfolio today. This has been enabled by INFANTs ability to win funding from many sources including industry (more than 35 partners), international funding agencies (eg NIH, Horizon 2020 and Wellcome Trust) and other national funding agencies such as the Health Research Board and the National Childrens Research Centre. This success has delivered excellent science, excellent scientists and an outstanding team at INFANT. We are proud that this team has also delivered significant impact in its short life to date through the discoveries mentioned. Some of this work has been recently honoured by An Post through new stamps issues to recognize pioneering Irish scientific discoveries. Winning highly competitive international research awards and securing global partnerships with industry and academic researchers mean that in the last five years INFANT has developed from a small start-up into an internationally renowned centre with more than 100 staff, a dedicated paediatric clinical research unit, a world-leading biobank and health data hub. Improving the health outcomes of mothers and babies, and developing new ways to care and treat babies both in utero and in the newborn period, have proved to be compelling when it comes to INFANT winning research funding in the face of historical underfunding of this area. Over the last five years, the INFANT Centre has been a high performing SFI research centre and it will continue working in this important area. INFANT is maturing and has a new ambitious programme that will build on the investment and success to date. This will require even more diversity of funding than before but the centre is confident of realising the initial vision of building an Institute of Maternal and Child Health of scale, impact and international. For example, a number of new large-scale research programmes have been announced this Summer. INFANT is a lead partner in the Connect4Children network in Ireland, a European consortium developing paediatric clinical trials around the world which has one of the largest funding budgets (140 million) awarded through the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative 2. There is excellent paediatric research ongoing all over Ireland and the paediatric clinical trial infrastructure being built across Ireland will enable INFANT and its partners to access future funding to develop and test medicines specifically for children and infants. Up to now, children and infants generally receive smaller doses or a dilution of adult medicine rather than specifically designed treatments. One of INFANTs key goals is to support the use of innovative trial designs and new quantitative methods to foster the development of paediatric medicines and to support research in rare paediatric diseases and high medical need areas. INFANT is the only national research centre of scale working across the continuum of pregnant women, babies and young children. INFANT as a clinical and translational centre must combine basic and applied research on real unmet clinical needs with a drive to bring innovations and solutions to these clinical problems to the market. We do this by working with a wide range of stakeholders and funders clinicians, scientists, engineers, industry, government, funding agencies, donors and patients. We will continue to collaborate with these partners local, national and international. UCC is committed to ensuring that INFANT continues to grow, flourish and deliver on the tremendous impact it can bring to science and society. Ireland and Cork in particular has a unique competitive advantage for research and innovation in perinatal health. The INFANT Centre continues to be committed to scientific excellence and impactful research. We will continue to work directly with many funders, collaborators and philanthropists and their foundations on this lifesaving and life-changing work in the area of neonatal and maternal care. We look forward to the continued collaboration with families who are the cornerstone of this effort. As director, I am very proud to lead this important research centre. We are indebted to the wonderful families who take part in our research and I am very proud of the community of researchers and staff in INFANT who are so committed to making things better for mothers and babies around the world. The belief that Britain should have stood up to Hitler rather than appeasing him in 1938 was invoked a number of times in the following decades, writes Geoffrey Roberts. British prime minister Neville Chamberlain returned from meeting Adolf Hitler in Munich at the end of September 1938 waving the piece of paper which he famously claimed would secure peace with honour and peace for our time. Chamberlain critic Winston Churchill retorted: You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war. Churchill was right. Within six months, Chamberlains so-called peace was destroyed as Hitler went on the offensive and, within a year in September 1939 had invaded Poland. Before the Munich debacle, appeasement was accepted as an honourable policy in international politics pursuing peace through the achievement of reasonable compromises. But after the Munich deal with Hitler failed and the Second World War erupted, appeasement became synonymous with craven behaviour and political capitulation to amoral dictators. Chamberlains disastrous engagement with Hitler spawned what became known as the Munich analogy the idea that appeasement of dictators must always be wrong. It was widely believed that British and French leaders should have stood up to Hitler at the Munich conference since their surrender to Hitlers demands for the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia had served only to embolden and strengthen the Nazi dictator. The Hitler analogy then became the twin of the Munich analogy, whereby politicians deployed the rhetorical device of comparing any adversary with the Nazi dictator as justification for whatever extreme measures they wished to implement, including military action. Throughout the Cold War, the US defended its nuclear stand-off with the Soviet Union by constant references to the Hitler and Munich analogies. When the British, French, and Israelis occupied the Suez Canal in 1956, they claimed Egyptian leader Colonel Nasser was a new Hitler. President George W Bush compared Saddam Hussein to Hitler to justify his war against Iraq, while Syrias Bashar al-Assad and Russias Vladimir Putin have also been likened to the Nazi dictator by those urging western military intervention in Syria and Ukraine. Barack Obamas 2015 nuclear deal with Iran was denounced as appeasement by Republicans and was recently repudiated by his successor as US president, Donald Trump. Bashar al-Assad The problem with utilising such comparisons is that they gloss over the exceptional nature of Hitler and the Nazi regime. Hitler was set on a course of expansionism, war, and racial extermination. With Germany ruled by Hitler and the Nazis, a new world war was virtually inevitable. Hitler was a dictator who could not be appeased. But the same is not true for all dictators. Joseph Stalin and his successors as leader of the Soviet Union, for example, were accepting of appeasement, compromise, and mutually beneficial deals with their adversaries. Yet the spread of the Munich and Hitler analogies in international political discourse has undermined opportunities for negotiation by encouraging moral absolutism and posturing. Unrealisable demands and unrealistic expectations of the other have become the norm. In doing so, the pursuit of the perfect solution has become the enemy of the good resolution in international politics and any efforts by diplomats to negotiate settlement of difficult issues have become hampered by loud accusations of betrayal. Use of these analogies also oversimplifies the complex history that led to the betrayal of Czechoslovakia in 1938. With the carnage of 1914-18 still fresh in peoples minds, the British and French governments agreed at Munich to give Hitler the Sudetenland because they wanted to avert the slaughter of millions of people in a new world war. Chamberlains appeasement of Hitler at Munich was hugely popular at the time, though mostly because of relief that war had been averted. Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier, the French prime minister, were welcomed home from Munich as heroes. Chamberlain was celebrated as a peacemaker and received 20,000 supporting letters and telegrams. US president Franklin Roosevelt described Chamberlain as a good man, while Eamon de Valera hailed him as a knight of peace. The German public was equally effusive, although Hitler himself was not so pleased. He had been itching for an excuse to go to war and felt out-manoeuvred by Chamberlain. Appeasement of Hitler at Munich was the culmination of a long-term Anglo-French policy to avoid confrontation with Nazi Germany and to negotiate a settlement of German grievances against the supposedly-punitive peace terms imposed after the First World War. When Hitler repudiated restrictions on the size of Germanys armed forces, the British and French acquiesced. When Hitler remilitarised the Rhineland in March 1936, they protested but took no action. During the brutal Spanish Civil War, both Britain and France pursued a policy of non-intervention that allowed massive Nazi and Fascist support to flow to Francos military mutiny. Only the Soviet Union stood by Spains embattled Republican government. Then, when Hitler seized control of Austria in March 1938, London and Paris were not even prepared to discuss Soviet proposals for a united front against future German aggression. The Soviets characterised appeasement as a policy of concessions at the expense of other countries and accused the British and French of attempting to divert Hitlers malevolence into an anti-Bolshevik crusade. While both the British and French governments included a good number of staunch anti-communists they also had other motives for appeasement: Fear of all-out war, an over-estimation of Germanys military power, and the demands of defending their empires. Nazi Germany was not the only threat to the over-stretched British and French forces in the 1930s. They had to contend with the challenges of Imperial Japan and fascist Italy as well as many populist anti-colonial revolts in Asia and Africa. Appeasement seemed a sensible strategy to buy time until British and French rearmament could be completed. The Munich crisis was provoked by Hitlers demand that the Sudetenland the border areas of Czechoslovakia that contained the countrys 3m-strong German minority be transferred to German control. Czechoslovakia had defence pacts with both France and the Soviet Union, and the British were de facto allied with the French. In the belief that he could avert a major European war, Chamberlain three times flew to meet Hitler in September 1938 to plead for peace. The final capitulation came at the conference in Munich mediated by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Chamberlain and Daladiers decision to force the Czechoslovakians to concede the Sudetenland has often been defended on the grounds that Britain and France were not ready for war with Germany in 1938. But for all his bluster, it is doubtful that Hitler was ready for war either. Certainly, the Soviets believed he was bluffing and urged the great powers to stand by their commitments to Czechoslovakia, a small but defendable country with its own, not inconsiderable, armed forces. Moscows confrontational strategy carried with it the risk of war that neither the British nor French were prepared to take. The Soviet Union was excluded from the Munich conference, as was Czechoslovakia. Moscow condemned the agreement signed by Britain, France, Germany, and Italy on September 29, 1938, as a diktat that would allow Hitler to make further demands and carry out more acts of aggression. The Soviets were right. In March 1939 Hitler reneged on his promise to leave Czechoslovakia alone after the Sudetenland was detached and German troops marched to occupy Prague, the countrys capital. Britain and France consequently lost faith in their appeasement policies and instead embraced the idea of an alliance with the Soviet Union in an effort to contain Hitler and his expansionist ambitions. Poland was the next target of Hitlers belligerence, since it controlled the German port of Danzig and occupied the so-called Polish Corridor a strip of territory that bisected Germany and gave the Poles access to the Baltic Sea. Confronted by Hitlers demand for Germany to control Danzig, Britain and France chose to support Poland but were in no position to defend the country from German attack. Geography dictated that only Polands big neighbour, the USSR, could do that. However, the anti-communist Poles did not want to entrust their security to the Soviets. While Stalin was interested in a triple alliance with Britain and France, he no longer believed Hitler could be dissuaded from war. For him, the triple alliance would have to be a war-fighting coalition with watertight guarantees the British and French would not revert to appeasing Hitler and abandon the Soviet Union to slug it out with Germany in the east. Josef Stalin Indeed, the triple alliance talks failed because Stalin did not trust the British and French. He opted instead for a deal with Hitler that kept the USSR out of the war when Germany attacked Poland and placed limits on German expansion in the Soviet direction. Stalins appeasement of Hitler was more cynical than Chamberlains but no more successful. When France fell to Hitler in summer 1940, the Soviets occupied Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and bolted the Baltic door to German expansion. Stalin also took steps to strengthen his position in the Balkans moves that provoked Hitlers ire and sparked a crisis in German-Soviet relations that was to culminate with the Nazi invasion of the USSR in June 1941. By this time, Churchill had succeeded Chamberlain as British prime minister and immediately held out the hand of friendship to the Soviet Union. It was now Churchills turn to play the role of appeaser of Stalin this time a policy that made sense when the Red Army was engaged in gigantic battles with the Germans on the Eastern front. Churchill flew to Moscow twice for bilateral meetings with Stalin and also met him at summits in Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam. The two men saw each other as comrades in arms and, in October 1944, Churchill even offered to divide parts of Europe into British and Soviet spheres of influence. After the war, Churchill decried the iron curtain that descended across Europe as a result of Soviet and communist expansion westwards, but he continued to favour co-operation with Stalin. As Churchill said: Appeasement may be good or bad according to the circumstances. Appeasement from weakness and fear is futile and fatal. Appeasement from strength is magnanimous and noble, and might be the surest and only path to world peace. Churchill lost power in 1945 but when he returned to office in 1951, he continued to insist that jaw-jaw with the Soviets was better than war-war. As his old adversary Neville Chamberlain once said: War wins nothing, cures nothing, and ends nothing. Geoffrey Roberts is emeritus professor of history at UCC and a member of the Royal Irish Academy. His book, Churchill and Stalin: Comrades in Arms during the Second World War, will be published in the spring. Annual Report to Shareholders Sydney, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Hastings Technology Metals Ltd ( ASX:HAS ) provides the Company's Annual Report to shareholders.LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMANDear fellow shareholders,The Yangibana project (Project) has made significant progress over the last year towards development as a high-grade neodymium and praseodymium mine.The November 2017 Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) detailed the Project, which will produce a Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) rich in Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr), critical materials used in the manufacture of permanent magnets to drive electric motors used in Electric Vehicles (EV), wind turbines, and other high-tech applications. The DFS produced a maiden Ore Reserve of 5.15 million tonnes for the Bald Hill and Fraser's deposits, which underpinned the first 5 years of mine life. The DFS also included an additional production target (APT) produced from the Yangibana West, Yangibana, Auer and Auer North deposits.The Project is comprised of significant deposits across the tenement holdings - Bald Hill, Fraser's, Yangibana West, Yangibana, Auer and Auer North - all 100% owned by Hastings (note that these areas mentioned herein represent approximately 50sqkm out of a total of 650sqkm of exploration tenure). In addition, Hastings holds a controlling 70% stake in other tenements held in a Joint Venture arrangement in the greater Yangibana area, although these were not considered in the DFS study. These Joint Venture tenements may be readily developed as upside to increase the mine life of the Project in the future.Subsequent to the DFS probable ore reserves were increased to approximately 7.7 million tonnes at 1.13%TREO including 0.43%Nd2O3+Pr6O11, and further drilling subsequent to year end will move this towards the target of 10 million tonnes, a ten year mine life, by early 2019.Significant effort was made during the year to establish and further develop relationships with potential customers, leading to the execution of four Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) offtake agreements, including thyssenkrupp Raw Materials GmbH. The total of four MOUs signed represent approximately 73% of planned MREC annual production of 15,000 tonnes from the Project. The Company is now in the process of documenting and negotiating detailed commercial agreements.The development of a mine requires the support of many stakeholders and Hastings was delighted to sign a Native Title Agreement for its entire Project portfolio of 650 sq km with the Thiin-Mah Warriyangka, Tharrkari and Jiwarli People (TMWTJ) during the year. The agreement provides commercial benefits to the TMWTJ people and also enables the Company to work with the community in providing education, training and employment opportunities including assisting in the establishment of complementary sustainable local businesses.A further major milestone was achieved with the filing of the Environmental Review Document (ERD) with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Western Australia. The document confirms that the Project can meet the scope of work outlined in the EPA approved environmental scoping document and Hastings commitment to managing the Project in a socially acceptable and environmentally responsible manner. The ERD is a substantial comprehensive document and it is expected that an EPA recommendation will be forthcoming in early 2019. The EPA has now approved the release of the Environmental Review Document for the four week public review period (1 - 28 October, 2018).Our substantial progress and development of the Project has not been possible without the ongoing support of our shareholders and new shareholders. During the year the Company raised $33.5 million (including closure of the share purchase plan in July 2017: $4.4m at 8.6 cents per share, a placement of $16.2m August 2017 at 20 cents per share, and a rights issue of $12.2m in February 2018 at 31 cents per share), and a further $14 million through a placement at 21 cents per share subsequent to financial year end.A balance of equity and debt financing will be required to fund the Project development and to this end Hastings has signed an exclusive mandate with German KfW IPEX-bank to provide project finance loan advisory services in relation to securing approval from Euler Hermes Aktiengesellschaft ("Euler Hermes") as mandated by the German Federal Government as administrators of the Untied Loan Guarantee scheme ("UFK Cover"). Upon approval from Euler Hermes and the authorised credit committees of KfW IPEX-Bank, KfW IPEX-Bank has indicated that it will provide senior debt facilities of up to A$250m for the project. It is anticipated that further equity issues will complement the debt financing currently underway which is targeted to close in 2Q next year.We are making steady progress towards our mid 2020 production timeline with the construction of the accommodation village well underway and the imminent placement of an order for an Acid Bake Rotary Kiln, a critical piece of long lead time equipment, with FLSmidth.We anticipate strong demand in the years ahead for permanent magnets and electric motors. Government policies for efficient and clean energy combined with pollution control are the catalyst for the anticipated ramp up in demand. Investments in wind energy continues to grow substantially world wide and numerous automotive manufacturers are announcing new EV or hybrid EV models coming on stream in the next year or two. We are living in an era of the e-mobility revolution and witnessing this transition where EV will become main stream mode of transport.On behalf of the board, I thank all of our stakeholders for their continued support as we remain committed in our objective of bringing this Project with its exceptionally high Nd-Pr content of rare earth into production.To view the Annual Report, please visit:About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX:HAS) (FRA:5AM) is advancing its Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Upper Gascoyne Region of Western Australia towards production. The proposed beneficiation and hydro metallurgy processing plant will treat rare earths deposits, predominantly monazite, hosting high neodymium and praseodymium contents to produce a mixed rare earths carbonate that will be further refined into individual rare earth oxides at processing plants overseas. Neodymium and praseodymium are vital components in the manufacture of permanent magnets which is used in a wide and expanding range of advanced and high-tech products including electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical applications and others. Hastings aims to become the next significant producer of neodymium and praseodymium outside of China. Hastings holds 100% interest in the most significant deposits within the overall project, and 70% interest in additional deposits that will be developed at a later date, all held under Mining Leases. Numerous prospects have been identified warranting detailed exploration to further extend the life of the project. Brockman Project The Brockman deposit, near Halls Creek in Western Australia, contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources, estimated using the guidelines of JORC Code (2012 Edition). The Company is also progressing a Mining Lease application over the Brockman Rare Earths and Rare Metals Project. Hastings aims to capitalise on the strong demand for critical rare earths created by the expanding demand for new technology products. The deaths of three men on a fishing trip in south Kerry reveal, once again, how treacherous the seas around our coast can be, even close to shore and in conditions that may be challenging, but not treacherous. It is a tragic postscript to a fine summer, weather-wise, but to a difficult one in terms of lives lost in Irish seas, rivers, and lakes. The total, so far, is more than 50, most of them young or middle-aged men. This coming month of October sees the commemoration of the sinking of the RMS Leinster on the Irish sea just outside of Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) on October 10, 1918. It was torpedoed by a German U-boat with the loss of more than 500 lives. To date, it remains the single biggest loss of life on the Irish Sea. The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has organised several commemorative events for that date and there will be many hundreds of people attending from all over the world. Doubtless many of those attending will have their own stories to relate on this awful tragedy. Personally, I lost my grandfather who was a postal worker on the boat. On that occasion, there were many ironies contributing to our own personal tragedy. My grandfather should not have been working that day but stood in for a colleague who had been struck down by the Spanish flu (as it was erroneously labelled) which was rife throughout Dublin at the time. The dreadful coincidence of this date was that it was also my grandparents seventh wedding anniversary. It is impossible for your readers to imagine the trauma which affected many families by this event. Like those battling it out on the front in the First World War, news of loved ones was slow to trickle down to relatives. But with such a local event as the sinking of the Leinster, you could be forgiven for thinking news would come fast. But this was not the case; there was a wholly different set of rules where communication was concerned in 1918. I will always remember my grandmother telling me the story of that day and of how she heard the news about the sinking through people running and shouting up and down the street. Bewildered by fear and shock, she sank into a kitchen chair and stayed in it all night until the next morning whereupon a knock came to the door. Two postal workers, not on board that day, gave her the news she didnt want to hear. She had four children aged between two and seven years. For the record, my grandfathers name was William Wakefield, and my grandmother was Agnes. Many families during this period of history will have suffered similar experiences and been left in much the same circumstances with young families. It is a credit to each and every mother of that period who found themselves suddenly widowed because of the war that they managed through adversity to raise their families, this was not a good time in Irish history to be suddenly faced with a family struggle. On October 10, the Stena Lines sailing the Irish Sea will be sounding their horns at midday, along with a peeling of bells in Dun laoghaire. Wreaths will also be thrown to the sea at The Kish, the spot where the Leinster went down. Though for many this will be a time for personal reflection I hope in a broader sense it occasions an appreciation of the suffering and sacrifice many families underwent during this turbulent period. George Wakefield Mallow Co Cork Asia Thailand Struggles to Win Back Chinese Tourists During Golden Week Holiday Chinese tourists visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand on August 19, 2018. / Reuters BANGKOK As China kicked off its Golden Week holiday on Monday, Thailand said it was struggling to lure back visitors from its biggest source of tourists, after a boat accident in July that killed dozens. Lured by Thailands proximity and plentiful attractions, visitors from China accounted for nearly a third of last years record 35.38 million arrivals in the Southeast Asian nation. But a Thai tourism official said he expected arrivals during the Chinese holiday to dip 1 percent this year. The decrease is because the boat incident has affected our safety image, said Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The agency has rounded down its forecast of Chinese arrivals for the year to 10.5 million from 11 million, he added. Thailand has tried to lure back Chinese tourists by offering special immigration lanes at key airports and is also considering offering them a double-entry visa. In July, Chinese arrivals fell 0.9 percent from a year earlier for their first drop since the start of 2017, when the government cracked down on cheap tour packages. Tourism experts blamed a July boat disaster off the coast of Phuket that killed 47 Chinese in Thailands worst tourist-related disaster in years, underscoring concerns over the kingdoms lax attitude to safety. Chinese tourist arrivals continued to fall in August, plunging 11.77 percent from a year earlier, tourism ministry data showed. Industry experts had hoped that Golden Week, which runs from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 this year and is one of Chinas most popular holidays, would bring back its tourists, but that appears not to be the case. The government said it had cut by 11.5 percent its forecast for the number of Chinese arrivals for the six months from July to 5.1 million. Asia UN Rights Expert Urges Malaysia to End Child Marriage A Rohingya child bride who ran away from her husband carries her sister outside a shack she shares with her mother and siblings, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Feb. 9, 2017. / Reuters KUALA LUMPUR Malaysia should ban child marriage immediately, a United Nations human rights expert said on Monday, stepping into a controversy that has raged since reports in July that a 44-year-old Malaysian man had married an 11-year-old Thai girl. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamads government, in power since May, has promised to raise the legal age of marriage to 18, provoking a backlash from some conservative Islamic leaders who argue that early marriage provides an answer to social ills like premarital sex and pregnancies out of wedlock. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, the UN special rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, urged Malaysian authorities to protect the rights of minors, particularly young girls. Married underage girls were at higher risk of domestic violence, and are often denied the chance to pursue an education, she told reporters. By marrying them, you are denying these girls their basic human rights, said de Boer-Buquicchio, who was on an eight-day visit to mostly-Muslim Malaysia. In Malaysia, the legal minimum age for marriage under civil law for both genders is 18. However, girls can marry at 16 with the permission of their states chief minister, while Islamic law sets a 16-year minimum age for girls and allows even earlier marriages with the permission of the sharia court. The UN official called on Malaysia to remove exemptions that allowed underage children to marry, saying there can be no exceptions. More than 5,000 applications for marriages involving minors were made at the sharia court between 2013 and 2017, government statistics show. But many child marriages remained unreported, particularly among indigenous groups on Borneo, in Malaysias east, de Boer-Buquicchio said. It is time to be firm, she said, adding that Malaysias government should engage religious and customary leaders on the issue. The political will is there, but the question is how you can reach out to all the different entities. Last year, Malaysia passed a law on sexual offences against children but did not criminalize child marriage. News Bangladesh Delays Plans to Move Rohingya Refugees to Flood-Prone Island Construction workers stack stones on the island of Bhasan Char in the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, on Feb. 14. / Reuters DHAKA Bangladesh has indefinitely postponed plans to relocate Rohingya refugees from Coxs Bazar to a flood-prone island fronting the Bay of Bengal starting November after cancelling a visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The premier was scheduled to visit Bhasanchar Island and inaugurate the camp, whose construction is being led by the navy, on Wednesday. But Inter-Services spokesman Rashedul Alam said the trip was put off. The program is postponed. We will let you know the new date when it is fixed, he told The Irrawaddy. Photos of the camp seen by The Irrawaddy show a two-story building and several single-story structures. A construction worker on the project told The Irrawaddy that work was still in progress. Bangladesh formed a joint 10-member inspection team with the UN earlier this year to advise the government on whether the island and camp are suitable for settlement, headed by Muhammad Mohsin, an additional secretary at the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. The team is preparing a report for the government and visited the island, located in the estuary of the Meghna River where it meets the Bay of Bengal, on Sept. 23. Mohsin and Mohammed Abul Kalam Azad, Bangladeshs Rohingya relief and repatriation commissioner in Coxs Bazar, declined to comment on the issue. A spokesman for the UNs resident coordinator in Bangladesh did not immediately reply to a request for comment. In August, the resident coordinator, Mia Seppo, told The Irrawaddy that discussions with the government about the UNs concerns with the islands safety, sustainability and vulnerability to extreme weather were ongoing. In June, a report by the Special Branch of the Bangladesh police force said that only 13 percent of surveyed Rohingya refugees wanted to move to the island from Coxs Bazar. Among their main concerns were the islands isolation, which they worry will limit their access to medicine and other relief supplies, and being separated from relatives. Bangladeshi officials have said they plan to show the island facilities to Rohingya camp leaders in Coxs Bazar before any relocations begin in hopes of winning them over. Authorities first proposed resettling Rohingya refugees in Coxs Bazar to the island in 2015 to cope with a recent influx from Myanmar. Bangladesh asked the UN to help fund the plan after the sudden arrival of another 700,000 refugees in late 2017 pushed the population of the Coxs Bazar camps past 1 million. Burma Analysis: Military Immunity Forgotten Amid Corruption Crackdown The Military-owned Myawaddy Trading and Bank Ltd. building on Yangons Strand Road / The Irrawaddy CHIANG MAI, ThailandDrafted by the former military regime, Myanmars 2008 Constitution has been criticized as posing an obstacle to the countrys democratic transition. It guarantees the military 25 percent of seats in Parliament and grants the military leadership control of three security-related ministries. What is less well known is that the charter also hinders the fight against one of Myanmars most challenging issues: corruption. While the countrys Anti-Corruption Law states that anyone found guilty of corruption is subject to punishment, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) would be toothless in the event of a complaint against the military, as the charter gives it immunity from prosecution by the ACC, which was formed in 2014. According to anti-graft czar U Aung Kyi, corruption cases related to the military are beyond the mandate of the commission, because the Constitution grants the military the right to tackle corruption within its ranks using internal mechanisms. The military, as an institution, not only takes part in politics, but also runs key businesses under its own companies, including the Myanmar Economics Cooperation (MEC) and the Union of Myanmar Economics Holding Limited (UMEHL). The public wants to know what can be done in cases where corruption complaints are filed against the military, and whether justice will prevail. When it comes to the military, they are constitutionally allowed to manage [corruption investigations] by themselves. We cant do it, he said during a recent interview with Radio Free Asia. U Aung Kyi was referring to Article 293 (b) of the Constitution, which refers to the formation of Courts-Martial, and Article 319, under which the Courts-Marital shall be constituted in accord with the Constitution and the other laws, and shall adjudicate Defense Services personnel. Article 319 is one of the constitutional clauses whose amendment requires prior approval of more than 75 percent of all the representatives of the Union parliament and approval in a nationwide referendum by half of all eligible voters. Myanmar has recently seen an increase in the number of investigations of graft charges, especially against civil servants, by the Anti-Corruption Commission. Since its new chairman U Aung Kyi was appointed in November 2017, it has acted on more complaints. The most prominent so far has been a corruption charge against the former Yangon Attorney General involving a murder case. The ACC accepts any kind of complaint, and follows up by either referring the case to the respective ministry, accepting it for further investigation, or rejecting it due to a lack of substantiating documents, said U Kyaw Soe, the agencys deputy director. Most of the complaints involve land disputes, or judicial and administrative officers taking bribes to deliver services on time. But he confirmed to The Irrawaddy that the ACC has not yet received any complaints against defense services personnel. In May, two high-ranking military officers were transferred to the militarys auxiliary force for taking bribes from a jade mine operator without a license in Kachin States Hpakant Township. It was the only case made public so far in which the military has taken action against its servicemen for corruption. The military immunity has raised questions among the public about the need for constitutional amendment and why military and Defense Ministry officials are beyond the control of existing laws and regulations, while the 21 other ministries and Union administrative bodies are not exempt. The Constitution and existing laws are unjust, as the defense services personnel are excluded from the legal systems jurisdiction in cases where crimes are committed, said U Thein Than Oo, a prominent advocate and a co-founder of the Myanmar Lawyers Network. From a legal perspective, we have zero options and no hope of amending the Constitution within the Union Parliament, as described in Article 436. Even if all the elected MPs, who represent 75 percent of the total seats, unanimously agreed [considered an impossibility given the many parties they represent], and we got one vote from a military appointee who was either courageous or insane, it would only have passed half of the process, he explainedthe other half being a referendum in which more than half of all eligible voters agreed with the change. The National League for Democracy (NLD)-led government is approaching charter amendment cautiously, as it doesnt want to upset Myanmars military (or Tatmadaw). It has continually said, however, that it stands by its policy to seek charter amendment; NLD government minister U Kyaw Tint Swe reiterated last month that negotiations on charter amendment are ongoing. The key player in amending the Constitution is the Tatmadaw. We all know that it needs at least one military appointee in the Parliament to approve the amendment of articles in the Constitution. That one military personnel is not a mere officer. It must be the commander-in-chief or one of his fellow top leaders, said U Myo Nyunt, a spokesman for the NLD. The NLD spokesman said that only when the Tatmadaws top generals are willing to change the Constitution would there be an opportunity to move forward Myanmars development and end the current civil war. Thus we need their voluntary changes, U Myo Nyunt said. The NLD sees the 21st Century Panglong Union peace conferences as a second option, involving peace negotiations conducted among the government, Tatmadaw, the Ethnic Armed Organizations and the public. Dialogues are ongoing with the aim of reaching a Union accord, in order to ensure a democratic federal constitution. If we use this approach for changing [the Constitution], it could be better, quicker and more effective, added U Myo Nyunt. Although it is hard to predict whether the military chief and his fellow generals have the political will to do so, U Myo Nyunt believes that the approach needs to be maintained. The NLD pushed for charter change with a public signature campaign in 2014, in which over 6 million signatures were gathered calling for amendments to the Constitution, including of Article 59 (f), which prohibits State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming president. But since it took power after the 2015 general election, it has switched its approach and tried to avoid publicly criticizing the Tatmadaw. U Myo Nyunt said, they dont want the Tatmadaw to feel that it is being pushed into a corner while the NLD already has the publics support with 6 million signatures and its majority in Parliament. $10m Institutional Placement Melbourne, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ) (Company) is pleased to advise that it has successfully secured a placement of 68,965,517 ordinary shares in the Company to a number of sophisticated and wholesale investors at a price of A$0.145 per share, raising A$10m before costs ("Placement").Highlights- $10m raised at 14.5c per share- Funds to be used to satisfy prudential Tier 1 capital requirementsPlacementThe Placement was Jointly led and managed by Merchant Corporate Advisory and Petra Capital.The new shares to be issued under the Placement will rank equally with existing fully paid ordinary shares in the Company. The Placement was conducted in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 7.1.The expected date of issue of the securities is Monday, 8th October 2018.Purpose / Use of ProceedsThe Company has recently applied to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) for Authority to carry on banking business as a Provider of a Purchased Payment Facility (PPF Provider) under the Banking Act 1959.The $10m capital raising includes the capital requirements the Company anticipates will be required to satisfy the minimum prudential Tier 1 capital requirements for licensing of the Company's subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney (AU) Pty Ltd ("ISEMAU"), as a PPF Provider, a special class of Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI) that are authorised to undertake a limited range of banking activities.The conditions are anticipated to be similar to those imposed on Paypal Australia Pty Limited, being the only other PPF Provider ADI licensed by APRA.The license application is still under review by APRA and may be subject to other conditions.ISEMAU will also directly process and settle card payments as a scheme participant under the Reserve Bank of Australia's Payment Card Access Regime.ISEMAU previously announced on the 18th July 2018 that it has been successful in entering into a Mastercard Principal License under the Access Regime(see Note below), and also previously announced on the 29th March 2018 its card acquiring agreement with American Express.Resumption of TradingAs a result of this announcement, the Company will resume trading from the commencement of trading today.Note: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/NWF494QC 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. Burma First Tourists Arrive on New Free-Visa System, 21 Western Countries to be Added Representatives of Myanmars tourism ministry welcome tourists who have been granted the first free visas of the new scheme at Yangon International Airport on Monday. / Aung Kyaw Htet / The Irrawaddy YANGONAs an initial phase of implementing its new tourism strategy, the tourism ministry launched a free-visa system for tourists from Japan, South Korean and Chinas Hong Kong and Macau on Monday. The move is likely to be followed in the coming years by the lifting of visa requirements for citizens of another 21 countriesespecially western countriesin an effort to counter the fall in tourist arrivals to the country since the 2017 Rohingya crisis. Last year, the Myanmar army conducted months-long clearance operations in northern Rakhine State, a response to the Aug. 25 coordinated attacks perpetrated by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which caused 700,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. A United Nations Fact-Finding Mission since declared that the mass devastation was committed with genocidal intent and urged for the army leaders to be referred to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. As a consequence of the resulting boycott campaigns, Myanmar received 1.8 million visitors between January and June this yeara drop of roughly 38,000 tourists from the same period last year. Combined with an underdeveloped infrastructure system and a lack of proper guidance for tourist destination development, as well as visa restrictions, a majority of rooms in more than 16,000 hotels were empty for months. To raise the number of foreign traveler arrivals, the tourism industry is targeting Asian tourists rather than westerners by offering these visa exemptions, as well as introducing a simplified visa-on-arrival process for mainland Chinese visitors to Myanmar. Most of the aforementioned nations also feature in the top-ten list of international investors in Myanmar. On Monday, a welcoming ceremony for the first visitors under the new scheme was held by members of the tourism ministry at Yangon International Airport. Ambassadors from the Japanese and South Korean embassies and officials from the Chinese embassy in Yangon also joined the event. Yesterday alone, about 400 tourists from Japan, South Korea and China entered Myanmar. Tourists from South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Macau can now fly into Myanmar without filling any kind of online application form or going to the Myanmar embassies in their countries. They can now apply for tourist visas at the airport. However, visitors from mainland China have not yet been included in the exemption list. Tourist visa fees for citizens from all other Asian countries are $50 per person and allow a stay of a maximum one month. Tourists who enter Myanmar on any type of visa are not allowed to over stay. This promotion period will last for one year, concluding next year on Sept. 30. Deputy director in the ministry of tourism U Myint Htwe who attended the welcoming ceremony on Monday told reporters that Myanmars government expected to see an influx of Chinese tourists as approximately 125 million Chinese make trips around the world each year. The relaxing of visa stipulations for visitors from western countries has been lobbied by the Myanmar Tourism Federation (MTF) to the National League for Democracy (NLD) government since early this year. MTFs vice chairman U Khin Aung Tun told The Irrawaddy that included those from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Australia, UK and US, Russia and India as well as a few Scandinavian countries. He said that as Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in the world, the government could not spend much money on digital advertisements on international broadcasting channels and so opted to offer this free visa system instead. Daw Sabe Aung, managing director of Nature Dream Travels & Tours, pointed out that the government should have added Russia and India to the current visa-on-arrival list too, as Russia already has strong connections with Myanmar. Although Myanmar has adopted this new visa scheme, tourist arrival numbers are not likely meet last years number. Tourists travel schedules dont just form within weeks; they normally plan a trip about six months in advance. Its too late to recover the numbers for the 2018-19 fiscal year. U Khin Aung Tun said that his association has urged the government to shift visa application barriers for the aforementioned 21 countries starting from early 2019 and the new approach is under consideration at the Union government. The government aims for 7 million annual tourist arrivals by 2020 but travel agencies speculate that this figure is very unlikely to be reached in such a short timeframe. Burma Marred by General, Myanmar's Famed Dome-Shaped Pagoda to be Restored to Former Glory Buddhist pilgrims on the terrace of Kaunghmudaw Pagoda in Sagaing. / Zaw Zaw / The Irrawaddy MANDALAY Sagaing is planning to repaint the famed Kaunghmudaw Pagoda white, a dome-shaped stupa once marred by a former military leader with gold paint, as the pagoda trustee committee in the upcountry town received the green light from the regional government. The trustee committee told The Irrawaddy that it had a preliminary meeting with influential abbot Sitatu Sayadaw and that it will receive support from experts. With the guidance of Sayadaw, we will collaborate with experts to repaint the pagoda, making sure the original structure is not affected, said U Tin Myo Lwin, the chairman of the Kaunghmudaw Pagoda Trustee Committee. According to the trustee committee, the permission from the regional government was dated Sept. 18 and received on Sunday. We are targeting to finish repainting by the end of this year, however, it will depend on how we have to strip the gold paint in order to not damage the structure, explained U Tin Myo Lwin. If there is damage after removing the gold paint, it will take more time. We will have to make sure that we repaint safely and effectively after getting suggestions from experts, he added. Since January, Sagaing city elders, along with local religious affairs and civil society groups, held a signature campaign to raise the issue of repainting the pagoda. The previous pagoda trustee committee had been told that the pagoda would be repainted white once the gold began to fade. Later reports that it would be repainted gold sparked the signature campaign. After the current pagoda trustee committee was elected in June, the uncertainty faded when the regional government granted permission to repaint it white. We are very glad to receive permission so that we can see Kaunghmudaw Pagoda painted white again. We are happy to restore Sagaings heritage, said U Tin Myo Lwin. Kaunghmudaw Pagoda, more than 380 years old, was originally painted white. In December 2010, after a visit by former Snr-Gen Than Shwe, the pagoda was painted gold. Rumors spread during that time that the senior-general ordered it painted gold according to an astrologists suggestion in order to bring prosperity. At that time, about 7 billion kyats were received in donation for gold paint. Only about 350 billion kyats were used. The remaining donations were used for repair, maintenance and gold plating. Locals, historians and visitors criticized the gold paint, but no efforts to repaint it white were taken under former President Thein Seins administration. When the National League for Democracy party was elected, local lawmakers from the party took the issue to the Sagaing regional Parliament. The 46-meter high pagoda is a major tourist attraction in Sagaing, located on the outskirts of the town. It was built by King Thalun in 1636. It was originally painted white and surrounded by greenery. Buddhists believe that golden pagodas are a sign of prosperity and that donating for gold paint or gold plates will bring good merit and prosperity. But experts believe the pagoda should be returned to its original color to restore the heritage value. There are those who believe in painting pagodas gold, but preserving the original color will not curse people. I am glad to see Kaunghmudaw Pagoda returned to white, which was glamorous and grand, said Tampawaddy U Win Maung, a famed historian and Myanmar traditional art expert, who will be on the team to restore the original paint color to Kaunghmudaw Pagoda. It should be easy to scrape the paint and repaint. I hope there will not be a delay, he added. Burma Yangon Government Borrowed Money Without Parliamentary Approval School buses purchased by the Yangon government are parked in a compound near the Yangon Government Office on Jan. 10, 2018. / The Irrawaddy YANGONThe Yangon government violated the Constitution by borrowing money from two private banks to provide bus services and by using public funds for its own companies without seeking the Union parliaments approval, lawmakers said on Tuesday. In the Yangon Parliament, 11 regional lawmakers discussed the findings of the Yangon Region Auditor Generals Office regarding the 2016-17 fiscal year. Lawmaker Daw Sandar Min said the city government borrowed 8 billion kyats from Ayeyarwady Bank to buy public buses and 5.5 billion kyats from Kanbawza Bank to buy 200 school buses. The government did not seek parliamentary approval, however. Daw Sandar Min said, If they want to take loans from others, they need Parliaments approval according to the Constitution. According to the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, project budgets, including loans, to be spent by regional or state governments must be approved by the Union parliament. She stressed that the Yangon bus companies are not responsible for repaying the loans, adding that the state and Union parliaments cannot guarantee loans borrowed on a personal basis. However, she didnt say who had taken the loans from the banks. In 2017, the Yangon government invested 70 billion kyats ($45 million) in two public-private partnership bus companiesYangon Bus Public Co. Ltd. (YBPC) and Yangon Urban Public Transport Co. Ltd. (YUPT)which are majority owned by the Yangon Region government. The government bought 1,000 new buses to upgrade the citys public transportation system. In September, the Yangon Region Auditor Generals Office revealed in the parliament that bus companies lost 3.5 billion kyats ($2.3 million) during fiscal 2017-18. Lawmaker U Yan Shin pointed out that even though the government borrowed 5.5 billion kyats to buy 200 school buses, few of the citys schools could afford to buy one of the expensive vehicles. The Yangon government should have taken the socioeconomic conditions into account, U Yan Shin said. According to lawmakers, the Yangon Parliament approved a budget allocation of 64 billion kyats to Yangon Metropolitan Development Public Co. Ltd., which is 51-percent-owned by the state government. The government then transferred 10 billion kyats of the 64 billion kyats to New Yangon Development Companywhich is fully owned by the Yangon governmentbut did not seek the governments approval. An audit found that New Yangon Development Company misused the budget for basic expenses 53 million kyats for ceremonies and other costs, 195 million kyats for social events, 33 million kyats for an audit team before major investment had even begun. Daw Sandar Min requested the audit office investigate the details of the governments alleged misuse of public funds. U Yan Shin said the Yangon Auditor Generals Office also revealed that the government violated the Constitution by transferring two projectsone each from the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. According to the Constitution, only Parliament has the authority to transfer or sell government-owned properties. The government must follow the Constitution, U Yan Shin said. The lawmaker also pointed out that the government used 192.36 million kyats from Yangon Metropolitan Development Public Co. Ltd to renovate a historic building downtown. The government didnt follow the Constitution or the government budgets rules and regulations that they use the money from their company. It might lead to confusion over ownership in the future. Id like to suggest the government follow the Constitution, U Yan Shin said. The Parliament isnt responsible for what they did because they didnt seek our approval, U Yan Shin said. Lawmakers asked the government to take responsibility for mismanagement and spending public funds in a way that doesnt benefit the public. Lawmaker U Nay Phone Latt said the lawmakers will check whether the government followed the audits finding. According to the audit, the government also lost billions of kyats due to mismanagement of land leases. A company leasing the old courthouse in downtown Yangon was supposed to pay the regional government 400 million kyats ($250,000) a year but has not paid since October. The audit also revealed that the company that successfully bid for the Yangon Traffic Control Center failed to pay a penalty for not finishing the project. In Dagon Seikkan Township, a residential development company failed to pay its annual lease of more than 3 billion kyats ($1.87 million). The Auditor Generals Office revealed its findings in September. According to lawmakers, it included a total of 363 pages, two chapters, 28 cases and 52 tables. Burma Yangon Govt Abused Its Power by Investing in Controversial New City Project: Lawmaker NYDC chairperson Daw Nilar Kyaw and CEO Serge Pun (both right) hand a gift to the CCCC representatives after the framework agreement signing ceremony in April, 2018. / NYDC website YANGONThe Yangon Regional government was accused of abusing its power by investing 10 billion kyats ($6.5 million) in a controversial new city project on the western bank of the Yangon River without the parliaments prior approval. In March, the Yangon government launched New Yangon Development Company (NYDC) which is to be the developer of the New Yangon City project to be built on 20,000 acres of farmland across the Yangon River from downtown Yangon. At the launching ceremony in Yangon in March, Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein said it is expected that the new city will create two million jobs while claiming that NYDC is fully owned by the government. NYDC is headed by the Yangon governments Electricity, Industry, and Roads and Communications Minister Daw Nilar Kyaw, along with property mogul Serge Pun of Yoma Strategic Holdings, a Singapore-listed outfit with real estate holdings in Myanmar. Former Singaporean Foreign Minister George Yoe is Independent International Director of the NYDC. So far, the project remains in its planning phase. It was revealed in the auditor generals report on the Yangon governments budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year that the government transferred 10 billion kyats to NYDC from Yangon Metropolitan Development Public Company Limiteds 64-billion-kyat ($41.6 million)fund without the parliaments knowledge. The public company was founded by the Yangon government last year to promote development in the region. The Yangon government owns 51 percent of shares in the company and the 64-billion-kyats spent in shares was approved by the parliament. The companys board of directors includes Daw Nilar Kyaw and Yangons Planning and Finance Minister U Myint Thaung. During a discussion among lawmakers about the auditor generals report at the Yangon parliament on Tuesday, an NLD lawmaker Daw Sandar Min pointed out that the parliament had no idea about the 10 billion kyats transfer to NYDC and it has never been discussed in the parliament. Constitutionally, projects to be carried out by regional or state governments have to be approved by the relevant parliament. She also highlighted that the company has already spent 93 million kyats out of the 10 billion kyats fund: 50 million kyats has been spent on staff salaries, 32 million on city design planning, seven million on general expenses, three million on the companys launch ceremony and one million on the signing of a framework agreement in April with Hong Kong-listed China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCC) to provide infrastructure for the first phase of the development. They have spent 93 million kyats. It is an act of spending state money as if it is their own and the regional government is acting beyond the authority it has been granted, said the lawmaker. Daw Sandar Min also warned during the discussion at the parliament that the Yangon governments improper use of money from capital investment through the Yangon Metropolitan Development Public Co. Ltd. could be a waste of state money coming from public taxes. If there is a loss, the board of directors of Yangon Metropolitan Development has to take responsibility on behalf of the Yangon government, she added. NYDC plans to develop 20,000 acres of land in the first phase of the project. This will include five village townships, two bridges, power plants, water and wastewater treatment plants and a 10-square-kilometer industrial estate. The company says the cost of initial infrastructure work in the first phase is expected to exceed $1.5 billion. The projects location has come under criticism due to the low-lying topography of the area, which is prone to flooding as it has a maximum elevation of just 5 meters above sea level. The company said it has kick-started a flood-risk assessment (FRA) for the New Yangon City project area in coordination with Royal HaskoningDHV, a Dutch FRA consultant. Last month, the company released a socio-economic master plan for New Yangon City. The master plan was drafted by US management firm McKinsey & Company. Serge Pun said during a technical roundtable discussion about the development last month that the NYDC didnt need to pay for the drafting of the master plan as it was financed by the British government. Luckily, we didnt have to pay for it. It would have cost us nearly seven or eight hundred thousand dollars, he said. India Project Update Melbourne, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Environmental Clean Technologies Limited ( ASX:ECT ) (ECT or Company) is pleased to provide the following update on the progress of its project in India.Key points- Research Collaboration Agreemento NLC and NMDC continue preparations for finalisation of the Research Collaboration Agreement (RCA) ahead of planned NLC board meeting in Octobero NLC mention ECT project in Indian stock exchange disclosure- EngineeringECT and MN Dastur have commenced review program, together with Geofiny, in preparation for detailed design phase- Project ManagementECT has reached final stages of appointment of senior Project Engineering and Project Management roles.- Project promotiono ECT presented India project at SteelVia Conference in Dubai on Wednesday 26th of Septembero ECT to present India project at NMDC International Conference on October 8th-11tho ECT finalist in the Australia-India Business and Community Awards (AIBCA)Research Collaboration AgreementECT Chairman, Glenn Fozard returned to Melbourne on Thursday 20th of September after meeting NLC Director NNM Rao and NMDC Director NK Nanda in Hyderabad to confirm progress towards signing the RCA, commenting "I'm pleased to report there is a clear pathway towards completing all items ahead of NLC's October Board meeting, which is expected to be held sometime after the 15th of this month."My recent visit focused on clearly defining remaining requirements, mapped against the time available ahead of the deadline for submitting NLC board papers."Consistent with NLC's review requirements, advisers Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan (L&S) were engaged by NLC on Saturday 15 September to provide the final compliance and legal review of the document suite which comprises the RCA. NLC have confirmed that the review will be completed within 21 days of initiation to allow for approval at the October Board meeting.ECT COO, Jim Blackburn will return to India on the 3rd of October to manage the finalisation of the review and completion of the RCA prior to NLC Board submission on the 10th of October."ECT will be in New Delhi on the 8th-11th of October as guest presenter at NMDC's International Conference and anticipate that the signing ceremony may be held in the balance of the month."Both partners remain committed, as evidenced by NLC's recent Corporate Presentation, lodged with the NSEi and BSEii, highlighting our project as the lead R&D initiative."Further to the Company's last announcement, parallel activities in support of project commencement continue, including:- Establishment of the Project Steering Committee with weekly joint meetings- Preparation and establishment of the Project Control Committee- Recruitment of key senior project personnel- Further refinement of Matmor retort engineering to support detailed design- Commencement of value engineering program with Indian firm GeofinyEngineering - EPC Tender PreparationFollowing financial close the detailed engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) activity will commence.Per Indian Government requirements for Public Sector Undertakings (PSU's) the EPC phase is required to go to tender.The tender process requires documentation to be prepared for issue to potential vendors.ECT, together with engineering design partner MN Dastur and local engineering firm Geofiny, have commenced the review of all engineering elements and current cost estimations developed during the basic design process with the aim of aligning to the detailed levels required to support the tender program for the full EPC activity.Further, development of the contracting strategy, aimed at balancing price with quality and intellectual property protection requirements is also underway, including pre-screening of potential vendors and execution of appropriate confidentiality agreements before the release of tender packages.This preparatory activity will ensure that the tender documentation can be promptly initiated by the Project Control Committee following the signing of the RCA.Project ManagementECT has completed the recruitment process for two key roles in the areas of Project Engineering and Project Management.Candidates have accepted terms for the positions of Chief General Manager - Project Engineering and Chief General Manager - Project Management. Role titles and responsibilities have specifically been designed to align with Project structure in India and will be full time positions based in Chennai and Neyveli.After an extensive recruitment process, and interviews with 12 shortlisted candidates, ECT has been fortunate to secure two candidates with broad Indian and International experience, and specific experience with core areas of the relevant mineral's technology and project management.Working closely with current ECT project personnel, these roles will be primarily responsible for engineering, project management and execution activities associated with completion of the R&D phase of the project. Importantly the Company intends for these roles to move forward into long term strategic roles supporting the broader roll out of the technology commercialisation phase, following the initial R&D project.Project PromotionIn the lead up to financial close the Company anticipates growing industry and media interest in the project and its Coldry and Matmor technologies.In addition to media briefings, the following events are scheduled:- Global Steel Innovations forumo 25-27 September 2018o Dubai, UAEo Ashley Moore (CMD, ECT India) presenting with Ms Aditi Tarafdar (MN Dastur)o 500+ industry delegates- NMDC International Conference on Minerals and Metals; Outlook 2030o 9-10 October 2018o New Delhi, Indiao Ashley Moore (CMD, ECT India) presentingo 400+ delegates- AIBCA - Australia India Business and Community Awardso 12 October 2018o Brisbane, Australiao Delegates include Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Dr Gondaneo ECT is a finalist in the 'Excellence in Innovation' categoryThe Company looks forward to providing further updates as the above activities progress.About ColdryWhen applied to lignite and some sub-bituminous coals, the Coldry beneficiation process produces a black coal equivalent (BCE) in the form of pellets. Coldry pellets have equal or superior energy value to many black coals and produce lower CO2 emissions than raw lignite.About MATMORThe MATMOR process has the potential to revolutionise primary iron making.MATMOR is a simple, low cost, low emission production technology, utilising the patented MATMOR retort, which enables the use of cheaper feedstocks to produce primary iron.About the India R&D ProjectThe India project is aimed at advancing the Company's Coldry and Matmor technologies to demonstration and pilot scale, respectively, on the path to commercial deployment.ECT has partnered with NLC India Limited and NMDC Limited to jointly fund and execute the project.NLC India Limited is India's national lignite authority, largest lignite miner and largest lignite-based electricity generator.NMDC Limited is India's national iron ore authority.To view tables, please visit:About Environmental Clean Technologies Ltd Environmental Clean Technologies Limited (ASX:ECT) is in the business of commercialising leading-edge coal and iron making technologies, which are capable of delivering financial and environmental benefits. We are focused on advancing a portfolio of technologies, which have significant market potential globally. ECT's business plan is to pragmatically commercialise these technologies and secure sustainable, profitable income streams through licencing and other commercial mechanisms. Tuesday, October 2nd, 2018 (1:19 pm) - Score 4,447 The national telecoms regulator, Ofcom, has today launched a new investigation that aims to establish whether or not EE and Vodafone provided accurate information in response to their requests for 3G and 4G mobile coverage predictions across the United Kingdom. Sections 135 and 136 of the Communications Act 2003 reflects a general requirement for operators to provide [Ofcom] with all such information as they consider necessary for the purpose of carrying out their functions. Most importantly this data must be accurate, not least because the regulator will use it to help inform their policy work and to develop other features / reports etc. (e.g. coverage maps). In keeping with that Ofcom has now opened two separate investigations into mobile operators Vodafone (here) and EE (here), which are based around an almost identical problem. In the case of Vodafone the regulator requested 4G (LTE) mobile coverage predictions across the UK, while in the case of EE they requested the same for their older 3G network. However, the regulator claims to have identified errors, which feature in both the 4G coverage data for Vodafones 800MHz spectrum band and the 3G data for EEs 2100MHz band. In the former Ofcom said that those errors meant Vodafones 4G coverage was under-predicted, particularly in rural areas and for EEs 3G band it said the opposite, that coverage was over-predicted, particularly in rural areas. At this stage we dont know what those errors were or how significant they are, which is partly what Ofcom are trying to establish. The regulator will now conduct an evidence gathering phase until the end of December 2018, which means that we probably wont learn the outcome of this until sometime around the spring of 2019. Admittedly the expectation of being able to accurately gauge mobile coverage has always been a bit flaky, not least due to the high variability of the mobile environment where conditions (weather, obstacles etc.), devices and end-user positions are subject to almost constant motion or change. Nevertheless Ofcom appears to be examining potentially avoidable errors rather than general restrictions on the strength of such data, although this is based on the regulators own theoretical model. One caveat here is that operators may dispute Ofcoms findings, not least because they often adjust their figures to reflect the actual signal strength that customers receive on their mobiles (Ofcom doesnt do that). UPDATE 8pm Weve now had comments back from both operators. An EE Spokesperson said: Weve already updated our 3G coverage map in line with feedback from Ofcom, with only minor changes to the predicted coverage levels for our 3G network in some areas. Both our 2G and 4G networks are far larger overall, and have been in more places than 3G since 2016. This means our customers would have had voice coverage in these areas and there would have only been a difference in predicted data coverage for a very small number of customers in specific areas. We apologise for any confusion this may have caused, and we continue to work to give our customers the most accurate view of the coverage available to them so that they can make an informed decision about their choice of mobile network. This includes new ways to measure actual coverage experience, rather than predicted, such as tracking the time spent on 4G for individuals all to help inform and continually improve our network performance across the UK. Terre Haute, IN (47809) Today Cloudy this evening with periods of light rain and snow after midnight. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 40%.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with periods of light rain and snow after midnight. Low 32F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 40%. Audiofly, which is "Australias home-grown headphone brand", has launched a new locally designed Bluetooth range of four wireless headphones, from $59.99 to $189.99, well in time for Christmas. Locally designed and engineered in Perth, the Audiofly's new MK2 range consists of four new offerings that embrace the company's heritage in designing pro-musician stage and recording headphones, improving on the first-generation range through upgraded specs, updated designs and additional colour options. The new MK2 range serves up what is billed as "the signature Audiofly sound quality, handy microphone and volume controls and tough CORDURA fibre technology" (on the AF45W, AF56W and AF100W models) delivering "tangle resistance and added durability". We're told the range will "also deliver improvements in battery life, water resistance levels and Bluetooth functionality while its premium models, AF56W and AF100W, also feature the introduction of touch-cradle charging abilities". Matt Rowett, international sales manager for Audiofly, said: "Ever since our debut into this fast-growing segment, weve received a lot of positive feedback and pointers about our wireless Bluetooth range. Receiving a number of accolades in recent months and seeing how well-received our debut range was locally and internationally, weve implemented the consumer feedback into this new range and are excited to provide music lovers with an even better listening experience! Audiofly also reports having refreshed its branding to further embrace its Australian heritage, with the new headphone designs and product packaging "incorporating more Australian tones, with a fresh air, open space inspired look and feel". Founded in 2012, Audiofly reminds us that it is "best known for its heritage in designing pro-musician stage and recording headphones which deliver a superior listening experience. Since releasing its first wireless Bluetooth range mid last year, the Aussie brand has also expanded its reach off-shore, showcasing its range in China, the US and Japan earlier this year". AF33W MK2 RRP $59.99 (JB Hi-fi link, Audiofly online store link) Audioflys AF33W MK2 Wireless In-Ear Headphones are billed as "perfect for cardio, ideal for hassle-free listening without compromise. "Featuring Bluetooth 4.2, lightweight and durable, the sweat resistant headphones are perfect for anyone that likes to work out while listening to their favourite content. The AF33W MK2 also comes equipped with a microphone and volume control for calls and smart device functionality and up to 8 hours play time. "Complete with 3 sets of silicone tips, users have access to different sizes to achieve the best fit, isolation and sound. An everyday essential, the stylish AF33W MK2 comes in three colourways of Eucalyptus Green, White & Rose-Gold and All-Black." AF45W MK2 RRP $89.99 (No JB Hi-Fi link yet, here the Audiofly link) "Perfect for fitness and travel, the new and improved edition of Audioflys much-loved Bluetooth Wireless In-Ear Headphones are an everyday essential with more than just a pretty face! "Combining a 11mm dynamic driver with wireless Bluetooth 4.2 audio streaming, you can connect wirelessly to your smartphone and enjoy up to 8 hours play time whether youre at the gym or on-the-go. Sweat resistant and featuring Audioflys signature Audioflex cable braided with CORDURA fibre technology, it helps with tangle resistance and adds market leading strength and durability to the headphones. "Complete with 3 sets of silicone tips, users have access to different sizes to achieve the best fit, noise isolation and sound. Lightweight and built for life on the go, the AF45W MK2 is available in a stylish White & Rose-Gold and All-Black." AF56W MK2 RRP $139.99 - (JB Hi-Fi link, Audiofly link) "A crowd-pleaser with astonishing clarity and range, the AF56W MK2 steps it up and boasts Audioflys largest 13mm dynamic driver to achieve incredible detail. Equipped with a microphone and volume control for calls and smart device functionality, it is ideal for switching between music and phone calls. "Allowing for up to eight hours play time (or nine hours talk time), the streamlined design allows for fuss-free magnetic touch-charging. Featuring Audioflys signature Audioflex cable braided with CORDURA fibre technology, it helps with tangle resistance and adds market leading strength and durability to the headphones. "Perfect for those always on the move, the cable tightener allows users to wear the headphones loose or tighten them during active use. Including memory foam tips out of the box for superior noise isolation, the AF56W MK2 also comes with three sets of silicone tips to achieve the best fit, isolation and sound. With hassle-free wireless Bluetooth technology and an evenly balanced, lightweight design, the AF56W MK2 is built for life on the go." AF100W MK2 RRP $179.99 (JB Hi-Fi link, Audiofly link) "Adapted from Audioflys range for pro-musicians, the AF100W MK2 Wireless Bluetooth In-Ear Monitors is built for performance with all the makings of a studio level monitor. Complete with an over-ear hook design and a cable tightener, you can be sure the headphones will stay in place no matter how strenuous your workout! "With sweat resistance, a 10-metre sync range and 8 hours of playtime, these headphones are ideal for even the most demanding of workouts. Allowing for fast and hassle-free charging, the AF100W MK2 offers magnetic touch-charging. "Featuring a tough CORDURA fabric outer sheath typically used for climbing ropes along the cable, it adds another dimension of durability and tangle resistance. "Equipped with a microphone and volume control for calls and smart device functionality, you can switch between music and phone calls with ease! Including memory foam tips out of the box for superior noise isolation, the AF100W MK2 also comes with three sets of silicone tips to achieve the best fit, isolation and sound." They're available online and in JB Hi-Fi stores nationally now, with JB Hi-Fi's prices 99c cheaper than Audiofly's online store. The Victorian Government has announced funding of $2 million for Swinburne University for setting up the Advanced Manufacturing Industry 4.0 Hub at the university to run training courses in a number of areas using advanced technologies, including smart robotics. The new hub, to be housed in the Universitys state-of-the-art Factory of the Future, is funded by the grant from the Future Industries Fund and will pioneer a new model of university-industry collaboration where businesses and universities not only co-create technology, but also business strategy. It will work with local manufacturers to develop digitisation strategies for their business, increase their digital maturity and provide training to help them use Industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, smart robotics and virtual reality to grow their business and innovate on their business model. The Factory of the Future is Australias first fully immersed Industry 4.0 facility, featuring cutting edge and globally connected technologies including MindSphere a cloud-based Industrial Internet of Things operating system developed by global technology giant Siemens. Announcing the funding allocation on Monday, the Victorian Minister for Industry and Employment, Ben Carroll, said digital transformation of manufacturing was a game changer which is why were creating a new Advanced Manufacturing Hub to ensure Victorian businesses are well equipped to take advantage of this technology. The hub will help local manufacturers unlock the opportunities that exist with digital technologies to transform their operations, and deliver cutting edge products and services. Swinburne deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Development) Professor Aleksandar Subic said the adoption of new generation digital technologies and processes was crucial due to the highly competitive environment of manufacturing internationally. Professor Subic was also the university sector representative on the Prime Ministers Industry 4.0 Taskforce, leading the Industry 4.0 Testlab national strategy. Industry 4.0 is all about the next stage of development in the manufacturing sector driven by digitalisation. Automation and the Industrial Internet of Things in particular are transforming the manufacturing industry, presenting us with new business opportunities through better integration with the global supply chain, Professor Subic said. The hub will leverage Swinburnes $100 million investment in advanced manufacturing infrastructure and expertise, and will be made available to local manufacturers through the initiative, which is also supported by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre and the Innovative Manufacturing Co-operative Research Centre. The new facility will also benefit students who will work side-by side with industry and researchers developing and co-creating new technologies and practices. Swinburne says it is linking vocational training and higher education to create the skilled, digitally savvy workforce of the future, including developing new courses based on Industry 4.0 strategy. And Swinburnes Industry 4.0 higher apprenticeship course, the Associate Degree of Applied Technologies, developed in collaboration with Siemens and the Australian Industry Group, pioneers this approach. UnionPay International Licensing for ISXPay Melbourne, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd ( ASX:ISX ) ( FRA:TA8 ) (Company) is pleased to advise that its wholly owned subsidiary, iSignthis eMoney (AU) Pty Ltd ("ISEMAU) has entered into a card not present / online agreement with Union Pay International, to act as a card acquirer of China Union Pay (CUP) issued cards.Highlights- Agreement entered into for Australian region- ISXPay to be able to acquire China UnionPay cards in 2019- China Union Pay has the largest number of cards on issue of any card schemeThe Company is required to complete full membership requirements, including technical integration and certification before offering the service to merchants. It is anticipated that certification and availability of the service to Australian merchants will be by end of first quarter 2019.Once the service is live, ISEMAU may contract, process, acquire and settle directly to merchants.CUP cards are being issued by banks outside of China, including Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa, with CUP being the largest card issuer in the world. CUP is an increasingly popular card in Australia and the world, as evidenced by its latest transaction data released on 6 February 2018, which shows that the transaction volume for UnionPay grew by 28.8% year-on-year to USD 14.95 trillion (RMB 93.9 trillion).UnionPay International (UPI) is a subsidiary of China UnionPay focused on the growth and support of UnionPay's global business. In partnership with more than 1800 institutions worldwide, UnionPay International has enabled card acceptance in 170 countries and regions with issuance in 48 countries and regions. UnionPay International provides high quality, cost effective and secure cross-border payment services to the world's largest cardholder base and ensures convenient local services to a growing number of global UnionPay cardholders and merchants.Further details on Union Pay International are available from http://www.unionpayintl.com/en 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. Listed telco 5G Networks has beefed up its senior management team with two former Telstra executives Glenn Flower and Vishal Patelas joining its ranks. Flower joins 5G Networks (ASX:5GN) as the companys new chief marketing officer and Patelas takes up the position of national networks manager. Flower was head of Marketing and Communications at Telstra Wholesale for a number of years and will join 5G Networks executive team to lead both the companys marketing and product functions. Joe Demase, 5G Networks managing director, said Flower had previously led the launch strategy for Telstras Cloud services and managed the integrated IP network product portfolio for Telstra Enterprise and Government for several years. A respected executive for driving innovation and digitisation, Glenn has recently transformed the marketing function and optimised the digital assets at Telstra Wholesale with impressive results for driving revenue opportunities, Demase said. We are extremely excited about an experienced executive like Glenn joining our growing organisation. His expertise and experience in executive leadership and managing agile business transformation and digital technology is industry leading; not to mention his extensive background in data networks, applications and cloud technology. Commenting on his appointment, Flower said, I am delighted to be joining such a thriving, dynamic organisation absolutely focused on the customer. The opportunities for uniting market leading technologies with strong networking foundations are enormous; which is great news for our current and future customers. The 5G Network business has so many assets; from hosting & cloud services to superfast networks and managed IT. Demase also said the company was also excited to announce the appointment of Patelas former Telstra senior network architect to lead its National Multiprotocol Label Switching Network. The addition of Vishal is also instrumental. His extensive experience and profound understanding in the telecommunications sector will provide immense value to our national MPLS Network rollout strategy. While adding Patel as the companys National Networks Manager, 5G Networks continues the expansion of its capability and MPLS Network across Australia, Demase said. Patel brings over 15 years experience in the telecommunications sector across the Middle East, India and Australia at companies including Nokia. I am very pleased to have the calibre of Glenn and Vishal join the 5G Networks team as we expand our service proposition and bolster the company for continued growth, Demase said. Jon von Tetzchner: We will continue to push for regulation keeping not only our users safe, but all Internet users." The company behind the Vivaldi browser says its emphasis on privacy comes from the fact that its slogan is "we are building a browser for our friends". "Clearly privacy is a big deal for us. We are building a browser for our friends, as we consider our users our friends, and one does not spy on one's friends and we aim to keep our friends safe," Vivaldi chief executive Jon von Tetzchner told iTWire in response to queries. But, he added, this did not mean that the company had its head in the sky. "We generate revenue of about US$1 per user on average from search deals and from some of the included bookmarks," he said, a few days after the company had released version 2.0 of the browser which is aimed at power users. "Given the simplicity of the business model and given that it does not include in any way collection of user data, we can just focus on providing a great browser, rich in functionality, focusing on what our users want to see in a browser." Vivaldi was founded in 2013 and is owned by its employees. "There are no external investors and we aim to keep it that way. The only funding comes from me and from the growing revenue we get from the software. The focus for the company is building great software. We do not aim to get external investors, go public or sell the company," von Tetzchner said. The company is based in Norway and von Tetzchner said this did have an impact on its outlook. "Clearly Vivaldi being a Norwegian company, with servers in Iceland, means that we are registered and live in countries with a great focus on privacy, but we also want to take this further. We will continue to push for regulation keeping not only our users safe, but all Internet users." Von Tetzchner said every other browser maker was seen as competition. "Our competition is Microsoft, Google, Apple, Mozilla, Opera and any other browser vendor. We do believe we have a browser that is best for most all users," he said. Formerly with Opera, von Tetzchner said he had left that project due to disagreement with investors about the direction of the company. "Their goal was to sell the company, while I wanted us to continue to grow our user base by focusing on the needs of the user," he said. "Six years after I left, Opera, now Otello, sold the browser business to a Chinese consortium. Otello is a now a holding company that holds the investments Opera made after I left, mostly in the mobile advertising space." Vivaldi was started two years after von Tetzchner quit Opera. "I started Vivaldi as two years after I left Opera, it was clear that Opera was heading in a very different direction as a product company," he explained. "We had a lot of loyal users at Opera and they were very disappointed with that direction. So was I, and the feeling was that we needed a browser that followed the principles that Opera used to follow, always placing the needs of the user first. Thus we make Vivaldi, a feature rich browser, with a lot of adaptability, so it can adapt to the needs of most all users." Von Tetzchner said anyone could use Vivaldi. "Our goal is to become the browser of choice for all those that spend a lot of time online, but clearly everyone is welcome and we believe we have the best browser for most all users. Just test us out!" he said. Technology start-up Code Like a Girl has launched its Roaming Classroom for Rebel Girls a mobile, pop-up classroom which, it says, is aimed at making coding more accessible. Code Like a Girl founders Ally Watson and Vanessa Doake have created the pop-up as a way of taking their workshops beyond the CBD, allowing girls from the outer suburbs and regional areas to be exposed to the possibility of a lucrative career in tech. The pop-up classroom will provide coding workshops to girls from all socio-economic backgrounds, with the view to increasing diversity in Australias future tech industry. Doake said, We believe tech is for everyone were not just about equipping the top 10% of female coders. But when you run workshops exclusively in the CBD, you do have a limited pool of girls who can attend. It goes to the core of our beliefs to ensure were exposing as many girls as possible to the benefits of a career in tech, and the best way for us to do this is to take our workshops to those who otherwise would have difficulty attending. In what Doake and Watson describe as an industry widely criticised for its white male privilege, they say they believe privilege within the tech industry affects more than just its workforce it also has an impact on the products being built. You only have to take a quick glance at the apps being released to understand that modern-day technology is being created by privileged people to help privilege; food delivery, cleaning services, etc, says Watson. And lets not forget that when Apples predominantly-male team released its HealthKit, they completely forgot to include menstruation tracking; something that was relevant to around half its intended users. Our mission is not just about getting more women in tech, its about getting more women building tech. Because unless we start really diversifying the tech industry not just to include females, but people from all walks of life technology is never going to reach its full potential. This roadshow is just one of many things we can do to expose girls of all socio-economic backgrounds to the incredible world of coding. And hopefully one day theyll help to make Australias tech industry richly diverse; because only then can we start building tech that truly serves everyone. Supported and funded by the Toyota Community Trust, the mobile classroom will travel to six Victorian municipalities for two days each month, making its first stop in Brimbank in October before travelling to Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melton, Moonee Valley and finishing up in Wyndham in March 2019. Doake and Watson say there will be approximately 20 students per workshop in order to maximise one-on-one opportunities while simultaneously encouraging collaborative growth, with tickets offered from as low as $5 to ensure accessibility for all participants. Telstra is making it easy for its customers in former black spot areas to make calls, with over 100 million made from those locations, so Chuckie's cry of "why didn't you call" can't be because you didn't have mobile service. As part of the Australian Federal Government's Mobile Black Spot Program, Telstra has reached the triple milestones of 500 new base stations, over 100 million calls made via black spot towers, and more than 5000 terabytes of data downloaded. Telstra chief executive Andy Penn joined Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Resources and Western NSW Rick Colless, Lithgow Mayor Ray Thompson and representatives of Lithgow City Council, the Lithgow Rural Fire Service and the Zig Zag Railway assembled at Clarence, near Lithgow, in NSW for the opening of Telstras 500th new mobile base station. The base station will provide 3G and 4G coverage for the Clarence Railway Station the home of the iconic Zig Zag Railway and the surrounding area for the first time. It is unknown whether Gee exclaimed his own name at the development, nor whether his friends ask him if has anything to do with the forthcoming 5-"Gee" network, but he presumably geed himself up and stated the following: "The Mobile Black Spot Program is so important for our country communities. "This new infrastructure will enable those living in regional areas to participate in the digital economy and conduct business, as well as access important education and health services across the country. It is delivering much needed new investment in mobile infrastructure across regional Australia to address mobile coverage issues. This mobile phone tower at Clarence represents one of 25 new towers being rolled out across the Calare electorate, and its fantastic to see that the program is reaching more and more communities across the country. Completely avoiding my penchant for penning perilously alliterative puns, Penn noted that Telstras 500th new base station was a "significant milestone". He added: Telstra has now provided new or improved mobile coverage for more than 55,000 homes and businesses across 4200 kilometres of road and around 160,000 square kilometres of the country through the Federal Governments Mobile Black Spot Program. What is even more telling about the importance of this investment is the way these communities, which now have mobile coverage for the first time, are using it. Since we switched on our first base stations as part of this program in December 2015, there have now been in excess of 100 million calls carried and more than 5000 terabytes of data downloaded. Thats the equivalent of customers downloading more than a million HD movies or a billion songs, which is no doubt music to the ears of presumably long-suffering residents and visitors to the area who now have a 21st century phone and data service at long last. Telstra and both the Federal and NSW Governments report having contributed funding for the Clarence base station. Penn pushed on, stating: This base station will provide a new world of connectivity for the Clarence community and it will also support the many tourists who will be visiting the Zig Zag Railway once it is reopens to the public". In what is good news for those still in black spot areas, Telstra reminds us that it is "building more than 650 new mobile base stations through the three rounds of the Federal Governments Mobile Black Spot Program". "Thats more than three times the commitment of all other carriers combined and represents a total Telstra investment of $260 million. "In addition to more than 650 new mobile base stations, Telstra is continuing to install Black Spot Small Cells with around 200 installed to date delivering high-speed 4G data services in some small country towns where suitable Telstra infrastructure is available." So, Telstra's promise of more coverage in more places keeps growing, as the black eyes of black spots get their lights punched out and lit up with connectivity, in what is a knockout blow of disconnecting the disconnected past, so you can finally dial up, log on and tune in to the brave new regional world where Androids, iPhones and their owners truly can dream of and download electric sheep. Phillip Britt: "We have grown so rapidly that things have been missed and overlooked, and we have been caught with our pants down." ANALYSIS The head of small Australian ISP, Aussie Broadband, has taken the unusual step of telling his customers the intricate details of an outage that occurred over the recent weekend, in sharp contrast to other companies that try to paper over such incidents with bizspeak. Phillip Britt posted a chronological account of what had happened, right from 11am on Saturday morning when one of the company's firewalls went down due to a rush of traffic from what appeared to be a compromised host on the network. He did not make a bid to hide a thing, ending his post with, "We are deeply sorry that this occurred, and it is totally on us that it happened. We have grown so rapidly that things have been missed and overlooked, and we have been caught with our pants down. We are deeply embarrassed by it." The technical details may only be interesting to geeks and nerds but Britt has scored a major PR coup with his users by offering them an inside view of what things were like and not attempting to gild the lily. It brings back memories of the time when both iiNet and Internode had a similar attitude under the stewardship of Michael Malone and Simon Hackett respectively and users were confident that technical aspects were under control as geeks were running these businesses. Those days are long gone and now, and with TPG owning both these ISPs, the service levels are nothing like what they used to be. Britt's company has also done well in the speed stakes, topping the list of providers in the second report from the ACCC's broadband speed monitoring program, achieving 88.3% of download speed and 89.1% of upload speeds for a plan during the busy period. Whether the confession made by Britt will translate into benefits for the business in terms of more customers is not certain, given that Aussie Broadband prices its plans much higher than many others. For many NBN users and would-be users, the price is often the most sensitive factor deciding who will be their provider, especially given that wages have been stagnant for so long. But Britt has definitely ensured that all his thinking customers will stay with the company and never entertain thoughts of moving to other ISPs. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. BetMakers to move further into the US market, PlayUp USA operation to access Global Tote International pools Update to PlayUp Transaction Sydney, Oct 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Board of The BetMakers Holdings Limited ( ASX:TBH ) ( OTCMKTS:TPBTF ) ("Company" or "BetMakers") would like to provide an update in respect of the sale of 100% of the shares in TopBetta Pty Ltd ("TopBetta") and the associated TopBetta and MadBookie retail brands, to PlayUp Australia Pty Limited ("PlayUp") ("Transaction"), along with the expansion of services into the US market between BetMakers, PlayUp and the Global Tote.Further to the announcement released on 2 July 2018, the parties have agreed to restructure the $3mil payment due on 30 September 2018 under the Transaction such that:- $250K was paid on 1 October 2018;- $750K is payable on 30 November 2018; and- $2mil is payable on 31 December 2018.The parties have also agreed to terms for Global Tote to provide its International racing pools for PlayUp's United States operations, which is expected to launch in December 2018.PlayUp holds an ADW licence through its newly acquired subsidiary, TopBetta. PlayUp has also recently announced the acquisition of 123Bet, an established online wagering operator that holds a licence to operate in 35 states throughout the US. The acquisition of 123Bet by PlayUp is expected to complete on 5 October 2018.Once PlayUp completes the acquisition of 123Bet, the Global Tote will provide International pools that are currently not being offered in the US and expects to be taking bets from the US in November 2018 following integration with existing operator WatchandWager.CEO of the BetMakers, Todd Buckingham, said: "It's great to be expanding our partnership with PlayUp as they move into the Global market. We have recently launched their "Free to Play" site, PlayUpBet and to expand the relationship into the US market through their wagering operations is very exciting."Other than the variation to the Transaction, none of the information included in this announcement should be considered individually material.About Betmakers Technology Group Ltd Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX:BET) (FRA:T07) is an ASX-listed holding company and a global provider of online wagering products and services to both wholesale and retail markets through its various wholly owned subsidiaries. The Company operates a retail wagering business, offering consumers wagering, fantasy tournament and content products and services. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing or making a contribution. Subscribe or contribute Bouras 18 Earns National Pi Sigma Alpha Recognition Oct. 2, 2018 Zoe Bouras '18 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Recent Illinois Wesleyan alum and current University of Oxford graduate student Zoe Bouras 18 (Aurora, Illinois) is one of five recipients of the 2018 Howard Penniman Scholarship for Graduate Study from Pi Sigma Alpha, a nationwide political science honor society. I know from attending the the Pi Sigma Alpha National Research Conference in February that there are so many talented young PSA members, Bouras said. So Im definitely honored and grateful. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded to nominated members of Pi Sigma Alpha who are in their first year of graduate study. Bouras scholarship money will go toward her tuition at the University of Oxford, where she is pursuing a masters degree in Latin American Studies. As an international studies and political science double major, Bouras studied politics, philosophy and economics at the University of Oxford during her junior year as part of the IWU Pembroke Program. She also spent time abroad as a Freeman Asia intern her sophomore year at Yonsei Universitys Institute of East and West Studies in Seoul, South Korea, where she conducted research on refugee flows from Pyeongchang, North Korea. Bouras membership in Pi Sigma Alpha gave her the opportunity to present her political science senior seminar project at the Pi Sigma Alpha National Research Conference at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in February. Her work examined the personality traits that can generate feelings of anti-elitism, and the potential of anti-elitist sentiment to damage existing political structures and discourses. Bouras has earned additional recognition from a number of other honors societies, including: Mortar Board, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Beta Delta and Alpha Lambda Delta. Her honor society awards include the Liberal Arts Scholar Award from the IWU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 2018. By Rachel McCarthy 21 Simmons 20 Honored with Community Leadership Award Oct. 2, 2018 Isaac Simmons '20 delivers his speech at the YICU Service Award Celebration. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Business administration and religion double major Isaac Simmons 20 was one of nine young adults honored with the 2018 Why I See You (YICU) Service Awards for their leadership skills and contributions to the broader community. Simmons efforts were recognized at last months YICU Service Award Celebration. The celebration is a signature event of For a Better Tomorrow (FBT), a non-profit organization that focuses on local and international philanthropy. FBT also incorporates youth leadership programming into its fundraising efforts, which allows young participants to see the impact of their efforts. I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for the ways that FBT, its supporters, and benefactors have come together around the Bloomington-Normal community to push it to be the best that it can be, Simmons said. If everyone picked one young mind and invested their time, talent or treasure, the so-called leaders of tomorrow would be leaders of today. A leader himself, Simmons was nominated by Hannah Mesouani, Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Board Member of FBT, for his humble yet unwavering dedication to bettering the lives of others and eliminating oppression. Simmons is one of nine recipents honored with the YICU Service Award. The future is built right now, and with leaders the likes of Isaac and his fellow nominees and winners, that future is looking brighter every day, Mesouani said. A Resident Community Advisor, Multifaith Ambassador, and member of the IWU Sexual Assault Taskforce and the Council on Religious Life on campus, Simmons is also heavily involved in the broader community with organizations including: The Advocate BroMenn D.C.A. Delegate Executive Committee, the W.B.R.P. Tool Library Taskforce, the West Bloomington Revitalization Project, and the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market. Through his constant dedication to betterment of the campus and community, Simmons is, as Mesouani stated in her nomination, a true servant leader and community-minded activist. Selected from 35 nominations, Simmons was one of three winners in his age group out of three total age groups. To know that someone in the community saw me, heard me, and thought so highly as to nominate me, put me at a loss for words. I was humbled, excited, amazed and energized by the nomination, and I was further filled with a sense of overwhelming joy for my community, Simmons said. All recipients of the award were given $250 to donate to a non-profit organization of their choice. Simmons selected the West Bloomington Revitalization Project because of its approach to community engagement, one that truly empowers the residents of the west side. I hope that my donation will add to their ability to supply resources to residents, add a bit of fuel to their innovation, and raise a little awareness of the wonderful work that comes out of 724 W. Washington St., Simmons said. Simmons thanks For a Better Tomorrow and his mentors for their support. Simmons acknowledged that he would not have have found his calling in community engagement without the support of his mentors who helped shape him into the person he has become. These mentors, both on and off campus, have given him the confidence to discover and grow into the leader he is today. They have taught me what it means to invest in the communities that I am a part of. They have driven me to ask the difficult questions. They have inspired me to leap after my dreams and have shown me how to catch myself when I dont quite make it. But most importantly, they have shown me love and overwhelming support, Simmons said. Such support was crucial to Simmons, who said it is easy to focus on the future as a college student. His mentors have, instead, encouraged him to focus on the present and have given him the clarity to find his passion in dedicating his life to one focused on community. To me this award means just that: community. It is because of community that I was nominated, it is with community that I received it, and it will be community that my award is given back to. I am so thankful for both my west-side community and my Wesleyan family. They have made me who I am today. By Vi Kakares 20 Zhang 18 Named Global Citizen Programme Scholar Oct. 2, 2018 Tianze (Linda) Zhang '18 BLOOMINGTON, Ill. Political science major Tianze (Linda) Zhang 18 (Shijiazhuang City, China) is the recipient of an Ustinov College Scholarship from Durham University (Durham, England), where she is pursuing a masters degree in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding. Recipients of this scholarship are expected to assume active roles in the three streams of the universitys Global Citizenship Programme: Intellectual & Global Curiosity; Careers, Employability & Personal Development; and Participation & Leadership. Zhangs area of concentration will be Participation & Leadership, which will require her to take initiative on a number of projects relating to community outreach and engagement. Receiving this scholarship gives me more opportunities to engage in campus life at Durham, and it also means I can contribute back to Durham community, Zhang said. Involvement in a variety of extracurricular activities at IWU has equipped me with the abilities that are needed for the scholarship. Zhangs extracurricular involvement included serving for two years as a Multifaith Ambassador, a position in which student leaders organize programming to engage religious diversity on campus. She was also co-founder of IWUs Model United Nations and a member of Kappa Delta. Zhang hopes that her work to make a positive impact at IWU and Durham will prepare her for a career as either a researcher in the academic area of war and peace or a political officer at a non-governmental organization that focuses on peacebuilding. Her passion for this field developed during her high school years in Singapore, a country with notable diversity in language and religion among its citizens. Living in Singapore brought me many reflections about cross-cultural relationships and multi-racial relationship management, said Zhang, whose involvement in her high schools Model United Nations club sparked an interest in peacebuilding that she carried throughout her time at IWU. I believe all my experiences have equipped me well with the skills to connect with people from different religious and cultural backgrounds, and I think it is crucial for conflict prevention. By Rachel McCarthy 21 CHICO, Calif. - The Chico Area Recreation and Park District is presenting its annual Healthy Aging Senior EXPO on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Lakeside Pavilion in Chico. It's located at 2565 California Park Drive. The EXPO is for people ages 50 and older, and their family members and caregivers. Attendees will get to explore resources to help them be as independent as possible as they age. There will be dozens of vendors offering things like health screenings, insurance services, health education materials and more. Coffee Ranch will pour free coffee and food demonstrations with healthy food samples will be provided by Roots Catering And Chico Natural Foods. Free flu and pneumonia shots will be provided for those who qualify under Medicare Part B, and free specialized telephones from the California Telephone Access Program will also be provided for those who qualify. Because parking is limited, The Terraces Senior Living is providing a free shuttle for guests. It leaves and returns from the Cedar Grove Parking lot next to the Chico Creek Nature Center in lower Bidwell Park. The shuttle map and more information about the EXPO are available HERE or by calling Lakeside Pavilion at (530) 895-4015. (CNN) -- Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh was involved in an altercation at a bar when he was an undergraduate student at Yale and was accused of throwing ice on another patron, according to a police report obtained by The New York Times. Kavanaugh and four other men were questioned by the New Haven, Connecticut, police department as a result of the incident in September 1985, the Times reports. Kavanaugh was a junior at Yale at the time. The police report referred to the altercation as "an assault," according to the Times. There is no indication that charges were filed, and the report did not say whether anyone was arrested. A 21-year-old man accused Kavanaugh of throwing ice on him "for some unknown reason," according to the report obtained by the Times. A witness reportedly said that Chris Dudley, a close friend of Kavanaugh's who has come out in support of his nomination, then hit the man in the ear with a glass. The victim, Dom Cozzolino, "was bleeding from the right ear," according to the report obtained by the Times, and later was treated at a local hospital. Dudley denied the accusation to the police, and Kavanaugh did not want "to say if he threw the ice or not," the Times reports that the police report said. The incident reportedly occurred at a bar called Demery's. Dudley has spoken out in support of Kavanaugh's nomination, and on Monday the White House released joint statements from him and a former Yale suite mate, Dan Murphy, rebutting any claims that Kavanaugh drank to the point of blacking out. The White House did not immediately respond to requests from the Times for comment on Monday. Dudley also did not respond to the Times, and Cozzolino declined to comment to the newspaper. Chad Ludington, a former classmate of Kavanaugh's, has said Kavanaugh did not tell the truth about his drinking in his testimony Thursday to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In Ludington's statement released Sunday he also mentions an altercation involving Kavanaugh: "On one of the last occasions I purposely socialized with Brett, I witnessed him respond to a semi-hostile remark, not by defusing the situation, but by throwing his beer in the man's face." Barry has been appointed to provide pensions advice and risk management solutions to LGPS clients and support them meet their objectives. He will be responsible for, and fund actuary to, a number of LGPS funds. His remit includes developing the strategy of the public sector consulting practice, identifying needs of the Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) market and developing solutions to LGPS technical issues to ensure clients get optimal outcomes. Barry joins the business after 22 years at Hymans Robertson, where he was Head of the LGPS Actuarial Practice. He has significant experience in the industry and was previously fund actuary to a number of LGPS funds, including Greater Manchester, the largest LGPS fund in the UK. He has joined a team in the Glasgow office in September. Barry McKay, Associate and Actuary at Barnett Waddingham, said; Barnet Waddingham has achieved outstanding success and growth in recent years, resulting in investment and development of efficient technology to support and deliver an exceptional service to clients. Even though Barnett Waddingham grown significantly our structure allows us to adapt and be flexible and keep the culture of the firm, which is so important. I am very impressed with the culture and feel of the firm. I am looking forward to helping continue this success and working with Public Sector clients to develop innovative but pragmatic solutions needed as the LGPS continues to evolve. Graeme Muir, Partner at Barnett Waddingham, said; Barry is well known in the LGPS sector and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Barnett Waddingham. Barry joins us at an exciting time for our LGPS team and further strengthens the team as we help our clients navigate the challenges ahead. LONDON and CALGARY, Alberta, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mkango Resources Ltd. (AIM/TSX-V: MKA) (the "Company" or "Mkango") is pleased to announce that shareholders have approved all resolutions at the Annual General and Special Meeting (the Meeting) held in Toronto today. At the Meeting, a special resolution was passed, approving the making of an application to the Registrar of Corporations under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) (the ABCA) and to the Registrar of Companies under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the BCBCA) to continue the Company from the jurisdiction of Alberta pursuant to the ABCA into the jurisdiction of British Columbia pursuant to the BCBCA. Also pursuant to the Meeting, Mr Shaun Reginald Treacy, has been appointed as a Director of the Company. Mr Treacy, aged 52, is a senior strategic and financial adviser. He is based in Sydney, Australia and is currently Chief Investment Officer for the private equity firm, Arete Capital Partners, and previously held senior investment banking positions with JPMorgan, Lehman Brothers, Nomura and UBS. The following details in relation to the appointment of Mr Treacy are disclosed in accordance with Schedule 2(g) of the AIM Rules: Current directorships Past directorships held within the last five years Arete Capital Partners Pty ltd Peloton ltd CFPT Pty ltd CDG Pty ltd Zenith Advisory Services Pty ltd Mr Treacy currently holds 714,285 common shares without par value in the share capital of the Company, which represents 0.65 per cent. of the issued share capital of the Company. Mr Treacy also holds 335,000 options in the Company, details of which are included in the announcement of 31 August 2018. Mr Treacy also holds 1.2 million warrants in the Company through Zenith Advisory Services Pty ltd. All other business put forth at the Meeting was also approved by shareholders of the Company, including: the election of Derek Linfield, William Dawes, Alexander Lemon, Adrian Reynolds, Susan Muir and Sandra du Toit as Directors of the Company; re-appointment of Meyers Norris Penny LLP as auditors of the Company; and approval of the Companys stock option plan in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Mkango Resources Limited Mkango's primary business is exploration for rare earth elements and associated minerals in the Republic of Malawi, a country whose hospitable people have earned it a reputation as the warm heart of Africa. The Company holds interests in three exclusive prospecting licenses in Malawi, the Phalombe licence, the Thambani licence and the Chimimbe Hill licence. The main exploration target in the 80% held Phalombe licence is the Songwe Hill rare earths deposit, which features carbonatite-hosted rare earth mineralisation and was subject to previous exploration in the late 1980s. Mkango completed an updated Pre-Feasibility Study for the project in November 2015 and a Feasibility Study is currently underway, the initial phases of which include the recently completed 10,900 metre drilling programme. Pursuant to an agreement with Talaxis Limited, Talaxis is fully funding the Feasibility Study by investing 12 million for a 49% interest in the project (via Mkango subsidiary Lancaster Exploration Ltd). Talaxis will also have the option to acquire a further 26% interest by arranging funding for project development including funding the equity component thereof. For more information, please visit www.mkango.ca. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained in this announcement may have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of that term under applicable securities laws) with respect to Mkango, its business and the Project. Generally, forward looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or is expected, scheduled, estimates intends, anticipates, believes, or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results can, may, could, would, should, might or will, occur or be achieved, or the negative connotations thereof. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements with respect to the global market for products using the rare earth metals the Company is exploring for, completion of the feasibility study and of the transactions contemplated in the agreement with Talaxis, as well as the use of proceeds from the investments into the Company by Talaxis and the timing of such expenditures. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, without limiting the foregoing, market demand for the metals and associated downstream products for which Mkango is exploring, researching and developing, the positive results of a feasibility study on the Project, delays in obtaining financing or governmental or stock exchange approvals. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made by, third parties in respect of the matters discussed above. For further information on Mkango, please contact: Mkango Resources Limited William Dawes Alexander Lemon Chief Executive Officer President This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. UK: +44 207 3722 744 Canada: +1 403 444 5979 www.mkango.ca @MkangoResources Blytheweigh Financial Public Relations Tim Blythe, Camilla Horsfall, Julia Tilley UK: +44 207 138 3204 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker Jeff Keating, Caroline Rowe UK: +44 20 3470 0470 Alternative Resource Capital Joint Broker Alex Wood, Rob Collins UK: +44 20 7186 9004; +44 20 7186 9001 The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any equity or other securities of the Company in the United States. The securities of the Company will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) and may not be offered or sold within the United States to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except in certain transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - Wallbridge Mining Company Limited (TSX:WM, FWB: WC7) ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce continued positive results from its underground drill program and to provide an update on the ongoing development as part of the 35,000-tonne bulk sample and underground exploration program at its 100%-owned Fenelon Gold Property ("Fenelon"). Highlights Visible gold was observed to be present in 41 of 68 holes drilled to date. Since the last press release (see Wallbridge Press Release dated September 19, 2018 ), highlights of received assay results are as follows: 18-0990-011: 74.90 g/t gold over 5.66 metres in the Habanero zone 18-0990-009: 5.73 g/t gold over 6.89 metres in the Naga Viper zone 18-1035-013: 94.54 g/t gold over 1.00 metre in the Anaheim zone Assay results from 30 underground drill holes are pending. ), highlights of received assay results are as follows: 18-0990-011: in the Habanero zone 18-0990-009: in the Naga Viper zone 18-1035-013: in the Anaheim zone Assay results from 30 underground drill holes are pending. Production from the second stope (NV-01) is now completed and development on the second level (5180 Level) is nearing the CH-02 stope. Over 10,000 tonnes of ore have been shipped to the Camflo mill and processing of the first batch was completed last week. A final reconciliation of mill performance will be available in the next few weeks. "Our exploration results continue to exceed expectations," stated Marz Kord, President and CEO of Wallbridge. "We are particularly pleased with the results from the Habanero Zone, a new zone which is producing good grades and widths as demonstrated by the highlight intercept in this press release. We look forward to more good results from this zone as we still have several holes with visible gold with assays pending." Underground drilling to date from the 5213 Level has mainly targeted the high-grade shoots down to 5130 Level (~120 m depth), which is the lowermost level that is planned to be developed during the 2018 bulk sample program. In the next few weeks drilling will focus on adding high grade resources in the East Extension areas and at depth, below the 5130 Level. A new underground drill station has been developed on the 5180 Level, which will be used to target the main high-grade shoots down-plunge to 200 m depth. The bulk sample is expected to produce 19,000 to 26,000 ounces of gold with close to 50% of gold priced at C$1,720 per ounce. The expected cash flow upon completion of this bulk sample, net of all bulk sample costs and including the financing costs, is expected to be sufficient to cover the budgeted working capital requirements. The bulk sample program is designed to test a few stopes in several zones. Overall grade from these planned stopes is estimated to average 18 to 25 g/t gold. The geology team has developed an extensive sampling program to characterize the mineralized material during this bulk sample. Chip samples are collected from a sampling line across each development face and muck samples are also taken in a regular pattern on surface. A 10,000-metre surface drilling program is now also underway to follow known mineralized zones and expand resources at depth and further away from the mine workings. A summary of the drill hole results from the underground drilling are reported in Tables 1 and 2 and also shown on the Figures below as well as on the Company website. Table 1. Wallbridge Fenelon Gold Property 2018 Underground Drill Assay Highlights Drill Hole From To From To Length True Width Au Au Capped* VG** Zone Press Release (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) (g/t) 18-1030-006 27.79 30.20 2.41 2.20 15.91 15.91 VG Chipotle July 25, 2018 18-1030-006 Including... 28.50 29.11 0.61 0.56 59.10 59.10 VG Chipotle July 25, 2018 18-1030-007 31.26 32.66 1.40 1.08 16.72 16.72 VG Chipotle July 25, 2018 18-1030-008 34.47 38.06 3.59 2.76 9.27 9.27 VG Chipotle July 25, 2018 18-1030-008 Including... 35.03 36.61 1.58 1.22 17.37 17.37 VG Chipotle July 25, 2018 18-1030-009 77.58 81.00 3.42 2.70 35.91 35.91 VG Paprika July 25, 2018 18-1030-009 Including... 78.90 80.60 1.70 1.34 63.33 63.33 VG Paprika July 25, 2018 18-1030-010 81.00 81.42 0.42 0.32 13.60 13.60 VG Naga Viper July 25, 2018 18-1030-011 80.10 85.50 5.40 4.37 10.05 10.05 Naga Viper Aug 14, 2018 18-1030-012 68.30 71.26 2.96 1.33 10.09 10.09 VG Chipotle Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-002 49.20 54.00 4.80 3.26 29.23 28.35 VG Chipotle Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-002 Including... 49.97 52.95 2.98 2.03 46.30 44.89 VG Chipotle Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-004 24.94 26.02 1.08 0.73 65.70 65.70 VG Fresno Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-004 70.00 74.16 4.16 3.27 9.37 9.37 Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-1035-005 58.77 64.90 6.13 5.86 48.81 24.35 VG Naga Viper Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-005 78.65 79.31 0.66 0.53 26.90 26.90 Paprika Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-007 84.90 85.50 0.60 0.48 15.60 15.60 Habanero Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-010 30.45 34.08 3.63 2.72 30.47 30.47 VG Chipotle Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-010 Including... 32.90 34.08 1.18 0.89 91.94 91.94 VG Chipotle Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-010 64.40 65.40 1.00 0.75 28.80 28.80 VG Paprika Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-011 27.75 30.00 2.25 1.78 65.76 42.89 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-011 56.50 60.50 2.95 2.36 11.09 11.09 Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-1035-012 28.01 28.56 0.55 0.44 28.30 28.30 VG Chipotle Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-012 56.41 56.71 0.30 0.29 61.10 61.10 VG Naga Viper Aug 14, 2018 18-1035-013 27.36 29.48 2.12 1.77 144.96 78.10 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-013 41.00 42.00 1.00 0.91 94.54 94.54 VG Anaheim Current Release 18-1035-013 Including... 27.99 29.15 1.16 0.97 262.18 140.00 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-013 51.40 58.35 4.28 3.58 40.69 40.09 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-014 85.70 86.45 0.75 0.58 10.23 10.23 Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-1035-015 72.60 74.34 1.74 1.16 15.74 15.74 Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-017 56.00 66.13 10.13 5.51 50.31 25.18 VG Chipotle Aug 28, 2018 18-1035-018 52.99 56.50 3.51 2.38 12.68 12.68 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-018 63.70 69.00 5.30 3.60 9.04 9.04 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-018 Including... 66.00 66.96 0.96 0.65 35.79 35.79 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-019 47.00 55.00 8.00 5.56 27.10 24.69 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-019 59.30 60.30 1.00 0.69 39.10 39.10 VG Chipotle Sept 5, 2018 18-1035-019 72.50 77.35 4.85 4.10 137.63 88.38 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1075-001 26.14 28.41 2.27 1.82 18.54 18.54 Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-1080-001 21.00 21.50 0.50 0.40 611.00 140.00 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-003 35.70 37.20 1.50 1.00 19.24 19.24 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-003 Including... 35.70 36.18 0.48 0.32 58.20 58.20 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-006 19.30 21.00 1.70 1.59 12.80 12.80 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-006 Including... 20.48 21.00 0.52 0.49 39.80 39.80 VG Naga Viper Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-006 36.88 41.23 4.35 4.08 3.05 3.05 Habanero Sept 5, 2018 18-1080-006 Including... 40.52 41.23 0.71 0.67 11.10 11.10 Habanero Sept 5, 2018 18-0990-006 104.52 109.10 3.50 2.33 39.47 23.32 VG Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-007 101.30 101.90 0.60 0.40 204.00 140.00 VG Chipotle Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-007 106.95 111.00 4.05 2.70 35.21 31.36 VG Naga Viper Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-007 132.02 134.97 2.95 2.20 122.35 35.45 VG Habanero Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-008 126.81 127.85 1.04 0.78 6.98 6.98 VG Habanero Current Release 18-0990-009 91.85 98.74 6.89 3.60 5.73 5.73 VG Naga Viper Current Release 18-0990-010 94.70 99.25 4.55 3.50 12.42 12.42 VG Paprika Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-010 111.40 116.92 5.52 4.99 41.02 41.02 VG Habanero Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-010 Including... 112.6 114.23 1.62 1.46 109.79 109.79 VG Habanero Sept 19, 2018 18-0990-011 104.41 112.20 5.66 5.21 74.90 57.09 VG Habanero Current Release *Au capped at 140 g/t following InnovExplo's 2016 Mineral Resource Estimate. **Intervals containing visible gold ("VG"). Table 2. Wallbridge Fenelon Gold Property 2018 Underground drill hole information* Drill Hole ID Local grid E Local grid N Elevation Length (Metres) Azimuth Dip VG** Note 18-1035-011 10571 10997 5214 85 185 -11 VG Further Assays pending 18-1035-012 10572 10996 5214 69 203 -6 VG Further Assays pending 18-1035-013 10572 10996 5214 65 194 -8 VG 18-1035-014 10571 10997 5214 115 184 -43 18-1035-015 10571 10997 5214 115 205 -44 VG 18-1035-016 10571 10997 5214 105 185 -39 18-1035-017 10571 10997 5214 105 198 -41 VG 18-1035-018 10571 10997 5214 100 185 -36 VG 18-1035-019 10571 10997 5214 100 193 -36 VG 18-1075-001 10592 10955 5214 42 227 -12 18-1075-002 10592 10955 5214 41 208 -8 18-1075-003 10592 10955 5214 48 208 -25 Further Assays pending 18-1080-001 10598 10949 5214 42 208 -25 VG 18-1080-002 10598 10949 5214 48 208 -38 18-1080-003 10598 10949 5214 42 208 -48 VG 18-1080-004 10598 10949 5214 45 185 -25 18-1080-005 10598 10949 5214 33 185 -37 18-1080-006 10598 10949 5214 42 185 -8 VG 18-0990-006 10532 11019 5215 152 203 -48 VG 18-0990-007 10532 11019 5215 149 208 -48 VG 18-0990-008 10532 11019 5215 150 206 -45 VG 18-0990-009 10532 11019 5215 135 208 -42 VG Further Assays pending 18-0990-010 10532 11019 5215 132 202 -40 VG 18-0990-011 10532 11019 5215 120 202 -36 VG 18-0990-012 10532 11019 5215 111 202 -28 18-0990-013 10532 11019 5215 132 208 -39 VG Further Assays pending 18-0990-014 10532 11019 5215 126 208 -36 VG Assays pending 18-0990-015 10532 11019 5215 105 209 -28 Assays pending 18-0990-016 10532 11019 5215 111 214 -15 Assays pending 18-0990-017 10532 11019 5215 152 211 -45 VG Assays pending 18-0990-018 10532 11019 5215 150 216 -46 Assays pending 18-1000-002 10540 11014 5215 156 204 -49 VG Assays pending 18-1000-003 10540 11014 5215 147 199 -46 VG Assays pending 18-1000-004 10540 11014 5215 126 205 -45 VG Assays pending 18-1000-005 10540 11014 5215 135 216 -46 VG Assays pending 18-1000-006 10540 11014 5215 131 199 -40 VG Assays pending 18-1000-007 10540 11014 5215 126 202 -38 VG Assays pending 18-1000-008 10540 11014 5215 111 202 -29 Assays pending 18-1000-009 10540 11014 5215 102 203 -20 VG Assays pending 18-1010-002 10549 11009 5214 150 201 -50 Assays pending 18-1010-003 10549 11009 5214 132 204 -44 VG Assays pending 18-1020-005 10556 11005 5214 141 205 -47 Assays pending 18-1020-006 10556 11005 5214 132 204 -44 Assays pending 18-0990-019 10532 11019 5215 162 230 -34 Assays pending 18-0990-020 10532 11019 5215 170 218 -48 VG Assays pending 18-0990-021 10532 11019 5215 138 220 -35 VG Assays pending 18-0990-022 10532 11019 5215 184 226 -46 VG Assays pending 18-0990-023 10532 11019 5215 163 223 -51 Assays pending 18-0990-024 10532 11019 5215 200 217 -55 Assays pending 18-0990-025 10532 11019 5215 216 233 -45 Assays pending 18-0990-026 10532 11019 5215 141 226 -26 Assays pending * Table includes only underground holes drilled since July. For earlier holes please refer to tables in previous press releases. **Intervals containing visible gold ("VG") Wallbridge's Fenelon Gold Property is located in northwestern Quebec proximal to the Sunday Lake Deformation Zone ("SLDZ") which hosts the Detour Gold Mine in Ontario, and Balmoral Resources' gold deposits at Martiniere. The Fenelon Gold Property hosts the Discovery Zone gold deposit and surrounding 4 km strike length of a gold-hosting secondary splay of the SLDZ. Since acquiring the property in late 2016, Wallbridge has completed an updated resource estimate and a positive pre-feasibility study on the existing resource (see Wallbridge Press Release dated February 02, 2017). In addition, Wallbridge has completed surface exploration drilling campaigns and is currently drilling from underground as part of its 35,000-tonne bulk sample at Fenelon. Drilling to date has significantly extended existing zones and discovered several new parallel zones. Drill core samples from the ongoing drill program at Fenelon were cut and bagged on site and transported to SGS Canada Inc. Samples, along with standards, blanks, and duplicates included for quality assurance and quality control, were prepared and analyzed at SGS Canada Inc. laboratories. Samples are crushed to 90% less than 2mm. A 1kg riffle split is pulverized to >95% passing 106 microns. 50g samples are analyzed by fire assay and AAS. Samples >10g/t Au are automatically analyzed by fire assay with gravimetric finish or screen metallic analysis. To test for coarse free gold and for additional quality assurance and quality control, Wallbridge requests screen metallic analysis for samples containing visible gold. These and future assay results may vary from time to time due to re-analysis for quality assurance and quality control. The Qualified Persons responsible for the technical content of this press release are Marz Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBA, President & CEO and Attila Pentek, P.Geo., Ph.D., Vice President Exploration for Wallbridge Mining Company Limited. About Wallbridge Mining Wallbridge is establishing a pipeline of projects that will support sustainable production and revenue as well as organic growth through exploration and scalability. Wallbridge is currently developing its 100%-owned high-grade Fenelon Gold property in Quebec with ongoing exploration and a bulk sample in 2018. Wallbridge is also pursuing other additional advanced-stage projects which would add to the Company's near-term project pipeline. These discussions benefit from the operating capabilities Wallbridge demonstrated by safely and efficiently mining the Broken Hammer deposit in Sudbury, which was completed in October 2015. Wallbridge is also continuing partner-funded exploration on its large portfolio of nickel, copper, and PGM projects in Sudbury, Ontario, with a focus on its high-grade Parkin project. Wallbridge also has exposure to exploration for copper and gold in Jamaica and British Columbia through its 11.3% ownership of Carube Copper Corp. (CUC:TSX-V, formerly Miocene Resources Limited, a Wallbridge spin-out of its BC assets). This press release may contain forward-looking statements (including "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to, among other things, the operations of Wallbridge and the environment in which it operates. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Wallbridge has relied on a number of assumptions and estimates in making such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the costs associated with the development and operation of its properties. Such assumptions and estimates are made in light of the trends and conditions that are considered to be relevant and reasonable based on information available and the circumstances existing at this time. A number of risk factors may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or outcomes of such exploration and/or mine development to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including, without limitation, whether such discoveries will result in commercially viable quantities of such mineralized materials, the possibility of changes to project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the ability to execute planned exploration and future drilling programs, the need for additional funding to continue exploration and development efforts, changes in general economic, market and business conditions, and those other risks set forth in Wallbridge's most recent annual information form under the heading "Risk Factors" and in its other public filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and such information is inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and may be beyond the control of Wallbridge. Although Wallbridge has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Consequently, undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements. In addition, all forward-looking statements in this press release are given as of the date hereof. Wallbridge disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this disclaimer. London, England (FSCwire) - Gabriel Resources Ltd. (Gabriel or the Company) previously reported on July 11, 2018 the publication of the redacted memorial on the merits and quantum of its claim against Romania (Memorial) under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) part of the World Bank (ICSID Arbitration). That publication followed a process prescribed by certain procedural orders (Procedural Orders) of the tribunal appointed to adjudicate the ICSID Arbitration (Tribunal), and took into account the Tribunals rulings on confidentiality issues. Gabriel announces that, following a further redaction process and in accordance with the directions prescribed by certain additional Procedural Orders, a redacted version of the counter-memorial filed by Romania on February 22, 2018 (Counter-Memorial) has now been published on the ICSID website, in addition to recently released Procedural Orders. Gabriel, together with its counsel, is currently preparing its reply to the Counter-Memorial and its response to Romanias supplemental jurisdictional challenge, which are scheduled to be filed on October 26, 2018. For information on this press release, please contact: Dragos Tanase President & CEO Mobile: +44 77 99 469 694 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Richard Brown Chief Commercial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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. About Gabriel Gabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Companys principal focus has been the exploration and development of the Rosia Montana gold and silver project in Romania (Rosia Montana Project). The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license (License) for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Rosia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Rosia Montana Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities. Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group (as defined below) focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Companys fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Companys current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more information please visit the Companys website at www.gabrielresources.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information (also referred to as forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about managements current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Companys operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Companys actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Companys ability to fund its operations or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Companys results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as expects, is expected, anticipates, believes, plans, projects, estimates, assumes, intends, strategy, goals, objectives, potential, possible or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results may, could, would, should, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements. Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: delay or extension to the duration of the ICSID Arbitration; required disclosure, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration against Romania; changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and the group of companies of which it is directly or indirectly parent (Group); access to funding to support the Groups continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future; equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of new or existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares; the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the TSX Venture Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities; the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: unforeseen historic acts of corruption, uncertain fiscal investigations; uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Group and political and social instability; regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes and interpretation of existing and future fiscal and other legislation; volatility of currency exchange rates, metal prices and metal production; the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Group of certain key employees and consultants; and risks normally incident to the exploration, development and operation of mining properties. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Companys forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Companys affairs since the date of this press release that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Companys website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Companys disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Companys filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com. WINNEMUCCA, Nev., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. (NYSE American: PZG) ("Paramount) today announced it has begun the first phase of an exploration program at its 100% owned Grassy Mountain Gold Project (Grassy) in Eastern Oregon. The program will focus on identifying and drilling the highest priority targets with the potential to add additional resources at Grassy. Paramount recently completed a positive Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for Grassy and is currently working toward completing all the baseline study reports and other requirements prior to submitting the consolidated permit application to the State of Oregon. Paramounts CEO Glen Van Treek commented: Our PFS demonstrates that Grassy is a robust project in the current metal price environment with low technical and geopolitical risks using established, conventional technologies. We have always been excited about Grassys exploration potential. The geological model for the main deposit suggests that mineralization occurred within a district-scale basin and a number of promising gold occurrences are known in the immediate area. The style of mineralization is ideal for the effective use of inexpensive geophysical tools to identify and refine high priority targets before drilling. Deposits like Grassy Mountain naturally occur in similar geological environments around the world similar to the ones occurring in the Hauraki Gold district in New Zealand, with million ounces of gold discovered. It is our belief that the Grassy Mountain project is no exception, Van Treek added. The first phase of the program consists of a helicopter mag and radiometric survey to be conducted by Precision Geosurveys Inc. over the entire 9,300 acre claim area to map structures and magnetic anomalies. This part of the program begins this week. Lines on 50 meter spacing are being flown for a total of 1,100km. The magnetometer survey data will then be integrated with previously completed surface geochemistry, geological mapping and resistivity surveys to better define drilling locations. Grassys mineralization is associated with siliceous sinter deposition and hydrothermal eruption in a hot spring environment. Geothermal activity occurred contemporaneously with sedimentation. Enriched gold mineralization occurs at depths of 200 ft. to 850 ft. below the current topographic surface and is directly correlated with silicification, quartz stockwork veining and hydrothermal brecciation. Superficial deposition of silica (sinter) has been preserved at surface throughout the property, Increased silica in mineralized areas makes the rock more resistant to electrical current. This resistivity can be detected by various geophysical surveys. In addition, alteration products formed along mineralizing feeder structures and subsequent oxidation produce a low magnetic response which can be mapped by magnetometry. Using these geophysical tools together with geochemical sampling and geological mapping is enabling Paramount to establish priority targets. High priority target areas for drilling include the following: Wally/Wood is located approximately one mile north-northwest of the main deposit. Sinter has been seen on surface and previous shallow drilling has intersected up to 90 ft. grading 0.025 opt gold (0.71 g/t). In addition, this area has a well-defined resistivity anomaly which is similar to the anomaly identified at the Grassy deposit. Three 700-800 ft. holes are planned in this area. Figure 1 North Spur is located 500 ft. north of Grassy and consists of silicified structures in an area surrounded by low grade gold which was identified in historic shallow drilling. None of the drilling in this area penetrated these silicified structures. Three holes are initially planned for this target. Denis Folley is located about two miles north of Grassy. To date, there has been no drilling completed in this area. However, surface mapping and sampling identified strong silicified outcrops with several geochemistry anomalies that are expected to represent the surface expression of a mineralized system below. Three 700 ft. holes are planned for this target. Figure 2 Figure 3 NI 43-101 Disclosure The exploration program will be overseen by Michael F. McGinnis, Project Manager. Mr. McGinnis is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. He has reviewed and approved this press release. To stay informed of future press releases, subscribe to our E-Alerts Program and to learn more about our projects visit the projects section of our website. About Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. Paramount Gold Nevada is a U.S. based precious metals exploration and development company. Paramounts strategy is to create shareholder value through exploring and developing its mineral properties and to realize this value for its shareholders in three ways: by selling its assets to established producers; entering into joint ventures with producers for construction and operation; or constructing and operating mines for its own account. Paramount owns 100% of the Grassy Mountain Gold Project which consists of approximately 9,300 acres located on private and BLM land in Malheur County, Oregon. The Grassy Mountain Gold Project contains a gold-silver deposit (100% located on private land) for which results of a positive PFS have been released and key permitting milestones accomplished (see press release dated May 24, 2018). Additionally, Paramount owns a 100% interest in the Sleeper Gold Project located in Northern Nevada. The Sleeper Gold Project, which includes the former producing Sleeper mine, totals 2,322 unpatented mining claims (approximately 60 square miles or 15,500 hectares). Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Estimates of Indicated, Inferred Resources and Reserves This news release uses the terms "measured and indicated resources", "inferred resources" and proven and probable reserves. We advise U.S. investors that while these terms are defined in, and permitted by, Canadian regulations, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and not normally permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility studies, except in rare cases. The SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute SEC Industry Guide 7 compliant "reserves", as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in this category will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of an inferred resource exists or is economically or legally minable. Under SEC Industry Guide 7 standards, a final or bankable feasibility study is required to report reserves, the three-year historical average price is used in any reserve or cash flow analysis to designate reserves and the primary environmental analysis or report must be filed with the appropriate governmental authority. Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements This release and related documents may include "forward-looking statements" and forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) pursuant to applicable United States and Canadian securities laws. Paramounts future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans or prospects constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable securities laws. Words such as "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although these words may not be present in all forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included in this news release include, without limitation, statements with respect to: production estimates and assumptions, including production rate and grade per tonne; revenue, cash flow and cost estimates and assumptions; statements with respect to future events or future performance; anticipated exploration, development, permitting and other activities on the Grassy Mountain project; the economics of the Grassy Mountain project, including the potential for improving project economics and finding more ore to extend mine life; and mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates. Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analyses and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Management believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: the conclusions made in the PFS; the quantity and grade of resources included in resource estimates; the accuracy and achievability of projections included in the PFS; Paramounts ability to carry on exploration and development activities, including construction; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits; the price of silver, gold and other metals; prices for key mining supplies, including labor costs and consumables, remaining consistent with current expectations; work meeting expectations and being consistent with estimates and plant, equipment and processes operating as anticipated. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: uncertainties involving interpretation of drilling results; environmental matters; the ability to obtain required permitting; equipment breakdown or disruptions; additional financing requirements; the completion of a definitive feasibility study for the Grassy Mountain project; discrepancies between actual and estimated mineral reserves and mineral resources, between actual and estimated development and operating costs and between estimated and actual production; and the other factors described in Paramounts disclosures as filed with the SEC and the Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta Securities Commissions. Except as required by applicable law, Paramount disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this document. Paramount Gold Nevada Corp. Glen Van Treek, President, CEO and Director Christos Theodossiou, Director of Corporate Communications 866-481-2233 Twitter: @ParamountNV TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revival Gold Inc. (TSXV: RVG, OTCQB: RVLGF) (Revival Gold or the "Company"), a growth-focused gold exploration and development company, announces that drilling has commenced on the Haidee patented claim (Haidee) within Revival Golds Arnett Gold Project (Arnett) located in Lemhi County, Idaho. Haidee was originally staked in 1887 by individuals including George L. Shoup, the first Governor of the state of Idaho. Arnett neighbours Revival Golds flagship Beartrack Gold Project (Beartrack) where drilling is already underway. Highlights Drilling has commenced on a seven-hole 1,000-meter core drill program on Haidee at Arnett. Three rigs are now drilling for Revival Gold in the Beartrack-Arnett project area Arnett has seen widespread placer mining as well as small scale lode mining at the Haidee and Italian Mine prospects. Patented ground at Haidee was staked in 1887 by some of Idahos earliest frontiersmen, including George L. Shoup, the first Governor of the State of Idaho Known mineralization at Arnett occurs in two sub-parallel trends, each measuring over four kilometers in length In 2017 Revival Gold completed a selective rock sampling program from dumps, float and sparse outcrop across Arnett, representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. Of the 107 samples collected, 37 returned gold values exceeding 1 g/t gold We are thrilled to be following in the footsteps of Idahos first Governor, said Hugh Agro, President & CEO. Gold was first discovered in eastern Idaho in the 1860s at Beartrack-Arnett. With a third drill turning at Beartrack-Arnett we have embraced the spirit of Idahos earliest frontiersman and marked another exploration milestone for the benefit of our shareholders, Lemhi County and the State of Idaho. Details Revival Gold received all state and federal permits for a seven-hole 1,000-meter core drill program on its recently acquired patented Haidee claim at Arnett in September 2018. Titan Drilling commenced drilling on October 1st, 2018. Drilling at Arnett will target known mineralization at Haidee and will be integrated with 11 core holes previously drilled by Meridian Gold Inc. (Meridian) in 1997. Drilling is intended to confirm the continuity and tenor of mineralization at Haidee over approximately 300 meters of strike (see press release dated September 19th, 2018 for further details). Arnett has been the site of widespread placer mining as well as small-scale lode mining at the historical Haidee and Italian Mine prospects. Placer mining began in the area immediately after the American Civil War in 1866 and has continued sporadically to the present. The Haidee patented claim was staked in 1887 and patented in 1892 by Messrs. George L. Shoup, M. M. McPherson and A. J. Macnab. Mr. Shoup served as Idahos first governor from July to December of 1890 and was then elected by the State legislature to the U.S. Senate in December 1890 where he remained until March of 1901 (The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, 1904). Known mineralization at Arnett occurs in two sub-parallel trends, each measuring over four kilometers in length. The northern trend, known as the Northern Contact zone, includes the Haidee prospect and a historical resource (the Arnett Historical Resource Estimate) described further below. The southern trend, known as the Arnett trend, includes the Italian Mine prospect and several other prospects. In 2017 Revival Gold completed a selective rock sampling program from dumps, float and sparse outcrop across Arnett, representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. Of the 107 samples collected, 37 returned gold values exceeding 1 g/t gold. The total gold endowment at Beartrack-Arnett is significant. Placer gold production was estimated at 475,000 to 600,000 ounces (Johnson et al, 1998) and hard rock gold production was reported as approximately 600,000 ounces (Meridian, 2000). In addition, the current mineral resource at Beartrack is 33.4 million tonnes Indicated at 1.13 g/t gold containing 1.2 million ounces of gold) and 16.9 million tonnes Inferred at 1.41 g/t gold containing 0.8 million ounces gold (see Revival Gold press release dated May 29, 2018 for further details) and the Arnett Historical Resource Estimate (see below) was estimated at 380,000 ounces of gold. Arnett Historical Resource Estimate Arnett is an advanced stage exploration project that was the subject of three historic geologic resource estimates prepared by Pincock, Allan & Holt (PAH) in 1991, 1993 and 1994 (the PAH Reports). The most recent historic geological resource estimate encompassing Arnett, titled the PAH 1994 Update of Arnett Creek Conceptual Study (the PAH 1994 Update), reported a historical indicated geologic resource of 10.9 million tonnes at 0. 93 grams of gold per tonne (12 million tons at 0.027 ounces of gold per ton) containing approximately 327,000 ounces of gold and a historical inferred geologic resource of 2.6 million tonnes at 0.62 grams of gold per tonne (2.9 million tons at 0.018 ounces of gold per ton) containing approximately 53,000 ounces of gold. Rights to the entire Historical Resource Estimate and all five known mineralized areas referenced in the PAH 1994 Update are now controlled by Revival Gold. There are no more recent estimates or data available to the Company. It should be noted that the PAH report was prepared prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101 and does not conform to this standard. Resource categories in the Historical Resource Estimate are not used in the in the same sense as stipulated in NI 43-101 and are included for historical purposes only. The PAH 1994 Update utilized a rock-type model. Compositing of assay data was done on ten-foot lengths, and high-grade outlier composite grades were capped by rock type. PAH ran geological resources for both the capped and uncapped model and found there to be negligible difference in total ounces between the two models. Using omni-directional and vertical variograms constructed within the main mineralized zones, PAH selected a search radius of 110 feet in plan and 150 feet vertically. A minimum of three composites were required for a block to be estimated by ordinary kriging. For a resource to be classified as indicated, at least one composite had to be within 80 feet of the estimated block or within a mineralized zone. Blocks outside a mineralized zone, and further than 80 feet from a composite, were classified as inferred. The Company notes that the PAH 1994 Update was based on reverse-circulation drilling conducted by American Gold Resources Inc. Subsequent geological work conducted by Meridian in 1997 consisted of eleven diamond drill holes, three of which were twins of previous reverse-circulation holes. While these twin holes confirm the presence of gold from earlier drilling, they also demonstrate the high variability of gold grades over the short distances between twined holes and suggest that the results from reverse-circulation drilling below the water table may not always be reliable. The Company believes that the historic drilling and the PAH 1994 Update support the existence of a significant mineralized system. However, any future resource estimates by the Company will be based on a larger component of core drilling and will use specific gravity measured from drill core samples. In early 1998, Meridian submitted a twoyear proposal to the U.S. Forest Service for exploration at Arnett Creek and area. However, in mid-1998, Meridian terminated its involvement in the project, returning the claims to their original owners. No major exploration activities have been recorded since. The Company cautions that the PAH Reports were prepared prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101. Accordingly, the PAH 1994 Update does not constitute a mineral resource, or a mineral reserve as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The Project will require considerable further evaluation to verify the PAH 1994 Update. As of the date of this news release, a qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve. Arnett Plan of Operations In October 2017 Revival Gold submitted a Plan of Operations (Plan of Operations) permit application to the United States Forest Service to drill from 52 drill-pad locations on the Companys unpatented claims at Arnett. A public comment period was completed in February 2018. Permitting is progressing and a permit for drilling on Revival Golds unpatented claims at Arnett is expected to be received by year end. When approved, the Plan of Operations will allow Revival Gold to expand drilling from the Haidee patented claim onto unpatented ground, and to explore other targets on the property. Arnett adjoins Beartrack. Haidee is located approximately ten kilometers by road from the legacy mine facilities at Beartrack and benefits from its proximity to this existing infrastructure. Steven T. Priesmeyer, C.P.G., Vice-President Exploration, Revival Gold Inc., is the Company's designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and approved its scientific and technical content. About Revival Gold Inc. Revival Gold Inc. is a growth-focused gold exploration and development company. The Company has the right to acquire a 100% interest in Meridian Beartrack Co., owner of the former producing Beartrack Gold Project located in Lemhi County, Idaho. Revival also owns rights to a 100% interest in the neighbouring Arnett Gold Project. In addition to its interests in Beartrack and Arnett, the Company is pursuing other gold exploration and development opportunities and holds a 51% interest in the Diamond Mountain Phosphate Project located in Uintah County, Utah. Revival Gold has approximately 42 million shares outstanding and had a working capital balance of approximately $5.2 million as at June 30th, 2018. Additional disclosure of the Companys financial statements, technical reports, material change reports, news releases and other information can be obtained at www.revival-gold.com or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For further information, please visit www.revival-gold.com or contact: Andrea Totino, Investor Relations Manager Telephone: (416) 366-4100 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Cautionary Statement 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 news release. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as believes, anticipates, expects, estimates, may, could, would, will, or plan. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Companys objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and those risks set out in the Companys public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) (Velocity or the Company) announces a non-brokered private placement (the "Financing") of up to 6,666,667 units (the "Units") priced at $0.15 per Unit to raise total gross proceeds of up to $1.0 million. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of Velocity (each, a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of Velocity at a price of $0.20 per share for a period of 36 months from the closing of the Financing. All securities issued in connection with the Financing will be subject to a hold period of four-months and one day in Canada. The proceeds of the Financing are intended to fund ongoing work at the Companys Rozino gold project (the Project) in Bulgaria and for general working capital. The Company may pay finder's fees on a portion of the Financing consisting of a cash commission equal to 7% of the total gross proceeds raised and finder's warrants equal to 7% of the total number of Units issued, where each finder's warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of Velocity at a price of $0.15 per share for a period of 12 months from the closing of the Financing. The Financing is subject to TSX Venture Exchange and other regulatory approval. About Velocity Minerals Ltd. Velocity is a gold exploration and development company focused on eastern Europe. The Companys management and board includes mining industry professionals with combined experience spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas as employees of major mining companies as well as founders and senior executives of junior to mid-tier public companies. The team's experience includes all aspects of mineral exploration, resource definition, feasibility, finance, mine construction and mine operation as well as a track record in managing publicly listed companies. The Company recently announced the results of a preliminary economic assessment on the Project, located in southeast Bulgaria (previous news release NR18-17, dated September 17, 2018). A technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects on the Project will be filed on SEDAR on or before October 31, 2018. About Bulgaria Bulgaria is a member of NATO (2004) and a member of the European Union (2007). The local currency (BGN) has been tied to the Euro since 1999 (1.956 BGN/EUR). The country is served by modern European infrastructure including an extensive network of paved roads. Bulgaria boasts an exceptionally low corporate tax rate of only 10%. The countrys education system is excellent with good availability of experienced mining professionals in a favourable cost environment. Foreign mining companies are successfully operating in Bulgaria. The countrys mining law was established in 1999 and updated in 2011. Mining royalties are low and compare favourably with more established mining countries. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Keith Henderson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson Phone: +1-604-638-3456 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: www.velocityminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release does not constitute an offer of sale of any of the above-mentioned securities in the United States. The foregoing securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release includes certain forward-looking information (collectively, forward-looking statements) within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Financing, the payment of finder's fees, the filing of a technical report prepared pursuant to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects on the Project on SEDAR and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can be identified by words such as pro forma, plans, expects, may, should, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, believes, potential or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that costs will remain stable over the relevant period, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Project in a timely manner, the completion of the Financing, construction and continued operation of the Project, and the Companys projects generally, and the Companys ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities for the Project, estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, the availability of a sufficient supply of water and other materials, requirements for additional capital to fund the Companys business plan, future prices of precious metals, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, the inability to or delay in obtaining governmental and regulatory approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange for the Financing), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading. Risk Factors in the Companys annual managements discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Companys profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allegiant Gold Ltd. (AUAU: TSX-V) (AUXXF: OTCQX) is pleased to report on the progress of its high-impact discovery drilling campaign. A total of six (6) projects located principally in the world-class gold mining jurisdiction of Nevada are slated for drilling over a 10-12 month period; drilling commenced at the Red Hills project in August 2018 (see press release of August 22, 2018). ALLEGIANT completed the Red Hills drill program on September 20, 2018. Nine (9) holes were drilled for a total of 2,342 meters. Seven of the holes were drilled in a covered flat targeting a buried intrusive and its margin. Two holes were drilled to test a northwest-trending structure cutting Paleozoic sedimentary rocks on the south end of Red Hills where surface sampling had returned high trace elements and encouraging gold grades. Assays are pending. Drilling has commenced at ALLEGIANTs Hughes Canyon gold project located 50 km east of Lovelock, Nevada. Twelve drill holes totaling 2,550 meters, are planned. Holes will be drilled on the pediment immediately west of the Hughes Canyon gold showing along the western margin of the Stillwater Range. Drill holes will target both geophysical and geochemical anomalies in Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. Qualified Person Andy Wallace is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists and is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Wallace has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release. ABOUT ALLEGIANT ALLEGIANT owns 100% of 14 highly-prospective drill-ready gold projects in the United States, 11 of which are located in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Nevada. Six of the projects are slated for near-term drilling and all offer excellent discovery opportunity. ALLEGIANTs flagship Eastside project hosts a large and expanding gold resource, is district scale, and is located in an area of excellent infrastructure. Preliminary metallurgical testing indicates that both oxide and sulphide gold mineralization at Eastside is amenable to heap leaching. Further information regarding ALLEGIANT can be found at www.allegiantgold.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, Robert F. Giustra Chairman & CEO For more information contact: Investor Relations (604) 634-0970 or 1-888-818-1364 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 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. Forward Looking Statements Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as seek, expect, anticipate, budget, plan, estimate, continue, forecast, intend, believe, predict, potential, target, may, could, would, might, will and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Forward-looking statements in this and other press releases include but are not limited to statements and information regarding Allegiant Gold Ltd.s (Allegiant) drilling and exploration plans for its properties, including anticipated timing thereof. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Some of the known risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements are described in the sections entitled Risk Factors in Allegiants Listing Application, dated January 24, 2018, as filed with the TSX Venture Exchange and available on SEDAR under Allegiants profile at www.sedar.com. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Allegiant undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. TORONTO, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSXV: GG; OTCQB:GGGOF) is pleased to announce that the Company has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the Private Placement) of 54,000,000 units (the Units) at a price of C$0.05 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of C$2,700,000. Each Unit was comprised of one common share of the Company (each, a Common Share) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 until October 1, 2020. The expiry date of the Warrants can be accelerated by the Company to the date that is 10 business days after the date where the closing price of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange is higher than C$0.20 for 10 consecutive trading days, provided such trading days occur four months and one day after the issuance of the Warrants. The closing of the Private Placement constituted the satisfaction of the last condition precedent to the effectiveness of the loan agreement for the Companys previously announced US$5,000,000 secured loan facility with Barak Fund SPC Limited (the Facility). The proceeds of the Facility and of the Private Placement will be used towards the restart of the Companys Galaxy mine. Galane Gold CEO, Nick Brodie commented: The Galaxy project represents a key change in the future of Galane Gold and the opportunity to bring it into production is unlocked by the Facility and the closing of the Private Placement. We are now in the position to start the next phase, which includes a refurbishment and commissioning of the upgraded processing plant and completing the development work required to restart underground mining. The Company still hopes to have first production from Galaxy in the first quarter of 2019. (1) Pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Common Shares and Warrants comprising the Units, and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants, are subject to a hold period until four months and one day after closing. The Private Placement remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. As previously announced, certain directors and officers of the Company purchased 10,563,000 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of C$528,150. Such issuances of Units were considered related party transactions within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101). The Company relied upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(b) of MI 61-101. Note: (1) This is forward-looking information and is based on a number of assumptions. See "Cautionary Notes". About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSXV under the symbol GG and on the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. Cautionary Notes Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including, without limitation, those regarding the Companys future financial position and results of operations, strategy, proposed acquisitions, plans, objectives, goals and targets, and any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words believe, expect, aim, intend, plan, continue, will, may, would, anticipate, estimate, forecast, predict, project, seek, should or similar expressions or the negative thereof, are forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the Companys dependence on two mineral projects; gold price volatility; risks associated with the conduct of the Companys mining activities in Botswana and South Africa; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to the Companys exploration, development, plant expansion and mining activities being situated in Botswana and South Africa; risks relating to reliance on the Companys management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Companys inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks arising from the Companys fair value estimates with respect to the carrying amount of mineral interests; mining tax regimes; risks arising from holding derivative instruments; the Companys need to replace reserves depleted by production; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; contests over title to properties, particularly title to undeveloped properties; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; lack of infrastructure; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; health risks in Africa; the Companys interactions with surrounding communities and artisanal miners; the Companys ability to successfully integrate acquired assets; risks related to restarting production; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; development of the Companys exploration properties into commercially viable mines; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; lack of liquidity for shareholders of the Company; risks related to the market perception of junior gold companies; and litigation risk. Management provides forward-looking statements because it believes they provide useful information to investors when considering their investment objectives and cautions investors not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by law. Information of a technical and scientific nature that forms the basis of the disclosure in the press release has been approved by Charles Byron Pr. Sci. Nat., MAusIMM., MGSSA and Chief Geologist for Galane Gold, and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Neither the TSXV nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information please contact: Nick Brodie CEO, Galane Gold Ltd. + 44 7905089878 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.GalaneGold.com Pologne 3 octobre THE FIRST IN THE WORLD CITIZENS PROJECT OF A BILL TO A PARLIAMENT INTRODUCING VACCINE FREEDOM OF CHOICE Representatives of A Countrywide Civic Committee of Legislative Initiative - called National Association of Vaccination Knowledge STOP NOP (Ogolnopolskie Stowarzyszenie Wiedzy o Szczepieniach STOP NOP) got 121,000 (121k) signatures from determined parents to present before the Polish Parliament a project of a new bill. On October 3, 2018 the first reading of the project will take place. The project of bill is aimed primarily at the abolition of the mandatory vaccinations and the introduction of voluntary vaccination as well as greater child safety: - an accurate medical qualification, which is to prevent adverse reactions. The doctor is to ask not only about health in general, but about allergy, asthma, immune and neurological diseases and previous post-vaccination adverse reactions not only to the vaccinated person, but in the family. - a written information about the risk before vaccination - an information on the types of vaccines, and which of them are produced on the basis of human cell lines derived from abortion - an accurate medical history after vaccination to record unwanted post-vaccination reactions - the possibility of reporting adverse post-vaccination reactions by parents and judicial supervision of their recording - public consultation on changes to the vaccination calendar. The project leaves the possibility of introducing vaccinations in case of an epidemic, as it is in countries where there are no mandatory vaccinations, where parents have a free choice. Vaccination will continue to be funded by the government, but parents are to be treated as partners, not slaves of the system. The culmination of the collecting of the signatures was the International protest against mandatory vaccination, which took place on June 3rd in Warsaw, as well as in doyen of other countries around the world. On October 3rd, 2018, the Polish Parliament will hear for the first time the project of the bill being read by the Committee's representative Justyna Socha who is also the president of STOP NOP. On the same day a Families Strike will be held in Warsaw, at the Parliament site. Parents fighting for a free choice regarding vaccination will gather, amongst whom there will be many of those who have experienced post-vaccination adverse reactions within their families. Often paying the highest price: health or a life of a child. Mobilization throughout the country has been announced. STOP NOP Association counts on the fact that, as promised by the current government, no civic legislative initiative will be rejected, and so the Parliament will approve the project for further proceedings. Following the Initiative of the Polish conscious parents, our Italian brothers from Liberta di Scelta - Proposta di Legge di Iniziativa Popolare, went in our steps and took on the fight for freedom, collecting 100,000 signatures in a lightning speed. Signatures under a call to a government to respect parental decisions. We wish them good luck and a quick positive consideration by the parliament in Rome of their civic project. We hope that citizens of other countries will follow. If there is a risk there must be a choice! The Special Criminal Court must respect international standards, said Canadian-Cameroonian jurist Dieudonne Detchou. Child soldiers are also victims. Up to now, no international tribunal has prosecuted children under 15, and the SCC will not prosecute them. Detchou is one of the four top members of the SCC prosecution team, along with a Congolese chief Prosecutor, a Central African deputy and another Central African. The announcement came on September 25 during a training workshop for Central African journalists in the CAR capital Bangui. The SCC prosecution thus plans to follow the same line as other mixed or hybrid courts that went before it. In 2002 the Prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, confronted with the same issue, laid down some key principles for these courts specially created to try serious crimes: since their action is limited, they should concentrate on the biggest or most notorious suspects, and these do not include child soldiers. Three levels of justice As Detchou said, that doesnt mean that the ordinary courts cannot do so. Indeed, crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the CAR since 2002-2003 and in reality especially those committed between 2013 and today can be tried at three levels. At the international level, the International Criminal Court (ICC) remains seized of the situation even if, in eleven years of investigations, it has not done much. It has prosecuted only one person, Congolese former rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba, who was finally acquitted on appeal in June this year. At national level, the work is to be divided between the SCC, a court of national and international judges set up 2015 with UN support that is preparing to start investigations, and ordinary courts which this year started handling certain cases. These courts, also known as criminal courts, are the most lacking in resources but will no doubt have to handle the majority of cases. They could, in addition, deal with cases of children conscripted into armed groups during the ethnic and religious violence that has torn the country apart. With the ICC having lost credibility in the country, expectations of the SCC are high, whilst the security situation makes part of the country inaccessible and the armed conflict is still ongoing. More than 15 months after the first judges were sworn in, there is increasing pressure for the court to show concrete action. The broad outlines of the courts prosecution strategy, which had been expected in September, are now likely to be announced this month. The prosecution team is complete, as is that of its judicial police officers and investigating judges. Staff of the witness protection unit have just arrived. Dont judge us in advance How do you feel, given the scale of the task? a local journalist asks deputy prosecutor Alain Ouaby-Bekai. We are doing well, he replies. We are ready to start. And a local TV journalist wants to know how the court will avoid the influence and pressure from people in power suspected of being behind the violence. The guarantee of that lies with the law and the good faith of the stakeholders, court spokesman Theophile Momokoama replies with finesse. Let the judges demonstrate their independence. Dont let us judge them in advance. On September 29 at the Alliance Francaise in Bangui, a group of professional actors staged a new play written to help people understand the SCC. The play will now tour several towns in the provinces. The main character, Antoine at first shares peoples distrust of judicial mechanisms that have always betrayed them. The SCC? Hahaha! Thatll be in 85 years, a token court! he scoffs in the first act of the play. He also slams the suits and ties with smoked glass windows who benefit from such internationally funded projects. In the second act, however, Antoine has become convinced of the need for the court. Now he is tasked with explaining it to the population. As I speak, the SCC is setting up, he says. Now it is time for justice. It is the moment of truth. But we will wait and see, right? Pints for Pups event features dogs, beers, conversation for a cause The 42 North Brewing Company in East Aurora is holding an event on Veterans Day that will involve dogs, beer and raising money for a good cause. On Thursday, the... YMCA, FeedMore teaming up to fight hunger through fall food drive For the 11th straight year, YMCA Buffalo Niagara is teaming up with FeedMore WNY to help fight hunger this holiday season through an annual food drive. The organizations are asking... Town man indicted on manslaughter, drug charges Town of Tonawanda resident Zaire Pittman, 25, was arraigned last week on an indictment charging him with felony vehicular manslaughter, in connection with a car accident that took place in... Cardinal OHara to present Little Women in person next weekend Drama club students at Cardinal OHara High School will be presenting their first in-person fall play next weekend, following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The production will also... News Brief Following the FDAs emergency use authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 through 11, the Erie County Department of Health is asking parents to fill out this survey... Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. 21K Shares Share I remember when I started nursing school about a decade ago, that there was a near militant attitude describing the nursing shortage. School administrators, politicians, and journalists hopped on this easy bandwagon and talking point. Research and polls of dubious quality rode the tidal wave of popular opinion. Unsurprisingly, their genesis in an echo chamber yielded predictably confirmatory responses. As graduation time was fast approaching, the class began to job hunt and there was nothing. The few jobs in the region asked for the golden one year of experience and yet nobody was prepared to give it. Worse yet, this experience was required to be in that particular setting. It was a classic catch-22. Many graduates languished with unemployment/underemployment, fighting for exploitative part-time nursing homework. Ten years later, there does seem to be a stronger recruiting effort for nurses. Its a surreal feeling now, having been borderline unemployable once upon a time and now seeing actual signing bonuses. So did the talking heads accurately predict a nursing shortage then? In my (admittedly anecdotal context) opinion, they didnt. The least scrupulous polled various staff and physicians in the trenches which might seem intuitive for determining whats needed and what isnt but ignores the fact that the grunts dont make the hiring decisions. Others failed to recognize that organizations wanted veteran nurses for easy plug and play. In an era of accelerated outsourcing and general job loss, there was a lot of money to be made selling career training seats. The rosier the employment prospects, the better. Nursing homes had been steadily growing in this time period, and it seemed a cottage industry sprung up for skeleton crew facilities. Horror stories abounded of absurd patient-to-nurse ratios; the most egregious I had heard was 100:1. It would be semi-joked about that by the end of your morning medication administration list, patients at the beginning would have died before you had the time to cycle back. I dont have direct experience to confirm these tales, but the various nursing home scandals through the years seem to suggest at least a shred of truth exists. Today it appears that nursing homes too are struggling to recruit. This is much less surprising considering the low pay and constant squeeze for making do with less. Ironically, residents with dementia do better with a consistent environment and familiar faces, which a revolving door of staff handily foils. This thrived in the shadow of hospitals largely shunning new graduates. As seen in history, businesses are thrilled at having an oversupply of cheap, disposable labor. But the hospital response was not illogical. Few facilities want to bear the cost and diminished efficiency of bringing new graduates up to speed. Time is money and especially in the most desirable places to live, why shouldnt employers pick the path of least resistance? They are, like those nursing homes, in the enviable position of having an oversupply of labor with which they can be highly selective. This left community hospitals to pick up the slack. In the modern world, it isnt unusual now for people to move around the country throughout the course of their career. Big city dreaming has always captured the imagination but has gradually become idolized. Couple that with a high concentration of knowledge-based labor the remainder of the job market after the gutting of manufacturing and theres every practical reason to go to the city. But those city hospitals demand experience. Where is the new graduate to get that golden one year? Community hospitals. I suspect that this has been a dilemma for far more than ten years. It is logical that community hospitals would not want to bear the costs of getting new graduates going, only to lose them as they start becoming proficient at their work. Many small organizations live and die on long-term anchoring staff. Ten years ago, the answer was to recruit experienced staff, who dont need the golden year anymore. They would plug in seamlessly, presumably be further along in having a family or other obligation that would make them less flighty, and overall cost far less while providing more. But ultimately this was a shortsighted strategy because it choked off the supply of new graduates becoming experienced and drew from a pool of nurses that was only so deep. Unfilled staffing needs led to the traveling or agency nurse becoming a necessity but at great cost. And when experienced nurses realize that the temps theyre working alongside are being paid more with less overall responsibility to the organization? The growth of agency should come as no surprise, and thus the pool of reliable, experienced nurses becomes even shallower. This all brings us to today. Smaller hospitals find it increasingly difficult to fill in the schedule gaps. New graduates do their time at desperate facilities, moving onto bigger and better things once their year is up. Experienced nurses get older, sicker or just plain fed up with being paid less than the temp next to them while being expected to be available to take shifts or go home unpaid to save money. Enter the nurse practitioner education machine. For (over) the price of a bachelors and a masters your experience in the trenches can be translated to a doctor-lite. For (over) the price of a DNP, you can try to call yourself doctor legitimately. Combining the artifice of career advancement with a way out of being treated like livestock, who could say no? The coming crisis is not a shortage of nurses, but rather a lack of nurses willing to give in the face of diminishing reciprocity. To be in the position of trying to make things work is an unenviable one. Hard numbers on balance sheets for ailing community hospitals dont lie, and many services dont directly bring in money. As health care reimbursement continues to be razed, hospitals will have no choice but to cut, cut, cut to slow their descent into oblivion. It brings to mind one famous quote: It became necessary to destroy the town to save it. Way Chiang is a resident physician. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 1K Shares Share The stories are disturbing. A pregnant emergency physician assaulted in a hallway. A patient leaping from the bed, wielding medical equipment as a weapon against the care team. A security guard intervening in a tense waiting room confrontation late at night. Most people find the violence hard to fathom, but for emergency physicians, these threats are part of life on the job every day. A new poll by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) shows that emergency department violence is increasing, and more must be done to protect doctors and emergency personnel as they work to care for the health and safety of millions of patients across the country. Nearly half (47 percent) of emergency physicians report being physically assaulted, with more than 60 percent of those saying the attacks occurred in the past year. Nearly 7 in 10 say that emergency department violence has increased in the past 5 years. Nearly a third (28 percent) of emergency physicians say theyve been injured at work because of an assault. Yes, this is a clarion call to improve physician safety. But, violence in the emergency department puts patients at risk, too. In fact, more than 80 percent say that violence in the ED harms patient care. Emergency patients that witness violence can be traumatized to the point that they leave without being seen/treated. And, these attacks contribute to increasing wait times, are a major distraction for ED staff, and results in less focus on other patients that desperately need to be treated. Patients with medical emergencies deserve a place of care that is free of physical dangers and care from staff who are not distracted by patients or visitors with behavioral or substance-induced violent behavior. While there is no single cause for emergency department violence, the poll shows that a majority of emergency physicians believe that at least half of the assaults are committed by people seeking drugs or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Our nations mental health care crisis plays a role, too. With nearly two in five attacks coming from psychiatric patients, it is worth noting that severe shortages of psychiatric beds and lack of intensive outpatient resources do not help. Patients with mental health issues can be left waiting for psychiatric beds for hours and even days in the ER, a time bomb waiting to go off. Wed like to say we are turning the corner and that more of these incidents are being met with consequences. Thats far from the case. Seven in 10 emergency physicians who were assaulted say that their hospital administration or security did report the incident, yet only 3 percent say the hospital pressed charges. There are steps that can be taken. Nearly half of the physicians responding to the ACEP poll said that increasing security is the most important thing that hospitals can do to increase safety in the emergency department. Hospitals could add security guards and cameras, as well as metal detectors and provide increased visitor screening inside hospitals, especially in emergency departments. Security also can be bolstered by controlling access to the emergency room and between the emergency department and other areas of the hospital. Some hospitals use coded badges or wristbands for patients and visitors. Some hospitals place panic buttons in key locations to speed up security response times and help make staff feel safe and have direct phone lines to hospital security or to local police departments. Emergency departments should have plans in place for managing potentially violent situations. This plan should include who responds, a team leader, each persons responsibility (including the team leader), and the steps that should be taken to respond. It should also be incumbent on every hospital administration to respond to incidents. Emergency physicians are getting kicked, spat on and punched while they try to do their jobs. But, the challenges are not limited to physical violence. In todays me too era, it is unconscionable that nearly all women who are emergency physicians (96 percent) reported that a patient or visitor made inappropriate comments or unwanted advances toward them. They are not alone, as 80 percent of men reported the same. ACEP supports federal and state-level efforts to strengthen protections for emergency physicians and personnel. We have to do better and improve violent scenario training, prevention, and de-escalation strategies and situational awareness. Emergency physicians must become experts in how to recognize potentially violent patients early and be familiar with the most efficient way to get help, before incidents occur. Physicians, hospitals, and policymakers have to work together to make sure that workplace violence is no longer part of our job description. Vidor E. Friedman is president-elect, American College of Emergency Physicians. Image credit: Shutterstock.com Farmer and author, Suzanna Crampton has won the textile category in the Irish Country Magazines Irish Made Awards for 2018. The Bennettsbridge woman was picked out by a panel of experts. The final selection was decide by public vote. Zwartbles Ireland lambs wool textiles won thanks to those individuals worldwide who voted for the brand on social media. Suzanna has good reason to thank her huge audience on social media because she couldnt have started producing the blankets without their support. Many of my loyal followers on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram began as curious followers to my flock of Zwartbles sheep, she said. Their original requests for 100% Irish wool yarn made me look for a way to spin my raw Zwartbles sheep fleeces into yarn. She then discovered Cushendale Woollen Mills through Kilkenny Arts Officer Mary Butler. After the initial introduction to Philip Cushen, I spent many days and long hours at his mill. Together we weighed and then I sorted through a half ton of Zwartbles raw fleece. We hand-selected the finest wool to cleanse, tease and spin into yarn by Cushendales huge old carding machines and spinning mules. Followers who were not knitters subsequently asked for a Zwartbles woollen product that came from my flock. This request inspired me to design my Zwartbles Ireland woollen blankets. With his life-long weaving experience Philip helped to oversee and refine my final woven designs. I continuously kept my social media followers in touch with farm routines since my sheep farm life ranges among highs, lows, good, bad, happy, sad and beautiful events. Bodacious In the past year my followers enthusiastic interest led me to write Bodacious the Shepherd Cat, my book about how to care for land and sheep from my farm cats perspective. It has gone to be a bestseller and has received serious critical acclaim and it is expected to be nominated for numerous literary awards in the next few months. Im greatly indebted to all those people who kindly voted for my Zwartbles Ireland blankets in the Irish Made Textile Category, Suzanna said. Official statistics released today by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show that the total new car registrations for the month of September were down 17.9% (3,201) when compared to September 2017 (3,897). Registrations year to date are down 4.2% (123,099) on the same period last year (128,548). New Light Commercial Vehicle registrations (LCV) were down 12.0% (1,285) on September 2017 (1,460) however are up 5.65% (23,788) year to date. While New Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HGV) have increase 40.44% for the month of September (191) when compared to the same month last year (136) and are up 4.61% (2,337) year to date. Imported Used Cars have shown a slight decrease of 1.9% for the month of September 2018 (8,494) when compared to September 2017 (8,662) while year to date are 9.13% (77,277) ahead of 2017 (70,813). Commenting on the figures SIMI Director General, Alan Nolan stated The negative impact of Brexit is continuing to drive new car registrations ever lower while increasing the volume of used imports on foot of a low sterling exchange rate and the falling value of older diesel cars in the UK. He continued We are also facing a further serious challenge with the rollout of the new WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) Emissions testing regime that is being phased in since 1st of September on all new cars. Under the new test regime, new cars will face an additional tax burden compared to used-imports as the stricter test will produce higher CO2values but this only applies to new cars. Unless the issue is addressed in the Budget this could mean a VRT increase for motorists buying new cars, but not for those buying a used import, although the EU had stated that it was never intended that consumers should have to pay increased taxes as a result of an improved emissions test. If this is not addressed over the next two Budgets in line with the phasing-in of this new WLTP regime this is exactly what will happen at a time when the new car market is already disadvantaged relative to the already large volume of imports. SIMI has called on the Government to implement a small interim adjustment to the VRT Bands for 2019, while a more accurate adjustment can be made for 2020 when the full WLTP is due to be implanted and more much accurate data on the new test results will be available. We strongly believe that this is the only strategy that can protect State Revenues and the environment as well as supporting the viability of businesses and employment in the Irish Motor Industry. The other key issue for the Industry as well as for the business sector and those who live in rural Ireland, is the need to avoid unnecessarily increasing diesel taxation, whether VRT, Road Tax or fuel excise duties. The move toward diesel since 2008 was encouraged by the State and the necessary migration away from the high level of diesel market share (70% in 2016) is already happening naturally (54% in 2018). Any discriminatory measures in relation to diesel are unnecessary, will make it more difficult for current diesel owners to trade up to a zero-emitting or lower emitting car and has the potential to further destabilise the car market. Given the importance of diesel cars for those living in remoter areas, any such negative moves would impact unnecessarily harshly on rural Ireland. Diesel is also the fuel of business, and increasing diesel tax will increase the cost of doing business in Ireland which will also be challenged by the fall-out from Brexit. Such policies should not be implemented without detailed examination of the potential for damaging, unplanned consequences. Story EnviroStars, a program that provides free green business services in Washington state, has helped more than 170 businesses of all sizes and type improve their sustainability during the programs first year. About 116 of them are in King County. The program connects businesses with local environmental assistance, resources and utility rebates. Businesses earn EnviroStars recognition by taking steps to green their facilities and operational practices such as replacing inefficient lighting with LEDs, composting food scraps and switching to safer cleaning products. The Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County (LHWMP) has helped about 55 of the 116 new King County businesses to enroll in the new program and improve their environmental practices. The program allows consumers to make empowered choices about where to take their business, said Sue Hamilton of LHWMP. This reinforces better business practices that are good for businesses, good for communities and good for our local environment. Consumers can visit EnviroStars.org to find businesses of all types that participate in the green business program whether theyre looking for a brewery, auto body shop, or insurance agency. Well-known local staples such as Chateau Ste. Michelle winery, Tom Douglas restaurants, and Fremont Brewing have joined EnviroStars, along with many more small businesses like Aarons Bicycle Shop in Seattle and Blush Nail Boutique in Auburn. Weve long recognized that restaurants are huge users of resources, said Bret Chatalas, co-owner of Cactus Restaurants, which recently had all five locations recognized by EnviroStars. We have the power and responsibly to make a difference and its the right thing to do. The Local Hazardous Waste Management Program supports EnviroStars as part of a coalition of 21 Washington cities, counties, utilities, and local public health jurisdictions reaching from Whatcom County to Pierce County. To find green businesses near you or get environmental assistance for your business, visit EnviroStars.org. ### RELEVANT LINKS EnviroStars.org Local Hazardous Waste Management Program QUOTES The program allows consumers to make empowered choices about where to take their business. This reinforces better business practices that are good for businesses, good for communities and good for our local environment. - Sue Hamilton, Hazardous Waste Management Program EnviroStars program manager Weve long recognized that restaurants are huge users of resources. We have the power and responsibly to make a difference and its the right thing to do. - Bret Chatalas, Cactus Restaurants co-owner FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: About the Local Waste Hazardous Management Program EnviroStars is one of several services provided by the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County through a partnership of more than 40 city, county and tribal governments working together in King County to reduce threats posed from hazardous materials and wastes. For more information visit hazwastehelp.org. A guest post by Helensville MP Chris Penk: What to do when your governments spinning out of control? Spin, of course. I take a close look at the peculiarly Ardernesque response to recent events that was her speech on Sunday, entitled Our Plan. Uniquely unique: Ardern tries making a silk purse from a sows ear from the very outset, describing her administration as the most pure form of MMP government New Zealand has ever had. The most interesting part of this statement is the phrase most pure. This is because its followed immediately by the PM stating that we have never had a government quite like ours. But is that a claim to fame or an admission of guilt? The uniqueness of the current government is something that everyone can agree on for better or worse given the predominance of NZ First in relation to Labour and certainly the Greens. But note the way that Ardern touts that uniqueness as a virtue rather than a vice. Shes relying on the general rule that you highlight something as unique when it is uniquely good, rather than the opposite. Consider how we use words such as exceptional, incomparable, singular and trailblazing. The strict meanings of these words are neutral but theyre positive in tone by default. If something represents an exception then, logically speaking, it can be either exceptionally good or exceptionally bad and yet to say that something is exceptional, without further qualification, is to indicate that its more than good. (Counter-examples, such as peculiar are relatively rare.) So while its theoretically risky for Ardern to highlight the unprecedented nature of the current government where most pure really means least stable in practice shes piggybacking on traditional ways of employing exceptionalism. Absurd analogy: Perhaps the most embarrassing bit of the PMs speech was one particular analogy, used to describe what is apparently a traditional way for governments to operate: Its a bit like a road trip that tells you whos in the car, where youll be stopping, but doesnt tell you where youre going. Because its impossible to argue that a driver should usually have some idea of her destination, audience agreement is automatic to this point. While the comparison is a weak one, Ardern is trying to take us along for a ride of logical inevitability. How often does it happen that youre driving down the road and have absolutely no idea where you might end up, though? Who cruises down State Highway 1 and thinks they have an equal chance of taking a turnoff to Te Awamutu or Timbuctoo? But whereas typing a place name in the GPS works every time for a road trip, executing government policy in a mature democracy is so much more complex that the comparison is facile. If the Prime Minister doesnt realise that, either shes a bit simple or thinks the rest of us are. Take your pick. Cheap conjuring: My personal favourite is the cheap conjuring trick where our attention is deliberately diverted. Heres the set-up: Other MMP governments have had coalition agreements and confidence and supply agreements that set out specific policies they will progress. But rarely does that capture the big picture. Arderns speechwriter is hoping well overlook the fact that the 2017 coalition agreement (like all such documents) actually did contain some big picture content, as well as some specifics. But the real point is that her government has already been devoting considerable time and energy to the kind of big picture discussion being wheeled out yet again on Sunday. That was true from the very start, with the governments Speech from the Throne (again, like all such set pieces) having been dominated by the big picture. The purpose is to conceal the PMs sleight of hand in two respects. First, it creates an impression that until this point the government has been delivering on detail. That must surely be the case, if higher level discussion is now needed by contrast, right? Ironically, its actually been devilish detail thats been tripping up the government lately. Second, justifying the need for a blue sky blueprint is designed to distract from coalition blues. Given the governments recent difficulty in this regard (or the Deputy Prime Minister, to use his official title) the real point of the exercise is obvious. Trite truisms: Then we see some classic spin is employed in this speech in the form of multiple truisms. The trick is get heads nodding along to statements that are so utterly uncontroversial that logical points are easily scored. You can take your pick from multiple examples but I particularly liked the set of challenges on the horizon that we cant ignore, as if anyone would argue that challenges should be ignored. Another good one was Ardern invoking the whole new world were moving into, as if the world has ever stood still. In case you missed your cue to nod along, she actually added in the very same sentence: everyone knows that. Yes, Prime Minister. Murky mandate: Finally, check out the very subtle mandate creep: When you elected us, you didnt just tell us to govern, you asked us to fix existing problems, anticipate emerging ones, and to make sure we werent caught off guard because we had done neither. Leaving aside the fact that those supposed extras are actually part of the standard definition of what it means to govern, this statement is reasonable enough if somewhat trite. Then it gets interesting: But there are things that were also a bit unspoken. An undercurrent if you will. Immediately weve gone from what the electors decided to tell the governing parties to things that were apparently by Arderns own admission here never told at all. An unspoken mandate is a very convenient thing. The blank cheque is fully justified in the final analysis by this gem: Perhaps I picked it up from the next generation of voters, or perhaps it was just the vibe of the thing. But we also decided that we would do things differently. See how the PMs pivoted from electoral mandate to unilateral licence in just a few sentences? Theyve heard the voters (apparently) but also decided to do things differently, separately to that, as well. For linguistic purists, Ardern using But to start two sentences in quick succession is a dead giveaway of something tricky going on in much the same way as you can only say on the other hand so many times before sounding evasive or indecisive. Final thoughts Incidentally, those points Ive made only cover Arderns preamble, rather than the 12 (relatively) substantive points in the speech. We could go on like this all day, with so much going on spin-wise. Ive got better things to do (mind you, so should the PM and her government) so will leave it there. In any case, that kind of analysis really just confirms what anyone listening to the speech would have heard clearly enough for themselves: the predominance of spin over substance, as usual. The United States, Sweden and Italy have offered to sell jet fighters to Bulgaria at its request, the Bulgarian defense ministry said Monday in a statement on its website on October 1st, 2018. A BuAF MiG-29 fighter jet (Credit: Bulgarian MoD) The United States has proposed new F-18s and F-16s, Sweden, new Gripens, and Italy, used Eurofighters, to replace an aged fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets. The ministry has also sent requests to France for new and used Rafales, Germany for new and used Eurofighters, Portugal for used F-16s and Israel for used F-16s, the statement said. A working group appointed by the Bulgarian prime minister is to analyze the submitted proposals and hold talks with the respective countries, the statement said. After that, the Bulgarian government will take a decision on the implementation of the project. Under the project, Bulgaria would buy 16 jets in two stages. During the first stage, for which there is a budget of 1.8 billion Bulgarian lev (1.1 billion U.S. dollars), no less than eight combat aircraft would be acquired. This money would cover the acquisition of the aircraft and their weapons, as well as the ground handling, training, and initial integrated logistic support over a period of three years. Bulgaria, a NATO member since 2004, still heavily relies on Soviet-made weapons. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his "steadfast stand" Monday to deepen relations with China in his message to Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the occasion of China's 69th founding anniversary, the North's state media said. Kim also expressed his will to further advance Pyongyang-Beijing relations based on their traditionally close ties that have been built for decades, according to the Korean Central News Agency. "It noted that it is the steadfast stand of the WPK and the DPRK government to develop the traditional DPRK-China relations of friendship on a new stage," the KCNA said in English, referring to Kim's message to Xi. "Noting that he values the ties and affection forged through three meetings with Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un expressed the will to strive together to further deepen the DPRK-China friendship, (the) precious legacy left by the leaders of the elder generation of the two countries, in keeping with the requirement of the new era," it added. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The WPK refers to the North's ruling party, the Workers' Party of Korea. Kim praised China for "eye-opening changes" it has made since its founding nearly seven decades ago, calling the establishment an "epochal event that brought about a fundamental turn" in the destiny of its people. The KCNA's report on Kim's message contrasted with last year when it stayed mum on whether any such message was sent to Xi on the occasion of its founding anniversary. This year's message was also reported on the front page of the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of its ruling party. North Korea and China have seen their ties improve recently after yearslong strained relations over the North's continued missile and nuclear provocations. The improvement was punctuated by three summit talks between Kim and Xi this year. Apparently reflecting the improving ties, North Korea sent Choe Ryong-hae, its de facto No. 2 official, to a reception hosted by the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang last week to mark China's founding anniversary. China also sent Li Zhanshu, its third-ranked official, to Pyongyang last month as a special envoy for Xi to take part in events for the 70th anniversary of the DPRK's establishment. (Yonhap) By Kim Bo-eun Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers a lawmaker's question at the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap Pyongyang will not stick to declaration of end to war By Lee Min-hyung Washington and Pyongyang will soon begin working-level talks in Vienna to possibly seek a "big deal" on denuclearization. Steve Biegun, the U.S. special representative for North Korea, is expected to lead the delegation from Washington for talks with a North Korean delegation possibly headed by Vice Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hee. They are likely to seek to narrow their differences over the dialogue agenda for U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's upcoming Pyongyang visit. In a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho last week, Pompeo agreed to make his fourth visit to the regime sometime in the near future to discuss the timeline for the North's denuclearization. Both sides have yet to confirm when the U.S. official will visit Pyongyang. Expectations are Pompeo will go all-out to generate tangible outcomes on his upcoming trip, as he failed to make any outstanding denuclearization deal with the North during his previous three visits to Pyongyang this year. The North claimed the months-long deadlock in dialogue is largely due to a lack of mutual trust. Pyongyang has demanded Washington take appropriate trust-enhancing countermeasures in exchange for the regime's steps for denuclearization. The U.S., however, has not faltered in its stance on sanctions, while urging the North to provide a detailed timeline for its denuclearization. My first job after returning By Jacco Zwetsloot Returning to Seoul in February 2004, I was certain of one thing: I did not want to go back to teaching English. This was not because I found it beneath my dignity or anything like that, but because I wanted to try something new, where I could put my knowledge of Korea and Korean to use. The first position I applied for was as a political analyst at the Australian embassy. I saw the position advertised in an English language papers perhaps this one. After the initial document review, I was granted an interview. The interview consisted of multiple parts, the toughest of which was interpreting back and forth between Korean and English on political topics. I quickly realized that I still had a long way to go to being professionally fluent in Korean. In the end, I was not surprised that I did not get the job (a more qualified candidate did), but I was happy to be the only non-Korean in the final six applicants. The Australian embassy at that time operated a monthly "Boomerang Bar." It was a good place to meet Australian businesspeople and drink some beer from back home, so I went there hoping to meet people. One executive from a prominent Australian resources company told me in no uncertain terms that I could forget about getting a job at any foreign company, because his company only sent expats to Korea who were already employed. In other words, there was no local hiring. I was a little disheartened, but decided to cast my net more widely. After another couple of false starts, I got a six-month part-time contract at Seoul City Hall, working with the OECD report preparation team. This was a relatively easy job to get only two of us were interviewed, and the other applicant did not speak Korean. I started in summer 2004, commuting from my home in Bucheon. Lee Myung-bak was then mayor of Seoul, and the city was preparing a 500-page report on its history, growth, economy and population, to be submitted to the OECD. My job was to oversee and edit its translation, and also to facilitate (read "translate") all correspondence between our office and the OECD. My first task was to translate several pages of English into Korean, I guess as a kind of training exercise, because somebody else had already done a better translation than I could hope to do. It was a great learning experience, but very hard work. The OECD report itself was being translated by graduates of translation programs at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and possibly another school or two. It was clear from the output that the task had been divided up and allocated among various translators, because the style and quality varied. Nevertheless, it was very interesting. I had never learned so much about one city in such a short time. It occurred to me that there was so much of Seoul that I had not seen, and that it was not all apartment blocks and uniform districts. The sections of the report describing people living in poverty, sometimes in subdivided flats or plastic greenhouses, were particularly jarring. Once the report was finalized and submitted to the OECD, we had to prepare for a site visit by a small team of experts from overseas. One of them was a Korean or Korean-French woman based at OECD headquarters in Paris. She spoke fluent French, as well as Korean and English. Her emails came to my boss in English, and I would translate the text into Korean so he could read it. Then he would write a reply in Korean and give it to me to translate into English, to send back to him so that he could email it to her. It seemed an unusual and not very effective way of doing things. My time at Seoul Metropolitan Government was long before there was a Seoul Global Center. There was a sort of PR section where some people spoke English, but if anyone asked anything that was not "relevant," no further help was available. This sometimes meant that the City Hall receptionists would call me if somebody had asked for help. At the time I thought that there were many areas where I could have been of some use, but because everything was so compartmentalized, it was very difficult to communicate ideas outside of one's silo. The part of City Hall that I worked was a kind of post-Korean War annex built behind the old Japanese colonial era building and connected to it by corridors. It was not an attractive structure, but it still gave me a prick of nostalgia and a sense of loss when, a few years later, it was demolished to make way for its replacement. This new structure, much more attractive, seems to loom like a giant wave frozen at the point of breaking, behind and over the old City Hall building, which is now a municipal library. I would like to say that while working at City Hall, that I met Lee Myung-bak and got to know the mayor before he became president but it did not really work out that way. Within me there lurked a half-formed dream that he would see in me a man of ability and pluck me out of obscurity at the OECD team to take up a more meaningful to me job in his office. But the one time I introduced myself at the City Hall coffee shop, where he was ordering a beverage, and I told him who I was and that I worked in the OECD team, he seemed about as interested as if I had held up a wet dishcloth and told him I had made it as a gift for him. As mayor, Lee Myung-bak was lauded in 2004 for uncovering and reopening Cheonggyecheon Stream, and turning the turning circle in front of City Hall into a grassy public space. Time magazine named him one of its "Heroes of the Environment" in 2007, the same year he was elected president. In hindsight this award seems ironic, given that Lee now faces accusations of having harmed, not helped, the national environment, through his "Four Rivers" project. He also faces several charges of corruption related to business dealings. Maybe it is just as well I never became close to him. The Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town, challenges the Church to infuse a debate about land reform in South Africa, which is otherwise pursued for political and commercial gain with Gospel values: sharing, reconciliation, healing and taking care of our neighbours. The Makgobas and our clan, baTlou of Makgobas Kloof, Limpopo, know all about the pain of having our land expropriated without compensation. When our great-grandfather, Kgosi Mamphoku Makgoba, resisted the decision of Paul Krugers government to parcel out our land to white settlers in the 1890s, they sent a force of at least 4000 to crush our army of 250. They finally caught up with Kgosi Makgoba in the kloof on a Sunday. Because General Piet Joubert, hero of the Boers First War of Liberation against the British, and his men were at church, the Swazi auxiliaries who found Makgoba cut off his head and sent it to Joubert to prove they had killed him. Announcing the news to Kruger, Joubert ended his telegram: The Lord reigns, and I am his servant. We are still searching for our ancestors skull. More than 120 years later, when I drive through white-owned land down the beautiful Makgobas Kloof Pass, I pass citrus farms, avocado pear trees and commercial pine plantations. It smells of wealth and privilege. Arriving to visit relatives at Tlhabine in the Lowveld the descendants of those driven from the kloof it is barren by comparison. The stench is of deprivation and dispossession. The suffering and the hurt live on into the current generation. Although I dont want to turn the current fight over land reform into a free-for-all, we cannot afford to ignore the seizure of land before the current cut-off date of 1913. Expropriation going back to colonial times has sentenced many generations to utter poverty and shame. Laws and practices were maintained by force of arms, leading to a system of land ownership and economic development disproportionately based on race. However, we must recognise that going back to the colonial era raises difficult questions. What happens to white families who have long since sold the land originally seized by their forebears and invested the proceeds? And what about those who bought land for the first time more recently, using big loans from the banks? If the banks lose their money, what damage does that do to the rest of the economy? What about land given in the 19th century to those of our ancestors who helped the colonisers defeat other groups of African people? Who adjudicates those disputes? While our history gives us no choice but to redistribute land, I am not happy with the way politicians are playing on peoples hunger for redress and their yearning for better lives. In peoples minds, the unjust distribution of land has become a proxy for economic disadvantage, and expropriation without compensation is being sold as an instant solution to all our problems, from failed land reform projects to the lack of jobs in our cities. Expropriation does not automatically improve the lives of our people. We, the Makgobas, secured the return of some of our land under current legislation. But it has become a curse. Dissension among us resulted in some of the countrys most productive tea estates lying derelict for years. When I see the continuing poverty, I think the ghosts of Piet Joubert and Paul Kruger must be thumping their chests, celebrating that we still havent figured out how to deal with what they did to us. I have not heard anyone spell out an overarching vision which takes all the complex practical and emotional factors into account. Nor have I heard a satisfactory answer to the fundamental question: expropriation to do what? When I was a bishop in the Eastern Cape, before land reform became the buzzword it is today, we began to do it on our own. We took two sizeable pieces of land near Komani and East London and negotiated its future with both communities and the descendants of the traditional leaders who gave us the land. We ended up placing it in the hands of trusts set up to benefit the local people. To safeguard the process, we made provision for taking back control if it was not used properly. At the beginning of this month, I challenged our church to look at similar models nation-wide. I have said that even if we feel we have been granted land legitimately and used it properly, in the interests of reconciliation let us work with the communities we serve to see how best we build the future together. In this way, we can keep the land in the hands of the community, run for the benefit of all and with particular concern for the poorest of the poor. Our intention is to infuse a debate otherwise pursued for political and commercial gain with Gospel values: sharing, reconciliation, healing and taking care of our neighbours. While our model is specific to our needs, I do not think land reform will work if it is driven only from Tshwane or Cape Town, or only by business. We should decentralise the process by allowing people to work out local solutions appropriate to local situations, backed by a legal and policy framework provided by government. A fully-developed policy of redistribution needs both to take into account that there is more demand for urban than for rural land, and to provide an economic model for developing rural land, including clear proposals for education and practical help for those who want to work the land. It should not be a political tool but a tool for real transformation, to address the inequality of opportunity and the high rate of unemployment from which we suffer. Finally, we need to address the social imperatives of land reform. My mother used to say that the damage wrought by the loss of our land will not be repaired by its restoration. The scars to our psyche left by the seizure of our land are real and still inflame the debate, and as a psychologist, I know that the emotional component of the debate is as important as the practical. We cannot ignore the importance of place in our lives. While many of us may not want to go back to our ancestral lands to farm, to address the pain and cultural deprivation we have suffered, we need to work out forms of restitution for cultural purposes, for example enabling even urban dwellers to visit their ancestral areas to reconnect with their heritage. Each of us needs to consider: what can we contribute to economic transformation and social cohesion in South Africa? If we cannot bring that about, the South Africa of tomorrow will be as unsustainable for our children and grandchildren as the South Africa of the apartheid past. Posted on: October 2, 2018 2:10 PM The international online retailer Amazon has announced it is raising its minimum wage levels, just weeks after it was criticised by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, for not paying its staff enough to live on. In a speech last month to Britains Trades Union Congress, Archbishop Justin criticised Amazon by name for not paying a real living wage. At the time, Amazon defended its pay position, saying that it paid permanent employees in its UK fulfillment centres 8.35 an hour after two years service a rate below the real living wage proposed by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF). Today, following weeks of coverage and debate about the Archbishops speech, Amazon says it will increase all wages above the LWFs guidelines; and also said that it will campaign for a higher federal minimum wage in the US. Speaking in September, Archbishop Justin said: I was in business, and I know that, within limits, it is right and proper for people to arrange their tax affairs, and for companies to do so. But when vast companies like Amazon, and other online traders, the new industries, can get away with paying almost nothing in tax, there is something wrong with the tax system. They dont pay a real living wage, so the tax payer must support their workers with benefits. And having leached off the tax payer once they dont pay for our defence, for security, for stability, for justice, for health, for equality, for education. Then they complain of an undertrained work force, from the education they have not paid for, and pay almost nothing for apprenticeships. Today, in separate statements in the US and Britain, Amazon said it was increasing its minimum wage for all employees including agency and temporary staff with effect from 1 November. In the UK, Amazon will now play a minimum of 10.50 per hour in the London area and 9.50 for the rest of the UK. The LWF suggest a minimum wage of 10.20 in London, and 8.75 in the rest of the UK is needed to provide a real living wage. Amazon said that its new minimum wage will benefit more than 17,000 Amazon employees and 20,000 seasonal employees who will be hired in the run-up to Christmas. Were excited to announce Amazon is raising our minimum wage for all full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary UK employees effective 1 November, Amazon Vice President and UK Country Manager Doug Gurr said. This will impact more than 37,000 employees across the country, resulting in higher pay for them and their families. The announcement was echoed in the US, where the company said it was introducing a new minimum wage of $15 USD (approximately 11.56 GBP) and would campaign to raise the federal statutory minimum wage of $7.25. The new wage will impact more than 250,000 Amazon employees in the States as well as more than 100,000 seasonal employees. We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead, Amazons founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said. Were excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us. The companys Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs, Jay Carney, said that it would lobby to increase the US statutory minimum wage. We will be working to gain Congressional support for an increase in the federal minimum wage, he said. The current rate of $7.25 was set nearly a decade ago. We intend to advocate for a minimum wage increase that will have a profound impact on the lives of tens of millions of people and families across this country. Posted on: October 2, 2018 1:35 PM The Iglesia Anglicana de Chile (IACH) currently a diocese of the Anglican Church of South America will become the 40th province of the Anglican Communion. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will travel to Santiago next month to formally inaugurate the new province, after both the Standing Committee of the Anglican Consultative Council, and a majority of Anglican Communion Primates, confirmed that the diocese should be given provincial status. The decision to become an independent Anglican province follows a sustained period of growth of the Anglican Church in Chile and is designed to make further growth easier. Bishop Hector Zavala Munoz, more commonly known as Bishop Tito, will become Primate of the new Province when it comes into being on 4 November. In an open letter to Anglicans in Chile, he said that the diocese had never ceased complying with all the requirements and procedures requested of it since its Synod sought to become an autonomous independent province of the Anglican Communion in November 2015. Today we see that it was worth all the effort and we thank God that all this will be for the extension of His Kingdom in our country and that many, including those who have come to live among us, may know Christ as Lord and Saviour, he said. I thank the members of the Permanent Commission who worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. And in a special way, I thank the Electoral College that for its work and discernment it was possible to elect the three new diocesan bishops. It is incredible to see that in 2015 we were a single diocese, and today we are four dioceses: Valparaiso, Santiago, Concepcion, and Temuco. A special service will take place at Grange School in Santiago at 11 am CLST (2 pm GMT) on Sunday 4 November. That Sunday will be a historic, unique and unrepeatable day for our Chilean Church, the Province of South America and the Anglican Communion, Bishop Tito said. We will have several visits that will accompany us: primates, archbishops, bishops, pastors, academics, missionary societies, etc. They will come from Asia, Africa, Europe, Australia-Oceania and the Americas. He added: May Christ receive all honour and all glory; and his presence accompany us in this new stage that begins for the Iglesia Anglicana de Chile. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: I look forward to my visit to Chile in November to preach and preside at the inauguration of the new Province of Iglesia Anglicana de Chile which will become the 40th province of the Anglican Communion. It has been inspiring to see the flourishing of the Church in Chile under the leadership Bishop Tito Zavala, in particular its commitment to evangelism, growth through church planting and discipleship of young people. I look forward to welcoming Bishop Tito as a fellow primate, and ask for prayers for him and Gods blessing on all of the people of Chile at this significant moment for the life of the Church in the country. Tish Murtha died of a brain aneurysm in 2013 before her dream of a book of her photography could be realised. Her daughter Ella has issued a new collection of her mothers work, which like her, I hope will be made into a book. Tishs photographs are sensational. Ella writes: The new book is her work centred around Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, in the late 1970s, when she first returned from college in Newport. Her images capture the joy and freedom of childhood at a time when it was normal to play out in the street, in a way that has been largely lost today I love the Elswick Kids, and have really enjoyed looking through the archive and almost travelling back in time with each image. The kids are always outside, and you very rarely see an adult, or cars (unless abandoned, burnt out and used as play equipment) plenty of dogs though. It is just another lifetime entirely. I was born later than these kids, in 1984, but I remember going out after breakfast in the holidays, exploring and having adventures all day, and only coming home if I got hungry, or it was dark. My mam exhibited her Juvenile Jazz Bands (1979) and Youth Unemployment (1981) series, around the same time she also documented the campaign to save Scotswood Works and was commissioned by Tyneside Housing Aid Centre in conjunction with Shelter to make reports on children living in poverty and also housing problems faced by the elderly. These pictures of the Elswick Kids came first, and while it was never an exhibition, and there is no text from Tish, they were obviously very important to her, and that makes them important to me. I feel the series is strong enough to stand alone, and deserves its own book. So I have teamed up with Bluecoat Press again to make Elswick Kids, and we will be launching our new Kickstarter campaign at 10.30am on October 2nd 2018. You can back the book here. Grenfell fraudster Jenny McDonagh spent stolen money on a huge dildo Jenny McDonagh, 39, has been sentenced for five and half years choky for using her finance managers job at Kensington and Chelsea council to get pre-paid credit cards that should have been given to survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people. Part of her 62,000 haul 48 of it was invested in a 12-inch dildo from Ann Summers, the high-street aide-to-masturbation store, says the Sun. Judge Robin Johnson told Isleworth Crown Court, McDonagh splashed out on meals out, gambling, and 51.4k on trips to France, Iceland, America and the UAE. She also defrauded the NHS of more than 35,000. But its the huge phallus that catches the eye. And it seems fitting. After all, Jenny McDonagh is a massive ****. Anorak Posted: 2nd, October 2018 | In: News Comment | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Rome, October 2 - Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday that his government has no intention of dropping the euro as Italy's currency. "Italy is a founder member of the European Union and of the monetary union and I want to reiterate that," Conte said on Facebook. "The euro is our currency and it is indispensable for us. "Any other statement that gives another assessment should be considered a free, arbitrary opinion that has nothing to do with the policy of the government I preside over, because it is not contemplated in the contract that is fundamental to this government experience". Earlier on Tuesday Claudio Borghi, the president of the Lower House's budget committee, said he thought Italy would be better off if it had its own currency. "I'm totally convinced that Italy would resolve most of its problems with its own currency," Borghi, a member of Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's League party, told RAI radio. "Having control of one's own means in monetary policy is a necessary condition - although not sufficient - to carry out the ambitious and enormous project of renewal. "But it is necessary to have the awareness and agreement of the citizens to be able to take this step. "If we had objectively wanted to clash with the European Union to get this outcome, we would have declared a 3.1% deficit, not a 2.4% one. "In reality, we simply want to carry out the policies that, at the moment, are the minimum necessary to enable the economy to be a little better". Hague [Netherlands], Oct 2 (ANI): The Indian embassy in the Netherlands on Tuesday released commemorative stamps in honour of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The stamps were released in the country's iconic Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice, by the Indian Postal Department and were presented by India's ambassador to the Netherlands, Venu Rajamony, to former Foreign Minister and Chairman of Carnegie Foundation, Dr. Bernard R. Bot, and Director General Erik de Baedts. A similar function also took place at the Gandhi statue in the Hague, where Ambassador Rajamony placed a garland at the feet of the statue as a mark of respect to 'The Father of the Nation'. He also visited an Indonesian school in the Hague as part of the program and spoke to students about the direct impact of Gandhi on the present generation. Similar functions to mark the Gandhi Jayanti also took place in the cities of Amsterdam, Utrecht, and Zoetermeer. Furthermore, in an attempt to spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life and legacy of Gandhi, an outreach programme called "Follow the Mahatma" is being conducted by the Embassy of India between October 1-5, under which over 100 volunteers fan out to around 20 schools of the Netherlands to spread the message of non-violence and educate students about the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Similarly, a social media campaign with the hashtag #FollowTheMahatma is also being conducted by the Embassy, inviting people to post messages reiterating their commitment to the principle of non-violence. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) (ANSA) - Rome, October 2 - The Italian government will ask for damages from "those who wish Italy ill" including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and "other European bureaucrats" whose "threats continue to drive up the spread" between Italian and German bond yields, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Tuesday. "The words and threats of Juncker and other European bureaucrats continue to make the spread rise, with the aim of attacking the government and the Italian economy," said the deputy premier. "We are ready to ask damages from those who wish Italy will," said the leader of the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party. Juncker said the EC would have to be firm with Italy's budget bill that sets a 2.4% deficit to GDP ratio for three years, "or else the euro ends". Other EU officials have said Rome will face sanctions because of the budget bill, which allegedly breaches the EU's Stability and Growth Pact. Mumbai, October 2: The Nation celebrates the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi today. October 2 also marks the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Days after top United States officials claimed that India has sent feelers seeking a new bilateral trade agreement with Washington, President Donald Trump on Monday confirmed the development. Referring to New Delhi as 'tariff king', Trump said the White House received a call from the Indian government, seeking immediate negotiations for the new agreement. International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde on Monday appointed Indian-origin Harvard University professor Gita Gopinath as the chief economist of the international organisation. Gita Gopinath will replace outgoing chief economist Maury Obstfeld in December. Born in India, Gita Gopinath is a US citizen and an Overseas Citizen of India. Some big developments that are expected to happen today are: Vivek Tiwari's post-mortem report reveals that he died due to a gunshot on the left side of the chin. Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, met the family of Vivek Tiwari at their residence in Lucknow today. Samajwadi Party further workers hold a candle march demanding CM Yogi Adityanaths resignation over Tiwaris death. We at LatestLY will bring all the breaking and latest news and updates around the world. Stay with us for the latest updates of the day. New Delhi, October 3: All educational institutes will remain closed in Ghaziabad today following violent clashes between farmers and the Delhi police at Delhi- Uttar Pradesh border in Ghaziabad. Authorities decided to shut all schools and colleges in Ghaziabad as a precautionary measure. Farmers were marching towards Kisan Ghat in the national capital were stopped at the Delhi border by the police. Amid tension, the Rapid Action Force has been deployed at Delhi- Uttar Pradesh border where thousands of farmers have gathered with their tractors and trolleys. Earlier today, the Delhi Police stopped farmers from entering the national capital and lathi-charged and tear-gassed after water canons failed to subdue them. Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of five or more persons have been clamped in several areas. The farmers, thousands in number, began their agitation on September 23 at Haridwar in Uttarakhand and were moving towards Delhi, many of them on foot, scores sitting atop tractors, buses and raising slogans. Hours after the violence, representatives of the BKU, which called the protests, met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Sekhawat, who was present in the talks, told the media later that consensus has been reached between the government and the protestors on many of the demands. How to go ahead on fulfilling these demands was also discussed, he said. However, BKU General Secretary Yudhvir Singh said the agitation will continue. "The government is silent on our demand for loan waiver. Also, it said that fixation of Minimum Support Price based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations will be done only in future," Singh added. The protest led to a political slug-fest, with the opposition slamming the Modi government for the crackdown on the farmers and the BJP calling the agitation "politically motivated". (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2018 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Srinagar/New Delhi, October 2: A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday searched the residence of a businessman in Srinagar in connection with a terror funding case, police sources said. The central anti-terror agency carried out searches at the residence and office premises of Ajaz Ahmad Hakak in connection with its ongoing probe into the hawala terror funding by the Pakistan-based Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), an NIA official told IANS in Delhi. The raids were carried out in Srinagar's old city area at Hakak's Nowhatta residence. There was no report about any seizure made. The NIA action comes a week after it had busted a hawala network linked to the FIF and arrested three persons from Delhi, including a Kashmir-based hawala courier. The agency had seized over Rs 1 crore in cash and Rs 43,000 in Nepali currency and several incriminating documents from the arrested men. According to the NIA, some Delhi-based individuals were receiving funds from FIF operatives based abroad and were using the money for terror activities in the country. 2 Held for 'Terror Activities and Funding' in Kashmir's Pulwama District. The NIA had arrested Mohammad Salman, 52, Mohammad Salim aka Mama, 62, Sajjad Abdul Wani, 34, of Srinagar. Salman was said to be in regular touch with a Dubai-based Pakistani national, who in turn was connected with the deputy chief of FIF, a charity group linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The FIF is a Lahore-based organisation established by Jamat-ud-Dawa and acts as a front for the LeT. FIF was founded in 1990 by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 12:44 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, October 2: The Opposition parties on Tuesday attacked the Centre after the Delhi Police used tear gas and water cannons to stop thousands of farmers from entering the national capital. Leaders of the opposition parties including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief and Delhi Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury took a dig at the Modi government for not fulfilling the promises made to the farmers. Thousands of farmers, under the umbrella of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) participated in the protest over various demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, a provision of a pension to every farmer aged above 60, reduction in electricity tariff among other demands. Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack at the BJP government and said BJP's two-year-old Gandhi Jayanti celebration on World Nonviolence Day began peacefully with the thrashing of farmers entering Delhi. The Gandhi scion said the fact that government is brutally beating up India's farmers on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' to Reach Delhi Today, Security Tightened. Congress Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi government has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British government in India. British govt then used to exploit the farmers & today Modi govt is firing tear gas shells at farmers, he added. On birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi govt has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British govt in India.British govt then used to exploit the farmers&today Modi govt is firing tear gas shells at farmers: Randeep Surjewala, Congress #KisanKrantiPadyatra pic.twitter.com/RHqrajwxeP ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Rakesh Tikait, leader of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) said police action on farmers is wrong. Our leaders are holding a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. We will decide our next course of action after consultation with our leaders, he added. Police action on farmers is wrong. Our leaders are holding a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh. We will decide our next course of action after consultation with our leaders: Rakesh Tikait, Bhartiya Kisan Union pic.twitter.com/B8Nuf4VNfs ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP government is with the farmers and all the farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers, Kejriwal said. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury termed the Modi government as anti-farmers and said the country had not seen an agrarian distress in India ever since Independence. Instead of providing relief to farmers they are exasperating the crisis further forcing farmers to be under debt burden & distress suicides. We haven't seen such an agrarian distress in India since independence, he added. Former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav extended his support to the farmers rally and said this government has not fulfilled the promises it made to the farmers, so it is natural that farmers would protest. It is unfortunate, and we fully support the farmers. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. The Kisan Yatra has been organised from Patanjali in Uttarakhand to Kisan Ghat in Delhi via Muzaffarnagar, Daurala, Partapur, Modi Nagar/Muradnagar, Hindon Ghat between September 23 and October 2. A massive crowd gathered on streets and blocked traffic movement on roads leading to the national capital. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 02:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). San Francisco, October 2: US-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) on Tuesday unveiled its first full-scale transportation capsule at Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain, which will be ready for passengers in 2019. The 32-metre "Quintero One" passenger capsule will be delivered to HyperloopTT's research and development centre in Toulouse, France, for additional assembly and integration into the system before it is used on one of the first commercial tracks, the company said in a statement. "In 2019, this capsule will be fully optimised and ready for passengers," said Bibop Gresta, chairman and co-founder of HyperloopTT. "Since we have taken major steps in solving government regulations with our safety certification guidelines and insurance frameworks, we are now closer than ever to bringing Hyperloop to the world," Gresta added. Travel From Mumbai to Pune in Just 25 Minutes; Virgin Hyperloop One to Invest Rs 3000 Crore for 15km Demonstration Track. The 5-tonne capsule has 72 sensors, 75,000 rivets and 7,200 square metres of fibre. It is constructed completely out of HyperloopTT's "Vibranium", a specially made dual-layer smart composite material. "The creation of this capsule represents over a year long journey of the best expertise in design, engineering and the development of cutting edge materials," said Dirk Ahlborn, HyperloopTT co-founder and CEO. HyperloopTT in May this year proposed to set up the Hyperloop transportation system in India's Andhra Pradesh state, connecting Anantapur-Amaravati-Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam as part of 700-800-km-long integrated public transit system. Mumbai-Pune Hyperloop Project is a Reality! List of Routes Proposed for High-Speed Tunnel-based Transport System Around The World. The Maharashtra government earlier signed a pact with the Richard Branson-led Virgin Group to build the Mumbai-Pune Hyperloop. HyperloopTT is also set to build the first Hyperloop system in China as the company struck a deal in the country to build a test track in Guizhou province. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 10:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). According to media reports, more than 300 people are stranded in the Baltic Sea after an explosion caused a fire on a ferry off the coast the Russian city of Kaliningrad, reported RT news. Russian and Lithuanian rescuers are already on their way for the rescue operation. The Regina Seaways ferry, carrying 335 people onboard, was reportedly sailing from Germanys Kiel to Lithuanias Klaipeda when it was set ablaze on Tuesday after a blast. The blast is believed to have taken place in the engine room, said RT news in its report. The vessel was sailing in international waters, said media reports. The MS Regina Seaways was built in the year 2010. "I clarify that there was no explosion. Just in the section of the engine, there was vibration and smoke appeared," Vaidas Klumbys, Communications Manager of DFDS stated. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 06:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, October 2: Multilateralism has not been under so much fire as it is today and India will be the essential component if the world has to become multipolar, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday. He called for a global response to climate change and terrorism, which he said were the two biggest challenges the world was facing. A multilateral approach was needed to meet challenges and threats which were becoming more and more global in nature, Guterres said while delivering a lecture on "Global Challenges, Global Solutions" here. "But the paradox is that never in recent times was multilateralism under so much fire and never, as in recent times, was a rule-based international community being put under fire," he said. He said the world ceased to be bipolar after the end of the Cold War and turned unipolar, but today's world "is a kind of a chaotic world". "The world has to be multipolar and India has a key role to play... No country is better placed for this than India," Guterres said. He added that India's assertiveness on the global platform was a key element. Mahatma Gandhi's 150th Birth Anniversary: UN Chief General Antonio Guterres Pays Tribute at Raj Ghat. His remarks assume significance in the face of US President Donald Trump pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement and withdrawal of international sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, and imposing new trade tariffs on countries like India and China. Regarding the challenge of climate change, Guterres said India had already been impacted through droughts and floods. He said if the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, in which India played a key role, were not met, then the world would be in a catastrophic situation. Stressing on the necessity for solar and wind energy, Guterres said India, despite its problems, had to play a key role in the fight against climate change and to meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. India is targeting to generate 175 GW of electricity from renewable sources of energy by 2022, of which 100 GW will be from solar power. It has already achieved 20 GW installed solar power. Asked about reforms in the UN, Guterres said it cannot happen till there were no reforms in the UN Security Council (UNSC), adding it was for the five permanent members to do so. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to Be on Four-Day Visit to India With Focus on Renewable Energy. India, Japan, Germany and Brazil are seeking permanent membership in an expanded UNSC to reflect the face of today's world. Guterres is on a visit to India to take part in a series of events on climate change and Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary celebrations. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 10:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Islamabad, October 1: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and underscored the need for resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, according to an official statement. Chancellor Merkel telephoned Prime Minister Khan to congratulate him on his election victory and expressed desire to expand bilateral cooperation in diverse fields. She emphasised the importance of deepening bilateral relations, Prime Minister House said in a statement. Khan briefed her on the regional situation, especially the importance of a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan and relations with India. He underscored the need for resumption of a comprehensive dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues, it said. Imran Khan Nothing but a 'chaprasi': Subramanian Swamy. "Chancellor Merkel expressed desire to expand cooperation in diverse fields and work together on issues of mutual interest at the regional and global levels," it said Khan thanked the German Chancellor for her call and expressed the desire for further enhancing bilateral relations with Germany into a mutually beneficial, broad-based and long-term partnership, it added. Khan told Merkel that Germany is the largest trading partner of Pakistan in Europe and there is a substantial potential for cooperation in the spheres of energy and automobile sectors, and investment in hydroelectric power generation. Merkel invited Khan to visit Germany at his earliest convenience and the Prime Minister accepted her invitation, the statement said. The new government of Prime Minister Khan assumed office on August 18 after his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf emerged victorious in the July 25 elections. Separately, Khan called the President-elect of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohammed Solih to congratulate him on his victory in the recent Presidential elections. "Underscoring that Maldives is entering a new era, the Prime Minster hoped that under the leadership of President-elect Ibrahim Mohammad Solih, the country and its people would achieve great success and prosperity," an official statement said. Both leaders reiterated their resolve to further strengthen the bilateral relations, which are characterised by cordiality, religious affinity and close cooperation. Imran Khan Govt Draws Rs 23 Lakhs in Auction of 8 Buffaloes Kept by Nawaz Sharif at PM House. They also expressed desire to work closely on issues of mutual interest and for the benefit of peoples of both countries, it said. The Maldivian President-elect thanked Khan for the telephone call and also congratulated him on assumption of the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan. He also invited the Prime Minister to visit Maldives at a mutually convenient date, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pakistan has announced that it is shaving off $2 billion dollars from the Chinese Silk Road Project, owing to its burgeoning debt burden. The announcement was made by Pakistans Railway Minister Sheikh Rasheed as the budget cut comes from the project revamping of the countrys nearly 1,900-kilometer colonial-era railway line under an ongoing bilateral economic development mega project funded by China, according to a report by Reuters. The upgrade of the railway line to a standard gauge was to be undertaken at an estimated budget of $8.2 billion as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Today the estimated project cost stands at $6.2 billion. The amount we have cut was the share of people, said the Pakistani railway minister. Rashid also said his ministry will try to further lower costs because, ultimately, our poor nation will have to pay back the Chinese loan. The changes are part of Pakistans new governments efforts to get a handle on its budget, and Imran Khan is re-evaluating the pledged investment by China worth $60 billion to re-haul the countrys infrastructure. China has called Pakistan as a key peg in its Belt-and-Road Initiative. CPEC is supposed to bring an estimated $60 billion in direct and indirect investment to Pakistan within the next decade. Morgan Stanley has estimated the initiative will cost $1.3 trillion by 2027. Xi has called it the "project of the century," comparing it to the ancient Silk Road that made China a hub of international commerce. Pakistan is not the only country looking to re-evaluate its projects with China fearing falling into a debt trap. In recent weeks, Malaysias prime minister Mahathir Mohamad has cancelled a $20 billion project signed by its earlier prime minister. In fact, one analyst has gone so far as to call China the new IMF. Rajrishi Singhal writes that China has been picking up debt wherever IMF or other multilateral agencies are unable to provide a lifeline. For example, it is believed that China now owns anywhere between one-quarter to one-third of Zambias external debt...China has been providing this debt relief against the security of state infrastructure assets. Sri Lanka has had to sign over its Hambantota port to a Chinese company for a 99-year lease as it could not service the projected debt. The newly elected government in Maldives too has said it will re-evaluate infrastructure projects signed by its President Yameen. Pakistan's caution comes in the face of these examples of China's increasing footprint in debt-lending across the globe. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2018 08:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). (ANSA) - Naples, October 2 - European Commission President Jean-Claude Jucnker has "sent the spread crazy" by likening Italy to Greece and "could have spared us the comparison", Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party, said Tuesday. "The European Commission President Jucker, by equating Italy with Greece, sends the spread crazy. He could have spared us that," Salvini said at a meeting of Naples' public order and security committee. "He should drink two glasses of water before opening his mouth, and stop spreading non-existent threats. "Or we'll ask him for damages". Islamabad, Oct 2: Irked by former dictator Pervez Musharraf's failure to come back to Pakistan and face ongoing cases against him, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Tuesday warned that if the "courageous commando" does not appear soon, he may be forced to return in a disgraceful manner. Chief Justice Nisar made the remarks when Musharraf's lawyer told the three-judge bench that his client "respects the court" but was unable to return due to his medical condition and reservations over the provision of security, Dawn newspaper reported. Musharraf, 75, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, is facing the high-profile treason case for suspending the Constitution in 2007. The former military ruler left for Dubai in March 2016 for medical treatment and has not returned since. Panama Papers Scandal: Pakistan Court Allows Auctioning of Former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar's Assets in Graft Case. His lawyer told the court that there were no charges against the former president in the Lal Masjid operation case and demanded to know what the case against his client was, the paper reported. He may not face any charges in the Lal Masjid case, but he is facing a treason case for which he must appear in court, replied Chief Justice Nisar. If Musharraf returns voluntarily, he may be able to do so respectably otherwise he may be compelled to return under circumstances which are not "graceful", the top judge warned. "The commando who used to describe himself as a 'courageous commando' should today display that courage," the top judge was quoted as saying by the paper. "Why is the courageous commando not returning?" he asked. "I told you before that if he returns, he will be provided security," the top judge said. He also advised that the former dictator should get medical treatment in Pakistan, the paper said. "I am giving you this assurance. It is the assurance of the highest court in the country," Chief Justice Nisar said and added that: "As long as (Musharraf) is alive, it is his duty to appear before the court." Supreme Court Orders Pervez Musharraf to Return to Pakistan by June 14. He further said that it was not acceptable for a citizen to leave the country and not return while a case against them is underway in courts. The chief justice also promised that the former military ruler would not be arrested upon his return, and that whatever the outcome of the cases, it would be strictly in line with the law. The court ordered Musharraf's lawyer to submit his medical report within a week and adjourned the hearing until October 11. Last week, Muhammad Amjad, a leader of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) - a political party floated by Musharraf in 2010 -- had said that the former president was "growing weaker rapidly" due to an unspecified illness and, therefore, could not return to Pakistan. The former Army chief has been declared an absconder due to his persistent failure to appear before a special trial court set up to try him in the case. Last month, Pakistan's Supreme Court assured Musharraf that high-level security will be provided to him if he returns to the country to face the trial in the treason case. The former president was indicted in March 2014 on treason charges for suspending the Constitution and imposing emergency which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges. A conviction for high-profile treason carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. Musharraf, who ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, has been declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case. Pakistan Supreme Court Offers Security to Pervez Musharraf if He Returns to Face Pending Cases. Steps to become a Lawyer/Attorney in Missouri Follow the step by step process or choose what situation that best describes you: Law Careers in Missouri The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the mean annual salary earned by a Missouri lawyer in May 2017 was $97,700. Lawyers working in certain parts of the state earned more than average. For example, lawyers practicing in the Kansas City area earned an average of $98,050 annually. Those in the St. Louis area earned an average annual wage of $104,420. Missouri has over 12,000 actively practicing lawyers, according to the American Bar Association. If you wish to count yourself among that number, read on. Step 1 Get Your Missouri Undergraduate Pre-Law Major The Missouri Board of Law Examiners (MBLE) does not require that you complete any specific pre-legal undergraduate education in your quest to become a Missouri lawyer. However, if you intend to apply to American Bar Association-accredited law schools, which is a requirement of the MBLE, you must have a minimum of a bachelors degree in any subject prior to law school entrance. Accreditation ABA-accredited law schools require that you obtain your bachelors degree from a college or university that is accredited by a recognized agency. If the accreditation agency is listed in the U.S. Department of Education accreditation database, most ABA-accredited law schools will accept your undergraduate education. Requirements and Standards You need not take any specific courses in your undergraduate education, under ABA rules. The only requirement is that you have a bachelors degree. However, certain courses that you take during your undergraduate education may assist you in your legal education. Philosophy, critical thinking, logic, technical writing, business, political science, history, and criminal justice are all recommended coursework for those who plan to attend law school post-graduation. Degree Options Most ABA-accredited law schools will accept a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in any major as proof of your undergraduate education. While majors are not mandated, recommended undergraduate majors for those who intend to attend law school after graduation include philosophy, history, political science, business, economics, and criminal justice. Law and Paralegal Studies Legal Assistant Legal Studies Paralegal All Criminal Justice Programs Criminal Justice Administration Public Administration and Safety Sponsored Law and Paralegal Studies Legal Assistant Legal Studies Paralegal All Criminal Justice Programs Criminal Justice Administration Public Administration and Safety Sponsored Back to Top Step 2 LSAT (Law School Admission Test) in Missouri Passing the LSAT, or Law School Admission Test, is the next milestone you must attain in achieving your goal of becoming a lawyer in Missouri. Admission into any ABA-accredited law school is dependent upon many things, including your LSAT score. How to prepare Free study aids, such as sample questions and answers and practice exams, are available for you to use on the LSAT website when preparing for the test. Other preparation resources for those taking the LSAT in Missouri are: LSAT Exam Prep Courses in Missouri: LSAT Prep Courses, Southeast Missouri State University, Office of Extended and Continuing Education, Cape Girardeau and online LSAT Live-Online Test Prep Classes, Missouri State Outreach, Springfield and online LSAT Prep Course, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Get Smarter Prep Exam content You will be tested on your knowledge and skills in Reading Comprehension, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, and must also produce a non-scored writing sample (that will be sent to the law schools to which you apply). Some examples of sample reasoning types of LSAT questions, provided by Petersons, follow: Logical Reasoning: When pregnant lab rats are administered caffeine equal to the amount a human would consume through drinking six cups of coffee each day, there is an increase in the incidence of birth defects. When asked if the government would require warning labels on products containing caffeine, a government spokesperson said that it would not because if these findings were to be proven false in the future, the government would lose its reliability. Which of the following is most strongly suggested by the government's statement above? (A) A warning that applies to a small population is inappropriate. (B) Very few people drink as many as six cups of coffee a day. (C) There are doubts about the conclusive nature of studies on animals. (D) Studies on rats provide little data about human birth defects. (E) The seriousness of birth defects involving caffeine is not clear. Analytical Reasoning : Buses 9, 10, and 11 make one trip per day. These buses are the only ones that riders H, I, J, K, L, M, and N use to get to work. Neither L nor N takes bus 9 on a day when I does. N does not take bus 10 on a day when K does. When H and M take the same bus, it is always bus 11. J always takes bus 11. Traveling together to work, I, J, and N could take which of the same buses on a given day? (A) 9 only (B) 10 only (C) 11 only (D) 10 and 11 only (E) 9, 10, and 11 Application process Applications to take the LSAT are accepted online, where you may also pay the $190 examination fee charged by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The LSAT may be taken in November, January and March at the following Missouri examination centers: Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia Lincoln University, Jefferson City Missouri Southern State University, Joplin University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City Truman State University, Kirksville Missouri State University, Springfield Saint Louis University, Saint Louis University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg Receiving Your Score Expect to receive your LSAT score by mail about three weeks after you take the exam. The lowest possible score you can get is a 120 and the highest, 180. Examples of average LSAT scores accepted by Missouri law schools are: Washington University: 167 University of Missouri-Columbia: 157 University of Missouri-Kansas City: 152 St. Louis University: 155 Back to Top Step 3 Go to Law School in Missouri Featured Law School: Sponsored University of Dayton Featured Program: Online Hybrid Juris Doctor: ABA-approved JD program; Prepare to sit for the bar exam in most states; Semester-long legal externship. Application process After passing the LSAT, you are ready to apply to the ABA-approved law schools of your choice in the United States. The MBLE does not require that you attend an ABA-approved law school in Missouri. As long as the school is ABA-approved, it may be located anywhere within the United States. You may select any of the more than 200 ABA-approved law schools listed in the LSAC Official Guide to ABA-Approved Law Schools. Credential Assembly Service Using the Law School Admission Councils Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is required when applying for enrollment at any ABA-accredited law school. The CAS helps you gather transcripts from all institutions attended, contact persons who will write your letters of recommendation, and contact persons who will give online evaluations for you. The CAS uses this information when applying electronically to the ABA-approved law schools you choose. The fee for using this service is $195 and payable online through the LSAC account you created when you registered to take the LSAT. ABA-Accredited Law Schools in Missouri These law schools in Missouri hold ABA-accreditation: Course requirements Coursework that all Missouri ABA-approved law schools have in their curricula include: Civil procedure/law Contracts Criminal procedure/law Torts Property Legal writing and legal research Legal reasoning Legal problem-solving and dispute resolution Constitutional law Evidence Professional responsibility and ethics You can expect to complete between 85 and 90 semester hours of credit during your time at law school. Online Law Degrees View Online and Campus Law and Legal Studies Programs (For students who choose to focus on a subset of law other than an attorney.) Degree Programs Under rules of the MBLE, you must have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in order to sit for the states bar exam. Your law school may also offer dual degree programs, which include a J.D. combined with another masters degree. This type of degree may appeal to you if you wish to specialize in a certain area of legal practice. In a dual degree, the J.D. may be combined with any of the following areas: Business (JD/MBA) Journalism (JD/MA) Public affairs (JD/MPA) Library/information science (JD/MLS) Economics (JD/MA) Health administration (JD/MHA) Educational leadership/policy analysis (JD/MA) Personal financial planning (JD/MS) Human development/family studies (JD/MA or JD/MS) Character and Fitness Report Registering as a law student with the MBLE and filing the Application for Character and Fitness Report by the first June 30 after you start law school is recommended by the MBLE. If you begin this process early, as recommended, you will pay reduced fees. Information that is discovered by the MBLE during the character and fitness investigation that could affect their decision on your bar admission includes (but is not limited to): Unlawful conduct. Failure to give complete, accurate information on the application or in the investigation. Academic/other misconduct at an educational institution. Employment misconduct. Acts involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation. Financial irresponsibility. Lack of respect for the legal system, (includes abuse of the legal process). A condition or disorder impairing behavior, judgment, understanding, capacity to recognize reality, ability to function in school, work, or other important life activities, or ability to practice law in a competent and professional manner. This may include, but is not limited to: alcohol abuse, substance abuse, or a mental, emotional, or nervous disorder or condition Denial of an application in another jurisdiction due to character and fitness Disciplinary action by a lawyer disciplinary agency or other professional agency in any jurisdiction. Neglect of professional obligations. Back to Top Step 4 Take the Missouri State Bar Exam Even if you have not yet received your J.D. degree at the time you sit for the Missouri bar exam, you must have completed all requirements for the degree before taking the examination. Non-ABA approved law school graduates The only non-ABA-approved law school graduates that may take the Missouri bar exam are those who have already passed another states bar exam. In addition to that, you must meet the following requirements: Have practiced full-time in the jurisdiction in which you passed the bar exam for three of the past five years, OR Complete 24 credit hours at an ABA-approved law school Graduates of Foreign Law Schools If you graduated from a law school outside of the United States, you may be eligible to take the Missouri bar exam if: You have been admitted to practice law in the country in which you graduated from law school and are in good standing, and you have been practicing law there for three of the past five years, OR You have been admitted to practice law in the country in which you graduated from law school and are in good standing, and you have completed 24 semester hours of credit at an ABA-approved law school within the past three years Preparation Missouri administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), which consists of the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), Multistate Performance Test (MPT) and Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). Study information for these exams is available on the National Conference of Bar Examiners website. Other preparation materials for the Missouri bar exam include: Exam content The first day of the Missouri bar exam, you will answer MEE and Missouri essay questions. These may be on any of the following topics: Administrative Law Agency/partnership Missouri and Federal Civil Procedure Commercial Paper Conflicts of Law Constitutional Law Contracts Corporations/LLC Criminal Law and Procedure Estates Evidence Family Law Legal Ethics Missouri Professional Conduct Real Property Remedies Sales Secured Transactions Torts Trusts/Future Interests The second day of the exam consists of the MBE, 200 multiple-choice questions on any of the following subjects: Constitutional Law Contracts Criminal Law Evidence Real Property Torts Missouri Educational Component Test (MECT) In addition to the Missouri bar exam, you must pass an open book online test, the Missouri Educational Component Test (MECT), before you can be admitted to the Missouri bar. This exam tests your knowledge of Missouri law in the following subject areas: Torts, Civil Procedure, Real Property, Trusts, Estates, Family Law, Business Associations, Administrative Law, Missouri Courts and Evidence. Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) Before bar admission will occur in Missouri, you must pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) with a score of at least 80. This must be passed within one year of passing the Missouri bar exam. Register online with the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) to take the MPRE. Application Process The bar exam is administered in Jefferson City on the last Tuesday and Wednesday in February and July. You must create an account online with the MBLE when you are ready to apply to take the Missouri Bar Exam. After your registration is created, you may apply online to take the bar exam. If you plan to take the July exam, you should file your application by March 1. If you plan to take the February exam, you should file by Oct. 1. Late filing deadlines (with additional fees) are May 31 for the July exam and December 31 for the February exam. Fees If you have never registered to take the Missouri bar exam but have already applied for a character and fitness report as a law student, the fee is $485. If you have not yet applied for the character and fitness report, the fee is $910. Fees may be paid via cashier's check; money order; corporate check; law firm check; or online via debit or credit card. Checks/money orders should be made payable to Clerk of the Supreme Court. Mailing address External documents that you submit to MBLE before filing your examination application will be held by the MBLE and then matched to your application once it is received. Put your name, date of birth and social security number on any external documents you send to the MBLE. Mail your application fees and supporting materials to Missouri Board of Law Examiners, P.O. Bos 104236, Jefferson City, MO 65110-4236. You can hand-deliver them to 1700 Jefferson St., Jefferson City, MO 65109 if you prefer. UBE Transfer Scores If you took the UBE elsewhere before the date of the Missouri bar exam, a total scaled UBE score of 260 may be transferred to Missouri. This may have been gained in one of only three UBE administrations prior to the date of the Missouri bar exam. If you wish to transfer just your MBE score, you must have earned it within 19 months of the date of the Missouri bar exam. You must not have ever failed the Missouri bar exam in order to transfer MBE scores. Pass Rates According to the Missouri Board of Law Examiners, the following are Missouri bar exam passing results for the past few years: July 2018: 75.7 percent overall pass rate February 2018: 63.4 percent overall pass rate July 2017: 84.7 percent overall pass rate February 2017: 65.7 percent overall pass rate July 2016: 79.4 percent overall pass rate February 2016: 74.3 percent overall pass rate Admission on Motion If you are already a licensed lawyer in another jurisdiction, you may qualify for Admission on Motion to the Missouri Bar. You must meet these qualifications: Graduated with a JD (or foreign equivalent, LLB) degree from an ABA-approved law school Hold an active law license in a state that permits reciprocity privileges to Missouri lawyers without taking their bar exam Passed the MBLEs character and fitness report For at least five of the past 10 years, you have fulfilled one of the following, or any combination of these requirements: Practiced law full-time in another U.S. jurisdiction under active license Served full-time as a lawyer with the U.S. government or its armed forces Taught full-time in an ABA-approved law school Practiced law full-time practice as in-house counsel in a US jurisdiction. Complete Missouris Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Annual Law Update requirement within 12 months of applying for Admission on Motion and no later than 90 days after the MBLE notifies you that you have passed your character and fitness report Licensing and Admission to the Bar You will receive your bar exam scores by mail about six to nine weeks post-exam. After passing the bar exam, you will take an oath of admission at an enrollment ceremony to be held at the Supreme Court in Jefferson City. The oath must be taken within 90 days of the date that you are notified that you have met all bar admission requirements. Back to Top Step 5 Now that You Have Passed the Missouri Bar Congratulations on passing the Missouri Bar Exam and becoming a member of the Missouri Bar(MoBar)! As a bar member, you can use the multitude of resources of the Missouri Bar, including the Missouri Bar Practice Portal. You can also enjoy an up to 50 percent discount on UPS (United Parcel Service) services, take advantage of the law practice management advice offered by MoBar, use the networking opportunities offered to you as a member, and find a job through MoBar. Law firms across Missouri are often in need of legal talent. Some of the biggest names include multi-specialty firm Brian Cave in St. Louis, multi-practice firm Blackwell Sanders Matheny Weary & Lombardi in Kansas City, multi-practice firm Thompson Coburn in St. Louis, multi-specialty firm Lathrop & Gage in Kansas City, and business services/intellectual property lawyers Armstrong Teasdale in St. Louis. The eleven (as of 2018) Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Missouri may employ lawyers. Names include mail-order prescription company Express Scripts Holding in St. Louis, chemical giant Monsanto in St. Louis, Reinsurance Group of America in Chesterfield, OReilly Automotive in Springfield, and utilities company Ameren in St. Louis. Legal specialty certification The National Board of Trial Advocacy offers certification for lawyers who wish to specialize in social security disability advocacy, civil pretrial practice advocacy, criminal trial law, family trial law, and civil trial law. You must pass an examination and meet education and experience requirements for certification. f you wish to specialize in business or consumer bankruptcy or creditors rights, the American Board of Certification (ABC) is the agency responsible for regulating these areas. Requirements for maintaining license After you have been admitted to the Missouri bar, you must complete two hours of ethics courses within the first 12 months of licensure. All Missouri bar members must complete 15 hours of mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) each year, and this must include two hours of ethics, professionalism, or malpractice prevention. For more information, contact the MCLE Department of MoBar at (573) 638-2233 or mcle@mobar.org. Court Systems in Missouri Missouris Judicial Branch is structured as indicated below: Circuit courts (trial courts): Missouris trail courts are organized into 45 regional circuits statewide, with at least one court in each county. These courts have jurisdiction over civil and criminal matters. Missouri Court of Appeals: Missouris intermediate appellate court is divided into three regional districts: Eastern, Southern and Western. If you lose a case at circuit court, you may file an appeal, to be heard by the Court of Appeals. Missouri Supreme Court: The state's highest court is located at 207 West High Street Jefferson City, Missouri 65101. It holds supervisory authority over all Missouri courts and reviews some cases as a matter of right. Other cases may be heard if they are transferred to the Supreme Court after a Court of Appeals decision. Elective membership organizations Here are some elective membership associations for Missouri lawyers that you might be interested in joining now that you are a Missouri lawyer: Back to Top AMMAN - A replica of Eiffel Tower, Arc of Triumph and the Louvres' pyramid adorned streets of the posh Abdalli boulevard in Amman to celebrate the French week in Jordan, attracting locals and tourists in an atmosphere of art and culture. The event to run until October 6 in Amman, will provide visitors a taste of the distinguished French cuisine and accompanied by art performance and exhibition as well as magic shows and circus acts. "The French Week aims at highlighting and promoting the strong French presence in the Kingdom. It has become a regular 'rendez-vous' to celebrate French culture in all its forms and it is above all a moment of sharing between Jordanians and French and an occasion to celebrate the friendship between the two countries," said the French embassy in an official statement. A major attraction is the so called 'Le French Marche"', an exhibition of French products including cosmetics and perfumes, telecommunications, food and beverages and automobile. 'The diversity of exhibiting companies certainly reflects the multi-sectorial presence of France in Jordan. Artists and groups from France, Lebanon and Palestine will be performing open air events with local artists from the kingdom. Moulla, a magician known as "the French David Copperfield", will be performing a one of its kind magic show on October 4, in which he will "combine the virtual world with reality", according to organisers. The French acrobatic troupe Compagnie XY will be a main attractdion, as it will bring together 22 acrobats. We now know who was killed when a car exploded in the middle of Allentown. Yet to be answered: Why? The three victims of the blast that shocked the Lehigh Valley's largest city Saturday night were a father and his toddler son, along with another adult friend, authorities confirmed in a news conference Monday as the investigation continued for its second full day. The explosion happened 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of West Turner Street -- a block from the PPL Center. After the deadly car explosion in Allentown, police are discussing the investigation into what happened and what will happen next. Posted by lehighvalleylive.com on Monday, October 1, 2018 Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim publicly identified the victims for the first time as 66-year-old David Hallman, along with 26-year-old Jacob Schmoyer and his 2-year-old son, Jonathan Schmoyer, all of Allentown. The two adults were said to be friends and were meeting up when the blast occurred. Authorities were able to confirm no other bystanders were hurt but could not immediately say the reason for the meeting Saturday night. Also unclear is the explosion's cause. A definitive ruling will depend on analysis of material sent to a lab in Maryland, said Don Robinson, special agent in charge with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "We know we're dealing with a material that exploded," he said at a news conference Monday afternoon. "A lot of energy was released with this explosion. So obviously we're dealing with an explosion. That could be anything from an accident to a device, an explosive device." Investigators removed three vehicles from the scene, including the one Robinson described as the "seat of the blast." Authorities were continuing to sift through evidence and could not immediately say whether all three victims were in the vehicle that exploded. "You had a large blast," Robinson told reporters. "We had material that went quite a significant distance and also materials and evidence that we're recovering from property, and sides of buildings and rooftops and everything." Investigators are hopeful local police and federal agents can clear the scene sometime Tuesday and let residents, some of whom have been sheltered by the local Red Cross, get their lives back to normal. What you can do: Investigators have asked anyone with information about Saturday's explosion to call the Allentown Police Detective Bureau at 610-437-7721 or 888-283-2662 (888-ATF-BOMB). Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A thief from Philadelphia followed the same weekly plan when he repeatedly stole from a Lehigh Valley Walmart over the summer, authorities said. Anthony Fuentes-Rodriguez would visit the store at 3926 Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township and take a backpack from the shelf. The 31-year-old Fuentes-Rodriguez would then stuff the backpack with cans of baby formula and walk out of the store with the formula-filled bag without paying, township police said. Fuentes-Rodriguez is alleged to have made 11 such trips between July and August of this year, stealing about $2,888 worth of items, police said. On Aug. 20, the store's security spotted Fuentes-Rodriguez in the store and called township police. Fuentes-Rodriguez allegedly ran when he saw the officers and was not arrested at that time. But Fuentes-Rodriguez left his car in the parking lot, according to police, and inside were documents identifying him. Police compared a photo of Fuentes-Rodriguez from PennDOT with a surveillance photo of the thief from Walmart and police said they were the same person. Fuentes-Rodriguez was arrested Saturday and charged with a single count of retail theft. He was sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail in that case. Records show he was also arraigned Monday in Lehigh County on two counts of retail theft related to an Aug. 22 incident in Bethlehem. His bail was set at $25,000 in that case. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. An Easton man is accused of selling the proceeds of a cellphone store robbery in 2017, one in a series of robberies in the Lehigh Valley region that left two people dead, according to prosecutors. Tiheem Holloman turned himself in Tuesday morning to face receiving stolen property and conspiracy charges in connection with cellphones from a Bethlehem Township store armed robbery. Gregory Lewis Jr. and Vaughn Felix are charged in the Jan. 5, 2017, armed robbery of the AT&T store at 3859 Nazareth Pike in the township. Holloman is accused of using one of the stolen phones for himself, and helping Felix sell several of the stolen phones to a man only identified as "Tall." Holloman, who said he lives in the 800 block of West Berwick Street in Easton, is free on $100,000 unsecured bail while he awaits a preliminary hearing. Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Mulqueen said Holloman will face more serious charges in the future in connection with a similar crime in South Whitehall Township. "We're just not ready to proceed with those charges yet," Mulqueen said in court. The Bethlehem Township robbery was in a strip mall off Nazareth Pike (Route 191), near the former Kmart. Lewis, of Wilson Borough, and Felix, of Easton, wore black ski masks and all black, tactical-style clothing, according to township police. The two men allegedly entered the store as it was closing at 8 p.m. and assaulted two employees. One of the robbers displayed a silver handgun, police said. About 90 devices were stolen in that robbery. Township police said records showed a phone number registered to Holloman, an AT&T customer, was being used on one of the iPhones stolen from the Bethlehem Township store. Holloman allegedly had the stolen phone with him when he met with a Palmer Township police officer in October 2017. Felix reportedly told investigators Holloman served as a go-between with "Tall," and that "Tall" bought several of the stolen cellphones for $3,000 during a Jan. 5, 2017, meeting at Holloman's home on Spruce Street in Easton. Lewis and Felix are awaiting trial in two counties, on charges stemming from several store robberies, and the killings of 25-year-old Michael Davis on Nov. 21, 2016, in Palmer Township, and 21-year-old Dominic Colona on Dec. 2, 2016, in Reading. Lewis is scheduled to go to trial in Northampton County in December, and Felix will be tried separately at a later date, Mulqueen said. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. AKRON, Ohio -- A Pennsylvania man captured by authorities near Mansfield last month after being on the run for three months agreed Monday to return to his home state to face charges related to threats against President Donald Trump and others. Shawn Christy waived his detention and identity hearings, which were set to take place Monday afternoon in Magistrate Judge Kathleen Burke's courtroom in Akron. Christy, 26, briefly appeared in court and gave short answers to questions from Burke. His decision means he has stipulated that he is the person named in an out-of-state federal indictment and that he will agree to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, which will return him to Pennsylvania. Christy reserved his right to seek a bond in front of another judge once he arrives in Pennsylvania. A federal judge issued a warrant June 19 for Christy, a McAdoo resident, in connection to Facebook threats to the Northampton County, Pennsylvania district attorney, stating, "Keep it up (John) Morganelli, I promise I'll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J. Trump." Christy also posted a message on Facebook to Morganelli that said "Your (sic) a dead man ... Lets play," according to a grand jury indictment issued in Scranton. He also has outstanding warrants for burglary, a probation violation and not appearing in court for an aggravated assault case. The now-captured fugitive also said he would "use lethal force on any law enforcement officer that attempts to detain" him on an outstanding arrest warrant, the indictment states. The Mansfield-area community was on high-alert for about a week in September as law enforcement looked for Christy. Some schools closed as a precaution and police encouraging residents to lock their homes, cars and sheds. Investigators on Sept. 21 found a camp site with items believed to be Christy's, and a search team created a perimeter and found him in a wooded area in Mifflin Township. He was armed with a loaded gun and a large knife, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. More than 200 state and federal police and agents were involved in the search. Three Mile Island -- the nuclear plant south of Harrisburg that gained notoriety for a partial meltdown in 1979 -- is nearing the end of its productive life. Or maybe not. Plant owner Exelon Corp. says the twin-reactor facility along the Susquehanna River has cost the company $300 million over the last eight years, and has been unprofitable for six years. The electricity it produces isn't competitive because of low wholesale energy prices and unfair regulations in Pennsylvania's deregulated market, Exelon says. Industry officials in Pennsylvania complain that nuclear plants aren't permitted to participate in clean energy programs, even though they provide 93 percent of clean energy. Exelon is asking the state Legislature to "level the playing field" to help make TMI and other nuclear plants competitive. Employees and others held a rally there last weekend to push for the state's help. TMI could be mothballed within a year. That's fine with those pushing for renewable energy initiatives, such as Citizens Against Nuclear Bailout. The group says the public should not be on the hook for tax support or higher electric rates to prop up Exelon's profits. Natural gas producers, which are riding a boom in shale gas drilling, also oppose any tax or rate bailout for aging nukes. What do you think? Should TMI's life be extended by the Legislature? Should it be retired if it can't compete in the energy market? Have a say in our informal, unscientific poll, and feel free to elaborate in the comment section. A man who was injured Monday evening in a motorcycle crash on Route 519 in White Township was flown for treatment to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, according to New Jersey State Police. The crash was reported at 6:11 p.m. about three-quarters of a mile south of Route 46. Anthony Tufaro, 24, of Stewartsville, was attempting to legally pass a vehicle when he lost control of the bike and it went over a guardrail, Lt. Ted Schafer said. Tufaro was wearing a helmet, Schafer added. Tufaro was taken by the Belvidere Rescue Squad to Oscar W. Unangst Memorial Fields on Route 519 in the township. He was transferred to a New Jersey State Police NorthStar medical helicopter from a landing zone set up by Belvidere's Good Will Fire Company. The northbound lane of Route 519 was closed during the probe and traffic alternated in the other lane. State police from the Washington barracks are continuing to investigate and no citations have been issued, Schafer said. Police were assisted by the fire company, the rescue squad and paramedics from Hunterdon Medical Center. Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell provided information for this post. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Flights suspended at Libya's Mitiga after mortar shot Tripoli airport hit once again (ANSAmed) - CAIRO, OCTOBER 2 - A mortar shot fell on Tripoli's Mitiga airport - the capital's only functioning airport - on Tuesday, causing the airport to suspend flights once again after having only recently reopened from a two-week closure due to clashes between rival militias, according to tweets from Libyan broadcaster Al Ahrar. "Flights suspended to Mitiga airport after a mortar shot fell," the broadcaster reported, in line with its website Alwasat, citing Mohamed Beitelmal, president of the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority. The airport's Facebook page posted a message that said the new falling of a mortar shell on the airport last night, shot by "irresponsible parties", has caused the suspension of flights to and from the airport, until further notice. This event follows a September 25 ceasefire agreement between the militias fighting for control of the capital, after a previous September 4 ceasefire fell through. In the September 25 agreement, two formations that had previously attacked the capital left Tripoli. Intermittent clashes in southern Tripoli over the past month have caused at least 117 deaths and 404 serious and moderately serious wounds, according to an official toll released on September 26. Mitiga airport was shut down on August 31 and reopened September 7, then closed again on September 12 following rocket launches. The most recent reopening was announced last Wednesday, and flights resumed this past weekend. The Mitiga airport is located off Libya's northwestern coast, eight kilometres from Tripoli's Martyrs' Square, and is the capital's only remaining working airport. Another airport located 25 kilometres from the city, known simply as International airport, closed in 2014 when it was damaged by fighting that summer.(ANSAmed). The iconic Rathcoffey Castle is for sale as part of the sale of a surrounding farm that it is located on. The farm is 224.5 acres/90.8 hectares of what Sherry Fitzgerald are calling highly productive land. And the entire amount is all yours for a snip at 3.75 million. The lands are of superb quality and for the most part are characterised by large fields of excellent quality tillage lands, serviced by a road which runs through the centre, the brochure explains. The lands are also drained well with mature hedging surrounding most of the boundary. There are two access points into the lands with the main access coming from the village side of the lands in Rathcoffey. The castle was built by descendants of the Wogan family who came into ownership of the land in 1417, when a John Wogan was granted the Manor of Rathcoffey. Although the lands changed ownership many times, it was John Wogan s descendants that built the castle. The Wogans held ownership up until 1758 when Col. Nicholas Wogan died with no male heir and the estate was divided between his two daughters. In 1754 Archibald Hamilton Rowan bought Rathcoffey Estate from Richard Wogan Talbot and built a new mansion on the site of the castle incorporating the original Wogan castle into the structure. It later passed, once again between numerous owners before coming into the possession of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and then being sold to a local farmer in the 1970s. Rathcoffey Castle and Mansion House is in need of full restoration. THE PRESIDENT of Ireland Michael D Higgins has said migrants, or our newest citizens of Limerick have brought a wealth of culture and heritage that will enrich the city and county. President Higgins, who is now seeking his reelection to Aras an Uachtarain on October 26, addressed hundreds to launch the Belonging to Limerick three-year strategy, at Thomond Park on Friday afternoon. The strategy, led by the Limerick Integration Working Group, aims to build on boosting migrants intercultural experience in local life, through a cohort of services. President Higgins, who is a patron of Doras Luimni migrants rights organisation, said the new plan is a strong statement that will enable migrants to become full participants in the life of Limerick. The Limerick-born president said that the city and county has become a home for migrants, a home for their hopes and aspirations. He said Limerick, in particular, a long history of emigration. He referenced the flight of the Wild Geese in 1691, when 10,000 soldiers and their families left Limerick foo France. He also noted the mass exodus of Limerick and Irish people during the deadly famine in the mid-19th century, and recent generations of emigration. President Higgins also cited the visit of former US president John F Kennedy to Limerick, when he addressed his fellow citizens of Limerick. We must, as did the people of America in the case of the Kennedy family and so many others, accepting and embracing the varied heritage of our newly arrived and their children and their descendents to come. Before the integration plan was launched by Mayor of Limerick City and County, Cllr James Collins, Direct Provision resident Donnah Sibanda Vuma addressed the masses, after a 30-minute speech by Higgins. Ms Vuma, a Zimbabwean mum-of-three, said: Belonging to Limerick means belonging to a diverse community, adding that this new plan addresses areas that are fundamental in fostering effective and sustainable integration within Limerick. The Doras Luimni committee member said being involved in the community gave me a sense of belonging in Limerick. IN RECOGNITION of his significant artistic contribution, artist, novelist, critic and dramatist Brian ODoherty has been conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Limerick. ULs Dean of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Helen Kelly Holmes, described the conferral as a great honour for the university. The Honorary Doctorate Conferring Ceremony gives us an opportunity to express our values as an institution as well as to bask in the reflected glory of a stellar individual, she said. His work is the embodiment of our institutional values, a nexus of scholarship, creativity, conscience and disruption at the intersection of many disciplines. Brian ODoherty left Ireland in the 1950s after completing his medical degree, going on to become a leading figure in the visual and literary arts. The internationally acclaimed artist was nominated for a Booker prize for his novel The Deposition of Father McGreevy and his paintings have been acknowledged in five retrospective exhibitions in Washington D.C., New York, Ohio, Derry and Dublin. In 1972, he changed his name to Patrick Ireland, in response to the Bloody Sunday killing of thirteen unarmed citizens of Derry. Thirty-six years later, following the establishment of power sharing in Northern Ireland, a choreographed funeral was held for Patrick Ireland at the Irish Museum of Modern Art. A BRAND new smartphone app looks set to link local companies to students searching for apprenticeships in Limerick. The Mid-West Skills Network has put together an easy-to-use telephone program accessible via www.regionalskills.ie - to allow second and third level students seeking to take part in work-based training the chance to reach the firm directly. The free app was launched this Tuesday, and at present 60 companies are linked to it. But the manager of the Mid-West Skills Forum, Joe Leddin, wants this number to increase exponentially. I'm speaking with companies every day of the week, and at the same time Im linking in with careers guidance counsellors about career pathways. There was a communication gap between students considering an apprenticeship and the participating employers they could go to, Mr Leddin told Business Leader. From an employers point-of-view, it gives them an opportunity to identify new talent by uploading information on the app. From a student's point-of-view, it affords them visibility on the different companies across the sectors offering different career opportunities. Maria Kyne, the dean of the applied science, language and engineering faculty at LIT, has welcomed the initiative. She said: We talk to career guidance, we talk to students, we talk to parents, we talk to industry. There has always been a missing gap between how parents and students can link in with what apprenticeships are available. This app is the missing link. Companies wishing to be listed can contact 061 442100. A NIGERIAN man was granted bail after he appeared in court charged with sexually assaulting a woman during a house party in Limerick city. The 34-year-old is accused of grabbing the woman and dragging her into a bedroom in the early hours of September 30, 2017. Opposing bail, Detective Garda Barry Moylan said it will be alleged the assault lasted for several minutes. He said it will be alleged the man waited on the upstairs landing while the woman was in the bathroom and that he threatened her before grabbing her and assaulting her. He said the woman, whose married and aged in her early 30s, did not know the man prior to encountering him at the party. The detective said the defendant has no ties to Limerick and he expressed serious concerns he would attempt to leave the jurisdiction if released on bail. He said the alleged victim has identified him as the culprit and that a number of independent witnesses stated he made several attempts to dance with the woman and that he persistently tried to talk to her during the party. Solicitor Sarah Ryan noted the woman did not make a formal complaint until a number of weeks after the incident and that her client was arrested and questioned earlier this year. She said her client, who is studying at UL, was arrested at his home address after the DPP directed he be charged having reviewed the garda investigation file. He was at his address, he had made no effort to leave (since his initial arrest), she said. Judge Marie Keane was told there was an altercation between the defendant and the womans husband in recent months which is the subject of a separate investigation. Judge Keane said while the defendant is facing a very serious charge he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. She granted bail subject to strict conditions and adjourned the matter until next month. A LIMERICK company with strong links to Belgium shared its success story with the Belgian Ambassador during his recent visit to the city. Rigid Containers, whose parent company VPK Packaging originates from Belgium, welcomed Belgian Ambassador to Ireland HE Pierre-Emmanuel De Bauw, his wife Joelle and the Head of Economic and Commercial Trade Jacques Vanhoucke to its plant in the Galvone Business Park last week. VPK Packaging, a leading European manufacturer of recycled paper and corrugated cases with an annual turnover of some 1 billion, bought ICS Europaks as a going concern three years ago. The Limerick business became Rigid Containers under the new ownership, and since then has operated and grown as a business unit producing high-end corrugated packaging to a global custom base. The Ambassador met staff at Rigid and heard about the success story of the company and our strong relationship with his home country, according to site director Mark Munnelly. He was extremely impressed with our facilities here in the Galvone Business Park, the 8 million investment made in the business to date and our plans for further growth, said Mr Munnelly. We are also very proud of our commitment to the local community, and were happy to share with the ambassador our pride in the sporting organisations and groups we support locally, he added. GARDAI in Limerick have issued another warning about resourceful bogus callers targeting vulnerable people after a lady in her 90s was scammed. The bogus caller was reported to gardai after an incident in the Caherdavin area in the city. Gardai said the lady in her 90s answered her door to a man in his 30s who claimed that he had repaired her attic by coming in through her neighbours roof and that she owed him a large sum of money. The poor lady got so flustered that she handed over her bank card and pin number to him, said a garda spokesperson. Now, thankfully the ladys daughter called and once she heard the story she contacted her mothers bank and cancelled the card so no money was taken from the account. However, it just shows how resourceful these bogus callers are and the excuses they use to try and get money from a vulnerable person, added the spokesperson. Gardai are advising elderly people to keep their doors locked and to ring their nearest neighbour and then gardai if they feel uncomfortable. You should never write down your bank card pin number, this should be memorised, added the spokesperson. Last week, Bruff Superintendent Brian Sugrue said bogus callers preying on elderly people was a despicable crime. The issue was raised by Cllr Brigid Teefy at a meeting of the joint policing sub-committee for the Cappamore-Kilmallock municipal district. Cllr Teefy said she had heard reports of bogus callers purporting to fix chutes and roofs. After Storm Ali, gardai sent out a warning to Community Alerts saying: Beware of bogus traders calling to homes regarding recent storm damage. Use reputable tradesmen only. Supt Sugrue said older people living alone are very vulnerable. They dont like to be rude. They think everybody is as decent as they are. Criminals are preying on the most vulnerable people in our society, said Supt Sugrue, who described it as a despicable crime. Supt Sugrue said if a person has any doubt at all about a person ringing their doorbell then call the gardai. RYANAIR has announced details of a new route from Shannon Airport to Ibiza. The new twice-weekly service to the island will commence in April 2019, the airline announced this Tuesday lunchtime. The first Ibiza service from Shannon to Ibiza will form part of Ryanairs Summer 19 schedule and will run from early April to end of October, strengthening sun holiday capacity from Shannon by another 22,000 seats. Ryanair is pleased to announce a new Shannon route to Ibiza, commencing in April 2019, which will operate twice-weekly as part of our Summer 2019 schedule, said Ryanairs Robin Kiely. Welcoming the announcement Andrew Murphy, Managing Director, Shannon Airport said: 2018 has been our best year in over a decade at Shannon but from planning perspective we have very much moved onto 2019 and this is a really good boost for the airport. It comes off the back of Ryanair going year-round from next month on its Alicante service and the introduction of its Barcelona-Reus service this summer. Ibiza is a hugely popular destination for holiday makers and will mean that next year we will have eight services to Spanish sun holiday destinations, he added. Shannon Group CEO Matthew Thomas: We want to make it easy for holiday makers in our region to travel to sun destinations from their airport, and not have to make long journeys to get their flights abroad for summer and winter breaks. Weve spent the last few years working very hard on building capacity back up and Ibiza is another service that was very much on our wish list and we are delighted now it on our summer schedule for 2019. Ryanair is a major airline partner at Shannon and we look forward to working closely the airline to make this new and welcome service a success. Ryanair said to celebrate the announcement it would offer up to 25% off on over 1 million seats for travel from October to February. LUCCA - The refined Toscano cigar has reached an enviable milestone, celebrating its 200th year in an evening gala at the original Manifatture di Firenze cigar factory in Lucca, where the "200" cigar (200 mm with an exceptional tobacco and smoke time) was created especially for the anniversary. The Toscano cigar's ingenuity, passion, and Italian tradition have all contributed to its constant growth on an international level. In 1815, a happy accident created the cigar, when a heavy rainfall drenched a batch of tobacco left out to dry; then left to dry and ferment, creating the basis for its unique character. The Toscano began production in 1818 in the Florentine factory, and has dominated the Italian cigar scene ever since, with a 96% market share today. Manifatture sigaro toscano (MST), the company that produces the Toscano, has been focusing in recent years on the international market, and has the results to show for it: nearly 20% of its total production in the first half of 2018 went to exports. The cigar can be found in 65 different countries worldwide, while its factories - in Lucca, where the "naturals" are produced; in Cava de' Tirreni, where the aromatics are produced; and at a plant in Pennsylvania where they are produced for the US market - turn out 212 million cigars a year. During the gala at the former Manifatture Tabacchi - an enormous complex designed in the rationalist style of architecture, build at the Cascine in the 1930s by Giovanni Bartoli and Pier Luigi Nervi - MST President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo; Vice President Gaetano Maccaferri, the company's majority shareholder; and Vice President Aurelio Regina all expressed satisfaction over the cigar's success. "I'm particularly pleased to celebrate the bicentennial of MST for two reasons: because I have always been a loyal customer and great admirer; and because I am convinced that this company, with its craftsmanship and quality, represents a true 'Made in Italy' product to the world," Montezemolo said. "The brand is strong and recognisable, with constant growth in recent years; the latest revenue was 102.1 million and the EBITDA was 32.8 million - extraordinary potential for international development," he said. Montezemolo highlighted growth in foreign markets such as the United States, Germany, and Turkey, as well as Serbia, Romania, and Eastern Europe generally, including international duty free shops. Maccaferri said the Toscano cigar represents Italian expertise, and the brand is experiencing a resurgence in its native Italy. "This means an important injection of resources, following considerable investments, and even more ambitious growth objectives," he said. Terry Nesti, director of client training for MST, said even the 200 cigar is within reach of the average consumer. "If you think about how much Cubans cost, which moreover have a low labor cost, a 200 costs seven euros, within reach of every wallet. And it's an extraordinary smoke," he said. But the only way to truly appreciate the uniqueness of this iconic product is by visiting the factory in Lucca. The cigar makers there, working by hand on each cigar, package 500 cigars in one work shift. The cigars also stand apart for the way technology is applied to tradition, the quality of the Italian tobacco expertly mixed with North American tobacco, and the long and patient aging. "The Toscano cigar allows for a very different smoke than those of the Caribbean," said MST CEO Stefano Mariotti, as he gave a demonstration of the various phases of the cigar's production. "You can interrupt it, cut it, and smoke it later; while a Cuban or Dominican can't be put out and lit again, because they're unsmokable, after. Moreover, in Italy we cut the leaves before they grow too much; this gives more strength to our tobacco," he said. Throughout the factory are signs of tradition, from the large rooms with their machines, the drying rooms, and even the workers wearing gas masks to protect them from the ammonia that gets released during fermentation. During his production tour, Mariotti showed the silver coins that were originally used to pay workers. "They got one silver coin for every 10 cigars, which they put on a stick inside this box, and every ten silver coins were worth one gold coin," he said. A NEW TG4 documentary series will tell the story of the tragic day in Adare in 1996 when Detective Jerry McCabe was killed by the IRA, from the point-of-view of his widow Ann McCabe. Inspired by Netflix-style documentaries, Finne is a brand-new homegrown TG4 series, featuring the human side of big Irish stories that have made the headlines over the past 50 years. In this weeks episode, airing this Wednesday evening, Ms McCabe will recall her heartbreak after her husband Detective McCabe was killed while serving the State. In her searing testimony, Ms McCabe will recall how she was fully sure that his killers would be given life sentences, and her shock when they were convicted for manslaughter rather than murder. Ms McCabe will also reflect on how she took a stand for the memory of her deceased husband when whispers started circulating that his killers would be released under an early release programme under the Good Friday Agreement. Speaking in the programme, Ms McCabe says she misses her husband every day. When you lose the love of your life the way I lost Jerry, it makes you a totally different person. You never get over losing them, she says. We were a very private family, just a normal family, but we were thrown into the very deep end of the politics. And, sadly, Jerry was part of it even though he shouldnt have been. Jerry was just doing his job, Ms McCabe says. Following Detective McCabes death, Ms McCabe suffered sleepless nights, she adds. I still cry quite a bit. I attended a psychiatrist for eight years afterwards. Filmed over 12 months by Galways Magamedia and presented by RTEs courts correspondent, Orla ODonnell, Finne revisits gross miscarriages of justice that have taken place in Ireland in the recent past. It is only through searing personal testimony that we gain real insight into the human story behind the official accounts of these life-changing events, Paddy Hayes, one of the series producers and directors. Finne allows each individual the time and the freedom to tell their raw and powerful stories in their own words. The Story of Ann McCabe will air on TG4 this Wednesday, October 3 at 9.30pm. Australian alphabet stamps: Z is for zombie and more Oct 2, 2018, 6 AM Zombies, including one at a zebra crossing, are pictured on a new Australia Post stamp representing the last letter of the alphabet, Z. By Denise McCarty How many words can you think of that begin with a Z? That is the question answered by a new stamp in Australia Posts stamp series called Fair Dinkum Aussie Alphabet. (Fair dinkum is Aussie slang for real or genuine.) And, one of the answers is zombies, three of which can be seen in the upper part of the cartoonlike stamp design next to the inscription Z is for In keeping with the Z theme, one of the zombies is even staggering across a zebra crossing (a pedestrian crossing with alternating stripes of black and white). The design of the Z stamp also depicts a zebra finch and a zoologist who has the word zoo on her uniform and is identifying the birds as zebra finches on her notepad. In a blog post about the new stamps, Australia Post described this design as an over-zealous zoologist has zigzagged past some zombies to zoom in on two dazzling Zebra Finches. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter The Fair Dinkum Aussie Alphabet series, which started March 1, 2016, explores the unique brand of Aussie humour, as well as the countrys cultural icons, people, places, fauna, flora and more, according to Australia Post. The press release announcing the first set of stamps said, The fair Dinkum Aussie Alphabet stamps are jam-packed with place names, products, past times, lingo and unique Australian animals starting with the same alphabetical letter. Gavin Ryan, an Australian artist now based in Bali, has designed all of the stamps in the series. The first set (Scott 4452-4461) includes sheet and booklet stamps featuring the letters N, Q, S, V and W. A second set was issued later in 2016, on Aug. 16, with designs displaying objects for the letters A, C, L, R and T (4520-4529). The third set, issued Oct. 17, 2017, illustrates the letters B, G, J, K and U (4697-4706). The latest set was released Sept. 18. In addition to Z, this set explores items that begin with the letters E, O, X and Y. For more information and ordering details, visit the Australia Post web shop. Catalunya: Sanchez tells Torra 'violence is not the way' 32 officers and 43 protesters wounded in clashes (ANSAmed) - MADRID, OCTOBER 2 - Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday tweeted that "violence is not the way", following violent clashes on Monday at the seat of the Catalan government, the Generalitat, and the Barcelona prefecture, marking the one-year anniversary of the Catalan vote for independence. "Catalan politics must return to the Catalan parliament," Sanchez tweeted. "President Torra needs to assume his responsibilities and not put the normalisation of politics at risk by instigating radicals to attack the institutions that represent all Catalans," he tweeted, citing a message he sent on Tuesday morning to Catalan President Quim Torra. On Monday, Torra encouraged pro-independence activists to "keep up the pressure" in moving ahead for an independent republic. In containing protesters on Monday night, 32 police officers were injured and 43 people were treated for slight injuries, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Mossos d'Esquadra, the Catalan police. The Partido Popular and Ciudadanos parties called on the Spanish Congress to hold an urgent hearing with Sanchez, so he can explain how he plans to face the situation of "chaos and violence" in Catalonia.(ANSAmed). Juncker calls for Dublin Regulation reform by December Says those who wanted external border protection now hesitant (ANSAmed) - STRASBOURG, OCTOBER 2 - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, speaking at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, said the "absolute priorities" for the European Council in December are Dublin Regulation reform and external border protection. "But I'm surprised by the fact that those who complained for better external border protection in the past now seem a bit hesitant before this integral solution the Commission brought to the attention of the Council," Juncker said. "Regarding the union of security, there's a broad accord between member countries for the Commission's proposals, and I would like by the end of the year for there to be an accord for reform of the Dublin system; it's a reform that cannot wait. There must be an agreement on the exact content for the protection of external borders".(ANSAmed). Merkel to visit Israel on Wednesday To meet with PM on Thursday (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, OCTOBER 2 - German chancellor Angela Merkel will be arriving in Israel on Wednesday evening as part of a bilateral meeting between Germany and Israel. She will immediately after that be invited to an official dinner in the residence of Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu. The following day, October 4 - after paying homage to Yad Vashem in Jerusalem - she and Netanyahu will be taking part in a round table discussion between German and Israeli entrepreneurs and will be received by President Reuven Rivlin. Later that day she will have an official meeting with Netanyahu and the G2G meeting between the two countries will be held. Merkel will then return to Germany on Thursday evening. (ANSAmed). A woman's beach vacation took an unexpected turn when she was hit so hard in the neck by a wave that it ruptured one of her arteries, according to a recent report of her case. The 60-year-old woman, who lives in Ireland, was vacationing at the beach when an ocean wave struck her in the neck. Soon, she began to experience intermittent headaches and neck pain, according to the report, published Sept. 12 in the journal BMJ Case Reports. After two weeks, she was still having these symptoms, and one of her eyelids began to droop, prompting her to seek medical care. When doctors examined the woman, they noticed that one of her pupils was smaller than the other. [27 Oddest Medical Cases] The woman was initially diagnosed with Horner syndrome, which refers to a combination of symptoms caused by a disruption in a nerve pathway from the brain to the face, according to the Mayo Clinic. Many things can cause Horner syndrome. In the woman's case, further imaging tests revealed that she had "carotid artery dissection" (CAD) in her right carotid artery. This occurs when blood leaks into a tear within the wall of the carotid artery, and as the blood pools, it separates the layers of the blood vessel wall. The right carotid artery is one of four arteries in the neck that delivers blood to the brain. The dissection likely happened because the wave's impact led to a rupture of the "vasa vasorum," or the small blood vessels within the wall of the carotid artery, the authors wrote in the report. Dr. Etimbuk Umana, an emergency medicine doctor at Galway University Hospitals in Ireland, who treated the patient, said that, prior to the woman's case, he had never seen or read any reports of a beach wave causing CAD. But unusual neck movements or blunt trauma to the neck (such as trauma experienced in a car crash) are known causes of CAD, he told Live Science. It's estimated that trauma causes up to 40 percent of cases of CAD, the authors wrote. One concern for patients with CAD is the risk of stroke; indeed, the condition is a common cause of stroke for people under 50, according to the Cedars-Sinai medical centerin Los Angeles. A stroke can occur if a blood clot forms at the site of the blood vessel dissection and that clot blocks the flow of blood to the brain. For this reason, patients with CAD may be treated with anti-clotting drugs (such as blood thinners) to prevent stroke. But for patients who have a rupture of the vasa vasorum, anti-clotting drugs might actually pose a risk of increased bleeding, the report said. The woman was initially treated with anti-clotting drugs, but the treatment was stopped, in part due to concerns about bleeding risk. Also, the woman didn't have any signs of stroke or other brain problems. The woman was monitored closely and took Lyrica (pregabalin), a medicine used to treat nerve pain, to help with her pain. Six months later, tests showed that the artery injury had completely healed. The authors said that more studies are needed to weigh the risks and benefits of anti-clotting drugs for patients like the one in this report. Originally published on Live Science. While shooting a sunset in New Jersey recently, photographer John Entwistle got another gorgeous sight: a sky painted with what looked like a set of five rainbows. "I could be wrong but that sure looks like a quintuple rainbow at sunset tonight over the Jersey Shore, NJ," Entwistle wrote on Instagram on Sept. 18. Supernumerary rainbows like this one consist of a primary rainbow the brightest and most vivid of the bunch as well as at least two other, less brilliant, rainbows. In the case of the rainbow captured by Entwistle, five supernumerary rainbows were visible. [Strange & Shining: Gallery of Mysterious Lights] "In general, supernumeraries are quite common. There are many pictures of 2 or 3 supernumeraries," Gunther Konnen, a retired climate scientist with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, told Live Science in an email. "But the appearance in nature of 5 supernumeraries is exceptional." Another shot of the 5-in-1 rainbow. (Image credit: John Entwistle Raymond Lee, a research professor at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, agreed: "Supernumerary rainbows are actually fairly common and, despite their superfluous-sounding name, are an intrinsic part of any rainbow." Even so, seeing these rainbows is challenging because they are not as bright as their primary parent bow and they tend to get obscured by the primary rainbow's vivid colors, he added. The two types of rainbows form in just about the same way, except for one difference: The main rainbow forms when sunlight enters a water droplet which is denser than the surrounding air that light bends or refracts. Once inside the water droplet, the light also reflects off the back of the drop; and then as it exits, it is refracted again. Since different wavelengths of light get bent by different amounts, with this process happening in lots of tiny droplets, you get a rainbow. The supernumerary bows happen due to interference between light waves that follow slightly different paths inside a raindrop, according to Lee. And these supernumeraries are much more likely to be visible when the raindrops are relatively uniform in size; that's because pairs of light rays that pass through the droplet are more likely to be in phase and create colored light. With different-size droplets, the light waves are more likely to cancel each other out, meaning no light and no supernumeraries. "Supernumeraries that appear under these conditions are conical, in the sense that their mutual spacing is smaller near the horizon than near the top of the rainbow. This is clearly the case in this picture," Konnen said. If you haven't seen one in real life, check out the photo so you know what you're looking for. "Like owning a new car, however, once you're aware of supernumeraries' existence, you start to see them routinely in many different rainbows," Lee noted. Originally published on Live Science. Have you ever sailed on a rickety boat with a poacher as he checks his traps for wild pangolins and otters in Vietnam? Or, have you interviewed a businessman at a busy restaurant to learn why he uses ground-up rhino horn? Rachel Nuwer has, and she's detailed her adventurous travels to Southeast Asia and Africa in the new book "Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking" (Da Capo Press, 2018), released Sept. 25. Join Live Science on Facebook Live at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday (Oct. 3) as we interview Nuwer to learn about her investigations into the illegal wildlife trade. You'll even have the chance to enter to win a drawing for one of three copies of Nuwer's book; just correctly answer a trivia question that we'll ask during the Facebook Live interview and write the answer within 24 hours in the Facebook comments. [Camera Trapped: Wonderful and Weird Wildlife Around the World] In "Poached," Nuwer takes readers on a tour of poaching hotspots, where she talks to park rangers, scientists and wildlife protection groups as well as people on the other side of the equation, including poachers and people who use smuggled animal parts. Join us as we discuss the success stories and incredible challenges faced by people working to stop the trafficking of elephant ivory, pangolin scales and rhino horns. If you have any questions about the illegal wildlife trade during the interview, simply write your query in the Facebook comments and we'll see if we can answer it. The contest rules are below. Don't forget to check Facebook and Twitter for updates on this contest and other live-video events. A pangolin rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam awaits release. (Image credit: Rachel Nuwer) 'Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking'Giveaway Official Rules NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 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You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor & not to Facebook. Watch the Live Science Facebook Live interview at 12:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday (Oct. 3) so you can enter to win one of three free copies of "Poached: Inside the Dark World of Wildlife Trafficking." (Image credit: Live Science) Originally published on Live Science. Members of the Nobel Committee for Physics sit in front of a screen displaying portraits of this year's Laureates: Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland. Three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in physics this morning for their groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were awarded one half of the award, with the other half going to Arthur Ashkin. Strickland is only the third women to be awarded a Nobel in physics ever. (The other two were Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert-Mayer in 1963.) "We need to celebrate women physicists because theyre out there Im honored to be one of those women," Strickland said, according to the Nobel Prize Foundation. When she received the call this morning telling her about the award, as many Laureates in the past have said, she was in disbelief. "First of all, you have to think it's crazy. So that was my first thought and you do always wonder if it's real," Strickland said during a press briefing this morning at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Sweden. Ashkin, of Bell Laboratories in Holmdel, New Jersey, is being honored for his invention of optical tweezers; these laser beam fingers can grab the teensy living cells, including particles, atoms and viruses. "This new tool allowed Ashkin to realize an old dream of science-fiction using the radiation pressure of light to move physical objects," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement. In 1987, he used the tweezers to grasp living bacteria without harming them, according to the academy statement. Achievements by Strickland, of the University of Waterloo in Canada, and Morou, of the Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France, led to the creation of the world's shortest and most intense laser pulses. (Morou is also a professor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.) The duo invented what is called chirped pulse amplification, a process in which laser pulses are stretched in time, amplified and then compressed. When a pulse gets squished in time, becoming shorter, the same amount of light is packed into a tiny space and so the pulse's intensity skyrockets. When asked this morning about the groundbreaking discovery, Strickland said, "It's thinking outside the box to stretch first and then amplify. Most people were amplifying and trying just to compress whatever they had amplified." This technique is used in millions of laser eye surgeries every year, according to the academy statement. Askkin will receive half of the 9 million krona ($1.01 million) Nobel Prize award, and Mourou and Strickland will share the other half. Original article on Live Science. A male physicist claimed during a lecture that men are discriminated against in physics. He also said that there are fewer women than men in physics largely because of innate differences in intelligence between the sexes, and partly because women are less interested in physics. But experts in neuroscience, intelligence and the interactions of gender and society told Live Science that they weren't impressed. "I find that pretty laughable, actually," said Maria Natasha Rajah, a cognitive scientist and expert in neuroimaging at McGill University in Quebec. Alessandro Strumia, the physicist in question and a professor at Pisa University in Italy, gave his presentation to a crowd at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), one of the word's most important nuclear physics organizations. The topic of the day was gender in physics, and the crowd was mostly composed of women, according to The Guardian. Over the course of several slides of his presentation, which are available online, Strumia laid out an IQ-based argument for disparities between men and women in physics. "Physics graduates have top IQ," he wrote. "It's needed." He pointed to a study that suggests that while men and women have similar average IQs, men vary more, with very slightly more men at the low and high ends of the spectrum. This is the truth behind gender differences in physics, he argued. And efforts to bring gender balance to physics are the result of "cultural Marxism" and politicians "promoting a victimocracy" and "ideology" ignoring "blind human biology," he added. He further argued that men are discriminated against in physics, presenting data suggesting that men at CERN have more total citations, on average, than women. (The raw number of times one's papers have been cited is sometimes considered a mark of prestige in academia.) He also argued that a single example where a woman with fewer citations than him was hired over him was evidence of this bias. (In fact, a woman, Donna Strickland, was awarded part of the Nobel Prize in physics this morning (Oct. 2), for the first time in 55 years.) [7 Women Who Broke Barriers in Science and Tech] Live Science spoke to experts in cognition, IQ and the sort of data-driven gender disparity research Strumia attempted to conduct here. Here's what they had to say. On men's and women's brains "There are some studies that show differences in brain structures," between men and women, Rajah said. "Sometimes, it's women that have larger areas of the brain and sometimes it's men, depending on what you're talking about." The main reason for that, she said, is likely hormonal differences during development, which are thought to have some impact on brain development. [10 Surprising Facts About a Man's Brain] But it's a huge leap to say those brain differences make men better physicists, she said, because for the most part scientists don't know how these slight brain differences impact cognition or which sex, if either, is better off because of those differences. Further, and more important, on a biological level, men and women overlap vastly more than they diverge. Evidence suggests, she said, that society and life experience play much larger roles in distinguishing the sexes than brain differences. "You're learning from day one and you're in society from day one," she said. "We know that children by the time they are 4 or 5 [years] of age, they are already using gendered language and attributing words like 'intelligence' or 'brilliance' more to men." Any judgment about men's and women's mental abilities from experiments following years of societal interference is inherently flawed, she said. What we do and don't know about IQ You've probably heard about IQ a test that's supposed to measure innate intelligence. But many neuroscientists don't take IQ tests very seriously as measurements of essential intelligence, because these tests are easily confounded by cultural differences and years of education, Rajah said. [Are Big Brains Smarter?] That said, there are researchers who look at IQ, other measures of intelligence and the factors that influence them. One of the most well-known is Stuart Ritchie, a psychologist at the University of Edinburgh. He and his colleague published a study in June in the journal Psychological Science showing that education is the single strongest factor known to raise IQ scores. "The claim about males and females having the same [average] IQ but males having a wider variance is true," Ritchie told Live Science. "This is what's found in almost every study." There is a sensible discussion scientists could have about that, Ritchie said, But it isn't enough to justify Strumia's claim, he said. "The question is," he said, "is a wider IQ variance of the size found in these studies, enough to explain the wide disparity in high-IQ STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] professions like physics?" Strumia did appear to do a bit of math based on limited data to suggest that this is the case, but Ritchie pointed to a study of 1.6 million students published online Sept. 25 in the journal Nature Communications suggesting something else is going on. Researchers found that girls performed better overall than boys on academic tests in STEM and non-STEM subjects, with boys exhibiting more variance. (In other words, women were better at STEM tests, but there were more boys at the top and bottom of the score charts.) However, the researchers also found that this variance is more significant in non-STEM fields than in STEM fields, which should mean that you'd see more women in STEM professions. [6 Myths About Girls and Science] "[This] is not what you'd expect if the disparity was what was driving the STEM disparity," he said. "So, there must be more than pure ability going on. This is where sexism or the so-called 'leaky pipeline' might play a role." The 'leaky pipeline' The "leaky pipeline" is a phrase sometimes used by researchers to describe the factors that keep women from becoming career researchers, while men in their cohort are pushed forward. A range of problems including teachers and parents who push more boys than girls toward STEM, a lack of visible women scientists in the lives of girls, as well as systemic discrimination and hostile work environments in science have been proposed as contributing factors, with research supporting all of those claims. (There's evidence demonstrating that these factors are more extreme for non-white women.) Regardless of what factors precisely are most important in producing gender gaps in science, said Philip Cohen, a sociologist and expert in the data on societal inequality at the University of Maryland, it's clear women are driven out of STEM early on. "The mechanism for that imbalance in math and physics shows up early in life, during that transition into high school, when girls stop [on average] being better than the boys in math and science," Cohen told Live Science, citing data from a book published in 2013 by sociologists Thomas DiPrete and Claudia Buchmann. "It appears that whatever is happening in their education is not propelling or encouraging them to follow up on their interests in math and science," he said. Further, he said, it would be silly to assume from the available data that women and men start off on equal footing in these careers. "It was just a couple generations ago that these fields were all-male by rule," Cohen said. And to this day there's evidence that STEM fields remain hostile to women, Cohen added pointing out the reality that, at least in physics, men like Strumia still feel comfortable giving talks suggesting women don't belong. "So, it would be quite a coincidence [if something else were causing the disparity]. It's just too convenient to look at the system that that legacy produced and write it off to biology," he said. As for the differences in citations among men and women at CERN, that's just a poor use of data, Cohen said. "He [Strumia] probably should have consulted a social scientist," Cohen said. In addition, citations are a better measure of how much time a person has spent exclusively focused on publishing paper after paper, Cohen said not necessarily how good their research skills are. And there's lots of research showing that STEM fields and society are structured to make it more possible for men to do this than women. "You often see the drop-out of women from STEM at very critical stages that have to do with quality of life changing," Rajah said. "So, getting married, having children. And that's why you often see attrition around postdoc [a job often taken after acquiring a doctorate, but before becoming a professor], so around [age] 28, 32." Later in academics' careers, Rajah said, there's another period where women tend to disappear from research. "You just have to look at hiring committees and the structure of the academic universe to see that there is less female representation [in positions of power] the higher up you go, so for this guy to say that men are the ones who are being penalized is really pretty laughable." Originally published on Live Science. Narcissists, psychopaths and sadists all have something in common: An underlying "dark core" of personality. Recent research suggests that so-called dark personality traits are all a manifestation of an underlying tendency to put oneself first at the expense of others. This underlying tendency, which researchers are calling the "D-factor," can be measured with a new test, available online here. Previous studies have focused "on the differences [between] dark traits, because of course there is a difference between narcissism and psychopathic behavior in everyday [life]," said lead study author Ingo Zettler, a professor of psychology at the University of Copenhagen. "But we were more interested in similarities and commonalities." [7 Thoughts That Are Bad for You] The study was published in July in the journal Psychological Review. General darkness The D-factor that Zettler and his colleagues describe in the study is similar to the concept of general intelligence, or the "G factor." In intelligence, the G factor is a number that summarizes intelligence as measured across various types of tests. A person who is good at spatial reasoning tends to also do well on tests of verbal ability or math, for example. And a person's G factor has been found to be a predictor of life outcomes like job success, income and even health. Usually, researchers focus on no more than three or so dark traits at a time, Zettler told Live Science. One of the most common groupings is the "dark triad" of narcissism (grandiose selfishness), Machiavellianism (willingness to manipulate people to get one's way) and psychopathy (callousness and antisocial behavior). Zettler and his colleagues expanded the list based on previous research, testing a total of nine dark traits. The other six were egoism (a focus on one's own achievements); moral disengagement (the belief that ethical rules don't apply to oneself); psychological entitlement (the belief that one deserves more than others); sadism (pleasure from hurting others); spitefulness (the desire for revenge, even at one's own expense); and self-interest. In three separate studies in which several hundred to several thousand participants took online personality questionnaires, the researchers gathered a broad swath of data on each of these traits. They then used statistical modeling to figure out if the traits tended to co-occur at high levels. The dark factor The traits do tend to travel together, the researchers found. In fact, the underlying D-factor is strong enough to account for an overall dark personality, even if the tests drop one of the nine traits altogether. [5 Experts Answer: Can Your IQ Change?] For example, taking away all questions about Machiavellianism, or even just pulling 75 percent of items off the questionnaire at random, didn't change people's D-scores much, Zettler told Live Science. That indicates that the D-factor is a robust personality measurement. "[I]nformation about a general tendency to behave in an ethically questionable manner can be obtained by measuring [the D-factor] only," he said. Underlying all of these traits is a willingness to manipulate, use or hurt others in order to advance one's own best interest, Zettler said. Next, Zettler said, the researchers plan to study how the D-factor develops over time as well as how this underlying personality factor plays out in different scenarios. They also want to study how the D-factor correlates with specific behaviors. For example, there are already many studies on individual traits like psychopathy and narcissism and how they relate to workplace behavior, Zettler said. "Antisocial behavior, aggression, cheating," he said. "This should all be related to the dark factor." Originally published on Live Science. Drawn very much from life, "Cherry," Nico Walker's outstanding debut is a hard-hitting, ghoulishly funny novel about drug addiction, war and bank robbery. Beginning on a note of bathos, our unnamed 25-year-old anti-hero starts off his day with a blunt needle, "but I hit a vein, no problem, ... It's going to be a lucky day." Fateful is more like it - and we travel back to a doomed college career, a deep, agonizing love affair, enlistment into the Army and a brutal, scarring spell in Iraq in the early years of that war. Failure is this man's metier, and serving as an Army medic becomes just another form of it, as the best he can do is apply tourniquets and dispense morphine and gather up pieces of the dead. Eventually, back at home and living with his cherished girlfriend, another addict, his life is reduced to the daily scrabble of getting the next fix. Jeremy Bobb delivers the story in a voice seemingly roughened by the same tobacco smoke that permeates the protagonist, his matter-of-fact tone capturing the steely irony, bleak comedy and resignation that are the book's dominant moods. (Random House, Unabridged, 8 hours) --- "City of Ink" is the third installment in Elsa Hart's first-rate series starring Li Du, erstwhile Imperial Librarian and now, in 1711, assistant to a Chief Inspector in Beijing's Outer City. Brimming with period detail, the plot increases in complexity with every chapter: a double murder; the coming visit of the emperor's once-disgraced heir apparent; the repercussions of a foiled plot against the Qing emperor by Ming-dynasty loyalists; the suspect doings of a Jesuit. Also playing a part is Li Du's old friend, Hamza, a storyteller for whom magic spells, charms, and the powers of invisibility and flight are matters of course. This droll customer adds an effervescent splash of comedy which narrator David Shih serves by granting him a genial, quizzical manner. Beyond that, Shih delivers the general narration in a pleasant sandy-textured voice, lightening his tone for women and giving a nice degree of arrogance to the many overweening officials who plague the city and the country as a whole. (Macmillan, Unabridged, 12 3/4 hours.) --- Brilliantly combining biography and history, Deborah Baker's "The Last Englishman" dwells on a loose literary and scientific circle during the final throes of the British Empire in India. At its heart are two poets' brothers - John Auden, a geologist, and Michael Spender, a geographical surveyor. Both men are smitten with the Himalayas and with the painter Nancy Sharp, who was married to the painter William Coldstream, and later, to John Auden. Also afoot are Louis MacNeice, Christopher Isherwood, Sonia Brownell (later Orwell), and the poet and critic Sudhin Datta. The book, huge in scope, moves through the 1920s through World War II and covers the European conflation of conquering mountain peaks with imperial dominance, grueling expeditions, the struggle for Indian independence, the development of stereographic surveying, the horror of the Blitz and Britain's cruel treatment of India during the war. James Cameron Stewart narrates this tremendous book in a cultivated British accent at a deliberate pace, allowing the listener to absorb its vast detail. His sober manner is especially effective in conveying Baker's ironical description of British condescension to the colonized and deadpan accounts of the romantic entanglements of these unconventional, impossible characters. (HighBridge, Unabridged, 14 hours) --- Powers reviews audiobooks every month for The Washington Post. Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi arrives in Tunisia Will meet with President Beji Caid Essebsi, who invited her (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, OCTOBER 2 - Ahed Tamimi, the 17-year-old Palestinian activist who became a symbol in the Palestinian fight against Israeli occupation, arrived in Tunisia on Monday evening on the invitation of Tunisian President Baji Caid Essebsi. Her visit coincides with the 33th anniversary of the Israeli air raids on the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) headquarters in Hammam Chott, Tunisia, 19 km from the capital. "We are very happy for Tunisia's support," Tamimi told the media as she disembarked her airplane upon arrival, along with her family. "Tunisia is the first Arab country that we chose to speak about our cause, and that is exceptional for us. We hope that the liberation of Palestine begins in Tunisia," she said. She will meet on Tuesday with Essebsi and directors of the Tunisian labour union UGTT. Tamimi was convicted by an Israeli military tribunal and sentenced to eight months in prison after she slapped two Israeli soldiers who had entered her village in the West Bank. She was released in July and has garnered attention on the world stage as a symbol of the Palestinians' fight.(ANSAmed). A new $1.177 million federal grant to TAMIU will help address the chronic shortage of qualified sexual assault nurse examiners through a training program delivered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences' Dr. F..M. Canseco School of Nursing. Funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Service Administration, the three-year grant establishes the Canseco School and the grant's leadership as nationally recognized training leaders in sexual assault health care. The grant, to be known as the TAMIU-SANE Project's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Training, is directed by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences' dean, Dr. Glenda A. Walker and Dr. Marivic Torregosa, assistant professor and director of graduate programs for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Community partners collaborating in the program include Doctors Hospital of Laredo, Mercy Ministries of Laredo, Gateway Community Center, City of Laredo Health Department, Laredo Medical Center, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff's Office, Children's Advocacy Center, District Attorney's Office and Serving Children and Adults in Need. TAMIU President Pablo Arenaz said the grant award affirms the university's and School of Nursing's critical role in helping to create solutions to local health care challenges. "Once again, the University proudly steps forward as the lead agent in creating a solution to a troubling problem: the chronic SANE nurses' shortage here. In doing so, we fulfill our mission of creating programs responsive to local needs and through community collaborations, help to deliver needed healthcare specialists to our service region," Arenaz said. Nurses completing the three-month program will be trained in behavioral health issues as well as the preservation of evidence, Dr. Walker said. "This is a critical issue in many Texas communities and Laredo is no exception. Often in instances of sexual assault, hospitals and law enforcement agencies are hard-pressed to find locally available SANE nurses. These examiners are critical in preserving evidence and helping survivors at a most vulnerable time in their lives. If examiners are not readily available, there are legal, medical and social implications that come into play," Walker said. Torregosa concurred, noting the severity of local need. "Currently there is only one certified SANE nurse in Laredo and one SANE facility certified by the Office of the Attorney General," he said. "The nearest OAG SANE designated facility is about 154 miles away. According to the Laredo Sheriff's Office, sexual assault victims experience long wait times in emergency rooms and are often mixed-in with general patients. Due to long waiting times, sexual assault victims are also often transferred to facilities in Mission and Edinburg, 155 and 159 miles south of Laredo, respectively. "By offering the program here in Laredo, a critical mass of SANE certified nurses could be achieved in the next five to six years. This regional increase of SANE nurses will provide a tremendous benefit to victims of sexual assault and help avoid potential loss of SANE nurses, due to burnout issues stemming from performing SANE duties in addition to regular work schedules. The nationwide SANE nurse shortage often sees them heavily recruited to other communities, further impacting cases. Building a good capacity of SANE trained nurses in our target area will have a positive impact on the medical and psychological well-being of sexual assault victims. We hope it will also reduce future sexual assaults as the judicial system will be better prepared to successfully convict perpetrators." Walker outlined the criteria for program admission. "Practicing registered nurses, especially those working the emergency rooms and free-standing clinics in Webb County and surrounding communities, are eligible and are encouraged to join our SANE training, paid for by HRSA grant funds. Teaching will be online while hands-on elements are conducted through simulation using live models and medium fidelity manikins. "The trainees will also be placed in trauma centers across Texas in order to have supervised hands-on forensic nursing experiences. Auxiliary sites for this include Houston Methodist Willowbrook, Parkland Health and Hospital System, SAFE Alliance, Driscoll Children's Hospital, Darnall Army Medical Center, UT Medical Branch, and Harris County Forensic Nurse Examiners. "After completing the necessary requirements, trainees will be eligible for CA-SANE certification from the OAG. They can then perform forensic nursing examinations on sexual assault victims and serve as an expert witness in court trials," Walker concluded. Recruitment for potential participants will begin this month. Inquiries can be directed to Torregosa at mtorregosa@tamiu.edu. Local, state and federal authorities raided a local clinic on Tuesday morning. Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General and the Texas Attorney General's Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit made their way into Laredo Laser Surgery at 5313 Mcpherson Road as Laredo police blocked the entrance to the parking lot. BARI - The 6th edition of the international conference "The Most Beautiful Villages in the Mediterranean" will take place in the southeastern Italian town of Cisternino, in collaboration with the association "The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy", the region of Puglia, and Bari Polytechnic University. The conference bills itself as "an important event for discussion and sharing around themes linked to the 'most beautiful villages' of the countries on the Mediterranean, all united by their histories, made up of various dominations over the centuries that influenced art, religion, culture, and traditions". This year's conference, with the theme "Inhabit the Landscape", aims to foster discussion between academics, planners, craftsmen and sector professionals on the needs of small villages, which are regularly excluded from traditional tourist itineraries. Participants including residents, tourists, and other various stakeholders in history, art, architecture and food/farming will be able to share and dialogue through a series of activities including workshops, seminars, screenings, exhibitions, and guided tours, all aimed at helping policy development and promotion in areas including accommodations, international cooperation, social integration, and jobs. Over 70 speakers will take part in the event, from countries as diverse as Japan, Egypt, Croatia, and Albania. Some of the speakers are freelance professionals, but the majority are from various Italian and foreign universities. The conference's objective is to determine strategies and best practices aimed at promoting specific protections for heritage in terms of landscape, environment, architecture and urban life, without neglecting economic and labour market aspects. The conference's opening evening on October 4 will see the participation of Puglia regional governor Michele Emiliano; regional assessor Loredana Capone; president of the National Association of Italian Cities (ANCI) Antonio Decaro; Cisternino Mayor Luca Convertini; and national president of "The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy", Fiorello Primi; as well as all the mayors of the Itria Valley. The opening evening guest of honour will be Edoardo Winspeare, director and producer of the documentary film "Stories", which will be screened exclusively for the occasion.(ANSAmed). "Phenomenally large breasts and tight buttocks" are words a then 19-year-old Beto O'Rourke wrote in a Broadway review and is now apologizing for. The 1991 article by the Texas Senate candidate was about the Broadway musical "The Will Rogers Follies" for the Columbia Daily Spectator, the university's student newspaper, POLITICO reported Monday. Henry Edwards, former Live Oak mayor and a political stalwart for the better part of two decades, died Sept. 25. He was 86. Visitation will be from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 at Colonial Funeral Home, 625 Kitty Hawk Road in Universal City. Graveside service will begin at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road in San Antonio. Edwards was first elected to Live Oak City Council in May 1995. In 1996, he was selected as a charter member of the citys Economic Development Corp. and served as its vice president. He was re-elected to the council in 1997 and 1999, and was elected mayor in 2000. He was re-elected three times, serving until 2008. Under his leadership, the city established a homestead exemption of 10 percent of appraised home value, which was increased to 20 percent in 2003. The citys over-65 senior exemption was increased to $40,000 in May 2004. And in 2005, 73 percent of city voters approved Proposition 1 (a tax freeze for seniors and the disabled). From 2001-2008, the citys tax rate was reduced in seven of the eight years. Live Oak Mayor Mary Dennis ran for the office in 2010 against Edwards, who had been defeated two years earlier but re-emerged as a candidate. Their race ended in a tie on election day and went to a runoff in June, with Dennis emerging victorious. I have to say, in the end, he did say, Mary, I want to tell you youre doing a great job and I appreciate what youre doing, Dennis said, as the two put any political animosity behind them. He did a lot of good things for the city, theres no doubt about that. Edwards died the same day he was to be honored by City Council with a proclamation praising him for his contributions and dedication to Live Oak and its residents. Longtime family friend Suzanne Hildebrand shared some thoughts about Edwards. He was a devoted father to his sons and a devoted husband to Agnes. He was also a devoted friend, said Hildebrand, whose late husband, Ray, was a close friend of Edwards. Before he became so fragile, he would to the pharmacy for friends to pick up their prescriptions; he would buy their groceries; he would transport them to and from the airport when they were traveling. She spoke to one of his penchants and pastimes - crunching numbers and budgets. Of course, Henry was a brilliant mathematician so the numbers were important to him and easily remembered, she said. There was never a mayor who was more dedicated to the city and the wellbeing of its employees and its citizens. That love and devotion to the city lasted until the very end. He was born Henry O. Edwards Jr. on Sept. 10, 1932, in Wilmington, N.C. He enlisted in the Air Force Sept. 3, 1952, and served on continuous active duty until his retirement on Oct. 1, 1985. During his career he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with one cluster and an Air Force Commendation Medal with three clusters. He obtained a bachelors degree in business from the University of Omaha in 1967. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Agnes J. Edwards; a brother, Rutherford Lee Edwards; and a sister, Christine DeBarge. Edwards is survived by two sons, Henry O. Edwards III and Jimmy Lee Edwards, one grandson and one great-granddaughter. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Air Force Aid Society, which provides airmen and their families worldwide with temporary financial assistance, education assistance and an array of base-level community enhancement programs. jflinn@express-news.net California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom appears to have become one of President Trump's go-to punching bags at campaign rallies. While speaking at a rally for Republican Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn on Monday night, Trump once again took aim at the former mayor of San Francisco's position on immigration. "Look at what's going on in California," Trump said. "You have a man running for governor in California who says we don't want any borders, we don't want ICE, we do want sanctuary cities." The president said Newsom's proposal to have California pay for health care for state's undocumented immigrants would be a "mess," and seemed to suggest the policy would turn California into Venezuela. "And they're going to take care of health care, they're going to take care of education, they're going to take care of everything for people that just flow in," he said. "You're going to have a billion people living in California, it's going to be a mess. We have it right, we have it going properly, this country will never be Venezuela, that I can tell you." RELATED: Trump has sharp words for ABC's Vega, CNN's Collins Just as Newsom did the other times when Trump called him out at campaign rallies, the gubernatorial candidate took to Twitter to fire back at the president. "Hi (again), @realDonaldTrump. Heard you called me out at your rally tonight (again)," Newsom tweeted. "Might I suggest you focus your limited attention span on, say... your Supreme Court nominee who may have committed perjury... or the hundreds of kids STILL separated from their families. Thx." MORE NEWSOM: Gavin Newsom called job dull, but lieutenant governor hopefuls have big plans In September, Trump called out Newsom during campaign rallies in Montana in Nevada. During the Montana rally, the president incorrectly referred to Newsom as the "governor of California," and during the Nevada rally, Trump called him a "clown." Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news. Gulf Harbour students are raising funds for charity. From left, house team representatives Addison Denton, Georgie Shaw, Sophia Cosbie and Lucia Preece with team flags. A group of Year 6 students at Gulf Harbour School is focusing on charitable work, and will hold fundraising events in the community next term. Choosing a charity, and then putting together things such as an event idea and sponsorship has been a team effort, providing the students with opportunities to learn about things such as making presentations. The teacher who is coordinating the leadership team fundraising events, Ruth Taylor, says the bigger picture is that the children are learning about the value of service, and putting others first. Its been good for the kids to recognise how lucky they are, she says. Each team is supporting a different charity Red Cross, Unicef, Make a Wish Foundation and Love Soup Hibiscus Coast. Sponsors on board so far include Party Kingdom, Harcourts and Gulf Harbour Country Club. Sophia Cosbies group will hold a fun afternoon for 2-6 year olds at Party Kingdom, Lucia Preeces team is holding a cupcake sale outside The Warehouse Whangaparaoa and Addison Dentons group will run an arts and crafts day at the school each of them hopes to raise hundreds of dollars for their chosen charity. Georgia Shaw wants to bring in around 1000 Christmas presents, donated by the community, to be given out at Love Soups Christmas lunch. All the events will take place next term and there will be more details in Hibiscus Matters as details are firmed up. A man who appeared before last weeks district court sitting in Longford charged under the Theft & Fraud Offences Act had his case adjourned to allow the court monitor his behaviour. Francis Gavin, 3 Moyne Park, Moyne Road, Baldoyle, Co Dublin appeared before Judge Seamus Hughes charged with stealing a car battery at Halfords, N4 Axis, Longford on July 11, 2017. Outlining the evidence to the court, Garda Karl Foley said that on the date in question at approximately 16:28 a male and female entered the store and removed certain items from the shelves. A car battery was put into a rucksack and both the male and female left the store without paying for it, added Garda Foley, before pointing out that once gardai arrived at the store and reviewed CCTV footage of the incident, they were in a position to identify the defendant. Mr Gavin is originally from Springlawn here in Longford town but is now living in Dublin. Meanwhile, the court heard the defendant had gone into a number of stores in Longford town and taken goods from them without paying for the items including stealing Yankee candles. None of the items have ever been recovered, the Garda continued. Judge Hughes then wanted to know why anyone would steal candles? What did you want to do with the Yankee Candles?, the Judge inquired. Were you going to sell them? Its a funny thing but I never heard of Yankee Candles until I came to Longford!. The court then heard the defendant had 76 previous convictions, 12 of which were for thefts, 61 for road traffic matters and one conviction under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Judge Hughes then asked the defendant if he had ever been to prison and Mr Gavin replied, I have yes; I spent eight months in prison. Mr Gavin subsequently addressed Judge Hughes directly. He told the Judge that he had a letter for him which outlined his difficulties in life. He also said that he was now endeavouring to get on with his life and sort himself out. I have a letter here for you judge and its private, he added, before handing it over to the court. Im going to be honest with you, I have had my problems but all I want is a chance. In mitigation, the defendants solicitor Brid Mimnagh said her client was now off all drugs. He is happier in his life now and is trying to get on with things, she added. Following his deliberations on the matter, Judge Hughes ordered a Probation Report in respect of the case before him. I want to be satisfied that you are off drugs before I deal with this, he added, before bringing matters to a conclusion by adjourning proceedings until November 27 next. A former Co Longford primary school principal has had a conviction recorded against her with no penalty imposed following a sentence hearing at Longford Circuit Court this afternoon. Helen OGorman, with an address at Newtown Lawns, Mullingar, Co Westmeath had previously served as the principal of St Marys National School in Edgeworthstown and pleaded guilty to one charge of dishonestly obtaining funding from the Department of Education and fraudulently deceiving the Department of 450,000 from 2012 to 2015. Delivering his verdict in the case this afternoon Judge Keenan Johnson pointed out that Ms OGorman had been principal at the school from 2002 and, that when, in 2014 a new school was developed in Edgeworthstown she came under serious pressure and overstated the number of pupils at the school when she submitted the annual returns for when teachers and capitation grants are allocated. The school became overstaffed and the Department subsequently made an overpayment to teachers of 276,000 while another 137,000 in capitation grants was paid out, the Judge added. It is accepted there was no personal or financial gain on her part. Meanwhile, the local circuit court judge said the case before him was most unusual and also very serious. This woman defrauded the State but yet she had no real intent to do so, he continued. She seemed to have a Robin Hood type of thought process in that she was taking from the Department to give the poor children at the school. I do appreciate that the Department system is built on trust and it has to rely on principals when it comes to teacher allocations and the distribution of capitation grants. Ms OGorman is a lady who dedicated her life to teaching and to her pupils; she also committed herself to looking after her parents who have now passed away. The Judge went on to say that he had been furnished with a plethora of testimonies in respect of the defendant and was under no illusion as to the committed person that she was. He said there was no benefit to imposing a custodial sentence in the case before him. The Judge subsequently imposed Section 1.2 of the Probation Act. Local News, Crime, Health & Wellness, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: October 02 2018 New York Leads Team of States in $625 Million Settlement on Behalf of Nationwide Medicaid Program; New York Medicaid Program Will Receive Nearly $8 Million. New York, NY - October 2, 2018 - Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced today that New York, 43 other states, and the federal government reached an agreement in principle with drug distributor AmerisourceBergen Corporation (ABC) for illegally introducing adulterated, misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. ABC, a Delaware corporation headquartered in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, will pay the states and the federal government $625 million, of which $99,875,000 will go to the states Medicaid programs. The New York Medicaid program will receive $7,658,957. We have zero tolerance for big corporations that skirt federal and state laws to boost their profits at the expense of vulnerable individuals such as cancer patients during chemotherapy, said Attorney General Underwood. Well continue to work with our partners to ensure that laws are enforced and the public is protected from predatory corporate misconduct. In addition to the civil settlement, ABC subsidiary AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group (ABSG) pleaded guilty to illegally distributing misbranded drugs in September 2017. ABSG is the parent entity for companies in the specialty pharmaceutical market, including biotechnology and oncology, in addition to pharmaceutical manufacturers and providers. ABSG agreed to pay $260 million in criminal fines and forfeitures. The federal and state civil settlements resolve allegations that Medical Initiatives, Inc. (MII), a purported pharmacy ABSG opened in Dothan, Alabama, caused numerous false claims to be submitted to Medicaid for unapproved new drugs and defective, contaminated, or otherwise compromised drugs, and double billing for the same vial of drug product. MII created, packed, and shipped pre-filled syringes (PFS) to oncology practices and physicians treating vulnerable cancer patients during chemotherapy. The drugs involved include Aloxi, Anzemet, Kytril, Neupogen, Procrit, as well as the generic version of Kytril. To prepare PFS, MII broke the seal of the FDA-approved drug vials, combined the drug product from the vials, and repackaged them into smaller plastic syringes. MII created a greater number of PFS than the number of vials purchased, which allowed MII to sell and profit off the excess drug product in the vials, known as overfill. The PFS, which were prepared in an unsterile environment and often contained particles of foreign matter, were then shipped to providers through Oncology Supply Company (OSC), another branch of ABSG. The investigation revealed that based on their conduct, MII did not act as a pharmacy but instead as a repackager, and was required to apply for a New Drug Application (NDA) for the PFS however no NDA was ever submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. MII also did not comply with pharmacy regulations in any state where it was licensed, and, as a result of these violations, the drugs were not eligible for reimbursement by government healthcare programs. The settlement also resolves allegations that ABC provided unlawful kickbacks to physicians to induce them to purchase Procrit in PFS rather than vials, and caused providers to improperly bill for the overfill drug product. The settlement arises, in part, from allegations in three distinct qui tam actions two filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and one filed initially in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and then transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Attorney General Underwood thanks the relators in these actions for their efforts during the investigation. State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said, Every day, New Yorkers put their lives in the hands of medical professionals who take an oath to provide their patients with ethical medical treatment. Doctors and patients alike trust that pharmacies are providing medications as prescribed. New York State will not tolerate the unscrupulous practices of those who represent themselves as pharmacies, when in fact they are not, no matter where they may be located, that introduce adulterated drugs in our state. Since the New York False Claims Act was enacted in 2007, the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has obtained more than $1.7 billion in recoveries for New York's Medicaid program. Attorney General Underwood would like to thank the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Attorney General Underwood would also like to thank the New York State Department of Education for its assistance in the investigation. New York led a national team represented by California, Florida, Illinois, and Oregon. The team leader was Jay Speers, Counsel to the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Elizabeth Silverman, Special Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Enforcement Division; Meghan Collins, Principal Auditor Investigator for the Civil Enforcement Division; and Amanda Lawrence, Auditor Investigator for the Civil Enforcement Division were also part of the national investigative team. Carolyn Ellis is the Chief of the Civil Enforcement Division and Stacey Millis is the Chief Auditor of the Civil Enforcement Division. Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Arts & Culture, Press Releases By Tom Needham Published: October 02 2018 Acclaimed photographer Henri Dauman and Long Island Music Hall of Fame Inductee Vince Giordano are Tom Needhams guests this Thursday on The Sounds of Film. Stony Brook, NY - October 2, 2018 - Photographer Henri Dauman and band leader Vince Giordano will be Tom Needhams special guests this Thursday at 6 pm on Photographer Henri Dauman and band leader Vince Giordano will be Tom Needhams special guests this Thursday at 6 pm on WUSBs The Sounds of Film. Henri Dauman is the subject of a new feature documentary Henri Dauman: Looking Up. The film directed by Peter Kenneth Jones is making its worldwide documentary premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 6th at 5:30 EST, followed by a second screening on October 7th at 3:30 EST. Henri Dauman is planning on attending the screenings. Dauman is credited for creating photos which have captured some of Americas biggest moments in history and popular culture. Through the years, he has documented the lives of Elvis Presley, Malcolm X, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Fonda, Andy Warhol and JFK. His work has been featured in LIFE, Newsweek and The New York Times. The Sounds of Film will also feature an interview with Long Island Music Hall of Fame inductee Vince Giordano. The Cinema Arts Centre will be screening the documentary Theres A Future In The Past about Giordano on Wednesday, October 10th at 7:30 pm. The film follows Giordano as he works to keep Jazz Age music going strong in the 21st century. There will be a Q & A with Vince Giordano and a reception following the screening. About The Sounds of Film Local News, Crime, Press Releases By Chris Boyle Published: October 02 2018 Diocese of Rockville Centre and Nassau and Suffolk District Attorneys looking into allegations against two members of the clergy, officials say. Long Island, NY - October 2, 2018 - Two Long Island-based Catholic priests recently agreed to step down from their posts and away from the ministry after both were revealed to be under investigation for alleged sex abuse incidents, according to reports. Reverend Monsignor William Breslawski, a former pastor at Church of Saint Anthony of Padua in Rocky Point , received complaints issued to both the Nassau and Suffolk County District Attorney Offices in June that he had allegedly sexually abused a middle school child in 1980, in addition to having "inappropriate interactions with two adults in 1984. In addition, the complaint was also later presented to Diocese of Rockville Centre , which has launched an investigation of their own into the allegations against Breslawski and released a statement, in which they expressed a desire to get to the bottom of what happened. We are saddened by these allegations, the Diocese said. We will do everything we can to ensure that a fair and just determination is made. The complaints were made by someone claiming to be a relative of the alleged victim, officials say. Before serving at Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, Breslawski held a pastoral role at Church of Our Lady of Peace in Lynbrook , Church of the Holy Cross in Nesconset , Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Lindenhurst and Church of Saint Catherine of Sienna in Franklin Square Breslawskis investigation marks the second time this month that a Long Island priest has come under scrutiny for suspicion of sex crimes; earlier in September Father Brian J. Brinker, who has been serving as a chaplain at Our Lady of Consolation Nursing and Rehabilitative Care Center in West Islip , also stepped down from his post after allegations that he abused a young person in the 1990s surfaced. In a statement, the Diocese of Rockville Centre noted that they had looked into the claims in 2002 and found no evidence of sexual abuse at the time, despite noting that Brinker had exercised questionable judgment in his interactions with the youth in question. However, new complaints submitted to the Suffolk County District Attorneys office have resulted in a second investigation on the part of the Diocese . The Catholic Church has come under scrutiny recently after a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report in August of this year alleged that over 1,000 children had been allegedly molested or raped by over 300 priests in six of the states eight dioceses over the course of seven decades, and accused Church officials of working to cover the incidents up and discourage investigations by authorities. The shocking revelations have prompted several other states including New York State to launch investigations of their own into alleged abuse by members of the clergy. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood announced earlier this month the creation of a new abuse hotline and online complaint form as part of her offices investigation into possible sexual abuse within the New York dioceses of the Catholic Church. McDonald's restaurants at 13 locations across Massachusetts will celebrate national Coffee with a Cop Day Wednesday, by inviting the public to drop in and visit with a police officer from their community. The event is intended to bring police officers and people from their communities together to discuss community issues and build relationships in a neutral environment. Oh, and the coffee is free. Visitors at participating McDonald's will receive a free small McCaffe coffee during the event. "Coffee is more than just your favorite morning beverage, it's a connector, a culture, a community builder," McDonald's said in a release. "The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve." The following McDonald's locations will have police officers Wednesday available to meet and talk with the public: Brockton: Canton: Lawrence: Waltham: Fall River: Bridgewater: New Bedford: New Bedford: Norwood: Wareham: Leominster: Bourne: Yarmouth: In Springfield, police officers with the department's Ordinance Squad and C3 units will be taking part in national Coffee with a Cop day with sessions planned at seven different Dunkin' Donuts locations across the city. From 10 a.m. to noon, officers will be at the following locations: Dunkin Donuts, 1287 Page Boulevard, Dunkin Donuts, 1218 State St. Dunkin Donuts, 805 Main St. Dunkin Donuts, 1190 Boston Road Dunkin Donuts, 568 Belmont Ave. Dunkin Donuts, 1871 Allen St. McDonalds, 2392 Main St. Additional Coffee with a Cop events across the state: SPRINGFIELD - Palmer Renewable Energy is planning a spring groundbreaking for the $150 million biomass energy plant it wants to build in East Springfield, an attorney representing the company said Monday. The move comes more than two years after the last time the wood-to-energy project was in the news and follows more than a decade of litigation, regulatory approvals and neighborhood protests. Palmer Renewable Energy and its 35-megawatt plant will be a tenant on the Palmer Paving site at 1000 Page Blvd., said Frank P. Fitzgerald, a lawyer for Palmer Renewable Energy. Fitzgerald said the groundbreaking is set for spring after conferring with his clients. Kevin Kennedy, the city's chief development officer, also said the groundbreaking will be in the spring. Palmer Paving and its Springfield location were sold last month to Peckham Industries of White Plains, New York, for an undisclosed sum. Peckham said it has changed the site plan of the asphalt plant to accommodate Palmer Renewable Energy. Fitzgerald said Palmer Renewable Energy is a separate company owned by investors including the Callahan family, who sold Palmer Paving to Peckham. The project has all its permits and approvals and has withstood the legal challenges brought by neighbors, Fitzgerald said. At-large City Councilor Jesse Lederman, who was a spokesman for neighborhood and environmental groups opposed to the plant before getting elected in 2017, said he's exploring all options left to try and stop it from being built. Those options include steps community groups could take and actions he might ask the council to take. Air pollution is his primary concern. He cites problems with asthma in Springfield. "Again, the concerns remain about the impact this project will have on the health of neighbors and the health of our city," he said. "I think we have a lot of good things going in this city. Do we need this?" Lederman said the activism and opposition from councilors resulted in changes to Palmer Renewable Energy's plan. It went from the possibility of burning construction and demolition waste to burning "green wood" from trees that would otherwise go to waste. Priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield will gather with Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski for three days beginning Wednesday, Oct. 3 "to share in a common vision of ministry and support for one another." The "Cultivating Unity Convocation 2018," being held at a hotel and conference center in Westford, will include sessions for attendees to discuss a 94-page report on their ministry that was done for the assembly by a research center at Georgetown University. The report is based partly on 110 completed surveys returned from an original mailing in January to 164 diocesan and religious priests with both general questions as well as ones specific to ministering in the Springfield diocese. Respondents ranged in age from 32 to 88 with a median age of 64. Some of the top impediments to unity revealed in the survey include theological differences among those ordained in different time periods, what is described as too few priests, and too much work - most respondents say they work 50 hours a week - and a "lack of openness or communication from diocesan officials." A majority of those surveyed felt supported in their ministry by the bishop, are "somewhat" or "strongly" satisfied in their life as a priest and most priests surveyed were "very" satisfied with the support they receive from their staff, parishioners, non-priest friends, and family members. Listening sessions held with clergy earlier this year revealed concerns in maintaining the trust of parishioners with the closing of parishes as well as the church's sexual abuse crisis. Rozanski, a former auxiliary in Baltimore who was installed as the diocese's ninth bishop in 2014, said that the "last convocation of priests took place some years ago." "After I had arrived here in Springfield, some of the priests approached me to think about having another convocation," Rozanski said. "Work on this began two years ago and over the spring there have been meetings of priests with Father Stephen Fichter from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate who will help to lead us in the convocation." The 60-year-old Rozanski added, "This is an opportune time for the priests to gather with their bishop and to share in a common vision of ministry and support for one another." The "Cultivating Unity" program was developed by CARA in collaboration with the National Organization for Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy for use by dioceses around the country. Its approach is said to be one of addressing professional development of priests - referred to as "ongoing formation" - as a collective rather than individual undertaking. Priests are surveyed in advance on a variety of issues, such as how supportive is their local bishop who is also interviewed for the report, and offered the opportunity to participate in pre-convocation listening sessions. The two listening sessions in this diocese were conducted in April by Fichter, who holds a doctorate in sociology, with a total of 61 priests in attendance. Fichter also conducted the interview with Rozanski that is summarized in the report. The convocation is viewed as an opportunity for attendees to dialogue and address some of what the research shows both unites and divides priests in their ministry in a diocese. Rozanski, who is viewed by the majority of priests in the survey as "middle-of-the-road" in the area of religious beliefs and moral doctrine, said the assembly was being held in Westford "so that we as priests can actually take a few days to break from our daily routines to reflect on our priestly ministry and to spend time with one another in conversation and dialogue." Following weeks of intense controversy surrounding his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, Harvard Law School told students Brett Kavanaugh will not return to teach next January. Student newspaper The Harvard Crimson reports law students received an email from administrators Monday evening which announced that the Kavanaugh, most recently a D.C. appellate court judge who has taught at Harvard Law for nearly 10 years, will not come back to teach. Catherine Claypoole, an associate dean at the prestigious Cambridge university, wrote the following in an email to law students, according to The Crimson: "Today, Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered." Kavanaugh reportedly taught a three-week course called "The Supreme Court Since 2005." The judge and Supreme Court nominee is under investigation by the FBI for allegations that he sexually assaulted at least two women when he was a student in high school and college, more than 30 years ago. In the past week, public hearings held by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee focused on the decades-old allegations of sexual assault by California psychology professor Dr. Christine Blasey Ford against Kavanaugh. Harvard students have conducted protests against Kavanaugh in the last week as the judge has tried to defend his name and innocence. Dozens of Harvard students who demanded Kavanaugh no longer teach at Harvard Law told The Crimson they went so far as to file Title IX complaints against him, despite never having received any form of direct harassment from Kavanaugh himself. Harvard Law professors told the newspaper such a strategy was unlikely to succeed. At one point last Thursday, as Kavanaugh testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, he noted he may never teach law in the future following the controversial allegations and hearing process. "Over the past 12 years, I've taught constitutional law to hundreds of students, primarily at Harvard Law School," Kavanaugh said in the televised hearing on Sept. 27. Sen. Jeff Flake faces protestors in Boston, voices support for thorough FBI investigation "In a letter to this committee, my former students -- male and female alike -- wrote that I displayed 'a character that impressed us all.' I loved teaching law. But thanks to what some of you on this side of the committee have unleashed, I may never be able to teach again," Kavanaugh added. According to reports by The Crimson, some Harvard Law students cheered when the judge said he may never teach law again. Police in Weymouth are searching for a suspect who allegedly broke into a car and stole a purse last week. On Sept. 24 on Washington Street in Weymouth, police say an unknown suspect, shown only in photos, was involved in the break-in of a motor vehicle and the larceny of a purse. Weymouth Police shared photos of the person on Twitter and asked that anyone who recognize the suspect contact Weymouth Officer Jose Burga. A record-breaking crowd at the Big E in West Springfield this year meant record-breaking headaches for residents of neighboring Agawam. Monday night, members of the Agawam City Council said traffic associated with the Eastern States Exposition has reached a tipping point, and that something must be done before next year, when the Morgan-Sullivan bridge linking the two communities will be under construction and down to one lane. "The Big E has no consideration for the people of Agawam," said councilor Paul C. Cavallo. "Traffic was backed up all the way to Suffield (Connecticut). I'm surprised there weren't road rage incidents." "It was impossible for me to get home from Longmeadow," said councilor Rosemary Sandlin. Councilor Joseph Mineo described bumper-to-bumper traffic in residential neighborhoods. "I couldn't leave my house," said councilor Gina Letellier. Officials said they had spoken to constituents who couldn't bring their children to activities, shop for groceries, or attend medical appointments. Small business owners also reportedly saw losses. "For them, it's dollars and cents. For us, it's public safety," said Cavallo. On Saturday, a record 172,659 people jammed into the exposition fairgrounds -- most of whom arrived in automobiles. Many drivers inched through Agawam on their way to the event. Letellier said the Big E "could do more" to help Agawam, such as providing police officers to direct traffic, or reserving an artery through town that could be accessed by first responders. Sandlin floated the idea that two Rt. 57 exit ramps could be shut down during the height of the exposition to discourage Big E attendees from cutting through Agawam. The councilors talked about the upcoming $21 million Morgan-Sullivan bridge project, which will inconvenience drivers for three years. Calabrese said the Massachusetts Department of Transportation plans a public meeting Tuesday night (Oct. 2) to update the public on the project, and suggested that concerned residents attend. "We need to make sure the Big E is there," agreed Sandlin. The MassDOT public meeting is planned for 6:30 p.m. in West Springfield Town Hall on Central Street. Boston University has released more details on its proposed data sciences center at 645-665 Commonwealth Ave. on the school's Charles River campus. The 350,000-square-foot tower will reach 20 stories and 291 feet at its full height. If approved, the tower would be the tallest building on BU's campus. Toronto-based KPMB Architects designed the facility, which "resembles a stack of books," BU said in a release Monday. The Data Sciences Center would house the computer science department and the mathematics and statistics department under one roof. The industry is booming from both an educational and an employment perspective, BU said. In the decade between the 2006-2007 and 2016-2017 school years, BU saw a 23 percent increase in teaching credit hours for math and statistics and a 266 percent increase in teaching credit hours for computer science, it said. "Non-majors recognize the importance of data in fields ranging from business to health, the arts, engineering and more, and have increasingly enrolled in data science and computational science classes," BU said. "Disciplines are no longer siloed, and to be an urban interdisciplinary research institution, BU must offer the necessary space and design to foster collaboration." The tower will house the interdisciplinary Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computer and Computational Science & Engineering. The facility itself will feature "a series of terraced platforms, intended for small-group interactions, that run almost the entire length of the building, as well as whiteboard walls for jotting down ideas and a collaboration ramp that will be dotted with small gathering spaces for quick, spontaneous conversations," BU said. Construction on the tower is expected to begin next spring and wrap up in spring 2022. Columbia Gas plans to restore gas service to customers in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover by Nov. 19, more than two months after fires and explosions destroyed homes and forced thousands to evacuate. The company, a unit of NiSource, plans to deploy nearly 200 construction crews as part of a combined workforce of roughly 3,000 employees and contractors. The plan, which is available online, includes the installation of approximately 45 miles of pipeline and 6,100 service lines, the company said Tuesday. Columbia Gas will have workers testing gas meters that measure and regulate gas flow to homes and businesses. Upwards of 80 explosions, fires and odors of gas spread across the three Merrimack Valley communities on Sept. 13, which appear to been caused by the over-pressurization of a Columbia gas line. Investigators have determined the line was over-pressurized but the National Transportation Safety Board continues to try to uncover exactly how and why that happened. "We've been working with partners at every level of government, with our first responders and departments of public works in our planning efforts to rebuild the system," said Joe Albanese, chief recovery officer for Columbia Gas. "Our early actions, supported by the National Guard, helped meet some immediate community needs. Now we turn to our current effort in support of the primary mission - to restore gas service to homes and businesses." Eight work zones, broken down into 63 projects, are listed in the restoration project. The company said construction crews will install gas lines, assess natural gas appliances and piping in home and businesses, test gas lines, conduct safety checks and then turn on gas to homes and businesses after the final inspection is complete. Restoration is already underway. A class action lawsuit has been filed against Columbia. The Figueroa family, whose saw their 35 Chickering Road home in Lawrence destroyed during the bedlam, also filed a lawsuit against the company. Two members of the Figueroa family were inside the home when it exploded. Two other family members were inside a car parked outside the home with 18-year-old Leonel Rondon. The explosion caused the home's chimney to land on the vehicle, killing Rondon and injuring the two Figueroa boys. Cultivate, a company that operates the first medical marijuana dispensary in Worcester County, could receive the final license for opening a store that sells recreational marijuana. The sales would take place at the same location as the existing medical marijuana dispensary in Leicester. New England Treatment Access, which has a medical dispensary in Northampton, could also receive final approval this week for a retail pot shop at the same location. There is still no clear date for the openings of retail shops, which would be the first on the country's east coast. A company with a final retail license must meet certain conditions before getting cleared to open and sell marijuana products. State regulators missed a July 1 target date to have open retail pot shops. But they've approved 38 provisional licenses for retail, cultivation, product manufacturing, independent lab testing, and transportation of the substance, which remains illegal at the federal level. The Cannabis Control Commission, tasked with overseeing the new marijuana industry in Massachusetts, posted its agenda for the Oct. 4 meeting in Boston, listing potential votes on the final licenses. The agenda also lists votes on Cultivate Holdings to potentially receiving final licenses for cultivation and product manufacturing. The agenda does not include final licenses for independent testing labs, a crucial part of the industry supply chain because marijuana products must be tested before they're ready for sales. Cultivate Holdings, Inc. received a provisional retail license from the Cannabis Control Commission in July, becoming the first company to get that type of license in Massachusetts. Provisional licenses are on the Thursday agenda for Berkshire Roots, Inc., and 253 Organic LLC. Berkshire Roots seeks cultivation, product manufacturing, retail and transportation licenses, while 253 Organic is hoping to obtain cultivation, manufacturing and retail licenses. The commission meeting is scheduled to start at noon at the state transportation building at 10 Park Plaza. The lengthy agenda, which also includes discussions of where in Worcester to site a commission headquarters and a satellite office elsewhere in Massachusetts, as well as the controversial topic of social consumption of the substance, has led to the commission planning to recess the Oct. 4 meeting and reconvene on Tuesday, Oct. 9. BOSTON - A MS-13 gang member nicknamed "Criminal" was sentenced to 36 years in prison after being convicted of stabbing a teenager 33 times and leaving him to die on a beach. The sentencing is a culmination of a years-long investigation that ended with 49 people convicted on federal charges including at least three held responsible for racketeering conspiracy involving murder, said Christina DiLorio-Sterling, spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling. Carlos Melara, 21, was sentenced to 36 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release on Monday in U.S. District Court. He earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, she said. A Salvadoran national, Melara will also be subject to deportation once he completes his sentence, DiLorio-Sterling said. He and three other people, including a juvenile, are accused of targeting a 15-year-old by using a fake Facebook account to trick the victim into thinking he was talking to a girl instead of the gang members. "The Facebook account was being controlled by (Edwin) Gonzalez and other MS-13 members to lure suspected rivals so the gang could murder them," she said. Melara pretended to be a friend of the fictitious girl and picked up the teenager on a scooter so he could meet the girl. He brought him to Constitution Beach where the four took turns stabbing the teenager in the chest. They also punched, kicked and struck him with rocks, she said. Also convicted in the killing were Gonzalez nicknamed "Sangriento", Henry Prada who was known as "Street Danger" and the juvenile, she said. Other gang members were convicted in the separate murder of a 16-year-old in South Boston, she said. The announcement was made Monday by Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon. The U.S. Marshals Service provided crucial assistance with the case. AMHERST -- The company that runs a medical marijuana facility at 169 Meadow St. will continue listening to and helping residents and town officials in proposing a recreational pot component, representatives said Monday. "We're excited about what's coming," said Ben Kovler, founder and CEO of RISE Holdings Inc. Kovler and other RISE officials held a state-required community meeting about its plan to add a recreational marijuana business to the medical one that opened in May. Over a dozen people attended the meeting held at Bistro 63/The Monkey Bar, 63 North Pleasant St. Addition of the recreational marijuana component will more than double the number of employees at the 169 Meadow St. facility, to up to 30, said Matt Yee, RISE Holdings Massachusetts market president. RISE Holdings Inc. (formerly GTI Massachusetts NP Corp.) also operates a medical marijuana facility at 28 Appleton St. in Holyoke. The company recently received approval to add cultivation of plants for recreational marijuana sales at 28 Appleton St. and has proposed to open a recreational pot dispensary at 130 Race St. in Holyoke. Check back with The Republican and MassLive.com for more coverage of RISE Holdings' community meeting in Amherst. A Massachusetts couple is accused of severe neglect and abuse following allegations of sexual abuse and keeping children in cages. Melissa Jean Hope, 34, was arrested Sunday after Taunton police and Department of Children and Families workers arrived at her home to investigate "an anonymous report about three children allegedly living in squalor," Chief Edward Walsh said in a news release. "A brief overview of why the Department of Children and Families was attempting to remove the three children can be categorized as both neglect and abuse consisting of a variety of specifics which included sexual assault and the keeping of children in cages," according to a police report obtained by the Taunton Daily Gazette. DCF workers removed the children from the home, Walsh confirmed. Police were sent to Hope's apartment on East Water Street at about 6:15 p.m. Sunday to assist DCF, according to the Taunton Daily Gazette. When officers arrived Hope and her husband Matthew Hope were shouting obscenities from an open window, according to the newspaper. The couple told police they were "not allowed" in the apartment "without a warrant," the newspaper reports, citing a police report. "Melissa and Matthew were informed that based on the totality of the circumstances, combined with the highly exigent claims in regards to the well being of the children, a warrant was not necessary and that they needed to open up the door so that responders could properly evaluate the well being of the three children in the residence," the newspaper reports, citing the report. Officers received approval to force entry into the apartment. They asked the couple to sit down, but Hope refused, police wrote in a report cited by the newspaper. When officers tried to enter a backdoor of the apartment to find the children, Hope allegedly stood in the doorway. She then grabbed 24-year-old Officer Nicholas Kerr in the "area of his throat and neck" and pushed him with a "significant amount of force," police wrote in the report. Hope pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault and battery in Taunton District Court Monday and was released on personal recognizance. She yet to be charged with any offenses related to the DCF allegations, The Taunton Daily Gazette reports. Hope is to return to court for a pretrial hearing Nov. 15. By KATIE LANNAN The crews working to restore natural gas service to the Merrimack Valley are fully staffed despite the ongoing lockout of National Grid workers that is creating a "collateral impact" on other projects, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday. After meeting with House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka, Baker said the lockout that began in June "continues to be an issue of concern to us." Baker said about 190 crews will work on 48 miles of pipe to restore gas service to Lawrence, Andover and North Andover after the Sept. 13 fires in those communities. "Those things are fully staffed at this point, but there's certainly collateral impact associated with the fact that we have so many people doing the work in the Merrimack Valley who are not available to do work in other places, and frankly for me, the biggest concern I have about the lockout at this point is twofold," Baker said. "Number one, I run into people all the time, both on the residential side and on the commercial side who tell us that they can't get their project done because they can't get the final link associated with the gas hook up completed, and this is creating legitimate issues for developers, for businesses and for homeowners around the commonwealth." Baker said his other concern involves issues the Department of Public Utilities raised last week when it issued an order dealing with pipeline safety. Spilka and DeLeo said they have urged National Grid and United Steel Workers officials to resolve stalled negotiations. "Both sides need to just roll up their sleeves and resolve this for the sake of the commonwealth," Spilka said. DeLeo said he's "sure there's some middle ground that both can be happy with." This story elaborates on an article published at 7:21 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, 2018: Medical marijuana company pledges cooperation in proposing recreational pot facility in Amherst AMHERST -- Traffic issues surface? RISE Holdings Inc. will meet with neighbors and resolve them. Zoning, planning questions? The marijuana company is on it. And RISE has a rapport with local police. In proposing a recreational marijuana business, representatives of Chicago-based RISE Monday pledged continued commitment to the cooperation they said the company has prioritized since opening a medical pot facility here in May. "We have been working with the town for three years now. We have good working relationships. We want to keep that up," Adam Robbins, market manager for Chicago-based RISE, said at a community meeting. Robbins and others from RISE presented the company's state-required community meeting in pitching a plan to add a recreational marijuana component to the company's medical facility at 169 Meadow St., RISE Amherst. Addition of the recreational marijuana piece would more than double the number of employees at the 169 Meadow St. facility, to up to 30, said Matt Yee, RISE Holdings Massachusetts market president. Over a dozen people attended the meeting at Bistro 63/The Monkey Bar, 63 North Pleasant St. The presentation included slides. Company representatives also addressed questions about security, hours and other operating procedures, the state's marijuana equity program, the effect of federal law on marijuana businesses and where RISE's marijuana is grown. The company needs two approvals to open a recreational marijuana business: locally, from the town of Amherst, and at the state level, from the Cannabis Control Commission. "We're excited about what's coming," said Ben Kovler, founder and CEO of RISE Holdings Inc. As the spotlight on the marijuana industry continues to heat up, RISE enjoys such community meetings, he said. "Here we are, talking about it face to face," he said. Resident Clare Bertrand asked about security and other company procedures. Robbins said the company has policies for steps like checking in patients, removing materials if there's a product recall, how to record sales and complying with state regulations. Also, renovation of the 169 Meadow St. facility to accommodate a recreational marijuana business would include the existing security such as surveillance cameras with links to police, officials said. "Every inch of this facility is covered with camera coverage," Robbins said. The facility's doors lock electronically. The marijuana is tagged so it can be tracked "from seed to sale," he said. The Massachusetts law that legalized marijuana for recreational includes an equity program, which RISE officials said the company heeds. The Cannabis Control Commission has identified 29 cities and towns in Massachusetts that have been "disproportionately harmed" over the years by marijuana arrests and incarceration. These include Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield, Amherst, Greenfield and Worcester. The commission is giving priority in review of licensing applications to "economic empowerment" applicants who come from areas and groups that have been overly affected by marijuana arrests. In order to be eligible for the program, someone must either have a past drug conviction or be the spouse or child of a person with a drug conviction, and must have lived in Massachusetts for the last 12 months. Kovler noted the company has given hiring preference to residents of the communities in which it operates. And a job fair the company held in Holyoke in March included help for job-seekers who were negatively affected by a previous criminal record in the form of free advice on site from lawyers and a free copy of their Criminal Offender Record Information or CORI. "We see that as an opportunity for us to help the community," Kovler said. Resident Steven Brewer asked if RISE officials see any changes in the federal law that still makes marijuana illegal despite states legalizing pot for recreational and medical use. Kovler said marijuana legalization at the federal level is probably inevitable, but the beginning of such a change is unlikely until 2019. Marijuana remains a Schedule 1 substance in the U.S. Department of Justice's categorization of controlled substances. Such drugs have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, according to the federal agency. Other Schedule 1 drugs are heroin and LSD. With marijuana illegal at the federal level, what that means for companies like RISE is banks and most lending institutions won't do business with such companies. That eliminates access to the swift computerized financing now taken for granted in most sectors of the economy. Marijuana businesses in many cases transact using containers of hard cash. "Everything that's simple about running a business in America is very hard when it's illegal" at the federal level, Kovler said. "Everyone you talk to says, 'No.'" In this college town where the average age is 22, sophisticated machinery is used to verify the authenticity of the identification cards required to enter RISE Amherst, Yee said. "We are very, very much thinking of those scenarios," Yee said. The marijuana used in RISE Amherst medical products is grown and packaged at the RISE cultivation facility in Holyoke, which opened in April at 28 Appleton St. RISE, formerly GTI Massachusetts NP Corp., recently received approval to add cultivation of plants for recreational marijuana sales at 28 Appleton St. and the company is proposing to open a recreational pot dispensary at 130 Race St. in Holyoke. RISE Amherst's hours are Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The devices were little-known before they were used in the Oct. 1 rampage, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. And in the immediate aftermath, there were calls from a wide spectrum of lawmakers and advocates on firearms issues to have them banned. Here's what has happened with the devices since the attack that left 58 dead: LEGISLATIVE ACTION In the shooting's immediate aftermath, there appeared to be a growing desire to ban the sale and possession of bump stocks, which federal authorities previously deemed legal and not subject to the same tighter restrictions reserved for fully automatic firearms. Most notably, President Donald Trump vowed to ban the devices, which attach to the stock end of an AR-style firearm, greatly increasing the rate of fire so it mimics a fully automatic long gun. Trump in March tweeted: "Obama Administration legalized bump stocks. BAD IDEA. As I promised, today the Department of Justice will issue the rule banning BUMP STOCKS with a mandated comment period." The government determined in 2010 that bump stocks couldn't be regulated unless Congress changed the law. But as with many restrictions on firearms in recent years, more action has taken place at the state level than by the federal government. Ten states and three cities have enacted bans on the devices. California made bump stock-style devices illegal there decades ago. WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL? Trump expressed support for banning the devices and directed the Justice Department to rewrite the federal regulations. The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives this spring sought public comment on a proposal to reclassify bump stocks, but no action has been taken. The proposed rules drew more than 35,000 comments. THE COMPANY Slide Fire Solutions, America's largest bump stock manufacturer, closed its website in June and stopped taking orders. However, its remaining stock of the devices is now being sold by another company, RW Arms, based in Fort Worth, Texas. The devices were originally intended to help people with disabilities and were little-known until the Las Vegas shooting. Gun owners and enthusiasts frequently call bump stocks a novelty item. Gun dealers said very few of the devices were sold before the Las Vegas shooting, but demand soared afterward amid concern they might be banned. The British Beer Company on Worcester's Shrewsbury Street is in the process of being sold to Mexicali Mexican Grill. "It's not done yet, it's in the process of being done, we have a hearing Thursday morning for the city to approve the liquor license transfer and then from there it goes to the ABCC," British Beer Company owner Gary Simon said. "That can take another six weeks, so it's still probably another couple months away." Simon said the $500,000 sale of the restaurant depends on the new owner, David Brambila, receiving all the approvals he needs from the city. "We'll be open for another couple of months at a minimum," he said. Mexicali has six other locations in Holden, Spencer, Ware, Webster, Natick and South Windsor, Conn. Its parent company -- Nachos Dining Inc., also operates 10 Acapulcos Mexican Restaurant locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. "The buyer, David, is a very, very good operator, I'm sure people will enjoy what he does," Simon said. "He puts out a very good product, I think he's involved in at least a couple dozen restaurants, he's a good guy and a good operator and I think people should expect good things from him." MassLive has reached out to Brambila for comment. British Beer Company has closed locations in Framingham and Danvers within the past year. The Worcester restaurant opened at 225 Shrewsbury St. in April 2016. Simon, 58, said as he's gotten older, he's decided to close some of the restaurant's locations further from his home on the South Shore. "It's a lot easier as I get on in age to run fewer stores, it allows us to keep our culture alive a little better," he said. "It's a little more difficult to do what we do times what used to be 14 locations. I enjoyed it more when we were more hands-on, and as we got bigger that got harder and harder to do." A small group of protesters gathered in Worcester Monday night to speak out against President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has been accused of sexual misconduct. Just more than 30 people showed up to the rally outside Worcester City Hall, which was organized by the Worcester Socialist Alternative. Though the group was small, organizers said it was important to be out rallying. "Whether we have the numbers, we should be here," said organizer Claire Bayler. "If people know that we're willing to stand up to this, other survivors and other people who care about this issue may very well come out and join us in solidarity. "There are women in Worcester, there are survivors of both genders in Worcester, so there needed to be something in Worcester. If it matters to us, we should be standing up for it," Bayler continued. The group chanted in support of Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for hours on Thursday, detailing her allegation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. Kavanaugh denied assaulting Ford in his own testimony before the committee. In addition to Ford, two other women have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. "This issue is everywhere and it impacts everybody whether they know it or not," Bayler said. The group shouted chants like "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Kavanaugh has got to go!" as well as "My body, my choice! Her body, her choice!" Some cars beeped in support as they drove by on Main Street. The rally was to "show solidarity with survivors everywhere, raise our voices in protest of this vote, discuss how we can build a movement to block Kavanaugh, and fight the horrifying, misogynistic culture that exists in our society," organizers wrote on Facebook. Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-10 Friday to move Kavanaugh's confirmation to a full Senate vote. The vote was delayed one week to allow for a full FBI investigation. FBI agents have interviewed one of the three women who has accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Bayler said she thinks the next step is a mass movement. "We need to mobilize people not just against this nomination but all the other attacks on women and on working people in the United States right now," she said. "Before even the assault issue came to light, people were extremely worried about Kavanaugh's nomination because he is planning to revoke Roe v. Wade, which is one of the most important steps for women's liberation in U.S. history. He's also incredibly anti-worker and anti-union." Bayler said the protest was not just to speak out against Kavanaugh, but also to send a message to the community. "To know that they aren't alone, to know that people are standing up for this and how to stand up about this," she said. The rally in Worcester was not the only protest in Massachusetts on Monday. Protestors flooded Boston City Hall Plaza Monday ahead of a planned event with Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, who was in the city to speak to young entrepreneurs at a Forbes "Under 30" summit. Flake, a swing-vote Republican, voted last week to move Kavanaugh's nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee but has said he would not support a final vote for the judge without a reopened FBI investigation. "I've been troubled for a while and I felt we weren't doing due diligence," Flake told Forbes Chief Content Officer Randall Lane, who conducted the talk. "With a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, if there are questions that haven't been answered, and the FBI could have investigated, I felt it needed to." Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce has left its former space in the Worcester Plaza -- the city's 24-story glass tower -- for a second-floor office down the street. The Chamber and Discover Central Massachusetts are now located at 311 Main St., Suite 200 -- a move Chamber President and CEO Tim Murray said will help the organization to play a bigger role in the revitalization effort of North Main Street. "Our lease had expired, it was an opportunity for us to do business with someone we've worked with on multiple fronts -- Cliff Rucker -- who acquired over a year ago the Central Exchange Building at 311 Main St," Murray said. "We have a lot of visitors on a daily basis and coming in and out of the Chamber, and I think that will bring some further activity to the downtown." The Chamber and Discover Central Massachusetts will hold a grand opening in their new space on Oct. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. The Chamber has also unveiled a new logo that Murray said reflects the history and current momentum that's underway in the city. It features some of the city's buildings, an airplane and a heart to represent Worcester's nickname as the Heart of the Commonwealth. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and her Republican opponent Rep. Geoff Diehl will participate in a live, televised debate in Western Massachusetts on Oct. 21, one of three scheduled debates between the candidates ahead of election day. Warren is seeking reelection to serve a second Senate term following her win against Republican Sen. Scott Brown in 2012. Diehl is a Republican state representative who co-chaired President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign in Massachusetts. The Western Massachusetts debate will be held in WGBY's Springfield studio on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. The live, one-hour debate is sponsored by the Western Mass. Media Consortium. Members of the consortium include the Springfield Public Forum, MassLive, The Republican newspaper, New England Public Radio, WGBY, the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Western New England University and WWLP-22 News. Suggested questions from the public will be accepted until Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. The two other Warren-Diehl debates will be held in Boston, one on Oct. 19, and a final debate before the election on Oct. 30. The public is encouraged to submit questions for the candidates via the Google form below. At least one question will be used on-air and all will be considered as the consortium works on the final list of questions for Warren and Diehl. Please be sure to include your name, town or city and valid email address for your question to be considered. BOSTON -- Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez won't make the Red Sox's ALDS roster, but they will remain with the club during the postseason in case someone suffers an injury. "They're gonna keep staying in shape and throwing the ball because you never know what happens," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said here at Fenway Park on Tuesday. "I talk to them today." The Red Sox sent Brandon Phillips home after Sunday's game. Tzu-Wei Lin, Sam Travis and Robby Scott reported to Fort Myers on Monday. "Just to keep getting their swings and repetitions," Cora said. "We still need to make decisions as far as the roster. We'll wait until the last out is made tomorrow (in the AL Wild Card game) to make those and probably send a few more guys down there." Cora's entire roster is decided except for the final two reliever spots. His decision might depend on which team the Red Sox play. "It's very similar (rosters for the two teams)," Cora said. "Probably one decision, maybe two. And it's on the pitching side of it." The final two spots likely come down to Joe Kelly, Heath Hembree, Brandon Workman, Bobby Poyner, Drew Pomeranz and William Cuevas. A system of heavy rain showers and embedded thunderstorms is expected to impact the afternoon and possibly evening commutes in Massachusetts on Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook and a small craft advisory on Tuesday and Tuesday evening to warn that "local downpours" could produce quick winds and localized street flooding in some areas. Scattered thunderstorms are also possible in this period. It is unclear exactly when and where the most severe rain will strike. [Approximate Radar Simulation: Not Meant To Be Exact] A cluster of heavy showers and embedded thunderstorms will overspread the region late this afternoon and evening. Main concern is localized street flooding. pic.twitter.com/Z12L2e3vw7 NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) October 2, 2018 The system is expected to hit the Berkshires and then Springfield sometime around 3-4 p.m., and the Lowell-Worcester area around 5-6 p.m., the National Weather Service reports. "Our main concern seems to be Western and Central Mass this afternoon," forecasters wrote in an hourly forecast discussion. High-end estimates show the three major metro areas, Boston, Worcester and Springfield, could all see more than an inch of rain on Tuesday. Anticipated rainfall estimates in those areas land in the range of .68-.76 inches of rain. The Africa Medical Devices Market is growing with a steady pace; mainly due to the rapidly growing middle-income group, increasing healthcare expenditure, increasing number of medical tourists, proliferation of hospitals, government programs and support, and increasing incidence of life style diseases. Moreover, rising economic growth also drive the market in this region. According to the World Bank Group, in 2016, GDP of the Middle East & North Africa experienced the growth in GDP by 4.89%. It is expected that Africas macroeconomic climate over the next decade will expand the health care gap, as higher incomes will create new demand for the medical devices market. Additionally, government also introduces some laws for maintaining the quality of medical devices. According to a report published by the International Diabetes Federation, in 2017, more than 16 million people are suffering with diabetes in the AFR Region. Increasing number of incidences are the main factors which drag the attention of players towards this region. Africa Medical Devices Market Key Players Some of the key players in this market are: Mindray Medical International Limited Koninklijke Philips Electronics NV. Siemens Ltd Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation GE Healthcare Medtronic Johnson & Johnson Africa Medical Devices Market Segments Africa medical devices market has been segmented on the basis of product type which comprises monitoring devices, diagnostic devices, diagnostic molecular devices, drug delivery devices, surgical devices, bio implants and stimulation devices, automation and robotics and others. On the basis of therapeutic application; market is segmented into general surgery, diagnostic imaging, respiratory, orthopedics, cardiovascular, dental, neurology, ophthalmology, ear-nose-throat (ENT), nephrology and urology, and others. On the basis of end users; market is segmented hospitals, ambulatory and home. Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2845 Africa Medical Devices Market Regional Analysis The market of medical devices is growing rapidly in Africa region owing to upgrade of hospitals, introduction of health insurance policy, and rapidly growing middle-income group. Government is focusing more to improve the life of their citizen; thus, they are more focusing on the establishment of best hospitals in the region. This region is more focusing towards new technology and advance treatment option; thus, the local players are focusing more into mergers and acquisition and research and development programs for the development of Medical devices. These are the factors which are fueling the growth of the market of medical devices with the significant rates in this region. Major Table of Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope of Study 1.3 Research Objective 1.4 Assumptions & Limitations 1.5 Market Structure: 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Challenges 3.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis Continued. To Know More Enquire @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2845 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com Market Scenario The Worldwide Aphakia Market is segmented on the basis of types, causes, treatment, and end user. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into primary and secondary. On the basis of cause, the market is categorized into congenital aphakia, surgical aphakia, acquired aphakia and others. The acquired aphakia is further segmented into traumatic extrusion, posterior dislocation, couching, and other. Aphakia is the absence or dislocation of lenses. Aphakia is the absence or dislocation of lenses. Increasing prevalence of diabetes & other diseases, rising demand for the better treatment, and increasing number of ophthalmic surgeries drives the growth of the market. According to World Health Organization, in 2014, 285 million people were visually impaired across the globe and about 24.4 million American aged over 40 and half of the people who are over 75 have cataracts problem. Furthermore, in 2014, glaucoma affected over 2.7 million Americans of age 40 and older. Changing lifestyle and increasing geriatric population have increased the probability of causing aphakia. Additionally, increasing need for the cost-effective treatment and increasing per capita income have fuelled the market growth. However, limited treatment options and high cost of the surgery may affect the growth of the market over the assessment period, negatively. The global aphakia market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~ 9.2% during the forecast period 2017-2023. Get Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4349 Segmentations The global aphakia market has been segmented on the basis of types, causes, treatment, and end user. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into primary, and secondary. On the basis of cause, the market is categorized into congenital aphakia, surgical aphakia, acquired aphakia, and others. Acquired aphakia is further segmented into traumatic extrusion, posterior dislocation, couching, and other. On the basis of treatment, the market is segmented into spectacles, contact lenses, intraocular lens implantation, refractive surgery, and others. The spectacles are sub-segmented into +10D, +3-4D, and other. Refractive surgery is further segmented into keratophakia, epikeratophakia, and hyperopic LASIK. On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals, ophthalmic clinics, and others. Regional Analysis The Americas dominates the global aphakia market owing to the increasing prevalence of people with aphakia. It was estimated that 6.1 million (5.1%) of Americans have pseudophakia/aphakia. Additionally, well-developed technology, huge diabetic population, and strong government support for research & development will fuel the market growth. Europe is the second leading market across the globe, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of funds for research, huge geriatric population and government support for research & development will drive the market. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing aphakia market due to the presence of rapidly growing economy, huge patient pool, increasing prevalence of ophthalmic diseases, and presence of huge geriatric population. On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa holds the least share of the market owing to less availability of funds, limited availability of medical facilities, and poor political conditions in Africa. Key Players Some of key the players in the market are Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. (US), Ophtec BV (Netherland), Alcon Laboratories, Inc. (Switzerland), Bausch & Lomb (US), Carl Zeiss AG (Germany), Rayner Company (US), Bohus BioTech AB (Sweden), CooperVision, Inc. (US), Lifecore Biomedical, LLC (US), Aetna Inc. (US), Ciba Vision (Switzerland), and Menicon (Singapore). Apply for Exclusive Discount @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/4349 Detailed Table of Contents: 1. Report Prologue 2. Introduction 2.1 Definition 2.2 Scope Of The Study 2.2.1 Research Objective 2.2.2 Assumptions 2.2.3 Limitations 2.3 Market Structure 2.4. Market Segmentation 3. Research Methodology 3.1 Research Process 3.2 Primary Research 3.3 Secondary Research 3.4 Market Size Estimation 3.5 Forecast Model 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Restraints 4.3 Opportunities 4.4 Mega Trends 4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 5. Market Factor Analysis 5.1 Value Chain Analysis 5.2 Porters Five Forces 5.3 Demand & Supply: Gap Analysis 5.4 Pricing Analysis 5.5 Investment Opportunity Analysis Continued Send An Enquiry @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/4349 About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com CAS9 or CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene-editing technology that enables scientists to cut and paste snippets of genetic information in strands of DNA. The technology has huge potential for application in the biotech industry and is already making a huge difference across many scientific fields such as agriculture and healthcare. Get Exclusive Sample Copy @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2064 In pharmaceuticals it is used in developing new drugs and in agriculture, it is expanding research and development activities aimed at evaluating seed yield, oil content yield, and drought tolerance traits deployed in key agricultural crops and etc. Many research projects are going on deploying novel yield, oil content and drought tolerance traits using CAS 9 technology in plants such as Camelina, canola, soybean, rice and other agriculturally significant crops to increase yields. The CAS9 technology also helps the healthcare industry to treat patients with fatal diseases. The promising results delivered by this technology is a key driving factor acting as tailwind escalating the market growth. Also, substantial investments put into R&D activities are encouraging the market growth on the global platform. Acknowledging the accruals, the market is enjoying currently, demonstrating the potential to grow further in the years to come, Market Research Future (MRFR) in its recently published study report asserts that the global CAS9 technology market will be valued exponentially by 2022, registering a striking CAGR during the forecast period (2016 2022). Factors such as augmented adoption of CAS9 in precision medicine along with the increasing applications such as edit RNA and shorter snippets of DNA in small organisms, like bacteria, and etc. drive the market growth. Projects such as the human genome and the growing adoption of genetics for livestock and agriculture research are fostering the market growth. Improving economic conditions enabling access to the quality of life and improved healthcare supports the market growth. However, as the CAS9 Technology is still in its nascent stage, there are some challenges to the growth of the market. Factors such as insufficient funds for R&D high cost of development and maintenance, along with the data safety concerns, and ethical considerations among others inhibit the market growth. Nevertheless, private and public funding programs are rapidly increasing the funds for R&D. The year 2018 has been phenomenal for the CAS9 patents. Many patents filed since 2011 have been cleared this year. Key Players: Fervent players leading the global CAS9 technology market include CRISPR Therapeutics, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Lonza, Agilent Technologies, GenScript, Editas Medicine, Horizon Discovery Group plc., New England Biolabs, Albany Molecular Research Inc., Transposagen, Inc., and CRISPR Therapeutics. CAS9 Technology Market Segments The MRFR analysis is segmented into five key dynamics for enhanced understanding. By Medium : Enzyme, and RNA, among others By Application: DNA sequencing, DNA repair, Gene Library Development, Cell Line Engineering, Genetic Engineering, Cancer, and Hepatitis B Gene Therapy among others. By Delivery : IV Infusion, Injection, and Inhalation among others. By End-user: Hospitals, Cardiac Care Centers, Ambulatory and others. By Region: Europe, North America, APAC, and the Rest-of-the-World (RoW). The subsegment Genetic engineering holds the largest market share by applications. Industry/Innovations/Related News: September 18, 2018 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), a leading biotechnology product development company announced licensing intellectual property surrounding CRISPR technologies from the Broad Institute and ERS Genomics. The company already holds licenses to other genome editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 and others. These licenses expand Thermo Fishers industry-leading genome editing capabilities. Get Valuable Discount @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/2064 CAS9 Technology Market Regional Analysis Globally, the North American region dominates the CAS9 technology market with the largest market share. The presence of the global players is a key driving force acting as a tailwind to the market growth. Simultaneously, factors such as the encouraging research and development activities transpired in healthcare along with the increased uptake of advanced technologies and high healthcare expenditures are substantiating the market growth. Owing to the rising demands for CAS9 Technology procedures, the CAS9 technology market in North America is projected to create a larger revenue pocket by 2022. The US, backed by the increasing demand for DNA Sequencing, accounts for the major contributor to the market growth. Whereas Europe accounts for the second-largest market for CAS9 technology, globally, attributing to the recent technological advancements that took place in the field and the augmenting uptake of the technology in the region. Additionally, the presence of large medical facilities and rising per capita health care expenditures in the region support the market growth. Besides, factors such as government support and funding from the public & private sectors for research & development are estimated to accelerate the market growth in the region over the forecasted period. The Asia Pacific CAS9 technology market is emerging as one of the lucrative markets, growing rapidly. Backed by the rising demand for DNA sequencing and the increasing adoption of the technology in the procedures, APAC market is expected to register a phenomenal CAGR during the forecast period. The market is expected to perceive huge contributions from some of the APAC countries such as South Korea, Japan, India, and China. Global CAS9 Technology Market Competitive Landscape The rapidly growing market for CAS9 technology is fiercely competitive and fragmented with many well-established as well as small & new entrants forming the competitive edge. Innovation, new technology launch and Brand reinforcement remain the popular trends for the key players in the market. The growth statistics of the Nerve market presage the probable heights the market can reach further. Table of Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope of Study 1.2.1 Research Objective 1.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations 1.2.2.1 Assumptions 1.2.2.2 Limitations 1.3 Market Structure 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process: 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis 4.1 Porters Five Forces Model 4.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 4.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers 4.4 Threat of New Entrants 4.5 Threat of Substitutes 4.6 Intensity of Rivalry 5 GLOBAL CAS9 TECHNOLOGY MARKET, BY MEDIUM 5.1 ENZYME 5.2 RNA 5.3 OTHERS List of Tables Table 1 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Medium, 2013-2022 (Usd Million) Table 2 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Application, 2013-2022 (Usd Million) Table 3 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Delivery, 2013-2022 (Usd Million) Table 4 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By End Users, 2013-2022 (Usd Million) Table 4 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Region, 2013-2022 (Usd Million) List Of Figures Figure 1 Research Process Figure 2 Porters Five Forces Model Figure 3 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Medium Figure 4 Global Cas9 Technology Market, By Applications Continued! Enquiry about Reports @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/2064 About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Duodenoscopes Market Synopsis Duodenoscope is flexible, lighted weighted tubes that are released through the mouth, throat, and stomach into the top of the small intestine. These are specially designed side viewing endoscope for Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures, which will help to diagnose diseases associated with pancreas and bile ducts with the help of fluoroscopic imaging procedure. Duodenoscopes are being used in more than 650,000 gastrointestinal procedures in the U.S every year. This is a minimally invasive way to drain out fluids from biliary and pancreatic ducts which are blocked by cancerous tumors, gallstones or others. Request Premium Sample copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4480 Duodenoscope is a more complex device with respect to other endoscopes and is tougher to clean and disinfect. These devices plays an essential role in the treatment of patients, but there has been some evidences which shows that some patients have been transmitted with hospital born and other infectious agents, including antibiotic drug-resistant infections due to these devices. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted the FDA regarding possible association of multidrug resistant bacterial infections and duodenoscopes. From January 2013 through December 2014, ERCP was associated with infections in 135 patients. The market of duodenoscopes is growing moderately. Increasing prevalence of pancreatic, bile duct cancer tumors and various gastrointestinal conditions are the major factors contributing to the growth of the global duodenoscopes market. In addition, increasing research and development and technological advancements to identify the causes and risk factors for transmission of infectious agents with duodenoscopes and developing new solutions to minimize patient exposure is another major driver, fuelling the global duodenoscopes market growth. However, increasing FDA recalls for duodenoscopes due to challenging cleaning and high-level disinfection procedures and rising multidrug-resistant bacterial infections are major factors which are restraining the growth of global duodenoscopes market. Key Players: FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation KARL STORZ GmbH & Co. KG PENTAX Medical, Olympus Corporation Custom Ultrasonics ENDOMED, and SonoScape. Check Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/4480 Duodenoscopes Market Segmentation: The global duodenoscopes market is segmented on the basis of types, application, and end user. On the basis types, it is segmented into rigid duodenoscopes and flexible duodenoscopes. The flexible duodenoscopes is further segmented into fiber-optic duodenoscope and video duodenoscope. On the basis of application, it is segmented into diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis is further segmented into detect abberations, trauma or surgical complications in bile or pancreatic ducts, tumors or cancers of the bile ducts, inflammation of the pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic pseudocysts, and tumors or cancers of the pancreas. The detect abberations is further segmented into bile duct, cystic duct, hepatic ducts, and pancreatic ducts. Treatment is further segmented into cannulation, sphincterotomy, stone management, and drainage of the bile duct. On the basis of end user, it is segmented into gastrologists, general and pediatric surgeons, hospitals, speciality clinics, and others. Duodenoscopes Market Regional Analysis: Geographically, the regional market is segmented into America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. The Americas account for the major share of the market owing to the presence of patient population, well-developed technology, and high healthcare expenditure. To improve the quality of the diagnosis & treatment, the demand for the advanced devices have increased. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, approximately 60 to 70 million people are affected by either major or minor GIT diseases. Europe holds the major share of the market, which is majorly contributed by Germany, the U.K., and France. The major driving factor of the market are increasing prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases, increasing government support for development of healthcare domain, and well developed technology. Moreover, increasing emphasis on rapid diagnosis and treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, change in lifestyle, high prevalence of cancer among geriatric population drives this market in Europe. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing duodenoscope market owing to rapidly changing healthcare sector, and the presence of huge opportunities for the development of this market. However, the Middle East & Africa has the least share in the market owing to the presence of poor and slow developing countries, especially, in African region. The Middle East holds the major share of the regional market due to well-developed technology and high spending. Major TOC of Duodenoscopes Market Research Report Global Forecast till 2023: 1 Report Prologue 2 Market Introduction 3 Research Methodology 4 Market Dynamics 5 Market Factor Analysis 6 Global Duodenoscopes Market, By Type 7 Global Duodenoscope Market, by Application TOC Continued Ask Any Question at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/4480 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Sterilization equipment are necessary to maintain the sterile conditions during research activities, manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and during medical procedures. The increasing geriatric population, a growing number of surgical procedures and increasing research and development activities in the healthcare sector are the major factors driving the growth of the global sterilization equipment market. Additionally, increasing R&D spending and aggressive strategies adopted by the top players, such as new product launches, are contributing to the growth of the market. For instance, in August 2018, Cantel Medical announced the acquisition of Stericycles Controlled Environmental Solutions Business for USD 17 million, it is a leading provider of testing and certification, environmental monitoring and decontamination services for clean rooms, and other services related to regulatory compliance and quality control The high costs associated with surgeries, stringent regulatory environment for product approval, and lack of awareness about sterilization methods are likely to hinder the market growth during the forecast period. The Global Sterilization Equipment Market is expected to grow during the forecast period (20182023) at a CAGR ~7.0%. To Get Sample Report visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6397 Key Players for Global Sterilization Equipment Market Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in Sterilization Equipment Market: There are plenty of large and small market players which operate in this market all over the globe. 3M, STERIS plc., Getinge AB, Sotera Health, Advanced Sterilization Products (Division of Ethicon), Belimed, Anderson Products, Boekel Scientific, Celitron Medical, Technologies Kft., Fedegari Autoclavi S.p.A., Cantel Medical., LTE Scientific, Merck & Co., Inc, Midmark Corporation, MMM Group, TSO3 INC., and SAKURA SI CO., LTD. Segments for Global Sterilization Equipment Market The global sterilization equipment market has been segmented on the basis of product, technology, and end-user. On the basis of product, the market has been classified as heat sterilization, low-temperature sterilization, filtration sterilization, ionizing radiation sterilization. The heat sterilization segment has been further divided into dry heat sterilization and moist heat sterilization. The Low-temperature sterilization segment has been further divided into ethylene oxide sterilization, hydrogen peroxide sterilization, and others. The ionizing radiation sterilization segment has been classified as electron beams and gamma rays. The technology segment has been divided into steam, forced convention, vacuum, gravity, and natural convection. The market, by enduser, has been segmented into hospitals & clinics, research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, food & beverage industry, medical device companies, and other endusers. Regional Analysis for Global Sterilization Equipment Market The market in the Americas is expected to dominate the global sterilization equipment market during the forecast period owing to the increasingly strict sterility guidelines, increase in the number of surgical procedures due to rising geriatric population, the presence of a well-established healthcare system and adoption of highly advanced technology. The European market is expected to be the second-largest due to the increasing government expenditure on healthcare and increasing research activities in the life sciences sector, and the growing number of road accidents in Europe. Moreover, the market in Asia-Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing during the forecast period owing to the increasing geriatric population in the region, increasing number of hospitals in Asia, and favorable government initiatives for healthcare facilities. The market in the Middle East & Africa is likely to account for the smallest share of the global sterilization equipment market. Some Brief Table of Contents of Report Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction Chapter 3. Research Methodology Chapter 4. Market Dynamics Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis Chapter 6. Global Sterilization Equipment Market, By Product Chapter 7. Global Sterilization Equipment Market, By Technology Chapter 8. Global Sterilization Equipment Market, By End-User Chapter 9. Global Sterilization Equipment Market, By Region Chapter 10. Competitive Landscape Chapter 11. Company Profile Chapter 12. Conclusion Chapter 13. Appendix Do You Have Specific Requirement? Ask To Our Experts https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/6397 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 by Alex Weprin , October 2, 2018 The connected TV technology firm Connekt has signed a deal with Sony to bring T-commerce functionality to the companys lineup of TV sets and Blu-Ray players. At launch, Connekts ShopTV app, available through Sonys app store, allows consumers to shop for clothing, electronics or other products through their TV or Blu-Ray player. Over time, the companies plan to add in-program purchasing. Buying a product as it appears onscreen, or during a commercial, as well as voice-controlled buying. Shoppability is critically important, and it is the low-hanging fruit when you think of being able to drive interactivity off of the screen, Mike ODonnell, Connekts CRO, tells Digital News Daily. It can sit with localization and it can sit with personalization. Dynamic ads bring new monetization opportunities by being able to deliver personalized messages to those consumers, and also able to localize them. That is not as seamless in a linear TV experience as it is in the digital world," he adds. advertisement advertisement For smart TV makers and the makers of connected TV devices, the promise of T-commerce is significant. As competition drives the prices of hardware down, the need to find other ways to monetize increases. To be able to, as an OEM, to take a leading position in T-commerce, is valuable to them, says Tripp Boyle, Connekts senior vice president, business development. T-commerce is also becoming a focal point for retailers, which are looking to drive digital growth in a world where Amazon is dominant. "A big part of our initiative is educating the marketplace, helping these brands take the first steps into the world of T-commerce, Boyle says. We are helping bridge the gap between what they are doing to make television smarter in TV content, and linking it back to the significant investment brands make in traditional television. The message to a lot of these retailers: Dont lose your space on the screen to the big guy, Boyle says. by Tanya Gazdik , October 1, 2018 Jaguar North America, which is kicking off the Jaguar Electrifies Experience national tour in San Francisco Oct. 3-7, is working with local Bay Area vendors to offer attendees at the Experience a selection of food and beverage options from local favorites. Those brands include Dynamo Donut, Ghirardelli, Philz Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, Harmless Harvest juices and Alameda craft soda. San Francisco is the first stop of a multi-city national tour. hitting key electric vehicle (EV) markets in South Florida, Los Angeles and the New York City metro area through spring 2019. To mark the premiere, Jaguar has launched a marketing campaign across San Francisco that includes billboards and branded Volta charging stations. Volta is based in San Francisco and is the largest free EV-charging network in the U.S. advertisement advertisement Jaguar has also released a custom suite of San Francisco I-PACE assets, including images and video. The Jaguar Electrifies Experience is designed to educate consumers on the full Jaguar vehicle lineup as well as the benefits of owning an EV. Through its partnership with Wired, the brand will post and share digital content on the @JaguarUSA social media channels. Silicon Republic, Tuesday, October 2, 2018 2:33 PM Irelands Data Protection Commissioner is planning a formal investigation into the recent data breach at Facebook, in which data on 50 million users was exposed. This could be the first major test of GDPR. Read the whole story at Silicon Republic by Sara Guaglione , October 2, 2018 A Knight/Gallup study on media bias found that readers tend to trust news content when they are not shown the source more than when they do know the source. The research shows people are at greater risk of bias if they choose to consume media from more extreme news sources, according to The New York Times, which reported on the study last month. Those who are distrustful of the news media and those with more extreme political views tend to be the most heavily biased readers. Knight Foundation and Gallup partnered last year to pull news content from seven media outlets and ask over 3,000 former Gallup survey participants to rate the trustworthiness of 1,645 articles from those outlets. advertisement advertisement Half the participants were not allowed to see the source of the news, and the other half were. The group that could not see the sources of the news were significantly more trusting of the news content. The study found that channels with source attribution had a lower overall mean trustworthiness rating per article. This finding may suggest that source attribution lowers content trustworthiness by reminding users of personal preferences and biases toward particular sources. Thirty-five percent of the study participants who could see the news source exhibited strong media bias. Those with the strongest distrust of the news media had the most heavily biased ratings, while those who said they dont trust the news media at all provided biased ratings 47% of the time. Those who reported trusting the news media a fair amount provided ratings with strong bias just 30% of the time. Partisanship also drove trustworthiness ratings when the news source was shown. People who identify with the Republican Party who read articles from The New York Times and Vox (usually labeled as left-leaning) without knowing it rated those articles as more trustworthy than the group who knew what the sources were. And those who identify with the Democratic Party, who read Fox News articles (usually labeled as right-leaning) without knowing it, rated it higher when they did not know the source. Those who regularly read Rush Limbaugh, Breitbart and Fox News, in general, generated the most biased ratings of news content. Rush Limbaugh listeners demonstrated large rating bias in 52% of news content rated; for Breitbart readers, it was 50%. In the study, Fox News watchers showed strong bias 45% of the time. The two news sources with the least biased consumers were The Wall Street Journal (26%) and PBS (14%). by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, October 2, 2018 Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has sued PayPal for allegedly engaging in viewpoint-based censorship by refusing to process payments to his company. PayPal banning Plaintiff is a bridge too far and, if allowed, sets a dangerous precedent for any person or entity with controversial views, Jones alleges in his lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Jones owns the sites Infowars.com and Prisonplanet.com, which offer articles and other content, and the ecommerce site InfowarsStore.com. The latter sells supplements like Alpha Power -- which promises buyers the ability to discover what it feels like to be an alpha male all over again -- and books like The Clintons' War On Women, authored by Roger Stone and Robert Morrow.'' advertisement advertisement He alleges that PayPal -- which has processed payments to his ecommerce site since 2000 -- informed him late last month that it was banning him from the service. PayPal said at the time that Jones violated the company's acceptable use policy, including its prohibition on promoting hate speech and intolerance. PayPal's move came shortly after other tech companies -- including Apple, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter -- also banned Jones. He alleges that PayPal's ban, like the others, reflects discrimination in Silicon Valley against politically conservative entities and individuals. It is at this point well-known that large tech companies, located primarily in Silicon Valley, are discriminating against politically conservative entities and individuals, including banning them from social media platforms such as Twitter, based solely on their political and ideological viewpoints, he writes in a request for a court order requiring PayPal to reinstate him. Internet law expert Eric Goldman, a professor at Santa Clara University, suggests Jones will have an uphill battle in court. I think the most likely scenario is that PayPal will have the discretion to decide whether it wants to deal with Infowars or not, he says. If that's not the result, there's a concern about the possibility that companies will be forced to do business with people they find objectionable. Tech companies have increasingly come under attack by conservatives, who claim their views are being suppressed online. Congress has held several recent hearing at which conservatives criticized Facebook and other platforms for allegedly failing to promote right-wing opinions. Late last month, President Trump added his voice to the criticism, claiming Google's search engine is "rigged" because it highlights stories from "Fake CNN." PayPal isn't the only company to face suit over censorship claims. Google was recently sued by Prager University over allegations that Google censored Prager by de-monetized its video clips. A trial judge dismissed Prager's complaint; the company recently asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the lawsuit. Despite the vocal complaints, there doesn't appear to be evidence that online platforms discriminate against conservatives. New York Law School professor Ari Waldman recently told federal lawmakers that content representing a wide range of political views gets filtered online. "When victims of racist, homophobic, and sexist tweets and comments post those comments to call out the aggressors, it is often the victims that are suspended or banned," Waldman said in written testimony. "Activists associates with the Black Lives Matter movement have reported just as many if not more take downs of images discussing racism and police brutality than any of the anecdotal evidence of suspensions or take downs on the right." Recent research cautions that fluctuating weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and death. Share on Pinterest Weight fluctuation is a top risk factor for cardiovascular events, says new research. Scientists at the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul, South Korea with other institutions have now assessed the associations between fluctuations in some certain types of health measurement and cardiovascular health outcomes. The health measurements include body weight, systolic blood pressure (blood pressure during heartbeats), cholesterol, and blood sugar. Essentially, the investigators wanted to see whether or not high variability of these health measurements would be good predictors of heart problems and negative cardiovascular events, such as stroke. Their findings now appear in the journal Circulation . Increased risk of early death In the recent study, the investigators analyzed health data collected from 6,748,773 people with no history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart attacks at the beginning of the study. This information was provided by the Korean National Health Insurance system. All those involved with this study underwent at least three different health checkups in 20052012. Some of the information recorded during these examinations included body weight, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar. For the first time, the authors concluded that high fluctuations in the measurements of these factors was associated with a negative impact on cardiovascular health. Also, they go on, if a person has high variability of more than one of these, their cardiovascular risk may be further heightened. Compared with people with stable measurements across an average period of 5.5 years, those who scored the highest variability on all risk factors had a 127 percent higher risk of all-cause death, were 43 percent more likely to experience a heart attack, and had a 41 percent higher risk of stroke. Such fluctuations in the measurements under analysis can be the result of either negative changes or positive changes, the researchers note. Having a cesarean delivery, which people also often refer to as a C-section, can have a big impact on a mothers mental and physical health in the weeks afterward. To speed up their recovery, people can try various lifestyle and wellness methods that may help. C-sections are common, accounting for an estimated 31.9 percent of all deliveries in the United States. Although common, a C-section involves major stomach surgery. The procedure can be lifesaving for both the mother and baby, but it can carry risks and may take a long while to recover from afterward. Self-care, setting reasonable expectations, and having a supportive medical team can make the recovery from a cesarean section easier. What to expect after a C-section Share on Pinterest Javier Valenzuela/EyeEm/Getty Images Many guides suggest that full recovery from a C-section takes 4 to 6 weeks. Yet every person is different, and much research suggests a significantly longer recovery time. Some studies , for example, have found that 60 percent of women have some pain in the incision 24 weeks after delivery. A trusted doctor, a supportive community of other people who have had cesarean deliveries, and a willingness to ask questions can help with understanding the recovery process. Immediately after delivery Most women undergoing a C-section receive an epidural or spinal block. This form of anesthesia numbs the body but still allows the person to be awake. It can take several hours to regain feeling after an epidural. It will not be possible to walk or use the bathroom without assistance, during this immediate postoperative period. Most women will have a catheter for several hours after delivery to help them urinate. If general anesthesia is needed, waking up can take some time. A woman may feel groggy, nauseated, afraid, or confused as she comes out of anesthesia. For many new parents, the most significant concern is the baby. It used to be routine for hospital staff to take the baby from the mother following delivery. Now, many hospitals offer so-called gentle cesarean deliveries. Gentle C-section means that if the baby is doing well, it can be left to rest on the mothers chest or be held by another caregiver while the surgeon sews up the incision in the mothers abdomen. It is important for people to ask if this is an option before the procedure, and to communicate their wishes about the care of the baby with medical staff. The first 24 hours The first 24 hours following a C-section present many of the same challenges as a vaginal delivery. These include the mother adjusting to new parenthood, attempting breastfeeding, and fielding visitors. People who undergo cesarean deliveries face additional challenges. Most people recovering from a C-section stay in the hospital 2 to 4 days. Blood clots One of the biggest risks of C-section is developing a blood clot in the leg. This is more likely in people who are overweight or who remain immobile for long periods. Women who are unable to walk may have special cuffs on their legs designed to keep the blood moving. Otherwise, if they are able to walk, it is essential for them to get up and move around as quickly as possible. Cramps In the first 24 hours, it is common to feel pain at the site of the incision. Many women also feel post-birth cramps as the uterus shrinks. These sensations feel similar to menstrual cramps, but may be more intense. Watching for infection A nurse or doctor will carefully monitor the cesarean incision for signs of infection. They will also check vaginal bleeding. Even after a C-section, the uterus has to shed what is left of the pregnancy. Vaginal bleeding usually lasts 4 to 6 weeks after birth and is heaviest during the first days. The first weeks The risk of infection is highest during the first few weeks. Dangerous bleeding, which is known as a hemorrhage, is also more likely during this time. People should avoid returning to their normal exercise levels for 6 to 8 weeks. Driving is usually not safe for 4 to 6 weeks also. The wound may feel sore for a week or two. The muscle surrounding the wound may also feel weak. A doctor may prescribe pain medication for the first 2 weeks. People should ask their doctor about the safety of nursing while taking pain medication. The symptoms tend to get steadily better as the incision heals and the uterus contracts. In most cases, doctors use dissolvable stitches. These will disappear, and the doctor will not need to remove them. In some other circumstances, a doctor may need to remove non-dissolvable stitches, usually a few weeks after birth. Long-term recovery Recovering from a C-section takes time and may take longer than a doctor or midwife says it will. Some women experience muscle or incision pain for several months. Others struggle with urinary incontinence due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. While these challenges are common, people should not ignore them. Any unpleasant symptoms that persist after the first postpartum appointment with a doctor or midwife warrant another appointment. A referral to a specialist, such as a pelvic floor or exercise therapist, can help with long-term recovery. 9 tips for a faster recovery Every C-section is different. Recovery may take longer when someone has a C-section as an emergency procedure. Infections, problems with the incision, and underlying health problems, such as diabetes, may also make recovery times longer. The most important thing a person can do to recover more quickly is to talk to their healthcare provider. They should ask lots of questions about what to expect, then follow the recommendations they receive. People can speed up their recovery from a C-section with the following methods: 1. Get plenty of rest Rest is vital for recovery from any surgery. Yet for many new parents, rest is nearly impossible with a newborn in the home. Newborns keep irregular hours and may sleep for only 1 or 2 hours at a time. People should always try to sleep when the baby sleeps, or get help from a loved one so they can take a nap. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by chores or to want to entertain visitors. But giving up sleep to put away dishes or keep the house clean can be damaging to someones health. It is more sensible to try to sleep as much as possible. 2. Ask for help Newborns are demanding. Caring for a baby after major surgery can be exhausting, and it is not possible for all new parents to manage this alone. Ask for help from a partner, a neighbor, family, or a trusted friend. People may benefit from lining up a meal train or a schedule of visitors who can watch the baby while they rest or take a shower. 3. Process your emotions Giving birth can be an emotional experience for all involved. Women who experience emergency deliveries or traumatic births, as well as those who have cesarean deliveries they hoped to avoid, may have to process difficult emotions about the birth. These new feelings can make the transition to parenthood more difficult than it is for others, and can trigger feelings such as guilt and shame. Many people benefit from getting help with processing these emotions. Talk to a partner, friend, or therapist. Getting early support may help reduce the risk of postpartum depression and can help women experiencing postpartum depression to get quicker treatment. Consider joining an in-person postpartum support group. If none are available, try taking part in online support networks. An example of this is Postpartum Support International, which offers weekly online support meetings. 4. Take regular walks Lifting and intense aerobic exercise are out for the first few weeks of recovery. As an alternative, walking can help with staying fit and maintaining good mental health. Taking a walk also reduces the risk of blood clots and other heart or blood vessel issues. Some new parents like walking with other new parents as part of a group, or meeting up with a neighbor to push their babies in their strollers. 5. Manage pain There is no need to be in pain while struggling with all the other demands of new parenting. People must take the pain relievers prescribed by their doctor. If they do not work or if the pain gets worse, they should contact a healthcare provider for advice. 6. Watch for signs of infection Some doctors will ask new parents to take their own temperature every 24 hours to monitor for signs of infection. People can consult with their doctor or midwife to ask if this is a good strategy. Also, people must be mindful of other signs of infection, such as swelling, intense pain, red streaks coming from the incision, or chills. Contact a doctor or go to the emergency room if these symptoms appear. 7. Fight constipation The combination of hormonal shifts, weaker stomach muscles, and spending lots of time lying down can lead to constipation. Severe constipation can be painful, and straining can injure the C-section incision. Drink plenty of water and ask a doctor about taking a stool softener. Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods, such as fruit and vegetables, can help to prevent constipation. 8. Get support for breastfeeding Having a C-section is linked to a higher risk of breastfeeding difficulties. A lactation consultant can help new parents successfully breastfeed, even when they face obstacles, such as separation from the baby after birth. If breastfeeding is not going well, people should ask for help. If a new parent is in pain, sitting in a comfortable, supportive chair and using a breastfeeding cushion, or nursing in a laid-back, reclining position can make breastfeeding easier. 9. Seek help for long-term issues Some women experience long-term pain after C-section. Others experience muscle weakness, incontinence, or depression. These issues are common, and people should not feel ashamed if they have these experiences. Nor is there any need to suffer in silence. If symptoms continue after the final postpartum appointment, a new mother should contact a doctor or midwife. They may then receive a referral to a specialist or be offered tips for resolving symptoms at home. When to see a doctor After a C-section, people should call or see a doctor if they experience the following: intense uterine cramps uterine cramps that go away and then return difficulty urinating frequent headaches anxiety or depression People should go to the emergency room if they experience: bleeding that soaks through more than one pad or tampon per hour for more than 2 hours signs that the incision has ruptured, such as bleeding or oozing from the incision thoughts of harming themselves or their baby intense calf pain, especially if accompanied by swelling or numbness in the feet shortness of breath Just last year, the #metoo movement hushed the world with its great attempt to highlight closeted abuse prevalent in Hollywood. The movement trickled down halfway across the world and a lot of women came forward and spoke about their #metoo stories and brought them out in the open. It's beautiful to imagine that a movement, which started off in such a fragile environment, became larger than life and acted like a ripple effect. Every woman had a story to share and while I deliberate on the term 'woman', I am not forgetting the men who've come out with their stories under the hashtag #mentoo, giving other men the strength to talk about the abuse they've gone through. Pexels It took a year, but the movement reached Bollywood this year when Tanushree Datta, an actress popular in the late 2000's came out with her story about the prevalence of sexual harassment in the industry. We all know it's there and it happens but the incidents are usually hushed up in more ways than one and they get swept under the rug, time and again. When Tanushree came forward and spoke about being harassed by her then co-star and veteran actor Nana Patekar, the entire industry was taken aback and decided to sit on the fence, while she talked about what happened with her, ten years ago on the sets of the movie 'Horn Ok, Please'. More than debating about the fact that a reasonably successful man misbehaved with a significantly new actress on the sets of the movie, people started questioning her motive and the 'timeline' of abuse. Thinkstock Images Yes, the timeline. This is what this article is predominantly about. By timeline, I mean the time it took for her to come out in the open and talk about what the 'perpetrator' had done. Many people contested the fact that she talked about the incident years after it had passed, so it held no relevance now. But let me tell you a not-so-hidden fact. Abuse has no timeline. There is no way to reason out logically what your body and mind go through and when is the right time to talk about it. When you go through 'abuse' of any sort, be it mental, sexual, emotional or physical, your body takes time to process it, simply because you 'freeze' at the time it's happening and your first instinct is self-preservation by processing the incident. That is why abuse and harassment survivors come out after years of the occurrence and finally talk about it. It also takes a lot of courage and strength to mentally gratify your mind to finally be verbal about the incident and it's certainly not easy to do so. So, when Tanushree Datta talks about it ten years later, it's really not to berate the man in question but to open a fresh new chapter in Bollywood or anywhere else for that matter, and talk about it openly, regardless of the time gone by. Twitter To make things more clear about how the timeline is not a question of importance for an abuse survivor, I rounded up 5 brave men, who openly talk about abuse and harassment they went through and how long it took for them to come out in the open with it. Because, #mentoo. (1) "It Took Me 5 Years To Process It" "I was in the local in Mumbai from Dadar to Andheri and it was crowded like it usually is. It was a normal day and I was heading to work and I was lost in thought. Suddenly I felt a hand all over my back and going down to my pants. Since the train was too crowded, I tried to move forward an inch. The hand went away but it came back again and this time, it grabbed my behind (butt) and started stroking it. I was feeling embarrassed and humiliated but it wouldn't let go. I finally turned around to see who it was but I couldn't find the man. I felt really disgusted and humiliated and decided to skip work. I also kept thinking about my sister and my women friends who travel every other day and what they go through. At least this incident made me think about that. But I couldn't talk about it to anyone. I was embarrassed and scared that people would make fun of it. Last year, when men started putting up FB posts about #mentoo, I gathered the courage to put a post as well and I was shocked at how well responsive and helpful the audience was. It's been 6 years since that incident. It Took Me 5 Years To Process It" - Gaurav, 28 Pexels (2) "I Didn't Tell Anyone For Over Ten Years" "I don't want to go into the details because I've gone over the details of the incident too many times in my head, but I was molested by a close family member as a child, a bunch of times when I was 12. It was just easy for 'her' to come into my room and touch me inappropriately and I knew it was wrong. Of course, she asked me to keep quiet about it but even after I was a grown man, I couldn't even think of talking about it. I would shy away from 'touch' and wasn't too sexually active. I didn't tell anyone over ten years. A few years ago when I was facing difficulty forgetting the incident, I started seeking professional help and spoke to a therapist about it and finally opened up. Now I am glad a lot of people are doing the same. I don't feel left out. Honestly, it's okay to talk about it. Just need to be ready, that's all"! - Anonymous, 24 Thinkstock Images (3) "Time Has Nothing To Do With It" "Time has nothing to do with it. I took a long time to come out and talk about the abuse and assault I went through in my boarding school as a child. It took me years and years to gather courage, confidence and strength to talk about what I had been put through by my seniors in school. I was scarred for life and scared of everything. Now that I have faced my demons, I can stand up to anything. I even looked into the eyes of my abuser when I saw one of them recently and told him off. It's only when you process it and accept it consciously, you let go of it slowly and gain yourself back". - Amit, 27 Pexels (4) " I Didn't Tell Anyone For Two Years " "I am gay and I was 'date raped' two years ago. Recently I talked about the incident vocally for other gay men to come out and talk about similar instances. I feel it's not about the gender but about what you go through as a human being. I didn't tell anyone for two years because I was humiliated and raped without even my knowledge. But today when I recall the incident, I know I am safe talking about it, even though it happened two years ago. It took me that long to come to terms with it, and what I want to say is that it doesn't matter how long it takes for you to talk about abuse, as long as you bring it out in the open and face it, you're good and you're strong". - Rajat, 30 (name changed) Pexels (5) "I Was Abused At 5 And I Am 50 Now" I went through sexual abuse at 5 and I am 50 now. This is the first time I am talking about it apart from talking to my therapist. I feel confident enough to talk about it now. I was abused by a man, while I was travelling with my mother on a train. I kept quiet for 45 years because I thought no one could understand what I went through. But when I met my wife, I told her about the small fears I had and she helped me a lot in opening up about it. Abuse has no age and when you want to speak about it has no timeline. You can come out whenever you want with it and you'll still hold your dignity intact. You will gain strength and courage to talk about it." - Praveen, 50 Pexels Really, abuse and harassment, sexual or otherwise have no timeline. Recently I read a 90-year-old woman spoke about the abuse she went through when she was 10! Give yourself time and patience to deal with it accurately to process it properly and talk about it courageously, whenever you are ready. The initiative is in sync with PM's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the national commitment to abolish single use plastic by 2022. State Bank of India (SBI) on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary pledged to become a plastic-free organisation in the next 12 months as part of its sustainability commitment. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: State Bank of India (SBI) on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary pledged to become a plastic-free organisation in the next 12 months as part of its sustainability commitment. The initiative is in sync with the Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the national commitment to abolish single use plastic by 2022, the country's largest lender said in a statement. "In the next 12 months, SBI will be undertaking phase wise steps to become plastic free. PET water bottles will be replaced with water dispensers at all its offices and meetings. The bank will also start using standardised paper folders replacing the plastic ones," SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said. When it comes to food and hygiene, he said SBI would replace single use plastic cutlery and containers in its canteens with those made from biodegradable substances. To promote clean fuel, the bank on Tuesday bought its first electric vehicle and announced that it will migrate 100 per cent into electric vehicles by 2030. Participating 'Swachtha Hi Seva' campaign of the government, many lenders including Punjab National Bank (PNB) and HDFC Bank carried out cleanliness drive. HDFC Bank launched a slew of initiatives, some under its existing 'Swachhata and You' programme and some under its on-going health and sanitation programme. "There is no greater gift to ourselves than a clean nation. As a socially responsible corporate citizen, it is our duty to work towards it," HDFC Bank, managing director Aditya Puri said. The government, last week, hiked import duty on aviation turbine fuel to 5 per cent. Air passengers are expected to witness an increase in the flight ticket prices this festive season, as the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have on Monday surged to the highest level since March 2014, as per the data from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (Photo: ANI) Mumbai: Air passengers are expected to witness an increase in the flight ticket prices this festive season, as the aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices have on Monday surged to the highest level since March 2014, as per the data from Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Jet fuel prices as on October 1, 2018 surged to Rs 74,567 per kilolitre in Delhi, Rs 79,736 per kilolitre in Kolkata, Rs 74,177 per kilolitre in Mumbai and Rs 75,521 per kilolitre in Chennai. Jet fuel prices has been the highest in Kolkata and lowest in Mumbai. The main reasons behind the surge in fuel prices is the increase in crude oil prices in the international market and falling rupee against US dollar. The jet fuel prices in September was Rs 69,461 per kilolitre in Delhi, Rs 74,677 per kilolitre in Kolkata, Rs 69,161 per kilolitre in Mumbai and Rs 70,316 per kilolitre in Chennai. The jet fuel prices as on January 1, 2014 was Rs 76241 per kilolitre in Delhi, Rs 86559 per kilolitre in Kolkata, Rs 78783 per kilolitre in Mumbai and Rs 82853 per kilolitre in Chennai. The government, last week, hiked import duty on aviation turbine fuel to 5 per cent, but the import duty hike is expected to have a marginal effect on airlines cost as the amount of jet fuel imported by the airlines accounts to only 4 per cent of its total requirement. Owing to the stiff competition in domestic aviation sector, airlines are propelled to keep the rates intact even on increasing jet fuel prices and falling rupee. But, now the airlines, which are facing huge losses, are expected to pass on the burden of increasing jet fuel prices to consumers. The domestic airlines are under tremendous pressure to curb expenses as the earning has gone down drastically. The airlines hope that fares would increase in the month of October, citing festive season ahead and a surge in demand. Justice Misra said young lawyers were assets having potential to develop the jurisprudence. New Delhi: The outgoing Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, who was given a farewell by the Bar and Bench, said that Indian judiciary is one of the most robust and strongest institutions in the world in the face of attacks and even in troubled times. In his farewell address, Justice Misra said Our judges are ahead than their counterparts in other parts of the world. Justice must have a human face and must be insulated from destructive forces. Justice Misra, who is due to retire on Tuesday after a successful tenure of over seven years, is leaving an indelible imprint as a fearless and courageous judge who fought for womens empowerment and gender justice. He was given a warm farewell by the members of the Bar and the Bench at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association on his last working day. Justice Misra said young lawyers were assets having potential to develop the jurisprudence. CJI Misra who had delivered a series of key verdicts, including the one on Aadhaar and de-criminalising homosexuality, said truth has no colour and it is not as it is made to appear. Paying rich tributes, Justice Gogoi said, Justice Misra has displayed remarkable erudition and fortitude ever since he was elevated to the bench. His greatest contribution has been in Constitutional law, particularly concerning civil liberties. What we should we wear, eat, believe etc are issues which cut and divide us. So what is it that unites us? Without doubt it is the Constitution. Whenever we are in doubt, it is Constitutional morality which should guide us. The Chief Justice of India-designate Ranjan Gogoi, who will take over from Justice Misra from October 3, said Justice Misras greatest contribution has been to civil liberties and he has continuously upheld the freedom of individual and freedom to choose and he has supported womens rights. He cited Justice Misras judgments against mob lynching, abolition of section 377, national anthem and honour killings among others. Justice Gogoi said What we should we wear, eat, believe etc are issues which cut and divide us. So what is it that unites us? Without doubt, it is Constitution. Justice Gogoi said that he will continue in the footsteps of a judge who has played a part in settling several challenging cases. He said the Supreme Court not only has to maneuver difficult legal questions but also nudge society into thinking constructively. In times of great political churning, alongside huge diversity of thought and opinion, we are divided, perhaps more than ever, by lines of caste, religion, ideology... these are issues that cut and divide us. They make us hate those who are different. The challenge is to protect a common world view, Justice Gogoi said. Stressing the importance of holding true to constitutional ideals, Justice Gogoi said failure to do so would result in people continuing to kill and hate each other. But the judges of the Supreme Court are committed to protecting these ideals, and will remain committed, he added. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said the number of judgments CJI Dipak Misra has written in the last week is perhaps a record; time and again he has dealt with gender issues, he has been named gender warrior by some newspapers. Legal justice delivery should be improved. Glad that CJI Designate Ranjan Gogoi said that he will be trying to tackle pendency, the AG added. The Congress has been attacking the government for it calls serving the interests of a few capitalist friends of the Prime Minister. New Delhi: Congress President Mr. Rahul Gandhi once again hit out at the center over increase in bad loans. In a tweet Mr. Gandhi said, Modis India For Common Man: Notebandi-line up and put your money in banks. All your details into Aadhar. You can't use your own money. For Crony capitalists: Notebandi-convert all your black money to white. Let's write off 3.16 lakh crore using common man's money. Congress President also hit out at the BJP-led NDA government over a media report which, citing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, stated that public sector banks had written-off over seven times the recovery amount in the last four years. The media report stated that between April 2014 and April 2018, the country's 21 state-owned banks ended up writing off Rs 3,16,500 crore of loans even as they recovered Rs 44,900 crore written off on a cumulative basis or less than one-seventh the write-off amount. The Congress has been attacking the government for it calls serving the interests of a few capitalist friends of the Prime Minister. Earlier on Mr. Gandhi had termed the present central government as suit boot ki sarkar. The Congress chief had also alleged that Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is rescuing the group via public savings in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) and the State Bank of India (SBI). The IL&FS Group is a vast conglomerate with a complex corporate structure that funds infrastructure projects across the country. Congress has aggressively tried to corner the government on several fronts in the past few months. The party attacked the government over Rafale fighter jet deal. After the revelations of the former French President Mr. Francois Hollande that the Indian government led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi chose the Indian partner for the Rafale deal a political slugfest broke out between the Congress and BJP. The BJP had alleged that the Congress president was involved in a "conspiracy, internationally" and former French president Francois Hollande was part of the "nexus" to sabotage the Rafale deal. SANDUSKY There were no hills or dales as a caisson rolled from Kingston along M-19 to a VFW Post in Sandusky. A decommissioned M60A1 U.S. Army tank was recently relocated from the former Kingston VFW Post to the Sandusky VFW Post #2945. The tank traveled down M-46 in Kingston to M-19 to the Sandusky VFW Post, located at 850 S. Sandusky Road, with several people stopping to watch. A bus from the skill center went by, and the students all yelled and cheered, said Sandusky High School teacher George Lasecski, who spearheaded the project. The Sandusky post had been trying to get the tank for several years. Our students here are very involved with veterans and veteran projects," Lasecski said. "We brought the (Vietnam) moving wall here last year, and restarted the Flags Remembrance Project. That set the spirit for this when the kids asked why we didnt have any static displays at our VFW Hall. The post was working on it for about seven years without any headway. It took several years and a lot of convincing for the Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) to agree to the the loan of equipment to another VFW post. We put together a letter in June sent it to TACOM. They acknowledged it and thats how we got the Army tank," Lasecski said. "It came from a closed post in Kingston and it was our responsibility to get it here." After the relocation was approved, there was still a lot that needed to be done. Construction of a heavy duty cement pad that is 15-foot by 25-foot Pad and eight inches thick had to be done. After the work was completed, it had to set for 28 days for it to cure to make it strong enough to hold the tank, which weighs about 54 tons. When it was moved, the pad had cured for 28 days and five hours, Lasecski explained. It was our responsibility to get the Army tank here. That turned out to be a pretty big project. Finding a company that had the right kind of equipment to handle the size and weight of the tank was another challenge, especially because the tank had been rendered inoperable as a routine safety precaution and had set for several years. I made phone calls for about a month to find the right people with the right equipment for this. It was hard to find a trailer big and strong enough to hold it," he said. "The large excavator trailers that you see could not handle it. Kolar Construction out of Palms had a trailer large enough to carry the tank. The next hurdle was getting the tank onto the trailer. Because it wasnt operable and had been setting for so long the tracks were frozen. We called around to find someone to move it. Some post used cranes to move tanks, but that is expensive like $10,000," he said. "We were able to find a gentleman, Rusty Trigger, who has a tank recovery machine from Afghanistan, which has a large winch to load it on and off the trailer. Then a company had to be found who had the equipment to pull the trailer and tank. Gerald Bartnik of Bartnik Services, Cass City, used his largest wrecker to do the job. We had a large tractor attempting to just role the tank tracks. This failed. It had been setting for 20 years," Lasecski said. "So four gallons of WD-40 oil was dumped onto the tracks to attempt to loosen up the pins. Mr. Bartnik was able to break the locked up tracks loose after several attempts." "Then, Mr. Trigger towed the tank onto Mr. Kohler's drop deck trailer," he added. A lot of time and effort went into this project. There have been numerous people helping along the way. Those men gifted their services to doing this project. The cost of the pad was $1,700. It was a nice community project and a long time coming. The relocation of the tank was the day before Sanduskys homecoming, which was military appreciation night. In honor of that, 439 flags that are dedicated to veterans were set up on the courthouse campus. Following the high courts order for his release, Mr Navlakha said, From Delhi high court I have won my freedom and it thrills me no end. New Delhi: In a major setback to the Maharashtra police, the Delhi high court on Monday set free journalist and social activist Gautam Navlakha, one of the five activists arrested for their alleged links with a banned Maoist group on August 28, from house arrest. The court ordered his release while quashing a trial court orders granting transit remand to Maharashtra police to take him to Pune. A two-judge bench of Justices S. Muralidhar and Vinod Goel set aside the August 28 order of chief metropolitan magistrate granting transit remand of Mr Navlakha saying there was non-compliance of basic provisions of the Constitution and the CrPC. The trial court also said that Mr Navlakhas detention had exceeded 24 hours, which is untenable in law. In view of Section 56 read with Section 57 of the CrPC and absence of remand order of the CMM, the detention of the petitioner has clearly exceeded 24 hours which is untenable in law. Consequently, the house arrest of the petitioner comes to an end now, the bench said. The court, however, made it clear that this order will not preclude the state of Maharashtra from proceeding further. Following the high courts order for his release, Mr Navlakha said, From Delhi high court I have won my freedom and it thrills me no end. Last week, the Supreme Court held that the arrests of five activists, including Mr Navlakha, appeared to have been prompted by their alleged links to a banned organisation and not dissent or their political ideology. By a majority opinion, the top court dismissed the petition filed by historian Romila Thapar and four others seeking a Supreme Court-monitored special investigation team (SIT) probe into the allegations against the five arrested activists . But the apex court said the accused could seek legal recourse at an appropriate court within four weeks. The Maharashtra police wanted to take Mr Navlakha to Pune in connection with an FIR lodged there following an event, Elgaar Parishad (conclave), on December 31 last year that had triggered violence at Koregaon-Bhima village which spread to other parts of the state. On Monday, when the counsel for Maharashtra government asked the court to extend Mr Navlakhas house arrest by two more days, as the apex court had also extended it by four weeks, the bench said the counsel had overlooked that the top court has passed this order to enable the activist to avail appropriate legal remedy. Mr Navlakha and the four other activists arrested from different parts of the country were put under house arrest on August 29 following the apex courts order. HARTFORD The Connecticut State Department of Education is teaming up with a group called TEACH.org to attract a more diverse and talented teaching pool. TEACH Connecticut will be a statewide initiative to help fill vacancies in certification shortage areas such as math, science, bilingual and special education. Governor Dannel P. Malloy called it an important resource. The campaign will include television and radio ads that highlight the creativity, leadership, and excitement teachers in classrooms across Connecticut encounter daily. There also will be a website, Teach.org to serve as a one-stop-shop portal for those considering teaching as a career. It will take individuals through the qualifications needed to teach, help them research school districts and salary information, list teacher preparation programs and review certification requirements. In the current school year, some school districts are struggling to fill vacancies. The Bridgeport Board of Education was told it had about two dozen vacancies as of late September. That was lower than in past years. Statewide there are ten designated shortage areas for teachers, including bilingual education, special education, math, library and media specialists, science, speech, technology education, and world languages. In priority school districts, teachers of shortage areas may be eligible for a state Mortgage Assistance program and those districts may be allowed to hire retired teachers to fill vacancies. The state Department of Education invited all schools and school districts in the state, including charter schools, approved special education providers, and educator preparation programs to join the initiative. So far, more than 70 schools joined the initiative and more will continue to be added. TEACH.org is a 501(c)(3) onprofit organization, launched by Microsoft and the U.S. Department of Education. Visit TEACH Connecticut at https://connecticut.teach.org. MIDDLETOWN A longtime advocate for the citys sight-impaired residents was honored by the local Lions Club for his dedication to making Middletown an easier place to navigate for the blind. About 15 individuals, a majority of them club members, gathered downtown Thursday on a sunny, early fall morning at the South Green to dedicate a bench to longtime member Marty Knight, who was clad in his bright yellow Lions vest with a matching tie decorated with tiny shapes of the state of Connecticut. Knight, who has retinitis pigmentosa and is well-known for his community service, sense of humor, friendly disposition and infectious smile, and has a heart of gold and is always looking out for other people, and has altruism built into who he is, officials said. Retinitis pigmentosa refers to a group of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration, according to the Foundation Fighting Blindness. His sister and brother also have the condition but his parents do not. Service has been a part of me since I was not able to do my part in service to my country, but Ive done service in many other ways. When I got the news on March 15, 1967, that I was being declared blind, I considered that a good news/bad news thing, Knight said. The good part is I finally knew why I wasnt seeing as well as I could. When the doctor explained what I was going to go through, he thought I was in denial. No one had explained it to me that day. But later, Knight helped bring audible crosswalk signal to the city in the mid-1990s so people could safely venture into the pedestrian walkway. Prior to that, Knight said, he listened for the flow of traffic to gauge when it was safe to proceed across the street. Some people say visually impaired, but Ive been that way for the last 51 years, so it doesnt bother me. I used the word blind. Knight said his parents sat him down after his diagnosis, and told him they expected he would live as normal a life as possible. The most important thing well never expect of you is that you never use your blindness as an excuse, he was told. I had a few too many close calls. As I said at the time, I dont have a white cane, I have an aiming stick. I was very cautious stepping off the curb, especially after right on red went into effect. Knight has enjoyed 45 years of continuous service to the Lions. From 1973 to 2001, he was a member of the Advisory Board for the Lions Gallery of the Senses at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford. Since 2002, Knight has served as president of the local Lions Club three different times, and was zone chairman from 2003 to 2007. He is also a Lions Club International Foundation Melvin Jones Fellow, and Connecticut Lions Eye Research Foundation Knight of the Blind. Knight worked as a darkroom technician for Middlesex Hospital from 1974 to 2008, and in 2004, he was first runner-up for the Frank R. Corocoran Employee Recognition Award, according to a statement from the mayors office. President Howard Geltman said he was 13 when he met Knight, when they attended a school of the blind together. Marty has been a long-standing Lion, but Im also honored to be his friend, said District 23 Governor Laura Rowe as she pinned the International Lions pin to his lapel. It is emblazoned with the motto we serve in peace. There are four counties in the district: New London, Tolland, Windham and Middlesex, Rowe said, and 1,700 members. How much did you pay these people? friend Elderrean Ellie Paules joked after the ceremony. Half of Middletown Lions Club members are blind, she said. Knight said he was proud to have graduated from Oak Hill School, where I was able to participate in everything the students did without being considered a liability, unlike what his hometown school district offered at the time. Afterward, he attended community college. How many times have you walked through this park? one person asked Knight. Several thousand times, he joked. Marty, I just broke your bench, Paules said after taking a seat next to him. We know where to find Ellie now, someone in the audience said. Ill be in the park! she replied. One of our mottos is where theres a need, theres a Lion, Rowe said, adding most chapters have older members. Unfortunately, theres so much need, we need to keep bringing in more Lions because we have so many projects, among them Camp Rising in Colebrook. Every August, children with cancer can attend the summer camp for a week, Rowe said. They can go and just be kids. Lions also work with school districts to offer pediatric sight readings. Im not going to say hes disabled its what he does because of it, Beverly Townes said. Knight told a story about the time he was accused of being a Peeping Tom on a hot summer night after work. He took a wrong turn at Main and Union streets, and got lost, so he went to the first house he found for assistance. He made his way down the driveway into the backyard. Unfortunately for him, the female resident was getting ready for bed. She called the police to report a prowler. When the officer asked for his ID, Knight mistakenly offered the card that contained his political party affiliation. When the officer asked why he was in Middletown, Knight said he lived nearby at the YMCA and worked at Middlesex Hospital. He was relieved to learn the woman declined to press charges. Club member Sandra Reynolds asked those in attendance to look around at the other benches at South Green/Union Park to see how Knights is distinguished. Its different, and its different for a reason, because Martys so different from us. Hes different alright, Paules said. Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day @hearstmediact.com or Twitter @cassandrasdis. WESTBROOK Shoreline Arts Alliance is presenting the 19th annual New Voices in Childrens Literature: Tassy Walden Awards competition. This contest affords unpublished Connecticut authors and illustrators of childrens books the opportunity to have manuscripts and portfolios reviewed by literary agents and possibly by editors and art directors at some of the major publishing houses for childrens literature. The New Voices in Childrens Literature: Tassy Walden Awards is a Connecticut statewide, juried competition opened to Childrens Literature writers and illustrators who are not published or under contract for publication. Categories are: Picture Book (text only), Illustrated Picture Book (author and illustrator must be same person), Childrens Book Illustrator Portfolio, Middle Grade Novel and Young Adult/Teen Novel. All submitted works that meet the contest guidelines will be sent to literary agents for the first tier of judging. Works deemed outstanding will then be sent on to publishers and editors at major publishing houses for childrens literature. All submissions for this years contest must be postmarked by February 1, 2019. Call for Entry may be downloaded at www.shorelinearts.org. Shoreline Arts Alliance is offering a free workshop in preparation for this years contest. Workshops are facilitated by founding members of the Tassy Walden Awards committee and by winners and finalists of the New Voices in Childrens Literature competition, many of whom are now published or under contract for publication. The facilitators will review the submission guidelines and the current industry standards and provide insight and answer questions related to getting your work "out there" to literary agents and publishers. Reservations are requested to ensure adequate number of handouts and entry forms and can be made via email to tassy@shorelinearts.org or by phone at 203-453-3890. Workshop is scheduled to be Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Guilford Free Library in Guilford. Visit www.ShorelineArts.org or contact the office at 203-453-3890 for 2019 Entry Form and guidelines or for additional information or questions on preparing manuscripts and portfolios for submission. Halloween celebration tickets available Shoreline Arts Alliances Guild is Hosting Costumes & Cocktails Friday, Oct 26, at the Madison Country Club, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., 8 W Wharf Rd, Madison. Tickets are on sale now starting at $35 per person. Sponsorships are welcome. Visit www.ShorelineArts.org/costumes-cocktails for more information. Tickets can also be purchased through check made out to Shoreline Arts Alliance with the memo Costumes & Cocktails # of tickets sent to 725 Boston Post Rd, Guilford, CT. Call 203-453-3890 or email office@shorelinearts.org with any questions. Shoreline Arts Alliance, a Regional Service Organization of CT Department of Economic and Community Development-Office of the Arts, is a 501 (C) 3 organization founded in 1980 to serve individual artists, arts, cultural and heritage organizations, educational institutions, strategic partners and the community-at-large. Shoreline Arts Alliances mission is to Transform Lives through The Arts. We carry out this mission through our state wide arts offerings, scholarships, and work as an Arts Council. Learn more at www.ShorelineArts.org Hip Hop dance class offered DEEP RIVER Elizabeth Florentine from the Dance Corner will be at the Deep River Public Library Wednesday Oct. 3, 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. to give a hip hop dance class suitable for grade school boys and girls. Registration is required for this event and islimited to 15 participants. Children must be between the ages of 6 - 10 years old. To register, go to http://deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.comand click on our monthly calendar, or call the library at 860-526-6039 Alzheimers Support Group to begin MIDDLETOWN Waters Edge Center for Health & Rehabilitation, located at 111 Church Street, Middletown will host a monthly Alzheimers Support Group on the 2nd Tuesday of the month from 6-7pm. For more information, contact Memory Care Program Director Gina Smith, LPN at 860.347.7286. The first meeting will be held Oct. 9. Waters Edge is a National Health Care Associates facility. National has been privileged to serve thousands of Alzheimers/memory care patients and families for over 34 years, and is honored to partner with the Alzheimers Association, Connecticut Chapter in supporting residents dealing with the effects of Alzheimers disease or related dementia. Association to hold Business Development Expo EAST HADDAM The East Haddam Business Association (EHBA) will host a Business Development Expo on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. at the new East Haddam Town Office Building, 1 Plains Road in Moodus. A networking reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. will follow at the Gelston House, 8 Main Street in East Haddam. For more information contact: Judith M. Dobai at 800-595-4912, visit ehbact.org, or www.facebook.com/EHBusinessAssociation. Car show, flea market set for Oct. 7 MIDDLETOWN The Middlesex County Historical Society will hold its 33rd Annual Car Show and Flea Market, Sunday, Oct. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. This year, the show will feature a 1949 Ford Custom Convertible. This burgundy colored all- stock beauty has won many awards including the Dearborn Award and, most recently, the Grand National First from the American Automobile Classic Association. The show will be held at Palmer Field adjacent to Washington Street, Route 66, in Middletown. Car registration begins at 8:30 am and judging starts at 11:30 am. Trophies made by the committee will be awarded to the top 30 vehicles at 2:30 pm. General admission is $3 and children 12 and under are free. Car registration is $10. Although cars registered for judging must be dated 1993 or older, there is no cut-off date for cars being placed in the car corral. In 1949, Ford Motors made more than one million cars of which more than 60,000 were convertibles. The 1949 Fords were the first all-new automobile design introduced by the Big Three after World War II, civilian production having been suspended during the war. Popularly called the "Shoebox Ford" for its slab-sided, "ponton" design, the 1949 Ford is credited both with saving Ford and ushering in modern streamlined car design with changes such as integrated fenders. The featured cars owner is Burt Schwartz. His first car was a 1949 Ford, with a sleek line, white wall tires, chrome engine and a continental tire on the back. When he retired, he went on a quest to find his 49 Ford. He was finally successful in 2003 and restored it down to the proper screws and bolts. As a Ford collector, he thinks it is one of the finest combination Fords ever produced. In addition to its many awards, it has appeared in a full-length movie written by Wally Lamb and shown on the Hallmark Channel. Flea market spaces are $15 and the market opens at 7 a.m. For more information, call the Society at 860-346-0746. He reiterated his allegations that New Delhi has a high tariff rate on various American products. Trump alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. (Photo: File | PTI) Washington/New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Monday slammed India for imposing "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and said that New Delhi wanted to have a trade deal with the US primarily to keep him happy. Trump's charges against the alleged high Indian tariffs, for the second time in a few days, came during his White House news conference where he announced a new trade deal with neighbouring Mexico and Canada. As he announced the key elements of the US-Mexico and Canada Agreement or USMCA, Trump listed out at the trade deals that are under negotiations, including with Japan, European Union, China and India. Trump described India as a "tariff king" as he reiterated his allegations that New Delhi has a high tariff rate on various American products. Trump alleged that India puts "tremendously high tariffs" on American products and raked up the issue of Harley Davidson motorcycles. "When we send Harley Davidson motorcycle, and other things to India, they charge us very very high tariffs. I have spoken to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi and he is going to reduce them substantially," he said. Trump said the relationship with both India as well as the country's Prime Minister Modi "is great". He, however, rued that no one from the previous regimes had ever spoken with the Indians. "Nobody ever spoke to these people (Indians). He (Modi) said, nobody ever spoke to me. I am not trying to be overly dramatic. We have had presidents of the United States and (US) Trade Representatives, they never spoke to India. Brazil is another one," Trump said, adding that "they charge us whatever they want". Noting that the tariff on motorcycles was 100 per cent, the president said it was like a barrier. India has already reduced it substantially, but it is still too high, Trump said, adding that who is going to buy it as it costs so much. He also warned against imposing similar tariffs on the import of Indian products. Trump said India wanted to have a trade deal with the US and the negotiations are being carried out by the US Trade Representatives Robert Lighthizer. When US officials asked Indians why they want to have a trade deal with America, Indian officials told them that they want to keep the US President happy, Trump told reporters. "India, which is the tariff king, they called us and they said, 'we want to start negotiations immediately'," Trump said. Thereafter, he referred to a conversation that Lighthizer had with the Indian officials. "When Bob Lighthizer said, 'What happened? He would never do this.' They said, 'No, we want to keep your president happy.' Isn't that nice? Isn't that nice? It's true. They have to keep us happy, because they understand that we're wise to what's been happening," Trump claimed. "India charges tariffs of 100 per cent, and then if we want to put a tariff of 25 per cent on, people will call from Congress, 'But that's not free trade.' And I'd look back to people and say, 'Where do these people come from? Where do they come from?'" Trump said. "So because of the power of tariffs and the power that we have with tariffs, we, in many cases, won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are, and how good they are. But in many cases, we're not going to have to use them," he added. On Saturday, Trump had said that India wants to have a trade deal with the US because it does not want him to impose tariffs on their products. Trump's remarks came days after Assistant US Trade Representative Mark Linscott returned from India where he had detailed discussion with senior Indian officials on bilateral trade and a possible trade deal between the two countries. Navy divers with an underwater construction team had been operating around a tiny Pacific Micronesian island for about a month when they saw a Boeing 737 coming in way too low. The sailors with Underwater Construction Team 2 watched as an Air Niugini aircraft missed the runway at Chuuk International Airport on Friday and flew into the water. They immediately rushed back to their small boat and headed straight for the downed plane. "We've been working in the vicinity of the runway and the main commercial port here, and we've seen planes coming in and out of here for the past month," Construction Mechanic 1st Class John Monahan, who led the group of six sailors to the partially submerged plane, told CNN. It was obvious, Monahan added, that the plane was too low to make its intended landing. Related content: When the team reached the plane, about a quarter mile from the runway, it was sinking in a lagoon that's about 100 feet deep. They got there before the emergency doors had even opened. When they did, the sailors helped load passengers onto their inflatable boat so they could be shuttled back to shore. Navy videos show passengers exiting the aircraft in yellow life vests. Some of the sailors, wearing nothing but swim trunks, can be seen walking on the wing to reach the open door. RELATED VIDEO: When they entered the aircraft to check for more passengers, water was quickly filling the cabin. Builder 3rd Class Brock Farmer swam through the cabin checking for passengers before the sailors decided it was no longer safe to be inside the sinking plane. Back out on the wing, they got a head count of passengers and crew members who had boarded the boat. Local fishermen had joined the rescue efforts, and a corpsman gave medical attention to at least one passenger, according to a Navy news release. Airline officials initially said all 47 passengers and crew safely evacuated the aircraft, but the body of a male passenger was found in the lagoon Monday. Several people were treated for injuries, and four remained hospitalized as of Sunday, according to airline officials. The Coast Guard helped move some of those patients in critical condition to Naval Hospital Guam. The Coast Guard also sent a team of six doctors with a disaster medical-assistance team to Chuuk, where they helped treat the injured passengers, the release states. And when the Navy diving team was told some of the severely injured were in need of blood transfusions, three sailors with the right type donated. It's not immediately clear what caused the plane to miss the runway. In a Sunday statement, Air Niugini's chairman, Sir Kostas Constantinou, said "very poor visibility at the time due to bad weather" might have played a role. The Navy has been asked to help recover the flight-data recorders, which could offer more details about the crash. Constantinou thanked the Navy divers for their assistance. "I would like to express my deep gratitude to the aircrew of P2-PXE, the U.S. Navy, and to the many Micronesians who came to the rescue of the passengers and crew so quickly," he said Sunday. The sailors were in the area to improve a local wharf. They were inspecting navigational aids and taking steps to help protect coral reef from boat anchors near a popular scuba-diving site, according to the release. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins. The historical Mughal-era linkages between the two countries were also strengthened in the form of an MoU. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hugs Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev as Mr Mirziyoyevs wife Ziroat, President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita look on during a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. (Photo: Pritam Bandyopadhyay) New Delhi: After talks between visiting Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, the two nations inked 17 pacts, including in the fields of military education, development of pharmaceutical industry, combating the illicit trafficking narcotic drugs and cooperation in the exploration and uses of outer space for peaceful purposes. The two countries also agreed to strengthen ties in diverse sectors such as political ties, defence, security, counter-terrorism, trade and investment, science and technology, space, nuclear energy, information technology, as well as cultural and academic linkages. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $200 million line of credit for social infrastructure projects in the central Asian nation, adding that Indo-Uzbek ties were a meeting of emotions and hearts. We are moving towards a new era where our bilateral ties will touch new heights and we will strengthen our strategic partnership, said PM Modi. The historical Mughal-era linkages between the two countries were also strengthened in the form of an MoU between Samarkand City in Uzbekistan and the Agra Municipal Corporation as well as an MoU between the Andijan Region in Uzbekistan and the Gujarat government on establishment of mutual cooperation and partnership. The first Mughal emperor in India, Babur, was born in Andijan in modern Uzbekistan. The (two) sides welcomed the establishment of partnership relations between the Andijan region and the state of Gujarat, as well as cities of Samarkand and Agra, the Joint Statement said. It added, The Indian side thanked the Uzbek side for their support in Indias membership of the Ashgabat Agreement, and expressed hope that Uzbekistan would also join the International North South Transport Corridor. The two leaders also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, with the joint statement saying, The Sides discussed the situation in Afghanistan and noted that establishment of peace and stability in that country is of great significance to the security and stability of the entire region. They reiterated support for efforts of the Government and the people for a genuine Afghan-owned, Afghan-led and Afghan controlled peace and reconciliation process that would allow for a peaceful, secure, united, inclusive and prosperous nation. The sides shared the view that countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations without distinction is important for sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan. Noting the importance of a safe and secure regional environment for development and prosperity, the Sides agreed to cooperate in addressing threats and challenges to national as well as regional security. The Sides agreed to strengthen cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and special services of the two countries, including under the framework of the Uzbekistan-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. Both Sides called for early finalisation of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The joint statement said, Noting the importance of a safe and secure regional environment for development and prosperity, the Sides agreed to cooperate in addressing threats and challenges to national as well as regional security. The Sides agreed to strengthen cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and special services of the two countries, including under the framework of the Uzbekistan-India Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism. Both Sides called for early finalisation of Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. The sides agreed to constitute an expert group between India and Uzbekistan to conduct Joint Feasibility Study and commence negotiations for India-Uzbekistan Preferential Trade Agreement by the end of 2018, it added. The (two) Sides noted the prospects for wider use of opportunities in the free economic zones of the two countries, including in the newly created Uzbek-Indian free pharmaceutical zone in the Andijan region, the statement further added. On cooperation in the IT sector, the statement said, The (two) Sides noted with satisfaction the ongoing cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies. The Sides also noted with satisfaction the training of Uzbek specialists and students in information and communication technologies at the Uzbek-Indian Centre of Information Technologies named after Jawaharlal Nehru in Tashkent and agreed to the need for its further upgrading and facilitating joint training programmes on IT. The (two) Sides agreed to expand cooperation in the IT Sector. They expressed their readiness to explore possibilities of cooperation for opening of branches of Indian Universities/Institutions in the IT, Tourism and hotel management sector in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek side expressed their interest for establishment of an IT Park in Uzbekistan in cooperation with Indian IT companies based on their best practices on software industry development, acceleration of startups, the statement added. Forensic Science Advances Mean US War Fighters Are No Longer Likely to Be Buried as Unknown No American service member killed in action over the past 30 years has been buried as unknown. The Trump administration appears to have shelved indefinitely a plan that would have housed unaccompanied migrant children on military bases in the southwest. The military stood ready to comply with requests to take in "unaccompanied alien children," but the Defense Department had yet to receive any notifications from the Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security to prepare for arrivals, said Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. HHS officials have reportedly told the Pentagon previously that the use of military bases for the overflow of migrant children was unlikely, and Mark Weber, an HHS spokesman, said via e-mail Tuesday that the plan was "on indefinite hold." If asked, "DoD will be willing and ready to support" HHS in dealing with the crisis at the border brought on by the surge of undocumented immigrants, mostly from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, Davis said. The possibility of using military bases to house up to 20,000 migrant children and adults first surfaced last spring. In June, Dana White, the Pentagon's chief spokesperson, said the decision would be up to HHS, but added that "we are very open to providing facilities and working closely with them to ensure that their needs are met." HHS then conducted site surveys at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas; Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas; Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas; and Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas. In late June, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said at a news briefing that the possibilities had been narrowed to Goodfellow and Bliss. He said housing undocumented migrants on military bases is a "legitimate government function," but it was up to HHS. In a previous surge at the border in 2014, then-Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered military bases to be opened up to migrant children. More than 3,000 children were then temporarily housed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Lackland Air Force Base, Texas; and Naval Base Ventura, California. At the time, the DoD worked out lease arrangements with HHS to offer up excess or empty base buildings to house the children, and HHS was responsible for their care. Under President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" policy, adults crossing illegally face criminal prosecution and can be held in federal jails. Minors under the age of 18 cannot be prosecuted or put in federal detention under U.S. law. Through the summer, HHS has focused on holding migrant children at its existing network of more than 100 civilian shelters for unaccompanied alien children in 17 states rather than requesting help from the military. Under law, HHS is "required to shelter and care for unaccompanied alien children (UAC) until the children are released to a suitable sponsor, removed after their immigration proceedings, or turn 18," according to the department. About 12,800 unaccompanied children are now in federal custody. In recent weeks, HHS has been expanding a tent city shelter in Tornillo, Texas, near El Paso to take in unaccompanied boys. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com. A Navy petty officer third class is facing court-martial after being charged with trying to solicit someone under the age of 18 for sex earlier this year while stationed in Bahrain. Quartermaster 3rd Class Kenneth Olaya was charged with attempting to commit a sexual act with a child between the ages of 12 and 16 on Jan. 18 in or near Manama. He's also accused of soliciting a person other than his spouse for sexual acts in exchange for money on multiple occasions between March and December 2017, according to his charge sheet. Olaya is one of at least five sailors charged with alleged sex crimes or misconduct in Bahrain. Military.com first reported in August that Olaya was facing a court-martial, but his charge sheet was not released by Navy officials until recently. An arraignment is being scheduled for Olaya. A trial date has not yet been set, said Lt. Tim Pietrack, a spokesman for Navy Region Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. Olaya, who's from North Carolina, has been in the Navy for five years. He has a Good Conduct Medal and a Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, according to his personnel records. Three chief petty officers, Chief Operations Specialist Jayson Waitman Grant, Chief Logistics Specialist Calvin Halfacre and Chief Logistics Specialist Earl Anthony McLaughlin; and a petty officer second class, Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Jihad Hobeson Littlejohn, were charged with various crimes that allegedly occurred in Bahrain around the same time period. A lieutenant commander is also under investigation, Navy Times reported this summer. Navy officials have declined to comment on the investigations while they're ongoing. Migrant workers and unskilled laborers in Bahrain can be forced into labor and sex trafficking, the State Department warned earlier this year. The Navy has started an awareness campaign for sailors deploying there, said Cmdr. Josh Frey, a spokesman for Navy Forces Central Command. The campaign covers combating human trafficking as well as ethics and character development. "The goal of this campaign is to raise awareness of this issue, reinforce Navy core values, and promote bystander intervention by encouraging sailors to speak up when wrongdoing or destructive behaviors are occurring," Frey said. "The campaign also includes ongoing law enforcement and investigative measures to identify and appropriately address any further activity discovered." -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins. U.S. military forces in Iraq are standing by to help evacuate the U.S. consulate in the southern city of Basra after the State Department's recent decision to temporarily close the facility because of threats made by Iranian forces. "If American lives are at risk, then the [Defense Department] will take prudent steps to relocate the personnel from harm," Army Col. Sean Ryan, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force- Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday. The closure is in response to "increasing and specific threats" from the Iranian government and militias under its control, according to a Sept. 28 Associated Press report. Basra, one of three U.S. diplomatic missions in Iraq, has been plagued by violent protests recently over government corruption and poor public services. In mid-September, three Katyusha rockets were fired at Basra's airport, which houses the U.S. consulate, by a Shiite militia after it vowed revenge against Iraq protesters for setting fire to the Iranian consulate, the AP reported. There were no casualties in the rocket attack, but U.S. Ambassador Douglas Silliman decided not to take chances and temporarily close the consulate. "Ambassador Silliman is a great leader, and he determined that risk is not worth the reward," Ryan said. "They are just not willing to put up with that. They are diplomats; they are not warfighters, so that is the route that we are going." He did not have a timeline for the evacuation or how many U.S. military personnel would be involved. "Like I said, American lives are at risk ... when asked, we will definitely support," he said, adding, "It's still very early in this process." But the rocket attack near the U.S. consulate isn't the only incident involving Iran that has threatened American lives in the region. Iran launched several ballistic Monday toward eastern Syria, targeting militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade last month, the AP reported. The missiles flew over Iraq and impacted at undisclosed locations inside Syria. The strike came as a surprise to U.S. and coalition forces conducting operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Ryan said. "These strikes potentially jeopardized the forces on the ground that are actually fighting ISIS and put them in danger," he said, adding that Iran made no attempt to coordinate or de-conflict with U.S. or coalition forces. "I can tell you that Iran took no such measures, and professional militaries like the coalition and the Russian confederation de-conflict their operations for maximum safety." While U.S. forces were not near any of the missile impacts, "anytime anyone just fires missiles through uncoordinated airspace, it's a threat," he said. In the past, Ryan has said that Iran is not known for being accurate with its missile attacks. "I did say two weeks ago that they have bad aim," he said. "That hasn't changed, and that is actually one of the problems with Basra as well. You have folks out there shooting weapons that they may not know how to use." The incident is under investigation, he said, stressing that U.S. and coalition forces have no interest in having Iran conduct future strikes for any reason. "The coalition is not requesting any support," he said. "We can handle things ourselves; we don't need anyone else firing into [the] region." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Situational awareness is one of the most important things on the battlefield, but the devices meant to protect Marines' hearing can sometimes dull their senses, leaving some to ditch the protective gear altogether. The Marine Corps wants to fix that, and will be ramping up tests this year for new headsets officials hope let Marines them hear what's going on around them while still protecting their hearing. "The technology in that area has just really grown," said Nick Pierce, the individual-armor team lead with Marine Corps Systems Command. "...There are systems that do a much better job with what we call localization, which means that if you have a Marine with a headset on, it can enhance his hearing to where he actually hears some sounds better, but [it] also protects his hearing all at the same time." Related reading: That's what the Marine Corps called on industry leaders to develop last month when officials announced plans to buy up to 65,000 of the devices over the next three years. Last week, Pierce and other SYSCOM officials met with some companies executives that think they can make what the Marine Corps wants. Some of the older technology allows for sound to come through the headsets, but can make it difficult for Marines to decipher the direction from which the sound is coming. In a combat situation, that can be a bad thing, Pierce said. "We're going to do some testing before the end of the year, but it seems like some of these systems have really come up with some technology that makes that a lot better," Pierce said. "We're excited to test out some of those claims." Hearing loss is one of the most common claims the Department of Veterans Affairs sees once troops leave the military. In 2014, nearly 1 million veterans received disability compensation for hearing loss and another 1.3 million for tinnitus, or ringing of the ears. A lot of those claims could be the result of Marines choosing to wear nothing in lieu of sacrificing their situational awareness in combat, Pierce said. "It's one of those choices where they want to hear those small sounds, they want to hear the commands from their fire-team leader," he said. "If we can give them a system where they keep that situational awareness of what's around them while still receiving communication from their fellow Marines, then they'll wear the systems and be protected. Whereas now, many of them aren't protected at all." Marine officials met with 16 companies last week, many of which were presenting ideas for better hearing protection, Pierce said. In additional to improving situational awareness, he said they hope to eventually field headsets that are flexible and work with a wide range of radios. Marines have been testing some of the new headsets in Ohio and Norway in order to assess how they perform in different climates. Tests will continue throughout the end of the year, and the Marine Corps could begin purchasing new headsets as early as next fall. -- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ginaaharkins. Marine Corps Systems Command has awarded a contract worth up to $9 million contract to Provengo, LLC to produce the service's new Military Ski System, according to a Sept. 27 award notice on the federal contracting website FedBizOpps. The Marine Corps announced in May that it wanted a new ski system designed to work with the service's Extreme Cold Weather Vapor Barrier Boots and the Intermediate Cold Weather Boots so Marines wouldn't need a separate pair of ski boots. "The ski binding shall be universal and be able to fit all types of boots in the Marine Corps inventory, Vapor Barrier and Intense Cold Weather Boot," the Aug. 3 request for proposal (RFP) states. Marine Corps Systems Command officials say that the service wants to field the new ski system to scout snipers, reconnaissance Marines and select infantrymen. The new ski system "shall provide adequate flotation for an individual and gear up to 300 pounds" and the "skis shall have a combined weight of no more than [seven pounds]," the solicitation states. Marines will also be able to use the skis as a frame for a "winter medevac stretcher," the RFP states. Initially, the Marines want 1,500 of the ski systems to be delivered to the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California by May 31, according to the RFP. The service may need up to 8,000 sets of the new ski system. The Army has embarked on a similar effort to develop a new ski system and is evaluating skis with universal bindings. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Though the General Election is still a month away, its time for military voters to start returning their absentee ballots so they arrive in time to meet state deadlines. More information about voting absentee. Election offices nationwide were required to send ballots to military voters who requested them by Sept. 22. If you haven't received your ballot yet, you may want to use the federal backup ballot, the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) has an easy-to-use online tool that will help you fill out and submit your ballot on their website, FVAP.gov. Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) The FWAB serves as a backup ballot if you don't get your regular absentee ballot in time. FVAP.gov offers an online assistant that will guide you through the form-completion process, as well as lets you complete a paper write-in absentee ballot that you can print out and mail back to your home state for the upcoming election. Some states let you complete the entire process online. If you end up receiving an official ballot after sending in a backup ballot, you should still fill it out and send it back. States will ensure only one ballot is counted per voter. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) The FVAP has a website that allows you to register to vote, request ballots, and in some cases actually submit your ballot online. The website also lists all candidates for federal offices in your home voting district and links you to the official state voting website for assistance in researching and understanding your state and local election issues. If you are just starting to think about next month's election, there may still be time to register to vote in many states. You can visit FVAP.gov for your state's specific voter registration, ballot request and ballot submission deadlines. "Absentee voters should check their state voting deadlines, follow all ballot instructions and send back their ballot in plenty of time for it to arrive," FVAP Director David Beirne said. "We encourage military and overseas voters to use the backup ballot at FVAP.gov if they are concerned about missing their state's voting deadline." Don't just protect democracy, participate in it - VOTE! BY AMY SHERMAN | asherma2@mlive.com One of Grand Rapids favorite chefs and biggest personalties, Jenna Arcidiacono, will appear on the Food Network this week. Chef Jenna, along with her husband Maurizio, owns the immensely popular Amore Trattoria restaurant in Comstock Park. Arcidiacono will be on Guy's Grocery Games this Wednesday, October 3. The show is scheduled to air at 9pm. The show will air again on October 4 at 12am. "One day we got a phone call at Amore from people who were casting for the Food Network. I just assumed that Maurizio was pranking me. Then my friend Aimee, who was hostessing, said 'No, it's a girl!' So I took the phone call in the office," Chef Jenna explained. Hosted by celebrity chef Guy Fieri, the show is sometimes known by it's nickname "Triple G". Four chefs compete in a three-round elimination contest. The chefs create dishes using ingredients that they shop for in the on-site grocery store, while also dealing with challenges presented to them by Fieri. "I was excited to find out that the show is taped near San Francisco since I used to live there. It was great to go back and visit. It's filmed near Santa Rosa in a non-disclosed location," Chef Jenna explained. The supermarket grocery store is known as "Flavortown Market". It kind of hurt me to write that, but facts are facts. Chef Jenna is appearing on the episode "Flavortown Fright Night". A description of the show provided by the Food Network: "Things are getting freaky in Flavortown as four fearless chefs play Guy Fieri's scariest games for a stab at a $20,000 shopping spree. First, Guy gives the chefs a frightening ingredient that they must feature in a spicy dish. Then, the chefs left standing must choose what to cook using Guy's spooky menu-item refrigerator magnets." The whole experience was pretty stressful for Chef Jenna. "I didn't sleep at all once I got to California and my stomach was in knots. I just kept thinking that I was going to be on national TV and I wanted to make everyone proud." Chef Jenna is a well known and loved local chef in the Grand Rapids area. We visited her on our search for Michigan's Best Italian restaurant in 2017, and enjoyed her cooking so much that we named Amore a top ten pick. We had this to say about Amore: "The name Amore is perfect for this Grand Rapids area restaurant. Not only is it run by the husband-and-wife team of Maurizo and Chef Jenna Arcidiacono, who have been married for 18 years, we dare you not to fall in love with everything they've got going on here. Start your night off at the bar, with a bright and bitter Aperol Spritz to get your taste buds flowing, then indulge in house-made potato chips with truffle oil, Ligurian chickpea fritters, olives and tarallini (crispy savory crackers), or fresh-made pizzelle (fried dough) served with a fresh tomato sauce. When you are ready, Maurizo will lead you through their all-Italian wine list, and most likely suggest something amazing that might surprise you. Here at Amore they are happy to offer not only a 100% Italian wine list, but also several big Italian styles by the glass, like barolo or amarone, that you might not usually get to try that way. They truly are here to serve you, and make you feel like family. Chef Jenna told us, "We just don't like to say no." Say yes to her "pumpkin tortoloni," which comes bathed in a brown butter sage sauce, or their number one seller, the arancini, which is stuffed with oozy Fontina cheese. Maurizo is from the Milano region of Italy, and Jenna not only lived there, but returns to Italy several times each year, each time coming back with new recipes and ideas. We were lucky enough to get to try a new black currant and porcini mushroom risotto, which sounds like a crazy combo, but was strangely delectable. They also offer a full vegetarian and vegan menu every day. Amore is known throughout West Michigan as being the destination for special occasions, like anniversaries and birthdays, because the staff here takes such good care of their customers. From the moment you walk in the door, to your last sip of Jenna's special chocolate liquor, Amore is sure to make you fall in love." Chef Jenna was named on of the 50 most influential women in West Michigan in 2018 by the Grand Rapids Business Journal. Amore has been named a top ten restaurant by Grand Rapids Magazine for several years, and has won many awards of excellence for her Italian cooking. She has also been voted most popular chef by various publications throughout the past few years. If you'd like to see how Chef Jenna does on the show, you'll have to tune in on Wednesday. All the results are secret until the show airs. She'll be watching the show at Amore with close friends and family. The (not) watch party will be raising money for the Crisis Text Line, a free 24 hour support line for those in crisis. Everyone is invited, there will be a cash bar, snacks, and a chance to donate. If you'd like to taste her delicious victuals in person, go visit her at Amore. No matter how she performs on the show, the food and the service at her restaurant are always stellar. (616) 785-5344 ROCKFORD, MI -- The incredible story of the Schwandt family and their lives leading up to the arrival of their 14th child is the subject of a special documentary that debuts Tuesday night on Lifetime. The Schwandt family has become nationally known for not only having 14 children in their family, but also because all 14 are boys. The documentary was filmed earlier this year as the family prepared for the arrival of Finley Sheyboygan Schwandt, who was born in April. It chronicles the weeks leading up to the birth and the gender reveal of the baby as the family did not know if they would have another boy or not. Of course those who've been following the family already know the gender. It's an extremely rare chance that all 14 children would be boys and while Kateri Schwandt admitted she would like a girl, her husband Jay has said there is no chance for a 15th child. The boys range in age from five months to their mid 20s. The family's third oldest son, Drew welcomed a child in June. Breaking away from the family tradition, Drew's child was a girl. The documentary will air on the Lifetime network on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 10:30 p.m. ANN ARBOR, MI - The formation of a police oversight commission in Ann Arbor has been years in the making, and City Council is taking up the issue when it meets Monday night. On the council's Oct. 1 meeting agenda are two competing proposals to form an 11-member body to provide a new layer of citizen oversight of the Ann Arbor Police Department. Council Members Jack Eaton, Anne Bannister and Sumi Kailasapathy are proposing a 19-page ordinance in keeping with the recommendations of a citizen-led advisory task force. It aims to create a commission that would be independent of the city's administration and city attorney's office, having its own legal counsel and power to conduct its own independent investigations of incidents and complaints against police, as well as subpoena power to compel testimony by city officers or agents. The ordinance also would provide the commission with a budget equal to at least 1.17 percent of the AAPD's annual budget starting next fiscal year, which could put it at about $335,000 or more. City Administrator Howard Lazarus last month recommended a commission with less power and independence than what the task force recommends, sparking some debate. Mayor Christopher Taylor is now proposing a 14-page ordinance that aims to bring the task force's recommended ordinance closer in line with the city administrator's recommendations. "It's a severely watered-down version of the task force ordinance," Eaton argues. Taylor said he shares the city administrator's view that the commission needs to be set up in a way that's consistent with state law, the city charter and collective bargaining agreements, and he believes the task force recommendations did not do that. "The ordinance that I am presenting is practical, legal and achieves the goal of providing enhanced civilian oversight of the police and providing a place for residents and others to come and speak their truths about their experience with law enforcement," he said. Under what Taylor is proposing, the commission would be set up to receive complaints against police, but rather than conducting its own independent investigations, it would forward the complaints to the AAPD for internal investigation. The commission would then receive status updates regarding the investigations. And upon closure of an investigation, the police chief would issue a report to the commission. The commission then would review the actions of the department and any involved police officer, and would be able to take certain actions, including: Gathering information from the complainant, willing third parties, and publicly available sources. Questioning the police chief, deputy police chief or professional standards section lieutenant about the investigation. Informally mediating the matter by facilitating sessions in which persons involved in the incident and others with an interest in it (including representatives of the police department) can participate on a voluntary basis, the aim being to achieve fuller mutual understanding without recrimination. Upon mutual agreement of all necessary parties, the city and the commission may establish a dispute resolution process where complaints are resolved without going through the department's disciplinary process. Using information learned to make policy recommendations to the department and city. Taylor said that still allows the commission to critique the AAPD and report its findings publicly. The ordinances before council Monday night are only at first reading. If one of them is approved, it would come back for a public hearing and final approval at a future meeting. Rather than establish a budget for the commission in the ordinance, Taylor and Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, D-5th Ward, are separately proposing a resolution at Monday night's meeting to increase the AAPD's budget by $30,000 this year for a staff liaison to provide administrative support for the commission on a contractual basis. That would be on top of the $25,000 the city already has allocated to support the startup of the commission. Taylor said he expects the commission, which is to start up in January, would be substantially and adequately funded in the city's next budget cycle with approval of the next annual budget in May. Taylor also is sponsoring a resolution to approve bylaws for the commission separately from the ordinance. As for whether to provide outside legal counsel to the commission, Taylor's proposed ordinance states the commission may request outside counsel and the City Council may retain outside counsel to assist the commission pursuant to the city charter. "The counsel, contract terms, and the scope of services to be performed must be approved in accordance with city procurement procedures," the ordinance states. Taylor said he believes it's perfectly appropriate for the commission to work with both the city attorney's office and outside legal counsel, as the commission will be part of the city government. Eaton argues it's important for the commission to have its own legal counsel separate from the city attorney's office, since the city attorney's office represents the AAPD and that could pose a conflict of interest if the same office is advising the commission. Lazarus said the city charter dictates that hiring of outside counsel must be done by the City Council. "How council considers that is a matter of policy," he said. "It is something that should be discussed and reviewed with the city attorney and with City Council." Lazarus said he and City Attorney Stephen Postema have talked about the case-by-case need for outside counsel for the commission for specific purposes, as opposed to a standing agreement. "That's just so cumbersome," Eaton argues, suggesting the commission needs to have legal counsel on retainer for when it needs it and can't wait around for case-by-case approval. As for whether the commission should have subpoena power to compel information or testimony under threat of jail, Taylor said he can't support that. He doesn't believe the City Council has such power, so he can't see delegating that authority to citizen volunteers. Taylor said his proposal would give the commission authority to question the police chief and deputy chief, and would give the commission access to more information than is available now. "We have an opportunity to do something very real, very practical and very workable," Taylor said. "We have an opportunity to get this off the ground in a way that is achievable, consistent with best practices of municipal government and meets the goals that we all share. That is, improving police-community relations. That's what I'm trying to do." The differences between the task force's recommendations and the city administrator's recommendations were the subject of discussion and debate at a City Council work session on Sept. 13. After putting in months of work to come up with a draft ordinance, members of the task force expressed disappointment that the administrator was recommending a different course of action. Rich Friedman, task force co-chair, argued the administrator's recommendations essentially cast aside the task force's proposal. Under the administrator's proposal, the city attorney would get to designate a staff attorney to support the commission. Friedman firmly argued the commission needs to have its own lawyer independent of city hall. "This commission is not like others," he said. "It's not meant simply to do work for which the City Council lacks time or expertise. Rather, it's meant to provide a perspective on policing that is and is perceived to be by the public outside the normal hierarchy of city administration. "Lacking that, the commission will do no good. If it's perceived to be part of city administration, it's not going to perform its function. And a commission can't exercise effective oversight over a police department if the same law office that advises it also advises the police." Friedman, a University of Michigan law professor who served for seven years at chair of UM's police oversight committee, said the city's police oversight commission could be tempted to act without legal advice if it doesn't have its own independent counsel. "How can the commission assess the validity of police conduct if the only lawyer advising it on the issue is the department's own lawyer?" he said. "And if the city's lawyer says, 'No, you can't do that,' or, 'No, you can't get that information,' well, the commission is not going to have faith that it's getting un-conflicted advice." Dwight Wilson is a member of both the task force and the city's Human Rights Commission, which began pushing the issue of police oversight more aggressively following the 2014 shooting of Aura Rosser, a black woman who was shot and killed by an AAPD officer while police were responding to a domestic dispute inside a home. The November 2014 incident, in which the AAPD was cleared of any criminal wrongdoing because Rosser allegedly came at officers with a knife, prompted public outcry and protests, with community members issuing demands for more police oversight. Wilson talked about racism and oppression as he spoke before the council at the Sept. 13 meeting. "To be a person of color older than adolescence in our society is to know someone who has been killed, brutalized or humiliated by law officers," he said. "It is also to have been racially profiled multiple times by our employees in uniform and our neighbors in street clothes who hatefully point out our mere innocent presence to law officers." Wilson said members of the task force collectively devoted thousands of hours to putting together a police oversight ordinance, the one Eaton, Bannister and Kailasapathy are now proposing. "Today you stand at a crossroads where you can choose a continuation of a non-inclusive, non-transparent, deeply flawed status quo or a glimpse at what justice looks like," he said. "You can make your legacy the building of something worthy of exporting to communities of millions whose jungles are concrete and peace is found only in death. Will you choose melancholy mediocrity or will you dare to be great?" Lauren Tatarsky, another task force member, said the task force wants a commission that can do its own review of incidents, including those that have never been investigated by police. She said the task force ordinance establishes a process that's complainant-centered with a focus on restorative justice. "Our priority must be to create a system that invites people who have been harmed by police to share that information so that we can create a city where all people are safe and protected," Tatarsky said. "In many provisions throughout the ordinance, we used best practices from some of the most effective oversight commissions throughout the country," she added. "In fact, the ordinance has little to no provisions that have not already been enacted elsewhere." Dick Soble, another task force member, said the task force set out to establish a procedure for the commission to receive and investigate complaints consistent with state law, the city charter and AAPD collective bargaining agreements. "And we took that into account," he said. "The city administrator said, 'No, you will not receive and investigate -- you will only receive and refer.' And so there will be no opportunity under the city manager's approach for the commission to do any independent investigation, even though the results of that investigation are not binding on the city, the police officer or anybody else." Lori Saginaw, a member of activist group Transforming Justice Washtenaw and the city's advisory task force co-chair, spoke in favor of prioritizing black people serving on the police oversight commission, saying they have distinct experience with being targeted by police. "Change in a system as old and institutionalized as policing comes from those doing the oversight with the sensitivity and perspective most connected to where the problems arise," she said. "I want to say a radical thing: We are a segregated community in Ann Arbor by education, by income, by wealth and by race privilege. The power structure mirrors that," she said. "To prioritize members who speak directly about harmful and negative experiences with law enforcement will change history in Ann Arbor." Lazarus said he agreed and disagreed with recommendations in the task force ordinance. "Many times the task force talked about their goals being aspirational, and aspirations mean you need to knock down barriers, you need to knock down walls, and you need to get through those governing documents that sometimes stand in the way of where you want to go," he said. "My job as your administrator is to bring compliant options to this body so that it supports a robust discussion about policy." Lazarus said he agrees with the task force on the broader goals of ensuring oversight of the AAPD. "We want to strengthen police-community relations so that the police department serves fairly, compassionately and equitably," he said. "We want to enable independent review of police actions, and we want to ensure that all voices are heard, especially those that haven't been heard in the past." But it's in the details where they diverge. Lazarus noted the council's direction to the task force earlier this year called for recommendations that are mindful of state law, the city charter and collective bargaining agreements. He said some matters require further legal review, but he wants to press forward on forming the commission so not to break public trust and so the commission can be involved in the hiring of the next police chief and the setting of the next police budget. Responding to the task force recommendation to allow the commission to review all AAPD practices and policies to make recommendations for improvements, Lazarus said he agrees with that to the extent that releasing policies and practices does not disclose confidential operational information about AAPD. "We have not been forthcoming with those in the past," he said, committing to making those available for review. "There are some cases, though, where things have to be done a little bit differently, because those practices may put the public at risk and police officers at risk if they are disclosed, and we need to be careful." Lazarus believes the city administrator should retain the ability to redact certain aspects of operating procedures and tactics that could jeopardize the safety of the public and police officers if released. Lazarus said he agrees the commission should work with the AAPD on a policing strategic plan, but whether it's the role of the commission to endorse or approve the plan is a matter for discussion. As far as exploring non-law enforcement public safety interventions that complement the actions of AAPD, such as crisis intervention teams, Lazarus said, he recommends the commission collaborate with AAPD to review practices and recommend improvements. As far as handling investigations, Lazarus said the city's collective bargaining agreements with police officers establish requirements for addressing complaints against officers, including timeframes for reporting incidents and compelling officers to appear. Lazarus said officers must be notified of complaints within 14 days of receipt, and failure to comply may preclude the city from taking any disciplinary action. Compelling an officer to appear before a commission for questioning also could create challenges in terms of the collective bargaining agreement and would most likely result in grievances, he said. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. 'The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place', Modi said. (Photo: Twitter | @narendramodi) New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Tuesday to mark his 149th birth anniversary. UN Chief, Antonio Guterres who arrived in Delhi on Monday evening also marked the occasion. "At Mahatma Gandhis memorial, I am reminded once again that he proved that non-violence can change history. As we mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, may his wisdom and determination guide our collective work towards peace and prosperity on a healthy planet," Guterres wrote on Twitter. At Mahatma Gandhis memorial, I am reminded once again that he proved that non-violence can change history. As we mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, may his wisdom and determination guide our collective work towards peace and prosperity on a healthy planet. pic.twitter.com/sK0AMqiGnN Antonio Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 2, 2018 Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi also paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Gandhiji is not an immobile statue, he is a living set of ideas and values flowing through India. Truth and non-violence, which he lived for and was killed for are the foundation of our country. True patriots must protect them. #GandhiJayanti#Gandhi150 pic.twitter.com/ltgTBgBhYF Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 2, 2018 The Congress chief was among the first of the senior leaders to pay homage to Gandhi at his iconic memorial this morning. Both Rahul and Sonia left immediately as they are slated to travel to Wardha for the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Earlier in the day, paying homage to the Father of the Nation, the Prime Minister, tweeted, "From today, we are entering Pujya Bapu's 150th anniversary year. It is a great opportunity for all of us to fulfill his dreams." "The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place," he added in a later tweet. The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. Paid tributes to Bapu at Rajghat this morning. #Gandhi150 pic.twitter.com/Ot3kBDVLiv Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2018 President Ram Nath Kovind too tweeted images after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. #PresidentKovind paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat on Gandhi Jayanti pic.twitter.com/ZiOqLDXvth President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 2, 2018 "Let us rededicate ourselves to the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi peace, fraternity, harmony and inclusive national development. Gandhiji's message remains relevant for all and he continues to be our guiding light." he said. Vice President M Venkiah Naidu paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and performed 'parikrama' to the 'samadhi'. Performing Parikrama to the samadhi of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his Birth Anniversary today at the Rajghat in Delhi. #MahathmaGandhi #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/SHHXQaw1UN VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) October 2, 2018 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who arrived soon after Rahul Gandhi at Rajghat, also paid homage to the Mahatma. Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and senior BJP leader L K Advani also paid tributes to Gandhi on the occasion. Many other leaders, including Arun Jaitley, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Rajyavardhan Rathore also took to social media to commemorate Gandhi Jayanti. (With inputs from Agencies) ANN ARBOR, MI - There was booing, hissing and shouting from the crowd inside Ann Arbor's city hall as the City Council spent hours hashing out plans for a police oversight commission. Mayor Christopher Taylor repeatedly banged his gavel and attempted to maintain order as the crowd grew increasingly unruly at times, and calls for civility were met with laughter Monday night, Oct. 1. Some audience members talked over council members, challenging them and disrupting the meeting at times. That was the contentious atmosphere in which the council, trying to decide between two competing proposals, made its initial decision regarding what type of commission to establish to provide a new layer of citizen oversight of the Ann Arbor Police Department. Many of the community activists in the crowd were there to support an ordinance put forward by a citizen-led advisory task force, calling for the creation of a commission that would be independent of the city's administration and city attorney's office, having power to conduct its own independent investigations of incidents and complaints against police, as well as subpoena power to compel the production of documents and testimony by city officers. But there wasn't enough support on council to advance the task force's proposal to a second reading. It was defeated in a 5-4 vote. Several members of the audience cleared out at that point, repeatedly chanting, "Who do you protect! Who do you serve!" After the meeting went past midnight, the council voted 8-1 early Tuesday morning, Oct. 2, to support an alternate ordinance proposed by Taylor, who presented a compromise between the task force recommendations and what the city administrator recommended. It calls for creation of a police oversight commission with less power. Council Members Anne Bannister, D-1st Ward, and Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, preferred the task force proposal, but they were willing to support the mayor's proposal after their first choice was defeated, suggesting it could be built upon and improved in the future. Sumi Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing the mayor's proposal was a watered-down version of the task force proposal and she couldn't support it. In this case, she said, nothing was better than something, because she thinks the city is moving in a direction that will undermine credibility and trust. Under what Taylor is proposing, the commission would be set up to receive complaints against police, but rather than conducting its own independent investigations, it would forward the complaints to the AAPD for internal investigation. The commission would then receive status updates regarding the investigations. And upon closure of an investigation, the police chief would issue a report to the commission. The commission then would review the actions of the department and any involved police officer, and would be able to take certain actions, including: Gathering information from the complainant, willing third parties, and publicly available sources. Questioning the police chief, deputy police chief or professional standards section lieutenant about the investigation. Informally mediating the matter by facilitating sessions in which persons involved in the incident and others with an interest in it (including representatives of the police department) can participate on a voluntary basis, the aim being to achieve fuller mutual understanding without recrimination. Upon mutual agreement of all necessary parties, the city and the commission may establish a dispute resolution process where complaints are resolved without going through the department's disciplinary process. Using information learned to make policy recommendations to the department and city. "The commission may also initiate its own review of the department's complaint disposition in a particular incident or the department's response to an incident," the ordinance states. "The commission's review shall not precede or be concurrent with department actions, but shall occur after the department and city have completed all proceedings related to the complaint disposition under review, including investigative, criminal, disciplinary, complaint, and other proceedings." Taylor said that still allows the commission to critique the AAPD and report its findings publicly. Kailasapathy argued the commission, as it's envisioned under the mayor's proposal that's advancing, is not going to work because she doesn't think people are going to feel comfortable bringing complaints against police to the commission if those complaints are just going to get shuffled off to police for investigation. Taylor said he wants to establish a commission consistent with state law, the city charter and collective bargaining agreements, and he doesn't believe the task force proposal did that. "I don't believe that they delivered to us what was requested," he said, arguing the proposal put together by citizen volunteers was inconsistent with the advice of city attorneys and staff. Speaking over members of the audience who disagreed with him, Taylor alleged bullying tactics came into play. "The task force did its work, frankly, much in the same environment as we are doing ours here," he said. "They did it with bullying and intimidation from the audience, and that I believe influenced their work product." Taylor said he worked with the city's staff to put together the ordinance that's now advancing to a second reading for a public hearing and possible final approval on Oct. 15 because he believes it's important that the commission be established in way that's legal and implementable, so it can be effective. "We need a commission that provides a place for people to come to express their concerns about policing in Ann Arbor," he said. "I hear that loud and clear. People in Ann Arbor, whether you live here or come here, have a right to be confident in policing. They have a right to tell police, tell the commission, tell City Council, tell the public their concerns when they have them." The council postponed action Tuesday morning on separate resolutions for bylaws and a budget for the commission. Rather than establish a budget for the commission in the ordinance, Taylor and Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, D-5th Ward, are proposing a resolution to increase the AAPD's budget by $30,000 this year for a staff liaison to provide administrative support for the commission on a contractual basis. That would be on top of the $25,000 the city already has allocated to support the startup of the commission. The City Council would then decide as part of the city's budget process next spring how much money to allocate for the commission as part of the 2019-20 fiscal year budget. The task force ordinance that was defeated called for providing the commission with a budget equal to at least 1.17 percent of the AAPD's annual budget, which could have been $335,000 or more. Dwight Wilson, a member of the task force and the city's Human Rights Commission, has been pushing for a police oversight commission for years and voiced support Monday night for the task force proposal. "The last thing that I want to really see is double-watered-down Kool-Aid being passed off as being Scotch," he said. "It's important to me that we have teeth in this." Wilson said two of his cousins were killed by police, but he also has two nephews who are police officers. "So this is not anti-policemen," he said. "What this is is pro-safety." An attorney for the Police Officers Association of Michigan and its affiliate organizations, which represent Ann Arbor officers, sent a letter to the city on Sept. 27, raising concerns about the task force proposal, calling the preamble "a deplorable rant filled with bias and prejudice against law enforcement." The preamble stated that, by adoption of the ordinance, the city would be acknowledging that law enforcement officers across the nation have historically defended and enforced racism and segregation. "The language in the preamble demeans the overwhelming number of law enforcement officers who dedicate their careers and lives to the safety of Ann Arbor citizens," the POAM letter states. "The blatant lack of trust which the task force has attributed to the citizens of Ann Arbor concerning the Ann Arbor Police Department and its dedicated law enforcement officers is unconscionable." Multiple council members emphasized Monday night they support the police and they're simply trying to set up a commission that can provide a system of checks and balances. The issue of whether the commission should have its own independent legal counsel or whether a member of the city attorney's office should be assigned to it has been a point of contention. Taylor said he believes it's perfectly appropriate for the commission to work with both the city attorney's office and outside legal counsel, as the commission will be part of the city government. Taylor's proposed ordinance states the commission may request outside counsel, but the contract terms must be approved by council pursuant to the city charter and city procurement procedures. "The scope of services may provide that outside counsel provide advice on a specific matter or on an ongoing basis for matters within the scope of the contract and the approved contract amount," the ordinance further states. Taylor also added language to his proposal to set up a process for the commission to hear concerns from people in the community who don't necessarily want to file a formal complaint against police. Those concerns would be relayed through community liaisons identified by the commission, and the commission could then evaluate the concerns raised and decide whether further review is warranted. Two council members, Kirk Westphal and Graydon Krapohl, were absent Monday night, so only nine members were present. Five were in favor of advancing the task force proposal to a second reading, including Zachary Ackerman, Bannister, Eaton, Kailasapathy and Chuck Warpehoski, but that wasn't enough. Voting against it were Taylor, Jane Lumm, Julie Grand and Chip Smith. Ackerman, who said he wanted to see both proposals advance to second reading for further discussion, won support for a series of amendments to the task force proposal before it was defeated. He also won support for an amendment to Taylor's proposal regarding the composition of the commission, creating a process where the City Council liaisons to the Human Rights Commission would put forward names for appointment to the police oversight commission, with approval of the full City Council. The proposal now states the commission would consist of 11 voting members, one of which may be a youth member, and people should be appointed who represent the city's diverse population, especially those who tend to have negative interactions with the police. No active-duty police officer and no city employees could serve as voting members of the commission. Under both the mayor's proposal and the task force proposal, the commission would not have any disciplinary authority and its recommendations would not be binding on the city. Eaton said this is probably the most important decision the council is going to make this year and the mayor's ordinance gets the city started on a path that it should have started on in the 1970s. Bannister quoted from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and called this the civil rights issue of our time. ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor is going to study the possibility of saving an old chimney as a roosting spot for birds known as chimney swifts, even as the buildings around it may come down. The City Council voted 9-0 early Tuesday morning, Oct. 2, to direct the city administrator to explore that possibility for the blighted city-owned property at 415 W. Washington St., across from the YMCA. The city's Historic District Commission voted on Sept. 20 to approve a request from the city's administration to allow demolition of all five buildings on the site in the Old West Side historic district. City officials have no definitive plans for the site yet, though the general thinking is part of it will become part of the future Treeline urban trail, along with possibly a small park, while part of it may be privately redeveloped, potentially including new apartments or condos, or possibly an arts space or community space of some kind. The local Sierra Club group and the Washtenaw Audubon Society are lobbying to save the large brick chimney next to the main building, since it's still intact and is a favorite roosting spot for chimney swifts, a migratory bird species that stays here from spring into fall each year before returning to South America. The species is declining in numbers and is considered "near threatened." Council Members Anne Bannister and Jack Eaton, along with Mayor Christopher Taylor, sponsored the resolution that now directs the city administrator to include evaluation of the structural integrity of the chimney as part of any redevelopment plans. The administrator also must include an evaluation of the feasibility and cost of preserving the chimney for chimney swifts. "As the science and understanding of chimney swift biology is always changing, and the city has no immediate plans for demolition, it is important the city review the current best practices for chimney swift survivability at the time of development or demolition of associated structures," the resolution states. If the city undertakes demolition or construction on the property prior to submission of the evaluations, it must be done in a way to protect the integrity of the chimney and timed to avoid conflict with the migration activities of the chimney swifts, the resolution states. Council Member Chuck Warpehoski, D-5th Ward, said former Mayor John Hieftje would be pleased, as he has long been an advocate of saving the chimney at 415 W. Washington to protect the chimney swifts, going back to when he was in office. The council has directed the city administrator to consult with ornithology sources regarding the chimney swifts before determining whether and how to undertake demolition or redevelopment. "While renovation of the other buildings has been evaluated and is not considered to be cost-effective, separate preservation of the chimney that is located on the site nearest to West Washington Street has not been evaluated," City Administrator Howard Lazarus stated in a memo to council accompanying the resolution. "Staff has been advised that this chimney is used as a roosting site for thousands of migrating chimney swifts each year. Some members of the community, including the Washtenaw Audubon Society, have expressed interest in preserving this chimney as habitat." Lazarus relayed information the city has received from the Washtenaw Audubon Society, saying the chimney swifts have a beneficial impact on the local environment by feeding on flying insects and other pests, eating up to a third of their body weight daily. Cathy Theisen, a local veterinarian and conservation chair for the Washtenaw Audubon Society, told city officials her group wants to partner with the city to raise funds to save the chimney. According to the society, about 1,400 of the birds were counted at the chimney on Aug. 19. That was the highest population of swifts anywhere in the city during the group's annual counting campaign called Swift Nights Out. According to City Planner Jill Thacher, the main two-story industrial building on the site along Washington Street was originally built for the Michigan Milling Co. in 1907 and later used by the Washtenaw County Road Commission for many years before becoming a city operations center. There are some garage-like structures behind the main building and a large parking lot extending to Liberty Street. The city vacated the buildings and boarded up parts of them in 2007. They've been used for storage on a limited basis since. Thacher said the city has allowed the buildings to steadily deteriorate for the last 11 years. YPSILANTI, MI - Police arrested a man at an Eastern Michigan University residence hall Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred during a suspected robbery six months ago in Pittsfield Township. Pittsfield Township Police officers, with assistance from the Washtenaw County Metro SWAT team, were at Walton Residence Hall, E. Circle Drive, early Tuesday morning, Oct. 2, where they arrested the suspect in the shooting death of Christopher Marsh Jr. The university sent an alert to students and staff informing them of the SWAT team being on campus and advised there was no ongoing threat to the community, as the person they were looking for was arrested, according to the notice. No additional information was immediately available. Marsh Jr., 19, of Ypsilanti Township was found fatally wounded about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28 outside Glencoe Hills Apartments complex in the 2100 block of Glencoe Hills Drive. Police were initially called to a robbery with shots fired and one person injured the night of the shooting. Marsh was transported to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Police believe the shooting was the result of a robbery in a meet-up for narcotics. YPSILANTI, MI - Ypsilanti area voters can hear directly from candidates and learn about ballot initiatives at a series of public forums scheduled throughout October. The series is presented by the Ypsilanti District Library and is co-hosted by the League of Women Voters and the Riverside Arts Center. The forums are designed to provide accurate non-partisan information to voters, the groups say. The forums are: Candidate Forum: Ypsilanti Mayor - 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Riverside Arts Center. Four candidates are running to be the next Mayor of Ypsilanti: Beth Bashert, Anne Brown (write-in), Mickeila Tate, and Adrienne Hirschfelder. Candidates will respond to questions from both the moderator and the audience. Candidate Forum: Ypsilanti City Council Ward Three - 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Riverside Arts Center. Ward 3 Ypsilanti City Council candidates Anthony Morgan and Desirae Simmons will respond to questions from the moderator and from the audience. What's On Your Ballot: State Initiatives - 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at YDL-Whittaker. Michigan voters will decide on three statewide ballot proposals. Experts from the League of Women Voters of Michigan will explain the details of each proposal and answer questions and help you understand what a "yes" or "no" vote would mean. Proposal 1: Legalize recreational marijuana. Proposal 2: Create an independent Redistricting Commission. Proposal 3: Make it easier to vote in Michigan. What's on Your Ballot: State Initiatives - 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Riverside Arts Center. A repeat of the above session. Candidate Forum: School Board - 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Riverside Arts Center. Hear from the six candidates vying for three seats on the Ypsilanti Community Schools Board of Education: Ellen Champagne, DaQuann Harrison, Dr. Celeste Hawkins, Gillian Ream Gainsley, Robert E. Oliver, and Tyler Weston. The forums will be livestreamed on the Ypsi Live's Facebook page. More nonpartisan information on local issues can be found at vote411.org, which is hosted by the League of Women Voters. BANGOR TWP, MI -- It's only been a month since the Younkers department stores packed up, left empty buildings across Michigan and faced its fate in bankruptcy. But now, the company is making a comeback - at least online - and some are hopeful Younkers stores return to the locations they've closed in Michigan. That includes stores in Bay and Midland counties. "On behalf of the township, I want it back," said Glenn Rowley, supervisor of Bay County's Bangor Township. "We definitely need you back." Younkers operated a retail store and a separate furniture store in Bangor Township's shopping mall. Bon-Ton Stores Inc., Younkers' parent company, was purchased by CSC Generation in August, after the company's 256 stores, including 49 Younkers stores, closed. Bon-Ton filed for bankruptcy in February. "We are re-launching the business to serve you, the customer. We are a completely new company, with a new management team, that acquired the brand in September 2018. The transition to new ownership means that certain stores and services will not be available for a period of time," reads a message posted to the company's website. The company currently has plans to reopens stores in only a few states such as Illinois, Wisconsin and Colorado. Michigan is not on that list as of now. Rowley said he's started a campaign to get the attention of the company in hopes they will re-open their Bay County store. Whenever he gets a chance, he tells people to fill out the "contact us" portal on the company's website and to share how much the business meant to the Bay City area and request it come back. "I figure after a few thousand messages they'll probably reach out," said Rowley. "If we give them enough support.... they would be silly to not come back." Rowley said his wife reached out to the company and they responded with a message saying that they appreciate the feedback, but their sights aren't set on Michigan right now. According to the website, the company plans to open more stores in 2019. The closing of Younkers left more vacant brick and mortar shells in both the Midland and Bay City malls. "We have lost quite a few larger tenants," said Midland City Council member Steve Arnosky. "We're trying to be cooperative with the owner of the mall to refill those. It would be nice if Younkers or some of these other folks would change their mind." According to the Younkers website, as part of the business' re-launch, new products and brands will be offered on a daily basis. Younkers sells clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture and jewelry. To reach out to the company, visit here. Michigan State University police say 100 electric scooters have been impounded since the beginning of September. Capt. Doug Monette said Bird scooters cannot be operated on sidewalks or bike lanes on campus, "because they're a motorized vehicle," and an MSU ordinance prohibits that. Riders are also prohibited from parking scooters on bike racks because they're motorized vehicles, he added. "If they want to park in the moped areas, they need to purchase a moped sticker," for $50 a year, Monette said. "Scooters that are parked in areas where it's a violation under MSU ordinance 33(.01) can be impounded." Scooters that were left on sidewalks, bike racks and the grass were impounded, police said. Most of the scooters were impounded due to parking violations. "They can only be operated on roadways that are 25 miles per hour. If they are ridden on those roads, they need to travel on the right side," Monette said. Riders are also allowed to park E-scooters in metered spaces, as long as they pay for parking. The impound fee is $25, Monette said. Scooters will only be released to someone connected to Bird. A Bird spokesperson noted the scooters were deployed in East Lansing in September for a University pop-up tour. "The MSU community has embraced our last-mile solution as a way to more easily get around campus and access local businesses in the area. As Birds are impounded on campus, we will engage with the university officials to investigate each incident and take necessary action," the Bird spokesperson said in an email. "We look forward to continuing our work with the school to build a framework that supports safe, affordable, and accessible transportation options for everyone in the community." Monette noted there has not been any communication yet between MSU and Bird. "There's a safety concern with these," Monette said, adding that there was a Saturday incident in which a rider used the sidewalk and "clipped a baby" in the mother's arms. Both the mother and baby were OK, but the rider was issued a citation. "That's why enforcement is being done," he said. Bird has so far deployed scooters in Ann Arbor, Detroit and East Lansing. Lime dropped a stock of its scooters in Detroit and Spin recently announced plans to do so in the future. Detroit police arrested 18 protesters during a Fight for $15 rally in Detroit on Tuesday afternoon. Among those taken into custody, issued misdemeanor disorderly conduct tickets and released were Democrats Rashida Tlaib, who is vying for a congressional seat in November, and Abdul El-Sayed, who ran in the Democratic primary race for governor, said Detroit Police officer Holly Lowe. "It's about time our workers stopped living in chains," El-Sayed posted on Twitter following his arrest. "A couple of wrist ties are well worth that goal." Today I was proud to join workers in an act of peaceful civil disobedience as we #Fightfor15. It's about time our workers stopped living in chains. A couple of wrist ties are well worth that goal. : @AmeeraDavid pic.twitter.com/u6H52fH1Hp Abdul El-Sayed (@AbdulElSayed) October 2, 2018 The rally drew dozens of activists to a McDonald's on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, where demonstrators showed support for pro-union candidates and raising the minimum wage. Detroit police wouldn't immediately say what actions led to the disorderly conduct arrests. Hundreds of people out here, many of them Detroit fast food workers, calling for a $15 minimum wage and the right to unionize #fightfor15 pic.twitter.com/OKt5WW522T violet ikonomova (@violetikon) October 2, 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer participated in another Fight for $15 protest Tuesday morning in Flint, where a pickup truck crashed into a group of protesters, leading to the hospitalization of at least eight people, according to Flint Police Chief Tim Johnson. None of the victims were seriously injured, police said. Whitmer said in a phone interview shortly after the crash she had been out in front of the march. She didn't see the crash, but was alerted when people started yelling for the marchers to stop. She left in order to let first responders access the scene, she said. FLINT, MI -- The attorney for accused Bishop Airport stabber Amor Ftouhi has withdrawn her previously filed notice of intent to have her client's mental capacity evaluated ahead of trial in November. Ftouhi's attorney Joan E. Morgan filed the paper work Oct. 1. The case will go to trial Nov. 5 at the U.S. Courthouse in Flint before U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker, according to a motion filed by Morgan. The court plans to summon approximately 100 potential jurors for preliminary examination on Nov. 5. Jurors for Ftouhi's trial will be picked from approximately 750,000 residents in Genesee, Lapeer, Livingston and Shiawassee counties, according to federal court files. On Sept. 18, Morgan told Parker she planned to submit a notice to have Ftouhi evaluated in the event that she plans to pursue a mental health defense. Ftouhi is accused of violence at an international airport, interference with airport security and committing an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries in the stabbing of Bishop Airport Lt. Jeff Neville June 21, 2017, inside the terminal. Ftouhi -- a dual citizen of Canada and Tunisia -- faces the potential of a life sentence in prison. A judge previously denied Ftouhi's request to move his trial to Detroit. Ftouhi stabbed Neville with a large knife while shouting "Allahu Akbar" and referenced killings in Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq just four days after entering the United States from Canada, federal prosecutors allege. Neville survived the attack. Ftouhi said he was a "soldier of Allah" and subscribed to the ideology of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, according to his indictment. The case is prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. FLINT, MI -- Dan White, a Flint native and Pulitzer winning photojournalist, will be honored as the sixth Humanity in Harmony Music Festival Daniel Pearl World Music Days journalist in residence. The festival will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, at the MacArthur Recital Hall at the Flint Institute of Music. Journalism scholarships totaling $1,000 will be awarded to local students and is sponsored by the Flint Jewish Federation, according to a press release. Culturally diverse artists and instruments will be showcased at the music festival. They include Jesse Ray and the Carolina Catfish, Larry McCray and We are the Northern Lights. White grew up in Flint and began photographing at 11 years old. Before graduating high school, White worked at The Flint Journal, his first newspaper job. He also spent his summers interning at the Muskegon Chronicle and the Everett Herald in Washington. After graduating from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism degree, White worked for The Yakima Herald-Republic in the state of Washington and The Columbia Daily Tribune in Missouri. He was part of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team at The Kansas City Star for its coverage of the Hyatt Hotel skywalk collapse. Today, White is working as a commercial photographer based in Kansas City. His latest effort, "The Folks of Flint," opened in August at the Capitol Theater in Flint. White will talk to students at the music festival and address a service organizations on the importance of journalism. He will also judge the scholarship entrees by local high school students, their topic is "are journalists the enemy of the people?" The Humanity in Harmony Music Festival is part of the international project created by the Daniel Pearl Foundation in support by the Ravitz Family Foundation, the Nartel Foundation and the Flint Jewish Federation. The music festival remembers Daniel Pearl for his love of music and his commitment to journalism. Pearl was a journalist for the Wall Street Journal and was killed in Pakistan while reporting. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- As Grand Rapids continues to grow, new City Manager Mark Washington said it'll have to balance being an attractive destination for not only visitors but those who already call the city home. Finding that balance is the key to being a world-class city, Washington said. He said that is part of his vision for Grand Rapids as he settles into his new position in city hall. "I think it is (a world-class city) in terms of a destination; the tourism industry is very, very successful here,'' he said. Washington said he spoke with individuals from around the country this week who echoed that sentiment while checking out the international art competition known as ArtPrize. But he also acknowledged the challenges facing the city. "Obviously there are opportunities to improve our attractiveness, but we can't be so attractive to people outside the community that we begin to marginalize even more the people who have been here and who don't feel like they can fully appreciate all the experiences that Grand Rapids has to offer, even as local residents," Washington said. On Tuesday, Oct. 2, Washington spent 30 minutes answering questions about his first days in Grand Rapids during his first press conference since starting his new role as city manager Monday, Oct. 1. Washington, 45, was hired July 31 after he and two other finalists interviewed for the city's top job. The city commission voted 6-1 to appoint Washington, whose resume included almost 23 years of local government work, most recently as an assistant city manager in Austin, Texas. He replaced Greg Sundstrom, who led the city of Grand Rapids for eight years before retiring Feb. 1. Deputy City Manager Eric DeLong spent the last eight months as interim city manager while the city went through two search processes before landing Washington. During his first week, Washington has meetings lined up with senior department leaders throughout the city. He met with Police Chief David Rahinsky on Tuesday morning, and was scheduled to sit down with Fire Chief John Lehman later that afternoon. The new city manager also plans to tour each of the city's three wards with the respective commissioners to get acclimated with the areas and to learn more about some of the challenges each area is facing. Washington said he expects to spend the next three to four months assessing the community's needs, commissioner priorities, and organizational needs of the city. "There's a lot about Grand Rapids that I don't know and, again, this is day No. 2 on the job but I'm really looking forward to getting to know the residents and this community, and working with the various departments," he said. Some of the city's challenges that Washington discussed Tuesday included affordable housing, community-police relations, upcoming labor contract negotiations, and making sure all community members feel welcome and feel that they have equal opportunities. "Equity is a major value for this community," he said. "As we begin to look at services throughout our community, we want to make sure all services are being provided equitably; that everyone has an opportunity to achieve and live to their fullest potential." Washington signed a three-year contract with an annual salary of $250,000. Asked if he felt added pressure because of the increase from the previous city manager's pay, he said competitive pay for recruitment isn't a Grand Rapids-specific challenge. "If you're going to be a world-class city, if you're going to be a premiere employer, if you're going to be a destination to compete with people across the country, then your lens is going to have to widen," he said. "But I am grateful. I don't take it lightly. I appreciate what the commissioners have done and ultimately what the tax payers are funding and there is some responsibility to making sure that tax payers get their money's worth and I want to let you know that they are. "Even though today is my second day officially on the payroll, it's not my second day working and preparing for this opportunity. I've been spending days in Austin, nights at home, preparing for this opportunity and they're going to get every penny that comes in my paycheck." Washington said he plans to live in Grand Rapids. He doesn't intend to serve as a pastor as he did back in Austin, but said he does draw from that experience in his full-time job and he will be active in a local church. "The qualities for a true spiritual leader require you to have a servant-leader attitude and I think that's what I bring in terms of my leadership approach, not only to faith-based organizations but to any organization," he said. Washington's oldest daughter plans to finish the current school year in Austin, Texas before she graduates high school. Afterward, he said his wife and his youngest daughter will move to Grand Rapids, where he expects to enroll his daughter in Grand Rapids Public Schools. A swearing-in event will be held for the new city manager at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, before the 7 p.m. city commission meeting in the ninth-floor commission chamber at City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW. iStock/ThinkstockBY: DR. AMISHA AHUJA (NEW YORK) -- When rapper Drake canceled his Miami concerts recently because he was suffering from a case of the flu, his representatives said, it was a reminder that flu season, which took a big toll last year, is near again. "We can see influenza all year round - 12 months out of the year," Dr. Jennifer Ashton said on "Good Morning America." Flu season, when the highest number of illnesses emerge, generally tends to run from October to March in the U.S. Thats why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issues its annual recommendations on the flu vaccine. The agency recommends that everyone 6 months and older should be vaccinated for influenza every season, ideally by the end of October. Even if that deadline passes, it's still helpful to get vaccinated, especially if influenza continues in the community late in the year. In the past, the virus has hung around as late as May. Flu vaccine: Will it work better next season? After receiving a flu shot, it takes two weeks to develop the antibodies needed to protect against infection. This means it's best to get the vaccine before flu season begins to have full immune benefits. Since the flu virus changes year to year, the vaccine changes, as well. So last year's flu shot doesnt carry over to this season. These fluctuations make it hard to predict how bad the flu will be. This was evidenced last year, with one circulating strain of the flu, H3N2, poorly matched with the vaccine. Although the vaccine can be imperfect, it is the best defense that exists now, while advancements in the field continue. "Theres a new flu vaccine out now; its made based on predictions of what this years strains will be," Ashton said, "so you do need to get it this fall. With some pharmacies stocking and administering the vaccine in the summer months, questions have emerged about how early is too early to get a shot. "Theres a little bit of controversy now in the medical literature," Ashton said. "If you get it too early, does our immune protection wane by the end of the flu season? Some studies have shown that the protective antibodies produced in response to the vaccine can decrease over time. But there are a number of variables in the human immune response; some that have to do with vaccine components, some that have to do with the health of the person getting vaccinated and some involving age. Useful protection for the year has been shown in healthy adults in the 18 to 49 age range. Although there are concerns that adults age 65 and older are more likely to have waning protection over time, research shows antibodies are still present in high levels six months after the shot, and, more importantly, even these lower levels of antibodies help prevent the flu. Flu outbreak has killed at least 63 children: CDC officials Influenza is a serious infection that kills many each year and older adults and young children are particularly vulnerable. This is why most health officials will agree that receiving a flu shot, even if its early, is much better than no flu shot at all. Now that October is here, it's definitely a good time to get vaccinated for flu season. Amisha Ahuja is an internal medicine resident at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and a contributor to the ABC News Medical Unit Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) The head of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said the political opposition is not working with communist insurgents to oust the President this October. During the Senate budget hearing of the Department of National Defense, AFP Chief Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. cleared Senators Antonio Trillanes and Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan" of being part of the so-called "Red October" plot spearheaded by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army (CPP-NPA). Pangilinan is president of the Liberal Party. "This is a plot of CPP-NPA," Galvez said. "They would like to have a coalition with the opposition. That's why our intention is really to protect the legitimate opposition." The AFP Chief's statement runs counter to President Rodrigo Duterte's allegation that Trillanes, the Liberal Party, and the communist rebels are set to remove him from his post. READ: Duterte warns of ouster plot from Liberal Party, Trillanes and communists Trillanes asked Galvez if he and Pangilinan were in any way involved in the supposed plan to oust Duterte. "Based doon sa intel report, while the CPP would like to forge a coalition, nakipag-coalition ba (ang opposition) [did opposition have a coalition] sir?" Trillanes asked. To which Galvez replied, "No." Pangilinan also asked if the Liberal Party was involved in the Red October plot, and if any of the party's members were part of a coalition with CPP-NPA. Galvez said, "None." The head of the Armed Forces also denied being part of "partisan politics", since Pangilinan asked if the AFP was politically involved due to the links of the Liberal Party and Trillanes to the ouster plot. Both the party and the former soldier-turned-senator are staunch critics of the Duterte administration. Galvez, however, warned communist rebels have already organized members in 10 universities in Manila to be part of the supposed plot against Duterte. "The intention of the military is to preempt the massive recruitment," Galvez explained. The AFP Chief said the Red October plot is a combination of an "armed struggle and a legal struggle," with plans from communists to infiltrate the youth sector, the labor sector, and the indigenous communities. Galvez then said the CPP's plan is to push Duterte to declare martial law. "Ang nakikita namin [What we see] is the President is being dragged to declare martial law nationwide, most probably a revolutionary government," then said. Malacanang still sticking to its story The Palace, however, said the AFP Chief's statement does not eliminate the possibility of connivance between certain members of the Liberal Party or the opposition to the communist rebel group. "Individual members of the Liberal Party may be in collusion with the CPP-NPA. It could be true that there was no formal memorandum of agreement, but it does not prevent leading personalities from the party to have collusion," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing Tuesday. He pointed out that Trillanes himself had repeatedly called for Duterte's ouster. READ: Trillanes to Duterte: I will resign if you get higher IQ score But the President's spokesman said any plans to remove Duterte from his post will not succeed. "We are firmly in control," Roque said. "We don't recognize any threats to the administration because we have the support of the people." Yoga guru Ramdev said the sadhus will succeed where ministers and rich people often fail. New Delhi: Days after asserting that only a Ram Mandir can be built at the disputed site in Ayodhya, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has claimed that even the Opposition parties cannot openly oppose the temple as the deity is revered by the majority of people in the country. Mr Bhagwat, who was attending a function at Patanjali Yogpeeth in Hardwar on Monday, said the RSS and the BJP are committed to constructing the temple in Ayodhya but certain things take time. Interestingly, Mr Bhagwats latest statement on the Ram Mandir comes at a time when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a Sangh Parivar affiliate, has called a meeting of saints on October 5 to discuss the Ram Mandir issue, which is now sub judice in the Supereme Court. Speaking at the event, Mr Bhagwat said it was important who occupies the seat of power, and a government doing a good job should remain in office. He also said every government has its limitations and has to perform within those constraints, but saints and seers are beyond such limitations and they should work for the uplift of religion, country and society. Even the Opposition parties cannot openly oppose a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya as they are aware that the deity is revered by a majority of Indians. But certain things take time... Every government has its limitations but a government doing a good job should remain in power. It is important who occupies the seat of power, said Mr Bhagwat. Yoga guru Ramdev said the sadhus will succeed where ministers and rich people often fail. The ministers and the rich must realise saints and seers are more capable than them, that they can succeed where they often fail, he said. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Grand Rapids school board voted Monday, Oct. 1, to sell the old West Leonard Elementary to a developer for $525,000 to use as an event venue. The school, located at 1351 Leonard St. NW, has been vacant since June 2013, when it was among 10 schools to close to right-size the district. The offer from Cherry Street Capital includes $420,000 for the building and $105,000 for the land lease to the cell tower on the property, according to district CFO Larry Oberst. Prior to the meeting, Chad Barton, owner of Cherry Street Capital, said the next step would be to work with the city on rezoning the property from residential to have events such as weddings and corporate events. He said he plans to engage the community during that process. The school board Finance Committee unanimously recommended the full board sell the property Sept. 4. There was no further discussion by the board. Only three people attended a meeting Wednesday, Sept. 26, that the district hosted with Barton. Approximately 60 letters went out to those within a minimum of 550 feet of the school. Silvia Rocha, who lives next door to the school, attended the meeting with one of her children, and so did Bruce Vanden Brink from Vanden Brink Sweet Smoked Honey Ham, a longtime business across the street from the school. Rocha, who has lived next to the school for two years, said her main concern is that her "quiet street will be loud eventually.'' However, she said she supports the event venue concept as long as the noise issue is taken into consideration. "I think it would be fantastic to see this old building come back to life,'' said Vanden Brink, noting vacant buildings aren't good for neighborhoods. The school, built in the 1920s, is more than 17,000-square-feet and occupies 2.75 acres. The site was appraised in 2017 for $315,000. Oberst said the proposed purchase agreement includes a provision for the district to have the first right of refusal if the buyer decides to sell the property or changes the use. Barton said the event venue would be very similar to the company's "The Cheney Place" event space, located at 1600 Monroe Ave. He said Wednesday if everything goes as planned, they'd like to begin hosting events next summer. The board vote was to 5 to 0. Board members Tony Baker, John Matias, Raynard Ross, and Maureen Slade were absent. WYOMING, MI -- A 25-year-old Grand Rapids man allegedly had both alcohol and narcotics in his system when he caused a crash that led to a motorcyclist's later death. The death of Nathaniel James Walma, 38, came six days after the crash and on the day he was supposed to be married. Matthew Brannon George is now charged with operating while intoxicated causing death and operating with a suspended or revoked license. He is scheduled to be in court Wednesday, Oct. 3 for a court hearing. Walma was riding a motorcycle west on Chicago Drive, just west of Godfrey, about 11:30 p.m. Aug. 12 when an eastbound car turned left in front of him. Walma could not avoid a collision, police said. Police found no skid marks from his motorcycle to suggest he had a chance to brake or swerve. In court documents, police wrote that "suspect's blood work results showed alcohol and narcotics in his system at the time of the accident." The documents did not show a specific value for the alcohol level. Walma was to be married Aug. 18, the day he died at a hospital. GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Securing a parking spot without arriving early to an event in downtown Grand Rapids has gotten easier at some parking facilities. Ellis Parking recently began offering a parking-reservation feature at nine downtown parking ramps and lots. The option is available for evening events only for now, but Ellis Parking President Mike Ellis said he expects to expand the feature by spring 2019 for 24/7 parking. "If you're coming downtown for the Bob Seger show and it's an 8 p.m. show but you don't want to get here at 5:30 to park close, you can pre-reserve a spot in a facility and know there will be a vacant spot when you come down," Ellis said. "We've had a quiet opening and so far so good. "It'll get bigger and better in time." Ellis Parking owns and operates 37 parking facilities in Grand Rapids. To reserve a spot, drivers can either use the Ellis Parking website, or ParkMobile phone app. Users select a venue, an event and a parking facility where they'd like to reserve a spot. Users receive a printable confirmation, and one on their phone. They can use the confirmation to get in and out of the lot, even if the exterior sign reads "Full." "If the full sign is on and we have 10 reservations, there will be 10 open spots," Ellis said. "If you have a confirmation, you can get into the lot." Reservations come at a premium price with each lot charging an extra $7-$10 to reserve a spot. Two facilities -- Ashton and 9-17 Library -- have reservation prices of $17.25, while the remaining seven options are set at $23 for the evening. Ellis said his is the only parking service providing a reservation option in downtown Grand Rapids. As of early October, events that qualify for the feature are held at Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall, 20 Monroe Live and the Civic Theater. The parking facilities, with regular parking price and the new reservation rate, are as follows: Republican U.S. Senate candidate John James is up with his first television ad of the cycle, telling voters "Michigan deserves better" than the status quo. The ad includes reference to several issues facing Michigan residents, including neighborhood blight, veterans issues, school quality and health care costs. James says both parties are to blame: "They pit Americans against each other, then they blame the other side when nothing gets done." "I'm tired of their B.S.," he says in the ad. The initial buy is more than half a million dollars and will run on television in all major media markets statewide as well as online, according to the James campaign. James, a veteran and businessman who lives in Farmington Hills, is running against incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Stabenow was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Stabenow's latest television ad focused on her support among the agricultural community, and her campaign has also run television ads featuring Stabenow's work funding investments to the Great Lakes and support for the cost of prescription drugs. More political ad coverage from MLive: MERIDIAN TWP., MI - Broken glass and a pair of furry intruders were waiting for staff members as they arrived Monday morning at Okemos Public Montessori at Central school. A doe and fawn broke through a window during the night and were found inside the building on Monday, Oct. 1, said Sgt. Andy Daenzer, Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter acting director. Staff called the Meridian Township Police, which reached out to county animal control for assistance. Students were sectioned off from where the deer were. Animal control officers used a small amount of medication to tranquilize the doe and move the two deer outside, Daenzer said. The doe regained consciousness and the two deer were released into the wild, he said. "As far as I know, the deer were doing fine and there was a peaceful resolve to it," Daenzer said. VICKSBURG, MI -- Five Vicksburg residents are running for three seats on the Vicksburg Village Council this November. Candidates Carl Keller, Denny Olson and Rick Holmes will appear on village ballots alongside incumbents Julie Merrill and Ron Smith, who are both running for reelection. Village Trustee James Earl's term also expires in 2018, but Earl is not seeking reelection. Members of the village council are elected to four-year terms. In questionnaire responses submitted via email to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette, the five candidates explained why they are running and outlined top-priority issues they would address if elected. Carl Keller is an account representative for All Phase Electric Supply, he said in his questionnaire response. Keller has been a member of the Vicksburg Planning Commission for four years, serving as chairperson for the last two years. He has a bachelor's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University and has worked in the electrical industry for over 31 years, he said. Denny Olson owns a small business selling antiques and rare books, he said in his questioner response. He said he has been involved in local politics for four years while investigating Village of Vicksburg spending. He ran for village president in 2016 where he lost to Bill Adams who was the incumbent at the time. Olson graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1972. Julie Merrill has served four years on the Vicksburg Village Council, she said in her questioner response. She currently serves on the Down Town Development Authority, Parks & Rec Committee and the Brownfield Authority. She has been a business owner for 29 years and has a Bachelor of arts from Western Michigan University. Merrill said she has also chaired the Long Lake Governmental Board and served as a trustee for the Vicksburg Historical Society. Rick Holmes works for manufacturing company Hill-Rom and has 25 years of business development experience in the medical device industry, he said in his questionnaire response. He has a bachelor of science in marketing and associate of applied science degree in biology from Ferris State University. Holmes also graduated from Vicksburg High School. Ron Smith is running for a third term on the Vicksburg Village Council, he said in his questionnaire response. In his previous two terms, Smith said he served on the Human Resources Committee, Brownfield Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Vicksburg Library Board and Kalamazoo Area Transportation Study Policy Committee. He is a retired professor emeritus of University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. In the MLive questionnaire sent to each candidate, they shared why they are running for office and their top priorities if elected: Why are you running for this office? CARL KELLER I am seeking a spot on the council because I want to continue the progress that I have worked with the Planning Commission and the Council. Cleaning up the Zoning and Ordinances, so they are more workable to prospective businesses and residents has been and will continue to be a priority. I also want to ensure we, as a village, continue the steady progress forward. Stating that not only being business friendly, but also a community where people will desire to come and raise their families. We have 3 distinct areas of the village that have unofficially developed (the village proper, neighborhood out at Angels Crossing, and the new Centennial Plat) and at times each area can feel left out. I want to work to have all areas of the village feel that they are being thought of and included. DENNY OLSON Two years ago I ran because I didn't like the direction that the Village was going with dishonesty, back room handshake deals and blackballing. I needed a soapbox to get my views heard and to run for Village President was the only way I could do it and it worked. I was able to accomplish several things without ever being elected to public office. Now the Mill is the main project in the spotlight and this project will not only effect Vicksburg but all of South Kalamazoo County. Yes this project will provide jobs to laborers, growth for small business owners and tourism.....but at what cost ? With this project Vicksburg and the surrounding area will see increased traffic flow, increased noise and large crowds of people attending concerts and outdoor events. Some people would say that this is a good thing and I would have to disagree. We live in Vicksburg because we love Vicksburg and we don't want it to be Kalamazoo or Portage. We like the quiet laid back way of life and live here to get away from the hustle and bustle of the bigger cities. We are willing to except the Mill rehab project with the Hotel, meeting rooms, business and brewery workspace and yes even the outdoor concerts. It is the thought of two large concerts a year, massive traffic flow and all the problems that go with it that the people are hesitant about. We shouldn't have to change our way of life to accommodate a portion of our population in our Village. Instead of a "Wish List" the Mill and the Village will have to come up with a plan all can agree upon. I give my word I will not be a Rubber Stamp for any Company or Person in this Village. JULIE MERRILL The village council has three trustee openings out of seven. Our village is experiencing a time of great growth, potential development and ongoing maintenance of all infrastructure. I currently serve on the Village Council, the D.D.A. Parks & Rec. and the Brownfield Authority. It's a big commitment. To serve the community, you need to ask questions, listen to people - get their perspective and then act for the greater good. I recommend Ron Smith, Carl Keller and myself based on the high level of service and commitment to the people of Vicksburg already demonstrated. RICK HOLMES Our community is at a crossroad and the current 7 Trustees on the Village Council will decided this month whether we accept an $80M investment to redevelop a mill that has been closed for 19 years. As I learned more about the dynamics of the project, I began to understand the critical thinking I use every day to develop new opportunities for my company are no different than those needed to manage the issues facing our community. I support the Mill re-development with what I know today and look forward to the release of their proposal. An economic impact study, being reviewed by the State of Michigan, projects the mill development will result in 220 construction jobs over 3 years and 1,800 jobs in the initial five years of operation. The total impact on the Kalamazoo County economy during the three years of construction and first five years of operation will be $214 million in new wages, $399 million in new property value added, and $60 million in new state and local taxes. The Mill's goals include global artist residencies, unique learning opportunities for VCS students, giving to local food banks, walking paths, becoming a Smithsonian affiliated museum, developing a heron rookery, a bike trail and removing contaminants from the adjacent stream. I understand reservations concerning noise and traffic for the large concerts that were included in the proposal. The Mill's plan is to start with small concerts and in 8-10 years POSSIBLY build to a larger audience of up to 40,000, while using the lessons learned for a positive experience for attendees and the village. My understanding is these large concerts will be two weekends a year - 6 days out of 365. I have no financial gain if the Mill is redeveloped and if elected I am donating my Council salary to local charities. RON SMITH Vicksburg identifies itself as "The Village with a Vision." That means many things to many people. For some it's the small town feel, a peaceful and secure place to raise a family with a variety of basic services and good schools. For others it's a village with diverse employment opportunities and affordable housing. Others enjoy the many parks, special events, restaurants and nightlife. In my capacity as Village Trustee over the past 6 years I have sought to create an environment where all of these "visions" can flourish. That includes modernizing the Village's basic infrastructure, the provision of Village services, incentives for new businesses and business expansion, meeting the needs of special event organizers, financial support for our network of parks and trails, and the safety and security of our citizens. What are your top three priorities if elected and how would you address them? CARL KELLER 1. Water/Sewer Rates - We have been informed that beginning in October, the Water/Sewer rates for village residents will be going up. In some cases dramatically. I will first work to make sure that we, as a village, are getting charged fairly and work to reduce where we aren't. I also will look to pursue a feasibility study on developing our own Waste Water Treatment Facility here in the village. 2. Adequate Accommodations for Village Hall - I believe we should have a facility as our Village Hall that will adequate house (less the Village Police) the personnel of village. The reality is our village is requiring more personnel to run and oversee the day to day operations of the village, and there is not adequate or appropriate space for them. I would look to find a spot where we might either build or renovate an existing building to make this happen. 3. Greater Resident Access - I believe we need to do a better job in making the Village Council more accessible to our residents. I would like to explore the possibility of Village Council meetings uploaded to a Village Website for residents to view at their leisure. I also would like to maybe hold meetings at different locations in the village, to give residents an opportunity to engage. DENNY OLSON At present Vicksburg is one of the fastest growing communities in S.W. Michigan and homes are selling here as fast as they are offered up. I too believe that this is a good thing, but I also believe that it needs to be a controlled growth. We are busting at the seems and our Business Park is full. We need to find a way to expand without taking away our small town way of life. Yes we do have several buildings in our downtown that are empty, but I believe that we can turn that around by having our building owners invest more into their property's and to bring in much needed business. We can accomplish this by promoting our small town way of life and assisting small businesses to get a strong start with reduced property taxes, low interest loans and subsidized programs to assist new business with reduced rent like those programs in Grand Rapids and Benton Harbor. Vicksburg currently has programs for paint and fascia improvements through their DDA. The recruiting of new business would be a program that could bring in businesses like a much requested Bakery, a Clothing Store and even a Credit Union. It is my belief that it is the DUTY of the Village Council Trustees (and all Politician's) to make the decisions that are in the best interest of the Village and its People, to promote the Safety and Welfare of All and NOT that of One Business or One Person. We can accomplish this with Open Transparency and to address the concerns and wishes of our residents. Then too I believe that it is the Duty of our Residents to attend Public Meetings so that they may be informed about current events instead of just the popular ones. JULIE MERRILL 1. We need to draft a planned urban development agreement to revitalize the former paper mill in such a way as to assure wide community acceptance and support. How - checks and balances are being put into place by the Village staff and advisors to mitigate potential issues. Normal process will be adhered to. 2. Sewer & water repairs and upgrades are needed. How - Vicksburg's water has been tested and we are fortunate to have safe drinking water. Some of our pipes date to the 1940's and have been failing. Vicksburg has been growing and it is time to increase the diameter of the pipes to meet future needs. This has to be done and is necessary with or without approval of Paper City's plans for re-development. 3. Increase housing suitable for elderly citizens and those with handicaps. How -define /demonstrate the need and find partnerships to solve the problem. When seniors and physically challenged family & neighbors can't find appropriate housing here, they feel forced to leave our normally caring community. This is an opportunity to develop a village that encourages us all to stay and age in place. RICK HOLMES Support Property Tax Relief - Vicksburg has one of the highest millage rates in Kalamazoo County and it is a problem in sustaining new housing development, as well as keeping people in our community. The Village Manager has indicated there is interest in addressing this area in the 2020 budget and if elected, I would support this measure. Economic Development aligned with Community Values - Our community is a treasure and I agree there needs to be a balance between economic development and in maintaining our small town values. The best way to do this is by having an engaged citizenry that is provided timely information and participates in the process, which leads me to my 3rd position. Provide greater access to Village Council meetings and access to government information - I would like to explore the development of a new "Community Engagement Committee" to collaborate with other Village Trustees, local groups and individuals in creating opportunities to hear about concerns and discuss solutions. My first idea would be to have council members join me once a month with an outreach program either by knocking on doors and talking with our neighbors or a "coffee with the council" at a local restaurant. Let's begin building trust within the community so when a difficult issue, such as the recent water rate increase, we have input and understanding within the community before a council vote is made. In addition, we need to provide greater access to Village Council meetings and access to government information using technology through video conferencing, or other social media platforms with the goal of creating more awareness of issues within our community. RON SMITH Top priorities in the coming years are (1) fiscal health of the Village, (2) updating the Village's aging infrastructure, particularly water and sewer, and (3) making the Village a more pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle-friendly community. KALAMAZOO, MI -- An associate provost at Western Michigan University who recently resigned will be paid over $150,000 in severance pay. Dawn Fortin Mattoon resigned in September after nine years as associate provost of extended university programs. Her letter of resignation, obtained by MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette through the Freedom of Information Act, was dated Sept. 10. "With new many new leaders at WMU, it is the perfect time for me to step aside and take a bit of time to enjoy my most cherished life role - as mom and wife," Fortin Mattoon wrote in the letter. In a separation agreement signed by Fortin Mattoon and President Edward Montgomery, the former associate provost was granted 10 months of severance pay totaling $152,592. The agreement states she will be paid her salary for Sept. 1 through June 30, 2019. The university will not disclose further details on Fortin Mattoon's resignation, university spokesperson Paula Davis said. "I will always be thankful for my WMU experiences," Fortin Mattoon went on to write in her resignation letter. "I have incredible admiration and confidence in Dr. Montgomery's new leadership, I stand willing to support the university in any ways needed in the future and I especially wish the EUP (Extended University Programs) team great success as they forge forward." Ed Martini, the department's associate dean, will serve as interim associate provost until a national search identifies a permanent replacement, according to a press release from the university. "Dawn has done important work at Western Michigan University, and we appreciate her service," Jennifer Bott, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in the university press release. In the separation agreement, Fortin Mattoon agreed to conditions of non-disclosure, non-disparagement and no future employment with the university. She was appointed to the leadership post at Western Michigan in 2009, according to her personnel file. In a press release from the university published Sept. 28, 2009, Fortin Mattoon, whose name was then Dawn Gaymer, was esteemed as a "seasoned administrator with more than 20 years of experience." Prior to her time at Western, she served as a dean at Eastern Michigan University and director of international admissions at the University of Toledo. Fortin Mattoon could not be reached for comment. Fortin Mattoon is the second high-level WMU administrator to depart in recent months with a sizable severance payment. In July, Tim Terrentine left his position as vice president of development and alumni relations with a lump-sum payment of $71,528 after an internal investigation into sexual misconduct. MUSKEGON, MI - An apparent "furry fandom" enthusiast who dresses up as a cartoon character has been sentenced to prison for no less than 25 years to 40 years. Kyle Damiean Kerbersky Kyle Damiean Kerbersky, 29, of Kentwood was sentenced by Muskegon County Circuit Judge William Marietti on Tuesday, Oct. 2. Marietti also ordered Kerbersky to undergo lifetime monitoring. He was found guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct on Aug. 22 following a jury trial in Muskegon County Circuit Court. The charge is punishable by up to life in prison. Kerbersky was accused of repeatedly raping the child in 2015, according to the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office. Police began investigating Kerbersky after receiving a tip from Child Protective Services. The prosecutor's office agreed to dismiss without prejudice an additional charge of lying to police. On Tuesday, before Maritetti read his sentence, Kerbersky looked back at family members and whispered, "It's going to be OK." When Marietti asked if Kerbersky would like to make a statement, he pointed to a letter he sent to the court and said nothing more. Shawn Haff, Kerbersky's attorney, said that his client has a limited criminal history and deep mental health issues, which his client is working on. Muskegon County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Mary Farrell said Kerbersky's crime was among "the most heinous crime we can deal with here." "The defendant did not take accountability for his actions," Farrell said. "He wrote out several confessions, but did not take responsibility for his crime when filed his plea." The victim of the crime Farrell continued, has been dealing with the trauma following the incident, but has made, according to his grandmother, "a complete turnaround." The victim is on track to be released from a health services facility for children and feels "vindicated" by Kerbersky's guilty verdict, Farrell added. On his Facebook page and Twitter account, Kerbersky identifies himself as "Lavadog Ashpaw," and uses an avatar of a dire wolf as his profile picture. Lavadog Ashpaw posted a video on YouTube of a parade of "furry" enthusiasts at the Great Lakes Fur Con - a convention of furry enthusiasts held in Holland. Furry fandom is defined by Wikipedia as "a subculture interested in fictional anthropomorphic animal characters with human personalities and characteristics. They often dress as "furries" depicting their "fursonas" in animal costumes called "fursuits." Prior to his trial, Kerbersky received a psychiatric evaluation at the request of his attorney. He was found competent to stand trial. CARO, MI -- A Michigan judge has ordered more than $6 million in assets be returned to a urologist acquitted of charges that he was running a "pill mill." Dr. Joseph Edwin Oesterling, was acquitted in 2017 of charges including continuing a criminal enterprise, five counts of delivery of a Schedule II controlled substance and one count of maintaining a drug house. Oesterling, previously chief of urology at the University of Michigan Hospital, was arraigned in 2016 on those charges following a seven-month investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Thumb Narcotics Unit. The agencies alleged overprescribing by Oesterling through his clinics in Caro, Saginaw and Mount Pleasant. On Tuesday, Oct. 2, Oesterling's attorney Ronald Chapman II announced that Tuscola County Circuit Judge Amy Gierhart ordered the return of $6.2 million of Oesterling's assets seized during the investigation. Tuscola County had retained Oesterling's assets and filed a suit under Michigan's Civil Asset Forfeiture Law. That suit was dismissed after a motion filed by Chapman and Robert Andretz of the healthcare firm Chapman Law Group, according to court documents. The judge ruled that the case must be dismissed because the court "did not find that [the Prosecution's] evidence established a substantial connection between the Defendant property and [alleged] criminal activity," Chapman said. "We are very pleased that Dr. Oesterling and his family can finally put these terrible accusations behind him, but the fact remains is that it took this man two years to fight for justice," Chapman said. "After he was acquitted just under one year ago, the prosecution kept their claim on his property and continued to allege he was a drug pusher." Mark Reene, Tuscola County prosecutor, said his office is appealing the judge's decision. "We disagree with that ruling and believe there is a basis for the case to continue," Reene said. Among assets returned were five vehicles, four properties and more than two dozen bank accounts. The court order was signed on Sept. 25. KOCHVILLE TWP, MI -- A job fair and career networking event is coming to Saginaw Valley State University. The event is noon to 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12, in Curtiss Hall, 7400 Bay Road. Students, alumni and the public are invited to attend. Over 100 employers have signed up to attend the fair including A&D Home Health Care, The Arc of Midland, Auto-Owners Insurance Co., Bavarian Inn Lodge and Restaurant, Chemical Bank, Detroit Police Department, Dow, Fabiano Brothers, Hemlock Semiconductor, Nexteer Automotive, Quicken Loans, Walgreens, Walmart and more. Job seekers are required to wear professional attire. To see a full list of employers, visit here. These alterations, known as methylation, could one day be used by investigators or courts to weigh allegations of child abuse. It is certainly possible that epigenetic changes in sperm cells play a role in the physical and mental health of the next generation (Photo: AFP) Paris: Children subjected to abuse may carry the physical hallmark of that trauma in their cells, scientists said Tuesday, in research that could help criminal investigations probing historic mistreatment. The imprints may also shed light on whether or not trauma can be passed on between generations as has long been hypothesised. A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia examined the sperm cells of 34 adult men, some of whom had been victims of child abuse years earlier. They found that the effects of the trauma were indelibly printed in 12 regions of the DNA of those men who had experienced varying levels of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Scientists believe these alterations, known as methylation, could one day be used by investigators or courts to weigh allegations of child abuse. "If you think of genes as being like lightbulbs, DNA methylation is like a dimmer switch that controls how strong each light is -- which in turn can influence how cells function," Nicole Gladish, a PhD candidate in the university's Department of Medical Genetics, told agencies. "This information can potentially provide additional information about how childhood abuse affects long-term physical and mental health." The experiment is one of a growing number of trials looking into what turns genes "on and off" at different periods of human development, a field of study known as epigenetics. Once thought as entirely pre-programmed from conception, some genes are now known to be activated or deactivated by environmental factors or an individual's life experience. 'Small piece of the puzzle' Scientists involved in the study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, said they still did not know how methylation affects a person's long-term health. In addition, due to the difficulty in extracting egg cells, the team don't plan to replicate the experiment on women -- statistically far likelier to have been victims of child abuse than men. Scientists said the degree of "dimming" in the DNA regions were surprising -- one part of the genome of the men who were abused as children was 29 percent different to those who were not. And, because the degree of methylation changes over time, they were able to tell by looking at the men's cells roughly when the abuse occurred. "This might help the development of tests that could be used by healthcare workers or potentially even as forensic evidence," Gladish said. Although researchers still have little idea whether or not the imprints of abuse contained within sperm cells would survive fertilisation intact, lead author Andrea Roberts said the study "brings us at least one step closer" towards working out if trauma can be transmitted across generations. "We can look at our study as one small piece in the huge overall puzzle of how intergenerational trauma works," said Gladish. She pointed out there are several other teams working on the conundrum, including experiments on mice and other animals. "It is certainly possible that epigenetic changes in sperm cells play a role in the physical and mental health of the next generation, but we don't know for sure." WASHINGTON -- As the FBI continues the investigation into allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump says it has created an atmosphere of "Guilty until proven innocent" especially with regards to sexual allegations. While addressing reporters Tuesday about the ongoing investigation and Kavanaugh's background, Trump was asked by a reporter if he has a message for young men in America. "Well I say it's a very scary time for young men in America, when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of," Trump said. "This is a very difficult time...you could be someone that's been perfect your entire life and somebody could accuse you of something, doesn't necessarily have to be a woman... and you're automatically guilty." The comments come at a time where Kavanaugh's status as a nominee is being challenged based on at least three claims from women who say they either were sexually assaulted by Kavanaugh or saw him assault women during his high school and college days. One of the women, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, testified last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee about allegedly being assaulted by Kavanaugh in 1982. During her testimony she said part of the reason she was hesitant to come forward is because she was afraid she could ruin her life over the allegations and no one would believe her. A claim that many sexual assault survivors have said has caused them to shy away from publicly naming their assaulter. Trump's statements Tuesday suggest that he believes those being accused are under attack and no one believes their defense that they did nothing wrong. The entirety of Trump's message to young men can be seen in the video below starting at the 45-second mark. Agency requires sanction to prosecute Chidambaram, Karti & 10 others. The court pulled up the agency for filing the charge sheet without proper sanction and told the CBI that if the required documents are not filed by November 26, the next day of hearing, the court may take appropriate action. New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday granted seven weeks to the CBI to obtain sanction to prosecute former Union minister P. Chidambaram and other serving or former public servants in the Aircel-Maxis deal case. The court pulled up the agency for filing the charge sheet without proper sanction and told the CBI that if the required documents are not filed by November 26, the next day of hearing, the court may take appropriate action. Special judge O.P. Saini said: You (CBI) should not have filed the charge sheet. It is only increasing the pendency of the court. A lot of time of the court has been wasted due to this. The investigating agency had on July 19 filed a charge sheet against the Congress leader, his son Karti, 10 individuals including public servants and six companies as accused in the case. The court allowed the CBIs request for grant of some time after senior advocate Sonia Mathur, representing the agency, informed the judge that sanctions are awaited. The judge said: If the sanction is not received, appropriate actions will be taken. Ms Mathur said, Granting of sanction is under active consideration of the government. Mr Chidambarams name is among the persons against whom sanction for prosecution from authorities concerned was awaited. The court also adjour-ned a money laundering case, which is an off-shoot of the Aircel-Maxis deal case, against Karti and others, after Ms Mathur and lawyers N.K. Matta and Nitesh Rana requested an adjournment on behalf of the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ED had on July 13 filed a charge sheet again-st Karti and others for the alleged offence of money laundering. However, the former Union minister was not arrayed as an acc-used in the case. In the case filed by CBI, Ms Mathur told the court that the agency was expecting sanctions for prosecution from authorities concern-ed in about four weeks. The counsel told the court that there were serving public servants and some retired ones against whom the sanctions would be needed before proceeding with their prosecution in the case. The CBI had filed the charge sheet for the alleged offences of cri-minal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), public servant taking illegal gratification, punishment for abetting this offence and public se-rvant committing criminal misconduct under the Prevention of Corruption Act. If convicted, the offe-nces entail a maximum punishment of seven years. The family of the woman, who is currently hospitalised, alleged that the accused was married and had been harassing the woman. The weapon used in the crime is yet to be recovered, the police said. (Representational image) New Delhi: A 20-year-old woman was shot at in northeast Delhi on Monday morning, allegedly by a man whose marriage proposal was apparently rejected by her, police said. The accused, Pradeep (27), was arrested later in the day. It was learnt that Pradeep wanted to marry the woman whom he knew for two years. But, she turned down his proposal, following which he attacked her at Harsh Vihar in Mandoli, a police officer said. The family of the woman, who is currently hospitalised, alleged that the accused was married and had been harassing the woman. The weapon used in the crime is yet to be recovered, the officer added. The accused who lived nearby has been apprehended, the police said. The girl's maternal uncle saw the incident and informed the police, following which the boy was apprehended. (Representational image) New Delhi: A Class 3 student was sexually assaulted allegedly by a 14-year-old in northwest Delhi's Swaroop Nagar, the police said Monday. The accused who lived nearby, was apprehended, they added. The boy visited the girl's house and went to her room where he undressed himself and allegedly tried to force himself on the girl. The girl's maternal uncle saw the incident and informed the police, following which the boy was apprehended. The deceased and the girl wanted to get married. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a 31-year-old teacher was killed on Monday in Mahendra Park after he was shot by two assailants over his alleged relationship with a Muslim girl. The victim, identified as Ankit Garg, was shot dead around 8.30 am on Monday. He ran a tuition centre in Northwest Delhis Mahendra Park. The police is yet to asce-rtain the motive behind the shooting. The victims family has, however, alleged that he was shot as he was in a relationship with his student, who was a Muslim. The deceased and the girl wanted to get married. However, the students brother opposed their relationship as they belonged to different religious communities. The victim was allegedly threatened many times before being shot dead. Two eyewitnesses claimed that they saw the womans brother opening fire at him. A senior police official said, The motive is not clear, but the victims family has alleged that it was due to an affair. Sources said that the victim was shot dead in front of his two students. The two eyewitnesses claimed that the womans brother opened fire at the deceased. An investigation is currently underway. In a separate incident in Harsh Vihar area, a woman was reportedly shot by a person known to her. The lady has been admitted at a hospital and an investigation is underway. The latest incidents come barely a day after a 34-year-old man named Rupesh died after being shot by two unidentified men in the national capitals Taimoor Nagar area on Sunday, triggering protests among the locals. Rupeshs family and neighbours alleged that the two men were drug peddlers and since the victim had opposed the sale of drugs in the area, the duo attacked him. She tweeted on Sunday that she had received a letter relieving her of her duties as AICC secretary. Mumbai: Congress leader Priya Dutt, a former Lok Sabha MP from North-Central constituency, was removed from the position of secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) on September 26. Ms Dutt thanked the party for giving the responsibility in a tweet. The Congress leader tweeted on Sunday, I recieved a letter relieving me of my duties as secretary AICC, I am very Thank full and extremely grateful to Mrs Gandhi and Rahulji to have given me this opportunity to serve the party for all these years. I thank all my colleagues in AICC for their help and guidance (sic). Hours later, Ms Dutt issued a clarification of sorts, tweeting, Want to clarify there is nothing to be upset about this letter, this is a process, I have been AICC secretary long enough, new and young people need to be brought into the organisation. If each one holds on to positions forever where will the other aspirants go. Ms Dutt, the daughter of the MP and legendary actor Sunil Dutt contested the Lok Sabha elections after the death of her father and became MP in 2005. She won the elections of 2009 again, but in 2014 BJP MP Poonam Mahajan defeated her in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave. Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam had announced again her candidature from this constituency in the meeting on Sunday, but many workers opposed the move as she had not been active in the party in last four years and had not visited the constituency. The Dutt family was close to former Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The assets attached includes jewellery brought from Hong Kong which was rushed out of India after CBI filed case against them. Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has secured a red corner notice (RCN) from the Interpol against Aditya Nanavati in connection with the multi crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud case involving fugitives diamantaire Nirav Modi and his uncle Mehul Choksi. The RCN was issued against him after the investigators found that he headed the operations of Firestar Diamonds in Hong Kong and he was found to be closely connected with Modis brother Neeshal. The agency also attached properties worth Rs 637 crore including a flat at Breach Candy in south Mumbai, which is registered in the name of Modis sister Purvi. Another flat in London worth Rs 56.97 crore owned by Purvi, a Belgian national. The assets attached includes jewellery brought from Hong Kong which was rushed out of India after CBI filed case against them. The inflated value of the jewellery was to the tune of Rs 85 crore however its valuation revealed that the actual worth of it was Rs 22.69 crore. The same was brought to India from Hong Kong where it was kept in a vault of a private company. The agency contacted the company and its London headquarters and after much persuasion and follow up, it successfully brought back the jewellery to India, the official said. He also said that the stock value of the jewellery was around Rs 85 crore and the jewellery was sent to Hong Kong by Firestar Group of Companies. On independent valuation, the value of jewellery came to Rs 22.69 crore. The investigators said that the attachments includes assets from four countries including United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and Hong Kong in the form of properties, diamond studded jewellery, bank accounts among others. The officials said that attached assets includes apartments at Central Park in New York worth around Rs 216 crore that are registered in the name of Nirav Modi. The list of bank accounts includes five of them in the name of Modi and other family members including his sister that was stashed with Rs 278 crore. The south Mumbai flat attached by ED is worth Rs 19.5 crore that was purchased by Purvi in 2017. Modis brother Neeshal, who is also in Belgium, officials said, holds the power of attorney. Saudi Arabia, the second largest producer of crude oil to world, faced an attack on its oil infrastructure facilities on September 14, which caused a sharp increase in fuel prices. Do you know where petrol prices were the highest? Here's a list of the countries where petrol is the cheapest and most expensive. (Note: All price comparisons are on rupee terms only. Global rates as of September, 16 2019 - Image: Reuters) Brent crude prices fell on profit-taking on Tuesday but remained near their highest since November 2014 as markets braced for tighter supply once U.S. sanctions against Iran kick in next month. The international crude oil benchmark lost 37 cents to $84.61 per barrel by 1200 GMT after reaching a new four-year high of $85.45 in the previous session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were flat at $75.20 a barrel, having hit a four-year high of $75.91 earlier in the session. Brent and WTI have roughly tripled compared with lows seen in January 2016, when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia started to curb oil supplies to rebalance an oversupplied market. Sentiment was lifted by a last-gasp deal to salvage NAFTA as a trilateral pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada, rescuing a $1.2 trillion a year open-trade zone that had been about to collapse. More fundamentally, oil markets have been pushed up by looming U.S. sanctions against Iran's oil industry, which at its most recent peak this year supplied nearly 3 percent of the world's almost 100 million barrels of daily consumption. A Reuters survey of OPEC production found Iranian output in September fell by 100,000 barrels per day, while production from the group as a whole rose by 90,000 bpd compared with August. "Oil prices continue to climb, supported by the nearing Iran embargo and related supply concerns," said Norbert Ruecker, head of commodity research at Swiss bank Julius Baer. HSBC said in its fourth-quarter Global Economics outlook that "our oil analysts believe there is now a growing risk it (crude) could touch $100 per barrel". Washington's sanctions start on Nov. 4. Many analysts say OPEC will struggle to cover a decline in exports from Iran. "The general impression out there currently seems to be that there is either an outright inability or at least a certain unwillingness ... to compensate for the expected continuation of declining Iranian export flows," Vienna-based consultancy JBC Energy said. Britain's Barclays bank, however, said "OPEC has ample spare capacity". For now, soaring crude prices and weak emerging market currencies, including India's rupee and Indonesia's rupiah, may erode economic growth. "Softening demand growth and new supply should cool the bullish sentiment and push prices lower by the end of the year," Barclays said. Dr Reddys-Teva (8 ANDAs/generic filings) | Year: June 2016 | Deal size: USD 350 million Objective: To strengthen US presence Results: Yet to deliver. Company awaits launch of major products from the deal that are held up due to regulatory and patent related issues. (Image: Reuters) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Dr Reddys Laboratories on Tuesday said its subsidiary Promius Pharma sold rights of specialty skin cream Cloderm and its authorised generic to EPI Health. "Under the terms of the agreement, Promius Pharma is eligible to receive an upfront payment followed by future royalties as the consideration for Cloderm Cream and its authorised generic in the US, effective immediately," the company said in a statement. Dr Reddy's acquired Cloderm (clocortolone pivalate) Cream, 0.1 percent from Valeant Pharmaceuticals in April 2011 for an undisclosed amount. The steroid cream is used for treatment of eczema and other skin diseases. The company didn't disclose the financial details of the sale. The latter is part of Dr Reddy's efforts to contain costs. The company on October 1 sold its penicillin plant in Bristol, Tennessee to Abu Dhabi-based Neopharma. We look forward to EPI continuing to support Cloderm, a brand that providers have prescribed for several decades and find as an important treatment option for their patients. said Anil Namboodiripad, Senior Vice President, Proprietary Products and President, Promius Pharma. EPI is a privately held company, headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with over 2,000 employees. Ron Owens, President of EPI Health, said, "We are very pleased to have completed this agreement with Dr Reddys to acquire Cloderm Cream in the US. Cloderm Cream, and its authorised generic, are widely recognised and time-tested among the dermatology community. The addition of this product to our growing portfolio will support our ongoing efforts to build a successful prescription branded franchise in the US while contributing to EPIs goal of becoming a leader in medical dermatology." IL&FS Transportation Networks | The company defaulted on the interest on non-convertible debentures due on August 25, 2020. (Image: Reuters) live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The dramatic suspension of the IL&FS board Monday came about after the Ministry of Corporate Affairs put together a note that laid bare instances of mismanagement by the erstwhile board and the Finance Ministry signed off on the findings. Moneycontrol has reviewed a confidential report sent by the Finance Ministry to the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The report, based on the findings of a preliminary investigation by the MCA, clearly mentions the reasons behind the sacking of IL&FS board. In the report, the Finance Ministry observed that the risk management committee of IL&FS did not meet between 2015 and 2018, except once in July 2015. "It can be concluded that the risk management functioning of the company remained impaired and ineffective. Considering the business model of the company (taking short-term financing from the market to fund long-term projects), this is critical lapse in the functioning of board management and governance," the Finance Ministrys Department of Economic Affairs said in the report. The report also talked about the sordid state of financial affairs of the IL&FS Group. "IL&FS Group has shown a loss of Rs 2,670 crore for the year 2017-18 in consolidated balance sheet. The leverage is about 13 times as the borrowing of about Rs 91,000 crore is on on the base of equity capital and reserves of about Rs 6,950 crore. The indebtedness of the IL&FS at the end of financial year 2017-18 is about Rs 16,468 crore and with debt market drying up for this company," the report said. It was also observed that IL&FS was due to repay Rs 1,066 crore of its debt by October and around Rs 1,953 crore between September 26 and September 30. The fall in Dewan Housing Finances share price, which took place on September 21, also found mention in the report. "IFSL, which has listed its bonds on Bombay Stock Exchange, later defaulted on its non-convertible debentures, subsequent to default on commercials papers. A debt fund of DSP Mutual Fund named DSP Credit Risk Fund was holding IL&FS commercial paper. This paper was rated AAA. But IL&FS made an interest default. Hence its rating went down to D and DSP faced redemption pressure from corporate clients holding funds that have exposure to IL&FS due. "This redemption pressure would have resulted in default by DSP and hence they had two options: Either sell government securities or sell DHFL bonds which are AAA rated investment, at a loss. Since government securities investment is already subjected to loss to due to hardening of bond yields, hence logically if the loss is same, it is better to sell corporate bonds. Thus, due to the redemption pressure on DSP Blackrock Mutual Fund (sic), the fund house had to sell DHFL Bonds at net yield of 11 percent whereas as per issue DHFL had yield of 9.1 percent," the report said. The report also warned about repercussions due to lack of authentic information in the market about the financial status of 169 unlisted group companies of IL&FS. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs got a lookout notice issued for former directors Ravi Ramaswamy Parthasarathy and Ramesh Bawa, and serving directors Hari Sankaran, Karunakaran Ramachand. However, Ramaswamy, who is in London at the moment, said he is there for medical treatment. There is no clarity about when he will return. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The government has taken control of Infrastructure Leasing & Finance (IL&FS) after getting an approval from the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Court in Mumbai. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) allowed the government to constitute a new board for the debt-strapped lender, asking it to devise a plan for the group and file a response by October 15. The new board will be headed by Kotak Mahindra Banks CEO and Managing Director Uday Kotak along with five other members - ICICI Bank Chairman Girish Chandra Chaturvedi, former head of the Securities and Exchange Board of India GN Bajpai, former IAS officer and Tech Mahindra chief Vineet Nayyar and former IAS officers Malini Shankar and Nanda Kishore. The tribunal will next hear the matter on October 31. Also Read: Debt and defaults: What happened to IL&FS? Here is a timeline of the crisis in IL&FS so far: Rating companies ICRA and CARE Ratings downgrades ITNLs debt papers/credit facilities citing weak financials. IL&FS groups transport subsidiary IL&FS Transportation Networks ( ITNL ) delayed repayment of Rs 450 crore of inter-corporate deposits from Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). July 21: Groups Founder and Chairman Ravi Parthasarathy steps down, citing health reasons. Hemant Bhargava, LIC MD and nominee, takes charge as Non-Executive Chairman of IL&FS group. August 28: Groups financial arm IL&FS Financial Services defaults on repaying a few hundred crores of rupees to its commercial-paper investors but pays the same two days later. Early September: The group defaults on a Rs 1,000 crore term loan and its subsidiary defaults on dues worth Rs 500 crore owed to SIDBI. August-end and early-September: ICRA, CARE and Brickwork Ratings downgrades the conglomerates various long- and short term borrowing programmes worth over Rs 12,000 crore to 'default' or 'junk' grades. ICRA downgrades the group twice in a fortnight and also removes all group entities from its rating watch. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiates a special audit. September 12 to 26: Several short term loan defaults take place, totalling Rs 440.46 crore (Bank loans: Rs 284.5 crore, term deposits: Rs 103.53 crore and short-term deposit of Rs 52.43 crore). September 12: In a letter to employees, IL&FS says Rs 16,000 crore is stuck in claims and termination payments with concession authorities and it had been planning on raising Rs 45,000 crore through the issue of shares and Rs 3,500 as long term debt from shareholders. September 15: Former LIC Chairman SB Mathur takes over as IL&FS group Chairman. IL&FS says it is planning to monetise assets to pare its debt by up to Rs 30,000 crore over the next 18 months and identifies 25 projects for the same. September 18: Markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) says it is looking into the IL&FS matter with regards to rating agencies and the impact on mutual funds. September 21: Fears of a debt market crisis due to an IL&FS default prompts DSP Mutual fund to sell commercial papers of Dewan Housing Finance (DHFL) which leads to a contagion effect in equity markets, which crash nearly 1,500 points. Ramesh C Bawa, MD and CEO of IL&FS Financial Services resigns. September 24: IL&FS defaults again and loses access to fund raising through commercial paper market for up to six months from the date of repayment of this obligation. IL&FS board seeks relief from NCLT to work out an arrangement with shareholders, creditors and board of directors. SIDBI threatens to file a case at the NCLT for non-repayment. September 28: RBI meets top shareholders and raises concern on the crisis September 29: At its Annual General Meeting (AGM), IL&FS decides to raise Rs 4,500 crore through a rights issue and raises borrowing limit to Rs 35,000 crore from Rs 25,000 crore. The company appoints Alvarez and Marsal as specialist agency to execute the debt restructuring plan. October 1: NCLT judgment allows government to assume control and institute a new board under the chairmanship of Uday Kotak and five other new board members. Default impact: A series of defaults by IL&FS group companies in August and September on term deposits, short term deposits, inter-corporate deposits, commercial paper and non-convertible debentures and rating downgrades in some and default on some other financial instruments results in a massive sell-off in shares of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). This causes redemption (repayment) pressure in mutual funds holding such financial instruments and adversely impacts sentiment in the stock, money and debt markets. This creates a large systemic risk, leading to good quality debt papers being sold at steep discounts to meet redemption demand. The government tells NCLT that the collapse of IL&FS may lead to a collapse of many mutual fund companies. Over 30 years, IL&FS has helped develop and finance projects worth about 1.8 lakh crore and its transport subsidiary is building about 14,000 lane-km ilometers in over 30 projects, the company says on its website. IL&FS is known for building the Chenani-Nashri tunnel -- Indias longest road tunnel at 9 km. It was incorporated in 1987 and initially promoted by Central Bank of India (CBI), Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) and Unit Trust of India (UTI). Over the years, new institutional shareholders including State Bank of India (SBI), Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), ORIX Corporation of Japan, and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) invest in the group. Currently, the group is reeling under a huge outstanding debt of Rs 91,000 crore and planning to sell assets to raise funds. Of the total debt, about Rs 57,000 is from public sector banks. According to the government, it has infrastructure and financial assets exceeding Rs 115,000 crore. IL&FS has 169 group companies as on 2017-18, including subsidiaries, joint venture companies and associate entities. Representative Image The Congress on October 1 hit back at Arun Jaitley for attacking its chief Rahul Gandhi over the IL&FS issue, alleging that the Finance Minister was desperate to 'cover up government's thievery' in the case. In a tweet, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that the minister was trying to save the government in the Infrastructure Leasing & Finance Services (IL&FS) issue as he had done in other cases. "One more Shirk Responsibility, Sell Family Silver, Save Cronies' excuse by FM Jaitley, like in case of 4Ms - Mallya, Modi junior 1 and 2, Mehul Bhai. "An MP's a letter is not the law of land for FM to follow. Proves the desperation on FM's part to cover up Government's thievery (sic)," he said on Twitter with regard to the IL&FS issue. Gandhi also hit out at the government over the issue and called it a 'scam'. He attacked Narendra Modi over the financial support of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) to debt-ridden IL&FS and asked whether the Prime Minister 'loves financial scams'. On September 30, he said LIC was the country's symbol of trust and the common people have saved every rupee to buy its policies. "Modi ji, your favourite private company IL&FS is about to turn bankrupt. You are trying to save it by putting the money of LIC. Why?" he asked in a tweet in Hindi. "...Why are you using LIC money to save fraudsters? For you, hope IL&FS does not mean I love financial scams," Gandhi had said. In another tweet in Hindi, Gandhi alleged that in 2007, Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister gave Rs 70,000 crore 'Gift City' project to IL&FS in which nothing has happened till now and alleged that a fraud had come to light. In comparison, Gandhi alleged that in 2018, Prime Minister Modi is trying to grant a Rs 91,000 crore bailout to debt-ridden IL&FS using public money in LIC and State Bank of India. "Chowkidar ki dari mein tinka (the watchman is guilty conscious)," he had said. The Congress leader's rebuttal to Jaitley came after the Finance Minister attacked the opposition party for spreading 'disinformation' about the government's move in relation to IL&FS. "The Congress Party, for the last few days, has been busy spreading disinformation about the government's possible moves in relation to the private sector company IL&FS," Jaitley had said on September 30. The Finance Minister also said only 'the perverted Rahul Gandhi school of thinking' can call investment by financial institutions in IL&FS a 'scam' and suggested that the Congress President take some 'words of wisdom' from a senior party colleague. He also termed the Congress a 'national saboteur' trying to spread disinformation about the developments in debt-ridden IL&FS. Jaitley in a Facebook post titled 'Lessons for Rahul Gandhi from his partyman' said it must be remembered that the days of crony capitalism are over and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government deals with challenges objectively and professionally. The minister wanted to know whether investment by financial institutions in a company is a scam as has been spread by Gandhi and his coterie. "Was it a scam in 1987 when the IL&FS was promoted with the Central Bank of India having 50.5 percent shares and the UTI having 30.5 percent shares? Was it a scam in 2005 when LIC acquired 15 percent stake in IL&FS and in March 2006 when it acquired another 11.10 percent stake in IL&FS? "In fact, LIC further bought 19.34 lakh shares in IL&FS in 2010. Do I start calling all these investments today 'a scam' as per 'the perverted Rahul Gandhi school of thinking?' From where has he invented a proposal of Rs 91,000 crore investment likely to take place by LIC and SBI in IL&FS?" Jaitley quipped. He asked Gandhi to read a letter written by senior Congress leader KV Thomas on September 20, who suggested to the government to 'support IL&FS' as the company has shown notable achievements in the past in the area of infrastructure development. He also tagged Thomas' letter to him to bail out IL&FS. Petrol price in Mumbai touched Rs 91.20 per litre with an increase of 12 paise per litre on October 2. Diesel price in the financial capital was at Rs 79.89 per litre with an increase of 17 paise. In Delhi, petrol price touched Rs 83.85 per litre after an increase of Rs 12 paise. The diesel price in the capital rose 16 paise to Rs 75.25. City Petrol price Price change Diesel price Price change (Rs/litre) Rise/(fall) in paise/litre (Rs/litre) Rise/(fall) in paise/litre Bangalore 84.46 06 75.58 10 Bhopal 89.46 (14) 79.12 00 Hyderabad 88.90 13 81.75 17 Lucknow 83.17 04 75.40 18 Patna 90.19 22 81.11 24 Port Blair 72.09 94 70.34 13 The prices of petrol and diesel in Chennai hit Rs 87.18 and Rs 79.57 per litre, respectively, with an increase of 13 paise and 17 paise, respectively. Fuel prices have been rising since mid-August, touching fresh highs almost on a daily basis. Despite consumer protests, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan ruled out reducing taxes on these items. Blaming global factors, he said a tax cut, if approved, won't have any lasting impact due to volatile crude prices. Petrol prices at record high in India: Check how much it costs around the world The Centre currently levies an excise duty of Rs 19.48/litre on petrol and Rs 15.33 per litre on diesel. Various states levy Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. Mumbai has the highest VAT of 39.12 percent on petrol, while Telangana levies the highest VAT of 26 percent on diesel. Chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra The Chief Justice of India, Dipak Misra, who retired on October 2, has had an eventful career. Much like every Chief Justice, CJI Misras career was marked by a number of high-profile cases, the decisions to most of which were delivered in a clutch recently. Unlike many of his predecessors, though, some of the landmark judgments delivered by CJI Misra arguably came at a time when their political relevance was much sharper than at any other time. Even before CJI Misra took over as the Chief Justice, however, the 64-year old had to his name a number of landmark judgments. In a profession that is legendary for using verbose, impenetrable language which can be deciphered only by law experts, CJI Misra is known to have written judgments that quote everything from ancient Indian texts to western classical literature. Heres taking a look at some of those landmark judgments, both during his tenure as the Chief Justice as well as across his career. Meditation in rape cases involving minors (2015) The apex court was hearing an appeal filed by the State of Madhya Pradesh against a rape accused. The judgment went against an earlier, controversial judgment by Madras High Court, in which the court had ordered meditation in a rape case involving a minor victim. Hearing the appeal, the bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant had observed: These are crimes against the body of a woman which is her own temple. These are offences which suffocate the breath of life and sully the reputation. And reputation, needless to emphasise, is the richest jewel one can conceive of in life. The Supreme Court had held that it would be a spectacular error to adopt any kind of liberal approach to cases of sexual assault. Or to put it differently, it would be in the realm of a sanctuary of error, the judgment had stated. Yakub Memon mercy plea case (2015) Justice Misra headed the Supreme Court bench that held court past midnight to decide upon the fate of 1993 Bombay serial blasts accused Yakub Memons mercy plea. Writing that the issue has risen like a phoenix again, Justice Misra had pronounced the courts decision at 5 am. The Bench had assembled for an unprecedented pre-dawn hearing at 1 am. Stay of death warrant would be travesty of justice. The plea is dismissed, the Bench had ruled. Memon was hanged at Nagpur Central Prison a little before 7 am on July 30, 2015. Justice Misra was back at the court hearing another case at 10:30 am the next morning. Constitutional validity of criminal defamation (2016) In a controversial judgment that was laced with remarks provoking arguments and counter-arguments, a two-judge bench upheld the Constitutional validity of Sections 499 to 502 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to criminal defamation. Freedom of speech and expression is not absolute. The concept of social interest has to be kept in mind when considering reasonableness of a restriction, the judgment had pronounced, stating that the sections do not muzzle freedom and speech and expression. The bench had asked the petitioners Subramanian Swamy, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal to face trial in their respective cases. 2012 Nirbhaya rape and death case (2017) In another historic judgment, the apex court bench headed by Justice Misra upheld death penalty of convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya rape and death case. Justice Misra had termed the incident as a tsunami of shock. It is manifest that the wanton lust, the servility to absolutely unchained carnal desire and slavery to the loathsome beastility of passion ruled the mindset of the appellants to commit a crime which can summon with immediacy tsunami of shock in the mind of the collective and destroy the civilised marrows of the milieu in entirety, the bench had said. If ever a case called for hanging, this was it, Justice Misra wrote in a voluminous judgment that ran up to 430 pages. The National Anthem debate (2017) A two-judge bench led by CJI Misra had conceded that rules that required national anthem to be played before screening of a movie can be re-looked at. The Supreme Court had noted that we dont have to wear patriotism on our sleeve. The apex courts observations went against an earlier ruling, also pronounced by a bench that CJI Misra was a part of, that stated that citizens are duty-bound to show respect to the national anthem which is the symbol of the constitutional patriotism. People do not need to stand up at a cinema hall to be perceived as patriotic, the court had said. Lifting ban on Padmaavat (2018) When the Rajasthan and Gujarat state governments issued notifications prohibiting the screening of Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed Padmaavat, the Supreme Court stepped in to stay the orders and clear the movie for a nation-wide release. The whole problem when exhibition of a film is stopped like this, my constitutional conscience shocks me, CJI Misra had said. During the hearing, in what had become trademark for Justice Misra, everything from Marathi literature and Sanskrit epics to DH Lawrence and Jesus Christ made an appearance in Court No. 1, where the proceedings took place. Striking down Section 377 (2018) A five-judge Supreme Court bench decriminalised homosexuality, striking down Section 377 of IPC and bringing an end to the 157-year-old colonial-era law. The ruling was hailed by many as a progressive step towards equality. The desire to place every identity on an equal pedestal was highlighted by CJI Misra in his comment quoting German writer Goethe, I am what I am, so take me as I am. Denial of self-expression is inviting death one defines oneself. That is the glorious form of individuality, CJI Misra had further said. Aadhaar Verdict (2018) A Constitution bench of the apex court, led by CJI Misra upheld the validity of Aadhaar but with riders. The Aadhaar judgment was read out by Justice AK Sikri, to which CJI Misra had concurred. The verdict essentially upheld the Constitutional validity of Aadhaar but stuck down some of the provisions, including the linking of Aadhaar to bank accounts. Decriminalisation of adultery (2018) The Supreme Court unanimously stuck down Section 497 as unconstitutional. Its time to say husband is not the master, CJI Misra said while reading out the judgment. Women cant be asked to think and do according to the will of society, the Chief Justice continued. The five-judge bench headed by CJI Misra said that the beauty of the Constitution is that it includes "I, me and you". Though the judgment divided opinions, it was hailed as another step in a string of vredicts by the apex court to move towards an equal society. Sabarimala temple case (2018) In another historic decision, the Supreme Court threw open the doors of the 800-year-old Sabarimala temple in Kerala to women of all ages. Striking down Rule 3 (b) of the Kerala Hindu Places of Public Worship (Authorisation of Entry) Rules, 1965, which restricted the entry of women between the ages of 10-50 inside the temple, the Supreme Court held that exclusion of women of any age group cannot be regarded as essential to the practice of Hindu religion. The dualism that persists in religion by glorifying and venerating women as goddesses on one hand and by imposing rigorous sanctions on the other hand in matters of devotion has to be abandoned, wrote CJI Misra, for himself and for Justice AM Khanwilkar. Expression of devotion cannot be circumscribed by dogmatic notions of biological or physiological factors arising out of rigid socio-cultural attitudes which do not meet the constitutionally prescribed tests, CJI Misra further went on to say. Farmers marching towards Delhi as part of the Bharatiya Kisan Union's (BKU) protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border Tuesday with police using water cannons to disperse them. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protesters, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the national capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left social media in spilt with his comment about making tea from gutter fumes. At an event to mark World Biofuel Day, the PM claimed that he had once read about a tea seller in a small town who tapped into gas emanating from a gutter to make the beverage. Loosing on the fact, the PM unintentionally ended up inventing a new laughing gas for netizens. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to participate in sanitation, cleanliness and renewable energy events on October 2 the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. PM Modi offered floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, New Delhi, to mark Gandhi Jayanti. He also visited Vijay Ghat to offer floral tributes to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary. The prime minister is scheduled to attend the closing ceremony of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre. MGISC is a four-day international conference which witnessed participation of Sanitation Ministers and other leaders from across the world. Address at the sanitation convention The prime minister is expected to visit a mini digital exhibition there. PM Modi will be accompanied by the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. PM Modi and Guterres are then expected to release commemorative postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi and launch a medley CD based on Gandhis favourite hymn Vaishnav Jan. The prime minister will also distribute the Swachh Bharat Awards before addressing the gathering. International Solar Alliance meet PM Modi will, later in the day, inaugurate the first Assembly of the International Solar Alliance at Vigyan Bhawan. He is expected to address the assembly. UN Secretary General Guterres is expected to be present during the event. The assembly will also be the second IORA Renewable Energy Ministerial Meeting and the second Global RE-Invest (renewable energy investors meet and exposition). Minister says there is proof of their links with Naxals. Mumbai: Despite the Delhi high court freeing Gautam Navlakha, one of the five rights activists held in connection with Bhima-Koregaon case who was placed under house arrest over alleged ties to Naxalites, the Maharashtra government is still firm about taking action against the activists. Minister of state for home affairs Deepak Kesarkar told The Asian Age, We have proof against all of them. We will resolve the technical issues that were pointed out by the Delhi high court and proceed with the investigation. Theres no need to approach the Supreme Court. On Monday a bench of Justice S. Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel stated that Mr Navlakhas detention had exceeded 24 hours, which was untenable. The court refused to extend Mr Navlakhas house arrest by two more days. The high court said the top court had extended the house arrest only to enable the activists to move the appropriate court. The four activists who are still under house arrest are renowned poet, journalist, and literary critic Varavara Rao, lawyers Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves, and trade unionist Sudha Bharadwaj. After studying the court order, the state police decided to proceed for the further investigation. A senior officer said, The chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government alleged that the activists have links to Naxals, and it cant change its stand at this stage so there is no alternative before the police other than proceeding with the investigation, which may include the few arrests as it had become the national issue. Additional director general of police Parambir Singh last month had claimed solid evidence including thousands of documents and letters that established the activists links to Maoists and their role in facilitating weapons and funding. He read out a letter exchanged between an activist arrested earlier in June, which spoke of planning another Rajiv Gandhi-like incident to end Modi Raj. A man burns paddy waste stubble in a field on the outskirts of Chandigarh, India November 8, 2016. REUTERS/Ajay Verma - D1BEULQOFXAA The Punjab government Tuesday deputed 10 senior administrative secretaries to check stubble burning and make people aware about the harmful practice. The officials have also been asked to review paddy procurement on a daily basis. Kahan Singh Pannu, the nodal officer for the Anti-Stubble Burning Campaign, in a release said Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has issued directives to all agencies and officials engaged for this task to ensure seamless operations of paddy procurement. He said that elaborate arrangements have been made for procuring 200 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in a prompt and hassle-free manner and for ensuring basic amenities to facilitate farmers in mandis. Pannu said that the chief minister has asked the senior administrative secretaries to effectively coordinate to contain stubble burning in the districts allotted to them. Additional Chief Secretary, Taxation, MP Singh and Secretary, Technical Education, DK Tiwari would coordinate the campaign to sensitise farmers in Kapurthala, Jalandhar, SBS Nagar and Hoshiarpur districts. Additional Chief Secretary, Development, Viswajeet Khanna and PWD Secretary Hussan Lal will oversee the campaign in Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala and Mansa districts. Additional Chief Secretary, Sports, Sanjay Kumar and Secretary, Water Supply and Sanitation, Jaspreet Talwar will monitor all activities to stop stubble burning in Ludhiana, Moga, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Mohali districts. Financial Commissioner, Rural Development and Panchayats, Anurag Verma and Registrar Cooperative Societies Vikas Garg will oversee the operation in Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts. Principal Secretary, Science Technology, RK Verma and Secretary, Agriculture, K S Pannu will supervise operations in this regard in Bathinda, Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts. Opposition parties on Tuesday put the blame on the Modi government for what they described as "brutal police action" against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, with the Congress alleging that the "Badshah of Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power". The parties accused the central government of being 'anti-farmer' and demanded to allow the protesters to enter Delhi to peacefully air their grievances, even as the government went into a huddle to mull over ways to convince the farmers to call off their protest. Farmers stayed put on the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad and other places, where they were stopped by the police including with the use of water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. The protest call has been given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd, officials said. Reacting to the development, Congress president Gandhi Tuesday accused the BJP for "brutal beating up" of farmers at the Delhi border on the International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. "On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital!" he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party which held its meeting in Maharashtra, also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the police action against the farmers. Condemning the police action, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre can write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged that "arrogance has gone to his head". "Instead of hearing them out, farmers are brutalised and beaten up. The Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power," the Congress leader alleged. Hitting out at the police action against the farmers, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "We strongly condemn this action and atrocities on farmers. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government. "Modi government has backtracked on all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government," he said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also extended his party's support to the protesting farmers and alleged the farm community has been hit hard by the rising fuel prices, as well as due to the decisions like the GST rollout and demonetisation. "The farmers have come out in support of their various demands... If we look at things, in the past over four years, almost 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, mostly in BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh," Yadav said. The Communist Party of India (CPI) also condemned the police action against the agitating farmers. "The farmers who were on a peaceful march towards the national capital under the banner of BKU raising their genuine demands including waiver of loans were stopped by police at the border and beaten up on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi," the party said in a statement. The Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha also condemned the police "brutality" on protesting farmers and slammed the government over the issue. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was "wrong" and pitched for allowing them entry into the city. "Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi. It is wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashvi Yadav said that by discarding the Swaminathan committee report, the Modi government has stabbed the farmers in the back. "Modi ji, though farmers, unlike capitalists, cannot fill your pockets, but at least don't get them beaten up. If you would have seen poverty, you would not have committed so many atrocities on farmers," he tweeted in Hindi. The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers' issue, after which Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. Congress The Congress will hold its working committee meeting on October 2 to mark the beginning of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations, and give a message against the 'atmosphere of fear, hate and violence' prevailing in the country, the party has said. Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi will be at the Sevagram Ashram in Wardha for the meeting and the party will take Mahatma Gandhi's message all over the country, a party leader said. There will be a prayer meeting, a 'shanti' (peace) march, and a public meeting at the Sevagram Ashram in which Gandhi will give his message, the party leader said, adding that holding the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Wardha has a lot of symbolism attached to it. "The preliminary deliberations of Individual Satyagraha were held in Sevagram in 1940. The CWC met in Sevagram and adopted the resolution on Quit India movement on July 14, 1942," the party leader said. The Quit India movement was launched in Mumbai on August 8, 1942. "A meeting was held in Sevagram from March 12 to 14, 1948, with the subject 'Gandhi has gone: who will guide us now', and among those who attended the meeting included the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Vinoba Bhave and Jaiprakash Narayan," the party leader said. When Mahatma Gandhi started his padayatra in 1930 from the Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, he had decided not to return to Sabarmati till India was free, the party leader recalled. "Gandhiji was jailed for more than two years and on his release, he spent time travelling considerably in central India. He came to Wardha in 1934 at the invitation of businessman and philanthropist Jamnalal Bajaj," the party leader said. In April 1936, Mahatma Gandhi established his residence in the Shegaon village near Wardha and he renamed it as Sevagram, which means 'village of service'. English learning platform Lingokids Tuesday said it has raised USD 7.3 million (about Rs 53.5 crore) in a funding led by HV Holtzbrinck Ventures. The funding round also saw participation from existing investors JME Venture Capital, Sabadell Ventures, Big Sur Ventures and Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX. Lingokids founder and CEO Cristobal Viedma said Silicon Valley ed-tech investor Reach Capital, Athos Capital, and All Iron Ventures, were also part of the funding round. The fund raise will go towards accelerating growth, hiring new talent, and developing features to promote personalised learning and parental involvement, Viedma told PTI. "The funding will allow us to increase our content offering which we will keep to a global content strategy as we have been so far. At the same time, we will work on localising the app to fit the language needs for parents to navigate in Hindi, for example," he added. The company has also received a USD 1.3 million grant from the EU's H2020 programme, raising the startup's total funding to over USD 11 million last year. Launched in 2016, Lingokids offers a language-learning platform to teach English to children from 2-8 years of age, designed with Oxford University Press content. The subscription-based platform teaches English through a series of activities, games, and songs that adapt in difficulty to each child's level. It has over seven million registered families across more than 180 countries. "India is the number one market when it comes to registrations with over 4,00,000 families. "Our user base in India grew 5 times from 2016 to 2017, which was the highest growth we've seen in any market when it comes to user base. When it comes to subscriptions and revenues, the US and Brazil are our strongest markets...," Viedma said. Representative Image A massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Canada has been given the final go-ahead by project partners, LNG Canada said on Tuesday, making it the first major new project for the fuel to win approval in recent years. First gas from the project is expected before 2025, aiming to feed an expected surge in demand for the cleaner, super-chilled fuel from hungry Asian buyers, mainly China. LNG Canada is the single largest private sector investment project in Canadian history, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement issued by LNG Canada. Overall investment for the whole project wasn't disclosed in statements on Tuesday, but was previously put at about C$40 billion ($31 billion). The announcement provides a much-needed boost for Trudeau's ruling Liberals, who have struggled with an exodus of global majors from Alberta's oil sands and a series of setbacks in building a crude pipeline expansion to Canada's West Coast. The project will allow LNG to be shipped to Asian markets far faster than from the U.S. Gulf Coast. With global LNG demand expected to double by 2035 compared with today, much of the growth will come from Asia where gas is displacing coal, chief executive of Royal Dutch Shell Ben van Beurden said in a separate statement. "LNG Canada is well positioned to help Shell meet the growing needs of customers at a time when we see an LNG supply shortage in our outlook," he said. Stakeholders Shell, Malaysia's Petroliam Nasional Bhd, PetroChina Co Ltd, Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS) and Japan's Mitsubishi Corp have all given final investment decisions, LNG Canada said on its website. Shell said construction of the project at Kitimat in British Colombia will start immediately, with first LNG expected before the middle of next decade. In its own statement, Mitsubishi said the total estimated development cost of the planned Kitimat LNG plant is about $14 billion. The cost for the liquefaction plant and a 670 kilometre pipeline to connect gas to the plant will exceed 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion), a company official said. Shell said the project will initially export LNG from two processing units or trains totalling 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). The project may add two more trains totalling 14 million tpa, Mitsubishi said, adding the project will diversify its LNG supply portfolio. PetroChina and KOGAS approved project financing late last week while Shell, Petronas and Mitsubishi made their announcements on Tuesday. KOGAS said this will be Korea's first major project in Canada. The joint venture of JGC-Fluor Corp has been appointed as the project's engineering, procurement and construction contractor. RISING APPETITE LNG Canada is the first very large-scale conventional new LNG project to reach a final investment decision (FID) since 2013, said Saul Kavonic, director for Asia Pacific markets and head of energy research at Credit Suisse in Australia. "We see that LNG Canada's FID would signal the appetite to invest in LNG is back," Kavonic said. The project owners will be responsible for providing their own natural gas supply and will individually offtake and market their share of LNG, LNG Canada said in the statement. In the past, project owners typically relied on long-term sale and purchase agreements with end-users to underpin financing. The construction decision also comes amid a Sino-U.S. trade spat that has led to tariffs being imposed by China on LNG shipments from the United States, threatening U.S. President Donald Trump's energy dominance plan. Energy consultancy Wood MacKenzie said it appeared the project partners had pushed hard to reach an investment decision, with rival projects being progressed in Qatar, Russia, Mozambique and the United States. "I don't see it as a case of replacing U.S. cargoes, more about meeting projected demand growth," said Wood Mackenzie analyst Nicholas Browne. WoodMac expects global LNG demand to grow from 290 million tonnes in 2017 to nearly 450 million tonnes in 2025. "That equates to a phenomenal 50 percent growth. So there is certainly demand for new LNG," said Browne. Donald Trump The US is very successfully using tariffs or the threat of it to negotiate a fair-trade deal with other countries, President Donald Trump said on October 1. Trump on October 1 threatened to impose new tariffs on additional $267 billion worth of imports from China and asserted that there will be no deal with Beijing unless it changes its unfair trade practices. "We're using tariffs very successfully to negotiate, and if we're unable to make a fair deal, then we'll use tariffs," Trump told reporters at a White House news conference after he announced a major regional trade agreement with his two neighbours of Mexico and Canada. Trump was responding to a question on concerns in the US that the booming stock market might be hit because of his tariff policies against countries like China. The US under him has imposed import duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese products and he has threatened to impose more if he does not get a fair and reciprocal trade deal. "There are some who are worried that, because of the threat of future tariffs, it could potentially stifle an economy that is hot, a stock market that is hot. But yet today you have once again said, 'Hey, as it relates to China, more tariffs could be coming down the line'. Are you worried that potentially you are somewhat suppressing this economy from running further?" he was asked. "No, no, no. No, I'm using them to negotiate. And hopefully we can make a great deal with China. A fair deal. And a reciprocal deal, but a great deal and a fair deal," Trump said in response. "We have a lot of catching-up to do with China. You know, when they drain us for $500 billion a year, which is probably the real number - and that's not including the theft of intellectual property and other things. A lot of people say it's hard to value, but a lot of people say that could be $300 billion a year. That's a tremendous, you just can't let that happen," he said. The US, he said is using tariffs very successfully to negotiate. But America's two neighbours - Mexico and Canada - are way beyond that. "We have a deal that really works. The nice part about the deal we make with them is it's not a specific product; it's a product all across the line, whether it's dairy, or just a lot of product. You see the list of products. There are many, many products, and they're all included, so it's across the board," he said. While the media was occupied with the governments sudden move to replace the board of Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS), another drama was playing out at the swanky headquarters of the firm. The Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) was primed to spring into action, even as the government moved the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) at Mumbai. Sources say that an SFIO team was already hanging around the landmark IL&FS building waiting for the NCLT order. As soon as it received intimation that the NCLT had ruled in the governments favour, SFIO officials swarmed into the building and took charge of the 9th floor which houses top management. They took control of the main server, to ensure that no documents/emails or information was destroyed or tampered with. Some insiders say that the server was shut down. While details could not be clearly ascertained, some employees believe that the SFIO team was accompanied by officials form the Reserve Bank of India. One source says that the two seniormost officials who have been with IL&FS for decades were being questioned by SFIO late in the evening. They were vice-chairman and managing director (MD) Hari Sankaran and Arun Saha, the joint MD and CEO (chief executive officer). Sources say that lookout notices have been put out at airports to prevent the top brass, including Mr Sankaran, Ramesh C Bawa and K Ramchand from leaving the country. Ironically, right until Saturday, when IL&FS held its board meeting, the top management and the board behaved as though it was business as usual and had put out a statement to say that key shareholders would subscribe to a rights issue to bail the company out of its difficulties. Sources say that lookout notices have been put out at airports to prevent the top brass, including Mr Sankaran, Ramesh C Bawa and K Ramchand from leaving the country. Ironically, right until Saturday, when IL&FS held its board meeting, the top management and the board behaved as though it was business as usual and had put out a statement to say that key shareholders would subscribe to a rights issue to bail the company out of its difficulties. Interestingly, while IL&FS has always presented itself as a quasi-government entity, two of its largest shareholders are ORIX Corporation of Japan, which has a 23.54% stake and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority with 12.56% stake. Strangely, these large foreign shareholders do not seem to have questioned the management about its poor performance and lavish perks. While some investors have been trying to claim that top management hid issues from them, this is clearly false. Banking analyst Hemindra Hazari has written about how the complete erosion of IL&FSs networth has been disclosed in the consolidated balance sheet for several years. he writes: A cursory analysis of the consolidated accounts however reveals a horrifying saga: IL&FS has been an insolvent company since at least FY2014 (no disclosure of consolidated accounts prior to FY2014). In an article in The Wire he writes: A cursory analysis of the consolidated accounts however reveals a horrifying saga: IL&FS has been an insolvent company since at least FY2014 (no disclosure of consolidated accounts prior to FY2014). However, senior management and the board not only put a lid on the mess, but also continued to sanction the lavish salaries, perks and high-spending ways of senior managers across the massive and diversified IL&FS group. Clearly, a lot of dirt is set to come out if the SFIO is allowed to investigate without interference. The modus operandi of IL&FS and how it gold-plated projects is already in the public domain. Former bureaucrats and executives who quit the group and attempted to expose the group have been hounded, humiliated and even arrestedthe media was silenced by the confused narrative and false charges that the company put out. Others were too intimidated to speak. Tripit is one of my favourite travel organisers for air travel. As soon as you book a flight, hotel, car or make any other reservation, simply forward it to [email protected] and your plans will be instantly added to your master itinerary. All your important details like flight timings, confirmation number and seat number are in one place. No more frantically searching through your inbox for them. Important details, like when your flight gets in, or your confirmation number, will be in one place. You can get to them instantly in Tripit, even when youre offline. Plus, it is very easy to send travel plans to your calendar, or to anyone you choose. You can even update your meetings, hotel bookings and local conveyance bookings, to give you a complete picture of your visit, in one place. All your important details like flight timings, confirmation number and seat number are in one place. No more frantically searching through your inbox for them. Important details, like when your flight gets in, or your confirmation number, will be in one place. You can get to them instantly in Tripit, even when youre offline. Plus, it is very easy to send travel plans to your calendar, or to anyone you choose. You can even update your meetings, hotel bookings and local conveyance bookings, to give you a complete picture of your visit, in one place. Manage all your plans for free with Tripit, or, for about the price of checking your bags, upgrade to Tripit Pro to get stress-free travel all year long. When you upgrade, you get additional features like choosing the best seat, receive real-time flight alerts, get terminal and gate reminders, track your frequent-flyer miles and much more. An essential for air travelundoubtedly! The settler of the said trust is Purvi Modi, the sister of Nirav Modi. Mumbai: A day after the attachment of ill-gotten assets of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, to the tune of Rs 637 crore, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers revealed that one of his properties in Central Park South in New York was in the name of Central Park Real Estate LLC, a group company of Nirav Modis Firestar cluster. In 2018, transferred to the Ithaca Trust. Firestar, a beneficiary of the stolen fund, paid mortgage taken on the apartment from HSBC bank, the Enforcement Directorate said. The ED officials said that the beneficiary of the Ithaca Trust, in whose name the other properties were purchased, is Ami Modi (wife of Nirav Modi) and her children. The settler of the said trust is Purvi Modi, the sister of Nirav Modi. The ultimate source of funds for purchasing this property was the stolen money from Punjab National Bank (PNB). The investigators stated that before paying consideration for the property, the stolen fund was layered extensively involving multiple jurisdictions like Dubai, Bahamas, USA, Singapore, among other countries. The consideration was paid from a fiduciary account of Commonwealth Trust Company, Singapore and the deal was carried out by a lawyer firm based in USA, said an ED officer. Separate provisional attachment orders had to be issued for attaching the properties and bank accounts, whereas the jewellery brought from Hong Kong was seized under panchnama, officials said. Diamond studded jewellery of worth Rs 22.69 crores was brought back to India from Hong Kong in 23 shipments. Letters Rogatories have also been sent to the authorities of foreign jurisdictions. The attached assets also includes a bank account belonging to a investment company registered in British Virgin Island and owned by Purvi Modi and Maiank Mehta in Singa-pore. The account balance was USD 6.12 million (Rs 44 crores), which also has been attached. A newly released analysis by Swiss multinational investment bank UBS identified Toronto and Vancouver along with 4 other major urban areas elsewhere in the world as fundamentally unstable housing bubbles that might significantly pull their respective national economies downward in the near future. In the annual study that looked at salaries, home and rental prices, mortgage debt, and several other elements, the bank scored Toronto a 1.95 and Vancouver a 1.92. The UBS metric considers any housing market scored above 1.5 as extremely overvalued and already deep into bubble territory. Properties targeted in the scheme were sold at a loss, then flipped at a much higher price. Goodson admitted that the conspirators rigged the process at each step to maximize the difference in price between the two transactions and keep the victim financial institutions from detecting the fraud. The conspiracy defrauded financial institutions out of millions of dollars. In the first transaction, the conspirators would convince the financial institution holding the mortgage to accept the sale of a target property at a loss. In the second transaction, the conspirators would flip the same target property from the first buyer to a second buyer, who would typically obtain a mortgage from another financial institution using false loan applications. As a result, the second transaction frequently closed for significantly more or even double the price of the first transaction. The conspiracy to commit bank fraud count is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Goodson is scheduled to be sentenced in January. Garvin, a real estate agent and investor, faces allegations that he coordinated fraudulent transactions as part of the scheme. The charge against him remains pending. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) A revamp in the Cabinet may be forthcoming as the deadline of the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC) is fast approaching. In a media briefing Tuesday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said as far as he's concerned, six members of the Cabinet are planning to run in the 2019 elections. Roque believes three secretaries will aim for a national post. "From my last count, there will be around six, who might file their Certificates of Candidacy for national and local posts," Roque told reporters in Malacanang. While the spokesperon refused to drop names, a source with knowledge of the development told CNN Philippines that among those planning to run are Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go, and Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco. Roque, meanwhile, has yet to confirm if he will aim for a senatorial seat next year. "I do not know, honestly. I haven't had a chance to meet with the President. However I decide, I have to talk to the President. We'll soon find out on the 17th," Roque said. The same source also told CNN Philippines that there's an ongoing search for a possible replacement for Roque. Among those being considered are Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Spokesperson Pircelyn Pialago, Atty. Adel Tamano, Communications Undersecretary Queenie Dizon, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board official, Aileen Lizada. In September, the Commission on Elections announced that the COC filing period for next year's elections will be from October 11 to 17, yielding to lawmakers' requests. It was previously set on October 1 to 5. CNN Philippines Correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this report. The two leaders exchanged a late night phone call Sunday after reaching the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which replaces the NAFTA. 'There was a lot of tension between he and I and more specifically. It's all worked out. You know when it ended? About 12 last night,' Trump said at a White House news conference. (Photo File) Washington: US President Donald Trump sought to patch up any lingering bad feelings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday, calling him a "good man" after they agreed on a new trade accord. The two leaders exchanged a late night phone call Sunday after reaching the new US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which replaces the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement. "There was a lot of tension between he and I and more specifically. It's all worked out. You know when it ended? About 12 last night," Trump said at a White House news conference. "He's a good man and he loves the people of Canada," Trump added. Not too long ago Trump was flinging insults at Trudeau over Twitter, taunting him as "very dishonest & weak" and "meek and mild" in June as he left a G7 summit in Canada that the prime minister had hosted. Those remarks set the stage for a bitter struggle over trade, with Trump threatening to drop Canada from the regional trade pact altogether if it didn't yield to key US demands. In the end, Trudeau made a concession on Trump's biggest demand, agreeing to ease barriers to entry in Canada's protected dairy market. In Ottawa, Trudeau hailed the agreement as "profoundly beneficial for our economy, for Canadian families and for the middle class." Bexar County jurors began hearing testimony this morning in a horrific child abuse case involving a toddler whose mother originally claimed was attacked by dogs but doctors found had been sexually assaulted. Isaac Andrew Cardenas was indicted in March 2017 on two counts of super aggravated assault of a child. His girlfriend and the childs mother, Crystal Herrera, called 911 on Dec. 31, 2016, to report that her daughter, then 21 months, had been viciously attacked by dogs after she wandered away from the South Bexar County home where they lived. When Bexar County sheriffs deputies and EMS techs arrived, they saw the child had numerous injuries to her genital and anal area. The child was taken to University Hospital for treatment. Medical evidence indicated her injuries were consistent with a brutal sexual assault, the Bexar County District Attorneys Office stated at the time of the indictment. Doctors and investigators said the childs injuries were horrific, and some of the worst they had ever seen. RELATED: Man accused of 116 child sex crimes in San Antonio area found 5 years later in Argentina According to reports, medical personnel examining the childs injuries quickly determined she had suffered life-threatening stab wounds. Authorities said the stab wounds on her upper body and private parts were nonaccidental. In one of his first news conferences following his election, Sheriff Javier Salazar said the childs injuries were enough to chill any of us in law enforcement. Herrera, 24, also was indicted in March 2017 on one count of injury to a child by omission, which is punishable by five to 99 years or life in prison and a $10,000 fine. She is out on bond and is awaiting trial. Super aggravated sexual assault of a child is a first-degree felony, with an enhanced punishment. If convicted, Cardenas faces 25 years to life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Cardenas, 25, is being tried in Felony Impact Court, presided by Judge Laura Parker. Elizabeth Zavala is a courts and crime reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 A banner in the background said the conference was in 'defence of Pakistan', and mentioned 'Kashmir' as well as 'threats from India'. Hafiz Saeed (right) and Pakistans religious affairs minister Noor-Ul-Haq Qadri were seen together at an event in Islamabad.(Photo: Twitter | @NadeemAwan_) Islamabad: A minister in Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's Cabinet has shared the dais with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed at an event in Islamabad, hours after Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured the world that his country has "turned the tide against terrorism". Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Noor-Ul-Haq Qadri was seen seated near Saeed as he addressed an All Parties Conference organised by the Difa-e-Pakistan Council on Sunday, according to media reports. A banner in the background said the conference was in "defence of Pakistan", and mentioned "Kashmir" as well as "threats from India". The Difa-e-Pakistan Council is a coalition of over 40 Pakistani political and religious parties that advocate conservative policies. Qadri's presence at the event with Saeed vindicated India's stand that there is no change in Islamabad's attitude towards terrorism after Prime Minister Khan assumed office in August. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in her address to the UN General Assembly on Saturday said Pakistan's commitment to terrorism as an instrument of state policy has not abated one bit. She asked the world leaders how India can pursue talks with a nation that "glorifies killers" and allows the Mumbai attack mastermind to "roam free" with impunity. Qureshi in his address to the UN General Assembly said Pakistan had turned the tide against terrorism. With the deployment of 200,000 troops, Pakistan has conducted the largest and most effective counter-terrorism campaign in the world. Peace and security have returned to our cities and towns, he had claimed. The US has named Saeed as a specially-designated global terrorist and announced a USD 10 million bounties for information that will help bring him to justice. He held the highest positions of the communist government. He had lung and kidney problems and could not talk in the last few months. He was arrested by the French colonial government in 1941 and sentenced to 10 years in prison; he escaped from prison before the 1945 uprising, when President Ho Chi Minh declared independence. Hanoi (AsiaNews) - The government has announced that the former general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Do Muoi (photo) died at the age of 101. Despite the efforts of Vietnamese and foreign doctors to treat him, Muoi died last night at the 108 National Military Hospital after having fought a serious illness. The former general secretary had been admitted to the hospital almost six months ago, after having had fever and difficulty breathing. Muoi had lung and kidney problems and could not talk in the last few months. Born Nguyen Duy Cong in the suburban district of Thanh Tri in Hanoi in 1917, he participated in the anti-French movement in 1936 and joined the Communist Party of Indochina three years later. He was arrested by the French colonial government in 1941 and sentenced to 10 years in prison; He escaped from prison before the 1945 uprising, when President Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France. Muoi climbed the ranks of the party and the government; he was elected to the Politburo in 1982 and appointed Prime Minister in 1988. He held the highest office in the Party for more than six years, before resigning in 1997. He had a great influence to push the country to economic reforms, but remained firm on the openness to individual liberties. Muoi will be honored with a state funeral. The ceremony is reserved for those who held the posts of secretary general, president, prime minister, president of the national assembly or senior officials appointed by the Politburo. Former Vietnamese president Tran ai Quang, who died on 21 September, was remembered with a state funeral and a two-day national mourning. John Minchillo | AP Seventeen states, including Illinois, are going to court to try to stop the federal government from blocking immigrants who seek asylum due to domestic violence or gang terrorism in their home countries. In an amicus brief filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the other attorneys general argue that the federal government is ignoring decades of federal law and policy designed to protect asylum-seekers who are persecuted in their home countries because of their gender, ethnicity or other key personal characteristics. by Melani Manel Perera The data revealed in a report by the Asian Human Rights Commission, published on the occasion of World Children's Day. To draw attention to the issue of malnutrition, shows, competitions and games are being held among children. Colombo (AsiaNews) - In Sri Lanka almost one million children are hungry and suffer from malnourishment, while the number of children with the effects of malnutrition has increased over the past five years. This was revealed by a study on child poverty conducted by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), on the occasion of the World Children's Day on the island which is celebrated on the first of October. To draw attention to the issue of malnutrition, a march was organized at the Independent Square in Colombo, with the aim of eliminating the phenomenon of corporal punishment in schools by 2020. The AHRC research claims that Sri Lanka "repeatedly tops the ranks in South Asia when it comes to hunger". The association estimates that between 2010 and 2016 the number of underage children, under five years, was 843.913, or 21.4% of the total; at the same time the percentage of those affected by rickets was 14.7. The data is alarming, considering that in the period between 2006 and 2010 malnourished minors were 13.3% of the total. The numbers put the island top of the four countries worldwide where more than 20% of the children suffer from hunger; the other three are India, Djibouti and South Sudan. The results are in contradiction with the general trend of the country, which instead witnessed an improvement in food security. According to the Global Hunger Index (Ghi) of 2017, drafted by the International Food Policy Research Institute, in Sri Lanka there is accessibility (54.8%), availability (52.8%), quality and safety ( 49.5%) of food. Finally, the AHRC analysis shows that the worst situation is found in the most remote and underdeveloped areas of the country, while in large cities the phenomenon is stable. For example, in the capital Colombo, 12% of children are malnourished, that is one percentage point less than in 2006. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused Tehran of having a secret atomic weapons warehouse. For IAEA, Iran is complying with agreement. Vienna (AsiaNews/Agencies) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has refused to accept at face value Israels accusations against Iran. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly that Iran had a secret atomic warehouse, and urged the UN atomic watchdog to inspect the site. Without citing the Israeli leader, IAEA chief Yukira Amano insisted that the agency's independence was "of paramount importance". The IAEA "uses all safeguards-relevant information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," Amano said in a statement. "All information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review," he added. Following the 2015 agreement, Iran agreed to curtail its nuclear programme and subject it to IAEA inspections, in exchange for sanctions relief. Israel has been strongly opposed to the agreement, and was joined by the United States, which pulled out of it earlier this year. The IAEA has repeatedly said that Iran is meeting its commitments under the deal. Amano today said that evaluations of Iran's compliance were "ongoing." The appreciation of President Tsai Ing-wen towards Catholic missionaries and nuns for their contribution to the development of the island. The differences with the People's Republic of China, where since the days of Mao the missionaries are considered "an instrument of imperialism". Taipei (AsiaNews) - Foreign missionaries working on the island will be able to ask for Taiwanese nationality without renouncing their original one. This was stated by President Tsai Ing-wen at a meeting with some elderly Catholic missionaries. Tsai pointed out that this is possible because the government has amended the rules on citizenship, favoring foreigners who have made some contribution to the nation. The president said that Catholic priests and nuns have made a major contribution to the Taiwanese society in the fields of health, education and other social services, in caring for women, the elderly and those affected by physical or mental disabilities. Many foreign missionaries - Tsai explained - came to the island when its development was still embryonic. Now - she concluded - it is time for Taiwan to repay them for their decades of service. Taiwan, considered by Beijing as the "rebel island" that must be brought back to the motherland by force, has long maintained a positive look at Catholic missions, unlike what happens in popular China. In addition to the fact that the island enjoys ample religious freedom, while religions are controlled on the continent, in recent years there has been an increased control of NGOs and missionaries present in China, a pretext - some say - "to send us away". Since the time of Mao Zedong, the missionaries have been seen as an "instrument of imperialism" and foreign colonization. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the sexual misconduct allegations against his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh show its a very scary time in the U.S. -- for men. Trump complained that men whose behavior is exemplary for their entire lives are presumed to be guilty should women accuse them of sexual misconduct. Its a very scary situation when youre guilty until proven innocent, the president told reporters as he departed the White House on Tuesday. Its a very scary time for young men in America when you can be guilty of something you may not be guilty of. This is a very difficult time. A California college professor, Christine Blasey Ford, has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her while the two were in high school in suburban Maryland in the early 1980s. Ford told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the incident affected her long into adulthood, but Trump and other Republicans have questioned why she didnt report the attack to authorities soon after it allegedly happened. Sex crimes experts -- including a prosecutor Republicans hired to question Ford at a hearing last week -- say it is common for women not to immediately report attacks to authorities and that such delays, even when they are years long, shouldnt be interpreted as evidence an allegation is false. Two other women, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnick, have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct while in high school or in college. Kavanaugh has vehemently denied all of the allegations. Senate Republicans have delayed votes on his confirmation while the FBI investigates the claims. The president faced accusations of sexual misconduct from several women before he was elected. He or his spokespeople have said all of the claims were false. Asked by reporters on Tuesday whether he had a message for American women, Trump said: Women are doing great. (Updates with FBI investigation in seventh paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Joshua Gallu 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Oil took a breather from its ascent to the highest level in almost four years, as investors weigh OPEC's ability to replace falling Iranian exports. Iranian crude and condensate exports declined to their lowest in 2 1/2 years before the impending return of U.S. sanctions. Meanwhile, the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which superseded the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, eased some concerns about global commerce. "Today was a bit of a respite," said Bart Melek, head commodity strategist at Toronto Dominion Bank. "We briefly reached the high we found back in July and retraced, but the market continues to worry about Iranian supply." Crude has rallied about 16 percent since mid-August as supply losses from Iran to Venezuela continue to rattle global markets. OPEC and its allies are also showing little enthusiasm for boosting output despite President Donald Trump's demand for lower prices. "The market bounces around a lot," Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy & Economic Research, said. "As of now, people are hedging on the side of fear rather than working the probabilities." West Texas Intermediate for November delivery declined 7 cents to $75.23 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Total volume traded was about 29 percent below the 100-day average. Brent for December settlement fell 18 cents to $84.80 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at a $9.76 premium to WTI for the same month. In the Americas, the new trade agreement was secured just before a Sunday midnight deadline, allowing leaders from the three nations to sign the deal by late November. While trade tensions still remain, the deal caps a turbulent time for the U.S. and Canada, traditionally close allies on national security and trade. U.S. crude inventories probably rose 1.5 million barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts. Meanwhile, supplies at the key storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma likely increased 800,000 barrels last week, according to a forecast compiled by Bloomberg. The American Petroleum Institute is scheduled to release its weekly count of stockpiles later Tuesday, followed by the U.S. government's tally on Wednesday. Oil-market news: Gasoline futures fell .06 cent to $2.1269 a gallon Talks between Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to restart two oil fields in a neutral zone between the countries have stalled again, this time over the role of Chevron Corp., according to people familiar with the matter. --With assistance from Stephen Stapczynski, Heesu Lee and Grant Smith. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. SEATTLE (AP) Amazon is boosting its minimum wage for all U.S. workers to $15 per hour starting next month. The company said Tuesday that the wage hike will benefit more than 350,000 workers, which includes full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal positions. It includes Whole Foods employees. Amazon's hourly operations and customer service employees, some who already make $15 per hour, will also see a wage increase, the Seattle-based company said. Woodlawn Lake Park is celebrating 100 years as part of San Antonio, and the city is throwing a party. Described on the event page as one of San Antonios treasures, Woodlawn Lake was first developed in 1887 by a group called the West End Town Company. It was one of San Antonios first subdivisions and it was known as West End. 3 1 of 3 / contributed photo Show More Show Less 2 of 3 / file photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3 The first showdown between the candidates running to represent Connecticuts most competitive Congressional seat is planned for Thursday, when Democrat Jahana Hayes and the GOPs Manny Santos square off in an afternoon debate. Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, is running as a progressive Democrat against Santos, a combat veteran and former mayor of Meriden, who is running as a Trump Republican. Contributed / Griffin Hospital The Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers, at 300 Seymour Avenue, Suite 206, in Derby, is offering an evening session of its accelerated Certified Nursing Assistant program starting Nov. 5. The CNA course offers students an affordable and condensed 6-week schedule with classes Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. After two separate lines of storms hit the region Tuesday, some towns and cities were hit worse than others including Norwalk and New Canaan. But some towns further up the coast including Fairfield saw flooding and trees and wires down. For the most up-to-date information, see information below compiled from dispatch reports, local law enforcement, state police and the Connecticut Department of Transportation. UPDATE: 10:20 AM Power restoration continues in Fairfield County by Eversource. New Canaans outages total 185 down from the more than 800 reported earlier this morning. Norwalks more than 100 outages remain unchanged. In all Eversource is reporting more than 4,600 outages across the state with the most in New Britain with 3,548 customers without power. For the lastest number of outages, click here UPDATE: 8:49 AM From Darien police: Stephen Mather Road between Brookside Road and Mansfield Avenye remains closed due to fallen trees and downed power lines. Please avoid the area. Roadway flooding that closed several roads last evening and overnight, has subsided and all locations have reopened.: UPDATE: 8:42 AM From New Canaan police: Eversource and Lewis Tree are working in the area of White Oak Shade Road and Shagbark Lane to remove downed trees and restore power. Avoid the area and use caution while traveling through areas of town impacted by last nights storm. Be patient while crews restore power!! UPDATE: 8:36 AM New Canaan: 406. Norwalk: 105. Wilton: 21 Darien: 15. Westport: 12. Greenwich: 8. Stamford: 5. UPDATE: 7:30 AM The number of Eversource outages have increased with the towns of Hebron (84) and Lebanon (320) in eastern Connecticut added. In southwest Connecticut, the outages numbers show a slight decrease. New Canaan: 406. Norwalk: 105. Wilton and Darien: 15. Westport: 12. Greenwich: 8. Stamford: 5. United Illuminating is reporting a handful of outages in Fairfield, Trumbull, West Haven and Woodbridge. UPDATE: 6:20 AM Eversource is making good progress restoring power with the number of outages down to 600. New Canaan still has the lions share of outages - a total of 402, or 5 percent of Eversource customers in town. Norwalk 132 outages; Darien, 15; Wilton, 14 and five in Stamford. Greenwich and Westport are both down to two outages. UPDATE: 4:44 AM WEDNESDAY Eversource is reporting 1,086 outages. With 814 outages, New Canaan has the highest number of customers without power. The total represents 10 percent of customers in New Canaan. Norwalk has 122 outages, Greenwich, 37; Wilton, 33; Darien, 15; seven in Stamford; and a handful of outages in Westport and Weston. United Illuminating is reporting 18 outages in the towns of Fairfield, Bridgeport, Hamden, New Haven, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Woodridge, East Haven and West Haven. UPDATE: 9:57 P.M. WILTON Several roads throughout town are closed because of downed trees and wires. Heres a list of closures... Wolfpit Road at Belden Hill Road to Greenbriar Lane Woods End Wild Duck Fenwood Lane Spoonwood Road, a transformer fire reported earlier Dudley Road closed at Raymond Lane Hurlbutt St closed at Shadow Lane As of 9 p.m., Danbury Road (Route 7) will be closed until further notice between Westport Road (Route 33) and Grumman Hill Road because of wires down. UPDATE: 9:50 P.M. Eversource is reporting 2,632 customers without power. New Canaan: 1,207 Norwalk: 431 Wilton: 253 Greenwich: 81 Westport: 37 Weston: 16 Darien: 15 Stamford: 13 United Illuminating is reporting 2,151 customers without power. Bridgeport: 439 Fairfield: 208 Trumbull: 19 Stratford: 11 UPDATE: 8:45 P.M. Eversource is reporting 2,862 customers without power. New Canaan: 1,047 Norwalk: 644 Wilton: 228 Westport: 37 Greenwich: 35 Darien: 15 Weston: 15 Stamford: 8 United Illuminating is reporting 2,151 customers without power. Fairfield: 1,498 Bridgeport: 432 Trumbull: 185 Stratford: 11 UPDATE: 8:30 P.M. BRIDGEPORT State Street and Iranistan Avenue has, to no surprise, seen flooding after Tuesdays rainfall. Several roadways had to be blocked off because of trees and wires down throughout the city. UPDATE: 7:45 P.M. FAIRFIELD Police said there are reports of trees and wires down in several areas of town. Please use caution and never approach a downed wire, police said. Assume all wires are live. Routine calls to Fairfield police can be made at 203-254-4800. If there is an emergency, call 911. UPDATE: 7:35 P.M. Eversource Energy is reporting 3,159 customers in the dark after the powerful storms slammed the region Tuesday. Stamford: 1,313 Norwalk: 589 New Canaan: 407 United Illuminating is reporting 816 customers without power. Bridgeport: 431, caused by two outage events Fairfield: 230, caused by 11 outage events Trumbull: 142, caused by six outage events Stratford: 11, caused by one outage event UPDATE: 7:30 P.M. NORWALK A message from Police Lt. Terry Blake... We are responding to numerous weather-related calls. West Norwalk has been hit the hardest. Numerous trees and power lines are down throughout. A car was struck by a tree on Fox Run Road at Ponus Avenue, fortunately no one was injured. We have also had spotty flooding, Meadow Street and Wilson Avenue are currently flooded and not passable. We encourage residents to stay home until the storm passes. UPDATE: 7:25 P.M. BRIDGEPORT Some pea-sized hail fell in the city during the powerful storms Tuesday. UPDATE: 7:20 P.M. NORWALK The powerful storm seems to be hitting Norwalk the worst so far. Police have closed Fox Run Road near Ponus Avenue because of a tree that fell on a car around 7:15 p.m. There were no injuries reported. Minutes later, at 7:17 p.m., police closed Wilson Avenue at Witch Lane for a crash with injuries. UPDATE: 6:45 P.M. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for southern Fairfield County and northern Westchester County in New York until 7:30 p.m. The National Weather Service saw a severe thunderstorm over Bedford, N.Y., near Mount Kisco, moving southeast at 30 mph. With the severe storm, 60 mph wind gusts are possible. Damge to trees and power lines can be expected. The storm will be near Greenwich at 6:50 p.m., Stamford at 6:55 p.m., New Canaan and Darien around 7 p.m., Norwalk around 7:05 p.m. and Westport around 7:15 p.m. Remain alert for a possible tornado, the NWS alert said. Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the basement or small central room in a sturdy structure. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. UPDATE: 6:40 P.M. BRIDGEPORT The citys Emergency Operations Center said it is currently tracking more storms. Please stay safe and prepared, the EOC urged. UPDATE: 6:35 P.M. NORWALK The powerful storm brought down as many as a half-dozen utility poles on Scribner Avenue in Norwalk. Police said the road was closed as police waited for Eversource to respond. The storm also brought down a tree and wires on Little Fox Lane in Norwalk shortly after 5:30 p.m. He heard the lightning and tree come down, said resident Susanne Demasi of her 12-year-old son Peter. He stayed inside and then we went in the basement because of the (tornado) warning. The warning expired at 6 p.m. A tornado watch is in effect until midnight. OUTAGE UPDATE: 6:30 P.M. United Illuminating is reporting seven outages, affecting 44 customers, across Connecticut without power. In Bridgeport, 12 customers are in the dark. They lost power at 5:43 p.m. There was no estimated restoration time, but UI said a crew was already dispatched to the area. In Stratford, 11 customers are without power. Those 11 lost power at 5:50 p.m. and are expected to get it back by 7:30 p.m. UI said a crew had already been dispatched to the scene. And in Fairfield, three customers are without power. Those three customers lost power at 5:54 p.m. and are expected to get their lights back on by 7:19 p.m. UI said crews are already on site. UPDATE: 6:21 P.M. NORWALK Ravenwood Road is blocked because of wires down in the area of 10 Ravenswood Road. Eversource is now reporting 572 customers without power in the city. UPDATE: 6:20 P.M. FAIRFIELD Police are urging residents not to drive through standing water as the town is already seeing flooding. Railroad underpasses already flooded, do not attempt to drive through, police said. Officers on scene now with vehicle stalled in water. Police asked residents not to drive through any standing water. UPDATE: 6:11 P.M. NORWALK With hundreds in the dark Tuesday evening, police are reporting a road closure because of wires down, caused by the wind that accompanied the storms that slammed the region. Eversource reported 359 customers in Norwalk without power. Police said Scibner Avenue is closed between Gillies Lane and Yorkshire Road. Officers are at the scene. UPDATE: 6:01 P.M. BRIDGEPORT The tornado warning has expired, but a tornado watch remains in effect until midnight Wednesday. The tornado watch was issued shortly before 5 p.m. The watch is for southern Connecticut and southeast New York. The storms that were detected earlier Tuesday afternoon on radar indicated winds up to 60 mph. And some state residents were feeling the wind in the form of power outages Tuesday evening. Eversource was reporting 1,687 customers without power as of 6:05 p.m. There were 377 customers without lights in New Canaan, 359 in Norwalk and 38 in Wilton. United Illuminating is reporting seven different outage incidents, leaving 42 customers in the dark. UPDATE: TRAFFIC: 5:59 P.M. NEW CANAAN Route 15 north between Exits 37 and 38 is closed between of debris in the roadway. State police said there is a downed tree across both travel lanes. This closure is causing traffic congestion between Exits 31 and 38 about 8.2 miles. UPDATE: 5:50 P.M. BRIDGEPORT Fairfield County is under a tornado warning until 6 p.m. Tuesday. In Darien, police are warning residents that a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over New Canaan, moving east at 20 mph. The warning to residents indicated there was possibility for a tornado and ping pong-sized hail. The storm was expected to bring heavy rain and flooding. ORIGINAL STORY: BRIDGEPORT The citys Emergency Operations Center is tracking potential severe storms Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in Connecticut until midnight for Fairfield and Litchfield counties. Reports indicated the NWS office in Upton, N.Y., saw rotation in the area moving east around 5:45 p.m. Fairfield fire officials immediately took to social media to warn residents to be smart and safe. A tornado watch has been issued by the National Weather Service ... remain vigilant to changing weather conditions, officials said. The towns first selectman, Michael Tetrau, urged residents to be careful. A strong thunderstorm is expected to affect southern Fairfield and central Westchester counties. At 5:13 p.m., a strong thunderstorm was spotted on radar near Bedford, N.Y., or near New Canaan, moving east at 25 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and dime-sized hail are possible with this storm. In Connecticut, this storm is expected to impact Stamford, Norwalk, New Canaan, Fairfield, Greenwich, Trumbull, Westport, Ridgefield, Darien, Wilton, Weston and Redding. This storm may intensify, the NWS said. There is a severe thunderstorm warning for southern Fairfield County until 6 p.m., the NWS said in an alert sent out at 5:30 p.m. The storm was over New Canaan around 5:28 p.m., moving east at 35 mph. The storm will hit Norwalk around 5:35 p.m. and Westport around 5:40 p.m. The tornado watch is also in effect until 12 a.m. Wednesday for Bergen, Essex and Passaic counties in New Jersey and Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties in New York. Storms are expected to move through the area between 4 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday. The storms will move across northern New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley in New York late Tuesday afternoon. The storms are expected to weaken as they move into southern Connecticut. But a second ban of more widespread showers and thunderstorm activity currently being spotted along central New York and the Pennsylvania border will move through the region Tuesday night into Wednesday. A few of these storms could become severe with damaging winds, the EOC said. There is potential for a tornado across the lower Hudson Valley, interior northeastern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut. With the storms, residents can expect torrential downpours, the EOC said. There is the potential for numerous showers and thunderstorms to move across the state, with the possibility of flash flooding possible. We ask that everyone be alert to all weather updates as they occur, the EOC said. HAMDEN Fire Chief David Berardesca will officially step away from the community Oct. 12, according to a joint announcement issued with Mayor Curt B. Leng Tuesday after the town wound its way through determining his status. Berardesca retired Sunday, as required under the Hamden Employee Retirement Plan. The plan mandates that all public safety employees retire at age 65 and he recently reached the milestone. He was expected to stay on, though. A contract that would have extended Berardescas tenure through the end of the year, allowing for the search for his replacement, was submitted to the Legislative Council. But it was pulled Monday before it was acted on. Instead, Berardesca will work through Oct. 12, according to the announcement, easing the department through the transition with Deputy Chief Gary Merwede. This will be on a part-time basis, Leng said. Leng in the announcement praised Berardesca for his efforts as chief , noting he had helped modernize the department, increase inspections, worked to protect residents against fires, and safeguard the community against storms. Chief Berardesca (Chief B as we know him) has been an excellent leader in the Hamden Fire Department and in his role as Hamdens Director of Emergency Management, said Leng. I personally offer my absolute best wishes for his retirement and want to thank him for leaving Hamden with a stronger and more equipped Fire and Emergency Management Service. In the past, the town has struck agreements to keep public safety employees on past age 65. Leng cited the example of former Police Chief Robert Nolan, who remained in the job for years through such a deal, when discussing Berardescas status last week. The town determined this practice conflicts with state and federal law, Leng said Tuesday. We had hoped to keep him on a little bit longer, but we are making sure (that) we follow all federal, state and local regulations, said Leng. Berardesca and Town Attorney Sue Gruen declined to comment Tuesday, directing questions to the mayors office. Merwede did not return a call seeking comment. Berardesca became fire chief in Hamden in August 2006, according to the announcement. Prior to that, he served 27 years in Wallingford, rising to the rank of assistant chief. As of last week, the contract to be presented to the Legislative Council would see Berardesca continue to be paid, accrue pension benefits, and perform his duties as fire chief as if he never retired. It would have run from Oct. 1 through the end of 2018. He said last week that he was pleased with the job and thanked his fellow firefighters, the other town departments and Hamden residents for their support over the years. I have been blessed to have been able to serve as Chief of the Hamden Fire Department. The citizens of Hamden are most fortunate to have such a professional and caring group of individuals to protect them, Berardesca said in the statement. Thank you to all. According to the town charter, Leng is tasked with appointing a new fire chief. william.lambert@hearstmediact.com by Chao Mien Over 300 Catholic youth met to study the Letter sent by Pope Francis to the Church of China and for Eucharistic adoration. Confusion over the secrecy of the agreement, which leaves no room for much reasoning. Bishop of Macao: "Agreement that aims to weld the unity of the Church". Bishop of Hong Kong: "Understanding the discontented voices in China". Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - A group of over 300 young Catholics from Hong Kong met to pray after the recent signing of the China-Vatican agreement on episcopal appointments. The prayer service took place yesterday, October 1st, and was organized by Fr. Thomas Law Kwok-do in the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This is the first such event on the territory of Hong Kong. During the meeting, the participants analyzed the Pastoral Letter addressed to the Chinese people by Pope Francis, published last September 26; soon after, the congregation stopped in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Adela Choi says he has "some ideas" on how the Church in China lives after meeting with some priests of the motherland during the meeting held in Hong Kong by the Taize community, which took place from August 8 to 12. However, he admits, "I know almost nothing about the agreement. I came on purpose to understand better. I pray for the Church of China, and I hope the government will stop hindering the growth of the Catholic community ". Josephine Tsang fears the current situation, which could lead to a division among Catholics: "We know well that there are two ecclesial communities in China, an official and an unofficial one. The latter has resisted control by the Chinese government for a long time: it may not accept the Vatican decision. " The debate also continues on the internet. A group of young people has opened a page on Facebook called "Catholic Youth", where news and updates on the agreement are inserted. The Federation of Catholic Students in Hong Kong wonders whether the Vatican has a "double standard" about illegitimate bishops: "When they were ordained, the universal Church made it clear that they were unacceptable for 'proven and severe failings'. But now they accept their status: have they lived the way the clergy should live? ". The bishops of the area have accepted the agreement with diplomacy. The bishop of Macao, Msgr. Stefano Lee Bun-sang, has published a statement in which he "notes" that both sides have worked "looking for dialogue and making efforts. This is a positive agreement, which works for the communion of the Chinese and universal Church ". The bishop of Hong Kong, Msgr. Michele Yeung Ming-cheung, however, spoke through the Catholic weekly Sunday Examiner describing the voices contrary to the agreement in China "understandable": "Chinese Catholics are not radicals or revolutionaries, they are poor people. It is very unjust that the communist government has struck the Church harder than the other religious groups in the country ". DARIEN A couple was cited for disorderly conduct after a neighbor alerted police to an argument between the two. On Sept. 24 at 11:14 p.m., police arrived to a residence in Darien after a report of a female screaming. Upon arrival, the officers met with Ellany Abbott, a 28-year-old Darien resident, who told police she and Ovidio Bennett were dating. According to police, the two were arguing over personal matters. FAIRFIELD A new face on the towns political scene has found herself thrust onto the national stage, claiming to have incriminating texts regarding Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Kerry Berchem was a classmate at Yale of both Kavanaugh and Deborah Ramirez, who has since accused the federal judge of sexually assaulting her at a college party during the academic year of 1983-84. Berchem, 51, has been attempting to contact the FBI to turn over text messages that suggest Kavanaugh, contrary to his testimony before U.S. Senates Judiciary Committee, knew about the allegations prior to their publication in The New Yorker on Sept. 23. The text messages, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, suggest Kavanaugh and his team were personally talking with former classmates about the allegations in advance of the storys publication. Ramirez has accused the federal judge of waving his penis in her face during a college party. A mutual friend told Berchem that Kavanaugh asked her to go on the record in his defense. On Sept. 22, prior to the New Yorker publishing a story on the alleged assault, an unidentified female texted Berchem saying she had to send information to Bretts team. The photograph to be sent, according to the texts, was also likely to be sent to the New York Times and Ronan Farrow of the New Yorker. A text sent Sept. 23, the same day the New Yorker story was posted but prior to its release, the unidentified female said she had received a call from Bretts guy. A short while later, as rumors percolated that the New Yorker story was imminent, the unidentified female told Berchem, Brett asked me to go on the record and now New Yorker are not answering phones! When reached for comment by Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday, Berchem said she was unable to go on the record or comment on the memo she sent to the FBI. According to sources, the FBI has not yet contacted Berchem. With the assistance of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthals office, Berchem submitted her summary to the FBI. Blumenthal sits on the Judiciary Committee, and a spokesman said the summary had been submitted to the committee early Friday. When it became clear the committee did not intend to forward the summary to the FBI, Blumenthals office lent a hand. An elected member of the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting since 2017, Berchem represents the Fairfield University area as the lone Democrat in the four-member District 8. She is a partner with the corporate law firm of Akin Gump. Bercham bio M&A and governance lawyer with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Partner Management Committee Member, Chair of Corporate Practice, Founding Member & Chair of Audit Committee Awards: NY Law Journal's "Top Women in Law" 2016; Diversity Journal's "Women Worth Watching" 2014; and Chambers USA: Leading Lawyers, Corporate M&A 2006-2017 Community Service: Operation Hope volunteer; Winton Park Board of Managers 2006-2011; Founding Member of National Charity League, Fairfield Chapter B.A. History, Yale University and J.D. Tulane Law School, Cum Laude Married mother of three children Lifelong ties to Fairfield Information provided by the Fairfield Democrats. See More Collapse We have a group of outspoken, smart women in our caucus who are supportive of the #MeToo movement, said fellow RTM member Heather Dean, D-3, who isnt surprised by the news of Berchems involvement. Im very glad Rep. Berchem is reaching out to the FBI and I hope they respond and hear her version of events, as well as her impression of Kavanaughs character. First Selectman Mike Tetreau said he didnt know Berchem before she ran for the RTM. Ive been very impressed with her leadership and her willingness to stand up for different positions, regardless of how unpopular they were, he said. Shes appeared to me to be the consummate professional and very fact-based in how she looks at things. Tetreau said Berchem was part of Fairfields blue wave in 2017, that saw more women getting involved in politics and led to Democrats taking the majority on the RTM. Kerry is a well-respected leader in our community, Democratic Town Committee Chairman Steven Sheinberg said. I know her to be nothing but honest and highly principled. In her biography posted when she ran for the RTM, she says she is a mother of three with lifelong roots to Fairfield. greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-258 MILAN, Italy - For more than a decade, Domenico Lucano has fought to keep the poor depopulated southern Italian village of Riace alive. As the village mayor, he invited migrants and asylum seekers to move in and fill the void - and it worked. Hundreds of migrants now live in Riace, which sits in the hills of Calabria, one of Italy's poorest regions. They make up roughly one-fourth of the village's population, and the influx of children has enabled Lucano to keep Riace's school open. But on Tuesday morning, Lucano was arrested for aiding and abetting illegal immigration. Lucano's supporters fear his detention might be politically motivated: Italy's right-wing populist government has vowed to crack down on both immigrants and those who help them, portraying them as criminals. Earlier this year, authorities arrested and tried members of migrant-aid groups for aiding illegal immigration, though the aid workers were acquitted. Lucano is a particularly high-profile target for immigration opponents. His experiment has been praised by the international media and even inspired a short film. Lucano himself was listed as one the world's 50 greatest leaders in 2016 by Forbes magazine. Over the past few months, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, an immigration hard-liner, has attacked Lucano as a symbol of pro-immigration policies, and he was quick to praise Lucano's arrest on Twitter. "I wonder what all the do-gooders who want to fill Italy with immigrants are thinking now," he wrote. Lucano has been charged by the chief prosecutor of the nearby city of Locri of aiding illegal immigration by "arranging marriages of convenience between local men and foreign women," according to the Agi news agency. He is currently under house arrest. Lucano has been the mayor of Riace since 2004. He came up with the idea of welcoming migrants to the village in 1998, when he heard news about a boat full of Kurdish refugees who had reached the coast of Calabria. Riace had plenty of empty houses, which had been abandoned by locals, and the local government would receive 35 euros per day per asylum seeker from the Italian government while their claims were adjudicated. He began implementing the plan as soon as he was elected. The experiment was a success: Some of the asylum seekers and migrants decided to stay and build lives in Riace, opening shops and restaurants and sometimes marrying locals. The village now hosts about 600 migrants from 20 different countries, including Afghanistan, Eritrea and Iraq, according to the newspaper La Repubblica. Many other towns and villages in Calabria, where youth unemployment is above 55 percent, have seen a massive brain drain as young people move north to wealthier parts of Italy or leave the country entirely. Rather than become ghost towns, at least four other villages have adopted Lucano's plan themselves. Lucano has been charged by the chief prosecutor of the nearby city of Locri of aiding illegal immigration by "arranging marriages of convenience between local men and foreign women," according to the Agi news agency. Lucano is currently under house arrest. Many liberal commentators view the arrest as a form of punishment for Lucano's migrant-friendly policies. "The government has begun transforming Italy from a democracy to an authoritarian state," wrote Roberto Saviano, a well-known left-wing writer, in a Facebook post. Persecution Relief, an ecumenical group, has organised a prayer campaign set to end on 7 October. Some 1,200 violent episodes have been recorded in the past two years. Christians are threatened with expulsion if they do not convert to Hinduism. New Delhi (AsiaNews) Persecution Relief has organised for early October a week of prayer against religious persecution in a country where anti-Christian violence is growing, with attempts to drive them from their homes and destroy their churches. Hundreds of thousands took part in the initiative, which included calls for the release of about a hundred clergymen and believers jailed on false accusations of forced conversions, said Pastor Shibu Thomas, founder of the ecumenical organisation, "They dont want to live in India with fear, or face threats of being driven from their homes because of their faith", the Christian leader told AsiaNews. For them, Prayer is our only resource. This is the second edition of the initiative, which ends on 7 October. "The response has been extraordinary, Rev Thomas noted. Hundreds of churches, Christian institutions and Bible colleges" are involved in the event whose goal is "to create greater awareness and help open the hearts of God's people". Such a campaign has become necessary because of the numerous incidents of discrimination and violence against Christians in the Hindu majority country. Persecution Relief has recorded more than 1,200 episodes in the last two years, including 60 cases in just nine months in Uttar Pradesh, a state governed by a Hindu guru known for his hostility towards the followers of Christ. According to Pastor Thomas, there is no reason why Christians should suffer discrimination. They "are peace-loving people who have contributed significantly to Indias growth, providing excellent schools and colleges, hospitals, orphanages, old homes." For him, persecution is due to the fact that "several fundamentalist religious groups, under the umbrella of the ruling party (Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP), are trying to polarise and divide the community, thus destroying the secular fabric of India. Christians have been openly threatened that if they wish to live in India, they must embrace Hinduism and forsake Jesus." So much hatred has been injected into society by Hindu religious and political leaders, openly, without impunity or fear of reprisal. No one speaks against it. Christian festivals are especially targeted and for this reason in many states take place in secret. Persecution is directed not only against Christian believers and pastors, often imprisoned for their faith, but also against their places of worship, with churches closed or vandalised. The most common way to persecute minority Christians is through "excommunication", a term that signals "social boycott" by village leaders and residents, which, Pastor Thomas notes, can include the denial of government subsidies, food rations or medicines, as well as education. Christians have been banished from events held in the village, deprived of water from the public well, deprived of water and fodder for their cattle, not allowed to bury their dead but forced to cremate them or asked to bury them in the jungle. Social boycott can have the effect of forcing Christians to abandon their faith to avoid being marginalised. The Persecution Relief network does not only raise awareness, but provides financial support in cases involving forced conversion trial, the rebuilding of destroyed churches, medical treatment for Christians hurt in attacks, as well as temporary accommodations for people who lost their homes to fire set by Hindu radicals. The Republican presidential candidate's affair could be exposed before the election, so the other woman's silence was bought. Another woman wrote a tell-all book about her love life with the same married man. Long before Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels, there was President Warren G. Harding, whose sexual dalliances made history. In 1920, the Republicans nominated Harding, a senator from Ohio, to run against Democratic Gov. James Cox, also of Ohio, and his running mate Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Only then did GOP leaders learn their handsome, white-mane standard-bearer had some kinky skeletons in his closet. One was a long-running affair with Carrie Fulton Phillips, the wife of the head of a department store in Marion, Ohio, where Harding was a newspaper publisher. The affair had cooled, and now Phillips threatened to release some steamy love letters, unless she was paid. In one letter, Harding wrote his lover that he longed to see her so much "I feel that there will never be any relief until I take a long, deep, wild draught on your lips and then bury my face on your pillowing breasts." That was one of the milder letters. The illicit affair could sink a presidential candidate. So the Republican Party paid Phillips and her husband $20,000 and sent them on an all-expenses paid voyage overseas until the election was over. Today that $20,000 would be worth about $250,000. That is nearly double the $130,000 Trump paid Daniels before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about their alleged affair. And she did not get a free trip. On Tuesday, Daniels published her memoir "Full Disclosure," which includes details of her alleged Trump tryst. It follows the lead of Nan Britton, with whom Harding had an affair after he was elected with a campaign promise "to return America to normalcy." Britton, who was three decades younger than the 54-year-old Harding, also was the mother of their child, a daughter whom the president never saw. The couple had sex all over the White House, frequently in a very large cupboard near the president's office. While this was going on, the Secret Service kept close watch for Harding's ever-suspicious wife, Florence, who was known as "the Duchess." The genial Harding was a popular president. He boasted about what would prove to be a short-lived economic recovery. He supported tax cuts for businesses and the rich, backed higher tariffs and supported limits on immigration. The president largely ignored the details of government. When his Interior Secretary Albert Fall brought him an executive order to secretly transfer some U.S. Navy oil reserves in Wyoming to the Interior Department, Harding signed the order without bothering to read most of it. The federal oil lands were in a place called Teapot Dome. Fall was taking bribes to allow private oil companies to drill on the property. In 1922, Harding suddenly found his administration under an initial investigation by Congress into the brewing Teapot Dome scandal. To get away from Washington, in the summer of 1923 Harding and his wife took a goodwill trip to the territory of Alaska and then went by train down to California. Harding fell ill and in San Francisco, on Aug. 2, 1923, the president died of a sudden heart attack. He was 57 years old. An FBI agent accused Florence Harding of poisoning her husband out of jealousy over his affairs, but never produced any evidence. Most of the scandals of sex and corruption in Harding's administration did not become fully known until after his death. Fall was convicted of bribery in 1929. Two years earlier, Britton published a best-selling book about her affair with the late president and their child. Britton was angered because she was not included in Harding's will and payments for their child were stopped. Harding supporters called Britton's kiss-and-tell book fiction and fake news. It was not until 2015 that modern DNA proved Britton's claim that Harding was the father of their child. In 2014 the hot love letters of Harding and Britton were published over the objections of Harding's ancestors. In the end, Harding left a legacy that was a cautionary warning for future philanderers in chief: Hell hath no fury like another woman scorned. --- Shafer is a former Washington political features editor at the Wall Street Journal and author of "The Carnival Campaign. How The Rollicking 1840 Campaign of Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Changed Presidential Elections Forever." ---- Part of a continuing series about events of the past that remain relevant. SMITHTON, Ill. (AP) A southern Illinois school district that has used a trailer to house classrooms and offices for six years is hoping voters will approve its request to expand the school building. Smithton School District 130 hopes to get rid of the trailer and add new classrooms, a gym, first-floor bathrooms, a band room and a stage. The changes would also give school buses space so they dont block street traffic while picking up or dropping off students. by Mathias Hariyadi Thousands of people still struggling to escape from the affected areas. In the Palu area, over 2,400 homes have been swallowed up by the earth. The bodies of 34 young theology students recovered form a church overwhelmed by a landslide. Solidarity and prayers from the archdiocese of Seoul. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - While the controversy over the failure of tsunami warning systems mounts, the number of victims of the devastating earthquakes that hit Sulawesi on September 28 continues to rise. The latest bulletin from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) updates the established deaths to 1,234. The injured are about 700 and the missing 99. The displaced are almost 60 thousand and thousands of people are still struggling to escape from the affected areas, where they lack food and basic necessities. Experts have harsh criticism of the state disaster prevention machine. Saut Situmorang, Deputy Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (Kpk), underlined the malfunction of the tsunami preventive warning systems provided to government agencies and announced investigations. The House of Representatives will convene the heads of the Agency of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (Bmkg) to clarify the revocation of the tsunami pre-alarm, ordered a few minutes after the first shock and before waves up to 3 meters high crashed into the coast. The Indonesian president, Joko "Jokowi" Widodo (photo 1), has increased efforts in the rescue operations. During the cabinet meeting, held this morning in the presidential palace, Widodo ordered government agency officials to "reach all the missing and immediately provide for their evacuation". Electricity still needs to be restored to a large part of the territory and access by land to remote villages is prevented by broken roads, landslides and collapsed bridges. Gen. Wiranto, minister in charge of coordinating the government's response to the emergency, said that only yesterday between 3,000 and 5,000 people asked to be allowed to get on military aircraft to be evacuated; the crowd was such that, for a few hours, the flights could not take off from the runways of Palu airport, still closed to commercial flights. The first earthquake of September 28, magnitude 7.4, led to the "liquefaction" of large portions of the territory between the cities of Donggala and Palu (Central Sulawesi). This is a phenomenon in which, during an earthquake, sand and silt take on the characteristics of a liquid, causing sudden avalanches of mud and building collapses. The BNPB states that in Balaroa (photo 2), Palu district, about 1,700 houses were swallowed up. In satellite images of the Petobo district (photo 3), south of Palu airport, 744 housing units have disappeared. In the district of Siri Biromaru, the Red Cross rescue teams have recovered the bodies of 34 young students of theology, in a Protestant church overwhelmed by a landslide. At the time of the tragedy, the Jonooge church housed 86 young people gathered for a Bible study seminar. At the moment, at least 18 countries, both Asian and Western, have responded to the Indonesian government's request for help. Through the local Caritas, the Catholic community is also involved in field rescue. After the prayers of Pope Francis, the condolences and economic support of the South Korean Catholics are also reaching the Indonesian Church. Card. Andrew Yeom Soo-jung (photo 4), Archbishop of Seoul, this morning sent a message to the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (Kwi). The prelate assures his prayers "for the eternal repose of the dead, the consolation and blessing of God for those who have suddenly lost their beloved family." "I, as well as all the priests and faithful of the archdiocese of Seoul - the note continues - will pray that all the people of Indonesia can overcome the tragic disaster and return as quickly as possible to daily life. " A fundraiser for the victims of the earthquakes in Lombok has been launched by the archdiocese of Seoul which has also made a donation to the tune of 50 thousand US dollars, which will be delivered to the Indonesian Church by Caritas International. The sandbags stacked underneath a blue tarp outside the entrance of Solid Gold Beauty Supply on a rain-soaked Monday in Galveston are not exactly a welcoming decorative flourish for a business that traffics in cosmetics, skin care and wigs. But after another band of rainstorms blew through the island on Monday, dumping an inch of rain on the already water-logged island on the heels of Galvestons second-wettest September on record Chang Choe, the owner of Solid Gold Beauty Supply, is no longer taking any chances. Galveston is not alone. Houston and the rest of the state have experienced one of the wettest Septembers on record. No tropical storms or hurricanes hit Texas, and yet it has been one of the wettest months in the states history, according to Eric Berger, a meteorologist with Space City Weather. Much of the state received 200 to 400 percent normal levels of rainfall, including all coastal areas of the Houston region. In San Antonio, continual rain since Labor Day pushed back the original late September opening of the citys new water play area, Universal Slashpad, a 4,000 square-foot park with 16 water features. And in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, a yearlong drought ended with Septembers record heavy rains. In Galveston, shop owner Choe lamented that the store flooded three times in the last month because of the rain, with water pooling along the curb outside the store on Broadway and seeping under the door, destroying some of his products and hurting his business. He said he was forced to purchase a water pump so the business wouldnt lose customers. Flooding in Galveston is different than in a lot of places, said Brian Maxwell, the Galveston city manager. Our retention and detention is in the streets, theyre doing what theyre designed to do, and they do that to keep water from flooding the buildings, which were almost 100 percent successful with, except for downtown sometimes. The flooding had mostly receded by mid-afternoon in Galveston. It came on the heels of a sopping weekend that saw up to 4 inches of rain fall per hour on Saturday and the Galveston Shrimp Festival postponed to Sunday. The water receding so quickly is evidence that the islands long-maligned drainage has improved in the decade after Hurricane Ike turned many major roads into canals. 18 rainy days Before the weekends rain, the National Weather Service reported that it had rained in Galveston 18 out of the first 26 days of September, the third wettest September on record for the island. Maxwell said even previously safe parts of Galveston experienced flooding which forced the citys administration to consider measures it never had before. Those measures included strategically placing water pumps possibly paid for with FEMA disaster money in drainage outfalls to counter the dual threat of rain storms and tidal ebbs and flows. Galvestons Strand Historic District, for example, is closer to the bay side of the island, unprotected from the seawall that acts as a barrier to the Gulf of Mexico for the south side of the island. The Strand is vulnerable to tidal flooding. A typical heavy rainstorm like the one this past Saturday, will fill up the streets in the Strand during high tide, but when the tide recedes, the water flows out of the streets so fast that currents form, carrying the floodwaters back out to the bay. The drainage is working like its supposed to, we do get some impediment due to tides, but it seems like the frequency and severity of the rain is what really got us this year, Maxwell said. We had much more intense rain in a short period of time with Harvey, but I think weve had more of it this time. Businesses hurting While the relatively quick drainage of the streets around the Strand are helpful for pedestrians and car traffic, business has waned in the last month. Most island merchants acknowledge that September can be hit or miss because of the start to the school year and fewer tourists frequent Galveston beaches. But Jose Reyna, the owner of Southern Gallery Imports, said Septembers nasty weather had a major impact on his receipts. (The rain) has pretty much affected the business here for everybody, Reyna said. The max today is two dollars thats come in and Im pretty sure thats the same for everybody down here. We need a little boost over here. The sandbags arent just keeping floodwaters at bay, they are protecting Choes livelihood. Choe, who inherited from his sister the building that houses Solid Gold Beauty Supply, said he has considered moving his entire business to Houston to dodge the floods, but the higher mainland rents are prohibitive. September, three times weve flooded, it used to be one or two times flooding, Choe said. When it floods, cars cant move around here. All the roads are flooded. Weve lost many days of business. I dont know what to do. Perhaps most unusual about the September rains in Galveston is that it hasnt been accompanied by a major tropical storm or hurricane. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded the island for several days with intense, focused ferocity, but this year the rains were persistent and steady over an extended period. Stuck weather patterns Matt Lanza, a forecast meterologist in Houstons energy sector and the managing editor of Space City Weather, a site dedicated to covering Houston weather news and forecasting with accuracy and without hype, said that repetitive weather patterns have taken hold across North America, leading to periods of sustained rain in many regions, including southeast Texas. Sometimes (weather) patterns get stuck and it takes something big to unstick them basically, Lanza said. Sometimes its a hurricane that ends up changing the pattern in this case it wont be but you need some sort of change to happen. The forecast for the rest of the week in Galveston is a bit drier. Higher pressure systems will move into Houston during the middle of this week, which should help limit rainfall. There will still be a low chance of rain, but with some sun mixed in, he said. Unfortunately, the rain could return next weekend with no autumn cold front in sight. Lanza said the last couple of promising cold fronts that came through the region fell apart and actually acted as a focus for more rain. The good news for island residents and the rest of the region is that the likelihood of a late-season hurricane sweeping the region has dropped precipitously. The last October hurricane to hit Galveston was Hurricane Jerry in 1989. Your odds are drastically lower now and I dont see anything on the horizon to worry about, Lanza said. I dont want to declare that were over but I think were pretty much done at this point. Staff writer Jeff B. Flinn contributed to this report. When Stephanie Gamez pulled over to help after spotting a fire on San Antonio's far West Side, she saw a woman trapped inside a garage, blinded by smoke and fire and trying to find her way out. When she emerged, she was covered in flames, Gamez, 37, said. "Her eyelids were on fire. Her hair was on fire. Her whole body was on fire," Gamez said with a shudder. READ ALSO: Suspect driver at large after running over woman in 60s on NE side, San Antonio police say The woman, who has not been identified, was hospitalized Tuesday with severe burns after the fire in the 11000 block of Bald Mountain Drive. Firefighters responded around 8 a.m. for reports of a woman on fire outside the home. Paramedics got to the scene first and rushed the victim to a Brooke Army Medical Center for treatment. Her current status is unknown. Gamez was dropping her kids off in the neighborhood when she spotted the fire and heard neighbors screaming for the woman to get out of the garage. She and another woman pulled over. "She was bumping against the garage door. She couldn't see," Gamez said. "She was trapped in there." Though the garage door was closed, the fire, or possibly an explosion, had created an opening through which the woman was able to escape. READ ALSO: Shirtless men steal 18-pack of beers at knife-point from SE side gas station The woman then began screaming about demons attacking her. "It was unreal. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. She was just saying the demons were getting her, and she needed them out of her. She wasn't screaming about the fire. She was just saying 'The demons! I need them out of me! I need them out of me!' "It was crazy," Gamez said. Ted Cravens, 65, has been the victim's neighbor for more than a decade. He said she was trying the sell the house and had recently found some buyers. Craven said the two weren't close and the woman largely kept to herself. Rudy Khalaf, division chief of Bexar County Emergency Services District 2, said the garage was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, but they were able to extinguish it before it spread to the rest of the house, which was vacant but still hooked up to utilities. The Bexar County Fire Marshall's Office is now investigating the blaze. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns An ethics complaint filed against four Cibolo City Council members has been dismissed, as an independent investigator found insufficient evidence to support any charge of violation of the Open Meetings Act. Attorney Ross Fischer, who was hired by the city to conduct the investigation, reviewed his findings to the Cibolo City Council at its Sept. 25 meeting. The complaint, filed by Cibolo resident Amy Palmer, alleged that council members Brian Byrd, Jay Hogue, Jennifer Schultes and Jim Russell violated a section of the city code of ethics by gathering at a Northside restaurant on May 28 in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. However, after interviewing the four council members and two Cibolo Economic Development Corporation members who attended the outing, Fischer said he found no evidence of intent, collusion or deliberation involving business being conducted at the dinner. From the evidence that I gathered, this was primarily a social function, Fischer said. It does not appear that everybody planned to go to be in a quorum and (council members) did not realize that was happening until it was upon them. Other than a reference on a Facebook post to doing a little recruiting, theres no evidence that what I would constitute public business for economic development purposes having taken place. Before the four involved council members took turns addressing council and Cibolo residents, the general counsel made a final statement: My preliminary findings and my recommendation to you is there is insufficient evidence to show a violation of the Open Meetings Act. The complaint alleged that Hogue violated the same section by posting communications of information on social media related to city business, when such posting may be viewed and commented on by a quorum of the membership, in violation of the Open Meetings Act. But Councilman Jim Russell, who insisted the inquest be conducted once the ethics complaint surfaced, explained how that could never have been the case. Russell spoke of the timeline surrounding his 6:08 p.m. arrival at the Smashin Crab restaurant on Sonterra Boulevard in the Stone Oak area. I was the last one to arrive. Its interesting that Mr. Hogue sent his post at 6:04 p.m. and tags everybody in the room, Russell said. And who does he not tag? He doesnt tag me, because Im not in the building and he doesnt know Im coming, Russell said. So any discussion that went on beforehand was done when there was no quorum there. Russell said he felt the investigation was fair, but necessary to clear the air and clear the council members. I went on record in front of council, saying I insist this be investigated all the way, I dont care what it costs, investigate it, he said. My integrity to me is everything. My honesty is everything. So I insisted that this be investigated. Russell reiterated the special counsels insufficient evidence finding. There was found to be no significant discussion, the councilman said. And even if there had been discussion, there was no quorum when that discussion took place. That all took place before my arrival in the building, which created a quorum. Hogue said he and EDC member Paul Buell had been pursuing this business because one of the many things that our residents have asked for is sit-down type restaurants. Hogue said the pair first contacted the restaurant owner and invited him to come see Cibolo and what Cibolo had to offer. The two men drove the owner around the city. We showed him every neighborhood, we showed him every shopping center, Hogue said. But at that time, he didnt believe we had the appropriate place for him to even consider opening a restaurant in Cibolo. Since then, the Santikos development has taken hold in Cibolo. Hogue said it might be a worthwhile venture to let the restaurant owner know of the newest Cibolo venture. We at no point discussed anything other than asking the owner to come look at the Santikos property, Hogue said, and this was only done by Mr. Buell and myself. Hogue said the investigation had cost the city more than $10,501 to investigate something that was never intended to be anything but a social event. Hogue said he and fellow councilman Byrd were initially invited to the restaurant, but did not know that Schultes and Russell had been invited. Hogue said Byrd texted the others when he saw Russell arriving a few minutes later, offering to leave if the gathering presented any open meetings problem. Schultes said she considered the charge an egregious act that she took very seriously. This situation has been extremely stressful on myself and my family. This has weighed on me horribly, Schultes said. At no time did I speak about city business with Councilman Russell, or witness Councilman Russell speaking of city business at all. I did not break the law. At no time did I speak about an agenda item or deliberate anything other than what to order. That was it, she added. Councilman Byrd was the first of the four to address the council. He thanked residents of Cibolo and his District 3 constituents for putting your trust in me and I count that as a serious responsibility that I do not take lightly. He said he spent weeks preparing a response for his 10-minute retort. But Byrd dispensed with that, choosing instead to address the accuser and the charge at hand. I would like to say that my accuser not being here tonight speaks volumes, he said. But I will say this: Mrs. Palmer, for the record, I forgive you. I forgive her for making an allegation that was unfounded and politically motivated. It does nothing but hurt all of us in Cibolo. Echoing general counsel Fischers findings, Byrd said there was nothing there to investigate in the first place. Our tax dollars were spent to investigate something that was completely uninvestigatable, because there was nothing involved there, he said, There was no crime, there was no infraction. With that, he added, I will leave the rest of my eight minutes and just say Mrs. Palmer, I forgive you. jflinn@express-news.net American Legion Hall is available for rentals, if you need a South East location for family or class reunions, baby showers or other celebrations. American Legion Post 375 is at 9608 S. Presa. Air and heat, kitchen, ample parking in back of building. For information, contact Richard Holloway, post commander, 210-260-7317. Harlandale High School class of 1970 is planning its 50th class reunion for October 2020. Details being finalized. Organizers seek classmates. Contact: Robert Ramirez, 210-496-7687; Jesus C. Vega (or Yolanda Vasquez-Vega), 210-383-0613. Mixed martial arts classes 6-8 p.m. Mondays, St. Michael Catholic Church hall, 418 Indiana St. Taught by Mike Ortiz, a mixed martial arts champion. Contact: 210-264-5291. Masonic Anchor Lodge 424 meets 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 700 Hot Wells Blvd. Bilingual Baby Time/La Hora del bebe bilingue 10:15-10:45 a.m. Wednesdays, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. Rhythm, rhyme and repetition of songs and stories. El ritmo, la rima y la repeticion de las canciones y los cuentos. For babies up to 18 months with their caregivers. Para bebes recien nacido hasta 18 meses con sus cuidadores. 12-step recovery group for compulsive overeaters Noon-1 p.m. Thursdays, Cresholme Presbyterian Church, 1602 Goliad Road (inside small building behind church). Free. Contact: 210-977-8379. City Base Cancer Support Group 7 p.m. Thursdays, Brookhill Baptist Church, 631 Utopia Lane. Contact: Brenda Fox, 210-415-2830. Cortez Chess Club 3:30-5:30 p.m. Fridays, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. For beginners and experts. Chess sets provided or bring your own. Free. Contact: 210-207-9130. Celebrate Recovery Fridays, Mayfield Park Church, 700 W. Hutchins Place. Free 12-step program for people struggling with hurts, hang-ups and habits. Meetings with meal 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Large group time 7:15 p.m.; smaller groups 8:15 p.m. Child care available. Contact: 210-923-2241. Monthly Adult Computer Classes 6-7 p.m. second and fourth Tuesdays of month, Cortez Branch Library, 2803 Hunter Blvd. Classes cover computer and internet basics. Contact: Contact: 210-207-9130. Thursday, Oct. 4 300 Years of Sacred Spaces: Images of the San Antonio Missions illustrated by Richard Arredondo has its opening reception 6-8 p.m. Mission Library, 3134 Roosevelt Ave. On display through Oct. 31. The exhibit is an official Tricentennial event. Saturday, Oct. 6 Annual Pancake Breakfast and Fall Festival sponsored by Highland Hills Lions Club 7-11 a.m. Crestholme Presbyterian Church, 1602 Goliad. All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast $8 per plate, served with sausage, coffee and orange juice. Vendors will be selling arts & crafts, tote bags, Tupperware; City of San Antonio Metro Health Department will be there to demonstrate food recipes. Door prizes and a drawing for a pair of San Antonio Spurs tickets. For ticket information, please call 210-685-8159. Free clothes closet 9 a.m.-noon first Saturday of month, Brookhill Baptist Church, 631 Utopia Lane. Free clothing distributed. Contact: 210-333-4947. Trunk of Treasures 9 a.m.-2 p.m. first Saturday of month, St. Benedict Catholic Church, 4535 Lord Road. Cars with trunks open to sell garage sale-type items line parking lot. $10 for parking slot to sell items; free admission to shop. Contact: 210-648-0123. Annual Fall Book Sale hosted by Mission Library 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the library, 3134 Roosevelt Ave. Monday, Oct. 8 Villa Coronado Neighborhood Association will meet Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. at Villa Coronado Park, 11030 Ruidosa. Upcoming Harlandale High School Class of 1973 45th class reunion Oct. 20, St. Leo Community Center, 4401 S. Flores. Dinner and dance 6-11 p.m. $30 couple, $20 single. All alumni are urged to contact: Alfred Tobias, 210-884-1251; Grace Trevino, 210-378-2564; or Alma Trevino, 210-215-2337. Harlandale High School Class of 1988 30th class reunion dinner Oct. 20, Cadillac Bar, 212 S. Flores St. Other reunion events (including tailgate party and mixer) planned throughout year. Contact: Elda Odie Martinez at 512-799-0625 or Carlos Rubio at 210-643-8882. 87th Annual Little Flower Basilica Rose Festival Oct. 21, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., 1715 N. Zarzamora. In honor of the parish patroness, St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. Live music, dancing, concessions, raffle, childrens games and loteria. Carrizo Springs Class of 1958 plans its 60th reunion Nov. 2-3. Planned activities include a breakfast and parade. Call Shirley Curi at 210-415-4588 for more information. Harlandale High School Class of 1969 plans its 50th reunion on Oct. 19, 2019, at Embassy Suites, Brooks City Base. Organizers are updating their address books. Contact: Frank Garza, figarza@satx.rr.com, or Ann Franz (Fisher), cdcfranz@yahoo.com with your information. Compiled by Melissa Renteria Send details and a phone number to mrenteria@express-news.net. Deadline for submissions is 5 p.m. Thursday before publication. A San Antonio man is accused of shooting two pit bulls on the city's North Side Friday evening after the dogs allegedly mauled his cat to death. Victor Senon Valdez, the 38-year-old cat owner, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of animal cruelty following the attack, police said. Jaws, the older dog who was turning six that day, sustained a bullet to the nose. He was taken to VCA Becker Animal Hospital and Pet Resort for treatment and is now recovering at home, though the bullet is still lodged in his body, said his owner, Amanda Espinosa. Jaws' son, Zeus, who was nearly two years old, was shot four to six times and died at the scene, Espinosa said. "It was a very horrible day," Espinosa told mySA.com, describing it as "dealing with the death of a family member, basically." Valdez could not be reached for comment. RELATED: Stolen ACS dog found, suspect arrested from West Side home For the past two years, Espinosa's good friend and dog walker has been taking her dogs on runs daily, typically along the same route, Espinosa said. In Espinosa's five years living in the area, neighbors had never complained about the dogs, and neither of the animals had hurt an animal or a person, Espinosa said. On Friday evening, the dog walker was riding his bike while Jaws and Zeus ran beside him off-leash, according to the police report. Shortly before 6 p.m. near the corner of Schmeltzer Lane and Allena Drive, the two dogs spotted a cat, ran toward it, and mauled it, right outside the cat's home, the dog walker told police. Valdez walked outside his home and asked if the dogs had killed his cat. The dog walker confirmed they had. Valdez then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the dog walker, according to police. "I'll (expletive) shoot you and those dogs," he allegedly said, before firing the gun multiple times at the animals. The dog walker stepped back, later telling the police he felt his life was in danger. RELATED: San Antonio's Animal Care Services cites irresponsible pet ownership in recent dog attacks Jaws was shot in the nose and ran off, leaving a bloody trail, Espinosa said. Zeus was shot multiple times in the torso area while several witnesses including a young girl watched, Espinosa said. The dog walker ran off and found Jaws, and neighbors took them both to the animal hospital. "My dog walker wasn't being aggressive with the owner at all. There was no anger, no argument, no nothing. It was out of nowhere," Espinosa said. "These dogs are not violent, they're not aggressive. I get it: they're pit bulls and they have a stereotype to go with them. But at the same time, what happened was uncalled for." Valdez told police he shot the dogs while his pet cat was being mauled in order to save his pet. Witnesses told officers they didn't know whether or not the dogs had killed the cat, but when the cat's owner pulled a gun on them, they were "not actively mauling the cat and (the witnesses) felt the threat of the dogs was not present," according to the police report. Witnesses still on scene told Espinosa Valdez had picked up Zeus from the street and laid him on his own property, she said. A neighbor called 911 and police were dispatched to the area for a shooting. By the time Espinosa arrived on scene, police were investigating and would not allow her to see Zeus, she said. Espinosa said neither she nor the neighbors she spoke with had met the man with the gun. RELATED: Meet Penelope, San Antonio's 1st funeral home support dog In the days since, Espinosa has been trying to care for Jaws. She didn't have enough money to leave him at the animal hospital, so she's treating him on her own, she said. He's having trouble breathing, but is otherwise in stable condition. "He's trying to do things like he normally does, but of course he has restrictions so it's kind of hard," she said. "He's a little depressed because he knows his fun is not allowed any more." Shes raising money through a GoFundMe campaign in the hopes of removing the bullet thats still lodged in his body. RELATED: Owner of more than 100 snakes seized from South Side last week surrenders animals to ACS She told her two young daughters that one of their dogs ran away and the other was hit by a car, she said. She's still trying to figure out how to explain the blood-trail left by Jaws. Her words to other dog owners? Leash your dogs. "I know it's wrong to have them off leashes and I regret not having them on the leash," Espinosa said. "People should not think that the city's being a little bit too dramatic about the leash law because it's not just for (the dogs') own good, but it's for their owners good because otherwise you have to deal with something like this. It's not a good feeling, and if I'd just had them on leashes maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe." Warning: graphic photo included in gallery above. S. M. Chavey is a staff writer for mySA.com. Read more of her stories here. | sarah.chavey@express-news.net | 210-250-3122 | Twitter: @smchavey San Antonio police arrested two suspects and are looking for a third in connection to an armed robbery reported on the city's West Side after the suspects bragged about the incident on Facebook, officials said. Michael Jason Reeve Jr., 18, and Janie Marie Lopez, 19, were both arrested Monday on suspicion of aggravated robbery, jail records showed. On Sept. 4, a 17-year-old was walking down the 600 block of Hortencia Avenue when a silver car passed by him slowly, according to the suspects' arrest affidavit. He told police he recognized each occupant of the car. RELATED: San Antonio man suspected in 8-month string of robberies The vehicle stopped alongside the teen according to the affidavit, and the passengers confronted the man, according to the affidavit. "You wanna be my (expletive), or are you looking at my (expletive)," Reeve allegedly told the teen. Reeve pulled out a gun and placed it on his lap, telling the teen "you're going to take off all your gold and I'm going to give you five seconds," according to the affidavit. The teen told police that another passenger, later identified as Misty Jade Soriano, pointed a rifle at him as well, the affidavit says. The victim gave up his gold chain, gold colored watched and a gold colored belt, according to the affidavit. Detectives later discovered Facebook posts that showed Reeve boasting about the robbery, according to the affidavit. The robbery victim's watch were also in Soriano and Lopez's Facebook photos. Reeve and Lopez were arrested on $50,000 bonds each. Soriano was not arrested as of Tuesday, jail records showed. Police are asking for the public's help in locating and identifying two men accused of stealing beer at knife-point from a Southeast Side gas station. The shirtless duo entered the Murphy's in the 2500 block of Southeast Military Drive on Sept. 19, and one of the men grabbed the beer. Police are searching for a driver who ran over a woman in her 60s on the Northeast Side and then fled without stopping to help her. The driver hit the woman just after 10 p.m. in the 12000 block of Perrin Beitel, police said. Two passing drivers stopped to help the woman as the suspect driver fled. Nick de la Torre, Staff / Houston Chronicle An apartment development is buying a 4.5-acre tract of public land at 3540 W. Dallas that local officials long had been targeting to generate some spare cash. If the city council approves the sale to Hanover R.S. this week, the city of Houston and Harris County will split the $30.6 million proceeds, netting about $15 million each after broker fees. Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle Houston City Council this week will consider signing a 30-year lease that would make the city crime lab physically independent of the Houston Police Department for the first time. The council will be asked to lease about 83,000 square feet of office space at 500 Jefferson for the Houston Forensic Science Center to carry out toxicology, narcotics, firearms and fingerprint testing. HFSC's 200 staff are spread among four facilities in and around downtown, with most at HPD headquarters at 1200 Travis. POLICE in Mudzi are investigating a suspected murder case following the discovery of the remains of a 10-year-old boy at the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border two weeks ago after the minor had gone missing for more than a month. The minors parents, from Masevo village under Chief Chikwizo, allegedly buried their childs remains at the weekend without informing the police. Mashonaland East provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident and said police were treating the case as suspected murder. We are currently investigating a case of suspected murder in Mudzi. The 10-year-old boy went missing before his remains were found, he said. There is a possibility of exhuming the body as part of investigations. After discovering the remains, the deceaseds relatives proceeded to bury the juvenile without notifying police. The police said the minor went missing on August 15 before his remains were recovered along the Gozi-Rwenya Road at the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border on September 18. On September 26, police received a tip-off from other villagers that the minors remains had been recovered and buried without their knowledge. NewsDay Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News THE Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe has suspended with immediate effect supply of bread and self-raising flour to biscuit and confectionery baking entities to prioritise major bread bakers. The suspension will be reviewed after 14 days when local and imported wheat supplies are expected to have improved. Some bakers are unhappy with the development, saying it may force them to close for 14 days as their businesses depend on confectioneries. In a notice to all millers, GMAZ chairman Mr Tafadzwa Musarara said flour supplies had remained critically low and it was important that priority for flour be given to major bread bakers. Flour supplies remain critically low and it is therefore prudent that the available wheat stocks be maximised towards food security in respect of improving bread flour supplies and self-raising flour for home baking nationwide. It is in the nations best food security interest that bread supplies improve nationwide for the benefit of all households. In view of the aforegoing you are therefore strongly advised with immediate effect to: for the next 14 days suspend flour supplies to biscuit and confectionery baking entities and prioritise Lobels, Bakers Inn, Proton, Natbake, Oceans Bakery, Central Millers and Bakery and Major in Store bakeries (Spar, TM/Pick n Pay, Ok. These bakers according to the National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe market survey account for 95 percent of the bread supply to the market. Produce either or both bread flour and self-raising flour. All wheat bran be sold to bona fide and stockfeeders, read the notice. You are all now duty bound to co-operate and serve the nation. He said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had paid the balance of what was owed to Holbuds Lithuanian for wheat that landed at Beira weeks ago. The loading and final shipment to Zimbabwe has begun. National Bakers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr Ngoni Mazango yesterday said all bakers understood the flour shortages. While we understand the crisis, we are not into agreement with the suspension of the flour supplies. Some of our baking entities sorely rely on confectionaries and the move taken by GMAZ means they have to close for 14 days. What is best is to ensure flour supplies normalise so that we all run our businesses. The GMAZ suspension is not good for our association members. I would suggest that we as an industry find a way to expedite the availability of flour, he said. Zimbabwe requires 460 000 tonnes of wheat every year. Wheat production had declined with the country becoming a net importer of the commodity as farmers were no longer interested in growing the crop due to high production costs. Government had to introduce wheat under command agriculture and this has since improved supply of the commodity. Chronicle Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Zambias main opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema, has criticised the government over Saturdays deportation of prominent Kenyan lawyer Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba. Mr Lumumba, director of the Kenya School of Laws, was due to give a talk on Africa-China relations on Saturday night but he was not allowed to alight from the plane as authorities ordered his return to Nairobi immediately. Zambias chief government spokeswoman Dora Siliya later tweeted that Mr Lumumba was not allowed entry into Zambia due to security considerations. Mr Hichilema said that Mr Lumumbas deportation would taint the countrys image. The Kenyan lawyer is a popular public speaker who is known for his pan-African views. The news of his deportation was covered by Kenyas press. His deportation is being seen as an attempt by Zambias authorities to stifle any negative discussion around its friendship with China amidst allegations that the government has accumulated a lot of debt by borrowing from the Asian economic giant. Recently, the government rejected reports that it used some key public assets such as the national broadcaster, the state-owned power company, Zesco, and the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport as collateral for the loans. China denied these allegations as well. The deportation of Mr Lumumba follows similar actions in recent months against South African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane and South African entertainer Rebecca Libram, popularly known as Zodwa Wabantu. In August, Zimbabwean opposition figure Tendai Biti was arrested and handed back to authorities in that country after a failed attempt to seek asylum in Zambia. BBC Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Showy businessman, Genius Kadungure, appeared at the Harare magistrates court on Monday after being on the run for over two weeks. The nightclub boss who also runs a gas business is accused of conning Chegutu West legislator Dexter Nduna of R535,000 and a second man of R1 million back in 2012 in connivance with another controversial tender businessman, Wicknell Chivayo. A warrant of arrest had been issued after he skipped court on two occasions. Through his lawyer, Jonathan Samkange, Kadungure apologised begging the court to cancel his arrest warrant saying he missed his flight and could not attend court. Samkange said Kadungure landed from America last Saturday and came to court the earliest possible to show that his absence was not wilful. However, prosecutor Ephraim Zinyandu begged magistrate Morgan Nemadire to send Kadungure to jail saying his default was wilful. Zinyandu also told court that Kadungure was disrespectful since he chose to leave the country well knowing he was wanted in court. His absence frustrated the trial. Witnesses used their funds to travel all the way from Kwekwe, yet he was enjoying himself in America. This shows he is a man of means and can choose to go away again and not come back, so the state is applying that the accuseds bail conditions be revoked, and he answers to his allegations while in custody, said the prosecutor. The magistrate, however, ruled that there was no indication that he is likely to abscond. He released Kadungure on bail and remanded him to October 9. Prosecutors say sometime in November 2012, the two connived and created a fictitious company called Transco Civil Engineering (Transco), purportedly based in South Africa, and opened an ABSA bank account. They allegedly opened an email account procurement@marangediamonds.com purporting to be agents of Marange Diamonds, renting computing space at Hetzner (Pvt) Ltd in South Africa. Chivayo and Kadungure, acting in connivance, then contacted one Gatawa, the managing director of Even Mine and Milling Centre in Kadoma and misrepresented that they were buyers at Marange Resources looking for mining pumps. They allegedly gave Gatawa an order to supply 10 T-90 Transco-Flo Helical Rotor pumps and referred him to Transco, knowing that it was a fictitious company. Gatawa then sent his younger brother, Enock Gatawa, to deposit R446,900 into the ABSA account on December 4, 2012. A further R600,000 was deposited later the same day in two instalments. After transferring the money, Gatawa contacted Transco and was told to return to Zimbabwe and wait for delivery of the pumps from DHL in three days. Gatawa got a parcel that had cellphone chargers instead and realised that they had been swindled. Kadungure, the court heard, used R500,000 to buy wholesale gas from Reatile Gas in South Africa and another R500,000 was transferred to Edward Tekas bank account. Teka, say prosecutors, stated that the money was later withdrawn and handed over to Chivayo and Kadungure. The total prejudice to Gatawa was R1,046.890. On the second count, the two men allegedly targeted Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna using the same modus operandi. They opened an ABSA bank account for a company called Always on Pumps (Pvt) Ltd. They told Nduna they wanted him to supply pumps for Marange Resources at a lucrative price. Nduna was given an order for 20 T-90 Transco-Flo Helical Rotor pumps and advised that the preferred supplier was Always on Pumps. He transferred R535,000 to the supplied bank account on November 13, 2012. A day later, a small box was delivered to Ndunas friend, named only as Eric, at Platinum Trucks in Johannesburg. The items delivered were not the pumps. Nduna tried to reach Always on Pumps but all the communication mediums he had previously used were no longer reachable. ZimLive Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News War veterans in Joice Mujurus National Peoples Party (NPP) yesterday took part in the time-honoured Zimbabwean political tradition of switching team jerseys to Nelson Chamisas MDC Alliance. The war veterans, among them NPP senior officials including national chairperson Dzikamai Mavhaire, stunned a lot of people yesterday when they announced at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai MDC headquarters they were joining the MDC Alliance. After a highly-critical speech condemning Zanu PF leadership and party policy, Mavhaire said he and his team had joined Chamisa because we all feel that the MDC is the party of truth. We could easily have joined those who have power now (Zanu PF) but we are not glory hunters, we follow the truth and we are not concerned about positions here because I am actually ready to be card-carrying member, Mavhaire said. We believe in the future but can you honestly say I am the future at my age? Can you say Mnangagwa is the future? If you tell me Chamisa is the future, I will believe you because even by merely looking at his age, you see the future. Chamisa welcomed dozens of the senior officials. We want to go back to the nationalist ethos and because our role is to grow the party, that is the trajectory we will take. So, we are going to amend our constitution to create a wing for our war veterans, Chamisa said. We are not like Zanu PF that wants to only use them and dump them. We want to fuse them into the party. We will also not waste talent by relegating the likes of Mavhaire to the periphery. We will accommodate you at the top because you are our hero. I grew up admiring you especially when you first called for Mugabe to go. That was courage because he was dangerous, you could have been killed, he said. This was after former NPP spokesperson Jeffreyson Chitando had introduced almost the entire freedom fighters wing of the NPP as well as over 60 percent of the crumbling partys youth and womens assemblies. Speaking on the offer to be the official Opposition Leader in Parliament, he said: There are no talks with Mnangagwa but we hear that they are offering us recognition in Parliament. That is not a problem. It is a constitutional matter, so it is welcome but what is more important is that he must first recognise that he lost the election, hence he must give the people of Zimbabwe that which they voted for. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News - A PDP aspirant in Borno state, Alhaji Bukar Kyari, has rejected that governorship primary in the state - The party had on Sunday, September 30, declared Muhammad Imam as the winner after defeating Kyari and one other candidate, Muhammad Wakil - Kyari, however, said that he had resolved to seek redress in court A People Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial aspirant, Alhaji Bukar Kyari, has rejected the results of the governorship primary election conducted by the party in Borno state. Legit.ng gathered that Kyari told newsmen on Sunday, September 30, in Maiduguri that the exercise was marred by irregularities, saying he had resolved to seek redress in court. It would be recalled that the Zanna Gadama and Usman Baderis faction of the PDP had conducted parallel primaries on Saturday, September 29, during which Muhammad Imam defeated Kyari and one other candidate, Muhammad Wakil. READ ALSO: JUST IN: Saraki, Dogara absent at Independence Day parade Kyari alleged that there was contempt of court in conducting the election by the Gadama faction, which was not recognized by the court. He argued that the court recognized Badari as the chairman of the party, wondering why the national secretariat of the PDP conducted the election through the unrecognized faction. Kyari alleged that he and the other candidate were not furnished with the list of the delegates by the organizers of the election,in accordance with the partys constitution. The exercise is illegal, I reject its outcome and the national leadership of the party should annul the election. We, as law-abiding citizens, will not indulge in illegalities; we shall seek redress in competent court of law for our rights, he said. Wakil, one of the candidate and former Minister of State Works, said they were opposed to the conduct of the election by Gadamas faction. He alleged that Gadamas faction committed contempt of court, dismissing the exercise as null and void. Wakil claimed that the Court of Appeal in Jos had ruled in favour of Badari as the recognized chairman of the party. In his reaction, Gadama, said they secured a court injunction which ordered that the status quo be maintained. Gadama insisted that there was no faction, adding that the party had one leadership under his stewardship The national secretariat recognizes only one PDP in Borno,which is the one I am currently heading as a chairman. This is why they sent INEC officials and other observers to come and monitor the governorship primary election in the state. (NAN) PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state was overwhelmingly elected as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the February 2019 governorship election in the state. Election 2019: Can Saraki be the Next President of Nigeria? | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Pastor Tunde Bakare has reveals that former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili would run for president in 2019 - He said that she would declare her intention on October 7 - Bakare, however, said that Nigeria has been structurally skewed to run a system that perpetuates bad leadership A serving overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly (LRA), Tunde Bakare, has said that Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, would be stepping into politics to contest for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria. Cable news reports that while speaking at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos, on Monday, October 1, the fiery preacher said the former vice president of the World Bank would seek the highest political office in the land. READ ALSO: 2019: Archbishop Kawas joins FCT senatorial race Legit.ng gathered that Bakare said that Nigeria has been structurally skewed to run a system that perpetuates bad leadership. By the way, my sister Oby is stepping into politics now, she is going to contest for the office of the president, and I am waiting for October 7 to throw in my cap, so we can crash the entire system and begin to demand for a new Nigeria that we deserve, Bakare said. The former vice-presidential aspirant for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) also said Nigeria has been structurally skewed to run a system that perpetuates bad leadership. He called on Nigerians to engage the polity and demand for a new Nigeria, as envisioned by our founding fathers Fellow Nigerians, the essence of this restructured pathway is to resuscitate the dreams of our founding fathers with respect to the Nigeria of our dreams, he said at the freedom rally hosted by Tony Rapu, the senior pastor of this present house. It is to revive the spirit of the stunted child, and transit her from her rested development into the great and prosperous motherland God designed her to be. It is to unite the six geo-political brothers to a winning and an unstoppable economic team. It is to unlock the diverse economic potential of our nation, until the dreams of our fathers are realised. Those dreams were written in the creeds, contained in our founding documents, they were crafted in speeches made by our founding father, they were inserted in the lyrics of our founding national anthems. Also on Monday, October 1, Oby Ezekwesili addressed the nation, in a bid to inspire hope in Nigerians as the country celebrates its 58th independence anniversary. Her address touched on the economy, the national security apparatus, the state of the countries leadership and the possible future of Nigeria. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Pastor Tunde Bakare, the general overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, revealed how he worked with former Head of states Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari to save Nigeria from disintegration in 2015. President Buhari on 2019 Presidential Election: Will You Vote For Him? | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng News - Bus conductors in Nigeria have promised to deliver 10 million for the president in 2019 - The conductors said the integrity and accountability exemplified by President Buhari stood him out - According to them, President Buhari has no match for the 2019 presidential election Some bus conductors in Nigeria have vowed to secure 10 million votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming 2019 presidential election. The bus conductors under the aegis of Bus Conductors Association of Nigeria (BCAN) said the organisation would not deliver anything less than ten million votes for President Buhari. Vanguard reports that the association said the integrity and accountability exemplified by President Buhari stood him out of other presidential candidates in other political parties. READ ALSO: JUST IN: Saraki, Dogara absent at Independence Day parade The national liaison officer of BCAN, Israel Adeshola, who spoke at the Inauguration of Ogun State Liason Officers and Executives of the association said none of the presidential aspirants can match him at the polls. Stating that the association had members across the states, Adeshola said there are over five million voters registered in BCAN. Adeshola said: "We have successfully, over five million registered voters in BCAN. We are very sure that president Buhari has no strong rival. Buhari in 2019 is unshakable. His integrity and accountability stand him out and if we have that kind of quality in a leader like him, why should he not return. We have so many resources and money in Nigeria, how can we manage it, if not by using Buhari to manage it well for us," Adeshola said. READ ALSO: PDP's first-term governors win party's tickets for 2019 The other contenders have been governors before now and they have no good track records like that of Buhari. But let me assure you that I will lead more than ten million Nigerians for President Muhammadu Buhari. He has been well in flushing out the bad eggs in our country and in our democracy," he said. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the general overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly (LRA), Tunde Bakare, has said that Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, would be stepping into politics to contest for the office of the president of the federal republic of Nigeria. The fiery preacher said the former vice president of the World Bank would seek the highest political office in the land. President Buhari on 2019 Presidential Election: Will You Vote For Him? | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has urged the panel appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to conduct free and fair governorship primaries in the state - Ambode noted that the panel in its conduct of tomorrows primaries will go a long way to determine the future of Nigeria and the greatness of Lagos in particular - The Lago state governor said he had no doubt that the panel would live up to expectation and deliver a credible process Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday, October 1, urged the panel appointed by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to conduct the Governorship Primaries in the state to ensure a level playing field for all aspirants in the contest. Ambode spoke when he received members of the panel led by its Chairman, Ebri, at the Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja. He said it was important that the election when conducted, is seen to be free, fair and credible to all aspirants concerned. He added that it was only in such situation that democracy, which the party upholds was entrenched. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the panel include Alhaji Ahmed Mahmud Gumel as Secretary; Mr Nze Chidi Duru; Chief Clever Egbeji, Sen. Clever Ikisikpo and Ambassador Jerry Ugokwe. READ ALSO: After defecting from APC, Senator Hunkuyi loses PDP governorship primary election Expressing confidence in the selection of members of the panel, Ambode said he had no doubt that the panel would live up to expectation and deliver a credible process. According to him, the panel will go a long way to determine the future of Nigeria and the greatness of Lagos in particular. This is a very star studded election team, they are distinguished Nigerians in their individual and collective rights. There cannot be any better collection of a team to any state election monitoring in this country than the distinguished personalities brought to Lagos and it only shows us the importance that the national chairman of our great party attaches to what is happening in Lagos. I must tell you that what you have taken up, may look like a political assignment, but history is on your side that at this very moment in the annals of the history of this country. Today marking our 58th Independence anniversary celebration, you are being called upon to discharge a selfless service. That will determine the future of this country and the greatness of this particular state. I receive this election team as being acceptable and credible to me enough to discharge their civic responsibility to the best of their abilities and to also to say that whatever it is that is the outcome of the primaries, your presence has also shown that this will be credible and this will be acceptable to me, he said. Ambode recalled that he had gone through the same process with 12 other aspirants to emerge as governorship candidate of the APC in 2014. He said that it was not out of place to have other aspirants contest for the same ticket this time, however, the eventual process of choosing who flies the partys flag must be seen to be fair to all concerned. So, it is very clear to me, all I seek is credible primaries, transparent primaries and level playing ground that we will all be proud of at the end of the day for the outcome. There were issues that we have raised that we are also trying to correct. The bottom line is this, we are family, we must not go into the elections divided because this is the very first time that our party is controlling the centre and also the state, that is what I want us to continue. The issues that I raise have been put in form of a letter which I will pass to the chairman and I believe the committee will look into it judiciously. And also I welcome the stakeholders meeting which will allow you feel the pulse of what is going on in the state, Ambode said. He also urged the panel to use its prerogative to decide the best possible time for the primaries election and make a public announcement on the time, date and venues of the exercise to enable members of the party partake in the process. Earlier, Ebri said the panel deemed it fit to pay a courtesy visit to the governor as the number one citizen in the state and to also intimate him on the process for the conduct of the primaries. Ebri, a former governor of Cross River, assured the governor that he and his team were ready for the task ahead and would do everything possible to ensure that the process is seen to be free, fair and credible. He said the stakeholders meeting fixed for Monday evening at the party secretariat on Acme Road was to enable aspirants and other concerned stakeholders voice their opinion concerning the primaries in accordance with the democratic principles of the party. Ebri said the meeting would afford the panel to look at the possibility of conducting the primaries at the most convenient time and where there are still grey areas. He also sought the governors assistance in ensuring the safety and security of members of the panel, a request Ambode granted, assuring the team that adequate security would be provided to ensure a hitch-free exercise. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Legit.ng previously reported that some member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Bola Ahmed Tinubu have reportedly asked Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state to drop his reelection bid or face impeachment. A party source who demanded not to be named, reports that the Lagos state governor is being harassed and intimidated by Tinubus political followers to drop his second term ambition They are threatening to impeach him should he refused to bow to their demand to withdraw. The incumbent governor, who is traditionally entitled to another term is being harassed and intimidated by Tinubus political machine to withdraw for their new man, even though the governor had agreed to subject himself to primary. the anonymous source said. Can Ambode Defeat Tinubu for a second term? - Nigerian Opinion | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - President Buhari received Pastor Kumuyi at the State House in Abuja - Buhari said God brought Nigerians together for a purpose - Pastor Kumuyi said he would continue to pray for the president President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, October 1, in Abuja said Nigerians must appreciate God for bringing everyone together. The president stated this when he received the general superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, at the Presidential Villa. He said: God did not make a mistake when he created over 250 different ethnic groups, and decided to put them in a place called Nigeria. We must appreciate God for bringing us together. He knows what he was doing. He didnt make a mistake." READ ALSO: After defecting from APC, Senator Hunkuyi loses PDP governorship primary election While describing Nigeria as a great country endowed with human and natural resources, the president said: We have challenges in trying to get people to understand us. With my experience as a governor, minister of petroleum, head of state, chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund, I thought I had seen it all, but Nigeria has a way of going at its own speed. My morale is raised by your visit. I very much appreciate it. President Buhari recalled what he described as Pastor Kumuyis intellectual achievements as a scholar and university lecturer before going into full time ministry. He added that he was excited a great deal for the general superintendents acceptance of governments invitation to preach the sermon at the countrys 58th independence anniversary. Thank you very much, the president said. In his remarks, Pastor Kumuyi, who leads one of the countrys largest Pentecostal churches, said it was an honour to be received by the president on a busy day as Oct. 1. He expressed appreciation to the President for his tireless efforts toward transforming the country. Kumuyi said: Please remain focused and courageous and do what is right. Not everyone will support you publicly, but we are praying for you so that your tenure will be one of progress and prosperity for the country. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The general superintendent was accompanied by his wife, Esther, and Pastor Samuel Afuwape. Others on his entourage included Pastor Chike Onwuasoanya and Pastor Seyin Malomo, the Chaplain of Aso Villa Chapel. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari says he will continue to work tirelessly to promote, protect and preserve a united, peaceful, prosperous and secure Nigeria, where all, irrespective of background, can aspire to succeed. The president gave the assurance in his nationwide broadcast to mark the nations 58th Independence Anniversary in Abuja on Monday, October 1. Legit.ng notes that in the statement which was released by Buhari's aide, Femi Adesina, the president also enjoined all citizens to continue to promote the values, virtues and common aspirations that unite Nigerians rather than engaging in divisive tendencies. How Nigerians celebrated the 57th Independence anniversary in Umuahia - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - A student of the University of Jos has been killed, while another is missing in the ongoing violence in Plateau state - Two other students were injured in the recent skirmishes, according to a report by the University - One of the injured students is reportedly still receiving treatment in a hospital The University of Jos (UniJos) management has confirmed one student killed in the recent skirmishes that rocked the city of Jos. A statement by Abdullahi Abdullahi, principal assistant registrar, Information and Publications, said that one student was missing while two others were injured. The university management said that the clarification became necessary following series of unverified information being circulated, especially on the social media about the casualty figures. It is claimed that seven students of the University have been killed as a result of the skirmishes. Management wishes to clarify that after a rigorous search was carried out, one student is still missing while one student was confirmed dead and others were reported injured. READ ALSO: After defecting from APC, Senator Hunkuyi loses PDP governorship primary election The corpse of the deceased student has since been deposited in a mortuary. One of the injured students is still receiving treatment in the hospital while the other has been discharged. Out of respect for the families of the affected students, the university authorities have decided not to disclose the identities of the dead and the injured but would do so in due course, it added. The university management, however, assured that it was working with the security agencies and the Plateau government to ensure that the lives and property of members of the university community, especially students were adequately protected. "The management commiserates with the families of the deceased student, the injured and all those who suffered losses during the unfortunate incident. The management also wishes to appreciate the government, security agencies as well as members of the public who have shown great concern about the plight of the university during this difficult period," it said. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Members of the university community, especially staff and students, were advised to exercise caution and comply with all security directives during this period. Legit.ng earlier reported that the Plateau police command, said it has mobilised its armed personnel to quell unrest in some parts of Jos North local government area of the state. DSP Terna Tyopev, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, announced this to journalists. Nigeria Latest News: IDPs in Plateau - The Herdsmen Have Taken Over Our Villages | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - The Lagos APC primary is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, October 2, in 377 wards across 20 local governments in the state - The mode of the poll is open direct primary which involves open and physical counting of members on queue behind the posters of their chosen aspirants - Crisis rocks Lagos APC as electoral committee, stakeholders disagree over mode of primary The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has insisted that his decision to back Jide Sanwo-Olu for the partys primary election in Lagos state remains unchanged. The Nation reports that Tinubus position on the issue was made known in a statement by his media adviser, Tunde Rahman, on Monday night, October 1, after the APC leaders meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. READ ALSO: Ambode tasks NWC to conduct free and fair governorship primaries Asiwaju Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande were invited by President Buhari and it turned out to be a good and productive meeting. Asiwaju was quite pleased to have conferred with the President who has always shown himself to be a committed party member and a true democrat" the statement read. Just like the President, he is looking forward to a good and credible primary that is peaceful and free of rancor. As previously stated, Asiwaju plans to vote in this primary and his position regarding the relative merits of the candidates remains unchanged. Tinubu reportedly said his preferred candidate for the position, Jide Sanwo-Olu, has the required experienced for the job having served in senior positions three past administrations in Lagos state. "I am encouraged by the presence of a candidate in this primary, who has served the state in senior positions in my administration, the Fashola administration and even in the current one. While possessing a wealth of experience and exposure, he is a young man endowed with superlative vision and commitment, Tinubu was quoted as saying. Most importantly, he understands the importance of the blueprint for development. He esteems it as a reliable and well-conceived vehicle for the future development of the state. He also knows the value of reaching out and working with others in order to maximise development and provide people the best leadership possible. With people like him at the helm, the state will write the proper history for itself. The Lagos chapter of the APC has been embroiled in crisis after Bola Tinubu declined to support the incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, for second term. The APC leader has remained resolute in his bid to support a former commissioner Jide Sanwo-Olu for the position. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The Lagos APC primary is scheduled to hold today, October 2, in 377 wards across 20 local governments, in the state. Every card-carrying member of the party is eligible. There will be no ballot box and ballot paper. Party members will queue behind the posters of their preferred aspirant. The mode of the election is open direct primary which involves open and physical counting of members on queue behind the posters of their chosen aspirants. Meanwhile, the electoral committee of the Lagos APC governorship primary and stakeholders in the state chapter, on Monday, October 1, came out of a meeting without agreeing on the pattern to adopt for the election on Tuesday. The speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa made the disclosure to newsmen on Monday, October 1, after a meeting between the committee and state party stakeholders in Lagos. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the chairman of the electoral committee, Clement Ebri, led his team to the meeting which was also attended by the Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the state party chairman, Alhaji Tunde Balogun and other party official. Obasa said that the disagreement stemmed from the insistence that the committee wanted the use of ballot papers for the primary as against the choice of open direct primary by the state stakeholders. Can Ambode Defeat Tinubu for a second term? - Nigerian Opinion | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A group has scored the Nigerian Army high over the success of the Operation Python Dance III - The human rights group said it is ecstatic with the peaceful atmosphere in the region as the country marks its 58th anniversary - According to the group, the Army should sustain the Python Dance as an annual exercise and even consider the prospect of holding it twice in that period The Nigerian Army has received commendation for its efforts in curbing criminal activities in the southeast region. The Army was commended by a human rights organisation for the success of the much criticized Operation Python Dance III in the region. After the first two editions, the military launched the third exercise early this year on the heels of the uncontrollable surge in kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, human trafficking and other crimes in the southeast and parts of the south. In a successful seven month spell by the 82 Division Nigerian Army, the Human Rights and Crime Monitoring Group expressed optimum satisfaction with the exercise. The renowned group, a coalition of Nigerian intellectuals and professionals that monitors human rights concerns and security issues majorly in the southeast and south south geo-political zones of Nigeria said it is ecstatic with the peaceful atmosphere in the region as the country marks its 58th anniversary. READ ALSO: Why I didn't attend Independence Day Parade - Saraki The monitoring group highlighted some obvious gains of the Nigerian Army from the recent operation in a statement by executive director, Werigbelegha Zinake, last week. Zinake said: The training exercise was successfully concluded without any major unanticipated incident. The exercise included deployment of troops to strategic locations in the zone." The duration of the exercise saw the entire south-east witnessing fewer crimes, while the south-east based separatists were unable to prevent people from going about their legitimate businesses. A purported sit at home order made by the IPOB within this period of time was rejected by the populace. There were attempts by separatist elements, mostly of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, and its affiliates to sabotage the exercise using propaganda intended to incite the populace against the Nigerian Army. This however failed to yield any meaningful impact unlike during Python Dance 2 and shows that the Nigerian Army has largely improved on its operation coordination and civil militray relations within the period. READ ALSO: Tinubu emerges from meeting with presidency, takes final decision on Lagos APC governorship candidate The preponderance of reactions in the zone is for the Army to not only sustain the exercise on an annual basis but to explore the possibility of increasing its frequency because of the latent threat posed by separatists and other criminal elements due to the economic viability of the region." The group further urged the Army to sustain the Python Dance as an annual exercise and even consider the prospect of holding it twice in that period. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Army had announced its plan to begin an annual training programme of "Operation Python Dance III" popularly referred to as Exercise Egwu Eke III in the southeast states. The exercise which had its two previous phases, I and II, would take place in states' formations and units under the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The general officer commanding of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Emmanuel Kabuk, while speaking when he paid a familiarisation visit to the military cantonment, 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support) Onitsha, Anambra state, said the operation is a training exercise for troops. TY Danjuma, Nigerian Army and the herdsmen crisis - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The Zamfara state chapter of the APC is set to hold its primary election on Tuesday, October 2 - Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has urged members of the APC to participate in the exercise without any fear of intimidation - The senator also called for the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari and the police Chairman of the Senate committee on petroleum (downstream), Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa, has urged members of the APC in Zamfara state to remain calm and come out for the party primary election scheduled for Tuesday, October 2. The senator urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris to stop Governor Abduaziz Yari from disrupting the process. Governor Yari had while addressing newsmen in Gusau, the Zamfara state capital, recently threatened that there will be crisis in the state if the election is held in a certain way. READ ALSO: After defecting from APC, Senator Hunkuyi loses PDP governorship primary election There have been disagreements by chieftains of the party in the state on whether to conduct direct or indirect primary. While Governor Yari is in favour of indirect primary, Senator Marafa and other governorship aspirants are rooting for the direct primary option. Marafa in a statement sent to journalists urged President Buhari and the IGP to stop Governor Yari from causing mayhem over the party primary. His words: It is unfortunate that a governor that has turned a blind eye to the death of thousands will threaten to cause bloodbath in his state because of party issues. What a shame? For me, my ambition is premised on the need to salvage the state from total collapse! It is not a do-or-die affair. The lives of our people are more important. No stone would be left unturned in protecting the lives and property of our people." He said audio clips of the governor's threats would be made available to the president, the IGP, all relevant security agencies and the international community. He called on all party members to come out enmasse to exercise their rights and vote for him. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Senator Marafa had earlier affirmed he would participate in the primary after initially giving hint that he might stay away from the exercise. In a statement sent to Legit.ng by his media office, the APC senator said he and million of his supporters in across the state are participating based on assurances that the exercise would be conducted through direct primary mode. Osun Election 2018: INEC Did Not Ban Use of Phones at Polling Units | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - A Nigerian man has taken to social media to share his experience with Emeka Anyaoku - The young man revealed that he had the opportunity to sit beside Anyaoku on a flight - He also noted that he was educated by the political icon Emeka Anyaoku is a political icon that is respected all over the world. He is a Nigerian politician of Igbo descent and was the third Commonwealth Secretary-General. Imagine getting the opportunity to sit beside someone like Anyaoku? The political icon could give you so much insight to everything politics and economy. He is someone whose advise is respected in all over the world. A young Nigerian man identified as Chukwuka Xavier who had this opportunity has taken to social media to share his experience with Anyaoku, and it turned out just as you imagined it would. The young man decided to share his experience on Twitter to celebrate Nigeria's Independence Day, on Monday, October 1. He revealed that he had met Anyaoku on a flight that was on its way to Nigeria, noting that the few moments he had with the political icon was extremely educative. READ ALSO: Independence Day: Nigerian women who were pioneers in their fields (photos) In his Twitter thread, the young man noted that he can't celebrate Independence Day because there is nothing to celebrate. However, he stated that he would celebrate Nigerians even if he can't celebrate the country. Read tweet below: PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group How Nigerians celebrated the 57th Independence anniversary in Umuahia | - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The south-south elder state man, Senator Edwin Clark has lashed out on APC and PDP governors who allegedly use state funds to override decisions - Moreover, Clark in a letter urged APC's national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, to stop the Delta state former governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, from being imposed on the people - He said that the will of the people should be allowed to prevail, adding that this is the way to ensure peace and harmony Senator Edwin Clark, the south-south leader, has slammed governors and former governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing them of using their powers and states' resources to influence the decisions of their parties. The south-south leader, in a letter urged Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of APC, to make sure that the ex-governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, was not imposed on the people as APCs senatorial candidate in Delta south senatorial district, Delta state, Vanguard reports. READ ALSO: Transparency International not needed to authenticate whats going on in Nigeria - Adesina Clark said: I observe with disgust and disappointment the continuous role of governors and former governors both of APC and PDP who use their influences and state resources to undermine their parties. Those governors and their predecessors in office dictate to the elected officials and overrule the party decisions. This act is unhealthy, unconstitutional, unacceptable and nauseating. This is a battle I have been fighting since 2011, he said. Concerning Uduaghan, Clark, who belongs to the same senatorial district with the former governor, stated: It is the right of Dr. Uduaghan, a very distinguished son of the area to aspire and run for the office in question, it must be recognised, however, that his ambition, and as a matter of fact, that of any other person, must not be allowed to infringe on the rights of others. This, especially in a culturally diverse environment such as Delta South. For the avoidance of doubt, let me bring to your attention that the present ward delineation stands as follows: Ijaw 42 wards, Isoko- 24 wards, Itsekiri 17 wards and Urhobo- six wards. Gladly, aspirants from the groups have shown interest, the best your party could do in such circumstance is to ensure that no aspirant is given preferential standing above the others. They should be allowed to consult, negotiate and reach out to all the stakeholders openly and transparently. This is the only way to maintain the peace and inter-ethnic harmony in the area and deepen democracy at the local level, he said. He expressed his gratitude to Oshimohole who stood with him when police operatives invaded his house in search of arms and ammunition. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! Although attempts to reach Uduaghan proved abortive, a source said: Our principal has been on the campaign, moving from Itsekiri to Ijaw and Isoko areas in the past few weeks lobbying delegates to vote for him and telling them the reasons why they should give him their mandate. I do not see any imposition by anybody. Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that in a move for change and progress, female supporters of the APC in the Delta south local government area had expressed their wish to have ex-governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of the south senatorial district at the National Assembly. On the platform of the Ijaw Women for Good Governance (IWGG), a vocal political pressure group, the women voiced their desire at a meeting recently convened in Patani, Delta state, stressing that judging by antecedent, Uduaghan had what it takes to man the office. The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The opposition party has rejected the results of the Osun and Ekiti gubernatorial elections - The PDP leaders in the southwest called on President Buhari to ensure discipline and fairness in Nigerian elections - According to the party, Nigeria's democracy must not continue along what it described as the flawed, demeaning path The southwest leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure discipline, fair play, respect for order and equity in the affairs of the country. The PDP said Nigeria's democracy must not continue along what it described as the flawed, demeaning path. Reacting to the conduct of the Ekiti and Osun states' governorship elections the party stated its position yesterday at a stakeholders meeting of Southwest leaders of the party in Ibadan, the state capital. READ ALSO: Why I didn't attend Independence Day parade - Saraki The meeting was chaired by Chief Olabode George and attended by the deputy national chairman, Elder Yemi Akinwonmi; the zones chairman, Eddy Olafeso; Oyo state governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde; Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof Olusola Eleka and delegates from Southwest states. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Edwin Clark, the south-south leader, slammed governors and former governors of the PDP and All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing them of using their powers and states' resources to influence the decisions of their parties. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The south-south leader, in a letter urged Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of APC, to make sure that the ex-governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, was not imposed on the people as APCs senatorial candidate in Delta south senatorial district, Delta state. He said he observed with disgust and disappointment the continuous role of governors and former governors both of APC and PDP who use their influences and state resources to undermine their parties. The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for a 'new tribe' of Nigerians to build a new nation - Osinbajo made this known while declaring open a five-day photo exhibition in Abuja - He said the country needs one tribe of men and women of all faiths and ethnicities The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday, October 1, declared that there is need to create a `new tribe in Nigeria in order to have a country driven by national unity and cohesion. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osinbajo made this known while declaring open a five-day photo exhibition tagged, `ANISZA in Abuja. ANISZA is a collaborative project between the federal government and the private sector, a scheme that showcases the untold stories of Nigerias unity since independence in 1960 via pictures. READ ALSO: Why I was absent at Independence Day parade - Saraki ANISZA was derived from the first two letters of three indigenous Nigerian languagesAnoko Onu Igbo word for togetherness; Isokan Yoruba word for unity; and Zaman Tare Hausa words for one tribe. Osinbajo had earlier toured the mobile gallery and inspected the photographs on display. He said two things struck him about the exhibition are the deliberate attempt to engage younger Nigerians and the issue of promoting national unity. Osinbajo added that the second thing that struck him was the idea of casting a vision by reflecting Nigerias history via a collection of photographs that told Nigerias national story as the victories of unity despite the diversities and dissention. The vice president said the pictures he saw included the photograph of the Shitta Bey Mosque, which was headlined by Christian leaders who were gladly invited by Muslim leaders to the mosque. Osinbajo said he also saw the photograph of where Christians formed a protective shield of Muslims at prayer in Abuja in 2012 among others. According to him, It seems to me to be a good time for me to recall an earlier call I have made for a new tribe of Nigerians to build a new Nigeria. It is my respected view that to build a new Nigeria, we need a new tribe; one tribe of men and women of all faiths, of all tribes, of all ethnicities committed to a country run on high values; high values of integrity, of hard work, of justice and of love of country. A tribe of men and women who are prepared to make the sacrifices and exercise the self-constraint that is crucial for building a healthy society and who are prepared to stick together to fight injustice; to fight corruption; to insist on the rule of law; even when our friends are the receiving end. A tribe consisting of professionals, of businessmen, of politicians, of students, of religious leaders and all who believe that a new Nigeria is possible. He said the exhibition was a collaboration between the federal government represented by the media team in the presidency, the federal ministry of information and the private sector. On her part, Winifred Oyo-Ita, head of civil service of the federation, said that the event was a thing of joy as it came at a day Nigerians were witnessing the 58th independence in peace. She said that the project was noble gesture which had the support of the federal government. The project visionary, Novo Isioro, said that the event was Nigerias first ever unity photography exhibition. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app On this ground today, we are gathered for one thing; one very important thing; there is a dream which is focused on re-orientating us to a nation that was united; will stay united and will get better. Have you noticed that the media is filled with stories of hate, violence and disunity featuring young people? Because we are young, most times we under-formed and even misinformed and we become tools or objects of this violence. She said that if ethic differences were collapsed in the everyday interaction of Nigerians, the citizens would fare better. According to her, the documentary is about telling the story of Nigerias strength in diversity. The exhibition, which drew students from across the country, had some members of the Federation Executive Council in attendance. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo prayed for Nigeria and called for Gods blessings for the nation and its citizens. Osinbajo made these supplications at an Interdenominational Church Service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja as part of activities marking Nigerias 58th Independence celebration. The first scripture reading at the service taken from Exodus, Chapter 13 Vs 8 to 13, was read by Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of Nigeria, while the second reading taken from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12 Vs 14 to 18, was read by former head of state, Retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon. How Nigerians celebrated the 57th Independence anniversary in Umuahia - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit It is a black day for some residents of Lagos as a tanker said to have been loaded with fuel, exploded along the Badagry expressway in the morning of Tuesday, October 2, reportedly killing an unspecified number of people. Reports said that many of the residents were burnt while some houses were razed. READ ALSO: OPINION: Will the real democrats in Lagos APC please stand up by Adetola Adepetu At the time of this report, details about the incident were still sketchy. The incident is coming few months after a fuel-laden tanker exploded on the Otedola bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan highway. Legit.ng reported that no fewer than nine persons were burnt beyond recognition with 54 vehicles torched in the fuel tanker explosion that occurred on Thursday, June 28, at Otedola Bridge, near the old toll gate, Alausa, Lagos. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The spokesman, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Kehinde Adebayo, confirmed the incident stressing that four persons sustained various degrees of injury. Legit.ng gathered that Adebayo said the accident was caused by a fuel tanker loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol heading towards Berger along Lagos/Ibadan Express. Nigeria News Today: Nigerian Air Force Buries Pilot Who Died in a Crash | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - All is set for the PDP special national convention this week in Port Harcourt, Rivers state - A poll has predicted that Senator Ahmed Makarfi will win the contest and emerge as the presidential candidate of opposition party - No fewer than 12 people are contesting for the PDP presidential ticket A poll has predicted that a former governor of Kaduna state and immediate past interim national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Mohamed Makarfi, will emerge as the partys presidential candidate on Saturday, October 6. An interim situation report on 12 PDP presidential aspirants by an independent group, Presidential Mediation Committee showed that Makarfi was the early favorite before the primary election. The report was signed by the committee's protem-chairman; Honourable Samaila Kankia, acting secretary; Dr. Amos Goje and facilitator, Malam Muhammad Tasiu Hassan, Daily Trust reports. READ ALSO: We are praying for you - Pastor Kumuyi to President Buhari According to them, the poll ranked each candidates potentialities and pedigree on a scale of 1 to 20 with 20 being highest. In all, the group said Makarfi scored 15 marks to beat the rest in the analysis. The committee also revealed that they had submitted the report to PDP national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus. Meanwhile, a development expert; Dr Adesina Fagbenro-Byron, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the KOWA party. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Fagbenro-Byron, 59, a former member of the PDP, emerged the candidate of the party during the party's special national convention presidential primary in Abuja on Saturday, September 29. He defeated the presidential candidate of the party in 2015, Professor (Mrs) Remi Shonaiya and Ayo Lijadu to clinch the presidential ticket in a free and fair contest observed by Legit.ng. Nigeria News Today: Will Buhari Get Votes Of Nigerian Youth? | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng - Ado Abubakar, House of Representatives aspirant on the platform of APC, has been attacked by political thugs in Suleja, Niger state - The attack was blamed on supporters of Abubakar Lado, the current representative of Suleja/Tafa federal constituency - Three people that were injured in the incident have been taken to the Umaru Musa Yaradua General Hospital in Sabo, Wuse for treatment Emerging reports have claimed that Ado Abubakar, an All Progressive Congress aspirant for House of Representatives seat, was on Monday, October 1, attacked by political thugs in Suleja, Niger state. Daily Trust reports that the attack that occurred around Kaduna road junction, was blamed on supporters of Abubakar Lado, the current representative of Suleja/Tafa federal constituency. Legit.ng gathered that three people that were injured in the incident have been taken to the Umaru Musa Yaradua General Hospital in Sabo Wuse for treatment. READ ALSO: Why I was absent at Independence Day parade - Saraki It was learnt that about 19 vehicles bearing Abubakars tags and posters that were smashed inside a filling station in the area where they had parked for refuelling. According to an eyewitness, the vehicles were coming in a convoy from Sabo Wuse where Ado is currently serving as chairman of Tafa local government. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The eyewitness further explained that about 30 vehicles had already left the filling station and were heading to Suleja for a campaign rally, when another convoy of the serving representative heading to Tafa got to the area. The police area commander, Iliyasu Kwarbai, was said to have noted that he will not comment on the incident until after meeting the opponents. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Shuaibu Gwada, a veteran journalist and APC senatorial aspirant for Niger east district called on Nigerians to support the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari. Gwada declared that the president's leadership scorecard in the past three years was laudable. R He said that the president had lived up to expectations in economic reforms having enhanced local content and food sufficiency. You can agree with me that Nigeria is now self-reliant on their own food produce especially rice. This administration has saved many Nigerians from poisonous rice that were being dumped in the country after many years in the ship, Gwada said. President Buhari on 2019 Presidential Election: Will You Vote For Him? | Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - Protesters have taken over streets in Kogi state - The protest followed a campaign visit by the Senate President in the state - The group alleged a plan by Bukola Saraki to impose Senator Dino Melaye on Kogi west constituents ahead of the 2019 election Some protesters on Tuesday, October 2, took over the streets of Kogi state as Senate President Bukola Saraki paid a visit to the state. The protesters in their scores besieged the Kogi state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Lokoja, disrupting the campaign visit of Senator Saraki. The Nation reports that Saraki was in Kogi to woo delegates ahead of the partys national convention where he will be contesting for the PDP presidential ticket. However, stalling the campaign, the protesters who carried placards with inscriptions like No to Imposition, Dont Impose Dino on Us, Allow for Free, Fair Primaries, Kogi is not Kwara" took over the event. They urged the Senate president not to impose Senator Dino Melaye on Kogi West, a decision believed to have been influenced by Saraki. The spokespersons for the protesters, Stephen Segun Aina and Aisha Jibril said: Imposing Melaye on the district without a primary will affect the fortune of the PDP in the district." They added that an automatic ticket allegedly granted the serving senator who recently returned to the PDP is unacceptable. They said they were dissatisfied with the alleged imposition and disqualification of four other aspirants who have sustained the PDP until now. The protesters also said the plan to impose anyone on them is an act of wickedness and injustice by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP. READ ALSO: Tinubu emerges from meeting with presidency, takes final decision on Lagos APC governorship candidate In his reaction, Saraki said his aspiration to become the next president of Nigeria is to make the country work again. He promised to improve on the well-being of Nigerians, saying the present administration has failed in meeting its change agenda. He also solicited the support of delegates to enable him meet with the yearnings and aspiration of Nigerians. Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, representing Bayelsa East constituency on Monday, October 1, announced his withdrawal to return to the Senate for a second term in 2019. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The common sense senator in a letter posted on his Facebook page on the eve of the senatorial primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thanked his district for giving him the opportunity to serve. Bruce also assured the party of his availability and readiness to serve at any capacity when the opportunity comes. Nigeria Latest News: Who is responsible for the siege on the National Assembly?| - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - A PDP governorship aspirant in Gombe has rejected the outcome of the party's primary - He expressed his distrust, adding that the process was not a reflection of democracy - He called the statesmen in the party to rescue the state from imminent doom Alhaji Jamilu Gwamna, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has rejected the results of the election that produced Senator Bayero Nafada as the partys governorship candidate in Gombe state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Nafada scored 1,104 votes to defeat 12 other aspirants including Gwamna, who scored 147 votes to come second. Legit.ng notes that Gwamna in a release titled: The Stolen Mandate: Gombe state PDP Governorship Primary Election," said the result was not a reflection of the delegates choice. READ ALSO: Why I was absent at Independence Day parade - Saraki He said: The result is not a reflection of delegates choice. The result of this election is a disruption of the democratic tentacles upon which our party stands. Gwamna, however, called on all true democrats in the PDP to come to the rescue of democracy in the state. Recall that the PDP governorship election which held on September 30, was disrupted following violence that erupted. PAY ATTENTION: Download our app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that three from the seven gubernatorial aspirants stepped down before the commencement of the PDP primaries in Benue state. The aspirants, Dave Iorhembe, Gabriel Nyitse and Joe Iorapuu, all accepted to step aside in the interest of the party. Nyitse said PDP needed to maintain its stronghold for a great come back in 2019. He advised the party to always ensure they rewarded party faithful. He, however, said that the party should not develop the culture of allowing aspirants dreams be stopped half way. Nigeria Election 2019: Kenneth Okonkwo Interview - Buhari will win | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - The former vice president Atiku Abubakar has visited Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike - Atiku, the PDP presidential aspirant, arrived the state Government House in company of former Ogun state governor, Otunba Daniel - He was said to have visited Wike to canvass for delegate votes ahead of the party national convention in Port Harcourt Rivers state governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Tuesday, October 2, held a consultative meeting with former vice president Atiku Abubakar at the Government House Port Harcourt. The Nation reports that Atiku who is the People's Democratic Party presidential aspirant arrived government House Port Harcourt in company of former Ogun state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and other campaign officials. Also in attendance at the meeting were the former Rivers state governor, Celestine Omehia, Rivers state PDP chairman, Felix Obuah and Chief of Staff to the Rivers state governor, Emeka Woke. READ ALSO: My decision on Jide Sanwo-Olu remains unchanged - Tinubu insists It was learnt that the former vice president visited Wike to canvass for delegate votes ahead of the party's national convention. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that a poll predicted that a former governor of Kaduna state, Senator Ahmed Mohamed Makarfi, would emerge as the partys presidential candidate on Saturday, October 6. An interim situation report on 12 PDP presidential aspirants by an independent group, Presidential Mediation Committee showed that Makarfi was the early favorite before the primary election. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app The report was signed by the committee's protem-chairman; Honourable Samaila Kankia, acting secretary; Amos Goje and facilitator, Malam Muhammad Tasiu Hassan. In a related development, a coalition of Northern youths within the PDP accused the leadership of the party of conniving with Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, to rig the presidential primaries of the party by moving the convention to Port Harcourt. In a press statement signed by its convener, Honourable Awwal Dahiru, the group alleged that the plot by the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee is to move the convention to Port Harcourt to enable Governor Wike conveniently install his preferred aspirant as the presidential candidate of the party. PDP's magnificent 7 for 2019 - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - A Nigerian man has done a good deed for the yogurt vendor who sold to him as a child - The man gave out three million naira to the yogurt man - It was gathered that the yogurt man has been in the business for 30 years President Okonkwo, a Nigerian Twitter user, has taken to social media to share the story of a yogurt man who received gain for all the effort of his hard-work. The man shared photos of the beautiful moment. The Twitter user revealed that a yogurt vendor who has been in the business for 30 years in Kaduna received a sum of N3 million from a customer. According to Okonkwo, the customer who gave out the money to the yogurt vendor was one of the the yogurt seller's customers when he was a kid. Man who sold yogurt for 30 years in Kaduna receives N3m from one of his customers Photo: Twitter Source: President Okonkwo Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Security guard who received his masters degree now wants his PhD President Okonkwo revealed that the yogurt vendor who use to give children yogurt for free when they couldn't afford it is reaping the gain of his good deed. He also noted that the man was always nice to children. He wrote: "He sold yogurt for 30 years in Kaduna and was always nice to young children and gave them free yogurt when they had no money. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News His good deeds came back haunting him when one of his child customers, now grown, surprised him with a 3 million Naira Cheque as appreciation." PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Many Nigerians are taking the step to help people who need it out, Legit.ng had previously reported that a Catholic priest used his salary to build a house for poor family Ifeanyi Daniel Akanegbu Story 27-Year-Old Graduate Breaks Even With Small Chops Business on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit The Lagos state deputy governor, Idiat Adebule, has abandoned her boss, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, as she announced that she would support Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election. Adebule told newsmen at Ward A and D, in Iba local council development area of Lagos where she participated in the governorship primary of the APC that she would endorse the candidate chosen by the party. READ ALSO: OPINION: Will the real democrats in Lagos APC please stand up by Adetola Adepetu The party has chosen a man and it is that man that I will support and follow, she said. "We have voted for who the leaders of the party have chosen. Our people have decided who they want and I am with them. You can see the overwhelming crowd. "It is with my people and the party, that I stand." Legit.ng earlier reported that going by reports, there were indications that the governorship aspirant in Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, claimed an early lead ahead of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the breathtaking primary across local governments in the state including the Alausa area of Ikeja, the state capital. The voting process of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary was disrupted for a while at ward G north, Abesan in Alimosho, as thugs chased away voters. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the thugs numbering about 15 invaded the Abesan High School, venue of the exercise around 9.45am, flogging voters and preventing them from being accredited. Can Ambode Get a Second Term Without Tinubus Approval? - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit Nigeria US First Lady, Melania Trump, has arrived in Ghana as part of her extended solo international mission to Ghana. Mrs Trump was met on arrival by Ghanas First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo. She is expected to use her visit to promote her Be Best child welfare initiative throughout Africa. The Be Best initiative was launched earlier this year to focus on overall child well-being with an emphasis on opioid addiction and online behaviour. Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt have worked closely with the US Agency for International Development which is helping to organise the trip. Rebecca Akufo-Addo welcomes Melania Trump at the KIA Source: UGC READ ALSO: Independence Day: Nigerian women who were pioneers in their fields (photos) First photos of Melania Trump's arrival in Ghana Source: UGC Whether it is education, drug addiction, hunger, online safety or bullying, poverty or disease, it is too often children who are hit first, and hardest, across the globe, Mrs Trump said prior to this visit. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News The Be Best initiative is a mission established to promote education and provide leadership. The first lady of the United States constantly shares posts on social media to create awareness for the Be Best initiative. PAY ATTENTION: Get your daily relationship tips and advice on Africa Love Aid group Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier shared a post talking about the evolution of Meghan Markle's fashion ever since she became a royal. Top 5 reasons Nigerian women are special - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has said there was no primary election in Lagos state, Premium Times. It was gathered that the panel said it had not sent anyone to the local governments to monitor the primaries. As results of the voting had been announced at several wards in the state, the panel urged the public to disregard such announcements. READ ALSO: OPINION: Will the real democrats in Lagos APC please stand up by Adetola Adepetu It was earlier reported that the chairman of the Lagos governorship electoral panel, Chief Clement Ebri, on Tuesday, October 2, reportedly said accreditation and voting were yet to commence at the various centres. This is as various news sites including the electronic media carried clips of the exercise and interviewed critical stakeholders and one of the aspirants. The electoral panel said the election had not started as at 1pm. The panel, in a statement, urged the public to be mindful of the reports flying around. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who arrived his ward in the Alausa area of the state earlier, said the party had decided against Ambode. He noted that he brought Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to the party and assisted him to become governor. He, however, said the situation was now beyond him. Legit.ng earlier reported that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 2, said that though Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has done well in office, he has not been a good party man. It was gathered that for this reason, Tinubu said, the APC has decided to withdraw support for the governor who wished to go for a second term. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app It was also reported that All Progressives Council (APC) members in Badagry on Tuesday, October 2, disagreed on use of party slip by members to vote for the governorship primary. The APC members trooped out as early as 8:30am to participate in the direct primary election adopted by the party in the state. Osun 2018: I have evidence that they added to APCs votes - PDP Chairman on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Bayesa PDP aspirants vying for senatorial seats have warned against rigging of the primary election in the state - Two of the aspirants have been reportedly dumped by Governor Seriake Dickson - One of the aspirants dropped by the governor is the senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district, Foster Ogola Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state has reportedly dumped Senators Foster Ogola and Emmanuel Paulker ahead of the primary election for senatorial seats in the state. Ogola is the senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district, while Paulker is the senator representing Bayelsa Central senatorial district. A former commissioner for works and housing in Dickson's administration, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpor, is said to replace Ogolo as the PDP candidate, while the member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency, is also to replace Paulker as the candidate for Bayelsa Central. READ ALSO: APC primary: Governorship aspirants in Borno petition Oshiomhole, Buhari for cancellation Paulker did not obtain nomination and expression of interest form when he was told that Governor Dickson had already anointed Diri for the Senate seat, The Sun reports. Legit.ng gathers that Ogola, who obtained the nomination form, told his supporters to ignore reports that he has backed out because the governor is not supporting him. Some aspirants including the aspirant vying for the Yenagoa/ Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency seat, Udengs Eradiri, called for a level playing field during the election, adding that aspirants would resist any attempt by the leadership of the party to rig the primary election. According to him, the PDP should have learnt its lesson that imposition of candidates would be counterproductive in the 2019 general elections. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson, reportedly ordered the payment of salary arrears and pension of workers as the state received the sum of N24.16 billion from the Paris Club refund. The governor issued the directive on Monday, September 24, through the state commissioner for information and orientation, Markson Iworiso-Markson. PDP's Magnificent 7 For 2019 Election | on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Bauchi state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, has been declared the winner of the governorship primary election of the APC that took place across the state - The chairman of the electoral committee, Ahmed Bakori, said the incumbent governor got a total of 75,086 votes to beat three other aspirants - The contestants included Yakubu Lame, Mohammed Pate and Bala Jibrin Governor Mohammad Abubakar of Bauchi on Tuesday, October 2, clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial ticket after two days of uncertainty about the fate of the primaries in the state. Announcing the outcome of the exercise, chairman of the electoral committee, Ahmed Bakari, said Abubaklar scored 75,086 votes to defeat three other contestants, Yakubu Lame, Mohammed Pate and Bala Jibrin. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bakori said Lame secured 3,988 votes, Pate polled 2,886 while Jibrin garnered 2,539 votes. READ ALSO: Sanwo-Olu, Ambode in final battle for APC ticket as party members troop out to vote Meanwhile, the three defeated governorship aspirants have called for the cancellation of the primaries in Bauchi, describing the exercise as full of irregularities. Addressing a press conference jointly, the aspirants called on the national leadership of the party to intervene to ensure that justice prevailed. PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet! The primaries, slated for Sunday, encountered some hitches, resulting in the exercise commencing Monday evening, amidst controversies that dragged on till the end of the primaries. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that one person was reportedly killed in Boi, Bogoro local government area of Bauchi state on Monday, October 1, while trying to vote in the gubernatorial primaries of the APC, just as two others were said to have been hospitalised for gun shots wounds by yet to be identified person. The allegations were made by two of the contestants in the APC gubernatorial primaries, Yakubu Ibrahim Lame, and Mohammed Ali Pate, while briefing journalists at the NUJ press centre on Monday evening, on the conduct of the exercise. The duo have announced their withdrawal from participation in the exercise calling for its immediate stoppage by the national secretariat of the party because according to them, the process was hijacked from the committee. While further alleging that their supporters across the state were tear gassed, harassed and intimidated in order to ensure that they did not participate in the exercise. APC is the worst party in Nigeria, i regret being a member - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit The spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has reportedly said he is not aware of any cancellation of the governorship primaries ongoing in Lagos; thus putting paid to report of any such cancellation. Premium Times reports that Nabena said this in a brief telephone interview. I am not aware (of any such cancellation), the spokesperson was quoted to have said minutes after he released a statement announcing the cancellation of the primary in Imo state. Nabena's statement is allegedly a clarification of an earlier report on the reported cancellation. READ ALSO: Breaking: APC suspends Imo governorship primary election The primary pitches the incumbent Lagos governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, against Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has the support of majority of the APC leaders in Lagos. It commenced across the state in the early morning of Tuesday, October 2, after two postponements. Meanwhile, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the APC on Tuesday, October 2, said that though Governor Ambode had done well in office, he has not been a good party man. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Legit.ng gathered that for this reason, Tinubu said, the APC has decided to withdraw support for the governor who wished to go for a second term. Tinubu spoke with journalists at Ward C, Ikeja local government area, after the conclusion of voting in the Lagos APC governorship primary. Can Ambode get a second term without Tinubu's approval? - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian Army has promised to find the missing Major-General Alkali - The Army said it has recovered another car from the pond where his own car was found - It claimed there were other things in the pond ready to be found The Nigeria Army has pulled out another vehicle from the mining pond in Dura Du, Jos, where missing Gen. Idris Alkali (rtd) car was found on Saturday, September 29. The search operation, jointly carried out by Operation Safe Haven and 3 Division Nigeria Army, Rukuba, made the second discovery on Tuesday, October 2. It would be recalled that Alkali, the immediate past chief of administration, Army Headquarters, Abuja, was declared missing on September 3. He was said to have gone missing on his way to Bauchi after leaving Abuja in the morning. READ ALSO: Breaking: APC NWC panel cancels ongoing primary election in Lagos Consequently, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai set up an operation to search for the missing general. The army said that after a thorough search and investigation, the army stumbled on some intelligence that made it necessary to search the water body. Maj.-Gen. Agustine Agundu, commander of Operation Safe Haven, told a news conference that a Toyoto Hiace Bus with registration number Plateau, RYM 307 XA, was pulled out of the pond, adding that there were more mysteries in the water. He said that the army under the directive of Buratai, was determined to uncover the mysteries. It is a sad moment for us for any right thinking Nigerian to think that crime is being committed almost on daily basis. It took the efforts of the joint operation to make the startling discoveries, he said. The commander confirmed that there were three more cars in the pond and that the joint operation would pull them out one after the other. He said that there were probabilities that there were other things under the water. Also speaking, Maj.-Gen. Benson Akinruluyo, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, Nigeria Army, Rukuba, said that the Army experienced technical challenges in the operation. He allayed fears of the surrounding communities that they would be dealt with after the discoveries. There is no need for them to fear, however, we have recovered the vehicle we still need to find him or his body. We are asked to find him dead or alive. The community can tell us where they kept him or his body; we will not stop until we find him or his body, Akinruluyo stressed. Legit.ng had reported that the search for Idris Alkali, a missing retired major-general seems to be almost over as the Nigerian Army has revealed that his vehicle has been found inside a pond in Plateau state. Alkali, former chief of Administration, Army headquarters, Abuja, was declared missing on September 3. He was on his way to Bauchi after leaving Abuja in the morning. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The Army disclosed this in news flash on its Facebook handle on Saturday, September 29. "Joint Task Force constituted by COAS Lt Gen TY Buratai comprising officers and soldiers from 3 Division Quick Response Team, Operation Safe Haven, Nigeria Police Force, Vehicle Inspection Office, Fire Service, as well as local divers have found the vehicle belonging to Maj Gen Alkali RTD at a pond in Paddock in Lafendeg Du Plateau state," the Army wrote. Nigerian Air Force Day Celebration 2018 (54th Anniversary) - on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit - 23 cows have been killed by thunder in Ekiti state - The deafening thunder was accompanied by a downpour recorded in parts of the state - A Fulani herder and owner of the dead cows, Abdulkadri Kadiri, said he was devastated by the development No fewer than 23 cows have been killed by thunder in Ekiti state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The deafening thunder was accompanied by a downpour recorded in parts of the state in last couple of days. The incident, which occurred at Okeowa Eluju , a farmstead in Iloro-Ekiti, Ijero local government area of the state, has caused apprehension among local residents. While confirming the incident, a Fulani herder and owner of the dead cows, Abdulkadri Kadiri, said he was devastated by the development. NAN reports that Kadiri described the incident as a strange occurrence. I went to farm after about six hours heavy downpour on Monday morning, only to discover that 23 of my cows had died. After careful observation, I found that there was no trace of bodily injuries on the dead cows . I want to believe it is an act of God since I did not offend or quarrel with anyone," he said. Kadiri, however, said he had not experienced such incident in his 35 years of of business. The Regent of the community, High Chief Joseph Alofe who also confirmed the incident, described the victim as a gentle and peace loving herder. The community leader, who also described the incident as strange to the village, called on government and well meaning individuals to assist the herder, to revive his business . Legit.ng had reported that there was drama at Igando area of Lagos state on Friday, September 14, when a cow that was being led to a slaughter house attacked a woman at Igando phase 2 bus stop, along LASU road. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app After the attack, the fierce cow which was ready to attack anybody, refused to move an inch from the area despite all persuasions while those leading it to the slaughter house called for help. Are Nigerian Policemen the worst in the world? - on Legit.ng TV Source: Legit - Kano state PDP has rejected the governorship primary election conducted on Monday, October 1 - State chairman of the party, Senator Masud Doguwa, declared the stand of the party - Doguwa described the election that was conducted by committee headed by Ezeogu Emeka-Onuaha as null and void The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano state has rejected the governorship primary election conducted on Monday, October 1, by the electoral committee constituted by the partys National Working Committee (NWC). The state chairman of the party, Senator Masud Doguwa, declared the stand of the party while addressing newsmen in Kano on Tuesday, October 2. Doguwa described the election that was conducted by committee headed by Ezeogu Emeka-Onuaha as null and void. He explained that they had been in the PDP for quite some time and were conversant with the technicalities involved in conducting primary elections. READ ALSO: APC releases names of cleared senatorial aspirants (full list) With this attitude of impunity of enforcing candidates on members of the party, the national leadership of the party is doing nothing but paving way for the All progressives Congress (APC) to win elections in Kano state," he said. He said a court had ordered a substantial order that the partys caretakers were operating illegally, yet they went ahead and conducted the governorship primaries, saying members of the party would not accept such illegality The news conference which was attended by aspirants for state House of Assembly and National Assembly, described the poll as Kangaroo elections and unacceptable. The chairman, therefore, urged the national leadership of the party to ensure justice and fairness for the survival of the party in the state. Legit.ng had reported that Senator Rabiu Kwankwasos son in-law, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, emerged as PDP governorship candidate in the state in the primary election that was conducted on Monday night. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app The primary election held at the Lugard Avenue, personal residence of Kwankwaso. It was conducted by the electoral committee constituted by the party National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Ezeogu Emeka-Onouha. Senator Kwankwaso Rabiu announces his Presidential Bid (Election 2019) | Legit.ng TV Source: Legit.ng By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Readers, here is a shorter Water Cooler to get you going; Ill add more when I finish posting on teeth. lambert UPDATE All done. Trade New Nafta Has American Corn Farmers Breathing Easier [Bloomberg]. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement secured Sunday is expected to allow leaders from the three countries to sign an accord by late November. The accord alleviates the risk that Mexico, the biggest importer of U.S. corn, will turn to competing exporters such as Argentina. And just in time for the mid-terms! What if Trumps confrontational trade stance actually works? [CNN]. The NAFTA 2.0 agreement, or USMCA as Donald Trump wants to call it and he would appear to have won the right to call it anything he wants ought to be sending chills up the spines of diplomats and trade negotiators around the world. Trump largely got his way. And now, no one can tell him his bull-in-a China-shop way wont work. Will USMCA affect Canadas drug prices? Depends on what happens next, experts say [CBC]. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will extend the minimum data protection period for an expensive class of drugs known as biologics to 10 years, up from eight. Biologics some of the most costly drugs on the market are used to treat a large range of diseases, including many cancers, arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The change could cost Canadian taxpayers tens of millions of dollars annually, according to one estimate. UPDATE Auto makers would gain new certainty on factory investments and other manufacturers would avoid feared disruptions under the new North American trade accord [Wall Street Journal]. [The deal] sets the stage for major relief for an auto industry that feared costly new tariffs could unravel two decades of investments under the North American Free Trade Agreement. The new deal is a big win for Detroits Big Three auto makers, which rely heavily on factories in Canada and Mexico to build cars and trucks for the U.S. market. But the new rules could also force car companies and their parts makers to alter supply chains to meet tougher new rules on regional content of cars. Thats likely to have more impact on foreign auto makers that source parts abroad. UPDATE Timeline: How a new North American trade deal happened [Supply Chain Dive]. Relive the drama of the talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the timeline below. No. Politics 2020 Concrete material benefits: I want to congratulate Jeff Bezos for doing exactly the right thing by raising the minimum wage at Amazon and Whole Foods to $15 an hour. Let me thank the hundreds of Amazon workers who contacted my office and the Fight for $15 movement, which has been leading this effort. Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) October 2, 2018 Sanders gracefully gives credit to the real drivers, too. That said, this could be a smart move by Amazon, which needs warehouse workers in a tight labor market. And Amazon is still a predatory monopoly that should be broken up. And why not $20? Nevertheless, take the win! Hillary Clintons Favorable Rating Still Low [Gallup]. Well, the voters are wrong. Again. Biden Is Preparing for 2020. Can He Overcome the Hill-Thomas Hearings? [New York Times]. [Joe Bidens] name has been invoked frequently in recent days, mainly by Republicans, for leading the 1991 hearings when an all-male, all-white Judiciary Committee aggressively questioned Anita Hill about claims that Judge Thomas had sexually harassed her. The hearings have long been a source of discomfort with Mr. Biden among Democrats who remember the process. Er, can Biden overcome condemning a generation of students to debt slavery? 2018 34 days until Election Day. 34 days is a long time in politics (as we are seeing right now with Kavanaugh. And what about Rosenstein?). GOP Cuts Into Democratic Lead for Congress [Political Wire]. A new Quinnipiac poll finds Democrats leading Republicans in the generic congressional ballot by seven points, 49% to 42% a drop from the 12 point lead they had last month. One poll. Polling in Real Time: The 2018 Midterm Elections [New York Times]. This is a neat project. OTOH, in the back of my mind, a small voice is telling me I hope the voters are gaming the Times. Politics and the New Machine [Jill Lepore, The New Yorker]. From 2015, still germane: Pollsters rose to prominence by claiming that measuring public opinion is good for democracy. But what if its bad? NJ Senate: New Jersey Senate Poll: Menendez, Hugin in Dead Heat [Bloomberg]. Too funny. The Senate hangs in the balance, so the Democrat strategy is to force a corrupt hack like Menendez onto the ballot. Go Blue! NY-12: Obama announces endorsement for Ocasio-Cortez [The Hill]. Obama is supporting a total of 260 Democratic candidates in his second list for U.S. Senate and U.S. House, governor and state legislature. Well, I wish he hadnt. * * * UPDATE Renovation Records Undercut Fords Exit-Door Account [RealClearInvestigations]. Ford testified last week that she had never revealed the details of the alleged attack until 2012, when she was in couples therapy with her husband. She said the memories percolated up as they revisited a disagreement theyd had over her insistence on installing a second front door when they had remodeled their Palo Alto, Calif., home. The need to explain a decision her husband didnt understand, Ford testified, pushed her to say she wanted the door to alleviate symptoms of claustrophobia and panic attacks she still suffered from an attempted rape allegedly perpetrated by Kavanaugh in high school during the early 1980s.. Ford never specified when the renovation took place, leaving a possible impression that it and the therapy session happened around the same time. But documents reveal the door was installed years before as part of an addition, and has been used by renters and even a marriage counseling business. The door was not an escape route but an entrance route, said an attorney familiar with the ongoing congressional investigation . It appears the real plan for the second front door was to rent out a separate room. Palo Alto city records show that a building permit for an additional room and exterior door was issued to Ford and her husband on Feb. 4, 2008 more than four years before the May 2012 therapy session where, she says, she first identified Kavanaugh as her attacker. This reads to me like the reporter hasnt actually seen the documents; otherwise, they would be embedded in the post. So presumably were relying on the anonymous lawyer for their interpretation. Big if true, though. Realignment and Legitimacy UPDATE No Law Without Politics (No Politics Without Law) [Jedidiah Purdy, Law and Political Economy]. [I]t has been an article of faithor at least a relentless rhetorical tropeon both sides of the [Kavanaugh] fight that politicization of the judiciary is a kind of corruption and crisis. I think we have to look into the abyss and admit the possibility that politics really does come first, that the question is not for or against politicization, but what kind of politicization. And: It is a tragedy of American left-liberalism that this idea has less traction than it should as a progressive ideal precisely because there is so much arbitrary exercise of legal power, and so unevenly distributed, that it is easy and understandable to think of rule of law as an elite conceit. This deserves careful study, and more attention than I can give it now. Um: Twitter has suspended, and perhaps permanently banned, the account of Georgetown Professor C. Christine Fair, apparently due to this tweet: pic.twitter.com/wN2OvrgRcA Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) October 2, 2018 To the quesion of fact: Fair can call Kavanaugh a serial rapist if she wants, but that doesnt make him one. Fair also devalues a serious charge, in the same way that liberal Democrats reflexively emitting Racist! devalues that serious charge. UPDATE data demystified #4: How liberals and conservatives talk about progressive issues [Data for Progess]. On college debt: The clearest disconnect is that language that discusses debt or loans is employed differently by liberals and conservatives. Conservative use this language to talk about their own experiences and how they achieved even with loans. Take this example from someone who identifies as very conservative and opposes free college tuition: I came from a poor economic background, and I have student loan debt. It [was a] choice to enroll in college. It is the students responsibility to pay, not taxpayers.* In contrast, when liberals talk about loans in the context of tuition it is still about their own experiences, but they see it as not wanting others to face the same burden. NOTE * Which, of course, they do not do. Why e-voting is a bad idea for Australia (and maybe the world) [Asian Correspondent]. A useful review of how Australia does paper ballots. Ends with a mention of blockchain, though. Get away! Get away! Stats Watch No official statistics of note today. UPDATE Retail: Study: More People Will Eat Bugs if Theyre Up-Marketed as Luxury Item [Courthouse News]. According to a study published Tuesday in Frontiers of Nutrition, if marketing can appeal to a persons self-indulgent tastes they might look past the bug on their plate. Researchers behind the recent insect study say labels like eco-friendly or fair trade lose out to advertisements that play up pleasurable aspects, like taste. Insects have not scuttled into the mainstream, but researchers said its all about presentation. The study authors note lobster, the marine crustacean with bug-like qualities, is synonymous with fine dining but that wasnt always the case. Fair enough! Manufacturing: Primera Air to File for Bankruptcy Citing Airbus Delivery Delays [Bloomberg]. [Primera Air], which along with Norwegian Air Shuttle has attempted to upend the existing trans-Atlantic thoroughfare with low-cost, long-haul flights, was forced to pay excessive costs leasing in planes to cover for the severe delay in deliveries of the state-of-the-art A321neos. Primera had orders due to be powered by CFM Internationals Leap engine. Airbuss A320neo family has suffered major delays due to production and design issues with the Leap as well as Pratt & Whitneys geared turbofan, the competing turbine option on the aircraft. Hmm. Both engines?! The Bezzle: Unraveling a Tesla Mystery: Lots (and Lots) of Parked Cars [New York Times]. In some cases, cars have been marked with a bar-coded sticker or with grease pencil on the windshield to indicate that they are inventory vehicles, meaning they have no customers awaiting them. Some markings indicate repairs required before the cars can be sold, like scratches, dents or components that dont work. Tech: Americas first sex robot brothel in Houston faces resistance [South China Morning Post]. Kinky S Dolls, a firm that bills itself as the first adult love dolls rent-before-you-buy service in North America, sells realistic-looking life-size dolls with basic artificial intelligence functions and also offers them for use by the half-hour or hour at a warehouse in Toronto. Now the firm is targeting Houston as the first market in a planned US expansion, but is meeting resistance from a Christian anti-sex trafficking and anti-pornography group and the citys mayor. Sommi-451, Cloud Atlas: Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future. Tech: Amazons Alexa knows what you forgot and can guess what youre thinking [Guardian]. At an event in Seattle on Thursday, the technology company unveiled a new feature called Alexa Hunches that aims to replicate human curiosity and insight using artificial intelligence. Weve reached a point with deep neural networks and machine learning that we can actually program intuition, said Daniel Rausch, the vice-president in charge of Alexas smart home features. Once it is activated later this year, Alexa Hunches will observe its owners interactions with connected smart home devices like locks, lights and electricity outlets. When Alexa believes it has detected a regular pattern, such as turning off a television set before bed, the voice assistant will remind owners if they forget to do it, and offer to fix the problem. If your intuition doesnt tell you having a device that records your every move and sends it to a corporate server is a bad idea, how good is your intuition? UPDATE Feds Powell Backs Ongoing Gradual Hikes for Extraordinary Economy (transcript) [Street Insider]. Powell: The unemployment rate stands at 3.9 percent, near a 20-year low. Inflation is currently running near the Federal Open Market Committees (FOMC) objective of 2 percent. From the standpoint of our dual mandate, this is a remarkably positive outlook. Indeed, I was asked at last weeks press conference whether these forecasts are too good to be truea reasonable question! Honey for the Bears: 75% of the ultra-rich forecast a US recession in the next two years, survey finds [CNBC]. The U.S. economy is firing on all cylinders, yet 75 percent of ultra-high net worth investors predict it will hit recession by 2020, a J.P. Morgan survey found. Of those expecting an economic downturn in the U.S., a fifth of respondents 21 percent believe it will begin in 2019 and 50 percent expect the next recession to start in 2020. Its like theyre talking themselves into it. Health Care The Real Lesson from the Downfall of Theranos: We Need to Nationalize the Healthcare System [In These Times]. [F]or all its insight into the fake it til you make it culture of Big Techs gold rush, Bad Blood [the business history of Theranos] leaves out the same critical point thats missed in most mainstream media discourse about Silicon Valleys race to disrupt the healthcare sector: It will never, ever happen, and human history offers us no reason to believe that it will. These companies business models monetize the failures of our system, and therefore have a vested interest in fortifying the structural barriers to the universal and equitable distribution of care.. Insurers are explicitly incentivized to avoid paying for policyholders care, which is why they hire so many administrators to pore over claims in search of technicalities on which to deny them. Thats an inherent tension no app can fix. Taken For A Ride: M.D. Injured In ATV Crash Gets $56,603 Bill For Air Ambulance Trip [NPR]. Groggy from painkillers, [Dr. Naveed Khan, a 35-year-old radiologist] managed to ask the doctors how much the flight would cost and whether it would be covered by his insurer. I think they told my friend, He needs to stop asking questions. He needs to get on that helicopter. He doesnt realize how serious this injury is, Khan recalled. Impressive. Even groggy with painkillers, Khan tries to be a smart shopper! Another world is possible: Today I had to go to the hospital in Taiwan bc I ruined my knee. The receptionist was hesitant to accept me / I had to sign a waiver saying I wouldnt sue the hospital for how expensive treatment is for foreigners. For X-rays, briefly talking to a dr & meds, it was $100 USD. Emily Cardinali (@emilycardinali) September 19, 2018 Police State Watch Chile: 20 secret police jailed for Pinochet-era crimes [Deutsche Welle]. Finally. I hope the same thing happens to Gina Haspel, one day. Class Warfare Rent control foes hire California NAACP leader after her group opposes initiative [San Francisco Chronicle]. The case for paying every American a dividend on the nations wealth [MarketWatch]. Early in 2019, 100 randomly selected lower-income residents of Stockton, Calif., will start to receive $500 a month. In exchange, theyll need to do, well, absolutely nothing, and can spend the money on absolutely anything In many ways Stockton, whose pilot program runs 18 months, is a perfect petri dish in which to rethink and innovate on the centuries-old dilemma of how to give more money to those who need it most. This racially diverse city of about 315,000, 80 miles from far wealthier Silicon Valley and San Francisco, was walloped in the 2008 financial crisis the median home price plunged almost 70% and declared bankruptcy in 2012. Though it emerged from that bankruptcy in 2015, Stockton is a stark example of how uneven the U.S. economys decade-long recovery has been. The citys median household income is about $46,000, almost 25% below the national average. The headline is deceptive; Stockton s residents arent getting a divident on the nations [sic] wealth because they have no ownership rights. All they are getting is bread (and, presumably, circuses, which Silicon Valley is all too happy to sell them). News of the Wired Welcome to the third world: American tech adoption has flatlinedhttps://t.co/iJgwtZ81kV pic.twitter.com/TVp27emkyt son of an asylum seeker, father of an immigrant (@doctorow) October 2, 2018 Poor broadband, lower adoption by elders (no doubt due to the horrible UI/UX of so much software). * * * Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (JG): JG writes: We are vacationing in Chile and the vegetation is marvelous. Geraniums are as big as hedges. Roses are in bloom. I have no idea what this plant is but I like the art. * * * Thank you! Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click the hat! To give more, click on the arrow heads to the right of the amount. Donate $25 $50 $75 $100 If you hate PayPal even though you can use a credit card or debit card on PayPal you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. By Lambert Strether of Corrente October is National Dental Hygiene Month, and this months Health Affairs has an illuminating review of journalist Mary Ottos Teeth, which gives an institutional explanation for why we tend to see dental care as optional: Like a man possessed, Chapin Harris, the father of modern dentistry, traveled across nineteenth-century America honing a specialty that was undeniably linked to, yet kept separate from, the rest of medicine. In Harriss time, teeth were a commodity to some, a nuisance to others, and deadly to many. While it was relatively easy to ask patients to perform regular brushing and flossing and to fill caries with gold, the formation of a dental society and school was burdened with infighting among Harriss associates. For reasons that are more fable than reality now, a school of dentistry was not established at the medical school of Harriss local university, the University of Maryland. Rather, a new school was formed: the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery. With this act, medicine and dentistry were officially and forever segregated, and the consequences for Americans would echo loudly, and at times disastrously, to the present day . (Imagine if the same institutional separation applies to orthopaedist, and we had Free Bone Clinics with thousands of poor people lining up to get treatment.) Of course, this is nuts, since teeth are implicated in every aspect of our heatlh, as well as income. From the Kaiser Foundation: Untreated oral health issues in adults can affect appetite as well as the ability to eat, often leading to nutrition problems. In addition, poor oral health can cause chronic pain that can affect daily activities such as speech or sleep. Oral health problems also affect the ability to work; employed adults lose more than 164 million hours of work a year related to oral health problems or dental visits. Adults who work in lower-paying industries, such as customer service, lose 2 to 4 times more work hours due to oral health-related issues than adults who have professional positions. Bad teeth are also a class marker. From the New York Times: People with bad teeth can be stigmatized, both in social settings and in finding employment. Studies document that we make judgments about one another including about intelligence according to the aesthetics of teeth and mouth. About one-third of adults with incomes below 138 percent of the poverty level (low enough to be eligible for Medicaid in states that adopted the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion) report that the appearance of their teeth and mouth affected their ability to interview for a job. By comparison, only 15 percent of adults with incomes above 400 percent of the poverty level feel that way. Naturally, youre more likely to end up in Pain City if youre poor or otherwise marginalized. Kaiser once more: Overall, 26% of nonelderly adults ages 19-64 have untreated dental caries. But the rate is highest among adults with income below 100% the [Federal Poverty Line (FPL)], who are more than three times as likely to have untreated caries as adults with income above 400% FPL. Also, African-American and Hispanic adults have higher rates of untreated caries than White adults 39% and 41%, compared to 22%. And adults with any health insurance are less likely to have untreated caries than uninsured adults (22% versus 43%) However perhaps because dentistry isnt really medicine? Medicaid coverage of adult dental services is a state option. Also, states define the amount, duration and scope of the benefits they cover. (Children are covered.) As a result, we have the usual nutty, random patchwork of coverage, where some citizens are first-class, and others are second- or third-class: So, and as usual, if you want dental care, be sure that you choose a wealthy family to be born into, and failing that, pick the right state. Now, you may have the option of attending a free dental clinic. Thousands do. A sampling of coverage: Free dental services to be offered in New Haven [WTNH (2017)]. The Connecticut Mission of Mercy will be holding a free dental clinic in New Haven. The clinic is made possible with the help of some 1,300 volunteers. Just to give you an idea of how big this is, in 2016 the free dental clinic was held in Hartford. More than 1,700 patients were treated over the course of two days. Thousands Expected for Free Dental Care Offered at the Minneapolis Convention Center [KSTP (2018)]. The Mission of Mercy event is expected to benefit as many as 2,000 patients in need of dental care on Friday and Saturday. The goal is to reach underserved communities and about 1,500 volunteersincluding dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, therapists, and even translatorswill be treating them.. The event is open to anyone, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Organizers will not be asking for identification. The event is first come first served, and due to the large number of people expected, anyone who goes to the convention center for the event should plan to make a day of it. Thousands to get free dental care [Tampa Bay Times (2014)]. Thousands of people hoping to get cavities filled or teeth pulled are expected to attend Floridas first Mission of Mercy event today and Saturday. Up to 2,000 patients could receive free dental care at the event.. Many dentists do pro-bono work out of their private offices, Cullinan said, but these large-scale gatherings allow them to see more patients. [O]rganizers expect to reach the daily quota of 800 patients by 10 a.m. Patients will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Thousands of Free Dental Procedures Provided to Patients in Need at Mission of Mercy in Moorhead [Minnesota Dental Association (2016)]. The Concordia College Memorial Auditorium was transformed into a giant dental clinic that included 75 dental chairs, 16 sterilization units, and 7 x-ray units. Over the course of two days there were 1,391 patient visits, resulting in over 7,655 total dental procedures, including 1,003 fillings, 1,394 extractions, 1,418 x-rays, 292 cleanings, 81 partial dentures, and 59 root canals. Patients treated included those from Moorhead and Fargo, as well as many who drove from other areas of the state and even other states. Over 800 volunteers from all over Minnesota and North Dakota were used to staff the two-day event. Thousands receive free dental care in Woodstock [Journal Constitution]. Mark Williams went without sleep for his teeth. What was remarkable about that was he was joined by about 2,000 other people Thursday night doing the same thing in the dark outside a church in Woodstock. They lined up for the miracle of free dentistry. Patients were arrayed on either sides of five long work stations, six patients to each side, with signs labeling work stations: Extractions, Fillings, Cleanings, Root Canals. Assistants hurried from station to station while a large garbage bin on wheels made the rounds and discards from the procedures spent needles, and absorbant materials were tossed in Dentists came by and grabbed instruments with odd names (scalers and cowhorns) by the handful and scurried away. Upstairs a lab was set up and the smell of melting wax and Bunsen burners tinged the air as technicians built in a few hours bridges it would normally take two weeks to get on order. The work was done by one of hundreds of dentists who volunteered for the two-day Georgia Dental Mission of Mercy that ends Saturday. Free dental care for thousands at upcoming Augusta event [Savannah Now (2018)]. Augusta dentist Michael Vernon remembers driving up to the first Georgia Mission of Mercy event in 2011 in Woodstock. When we got there at 4:30 in the morning there were 4,500 people in line, he said. They are hoping for around 2,000 this Friday and Saturday at James Brown Arena for the fourth Mission of Mercy, sponsored by the Georgia Dental Association and its Foundation for Oral Health. They are hoping for 1,300 volunteers, including 24 dentists from the Augusta area as well as dental hygienists and others, to help ensure patients work their way through the system and around the arena to 100 dental chairs that will be set up there. Thousands to get free dental care at Phoenix event [FOX 10 (2017)]. Jose Hernandez has suffered from a major toothache for the past year. He finally underwent a root canal this morning and was waiting for a new crown. I didnt have no money to fix it, you know, social security, you dont have much money to live on, he said. Hernandez is one of 2,000 people who will receive up to $2 million in free dental care this weekend, thanks to the Mission of Mercy or M.O.M.In the six years since the event started, a total of 10,000 people have received $10 million in dental care. This is a random sampling from Google, I swear! (OK, as much as anything from Google can be said to be a random sampling.) You did notice the common element, right? From the Mission of Mercy About page: An independent nonprofit 501 (c)(3), faith-based community organization, Mission of Mercy receives no government funding. Because of this, we can provide healthcare without any pre-qualifications. None of our patients must prove their poverty or residency. Founded in 1991 and launched in 1994 by clinical pharmacist, Gianna Talone Sullivan, Pharm D., headquartered in Pennsylvania and serving clinics in Arizona, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas, Mission of Mercy now has 17 clinics providing more than 25,000 free patient visits each year. Being cynical or, given our experience since at leaat the Bush administration, realistic when I hear faith-based I think proselytization, and when I see faith-based in combination with service delivary, I think forced proselytization. Thats not backed by evidence (see the coverage above) but its also not compatible with the Mission (capital M) of the founders: The Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers that have been attracted to Mission of Mercy were first people whose own prayer life had led them to seek a greater intimacy with Our Lord. While not all of our volunteer staff are of the one faith, in Mission of Mercy each of us has found an expression of that intimacy and actively try to see the suffering Christ in each of the poor we serve. We are a charitable, not a religious organization, and we specifically do not proselytize, yet for the most part we gaze on Our Father and the poor through Christian eyes. For this reason it is not so difficult for us to see the rejection, loneliness, abandonment and suffering that Our Lord endured in the poor He brings to us and allows us to serve. Hence the refreshing lack of complex eligibility requirements that is the hallmark of neoliberal programs like ObamaCare. Now, I would be the last to trash Mission of Mercy, even though I am very much not a person of faith, or churched. Theyre doing wonderful work alleviating suffering in a very unassuming manner I checked the Board of Directors, and there are no marquee evangelical names, or at least none with whom I am familiar and are a terrific example of what De Tocqueville called the American genius for cooperation. That said, you have to look at the numbers. M.O.M claims 25,000 free patient visits. I think thats modest, so move the decimal point: 250,000. Thats still a drop in the bucket in a country where 26% of nonelderly adults ages 19-64 have untreated dental caries. But there is a solution that scales.. Senator Sanders Medicare for All: covers all sorts of things. Sanders proposes generous coverage that goes well beyond what Medicare currently covers, and even well beyond what many peoples private insurance plans cover. His plan would cover dental and vision care, for example, which are, for the most part, not covered by Medicare. Its hard to see why I cant find an endorsement of the Sanders plan on the M.O.M. site. Surely Medicare for All is the biggest mission of mercy of all? Lambert here: And the next, and the next, and the next Man, I sure hope this is priced in already. By Greta Moran and Paola Rosa-Aquino, news and justice fellows at Grist, respectively. Originally published by Grist. As the country watched floodwaters rise across the Carolinas in the wake of Hurricane Florence this month, Puerto Ricans were still reeling from a storm that tore through the island a year ago. The grim statistics from Hurricane Maria are well known: thousands of deaths, the largest power outage in U.S. history, and $90 billion in damages a heavy toll for an island already in dire financial straits. But we still dont know the extent of the wreckage from Hurricane Florences record-shattering rainfall. Increasingly, theres little space to breathe between catastrophes. And as climate change brings higher sea-level rise, more punishing winds, and heavier rains, super-charged storms are likely to get worse. But these natural disasters are partly human-made, which means that humans can also work to avoid future disasters. How do we prepare for a future filled with Florences and Marias? And when the next big hurricane does inevitably hit, how do we rebuild, not just our houses, but also our sense of community? Grist surveyed experts in hurricane preparedness and relief efforts for their suggestions on making our coastal towns more resilient. Heres how they responded, edited for length and clarity. Aid delayed is aid denied. Richard Burroughs, professor of coastal science and policy, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Waves, storm surge, wind, and rain coexist on dynamic natural coasts: We know how nature works. Adding in people with their homes, businesses, roads, and recreation always causes problems. The fixed structures and people are periodically overwhelmed by the hurricanes. Adequate hurricane preparation consists of identifying zones of high risk and incentivizing people and businesses to move away from those zones. Insuring people so that they can stay in high-risk areas will ultimately fail because natural forces coupled with sea-level rise will win in the end. I recognize that major cities will not get up and move, but for other areas retreat is the preferred option. Puerto Rico is a very important case where Hurricane Maria further exposed the vulnerability of not just individuals but whole governmental systems. Since hurricanes test both our physical infrastructure and the resilience of government, all Americans have a special stake in effectively addressing the issues Puerto Rico is facing. Houston and New Orleans have a lot to learn from San Juan and vice versa. As the Puerto Rico case illustrates, we are woefully slow in making decisions related to individual claims because we have dispersed responsibility among many governmental agencies. After a flood, FEMA inspectors, National Flood Insurance Program adjusters, Small Business Administration loss verifiers, private flood insurance adjusters, and others may assess damage to the property. Its both time-consuming and costly. The challenge for us all is to coordinate responses so that payouts can occur in a timely fashion. Aid delayed is aid denied. We need to have those communities at the table Mikki Sager, vice president of The Conservation Fund We work with a tremendous number of community groups, particularly in areas rich in natural resources, but that have a lot of economic challenges, persistent poverty, and social and environmental justice issues. When we are trying to prepare for hurricanes, we have to look at the socio-economic aspect. The Centers for Disease Control has social vulnerability index maps and data. The mid-Atlantic down across to Texas has huge areas of persistent poverty that are also the most vulnerable to climate change. The challenge that we face is that, for many reasons, the most vulnerable folks are not part of conversations about how to address the impacts of a natural disaster. We need to have those communities at the table. And we need to increase the flow of funding, both public and private, to help them set priorities for rebuilding. We also need to increase the capacity of local government, businesses, and families in those vulnerable areas. Historically, especially here in the South, low-income folks and people of color have been pushed to the low-lying areas, to the wetland areas, to the floodplains. We have several communities in the southeastern part of North Carolina right now that are still underwater, totally cut off. They dont have access to the most basic supplies, but community groups and faith groups are pulling together funding to go out and buy tarps so that houses can start to dry out when the water has receded. In Puerto Rico, we provided a grant for a group called Americas for Conservation and the Arts to focus on engaging the community and restructuring their food systems, putting it back to where it was [before Hurricane Maria]. They are doing some amazing work because they have local community folks leading the process. Theyre both organizing and engaging the community in coming up with a solution, leaning heavily on what has worked in the past, and working towards addressing the economic issues, the social justice issues, and the environmental issues simultaneously through that project. Its just really hard to establish [community cohesion] when the physical environment is pockmarked. Kofi Boone, associate professor of landscape architecture at North Carolina State University in the College of Design Before a hurricane or a flood comes, we still have a very big pre-disaster education job to do to help communities understand what floodplains are and how they work, where theyre located, and what those risk factors happen to be. After Hurricane Matthew, we all had a chance to work with the town of Princeville, which is the oldest chartered black town in North Carolina. That town was built in the floodplain of the Tar River, primarily because that was the available land that African American people could buy at the end of the Civil War. You find that a lot, where the most vulnerable populations have existed for generations in places that have had a series of crises and disasters, and so the recurring trauma and disruption that happens every time a flood comes prevents them from building wealth, equity, and a tax base. There really isnt a mechanism to encourage a community-level conversation to talk about the impacts that all of those individual actors have on the long-term sustainability of communities. Its just really hard to establish a sense of community cohesion and maintain social networks when the physical environment is pockmarked. I think its also about finding ways for people to do what they can. And a lot of the time, when we talk about [hurricane resilience] were thinking about you know, billion-dollar, 10-year long-range things when sometimes its the day-to-day stuff that makes the difference to a community thats had this recurring trauma from losing, property, losing loved ones like over and over and over again. There is a need for healing and remembering what makes them special and why theyre important. Its one thing if all you know about Princeville was that its in the low-lying area and it floods all the time. Its another when you think about it as the first free black town in the United States thats situated in a district that gave birth to many generations of political leaders, not just in North Carolina, but around the country. It alters how you see yourself. Everybodys working together and everybodys well informed Hanadi Rifai, director of the Hurricane Resilience Research Institute (HURRI) at the University of Houston Education and coordination, especially with disadvantaged communities, would help areas be more resilient. We always talk about education because the most important thing is for people to be continually reminded and educated about what could happen to them. Coordination amongst all organizations, communities, and agencies at the state and federal level is one of the most important things. When everybodys working together and everybodys well informed, theyre able to be more responsive not only in evacuating people but also in getting people back into their homes after the event has passed. Its especially important with disadvantaged populations meaning, people that perhaps dont have the resources and the means to undertake actions they need to. Being able to sustain economic development and economic growth, and balancing the risks and rewards of having industrial, commercial, and economic activities would be really important for coastal communities. We talk a lot about hazards from industrial activities, chemicals, and storage of byproducts. If were able to get our coastlines more aware of that and find ways that we can manage the risks from those types of activities, we would truly have more resilient coasts. When the event comes, you can recover quickly and you dont have these lingering environmental effects left to deal with which may prevent things from going back to normal for a while. Its like when you buy a car and see that label about fuel economy. We need a similar thing for buildings. Jeremy Gregory, research scientist and executive director of the Concrete Sustainability Hub at MIT. The key thing is building structures that are not just designed to withstand normal weather events, but built to last longer and withstand more extreme events. Part of the challenge with that is a lot of structures built a long time ago arent adequately prepared to sustain the increasing severity of storms. Were not even talking about entirely rebuilding structures. Sometimes its just about making sure that homes have a good connection between the roof and the walls and that you have protection for windows and doors. Because after the wind breaks that pressure seal, then a lot of the damage comes from the water. So its really the flooding thats a lot worse than the wind, but a lot of times thats wind level is what we design for. Heating and cooling units for buildings are often placed on the ground, down low. A lot of the research that we do is about the quantitative, life cycle costs of a building, considering the hazards that its exposed to. People need to understand that the building they are investing in not only has an initial cost, its also going to have some costs due to hazards. As the severity of storms increase, those costs are going to go up. And so we need to make that more transparent. Its kinda like when you buy a car and see that label about fuel economy. We need a similar thing for buildings. (As delivered) Good morning. At the Defence Ministerial meeting that starts tomorrow, Defence Ministers will take forward the decisions Heads of State and Governments made when the met at the July Summit here in Brussels. And we will address many different issues, but one of the issues we will address is how to take forward the issue of burden sharing and the commitments we made at the Summit to invest more and also to deliver on the other aspects of burden sharing, contributions and capabilities. Of course, burden sharing is about more than spending. But we agreed that there is a new sense of urgency to invest 2 % of GDP on defence. And to have credible national plans to get there. We also recognised that significant progress has been made. Last year, European Allies and Canada boosted their defence budgets by a combined 5.2%. The biggest increase, in real terms, in a quarter of a century. And over the past two years, the same countries have spent a cumulative 41 billion US dollars more on defence. I expect all Allies to stay on course, to continue making progress and to honour their commitments. Ministers will also discuss progress in strengthening our deterrence and defence in all its aspects. We will meet tomorrow in the Nuclear Planning Group. We will also have a working session to address our continued adaptation in response to conventional, hybrid and cyber threats. We remain concerned about Russias lack of respect for its international commitments, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the INF Treaty. This Treaty abolishes a whole category of weapons and is a crucial element of our security. Now this treaty is in danger because of Russias actions. After years of denials, Russia recently acknowledged the existence of a new missile system, called 9M729. Russia has not provided any credible answers on this new missile. All Allies agree that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the Treaty. It is therefore urgent that Russia addresses these concerns in a substantial and transparent manner. We will also address the instability in North Africa and the Middle East. We are implementing packages of assistance for Jordan and Tunisia to help improve their defence and security capacities. And preparations to launch our new training mission in Iraq are well on track. At the ministerial, our military commanders will update us on progress in adapting NATOs command structure. So that we can deal more effectively with the range of challenges we face. And ensure that we have the right forces in the right place at the right time. Our ability to move forces quickly will be put to the test later this month. In exercise Trident Juncture in Norway. This is one of our biggest exercises in many years. It will include around 45,000 participants from 31 Allied countries and partners. With around 150 aircraft, 60 ships, and over 10,000 vehicles. The scenario is fictitious but realistic. It will simulate NATOs collective response to an armed attack against one Ally. And it will exercise our ability to reinforce our troops from Europe and across the Atlantic. The exercise is defensive. And it is transparent. All members of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, including Russia, have been invited to send observers. Finally, this meeting of Defence Ministers will strengthen our partnerships. We will meet with the European Union, and with our partners Finland and Sweden. To address our cooperation in areas such as countering hybrid and cyber threats, and improving military mobility. EU High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini will update us on progress on EU defence initiatives. We will also hold a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. Georgia is one of our closest partners. And a country aspiring to NATO membership. It makes many contributions to our shared security. We work closely together on Black Sea security. This is a priority for NATO and for Georgia. Then let me end by saying that we have all watched closely Sundays consultative referendum in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1. I spoke to Prime Minister Zoran Zaev yesterday and we will remain in close contact. I welcome the yes vote in the referendum. It is up to Skopje to decide on the next steps. NATO is ready to welcome the country as our thirtieth member. But the only way is to implement the name agreement. There is no other way to NATO membership. Accession talks have already begun. And I expect that we will conclude them by January next year. Once all the constitutional changes on the new name are completed we can sign the accession protocol. Giving Skopje a seat at NATOs table early next year. This an historic opportunity. I urge all political leaders and parties to work together constructively and responsibly to seize this opportunity. Since 1999 thirteen countries have joined the Alliance, helping spread democracy, stability and prosperity in Europe. Since Montenegro joined last year, foreign investment from Allied countries has doubled there. NATO remains committed to stability and security in this important part of Europe. Next week I will be travelling to the region again, visiting Belgrade, Zagreb and Ljubljana. And in Serbia I will attend our biggest disaster relief exercise, with 40 countries participating. This is the first such exercise hosted in Serbia, which reflects the strong and highly valued partnership between Serbia and NATO. And with that, Im ready to take your questions. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay, please dont forget to introduce yourselves and your outlet. We'll start with Janes, over there. Question [Janes Defence Weekly]: Brooks Tigner, Janes Defence Weekly. Two questions: do you have any indications or concerns about where Russia intends to deploy its new missile in the future? And second related question; Russia has substantial area denial capabilities in its north western military district, and particularly in Kaliningrad. Aside from air patrols, dont want to talk about air patrols, what is NATO doing to counter that area denial capability? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: To be honest, I didnt get the first question. Question [Janes Defence Weekly]: Any indications of where Russia intends to deploy its new missile in the future? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: The US, which is part of the INF Treaty, has determined that Russia is in violation because, according to the US, Russia has started to deploy that missile. They have shared that intelligence with us, but I will not go into intelligence details - just refer to what the US clearly has stated and I would also say that of course we have looked into this intelligence. We are extremely concerned because it is extremely important to make sure that Russia comes into compliance with the INF Treaty, because the treaty is important. It is a cornerstone of European security. It actually shaped the whole generation of politicians in Europe on security and defence issues. I remember myself, in Norway in the 70s and 80s, how concerned we were about the deployment of SS-20s, the Russian intermediate nuclear missiles, and the decision by NATO to respond with a dual-track decision and then to employ Pershing and Cruise missiles in Western Europe, in NATO Allied countries. And also the great achievement it was when we, in 1987, agreed on the INF Treaty, which then abolished all intermediate-range nuclear weapons. I will not go into details about where we expect Russia to then continue to deploy because, as I said, this is based on intelligence. But we ask Russia to provide answers, to be transparent, and to come into compliance with the treaty in a transparent way, because it is important to protect this treaty. When it comes to anti-access area denial, well NATO is implementing the biggest adaptation of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War, partly with more deployment of troops in the eastern part of the Alliance, partly by increasing our capability to reinforce, if needed. We are investing also in modern capabilities, which are able to deal with A2AD challenges. Again, it's hard to go into the specific capabilities, but it's obvious that NATO is able to deal with this and that some of our highly modern, new capabilities are there also to deal with A2AD challenges. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay. Georgian TV, lady over there. Question [Georgia Public Broadcaster]: Georgia Public Broadcaster. Mr Secretary General, can you tell us about NATO-Georgia Commission, what topics will be discussed, what will be new for our country? And also I want to ask you a question about Russia: we hear very often from Moscow, statements against future enlargement, against our future membership in this organisation, how do you react? Because there is somehow a perception that NATO that Russia influence has an influence on this process. Thank you very much. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: So, we will discuss our partnership with Georgia. We will update all Allies on where we are and also, of course, make sure that Allies continue to contribute to the different activities that we do together with Georgia. Especially the Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, the different activities; there are also exercises and training activities which are part of our cooperation with Georgia. We will also welcome the support that Georgia provides to NATO. Georgia continues to be one of the main contributors to especially our presence in Afghanistan. And we will also address the challenges we face in the Black Sea. We have seen a substantial Russian increased military presence there, especially in Crimea, and therefore Black Sea security: how we can work more closely together there, is part of what we will address when we meet in the NATO-Georgia Commission. We will also, of course, highlight the importance of reform. We welcome the reforms that Georgia has implemented, but we will urge and continue to support Georgia implementing reforms of its security sector. On the issue of Russia and membership, well the message is that NATO Allies, Heads of State and Government, they reiterated their decision they made for the first time in Bucharest in 2008, that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance. We reiterated that decision at our Summit now in July. And it's only for Georgia and 29 NATO Allies to decide when that will happen. No other country, including Russia, has any right to interfere in such a process. Georgia is an independent sovereign nation. We recognise and we support the territorial integrity of Georgia. We will never recognise the so-called independent of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and we will continue to support Georgia as it moves towards full Euro-Atlantic integration. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay. We'll go to the gentleman over here. Question [InterpressNews]: News Agency InterpressNews, Georgia. Mr Secretary General, it's good to hear what you say, that the NATO will uphold its commitment for Georgia becoming a NATO member, that it's only up to Georgia and NATO members to decide on this issue. But I want to go back to the Angela Merkel's visit to Georgia, which took place in August, and I will quote her, she said: "I cannot see Georgia's fast accession to NATO. I think we cannot speak about fast accession in the context of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. [inaudible] Germany's position". So, it turns out that Russia occupied those territories and Russia use its leverage to make some countries, some NATO Allies, to think about Georgia's accession to NATO not possible in the near future. And does it seem to you that when Angela Merkel says that due to these occupied territories Georgia can't fastly become a NATO member, it's a kind of hypocrisy because Germany itself became a NATO member whilst divided? And it was divided by the Soviet Union and Russia. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: All NATO leaders agreed on the same position when it comes Georgia, in July, which states that Georgia will become a member of the Alliance. And we also stated clearly once again that we fully support the territorial integrity of Georgia, within its international recognised borders, and this includes the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. And Georgia will not be forced to choose between its territorial integrity and membership of NATO. So, Georgia will become a member when it meets the NATO standards. We will help Georgia doing that, by helping Georgia with implementing reforms, rule of law, strengthening its democratic institutions. And in the meantime we welcome the fact that we have more NATO in Georgia than ever before, and we have actually more Georgia in NATO than ever before. So, while we are working towards membership, we continue to strengthen our partnership, which is of mutual benefit, which is beneficial both for Georgia and for NATO. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay, we'll go to the lady over here. Question: My name is Olga Kravchenko, TV Channel Pryamyj. I am from Ukraine and my question will be the next. How true is tension between Hungary and Ukraine and how to make a hold a Ukraine-NATO Commission possible? And how to make so that Hungary and Ukraine relation not to be an obstacle for Ukraine and NATO relations? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: Hungary is a highly-valued Ally and Hungary contributes to our shared security in many different ways. Ukraine is a valued and important partner of NATO and we have to remember that one of the main reasons why NATO has implemented the biggest adaptation of our collective defence, and strengthened our collective defence over the last year, is because of Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine. So, Ukraine is an important partner for NATO. I hope that Ukraine and Hungary will resolve the differences which we all know are there. And I hope that through dialogue between Budapest and Kiev, it's possible to find solutions to the disagreements. We will continue to provide support to Ukraine. And also President Poroshenko participated at the NATO Summit in July and we have regular meetings with the government in Kiev, with Ukraine, and we will continue to provide a strong political and practical support to Ukraine. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay. We go to Washington Post in the middle. Last row. Question [Washington Post]: Hi, thanks very much. Michael Birnbaum, the Washington Post. There seem to be many interpretations of what was agreed during the emergency meetings at the Summit. What is the long-term consequence of President Trump's believing that all NATO countries will spend 2% by 2024 and other countries, such as Germany, saying that no such commitments were made? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: What we saw at the Summit was that we reiterated our commitment on burden-sharing, which includes the goal of 2%, spending 2% of GDP on defence. And thats of course a commitment which applies for all NATO Allies and all NATO Allies agreed to that commitment. But perhaps even and we also agreed that we need credible national plans, laying out how all Allies will make good on their commitments. But perhaps as important as the plans is actually what we really do now, and the reality is that what NATO Allies are doing now is that they are significantly increasing defence spending. Last year, we saw the biggest increase in a generation in defence spending, and more than 5% in real terms. And if you just look at the two last years, we have a total increase of US$41billion across Europe and Canada. So, I think we have a good story to tell, meaning that European Allies have really started to move, really started to invest, not only to please the United States, but because it is in their security interest to invest more in defence, when we live in a more unpredictable and uncertain security environment. At the same time, the US is increasing their military presence in Europe, so I think that actions speak louder than words. And the reality is that we see that, despite disagreements on different issues, ranging from trade, environment, the Iran deal, and also some strong messaging and language on, for instance, defence spending, the reality is that NATO delivers more and we are strengthening the transatlantic partnership. North America and Europe are doing more together. So, we have still a long way to go. I understand the importance of this, but I am encouraged by the progress we have made over the last years. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Okay. We're going to the second row, lady with the long hair. Question: Jovana Djurisic, Montenegrin Daily Pobjeda. You said that you have planned to visit Serbia, so I'm wondering what is the purpose of your visit and is it related to the last tensions between Kosovo and Belgrade? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: This is a long-time planned visit to Serbia. Serbia is a close partner of NATO and I am looking forward to go to Belgrade. I had my childhood in Belgrade, so it's always nice to go back there. But in addition, of course, I go there because we have this civil preparedness exercise, which is the biggest ever, and the first time we do that in Serbia. And just the fact that we are able to prove, or to show, that NATO is not only a military alliance, dealing with military threats, but NATO is also an alliance that can help to respond to natural disasters, which we have seen in that part of Europe before, and also helping to create the framework for bringing civilian capabilities and military capabilities together and to deal with a civil emergency or natural disasters. I expect, of course, that we will discuss the situation in Kosovo and my main message is that all parties need to show calm and restraint, and that we fully support the Pristina and Belgrade dialogue to solve the issues and to solve the problems which we see in the relationship between Belgrade and Pristina. KFOR is present, KFOR is there with more than 4,000 troops and some NATO troops are playing a key role in providing security and stability in Kosovo. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Lady in the second row. Question: Slobodanka Jovanovska, NEZAVISEN VESNIK. Mr Stoltenberg, how do you see the decision of Macedonian opposition party, VMRO, to openly boycott the referendum? And does your statement today means that NATO is not giving up for Macedonian membership and that the accession talks will continue as was planned before? Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: The accession talks continue the accession talks with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continues, as long as your country wants to continue those talks and as long as you are implementing the name agreement. And we stand ready to welcome your country as a new member of the Alliance, with an equal seat around the NATO table, with full membership and also with all the benefits that NATO membership will provide to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Because we have seen before that NATO membership is important for security, for stability, but also for prosperity. The latest example is Montenegro, where investments have doubled since they joined NATO. It's for Skopje to decide the way forward now. It was a clear majority in favour of the name agreement, in favour of joining EU and NATO, in the referendum. But at the same time, the turnout was not as high as many had hoped. This is a consultative referendum, and the necessary changes in the constitution have to be made by the parliament. Again, thats for the parliament and for the people of the country to decide. What I can say is that the only way to join NATO is by agreeing and implementing the name deal with Greece. There is no other way. So, I have seen that someone has indicated the possibility of rejecting the name agreement and, at the same time, join NATO. That will not happen. That alternative doesnt exist. So, it's for the people of the country and the parliament in Skopje to decide. But it's my obligation to make it absolutely clear that there is no way to join NATO without fully implementing the name deal. We are ready to welcome you, but then, of course, you have to implement the deal. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Lady in the centre, last row. Question [Bloomberg News]: Thank you very much. Bloomberg News. You mentioned earlier the Iran deal, how important is it for the European security and how will the paradigm of European defence change after sanctions against Iran are restarted? And a second question, if I may, about defence spending. Poland proposed to build a military presence for years on his soil. What kind of precedent does it set perhaps for other member states? Thank you very much. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: All Allies are concerned about Iran destabilising activities in the wider Middle East region, and we strongly condemn the financial support for terrorism, including Iran's support to a variety of armed non-state actors. We are also, of course, concerned about their missile programme and we are committed to ensuring that Iran's nuclear programme remains peaceful. Then there are different views on the JCPOA, or the Iran nuclear deal, and thats what should I say a fact, but despite the disagreement on the Iran nuclear deal, we all agree on the importance that any nuclear programme in Iran remains peaceful. And we are also concerned about what they do when it comes to destabilising other countries in the region. On Poland, I would just say that NATO and United States is already present in Poland. We have increased our presence in the Baltic region and in Poland already, with more exercises, with more rotational presence, and with a new battlegroup. There are four new battlegroups in the Baltic countries and Poland, and the US is actually leading the battlegroup in Poland. We also see more US presence in different NATO Allied countries in Europe. We welcome that, but it's not for me to comment on a specific proposal which is not on the NATO table. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: Gentleman in the front row. Question [BBC]: Petr Kozlov, BBC News Russian Service. Secretary General, if you dont mind, I will ask the question in Russian because you have interpreters here. [Interpreted] - Petr Kozlov, Russian Service BBC. Secretary General, in the spring of this year, a former GRU Colonel, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter were poisoned in Salisbury. The UK blames it on Russia and military aggression was once even used. However, Moscow has categorically denied its guilt in this case. So, what is NATO's stance on this issue, in the view of the Fifth Article of the Washington Treaty? And also, what would be the scale of a subterfuge like this, so that this article could be invoked? Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: We stand in full solidarity with the UK after the use of a nerve agent in Salisbury and we fully trust the UK assessment, the UK intelligence. And NATO Allies, and including NATO as an organisation, reacted very firmly and strongly when this happened, because we expelled a high number of Russian officials from NATO and from NATO Allied countries, as a direct response to the Salisbury attack. The UK National Security Adviser, Mark Sedwill, has also briefed the North Atlantic Council, NATO Allies, here in Brussels, on the latest developments in this case and we will continue to stay in close contact with our Ally, UK, on this case, because any use of a chemical weapon or a nerve agent is, of course, of great concern for all NATO Allies. There has been no discussion about Article 5. This has been about providing strong political support to UK and also reacting by expelling Russian officials. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: One final question. Europa Press, lady over there. Question [Europa Press]: Thank you. Back on burden-sharing, Secretary General; one third of the countries are not expected to meet the 2% target by 2024. Are there any realistic plans that more Allies will actually meet that target by then? And I would like, if possible, confirmation that in your last visit to the US and in your meeting with President Trump, he didnt actually put again on the table the 4% target, which is seen completely unrealistic by a majority of NATO Allies. Thank you. Jens Stoltenberg [NATO Secretary General]: It is demanding to meet the 2% target for all NATO Allies. Some are already there, but some have a very long way to go. So, I think we all understand that this is a challenge. At the same time, I think we also have to recognise that NATO Allies have made significant progress. When we made the pledge back in 2014, only three Allies met the 2% target. This year, we expect eight Allies will meet the 2% or be very close, depends a bit on GDP estimates, which is significantly more than we had just a few years ago. On top of that, even those who have not yet been able to meet the 2% goal have started to move. And the majority have already put forward plans on how to reach 2%. So, all Allies have started to increase, more Allies meet the 2% goal, and the majority have already put forward plans on how to reach it. But still I admit it's a demanding thing, but if you look at what we have achieved from when we started up till now, it's also a very impressive movement. And that reflects the reality that we live in a more demanding and dangerous world. So, we are investing in defence to keep our close to one billion citizens safe, despite the fact that we see a more assertive Russia, despite that we see the military build up of Russia, with conventional and nuclear forces, and despite new threats as cyber, proliferation, hybrid, and the turmoil, the violence we see, for instance, in the Middle East, Iraq and Syria. So, I believe that we will continue to see progress and I am also encouraged by the more than 40billion additional US$ which has been provided over just the last two years. I expect that number to increase significantly and I also welcome the fact that President Trump, when he left the NATO meeting in July, expressed strong support to NATO. He was actually encouraged by the meeting, and he has also addressed later on, several times, that he has stated clearly that he recognises the progress and the additional funding for defence which we see in all NATO Allied countries. So, we have a long way to go, but we have also made significant progress and we have seen a real shift in the willingness of NATO Allies to invest in defence. Moderator [Oana Lungescu - NATO Spokesperson]: This concludes this press conference. Before we wrap up, let me just remind you that the working languages at NATO are English and French. Thank you. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg previewed this weeks meeting of NATO Defence Ministers at a press conference on Tuesday (2 October 2018). Ministers will take forward the important decisions leaders made at the NATO Summit in July to adapt and strengthen the Alliance. They are expected to discuss progress in boosting NATOs deterrence and defence and review progress in defence spending and burden-sharing, and in adapting the NATO Command Structure. Ministers will also discuss NATO-EU cooperation, and hold a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission. On Wednesday, there will first be a NATO-Georgia Commission meeting. Ministers will take stock of the developments in NATO-Georgia cooperation, including the implementation of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, and discuss Black Sea security - a priority for NATO and for Georgia said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. In the evening, ministers will discuss how they can further improve burden sharing. Over the past two years, European Allies and Canada have spent a cumulative $41 billion US dollars more on defence, said Mr. Stoltenberg, demonstrating the new sense of urgency to invest 2 % of GDP on defence and to have credible national plans to get there. The Secretary General added that he expects all Allies to stay on course, to continue making progress, and to honour their commitments. On Thursday, Ministers will discuss NATOs deterrence and defence posture in response to instability in the Middle East and Africa and a more assertive Russia. Ministers will review progress on adapting NATOs Command Structure. With more than 1,200 additional personnel and two new commands, the adapted Command Structure will ensure we can have the right forces in the right place at the right time, said the Secretary General. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is in danger, said Mr. Stoltenberg, adding that Allies agree that Russia is in violation of the Treaty. He urged Russia to address these concerns in a substantial and transparent way. In this last session, Allied ministers will also meet with the High Representative / Vice President Federica Mogherini and with partners from Finland and Sweden to address NATO-EU cooperation in areas such as countering hybrid and cyber threats, and improving military mobility. NATOs Exercise Trident Juncture, taking place in Norway later this month, will test the ability to move forces quickly, he said. Dr. Carol Christine Fair, an associate professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown said white GOP Senators deserve to die miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. (Natural News) (Article by Cristina Laila republished from TheGatewayPundit.com) This wasnt enough for Dr. Fair, she said once the white Republican Senators die miserable deaths, their corpses should be castrated and fed to pigs. (screenshot below in case of deletion) Last week, Christine Fair went on a profanity-laced tirade against Kavanaugh, calling him a rapist and perjurer. She described the Republican party as a f*cking death cult and filthy swine. CHRISTINE FAIR TWEETED: Look at thus (sic) chorus of entitled white men justifying a serial rapists arrogated entitlement, she wrote. All of them deserve miserable deaths while feminists laugh as they take their last gasps. Bonus: we castrate their corpses and feed them to swine? Yes. Dr. Fair said this in response to Senator Lindsey Graham blasting Democrats for the biggest political sham hes ever seen. God forbid a Republican sticks up for Kavanaugh against the evil Democrat lies. Dr. Christine Fairs tweet is still posted to Twitter; she is still employed at Georgetown. This isnt the first time Dr. Fair has used her Twitter account to post vile, profanity-laced tirades towards people with whom she disagrees with. Shortly after the 2016 election, Dr. Fair attacked one of her friends, a Muslim woman who admitted to voting for Donald Trump. Dr. Christine Fair went into an unbelievable foul-mouthed meltdown that lasted 31 days after a Muslim ex-colleague said she voted for Donald Trump, reported the Daily Mail. And she still has a job Gab, a social media platform dubbed an alternative to Twitter, reported Dr. Christine Fairs tweet, and as expected, Twitter responded to the report stating she did not violate Twitters guidelines. To put this into context, James Woods was locked out of his Twitter account for posting a funny meme. Update: Georgetown University told The Daily Caller in a statement that they respect Christine Fairs right to freedom of speech: The views of faculty members expressed in their private capacities are their own and not the views of the University. Our policy does not prohibit speech based on the person presenting ideas or the content of those ideas, even when those ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. While faculty members may exercise freedom of speech, we expect that their classrooms and interaction with students be free of bias and geared toward thoughtful, respectful dialogue. Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com (Natural News) Managing your cholesterol levels is always tough, especially if you have diabetes, but one easy way to do so is to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating the right foods or taking supplements. A Saudi animal study reported that fish oil which contains a lot of omega-3s can improve the blood parameters and cholesterol levels of normal rats. Derived from oily fish like herring and salmon, fish oil is loaded with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These omega-3 fatty acids are used to create signaling molecules that help prevent inflammation. They also provide some remedy for hypertriglyceridemia, a health condition where there are high levels of triglyceride fats in the blood. Other conditions that the fatty acids may help prevent or treat include atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and inflammatory diseases. Earlier studies have already shown that increasing the intake of omega-3s caused serum cholesterol levels to go down. These effects could benefit medical conditions and diseases related to cholesterol. (Related: Manage your cholesterol levels naturally with this Chinese herbal pill.) Fish oil with omega-3s improves lipid levels of diabetic rats Researchers from the University of Hail (UOH) in Saudi Arabia looked into the possibility of using fish oil to manage total cholesterol and protein levels. They undertook an animal study using a large group of rats, which they divided into two groups: the control group and the supplement group. Both groups were given commercially-available animal food and water. In addition, the supplement group also received five milligrams of fish oil in every 100 grams of food they were given. The fish oil contained omega-3 fatty acids. The trial lasted for seven weeks. In the end, the animals were culled so that blood samples could be taken and analyzed for various parameters related to their lipid profiles. The researchers reported that the blood glucose levels of rats that received fish oil were not that much different from those of the control group. However, the supplemented animals did show much lower levels of cholesterol, especially low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. These fats are considered to be bad cholesterol that causes health problems such as inflammation and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the blood samples from the rats that received fish oil also contained significantly higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the good counterpart to LDL. This ability of fish oil and omega-3s to manage both good and bad lipids is a trait shared with other natural substances that are under investigation for potential use by patients with diabetes. Restoring lipid levels to healthy norms through natural means Diabetes mellitus disrupts the normal metabolism of lipids. When lipid levels in the blood go out of control due to hyperglycemia, they can lead to complications in the cardiovascular system. Researchers have looked into the possibility of using plant metabolites to restore lipid levels to their normal state. Plant-based extracts from neem trees (Azadirachta indica) and other sources have been tested for their hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, and hypotensive activities. These medicinal plants see use in traditional medicine as a means of treating diabetes and other diseases. Fish oil displayed similar abilities to return runaway lipids to more normal levels. The UOH researchers theorize this is due to the antioxidant activity of omega-3 fatty acids. Antioxidants reduce the inflammatory effects caused by unhealthy levels of bad cholesterol by scavenging the free radicals produced by lipids. They recommend further testing of fish oils potential as an adjuvant support for treating diabetes mellitus. For stories about a different group of equally healthy, natural oils, check out EssentialOils.news. Sources include: Science.news LPI.OregonState.edu AJBASWeb.com [PDF] NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov (Natural News) Cholera is dubbed as the first global pandemic, and for good reason the disease has spawned seven pandemics around the world, and is still considered a threat to public health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The disease is known to be damaging once it hits, killing people within hours if not properly treated. Now, researchers from the University of Georgia have discovered that one type of cholera, aside from being virulent, is naturally resistant to an antibiotic that is used for last resort treatment of the disease. Researchers identified that the drug-resistant property of the El Tor strain of Vibrio cholerae (the bacteria primarily responsible for cholera) was because of the difference in how its enzyme responded to antibiotics, as opposed to other bacteria. In their study, which was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, they explained how the enzyme from the El Tor strain had a different mechanism of action than other proteins that have been studied in bacteria. The team believes that by learning how the process works, researchers will be able to find ways to address the increasing challenges of antibiotic resistance. The El Tor strain, referred to by scientists as Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor, is the dominant strain for the seventh cholera pandemic, which began in 1961 in Indonesia and has since infected an estimate of three to five million people each year. The first instance of the strain was identified in the Middle East in 1897 as a nonpathogenic strain. However, it rapidly diversified into a virulent strain when it migrated to Makassar, Indonesia. Experts were able to point out the toxin changes in its genetic material in 1954, which became a full-blown pandemic after 12 mutations. (Related: Cholera Epidemic Homeopathy holds healing and empowerment for the Haitian people.) To counter the devastating effects of this disease, as well as other harmful bacteria, researchers have developed drugs that will serve as the last line of defense against acute infection. Cationic antimicrobial peptides, or CAMPs, are an example of last-line drugs. The peptides bind themselves to a bacteriums cell wall, allowing them to break in and, ultimately, destroy it. While this has been effective for many bacterial infections, the current pandemic biotype is known to be resistant to these peptides, as compared to previous pandemic strains. An enzyme found in the bacterium is able to remodel its cell wall to match the peptides. This gives the bacteria resistance to the effects of CAMPs. The research teams previous papers had already detailed two of the proteins that make are part of the modification process. In this paper, lead author Jeremy Henderson explained how the enzyme AlmG was able to disguise the cell wall. This process was done when AlmG connects glycine, the smallest and simplest of amino acids, to lipid A, one of the materials that make up the outer membrane of a bacterial cell. This process changes the charge of lipid A molecules, which keeps CAMPs from binding. The study pointed out that while modifying Lipid A is a defense mechanism that is noted in other bacteria, the manner by which cholera was able to modify this process is unique. It became apparent over the course of our work that how [this enzyme] improves shield functionality is quite different than would be expected based on what we know about groups of enzymes that look similar, Henderson explained. It just opens up the door for this operating with a completely different mechanism than whats been described in the literature for related proteins. Still, researchers warn that the antibiotic resistance posed by V. cholerae is a potential concern if it affects bacteria that are already drug-resistant. Sources include: ScienceDaily.com WHO.int PNAS.org (Natural News) Needles often conjure images of pain. When someone tells you hes sitting on pins and needles, it means that person is so tense he can hardly relax. But Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at it another way. Practitioners of acupuncture, a technique using several needles to balance the flow of energy or chi in our body, welcome needles as the key to health. They believe energy flows through pathways in our body and putting acupuncture needles in these pathways help the body regain its lost balance. Yes, your body may feel sore after lying on the acupuncturists bed for quite some time, but a growing number of scientific evidence shows that the pain is worth it. Their health conditions improve. It comes as no surprise that in the U.S., the National Health Interview Survey covering health experts in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the University of Maryland School of Medicine reports that the number of those who believe in acupuncture has risen over the past five years. More and more Americans are turning to this form alternative medicine for their aches and pains. A recent study shed more light on the role of acupuncture in helping victims of ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood clot prevents blood from entering the brain following a clot that blocks the said organs blood vessels. Researchers experimented on 21 ischemic stroke patients from January 2011 to December 2013 by dividing them into two groups. Group A (11 patients) underwent acupuncture and conventional treatment. Group B (10) patients were confined to conventional treatment. Group A showed greater improvement in their emotional, sensory and motor functions. This could mean that acupuncture may affect cerebral functions that controlled the patients feelings, senses and movements. Group B also showed positive effects, but on a more limited basis. The changes were confined to the frontal and parietal lobe of the patients brains. The researchers did not notice these changes in other areas that controlled other body functions the way Group A did. Acupuncture isnt just for the sick Its not just the sick who frequent acupuncture clinics. Persons who are in the pink of health go there just to maintain their well-being. Thats because acupuncture strengthens the body, promotes vitality and stimulates the energy flow in the body. It prevents and treats problems regarding digestion, insomnia, sleep disorders, migraines and other kinds of headaches. It also makes us easier to get along with by reducing mood swings, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Representatives from 12 countries who gathered in Beijing for the World Health Organization (WHO) International Seminar on Acupuncture, Moxibustion, and Acupuncture Anesthesia reported that acupuncture treats the following diseases: Acute sinusitis and tonsilitis Bronchial asthma Acute conjunctivitis and cataracts Gingivitis Acute and chronic pharyngitis Spasms of the esophagus and cardia Acute and chronic gastritis You need to set aside time from your busy schedule if you want to undergo acupuncture. Thats because a session involves the following: Needle insertion. Five to 20 very thin acupuncture needles are gently inserted into various parts of your body. Youll have a mild aching feeling when the needles reach the right depth. Five to 20 very thin acupuncture needles are gently inserted into various parts of your body. Youll have a mild aching feeling when the needles reach the right depth. Needle manipulation. The acupuncturist may move or twirl the needles gently after applying heat or mild electrical pulses to them. The acupuncturist may move or twirl the needles gently after applying heat or mild electrical pulses to them. Needle removal. Needles usually stay in your body for 10 to 20 minutes as you lie down and relax. You wont feel uncomfortable when the acupuncturist removes the needles. After the session, let your body relax and get used to new energy flow it has within. Rest, go light on exercise. Apply heat on the painful part of your body (if any). Stay away from alcohol and coffee. Eat healthy food. Turn off the TV for once. Youll end up feeling on top of the world. Sources include: Science.news ScienceDirect.com AmCollege.Edu Health.HowStuffWorks.com HuffingtonPost.com HopkinsClinic.com (Natural News) Its becoming obvious in our hyper-partisan political environment that Democrats dont want to lose gracefully. They want to engage in a scorched-earth campaign that will leave our system and large parts of our country in ashes if they cant be in charge. And ironically, the more they engage in this kind of behavior, the more they prove they can never be trusted with power again. Last week the hyper-partisanship was on full display for the nation and the world to see as Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee engaged in full-throated character assassination against a man, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who has spent all of his academic and professional life preparing to become one of the most senior federal jurists in the land. As each day passes and we learn more about the women who have accused him of some of the most heinous sexual acts known to humans, it becomes crystal clear that not only is Judge Kavanaugh not a Bill Cosby-like sex abuser and predator, hes one of the most decent persons youd ever meet. (Related: USA Today smears Kavanaugh, implying hes a pedophile this is the media that claims to have a monopoly on facts.) But the Democratic Party has long since abandoned any pretense of fairness, decorum, tradition, or decency in their relentless, naked pursuit of raw power. They dont care about what is and is not true regarding the Kavanaugh accusations. They oppose him because they oppose POTUS Trump and everything his Republican Party stands for so virulently they would see this good man and his family destroyed, along with anyone who supports him. Following last weeks sham of a hearing featuring Kavanaugh preceded by his chief accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, somehow, some way, the home addresses and phone numbers of several Senate Republicans on the Judiciary Committee were published on their Wikipedia pages. In modern vernacular, they were doxxed their personal information (documents) published online so they could then be targeted by mobs of angry Left-wing Democratic supporters. In the privacy of their homes. I hope they dont get away with it This isnt normal political behavior, though the Left the Democrats are certainly making it the new normal. Rest assured, these acts are not simply meant to be political statements. They are meant to physically endanger the lives of those who are targeted because their views about how to run the country within the parameters of the Constitution differ from those held by the mobs of angry Leftists. Them and their families. Those doxxed included Sens. Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch of Utah as well as Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who gave an impassioned defense of Kavanaugh in a five-minute rant that singled out Democrats for purposely ensnaring him in a web of baseless sexual assault allegations to derail his confirmation. One Republican senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky who was severely injured over the summer when he was attacked by a crazed Left-wing neighbor, tweeted, Yesterday there was an attempt to incite people by publishing the personal information of Senators including home addresses- endangering them & their families. This should be investigated & the perpetrators punished. There is too much hatred and violence in politics these days. Yesterday there was an attempt to incite people by publishing the personal information of Senators including home addresses- endangering them & their families. This should be investigated & the perpetrators punished. There is too much hatred and violence in politics these days. Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) September 28, 2018 On Sunday, Graham appeared on Fox Business Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the doxxing, which almost certainly had to have come from a Democratic staffer as the Wikileaks page changes were made from a computer belonging to the U.S. House. Graham said hes not so much concerned about himself being doxxed (though he was concerned about his address being published) as he is that its becoming the new norm and would deter future witnesses before the Judiciary Committee. The people who did it, I hope they dont get away with it, he said. They cant be allowed to get away with it because such abuse of our system cannot be allowed to continue. If it is, the republic wont survive. Read more about the evilness of the Democratic Party at Evil.news. Sources include: TheNationalSentinel.com TheGatewayPundit.com You may not realize it when thinking about politics in environmentally conscious and green California, but an 18-month-long NBC Bay Area and Maplight investigation found the oil and gas industry paid $182 million to California politicians, PACs and political causes between 2001 and June 30, 2018. For the past year and a half, the Investigative Unit worked with Maplight, a nonpartisan group based in Berkeley that tracks campaign contributions to uncover just how much money and influence the oil and gas industry wields in Sacramento. You may not realize it when thinking about politics in environmentally conscious and green California but an 18 month long NBC Bay Area and Maplight investigation found the oil and gas industry paid $182 million to California politicians, PACs and political causes between 2001 and June 30, 2018. For the past year and a half, The Investigative Unit worked with Maplight, a non-partisan group based in Berkeley that tracks campaign contributions to uncover just how much money and influence the oil and gas industry wields in Sacramento. Investigative reporter Stephen Stock reports on a story that first aired Oct. 1, 2018. "It's a tremendous amount of money," said Daniel Newman, the founder of Maplight, about the contributions from oil and gas. Newman started Maplight in 2005 in order to show voters the impact that money has on our political system. In the chart below, see how much individual California politicians received from the oil and gas industry. Oil Money in California Politics See how much money in campaign contributions employees, executives, PACs and corporations connected to the oil and gas industry gave California state politicians and those running for state office since 2001. When asked if how receiving $26,000 from the oil and gas industry affected his commitment to green policies, Secretary of State Alex Padilla's staff responded, "Secretary Padilla is committed to California's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and protect our natural environment for future generations, and his commitment is not beholden to any special interest." (Click here for other statements) Two weeks before Election Day and the money to California politicians has picked up, including from a major player -- the oil and gas industry. Critics say it contradicts California's image as a green, environmentally conscious state. But as the governor recently told us, there's no way around it. Money fuels any politician. Senior Investigative Reporter Stephen Stock has been crushing the numbers for months now, and has an update on campaign contributions. Money has enormous influence over every aspect of politics, Newman said. It affects who gets elected. It affects what our elected officials do when they're in office. It affects what laws get passed or stopped, and it even affects what laws even get considered. Heres a chart of the largest contributors from the Oil & Gas Industry. if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"]={},window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].embedDeltas={"100":700,"200":613,"300":584,"400":555,"500":555,"700":526,"800":526,"900":526,"1000":526},window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-Ddr0W"),window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("Ddr0W"==b)window.datawrapper["Ddr0W"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"}); And the amount oil and gas has spent in Sacramento is not insignificant when compared with other industries and other states politics. The $182 million in political contributions put the oil and gas industry in the top eight of all industry and special interest givers in California, according to the National Institute on Money in Politics, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that has documented more than $100 billion in special interest contributions to state and federal political campaigns. if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"]={},window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].embedDeltas={"100":572,"200":484,"300":413,"400":386,"500":386,"700":359,"800":359,"900":359,"1000":359},window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-Yp7S8"),window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("Yp7S8"==b)window.datawrapper["Yp7S8"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"}); The $182 million spent in California by oil and gas ranks at the top compared to other states. In fact, oil and gas gave more to political causes in the green Golden State than the industry did to state politics in New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana and Texas combined, according to the same data from the National Institute on Money in Politics. I think its absolutely the political process we live in, said Catherine Reheis-Boyd, referring to the large amounts of money in politics. Reheis-Boyd is president of the Western States Petroleum Association, which represents the oil industry in California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon. When asked if oil and gas had Gov. Jerry Browns ear, she said that yes she is confident that the oil industry has a good relationship with Brown and the Legislature. I would say we've made great progress with being able to have a seat at the table with the environmentalists, she said. Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of the Western States Petroleum Association, says, we are all environmentalists, in this extended interview with Senior Investigative Reporter Stephen Stock about doing business in California and what kind of money it takes to have a seat at the table in Sacramento politics. Reheis-Boyd said shaping the dialogue on climate change is very important for the oil and gas industry. It is a very important issue, and we have to make sure that we help design it in a way that we can achieve the environmental goals, but in an economically and sustainable way. Reheis-Boyd points out that if California intends to remain a leader in green policy, the state has to set an example of how green reforms can be made without impacting businesses. If we don't do that in a cost effective way, no one will follow, said Reheis-Boyd. You can't hurt business in the state and still have and expect a growing economy." Contra Costa County resident and activist Pennie Opal Plant remains concerned about the role the oil industry has taken in shaping climate policies in California. This is a crisis, she said, and it's time for all of us to come together and deal with the crisis. Plant, who owns an art and jewelry business in the East Bay, joined 800 environmental and social justice groups to protest Browns recent Global Climate Action Summit held in San Francisco. Im working day and night and doing my best to inspire people to rise for climate, said Plant, who is convinced that despite the green image of Brown, the influence of oil money is thwarting real progress. As she sees fires burning all over the west, Plant says, We do not have a moment to waste, she said. It's the first time that a generation is leaving something that we know is so much more difficult for future generations. We've almost broken the system. Plant's words challenge the prevailing view of a Green California. Brown recently signed landmark legislation, SB 100. It mandates California transition to 50 percent wind and solar energy by 2026, 60 percent by 2030, and by 2045, 100 percent zero-carbon electricity. Zero-carbon means no coal, oil or gas. The bill also calls for 5 million electric vehicles on California streets by 2030. NBC Bay Area Governor Brown talks a good game, said Adam Scow, California Director for Washington D.C.-based Food and Water Watch. But the truth is that he has been more of a friend than a foe to the oil and gas industry. Food and Water Watch focuses on sustainable energy as a key part of its mission statement. Scow said SB 100 has serious shortcomings. It doesnt ban fracking, and it doesnt phase out oil drilling, he said. Scow also takes issue with the timeline. We dont have 27 years to get there, he said. While campaign records show only $159,199 in direct contributions from oil and gas to Browns campaigns, Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog says he and his team found far more money going to the governor through indirect contributions. Detailed in a report theyve titled, Browns Dirty Hands, Court says he and his team found $9.85 million in political donations from the oil industry to Browns campaigns, ballot measures and favorite causes. Our governor really is one of the most spoken people in the world against climate change. He hasnt laid a finger on the oil companies or the gas companies and part of the reason is because their fingers are busy shuffling out the cash in Sacramento, said Jamie Court of Consumer Watchdog. You take oil industry money, you cant stop drilling in this state. Thats the problem, Court said. According to data obtained from the California Department of Conservation, 23,892 new onshore oil drilling permits have been granted across the state since Brown took office in 2011. NBC Bay Area asked Brown if he can consider himself a climate leader while he and other Democrats take millions of dollars from the oil industry. "Politics runs on money, billions and billions of dollars, Brown said. WMOL-TV He stressed that his campaign accepted money from everyone. If somebody wants to contribute to a proposition ... an oil company or a sugar company or a Hollywood movie company, well take it," Brown said. The governor insists that those contributions have not stopped him from aggressively pursuing green policies. They (special interests) all got power, he said. Thats why youve got to be able to stand up and say no to people. But if you think you can run a campaign for governor and raise $100 million on chump change, you dont understand politics. if("undefined"==typeof window.datawrapper)window.datawrapper={};window.datawrapper["dk4LL"]={},window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].embedDeltas={"100":992,"200":775,"300":697,"400":680,"500":653,"700":636,"800":636,"900":636,"1000":636},window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].iframe=document.getElementById("datawrapper-chart-dk4LL"),window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].iframe.style.height=window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].embedDeltas[Math.min(1e3,Math.max(100*Math.floor(window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].iframe.offsetWidth/100),100))]+"px",window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if("undefined"!=typeof a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var b in a.data["datawrapper-height"])if("dk4LL"==b)window.datawrapper["dk4LL"].iframe.style.height=a.data["datawrapper-height"][b]+"px"}); Family and friends this week are remembering Stacee Etcheber, a Novato mother of two who was one of the 58 people killed one year ago when a gunman opened fire on a Las Vegas country music festival. Her husband, San Francisco police Officer Vin Etcheber, urged her to run as he tried to help others to safety during the shooting. On Sunday, dozens of family members and friends went on a bike ride in Stacees honor, something they hope will become an annual tradition. Jodi Hernandez has the rest of the story in the above video. [[494857561, C]] There are nearly 1.5 million more registered voters heading to the polls this California gubernatorial election than the last one, according to a new report from the Secretary of State of Californias office. There were 19,086,589 Californians registered to vote as of Sept. 7, the department said. This means more than 75 percent of the states eligible voters are registered. Its the largest amount of registered voters for a general election in the history of California, according to the secretary of state. The next step for our registered Californians is turning out to vote, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. I'm also calling on elections officials and community leaders to help inform voters about their options for participating. The secretary referenced the states Voter Information Guide and Quick Guide to Props to help Californias make a decision come November. To check if you are registered to vote, see the secretarys voter status website. The last day to register online or by mail is Oct. 22. The general election is on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Driven in part by family tragedy, San Francisco Mayor London Breed has long pledged to open what could be the first supervised drug injection site in the country. However, California Gov. Jerry Brown made the promise tougher to keep when he vetoed legislation over the weekend that would have given San Francisco some legal cover to open a site under a pilot program. The veto leaves Breed, who was elected in June, in the position of going it alone to deliver on a promise that she says will save lives and taxpayer money, as well as clean up streets littered with used syringes and slumped-over addicts. "We're not going to give up, but at the same time, what's most important is there are other people who are involved," she said Tuesday. "I want to make sure I'm not putting other folks at risk if I do this." The site would provide space for people to inject drugs and a "chill" room where they could recover. Medical care, counseling and treatment services would also be available. Before moving forward, Breed said, she wants to make sure nonprofits and workers operating such a facility would be protected from federal prosecution. She declined to set a deadline. San Francisco has an estimated 22,000 intravenous drug users and in recent years has reported about 200 overdose deaths a year, largely from opioids. Breed grew up around drug users and lost a younger sister to an overdose. The idea of providing a place for addicts to use drugs initially struck her as wrong, but over the years she has come to believe current laws aren't helping the problem. Injection sites remain illegal under federal law, and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has vowed to sue any city that opens one. Philadelphia and Seattle have also expressed support for opening such sites. Breed's effort in San Francisco comes as the nation is struggling with an opioid epidemic. The painkiller fentanyl is cheap, strong and sometimes mixed into street drugs without buyers' knowledge, leading to overdose deaths. In his veto, Brown essentially agreed with the Trump administration, which argues that taxpayers should not be endorsing illegal drug use. "Enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work," Brown said, calling it irresponsible to expose local government and health workers to potential criminal charges from the federal government. Breed said she was disappointed the governor rejected an option supported by two-thirds of residents surveyed by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "People want me to get needles off the streets. They don't want to see people shooting up in public," she said. "They don't want people dying." San Francisco has defied state and federal law over the years by allowing drug needle exchanges and medical marijuana. Breed said she once opposed the idea of injection sites. "I felt really strongly that it wasn't fair to then, all of a sudden, provide a facility for people, to make it more easy for folks to have a place to be to shoot up," she said before she was elected in June. But then she wondered if people she had lost to drugs might have been saved if they had been around trained medical staff. "I would do anything to have them still alive today," Breed said. AB186 would have protected staff and participants from state prosecution related to illegal narcotics. But it gave no legal cover from federal laws, including a "crack house" statute that makes it a felony to knowingly maintain a place for using a controlled substance. California Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat, said legislators plan to introduce the measure again during the next session. If approved, it could go into effect in January 2020 if it's signed by the next governor. Wiener said he would fully support Breed if she decides to move forward now without state permission. Other advocates said it will take political bravery and creative thinking. "It's not for me to say what she has to do, but I'm hopeful that we can make it happen one way or another," said Lauren Kahn, a spokeswoman for Healthright 360, which provides substance abuse and mental health services. The 12 California schools named as National Blue Ribbon Schools this year include seven from the Bay Area. The recognition is based on a school's overall performance or progress in closing achievement gaps. Bay Area schools honored for 2018 are: Argonaut Elementary and Redwood Middle schools in Saratoga; John Gomes Elementary and William Hopkins Junior High schools in Fremont; Joaquin Miller Middle School in San Jose; North Star Academy in Redwood City and Lawson Middle School in Cupertino. "Congratulations to all the schools on this list that are helping students achieve their dreams and to the leaders dedicated to and invested in finding ways to close the achievement gap," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said. The schools will be honored at a November awards ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in Washington D.C. The schools are honored in one of two performance categories. The exemplary high performing schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. The exemplary achievement gap-closing schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is in its 36th year, and has recognized more than 8,800 schools. President Donald Trump on Friday delayed his own order to declassify and release documents from the FBI's Russia investigation, saying the Justice Department and U.S. allies have raised security concerns about their disclosure. The announcement, in a pair of tweets, represented a highly unusual walk-back for a president who has pressed for the release of classified information that he believes will expose "really bad things" at the FBI and discredit special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. The order threatened to fuel further tension between Trump and a law enforcement community he routinely maligns as biased against him and determined to undermine his presidency. The president on Monday had called for the declassification of highly sensitive records from the Russia probe, including a portion of a secret warrant application to monitor the communications of Carter Page, a Trump campaign adviser whom the FBI suspected of being a Russian agent. The Justice Department said it had begun complying with the order, though officials had previously strenuously objected to the release of classified information they said could jeopardize the investigation and compromise secret sources. On Friday, Trump said that instead of moving forward immediately, the department's inspector general had been asked to review these documents on an "expedited basis." He tweeted that he believes the office, which is already reviewing FBI actions in the early stages of the Russia probe, will move quickly. The president also noted: "In the end I can always declassify if it proves necessary. Speed is very important to me - and everyone!" Trump added. Trump signaled a slowdown in an interview with Fox News on Thursday, when he said that several close allies had called to raise concerns about his decision to order the release of unredacted documents, which also include text messages of several FBI and Justice Department officials including former FBI Director James Comey and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, both fired by the president whom the president has for months personally attacked. "And we do have to respect their wishes," he said in the interview. "But it'll come out." On Friday, he said, Justice Department officials had warned him that the declassification of documents "may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe." The White House did not immediately respond to questions about why the president was suddenly concerned about actions that "may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe." Trump and his allies have spent months now trying to discredit the Russia probe and undermine its future findings. Monday's order to declassify documents wasn't the first time that Trump had sought to publicize classified FBI records. He made a similar move in February when the White House, over the objections of the FBI, cleared the way for the Republican-led House intelligence committee to release a partisan memo summarizing details from the Page warrant. Democrats later countered with their own memo. A spokesman for the inspector general did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday. Melissa Colorado joined NBC Bay Area in April 2018 as a reporter after spending more than 4 years working in Minnesota. Melissa mainly covers the East Bay in the afternoon editions of NBC Bay Area News which air Monday to Sunday at 5 PM, 6 PM and 11PM. In addition, she also reports for NBC Bay Areas sister station, Telemundo 48 Area de La Bahia / KSTS, as well as for the stations digital platforms. Melissa comes to NBC Bay Area from KARE-TV in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she covered a number of high profile stories including the fatal 2016 police shooting of Philando Castile, the death of Prince and Super Bowl LII. Before this, she worked in Albuquerque, New Mexico at KOAT-TV as a general assignment reporter. She has also worked in the New York market as a reporter for 24/7 cable channel News 12 and at WPIX-TV. Melissa is a New York City native, born and raised in Queens. She is fluent in Spanish and swears she can understand any thick accent thanks to years of subway riding. When shes not reporting she enjoys running around Lake Merritt or going on hikes with her rescue dog Sota. Melissa earned a bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism from Brooklyn College. You can stay in touch with Melissa on Twitter @MelissaColorado and on Facebook at Facebook/melissacoloradonews. She can also be reached at melissa.colorado@nbcuni.com. Two people died Monday night after a four-vehicle crash on Chicagos South Side when police were chasing a vehicle and it blew a red light, authorities said. Fire officials originally reported seven people, including an infant and a child, were rushed to area hospitals in serious to critical condition. Multiple ambulances responded to West 69th Street and South Loomis Boulevard in the citys Englewood neighborhood sometime after 7 p.m. The ages of the victims were not immediately available but many of them were transported in critical condition to various hospitals in the area. According to Chicago police, two cars, headed west on 69th Street, were waiting for the light to change, when another vehicle headed east on the same street struck another car going north on Loomis Boulevard. The northbound vehicle then crashed into the two cars waiting for the light, police said. "(The) offending driver ran away," the Chicago Fire Department said on Twitter. Witnesses told NBC 5 they were devastated that one of the drivers ran away from the scene leaving a baby lying in the street. "Regardless if youre in the wrong or not, you dont just leave your child out there like roadkill," witness Nicole Brewer said. "Even if it was your fault, you shouldve stayed there with your baby." Police say the man they're looking for was travelling alone. They said they found a handgun and two shell casings in the car he was driving. What to Know Van Dyke is charged with murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old McDonald nearly four years ago The Chicago police officer was captured on dashcam video shooting McDonald 16 times the night of Oct. 20, 2014, on the city's Southwest Side Van Dyke entered a plea of not guilty NBC Chicago will offer a live stream with complete coverage beginning right here. NOTE: Not all witness testimony will be available for streaming will not appear on camera. You may notice intermittent bars and pauses. Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke took the stand in his own murder trial Tuesday, detailing his version of what happened the night he fatally shot Laquan McDonald. Van Dyke remained on the stand for 90 minutes as he defended himself against first-degree murder charges for fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times. "I could see his face. He had no expression, eyes bugging out of his head, huge white eyes staring through me," he testified. Van Dyke grew emotional as he recounted the moments before, during and after the shooting. "Once I realized he was on the ground, I stopped shooting," he said. Van Dyke testified he stopped shooting because his gun was empty. Then, he said in the time it took him to reload his gun things "drastically changed." "In those seconds, [McDonald] had stopped moving," he said. At times, cross examination became confrontational. When prosecutor Jody Gleason remarked, You didnt have to get out of the car that night," Van Dyke responded by saying, "I didnt have to go to work that night." Tuesday marked the fifth day of the defense phase in the trial. Court was canceled Monday due to a sick juror. The day began with testimony from a psychologist, who testified about the human body's reaction during stressful situations. In an unexpected turn, testimony was briefly halted after a journalist was caught recording part of the trial, a violation of the judge's orders. The reporter was taken into custody and held in contempt of court. In the nearly three weeks of trial so far, the defense has called more than 17 witnesses as they argue McDonald, a black teenager armed with a knife, posed a threat when Van Dyke, a white officer, opened fire on him. Attorneys have said that Van Dyke never should have been charged with murder because of an Illinois law that protects peace officers trying to arrest fleeing felons. Van Dyke was charged with six counts of first-degree murder more than a year after he shot McDonald on the city's Southwest Side. He entered a plea of not guilty. The shooting prompted massive protests across the city and catapulted Chicago into the national spotlight. The defense is expected to rest its case Wednesday. Special prosecutors rested their case against Van Dyke Thursday after calling 24 witnesses over three and a half days. So far in the trial, the jury has seen dashcam video of the shooting, graphic autopsy images of the more than a dozen gunshot wounds on the body of McDonald, recreated video of the shooting showing what experts say was Van Dyke's perspective and video showing 16 gunshots fired in under 14 seconds. They have also heard testimony from several Chicago police officers and witnesses at the scene, seen the weapon Van Dyke used, heard from experts on how McDonald died and watched as FBI specialists demonstrated the shooting. Follow along live from court as the defense enters day five of its case. 3:12 p.m.: After calling four witnesses today, including the defendant himself, Jason Van Dyke, testimony has concluded for the day. Defense will rest its case tomorrow morning. 2:57 p.m.: Barry Brodd, also a use of force expert, says he feels Jason Van Dykes use of deadly force was justified. Then in a dramatic reenactment in the courtroom, showed how easily someone within 12-14 feet could attack you in just seconds. Brodd says he feels Jason Van Dykes use of deadly force was justified. Then in a dramatic reenactment in the courtroom, the 64-year-old man, showed how easily someone within 12-14 feet could attack you in just seconds. 2:45 p.m.: Defense testimony continues in Jason Van Dyke trial with an expert witness in self defense. 2:37 p.m.: At times, cross examination became confrontational. When prosecutor Jody Gleason remarked You didnt have to get out of the car that night," Van Dyke responded "I didnt have to go to work that night." He often cut her off, saying, "Miss, Im trying to answer the question." 2:27 p.m.: Jason Van Dyke completes his testimony, defending himself against first-degree murder charges in less than 90 minutes. 2:26 p.m.: Van Dyke says he stopped shooting because the gun was empty. Then says in the time between when he stopped shooting and reloaded, things "drastically changed." "In those seconds, [McDonald] had stopped moving," he said. 2:17 p.m.: While watching the dashcam video Van Dyke testifies "He wasnt going towards the fence... It looks to me like hes going from one side of the dotted line to the other side of the dotted line." 2:07 p.m.: When asked why he told his partner, Officer Walsh, "Oh my God, were going to have to shoot the guy" while still on their way to the scene, Van Dyke responded: "I thought the officers were under attack. The whole thing was shocking to me." 2:04 p.m.: Van Dyke: "I shot at the knife. I wanted to get rid of the knife." But prosecutors point out that officers are trained to shoot at the center of mass, not knives. "My focus was on the knife, all I could think." 1:57 p.m.: Under cross examination, Jason Van Dyke says he doesnt remember what he told investigators immediately after the shooting. "I was still in shock." 1:50 p.m.: Van Dyke concludes his (at times) emotional defense testimony by saying he thought during [the second time], he only fired 2-3 shots. Prosecution will begin cross examination now. 1:46 p.m.: Van Dyke: "I wanted him to stay on the ground because easier position for us to take him into custody." 1:42 p.m.: Van Dyke: "Once I realized he was on the ground, I stopped shooting." 1:41 p.m.: Van Dyke says Laquan McDonald was advancing towards him. "I could see his face. He had no expression, eyes bugging out of his head, huge white eyes staring through me." 1:28 p.m.: Van Dyke testifies that that hes had to draw his weapon more than 20 times in his 13-year career. When asked if he ever fired his weapon, he answered. "No, and Im very proud of it." 1:22 p.m.: Jason Van Dykes testimony is underway again 1:15 p.m.: Judge orders Zachary Siegal held on a $1,000 D-bond after finding him in direct contempt of extended media coverage order and judges decorum order. Sun Times Reporter and others helped post the $100 he needs to bond out. 1:12 p.m.: Jason Van Dykes testimony is quickly stopped as the court deals with "technical difficulties." Should resume shortly. 1:12 p.m.: Interest is high in Van Dykes testimony. The courtroom on the 5th floor is packed to capacity with spectators and journalists. The overflow room, which up to now, has only been occupied by a handful of media, is now almost full. 1:00 p.m.: Jason Van Dyke will testify in his defense. 12:16 p.m.: Next witness, a CPD detective, is testifying how they recovered the CTA transit card of a disabled veteran in Laquan McDonalds pockets. During opening statements, defense attorneys told jurors that Laquan was on a wild rampage in the hours before he was shot. 12:12 p.m.: Dr. Miller says Jason Van Dyke was consistent with his story and if he felt he was lying to him, he would not stick his neck out to testify today. 12:04 p.m.: Jason Van Dyke told Dr. Miller that Laquan McDonald looked at him with a dead stare. In return, Van Dyke "looked into his dead soul." Prosecutors ask if that stare occurred in the six seconds between when Van Dyke pulled up and opened fire or during the 33 second encounter. "He didnt specify." 11:48 a.m.: Dr. Miller testifies about his conversation with Jason Van Dyke about the shooting. Jason told him that as he and CPD partner Joe Walsh, were responding to the scene, Van Dyke turned to Walsh and said, "Oh my god, were going to have to shoot the guy." 11:39 a.m.: Judge Gaughan abruptly sends out jury during cross examination of Dr Miller, because a member of the press was recording testimony in the courtroom. That journalist was taken into custody and in being held in contempt of court. 11:22 a.m.: Under cross examination by prosecutor Joseph Cullen, Dr. Miller says hes being paid $10,000 a day for his testimony. And he only spoke to Jason Van Dyke via Skype. 11:06 a.m.: Dr Miller: "In my opinion, Jason Van Dyke was responding to what he perceived was a deadly threat and he responded according to training to neutralize the threat." 11:03 a.m.: Officers who fire their weapons can go through a critical incident follow-up to determine if they are ready to go back to work. Dr. Miller says its not like what you see on TV. Firing a weapon - especially if it ends in death- is a profound event." 10:56 a.m.: The psychologist is talking about a 'deadly force mindset' and how in a life and death circumstance, humans encounter event compression- when an event was over in seconds, but they feel like it lasted several minutes. He speaks on how we experience tunnel vision and muffled sounds. 10:30 a.m.: Dr. Miller begins his testimony by describing the anatomy of the brain. Using diagrams of the brain, hes explaining how and why we react to situations when we do. 10:10 a.m.: Week 3 in trial of Jason Van Dyke begins with the defense calling their 17th witness, Dr. Lawrence Miller- a psychologist. RECAP OF THE TRIAL The Democrat and Republican seeking to become Connecticuts next attorney general sound an awful lot like their respective national party cohort when it comes to addressing Judge Brett Kavanaughs nomination to the US Supreme Court. The issue of sexual assault was raised during the first debate between Republican Sue Hatfield and Democrat William Tong. Kavanaugh is now facing multiple allegations of sexual assault dating as far back as to his days in high school. His confirmation vote has been delayed following testimony from one of his accusers, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, and the FBI is now conducting a deeper investigation into his past. When asked about his nomination, Monday, Hatfield said Kavanaugh must be afforded the highest degree of due process. "I believe in the presumption of innocence, said Hatfield, a state prosecutor who lives in Pomfret. When defendants come through the courthouse doors. I never say this person is guilty because they're coming to court. I follow the law and I let the law be my guide. Not politics." Hatfield said she supported the investigation that was the result of a compromise among members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The final confirmation vote on Kavanaugh is expected by Friday. Tong, whos chaired the Judiciary Committee in the Connecticut House of Representatives for the past four years, said support or opposition to Kavanaugh shines light on a candidates character. "I believe Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and I called on Judge Kavanaugh to step aside and withdraw as a nominee for the Supreme Court this week, said Tong, who works in a corporate law firm in Stamford, I think it's incredibly important for the attorney general to provide legal leadership, policy leadership, legislative leadership and also moral leadership." Flu season is now well underway and based on the number of sicknesses last year, doctors are urging your family to get your flu shots, if you are able. Depending on the type of flu shot you receive this year, it will protect you from three or four viruses that research suggests are most common this year. Doctors say you should be vaccinated sooner rather than later because it takes about two weeks for the vaccination to take effect. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting your flu vaccine by the end of the month. The Central Connecticut Health District is hosting nine flu clinics this month, including one in Wethersfield on Tuesday. Here are details for the other flu clinics: Tuesday, October 2, Wethersfield Community Center from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, October 3, Newington Senior & Disabled Center from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, October 10, Rocky Hill Community Center from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday, October 11, Berlin Community Center from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, October 13, Newington High School from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday, October 15, Wethersfield Community Center from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, October 16, Newington Senior & Disabled Center from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 24, Berlin Community Center from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, October 25, Rocky Hill Community Center from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you are interested, bring your insurance card to receive your vaccination for free. Depending on your carrier, you may need to still pay $25. A Newington woman felt she was left in the dark after the Shine Studio shut down without notice. Elizabeth Delgado said she and her daughter paid $10 each to attend an aerial yoga class in June. "The lights were dimmed. Everything was lit with little tea lights and you saw the scarves hanging from the ceiling," she said. Delgado and her daughter loved the class and looked forward to going back. She said they each paid $35 in cash for a 30-day membership. When Delgado checked the studios website to sign up for another class, she said there were none available. Two weeks later, she learned the studio was closed for good. "I started emailing. The emails got kicked back. I started text messaging and calling, and no responses," Delgado said. Delgado thought other customers were probably in the same situation, and asked NBC Connecticut Responds to help. We reached one of the owners of Shine Studio by phone. He declined an on camera interview, but provided a written statement on behalf of Shine Studio Management. In the near two years of Shine Studio's existence, we had the pleasure of fostering a strong community that will continue to thrive beyond Shine's time. Shine's community has always been our priority and continues to be even as we close our doors. We are aware some members still have a balance on their account and we are in the process of refunding those members accordingly in the order of highest balance to lowest balance. We have already refunded more than half of the total unserviced balance. We aim to complete the remaining refunds in the coming 4-6 weeks. Our Facebook page and phone lines are open and actively monitored as we welcome and urge all members to reach out to us with any questions or concerns regarding their account. We appreciate the community's support and patience as we cease operations. We'd also like to take a moment and thank each and every one of you that has reached out with messages of support. We realize this is a moment of regretful circumstances and we appreciate your understanding and patience. The statement was also posted to the Studios Facebook page. Its the first post since July. Elizabeth Delgado said she received a call from one of the owners after Responds contacted him. She said he promised to overnight her a refund check. "The staff was really friendly, accommodating. It was just really sad it had to turn out this way," Delgado said. When questions at a news conference about the revised North American trade deal with Canada and Mexico Monday afternoon turned to the issues surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trump launched a verbal attack on Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal. During the televised news conference, the president brought up an eight-year-old issue of misstatements Blumenthal made about his military service during the Vietnam War. Look at some of the people asking the questions, OK. Look at Blumenthal. He lied about Vietnam. He didn't just say 'Hey, I went to Vietnam.' No. No. For 15 years he said he was a war hero. He fought in Da Nang Province, Trump said. Blumenthal later responded, saying false personal attacks from the president will neither silence nor stop him. There he goes again. I wont be stopped or silenced by President Trumps false personal attacks. Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) October 1, 2018 Trump was referring to a controversy in 2010. Blumenthal was running for U.S. Senate at the time when a report published in the New York Times said he wrongly said that he served in Vietnam. After that report surfaced, Blumenthal apologized and said he said he unintentionally said he served "in" Vietnam when he meant "during" Vietnam. Blumenthal served stateside in the Marine Reserve during Vietnam and received five deferments that, the New York Times reports, allowed him to avoid the war, travel abroad to study and to work in the White House. We call him 'Da Nang Richard.' That's his nickname, 'Da Nang.' He never went to Vietnam. And he's up there saying 'We need honesty and we need integrity.' This guy lied when he was the attorney general of Connecticut. He lied. I don't mean a little bit, and then when he got out, he actually dropped out of the race and he won anyway because Democrats always win in Connecticut. He won, very close. Probably the closest ever, Trump said. Blumenthal defeated former WWE CEO Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate, in the general election in November 2010 and McMahon now serves in the Trump administration as Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (H)ere's a guy lied and now he's up there talking like he's holier than thou. You know what? Take a look at his record. And when he got out and when he apologized he was crying, the tears were all over the place. And now he acts like 'how dare you?' Trump said. There he goes again. I wont be stopped or silenced by President Trumps false personal attacks, Blumenthal Tweeted Monday after the presidents news conference. Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer will be speaking at Sacred Heart University in November. He will be the next speaker in Sacred Heart Universitys Distinguished Leaders Series. A news release from the university says copies of his book, The Briefing, will be available for sale and Presidents Donald Trump's former spokesperson will sign purchased copies after his talk. The event will take place Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in SHUs Martire atrium and the public is invited. Spicer, a Rhode Island native and Connecticut College graduate, is the founder and president of RigWil LLC, a strategic consulting firm. The husband and father of two now lives in Virginia. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the nation's toughest net neutrality measure Sunday, requiring internet providers to maintain a level playing field online. The move prompted an immediate lawsuit by the Trump administration. Advocates of net neutrality hope the new law in the home of the global technology industry will have national implications by pushing Congress to enact national net neutrality rules or encouraging other states to follow suit. But the U.S. Department of Justice wants to stop the law in its tracks, arguing that it creates burdensome, anti-consumer requirements that go against the federal government's approach of deregulating the Internet. "Once again the California Legislature has enacted an extreme and illegal state law attempting to frustrate federal policy," U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement. The law is the latest example of the nation's most populous state seeking to drive public policy outside its borders and rebuff President Donald Trump's agenda. Brown did not explain his reasons for signing the bill when the decision was announced, but supporters cheered it as a win for Internet freedom. "This is a historic day for California. A free and open internet is a cornerstone of 21st century life: our democracy, our economy, our health care and public safety systems, and day-to-day activities," said Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, the law's author. The Federal Communications Commission last year repealed rules that prevented internet companies from exercising more control over what people watch and see on the internet. Telecommunications companies lobbied hard to kill it or water it down, saying it would lead to higher internet and cellphone bills and discourage investments in faster internet. They say it's unrealistic to expect them to comply with internet regulations that differ from state to state. USTelecom, a telecommunications trade group, said California writing its own rules will create problems. "Rather than 50 states stepping in with their own conflicting open internet solutions, we need Congress to step up with a national framework for the whole internet ecosystem and resolve this issue once and for all," the group said in a Sunday statement. Net neutrality advocates worry that without rules, internet providers could create fast lanes and slow lanes that favor their own sites and apps or make it harder for consumers to see content from competitors. That could limit consumer choice or shut out upstart companies that can't afford to buy access to the fast lane, critics say. The new law prohibits internet providers from blocking or slowing data based on content or from favoring websites or video streams from companies that pay extra. It also bans "zero rating," in which internet providers don't count certain content against a monthly data cap generally video streams produced by the company's own subsidiaries and partners. Oregon, Washington and Vermont have approved legislation related to net neutrality, but California's measure is seen as the most comprehensive attempt to codify the principle in a way that might survive a likely court challenge. An identical bill was introduced in New York. Here's a list of bills signed by Brown on Sunday: AB 929 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) Spousal support factors: domestic violence. AB 1619 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Palo Alto) Sexual assault: statutes of limitations on civil actions. AB 1976 by Assemblymember Monique Limn (D-Goleta) Employment: lactation accommodation. AB 2044 by Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley) Domestic violence: family court. AB 2289 by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) Pupil rights: pregnant and parenting pupils. AB 2302 by Assemblymember Catharine Baker (R-Dublin) Child abuse: sexual assault: mandated reporters: statute of limitations. AB 2507 by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) County jails: infant and toddler breast milk feeding policy. AB 2626 by Assemblymember Kevin Mullin (D-South San Francisco) Child care services. AB 2698 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) California state preschool programs: general child care and development programs: mental health consultation services: adjustment factors. AB 2785 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) Student services: lactation accommodations. AB 3082 by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) In-home supportive services. AB 3109 by Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Scotts Valley) Contracts: waiver of right of petition or free speech. AB 3118 by Assemblymember David Chiu (D-San Francisco) Sexual assault: investigations. SB 224 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) Personal rights: civil liability and enforcement. SB 419 by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Canada Flintridge) Legislature: Whistleblower protection and retaliation prevention. SB 820 by Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino) Settlement agreements: confidentiality. SB 826 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) Corporations: boards of directors. A signing message can be found here. SB 1300 by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) Unlawful employment practices: discrimination and harassment. SB 1343 by Senator Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles) Employers: sexual harassment training: requirements. Gov. Dannel Malloy fired back at accusations that his administration is responsible for any kind of spike or jump in violent crimes by people who were released early from state prisons. A spokesman for the governor said Meriden Republican Senator Len Suzio was peddling, alternative facts, in order to bolster his position in an election year. During a press conference Tuesday at the Legislative Office Building, Suzio said he identified 14,008 violent crimes committed from October 2011 to June of 2018 by people who were released early from prison. Suzio, who is running for reelection in November, said he received the information on crimes committed by prisoners who were granted early release through a Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the Connecticut Department of Correction. He said he took it upon himself to go through the file to identify violent crimes committed by those released early. Suzio described his findings as, shocking. According to Suzios analysis, he discovered 319 murders and rapes, in addition to 775 inmates who were charged with crimes against a child. How much proof do we need that this law is a catastrophic failure and a betrayal on the people of Connecticut by the Malloy administration? Suzio asked. Im advocating the immediate suspension of the program because with a huge number of violent crimes being committed each and every day, every day that passes were talking another six or so violent crimes being committed. Suzios data collection and analysis, when viewed in a vacuum, looks bad, but the broader picture of crime in Connecticut far more positive on the whole. While Suzio claims to have identified more than 14,000 violent crimes over a roughly seven year period, that same period saw a decline in overall violent crime by a wide margin. From 2011 to 2017 there were 61,887 violent crimes reported in Connecticut, according to state and federal records. And from 2005 there were 72,802 reported violent crimes. That drop shows Connecticut residents were at lower risk for violent crime than previously. In addition, the number of arrests has been halved since 2003. Malloy took office in 2010. In 2003 there were 136,137 arrests reported for all crimes. The estimate for 2018 is that there will be somewhere in the range of 76,000 arrests. The picture on recidivism, previous offenders committing crimes and returning to prison, is also more positive than Suzio suggests. The year many Malloy criminal justice policies took effect, in 2011, a spokesman for Malloy wrote, 4,403 inmates returned to prison who were released. Three years later, in 2014, the number was down to 3,840 inmates who were arrested and then returned to prison. Malloys spokesman Leigh Appleby wrote, There is no disputing that Connecticut is safer today than when Governor Malloy took office. That is an objective fact, backed up by FBI data. Senator Suzios end game would see more people mostly people of color locked up for longer periods of time, and our state would only be less safe. Todays press conference was an embarrassment. Suzio argues past data is not relevant when looking at those who keep committing crimes. If you think the state of Connecticut is safer because of your administration and the laws that youve enacted, then go tell it to the 14,008 victims of violent crimes that have been committed by prisoners who were released early because of your notorious and catastrophic early release law. When asked whether there is only so much the system can do to prevent bad people from doing bad things, Suzio acknowledged there is no perfect formula to reducing crime. There are some people who are incorrigible and there are some people who can be reformed," he said. North Korea warned Washington through its state media Tuesday that a declaration ending the Korean War shouldn't be seen as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks but suggested lifting sanctions might be. The North's official news agency issued a commentary claiming Pyongyang has taken significant measures to end hostile relations between the two countries but said the U.S. is "trying to subdue" it through sanctions, a not-so-subtle call for Washington to lift sanctions if it wants further progress in their stalled nuclear negotiations. The commentary said a declaration replacing a 65-year-old armistice to formally end the war "is not just a gift from a man to another," and added, "it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearized." The DPRK is short for the North's official name the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The commentary was directed at supporters of the U.S. policy to maintain maximum pressure and sanctions on North Korea until it has made clear and significant moves to denuclearize. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a vocal advocate of that policy is expected to travel to Pyongyang soon to try to revive the negotiation process and set the stage for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un. The commentary echoes a speech by North Korea's foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, at the United Nations last week in which he claimed North Korea is ready to implement the agreements Trump and Kim made during their first summit, in Singapore in June, but also accused Washington of failing to demonstrate its willingness to ease tensions and build mutual trust. "Without any trust in the U.S., there will be no confidence in our national security," he said, "and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first." The North's emphasis on lifting sanctions and building trust above all else puts a spotlight on the rift between its position and Washington's since the Singapore summit, when Trump and Kim issued a vague statement about a nuclear-free peninsula without describing when and how it would occur. Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have since been rocky, with neither side able to agree on a starting point and widespread skepticism in the United States over whether Pyongyang is serious about renouncing an arsenal it sees as the only way to guarantee its safety. Hopes for progress in the talks got a boost last month, when South Korean President Moon Jae-in met with Kim in Pyongyang for their third summit. The summit resulted in a joint statement in which the North expressed willingness for a "permanent" dismantling of its main nuclear facility in Nyongbyon if the United States takes corresponding measures and the dismantling of a missile engine test site and launch pad in northwestern North Korea. What the North would see as corresponding measures wasn't specified. But Tuesday's commentary and the U.N. statement suggest sanctions are a primary concern. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in what was intended to be a temporary ceasefire. Moon and Kim are pushing for the end-of-war declaration by December. The declaration would be less difficult to make than a formal peace treaty, and Moon says he and Kim have agreed such a "political declaration" wouldn't require the pullout of 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. What to Know Doctors say 9-year-old child has a tumor crushing her heart and lungs and that she went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing. Doctors were able to restart her heart after 60 minutes of CPR; tests showed child was brain dead and hospital wants to remove life support. Child's parents are holding out hope for a miracle and ask that their daughter be moved to another facility to continue care. A Tarrant County judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Monday that prevents Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth from removing a 9-year-old girl from a ventilator days after being declared brain dead. Doctors at the hospital had planned to remove Payton Summons from life support at noon Monday, against the wishes of her parents who are holding out hope for a miracle that their daughter will recover and regain consciousness. Summons Family The couple's attorney, Justin Moore, said the delay was necessary to allow the family time to find another medical facility willing to keep Payton alive. "It's the best news since everything happened," said Payton's mother, Tiffany Hofstetter. "There was a huge weight taken off my shoulders and I actually felt like I could breathe." Hofstetter's daughter was brought to Cook Children's Hospital on Sept. 25 after she suddenly went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing. Doctors were eventually able to revive her heartbeat. But they said her brain, which went without oxygen for more than an hour, suffered serious damage -- and she was no longer able to breathe on her own. She has been on life support ever since. Summons has cancer, with a tumor that cut off her circulation, according to hospital attorney Laura Copeland, who added the tumor was crushing the girl's heart and lungs. "As is standard practice, we conducted a brain death exam on Payton approximately 24 hours after she was admitted to our hospital," a spokesperson for Cook Children's said Monday in a written statement. "The results were conclusive and showed zero brain activity, confirming that Payton is brain dead ... Our hearts are with Payton's family and we will continue doing everything in our power to help them through this difficult time." Tuesday, Moore notified Cook Children's Hospital that Payton's parents revoked their consent for the hospital to speak to the media about Payton's condition, a hospital spokesperson said. "Unfortunately, this means that we are no longer able to provide detailed, factual information regarding this case," the statement read. "Were disappointed that the family has revoked their authorization because we believe that accurate information facilitates fair, balanced and informed reporting." Doctors at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth say a 9-year-old girl is brain dead after suffering cardiac arrest last week and plan to remove her from life support Monday. Her parents are holding out hope and have filed a TRO and are asking for more time for their child. In a Monday statement, Moore said, "As is their right under the Texas Advance Directives Act, they should be provided the time and opportunity to find another facility that will allow for continued care of Payton while she slowly recovers. They simply want to give their child a fighting chance. Far too often, we have seen medical facilities choose profits over care for patients. Paytons predicament falls in line with this misguided, cold and callous practice of hospitals worried about overhead, instead of the natural lives of its patients. No young child should be treated like this." Moore said doctors told the parents on Thursday that their daughter was brain dead, meeting the state's legal definition of death even though her heart still beats. Summons Family "So you have folks saying their child is dead, when they think she's alive," said Moore. "The fact that they think she can recover, they don't believe she's brain dead." "Our physicians and nurses were able to revive her heartbeat, but they were unsuccessful in resuscitating her breathing," the hospital statement said. The cardiac arrest had caused "a devastating injury to her brain due to being without oxygen for over an hour," the statement said. On Monday, Copeland told the judge: "There is no facility, there is no phone call that could be made, there is no place that will take her. She is dead. It is very traumatic for the staff to have to do things for a patient they know is dead." The hospital said the Texas Advance Directives Act allows a hospital after a 10-day waiting period to discontinue life-sustaining treatment on a patient once that patient's doctors determine that continuing treatment would be "futile." Moore, however, said Payton's parents have not given up. Summons Family Cook Children's said it does not believe the law applies to Payton's specific case because she had already been declared brain dead. Still, they issued a statement Monday afternoon saying they would comply with the judge's TRO and that Payton would receive the best possible care while in their facility. Cook Childrens will comply with Judge Wilkinsons order to maintain Payton on ventilator support to allow her family time to explore whether she can be transported to another facility. During that time, we will hold off on performing the second brain death examination. The purpose of the second exam is to provide an independent examination to confirm the first test that showed zero brain activity which, under Texas law, means that Payton is considered brain dead. Our physicians and nurses will continue to administer the best possible care for Payton. In addition, our staff will assist Paytons family and their attorney in their effort to get her transferred to another facility. We respect the effort of Paytons family to do what they believe is best for their child. We experience this kind of parental passion every day and always work alongside the parents. The hospital previously noted it reached out to two other area hospitals to see if they'd be willing to accept her as a patient -- but both hospitals denied the transfer "because they agreed there was nothing additional they could do for Payton." State District Judge Melody Wilkinson has scheduled a Friday morning hearing to reconsider the order after further developments. Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. Proposed Dallas regulations that could forbid removing trees from home owners back yards are the target of opposition from the Homebuilders Association of Greater Dallas. The Neighborhood Forest Overlay (NFO) plan, making its way through City Hall, is an additional step beyond tougher tree regulations already approved by the Dallas City Council in May. NFO would be an optional step neighborhoods could take to retain trees. Supporters hope to reduce clear cutting that sometimes occurs when small older homes are demolished to make way for larger new homes. New homes are replacing older homes now in many established Dallas neighborhoods with big trees. Former Dallas City Councilman Bob Stimson is also a former Oak Cliff Chamber of Commerce President. He has been a builders advocate but also supports tree preservation. He supports the NFO plan. Its a way for neighborhoods, on a neighborhood by neighborhood basis, to adopt the equivalent of a conservation district, to protect the trees inside their neighborhood, Stimson said. The Neighborhood Forest Overlay would allow each neighborhood to decide which trees get cut and which dont get cut. An individual neighborhood plan might forbid removing trees in the back yard of homes or simply add more protection to front yard trees. Jeff Dworkin with JLD Custom Homes said that some trees are not worth protecting if they compromise the slab of a home. Builders do not just tear down trees unnecessarily. We want to leave the trees in. They help sell the house, Dworkin said. He said some varieties are more valuable than other trees and property owners should have the right to decide what trees to save. The rules would apply to existing homeowners and not just new home builders. This is a property rights issue. It is not an issue of old home versus new home. Its really a property rights issue, Dworkin said. The measure is under review now by the Dallas Zoning Advisory Committee. The Dallas Plan Commission would also review it before any final action by the Dallas City Council so there is substantial time for more public input. Stimson said the Homebuilders have some valid concerns that could be addressed with possible exceptions in the final NFO regulations. California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed Assembly Bill 186 on Sunday, which would have allowed the city and county of San Francisco to open safe injection sites following a three-year pilot program, according to the governor's office. The bill, which was one of many that crossed the governor's desk on Sunday, was co-authored by Assemblyman Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco and introduced by Assemblywoman Susan Eggman, D-Stockton. It passed in both the Assembly and Senate floors before going to Brown's desk in early September. The governor said in a statement that despite the belief of supporters that the centers would have a positive impact and reduce deaths from drug use, non-supporters - including police, drug court judges and the rehab treatment industry - didn't agree with the "harm reduction" approach the bill was hoping to achieve. "Fundamentally, I don't believe that enabling illegal drug use in government-sponsored injection centers - with no corresponding requirement that the user undergo treatment - will reduce drug addiction," Brown said in a statement. Brown also said that although the bill creates immunity under state law, there are no protections under federal law, and cited a claim from United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions that prosecution of local officials and healthcare professional would take place if the bill was passed into law. Wiener issued a statement voicing his strong disappointment to the veto and the threat of federal prosecution. "We should not allow threats from a backward federal government stop us from helping people who are dying on our streets," Wiener said. "The status quo is not working ... Safe injection sites provide people with an opportunity to inject in a clean, safe environment with healthcare personnel available to prevent overdoses, and with an opportunity to offer people addiction, healthcare, housing and other services. These sites save lives, and today's veto is definitely a lost opportunity." San Francisco Mayor London Breed also expressed displeasure over the governor's decision not to sign the bill into law. "If we are going to stop the drug use we see in public every day and get the needles off our streets, we need proven public health solutions," Breed said in a statement. " We have seen these sites work in cities in other countries and we know they not only save lives, but they can save our city money by reducing costs for healthcare and emergency services." A Los Angeles City Council committee agreed Monday with one of its members, who says the National Rifle Association is one of the biggest roadblocks to gun safety reform, in signing off on a motion that would require city contractors to disclose any ties they have to the organization. Councilman Mitch O'Farrell's motion, if passed by the full council and signed by the mayor, would not ban NRA-connected contractors from doing business with the city, but would require them to disclose any contracts or sponsorships they have with the gun rights advocacy group. The NRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The City Council approved a similar ordinance last year that requires contractors or prospective contractors to disclose that they have placed bids on President Donald Trump's border wall. Although it did not ban those contractors from working with the city, the ordinance sent the message that Los Angeles would be unlikely to hire a contractor with ties to the wall. "The roadblock to gun safety legislation across the United States is the National Rifle Association," O'Farrell told the Budget and Finance Committee. "Although gun safety legislation has been enacted by some individual states, especially here in California, the NRA's lock on Congress and the Senate is such that no gun safety legislation has been enacted at the federal level since 1994 with the assault weapons ban. Than ban expired in 2004." O'Farrell is not on the committee, but came to the meeting and spoke to its members before they approved his motion -- which says the city of Los Angeles historically has enacted ordinances in support of gun safety -- without objection. The motion says there have been more than 1,600 mass shootings in America since the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting in 2012, citing the Gun Violence Archive, which quantifies a mass shooting as when four or more people are wounded or killed, not including the shooter. "For the sake of transparency, the city's residents and stakeholders deserve to know how the city's public funds are being spent, and whether taxpayer funds are being spent on contractors that have contractual or sponsorship ties with the NRA," the motion states. Following the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on Feb. 14, a number of corporations that had offered discounts to NRA members cut ties with the organization, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and the Hertz rental car firm. O'Farrell's motion does not state if the city currently has any contractors with ties to the NRA. A Pomona woman who participated in a scheme to smuggle space and military technology to her native China was sentenced Monday to more than five years in federal prison. Si Chen, 33, was sentenced to 46 moths in federal prison. Chen, also known as Cathy Chen, pleaded guilty in July to conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which restricts the export of specific goods and technology, money laundering and using a forged passport made to look as if it were issued by China. Chen bought and smuggled the military technology, commonly known as "jammers," to her native China from March 2013 through the end of 2015. The communications devices were worth more than $100,000. "This is a tragic case," Chen's attorney Adam H. Braun said Monday. "Ms. Chen is a mother of a young child and was just beginning her career as an accountant. She made the mistake of agreeing to help a woman in China buy and ship electronic parts in exchange for a few hundred dollars per shipment and the promise they might one day do business together. As a recent immigrant, she hoped to develop business relationships which made her an easy target." "The Court recognized Ms. Chen was used by the Chinese buyer and gave Ms. Chen a sentencing break for being a minor participant in the Chinese efforts to buy the electronic parts. Ms. Chen is extremely remorseful and has paid a terrible price for her error in judgment." Two defendants in a scam to sell phony identification out of the Department of Motor Vehicles pleaded guilty Monday. Tracey Lynette Jones of Long Beach, 35, who worked as a field representative in the agency's El Monte office, pleaded guilty to illegally producing ID documents. Co-defendant Jose Cruz of Corona, 51, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce illegal ID documents and identity theft. From July 2012 through August 2013, Jones helped produce phony driver's licenses by entering bogus information into the DMV system, according to her plea agreement. Jones altered records to make sure several applicants passed written, vision or driving tests they either failed or didn't take, according to her plea deal. She did so eight times, according to the plea. Jones' attorney, Kate Corrigan, said she will push for a "non-custodial sentence," and added that the agreement ensures she would spend no more than 14 months behind bars. "My client and I are hoping that she will receive a sentence that reflects the good works she has done since her arrest," Corrigan said. Cruz acknowledged that he and other conspirators obtained genuine Social Security numbers of Puerto Rican residents to be sold to people wishing to obtain state identification cards and driver's licenses, according to his plea deal. Cruz and another co-defendant met with an undercover agent in July 2012 who was posing as a customer who wanted to buy a fake ID. Cruz said he would take the agent to a DMV office in Riverside. Later, the agent met with Cruz and another co-defendant who provided the customer with a Puerto Rican birth certificate and Social Security number and then told to see a DMV clerk who was in on the scam, according to the plea. The undercover agent paid $3,100. Cruz also met with another undercover agent in August 2012 in Riverside when he said he had "connections" with the DMV in Riverside and Fullerton, according to the plea agreement. "As part of this scheme and common course of conduct, at least seven fraudulent California ID cards or driver's licenses were obtained in the names of actual people other than the applicant, which actual people had been born in Puerto Rico," according to the agreement. Three other defendants are awaiting trial in May and one defendant is a fugitive, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. What to Know Brevard County Sheriffs officials say Simmone James confronted the girls Monday while walking her child to her elementary school in Cocoa. A Central Florida mother is behind bars after police say she threw cayenne pepper powder in the faces of two girls who were allegedly bullying her daughter. Simmone James was charged with two counts each of child abuse and battery, according to NBC affiliate WESH-TV. Brevard County Sheriffs officials say the 46-year-old James confronted the girls Monday while walking her child to her elementary school in Cocoa. Officers say she threw the powder mixture, including salt, in their faces. James' husband said the parents were tired of bullying the claim has been going on for months, saying they have spoken with the school and law enforcement but nothing changed. "My daughter's scared to death," Larry Barkley said. "My wife got to walk her to school and I don't think its fair." Both victims, ages 8 and 11 according to the station, were treated at the schools clinic but taken to an area hospital as a precaution. "Any mom is going to defend her child, but this is not the way to do it," Yvonne Martinez from the Cocoa Police Department said. "You don't resort to violence to deal with it." Preliminary tests show red tide may be the cause of breathing problems some beach goers on Florida's Atlantic coast have experienced. Palm Beach County officials said Monday state water tests found the algae that causes red tide. The statement said more testing needs to be done to determine its concentration before a final determination can be made. At least six beaches in Palm Beach County have been closed to swimming as a precaution, though officials are planning to reopen them Wednesday. Florida's Gulf Coast has been hit hard by red tide this summer, causing a massive die off of both fish and other sea life. It also causes breathing problems in some humans. There have been 57 Gulf Coast outbreaks since 1953. Officials say red tide is uncommon on the state's Atlantic Coast, with only eight outbreaks since 1953. Beaches in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are being tested for red tide after preliminary state tests found the algae was present in the coastal waters of Palm Beach County. The city of Deerfield Beach said the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has tested its beach and results should come back by Wednesday. In Miami-Dade, water samples were collected at Haulover, east of 79th Street, Miami Beach at 22 Street and Key Biscayne, according to the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. Results are expected by Thursday. Palm Beach County officials said Monday state water tests found the algae -- Karenia brevis -- that causes red tide in 11 sites from Palm Beach Inlet to Jupiter Inlet. Some of the beaches are expected to remain closed through at least Wednesday. The Florida Department of Health advises people with severe chronic respiratory conditions should avoid red tide areas. Several beach goers in Broward County reported experiencing some mild coughing and irritation. "There's a few dead fish. People are coughing," said Melissa Tersmette, who was visiting from New York. "The guy we rented the chair from mentioned hes been here all summer and it is a concern." Are you frustrated? Stressed? Had a really bad day? At one South Florida business, you can let it all out. That's what you're encouraged to do at Smash the Rage, a "rage room" in northwest Miami-Dade. "The adrenaline kick is awesome," said one customer, Lidia Alonso. "And it feels good." Just $30 can buy you 15 minutes inside a room filled with objects which can be made of anything from glass and ceramic, to electronics and more that you can literally destroy. Customers must wear a protective suit, helmet and gloves before entering. Once inside, grab your weapon of choice and let it all out. "We feel that this is a healthy outlet for people to not just take their anger out, but also have a workout," said Kathy Barrios, co-owner of Smash the Rage. Barrios and Massiel Reyes opened Smash the Rage on Sept. 1. Barrios discovered the rage room concept while searching on Facebook and wanted to let out a little frustration of her own. "For me, this is my yoga," Barrios said. "I hate yoga, so I come in here, I wreck a couple of things for 15 minutes and burn a little over 100 calories, so why not?" Customers must be at least 18 years old and sign a waiver to go on a smashing spree. The company offers packages for one person, groups and even themed packages. "I don't think it's a long-term fix for somebody that is experiencing some sort of emotional issues, but I do think it's a great way to kind of like de-stress for a while the same way people drink a glass of wine," Reyes said. Smash the Rage, located at 5056 NW 74th Avenue in Miami, is open seven days a week at various times. You must register online before arriving. The death toll has grown to more than 1,200 following the catastrophic 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia's central island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28. About 62,000 people have been displaced with fuel and food running out in the aftermath of the natural disasters, which come less than two months since another earthquake struck Lombok Island. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Here's how you can contribute to organizations working to address the disaster: Red Cross Society: Indonesia's Red Cross currently has over 175 volunteers and staff working in the region, conducting search and rescue efforts, offering medical support, and dispersing goods. They will continue doing so for months. Jan Gefland, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the Red Cross' "biggest challenge at the moment is getting access to all communities, and then bringing large quantities of vital relief supplies into the disaster zone." You can donate by mailing a check to your local Red Cross chapter, by writing "Indonesia" in the memo field. Also, here's the IFRC's Sulawesi Tsunami specific donation page. CARE: The humanitarian non governmental relief agency, which partners with USAID, is collecting donations to provide clean drinking water, emergency family shelter, and resources including hygiene kits. UNICEF: The United Nations Children's Fund has taken their humanitarian efforts to Indonesia. They are now collecting donations on their website for issues specific to children, including reuniting children with their families and providing clean water. International Medical Corps: On Friday, the relief agency announced its emergency response team was being dispatched to Indonesia, providing victims with care and supplies. The ask for donations here. Project HOPE: On the ground in Palu, the humanitarian organization is collecting general donations. Donations specific to Indonesia's recovery can be made here. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee: The relief organization is assessing the region's specific needs. A donation, the organization writes, would contribute towards the organization providing emergency medical care, supplies and psychological support. Food for the Hungry: The international relief and development organization, founded in 1971, has a page for direct donations, for "faithfully answering God's call to respond to suffering." The organization is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Indonesia Earthquake and Tsunami The Indonesian neighborhoods of Petobo, top, and Balaroa, bottom, in Palu as shown before and after an earthquake and tsunami devastated the area. Click here for a larger image. Click here for a larger image. What to Know US Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) vowed to ensure the FBI conducts "a real investigation" into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Flake's comments came during Forbes' 30 Under 30 Summit in Boston during a trek to New England to explore a possible presidential run. Before the even, demonstrators gathered at Boston's City Hall Plaza to encourage Flake to block Kavanaugh's nomination. The Republican senator who suddenly sits at the center of the explosive Supreme Court debate vowed Monday to ensure the FBI does "a real investigation" into President Donald Trump's nominee as he trekked across New England while exploring a possible run for president. "It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover," Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told hundreds of young people at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit in Boston. The White House has insisted it's not "micromanaging" the new one-week review of decades-old allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Some Democratic lawmakers claimed the White House was keeping investigators from interviewing certain witnesses. While Flake was on stage, moderator Randall Lane, chief content officer at Forbes, announced news that the White House had just authorized the FBI to expand its abbreviated investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh by interviewing anyone it wants. Lane credited Flake for the decision. Before the event in Boston, hundreds of demonstrators gathered at City Hall Plaza to urge Flake to block Kavanaugh's nomination. "We're here to send a message to Senator Flake that if you come to Boston, you're going to hear from us," said Rebecca Hart Holder, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Democratic Massachusetts congressional candidate and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, Democratic New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, along with advocacy groups and survivors of sexual assault, all spoke at the event. The crowd gathered at the rally carried signs with messages like "No, Brett" and "Kava-NAH." They joined in chants of "Love, not hate," and "Hey hey, ho ho, Kavanaugh has got to go!" Both Pressley and Ocasio-Cortez spoke of their own experiences of sexual assault and harassment. "There are many parts that make up my identity," Pressley said at the rally. "Chief amongst them, I am black, I am a woman and I am a survivor. I have been asked to not come off as outraged or angry for fear of being labeled as an angry black woman. Well, I am angry, and I am outraged because this is outrageous." Pressley, quoting activist Deray McKesson, noted that those who are abused or marginalized are not voiceless, "what we are is unheard." "Senator Flake, Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, can you hear us now?" she added. "Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you. Can you hear us now?" Ocasio-Cortez shared several personal stories, including how when she was 18 or 19 years old, at a party in Boston, she saw a girl getting flung over someone's shoulder, unconscious, at a fraternity party, and taken upstairs. "Everybody looked, but nobody said anything," she said. Walsh said Flake should not be receiving praise just for asking for an FBI investigation. I want to say to Senator Flake, I guess I want to say thank you for asking the question, but thats your job," he said. "Thats your job to vet the nominee sitting on that committee." Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey made clear he is opposed to Kavanaugh because his presence on the court would pose a danger to Roe v. Wade. He also noted the state's long-standing history of launching revolutionary changes and leading progressive movements. "We are Massachusetts. We are the revolutionaries," Markey said. "This is where the abolitionist movement started, this is where the suffragette movement started, this is where the Affordable Care Act movement started, this is where the gay marriage movement started. This is where the revolution starts to say that Brett Kavanaugh will not serve on the Supreme Court of the United States of America." Olympian Adam Rippon, who was also in town to speak at the Forbes event, attended Monday's rally. "As soon as I found out Jeff Flake would be here in Boston, I said, 'Where is the rally?'" Rippon said. "We need to protect safe and legal abortion," he added. "We need to stand up for victims of sexual abuse. And we need to call every single day and say no to Brett Kavanaugh." Flake later traveled to St. Anselm's College in Manchester, New Hampshire for a speech at the school's New Hampshire Institute of Politics. Flake quipped that he'd always heard that St. Anselm's was a safe place, populated by calm, reasonable people. "I'm counting on this today. You have no idea," Flake said with a smile, as the crowd laughed. Flake spoke about last week's Kavanaugh hearings and how party loyalists and tribalism affected the process. "My message here today is that tribalism is ruining us. It's tearing our country apart. It is no way for sane adults to act," Flake said. "Ultimately, the only tribe to which any of us owes allegiance is the American tribe." It was Flake's second appearance in New Hampshire this year. He has said a bid for president in 2020 is unlikely, but hasn't ruled one out altogether. "Not really thinking of that," Flake said when NBC10 Boston asked him about a potential White House run. "There's too much going on in Washington now." Monday's Boston event, which also included an appearance by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, was originally scheduled to be held at the Colonial Emerson Theatre, but Emerson College pushed to have the event canceled over "safety reasons." Instead, it was moved to City Hall Plaza. Flake was a central figure in advancing Kavanaugh's nomination from the Senate Judiciary Committee with his tie-breaking vote. Flake said he'd vote to advance the bill to the floor, but asked for a one-week investigation into the sexual assault allegations lodged by Christine Blasey Ford against Kavanaugh. On "60 Minutes" Sunday night, Flake talked about his impressions of Kavanaughs testimony, saying, "It was anger...but if I were unjustly accused, that's how I would feel as well. As it went on, I think his interaction with some of the members was a little too sharp, but the statement at the beginning I thought was pretty raw, but in keeping with someone who had been unjustly accused." The Associated Press contributed to this report. What to Know Amazon is boosting its minimum wage for all U.S. workers to $15 per hour starting next month Her doctors declared her brain dead. Her parents are holding out hope for a miracle. Now, a legal battle is brewing Actor Chris Evans dragged West on Twitter for once again supporting Donald Trump and the president's policies Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here. Democrats Question Brett Kavanaugh's Credibility, Temperament Democrats are raising new questions about the truthfulness of Brett Kavanaugh's sworn testimony to the Senate, shifting tactics against President Trump's Supreme Court nominee as they await the results of the FBI's background investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democrats' leader from New York, accused Kavanaugh of delivering a "partisan screed" during the Judiciary Committee hearing. He said Kavanaugh seemed willing to "mislead senators about everything from the momentous to the mundane" to ensure his ascension to the high court. Not so, argued Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, contending the Democrats are simply looking to "move the goalposts" to prevent Kavanaugh's confirmation. He pledged that the full Senate would begin voting on Kavanaugh's nomination this week. How NAFTA 2.0 Will Shake Up Business as Usual American dairy farmers get more access to the Canadian market. U.S. drug companies can fend off generic competition for a few more years. Automakers are under pressure to build more cars where workers earn decent wages. The North American trade agreement hammered out between the United States and Canada, following an earlier U.S.-Mexico deal, shakes up but likely won't revolutionize the way businesses operate within the three-country trade bloc. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement replaces the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement, which tore down trade barriers between the three countries. But NAFTA encouraged factories to move to Mexico to take advantage of low-wage labor in what President Trump called a job-killing "disaster" for the United States. The agreement is meant to bring manufacturing back to the United States. The president, never known for understatement, said the new deal would "transform North America back into a manufacturing powerhouse." Amazon Raising Minimum Wage for US Workers to $15 Per Hour Amazon is boosting its minimum wage for all U.S. workers to $15 per hour starting next month. The company said the wage hike will benefit more than 350,000 workers, which includes full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal positions. Pay for workers at Amazon can vary by location. Its starting pay is $10 an hour at a warehouse in Austin, Texas, and $13.50 an hour in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The median pay for an Amazon employee last year was $28,446, according to government filings, which includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers. Amazon has more than 575,000 employees globally. Court Orders Hospital to Keep 9-Year-Old Girl on Life Support Her doctors declared her brain dead. Her parents are holding out hope for a miracle. Now, a legal battle is brewing between Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth and a North Texas family as they fight to prevent their daughter from being taken off life support. A Tarrant County judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order that prevents the hospital from removing Payton Summons ventilator. "It's the best news since everything happened," said Payton's mother, Tiffany Hofstetter. "There was a huge weight taken off my shoulders and I actually felt like I could breathe." The 9-year old was brought to Cook Children's Hospital on Sept. 25 after she suddenly went into cardiac arrest and stopped breathing. Doctors were eventually able to revive her heartbeat. But they said her brain, which went without oxygen for more than an hour, suffered serious damage -- and she was no longer able to breathe on her own. She has been on life support ever since. Chris Evans, Lana Del Rey Criticize Kanye West's Politics Captain America's biggest foe isn't a double agent or a purple alien it's Kanye West. Chris Evans dragged West on Twitter for once again supporting Donald Trump and the president's policies. Hours after his "SNL" performance and his non-televised rant was met with boos West tweeted a picture of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. "This represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs," West said. "We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love." Ratified in 1865 after the Civil War, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, but also "allowed for prisoners to be used as slave labor," writer Yashar Ali said on Twitter. "He doesn't articulate that in his tweet, leaving people confused and others delighted." Evans has been critical of the Trump administration. Outspoken Jemele Hill Joining The Atlantic Jemele Hill is joining the staff of The Atlantic weeks after the outspoken personality left ESPN after 12 years as a commentator, anchor, reporter and writer. Hill posted on her Twitter feed a message from the publication's editor-in-chief. Jeffrey Goldberg wrote Hill will be a staff writer "covering the intersection of sports, race, politics, gender and culture." Hill attracted attention last year and was briefly suspended for opinionated messages on social media, including a tweet that referenced President Donald Trump as a "white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists." She also targeted Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones after he stated that players who disrespect the flag would not play for his team. She tweeted that fans who disagree with Jones should not buy the team's merchandise. What to Know The fugitive suspected of shooting at police officers at a hospital in Ellenville, NY, appeared in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday Joshua Stuart, 42, was caught Monday behind a Whole Foods supermarket in Brooklyn after a chase, officials and witnesses say His lawyer painted him as a heroin user going through withdrawal The fugitive suspect wanted for an upstate New York hospital shooting who fled to Brooklyn and tried to rob a store clerk at gunpoint was charged with that armed stickup in federal court Tuesday, authorities say. Joshua Stuart, 42, wore a plastic white suit as he was walked from a police precinct into a car to head to federal court. He said nothing to reporters about the crime spree he's accused of, which began Friday when he allegedly robbed an Ulster County hospital where staff refused to give him pain medication. His attorney painted his client as a longtime heavy heroin user going through withdrawal. "He's doing OK right now, but I see signs of withdrawal," said Michael Padden outside court Tuesday. "He told me he needed treatment for it." Padden said he requested Stuart get methadone maintenance while behind bars. It's unclear whethere he'll return to federal court in Brooklyn to face charges for robbing the hospital upstate. Court documents show he fired a gun inside the Ellenville Regional Hospital Friday, shooting out a Demerol dispenser and stealing about 17 vials of the narcotic from the hospital before fleeing in a truck. Police said he then fired at officers, then ran through the woods on foot. While on the run, he broke into a home, stole a car and fled to Brooklyn, where he has strong family ties, according to authorities. He was spotted over the weekend in the Sunset Park and Flatbush neighborhoods -- and then on Monday, he allegedly robbed a tobacco store and a clerk in that store. He was finally caught behind a Whole Foods supermarket in Gowanus, where a security guard spotted him and called police, according to a witness. "He was full speed, he was running for his life" in the Whole Foods parking lot when police responded, said the witness who asked to remain anonymous. Stuart then leaped into the Gowanus Canal, according to the witness. "He jumps into the water, so as soon as he jumps in, the cops go after him and pretty much gets him right away," said the witness. Stuart was arrested by members of the NY/NJ U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Task Force and the NYPD. Police said they did recover a gun, and no one was hurt. Stuart was charged with robbery, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property and criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to police. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney. Stuart has previously been arrested in a pharmacy robbery, state police said. It wasn't immediately clear whether weapons were involved in that robbery or whether he was convicted. What to Know A pair of kidnappers abducted a delivery driver at gunpoint in Brooklyn after he accidentally hit their car, police said The kidnappers called the driver's boss and demanded cash. The boss told them to meet him in Manhattan, but called police in the meantime When the kidnappers arrived at the meeting point, officers arrested one of them. The other led officers on a chase but was eventually caught A pair of kidnappers who abducted a delivery driver at gunpoint and demanded money from his boss were arrested after a police chase that ended on an Upper West Side fire escape, authorities said. The 32-year-old driver was making a delivery in Brooklyn around noon on Monday when he accidentally hit a parked car, Captain Timothy Malin, the commanding officer of the 20th Precinct on the Upper West Side, said at a news conference Tuesday. After he hit the car, two men approached him and demanded cash, but the delivery driver told them hed have to call his boss, Malin said. When the drivers boss told him theyd go through the insurance company, however, the two men pulled out a gun, forced the driver into a white BMW sedan and got on the phone with the boss. "If you want your van back, and if you want your delivery driver back, youre going to have to pay us," they told the boss, according to Malin. The boss, however, very smartly told the men to meet him at West 73rd Street and Broadway in Manhattan, Malin said. After the call, the drivers boss called 911 and met up with officers from the 20th Precinct, who devised a plan to trap the kidnappers. When the kidnappers showed up at the intersection with the delivery driver around 3 p.m., the officers tried to stop them. The kidnappers tried to get away, but ended up crashing the car on the sidewalk, Malin said. Officers were able to catch one of the kidnappers, but the other ran down the block and through a school in an attempt to flee. He eventually ran up eight stories on a fire escape on West 72nd Street, where he was arrested, according to Malin. After officers got a warrant to search the kidnappers car, they found a handgun, a small amount of heroin and a small amount of cocaine inside, according to Malin. [This was] one of the strangest cases that Ive been a part of in the 18 and a half years Ive been with the New York City Police Department, Malin said. The delivery driver was shaken up, but completely unhurt, the commanding officer noted. What to Know Cardi B had to turn herself in to police after she was accused of attacking bartenders at a strip club in Queens back in August Nineteen people got stuck on an elevator at the Clark Street two and three train subway station Monday morning for an entire hour It only took 50 years, but one of NYC's most glaring typos has been fixed Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018 Happy Tuesday! It's not really going to feel like October again today, but at least it stays dry for the first half of the day anyway. Some powerful storms may start to fire up around dinner time. As always, get the latest forecast at nbcnewyork.com/weather. 1. Rapper Cardi B Surrenders After Strip Club Fight in NYC Cardi B is in back in the news for the wrong reasons again. The rapper had to turn herself in to police after she was accused of attacking bartenders at a strip club in Queens back in August. The NYPD says she was at the club because hubby Offset and the rest of Migos were performing. It's not clear what sparked the brawl, a source says it may have been over an affair. The bartenders' lawyer says drinks, chairs and even a hookah pipe went flying. Read more here. 2. 19 People Get Trapped in Subway Elevator for an Hour Nineteen people got stuck on an elevator at the Clark Street two and three train subway station Monday morning for an entire hour. And, no, there was wasn't AC. They said they heard a bunch of banging sounds and then everything came to a screeching halt. Luckily, firefighters came to the rescue and nobody was hurt. Get more here. 3. Verrazzano Bridge Finally Gets Its Second Z After 50 Years It only took 50 years, but one of NYC's most glaring typos has been fixed. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which was named after the Italian explorer who discovered New York Harbor, gets a second Z. When they named the bridge, somebody forgot the second Z in his name. Somehow, the spelling stuck until Gov. Cuomo signed a bill to fix the error. Read more here. For the latest entertainment news and things to do, tune in to New York Live, Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. on NBC 4 New York. What to Know 50-year-old Wayne Kozak of Eden admitted to shooting and killing his 79-year-old mother with a shotgun last year, prosecutors say He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Mary Kozak in April 2017 He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 7; prosecutors have not publicly discussed a possible motive A western New York man has admitted to shooting and killing his 79-year-old mother with a shotgun. Erie County prosecutors say 50-year-old Wayne Kozak of Eden pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Mary Kozak in April 2017. Kozak was arrested several hours later at an Erie, Pennsylvania, motel. He faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 7. Prosecutors have not publicly discussed a possible motive. What to Know A Catholic priest in Westchester has been accused of inappropriate behavior with a minor Rev. Thomas Kreiser, a priest at a church in Bronxville, was removed from the parish after the Archdiocese received the allegation The priest in 2011 pleaded guilty to stealing $25,000 from his previous church in Rockland County A Catholic priest who stole thousands of dollars from his previous parish to fuel a gambling addiction has been accused of inappropriate behavior with a minor. Rev. Thomas Kreiser, a priest at St. Josephs Church in Bronxville, was removed from the parish after the Archdiocese of New York received an allegation of inappropriate behavior with a minor, a spokesperson for the Archdiocese said. Keiser will not be able to serve as a priest or to publicly present himself as a priest until the matter is resolved, the spokesperson added. The priest arrived at St. Josephs Church three months ago, despite parishioners concerns about his past legal troubles. Keiser in 2011 pleaded guilty to stealing around $25,000 from St. Gregory Barbarigo Church in Rockland County and was sentenced to five years' probation. The Archdioceses spokesperson said the allegation of inappropriate behavior has been shared with the Westchester DA, and the parish and the archdiocese are cooperating with that investigation. A spokesperson for the DAs office confirmed that the allegation was referred to the office, but said the office [couldnt] comment on an investigation. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) Military records show Senator Antonio Trillanes IV applied for amnesty, but the documents cannot be found because of "lapses" in the organization, Armed Forces Chief General Carlito Galvez Jr. said today. He made the statement at a hearing on the 2019 budget of the Defense Department when asked by Trillanes himself if the senator applied for amnesty. "Regarding sa amesty application ko - alam niyo naman ang totoo - gusto ko malaman, nag-apply ba ako ng amnesty as far as your investigation is concerned?" he asked both Galvez and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. Galvez confirmed that Trillanes applied, citing the testimony of the military officer who administered the amnesty on the Senator in January 2011. According to Lt. Col. Josefa Berbigal, former head of the amnesty committee secretariat, Trillanes was administered the oath at the Armed Forces headquarters in Quezon City. But Galvez said the documents on this cannot be found because of possible lapses on the part of his officers. He said the records were not transmitted to the office which certified that Trillanes did not file his application. "Apparently ang (findings) namin there's some lapses na hindi naibaba ang documents sa J1, which is basically the repository of all documents. All the papers were not brought down sa GHQ (General Headquarters). Ito ang nakita namin sa investigation namin, kaya po si Thea Andrade wala pong nakitang papel, kaya nag-certify siya na walang papel," he explained. In his proclamation order voiding Trillanes' amnesty, President Rodrigo Duterte cited the statement of Andrade, the Armed Forces records custodian, that Trillanes' application could not be found. Malacanang, however, dismissed the Galvez's claims and maintained that Trillanes did not file any application. "There's visuals that he applied for amnesty but the question is, where is the form? It all boils down to where is the form," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing in the afternoon. Trillanes earlier presented video footage that he indeed applied for amnesty, but Malacanang stressed he should produce an application form that shows his admission of guilt. Roque added Galvez's opinion "doesn't matter (because) he's not a lawyer." Trillanes earlier said that Solicitor General Jose Calida stole his records, a claim denied by the government's top lawyer. For his part, Lorenzana confirmed Calida called him on August 16, inquiring about the senator's amnesty papers. Trillanes is out on bail after a branch of the Makati Regional Trial Court revived his rebellion case and ordered him arrested in line with Duterte's voidance of his amnesty. What to Know Rowlett police continued to search Tuesday for a man who broke into a woman's home, masturbated and left nude photos and notes behind. Police want neighbors to review surveillance video for a man walking the neighborhood around the time of the burglary. Police said they don't believe the woman knew the burglar. Police have not found prior evidence of stalking or threats against the woman. Rowlett police continued the search on Tuesday for a burglar who broke into a woman's home, masturbated in her bedroom and left photos of his genitals behind. "We took a secondary look at the crime scene today and we're not going to leave any stone unturned," Detective Cruz Hernandez said. Detectives returned to the neighborhood and went door-to-door with fliers, and asked for information. Police want neighbors to review surveillance video for a man walking the neighborhood around the time of the burglary. Police said the man got in through a window of a home on Eton Drive last Wednesday. The victim said she left for work around 7 a.m. and returned at 6 p.m. to find her bedroom ransacked. Police do not believe the woman knew the burglar. There were no previous threats or signs of stalking before the break-in, police said. "This is a red flag for us," Hernandez said. "The intent that we find in this type of burglary is an intent to harm. It can escalate to something physical." Police are concerned about the man's next moves. "The potential of escalation is our concern," he said. "She doesn't know if someone is stalking her. She's upset she can't go back to her house. Her world is upside down by this incident right now," said Jade, a friend of the victim who does not want her full name published. Jade said the victim found another place to stay and was taking every precaution to stay safe. "Who knows when she'll be able to walk around and feel normal again and not worry that someone's watching her," Jade said. Police said the man used a Polaroid camera that belonged to the victim and left a used condom at the scene. He also left handwritten messages with graphic language about coming back to the home. "He indicated in his notes that he was infatuated with her and that he had been following her and watching her," Hernandez said. The man also took personal belongings from the bedroom. Hernandez said police aren't disclosing what was stolen, but said the items were not electronics or typical valuables taken in a burglary. Police said they don't believe the woman knew the burglar. Police have not found prior evidence of stalking or threats against the woman. Tuesday, police said an initial set of fingerprints gathered at the scene did not match any others in AFIS, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Detectives said they gathered additional prints Tuesday. They've also gathered DNA left behind. "The guy is sick. Yeah, that's bad," said neighbor Joe Melton. "Somebody left something like that, you don't know if they're going to come back or not." The victim lived in the house with a female family friend. Only one of the women's bedrooms was ransacked. Police said the burglar didn't appear to take anything from other rooms in the house. Anyone with information about the burglar is asked to call Rowlett police. What to Know The grandmother and great grandmother of two of the three people killed in the Allentown car blast is speaking out. Kathleen Pond does not believe the explosion that killed her grandson and great grandson was intentional. She believes i was an accident. Pond described her grandson as a loving father who would never intentionally put his son in harm's way. As the investigation of a car explosion that killed a father, his 2-year-old son and his friend in Allentown continues, the grandmother of one of the victims is defending her grandson as well as sharing her own theory regarding what happened. "I do want answers. We all want answers," Kathleen Pond said. "That's probably the most important thing." Pond's grandson, Jacob Schmoyer, 26, her great grandson, Jonathan Schmoyer, 2, and Jacob's friend David Hallman, 66, were all killed in the explosion Saturday night. The deadly blast rocked the 700 block of West Turner Street in Allentown and shocked both witnesses and residents, several of whom described seeing body parts litter the street. Three cars were removed from the scene, including the one that received the brunt of the blast, officials said. Officials processed the crime scene but the investigation is ongoing. ATF officials sent materials down to their lab in Maryland and expect to get the results back Friday. Those results could help determine what exactly happened. Pond believes the blast was accidental. If they were sitting there and talking about something, him and his friend Dave, and the car was idling and gas was going, its very conceivable to me, she said. Its not unlikely because its happened that exhaust and gas can blow up a car. Investigators initially stated they believe someone targeted and intentionally blew up the car. Schmoyer's family refuted those claims however. He was a very loving father, Pond said. He would never have put his son intentionally in any kind of harm. Pond told NBC10 her son had an interest in fireworks and mechanics. He also worked as a carpet cleaner and often used cleaning chemicals. "The interest in building computers, building phones, technology," she said. "He did like chemistry. He did like math." Resurfaced comments from Jacob Schmoyer's Facebook page in 2010 have caused some to speculate on social media. The comments include threats and talk of combining chemicals. Pond said she doesn't expect outsiders to understand her grandson's sense of humor. "He had a wacky sense of humor sometimes but we understood it because it was more of an intellectual humor," she said. Candles and stuffed animals were left for Jacob and Jonathan outside their home. Family members said it's been difficult for them to grieve due to the comments on social media. "It's tough for a lot of reasons," Pond said. "Not just their deaths but the way they died. The things I'm seeing and reading." No arrests have been made as of Tuesday. Officials continue to investigate. What to Know A state police helicopter was called in to disperse a large crowd of tailgaters near Beaver Stadium on Saturday Video of the incident showed tents, chairs and games flying through the air as the helicopter flew over the crowd On Tuesday, the FAA confirmed it was investigating. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a Pennsylvania State Police decision to buzz a crowd of tailgaters using a police chopper outside Beaver Stadium at Penn State University this weekend. The helicopter was responding to unruly tailgaters before Penn State's game against Ohio State on Saturday and blew over tents and kicked up debris, with stunned reactions by onlookers recorded on social media. (Video of the incident can be watched above.) Pennsylvania State Police said Monday that a trooper suffered a broken wrist while trying to arrest a man who had allegedly struck a state police horse that was part of a horse-mounted team summoned when the party with hundreds of revelers got out of hand. Agency spokesman Ryan Tarkowski said troopers on the ground were pulled back "in an effort to de-escalate the situation," after which the helicopter arrived and flew low over the crowd. "The helicopter made an initial pass at a higher altitude, but (the) loudspeaker could not be ... heard," Tarkowski said. "The second pass was lower to ensure people on the ground could hear the order to disperse. PSP helicopters may fly at an altitude that will best accomplish the mission at hand while keeping safety in mind." Tarkowski said the man who allegedly struck a horse was taken into custody by university police. An FAA spokesperson told NBC News on Tuesday that the agency is looking into the flight. Penn State's campus police department, responding to concerns about the incident, said officers were dealing with numerous violations of the law that put officers' safety at risk. But according to an eyewitness account provided to NBC News, many of the gatherings in the field appeared to be relatively tame. Lisa Cirrilo said she watched police on horseback march down the aisle where she was gathered and turn toward another aisle, where police attempted to break up a party. "The kids were not that disturbing," Cirrilo said. "It was only after the police arrived that things seemed to get out of control." One of the helicopters lowered to a what seemed like a hover right above her group, Cirrilo added. Without warning, tents, chairs, food and other belongings lifted into the air and were "thrown everywhere." "People were screaming in terror as debris hit them," Cirrilo said. "It felt like an attack and looked like a war zone." When tailgate items began flying around, the chopper gained more altitude, officials said. In a statement, university police said the helicopter "was deployed as another tool to compel the group to disperse and curb dangerous and unruly behavior. Following the use of the helicopter, the dangerous behaviors dissipated." The university said later Tuesday it would stop the use of helicopters to make announcements outside the football stadium. An official police report of the incident indicates that six minors were cited with violations of underage alcohol consumption or possession, while criminal charges are pending for those who provided it. Video posted on Pennlive.com shows chaotic moments as people on the ground appeared astonished to see the helicopter so low, with tents and other material flying around. What to Know Einar Jonsson's Thorfinn Karlsefni bronze statue has stood along the banks of the Schuylkill River for nearly a century. On Tuesday morning, Philadelphia police were called to the area just north of Boathouse Row to find the statue submerged in the water. The 7-foot-4-inch Viking bronze statue stood on a large granite base north along Kelly Drive. It was pulled from the river Tuesday evening. A 7-foot-4-inch Viking statue, its head knocked off, was hauled out of Philadelphia's Schuylkill River Tuesday evening after vandals toppled it overnight, police said. It remains unclear who pulled the bronze off its perch along Fairmount Parks Kelly Drive and then dragged it into the river. No suspects were identified but a crowbar was found at the scene. Philadelphia police were called to the banks of the Schuylkill River just north of Boathouse Row around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to find the Thorfinn Karlsefni statue submerged in the murky river. The statue, which features an Icelandic explorer thought to have visited America more than a millennium ago, has stood along the river for nearly 100 years. The city hired a restoration firm to bring Thorfinn Karlsefni back to life, officials told NBC10. The firm previously restored Center City's famous LOVE statue. People exercising along Kelly Drive before daybreak Tuesday stopped to take photos of the damaged nearly granite base where the statue once stood. Philadelphia detectives also stopped by to snap photos and look for surveillance video that could help them track down the person or people responsible for the vandalism. It appeared the statue was pulled off its massive stone base, which measures 12-by-12 feet wide. Bits of stone were scattered across drag marks on the ground and the bronze could be seen bubbling underwater in the river. A 7-foot-4 tall bronze statue of a Viking was yanked off its stone base overnight and pulled into the Schuylkill River. Here's a look of the statue underwater Tuesday morning. A police marine unit assessed the sunken situation. A crane was then needed to retrieve the statue, which weighs several thousand pounds, said Doug Martenson, who was tasked with renovating the statue after previous vandalism. The recovery effort could wind up costing thousands of dollars. As the sculpture came out of the water, it was headless. Einar Jonsson forged the statue in 1918 and the city installed it in 1920. The statue was commissioned by the Fairmount Park Art Association (now the Association for Public Art) and J. Bunford Samuel. It is one of dozens of statues lining the Schuylkill River north of Boathouse Row. The statue has been the site of past white nationalist demonstrations around Leif Erickson Day, which honors the Norse explorer of the same name every Oct. 9, and counterprotests. The statue was also spray-painted in the past. "Thorfinn Karlsefni" by artist Einar Jonsson - Museum Without Walls: AUDIO from Association for Public Art on Vimeo. What to Know Four people were injured when a gunman opened fire at WTS Paradigm in Wisconsin Wednesday morning The gunman died after being shot by officers Police are still investigating more release details about the suspect and a possible motive A heavily armed man opened fire on his co-workers at a Wisconsin software company Wednesday, seriously wounding three people before being fatally shot by police as employees ran from the building or hid inside, according to investigators. Middleton Police Chief Chuck Foulke said officers shot the man within eight minutes of receiving calls about an active shooter at WTS Paradigm. Foulke said the man was armed with a semi-automatic pistol and extra ammunition, and fired at officers before he was shot. Foulke said three people were seriously injured during the attack, while a fourth person was grazed by a bullet. "I think a lot less people were injured or killed because police officers went in and neutralized the shooter," Foulke said. The police chief said the motivation behind the attack was unclear and investigators didn't yet know whether the gunman targeted his victims. He didn't release the suspect's name but said he was an employee of WTS Paradigm and lived in nearby Madison. Foulke said the investigation was ongoing but noted: "We have reason to believe the suspect was heavily armed with a lot of extra ammunition, a lot of extra magazines." Judy Lahmers, a business analyst at WTS Paradigm, said she was working at her desk when she heard what sounded "like somebody was dropping boards on the ground, really loud." Lahmers said she ran out of the building and hid behind a car. She said the building's glass entrance door was shattered. "I'm not looking back, I'm running as fast as I can. You just wonder, 'Do you hide or do you run?'" she told The Associated Press. She said she knew one co-worker had been grazed by a bullet but was OK. She didn't have any other information about the shooting but said it was "totally unexpected. We're all software people. We have a good group." University Hospital in Madison confirmed Wednesday afternoon that it was still treating three victims from the shooting, saying one was in critical condition and two were in serious condition. Police conducted a secondary search of the office building after the shooting to ensure there were no more victims or suspects and officers discovered some people still hiding in the building, which also houses Esker Software. Gabe Geib, a customer advocate at Esker Software, said he was working at his desk when he heard what "sounded like claps." He said he then saw people running away from the building at "full sprint." "We knew at that point that something was going down. A ton of people were running across the street right in front of us," he said. Geib said he and his colleagues were still huddled in their cafeteria, away from windows, more than an hour after the shooting. Jeff Greene, who also works at Esker, said police told those gathered in the cafeteria to go to a nearby hotel to make a statement about what they saw. Three yellow school buses full of more than 100 people, including witnesses, were unloaded at a hotel about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the office building. Some people hugged as they were reunited with loved ones. Others stopped to pet a dog that had been brought by someone picking up a worker. WTS Paradigm makes software for the building products industry. A Wisconsin State Journal profile from 2014 listed company employment at about 145 employees and noted the company was looking to move to a larger location at the time. The company's website was down Wednesday. A shopping center next to the building was temporarily put on lockdown at the direction of police. Middleton is about 90 miles (145 kilometers) west of Milwaukee. What to Know Hundreds of motorcyclists gathered in a park and ride before flooding the Beltway about 1 p.m. They drove between lanes, on shoulders and performed stunts, making drivers nervous. Maryland State Police deployed 40 additional troopers, saying their aim was to keep things safe. Hundreds of bikers made drivers anxious on the Capital Beltway in Maryland Sunday, popping wheelies and riding on the shoulder. The group gathered in a park and ride in Oxon Hill and got on the Beltway about 1 p.m., WTOP first reported. We started seeing motorcyclists start pouring onto the Outer Loop of the Beltway, said WTOP Traffic Reporter David Dildine. There were so many at one point, actually, that they were spread out over a couple of miles. Dildine has been watching area roads for 15 years. And we did see a lot of reckless behavior, he said. We saw lane-splitting, we saw driving on shoulders, driving the wrong way, wheelies, burnouts. People were kind of frantic, said Mary, who was caught in the middle of it and didnt want to be identified. You could see distraught people. Like, I was sitting on the shoulder and you could see people in their cars. They were nervous. They were scared. Maryland State Police responded to reports with 40 additional troopers to keep the bikers in line. Their goal was safety. There were no injuries reported, said Ron Snyder of Maryland State Police. The roads remained open, and the flow of traffic continued. Law enforcement is more than just about making arrests. Its about keeping the public safe. Maryland State Police said they do not chase motorcyclists involved in misdemeanor traffic infractions, saying that could have dire consequences for the biker, the trooper and bystanders. Police from Montgomery and Prince Georges counties and troopers from Virginia State Police also were involved, WTOP reported. Dildine said there were many law-abiding bikers on the Beltway on Sunday. "I think it is unfortunate that the illegal actions of a few reflect poorly on the community as a whole," he said. A school crossing guard has been identified as one of the two people found dead after an apparent murder-suicide inside a Montgomery County home over the weekend, police say. The circumstances surrounding the shootings remain under investigation, Montgomery County police said Monday. Authorities identified the two as 53-year-old Bonny Jean Dibble and 56-year-old Stuart Michael Shamberger. Police said Dibble and Shamberger were in a relationship and lived together on Peach Orchard Road, in the Spencerville area. They were found dead in their home about 8 p.m. Saturday. A gun was found at the scene. Dibble was a crossing guard for 17 years. She worked at Charles Drew Elementary School and Briggs Chaney Middle School in Silver Spring. Police say they are investigating the deaths as a domestic-related murder-suicide. Information was not released immediately on who police believe was the shooter. No one else was injured, and police said there was no threat to the public. The White House has authorized the FBI to expand its initially limited investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Brett Kavanaugh by interviewing anyone it deems necessary as long as the review is finished by the end of the week, NBC News reported Monday. NBC News cited a senior U.S. official and a separate source briefed on the matter. The New York Times first reported the change in the scope. The new guidance comes as the FBI presses ahead with its investigation, questioning in recent days at least two people about accusations of misconduct against Kavanaugh dating to when he was in high school and college. President Donald Trump, addressing those concerns at a news conference Monday, said he wants the FBI to do a "comprehensive" investigation and "it wouldn't bother me at all" if agents pursued accusations made by three women who have come forward publicly. But he also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and "ultimately, they're making the judgment." "My White House will do whatever the senators want," Trump said. "The one thing I want is speed." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., mocked the questions about Kavanaugh's drinking in high school and college and accused Democrats of "moving the goalpost" in a bid to stop the nomination. He pledged that the Senate will be voting on Kavanaugh this week. "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close," he said. The revised guidance was aimed at promoting an investigation that could tamp down Democratic criticism and satisfy on-the-fence Republicans about its thoroughness and fairness while also ensuring a fixed deadline to prevent the probe from becoming open-ended and spanning weeks. Officials said it was possible, but not likely, the bureau could complete its work before Friday. Trump said a comprehensive investigation is "a good thing" for Kavanaugh. He said that while it was fine that the FBI wants to interview all three women who have made accusations, "we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?" As Republicans and Democrats quarreled over whether the FBI would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on the nomination, agents over the weekend interviewed Deborah Ramirez a Yale University classmate who has said Kavanaugh exposed himself to her when both were students at Yale in the early 1980s. Ramirez also provided investigators with the names of others who she said could corroborate her account, according to a person familiar with her questioning. Kavanaugh has denied the allegation. A separate accuser, California college professor Christine Blasey Ford, had not been contacted by the FBI as of Monday afternoon to schedule an interview, according to a person close to her. Ford has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, sharing the allegation at an extraordinary congressional hearing last week that also included Kavanaugh's angry and emotional denial. The FBI, meanwhile, has interviewed at least four people. They include Mark Judge, a high school friend of Kavanaugh's who Ford has said was in the room when a drunken Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Judge has denied misconduct allegations. On Monday, his lawyer Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder said Judge had been interviewed by the FBI "but his interview has not been completed." Van Gelder declined to elaborate. Another witness, Patrick "P.J." Smyth, answered "every question" he was asked and told agents he had "no knowledge" of the small gathering that Ford described, according to his attorney, Eric Bruce. Smyth also told the FBI he doesn't have "knowledge of Ford's allegations of improper conduct against Kavanaugh," Bruce said. The FBI has also interviewed Leland Keyser, who Ford said attended the same party. Keyser's attorney, Howard Walsh, said she was questioned by FBI agents Saturday, but he didn't provide any additional details about the interview. Walsh has said his client doesn't know Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party with him. He has said Keyser believes Ford's account but is "unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question." Since Trump, under pressure from three undecided Republicans, ordered the FBI to reopen Kavanaugh's background check Friday, the White House has scrambled to defend the process from Democratic complaints that certain witnesses were being kept off-limits. Officials insisted that they were not "micromanaging" the new one-week review of Kavanaugh's background and insisted that Republican senators were dictating the inquiry's scope. But questions about the investigation's expansiveness mounted as additional witnesses came forward with accounts they wanted to present to the FBI about Kavanaugh's behavior. In a statement Sunday, a Yale classmate of Kavanaugh's said he is "deeply troubled by what has been a blatant mischaracterization by Brett himself of his drinking at Yale." Charles "Chad" Ludington, who now teaches at North Carolina State University, said he was a friend of Kavanaugh's at Yale and said Kavanaugh was "a frequent drinker, and a heavy drinker." While saying that youthful drinking should not condemn a person for life, Ludington said he was concerned about Kavanaugh's statements under oath before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, accused Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge of excessive drinking and inappropriate treatment of women in the early 1980s, among other accusations. Kavanaugh has called her accusations a "joke." Judge "categorically" denies the allegations. Swetnick's attorney, Michael Avenatti, said Monday that his client was willing to cooperate with the FBI but has not been contacted. Ford also has said Judge was in the room when a drunken Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Judge has said he will cooperate with any law enforcement agency that will "confidentially investigate" sexual misconduct allegations against him and Kavanaugh. Judge has also denied misconduct allegations. As the fresh review unfolded, the prosecutor brought in by Republicans to question Ford at last week's hearing outlined in a memo why she did not believe criminal charges would be brought against Kavanaugh if it were a criminal case rather than a Supreme Court confirmation process. Rachel Mitchell argued that that there were inconsistencies in Ford's narrative and said no one has corroborated Ford's account. Ford was not questioned as part of a criminal proceeding but in the confirmation process. In a sometimes testy news conference at the White House, Trump contrasted Kavanaugh's past drinking habits to his own, bemoaned the scrutiny the federal judge has received and trained his ire on Democratic senators who brought Ford's accusation of an attempted rape at a small gathering in suburban Washington, D.C., while they were both in high school. Asked if Kavanaugh lying about his drinking habits would disqualify him, Trump said he was "surprised at how vocal he was about how much he likes beer" but insisted he didn't think Kavanaugh was lying. Trump then brought up the fact that he doesn't drink he's said that his older brother's alcoholism kept him away from alcohol and noted it was one of his only good traits. "Can you imagine if I had [been a drinker], what a mess I'd be? I'd be the world's worst," Trump said. Nine of the 10 Democratic senators on the judiciary committee identified 24 people or entities they believe should be part of the FBI's new background check on Kavanaugh in a letter sent Monday to White House counsel Don McGahn and FBI Director Chris Wray. The list includes all three accusers, Kavanaugh and friends of his and Ford's who she said were at the gathering where she was allegedly assaulted. Sen. Jeff Coons of Delaware was the only Democrat on the committee not to sign the letter. He helped broker the dramatic deal with Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in which Flake requested the investigation as a condition for ultimately voting to confirm Kavanaugh. On Monday, Flake said he would work to ensure the FBI conducts a thorough probe of the accusations. "It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover," Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told hundreds of young people at the Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit in Boston. Officials in northern Arkansas are investigating the cause of a mysterious hole in the ground that spouted flames into the air for more than 40 minutes. Investigators have ruled out methane as the source of the fire that erupted from the hole on Sept. 17 in Midway, a community near the Arkansas-Missouri border. Farfetched suspicions, such as meteorites, have also been proven unfounded, Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The judge acknowledged other theories, too: "As far as the spiritual Satan goes, we've ruled that out. ... He didn't come up and stick his pitchfork in the ground and blow that hole out." The flames flared up to 12 feet (3.6 meters) high from the hole, which has been on the private property for at least 10 years, Pendergrass said. Geologists scoped the hole with a camera and determined it was likely created by an animal because it extended horizontally before intercepting a nearby drainage ditch, according to an Arkansas Geological Survey report. No utility or fuel lines in the area were determined to be leaking, Pendergrass said. Black Hills Energy technicians didn't detect any natural gas in the area. Soil samples taken from the site haven't yet been analyzed by a lab. "The soil samples should clear up any possibility of gasoline or anything else put down the hole or migrating groundwater contaminate such as gasoline," said Ty Johnson of the Geological Survey. County officials were concerned that a leak could've ignited other fires around town. "We've kind of relieved our fears about it being a danger to the surrounding neighborhood," Pendergrass said. A 25-year-old man was arrested early Tuesday after he allegedly carjacked another man at gunpoint in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Police received a call shortly after midnight of a man knocking on doors on Laurel Street and saying his car had just been stolen. At the scene, officials encountered the barefoot victim, who was described as nervous and shaken. The victim told police that his Honda Accord, which belonged to his friend, was taken at gunpoint when he was stopped at a red light at the intersection of Middle Street and Broad Street. He said a "heavy set male" unexpectedly opened the door on his drivers side and brandished a firearm. The suspect, who was identified as 25-year-old Jacob Garvin, allegedly asked the victim if he wanted to die and demanded he get out of the vehicle. Police say the suspect then exited the car and reported that an Infinity G was parked directly behind him in the travel lane and had its lights off. Officers patrolling the area found an Infinity G being followed by a Honda Accord and attempted to yield the vehicles because of the similarities in the stolen vehicle report. Police say only the Honda stopped and the Infinity continued to travel on the northbound lanes of Route 3, prompting a brief pursuit. After the pursuit, Garvin, told police he was given $80 in cash by a man named Johnny G-Town to drive the Honda Accord to the Quincy Adams MBTA station. Garvin was taken to the Weymouth Police Station, where he was charged with armed carjacking, assault by means of a dangerous weapon to with a firearm, threats to murder, larceny of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police and speeding. A future date for Garvins arraignment has not been announced. It is unclear if he has an attorney. A Boston-bound flight was diverted and one passenger was arrested, according to American Airlines. Flight 2763 was diverted to Kansas City, where police arrested the passenger. The flight departed from Phoenix. Passengers landed at Logan Airport at 1 a.m. on Tuesday after the diversion. No injuries were reported. Details on what led up to the arrest were not immediately clear. Police are seeking the publics help in finding a missing 16-year-old girl from Arlington, Massachusetts. The teen, who has been identified as Ashley Ryan, was last seen wearing a black tank top, blue jeans, a black sweater and black shoes. She was a tattoo on one of her ankles and two piercings on her tongue. Officials describe the teen as 5-feet-9-inches tall with blonde/brown hair. She was last seen on Sept. 29. Police believe she may be in the Downtown Crossing area or near the Boston Commons. Anyone who sees Ashley is urged to contact the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212. What to Know Authorities in Taunton, Mass. say they received an anonymous allegation that included "sex assault and keeping children in cages." Melissa Jean Hope, 34, was charged with assault and battery on an police officer when an officer responded to the allegations. Hope and her husband deny the allegations; their children are now in the custody of the state's child welfare agency. Cellphone video was captured at the scene of the arrest of a Massachusetts woman after she allegedly attacked an officer who responded to claims of child abuse in her household. On Sunday, officials responded to a Taunton home after they received an anonymous allegation that included "sex assault and keeping of children in cages," according to court documents. At the East Water Street house, officers were confronted by obscenities before the confrontation turned violent. Melissa Jean Hope, 34, was charged with assault and battery on a police officer after she allegedly grabbed an officer near his throat and pushed him back. Hope and her husband, Matthew, deny the child abuse claims. "They kicked in the door, they threw me on the couch," said Matthew Hope. In the cellphone video, Melissa Hope is heard saying "this is the officer that put his hands on me," while the device is pointed at the officer. The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families said it took emergency custody of the three children in the home two girls ages 2 and 3, and a 1-month-old boy after receiving an anonymous report that they were being sexually abused and kept in cages. The couple's three children are now in DCF custody after police saw the conditions of the home. "My house is not a mess. I don't cage my children," Matthew Hope said. "So wherever theyre getting this from is completely falsified and untrue." Matthew Hope said that he has a small, collapsible dog crate for his cats, but that he would never put his children inside them. He says DCF has been involved with their family for about a year because his oldest daughter had unspecified "issues." "Once you get into that part of the system, you cannot get out, doesn't matter if you play by their rules, do everything they want you to do, you still can't get out," he said. One neighbor was shocked to hear of the allegations. "It makes me really mad. Thats disgusting," neighbor Lora Kenny said. "That's disgusting, to do that to a child like that." Melissa Hope was released Monday on a personal recognizance after her arraignment. It is unclear if she has an attorney. Hope is due back in court on the assault and battery charges Nov. 15. She and her husband are not facing criminal charges in connection with the abuse allegations. Maine driver's licenses will still be acceptable to board aircraft and access federal facilities until October 2020. Maine's secretary of state says the Department of Homeland Security has issued Maine another waiver for compliance with the Real ID Act. The current waiver expires on Oct. 10, but Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap requested a renewal in August. Dunlap's office says the waiver will be valid through Oct. 1, 2019, but the Department of Homeland Security will not be enforcing Real ID until Oct. 1, 2020. That means Maine driver's license will be valid for federal purposes until that date. The Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles is implementing systems and procedures needed to issue Real ID licenses and identification materials starting on July 1, 2019. Retail marijuana businesses in two Massachusetts communities could be the first in the state to receive final licenses from regulators to sell recreational pot. The Cannabis Control Commission scheduled the final licensing votes for its meeting on Thursday, and though approval would not allow the stores to immediately begin selling to the public, it could signal the long wait for the first pot shops to open in the eastern United States is finally nearing an end. Cultivate Holdings and New England Treatment Access, or NETA for short, received provisional retail licenses from the commission in July. Both companies currently operate medical marijuana dispensaries; Cultivate in Leicester and NETA in Northampton. In order to secure final approval to also sell recreational marijuana at those locations, the companies had to pass inspections, pay license fees and show they are in compliance with all local ordinances and zoning requirements. Upon being issued final licenses, the stores would be poised to open following several other technical and procedural steps, including entering inventory into a statewide seed-to-sale tracking system. Norton Arbelaez, NETA's director of governmental affairs, said the company was on the "one-yard line" when it comes to recreational sales, and hopeful about opening later this month. "Obviously we know people have been waiting quite a long time and we have been anxiously waiting for this moment as well," he said. Another potential obstacle, however, is that regulators have yet to issue any final licenses to independent testing labs that - under the law - are required to test all cannabis products for potency and possible contaminants. Massachusetts voters approved of legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in November 2016, but nearly two years later, there is still no place to legally buy it. The state Legislature delayed implementation for six months while rewriting the law and the subsequent regulatory process dragged past the July 1 target date for retail sales. Marijuana stores exist in six western states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Maine voters also approved a recreational marijuana question in 2016, but sales in that state are not expected before next year. The delay in the rollout of recreational marijuana sales has frustrated would-be consumers and businesses seeking a foothold in the cannabis industry in Massachusetts. "The Cannabis Control Commission must pick up the pace," Will Luzier, who managed the successful 2016 ballot campaign, told reporters Monday outside the Statehouse. "Now is the time to get them open," he said of the stores. Legalization advocates have also blamed some municipal officials for throwing up roadblocks to marijuana businesses locating within their cities or towns, or demanding too much compensation from companies in exchange for executing a host community agreement. A Massachusetts woman has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $155,000 worth of her dead mother's Social Security benefits. Prosecutors say 55-year-old Catherine Anzalone entered her plea in a Boston federal court Friday to theft of public funds. Anzalone's mother was receiving monthly retirement benefits from Social Security when she died in March 2000. Authorities say Social Security was never notified of the woman's death, and it continued to deposit the benefits into a bank account she shared with Anzalone. Authorities say Anzalone stole $155,736 from April 2000 through April 2017. She was arrested in February. The Rockland woman faces up to 10 years in prison during her sentencing hearing scheduled for Jan. 10. A Massachusetts woman has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer who was assisting with an investigation into a report about three children living in squalor. Taunton police said 34-year-old Melissa Jean Hope of Taunton was charged with assault and battery on a police officer during an investigation into alleged child abuse at her East Water Street home on Sunday. Matthew Hope says he and his wife have no idea why police and the Department of Children and Families showed up at their home Sunday. But according to court paperwork, the allegations included "sex assault and keeping of children in cages." "The Taunton Police Department kicked my door in like I'm a drug dealer," said Matthew Hope. "They proceeded to assault my wife and make falsified charges. My house is not a mess. I don't cage my children." Police say it was an anonymous tip that led authorities to start investigating the family, with allegations the children have been neglected and abused, sexually assaulted and kept in cages, according to a police report. The couple denies all of the allegations. "I would like to know why they think I'm a pervert," said Matthew Hope. Police say it got ugly when officers and DCF arrived at the home on Sunday, with the couple shouting obscenities out the window and refusing to let authorities in. Officers say they had to force their way inside, and that's when Melissa Hope allegedly grabbed one of the officers near his throat and pushed him backwards. She was arrested, and the three kids taken away. Police say they were taken into DCF custody due to living conditions in the apartment. The officer's injuries are believed to be minor. Neither parent is facing any criminal charges in connection with the allegations of abuse and neglect, but Melissa Hope is charged with assault and battery on a police officer. "I love my children to death," said Matthew. "We'll get them back." Hope was released on personal recognizance following her arraignment Monday in Taunton District Court. It was not immediately clear if she had a lawyer. The Providence Board of Licenses has ordered a city nightclub to remain closed until at least next week while police investigate a shooting. The Providence Board of Licenses unanimously authorized a 72-hour shutdown of Ultra nightclub on Saturday night. The Providence Journal reports at an emergency hearing on Monday, Associate City Solicitor Mario Martone asked for the club to remain closed until a hearing on Oct. 10 and while police review evidence from the club. Steven Wright, an attorney representing Ultra's manager, Frank Capone, said he and his client had nothing to add after the hearing. Early Saturday, a 22-year-old man was shot in the chest at Ultra. The unidentified victim is currently in stable condition, and police have not announced any arrests. Some Vermont gun owners are stocking up on large-capacity magazines before a state ban goes into effect. Ethan Allen Arms Exchange held a special gun show in Hartford called "Mag-Ban Eve" Saturday and Sunday for last-minute buyers. The new law limits magazine sales to 10 rounds for rifles and 15 rounds for handguns. However, people who own larger-capacity magazines before Oct. 1 can keep them. Ethan Allen co-owner KT Cappellini says he feels there's a culture in Vermont that's been "stepped upon." The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and other gun associations filed a lawsuit against the new law in April. Federation president Chris Bradley previously said he's confident the court will strike down the ban. What to Know Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of eight financial crimes unrelated to the campaign Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer," Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations The Justice Department has held that a sitting president can't be indicted, but there's no bar against bringing charges after the presidency A bad day in court for former associates of President Donald Trump could foreshadow hard days ahead for the president. In a New York courtroom, Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer," Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations. Cohen said Trump directed him to arrange the payment of hush money to two women who claimed they had affairs with Trump, porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, acknowledging the payments were made to influence the election. In Virginia, a jury found former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort guilty of eight financial crimes unrelated to the campaign. It was the first trial victory for prosecutors in the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, whose investigation Trump has derided as a witch hunt. What do the developments Tuesday mean for the president? Some questions and answers: DOES COHEN'S GUILTY PLEA MEAN TRUMP VIOLATED THE LAW? Cohen said in court that he made one payment "in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office" and the other "under direction of the same candidate." The amounts and dates all line up with the payments made to Daniels and McDougal. Prosecutors did not go as far as Cohen did in open court in pointing the finger at the president, saying Cohen acted "in coordination with a candidate or campaign for federal office for purposes of influencing the election." Legal experts said there could be multiple reasons for government lawyers' more cautious statements. Daniel Petalas, former prosecutor in the Justice Department's public integrity section, said the issue of whether Trump violated the law comes down to whether Trump "tried to influence an election, whether he knew and directed it and whether he knew it was improper." But Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani said in a statement: "There is no allegation of any wrongdoing against the President in the government's charges against Mr. Cohen." Trump denied to reporters in April that he knew anything about Cohen's payments to Daniels, though the explanations from the president and Giuliani have shifted multiples times since. DOES COHEN'S PLEA MEAN TRUMP COULD BE FORCED TO SUBMIT TO QUESTIONS? Trump's lawyers have been negotiating with Mueller about whether the president would submit to an interview as part of Mueller's Russia investigation. Now Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti says he'll renew efforts to get Trump to submit to a deposition in a lawsuit Daniels filed to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she signed ahead of the 2016 election. Avenatti tweeted that the Cohen pleas should "permit us to proceed with an expedited deposition of Trump under oath about what he knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it." Daniels' case is currently on hold, but Avenatti said he'll be looking to get that hold lifted. The Supreme Court in 1997, ruling in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by Paula Jones against President Bill Clinton, held that a sitting president could be made to answer questions as part of a lawsuit. But that ruling did not directly address whether a president could be subpoenaed to testify in a criminal investigation, a question the Supreme Court may have to confront if Mueller tries to compel Trump's testimony in his probe. IF THERE IS EVIDENCE OF WRONGDOING, CAN TRUMP BE INDICTED? The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice and guidance to executive branch agencies, has held that a sitting president cannot be indicted. Trump's lawyers have said that Mueller plans to adhere to that guidance, though Mueller's office has never independently confirmed that. There would presumably be no bar against charging a president after he or she leaves the White House. Sol Wisenberg, who conducted grand jury questioning of Clinton as deputy independent counsel during the Whitewater investigation, said he still wanted to see more details of Cohen's plea deal. But he said: "Obviously it's not good for Trump. The stuff on Stormy Daniels is not good for Trump." "I'm assuming he's not going to be indicted because he's a sitting president," Wisenberg said. "But it leads him closer to ultimate impeachment proceedings, particularly if the Democrats take back the House." HOW DOES COHEN'S PLEA RELATE TO THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION? While the Manafort case was part of Mueller's investigation, the Cohen case was not. It was handled by prosecutors in New York. Still, it could give Mueller a boost. Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, argued that Cohen's plea knocks back the argument that the investigations swirling around Trump are a "witch hunt," as the president has called Mueller's Russia investigation. "No longer can you say Mueller is on a witch hunt when you have his own lawyer pleading guilty to things that were designed to impact the election," she said. COULD TRUMP PARDON HIMSELF? Trump has already shown he's not afraid to use his pardon power, particularly for those he has viewed as unfair victims of partisanship. He pardoned Joe Arpaio, the former Arizona sheriff who clashed with a judge on immigration, and I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, a Bush administration official convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in a leak case. As for whether a president can pardon himself, not surprisingly, courts have never had to answer that question. Giuliani, Trump's lawyer, has said it won't come to that anyway. "Pardoning himself would be unthinkable and probably lead to immediate impeachment," Giuliani told NBC's "Meet the Press" in June. "And he has no need to do it, he's done nothing wrong." Still, Giuliani argued that Trump "probably does" have the power to pardon himself. Associated Press writers Jessica Gresko, Jonathan Lemire, Catherine Lucey, Michael Sisak and Eric Tucker contributed to this report. Drug and alcohol misuse charity The Matthew Project this week opened the doors of its Norwich recovery hub to its supporters and the wider community. Drug and alcohol misuse charity The Matthew Project this week opened the doors of its Norwich recovery hub to its supporters and the wider community. Make friends and re-fuel at Fakenham church centre Salvation Army leaders in Fakenham are inviting people in the town to come and attend two new community groups which started this autumn. Read more YMCA Norfolk needs an On-Track Coach YMCA Norfolk is looking for an On Track, giving the advice and help young people need to make the most of the things they are good at. Read more Chance to see epic tale of man who changed China The epic tale of a Norwich man who gave up all to change the Chinese nation is being told in the feature documentary, Children of Shanghai at Cinema City Norwich on Tuesday November 23 at 6pm. Read more Broadland Christian offers free tech support A Christian living in Wroxham is offering free technology support to anyone who is retired or disabled through an organisation called AbilityNet. Read more Lady Dannatt praises Community Chaplaincy Norfolk Lady Dannatt, the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, applauded the work of Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) when she spoke at its annual meeting. Read more Running the race with Jesus Regular columnist Ruth Lilley has been running a half marathon, but she did have some help Read more Christian care home celebrates Fran's service Tenants at Brakendon Close independent living community enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea in celebration of nearly ten years dedicated service by Fran Veale. Read more Convert Nissar to tell his story at Norwich dinner Nissar Hussain, a high profile convert from Islam to Christianity, who has suffered persecution for his decision, is the speaker at the Christmas dinner of the Norwich FGB on December 13 in Norwich. Read more Norfolk charity provides some soul space for young people As we move into a new season North Breckland Youth for Christ is finding innovative ways to engage with young people. Read more Eaton quilt of kindness displays bright things from darks times A Quilt of Kindness produced by a crafters group in Eaton will be on display in Christ Church later this month. Read more Engagement, property and youth worker needed YMCA Norfolk is looking for a Housing Engagement Worker, a Property Co-ordinator and a Youth Project Lead. Read more New cross sculpture illuminates Norwich church The Open Door Christian Fellowship in Norwich switched on its new illuminated cross which sits a top The Building in Ramsey Close. Read more Christmas Events Week at Dereham bookshop Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham is holding a Christmas Events Week. The managers, Irene Humphrey and Helen Cockburn, explain. Read more When God the master chef gets to work. Regular contributor Jane Walters has been creating soup, and marvels at how such a combination of sometimes disparate and random ingredients can produce a nourishing and worthy end product. Read more Diocese of Norwich votes to sell fossil fuel shares Today the Diocese of Norwich Synod voted overwhelmingly (by 61 votes to 5) to approve a motion to divest from fossil fuels, following a thoughtful debate. Read more YMCA to stage Christmas craft fayre in Norwich YMCA Norfolk will be staging a Christmas Craft Fayre at its Aylsham Road Community Hub in Norwich on November 27. Read more Fakenham Baptists building for the future Fakenham Baptist Community Church is developing a brand-new building on the outskirts of Fakenham which they will use to provide a range of amenities to serve the community as well as for worship. Read more An academic researchers talk on Monday at the Fog World Congress in San Francisco demonstrated both the limits of distributed computing structures and their critical importance to future IoT and augmented reality (AR) implementations. Dr. Maria Gorlatovas recent work has centered on the study of fog and edge architecture specifically, the way in which particular methods of architecting those systems can affect latency and response time. She's studying the differences in systems which are on- and off-campus, that have different points of execution, which seems like the academic way of saying where the computational work is done. The difference between the cloud a highly centralized architecture and fog computing, the industrys current term of art for systems that have the abstracted nature of the cloud, but do their actual work much closer to the endpoint than the clouds faraway data centers is immense. Both fog and its close cousin edge computing are useful alternatives to the cloud architecture. Fundamentally, our new devices that are generating high-bandwidth traffic and high-volume, high-velocity data just cannot afford to transfer all of the data to a centralized hub for processing, Gorlatova said. Some of the trade-offs, she said, are already fairly well-known. For instance, many tasks that arent terribly demanding from a compute or network perspective are best accomplished at the edge, but the advantages in terms of latency are outweighed by the clouds more potent computing capabilities for more complex tasks. When the task is small, the response time is dominated by the communication time, and the communication time is much smaller for edge systems, she said. Once you talk about larger tasks, however, there are more resources in the cloud, so computing time becomes more of a component in response time and the cloud connection will be faster than the edge. We also noted that connections to the cloud are much faster in on-campus conditions than they are in nearby residential areas, and this is well-known connections from campuses to the cloud are optimized. Its an important point for academic researchers, she noted. Testing systems in areas that might not have a university laboratorys optimized network connections yields results that are much more applicable to the real-world challenges faced by businesses. The complexity of these systems makes them hard to study, according to Dr. Gorlatova. Each is different enough that it can be difficult to draw generalizations about an architectures effect on response time without enough data points. Secure, responsive augmented reality Some of the lessons from that research can seem self-evident, but they have wide-ranging implications. Gorlatovas example was the security problem posed by bad actors influencing augmented reality systems for example, creating huge, obtrusive holograms that block a users view of the real world, creating potentially serious safety issues. Augmented reality can be educational, useful to businesses and is set to become a mainstream technology, Gorlatova said, as soon as the headsets become smaller and more usable and the apps become slightly more sophisticated. This is exactly where fog would come in, as fog can very surely address all these issues, she said. Solutions to the vision-blocking problem, which was first described a year ago, center on fixed policy recommendations, which have to be implemented, manually, by human beings. By applying machine learning to the problem, however, an AR system could be taught to recognize when holograms are obstructing the view of a user, and simply move them out of the way, or make them transparent. Overall, this level of intelligence in AR systems is above and beyond what current AR systems are capable of, she said. And we are actively exploring several ways to address it. Fog offers a natural chokepoint for reducing the resources consumed on mobile nodes in multi-user settings, as well as a natural point for making those experiences more intelligent. She and her team are currently working on a fog-based pilot deployment for secure, responsive AR on Dukes campus, and hopes to have a system in place early next year. Whoever thought the chief competitors to HP Enterprise and Dell EMC would wind up being some of their biggest customers? But giant data center operators are in a sense becoming just that a competitor to the hardware companies that they once and, to some degree still, sell hardware to. The needs of hyperscale data centers have driven this phenomenon. HPE and Dell design servers with maximum, broad appeal, so they dont have to have many SKUs. But hyperscale data center operators want different configurations and find it cheaper to buy the parts and build the server themselves. Most of them Google chief among them dont sell their designs; its just for their own internal use. But in the case of LinkedIn, the company is offering to open source the hardware designs it created to lower costs and speed up its data center deployment. LinkedIns project, called Open19, has been ongoing for more than two years now, but it only just finished the first deployment this past July, according to Yuval Bachar, a LinkedIn data center engineer, who disclosed the initiative in a blog post. The deployment of Open19-designed equipment is now complete, and the company is ready to discuss its efforts. In the weeks and months to come, we plan to open source every aspect of the Open19 platform from the mechanical design to the electrical design to enable anyone to build and create an innovative and competitive ecosystem, he wrote. What is the Open19 initiative? The Open19 initiative was started by LinkedIn, HPE, Vapor IO, and other data center vendors "to create a community that will enable a common optimize data center and edge solutions enabling efficiency and flexibility," according to the groups website. The announcement coincides with the Open19 Summit taking place in San Jose, California. To start, Open19 defines four standard server form factors (chassis dimensions), two cages for those servers to slide into, power and data cables, a power shelf, and a network switch. To be honest, the power and data cables look like the most interesting announcements because weve all seen the horror shows of poorly done networking cables. The idea behind the designs is to reduce the amount of work it takes to deploy servers in a data center. Again, this seems to assume people will build their own the way LinkedIn and other hyperscalers do it. Its all designed to be like building with Lego bricks. LinkedIn also wanted to standardize hardware across both primary and edge data centers, which is likely why Vapor IO is involved. Edge locations dont have a readily available technician, so if a company sends a technician to an edge container, the last thing it wants to do is make the tech waste time trying to figure out the layout of the equipment. By having common hardware between the two, the technician will work with familiar gear. LinkedIn claims these designs will mean being able to build infrastructure for 1 percent of the cost and six to ten times faster integration time, with greater power efficiency and other cost savings. However, it does not address the issue of IT staff building the hardware. LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, etc., can afford to hire engineers who build servers all day. Your average IT shop does not. Im sure some enterprising resellers and integrators will step up to fill the void if there is demand, but for now, this benefits only a few. Still, its a positive step in redesign of the hardware, especially those network cables. Town councillors back proposal in a bid to clamp down on "mindless" vandalism NEWBURY Town Council has voted in favour of installing more CCTV cameras in Victoria Park, in a bid to crack down on mindless acts of vandalism. Members of the councils community services committee were unanimous in approving the proposal, following a sharp rise in antisocial behaviour in the area over the summer months. In June, offensive graffiti was spray-painted on the path adjacent to the skate park, while more was spray-painted around the bandstand, costing the town council 250 to remove it. Several established trees were snapped off, while others were heavily damaged and patches of vegetation were destroyed. Rosebeds were also ripped up and plants thrown around the skate park, along with signs broken off the parks gym equipment. Bolts were removed from the wheelchair swing and there was fly-tipping and a break-in at the kiosk. The parks play area has already had a new calypso boat installed to replace vandalised equipment. The town council will erect protective steel guards around the replacement trees, which, according to a report by the town council community services manager, will cost in the region of 2,200. There are also plans to install steel guards around several other semi-mature trees in the park to help protect them. The proposed cost to expand CCTV provision in the park will be just over 9,000. This will be covered using unspent funding for the allocation of CCTV in the town centre, of which 12,000 remains. Town council deputy leader Miles Evans (Con, Victoria) welcomed the installation of further CCTV provision within the area. Speaking at Mondays meeting, Mr Evans said: I spend a lot of time in Victoria Park. I maintain it is one of the best public spaces in the South of England and thats down to a lot of hard work by the people in this room, spending the money and bringing it up to the excellent standard that its at now. Unfortunately, over the summer we experienced a degree of mindless vandalism. We have a duty as a local authority to manage that park to protect that asset and to protect that community. I am in completely in favour of expanding our current CCTV provision in the park. It is the second time in as many years that the town council will have spent money on increased CCTV provision in Victoria Park. In June 2017, town councillors approved the installation of a new 6,000 CCTV system in the park, in an effort to clamp down on vandalism, paid for using developer contributions (s106 monies). The single-camera system was installed on a pole near to the kiosk, providing a 360 coverage of the park and costing an additional 400 a year to operate. Large quantities of heroin and cocaine were found at the property A COUNTY lines dealer has been jailed for using a vulnerable persons property to sell drugs in Newbury. Daniel Bari, aged 19, of Stumpacre, Peterborough, was sentenced to two years and four months behind bars when he appeared at Reading Crown Court on Monday. On August 18 this year, Bari, who was in the company of a known vulnerable person, was stopped by officers in Andover Road. He refused to give his details and was taken to Newbury police station to be searched, as it was suspected he was in possession of drugs. During this time, Baris phone was constantly ringing. Both men were released, and later, officers carried out a welfare check at the home of the vulnerable person and found Bari at the address. Officers had to force entry and Bari was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A drugs. It was believed that Bari had secreted drugs and was placed on a constant watch. During this period, three packages of drugs were discovered. These packages equated to 72 wraps of cocaine and 46 wraps of heroin. Bari was subsequently charged with the offences on August 21. He pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to supply heroin and one count of possession with intent to supply cocaine and as well as being sentenced, was ordered to forfeit his phone and 346 in cash. Investigating officer Detective Constable Andy Philpott, based at Newbury police station, said: Bari is a county lines drug dealer who preyed on a vulnerable person to use their house to supply drugs from to local users, which is known as cuckooing. This is not acceptable in our community, and the prison sentenced handed down sends a message to dealers who operate within West Berkshire that this will not be tolerated. This is another good result for our Stronghold campaign, in which we will work in partnership to tackle serious and organised crime. We are committed to preventing drug dealing in the community, I would urge anybody who has any concerns or information to contact 101 or visit our website. President Donald Trump has repeatedly condemned U.S. immigration policy, arguing that many immigrants pose a threat to the nation and drain U.S. resources. But a study released Monday about health insurance challenges the president's portrayal. The study in the journal Health Affairs found that immigrants covered by private health insurance and their employers contributed nearly $25 billion more in premiums in 2014 than was spent on their care. Those in the country without legal status contributed nearly $8 billion toward the surplus. In contrast, U.S.-born enrollees spent nearly $25 billion more than they paid for in premiums. These findings surface as the Trump administration's immigration policies including a plan to tie migrants' efforts to get permission for permanent residency to their use of federal benefit programs have come under scrutiny. Earlier studies also found that immigrants contribute more to Medicare than they receive in benefits, but the authors of this study say it is the first to look at the effect in private insurance plans. Leah Zallman, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the study, said her findings allude to the potentially negative consequences that tighter immigration policies could have on the health care industry. I think in todays era theres so much concern about immigrants and immigration really sort of draining our resources in the U.S.," Zallman said. "This really points to the critical role that immigrants have in actually subsidizing and maintaining our current systems. Researchers calculated the financial contributions and expenses of enrollees and their employers using two surveys created by the federal government. Plans sold on the federal health law's insurance exchanges were not included because they "differ from other private insurance in important ways and are unavailable to undocumented people," the study authors noted. Anyone born outside of the United States was categorized as an immigrant. However, the surveys did not ask non-citizens with private coverage about their legal status. Researchers used national data on undocumented immigrants to estimate how many people in the study group illegally resided in the country. In 2014, immigrants and their employers contributed $88.7 billion in private insurance premiums, but spent only $64 billion for care, according to the study's findings. Of that group, undocumented immigrants alone paid more than $17 billion to private insurers but used only $9.4 billion. Native-born consumers paid $616 billion in premiums and received nearly $641 billion in insurers' payments for care. They also consistently outspent immigrants across all age groups. Among enrollees 65 and older, the U.S.-born made a net contribution of nearly $10,000 more toward their care than those born overseas, according to the study. The researchers reported that, on average, individual immigrants paid $1,123 more for premiums in 2014 than they received in insurance-covered care. U.S. natives instead cost insurers $163 on average. Leighton Ku, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University who was not involved in the study, said several factors contribute to immigrants' low health care expenses. The group tends to be healthier and younger when they arrive in the United States. Cultural and language differences also hinder them from accessing care. The study noted that immigrants' health care expenditures increased the longer they remained in the country. But it added that since their premiums also increased at the same time, they continued to make a net contribution to their private health plans. The findings come about a week after the Department of Homeland Security proposed redefining how it would determine "public charge," a term used to describe a person likely to become dependent on the government for assistance. The proposal would make it harder for immigrants to live and work permanently in the U.S. if they receive certain types of federal assistance, such as Medicaid, food stamps and housing subsidies. Trump has vowed to be tough on immigration standards. During his campaign, he berated U.S. health expenditures on immigrants, arguing that the U.S. spent $11 billion for care to people who were in the country without authorization, the study's authors note. But they point out that earlier research shows that immigrants have low rates of health care use and spending, compared with native residents. Their payments to private plans and Medicare in essence prop up care for patients who are U.S.-born, the authors say. A study Zallman published earlier showed unauthorized immigrants contributed $35.1 billion more to Medicare from 2000 to 2011 than they used in services. Benedic Ippolito, an economist at the American Enterprise Institute, cautioned using the study's findings to draw conclusions on a large scale about immigrants and their role in health insurance. An estimated 20 percent of immigrants including nearly half of the undocumented population are uninsured, according to the study. Ippolito said the cost of their uncompensated care affects whether immigrants' financial contributions actually lead to surpluses for health care overall. I would be careful about how much I extrapolate these results to a) other parts of the health insurance market and b) even further to what this means for immigration policy, Ippolito said. "This paper alone does not tell us everything we need to know. Ku echoed the uncertainty. He said he is not certain how the Trump administration's latest actions will affect immigrants enrolled in private insurance. Having a private plan may suggest they are employed with a certain income stability. However, if enough immigrants leave the insurance market, he added, it may have the unintended consequence of making health plans more expensive for everyone else. "That does have the following implication that to the extent that we do things to suppress immigrants or make it harder for them to purchase insurance then in that case we may do harm to the citizens, he said. Dressed in jailhouse orange, with hands and feet shackled, Jimi Ray Haynes stood up in a Santa Cruz County courtroom and pleaded guilty to a felony weapons charge. Haynes, then 32, had spent the previous two weeks in jail detoxing from methamphetamine and heroin. The judge told Haynes he could serve part of his yearlong jail sentence in a drug treatment program rather than locked in county jail. Eileen Jao, an assistant district attorney, quickly interjected: "It has to be residential, not outpatient," she said. "It's residential or jail." Jao wanted the terms to be crystal-clear. Because of a new county policy that took effect at the beginning of the year, treatment for low-income residents like Haynes, with drug-related criminal charges, must be decided by clinicians and providers not the court. Judges can order whatever they want in terms of treatment, and prosecutors can block designated treatment they deem too risky, but essentially the type and length of treatment deemed appropriate is out of their hands. When conflicts arise between what the court orders and the providers decide, felons can languish in jail with no treatment at all. Court-ordered rehab is increasingly falling out of fashion in California as Santa Cruz and 18 other counties begin to treat addiction like any other health condition with the Medicaid program relying on evidence-based practices and trained personnel to make decisions on care. That has upended the status quo for judges, attorneys and defendants who often had agreed to residential treatment in lieu of jail or at least to reduced sentences so inmates could get that treatment. The California program appears to be unique in many respects, but other states including Utah, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts also have sought federal permission to experiment with innovations in Medicaid-funded drug treatment. In California, "these changes are a tough pill to swallow for the criminal justice system," said Gavin O'Neill, drug court manager for the Alameda County Superior Court, which implemented the policy in July. "In the past, some judges and attorneys have been able to use residential treatment as a sanction and long-term monitoring mechanism, as well as a chance to address the underlying drug problem," said O'Neill. "That option has been shut down." Proponents say that evidence-based treatment will lead to better outcomes and that residential care should be reserved for those with the most severe addictions. Under Medi-Cal, it is limited to 90 days. "From the provider's perspective, the judge ordering services has always been a problem," said Katie Mayeda, a Santa Cruz County Superior Court clinician. "Judges have good intentions to put someone in treatment rather than in jail, but they don't know the whole story. They don't work in that realm they're not a clinical professional." Advocates of the new approach a Medicaid-funded pilot program that eventually is expected to be implemented in 40 California counties say residential treatment is the most expensive and invasive option, and in many cases, outpatient treatment works as well, if not better. If clinicians don't approve residential treatment and prosecutors or judges won't allow a release to outpatient treatment, the case can stall and felons become doomed to spend more time in jail. Nearly three months into his jail stay, Haynes still was waiting for someone from a drug treatment program even to evaluate him, let alone determine his care plan. In the meantime, Haynes said, he received no drug treatment. Because of the policy change, some prosecutors say they are less likely to accept anything but jail time. "We are more inclined to just say, 'Hey, put him in the custody of the sheriff,' and not worry trying to treat the substance abuse problem," said Santa Cruz County assistant district attorney Archie Webber. "If you want to do a program, you can do it on your own time." Webber's rationale: He doesn't trust the care providers, drug treatment organizations that contract with the county, to act in the interest of the state. "We don't want someone else to come in after us a care provider, who hasn't been in the process and make those decisions for us," Webber said. The new policy, operating now in a third of the state's 58 counties, stems from the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That increased access to health care, including drug treatment, to the more than 13 million low-income adults in California who qualify for Medicaid. In the past, counties had to use general funds or "block grants" to pay for court-ordered drug treatment for those who couldn't afford it. Now, counties can pay for a range of drug treatment services outpatient, medication-assisted, detox and residential through Medicaid, or Medi-Cal, as it is known in California. But the new policy requires everyone seeking residential treatment to have a clinical assessment to determine whether that setting suits their diagnosis. The counties that have begun providing drug treatment services under the so-called Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System represent nearly 75 percent of the state's more than 13 million Medi-Cal enrollees, according to the California Health Care Foundation. (California Healthline is an editorially independent publication of the California Health Care Foundation.) The rules on clinical decisions apply to everyone, not just inmates. Proponents hope all 58 California counties will come on board eventually, although the pilot Medi-Cal program is approved only through 2020, after which the federal government would have to reapprove the experiment. Los Angeles County implemented the new Medi-Cal program just over a year ago and indicates it is running relatively smoothly. "L.A. County got in front of it early on," said Albert Senella, president and CEO of Tarzana Treatment Centers. "Treatment is now driven by medical necessity." But educating the courts on the new procedures can be a time-consuming process, and experts say it may take months or longer in some counties before the new rules sink in. In addition, counties and drug treatment providers say they have been weighed down by an administrative and staffing burden unlike anything they've seen before. "It has been a tremendous amount of work," said Senella. "A huge sea change in the way things are done." Some offenders say delays in receiving care are tough. Haynes said he just wanted treatment, ideally in a residential setting. "I've tried the whole white-knuckling sobriety thing," said Haynes, who has a 10-year history with methamphetamine and heroin addiction. "The only measure of success I've had being clean and sober was in a residential drug treatment program." He would like to be able to visit with his wife and three children in a setting more pleasant than jail. Haynes wasn't much older than his school-age kids are now when he visited his own father, then behind bars. He shook his head as if to erase the image. "I don't want my kids to see me in jail," he said. Haynes was released from jail this summer. Court records say his probation was revoked on July 17 after he was discharged from a drug treatment program for defiance and non-compliance. He was re-arrested and, as of late last month, jailed in Fresno County. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. A special November issue of Health Physics journal presents 13 original research papers, reviews, and commentaries related to women's contributions to and experiences in radiation protection and safety. Health Physics, the official journal of the Health Physics Society (HPS) is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. All of the included studies and other articles were led by women, according to an introduction by Guest Editor Nicole E. Martinez, PhD, of Clemson University. She writes, "I see this special issue as providing an in-hand example of the commitment within the society to fostering an inclusive, well-rounded environment." Women's Contributions to Radiation Safety and Protection - Past, Present and Future Health physicists are scientists specializing in radiation protection. They work in a wide range of fields, including hospitals, industry, nuclear power plants - anywhere radiation or radioactive material is used or found. Highlighting the historic roles of several women pioneers in the radiation sciences, Dr. Martinez emphasizes the importance of "building community" in meeting critical goals for radiation protection. Highlights of the special issue include: An essay by Ryoko Ando of Ethos in Fukushima, Japan, sharing her experience working with the public in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. Scientific explanations alone failed to meet the needs of residents trying to rebuild their daily lives. Steps like measuring personal radiation dose and voluntary food monitoring were critical to regaining residents' trust. Ms. Ando writes, "[R]eviving trust was the most critical issue for science to become relevant in people's lives." An article by LTC Jama D. VanHorne-Sealy, Director of Health Physics at the US Army Public Health Center, highlights the accomplishments of women in health physics in the US Armed Forces. Their diverse and critical roles include radiation treatments for medical conditions, assessing chemical and radiation health risks, and ensuring the safety of personnel working on board nuclear-powered vessels. "Health physics and medical physics careers in the military provide a unique opportunity for women to excel and they have made monumental contributions to the medical community, to the military, and to the nation," the author writes. An article highlighting the "Presidential Perspectives" of the six women who have served as President of the Health Physics Society - beginning with Elda E. "Andy" Anderson, who served from 1959 to 1960. The five surviving women Past Presidents share brief reflections on their tenure, highlighting that "capability and accomplishment are independent of sex." Other topics include new research on approaches in monitoring radiation exposure, the challenges of measuring the health impact of low doses of radiation, the changing role of the medical center radiation safety officer, and organizational issues in ensuring effective radiation safety practices. Noting that over half of the articles are student papers, Dr. Martinez voices how encouraging it is to see so many active and talented young scientists in the field. Dr. Martinez also emphasizes that supporting women (and other under-represented minorities) doesn't mean not supporting men (or the well-represented majority). "It means making a conscious effort to hear and include perspectives that might not be the norm," she writes. "Neglecting to consider the whole of the membership can lead to loss of talent, less discovery, and hindrance of the advancement of the field." Source: http://home.lww.com/news.entry.html/2018/10/01/special_issue_ofhea-9XVR.html Chaos had prevailed earlier in the day as the had taken a violent turn with police resorting to firing water cannons and tear-gas shells to keep the angry farmers from crossing into Delhi. Several farmers have been injured while the Haryana unit chief of the BKU is unconscious after a tear gas shell exploded close to his face. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured on Tuesday during the protest by farmers on Delhi-UP border, Delhi Police said here. Some of the protesting farmers claimed that a few Delhi Police personnel had resorted to lathicharge against some of them. The Delhi Police, however, denied the charge. A posse of security personnel have been deployed, including from Delhi Police and the paramilitary forces. "Nearly 2,500 personnel from Delhi Police, besides paramilitary forces, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), have been deployed," a senior police officer said. Farmers marching towards Delhi under BKU's protest call over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border, as they tried to run through the border, surmounting the barricades. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police, a senior police officer earlier said. Police had to use water cannons to disperse the protestors, who also indulged in sloganeering. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd. The main demands of the farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the usage of tractors above 10 years, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. Amar Pal, 35, a farmer from Muzaffarnagar alleged that some police personnel "resorted to lathicharge" on some of the protesting farmers. The city police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members are on a march from Haridwar to reach the national capital Tuesday. In east Delhi, the prohibitory orders issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, will be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. The incident has darwn sharp reactions from Congress while AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal batted for the farmers and questioned why they were not allowed to enter Delhi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Wardha accused the BJP of "brutally beating up" farmers at the Delhi border on International Day of Non-Violence and said they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. National Highways leading to the national capital were swamped with farmers who came in from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh as well as the sugarcane belt of western Uttar Pradesh. Police picketed the border with Uttar Pradesh, imposing prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more people and holding of any public meeting, usage of any amplifier, loudspeaker, and similar instruments. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, was joined by farmers from various parts of Uttar Pradesh. "We are not seeking any alms from the government. We want our right," said Harmik Singh, a farmer who came from Meerut. Farmers are in distress because of high electricity prices and fuel rates shooting through the roof, "Aap ko 500 rupiya ka gas theek lagta hai? (Does LPG price of Rs 500 sound right to you," a faremr asked. Kejriwal said preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was "wrong" and pitched for their entry into the city. "Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi? It is wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Chris Claremont on why X-Men is "heartbreakingly more relevant than ever" Chris Claremont ways in on X-Men's past, present, and future Beijing : China wants to continue building its friendship and deepen cooperation with the Maldives, President Xi Jinping has said in his congratulatory note to the country's newly elected President Ibrahim Solih, who ousted pro-Beijing Abdulla Yameen in general election. Solih, who was sent the message by Xi on Sunday as reported by the state-run Xinhua news agency, is the leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party that has been critical of the Chinese projects and deals signed under Yameen who was said to have drifted from traditional ally India to China."China is willing to work with the Maldives to continue to cement their friendship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields to better benefit the people of both countries," Xi said in his message.He said he highly values the development of China-Maldives relations and was willing to join hands with Solih to lift the comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership between the two countries to a new level.The election of Solih is bound to worry China as his party had raised objections to the Free Trade Agreement signed between Yameen and Beijing.The 1,000-page document was rushed through in the Maldivian Parliament at lightning speed without any debate.Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing hoped that Male will stick to the pact and create an enabling environment for Chinese companies.It also chided Maldives former President Mohamed Nasheed for slandering Beijing.The deal, said to be in favour of China, is yet to become operational.Located in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes in the India Ocean, the archipelago is strategically important to China which has invested heavily in the country.This has worried India, which suspects that Chinese investment is mainly to encircle India in the Indian Ocean. United Nations : Maldives is currently going through a peaceful transfer of power to opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was elected president last month, the nation's Permanent Representative Ali Naseer Mohamed has assured the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Speaking at the high-level General Debate of the UNGA on Monday, he said that September 23, the day the presidential election took place, was an "extraordinary daya for the country and it "was a moment that makes every Maldivian proud of how far we have come and the excellent progress the country has achieved." "Following the election, the Maldives is currently going through the process of transfer of power from one elected government to the other," he said. On Saturday, the country's Election Commission declared Maldivian Democratic Party candidate Solih the winner of the presidential election, overruling the defeated President Abdulla Yameen's efforts to delay the announcement of the results. "The accelerated process of democracy in the Maldives is going in tandem with faster growth in social and economic development," Mohamed said. The elections came after a tumultuous period during which Yameen had imposed a state of emergency earlier this year and had arrested former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, as well as Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Judge Ali Hameed and charged them with treason. Solih was also arrested along with scores of opposition leaders. Maldives Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim was scheduled to address UNGA last Saturday but after the president's defeat he did not show up and Mohamed, who spoke in his stead, was the last speaker at the concluding session of the high-level General Debate. Mohamed praised Yameen for what he said was the progress recorded by the Indian Ocean archipelago nation during the last five years under his rule. Without naming any countries, Mohamed said "the the principle of international law that governs the friendly relations and cooperation among states are being challenged at a fundamental level." "There is therefore a need for countries big and small to return to the right side of law," he said. During the country's turmoil, India insisted on Maldives adhering to democracy and Yameen began a drift towards China. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) Mogadishu : A suicide car bomb ripped through an EU convoy near the Somali Defence Ministry here on Monday injuring three civilians, the police said. Somali police commander Sheikh Isak Hassan said the civilians were injured while walking next to armoured vehicles belonging to the EU Training Mission in Somalia, Efe news reported. The Italian soldiers inside the vehicles were unharmed, although one vehicle was damaged, he said. The Somali militant group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the car rammed into the convoy carrying Italian military advisers and trainers. Witnesses said they saw a huge plume of smoke rising above the place. "It was so huge. We learnt that foreign troops were targeted. Somali forces arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area," said one eyewitness. The EU mission, which provides military support to the Western-backed government, didn't comment on the latest incident, which according to reports, left at least two people dead. Washington : A Chinese national living in California has been jailed for 46 months over a scheme to smuggle sensitive space and military communications technology to China. Si Chen, 33, was sentenced on Monday after she pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which restricts the export of certain goods to foreign nations, the Justice Department said in a statement cited by CNN on Tuesday. Si Chen, a resident of Pomona, a suburb of Los Angeles, was arrested in May 2017 and has been in custody since. She also pleaded guilty to money laundering and using a forged passport, the report said. Prosecutors say that between 2013 and 2015, Si Chen purchased and smuggled numerous sensitive items to China without the proper export license, including components used in military communications jammers and devices used for space communications. "This defendant knowingly participated in a plot to secretly send items with military applications to China. The smuggled items could be used in a number of damaging ways, including in equipment that could jam our satellite communications," said US Attorney Nick Hanna in a statement. The report said that Si Chen went by several aliases, including "Chunping Ji", for which she acquired a forged passport and rented an office in Pomona to take delivery of the export-controlled items. From Pomona, the goods were shipped to Hong Kong and then on to China. Court documents mentioned three unindicted co-conspirators who worked with Si Chen to smuggle the items to Hong Kong. Her case came a week after another Chinese national, Ji Chaoqun, was arrested in the US over accusations of acting as an "illegal agent" at the direction of a "high-level intelligence officer" of a provincial department of the Ministry of State Security, China's top spy agency. India or Pakistan: Here's the most dangerous country for women New Delhi : When it comes to women safety and domestic violence, very few countries across the globe can assure 100 percent womens protection. Recently, Papua New Guinea, located in the north of Australia, has been described as one of the most dangerous countries for women. It has been estimated that 70 percent of women in the country get raped in their lifetime or they will likely become victims of sexual violence. The BBC's Benjamin Zand went to Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby and met some people who consider violence against women as right. In this trip, Benjamin met some of the women who said that 'now a lot has happened'. Papua New Guinea is among the world's worst place, where domestic violence and rape rates are the highest. But the big concern is that very few rapists get punishment. A senior police official said that between January and May 2018, at least 6,000 cases of domestic violence and rape were registered officially. He said, "These are the cases that have been recorded, you can think that there will be such cases which have not been recorded anywhere, that is because if you ask any common person in Papua New Guinea, then he It is a common thing that any woman who is a girlfriend, wife or friend, it is common to have violence with her. " Local gangsters in Papua New Guinea have been charged with the most allegations of rape there. For these people, gang raping a woman is an everyday activity. These people have no guilt feeling and they openly talk about this. They hardly care that cameras and police may catch them. A local gangster told the BBC, "Women are the easiest victims here, they're easy to rob, it's easy to beat them. These are also easy prey for us. " In one house, media persons met Susan, who has been living here with her children for the past two months. They were married in the year 2000. After 18 years of domestic violence Susan's guts answered Susan said, "He hit me a lot. I had to put 35 stitches on the palm. He continued to beat me, and I had to jump through the second floor of the house with fear. My right leg was broken. "Susan said that her husband considered her as her" property "and her family could not stop her. In another case, Marissa had also sought shelter in 'Safe House'. But according to the rules, their age is a bit more to stay here. The manager of Safe House explained them the compulsion of the rules, and Marisa had to return. Merrissan said in the conversation with the BBC, "My son-in-law punishes me with a belt. He wants to have sex with me. I cannot let this happen. I'm afraid to return home. He keeps the knife. Marissa said that her son-in-law has also raped her two daughters, but her family did not get any help from the police. In order to initiative women safety rules, five years ago, the 'Family Protection Act' has been created in Papua New Guinea. According to this act, domestic violence is a crime for which two years can be jailed or the accused may have to pay a fine of two thousand US dollars. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Dear Newsie Readers, Newsie has now permanently ceased it's services as of Friday 20th December 2019. Newsie has been an owner-funded operation since day one. Coming up to three years old, while we still firmly believe Newsie has a place in the New Zealand media landscape, the cost in both time and money has become too burdensome for the owners to continue alongside other ventures. With the current government looking to restructure public broadcasting, and seemingly supporting NZME buying a ring-fenced Stuff, the time seems right to call it a day. Should it happen, the combination of NZME and Stuff will ensure New Zealands national media will die a death by a thousand opinion-based articles. Newsie has always tried to stick to balanced news, to inform readers of the facts of a situation, amid being largely ignored by government. Hopefully, one day someone else will take up the challenge to fight the good fight. The good news, however, is that there were no job losses as a result of Newsie closing. Thanks to careful structuring, everyone involved in Newsie will retain their current positions. We hope you all have a happy Christmas and new year. Stay safe, and stay out of the news. The team at Newsie New Delhi: Three members of a family, including a man, his wife and their son, were found dead inside their house in Chennai's Mettukulam near Koyambedu after they inhaled poisonous gas from an air conditioner, said the police. The victims have been identified as Saravan, 35, Kalaiarasi, 30, and Karthikeyan, 8, the police added. Also Read | Donna Strickland becomes first woman Physics Nobel winner in 55 years According to the police, the family went off to sleep while the inverter for their AC remained switched on after a power cut in the evening. When the power restored later, it caused the AC's cylinder to emanate toxic gas, which lead to the family suffocating to death since no doors nor windows were open, according to the police. Bodies of three persons have been sent to the Government Kilpauk Medical College Hospital for post mortem. An FIR has been registered for further investigation, they said. New Delhi: Delhi police has arrested a man for allegedly raping his niece for over four years on the the pretext of treating her manglik dosh. The paternal uncle of the 23-year-old woman had told her that she was having a manglik dosh and it would kill her father if left untreated, police said. The accused raped the woman regularly during the period of four years. He even called her after her marriage. However, the woman thought of sharing her ordeal with her father-in-law. Also Read | Kisan Padyatra: BKU president Tikait says farmers will not accept govt assurance, to go ahead with protest After being informed about the incident, the father-in-law took the woman to Narela police station and filed an FIR against her uncle on September 13. The accused is the paternal uncle of the victim who was arrested the same day of the FIR, PTI quoted police as saying. Also Read | Video of Tanushree Dutta's car being attacked in 2008 goes VIRAL The Delhi police has sought the Delhi Commission for Womens help to provide counselling to the victim. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi : After shocking allegations of alleged sexual harassment and intimidation on the sets of Horn Ok Pleasss, Actress Tanushree Dutta has claimed that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has threatened her of another violent attack. MNS party in an interview given to a leading daily has threatened me with a violent attack. This on top of other threats issued to me from Nana's side...I would like to thank Mumbai police force for coming forward to protect me & helping me strengthen my resolve, the 34-year-old actress told ANI. MNS party in an interview given to a leading daily has threatened me with a violent attack. This on top of other threats issued to me from Nana's side...I would like to thank Mumbai police force for coming forward to protect me & helping me strengthen my resolve: Tanushree Dutta pic.twitter.com/Sk3k1eddJA ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Tanushree had earlier accused Nana Patekar of sending political party goons, allegedly from MNS, to intimidate her after she walked out of a special song sequence because of the actor's alleged inappropriate behaviour in 2008. Right after this revelation, a footage of Tanushrees car being attacked and vandalised in 2008 started doing rounds on the internet, while she and her elderly parents were in it. Also Read | Video of Tanushree Dutta's car being attacked in 2008 goes VIRAL - english.newsnationtv.com Earlier, in an interview to IANS, she recounted Nana's "misbehaviour" on the set. "He (Nana Patekar) called the MNS (Maharashtra Navnirman Sena) party to bash up my car. He was behind everything and was supported by Ganesh Acharya (choreographer)". Also Read | Tanushree Dutta denies receiving LEGAL NOTICE while Nana Patekar confirms; Who's lying now? - english.newsnationtv.com For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta kicked up a storm when she went all out against actor Nana Patekar for allegedly harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Please. Giving another edge to the controversy, Actress Tanushree Dutta claims she hasn't received any legal notice from Nana Patekar yet, she told news agency ANI yet again on Tuesday. The Aashiq Banaya Aapne actress said, "I haven't received any notice from Nana Patekar. These threats are put so that others like me would be scared to come forward. Anyone with a similar experience shouldn't worry about these kinds of intimidation tactics. The whole nation will support them." This statement from Tanushree comes just hours after she told the press about the attack on her car, which allegedly happened after she opted out of the film. Also Read| Video of Tanushree Dutta's car being attacked in 2008 goes VIRAL - english.newsnationtv.com Meanwhile, Nanas lawyer, Rajendra Shirodkar, confirmed that a legal noticed has been sent to Tanushree Dutta yesterday. The notice demands an apology from Tanushree for false accusations and allegations. He also added that Nana Patekar will hold a press conference with the media as soon as hes back in the city, probably on October 5th or 6th. The controversy has given rise to a situation of puzzlement. It seems like, the mystification around the legal notice has kicked up another turbulence. Former Miss India and Bollywood actor, Dutta has spent the last few days giving interviews about the harassment she faced 10 years ago at the hands of veteran actor Nana Patekar. According to the actor, she was a part of a song sequence along with Patekar, where the latter tried to touch her inappropriately. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Undeterred by US threat of sanctions, India and Russia will sign a deal for over USD 5 billion S-400 surface-to-air missile system during Vladimir Putins visit to New Delhi. "The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems," news agency AFP quoted Vladimir Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov as saying. "The value of the contract will be more than USD 5 billion," Ushakov said. Also Read | Kisan Kranti Padyatra: All schools, colleges in Ghaziabad to remain closed tomorrow The deal for S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles was finalised after several rounds of negotiations between India and Russia. The confirmation came a month after the US warned India against signing the defence deal with Russia, saying that Washington would consider it as a "significant transaction" that would attract tough American sanctions. In August, senior Pentagon official had said that the US will consider imposing tough sanctions against India if it goes ahead with the purchase. According to reports, the deal was given clearance by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting on September 27. Also Read | Maneka Gandhi backs Tanushree Dutta, calls for #MeTooIndia like campaign The S-400 Triumf is a Russian anti-air system which can shoot down ballistic missiles at a range of 60km (37 miles). An S-400 unit is composed of several launchers, command and logistics vehicles. It can track as many as 300 airborne targets at a range of 600 km and can destroy up to 36 of them. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: All schools and colleges in Ghaziabad will remain closed on Wednesday due to farmers' protest near Delhi border, announced district magistrateA Ritu MaheshwariA on Tuesday.A A A All schools and colleges in ghaziabad shall remain closed tomorrow as a preventive measure in view of ongoing farmers agitation .. a DM Ghaziabad (@dm_ghaziabad) October 2, 2018 The Ghaziabad traffic police have also issued an advisory for commuters in view of the farmersa agitation.Commuters from Vasundhara and Mohan Nagar have been advised to take the Seemapuri route for Delhi. The elevated road from Raj Nagar extension will be closed. Commuters can use AVES cut, Tigri mor, Chhijarsi, Model Town/Electronic City to enter Noida and further go towards Delhi.Vehicles coming to Ghaziabad from Noida will be diverted from Tigri mor towards Lal Kuan and Dasna. Vehicles coming from Bulandshahr will not be allowed to enter NH-24. There will be two main roads for going to Delhi a from Mohan Nagar to Seemapuri and from Nagdwar-Hindon airport roundabout to Bhopura Tulsi Niketan. Naresh Tikait, the chief of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which has given a mega protest call, said the farmers are "not satisfied" with the government's assurance hours after thousands of farmers tried to enter Delhi in a massive march on Tuesday. Underfire, the Centre announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands after a meeting between the protesting farmers at the Delhi-UP border. Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government was assuring the farmers to take forward their cause. Tikait said the farmers will stay put at the Delhi border."We will discuss this and then decide on future course of action. I cannot decide anything alone, our committee will take the decision," Tikait said. The farmers were marching towards Delhi over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices, but were stopped at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border with police using water cannons to disperse them. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A special investigation team, headed by Inspector General (Lucknow range) Sujeet Kumar, on Tuesday reached the spot where Apple executive Vivek Tiwari was shot dead allegedly by one of the two UP constables in the state capitalas Gomti Nagar locality on early on Saturday morning to recreate the crime scene. Superintendent of police (Crime) Dinesh Singh and a forensic team were also present at the spot. #VivekTiwari murder case: Special Investigation team, headed by IG Lucknow range Sujeet Kumar, has reached the spot of the incident for further investigation. SP Crime Dinesh Singh and a forensic team are also present at the spot. #Lucknow pic.twitter.com/zyJ4RnQq6c a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 2, 2018 The SIT team had met Sana Khan, Tiwari's colleague who was in the car at the time of the incident, earlier in the day before reaching the spot along with her. Tiwari (38) was shot by constables Prashant Chowdhury while he was going to drop his colleague Khan. Two constables -- Chowdhury and Sandeep Kumar -- were arrested and dismissed from the job and an FIR was registered in the matter on the basis of a complaint by Khan. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had Saturday said a CBI inquiry would be recommended if needed. Lucknow: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is recreating the scene of incident at the spot, for further investigation of #VivekTiwari death case. pic.twitter.com/jxKsUyRjVP a ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 2, 2018 ChowdhuryA had said after noticing some "suspicious activity", he asked the victim to come out of the SUV but he did not and instead tried to hit him and he had to open fire in self-defence. A fired bullet pierced the windscreen as the car rammed into a pillar, the police had said.A The autopsy report had later confirmed the death was caused by gunshot injuries. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Three researchers -- Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou, Donna Strickland -- on Tuesday shared the Nobel Physics Prize for groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser physics that have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in industry and medicine, the jury said. Ashkin of the United States won one half of the nine million Swedish kronor (about Rs. 7.40 crore) prize, while Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada shared the other half.Ashkin, 96, was honoured for his invention of optical tweezers grab particles, atoms and molecules with their laser beam fingers. They can examine and manipulate viruses, bacteria and other living cells without damaging them. New opportunities for observing and controlling the machinery of life have been created.Optical tweezers make it possible to observe, turn, cut, push and pull with light. In many laboratories, laser tweezers are used to study biological processes, such as proteins, molecular motors, DNA or the inner life of cells.Mourou and Strickland paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses created by humankind. The technique they developed opened up new areas of research and led to broad industrial and medical applications. Also Read | Supporting Nana Patekar will get Raj Thackeray a political mileage, alleges Tanushree Dutta Mourou and Stricklands technique is known as chirped pulse amplication, CPA. Speaking by phone to the academy, a moved Strickland said she was thrilled to receive the Nobel prize that has been the least accessible for women."We need to celebrate women physicists because they're out there... I'm honoured to be one of those women." Before her, only Marie Curie and Maria Goeppert Mayer had won the physics prize, in 1903 and 1963 respectively. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has in the past lamented the small number of women laureates in the science fields in general.It has insisted that it is not due to male chauvinism bias on the award committees, instead attributing it to the fact that laboratory doors were closed to women for so long. Also Read | Gandhi Jayanti 2018: PM Modi invokes Ahimsa, says non-violence has the power to unite strife-torn humanity "It's a small percentage for sure, that's why we are taking measures to encourage more nominations because we don't want to miss anyone," the head of the Academy, Goran Hansson, said on Tuesday.Last year, US astrophysicists Barry Barish, Kip Thorne and Rainer Weiss won the physics prize for the discovery of gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein a century ago as part of his theory of general relativity. On Monday, two immunologists, James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, won this year's Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the body's natural defences can fight cancer. The winners of the chemistry prize will be announced on Wednesday, followed by the peace prize on Friday. The economics prize will wrap up the Nobel season on Monday, October 8. (With AFP inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Singapore: Myanmars neighbours in Southeast Asia have urged the country to hold those responsible for the Rohingya crisis accountable, Singapore said on Tuesday, in a rare call for justice from within the region. Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmars western Rakhine state have fled across the border to Bangladesh since August last year following a military campaign that allegedly involved murder, rape, torture and razing villages. The UN has accused Myanmars military of committing genocide against the Muslim minority. Also Read | At CWC meeting, Congress calls for second freedom struggle against 'Modiraj' As global pressure has mounted over the atrocities, Myanmar formed an Independent Commission of Enquiry, which is chaired by former Philippine deputy foreign minister Rosario Manalobut gave no details of the commissions remit, powers or how long it would take to complete its investigation. Critics have blasted the commission for its toothlessness after Manalo said her commission will not be blaming or finger pointing anybody. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said he and his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met on September 29 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York and discussed the situation in Rakhine. We expressed our grave concern with these alleged acts of violence that have led to loss of lives, injuries, destruction of homes and displacement of large numbers of people, he said in parliament. To be brutally honest, this is a man-made humanitarian disaster and something which should not be happening in this day and age. He said the ministers told Myanmar that the commission should be given a full mandate to investigate and to hold all those responsible fully accountable. Read More | Television actor Neeru Agarwal passes away, Co-star Divyanka Tripathi shares condolence post Myanmars military has denied nearly all wrongdoing, justifying its crackdown as a legitimate means of rooting out Rohingya militants. But after a fact-finding mission, the United Nations set up a panel to prepare indictments against Myanmars army chief and five other top military commanders for crimes against humanity and genocide. Much of Myanmars majority Buddhist society regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and has for decades systematically stripped them of their rights. Balakrishnan noted that Myanmar cannot be compelled by ASEAN to act as the 10-nation grouping makes decisions by consensus, which effectively gives each member veto powers. The bloc however can influence Myanmar through persuasion, through transparency and keeping this on the agenda of their annual meetings, he said. ASEAN members typically steer clear of openly criticising each others domestic policies. Singapore, the current chair of ASEANs rotating leadership, will host a summit of the groups leaders in November. The blocs other members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday confronted Armed Forces Chief General Carlito Galvez Jr. on members of the military staking out near his house. The senator said on September 29 - the same day he returned home from his 25-day stay inside his Senate office - members of Military Intelligence Group (MIG) were accosted for conducting surveillance around his house. "Ano ba ang objective? Binubuntutan ako, pati bahay namin kini-casing," he asked Galvez during the Senate's deliberations for the 2019 budget of the Defense Department. Galvez said their main purpose is to keep the embattled senator safe amid threats to his life. "We are aware na there is also some threat sa life niyo, sir. Ang instruction namin to make sure walang mangyayari sa inyo, sir. If ever there is something na may mangyari sa inyo, sir, sa amin i-blame. So that is the main purpose ng ano natin," the AFP Chief said. Trillanes has earlier expressed anxiety over suspicious vehicles casing his home after President Rodrigo Duterte voided his amnesty and ordered his arrest, but the Palace dismissed it as "paranoia." With Galvez's admission, Malacanang now says there's nothing wrong with the surveillance. "Casing is perfectly legal," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing in the afternoon. "It's only proper to case individuals who have been openly advocating the overthrow of a duly elected, democratically elected President," he added. Trillanes, a staunch critic of the Duterte administration, is out on bail after a branch of the Makati Regional Trial Court revived his rebellion case and ordered him arrested in line with Duterte's voidance of his amnesty. Norm Cummings / ST Michelle Gorra, vice-chairwoman of the Region 12 Board of Education, was one of nine school board members in the state who recently became a certificated board of education member. To earn that level, school board members must participate in numerous hours of board-related professional development activities and accumulate at least 20 credits. The areas of study are: policy, curriculum, school finance, school law, labor relations, board operations and board relations with the superintendent, with the community and with each other, according to the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education. NEWTOWN - A home-grown nonprofit that launched a national system in March that encourages anonymous reporting of potential school violence has reached an agreement to provide a similar service for the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office. Sandy Hook Promise, a group begun by parents who lost loved ones in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre, said its partnership with the Pennsylvania Attorney General will cover 500 school districts statewide. We know that early prevention programs like ours are proven to stop violence before it starts, said Nicole Hockley, a co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise, in a prepared statement. With this launch, we will train students across the state how to recognize at-risk behaviors and take action before it starts. Under the agreement, Sandy Hook Promise will provide training to students and district staff, and the reporting system will be overseen by the Attorney General, according to a release. The agreement is similar to Sandy Hook Promises Say Something Anonymous Reporting System, which was launched in March. The system allows students to submit an anonymous tip from a smartphone, a laptop or a telephone call that a peer is about to cause harm. For details about the anonymous reporting system, visit https://www.saysomething.net. The anonymous reporting system seeks to exploit the fact that 80 percent of school shooters and 70 percent of people who commit suicide told someone about their plan before they carried it out. Attorney General Josh Shapiro touted the new reporting system. Working together with Sandy Hook Promise, we can make Pennsylvania safer for families, teachers, and most importantly, our students, Shapiro said in a prepared statement. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 The stats and stories would tell you it's not great to be a female founder looking to raise venture capital. VCs are four times more likely to fund an all-male startup than those with even one woman leader resulting in female founders receiving only 2 percent of venture funding. The overwhelmingly white male VCs like to fund white male entrepreneurs. Related: How This Subscription-Box Founder Got Her Mentor, the 'Hottest Ticket in Town,' to Invest in Her Company So, when my co-founder Anne Halsall and I decided to go out and raise our next round of funding for Winnie -- and our largest round to date -- we knew we were in for an uphill battle. Winnie has an all-female leadership team and half of our team is female. If the deck wasn't stacked against us enough, Anne and I are also moms which comes with its own set of biases. But, the real kicker: I was in my third trimester of pregnancy. We knew we'd have to work at least twice as hard. But, thanks to some extreme hustle, we raised $4 million in funding to bring our total funding raised to $6.25 milion in the 2.5 years since we started the company. This is a lot of money in a relatively short time-frame. So, how did we do it? Here are what I've found to be the five keys to a successful fundraise. 1. If it's not working, tell a different story. In all our initial conversations, we geeked out about what we had build. As product people, we focused a lot on the product, how people were using it, all our cool metrics and engagement data and even had a slide chock full of quotes from our users. While this obsession with the user certainly works for building a great product, it didn't work for fundraising. At the end of the day, investors care about making money. We decided to swing all the way in the other direction. We removed all mock-ups from our deck and didn't demo our product until people asked. Once we switched up our pitch to focus on the market opportunity and how we were going to capture it, investors started seeing green and getting really excited. Related: Fundraising While Pregnant: How to Raise $20 Million for Your Startup #LikeAGirl 2. Build the rejection muscle. The absolute most important thing about fundraising is to keep going. The difference between closing your round and not closing your round is always a single meeting. Even if it doesn't feel like it at times, if you have a good business the right lead is out there and the trick is not quitting before you find it. There are a million reasons unrelated to you why investors may not choose to invest in your business, but once the answer is "no," it takes something extraordinary to change their mind. Spend your time trying to influence the decisions of those who haven't yet shut the door, and keep pushing. After you get an investor to commit to lead your round, the rest of the round falls into place relatively quickly. 3. You can't manufacture urgency. The worst advice that we've gotten is to make it seem like you have a super hot, competitive deal that is about to close. This only works if you actually have a super hot deal that's about to close. When a deal is actually super hot, people know that and they will fight to the death to get into your deal. However, before a deal is super hot, you can't -- for lack of a better phrase -- bullshit your way there (at least I couldn't). I found that you're better off just being direct. When you don't have a lead, you can say so. If an investor isn't in a place to be that lead, it's better to find out right away and move on. Related: How This Founder Bootstrapped an Office Furniture Company That Targeted What Other Furniture Companies Are Missing 4. Everyone is someone who can give you money. Anyone with a checkbook is an investor. Don't underestimate the power of your own network especially in the earliest rounds of fundraising. Remember, people you've worked with in previous jobs, someone who followed you on Twitter and thinks you're funny, the CEO of your previous company -- they are all people who can potentially write you a check. Don't be afraid to pitch them. 5. Don't try to raise more than you really need. Even in the best case, fundraising is a slog. It requires a lot of time and energy and that's time and energy not going to building your business. Many businesses do not require a large amount of upfront capital to start. Ultimately, the fastest way to complete your fundraise is to raise only what you absolutely need and put the rest of your energy toward building a massive business. As a side benefit, you'll forgo dilution and have more control over the pace at which you grow -- all things that lead to healthier businesses long-term. Related: My Female-Led Company Raised $6.25 Million in 2.5 Years. Here's How We Did It. How the Founder of Daily Harvest Escaped Corporate America to Build Her Successful Food-Delivery Startup 3 Lessons for European Entrepreneurs Facing Investor Doubt Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved RICHMOND, Va. - Gov. Ralph Northam warned Tuesday he will veto a redistricting plan that Republicans in Virginia's House of Delegates hope to approve later this month. The lawmakers are set to consider new legislative boundaries in response to a federal court ruling that 11 House of Delegates districts had been racially gerrymandered. Virginia's House of Delegates will reconvene Oct. 21 to consider a redistricting plan that Republicans hope will beat a federal court's deadline to fix boundaries the court found were racially gerrymandered. House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said earlier Tuesday that he would summon lawmakers on Oct. 21 to take up a plan passed out of committee on a party-line vote last week. If the legislature fails to act by Oct. 30, judges at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia will handle the redistricting themselves. "I am firmly against judicial overreach and allowing federal judges to draw the map," Cox said Tuesday in a news release. "The bottom line is this is the constitutional responsibility of the legislature." A three-judge panel of the federal court ruled June 26 that 11 Virginia House districts were drawn in 2011 in a way that lessened the influence of black voters. The 11 districts are in Hampton Roads and greater Richmond. House Democrats unveiled their redistricting plan in August, and Northam, D, convened the General Assembly on Aug. 30 to consider it. Republicans responded by asking the court for a stay of the deadline, which was denied, and by appealing the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. Cox said Tuesday that he is pursuing the appeal but also intends to meet the Oct. 30 deadline. All 100 seats in the House are up for election next year, and control of the chamber hangs in the balance. Republican lawmakers, who have a 51-to-49 advantage in the House, brushed off the Democratic redistricting plan and eventually produced one of their own. Democrats called it a partisan scheme, and the legislature appeared deadlocked. Last week, Del. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, delivered a redistricting plan that included input from a handful of Democratic legislators in Hampton Roads. The House Privileges and Elections Committee approved that plan last week - but on a party-line vote, 11 to 10. Northam has said he was disappointed in the committee's failure to reach consensus and has called on the courts to handle the matter. The committee's action last week "reinforced my belief that this partisan process should not continue," Northam said Tuesday in a news release. "I must unequivocally state that I will veto [the measure] should it reach my desk." Northam added that he hopes the legislature will amend the state constitution to create a mechanism for nonpartisan redistricting. Cox slammed Northam's position, saying that it "stands in contrast to several private discussions with House leaders." He accused Northam of "feigning interest" in a legislative solution, and said the governor "wants federal judges appointed by President [Barack] Obama...to deliver a Democratic majority in the House of Delegates." Cox said he would re-evaluate whether to stick with the Oct. 21 session. The General Assembly faced a similar predicament in 2015, when a federal court found three congressional districts unconstitutional. The legislature failed to come up with lines of its own, and the court redrew the districts instead. The following editorial appeared in Tuesday's Yomiuri Shimbun: - - - By manipulating public opinion in a foreign country through Chinese state-run media, China would go so far as to sway the outcome of an election in that country. Concern over such a situation is spreading in the United States. Japan, for its part, has no option but to pay attention to such moves. Saying that China is interfering in November's midterm elections, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Beijing of trying to sway the election by targeting farmers who support him. Called into question were China's propaganda activities in the Midwestern states, where there are many supporters of Trump. An article saying that trade friction with China is harming U.S. farmers was carried in an English-language insert linked to the Chinese government in local papers. It seems to be difficult for readers to distinguish that article from ordinary news. Worried about its impact on the election, Trump sounded an alarm bell, describing the insert as propaganda made to pretend to be news. There has also been a move within the United States to regulate the Xinhua News Agency, China's largest state-run media outlet. It is said that the U.S. Justice Department has ordered the Xinhua News Agency to register as a foreign agent that conducts propaganda for the Chinese government. When registered, the agent, unlike a news organization, will be required to make a detailed report on its activities. There is no mistake that the move is aimed at putting the brakes on interference in domestic affairs in the guise of news media. The United States had previously been tolerant of the activities of foreign media. The course of things changed following the U.S. presidential election in 2016, when the true state of Russia's interference in the election - with news in its government-affiliated media and through cyber-attacks - came to light. The Russian government-backed television station RT repeatedly featured coverage unfavorable to Hillary Clinton, Trump's opponent in the election, in keeping with the intentions of Russian President Vladimir Putin's administration. Recognizing RT as a Russian agent in the United States, the U.S. Justice Department made it register as such last year. It cannot be overlooked that authoritarian states such as China and Russia wield influence on other nations' domestic politics and society, by taking advantage of the open system of a democratic state. The administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping has given instructions to make efforts to conduct external propaganda so as to mold international opinion in a way that benefits China. Such efforts are totally different from public diplomacy, activities that directly work on public opinion in a partner country through public relations activities and cultural exchange. Consider the Confucius Institute, branches of which the Chinese government has established in various countries as bases for promoting Chinese language and culture. They have been closed one after another in the United States on the grounds that there is a danger of intellectual property being stolen from their affiliated U.S. universities. Even in Japan, many Chinese media outlets are operating, and there are a number of Confucius Institutes. It is important to rationally discern their real situation, so they cannot be used to expand China's political influence in Japan. Let's be honest: Finding a roommate can be a giant headache. In a best-case scenario, you'll end up living with someone who becomes your BFF; worst case, you'll end up signing a lease with an epic weirdo. For anyone with a horrible roommate story, the warning signs typically started to show after you moved innot from first glance at the roommate wanted ad. But in the case of the nutty ads below, the renters showed their true colors from the get-go. Take a look at some of the most outlandish roommate wanted ads we've ever seen posted. If reading this doesn't make you happy that you live alone (or at least with a levelheaded roommate), we don't know what will. 'Steeler fans only' Know how many Super Bowls the Steelers have won? You'd better if you want to live here. pbs.com Baltimore Ravens fans need not apply. This ad, posted in 2016 by avid Pittsburgh Steelers fans named "John" and "Scott" in Sharpsburg, PA, spelled out exactly the type of roommate they're looking for. At the time the ad was posted, it caught the attention of Rolling Stone reporter Scott Rafferty. The flyer is "awesome, even if it probably breaks some kind of anti-discrimination law," Rafferty noted. Living in the loo Exactly where will you and your air mattress go when your roomie is using the can? craigslist.org A $400 living situation in New York City's East Village sounds like the ultimate sublet, but scan the details and you'll realize it may be the lowest form of slumlord-ing known to man. This listing, which appeared on Craigslist in November 2008, indicates that the renter of the bathroomand the renter's guestsare confined to the room unless the "female" in her "mid 60s" needs to use the loo. For that reason alone, we'd have to imagine that she remained the lone occupant. Hog heaven? Who doesn't want to be bullied by a boar in their own home? http://www.craigslist.org Honesty is the best policy when it comes to talking about pets, no matter if it's a dog, cat, or potbellied pig. This ad, posted on Craigslist in January 2013, says the place is occupied by not one but two porkers. Before you succumb to their cuteness, you might want to remember they're "herd animals." And as you read on, you'll learn Franklin, the elder pig, "will bully you." It also seems fair to say that you will not be allowed to consume bacon in this crib. Don't expect to get a spot on that couch either! Must love nature The tent where you can rough it with two other roommates for $200 a month. http://www.craigslist.org San Francisco has been the most expensive city to rent in for a while now, so residents have had to get creative with their living situations. Case in point: this ad for a roommate to rent one-third of a tent for $50 a week, which appeared on Craigslist in September 2015. The original posters say the "tent moves locations throughout the week to keep fresh," and while that change of scenery may be nice, the idea of living in 15 square feet of space sounds like ... a challenge. Points for creativity If she's this creative, imagine what your holiday decor will look like. visualnews.com This is one way to stand out in the rental market! If you're charmed by the creativity of this post and not turned off by the over-the-top self-promotion, Lauren might be the roommate for you. And with all those testimonials, who wouldn't want to live with Lauren, right? Seriously, she had us at mac and cheese. We're sure she had tons of inquiries and not just about that "Ironic Naked Man" in the lower right-hand corner. This ad generated so much buzz that it appeared in HuffPost and Visual News in October 2013. Both publications praised the graphic designer for her creativity and cleverness. 'The hive is located in the living room' You're not allergic to bees, right? http://www.craigslist.org Forgive us for being daft, but isn't beekeeping typically an outdoor activity? Is it really wise to maintain a "rather large hive of Africanized honey bees" in the living room? According to this ad, posted to Craigslist in June 2003 for a room in an East Village apartment, "occasionally something sets [the bees] off and hive [sic] becomes enraged and tends to swarm." Sounds awesome! But even if sharing your life with a swarm of bees doesn't sound so bad, don't even think about bringing your "large collection of predatory insects" along. 'I just want your rent money' CIA-level background check is included with rent. craigslist.org This ad is a joke, right? Aside from copping to his or her impossibly high standards, the original poster basically admits that your security deposit ("three times the amount anyone could describe as reasonable") won't be returned, whether you like it or not. This ad, placed on Craigslist in January 2009, is either proof that the internet is a very dark place or that people will do anything to try to go viral. It's hard to believe the apartment, with its "magic sheet," had been posted for six weeks with no bites. The post 10 of the Wackiest Roommate Wanted Ads, Ever appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. State Forest Rangers recently were involved in several incidents involving finding missing individuals and in rescuing injured hikers. The following incidents took place between Sept. 26-30. All specifics below were supplied by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Town of Parish Oswego County Wildland Search: "On Sept. 26 at approximately 11 p.m., New York State Police out of Fulton requested Forest Ranger assistance in a search for a 49-year-old woman who had last been seen at her residence. On the morning of Sept. 27, Rangers Scott Jackson, Jeremy Oldroyd, and Mike Chappell convened at the State Police barracks in Pulaski and organized a search mission with NYSP and members of the New York State Federation of Search and Rescue Teams. Ranger Jackson requested three Forest Rangers and Howard Thomes, Greg Hoag, and Dave Cornell were dispatched. At approximately 9 a.m., the woman was located in good health in a barn within the search area. NYSP investigated the circumstances and all Forest Rangers were demobilized from the incident." Town of Bolton Warren County Wildland Search: "On Sept. 27 at 7:02 p.m., DEC Ray Brook Dispatch received a transferred call from Warren County 911 reporting a 46-year-old woman from Greenwich lost while hiking 5th Peak in the Tongue Mountain Range. Under Lt. Christopher Kostoss' authority, two Rangers were dispatched to retrieve the subject. Rangers Nancy Ganswindt and Charles Kabrehl traveled by boat from Green Island to access an area where coordinates placed the subject. The hiker was located in good condition by 9:37 p.m., escorted out of the woods, and provided transport by boat to Green Island and back to her vehicle at Clay Meadows. The incident concluded at 10:40 p.m." Town of Whitehall Washington County Wildland Search: "On Sept. 28 at 9 a.m., DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch received notification from Lt. John Solan of a State Police request to assist in a search for a 75-year-old man from Whitehall reported missing by family members. NYSP initially searched outlying areas with K-9 and aviation assets. Seven Rangers were dispatched to conduct a search. A New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision crew heard the subject yelling for help near an open marsh. The subject was located cold and wet. He was rehydrated, fed, and transported by a Skeneborough Ambulance to Rutland, Vt., for treatment." Town of Hunter Greene County Wildland Rescue: "At 11:53 a.m., DEC's Central Dispatch received a call from Greene County 911 reporting an injured 68-year-old man from Freeport that had fallen approximately 20 feet near the lower falls at Kaaterskill Falls. Four Rangers and two assistant Rangers responded, along with members of Hunter Ambulance, Greene County Paramedic, Haines Falls Rescue, and Twin Cloves Rescue. After an assessment, the subject was able to walk out to the trailhead with assistance. At the trailhead, the man declined further medical treatment and sought further treatment on his own. Responders were clear of the incident at 1:45 p.m." Town of Newcomb Essex County Wildland Rescue: "At 5:36 p.m. on Sept. 30, DEC's Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting his partner had injured his knee descending a steep, eroded section of the Mount Adams Trail. The 71-year-old hiker was located less than a quarter mile from the summit of the peak and was unable to put any weight on the leg. Under the authority of Lt. John Solan, several Forest Rangers and one assistant Forest Ranger were requested to assist with a night carry-out of the injured party. At 10:08 p.m., Forest Rangers arrived at the hiker's location and provided patient care. Once the patient was stabilized and secured in a litter, Rangers began the difficult carry out to a staged six-wheeler at the base of the mountain. With slippery, steep, and hazardous conditions, the rescue required low-angle rope rescue techniques. At 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 1, the man from Tolland, Conn., was out of the woods and Newcomb Volunteer Ambulance transported him for further medical treatment." Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC's Hiking Safety and Adirondack Backcountry Information webpage for more information. Helion Energy has successfully raised $30 million raised in the past three years will be enough to get Helion through the debut of its 50-megwatt break-even nuclear fusion prototype. Helions commercial strategy is to build fusion reactors in Washington, with capacity of about 50 megawatts, and deploy them at industrial facilities. Helion Energy is building the latest in a series of prototype generators. They are building full-scale, break-even-or-better that is to be ready in 2018. They have raised enough capital to get it through that stage, Kirtley says, and April, 2018 brought on its 24th employee. They are targeting generating power at 4 cents per kilowatt-hour. In 2015, Nextbigfuture reported that Helion Energy had raised $10.6 million in funding. The company disclosed the funds in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Helion planned to raise more than $21 million total in the continuing round. In 2018, Helion reported its fifth-generation plasma machine, nicknamed Venti (as in a Starbucks coffee cup size), went into operation in 2017. Venti aims to compress a plasma target to 20 Tesla and to fusion temperatures, Kirtley said in a follow-up email. The sixth-generation machine (Trenta?) is already being designed. And Kirtley expects the seventh-generation machine to hit net energy gain. Just dont ask him when. Were working on it, he said. Nextbigfuture interviewed Helion Energy CEO David Kirtley in 2014. An NSF, NASA, and DOD fellow, Dr. Kirtley has 13 years of experience in nuclear engineering, fusion, and aerospace and holds Nuclear and Aerospace Engineering degrees from the University of Michigan. He leads the MSNW propulsion research and development, serves as Helions CEO, and has raised and managed many high technology programs. Helion Energy is trying to achieve commercial Magneto-Inertial Fusion. This combines the stability of steady magnetic fusion and the heating of pulsed inertial fusion, a commercially practical system has been realized that is smaller and lower cost than existing programs. Helion Energy will be magnetically accelerating plasmas together and then compressing them once per second. David indicated a breakeven fusion machine would need about $35 million in funding. Seattle Business reports that Helion has raised the money and will complete this targeting breakeven machine this year. There was a two or three-year delay to get the funds. Shifting the dates discussed in 2015. If all goes well this year then Helion Energy machine that proves commercial energy gain would be a 50 Megawatt system built in 2021. $200 million would be needed for the commercial pilot plant. The plan would be to start building commercial systems by 2024. Funding seems to be main issue maintaining the dates and currently Helion Energy is not committing to dates. Helion is creating technology it calls The Fusion Engine, which would use helium from engine exhaust, according to the companys website. The helium, along with deuterium fuel from seawater, would be heated to become plasma and then compressed with magnetic fields to reach fusion temperature, which is more than 100 million degrees. Helion Energy will investigate staged magnetic compression of field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas, building on past successes to develop a prototype that can attain higher temperatures and fuel density than previously possible. The team will use these results to assess the viability of scaling to a power reactor, which if successful would offer the benefits of simple linear geometry, attractive scaling, and compatibility with modern pulsed power electronics. Key Benefits of Helions Approach * Magneto-Inertial Fusion: By combining the stability of steady magnetic fusion and the heating of pulsed inertial fusion, a commercially practical system has been realized that is smaller and lower cost than existing programs. * Modular, Distributed Power: A container-sized, 50 MW module for baseload power generation. * Self-Supplied Helium 3 Fusion: Pulsed, D-He3 fusion simplifies the engineering of a fusion power plant, lowers costs, and is even cleaner than traditional fusion. * Magnetic Compression: Fuel is compressed and heated purely by magnetic fields operated with modern solid state electronics. This eliminates inefficient, expensive laser, piston, or beam techniques used by other fusion approaches. * Direct Energy Conversion: Enabled by pulsed operation, efficient direct conversion decreases plant costs and fusions engineering challenges. * Safe: With no possibility of melt-down, or hazardous nuclear waste, fusion does not suffer the drawbacks that make fission an unattractive alternative. Previously there was talk about creating a fusion engine to help burn fission waste (unburned fission fuel). It would need to produce a lot of neutrons. This turned out to be more difficult and less practical. The work indicates that aneutronic Helium 3 Deuterium is the best path forward. 2D+3He 4He+ 1p+ 18.3 MeV Prototypes every two years Another view of the fourth prototype Tri-alpha Energys system looks similar to Helion Energy. What is similar and different ? Tri-alpha energy also creates and merges plasmoids. However, Tri-alpha sustains the merged plasmoids with colliding beams. Helion Energy will be magnetically accelerating plasmas together and then compressing them once per second. What recent technological advances have helped Helion Energy ? Newly available electronics technologies have enabled a revolutionary design to make fusion a commercial reality. The power switching electronics in Wind turbines and in other energy systems helps Helion Energy. In the future if better superconducting batteries and materials are created it would allow improved Helion Energy reactors that are smaller and more powerful. Current technology is sufficient for the 2019 2021 design. It is a matter of engineering the details correctly. How does the University of Washington, MSNW LLC and Helion Energy work fit together ? University of Washington is where the basic scientific research is done. MSNW LLC is for the SBIR and other grant work and to prove out work that could potentially be commercialized. Helion Energy is for the commercial venture funded nuclear fusion development. Helion plans to substantially improve their Fusion Engine for 2016 2018 and have commercially capable system by 2019 2021 The dots on the graph, HF 2012 (Helion Fusion 2012) and IPA HF 2013 (Inductive Plasma Accelerator High Field 2013) are their prototype performance. They want to get the 10 tesla performance about 20 times better for the breakeven 2016 2018device. They will go to 12 tesla for the 2019 2021 version. The vertical axis is the poloidal flux Ge on the graph is the gain. So Helion energy is at about 20% now. Targeting between 1 and 2 in 2016 2018 and a gain of 10 in 2019 2021. Helion Energys approach will be 10 times faster and 1000 times cheaper than ITER Helion Energy came up with a new approach and by leveraging $5M from the Department of Energy they proved the technology in a series of breakthrough prototypes that are generating Deuterium-Deuterium fusion today at a small scale. This success gave them a significant technical lead over their competitors and, with additional backing from Mithril Capital (Peter Thiel and Ajay Royans firm) and Y Combinator, they increased performance by a factor of 25. Helions technology operates in a promising new region, midway between steady magnetic and inertial fusion. The Fusion Engine works like a diesel engine with electromagnets in place of moving pistons. Fuel is injected and compressed with magnetic fields. It fuses and the expanding particle energy is directly converted to electricity, pulsing once per second. Helions Fusion Engine, if it works, will not produce radioactive waste and will not put Carbon into the atmosphere. It will be safer than nuclear fission, will only require plentiful Deuterium as a new fuel input (Helium-3 is captured and reused), and will end energy dependence on other nations. This wouldnt have been possible ten years ago. Recent advancements in high power electronics, developed for space propulsion and the smart grid, is what enable Helions Fusion Engine. There are four major private companies competing in the fusion space. Helions reaction is 1000 times easier to achieve than the reactions other clean fusion companies are pursuing. Helions pulsed approach enables us to take advantage of advanced Helium-3 fuels and by capturing the alpha particle energy directly the company eliminates the need for steam turbines and cooling towers (and the associated energy losses). By capitalizing on small, pulsed magnetic, fusion Helion can reach profitable energy generation in a fraction of the time and cost. Helion plans to reach breakeven energy generation in less than three years with just a few tens of millions of dollars; this is nearly 10 times faster and more than 1000 times cheaper than ITER. Independent estimates are that Helions wholesale electricity will be approximately 2 cents per kilowatt-hour, which means electricity could be sold to consumers for around 4 cents. Competitive Advantage Helion Energy is uniquely qualified to succeed in bringing the Fusion Engine to market: * Helions technology is the only proven, practical, reactor assembly in existence with greater fusion output than any private competitor. * The Fusion Engine was designed from the ground up to be a competitive commercial device, yet is based on demonstrated physics, technologies and Helions patented scientific breakthrough. * The world-renowned scientific and technical team has a deep knowledge of the science, and unique experience in the technologies and the scales required for a commercial reactor. * The science of the Fusion Engine has been rigorously demonstrated and peer-reviewed. * Helion has radically reduced risk by validating the technology with over $5 M in DOE funding. * The Fusion Engine is compact (semi-truck sized) will be able to generate lower cost electricity than current baseload power sources. * The management team won the 2013 National Cleantech Open Energy Generation competition and awards at the 2014 ARPA-E Future Energy Startup competition. Revenue Model Helion Energys long-term strategy is to generate revenue based on a royalty model of electricity produced with projected electricity prices of 40-60 $/MWhr (4 to 6 cents per kwh). Penetration of the new capacity market is estimated at 20% of market growth (2.5%) per annum eventually reaching 50% of new power generation worldwide $52 B/yr. Gradual displacement of existing plants provides for continued growth to 20% of world electrical generation after 20 years with a net return of over $300 billion. Marc Millis summarized the presentations at a Sept 10 to 14 workshop on propellantless propulsion in Estes Park Colorado. (H/T Centauri Dreams) Three different tests of the EmDrive were reported of varying degrees of rigor. All of the tests indicated that the claimed thrust is probably attributable to false positives. Woodwards Mach Effect Thruster had more analysis if positive results are indeed genuine, and then determining if they are scalable to practical levels. Woodwards team, led by Heidi Fearn made a presentation. The Tajmar Dresden team had substantial progress to report, specifically where Maxime Monette covered the Mach Effect thruster details in addition to the thrust stand details from Matthias Koling. There was also an analytical assessment by based on conventional harmonic oscillators, plus more than one presentation related to the underlying theory. Skipping through all the open issues, the upshot is that variations in inertia would require revisions to the conservation laws. Quantum approaches were also briefly covered, where Raymond Chiao discussed the negative energy densities of Casimir cavities and Jonathan Thompson (a prior student of Chiaos) gave an update on experiments to demonstrate the Dynamical Casimir effect a method to create a photon rocket using photons extracted from the quantum vacuum. There were several other presentations. One was from retired physicist and science fiction writer, John Cramer, who described the assumptions needed to induce a wormhole using the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) that could cover 1200 light-years in 59 days. By this time next year, Marc Millis believes we will have definitive results on the Mach Effect Thruster, and the findings of the EmDrive will likely arrive sooner. If the results are positive and indicate that it does work, then there will be many more attempted replications and surge of interest and more hype. Nextbigfuture will look to see what happens after Heidi Fearn and Tajmar and his team work together on the new Woodward device. The new device has a larger effect, so it should be easier for them to see any larger scaling error or whether there is a true effect. If the results are negative and EMDrive and Mach Effect propulsion are disproved, then we will need to look for the intersection of open questions in physics to the critical make-break issues of those desired breakthroughs. Refinement of the Mach Effect Propulsion using brass separation from the reaction mass has improved the thrust by about 65 times up to 60 millinewtons per kilowatt. This would be competitive with the best Hall ion thrusters if there is replication and proving the technology in space. Heidi Fearn will be taking a working device to Dresden and will stay with them until they get it working. Dresden had problems with a previous device and published bad results. In June, 2018, Tajmar and his team didnt use the mandatory stepup/isolation transformer: Therefore they operated the device at the wrong frequency, one that could never trigger any thrust signature. As the Dresden team saw nothing conclusive, they increased the voltage for too long and the temperature in the PZT stacks, so they also managed to toast the initially good-working device before returning it to Woodward in California four months later. Martin Tajmar previously had good results on an 18 year old test device he had received from Woodward. 71 slide powerpoint lays out the tests that Woodwards team did to show that Martin Tajmar and his team made mistaken tests. CLINTON Officials with Connecticut Water Service have announced the date of a special meeting where shareholders will get to decide the fate of the Clinton-based companys proposed merger with SJW Group, which is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. Connecticut Water officials said Tuesday the special shareholders meeting will take place at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 at the companys headquarters at 93 W. Main St. The company registered its support materials, including a proxy statement, with the federal Securitities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday . In a letter included with the support materials, the chairwoman of Connecticut Water, Carol Wallace, called the merger with SJW Group an ideal combination. Wallace said the proposed merger is a good deal because: The $70 per share offer from SJW provides a 33 percent premium of Connecticut Waters stock price on March 14 of this year. There will be no change in customer rates as a result of the transaction. There will be no transaction-related layoffs at the company. Connecticut Waters largest institutional shareholder is New York City-based Black Rock Inc., a global investment management firm that has 852,846 shares of the companys stock, a 7.08 ownership stake. The next-largest institutional shareholder is The Vanguard Group, a national investment advisory company based in suburban Philadelphia. Vanguard has 667,766 shares of Connecticut Water stock, a 5.54 percent ownership stake. Information on Connecticut Waters largest individual shareholders was not immediately available Tuesday. The proposed merger of the two utility companies has produced a pair of lawsuits, both filed in June, according to the proxy statement. One is a class-action lawsuit filed in Connecticut Superior Court against the Connecticut Water board of directors and its former chief executive officer, Eric Thornburg. The complaint alleges that: Board members breached their fiduciary duties to the companys shareholders in connection with the way they negotiated the merger. That a preliminary proxy statement, filed with the SEC on Aug. 20, omitted certain material information. That SJW officials and Thornburg aided and abetted the alleged breaches by the Connecticut Water board. A separate, but similar, class-action lawsuit was filed against the members of the SJW board and Thornburg in his current role as SJW Groups chairman, president and chief executive officer. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com The market for oceanfront luxury homes remains hot, if three sales brokered by Guilford-based realtor Page Taft are any indication. Realtors for the firm brokered three sales in Guilford, Madison and Old Lyme in excess of $1 million, according to officials at Page Taft. The Madison home, at 110 Middle Beach Road, sold for $2.875 million while the property at 39 Vineyard Place in Guilford went for $2.8 million. A third property, at 2 Seaside Lane in Old Lyme, sold for $1.17 million, according to Page Taft officials. Our recent sales illustrate that we are a go-to source for coastal living and beyond, Karen Stephens, executive vice president for Page Taft, said in a statement. The Madison property is a historic 9-bedroom, 6.5 bath colonial located on an estate that has 125 linear feet of beachfront on Long Island Sound. The Guilford home was completed in 1930 and was designed by Douglas Orr, a renowned New Haven architect whose body of work includes the former SNET building on Church Street in New Haven, Harkness Memorial Hall on the Yale University campus and the New Haven Lawn Club. The property has more than 500 feet of waterfront and an expansive view of Long Island Sound. The sale of the Guilford property is the highest recorded so far this year in that community, according to the Connecticut Statewide Multiple Listing Service. It was sold Aug. 30. The Madison sale, which closed in June, is the second-highest recorded so far this year in that community by the service. The sale of the Old Lyme home, which occurred Sept. 14, is the third-highest recorded so far this year in that community. The sales by realtors at Taft Page come on the heels of real estate market report released early this summer by William Pitt and Julia B. Fee Sothebys International Realty that showed a 30 percent increase in sales of homes priced in excess of $1.5 million during the second quarter of this year. The report covered sales in the second quarter of 2018. But Michael Barbaro, president of the Connecticut Association of Realtors and owner/broker of Huntsman-Meade Partners in New Haven, said he is seeing levels of uncertainty in the luxury waterfront real estate market. There is a level of uncertainty about the ability to secure flood insurance, Barbaro said. Flood zone lines have changed and that adds to the uncertainty. The luxury waterfront real estate market went through a period when prospective buyers would call Realtors and ask whether a property they were interested in was in a flood zone, he said. If it was, the conversation ended right there, Barbaro said. Page Taft is part of Rhode Island-based Randall Family of Companies 35 offices and more than 650 agents in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Page Taft has offices in Guilford, Madison and Essex. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com DERBY - A Superior Court jury has awarded a Shelton man $1.6 million for injuries he suffered when he was injured at a Sears warehouse in 2014. The six-member jury deliberated a little more than an hour on Friday before finding that Sears was responsible for the injuries sustained by Kevin Reid. My client's life has been so impacted by his injury, and therefore he is very grateful for this verdict, said Reids lawyer, George Ganim Jr. We want to thank our jury for their careful and thoughtful deliberations. Representatives of Sears did not return calls for comment. Reid was an independent contractor who delivered appliances for Sears, according to the lawsuit. On May 22, 2014 at about 6:30 a.m., he arrived at the Sears warehouse in Albany, N.Y. to pick up the merchandise he was scheduled to deliver that day. While in the Sears warehouse Reid was struck from behind by a fork lift operated by Sears employee Clint Whit, the suit states. Whit was improperly operating the fork lift with his vision obstructed by a refrigerator he was carrying on the forklift. The refrigerator landed on Reids ankle, causing serious injury. As a result, the suit states Reid underwent two failed surgeries to his left ankle and is left with a permanent injury. During the trial Sears operation manager for the warehouse, Timothy Mosher, testified Whit was improperly operating the forklift in violation of safety rules. Mosher said Whit should have been driving the clamp truck backward so that he could safely see where he was going at the time. The trial included the testimony of doctor Allen Ferrucci of Connecticut Orthopedic Specialists who said Reid suffered a permanent injury to his left ankle and thus would not be able to return to his job delivering appliances. MILFORD As a Marine logistician for 51/2 years, Kevin Bennett found himself craving a challenge when active duty ended and he found it as part of team treating deadly cholera in the Congo. Bennett, 30, recently returned from an eight-month mission with Doctors Without Borders, or Medecins Sans Frontieres , as the French organization is known. He is not a medical professional but brought his logistician expertise, arranging everything from the ground up the building of shelter, ordering of supplies, hiring of workers, food and his construction/carpentry experience. He describes being a logistician as being like the guy in the circus who keeps all the plates spinning. Keeping it all going in a military setting where the supply chain is impeccable and anything ordered is there in 24 hours is quite different, he said, than setting up a treatment center in an African Village where theres no Home Depot, grocery store or even running water. He was the logistician on an emergency cholera team from November 2017 to August 2018. The team included an epidemiologist, doctor and nurse at the core with about 35 Congolese employees. The team did a new cholera intervention every four to six weeks following the most serious outbreaks and getting there by boat or airplane, treated thousands and built more than 100 structures to house patients. A vaccine campaign was part of the mission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine and an estimated 2.9 million cases and 95,000 deaths occur each year around the world. Bennett said cholera kills by leaving its victims dehydrated. The treatment is hydration. It is more rampant in places such as the Congo because conditions can be unsanitary, as soap and water arent common. Bennett said to see a person come in unconscious and walk out three days later, or to see lifeless children playing three days later, Theres no better feeling than that. While it was the medical teams job to get folks better, they couldnt have done it without Bennett because it was his job to create the setting for treatment and everything around surviving. It was tricky because of Congos poor infrastructure, he said. In some of the small villages they were the only white people the villagers had ever seen and people looked at them like aliens, Bennett said. Bennett said theyd show up in a village with a bag of cash in American dollars and buy labor by asking the locals if they want to work and supplies from what might be a person in a shed. Bennett also got out his hammer and saw and worked alongside them, acting as foreman. While he preferred to acquire a nice tent or build a decent structure, sometimes it wasnt possible. Some roofs wound up being made of palms or bamboo Bennett said the locals are amazingly creative and if a structure had leaks, they got buckets. He recalls a situation where he ordered supplies that were supposed to arrive in four days, but took three weeks. Bennett, who was paid $1,800 per month plus a daily allowance for meals and expenses, had emergency appendix surgery in the Congo. He often suffered from food poisoning from lack of sanitary cooking conditions, he said. Asked what he ate, Bennett said rice and beans and beans and rice. The meals usually would have a tiny bit of meat on them, such as goat and fish, but the goats ate garbage, so the meat often made him sick. He kept working through sickness, and lost 25 pounds while he was away. Bennett said he craved green salad, apples and Pepes pizza when he returned. Bennett first saw Doctors Without Borders in action while serving in the Marine Corps in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, and thought they were crazy for traveling in a mere pickup truck and operating in the open without any weapons. He and fellow troops were well protected in a military vehicle and heavily armed. But the group piqued his curiosity, so he researched it online but left it at a point of interest. He did three deployments in the Marines, and now hes ready for a second with Doctors Without Borders in the spring, but doesnt know where the mission will take him. I think being a Marine, there is the challenge of it that he likes, Bennett said. Doctors Without Borders has projects in 20 of Democratic Republic of Congos 26 provinces, making it the groups largest program worldwide, a spokesperson for the organization said. Bennett worked for the Pool dUrgence Congo, one of the five emergency units based in the capital, Kinshasa. During Bennetts time there, the team responded to many emergencies, including a measles outbreak in Kisangani, an Ebola outbreak in Bikoro which he was not a part of and a cholera outbreak in Yumbi, one of the most remote regions in DRC accessible only by the Congo River, a spokesperson said. NEW HAVEN Using her fork, Josephine Douglas contently picked at cubes of cantaloupe, glistening with juice. Its my favorite fruit, she said. Its sweet and its delicious. Douglas is one of about 25 senior citizens living in the Bella Vista senior living center who sat in the complexs lunchroom around noon Monday, eating cantaloupe, yams and ziti. Among the volunteers donning plastic aprons and passing out plates was U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3. DeLauro, the ranking member on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, returned to the Bella Vista complex Monday to announce that President Donald Trump signed the subcommittees funding bill into law Sept. 28, including a $10 million national increase to senior nutrition programs. DeLauros late mother, Luisa, spent much of her time at the complex. A month ago, DeLauro accompanied a Meals on Wheels driver for several stops to advocate for the funding increase; Republicans initially supported a version of the bill with no increase to senior nutrition programs. During that trip, she met a 99-year-old woman who said she relies on Meals on Wheels because her vision has deteriorated to the point that she cannot make a meal in the microwave. DeLauro touted the bipartisan approval of the increase Monday, which she said will amount to feeding thousands more seniors, although she said it would not nearly cover all the needs of the nations aging population. Im pleased with it, Im thankful for it, but we dont stop, we go on from here, she said. LifeBridge Community Services, which carries out senior nutrition programs for Greater New Haven and Fairfield County, served more than 330,000 meals to more than 3,300 seniors in the last year, DeLauro said. We absolutely could not exist without this funding, said Lifebridge CEO Alan Mathis. David Morgan, president and CEO of TEAM Inc., the service provider for the Valley region, said the return on interest for one recipient of the senior nutrition program for one year is equivalent to the cost of one day in a hospital or one week in a nursing home. Community Renewal Team Vice President of Housing and Community Services Christopher McCluskey said programs for seniors are always under attack. He said Meals on Wheels, which CRT operates for Middlesex and Hartford Counties, gives seniors companionship, as drivers are almost therapists without a degree when they visit the population. Many of the seniors served by the program live alone, he said, and drivers give seniors someone to look forward to seeing on weekdays. DeLauro said the program also can save lives, as drivers check on seniors daily; if a resident doesnt answer the door, the driver may alert medical professionals if they suspect something is wrong. Ken Basley, the manager of Bella Vistas lunch program, said meals are very important to the homebound senior population. Some of the time this is the only meal they have, he said. Douglas and Antoinette Connellan, who live in the building across the way from the complexs lunchroom, walk to their lunch daily. Its very convenient and very nutritious, Connellan said. About $5 million of the $10 million increase will go to community lunch programs such as the meal service Douglas and Connellan attend. The remaining half of the increase will go to Meals on Wheels, which transports meals to seniors with mobility limitations. Local service providers will apply for funding, DeLauro said. In a land of plenty, no one in the United States of America should go hungry, DeLauro said. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN A city man was sentenced to 6 years in prison for buying and reselling stolen merchandise in a large-scale operation. A district judge sentenced George Connelly Jr., 48, of New Haven to prison for his role in fencing $1.5 million worth of goods from 2007 to 2016, according to a news release. Connelly will serve 78 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Connelly and co-defendent Paul Muzyka, of North Haven, operated a secondhand store, Ace Amusements at 42 Kimberly Ave. in New Haven, where they bought stolen property from people known as boosters, typically shoplifters with drug addictions, the release said. The goods were stolen from retail stores such as Target, Lowes, Home Depot and CVS Pharmacy then sold at Ace Amusements and on eBay for about one-third their price. The stolen products also were sold to other resellers who later resold them online. Another co-defendent, William Reidell of Branford, was one reseller who bought from Ace Amusements, according to the release. Muzyka pleaded guiltyin March to one count of conspiracy to commit the interstate transport of stolen property and one count of interstate transport of stolen property, the release said. Connelly and Reidell were found guilty in May on the same counts. The judge ordered Connelly, as part of the sentence, to forfeit $10,339 seized from his and Ace Amusements bank accounts, around $13,000 in cash seized from Connelly and from inside Ace Amusements January 2016 and an interest of $86,221 in a house he owns on Tuttle Drive in New Haven, the release said. Connelly was released on $100,000 bail and ordered to report to prison Dec. 3. Reidells sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 2, and Muzykas for Nov. 15. NEW HAVEN Facing a use it or lose it situation after moving out of the Zigler Head Start center, the school board will consider whether to move early childhood seats outside the district including a board members place of employment. Denise Duclos, director of the school districts school readiness program, said Monday at a Board of Education Finance Committee meeting that state grant funding money is at risk if the district doesnt find a place for 30 school readiness seats. The funding for this is coming from money that was originally awarded to the school district back in May when we believed we were going to have three classrooms at the Zigler Center, Duclos said. When that changed we, meaning (NHPS COO) Will Clark and I, tried to find spaces within the Board of Education to house those classrooms and really couldnt find space that was adequate to do that. The decision to move those classrooms out of the Zigler Center came earlier this year, when officials determined the physical space wasnt suitable for the needs of 3- and 4-year-olds. Duclos said only two accredited school readiness programs in the city Friends Center for Children and Farnam Neighborhood House applied to a request for proposals. Jamell Cotto, vice president of the school board and chairman of the Finance Committee, is executive director of Farnam Neighborhood House and also wrote the proposal. Cotto recused himself from making any recommendations, but board President Darnell Goldson moved the agreement to the full board for consideration. Finance Committee member Tamiko Jackson-McArthur, who was absent from the meeting, is president of the Farnam Community board of directors. Cotto signed a school readiness provider contract on May 18; Goldson signed it on June 25. If approved, Farnam Neighborhood House will grow from 29 full-day school readiness spaces to 49, with an increase of $133,858 in funding; Friends Center for Children will gain 10 seats to also bring its total to 49 seats, with an increase in funding of $66,929. Superintendent of Schools Carol Birks asked Duclos to elaborate on what the New Haven Early Childhood Council is and how it made its recommendation. The council is a group of volunteers who are appointed by the mayor and the superintendent to serve to advise and provide information on early childhood programs to them, Duclos said. Its main responsibility is over the school readiness grant, which in total is an $8.2 million grant. We serve over 1,000 children in New Haven with this grant and their responsibility is to seek out programs and review program applications. Goldson noted that both providers are in Fair Haven or Fair Haven Heights. Duclos said Fair Haven is a high-need neighborhood. Birks said all Zigler enrollees have been placed elsewhere. On the districts website, a flier says there are openings at 14 agencies for school readiness enrollees, including Farnam and Friends Center. brian.zahn@ hearstmediact.com Amid mounting tension over the sexual-assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Donald Trump Jr. said he is more concerned for his sons than for his daughters. President Donald Trump's oldest son, who has five children of his own, was speaking about the recent allegations of sexual assault in an interview with DailyMailTV, which is scheduled to air as a two-part series on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Daily Mail. Looking at his own children's futures, he seemed to worry that his sons might someday face false accusations of sexual misconduct. "I've got boys and I've got girls," he told the British tabloid, "and when I see what's going on right now, it's scary." Asked whether he was more concerned about his sons or his daughters, Trump Jr. said, "Right now, I'd say my sons." "The other problem," he added, "is that for people who are real victims of these things, when it is so obviously political in cases like this, it really diminishes the real claims." A spokesman for Trump Jr. would not provide a comment Monday to The Washington Post about those remarks. Trump Jr. has been vocal amid the recent discussions and debates about allegations of sexual misconduct and assault. Just two weeks ago, he posted a meme on social media that appeared to mock Christine Blasey Ford, one of Kavanaugh's accusers: Ford has accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers, and the judge has denied the allegation. The meme showed a picture of an apparent schoolboy's love note, which was written in crayon and read: "Hi Cindy will you be my girlfreind [sic]." It included two checkboxes - one for "yes" and one for "no" - and was signed, "Love Bret [sic]." It appeared to be mocking a confidential letter that Ford had sent over the summer to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, detailing her allegations against Kavanaugh. "Oh boy . . . the Dems and their usual nonsense games really have him on the ropes now," Trump Jr. wrote, claiming Feinstein had saved the letter and released it just in time for the confirmation. "Honorable as always," he added. During the Ford and Kavanaugh testimonies last week at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Trump Jr. appeared to question Ford, tweeting: "I'm no psychology professor but it does seem weird to me that someone could have a selective fear of flying. "Can't do it to testify but for vacation, well it's not a problem at all." He then showed support for Kavanaugh, saying that he loved the judge's "tone" - which has been characterized as "volcanic." "I love Kavanaugh's tone," Trump Jr. tweeted. "It's nice to see a conservative man fight for his honor and his family against a 35 year old claim with ZERO evidence and lots of holes that amounts to nothing more than a political hit job by the Dems. "Others in the GOP should take notice!" During the recent interview with DailyMailTV, Trump Jr.'s girlfriend, former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle, said sexual-assault accusers should be heard but their claims should be scrutinized. "I think it's important, in terms of doing an investigation, to get the facts out there and find out," she said. "It's very tough 35 years later, but it doesn't mean it should be ignored. "People need to be careful to understand the politics involved as well, and what motivations people may have," she added. NEW HAVEN A states witness in Damarquis Grays murder trial Tuesday told a prosecutor she didnt want to testify because I fear for my life. I still live in that area, the witness said in reference to the neighborhood where Durell Law was fatally shot. Theres gun violence going on. The witness, who repeatedly said, I dont recall when asked what she knew or had previously stated about Laws death, symbolized the problems prosecutors can have getting people to testify in criminal cases. Law, 20, was shot during a robbery attempt on Eastern Street on the afternoon of Jan. 20, 2014. Gray, now 20, is charged with murder, felony murder, attempted first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and carrying a pistol without a permit. When Senior Assistant States Attorney Michael Pepper called the reluctant witness to the stand Tuesday morning, he reminded her she had testified during a pre-trial hearing on July 23, 2015. She replied, I cant recall. More News Trial begins in 2014 New Haven slaying Pepper noted police documents also show she spoke with police detectives on the day of the shooting. He asked whether she recalled telling the detectives she saw two men in the parking lot near the shooting scene shortly before it happened. She responded: I dont recall. You dont want to be here, do you? Pepper asked. Thats when she said she feared for her life. But she became somewhat more forthcoming shortly afterward when Pepper asked her about two other defendants who are awaiting trial for Laws murder: Joel Alexander and Arik Fraser. You recall that you said you saw Joel Alexander and Arik Fraser as being the two in the parking lot? Pepper asked her. She replied she indeed had given this information to detectives. But then she said she couldnt recall going to the New Haven police station the day of the shooting, where she was interviewed. Somebody got shot that day, right? Pepper asked, his tone growing exasperated. Thats what I was told, she replied. She previously said she left a residence near the shooting before it happened. When Pepper asked her to tell the jurors what she told detectives, that she saw Alexander take a silver gun from his pants and hand it to Fraser, she replied: I dont recall. After the witness kept saying I dont recall to Peppers follow-up questions, he asked Superior Court Judge Elpedio N. Vitale to let the jurors hear the taped statement she gave to police on that day four years ago. Pepper said this was necessary because she was a hostile witness. Defense attorney Dean Popkin objected to the request but Vitale overruled his objection. After the jurors listened to the tape, Pepper asked the witness if she remembered telling the detective at the end of the session that her statement was truthful. I dont recall the interview, the witness replied. When Pepper asked whether she remembered describing in her pre-trial testimony the size of the gun she saw Alexander hand to Fraser, the witness said: I dont recall that. In a brief cross-examination, Popkin asked the witness: You never saw my client with a gun, did you? She said she had not. She also said she had never met Gray. Later Tuesday, Pepper called to the witness stand New Haven police Detective David Zaweski, who said he spoke with that reluctant witness on the day of the shooting. He testified she showed him photos on her cellphone of Alexander and Fraser as she reported seeing the gun handed from one man to the other. Zaweski said he found Alexander and Fraser in a nearby residence that same day and both of them were brought to the police station for questioning. Zaweski said Alexander gave different versions of how the shooting occurred. In his final version, Alexander claimed a man living in that area had been the shooter. But Zaweski said that man was not immediately arrested because we still wanted to interview witnesses to see if what they said matched up with what he (Alexander) said. Zaweski said the information from other witnesses did not match what Alexander had stated, so the man was not arrested. During Zaweskis testimony, jurors viewed a series of photos taken from surveillance cameras of businesses and residences in the area of the shooting on the day it occurred. Zaweski tracked the movements of three individuals as they went from one of the stores to the outdoors area where Law was shot. Pepper asked Zaweski about the three men: Who are they? But Popkin objected to the question. Vitale called the attorneys to a whispered bench conference and the question went unanswered. But according to court documents, police identified five individuals on those surveillance tapes: Alexander, Fraser, Gray, Thomaine Riddick (who is the fourth defendant charged with Laws murder) and the man Alexander claimed did the shooting. randall.beach@hearstmediact.com Thousands of Amazon employees in New Jersey will get a pay raise next month as the online retailer announced plans Tuesday for a $15 minimum wage for all full- and part-time workers. The bump will take effect Nov. 1. "We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead," Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO said in a statement. "We're excited about this change and encourage our competitors and other large employers to join us." Amazon is one of New Jersey's largest employers with 16,000 workers in the state. There are 12 fulfillment centers in New Jersey where people and robots pack and ship Amazon orders. Amazon says it has invested $4 billion in New Jersey since 2011. Its first fulfillment center here opened in 2014. Operations and customer service employees who already make $15 an hour will also receive a bump in pay as will Whole Foods workers. So will associates employed by temp agencies. Amazon says the hike will benefit 250,000 employees in addition to more than 100,000 seasonal workers it plans to have in place ahead of the holiday. Pay for workers at Amazon can vary by location. The current starting pay is $10 an hour at a warehouse in Austin, Texas, and $13.50 an hour in Robbinsville. The median pay for an Amazon employee last year was $28,446, according to government filings, which includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers. Newark is one of 20 finalists for Amazon's second headquarters, its so-called HQ2. The state is offering a $7 billion incentive plan, with $2 billion of that in city-specific tax waivers and abatements. New York City and Philadelphia are also being considered. Amazon has revolutionized how people shop online and is the world's dominant internet retailer. In two decades the company expanded far beyond its bookseller beginnings, combining its world-spanning retail operation with less flashy but very profitable advertising and cloud computing businesses. Last month it became the second publicly traded company to be worth $1 trillion, hot on the heels of Apple. But it shares one potential hurdle that is growing higher for almost all employers: a tightening labor market. The last hiring figures from the U.S. Commerce Department showed that in August, the pace of hiring rose again and wages grew at their fastest pace in nine years. Competition among companies for qualified workers is growing more intense, and they are increasingly willing to pay. Last fall, Target committed to giving its employees $15 per hour by the end of 2020. And in January Walmart raised its starting wages to $11 per hour. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Thanks for banning marijuana I just read on nj.com that Secaucus is one of only 40 towns that has banned recreational legal weed. Any law that legalizes (hence promotes ) the use of any drug is sending a terrible and destructive message to our youth and compromises the safety of the general public at large. Medical study has stated unequivocally that weed is a gateway to other lethal drugs. How does legalizing weed build a constructive and healthy society? It comes as no surprise that businesses located in states where recreational weed is legal can (no) longer recruit productive workers, thus are considering relocating. It comes to no surprise that vehicular accidents have increased dramatically in those states as well. We are represented, in this state, by a liberal governor and two radical senators whose only interest is in taxing everybody and anything, in order to continue to grow state government and retain power, conventional society mores be dammed. Absolutely disgraceful representatives. I am very proud of you and the council in circumventing Trenton and Washington DC and taking the proper and courageous stand. I am very proud of you and the council in sending the clear and correct message to our town residents, especially our future generation. Now that is the definition of good governance, placing people before pocket purse. God bless you Scott Correri, Secaucus Violence persists in Jersey City My neighborhood is still in the grip of gun violence. The buy back gun program did nothing to ease the problem. The lure of fast money, and illegal drug sales is not a solution to employment for our young people. I can remember the cc camps and also the temp agencies which dissolved due to lack of funding. Neighbors have been reminiscing about the sixties and seventies neighborhoods where you could leave your door open and remain safe. There were plenty of opportunities to get jobs, it was a happy time. What happened, stores have closed on Martin Luther King Drive, it looks like a ghost town. Please stop the violence among our children and hard working families. Rodney Warnick, Jersey City More charging stations for cars On Monday, my aunt, uncle and cousins, arrived in Margate in their Model 3 Tesla, for the Jewish Holidays. On their ride over, my uncle stopped only once to recharge his car, the process took no-more than 10 minutes. However, when he refilled his car before driving home to New York, he had to drive 6 miles, off shore, to Egg Harbor Township to charge his car. Though, New Jersey is making great strides to adapt to increasing electric vehicle use, local government, still needs more charging stations and more infrastructure, to promote EV usage. Prices of electric cars are dropping, batteries are cheaper and globally-people want to phase out gasoline, powered cars. The Atlantic city-Hamilton area, in 2016, was reported to have 50 days of elevated ozone and particulate matter, local government needs to act now to decrease this number. They should adopt new infrastructure, build electric-vehicle awareness, foster EV affordability and electrify public transportation to improve air quality and ultimately human-health. Jena Blum, Margate Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at jjletters@jjournal.com Jersey City Medical Center has a new leader. The hospital announced Monday that Michael Prilutsky will assume the position of president and CEO, while its former head Joseph Scott begins his the full-time role as executive vice president of the RWJBarnabas system's Office of Healthcare Transformation. Scott served as president and CEO of the hospital for 10 years. Prilutsky, who joined JCMC in 2016 as chief operating officer, previously served as vice president and executive project director at Montefiore Health System in New York. He also held leadership positions at Northwell Health and Beth Israel Hospital. From left, JCMC Chief Operating Officer Michael Prilutsky, JCMC President and CEO Joseph Scott, Councilman-at-large Daniel Rivera, and Amanda Davis of the Food and Nutrition Division of Jersey City's Health & Human Services talk during a JCMC farmers market. "I am proud of the opportunity to lead an exceptional team at Jersey City Medical Center and look forward to continuing to build on its solid foundation," Prilutsky said in a statement. "As a critical part of the RWJBH system, Jersey City Medical Center will undergo tremendous growth in the next five years -- with significant enhancements to clinical services and the transformation of the hospital campus -- to provide the highest quality of health care to the most diverse community in the nation." Meanwhile, Scott will lead population health, strategic initiatives and business development efforts for the RWJBarnabas system. For the last year, he served as executive vice president of healthcare transformation for RWJBarnabas, while also holding his post atop JCMC. "For the past two years, Michael and I have been working side by side leading the operations and the incredible team at Jersey City Medical Center," Scott said in a statement. "We expect a seamless transition, as Michael has been managing the day-to-day operations for some time. "Michael has proven himself to be a terrific leader, colleague and friend." Garfield Sailor back after deployment Petty Officer 3rd Class Jozef Berisha, a 2015 Garfield High school graduate and Garfield native is one of 1,200 sailors who recently returned to Naval Station Mayport after a six-month deployment. Berisha is a Navy yeoman aboard the Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, which recently deployed to the Middle East and Mediterranean areas. For more than half of the sailors aboard Iwo Jima, the six-month journey served as their first deployment, according to Navy officials. CarePoint Health recognized for teen literacy program CarePoint Health was recently honored at City Hall in Jersey City with a New Jersey Senate Citation for its support of the 2018 Teen Magazine Literacy Program run by Pastor John H. McReynolds. Christ Hospital Chief Hospital Executive Marie Duffy accepted the citation from State Sen. Sandra Cunningham. Christ Hospital, a CarePoint Health facility, also recently sponsored its inaugural teen mentoring program, through which Lincoln High School students were able to shadow hospital professionals. Weehawken school district certified as future ready For the second consecutive year, the Weehawken Township School District has been recognized for its commitment to digital learning, certified as "Future Ready" by Future Ready Schools New Jersey (FRS-NJ). The certification program is a partnership of the New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA), and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The year-long process required schools to submit evidence of Future-Ready practices in three categories: Leadership, Education and Classroom Practice, and Technology Support and Services. All of Weehawken Township District's (WTSD) schools Weehawken High School, Theodore Roosevelt School, and Daniel Webster School achieved Future-Ready certification for the second time. About 130 schools from about 40 districts were certified this year, out of approximately 190 submissions from 54 districts. During both academic years, WTSD IT and Digital Information Officer Brian Calligy has taken the lead on the Future-Ready certification process. Calligy is overseeing the district's three-year technology plan, now in its final year. Calligy coordinated the certification process with each school's principal, who in turn created a committee of teachers to incorporate technology use in the classroom. Jersey City resident named to deans list Jianna Bustamante of Jersey City, has been recognized for achieving academic distinction at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Bustamante, majoring in exercise physiology, was named to the dean's list at UMass Lowell for the spring 2018 semester. Steven's Institute gets attention for quantum research In a coordinated national strategy to fund quantum-related research and education, the National Science Foundation has awarded two of eight nationwide RAISE-EQuIP grants to physicists Yuping Huang and Stefan Strauf at Stevens Institute of Technology for their proposed research on technologies that could become the safest and most secure information networks. Huang, an assistant professor of physics who heads Stevens' Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, will focus on developing a scalable integrated chip that creates entangled photons that can safely transmit and carry an unprecedented amount of information across long distances even under challenging weather conditions. Strauf, professor of physics and head of the Nanophotonics Lab at Stevens, is working with Liang Feng and Ritesh Agarwal at the University of Pennsylvania to build an integrated platform on a chip that can generate, process and detect so-called twisted single photons, on demand, to encode quantum information. The RAISE-EQuIP grants provide $750,000 to each group over the next three years. The announcement coincides with the nation's 10-year federal plan to advance quantum science research and ensure continued leadership in the field. Jersey City medical student receives white coat Hany Abdelsayed of Jersey City was among the 295 medical students who received their first white coats at a recent NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) ceremony. NYITCOM students from the Long Island (Old Westbury) campus experienced this rite of passage signifying their official start in medical school at an event held August 15 at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The NYITCOM Long Island Class of 2022 will take the place of the Class of 2018, which boasted a 99 percent placement rate. Students from this latest graduating class have gone on to pursue premiere residencies in specialties ranging from ophthalmology, neurological surgery, anesthesiology and pediatrics, at institutions such as Tufts Medical Center, Virginia Tech, and Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health among others. JERSEY CITY -- A psychiatrist for the state testified that a West New York veteran suffering from PTSD was sane and knew what he was doing when he allegedly fired on police officers before a 12-hour standoff in 2017. "I felt that he was able to discern reality," Dr. Charles Martinson testified this morning at the trial of Emmanuel Hernandez, 28, who is charged with shooting at two police officers outside his home on Feb. 5, 2017. Martinson said his evaluation of Hernandez, for which he is charging the state $425 per hour, was based on a review of police reports and the defense psychiatrist's report, as well as his own interview with Hernandez. Martinson said he believes Hernandez suffers from anger management issues, substance abuse issues and other problems, as well as symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his military service in the Persian Gulf. It was also noted that Hernandez was in a drive-by shooting after coming home from combat. But the psychiatrist testified that Hernandez understood where he was, what he was doing, why he was there, who he was encountering and what was going on on the day of the incident. He said he did not believe Hernandez was having a flashback and noted that he addressed responding officers as police officers. Martinson also said he did not believe Hernandez was in a dissociative state, as the veteran's defense attorney has argued. He said "despite his emotional state, he was able to discern right from wrong." Events that morning began with a 911 call and police found Hernandez in a confrontation with juveniles at QuickChek on Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen. After being approached, Hernandez hit the gas, ran over a police officer's foot, crashed into a police car and another vehicle, according to testimony. He sped up Kennedy Boulevard, running lights, and stopped in front of his home before running down an alley. An officer testified that he and a lieutenant chased Hernandez into the backyard where Hernandez fired at the officer twice. The officer said he fired back. but no one was hit. Martinson noted that Hernandez said the gun slipped out of his pocket and it discharged unintentionally as he grabbed for it. The psychiatrist added that Hernandez said if he wanted to shoot the officer, he would not have missed. But the Martinson also noted that once inside, Hernandez quickly called 911 and told the operator he was having a panic attack, he is a veteran and "I'm the one they're chasing," suggesting he clearly understood what was happening. Defense attorney Peter Willis has contended that his client was having a flashback and was in a dissociative state during the incident. Willis has been working to convince the jury that his client was legally insane at the time of the incident or was not able to form the intent necessary to be found guilty of the charges due to his mental state. He said the night's events were years in the making. The defense's expert is expected to testify along those lines. Willis said Hernandez was diagnosed with PTSD by the Navy and received an honorable discharged but was deemed 50 percent emotionally disabled. Willis had cross-examined Martinson briefly before the trial broke for lunch Monday. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson explained to the jury this morning that the defense's expert should have testified before Martinson but there was a scheduling issue. He did not say when she would take the stand. The trial is in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. The state's final plea offer to Hernandez was two consecutive 20-year prison terms. He is also charged with resisting arrest, weapons offenses and eluding police, as well as numerous motor vehicle violations. The case is being prosecuted by Hudson County assistant prosecutors Kevin Roe and Edward Bilinkas. The eventual replacement of Trenton-Mercer Airport's passenger terminal and other work took a significant step forward recently with the hiring of a Philadelphia engineering firm. Urban Engineers Inc. will consult Mercer County by investigating sites and developing an environmental assessment (EA), as well as provide preliminary design work for a new passenger terminal, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes announced recently. Urban Engineers will do this work under a contract with the county that is not to exceed $4,461,570 and that runs for a year starting Sept. 14, 2018. The county, which owns the airport, calls this work at the airport Phase 1, and includes associated projects such as air-side aprons and roadways, and land-side roadways and a new parking garage. Earlier this summer, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accepted the county's Master Plan for the airport, and approved their Airport Layout Plan - which called for the new terminal, as well as re-paving taxiways and runways and upgrading the lighting. Urban Engineers knows the airport well - the firm prepared the Master Plan. Trenton-Mercer Airport, 2017 file photo. (Michael Mancuso | NJ.com) In an announcement, Hughes again touted the airport's soaring passenger numbers. "Recent year-over-year figures for August show air traffic and passenger increases across the board at Trenton-Mercer Airport," Hughes said. "It is time to provide customers with a modern, efficient airport terminal to accommodate the growing base." Hughes has made growth and upgrades at the airport a tenet of his administration. With discount carrier Frontier Airlines as the airport's leading carrier, passenger traffic has exploded in the past several years. Last year, the number of paying passengers using the airport numbered 363,626. And in 2011, there were just 3,414 paying passengers. In related news, the county also recently received two recent grants from the FAA's airport improvement program. They total $687,243 and will pay for work on two taxiways. Mercer County will have a meeting open to the public on Oct. 23 to get input on the environmental assessment (EA). It's scheduled for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Element Hotel, 1000 Sam Weinroth Road East in Ewing. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Ocean County history teacher William "Bill" Smith threw out the first pitch at one of the Trenton Thunder's final games to celebrate his award for 2018-19 Ocean County Teacher of the Year. He is a Hamilton native and Rider University graduate. Bill Smith Smith has taught history for more than 10 years, and currently teaches seventh and eighth grades at Southern Regional Middle School, in Manahawkin. "Bill's dynamic and engaging teaching style has led to a score increase in interdisciplinary summative assessments, while gaining him recognition in (the media), " the New Jersey Department of Education says of his honor. "He is passionate about character education and has given workshops on the role that history and social studies can play in adolescent character development," the state says. Each year, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) initiates a four-step process to select a teacher as New Jersey's Teacher of the Year. It is an initiative that is also known as the Governor's Educator of the Year Program. It starts at the school, then district and county level, before moving to a state overall teacher of the year. Smith hopes to be a finalist, but says, "Just to make it this far has been an incredible experience. I've been so honored and humbled to make it this far." Smith explained that when teachers win State Teacher of the Year, they have to leave the classroom from January to June to work for the State. "The winner is gonna be completely out of the classroom. That would be a big adjustment for me," he said. However, he said that he agreed to the challenge, and would embrace the journey and the opportunity to affect change in a positive way. But he would miss his students if he goes to the State. "That part would be a bit sad. I am so much more comfortable in the classroom. That's where I really thrive," he said. Smith says he has an average class size of around 25 students and they like his engaging and interactive teaching style, and his passion for history. He said the positive rapport that he fosters with his students is one of his greatest strengths, and his students are one of the main reasons he won this award. Smith studied history and education at Rider University from where he graduated in 2007, and taught in Hunterdon and Burlington counties before teaching in Ocean County. He's a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, where he researches 19th-century British abolitionism, the state entry for him says. He is enjoying his distinction, and has more recognition and speaking events to attend. He also plans to go to Germany next April to learn about their education system. And, he said he might also shoot for the stars and apply for a Fulbright grant. Meanwhile, all the county teachers of the year are waiting to hear who will make the finals for the state Teacher of the Year. The announcement is Wednesday, Oct. 3 Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A boy was chased by a stranger who attempted to strike up a conversation after the youth got off his school bus Monday afternoon in East Brunswick, police said. The man approached the boy on Willow Street between Arthur Street and New Street around 2:30 p.m., East Brunswick police said in a statement on Tuesday. The student ran off after the man asked his name. The man gave chase, but halted his pursuit on New Street and was last seen walking north on Old Bridge Turnpike in nearby South River, according to police. Described as about 30 years old, the man was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and blue jeans. A police spokesman declined to provide the boy's age or say if he attends a public school in East Brunswick. East Brunswick High School and Churchill Junior High School students are dismissed at 2:12 p.m. but other schools in East Brunswick are still in session when the incident took place. Police are investigating and have stepped up patrols in the area. Anyone with information is asked to call 732-390-6990 or email the department. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. An amateur photographer captured stunning photos of what appears to be a quintuple rainbow in the skies over New Jersey. John Entwistle said he was looking out his back deck when he spotted what's known as supernumerary rainbows two weeks ago as remnants of Florence passed over the Farmingdale-area. "I didn't know what I was looking at, but I knew it was something special," he said. "The colors were incredible. It didn't seem real." According to LiveScience.com, supernumerary rainbows are made up of one main bright rainbow and multiple others. While two or three rainbows in a set in fairly routine, seeing more is a rare event. "But the appearance in nature of 5 supernumeraries is exceptional," climate scientist Gunther Konnen told LiveScience.com. Entwistle's photo has gained more than 1,200 likes on his Instagram, shared hundreds of times via his Facebook page, and was picked up on a NASA website as "Astronomy Picture of the Day." An engineer by day, Entwistle took up photography as a hobby about five years ago and has learned to keep his camera ready. The experience of capturing the quintuple rainbow, he said, was made all the more special since he was with his 11-year-old daughter. "It was a moment for us," he added. At a time when many are glued to smartphones, Entwistle said he hoped his images would remind people to appreciate nature. "You should go outside and look up," he said. More of Entwistle's work is available on his Facebook, Instagram and website. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook. More than a week after levying a special ruling against microbreweries in New Jersey, the state Division of Alcohol Beverage Control is putting new regulations directed to the industry on hold. ABC Director David Rible announced Tuesday the division would not enforce the special ruling issued in September that issued new regulations to businesses holding a limited brewery license. "We want to make sure that we get this right," Rible said. "We are committed to supporting the state's growing craft beer industry, while also balancing the concerns of other stakeholders and ensuring compliance with state law." Rible says suspending the special ruling will once again allow the ABC, craft brewers, legislators, alcohol beverage license holders, and other people affected by the division's decision to continue discussions to see if changes need to be made to the 2012 law that paved the way for so many new microbreweries to open across the state. Some of the new regulations the breweries had to follow as a result of the special ruling included limiting the establishments to 52 private parties a year, 25 "special events," and 12 events where the breweries can sell beer off-premises. Murphy says new N.J. craft brewery restrictions hard to swallow Earlier on Tuesday, state legislative leaders from both parties said they were looking into a solution after so much backlash from the industry, particularly a petition that garnered 30,000 signatures and numerous calls to legislators. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, released a statement Tuesday stating there could be a legislative route to clearing up the regulations surrounding microbreweries. "I will work with my legislative colleagues to develop legislation that will bring more clarity to state regulations so that microbreweries can operate successfully while maintaining an appropriate business distinction between C-license restaurants and the microbreweries," Sweeney said. "This will allow the breweries to continue to grow and prosper." Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, also thinks there could be a legislative solution reached in concert with the governor's office and Democratic leaders to move forward with a bill. "Our efforts to modernize the state's brewery laws have been successful beyond belief, leading to an economic success story that few could have imagined when we started," Kean Jr. said in a statement. "We shouldn't allow a State regulatory body to turn back the clock after everything we've accomplished. State Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex called for the ruling to be reversed. "I strongly believe the ruling by the director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control is inconsistent with the law intending to help foster craft breweries in the state and sets unreasonable restrictions on small businesses taking advantage of the opportunities to grow and prosper," Coughlin stated. Since last week, Ive expressed concerns about unintended consequences of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Controls special ruling. I applaud todays decision and look forward to continuing to support our vibrant craft beer industry. https://t.co/Tk3wfVWRc4 Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 2, 2018 Gov. Phil Murphy voiced his approval of the ABC reversing the special ruling. "New Jersey's craft beer industry is a valuable part of the State's economy, one that must be able to continue to prosper," Murphy said in a statement. "Last week I expressed concerns about unintended consequences of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control's special ruling limiting New Jersey's craft breweries. I applaud the Division's decision today and look forward to continuing to support the craft beer industry and microbreweries." During a Facebook Live town hall Monday, Murphy said his administration would look into the ruling, saying the craft beer scene has become a respected industry in the state. "I'm not sure that's the right, sensible step to take," Murphy said. "The craft beer industry has sort of taken a real hold in our state. It's become a source of great sort of pride." Some of the microbreweries went to Facebook to announce their satisfaction with the ABC's reversal. Keep faith and keep fighting, and just sometimes David can beat Goliath. Thank you so much! New Jersey has suspended... Posted by Human Village Brewing Company on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 Some of the microbreweries went to Facebook to announce their satisfaction with the ABC's reversal. "Keep faith and keep fighting, and just sometimes David can beat Goliath," Human Village Brewery Company posted. "Thank you so much! This is just a breather. We will need you because this is only a calm before the legislative storm ahead. Keep signing and sharing the petition. Keep telling your representatives that you support New Jersey breweries!!" The Death of a Fox Brewery also weighed in on the decision. "The Special Ruling is suspended, but the fight is not over!!! Let's make sure we make our voices heard to our legislators so they get it RIGHT next time!!!," the Clarksboro-based brewery posted. While the microbreweries were happy with the decision, there are opposed to the reversal. The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association (NJRHA) said in a statement it was concerned about the decision to suspend the new regulations, and the proposed changes would have a dramatic impact on other licensed establishments. "The proposed changes would have a dramatic impact on our licensed establishments," The NJRHA said in the statement. "Despite the outcry by small breweries that they are being "restricted" by these rules, the fact is that they are being allowed to provide amenities that are not supported by the statute. In fact, these new rules would allow breweries to operate more like a Class C licensee than a brewer of beer. If permitted, the changes would greatly impact the licensed restaurant community." NJ Advance Media staff writer Matt Arco contributed to this report. Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Weeks after announcing it was expanding its service out of Newark Liberty International Airport, budget carrier Primera Airlines abruptly went out of business. The Denmark-based airline said Monday it was ceasing operations. It added that ticketed passengers should contact their "tour operators and agents" for more information. "Kindly understand that the usual options for contacts (via email or phone) can not be offered any longer," a short statement on its website said. The announcement came without warning as airline representatives were answering routine inquiries on Twitter from customers hours before firing off a tweet at 1:30 p.m. declaring that service had been permanently ceased. Primera flew to Newark from London and Paris. In September, the airline said it was adding flights next summer from New Jersey to Madrid and Frankfurt. Founded in 2003 as a charter carrier, Primera added flights to U.S. destinations in 2016. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. In a 1985 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Donald Trump complained that his image as a high-priced real estate developer eclipsed many of his other projects. "I've built some beautiful subsidized housing for the elderly in East Orange, N.J. I mention that and nobody cares. They want to write about Trump Tower." What he didn't say, according to a sweeping investigation published Tuesday by The New York Times, was that the East Orange project was just one example in a history of questionable financial deals, and in some cases fraud, that greatly increased the fortune President Trump received from his parents. The New York Times report said Trump and his father, Fred Trump, formed a partnership in 1972 to build the high-rise for the elderly in East Orange. "Thanks to government subsidies, the partnership got a nearly interest-free $7.8 million loan that covered 90 percent of construction costs. Fred Trump paid the rest," the newspaper reported. However, his son received most of the financial benefits, The Times said. "On top of profit distributions and consulting fees, Donald Trump was paid to manage the building, though Fred Trump's employees handled day-to-day management. He also pocketed what tenants paid to rent air-conditioners. By 1975, Donald Trump's take from the building was today's equivalent of nearly $305,000 a year," said the report. The story by reporters David Barstow, Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner cited thousands of documents and confidential records that concluded the president received at least $413 million from his father's real estate empire, "much of it through tax dodges." In Atlantic City at the Trump Castle casino, The Times spelled out how an illegal loan from his father was able to keep the future president from defaulting on his bonds. "Donald Trump had wildly overspent on renovations, leaving the property dangerously low on operating cash. Sure enough, neither Trump's Castle nor its owner had the necessary funds to make an $18.4 million bond payment due in December 1990," the newspaper found. "On Dec. 17, 1990, Fred Trump dispatched Howard Snyder, a trusted bookkeeper, to Atlantic City with a $3.35 million check. Mr. Snyder bought $3.35 million worth of casino chips and left without placing a bet." The same day, Fred Trump wrote a second check to the casino for $150,000, according to the report, calling it an illegal $3.5 million loan under New Jersey gaming laws--and resulting in a $65,000 civil penalty. The newspaper said it documented 295 streams of revenue that Fred Trump created over five decades to enrich his son. "In most cases his four other children benefited equally. But over time, as Donald Trump careened from one financial disaster to the next, his father found ways to give him substantially more money," The Times reported. The newspaper said Trump and his siblings "set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents." It also found that he helped his father "take improper tax deductions worth millions more," and helped come up with a strategy to undervalue his parents' real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, which reduced what was owed to the IRS those properties were transferred to Trump. A lawyer for Trump, Charles J. Harder, responded with a statement to The Times that said: "The New York Times's allegations of fraud and tax evasion are 100 percent false, and highly defamatory. There was no fraud or tax evasion by anyone. The facts upon which The Times bases its false allegations are extremely inaccurate." The report, however, raised more questions about Trump's tax returns, and his continued refusal to release them. The phone rang in Arthur Ashkin's house in Rumson well before dawn Tuesday. But the call felt decades late. The retired Bell Labs scientist was stunned to hear the early-morning caller say he was from the Nobel committee. "A guy called me up at 5 o'clock in the morning when I was fast asleep - from Sweden," Ashkin said. "He tells me I am the oldest person to ever win the Nobel Prize." Arthur Ashkin Ashkin - who started his revolutionary work with optical lasers at Bell Labs in New Jersey nearly 50 years ago - is 96 years old. He suspected he might be in the running for a Nobel Prize in Physics decades ago. But, when it didn't happen, he said he put it out of his mind. He had mixed feelings about hearing that he had finally won the biggest prize in his field. "I was a bit ambivalent. I am an old geezer," Ashkin said. "I can't get all that excited." Ashkin will get half of the $1.01 million Nobel Prize money. The other half will go to his co-recipients -- scientists Gerard Mourou of France and Canadian Donna Strickland. While working at Bell Labs, Ashkin said he came up with the idea that lasers could be used as tweezers to grab particles, he said. He successfully tried it out with glass beads and plastic, then wrote a paper in 1970 theorizing that he could grab atoms, viruses and other living cells. "In 1986, we finally accomplished that," he said. In separate research, Mourou and Strickland developed short and intense laser pulses that have led to innovations in medicine and other fields, the Nobel committee said. Ashkin said he knew his 40 year of work at Bell Labs was important. But he wasn't doing it to win any prizes. "I wasn't thinking of Nobel Prizes. I was trying to keep my job," he said. In its heyday, Bell Labs was an intense place, filled with scientists doing groundbreaking research in Holmdel and Murray Hill. "When I described catching living things with light people said: 'Dont exaggerate Ashkin'." Arthur Ashkin took a break from his current research to talk about the "old research" that led to his breakthrough discovery and earned him a #NobelPrize:https://t.co/VaxP5KjJzg The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 2, 2018 After hearing he won the prize, Ashkin said his phone was ringing non-stop with calls from reporters, friends and fellow scientists. He had already done a live radio interview with a reporter in South America, he said. But, he really wanted to call his old friends who worked with him in Bell Labs, including Joseph Dziedzic, his former colleague from New Jersey who was a big part of his work with optical lasers, Ashkin said. Ashkin's Nobel Prize is the ninth won by workers at Bell Labs, which is now owned by Nokia, the company said. At 96 and "a bit feeble," Ashkin said he is unsure if his health problems will allow him to travel to Sweden to pick up his prize. But, he said he is grateful for the recognition of his work and those of his colleagues while he is still around the enjoy it. Congratulations to Arthur Ashkin, one of the 2018 @NobelPrize in #Physics recipients for his work at Bell Laboratories, for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems. This is our 9th #NobelPrize! https://t.co/e3179xnzXX Bell Labs (@BellLabs) October 2, 2018 How will he celebrate? Ashkin said he told his wife of 62 years that she doesn't have to cook tonight. They are going out to dinner, somewhere nice on the water on the Jersey Shore, he said. He won't say where because he doesn't want the restaurant to make a fuss. The couple, who met while students at Cornell University, have lived in the same Rumson house for more than 50 years. They have three children and five grandchildren. Aline Ashkin, 86, said she listened in on the phone at the end of her husband's Nobel Prize phone call and was "overwhelmed" by the news. The former Holmdel High School chemistry teacher said she always knew the work her husband was doing at Bell Labs was important. Now, she's happy the rest of the world knows. "I'm happy he got the recognition. I felt all along he deserved it," Aline Ashkin said. "It has proved to be very valuable to science and society." She would like to plan a bigger Nobel Prize celebration for her husband, but she knows he is probably too busy, she said. Though he retired from Bell Labs in 1992, Ashkin has never stopped working, his wife said. He is currently experimenting at home with solar ray research for heating and other applications. "He's always involved in something," his wife said. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. A Bedminster family is suing the township school district because they contend the district won't allow their son to go to school with a service dog that they say sniffs out nuts that could kill him. The boy's parents said they have tried to work with staff at the Bedminster School for two years since moving to the area from Missouri, but the district refused to accommodate the boy's allergies and retaliated against the family at every turn. According to the lawsuit, the boy has asthma and a "severe, life-threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts." Once, as a result of an airborne exposure to peanuts, the boy was "in a coma for five days and was not expected to live," the lawsuit said. To help protect the boy, his family got a service dog when they lived in Missouri that was "trained to detect peanuts and tree nuts prior to entering any school space," the lawsuit said. But when they moved to Bedminster and enrolled their twin boys, one of whom has the allergy, they were met with resistance from the school, the lawsuit said. It claims the school violated state and federal laws protecting people with disabilities. A representative for Superintendent Jennifer Giordano said Wednesday that she couldn't comment due to the ongoing litigation. In an answer to the suit, the district's Board of Education members "deny ever having refused [the student] the benefit of his service dog." In recent years, several New Jersey schools have faced flack for having outdated, restrictive service dog policies that contradict state and federal laws. Those laws say a service animal -- narrowly defined as a dog or miniature horse individually trained to do work or a task for a person with a disability -- must be allowed anywhere the public goes, and a service dog vest or documentation cannot be required. But there is some debate about whether a school meets that definition, since members of the public cannot generally walk into a public school. The parents filed the lawsuit in Somerset County Superior Court earlier this year, using their initials to protect their children's' identities, and the case was moved to federal court in June. They claimed that they gave the school plenty of documentation regarding their son's allergies and his service dog, but the school demanded more medical documentation, which cost the family more money, the lawsuit said. It also meant the boy was not allowed to go to school until two and a half months after classes started, and wasn't given home instruction as required by law for most of that time, according to the suit. When he was allowed in the building, he wasn't allowed to bring his service dog because the district told the family some other students might be allergic to the dog, the lawsuit said. The Department of Justice, which enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act, says another person's allergy should not prevent a service dog from being allowed in a public place. It says that generally if someone is allergic to a service dog, both people should be accommodated by moving them to "different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility." The Bedminster School District adopted a service animal policy in the fall of 2016 "in retaliation" against the family, the lawsuit claimed. The version of the policy violated state and federal laws by requiring the family to maintain a $1 million insurance policy in order to have the dog in the school, the lawsuit said. While the ADA does say that a handler can be held responsible for any damage or injury caused by a service dog, service animal experts have told NJ Advance Media that requiring insurance is a financial barrier and thus not allowed under the ADA. After receiving the family's notice that they were suing, the district revised the policy to remove the insurance requirement, the lawsuit said. It's not clear if or how the school is continuing to bar the boy from having the service dog in school. The lawsuit does not describe what is currently preventing it, saying only that the Board of Education and school administrators have failed "to create or adopt a plan to permit [the boy] to have the benefit of the service animal in school." The lawsuit also said that the school fails to enforce its own regulations regarding common allergies, and this results in the boy being excluded from transportation, events and extracurricular activities. Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips A nurse who hit two pedestrians Saturday night performed CPR on one of them until paramedics arrived, officials said. The nurse, Alyse Gombas, 28, of Toms River, was driving north on Atlantic City Boulevard when her 2008 Kia Optima struck Danielle Frederick, 26, of Toms River and her boyfriend Vincent Mangione, 27, of Jackson, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Spokesman Al Della Fave said. Gombas, who was on duty and in uniform when she struck the pair, "immediately" left her car to give first aid to Frederick, who was unresponsive, with the help of an off-duty EMT, Della Fave said. Police and paramedics arrived at 10:50 p.m. and were able to stabilize Frederick, and she was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where she was still in critical condition Monday, officials said. Mangione was treated for a minor injury at Community Medical Center in Toms River. Gombas remained on the scene and gave her statement to police and "did not show any signs of impairment," Della Fave said. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. A woman walking along the shore with her son and two dogs in Beach Haven made an unusual discovery when she saw several brilliantly-colored blue jellyfish on the sand. Suzanne Schenker, of New Hope, Pennsylvania, said she found four of the animals, known as blue button jellyfish, in "close proximity" to each other on Sept. 25. "They were so blue they almost looked unreal," Schenker, who posted her find on New Jersey Jellyspotters, told NJ Advance Media. "I'm so glad I snapped a picture, but I just wish I had realized how rare they were at the time and saved one for the jelly spotters to do DNA testing on." Just how rare are blue button jellyfish? Rare enough that marine biologist and jellyfish expert Paul Bologna of Montclair State University said he has never seen one in New Jersey. "It's the first time I've ever seen one in New Jersey," Bologna said "I've seen them in Florida but never this area. They are beautiful and stunning." Bologna said they are common in Florida and the tropics and believes that the ones Schenker found were likely pushed from the Gulf Stream to New Jersey coastal waters by Hurricane Florence. Update Tuesday: As news of the jellyfish discovery spread on Tuesday, a second person shared an image of a blue button on the New Jersey Jellyspotters Facebook group. Bernadette Brennan-Brudon said she found the creature on a Brigantine beach last week. A blue button jellyfish was found on a Brigantine beach last week. (Photo courtesy of Bernadette Brennan-Brudon) Bologna said he has also heard reports of Portuguese men-of-war washing up in Ocean County over the last few weeks for the same reason. Unlike the man-of-war which are colonies of specialized animals called zooids, blue buttons are "true jellyfish," and they do not pack as powerful of a sting, Bologna said. "They have stinging cells but it wouldn't be the kind of sting you'd have to worry about," he said. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook. Twenty-five years ago, rival gangs clashed in a fierce melee in a West Ward park in Trenton. News accounts of the rumble said that gang members battled with knives and chains before a young teenager fired 10 gunshots at his rivals, causing the mob to scatter. Gangs have always been a problem in New Jersey, particularly in urban areas like Trenton, where poverty and broken homes provided fertile breeding grounds for young hoodlums. But as the 20th century gave way to the 21st, gangs evolved on a national scale, with chapters of violent gangs such as the Bloods and Crips spreading like a cancer. In Trenton, members of the Bloods and Latin Kings gangs were becoming an increasing problem by 2003, even though then Mayor Douglas Palmer was reluctant to admit it. Now gangs have evolved into highly localized organizations much like their predecessors from the 1950s, but much more lethal, according to law enforcement officials. At a recent hearing of the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation in Trenton, experts testified that these neighborhood gangs are unlike the larger groups in that they have no allegiance to a national base and adhere to their own harsh rules. These local street gangs tend to have very fluid structures and leadership, making it hard for police to keep track of them. What is worrisome about these micro gangs it that the members are often mere children, some as young as 12 or 14 years old. Steven Smith, a Trenton juvenile police officer, told the SCI panel that some of those arrested were so young that they could not be handcuffed because their wrists were too small. But as young as these gang member are, they are adept at using social media to organize and make threats, experts say. And it is through violence that these young gang members prove themselves to their peers. "It is a chaotic world where law enforcement is struggling to catch up, and it is a world where kids grow up expecting to die in violence," said Lee C. Seglem, SCI executive director. And these juvenile gang members are well-armed, officials said at the hearing. Teenagers can easily obtain guns that are stolen and freely passed around. From 2015 through 2017, there was a 26 percent increase of juveniles charged with gun offenses statewide, according to an account on Philly.com. And in Trenton, there was a 200 percent increase in juvenile shooting victims. Combatting gang activity has never been an easy task and as long as the root problems of poverty, poor schools and lack of wholesome youth activities and jobs are present, we can expect gangs to continue to flourish. It's going to take a multi-prong effort on the part of state, municipal, civic and church groups to tackle this problem. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Former Gov. Chris Christie believes the woman who accused President Donald Trump's pick for the Supreme Court of sexual assault is a victim. But he's unsure if she's a victim of Brett Kavanaugh. That's what the former New Jersey governor had to say during a live appearance before a Washington D.C. audience Tuesday. Hisses from the crowd quickly ensued. And that's the problem with politics today, Christie told the crowd at The Atlantic Festival, where he was one of dozens of guest speakers throughout the day. "There are people in this country, myself included, who don't agree with you," Christie said. "But I didn't stand up here and hiss at you," he continued. "That's where we are right now. The hissing is the story right now." Moments earlier, when moderator Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic, asked about Kavanaugh and one of his accusers, Christine Blasey Ford, Christie responded: "I clearly believe that she is a victim. But whether she is a victim of Brett Kavanaugh is hard to figure out." Christie didn't respond brashly to the audience's reaction. Rather, his demeanor was calm as he insisted hyper-charged polarization is the problem that faces the current political environment. "Both sides of out political system ... (are) showing now that they literally do not trust each other on anything," Christie said. "I emotionally don't understand it because your job is to get things done." Who does the former Republican governor blame, Democrats or the GOP? "Over time?" Christie said, both "equally." Christie spoke for about 20 minutes at the festival in Washington D.C. He left office in January, succeeded by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. A federal court has dealt a blow to gun rights groups by ruling Gov. Phil Murphy's ban on 15-round magazines doesn't violate the Constitution. The group that challenged the 10-round magazine limit on firearms in the state already filed their appeal Monday night and vowed to fight the law to the Supreme Court. The group, the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, challenged the new law in court within an hour after Murphy signed the legislation in June. The measure gives gun owners until early December to sell, modify, destroy or turn over to the police their any gun magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds. "It turns a million people into criminals with the stroke of a pen," Scott Bach, the group's executive director, said Monday night. New Jersey State Police State does not say how many gun permits there are in the state. But groups like Bach's estimate there are 1 million people in the state who own firearms." The state argued the new law could mitigate death tolls in mass shootings. The U.S. District Court, in a ruling handed down late Friday, said New Jersey's law doesn't "prevent ownership of any type of gun and does not restrict the quantity of ammunition a gun owner may possess." Rather, it "merely restricts the quantity of bullets a magazine may hold." The decision continues: "To illustrate, a citizen who owns a gun, 30 rounds of ammunition, and two 15-round magazines prior to the (new law's) enactment will be permitted to retain his gun, ammunition, and three 10-round magazines." Eight other states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that put restrictions on magazine capacity: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont. Murphy signed the bill into law on June 13. It gives gun owners a six-month grace period to get rid of or modify their magazines. State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal hailed the ruling in a tweet. ICYMI: On Friday night, fed ct found that NJs ban on large capacity magazines is constitutional. Big win for public safety! https://t.co/DTDMgZRxho pic.twitter.com/70NGaBdHmy AG Gurbir Grewal (@NewJerseyOAG) October 1, 2018 The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs appealed the ruling to Third Circuit Court. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook. WASHINGTON -- Brett Kavanaugh isn't getting much support in New Jersey. A Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll released Tuesday finds that 49 percent of New Jersey adults said Kavanaugh should not be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court while 32 percent supported him. Among likely voters, 53 opposed Kavanaugh and 38 percent favored confirmation. Both U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., declared their opposition to Kavanaugh early and Booker has fought his nomination as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The two senators will vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation. President Donald Trump, who promised during the campaign to nominate justices who would overturn the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, has been pushing for Kavanaugh's confirmation, attacking Booker and other Judiciary Committee Democrats standing in his way. Senate Republicans who were fast-tracking Kavanaugh's confirmation delayed a vote to allow the FBI to investigate allegations that the nominee sexually assaulted women while in high school and college. The poll said that 82 percent of Jerseyans were following the confirmation hearings. Among likely voters, the percentage was 94 percent. Opposition divided along partisan lines, with 78 percent Democrats opposed to Kavanaugh and 72 percent of Republicans supporting his confirmation. "The Supreme Court, long considered insulated from partisan affairs, is no longer," said poll director Krista Jenkins, a professor of political science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. "A partisan lens seems to be important for unpacking opinions about the institution that's supposed to be the least political." Women opposed Kavanaugh's confirmation, 55 percent to 22 percent, while men were equally divided at 42 percent for and 42 percent against. "Kavanaugh has a number of obstacles when it comes to women, from concerns that he may be supportive of overturning Roe v. Wade to allegations that he mistreated women," Jenkins said. "Since he's not running for office, and has to win the support of a largely male Senate, disfavor among women may not matter. But, if he makes it to the court, it might be nice to have the support and trust of both men and women." The Kavanaugh issue could figure into this fall's U.S. Senate race between Menendez and former Celgene Corp. executive Bob Hugin, who has called the nominee "an incredibly qualified, talented jurist" but has withheld his endorsement for now. The poll was conducted Sept. 26-30. The sample of 805 adults had a margin of error of 3.8 percentage points. The sample of 508 likely voters had a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday continued to staunchly defend his administration's decision to hire a former Passaic City councilman who served prison time for accepting bribes -- even after the hiring was deemed unlawful and the ex-official was forced to resign. Murphy said his "breath was taken away" by the negative reaction to the issue, days after the ex-official, Marcellus Jackson, stepped down as the state attorney general declared his hiring was technically against New Jersey law. "We have to get to a different place in this state -- a different mindset," the Democratic governor said during an unrelated public event in Asbury Park. "People who pay their price deserve a second chance." Murphy's administration hired Jackson in July for a $70,000-a-year position as a special assistant in the state Department of Education's Office of Civic and Social Engagement. Murphy said his administration conducted a legal review that cleared Jackson's hiring. But on Friday, state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said there's a state law that should have prevented the hire because former public officials convicted of corruption are disqualified from ever holding a public job again in New Jersey. On Tuesday, Murphy said his administration's review was "in the normal course of business in hiring somebody." "We were not presented with the information (about the law), " the governor said. "And I give credit to the attorney general who uncovered information that was not part of the review initially. It's quite clear when that information came to light, Marcellus did what he had to do." Murphy then began to unload, saying he considers Jackson, a fellow Democrat, a friend. "He made a mistake," the governor said. "He paid a price. He repented. He did what he needed to do. And he raised his hand, and he asked for a second chance. ... It turns out that second chance won't be in state government, sadly." Critics have said the issue is not that Jackson doesn't deserve a second chance but that his second chance should not come in government because he was convicted of corruption. Murphy, though, said his "jaw was on the floor when I saw so many folks, including so many friends of mine, condemning this guy." "And they said just because it's public corruption," the governor continued. "With all due respect, that's a slippery slope." Murphy stopped short of calling for a repeal of the law that bans Jackson from public work. "I accept the reality -- sadly -- but I accept it" he said. "But folks have to understand: We are a state that needs to give folks a second chance, and if we don't it will continue to be a drag on the individuals and it will continue to be a drag on our entire society and our economy." Murphy also noted that "it is invariably a person of color we're talking about." Jackson is black. "It is New Jersey, it is 2018," Murphy added. "We have to get over ourselves. We have to get to a better place and give folks -- Marcellus and folks to come -- a second chance." Meanwhile, Republicans continued to question how this happened. State Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, R-Bergen, said Tuesday that an independent review she asked the bipartisan state Office of Legislative Services to conduct also concluded the hiring shouldn't have been allowed under state law. "There are still more questions than answers," Schepisi said in a statement. "Why wasn't his own attorney general consulted? Are there any other corrupt politicians Murphy has hired to work for him?" State Sen. Kristin Corrado, R-Passaic, announced Tuesday she sent a letter to state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, asking for legislative hearings into the issue, saying Murphy's statement that his administration conducted a legal review before the hire "doesn't pass the smell test." Corrado said the goal is "to determine where the process broke down and how it can be fixed going forward to maintain the public's trust in government." Jackson's hiring came to light last month a report by Politico New Jersey. In response to the hire, more than half of the state Assembly -- including 15 of Murphy's fellow Democrats -- signed onto a bill to prevent anyone convicted of corruption from ever holding a public job again. That bill ended up not being necessary because of the state law Grewal uncovered. That law directs the attorney general or a county prosecutor to make an application to the court seeking "forfeiture of public employment when the underlying conviction involves a federal crime or a crime committed in another state." But Grewal said such an application never happened in Jackson's case. Jackson, now 48, was one of 11 officials arrested in a 2007 corruption sweep called Operation Broken Boards, which was overseen by then-U.S. Attorney Chris Christie. Jackson pleaded guilty to accepting $26,000 from a fake company set up by the FBI in exchange for a promise to help the company win insurance brokerage contracts in Passaic. He was sentenced in 2009 to 25 months in prison and fined $15,000. Jackson was released in July 2011, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. A new survey showing New Jersey's U.S. Senate race between Democratic incumbent Robert Menendez and Republican challenger Bob Hugin in a dead heat has sparked an unusual dispute between Jersey pollsters. In a rare move, Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, posted a statement on Twitter claiming that the poll by Stockton University had "serious problems." Murray questioned the survey's breakdown of respondents, which he said undersampled younger, black and Hispanic voters. He also said there was no way to know how Stockton weighted its sample to accurately portray the makeup of the voting population since the university did not provide that data. I do not make this comment on the Stockton poll lightly. But I feel this practice can undermine the credibility of the good work done not only by Monmouth, but also Marist, Siena, Quinnipiac, Eagleton, FDU, etc. pic.twitter.com/6jVxt51zLG Patrick Murray (@PollsterPatrick) October 1, 2018 Let me put this another way. The Stockton poll could in fact turn out to be close to the mark as we see other polls come out -- but it would not be the "right reasons" (i.e. methodology). That's my beef, particularly when when a college/university is putting its name on it. https://t.co/3IRrg1Z3Pa Patrick Murray (@PollsterPatrick) October 2, 2018 The Stockton survey gave Menendez a 45 percent to 43 percent lead over Hugin with only five weeks until the Nov. 6 election -- well within the poll's margin of error of 4.3 percentage points. It was the first poll to show a neck-and-neck battle between Menendez, the two-term incumbent, and Hugin, a former pharmaceutical executive who is aiming to become the first Republican since 1972 to win a U.S. Senate race in New Jersey. Michael Klein, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton -- which operates the poll -- said he respects Murray's work but also said the poll is valid. "We stand by our poll results," Klein said. "We recognize the demographics in the poll are not entirely reflective of the population, and weight our results accordingly. In the interest of transparency, we post the detailed breakdown of our results online for anyone to review." "Any poll is just a snapshot in time," he added. "We believe the Stockton Poll is reflective of where the Senate race is at this point." "I will also just note that in the presidential, gubernatorial and local legislative district races we have polled, we accurately predicted all of the winners and the spread within the margin of error," Klein concluded. The Menendez campaign said in a statement that the Stockton poll "historically underestimates Democratic performance." Menendez's pollster also took to Twitter to make similar claims to Murray's. .@MattFriedmanNJ right to proceed with caution re: Stockton poll. Only had 24 people aged 18-29 and 24 Latinos in sample of 578, both key Dem constituencies that are too small to weigh properly. https://t.co/fhVtt2N9WK Joel Benenson (@benensonj) October 1, 2018 Hugin, who for months has been airing campaign commercials lambasting Menendez on his corruption charges, said Monday that the Stockton poll was "no surprise." Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump, continuing his tour of states he carried in the 2016 election, is traveling to Pennsylvania on Tuesday. He is scheduled to address the National Electrical Contractors Association, which is holding its annual conference in Philadelphia this week. For those in Philadelphia, there will be travel restrictions, according to the mayor's office: Vine Street from 13th to 11th, and Race Street from Broad to 11th will be closed from 2:15 to 3:45 p.m. After his stop in Philadelphia, Trump then flies to Mississippi for a campaign style rally before returning to Washington, according to his public schedule released by the White House. On Monday, he was in a third such state, Tennessee. All states are among those electing U.S. senators this fall. In Pennsylvania, Republican Rep. Lou Barletta is trying to oust Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. Two Republican-held Senate seats are up in Mississippi. Tennessee has an open seat race between Republican Rep. Martha Blackburn and former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen. While campaigning for the 2018 midterms seen as a referendum on his presidency, Trump also is thinking of 2020. On Monday night in Johnson City, Tennessee, Trump reprised his attacks on U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee who opposes the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court and a potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. "You have Cory Booker, who destroyed Newark," Trump said as the crowd booed. "The job he did in Newark, New Jersey. And to see some of things he wrote when he was young about women. Take a look." What Booker wrote in an article in his college newspaper at Stanford University was that when he was 15, he tried to grope a girl's breast after she gave him "an overwhelming kiss" on New Year's Eve. He used the example as he decried at a campus culture of men trying to get women to sleep with them. Trump, accused of sexual harassment several times while running for president, also brought up the article earlier in the day at a White House press conference when he criticized Booker's record as mayor of Newark. On Saturday, Trump mocked Booker's "Spartacus moment" when the senator publicized Kavanaugh documents before the Senate Judiciary Committee acted even as the Republican lawyer reviewing the papers said some of them could be released. Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook Detectives are seeking to question two men about a shooting that killed one man and wounded another outside of a Treme bar Thursday night (Sept. 27), according to New Orleans police. The men, who have not been identified, are not wanted as suspects in the fatal shooting but investigators believe they have information about the crime, the NOPD said in a news release. The shooting occurred about 7:20 p.m. Thursday outside of the Jokers Wyld and Mickey's Playhouse in the 1900 block of Orleans Avenue. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office has identified the fatally shot man as 30-year-old Rashad Washington. According to the NOPD, Washington and the other victim were standing outside of the club when they were approached by two gunmen, who began firing. Washington was struck more than once and pronounced dead at the scene. The other man was shot in the foot and taken to a local hospital, police said. Anyone with information on Thursday's fatal shooting or the identity and whereabouts of the two men pictured above are asked to call NOPD Detective Daniel Hiatt at 504-421-3266 or call the Homicide Unit at 504-658-5300. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crimestoppers by calling 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-7867. The man suspected of opening fire on a busy stretch of Canal Street and a woman accused of urging him to fire have been arrested in Tennessee, the New Orleans Police Department said late Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 2). Suspected gunman Byron Wilson and Derrion Robinson, both 20, were captured by the U.S. Marshals Service after federal agents in New Orleans and the NOPD's Violent Offenders Warrant Squad traced the pair to Franklin, Tenn. Wilson and Robinson, who are dating, were both wanted in connection with a Sept. 23 shooting in the 600 block of Canal Street, in the French Quarter, that struck a tourist in the leg. A second woman was also wounded, though she suffered only a graze wound and refused medical treatment, NOPD 8th District Cmdr. Nicholas Gernon said. The shooting followed an argument among a group of people, but neither of the two victims were involved in the fight, police said. Wilson and Robinson were found in Franklin, just south of Nashville, after the U.S. Marshals Service in New Orleans and the NOPD's VOWS unit tracked the couple to Tennessee. That tip was sent to the U.S. Marshals Middle Tennessee Joint Fugitive Task Force, police said. In Franklin, authorities set up a perimeter with help from officers with the local police department. Wilson tried to escape, "but abandoned that effort after being challenged by officers at the scene," the NOPD said in a news release. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Tuesday afternoon, Wilson and Robinson remained in Tennessee, awaiting extradition to New Orleans, officials said. The arrests come a day after police publicly identified Wilson as the suspected shooter and announced that he was wanted on two counts of aggravated battery by shooting. Robinson was wanted on the same charge. Detectives believe that during the "verbal and/or physical altercation" on Canal Street, Robinson told Wilson to shoot. "The suspect produced a handgun and allegedly fired one shot in the direction of a fleeing subject," police said. The shooting occurred on a Sunday afternoon in the midst of an active weekend for the French Quarter. The Fried Chicken Festival was underway at nearby Woldenberg Park, and a bystander's video of the shooting shows sunny skies and plenty of pedestrians. The woman who was shot told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune she was from the East Coast and a first-time visitor to New Orleans. She was walking down Canal Street with her husband when she saw the group arguing and then was shot in the thigh. Following the shooting, the gunman ran from the scene, headed eastbound toward Exchange Place in the French Quarter, police said. NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune's Hanna Krueger and Emily Lane contributed to this report. UPDATE: Latrell Lewis, 11, has been located in good health, JPSO Capt. Jason Rivarde said in an update issued just before 6 p.m. Monday. Lewis was found walking near the intersection of West Esplanade Avenue and Williams Boulevard. JPSO investigators believe he may have been trying to walk to his home in Kenner. Authorities are searching for an 11-year-old boy who left a Metairie school Monday morning (Oct. 1), according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. The missing boy, Latrell Lewis, could be in need of medical attention, said JPSO spokesman Capt. Jason Rivarde in a news release. Authorities did not indicate why or how Lewis left John Q. Adams School, located at 5525 Henican Place, just that he left Monday morning. He was last seen wearing a Navy-colored John Q. Adams Middle School T-shirt and khaki pants. Lewis is described as about 5 feet tall and 70 to 80 pounds. Anyone with information on Latrell Lewis' whereabouts is asked to call the JPSO Missing Person Section at 504-364-5300 or 911. Correction: An earlier version of this post included an incorrect age, supplied by authorities, for Latrell Lewis. He is 11 years old. A lead testing program at 12 elementary schools statewide found no heightened levels of lead within the drinking water at schools that haven't received plumbing upgrades for decades, according to Louisiana's Department of Health. The recently completed testing was part of a pilot program created in August after Act 632 was signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards in May. The new law requires the Health Department to conduct lead testing at schools built prior to 1986 to determine if older schools with aging pipes and fixtures have lead present in drinking water. Drinking water staff from the Health Department began drawing water samples from the schools over the past two weeks, according to a Health Department news release Monday (Oct. 1). The samples were taken from several locations, including sources before drinking water enters the school and also from taps within the school. Lead is a neurotoxin linked to impaired cognitive development and functioning in people, and children are particularly vulnerable. The federal Environmental Protection Agency advises schools to take action if test results show lead levels above 15 parts per billion, or 15 micrograms per liter of water. Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy of Global Studies in Algiers was among the three schools selected for testing within the New Orleans metro area. In a Sept. 21 letter to Orleans Parish School Board Superintendent Henderson Lewis, the department stated all of Eisenhower's sample results are "at or below" the recommended action level. In a released statement, Dr. Jimmy Guidry, state health officer of Louisiana, said he was pleased by the results. Guidry led the team that conducted the sampling and testing. "Many Louisiana communities have water systems with aging infrastructure as well as older homes. Both situations make it more likely to find lead in water due to old plumbing," Guidry stated. "When we designed this program, we fully expected to find some instance of elevated lead because we purposefully selected schools that had older pipes and plumbing. The fact that we did not find any instances of elevated lead in the drinking water of these 12 schools is extremely encouraging," Guidry stated. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Even so, not every school in Louisiana is free from lead toxins. In August, the Advocate reported students in the town of St. Joseph had to carry bottled water to school after it was found the Tensas Parish school system's drinking water had 27 times the legal limit of lead. Concerns about lead were sparked in part after tens of thousands of Flint, Mich., residents were exposed to lead-contaminated drinking water. As NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reported in July, the Centers for Disease Control found lead levels as low as 5 parts per billion are linked to developmental problems. The Government Accountability Office in July found an estimated 41 percent of school districts nationwide, serving 12 million students, had not tested for lead between 2016 and 2017. The government watchdog's survey showed that among school districts that did test, an estimated 37 percent found elevated lead levels. In August, the OPSB stated it hired Eco Water Systems last year to install water filters to screen for lead on drinking fountains and kitchen taps at schools. The district told the The Lens the contract hasn't been signed yet, but filter installation should begin within weeks once it's signed. A district spokesman didn't respond to requests on the status of that work on Monday. The full results are available on the Department's website. Scroll below to the view the complete list of schools where drinking water was tested. . . . . . . . Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy ended last week's historic Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with a remarkable line of questioning into whether Judge Brett Kavanaugh was being truthful in denying allegations he had sexually assaulted Catherine Blasey Ford when the two were in high school. "Do you believe in God?" Kennedy asked the Supreme Court nominee. "I do," Kavanaugh responded. "I'm going to give you a last opportunity, right here," the Republican senator said, "right in front of God and country. I want you to look me in the eye. Are Dr. Ford's allegations true?" "They are not as to me," Kavanaugh said. "I have not questioned that she might have been sexually assaulted at some point in her life by someone, someplace. ... But as to me, I've never done this; never done this to her or to anyone else." Case closed? Mystery solved? Hardly. Those who disbelieved Kavanaugh going into the hearing were likely to distrust him even more after his defiant appearance before the committee. And those who support his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court were rallied by his combative response following Ford's effective, and mostly unchallenged, testimony. But Kennedy's questioning is on point in that, absent partisan biases and any additional information from a new FBI investigation, it comes down to whether you believe Kavanaugh or his accusers. As Ford had testified that she was "100 percent" certain it was Kavanaugh who had attacked her at a gathering in 1982, Kennedy probed for similar certitude from the nominee. KENNEDY: "None of these allegations are true?" KAVANAUGH: "Correct." KENNEDY: "No doubt in your mind?" KAVANAUGH: "Zero, I'm 100 percent certain." KENNEDY: "Not even a scintilla?" KAVANAUGH: "Not a scintilla; 100 percent certain, senator." KENNEDY: "You swear to God?" KAVANAUGH: "I swear to God." KENNEDY: "That's all I have, judge." Did Kennedy's "look me in the eye" and "swear to God" approach bring any clarity? Kennedy said it did for him, and he expects to vote for Kavanaugh's confirmation. Others accused the Louisiana senator of playing to the Republicans' evangelical base with his "God and country" standards and religious references. But Kennedy was not the first to interject religion into the hearing. Ford and Kavanaugh, of course, were both sworn before the committee to tell "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God," a process so rote that perhaps few listen to what is being pledged. But in his opening statement, Kavanaugh, a lifelong Catholic, told the committee that he thanks God every day for his wife, Ashley, and his family and swore that he was innocent of the allegations "under oath, before the Senate and the nation; before my family and God." He said repeatedly that "I intend no ill will to Dr. Ford and her family." "The other night, Ashley and my daughter, Liza, said their prayers," he told the committee while choking back tears. "And little Liza -- all of 10 years old -- said to Ashley, 'We should pray for the woman.' It's a lot of wisdom from a 10-year old. We mean -- we mean no ill will." There is a lesson there we all could learn from Liza. Kavanaugh's professed faith, of course, doesn't tell us whether he is being truthful. And even publicly swearing to God or on the lives of one's family is not a sure sign of veracity. As Jesus said, "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil." Sen. Kennedy may have seen what he needed to see in Judge Kavanaugh's eyes, but many of the rest of us will have to search our souls and hope for a better understanding of what is true. Tim Morris is a columnist on the Latitude team at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Latitude is a place to share opinions about the challenges facing Louisiana. Follow @LatitudeNOLA on Facebook and Twitter. Write to Tim at tmorris@nola.com. Louisiana lawmakers are trying a new approach to determine how much the state will spend on Medicaid services each year, as the program has ballooned to more than one-third of the state's budget and added hundreds of thousands of people during the Attending the 2018 Woman of the Year Luncheon from South Carolina are, seated: Past Department Presidents, Anne Parker, Judy Hennis, Murrells Inlet Unit 178, PDP Brenda Holland, Aiken Unit 212, and JR Vice President Pearl Mills Camden Unit 203. Standing are PDP Louise Winesett Irmo/St. Andrews Unit 174, President Pat Ward Greenville Unit 3, PDP Linda Smiley Unit 71 North Augusta, PDP Brenda Collins Greenville Unit 3, ALA Department of S.C. President Pat Jarvis, Unit 6 Columbia. Even for companies that are fully based in California, the number of new female board members that the law would mandate is small. Joseph A. Grundfest, a professor at Stanford who has for years been an advocate for increasing women and minorities on boards, said he believed the law would apply to only about 72 companies that are chartered and have headquarters in the state. It would, at most, increase the number of women directors at the Fortune 500 by a grand total of one, Professor Grundfest said, reiterating a point he made in a paper he wrote assessing its impact. He said the only major company affected would be Apple, which has two women on its eight-member board and would be required to add another by the end of 2021. Smaller companies, Professor Grundfest said, could have to add as many as 208 women over the next three years, which, while not insignificant, is still only a tiny percentage of all public companies. And he believes thats a generous estimate. In a theoretical sense, Professor Grundfest said, he was in favor of the law. But this is the wrong way, he said. I fear the cure is worse than the disease. The law or, more accurately, the raft of lawsuits it will most likely inspire could have a chilling effect on genuine efforts by boards to seek more balance. Challenges to the law could make ever-cautious corporate legal departments reluctant to have company leaders publicly state diversity goals, for fear that those statements would be interpreted as quotas. . And while research has shown that companies with more diverse boards perform better, legal challenges to the law could take aim at those studies. The state itself, referring to three studies it used to make its case for the legislation, raised that as a red flag. While these studies establish a relationship between the proportion of women on corporate boards and these outcomes, it is important to note that such studies are observational in nature and do not necessarily provide evidence for a causal relationship, a report commissioned by the state said. If so, that suggests Tesla failed in a critical task: It didnt set up an efficient way of delivering hundreds of cars a day as it was scrambling to produce 5,000 a week. How can you not have this in place beforehand? Mr. Ramsey said. Its not like this is unexpected demand. They should have had logistics in place in advance. Is demand softer than it looks? A more worrisome problem would be if Tesla built these cars and now doesnt have customers willing to take them. Mr. Musk had long promised that the Model 3 would be available for as little as $35,000. But the least costly version available now starts at $49,000, and the price nears $60,000 if a customer wants the Autopilot driver-assistance software and other options. The company has said that more than 400,000 customers are waiting to buy Model 3 sedans, and that each paid a $1,000 deposit. Many who put down deposits may be waiting for the more affordable base model. Holding inventory is itself an issue for Tesla. The company has reported that it is selling almost all of the cars it is making. Each quarter, the number produced was close to the number delivered or in transit. Brian Johnson, an analyst at Barclays Capital who follows Tesla, said he suspected that the company had a mismatch between inventory and demand that it had built more rear-wheel drive Model 3s than it could sell. He noted that Tesla was telling customers that it could deliver rear-wheel drive models in four weeks but that all-wheel-drive and pricier versions require waits of four to 12 months. That suggests there is unmatched rear-wheel-drive inventory, he said. At the same time, Tesla has been offering sales enticements to lure buyers. In July it offered free lifetime use of its network of fast-charging stations to customers who bought the performance version of the Model 3, which starts at $64,000. The company extended the program several times before ending it on Sept. 18. Mr. Musk acknowledged in a tweet that the offer was not economically sustainable. Dr. Baselga did not respond to phone calls or an email message requesting comment. Mondays meeting between hospital executives and employees was the latest in a series held by the cancer center as it conducts a broad review of policies regarding the nonprofit institutions ties to outside industries. Memorial Sloan Kettering has been forced to re-examine its rules governing board memberships and compensation in the wake of articles by The Times and ProPublica that revealed insider deals with start-ups that were poised to reap millions of dollars for breakthroughs in cancer treatments and biotechnology advances. The hospitals senior executives have come under scrutiny in recent weeks, leading Mr. Warner to question on Monday whether Dr. Thompson would be permitted to continue sitting on the board of Merck, which makes the blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda. In addition to his position with Merck, Dr. Thompson is also a director of Charles River Laboratories, a publicly traded company that assists research in early drug development. Dr. Thompson received $300,000 in compensation from Merck in 2017, according to company financial filings. He was paid $70,000 in cash from Charles River in 2017, plus $215,050 in stock. The compensation for the two corporate boards was in addition to what he was paid as chief executive at Memorial Sloan Kettering. In 2016, he earned $6.7 million in total compensation from the cancer center and related organizations, according to the most recent Internal Revenue Service filings. Should Craig continue to sit on the Merck board? We have no policy on that, Mr. Warner said during the meeting, explaining that he had discussed the board membership with Dr. Thompson when he joined the hospital in 2010. And while it was viewed as a good thing, Mr. Warner added that we need to step back from that now and ask ourselves whether that continues to be appropriate, whether its appropriate in the future. In a memo late last week and again at Mondays meeting, the New York-based cancer center emphasized the need to overhaul its policies, which had failed to address some of the potential conflicts made public recently at a time when investors are tossing vast amounts of money at start-ups developing promising treatments. Jerry Gonzalez, a trumpeter and percussionist who was a central figure in Latin jazz, especially through the Fort Apache Band, which he formed almost 40 years ago with his bass-playing brother, Andy Gonzalez, died on Monday in Madrid. He was 69. The cause was smoke inhalation suffered during a fire in his home, his sister, Eileen Gonzalez-Altomari, said. A product of New York City, he moved to Spain in 2000. Mr. Gonzalez spent time as a sideman for stars like the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and the pianist Eddie Palmieri, but his greatest skill was weaving together musical styles and influences from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Africa and more to create his own music. His explorations ranged far and wide. His 1989 album with Fort Apache, Rumba Para Monk, infused the compositions of Thelonious Monk with Afro-Cuban flavor. His album Ya Yo Me Cure (1979) includes a jazz riff on the theme from I Love Lucy. In Spain he began playing a lot of flamenco, fronting a band called Los Pirates del Flamenco. In the late 1960s he was critical of the counterculture, so much so that Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, a combative conservative voice in the Nixon administration, quoted Mr. Laqueur approvingly when he wrote in Commentary magazine that the cultural and political idiocies perpetuated with impunity in this permissive age have gone clearly beyond the borders of what is acceptable for any society, however liberally it may be structured. What Mr. Agnew neglected to quote, however, was Mr. Laqueurs next sentence, which was hardly flattering to conservatives: No one knows whether the right-wing backlash, so long predicted, will in fact make its dreadful appearance. In 1982, Norman Podhoretz, the editor of Commentary, wrote that Mr. Laqueur spoke for most neoconservatives when he made the mordant observation that even Lenin, who allegedly predicted that one day we capitalist countries would out of the lust for profits compete to sell the Communists the rope with which to hang us, could never have imagined that we would rush to give them the money to buy the rope. Walter Louis Laqueur was born into a Jewish family on May 26, 1921, in Breslau, Germany (now Wroclaw in Poland). His father, Fritz, manufactured overalls. His mother, Elsa (Berliner) Laqueur, was a homemaker. Both were murdered in the Holocaust. In 1938, when he was 17, Walter fled just a few days before Kristallnacht, the November pogrom against Jews by uniformed Nazis and their civilian sympathizers. He found his way to Palestine, where he was known as Zeev. Later, in his writings, he would reduce decades of Middle East discord to a conflict between basic impulses: that of Arabs for pride and dignity and that of Jews for survival, with the Jewish struggle requiring Israels neighbors to accept its statehood. Our contention is that if no ones ever shown up, and listened to you, and incorporated your story into why theyre campaigning, and the expectations that were setting for one another, then I wouldnt expect you to vote either, ORourke told Smith on Saturday. So instead of centrist triangulation, ORourke like Abrams and Gillum is speaking to the aspirations of his base, and betting that other voters will be won over by his honesty. He defended the right of N.F.L. players to take a knee during the national anthem to protest police killings of unarmed African-Americans, supports Medicare for All, and slams Cruz for being in the pocket of the National Rifle Association. Hes campaigning in a conservative state, but refusing to let the right set the terms of debate. Its been working better than anyone could have expected. Though ORourke is still an underdog Texas hasnt had a Democratic senator in 25 years pollsters describe the race as a tossup. He has raised record-breaking sums without taking any money from political action committees. Soon his campaign will announce its third-quarter fund-raising results, and the rumor is that the total will be staggering, though all ORourke would say on stage is that its a lot, and more than the $10.4 million he raised last quarter. It helps that he seems to have the support of legions of urban and suburban women who abhor Donald Trump, some of whom, said Allison, have only recently come out of the Democratic closet. These women know how to fund-raise, she said. Theyve been doing it for their fancy charities all their lives. For years, Japan has tried to get Okinawans to agree to a big new seaside base for American Marines to replace an old one in a crowded urban area. The national government has tried carrots, like supporting construction of a Disney resort on the island; it has tried sticks, going to court to overrule local resistance to the base; it has thrown its weight behind candidates who favor the new base. But again and again, Okinawans have responded that they dont want the new base. They believe theyre already carrying far more than their share of the American military. The message sounded with special clarity when Denny Tamaki was elected governor on Sunday. Like most other elections on the island, this one was at least partly a referendum on the American bases. Mr. Tamaki represented an anti-base coalition; his pro-base opponent was heavily supported by Japans governing Liberal Democratic Party. What made the choice especially noteworthy is that Mr. Tamaki, 58, is the son of a Japanese mother and an American Marine father, who left the island before he was born. And now onto the Promised Land Colusa County! he wrote. A series of high-profile criminal justice measures Hundreds of people who have been convicted of murder could be let out of prison after Mr. Brown signed a bill to overhaul Californias so-called felony murder rule, which has allowed accomplices to a homicide to be convicted even if they did not pull the trigger. A new law on how the police use photo lineups is aimed at preventing wrongful convictions. And last month, Mr. Brown signed a law ending cash bail, the first state to do so. The series of new criminal justice measures follows earlier efforts from California to lead the way on ending mass incarceration, with two ballot initiatives, in 2014 and 2016, that reduced penalties for some crimes and allowed for early parole. Governor Browns leadership on justice reform has brought much needed balance to the states approach to public safety, said Lenore Anderson, a former district attorney who is the founder and executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, which has supported reforms. More than any other governor in California history, he has advanced strategies to address prison overcrowding and expand rehabilitation and prevention programs to work better to stop the cycle of crime. The measures have been controversial in Californias law enforcement community, with members arguing that the new laws have led to increased crime in certain areas. And John Cox, a businessman who is the Republican candidate for governor, has said on the campaign trail that he would try to repeal some of the measures and return the state to a get-tough-on-crime approach. The most high-profile measure signed into law recently ending cash bail has proved divisive even among liberal activists who once supported it. The version of the bill that was signed into law has generated a backlash on the left, where activists say it gives too much discretion to judges and that risk assessment tools used by courts could end up falling harder on minority communities. Sweeping changes to police transparency laws Mr. Brown signed several bills meant to increase police accountability and transparency, a move that has been greeted with enthusiastic support by activists but was strongly opposed by regional police unions. Senate Bill 1421 lifts longstanding protections on police personnel files in cases involving misconduct and use of force. Assembly Bill 748 would additionally require the release of body cam footage and audio within 45 days of an incident. Together, the bills represent a significant change to Californias police privacy laws, which were among the strictest in the country. This is transformative for California. A community cant hold its police department accountable for its handling of shootings or dishonesty by officers if investigations and disciplinary actions are kept secret, said Peter Bibring, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California Too often officers can act with impunity. These police shootings happen because our laws allow them to and because of our standards around use of force. WASHINGTON Democratic efforts to highlight sexual assault charges that are more than 30 years old have been dismissed by supporters of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh as the dredgings of ancient history. But the judges response to those accusations has raised new issues that go to the core of who President Trumps Supreme Court nominee is right now: his truthfulness, his partisanship and his temperament. For Democrats determined to derail Judge Kavanaugh, his performance last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee his dissembling about his teenage years; his playing down drinking in high school and college; his raw, angry emotions; and his broadsides against Democratic questioners is proving to be a new avenue of attack, if the accusations of sexual assault are not enough to swing the votes of three key Republicans and two undecided Democrats. The issues of credibility and temperament are not something that happened 30 years ago; theyre about Judge Kavanaugh today and how he is as a 53-year-old, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said in an interview on Monday, giving a hint of the Democrats strategy. I think there are serious questions about both his credibility and his temperament that may, to some senators, be more important than the activities that occurred in high school. As the investigation of past actions continues, lawmakers in both parties are parsing Judge Kavanaughs testimony from last week. At least one undecided Republican, Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, took issue on Monday with the nominees angry treatment of Democrats who questioned him about his drinking in high school. Judge Kavanaugh parried a question from Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, about whether he had ever blacked out from drinking not by answering the question, but by asking the senator if she had ever blacked out. He later apologized. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. President Trump trained his sights on three leading Democratic prospects who could face him in his 2020 re-election battle, at a rally Monday evening that was ostensibly aimed at helping Tennessee Republicans facing a tough climate in the midterm elections. Over 59 minutes, Mr. Trump veered on and off the remarks on his teleprompter as he defended Brett M. Kavanaugh, his embattled Supreme Court nominee, whom he said Democrats were trying to destroy. He implored people to vote in the midterm elections in five weeks. He rattled off a list of his accomplishments, before putting the list aside to avoid boring his crowd. But Mr. Trump, in the first of four campaign rallies he will hold across the country this week, appeared to have his own re-election on his mind. Mr. Trump, who defeated 17 major candidates in the primaries and the general election in 2016 by savaging them, road-tested a series of aggressive attack lines against some of the top 2020 prospects former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey. As the Trump administration continues to crack down on undocumented immigrants, the majority of them will be sent to detention facilities run by private companies. Private prisons. They are cashing in on President Trumps get-tough policies at the border. How did immigration detention become more than a billion-dollar industry? And does it matter that detention is now heavily privatized? Josue Vladimir Cortez Diaz grew up gay in El Salvador, where he says he was persecuted for years, targeted by gangs and extorted. After receiving death threats, he fled to the United States hoping for asylum, was caught crossing the border and sent to a detention facility in Adelanto, California. But when Cortez Diaz and others launched a hunger strike, they say the guards roughed them up, pepper sprayed them and threw some of them into hot showers. The company that runs Adelanto, GEO Group, says these claims are completely baseless. But Cortez Diazs lawyer, Rachel Steinback, says she believes the problems at Adelanto were exacerbated because of the fact that the facility is privately run. The main goal of a private prison company is to maximize profit, and to maximize profit, you minimize your expenditures. All of the incentive is to get more people in, hold them there for longer and provide them with the barest necessities possible. But GEO Group says they are proud of their long-standing record of providing high-quality detention services that meet standards set by the government. The use of private companies took hold in the 1980s, as the country faced a crisis: overcrowded and unsafe public prisons. American business is becoming bullish on prisons. And a new company, the Corrections Corporation of America, or CCA, now called CoreCivic, offered an alternative. At CCA, we have an answer to your problems. We intend to be the IBM, if you will, of the corrections business. But the idea of prisons for profit was met with skepticism. A highly controversial idea: turning the jail keys over to private business and trying to make crime pay to investors. James Stewart, a Justice Department official, was studying the issue. They had no history, and youre saying, Whats your experience? They go, Well, um, well get a warden. Well hire a couple of people to train them. We can do it. And youre like, Uh, Im not sure this is going to work, right? What about the prisoners? Who is accountable for their welfare? Critics of private prisons say making a profit off imprisonment is not compatible with the administration of justice. But the test of the controversial idea came not with prisoners, but with immigrants. President Carter today declared parts of Florida to be under a state of emergency because of the enormous influx of Cuban refugees. Illegal aliens, more than a million of them in the past year, have come across the Mexican border. Immigration authorities were overwhelmed. Part of the problem, says the Immigration Service, is that there are not enough places to hold all the illegal immigrants. They were scratching their heads saying, What are we going to do? The Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS, the predecessor to ICE, turned to the private sector. INS was the first government agency to really come out strongly for privatization. I mean, they were under the gun to do it. Richard Crane believed privatization would not lower standards and could lead to better conditions. A lot of people had the misimpression that, in order for them to make a profit, they had to cut corners. When I was with CCA, they didnt cut corners. This construction site in Houston, Texas, will soon become the first completely free enterprise prison in the United States. It is being built to detain up to 300 aliens charged with entering this country illegally and awaiting deportation hearings. It was like a proof of concept. What it did is it provided evidence that this could work and it could be, you could get more for the same amount of money, and right now we needed more. We built the facility in six months... Building on that success, the industry began to expand. The private prisons are clean, spacious and well-managed. In here, its enchanted, I mean very enchanted. Soon, private companies were running local, state and later federal jails and prisons. They will find ways to economize. And so we said, Look, if youre going, going to have the private sector, youre going to have to be sure you have inspections. Thats part of the price. You have to build that into the contract. The denial of freedom is now clearly big business. But over the years, problems began to make headlines. Arizona inmates rioted twice at this private prison in less than a month. New questions are being raised tonight about the wisdom of turning public prisons over to private operators. Charges have been filed against them now in three other states and the Justice Department says it is watching closely. Civil rights groups like the ACLU argued that private companies shouldnt be performing a government function. Handing control of prisoners over to a for-profit company is a recipe for abuse and neglect. There are serious human costs that have been documented over and over again. But companies like CoreCivic say that they maintain high standards of care for detainees and that, in fact, their sole job is to help the government solve problems, including the fluctuating need for detention space. The government has expanded its detention of immigrants over the years - increasingly so starting under the Clinton administration. And private companies have stepped up. Immigrant detention has turned into a gold rush for the private corrections industry. Alonzo Pena had spent his career in customs and immigration enforcement. But when he became deputy director of ICE in 2008, he says he saw widespread problems with detention. Issues were apparent in government-run facilities, but Pena says that many of complaints coming in were about privately-run ones. These private companies, it wasnt their priority, uh, to ensure that the highest standards were being met. When I found out that guards mistreated people, uh, you know, violated women, abused women, didnt provide medical care, those things troubled me. And I kept thinking why are we not able to prevent things? Pena says ICE shares the blame. We set up this partnership with the private industry in a way that was supposed to make things much more effective, much more economical, but unfortunately it was in the execution and the monitoring, and the auditing, we fell behind, fell short. Immigration detention has been the private prison industrys fastest growing sector for years. ICE says they thoroughly investigate complaints of misconduct, and hold contractors to high standards. Today, about 70 percent of detained immigrants are overseen by private companies, according to an analysis of ICE data. We have zero tolerance for people that enter our country illegally. With these companies already so enmeshed in immigration enforcement, Pena says theyre here to stay. The question is where we go from here. Its important that the government maintain good oversight of these companies. Because theyre not citizens, theyre not going to be afforded the same protections. Were dealing with human beings. Thats the thing not to be lost. There are some real advantages to having the private sector. But, like anything else, it has to be reasonably well controlled and paid attention to. Vigilance is the price of freedom. Rachel Steinback says lawsuits like the one she has filed on behalf of Cortez Diaz and some of the other hunger strikers can help hold private companies accountable. Theres very little transparency. So I think they, they feel like they can operate with impunity, do whatever they want and get away with it. Cortez Diaz is no longer in detention. Last year, a judge granted him asylum and the opportunity to start a new life in the United States. BOSTON Senator Jeff Flake, the Republican who forced a new F.B.I. investigation into accusations against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, said on Monday that he was doing everything in his power to make sure that any current, credible allegation that has been made is fully investigated. Mr. Flakes comments came in response to a question from an interviewer at a Forbes Under 30 Summit at Bostons City Hall Plaza. The interviewer had inquired about news reports regarding limits to the F.B.I. investigation that is set to run a week. We certainly want the F.B.I. to do a real investigation and we are working to make sure that that happens, said Mr. Flake, of Arizona. Ive had discussions, many yesterday with my colleagues, and with the White House Counsels Office. My staff is following up as well. Mr. Flake, whose last-minute decision to seek an investigation upended proceedings in Washington last week, spoke on a temporary stage, under a light drizzle. The appearance here had been scheduled long before last weeks events. In a blue suit and tie, Mr. Flake appeared more relaxed than he had last week during the tense hearings. He smiled frequently during his remarks, especially when applauded by the crowd. For Mr. Pena Nieto, it is a win he can claim as part of his legacy. For Mr. Lopez Obrador, it means the process will close before his Dec. 1 inauguration. That frees him from messy negotiations at the start of his administration and allows him to turn his attention to Mexicos limping economy. Since Nafta went into effect almost a quarter century ago, it has created a booming export economy driven by foreign investors who built factories across central and northern Mexico to supply the North American market. Last year, Mexico exported almost $410 billion worth of goods, more than 80 percent of that to the United States and Canada. [Alan Rappeport, a Times reporter, answered questions about the new trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada.] But at the same time, Nafta displaced millions of small farmers and local manufacturers. Successive governments have failed to come up with development policies to reincorporate them and stimulate the rest of Mexicos economy. The result is that overall poverty rates have barely budged in Mexico under Nafta and economic growth per capita has lagged behind almost every other country in Latin America just 1.2 percent on average from 1996 to 2015, according to Santiago Levy, a Mexican economist who is vice president at the Inter-American Development Bank. Mr. Lopez Obrador, a former mayor of Mexico City, campaigned on restoring the forgotten sectors of the economy, particularly in Mexicos underdeveloped south. Although he was once a fiery opponent of Mexicos market reforms, he has changed his rhetoric against free trade, arguing instead that Nafta should be improved to benefit Mexicans, rather than overturned. Voters in Quebec on Monday selected a relatively new center-right party to take control of the provincial government, in the first election campaign in decades that was not defined by the question of whether Quebec should secede from Canada. The Coalition Avenir Quebec, or the C.A.Q., which was founded in 2011, presented itself as neither favoring the current arrangement with Canada, which is the position of the Quebec Liberal Party, nor breaking away from Canada, which the Parti Quebecois had long favored. Instead Francois Legault, the partys leader, describes the partys approach as nationalism, which he defines as putting Quebecs interests first while remaining in Canada. Unofficial returns indicate that the C.A.Q. captured 73 of the legislatures 125 seats, a decisive victory that was not forecast by public opinion polls. It means that Quebec will not be governed by a Liberal or Parti Quebecois government for the first time since 1966. SEOUL, South Korea Ramping up pressure on the United States, North Korea on Tuesday accused the Trump administration of demanding too much but offering too few concessions in its negotiations over the terms of denuclearizing the North. Up to now, North Korea has demanded almost daily that the United States join North and South Korea in declaring an end to the Korean War as an initial confidence-building concession from Washington before taking steps to denuclearize. The war was halted with a truce in 1953 but a peace treaty was never signed. The United States insists that before it grants any concessions to North Korea, the North must do more to keep its end of the deal Kim Jong-un reached in his talks with President Trump in Singapore in June when the North Korean leader promised to work toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. United States officials and analysts have called on the North to submit a full inventory of its nuclear program for verification and to start dismantling its nuclear and missile facilities. But then on Friday night, the Canadians, who had previously showered reporters with briefings, updates, notes of encouragement and even Popsicles, went silent. United States officials, who are notoriously less loquacious, also went totally dark. Rather than negotiate on President Trumps turf, Chrystia Freeland, Canadas foreign minister (and, full disclosure, my former boss at Financial Times), scrapped her speech at the United Nations and hunkered down in Ottawa to huddle with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Hordes of Canadian reporters who had been camped out in sweltering Washington all summer were instead bemoaning the chilly autumn weather outside of Mr. Trudeaus office. By Sunday afternoon it was clear that things were getting serious. [Want the Canada Letter in your inbox every week? Subscribe here.] Congressional aides the sieve of Washington were getting briefed by the staff of Robert E. Lighthizer, Mr. Trumps top trade adviser, and I started getting calls from lobbyists with fresh details. In the early evening, a Mexican official sent me a text saying copies of the agreement would be delivered to Mexicos Senate within hours. A colleague who covers the White House alerted me that Jared Kushner, a White House adviser who was on the United States negotiating team, skipped a Sukkot dinner to work on the deals finishing touches. Four years later, as an informant for Britains Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, he passed on information about systematic graft in the Madrid headquarters of the G.R.U., as Soviet-era discipline relaxed. He told MI6 the identity of certain officers who were overcharging for procurements and inventing fictitious budget items, then distributing a cut to senior officers who served as their protectors. Britain used Skripals information to help Spanish intelligence recruit the naval officer the man who, in 2004, was found strangled in his hospital bed. Mr. Skripals MI6 handlers offered to remove him from Russia, the book claims, but Mr. Skripal decided to return to Russia, where, two months later, he was arrested. During about 10 hours of interviews with Mr. Urban, in a house stocked with the jigsaw puzzles and model ships of an aging, solitary man, Mr. Skripal said he was afraid to attract attention by being quoted in the book. Its because of Putin, he told Mr. Urban. You see, we are afraid of Putin. Mr. Urban, who has covered Britains security services for 30 years, frequently presents the thinking of intelligence officials without naming them. A portion of the book is told from the perspective of the MI6 officer who recruited Mr. Skripal, who is identified with a pseudonym. Mr. Urban does not settle on one theory as to why Mr. Skripal, a relatively obscure figure, was targeted for such a spectacular attack. But one theory in the intelligence world is that Russian hit men were unable to locate their first choice Col. Aleksandr Poteyev, deputy head at the Russian Foreign Intelligence Services American section, who in 2010 blew the cover of 10 Russian undercover spies living as Americans. The C.I.A. spirited Mr. Poteyev out of Russia in July 2010 the very week that then President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia had visited Washington for a smiley public meeting with President Barack Obama and then broke the news to Moscow that 10 of its undercover spies had been betrayed by a Russian officer. Mr. Putin, as a young man, had served in a role similar to Mr. Poteyevs, providing support to undercover agents stationed abroad. He seethed with anger when asked about the betrayal, at one point saying at a national news conference, How will he be able to look in the eyes of his children, the pig? Mr. Urban suggests that Russian intelligence services may have had trouble finding Mr. Poteyev, who had been resettled under an assumed identity by the F.B.I., and then moved down the list to other former agents deemed traitors who were easier to find like Mr. Skripal, who lived openly in Salisbury. The sale of artworks from the estate of David and Peggy Rockefeller, which took place at Christies New York in May, generated headlines for being the largest single-owner sale in auction history. The $833 million total nearly doubled the haul of the previous record-holder, and individual highlights abounded, including the $85 million price for Claude Monets Nympheas en Fleur. But the sale also had another distinction: It was the largest auction ever to benefit charity. All the proceeds went to a slate of diverse nonprofits the Rockefellers supported, including the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Museum of Modern Art, Harvard University, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. Though it was the biggest of the type, the Rockefeller sale is hardly alone in funneling money to good causes via the auction block. Buying live online has certain advantages for collectors: They can make bids from anywhere in the world, in the comfort of their own homes and maintain their anonymity. But isnt it more difficult for auctioneers to handle bids that come from faceless individuals logging in behind a computer screen? Mr. Bruun Rasmussen responds to the plings, and Mr. Pylkkanan learns of a new online bid because the new price that has been bid appears on the sales screen and the screen itself changes color. Mr. Branczik sees new bids on a screen at Sothebys, but the screens color doesnt change. Henry Highley, head of contemporary art evening sales at Phillips, said he recently started working with an iPad, on which he received the online bids. Mr. Rasmussen, a grandson of the founder of the Bruun Rasmussen auction house, who has been auctioneering for decades, said that, for him, conducting an auction is not as fun as it used to be, because he is more often presiding over a nearly empty salesroom. And sales are far more unpredictable, he said, because bidders can pop up unexpectedly online. In the past, the auction house would usually have known which clients in a room were interested in certain items, and it would have a ring list of potential bidders who wanted to be called by the specialists on the phone banks for specific lots. All of that gave the auctioneer a sense of who would be bidding and about how much they were willing to spend. Its more difficult for auction houses to know who is going to bid on what, he said. You have more butterflies in your stomach because you dont know if its going to be a good sale or a bad sale. A rhythmic chant of dont do it rang through the halls of Abrons Arts Center in Manhattan on a recent afternoon. Inside a basement studio, five women were rehearsing a new work by the choreographer Juliana F. May. As they buzzed around the space, what sounded like casual conversation alternated with catchy songs and incantations. Yet what they said was much darker than how they said it. (Most of the script cant be printed here.) References to sexual violence and Nazi Germany punctuated the lines of dialogue that flew among the performers. And perhaps because of that dissonance, the text, alarmingly, could be funny at times, even while profoundly unsettling. In Folk Incest, which begins a two-week run at Abrons on Oct. 9, Ms. May, 38, has set out to grapple with what she calls seemingly unrepresentable material; that is, to find ways to speak about the unspeakable. While trauma has been a recurring theme in her work, she said she has never before confronted it so concretely. Im looking at my own sexual trauma, and at intergenerational trauma as a Jew, she said at a restaurant in the Lower East Side. Her mothers parents, she said, fled from the Holocaust; their parents died in Europe. In particular, she has been contemplating what it means to romanticize or find arousal in traumatic events, whether personal, historical or both. LONDON On a drizzly September morning, David Hockney sat in his skylit London living room, puffing on a cigarette. The walls were covered with his art: framed self-portraits, tender etchings of his dogs, and a large, brightly colored composite photograph. Leaning against one wall was a poster-sized image of his latest creation: a stained-glass window for Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Queen Elizabeths reign. Measuring 28 feet by 12 feet, the Queens Window which was inaugurated on Tuesday represents a hawthorn, a thorny floral shrub, blooming in a joyous profusion of reds, blues, greens and yellows. The hawthorn is celebratory: Its as though champagne had been poured over bushes, said Mr. Hockney, 81. He said he had reworked the design for the window from an earlier painting using an iPad. Mr. Hockney has used new technology extensively throughout his career and has exhibited works created with iPhones and Polaroid cameras alongside his paintings in some of the worlds most important museums. The next day, Sothebys London is auctioning two oils by Peter Doig: Buffalo Station I and Buffalo Station II (1997-98). They were painted from photographs that Doig took in Buffalo right after a Rolling Stones concert. Doig, who lives in Trinidad, is one of the worlds most expensive living artists and an art-market favorite. His Rosedale (1991) sold for $28.8 million at Phillips in New York in May 2017, a record for a work by the artist. Image A bottle of Macallan 1926 is at the Bonhams whisky sale in Edinburgh. Credit... Bonhams Whisky The last time a bottle of Macallan Valerio Adami 1926 whisky was auctioned, a world record was set. That was in May, at Bonhams in Hong Kong, and the buyer paid $1.1 million. Now, another bottle from the same series (Macallan 1926 60-year-old) is on offer at the Bonhams whisky sale in Edinburgh on Wednesday. Why would anyone spend so much on a whisky released in 1986? Because its from a limited edition of 24 bottles with labels commissioned from the artists Valerio Adami and Peter Blake, and the bottle comes in a specially designed cabinet. Of the 12 Adami bottles originally produced, this is the only one still up for grabs, hence the excitement. How has the orchestra changed in 35 years? Well, obviously weve all gotten older. The reason I say that is it might be my 35 years there, which is half my life, incidentally Ill be 70 in January of 2020 but we still have a number of musicians who were there before I was. Some of them played in the very first concert. It was really an outsized chamber group rather than an orchestra then, a cross between a chamber group and a Quaker meeting: The spirit moves me to play a B flat here rather than a B natural. All the things they joke about, Birkenstocks and homespun clothes, are not so far from the truth in certain ways. My job was to change it from a chamber group to a Baroque orchestra. As its first music director, Id say, Well, we can discuss it afterward, but if I say its a B flat, its a B flat. Thats what happens in orchestras. How has the music you play changed? It was very definitely only playing the Baroque greats heavy on the Bach, because the founder of Philharmonia was a pupil of Gustav Leonhardt. I remember a couple of years in, I insisted we do a classical concert, and do some Mozart. And we got grumblings from our audience! Pushing the envelope a little bit, stretching the repertoire is to me an important thing it keeps the musicians on their toes; it keeps me on my toes. We have a thing called New Music for Old Instruments where we commission new works. Weve commissioned one from Matthew Aucoin coming up in a couple of seasons; next year, well be doing one by Caroline Shaw. Louis C.K. unexpectedly returned to the stage Sunday night at the Comedy Cellar, where a new policy has been instituted to address patrons uncomfortable with drop-in acts. The performance came just five weeks after his first unannounced appearance there set off broad controversy: could he be aiming for a comeback, less than a year after he admitted to sexual misconduct with women in the comedy world? In the performance on Sunday, according to audience reports, he did not address his inappropriate behavior, including instances in which he masturbated in front of multiple women. He took the stage just before 10:30 p.m., and, working from notes, did about 20 minutes of material. There was wild applause when the host announced him, and a warm send-off when he left. Youve been very kind, thank you very, very much, the comedian said from the stage. One audience member visiting from Europe said the crowd was happy to see him and laughed. But some in the audience were made uncomfortable by jokes he told about his daughter, according to HuffPost. And two women walked out on the act, the club said. [Comedy clubs are ready for Louis C.K.s return. Is everyone else?] It was Louis C.K.s first time there since Aug. 26, the same day he did an unannounced set at Governors Comedy Club in Levittown on Long Island. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox. Investigating Kavanaughs Past As the F.B.I. investigates sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, his friends and former classmates have painted contrasting images of his past. Seth Meyers seized on some of the more unsavory details that have been presented. A college classmate of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has said that he often saw Kavanaugh, quote, staggering from alcohol consumption. Thats nothing I saw him screaming and crying at a job interview while totally sober. SETH MEYERS A decade before the United States declared itself independent of Britain, the London auctioneer James Christie had his very first sale. The auction, held on Dec. 5, 1766, included a feather bed and pillow, 12 oblong dishes, a pair of candlesticks and a substantial section devoted to wine. More than three dozen cases of Bordeaux also known as claret and Madeira made it on the block that day, making it one of the biggest features of the event. That auction business eventually became Christies, now the global company owned by the French billionaire Francois Pinault. Wine has been there from the beginning, said Richard Harvey, the head of wine sales for Bonhams, which is based in London and has branches worldwide. It was one of those more everyday items when auctions were not as focused on fine art. Size doesnt matter, but at 784 pages, The Collected Stories of Diane Williams, new this month, outweighs the collected short fiction of Saul Bellow, Grace Paley, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and almost any other writer one can name. That size doesnt matter is central to Ms. Williamss work. This new book includes more than 300 stories published over the last 29 years; their average length is about two and a half pages. Within the very narrow confines of a Diane Williams story, the author might toy with metafictional device or offer something that hints at a plot, she might create character or capture a scene, she might show or simply imply something sexual, something violent or something merely unpredictable. Ms. Williams is 72. She lives in the sort of Manhattan apartment realtors describe as well-appointed, with copious sun and art on display everywhere. She speaks candidly about her work and its relationship to her own life. In person, as on the page, Ms. Williams is funny and frank, as well as elusive. Her stories might be short but that is sleight of hand; they demand focus. I dont like to have it all wrapped up, she said. Hardly anything that matters in life is that easy. Ive heard lots of criticism of what Im doing, she said. Ive been told these arent stories. Ms. Williams speaks deliberately, with a calm that is not dispassion but certainty. She sometimes closes her eyes, presumably to formulate her thoughts, then opens them when shes ready to speak. It enrages me. The director behind some of South Africa's most iconic TV ads has passed away... Rose in the VIP lounge at Loeries 2014 after he won the Hall of Fame award. Image Terry Levin of Bizcommunity. So sad to hear about the passing of legendary South African commercials director Keith Rose, who was hailed by @shotscreative as one of the 100 Advertising People of All Time." We're re-watching his 2009 @designindaba talk & feeling very sad: https://t.co/UL6ISKeLno pic.twitter.com/hZ1IyuzhjL Africa.film (@AfricadotFilm) October 2, 2018 Today we say farewell to the legendary Keith Rose. Thank you for setting the bar high and leaving a creative legacy we can all strive to match. Thank you for your inspiration in the industry and out in the world. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/9XXykkk0WJ Red & Yellow School (@RedAndYellowEd) October 2, 2018 R.I.P. Keith Rose. A legend who leaves behind a legacy of greatness.https://t.co/r32xJDXJX3 FCB Durban (@fcb_durban) October 2, 2018 Rest In Peace to the legendary Keith Rose. You have inspired and influenced so many, you will live on in the people that you inspired and influenced. pic.twitter.com/a1wd6nUdgs HKLM Group (@hklmgroup) October 2, 2018 Keith was a giant of our industry. He pushed all of us, his team, the agency and the clients towards greatness. He did whatever it took to create spectacular work - not to just get the job done. It is something that I always admired about him. Especially in this day and age where what we do has become so commoditised. In my opinion, Keith was not just an amazing director, he was an amazing DOP, producer, art director, gaffer and even an engineer at times, if the job required it. He once needed to put a crane on a heritage site to get the shot. And that was the shot he wanted, nothing else. The city refused permission, but this didnt stop Keith. He got a bigger crane, the biggest crane I have ever seen and placed it on the other side of the building, off the heritage site, just to get the shot. Keith always reached for the iconic. He was always trying to do something no-one had done before or looked at in a certain way before. His crafting was amazing to watch and he pushed us all to get there. And sometimes when you push things the way Keith did, you fail. On certain jobs, in his efforts to reach the unprecedented, he failed spectacularly. But his epic achievements far outweigh his failures. He would rather fail in this way than do something ordinary. And thats what I loved about him. Keith also helped build our industry into what is today; not just the film industry, but the advertising industry at large. Personally, he opened my eyes to the way things should be done when I was just a junior in this industry and it forever changed the way I did things. Maybe it's a bit unfair that because of him I expect more out of everyone else that I work with; because I have seen the best in action. And I am very grateful for this. Thank you Keith for your role in who I am today. I am sure there are many people out there that would say the same. You challenged us. You supported us. Everything about you was epic. We are all poorer without you. I hope that in the years that come we can all hold the bar up to your standards in the work that we create. Your legacy lives on, in all that knew you. Reading through these and now sharing them brought a certain healing for me and a sense of celebration of the person he was. I hope it does so for you too. Here are just some of the memories that you wont be able to read in the press, or see anywhere inscribed on the many awards he won. These are by people who worked with him, knew him or even knew of him. May his life continue to live on and the lessons hes left with us continue to help us grow as an industry. - Julie Maunder Rose was one of a select few to be inducted into the Clio TV Hall of Fame, for his BMW Mouse commercial; as well as into the Creative Circle Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Loeries Hall of Fame in 2014.Here's a showreel of Roses best work, which was shown at Loeries 2014 when he was inaugurated into the prestigious Loeries Hall of Fame:Rose was selected by Shots as one of the 100 Advertising People of All Time, while also being accredited bymagazine to be among the top five directors globally.His several Cannes Gold Lions represent just a handful of the many distinctions he has been awarded throughout his career, and he was president of the Cannes Lions Film Craft jury in 2011. Other accolades include awards at D&AD, Art Directors' Club, One Show and Clio.Many have shared their memories of Rose and sadness at his passing on social media. Here, just a few mentions on Twitter:Pete Khoury, chairman of the Creative Circle and CCO at TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris Johannesburg sent us his tribute:Shortly after his passing, Julie Maunder of iDidTht put a call out to Rose's industry-family to share some of the memories and moments they have of him, and people answered...Visit KeithRose.org for a collection of memories from an industry that loved him.: Rose's family has confirmed that an industry gathering is to be held, details will be released next week. Gordievsky was born in Moscow in 1938, fraught times, even by Soviet standards. But Gordievsky actually had little to complain of. As the son of a K.G.B. agent and loyal party member, he led a privileged life nice apartment, enough food, no members of his immediate family executed in the basement of the Lubyanka, or sent to a Siberian gulag. In time, his fathers status and his own obvious intelligence ensured his admission to Moscows most prestigious university. By the early 1960s, he had been recruited by the K.G.B. and embarked on a career he had reason to hope would give him access to foreign places. Explore the New York Times Book Review Want to keep up with the latest and greatest in books? This is a good place to start. Learn what you should be reading this fall: Our collection of reviews on books coming out this season includes biographies, novels, memoirs and more. See whats new in October: Among this months new titles are novels by Jonathan Franzen, a history of Black cinema and a biography by Katie Couric. Nominate a book: The New York Times Book Review has just turned 125. That got us wondering: What is the best book that was published during that time? Listen to our podcast: Featuring conversations with leading figures in the literary world, from Colson Whitehead to Leila Slimani, the Book Review Podcast helps you delve deeper into your favorite books. So it happened that Gordievskys first cultural shock took place in East Berlin in 1961. The Wall was going up, and he was amazed to realize, as he later wrote, that only a physical barrier, reinforced by armed guards in their watchtowers, could keep the East Germans in their socialist paradise. A few years later he was assigned to Copenhagen, where the shock lay in the plenitude of the West, its material riches and cultural openness. The Soviet Union began to seem to him a vast, sterile concentration camp a form of hell. And finally, in 1968, when Russian tanks rolled into Prague to crush Czechoslovakias attempts at liberalization, Gordievsky arrived at his Kronstadt moment so-named for the crisis of faith that came to the Russian anarchist Alexander Berkman in 1921 when the infant Bolshevik Army brutally suppressed a rebellion by sailors in the port of Kronstadt, and later, to the American journalist and Soviet sympathizer Louis Fischer in 1939, with the signing of the Hitler-Stalin Pact. Kronstadt has entered history as a term for the moment when the ideological scales fall from the eyes of a believer, and the true nature of the Soviet regime is revealed. The crackdown following the Prague Spring was that moment for Gordievsky. Now completely alienated from the Soviet system, he was vulnerable to an approach by the proper stranger. British intelligence sources had been keeping an eye on him. In 1974 he offered his allegiance to the British, and gave over his life to the constant threat of exposure. Image Enter Aldrich Ames. Deep inside Rick Ames was a canker of cynicism, hard and inflamed, Macintyre writes, a metaphor that is, perhaps, itself a little inflamed. Nevertheless, its possible to view Ames as Gordievskys evil twin. The men were close in age; Ames, too, had followed in his fathers footsteps, in his case into the C.I.A. And, at the very moment that Gordievsky experienced his Kronstadt crisis, Ames, then working in Ankara, was assigned to paper the city with hundreds of posters bearing the slogan Remember 68 to give the impression that the Turkish population was outraged by the Soviet invasion. He dumped the posters in a bin and went for a drink. Ames was a dissatisfied man, a heavy drinker whose career was going nowhere. He felt underpaid and unappreciated. He had a wife whose extravagance was far beyond his means to gratify. He was desperate for money. On May 15, 1985, he met with a K.G.B. officer at the Soviet Embassy in Washington. In return he received a shopping bag containing $50,000, the first of many payments. It is still unclear whether Ames revealed Gordievskys name at that initial meeting, but over the course of nine years, he turned over reams of confidential material to the K.G.B., including the names of 25 C.I.A. assets whom he considered a threat to his personal safety. Gordievskys name was very likely among them. Most were executed by the Russians. New this week: THE LABYRINTH OF THE SPIRIT By Carlos Ruiz Zafon. (Harper, $37.50.) This final volume of Ruiz Zafons cycle of novels set in the universe he calls the Cemetery of Forgotten Books introduces Alicia Gris, a mysterious police investigator whose parents were killed during the Spanish Civil War, and whom we find 20 years later tracking down a series of kidnappings and murders tied to the Franco regime. GODSEND By John Wray. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $26.) The central character in this novel of social commentary was inspired by John Walker Lindh, the American Taliban. Aden Sawyer decides to go to Pakistan, disguised as a boy, to become an Islamic militant. BILLION DOLLAR WHALE By Tom Wright and Bradley Hope. (Hachette, $28.) This story of a Wharton graduate who carried out the $5 billion swindle known as 1MDB offers a textbook case of financial fraud in the modern age. At its center is Jho Low, now an international fugitive, whose scheme, once it collapsed, also took down the Malaysian prime minister. READ & RIOT By Nadya Tolokonnikova. (HarperOne, $24.99.) A founder of the Russian protest group Pussy Riot, Tolokonnikova spent 18 months in jail for her infamous performance of an anti-Putin song in a Moscow church. She now offers the lessons shes learned as an activist with an emphasis on how to engage in splashy civil disobedience. NONE OF MY BUSINESS By P. J. ORourke. (Atlantic Monthly Press, $27.) ORourke, the veteran political satirist, takes on the world of business, investment and finance, posing questions like: The internet whose idea was it to put all the idiots on earth in touch with each other? & Noteworthy In which we ask colleagues at The Times what theyre reading now. I just finished LIKEWAR, a new book about online information warfare by P. W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking. Its extremely timely and fascinating reading it in bed with my husband, I kept pulling him away from his book to show him passages. I had no idea, for example, of the role that online taunts play in Chicago gang shootings. Singer and Brooking cite research showing that, during a 2012 conflict with Gaza, Israel was so attuned to social media dynamics that a sudden spike in online sympathy for Hamas more than halved the pace of Israeli airstrikes. Though the book ends on a cautiously hopeful note, its pretty dystopian, particularly the section about fake video and audio thats increasingly hard to distinguish from the real thing. The information conflicts that shape politics and war alike are fought today by clever humans using viral engineering, they write. The LikeWars of tomorrow will soon be fought by highly intelligent, inscrutable algorithms that will speak convincingly of things that never happened, producing proof that doesnt really exist. Michelle Goldberg, Op-Ed columnist The Tale of Peter Rabbit began as a letter Potter wrote in 1893 to a sick 5-year-old, with illustrations. Publishers turned it down but reversed themselves after Potters self-published version proved enchanting. It has sold more than 45 million copies, been translated into 36 languages and recently became a film. First editions have sold for more than $50,000. With her earnings from the series, Potter bought Hill Top Farm in Englands scenic Lake District, where, as a child, she had nurtured her love of nature drawings. (You can still visit.) Over the years, Potter turned her attention to farming and conservation, buying land and winning prizes for sheep breeding. She also worked closely with Britains National Trust, which received 4,000 acres of land and 14 farms upon her death in 1943. A 1979 Times article cited a Potter biographer who wrote that she loved the lakes and saw only too clearly how hideously they were threatened by the exploiter and the jerrybuilder. Jennifer Jett wrote todays Back Story. _____ Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays and updated all morning. Browse past briefings here. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. To receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights, sign up here. Check out our full range of free newsletters here. What would you like to see here? Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com. 3. Help and heavy equipment were on the way to try to rescue those still trapped in the aftermath of the powerful earthquake and devastating tsunami that rocked part of Indonesias island of Sulawesi last Friday. But a spokesman for the countrys disaster management agency said time was running out to find anyone alive. Officials increased the death toll to at least 1,234. Many others, still uncounted, were caught in the rubble of ruined buildings or swept away by the tsunami. Im broken, a woman cried as she buried her teenage son, who had been struck by falling debris near his school. Weve gathered a dozen suggestions for making effective donations to the rescue effort. _____ Employment has become one of Amazons most potent political vulnerabilities as well as its most important political message. The shift to online shopping, led by Amazon, has forced many retailers like Toys R Us and Sears to shut down or lay off workers across the country. President Trump has criticized the company for hurting traditional retailers, and some lawmakers have called for the company to be broken up. At the same time, jobs at Amazons warehouses and sorting centers have boomed. The company now employs about 575,000 people worldwide, up more than 50 percent in the past year, a fact Amazon frequently plays up. But the pay of those workers has become a growing issue for activists, especially as the fortunes of Amazon and Mr. Bezos have skyrocketed. Amazons market capitalization passed $1 trillion last month, though it has since fallen slightly below that level. Mr. Bezos is now the richest person in the world, with a net worth of $165 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. I think they saw the writing on the wall. I think they saw the calculation that it was indefensible that a man whose wealth is over $150 billion be able to continue paying workers wages that are so low that they are forced to rely on federal benefits, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said in an interview after the announcement. Smart people are willing to change course. Mr. Sanders and labor organizers have criticized the wages and conditions of Amazons work force. They have focused on employees at the companys warehouses, and with the contract drivers who make last-mile deliveries. Some workers at the grocery chain Whole Foods, which Amazon bought last year, have recently begun a push to organize a union. The cauliflower is broken into florets and browned in a saucepan (an impossible task when cooking a large amount), then seasoned with a sauce of cilantro, yogurt and green chiles. To make the garnish, Ms. Lo warms chopped almonds in the toaster oven, which she considers a valuable and versatile tool in any small, efficient kitchen. In her book, Ms. Jones wrote that the secret of making cooking for one fun and creative is not to think of a meal as self-contained, but to understand that home cooking is an ongoing process, one dish leading to another. This is distinct from leftovers, warmed up as they are. Ms. Lo builds on the beauty of that idea, using the raw cauliflower scraps left over from preparing her chaat to start a new dish by pickling them, always minimizing waste and maximizing creativity. To preserve vegetables when cooking in small amounts, Ms. Lo cuts them with care. If youre cutting an onion, you cut it from the growth side, not the root side, she said. And you leave the brown paper skin on so it holds the moisture. Then you cut off what youre going to use and only peel and chop that part. From shopping to prepping to eating, cooking for one requires more efficiency to avoid waste or a mountain of leftovers. I think a lot of learning to cook for yourself is about portions, and just making sure youre cooking the amount youre going to eat, Ms. Lo added. In Season, he places charred cubes of roasted paneer in a bed of cauliflower, scallions and lentils. He breaks it up with his hands and folds it into a warm potato salad with cilantro, chives and a cured spicy sausage native to the Indian state of Goa; the paneer eases the jolt of the sausage. He bakes it into a frittata with garam masala, where the paneer retains its rubbery feel, the crumbles scrubbing against your tongue. It is wrapped up in so much tradition, but it can be fluid and move across boundaries, Mr. Sharma said of paneer. I always believe that tradition is great, but it can bind you. Mr. Sharma knows this bind well. Throughout his life, he has experienced a tension between sticking to tradition and freeing himself from it, between convention and originality. Its no coincidence that this conflict plays out in his recipes, which are very personal even autobiographical. They often rely on ingredients found in the Indian dishes of his youth, like that paneer. But Mr. Sharma breaks away from familiarity, putting those ingredients in conversation with the food he has encountered in America. The results defy easy categorization, like Mr. Sharma himself. Mine is the story of a gay immigrant, told through food, he writes in his cookbooks introduction, which details his journey from childhood in India to his current life in California as he sought out his place in the world. His cooking helped carry him, providing both direction and comfort along the way. My food has always been about wanting people to accept me, he said. But Im also looking for acceptance from myself. During the five years Village Cafe has been open, I must have driven the length of Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn a dozen times without noticing it. At best I might have spotted the tiny parking lot in Midwood, with tattered red, blue and silver streamers flapping over its 10 or so spaces, giving it the appearance of the worlds smallest used-car dealership. In the back is a wide, single-story structure that looks like the trailer office where you would sit down to discuss loan options with Marty from financing. But that building is an Azerbaijani restaurant that stands out among the dining outposts of former Soviet republics that stretch north from Brighton Beach, and each time Ive gone inside I was given not a credit check, but a test of my appetites limits. This is not just because almost every platter of food that leaves the kitchen at Village Cafe seems intended to feed an actual village. I run into trouble because there are so many things I want to order and so few things I am willing to leave on the table as the meal winds down. There will never be a time when I go to Village Cafe and decide not to have at least one qutab, if not all three. The menu gives the name of this delicate Azerbaijani flatbread, the diameter of a pita but thinner, as kutaby. Either way, it is very good when stuffed with minced, quietly spiced chicken or lamb. It is exceptional when filled with greens: spinach, scallions, and dill and cilantro, two fresh herbs that turn up again and again in Azerbaijani cooking. I will always want the crimped dumplings, the size and shape of chicken drumettes, that the English menu calls ravioli and the servers call pelmeni. Filled with chicken or lamb, these dumplings can be boiled, but the urge to ask for them fried is overwhelming, and the fried ones are better dunked in the tomato-pepper sauce that I would call salsa if I were not in an Azerbaijani restaurant. The Food and Drug Administration conducted a surprise inspection of the headquarters of the e-cigarette maker Juul Labs last Friday, carting away more than a thousand documents it said were related to the companys sales and marketing practices. The move, announced on Tuesday, was seen as an attempt to ratchet up pressure on the company, which controls 72 percent of the e-cigarette market in the United States and whose products have become popular in high schools. The F.D.A. said it was particularly interested in whether Juul deliberately targeted minors as consumers. The new and highly disturbing data we have on youth use demonstrates plainly that e-cigarettes are creating an epidemic of regular nicotine use among teens, the F.D.A. said in a statement. It is vital that we take action to understand and address the particular appeal of, and ease of access to, these products among kids. F.D.A. officials described the surprise inspection as a follow-up to a request the agency made for Juuls research and marketing data in April. Kevin Burns, Juuls chief executive officer, said the company had already handed over more than 50,000 pages of internal documents to the F.D.A. in response to that request. At another meeting, reserved for medical staff members, some doctors said they were interested in calling a no-confidence vote in the hospitals top leaders, and asked what steps they needed to take to do that, according to several participants in the meeting. In an interview Tuesday, Dr. Nadeem R. Abu-Rustum, the president of the medical staff, said a small number of doctors had wanted a no-confidence vote in the hospitals leadership, but were now satisfied by Dr. Thompsons decision. These same colleagues are not interested in moving forward with a vote of no confidence, Dr. Abu-Rustum said. The steps that have been made and taken since the meeting by our leadership have addressed the most important concerns to the medical staff and the associate medical staff and really represents a real progress. In addition to resigning his board positions, Dr. Thompson also said Tuesday that Memorial Sloan Kettering would give physicians a greater voice in its operations and would conduct an analysis to understand what had gone wrong at the hospital in recent weeks so that we ensure our path forward is expertly guided by what we learn. Over the past month, articles in The Times and ProPublica have outlined leaders ties to for-profit companies, including an exclusive deal the hospital made with an artificial intelligence start-up to license images of 25 million tissue slides. The company was founded by Memorial Sloan Kettering insiders, including a member of the executive board, the chair of the pathology department and the head of a research lab. After members of the pathology lab objected to the deal, the head of the department announced he would divest his stake. Another article detailed how a hospital vice president held a nearly $1.4 million stake in a newly public company as compensation for representing Memorial Sloan Kettering on its board. The hospital said last week that a new policy would prohibit compensation in such situations and that the vice president would turn over his stake to the hospital. A Notice of Liquidation has been issued against the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa by business rescue practitioners, Eripio, but the members of the ASA are determined that this will not mean the end of self-regulation of advertising content. The Notice of Liquidation follows a meeting of creditors during which SARS, the ASAs principle creditor, unexpectedly rejected an offer to the creditors, triggering the liquidation.Over the last year the ASA has restructured to reduce operating costs, re-established a funding system, increased its output and reduced its turnaround time, says Gail Schimmel, the CEO of the ASA. So this was initially a devastating blow.However, the marketing, advertising and communications industries have made it clear that they are fully committed to self-regulation of commercial speech, in order to protect consumers from misleading and potentially harmful advertising and will do whatever is necessary to preserve it. I think we will see a phoenix rise from these ashes, and I am excited about the future of advertising self-regulation," continues Schimmel.Marketers are determined that any lacuna left by the dissolution of the ASA will immediately be filled, says Greg Garden, CEO of the Marketing Association of South Africa. We will not allow either consumers or the industry to be exposed to potentially harmful advertising practices.Mike Gendel, director on the Board of the Association for Communication and Advertising, says, The ACA has always been fully supportive of the ASA and self-regulation, and our profession will work together with other likeminded stakeholders to ensure legal, decent, honest and truthful advertising content, in line with international best practice.The growth of the digital market has created an important need for self-regulation in this space, says Chris Borain, chair of the IAB. The IAB remains committed to the values represented by the ASA, and will join with industry to ensure the continuation of self-regulation.We anticipate exciting developments in this space in the next few weeks, concludes Schimmel. Consumer protection is at the forefront of all our minds, and as an industry we will fight to ensure that this endures. After interviewing dozens of students at my old school, Topeka High School, and sitting in on classes, by the grace of the superintendent, Tiffany Anderson, principal, Rebecca Morrisey, and teachers like Phillip Wrigley, I decided to focus on three students, TaTy, Nathan Triggs and Zachary Shaner. TaTy impressed me with her leadership skills she was the head of the step team and because she wanted to see what life was like outside of Topeka. Nate had a winning sense of curiosity and a steady temperament; he had grown up partly on the farm in nearby Holton, and had a lot of practical skills that did not come from school, but from hunting, tinkering with his truck and doing construction work with his father. Zac was a talented musician and gifted student, whose teachers complained that he was not living up to his potential. Their teachers, counselors and parents were encouraging all three of them to apply to college. Would they make it? The series ended on a note of uncertainty. With the aid of Jennifer Stark Fry, a college counselor who read the series, TaTy was accepted at Newman University in Wichita, and received a large scholarship. But she still would have to take on more than $10,000 a year in loans, more than half of her mothers annual income. She had what seemed to me like a naive but infectious optimism that it would all work out, and that she should not let money get in the way. Zac qualified for a large merit scholarship at the University of Kansas, but then let his grades drop the last semester and barely graduated from high school. Nate had an internship as a fleet mechanic with Westar Energy, the Kansas power company, and was considering trade school. A lot has happened since then, though their lives are still, of course, evolving. I wish it would have never ended, Nate told me of his internship. But he would need more education to continue working there, and does not feel ready for technical school yet. His hunting buddy, Tyler Rollins, had gone to work at Titan Trailer Manufacturing. Nate took the welding test, passed, and is now working on commission the faster he builds, the more money he makes. The pay has been good enough to allow him to rent a farmers house with a friend. Before reading the article: First, write about or discuss: What is a trade agreement (or trade pact)? Why do countries sign these agreements? Second, what do you know about Nafta? Do you know why it has been in the news lately? Now, read the article U.S. and Canada Reach Trade Deal to Salvage Nafta and answer the following questions: 1. What did the United States and Canada agree on this weekend? 2. What are two changes included in the new trade agreement that are different from Nafta? 3. What is a concession that Canada made as part of this deal? What is a concession that the United States made? 4. What is an issue still not settled by this agreement? 5. Why was there an end-of-the-month deadline? Why is timing important for the White House? Why is timing also important for Mexico? I work in a performance field in which the group of performers and casting people is so small that everyone knows everyone. As a result, I recently found myself in a difficult contractual situation, and I wonder if I was ethically obligated to make the disclosure I did or if there was a better way to handle it. I was under contract with a large European company that included an exclusive-option provision for the next season, though there was no monetary compensation attached to it. I was told that it was most likely unenforceable, but also that completely ignoring the option would make getting future work in the field difficult. When I inquired about the next season, I didnt get a definitive answer, so I began to look for future work. I was offered a contract with a United States company, but its schedule conflicted with the European season. The United States contract included a 90-day probationary period during which I could leave without penalty or the company could fire me without penalty. Neither contract was a union contract. I received conflicting advice: Some said I should just sign the new contract and back out of it if the European company exercised the option. Others said the right thing to do was to explain to both and get an answer from the European company. I chose the latter; the outcome was not good. The United States company was angry I had even sought a job. The European company wouldnt give me a timely answer. When they finally said they didnt need me, it was too late to take the United States contract. The end result of taking the high road: no work for me. Should I have said nothing? Was I ethically obligated to raise the option? Or did I have no choice because the individuals involved knew one another? To me, this situation raises other issues: how companies take advantage of young performers with limited opportunities and only a short period of their lives when they can perform as they do, as well as on why performers unions exist, whatever their limitations. When you dont have an agent and have to negotiate on your own, you really have no leverage. Was there another way? Name Withheld In many fields, employers exploit the vulnerabilities of potential employees by imposing on them conditions that are hard to refuse. Noncompete and no poach clauses, notoriously, restrict the mobility of workers and depress their wages. Employers can get away with conduct that would be regarded as unprofessional in fields with a more even balance of power between management and talent. Even with an agent, youd probably find that where there are lots of talented people and few opportunities, the cards are mainly in the hands of the execs doing the hiring. The general moral requirement that we keep our promises is not easily waived. Yet coercion the imposition of morally illegitimate pressures on others undermines the moral weight of an agreement. If, for instance, I extract a promise from you by threatening to reveal something you told me in confidence, you should feel free to break that promise if you can get away with it. Where your obligations are unclear, an assessment of consequences is in order. Much here depends on the details: Would the American company have been significantly harmed if the European company had wanted to exercise the option and you had to leave? If were talking about a minor inconvenience, as seems most likely, you would probably have been justified in ignoring a clause you had no ability to reject or adjust. Youd still have had to worry that taking the low road would be discovered and your reputation damaged (or even that you might be sued). This, however, is a matter not of ethics but of prudence.// The study of modern toxicology dates to the 16th century, when the physician Paracelsus determined that toxicity is more a matter of dosage than essence. Even water is toxic if you drink enough of it. But the word has always suggested something more malevolent; derived from the Greek toxikon, which referred to the poison used on arrows, toxic implies a dangerous substance with a clear origin. It wasnt until the middle of the 20th century, when Rachel Carsons Silent Spring disturbed the American public by tracing the effects of synthetic pesticides from crops to wildlife to humans, that toxicity was understood as a useful metaphor for the imperceptible pressures that affect our moods, beliefs and behaviors. By the time Britney Spears was lamenting her lovers poisonous appeal in 2003s Toxic, she had a reserve of pop-psychology doctrine to back her up, covering toxic relatives, toxic leaders and toxic friends. Now this usage thrives online, and particularly in womens and business media, where listicles and prolix advice columnists offer counsel on ways to recognize and, if necessary, purge toxic friends, lovers and bosses before they contaminate you too. But the most pervasive version of the trope today is toxic masculinity. Though it sounds like a second-wave concept resurrected by the new generation of feminists, toxic masculinity was popularized by the mythopoetic mens movement of the 1980s and 90s. The mythopoetics believed in a New Age self-help ideology aimed at helping men separate and reclaim their deep masculinity from the toxic, modern kind, and from a society that they believed had emasculated them. A reaction to second-wave feminism as well as more distant events the Industrial Revolution, the Vietnam War the movement denounced what its leaders believed was a rise in passivity and a decline in male bonding. Intended to delineate between positive and negative masculine traits, the term today continues to insist on a boundary separating good and bad, but with many of the positive and negative aspects flipped. In other words, toxic masculinity does not live up to the standards toxic sets the term itself is marred by its toxic history. The notion that ingrained gender roles affect individuals behavior is useful, but by locating pernicious social ills in specific hosts, toxic simultaneously lets the individual actor off the hook is it really his fault if he has become a kind of political zombie, morally transmogrified by the system? and clouds the fluid nature of the issue its trying to clear up. Today, when liberals denounce toxic masculinity, some conservative commentator angrily interprets it as criticism of masculinity as a whole, which compels them to outline all the ways men are vital to society. Liberals scramble to clarify that, no, not all masculinity is toxic. Then, those further left jump into clarify that, yes, all masculinity is toxic just not all men are. (Those furthest left might propose a womens-only commune.) And although the word should indicate that specific men cant help acting this way, they are nevertheless railed against as if we expected them to resist the sweeping forces theyre supposed to represent in the first place. That much of this discussion takes place online is natural: The potential for virality is bound to sometimes result in illness. After Star Wars fans harassed The Last Jedi actress Kelly Marie Tran and its director, Rian Johnson, for months they didnt like the movies progressive slant and singled out Trans casting as emblematic of its faults the director James Mangold warned that toxic fandom would scare filmmakers away from taking on blockbusters. Other artists who have inspired devotees to engage in toxic behavior include Nicki Minaj and the creators of the animated science-fiction series Rick and Morty; a recent Wired headline declared that the ultimate toxic fandom, though, was President Trumps. Some figures, like Kim Kardashian West, are themselves considered toxic, for the way their influence is seen to spawn copycats. The direct cause-and-effect relationship toxic implies is clearest in cases when metaphorical toxicity manages to breach the barrier between the figurative and the real. A toxic boss who overworks and insults her employees may stress them out to the point that they become literally sick, developing insomnia, grinding their teeth at night or gaining or losing weight; these employees may in turn become toxic partners or friends because of the pressure at work. Some researchers think the traits that define toxic masculinity may relate to higher rates of alcoholism among men. Politically, perhaps the most on-the-nose example is that while the former head of the E.P.A., Scott Pruitt, was accused of being a toxic boss, setting himself up in lavish isolation while sending his employees on constant errands to pick up Greek yogurt, the E.P.A. was delaying the publication of new research recommending tighter restrictions on certain toxic chemicals in drinking water. When Martha Conley and her son, Garrard, arrived at the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of Boy Erased, a movie based on Mr. Conleys memoir, Ms. Conley found herself confused by the throngs of festivalgoers they passed on their way to the theater. I said, Who are all those people? recalled Ms. Conley, 64, who had flown up from Mountain Home, Ark., for the event last month. And Garrard said, Mom, theyre here to see the movie. But thats me in that line! Ive always been in that line. Now, Ms. Conley gets to skip to the front. In Boy Erased, Lucas Hedges plays the young Mr. Conley, who struggles with his homosexuality and is sent to a conversion-therapy group at the behest of his father, a Baptist pastor (Russell Crowe). Ms. Conley, played in the film by Nicole Kidman, seems less certain that the program is right for her son; eventually, she will fight to remove him from it. (The film, set mostly in 2004, is the second movie about gay-conversion therapy set for release this year. The first was The Miseducation of Cameron Post in August.) Boy Erased (due in theaters Nov. 2) adopts a muted aesthetic palette: As the young men in conversion therapy are instructed to repress their personalities, the film is leached of any color bolder than khaki. The exception is Ms. Kidman, who remains a vision of suburban glamour throughout. Her hair is a carefully coifed blond cloud, her necklaces are the very definition of statement jewelry, and she paints her lips a ruby red found nowhere else in the film. Has a politician who wrote 18 books, who cut a conspicuous figure at 6-foot-5 in a bow tie and who was known for his colorful phrasemaking left too small an impression on the American popular imagination? Thats one takeaway from Moynihan, a conventional but entertaining rundown of the greatest hits of the life of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. This documentary from Joseph Dorman and Toby Perl Freilich wont have much new to offer anyone who followed the work of Moynihan (1927-2003), the former Harvard professor, ambassador and four-term Democratic senator from New York. But it makes the case for him as a towering figure whose passion, wit and wonkiness now seem like precious qualities in governance. The movie finds consistency in a career that variously saw Moynihan lay groundwork for major antipoverty legislation and, after he had sowed skepticism among allies by working for Richard M. Nixon, become branded by critics as a neoconservative. (That was a term that his wife, Elizabeth, says he hated.) Good morning on this temperamental Tuesday. Getting stuck for hours on a stalled subway car or pushed on the tracks or caught in the train door those are just a few scary scenarios that many commuters have thought about at some point or another. Wed like to add getting trapped inside a subway station elevator to the list. Thats what happened on Monday morning to more than a dozen riders who were taking the elevator up at the Clark Street station in Brooklyn Heights, one of three subway stations in the city accessible only by elevator. Talia Kovacs, 29, was one of them. It was very hot, very sweaty, very freaky, she said. The button for assistance was pushed, but the voice on the other end could not say how much longer the group would have to wait (only that the M.T.A. had been notified), said Ms. Kovacs, who tweeted about being trapped. Ever since his release from the Adirondack Correctional Facility in Ray Brook, N.Y., Mr. McKee, now 47, has been learning to live in a very different world than the one he left in 1997. It is a difficult adjustment that parallels the experiences of many others who have been released in recent years after serving time for wrongful convictions. Technologys changed, he said, holding his iPhone 8 curiously. The phone. Ive still got problems with it, with emails and texts. A jury found Mr. McKee guilty of murder after a 16-year-old witness testified that he saw Mr. McKee shoot Theodore Vance, 29, after a fight on the corner, at 176th Street and University Avenue. The fight turned into an all-out brawl in which brickbats and other debris became weapons. Prosecutors and defense lawyers agree Mr. Vance struck Mr. McKee with a pipelike object during the melee, and then was shot by someone. Mr. McKee insists he ran away before the shot was fired. The gun was never recovered. Mr. McKee was released after a new witness came forward last year and gave a different description of the killer. The Bronx district attorneys office, after a six-month investigation, also determined important grand jury testimony was never shared with the defense. A person who knew the victim told the grand jury that in his last moments, the man had described his killer as a Spanish guy. Mr. McKee is black. Do Muoi, a Vietnamese revolutionary who served for six years as the countrys leader during its transition to a market economy under a Communist government, died on Monday in Hanoi. He was 101. His death, at the National Military Hospital, was announced by the government. Comrade Do Muoi had gone through various working positions and made great contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation, the announcement said. Mr. Do Muoi was the Communist Partys general secretary from 1991 to 1997. One Vietnamese news report of his death called him a prime example of a steadfast communist. But he also pushed through difficult economic reforms in the wake of Vietnams disastrous attempt to impose a command economy after the Vietnam War ended in 1975. While wandering through an antique book fair in Florence, Italy, in 2005, Jane Fortune, a philanthropist from Indiana, came across a book about Plautilla Nelli, Florences first known female artist, whose works date from the 1500s. The book inspired Ms. Fortune to visit the San Marco Museum in that city to see Nellis painting Lamentation With Saints. Sadly, Ms. Fortune saw, it was caked with dirt and had lost its luster. She decided then and there to pay for its restoration. At the age of 63, Ms. Fortune thus began the final and perhaps most notable chapter of a long life as a patron of the arts. She founded a nonprofit foundation called Advancing Women Artists to find and salvage art created by women between the 16th and 20th centuries. Her resurrection of these works, many of them Renaissance treasures lost to history and secreted in Tuscan churches and attics for centuries, earned her, in the Italian press, the nickname Indiana Jane. She died on Sept. 23 in her hometown, Indianapolis. She was 76. The cause was ovarian cancer, said her brother, William L. Fortune Jr. NEWSWATCH: Court reporting is notoriously one of the most strictly regulated fields of journalism, which is why media celebrated this morning when granted an application to take still pictures of the #DrosRape accused. Government has noted a disturbing video circulating on social media involving the alleged rape of a child. We appeal to the public to remain calm and allow the law to take its course. The perpetrator has been remanded in custody and will appear in court on 2 October. #Dros #GBV South African Government (@GovernmentZA) September 27, 2018 Is #mobjustice via social media a thing? It certainly appears so. @ThisIsTonya talks about how media has changed and the stats that backs her up @MediaShowAfrica https://t.co/ObxchwZ8cs Acumen Media (@ThisIsAcumen) September 28, 2018 No bail, fears of mob justice I'm willing to bet that the picture with the hoodie will be the one used as the "official photo" by white media even though both pictures were taken minutes away from each other after the ruling . #DrosRape pic.twitter.com/FwP0MJs9Oi Mfowethu (@Luckeez) October 2, 2018 #DrosRapist The court has granted the media application to take stills of the accused before and after court proceedings in court. People in the gallery applaud @TeamNews24 Alex Mitchley (@AlexMitchley) October 2, 2018 The Magistrate granted an application to shoot stills before and after court proceedings for 15 minutes in the #Drosrape case, however, the accused was taken out of court even before the magistrate left, so journos' could not photo him. Seems like the defying of a court order? Alex Mitchley (@AlexMitchley) October 2, 2018 Read more Acumen Medias seven-day analysis confirms that South African social media feeds were filled with violent images arising from the #DrosRape incident.Social media's #MobJustice took hold following graphic scenes from a video taken in the bathroom of the Dros Silverton restaurant, in which a seven-year-old girl was raped.This despitereporting that government had taken to its own official Twitter account late last Thursday, asking social media users to not repost the clip.As a result, #DrosRape was one of the most-read news stories of last week third only to #HeritageDay and #WeedLegalised.Little wonder then that the cases court proceedings the accused's second appearance were a big talking point today, with a strong police presence, and protesters demanding justice outside the Pretoria Magistrates Court.The accused has still not pleaded, so his name is meant to be withheld from publication until he officially pleads in court this despite some media already naming the accused and posting images of his face.The accused did not apply for bail reports he has sustained several injuries during his arrest, and will remain in custody until the case resumes on 1 November.Fears of mob justice prevail. But a highlight froms live feed of updates from this mornings court case was that of the court granting a media application to take still pictures of the accused, both before and after proceedings.confirms that Magistrate Mali Mokwena ruled that the media may take still photographs 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after court proceedings.The accused promptly put on a hoodie, but some managed a quick snap before he did so:Attorney for the accused, Rian Du Plessis of Legal Aid, argued against the application, stating the court must decide between thejournalist Alex Mitchley tweeted that Du Plessis eventually conceded that there are indeed pictures and a video of the accused that have been circulated on social media, but says those images don't depict the accused in the court environment.Ultimately, the State said the application was too late, particularly as the pictures and even name of the accused had already been widely distributed, but agreed that initial photographs identifying the accused should not have been taken and published.Unfortunately, all did not go to plan for the media photographers at the court:As a result of the 'still images only' ruling, video of todays proceedings was also denied.According to The South African , the accused will not be handing over his cell phone to investigators, as he does not want to incriminate himself.But Times Live reports the state still wants to launch an application to obtain the cell phone for forensic downloading.Only time will tell how important a role social media plays in this highly watched case. Lois S. Gray, who as a professor and mentor for seven decades delivered college-trained women, immigrants and members of racial and ethnic minority groups into the ranks of American organized labor, died on Sept. 20 in Manhattan. She was 94. Bonnie Beavers, a niece, confirmed her death. Professor Gray joined the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in 1946, barely a year after it was founded. She started out as a member of the extension faculty, which reached out to employees and would-be union leaders to educate them in collective bargaining, job training and other programs intended to improve workplace conditions. Over the next 57 years, she directed the schools first extension office, in Buffalo, and its metropolitan district office in New York City. SAO PAULO, Brazil Last month , just a few weeks before voting day, Cabo Daciolo announced a new strategy for the presidential elections here: He would spend 21 days in the mountains fasting and praying. Mr. Daciolo is one of a dozen candidates on the ballot for the first-round of the elections, which will take place Sunday, and h illtop retreat s arent his only unconventional election strategy: He recorded a video asking his supporters to stop donating money to his campaign and, instead, to pray for the country. One of his priorities, he says, is to protect Brazil from the domination of the bankers, the New World Order, the Illuminati and the Freemasonry. Mr. Daciolo has also boldly denounced plans for the establishment of Ursal, the Union of Socialist Republics of Latin America a supposed conspiracy to suppress all borders between our countries in order to make one single Communist Latin American nation, which is, um, not a thing. Brazilians are bracing for the end of a peculiar election period. Another candidate, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the front-runner in the polls up until at least a month ago, when his eligibility was rejected by the Supreme Electoral Court has been in prison since April. Mr. da Silva, one of the most popular politicians in Brazils history, is serving a 12-year prison term for corruption and money laundering. But his trial was controversial. About three-quarters of Brazilians think that powerful people just want to keep him out of the election, according to a survey by Ipsos, a research company. His supporters consider Mr. da Silva, the most prominent politician in the left-leaning Workers Party, a victim of a biased judicial system. They say the evidence against him was weak, largely based on unreliable testimony obtained through plea bargains. Frank: But do you not worry, as I do, that this focus on what we may yet learn about 36 years ago and what evidence could still be unearthed distracts from what we learned on Thursday and what evidence we have about Brett Kavanaughs temper, truthfulness and, at this point, epic sense of partisan grievance? He lies, Ross. We now know that. Never lost a memory to too much alcohol? Renate Alumnius? There are a dozen or more details from Thursday and beforehand that show his willingness to massage the facts however necessary to get this court seat that he wants too badly and that he would assume and inhabit with a vengefulness thats disqualifying. What comes around goes around? Those were his words on Thursday, more or less. Is that a Supreme Court justice you want? Ross: The thing about being pro-life is that Ive lived my entire adult life believing that the high courts jurisprudence has been a moral disaster for American life, which tends to breed a certain detachment from the idea that there exists some ideal impartial nonpartisan style of jurisprudence that we can all rally around or even patriotically respect. I would definitely prefer, and have said so repeatedly, a figure like Amy Coney Barrett as the potential fifth vote to overturn Roe v. Wade rather than a man accused of sexual assault; nothing about the hearing changed my mind about that or made me think that Kavanaugh would be anything but a radically polarizing figure if hes elevated. Im not, however, completely convinced that his rage and desperation at being asked to prove a negative about a potentially life-destroying allegation with nothing but a calendar for ammunition was proof that hes a sociopath, as opposed to just a human being in extremis. Frank: It was and is definitely an in extremis situation. I grant you that. And yet: The way he went after Amy Klobuchar? Other flashes of nastiness and meanness? That attitude toward Democrats of damn all of you and the donkeys you rode in on? And this from a man who was himself all guns blazing, all partisan passion, all pornographic specificity when it came to Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky? That stays with me. And his demeanor during his testimony on Thursday was in some measure probably deliberate, a decision he made. Think about the transformation from zombie Kavanaugh on Fox News a week ago Monday night to fire-and-fury Kavanaugh on Thursday afternoon. I am convinced that between those two moments, someone whispered to him about what Donald Trump wanted to see and about Trump being the most pivotal figure of all in whether this nomination was to keep moving forward. Ross: I guess my feeling is that because much of the media thinks its obvious Kavanaugh did it, hes basically in a no-win situation. Go on TV and do a low-energy refutal? Oh, youre trying to look like a choirboy, and its phony. Go on TV and show tons of emotion, getting angry and sobbing and then getting angry again? Oh, you dont have the temperament for the job. I also suspect Kavanaugh shaded the truth in a couple of his yearbook answers, but when I read lists of his supposed litany of lies I mostly just see someone being his own defense attorney e.g., saying that Fords witnesses refuted her is not a lie but a self-interested interpretation; putting the best possible face on your drinking is not the same as denying that you drank too much sometimes; changing the subject from alcohol to your own academic success is just a clumsy attempt to be your own character witness. And some of the alleged lies are clearly just misreadings of his remarks. He correctly described the Maryland and D.C. drinking laws in his prepared remarks and just glossed the issue later. He doesn't claim he didnt ralph" from drinking at Beach Week; he just said he has a weak stomach for beer or spicy food (which is the truth, I understand), in order to imply that any ralphing-after-drinking wasn't proof he was incapacitated or blacked out. For much of the period after World War II, most Americans were sure that theyd be in the middle class and that their kids would follow. Strong unions, a slower pace of technological change and only limited globalization meant an average worker, with middle skills, could be middle class. There was something called a high-wage, middle-skilled job. Also, the fact that the Soviets held a nuclear gun to our heads meant we had to stick together to some degree. It made compromise in Washington a necessity, not a luxury, on many issues. But in the early 2000s, most high-wage, middle-skilled jobs disappeared. Now there is only a high-wage, high-skilled job and a low-wage, low-skilled job. And that has fractured the middle class and left a lot of people behind. The end of the Cold War has meant that no foreign enemy cements us together anymore, save for a brief period after 9/11. And the G.O.P. has lost its way. Thats why our generations civil war is so hard to bring to a truce. There are so many fronts. Theres the battle between those who feel the American dream has slipped from their grasp and those who can easily pass it on to their kids. Theres the one between rural small-town Americans and globalized city slickers, who, the small-town folks are sure, look down upon them. Theres the fight between the white working-class Americans who feel that their identities are being lost in an increasingly minority-majority country and the Americans who embrace multiculturalism. And theres the struggle between men who believe that their gender still confers certain powers and privileges and the women challenging that. There are so many fields of dispute. And not only have we lost the buffers and cushions we once had, but a generation of leaders has come along, led by Donald Trump, who have made fueling our divisions their business model. In essence, weve moved from partisanship, which still allowed for political compromises in the end, to tribalism, which does not, explained political scientist Norman Ornstein, co-author, with Thomas Mann, of the book Its Even Wors e Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism. In a tribal world its rule or die, compromise is a sin, enemies must be crushed and power must be held at all costs. It would be easy to blame both sides equally for this shift, noted Ornstein, but it is just not true. After the end of the Cold War, he said, tribal politics were introduced by Newt Gingrich when he came to Congress 40 years ago, and then perfected by Mitch McConnell during the Barack Obama presidency, when McConnell declared his intention to use his G.O.P. Senate caucus to make Obama fail as a strategy for getting Republicans back in power. And the third is the classified National Security Presidential Memorandum 13, which makes it easier for the military to launch offensive cyberoperations by largely eliminating a lengthy interagency approval process put in place by the Obama administration. The idea of using offensive cyberattacks for defensive purposes is not a new one discussions about the potential risks and rewards of hacking back, especially in the private sector, go back more than five years. But for the American government to embrace this strategy is a sharp change from the cautious, defense-oriented approach of the past decade. President Barack Obama was notably restrained in his authorization of offensive cyber missions. When deciding whether to use the Stuxnet worm to compromise uranium enrichment facilities in Iran in 2010 (his administrations most famous use of offensive cyber capabilities), he reportedly expressed repeated concerns about the precedent it would set for other countries. The Obama administrations forbearance and careful decision-making around cyberattack authorization aligns with the 2015 Department of Defense cyber strategy, which identified controlling the escalation of cyber conflicts as a key strategic goal. That goal is conspicuously absent from the Department of Defenses new strategy. The Trump administrations shift to an offensive approach is designed to escalate cyber conflicts, and that escalation could be dangerous. Not only will it detract resources and attention from the more pressing issues of defense and risk management, but it will also encourage the government to act recklessly in directing cyberattacks at targets before they can be certain of who those targets are and what they are doing. One of the advantages of the slow, unwieldy approval processes put into place by previous administrations is that they gave the government ample time to ascertain who was behind a cyberattack. That is not always easy to do: Many adversaries route cyberattacks through compromised third-party machines in other countries, such as university computer systems. Rushing to retaliate may make it more likely that the United States will lash out at the wrong target, which may invite new attacks rather than deter them. Renting out a vacation home or even a spare room in your apartment in the city is easier than ever, thanks to sites like Airbnb and HomeAway. But making your rental stand out in a crowd of online listings is another thing. And even if you manage to attract guests, how do you decorate a space so that it withstands the damage that even the best behaved among them will do? We asked interior designers with rental homes of their own for advice. Use Materials That Wear Well Avoid furnishings and perfect lacquered finishes that are impossible to maintain, advised Steven Gambrel, a well-known Manhattan designer who recently built a high-end rental in Sag Harbor, N.Y., that resembles a 19th-century Federal-style house. Instead, he suggested creating a palette of materials that get better with age and develop a patina. [On Wednesday, a woman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the fifth time in history.] In an interview with NobelPrize.org, the official website of the prize, Dr. Strickland said that when she first learned that she had won, she wondered if it might be a prank. It was just a fun thing to do, and so I enjoyed putting many hours into it, she said of her work with short-pulse lasers more than 30 years ago. That work resulted in Dr. Stricklands first published scientific paper in 1985, and she went on to base her doctoral dissertation on it. [Like the Science Times page on Facebook. | Sign up for the Science Times newsletter.] At the time, scientists had been trying to figure out how to amplify high-energy laser pulses without destroying the amplifiers. Dr. Strickland suggested stretching out the pulses in time, amplifying them and then compressing them again to the desired level of intensity. Her work with Dr. Mourou paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses ever created by mankind, according to NobelPrize.org. Their method, known as chirped pulse amplification, allowed for more precision in laser technology and has allowed for several real-world applications, including Lasik eye surgery. Some physicists think it can one day be used to accelerate subatomic particles, just like the Large Hadron Collider. Amanda: How is the explosion of the hearing being received on your campuses? Claire: I go to a historically womens college and theres a lot more sympathy for Dr. Blasey. At the same time, my campus has a large population of queer students. The fact that women can inflict violence is often glossed over. Kevin: I go to Stanford, which has a really complicated history with sexual assault, most recently because of the Brock Turner case. These days, the school is really focused on promoting affirmative consent as the standard. Tim: At Oklahoma, the only thing you see are posters about consent. Theres a big divide between seeing things on bulletin boards and having actual conversations about the issue. I havent seen a real clear way to bridge that gap. Hallie: I havent heard much from my college itself. Its just not really talked about. I think partially because it is a Christian campus and a lot of people here would say they advocate for sex only after youre married, which leaves out a lot of issues around things that might lead up to sex. Its easy to ignore that theres a problem sometimes. Kevin: The way weve sort of defined it here is affirmative consent, which means an unambiguous, enthusiastic yes. So, anything that isnt that, isnt considered consent. I think it just boils down to decency. Rather than thinking about definitions, I try to ask myself, How do I practice these values in my life? I think thats a more accessible way to see it for people who maybe dont really understand all the terminology and the language around sexual assault. Tim: I try to think about how to make sure that everyone involved feels safe with anything thats happening. Especially as a man, there is a sense of a power imbalance, where the patriarchal culture has kind of taught women to have to put up with what a man says. So then its on me to be aware of that imbalance of power and then be doubly sure that everyone involved is feeling safe. Claire: I think thats definitely true in terms of gender dynamics. At the same time, when you enter into queer relationships as a woman, theres this assumption that were beyond all that, and that these issues dont apply just because theres not a man in the relationship. There are still power dynamics going on and there are still blurry issues of consent. When you dont have this heterosexual vocabulary to work with, it can be harder to discuss and bring out in the open. My college has peer sexual health education workshops led by students who are affiliated with our health center. They do workshops on consent and safe sex and they usually try to be really inclusive in the vocabulary and methods that theyre showing. I think thats one approach other colleges could try to take. It can be more meaningful to have the information coming from students instead of from adults. Medical providers and policymakers have already recognized that birth doulas improve such health outcomes. Two states, Minnesota and Oregon, now include birth doula services in their Medicaid coverage, and in the spring of this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a pilot program to expand Medicaid coverage for doulas in New York. The idea of hiring such doulas has gotten a lot more mainstream. Still, even as postpartum doulas multiply, the care they provide remains largely unsubsidized and expensive. (The majority of Ms. Spadolas clients are white, upper middle class and can pay out of pocket, though she does offer a sliding scale.) And though the care aims to be non-judgmental, it often comes along with white, middle-class assumptions about parenting, said Christine Morton, the author of the book Birth Ambassadors, which chronicles the rise of doulas in the United States. Some birth activists and nonprofits are working to change that, and to make postpartum doula care more democratic and widespread. Ancient Song Doula Services in Brooklyn, a low-cost doula collective for women who couldnt otherwise afford one, is one such place. The majority of the organizations clients are women of color, and more than half of the doulas are low-income themselves, volunteering to help other women through labor and after birth. The collective is fighting abysmal maternal mortality rates among black and brown women, in addition to well-founded fears among women of color, said Chanel Porchia-Albert, its founder. A lot of times women of color wont express what theyre going through, or seek out help, because they dont want to be criminalized for the choices they make, Ms. Porchia-Albert said, adding that a black woman might fear losing custody of her children if she admits to being overwhelmed or exhausted. One client, Aisha Crawford, 33, wanted to be prepared for anything that might come up when she gave birth, so, six months pregnant, she arrived at Ancient Song to get matched with a postpartum doula free-of-charge. She took a seat in the intake room, a comfortable space outfitted with yoga pillows and a baby crib, and explained her situation to the intake coordinator. She and the father of the baby had a fine relationship, and she wanted him to be involved when the baby arrived. But she wasnt sure she could depend on him. I dont want to say Im scared to have the baby by myself, but just in case, I need someone there with me, Ms. Crawford said. SAN FRANCISCO When Mark Zuckerberg introduced an online tool called Facebook Connect in 2008, he hailed it as a kind of digital passport to the rest of the internet. In just a few clicks, users would be able to log in to other apps and sites with their Facebook passwords. The tool was adopted by thousands of other firms, from mom-and-pop publishing companies to high-profile tech outfits like Airbnb and Uber. Now those outfits could have been exposed to the consequences of an attack on Facebooks computer systems. On Friday, the company said the account entry keys of at least 50 million Facebook users had been stolen in the largest hack in the companys 14-year history. But the impact could be significantly bigger since those stolen credentials could have been used to gain access to so many other sites. Companies that allow customers to log in with Facebook Connect are scrambling to figure out whether their own user accounts have been compromised. When it comes to IT within a large business environment, it's important to look at it in a multi-dimensional way, taking all the various facets into account. It's not just about an organisation's devices or the software that is installed, it's about the entire IT ecosystem and how it enhances business functions. Colin Baumgart is Microsoft South Africa's consumer and device sales director The causes of business stagnation The benefits of technological updates and upgrades The impact of careful planning and technological enablement Productivity, performance and security are the three main things you should consider with regards to keeping your large business updated with the newest technology. If your IT systems arent bolstering productivity and performance levels as well as safeguarding your business from potential data breaches and other security concerns, its time to rethink your strategy. Ask the question how is IT enabling or hindering my organisation to achieve our goals and aspirationsIf we look at the analytics we have available on the latest software and newest platforms, they make a huge difference when it comes to enhancing an organisations overall productivity and stability, making it both sensible and crucial to update your IT systems as often as you can.With modern software, you can even start building dashboards to use for analytical purposes to measure when employees are the most productive, which tasks they spend most of their time on, how often they are in meetings, etc. This kind of information can help pinpoint employee-specific problems, which, combined with inefficient systems, result in slow business progress.From a large business perspective, something as small as device start-up time can play a much larger role in the grander scheme of things. For example, if you have thousands of employees and it takes them five minutes to switch on their laptops every morning, you are losing a big chunk of productivity in the long run. Its also important to note that hardware and software go hand in hand because you cant have the functionality and security of a modern platform if youre still using an old device.A lot of larger organisations are still using old platforms because they are concerned about migrating all the applications they use to the new platform and the considerable cost involved in this process. However, the security, productivity and performance risks involved in not moving far outweigh the immediate cost a business will pay for long-term betterment.Furthermore, the use of outdated technology often causes downtime, and this has a ripple effect on progress, affecting employees at every level of an organisation. Hardware and software are getting updated regularly because new productivity modules are being developed and released all the time, with the very intention of elevating business systems. This means that an IT upgrade will ultimately save your business money in the long run.In addition to being financially advantageous, new technology offers better back-up and support strategies for large businesses. Deployment rates improve drastically, with the ability to scale numerous machines at the click of a button. From an employee perspective then, IT upgrades enable small enhancements to everyday tasks, which in turn, drive more productivity and time-saving capacity.The first stumbling block in any organisation is cost, because people view technological upgrades and updates in terms of a costly one-off expense, as opposed to a long-term improvement decision. Decision-makers in large businesses need to consider what the new technologies will do for the productivity and the performance levels of the business, as well as what the return on investment will be. As mentioned, the large sum of money initially outlaid will be trumped by new business and long-run financial gain.CIOs and CEOs should consider liaising with IT partners to see what is available as most solutions can be tailored to your specific business needs. For example, lifting and shifting to the Cloud is a good idea for a company that wants to increase their security and save on large infrastructure costs.A good starting point is understanding what you use your technology for, where the rest of your industry is going in terms of technological advancement, and most importantly, what the final touchpoint of your technology is. Ultimately, your IT needs strategy within your business that enables your overall strategy, and not something that is just there because you need it. Businesses of all sizes need to start putting a lot more thought into their IT strategies.At the end of the day, an IT strategy belongs to the Leadership team, not just the CIO. Many businesses hold the flawed belief that all IT-related decisions need to be made by the CIO, when in actual fact, the highest level of management should be taking charge of these influential decisions. You cant put a price tag on productivity, performance or security.By giving your employees the right tools, in the form of updated devices and upgraded software, you are enabling them to do their jobs more efficiently, and in turn, garnering more success for your business in the future. Revivals sometimes get a bad name for banking on audience complacency. But in the best cases they offer a chance to find potently timely surprises in works that seemed to live only in one era. (Without revivals, you cant have classics.) And new plays that revisit the recent past can offer a similar shift in perspective. This month, a few of each stand out. Mother of the Maid Shaws St. Joan, last seen on Broadway in a becalmed production starring Condola Rashad, has become the dominant dramatic treatment of the Joan of Arc story despite many attempts to upstage it. Case in point: The Public Theaters 2017 production of David Byrnes misbegotten rock oratorio called Joan of Arc: Into the Fire. Turned out, it wasnt such a good idea to focus on the storys gender politics, mostly from a male point of view. This month, the Public offers (through Dec. 23) what may prove a corrective with Mother of the Maid, a play by Jane Anderson that had its premiere in 2015 at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Mass. Ms. Andersons version smartly shifts the usual perspective, focusing on the relationship between the problematic teenager and her put-upon mother. In Lenox, that mother was played by the estimable Tina Packer, who I thought would prove irreplaceable in the role. Enter Glenn Close. Having garnered raves this summer as the title character in The Wife, for which Ms. Anderson wrote the screenplay, she now switches gears from long-suffering spouse to long-suffering parent. Matthew Penn directs. Thats a little dangerous, said Francesco, predicting wed be out until the wee hours, hopping from pub to restaurant to bar to hole-in-the-wall-snack spot, surrounded by others doing the same thing. Such is what happens when you have 100,000 students in a city with 500,000 citizens, many of them former students. Everyone talks about the food in Bologna, capital of the region of Emilia-Romagna (the entirety of which was on the 52 Places list). This is the land that brought you balsamic vinegar and ragu Bolognese. But what gets lost in Instagram filters is the kind of rebel spirit you feel on the ground: the intensity it takes to achieve simplicity and craftsmanship; the discourse on history and religion and relationships and vices that leaves you buzzing long after a delicious meal. This regions greatest product might be its endless stream of maniac geniuses. My mad geniuses were now leading me across the incredible Piazza Maggiore to Bolognas oldest pub, Osteria del Sole, around since 1465. It doesnt serve food these days, but does have convivial low ceilings and long tables, and serves its own brand of wine for 2 euros, or about $2.30, a glass. After a scary brush with foreclosure, the place has cleaned up a bit no more sawdust on the floor but the prices have stayed about the same, Francesco said. Dinner was a nice long walk under Bolognas many porticos to Osteria da Mario, founded in 1900. This restaurant, once it was just an old man named Mario with a lot of salumi and a knife and a lot of wine, said Armando, wistfully recounting Marios gruff demeanor. Now its a hip gastro pub with white tablecloths and a backlit bar and caricatures of dearly departed Mario lining every wall. We paid tribute to him with an antipasto plate prosciutto di Parma, mortadella paired with incredibly creamy cheeses. And a lot of wine. You might sense a theme to our night. Like so many other places in Bolognas city center, Francesco said, Osteria da Mario has had to compromise, transform into a modern version of a traditional osteria, to keep up with tourism. High-speed trains, and a location in the center of the country, along with draws like the newly opened FICO Eataly World (a giant mall for eating and learning about Italys food production), have made this city a regional hub. The students who congregated nightly in piazzas have been forced to move outside the city wall, replaced with temporary visitors like me, heading to Airbnb with their roller suitcases click-clacking on cobblestone streets. That rebel spirit, though, still persists. We found it at Mercato delle Erbe, a food market by day that fills with mostly crowds of residents at drink stands by night, and while nursing negronis next to a Fidel Castro poster at Osteria del Montesino, and also while munching on fried Sardinian street food after one last, ill-advised glass of grappa. Id been charmed by Bologna earlier in my trip, the pink buildings that glowed even pinker at sunset. The pace of living that seemed so slow and unforced. But with Armando and Francesco that night, I felt like I was seeing it for the first time. Did you know that those porticos were a genius way of expanding the citys housing stock building apartments on top of the porticos without losing sidewalk space? Or that you can find three arrows stuck in the roof of a portico on Strada Maggiore from a robbery gone wrong? Or that theres a canal in the middle of town if you just know where to find the right window to peer upon it? And she was doing that in front of 11 Republican men that seemed to dismiss it, he said. Mr. Scott voiced support for the judge, accusing Mr. Nelson of partisanship for failing to focus on abuse and assault allegations against Democrats like Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and criticizing Mr. Kavanaughs confirmation process. The way the U.S. Senate has handled this, its a circus, Mr. Scott said. Its more like a Jerry Springer Show. Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh are just pawns in some political game. Mr. Scott, who was elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 with a relentless jobs message, has kept the Senate race close in part thanks to his direct appeals to Hispanic voters, and not only to Cuban-Americans in South Florida who lean Republican. He has also made repeated outreach to non-Cuban Hispanics, especially Puerto Ricans in Central Florida who tend to vote Democratic but are generally grateful to the governor for his visible presence on the island after Hurricane Maria last year. Still, it was Mr. Nelson who won the endorsement on Monday of Puerto Ricos governor, Ricardo A. Rossello, who called Mr. Scott a friend but said Mr. Nelson had been helpful to the island even before the hurricane. On Tuesday, Mr. Nelson vaunted Mr. Rossellos support and slammed the Trump administrations Maria response, referring to the day when Mr. Trump tossed paper towels to storm victims, a gesture that many Puerto Ricans found distasteful in the wake of the disaster. He said, quote, I would not have done anything differently, Mr. Nelson said of Mr. Scott. Distancing yourself from President Trump would that guarantee the Puerto Rican vote in Florida? Jackie Nespral, a debate moderator from the local NBC affiliate, asked Mr. Scott. I dont think of politics that way, he said. I think about, how do you help families? Whether theyre in Puerto Rico, whether they came here, or whether they went back, my job is to be a full-service governor. The house on Dreamhill Drive was a nightmare waiting to happen. Outside, a minivan rigged with steel animal traps blocked the driveway. Near the home, a gate was booby-trapped to send a circular hot tub rolling toward anyone who opened it, like the boulder that bore down on Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Neither trap ensnared the bomb experts who visited the home in southwest Oregon last month, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. But the team ran into trouble inside, where someone nudged a wheelchair, triggering a loud explosion that sent shotgun pellets flying. Im hit! yelled one of the experts, an F.B.I. agent, according to the affidavit, part of a federal lawsuit against the homes previous owner, Gregory Lee Rodvelt. The agent, whose name was redacted from the document, had been shot in the leg. He was treated at a hospital, where an X-ray revealed a small pellet-shaped object below his left knee, and later released. Jason Kander, a war veteran who became a rising star in the Democratic Party, abruptly dropped out of the Kansas City mayoral race Tuesday, saying he needed to focus on healing from post-traumatic stress disorder. After 11 years of trying to outrun depression and PTSD symptoms, I have finally concluded that its faster than me. That I have to stop running, turn around, and confront it, he wrote in a lengthy and strikingly candid post on his Facebook page. Mr. Kander, 37, who deployed to Afghanistan as an Army intelligence officer in 2006, was the clear front-runner in the race. He is best known for nearly beating Missouris incumbent Republican senator, Roy Blunt, in a dark-horse campaign in 2016. In a year when Republicans in the state garnered huge wins, and Hillary Clinton lost by 19 points, Mr. Kander came within three points of taking the seat. During the 2016 campaign, he also gained national attention for a viral ad in which he assembled an assault rifle blindfolded while criticizing Republicans who attacked him over his support for background checks for gun purchases. It got 1.6 million views, and earned Mr. Kander a reputation as a plain-talking, red state progressive who could have national appeal. LOS ANGELES For Carlos Inzunza, the image will be forever seared in his mind: a cellmate hanging by a twisted sheet at the Adelanto immigrant detention center in Southern California. The noose was cut loose by a guard just in time. There was a lot of despair over there, said Mr. Inzunza, 43, who spent seven months at the center in the southwestern Mojave Desert last year. I was in a cell with five other people. Two of them were anxious and wanted to commit suicide. Migrants imprisoned at the countrys largest privately-run adult immigration detention facility manage to regularly hang nooses fashioned from bedsheets in their cells, according to a report by federal inspectors made public on Tuesday. During an unannounced visit in May, federal inspectors found that 15 out of 20 cells they inspected had what they described as nooses made of braided bedsheets hanging from vents, the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General reported in a 15-page alert. [To receive this column in your inbox, subscribe here.] Hello! Welcome to the first Abroad in America newsletter. Im writing this on a flight from San Francisco to New York. Its surprisingly nice up here in the air, by which I really mean that even a cramped plane full of irritated passengers is less unappealing than a nation full of feuding citizens incensed over whether or not President Trumps latest judicial candidate is qualified to serve on the Supreme Court. How did it come to this? I do not know exactly. But starting today, Ill attempt to help our international readers (and maybe some American ones, and maybe myself) understand what is going on as the United States approaches the midterm elections. Lets begin with a conversation I had recently in Washington, at an annual dinner of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-minded research organization. As flooding forced many from their homes, most residents pointed to more tangible culprits than the climate: the failure to dredge the Lumber River; a gap in the citys levees. The climate and stuff, thats Gods work, said Rodney Locklear, a 62-year-old forklift driver, whose home was one of the few on Canal Street not made uninhabitable by the rising waters. If man was in control of the climate, hed have a grudge against someone and hell, he wouldnt give him no sun wouldnt give him no rain, no wind. In polls of voters top priorities, climate change rarely garners more than 7 to 10 percent, trailing health care, jobs and immigration. For a passionate core, it resonates. But to the enduring frustration of environmental activists, that core has proved limited. Among Democrats, 45 percent said health care was the issue they most wanted the party to tackle if it regains power in Washington, according to a survey this year by Civis Analytics. Climate change was far below, at 7 percent. Until voters in the U.S. perceive this as a quite imminent threat, its liable to remain mired in the middle of all the other issues, said Jeff Nesbit, the executive director of Climate Nexus, a group seeking new ways to communicate the threat of climate change, and the author of a recent book, This Is the Way the World Ends. According to an in-house database compiled by Climate Nexus on 161 potentially competitive House races, only a small handful of candidates have released TV ads or online videos prominently featuring climate and energy issues. Even the Democratic megadonor Tom Steyer, who poured tens of millions of dollars since 2010 into raising awareness of climate change, has shifted focus this year. Mr. Steyer is spending over $30 million to help Democrats take back the House by focusing on voters under 35, whose failure to turn out in off-year elections was a reason Democrats suffered losses in previous midterms. WASHINGTON The Department of Homeland Security was so unprepared for the Trump administrations zero-tolerance immigration policy that its computer systems were unable to track family members separated at the Mexican border and the agency held migrant children in detention centers far longer than the law allowed, a report released on Tuesday found. Agency officials also gave inconsistent information to migrant parents arriving at the border, so some did not understand that they would be separated from their children, according to the report by the departments Office of Inspector General. The agencys problems in identifying, tracking and reuniting families stemmed from limits in its computer systems, the report said. For example, only one part of Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol, had systems that could send information about migrant children directly to Department of Health and Human Services computers. But the Office of Field Operations, another part of Customs and Border Protection, could not. Customs officers, who staff ports of entry, had to send their information to Health and Human Services in emails with Microsoft Word documents as attachments. (Under federal law, unaccompanied children may be held for no more than 72 hours before being transferred to the health agencys Office of Refugee Resettlement.) How the bureau is conducting the investigation and in particular, how many witnesses will be interviewed has been the subject of fierce debate on Capitol Hill. The White House, which has control over the scope of the investigation, initially gave the F.B.I. the names of just four witnesses. But on Monday, after a backlash from Democrats, Mr. Trump said the bureau should interview anybody that they want within reason. The bureau appears to be moving quickly; on Tuesday, investigators wrapped up an interview with a crucial witness, Mark Judge, a friend and high school drinking buddy of Judge Kavanaugh who has been identified as the only witness to the alleged sexual assault of Dr. Blasey. Mr. Judges name came up frequently last week when the judge and Dr. Blasey testified before the Judiciary Committee. The lawyer for another critical witness, Tim Gaudette, also confirmed that he had been interviewed by F.B.I. agents. Judge Kavanaughs calendar for July 1, 1982, indicates he had gone to Mr. Gaudettes house with some of the people identified by Dr. Blasey as attending the small gathering at which she was assaulted. Democrats have asked for more details about the events of that day. But lawyers for Dr. Blasey and another woman, Deborah Ramirez, complained independently on Tuesday that the bureau was not pursuing important leads. Dr. Blasey, who testified that Judge Kavanaugh had tried to rape her at a house party when they were teenagers, has not been interviewed, nor have other witnesses we have identified, her lawyers wrote in a letter Tuesday to the F.B.I. director and chief counsel. Ms. Ramirez, who did not testify, has accused Judge Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her during a drunken dormitory party at Yale. She spent more than two hours on Sunday with F.B.I. investigators, her lawyer, John Clune, said on Twitter on Tuesday. But while Mr. Clune wrote that the agents were clearly motivated to investigate the matter in any way they were permitted, he expressed doubts about whether they would pursue more than 20 additional witnesses that Ms. Ramirez identified. He said he and his client have great concern that the FBI is not conducting or not being permitted to conduct a serious investigation. Strategic communications agency, Mikateko Media, has announced that it has won the pitch to publish Sawubona, the magazine brand of South African Airways (SAA), for the next three years. Their first issue will be on flights from 1 October. With the new, readers can expect a complete redesign of the print magazine as well as a significant ramp up of the digital offering. Desiree Johnson, Managing Director of Mikateko Media, elaborates: Research shows that travellers place increasing value in online information when making their travel choices. Our digital focus forwill be based on a targeted, intelligent content distribution strategy with the aim of providing prospective travellers with information that adds value and helps them with their travel planning.The agency has an established background within the in-flight publishing sector and brings this experience to the editorial front. Desiree explains that as media moves from the information to the reputational age, Mikateko Media will prioritise stories from real people and real travellers. We want to unlock the value of real advice from real travellers, she says. She and her team also plan to stimulate positive conversation around South Africa and SAA, showcasing the countrys extraordinary talent and offerings to both local and international travellers.Mikateko Media is an award-winning communications agency with more than a decade of experience and highly credible brand titles under its belt. Its associate partner, New Media, is also a content marketing heavyweight. They are thrilled with this new account and plan to create a superb magazine brand for the airline. Says Desiree: This pitch was a tough race and, as known, many runners take part in a race, but only one wins. I believe we ran the race in such a way as to win the prize. It also takes a village of talented people to win an account likeand I salute everyone who gave their all.Says Tlali Tlali, SAA spokesperson: is an award-winning and well-established title that deserves to take further flight. We are pleased to be entering a new partnership and trust that the new publishers will continue to provide compelling content to our discerning customers and take the magazine to new heights.For more information about Mikateko Media, go to www.mikatekomedia.co.za or follow it on Twitter @mikatekomedia Mikateko Media is a Level 2 black, female-owned and controlled communications agency and has been operating since 2008. The two controlling shareholders and founding directors Desiree Johnson and Ingrid Jones together have more than 25 years of media experience, spanning advertising, television, radio, publishing (print and online) and events. Their business drive has always been underpinned by a need to change the media landscape through incubating talent, creating opportunities and lowering barriers of entry, especially for young, black and disabled media practitioners. Over the years, Mikateko Media has grown into a sizable boutique agency, with clients in diverse industries such as freight and logistics, oil and gas, retirement funds, banking and airlines. It remains committed to transformation and the empowerment agenda evident through its Internship Programme, Enterprise Development and CSI initiatives, and job creation. Good Tuesday morning. Here are some of the stories making news in Washington and politics today. The White House told the F.B.I. to interview anyone necessary for its inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, as long as the review is finished by Friday. Democrats had criticized the inquiry as too limited in scope. [Read the story] While the F.B.I. looks into Judge Kavanaughs past, Democrats are raising issues about his truthfulness, partisanship and temperament in the present. [Read the story] While an undergraduate at Yale, Judge Kavanaugh was involved in an altercation at a local bar, where he was accused of throwing ice on another patron, according to a police report. [Read the story] A former Yale classmate of Judge Kavanaughs, Chad Ludington, has also questioned the nominees honesty, saying he mischaracterized his college drinking habits during last weeks hearing. [Read the full statement] I am here because I believe it is my civic duty. ... This confirmation process has become a national disgrace. Early in the evening, I went up a very narrow set of stairs leading from the living room to a second floor to use the restroom. When I got to the top of the stairs, I was pushed from behind into a bedroom across from the bathroom. I couldnt see who pushed me. Brett and Mark came into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. There was music playing in the bedroom. It was turned up louder by either Brett or Mark once we were in the room. I was pushed onto the bed and Brett got on top of me. He began running his hands over my body and grinding into me. I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling. This is what terrified me the most and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me. Dr. Ford, with what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you? One hundred percent. What is the strongest memory you have? Indelible in the hippocampus is the laughter the uproarious laughter between the two, and theyre having fun at my expense. Youve never forgotten that laughter, never forgotten them laughing at you? I was underneath one of them while the two laughed two friends having a really good time with one another. Are you aware that the three people at the party besides yourself and Brett Kavanaugh have given statements under penalty of felony to the committee? Yes. And are you aware of what those statements say? Yes. Are you aware that they say that they have no memory or knowledge of such a party? I dont expect that P.J. and Leland would remember this evening. It was a very unremarkable party. It was not one of their more notorious parties. Because nothing remarkable happened to them that evening they were downstairs. And Mr. Judge is a different story I would expect that he would remember that this happened. I categorically and unequivocally deny the allegation against me by Dr. Ford. This whole two-week effort has been a calculated and orchestrated political hit, fueled with apparent pent-up anger about President Trump and the 2016 election, fear that has been unfairly stoked about my judicial record, revenge on behalf of the Clintons and millions of dollars in money from outside, left-wing opposition groups. The other night, Ashley and my daughter Liza said their prayers. And little Liza, all of 10 years old, said to Ashley, we should pray for the woman. Was there ever a time when you drink so much that you couldnt remember what happened or part of what happened the night before? I no. I remember what happened. And, I think youve probably had beers, Senator, and so So youre saying theres never been a case where you drank so much that you didnt remember what happened the night before, or part of what happened? Thats youre asking about yeah, blackout. I dont know, have you? Could you answer the question, Judge? And just so you thats not happened? Is that your answer? Yeah, and Im curious if you have. I have no drinking problem, Judge. Yeah, nor do I. O.K., thank you. In your yearbook, you talked about drinking and sexual exploits, did you not? Senator, let me take a step back and explain high school. I was No. 1 in the class, freshman And I thought No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I thought only the Senate could filibuster. Im going to talk about my high school I thought only the Senate could filibuster. No, no, Im going to talk Let him answer. Im going to talk about my high school record if youre going to sit here and mock me. You said, I welcome any kind of investigation. I quote you. I welcome any kind of investigation. I welcome whatever the committee wants to do, because Im telling the truth. I want to know what you want to do. Im telling the truth. I want to know what you want to do, Judge. Im innocent. Im innocent of this charge. Then youre prepared for an F.B.I. investigation? They dont reach conclusions. You reach the conclusions, Senator. No, but they do investigate questions. If you wanted an F.B.I. investigation, you couldve come to us. What you want to do is destroy this guys life, hold this seat open and hope you win in 2020. You said that, not me. Youve got nothing to apologize for. When you see Sotomayor and Kagan, tell him that Lindsey said hello. Because I voted for them. I would never do to them what youve done to this guy. This is the most unethical sham since Ive been in politics. And if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldnt have done what youve done to this guy. Are you a gang rapist? No. I cannot imagine what you and your family have gone through. Nine protesters were arrested Tuesday at the Charleston office of Senator Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia, during a sit-in urging him to vote against the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh. The protesters arrested at 12:45 a.m. on Tuesday were the remnants of a larger group of 18 women who arrived at the senators campaign office at 2 p.m. on Monday, according to the Democratic Socialists of America, whose members in West Virginia helped to organize the demonstration. They had spent the day on Monday broadcasting their sit-in on social media, sharing their stories of sexual violence and encouraging people to donate to REACH, a local organization that provides free counseling services to victims of sexual abuse. The Manchin campaign said it eventually asked the protesters to leave the office after a long discussion but had not asked for them to be arrested. WASHINGTON As Judge Brett M. Kavanaughs dramatic confirmation process lurches forward, all eyes are on five moderate, and as yet undecided, senators who will either send him to the nations highest court or deal a stunning defeat to President Trump and the Republican Party by derailing his nomination. Their calculations were upended weeks ago when Christine Blasey Ford came forward to accuse Judge Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her at a party in high school, which he has unequivocally denied. Now, not only must the senators grapple with whether to confirm Mr. Kavanaugh based on how his qualifications square with the attitudes of their constituents, but they must also weigh something more politically treacherous: his credibility and temperament in the #MeToo era in the face of multiple accusations of sexual misconduct. Three are Republicans: Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Jeff Flake of Arizona, none of whom are facing the political pressures of re-election this year. And two are Democrats fighting to keep their seats in red states: Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia. ALEX: Sydney, that gubernatorial debate we just watched was, to borrow a line, a thrilla in vanilla. Its almost refreshing to see two very conventional, polite men debate like that. Are we on a different planet? SYDNEY: No, were in Ohio. Marietta, to be exact, near the West Virginia border. Youre right, though this race is almost a throwback to a time when state politics was more localized and less about what is going on in Washington. The Democratic nominee, Richard Cordray, and the Republican candidate, Mike DeWine, talked about health care, education and algae. But unless Im mistaken, neither of them mentioned President Trump by name. And Judge Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court nominee, also never came up. ALEX: In some ways, it probably reflects how closely divided Ohio is at this point. Trump won here easily in 2016, but hes no longer so popular that Republicans want to ride his coattails exclusively, and hes also not unpopular enough for Democrats to campaign on a squarely anti-Trump message. These are clearly two pretty wonky guys. I wonder if anything popped out at you about the policy side of the debate? Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. Im Lisa Lerer, your host. [Get On Politics delivered to your inbox.] The fight over Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh was supposed to be about a seat on the Supreme Court. But the past two weeks have transformed that discrete political battle into something far larger: A simmering war of the sexes thats deepening the divide between Democratic women and Republican men. These are tensions that have been mounting since before the 2016 campaign. Political scientists have found that over the last decade or so, support for feminism, from both men and women, has been increasingly correlated with support for Democrats. The battle over Judge Kavanaugh is perhaps our starkest reflection of that new political reality. Lets think through these new dynamics with a little thought experiment: A prominent Democratic woman becomes the front-runner for the nomination in 2020. How do her male rivals attack her? How do they convince female voters that theyre a better face for the party? WASHINGTON Federal authorities said on Tuesday that they had intercepted multiple packages suspected of containing ricin, a lethal substance, addressed to President Trump and at least two top Pentagon officials. In a statement on Tuesday night, the Secret Service said a suspicious envelope addressed to Mr. Trump was received at a facility outside the White House on Monday. All threats directed towards the president, or any Secret Service protectee, are treated seriously and fully investigated, the statement said. The Secret Service did not specify that the envelope contained ricin, but said agents were working jointly with our law enforcement partners to fully investigate this matter. In 1985, Mr. Madison killed a police officer, Julius Schulte, who had been trying to keep the peace between Mr. Madison and his ex-girlfriend, Cheryl Greene, as she sought to eject him from what had been their shared home. Mr. Madison remembers none of this. He has had at least two severe strokes, and he is blind and incontinent. His speech is slurred, and what he says does not always make sense. He has asked that his mother be told of his strokes, but his mother is dead. He soils himself, saying that no one will let me out to use the bathroom, though there is a toilet in his cell. He has said he plans to move to Florida. He can recite the alphabet only to the letter G. Mr. Madison also insists that he never went around killing folks. But he can, for a time at least, understand what he is accused of and how Alabama plans to punish him. Image Vernon Madison was convicted of the 1985 killing of a police officer, but after a series of strokes, he cannot recall the crime. Credit... Alabama Department of Corrections He did not remember the crime, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said, summarizing the evidence in the case, Madison v. Alabama, No. 17-7505. He did not remember the victim. Getting there could take practice, and in some cases, avoidance has been the preferred strategy. Peter Navarro, one of Mr. Trumps top trade advisers and one of Naftas fiercest critics, seemed to dance around the issue while taking questions on NPR on Tuesday morning, safely referring to the new agreement as the deal. Even Robert Lighthizer, the lead trade negotiator who spent more than a year brokering the new trade deal, referred to it as Nafta during a briefing with reporters on Monday afternoon. For Mr. Trump, renaming Nafta was nearly as important as rewriting it. He spent years lashing out at the agreement and promising to scrap it, so giving it a new title was a critical part of ensuring his promise was kept. It remains unclear whether the new name will take. On social media, critics of Mr. Trump have sneered at the name and some have suggested sticking to Nafta or amending it with a 2.0 to spite the president. Dean Crutchfield, a branding and marketing strategist in New York, said that since the name was officially being changed in the text, it would probably take hold, as long as the news media used it. I think the more people see it, the more they will get accustomed to it, Mr. Crutchfield said. But that does not mean it will be embraced. According to Grover Hudson, an emeritus linguistics professor at Michigan State University, initialisms which do not read as words are easier to digest for shorter abbreviations. But long strings of words, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, set off a desire for a convenient shorthand. Imagine if scuba short for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus were scrambled, he mused. Its typical of Trumps decisions in that you get something thats not terribly better than what it replaced and worse in many ways, Mr. Hudson said. He wanted to have something new that he could claim was his, but all he could come up with was U.S.M.C.A. WASHINGTON The Trump administration will no longer issue family visas to same-sex domestic partners of foreign diplomats or employees of international organizations who work in the United States, State Department officials said on Tuesday. The shift drew sharp criticism from gay rights advocates, including those who work for the United Nations and could be affected. It also applies to people working in the United States for the World Bank, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and other groups. The changes took effect on Monday. United Nations employees were notified in a memo last month that only married same-sex partners seeking to accompany newly arrived officials to the United States would be eligible for a G-4 visa. Under the new State Department rules, foreign couples will need to present proof of marriage to obtain the diplomatic family visas. But only a small number of the United Nationss 193 member states have legalized same-sex marriage. If necessary, the State Department officials said, legal workarounds could be discussed on a case-by-case basis for couples who are barred from marrying in their home countries. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) A gun-for-hire group may be behind the killing of Mayor Alexander Buquing of Sudipen, La Union and two others, Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson Bong Durana said Tuesday. "Hindi pa natin nakita 'yung [We haven't seen yet the] definitive assessment but definitely these were well perpetrated by gun-for-hire elements kaya ang kautusan ng Chief PNP [that's why the Chief PNP's directive is], we should be proactive by running after these gun-for-hire syndicates," he said. [Translation: We haven't seen the definitive assessment but definitely these were well perpetrated by gun-for-hire elements] Buquing, his driver Boni Depdepen and police officer Rolando Juanbe were shot dead in an ambush in Bangar town on Monday night. His wife, Vice Mayor Wendy Buquing, survived the attack and is recovering at the Lorma Medical Center in San Fernando, La Union. The police have tightened security around the Vice Mayor, and Durana said they have information that could lead to the quick resolution of the case. He declined to give more details. "Meron tayong [we have] witnesses' accounts and physical evidence that would help us solve this case the soonest time possible," the spokespperson said. Durana said gun-for-hire groups are mainly responsible for shooting incidents nearing the election season. The filing of candidacy for the 2019 mid-term polls are set this month. PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde had directed the police to go after these organizations and private armed groups to prevent more killings, Durana added. "We have committed that we will not leave any stone unturned until we get to the bottom of this case, arrest the suspects and put them behind bars, and give justice to not only the victims but the bereaved families of these three victims," he said. Buquing is the 11th mayor slain under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. In July, Albayalde ordered a massive crackdown on gun-for-hire groups following a series of killings of local officials. The police have solved the murder case of Trece Martires, Cavite Vice Mayor Alex Lubigan and Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote. American stand-up comedian and actor Dave Chappelle will be touring South Africa for the first time with shows in Cape Town, Durban and Joburg this November and December. Tour Info: In 2017, Chappelle celebrated 30 years in comedy by releasing four highly anticipated stand-up specials on Netflix along with a companion double-feature vinyl comedy album. Hes since netted two television Emmy Awards, a Grammy, and Pollstars Comedy Tour of The Year Award. Best known for his ground breaking television sketch comedy program Chappelles Show, Chappelle has since established himself as arguably one of the most popular touring comics on the U.S. circuit - selling out shows within minutes of the announcements. In October, he makes a remarkable appearance in the much-anticipated remake of the film A Star Is Born.Tuesday 27 November 2018Grand Arena, GrandWestTicket Price: From R630Tuesday 4 December 2018Durban ICCTicket Price: From R630Wednesday 5 December 2018Teatro at MontecasinoTicket Price: From R575Tickets go on sale Thursday 4 October 2018 at 9am from bigconcerts.co.za and Computicket . Discovery Cardholders get an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale from 9am on Tuesday 2October 2018. Go to www.discovery.co.za for more information. She said of Francis, I would say I was still dating him but hesitant, and this summer I broke up with him for sure. The Pew survey confirms that American Catholics are polarized over Francis along political lines a stark contrast from 2014, one year into his papacy, when Catholic Democrats and Republicans were virtually aligned in their positive opinions on him. About nine in 10 rated him favorably, no matter their political affiliations. Now Catholics who are Democrats or lean toward the Democratic Party are far more likely to have a favorable opinion of Francis than Catholics who are Republicans or lean toward the Republican Party, 83 percent compared with 61 percent, the new poll shows. (The poll was conducted from Sept. 18 to 21 among 1,754 adults, including 336 Catholics. The margin of error is 2.7 percentage points for the pool of all adults, and 6.2 percent for the Catholic subgroup.) The poll results are a far cry from Francis first years as pope, when he won the hearts of Catholics worldwide, whatever their political leanings, with his emphasis on love, mercy and compassion for vulnerable people. He won praise for teaching by example, cradling to his chest a badly disfigured man at a public audience in St. Peters Square. News cameras followed as he hosted lunch for the homeless, and bent down to wash the feet of prisoners in the Holy Thursday ritual. His folksy tweets, on a range of topics from marriage to environmentalism, were retweeted eight times more frequently than those of President Barack Obama. In Italy, a celebrity gossip magazine publisher launched a weekly My Pope fanzine to dispense the popes advice and photographs. His popularity in the United States soared after he visited in 2015, when he praised Martin Luther King III in an address to Congress and embraced an immigrant girl who broke through security barriers to reach his popemobile. JALALABAD, Afghanistan A suicide bomber attacked an election rally on Tuesday in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, killing at least 14 people and once again highlighting security concerns as candidates prepare for an Oct. 20 parliamentary vote amid a raging war. The attack struck at a gathering of about 300 supporters of the candidate Nasir Mohmand in Nangarhars Kama district. Najibullah Kamawal, the provinces director of public health, said at least 43 others were wounded. Officials feared the toll could rise. Mr. Mohmand survived, but with more than two weeks until Election Day, at least other seven candidates have already been killed across Afghanistan. Nangarhar has seen a drastic increase in violence in recent years, with the emergence of the Islamic State, which has its foothold in the province, adding to insecurity caused by the Taliban. Corruption and a heavy infiltration of mafia have complicated the situation, so much so that after back-to-back suicide bombings in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, the government recently changed all senior police officials and handed control of security to the army. HONG KONG The Chinese game show begins like many others, with flashing lights, a heroic soundtrack and rapturous applause from a studio audience. But on this show, one topic dominates: President Xi Jinping, the man, the leader, the Communist Party chief. Contestants face a daunting array of questions about his favorite books, the meaning of his speeches, and his formative years in a rural village. The five-part show, Studying Xi in the New Era, airing on Chinese state television this week, aims to inspire interest in Mr. Xis life and ideas among a younger generation. It is the latest sign of the predominance of Mr. Xi, Chinas most powerful leader in decades, in the daily life of citizens. The show which does not appear to offer cash or other prizes poses a series of multiple-choice questions, many of them focused on Mr. Xi. There is also a smattering of questions about figures like Marx, Mao and Deng Xiaoping. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, but faces competing claims over the Spratlys from Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as Taiwan. The encounter on Sunday occurred within 12 nautical miles of Gaven Reef, a pair of outcroppings in the sea that China has expanded and fortified with weaponry since 2014. As tensions have increased over trade and other issues, the United States and other nations have intensified naval and aerial patrols in the sea to signal that the territories there remain in international waters. Britain, France and Japan have also conducted operations there in recent months, creating what many in China view as a coordinated campaign. Chinas defense and foreign ministries each released statements on Tuesday sharply criticizing the United States, though not disputing details of the American accusations involving the Decatur. The United States has repeatedly sent military ships to South China Sea islands and its adjacent waters, threatened Chinas sovereignty and security, seriously damaged the relations between the two countries and militaries, and endangered regional peace and stability, Senior Col. Wu Qian, a spokesman for Chinas Ministry of National Defense, said in a statement. In 2016, an arbitration panel under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, ruling in an appeal brought by the Philippines, did not support Chinas claims to Gaven Reef, among other shoals and maritime features in the sea. China has ignored the ruling, however, and the fortification of seven artificial islands it has built there has made Chinese control of those waters virtually a fait accompli. HONG KONG The event on the sidelines of the Conservative Party of Britains annual conference was meant to discuss the erosion of freedom, the rule of law and autonomy in Hong Kong. It featured several generations of prominent democracy supporters from the former British colony. Near the end of the talk Sunday in Birmingham, England, Benedict Rogers, a human-rights activist and critic of the Chinese government, was concluding his remarks by saying, I am pro-China, not anti-China. I want China and its people to succeed. Then a woman began shouting from the audience. You are a liar. You are anti-China. You want to separate China, shouted the woman, according to attendees. And you are not even Chinese. The rest are all traitors! Image The CGTN reporter, Kong Linlin, was arrested on suspicion of assault and later released pending an investigation. Credit... Adam Kerson, via Storyful A heckler at a political event is hardly unusual. The woman was no ordinary heckler, though. She was a reporter from Chinas state-run international broadcaster, CGTN. The cemetery on the eastern side of Palu has become a focal point for the citys grief as it slowly tries to recover from the magnitude-7.5 quake and the devastating tsunami that it set off. [Surveying the damage: Scenes from the Indonesian tsunami] Officials said Tuesday that at least 1,234 people had died, including 120 foreigners. Others, still uncounted, lie in the rubble of ruined buildings or were swept away by the tsunami, which in some places reached a height of more than 20 feet. More than 1 million people live in the area affected by the dual disasters. Nearly 6,400 personnel from an array of government agencies including the military, the police, the national search-and-rescue agency and the Energy and Mineral Resources Department were involved in efforts to find survivors, recover bodies and evacuate people from the stricken area, officials said. More help and equipment were on the way, but the spokesman for Indonesias disaster management agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, told reporters that time was running out to find survivors alive. The team is racing against time because its already D+four, he said, meaning four days since the day the quake struck. Travelers entering New Zealand who refuse to disclose passwords for their digital devices during forced searches could face prosecution and fines of more than $3,000, a move that border officials said Tuesday made the country the first to impose such penalties. Were not aware of any other country that has legislated for the potential of a penalty to be applied if people do not divulge their passwords, said Terry Brown, a New Zealand Customs spokesman. Border officials, he said, believe the new fine is an appropriate remedy aimed at balancing individuals privacy and national security. In New Zealand as in many other countries, including the United States customs officers were already legally permitted to search cellphones and other digital devices as they would luggage, and to seize devices for forensic examination if they were believed to contain evidence of criminal activity. But the law did not previously compel travelers to open their devices for inspection, either by entering a password or using biometric data like thumbprints or facial scans. SEOUL, South Korea South Korea announced a sweeping crackdown on fake news on Tuesday, calling it a destroyer of democracy. Conservative critics of the government, however, cried foul, accusing it of trying to impede freedom of speech. Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said that fake news had spread so widely in South Korea that it was stymying not only citizens privacy but also the countrys national security and foreign policies, including its relations with North Korea. Mr. Lee did not offer examples. But he was furious last week after he visited Vietnam for the state funeral for its president, Tran Dai Quang. While in Hanoi, he visited the stilt house of Ho Chi Minh and wrote in the visitors book at the compound that he felt humble before the great Vietnamese leader. South Korea fought against his Communist forces alongside the Americans during the Vietnam War. When the photo of Mr. Lees tribute was reported in South Korea, conservative critics called him a commie on social media. Some even falsely suggested that Mr. Lee made the tribute not to Ho but to Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea and the grandfather of its current leader, Kim Jong-un. Mr. Lee has called the misinformation vicious. President Trump pulled out of the nuclear accord this year, pronouncing the Iranian government a rogue actor and the 2015 deal as wholly insufficient to rein in its ambitions, as well as doing nothing to halt its meddling and support of regional conflicts. In contrast, European countries are trying to find a way to avoid pulling out of the deal because they think doing so will worsen Irans relationship with the West. At the same time, the decision to freeze the assets of the spy ministry seemed to be a clear sign France was angry that Iran appeared to be ignoring international norms and acting with impunity. It also indicated that, at least indirectly, France endorsed Mr. Trumps judgment that Iran was a rogue regime. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, denied that Iran had been involved in a bombing plot, the state news agency IRNA reported. The assets of two of the Iranians believed to have been behind the plot have also been frozen, the French ministers said. One is a former Iranian diplomat in Vienna, Assadollah Asadi; the background of the other, Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, was not specified. But French news media reported that he was a senior official at the Iranian Intelligence and Security Ministry. There were several people detained at the time the plot was unveiled, with the Belgium police taking the lead by arresting two Belgian-Iranian citizens, a husband and wife, who were accused of preparing to drive to France to carry out the bombing. BIRMINGHAM, England The lines began building two hours before Britains former foreign secretary Boris Johnson walked into the 1,500-seat hall, to be greeted by wild cheers and a noisy ovation. As his speech reached a climax, there were uncontrolled whoops of joy. Like him or loathe him and there are many in both camps it was impossible to ignore Mr. Johnson, whose appearance on Tuesday at the Conservative Partys annual conference overshadowed an announcement on immigration policy from the person whose job he so obviously craves: Prime Minister Theresa May. But there also seemed to be an element of desperation beneath Mr. Johnsons ill-disguised ambition. Hes aware that his political tide is seeping away, said Richard Hayton, an associate professor of politics at the University of Leeds. If he doesnt get the leadership in the aftermath of what will happen over Brexit in the next few months, it will pass him by for a new generation. Mr. Johnson made a damning, if familiar, attack on Mrs. Mays plan for Britains withdrawal from the European Union, known as Brexit a blueprint that would keep some close economic ties to the bloc to minimize disruption to trade and protect the economy. East Coast Radio is excited to announce Toys R Us & Babies R Us South Africa as the new partner for this year's Toy Story campaign. The initiative, now in its 18th year, has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged children in KZN and it is believed that this partnership will spread even further joy through toy donations. East Coast Radio's General Manager Boni Mchunu with Nicole Jansen Van Vuuren, Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa Marketing Manager Nicole Jansen Van Vuuren, Toys R Us and Babies R Us South Africa, Marketing Manager says the campaign is completely in line with what they stand for, There is no better fit than South Africas favourite toy and baby store partnering with the biggest toy collection drive over the festive season. The ECR team have done an incredible job of making Toy Story a much anticipated and well known campaign for the year! The main aim of the campaign is to pull our community together to give back and to ensure we add joy to the lives of those in need! In our dealings with local organisations, we have seen first-hand that a toy is not just an object, but is a symbol of excitement, joy and a bit of hope, which every child deserves to feel.East Coast Radios Boni Mchunu says the station is delighted to have Toys R Us/Babies R Us on board, East Coast Radios Toy Story reminds us that we all have an important duty to play in ensuring the well-being of disadvantaged children in our country. We are honoured to facilitate giving on such a massive scale and are so grateful to our sponsors for all their efforts in making this possible.Other key sponsors that have come on board this year include;, who will facilitate the collection of toys from stores, schools and businesses;who assist with storing and then packing toys for distribution;, who manufacture the Toy Story boxes; Verigreen who manufacture bags for the campaign and, who assist with the distribution of toys to rural areas.When the campaign officially rolls out from 22 October, KwaZulu-Natalians will be able to donate a toy at any Toys R Us & Babies R Us store across the province. Last year, KZN listeners, schools and businesses donated 20,000 new toys and more than R750,000 towards East Coast Radios Toy Story campaign. Poisonous batches of bootleg alcohol have killed at least 42 people, blinded more than a dozen others and sent hundreds to the hospital across Iran in recent weeks, the countrys Health Ministry said. The police are said to have raided at least one underground distillery and arrested dozens of people in connection with the tainted drinks. The youngest victim was a 19-year-old woman, the BBC reported. It was not clear what was in the concoctions; in the past, the authorities have blamed high levels of methanol a simple alcohol used as an antifreeze and for biofuels for contaminating drinks. The deaths come several years into a government effort to begin acknowledging Irans drinking problem and to provide treatment for addiction. Taboo for devout Muslims, alcohol has been illegal in Iran since the 1979 revolution, and those caught consuming it can be punished with a lashing. Why havent they let him go? Mr. Kislakci asked. What are they doing in the consulate? We dont know. He said that Turkish authorities had been informed and were following the case. An employee who answered the phone at the Istanbul consulate late Tuesday, who declined to give his name, said that the consulate was closed and that he had no information. When asked specifically whether Mr. Khashoggi had been detained in the consulate, he said, We heard the same thing, but we dont know. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. For decades, Mr. Khashoggi was one of Saudi Arabias most prominent journalists. As a young man, he interviewed Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan and he went on to cover successive Saudi kings. He was often seen as close to the Saudi government and counted on to champion its policies and ignore its scandals and abuses. At times, he served as both an official and unofficial adviser to senior Saudi officials. But last year, as many of his friends were arrested and the already limited margins of freedom of expression inside the kingdom shrank, Mr. Khashoggi went into voluntary exile, dividing his time between the Washington, D.C., area, London and Istanbul and publishing articles that criticized the increasingly authoritarian rule of Crown Prince Mohammed. He frequently wrote op-ed columns for The Washington Post. Those articles turned him into a pariah with the Saudi government and the defenders of Crown Prince Mohammed, who accused him of receiving cash from foreign governments to tarnish the kingdoms reputation. Mr. Khashoggis wife had remained in Saudi Arabia while he was no longer able to return freely. Their separation had led to a divorce, and he wanted to remarry to a Turkish woman. Incubeta is an international team of experts in marketing, technology, data, and creative. Last week, police in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta reported at least 11 cases of people completely stripped of their clothes tied to lamp posts and with the letter R shaved on the back of their heads. So far, no one knows who orchestrated these attacks and why, as the victims all refuse to talk. Police started receiving calls about naked men being tied to lamp posts in different areas of Puerto Vallarta last Monday. Between 9:26 PM on Monday, and 1:29 AM on Tuesday, four men were discovered in similar circumstances. They had all been stripped naked, had bruises on their buttocks like they had been repeatedly slapped, they were tied to lamp posts at various intersections across the city and they all had the letter R shaved into the back of their heads. Authorities announced that they had started an investigation, but little did they know that these four cases was only the beginning. Photo: Puerto Vallarta Independiente/Facebook On Wednesday, September 26, more reports of naked men tied to lamp posts around Puerto Vallarta started coming in, and between 11:19 PM and 11:45 PM, six more people were discovered in similar conditions as the four found on the previous two days. They were all completely naked, with bruised buttocks and an R shaved on the back of the head, and they were all tied to lamp posts. With one exception, a man who claimed to have been taken from his home by people he didnt know, taken to a farm and beaten, all the other victims refused to work with law enforcement. They either didnt want to reveal the names of the people who had done this to them, or said that they didnt remember anything, and one of them actually ran off as soon as he was freed. Photo: El Informador With no testimonies and no clues as to why these men were punished like this, police and local media could only speculate. One explanation would be that these men were suspected thieves and that they were punished by local vigilantes tired of police failing to do their jobs. The R shaved in the back of their heads most likely stands for rat, which is how thieves are sometimes referred to. But just like in English, rat is also slang for snitch, so this could be the work of a crime cartel teaching these men a lesson for not keeping quiet and also sending a clear message to others. The last theory is that this could be just be a conflict between rival gangs. Its worth noting that these 10 cases were the ones reported by police, but there may have been even more. One thing is for sure, so far, the mystery of the naked men of Puerto Vallarta is a long way from being solved. Martin Sorrell Ousted WPP CEO Martin Sorrell frets that theres no one looking out for the ad/PR combine in which he remains a major shareholder. The WPP founder criticized his old firms decision to sell Globant digital marketing operation as bordering on negligent, during his interview with The Sunday Times (London) of Sept. 30. Commenting on WPPs nearly 20 percent stock price during the past 12 months, Sorrell said the share price is not doing well for all sorts of reasons. Im not sure, to be blunt that what is being done is necessarily the right thing. Sorrell pointed out that founders have different attitudes to corporate managers. Founders have a personal commitment to the company they founded, which is very difficult to replicate, he told the paper. The 73-year-old executive, who is plotting a comeback via the S4 Capital corporate shell, exited WPP following a probe into his personal behavior. He was deemed a good leaver. Ballard Partners has signed an open-ended contract with Nigerias People's Democratic Party pegged at $1.1M per-year. The center-right party is the main opposition group to Nigerias president Muhammadu Buhari. Brian Ballard, a top Republican fundraiser and chair of the Trump Victory organization Florida during the 2016 presidential election, heads up the Nigerian work. Sylvester Lukis, managing partner of Ballards DC office, and James Rubin, partner and former assistant secretary of state for PA during the Clinton White House and spokesperson for Madeline Albright, join Ballard on the account. The $90K monthly retainer contract went into effect Sept. 21 and automatically renews each year on the anniversary date of the agreement unless either party terminates the relationship with 30-days notice. The Tallahassee-based firms mission is to enhance the US/Nigeria relationship and strengthen and advance democratic values and the rule of law in Nigeria with a special focus in the coming months of maintaining political and security conditions free of intimidation and interference in order to ensure the success and fairness of Nigerias national election for president in 2019, according to its contract. Mark Penn The Stagwell Group has taken a majority stake in Ink, the London-based travel media and marketing company. The firm creates digital, video, print and experiential content for clients such as American Airlines, Qatar Airways, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Norwegian Air, Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways. Ink joint CEOs Michael Keating and Simon Leslie will continue to oversee the firm, which has offices in New York, Miami, Sao Paulo, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Ink teams with travel companies to help them connect in a meaningful way with passengers at crucial moments in their journey, said Stagwell CEO Mark Penn. "Travel numbers around the world are growing year on year and they are very valuable and receptive consumers a perfect audience for any marketing plan today," added the former advisor to Bill & Hillary Clinton, Microsoft chief strategy officer and Burson-Marsteller CEO. Ink is the 18th investment made by Stagwell during the past three years. That roster includes Finn Partners, SKDKnickerbocker, The Harris Poll, PMX Agency, TargetedVictory, National Research Group and ReputationDefender Businessman in Kolkata shot at after his car was stopped by 18 men West Bengal Class 10, 12 exams to be held in offline mode in March, April West Bengal: 1 dead, 9 injured in blast at Dum Dum Nagar Bazar, Minister blames RSS India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Kolkata, Oct 2: One person succumbed to injuries and nine others wounded in a high-intensity explosion in Kolkata's Dum Dum's Nager Bazar area on Tuesday. The cause of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. CID bomb disposal squad and fire brigade have reached the spot. Bomb disposal squad is now collecting samples from the spot. Woman killed by father, brother in case of honour killing "It was a high-intensity blast. 4 people seriously injured, 6 injured. Found some iron nails but can't ascertain the cause of blast yet as there is no smell of gunpowder," news agency ANI quoted a police as saying. Police have now ruled out gas cylinder explosion, calls it a bomb blast, but the nature of bomb not yet known. Kolkata: Skeletons of 14 babies found wrapped in plastic bags Purnendu Basu, West Bengal Minister, said, " I think this type of blast is similar to the ones carried out by RSS elsewhere.' However, BJP leader Mukul Roy denied minister's allegations. Ray said, " This is a false allegation. If they're sure of it get an NIA enquiry done. They have the habit of levelling false allegations. It is their political game." Pakistan hit my mysterious viral fever: All you need to know Pakistan Army in control of Grand National Narrative of the country India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Oct 2: Army in Pakistan not only controls domestic politics and foreign policy but it is in every decision making of the country. Army has gradually captured minds of the people through the Grand National Narrative and even the government is not allowed to fiddle with it. They have also changed the media to think in particular direction. This stops the country to move towards peace with India. Actually Pakistani Army has developed some core areas to make their grip very strong over the system of the country. Indo-Pak army comparison: Here are the numbers Strategic expert Ashish Shukla told Oneindia, "Pakistan has developed a Grand National Narrative that Army controls by several means. Mass media is one such medium however it must not be understood as English media which is not at all a mass media in Pakistan." Moreover, it is wrong to say that just by reading English newspapers one can understand what is happening in Pakistan. English media actually tries to keep a balanced perspective. Pak Minister attends event with 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed "Actually Pakistan's mass media is controlled by military instead of the government and that is Urdu, so much so that people from Army write columns by pseudonyms to generate public opinion. The Army is also involved in ghost writing to influence people and retired Army officers are pushed into debate on TV channels by the Army." Former President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf devised a new strategy to capture national narrative. He started a modern way to deal the subject by starting National Security Workshop in which budding people from different institutions of the country like politics, bureaucracy and journalism were asked join it who in next 10-15 years would be leading the respective field. They are given training in workshops to influence the next generation. Postal stamp issued by Pak maliciously portrays picture of Pandits protesting against India "In this one month's training they train people about national security. They chose and bring in people to train them what national security is?" said the security expert. There is a need to understand that in any democratic country, a civilian tells military what national security is but in Pakistan, it is Military that tells the civilian. Everyone in Pakistan wants to go through this training whether journalist, research students and even medical practitioners. Military trains top minds of Pakistan. "If you train such top minds the next generation will automatically get influenced and even institutions as well. "After this the military started National Media Workshop that means they wanted to penetrate minds of journalists to tell them what national security is? Journalists will first be taught what national security is than they will tell the country what it is? So a trained person will have a perspective already in his mind before starting off as a journalist. He will see the world with jaundiced eyes. So military has captured the entire narrative and if anyone tried to fiddle with it then military will not tolerate such people," said Shukla. Training happens once in a year with Army capturing this national narrative and anyone interfering into it not tolerated. Congress calls for 'second freedom struggle' against Modi govt India pti-PTI Sevagram (Maharashtra), Oct 2: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) Tuesday called for a "second freedom struggle" against the Modi government to combat the ideology of "hate and violence", saying the same reason had led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Holding its meeting at Mahadev Bhavan, Sevagram Ashram, in Wardha district of Maharashtra on the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the CWC also condemned the use of force against protesting farmers on their way to the national capital. Addressing a press conference, party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the CWC has passed two resolutions recalling the contribution of Mahatma Gandhi to the "Indian thought process, its soul and body". Kisan Kranti Padyatra: Modi Govt no different from British, slams Surjewala "(Former prime minister) Lal Bahadur Shastri's call of 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' is not just a slogan but a way of life. We will continue to fight for farmers' rights," he said. Surjewala said the second freedom struggle will be against the Modi government for practising politics of "hatred, divisiveness, fear, polarisation, crushing dissent and debates". "The Modi government is against India's plurality and is indulging in politics of revenge, falsehood and betrayal. It is easy to talk about Gandhiji in speeches. It's just political opportunism," he said. The CWC underscored the hypocrisy of those who vilified Gandhi and his thoughts, but are brazenly championing it now, he said. Kisan padyatra: Agreement has been reached on majority of issues, says MoS Agriculture "The second freedom struggle will be against the government that practices politics of hate, vendetta, threat, murder, intimidation, crushing healthy debate and dissent," he said. "Farmers who had come to seek grievance redressal were beaten up and lathi-charged. Water cannons and tear gas was also used. We condemn the autocratic Modi government and the prime minister who is drunk with power. We express solidarity with the farmers and resolve to redress their grievances if voted to power," he said. The CWC meeting was presided over by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and attended among others by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh. PTI Farmers cannot even come to Delhi to air grievances: Rahul Reacting to the development, Congress president Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP for "brutal beating up" of farmers at the Delhi border on the International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. "On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJP's two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital!" he tweeted in Hindi. Congress lashes out at Modi govt over police action against farmers Condemning the police action, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre could write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged that "arrogance has gone to his head". "Instead of hearing them out, farmers are brutalised and beaten up. The Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power," the Congress leader alleged. Sitaram Yechury calls PM Modi government anti-farmer Hitting out at the police action against the farmers, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "We strongly condemn this action and atrocities on farmers. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government." "Modi government has backtracked on all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government," he said. Mayawati slams BJP over lathicharge on farmers Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday termed the police lathi-charge on agitating farmers the "height" of anarchy and warned that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party should be prepared to bear its consequences. Condemning the police action, Mayawati said, "This is the height of the BJP government's anarchy and it shall remain prepared to bear its consequences." "The BJP, which came to power promising to bring the good days of the farmers' by doubling their income, has targeted them with tear-gas shells, lathis when they only wanted to march to the Gandhi sthal on Gandhi Jayanti and hold protest demonstration over their problems" the Dalit leader said. Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was "wrong" and pitched for allowing them entry into the city. "Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi? It's wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Akhilesh Yadav extends support to farmers Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also extended his party's support to the protesting farmers and alleged the farm community has been hit hard by the rising fuel prices, as well as due to the decisions like the GST rollout and demonetisation. "The farmers have come out in support of their various demands... If we look at things, in the past over four years, almost 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, mostly in BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh," Yadav said. Tejashwi Yadav speaks of back stabbing Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said that by discarding the Swaminathan committee report, the Modi government has stabbed the farmers in the back. "Modi ji, though farmers, unlike capitalists, cannot fill your pockets, but at least don't get them beaten up. If you would have seen poverty, you would not have committed so many atrocities on farmers," he tweeted in Hindi. Govt talks fail Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers' issue, after which Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. OneIndia News (with PTI inputs) For global peace and security, reform in United Nations Security Council important India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Oct 2: During the recent visit of President of Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India, the visiting leader not only supported a comprehensive reform in the United Nations but also in the United Nations Security Council for global peace and security. Reforms in the United Nations becomes all the more necessary in view of Chinese support of terrorists like Masood Azhar. India has been getting support to fight against terror and its permanent space at the UN Security Council from all quarters. External Affairs ministry said that India and Uzbekistan reaffirmed that the United Nations must play a central role in maintaining global peace and security, and in development and advancing international cooperation. Both the countries agreed to strengthen their mutual support and cooperation in the United Nations and other international and regional organizations. Peace in the region seems elusive unless there is a strong civilian government in Pakistan The ministry said that both the countries called for comprehensive reforms in the UN Security Council, including expansion in both categories of membership. Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support to India's candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, and noted request of India for support to its candidature for a non-permanent seat of UNSC for 2021-2022. India has been fighting against terrorism coming from across the border. The most unfortunate part of the story is that China comes to the rescue of Pakistan giving a blind eye to terrorism. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj while speaking at United Nations General Assembly too talked about reform in United Nations security council. Countries like the US, Britain and France support India's permanent place in UN Security which is being opposed by China. Not only that China has always been foiling moves of India on the issue of terrorism being a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council. In response to India's bid to get declared Masood Azhar a designated terrorist during the UNGA in New York, Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi defended his country's move against India's bids at the UN to list chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Horn of Africa enemies Ethiopia and Eritrea declare end of war, vows normalisation of ties Strategic experts say that United Nations without reforms will soon become redundant. As far as Chinese move against India's bid to get Masood Azhar declared international terrorist is concerned, China will not allow that to happen as it considers India as a serious challenge to it with Indian growth trajectory that to when information are not suppressed in India. China also talks about lack of consensus on the issue of Azhar however, Jaish-e-Mohammed, founded by Azhar, has already been in the UN's list of banned terror outfits. With a minister in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Party government-led by Imran Khan, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri sharing stage with Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed at an event in Islamabad makes things more obvious that Pakistan will continue with its policy of terrorism. Noor-ul-Haq Qadri is Pakistan's religious affairs minister. As far as Masood Azhar is concerned, he is accused of several terrorist attacks in India including Uri military base in Jammu and Kashmir in 2016, in which 17 security personnel were killed. But China has been repeatedly blocking India's move in this regard. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 9:18 [IST] Gandhi Jayanti: When Gandhiji called off a movement because of single incidence of violence India oi-Vikas SV Mahatma Gandhi staunchly believed in non-violence and so strong was his belief that he wanted his followers to strictly adhere to it. Gandhiji not only preached non-violence but practiced it in his life and even his fight for India's freedom from the British rule was rooted in the ideology of Ahimsa. Today (October 2) is Gandhi Jayanti and it is worth recalling an incident from the history when Gandhiji recalled a movement because of a lone incidence of violence. In the year 1919, Gandhiji was shaken by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in which hundreds of innocent Indians were killed. In 1920, Gandhiji launched Non-Cooperation movement aimed to resist British rule in India through non-violent means, or "Ahimsa". Protesters would refuse to buy British goods and adopt the use of goods manufactured locally. The British would have suffered economically if the purchase of their goods was boycotted. Indians were encouraged to withdraw from British Raj-sponsored schools, police services, the military, the civil service, and lawyers were asked to leave the British Raj's courts. The success of the revolt was a total shock to British authorities and a massive encouragement to millions of Indian nationalists. Unity across India was strengthened and many Indian schools and colleges were made. Indian goods were encouraged. On 5 February 1922, a clash took place at Chauri Chaura, a small town in the district of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. A police officer had attacked some volunteers. A whole crowd of peasants that had gathered there went to the police station. The mob set fire to the police chowki with some 22 policemen inside it. [Gandhi Jayanti 2018: Mahatma Gandhi's top quotes that continue to inspire millions] Mahatma Gandhi felt that the revolt was veering off-course, and was disappointed that the revolt had lost its non-violent nature. He did not want the movement to degenerate into a contest of violence, with police and angry mobs attacking each other back and forth, victimising civilians in between. Gandhi appealed to the Indian public for all resistance to end, went on a fast lasting 3 weeks, and called off the non-cooperation movement. The Non-cooperation movement was withdrawn because of the Chauri Chaura incident. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 5:00 [IST] Gandhi had planned dissolving the Congress An article titled His Last Will and Testament had appeared in the Harijan a few days after Gandhi was assassinated. Mahatma Gandhi had written that the Congress had outlived its use. He had advised disbanding the Congress. A never before seen funeral The nation was in shock to learn about the assassination of Gandhiji on January 30 1948. A sea of humanity had descended on Delhi to take part in the funeral procession that was 8 kilometres long. The funeral pyre was lit by his third son Ramdas Gandhi. Gandhi Jayanti: When Gandhiji called off a movement because of single incidence of violence The Nobel Prize It is a well known fact that Gandhi never won the Nobel Peace Prize. Did you that the man who is the strongest symbol of non-violence was nominated five times for the prize, but never won it? The prize cannot be awarded posthumously. The criticism for Rs 4 The act of Kasturba Gandhi of keeping Rs four with her 'unlawfully' had irked the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and prompted him to write an article about her lapse, records show. Stamps in 150 countries 21 years after the death of Mahatma Gandhi, Great Britain, the country he fought against released a stamp honouring him. The stamps dedicated to the Father of the Nation are found in nearly 150 countries. Do you any facts about Mahatma Gandhi to share? If you do, please post them in the comments box. Gandhiji chose cleanliness over freedom: Modi India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Oct 2: Asserting that Mahatma Gandhi's committment towards cleanliness was unwavering, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (October 2) said the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has become one of the largest mass movements in the world. The Prime Minister was speaking at the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC) at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre in the National Capital. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is also set to address the event which was inaugurated by President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday. Gandhiji remembered on his 149th birth anniversary "Swachhta Diwas is an honour to Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji chose cleanliness over freedom and took a pledge towards cleanliness. We are moving towards global sanitation. Sustainable development is a must for India," he said. The prime minister also distributed the Swachh Bharat Awards before addressing the gathering. Haryana baged no. 1 state award in Swachh Survekshan Grameen survey. "I feel very satisfied when I see citizens of this country taking up cleanliness as their personal mission. Swachhta is deeply rooted in our culture. I am proud that we are following Gandhiji's footsteps. We are working towards fulfilling Gandhiji's dreams," Modi said. "So many countries coming together for a cleanliness campaign is an unheard of event. I pay tribute to Bapu on everyone's behalf," he added. Today is the last day of MGISC which is being organised by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation to mark the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi 150: PM Modi's quotes on 'Bapu' "To make the world clean, 4 Ps are necessary -- Political leadership, Public Funding, Partnerships and People's Participation. India will be clean as per global standards via the implementation of 4 Ps," he said. Fifty-three Ministers of Sanitation from around the world and more than 160 international representatives from 68 countries are participated in the convention. Modi and Guterres also visited a mini Digital Exhibition at the event. The dignitaries released commemorative postage stamps on Mahatma Gandhi and a medley based on Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn - "Vaishnav Jan." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 13:18 [IST] President Ram Nath Kovind pays tribute at Rajghat "Homage to Bapu on Gandhi Jayanti. Let us rededicate ourselves to the values espoused by Mahatma Gandhi - peace, fraternity, harmony and inclusive national development. Gandhiji's message remains relevant for all and he continues to be our guiding light," the President tweeted. PM Modi at Rajghat "The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. Paid tributes to Bapu at Rajghat this morning," Modi tweeted. (Image credit - ANI/Twitter) When Mahatma Gandhi criticised wife Kasturba for Rs 4 Congress president Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Bapu "Gandhiji is not an immobile statue, he is a living set of ideas and values flowing through India. Truth and non-violence, which he lived for and was killed for are the foundation of our country. True patriots must protect them," Rahul Gandhi tweeted. (Image credit - ANI/Twitter) Sonia Gandhi pays homage to Father of the Nation Both Rahul and Sonia left immediately as they are slated to travel to Wardha for the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia, who arrived soon after Rahul, also paid homage to the Mahatma. After them, Sonia Gandhi arrived and paid floral tributes amid the strains of 'bhajans'. Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal and senior BJP leader L K Advani also paid tributes to Gandhi on the occasion. (Image credit - ANI/Twitter) Gandhi wanted to dissolve Congress a day before he died: Lesser known facts about Bapu UP Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Mahatma Gandhi's real name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and the title "Mahatma" was conferred upon him by none other than Rabindranath Tagore. Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram' is often sung and played frequently on this day and many places hold prayer meetings and get-togethers to mark this occasion. (Image credit - ANI/Twitter) How burqa has become a weapon of choice for terrorists India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Oct 2: In the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir there have been several innocents of arms snatching. Terrorists of the Hizbul Mujahideen have been the prime accused in such incidents. Investigations into some of the cases have shown that terrorists have been reaching the spot wearing burqas and then snatching the weapons from the security forces. This change in strategy by the terrorists has led the Kashmir police to adopt a new game plan wherein they would deploy women security personnel for search operations. US: Muslim girl 'booted from school bus' for wearing hijab In addition to the terrorists appearing in burqas, investigations into several cases have also found that women in burqas have been providing cover. Before a case of arms snatching has taken place, it was found that several burqa clad women had appeared at the site and caused a distraction to the security personnel. Even in the case where Hizbul commander, Naved Jatt escaped from a hospital, it was found that some persons in burqas had landed at the site and handed over the weapons to him. Jutt, it may be recalled had escaped from the hospital with four others before opening fire at the security personnel. Hairdresser denies salon entry to hijab-clad woman in Norway The use of the burqa has not been restricted to weapon snatching cases alone. There were two instances of bank robberies where terrorists hid their identity wearing burqas. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 13:33 [IST] In hawala probe NIA unearths more routes that Lashkar used India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Oct 2: The investigation being conducted following the busting of a Falah-e-Insaniyat module in Delhi has the led the National Investigation Agency to several other states. NIA sources tell OneIndia that while the money would land from foreign nations into Delhi first, it would be channelised through various other states. One such link has emerged in Rajasthan. NIA officials say that these are the channels through which money would make it to the other states. Our investigations have found that while the money made its direct landfall into Delhi, it would be go to other places through the various hawala dealers present in other state. In the name of Muslim welfare, a defence fund that controls India's terror, hawala network One of the main states through which the funds would move into the other states such as Jammu and Kashmir was Rajasthan. Earlier the NIA had busted a funding racket between Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. At that time it was found that the money was being moved in empty cylinders. However after the busting of that route, the hawala dealers have found other states through which they move the money into different places. The money would finally reach terror groups. The discovery of the Rajasthan module has led the local cops to step up the heat. One Mohammad Salim was arrested on September 25 and the NIA suspects that he was the main mover of the cash. He had shifted to Delhi several years back, but gradually built up a network in Rajasthan. FIF module busted: The hawala headache in Chandini Chowk NIA sources also suspect that the money that reached the Falah-e-Insaniyat module in Delhi from Dubai may not have been limited for internal purposes alone. The money could have been channelised from Dubai to India following which it could have moved into Pakistan as well. The FIF is the financial wing of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 13:00 [IST] Special envoys of China, Russia and Pak hold talks with Taliban officials in Kabul India, Russia to sign S-400 missile deal this week: Kremlin India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Oct 2: India and Russia will sign a deal for the multi-billion-dollar S-400 surface-to-air missile system this week. Russian President Vladimir Putin will oversee the signing of a USD 5 billion deal this week to supply Delhi with S-400 air defence systems, a top Kremlin aide said on Tuesday ahead of Putin's visit, reported AFP. "The president is leaving for India on October 4," Putin's top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters. "The key feature of this visit will be the signing of the agreement to deliver S-400 air defence systems," he said. "The value of the contract will be more than USD 5 billion." India set to acquire S-400 missile system from Russia: What makes it better than US made Patriot? Moscow has been negotiating to sell the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missiles to India for months. The sale has irked India's defence partner Washington, which has wanted to wean India off Russian technology, and a senior Pentagon official said in August that sanctions against India would come under consideration if its purchase goes through. India has signalled it will ask Washington for a special waiver from sanctions, though a US official last week said there is no guarantee it would do so. S-400 missile deal: Will India be granted waiver from CAATSA? The US had last month warned against the deal, saying it would be considered as a "significant transaction" and has a potential for imposing tough US sanctions. US President Donald Trump had last month signed an executive order, paving the way for slapping crippling sanctions on countries and foreign entities and individuals violating the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). After signing of the order, the US imposed sanctions on China, an Equipment Development Department under China's Ministry of Defence and its director Li Shangfu for its recent purchase of Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 surface-to-air missile. OneIndia News (with agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 22:46 [IST] Guided by ex-Pak army officials, operating in buddy pairs: Why the Poonch encounter has dragged so much Indo-Pak army comparison: Here are the numbers India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Oct 2: There is palpable tension between India and Pakistan. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi made it clear on Sunday that India is in favour of peace, but not at the cost of self-respect. Surgical strikes: The need for more as 300 terrorists have resurfaced across the border The border is volatile and Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked firing. A constable of the Border Security Force was martyred after Pakistan killed him in a brutal manner. The retaliation was there a couple of days later and the BSF destroyed several Pakistani assets after heavy artillery shelling. The big question is would there be a full fledged war or will it be a measured action by India. How do the armies of India and Pakistan compare? Let us take a look and before that do remember that India has never lost a war with Pakistan. Armed forces must remain 'uncontaminated' from sectarian appeal: Manmohan Singh Blessings of 130 cr people with you: PM Modi celebrates Diwali with soldiers in J&Ks Nowshera With 2 more arrests NIA steps up heat on terrorists targeting civilians in J&K J&K: Cop who decamped with 7 AK-47 rifles joins Hizbul India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Oct 2: The Jammu and Kashmir police personnel who decamped with seven AK-47 rifles has joined the Hizbul Mujahideen. Immediately after decamping with the weapons, he reached out to Hizbul commander Zeenat-ul-Islam. The duo then posed for a photograph and later posted it on the social media. J&K: SPO decamps with 9 service rifles, including seven AK-47s The SPO, Adil Bashir decamped with the service weapons which included seven AK-47 riles, one INSAS and a pistol from the guard room at J-11, government quarters Jawahar Nagar. A cash reward of Rs 2 lakh has been announced for the capture of the SPO along with the weapons. The residential quarter belongs to MLA Wachi, Aijaz Mir where the SPO stole the weapons. "Adil Bashir Sheikh, 24, (Belt No. 488/SPO) originally belongs to Zainpora, Shopian district. A case has been registered in addition to the departmental inquiry. Bashir was engaged as an SPO on March 11 2017. A high alert has been issued. Terrorists using sophisticated weapons in Kashmir may be more than propaganda The incident comes just days after the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists abducted and killed three SPOs. The outfit had given the police, especially the SPOs four days time to resign failing which they would be killed and their families targeted. The SPOs form a crucial part of the rung of the J&K police. They are instrumental in gathering ground level intelligence. In recent times it was the concrete information supplied by the SPOs which led to the targeted killing of top commanders of various terror groups. Intelligence Bureau sources tell OneIndia that this is the precise reason why the Hizbul Mujahideen has decided to target them. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 14:10 [IST] Kailash Satyarthi to be chief guest at RSS annual Vijayadashami celebration India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Oct 2: Nobel peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi will be the chief guest at the Vijayadashami celebration of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Nagpur on October 18, 2018. This is an annual celebration for the RSS in which one chief guest is invited. The programme will be organised at Reshmi Bagh ground. RSS sources informed that Child Right activist and Nobel laureate will grace the occasion in the presence of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. The Sarsanghchal will give his annual speech (udbodhan) on the occasion. Last year the RSS invited Sant Nirmal Das Maharaj, a Dalit Sikh religious leader from Jalandhar, as the chief guest for its annual Vijayadashami function. Opposition can't oppose Ram temple as deity is revered by majority of Indians: Bhagwat The Vijayadashami function is one of the most important events in the RSS' annual calendar and inviting Sant Nirmal Das, the chief of Sri Guru Ravidass Sadhu sect of Punjab, to the event is being viewed as RSS's effort to reach out to Dalit community. When Mohan Bhagwat's remarks left BJP irked Now inviting Kailash Satyarthi will also give the message that how the RSS is concerned with the cause of children. Satyarthi is involved in lots of social work besides child right. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 19:47 [IST] AP EAPCET Round 1 seat allotment delayed again: New date to be announced soon Kisan Kranti Padyatra: Modi Govt no different from British, slams Surjewala India oi-Chennabasaveshwar P New Delhi, Oct 2: As farmers' protest turned violent at the Delhi-UP border on Tuesday, Police used water cannons to disperse farmers who are part of 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Also, tear gas shells were fired on farmers and farmers broke barricades. 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra' has been staged by farmers under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union. On the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, farmers will be marking their protest against the Narendra Modi government. Around 50,000 farmers are seeking complete loan waiver, lower electricity tariff including other demands. Farmer decides to use tractor not for agriculture and we loved what he did Naresh Tikait, President, Bharatiya Kisan Union, asked, "Why have we been stopped here (at UP-Delhi border)? The rally was proceeding in a disciplined manner. If we don't tell our government about our problems then whom do we tell? Do we go to Pakistan or Bangladesh?." Rain makes this woman dance and she has a valid reason to celebrate Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said, "Farmers should be allowed to enter Delhi. Why are they not being allowed to enter Delhi? This is wrong. We are with the farmers." Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, said, "On the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Modi government has shown that it is no different from the pre-independence British govt in India. The British government then used to exploit the farmers and today Modi government is firing tear gas shells at farmers." Earlier on September 30, the Union had announced that their 'Padyatra' that has begun from Haridwar reached the national capital on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. #WATCH Visuals from UP-Delhi border where farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. Police use water cannons to disperse protesters after protesters broke the barricades pic.twitter.com/9KUwKgvrwW ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 Farmer protest to continue near Delhi, schools shut in Ghaziabad today India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Oct 2: As thousands of farmers tried to enter the national capital in a massive protest march, the government Tuesday announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, even as the protesters stayed put saying they were not "satisfied" with the assurance. All schools and colleges in Ghaziabad will remain closed on Wednesday as a preventive measure in view of the ongoing farmers' protest. Rapid Action Force (RAF) has, meanwhile arrived at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border, where the farmers have been stopped during 'Kisan Kranti Padyatra'. 'Drunk with power': Opposition slams govt over police action against farmers At least 30,000 farmers walked and travelled in tractors from neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. They were supposed to end their rally at Kisan Ghat, the memorial of renowned farmer leader Chaudhary Charan Singh, near Raj Ghat, but were stopped at the heavily-barricaded Delhi-UP border. Angry farmers tried to break the barriers and raised slogans forcing the police to use batons, tear gas shells and water cannons to disperse them. Several protesters and policemen were injured in the process. Kisan Kranti Padyatra: Modi Govt no different from British, slams Surjewala The farmers have been protesting as part of their "Kisan Kranti Padyatra" to demand loan waiver, subsidised electricity and fuel, pension for farmers above 60 and implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. The yatra began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23 and farmers from places as far as Gonda, Basti and Gorakhpur in eastern Uttar Pradesh and the sugarcane belt of western UP joined the agitation. Kisan padyatra: Agreement has been reached on majority of issues, says MoS Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, told news agency ANI that farmer leaders who met Home Minister Rajnath Singh today and discussed their demands have reached an agreement on a majority of the issues. But the members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which organised the farmers' march, say that they haven't reached an agreement on the full implementation of the Swaminathan report regarding the minimum selling price (MSP), and their demand of one-time complete loan waiver. Their demands range from farm loan waiver, implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the usage of tractors above 10 years and clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase to increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. The Kisan Kranti Yatra, which began from Tikait Ghat in Haridwar on September 23, is the first of its kind by the BKU since the death of its founder Mahendra Singh Tikait on May 15, 2011. The Tikait clan, including the patriarch's four sons, their wives, grandsons and their children have also hit the streets along with others. Kisan padyatra: Agreement has been reached on majority of issues, says MoS Agriculture India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Oct 2: With thousands of farmers marching towards Delhi in protest against the Union Government over certain demands, Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today (October 2) said that an agreement has been reached over a majority of issues. Earlier, clashes broke out between the police and the marching farmers who were trying to enter the national capital. Police used water cannons and tear gas shells near UP-Delhi border to prevent farmers from entering Delhi. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal slammed the police for resorting to violence and asked as to why the farmers are stopped from entering Delhi. MoS Shekhawat said that Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmer leaders and discussed the matter with them. "Home Minister Rajnath Singh met the farmer's leaders and discussed their demands and have reached an agreement on the majority of the issues. Farmers' leaders, UP ministers Laxmi Narayan ji, Suresh Rana ji and I will go to meet farmers now," Shekhawat told media. [Stalemate continues at UP border, farmer leaders to meet government representative] According to reports, among the demands that have been accepted are a law on MSP, reduction of GST on agricultural goods (it will now be 5%), demands of sugarcane farmers to be met as soon as possible, setting up of an NGT committee and assurance to bring in changes in the bill in connection with insurance. [Kisan Kranti Padyatra: Modi Govt no different from British, slams Surjewala] Reports also say that no consensus has been reached on farm loan waiver and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations. The farmers had arrived in Sahibabad on the outskirts of Delhi on Monday as part of 'Kisan Kranti Yatra' - a march that began in Haridwar and intends to move to Kisan Ghat in Delhi. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 14:50 [IST] Life, work and death of Lal Bahadur Shastri India oi-Pushyarag Shetty New Delhi, Oct 2: Lal Bahadur Shastri was the second Prime Minister of independent India. He took oath after the sudden demise of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister. Relatively new to the high office, he led the country successfully through Indo-Pakistan War in 1965. He popularized the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan', recognizing the need for self-sustenance and self-reliance as the pillars to build a strong nation. Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904, to Ramdulari Devi and Sharada Prasad Shrivastava, in Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh. He shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. Lal Bahadur was against the prevailing caste system and therefore decided to drop his surname. The title "Shastri" was given after the completion of his graduation at Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi in 1925. The title "Shastri" refers to a "scholar" or a person, adept in the "Holy Scriptures". In 1928, Lal Bahadur Shastri married Lalita Devi, the youngest daughter of Ganesh Prasad. He was against the prevailing "dowry system" and so refused to accept dowry. However, on the repeated urging of his father-in-law, he agreed to accept only five yards of khadi (cotton, usually handspun) cloth as dowry. The couple had 6 children. Lal Bahadur Shastri would spend time by reading foreign authors like Marx, Russell and Lenin. In 1915, a speech of Mahatma Gandhi changed the course of his life and decided to actively participate in India's freedom struggle. In 1921, during the non-cooperation movement, Lal Bahadur was arrested for demonstrating defiance against the prohibitory order. Since he was a minor then, the authorities had to release him. He played a crucial role during the Gandhi's 'Salt Satyagraha'. He led a door-to-door campaign, urging people not to pay land revenue and taxes to the British. Shastri was among the prominent Congress leaders who were imprisoned by the British Government in 1942. Gandhiji remembered on his 149th birth anniversary Lal Bahadur Shastri had served in various positions before being elected the Prime Minister of India. After Independence, he became the Minister of police in the Ministry of Govind Vallabh Panth in Uttar Pradesh. His recommendations included the directions for using "water-jets" instead of lathis to disperse the unruly mob. Impressed with his efforts in reforming the state police department, Jawaharlal Nehru, invited Shastri to join the Union cabinet as Minister for Railways. In 1956, Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned from his post, following a train accident that killed around 150 passengers near Ariyalur in Tamil Nadu. Nehru, had once said, "No one could wish for a better comrade than Lal Bahadur, a man of the highest integrity and devoted to ideas". Lal Bahadur Shastri returned to the Cabinet in 1957, first as the Minister for Transport and Communications, and then as the Minister of Commerce and Industry. In 1961, he became the Minister for Home and formed the "Committee on Prevention of Corruption" headed by of K. Santhanam. Gandhi wanted to dissolve Congress a day before he died: Lesser known facts about Bapu Jawaharlal Nehru was succeeded by a mild-mannered and soft-spoken Lal Bahadur Shastri on 9 June, 1964. Shastri tackled many elementary problems like food shortage, unemployment and poverty. To overcome the acute food shortage, Shastri asked the experts to devise a long-term strategy. This was the beginning of famous "Green Revolution". Apart from the Green Revolution, he was also instrumental in promoting the White Revolution. The National Dairy Development Board was formed in 1965 during Shastri's stint as Prime Minister. After the Chinese aggression of 1962, India faced another aggression from Pakistan in 1965 during Shastri's tenure. Shastri showing his mettle, made it very clear that India would not sit and watch. While granting liberty to the Security Forces to retaliate, he said, "Force will be met with force". Lal Bahadur Shastri, who had earlier suffered two heart attacks, died of a third cardiac arrest on 11 January, 1966. He is the only incumbent Indian Prime Minister to have died overseas. Lal Bahadur Shastri was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award posthumously in 1966. Reveal probe records on Lal Bahadur Shastri's death says CIC Shastri's sudden death immediately after signing the Tashkent Pact with Pakistan raised many suspicions. His wife, Lalita Devi, alleged that Shastri was poisoned and the Russian butler serving the Prime Minister was arrested. But he was released later as doctors certified that Shastri died of cardiac arrest. The media circulated a possible conspiracy theory hinting at the involvement of CIA in the death of Shastri. The RTI query posted by author Anuj Dhar was declined by the Prime Minister Office citing a possible souring of diplomatic relations with the US. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 12:59 [IST] SP and JD (U) looking for more electoral space beyond their pocket-borough India oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla New Delhi, Oct 2: While bargaining for seats with national political parties, regional political parties are eying their expansion in other states. At least this has been the case with the Janata Dal (United)-led by chief minister of Bihar and Samajwadi Party-led by former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. They are looking for seats beyond Uttar Pradesh and Bihar where they have their base. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) seat sharing in Bihar has not yet been clinched among Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (U), Lok Janshakti Party and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party, despite the fact that the BJP has reportedly agreed to give JD (U) one seat in Uttar Pradesh and one in Jharkhand. The JD (U) is looking to field its general secretary K C Tyagi from one of the seats in western Uttar Pradesh. A seat is being pinned down for him and the JD (U) wants to field one candidate from Jharkhand. MP polls: 'In talks with Gondwana Ganatantra party for an alliance', says Akhilesh Yadav JD (U) had contested Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in the past as well but focusing on eastern Uttar Pradesh which has cultural and linguistic links with Bihar. Now it wants its share in the electoral alliance. Similarly, the Samajwadi Party (SP) that had an alliance with the Congress in 2017 Assembly elections is now looking to expand its base beyond Uttar Pradesh albeit with an alliance with the Congress. Now, the SP wants to have an alliance with the party not only in Uttar Pradesh but Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The SP has put forth some conditions before the Congress in this regard in Uttar Pradesh ahead 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sources said that senior leaders of the Congress and the SP are discussing the matter to short out differences if any. Sources in the Samajwadi Party said that the party wants seats in poll-bound states from the Congress in exchange for a pact in UP. Reportedly the SP wants to spread its wings in three other Hindi-speaking states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Assembly polls in these three states are due next month. What will be the fate of SP and BSP alliance considering reservation in promotion issue? Meanwhile uncertainty prevails over the Bahujan Samaj Party's move if its wants to go for an alliance. The BSP, too, is looking for a pan-India alliance with the Congress as the two sides were discussing alliances in the poll-bound states. But Mayawati eventually decided to go with Janata Congress Chhattisgarh of Ajit Jogi over the Congress in Chhattisgarh. Both the parties actually failed to reach a meeting point on seats. The BSP has already announced candidates for 22 seats in Madhya Pradesh. Congress leaders, however, have not given up hopes of a wider alliance with the BSP. The SP and the Congress leaders are hoping to hammer out a deal in the coming weeks. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 10:38 [IST] Hopeful IT panel will take up Pegasus; officials may have been instructed to skip last meet: Tharoor Sushma Swaraj mentioned PM Modi 10 times in UN speech, India only 5 times: Tharoor India pti-PTI New Delhi, Oct 2: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Tuesday hit back at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a "campaign" speech, saying one cannot hide behind the national flag and use the United Nations as a political platform. Tharoor also said he felt a "bit rich" to be criticised by the BJP and claimed that Swaraj had mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi 10 times in her speech and spoke about India only five times. Sushma Swaraj's UNGA speech was aimed at BJP voters: Shashi Tharoor Questioning whether Swaraj's address was a UN speech or BJP slogans, he said she devoted the first half of her speech mentioning Modi's vision for a "New India" and discussing programmes as the Swachh Bharat Mission. "Bit rich to be criticised by the BJP for describing Sushma Swaraj's speech as a campaign speech. She mentioned Narendra Modi 10 times during her address and spoke about/on behalf of India only five times. If you use the UN as a political platform you can't hide behind the flag," Tharoor said on Twitter. India won't fail the world': Sushma Swaraj at UN on development goals "Most of the first half of the Sushma Swaraj speech was devoted to plugging Narendra Modi's vision for "New India": Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Surakshit Bharat, Shikshit Bharat, Viksit Bharat, Urjawan Bharat, Shaktiman Bharat. Was this a UN speech or BJP slogans?" he asked. The BJP Monday strongly reacted to Tharoor's reported criticism of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN speech and had said that the opposition party defied a convention of all political parties speaking in the same voice on India's stand abroad. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi had said the Congress is being increasingly seen to be standing with Pakistan as Tharoor's statement was not an isolated incident and the opposition party often spoke the language of the neighouring country. He had told a press conference that the Congress should apologise to the country and said its stand on various issues appeared similar to that of Pakistan in "intent, language and style". Pak glorifies killers, blind to blood of innocents: Sushma Swaraj at UN On Sunday, Tharoor had reportedly said in Kerala that Swaraj's speech was aimed at her party's voters on the subject of Pakistan rather than constructing a positive image of India in the world. Trivedi had said, "There has been an established convention in politics since independence that political parties are unanimous on foreign issues, at least when it comes to taking a stand at the United Nations (UN) where India's position is not of a political party." "Pakistan has always opposed us there. For the first time a senior Congress leader is also criticising," he had said, adding Tharoor had earlier used the term "Hindu Pakistan" to attack the BJP's rule. The BJP leader had also cited comments of Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Ghulam Nabi Azad to liken it with Pakistan in its opposition to the Modi government. He had said the Congress has lost the "moral right" to claim to be the party of Mahatma Gandhi, wondering if the Congress in zeal to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also opposing the country. PTI Tamil Nadus Islamic State problem and why Cuddalore is back on the radar India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chennai, Oct 2: A specific threat to the Cuddalore jail in Tamil Nadu has once again raised the question about the big presence of the Islamic State in the state. Tamil Nadu and the ISIS have had a long association and it was from this state that the first known recruit was reported. This time around the threat is to the jail where a top ISIS operative Ansar Meeran is lodged. He was arrested on the charge of mobilising funds and facilitating the travel of a few persons to both Iraq and Syria. NSA visits Iran to discuss regional peace and security from ISIS The National Investigation Agency which received this input has shared it with the Tamil Nadu police following which security has been stepped up. The input suggests that operatives of the ISIS are planning to strike at the jail and try and free Meeran. The Tamil Nadu connect: The first known ISIS recruit from India was in fact a resident of Cuddalore. Haja Fakkruddin, it may be recalled had in early 2014 left for Syria through Singapore to be part of the ISIS. This was followed by a series of events related to the group and there was an image on the social media that went viral, in which several youth were seen posing with ISIS merchandise. The threat of the ISIS has been looming large in the state and there are several pockets where the problem is severe. While looking into Haja's case, it was found that he was radicalised by a Cuddalore based group, . Haja is not the only operative from Cuddalore to have joined the ISIS. A computer engineer was deported recently from Singapore. He said that it was he who had introduced Haja to this organisation, following which he was radicalised. During the various searches, literature relating to the ISIS had been found. Speeches of the 20th century Islamist thinker Abul Ala Maududi have been found in the possession of several youth. Further the police have also seized compact discs which had the speeches of radical elements such as Anwar Al Awlaki and Abdul Raheem Green. ISIS operative from Kerala deported to India The TN connection: In its 2016 chargesheet, the National Investigation speaks about the role of Mohammad Naseer, a computer engineer in his mid 20s. Naseer was heading to Libya from Sudan, but was apprehended and later deported to India. He did his computer engineering from the MNM college in Chennai. It was at this time that he would visit a mosque at Chennai which was run by the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath, non-political Islamic Organisation that preaches a puritanical version of Islam. This group was founded by P Jainul Abdeen in 2004, when he broke away from the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam. The role of the ISIS in Tamil Nadu was unraveled in a big way in 2014. In August 2014, the police arrested Abdul Rahman and Mohammad Rizwan from the Ramnathapuram district on the charge that they were distributing t-shirts with the ISIS emblem. A photo showing 26 youth posing with the t-shirt in front of a Mosque at Thondi had surfaced on the social media. While the police were not able to find any direct link with the outfit, it however showed that the ISIS was gradually being received in the state. In Tamil Nadu, there are several groups which have been trying to wade off this threat. The high number of radicalisations in the state since early 2013 had left security agencies and many members of the Muslim community worried. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that the threat in TN is not just from the ISIS. The Al-Qaeda through its various shadow outfits have set up shop in the state. One such outfit is called the Base Movement, which subscribes to the Al-Qaeda's ideology. The combination of terror groups in South comprises both underground and overground operatives. There are groups such as the Al-Ummah which operate openly and focus largely on political hits. The blast at Coimbatore or the one outside the BJP office in Karnataka in 2013 all bore the signature of the Al-Ummah as the attacks were political in nature. J&K: 5 terrorists killed, but spurt in recruitment's remains a concern The spill out: The problem of the ISIS did not remain restricted only to Tamil Nadu or the rest of South India. The spill out of this was felt in Maharashtra, where four persons left India for Syria to join the outfit. However, the biggest case relating to the ISIS was again reported from South India. Nearly 23 persons had gone missing from Kerala and investigations showed that they had joined the ISIS in Afghanistan. The Afghan wing of the ISIS has been heavily recruiting Indians and the target has always been South and Kerala in particular. It was found that it is easier to target youth from Kerala due to the high levels of radicalisation and hence this has been a preferred destination. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 7:59 [IST] Why is Mahatma Gandhi revered in South Africa? India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Oct 2: Mahatma Gandhi's role in India's freedom struggle is well known, but before that it was in South Africa where Gandhiji began his fight against oppression. The work that Mahatma Gandhi did in South Africa to fight racial discrimination often gets overshadowed. Mahatma Gandhi was a barrister by profession and studied law in London. In April 1893, Gandhi left for South Africa to be the lawyer for Dada Abdullah's cousin. Abdullah owned a large successful shipping business in South Africa. His distant cousin in Johannesburg needed a lawyer. Gandhiji remembered on his 149th birth anniversary Immediately upon arriving in South Africa, Gandhi faced discrimination because of his skin colour and heritage, like all people of colour. One particular incident which took place at Pietermaritzburg is said to have shaken Gandhi. While he was travelling by train to Pretoria, Gandhi, despite carrying first class ticket, was thrown out of the train by the authorities because a white man complained of an Indian sharing the space with him. It was after this incident that Gandhi decided to fight against the oppression of non-white people in South Africa. After several such racial incidents in South Africa, Gandhi's thinking and focus changed, and he felt he must resist this and fight for rights. He entered politics by forming the Natal Indian Congress. The Abdullah case that had brought him to South Africa concluded in May 1894, and the Indian community organised a farewell party for Gandhi as he prepared to return to India. However, a new Natal government discriminatory proposal led to Gandhi extending his original period of stay in South Africa. He planned to assist Indians in opposing a bill to deny them the right to vote, a right then proposed to be an exclusive European right. Artists from 124 countries contribute musically through Gandhiji's favourite bhajan Vaishnav Jan... Gandhi stanchly opposed racism and led many protests against apartheid. According to the Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela, Gandhi and his colleagues served and helped Africans by opposing racism. In the years after black South Africans gained the right to vote in South Africa (1994), Gandhi was proclaimed a national hero with numerous monuments. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 16:42 [IST] You tried Modi and he broke your trust, now try Congress: Rahul Gandhi India pti-PTI Wardha (Maha), Oct 2: Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of following divisive politics and making false promises, Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the people "tried" the BJP leader but his government "got punctured" and it was time to trust the Congress to take India forward. The Congress president invoked Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of adherence to truth and communal harmony to hit out at the Modi government and alleged the prime minister was fighting against the same ideals for which the Father of the Nation sacrificed all his life and took three bullets. Congress calls for 'second freedom struggle' against Modi govt Addressing a rally here to kick off the Congress's programmes in the 150th birth anniversary year of the father of the nation, Rahul Gandhi also targeted the Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal and on issues related to defaulter businessmen Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya. "The thieves of India, with the help of Narendra Modi, turned lakhs, crores of black money into white. Modiji took money out of your pockets and put it in the pockets of (fugitive businessmen) Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya," he said. "You tried Modiji (gave a chance to him). The vehicle (the Modi government) failed, got punctured, its engine exploded, it did not work. He broke your trust...now you trust the Congress, the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi to take India forward," Rahul Gandhi said at Wardha in Maharashtra, where Mahatma Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram is located. CWC meeting: Sonia, Rahul Gandhi wash their plates The Congress chief also led a march, covering a part of the four-kilometre distance in his vehicle and the rest on foot, to mark Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary and to give a message against what the party called the "atmosphere of fear" in the country. Senior party leaders K C Venugopal, R P N Singh, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, state unit president Ashok Chavan, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and others joined Rahul Gandhi, as he began the march after garlanding a statue of the father of the nation near the district collector's office. Rahul Gandhi was greeted by thousands of people who waved at him and jostled with each other to catch a glimpse of the Congress leader. People as well as Congress workers lined up both sides of the road, giving some tough moments to Gandhi's security personnel. Rahul visiting temples is nothing but a "political gimmick": Giriraj Singh Wardha district has traditionally been a bastion of the Congress. The party leadership was in Sevagram village, located around 10 km from Wardha district headquarters, to attend the meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Tuesday. The Congress is seeking return to power at the Centre and also in Maharashtra following its drubbing at the hands of the BJP in last polls. On soaring fuel prices, the Congress chief accused Modi of taking money from the pockets of the common people and putting it in the pockets of "15-20 richest" individuals. "The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime)," he alleged. Reacting to his charges, the BJP said the Congress leader was a "tape recorder of lies" and his party's fortunes will go down as swiftly as he resorts to "falsehoods" to target the Modi government. Rahul Gandhi accused Modi of insulting Mahatma Gandhi and every citizen of the country by stating in his Independence Day speech that "nothing had happened in India" before he became the prime minister. "Gandhiji talked about uniting the country. Modiji talks about breaking up the people of the country," the Congress chief said. He alleged the prime minister pitched one religion against another, one community against another and spread hatred among people. "Gandhiji insisted on speaking the truth...I want to ask you, when Modiji made the promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the account of every person, was he speaking the truth or did he lie?" he asked the crowd. The Congress leader alleged Modi also "lied" by promising to create two crore jobs every year and giving a fair price for farm produce. "When I asked Modiji about the Rafale deal (in Parliament), Modiji avoided eye contact. He would look here and there, up and down. But Modiji could not speak by looking the nation in the eye, because he was lying," the Congress chief alleged. The Congress chief also accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of writing off loans worth Rs 3.20 lakh crore of "15-20 richest people", but not granting loan waiver to farmers. He promised that his party would waive farm loans if it was elected to power. On demonetisation, Rahul Gandhi said, "all the friends" of the prime minister entered the banks "through the back door" and turned their black money into white, while the common people lined up outside the banks to deposit the scrapped currency. "The thieves of India, with the help of Narendra Modi, turned lakhs, crores of black money into white. Modiji took money out of your pockets and put it in the pockets of (fugitive businessmen) Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya," he said. On the soaring fuel prices, the Congress chief accused Modi of taking money from the pockets of the common people and putting it in the pockets of "15-20 richest" individuals. "The chowkidar (watchman) is doing it and doing it for them (the rich). He (Modi) is not a chowkidar, but bhagidar (partner in crime)," he alleged. PTI China: Uyghur editor jumps from 8th floor fearing detention International oi-Shubham Ghosh Beijing, Oct 2: In a bizarre incident, an Uyghur editor-in-chief of a state-run literature magazine in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of northwest China committed suicide as he apprehended detention in a political "re-education camp", Radio Free Asia (RFA) cited sources as saying. The tragedy happened amid a series of arrests of Uyghur officials accused of being two-faced. "Two-faced" is a term which is used by the government to describe Uyghur cadres who on one hand pay lip service to Communist Party rule in the XUAR, but secretly dissent state policies that allegedly repress the members of their ethnic group. The 55-year-old editor-in-chief of Literature Translation magazine, Qeyser Qeyum, "jumped out of the eighth floor" of his office building in Urumqi, the regional capital, RFA's Uyghur Service cited as being told by Qutluq Almas, who had previously worked with Qeyum at Xinjiang University. Pakistan takes advantage of its strategic location to win powerful nations by its side Almas, who is in exile in the US now, had earlier told RFA about Azat Sultan, the Uyghur former vice president of Xinjiang University who was arrested in July 2017 from the Xinjiang Association of Literature and Art where he worked as the president. Starting in April last year, the Uyghurs accused of harbouring "strong religious views" and "politically incorrect" ideas have either been jailed or detailed in political re-education camps across the XUAR, where members of the ethnic group have complained of religious and culture suppression under Beijing's rule. India's hiking tariffs on 19 items will hurt its consumers, say Chinese experts Juret Nizamidin, an ex- journalist with the official Xinjiang Daily newspaper also said about Qeyum's death, the RFA report said. According to him, the offices of Literature Translation at Xinjiang Association of Literature and Art are located next to those of Xinjiang Daily and the latter's Uyghur deputy editor-in-chief and three Uyghur directors were arrested for being "two-faced" by authorities in mid-2017. Qeyum was reportedly afraid and apprehended an arrest next. "Not long after these arrests took place [in August 2017], Qeyser Qeyum committed suicide by jumping from the 8th floor," Nizamidin was quoted as saying. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 6:32 [IST] Chopper close to LoC, but within Pak airspace claims PoK PM International oi-Vicky Nanjappa Islamabad, Oct 2: PoK's "Prime Minister" Raja Farooq Haider has claimed that the white chopper he was travelling in was "very close" to the LoC but within Pakistan's airspace, and that there was no need to inform the Indian authorities about the flight as it was not a military helicopter. The Indian Army said on Sunday that a Pakistani chopper violated the Indian airspace along the line of control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir but turned back after it was "engaged by air sentries". J&K: Pakistani helicopter violates Indian airspace in Poonch sector Indian officials claimed that the white helicopter crossed into the Indian airspace in Gulpur sector and hovered over there for sometime before turning back. Three forward posts fired small arms after noticing the airspace violation, the sources said. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) leader Haider said he was travelling with two ministers and his personal staff officer in a civilian white-coloured aircraft on Sunday when it was attacked near Abbaspur village. Talking to Dawn, Haider said the incident took place at around 12:10 pm. "I had gone to Forward Kahuta to condole the death of the brother of one of my ministers and meet the residents of the area adjacent to the LoC. While we were passing through Abbaspur, the Indian army suddenly opened fire at my helicopter. Luckily, we remained unhurt and the helicopter was not damaged," he said. "We were very close to zero line but we were within our space. Moreover, it was a civilian helicopter so the Indian Army should not have opened fire at it," Haider said. He said that military helicopters, on both sides, intimate each other before flying according to the standard operating procedure. Avenged! Something big just happened at the Indo-Pak border As it was a civilian helicopter, there was no need to intimate about it, Haider said, adding that he frequently travels in the area but such an incident had never happened. He said that he would formally take up the matter with the government of Pakistan to pursue the issue and take appropriate action. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif said the attack was a severe violation of international and bilateral laws and also against the diplomatic norms. Sharif's PML-N rules PoK and Haider is a leading member of the party. Pakistan's Foreign Office has so far not commented on the incident. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 6:09 [IST] No impact on India after US withdraws from Paris agreement: Official International oi-PTI Washington, Oct 2: On Monday (Oct 1), an environment official said India is not in favour of reopening of clauses of Paris agreement on climate change. Environment secretary C. K. Mishra asserted that Trump administration pulling out from the climate agreement will not have any adverse impact on India. The Paris agreement aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Trump keeping 'open mind' on Paris Agreement: Report "In all our negotiations, that we are having today or we are going to have tomorrow, the US is part of it. There has been a talk of reopening of some of the clauses of Paris agreement. "India is not in favour and that has been largely accepted. So as of now, if the US is with us, it strengthens the climate change negotiations, but I don't think we are having an adverse impact affect as far as negotiations are concerned," Mishra told reporters. When asked whether this would have any adverse impact on India after US pulled out from agreement, Mishra told that it won't have any impact on the country. Paris Agreement goals are unlikely to be met Paris agreement is an agreement within UNFCCC which was signed in 2015. It not only strengthens its response to threat of climate change but also strengthens the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate changes. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, October 2, 2018, 16:20 [IST] Peace declaration can't be used as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks: North Korea International pti-PTI Tokyo, Oct 2: North Korea warned Washington through its state media on Tuesday that a declaration ending the Korean War shouldn't be seen as a bargaining chip in denuclearization talks but suggested lifting sanctions might be. The North's official news agency issued a commentary claiming Pyongyang has taken significant measures to end hostile relations between the two countries but said the U.S. is "trying to subdue" it through sanctions, a not-so-subtle call for Washington to lift sanctions if it wants further progress in their stalled nuclear negotiations. The commentary said a declaration replacing a 65-year-old armistice to formally end the war "is not just a gift from a man to another," and added, "it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearized." The DPRK is short for the North's official name the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The commentary was directed at supporters of the U.S. policy to maintain maximum pressure and sanctions on North Korea until it has made clear and significant moves to denuclearize. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a vocal advocate of that policy is expected to travel to Pyongyang soon to try to revive the negotiation process and set the stage for a second summit between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un. The commentary echoes a speech by North Korea's foreign minister, Ri Yong Ho, at the United Nations last week in which he claimed North Korea is ready to implement the agreements Trump and Kim made during their first summit, in Singapore in June, but also accused Washington of failing to demonstrate its willingness to ease tensions and build mutual trust. "Without any trust in the U.S., there will be no confidence in our national security," he said, "and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first." The North's emphasis on lifting sanctions and building trust above all else puts a spotlight on the rift between its position and Washington's since the Singapore summit, when Trump and Kim issued a vague statement about a nuclear-free peninsula without describing when and how it would occur. [After third Korean summit, another Kim-Trump meeting on radar?] Negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have since been rocky, with neither side able to agree on a starting point and widespread skepticism in the United States over whether Pyongyang is serious about renouncing an arsenal it sees as the only way to guarantee its safety. Hopes for progress in the talks got a boost last month, when South Korean President Moon Jae-in met with Kim in Pyongyang for their third summit. The summit resulted in a joint statement in which the North expressed willingness for a "permanent" dismantling of its main nuclear facility in Nyongbyon if the United States takes corresponding measures and the dismantling of a missile engine test site and launch pad in northwestern North Korea. [N-Korea stages huge parade, holds back advanced missiles] What the North would see as corresponding measures wasn't specified. But Tuesday's commentary and the U.N. statement suggest sanctions are a primary concern. The 1950-53 Korean War ended in what was intended to be a temporary ceasefire. Moon and Kim are pushing for the end-of-war declaration by December. The declaration would be less difficult to make than a formal peace treaty, and Moon says he and Kim have agreed such a "political declaration" wouldn't require the pullout of 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. PTI Nobel Prize 2021 in chemistry honours pair for new way to make molecules What are Nobel Prize winning physicists' inventions? International oi-Chennabasaveshwar P Stockholm, Oct 2: US scientist Arthur Ashkin (96), Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics "for the optical tweezers and their application to biological systems." Ashkin's optical tweezers grab particles, atoms and molecules with their laser beam fingers. They can examine and manipulate viruses, bacteria and other living cells without damaging them. New opportunities for observing and controlling the machinery of life have been created. According to the Nobel committee, science fiction has become a reality. Optical tweezers make it possible to observe, turn, cut, push and pull with light. In many laboratories, laser tweezers are used to study biological processes, such as proteins, molecular motors, DNA or the inner life of cells. Also Read | Arthur Ashkin, Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland win Nobel Prize 2018 in Physics Gerard Mourou of France and Donna Strickland of Canada have been awarded the Nobel in Physics "for their method of generating high-intensity, ultra-short optical pulses." They paved the way towards the shortest and most intense laser pulses created by humankind. The technique they developed opened up new areas of research and led to broad industrial and medical applications. Mourou and Strickland's technique is known as Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA) in which a short laser pulse can be stretched in time, amplified and squeezed together again. James P. Allison, Tasuku Honjo win 2018 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine This year's Nobel Prize inventions revolutionised laser physics. Extremely small objects and incredibly fast processes now appear in a new light. Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications. Arthur Ashkin, awarded the 2018 #NobelPrize, had a dream: imagine if beams of light could be put to work and made to move objects. He realised his dream by creating a light trap, which became known as optical tweezers. pic.twitter.com/6W6juINq5f The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 2, 2018 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) The government is ready to thwart ISIS threat, Malacanang said Tuesday amid reports that members of the international terrorist network have entered the country. "We assure the public that we are in a better position to deal with terrorists," Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace press briefing. "Hayaan niyo silang magtangka na magkalat ng lagim, handa naman po tayo para ipatupad ang mga batas ng Pilipinas," he added. [Translation: "Let them try to sow terror, we are ready to implement the laws of the Philippines."] Roque was reacting to a September 30 Washington Times report that ISIS fighters fleeing the war in Iraq and Syria "have returned" to Mindanao. The report cited figures from Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies that show there were more ISIS fighters in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao now, than there were in Afghanistan and Iraq during the height of wars led by the United States there. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has yet to release an official statement on the matter. Malacanang recognized the ISIS threat, but highlighted the country's achievements in counter-terrorism, as reported by the U.S. State Department. "Ang mabuting balita naman po bagamat may ganyang banta (The good news is, despite that threat), the U.S. State Department said, and I quote, 'the Philippines improved its counter-terrorism capabilities,'" Roque said. The same report, however, listed the Philippines as among the top five countries with the most terror attacks, along with Afghanistan, India, Iraq and Pakistan. Senator Richard Gordon, during a hearing on the 2019 budget of the Defense Department on Tuesday, urged the AFP to beef up its equipment to prevent terrorists from entering the country's coasts. "IS fighters return to Mindanao. Saan papasok 'yan (Where will they enter)," Gordon said as he read a newspaper headline. "Pumapasok sa backdoor yan (Through the backdoor) You need a littoral fleet. You need a small craft para mainterdict yan (to interdict them)," he said. The AFP has said it is in the process of procuring patrol vessels and other equipment to guard the country's borders. The Bureau of Immigration on Monday said it has barred a suspected ISIS member from entering the country on September 22. The Multinational Observer Group (MOG) says its main objective will be to ensure that Fijis 2018 General Election is free and fair. The group, which is co-led by Australia, India and Indonesia, has already signed a term of reference with the Minister Responsible for Elections, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.Their responsibility is to observe and evaluate the functions and operations of the Fijian Elections Office and oversee the entire polling day process.Speaking on behalf of the group, Indias High Commissioner to Fiji Vishvas Sapkal said the MOGs role would be an important one.Our aim is to ensure that a free and fair election is delivered in the upcoming general elections, he said.Sapkal said the election observers from India would be arriving in the country soon.We are honoured to co-lead MOG with Australia and Indonesia in the 2018 General Election.Australias High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes said the MOG was ready to conduct the same role they had undertaken in the 2014 General Election, that was to observe. The first staff from the MOG arrived in the country over the weekend. We will expect more observers to come in just before the elections to observe the elections.I anticipate that they will be deployed across the country to observe polling and also observe the run up to voting.We are really pleased to join India, being the worlds largest democracy and Indonesia, the third largest democracy.He also confirmed that a total of 12 election observers from Australia were expected to arrive into the country soon.Questions were also sent to the Indonesian ambassador to Fiji Benyamin Scott Carnadi remained unanswered....SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/PACNEWS Yggdrasil Strikes Partnership Deal With Paf Casino Published October 2, 2018 by Ivan P As a result of this deal, Paf Casino will get access to the entire Yggdrasil gaming library as well as BOOST, their proprietary set of promotional tools. Yggdrasil, one of the more productive game developers as of late, has entered a new partnership deal, making their titles available to more players around the globe. 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The casino will also have an opportunity to take advantage of BOOST, a proprietary set of Yggdrasil marketing and promotional tools designed to create a better gaming experience and improve cross-sell opportunities for the operator. For Yggdrasil's CEO Fredrik Elmqvist this partnership is an important sign that Yggdrasil is recognized as one of the leading game developers by operators in Nordic countries. Paf Casino, on the other hand, is convinced that Yggdrasil games will find the same success they have had across other regulated markets with their players as well. Beverage Refrigeration Market 2024 Global Manufacturers are Dover Corporation, GE, Electrolux, Whirlpool Corporation, Haier. https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2111 https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/beverage-refrigeration-market www.gminsights.com/ The rise in beverage refrigeration market share in the region can be primarily credited to the increasing consumption of refreshment drinks. Escalating demand for refrigerators to store and serve drinks for social gathering and private events, is a key factor driving beverage refrigeration market growth. Ongoing technological advances to reduce the overall cooling time and consumer demand for distinctive features such as bottom freezer drawer and powerful filtered water will boost beverage refrigeration market. Beverage Refrigeration Market to reach USD 4.5 billion by 2024.North America Beverage Refrigeration Market is anticipated to surpass USD 1 billion by 2024. This can be credited to escalating consumption of refreshment drinks and technological improvements in refrigeration systems. In addition, government encouraging utilization of energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies in refrigerators.Sample copy of this Report @Rising demand to preserve milk in dairy shops will propel coolers demand over the projected timeframe. Diary companies are upgrading their existing capacities, and setting up cold storages along with the processing plant. This will generate the overall revenue over the forecast period.Increasing consumer preference for packaged drinks which are convenient to consume at home will support the product demand. According to recent statistics, the global consumption of packaged drinks was estimated more than 1.05 trillion liters in 2016 and Chinese consumption amounted to about 178.6 billion liters.Beverage Refrigeration Market, By Producto Under counter beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing Dooro Countertop beverage refrigerator Gliding door Swing dooro Storage beverage refrigeratoro Milk coolersMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @Under counter beverage refrigerator was valued at over USD 1 billion in 2016. Product offering such as stainless-steel body or custom panel-ready fronts are stimulating the demand. In addition, better shelving and temperature control will support segment penetration over the forecast period.Manufacturers are anticipated to invest in new product development to comply with new energy standards implemented by the regulatory bodies. Further, increasing penetration of refrigerators that employ specific features such as modifiable shelves to accommodate bottles and cans will boost product sales.Browse Report Summery @Asia Pacific market holds over 20% of overall industry share in 2016. According to industry estimates, the region is anticipated to account for more than two-thirds of the global beverages consumption by 2020. The region accounts for 60% of the world population and increasing consumption will provide lucrative opportunities for manufacturers.Global Beverage Refrigeration Market is fragmented in nature. Key industry players are Electrolux, Daikin Industries, Avanti, Dover Corporation, KingsBottle, Whirlpool Corporation, Edgestar, Haier, Ford and General Electrics. Other Industry participants are Koolatron, Coca-Cola, Danfoss, Gamko, Liebherr, Marvel, Kegco, Danby, Johnson Controls, U-line, HABCO, Allavino, Kenmore, Marvel, United Technologies Corporation and Illinois Tool Works.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb: Myanmar: Country Intelligence Report 2018 By MPT, Ooredoo Myanmar, Telenor Myanmar, YTP, Redlink, 5BB, Mytel Orbis Research http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/2221578 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/2221578 http://www.orbisresearch.com/contact/purchase/2221578 "Myanmar: Country Intelligence Report", a new Country Intelligence Report by GlobalData, provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in Myanmar today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2023. Published annually, the report provides detailed analysis of the near-term opportunities, competitive dynamics and evolution of demand by service type and technology/platform across the fixed telephony, broadband, and mobile segments, as well as a review of key regulatory trends.The telecom service revenue growth in Myanmar over 2018-2023 will be driven by the mobile data and fixed broadband segment. Mobile data will be the largest revenue-contributing segment over 2018-2023 driven by proliferation of smartphone subscriptions and increasing adoption of 4G services with higher ARPU. Going forward, operators will focus on offering data-centric services and invest in LTE/LTE-A infrastructure devlopment and coverage expansion. Broadband segment will witness investments in FTTx technology, supported by the government's universal service strategy to boost broadband penetration in the country and providing significant opportunities for vendors and investors in the coming years.Scope:- Overall telecom service revenue in Myanmar will grow at a CAGR of 3.0% from $2.6bn to about $3.0bn by year-end 2023.- Mobile revenue will account for 93.3% of total telecom revenue in 2023, driven by increasing adoption of mobile broadband and 4G services.- 4G will become the most adopted mobile technology by 2021. Rising smartphone subscriptions and LTE network expansions from operators will drive subscriber growth.- The top two mobile operators, MPT and Telenor will account for 81% share of total mobile subscriptions in 2018. We expect the competition to intensify further as all the operators are focusing on improving and expanding their LTE networks.Get a Sample Copy of this Report@Key Players: MPT Ooredoo Myanmar Telenor Myanmar YTP Redlink 5BB MytelThe Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following -- Demographic and macroeconomic context in Myanmar.- The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, tariff regulation and more.- Telecom market outlook: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice, and mobile data markets.- The competitive landscape: an examination of the positioning of leading players in the telecom services market as well as subscription market shares across segments.- Company snapshots: analysis of the financial position of leading service providers in the telecommunications market.- Underlying assumptions behind our published base-case forecasts, as well as potential market developments that would alter, either positively or negatively, our base-case outlook.Make an Inquiry before buying@Reasons to buy:- This Country Intelligence Report offers a thorough, forward-looking analysis of Myanmars telecommunications markets, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format to help executives build proactive and profitable growth strategies.- Accompanying GlobalDatas Forecast products, the report examines the assumptions and drivers behind ongoing and upcoming trends in Myanmars mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares.- With more than 20 charts and tables, the report is designed for an executive-level audience, boasting presentation quality.- The report provides an easily digestible market assessment for decision-makers built around in-depth information gathered from local market players, which enables executives to quickly get up to speed with the current and emerging trends in Myanmars telecommunications markets.- The broad perspective of the report coupled with comprehensive, actionable detail will help operators, equipment vendors and other telecom industry players succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in Myanmar.Table of Contents:Market highlights 4Demographic, macroeconomic and regulatory context 5Demographic and macroeconomic context 6Regulatory context 8Telecom services market outlook 9Total telecom service revenue 10Mobile services market 12Fixed services market 18Competitive landscape and company snapshots 22Competitive landscape 23MPT 25Ooredoo Myanmar 26Telenor Myanmar 27Additional resources 28Baseline forecast assumptions 29Data tables 30Glossary 32Research methodology 35About the authors 36Country Intelligence Report coverage 37About GlobalData 38Get More Access with Full TOC@About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Info:Hector CostelloSenior Manager Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Email id: sales@orbisresearch.com Low Code Development Platform Market 2018 Global Key Players: Salesforce, OutSystems, Mendix, Google Inc https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5355 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/low-code-development-platform-market-5355 Market Highlights:Low code development platform (LCDP) refers to the development of applications software by the means of graphical user interface (GUI) instead of the conventional process of computer programming. The platforms mainly concentrated on creation and development of business processes, a user interfaces such as web applications and database platforms. The low code development offers low or no coding techniques, which eventually reduces the time and cost for the development of the platform, which, in turn, are advantageous to the business processes.However, the surging demand for mobile-based apps for the business processes and increasing number of application programming interface (API) offerings by the solution vendors are presumed to be propelling factors for the low code development platform market over the forecast period.The Salesforce.com, Outsystem, and Mendix are the leading companies, which offer different platforms such as Salesforce App cloud platform, outsystems, and mendix platform respectively, which allows to create and develop their business app and perform faster than their expectation. The low code development platform offers critical and complex solutions to ease the business processes, which are generally classified into web and mobile solutions.On the other hand, the customization based apps for the business organizations are presumed to be challenging factors for the LCDP market over the review period 2017-2023.Request a Sample Report @Major Key Players: Salesforce (U.S.) OutSystems(U.S.) Mendix(U.S.) Google Inc., (U.S.) Caspio(U.S.) Appian (U.S.) Microsoft Corporation (U.S.) MatsSoft (U.K) K2(U.S.) Bizagi (U.K) AgilePoint (U.S.) Service now (U.S.) Kony Inc, (U.S) TrackVia Inc. (U.S.)Regional Analysis:Geographically, the low code development market is categorized into five different regions: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World.North America is expected to be the prominent region in the low code development platform market over the forecast period. The U.S. is the leading country in this region owing to the presence of a large number of low code development platform providers. Europe is likely to experience rapid growth in the low code development platform market over the next few years.Increasing investment in IT solutions and enhanced demand for mobile-based apps for the business organization, Asia Pacific region is expected to have substantial growth over the forecast period 2017-2023.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors.Segmentation: The Low Code Development Platform Market is segmented based on type, component, deployment, organization size, and applications. Based on the type, the low code development platform is sub-segmented into database app platform, process app platform, general purpose platform, and request handling platform. On the basis of the component, it is segmented into solution and services. The solution based low code development is categorized into mobile solutions and web solutions. Furthermore, the service based low code development consists of professional services and managed services. The deployment is sub-segmented into on-premises and on the cloud. The on the cloud is further categorized into public, private, and hybrid. On the basis of the size of the organization, the market is sub-segmented into small & medium enterprises, and large enterprises. Based on the application, it is further segmented into banking, financial services, and Insurance (BFSI), retail, healthcare, transportation & logistics, IT & telecommunication, media & entertainment, construction, and others.Access Report Details @Target Audience: Research Firms. Government Agencies Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) Internet Service Providers (ISPs) System integrators Value-Added Resellers (VARs) Low code development providers Platform integratorsTable of Contents1 Executive Summary2 Scope of the Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast ModelContinued.List of TablesTable1 World Population by Major Regions (2017 To 2023)Table2 Global Low Code Development Platform Market: By Region, 2017-2023Table3 North America Low Code Development Platform Market: By Country, 2017-2023Continued.List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Low Code Development Platform Market SegmentationFigure 2 Forecast MethodologyFigure 3 Porters Five Forces Analysis of Global Low Code Development Platform MarketContinued.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by Components, Application, Logistics and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com In-vitro Diagnostics Market 2023 Vision Industry Driving Factors and Revenue Analysis by Pivotal Players as Johnson & Johnson, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Sysmex, etc In-vitro Diagnostic Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1165 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1165 Market Research Future firm announced a new research report named as Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market, the global in-vitro diagnostics market is registered to expand at a notable CAGR of 6.5% during the forecast period of 2017-2023. Report provide detail market analysis of Global Biologics Market with region and competitive analysis, Information about the present and forecasted market with its key players that influences the market on global scale and Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped.In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry Updates:In September 2018, OptraSCAN, a leading end-to-end digital pathology solution provider, has announced that its whole-slide scanners have received CE Mark approval for in-vitro diagnostics use.Market Drivers and Restraints:The in-vitro diagnostics products include reagents, instruments and any other system or equipment that is required to carry out the diagnostics procedure. The rapid increase in chronic and infectious diseases and rise in geriatric population are some of the major factors that are inducing high demand for in-vitro diagnostics in the global market, which in turn is propelling the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market.Incorporation of advanced technology for diagnostic purposes has fastened the process altogether leading to the significant growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market. However, strict regulatory framework imposed by the government on the manufacturing of IVD products and lack of reimbursement policies are likely to create hindrance in the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market during the forecast period.To Get PDF Sample Copy of Report VisitThe market is immensely growing due to the increasing demand for advanced diagnostic techniques. Additional factors that influence the market growth are increasing technological advancement in healthcare that supports the desired results, further increasing the market growth.Moreover, the government funding to encourage the adoption of in-vitro diagnostic are pervasively fostering the market growth. On the other hand, factors such as the lack of proper reimbursement policies in the developing countries and strict FDA regulations are obstructing the market growth.Regional Analysis for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics MarketThe global in-vitro diagnostics market is geographically segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. The Americas dominate the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the increased healthcare expenditure by the population of this region and increasing penetration of advanced technology in the healthcare sector of this region. The Europe region constitutes of second largest share in the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the easy adoption of advanced technology and high prevalence of chronic diseases among the population of this region. The Asia Pacific region is projecting noteworthy growth in the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the rapid development of the healthcare sector and increasing number of private diagnostic centers in this region. Whereas, low penetration of advanced technology in the healthcare sector of the underdeveloped areas of the Middle East and Africa region is creating hindrance in the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market in this region.Key Players for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics MarketThe prominent players profiled by MRFR in the report on the global in-vitro diagnostics market are Abbott (the U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Biomerieux (France), Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (the U.S.), Johnson & Johnson (the U.S.), Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Sysmex (Japan), Becton Dickinson (the U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (the U.S.), Accelerate Diagnostics (the U.S.), Hycor Biomedical (the U.S.), Diagnostic Biosystems (the U.S.), Eurogentec (Belgium), Orgentec Diagnostics (US), Immunarray PVT. LTD (the U.S.), Werfen Group (Spain), Danaher Corporation (the U.S.), Bio-Rad Laboratories INC (the U.S.), Stago Diagnostica (France), Alere Inc (the U.S.) and others.Segmentations for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics MarketThe global in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented on the basis of techniques, application and end users. Based on techniques, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into Immunodiagnostics, blood testing, molecular diagnostics, tissue diagnostics and clinical chemistry. The immunodiagnostic segment is sub-segmented into enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAS), fluorescence immunoassays (FIAS), colorimetric immunoassays (CIC), and radioimmunoassay (RIA) and other immune assay techniques.Based on applications, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into infectious diseases, cancer, cardiac diseases, and immune systems disorders, nephrological diseases, gastrointestinal diseases. The infectious diseases segment is sub-segmented into acinetobacter infections, actinomycosis, hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E) and others. The cancer segment is sub-segmented into skin, lung, brain and others. The cardiac diseases segment is sub-segmented into heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, congenital heart disease and others.Based on end users, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into laboratories, academics and medical institutions and others.To Get an Exclusive Discount on Report VisitAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureHadapsar, Pune 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Acaricides Market | Industry Improvement Status and Outlook (2018-2023) By Analyzing the Performance of Various Competitors E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Chemtura USA Corp, Etc. https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5267 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/acaricides-market-5267 Market Definition:Acaricides are a class of pesticides, which are used in the agricultural sector to restrict the attack of arachnid on the agricultural produce. Apart from the agriculture, acaricides are increasingly used in the animal husbandry. Growing demand for food grains coupled with the shrinking farmland is expected to drive the demand for acaricides. Most commonly used acaricides include organochlorine, organophosphorus, natural acaricides, and others.Market Scenario:Acaricides help in improving agricultural productivity by restricting the growth of arachnids such as ticks and mites. Additionally, increased demand for acaricides for adequate disease control support and increased crop productivity has uplifted the global acaricides market. Moreover, high acceptance of modern farming techniques among the crop cultivators is adding fuel to the growth of acaricides market. Additionally, rising demand for agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, and pulses is projected to drive the growth of the global acaricides market over the forecast period.Key manufacturers are emphasizing on the new product development in order to enhance the customer base. Apart from that, the key players are promoting their products through advertisements in television and social media, which, in turn, escalates the acaricides demand. The global acaricides market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period 2017-2023.Receive a Sample Report@Key Players:Some of the key players profiled in the global acaricides market: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Chemtura USA Corp. (U.S.), FMC Corporation (U.S.), Arysta LifeScience Corporation (Japan), Bayer Aktiengesellschaft (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd. (Japan), Syngenta AG (Switzerland), The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), and Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.)Key Findings:The Asia Pacific region is dominating the global acaricides marketAcaricides have a massive opportunity in the pesticide industryIntended Audience:Acaricides manufacturersFertilizer industryCrop cultivatorsRaw material suppliersRetailers and wholesalerTraders, importers, and exportersSegments:On the basis of the type, it is segmented into organochlorine, organophosphorus, natural, and others. Among all, the organophosphorus acaricides segment is dominating the market followed by organochlorine. Organophosphorus acaricides are rich in phosphorous content and are also highly effective against arachnids.On the basis of the application, it is segmented into agriculture, animal husbandry, and others. Among all, the agriculture segment is dominating the market. Growing demand for fruits, vegetables, cereals, and other agricultural products among the rising population is expected to surge the growth of this segment over the review period.Regional Analysis:The global acaricides market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (RoW). The Asia Pacific region is leading the global acaricides market followed by Europe. India and China are the major contributors to the growth of acaricides market in this region. Furthermore, high demand for agricultural products from the farmers is considered to be the key driving factor in the Asia Pacific market. Additionally, regulatory approval for the use of acaricides on agricultural products for crop protection is projected to raise the growth of the acaricides market.However, the European region is expected to witness a significant growth during the forecast period. European countries like Germany, France, and the U.K, is projected to boost the growth of the acaricides market during the review period. However, stringent environmental regulations in the developed economies of North America and Europe region are expected to restrain the market growth in these regions.Access Complete Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Cloud Gaming Market 2018 Analysis by Trends, Demand, Products and Technology Forecast to 2028 | Sony, GameFly (PlayCast), Nvidia, Ubitus, PlayGiga, Crytek GmbH, PlayKey, Utomik (Kalydo), 51ias.com (Gloud), Cyber Cloud https://bit.ly/2P1PeYk https://bit.ly/2NUlQXA https://bit.ly/2DWoZ4K www.globalmarketers.biz Cloud Games is a form of online gaming that enables direct and on-demand video streaming of games on computers and mobile devices. This type of game allows users to play games anywhere. The adoption of cloud games is growing rapidly due to the many benefits that this technology offers. Some of the key benefits include the elimination of expensive hardware, integration of games into computers and smartphones, instant playback of games, and games with others. Growing mobile and Internet subscriber base, gambling potential growth, government initiatives related to infrastructure activities, new technology development and reduced piracy are key drivers of this market growth. The global cloud gaming market is categorized by type, server, cloud, end user, and geography.The global cloud gaming market is expected to grow at 23% CAGR through the forecast period.Get FREE Sample Report Copy @The players mentioned in our report: Sony, GameFly (PlayCast), Nvidia, Ubitus, PlayGiga, Crytek GmbH, PlayKey, Utomik (Kalydo), 51ias.com (Gloud), Cyber Cloud, Yunlian Technology, Liquidsky, BlacknutSAS, Alibaba Cloud, Baidu, Tencent Cloud, Ksyun (Kingsoft), LeCloudThe report Cloud Gaming provides a complete market outlook and growth rate during the past present and forecast period.With concise study, Cloud Gaming market effectively explains the market value, volume, price trend, and growth opportunities. Cloud Gaming market is fragmented on the basis of product type, application, regions to offer a complete market overview. To begin with, the report presents the key market overview, product definitions, classification, and study objective. Cloud Gaming market size estimation is conducted to evaluate the concentration and maturity analysis. Global Cloud Gaming value and growth trend is presented from 2013-2018.The geographical presence of Cloud Gaming industry is analyzed for the regions namely North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle-East & Africa, and Latin America.The global and regional level analysis of Cloud Gaming will help the industry players for deciding the investment feasibility and development status across various regions and countries. Cloud Gaming production value and growth rate from 2013-2018 is estimated for each region. The countries studied in this report include United States, Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Belgium, India, Japan, Korea, China, South Africa, Brazil, UAE, Singapore, and others. The report can be custom-made based on users demand.Inquiry Here For Detail Report @The analysis of Cloud Gaming market share, revenue, pricing analysis, SWOT analysis is covered for all the key market players. The most recent developments in Cloud Gaming industry, industry plans, and policies, upcoming trends are presented in this report. All the product segments and sub-segments are studied in detail in this report.Market split by Type, can be divided into:Video StreamingFile StreamingMarket split by Application, can be divided into:PCConnected TVTabletSmartphoneMarket split by Sales Channel, can be divided into:Direct ChannelDistribution ChannelCloud Gaming market drivers, emrging industry verticals, limitations, risk analysis, and development opportunities are analyzed. The analysis of industry chain structure analysis, upstream raw materials, manufacturing capacity, labor cost, cost of raw materials, production process analysis and the downstream consumer is explained. The import-export scenario, consumption and production capacity and sales channels of Cloud Gaming are elaborated in this report.Research Methodology Conducted For The Analysis of Cloud Gaming Industry:The first step is to understand Cloud Gaming industry, based on the definition, applications, type, key players and geographical presence. This information is collected based on secondary sources like magazines, company websites, Bloomberg and paid websites.To derive the Cloud Gaming market size, revenue, production capacity, import-export statistics and market share a combination of primary and secondary research is implied. Minimum 70 to 80 paid primary interviews are conducted with the Cloud Gaming manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and resellers. The paid primary interviews are conducted with the marketing and sales managers, VPs, procurement people and senior engineers.Once the data is formulated following steps are carried out:Cloud Gaming market profiling based on secondary researchDeveloping a list of respondentsFormulating a discussion guideData collection with the help of primary and secondary researchValidating the gathered data to provide accuracy and authenticityPresenting the data in a qualitative and quantitative mannerPresenting key Cloud Gaming industry insights like development plans, growth factors, and feasibility analysisCloud Gaming report can be divided into following 12 segmentsSegment 1, states the objectives of Cloud Gaming market, overview, introduction, product definition, development aspects, and industry presence;Segment 2, elaborates the Cloud Gaming market based on key players, their market share, sales volume, company profiles, Cloud Gaming competitive market scenario and pricing structure from 2013 to 2018;Segment 3, analyzes the Cloud Gaming market at a regional level based on sales ratio and market size from 2013 to 2018;Segment 4, 5, 6 and 7, explains the Cloud Gaming market at the country level based on product type, applications, revenue analysis;Segment 8 and 9, states the Cloud Gaming industry overview during past, present and forecast period from 2018 to 2028;Segment 10 and 11, describes the market status, plans, expected growth based on regions, type and application in detail for a forecast period of 2018-2028;Segment 12, covers the marketing channels, dealers, manufacturers, trader, distributors, consumers of Cloud Gaming.Lastly, useful conclusions, appendix and data sources are presented.In conclusion, Cloud Gaming market will offer an in-depth and clear view of the industry during 2018-2028 to help the players in making the right choices which will lead to profitability and business development.Explore Full Report With Detailed TOC Here @Global Marketers is a research hub to meet the syndicate, custom and consulting research needs. Our company excels in catering to the research requirements of commercial, industrial and all other business enterprises. Our huge database with up-to-date and latest information will definitely help the businesses in planning and shaping their business strategies. Accurate market analysis backed by comprehensive research methodology will drive the growth of an industry. Our company offers the wide variety of research reports related to chemical, technology, healthcare, automobile and various other sectors.John CaseilloGlobal MarketersTel: +1-617-2752-538Email: inquiry@globalmarketers.bizVisit our new Website: Cancer Immunotherapy Market Major Trends in Asia Pacific with Booming CAGR of 15.5% | Development Trend, Key Factor Analysis and Forecasts 2023 Cancer Immunotherapy Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/639 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/639 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/639 The Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market is projected to Grow with a Staggering double digit CAGR of 15.5% during the Estimated Period 2017-2023. The size of the Market is Expected to Increase by three fold just in six years.Cancer Immunotherapy Market - HighlightsThe Asia Pacific cancer immunotherapy market has been growing pervasively and will continue to grow in the years to come owing to the growing prevalence of cancer attributed mainly to the changing lifestyle. Although cancer is no more considered a deadly disease nowadays, there still exist around 100 different types of cancer.Increasing number of patient pool suffering from cancer has spurred the growth of the market. Increasing awareness of the Cancer Immunotherapy coupled with the advantages it offers, technological advancement, rapid adoption and increasing demand from emerging economies such as India and China are driving the growth for the market.Get Exclusive Sample Report @Some other factors like rising adverse effects, such as recurrence of cancer and organ failure, associated with conventional chemotherapies are driving the market growth. Growing research & development, clinical trials, and new approvals are leading the market growth. Companies are collaborating with hospitals and independent research centers to bring novelty into therapies are another major driving factor for the market.The rapid adoption of Cancer Immunotherapy by medical professionals as well as patients and increasing success rate are primary factors for the growth of Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy market. The markets for Cancer Immunotherapy in emerging economies are flourishing, and the demand for newer Cancer Immunotherapy is expected to rise in the near future.While, lack of awareness and adverse effects associated with immune therapeutic drugs are expected to present challenges to the Cancer Immunotherapy market; major factors such as increasing number of immunotherapeutic drug classes, especially the target receptors for multiple myeloma and checkpoint inhibitors are expected to boost the market growth.Simultaneously, the introduction of new molecules that has already been proven to be a boon for patients with inactive response to chemotherapy and numerous advent immunotherapeutic options, such as immunomodulators and CAR-T cell therapy, which will be soon available for public with their ability to provide better cancer treatment are expected to foster the growth of the cancer immunotherapy market in the Asia Pacific region.Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market - Key PlayersBristol-Myers Squibb Company (US), Amgen, Inc. (US), Eli Lilly and Company (US), GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (UK), AstraZeneca Plc. (UK), Bayer AG (Germany), Pfizer, Inc. (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Merck & Co., Inc. (US), Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (US), Novartis AG (Switzerland), Janssen Biotech, Inc. (US), AbbVie Inc. (US), Sanofi (France), Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Japan), Immunomedics (US), and Oncomed Pharmaceuticals (US) are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market.Ask Questions to Expert @Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market - SegmentsAsia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market is segmented into four Key dynamics for an easy grasp and enhanced understanding.By Therapies : Comprises - Monoclonal Antibodies (Naked Monoclonal Antibodies, Conjugated Monoclonal Antibodies, & Bispecific Monoclonal Antibodies), Cytokines (Interferon, Interleukins), Adoptive Cell Transfer, Vaccines, and Immunomodulators among others.By Applications : Lung Cancer, Liver Cancer, Childhood Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Stomach Cancer, and Lung Cancer among others.By End-Users : Hospitals, Clinics, Research Laboratories, and Cancer Institute among others.By Regions : North America, Europe, APAC and Rest-of-the-World.Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market - Country-wise AnalysisIndia and China markets, backed by the presence of a huge patient population, contribute to the Asia Pacific cancer immunotherapy market largely. The increasing government support for research & development makes India the largest market for Cancer Immunotherapy in the region.Whereas, owing to the rising government initiatives & support and increasing healthcare expenditures rising with the improving economy in the country drives the cancer immunotherapy market in China. China is the second-largest market for cancer immunotherapy followed by Japan.Factors such as the availability of highly skilled healthcare professionals and increasing demand for the treatment along with the high uptake of these therapies are fostering the cancer immunotherapy market in Japan.Industry, Innovation & Related NewsJuly 02, 2018 AstraZeneca Plc. (UK), a multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company announced that its Imfinzi immunotherapy drug had received regulatory approval for new uses of two of its important cancer drugs in Japan.Imfinzi immunotherapy is for the lung cancer patients with inoperable disease that had advanced locally but not spread widely around the body. The decisions by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, reflect an increased urgency by officials in the country to access modern medicines.TABLE OF CONTENTChapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market IntroductionChapter 3. Research MethodologyChapter 4. Market DynamicsChapter 5. Market Factor AnalysisChapter 6. Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market, By Type Of TherapyChapter 7. Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market, By ApplicationChapter 8 Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market, By End UserChapter 9. Asia Pacific Cancer Immunotherapy Market, By RegionChapter 10 Company LandscapeChapter 11 Company Profiles12 Conclusion13 AppendixGet Prime Discount @About US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Smart Speaker Market Key Research Analysis On Various Companies Like Bose Corporation, Altec Lansing, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, Logitech International SA Smart Speaker https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/512064/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/512064/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/smart-speaker-market https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-real-time-locating-systems-rtls-market-by-manufacturers-countries-type-and-application-forecast-to-2023/?utm_source=RR&utm_medium=DC https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ Smart speaker market in personal applications is expected to hold the majority share of over 90% due to the increasing usage of the devices in smart homes. The integration of these devices with devices such as smart lightbulbs, thermostats, and TVs is encouraging the consumers to adopt these devices for personal uses. Devices such as Google Home allow the users to make phone calls and send messages, monitor the user activity, set alarms, and go shopping.Smart Speaker Market is set to exceed USD 30 billion by 2024 owing to the several benefits of these devices such as the ability to communicate with other devices and keeping users connected to the internet. For instance, these devices can perform a range of tasks such as giving information, sharing audio files, and provide on-command to other connected devices. The increasing penetration of IoT technology and the adoption of connected devices will boost the smart speaker market growth in the next six years. The increasing popularity of connected devices to perform domestic tasks, such as controlling lights and security doors, through single devices is fueling the industry demand. The integration of these devices with connected households will propel the industry growth.Request a Sample of this premium Research Report@The smart speaker market is expected to grow at a significant pace over the forecast timeframe owing to the growing proliferation of smart homes across the globe. Factors such as high network connectivity and growing need to increase consumer convenience are anticipated to drive the market. Several device manufacturers are investing in improving the functionality of legacy systems beyond playing music. This, coupled with increasing demand for wireless devices will escalate the industry size.This report focuses on the top Manufacturers and players in global market are given bellow:-Amazon.com, Inc., Bose Corporation, Altec Lansing, Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, Logitech International SA, Sonos Inc., and Sony Corporation.Rise in demand for Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to fuel the smart speaker market growth. The manufacturers are increasingly investing to develop devices that work with the devices such as Wink Hub, Logitech Harmony Elite, and Philips Hue Bulbs. For instance, Amazon Alexa works directly with several smart home devices using If This Then That (IFTTT) methodology.Smart Speaker Market Size By Technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC), By Product (Single Room, Double-Room, Multi-Room)Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers(U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Italy, South Korea, China, India, Japan, Brazil, GCC, Africa), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2017 2024Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium Smart Speaker Market Research Report@The study objectives of this report are:Implementation of virtual personal assistants are expected to positively impact the smart speaker market growth. This technology can stream music and audio books with a single voice commands. The launch of Amazon Echo has caused disruption in the market, with several other companies such as Google and Apple following suit. For instance, Apple has announced the launch of HomePod in December 2017.Factors such as connectivity range, compatibility, and power are expected to restrain the smart speaker market growth. The market faces growing security concern, owing to the connection of these devices to the internet. The voice assistant-enabled speakers inadvertently store consumers' private data into Amazon servers. The threats of hacking and data leaks persist, though the company claims that the data is secured. This is expected to hamper the market growth during the forecast timeframe.More Report At:Related Report:Global Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023Real-time locating systems (RTLS, also known as real-time location systems) are local systems for the identification and tracking of the location of assets and/or persons in real or near-real-time.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email:sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog: Worldwide Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education Market Study for 2024 providing information on Nuance Communication, Microsoft, AWS, IBM, Google, Cognii, Pearson, Jenzabar, Volley.com, Content Technologies https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1173836/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1173836/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/artificial-intelligence-ai-in-education-market https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog/ MarketStudyReport.com offers 2018 report on global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education market that evaluates industry growth trends through historical data and estimates future prospects based on comprehensive research. The report extensively provides the market share, growth, trends and forecasts for the period 2018-2024.AI in Education Market is projected to surpass USD 6 billion by 2024 due to the growing demand for Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) by educational institutions. The educational institutes are adopting advanced ITS to offer personalized learning experience and enhance tutoring methods. The integration of intelligent algorithms and AI in the learning platform also promotes the growth of the market. The technology has transformed the classrooms and changed the role of educators in the learning process by providing more user-friendly and sophisticated tools for both educators and students.Request a sample of this premium report at:The increasing partnership between the education content developers, publishers, education institutes, and EdTech Companies to develop digital content and provide e-learning services to their students foster the demand. Furthermore, increasing investments in the EdTech and AI technology also supports the growth of AI in Education market. However, the limitation of the ITS system, data safety & security issues, and lack of skilled professionals are the major forces hindering the market growth.The learner model is estimated to account for more than 60% share in the AI in Education market. The demand for the more student-centric learning platforms from higher educational institutions impacts the growth. Moreover, the integration of the adaptive learning technology also augments the demand for the learner model. On the other hand, the domain model is estimated to grow significantly during the forecast period with the CAGR of more than 50%. The market is driven by the need for personalized learning solutions. Due to this, the solution providers are focusing more on developing user-friendly systems with subject knowledge to guide students better.The Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology held more than 65% share of the revenue in 2017. The technology is widely used in the planning and designing of digital curriculum. It also assists in the process of the content development and e-learning. Furthermore, the technology is also widely adopted in the virtual assistance system to analyze the voice and text of the users. The deep learning technology is anticipated to grow with the CAGR of over 50% during the forecast timespan. The integration of the intelligent algorithms in the EdTech solution is the primary factor driving the demand for deep learning technology.The higher education sector is dominating the market with over 50% share in 2017. These institutes are leveraging the capabilities of the AI for content development, curriculum designing, online learning platforms, and administrative operations. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of the web-based services and smartphones has encouraged the educational institutes to move toward online learning solutions to increase the student base and provide high-quality education.North America accounted for over 60% share in the AI in Education market. The growth of the market is driven by the increasing investments in EdTech and AI technology. The highly developed education infrastructures and early adoption of the technology in the education sector enhance the market growth. The growing dependence on mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to access teaching programs and study materials have given an upsurge to software developers for designing software compatible with these mobile devices, driving the market growth.Asia Pacific AI in Education is estimated to grow substantially with the CAGR of more than 51% during the forecast timeline. The supportive government policies and digitalization activities in the region are driving the market growth. China leads the investments in technology and accounts for 17% of the global external investments in AI. Increasing investment by Chinese players is also one of the major factors driving the growth in the region.Some of the major vendors that are serving the AI in Education market are Nuance Communication, Microsoft, AWS, IBM, Google, Cognii, Pearson, Jenzabar, Volley.com, Content Technologies, Pixatel Systems, PleIQ, Knewton, Blippar, Blackboard, Century Tech, Quantum Adaptive Learning, and Liulishuo.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Table of Content:Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope1.1. Methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Definition and forecast parameters1.2. Data Sources1.2.1. Secondary1.2.2. PrimaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education industry 360 degree synopsis, 2013 - 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Product trends2.1.3. Application trends2.1.4. Regional trendsChapter 3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry ecosystem analysis3.3.1. Suppliers3.3.2. Manufacturers3.3.3. Profit margin analysis3.3.4. Distribution channel analysis3.3.5. Vendor matrix3.4. Technology & innovation landscape3.5. Pricing analysis3.5.1. By region3.5.1.1. North America3.5.1.2. Europe3.5.1.3. Asia Pacific3.5.1.4. Latin America3.5.1.5. MEA3.5.2. Cost structure analysisFor More Details on this report:About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWeb site:Blog: Global Clinical Laboratory Services Market 2024 Key Information by Top Key Players Abbott Laboratories, Arup Laboratories, Charles River Laboratories, Fresenius Medical Care (Spectra Laboratories), Fullerton Health https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/467838/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/467838/ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/clinical-laboratory-services-market https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/united-states-clinical-laboratory-services-market-report-2018?utm_source=RR-AN https://www.marketstudyreport.com https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog MarketStudyReport.com Adds New Clinical Laboratory Services Market 2018 2024 research report providing information and data By Test Type, By Service Provider, By Region, Industry Analysis, Regional Outlook, Application Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast spreading across 185 Pages with table and figures in it.Clinical Laboratory Services Market will exceed USD 342 billion by 2024; as per a new research report.Growing R&D investments for introducing innovative solutions that includes accuracy of analysis, real-time results, automation throughput, outcome assessment of laboratory tests will drive clinical laboratory services market growth during the forecast timeframe. Escalating prevalence of target diseases and growing initiatives by organizations to control these target diseases should impact positively on clinical laboratory services industry growth. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) around 43.9% U.S. adult population will have cardiovascular disease by 2030. This should offer immense business growth opportunities over the forecast period.Request a sample of this premium report at:Inadequate reimbursements along with stringent regulations for clinical laboratory operations will restrain market growth over the coming years. Involvement of numerous regulatory authorities to ensure lab safety can impact negatively on clinical laboratory services industry growth.Routine chemistry of clinical chemistry segment held largest revenue share and will grow at 5.0% during forecast timeframe. Growing awareness of health check-ups and increasing preference for early disease diagnosis will stimulate routine chemistry segmental growth.Stand-alone laboratories segment held USD 83.3 million revenue in 2017, due to rising infectious diseases and growing initiatives by prominent industry players to set labs. In the U.S. as per CDC data in 2015 nearly 16.8 million people visited physician offices for infectious as well as parasitic diseases thus, contributing to segmental growth.U.S. clinical laboratory services market is anticipated to grow at 6.7% over the coming years. Escalating prevalence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes coupled with presence of major industry players in the country will upsurge the revenue size. As per CDC National Diabetes Statistics report around 30.3 million individuals of different age groups had diabetes in 2015; this accounts for nearly 9.4% of the U.S. population.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Notable industry competitors are Abbott Laboratories, Arup Laboratories, Charles River Laboratories, Fresenius Medical Care (Spectra Laboratories), Fullerton Health, Genoptix Medical Laboratory, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp), Neogenomics Laboratories (Clarient), Opko Health (Bioreference Laboratories), Qiagen, Quest Diagnostics, Sanofi Genzyme, Siemens, Sonic Healthcare, and Synlab (Labco).Prominent business players are focusing on strategic acquisition and partnerships. Introduction of innovative solutions in clinical laboratory services should favor industry growth over the forecast period. Companies existing in industry are emphasizing on acquisition and collaborations to upsurge their revenue share in the clinical laboratory services market. For instance, in June 2018, Neogenomics Laboratories collaborated with Pharmaceutical Product Development to provide fully integrated molecular testing solutions to pharmaceutical and biotechnological clients. This collaboration will allow company to meet increasing worldwide client requirements.Table of Content:Chapter 1. Methodology and ScopeChapter 2. Executive SummaryChapter 3. Clinical Laboratory Services Industry InsightsChapter 4. Clinical Laboratory Services Market, By Test TypeChapter 5. Clinical Laboratory Services Market, By Service ProviderChapter 6. Clinical Laboratory Services Market, By RegionChapter 7. Company ProfilesMore Details on this Report At:Related Report:United States Clinical Laboratory Services Market Report 2018In this report, the United States Clinical Laboratory Services market is valued at USD XX million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2017 and 2025.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog: Exclusive Research Report on Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market by Top Key players Like Ezma, DTS, Blentech, Inox-Fer and Global Forecast 2018-2023 Exclusive Research Report on Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market by Top Key players Like Ezma, DTS, Blentech, Inox-Fer and Glo https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/4873 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/4873 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/4873 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/industrial-food-blanchers-global-market www.upmarketresearch.com UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. 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Carter ManufacturingGlobal Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market: Type Segment Analysis (Consumption Volume, Average Price, Revenue, Market Share and Trend 2013-2023): Drum Blanchers Screw Blanchers Belt BlanchersBy Application, the market can be split into Pasta Rice Vegetables Dry Beans OtherYou can also ask for region wise market research report, as below - Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013-2023 Top 20 Countries Data, Industrial Food Blanchers-North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-China Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-India Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023, Industrial Food Blanchers-United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023For more information visit:The Report covers in-depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Overview of Industrial Food Blanchers Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry Chapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Industrial Food Blanchers Chapter 6 Industrial Food Blanchers Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers Chapter 7 Industrial Food Blanchers Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Industrial Food Blanchers Chapter 9 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Industrial Food Blanchers Chapter 10 Marketing Status Analysis of Industrial Food Blanchers Chapter 11 Report Conclusion Chapter 12 Research Methodology and ReferenceGlobal Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Buy this report:Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Industrial Food Blanchers-Global Market Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 and its commercial landscape Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations To understand the future outlook and prospects for Industrial Food Blanchers-Global market industry analysis and forecast 2018-2023.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.About UpMarketResearch:UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States Tea Market Share Booming Globally - Analysis By Region, Size, Types, Key Players (Coca Cola, Associated British Foods, Unilever etc.) Tea Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/7886 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/7886 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/tea-market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/7886 UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Tea Market Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. 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The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Tea Industry global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2018-2023.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. 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The report also calls for market-driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real-time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real-time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Tea Industry Analysis and Forecast 2018-2023 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Tea market analysis and forecast 2018-2023.Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. 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As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500, East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States. Air Blowers Market is Set to Witness Growth 2018 2022 | Global Key Players Taiko, Unozawa, ANLET, Gardner Denver, GE Oil & Gas Air Blowers Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/111331 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/111331/single https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/111331 This report provides in depth study of Air Blowers Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. 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On the basis of Application, the market can be divided into Chemical and Petrochemical, Water Treatment Plant.Purchase this premium research report with 125 Pages and No. of Table of contents, List of table atThe Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major key players:1 Taiko2 Unozawa3 ANLET4 Gardner Denver5 GE Oil & Gas6 Aerzen7 Tuthill Corporation8 Kaeser KompressorenThe Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major Region Segmentation1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Grab Your Report at an Impressive Discount @Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 What will the market size be in 2022?2 What are the key factors driving the Air Blowers Market?3 What are the challenges to market growth?4 Who are the key players in Air Blowers Market?5 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?TABLE OF CONTENTS1 Air Blowers Product Definition2 Global Air Blowers Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview3 Manufacturer Air Blowers Business Introduction4 Global Air Blowers Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Air Blowers Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)6 Global Air Blowers Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Air Blowers Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Air Blowers Market Forecast 2018-20229 Air Blowers Segmentation Product Type10 Air Blowers Segmentation Industry11 Air Blowers Cost of Production Analysis12 ConclusionAbout UsBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940 I'm appealing... Appeal options and requirements Written objection Conference Request Oregon Tax Court Notice of Deficiency Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a written objection from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a written objection is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a conference request from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a conference request is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Within 90 days of the date on the Notice of Assessment, or two years from the date tax is paid in full. Many issues can be solved without appealing to the tax court. Notice of Refund Adjustment Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a written objection from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a written objection is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a conference request from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a conference request is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Within 90 days of the date of your written objection determination letter or conference decision letter, or 120 days from the date of the notice if you didn't submit a written objection or conference request. Deficiency based on federal or other states' audit report Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Include proof of your IRS or other state appeal Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a written objection from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a written objection is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Within 30 days of the date on the notice. Include proof of your IRS or other state appeal. Directors Order 20-02 extends the timeframe to submit a conference request from 30 to 90 days if the deadline for filing a conference request is on or after April 1, 2020 and before July 16, 2020. This applies to any Notice of Deficiency or Notice of Proposed Refund Adjustment or Notice of Liability issued by the department on or after March 1, 2020 and before June 16, 2020. Yes. You may have extra time depending on appeals in process with the IRS or other states.* Penalty or interest Include which OAR 150-305-0068 criteria you meet. Within 30 days of the date on our decision letter about your written request. Not available. The conference officer's decision is final and can't be appealed. Dutch Bros Coffee said Monday it hopes to add 500 more drive-thru coffee stands in the next five years after selling a minority stake in the business to a private equity firm, TSG Consumer Partners. Founded in Grants Pass in 1992, Dutch Bros now has 300 locations in seven states. It did not report terms of its arrangement with TSG or details of its ownership structure. Travis Boersma started the privately held company with his brother Dane, who died in 2009, four years after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Lou Gehrig's disease. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 Four former and one current Oregon softball player were among those invited to tryout for women's national team by USA Softball. Oregon senior pitcher Megan Kleist declined the invite, but former Ducks infielders Jenna Lilley and Nicolette Udria, pitcher Jessica Moore and outfielder Janie Reed are among 41 players to accept invites to tryout for the team, which will be held Jan. 1-6, 2019 in Clearwater, Fla. USA Softball will select 18 players from the invitees to be on the training team roster and take part in the USA Softball International Cup and select international events. Then 15 players will go to the Pan American Games from July 31-Aug. 11 in Lima, Peru. -- James Crepea | jcrepea@oregonian.com | @JamesCrepea Animal rights organization PETA has asked the federal government to put an end to experiments on animals at Oregon Health & Science University. PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been a frequent critic of the OHSU's laboratory tests on animals, especially monkeys. The university and research center has also drawn anger from other animal rights groups in the past, with calls to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other bodies to crack down and fine OHSU. This time, PETA wrote a letter to the National Institutes of Health, a cluster of medical research centers funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The letter signed by PETA Vice President Alka Chandna says that OHSU's employees have been careless or incompetent in their handling of animals. OHSU received more than $218 million from the National Institutes of Health in 2017. If the university lost that funding, it could hurt its ability to do laboratory testing. The university defended its use of animal testing in a statement, saying that OHSU already resolved the problems with the PVC pipe and previous incidents. The statement also says that OHSU self-reports problems to federal regulators and that the inspection reports references by PETA are publicly available for anyone with concerns. The Oregon National Primate Center in Hillsboro is one of seven of its kind funded by the National Institutes of Health. It sits on 200 acres and holds 5,000 primates, including rhesus, baboons and several types of macaques. The animals are used for infectious disease research, to develop vaccines and stem cell innovation. OHSU also uses guinea pigs, mice and other animals for research. The letter comes after an early August inspection by the agriculture department found that a monkey fell behind some PVC pipes that served as a perch and eventually died in part because of the entrapment. "OHSU's failure to comply with minimal animal welfare standards further exacerbates the cruelty inherent in the institution's use of funds to harm monkeys in studies that are highly unlikely to benefit humans," Chandna said in the letter. The letter cites incidents documented by federal inspectors that go back to early 2014. Each detail various types of primates hurt by lab experiments. In some instances, federal inspectors have opened formal investigations into deaths and injuries. OHSU has also been fined by a federal agency for primate deaths and escape. "OHSU strongly supports what data confirm -- knowledge gained through biomedical research in relevant animal models is essential to developing new ways to identify, prevent, treat or eradicate debilitating diseases like HIV and Zika, and to improve the health of humans and animals," said spokeswoman Tamara Hargens-Bradley. "OHSU's views on this topic reflect those of other academic health centers, universities, physicians and scientists throughout the world." PETA plans to hold a demonstration outside OHSU's southwest Portland location Wednesday. -- Molly Harbarger mharbarger@oregonian.com 503-294-5923 @MollyHarbarger I met Knute Buehler in 2012, just before he ran for secretary of state. I was impressed with him thenvand continue to be impressed. Knute has moderate ideas, which represent all Oregonians, not just one party. That's why I'm supporting him for governor in November. Knute appeals especially to people in the middle, like me - people whose views are not represented by interest group politics. He is willing to break from his party if that's what he feels is necessary to get things done. Buehler's approach to politics is that he makes the lives of all Oregonians his priority. Each of his four plans so far - on education, healthcare, homelessness, and uniting Oregon, has stuck to the common theme of improving people's lives, in situations like Oregon's failing schools and increasing homeless population. Oregon needs better leadership on these issues. I have never endorsed any candidate for any position. But I'm going to bat for Knute because he will work to represent all of the people of the state. At a time when politics is so polarized, Knute Buehler is the kind of governor we need in Oregon. -- Ann Bakkensen, Southwest Portland Share your opinion Fired up? ! Submit 250 words or less and please include your first and last name, hometown and a phone number for verification. Gregory Lee Rodvelt They slipped by the minivan outfitted with the spring-loaded jaws of animal snares and avoided a circular hot tub turned on its side and designed to roll over trespassers who triggered a tripwire something reminiscent of "a scene from the movie 'Indiana Jones.'" But the FBI special agent and three state police bomb technicians never made it past the empty wheelchair inside the manufactured home they entered on the southern Oregon property, court records say. With the slightest push, the wheelchair opened fire. "I'm hit!" the federal agent yelled as blood gushed from his leg, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Medford. The law enforcement officers had responded to the home in Williams, a town of 2,200 people in Josephine County, on Sept. 7 at the request of a real estate lawyer tasked with selling off the property, court records show. They soon discovered elaborate booby traps sprinkled throughout the 15-acre spread off Dreamhill Drive, the complaint alleges. Spike strips at the bottom of the driveway. A rat trap rigged to fire a shotgun round when some someone tried to open the door to a detached garage. Authorities say the makeshift weapons were the handiwork of former owner Gregory Lee Rodvelt, 67, who was forced to forfeit his property as part of an elder abuse case brought against him. In 2016, Rodvelt's then 90-year-old mother and her guardian filed a civil lawsuit in Josephine County, which resulted in a $2.1 million judgment, against the son, court records show. Though an armed standoff outside Phoenix landed him in jail last year, Arizona officials released Rodvelt from custody for two weeks in mid-August so he could tie up loose ends and prepare to turn over his property, according to the federal complaint. Joseph Charter, the estate's acting receiver, contacted authorities on Aug. 29 when he discovered a sign posted on Rodvelt's property that claimed it was now "protected with improvised devices," according to court records. Ten days later, the FBI agent and state bomb technicians set out to dismantle the property's assorted booby traps, including the hot tub that had been placed at the top of a hill near a gate by the entrance of the home. "Upon closer examination, the technicians discovered that the spa was rigged in such a manner that when the gate was opened it would activate a mechanical trigger that would cause the spa to roll towards the person at the gate," the complaint reads. "[It was] much like a scene from the movie 'Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark' in which actor Harrison Ford is forced to outrun a giant stone boulder that he inadvertently triggered by a booby trap switch." After slipping by the hot tub, the bomb squad and FBI agent approached the property's manufactured home and blasted open its fortified front door, the complaint says. Inside the home, court records show, they discovered in the hallway a wheelchair that, unbeknownst to them, was outfitted with a fishing line, shotgun ammunition and other items. Somehow, the wheelchair got pushed and triggered the explosion that wounded the agent. The agent was rushed to a hospital in Grants Pass, about 15 miles away. An X-ray found a .410-gauge shotgun pellet in the agent's left leg below the knee. Rodvelt was questioned by authorities back in Arizona and eventually charged. He faces one felony count of assault on a federal officer. Records show Rodvelt faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest and failure to mark explosives in connection to his arrest stemming from the 2017 standoff. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh skavanaugh@oregonian.com 503-294-7632 || @shanedkavanaugh An infant boy remembered for his bright blue eyes died at a Hood River day care that state regulators allowed to operate illegally for months. A child care regulator, a day care operator with whom she was friends and two other women were quietly indicted last month on criminal charges arising from the May 15 death of Cyrus Macioroski. Exactly how the baby died has not been made public, but the indictments say day care operator Rochelle R. Jones and the other two women left Cyrus, then 4 months old, unattended for "a period of time that was likely to endanger (his) health and welfare." The Oregon Office of Child Care had revoked the license of Mama Shell's Day Care in April 2017. A criminal indictment alleges that child care licensing compliance specialist Julie A. Smith helped Jones, whom it calls her friend, maintain the business after it was shut down. Jones, 51, her wife, Debra L. Jones, 61, and a third woman, Donna J. Pilcher, 62, are charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, first-degree criminal mistreatment and five counts of operating a child care facility without state certification from January 22 through May 15 of this year. Smith, 59, of The Dalles, is charged with official misconduct for failing to enforce state child care regulations. The indictment also charges her with operating a child care facility without certification from May 2017 to December 2017, but does not make clear what role, if any, she held at Mama Shell's. She remains a full-time state employee but was placed on leave the same day she was indicted. It is extremely rare for state employees in Oregon to be criminally charged with official misconduct. Criminal charges against day care providers when children die in their care are also exceptionally unusual. This appears to be the first such case in Oregon in more than two decades. No criminal charges resulted from the non-accidental death of a Lane County infant at an unlicensed daycare in September 2016. The indictments in the latest death arrive amid heightened scrutiny of Oregon's child safety net that is supposed to keep kids safe at home and at day care. In January 2018, state inspectors cited Debra Jones and two other unnamed women for caring for as many as six kids without a license, state records show. An inspector wrote that she informed the women that they must cease operating and notify the parents of the children why they had to shut down. Cyrus died suddenly four months later at local hospital, according to his obituary. He was 4 months old, "a precious little boy who had bright blue eyes and was full of smiles," it read. A grand jury indicted all four women Sept. 12. A judge has ordered that Debra Jones, Rochelle Jones and Pilcher be arrested but they have not been located. Officials did not announce the charges, which The Oregonian/OregonLive discovered in court filings. The Hood River district attorney's office and the Hood River Police Department have not shed any light on their investigation. In fact, Pilcher said she was not aware of any charges in the case until contacted by a reporter and had to call the sheriff's office to learn more. The secrecy surrounding the case is far-reaching. Carrie Rasmussen, the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case, said she would not address the allegations before they make their way through the court system. Hood River Police Det. Andy Frasier, who testified to the grand jury, said he could not comment because the investigation was active. Dr. Rebecca Millius, the deputy medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Cyrus, referred all questions to Hood River police. What little is known about Cyrus' death and any missteps that may have preceded it comes from the indictment and the small sliver of state records that are available online. Messages left at three numbers listed for Rochelle and Debra Jones were not returned. Neither was a message left with Smith's attorney, Andrew Myers. Office of Child Care records show Mama Shell's was licensed to care for 10 children in 2012, and then for as many as 16 in 2013. In May 2015, regulators received a complaint accusing Mama Shell's of failing to adequately supervise children and improperly punishing kids, according to a Office of Child Care database previously provided to The Oregonian/OregonLive. Inspectors closed their investigation into those allegations, saying they were either "invalid" or unable to be substantiated. Mama Shell's passed a subsequent inspection in July 2016, the records show. But "concerning info" from the Department of Human Services prompted regulators to immediately suspend Mama Shell's that November. Regulators revoked Mama Shell's license five months later in April 2017. The Office of Child Care has not yet provided any information to The Oregonian/OregonLive regarding the suspension and revocation orders, nor the 2015 complaint. The agency also did not say what role Smith may have played, if any, in the oversight of Mama Shell's. Smith is a longtime state employee. She transferred to the Department of Education, which oversees the Office of Child Care, in August 2013, according to the Department of Administrative Services. She's still employed as a "compliance specialist 2," with an annual salary of nearly $60,000. "We are concerned by these developments, are deeply committed to child safety and have started our own personnel investigation into this matter," Department of Education spokesman Marc Siegel wrote in an email. The indictment says Smith failed to perform duties "inherent in the nature of her office" by not enforcing compliance through "helping a friend, Rochelle Jones, maintain a child care business." Regulators discovered Jan. 12 that Debra Jones and another unnamed woman were still caring for as many as six children at the Jones family home without a license. Rochelle Jones and Donna Pilcher were also cited for running illegal facilities, but the state's child care website only lists the details of the citation against Debra Jones. Inspectors cited Debra Jones for failing to register the operation, even though they also noted that she was working at her "other job" at the time and two different women were actually watching the children. "I also made it clear that parents would need to be notified immediately that care could no longer provided for those families," the inspector wrote. Whether or not that ever happened is not clear. A message left at a phone number listed for Cyrus' father was not returned. His death was the second in six months to occur at a day care previously cited by regulators for watching children without a required license. A four-month-old infant died in November at a Portland day care cited three times before she died. Police found no foul play connected to the baby's death. In September, the parents of the Lane County infant who died in 2016 sued the Department of Human Services for failing to take steps that could have prevented his death, including by notifying them of abuse allegations against his day care provider. A doctor concluded that A.J. Swearengin died from non-accidental injuries. Lane County Assistant District Attorney Bob Lane confirmed to The Oregonian/OregonLive that no criminal charges have been filed in the case. The only other time a day care death led to a criminal prosecution appears to have been in 1996. A Medford man, Terry Lee Carruthers, was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree manslaughter of Tre Chase. Carruthers held the toddler face down on a bed when the boy cried during naptime. Oregonian archives say Tre's death was the first criminally negligent death at a day care in Oregon. Carruthers was married to Tre's day care provider. Rochelle and Debra Jones have recently moved out of state, Frasier said. Their Hood River house is listed for sale. The Hood River residents married in 2015, according to a marriage license listed in the local paper. Court files show the couple was raising two of Rochelle Jones' sons. Neither woman, nor Pilcher nor Smith has a criminal record in Oregon. Warrants are active for the arrests of Rochelle Jones, Debra Jones and Pilcher. Pilcher told The Oregonian/OregonLive she knew about the baby's death but not about the charges against her. "I'm going to let you go, because I don't want to talk about this until I know more," she said, crying. She said she planned to turn herself into the Hood River sheriff Monday. As of 6 p.m. Monday, she had not been booked into jail. Brad Schmidt of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. -- Molly Young myoung@oregonian.com Police are asking anyone who attended a party last Saturday at an Airbnb rental in Washington County to come forward, as they continue to search through video and pictures from the gathering that ended in the death of 18-year-old Fermin Alonso-Alonso of North Plains. "We're still trying to piece together what everyone's involvement was within that chaotic scene," Deputy Jeff Talbot, spokesperson for the Washington County Sheriff's Office, said over the phone Tuesday. Word of the party had spread through social media, Talbot said, bringing people ranging in age from their late teens to their early twenties to the house on a cul-de-sac off of Northwest West Union Road in the Bethany area. Attendees came from as far away as Keizer and Vancouver, as well as the Portland area. "We estimate there were dozens if not hundreds of people in attendance at that party," Talbot said. Police were on route to the party already due to a noise when the call that shots had been fired came in, he added. "They encountered a chaotic scene," he said, and immediately began to administer aid to Alonso-Alonso. "They did the best they could," Talbot said, but Alonso-Alonso was later pronounced dead at a local trauma hospital. Police believe the shooter fled the scene "within moments" of the shooting. Now, using photos and videos from phones and social media, investigators are piecing together what happened. "We have identified potential suspects," Talbot said, but police would still like to talk to anyone who "walked through the door" at that party. "If our detectives haven't spoken to you yet," he said, "please reach out." Alonso-Alonso's friends held a vigil for the teen at Monday Compound Gallery in downtown Portland. "He was really outgoing," his friend Jackie Parra told KOIN. "He loved photography, always had a smile on his face no matter what. He was just the type of person to lift your spirit, make you laugh." KOIN reports that Alonso-Alonso graduated from Glencoe High School in June. Friends told the TV station they believe that Alonso-Alonso was caught in the middle of the fight, trying to help a friend. According to a statement from Airbnb, the company is assisting law enforcement in their investigation and has permanently banned the person who rented the house for the party. Police are asking anyone with information about the party or the incident to call the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 503-846-2700. -- Lizzy Acker 503-221-8052 lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker Oregon's next governor will be decided in November, and we're giving you a chance to ask the two main candidates a question before you vote. KGW(8) and The Oregonian/OregonLive are hosting a debate between Democrat Kate Brown and Republican Knute Buehler on Oct. 9. During the debate we'll feature video questions from Oregonians. That's where you come in. If you have a question for the candidates, grab your cell phone and record yourself asking it. You can do a selfie, ask a friend to hold the camera or prop it up on a table. It doesn't have to be professional-quality video just make sure we can clearly hear your voice. Then email the video to debate@kgw.com or tweet it to us using the hashtag #ORGovDebate. Here are some of the important guidelines: Keep the question concise something around 10-15 seconds is best. Make sure we can clearly hear your voice. Avoid a place with lots of background noise. Both Buehler and Brown will answer, so ask a question intended for both candidates. Include your name if you'd like us to mention in on-air. The debate will air live on KGW on Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The Oregonian/OregonLive A state fraud investigator is alleging that the state of Oregon may have violated federal law by paying 79 "undocumented individuals" to provide day care for low-income families. Ryan Cram, who has worked as a criminal fraud investigator for five years, sent an email to every Oregon lawmaker last week saying he came forward as a whistleblower after the Department of Human Services swept his concerns under the rug. He called for a full investigation. In response, the Department of Human Services said it had carefully examined the issue and did not find problems, according to an email sent to lawmakers and obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Leah Horner, the agency's legislative director, wrote that the agency's policy team conducted "a full review of the 79 providers" and their identification information. Of those, three required re-evaluation but were cleared. Horner said attorneys with the Department of Justice "had no concerns that fraud was committed and would not be pursuing the issue." Cram's allegations come amid growing tensions over immigration in the era of President Donald J. Trump, whose administration has increased prosecution of immigration violations. A measure on the Oregon ballot this year would repeal the state's sanctuary law that bars state and local law enforcement from being used to enforce federal immigration standards. "I tried going through the right steps and got blown off," Cram said in an interview Monday. "I wanted to put it all out there, and now they can answer these questions to elected officials." At issue is the state's payments to a small fraction of childcare providers who participate in the Employment Related Day Care program. The state taps federal funds to subsidize day care for about 8,300 low-income families each month. The Department of Human Services directly pays approved providers to cover a portion of childcare costs, offering a monthly maximum of $1,255 per child. Six months ago, while investigating a childcare-subsidy fraud case, Cram discovered an approved day care provider had supplied the Department of Human Services with a taxpayer identification number instead of a Social Security number. Cram also found the same day care provider was a recipient of food stamps. Cram wrote that the woman was listed in internal state records as an "illegal alien" who "came over to the United States in 2007 undocumented," according to an April email he wrote to the Department of Human Services' policy office. Cram later shared the contents with lawmakers. Cram kept digging. He found 79 daycare providers in all who, according Department of Human Services records, acknowledged being "undocumented and unauthorized to work in the United States," he said in his letter to lawmakers. Under federal law, it is unlawful "to hire, or to recruit or refer for a fee, for employment" anyone known to have not been lawfully admitted into the United States. It's also unlawful to use "a contract, subcontract, or exchange" to "obtain the labor" of someone known to be illegally in the United States. A Department of Human Services employee initially dismissed Cram's concern, according to an email Cram provided lawmakers. The state labeled any payment to a day care as a "client benefit" for the low-income family, not the worker. The state also said it "is not an employer of providers," according to an email Cram provided lawmakers. Cram challenged that interpretation. He wrote that the state's relationship with the day care provider appeared to be a "form of employment/contract employment." A child care policy analyst later told Cram by email that the department had reversed course and "would no longer pay a provider once we learned they were undocumented." But on Sept. 24, Cram was called into a meeting and told no changes would be made, according to a memo Cram wrote and shared with lawmakers. Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis, who chairs the Interim Committee on Human Services, said she read all of the dozens of documents Cram provided. But Gelser said she had not yet had time to compare his allegations to the response offered by the Department of Human Services. Kate Kondayen, a spokeswoman for Gov. Kate Brown, said in an email Monday that the Department of Human Services "has conducted an extensive internal review, and apprised the Governor's office of their findings." Kondayen declined to say if Brown would ask for any further investigation. -- Brad Schmidt 503-294-7628 @_brad_schmidt Jordan Schnitzer didn't mean he would demolish Wapato Jail on Monday. He just wanted to let everyone know he wouldn't keep paying $50,000 a month for an empty, unused jail forever. Mayor Ted Wheeler and developer Homer Williams have both told Schnitzer that they want a little more time to make him a pitch to turn the building into a homeless shelter, mental health facility or substance abuse recovery center. Oregon Republican gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler also asked Schnitzer to hold off until the Nov. 6 election before he bulldozes the jail he bought in April to see if it can be used. Schnitzer said he's talked with engineers who have worked on warehouse projects with his company, Harsch Investment Properties, about a demolition permit. They first need to figure out how to cap utilities and where electrical lines are before they can apply for a permit. Then Harsch would solicit bids to do the demolition. The demolition wouldn't happen before the election even if he decided to go forward with it, Schnitzer said. He likely wouldn't start construction on a warehouse until late spring. Schnitzer said he didn't mean to start a panic in a Willamette Week interview last week when he said he would give up on turning Wapato into a place for social services by Oct. 1. Schnitzer has made no secret that his offer is contingent on a proposal that has money attached to it. If no one can figure out a way to operate a program in the never-used jail built by Multnomah County for $58 million, then he would demolish the building and build a warehouse. He bought the jail from Marty Kehoe for $5 million after Kehoe bought it from the county for the same price. Schnitzer said that some people who looked into Wapato estimated that a program would cost upwards of $5 million a year -- a steep price for most nonprofits, and even for public social services. Wheeler's office said the mayor has talked to Schnitzer about using Wapato for a public benefit but hasn't put forward a proposal. Schnitzer said he expected more firm details by Monday afternoon, but none had come. "At this point, nothing has moved beyond informal conversations," said Michael Cox, the mayor's chief of staff. Homer Williams, whose Harbor for Hope nonprofit is behind the idea for a homeless navigation center in Old Town Chinatown, also claims to still be working toward a proposal to use the jail space for mental health or drug and alcohol recovery. "We haven't given up on the concept and we are working diligently," Williams said last week. If anyone comes up with a viable plan, it would be the first since the jail was built more than 20 years ago. The inside is less like a prison than some might expect from a jail for 500 minimum-security inmates, but still would require renovation. Multnomah County commissioners refused to fund a homeless shelter in the building, despite repeated calls for it from some in the community and Commissioner Loretta Smith. Smith restarted the debate last month when she said that local leadership needed to step up and use it as a temporary shelter. However, the price tag to operate a shelter, plus the cost of transportation between many services centralized in downtown and Wapato in industrial North Portland have made it a tough sell. Schnitzer said he would be happy to help fundraise a few million if someone could put together a coalition of people and the bulk of the money to run Wapato. He just can't do it himself. "This involves a skill set I don't have," Schnitzer said. "I've tried to reach out to everyone who can read the paper or see TV and say you take the lead." -- Molly Harbarger mharbarger@oregonian.com 503-294-5923 @MollyHarbarger The 72-year-old woman in the Hollywood Senior Center listened to the question: Had she ever experienced a sexual assault? She smiled politely and shook her head, turning her attention to the produce and vegetables being handed out at a long table. Suddenly, she stepped out of line, giving her spot to someone else. She pointed to a backroom, away from the crowd. Once there, she pulled out a chair and set her purse on the floor. "I'll talk," Jacqui Jackson said Monday. "It's time." Her painful memories of a night nearly 60 years ago erupted after she watched the televised dueling testimonies last week of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Kavanaugh of assaulting her when they were in high school. What emerged in the backroom was the spirit of a young girl. Jackson, in an instant, traveled back in time, to remember when a family friend sexually attacked her while she baby-sat the couple's four children. She was 13. She never baby-sat again. She never told her best friend. She didn't tell her mother about it for 42 years. "I hate politics," Jackson said. "But this is more than politics. It's time I speak the truth." *** At 36, Heather Keisler Fornes, a senior center volunteer, is decades younger than the men and women who arrive daily to socialize or get help. During her life, she said she has dealt with unwanted physical contact from men. "Ask any woman in here and they'll tell you the same thing," she said. "No one tells because the same thing: We don't feel anything will happen or change. How long do we have to hear 'boys will be boys?'" She waved her hand around the room. "Any of those women," she said. "I'm convinced of it." Jackson agreed with Fornes. The stories are rarely shared with friends of family members, even late into life when the assailant lives in another state or may have died. But the ghost is there, and the questions and doubt and guilt. "I was sitting on the couch in the couple's home," Jackson recalled. "The husband came home earlier than his wife. He was nice. I knew them. He talked with me, and then he sat next to me." He moved closer. "Then his hands were all over me," she said. "I pushed away and said I would scream and wake up his children. He left me alone. Then his wife came and I went home." Jackson said she was too embarrassed to tell her mother. "She never taught me anything about sex," Jackson said. "She even spelled it out, letter by letter. It was just something I could not tell my mother. We knew this man. He had always been so nice. It would have been a scandal, and who would have believed me?" When the man's wife called her to baby-sit another night, Jackson declined. "I told her I wasn't baby-sitting for anyone anymore," she said. "I didn't want her to know what had happened. My mother was so mad at me. She said I was making good money." Jackson said she tried to forget what had happened. "I got on with my life," she said. "I had four kids. But I think I was always a bit afraid of men. What happened that night took away my sense of independence." Late in life, she finally told her mother who wanted to know why she'd waited so long. "I tried to explain the best I could," Jackson. "I'm not sure if she really understood what it did to me." She gathered her purse. "So nice," Jackson said. "He'd always been so nice." *** Hollywood Senior Center When such an intimate and intrusive question is asked, it makes sense that women don't want to talk with a stranger, especially a man. Others share a moment -- a man groping and grabbing in high school, not taking "no" for an answer and say they decided to move on. Let the past be the past. And then Brenda Culhane considers the question. She nods her head. Now 78, she said she came from a broken home. With the wisdom of age, she knows that made her vulnerable. A man who knew a friend of hers began paying attention to her. "I was 12," she said. "He took a shine to me. Then it happened." She shakes her head. She shares some details. Then stops. Too raw. "I never told anyone," she said. "Who would believe a 12-year-old?" Jackson came to stand by her side, two strangers who became, in a sense, warriors, offering each other support on a day when all they thought they were going to do was look at produce. Monday is gleaning day when the center gathers and then gives away produce and vegtables that would otherwise be tossed out from area stores. "Women didn't come forward back then because they were not taken seriously," Jackson said. Culhane gently touched her shoulder. "Men were proud of it," she said. "It was a conquest." *** Jackson and Culhane said that women can't win this fight by themselves. "Good men don't want to believe that men are capable of this," Jackson said. "Men need to be educated. Women need to share their stories with the men in their lives. We need to explain that it is not what a man shows the world but what is hidden inside of him." They're both pragmatic. They both believe that Kavanaugh ultimately will be confirmed and take a seat on the Supreme Court. The only thing that will prevent it, they believe is if a man comes forward and corroborates Ford's testimony in front of the Sentate Judiciary Committee. They smiled sad smiles. "Think about that," Jackson said. "A man will have to provide the credibility." They took their produce and left the building. --Tom Hallman Jr. thallman@oregonian.com; 503 221-8224 @thallmanjr A federal judge has granted the Mental Health Alliance "friend of the court'' status in Portland's settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice on police reforms, finding the alliance's "expertise will be useful.'' U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon issued his ruling Monday, three days before the parties in the case are due back in court to update him on the status of the city's non-compliance with a key provision that requires community oversight of the reforms. The mayor has moved to create a new Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing, and selected its members earlier this month. The committee will replace a defunct community advisory board that dissolved more than a year ago amid strife between members, and lack of feedback from the city or police bureau. The new committee members are undergoing training and are expected to hold their first meeting in November. The city's settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice called for reforms to police training, policies and oversight after a 2012 federal investigation found Portland police engaged in excessive force against people who have or are perceived to have a mental illness. Investigators also found that police improperly used stun guns against suspects. Simon approved the agreement in 2014. The Mental Health Alliance was formed in July and is made up of Disability Rights Oregon, the Mental Health Association of Portland and Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. The groups cite their experience as direct service providers to people with mental illness, and asked for a seat at the table as the city settlement remains before a judge. In its recent petition to the court, the alliance cited concerns about ongoing police shootings of people with mental illness since the settlement was approved, the lack of sufficient drop-off or walk-in centers for people in crisis and the absence for more than a year of meaningful community oversight. Simon said he granted enhanced amicus status in the case to the Albina Ministerial Alliance's Coalition for Justice and Police Reform early in the settlement agreement because the community coalition had a long history monitoring police actions in the city and had urged federal Justice officials to investigate the city force in 2012. The judge found the enhanced status was not necessary for the new Mental Health Alliance. Instead, he granted regular "amicus curiae'' status to the alliance, meaning the alliance can file briefs in the case and address the court during hearings in the case. He'll also allow the alliance lawyers to sit in front of the courtroom with the parties in the case on Thursday, noting the alliance "has unique information or perspective that can help the court.'' The city, the police union and federal Justice attorneys opposed the alliance's request for enhanced amicus status, which would have allowed the alliance to participate in negotiations or mediation on the terms or amendments to the settlement. The city and federal Justice Department weren't opposed to the regular amicus status the judge afforded to the alliance. "We're grateful to the court and proud the city is going to hear personally from people with mental illness and addictions directly affected by the settlement,'' said Jason Renaud, board secretary of the Mental Health Association of Portland. Thursday's hearing will start at 9 a.m. in Simon's courtroom 15B in the U.S. District Court in downtown Portland. After the judge's introductory remarks, lawyers from the federal Justice Department, the city of Portland, the Albina Ministerial Alliance's coalition, the Portland Police Association, the city-hired compliance officer and the Mental Health Alliance will each have 20 minutes to address the judge. Public testimony is not expected to begin until 11:30 a.m., with a noon break for lunch and resume at 1 p.m. if necessary, according to court records. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian UPDATED, 1 p.m. Tuesday: Westen Occeas has been found safe, according to Gresham police. The agency said he showed up at school Tuesday. *** Police are asking for help finding a missing 12-year-old boy who has been away from home for more than a day. Westen Occeas was seen playing basketball at a park Monday night but didn't return home, Gresham police said. The boy was then seen at 9 a.m. Tuesday when a friend dropped him off at Parkrose Middle School in Northeast Portland, according to police. But when he saw his father's car, he ran, police said. "It is common for Westen to not be heard from after school and not return home until very late," police said on Twitter. "However he has never been gone overnight." Police encourage anyone who knows the boy's location to call 503-823-3333 or 911 if needed. Jim Ryan The Portland City Council on Tuesday cleared the way for the city to sue the Trump administration over new rules kneecapping cities' ability to recoup fees from telecom providers. By its action Tuesday, the City Council added Portland to a growing list of cities, primarily on the West Coast, that are preparing to fight Donald Trump's Federal Communications Commission over what officials view as a needless freebie to cable companies. "This is a property grab by the federal government," Mayor Ted Wheeler said at the Council meeting Tuesday, called last-minute to approve legal action. Telecom providers are hoping to deploy new 5G wireless technology in large American cities, promising superfast internet speeds to customers. But to do that, they need access to thousands of city-owned poles and fixtures, to which the companies would affix signal transmitters. Like other cities, Portland offers access to its infrastructure only if a company pays a fee. But two new FCC rulings threaten those arrangements. They in essence limit what cities may charge for access to their rights-of-way, Maja Haium, a deputy city attorney, told the mayor and commissioners at the special City Council meeting Tuesday. Haium said city attorneys are "very concerned" about the FCC orders, which may expose Portland to lawsuits from the federal government for rule violations. Beyond the legal problems, Haium said the orders would "significantly undercut" city cable revenues. Under one new FCC order, cities may charge cable companies only $270 per year for each attachment of hardware to city property, Haium said, rather than the $3,000 per year that is typically assessed. Portland has been hugely accommodating to one internet provider in particular, Google Fiber, going so far as to waive fees that Comcast pays in exchange for Google providing internet service to nonprofits. At the time, Portland badly wanted another competitor in the high-speed internet and cable TV market. Google Fiber was on the cusp of launching service in Portland in July 2016 but abruptly scrapped those plans in part because it was considering less expensive, wireless alternatives to its wireline internet service. City officials may not feel a need to be so accommodating on 5G negotiations, because at least three wireless providers are likely to offer the exceptionally fast internet access. The City Council adopted the FCC lawsuit resolution 4-0, with Commissioner Dan Saltzman absent. Wheeler said his administration will negotiate with telecom providers on placement of 5G technology, while also partnering with other cities "to protect the public's right" to manage city-owned property. "We hold these public right-of-way assets in trust for the public and it's our duty to fight for the right to manage these assets," the mayor said. Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who as transportation commissioner will play a key role in 5G negotiations, cast Trump's FCC as inept. She said the federal commission gave cable giants a "corporate giveaway" they should not have. "I hope the next administration will appoint competent people to the FCC, who will help us solve problems instead of creating new ones," Eudaly said. Portland and the FCC are already at odds over net neutrality rules and local control of telecom policy. Local control is a fight Portland waged aggressively in the '90s but had largely abandoned during the Obama administration. A willingness to sue the FCC over 5G fees could be an indicator Portland has an interest in renewing its dispute. -- Gordon R. Friedman Have a tip about Portland City Hall? Contact Gordon: GFriedman@Oregonian.com. Mike Rogoway contributed reporting. A 51-year-old homeless man who crept into a Northeast Portland house and sexually attacked an 18-year-old woman who was sleeping inside was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison. Thomas William Johnson, also known as Johnsen, was wearing a bikini top and a thong bottom when the teenager awoke to discover him on top of her in bed on about 1 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2017, according to a probable cause affidavit. She tried to scream but couldnt because Johnson was squeezing her throat. The 18-year-old later told police that Johnson warned her: I swear to God, stop yelling. You have to do what I say if you want to live through this, if you dont want to die. He also told her that he'd never been with a teenager before and pulled down his thong, exposing his genitals, according to the affidavit. Johnson spit on her face several times, she said. The 18-year-old was staying at her boyfriends house, near Northeast Fremont Street in the Rose City Park neighborhood. The attack was interrupted when the boyfriend arrived home and saw what he thought was his girlfriend asleep on his bed, but the silhouette looked too big. He then heard his girlfriend call out for help, and he realized a man was lying on top of her. The boyfriend pushed the man off and began punching him in the head. The man ran from the home. He left a bag of pornographic magazines in the yard, authorities say. Police later arrested Johnson. Forrest Belknap, the boyfriend, told Multnomah County Circuit Judge Christopher Marshall that he and his girlfriend have been deeply shaken by what happened. His girlfriend was supposed to start college shortly after, but temporarily withdrew from school because of the trauma. She didn't attend the hearing. She feared for her life and she still fears for her life daily, Belknap said. She cant live a normal life anymore, and neither can I, Belknap said. Its really hard to think about the future when you have something holding you back. I used to think as my home as a safe and secure place, and I cant sleep in my home without having nightmares about his face and just him on top of my girlfriend in my room in my bed," he said. His mother, Gretchen Belknap, said she and her husband moved into the home 24 years ago and thought it was a wonderful place to raise a family. Now, because of the break-in and attack, all she wants to do is leave Portland. Youve ruined our peace of mind, Gretchen Belknap said to Johnson. Johnson pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and attempted first-degree sexual abuse. He also pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mischief for breaking a toilet at a Northeast Fremont Street restaurant, flooding it. Johnson said he regrets his crimes and that hed been on a methamphetamine binge for days leading up to the attack. It was the week of his birthday and he was celebrating, he said. I was so far out of my mind I thought I was invited there, Johnson said. After his arrest, he told authorities that hed been homeless for the past five years. His criminal history consists of two convictions for theft or possession of stolen property in 1994 and 2003. Given the parameters of Oregon sentencing guidelines and that Johnson hadnt been convicted of sexual crimes before, Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson said his office had agreed to a five-year prison sentence with the possibility of time off for good behavior in prison. That would mean Johnson could end up serving four years under the plea agreement. But the judge said he couldnt approve the extra time off because of the severe impact of Johnsons crimes on his victims. Marshall said Johnson must serve the full five years in prison. Johnson also will be on post-prison for three years and must register as a sex offender. -- Aimee Green Two Portland police officers pulled up to a shootout in downtown after hearing gunfire early Sunday, saw muzzle flashes and fired multiple times at a man who they say turned toward them holding a gun in a parking lot, according to new details obtained Monday by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Police shot Patrick K. Kimmons, 27, and he was pronounced dead at OSHU Hospital. It's not clear how many times Kimmons was shot. His family has claimed he was hit 12 to 15 times in the back, but police sources say the two officers fired less than 10 times. Central Precinct Sgt. Garry Britt, with the bureau 10 years, and Officer Jeffrey Livingston, with the bureau one and a half years, are on paid administrative leave as police continue to investigate the shooting. The case will be presented to a Multnomah County grand jury for review. Police suspect two other men were wounded at the scene before the officers arrived. The men were taken by private vehicles to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center a short time later. According to a preliminary police inquiry, officers reported to emergency dispatchers about 3 am. Sunday that they heard gunfire near Southwest Third Avenue and Harvey Milk Street. Britt and Livingston, in separate police cars, responded, driving into a parking lot from Southwest Fourth Avenue, at Harvey Milk Street. At least one of the cars had its overhead emergency police lights on. Officers reported seeing muzzle flashes when they arrived. The sergeant and officer then confronted one man who turned toward them holding a gun and fired at him, the police inquiry indicates. Kimmons collapsed in the parking lot along Harvey Milk Street. Officers recovered a gun near Kimmons, police said. Harvey Milk Street is the new name for a 13-block stretch of former Stark Street, running from Naito Parkway to Burnside. An officer reported immediately after the shooting that one person was shot, lying semi prone, with what looked like a gun beside him. Investigators found five guns at the scene of the shooting, including some discovered in or around cars searched in the lot. It's not clear whose they were or what prompted the shootout. The state crime lab will examine the ballistics to determine who may have handled the guns and fired the shots that wounded the two men. Investigators also are reviewing surveillance videotape from nearby businesses. One man who identified himself only as Bucket, 35, who lives in The Henry building on Fourth Avenue, said he was awakened early Sunday by a "short burst of rapid gunfire.'' He said he looked outside briefly and saw police cars arriving in the area. Letha Winston, Kimmons' mother, started a GoFundMe site to help pay for her son's funeral. On it, she wrote that her son was shot in the back and leg as he was running away and struck 15 times. But police sources said the two officers fired fewer than 10 shots in total. Police didn't say where Kimmons was hit. Two other men showed up shortly after the shooting at Legacy, suffering from gunshot wounds believed to have happened before police arrived at the parking lot. Their wounds were serious but not life-threatening, police said. It's unclear if that altercation stemmed from a particular argument or simply because older rival gang members from the Rolling 60s Crips and the Bloods happened to see one another in the parking lot after leaving separate clubs nearby, police said. The parking lot stretches the entire block, on the north side of Harvey Milk Street; the Hi-Lo Hotel is on the south side of the street. "The Police Bureau is sensitive to the fact a life was lost, and many people from the Portland community are impacted, including family, community partners and officers,'' the bureau's spokeswoman Officer Natasha Haunsperger said in a statement. "We will strive to release information as quickly as possible as the investigation unfolds.'' Four-and-a-half hours after the shooting, Kimmons' mother posted on her Facebook page that her "baby was gone'' and "police killed my son.'' "With my son's life being taken my life will never be the same," Winston wrote on her GoFundMe page. "My grandchildren's life will forever be filled with pain from a void that can never be replaced. This pain has to stop! I wouldn't wish this reality on anyone ... When it hits home I can't even put into words. I don't know how to go on, I don't know how to begin to accept this.'' She asked why police had to shoot her son instead of arresting him. "As people get desensitized as if a life was not taken, as if my son didn't have kids. As if my son didn't deserve to live," she said. "There's nothing that can explain or be justified that my son is dead, or never coming back, never to hug me or tell me, 'I love you.' Realities such as this make it hard to believe in justice.'' Kimmons, a father of three young children, was well-known in the Portland community. His shooting death by police immediately drew "Don't Shoot Portland'' protesters to downtown later Sunday. It marked the second fatal Portland police shooting and the third Portland police shooting this year. Kimmons had ties to the Rolling 60s Crip gang, according to police and court records. One of the men wounded in the leg was a friend of Kimmons, Dante Emanuel Hall, known as "Manny.'' Kimmons had been the victim of a shooting in April 2014 in Northeast Portland. He had prior convictions for witness tampering in 2010, and for delivery of cocaine and possession of a firearm in 2011. He had been ordered by a judge to have no contact with gangs in each of those cases, but he had had no serious criminal convictions in the past seven years. His Facebook page said he was working as a baker for Dave's Killer Bread, but the company doesn't have any record of Kimmons having worked as an employee, according to Katie Kieper of the company's public relations firm Maxwell PR. Kimmons wrote on his Facebook page in July, "Trying to work on myself as a man and also trying to raise my kids the proper way No one ever said being a parent was gonna be easy but i dedicate my time to my children because i want to teach them that they can be anything they want to in life Besides being a Stripper-Hoe, Selling Drugs, Gangbanging etc.. I have seen so much in life and and gained so much knowledge in life that i want to show them a better route to take so they can be more successful in life and not really have to struggle (.) #Family'' Mayor Ted Wheeler, who serves as police commissioner, didn't visit the scene of the shooting. Chief Danielle Outlaw was on vacation and wasn't in the city when the shooting occurred but returned Sunday night. "My thoughts are with (Kimmons') family and those affected by Sunday's events, including the officers involved, witnesses, and our community partners who work every day to reduce conflict and violence in Portland," Wheeler said in a statement. "In the coming days and weeks, many will rightly have questions about what happened. These questions are important; the answers are important. There are now multiple active investigations, and I am committed to ensuring accurate information is disclosed as quickly and completely as possible." Two other officers who witnessed the shooting have been interviewed by investigators, police said. Britt and Livingston were scheduled to be interviewed later Monday, police said just before 5 p.m. Police ask anyone with information about the shooting to contact Detective Darren Posey at 503-823-0403 or darren.posey@portlandoregon.gov or Detective Rico Beniga at 503-823-0457, or rico.beniga@portlandoregon.gov. -- Oregonian staff writers Jim Ryan, Shane Dixon Kavanaugh, Kale Williams and Gordon Friedman contributed to this story. -- Maxine Bernstein mbernstein@oregonian.com 503-221-8212 @maxoregonian Updated at 11:20 p.m. Demonstrators blocked a section of a downtown Portland street for hours Monday where a 27-year-old man was fatally shot by police, calling for answers on why officers killed him. About 150 people gathered near Southwest 4th Avenue and Harvey Milk Street for a vigil in memory of Patrick Kimmons. Yellow caution tape that ran from a public parking lot to a strip club blocked the street from traffic. A memorial with signs, pictures of Kimmons and candles lined the sidewalk just outside the parking lot. The crowd chanted Kimmons' name, yelled that he mattered, that all black lives matter and that there wouldn't be any peace without justice. As of 8 p.m., the street was still blocked with demonstrators. Family and friends described Kimmons as a father of three who loved his kids, the Trail Blazers and the Seattle Seahawks. The North Portland native was working hard to make up for past mistakes that led to prior arrests. Kimmons is the second person killed by Portland police in 2018 and the third killed this year in a police shooting in Portland. Several people gathered at the vigil said they hope police are transparent and explain why they didn't opt to shoot to injure him. "We were so proud of him because he wanted to be a better man, a better example to his kids," said Sequoia Turner, Kimmons' partner for nine years and mother to his 3- and 6-year-old boys. "It's scary because I thought I would have lost him to the streets long before the police." The couple's sons and Kimmons' 9-year-old daughter were among the crowd, along with other relatives. Some wore T-shirts with his face printed alongside the message #justiceforpat. Demonstrators gathered around Kimmons' relatives at one point and prayed for the family. Joe Keller, whose son Deontae was fatally shot by Portland police in 1996, told the crowd through a megaphone to continue supporting Kimmons' family. "Babies without a father," Keller said. "That's not a good thing." He later told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he is saddened that black men such as his son, Kimmons and others across the country continue to be killed by police officers. "You would think in all this time that police officers would be trained more in other ways to handle situations so they don't end like this," said Keller, 62. "The cops shouldn't be judge, jury and executioner, but in a lot of cases they are. It hurts every time this happens." Two Portland officers are on paid administrative leave as police continue to investigate the shooting, which took place early Sunday. Central Precinct Sgt. Garry Britt and Officer Jeffrey Livingston were patrolling the downtown area early Sunday when a shooting occurred near Southwest Third Avenue and Harvey Milk Street (formerly Stark) and injured two people. Britt and Livingston at some point encountered Kimmons and fired at him. He later died at a hospital, police said. One gun was found near Kimmons and other guns were found by police in the area, according to police. Two other men suffering from gunshot wounds were taken to a hospital in private vehicles and are expected to survive. Police believe they were injured before officers arrived. Police haven't said what prompted the shooting that drew officers to the scene. They also have not confirmed how many shots were fired or where Kimmons was hit. Surveillance video in the area is being reviewed by investigators. Police sources told The Oregonian/Oregonlive that Britt and Livingston fired fewer than 10 shots. Britt, who has been with the police bureau for 10 years, and Livingston, with the bureau for one year, encountered Kimmons as he turned toward them holding a gun and fired at him, sources said. Investigators found five guns at the scene of the shooting, including some discovered in or around cars searched in the lot. It's not clear who owned the guns. A witness described the shooting differently than police sources. Ayan Aden said she was stopped early Sunday in a public parking lot near Southwest Fourth Avenue and Harvey Milk Street with her boyfriend when she heard yelling. Aden said she and her boyfriend saw Kimmons run from Fourth Avenue through the parking lot, drop a gun near the car she was in and keep running. Aden said she heard who she thought were officers yell "stop," twice and then open fire immediately after. She said her boyfriend told her to duck down once the gunfire began. Two bullets hit the passenger side of the car, but neither of them were hit. Aden said she and her boyfriend were ordered to remain in the car by police for several hours and were questioned if they knew Kimmons because the gun was near their car. She said they didn't know him. She said she also didn't know how many shots were fired. "The shooting was excessive," said Aden, 18, at the vigil. "He was clearly running away and threw the gun away." Letha Winston, Kimmons' mother, started a GoFundMe site to help pay for her son's funeral. On it, she wrote that her son was shot in the back and leg as he was running away and struck 16 times. Turner said Winston told her she was informed of those details by a Portland police sergeant. Winston didn't attend Monday's vigil. Kalil Whitlow, Kimmons' younger brother, said Kimmons was a member of the Rolling 60s Crips but gave up being an active member in the gang to focus on raising his kids. Whitlow said he didn't know the specifics of the initial shooting that drew police, but said it stemmed from Kimmons being recognized by members of a rival group. "My bro was a good person," said Whitlow, 23. "I still can't believe he's gone." Turner said the family is still waiting for more information to come to light, particularly from any surveillance footage in the area. "He didn't have to die," she said. -- Everton Bailey Jr. ebailey@oregonian.com 503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey With her commitment to community service and willingness to help others, the late Bobby Ann Robinson made a lasting positive impression on colleagues who worked alongside the educator at Saginaw Valley State University. Her family and SVSU honored that legacy recently by naming a space on campus after the Saginaw native and onetime SVSU educator with the dedication of The Dr. Bobby Ann Robinson Presentation Hall, located in SVSU's Groening Commons. "She would never refuse a call to serve," said Donald Bachand, SVSU's president. "I knew I could always count on her because she never gave a second thought to helping others. She had a passion for her students and her university." Robinson, an adjunct faculty member in SVSU's Department of English from 1998-2010, was remembered fondly by friends and family during a dedication ceremony outside the presentation hall now featuring her name emblazoned in silver lettering above the entrance. The naming recognition was part of a gift commitment from her sister, Ruby Robinson, an SVSU alumna. "SVSU is like a family to us," Robinson said. "I wanted to honor Bobby's memory here." The gift from Ruby Robinson will support the SVSU First For Business campaign, which was recently initiated to support construction of a 38,500-square-foot expansion to house the university's Scott L. Carmona College of Business & Management. "We are grateful to Ruby for her generous support of SVSU and deeply appreciate that she has chosen SVSU to honor her sister's legacy" said Andrew J. Bethune, executive director of the SVSU Foundation. Bobby Ann Robinson also worked for the former Buena Vista School District in Saginaw County as a teacher and administrator. She served as executive director of the Saginaw-Bay Substance Abuse Services Commission. Robinson also was a member of the NAACP as well as Zonta International, a global organization empowering women through service and advocacy. Robinson, who visited dozens of nations in her lifetime, shared her love for traveling as the owner and operator of Robinson's Family Travel until her death in 2015 at the age of 75. She was a lover of poetry "who thought everyone should be a writer," her sister said. Family and friends at the ceremony recalled Robinson's inspiring mantra for her students: "Go for it. Take a chance. Keep on flying." A Reuters summary of U.S. ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchisons press conference is making the rounds this morning, and it incorrectly frames Hutchisons words to depict a dire situation in which the United States is threatening a preemptive strike on Russia. Heres Reuters opening lede that has caused quite a bit of consternation across the web: Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washingtons envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. One problem? Looking over the transcript of the press conference, the word destroy literally wasnt uttered once. The angle that Reuters took on their summary was to take a hypothetical that Hutchison was talking about, and portray it as much more concrete. Heres the first exchange on the topic: Question: And the second question, Secretary General Stoltenberg, he began with that Russias actions are in breach with the INF Treaty. Will you tell us tomorrow what will be discussed about this issue? Thank you very much. Hutchison: On the issue of your second question on the INF Treaty. We have been trying to send a message to Russia for several years that we know they are violating the treaty. We have shown Russia the evidence that we have, that they are violating the treaty. They are building a medium-range ballistic missile in violation of the INF. That is a fact which we have proven. We have been asked by our allies to consult with them on this issue which we are going to do, which we have done, and we will be even more specific, I believe, in the next two days with the evaluations that are documented that we have uncovered from Russias actions on the INF Treaty in violation. The United States does not want to withdraw from the treaty. We certainly dont intend to violate the treaty. So we are asking our allies for their suggestions on a way forward that would bring Russia into compliance, because that is our goal. Russia in compliance. But if Russia continues to say they are not violating when the evidence is clear that they are, then diplomacy needs to be strengthened, and we need to look for other ways to bring Russia to the table on this issue. Its very important. Reuters story is unnecessarily hyperbolic. Theres no other way to put it. They focused on the hypothetical situations that Hutchison laid out after this response, but its crystal clear that NATO sees diplomacy as the main policy initiative to get Russia to comply with this treaty, not destroying banned Russian warheads. INF stands for Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces. The treaty was ratified on June 1st, 1988 between the United States and the Soviet Union. The agreement eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles and their launchers under 3,420 miles. By 1991, over 2,600 missiles had been eliminated, and the treaty was seemingly doing what it intended to do. In 2007, Vladimir Putin declared that the treaty did not serve Russias interests, and Russia began testing missiles in defiance of the INF Treaty. The reason why is that other countries in Asia are not bound by this treaty, and a big part of Russias motivation is to match the production of intermediate and short range nuclear capabilities from countries like China. In 2014, the United States formally notified Russia of their breach of this treaty, effectively kicking off a dispute which made news today thanks to Reuters incorrect framing of the U.S. ambassador to NATOs words. Reuters said that the U.S. would destroy banned Russian warheads if necessary, yet thats not the way that the question was posed or answered. Again, lets go back to the transcript. Question: Maam, can you be more specific what kind of new information that you are bringing to the table regarding the breach of the INF Treaty? And more explicitly also, what kind of countermeasures that you are considering. Hutchison: The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. So that would be the countermeasure eventually. We are trying not to do anything that would violate the treaty on our side, which allows research, but not going forward into development, and we are carefully keeping the INF Treaty requirements on our side, while Russia is violating. We have documented on numerous occasions that Russia is violating. We have shown Russia that evidence. Some of our allies have seen that evidence. All of our allies have seen some of that evidence. I think it is very important that we have the capability to deter, not only for European defense but for American defense. We have an intermediate range risk from Russia as well. So I think it is important that we continue to do everything as an alliance to put pressure on Russia to come forward, and first of all admit that they are in violation, and then secondly, to stop the violations. Because they are clearly doing it, our allies know that, our allies have spoken at the Summit with a clear indication that Russia must stop these violations. As you can see, the question was clearly posed as a hypothetical and while Hutchison did say would, it was in the context of this would be the countermeasure, per longstanding policynot we are planning to do this. Its simply disingenuous to read her response as if she was speaking literally, especially since she ended her response talking about diplomacy. Its crystal clear to anyone familiar with how bodies like NATO act that Hutchison was not speaking about actual intent, but longstanding policy that enables a range of outcomes. She could have been clearer about what they plan to do and what the treaty enables them to do, but, well, welcome to the vagaries of the Trump administration. Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. Bottom line: this is a pretty irresponsible headline and framing of the press conference from Reuters. They portray diplomacy as some afterthought, while the hypothetical laid out is the main thrust of their piece, when chronologically, the exact opposite happened. I woke up today with the entire internet in hysterics, since reading their report sure does make it look like the United States is prepping to start World War III with Russiabut one glance at the transcript proves that the situation is far more nuanced than Reuters portrayed it to be. Russias violation of the INF treaty is likely more about China than the United States, and they have a point in arguing that it is a relic of a different era. Regardless, the machinations of diplomacy have been playing out for at least four years on Russias violation of this treaty, and this is just another episode in a long running series that few people have been paying attention to, and we will likely forget by tomorrow, as it is crystal clear from Hutchisons comments that war with Russia is not imminent. Jacob Weindling is a staff writer for Paste politics. Follow him on Twitter at @Jakeweindling. Microsoft refreshed and expanded its Surface device family on Tuesday, revealing a new Surface Pro 6, a new Surface Laptop 2, a Surface Studio 2, and even headphones. Panos Panay, chief product officer at Microsoft, introduced the updated Surfaces at an event in New York City. The unifying themes: Helping you focus. And black. All black. The event kicked off with Yusuf Mehdi, Microsofts corporate vice president of modern life and devices, who made an obvious assertion: Were all pretty busy. Mehdi defined three dynamics that shape Microsofts strategy: Life and work are blurring; there is a constant battle for attention with digital devices; and people want to pursue their passions. We see these opportunities and we get excited about what we can do, Mehdi said. It starts with Surface, Mehdi said, but Microsoft also wants you to be able to interact with content anywhere, on any device, even if its iOS or Android. Then theres peace of mind: Can someone be present at the dinner table? Finally, Microsoft wants to help you unlock your creativity, Mehdi said. Panos Panay reemphasized the mission when he came onstage after Mehdi to introduce the new Surface products. The theme for this generation of devices is focus, Panay said. For people to get into their flow, technology has to fade into the background. Why this matters: Ever since Microsoft announced the press conference in early September, questions have hung in the air. A year after launching the first Surface Studio and Surface Laptop, how significantly would the company overhaul the second-generation design? Likewise, how dramatically would it revamp the Surface Pro? The answer to all of these: just enough to keep up with the times. Remember what made the original Surface Laptop so special: light weight, an optimized design, and killer battery life. (The tradeoff? Windows 10 in S Mode, though you could switch to Windows 10 Pro, too.) Thats the same premise of the latest iteration of the Surface Laptop, now with improved components. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsofts Surface Laptop 2, now in all black. It is incredibly quiet, Panay said, and it has a signature keyboard, with 1.5mm of key travel. Other features include Instant on and Windows Hello. The display has 3.4 million pixels, with a best-in-class contrast ratio, and the thinnest LCD on a laptop. Naturally, it has a quad-core, 8th-gen Core CPU thats 85 percent faster than the original Surface laptops. And yes, it ships in black. Its still about 2.76 pounds. (The original Surface Laptop offered a choice of 7th-generation Core i5 and Core i7 processor, with 4GB to 16GB of RAM and 128GB to 512GB of storage. The original Surface Laptop included a 22561504 display with touch, a capability that Macs lacked.) Microsoft quickly listed the specs of the Surface Laptop 2, and theyre apparently similar, with up to 16GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage. Mark Hachman / IDG Sorry, theres no USB-C port here, just the Surface connector. Though other notebooks eventually emerged, rivaling the Surface Laptops long battery life, the Surface Laptop was a solid alternative to the legions of MacBook Airs that dominated college campuses. The problem, though, was its high price: $1,000 or so. The new Surface Laptop 2 will begin at $999 and ship on October 16. You can preorder now from Microsofts StoreRemove non-product link. Surface Pro 6 Microsoft released its last Surface Pro tablet, the Surface Pro (2017), in June of 2017. It was clearly time for an update, and thats what Microsoft has delivered with the Surface Pro 6. While the Surface Pro (2017) featured 7th-generation Core processors inside, Microsoft has made the leap to 8th-generation quad-core Core chips for this iteration of the Surface. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsofts Surface Pro 6. Naturally, a new range of optional Type Covers will follow the new Surface tablets and ship in four colors: red, blue, gray, and now black. The Surface Pen remains optional as well. Keep in mind that both accessories are added, and usually necessary, expenses for what can already be a rather pricey tablet. Mark Hachman / IDG The Microsoft Surface Pro 6 reclines nearly fully, though youll want to use it just partially reclined. The real concern with the Surface tablet lineup is the price. Microsoft offered the original Surface with a Core m3 CPU for $799, but prices quickly climbed to $1,300 for a Core i5 with 8B RAM/256GB of storage, and a whopping $2,799 for a tricked-out Core i7 with 1TB of storage. The Surface Pro 6 will start at $899, though we really dont know what the upper limit will be at this point. It will ship October 16, and you can preorder some configurations now from the Microsoft StoreRemove non-product link. Surface Studio 2 The original Surface Studio was a fascinating study of contrasts: a collection of mobile components that you might normally find in a laptop were instead housed in a compact desktop, itself dwarfed by a massive, swiveling 28-inch 4,5003,000 touchscreen. At a whopping $4,100, the Studio was an aspirational device that all would covet, but few could afford. What could Microsoft do for an encore? The Surface Studio 2. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsofts Surface Studio 2 is still the all-in-one youll dream of owning. Microsoft went to a new display design that uses a different transistor, with a smaller pixel but a greater aperture. With the new LCD material, Microsoft was able to better align the LCD to the polarizer, giving it 22 percent more contrast and 38 percent greater brightnessover 500 nits of total luminance. While the original Surface Studio used a number of mobile components, they approximated desktop power. There was a 2.7GHz Intel Core i7-6820HQ and Nvidias GeForce GTX 980M 4GB GPU, plus a whopping 32GB of memory, a massive 2TB hard drive, and a 128GB SSD for caching. For the Surface Studio 2, you might think that Microsoft has moved up to 8th-gen quad-core Core i7 CPUs, but it hasnt: theres a 7th-generation Core i7-7820HQ instead. In addition, it uses older Nvidia Pascal graphics, specifically the GTX 1070 and 1080 parts. But oh, what storage! It has a 2TB SSD, ditching the first Studios hybrid drive entirely. Mark Hachman / IDG Game console or PC? Who cares? The Surface Studio 2 now has the horsepower for either artists or gamers, Microsoft says. Panay talked up the accompanying Surface Pen, with 4,096 levels of pressure and best-in-class ink latency. Panay also showed translation from inking to text. The Surface Studio will ship by November 15 with a starting price of $3,499. You can preorder it now from the Microsoft StoreRemove non-product link. Windows 10: Now and in the future Unfortunately, the imminent Windows 10 October 2018 Update never had a formal coming-out party. Members of the Windows Insider beta program have already had a chance to test out its new features and improvements. The assumption was that Microsoft has already released the final Insider build in preparation for a final release to consumers at large. Mehdi gave a short overview of the October 2018 Updates highlights: Timeline, Your Phone, and more. (PCWorlds review is coming soon.) But the real news is that the October 2018 is live: You can download it now, Mehdi said. Microsoft showed off one new feature that the company already announced: integrating to-dos within Outlook. The To Do app is also being integrated within the Microsoft Launcher app for Android, a capability Microsoft previously said would be coming soon. For the future, Microsoft showed off My Phone with apps. Youll be able to mirror your phone on your PC, so you can actually use those apps right within your PC environment. Now that Windows is a service, rather than a series of individual product releases, development continues. The Windows team is busy working on the expected spring 2019 update to Windows 10, now dubbed 19H1at least internally at Microsoft. Two more surprises: Headphones and a service Microsoft has readily marketed peripherals to go along with its Surface products, including the Surface Pen and various iterations of Microsoft mice, like the well-made Surface Precision Mouse. At the New York event Tuesday, Panay introduced something new and unexpected: headphones. Mark Hachman / IDG Meet the Microsoft Surface Headphones. Its an odd, but not totally unexpected choice. With more and more people traveling for work with Surface and other devices, the potential for the outside world to intrude grows. Whether it be a coffee shop or airline flight, ambient noise can make it more difficult to zero in on the task at hand. The new Surface Headphones help eliminate ambient noise through active cancellation, with 13 levels. It has 40mm drivers, four beam-forming mics, and and four active noise-cancelling mics, too. Naturally, the headphones are also Cortana-powered. Theyre coming soon, and information is already available at the Microsoft Store, but preorders havent opened yet. Mark Hachman / IDG Microsofts Surface Headphones use USB-C for charging. Theres also a mute button for when you want to talk without Cortana hearing you. Finally, in a blink-and-youll-miss-it moment, Panay unveiled Microsoft Surface All Access, described as all the Surface you want for $24.99 per month. Is this a leasing program? Panay didnt explain. Check out the Surface blog post for more information. Correction: The Surface Studio 2 uses an Intel 7th-generation Core chip inside of it. An earlier version of this story also misstated the weight of the Surface Laptop 2. Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers. It's official: The only 'debate' of the 2018 gubernatorial campaign season was a bomb. It stunk. It was "Ishtar" in pinstripes. Monday's showcase in Hershey starring "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek, with occasional appearances by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican Scott Wagner came in for the kind of savaging on social media that's generally only reserved for truly awful awards shows. "Alex Trebek moderated a gubernatorial debate in Pennsylvania, it didn't go well," The Washington Post offered its readers this morning, confirming the bad reviews. But don't take our (or their word) for it. Herewith, a sampling of some of the worst savaging that social media had to offer on Monday night. We'll start polite. It only gets worse. With a total of 45 minutes of debate time in the Pa gov's campaign, Alex Trebek is killing a lot of time with meandering questions that don't get us far into the issues Dave Davies (@DaveDaviesWHYY) October 2, 2018 Alex Trebek should probably never moderate a debate again Tyler McCaffery (@TylerMcCaff74) October 2, 2018 Alex Trebek may be the worst debate moderator I've ever seen in my life Adam Breneman (@AdamBreneman81) October 2, 2018 The problem with this #PAGov debate is that Alex Trebek doesn't seem to know how to form a direct, concise question. Which is as ironic as anything I've ever seen. Adam Bonin (@adambonin) October 2, 2018 Not really going out on limb here, but this was a terrible debate. Barely any policy, barely any description about what the state government does. Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) October 2, 2018 Lots of complaining about Alex Trebek. Remember, he was approached to do this and stated how he would do it, not the other way around. The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry set this up, and agreed to the format (as did the candidates). #PAGovDebate Jimbo Lamb (@misterlamb) October 2, 2018 why won't he stop talking? this is painful to watch. Shripal Shah (@shripal734) October 2, 2018 So much time wasted. https://t.co/jD0Huf4IdJ Kevin McCorry (@byKevinMcCorry) October 2, 2018 The rest of the day's news starts now. The ACLU is gearing up to sue the Dept. of Corrections over its new mail policy, The Inquirer reports. Residents of Plum, Pa. are none-too-thrilled about a plan to put the state's largest fracking disposal well in their town, The Post-Gazette reports. BillyPenn has the four things you need to know about last night's debate. Here's a very vivid #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day: WHYY-FM goes deep on the state's unequal access to public defenders. The PA. Post's Ed Mahon has some of the key moments from the debate, as well. PennLive's Charlie Thompson updates on some traffic enforcement bills now before the General Assembly. Here's PennLive's Jan Murphy's take on the debate. Allentown has been traumatized by a car explosion that rocked the city over the weekend. The Morning Call has more. U.S. Rep. Scott Perry is on the air with a new ad, blaming Nancy Pelosi for, well, everything. Politico goes inside the 'double lives' of vulnerable House Republicans. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., could be a key vote on the White House's renegotiated trade pact with Canada and Mexico, Roll Call reports. What Goes On. The House gavels in for a token day at 9:30 a.m. The Senate convenes at 1 p.m. 10 a.m., Capitol Fountain: "Turn the Fountain Pink" for Breast Cancer Awareness 10 a.m., Main Rotunda: Sen. Art Haywood on poverty solutions including raising the wage, improving child care and more 11:15 a.m., Main Rotunda: Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski and others on helping grandparents raising grandchildren 12 p.m., Main Rotunda: Rally for SB942. This is the "Parole for Life Sentences" bill 1 p.m., Media Center: Update on transporting hazardous nuclear waste in Pa. WolfWatch. Gov. Tom Wolf has no public schedule today. What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition). 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Chris Sainato 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Bud Cook 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. Anthony Williams 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. John Sabatina 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. Mike Regan 8 a.m.: Breakfast for Sen. Jim Brewster 11:30 a.m.: Luncheon for Sen. Lisa Baker 5 p.m.: Reception for Pa. House candidate John Hershey 5:30 p.m.: SRCC Fall Reception Ride the circuit, and give at the max, and you'll be out a truly appalling $22,500 today. You Say It's Your Birthday Dept. Best wishes go out this morning to The Morning Call's tireless courts reporter, Laurie Schroeder. Congrats and enjoy the day. Heavy Rotation. Here's a classic from The Selecter to get the day rolling. And now you're up to date. For the second time in as many months, a watering hole in Luzerne County, Pa., has been accused of racism. The most recent incident occurred last week at The Riverside Cafe in Wilkes-Barre, according to the Citizens Voice, which filed a detailed story on the incident here. The incident was first brought to light by a Facebook video post by a friend of the African-American man asked to leave the bar. The Citizens Voice story says the seven-minute video posted by Cody Welgosh had garnered more than 16,000 views as of late last week. In it, Welgosh described an alleged incident at the bar involving his friend, Darian Twyman, 26, who is black. The Citizens Voice also interviewed Twyman, who gave this account of the incident: "I felt a firm tap on my shoulder and heard, 'You don't belong here. You need to pull your pants up and excuse yourself.' I said, 'My pants aren't down, my ass isn't showing. I don't know what you're trying to infer,'" said Twyman, who visited the bar for the first time to meet up with friends. The Citizens Voice says signs posted on the outside of the doors of the establishment state: "Riverside Cafe dress code. No bandanas. No doo rags. No sideways hats. Pull up your pants." But Twyman tells the newspaper his jeans weren't baggy and he didn't "look like a hoodlum. I didn't raise my blood pressure or my voice. You could barely see my boxer line. I had a tight, firm belt on." The Citizens Voice quotes Robert Hogan, owner of The Riverside Cafe, as denying his motivation for asking Twyman to leave was racism. Hogan pointed to the bar's dress code posted outside the establishment and insisted Twyman wasn't adhering to it. The incident follows another Facebook controversy involving PT's Late Night bar in Hanover Township, Luzerne County. The watering hole came under fire last month for a post to the establishment's Facebook page that laid down rules that some said were racist - but the bar's owner denied making the post and said the Facebook account was hacked. The offending post, which stated "No black people with white tees, no illegals, no out of state ID's (unless) you are white," was deleted after being up for about eight hours. Hershey at Homeschool Day for home-schooled students will be held 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 17 at The Hershey Story Museum, 63 W. Chocolate Ave., Hershey. The theme is "All Things Hershey." Home-schoolers can learn about Milton Hershey, the town of Hershey, Pa. and the town of Hershey, Cuba. Students also will visit the Chocolate Lab to learn about cacao beans, where they are grown and how they are made into Hershey's Chocolate. Students also will have the opportunity to make their own candy bar. Also included is a scavenger hunt in the museum's galleries. Cost is $10 per person for ages 3 and older. Registration is needed by Oct. 15 by going to hersheystory.org. For more information, send an email to kaday@hersheystory.org or call 717-520-5588. The Glow is back. The jack o'lantern wonderland is returning to Philadelphia for another year of Halloween glory. With more than 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins, the Glow is all-ages fun in West Fairmount Park. Running Thursdays through Sundays in October starting on Oct. 4, the Glow is a walking trail illuminated by pumpkins covered in pop culture references or bridged together to craft giant sculptures. The trail, which is about a third of a mile, is located at 5201 Parkside Ave. in West Fairmount Park. Tickets for the Glow start at $16.99, are sold in 30-minute intervals and can purchased at theglowjackolantern.com. Parking for the event is free. Amateur pumpkin carvers can also learn tips on how to craft the perfect jack o'lantern at the Glow, which has expert carvers onsite demonstrating their artistic talent. So what kind of pumpkin art can one expect at Glow? The event has teased it'll feature pumpkin pirates, dinosaurs (including one that's 16 feet tall) and a special tribute to the Philadelphia Eagles. To get a better idea check out the gallery above from last year's Glow or the video below (also from last year). Can't see the gallery? Click here Can't see the video? Click here Philadelphia isn't the only Pennsylvania city hosting a Glow event this year. Pittsburgh also has one, which will be similar to the Philadelphia event -- but minus the Eagles references, of course. It takes place at Hartwood Acres Park on Middle Road in Pittsburgh. Learn more about both events and buy tickets at theglowjackolantern.com. Want more stories about Philly? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love. A Harrisburg man was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task for and charged in connection with a domestic assault that occurred June 29 in Lower Swatara Township. Leeon Frasier, 41, was arrested at 1:15 p.m. today in the 2700 block of Banks St., Harrisburg, an address police previously said was his residence. He was turned over to the Dauphin County Booking Center for processing and arraignment. Frasier was charged in a warrant issued Aug. 18 with strangulation, aggravated assault and robbery. At the time of the offense. Frasier was supervised by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole for a prior robbery conviction, according to the U.S. Marshals office. Attempts to locate Frasier were unsuccessful and he was charged with absconding from parole supervision on Aug. 21. The USMS Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of Pennsylvania is comprised of 20 state, county and local police agencies; including the Harrisburg Bureau of Police, the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, and the Swatara Township Police Department - all of whom participated in this investigation. The task force was also assisted by the Penbrook Police Department. A former medical assistant for a West Shore doctor was found guilty for her role in leading a prescription fraud ring. That scheme, according to the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office, involved distributing nearly 15,000 Oxycodone pills throughout central Pennsylvania. Saibel Rondon Villegas, 35 of Harrisburg, was found guilty last week of criminal conspiracy and acquisition of a controlled substance by fraud after a two-day jury trial. Villegas, using the doctor's prescription paper without his knowledge, sold forged prescriptions for Oxycodone to Sharde Chenault while Villegas was employed as a medical assistant between June 2014 and March of 2015. "The prescriptions were made out to numerous individuals who were not patients of the doctor, but who had close ties with Villegas," according to a news release. "Chenault, who testified against Villegas at trial, said she bought the prescriptions from Villegas for $1,000 each and filled them at various Rite Aid pharmacies throughout the Harrisburg area. When the pharmacy would call the doctor's office to verify the prescription, Villegas would answer the phone and verify the names and dates of birth on the fake prescriptions." Villegas used the proceeds from the scheme for her lavish spending, including high-priced items such as $700 Louboutin shoes from Bergdorf Goodman. Villegas is jailed at Dauphin County Prison in lieu of $500,000 bail, and will be sentenced on Dec. 5. She faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. A former Rite Aid vice president has pleaded guilty to scamming the drug store chain of $5.7 million over a period of more than two decades, federal prosecutors said Monday. James W. Pilsner, 60, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty Monday to vendor kick-back and tax evasion charges before U.S. Middle District Judge John Jones. Pilsner was charged last month and had entered a tentative agreement to plead guilty. Pilsner engaged in a kick-back scheme with Larry Nuckols and Vance Taylor, the owners of Nuvision, Inc., a company based in Atlanta, Ga. In the scheme, Pilsner approved false and inflated invoices submitted by Nuvision, U.S. Attorney David Freed said. The kickbacks took place between 1995 and August 2017, authorities said. Pilsner received more than $5.1 million in payments, according to prosecutors. He also designated other Rite Aid employees to be paid more than $634,000. Prosecutors also charged Pilsner with income tax evasion for the year 2013. Pilsner didn't report more than $411,000 in income from the kickbacks he received, thus skirting about $157,000 in federal income taxes, prosecutors said. On Monday, Pilsner paid $300,000 of his $592,000 tax restitution obligation for the years 2013-2017. He agreed to repay the remaining balance at sentencing. Prosecutors have said they want to see Pilsner reimburse Rite Aid, the Fortune 500 company based in East Pennsboro Township. Nuckols is expected to appear in federal court and issue a guilty plea in November, federal prosecutors said Monday. Taylor was indicted on 40 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering last month and is awaiting arraignment on the charges. Pilsner is the latest in a string of former Rite Aid executives who have been charged with scamming the firm. In November 2016, Judge Jones sentenced another former VP of the firm, Timothy P. Foster, to 5 years behind bars for running a nine-year, multimillion dollar scam against Rite Aid involving the liquidation of surplus inventory. HARRISBURG--Sieta Achampong was one of the founding teachers at Harrisburg's Sci Tech high school campus 15 years ago. After a brief hiatus, she returned six years ago as principal and announced a bold goal for the school located in downtown Harrisburg: They would become a nationally-recognized Blue Ribbon School. Some people told her she was crazy. The student population came from a city with an 87-percent poverty rate and 10 percent of students were homeless. Student test scores also weren't as high as they needed to be. But Dr. Achampong persevered, her teachers quickly jumped on board and together they made some key changes after taking a hard look in the mirror, Achampong said. This week, six years of hard work paid off when Sci Tech was selected as one of 19 schools across Pennsylvania to win the coveted Blue Ribbon Award. The only other school in the region to win the award was Greenwood High School in northern Perry County. Only 349 schools across the country were named Blue Ribbon Schools this year by the United States Department of Education. "I'm a proud Harrisburg high school alum," Achampong said at a 3 p.m. news conference Tuesday. "This is a proud day for Harrisburg. If we can do it, that means that every single one of our students...can do the same thing." The school won the award for its exemplary performance on standardized tests, a near-perfect graduation rate and a high percentage of students who take advanced or college-level classes while enrolled in high school. The school also excelled in closing the achievement gap with students who weren't originally on grade level. Meeting students where they are academically and building from there was among the key changes in focus made at the school, Achampong said. That, and aligning the curriculum tightly with the state's standardized tests. Schools first must be nominated by the state department of education and then fill out an extensively detailed application to be considered for the national award. Rebecca Hardie, a member of the HACC faculty who teaches at Sci Tech, served on the Blue Ribbon committee and helped to prepare the application. She said teachers taught students how to monitor their own achievement, identify areas that need more attention, and find their own successful path. "My position was to talk about the data," she said of her role on the committee. "We also encouraged the students to know their own data." Four Sci Tech students spoke at the news conference Tuesday and lauded the small learning community's "family atmosphere," and close relationships with teachers who push students to perform at their best. "It's like a second family to me," said senior Peng Lu. "A lot of people describe it like that because of how small the population is...We have a very close relationship with our teachers and because of that relationship it has really helped me bloom into the person I am today. It offers a great support network." Lu said he was hoping to get into MIT for college. Senior Zyon Stewart said: "I really gotta say, that with all of the teachers here, all of them pushing me forward knowing I have great potential, I'm very thankful for that." Jaime Foster, the school district's chief academic officer, said the award means a lot to the district because of the challenges many city students face every day in addition to their schooling. "We are shattering the myths of what we think children of color and children of poverty can do and will do," she said. "We know that when we expose and provide an opportunity for children to be exposed to not only on-grade level work, but to rigorous, challenging work, day-in and day-out, we achieve blue ribbon status." Achampong is currently acting as principal of both the Sci Tech campus and the John Harris campus while the district searches for a new principal for John Harris. The Sci Tech campus is application-only and accepts about 150 students per year out of about 250 applications. The total enrollment for the school is kept at about 400 students. "Jeopardy" game show host Alex Trebek addressed criticisms of his performance as moderator of Monday evening's gubernatorial debate between candidates Tom Wolf and Scott Wagner, acknowledging that he could have done a better job. "It was a learning experience for me," Trebek said during an interview with CBS 21. "And I think I was too naive going into this." This was the sole debate between Wolf and Wagner, and many pundits criticized Trebek for spending too much time talking and interrupting the candidates. "I thought a conversation would work a lot better. It didn't," he said. "There's no little red light that indicates when the candidate must stop speaking." "I didn't feel powerful enough to interrupt them more than I did," he said. "And even then I took some flack for that." But Trebek pushed back a bit on the suggestions that he took too much time showing off his Pennsylvania knowledge. "I look at it this way: Would they have preferred that I was totally clueless going in and not being able to challenge the candidates when they said something that was not true?" In the end, Trebek acknowledged that the debate probably changed few minds, at least about the candidates. "The bottom line for all of this is that if you were a Wagner supporter before the debate, you still are. If you were a Wolf supporter before the debate, you still are. If you were a Trebek supporter before the debate, that one may be questionable." Speeding enforcement in Pennsylvania could get a new weapon soon, thanks to a little-noted provision in a bill that authorizes the installation of automated speed-enforcement systems at highway work zones throughout the state. It's called LIDAR, which stands for light detection and ranging device. Similar to traditional radar guns, a LIDAR gun has this little extra: a crosshairs-type gun sight that is said to improve its accuracy in focusing on a specific vehicle. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty, R-Montgomery County, said the LIDAR approval was inserted after Pennsylvania State Police sought the authorization. LIDAR is already in use in most jurisdictions around the nation. PennLive's attempts to reach the state police for more details about their plans to deploy the new system were not successful for this report. If the agency follows common practice, however, PSP will likely continue to use traditional radar as well. Neither tool would be authorized for use by the state's municipal police departments. A national expert on police speed enforcement systems, Donald Sawicki of Granite City, Ill., told PennLive Monday both have their advantages. Radar, Sawicki said, can be set up to work a general area, leaving an officer free to wait and listen for the tone signalling a speeder. It works for up to a mile, and it can be used both from a car at rest, or a car that's moving. LIDAR is said to be a little better at selecting a specific target out of a clump of vehicles, but it has a smaller range for detection and the officer has to aim it at that target. It works from a stationary point only. Both devices, Sawicki said, have roughly the same level of accuracy when calibrated and used correctly. "If I was a cop," Sawicki added, "I'd want (to be able to use) both." The system would be added to PSP's speed enforcement toolbox as part of a larger Senate Bill 172 that, for the first time ever in Pennsylvania, would permit the issuance of no-officer speeding tickets based solely on speeds as detected by cameras placed in highway work zones. LIDAR would be permitted for the automated cameras, as well. Work zone cameras. The work zone cameras would be permitted only on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, interstates, and other "federal aid" highways like, in the midstate, Routes 22/322 or 11/15 in a five-year pilot project. Supporters of the work zone cameras say they are needed to enhance the safety of highway construction workers who are by definition forced to work very close to cars and trucks, often in the dark. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data shows that work zone crashes rose from 1,661 in 2012, to 2,075 in 2016, between falling back to 1,789 last year. Fatalities, including both construction workers and motorists, average 20 per year through that period. Under the bill's language, tickets will only be issued in active work zones for vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit by 11 miles per hour or more to the registered owner of the vehicle. If paid, they will not reflect on the vehicle owners' driving record. The bill was modified in the state House of Representatives last week, to mandate that a driver's first offense under the new system in any given 12-month period would generate warnings only. A second offense would generate a fine of $75, and subsequent offenses would carry fines of $150. Revenues generated will be split between the state police (45 percent), the state's Motor License Fund (40 percent) for allocation by the General Assembly for transportation and transit projects; and 15 percent to the state Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for other work zone safety initiatives. There are already a number of enhanced punishments for motorists who are caught speeding or have accidents in active work zones. And groups like the National Motorists Association have lobbied against the spped zone cameras as a Big Brother-type intrusion into drivers' rights designed to maximize income from motorists. But supporters of Senate Bill 172 see this as a more comprehensive safety tool that can provide for a more general slowdown in construction zones where, they note, it is also especially difficult to conduct enforcement with officers. "I think we have an obligation to solve problems and, when death rates are up in work zones... it's government's way of saying: 'Slow down,'" said House Transportation Committee Chairman John Taylor, R-Philadelphia. "There's already law... but we can't afford to have police standing out there with radar guns, so this is a technological advancement that we can catch speeders with. "It's proven in other jurisdictions, when these cameras go in, people slow down," Taylor said. Senate action on the modified bill could come as early as Tuesday, after which the bill would be headed to Gov. Tom Wolf for enactment. Wolf, in the past, has voiced his support for the concept. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) Typhoon Queenie (international name: Kong-rey) has intensified, as it continues to move closer to the country. In its latest update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said as long as Queenie continues on its path, no storm warning signals would be raised. But if it moves west-northwest and maintains that direction for 24 hours, storm warning signals could be raise particularly in the northern part of the country, it added. PAGASA said Queenie may further intensify within the next 24 to 36 hours, however, landfall is still not expected as long as it stays on its current path. A movement to north-northwest, PAGASA explained, would be even better for the country, but could spell bad news for Japan, as it would mean the storm would make landfall there quicker. "Nasa dagat pa rin po ito, kaya't hindi natin inaalis yung possibility na maari pa rin po itong maging supertyphoon," said PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong. [Translation: The storm is still out at sea, so we are not removing the possibility that it could become a supertyphoon.] PAGASA said it was Queenie's outer cloud band, or the trough, bringing light to moderate rains to the country, not the storm directly. Cagayan Valley region and Aurora province are the areas affected by the trough. The heavy rains experienced in Metro Manila earlier were brought about by thunderstorms, weather officials said. PAGASA issued gale warnings in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas. Small boats are warned against going out to sea as waves may reach a height of four meters. The storm is packing maximum winds of 200 kilometers per hour (kph), with gustiness of up to 245 kph. Its current location is 1,080 kilometers east of Tuguegarao, Cagayan, and is moving northwest at 15 kph. Queenie is forecast to leave the country on Friday, October 5. Sudden downpour floods parts of Metro Meanwhile, unexpected heavy rains caused floodwaters to rise in several parts of Metro Manila. Videos shared online showed ankle-deep flooding in the lower floor of Farmers Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City causing mallgoers and vendors to hurry toward the mall's upper levels. Mall management worked double-time to clean up, but it remained the floor cordoned off and halted operations in the area. At the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, rainwater seeped in through the ceiling, which caused a part of it to collapse. Mall management said no one was hurt in the incident. They also closed off the area to ensure people's safety. Heavy traffic was also experienced due to the rains. Parts of Araneta Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Espana, P. Tuazon, and Aurora tunnel were submerged in flood water, while part of the northbound lane of EDSA-Santolan was not passable to vehicles for about 20 minutes at around 3 p.m. due to knee-deep flood. The flooding caused heavy traffic along the northbound lane, which extended until EDSA-Shaw Boulevard. By early evening, however, traffic along EDSA and other thoroughfares normalized. CNN Philippines' Makoi Popioco contributed to this report. PHILADELPHIA - When President Donald Trump took the stage this afternoon at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, he was greeted with a standing ovation from nearly 3,000 electrical contractors. The attendees of the National Electrical Contractors Association convention in Philadelphia were thrilled to see Trump, who touted a strong economy and tax cuts. "There's more work, for sure," said Jeremy Wheeler, a NECA member from Idaho who attended the convention. "The country is booming right now. We have all the work we can handle." But outside of the convention hall, it wasn't such a warm welcome for Trump. Roughly 100 protesters gathered, blocking off the street, which brought in a large contingent of police. They called for an end to the "Trump-Pence regime" and carried signs with slogans like "I believe Christine Blasey Ford" and "Kavanaugh is unfit for the Supreme Court." In the president's speech, though, there was no mention of the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, or much else beyond the strength of the economy, growth of jobs and tax cuts. Trump said in his time in office, 4 million new jobs have been created, which includes 50,000 electrical-contractor jobs. He added unemployment is at a 50-year low and the stock market is hitting a record high. "America's economic rival would not be possible without the men and women in this room," he said. He also touted the importance of one of the key talking points of NECA - apprenticeships. "Oh, I love that word," Trump said to wild applause, referencing his former television show, "The Apprentice." "They wanted to sign me for three more seasons, but I said, 'no, I'm going to run for president.'" He said apprentices keep the "engine of American prosperity running full speed ahead." He also said 400,000 manufacturing jobs have been added in his presidency. "We're in the midst of a manufacturing renaissance," he said. "Something which nobody thought you'd hear, which means more jobs for our great electrical contractors." And he discussed the new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada to replace NAFTA, which he said had drained the U.S. of jobs and companies. "At the heart of our economic revival are the massive tax cuts passed by Republicans in Congress," Trump told the group. "Those tax cuts are one of the reasons the economy is doing so well. You're talking about a lot of money in the pockets of everyone in this room." Trump concluded by thanking the crowd for their investment in American's future. "Hard-working citizens like you, who have always been the backbone of our nation, will always be the most important factor in our nation. You make it grow. You make it work," he told them. "You make the glory of America shine for all the world to see." Many in the crowd are pleased with how business has improved during the Trump administration. "The tax cuts have helped our company tremendously," said Ryan Schmader, a NECA member from Michigan. "We've continued to see positive growth and we're super excited about the next few years." Doug Lehman, who sells equipment and parts to electrical contractors, agrees, and said contractors are buying more and are optimistic. "We've definitely noticed an increase in business," Lehman said. "It's booming." But outside, it wasn't such a fond reception. Protesters blocked part of Arch Street outside of the convention center: The second of two men who admitted dumping a friend along a Cumberland County back road to die of a drug overdose won't be serving more prison time for the crime. Honoring a plea agreement, Judge Christylee Peck on Tuesday sentenced Malachi Scripko, 21, to time served to 23 months in prison on his guilty plea to conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter. Scripko, a Monaghan Township resident, already has spent more than 9 months in county prison following his arrest for the December 2016 death of 25-year-old Caleb Harley. Peck ordered Scripko to spend another 3 years on probation. Police said Scripko and Jacob White, 24, of Dillsburg, dragged Harley out of their car while he was in the throes of a heroin overdose. They then drove away, leaving Harley, who had no coat, hat, or gloves, beside Creek Road in Monroe Township on a 26-degree day, investigators said. Harley was found dead in the nearby Yellow Breeches Creek the next day. The coroner ruled he died of drug toxicity, hypothermia and drowning. Scripko's sentencing came two weeks after Judge Albert H. Masland sentenced White to time served to 2 years in prison. White also must spend 3 years on probation. State lawmakers would be barred from getting state-owned vehicles, under a bill approved by the state House of Representatives Monday. The House approved the bill by a 140-44 vote Monday. The measure would apply to future lawmakers. It now moves to the Senate for consideration, where it remains uncertain if it will see any action before the legislative session ends. Many of the top Senate leaders use state vehicles instead of claiming mileage for use of their own car. Rep. Brad Roae, R-Crawford County, who sponsored the bill, argued it's not only a move that would save taxpayers money to require lawmakers to use their own vehicle but it also addresses the issue of negligent entrustment in the event of a lawsuit. With the lax monitoring of the driving records of those who are assigned state-owned vehicles, he said allowing members to use state-owned vehicles could result in potentially higher damage awards if the vehicle is involved in a crash and a lawsuit gets filed. Unlike the police cruisers and plow trucks in the state's fleet, he said, "The cars that legislators use we haul ourselves to this building along with our briefcase. It's not the same level. There's no reason all of us can't use our own vehicle to get here." House State Government Committee Chairman Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler County, supported the legislation, claiming that lawmakers' driving records are not policed "in the right way. We need to protect taxpayers from that liability." Some Democratic members, however, challenged Roae's argument about the savings that would result from paying members the IRS-set mileage rate versus a state-owned vehicle. They claim it is more cost-efficient to taxpayers for lawmakers who live farther away from Harrisburg to use a state car and have the commonwealth pay for its insurance, maintenance and repairs. Rep. Tony DeLuca of Allegheny County, who is among those assigned a state car, said the state Department of General Services, which manages the state fleet, said using a vehicle from the state-owned fleet is the least expensive option for state employees when compared to renting a vehicle from Enterprise or claiming mileage on a personal vehicle. As for the entrustment issue, he said the majority of members don't have a bad driving record. Rep. Matt Bradford, D-Montgomery County, called the bill "good politics before an election but I would ask if it's good economics after an election." Rep. Margo Davidson, D-Delaware County, who has been reported as having incurred $30,000 in damages to her state-provided vehicles over the past three years but no longer has a state car, called the bill "nothing more than political theater." She said the bill will eliminate only a few vehicles out of the state's 14,674-vehicle fleet and would not produce the savings that has been suggested. Roae later corrected her that current lawmakers who are assigned state vehicles would not have them taken away. Rather, future lawmakers who take office if this bill becomes law would not have the option of getting one. After expressing her gratitude to members who reached out to inquire about her well-being after being T-boned in a crash involving her state car, Davidson argued last week when the bill was discussed on the House floor that mileage reimbursement could be used to pay off a personal car or cover the lease cost of a personal vehicle. "That is in fact money that goes directly into the pockets of legislators. The state vehicle money does not," she said. According to general services, the lawmakers who currently have a state vehicle assigned to them are: The first and only debate between Pennsylvania's gubernatorial candidates could have been as mentally challenging as a game of "Jeopardy!" but it didn't provide voters many answers they didn't already know. Instead, that game show's host Alex Trebek who moderated Monday's long-awaited face-to-face encounter between Democratic incumbent Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican challenger Scott Wagner engaged in a conversation that showcased Trebek's homework from studying up on what's been happening in Pennsylvania politics. But the face-to-face encounter at the 34th annual Chamber Dinner at the Hershey Lodge allowed the candidates to take a few shots at each other and Trebek took one of his own firing a criticism at inaction by the state Legislature. "The last time I looked the approval rating for the Legislature was at 14 percent. The only thing with a lower rating in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the Catholic Church," said Trebek. He added that he was Catholic and is "as ticked off as everybody else is over what's happened in the church." The evening's discussion before an audience of about 1,700 people meandered across a variety of topics but offered little in the way of substantive responses from the candidates. Death penalty: Wagner defended his call for a mandatory the death penalty on anyone who kills a student or teacher at a school. "I'm going to stand up for innocent people. To think teachers and students can be in a school and be executed, skilled senselessly, no, you need someone who's going to stand up to that," Wagner said. "Our law enforcement, people that are on the front lines every single day are not being backed up by this governor." Wolf said he is abiding by the recommendation that a bipartisan commission that studied the death penalty to continue a moratorium on Pennsylvania's death penalty. Separating himself from his opponent, Wolf said those people "should rot in prison." Government reform: A proposal that has been kicking around in this and last legislative session is a constitutional amendment to shrink the General Assembly. Wagner supported it. Wolf said he is against it. "If you don't change the character of the place. If you don't change the responsiveness of the place and don't focus on those things, simply using that as a means to get to the end, I don't think you're going to achieve those ends." But when it came to allowing independent and unaffiliated voters to participate in the Republican or Democratic primaries, that was one place where both candidates found common ground. Both said they supported open primaries. Pension reform: While Wolf briefly defended the changes made to the pension law last year, Wagner was critical of its failure to address the $75 billion unfunded liability. Education funding: While both candidates are proposing bigger investments in education, Trebek was critical of the level of funding that public schools and universities receive in Pennsylvania. "You guys have been shortchanging education in this state for decades," he said. Wolf pointed out his first four budgets resulted in $1 billion more for education but admitted, "We have a ways to go but we're on the right track." Wagner said Wolf couldn't take credit for the money that went into education in the first three years of his administration because he let those budget bills become law without his signature. Aside from that, he said, "corruption has a lot to do with money not getting where it's supposed to." For those who missed Monday's live broadcast of the debate, PCN plans to air it again as well as the Trebek Fireside Chat at 9 a.m. Wednesday, at 8 pm Thursday and the full Chamber Dinner broadcast will be shown from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Commentary from John Micek: At a debate that wasn't, Wolf and Wagner ended up as losers More coverage: Quick takeaways from the Wolf-Wagner debate Legislation to encourage motorists to keep their speeds in check in work zones and on roadways patrolled by state police is on its way to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk for enactment. The Senate on Tuesday voted 47-1 to pass a bill that permits automated speed enforcement cameras in work zones on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, interstates, and other "federal aid" highways such as Routes 22/322 or 11/15 in the midstate in a five-year pilot project. It also gives state police another speed enforcement tool to use called LIDAR, which is a detection system that uses light from a crosshairs-type gun sight that can select a specific target in a group of vehicles. Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign the measure into law and the work zone cameras could begin being put into use 120 days after its enactment. The legislation allows for tickets to be issued in active work zones to owners of vehicles exceeding the posted speed limit by 11 miles per hour or more. If the tickets are paid, they will not reflect on the vehicle owners' driving record. A driver's first offense in any given 12-month period would generate a warning. A second offense would generate a fine of $75, and subsequent offenses would carry fines of $150. Revenues from the fines will be divided among the state police (45 percent), the state's Motor License Fund (40 percent) for allocation by the General Assembly for transportation and transit projects; and 15 percent to the state Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for other work zone safety initiatives. The bill has undergone several changes since Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill County, who along with Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Berks County, first proposed it several years ago. Schwank shared that she and Argall met with a PennDOT engineer that took place on Interstate 78, a highway that is scene of many crashes, about ways to make the work zones safer for construction crews. From that meeting, the senators learned about a program in Maryland that used work zone cameras on interstate highway to warn drivers to slow down. Critics of the proposal see it as simply a revenue-raising tool but Schwank dismissed that notion in her comments on the Senate floor. "It's about making sure that not only do our highway workers, our construction workers get home that night but you as a motorist get home safely as well," she said. Senate Transportation Committee Chairman John Rafferty, R-Montgomery County, added, "We know day in, day out, there's men and women standing on our highways working to make the highways safer and we're trying to make their work environment safer by allowing these cameras in work zone to catch those who decide the 40 miles an hour isn't what they want to do. They want to do 80 or 100." Beaver Island plane crash leaves child as only survivor 4 died, included the pilot, in a plane crash on Beaver Island on Nov. 13. The only survivor was a little girl in critical condition. POTTSTOWN Efforts to improve blighted properties and to open a new child advocacy center in the borough will be aided by an additional $93,750 in state funding, it was announced recently. Genesis Housing Corp., which, for decades, has renovated homes and built new homes in Pottstown's First Ward, will receive $75,000 toward those efforts. And the Children Advocacy Center... 1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Sen. Bernie Sanders along with House and Senate Democrats introduced a bill today that will give Democrats a powerful rallying cry in 2018. Sanders and the Democrats want to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour. Sen. Sanders said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA, For the last 10 years, Congress, giving tax breaks to the rich, has forgotten to raise the minimum wage. We are here to remind them th t a $7.25 minimum wage is a starvation minimum wage. Nobody can live on $7.25. You cant live on $8. You cant live on $10 an hour, and that is why we are saying that after 10 years of inaction the United States Congress is going to raise the minimum wage to a living wage: $15 an hour. Democratic struggles in previous midterm elections have been well documented, but the Democratic issue that has resonated with midterm voters from coast to coast is raising the minimum wage. Twenty-three Senate Democrats have signed onto the bill, which would raise the minimum wage above its peak effectiveness, which occurred in 1968. The co-sponsor of the Raise The Wage Act, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) said, Im so proud of the strong steps taken in my home state to make sure that full-time work doesnt leave people in our communities living in poverty. I believe we need a $15 federal minimum wage to bring that progress to communities nationwide. Its the right thing to do for working parents, for the nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers who are women, and as Ive heard from business owners in Seattle, its the right thing to do for our local economies. If Democrats are going to expose Trumps fake populism, and swing red congressional districts, they will do so with policies that have popular bipartisan support among voters. President Trump has stated on numerous occasions that he believes that wages are too high. Democrats are going to hit Republicans in one of their weakest spots. The purpose of this bill isnt to pass it in 2017, but to show voters exactly what Democrats can accomplish if they take control of Congress in 2018. 3.1k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump went on an unhinged ramble against his potential 2020 opponents during a campaign rally in Tennessee on Monday night, targeting Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden. Trump saved his toughest attacks for Biden, who he says was taken off the trash heap by Barack Obama. He also challenged Biden to a fist fight, saying he would love to take on the ex-veep. While the out-of-control president thinks he sounds tough, his attacks on Biden show how truly terrified he is of the former Vice President. Trump says he would love to have a fistfight with Joe Biden, referring to Biden once saying he wanted to fight him. He says he calls Biden 1% Biden, because of how badly he did in Democratic primaries. He says Obama took him off the trash heap. Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 1, 2018 Trump is also no doubt looking for ways to distract from the absolute dumpster fire that Brett Kavanaughs confirmation process has turned into. A short time ago, new text messages obtained by NBC News show not only that Kavanaugh lied (again) under oath, but the judge was tampering with potential witnesses against him. Trump is terrified of Biden 2020 The attack on the former VP comes as Biden actively explores a 2020 presidential run, according to The New York Times. The report notes that Biden believes he can win back rust-belt states that Trump flipped during the 2016 campaign. The Times reports, At a Manhattan fund-raiser for Richard Cordray, the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio, Mr. Biden sounded a determined note, saying he could take back once-Democratic regions, like the Midwest, that had drifted away from the party. Some Biden supporters are also floating ideas they say could help boost Bidens candidacy, like a one-term commitment or a young running mate announced early in the campaign. Either way, Trump knows that Biden would be formidable in appealing to some of the same voters that helped put him over the top in 2016. As I wrote in July, Trumps support in the heartland has collapsed since he was elected. As Axios also reported in July, Advisers to President Trump say Joe Biden is the Democrat he most fears running against, and that Pennsylvania is the state he worries most about flipping against him. On Monday night Trump had two reasons for going after Biden: 1. Hes afraid hell run against him in 2020; and 2. Hes looking for something anything to distract from his crumbling Supreme Court nominee. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook. 38.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard According to a 23-page transcript of an interview with Brett Kavanaugh conducted by a staffer with the Senate Judiciary Committee, the nominee allegedly raped a woman in the back of a car. This, along with several other sexual assault allegations, had not been reported in the media until yesterday. In all there were six sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh that are discussed in the interview transcript. This is really disturbing. Full transcript of a Senate staffer interview with Kavanaugh details SIX total sexual assault allegations, including a drunken rape in a car that (as far as I know) hasnt been previously reported. This is really disturbing. Full transcript of a Senate staffer interview with Kavanaugh details SIX total sexual assault allegations, including a drunken rape in a car that (as far as I know) hasnt been previously reported. https://t.co/KhZG605Jb4 Angry WH Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) October 1, 2018 After the FBI finally received the green light to conduct an unrestricted investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Brett Kavanaugh, we started wondering what else might come to light this week. Yesterdays release of the Senate Kavanaugh interview transcript answered that question. Weve now learned that Trumps Supreme Court nominee was accused of having raped a woman in the back of a car. The Senate Judiciary Committee took this accusation seriously and questioned Kavanaugh about it during private hearings that were conducted on September 26th. The identify of the woman who alleged Kavanaugh raped her in a car is not known. However it is known that she sent a letter to California Democratic Senator Kamala Harris. In this letter she gave details of what happened. The Senate Judiciary Committee read the letter to Brett Kavanaugh, asking him to respond to it. The explicit and disturbing section of the womans letter (found on page thirteen of the transcript) is as follows: Kavanaugh and a friend offered me a ride home. I dont know the other boys name. I was in his car to go home. His friend was behind me in the backseat. Kavanaugh kissed me forcefully. I told him I only wanted a ride home. Kavanaugh continued to grope me over my clothes, forcing his kisses on me and putting his hand under my sweater. No, I yelled at him. The boy in the backseat reached around, putting his hand over my mouth and holding my arm to keep me in the car. I screamed into his hand. Kavanaugh continued his forcing himself on me. He pulled up my sweater and bra exposing my breasts, and reached into my panties, inserting his fingers into my vagina. My screams were silenced by the boy in the backseat covering my mouth and groping me as well. Kavanaugh slapped me and told me to be quiet and forced me to perform oral sex on him. He climaxed in my mouth. They forced me to go into the backseat and took turns raping me several times each. They dropped me off two blocks from my home. No one will believe if you tell. Be a good girl, he told me. According to the official transcript from the Senate staff, after hearing the above passage read to him, Kavanaugh responded by saying: Nothing the whole thing is ridiculous. Nothing ever anything like that, nothing. I mean, thats the whole thing is just a crock, farce, wrong, didnt happen, not anything close. This bombshell transcript was just released on Monday even though the interview took place a week ago. Clearly the Republicans in the Senate did not want this information made public BEFORE a vote on Kavanaughs confirmation. This is one reason they have been trying to rush a vote. But the allegations against Kavanaugh are very serious and very disturbing. Some Republican senators such as Flake, Murkowski and Collins know that the accusations need to be researched in more detail. They know that the country and even their own party will be better off if the accusations are dealt with before a vote is taken. The FBI investigation may reveal more information, and these senators of conscience know that we must take all steps necessary to prevent a rapist from obtaining a lifetime appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Global logistics player Aramex has announced a new partnership in Saudi Arabia with a national pharmacy chain. Will a PUDO network help overcome some of the complexities of the last mile in Saudi Arabia? Ian Kerr (Postal Hub Podcast), Marek Rozycki (Last Mile Experts), and Dirk S van Doorn (independent consultant) discuss the deal and the last mile scene in Saudi Arabia. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Global logistics player Aramex has announced that its Saudi division is entering into a strategic partnership with Al-Dawaa Medical Services, which owns the national Al-Dawaa Pharmacies chain. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Its all about PUDOs. In the first phase of the partnership, Aramex will launch service centers within 20 branches of Al-Dawaa Pharmacies distributed across the Kingdom. The second phase will see Aramex expand to hundreds of branches within Al-Dawaa Pharmacies 800-strong pharmacy network. Increasing Aramexs accessibility across the Saudi market is a top priority for us, said Hussam Baraqouni, CEO of Aramex in the GCC, Levant, Turkey, Central Asia and Indian Sub-Continent. Any initiative to support development of out-of-home last mile channels via a PUDO network would help improve Aramexs delivery performance and thus the all-important customer experience. Competition in the last mile The Saudi Arabia delivery market is certainly heating up. DHL Express has developed a significant physical network, covering just about every town of reasonable size. Competitors such as Fetchr have also entered the market with an app-driven solution. E-commerce ventures including Noon.com are developing their own delivery network perhaps taking their inspiration from Amazon. It is also interesting to note that the chairman of Noon.com has purchased a significant shareholding in Aramex, which then begs the question, what is the end game for Aramex in Saudi Arabia and indeed across the Middle East? E-commerce is booming Saudi Arabia, in terms of size, is 10 times the size of the UK, says Rajeeb Chowdhury, chief of planning and customer service at Saudi delivery company NAQEL Express. There are thousands of small towns and villages; 70% of the population is aged under 30, and is extremely internet savvy. Internet and mobile penetration is one of the highest in the world. An indicator of e-commerce health is the almost US$1bn new e-commerce venture Noon.com received from the Saudi Sovereign Wealth fund and other investors. Moreover, Amazons recent foray into the region they acquired Dubai-based Souq.com last year is only likely to make things hotter. Addressing Saudi Post has embarked on an ambitious program to give every business and residence an address. Postcodes are still an issue in some European countries, but issues with addresses put that problem into perspective. The Saudi Post Corporation has developed the national address system to provide a unified and comprehensive addressing system for all regions, cities and villages in Saudi Arabia. Nearly all major domestic players in the Saudi Arabian market have developed a tool to help with last-mile delivery locations. Considering the various delivery challenges, on-time delivery of over 90% and first-time delivery of over 60% for residential addresses is considered very good. On-time performance varies amongst best-in-class carriers. DHL Express is some 97% for B2B deliveries and 90% for B2C. An ongoing challenge for all the industry players will be maintaining the consistency of quality for service and managing cost at the same time, according to Bachi Spiga, vice president operations for DHL Express Middle East and North Africa. Spiga also noted that DHL Express and other competitors are actively looking at expanding their respective domestic networks in the Kingdom, which will ultimately bode well for the end consumer. Companies such as Fetchr, Aramex and DHL Express have set up on-demand delivery tools whereby the end customer determines when they want to take delivery and at which location. They need to be careful because, other than for out-of-home deliveries, this will be costly to maintain. Saudi Arabian culture Saudi culture is very conservative, and this has implications for the last mile. If female shoppers are limited in how they can travel, this affects their ability to collect in-store or from a PUDO point. This might change as females are now allowed to drive in the Kingdom and could drive to a pick-up location if they so choose. Currently between 15% and 20% of e-commerce orders are collected at a physical location operated by the courier companies or their partners. Interactive delivery management and customer communications are becoming very important especially considering that there is still a strong preference for cash on delivery, even when shopping online. Customers want to shop as if theyre shopping at the mall, commented NAQEL Expresss Rajeeb Chowdhury. Online retailers and delivery companies are actively trying to convert as many users as possible to paying online. There is also a concerted effort to remove physical cash from the equation and move to a chip and PIN formula through debit or credit cards. Trials are already being conducted by some delivery companies operating in the Kingdom. Returns Aramexs new PUDO network, when it reaches suitable density, will also be an effective returns channel, enabling customers to return e-commerce shipments at service centers located across the pharmacys network. Returns tend to be low pertaining to COD shipments in Saudi Arabia relative to other countries in the region, said Chowdhury. The typical customer behavior is once they place an order, they tend to accept it, even if its cash on delivery. But as e-commerce continues to expand, the need for an easy-to-access returns channel will grow. Putting the customer first It looks like last-mile operators in the Middle East are grasping the need to implement customer-centric features if they are to meet e-tailer and customer expectations. Given the continued growth in the e-commerce realm it is clear that building ones own network can be expensive and with continued pressure on cost reduction there is no doubt that partnerships are the way to go, says DHLs Spiga. Given the recent investments of some 100m (US$89m) by DHL Express over the last couple of years, it is clear that the large operators see Saudi Arabia as an important market for both domestic and international shipments. Similarly this move by Aramex a strong operator in the region is a smart move and demonstrates its interest and commitment to the country. Competition in the last mile seems to be growing, with big names and some interesting startups entering the market all good news for the customer. Bio: Marek Rozycki is managing partner at Last Mile Experts, specializing in CEP and e-commerce last-mile advisory. Ian Kerr is the founder and host of the Postal Hub Podcast, the weekly podcast for the postal and delivery sectors. Dirk S van Doorn is an independent consultant. South Koreas integrated transportation and logistics company CJ Logistics has completed the upgrade of its Thailand-based central distribution center and the expansion of regional branches to achieve 100% nationwide coverage. ') } // --> ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> The move aims to support Thai e-tailers with reliable, quality delivery services countrywide to support strong e-commerce growth, moving CJ Logistics nearer to its goal of becoming the leader in Thailands parcel business by 2020. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Cha Dong-Ho, senior executive vice president head of parcel business unit at CJ Logistics, said, CJ Logistics has more than 88 years of expertise in logistics with a strong global network and comprehensive services. Present in Thailand since 1998, our current focus is supporting the Thai e-commerce market growth potential with our parcel delivery business. I am impressed by the innovation Thai people show in this digital commerce phenomenon. From a long-term business perspective, this is a key factor in the growth of the logistics industry. Our goal is to help provide value to Thai companies and consumers with our services. As a strategic regional location to support CJs business growth, the company has invested in the development of a 71,900m (774,000ft) central logistics center in Bangna, Bangkok. Connected to key highways, major airports and terminals, it aims to be completed by May 2019, with the capacity to process up to 408,000 parcels per day thanks to the implementation of an automated sub-classifier called Wheel Sorter. Upon completion, capacity will be increased by 10 times from the existing 40,000 parcels per day. In addition to this improvement to its facilities, CJ Logistics is continuously expanding its points of service nationwide. The company currently has 74 branches, 650 drivers and a daily handling capacity of 40,000 parcels. Within 2018, CJ Logistics will open an additional four branches in Bangkok and major provinces in the central, eastern, northern, northeastern and southern regions. In 2020, it will expand the service points to 200 branches covering all major cities with an additional 4,249 drivers and a maximum daily capacity of 300,000 parcels. While CJ Logistics has 50% of its home market in Korea, the company is now shifting its focus to the Thai market, where it sees considerable opportunities for growth. Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Food editor and chief critic Eating all of the chicken livers just as fast as I can. A thriving part of one of the nation's most popular tourist destinations has been named an Opportunity Zone a "severely distressed" area where federal tax breaks are offered to developers and investors. It's some of the hottest real estate on the Charleston peninsula an area loaded with luxury hotels and apartment buildings, high-end restaurants and bars extending along and adjacent to King and Meeting streets, from Marion Square on Calhoun Street to the former Piggly Wiggly on Columbus Street. Now, investing in that area comes with federal tax breaks on investment gains through a program meant to help impoverished communities. Thats amazing," said Steve Wray, broker in charge of Carolina One Commercial Real Estate. I cant figure out how that got in. The area, Census Tract 7, got in the Opportunity Zone program because it was the No. 2 priority on the city of Charleston's list of 10 potential zones. It was eligible because, with a small population that's dominated by College of Charleston students more than half the residents are ages 18 to 24 household income in that census tract is low enough that it's considered a "severely distressed" area. As the Opportunity Zone program rolls out across the nation, championed by North Charleston native and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, the inclusion of some thriving areas has raised questions about who could benefit from an estimated $100 billion of investments predicted by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. We asked for every census tract we knew to be eligible to be considered," Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said. The city's application to designate Opportunity Zones said: "Private capital is already flocking to the area, and its enhancement would help to provide the community with more of what it needs." West Ashley left out The state selected four of the 10 census tracts recommended by Charleston. Six others, half of them in West Ashley and the rest on the peninsula, were rejected. The other three Charleston zones selected include a swath of the industrial Neck Area where a 182-acre redevelopment project known as Magnolia has long been planned, the area where the former Cooper River bridges used to sit, and also the thriving upper Morrison Drive corridor. The city later asked Gov. Henry McMaster to take Tract 7, the area from Calhoun to Columbus streets, off the list and replace it with a West Ashley area that includes Citadel Mall. The mayor gave that to the governor, personally," said city spokesman Jack O'Toole. But by then, it was too late to make the change, he said. Opportunity Zones are Scott's signature initiative to help low-income areas, like the one where the senator grew up in North Charleston. The idea attracted bipartisan support and was included in the tax code overhaul approved last year. In a June editorial published in The Post and Courier, Scott said that "this piece of legislation aims to lift up entire neighborhoods by attracting private investment to areas most in need." The zones are generally low-income census tracts recommended by local governments, nominated by the governor, and approved by the federal government. Investors who have taxable gains from selling stock or property can reduce and delay federal taxes by directing the money into an Opportunity Zone. Many of the 135 newly created zones in South Carolina are in places where there's already substantial interest from investors and developers downtown Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Summerville, for example. In Myrtle Beach, which was the fastest-growing metro area on the East Coast for the past three years, a swath of the city from the hotel-lined beach to U.S. Highway 17 has been designated an Opportunity Zone. The zone extends up the beach from 4th Avenue South near Family Kingdom Amusement Park past the SkyWheel and Ripleys Believe it of Not! to 23rd Avenue North near Ocean 22 by Hilton Grand Vacations. There are also newly created zones in places where major developments have long been planned and are already approved, including some of the East Edisto property including the Spring Grove development in western Charleston County, the Volvo manufacturing site near Ridgeville, and the former Navy base in North Charleston. "The benefits to the community, and the investors, will be tremendous," said Wray, the commercial real estate professional. Its incredible, to me, that this actually came from our government." $3 million per acre Wray said including areas that are already seeing rapid real estate development and business creation doesn't mean investors will bypass struggling areas Opportunity Zones were meant to help, such as North Charleston's Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood. "While I love NoMo and I would be all over anything on Morrison Drive, the price of an acre there is $3 million and up," Wray said. "Other areas might have an advantage because the price of admission is lower." Every county in South Carolina has at least one Opportunity Zone, and most have several. The federal government has now certified 8,700 zones, which amounts to 12 percent of all the census tracts in the nation. Im hopeful that it will help with our redevelopment efforts, and create some affordable housing," said Tecklenburg, Charleston's mayor. Detailed rules for Opportunity Zones haven't been published by the federal government, but so far there's nothing to require investments that create jobs, affordable housing, or needed services such as grocery stores. Some zones have quickly drawn scrutiny, such as one in Nevada where The Washington Post reported that a brothel owner could benefit, and zones in Maine where developers sought to include already planned developments in the new tax-advantaged areas, the Bangor Daily News reported. Gentrification fears One city in California, Redwood City, asked the governor there to not consider two zones proposed in the city, due to concerns about gentrification that could displace local residents, The Daily Journal reported. Some groups that study tax policy have raised similar concerns. "Even if the tax breaks drive some new investment into low-income areas, this does not guarantee that these investments will ultimately benefit low-income families within the opportunity zones," said the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. "In fact, additional investment driven by opportunity zones could have the unintended effect of fueling higher real estate prices that serve to displace low-income citizens and businesses rather than benefit them." University of South Carolina research economist Joey Von Nessen, who often speaks at real estate association conferences, said that in the state's rural areas the Opportunity Zones could help spur development. Rural areas generally have higher unemployment and have not seen the rapid growth experienced in South Carolina's urban areas. Any communities that are just beginning to see growth, at this period in the economic expansion, it may be beneficial to help them maintain the momentum," he said. The metrics of success will come later, down the road, but we can think of them largely in terms of employment and wage growth." Not all developers will be interested in the Opportunity Zone capital gains tax break. Charleston developer Mike Bennett owns a large property in the Charleston peninsula where the Courtyards apartments used to be, on Meeting Street. He plans to build a hotel there, and the property is now in an Opportunity Zone. I dont have a lot of capital gains because Ive only sold one building in 40 years," Bennett said. "I like to build things and own them forever." Long-term investors in Opportunity Zones also have a tax incentive. If investments within a zone are maintained for at least 10 years, any capital gains on those investments aren't taxed at all. Rep. Jerry Govan (right) faced assault charges for a scuffle with Rep. Gilda Cobb Hunter in the South Carolina Statehouse last year. Provided In this April 10, 2017 photo, 5th district Circuit Solicitor Dan Johnson confers with colleagues during a hearing in Richland County Court. Johnson was indicted Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018 on more than two dozen charges related to the misspending of public funds on trips to foreign countries including the Netherlands and the Galapagos Islands. (Tracy Glantz/The State via AP) Rep. Jerry Govan (right) was charged with assaulting Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter at the South Carolina Statehouse last year. Provided Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives a thumbs up as he responds to Jerry Dias, president of the Canadian private-sector union Unifor, as he arrives on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario on Monday, Oct. 1, 2018. The U.S. and Canada reached the basis of a free trade deal Sunday night, a senior Canadian government official said. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP) Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication. Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott has made up his mind about Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Scott on Monday broke his days-long silence and publicly pledged to support Kavanaugh's nomination to serve on the Supreme Court days after a highly emotional Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday captured the attention of the nation. But Scott said his choice was not an easy one. In an emailed statement Monday, Scott called the past few weeks "gut-wrenching." "Barring the discovery of any new information by the FBI investigation, I plan to vote for Brett Kavanaugh. This is not an easy decision, but the available evidence leads me to it," Scott said in a 484-word statement. He joins South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in backing President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee. But where Graham's nearly 5-minute diatribe during the judiciary hearing turned him into the de facto spokesman for Republican anger toward the Democrats' handling of the Kavanaugh hearings, Scott stayed silent and stayed away from sharing his thoughts with the media. In the weeks that followed Christine Blasey Ford's accusation that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her while both were still in high school, Scott said he heard from many of his female friends who opened up to him about their own experiences. "There is no doubt that many women have been fearful, ashamed, humiliated, angry, or have had many other emotions that have led them to not tell their stories. I will never blame a victim for feeling this way we should be supporting those who have been traumatized instead of constantly trying to tear them down," Scott said in his statement. "We must learn from our past in order to build a safer future." That future, he continued, must include a commitment to finding the truth. In her testimony, Ford maintained she was "100 percent" certain that Kavanaugh was the person who attempted to rape her at a high school party in 1982. Ford was the first woman to come forward in recent weeks with allegations against Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh has emphatically and repeatedly denied all of the claims. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Scott said the testimony from both Kavanaugh and Ford has left America grappling with a situation where evidence is critical to determining what happened. Though Scott commended Ford for her courage, he said existing evidence has not been enough to prove Kavanaugh was the person who attacked Ford. "My heart breaks for Dr. Ford as she obviously still confronts a trauma that occurred while she was a teenager. However, none of the evidence we have points to Brett Kavanaugh as guilty of these crimes," Scott said. "Any lawyer will tell you that she said-he said situations are some of the hardest and most painful cases to review, and that remains true here."' Scott's decision comes after the Senate Judiciary panel on Friday voted along party lines to advance Kavanaugh's nomination to the full Senate. The vote was then delayed so that the FBI could conduct an investigation of its own into the allegations. The scope of the investigation is unclear. Trump told reporters Monday at a press conference in Washington that he was open to what he called a "very comprehensive investigation" but said the probe would ultimately be determined by Republican senators. Hours before Scott announced his plans to vote for Kavanaugh, Graham returned to South Carolina for a brief visit with a conservative group in Anderson. Graham garnered national attention when he took on his Democratic colleagues in a fiery speech during the Kavanaugh hearings Thursday. Rather than ask questions through the prosecutor Republicans had hired, a visibly angry Graham tore into Democrats for politicizing the confirmation process at what he called the 11th hour. "What you want to do is destroy this guys life, hold this seat open, and hope you win in 2020. Youve said that, not me, Graham said at the time, calling the hearing process the "most despicable thing" hes ever seen in politics. Speaking to a group of about 80 people who attended the 1st Monday Club of Anderson meeting, Graham said he was confident that Kavanaugh would be confirmed to the Supreme Court this week. "Our time will come and go. It is up to us to leave something better. I intend to do that by getting Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court," Graham said before the crowd rose to their feet and clapped. Whether you eat them out of hand as a snack or make them into one of the many desserts where they star, these are the days where they come into stands and farmers markets, waiting for us. When we think about apple desserts, likely the first one that comes to mind is apple pie, an American favorite for centuries practically a symbol of America itself. The thing is, there are many other ways to get the most out of apples that are just as tasty and delicious. Almost since time began, apples have been made into sauce, cider, butter and brandy. Theyve been stewed, fried and baked. Theyve gone into fritters, strudels, dumplings and, of course, pies. The difference between an "OK" apple dessert and a great one? You guessed it the apples. When an oven or stove is involved, not every apple is created equal. So how to choose? There are upwards of 2,500 varieties grown in this country, with more joining the ranks every year. Here in Minnesota, Id say we have just about the best apple crops anywhere, thanks to the University of Minnesotas Horticultural Research Center. Over the past 40 years, that center has given us Haralsons, Honeycrisp, Keepsake and Prairie Spy. There are more: Zestar, Snow Sweet, Sweet Tang and the newest, marketed as First Kiss (I love that name). In fact, it was introduced for the first time at the State Fair this year was sold out in 48 hours at $3 per apple. A University of Maryland medical research institute has been tapped to test a promising opioid addiction treatment that aims to curb the cravings that are often responsible for relapses but not controlled well by other common therapies. The Institute of Human Virology, a center in the school of medicine that normally focuses on infectious diseases, has won a $12 million federal grant to investigate the therapy over the next five or six years. The institute will test the drug for Amygdala Neurosciences Inc., a California-based biopharmaceutical firm, along with the National Institutes of Health, which provided the funding. The effort is part of a NIH new program launched in April to speed scientific solutions for the national opioid addiction and overdose epidemic called the Helping to End Addiction Long-term, or HEAL, Initiative. "There are other treatments, but no one has figured out cravings," said Shyam Kottilil, professor of medicine and director of the institutes division of clinical care and research. "Maybe we are able to find out where this field should go. Its a much needed area of research." The chemical agent in the drug called ANS-6637 inhibits a surge of dopamine in the brain that provides the "high" and associated craving. Its worked in animal models and the institute will test it in humans for safety and efficacy. The trials could include those the institute already treats as part of a local program to cure hepatitis C infections that are often spread by intravenous drug use along with other infectious diseases such as HIV. The institute became interested in the opioid treatment research as a means of treating the whole patient, Kottilil said. Its also a means of reducing harm from the drug epidemic. Those who relapse can contract, and spread, hepatitis again, he said. Much of the testing will be done in Baltimore, which has been particularly hard hit by the opioid epidemic. There were 761 fatal overdoses last year in the city and 2,282 in the state, with most related to opioids including heroin or the more powerful fentanyl. Cocaine is also on the rise, and Kottilil said the therapy under investigation may be used for other types of cravings. The therapy likely would be used together with other treatments, such as Suboxone, a form of buprenorphine that blocks the effects of opioids. Kottilil said Suboxone is effective, but the high relapse rates suggest that there is a need to continue looking for therapies. Those who treat addiction say the institutes researchers are rightfully focusing on a process in the brain to target the therapies. "Finding effective medications in the treatment of addiction is crucial as it also adds to the needed view of addiction as a brain disorder with neurochemistry involved," said Dr. Michael Fingerhood, an addiction specialist at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and associate professor of medicine and public health at Johns Hopkins University. "Medications that can impact brain processes that regulate craving would have a major impact." | BY Ricki Green | BMF has today launched a new campaign for no-nonsense travel site Agoda. The four animated online films are BMFs first work for the brand since winning the business in a competitive pitch late last year. The campaign which will will run throughout Asia, Australia, Canada, the US and South Africa has been created in collaboration with celebrated director and animator Julian Frost. Says Alex Derwin, ECD, BMF: Online travel is a fiercely competitive sector, so a strong, unique voice was key to differentiating Agoda from the rest. With the help of Julian Frost, weve created something thats going to really stand out on peoples feeds. Says Steve McArdle, managing director, BMF: The positioning is straightforward, because booking travel can be complicated. The work is playful and irreverent, because travel should be joyful. The combination of the two should connect pretty well with a new generation of travellers who want to get to the good stuff without the grind. The campaign has rolled out on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Creative Agency: BMF Executive Creative Director: Alex Derwin Creative Director: Ant Hatton Art Director: Jack Robertson Copywriter: Emily Field, Robert Boddington Executive Strategy Director: Christina Aventi Planner: Emily Field, Josef Wimberger Managing Director: Stephen McArdle Group Account Director: Danielle Richards Senior Account Manager: Kimberly Ngo Agency Producer: Esta Lau Director, Animator: Julian Frost Music: Antfood Sound Production: Rumble Studios Agoda, Global Director Brand & Communications: Andy Edwards Agoda, Global Demand Innovator: Huiwen Tow Dr. B Speaks! The jury is in. Study groups and reading circles do work. So much research has been done in the last few decades about practices that facilita Read more | BY Ricki Green | Dave is back ruffling feathers in Air New Zealands Better Way to Fly campaign via True, with a new installment featuring the Bryan Brown-voiced goose following his dream of becoming a flight attendant for the airline that puts people first. The campaign heroes the airlines warm and personal service where travellers are not just part of the flock and reminds Australians why Air New Zealand is the best choice for travel across the Tasman and to North and South America. Air New Zealands general manager Australia Kathryn Robertson says the airline is ramping up Australian operations, with the first of its new Airbus A321neo aircraft deploying on Tasman services in November, and two new trans-Tasman routes starting in December. Says Robertson: We pride ourselves on our service and customers tell us our outstanding people and onboard experience are the reason they prefer Air New Zealand. Customers can enjoy top New Zealand food and wines served with a Kiwi touch wherever they choose to sit. This strategic push comes as were offering Australians even more travel options including new direct services from Brisbane to both Queenstown and Wellington, and our new Chicago service offering Australians a seamless journey via Auckland to Americas Midwest. Air New Zealand launched its Better Way to Fly campaign featuring Dave the Goose in October 2016 in a move to capture more of the Australian long-haul travel market. Winning Aussies hearts and a swag of awards, Dave has since starred in five of the airlines Australian campaigns, which have seen him cause a flap in Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and in New Zealand with his Sam Neill voiced wing-mate, Pete the Kiwi. Agency: True Baptists tend to be teetotalers, but some obviously make an exception for the potent Kool-Aid they serve at the White House. It has produced (metaphorically) a different kind of belligerent intoxication. Consider a recent tweet by Jerry Falwell Jr.: Conservatives & Christians need to stop electing nice guys. They might make great Christian leaders but the US needs street fighters like @realDonaldTrump at every level of government b/c the liberal fascists Dems are playing for keeps & many Repub leaders are a bunch of wimps! Where to begin? It is worth noting that for some evangelicals, the pretense of reluctantly supporting Donald Trump only because of the binary choice with Hillary Clinton has been abandoned. Falwell is calling for an extensive effort at Trump cloning. It is not enough that the president is a cruel, nativist, misogynist hothead. Now the local alderman should aspire to his example. It is paradoxical that some conservative Christians should reject the concept of a living Constitution while embracing the living Beatitudes. Blessed are the street fighters. Blessed are those who compare their enemies to Nazis. Blessed are the bullies. On second thought, this is less paradoxical than heretical. It is also common in Christian history. In a variety of political and cultural contexts under the rule of Constantine, and Charlemagne, and the Romanovs, and Mike Pence Christian believers have turned to government to protect and further their institutional interests. Henry VIII who practiced his own vigorous form of misogyny was given the title: Defender of the Faith. I suppose some at the time might have reasoned: At least he isnt a wimp. With no exception I can think of, the results of becoming a darling of the king have been damaging to the church. Politicians always end up demanding something a compromise of principle, a blessing of expediency, or a pardon for wrong. Access and privilege in politics are not free. The point is demonstrated when a pastor praises a president during the same week that thousands of detained migrant children are moved, under cover of night, to a remote detention facility in Tornillo, Texas. Instead of being a voice for the weak, Falwell provided an alibi for the strong. This is disturbing and discrediting. How can anyone supposedly steeped in the teachings of Jesus be so unaffected by them? The question immediately turns against the questioner. In a hundred less visible ways, how can I be so unaffected by them? As a lesser matter, this approach is bad politics. Those who accept the preference of the state eventually share in the fate of the state. What happens when new leaders take control, as they always do? How are those identified with the old regime treated by the new? Will a different president accept the sputtering excuses of evangelical leaders who lent their authority to bigotry? It is a fair bet they will be treated in the next Democratic administration like members of the ACLU are treated in this one as political players, political enemies and political targets. This approach is a formula for institutional failure. When churchmen use the tools of power to protect their institutional interests rather than demonstrating the defining mission of their institutions it often ends in scandal. When Catholic bishops turned to payoffs and subterfuge to protect the church, it gathered a terrible guilt and, eventually, a terrible reckoning. When elders in a mega-church seek to protect their pastor from justified charges of sexual exploitation rather than seeking first the welfare of the exploited the whole church comes under judgment. American history offers a hopeful corrective to this tempting dead end. When the state of Connecticut finally disestablished Congregationalism in 1818, the evangelical pastor and reformer Lyman Beecher was thrown into depression. It was as dark a day as ever I saw The injury done to the cause of Christ, as we then supposed, was irreparable. But his despair was temporary. For several days I suffered what no tongue can tell for the best thing that ever happened to the state of Connecticut. It cut the churches loose from dependence on state support. It threw them wholly on their own resources and on God. The result of disestablishment was a proliferation of healthy, private institutions. They say ministers have lost their influence, said Beecher. The fact is, they have gained. By voluntary efforts, societies, missions and revivals, they exert a deeper influence. It is what evangelicals need at this hour: A higher call than street fighting. A deeper influence than Donald Trump can possibly provide. Michael Gersons email address is michaelgerson@washpost.com. (c) 2018, Washington Post Writers Group The Democratic National Committee has delegated investigation of the current domestic abuse allegation raised against Keith Ellison by Karen Monahan to the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Ellison is of course the deputy chairman of the DNC an dthe DFL candidate for attorney general. DFL Chairman Ken Martin retained Minneapolis attorney Susan Ellingstad to conduct the investigation. Susans report was made public yesterday. Her report finds the charge against Ellison to be unsubstantiated. Reading the report, however, I find that substantial evidence supports the charge. I have posted a copy of the report below. Susan is a partner in the Lockridge Grindal Nauen law firm. She focuses her practice on the representation of corporate and governmental clients in the defense of employment claims. In that capacity she is occasionally called on to conduct independent workplace investigations of sexual harassment or similar claims. She performed something like that for the DFL in Ellisons case. I have worked closely with Susan and know from my own professional experience that she is an outstanding attorney. Kyle Potter covers Susans report for the AP and posts a linked copy in his story. Please note that the scope of Susans investigation was limited to Monahans single allegation of domestic abuse asserted by Monahan to have been committed against her by Ellison in August 2016, although she does summarize the alleged 2006 incident involving Amy Alexander at page 11. The alleged incident occurred on August 26, 2016 and, by Monahans own account, involved no physical injury. Although the names are redacted, Susan interviewed several witnesses in connection with her investigation. On page 7 Susan includes the testimony of several of Monahans friends (including friends of Monahan and Ellison) whom Monahan told about the incident during the period October 2016-January 2017. Monahan projected the incident onto a third person in a long October 29, 2017 text message to Ellison (page 9). On June 6, 2018 Monahan treated with a psychologist whose therapy notes reflect Monahans description of the incident to him (page 10). Susan states that she has been asked to confirm whether the incident alleged by Monahan can be substantiated. She notes that Monahan described the incident to her in a high level of specificity and detail, which lends credibility to the allegation (page 12). She also finds: The fact that Ms. Monahan spoke to several people about the incident four or five months after it supposedly ocurred and a year and a half before the public release of the allegations lends credibility to them (page 12). Susan notes that Monahan referred to the incident in two text messages to Ellison in 2017 (ibid.). She also finds that Monahan reported physical abuse and/or the alleged incident to two doctors (ibid.). The report considers factors that weigh in Ellisons favor at pages 13-15. In the final sentence of her report Susan concludes summarily that the abuse allegation is unsubstantiated. Unsubstantiated is a synonym for uncorroborated. The report, however, does not clear Ellison. Although her conclusion spares the DFL her client immediate difficulty regarding Ellison, Susans investigation was not a sham and the report is not a whitewash. By the standards currently deployed against Judge Kavanaugh, the abuse allegation against Ellison is supported by substantial evidence. Indeed, it is supported by more evidence than is Ellisons denial. Compared to the evidence supporting the claim of Christine Blasey Ford against Judge Kavanaugh i.e., none the evidence supporting Monahans claim is overwhelming. Do not settle for media accounts of the report or for the conclusion stated. Take a look yourself and pose a pointed question or two to Minnesota Democrats such as Senate Judiciary Committee member Amy Klobuchar, now running for reelection, and appointed incumbent Senator Tina Smith, now running for election in her own right. In reality the Ellison report should heighten the contradictions for Minnesota Democrats. Not that it will, but it should. The domestic abuse allegation against Ellison is serious, but it is the least of his disqualifications from the office of Minnesota attorney general. He was an active and long-time member of the Nation of Islam hate cult, he supports cop killers and he habitually lies about all of the above with the continuing cooperation of the Minnesota media. His credibility is less than zero. On these points see my Can Keith Ellison turn lawman? Keith Ellison Investigation Report by Scott Johnson on Scribd JOHN adds: Scott is right on both counts: 1) The evidence against Ellison dwarfs the (lack of) evidence against Brett Kavanaugh, and 2) domestic violence is the least of Ellisons disqualifications. For that reason, I am glad that Minnesotas Freedom Club has sponsored this new ad, which indicts both Ellison and the DFLs candidate for Governor, Tim Walz, on public safety grounds. The ad was created by our friends at Madison McQueen and is being seen on television across the state of Minnesota: PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-03 00:22:32 Press Information Revelation Creative Annandale, NJ Gina Marie Mattei Kleinhans President 908-448-6244 email http://www.revelationcreative.com # 302 Words Annandale, NJPresident908-448-6244 The Business Back-to-School Networking Event hosted by Revelation Creative on September 20 at Maggianos Little Italy in Bridgewater was a sold-out success that raised more than $5000 to benefit local domestic violence agencies across New Jersey through BW NICE, Inc. 501(c)(3). The keynote speakers were sisters Ashley Dellavalle Jung, Chief Creative Officer, and Paige Dellavalle Walker, Chief Executive Officer, who co-founded Stella Valle, of Flemington, a Shark Tank success story. These two accomplished New Jersey women business owners created a multimillion-dollar line of jewelry that aims to empower Women Warriors everywhere.According to Gina Marie Mattei Kleinhans, president of Revelation Creative, The focus of the event was twofold: 1) to arm attendees with the key information needed to take their professional business success to the next level and 2) to raise awareness of and funds for a worthy cause. Donations are still being accepted at https://www.facebook.com/donate/304721597004814/ through November 1.Gold sponsors for the event were Investors Bank and Mazars USA LLP; the bronze sponsor was DeTorres & DeGeorge Family Law; the Day-of-Event sponsor was TriNet; and the in-kind sponsor was the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO).Revelation Creative, a creative design and marketing agency based in Annandale, New Jersey, partners with entrepreneurs, inventors, small businesses, midsize companies, and large, established corporations to showcase their image across the visual spectrum. The company provides innovative solutions to drive business, increase brand awareness, and grow revenue. Revelation Creatives list of products and services spans all things Web and digital, as well as print, display, promotional items, and packaging. Through years of creative design and marketing experience, along with vigilant study of current market trends, Revelation Creative ensures that clients present themselves to their customers in ways that excite and engage. For more information, visit www.revelationcreative.com or email info@ revelationcreative.com PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 23:06:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 949 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SALT LAKE CITY, UT / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / ProLung, Inc. ("ProLung" or the "Company") today disclosed a letter to its stockholders from former ProLung Board Members Clark Campbell, William Fresh, Rich McKeown, Tim Treu and Dennis Tulane. The complete text of the letter is set forth below.Dear ProLung Stockholders:We, the undersigned former directors of ProLung, Inc., express our support for the current Board of Directors, management team, and expert industry advisors that are now executing on a plan to move the Company forward.Sincerely,Mr . Clark CampbellMr. William (Bill) FreshMr. Rich McKeownMr. Tim TreuMr. Dennis TulaneMr. Jared Bauer, interim CEO at ProLung, stated, "Our current Board of Directors and management team are extremely grateful for the show of support from the former Directors of ProLung affirming the strategic path we are pursuing to move the Company forward. Given their in-depth understanding of our long-term goals, the operations of ProLung and the challenges we face, their endorsement is both instructive and significant."THE CHOICE IS CLEARPLEASE FILL OUT AND RETURN THE GOLD CONSENT REVOCATION CARDRegardless of how many shares you own, your consent revocation is very important. Please sign, date and mail the GOLD Consent Revocation card you have received, or submit your GOLD Consent Revocation Card shares via facsimile (in which case, please be sure to fax both sides of the GOLD Consent Revocation Card). By returning your GOLD consent revocation card, you will support our highly qualified directors: Michael Garff, Mark V. Anderson, Robert W. Raybould, J. Scott Nixon and Jared Bauer. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU REJECT EACH OF THE EROR GROUP'S PROPOSED CONSENT ACTIONS. In particular, your Board recommends that you do NOT sign or return any WHITE consent card that has been or may be sent to you by or on behalf of Mr. Eror.Even if you have sent a WHITE consent card to the Eror Group, you have every legal right to change your vote. You may revoke that consent, and revoke your consent as recommended by your board by signing, dating and mailing the GOLD Consent Revocation Card you have received, or by using the Internet Consent Voting facility created for your convenience, or by using the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone consent voting toll-free number detailed on your GOLD Consent Revocation card.If you have any questions on the consent revocation, or need a copy of your GOLD ConsentRevocation Card, please contact:Laurel Hill Advisory Group575 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 101Jericho, New York 11753Banks and Brokers Call (516) 933-3100All Others Call Toll-Free (888) 742-1305Email: info@ laurelhill.comIf you have any comments or questions, please contact Joe Contorno, jcontorno@ laurelhill.comMedia Contact:Phil Denning- ICR Inc.Phil.Denning@ICRinc.com(646) 277-1258About ProLung, Inc.The mission of ProLung, Inc. ("ProLung" or the "Company") is to make a difference in time for lung cancer patients. ProLung is the world leader in innovative predictive analytics technology and non-invasive tests for the risk stratification of lung cancer. The Company develops, tests, and commercializes solutions which may shorten the time to diagnosis and expand the therapeutic window for lung cancer patients. ProLung's predictive analytics platform for lung cancer risk stratification is approved for sale in the European Economic Area and investigational use in the USA.Important Additional InformationProLung, its directors and certain of its officers are participants in the solicitation of consent revocations from ProLung's stockholders in connection with the consent solicitation conducted by Mr. Steven C. Eror and certain other persons acting in concert therewith (the "Consent Solicitation"). On August 27, 2017, Company filed a definitive consent revocation statement and GOLD consent revocation card with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") in connection with any such solicitation of consent revocations from the Company's stockholders. STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ SUCH CONSENT REVOCATION STATEMENT, ACCOMPANYING GOLD CONSENT REVOCATION CARD AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Our definitive consent revocation statementcontains information regarding the direct and indirect interest, by securities holdings or otherwise, of the Company's directors and executive officers in the Company's securities. In the event that the holdings of the Company's securities change from the amounts provided in our definitive consent revocation statement, such changes will be set forth in SEC filings on Forms 3, 4 and 5, which can be found through the Company's website at www.prolunginc.com in the section "Investor Relations" or through the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Stockholders will be able to obtain any consent revocation statement, any amendments or supplements to our consent revocation statement and other documents filed by the Company with the SEC at no charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . Copies will also be available at no charge at the Company's website at www.prolunginc.com in the section "Investor Relations."Forward-Looking StatementsThis release may contain forward-looking statements regarding projected business performance, operating results, financial condition and other aspects of the Company, expressed by such language as "expected," "anticipated," "projected" and " forecasted." Please be advised that such statements are estimates only and there is no assurance that the results stated or implied by forward-looking statements will actually be realized by the Company. Forward-looking statements may be based on management assumptions that prove to be wrong. The Company and its business are subject to substantial risks and potential events beyond its control that would cause material differences between predicted results and actual results, including the Company incurring operating losses and experiencing unexpected material adverse events.SOURCE: ProLung, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 21:59:01 Judge certifies class of Puerto Rico residents against Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Hagens Berman: Judge Sides with Overcharged Puerto Rico Residents in Electric Company, Oil Cartel Lawsuit Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP Ashley Klann, 206-268-9363 ashleyk@hbsslaw.com A U.S. district judge certified a class of millions Puerto Rico residents who were overcharged for electricity in an extensive fuel oil fraud scheme according to a class-action lawsuit against Puerto Rico [..] and the worlds largest fuel oil suppliers, brought by law firm Hagens Berman. Attorneys for the residents called the order from Judge Jay A. Garcia-Gregory on Sept. 30, 2018, a milestone victory in the case. The new development brings residents one step closer to being compensated for their estimated $1 billion losses in electricity overcharges due to the scheme, and the order finds common evidence supports the lawsuits claims against 20 defendants including PREPA, Shell Oil, Petrobras, Alchem and various other laboratories and fuel oil suppliers involved in the conspiracy. For years, PREPA and others involved in this fuel oil fraud conspired to get away with robbery, and their complex cartel raked in ill-gotten gains of more than $1 billion, said Elizabeth Fegan, a partner at Hagens Berman and court-appointed liaison counsel in the case. We are immensely grateful that the court is allowing the case to proceed for the class of residents of Puerto Rico who were unknowingly overcharged, and we look forward to bringing them recovery for their losses. This is a milestone victory for this class of residents and business owners of Puerto Rico, Fegan said. On Sept. 11, 2018, Judge Garcia-Gregory also denied defendants request for sanctions against the plaintiffs, stating the disclosures and evidence presented by the plaintiffs was sufficient. In the original suit, filed Feb. 24, 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico residents and businesses accused PREPA and 20 total defendants of perpetuating an extensive fuel oil fraud, resulting in users of electricity in Puerto Rico being overcharged for electricity since 2002. The suit states the defendants colluded to deliver dirty fuel oil to PREPA while charging the higher prices for clean fuel oil prices that were directly passed to users of electricity. Attorneys allege that PREPA one of the largest public power agencies in the United States fraudulently agreed to accept millions of barrels of fuel oil that did not meet specifications of contracts between PREPA and its oil suppliers, or specifications set by the EPA. PREPA accepted this non-compliant fuel oil and the laboratories certified the fuel oil as compliant due to a long-running corruption scheme that permeated the agency, according to the lawsuit. Graphics How the Procurement Process for [..] How the Fuel Oil Cartel [..] Hagens Bermans class-action lawsuit seeks to recover out-of-pocket losses, compensatory damages and punitive damages for plaintiffs under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and for the disgorgement of profits under the common law of unjust enrichment. Find out more about the [..] About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP is a consumer-rights class-action law firm with 10 offices across the country. The firm has been named to the National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List eight times. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at https://www.hbsslaw.com. Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006 Judge Sides with Overcharged #PuertoRico Residents in Electric Company, Oil Cartel Lawsuit more: www.hbsslaw.com/PREPA PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 18:11:03 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 560 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SANTA MONICA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / NMS Properties, Inc.NMS Files Amended Complaint Alleging Fraud by AEW Capital and its Executives Eric Samek and Marc Davidson After Winning on AppealMassive East Coast Hedge Fund Allegedly Defrauded Local Family Real Estate Business with False PromisesNeil Shekhter and his affiliated companies filed their amended complaint for fraud against the multi-billion dollar, Boston-based hedge fund, AEW Capital, as well as its former executive, Eric Samek, and its current Managing Director, Marc Davidson. The complaint alleges that AEW's executives fraudulently induced Shekhter to transfer five valuable properties in prime Los Angeles areas into a joint venture with AEW at significantly below fair market value.This new lawsuit comes after Shekhter won on appeal. The Court of Appeal reversed the prior dismissal of the case on demurrer by Judge Suzanne G. Bruguera, holding that Shekhter and the other plaintiffs can go to trial against AEW on their fraud claim. Specifically, the Court of Appeal ruled that "during negotiations, AEW knowing [sic] made false representations about the joint venture program, including that there was a monetization right and that Shekhter's transfer of his properties to the joint venture at below fair market value would be 'of no moment' because of his right to 'take-out' AEW within a few years."According to the amended complaint, AEW promised Shekhter that he would have the right to take out, or buy out, AEW's interest in the joint venture within 5 years by paying AEW a 24% annual return on its investment. Relying on those promises, Shekhter and his entities transferred five valuable properties into the venture for over $50 million below market value; contributed over $10 million into the venture; and developed the properties without charging a developer's fee.As agreed, Shekhter tried to exercise the take-out right in 2013 by paying AEW $106 million which constituted AEW's investment along with the 24% annual return. By then, the properties had significantly appreciated in value - so AEW went back on its word, denied the take-out right and decided to hold onto the properties for themselves.As detailed in the complaint, AEW's fraud have been confirmed by numerous independent third-party witness. One of those witnesses is a former AEW employee, Daniel Lennon, who worked directly for Samek at AEW on the deal. Lennon, a decorated Navy fighter pilot and a graduate of the Wharton School, submitted a "smoking gun" sworn declaration in which he revealed AEW's fraud: "During a conversation I had with Samek, Samek told me that although Shekhter believed he could monetize or take-out AEW's interest in the joint venture, AEW did not intend to allow that to happen."According to Skip Miller of the firm Miller Barondess, LLP, Shekhter's lawyer: "We will prove, and we have the evidence to prove, in our lawsuit that AEW defrauded NMS, a local, family-owned real estate developer, by making promises that it never intended to keep. We look forward to our day in court before a California jury."The complaint asks the Court to rescind the transfer of the five properties or, alternatively, damages in excess of $300 million which is the current market value of the properties.Media Contact: Eric W. Rose (213) 741-1500 X 525Please click here to see the complaint http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c1793a9a-fff9-4eb2-8c58-9f982da98937SOURCE: NMS Properties, Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 09:02:03 DUBLIN, Ireland, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nuritas, a biotechnology company discovering life-changing drugs through the power of artificial intelligence (AI) based peptide discovery, today announced it will be presenting to and subsequently hosting an interactive workshop with global pharmaceutical industry leaders at the annual AI in Pharma Summit 2018 on Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 in Boston, MA. Artificial intelligence is an emerging technology with great promise in drug discovery, said Emmet Browne, chief executive officer of Nuritas. At Nuritas, we harness the power of AI to rapidly and efficiently discover peptide-based therapies for the worlds growing healthcare needs, with unmatched success rates across a broad range of disease areas. However, much work remains in understanding and maximizing the impact of this emerging technology. The workshop will explore how AI can be utilized to discover the next generation of therapeutics with reduced time and cost to foster industry discovery. Nuritas has attracted key global opinion leaders to participate in the panel discussions to understand how companies can collaborate within industry to bring better, safer and more affordable drugs to those most in need. Nora Khaldi, Ph.D., founder and chief scientific officer of Nuritas, commented, Nuritas has taken a leadership position at the AI in Pharma Summit to facilitate discussion with some of the worlds largest pharmaceutical companies. We are thrilled to be key sponsors of the innovative summit comprised of global leaders committed to bringing innovative, less expensive and safer new drugs to market. With drug prices spiraling, we now have the power, using AI, to significantly reduce discovery times and costs for more affordable drugs for patients globally. We look forward to bringing Nuritass unique perspective to the wider AI community. In addition to the workshop, Dr. Khaldi will give a presentation entitled In Silico Predictions & In Vivo Correlations: The importance of Data Quality and Integrity in Driving AI empowered Discovery as a part of the use case plenary session. Workshop Pannelists: Nora Khaldi, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Nuritas, Vanita Sood, Global Head of Drug Structure, EMD Serono, Inc., John Baldoni, Senior Vice President, Head of In Silico Drug Discovery, GSK Pharma R&D, Lina Williamson, Director, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Translational Accelerator, Brigham and Women's Hospital - Harvard University, Alan Kopin, Professor of Medicine and Director, Molecular Pharmacology Research Center, Tufts Medical Center and Agam Sheth, Director Enabling Technologies, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc. For more information: https://www.aiinpharma.com - Full agenda at: https://www.aiinpharma.com/#agenda To follow on social media: #AIinPharma @NuritasResearch @AIinPharma About Nuritas Founded in 2014, Nuritas is solving the unmet medical needs of the world with the unparalleled capability to develop preventative and curative peptide-based treatments for disease with industry leading speed and accuracy. It is successfully doing so currently in collaboration with a number of industry leading multinationals. The company is changing the landscape of drug discovery by identifying novel peptides using a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) platform, with in silico predictions validated by their in-house multidisciplinary team of scientists and laboratory. Nuritas engages in collaborative partnerships in the pharmaceutical and consumer goods industries to conduct peptide discovery that is faster, more accurate, and less expensive than traditional drug discovery. Nuritas has received global recognition for the impact its innovative technology which includes winning the overall Innovation Award at the Forbes Reinventing America Summit in 2015, the Nutrition Capital Network Venture competition in October 2016 and support from EU Horizon 2020 in 2016 for a peptide that carries the potential to prevent pre-diabetic patients from developing diabetes. Media Contact: Allison Blum, Ph.D. LifeSci Public Relations 646.627.8383 PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 13:31:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 660 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / ParcelPal Technology Inc. ("ParcelPal" or the "Company"), (CSE: PKG) (FSE: PT0) (OTC PINK: PTNYF) has received gross proceeds of over $1,000,000 from the exercise of 7,797,646 warrants prior to their expiration date on 1/12/2020 and 10/10/2019.Through the exercise of these warrants, the company's cash position of over $2,000,000 in addition to it's outstanding receivables. The company plans on using the proceeds to further fund ParcelPal's expansion strategy. The company expects each additional city for expansion to add a minimal amount of capital expenditure at roughly 40-50k, this leaving the company with a large run rate for expansion and execute on all current verticals for the upcoming 12 months.The Company plans to execute on local and regional marketing campaigns focusing on a three-tiered roll-out plan that includes: brand awareness, user acquisition and user retention. During the launch phases ParcelPal will continue targeting users throughout each city by creating partnerships with local businesses and various types of media. The ongoing retention strategy includes a retargeting campaign to ensure customers use ParcelPal but also remember the Company as their go to solution for anything they want delivered.President and CEO Kelly Abbott states, "We are privileged to have such strong support from our investor community as demonstrated by the successful warrant exercises. This additional capital will further our expansion efforts as we rapidly scale the ParcelPal platform nationwide. We are thrilled by the increase of general run rate from approximately $40,000 to $70,000 dollars on a weekly basis."About ParcelPal Technology Inc.ParcelPal is a technology driven logistics company that connects consumers to the goods they love. Customers can shop at partner businesses and through the ParcelPal technology receive their purchased goods within an hour. The Company offers on-demand delivery of merchandise from leading retailers, restaurants, medical marijuana dispensaries and liquor stores in Vancouver and soon in major cities Canada-wide.ParcelPal Website: www.parcelpal.comThe Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") or any other securities regulatory authority has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release that has been prepared by management.CSE Symbol: PKGFSE Symbol: PT0OTC Symbol: PTNYFContact: Peter Hinam, Director-Investor Relations peter@ parcelpal.comForward Looking InformationThis news release contains forward looking statements relating to the Proposed Transaction, and the future potential of ParcelPal. Forward looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "intends", "anticipates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the risk that the Proposed Transaction will not be completed due to, among other things, failure to execute definitive documentation, failure to complete satisfactory due diligence, failure to receive the approval of the CSE and the risk that ParcelPal will not be successful due to, among other things, general risks relating to the mobile application industry, failure of ParcelPal to gain market acceptance and potential challenges to the intellectual property utilized in ParcelPal. There can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.The Company cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statement will materialize, and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will only update or revise publicly any of the included forward looking statements as expressly required by Canadian securities laws.SOURCE: ParcelPal Technology Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 13:04:45 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 537 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Japanese blockchain startup Patron to send their COO, JD Salbego to attend the first official blockchain conference in Malta, the Delta Summit. The summit is aimed at presenting Malta as a blockchain country and establishing the effort of the government in encouraging cryptoMALTA / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / Ahead of their platforms initial release, Patron team has been actively participating in blockchain events across the globe to introduce the sharing economy for influencers project the team has been building. The company has announced today that there COO JD Salbego will be attending the Delta Summit in Malta. The summit aims to give a platform for the global cryptocurrency community to network and engage and to further highlight the governments efforts to establish Malta as a pioneering and blockchain embracing country. The rise in the usage of social media platforms has created an enormous demand for influencers, to help brands to connect to their customers. The idea behind the formation of Patron is to bring a decentralized influencers platform that fosters marketing and rebuilds the way social influencers and brands connect to each other. Mr. Salbego will be introducing the platform to the Maltese blockchain community and will also be connecting the project with major players in the crypto industry during the three days event.Patron will alter the marketing trend by bringing social media influencers and businesses together under a decentralized and fair network. This will get rid of the intermediaries and other middlemen. The web 3.0 platform thats being developed will sustain influencers and brands while delivering maximum satisfaction, ease and transparency to all CEO of the company Atsushi Hisatsumi shared in a recent interview on BloqWire crypto news. The COO of US Patron, J.D. Salbego has led many projects across Africa, America, and Europe. He also runs Legion Ventures, an international consultancy company with growth strategy and digital transformation. During the Summit, which will also be attended by founders of Wikipedia, Binance etc, the Patron team will be doing a project presentation at the Delta summit and the COO is expected to be announcing their upcoming partnerships with businesses like Synergy. Malta, being at the forefront of regulating the blockchain and cryptocurrency industry, its our great pleasure to be a part of the maiden blockchain summit here. Were looking forward to connect to other projects and blockchain enthusiasts from around the world says the COO. Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Joseph Muscat will also be speaking at the summit.The Delta summit will bring inspiring stories from entrepreneurs who have been successful in tech, blockchain, and many other areas. Having popular projects like Patron to be a part in this event will make this initiative more successful says a spokesperson of the event. Patron, a project thats mentioned by Forbes as one of the top ten blockchain startups to pay attention in 2018, has been gaining great attention from the crypto community and celebrities alike. More details about Patrons sharing economy for social media influencers can be found at: http://patron-influencers.comContact Info: Name: Kosuke Takada Email: info@ patron-ICO.io Organization: BloqWire Address: 257 Old Churchmans Road New Castle, DE 19720 U.S.A. Phone: +81 0364161659For more information, please visit https://patron-influencers.comSOURCE: BloqWire PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 07:47:03 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 560 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Blockchain Shift Ambassador Wendy Diamond presents the President of Malta, Mrs. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, with VIP tickets to the Blockchain Shift Conference MIAMI BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / New York and Miami FL. Sept. 28, 2018 Wendy Diamond, Women's Entrepreneurship Day Organization Founder and Blockchain Shift Ambassador, presents the President of Malta, Mrs. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, with VIP tickets to the Blockchain Shift Conference, which will highlight the importance of Malta and its role in the Blockchain and Crypto communities. Mr. Malcolm Falzon, a partner of the Malta based law firm, Camilleri Preziosi, along with Mr. Ivan Grech, the Head of Business Development of FinanceMalta will be hosting the panel on Oct 11th at 2pm entitled: "A Global Look at Blockchain: Everything Malta and Much More A Safe Haven for Exchanges?" If you havent already purchased your tickets, do so now. https://bit.ly/2zoaO3WAbout Blockchain Shift ConferenceBlockchain Shift is a one-of-a-kind event in the world of blockchain. The event will take place next week (Oct. 11-12) in Miami and aims to put the region at the center of the buzz about blockchain, financial technology (fintech) and crypto currencies. Our core mission is to raise awareness and educate the world on the power of this transformative technology.Blockchain Shift will welcome a diverse group of distinguished thought leaders and experts, including crypto and institutional investors, bankers, attorneys, government officials, service providers, as well as representatives of blockchain architected startups, projects working on tokenizing real assets (such as real estate, music and art), as well as valuable enterprise companies for an unparalleled series of discussions and networking opportunities.Blockchain technology brings a fundamental change in the approach to how companies conduct business and will forever alter industries globally. With thousands of applications, it promises a tectonic shift in technology development and our daily lives. For more information, visit https://blockchainshift.io/About FinanceMaltaFinanceMalta is the public-private initiative set up to promote Malta as an International Financial Centre.FinanceMalta came on the scene at a critical time, just as Malta entered the Eurozone. The financial services sector is now a major force in the country's economy. Malta has some significant strengths to offer the industry such as a well-trained, motivated workforce; a low-cost environment; and an advantageous tax regime backed up by more than 60 double taxation agreements. To these, FinanceMalta can add a world-class information and communications technology infrastructure, English as an official language, an enviable climate and its strategic location. https://www.financemalta.orgAbout Women's Entrepreneurship DayWomen's Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) and international campaign #ChooseWOMEN is a non-governmental volunteer organization started by social entrepreneur and humanitarian Wendy Diamond, that empowers, celebrates, and supports women in business worldwide. Launched in 2013, WED works globally to empower women and girls to become active participants in the economy by igniting a network of women leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to initiate startups, drive economic expansion, and advance communities around the world. In order to achieve this ambitious goal, WED builds and catalyzes the vital networks of like-minded individuals and organizations that women business leaders need in order to realize their full potential and change the world. http://www.womenseday.org Contact Info: Name: Mike Valdez-Fauli Email: mvaldesfauli@ parkcapital.io Organization: BlockchainShift.io Address: 1111 Lincoln Road, Suite 800, Miami Beach, FL 33139, United States Phone: +1-305-615-1111For more information, please visit https://blockchainshift.ioSOURCE: PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 22:55:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 376 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Synstream Energy Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Calgary, Alberta (FSCWire) - Synstream Energy Corp. (TSX Venture:SHM). has issued a press release with the following headline:Synstream Announces Proposed Offering of UnitsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Synstream Energy Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Synstream Energy Corp.Source: Synstream Energy Corp. (TSX Venture: SHM)Date: October 02, 2018Time: 4:55 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Synstream Energy Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2018-10-02 14:32:00 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 964 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 COEUR D'ALENE, ID / ACCESSWIRE / October 2, 2018 / Timberline Resources Corporation (OTCQB: TLRS; TSX-V: TBR) (''Timberline'' or the ''Company'') announces that a detailed gravity survey and analysis of historic geophysical survey data have identified untested targets for high-grade, ''Carlin-style'' gold mineralization at the Lookout Mountain Project within its 23-square mile (60 km2) Eureka property in Nevada. The gravity, CSAMT, induced polarization (IP), and magnetic data show distinct geophysical signatures over previously identified high-grade gold mineralization on the property. These geophysical signatures were then used to identify possible extensions of the mineralized zones and new targets for drilling.Timberline's President and CEO, Steven Osterberg, noted: ''The gravity and other historical geophysical surveys have identified high-priority drill targets, including immediately east and southeast of the historic Lookout Mountain pit. We intend to drill these targets.''Lookout Mountain represents a large ''Carlin-style'' gold-system with a defined gold resource (see Updated Technical Report on the Lookout Mountain Project, MDA, Effective March 1, 2013, Filed on SEDAR April 12, 2013) and drill-indicated mineralization (Figure 1) extending over a north-south trend of approximately 3 miles (~ 5 km). High-grade gold mineralization near the historic open pit occurs on a northwest-southeast trend and includes 17 intercepts of between 0.136 opt & up to 2.250 opt gold (Table 1)(see press releases dated June 12, 2018 and July 10, 2018 at http://timberlineresources.co/press-releases) . The mineralization is associated with extensive zones of structurally controlled fault- and gouge-breccias, as well as carbonaceous collapse-breccias, and with orpiment and realgar (arsenic sulfides) (Figure 2) which are commonly found in many major Carlin-style gold deposits.Eureka Gravity SurveyThe district-scale gravity survey was completed by MaGee Geophysical Services LLC with analysis by Wright Geophysics Inc. It detailed a grid area around the historic Lookout Mountain open-pit area (Figure 1) and defined a circular gravity low at Lookout Mountain (Figure 3). The gravity low is approximately two km in diameter and is bounded and cut by several complex internal structures. The west margin of the low is coincident with jasperoid alteration and gold mineralization along the Lookout Mountain Fault.The gravity anomaly at Lookout Mountain correlates well with results of the reduced-to-pole (RTP) airborne magnetics survey (Figure 4) and geologic mapping. Major structures identified by magnetics and mapping bound the gravity anomaly.Three lines of historic (1992) IP data at Lookout Mountain define three N-S trending anomalies (Figure 4a) which are coincident with the high-grade gold drill intercepts (Table 1) and fault structures.Figure 1. Eureka Property Total Field Magnetics, Target Areas, and Gravity Survey *Cautionary Statement:The potential quantity and grade of the Windfall Zone Target are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. Table 1. High Grade Gold Drill Intercepts from the Lookout Mountain DepositA single line of historic Controlled Source Audio Magneto-Telluric (CSAMT) data (Figure 4a), collected in 1994 by Quantec Ltd., crosses the Lookout Mountain historic open-pit area. The CSAMT section (Figure 4b) identifies structures and correlates well with magnetic signatures (Figure 4a) and geologic mapping. In particular, the CSAMT data identify a high-resistivity feature spatially associated with jasperoid along the west boundary of an area of low resistivity interpreted to be a graben. The graben's west boundary is extensively drilled and hosts the existing north-south trending gold resource at Lookout Mountain. The central portion of the graben (Figure 4b) contains a large, high-resistivity anomaly, which has only been tested locally on the west side by only four closely-spaced holes (BHSE-152, -171, -172, -173), all of which contain relatively high-grade gold (Table 1). The gold is associated with vein-like and brecciated arsenic sulfides within carbonaceous breccia, above extensively altered (''sanded'' and veined) limestone, and below altered shale. The east boundary of the graben structure remains undrilled.Cautionary StatementApart from recently collected gravity data, all other geophysical data are considered ''historical'' and do not conform to NI43-101 standards. These data include airborne magnetics, IP, and CSAMT. The data have been reviewed by the Company's Qualified Person for consistency with geology and drill information as reported in the Updated Technical Report on the Lookout Mountain Project, MDA, Effective March 1, 2013, Filed on SEDAR April 12, 2013.Figure 2. High-Grade Gold Mineralization Drill Core from Lookout Mountain showing Heterolithic Collapse Breccia including Arsenic-sulfdes (Realgar (red) and Orpiment (yellow).Exploration PlansThe company is developing plans for an additional CSAMTsurvey to further define untested structures similar to the Lookout Mountain Fault for drilling.In this regard, an application to drill up to 50 holes is being prepared under the existing Plan of Operations with the Bureau of Land Management. Approval is expected during the 4thquarter of 2018.Qualified Person ReviewSteven Osterberg, Ph.D., P.G., Timberline's President and Chief Executive Officer, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this release. Mr. Osterberg is not considered independent of the Company as defined in Section 1.5 of NI 43-101.Figure 3. Residual Gravity at the Lookout Mountain Project, Eureka Property Figures 4a. Lookout Mountain area RTP Magnetics with Summary IP Anomaly Trends, and (4b) CSAMT cross-section with Target Area. About Timberline Resources Timberline Resources Corporation is focused on advancing district-scale gold exploration and development projects in Nevada, including its 23 square-mile Eureka property, comprised of the Lookout Mountain, Windfall, and Oswego projects which lie along three separate structural stratigraphic trends defined by distinct geochemical gold anomalies; and as the operator of two joint venture projects - the Paiute project joint venture with a subsidiary of Barrick Gold, and the Elder Creek project joint venture with McEwen Mining. All of these properties lie on the prolific Battle Mountain-Eureka gold trend. Timberline also owns the Seven Troughs property in Northern Nevada, known to be one of the state's highest grade, former producers. Timberline has increased its owned and controlled mineral rights in Nevada to over 43 square miles (27,500 acres). Detailed maps and NI 43-101 estimated The organisers of Miss Nigeria beauty pageant, Daily Times Nigeria, have said that the 2018 winner will not be chosen based on physical attributes alone. The creative director of Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo- Anyaoha, disclosed this at a media interview held in Lagos on Wednesday. We are committed to finding a young lady who defies the stereotypical perception of beauty queens as just superficial, Ms Ezinne, who won the Miss Nigeria pageant in 2013 said. Miss Nigeria 2018 must embody all the attributes of a strong female leader. She must be beautiful, socially conscious and committed to positively influencing young women across the country and continent. She also announced the cancellation of the registration fee for the 2018 pageant. According to her, the decision was taken to make the pageant an all-inclusive one and to prevent financial restraints on the part of young ladies who are truly deserving of the ultimate title. The organisers added that the competition is open to ladies between 18-25 years old with exemplary leadership qualities. They must also be able to align excellently with the organisations mission to empower women beyond beauty. In addition, six core targets would be crucial in the selection of the ultimate winner of its prestigious title this year. They include Education, Environment, Arts & Culture, Health, Financial Management and Technology. Speaking on the new direction of the pageant, Ms Ezinne said, The essence of good education cannot be overemphasised. This is why we seek a queen who values education, one who will ensure a greener environment, a queen who is concerned about adequate mental and physical health of women and manages finances prudently. The organisation seeks a queen who loves and promotes the Nigerian arts and culture, one who recognises technology as the future and invests her time in improving the technological state of the nation. To register, interested contestants are expected to visit the Miss Nigeria website for more details. Mildred Ehiguese holds the current Miss Nigeria title. Atinuke Oyelode won the first Miss Nigeria pageant in 1957. She was crowned queen at the Lagos Island Club in a contest that involved 200 young ladies from different parts of Nigeria. | BY Kim Shaw | UPDATED TO INCLUDE FIVE-DAY LIVE STREAM AD An array of high-profile South Australians from Olympic athletes and AFL stars to award-winning chefs, musicians and winemakers feature in an innovative new South Australian Tourism Commission campaign via new agency TBWA\Adelaide. The Rewards Wonder campaign showcases the many unique wonders of South Australia and will include a five-day live stream activation in Rundle Mall and Federation Square and online using 120 hours of continual footage of SA. Kicking-off with a 60-second teaser TV commercial, which played during the national AFL Grand Final broadcast, the campaign features Crows star Eddie Betts doing the Adelaide Oval RoofClimb with Gavin Wanganeen, Olympic gold-medallist Kyle Chalmers diving into waters off Port Lincoln and experiencing Coffin Bay oyster farms, while sibling musicians Germein play a set by campfire on the banks of the River Murray and Racheal Leahcar sings in the dunes above Pondalowie Bay. We are thrilled to have had the support of so many passionate and talented South Australians in our latest campaign, which promotes our world-class tourism offering through a different lens, said Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment David Ridgway. As a government, we are constantly looking to raise the bar in relation to how we market SA to the world, and the Rewards Wonder campaign takes viewers on an immersive, in-depth journey across our glorious state. By streaming five continuous days of vision across the length and breadth of SA, we give potential visitors much more than just a cursory glimpse of the amazing experiences they can have here. South Australian Tourism Commission Chief Executive, Rodney Harrex, said 65 tourism operators, 10 regions, 31 local talent, 18 cameras, 11 modes of transport and more than 50 local musicians were involved in bringing this campaign to life. With Rewards Wonder, we want to continue to make Australians realise the depth of experiences on offer around Adelaide and South Australia. SATC first rolled out an unbranded pre-campaign titled Tell Us Where, which featured some beautiful curious imagery from around South Australia in different OOH locations. They then held an Instagram competition open to the public to guess the location, for a chance to win the opportunity to travel to the featured destination. To the audience, these locations could have been anywhere from Croatia to Thailand, only to be revealed last Friday (September 28) as South Australian destinations. Since yesterday, the Southaustralia.com has seen 20% more visits from Australian visitors than the same day last week, with Australian traffic up 41% up week on week since last Monday. After the locations were revealed as South Australia, there was approximately 17,000 Australian visits to southaustralia.com which was the highest single day since it implemented Adobe Analytics in June last year. Says Harrex: The first phase of our campaign began with unbranded images of South Australia placed across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, and piqued curiosity of what we have on offer. The second phase will run for at least 12 months there is so much for the tourist to view and then plan itineraries via southaustralia.com. Growing visitor demand remains a priority of the SATC our marketing efforts are designed to push the boundaries and shine the spotlight on the many wonders of South Australia. The Rewards Wonder campaign has been conceptualised and designed by TBWA\Adelaide with the SATC, with production managed by local production house KOJO. Says Paul Reardon, Chief Creative Officer of TBWA\Adelaide: Five days, non-stop filming, no scripts its a totally different way of showing the State that we havent seen before. South Australia has so much to offer, we could have made a 10-day film. Maybe next time. KOJO CEO Dale Roberts said the company was proud to help deliver a unique creative vision to promote SA as a tourist destination. We were excited to partner with TBWA on a true production first for us; keeping cameras rolling for five days straight without any cuts, said Mr Roberts. Nigeria is prepared to help South Sudan stabilise politically and economically, President Muhammadu Buhari assures. Receiving Ezekiel Gatkuoth, Special Envoy of the South Sudanese President at State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, President Buhari noted that the two countries have a lot in common in the area of developmental aspirations, adding: It has not been smooth sailing for us all the way, too. But since South Sudan wants to share from our experience, we will support where we can, and pray hard for your stability. The president advised the leaders of South Sudan to keep making sacrifices till the environment is completely stabilized, stressing that stability should always be number one priority. You cant manage a country efficiently till you have first stabilized it. Then, the economy must follow. You must provide jobs for the people, particularly the youths. Also, you need to check corruption. Guide your national resources jealously. We will do our best to support, the president said. Mr Gatkuoth, who is also his countrys petroleum minister, said President Buhari was widely admired across the continent for his role in fighting corruption, noting that it was the reason the African Union made him a champion of the anti-corruption crusade in Africa. He said South Sudan was putting its house in order, but needed assistance from Nigeria in the areas of security transformation, constitutional reforms, and infrastructural development. Burundi has suspended all international non-governmental organisations, officials said on Tuesday, saying they would need to re-register. The government has listed several reasons for the move, such as laws on their financial operations, but some critics are concerned it is a crackdown by President Pierre Nkurunziza. Burundi has been seized by civil unrest since 2015, when Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term in office. Earlier this year, changes to the constitution were approved that allow him to potentially remain in power until 2034. He has, however, said hell step down in 2020. From Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, Burundi does not recognise the existence of any non-governmental organisation on its territory. Registration must be done again, Home Affairs Minister Pascal Barandagiye said. Many NGOs have not respected the law that governs them, he added at the meeting with non-profit representatives, where they were told they had three months to re-register. There are about 130 international NGOs in the east African country. This measure only confirms the massive and progressive violation of human rights in the country of President Nkurunziza, Martin Nahimana, an economics expert from analytics firm Change Initiative, told dpa. In September, after UN criticism of rights abuses, Burundi banned three UN human rights experts from entering the country. Under Burundi law, there are also ethnic quotas for such organisations, which stipulate that they hire 60 per cent Hutus and 40 per cent Tutsis. The state claims that some organisations have not respected this law. (dpa/NAN) The World Bank has released $496.25 million to support the Philippine governments efforts to hasten recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction in areas battered by Typhoon Mangkhut in September, the bank said on Tuesday. Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), said more than 700,000 families or close to three million people were affected by the storm. NDRRMC added that 138 were injured and 68 dead in several regions in the Philippine main island of Luzon and nearby Island provinces. The police, meanwhile, said more than 100 people died, while several others were still missing. The NDRRMC has estimated the direct damage to infrastructure and agriculture at 33.6 billion pesos (roughly around $623 million). We express our sympathies to all the Filipino people affected, said Mara Warwick, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. The bank said the funds accessed from the contingents line of credit, will give the Philippine government flexibility to help families and communities affected. The bank said the funds called the Second Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan with a Catastrophe-Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat-DDO 2), would assist government to reconstruct vital infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and restore basic social services. (Xinhua/NAN) A Turkish Court on Tuesday, upheld life sentences for prominent journalist, Ahmet Altan and five others, the state-run Anadolu, the news agency said. Media report said they were sentenced in February on charges of aiding plotters of a failed military coup in 2016. Ahmet Altan, his brother Mehmet Altan and four other journalists were previously sentenced to life in jail for links to the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt. Mehmet Altan was released from prison in June but his sentence was also upheld after a penal court rejected the constitutional court request for his release. The Altans trial has underscored concerns about human rights and press freedom in Turkey under a post-coup crackdown as well as worries over the independence of the judiciary under President Tayyip Erdogan. Since the abortive putsch, over 50,000 people have been jailed and 150,000 sacked or suspended from their jobs, while over 120 journalists have been detained and about 180 media outlets shut down. Rights groups and Turkey Western allies have voiced concern that the government has used the putsch as a pretext to quash dissent. However, the government has said the measures were necessary due to the gravity of the security threats it faces. Ahmet Altan was charged over comments he made the day before the coup attempt. He told a television show that whatever the developments were that led to military coups in Turkey, Erdogan is paving the same path. On the same programme, Mehmet Altan referred to another structure within the government that was closely watching developments to take its hand out of the bag. Anadolu reported that prosecutors said the brothers comments were coded messages to call Gulens followers to action and were charged with violating the constitution. All six journalists in the case are serving aggravated life sentences, which means they are not eligible for parole and cannot be included in future amnesty decisions, it stressed. (Reuters/NAN) The World Health Organisation has urged governments across the world to increase their investment in providing toilet amenities for their citizens, so as to attain the sixth Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of universal sanitation coverage by 2030. In a press statement on Monday, WHO said the only way the goal, which is for everyone to have access to toilets that safely contain excreta, is for countries to make comprehensive policy shifts and invest more funds in providing toilet amenities for citizens. WHO on Monday launched the first global guidelines on sanitation and health. The international agency said adopting the new guidelines will significantly reduce the 829,000 annual deaths due to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene. WHO estimated that every US$1 invested in sanitation would yield nearly a six-fold return as measured by lower health costs, increased productivity and fewer premature deaths. According to the agency, worldwide, 2.3 billion people lack basic sanitation, with almost half of them forced to defecate in the open. This includes in Nigeria where open defecation is not a crime. Most homes in the urban and rural areas do not have toilets and, as a result, people tend to defecate in public areas, bushes, bins, drainage among other places. Nigerians are among the 4.5 billion people in the world who are without access to safely-managed sanitation services, in other words, a toilet connected to a sewer or pit or a septic tank that treats human waste. Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director-General for Programmes, WHO, said without proper access, millions of people across the world are deprived of the dignity, safety, and convenience of a decent toilet. Sanitation is a fundamental foundation of human health and development and underpins the core mission of WHO and ministries of health worldwide. WHOs Sanitation and Health Guidelines are essential to securing health and wellbeing for everyone, everywhere, she said. She said it developed the new guidelines because current sanitation programmes are not achieving anticipated health gains and there is a lack of authoritative health-based guidance on sanitation. Maria Neira, Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health, WHO, said billions of people live without access to even the most basic sanitation services. She said the transmission of a host of diseases, including cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio, is linked to dirty water and inadequately treated sewage. Poor sanitation is also a major factor in transmission of neglected tropical diseases such as intestinal worms, schistosomiasis, and trachoma, as well as contributing to malnutrition, she added. WHO noted that countries such as India had recorded tremendous improvement in achieving of the SDG 6. India used to have the highest prevalence open defecation country,a position that is now occupied by Nigeria. The agency commended India and Senegal for taking significant action to combat open defecation. Senegal was praised as the leading country in Africa that recognises the role of pit latrines and septic tanks in ensuring services for all. The government is providing innovative solutions with the private sector to ensure pits and septic tanks are emptied and contents are treated to ensure affordable services and clean communities, it said. The WHO new guidelines set four principal recommendations: . Sanitation interventions should ensure entire communities have access to toilets that safely contain excreta. The full sanitation system should undergo local health risk assessments to protect individuals and communities from exposure to excreta whether this be from unsafe toilets, leaking storage or inadequate treatment. Sanitation should be integrated into regular local government-led planning and service provision to avert the higher costs associated with retrofitting sanitation and to ensure sustainability. The health sector should invest more and play a coordinating role in sanitation planning to protect public health. Why countries need to implement WHO Guidelines on Health and Sanitation Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. WHO, together with UNICEF, monitors progress on the following targets: By 2030, countries should achieve universal and equitable access to safe water for all. By 2030, countries should have achieved access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation. They are meant to be paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations. The European Parliament has voted to cut financial support to Turkey by 70 million Euros (80.8 million dollars) due to concerns over human rights and rule of law in the country. The motion was passed in the European Unions legislature on Tuesday, with 544 members of parliament voting in favour, while 28 were against and 74 abstained. The so-called pre-accession funds are intended to help Turkey as it works toward becoming a member of the bloc, but were cut as conditions to improve the rule of law were not met, a statement from the European Parliament said. The aid was to be paid out on the condition that Turkey makes improvements with regards to rule of law, democracy, human rights and press freedom. The European Commission said in April that the country has been significantly moving away from the European Union in these areas. The money will go back into the European Neighbourhood Instrument, a fund for political, economic and social reforms in states outside the EU, the parliaments statement said. Payments pledged to Turkey in order to assist the country in hosting millions of Syrian refugees are not affected by Tuesdays decision. Three million Euros had already been paid out in June, when the EU earmarked another 3 million in funds. (dpa/NAN) Loyalists of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode are threatening to conduct a parallel exercise after alleging disenfranchisement in todays All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries across Lagos State. After days of eleventh-hour postponements, the primaries finally opened at different ward units across the state. The APC adopted a direct primaries method in Lagos State, which means all registered party members are eligible to vote to elect their governorship candidate. The aspirants field was streamlined some weeks ago, leaving the race for Mr Ambode and Jide Sanwo-Olu, a former commissioner who recently emerged the favourite over the incumbent. Both candidates have sparred repeatedly since Mr Sanwo-Olu picked the partys nomination forms less than three weeks ago, a move that subsequently propelled him into the limelight after strong indications that he was being backed by Bola Tinubu emerged. Mr Ambode was reportedly under pressure to step down for Mr Sanwo-Olu, who scored back-to-back endorsements from key political interests in Lagos, including 36 out of 40 state lawmakers and all the 57 local council chairpersons. Mr Tinubu and federal lawmakers from Lagos also formally announced they were backing Mr Sanwo-Olu in the last two days, leaving Mr Ambode virtually alone in the clash for the ticket to participate in the governorship election of Nigerias richest state. Mr Ambode, however, remained defiant, warding off insinuations that he would be humiliated at the primaries while launching a barrage of personal attacks at Mr Sanwo-Olu. A last-minute mediation effort by President Muhammadu Buhari, who reportedly summoned Messrs Tinubu and Ambode to Abuja on Monday, fell through, as the former Lagos governor insisted Mr Ambode, whom he backed for office in 2015, must concede the ticket to Mr Sanwo-Olu. THE ALLEGATIONS As members started streaming out to venues at about 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Mr Ambodes loyalists started pushing out allegations that police officers and political thugs have taken over some venues to deprive the governor a chance in the race. Fouad Oki, a factional leader of APC in Lagos, told PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday afternoon that potential voters of Mr Ambode are being disenfranchised on the basis of their voting credentials, a development he said could compel him and other loyalists of the governor to polarise the exercise. Go to Alimosho now, people are not being allowed to vote because they have no electronic card, Mr Oki said. Our demand has been that the partys register must be used and any member who has the registration slip should be allowed to take part in the primaries. He accused Tunde Balogun, the Lagos APC chairman of being used by Mr Tinubu to derail the exercise, warning that if members with only party slips, most of whom he said are potential voters of Mr Ambode, are not allowed to vote, separate primaries might be conducted with a more liberal requirement. According to Tunde Balogun and his benefactor, I should not be allowed to vote because I am not issued with the plastic card. Just as it is in Delta where Pat Utomi withdrew from the race because the partys register is compromised, Mr Oki said. Let me tell you what you will see today, and take it from me, you will see a situation where there will be parallel primaries in Lagos. Take it from me, the factional leader added. Because those with genuine membership ID would not be allowed to be disenfranchised. That would either result in violence or they choose to do what we did in May when we conducted parallel congresses. Mr Oki was involved in the parallel congresses in Lagos on May 19, challenging Mr Tinubus grip over the states party structure. He rejected alleged plots to politically suffocate Mr Ambode, saying the governors office should be respected and he should be allowed to contest freely and fairly. Abel Badejo, a former local council chairman in Lagos and loyalist of Mr Ambode, said Mr Sanwo-Olus supporters were conniving with police to harass people at the primaries venue in Abesan Estate, Ipaja. The exercise was a mess, Mr Badejo told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Tuesday afternoon. Everything was in shambles. I got to the venue and before I realised they have bastardised our members. It was in the presence of policemen that my people were being victimised and vandalised. It embarrasses me that it is thugs and cultists that the other side recruited to do this, he alleged. Our members who were holding slips were not allowed to enter into the voting area. If the governor could not have control over police, then Nigeria is doomed. Not Lagos alone, he said. My people from Agbado Oke-Odo also reported that. There was no exercise. If we have a message to conduct primaries we would. He said they ran away from the venues and returned to their houses because they do not want to cause trouble and the police area commander here said he could not protect them because it is a political matter which they should go and resolve with other parties. The politician said a woman who voted for Mr Ambode after being allowed to vote was beaten and thrown out of the venue. PREMIUM TIMES has not been able speak with the victim to independently verify this claim and others by Mr Badejo. However, the News Agency of Nigeria reports that the voting process of the primary was disrupted for a while at Ward G North, Abesan in Alimosho, as thugs chased away voters. Thugs numbering about 15 invaded the Abesan High School, venue of the exercise around 9.45 a.m. ,flogging voters, preventing them from being accredited, the federal government-owned news agency reported. AMBODE DEMANDED FAIR ELECTION The complaints come a day after Mr Ambode met with the partys national executives who were in the state to supervise the primaries from Abuja. The governor demanded a free and fair atmosphere for the primaries in other to avert any outbreak of violence. A spokesperson for Mr Sanwo-Olu did not return requests for comments from PREMIUM TIMES. However, Joe Igbokwe, Lagos APC spokesperson, said members had been warned not to show up at the primaries with a slip. I took my own card and I went to vote with it. That is what we were told yesterday by the party. Everybody was asked to go and pick their membership card and they did not go, Mr Igbokwe said. The spokesperson said he saw a video online in which Mr Ambode was being presented his membership card after failing to pick it up by himself, saying those who are complaining might be amongst those who similarly did not go for their cards and had no one to take it to them. Nigeria and 180 other countries meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, for the Eighth Conference of the Parties (COP8) of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) have expressed worry about tobacco industry influencing the talks. At the conference which began on Monday and runs through October 6, calls for live-streaming of the discussions to supposedly guarantee transparency met stiff resistance from countries that felt such a move will backfire and, instead, open the talks to the interference of tobacco industry. Discussions at previous conferences had been plagued with tobacco industry interference. The African bloc supported the live-streaming of only the opening and closing plenaries while the technical deliberations remain closed to avoid pressure from the tobacco industry, which had in the past slowed or caused stalemate in talks. Initially, Canada introduced a decision that called for webcasting of all sections and relaying them after a negligible three-minute delay, But, after Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and the other African countries spoke during the deliberations and stood firmly behind the stronger African blocs position, all the parties including Canada- supported the stronger position. Among a host of issues, parties will advance a provision that prohibits the tobacco industry from exploiting public badges, which are primarily used by tobacco industry representatives to delay, block, and weaken the treaty. In the past year, in advance of COP8, the tobacco industry had escalated its attempts to re-normalise the deadly industry: doubling down on promoting heat-not-burn products and launching a billion dollar foundation in hopes of regaining lost footing in policy making spaces. This year, governments will also advance policies to eliminate illicit trade. The policy to kick the tobacco industry out stems from a broader treaty directive called Article 5.3 that prevents industry interference in the halls of government. Internal industry documents show that when the tobacco industry successfully gains access to the talks by attending public badges, they obtain confidential information, lobby government delegates, and attempt to water down public health policy. The number one barrier to fully implementing this life-saving treaty is industry interference, said Micheel Legendre, associate campaign director with Corporate Accountability. With Big Tobacco on the defensive, and governments poised to give it the boot, the outcomes of this years Conference of the parties will mark a turning point for public health. The policy decision to truly eliminate the industry from the halls of negotiation will have resounding implications for policy making spaces in other arenas, like the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, where industry interference inside of the negotiating spaces has been a significant barrier to real success. We support consensus on insulating the talks from Big Tobacco promoted by the African bloc today, said Akinbode Oluwafemi, deputy executive director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN). We anticipate that similar bonding will shut out Big Tobacco which has exploited the Public Badges policy to swarm the talks with their foot soldiers. The global tobacco treaty, known formally as the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), entered into force in 2005. To date, 181 countries and the European Union have become parties to the treaty. It contains the worlds most effective tobacco control and corporate accountability measuresestimated to save more than 200 million lives by 2050 when fully implemented. Earlier, Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Ghebreyeseus, said the treaty talks has witnessed progress in previous years which the ongoing talks will build upon. Mr Ghebreyeseus expressed worry about low and middle-income countries that bear the brunt of the tobacco burden in terms of healthcare costs and deaths. He urged parties to do more in three critical areas: Increase tobacco taxes to save lives and raise revenue; initiate a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising promotion and sponsorships, and commit to universal health coverage for citizens. The global civil society movement is urging delegates to remain firm in the face of mounting tobacco industry attempts to derail the talks and influence outcomes. Confusion surrounds the sudden death of Yakubu Nataala, one of the lecturers in Kogi State Polytechnic, who died at his residence in Lokoja on Sunday. Sources told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Nataala slumped and died due to frustration over non-payment of his salaries. However, the institution debunked claims that he died due to non-payment of salaries. Ashiru Sulaiman, a staff at the polytechnic told PREMIUM TIMES that The last salary received by lecturers was in July 2017 and his inability to meet up with financial responsibilities must have led to his death. A source who preferred not to be named told our correspondent that the deceased, sometime last week, complained about his financial situation. He told me he has failed in his responsibility both at home and everywhere. He was sick but could not take care of himself. The sudden death was caused by unpaid salaries which did not permit him to have funds to take care of himself. The institutions spokesman, Luke Tijan, confirmed that the deceased was among lecturers who have not received salaries for months. He, however, denied claims by residents and students that the death was caused by non-payment of salaries. Yes, he was among lecturers that havent received salaries for months but his death came after he was operated for ruptured appendicitis, he told PREMIUM TIMES. The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Oyo State 2019 governorship election, Seyi Makinde, has accused the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu of unnecessary interference in the politics of the state. Mr. Makinde who spoke on Monday through a statement issued by Makindes Campaign Office and signed by the media coordinator, Dotun Oyelade, said Mr Tinubu is dictating who should rule the state from his party and that the problems created in Lagos may repeat itself in the state. Recall that similar imposition occurred in 2011 when a former Governor Lam Adesina was side-lined in the process leading to the adoption of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, a decision that has drawn the state back leading to record indebtedness yet unsurpassed since the creation of the state in 1976. Why must outsiders insist on their stooges to rule us in Oyo State and why must we always accept their orders when what is left is a crumbling empire? For me, the masses of the state remain my motivators because they will insist that we build the state together for the benefit of all, the statement read. The APC in Oyo State on Sunday held its governorship congress at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, where Adebayo Adelabu, believed to be the anointed candidate of Mr Tinubu and governor Abiola Ajimobi emerged the partys governorship candidate after other contestants stepped down for him. Mr Adelabu is the grandson of the Ibadan notable politician, Adegoke Adelabu, popularly known as Penkelemesi. When contacted, Mr Tinubus spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, asked that our correspondent send a text message. However, hours after sending the text message, he did not respond to the allegations nor answer subsequent calls put across to his line, as at press time. | BY Ricki Green | Sun-savvy Australians who are serious about protecting themselves and their families from the suns harmful rays take centre stage in a new SunSense campaign via Geometry Australia, as we head into the warmer season and the UV index climbs. Launching this week, the new campaign showcases the expert credentials of SunSense sunscreen, and its ability to provide the kind of proven protection suitable for all skin types and situations. The tagline Expert Care for the Sun Aware is utilised throughout a range of executions focusing on different scenarios where people are exposed to the sun, beyond just a day at the beach. It coincides with the 30th anniversary of SunSense in Australia. Says Ewan Thornton, business director, Geometry: Instead of the stereotypical Bronzed Aussie, we instead wanted to celebrate the Australians who actively protect their skin for all occasions. Its about showcasing the dedicated shade seekers, the mad hatters, the regular re-appliers basically sun savvy Aussies everywhere, from all walks of life. Because everyday Aussies go out in the sun. To play. To work. To have fun. But everyday Aussies also sometimes get burned, either because they forget to wear sun protection or because they havent been sensible about how long they stay in the sun. As a result the new SunSense campaign speaks to those Aussies that take the time to care for themselves and celebrate them in a unique, real and memorable way, and remind them that SunSense are the go to experts in the sun care field. The integrated campaign comprises a TVC, OLV, print, digital and social, which will be supported by a full range of in-store POS throughout pharmacies across the country. Says Amanda Millis, senior brand manager, SunSense: By taking the focus away from the usual locations such as beaches, were aiming to highlight much broader usage occasions and educate Australians on all the occasions where they need adequate sun protection. It also builds on our announcement last year, that SunSense would continue to partner with the Melanoma Institute of Australia. As a country with one of the highest rates of Melanoma in the world, we are proud to support this organisation, the important work they do and continue to bring a reliable, expert product to Australians who want everyday protection they can count on. Other executions will appear from this week in key locations and titles. Creative Geometry Media Starcom The Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, says a UN joint delegation will visit Maiduguri, Bama and Abuja first week of October, to scale up its humanitarian intervention in the crisis-affected areas. Mr Onyeama said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after a meeting with the UN team leaders on the sidelines of the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York. The minister said that the team would be led by the UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner, and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Head of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Mark Lowcock. He said that the joint UN Development Programme (UNDP)-OCHA Principal-level mission was part of the world ogranisation efforts to support the victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the region. Mr Onyeama said that the visit was sequel to the conference on the Lake Chad Basin crisis in Berlin, where the international community committed to a comprehensive crisis response in the Lake Chad Region. He explained that the conference was held at the beginning of September in Berlin on the humanitarian and development efforts on the Lake Chad Basin area. Mr Onyeama said that the visit was aimed at discussing with senior government and donor officials in Nigeria on how to further strengthen humanitarian and development responses, including national and local ownership in the northeast. We are looking essentially on how to build on the humanitarian programme and the UN has been very much involved and supportive on the humanitarian front in the North-east We realised that we have to now move towards the development stage; they also want to hear from the Nigerian government what they should be looking at. And of course, it is about reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement; it is about creating an environment for economic growth which will require school education and also jobs. This is what we are looking at and UN where they can invest the resources and the technical aspect, he said. The UN had said in a statement that the objectives of the joint UNDP-OCHA principal-level mission, was to address humanitarian, resilience and stabilisation needs of communities to prevent a protracted crisis in North-east. The urgency to make progress on the New Way of Working (NWoW) by the UN Country Team and the Humanitarian Country Teams (UNCT/HCT) has been amplified by large-scale humanitarian needs and the related imperative to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crises in a comprehensive and sustainable way. Accordingly, the Nigeria UNCT/HCTs are jointly working on formulating collective outcomes which will guide planning and interventions of humanitarian and development actors, he said. The world body said that pragmatic pilot projects were currently being set up, where several agencies can work together in a defined geographic area to address immediate support needs in the area. It stated that this would also help establish the foundations for community recovery and resilience. It said that the mission to Nigeria would provide a unique opportunity to create momentum for the NWoW and to identify additional opportunities for a comprehensive crisis response in the Lake Chad region. (NAN) The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced additional assistance of $65.5 million to achieve the development goals outlined in the bilateral U.S.-Nigerian Development Objectives Assistance Agreement signed in 2015. The U.S. Embassy made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday. The statement quoted U.S. Mission Director, Stephen Haykin, as pledging his countrys commitment during the announcement, to strengthen human capital and institutions, and enhance health system in Nigeria. Mr Haykin said that the assistance brings incremental funding of the agreement with Nigeria to $1.17 billion which represent 48 per cent of the 2.45 billion dollars pledged by USAID under the five-year plan. He said that of the new funding, $59.33million would support activities under the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR partners closely with government, the private sector, philanthropies, multilateral institutions, and civil society to assist people living with HIV and their families. An additional $4.67 million will go toward a new activity aimed at strengthening the ability of state and local governments in the North-East to deliver essential public services to their constituents. Also $1.5 million will be used to help reduce violent conflict and to deter violent extremist groups. We are pleased to reaffirm our partnership with Nigeria to strengthen human capital and institutions, and to promote the health and opportunities for all Nigerians, he said. Mr Haykin noted that USAID collaborated with Nigerias ministries of budget and national planning, health, agriculture, power, and education as well as state-level government counterparts to structure the bilateral assistance agreement, which runs through 2020. (NAN) The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has announced it would elect a presidential candidate at its October 6 national convention. The chairman, publicity sub-committee, Rufai Alkali, made this known while addressing journalists at the partys national secretariat on Tuesday. The party said about 4,500 delegates are expected at the convention. The special national convention of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), is holding on Saturday, 6th October 2018 at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, Nigeria. The SDP is, therefore, expecting about 4,500 delegates at the scheduled national convention to elect the presidential candidate of our party ahead of the February 16, 2019, presidential election, the official said. According to Mr Alkali, the convention was initially billed to hold at the Eagle Square, Abuja. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is expected to hold its own national convention on the same day at the Eagle Square. Describing the party as an evolving, vibrant and emerging political party, the official said the SDP is moving quickly to dominate the political space in Nigeria. He said the convention is also special because aside electing its presidential candidate, the party will ratify its amended constitution and elect and ratify new national executive committee (NWC) members. It is at the convention three major decisions will be taken namely: (a) the ratification of the amended Constitution of the party; (b) election of and ratification of the election of new National Executive Committee members; and (c) the selection of the presidential candidate of the party in preparations for the general election in February next year. I am pleased to inform you that so far, a total of five distinguished Nigerians of impeccable character have signified their interest and purchased nomination forms for presidential elections. The partys presidential aspirants are ex-Cross River State governor, Donald Duke; ex-information minister, Jerry Gana, John Dara, Felix Osakwe and Iyuowerse Hagher. A group, Catalyst for Global Peace and Justice (CPJ), has asked the Nigerian government to ensure the release of abducted Dapchi school girl, Leah Sharibu, before October 15. The request was made on Tuesday during a press briefing organised by the group, in collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN). After failing to release Ms Sharibu along with her schoolmates who were kidnapped in their secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State, the Boko Haram terror group released a recent video where they killed another abducted woman and threatened to harm Ms Sharibu. The CPJ said it would commence a sustained advocacy for the release of Ms Sharibu. There is ample time for any serious government, between now and October 15 to find a way to secure the release of these women, said the CPJ convener, Abraham Aiyedogbon, referring to Ms Sharibu and the remaining health officials still held by the terror group. Also, a partner of the CPJ, Fredrick Adetiba said the group would ensure sustained advocacies, such that would compel responses from government for the release of Ms Sharibu, the Red Cross officials and the remaining 112 Chibok girls still held by the Boko haram. We must sustain the engagement for the response of government on the release of Leah Sharibu. When groups begin advocacy, they believe you will be tired in not more than two weeks. But we will not relent. Freedom for Leah Sharibu will happen if we join our forces together. The group called on government to reactivate talks with channels to Boko Haram, in a view to ensure the safe release of the abducted women. Reiterating a previous request by CAN, the CPJ said it was time to restructure Nigerias security sector for greater efficiency. It also urged the Borno State Government to collaborate with the ICRC to compensate the family of the murdered Red Cross staffer, as well as ensuring the arrest of a man described by the CPJ as a self-acclaimed murderer, Jaura Buba. A prayer session and procession was conducted for the safe release of all the abductees. President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) scheduled to hold tomorrow, October 3, The decision, according to his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, is as a result of on-going political activities, particularly party primaries, in which some members of the Council are deeply involved in various states of the federation. The FEC meeting is attended by the president, his vice, and ministers; and is where government policies and major contracts are approved. It is headed by Mr Buhari himself, while his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, chairs it in the absence of the president. The spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress has said he is not aware of any cancellation of the governorship primaries ongoing in Lagos; thus putting paid to report of any such cancellation. Yekini Nabena spoke in a brief telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES. I am not aware (of any such cancellation), the spokesperson said minutes after he released a statement announcing the cancellation of the primary in Imo State. Mr Nabena clarified an earlier report by this newspaper on the reported cancellation. The primary pitches the incumbent Lagos governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, against Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has the support of majority of the APC leaders in Lagos. It commenced across the state on Tuesday morning after two postponements. (EDITORS NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect the official position of the APC on its Lagos primary). The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has thrown out an application by the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, for an order that the Nigerian Senate cannot compel him to personally appear before it. The court presided over by a judge, John Tsoho, dismissed the application for lacking in merit. Mr Tsoho, who gave the ruling on Tuesday, said the Senates invitation of Mr Idris is a constitutional privilege enjoyed by the National assembly which Mr Idris is obligated to personally obey. After failing to appear twice at the Senate plenary, upon invitation by the lawmakers, Mr Idris approached the court to demand an end to further invitation from the Senate. Although the Senate said it invited Mr Idris to discuss matters of national security, the IGPs lawyer said the invitation was to intimidate him, over allegations made against him by some lawmakers under investigations by the police. In an application by his counsel, Alex Izinyon, Mr Idris said his invitation and subsequent action by the Senate were an act of visible hatred, and undisguised contempt. The matter was slated for judgment on September 27 but was postponed following the recent nationwide strike by organised labour. In his ruling on Tuesday, Mr Tsoho said although the excuse given by Mr Idris for failing to attend the first invitation was justifiable, the reason he gave for failing to attend the second time was unacceptable. The IGP offered statutory reason why he accompanied President Buhari to Bauchi on April 26 to commission project, Mr Tsoho said, regarding the first invitation on April 26. About the second invitation, also ignored by Mr Idris, Mr Tsoho, however, said; It is not a good exercise of discretion for the IGP to delegate the Deputy Inspector-General. I doubt the claim of the plaintiff that he sent a delegate, since he did not know the scope of the briefing. I will not see any harm if the IGP had honoured the invitation. The IGP should have appeared before the Senate to convince it. Section 88 and 89 of the Nigerian Constitution empowers lawmakers to carry out investigations on issues of public interest, Mr Tsoho said. The court, therefore, struck out the case for want of merit. The Senate had declared Mr Idris an enemy of the state after he failed twice to honour invitation by the National Assembly. Military authorities have discovered more vehicles in a pool in Daru Du community of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, where the car of a missing general, Muhammed Alkali, was recently discovered. The military also urged the community to help in locating the general, dead or alive days after he was declared missing. It also dismissed rumours that it planned on attacking members of the community over its missing staffer. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the car of the missing general was found in the communitys pond. A blood-stained T-Shirt and a boxer short believed to belong to the general were also found in the car on Saturday. Mr Alkali, a major general, was kidnapped some weeks ago in Plateau State, amidst fears by family members he has been killed by his abductors. His car was found Saturday evening by a combined security team in the pond. The major general was declared missing since September 3, when he was travelling from Abuja to Bauchi State. Since the incident occurred, there have been suspicions Mr Alkali could have been killed and dumped in the pond hence leading to a concerted search. The draining of water from the pond was on Friday protested by women of the community who said the pond was ancestral. That did not deter the security operatives who continued draining the pond until the car was found. The body of Mr Alkali is however yet to be found. Search Intensifies The military on Tuesday said more cars had been found in the pool and called for the communitys assistance in solving the mystery. Since the discovery of the car, there have been fears the military could attack the community in retaliation. On Saturday, the Plateau Peace and Justice Forum ( PPJF), held a press conference where it expressed fears that the Nigerian military could take military action on Daru Du. But Benson Akinruluyo, GOC, 3 division, Rukuba barrack said the military has no such plans. He also said the military discovered an 18- seater bus and three other cars while searching the pond. There is no plan to take military action on the community or attack it. What we want is for the community to cooperate with us. We want them to tell us where Major General Ali is or where his corpse is kept, Mr Akinruluyo, a major general, said. Another major general, Augustine Agundu, who spoke with journalists at the pond said the search for the missing operative continues. Apart from the generals car, that was found on Saturday and the bus that we found today, there are three more cars in the pond. We will also remove them, Mr Agundu said. A former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday said it is insulting to suggest there is a feud between him and the embattled incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Mr Tinubu spoke Tuesday afternoon as the All Progressives Congress governorship primary election between Mr Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu was underway in Lagos State. The exercise is now a subject of controversy after the chairman of the electoral panel, Clement Ebiri, distanced himself from it. Mr Ambodes challenger, Mr Sanwo-Olu, has the backing of Mr Tinubu and the Lagos APC establishment. Whatever is happening now I have to submit myself to the party members, said Mr Tinubu at his polling unit in Ward C, Ikeja. People want to participate in what is happening and we have to let that happen. He continued: I will regard that rancour between me and the governor as an insult. I brought Ambode to the people, he was a civil servant under me. He performed very well as a civil servant. And when he showed interest in politics after leadership courses in Harvard and others we gave him the opportunity and we presented him to the party and the party accepted him. Mr. Tinubu however said whosoever emerged as the partys candidate would have his support. The final result for Ward C, Mr. Tinubus ward comprising Olusosun, Alausa and Oregun saw Mr. Ambode poll four votes while his opponent, Mr Sanwo-Olu had 960 votes. In other places also, Mr Sanwo-Olu gained a massive lead, leaving Mr Ambode far behind. However, with the announcement by Mr Ebiri, a fresh primary may be held in the state. Jamilu Gwamna, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the result of the election that produced Bayero Nafada as the partys governorship candidate in Gombe State. The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Mr Nafada scored 1,104 votes to defeat 12 other aspirants including Gwamna, who scored 147 votes to come second. Mr Gwamna in a release titled: The Stolen Mandate: Gombe State PDP Governorship Primary Election, said the result was not a reflection of the delegates choice. The result is not a reflection of delegates choice. The result of this election is a disruption of the democratic tentacles upon which our party stands, he said. Mr Gwamna, however, called on all true democrats in the PDP to come to the rescue of democracy in the state. NAN recalls that the PDP governorship primary which held on September 30 was disrupted following violence that erupted. (NAN) | BY Kim Shaw | Australian furniture and homewares brand, Freedom, has appointed The General Store, Sydney as its creative agency of record. The General Store will be responsible for the brands strategic and creative direction. The agencys first work for Freedom launches this week with a campaign promoting the arrival of Freedoms Summer Collection. Says Jason Piggott, GM Customer and Marketing: The General Store offers a unique blend of retail expertise and creative firepower. They were quick to understand our business and have already offered some powerful insights into the category. Says Matt Newell (left), Co-Founder and CEO at The General Store: Freedom is a brand with a strong legacy and a very strong product offer. Were looking forward to helping the business strengthen its proposition in the market. We were keen to bring a fashion edge to the category, so we teamed up with Lance Kelleher and the team at Photoplay who were brilliant to work with. The General Store is an independent retail specialist agency that offers strategy, advertising, design, technology and store design services. Clients include THE ICONIC, Supercheap Auto, Marley Spoon, FoodWorks, Hamilton Island and Coates Hire. AGENCY: THE GENERAL STORE Steve Carlin Creative Director Kristine Toms Creative Genevieve Read Creative Darren Bailey Producer Andrew Kohn Project Director Matt Newell CEO Maddie Livesey General Manager PRODUCTION: PHOTOPLAY Lance Kelleher Director Oliver Lawrence Executive Producer Emma Thompson Producer CLIENT: FREEDOM Jason Piggott GM Customer and Marketing Katherine Martin Retail Marketing Manager Ten of the 21 aspirants who took part in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Borno State have called for the cancellation of the outcome of the exercise. A professor, Babagana Zulum, was nominated as the partys flag bearer at the primaries on Sunday. But at a press conference on Tuesday, Minister of State for Power, Works and Transport, Mustapha Shehuri, who spoke on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants, said the primaries was fraught with several irregularitiesand did not meet the barest minimum of criteria required for a free, fair and credible election. He said they were denied the desired level play ground to participate in the primaries from the onset. According to Mr Shehuri, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettimas announcement of a preferred candidate ahead the conduct of the primaries compromised the entire process of governorship primaries. He alleged that the governor on the eve of the primaries instructed the state party chairman, Ali Dalori, to summon most of the aspirants and inform them of the governors decision to pick a preferred candidate whom all should step down for. All the other aspirants were instructed to withdraw, and when some of the aspirants refused, the governor turned up personally and in a few minutes of address to them, announced his preferred candidate, Babagana Umara Zulum, after which he left without courtesies. The minister also alleged that the state government compromised the electoral panel sent from Abuja by hosting the m embers, even though the governor had taken side in the primaries. The governor chattered a private plane and flew in the team (electoral panel) from Abuja, he said. The aspirants also want security agencies to probe the source of the fund the governor allegedly used in purchasing governorship nomination forms for 10 other aspirants loyal to him. Another grievance of the aspirants was the alleged non-disclosure of the list of delegates for the primaries, as well s the alleged alteration of the authentic list of delegates from southern Borno, who they said were denied access to the venue of the primaries. All aspirants were denied access to the delegates except the governor and his preferred candidate. It is also on record that the governor authorised the release of one month local government grants for each of the 27 local governmentsand caused the funds to be cashed. He said the funds were used to buy the votes of the delegates who were allegedly instructed to vote for the governors preferred candidate. Those who refused this inducement and swear an oath were booted out. Based on the forgoing, 10 of the aspirants came together and took a stand condemning the bastardisation of the primary elections designed by the state governor to favor his preferred candidate, said Mr Shehuri. We have since written a letter of protest to the National Chairman of APC demanding cancellation of the charade called the primary elections. Eight out of the 10 governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba on Tuesday called for the cancellation of the partys governorship primary election in the state due to alleged irregularities. The spokesman for the aggrieved aspirants, David Kente, who made the call at a news conference in Jalingo, described the exercise as a sham. Mr Kente alleged that some staff of the APC state secretariat connived with the other two governorship aspirants Joel Ikenya and Sani Abubakar to hijack the process and doctor the results of the primary election. The primary election was a sham, characterised by thuggery, ballots and results snatching was the order of the day. There was massive violence in Jalingo, Wukari, Karim Lamido and Zing Local Government Areas in spite of the agreement we all signed to ensure a violent-free process. We, therefore, call on the national secretariat and the state executives of our party to declare the purported primary election conducted inconclusive and a fresh primary conducted in the state with neutral people presiding over the process. We also call for the disqualification of Abubakar and Ikenya for perpetrating violence during the process which goes contrary to the accord the 10 of us signed, he said. Mr Kente said that the National Secretariat of the party could alternatively nominate anyone among the eight and the rest would support the person. In his reaction, the state publicity secretary of the party, Aaron Artimas, said the news conference would not stop the process. Mr Artimas said that aggrieved aspirants could utilise the window of the appeal panel of the party to address such issues arising from the election. (NAN) Ten All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants who lost the partys primary have pledged to rally round the winner to ensure victory for the party in 2019. Hassan Liman, spokesman for the aspirants told journalists after the election on Monday in Lafia that they were committed to the success of the party in 2019. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdullahi Sule, a former managing director of Dangote Sugar, emerged victorious after voting by delegates, polling 926 votes. Aliyu Wadada came second with 519 votes and Silas Agara, Nasarawa state Deputy Governor, came third with 356 votes. Mr Liman said they were impressed with the conduct of the primaries, which according to him was free, fair and transparent, hence their decision to rejoice with the winner and offer him their support to win the general election in 2019. All of us are standing here today because we are impressed with how the primary was conducted from start to finish. It was transparent, peaceful, fair and devoid of any cheating. We are satisfied with the process. That is why we are standing here to commend the process that brought out our partys flag bearer. We wish to categorically state that we accept the result of the primary because it was organised fairly, he said. We want to assure you that we will work together to ensure that our party comes out victorious in the general elections in 2019 so that our party can continue to offer our people sustainable dividends of democracy, he said. (NAN) The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Kwara chapter, has expressed concern that only one registered architect was in the services of Kwara State Government. The Chairman of the chapter, A. O. Adeyemo, made this known on Tuesday at a news conference to mark World Architecture Day and the 4th Architecture Week of the state chapter. According to him, there should be at least, 10 registered architects in the state civil service, adding that each local government is expected to have at least two in their employment to design and supervise all structural works. Mr Adeyemo attributed spate of building collapses to refusal of owners of building to employ or involve architects in the design of houses. He bemoaned a system in the country where many professionals were neither used nor patronised to handle building projects. Mr Adeyemo said not employing the services of Architects was tantamount to refusing to create a better world. Not employing architects in a society leads to various forms of building and environmental failure, building collapse being the most common in this part of the world. Some buildings may not collapse but fail structurally and require remedial work resulting in huge economic drains. Other types of design failures related to ventilation, lighting and services, diminish greatly when an Architect is on board the project. For us in Nigeria, the need to employ Architects at Local, State and Federal Government levels is imperative. Many architectural services departments, Planning, and Development Control offices are short of Architectural staff, he said. Architecture, the chairman said, made creation of a better world saying; imagine the world without iconic buildings like the Sydney Opra house, Burj Al Arab, Empire State House building or the White House. Visualise Nigeria without the National Theatre in Lagos, the International Conference Centre in Abuja, the Cocoa House in Ibadan, the NNPC Towers or the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Mr Adeyemo said activities of the celebration include industrial visits, site and facility tours, visit to Kwara State University, Malate and home hospitality. (NAN) A student of the University of Jos who was declared missing has been found. The 100-level pharmacy student, Ashoms Galadima, was declared missing on Monday after an attack by suspected herdsmen in a school hostel led to the death of a student. Two other students were injured in the attack. Abdullahi Abdullahi, Public Relations Officer of the university, who made this known in a press statement said the missing student was found in the custody of a security team, popularly Known as Operation Safe Haven (OPSH). A 100 Level Psychology Student of the University, Ashoms Galadima, whose whereabouts were earlier said to be unknown, has been found in the custody of personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) Operation Safe Haven. Ashoms Galadima was found in good health and has been reunited with members of his family. University authority have assured that all measures have been taken to safeguard the lives and property of members of the university community especially staff and students. Towards this end, security has been beefed up at the various campuses and students hostels to forestall any breach. The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the State Police Commissioner, Undie Adie, also approved, in addition to other security agencies, the deployment of a detachment of mobile policemen to provide security cover to the university until calm is fully restored. President of the Students Union Government (SUG) in the university, Fwangshak Pantu, has been provided with the mobile phone number of the team leader of the policemen stationed at the hostels for ease of communication. We call on all parents and guardians whose wards are residing within the university premises to keep their minds at rest as the students security will not be compromised for any reason, the statement added. The official appealed to members of the public to be wary of false information and confirm all information about the university from its website www.unijos.edu.ng, the Campus Radio Station, UJ FM 96.1, and other authentic sources. Some All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Zamfara State are meeting to avert crisis after Governor Abdulaziz Yuri kicked against arrangements made to conduct direct primary to select the partys governorship candidate. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting involved the governor, security agents, all APC governorship aspirants and the committee mandated by the APC national secretariat to conduct the primaries. The direct primary was scheduled to commence this Tuesday, but the governor on Monday night said he would not allow the exercise to hold in his capacity as the chief security officer of the state. NAN learnt that the governors major grouse is the exclusion of the party executives from the exercise, claiming that it would lead to breakdown of law and order. However, chairman of the state governorship primary election committee, Abubakar Farin, maintained that all contending issues had been resolved and the committee would go ahead with the exercise. He stressed that the state and local government APC executive councils have no role to play as they had been dissolved by the national secretariat of the party to pave way for free and fair primary. NAN reports that nine aspirants are seeking the APC governorship ticket in the state. (NAN) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State has rejected the governorship primary election conducted on Monday by the Electoral Committee constituted by the partys National Working Committee (NWC). The State Chairman of the party, Masud Doguwa, declared the stand of the party while addressing journalists in Kano on Tuesday. Mr Doguwa described the election that was conducted by committee headed by Ezeogu Emeka-Onuaha as null and void. He explained that they had been in the PDP for quite some time and were conversant with the technicalities involved in conducting primary elections. With this attitude of impunity of enforcing candidates on members of the party, the national leadership of the party is doing nothing but paving way for the All progressives Congress (APC) to win elections in Kano State, he said. He said a court had ordered a substantial order that the partys caretakers were operating illegally, yet they went ahead and conducted the governorship primaries, saying members of the party would not accept such illegality The news conference which was attended by aspirants for state House of Assembly and National Assembly, described the poll as Kangaroo elections and unacceptable. The chairman, therefore, urged the National leadership of the party to ensure justice and fairness for the survival of the party in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sen. Rabiu Kwankwasos son in-law, Abba Kabiru Yusuf, emerged as PDP governorship candidate in the state in the primary election that was conducted on Monday night. The primary election held at the Lugard Avenue, personal residence of Kwankwaso, was conducted by the electoral committee constituted by the party National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Ezeogu Emeka-Onouha. (NAN) THE Adokiye Amasiemeka Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has been chosen as the venue of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention, the Chairman of the planning committee for the event, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has said. Mr. Okowa, who is also the governor of Delta State, made the disclosure on Monday after the committee inspected different venues and agreed on Adokiye Amasiemeka Stadium, saying it met all criteria required for a successful convention. The governor said, The top membership of the Convention Planning Committee had our innaugral meeting in Abuja and today, we have come to meet in Port Harcourt ahead of the Convention. We had a very useful meeting this morning stroke afternoon and we came to inspect suggested venues. We found that the Adokiye Amasiemeka Stadium close to the International Airport is a very perfect venue for everything that we need to do. We are satisfied because sometimes you need to put your thoughts not just on paper but on ground and that is what we have done and we are very prepared, the governor, who was accompanied by members of the main Committee and sub-committees for the convention, said. He continued, We are going to convene again on Thursday and I believe that every committee is working hard for us to have a successful convention on the 6th and 7th. Governor Okowa assured party members that every arrangement to ensure hitch-free convention was being put in place. He also assured that the election will be free, fair and just and I believe everybody, all the aspirants will buy into the process, there will be no reason for anybody to complain. There will be no reason for anybody to leave the party as a result of the outcome of the Convention because the election will be free and fair, that is what we need and we will do just that, he said. Yakubu Gowon Stadium was among the projected venues inspected before the committee agreed that the Adokiye Amasiemeka Stadium should be used for the Convention. Picture story: Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right) and South-South PDP National Vice Chairman, Bro. Emmanuel Ogidi, during a Closed door meeting of PDP Convention Planning Committee, in Port Harcourt. PIX ; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right) and South-South PDP National Vice Chairman, Bro. Emmanuel Ogidi, during a Closed door meeting of PDP Convention Planning Committee, in Port Harcourt. PIX ; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right); South-South PDP National Vice Chairman, Bro. Emmanuel Ogidi (2nd right); Hon. Osita Chidoka (left) and Hon. Justina Emeji, during a Closed door meeting of PDP Convention Planning Committee, in Port Harcourt. PIX ; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (right) and Hon. Osita Chidoka, during a Closed door meeting of PDP Convention Planning Committee, in Port Harcourt. PIX ; JIBUNOR SAMUEL. John Owan-Enoh has been declared winner of the All Progressive Congress gubernatorial primaries in Cross River, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Mr Owan-Enoh represents Cross River Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Announcing the result on Tuesday in Calabar, Ali Magaji, Chairman of Electoral Committee, said that Mr Owan-Enoh scored a total of 82,272 votes out of the 101,212 votes cast. He said that Edem Duke, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism got 7,367 votes while the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani had 1,778 votes. As we are all aware, this exercise started on September 30 with the distribution of materials to the various political wards across the state. The total number of accredited voters in the election was 106,212. We recorded 117 invalid votes and votes cast was 101,212. The election was conducted across the state in a peaceful manner under the watch of security agents and the Independent National Electoral Commission. With the powers conferred on me by the National Working Committee of the party, I hereby declare Sen. Owan-Enoh winner of the gubernatorial primaries in Cross River. He is now the candidates of the APC in Cross River ahead of the next year governorship election in the state, he said. Mr Magaji called on other aspirants to work closely with Owan-Enoh with a view to win the state in 2019. Speaking to journalists after his victory, Mr Owan-Enoh expressed happiness with the result, saying that the people of Cross River have spoken in unity. He explained that the state was in dire need of leadership change and thereby solicited the supports of all stakeholders of the party ahead of the elections. Mr Owan-Enoh promised not to disappoint the mandate of the people if elected into office as governor. (NAN) Nigerias Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his administrations unceasing cooperation with the federal government in the advancement of the set objectives of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the state and beyond. Mr Osinbajo, who said he was extremely delighted with the kindness and warm reception the state government always accords him whenever he visits Enugu State, also applauded Mr Ugwuanyi for the very great steps his administration has taken in the growth and development of the MSME programme. Mr Osinbajo gave the commendations, during the Enugu edition of the National MSME Clinic held at the popular Michael Okpara Square, to underscore the progress recorded so far in entrepreneurship and MSME development programmes of the state and federal governments, with the aim of improving the living standard of the people, more especially the youth, women and the less privileged. The vice president added that Mr Ugwuanyis administration is doing very well for the MSME and in advancing the interest of small entrepreneurs, stressing that the governor deserves a warm applause for the great works he has been doing. Mr Osinbajo, who noted that the MSME Clinic initiative was particularly important to the federal government, extended its hand of cooperation and fellowship to Mr Ugwuanyis administration, disclosing that President Buharis administration is fully committed to supporting states regardless of political or ethnic affiliations. He further disclosed that the federal government has provided close to N2 trillion for its social investment programmes, stressing that small businesses are the future of our country. While reiterating the federal governments commitment to the growth and development of entrepreneurship and small businesses, Mr Osinbajo expressed confidence that together we will bring the deserved prosperity, not just to the people of Enugu State, but also to the people of Nigeria. In his welcome address, Mr Ugwuanyi, who welcomed the vice president, his entourage and other stakeholders to Enugu for the event, commended President Buhari for the vision behind the conception of this National MSME Clinic. Mr Ugwuanyi said that the programme was another laudable addition to the numerous people-oriented initiatives the federal Government has introduced to fast track socio-economic development and improve the welfare of the people more especially the youths, women and the less privileged. The governor disclosed that Enugu State has indeed continued to enjoy a mutually rewarding and strategic partnership with the Federal Government on several fronts, stating that his administration, in keeping with the vice presidents directive, had inaugurated Enugu State Council on Ease of Doing Business aimed at promoting business engagements. The governor said that Enugu is one of few states that have fully implemented the programme of the CBN 220 Billion MSME Development Fund, by funding over 2000 MSMEs, adding that the state has also returned about N400 million out of the first tranche of N500 million received from CBN. According to him, We wish also to commend, the CBN on the Ose Nsukka (Nsukka Yellow Pepper) Anchor Borrowers Program as well as other initiatives of the Bank in Enugu State. Our counterpart funding with the Bank of Industry (BOI) has produced over 36 SMEs worth more than N399 million in project value. From 2015, Enugu SME Center, our foremost enterprise development institute, has trained over 35,000 MSME owners and aspiring entrepreneurs including women and youths; and we have empowered more than 2400 traders with N50, 000 each through our raffle program open to all MSMEs in 54 local markets in the state. On the social investment scheme, our school feeding program is doing well, and over seven thousand applicants have benefited from Government Enterprise Empowerment Program (GEEP), otherwise called Market Moni. Under the N-power programme, Enugu State has received and successfully deployed over 16,000 beneficiaries to schools, farms and other places of assignment. We are currently concluding arrangements to officially launch the implementation of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) in six selected local government councils. We are thus, leveraging social investment programs, both ours and that of the Federal Government to lift our people out of abject poverty while devoting MSME development funds to the formation of MSMEs that create wealth, jobs, empower people and also transform communities. All these are anchored on our firm belief that entrepreneurship and enterprise development are the pathways to sustainable development, employment creation and poverty eradication. We are happy therefore to join hands with our dear Vice President to use the National MSME Clinic to unleash the potentials of our private sector using MSMEs and also ensuring that the clinic remains sustainable. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 2) International lender World Bank has released a $496.25-million loan (around 27 billion) to support rehabilitation projects in areas hit by Typhoon Ompong. Government had estimated infrastructure and agriculture damage from Ompong at 33.6 billion. The typhoon devastated portions of northern Luzon in late September. A state of calamity was declared in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the Cordillera Administrative Region. Two notable landslides also occurred in the wake of Ompong, one in Itogon, Benguet and another in Naga City, Cebu. Search and retrieval operations are still underway. "Natural disasters can exacerbate poverty through loss of lives, livelihood, property and infrastructure, and can roll back years of development gains. They disproportionately disrupt the lives of poor and vulnerable people, particularly women, the elderly and children," said Mara Warwick, World Bank country director for Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, in a statement. The loan is part of the bank's contingency credit line called the Second Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Loan to help the government rebuild communities, reconstruct vital infrastructure and restore basic social services. It also allows the Philippines to tap the World Bank for technical assistance when it comes to disaster risk reduction and management efforts. "We want (Filipinos) to know the Bank supports the country's efforts to address their needs," Warwick said in the statement. | BY Ricki Green | The One Club for Creativity, the worlds foremost non-profit organization recognizing creative excellence in advertising and design, has today launched an online video campaign from Toronto agency Zulu Alpha Kilo to promote the call for entries for the 2019 iteration of the prestigious One Show awards. Part of the agencys Win Pencil, Draw Respect campaign, the videos use humorous before-and-after scenarios to depict how the life of a creative improves dramatically after winning a coveted One Show Pencil. The campaign also includes posters, banners and simple animated videos. The campaign kicks off today with three videos: Monitor, We Quit and Jury Room, all directed by Jono Hunter with production company OPC. Two other videos will be released in the coming months. Says Zak Mroueh, chief creative officer and founder, Zulu Alpha Kilo: We wanted to tap into real industry insights that creatives have experienced. Whether its being in a jury room, resigning from a job, or simply asking for a bigger monitor, once youve won a One Show pencil theres an increased level of respect that comes with it that would impact how those scenarios play out. We wanted to dramatize that. Says Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club for Creativity: Winning a One Show Pencil has propelled the careers of many creatives around the world. The clubs mission is to support and celebrate the success of the global creative community, and we accomplish that by elevating the best work on a global stage. The One Show entries can be submitted now at http://www.oneshow.org. The early deadline is November 30, 2018, when the first batch of entries will be judged in a preliminary round. The final deadline to enter is January 31, 2019. One Show juries will be announced shortly. Entering work into The One Show also helps the industry overall because The One Club is a global non-profit organization that uses awards revenue to give back to the industry through nearly two dozen education, professional development, gender equality and inclusion and diversity programs for creatives at all levels around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.oneshow.org. Client: The One Club for Creativity, New York Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo, Toronto Creative Director: Zak Mroueh Writers: Christina Roche, Gary Watson, Patrick Godin, George Ault, David Horovitch Art Directors: Andrea Por, Michael Romaniuk, Natalie Theron Agency Producer: Revital Grunberg Account Team: Terri Mattucci, Matt Sinuita, Kelly Flynn Production House: OPC Director: Jono Hunter Executive Producers: Harland Weiss, Donovan M. Boden, Isil Gilderdale Line Producer: Max Brook Director of Photography: James Klopko Casting Director: Shasta Lutz, Jigsaw Casting Post Production: Alter Ego Compositor/Online/Senior VFX Artist: David Whiteson Colorist/Transfer: Eric Whipp Post Producers: Julie Neff, Hilda Pereira Audio Post Facility/Music House: Eggplant Music & Sound Audio Director: Adam Damelin Producer: Nicola Treadgold Engineer: Nathan Handy Video Post Facility/Editing Company: Zulubot There was tension in Epe on Tuesday morning as residents trooped out en masse to vote in the APC governorship primaries in Lagos state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that incumbent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who is seeking the APC ticket hails from the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos. Mr Ambode is jostling for the ticket with Babajide Sanwo-Olu. NAN reports that APC members in Epe were at their various wards to participate in the direct primary election as scheduled by the party in Lagos state in several wards visited early in the day. Voting and accreditation had yet to begin as at when NAN visited some centres at about 10.35 a.m, but members hanged out at the polling unit/wards. Some of the wards for the voting exercise include Recreation Centre, Poka Primary School, Ikosi-Ejirin, Ogunmodede, Ibonwon, Odo-giri amongl others. Also, security operatives have been positioned in every nook and cranny of Epe to ensure peaceful voting exercise. In some parts of Alimosho Local Government, NAN correspondent who monitored the exercise at Ward 9, Parakoyi, Ipaja-Ayobo in the council observed that hundreds of party faithful had been on ground before 9 a.m. NAN also reports that the accreditation of party members with party membership cards commenced at exactly 9: 35 am. NAN reporter observed that the exercise began under the watch of an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), electoral committee and security agents. However, Adenike Olusanya, a party agent for Mr Ambode told NAN that a lot of Mr Ambodes supporters were not accredited because they possessed only membership slip. Mrs Olusanya who frowned at the alleged disenfranchisement, said that the primary election could not stand. Many of our members are outside, not allowed in, this cannot stand. This is no election at all, she said. However, the voting process of the primary was disrupted for a while at Ward G North, Abesan in Alimosho, as thugs chased away voters. NAN reports that the thugs numbering about 15 invaded the Abesan High School, venue of the exercise around 9.45 ,flogging voters, preventing them from being accredited. The motive of the hoodlums as well as their sponsors could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report. Some policemen at the venue later responded to the situation by arresting some of the hoodlums, restoring normalcy. NAN however observed that there was large turnout of party members waiting to cast their votes for either Mr Ambode or Mr Sanwo-Olu. A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) check at the Ikeja Ward C, PU 003, where APC national Leader, Bola Tinubu is billed to cast his vote, indicated that accreditation commenced around 9.06 a.m. At the ward, located on Makinde Street, Alausa, Ikeja, which comprises Alausa, Olushosun and Oregun areas, some of the party members told NAN that they were very eager to participate in the direct primaries system of voting. They said most of them left their businesses for the day to arrive the venue as early as 8. 00 a. m. It was discovered that Mr Sanwo-Olus roll-up banners and posters adorned the ward, while Ambodes posters and banners were not available. Many of the party members at the ward wore T-shirts and caps with Sanwo-Olus photographs were embossed on them, while inscriptions such as Fun Igbega Ipinle Eko; Sanwo-Olu ni jo; and Vote Sanwo-Olu. Also at Wards A and D in Iba Local Council Development Area of Lagos, where the Deputy Governor, Idiat Adebule, is also billed to vote, as at 10.00 a. m., accreditation was yet to start. Party members were seen waiting for the party electoral officials to arrive. Heavy security security as policeman and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground to ensure orderliness. (NAN) Embattled senator, Ajayi Boroffice, and the two other senators from Ondo State will emerge as the senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the state at the end of Tuesdays primaries. Mr Boroffice represents Ondo North in the Nigerian Senate; Tayo Alasoadura, Ondo Central; and Yele Omogunwa, Ondo South. The thee serving senators were cleared to contest the primaries of their senatorial districts, while their opponents were not cleared. They are contesting the primaries unopposed and their candidatures would only be affirmed at the end of voting. The list of cleared aspirants released by the APC headquarters and signed by the Acting Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, did not include the names of the other aspirants who had shown interest in vying for the ticket. Those not cleared include former Ondo Speaker, Victor Olabintan; lawyer, Tunji Abayomi; Morayo Lebi; and Odunayo Akinrinlola. Mr Boroffice had been at loggerheads with the governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu, who views the senator as a fringe member of the APC. Their quarrel stemmed from the controversies which followed the governorship primaries of 2016 and subsequent clash at the governorship election. Their disagreement also played out in the choice of the mode of primaries to be adopted in the state. Mr Boroffice stood for direct primaries against the position of the governor and the state working committee who chose indirect primaries. The senator alleged that the choice of indirect primaries by Mr Akeredolu and the party was an attempt to reduce his chances of getting reelected, an allegation the latter described as a panic alarm. Meanwhile, voting in the National Assembly primaries is ongoing and results may not be ready until early on Wednesday. The head of the electoral panel set up by the APC to conduct the governorship primary in Lagos has said no primary was held in the state on Tuesday. This is despite thousands of party members in Lagos turning up in various wards to vote for their preferred candidate between incumbent governor Akinwunmi Ambode and challenger Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Mr Sanwo-Olu enjoys the support of majority of the APC leaders in the state including ex-governor Bola Tinubu. On Tuesday morning, some of Mr Ambodes supporters cried out they were being disenfranchised from voting amidst reports of thug attacks in some wards. Clement Ebiri later told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that he was not aware any primary held as all election materials brought from Abuja were still intact. Mr Ebiri, appointed by the APC headquarters to oversee the Lagos governorship primary, said his committee was yet to commence the process. He said he was aware that some people have done something which, he said, was not with consent of the committee. The national spokesperson of the APC, Yekini Nabena, had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES he was not aware of the cancellation of Tuesdays primaries. Mr Ebiri, a former Cross River governor, later confirmed the primaries did not hold. Well, they said they were holding something, I didnt know about it because we are busy crosschecking the architecture for it. So I am not quite aware of that, Mr Ebiri said. He said his committee was just concluding meetings with relevant stakeholders, after which materials will be shared for the election expected to hold Wednesday morning. We are trying to see if we can do an early one tomorrow. We now have all the parties present. They came. We just finished the meeting now, he said. Asked if he ordered for the reported elections in parts of the state, he replied: No, no, no that wasntwe need to tidy up things properly. We need to. He also said he did not know the source of the materials used for the elections as those given to his committee were still intact. Mr Ebri had earlier echoed a similar statement at a press conference in Lagos Tuesday afternoon. At the press conference, he said representatives of both governorship aspirants failed to furnish the committee with the list of their election monitors. Yesterday we were told to adjust our modalities to suit the open ballot that the state is clamouring for and we told them that for us to do that, both parties will present a list of representatives from all wards that would represent them in the election and it wasnt provided, Mr Ebri said while responding to a question on whether Tuesdays primaries had been cancelled. Anything that was done without the list we waited for, I cant wait for a list for over nine hours and I didnt see anything and you expect me to go ahead? We had a meeting with the representatives of the aspirants as early as 8am and we told them to bring lists of representatives from each LG to monitor the election on their behalf. I got names for 20 LG reps from one side and only got seven from the other side and we just got for additional eleven LG from them. And you dont expect us to go on with an election where one person is represented and the other is not. I believe what we have decided is the best. There was no election and we will communicate when materials for the election will be distributed and election conducted. Earlier, while addressing the media, Mr Ebri said the NWC had been dotting their is and crossing their ts to ensure that the victory that will be procured at the end of the day will be celebrated by both parties. Because there are two major contenders in the primary election, they needed to take their time to prepare well in other to ensure that they were fair to both parties. No fewer than 23 cows have been killed by thunder in Ekiti State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The deafening thunder was accompanied by a downpour recorded in parts of the state in last couple of days. The incident, which occurred at Okeowa Eluju, a farmstead in Iloro-Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of the state, has caused apprehension among local residents. While confirming the incident, a Fulani herder and owner of the dead cows, Abdulkadri Kadiri, said he was devastated by the development. NAN reports that Mr Kadiri described the incident as a strange occurrence. I went to farm after about six hours heavy downpour on Monday morning, only to discover that 23 of my cows had died After careful observation, I found that there was no trace of bodily injuries on the dead cows. I want to believe it is an act of God since I did not offend or quarrel with anyone, he said. Mr Kadiri, however, said he had not experienced such incident in his 35 years of business. The Regent of the community, Joseph Alofe, who also confirmed the incident, described the victim as a gentle and peace loving herder. The community leader, who also described the incident as strange to the village, called on government and well-meaning individuals to assist the herder, to revive his business. (NAN) A midnight sporadic gunshot by suspected political thugs disrupted the stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Monday night at the government owned Mitros building, formerly known as Gateway Hotels Annex in Abeokuta. The meeting, which was called by the eight-member national electoral committee of the party, aimed to resolve the crisis within the party over the controversial primaries. Starting at about 10.30 p.m., the meeting was suddenly interrupted at about 12 midnight by gunmen, who stormed the venue. Governor Ibikunle Amosun had on Monday threatened to use government resources to deal with dissidents working against his interest on the party primaries, following allegation by a faction of the party that he (Mr Amosun) insisted on imposing candidates on the party. However, when the gunmen stormed the meeting venue located within the Government Reservation Area (GRA), Ibara, Abeokuta, they shot sporadically, forcing many to run away. Those caught in the web of the gunshots include the Muhammed Indabawa-led eight-member national electoral committee, journalists and others, who scampered for safety, as sounds of gunshot rented the air. One of the suspected gunmen was however, reportedly whisked away by a team of police officers. The primaries, earlier scheduled for Sunday, was postponed following late arrival of the electoral committee from Abuja. The Ogun police spokesperson did not return calls and SMS sent to his phone on the matter. | BY Lynchy | EL Films is a boutique Film Production house with offices in Singapore and Dubai, and hot desks in London and Sydney. Since its establishment in 2010, EL Films has been producing high-end cinematic work of the very finest quality, working with both local and international production crews and some of the top and upcoming directors from all over the globe. They have now expanded their Singapore team and studio bringing it all to life in the amazing new space at 24 Duxton Road. The new studio is fully equipped with a workspace dedicated to both development and preproduction, film equipment to shoot cinematic content in-house, full editing and colouring software, online and audio production facilities as they continue to pay great attention to detail in every project, overseeing everything from pre-production to delivery. | BY Lynchy | Hakuhodo Japans young creative team have won the HP and Johnson & Johnson Young Spikes Design Competition. Taro Taniwaki and Takayuki Ichida from Hakuhodo Japan beat nine other finalist teams in a 24-hour live brief challenge at Spikes Asia 2018. The 10 finalist teams were from Singapore, Japan, Philippines and Malaysia. They were selected out of 123 submissions from the first-round competition, which was open to advertising and communications executives aged 30 and under from across Asia Pacific. HP and Johnson & Johnson challenged the Young Spikes Design Competition teams to create a limited-edition baby-care gift set for Southeast Asia-based influencers, key opinion leaders and the Johnsons Baby online store. The brief was in support of Johnsons brand transformation to adapt to changing demographics and attitudes. The new product line containing fewer and simpler ingredients is designed to cater to the needs of their new target audience millennial mums. Creativity is the foundation of innovation, said Foo Siew Ting, Chief Marketing Officer, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc. To inspire innovation, we brought together an ecosystem to support creative talent to shine on the biggest stage at the Young Spikes Competition. Through it, we have given the teams new possibilities for communicating their ideas through different platforms and channels. They have all shown how creativity can achieve business objectives to increase Johnsons brand engagement with their new audience. The winning team combined both a design that reflects Johnsons new gentle messaging and a feasible yet impactful online-to-offline brand experience that taps on a strong parenting insight and habits of millennial mums. They were selected by a four-member jury including three from Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Lilian Shieh, Head of Design and Richa Goswami, Head of Digital and Innovation and Puneet Chadha, Director, Marketing, Graphics Solutions Business, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc. I was blown away by the ideas, quality of thinking and attention to detail, all done in 24 hours, said Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific. We are thrilled and thankful that HP approached us to work together at Spikes Asia. It has not only given us some absolutely fresh and fabulous ideas to announce the new Johnsons to mums in Asia Pacific but also opened up tremendous opportunities to transform her experience with the brand through personalization, digitalized interaction and online-to-offline engagement. The teams worked on the HP ZBook Studio x360 and their works were printed at the HP Graphics Solutions Center of Excellence. This is the best time of our lives, said Taniwaki and Ichida. We made sure our idea was not just designing a gift set, but a campaign that creates impact and drives engagement. During the competition, the HP ZBook empowered us with a new way to create and now we want one for ourselves. The print is also beyond our expectations were so impressed with the quick turnaround and vivid colors. Photo capation: The winning team with the jury Ganesh Bangalore, Taro Taniwaki, Takayuki Ichida, Puneet Chadha, Lilian Shieh and Richa Goswami For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT) recently selected a new class of honorees for the 2018 Bill Daniels Being a Difference Award, which recognizes individuals practicing high standards of ethical leadership in business and within their communities. This year's recipients include Robert Bray, John Ikard and Emmanuel Lulin. Robert Bray, CEO of Bray Real Estate, earns the trust of clients with his commitment to integrity and the desire to see people achieve their dreams. Bray's company, a leader in real estate services in Colorado, instills in employees "The Bray Way," which believes in correcting a situation regardless of its obstacles. Exuding fairness, trust and transparency, Bray demonstrates the characteristics this award promotes. John Ikard, Former President & CEO of FirstBank, has held numerous leadership positions, including past chairman of the American Bankers Association and serving on the Federal Reserve Board of Kansas City. Under Ikard's leadership, FirstBank recorded 12 consecutive years of record profits and was the second largest corporate contributor in the state of Colorado from 2014-2016. Emmanuel Lulin, Senior Vice President & Chief Ethics Officer of L'Oreal, holds a Master of Laws from Chicago University and a law degree from the French Universities of Paris I (Pantheon-Sorbonne) and Paris II (Assas) and was admitted into the Paris Bar in 1988. He previously practiced as a corporate and tax attorney for Debevoise & Plimpton in Paris and New York before joining L'Oreal in 1999. Lulin has served on the Board of the Ethics & Compliance Officer Association in the United States and on the Board of the Cercle Ethique des Affaires in France. Established in 2006, the CPT's Being a Difference Award selects recipients through a national committee focused on identifying individuals who go beyond their expected professional and personal responsibilities to be a positive influence. Nominations for the 2019 Bill Daniels Being a Difference Awards are now open. Visit www.thecpt.org to submit your online nomination and to learn more about past award recipients. About the NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT) The NASBA Center for the Public Trust (CPT) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to champion the public trust by advancing ethical leadership in business, institutions and organizations. www.thecpt.org Contacts: Ryan Hirsch (615) 564-2129 [email protected] Cassandra Gray (615) 564-2172 [email protected] SOURCE NASBA Center for the Public Trust Related Links http://www.thecpt.org USA Edition to kick off 2019 World Tour to accelerate global gender diversity Edition to kick off 2019 World Tour to accelerate global gender diversity KROGER, BUREAU VERITAS AND PEPSICO to lead as early sponsors for USA World's best Companies to share best practices for success, diversity and leadership. NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Break the ceiling touch the sky - the success and leadership summit for women will hold its 2019 USA Edition in New York on Feb 4, 2019, with the US-ASEAN Business Council as primary Industry Partner and Besomebody Inc as primary Network Partner, House of Rose Professional (HORP) Pte. Ltd. announced today. Break the ceiling touch the sky the success and leadership summit for women is a one-day summit consisting of action-focused panel discussions, keynotes and a special speed mentoring segment led by C-Suite leaders sharing their own and their Companies latest techniques for success, diversity and leadership. The summit has evolved to become a key enabler of gender diversity in the Corporate sector globally with editions in Singapore (world edition), India, Australia, the Middle East and now the USA and new locations to be added around the world in 2019. Companies can enhance the leadership skills of their women leaders at a fraction of the cost of other expensive training programs and delegates can leverage the summit to learn from and interact with top leaders from the world's best organizations as mentors in their own paths to success. Break the ceiling touch the sky builds on the extensive global talent network nurtured by House of Rose Professional over the years. Over 250 C suite executives from the world's most successful Companies currently lead this forum as speakers and mentors across the world as part of this network. The 2019 USA Edition will kick off the 2019 World Tour of Break the ceiling touch the sky to seven global markets. Colleen Lindholz, President, Kroger Health and 2018 "Inspirational woman of the year" finalist at the Leonie Awards shared, "In the United States women are driving decisions, defining healthcare and shaping policy more than ever. We see it every day, from the clinics and pharmacies in our more than 2000 stores, to the discussions we all have around the dinner table. At Kroger, we are grateful to play a small role in enabling this dialogue, and we are passionate about empowering diversity of all kinds. Our partnership with the 2019 USA Edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky will enable some of our highest potential associates to share their personal stories and learn from amazing leaders." Natalia Shuman, Executive Vice President for Bureau Veritas and the first woman to be appointed to the Group Executive Committee in its 190 year history shared, "Diversity is critical to our business success. Bureau Veritas is committed to gender equality and recognizes the unique contributions that diversity enables. We are delighted to partner with Break the ceiling touch the sky for the 2019 USA Edition of the summit." Julie Hamilton, Global Chief Customer and Commercial Leadership Officer & Senior Vice President, The Coca-Cola Company, the 2018 World Sponsor of Break the ceiling touch the sky shared ,"Diversity is at the heart of our business. We strive to create a work environment that provides all our associates equal access to information, development and opportunity. We have seen great contributions via gender diversity. Our business is honored to be a world sponsor of Break the ceiling touch the sky which will give participants a tremendous opportunity to learn from others, share best practices, network with peers and chart their own individual courses for success. I look forward to being part of it!" The 2019 USA Edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky -- the success and leadership summit for women has as its early sponsor Kroger as Platinum Sponsor, Bureau Veritas and PepsiCo as Silver Sponsors. Concluded Anthony A. Rose, Founder Chairman and CEO, House of Rose Professional and founder of Break the ceiling touch the sky "The 2019 USA Edition of Break the ceiling touch the sky offers Companies a unique opportunity to further prepare their leaders for success, unlock the full potential of diversity on their business and enables participants and delegates to learn and compete with the best in the world. We look forward to contributing towards global gender diversity via our unique initiative." Registration for the 2019 USA Edition is now open. To register/ book Corporate tables/ sponsor the forum/ view confirmed speakers visit www.houseofroseprofessional.com or email [email protected]. House of Rose Professional Pte. Ltd. is headquartered in Singapore and operates across three segments -- People, Publishing and Public Relations. Logo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20150714/8521504608LOGO SOURCE House of Rose Professional Related Links www.houseofroseprofessional.com October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Often, these injuries occur on the face, head and neck. FACE TO FACE: The Domestic Violence Project is one of three arms to the AAFPRS Foundation's humanitarian programs. Through this life-altering program, AAFPRS members offer pro bono facial plastic and reconstructive surgery to domestic violence survivors to repair injuries on the face, head and neck caused by an intimate partner or spouse. FACE TO FACE: The Domestic Violence Project aims to change the lives of survivors (who are overwhelmingly women) and encourage them to empower their own lives and free themselves from harmful situations to go on to live successful, happy lives. The facial plastic surgeons who have participated in the program have helped more than 1,000 women since its inception in 1994. "Our FACE TO FACE: The Domestic Violence Project helps rebuild the lives of individuals by improving the visible evidence of the suffering they have endured. The FACE TO FACE surgeons involved assist in helping these survivors heal, putting the trauma behind them to live successful and happy lives," says Westchester, NY facial plastic surgeon Manoj T. Abraham, M.D., Chair of the AAFPRS Foundation FACE TO FACE Program. "The AAFPRS Foundation is pleased to partner with Candela, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and other companies, foundations and individuals to help us achieve this goal." The AAFPRS Foundation is establishing funding to support individuals whose injuries go beyond what the AAFPRS physician services can offer, such as a hospital stay or anesthesiologist fees. Candela has generously provided the seed money to establish this funding. In addition, the AAFPRS and Candela are collaborating to outline state-of-the-art protocols for instances where Candela's Vbeam Pulsed Dye Laser system will be used by FACE TO FACE surgeons to assist patients that require the treatment of scars or trauma induced purpura. "Candela is honored to partner with the AAFPRS Foundation and its FACE TO FACE program to assist in providing pro bono treatments with Vbeam systems to domestic violence survivors to help improve their overall quality of life," says Geoffrey Crouse, Chief Executive Officer of Candela. "This collaboration, along with the recent FDA clearance of our newest and most advanced Pulsed Dye Laser, the Vbeam Prima, showcases Candela's long standing commitment to furthering science in order to help to change lives." "The AAFPRS Foundation is in the process of seeking new and innovative approaches to continue to deliver our vital FACE TO FACE humanitarian programs," observes Steve Jurich, AAFPRS Foundation Executive Vice President & CEO. "And we are deeply appreciative of Candela's meaningful support to help fund the opportunity to allow FACE TO FACE survivors with scars access to treatments with the company's state-of-the-art laser at no costthis is a wonderful example of how the AAFPRS Foundation and industry can partner together to advance the quality of life of domestic abuse survivors." About FACE TO FACE In the early 1990s, the FACE TO FACE humanitarian program was established by the Educational and Research Foundation for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS Foundation) so that AAFPRS members could volunteer to use their skills and share their talent in helping less fortunate individuals in need, both here in the United States and abroad. There are three arms to the FACE TO FACE Program: FACE TO FACE: International brings AAFPRS members to third world countries where they treat children with facial birth defects and anomalies. brings AAFPRS members to third world countries where they treat children with facial birth defects and anomalies. FACE TO FACE: The National Domestic Violence Project allows AAFPRS members to perform surgeries on survivors of domestic abuse here in the United States , who have received injuries to their faces. allows AAFPRS members to perform surgeries on survivors of domestic abuse here in , who have received injuries to their faces. FACES OF HONOR offers free surgical care for soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty. Please call 703-299-9291 for more information about the FACE TO FACE Program. About the AAFPRS: The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is the world's largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery. It represents more than 2,500 facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons throughout the world. The AAFPRS is a National Medical Specialty Society of the American Medical Association (AMA), and holds an official seat in both the AMA House of Delegates and the American College of Surgeons board of governors. AAFPRS members are board certified surgeons whose focus is surgery of the face, head, and neck. AAFPRS members subscribe to a code of ethics. In addition, the AAFPRS provide consumers with free information and brochures and a list of qualified facial plastic surgeons in their area by visiting the AAFPRS website, www.AAFPRS.org . PR CONTACT: KELZ PR Patty Mathews - [email protected] Sheila McCrink - [email protected] 646-450-5359 FOLLOW US: Facebook: @AAFPRS Instagram: @AAFPRS Twitter: @AAFPRS About Candela Candela is a leading global aesthetic device company with an extensive product portfolio and a global distribution footprint. The Company's technology enables physicians to provide advanced solutions for a broad range of medical-aesthetic applications including hair removal, wrinkle reduction, tattoo removal, women's health treatments, facial resurfacing, traumatic and surgical scar treatments, body contouring, improving the skin's appearance through the treatment of benign vascular and pigmented lesions, and the treatment of acne, leg veins and cellulite. Candela has a wide portfolio of trusted, leading products, including Vbeam, the Gentle Family, CO 2 RE, CO 2 RE Intima, Profound, elos Plus, PicoWay, UltraShape, VelaShape, IPL and other laser-based platforms. Acquired by Apax Partners in July 2017, the Company markets, services and supports its products in 86 countries. It has offices in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom and many international distributors. Media Contact: EvolveMKD P: 646.517.4220 | E: [email protected] SOURCE Candela FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcon, the global leader in eye care and a division of Novartis, today unveiled software and hardware enhancements to the WaveLight Refractive Suite designed to provide surgeons and patients a more comfortable and efficient LASIK experience. In addition to delivering the fastest total refractive procedure in the U.S., the new platform offers a modernized user interface, ergonomic design and expanded equipment color options. The updates will redefine how surgeons engage the WaveLight Refractive Suite when performing procedures with Contoura Vision the first and only topography-guided LASIK treatment. "Although the WaveLight Refractive Suite is the market leader used in 65 percent of LASIK procedures performed in the U.S., we continued innovating to take the surgical experience to the next level," said Sergio Duplan, Region President, North America, Alcon. "We're confident these innovations will further optimize how surgeons use the Suite, arming them with the technology they need to address their patients' vision correction needs." The new Suite enhancements will also seamlessly integrate with Contoura Vision, providing surgeons true topography guidance and the unique ability to "map" the corneal features and imperfections of each eye using 22,000 data points from the WaveLight Topolyzer VARIO. In a clinical trial, 92.6% of eyes treated with Contoura Vision achieved 20/20 vision or better.1 The new software updates also enhance the graphical user interface (GUI) of the Suite's WaveNet Planning Station, EX500 Excimer Laser and the FS200 Femtosecond Laser improving intuitiveness and workflow as surgeons use Contoura Vision to develop a customized treatment plan for patients. The treatment is then programmed for execution by the advanced laser system of the WaveLight technology, which consistently delivers an accurate, safe and the highest individualized LASIK experience. "The enhancements to the WaveLight Refractive Suite are a welcome upgrade to an already robust platform, and the transition from the previous software was seamless," said Louis Probst, MD, National Medical Director and Surgeon at TLC Laser Eye Centers. "My surgery process is now more deliberate and streamlined because I'm able to clearly see and follow a logical flow of parameters on the redesigned interface." To better assist the surgeon's ability to provide exceptional treatment for patients, several enhancements to the Suite include: Ergonomic additions to improve surgeon comfort and efficiency, such as a heads-up display for the surgeon's dominant eye and a clearly arranged control panel Higher-contrast GUI and a back-lit keyboard to optimize surgeon comfort while working in the dim lighting that is common in procedure rooms Updates to the laser designed to reduce the procedure time, maximize patient comfort and mitigate increases in intraocular pressure New key switch and emergency laser emission stop switch to allow the surgeon to turn the laser system on/off and shut down the device immediately in case of an emergency Alcon is also unveiling a new color option, Ivory White, that will join the platform's standard color of Sapphire Blue. The new offering will allow surgeons to harmonize the design of the WaveLight Refractive Suite with their existing center. Newly purchased Suites will automatically include the software and hardware updates, and currently installed systems are being updated with the software enhancements. To learn more about these WaveLight Refractive Suite enhancements, visit MyAlcon.com. Important Information about WaveLight Femtosecond and Excimer Lasers The WaveLight Femtosecond and Excimer Laser systems are medical devices that are indicated for use in performing laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) procedures to correct certain kinds of nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism. Only doctors who have been trained in laser refractive surgery (including laser calibration and operation) should use WaveLight technology. The most common risks of refractive laser vision correction surgery include dry eye syndrome; the possible need for glasses or contact lenses after surgery; visual symptoms including halos, glare, starbursts, and double vision; and loss of vision. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "commitment," "investigational," "launches," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals or clearances, new approved uses or labeling for the investigational or approved products or devices described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products and devices. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational, cleared or approved products and devices described in this press release will be submitted, cleared or approved for sale or for any additional uses or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products or devices will be widely available and/or commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products and devices could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and cost pressures; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular preferences of physicians; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Alcon Alcon is the global leader in eye care. As a division of Novartis, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people's lives. Our products touch the lives of more than 260 million people each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors, and there are millions more who are waiting for solutions to meet their eye care needs. Our purpose is reimagining eye care, and we do this through innovative products, partnerships with eye care professionals and programs that enhance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.com. Alcon is on Facebook. Like us at www.facebook.com/AlconEyeCare About Novartis Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2017, the Group achieved net sales of USD 49.1 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 125,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com. Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library For questions about the site or required registration, please contact [email protected] References: Stulting RD, Fant BS; T-CAT Study Group. Results of topography-guided laser in situ keratomileusis custom abalation treatment with a refractive excimer laser. J Cataract Refract Surg. 2016;42(1):11-18. Novartis Media Relations Central media line: +41 61 324 2200 E-mail: [email protected] Eric Althoff Novartis Global Media Relations +41 61 324 7999 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) [email protected] Lisa Gilbert Alcon NA Communications +1 817 615 2666 (direct) +1 984 439 4489 (mobile) [email protected] Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 E-mail: [email protected] Central North America Samir Shah +41 61 324 7944 Richard Pulik +1 212 830 2448 Pierre-Michel Bringer +41 61 324 1065 Cory Twining +1 212 830 2417 Thomas Hungerbuehler +41 61 324 8425 Isabella Zinck +41 61 324 7188 SOURCE Alcon SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of the West is committing $1 billion to finance clean, efficient, and renewable energy as part of a new multi-year effort to support broader diversity and transition in the U.S., thereby expanding the Bank's efforts to support a sustainable energy future. Over the next five years, the Bank plans to dedicate: $500 million in new financing for renewable and clean energy to support, for example, the financing of hydroelectric, solar, and wind power sources; in new financing for renewable and clean energy to support, for example, the financing of hydroelectric, solar, and wind power sources; $300 million in loans to help individuals transition to EV/zero emission vehicles; in loans to help individuals transition to EV/zero emission vehicles; $200 million in investments and loans directed toward cities' infrastructure and housing projects that are LEED certified or support energy efficiency or energy conservation. "Bank of the West is dedicated to the communities we serve, and these new initiatives reflect our belief that our Bank can make a positive impact on society," said Nandita Bakhshi, CEO of Bank of the West. "Bank of the West remains committed to taking action for a sustainable future." The Bank's new initiatives were unveiled at California's Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco where international and local leaders from the public and private sectors convened to discuss climate action. In addition to the five-year initiatives, the Bank's Commercial Banking Group will launch a new business line dedicated to energy transition. The Bank's Wealth Management Group is also expanding its purpose-driven investment offerings, including renewable energy investment opportunities. Bank of the West's commitment aligns with our parent company's commitment to energy transition. BNP Paribas has announced a renewable energy financing initiative, including a commitment to doubling its financing activities in the renewable energy sector, with a target of 15 billion ($17.4 billion1) by 2020; and support for start-ups working to support energy-transition through innovation, with a goal of 100 million ($116 million) invested by 2020. About Bank of the West The fundamental belief that a bank should have a positive impact on society drives Bank of the West. At a time when people demand more from companies, we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. That's why we are investing where we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable female entrepreneurs and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas, which is one of the only financial organizations in the world to adopt the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families and businesses. Deposit and loan products offered by Bank of the West, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender. 2018 Bank of the West. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California. Securities and variable annuities are offered through BancWest Investment Services, a registered broker/dealer, member FINRA/SIPC, and SEC Registered Investment Adviser. Financial Advisors are Registered Representatives of BancWest Investment Services. Fixed annuities/insurance products are offered through BancWest Insurance Agency in California, (License #0C52321) and through BancWest Investment Services, Inc. in all other states where it is licensed to do business. This is not an offer or solicitation in any jurisdiction where we are not authorized to do business. Bank of the West and its various affiliates and subsidiaries are not tax or legal advisors. BancWest Investment Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of the West. Bank of the West is a wholly owned subsidiary of BNP Paribas. Investment and Insurance Products: NOT FDIC INSURED NOT BANK GUARANTEED MAY LOSE VALUE NOT A DEPOSIT NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY Connect with us 1 Based on current exchange rate SOURCE Bank of the West Related Links http://www.bankofthewest.com Ms. Hadley began her career with BCT in 2013. Most recently she served as Assistant Vice President. She also served in other leadership positions within the BCT branch network. Prior to joining BCT, she worked in various positions within the financial services industry, including retail and mortgage lending. Ms. Hadley currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce as well as several committees. Additionally, she has been serving with the Children's Home Society for the past 11 years and is currently a member of the local Board of Directors and the State Board of Directors. Ms. Hadley has been involved with the BackPack program for the last seven years and is currently Co-Chair of its Board of Directors. Ms. Hadley is a native of the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. She was raised in South Berkeley County and graduated from Musselman High School. Ms. Hadley attended Lord Fairfax Community college in the field study of Business Management and is currently attending Barrett Banking School in Memphis, TN. Ms. Hadley resides in Hedgesville, WV with her husband and three daughters. She and her family are actively involved with their local church. About BCT BCT - Bank of Charles Town, also known as The Community's Bank, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Potomac Bancshares, Inc. (OTC:PTBS). BCT is a locally owned community bank with eight convenient offices serving the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, Washington County, Maryland, and Loudoun County, Virginia. For more information, visit our website at www.mybct.com. SOURCE BCT - Bank of Charles Town Related Links http://www.mybct.com CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicago Association of REALTORS (C.A.R.) welcomes Tommy Choi of Keller Williams Chicago Lincoln Park as its 2019 President for a one-year term, beginning yesterday, October 1. He was installed on September 12, 2018 at the Association's 135th Annual Inaugural Gala, the premier night for Chicago real estate. Choi is C.A.R.'s first Korean-American President. At the Gala, Choi expressed his excitement in helping his fellow REALTORS overcome challenges and exceed expectations by encouraging them to: Choi attributes his success, including his appointment as president, to his career-long commitment to these principles and the support from his loved ones and colleagues. In 2007, Choi co-founded Weinberg Choi Realty with business partner Josh Weinberg. In 2015, he went on to found Keller Williams Chicago Lincoln Park with partners Weinberg, Joe Zimmerman and Mary Haight, applying his extensive knowledge from growing up in Chicago's Mayfair, North Shore, and Lakeview neighborhoods and successful marketing career with CDW. For his leadership and innovation in the community, Choi was honored as "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 2013 by the Women's Council of REALTORS and with the C.A.R. "Community Service Award" in 2014. Choi is engaged in a wide range of real estate organizations. In addition to his role on C.A.R.'s Board of Directors, Choi is also actively engaged with the Chicago Community Trust "On the Table" program, the Development Board for the Academy for Global Citizenship, Asian Real Estate Association of America and the Women's Council of REALTORS. Previously, Choi was the Chairman of the Board for C.A.R.'s Young Professionals Network and the former Associate Board VP of Chicago Gateway Green. "Part of our strategic plan moving forward and our promise to you all," Choi says, "is to continue to protect our community and network of people that are going to push you to be better, widen the funnel and be inclusiveto make sure we are raising the bar as an industry and being the true 'Voice of Real Estate' in Chicago." Choi's dedication aligns with C.A.R.'s goal of ensuring all REALTORS and private property owners are educated, heard, represented and celebrated throughout Chicago's 77 neighborhoods. The Chicago Association of REALTORS is the "Voice of Real Estate" in Chicago and the suburbs we serve since 1883, representing over 15,500 members from all real estate specialties including commercial sales, development, property management, appraisal, auctions and residential sales. SOURCE Chicago Association of REALTORS AUBURN, Ala., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chicken Salad Chick, the nation's only southern inspired, fast casual chicken salad restaurant concept, announced today it will be expanding in Tennessee with its second location in the Knoxville area, marking the brand's 10th location in the state. Chicken Salad Chick has continued to establish Tennessee as a prime market for expansion, with this new location coming on the heels of restaurant openings in Spring Hill, Memphis and Knoxville earlier this year. Located at 726 Watkins Road, the Maryville restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on October 3rd, with four days of giveaways including free chicken salad for a year to the first 100 guests. During grand opening week, guests will experience the southern hospitality that Chicken Salad Chick is known for, with giveaways and specials that include: Wednesday, October 3 Free Chicken Salad for a year The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month. * Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can purchase the Chick Special and enter to win free chicken salad for a year. ** Free Chicken Salad for a year The first guest will receive one large Quick Chick of chicken salad per week for an entire year; the next 99 guests receive a free large Quick Chick of chicken salad per month. * Any guest not part of the first 100 in line can purchase the Chick Special and enter to win free chicken salad for a year. ** Thursday, October 4 Thirsty Thursday The first 100 guests to purchase The Chick will receive a free Large drink and Chick Coozie. Thirsty Thursday The first 100 guests to purchase The Chick will receive a free Large drink and Chick Coozie. Friday, October 5 & Saturday, October 6 The first 50 guests to purchase a Chick Trio will receive a free 20oz. RTIC Chick tumbler. *** The Maryville restaurant is owned and operated by longtime franchisee Josh Patton of Volunteer Restaurant Concepts. This opening marks the Tennessee native's fourth Chicken Salad Chick restaurant he's developed across Eastern Tennessee, the first being his Chattanooga location opened in 2014. Following his new restaurant in Maryville, Patton has plans to open two additional locations throughout the Chattanooga and Knoxville markets. "The success of my existing locations in Knoxville and Chattanooga have fueled my desire to grow with Chicken Salad Chick, and I'm proud to be a part of the company's ongoing expansion efforts in Tennessee," said Josh Patton. "I look forward to officially opening my fourth restaurant in my home state and am excited to introduce the Maryville community to a brand I truly believe in." The Chicken Salad Chick concept, born in Auburn, was established in 2008 in the kitchen of founder, Stacy Brown. When Stacy discovered that the local county health department would not allow her to continue making and selling her delicious recipes out of her home kitchen, she overcame that obstacle by launching her first restaurant with the business expertise of her future husband and fellow founder, Kevin Brown. Together, they opened a small takeout restaurant, which quickly grew; the company now has 97 restaurants across the Southeast. Chicken Salad Chick in Maryville will be open Monday Saturday from 11 a.m. 8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.chickensaladchick.com or call (865) 357-1587. Follow Chicken Salad Chick on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and trends. *Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. Redemption will start 10/8. ** Eligible winners must be over 16 years of age, purchase a Chick special and are required to download the Craving Credits app. 10 winners will be drawn throughout grand opening day. *** Eligible winners must make required purchase for all giveaways. Limit one giveaway per guest per purchase. Must be 16 years of age or older. Colors for tumblers will be given on a first come, first serve basis. For more information on giveaways and specials, visit www.facebook.com/chickensaladchickmaryville/ About Chicken Salad Chick Founded in Auburn, Alabama, in 2008, Chicken Salad Chick serves full-flavored, Southern-style chicken salad made from scratch and served from the heart. With more than a dozen original chicken salad flavors as well as fresh side salads, gourmet soups, signature sandwiches and delicious desserts, Chicken Salad Chick's robust menu is a perfect fit for any guest. Today, the brand has 97 restaurants in 10 states and is continuing its rapid expansion with both franchise and company locations. Chicken Salad Chick was recently named as one of FastCasual.com's top Movers and Shakers and one of Nation's Restaurant News 2017 Next 20 brands. The brand also ranked #37 on the 2016 Inc. list of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. See www.chickensaladchick.com for additional information. Contact: Nikki Rode Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Chicken Salad Chick Related Links http://www.chickensaladchick.com VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- City Office REIT, Inc. (NYSE: CIO) ("City Office" or the "Company") announced today it will release its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2018, before the market opens on Thursday, November 1, 2018. City Office's management will hold a conference call at 11:00 am Eastern Time on November 1, 2018 to discuss the Company's financial results. Additionally, a supplemental financial package to accompany the discussion of the results will be posted on www.cityofficereit.com. Webcast Click on the webcast link under the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website at www.cityofficereit.com. Telephone Conference Call Domestic: 1-866-262-0919 International: 1-412-902-4106 To listen to the call, participants can reference the City Office REIT Third Quarter 2018 Earnings Call. Please dial in at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. Conference Call Replay Domestic: 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Passcode: 10124046 A replay of the call will be available later in the day on November 1, 2018, continuing through 11:59 pm Eastern Time on February 1, 2019. A replay will also be available at "Webcasts & Events" in the "Investor Relations" section of the Company's website. About City Office REIT, Inc. City Office REIT is an internally-managed real estate company focused on acquiring, owning and operating high-quality office properties located in leading markets in the Southern and Western United States. City Office currently owns or has an interest in 5.3 million square feet of office properties. The Company has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Contact City Office REIT, Inc. Anthony Maretic, CFO +1-604-806-3366 [email protected] SOURCE City Office REIT, Inc. Related Links http://www.cityofficereit.com New international service from DFW Airport includes Durango, Mexico; Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. American also will serve eight new domestic destinations, including Harlingen; Augusta, Ga.; Gainesville, Fla.; Yuma, and Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Bakersfield, Monterey and Burbank, Calif. "These new destinations demonstrate the strength of the North Texas market and the power of the American Airlines superhub at DFW, which is the largest in their system," said John Ackerman, DFW's Executive Vice President of Global Strategy and Development. "Building our domestic network, which is now the largest in the United States with 182 destinations, supports our current international service and positions DFW well for additional global connections in the future." With the announcement, DFW Airport now offers airline service to 244 destinations worldwide, including 62 international destinations. American also announced it will bolster its existing service between the U.S. and Mexico with additional frequencies to six cities it already serves, including Guadalajara, Leon, Queretaro, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosi, and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico. DFW already connects more travelers between Asia and Latin America than any other North American airport, and this additional service from American will provide even more convenient options for customers. The airline will launch all four international flights starting in early June of 2019. The domestic flights to Harlingen, Augusta, Gainesville, Yuma and Bakersfield will begin in March, while the flights to Monterey, Flagstaff and Burbank will start in April. About Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: DFW Airport warmly welcomes more than 69 million customers along their journey every year, elevating DFW to a status as one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world. DFW Airport customers can choose among 182 domestic and 62 international nonstop destinations worldwide. DFW is elevating the customer experience with modernized facilities and updated amenities. Centered between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW Airport also serves as a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact each year by connecting people through business and leisure travel. For more information, visit the DFW website or download the DFW Mobile App for iOS and Android devices. Follow @dfwairport on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest SOURCE DFW International Airport Related Links http://www.dfwairport.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Drivers at XPO Logistics in Cinnaminson, N.J. filed for Teamster representation today with Local 107, the latest action by workers across the U.S. who are banding together to fight for fair treatment at one of the largest transportation and logistics companies in the world. The drivers are planning to join XPO freight workers in Laredo, Texas; Los Angeles; Miami, Florida; Aurora, Ill.; King of Prussia, Pa., and Trenton, N.J. and warehouse workers in North Haven, Conn. who have already joined the Teamsters. "The workers want a legally binding process to hold XPO accountable for the mistreatment," said Bill Hamilton, President of Local 107 in Philadelphia. "They are also concerned about the loss of work to subcontractors delivering goods directly to customers, known as last mile drivers." Port, freight and warehouse workers at XPO are coming together across the country in their fight for a more secure future. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Galen Munroe (202) 624-6904 [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters Related Links http://www.teamster.org DDC's BVLOS Pilot Project commenced on September 17, 2018 and was completed on September 28 , 2018. The Pilot Project flight operations were conducted in both day time and evenings on a set of approved flight paths. Throughout the Pilot Project, DDC worked closely with Transport Canada and NAV CANADA to ensure safety while also demonstrating the efficiency and efficacy of its Sparrow drone as well as its proprietary FLYTE management system. DDC is pleased to report that no flight safety incidents occurred, and each mission was completed successfully. DDC's Sparrow X1000 cargo drone and DDC's proprietary FLYTE management system successfully delivered medical supplies, dry blood spots kits for HIV, Hepatitis C and general blood chemistry testing, as well as food, automotive parts and general parcels for many of DDC's customers which were present for the Pilot Project. These flights were conducted both to and from Moosonee and Moose Factory. It is noteworthy that Drone Delivery Canada was approved to conduct its BVLOS Pilot Project in controlled airspace and while communicating on standard aviation frequencies in accordance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations. These are the same frequencies and communications protocols used for general aviation and commercial aircraft. Under the BVLOS Pilot Project, DDC was assigned the call sign "Sparrow 1". "We achieved our mission flawlessly," commented Paul Di Benedetto, CTO. "On behalf of the Company I would like to sincerely and publicly thank the staff from the Transport Canada RPAS Task Force, NAV CANADA, The Moose Cree First Nation, the community of Moosonee, the MoCreebec community and all the team at DDC for the tireless effort put forth. The collaboration by all parties provided critical data which will set the foundation for success and further solidify the great working relationship between Government and DDC." "Living in Canada's north comes with challenges. The community was extremely excited to see the benefits of DDC's drone delivery solution as a means to help mitigate our daily challenges, improve our logistics, lower our costs and bring employment to our region. We are very happy to be working with Drone Delivery Canada and see the immense benefit to our community and to other communities in the region," commented Stan Kapashesit, Director of Economic Development Moose Cree First Nation. In Canada, there are approximately one thousand remote communities, and almost all face similar infrastructure and logistics challenges that contribute to a high cost of living. DDC looks to provide a cost effective and highly efficient logistic solution to these communities to improve lives and to create jobs in Canada's north all while reducing costs. "We are very thankful to the authorities for approving our flight path to connect these communities," commented Tony Di Benedetto, CEO of Drone Delivery Canada. "It is not an easy feat at all to achieve what we have accomplished. DDC has created an innovative logistic solution allowing a drone to deliver parcels in non-segregated Canadian airspace. As a starting point we intend on targeting outlying communities which experience on-going and difficult infrastructure challenges. To address these challenges, in the not so distant future we will work closely with Transport Canada and NAV CANADA in order to deploy our technology and establish 'railways in the sky' where our drones can integrate into existing Canadian airspace to connect communities to one another and provide efficient and cost-effective means of delivery." DDC will be providing a video detailing the Pilot Project to shareholders and interested parties and anticipates a release date in approximately 10 days time. For more information, please visit www.dronedeliverycanada.com About Drone Delivery Canada Drone Delivery Canada is a drone technology company focused on the design, development and implementation of its proprietary logistics software platform, using drones. The Company's platform will be used as Software as a Service (SaaS) for government and corporate organizations. Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX V Exchange under the symbol FLT, on the U.S. OTC Q B market under the symbol TAKOF and on the Frankfurt exchange in Germany under the symbol A2AMGZ. SOURCE Drone Delivery Canada Related Links http://www.dronedeliverycanada.com The Home That Runs on Dunkin's biofuel was developed by Blue Marble. They created a custom B80 blend using our spent coffee grounds, meaning 80% of the fuel is made from Dunkin' coffee oil and is then mixed with 20% alcohol to make the fuel burn efficiently. The Home That Runs on Dunkin' features a modern, chic aesthetic with custom-designed elements, including a fully-functional kitchen, luxury bedroom, jacuzzi tub and more. While the Home That Runs on Dunkin' includes the signature style of Dunkin' coffee, the Company partnered with coffee enthusiast, actress, director and home design fan, Olivia Wilde, to incorporate her personal style into the home, creating a truly one-of-a-kind look and feel. "I'm thrilled to be joining forces with Dunkin' Donuts Coffee at Home, giving me the opportunity to be part of the opening of the Home that Runs on Dunkin'," said Wilde. "The tiny home is truly unique, from the architectural layout, to the interior design, and the generator is powered by spent coffee grounds." "Fans of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee at Home have always enjoyed the same consistent and delicious taste as the coffee available in local Dunkin' shops, all from the comfort of home," said Tina Meyer-Hawkes, Vice President, Coffee Marketing, The J.M. Smucker Company. "We have taken our consumers' love of at-home indulgence of our coffee to a whole new level with the launch of the Home That Runs on Dunkin'!" Coffee lovers in New York City can visit the Home That Runs on Dunkin' beginning Thursday, October 4, 2018 until Saturday, October 6, 2018 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at Madison Square Park. Attendees will enjoy tours of the home, free coffee samples, prize giveaways, and more! Fans not able to attend can still experience the Home That Runs on Dunkin' through a 360 video available at DunkinatHome.com. *Tiny Home is powered by a biofuel blend of 80% coffee oil that's extracted from coffee grounds. About The J.M. Smucker Company For more than 120 years, The J.M. Smucker Company has brought families together to share memorable meals and moments. Guided by a vision to engage, delight, and inspire consumers through trusted food and beverage brands that bring joy throughout their lives, Smucker has grown to be a well-respected North American marketer and manufacturer with a balanced portfolio of leading and emerging, on-trend brands. In consumer foods and beverages, its brands include Smucker's, Folgers, Jif, Dunkin' Donuts, Crisco, Cafe Bustelo, R.W. Knudsen Family, Sahale Snacks, Smucker's Uncrustables, Robin Hood, and Bick's. In pet food and pet snacks, its brands include Rachael RayTM Nutrish, Meow Mix, Milk-Bone, Kibbles 'n Bits, Natural Balance, and Nature's Recipe. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth, and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. For more information about our Company, visit jmsmucker.com. The J.M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for the following, which are used under license: Dunkin' Donuts is a registered trademark of DD IP Holder LLC, and Rachael Ray is a registered trademark of Ray Marks Co. LLC. Dunkin' Donuts brand is licensed to The J.M. Smucker Company for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores. This information does not pertain to Dunkin' Donuts coffee or other products for sale in Dunkin' Donuts restaurants. SOURCE Dunkin Donuts Coffee at Home SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Cloud (http://electric-cloud.com/), the leader in Adaptive Release Orchestration and Continuous Delivery, today announced its flagship product, ElectricFlow, has been selected by EMA Research as a Top 3 enterprise software product in its new report, "EMA Top 3 Enterprise Decision Guide for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)." The report provides pragmatic guidance to enterprises on how to optimally benefit from AI and ML and continuously release better software. This is the second year in a row Electric Cloud has been recognized by EMA Research, previously selected as a "Top Three" in the 2017 report, "Ten Priorities for Hybrid Cloud, Containers and DevOps in 2017." Download the EMA Top 3 Enterprise Decision Guide for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): https://bit.ly/2NJXAHu EMA research has found that AI and ML is the number one strategic enterprise IT investment priority in 2018, followed closely by container management and orchestration, and DevOps pipeline automation. At the same time, most enterprises are still struggling to understand the basics of how to successfully evaluate AI and ML solutions, how to put project performance metrics in place, and how to handle key limitations of AI and ML technologies today. "As organizations expand DevOps initiatives to include more and more applications and application teams, getting visibility into and balancing the risk-reward for each release becomes much more difficult," said Torsten Volk, managing research director of containers, DevOps, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at EMA. "Electric Cloud ElectricFlow has automated the data collection and analysis of DevOps toolchain data, and is leveraging AI/ML to provide recommendations that ensure valuable software can be released at the shortest possible time with the lowest possible cost and risk." DevOps toolchains continuously create vast amounts of data originating from numerous tools across the entire software delivery process. AI and ML can now help companies continuously learn from the massive amounts of data generated, which could ultimately result in a recipe for achieving universal DevOps success across all of the diverse teams and roles within the enterprise. According to the report, compliance is the number one pain point in DevOps today. By gathering all customer, team and project specific data in the DevOps toolchain, the ability to leverage AI and ML to help companies continuously take risk, cost and anxiety out of software releases is a game changer. ElectricFlow, the leading application release orchestration platform, uses deep learning to identify patterns in release pipelines and gauge the likelihood of software release success. By applying machine learning algorithms to the massive amounts of data generated by tool chains, ElectricFlow DevOps Foresight provides predictive analytics to develop a risk score metric that predicts the outcomes of releases before they head into production. Taking predictive analytics even further, the platform is also able to illustrate where to improve pipelines based on developer influence, code complexity influence, and more. "It is an honor to be recognized by EMA as a leading provider of actionable DevOps insight for development and operations teams through the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques," said Carmine Napolitano, CEO of Electric Cloud. "We pride ourselves in helping customers save hundreds of hours of work and relieve unnecessary anxiety related to releasing new products to market. By enabling data-driven insights about their software delivery toolchains and processes, they have the foresight to know a release's success rate by looking at past successes and failures, build complexity, author profiles and more." To arrange a demo of ElectricFlow DevOps Foresight, visit: (http://electric-cloud.com/solutions/devops-foresight/) Some of the key benefits of artificial intelligence and machine learning as identified in the research include: Freeing up 30 percent of developer time used to support infrastructure Eliminating operational silos as the root cause of cost, quality, and speed bottlenecks in DevOps Proactively addressing operational issues and minimize mean time to repair (MTTR) Share This: ElectricFlow named by @ema_research as a Top 3 Enterprise Software solution leveraging #AI & #ML in #DevOps https://bit.ly/2NJXAHu #ContinuousDelivery #Analytics About Electric Cloud, Inc. Electric Cloud's Adaptive Release Orchestration platform helps organizations like E*TRADE, HPE, Intel and Lockheed Martin confidently release new applications and adapt to change at any speed demanded by the business, with the analytics and insight to measure, track, and improve their results. Contact: Jeremy Douglas Catapult PR-IR 303-581-7760 [email protected] SOURCE Electric Cloud Related Links http://electric-cloud.com EXTON, Pa., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Absorption Systems, a global leader in the science of translational medicine, announces that the European Patent Office has issued a Decision to Grant European Patent Number 3221696 on September 26, 2018. The patent, titled "System for the Concomitant Assessment of Drug Dissolution, Absorption and Permeation and Methods of Using the Same," covers the In Vitro Dissolution Absorption System (IDAS2), a groundbreaking, first-in-class technology. The patent covers the following jurisdictions: Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. IDAS2 is a unique test system that enables the simultaneous evaluation of drug dissolution and absorption in various dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, and pre-formulations. Demand for testing dissolution and absorption with IDAS2 is high and continues to rise, due to its innovative design and its ability to predict in vivo pharmacokinetic product performance based on bench-top testing. Click here to view a video about IDAS2. Using IDAS2, pharmaceutical scientists can rapidly evaluate two fundamental properties of a finished drug product (tablet, capsule, etc.) simultaneously: the rate of dissolution, which is determined by the formulation and/or the manufacturing process used to incorporate the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) into a solid dosage form; and the rate of permeation of the dissolved drug substance across a human intestinal cell monolayer, which is an intrinsic property of the API. IDAS2 makes it possible to evaluate two fundamental drug properties, permeability and dissolution, at the same time. Historically, those properties have been measured independently, and usually under conditions that bear little resemblance to the in vivo situation. The ability of IDAS2 to capture the interconnectivity between these processes, under experimental conditions that resemble the intestinal environment, has led to more accurate predictions of the way drugs behave in vivo. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's implementation of the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS), allowing biowaivers of in vivo bioequivalence (BE) studies for BCS Class 1 and BCS Class 3 APIs, has resulted in improved access to high-quality, affordable generic drugs. However, BCS Class 2 and Class 4 APIs are not eligible for biowaivers and must be evaluated in vivo; for drug substances in these classes, IDAS2 could be particularly impactful in the development and/or selection of formulations with a higher probability of success in clinical BE studies. Thus, the availability of IDAS2 for use in product development will have an immediate impact on development timelines and costs. Dr. Ismael J. Hidalgo, Chief Scientist of Absorption Systems and co-inventor of the technology with Dr. Jibin Li, commented that "This latest milestone is the result of several years of hard work by our team of R&D scientists. We believe that IDAS2 will help us achieve our goal of getting more effective and safer drugs to patients throughout the world sooner." About Absorption Systems Absorption Systems uses GxP-compatible biological services and testing platforms to assist pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies in identifying and overcoming absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) barriers in the development of drugs, biologics, and medical devices. The company's mission is to develop innovative GxP biology research tools, and provide exemplary service, to accurately predict human outcomes or to explain unanticipated human outcomes when they occur. The CellPort Technologies platform, a suite of human cell-based test systems for drug transporter characterization, exemplifies Absorption Systems' commitment to innovation and excellence in GxP biology. Absorption Systems has facilities near Philadelphia and Boston, as well as in San Diego and Panama, and serves customers throughout the world. For information on the company's comprehensive contract services and applied research programs, please visit absorption.com. Contact: Chris Bode 1-610-280-1451 [email protected] SOURCE Absorption Systems Related Links http://www.absorption.com OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachers are passionate about their students' success, and many times reach into their own pockets to purchase the educational materials needed for their classroom. The average educator spends $500 per school year to provide students with the tools needed to succeed. However, Feed the Children is helping ease the financial burden by providing classroom supplies and books at no cost to educators through the organization's five Teacher Store locations. The nonprofit believes education is the best way to help break the cycle of poverty, but without the proper tools for learning, students face overwhelming odds. After seeing a tremendous need in the communities the organization serves, Feed the Children opened its first Teacher Store in Elkhart, Ind. in 2010. This location also serves the southwest portion of Michigan. Additional Teacher Store locations were opened at Feed the Children sites including Oklahoma City, Okla. in 2012; La Vergne, Tenn. in 2013; Ontario, Calif. in 2014; and Bethlehem, Pa. in 2015. All Teacher Store locations offer free classroom materials and books to educators in Title I schools in their state. Title 1 schools have large concentrations of low-income students and receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting student's educational goals. The annual store openings each summer draw thousands of educators, allowing them to fill a bag full of classroom supplies as well as collect an assortment of books for the upcoming school year. Supplies include classroom essentials such as notebooks, copy paper, glue, pencils, pens and instructional materials. The stores are open select days each week throughout the school year to allow educators to restock their classroom with supplies and books throughout the year. "To be able to come into the Teacher Store and pick up the supplies I need for my classroom is an absolute thrill," said Lena Kofed, a 35-year teacher. "It's absolutely amazing what you can get for your classroom at the Teacher Store." During opening week this summer, more than 3,000 teachers visited a Feed the Children Teacher Store collecting nearly 165,000 pounds of classroom supplies. "A lot of teachers were supplementing their classrooms out of their own pockets," said Gary Sloan, Feed the Children Chief Operating Officer. "I think this a great way Feed the Children can support education for both students and teachers." In fiscal year 2017, Feed the Children hosted 22,128 teacher visits and provided more than $6.8 million in teaching supplies, and books valued at $9.8 million. These materials benefited more than 525,000 students across the U.S. in 422 school districts. About Feed the Children Established in 1979, Feed the Children exists to defeat childhood hunger. It is one of the largest U.S.-based charities and serves those in need in the U.S. and in 10 countries around the world. It provides food, education initiatives, essentials and disaster response. It operates five distribution centers located in Oklahoma, Indiana, California, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. In fiscal year 2017, Feed the Children distributed 79.8 million pounds of food and essentials to children and families in the U.S. Internationally, it provided nutritious food or other benefits to 1,080,000 children, empowered 291,000 parents to make better decisions for their children, and positively impacted more than 1,200 communities and schools in 10 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. It is accredited by GuideStar Exchange and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Visit feedthechildren.org for more information. SOURCE Feed the Children Related Links http://www.feedthechildren.org WILBRAHAM, Mass., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FloDesign Sonics, a global leader in acoustic cell processing for cell and gene therapies, today announced their continued investment in attracting industry expertise and operational excellence with several key hires over the past few fiscal quarters. FloDesign Sonics is rapidly commercializing their disruptive platform for CAR T manufacturing and other cell and gene therapy applications. To accomplish this, they are building out expertise in sales, business development, operations and product development. "We see a huge opportunity as we lead the industry in the application of acoustics in cell processing. Building the right team is key for us to achieve our goals as we accelerate commercialization. Identifying and hiring industry recognized leaders was a top priority for us in 2018" -Stanley Kowalski, Co-Founder and CEO, FloDesign Sonics Richard Grant was brought on board in early 2018 as Chief Product Officer after 17 years at Invetech. For 15 of those years, Richard was involved in developing cell and gene therapy automation equipment and disposables. He led Invetech's first cell therapy projects, after establishing an office in San Diego as VP & Operations Manager, he returned to run their Cell Therapy group as Global VP of Cell Therapy. Tim Taga joined FloDesign Sonics shortly after as the Technical and Application Support Engineer in the operations organization. Tim works directly with customers insuring successful incorporation of the acoustic technology into their manufacturing process. Tim has over 40 years of engineering experience in the design, development, and commercialization of medical and laboratory devices from his previous roles at Terumo BCT. Tod Herman joined as VP of Operations focusing on bringing operational excellence to the manufacturing of both hardware and consumables as well as supplier management. Tod has an extensive history in bioprocessing and cell and gene therapy after his role as Co-Founder and Sr Design Engineer at kSep and roles at KBI Biopharma before that. Dr Nina Bauer, a key figure in the cell and gene therapy community came on board in September as VP of Business Development. She is going to lead the commercial aspects of establishing, launching, and further adoption of this disruptive technology. Previously Nina led Lonza's Autologous Cell Therapy business, with manufacturing sites in the US and Europe. As part of this role, she was also in charge of establishing novel manufacturing technologies, most notably the Octane CocoonTM platform. Prior to joining Lonza, Nina held business development roles at the Cell Therapy Catapult (London), and the University of Edinburgh, and worked as Life Science Consultant for regenerative medicine businesses. Kevin Lannon also joined in September as Global Sales Director responsible for building client relations and managing all aspects of customer interactions with FloDesign. Previously he was Field Marketing Manager for the Regen Med group at Sartorius Stedim Biotech. There he focused on the adoption of the abmbr platform developed by Tap Biosystems, later acquired by SSB. He specializes in cell and gene therapy manufacturing workflows, and automation for both PD and commercial manufacture of bio-pharmaceuticals, stem cell therapies, gene modified cell therapies, viral vectors, and protein-based therapeutics. About FloDesign Sonics Founded in 2010, FloDesign Sonics develops acoustic technologies for the separation, concentration and purification of materials in an active fluid. Our key focus area is cell therapy, helping to address manufacturing challenges related to the processing, separation and purification of CAR T cells from pre-clinical through production. Our goal is to help industrialize cell therapies by addressing key areas of concern; manufacturing costs, product quality, scalability and simplification. We apply acoustic cell processing technology to key applications such as concentrate and washing steps, affinity separation and cell harvest. Please visit www.fdsonics.com for more information. Contacts Media: FloDesign Sonics [email protected] SOURCE FloDesign Sonics Related Links https://www.fdsonics.com/ DUBLIN, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automated Material Handling (AMH) Equipment Market by Product (Robots, ASRS, Conveyor and Sortation Systems, Cranes, AGV), System Type (Unit Load, Bulk Load), Software & Services, Function, Industry, and Region - Global Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The AMH equipment market is estimated to be valued at USD 33.46 billion by 2018 and is expected to reach USD 53.59 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 8.2%. The growth of the market is fueled by the growing presence of start-up companies offering robotic solutions for warehouse automation, increasing popularity of AMH equipment among leading industries, significant recovery in global manufacturing, and rising labor cost and safety concerns. The AMH equipment market for robots is estimated to hold a large share during the forecast period. The use of robots can reduce labor cost, protect personnel or employees from injuries, and provide a high return on investment. Such advantages are fueling the demand for robots in manufacturing units and warehousing facilities. The unit load material handling systems is estimated to lead the market based on system type during the forecast period. The wide use of unit load material handling systems in various industries is attributed to their cost-effectiveness and ability to handle several items simultaneously, thereby reducing the number of trips, time required for loading and unloading, and cost of handling. Storage function is projected to lead the AMH equipment market during the forecast period. The benefits of using AMH equipment for storage include warehouse floor space utilization, increased storage speed, efficient handling of heavy items, and reduced frequency of workplace accidents. These benefits are driving the growth of AMH equipment market for the storage function. The automotive industry is estimated to lead the overall AMH equipment market during 2018-2024. Key factors such as the needs for constant availability of components and spare parts, just-in-time (JIT) delivery of materials, and reduction in the cost of unproductive labor are driving the growth of the market for this industry. Material Handling Equipment Market APAC is expected to account for the largest share of the AMH equipment market by 2018. The rising awareness related to material handling automation, increased emphasis of leading economies such as China and Japan on robotics and automation, and growing e-commerce industry are some of the primary factors contributing to the largest size of APAC in the market. China has been the main contributor to the growth of AMH equipment market in APAC. The improving manufacturing and warehousing infrastructure in China is projected to boost the AMH equipment market in this country in the coming years. Major Application of AMH equipment Automotive: The players in the automotive industry seek improvement in manufacturing through automated, efficient, and effective processes. These companies need to carry out their manufacturing and assembling operations efficiently by handling a wide variety of components carefully and keeping track of the same. The deployment of AMH equipment in this industry prevents damage to auto parts, reduce the cost of unproductive labor hours by handling inventory, and maximize storage capacity within the available floor space. The companies use AMH equipment, such as AGV, ASRS, automated conveyors, cranes, and robots, to fulfill these requirements. Metals & Heavy Machinery: Metals and heavy machinery is one of the industries which involve repetitive handling and transportation of large and heavy components or assembly parts. The manual handling of heavy metal sheets and machinery can cause injuries to workers and potentially damage the product. This leads the plant operators to increase the efficiency of operations for ensuring smooth movement of heavy equipment within the manufacturing and warehousing facilities. Thus, handling these bulk items as well as moving them to manufacturing or production areas requires AMH equipment. Food & Beverages: The food & beverages industry has undergone a significant evolution in the past few years. The growing trend of consuming processed food and packaged eatables is driving the need for advanced manufacturing and warehousing solutions for the manufacturers. In the food & beverages industry, the time-to-market of finished products is very less due to their perishability. Consumers buy groceries and food items several times a week, which makes the inventory turnover of food & beverages warehouses faster than the warehouses in other industries. Moreover, the food & beverages companies need to comply with the food service guidelines set by local and state health departments, which specify the hygiene, storage, and efficient handling of food items. The hygienic handling of food is of utmost importance in the food & beverages industry. Food & beverages manufacturers and distributors require effective logistics solutions to manage their operations efficiently and sustain their business by offering fresh, healthy, and safe products. Therefore, installing AMH equipment in the food & beverages plants helps standardize food processes along with reducing wastage and labor costs as well as enhancing safety. Chemicals: The routine operations in the companies in the chemicals industry involve working with various dangerous chemical substances. Therefore the workers in the chemical plants are subject to extremely harmful environments due to proximity with the volatile raw materials; this affects their work efficiency and eventually leads to failure in maintaining the maximum efficiency of production. Therefore, the companies need to carefully assess the storage area and handling practices to avoid accidents. The chemical manufacturing companies are deploying AMH equipment to perform and manage their work more effectively. With the implementation of AMH equipment, companies can keep their employees safe from harmful raw materials, and improve the productivity and efficiency of their warehousing operations. The high upfront cost of AMH equipment for SMEs and excessive integration and switching costs are restraining the growth of the AMH equipment market. As of 2017, Daifuku (Japan), Hyster-Yale Material Handling (US), Jungheinrich (Germany), KION (Germany), and Toyota Industries (Japan) were the major players in the AMH equipment market. These players are focusing on product launches; acquisitions, expansions, and contracts; partnerships; agreements; and collaborations to expand their product offerings and businesses. Other players in the AMH equipment market include Hanwha (South Korea), John Bean Technologies (US), KUKA (Germany), BEUMER (Germany), Fives (France), KNAPP (Germany), Murata Machinery (Japan), SSI Schaefer (Germany), TGW (Austria), and Viastore (Germany). Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities for AMH Equipment Market Growth During 2018-2024 4.2 AMH Equipment Market, By Product 4.3 AMH Equipment Market, By System Type 4.4 AMH Equipment Market, By Function 4.5 AMH Equipment Market, By Industry & Region 4.6 AMH Equipment Market, By Geography 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Growing Presence of Start-Up Companies Offering Robotic Solutions for Warehouse Automation 5.2.1.2 Increasing Popularity of AMH Equipment Among Leading Industries 5.2.1.3 Significant Recovery in Global Manufacturing 5.2.1.4 Rising Labor Cost and Safety Concerns 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 High Upfront Cost of AMH Equipment for SMEs 5.2.2.2 High Integration and Switching Costs 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increasing Level of Order Customization and Personalization 5.2.3.2 Digitization of Supply Chain Processes With Integration of IoT and AMH Equipment 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Loss in Production and Revenue Due to Unwanted Equipment Downtime 5.2.4.2 Requirement of Skilled Workforce for Repair and Maintenance 5.3 Value Chain Analysis 6 Market Analysis, By Product 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Robots 6.2.1 Fixed Robots 6.2.1.1 Articulated Robots 6.2.1.2 Cylindrical Robots 6.2.1.3 Scara Robots 6.2.1.4 Parallel Robots 6.2.1.5 Cartesian Robots 6.2.2 Mobile Robots 6.3 Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems (ASRS) 6.3.1 Unit Load 6.3.2 Mini Load 6.3.3 Vertical Lift Module 6.3.4 Carousel 6.3.5 Mid Load 6.3.6 Autostore 6.4 Conveyor & Sortation Systems 6.4.1 Belt 6.4.2 Roller 6.4.3 Overhead 6.4.4 Screw 6.5 Cranes 6.5.1 JIB 6.5.2 Bridge 6.5.3 Gantry 6.5.4 Stacker 6.6 Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) 6.6.1 Market for AGV, By Type 6.6.1.1 Tow Vehicles 6.6.1.2 Unit Load Carriers 6.6.1.3 Pallet Trucks 6.6.1.4 Assembly Line Vehicles 6.6.1.5 Forklift Truck 6.6.1.6 Others 6.6.2 Market for AGV, By Navigation Technology 6.6.2.1 Laser Guidance 6.6.2.2 Magnetic Guidance 6.6.2.3 Inductive Guidance 6.6.2.4 Optical Tape Guidance 6.6.2.5 Vision Guidance 6.6.2.6 Others 7 Market, By System Type 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Unit Load Material Handling Systems 7.2.1 Advantages of Unit Load Material Handling Systems 7.2.2 Disadvantages of Unit Load Material Handling Systems 7.3 Bulk Load Material Handling Systems 7.3.1 Advantages of Bulk Load Material Handling Systems 7.3.2 Disadvantages of Bulk Load Material Handling Systems 8 Software & Services Used in AMH Equipment Market 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Software 8.2.1 Warehouse Management System 8.2.1.1 Benefits of WMS 8.2.2 Warehouse Control System 8.2.2.1 Benefits of WCS 8.2.3 Warehouse Execution System 8.2.3.1 Benefits of WES 8.3 Services 8.3.1 Maintenance & Repair 8.3.2 Training 8.3.3 Software Upgrades 9 Market, By Function 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Assembly 9.3 Packaging 9.4 Transportation 9.5 Distribution 9.6 Storage 9.7 Waste Handling 10 Market, By Industry 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Automotive 10.3 Metals & Heavy Machinery 10.4 Food & Beverages 10.5 Chemicals 10.6 Semiconductor & Electronics 10.7 Healthcare 10.7.1 Pharmaceuticals 10.7.2 Medical Devices 10.8 Aviation 10.9 E-Commerce 10.10 Others 11 Geographic Analysis 12 Competitive Landscape 12.1 Overview 12.2 Market Ranking Analysis for AMH Equipment Manufacturers 12.3 Competitive Situations & Trends 12.3.1 Contracts 12.3.2 Product Launches & Developments 12.3.3 Acquisitions 12.3.4 Expansions 12.3.5 Partnerships, Agreements, Joint Ventures, & Collaborations 13 Company Profiles 13.1 Key Players 13.1.1 Daifuku 13.1.2 Jungheinrich 13.1.3 Kion 13.1.4 Toyota Industries 13.1.5 Hyster-Yale Material Handling 13.1.6 Hanwha 13.1.7 John Bean Technologies (JBT) 13.1.8 Kuka 13.1.9 Beumer 13.1.10 Fives 13.1.11 Knapp 13.1.12 Murata Machinery 13.1.13 SSI Schaefer 13.1.14 TGW Logistics 13.1.15 Viastore 13.2 Other Key Players 13.2.1 Mobile Industrial Robots 13.2.2 Invia Robotics 13.2.3 Grabit 13.2.4 Avancon 13.2.5 Locus Robotics For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/x45vrg/global_automated?w=5 Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified food processors and distributors in the foodservice industry, announced today that it has entered into negotiations with Martin Brower Company (Rosemont, Illinois), to sell some of its distribution centers this year. Discussions are focused on nine of GSF's 27 distribution centers. The nine under discussion are part of 11 distribution centers serving McDonald's. (GSF's 27 centers serve an array of QSR leaders). The sale would support Golden State Foods' and McDonald's strategies for growth, efficiencies and excellent customer service, which have been hallmarks of both organizations for decades. GSF, which has been a food supplier to McDonald's for more than 65 years and a distribution partner for more than 50, will continue to serve as a global manufacturer and distributor to McDonald's and to many other food industry and retail customers throughout the world. The transaction would put GSF in a very strong financial position to accelerate its already successful strategy through reinvestment and continued potential acquisitions. The companies anticipate the sale will be finalized before the end of the year. About Golden State Foods Golden State Foods is one of the largest diversified suppliers to the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry. Established in 1947, the company is values-based with proven performance in superior quality, innovation and customer service throughout the QSR industry. GSF services more than 125,000 stores in 60 countries on five continents. Its core businesses include processing of liquid products, protein, produce, dairy and full-line logistics services to the food industry spanning QSR, foodservice, retail and C-store formats. The company also runs the GSF Foundation, a national non-profit organization to help children and families in need. For more information, please visit: www.goldenstatefoods.com Media Contact: Strahan Wallis, Porter Novelli [email protected] 310-961-8893 SOURCE Golden State Foods Related Links http://www.goldenstatefoods.com ALAMO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hawaiian Electric Companies have selected GridBright, Inc. to provide consulting support in the procurement of an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). Hawaiian Electric and subsidiaries Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light are the investor-owned public utilities serving Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. The utilities achieved a 27 percent renewable portfolio standard in 2017 and have a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045. On Oahu, for example, a third of single-family homes have private rooftop solar. As part of an overall grid modernization strategy, the Hawaiian Electric Companies seek to select and install a new ADMS. "This new system will help us support our renewable energy goals through more efficient use of grid assets and new customer participation programs," said Ron Cox, Hawaiian Electric senior vice president of operations. "In addition, it will enhance grid reliability, resilience and safety by giving our grid operators more modern tools in the control room." GridBright specializes in grid management solutions for utilities, renewable developers, and researchers. It currently serves over 40 clients in the utility industry, including California Wind Energy Association, Consolidated Edison of New York, Eversource Energy, and the US Department of Energy. GridBright will help the Hawaiian Electric Companies identify their future requirements for managing their electric grid with increasing levels of Renewables, Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and Distributed Automation (DA). GridBright will then assist the Hawaiian Electric Companies with a competitive Request-for-Proposal (RFP) process with leading vendors to evaluate and select an ADMS solution provider. "The Hawaiian Electric Companies are on the leading edge of utilities seeking to modernize their grid management systems to prepare for a higher penetration of renewables and DERs," said Ali Vojdani, CEO of GridBright. "We are honored that they have selected GridBright to help them in this journey." GridBright provides a range of consulting and training services for utilities looking to modernize their grid management systems, especially those facing the challenge of increased renewables and distributed energy resources. Get your free whitepaper on "Managing Distribution Systems with Increased DERs" at http://gridbright.com/utilities. About GridBright, Inc. | GridBright is the grid management specialists of the utility industry. GridBright helps the electric industry improve grid operations through smarter solutions for managing resiliency, distributed resources, and renewables. To learn more, visit GridBright.com . About Hawaiian Electric | Since 1891, Hawaiian Electric Company has powered the islands' development from a Hawaiian kingdom to a modern American state. Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries, Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light, serve the islands of Oahu, Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii, home to 95 percent of Hawai'i's people. In a changing world, the Hawaiian Electric Companies are leading in adding renewable energy and developing energy solutions for customers to achieve a clean energy future for Hawai'i. For more information, visit www.hawaiianelectric.com. SOURCE GridBright, Inc. Related Links http://www.gridbright.com NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Real Estate Capital, a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States, announced today that Chad Thomas Hagwood has joined the firm as Senior Managing Director and Southeast Regional Manager. In his new role, Hagwood will be actively involved in the origination of multifamily and manufactured home community debt throughout the nation and will focus on loan originations through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS and FHA programs. Hagwood will oversee the Southeast Region and the Manufactured Home Community production nationally. He is based in Birmingham, Alabama. "Chad is well-known in the industry for his focus on superior customer service and running a highly efficient process, as well as his knowledge, passion and commitment to the customer and to our industry," noted James P. Flynn, President and Chief Investment Officer at Hunt Real Estate Capital. "These qualities have helped him build a reputation as one of the leaders throughout the country in commercial real estate finance." "I am tremendously excited to join Hunt Real Estate Capital," says Hagwood. "I greatly admire Hunt's dedication to serving the customer, its entrepreneurial spirit, and the commitment to innovation within the commercial real estate lending industry. As one of the largest privately owned lenders in the country, I know our customers will appreciate the 'can-do' and 'take action' mentality that Hunt stands for. I am pleased to be a part of this team as we grow our platform, our customer base, and our brand." Over the course of his career, Hagwood has closed in excess of $8 billion in commercial real estate transactions throughout the United States. He is annually ranked as one of the industry's leading loan originators. Hagwood was named one of Birmingham's "Who's Who" in commercial real estate in 2017, one of the state's "Heavy Hitters" in banking in 2010, recognized by the Birmingham Business Journal's as one of the 25 Most Innovative Leaders in the Banking and Finance Industry in 2005, and one of Birmingham's "Top 40 Under 40" in 2002. "Chad is an unbelievable addition to our company. He is a seasoned real estate executive who brings knowledge, know-how, a goal-oriented mentality and personal drive for excellence to Hunt Real Estate Capital," added Vic Clark, Hunt Real Estate Capital's head of production. "He is a well-known industry leader and a pioneer in manufactured home community lending arena. We know that the combination of his expertise and the Company's extensive product array will greatly accelerate the achievement of our national growth goals." Hagwood currently serves as the Chair of the Advisory Board for the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Business Finance Department. He established the Hagwood Endowed Scholarship in Real Estate in 2007 in honor of his parents and named the Chad Thomas Hagwood Finance Lab at UAB's new Collat School of Business building in 2016. In 2017, Hagwood was awarded the Honorary Lifetime Membership Award by the UAB National Alumni Society, which is the Society's highest award bestowed on an individual whose contributions to UAB benefit the entire university community. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Chapter of CCIM and is a Trustee Emeritus for the University of Alabama's Real Estate Center. Hagwood has authored a number of articles in a variety of national publications. He is a recurring speaker and panelist at industry conferences and events nationwide. Hagwood earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His areas of concentration were Commercial Real Estate and Investment/Institutional Finance. While at UAB, Hagwood received presidential honors and served as President of both Rho Epsilon, the National Real Estate Fraternity, and the Financial Management Association. About Hunt Real Estate Capital Hunt Real Estate Capital, part of Hunt Companies, Inc., is a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States. The Company finances all types of commercial real estate: multifamily properties (including small balance), affordable housing, office, retail, manufactured housing, healthcare/senior living, industrial, and self-storage facilities. It offers Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA financing and its own Proprietary loan products. Since inception, the Company has structured more than $27 billion of loans and today maintains a servicing portfolio of more than $15 billion. Headquartered in New York City, Hunt Real Estate Capital has 241 professionals in 25 locations throughout the United States. To learn more, visit https://huntrealestatecapital.com/. MEDIA CONTACTS Brent Feigenbaum Hunt Real Estate Capital 212-317-5730 [email protected] Pam Flores 773-218-9260 [email protected] SOURCE Hunt Real Estate Capital Related Links https://huntrealestatecapital.com This latest support from Motorola secures funding for professional development of first responders and strategy discussions about advanced technology solutions at ICMEC's 10 th Annual Global Missing Children's Network (GMCN) Conference. ICMEC operates the GMCN, which includes 32 organizations from 28 countries, as a platform for countries to globally address solutions that create a safer world for children. Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations, such as ICMEC, which support and advance public safety programs and technology and engineering education initiatives. "ICMEC helps nurture a healthy relationship between advocacy, field operations and capacity building in the area of child protection. I am honored to serve on its Board of Directors," said Travis Heneveld, Director, UN and International Accounts at Motorola Solutions, Inc. This year, Motorola Solutions Foundation grants will support programs that help more than 3 million students, teachers, first responders and community members around the globe. "The Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to support the work of ICMEC," said Matt Blakely, executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. "We believe in organizations that are fostering innovation, building partnerships and driving change." About ICMEC For 20 years, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children has led contributions in eradicating child abduction, sexual abuse, and exploitation. The organization advocates for better global and regional child protection laws, trains police officers, educators, and health professionals around the world to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse and exploitation and collaborates with international partners to make the world safer for children. About the Motorola Solutions Foundation The Motorola Solutions Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. With employees around the globe, Motorola Solutions seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The foundation achieves this through strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships and fostering innovation. For additional information on Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, visit: motorolasolutions.com/foundation For more information on ICMEC please visit www.icmec.org CONTACT: Laura Jennings, (703) 872-7467, [email protected] SOURCE International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children Related Links http://www.icmec.org FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP (NYSE: KRP), a leading owner of oil and natural gas mineral and royalty interests across twenty-eight states, today announced it will release its third quarter 2018 financial results on November 8, 2018, before the market opens. In conjunction with the release, Kimbell Royalty Partners has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet the same day at 10:00 a.m. Central (11:00 a.m. Eastern). By Phone: Dial 201-389-0869 at least 10 minutes before the call. A replay will be available through November 15 by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID 13683436#. By Webcast: Connect to the webcast via the Events and Presentations page of Kimbell's Investor Relations website at http://kimbellrp.investorroom.com/. Please log in at least 10 minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software. A replay will be available shortly after the call. Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Kimbell (NYSE: KRP) is an oil and gas mineral and royalty variable rate master limited partnership based in Fort Worth, Texas, and is managed by its general partner, Kimbell Royalty GP, LLC. Kimbell owns mineral and royalty interests in approximately 11.1 million gross acres in 28 states and in nearly every major onshore basin in the continental United States, including ownership in more than 84,000 gross producing wells, with over 38,000 wells in the Permian Basin. To learn more, visit www.kimbellrp.com. Contact: Rick Black Dennard Lascar Investor Relations [email protected] (713) 529-6600 SOURCE Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP Related Links http://www.kimbellrp.com WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR), the DC-based professional organization advancing women in communications, announced today that Kirsten Suto Seckler will be the keynote speaker for its 29th annual PR Woman of the Year celebration. Seckler, who serves as the chief brand and communications officer for Special Olympics International (SOI), leads the organization's global awareness raising efforts advancing positive perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities through sports, health, youth and school programming, while creating a fully inclusive world. With more than 20 years in the movement, and as a member of the organization's Global Leadership Team, Seckler sets the global strategy for one of the world's most iconic and inspirational non-profit brands. "We are thrilled to have Kirsten serve as this year's Woman of the Year luncheon keynote speaker," said Danielle Veira, president of Washington Women in Public Relations. "As a previous Woman of the Year award honoree and an industry leader when it comes to mission-driven work, Kirsten truly embodies the characteristics of an exceptional woman who can communicate, collaborate, and conquer." The Woman of the Year luncheon, which honors the achievements of those who have reached a pinnacle in their profession, is one of WWPR's signature events and a must-attend networking luncheon for Washington's PR community. In addition to this luncheon, the organization hosts various events throughout the year that provide networking opportunities, such as happy hours, and professional development advancement with expert panels and our new, Rise and Shine series. "As a long-time member of WWPR, it's a distinct honor to have the opportunity to be asked to speak to a room of colleagues, mentors, friends I know, and some of the future stars of our industry who are all committed to empowering women communicators to reach the highest heights," said Suto Seckler. "The PR and Communications industry is ever-evolving and I am thrilled to be a part of this event that will highlight tremendous leaders in the field." Prior to joining Special Olympics, Seckler worked in the marketing department at Kraft, where she managed the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile brand icon and year-round marketing tour. Seckler also spent five years serving as a print journalist. The 2018 Woman of the Year luncheon will be held on Friday, November 9, 2018 at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown DC. Nominations for this year's award are currently being accepted until Friday, October 5 at 11:59 p.m. ET. For more information, please visit: https://wwpr.org/woman-of-the-year-awards/. About Washington Women in Public Relations Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) is a member-based professional society cultivating and inspiring female communicators to reach their full potential in the DC market and beyond. The organization is committed to providing leadership opportunities, professional development, mentorship and industry networking. For more information, please visit: https://wwpr.org/. SOURCE Washington Women in Public Relations Related Links https://wwpr.org NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A lawsuit filed for the Dolan Family, September 4 was amended to include an additional plaintiff, Danielle Campbell, an award-winning veteran anchor and reporter at News 12. Lawsuit Filed September 4 A lawsuit and request to permanently enjoin Altice USA was filed September 4 in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware by the Dolan Family against Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) for failure to abide by promises Altice made in a 2016 Merger Agreement and for equitable fraud, among other claims. The lawsuit targets Altice USA and alleges that the company ignored commitments made as part of its merger with Cablevision Systems Corporation (Cablevision). The merger of Altice and Cablevision closed in June 2016 for a value of $17.7 billion. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit originally included: Charles Dolan, founder and former CEO, Cablevision; Helen Dolan; James Dolan, former CEO of Cablevision; Patrick Dolan, president of News 12 at the time of the sale; and Colleen McVey, current employee of and news anchor with News 12 Networks. The amended lawsuit filed yesterday included Danielle Campbell. This lawsuit was filed to protect current employee jobs and programming quality at News 12, which operates a group of local news television channels throughout New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. Danielle Campbell Background Danielle Campbell is an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning news anchor who has worked at News 12 for nearly 30 years. Ms. Campbell is News 12's specialist on environmental issues, a subject of intense concern for Long Islanders. She is also known for her beautifully-crafted stories on Long Island's history in her ongoing series "L.I.'s Hidden Past." Ms. Campbell has been on the scene of many breaking Long Island stories, including the Fisher-Buttafuoco episode, the Avianca and TWA plane crashes, major murder trials including the Golub and Tankleff cases, and the Katie Beers kidnapping. She was also an anchor during News 12's coverage of the 9/11 attacks, and she was twice sent to Haiti to cover its major earthquake and aftermath. However, Altice slated Campbell's reporter position for elimination in the next round of layoffs. Ms. Campbell was born on Long Island, and she became a journalist at News 12 due to her personal concern for the issues facing Long Islanders. She is part of a dedicated News 12 staff that has worked diligently for years to build News 12's reputation as a news outlet that offers value, integrity, and in-depth reporting. The most recent News 12 talent survey revealed that Ms. Campbell has above-average ratings from viewers as compared to other Long Island reporters and contained a high awareness score among the viewing public. She also routinely ranks in the Top 5 at news 12 for statistics related to social media. Colleen McVey Background Ms. Colleen McVey, 60, an Emmy award winning, prominent anchor at News 12, with more than 30 years of service to the network. Ms. McVey tests well above average in News 12's target demographic, based on talent study research conducted by the marketing department of Altice USA. In making the decision to terminate McVey, Altice has given up any pretext of economic necessity, choosing to capriciously focus on Ms. McVey's "look" over her obvious talent and popularity with viewers. Patrick Dolan Comments Patrick Dolan, who was president of News 12 at the time of its sale to Altice USA, commented, "Altice has disregarded its promise to operate News 12 according to the News 12 Business Plan. The purpose of both the original complaint and now the amended one, is to protect the employees of News 12 and enforce Altice's contractual commitment." Dolan said, "The targeting of Campbell, (55), and veteran anchor McVey, (60) both 30-year veterans of News 12 suggests that Altice is engaging in age discrimination as well as thinning out the News 12 staff. Colleen and Danielle are passionate journalists who have dedicated their careers to serving Long Islanders. Targeting them because certain executives want a so-called 'fresh look' is reprehensible and a disservice to the L.I. public." Agreement Conditions In 2016 to induce the sale, and the inclusion of News 12 in the sale, Altice USA unambiguously agreed to operate News 12 substantially in accordance with the News 12 Business Plan through at least the end of 2020. The business plan provided News 12 would employ full-time equivalent headcount of 462 people throughout this period. Altice expressly recognized, accepted and agreed, in adhering to the News 12 Business Plan, to incur cumulative losses of up to $60 million, which has not occurred, in the operation of News 12 over the period to maintain the network's existing employee base, as well as the quality and legacy of News 12. 2016 Merger Agreement A key provision of the 2016 Merger Agreement was the requirement for Altice to operate News 12 in accordance with News 12's Business Plan through at least the end of 2020 and support News 12 employees who were responsible for making the network unique among local television stations. Altice agreed to these nonstandard provisions in a transaction the scale of Cablevision, because Altice knew that continuing the legacy of News 12 was an important consideration for the Dolan Family and a necessary inducement to agree to the merger. These covenants were of such importance to the merger that Cablevision intentionally disclosed these protections to public shareholders. Altice Breached Merger Agreement Turning its back on its prior representations and promises, in 2017 Altice eliminated approximately 70 News 12 positions in direct violation of News 12's agreed-upon business plan incorporated into the Merger Agreement. Months ago, Altice began to plan the termination of dozens more News 12 employees, including Ms. McVey and Ms. Campbell, threatening to irreparably harm the quality of the local news content that News 12 creates, the livelihoods of News 12's employees, and the legacy that the Dolan Family protected through explicit Merger Agreement provisions. Lawsuit Overview Plaintiffs' lawsuit requests, in sum, that the Court enter judgment in favor of plaintiffs, enjoining Altice USA from: Terminating employment of any current employee of News 12, other than in the ordinary course of business to replace such individual for obvious cause with another person with equivalent qualifications; Taking any action that would cause News 12 to cease to operate in substantial compliance with the News 12 Business Plan; and Taking any action that would, in any way, violate or breach the Merger Agreement. The lawsuit further requests ordering Altice USA to operate News 12 in substantial compliance with the News 12 Business Plan through at least the year 2020. The plea for injunctive relief targets Altice USA, since the company ignored the commitments it made to attain its $17.7 billion merger with Cablevision. The primary purpose of the lawsuit is to protect News 12 employees, consistent with the promises made by Altice in the Merger Agreement, and to continue News 12's rich legacy as one of the foremost local television stations in the U.S. The amended lawsuit can be viewed at https://www.scribd.com/document/389966322/Dolan-et-al-v-Altice-et-al-Verified-First-Amended-Complaint. The Dolan Family, Ms. McVey, and Danielle Campbell are represented by Rob Hoffman and John Reed, partners at DLA Piper LLP (US). About News 12 News 12 is a group of cohesive, regional cable news television channels serving nearly 3 million households in New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey including two boroughs of New York City and most of Long Island. News 12 provides news coverage 24 hours a day, and focuses on providing award-winning, hyper-local, in-depth news coverage that is rare in the United States, particularly with respect to the region it serves. The Dolan Family deliberately and methodically built News 12 as the foremost hyper-local news source for the edification of Long Island, Bronx, Brooklyn, and other communities. Due to the pre-merger journalistic freedom provided by Cablevision's ongoing financial support, the employees of News 12 were able to pursue important stories addressing significant local issues relevant to millions of individuals residing in the coverage area. No news station would have otherwise had the resources to uncover and report these vital stories. News 12 was and is of singular importance to the Dolan Family, News 12's employees, and the viewers within News 12's coverage community. About Altice Altice USA (NYSE: ATUS) is a Delaware corporation. Altice Europe is a Dutch company. Altice Europe is successor in interest to Altice N.V., and thereby bound to the terms of the 2016 Merger Agreement. Altice USA is one of the largest broadband communications and video service providers in the United States, delivering broadband, pay television, telephony services, proprietary content and advertising services to approximately 4.9 million residential and business customers across 21 states through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands. SOURCE The Dolan Family JERSEY CITY, N.J., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LEAP Legal Software, the leading cloud-based legal software technology provider, announces the restoration of 430 driver licenses to date resulting from their partnership with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, which provides services to court-involved individuals to ultimately establish self-sufficiency and reduce incarceration recidivism rates. The LEAP features that have benefited the NJRC include case management, matter notifications, accessibility (cloud-based mobility) and integration with Microsoft Office. New Jersey Reentry Corporation Chairman Governor Jim McGreevey explained: "LEAP has been an extraordinary instrument in streamlining our files, driving practical efficiencies, and permitting our team to address the timely legal needs of our clients readily. LEAP has been, in a word, transformative. The New Jersey Reentry Corporation has been blessed with a tremendously positive and responsive partnership with LEAP that has maximized our effectiveness. We wholeheartedly endorse LEAP." Further, LEAP CEO, Chris Stock explained the value system aligning NJRC and LEAP: "Our purpose is to help small law firms because they help people. The NJRC is at the forefront of helping people. Given there are lots of attorneys from small law firms donating their time to help the NJRC, we are pleased to be able to provide the program the best available tools to carry out their valuable work. Since implementing LEAP Legal Software in 2017, NJRC has been able to improve their legal operations and successfully restore over 430 driver licenses to date. LEAP has not only been an integral system in organizing their files and data but has also automated many of the necessary court documents to make the restoration possible. LEAP provides NJRC staff with a comprehensive library of legal forms, and these documents, such as motions, are automatically populated, increasing the efficiency and overall productivity of their processes." To learn more about how LEAP is improving legal practice, please visit www.leap.us. About New Jersey Reentry Corporation The NJRC is a professional job and training procurement agency with a sensitivity to the unique needs that returning citizens have in finding and retaining quality employment in New Jersey. The NJRC is evidence based, efficient, collaborative, apolitical, client focused, data driven. The NJRC was developed subsequent to the successful implementation of a pilot reentry model in Hudson County/Jersey City in 2014 with the support of Governor Christie's administration. The Hudson County/Jersey City reentry model was initiated through a series of strategic partnerships between the Hudson County Department of Corrections (HCDOC), the New Jersey Department of Family Services (DFS), and local non-profit providers. Also included are the Jersey City Employment and Training Program (JCETP) and Integrity House, a substance abuse treatment provider, both agencies with decades of experience of experience serving court-involved individuals. About LEAP As a legal case and practice management system, LEAP improves New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts law firms' efficiency, productivity and profitability. Law firms globally have relied on LEAP's case management system since 1992 for innovative legal software to manage and store all their client and matter related information in one electronic file. For more information please visit www.leap.us. LEAP New Jersey Reentry Corporation Allison Daly Maro Twal Vice President, Marketing Media Specialist [email protected] [email protected] (201) 273-0181 SOURCE LEAP Legal Software Related Links http://www.leap.us DENVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LongPoint Minerals II, LLC (LongPoint II) announced the closing of its capital raise totaling over $846 million with an anchor equity commitment of $375 million from an affiliate of CPPIB Credit Investments Inc. (CPPIB Credit), a wholly owned subsidiary of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), alongside other institutional investors. LongPoint Minerals II is the second company the Denver-based group has launched that focuses exclusively on the acquisition of oil and gas mineral interests. The first LongPoint Minerals entity was launched in 2016, with over $830 million in total capital commitments, including a lead commitment from an affiliate of CPPIB Credit. From 2016 to early 2018 the company successfully deployed all committed capital invested in LongPoint Minerals I and controls a premier position under some of the most active E&P operators in the core of two of the most prolific unconventional U.S. basins, the Anadarko and the Permian. LongPoint II will continue to acquire high-growth, long-life mineral interests in the top U.S. resource plays, primarily focusing on acquiring assets in the SCOOP/STACK/Merge play in the eastern Anadarko Basin and the Midland and Delaware Basins in the greater Permian Basin. While leveraging its cross functional technical model and extensive history and knowledge of these regions, LongPoint II will aim to acquire assets with both current cash flow and undeveloped locations. "We continue to see attractive opportunities to acquire minerals in the core of the best plays in North America. LongPoint has developed an efficient and streamlined approach to the capture and assimilation of mineral interests, allowing our team to be in the market at all times," said Will Cullen, Vice President, LongPoint Minerals II. "We are excited to have the strong financial partnership with CPPIB Credit once again in this second LongPoint venture. Their continued trust in our organization and support of our business is meaningful as we look forward to building on the success of our first company. We will continue to use our technical expertise in our target basins to acquire mineral interests with long-term potential and are confident we are creating a leading franchise in the industry," said George Solich, President and CEO, LongPoint Minerals II. "We are pleased to be growing the partnership with LongPoint and our additional commitment demonstrates the success of the mineral interests strategy and management's deep expertise in the space," said John Graham, Senior Managing Director & Global Head of Credit Investments, CPPIB. To date LongPoint Minerals II has completed over 200 transactions that yield over 13,400 net mineral acres. Jefferies LLC acted as financial advisor and Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP acted as legal advisor to LongPoint Minerals II in connection with the capital raise. Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release contains forward-looking statements based on LongPoint Mineral's current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Generally, forward-looking statements do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and may include words such as "believes," "will," "expects," "anticipates," "intends" or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding expectations (i) that the acquisition will close on the anticipated closing date or at all, (ii) as to the productivity of the acquired assets, and (iii) with respect to the realization of operating efficiencies and synergies from the combined assets. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. SOURCE LongPoint Minerals II, LLC TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Madison Systems Inc. (MADI) is pleased to announce that the company has entered into a Binding Letter of Intent (The "LOI") to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Stanmac Broadband Inc. (SBI), a private Canadian Corporation Registered under the laws of Ontario, Canada, in exchange for Common Restricted Shares of MADI (The "Acquisition"). Stanmac Broadband Inc., is a privately held company incorporated in the Province of Ontario, on Jan 16th, 2008 and licensed in the telecommunication industry, specializing in building systems too supply, Internet, IPTV, VoIP and Security services. SBI has a licensing agreement with First Broadband Group (FBG) ( www.firstbroadbandgroup.com ) located in Vancouver B.C. FBG has proprietary technology that can send an aggressive signal through the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Spectrum enabling signal transmission to a larger reception area; faster speeds, less interference and 99.99% uptime as opposed to current line of sight technology. SBI has a licensing agreement with the Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), which has approximately 500 towers across Canada. SBI has a permit from Innovation Sciences and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to build systems in the Southern Ontario District of North Bay, encompassing approximately 5,000 square kilometers. With this permit, SBI can supply a telecommunications signal to the underserved businesses, private subscribers and government agencies located in this region. MADI plans to file its full disclosure following the OTC Markets Basic Disclosure Guidelines to qualify for the OTC Pink and then the Bulletin Board listing. Madison Systems Inc.'s Board of Directors also announces the addition of a new Director and Chief Financial Officer, Iain Clinton, CPA, CA. Mr. Clinton has 30 years of experience in the accounting field of Financial and Operational Management, including developing Corporate Governance, New Business Ventures and Regulatory Compliance. Madison Systems Inc. (MADI) Don McNally. President/CEO This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of the OTC Markets Pink Guidelines, concerning the business and trading in the common stock of Madison Systems Inc. Such information is based on assumptions made by the company's management. Although the company believes these assumptions are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the company can give no assurance that they will prove correct. These forward looking statements are made as of the date of the press release and the company disclaims any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, other than required by the applicable securities law. The OTC Markets has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release. For further information please call Art Burns, PR, Madison Systems Inc. at 1-905-715-2008. Or E-Mail; [email protected] SOURCE Madison Systems Inc. IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported year-to-date (YTD) sales through September are up 6.7 percent compared to last year, with 235,122 vehicles sold. September U.S. sales totaled 21,257 vehicles, a decrease of 17.4 percent versus September last year. Year-to-date (YTD) sales through September are up 6.7 percent compared to last year, with 235,122 vehicles sold. With 25 selling days in September 2018, versus 26 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 14.1 percent on a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis. Key September sales notes: Sales of Mazda's CX-line remain strong, with YTD sales of the Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-9 surpassing 150,000 vehicles, an increase of 23 percent compared to last year. September sales of the CX-line totaled 13,743 vehicles, a decrease of 12.7 percent month-over-month. September sales of the Mazda CX-9, Mazda's 3-row crossover SUV, totaled 1,986 vehicles, an increase of 7.4 percent month-over-month. Vehicle sales are up 17.2 percent YTD. Sales of the Mazda CX-5, Mazda's midsized crossover SUV, totaled 116,728 vehicles YTD, an increase of 26.1 percent. September sales totaled 10,538 vehicles, a decrease of 15.3 percent. The Mazda MX-5 finished September with 756 vehicles sold, a decrease of 10.6 percent. Mazda reported Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales of 4,642 vehicles in September, an increase of 29.7 percent month-over-month. CPO sales are up 21.3 percent YTD. Mazda Motor de Mexico (MMdM) reported September sales of 4,738 vehicles, up 22 percent compared to September last year. Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom. Month-To-Date Year-To-Date September September % % MTD September September % % YTD 2018 2017 Change DSR 2018 2017 Change DSR Mazda3 4,635 6,112 -24.20% -21.10% 51,294 60,107 -14.70% -14.70% Mazda6 2,123 3,036 -30.10% -27.30% 24,741 27,850 -11.20% -11.20% MX-5 Miata 756 846 -10.60% -7.10% 7,460 9,717 -23.20% -23.20% CX-3 1,219 1,453 -16.10% -12.70% 13,715 11,981 14.50% 14.50% CX-5 10,538 12,440 -15.30% -11.90% 116,728 92,550 26.10% 26.10% CX-9 1,986 1,850 7.40% 11.60% 21,184 18,082 17.20% 17.20% Total Vehicles CARS 7,514 9,995 -24.80% -21.80% 83,495 97,684 -14.50% -14.50% TRUCKS 13,743 15,743 -12.70% -9.20% 151,627 122,613 23.70% 23.70% TOTAL 21,257 25,738 -17.40% -14.10% 235,122 220,297 6.70% 6.70% Selling Days 25 26 230 230 SOURCE Mazda North American Operations Related Links http://www.mazdausa.com HUNT VALLEY, Md., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC), a global leader in flavor, today opened its new global headquarters in Hunt Valley, Md. The state-of-the-art headquarters brings together 1,000 employees previously located across four different office buildings. McCormick Chairman, President and CEO Lawrence Kurzius was joined by employees, retired McCormick executives, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Jr., Baltimore County Executive Don Mohler, and local government and community leaders for the official ribbon cutting. "Our move to one global headquarters is a transformative step for McCormick it exemplifies our continued commitment to the Baltimore region and the future of our truly global company," Kurzius said. "Our new location fosters greater collaboration and innovation, while also enhancing McCormick's sustainability, improving employee health and wellness and bringing our passion for flavor to life. We are thrilled to be in this new space and I look forward to the great work we'll do here together." Designed to maximize employee flexibility, the new campus-like global headquarters features: Open floor plans with a wide variety of workspaces, huddle rooms, think tanks and collaboration spaces that provide employees with the ability to choose the environment that best suits their needs and preferences State-of-the-art test kitchens for product development and flavor innovation A brand-new employee cafe that showcases McCormick's many global brands and culinary innovations A gourmet coffee bar, as well as pantries at the center of each floor, which serve as hubs for employee connection Onsite culinary education, incorporating high-end cooking equipment and an extensive curriculum The LEED Gold designed building also reflects McCormick's commitment to sustainability. The construction incorporated locally-sourced, reclaimed wood and the building features an indoor green roof with native Maryland plantings. All furniture in the building is non-toxic, chemical-free, and largely comprised of recycled material. McCormick also seeks to promote composting throughout the building by only providing compostable serve ware to employees and implementing an advanced waste management system. The building was developed and renovated by Greenfield Partners, LLC with exterior design by Studios Architecture; Gilbane was the general contractor for the project; CBRE provided engineering and architectural support; interiors were designed by IA Interior Architects; TB&C assisted with branding. McCormick is leasing the building from Greenfield. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.mccormickcorporation.com/en/news-center/brand-assets About McCormick McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor. With $4.8 billion in annual sales, the company manufactures, markets and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the entire food industry retail outlets, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Every day, no matter where or what you eat, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick. McCormick Brings the Joy of Flavor to Life. For more information, visit www.mccormickcorporation.com . For information contact: Corporate Communications: Lori Robinson (410) 527-6004 or [email protected] SOURCE McCormick & Company, Incorporated Related Links http://mccormick.com LAS VEGAS, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) will host thousands of real estate and mortgage professionals at the Aria Resort & Casino this October 18-20th, at their annual National Convention, the nation's largest Asian American real estate conference. The Convention will focus on how real estate professionals can better serve the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, which has been the largest minority participant in the purchase money mortgage market since 2010. AAPI are the fastest growing demographic in the US and Canada, and recently topped $1 trillion in purchasing power, which would make the group the 17th largest economy in the world. Despite being typically well-positioned for homeownership, AAPI homeownership still lags behind the national average by 6.3% (58% to 64.3%) and non-Hispanic whites by 14.9% (72.9%), presenting a huge opportunity for housing professionals interested in serving this dynamic growth market. Las Vegas has a significant AAPI population, with 8.8% of the city identifying as such. Las Vegas AAPI have a 61.5% homeownership rate, have the highest rate of employment of any demographic between 16-64 (68.6%), earn 116% of the city's median income, and 42% of AAPI households in Las Vegas earn over $100k per year. AREAA will install Tom Truong of Boston, MA, as its new national president at the event. The Convention will also feature high profile speakers such as US Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ryan Serhant of real estate and TV stardom, Tony Award-winning actor BD Wong, former Miss America Angela Perez Baraquio, and CEOs from some of the largest real estate brands in the world. Press that would like to attend this event should contact Scott Berman at [email protected]. Founded in 2003, the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a national professional trade organization dedicated to promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community by creating a powerful national voice for the housing and real estate professionals who serve this dynamic market. With over 17,000 members in 39 chapters, AREAA is one of the largest AAPI trade organizations in North America. Media Contact: SCOTT BERMAN, Communications 619-794-2016 SOURCE Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nespresso, the worldwide pioneer and reference in premium portioned coffee, and Blue Marble Microinsurance, a startup with the mission of providing socially impactful, commercially viable insurance protection to the underserved and incorporated by nine insurance entities, have collaborated to launch a pilot weather index insurance program for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia. In the face of climate change, there is an immediate need to establish innovative solutions that help to ensure coffee producers have long-term security. Smallholder coffee farmers are subject to immense risk as unpredictable and adverse weather conditions can have detrimental effects on coffee crops. There is a lack of suitable insurance options available to these farmers. This gap is precisely why Nespresso and Blue Marble are working together to enhance the welfare of coffee farmers and address supply chain risk. This pilot weather index insurance program has commenced with 1,975 farmer participants across 5,724 hectares, belonging to the farmers of the Aguadas and Norte de Caldas cooperatives in Caldas, Colombia. The program is a co-creation of farmers, Nespresso coffee specialists and Blue Marble insurance experts. It provides tailor-made coverage for excess rainfall and drought during the developmental stages in which coffee is most vulnerable to climatic shocks. "This pilot initiative helps to establish a support mechanism for smallholder coffee farmers in Colombia so that they can continue to thrive in the face of climate change," said Guillaume Le Cunff, President and CEO of Nespresso USA. "Nespresso is truly grateful for Blue Marble's partnership in developing this vital initiative for smallholder coffee farmers, whom we work closely with and rely on to grow and harvest the world's highest quality beans." "Our changing climate poses serious threats to the livelihoods of coffee producers, especially smallholder farmers," said Joan Lamm-Tennant, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Blue Marble. "Insurance provides these farmers with critical safety nets, and it can have a lasting impact. Blue Marble is proud to work with Nespresso to help mitigate risk and create value in the lives of these farmers." "Having an insurance solution that protects our members from the devastating effects of climate change is critical for the cooperatives," said Cesar Julio Diaz, Head of the Aguadas and Norte de Caldas cooperatives. "It allows coffee growers access to economic resources in the form of insurance payouts that will help them re-establish their crops, making them productive and able to continue with their agronomic activity." Through the use of satellite technology, this pilot weather index insurance program provides farmers with an affordable and efficient solution. In the event of excess rainfall or drought, payments are automated and quick. All of the pilot program design parameters have been validated by farmers based on their knowledge and historical yields. Over time, Nespresso and Blue Marble intend to expand this program to other regions. The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC) has expressed interest in extending this program to other coffee regions. Blue Marble and Nespresso are continuously working with the farmers and cooperatives to refine the design of the program, with the aim of scaling it in the near future. Blue Marble and Nespresso would like to thank key partners for their ongoing support in the development of this innovative program. Cafexport, a company focused on delivering sustainable coffee to the roasting industry, is helping with the implementation of the pilot initiative in Caldas. Nespresso's long-time partner Fairtrade International, a non-profit focused on promoting fairer trading conditions, is working with Nespresso to implement and promote sustainable coffee production in Colombia. Cooperatives have democratically chosen to use their Fairtrade International premiums to pay for the pilot weather index insurance program. Matching Blue Marble's investment, Nespresso is financing the pilot program through the Nespresso Sustainability Innovation Fund, which facilitates the company's investment in sustainability initiatives that go beyond its core business operations. Nespresso has committed an initial $10 million to specific innovative coffee value chain initiatives, including this vital program. This initiative is an integral part of Nespresso's larger commitment to utilizing responsible and sustainable practices throughout its entire supply chain, from coffee sourcing to aluminum stewardship. One such example is the company's unique, green coffee-sourcing approach, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program. This innovative system works directly with over 70,000 farmers in 12 countries to better manage their farms, their businesses and their land, helping to protect the future of the highest quality coffees. The pilot insurance program also aligns with Nespresso's actions on climate change. These initiatives range from energy-efficient machine design and renewable energy (RE100) in its factories to certified agroforestry insetting through the planting of five million trees by 2020. All of these actions ensure that Nespresso's operations are carbon neutral. One major benefit of Nespresso portioned coffee is that it minimizes waste. The company's precision consumption system uses only the exact amount of coffee, energy and water that is needed to brew a single cup. Thereby, it reduces the carbon footprint, as well as the food, energy and water waste, per serving. Additionally, Nespresso capsules are fully recyclable. The company uses aluminum because it is the best material for preserving the quality of its coffees and it can be recycled again and again. Aluminum that comes from recycled Nespresso capsules is used in a wide range of products, from window frames to bicycles, and even new capsules. With the creation of this new option for smallholder farmers in Colombia, Nespresso and Blue Marble are leading the way in the realm of coffee crop insurance. It is their determined hope that other players within both of their industries will participate in this program in the future. Contact Information Carner Round Weber Shandwick 347.260.1957 [email protected] Katarina Wos Nespresso USA [email protected] Liz Gatto Blue Marble Microinsurance [email protected] About Nestle Nespresso SA Nestle Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned coffee. The company works with more than 75,000 farmers in 12 countries through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program to embed sustainability practices on farms and the surrounding landscapes. Launched in 2003 in collaboration with The Rainforest Alliance, the program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests, ensuring a sustainable supply of high quality coffee and improving livelihoods of farmers and their communities. Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in 76 countries and has 13,500 employees. In 2017, it operated a global retail network of more than 700 boutiques. For more information, visit the Nespresso corporate website: www.nestle-nespresso.com. About Blue Marble Microinsurance Blue Marble Microinsurance is a startup with a mission of providing socially impactful, commercially viable insurance protection to the underserved. A UK corporation owned by nine insurance entities, Blue Marble incubates and implements microinsurance ventures that advance food security, financial inclusion and microentrepreneurship. The owners are: American International Group, Inc., Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited, Grupo ASSA, Guy Carpenter & Company, LLC together with Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd., Old Mutual Emerging Markets Limited, Transatlantic Holdings Inc., XL Insurance (UK) Holdings Limited, and Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. For more information, visit the Blue Marble website: www.bluemarblemicro.com. SOURCE Nespresso NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and charities and companies across the country will go pink to support research, prevention, and treatment efforts. To help cancer survivors reclaim their total health, New York City's YMCA offers a free, 12-week cancer recovery program. Called LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, this evidence-based program has impacted the lives of 450 adults in New York City since launching in 2010. Participants work with Y staff trained in supportive cancer care to safely achieve goals related to strength, flexibility, and endurance, while building confidence. By focusing on the whole person and not the disease, the program helps people move beyond cancer in spirit, mind, and body. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is an example of how the Y works to strengthen community and improve health in New York City. From fitness classes to prevention programs to swim lessons, 314,000 people improved their health at the YMCA in 2017. "Cancer is a life-changing disease that takes a tremendous physical and emotional toll," said Joann Donnelly, Vice President of Healthy Living at the YMCA of Greater New York. "The Y is here not only to help cancer survivors reclaim their health, but to provide a supportive comfortable community when they need it most." The LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program has transformed the lives of many participants. Diane Hopkins, a breast cancer survivor, detested the idea of even stepping foot in a gym. But as soon as she walked into the program at the Staten Island South Shore YMCA in 2018, she could immediately tell it would be a compassionate and wonderful place to be. "The real healing is in the relationship you have with the staff," said Hopkins. "I can't praise the staff enough on how competent and caring they are. They provided the training that served my specific needs, and for that I am grateful." William Kern began his program at the Rockaway YMCA in 2017, after battling cancer for years and going through chemotherapy treatments. "A few months ago, I didn't think I'd ever again be as strong as I am right now, and that is a direct result of the LIVESTRONG program," said Kern. "Congratulations are in order, and it should be directed to the Y staff who oversee this program. If there's anything that can be learned from my time here, it's that they care, and they help cancer survivors live longer and better." For more information about LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, and to find out where the program is offered, please visit ymcanyc.org/livestrong. About the New York City's YMCA New York City's YMCA is here for all New Yorkers to empower youth, improve health, and strengthen community. Founded in 1852, today the Y serves a diverse population of more than half a million New Yorkers who learn, grow, and thrive through programs and services at our 24 branches. Community is the cornerstone of the Y. Together, we connect active, engaged New Yorkers to build stronger communities. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @ymcanyc. SOURCE The YMCA of Greater New York Related Links https://www.ymcanyc.org SAN FRANCISCO and ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Newday Investing and Conservation International today announced they are partnering in Conservation International's mission to protect nature as a source of food, fresh water, livelihoods, and a stable climate. As part of that effort, Newday is donating $5 to Conservation International's "Protect an Acre" rainforest conservation program for every new investment account opened through Newday, beginning today through October 31, 2018. As a further incentive, investors who enter NEWDAY5 into the Newday app will receive a new account award of five dollars. The award will be accessible six months after account opening. According to satellite data, tropical forests are being destroyed at a rate of about 31,000 square miles a yearan area equivalent in size to the state of South Carolina. Investors opening new accounts with Newday, however, can help limit this loss; for every five new accounts opened during Newday's October campaign, one acre of rainforest will be protected via the "Protect an Acre" effort. "Environmental justice is a global challenge, which is why Newday has chosen to partner with Conservation International, one of the world's most effective and far-reaching environmental organizations," said Doug Heske, CEO of Newday Financial Technologies, Inc., parent company of Newday Investing. "Its impact is felt across governmental jurisdictions and on nearly every continent. Through our October campaign, we're joining with environmentally-conscious investors, as well as Conservation International, to reduce global deforestation." San Francisco-based Newday Investing is a financial technology and institutional asset management company dedicated to bringing responsible investing to the mainstream. The firm works with NGOs, research organizations, and data providers to determine companies that rate highly in ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) policies and standards. Newday allows even low-net worth individuals to invest in companies with strong track records in areas such as animal welfare, gender equality, and climate action, with investments starting as low as five dollars. "This is a wonderful example of how investors can use their money for social good. Newday Investing allows these individuals to align their investments with their valuesand through this month's October campaign, they will help make a direct impact on rainforest preservation," said Jamie Cross, VP of Corporate Partnerships, Conservation International. Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, Conservation International empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature. Founded in 1987, Conservation International works with more than 2,000 partners and has helped support 1,200 protected areas and interventions across 77 countries, protecting more than a billion acres of land, marine, and coastal areas. Account Sign-Up In addition to its account-based contributions, Newday Investing donates 5% of the fee income from its Global Equity Impact portfolio to Conservation International. To learn more about Newday Investing's October campaign in support of "Protect an Acre," visit https://newdayimpact.com/conservation-international-campaign/. About Newday Investing Based in San Francisco, Newday is a technology-enabled asset manager that provides affordable, transparent and easy-to-understand impact investment solutions to the mass market. By investing in socially responsible and sustainable companies, Newday aims to generate competitive return and, most importantly, drive meaningful change in the way companies in our portfolios adopt environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and policies. In order to be effective in driving positive impact on corporate behavior, Newday adopts an active ownership model, engaging with companies' decisions as they affect their stakeholders including communities, employees and shareholders. About Conservation International Conservation International uses science, policy and partnerships to protect the nature that people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods. Founded in 1987, Conservation international works in more than 30 countries on six continents to ensure a healthy, prosperous planet that supports us all. Learn more about Conservation International, the groundbreaking "Nature Is Speaking" campaign and its series of virtual reality projects: "My Africa," "Under the Canopy" and "Valen's Reef." Follow Conservation International's work on our Human Nature blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. SOURCE Newday Investing WASHINGTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Dave Herman, Chairman of the American Kratom Association, strongly denounced the action by the State Board of Pharmacy on October 1, 2018 to commence the process to schedule kratom as a Schedule I controlled substance in Ohio. "The findings of the Ohio Board of Pharmacy today parrot the false propaganda of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in their crusade to ban kratom. The FDA attempted the same scheduling process in 2016, and that recommendation was rejected by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) because the FDA data failed to meet the required standards for the scheduling of kratom at the federal level," Herman stated. "Since their failure in 2016, the FDA has launched a broad-based campaign to demonize this natural plant by consistently misstating the science and the actual pharmacologic activity of kratom," continued Herman. "The FDA has flooded state regulators, including the Ohio Board of Pharmacy with false claims and disinformation about the addiction profile and safety of this safe botanical plant." The FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, has repeatedly stated that kratom is an opioid, but credible scientists strongly dispute that statement showing that kratom's pharmacologic activity is distinctly different than classic opioids where the respiratory system of the user shuts down and leads to overdoses that have created the opioid crisis that we are in today. Commissioner Gottlieb also claims that there are 44 deaths associated with the use of kratom. Independent analysis of those claims have shown that the FDA conclusions are flat wrong and appeared to be deliberate manipulations of the data in order to convince the DEA and state regulatory agencies to enact bans on kratom because they simply do not have the scientific evidence that is statutorily required for such bans. "The FDA has ignored credible science that clearly demonstrates that kratom has a very low potential for abuse and poses no risk to the public health for the citizens of Ohio or any other state," Herman continued. "The AKA provided detailed reports and data to the Board of Pharmacy staff that show the scientific evidence, including new peer-reviewed and published research that shows conclusively that kratom has a very low addiction profile, and any deaths associated with kratom are from adulterated or contaminated kratom products, not the natural plant." There has never been a scheduling of any substance in the United States because it was adulterated with a toxic or dangerous chemical. The FDA has broad statutory authority to seize any adulterated product that poses a danger to the public, and they can provide the evidence to the Department of Justice to prosecute any individual or company who produces or distributes a dangerous adulterated kratom product. The AKA is looking forward to working with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to provide the compelling evidence that directly contradicts the conclusions found in their scheduling proposal for kratom. The nearly 5 million kratom consumers who safely consume kratom as a part of their health and well-being regimen should not have that freedom infringed upon by any regulation that is premised on bad science, inaccurate data provided by the FDA, and a deliberate attempt to manipulate the scheduling process by a federal agency. ABOUT AKA The American Kratom Association (AKA), a consumer-based non-profit organization, advocates to protect the freedom of consumers to safely consume natural kratom as a part of their personal health and well-being regimen. AKA represents the nearly 5 million Americans who consume kratom safely each year. www.americankratom.org SOURCE American Kratom Association Related Links https://www.americankratom.org/ NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 10,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced WeedMD Inc. (TSX-V: WMD;OTCQX: WDDMF), the parent company of WeedMD Rx Inc., a federally licensed producer and distributor of cannabis and cannabis oil, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. WeedMD upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. WeedMD begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "WDDMF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com. "WeedMD's graduation to the OTCQX Best Market will enable the company to provide more efficient and transparent trading for investors," said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. "Upgrading to OTCQX from the Pink Market marks an important milestone in the U.S. for those international companies that seek to build visibility, liquidity and shareholder value. We are pleased to welcome WeedMD to the OTCQX Market." "Having our company traded on the OTCQX Best Market allows us to have more visibility in the U.S market and to build greater liquidity among current and future shareholders," said Keith Merker, CEO of WeedMD. "We are excited to be growing our investment community through a well-respected platform." WeedMD was sponsored for OTCQX by N. I. Jacobs & Associates, a qualified third-party firm responsible for providing guidance on OTCQX requirements and recommending membership. About WeedMD Inc. WeedMD Inc. is the publicly-traded parent company of WeedMD Rx Inc., a federally-licensed producer and distributor of cannabis and cannabis oil under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations ("ACMPR"). The Company operates two facilities: a 26,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Aylmer, Ontario and a state-of-the-art greenhouse facility located in Strathroy, Ontario. The Greenhouse currently has 44,000 square feet of licensed space in production and is expected to have a total footprint of more than 500,000 square feet online by year-end 2018. WeedMD has a multi-channeled distribution strategy that includes supply agreements with Shoppers Drug Mart and provincial distribution agencies, as well as through strategic relationships across the seniors' market in Canada. About OTC Markets Group Inc. OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC regulated ATS. Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed Media Contact: OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected] SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc. Related Links http://www.otcmarkets.com CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC is pleased to announce the promotion of two of its senior leaders. Chirag Shah has been promoted to President, while Eric P. Brown has been promoted to Senior Managing Director. Along with CEO Rich Berg and Chairman Phil Nussbaum, Shah and Brown will comprise the company's senior-most leadership team. For nearly 25 years, Performance Trust has empowered community financial institutions to remain the heartbeat of their communities through distinctive insights, disciplined decision making, and actionable advice, with the goal of leading to better performing institutions. Today, intense competition and advances in technology, product commoditization, and industry consolidation demand integrated solutions. Shah's and Brown's new roles reflect the company's strong commitment to the development of forward-thinking solutions within the investment banking, capital markets, institutional trading, and community financial institution space. "We are privileged to have incredibly talented individuals within our firm. These individuals collectively strive to focus their energies and talents toward client results which will naturally lead to better results for our firm. We are fortunate to have them take on these integral roles and are excited to have them as partners in leadership," said Berg. When Shah joined Performance Trust in 2008, he primarily focused on Structured Products trading. In his 10 years with the firm, he has demonstrated gifted leadership and distinguished himself both through individual contributions and through leading others. In 2017, he was promoted to Senior Managing Director, overseeing the Financial Institutions Group, Trading, and Capital Markets. Prior to joining Performance Trust, Chirag spent time at Banc of America Securities and Kiva. Brown joined Performance Trust in 2008 as an experienced salesperson who had a successful run at RBC Capital Markets. He took his ability as a leading producer and developed the Institutional Group, while helping to lead the Financial Institutions Group. Brown also oversees the Capital Markets group responsible for sourcing new securitized products that the firm is bringing to market. The benefits that this service provides to clients allow the firm to make a greater impact on the financial industry. "Chirag and Eric are proven leaders who have demonstrated an impressive ability to develop talent and guide the firm to new levels. Their new roles will further position Performance Trust to serve the rapidly evolving needs of our clients and their stakeholders," Nussbaum said. "This is an exciting time for Performance Trust." About Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC is committed to helping financial institutions improve their long-term performance and deliver shareholder value. Our Analytical Principles power an objective decision-making methodology which brings clarity to enterprise risk and reward decisions, improving confidence and strategic results. To learn more, go to www.ptcp.com. Contact: Olivia Voltaggio 312-521-1105 [email protected] SOURCE Performance Trust Capital Partners, LLC Related Links http://www.ptcp.com QUEENS, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Coming soon, Q-East Queens, NY apartments are affordable , luxurious and an amazing blend of classic and contemporary living, perfect for commuters living out their busy and often fast-paced routines. The modern and hip studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are spacious and sleek with an open floor plan that leaves plenty of room for variety and decor. Q-East apartments are great for commuters looking to do away with those long travel days as well as those who want to experience all the city has to offer! The upscale metro-style apartments are located a convenient distance from public transportation and major highways easily connecting residents to Manhattan and Nassau County, NY. The classic and cool pet-friendly, studio, one and two-bedroom apartments are walking distance from subways, bus stops and highways as well as restaurants, parks and cafes. Jamaica, Queens is a young-emerging area where residents can enjoy the ultimate experience of Metro-living. Q-East's captivating and well-serviced rentals include a state of the art fitness center, an in-house laundry room and optional parking garage. Whether it's raining, snowing or rush-hour, which in NYC seems to be all of the time, street parking is slim to none. Q-East's optional parking garage keeps vehicles close-by. All apartments are located: Seconds Away from Direct Subway Lines. The F-Train is located directly outside of your front door, connecting residents to the city without having to worry about transferring. This is great for those working the traditional 9-5 in Manhattan or those who work on the go. A Ride away from the LIRR. The train is actually one of the easiest ways to get to surrounding cities and major airports like JFK. Heading out of town for the weekend? Is public transportation your preferred method of travel? Bus routes are steps away from home, just walk outside and down the street and voila you're there. Avoid traffic and paying to park by taking a short subway ride to the LIRR . Q-East apartments are also great for those with family and friends on Long Island! A Short Distance from Highways Leading to Nassau County. Between public transportation or close proximity to major highways, Q-East residents benefit in terms of location. Q-East offers direct connectivity to neighboring areas including Nassau County via the Long Island Expressway and Northern State Parkway. About Q-East Coming soon, Q-East Queens Luxury Apartments are located in Jamaica East, Queens and feature studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments with amenities a clubroom, and fitness center. The F-train is located in front of the building and residents are directly connected to Manhattan and Nassau County. Q-EastRental Life Well Connected. Media Contact: Deanna Thorman, fishbat Media, 631-633-4705, [email protected] SOURCE Q-East Related Links http://q-east.com Organized by the Forum for Expatriate Management (FEM), the EMMA's recognize professional excellence in global mobility, celebrate the best and brightest of the industry, best practice, and those who have made an outstanding contribution to Global mobility. FEM is reaching their ten-year landmark with this event. The awards gala will follow the summit held on the 9th of November 2018 at the 02 InterContinental, London. The Judges are leading industry experts; the criteria include innovation, strategy, results and the impact of the work. ReloQuest is very grateful for the ongoing recognition from FEM. This shortlisting is following prior EMMA's awards in both 2016 and 2017 where ReloQuest received, the Most Innovative Use of Technology in Global Mobility-Bespoke award at the Forum for Expatriate Management (FEM) Americas EMMAs 2017, and at EMEA in 2016. Additionally, ReloQuest Founder, Darin Karp, was awarded the Global Mobility Rising Star. ReloQuest Technology is shaping the course of travel management with its unbiased business solution that has created the largest and most trusted open marketplace. Darin Karp, ReloQuest Inc. Founder and CEO stated, "ReloQuest is honored to be on the EMMA Shortlist in two categories. Intuitive technology is enabling expanded global mobility. Impactful predictive analytics that facilitates business insight and correct obstacles is critical to succeed in this fast-paced world. ReloQuest's exceptional growth demonstrates the necessity of an agile business solution. Organizations; such as FEM are essential because they bring opportunity to exchange knowledge, gain skills, discover new solutions and future trends in a complex field." Why use ReloQuest-- https://reloquest.com/ Today, most want flexibility and the ability to source, plan, and implement rapidly. We are seeing global mobility teams work together in a business partner capacity. As a B2B, and B2E(employee) business solution. ReloQuest supports our clients, suppliers, assignee's and their organizations. Commitment to excellence and customer-centric service has created the ReloQuest technology referred to today as the industry "Gold Standard." What Clients are saying: https://reloquest.com/rq-testimonials.php#clients Universal ReloQuest equips RMC's and TMC's as well as employees with the flexibility they need to accelerate the relocation process, make decisions that both meets the needs of the business and provides opportunities that sync their mobile employees' personal and professional desires. The aggregator technology simplifies the process of sourcing temporary accommodations while supplying: rapid implementation, ease of use, genuine transparency, real-time data, substantial cost reduction, direct communication, reported 80% increases in efficiency, and vetted global supplier representation. Users can adhere to compliance and policy as required by their organizations. Displayed options are driven by specific, measurable and reportable KPI's providing the employee full control of the experience while staying within the company's guidelines. The revolutionary dashboard reports pending actions in real-time, display reference points and actionable items; such as sending reminders on when to complete plans, approve or cancel bookings. ReloQuest has made real-time reporting possible in many areas. For the first time in our industry users can measure and manage performance. Benefits: https://reloquest.com/index.php#benefits About ReloQuest ReloQuest is a business solution that allows companies and employees to search, compare, and book serviced apartments and hotels around the world. The platform was built from industry knowledge understanding the need to develop a comprehensive technology to source accommodations, compare global options based on the needs of the individual, collect data to provide customizable analytics, and proficiently manage a supply chain. Award-winning ReloQuest creates a streamlined user experience, provides forecasting data, measurement criteria, metrics and actionable insight to minimize corporate risk. Learn more about ReloQuest at https://reloquest.com/ Media Contact: Jeana Giordano 954-982-7997 [email protected] SOURCE ReloQuest Inc. Related Links https://reloquest.com NEWTOWN, Conn., Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandy Hook Promise and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General are proud to announce that they are partnering to roll out the Safe2Say Something Anonymous Reporting System. Through this partnership, Sandy Hook Promise will help the Office of Attorney General onboard over 500 school districts across the state. The Safe2Say Something Anonymous Reporting System allows individuals to submit secure and anonymous safety concerns to help identify and intervene when unsafe and/or harmful behaviors take place. The tips can be submitted via the app, online, or a dedicated hotline, and each tip is reviewed by the Safe2Say Something call center housed in the Office of Attorney General. The call center will process and refer each tip to the appropriate school teams and law enforcement according to the level of threat. "Pennsylvania students deserve a safe place to learn, free from the threat of violence from classmates or other individuals," said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. "I'm proud my office was entrusted by the legislature to run this new program focused on school safety. Working together with Sandy Hook Promise, we can make Pennsylvania safer for families, teachers and, most importantly, our students." This partnership is the first of its kind where Sandy Hook Promise is providing its expertise from its proven Anonymous Reporting System at a state-wide level. While Sandy Hook Promise is partnering with school districts across the country to bring this life-saving program to individual school districts, Pennsylvania represents the first time this will be done for all districts across the entire state, showing a strong commitment to empowering students to report their concerns and intervene before a crisis occurs. "We are proud to work with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General to provide students with our comprehensive violence prevention training and anonymous reporting system. We know that early prevention programs like ours are proven to stop violence before it starts. With this launch, we will train students across the state how to recognize at-risk behaviors and take action to help someone else by submitting a tip anonymously. With Safe2Say Something, students and parents can be confident that the Attorney General's call center will immediately process all tips and refer them on to school teams and local law enforcement, so no one falls through the cracks. Safe2Say Something will save lives and help so many Pennsylvania students to stay safe and healthy," said Nicole Hockley, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother to Dylan, killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School. It has been reported that 80% of school shooters and 70% of individuals who completed suicides told someone of their violent plans prior to taking action - yet no interventions were made. SHP has tirelessly worked to solve this problem for the past three years through its four evidenced-based Know the Signs programs, provided at no cost to schools nationwide. To date, Sandy Hook Promise has trained more than 3.5 million students and adults, including teachers, administrators, and law enforcement officials in all 50 states in its Know the Signs Programs. As a result, SHP has helped to intervene on multiple threats - including school shooting plots, suicides, and other threats of violence, as well as helping to reduce bullying and assisting hundreds of individuals to get mental health assistance. The Safe2Say Something system will be overseen and operated by the Office of Attorney General with the expertise and guidance of Sandy Hook Promise, a national leader in the school safety space. Sandy Hook Promise provides overall training of Safe2Say Something to school districts and students. SHP pays for 100% of the costs to train and sustain the program in each school district. Together, Sandy Hook Promise and the Office of Attorney General will provide: Training for all students, staff, and parents in each school districts on the Safe2Say Something Anonymous Reporting System 24/7 Crisis Center, app, telephone and mobile/web-based setup and ongoing management housed in the Office of Attorney General "Backroom" training and management of submissions Triage for all calls, app, mobile/web-based submissions Routing of all tips to school officials and/or law enforcement, based on severity of threat Set-up of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Promise clubs to embed the Safe2Say Something Anonymous Reporting System into the fabric and culture of schools to continuously raise awareness and empower students to act Collateral and awareness materials (posters, floor stickers, etc.) to remind students of the program and contact information About Sandy Hook Promise: Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national, nonprofit organization based in Newtown, Connecticut. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. SHP's mission is to prevent gun violence (and other forms of violence and victimization) BEFORE it happens by educating and mobilizing youth and adults to identify, intervene and get help for at-risk individuals. SHP is a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible program and policy solutions that address the "human-side" of gun violence by preventing individuals from ever getting to the point of picking up a firearm to hurt themselves or others. Our words, actions and impact nationwide are intended to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation. For more information, visit www.sandyhookpromise.org or call 203-304-9780. SOURCE Sandy Hook Promise Related Links http://www.sandyhookpromise.org NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Canadian-based Scenarex, a company developing publishing solutions with blockchain is launching the Beta version of its first solution, Bookchain, this week. This release coincides with their presence as a sponsor of the Digital Book World event in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bookchain solution Based on the Ethereum network, Bookchain is an online ebook distribution platform that enables authors, publishers and content creators to publish and sell books on the blockchain. Using smart contracts, the Bookchain platform enables users to upload their ebooks and set the configuration of the security, traceability, rights attribution and distribution settings, introducing the optional feature of reselling. Bookchain brings innovation to the publishing industry by providing a flexible, secure way to manage digital books and empowering authors and publishers to alternatively publish their work while still remaining in control of the distribution. The platform has also been built to be completely cryptocurrency free for its users as to bring a seamless experience to the process. Digital Book World 2018 As a sponsor of the Digital Book World 2018, Scenarex's team is spending the week in Nashville to promote the Bookchain solution and talk about the uses of blockchain technology in the publishing industry. As part of the pre-conference's program, Chief Commercial Officer Christine Joly and Chief Technology Officer Steve Breault gave a 2-hour workshop titled "Blockchain technology: How it applies to the publishing industry" on Monday, October 1st, tackling the basics of the technology, giving a live demo and answering questions. As part of the Digital Book World Awards, the gala rewarding notable individuals and organizations within the industry, and as the newcomers of the category, Scenarex will also have the chance to present the Award for "Best use of Blockchain in publishing technology" on October 2nd. Additionally, Chief Executive Officer & Founder Simon-Pierre Marion will be talking on a dedicated panel "How the blockchain changes book publishing and distribution" on October 3rd. Finally, as part of the conference, Scenarex is offering a free ebook publication on the Bookchain platform to every Digital Book World attendee. www.scenarex.ca www.bookchain.ca SOURCE Scenarex BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, part of Catholic Medical Center (CMC) in South Korea, and Singapore General Hospital are the newest organizations to join the Thermo Fisher Scientific Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Companion Dx Center of Excellence (COE) Program. The COE program establishes strategic research and technical collaborations with leading research hospitals to enable the adoption of Oncomine NGS assays for future clinical applications. The company made the announcement today during its first Global Strategic Partner Summit in Boston, Mass. "We're honored to join Thermo Fisher's Center of Excellence Program, and this is a tremendous opportunity to advance the development of new methods for identifying molecular characteristics," said Dr. Myungshin Kim, head of the Catholic Genetic Laboratory Center at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. "Together we can push the boundaries of precision medicine in ways that benefit all patients." Seoul St. Mary's, the first general hospital established in the Gangnam area, has been delivering holistic treatments for the past 30 years. Dr. Kim will lead research studies using Thermo Fisher's Oncomine assays along with Ion AmpliSeq HD technology for lung cancer research. "The role of pathologists in cancer care has been evolving and, increasingly, pathologists contribute to the clinical management of patients," said Associate Professor Tony Lim Kiat Hon, head and senior consultant of the Department of Anatomical Pathology at Singapore General Hospital. "This can be largely attributed to the developments in predictive, prognostic markers and advances in molecular technologies. By leveraging each other's expertise and strengths, we hope to be able to advance our care for patients with colon and lung cancer and our research, particularly in the field of precision medicine." Singapore General Hospital is the largest and a renowned tertiary hospital in Singapore that is part of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre. Lim will continue to run customized panels for colon and lung cancer, with about 500 and 1,000 samples, respectively, per year as part of its joint study with the Novartis-Asian Thoracic Oncology Research Group chaired by Dr. Daniel Tan Shao Weng, senior consultant, Division of Medical Oncology at National Cancer Centre Singapore. Dr. Lim's lab is also currently evaluating the Oncomine BRCA and Tumor Mutation Load assays. "The Center of Excellence Program has exceeded our expectations in the U.S. and Europe and we're excited to bring it into Asia," said Joydeep Goswami, president of clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology for Thermo Fisher. "Through partnerships such as these, we're able to fulfill an important mission to support precision medicine research and accelerate the pathway to the clinic." Thermo Fisher's Global Strategic Partner Summit convenes clinical researchers, reference laboratory leaders and clinicians from across the globe for a variety of panel discussions and presentations focused on the latest market trends and application of NGS to precision medicine. Thermo Fisher leaders and Center of Excellence program members from the U.S. and Europe will give insight into the progress made in NGS assay development and growing adoption of the technology for advanced care with a focus on rapid cancer assessment. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $20 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive services. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com Media Contact Information: Mauricio Minotta Thermo Fisher Scientific +1 760 929 2456 [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) has launched a three-day sale offering low fares for winter travel. Customers may take advantage of available low domestic fares starting at $49, $79, $99, and $129 one-way to select destinations today through October 4, 2018, 11:59 p.m. in the respective time zone of the originating city. Seats and days are limited. Blackout dates apply. See full fare rules and terms and conditions below. Examples of Southwest Airlines' domestic low fares include (see fare rules below): As low as $49 one-way nonstop between Phoenix and San Diego and one-way nonstop between Atlanta and Nashville one-way nonstop between and and one-way nonstop between and As low as $79 one-way nonstop between Denver and Oakland and one-way nonstop between Washington D.C. (Reagan National) and New Orleans one-way nonstop between and and one-way nonstop between and As low as $99 one-way nonstop between Dallas ( Love Field ) and Chicago (Midway International Airport) and one-way nonstop between Panama City and Houston (Hobby Airport) one-way nonstop between and and one-way nonstop between and As low as $129 one-way nonstop between Austin and Las Vegas and one-way nonstop between San Jose, Calif. and St. Louis Customers may also book flights to international destinations with fares starting at $99 one-way to select international destinations today through October 4, 2018, 11:59 p.m. in the respective time zone of the originating city. Seats and days are limited. See full fare rules and full terms and conditions below. International travel is valid only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. To see the full list of available cities and prices, and to take advantage of Southwest's fare sale, visit Southwest.com. SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SALE FARE RULES Purchase from October 2 through October 4, 2018, 11:59 p.m. in the respective time zone of the originating city. Domestic travel valid November 28 through December 19, 2018, and January 3 through February 13, 2019. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico valid November 28 through December 6, 2018, and January 4 through February 28, 2019. International travel valid November 28 through December 12, 2018, and January 8 through March 6, 2019. Domestic travel is not valid on Fridays and Sundays. Travel to Florida and Nevada and from Nevada to Florida is valid only on Sundays through Wednesdays. Travel from Florida and Nevada and from Nevada to Florida is valid only on Tuesdays through Fridays. Travel to/from San Juan, Puerto Rico is valid Monday through Thursday. International travel is valid only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fares valid only on nonstop service. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Points bookings do not include taxes, fees, and other government/airport charges of at least $5.60 per one-way flight. Fares not available to/from Orange County, CA (SNA). Seats and days are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Travel is available for one-way Wanna Get Away fares. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but that's not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines, as long as reservations are canceled at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure. Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel may require an upgrade to the Anytime fare depending on Rapid Rewards tier status. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies only to published, scheduled service. ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. In its 48th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 57,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 120 million passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 99 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals. Southwest coined Transfarency to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft. Customers who connect to the WiFi network may use their personal devices to view on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV. With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives. From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 45 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2017 Southwest Airlines One Report can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com. Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest Airlines or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA. SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co. Related Links http://www.southwest.com CHICAGO, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new research report "Submarine Cable System Market by Application (Communication, Power), Component (Dry Plant, Wet Plant (Cables, Branching Units, Repeaters)), Offering (Installation & Commissioning, Maintenance, Upgrades), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the submarine cable system market is expected to grow from USD 11.74 billion in 2018 to USD 20.93 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 12.25% during the forecast period. The growth of the submarine cable system market is propelled by the growing number of telecom subscriptions and internet connections all over the world, increasing internet traffic in APAC, surging demand for inter-country and island power connections, and increasing number of offshore wind farms. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Don't miss out on business opportunities in Submarine Cable System Market. Speak to Our Analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=184625 Wet plant products to hold larger share of submarine cable system market by 2023 Wet plant products are likely to account for a larger share of the submarine communication cable market, by component, by 2023. The reason behind this larger market share is all cables, repeaters, and branching units are required to be laid on the ocean bed unlike dry plant products, such as SLTE, which could be upgraded according to the bandwidth requirement. Upgrades to witness highest CAGR in submarine cable system market from 2018 to 2023 Upgrades for submarine cable systems are expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. Increasing internet traffic in APAC owing to the surging internet users is fuelling the requirement for more bandwidth across the region. APAC is likely to witness increasing upgrades for the installed submarine communication systems during the forecast period. Also, the growing number of internet users across the Middle East and Africa will further require modification in submarine communication cables in the coming years. Browse in-depth TOC on "Submarine Cable System Market" 49 - Tables 36 - Figures 146 - Pages Trans-Atlantic region to dominate submarine communication cable system market during forecast period The trans-Atlantic region accounted for the largest share of the submarine communication cable market in 2017. Investments in submarine cable infrastructure are on the rise again. Also, cable systems on this route are aging; hence, new cable systems are likely to be installed in the near future. The modern submarine fiber system, which will be marketed under the brand name America Europe Connect-2, is likely to witness an exploding demand from the data center and cloud service providers, owing to the availability of massive bandwidth of nearly 80 Tbps. Ask for PDF @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=184625 Major players in the submarine power cable market include Prysmian (Italy), Nexans (France), NKT (Denmark), General Cable (US), and Furukawa Electric (Japan); key players in the submarine communication cable market are Alcatel Lucent (France), TE Connectivity (Switzerland), and NEC Corporation (Japan), among others. These players are increasingly adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, and product launches to develop and introduce new technologies and products in the market. Please explore relevant report "Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Market" also. About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/submarine-cable-system-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Templafy , a global leader in enterprise template management and document creation, announced today the official opening of its first U.S.-based location in New York City. The company's office is located at 307 5th Ave. 17th Floor, New York, NY 10016. "A New York office is a natural next step for Templafy as it brings us close to our U.S. customers and partners," says Templafy CEO Jesper Theill Eriksen. "Large enterprises are adopting cloud computing more than ever in the U.S., which also creates the need for us to expand our presence." Templafy's increased presence in New York solidifies its commitment to solving "document anarchy" for global and multinational businesses that need it most. The New York office paves the way for Templafy to adapt and scale more quickly for its U.S.-based users and the increasing demand it's seeing from Fortune 500 companies. Monika Juskaite, Templafy's Head of Customer Success, will also be based in the New York office. "At Templafy, we pride ourselves on offering a product that naturally integrates into our customers' daily routines and makes their work lives easier," says Juskaite. "Our team is dedicated to helping our enterprise clients adopt and utilize Templafy in the best possible way and being close to our U.S. customers and partners will ensure an even smoother customer experience." Templafy's customers include Big 4 and Magic Circle firms, as well as widely-recognized global consumer brands. With already over 600K licenses sold globally, Templafy continues to rapidly grow, quadrupling new revenue and doubling its staff in just the past year. Newly appointed U.S. Sales Director, Emil Dyrvig, recently joined Templafy from Dropbox and will be responsible for leading a winning sales team, driving revenue, and collaborating on a variety of marketing and business strategies. "I am very impressed by our team, our product, and our existing customer base," says Dyrvig. "Despite Templafy only being four years old, we are already working with some of the world's largest companies in large-scale Enterprise deployments. In conjunction with our existing, strong culture, a solid foundation has already been planted for our continued success in the U.S." With the U.S. cloud market set to grow to over 80 billion dollars this year alone, Templafy's expansion effort immensely broadens its operations. About Templafy Templafy brings custom company templates, brand assets and best practice content together directly inside any office application, streamlining how users create on-brand and compliant documents, presentations and emails. With Templafy, global businesses safeguard their brand integrity and increase productivity through a centrally governed, secure and easy to use platform. Founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2014, Templafy's team leveraged more than 15 years of experience in template management and document automation to develop an enterprise cloud service solution which is now a global market leader within its category, validated by blue chip enterprise customers on every continent. For more information on Templafy's product and company, visit www.templafy.com , or follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/3585015/ or Twitter: @templafy Media Contact: Cara Lutz 312-561-2484 [email protected] SOURCE Templafy Related Links http://www.templafy.com Tencent also unveiled a one-stop shop and comprehensive service offering to support marketers seeking to capture attention, create brand preference and tap the tremendous spending power of Chinese consumers. This offering includes brand advertising, performance advertising and on-the-ground support for brands. It helps marketers harness the power of WeChat, China's leading social media platform, which serves more than 1.06 billion users and is an essential part of daily life and culture. China is the world's largest and most promising Internet market, noted Tencent Corporate Vice President Steven Chang, in a presentation called "China is Knocking". He described how technology drives culture, noting the transformative nature of China's social media, the growing importance of IP (intellectual property) and the emergence of a cashless society. "China is the next frontier and an unprecedented opportunity for brands and marketers. It is a huge and complex digital society with a passion for advanced technologies," said Chang. "Navigating this market can be challenging, but there has never been a better time to start. We are a trusted partner to many of the world's leading companies and are ready to help others succeed." Chang underscored Tencent's vital role in the daily lives of China's 802 million Internet users, 98 percent of whom spend 60 percent of their online time with the company's products. He shared several examples of how Tencent's integrated IP-based marketing ecosystem enables new forms of creativity and cultural experiences. He also showed how AI (artificial intelligence) and Smart Retail promise new ways to connect with Chinese consumers, who embrace new experiences and the latest technology. Yinyin Gao, Senior Product Director of Tencent's Smart Retail Initiative, discussed how the company is dissolving the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds to enable new forms of connectivity and commerce for brands, marketers, retailers and consumers. She shared insights on the unique nature of Chinese consumers and best practices for brands and retailers to address their evolving needs using advanced digital platforms and China's unique Internet ecosystem. She described WeChat as "super connector" or "super app" that connects 1.06 billion users with goods, services and brands, both online and offline. Benny Ho, Senior Director of Tencent's International Business Group, discussed the growing power of Chinese tourists, who spent $33.2 billion in 2016 according to the US Travel Association and have become an essential audience for the fashion, retail and travel industries. He described how brands have become more sophisticated about courting Chinese tourists, engaging them before and during trips using WeChat. The company has already delivered outstanding results for global brands like Cirque du Soleil, Michael Kors and Simon Property Group, enabling them to target new customers and capitalize on the growing numbers of Chinese tourists. ABOUT TENCENT Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Our social products Weixin and QQ link our users to a rich digital content catalogue including games, video, music and books. Our proprietary targeting technology helps advertisers reach out to hundreds of millions of consumers in China. Our infrastructure services including payment, security, cloud and artificial intelligence create differentiated offerings and support our partners' business growth. Tencent invests heavily in people and innovation, enabling us to evolve with the Internet. Tencent was founded in Shenzhen, China, in 1998. Shares of Tencent (00700.HK) are traded on the Main Board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. SOURCE Tencent Related Links http://www.tencent.com CARLSBAD, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation is seeking school districts and schools with an exemplary commitment to music education to be recognized as part of the Foundation's Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) program. Now in its 20th year, the Best Communities for Music Education (district level) and the SupportMusic Merit Award (school level) offers national recognition and visibility for school music programs, and honors the efforts of educators, administrators, students and community music education champions who share in the common goal to ensure access to music for all students as part of the curriculum. "Now more than ever, opportunities for all students to learn and grow with music is important as it helps students connect with school life and the community, which in turn supports their well-being and overall academic success," said Mary Luehrsen, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation. "The Best Communities for Music Education program celebrates districts, schools, parents and communities for assuring that music education is part of the school day and available to all children." Over the past two decades, the awards program has served as a catalyst to rally and expand music education programs, as well as to gain additional community support and funding. To date, two districts, Henrico County Public Schools (Virginia) and Fulton County Schools (Georgia), have earned the title of "Best Community for Music Education" for 19 consecutive years. Dr. Amy Cashwell, Superintendent of Henrico County Public Schools, shares that the school district takes "great pride in our 19 years as a Best Community for Music Education. It is an important way to honor the dedication of our K-12 music educators and the impact they have on students' lives. While we have tremendous support for music education from our community, School Board and administration, the designation helps reinforce this commitment. The recognition brings public attention to the positive power of the arts and has been a factor in getting increased arts funding." The SupportMusic Merit Award is another designation which has been given for six years, and in that time, has recognized numerous individual schools for their administrative and educator efforts to help students realize their full potential through music learning. For Penny Purdy, guitar instructor at Athens Middle School in Athens, Ohio, the award has come with many perks, one being job security. "While many other departments in our district have seen cuts in their staff, the music department has remained steady," she says. "We have amazing community support that increases with the announcement of our SupportMusic Merit Award; it is truly a career saver." For Assistant Principal, George Zografos at Rosa International Middle School in New Jersey, the award has been a rallying point for unsure students: "The recognition really helps spotlight our music program in the community and helps students who might be on the fence about playing music to join our music program. Winning the award has been a point of pride for our school and district, and we look forward to the possible recognition in the future. At Rosa, we believe in educating the whole child, and having programs like music and the arts help increase academic performance." For the twentieth anniversary, the national survey was redesigned by leaders in music education today, including: survey administrator, Dr. Christopher Johnson, University of Kansas; Dr. Carlos Abril, Professor of Music Education and Director of Undergraduate Music Education at the Frost School of Music (University of Miami); Music Therapy and Music Education Professor Alice-Ann Darrow (Florida State University); Dr. Glenn E. Nierman (University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Denese Odegaard, National Association for Music Education (NAfME) President (2016-2018) and Fargo (North Dakota) Public Schools Performing Arts Curriculum Specialist; as well as Dr. Rebecca L. Tast, Assistant Professor of Music Education (Texas State University). Contributor Dr. Abril has conducted extensive research that focuses on sociocultural issues in music education, music education policy, and music perception. Dr. Abril shares that "this survey is an outstanding tool for identifying and honoring school districts that are fully committed to providing quality music education programs for all students who have an interest in studying music. It is carefully crafted to identify criteria that encompass availability, access, and excellence in school music education." Another survey designer, Denese Odegaard affirms, "The survey provides districts a picture of what makes an effective and strong music program. Now that the survey is updated, there are even more areas to use in reflecting on the quality and depth of your music program. When awarded Best Communities for Music Education, the parents, administration, school board and community members look positively upon the music program and value what it has to offer to students. It brings attention to the music program in a positive manner." The designations will be awarded based on a school or district submitted survey process, and evaluated on funding, staffing of qualified teachers, standards, curriculum, community support, participation, facilities and other factors which affect access and demonstrate a commitment to music education. The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas reviews the survey data and offers the designation to districts or schools which meet the criteria and qualifications for designation. Since its inception, over 2,000 schools and school districts have submitted a survey for evaluation. Based on survey responses in 2018, 583 school districts were recognized as Best Communities for Music Education, and 135 schools with the SupportMusic Merit Award. Past districts named a Best Community for Music Education included urban, suburban and rural districts. Schools which have received the SupportMusic Merit Award designation included both public and private schools and range from elementary to middle and high schools. District officials, music educators and school staff in the domestic United States are invited to complete the survey by January 31, 2019 by visiting https://www.nammfoundation.org/bcme. In conducting the annual survey, The NAMM Foundation and the survey designers are also joined by advisory organizations in the fields of music and education including: Americans for the Arts; League of American Orchestras; John Lennon Educational Tour Bus; Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation; Music for All; Music Teachers National Association; National Guild For Community Arts Education; Yamaha Corporation of America; Young Audiences; and VH1 Save The Music Foundation. About The NAMM Foundation The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 10,300 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit http://www.nammfoundation.org Contact: Chalise Zolezzi, 1-760-304-5702 SOURCE NAMM Foundation Related Links http://www.nammfoundation.org FARMINGTON, Conn., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) will issue its third quarter 2018 earnings press release on Tuesday, October 23, prior to the stock market opening. A conference call will take place at 8:30 a.m. ET. A presentation corresponding with the conference call will be available on the company's website at http://www.utc.com for downloading prior to the call. To listen to the call by phone, dial (877) 280-7280 between 8:10 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. ET. The conference operator will take your name and place you on hold until the conference begins. Please limit your use of the phone's speaker mode to optimize the audio quality of the call for all participants. Analysts who wish to ask a question following the prepared remarks should press "1" on their phone during the call. Your name will be placed in queue. To remove yourself from the queue, press "#". If you need assistance, press "star zero" to reach the conference operator. Reporters with questions should call (860) 493-4149. The call will be broadcast live on the Internet at http://www.utc.com. A recording will be archived later on the site and will be available for replay by phone from 11:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, October 23, to 11:30 a.m. ET Tuesday, October 30. For a replay, dial (404) 537-3406. At the prompt for a conference ID number, enter 2871015. UTC-IR Contact: Media Inquiries, UTC (860) 493-4149 Investor Relations, UTC (860) 728-7608 SOURCE United Technologies Corp. Related Links http://www.utc.com Global sporting and style icon, David Beckham, helped new Vietnamese car manufacturer, VinFast, reveal its first two vehicles at the 2018 Mondial de l'Auto in Paris earlier today. Video: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753469/VinFast_David_Beckham.mp4 (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753461/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753462/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753463/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/753464/VinFast_David_Beckham.jpg ) Huge crowds of journalists flocked to the Paris Motor Show display of the new brand where they witnessed him unveil the company's new LUX A2.0 sedan and LUX SA2.0 SUV in what was the vehicles' world debut. Vietnamese celebrity, Tran Tieu Vy - voted Miss Vietnam 2018, was also in attendance as the two vehicles were driven onto the stand in front of hundreds of watching journalists, photographers and videographers. As the cars were revealed he told the assembled crowd: "Vietnam is such a beautiful country and I can see how the VinFast design team have been able to bring some of that beauty alive in the lines of these amazing new cars." "I've always been a car fanatic, and it's a thrill to be here in Paris to celebrate the arrival of a new carmaker on the global stage," he added, "The passion that the VinFast team have for these cars is infectious. It's an inspirational story and I'm really excited to have been part of this launch moment for VinFast." VinFast Chairwoman Le Thi Thu Thuy who opened the press conference said: "The Vietnamese people will be immensely proud, honoured and excited to see two such well-known figures unveiling these first cars from Vietnam in such a high profile setting as the Paris Motor Show. Together they represent our intention for VinFast to be a successful automotive brand both in Vietnam and internationally." "With our ambitious plans to bring these two vehicles to market in such a short time, it was crucial for us to make a big entrance and an immediate impact, and we certainly did that today," she added. With Vietnamese spirit, Italian design and European technology, the two models have been developed to international standards after the Vietnamese people voted on their favourite styling sketches from a range of options presented in October 2017. VinFast's participation at the 2018 Paris Motor Show will significantly raise the profile of the brand and these two models ahead of the start of sales in Vietnam in September 2019. In addition to the cars being presented in Paris, VinFast is rapidly developing other vehicles and the company is planning to export to foreign markets in the coming years. As a proud Vietnamese business with a truly global outlook, VinFast is working with world-leading European design, engineering and production technology partners to create products that meet international standards and customer expectations in terms of design, quality, dynamics, premium in-car features and the ownership experience. VinFast has also recruited senior executives from some of the industry's leading automotive companies. As a newcomer to the automotive industry, this investment builds a strong foundation to ensure VinFast can build a highly successful automotive business from scratch within a remarkably short timescale. VinFast is a subsidiary of Vingroup, Vietnam's biggest private enterprise, with interests in several market sectors including retail, construction, real estate and education. Notes to editors More information, high-resolution images and a Paris Motor Show video highlights package are available at: http://www.vinfastmedia.com. About VinFast VinFast is a subsidiary of Vingroup, the largest private enterprise in Vietnam. With 25 years' history, Vingroup is aiming to become a world-class technology, industry and services provider. VinFast is the first brand to be launched as part of this strategy. Deliveries of the first VinFast cars - a sedan and a SUV - will commence in Vietnam from September 2019. In addition, VinFast is developing a wide range of other vehicles, including electric cars, city cars, electric buses and electric scooters. The company also plans to export to international markets in the coming years. VinFast vehicles will be manufactured at a modern 335-hectare plant complex in Cat Hai, Hai Phong, northern Vietnam. SOURCE VinFast NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting November 3, 2018, travelers visiting the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan can enjoy distinctive new lodging options at Six Senses Bhutan. The resort encompasses five individual lodges in the scenic valleys of Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro. Each valley embodies its own landscape, character and crafted experiences. Six Senses Bhutan will provide complimentary benefits exclusively for travelers who book their transformational stay through an advisor affiliated with leading global luxury travel network Virtuoso. In addition to daily dinner, guests who stay by February 28, 2019 will receive lunch each day, either picnic or in the restaurant. If staying for five consecutive nights, guests will enjoy the use of a car, guide and driver. The above advantages are in addition to these ongoing complimentary Virtuoso extras: Two 60-minute massage treatments per suite/villa per journey A la carte breakfast daily Early check-in/late check-out if available Wi-Fi "Luxury travelers actively seek new destinations that offer a level of purity and authenticity, both of which Bhutan embodies for the adventurer as well as the spiritual traveler," says Albert Herrera, Virtuoso's senior vice president of Global Product Partnerships. "Six Senses Bhutan will provide an exceptional experience through its focus on travelers' passion points such as culinary, wellness and sustainability. We are delighted to welcome another Six Senses property to our network and invite travelers to experience the individual character of these unique five lodges united under a world-class brand." With 82 guest suites and villas among the five lodges, guests at Six Senses Bhutan will delight in intimate hospitality influenced by the brand's guiding principles, including sustainability, wellness, healthy eating and sleep comfort. Travelers can immerse themselves in Bhutan's spirituality, nature, heritage and culture, as well as its celebrated ethos of Gross National Happiness. Lodges will provide stunning panoramic views. The Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha locations will offer the only three-bedroom villas in Bhutan as well as swimming pools. The villas at Six Senses Punakha will feature private plunge pools a first for that destination. Guests will enjoy Bhutan's largest spa and wellness facilities, and signature programs that bring the principles to life. Through Eat with Six Senses, the resort creates dining experiences in magical settings, from the riverside in Punakha to the ancient ruins in Paro. Six Senses also prioritizes sustainability practices, such as not using plastic bottles, offering house-bottled water, serving produce from organic farms at each lodge, and developing a sustainable farming village in Paro in conjunction with local farmers. Six Senses Bhutan is the latest upscale property to debut supported by the renowned Virtuoso Preview program, which includes benefits exclusively for clients of affiliated travel advisors. Preview is part of Virtuoso's industry-leading Hotels & Resorts Program, which includes more than 1,300 world-class properties in over 100 countries. These value-added advantages at Six Senses Bhutan are only available through Virtuoso, either by reserving a stay at Virtuoso.com or booking with a network travel advisor. To find an advisor, visit https://www.virtuoso.com/advisors#. Reservations will be accepted for the lodges in Thimphu, Paro, and Punakha from November 3, 2018 onwards. The lodges in Gangtey and Bumthang will open in early 2019. About Virtuoso Virtuoso is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 17,500 elite travel advisors in 50 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with 1,700 of the world's best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than (U.S.) $23.7 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com. About Six Senses Bhutan Six Senses Bhutan will move you to pause and think. This colorful Himalayan Kingdom lives by its ethos of gross national happiness. Journey through western and central valleys, and you can't help but find meaningful and uplifting experiences at every turn. That's why our guest suites are distributed between five intimate lodges: Thimphu, Punakha, Gangtey, Bumthang and Paro. Each has a unique character and all embrace our Six Senses guiding principles, which include a Six Senses Spa and Wellness Center, mindful eating, sleep and self-discovery. Visit one, or any combination, and immerse yourself in Bhutan's spirituality, heritage and hospitality. Media Contacts: Misty Ewing Belles Lauren Wintemberg Managing Director, Global Public Relations Account Director Virtuoso Alice Marshall Public Relations Phone: 202.553.8817 Phone: 212.861.4031 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] SOURCE Virtuoso Related Links http://www.virtuoso.com "Our employees and customers continue their dedication supporting local organizations while making a difference in their neighborhoods, like the Boys & Girls Clubs," said Eric Norrington, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at ACE. "We're proud to play a role in supporting young people in the communities where we have stores." The Give A Little Campaign is a national fundraiser that allows ACE employees to choose the benefiting organizations. Nationally, the 2018 Give A Little Campaign provided more than $211,600 to charities across the country including: AdoptAClassroom.org, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, Autism Speaks, Back on My Feet, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs and Save the Children. "ACE Cash Express has been such a committed and longstanding supporter of the youth of San Antonio through their fundraising efforts," said Renee Garvens, Chief Development Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio. "Our Club Members thrive with programs focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character and citizenship. We are grateful to all ACE Cash Express employees for believing in our Club Members." The Give A Little Campaign is a part of ACE's charitable-giving program, which supports organizations that help children, provide education and promote financial literacy. Since its inception in 2004, the ACE Community Fund has donated more than $12 million to charitable organizations in the communities that ACE serves. About ACE Cash Express ACE Cash Express, Inc. is a financial services provider serving consumers online and through a network of over 975 retail store locations. ACE provides a range of retail financial products and services including short-term consumer loans, card services, check cashing, money transfers, bill payments and money orders. Visit us at ACECashExpress.com for more information. About Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio (BGCSA) is to inspire youth, especially those who need them most, to achieve their full potential in a safe, positive and engaging environment that promotes education, health and character development. They provide after school and summer programs that develop Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Good Character in youth, ages six-to-18 years old. BGCSA provides program opportunities for over 8,500 youth each year. The Clubs are open year round, during critical out-of-school-time hours. To learn more about BGCSA programs visit www.BeGreatSA.org or call (210) 436-0686. SOURCE ACE Cash Express, Inc. Related Links http://www.acecashexpress.com SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovaccer, the leading San Francisco-based healthcare data platform company, proudly announced the success of its partner accountable care organizations (ACOs) that achieved over $264 million in savings across 1 million managed lives. The data has been gathered from different commercial insurance providers and the Medicare Shared Savings Program performance data for 2017. Innovaccer According to CMS's results, ACOs in P.Y. 2017 have achieved about $314 million in Medicare savings. More than 60 percent of the 472 ACOs participating in the shared savings program generated savings and the future of accountable care only looks promising. While only 34 percent of ACOs could generate enough savings to earn bonus payment, the number is significantly higher from 56 percent of ACOs generating savings and 31 percent earning bonuses in 2016. Innovaccer assists over 10,000 providers in driving efficiency in care with the power of data. With a unified healthcare data platform integrating different practices and powering care initiatives, Innovaccer's partner ACOs continue to enhance their clinical and financial outcomes with a data-first approach. "Inmediata Health Group provides software and services to over 10,000 customers in the healthcare market. Inmediata supports providers in Puerto Rico, which is the market with the highest penetration of managed care in the United States. Inmediata leverages Innovaccer's population health analytics and care management platform to support its care coordination service to primary care physicians with Medicare Advantage patients. These physicians are typically capitated under risk arrangements with quality incentives. Combining Inmediata's significant cache of financial and clinical data with the Innovaccer's solution has allowed us to make real improvements in PCP's Star ratings and MLR," said Mark W. Rieger, President and CEO at Inmediata Health Group. Along with cumulatively generating over $264 million in savings, the success of the partner ACOs also includes being the highest savings per beneficiary in the Midwest and east coast region for several commercial payers. "We have used other systems that required our team months of prep work to get data formatted and ingested into their system. Innovaccer has cut that down to a couple of weeks. We were never able to integrate clinical data. The ability to aggregate clinical and claims data is a game changer for us. Having a dedicated account manager from Innovaccer on-site to answer questions, help us better understand the system, and generate reports has helped us rapidly get up in running," said Dr. Henry Sakowski, CMO at UniNet. The results are also a testimony of how Innovaccer's ACO partners deliver efficient care to over 1 million patients. This win can directly reflect on the improvements across critical metrics such as ED visits per 1,000, annual wellness visits, 30-day readmission rates, and more. "These great outcomes show that ACOs have turned the corner and if there was ever a confusion about ACO performance, these results dismiss that. They also confirm that actionable insights lead to great care and effective population health management, which ultimately translates into great outcomes," said Abhinav Shashank, CEO and Co-founder at Innovaccer Inc. "We congratulate our partners on being the frontrunners in accountable care and are proud to be associated with them in improving health and wellness. We hope to deliver even better results time and again!" Along with their entire suite of solutions centered around value-based care, Innovaccer also provides consultation and support for organizations and physician groups aiming to become an MSSP ACO. Innovaccer provides consultation on the legal and the technical requirements to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program and also assists the aspiring ACOs in operationalizing their initiatives. Innovaccer will be exhibiting their healthcare data platform, InData along with their existing suite of solutions at the upcoming NAACOS Fall 2018 Conference in Washington, D.C. Join Team Innovaccer at booth #11 from Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, and experience the products first-hand. About Innovaccer Innovaccer Inc. is a leading healthcare data platform company focused on delivering more efficient and effective healthcare by combining pioneering analytics with transparent, and accurate data. Innovaccer's aim is to simplify complex data from all points of care, streamline the information, and help organizations realize strategic goals based on key insights and predictions from their data. Its products have been deployed across more than 500 locations with over 10,000 providers leveraging it at institutions, governmental organizations, and several corporate enterprises such as Mercy ACO, StratiFi Health, UniNet Healthcare Network, Catalyst Health Network, Hartford Healthcare, and Osler Health Network. Innovaccer is based in San Francisco with offices around the United States and Asia. For more information, please visit innovaccer.com. Press Contact Sachin Saxena Innovaccer Inc. 213-618-3678 Related Links Innovaccer Become an ACO SOURCE Innovaccer DUBLIN, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Asia-Pacific Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. More than 50% of online shoppers in Asia made cross-border purchases, according to a recent survey. The top two markets by cross-border digital buyer penetration in this region are Hong Kong and Singapore. The tendency to buy from foreign online sellers also prevails in Australia and New Zealand, where a double-digit share of digital spending is cross-border. Japan is a laggard in the cross-border online shopping trend, with over nine in ten digital consumers buying online only domestically. The top three destinations of cross-border online shoppers in Asia-Pacific are China, the USA and Japan. In their turn, Chinese online shoppers give preference to cross-border shopping platforms hosted by local providers, such as Tmall Global, Kaola and JD Global. The report also reveals that clothes and accessories was the most demanded product category in Asia-Pacific's cross-border E-Commerce. In South Korea, this sector accounted for more than one-third of E-Commerce purchases from foreign sellers. A distinguishing characteristic of cross-border online shoppers in Asia-Pacific is the high level of mobile usage. Digital buyers in China and India were more likely to place orders on foreign websites through smartphones and tablets than through a desktop computer, according to a 2018 survey cited in the report. Companies Mentioned Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Amazon.com Inc JD.com Inc Lotte Co. Ltd NetEase Inc Vipshop Holdings Ltd. eBay.com Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4g3qb6/asiapacific?w=5 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. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Successful businessman and author of The 'N' Effect , Bill Naugle, is scheduled Thursday, October 4, 2018 as a guest speaker at the prestigious Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business at La Sierra University in Riverside, California. This kicks off the new season of speaker series for #TroeshTalks at La Sierra University. Organized by the Zapara School of Business and hosted in the Troesh Conference Center, these hour-long business-oriented talks with professional speakers are open to business students and the community. Naugle, who is a native of Southern California and grew up in Riverside, recently wrote a book, The 'N' Effect, about his famous grandfather, Del Taco and Naugles fast food pioneer, Richard "Dick" Naugle. The late Naugle, who dropped out of school in the fourth-grade, had a brilliant mind for business and significantly impacted the way early fast food restaurants operated. Naugle owned one of the first Del Taco drive-thru restaurants in Corona, California and then later opened a chain of American/Mexican fast food restaurants called Naugles. The first Naugles was in Riverside in the 1970s. "I'm really excited to be back in Riverside and have this opportunity to share with students at this business colloquium about some of the restaurant techniques created by my grandfather for the original Del Taco and Naugles that have been lost for decades," said Author Bill Naugle. Naugle will share from The 'N' Effect personal details with students on how his grandfather successfully operated his restaurants, his unique ways in managing employees and how he truly put the customer first. Students will learn how Naugle believed in efficiency, creating the twin-kitchen concept and the first 'FAST' food drive-thru and speaker system that allowed employees to service three to four cars per minute. However, The 'N' Effect offers readers a very candid look at the pitfalls of being an entrepreneur and Naugle will share personal stories about the struggles and challenges his grandfather faced in both his personal life and business decisions. The #TroeshTalks series offers students a real world experience from business professionals and gives them tools to help navigate today's workforce. For more information, visit: https://lasierra.edu/business and http://www.facebook.com/ZaparaBizSchool. About the Author Bill Naugle: Bill Naugle began his life washing dishes, sweeping floors, and picking up trash in parking lots. Having worked his way through various levels of management, he migrated from restaurant, to finance, to outside sales of construction products, including becoming an ADA specialist, to finally a successful seller of new homes in the Austin, Texas area. Appearing today in Riverside: Riverside's Inland Empire Startup Week, Oct 1st through 5th. The downtown Riverside event is free to attend. Finally, on October 6, there will be a book signing with the Mayor Rusty Bailey of Riverside at Barnes and Noble at the Tyler Galleria. Contact: Bill Naugle Email: [email protected] Phone: (512) 550-3661 www.naugles.com SOURCE Bill Naugle Related Links http://www.naugles.com SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Automation Anywhere, the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), today marks the one-year anniversary of Automation Anywhere University (AAU). Automation Anywhere University is taking on the future of work with the mission of bringing RPA knowledge and skills to university students and professionals across all industries worldwide. Since its launch, AAU has trained more than 100,000 people across 140 countries through 20 courses. The website receives more than 1,300 visitors each day, and over 8,000 new registrations each month. Automation Anywhere has a team of certified in-house and external trainers as well as 26 global training partners. In addition, AAU has reached 200 plus educational institutions and 300,000 students over the past year and has created an outline of three RPA credit courses for management and engineering college students. Automation Anywhere has signed an agreement to set-up Bot Labs in educational institutions to ensure students are 'future ready' with RPA skills. So far, Automation Anywhere University has trained people from the world's top universities such as Harvard, IIM (Indian Institute of Management), University of Michigan, University of Edinburg, University of Melbourne, National University of Singapore, Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Dubai and University of British Columbia. "AAU is helping to fill the increasing demand for RPA training worldwide," said Arvind Thothadri, Vice President, Global Training and Certification at Automation Anywhere. "Our tremendous growth over the past year is strong testament to the exploding interest in RPA training and certification, and we're pleased to be at the center of this important trend." This anniversary takes place on the heels of the addition of new AAU learning tracks tailored to different RPA job roles as well as the availability of courses in Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. The learning tracks are designed from deep experience gained in large-scale RPA deployments in more than 1,100 organizations. To learn more about Automation Anywhere University and to register for courses, visit here. Interact with Automation Anywhere: Visit our website: www.automationanywhere.com Check out our monthly webinar series BotVisions: https://www.automationanywhere.com/company/webinars Follow us on Twitter: @AutomationAnywh Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/automation-anywhere About Automation Anywhere Automation Anywhere is the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), the platform on which more organizations build world-class Intelligent Digital Workforces. Automation Anywhere's enterprise-grade platform uses software bots that work side by side with people to do much of the repetitive work in many industries. It combines sophisticated RPA, cognitive and embedded analytic technologies. Over 1,100 organizations use this AI-enabled solution to manage and scale business processes faster, with near-zero error rates, while dramatically reducing operational costs. Automation Anywhere provides automation technology to leading financial services, insurance, healthcare, technology, manufacturing, telecom and logistics companies globally. For additional information, visit www.automationanywhere.com. SOURCE Automation Anywhere Related Links http://www.automationanywhere.com NEW YORK and LONDON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Avature, a provider of innovative cloud applications for CRM and Human Capital Management, announced today the beta release of its semantic search module. The first version will be tested by a small group of customers beginning in October and will then be made available to all customers as an add-on to their existing ATS solution in the first quarter of 2019. The module, an important component of Avature's evolving AI strategy, is primarily designed to improve matching of candidates to jobs by using their resume content to expand candidate search criteria based on semantic correlations. The module will be demonstrated at the upcoming EU Avature Conference in London on November 15. The semantic search module currently supports English language searches, but will be updated to include German language searches before the end of the year, and French language searches in the first quarter of 2019. The module will be available to all ATS customers in the first quarter of 2019 together with a completely revamped search UI that supports both semantic and standard Boolean search. Avature's federated search module, WebSources, which searches third-party systems from within the Avature CRM solution, will add semantic search features later in the year. "Unlike contracts or statements of work, resumes are difficult document types to search because of the abundant use of acronyms that mean different things in different industries, the frequent use of similar words with different meanings, key-word stuffing, and related concepts such as 'manager of corporate development' and 'strategic alliance manager,'" said Nicolas Bader, Avature's Product Marketing Analyst for AI. "The key for Avature is to automatically compensate for these issues while reducing search complexity and improving the quality of search results." Semantic Search will join Saccade and Avatures "Find Similar" features to form the cornerstone of Avature's learning-based AI strategy. Saccade, Avature's NLP parser, has already learned to parse resumes in over 20 languages, including Chinese and Japanese, while "Find Similar" is designed to find patterns in large sets of similar documents and use them as search parameters. Central to this strategy is the concept that machine learning should be embedded in the platform so that massive amounts of data do not need to be exported to a separate system for AI processing. "Our recruiting customers want to improve the services they provide to their hiring managers," said Dimitri Boylan, CEO of Avature. "With semantic search, recruiters can make expert level associations without any prior industry specific knowledge selecting better candidates sooner, and improving the experience of the high-quality candidate. We think this will be particularly useful where recruiters need to manage job assignments outside their own area of expertise, and for areas where deep domain expertise is essential, such as pharmaceutical, medical technology, and health care recruiting." Avature will continue to look at how neural network technology and machine learning can leverage the knowledge that is accumulated inside an enterprise system and how this information can be combined with external information to improve user productivity and support higher levels of automation. About Avature Avature is a highly configurable enterprise SaaS platform for Talent Acquisition and Talent Management and the leading provider of CRM technology for recruiting globally. Founded by Dimitri Boylan, co-founder and former CEO of HotJobs.com, Avature brings consumer-grade internet technology and innovation to HCM software. Avature solutions include shared services sourcing, applicant tracking, campus & events recruiting, employee referral management, social onboarding, branded employee engagement, employee mobility and workforce optimization, and performance management. Used by 110 of the Fortune 500 in more than 164 countries and 17 languages, Avature delivers its services from its private cloud, located in data centers in the US, Europe, and Asia, and from the public cloud. Avature has offices in Buenos Aires, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Shenzhen. Learn more at www.avature.net or follow @Avature. SOURCE Avature Related Links http://www.avature.net CANTON, Mass., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company, a national provider of insurance solutions for individuals and at the workplace, today announced that Marie Lackey has been appointed Senior Regional Sales Director for the Southeastern region. Ms. Lackey brings over 20 years of benefits enrollment experience to her new role. The new addition to the company's Distribution department will support the life insurance carrier's long-term strategic plans to drive sales, maintain competitive market positioning, and achieve greater levels of growth. Marie Lackey appointed Senior Regional Sales Director for the Southeastern region at Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company. "Marie's extensive benefits enrollment expertise and in-depth understanding of the Southeastern insurance market will make her a strong asset to the sales team," said Jim Jacobsen, Executive Vice President of Distribution. "We are thrilled to have Marie onboard and delighted that Boston Mutual can benefit from the insights she brings to our team to support our business needs, growth, and success." Most recently, Ms. Lackey was the Regional Vice President at Transamerica and oversaw sales efforts and broker support in Alabama, western Tennessee, and northern Florida. Prior to joining Transamerica in 2008, she held benefits enrollments positions at Enrollment Advisors, MeadowBrook Healthcare, and Saiia Construction, all based in Birmingham, Alabama. In her new role, Ms. Lackey will oversee sales and support in select regions in the Southeast. She will work closely with producers in the region to support sales efforts and continue to identify new sales opportunities for Boston Mutual. Ms. Lackey earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama. About Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company is a national insurance carrier providing flexible insurance products for working Americans in the private and public sectors. Boston Mutual offers a range of insurance coverage options for both individuals and employers, with a product portfolio that includes life, critical illness, disability, and accident insurance coverage. Founded in 1891, the company, which is headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, has enjoyed a long history of financial strength and stability. For more information, please visit www.bostonmutual.com or follow the company on Facebook ( /BostonMutualLifeIns ) or LinkedIn ( /company/boston-mutual-life-insurance ). Media Contact: Meredith D'Agostino Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company [email protected] (800) 669-2668 x276 SOURCE Boston Mutual Life Insurance Company Related Links www.bostonmutual.com PETALUMA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent research suggests there may be a number of factors that contribute to who becomes an entrepreneur. For example, 78 percent moved at least once or twice while growing up and 63 percent had a close relationship with someone who owned their own business. Though these factors don't determine if someone becomes an entrepreneur, they do suggest that some people may be shaped by family and circumstances into becoming entrepreneurs. Brandon Frere, CEO of Frere Enterprises and other ventures, knows that not every entrepreneur is born to be a business leader. "There is a wide range of entrepreneurs - from people who have literally been selling stuff to make money since they were little kids to those who start a business slowly after a lot of experience and planning finally give them the comfort they need to make the move," said Frere. It is interesting that so many entrepreneurs moved while growing up. Though moving can be highly disruptive for children, it can also be beneficial later in life. As adults, many consider that moving as a child gave a stronger sense of self, better social skills, less attachment to material things, fearlessness about travel, resilience and flexibility. Similarly, it is impossible to overlook the role of mentors since most entrepreneurs have a close connection with someone who owned a business. That means that many were handed an informal blueprint for entrepreneurship before they were aware they were even being taught the independence and confidence to dream and build. Eight percent of entrepreneurs started their first business by age 10. Whether selling candy bars or lemonade, some entrepreneurs saw opportunity on the playground or at home and seemed to be unalterably attracted to the challenge. Another 26 percent said that their parents helped them with their first business plan. This points to the support that some entrepreneurs need to get started and how family experience might encourage some people to become entrepreneurs. "I am guessing there are as many reasons to become an entrepreneur as there are entrepreneurs," said Frere. "Some are born to become business leaders with a high tolerance for risk and some are more risk-averse, making their way wisely and methodically to entrepreneurship." About Brandon Frere Brandon Frere is an entrepreneur and businessman who lives in Sonoma County, California. He has designed and created multiple companies to meet the ever-demanding needs of businesses and consumers alike. His website, www.BrandonFrere.com, is used as a means of communicating many of the lessons, fundamentals and information that he has learned throughout his extensive business and personal endeavors, most recently in advocating on behalf of student loan borrowers nationwide. As experienced during his own student loan repayment, Mr. Frere found out how difficult it can be to work with federally contracted student loan servicers and the repayment programs designed to help borrowers. Through those efforts, he gained an insider's look into the repayment process and the motivations behind the inflating student loan debt bubble. His knowledge of the often confusing landscape of student loan repayment became a vital theme in his future endeavors, and he now uses those experiences to help guide others through the daunting process of applying for available federal repayment and loan forgiveness programs. BrandonFrere.com Related Images entrepreneur-at-her-desk.jpg Entrepreneur at Her Desk Credit: 88studio/Bigstock image2.png Related Links Brandon Frere website SOURCE Brandon Frere Related Links http://www.BrandonFrere.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In black-and-white footage of a silent film, Austrian Jews are harassed in a public market, physically menaced by thugs in the street, and forced en masse from the country, on foot or by train. Orthodox men in traditional dress carry Torah scrolls. The expulsion of Jews rips mixed-faith families in two. Though these stories may seem familiar, these scenes are not taken from history. They come from a long-lost film that predates the Nazi period by a decade, Die Stadt ohne Juden (The City without Jews). Released in 1924, it was adapted from a best-selling satirical novel by Hugo Bettauer, an Austrian Jewish writer and journalist. On October 14, 2018 at 4 p.m., Wilshire Boulevard Temple (3663 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010) in association with the USC Casden Institute, The Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, and The United States Holocaust Museum present The City Without Jews in an exclusive, one-time-only screening of the restored movie accompanied live on the Temple's 4,102-pipe Korn Kimball Organ. Tickets to the exclusive Los Angeles screening are available now on Eventbrite priced at $10 for general admission and $18 for VIP seating. The City without Jews was once considered lost forever, but in 2015 a collector discovered a complete copy of the film at a flea market in Paris. The Filmarchiv Austria (Austrian Film Archive) led a crowdfunding campaign to cover restoration costs of the much-anticipated footage, declaring itas an early example of politically engaged film that cannot help but connect the persecution of Jews to present-day persecution of Muslims, refugees, and immigrantsa national treasure. A unique piece of history, scholars and journalists have hailed the narrative as an oddly prescient window into Austrian Jewish life in the 1920s Tickets on sale https://citywithoutjews.eventbrite.com Visit https://www.wbtla.org for information on Wilshire Boulevard Temple SOURCE Wilshire Boulevard Temple Related Links http://www.wbtla.org AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As pressure mounts for today's software developers to deliver applications with ever-increasing speed, AppDev experts have turned to the cloud to fundamentally change the way they work. Technologically, the cloud using microservices architectures and providing virtually limitless capacity is the answer to the demand for "better" and "faster" application development. However, according to the experts at Coda Global, (www.coda.global), a cloud-native consultancy and application developer, while the cloud can provide a pathway to success, there is one important ingredient many development teams overlook the importance of effective communication throughout the software development lifecycle. Troy Vetter, COO at Coda Global, was recently asked to explain the importance of effective communication in an educational video "Brainstorm Before Jumpstarting AppDev Projects" for business and technology professionals produced by Cognistar as part of its extensive SmartPros WatchIT educational video library. To help businesses visualize what this process looks like, Vetter has outlined the four steps to Coda Global's RightStart application development methodology a process that not only speeds development efforts but also aligns those efforts with the project's goal and expected outcome for better application results. "Technology has made a lot of things easier, but developers still have to talk to people, brainstorming with them to ensure the team has a common vision for the application that everyone buys into from the start," Vetter says. "Without that vision, the project won't go where you want it to go. In application development, if the program doesn't meet the customer's or user's needs, it won't matter if your application is the most elegant or that your code is the best and the cleanest. The most important goal is to deliver something of value to the end user and that starts with effective communication." Four Steps to Effective Communication in AppDev Projects Giving application projects the "RightStart" begins with a brainstorming session involving all of the project's key stakeholders including the development team and line-of-business users. The goal is to use that brainstorming session to kick off a phased project that results in a minimum viable product (MVP), proof of concept (POC) or pilot application that matches the intended objective. But what does that kind of communication look like in practice? How do you begin the process? To help, the experts at Coda Global shared four steps to effective communication in AppDev projects, all part of the company's proven RightStart methodology. Ideate and Gather: To deliver a top-notch application, start by sitting down with all of the key stakeholders from different areas of the business and asking what they are trying to accomplish. Who is the user going to be? Is the end goal a revenue-producing opportunity or simply functionality or usability for the business? Ask them, if they could have anything if they could dream big what would that one thing that is most important to them be? Doing this kind of brainstorming and having these right-brain conversations up front will help the team create a framework that ultimately forms the foundation for the project's design. Design and Align: Now that a framework for the project has been outlined, it's time to assemble a development team that fully understands and embraces the vision. People love working on something real, something they can share with their friends, family and children. Explain to the team what the purpose of the project is in a way that makes it relatable. If the project is to create an accounting app, for example, explain to the team that the new software will make accountants' jobs easier and give them more time with their families during tax season. Build and Test: Once the vision is set and the team is on board, it's time to build and test the application. And test it again. The build and test phases must always be tightly aligned, and it's important to involve all the key stakeholders again at this stage to be certain the application is performing as intended. Measure and Deploy: The testing and measurement phases must also be closely linked and stakeholders from the development team and the line-of-business customer or end-user side must be working hand-in-hand here communicating very clearly about what works and what doesn't work so that, in the end, everyone involved is certain the app meets the objective. But don't stop there most applications today are living, breathing, continuously innovative platforms that can have new functionality added to them to serve the evolving needs of the business. Want to Learn More? Hear Coda Global COO Troy Vetter discuss the importance of communication to the success of an AppDev project in an educational video "Brainstorm Before Jumpstarting AppDev Projects" for business and technology professionals produced by Cognistar as part of its extensive SmartPros WatchIT educational video library. discuss the importance of communication to the success of an AppDev project in an educational video "Brainstorm Before Jumpstarting AppDev Projects" for business and technology professionals produced by Cognistar as part of its extensive SmartPros WatchIT educational video library. Read a blog from Coda Global CEO Sam Fatigato that examines the role of tech-focused brainstorming in shorter AppDev timelines: http://ow.ly/A67k30lYp03. that examines the role of tech-focused brainstorming in shorter AppDev timelines: http://ow.ly/A67k30lYp03. Explore Coda Global's RightStart methodology and how it helps businesses launch new applications in just a few weeks, then download an infographic that illustrates the process that turns an application dream into a dream application. About Coda Global Coda Global is a cloud-native consultancy and application developer that helps companies accelerate their journey to the cloud. Using its unique DevOptimized approach, Coda works with customers worldwide during every stage of solution development and cloud transformation. From cloud native custom application development to modernizing existing applications or migrating legacy apps to the cloud, Coda Global turns each client's application dream into its dream application. Coda's ability to work at an accelerated pace allows it to deliver the right technology solutions to meet each customer's current business needs while future-proofing application projects to scale and innovate as the client's business grows, giving customers of all sizes from startups and midmarket firms to enterprise-level Fortune 500 organizations the RightStart they need to bring their best ideas to market. To learn more, visit Coda Global's website at www.coda.global. Coda Global Media Contacts Brittany Hedges Coda Global, LLC (512) 775-8210 [email protected] Karen Franse Communication Strategy Group for Coda Global (631) 239-6335 x222 [email protected] SOURCE Coda Global Related Links http://www.coda.global DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers can raise their comfort level about online safety by staying vigilant about potential threats and by taking common-sense steps to strengthen their cyber defenses, according to three cybersecurity experts from the IT Security Community of CompTIA , the world's leading technology association. In conjunction with the 15th Annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, CompTIA asked some of its members who are leaders in the cybersecurity field for advice on what consumers can do to make their home a haven for online safety. Here are three tips. 1. It Can Happen to You. "Individual consumers are absolutely a target of hackers and cybercriminals," said Victor Johnston, CEO of Inspired Business Innovations of Fayetteville, N.C. "Credit card numbers are easy to sell and in high demand. With the advent of crypto-currency, attackers can ransom your own files back to you or use your card for cash advances on crypto-currency. There's also the risk of blackmail and extortion using illegally obtained digital content." "Most consumers are aware that hackers are getting more creative," said Kevin Rubin, president and chief operating officer at Stratosphere Networks, a Chicago-based multifaceted IT managed service provider. "However, they have trouble staying ahead of the new threats that emerge daily and struggle to keep track of what not to do." One of the biggest threats continues to be the improper handling of email, according to Rubin. "A focus on email should be a top priority for businesses and consumers alike," he said. "Should you upload and download attachments, click on links, or complete transactions over email without verbally verifying? Failure to do so can easily open the door to hackers, creating the potential for your personal information to land in the hands of others." 2. Stay Current with Software Updates and Patches. "Auto-updating is much more common on 'regular' computing devices, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops, and desktops," said Lysa Myers, security researcher with ESET, a developer of industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. "But it's unlikely you'll see a notification for an available update on Internet of Things connected devices. "Be sure to check regularly for software updates on your router, your car, any fitness devices you might have, and any other devices around your home that connect to the Internet or to computers and mobile devices, most often by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth," Myers advised. Rubin added that web browsers are building intelligence into their search engines by letting you know if a site is malicious or not. "Don't disregard these warnings," he said. Johnston recommended that consumers have a continuity and recovery plan in place in the event of an incident where their information is compromised; or if they're a victim of a mechanical failure and lose their most important data. 3. Do Your Homework. Consumers should proceed with a "buyer beware" mindset before buying a new connected device, according to Myers. "It's a good idea to do a little research first," she said. "There are a variety of ways to see if a vendor or product has known privacy or security issues. You can search for vendors and specific products to see if they have known vulnerabilities and whether they've been patched." Another option is to visit the Better Business Bureau site to see if other customers have reported issues, or if there are government actions against the company. You can also use your favorite search engine to look for the product or vendor name with the word "recall" in the search to see if there are any recalls under way. CompTIA is committed to raising awareness about the critical importance of cybersecurity; to build competencies and skills among cybersecurity professionals around the world; and to attract new candidates into the cybersecurity workforce. About CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $4.8 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 35 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more. Contact: Steven Ostrowski CompTIA 630-678-8468 [email protected] SOURCE CompTIA Related Links http://www.comptia.org CHICAGO, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research "Content Marketing Software Market by Component (Software and Services), Content Type (Social Media, Blogs, Videos, Infographics), Organization Size (SMEs and Large Enterprises), Industry Vertical, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Content Marketing Software Market size is expected to grow from USD 4.12 billion in 2018 to USD 9.59 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.4% during the forecast period. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Don't miss out on business opportunities in Content Marketing Software Market. Speak to Our Analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=264192105 The increasing focus on enhancing customer experience among the enterprises is a major growth factor for the market. It also helps marketers provide consistent experience to its customers across multiple touch points. Software segment to hold a larger market size during the forecast period The software segment is expected to hold a larger market size in the Content Marketing Software Market during the forecast period. Enterprises have shifted their focus form traditional marketing methods to new and innovative methods. Content marketing software helps enterprises to make data-driven decisions while formulating the marketing strategy. Content marketing software vendors are integrating their offerings with analytics and artificial intelligence, which provide added advantage to the marketers while analyzing the customers' expectations. Browse in-depth TOC on "Content Marketing Software Market" 73 - Tables 35 - Figures 152 - Pages View more detailed TOC @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/content-marketing-software-market-264192105.html Large enterprises segment is expected hold a larger market size during the forecast period Large enterprises are organizations with more than 1,000 employees. The use of the content marketing software in large enterprises is higher than that of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), owing to the affordability and high economies of scale which enables large organizations to benefit from the content marketing software. Large enterprises have left no stone unturned to compete in the highly competitive market. Large enterprises generate huge volumes of marketing content that need to be effectively managed and published to meet the ever-changing demands of the customers. The need for a constant Omni channel digital experience and the provision of quick and comprehensive content to customers are driving the adoption of the content marketing software. North America to have the largest market size during the forecast period North America is expected to be the largest contributor to the Content Marketing Software Market in terms of regional revenue. The region comprises developed countries such as the US and Canada. North America is open to the adoption of new and emerging technologies, and its strong financial position enables it to invest majorly in the leading tools and technologies for effective business operations. Hence, organizations in North America have a competitive edge over the other organizations in other regions. Request for Free Sample Report @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=264192105 Major vendors offering content marketing software across the globe include Oracle (US), Adobe (US), Salesforce (US), HubSpot (US), Alma Media (Finland), Curata (US), NewsCred (US), Contently (US), Percolate (US), Sprinklr (US), ScribbleLive (Canada), PathFactory (Canada), Uberflip (Canada), SnapApp (US), OneSpot (US), Skyword (US), Kenscio (India), DivvyHQ (US), Scoop.it (US), BrandMaker (Germany), Mintent (Canada), Kapost (US), Wedia (France), Vendasta (Canada), and Annex Cloud (US). These vendors have adopted various types of organic and inorganic growth strategies, such as new product launches, business expansions, partnerships and collaborations, and mergers and acquisitions, to expand their offerings and further expand their presence in the global Content Marketing Software Market. Browse Adjacent Markets @ Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/content-marketing-software-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com SOURCE MarketsandMarkets IRVING, Texas, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR) today announced that Diamond Green Diesel ("DGD"), a joint venture with Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO), resumed production at its Norco, LA, facility. DGD recently expanded its annual capacity from 160 million gallons to 275 million gallons of renewable diesel. Darling Ingredients will also host its 2018 Analyst-Investor Forum, where management will provide a global business overview, on Thursday, October 11, 2018, in New Orleans, LA. Attendance is by invitation only. A live webcast of management's remarks is scheduled at 1:00 pm CT and can be accessed via the Investors section of the Company's website at www.darlingii.com. About Darling Darling Ingredients Inc. is a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and customized specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, pet food, feed, industrial, fuel, bioenergy and fertilizer industries. With operations on five continents, the Company collects and transforms all aspects of animal by-product streams into useable and specialty ingredients, such as gelatin, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstocks, green energy, natural casings and hides. The Company also recovers and converts recycled oils (used cooking oil and animal fats) into valuable feed and fuel ingredients and collects and processes residual bakery products into feed ingredients. In addition, the Company provides environmental services, such as grease trap collection and disposal services to food service establishments and disposal services for waste solids from the wastewater treatment systems of industrial food processing plants. The Company sells its products domestically and internationally and operates within three industry segments: Feed Ingredients, Food Ingredients and Fuel Ingredients. For additional information, visit the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com. For More Information, contact: 251 O'Connor Ridge Blvd., Suite 300 Melissa A. Gaither, VP Investor Relations Irving, Texas 75038 & Global Communications Phone: 972-717-0300 SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc. Related Links http://www.darlingii.com MOLINE, Ill., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) today announced changes to its leadership team in response to the planned retirement of a member of senior management later this year. "We are taking this opportunity to realign the senior management team to improve efficiency, further develop leadership talent, and more effectively align the organization in support of the company's business strategy," said Samuel R. Allen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The following changes are effective November 15: Max A. Guinn , 60, will retire as President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division. , 60, will retire as President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division. James M. Field , 55, is appointed President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division. , 55, is appointed President, Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division. John C. May , 49, is appointed President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division - Global Harvesting and Turf Platforms, Ag Solutions, Americas and Australia . , 49, is appointed President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division - Global Harvesting and Turf Platforms, Ag Solutions, Americas and . Mark von Pentz , 55, is appointed President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Global Tractor and Hay & Forage Platforms, Europe , CIS, Asia , Africa . , 55, is appointed President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Global Tractor and Hay & Forage Platforms, , CIS, , . Raj Kalathur, 50, is appointed Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer. Guinn is retiring after 38 years of distinguished service at Deere. After joining Deere as an engineer in 1980, his career included a variety of management and leadership assignments. "As a business leader, Max is known for his approachable style and outstanding communication skills," Allen said. "Throughout his career, he has shown a rare talent for tackling difficult issues with sensitivity and tact. During his tenure as president of Worldwide Construction & Forestry, the division expanded its product line, updated its manufacturing capabilities, and broadened its global market presence." After successful assignments in engineering, quality, supply management and factory management, Guinn became vice president of manufacturing in the Construction & Forestry Division in 2000, moved to the Agriculture & Turf Division in 2005 as senior vice president of manufacturing and engineering for harvesting equipment, and later served as senior vice president for the global harvesting platform. Guinn joined the company's senior management team in 2012 as Senior Vice President for human resources, communications, public affairs, and labor relations. He has been president of Worldwide Construction & Forestry since October 2014 and directed the 2017 acquisition of the Wirtgen Group, the world leader in road building equipment. It was the company's largest-ever acquisition and a move that added global scale to its construction equipment business. Guinn holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla (now Missouri University of Science & Technology) and an MBA from the University of Dubuque. Field, who had been a president in Deere's Agriculture & Turf Division, will succeed Guinn as president of Worldwide Construction & Forestry. He has an extensive background in finance and operations and in his new role will focus on sustainable, profitable growth around the globe as well as the continued integration of the Wirtgen Group. May will assume leadership responsibilities for the Agriculture & Turf Division in the Americas and the crop harvesting and turf platforms while continuing to lead the crop care platform and Intelligent Solutions Group. He has had primary responsibility for the company's precision-agriculture strategy since 2012. Von Pentz will add Deere's hay and forage product platform to his existing duties of leading the company's tractor platform and for Europe, the CIS, Asia and Africa. Combining the hay and forage and tractor platforms reinforces Deere's commitment to ongoing worldwide growth. Kalathur will continue in his role as chief financial officer and assume responsibility for the company's information and technology function a move to help position information technology as a strategic competitive advantage for Deere. Deere & Company (www.JohnDeere.com) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services for customers whose work is linked to the land - those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world's dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure. SOURCE Deere & Company Related Links http://www.deere.com VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For a sixth year, Modern Healthcare Magazine has named Divurgent, a healthcare IT consulting company, as one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare for 2018, ranking 53 in the supplier category. "It is incredibly humbling to continuously be recognized as a Best Places to Work in Healthcare," says Colin Konschak, CEO. "Ensuring our Team Members are confident, happy, and thriving in their positions with our firm is, and always has been, a top priority. This award is instrumental to Divurgent's leadership, but our Team Members are truly responsible for reinforcing and fostering Divurgent's company culture and brand." To foster a successful, meaningful corporate culture, Divurgent is devoted to developing new and maintaining existing initiatives, including a sustained Culture Committee, 'above and beyond' benefits and bonus packages, comprehensive wellness programs, and opportunities for professional and personal development through its tuition reimbursement program. Everything Divurgent does is guided by its ELITE values: Enthusiasm, Learning, Innovation, Trust, and Enthusiasm. Dedicated to healthcare and healthy living, Divurgent encourages healthy lifestyles at work and home through its Wellness Awareness and Awards programs, which helps communicate upcoming regulatory changes and sponsors company-wide health challenges, and wellness programs that provide opportunities for reimbursement and encouragement for healthy activity costs. "This recognition, especially now for four years in a row, demonstrates the success of our internal efforts to keep our Team Members not just satisfied, but happy," says Wendy Kadner, Vice President of Team Resources. "We are focused on engaging our Team Members throughout their careers and have developed a new career development and mentorship program to continue to ensure we're exceeding expectations wherever we can." In the past 12 months, Divurgent has received other distinguishing honors from organizations such as Inc. Magazine's Fastest Growing Companies, CIO Review's 50 Most Promising Healthcare Solution Providers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Ribbon Award, and Consulting Magazine's list of Fastest Growing Firms. In its 11th year, Modern Healthcare's Best Places to Work in Healthcare program honors employers who have made a commitment to be an exceptional place to work. Modern Healthcare revealed the ranked order of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare on September 27, 2018, at their annual Gala in Dallas, TX where Divurgent Team Members Cyndi Wilkinson and David Stone attended. About Divurgent Divurgent is not the typical healthcare consulting firm. As a nationally recognized company, we are committed to healthcare evolution and the strategies and processes that make it possible. We help our clients evolve in payment and delivery reform, as well as patient engagement, providing a higher quality of care, lower cost of care, and healthier communities. Focused on the business of hospitals, health systems, and affiliated providers, Divurgent believes successful outcomes are derived from powerful partnerships. Recognizing the unique culture that every organization offers, we leverage the depth of our experienced consulting team to create customized solutions that best meet our client's goals. Utilizing best practices and methodologies, we help improve our client's operational effectiveness, financial performance, and quality of patient care. For more information about Divurgent, visit us at www.divurgent.com Press Contact: Brittany Williams Director, Marketing [email protected] 757.213.6875 SOURCE Divurgent Related Links http://www.divurgent.com STOCKHOLM, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Electrolux today announced it has acquired SPM Drink Systems, an Italian leading manufacturer of professional dispensers of frozen and hot beverages and soft ice-cream, as part of the strategy to increase its presence in the hospitality industry. The extensive product portfolio offered by SPM Drink Systems will allow Electrolux Professional to become a full service solution provider by expanding its current beverage offering to include a comprehensive range of products. The acquisition supports Electrolux strategy for profitable growth. Together with the 2017 acquisition of Grindmaster-Cecilware in North America, it strengthens Electrolux presence in the fast-growing beverage segment. "We are excited and pleased to enlarge and complement our product portfolio in beverage with such an attractive, modern and well regarded company with a strong position in Europe. This acquisition is strategic and a perfect match to bring added value to our product offering," said Alberto Zanata, Head of Electrolux Professional Products. With half a century of heritage and skilled expertise as industry leader, the acquired operations had combined net sales of approximately EUR 30 million in 2017, and 110 employees. The company's headquarters and main manufacturing facilities are based in Spilamberto, Modena, Italy. For more information visit www.electrolux.com/professional and www.spm-ice.it This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/electrolux/r/electrolux-strengthens-its-professional-beverage-offering-by-acquiring-spm-drink-systems,c2632695 The following files are available for download: CONTACT: For further information, please contact Electrolux Press Hotline, +46-8-657-65-07. SOURCE Electrolux Related Links https://professional.electrolux.com/ HOUGHTON, Mich., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (MiFBI) and FinnZone will host multiple Finnish forestry and bioproducts companies October 16 to 19 in Houghton-Hancock for the upcoming Michigan-Finland Summit on Forest Bioproducts. The visit will also include meetings with FinnZone personnel, and tours of FinnZone-SmartZone facilities, Michigan Technological University and the area. MiFBI The Bioproducts Summit will be held on October 17-18, in the Memorial Union Building on the campus of Michigan Technological University. Registration is still open for Michigan and U.S. companies at: http://mifbi.org/events/bioproducts The Finnish companies are expected to represent a wide collection of business interests in the area of bio-based products and technologies. These companies are part of a delegation organized by Business Finland which is the Finnish national agency for business development. Finland leads the world in the technological and business development of the forest bioeconomy. Northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) are the heart of one of the largest forested regions in the United States, yet its' forest sector remains largely traditional in terms of products and services. Recently, it was announced funding was secured for a new $300 million biorefinery in the U.P. Substantial opportunities exist for Michigan and Finnish forestry and biobased companies, large and small, to begin to reshape the forest industry in Michigan towards a bioeconomy. Michigan has the largest concentration of Finnish-Americans in the United States and most are located in the Upper Peninsula, making the region very comfortable for Finnish businesses. About Us Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute (MIFBI) is a non-profit corporation that is leading the development of the forest bioeconomy in Michigan. MiFBI has hosted events focused on mass timber buildings, lignin valorization and now international collaboration to advance forest bioproducts. http://mifbi.org/ FinnZone is a commercial Launchpad assisting Finnish companies entering or expanding in the U.S. and North American markets, and is a partnership of MTEC SmartZone (Michigan Economic Development Corporation), local EDO's, Finlandia University and the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce Upper Michigan in collaboration with Michigan Technological University. FinnZone is located at Innovation Shore in the cities of Houghton and Hancock in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. https://finnzone.org/ Contact: Patrick Visser, MBA 906.523.1594 direct Chief Commercial Officer, MTEC SmartZone [email protected] Co-Director, FinnZone Houghton, Michigan, USA SOURCE FinnZone; MTEC SmartZone Related Links https://finnzone.org "With our ScanSnap line, we're making scanning approachable for all types of users," said Yasunari Shimizu, FCPA's Chief Executive Officer and President. "The ScanSnap iX1500 has experienced a significant evolution with improvements in design, function and software, but has maintained its core appeal as a simple to use, fast, and compact productivity tool. With its new touch screen and enhanced user interface, it enables everything to be done intuitively at the user's fingertips." Key features An optimized user experience that keeps evolving The iX1500 is built with ScanSnap's one-touch simplicity. It increases scanning efficiency and continuously evolves to satisfy the user experience with various automation functions. Simple from start to finish Transition from scanning to using data with just one touch of the 4.3-inch touch screen, a first for the iX Series. Performing basic tasks, such as setup and Wi-Fi configuration, checking scanning status, and choosing save-to destinations, with the touch screen is easy - even for first-time users. Users can scan with pre-configured profiles optimized for each user's workflow. With the iX1500, repetitive tasks such as sorting, saving, organizing, and connecting scanned data with other applications are made as simple as possible. Transition from scanning to using data with just one touch of the 4.3-inch touch screen, a first for the iX Series. Performing basic tasks, such as setup and Wi-Fi configuration, checking scanning status, and choosing save-to destinations, with the touch screen is easy - even for first-time users. Users can scan with pre-configured profiles optimized for each user's workflow. With the iX1500, repetitive tasks such as sorting, saving, organizing, and connecting scanned data with other applications are made as simple as possible. Create unique user profiles You can save information to specific destinations based on individual user preference when sharing the scanner among multiple *1 users, such as family members. You can save information to specific destinations based on individual user preference when sharing the scanner among multiple users, such as family members. Connect to popular cloud services with ScanSnap Cloud The iX1500 features ScanSnap Cloud, which connects to your favorite cloud service to manage your documents, receipts, business cards, and photos. You can create preconfigured shortcuts right on the touch screen to send scans to a specific cloud, or use ScanSnap Cloud's intelligent sorting feature to deliver scans to the correct cloud service automatically. One stop for all ScanSnap productivity Users can now easily manage, edit, and utilize various types of scanned paper with the all-new ScanSnap Home interface*2. By combining powerful ScanSnap functions into a single application, it enables you to organize documents, business cards, receipts, photos, and much more. Advanced software for total document management ScanSnap Home offers excellent functions to organize and search through your data using folders, tags, and keywords. You can now identify the digital information you need more quickly and easily than before. ScanSnap Home offers excellent functions to organize and search through your data using folders, tags, and keywords. You can now identify the digital information you need more quickly and easily than before. It learns and optimizes performance as you scan The iX1500 automatically names and suggests titles for your scanned files based on content and preset naming conventions. Suggestion accuracy is improved the more titles are repeatedly edited, allowing users to avoid spending time on repetitive corrections. Edits made to company names attributed to scanned business cards, for instance, are reflected on successive scans with the same attributed company. Refined usability for every user Attractive, durable design The iX1500's adaptable and aesthetic design enables it to blend into any space, so it can remain where it is used the most, such as in your living room, study room, or office. The iX1500's adaptable and aesthetic design enables it to blend into any space, so it can remain where it is used the most, such as in your living room, study room, or office. Stress-free operation The iX1500 enables fast, smooth scanning in all scenarios. The iX1500 enables fast, smooth scanning in all scenarios. Scans 30 sheets per minute in color-duplex mode Boots within seconds of opening the cover with Fast Startup Easily scans business cards and long receipts that tend to curl with the included Receipt Guide Scans unconventional documents *3 with Manual Scan with Manual Scan Cleans streaked images without the need for rescanning with Streak Reduction Notifies users of dust that may interfere with scanning via Dust Detection Offers built-in Wi-Fi with Direct Connect Mode Supports 2.4- and 5-GHz Wi-Fi*4 List price and release date The ScanSnap iX1500 is available through authorized resellers and VARs including CDW, Amazon, NewEgg, and others. Fujitsu has priced the ScanSnap iX1500 scanner at $495 list price. Available October 12, 2018. About Fujitsu Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 140,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com. About Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. is an established leader in the Document Imaging industry, delivering innovative scanning solutions and services that enable our customers to solve critical business productivity issues and streamline operations. Fujitsu provides cutting-edge document capture solutions for business and personal environments, backed by a comprehensive portfolio of service and support programs. For more information about Fujitsu document imaging, visit http://us.fujitsu.com/fcpa. ScanSnap iX1500 comes with 4 ScanSnap Home user licenses and 1 Nuance user license. Users can import data from existing ScanSnap software to ScanSnap Home with the iX500, iX100, S1300i, S1100i and SV600. Envelopes, plastic cards, folded A3 documents, and documents with sticky notes. 5 GHz Wi-Fi is not available with Direct Connect Mode. Contact: Gabie Kur, BAM Communications, 619-855-7230 SOURCE Fujitsu Related Links http://www.fujitsu.com LONDON, October 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Forecasts by Turbine Cycle (Simple Cycle, Combined Cycle), and Upgrade Type (Comprehensive Upgrades, Hot Section Coating, Compressor Coating, Inlet Air Fogging, Others) Plus Leading Company Analysis and Regional and Leading National Market Analysis (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/523989/Visiongain_Logo.jpg ) Do you need definitive gas turbine upgrades market data? Succinct gas turbine upgrades market analysis? Technological insight? Clear competitor analysis? Actionable business recommendations? Read on to discover how this definitive report can transform your own research and save you time. The rising electricity demand has led Visiongain to publish this timely report. The gas turbine upgrades market is valued at $14.9bn and is expected to flourish in the next few years because of the increased spending on improving residential, commercial, and industrial power generation infrastructure along with energy conservation initiatives and because government regulations to cut down carbon emissions is expected to feed through in the latter part of the decade driving growth to new heights. If you want to be part of this growing industry, then read on to discover how you can maximise your investment potential. Report highlights 172 quantitative tables, charts, and graphs Analysis of key players in Gas Turbine Upgrades technologies Araner B&B-Agema GmbH Centrax Ltd. Ethos Energy General Electric Company Kawasaki Heavy Industries MEE Industries Inc. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd Siemens AG Stellar Energy Turbine Technology Services Corporation Global Gas Turbine Upgrades market outlook and analysis from 2018-2028 One expert interview with a key industry expert General Electric Company Gas Turbine Upgrades Market forecasts and analysis by Turbine Cycle from 2018-2028 Simple Cycle forecast 2018-2028 Combined Cycle forecast 2018-2028 Gas Turbine Upgrades Market forecasts and analysis by Upgrade Type from 2018-2028 Comprehensive Upgrades forecast 2018-2028 Hot Section Coating forecast 2018-2028 Compressor Coating forecast 2018-2028 Inlet Air Fogging forecast 2018-2028 Other (Upgrade Types) forecast 2018-2028 Regional Gas Turbine Upgrades market forecasts from 2018-2028 US forecast 2018-2028 China forecast 2018-2028 Japan forecast 2018-2028 Italy forecast 2018-2028 Germany forecast 2018-2028 UK forecast 2018-2028 Rest of Europe forecast 2018-2028 ASEAN forecast 2018-2028 Rest of Asia Pacific forecast 2018-2028 Canada forecast 2018-2028 Rest of the World forecast 2018-2028 Key questions answered What does the future hold for the gas turbines upgrade industry? Where should you target your business strategy? Which applications should you focus upon? Which disruptive technologies should you invest in? Which companies should you form strategic alliances with? Which company is likely to success and why? What business models should you adopt? What industry trends should you be aware of? Target audience Leading gas turbine upgrades companies Suppliers Contractors Technologists R&D staff Consultants Analysts CEO's CIO's COO's Business development managers Investors Governments Agencies Industry organisations Banks To request a report overview of this report please contact Sara Peerun at [email protected] or refer to our website: https://www.visiongain.com/report/gas-turbine-upgrades-market-report-2018-2028/ Advent International Aero Engine Corporation of China Alberta Alstom Ansaldo Energia Araner B&B-Agema GmbH Beijing Hua Yuan Heating Pipeline Co. Ltd Berakas Power Company (BPC) Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) BHEL India Black Hill Energy Boustead International Heaters (BIH) Ltd Caithness Energy Centrax Ltd. Centrica China Huadian Corporation Ltd (CHD) China's State Power Investment Corporation Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios S.A Daigas Group Deutsche Bahn Energie Dresser-Rand Eastern Power and Electric Co. (EPEC) ENGIE Entegra Power Group EquiPower Ethos Energy ExxonMobil Gama Power Systems Engineering Gas and Power Co., Ltd. Gaz Energize GE Oil & Gas Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Bremen General Electric General Electricity Company of Libya (GECOL) Guangzhou Development Group Co. Ltd. Gujarat State Electricity (GSECL) Huadian Fuxin Energy Corporation Limited Iberdrola SA INA Industrija Nafte Plc. Inter Pipeline Ltd JFE Steel Corporation Kawasaki Heavy Industries Machwood Power Ltd Mainova AG Marubeni Corp. MB Aerospace group Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) NTPC GE Power Services (NGSL) Petrobras Pratt & Whitney PW Power systems Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) Rockwell Automation Rolls-Royce RWE AG Shanghai Caojing Co-generation Co. Ltd. Siemens AG Siemens Canada Stellar Energy Suncor Energy Sundevil Power Holdings Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation TransAlta Turbine Technology Service Corporation United Engine Corporation Westinghouse Wood Group GTS Yenikoy Kemerkoy Elektrik Uretim ve Ticaret A.S List of Other Organisations Mentioned in this Report Gas Turbine Society of Japan (GTSJ) The Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) of Middle East & Africa the European Parliament The Government of South Australia The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) To see a report overview please e-mail Sara Peerun on [email protected] SOURCE Visiongain ABC/Randy HolmesAfter being slammed on social media for his tweet calling for the abolishment of the 13th amendment, which ended slavery, Kanye West says he chose the wrong word, while also announcing he'll record his new album in Africa. Appearing Monday on TMZ Live, Kanye said, "I misspoke by saying abolish. Amend is the right language." He continued, "What's beautiful about our Constitution is we can amend it. Right?" Following his Saturday Night Live appearance, during which he wore a "Make America Great Again" hat in support of President Trump, Kanye tweeted over the weekend, "We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment." Yeezus believes revising the amendment will end the unjust prison system. He's calling for a special committee to change the Constitution. "There should be a group of super knowledgeable people that come from all cultures that then make the amendments on our Constitution," he told TMZ Live. "There needs to be people who look like the people who are being spoke about." After previously announcing that his new album, Yandhi, would be released Saturday, West explained that the album isn't ready. He says he'll complete it in The Motherland. "We're going to Africa in two weeks to record," the G.O.O.D.Music CEO said. "I felt this energy when I was in Chicago. I felt the roots." Ye continued, "We have to go to what is known as Africa. I just need to go and even find out what it's really called, and just grab the soil and cook food. Five meals a day so the metabolism stays up and have my kids in the studio and have the mic in the open so you can hear nature while we're recording." Kanye plans to release Yandhi on Black Friday, November 23. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. (CNN) A U.S. Navy ship had an "unsafe" interaction with a Chinese warship Sunday while the U.S. vessel was conducting a freedom of navigation operation near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, two U.S. defense officials told CNN. One official said the Chinese destroyer came as close as 45 feet to the USS Decatur. This incident comes amid heightened U.S.-China tensions over a broad range of issues. Chinese ships often shadow U.S. vessels during freedom of navigation operations but those interactions are usually considered safe. CNN reported Sunday the USS Decatur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls freedom of navigation operations, which are meant to enforce the right of free passage in international waters. While the Navy conducts such freedom of navigation operations all over the world, China is particularly sensitive about the operations when they come near areas where the Chinese government has built islands and established military facilities on disputed maritime features. Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that the "unsafe" interaction took place near the Spratly Islands. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Chinese warship in 'unsafe' encounter with US destroyer, amid rising US-China tensions." DUBLIN, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Aviation Fuel Market Share, Size, Analysis - Segmented by Fuel Type, End-User Application, and Geography - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors driven by a rapidly expanding global middle class, especially in developing countries, as well as the increasing penetration of low cost carriers. The aviation fuel market is expected to witness a high growth rate during the forecast period, 2018 to 2023. The market for aviation fuel is highly effected by the increasing number of air passengers worldwide and fluctuations in oil and gas prices. The demand is majorly driven in response to the air traffic and aircraft fleet in both commercial and military applications in emerging economies such as China and India. Increasing demand for air cargo transportation in terms of volume and freight traffic is one of the drivers of aviation fuel market. Increase in the Air Passengers in the Emerging Economies Driving the Aviation Fuel Market Demand for aviation fuel has increased significantly over the last two years owing to the rise in airline passenger traffic. As per the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), 3.97 billion passengers flew on scheduled flights around the world in 2017. According to the International Air Transport Association, this passenger number represented a growth of 8.8% y-o-y, as measured by revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs). These factors contribute to the increasing demand for aviation fuel, which has been one of the strongest performers among transportation fuels in recent years. Expanding middle class in emerging countries, diverging demographic outlooks, and liberalization of aviation markets are some of the major factors to be considered for the increase in air passengers count every year. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), around 7.8 billion passengers are expected to travel by 2036, which is almost double the number in 2017. Asia-Pacific Holds the Largest Share in Aviation Fuel Market Asia-Pacific has emerged as one of the largest aviation fuel markets in the recent years. With the rise in urbanization and increasing disposable incomes in the emerging economies across the region has resulted in the growth of air passengers in this region. Driven by changing demographic trends, Asia-Pacific increasing investments in transportation and manufacturing infrastructure is expected to boost the demand for aviation fuel. Countries such as China, India, and Indonesia are expected to be the fastest growing markets in terms of annual additional passengers by 2036. With China's economy shifting towards a more service- and consumption-driven model, the medium term demand for air freight is expected to increase in the coming years. These are some of the significant factors contributing to the growth of the aviation fuel market during the forecast period. Passenger Aircraft- A Huge Market Potential Due to the sharp increase in economic growth and disposable incomes in emerging countries demand for air travel is expected to double in the next two decades and grow almost by 4% each year. China, the United States, India, Indonesia, and Turkey are expected to be the fastest-growing markets in terms of annual additional passengers by 2036. As international travel has become more accessible, the global tourist arrival count has greatly increased 1.24 billion in 2016. Increasing the number of flights performed and the number of low-cost carriers in countries such as China and India have accounted for more than 10% of the total aviation market in these countries. Key Developments in the Aviation Fuel Market Shell aviation announced that it has signed a fuelling concession agreement to operate the new into-plane and fuel farm facilities as the sole jet fuel supplier at Salalah International Airport in Oman. Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Aviation Fuel Market Insights 3.1 Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.2 Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Force Analysis 4. Market Dynamics 4.1 Aviation Fuel Market Drivers 4.2 Aviation Fuel Market Restraints 4.3 Aviation Fuel Market Opportunities 5. Market Segmentation and Analysis (Market Size, Growth, and Forecast) 5.1 Aviation Fuel Market By Fuel Type 5.1.1 Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) 5.1.1.1 Jet A-1 5.1.1.2 Jet A 5.1.1.3 Jet B 5.1.2 Aviation Biofuel 5.1.3 AVGAS 5.2 Aviation Fuel Market By End-User Application 5.2.1 Commercial Aircraft 5.2.1.1 Passenger Aircraft 5.2.1.2 Cargo Aircraft 5.2.2 Military Aircraft 5.2.3 Business Aircraft 6. Regional Market Analysis (Market Size and Demand Forecast until 2023) 7. Aviation Fuel Market Competitive Landscape 7.1 Mergers and Acquisitions 7.2 Joint Ventures, Collaborations, and Agreements 7.3 Market Share Analysis 7.4 Strategies Adopted by Leading Players 8. Aviation Fuel Market Key Company Analysis 8.1 Exxon Mobil Corporation 8.2 Qatar Jet Fuel Company 8.3 Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd 8.4 BP p.l.c 8.5 Chevron Corporation 8.6 Royal Dutch Shell Plc 8.7 Total SA 8.8 Allied Aviation Services, Inc. 8.9 Valero Marketing and Supply 8.10 Gazprom Neft PJSC For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/czfkss/global_aviation?w=5 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com DUBLIN, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Printed Sensor Market - Segmented by Printing Technology (Contact, Non-contact), Sensor Type (Image, Biosensor, Temperature, Touch), End User, and Region - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2018 - 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global Printed sensor market is expected to register a CAGR of over 6.56% during the forecast period 2018 - 2023. The report profiles the players of Printed sensors market for various industries. The printed sensors technology costs less and can be manufactured on a large scale, providing high economies of scale to manufacturers. High demand from smart packaging is another factor driving the growth of the market. Smart packaging helps easier tracking and reduced packaging costs. The medical industry is a major contributor to the growth of the printed sensors market due to increasing research and development for quicker diagnostics and identification of procedures. Growing demand for electric vehicles in the automotive market has accelerated the printed sensors market developments. The reason for this is the high integration of printed sensors for monitoring and improving the performance of electric vehicles. Low Cost, Mass Manufacturable Sensors, and Large Area Manufacturability driving growth The fully-printable sensors are a low-cost alternative to the silicon sensors. This is due to the increasing application areas for the flexible, stretchable, mass manufacturable, and versatile printed sensors. Unlike the silicon sensors, these sensors can be easily disposed of. The medical industry is one of the end users that benefits from this versatility of the printed sensors. Biosensors, a type of printed sensors, are allowing the medical industry to grow. Another industry to benefit from the increasing growth in the printed sensors market is the smartphones industry. The ever-increasing demand for smartphones is expected to drive the growth in the printed electronics market due to its architecture and thin structure. The smartphones are one of the most widely changing popular consumer electronics product. The increasing features set and reducing sizes of these devices has created a demand for thin, flexible, and highly-durable sensors. Europe is the Largest Contributor in the Printed Sensor Market Europe is the largest market for printed electronic sensors owing to increasing demand for printed technology in the medical industry. Also, the growing development towards human-machine interface, nano-dimension materials, and point-of-care devices through printed electronics is on a rise in Europe, more than any other region. Electric vehicles are seen as a big market for printed electronic sensors because of the need for monitoring of the car's performance and energy consumption. The requirements for printed sensors in Electric Vehicles are expected to further increase with the rise in technologically-advanced and autonomous or self-drive cars. Europe has the largest market for electric vehicles and this is a driving factor for printed sensors. Government is involved in promoting and helping commercialize the printed sensor technology. European electronic manufacturers are in part funded by regional and national institutions and the European Union for carrying out research projects. An example of the EU-funded project is FlexSMELL, which focused on designing olfaction systems for smart packaging for the logistics of perishable goods. Key Developments in the Printed Sensor Market March 2018 : Thinfilm announced IP licensing agreement and equipment sale. Thin Film Electronics ASA announced the licensing of its intellectual property portfolio related to printed displays and sensors to Consensum Production AB. Thinfilm is likely to receive an up-front license fee : Thinfilm announced IP licensing agreement and equipment sale. Thin Film Electronics ASA announced the licensing of its intellectual property portfolio related to printed displays and sensors to Consensum Production AB. Thinfilm is likely to receive an up-front license fee April 2018 : Tangio launched New Range of Force Sensing Potentiometers. Following the successful launch of its best-in-class TPE-500 series Force Sensing Resistors in 2016, Tangio further expanded the range with a new family of Force Sensing Potentiometers (FSP) Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 1.1. Scope of Study 1.2. Executive Summery 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Study Deliverable 2.2. Study Assumptions 2.3. Research Methodology 2.4. Research Phases 3. Market Insights 3.1. Printed Sensor MarketOverview 3.2. Ecosystem Analysis 3.3. Industry Attractiveness - Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4. Market Dynamics 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Printed Sensor Market Drivers 4.2.1. Low Cost, Mass Manufacturable Sensors, and Large Area Manufacturability driving growth 4.2.2. High Demand from Smart Packaging Industry 4.2.3. Rapid growth of printed sensors in Medical sector 4.3. Printed Sensor Market Restrains 4.3.1. High setup cost for processing plants 5. Global Printed Sensors Market Segmentation 5.1. Printed Sensor Market By Printing Technology 5.1.1. Contact 5.1.1.1. Gravure 5.1.1.2. Flexography 5.1.1.3. Others 5.1.2. Non-contact 5.1.2.1. Screen 5.1.2.2. Inkjet 5.1.2.3. Others 5.2. Printed Sensor Market By Sensor type 5.2.1. Image 5.2.2. Biosensors 5.2.3. Temperature 5.2.4. Touch 5.2.5. Humidity 5.2.6. Proximity 5.3. Printed Sensor Market By End User 5.3.1. Automotive 5.3.2. Consumer Electronics 5.3.3. Industrial 5.3.4. Medical 5.3.5. Others 5.4. Printed Sensor Market By Region 6. Printed Sensor Market Comapnies 6.1. FlexEnable Limited 6.2. Integrated Device Technology, Inc 6.3. Canatu Oy 6.4. Butler Technologies 6.5. ISORG 6.6. PragmatIC 6.7. KWJ Engineering 6.8. Peratech Holdco Limited 6.9. Pressure Profile Systems 6.10. T+Ink, Inc. 6.11. Tekscan, Inc. 6.12. Thin Film Electronics ASA 6.13. GSI Technologies 7. Printed Sensor Market Investment Analysis 8. Printed Sensor Market Future Outlook For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/88pj87/global_printed?w=5 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com LUXEMBOURG, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native technology services company, today announced it will release results for the third quarter ended September 30th, 2018 on Thursday November 15th, 2018 after the close of regular market hours. Following the release, Martin Migoya, Globant's CEO & co-founder, and Alejandro Scannapieco, Globant's CFO, will discuss the results in a conference call beginning at 4:30pm ET. Conference call access information is: US +1 (888) 346-2877 International +1 (412) 902-4257 Webcast http://investors.globant.com/ Additionally, a replay will be available via phone and in our investor relations website after the call. About Globant (NYSE:GLOB) We are a digitally native company where innovation, design and engineering meet scale. We use the latest technologies in the digital and cognitive field to empower organizations in every aspect. We have more than 7,200 professionals in 12 countries working for companies like Google, Linkedin, BBVA, EA and Coca Cola, among others. We were named a Worldwide Leader of Digital Strategy Consulting Services by IDC MarketScape report (2016 and 2017). We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford. For more information, visit www.globant.com Investor Relations Contact: Paula Conde, Globant [email protected] (877) 215-5230 Media Contact: Wanda Weigert, Globant [email protected] (877) 215-5230 Source: Globant SOURCE Globant Related Links http://www.globant.com TORONTO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Grandmaster Stanley Ngui is excited to announce an upcoming conference where he will discuss with attendees, in both lecture and practicum formats, his new medical health care system, the NGUI-MATRIX. As a Qigong Grandmaster, international lecturer, humanitarian, and established traditional Chinese medicine clinician, Grandmaster Stanley Ngui has culminated his experience in the medical industry by creating a holistic wellness healthcare treatment plan the NGUI-MATRIX. The NGUI-MATRIX was created on the principle that pain is the most common symptom of most illnesses/injuries and that many people experience pain for the entirety of their life. The NGUI-MATRIX addresses the understanding of pain treatment using three main models; the traditional understanding that pain is related to the nervous system, the modern Chinese medical system's understanding that pain resides in the meridian system, and the understanding that pain is associated with the path of least resistance. The NGUI-MATRIX health care system utilizes knowledge, as derived from Qigong and the flow of Qi to address pressure centers in the head thus resulting in relief to the afflicted part of the body. The NGUI-MATRIX, in its essence, is a knowledge-based approach to relieving pain and other bodily abnormalities, in a low-impact and non-invasive way. On October 29, Grandmaster Stanley will be holding a conference in Toronto where he will be discussing his innovative healthcare system with attendees with the hope that they will be able to later integrate the NGUI-MATRIX into their treatment regimens. The conference will be in both lecture and practicum styles, ensuring that attendees leave with a firm grasp of this innovative system. If you are interested in learning more about the NGUI-MATRIX health care system and the conference that will be held on October 29, in Toronto, please visit https://www.nguimatrix.com. About Grandmaster Stanley Ngui Grandmaster Stanley Ngui is a 23rd generation family member of the Ngui (WEI) family, a family immersed in traditional Chinese medicine dating back to 661 BC. Grandmaster Stanley has created the NGUI-MATRIX by combining his knowledge of medicine, Qigong, and natural medicine. The NGUI-MATRIX combines both traditional and modern practices and has been "repackaged" to work for the modern clinician. Contact: Farra Lanzer 970-541-3284 [email protected] SOURCE NGUI-MATRIX Health Care System Related Links https://www.nguimatrix.com These 65-cent self-adhesive semipostal stamps are available year-round in sheets of 20 to help raise funds for breast cancer research. Each stamp is equal to the First-Class Mail 1-ounce postage rate in effect at the time of purchase. The stamps are available at Post Offices nationwide, online at usps.com , by mail order through USA Philatelic catalog, or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724). The amount the Postal Service contributes to breast cancer research is determined by the difference between the 65-cent purchase price and the First-Class Mail rate in effect at the time of purchase, minus any costs incurred by USPS. The distribution of the Postal Service contribution is specified by law, with 70 percent given to the National Institutes of Health and 30 percent given to the Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense. More than 1 billion stamps have been sold since its inception in 1998, raising more than $87.8 million for breast cancer research. The Breast Cancer Research Stamp was the first semipostal stamp in U.S. history. In 1997, Congress authorized it for the specific purpose of raising funds from the American public to assist in finding a cure for breast cancer. In 2015, President Obama signed legislation that extended the sale of the stamp through Dec. 31, 2019. Designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, the stamp features the phrases, "Fund the Fight" and "Find a Cure" and an illustration of a mythical "goddess of the hunt" by Whitney Sherman of Baltimore. In addition to the Breast Cancer Research stamp, the Postal Service offers two other fundraising stamps. The Save Vanishing Species semipostal stamp, first issued in 2011, has raised more than $5.2 million to help protect threatened and vanishing species. In addition, the Alzheimer's semipostal stamp was issued in 2017 and has raised more than $524,000 to fund Alzheimer's research. All three stamps help raise money for causes in the national public interest and are available for purchase year-round. The Postal Service is promoting each of these stamps through the remainder of the year starting with the Breast Cancer Research stamp in October, continuing with the Alzheimer's stamp in November and concluding with Save the Vanishing Species in December. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. For U.S. Postal Service media resources, including broadcast quality video and audio and photo stills, visit the USPS Newsroom. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the USPS YouTube Channel, like us on Facebook and enjoy our Postal Posts blog. For more information about the Postal Service, visit usps.com and usps.com/postalfacts. National: Sara Martin 202.268.8386 [email protected] usps.com/news SOURCE U.S. Postal Service Related Links http://www.usps.com "Mark is dedicated to and compassionate about providing access to affordable housing to Houstonians," HHA President and CEO Tory Gunsolley said. "His uncompromising integrity combined with his long and distinguished career working in public housing sector will help us to continue to build on our long history of serving Houston residents." Prior to taking the helm as senior vice president, Thiele served as vice president of the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), which subsidizes housing for more than 17,000 low-income families. Under his leadership, he oversaw a 115-person staff and $135 million operational budget. Thiele has also secured numerous industry awards for HHA, including a recent award from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) for quickly relocating families impacted by Harvey into new homes. "It is a tremendous honor to be entrusted to help address Houston's affordable housing shortage," Thiele said. "I look forward to working with a dedicated team to expand access to affordable homes and empower more Houstonians with the tools they need to live successful, fulfilling lives." Prior to joining HHA in 2010, Thiele served as program manager, responsible for all aspects of the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) for the Harris County Housing Authority following hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2008. Thiele also worked in the affordable housing sector a consultant at Quadel Consulting Corporation where he participated in a variety of engagements across the country in cities including Chicago, Houston and Memphis. Thiele is an active leader in the housing sector serving as president of Texas Chapter of NAHRO and board member of the National Public Housing Museum. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and anthropology from the University of Texas and a graduate degree with honors in international relations from the University of Chicago. ABOUT HHA: Houston Housing Authority (HHA) provides affordable homes and services to more than 58,000 low income Houstonians, including over 17,000 families housed through the Housing Choice Voucher Program as well as another 5,700 living in 25 public housing and tax credit developments around the city. HHA also administers one of the nation's largest voucher program exclusively serving homeless veterans. More information about the Houston Housing Authority can be found at www.housingforhouston.com . Media Contact: Ron Reynolds, Etched Communication [email protected] 832-940-7268 SOURCE Houston Housing Authority Related Links http://www.housingforhouston.com SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AgileCamp announced today that the International Consortium for Agile (ICAgile) has been named the Official Education Partner for its 2018 AgileCamp conference series. ICAgile, a global agile accreditation and certification body, has accredited a new public course presented by Hyperdrive Agile Leadership, a Silicon Valley-based training and advisory firm, and taught by Toyota Connected Chief of Agile Nigel Thurlow. AgileCamp New York Metro conference held Sept. 24, 2018 The ICAgile accredited public course, called "Scrum: The Toyota Way," will be held in concert with the upcoming AgileCamp Dallas-Fort Worth conference scheduled for Nov. 2, 2018, in Irving, Texas. "AgileCamp 2018 promises to be an invigorating experience for our agile community, all the more so with the stellar educational programming presented by Hyperdrive Agile Leadership," said Ahmed Sidky, president of ICAgile. "ICAgile is proud to be entrusted with the accreditation of the 'Scrum: The Toyota Way' class as the Official Education Partner of AgileCamp 2018." "We selected ICAgile as our educational partner based upon their outstanding reputation in the Agile community. We think the addition of new courses to be held in concert with AgileCamp will be of great value to our attendees," said Stacey Louie, AgileCamp founder. The "Scrum: The Toyota Way" course will be held on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2018, in Plano, Texas, prior to the AgileCamp Dallas-Fort Worth conference. The course, which will be taught by Thurlow, will give students a rare glimpse into Toyota's highly successful operating processes while providing an introduction to agile methodologies. "As one of the most successful practices in history, Toyota is well known for creating the Toyota Production System and establishing the 'Toyota Way' culture," said Louie. The course, which is being debuted for the first time to the public, will be highly valuable to Agile students, he added. "To attend a class taught by Nigel, who is an internationally renowned Agile expert, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Louie noted. Participants who successfully complete the class will be certified as ICAgile Certified Professionals in Agile Fundamentals. The class is open to all. Attending the conference is not a requirement for registration for the class, however, a discount combination package is available for those who attend both. To learn more and to register for the course and/or conference, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scrum-the-toyota-way-tickets-48621019779. About ICAgile Founded in 2010, ICAgile (www.icagile.com) is a leading global agile accreditation and certification body that helps organizations design learning experiences that cultivate an agile mindset and enable sustainable organizational agility. ICAgile provides world-class learning tracks to guide organizations in the development of their curriculum. ICAgile's approach is not tied to any specific agile methodology, thus giving people the flexibility to blend flavors in a way that make sense for their reality. About Hyperdrive Agile Founded in 2009 and based in Silicon Valley, Hyperdrive Agile (www.hyperdriveagile.com) has nurtured enterprise-wide transformations for a range of small to large businesses. From startups to Fortune 100 companies, Hyperdrive helps clients take their Agile, Scrum and Lean endeavors to the next level. Clients have included: PayPal, Nike, LinkedIn, Genentech, Atlassian, Salesforce, Comcast, Prudential Financial, Capital One, Nike, Hewlett Packard, Cisco, eBay and Humana. Hyperdrive Agile is nationally certified as a Women's Business Enterprise by the Astra Women's Business Alliance, a regional certifying partner of the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). About AgileCamp AgileCamp (www.agilecamp.org) is a high-impact, one-day forum for leaders of all levels to learn Agile skills and gain knowledge on effecting change within their enterprise. This year, the conferences -- which will be held in four major U.S. cities -- will feature more than 20 session tracks with session speakers representing major Fortune 500 companies such as Toyota Connected, Nike, Target, The Home Depot, Intel, Salesforce, Anthem and many more. Media Contacts: Susan Walker (408) 475-4582 [email protected] Kevin Doherty [email protected] Related Links Hyperdrive Agile Leadership AgileCamp SOURCE AgileCamp Related Links http://www.agilecamp.org MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: INFU) ("InfuSystem" or the "Company"), a leading national provider of infusion pumps and related services for the healthcare industry in the United States and Canada, today announced it will feature its InfuBLOCK Post-Op Pain Management program at Outpatient Surgery Magazine's OR Excellence Conference, taking place on October 3 5 at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Neill Saunders, InfuBLOCK's Division Director said, "InfuBLOCK for both the outpatient and inpatient settings, gives continuous peripheral nerve block programs a convenient and cost-saving way to do more blocks for more patients, reducing the reliance on opioid pain medication for post-surgical recovery. And the patients love it. Our satisfaction scores are consistently higher than 9 out of 10, which our customers love. InfuBLOCK offers superior accuracy in delivering the correct amount of medication in the infusion process compared to balloon-type infusion devices, helps manage our patient's pain better. Patients on the program are contacted daily by our InfuBLOCK team to monitor progress, pain levels, and satisfaction. InfuBLOCK's ultra-high patient satisfaction scores show InfuBLOCK's ability to effectively manage pain while avoiding the deleterious effects associated with taking opioid medications." According to the National Institutes of Health, "Taking opioids over a long period of time produces dependence, such that when people stop taking the drug, they have physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal. Dependence is not the same thing as addiction; although everyone who takes opioids for an extended period will become dependent. "Misuse of prescription opioids and heroin affects more than 2 million Americans and an estimated 15 million people worldwide each year. The prevalence of opioid misuse and addiction is rapidly increasing. In 2016, more than 20,000 deaths in the United States were caused by an overdose of prescription opioids, and another 13,000 deaths resulted from heroin overdose. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death in U.S. adults under age 50, and opioids account for more than half of all drug overdose deaths." Mr. Saunders continued, "InfuBLOCK is an effective and safe protocol for managing post-operative pain. Patients recover in the comfort of their own home with a non-opioid, consistent method for pain management along with our entire team to support them as they recover. Helping patients manage post-op pain as they heal, while minimizing their reliance on opioid pain medications, is our cause and is more important today than ever. While opioid medications have a place in the overall treatment of pain, InfuBLOCK can be a superior alternative to going home with opioid pain medications alone. "Additionally, facilities that offer the InfuBLOCK program will experience significant cost savings compared to balloon-type elastomeric pumps currently in use. We look forward to showcasing InfuBLOCK at Outpatient Surgery Magazine's OR Excellence Conference on October 3 5, 2018 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida." About InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is a leading provider of infusion pumps and related services to hospitals, oncology practices and other alternate site healthcare providers. Headquartered in Madison Heights, Michigan, the Company delivers local, field-based customer support and also operates Centers of Excellence in Michigan, Kansas, California, Georgia and Ontario, Canada. The Company's stock is traded on the NYSE American under the symbol INFU. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are considered to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," variations of such words, and other similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to future actions, business plans, objectives and prospects, future operating or financial performance, including the preliminary financial results contained in this press release. In connection with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the Company is identifying certain factors that could cause actual results to differ, perhaps materially, from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Those factors, risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the potential changes in overall healthcare reimbursement, including Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services ("CMS") competitive bidding and fee schedule reductions, sequestration, concentration of customers, increased focus on early detection of cancer, competitive treatments, dependency on Medicare Supplier Number, availability of chemotherapy drugs, global financial conditions, changes and enforcement of state and federal laws, natural forces, competition, dependency on suppliers, risks in acquisitions & joint ventures, U.S. Healthcare Reform, relationships with healthcare professionals and organizations, technological changes related to infusion therapy, the Company's ability to implement information technology improvements and to respond to technological changes, dependency on websites and intellectual property, the ability of the Company to successfully integrate acquired businesses, dependency on key personnel, dependency on banking relations and the ability to comply with Credit Facility covenants, and other risks associated with its common stock, as well as any litigation to which the Company may be involved in from time to time; and other risk factors as discussed in the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and in other filings made by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Our annual report on Form 10-K is available on the SEC's EDGAR website at www.sec.gov, and a copy may also be obtained by contacting the Company. All forward-looking statements made in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. We do not intend, and do not undertake any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as required by law. Additional information about InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. is available at www.infusystem.com. CONTACT: Joe Dorame, Joe Diaz & Robert Blum Lytham Partners, LLC 602-889-9700 SOURCE InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. Related Links http://www.infusystem.com ATLANTA, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum is a two-day conference that brings together critical communications professionals to understand the wide-range of uses of LTE communications networks. Scheduled to take place November 6-7, 2018 in Chicago, this event follows the record-breaking conference last November in Dallas, TX. To register for IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum, click here. IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum is designed for government, public safety, critical infrastructure and enterprises as they prepare to transition from LMR to mission-critical LTE and state and local governments prepare for FirstNet and Smart Cities. Stacey Orlick, IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum Conference Director said, "The conference provides a deep understanding of LTE communications networks, devices and applications. Day one focuses on the building blocks of critical LTE, the differences between 4G and 5G, devices accessories and applications, cybersecurity, and the role of IoT and analytics. The day concludes with a panel on smart cities as well as a reception. Day two features discussions on mission-critical push-to-talk, network control, interoperability, measuring coverage as well as a look into the future." IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum Show Director Stephanie McCall added, "We look forward to bringing this essential education to the industry." The conference keynote presentations will be delivered by industry leaders including: Steven K. Miller , Director, Verizon National Security and Public Safety, Verizon , Director, Verizon National Security and Public Safety, Michelle Johnson , Director, LTE Advocacy and Business Development, Communications Systems, Harris Corporation , Director, LTE Advocacy and Business Development, Communications Systems, Reginald Jones , Director of Public Sector Sales and Solutions, Samsung Electronics America , Director of Public Sector Sales and Solutions, Todd Krautkremer , Chief Marketing Officer, Cradlepoint To view the full agenda and register to attend, click here. In addition to IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum, IWCE's Online Conference offers a series of free-to-attend webinars that take place throughout the year and are focused on the hottest industry topics. IWCE 2019 will take place March 4-8, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. To sign up for email updates on any of IWCE's upcoming events, click here. Stay connected with @iwceexpo on Twitter and Facebook and be sure to follow our LinkedIn company page . ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS EXPO (IWCE) IWCE (International Wireless Communications Expo) is the premier annual event for critical communications, featuring an exhibit hall with over 400 exhibitors and a five-day comprehensive conference program. Over 7,000 individuals attend from a diverse group of industry professionals including product distribution, government, public safety, critical infrastructure, business enterprise and more. IWCE 2019 will be held March 4-8 in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, visit http://www.iwceexpo.com. About Informa Informa PLC is a leading, international business to business information services Group, operating in over 30 countries. We create transaction-led exhibitions and content-based events, specialist data, intelligence and marketing services products, as well as scholarly research and specialist reference-led academic content. Our products and services help businesses and professionals connect, learn, do business and gain an edge over the competition. Informa is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100. MEDIA CONTACT Meryl Franzman IWCE T: 617 739 1769 E: [email protected] SOURCE IWCE's Critical LTE Communications Forum Related Links https://www.iwceexpo.com Highly regarded industry veteran becomes Principal and Director of Operations for the Northeast Region NEW YORK CITY, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Earl Webb, President of U.S. Operations for Avison Young , announced today the strategic hiring of highly regarded commercial real estate industry veteran Joe Harbert. Effective immediately, Harbert becomes a Principal of Avison Young and Director of Operations for the Northeast Region. Based in the New York City office, he will work closely with Mitti Liebersohn, Avison Young Principal and President of the firm's New York City office, and the company's Northeast managing directors on the expansion of the company's footprint across the region. In this role, Harbert will contribute to the management of Avison Young's day-to-day operations in the Tri-State area and will take a leadership role in enhancing the firm's service lines, including office leasing, investment sales, retail leasing and project management. Harbert also will help recruit top-tier talent for the growing firm, which has added more than 60 professionals in the Tri-State area since the beginning of 2018. Harbert brings more than 30 years of commercial real estate industry experience to Avison Young, most recently as president of national client services for Colliers International. "Joe is one of the most respected and well-liked professionals in our industry, and we are extremely happy and excited to have him on board," comments Webb. "We look forward to the contributions that he will make to our organization and are confident that his experience and industry knowledge will be tremendous assets to our clients and the Avison Young team." Liebersohn adds: "Joe has been a commercial real estate industry leader in the Tri-State area for many years and has extensive knowledge of the New York City and other Northeast markets. His presence will be instrumental as we expand our various service lines and provide creative solutions for local, national and international clients with diverse real estate holdings in the Northeast." Prior to becoming president of national client services at Colliers, Harbert was the company's President of the Eastern Region. Before joining Colliers, he was COO for Cushman & Wakefield in the Tri-State area and the firm's New York metro region leader. Before moving to Cushman & Wakefield in 2004, he held senior executive positions with CBRE, Insignia/ESG and Edward S. Gordon. He launched his real estate career as the deputy director of real estate for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. "I am excited about the opportunity to help expand Avison Young's Northeast presence," says Harbert. "The firm's Principal-led structure and unique, collaborative culture make this role particularly appealing. Avison Young has been expanding rapidly, but thoughtfully, over the last few years, and I look forward to helping the company accelerate that growth in this region. To do that, we're going to work on getting our Northeast operations up to scale and invest in more opportunities that further the success of our people and our clients. Clients' business requirements are experiencing unprecedented change, particularly in the highly dynamic Tri-State area, and we intend to stay ahead of the curve." Harbert holds a doctorate in political science from City University Graduate School in New York as well as Master's degrees from City University, City College of New York and New York University. His undergraduate degree is from San Francisco State University. Harbert is the former Chair of the Community Service Society where he served as a trustee for 16 years. Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,600 real estate professionals in 84 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multifamily and hospitality properties. For further information/comment/photos: Sherry Quan, Principal and Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959 [email protected] Tom Nolan/Francisco Miranda, Great Ink PR, New York, 212.741.2977 [email protected]; [email protected] Mitti Liebersohn, Principal, President and Managing Director, New York City, Avison Young: 212.729.7734 Arthur Mirante, Principal and Tri-State President, Avison Young: 212.729.1896 Mark Rose, Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028 Earl Webb, President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610 Kayleigh Clark, Marketing Coordinator, Avison Young: 212.729.3632 www.avisonyoung.com Avison Young is a 2018 winner of the Canada's Best Managed Companies Platinum Club designation, having retained its Best Managed designation for seven consecutive years. Follow Avison Young on Twitter: For industry news, press releases and market reports: www.twitter.com/avisonyoung For Avison Young listings and deals: www.twitter.com/AYListingsDeals Follow Avison Young Bloggers: http://blog.avisonyoung.com Follow Avison Young on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/avison-young-commercial-real-estate Follow Avison Young on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AvisonYoungRE Follow Avison Young on Instagram: www.instagram.com/avison_young_global Editors/Reporters Please click on link to view and download photo of Joe Harbert: https://www.avisonyoung.com/documents/20342/2631393/Joe_Harbert.jpg SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC) Related Links www.avisonyoung.com "KYMCO Ionex was created to offer an uncompromising electric vehicle solution for corporations, policy makers, and riders. KYMCO is committed to making an impact at the juncture of the most important transformation in the transportation industry," said Allen Ko, Chairman of KYMCO. "We are honored to be invited to attend EVS 31 at Kobe to showcase KYMCO Ionex to the industry. We can all build smart cities together." Accelerating commercial transition to electric The attendance at EVS 31 demonstrates KYMCO's commitment to accelerating the transition to electric in the global commercial market. Ionex offers the flexibility of fast deployment and easy adaption for commercial users to successfully transition to electric without compromise. With the Ionex's versatile charging infrastructure, individuals, corporations and policy makers will have an economically feasible plan for implementing electric solution. Governments now have a game-changing blueprint to go green. Corporations can embrace green energy and improve their services and operations. Examples include postal services, delivery services, and logistic operators. These commercial users can now use the energy stations to operate battery swapping services for their own fleet of electric vehicles, with lower costs and better efficiency. KYMCO have already rolled out Ionex in commercial markets. The recently announced partnership with Hema Supermarket by Alibaba Group was a demonstrable example of Ionex's application in the commercial market. More commercial application deployments are expected to be subsequently announced. "With Ionex we help accelerate the world's transition to electric vehicles," said Allen Ko, Chairman of KYMCO. "We invite governments, corporations, and consumers worldwide to participate in this important social mission of our time." ABOUT KYMCO Headquartered in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, KYMCO is one of the global leading powersports brands. KYMCO's mission is to create personal vehicles that win the hearts of consumers all over the world. KYMCO always goes above and beyond to bring to customers the most thoughtful riding experience for everyday life. KYMCO's current product range includes scooters, motorcycles, mobility scooters, ATVs and utility vehicles. You can learn more about KYMCO at www.kymco.com. SOURCE KYMCO Related Links http://www.kymco.com "Chris brings a strong pedigree in next-generation, integrated product, and will be a great addition to the agency," said Grant. "He will help us continue to evolve our team, which is part of the Publicis Power of One model, and has a proven track record of identifying creative solutions that drive business results for his clients." Bergen will work closely with Jordan Doucette, who was hired as EVP, Executive Creative Director to lead creative for The Kellogg Company earlier this year; Joe Gray, EVP, Strategy Director, and Alycia Mason, Kellogg's One lead for Publicis Groupe. He will be responsible for overseeing a cross-functional team driving business success for Kellogg's iconic brands. "The Kellogg's business is a shining of example of creativity, strategy and media working together as one," said Bergen. "My vision is to make Kellogg's the network's best case study for integration. The more we work together, the better the consumer experience becomes." Bergen was a motivating force behind McDonald's flipped arches in recognition of International Women's Day, Audi's record-breaking sales growth, and Samsung's continued market leadership. Throughout his nearly 20-year career, he has supported brands across a myriad categories and global markets. His experience includes CPG, retail, automotive, consumer electronics, tourism and commodities. His work has been recognized by The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and D&AD, among others. About Leo Burnett Leo Burnett is a creative solutions company founded on the idea that "what helps people helps business." By solving human problems with the power of creativity, Leo Burnett delivers value for people and prosperity for brands. Part of the Publicis Power of One, Leo Burnett won 47 Lions at the 2017 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, including the Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness. To learn more about Leo Burnett and its rich, 83-year history, visit our site, Facebook page and follow us via @leoburnettchi. Media Contact: Michael Cowen | [email protected] | 312-220-3953 SOURCE Leo Burnett Related Links http://leoburnett.us BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Linguistic Systems, Inc. (LSI) announces that it is rebranding and relaunching its unique, secure, translation services solution as Ai Translate by LSI. Formerly branded as Select Translation Service (STS), the solution has recorded nearly a decade of experience and hundreds of millions of translated pages for major AmLaw 100 and other international law firms, leading eDiscovery service companies, government agencies, and Fortune 500 corporations. Ai Translate by LSI includes a proprietary, secure, best-in-class, SaaS application and set of services that enable clients with a high volume of foreign language content to translate it quickly, accurately, and more affordably than using traditional methods. Ai Translate by LSI includes all of the following: 64 Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) engines built from Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) technology which enable direct ordering of machine translation in up to 64 language pairs; 10 Neural Machine Translation (NMT) engines (with new ones added regularly) that incorporate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and direct ordering of translation in up to 10 language pairs; 6 Translation quality options ranging from the highest quality human translation plus editing to rapid inexpensive Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) or Neural Machine Translation (NMT). These options include the ability to enhance SMT and NMT with human post-editing, and all options are orderable from a single user interface or API; Ability to order human translation from and to as many as 120 languages by leveraging human translation services from Linguistic System's carefully screened and certified network of 7,500 translators; Ability to enhance machine translation (MT) results with custom glossaries of difficult to translate proprietary industry expressions, acronyms, product names, keywords, places, personal names, and unique cultural terms; Automatic free language detection as part of the translation ordering process; Ability to use several translation services within the same project to optimize the quality, turnaround time, and cost associated with each content type and translation purpose; Ability to secure consulting expertise and project support from Linguistic Systems' team of translation experts, leveraging the company's more than 50 years of deep knowledge across dozens of industries; ISO 27001 Information Security Systems certification of technology and processes; Additional certifications including ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 27001 Translation Quality Management Systems. Concurrently, Linguistic Systems announces that it is rebranding its LSI Translation Plugin for Relativity as Ai Translate Plugin for Relativity. It enables users of Relativity, the most widely used platform and ecosystem for eDiscovery, to get all the benefits of Ai Translate by LSI without leaving the Relativity app. This allows eDiscovery translations to occur rapidly and more cost-effectively without slowing down to export/import documents for translation or to order human translation as an outside workflow. The plugin is available for all currently supported versions of Relativity including 9.6. The rebranding of all elements is occurring in stages, as follows: Launch of a new website (live now) as the home content to explain the offering. It can be found at AiTranslate.com; Branding refresh of Linguistic Systems' Ai Translate by LSI technology solution, formerly known as Select Translation Service (STS) , over the coming month; technology solution, formerly known as , over the coming month; Branding refresh of the plugin (formerly LSI Translation Plugin for Relativity) to Ai Translate Plugin for Relativity over the next few months following the release of the next version of Relativity; for Relativity) to for Relativity over the next few months following the release of the next version of Relativity; Continuation of Linguist.com as Linguistic Systems' corporate website. Linguistic Systems also announces that it has launched a new service, Ai Translate by LSI Consulting. This service is intended to leverage Linguistic Systems' 50+ years of deep translation expertise across multiple industries and nearly a decade of machine and neural translation software development to help clients with business transformation efforts involving translation. Unlike Linguistic Systems' normal project consulting, which is free, Ai Translate by LSI Consulting will involve a proposal-based, cost-effective, contractual investment to help guide much larger efforts. Examples of business transformation opportunities include: Platform integration to embed Ai Translate by LSI within clients' internal or external platforms and ecosystems; within clients' internal or external platforms and ecosystems; Assistance with complex, multi-stage, international legal cases; Assistance with custom security requirements beyond the standard Ai Translate by LSI implementations; implementations; Process transformation to help define and optimize the way companies handle foreign language translations on a large scale. Mark Ettinger, Vice President of Linguistic Systems, explained the rebranding: "Ai Translate by LSI represents where we're going as a company. Our focus is on leveraging technology, AI-based machine learning, and process customization to help clients optimize their translation efforts." Boris Katsevman, Vice President of Engineering, elaborated further, "We've made substantial investments during the last several years in deep language science, user experience, machine learning, and process optimization. We believe this rebranding more accurately represents that focus." For more information, visit AiTranslate.com. Linguistic Systems, Inc. "LSI" (www.linguist.com) is a Boston-based premier translation services company founded by Martin Roberts, Linguistic Systems CEO, in 1967. The company offers advanced machine translation technology, a network of 7,500 carefully screened translation professionals, 6 translation quality options, and 50+ years of deep language translation expertise across multiple industries. Sales & Client Service Contact Mark Ettinger, Vice President [email protected] 1 (617) 528-7444 Engineering Contact Boris Katsevman, Vice President of Engineering [email protected] 1 (617) 528-7455 Media Contact H. Kelley, Director of Marketing [email protected] 1 (617) 528-7410 SOURCE Linguistic Systems, Inc. Related Links http://www.linguist.com Builds market leadership in premium Italian, cooked and dry cured meats MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX: MFI) ("Maple Leaf") today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire VIAU Foods ("VIAU"), a Canadian market leader in premium Italian cooked, dry-cured and charcuterie meats for a purchase price of $215 million, including $30 million in Maple Leaf stock. With sales of $180 million over the last twelve months, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Maple Leaf's earnings per share in the first year and to the Company's margin expansion over time. "VIAU brings a portfolio of leading brands, a reputation for innovation and quality, skilled management and people, and excellent manufacturing assets," said Michael McCain, President and CEO of Maple Leaf Foods. "This acquisition expands Maple Leaf's position in the growing market for premium dry cured and pepperoni meat products and provides further production capacity in Quebec, an important strategic base to grow both Canadian and U.S. sales. It also enables VIAU to expand its portfolio to include raised without antibiotic products, leveraging Maple Leaf's leadership in this growing market." "It is with great pride that we join the Maple Leaf family," said Pat De Marco, President and COO of VIAU. "Our quality and food safety culture fits perfectly with Maple Leaf, the company that, for years, we have regarded as the Canadian industry leader. The resources that Maple Leaf brings will allow us to more quickly grow our business, provide additional product offerings to our customers, make further inroads into the U.S. market, and provide more opportunities to our people. We are truly excited about the future possibilities." Established in 1977, VIAU produces a range of value-added prepared meat products including Italian cooked meats, sausages, pizza toppings, shaved steak and meatballs, and is the Canadian market leader in cooked and dry-cured pepperoni. It also produces a range of gourmet deli and premium charcuterie products including salametti, capicollo, pancetta and sliced chorizo. VIAU is a leading supplier of dried pepperoni and other pizza toppings to the North American foodservice industry and markets its products through retailers across Canada. The company employs 470 people at its two Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Safe Quality Food (SQF) accredited facilities in Laval and Montreal. It follows leading food safety practices, supported by an on-site ISO accredited laboratory. The business will continue to be led by the current highly experienced management team. The transaction will be financed through a combination of cash-on-hand and drawings under Maple Leaf's existing credit facility and is expected to close in December, subject to regulatory review. Forward Looking Information This document may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law including statements regarding: accretion to Maple Leaf's earnings in the first year of operations, long-term improvement in Maple Leaf's margins, expansion of VIAU's portfolio to include raised without antibiotics products, and incremental business growth penetration of the US market. These statements are not guarantees of future events and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Some of these assumptions and risks and uncertainties are described in more detail in the Company's filings made with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information and there is no assurance that any such future events will occur. Maple Leaf does not intend to, and Maple Leaf disclaims any obligation to, update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. About Maple Leaf Foods Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is a leading consumer protein company, making high quality, innovative products under national brands including Maple Leaf, Maple Leaf Prime, Maple Leaf Natural Selections, Schneiders, Schneiders Country Naturals, Mina, SWIFT, Lightlife and Field Roast Grain Meat Co.. Maple Leaf employs approximately 11,500 people and does business in Canada, the U.S. and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MFI). SOURCE Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Related Links http://www.mapleleaffoods.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Flowfinity Wireless Inc. today released a new case study featuring Maul Foster & Alongi (MFA), an industry-leading environmental engineering and consulting firm. Using Flowfinity, the firm streamlines complex data collection processes to improve field efficiency, and rapidly builds custom business applications to deliver technology solutions to clients faster. Flowfinity Wireless Inc. Each day, hundreds of samples are collected in the field and sent to labs for further analysis. MFA was looking for a way to improve efficiency of technical data collection, which was conducted on paper and spreadsheets. The firm selected Flowfinity software for its comprehensive list of features that could meet the firm's strict data quality, analysis, and reporting requirements. MFA built an end-to-end workflow solution that includes mobile business applications. When required, app revisions are applied automatically across all smartphones and tablets. Now, all field data is captured faster and more accurately. Samples are efficiently logged on mobile devices using photos with annotations, audio recordings, quick dropdowns, and nested data structures. The forms provide an authoritative source of data, and are available to management in real-time for same day visibility. Field staff can work productively even in remote locations with Flowfinity's offline functionality. "We significantly increased field visibility for our project managers," said Grant Herbert, Senior GIS Analyst/Developer. "With Flowfinity custom mobile apps, our project managers reduce the time required to review data from days to minutes. Time saved on photo management alone can be dozens of hours per project." MFA also integrates its system with existing GIS data and other SQL server databases for access to geospatial information and data synchronization. Utilizing deep links, field staff can pull up GIS maps showing project locations and initiate data collection. All edits are instantly updated across all GIS maps and mobile forms that display the data. FLO Analytics is a wholly owned subsidiary of MFA that provides GIS and data management services to customers. FLO Analytics also delivers custom workflow and data collection solutions to clients faster using Flowfinity, and plans to include dashboards in the future for enhanced visualization of business performance. To read the full case study, please visit https://www.flowfinity.com/customers/environmental-field-data-collection-maul-foster-alongi.aspx About Flowfinity Flowfinity is flexible software for building end-to-end business process applications faster. It enables hands-on staff to create sophisticated workflow solutions with a point-and-click interface, not code, significantly reducing deployment time and maintenance costs of mobile applications. Based on a foundation of mobile technology, Flowfinity combines web-based application building tools, a cloud database, dashboard reporting, and cross-platform mobile apps for smartphones and tablets. Since 2000, Flowfinity has been used by top global organizations across industries to automate data flow and communication between field employees, office staff, partners and customers. For more information, please visit: https://www.flowfinity.com. Media contact: Lisa Nguyen [email protected] 604-878-0008 x2124 SOURCE Flowfinity Wireless Inc. Related Links https://www.flowfinity.com CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Beecken Petty O'Keefe & Company ("BPOC"), a leading Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, announced today that it has made an investment in Medicus Healthcare Solutions, LLC ("Medicus"), one of the largest locum tenens staffing companies in the United States. Based in Windham, New Hampshire, Medicus assists hospitals and physician groups with the recruitment and staffing of physicians on a temporary basis. Medicus works with hundreds of healthcare facilities and thousands of physicians across multiple specialties. "Challenged with significant demand and physician shortages, Medicus' clients are seeking dependable, qualified providers to support their organizations," said Peter Magas, Managing Director at BPOC. "We believe Medicus is positioned well to respond quickly with quality physicians to ensure continuity of care for their clients. We look forward to a great partnership and supporting Medicus' long-term growth." Joe Matarese, Medicus' CEO and founder commented: "We are very proud of what our team has accomplished over the last fifteen years and we look forward to working with BPOC to execute on our growth strategy. We are excited to partner with a firm that has significant relationships in the healthcare sector and a long history of successful investments in staffing and hospital outsourcing." The transaction is effective immediately and financial terms are not being disclosed. About Medicus Healthcare Solutions Medicus Healthcare Solutions is one of the fastest-growing companies in the healthcare staffing industry. Medicus has been providing exceptional locum tenens staffing to groups, practices, hospitals, and other facilities throughout the United States since 2004. Medicus pioneers projects and resource management services to offer more complete solutions to healthcare organizations facing staff shortages and other service line challenges. With over 300 employees, Medicus is headquartered in Windham, New Hampshire, with offices in Denver, Colorado, and Houston, Texas. www.medicushcs.com About Beecken Petty O'Keefe & Company Beecken Petty O'Keefe & Company is a Chicago-based private equity management firm founded in 1996 to invest in middle-market buy-out transactions, recapitalizations, and growth platforms in the healthcare industry. BPOC has structured, managed and realized investments on behalf of institutional and individual investors for over two decades. Since inception, BPOC has raised four funds with aggregate capital commitments of over $1.3 billion. www.bpoc.com SOURCE Beecken Petty OKeefe & Company Related Links http://www.bpoc.com SAN DIEGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- National Funding, one of the largest private fintech lenders of small and medium-sized business loans, announced today that the company has purchased QuickBridge, a leading alternative financial services firm offering working capital to small businesses (SMB) nationwide. Today's announcement bolsters both companies by combining back-end resources, including advanced technology, innovation and product development. Both companies will continue to operate independently. National Funding's acquisition of QuickBridge will also help further fuel the company's growth. Collectively, the companies have provided more than $3 billion in financing to small and mid-sized businesses, and overall loan volume will exceed $600 million in 2018. QuickBridge, which has been recognized in recent years for its rapid rise, including year-over-year double or triple digit percentage growth, remains one of the top alternative lenders in the nation, having deployed more than $500 million in working capital to SMBs. Combining the robust technology of QuickBridge with National Funding's leading sales and customer service, creates a complimentary, powerhouse lending operation. "QuickBridge's goal has been to provide a strong tech-driven solution to the Main Street capital needs of American businesses," stated Dave Gilbert, founder and chief executive officer, National Funding. "Now, seven years down the road, QuickBridge has grown into one of the leading alternative lenders in the nation. Combining QuickBridge's success with National Funding's proven industry-leading track record strongly positions us for even greater profitability as a combined entity." Ben Gold, founding President of QuickBridge, will remain in his current post and work closely with Dave Gilbert to further accelerate both company's strong growth trajectory. National Funding's executive leadership team will remain in place, and both National Funding and QuickBridge will work closely to leverage key resources and learnings to achieve maximum results. The deal comes during the rapid rise of fintech firms grabbing an increasingly larger share of the business lending market. Fintech firms account for a growing share of US small business loans (25%) to the tune of approximately $31B. For more information on National Funding please visit www.nationalfunding.com About National Funding Founded in 1999, National Funding is one of the country's leading financial technology companies for small and medium-sized businesses, providing working capital loans and equipment financing. The company believes in American small business owners, and strives to provide fast turnaround, flexible solutions and great service to all its customers and clients in a diverse range of industries including: construction, excavation, manufacturing, retail, packaging, printing, restaurant, telecommunications, trucking, transportation, and waste management, among others. National Funding was recognized on the Inc. 500|5000 list for the past six years, as well as placing on San Diego Business Journal's Fastest Growing Companies list for the past six years. Media Contact: Jill Fox JCUTLER media group [email protected] SOURCE National Funding Related Links http://www.nationalfunding.com NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP announced today the introduction of HIPAA2Z, the beginning-to-end, automated solution for HIPAA privacy and security compliance. Designed by Nelson Mullins Nashville Partner and a former Chief Privacy Officer, Roy Wyman, together with security professionals, and using cutting-edge technology, HIPAA2Z provides a flat-fee, one-stop compliance tool for healthcare providers, vendors and other businesses that handle health information. "By combining security and legal services, HIPAA2Z offers everything you need to know, and do, to comply with HIPAA and to be more secure in handling data," said Wyman, who is also a member of the firm's Healthcare Regulatory and Transactional Team and deals extensively with healthcare IT issues. "By standardizing and automating HIPAA compliance, we reduce the cost, hassle and time required to feel confident about protecting health information and complying with the law." With an uptick in cyber-related risks and security needs, as well as enforcement actions and suits, it is crucial for all healthcare providers and vendors to take every step they need to ensure the privacy of patient data. Healthcare businesses often work with a variety of different consultants, risk managers, attorneys and related parties to separately understand, navigate and adhere to HIPAA policies and procedures, making the process extremely lengthy and costly. HIPAA2Z streamlines the compliance process, and intersects with a company's current compliance efforts, by providing a customized risk assessment, management plan and other tools to ensure that documents adhere to the law and that providers and vendors are secure and compliant. "As a firm, we are proud to bridge the gap between the law, technology and healthcare by creating a tool that simplifies HIPAA compliance," said Nelson Mullins Partners and Healthcare Team Leads, Gabriel Imperato and Thomas Moran. "HIPAA2Z is another step to keep Nelson Mullins in the lead in using technology to assist clients. Our goal is to increase efficiencies, lower costs, keep our clients out of the courtroom and eliminate fines and liabilities for HIPAA-related misconduct, violations or breaches of contracts." To learn more about HIPAA2Z, please visit http://www.hipaa2z.com or contact Roy Wyman. Established in 1897, Nelson Mullins has more than 750 attorneys and government relations professionals with offices in 11 states and Washington, DC. Nelson Mullins and Broad and Cassel LLP combined effective August 1, 2018 and does business in Florida as Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel. For more information on the firm, go to www.nelsonmullins.com. SOURCE Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP Related Links http://www.nelsonmullins.com PROVO, Utah, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) will release third-quarter results after the market closes on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The Nu Skin management team will host a conference call with the investment community later that same day beginning at 5 p.m. (ET). During the call, management will discuss past results and upcoming business initiatives. The webcast of the conference call, including the financial information to be presented, will be available on the investor relations section of the company's website at ir.nuskin.com. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same location through Wednesday, Nov. 21. About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Founded more than 30 years ago, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. develops and distributes innovative consumer products, offering a comprehensive line of premium-quality beauty and wellness solutions. The company builds upon its scientific expertise in both skin care and nutrition to continually develop innovative product brands that include the Nu Skin personal care brand, the Pharmanex nutrition brand, and most recently, the ageLOC anti-aging brand. The ageLOC brand has generated a loyal following for such products as the ageLOC LumiSpa skin cleansing and treatment device, ageLOC Youth nutritional supplement, the ageLOC Me customized skin care system, as well as the ageLOC TR90 weight management and body shaping system. Nu Skin sells its products through a global network of sales leaders in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Pacific. As a long-standing member of direct selling associations globally, Nu Skin is committed to the industry's consumer guidelines that protect and support those who sell and purchase its products through the direct selling channel. Nu Skin is also traded on the New York Stock Exchange. More information is available at nuskin.com. Nu Skin Social Media Channels fb.com/nuskin twitter.com/nuskin instagram.com/nuskin SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. Related Links http://www.nuskin.com Photo: The Canadian Press B.C. Housing Minister Selina Robinson says she's confident a group of homeless people camped in a provincial park near Victoria will move into government-approved shelters and living spaces by Tuesday's deadline. Robinson says people started moving out of Goldstream Provincial Park Monday and she's convinced all members of the group of about 20 campers will be in new living spaces by Tuesday. She says the campers are being transported to their new accommodations in the Victoria area by bus and their belongings are being stored and will be accessible. When all the campers leave, Robinson says B.C. Parks officials will assess the condition of the campground before deciding if it can be opened again to the public. The minister says outreach workers have been meeting with the campers in efforts to help them determine their needs for housing, health and support. The campers, who arrived at Goldstream more than two weeks ago, were ousted from provincially owned land in nearby Saanich last month, just days after a court order forced them out of another park that some had occupied since the spring. PROVIDENCE, R.I., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- EpiVax, Inc. ("EpiVax") and CUBRC, Inc. ("CUBRC") announced today that they have been awarded a two-year $1 million contract from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), FDA BAA-17-00123. The research program will identify best practices and procedures for assessing generic peptides and related impurities for immunogenic potential. "EpiVax has worked hard to be at the forefront of the immunogenicity assessment field. Our proprietary immunoinformatics tools make it possible to perform risk assessments accurately and expeditiously. We look forward to working with FDA scientists to set new standards for immunogenicity risk assessment for generic peptide drug products," stated Annie De Groot, MD, EpiVax's CEO/CSO. The FDA recently issued a draft guidance for generic peptide drugs and issued a BAA for immunogenicity risk assessment tools. In response to this BAA, EpiVax scientists will demonstrate and validate risk assessment methods for generic peptides. OGD scientists will also have access to the EpiVax ISPRI Toolkit for selected peptide drugs and their impurities. CUBRC will leverage its technical expertise in biomedical research and development along with its experience leading large federal government grants and contracts in collaboration with EpiVax to execute the research. "CUBRC plans to leverage our 3+ year partnership with EpiVax to provide systems integration and program management expertise to advance EpiVax's highly specialized immunoinformatic tools which will help the FDA with evaluation of new generic peptide drugs," stated Katie Edwards, Ph.D., CUBRC's Prime Technical Program Lead. About the Draft FDA Guidance on Generic Peptide ANDAs The new draft guidance issued by the Office of Generic Drugs highlighting the use of in silico analysis in accelerated new drug applications for generic peptide drugs can be found here (UCM578365). About EpiVax EpiVax is a 20-year old privately-held biotechnology company located in Providence RI, with a broad portfolio of projects including vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases, autoimmunity and cancer. Scientists at EpiVax, led by co-founders Annie De Groot and Bill Martin, lead the field in immunogenicity risk assessment. The ISPRI and iVAX toolkits for therapeutics and vaccines are used by a global roster of companies. Visit www.epivax.com for more information. EpiVax's spin-out company, EpiVax Oncology, is leveraging a peptide-driven approach to personalized cancer immunotherapy. Visit www.epivaxonco.com for more information. About CUBRC CUBRC is an independent not-for-profit scientific corporation that executes Research, Development, Testing and Systems Integration programs in Medical Sciences, Chemical and Biological Defense, Data Science and Information Fusion, Command and Control, and Hypersonics. Visit www.cubrc.org for more information. FDA Funding Statement The FDA sponsors the project referenced in this press release. The content of the information does not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of the federal government, and no official endorsement should be inferred. The entire project (~$1.0M) will be financed with federal money. Press Contact Annie De Groot, MD EpiVax, Inc. 401-272-2123 [email protected] SOURCE EpiVax, Inc. Related Links http://www.epivaxonco.com PALM CITY, Fla. and BEND, Ore., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Optima Healthcare Solutions, a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for post-acute care providers, today announced the acquisition of Vantage Clinical Solutions, Inc., a company that specializes in revenue cycle management (RCM) and digital marketing services for physical therapy practices. The transaction will allow Optima to expand its post-acute care solutions to meet the growing demand for outsourced business services used to operate outpatient therapy clinics. "The Vantage team has developed sophisticated billing processes and a unique suite of business services tailored for outpatient clinics," said Josh Pickus, Optima's CEO. "These capabilities align well with our clinics software, Optima Therapy for Clinics, and support our vision of meeting the needs of therapy providers across the post-acute care continuum." Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, Vantage Clinical Solutions provides revenue cycle management, digital marketing and consulting services to outpatient clinics nationwide. The company's RCM services cover every part of the billing lifecycle, including electronic claims submission, payment processing, patient and insurance collections and accounts receivable management. "Optima is a recognized leader in the therapy market with a 25-year track record of technology innovation, regulatory expertise and customer satisfaction," said Tannus Quatre, President of Vantage Clinical Solutions. "Our shared values and commitment to excellence will provide our customers with a truly differentiated solution and the resources needed to meet changing regulatory, clinical and business demands." "We are excited to be joined by the talented Vantage team and will continue to build on their superior level of service to delight customers," said Dinesh Senanayake, Optima's CFO and General Manager of RCM Services. "Along with our successful RCM service for hospices, this transaction enables us to deliver high-quality RCM and digital marketing services that allow outpatient therapy clinics to maximize visibility, reimbursement and cash flow." Optima is a portfolio company of Alpine Investors V and V SBIC, LP. About Optima Healthcare Solutions Optima Healthcare Solutions provides cloud-based solutions for post-acute care providers, including contract therapy companies, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, outpatient therapy clinics and hospices. For over 25 years, Optima has led the industry with therapy management software, and today more than 11,000 sites of service rely on our full range of clinical, operational and billing solutions to increase business performance, ensure compliance and improve care for millions of patients every year. Meet us at www.optimahcs.com. About Vantage Clinical Solutions, Inc. Vantage Clinical Solutions is a nationwide revenue cycle, digital marketing and consulting firm dedicated to the mission of improving healthcare through entrepreneurship. For over 10 years, the company has provided solutions to the outpatient physical therapy market under its brands: VantageRCM, an outsourced billing solution for PT practices, and BuildPT, a leading digital marketing agency for PT practices. For more information, visit www.vantageclinicalsolutions.com. About Alpine Investors Alpine Investors is a software and services-focused private equity firm that specializes in majority buyouts of founder-owned businesses and corporate carve-outs. Alpine differentiates itself through its PeopleFirst strategy and CEO-in-Residence (CIR) program, where Alpine partners with CEOs first and places them into companies as part of the transaction. This provides a unique solution for founders and companies that desire additional management support post-transaction. Alpine is based in San Francisco, Calif. For more information, visit www.alpine-investors.com. Media Contact: Sharon Dratch Optima Healthcare Solutions [email protected] 772.403.1200 SOURCE Optima Healthcare Solutions Related Links http://www.optimahcs.com WHAT: Global consulting firm Protiviti (www.protiviti.com) will host a panel session featuring compliance and banking industry experts speaking on the topic of transforming AML (anti-money laundering) compliance programs. The session takes place during the ACAMS AML and Financial Crime Conference in Las Vegas on October 3, 2018. The 75-minute discussion will include: Examining industry trends and current viable applications of robotic process automation (RPA); data analytics/visualization; and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning to AML compliance programs Outlining practical considerations and necessary process enhancements when leveraging existing and new technologies Evaluating potential applications and viability of technologies such as blockchain and distributed ledger for use in transforming AML compliance programs To see an example of AML compliance transformation in action, Protiviti will also showcase a newly developed AML KYC (Know Your Customer) technology that automates the required periodic review process in a centralized, interactive review platform. WHO: The panel's featured speakers are: Managing Director Shaun Creegan - Risk & Compliance, Protiviti Managing Director Vishal Ranjane - Risk & Compliance, Protiviti VP of Financial Crime Compliance Bob Kadel - Goldman Sachs Sr. VP & BSA Officer Myrna Olvera - East West Bank Sr. VP of Corporate Strategy & Global Business Development Phong Rock - Feedzai WHEN: Panel session: Date: Wed., October 3, 2018 Time: 11:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. PDT Protiviti booth #715: Date: October 3-5, 2018 WHERE: Aria Resort & Casino 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South Las Vegas, NV 89158 Panel session in Bristlecone 3-4 meeting room. HOW: Please register for the panel session here: https://www.protiviti.com/US-en/events/acams-17th-annual-aml-conference NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With reports of discrimination and hate crimes on the rise, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals say they feel compelled to retool their practices as "safe spaces" where they can better attend to the needs of traumatized patients. This is the main conclusion of a report from psychiatrists at NYU School of Medicine and the University of California San Francisco, publishing online Oct. 2 in The American Journal of Psychiatry. After the 2016 presidential election, the article notes, many mental health professionals reported an increase in distress among patients especially immigrants, and religious and sexual minorities. Some missed appointments because of concerns about safety. "As mental health professionals, we often focus narrowly on patients as individuals," says Helena B. Hansen, MD, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine and lead author on the report. "But to understand patients as survivors of discrimination and hate crimes, we also need to understand how their environment contributes to fear and anxiety." For the report, Hansen and her team collected patient stories from psychiatrists from across the country the year after the election. Highlighted in the report is the principal need for mental health professionals to ensure in their patients a sense of security and an understanding that they are going to get the care and support they need. For instance, Hansen says, some immigrants who missed appointments say they feared being detained at the clinic by federal immigration officials. "Placing posters in several languages to indicate that staff will not report immigration status to authorities is an important step," she says. "Clinic staff also need to share this information directly with their patients." Hansen and her colleagues also say that mental health professionals, rather than dictating the nature of problems to patients, should exercise "cultural humility." This involves listening first, enabling patients to describe their concerns, and reaching a shared decision on treatment. By taking a more collaborative approach, Hansen says, mental health professionals develop rapport that supports therapy. The authors also suggest that mental health professionals do their utmost to avoid "re-traumatizing" patients. For instance, Hansen says, addiction patients who have relapsed or mental health patients who have not followed their treatment plan should not be threatened with removal from a program, as it may be taken as punishment. Instead, she recommends peer support. By receiving "trauma-informed care," as she refers to it, patients are more likely to feel they are in a safe place. Because survivors of hate crimes and discrimination have many needs, Hansen says, mental health professionals should also cultivate relationships with local religious groups, housing services, and other social support networks. Building trust between these community organizations, she says, fosters better coordination of care around each patient. "The challenge for mental health professionals is to see themselves as active members of their patients' larger environment," says Hansen. "To help traumatized patients, it's also important that policy makers, educators, and community leaders become aware that what they say can have detrimental effects on people's mental health." Toward that end, researchers have created a toolkit for mental health professionals that offers practical ways to establish a safe space for patients. The toolkit will be available in November on the American Psychiatric Association's website, https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/cultural-competency. In addition to Hansen, other study authors include Nicholas S. Riano, MAS; and Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS, of the University of California, San Francisco; and Travis Meadows, MD, at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. Funding support for Hansen was provided by the NIDA Career Development Award grant K01DA032674 and a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Investigator Award. Media Inquiries: Jamie Liptack 212-404-4279 [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Health The move will deepen existing relationships with Canadian government and private industry COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- R9B (root9B, LLC), a leading provider of cybersecurity products, services and training announced today the expansion of operations into Canada. The new entity will be located in Ottawa and do business as R9B Canada, Inc. Operations will be managed by longtime Canadian defense and security leader and former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, Allen Dillon. Al's diverse experience in security technology and close collaboration with Canadian industry and Government entities will accelerate R9B Canada's growth, driving direct value to Canada. R9B Chief Executive Officer Eric Hipkins said, "Cybersecurity issues transcend national borders. We have been working with Canadian institutions for some time now, and our latest move formalizes our commitment to the country and its infrastructure. Al was selected as Chief Operating Officer because, in addition to his experience, he has the right mindset to help organizations maintain a firm grip on security. We look forward to the opportunity to bring the latest in managed security and threat hunting to the Canadian market. Our expansion will assist in protecting both commercial and government interests." With operations headquartered in the U.S. and with customers worldwide, R9B is making a conscious effort to branch out with more physical locations. Having a physical presence in Canada will improve R9B's ability to regularly interface with government and business leaders while contributing to local economies. R9B's Canadian entity will leverage the company's technical depth and broad international expertise to deliver best-in-class security. R9B has a proven track record of introducing new and effective means of implementing cybersecurity. In 2013, the company became the first provider to bring threat hunting to commercial markets. Since then, R9B has continued to develop the methodology and commoditized the service through its proprietary ORION HUNT platform. The company also offers a range of Managed Security Services, including alert monitoring, log analysis, and regulatory compliance. R9B's Managed Detection and Response promotes customizable and scalable security. The company hosts in-depth, expert training to support all of its services, from which Canadian enterprises and government entities can now directly benefit. Mr. Dillon noted, "Cybersecurity is a team sport. Throughout my career, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges that Canadian government agencies and private businesses face. The formal introduction of R9B to Canada's cybersecurity landscape is a step forward in the necessary collaboration to thwart cyberattacks. R9B's culture and unique capabilities are a breath of fresh air at an important time in Canadian security. My team will be working quickly to meet with senior leaders throughout the country to promote strong cooperation in order to improve Canadian cybersecurity posture." About R9B Based in Colorado Springs, CO, R9B (root9B, LLC) is a leading provider of advanced cybersecurity services and training for commercial and government clients. Combining cutting-edge technology, tactics development, specialty tools, and deep mission experience, R9B personnel leverage their extensive backgrounds in the U.S. Intelligence Community to conduct advanced vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, digital forensics, incident response, industrial control system (ICS) security, and active adversary pursuit (HUNT) engagements on networks worldwide. For more information, visit www.root9b.com. Media Contact Erika Hipkins 719.534.3994 [email protected] SOURCE R9B Related Links https://www.root9b.com SAN DIEGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Raken, the leading daily reporting app and field management tool for the construction industry, has been selected by the San Diego Business Journal as one of 2018's Best Places to Work. The award is given to companies whose benefits, policies and practices are considered among the best in the city. Recipients were recognized Sept. 20 during a ceremony at The Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. The San Diego Business Journal honored Raken CEO and founder Kyle Slager in June as 2018's Most Admired CEO for a small, privately held company. "To be recognized as one of the best places to work in San Diego is a huge honor," Slager said. "At Raken, our employees' well-being is a top priority. Success is a team effort, from the newest employee to the CEO. We're all working together toward a common goal. When you take care of employees, you're taking care of your company at the same time." Employee benefits at Raken include an amphitheater, a meditation room and a complimentary onsite gym with daily yoga and fitness classes. The office's location along the coast of North County San Diego provides opportunities for fun as well, as the company provides bikes for employees to take to the beach for a ride. "Our staff is amazing and incredibly hard working," said Sergey Sundukovskiy, CTO and co-founder of Raken. "Offering them benefits or opportunities to step away from a project or task doesn't diminish that. Studies have shown there is a correlation between employee happiness and a better job performance. We want our staff to enjoy their time at the office and be fulfilled not only as Raken employees but as individuals. "One of the key reasons for Raken's success is our unique culture. We certainly go far beyond what would be considered 'table stakes' culture. We credit Raken's culture as one of the most important ingredients in becoming one of San Diego's Best Places to Work." Since its inception in 2013, Raken has grown to serve more than 4,000 clients in all 50 states and 89 countries. As the company continues to grow, Slager says its values will not change. "Whatever success comes our way, we're going to celebrate it as a team. Each win is one that every person at Raken contributed to, and we aren't going to forget that." Raken boosts construction productivity, safety compliance and risk mitigation by providing a software platform that streamlines construction workflow processes such as daily reporting, time tracking and safety management. The company has more than 3,000 clients from all 50 states and 89 countries. Raken recently celebrated a $10 million Series A funding round led by U.S. Venture Partners (USVP), with participation from Tao Capital Partners and other existing investors. With this recent funding success, Raken has aggressive plans to continue to improve their product and features. About Raken Raken provides innovative mobile technology to streamline field workflows for construction workers. Raken's "digital toolbox" connects the field to the office with daily reports, time cards, task management, project insights, photo management, and more. Clark Construction, AECOM, Skanska, Whiting-Turner, Hensel Phelps, and thousands of the world's top construction companies use Raken to solve their field reporting needs. To find out more, visit www.rakenapp.com or call 866-438-0646. MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE Raken Related Links https://www.rakenapp.com EDINBURGH, Scotland and PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rubrik, the Cloud Data Management company, today announced it has been selected by the Scottish Government's Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate to protect and manage its mission critical data. Rubrik is delivering a scalable and centralized data management solution for backup, disaster recovery and archival, allowing ARE to easily and reliably demonstrate security compliance. The ARE Directorate, headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, plays a key role in Scotland's rural economy. As well as interpreting EU regulations and assessing the validity of over 20,000 farmers' subsidy claims every year, it is also responsible for paying 750m in subsidies annually. With 1,200 employees across 18 offices, ARE continually develops and maintains applications that support the growing number of farmers applying for subsidies. Associated responsibilities include managing identifiable data and meeting the government's strict security and payment standards. Previously, the organization relied on fragmented multipoint backup and recovery products that were difficult to manage and didn't guarantee end-to-end encryption. Using Rubrik's highly secure and reliable data management solution, ARE is able to simplify its auditing process and achieve end-to-end security compliance. After deploying Rubrik to protect its VMware, Windows and Linux workloads for its physical and virtual environments, ARE was able to: Centralize its data management, creating 60% management time savings as well as 33% total cost in ownership (TCO) savings. Benefit from a 6x faster backup performance versus the legacy backup solution. Reduce its data by 79% by maximizing the organization's storage efficiency. Minimize downtime and reduce restore time. With its legacy solution, average recovery time was 40 minutes. With Rubrik, it takes less than one minute. Seamlessly integrate with AWS S3, in accordance with the Scottish Government's cloud-first approach. As Rubrik is vendor agnostic, ARE now has the flexibility to scale to any cloud and avoid vendor lock-in. Easily change and apply new policies across its environment, using Rubrik's flexible policy-based management, to quickly meet new industry regulations. Comments on the News "Rubrik smashed our security requirements right out of the box, more than exceeding our expectations. With its comprehensive approach to security, Rubrik ensures our data is kept safe and we remain compliant," said Neill Smith, Head of IT Infrastructure at ARE. "What's more, everything about Rubrik has been extremely straightforward. It has simplified our auditing process and we can now implement new requirements in the blink of an eye. In an industry with constantly evolving rules and regulations, this is paramount for us to meet compliance standards and avoid large fines." "We're proud to be protecting the Scottish Government's sensitive data as well as helping it on its way to a cloud-first approach," said Martin Brown, Director of Western Europe at Rubrik. "With Rubrik, this government organization now has peace of mind that its mission-critical data is being handled securely, allowing it to easily demonstrate security compliance in a highly regulated sector, and avoid the large fines for noncompliance." Resources [CASE STUDY] The Scottish Government Reduces Costs and Ensures Data Security with End-to-End Encryption About Rubrik Rubrik delivers a single platform to manage and protect data in the cloud, at the edge, and on-premises. Enterprises choose Rubrik's Cloud Data Management software to simplify backup and recovery, accelerate cloud adoption, and enable automation at scale. Rubrik's run-anywhere, scale-out architecture is built to empower IT departments today and in the future, reducing total cost of ownership while enabling infrastructure flexibility for a multi-cloud world. For more information, visit http://www.rubrik.com and follow @rubrikInc on Twitter. About the Scottish Government Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate Scotland has a vibrant agriculture and rural sector that the Scottish Government aims to support. The Scottish Government's Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate promotes sustainable economic growth in agriculture, the food industry, and in rural areas. It is responsible for agricultural policy, engaging with other parts of the UK and EU in development of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), paying out circa 800m in subsides every year, and more. Learn more here . SOURCE Rubrik Related Links http://www.rubrik.com New York, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SecurityScorecard , the leader in security ratings, today announced the addition of the SecurityScorecard application for Vendor Risk Management to the ServiceNow Store. Certification by ServiceNow is only granted to apps available in the Store and signifies that SecurityScorecard for Vendor Risk Management has successfully completed a set of defined tests focused on security, compatibility, performance, and integration interoperability. "ServiceNow Vendor Risk Management and SecurityScorecard customers can now reap the benefits of SecurityScorecard's security ratings to better prioritize and automate actions for vendors that may need deeper reviews based on their security risk posture," said Odin Olson, senior director of security business development at ServiceNow. The SecurityScorecard application enables vendor risk managers to: Assess Vendor Cybersecurity Posture: View the overall grade and the 10 factor grades of data that comprise a vendor's SecurityScorecard rating along with the number of findings associated with each factor. View the overall grade and the 10 factor grades of data that comprise a vendor's SecurityScorecard rating along with the number of findings associated with each factor. Prioritize Vendors for Review: Use SecurityScorecard ratings to determine which vendors to prioritize for deeper reviews based on their cybersecurity risk posture. Use SecurityScorecard ratings to determine which vendors to prioritize for deeper reviews based on their cybersecurity risk posture. Establish Required Minimum Scores: Determine baseline SecurityScorecard grades for vendors and then leverage continuous monitoring to ensure vendors stay on track. Determine baseline SecurityScorecard grades for vendors and then leverage continuous monitoring to ensure vendors stay on track. Remediate Issues: Use submission rules in Vendor Risk Management to automate the process of sending out an assessment when vendor grades fall below minimum grade requirements. Use submission rules in Vendor Risk Management to automate the process of sending out an assessment when vendor grades fall below minimum grade requirements. Validate Assessments : Validate or invalidate assessment responses from vendors by leveraging data from SecurityScorecard. : Validate or invalidate assessment responses from vendors by leveraging data from SecurityScorecard. Engage Vendors: Invite vendors to join SecurityScorecard for free so that they can improve scores by acting on issue-level remediation guidance. "As the first security ratings vendor to offer a vendor risk management application through the ServiceNow Store, SecurityScorecard is expanding its reach by providing ServiceNow customers direct access to assess vendor cyber health," said Aleksandr Yampolskiy, CEO and Founder, SecurityScorecard. "Through the ability to better identify critical vendors and react quickly to changes in vendor security performance, ServiceNow customers will increase their visibility into vendor risk and decrease their overall risk exposure." SecurityScorecard continually monitors more than 200,000 businesses across the world and rates them on an easy-to-understand A-F scale. Companies with a C, D, or F rating are 5.4 times more likely to be breached than companies with an A or B rating. Download the SecurityScorecard app from the ServiceNow Store and start your free trial subscription to SecurityScorecard today! About SecurityScorecard Headquartered in the heart of New York City, SecurityScorecard's vision is to create a new language for measuring and communicating security risk. The company was founded in late 2013 by Dr. Aleksandr Yampolskiy and Sam Kassoumeh, two former cybersecurity practitioners who had served, respectively, as Chief Information Security Officer and Head of Security and Compliance. With cloud solutions becoming an increasingly integral part of the security technology stack Yampolskiy and Kassoumeh recognized the need to address third- and fourth-party risk as well as better understand the security capabilities of their business partners. Since its founding, the company has grown dramatically and now counts hundreds of leading brands as customers. SecurityScorecard is backed by leading venture capital investors including Sequoia Capital, GV, NGP Capital, Evolution Equity Partners, Boldstart Ventures, AXA Venture Partners among others. For more information, visit securityscorecard.com. SOURCE SecurityScorecard Related Links http://www.securityscorecard.io DALLAS, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SPOTIO , the leading field sales enablement platform for sales reps and managers, announced findings from a recent industry survey showing that field sales teams are at a disadvantage to their inside sales counterparts, because they lack the necessary tools to succeed. The survey conducted and executed by Impact Brands, a strategic marketing and consumer insights firm, and distributed to nearly 500 sales professionals and managers, was developed to better understand the needs and deficiencies of field sales representatives, and how sales managers perceive these issues. Feedback from the respondents provided the following revealing results: The No. 1 challenge of field sales representatives today is CRM functionality. The field sales industry appears to be behind related to supplying hardware and basic equipment to their teams. Reduction of manual reporting would increase revenue and productivity. More than 80% of those surveyed said they spend up to 30 hours per week on manual reporting. Easy access to targeted leads would generate significant upside for companies. More than 60% of those surveyed said they could produce 10% or more in weekly revenue with easier access to leads. Only 47% of those surveyed believe that field sales team are more productive than inside sales teams. Sales leaders acknowledge the strengths of field sales compared to inside sales in critical categories including: customer loyalty, ROI for their companies, average sales size, employee satisfaction, and stronger customer relationships. In addition to the aforementioned survey results, many field sales reps, especially those of the millennial generation who are tech savvy, struggle with sales objectives because they don't have mobile technology to support them in the field. According to CSO Insights survey , 88% of sales professionals are unable to utilize critical sales material on their smartphones, and 60% of sales organizations report a longer sales cycle due to a lack of proper tools. "The honest and revealing survey data from our research and others, reemphasizes to us the need to fill the gap currently in place between field sales and inside sales," said Trey Gibson, CEO of SPOTIO. "As the top field sales enablement platform provider for field sales reps and managers, it's incumbent upon us to understand the challenges sales professionals are facing, and to provide them with the necessary solutions to thrive." To meet these needs, and to overcome these deficiencies, SPOTIO's is introducing a new mobile product platform designed to meet the CRM functionality demand for simpler, more intuitive through new tools field sales functionality for both the door-to-door and business-to-business markets. The new platform leverages ground-breaking mobile-centric technology for sales reps and provides managers with builds a robust solution to get the visibility they need to make strategic decisions for a field sales environment. Inside sales teams have had an abundance of sales technology CRM solutions come to market in recent years, while field sales team leaders have historically been overlooked. This new comprehensive solution delivers field sales teams leads with valuable data, tracks team activity, and provides easy, mobile friendly interface. Founded in 2014, SPOTIO was created with two purposes in mind: enable door-to-door sales reps to be more efficient with their time, and to give sales managers the power to realize a greater return on outside sales efforts. About SPOTIO SPOTIO is the leading field sales enablement solution for sales managers and reps to facilitate unprecedented productivity, increased revenue, and shorter sales cycles. The platform provides managers with real-time visibility into their team's activities for improved sales development. Sales reps receive access to the mobile application with targeted prospect data, historical knowledge of each account, and document management functionality. Thousands of customers rely on SPOTIO to accelerate growth with their sales teams such as Vodafone, Renewal by Andersen, and Oak Street Health. SPOTIO is a privately held company based in Dallas, Texas. To learn more, visit https://spotio.com . Media Contact Kelly Hardwick TruePoint Communications [email protected] 972-388-5526 SOURCE SPOTIO Related Links https://spotio.com Commenting on the announcement, E.Sun Bank said, "Our selection of Kamakura's suite of ALM, IRRBB, and Basel III LCR and NSFR solutions was based on Kamakura's exceptionally well-integrated solution, which encompasses both the bank's balance sheet management and regulatory requirements. We were impressed by Kamakura's professional approach and the deep expertise of its international, regional, and local consulting staff. Doing the one-time data extraction and reconciliation of the bank's exposure before generating the risk matrices gives us a coherent approach to strategic analysis and reporting based on common data architectures. It significantly reduces the time we spend on data analysis and consolidation improving the speed and accuracy of our reporting. We also appreciate Kamakura's training in the use of its IRRBB module, which we use to generate metrics such as changes in net interest income or changes in the economic value of equity. We incorporate these metrics into both our short-term and long-term planning scenarios, and they help us project volume, pricing, and repricing dates of our future business transactions. Within the IRRBB governance framework, Kamakura's solution makes us aware of the degree of our exposure to risk in all of our interest-rate-sensitive portfolios across the full maturity spectrum." Dr. Clement Ooi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Asia-Pacific Operations for Kamakura, said, "Riding on its successful implementation of Kamakura's funds transfer pricing module in 2016, E.Sun Bank decided to trust Kamakura's stable and professional team to expand its solution to include ALM, IRRBB, and Basel III's LCR and NSFR. Once the solution is fully implemented, the bank will be fully prepared to meet today's ever-changing regulatory landscape. It will also be able to create simulation scenarios to provide a holistic view of liquidity, interest income sensitivity, and transfer pricing positions. Kamakura's total enterprise risk management solution will also help the bank achieve regulatory compliance, as Kamakura's models and methodologies are supported by reconciliation templates that fulfil all audit requirements." Kamakura's Vice President and Director of Professional Services Frances Cheng said, "Kamakura's portfolio includes data elements to capture the characteristics of all financial products. By viewing the bank's entire exposure within a single table and a single database, E.Sun Bank can easily create reports, analyze results, and generate risk matrices to satisfy customer groups in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, the U.S., Tokyo, Myanmar, and Australia." Martin Zorn, President and COO for Kamakura Corporation, said, "The bank has chosen a truly integrated risk management solution that generates accurate risk metrics and is backed by over 28 years of research and product development. Kamakura's enterprise risk management system is user-friendly and flexible in its configuration. Our user interface was designed with typical day-to-day tasks in mind and allows users to set up and run scenarios smoothly and intuitively. About E.SUN Commercial Bank The E.Sun Commercial Bank, Ltd. (commonly known as E.Sun Bank) is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. (https://www.esunfhc.com.tw/) In 1989, a group of elite professionals joined under the leadership of chairman Mr. Yung-Jen Huang, who pledged to attain the summit and pursue to be the best. In 1992, E.Sun Commercial Bank was founded to realize these high ideals to become a first-class bank. The passage of the Financial Holding Company Law in 2001 paved the way for the creation of E.Sun Financial Holding Company Ltd, on January 28, 2002, marking the beginning of new era for E.SUN. Since the beginning E.Sun has demonstrated a consistent commitment to its brand name and pursuit of total quality management and service. E.Sun provides various commercial banking products and services. The company accepts deposits; and engages in lending, discounting of bills/checks, domestic remittances, commercial acceptances, issuance of letters of credit, guarantees, custodian services and warehousing, rental of safe deposit boxes, and credit card operations. It also offers foreign exchange services, including general inward and outward remittance, foreign currency deposits, foreign currency loans, foreign currency guarantees, and exchange of foreign cash and travelers' checks, as well as import and export negotiation. E.Sun Commercial Bank operates as a subsidiary of E.Sun Financial Holding Company, Ltd About Kamakura Corporation Founded in 1990, Honolulu-based Kamakura Corporation is a leading provider of risk management information, processing, and software. Kamakura was recognized as a category leader in the Chartis Report, Technology Solutions for Credit Risk 2.0 2018. Kamakura was named to the World Finance 100 by the editor and readers of World Finance magazine in 2017, 2016 and 2012. In 2010, Kamakura was the only vendor to win two Credit Magazine innovation awards. Kamakura Risk Manager, first sold commercially in 1993 and now in version 10.0.3, is the first enterprise risk management system for users focused on credit risk including IFRS 9 and CECL, asset and liability management, IRRBB, market risk, FRTB, CVA/DVA, SIMM, stress testing, liquidity risk, counterparty credit risk, and capital allocation from a single software solution. The KRIS public firm default service was launched in 2002. The KRIS sovereign default service, the world's first, was launched in 2008, and the KRIS non-public firm default service was offered beginning in 2011. Kamakura added its U.S. Bank default probability service in 2014. Kamakura has served more than 330 clients with assets ranging in size from $1.5 billion to $3.0 trillion. Its risk management products are currently used in 47 countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and many other countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. To follow risk commentary by Kamakura on a daily basis, please follow: Kamakura CEO Dr. Donald van Deventer (www.twitter.com/dvandeventer) Kamakura President Martin Zorn (www.twitter.com/riskmgrhi) Kamakura's official twitter account (www.twitter.com/KamakuraCo). For more information, please contact: Kamakura Corporation 2222 Kalakaua Avenue, Suite 1400, Honolulu, Hawaii 96815 Telephone: 1-808-791-9888 Facsimile: 1-808-791-9898 Information: [email protected] Web site: www.kamakuraco.com SOURCE Kamakura Corporation Related Links http://www.kamakuraco.com Photo: The Canadian Press A jury trial for a couple charged in the death of their 14-month-old son heard the boy was on the verge of death when he was taken to hospital the first time he had ever seen a doctor. Jeromie and Jennifer Clark have pleaded not guilty to criminal negligence causing death and failure to provide the necessaries of life for their son John. The pair clasped hands as they stood in the prisoner's dock on Monday. Police began investigating after the boy was brought to hospital by his parents on Nov. 28, 2013. "John was on death's doorstep. This was the first time John had seen a doctor in his 14 months on this earth," prosecutor Shane Parker told the jury in his opening statement. Emergency physician Ping-Wei Chen told court that the boy was critically ill when he and his parents arrived at Foothills Medical Centre that afternoon. "John was quite pale and appeared quite lifeless," he said. Usually when patients are fighting an infection, their temperature and heart rate rise, Chen said. But both were abnormally low in John's case a sign his ailment was in its final stages. "That's often a harbinger of very bad things happening quickly," Chen told court. He diagnosed John with septic shock, most likely to have stemmed from an infection of the skin. The boy had a rash all over his body and some of his toes had turned black, court heard. Chen said he was struck by John's subdued reaction to painful needles. "The usual response for a child is screaming bloody murder." Chen said both parents were calm and quiet. Chen said John needed to be taken to the Alberta Children's Hospital immediately, which was better equipped to care for the child. The prosecutor said John was born at home, had never been vaccinated and hadn't been fed properly. He said an autopsy showed his major organs weighed less than those of babies half his age. He said the rash was initially thought to be eczema, but was actually due to malnutrition. "His immune system was so compromised from a lack of vitamins and minerals," Parker said. "John was too small and too weak to fight." The infection should have been treatable, Parker said. "At any point in time, the parents could have stopped the dominoes." ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tauri Group Inc. was recently awarded a contract supporting United States Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMA) with a ceiling value of nearly $70 million. The contract, solicited through GSA's Professional Services Schedule, provides strategic support services to USAMMA's Deputy for Acquisition. The Office of the Deputy for Acquisition has ultimate responsibility for lifecycle management and integrated product support for medical systems fielded to military treatment facilities around the world. Product acquisition is managed by integrating diverse communities, such as laboratories, the private sector, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and end users. John David, Division Director for Tauri's Life Sciences portfolio, said, "This award continues Tauri's long-standing working relationship with Department of Defense medical acquisition programs. We are excited to have the opportunity to assist USAMMA in achieving their strategic priorities while supporting a critical role in delivery of healthcare and treatment services to the warfighter." USAMMA's mission, through its worldwide operations, is to "develop, tailor, deliver, and sustain medical materiel capabilities and data in order to build and enable health readiness," with their principal capability focusing "on equipping and sustaining the medical force." About The Tauri Group: Established in 2001, The Tauri Group confronts national and homeland security challenges by creating innovative, multi-dimensional, and operationally relevant solutions based on deep subject matter expertise and real-world operational experience. Their services include science and engineering advisory services, analytical studies, test and evaluation support, systems engineering, R&D program management and strategic planning. SOURCE The Tauri Group Inc. THC.CSE THCBF - OTC TFHC.F VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - THC BioMed Intl Ltd. (CSE: THC), ("THC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has made its first shipment of cannabis to the province of British Columbia This marks a significant and fundamental change in our business operations. Our high-grade Landrace strains have been selected for the recreational market and we promise products that will be effective and deliver the desired experience without the debilitating side effects commonly associated with cannabis. Our Landrace Strains will offer recreational adult users a product that is potent and consistent in its quality and effects. Our brand names will be: THC Sativa {Landrace Strain} THC Indica {Landrace Strain} THC Hybrid {Landrace Strain} THC CBD {Landrace Strain} These variety's will be available in Dried Bud, Cannabis oil and pre-rolled joints. We are currently working on having a Cannabis Beverage "THC Kiss" approved for release. THC BioMed products will be available in British Columbia and Ontario initially and we have pending supply agreements with a Saskatoon retailer. We continue to work diligently to ensure our products are available to all adult recreational users from all provinces. About THC THC is an ACMPR Licensed Producer and Canada's largest supplier of legal Cannabis Genetics. THC is on the leading edge of scientific research and the development of products and services related to the medical cannabis industry. Management believes THC is well-positioned to be in the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. Please visit www.thcbiomed.com for a more detailed description of our business and services available. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this release. Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of THC. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of THC. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Although THC believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because THC can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and include that: (a) THC will be in the forefront of this rapidly growing industry. THC disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE THC BioMed Related Links www.thcbiomed.com BOSTON, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Tufin, the market-leading provider of Network Security Policy Orchestration solutions, today launched its Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) Program, enabling MSSPs to offer "Tufin as a Service" in a consumption-based model, delivering maximum value and flexibility. Tufin provides vital network visibility and enables organizations to make network security policy changes in minutes, reduce the attack surface and ensure continuous compliance. With Tufin as a Service, offered separately or integrated into an MSSP's services portfolio, MSSPs can automate policy changes to provide cost-effective services to their customers, improving security across heterogeneous networks. Tufin developed its unique program to address the growing need for MSSPs to have an "as a service" offering that removes the manual and painstaking processes associated with firewall management. The solution provides MSSPs a way to consistently and regularly manage network security policies and automatically document who made a change, when they made a change, and why they made a change. Benefits include reduced network configuration errors, improved troubleshooting, decreased network downtime and lower costs associated with providing these services. MSSPs will now be able to provide their customers better business agility with lower risk and improved speed and accuracy of network changes while meeting security demands. Tufin's MSSP Program provides partners with: Consumption-based pay-per-use model : eliminates the barrier of costly upfront payments with monthly billing based on actual consumption, allowing MSSPs to invest in offering this service with little to no upfront cost, while aligning monthly consumption charges to services revenue intake : eliminates the barrier of costly upfront payments with monthly billing based on actual consumption, allowing MSSPs to invest in offering this service with little to no upfront cost, while aligning monthly consumption charges to services revenue intake Native multi-tenancy : provides native multi-tenancy capabilities within the Tufin Orchestration Suite for MSSPs with required separation of tenants, data, analysis and reporting : provides native multi-tenancy capabilities within the Tufin Orchestration Suite for MSSPs with required separation of tenants, data, analysis and reporting White label risk and compliance reporting: enables MSSPs to sell Tufin's firewall risk and compliance reports, with their logo and brand prominently displayed enables MSSPs to sell Tufin's firewall risk and compliance reports, with their logo and brand prominently displayed Easy license administration : grants the ability to easily add, remove, or exchange licenses : grants the ability to easily add, remove, or exchange licenses Comprehensive MSSP dashboard : provides a granular view of customer usage and costs to ensure cost-efficiency : provides a granular view of customer usage and costs to ensure cost-efficiency Premium level support: includes 24-hour support and free online training through the Tufin Academy online, designed specifically for MSSPs "Tufin's MSSP Program has allowed us to do more with less," said Zane West, Managed Security Services Portfolio Manager at Dimension Data. "Their automated security policy orchestration solutions have decreased the time, employees and resources required by Dimension Data to track and implement changes on our clients' environment, enabling us to provide more valuable services. The flexibility of the pay-per-use model means that we can grow our business more effectively, and as more and more SMEs and large enterprises turn to MSSPs to solve their cybersecurity challenges, we'll be ready for them." By offering Tufin as a Service, MSSPs gain: Control and visibility into customer networks to easily track changes, identify risks and reduce the attack surface into customer networks to easily track changes, identify risks and reduce the attack surface Automation, such as automating network changes to eliminate time-consuming manual processes such as automating network changes to eliminate time-consuming manual processes Improved compliance and audit readiness for organizational/internal policies and external regulatory mandates for organizational/internal policies and external regulatory mandates Cost savings with proven ROI , through more remote monitoring, increased operational efficiencies through automation, and measurable performance improvement , through more remote monitoring, increased operational efficiencies through automation, and measurable performance improvement Growth opportunities, with a scalable solution that grows with the MSSP business model and provides options for incremental revenue through services with a scalable solution that grows with the MSSP business model and provides options for incremental revenue through services Proven, industry-leading technology now available in a managed service offering "With the help of Tufin's automated solutions and unique consumption pricing model, MSSPs can reduce costs and overhead for themselves, while offering industry-leading Network Security Policy Management to their customers," said Michael Menegay, Vice President of Global Channels at Tufin. "Likewise, customers will find their security posture is strengthened in a cost-efficient way, creating a symbiotic relationship other MSSPs cannot offer to their customers." For more details on the program and how to enroll, please visit https://www.tufin.com/partners/mssp-program About Tufin Tufin is the leader in Network Security Policy Orchestration for enterprise cybersecurity. More than half of the top 50 companies in the Forbes Global 2000 turn to Tufin to simplify management of some of the largest, most complex networks in the world, consisting of thousands of firewall and network devices and emerging hybrid cloud infrastructures. Enterprises select the company's award-winning Tufin Orchestration Suite to increase agility in the face of ever-changing business demands while maintaining a robust security posture. The Suite reduces the attack surface and meets the need for greater visibility into secure and reliable application connectivity. Its network security automation enables enterprises to implement changes in minutes with proactive risk analysis and continuous policy compliance. Tufin serves over 2,000 customers spanning all industries and geographies; its products and technologies are patent-protected in the U.S. and other countries. Find out more at www.tufin.com , follow Tufin on Twitter at @TufinTech and read more on Tufin's blog, Suite Talk . Contact Emily Townsend fama PR for Tufin (617) 986-5036 [email protected] SOURCE Tufin Related Links www.tufin.com NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vaco, a premier talent & solutions firm serving 40 markets around the world, announced the appointment of Phillip Noe as its new Chief Information Officer, as of October 1. Noe will lead Vaco's information technology strategy both internally and externally, implementing innovative technology solutions and programs to best serve Vaco clients, candidates, consultants and internals. An industry veteran, Noe will work with business leaders to modernize how the current and incipient technology landscape supports Vaco business units and their growth across the globe. Implementing best-in-class strategic initiatives to provide emerging tools and technologies, Noe's leadership will ensure that the organization's technology is on par with the world class service and consultative approach for which Vaco is known. "It's been said that our industry will be the last to be completely disrupted by technology because the complexity of consulting and career management require such a heavy human touch. We're going to play like the disruption will happen tomorrow and utilize innovation to enhance the Vaco experience for our clients, consultants and candidates," said Vaco Co-founder and CEO, Jerry Bostelman. "We're thrilled to have a player like Phil leading the team that delivers smart technology to fuel unforgettable service to all the constituents of Vaco." Prior to joining Vaco, Noe held several roles with The Adecco Group, where he was most recently the CIO for the North American Region. During Noe's 25+ years in the IT industry, he has held IT management positions across several industries. In all of his roles, his keen knowledge on a global delivery model was honed, and he now lectures on the topic. He has held appointments at the University of North Florida, teaching in both the College of Business and the College of Health. Outside of work, Noe has served on the Advisory Board for the Florida State College of Jacksonville, the economic development committee with the Chamber of Commerce, and he currently serves on the University of Florida Parent and Family Council. Vaco has entered into six new markets in the past 18 months and this hire comes on the heels of two other additions to the C-Suite in the last three years. Tracey Power joined Vaco in late 2015 as Chief People Officer, followed by Amanda Henley as Chief Marketing Officer in 2017. Noe joins them as a result of efforts by Focus Search Partners, a Vaco subsidiary that provides retained executive search services to private equity-backed high-growth companies across the US and Canada. About Vaco Vaco provides boutique level service with global reach in the areas of executive search, consulting, permanent placement, and strategic staffing. Areas of expertise include accounting, finance, technology, healthcare IT, operations, administration and international managed services. Since its founding in 2002, Vaco has grown to now serve 40 markets across the globe, 800+ employees, 4,300 consultants and $500M in revenue. Vaco has been named to Inc. magazine's list of the fastest-growing private companies for the past 12 years and was recently named to Forbes' 2018 List of America's Best Recruiting Firms. To learn more, visit www.vaco.com. For media contacts: Kelly May Sr. Director, Global Marketing & Special Projects [email protected] 908-770-6601 SOURCE Vaco Related Links http://www.vaco.com CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- (PRINT 18, Booth #3011) -- Ricoh USA, Inc. today announced that VISOgraphic, an Illinois-based commercial and digital print provider, has further expanded its digital footprint and its relationship with Ricoh by adding a RICOH Pro C9210 Graphic Arts Edition sheet-fed color press. The C9210 offers VISOgraphic a competitive edge, with speeds up to 135 pages per minute (ppm) on stocks up to 49 inches long and 470 gsm or 24 point thickness. This latest addition builds on Ricoh and VISOgraphic's close relationship, which included the installation of multiple platforms of the C9210's predecessor technology, the RICOH Pro C9110, to expand VISOgraphic's initial move into the digital print space. The C9210 builds on that device's strengths, offering an affordable, predictable way for businesses like VISOgraphic to maximize revenue due to the press's uptime and reliability. The C9210 will be on display at PRINT 18, September 30 to October 2, in the Ricoh booth, #3011. VISOgraphic has been in business since 1946, providing quality graphic design and printing to Chicago area businesses, with a specific focus on direct mail projects. A full art studio has allowed them to provide personalized artwork and photography in addition to layout and design. The company prides itself on producing all of its jobs in-house, under a single roof: its 40,000-square-foot facility, which has an open-door policy for customers in order to encourage visibility. "Ricoh understands our business in a deep, intuitive way that makes them an invaluable partner," said Bob Dahlke Jr., Principal, VISOgraphic. "It's clear that Ricoh develops its portfolio by focusing on how to solve our challenges and challenges of businesses like ours. They understand that in today's fast-paced, highly competitive world of print, reliability, uptime and versatility are hugely important. Like all we've seen from Ricoh, the C9210 delivers on all fronts." Printers looking to increase uptime, reliability and utilization will see immediate benefits from the C9210. The press empowers customers to expand their portfolio to include book jackets, six-page brochures and other unique applications that require media up to 470 gsm or 24 point. Additionally, the C9210 has the capacity to run the longest paper lengths in the market today: 49 inches simplex and 40 inches auto-duplex giving printers even more flexibility. This enables the production of more advanced applications and the ability to drive down the cost per piece. Additionally, the series supports a laser resolution of 2400 x 4800 dpi with a large color gamut, without sacrificing speed or versatility. The C9210 also produces consistent, professional output due to its in-line sensors that automatically aid improved front-to-back registration and color calibration, without requiring advanced operator skills. Moreover, the larger 17-inch Smart Operation Panel brings new job- and workflow-management options directly to the device, on a single screen, including the ability to monitor and manage print jobs remotely through either an EFI Color Controller or the RICOH TotalFlow Server. "VISOgraphic, like Ricoh, understands the value of a close working partnership, and that mentality has worked wonders for both of our organizations," said John Fulena, Vice President, Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group, Ricoh USA, Inc. "We understand that presses don't solve challenges, people do. And together with customers like VISOgraphic, we're solving those challenges and growing new business opportunities one application at a time. Our latest installation is a true testament of the successes we've seen from approach." For more information on Ricoh at PRINT 18, visit www.TakeALookAtRicoh.com or follow along and engage on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter using #LookAtRicoh. | About Ricoh | Ricoh is empowering digital workplaces using innovative technologies and services enabling individuals to work smarter. For more than 80 years, Ricoh has been driving innovation and is a leading provider of document management solutions, IT services, commercial and industrial printing, digital cameras, and industrial systems. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2018, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,063 billion yen (approx. 19.4 billion USD). For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com 2018 Ricoh USA, Inc. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies. Contacts: John Greco Ricoh USA, Inc. (973) 882-2023 [email protected] Tracey Sheehy Breakaway Communications for Ricoh (212) 616-6003 [email protected] SOURCE Ricoh USA, Inc. Related Links http://www.ricoh-usa.com BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it hired Michael Davis as Senior Vice President in its FHA Finance group. Based out of Walker & Dunlop's Charlotte office, Mr. Davis is responsible for originating multifamily loans through the lending programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac, with a focus in senior housing and healthcare finance. The need for senior housing is projected to continue its upward trend, driven by the baby boomer demographic. Numbered at 74 million, baby boomers are the largest living adult generation in the United States1. As this generation continues to age, appetite for senior housing facilities is expected to escalate in the coming years. Walker & Dunlop has become an industry leader in senior housing and healthcare finance and is focused on continuing to grow its presence in this space to better serve this portion of the population. Mr. Davis will be instrumental in continuing to meet the increased demands for the multifamily and healthcare sub-sectors. Managing Director Keith Melton stated, "We are thrilled to have Michael join Walker & Dunlop's best-in-class lending platform and believe that his talents in structuring transactions will be a valuable asset to our clients across the country." Prior to joining Walker & Dunlop, Mr. Davis was a managing director at Silver Leaf Partners and held a principal role in sourcing debt and equity for real estate, private equity, and affordable housing acquisition programs. Mr. Davis brings nearly 30 years of commercial real estate expertise to Walker & Dunlop's established HUD healthcare financing team where he will be supported by a team of four senior underwriters who specialize in HUD healthcare loans. Walker & Dunlop was the fourth largest HUD lender in 2017. Its 2017 HUD originations totaled $1.4 billion, a 54 percent increase from 2016. To learn more about our HUD financing options, visit our website. About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, is one of the largest commercial real estate services and finance companies in the United States providing financing and investment sales to owners of multifamily and commercial properties. Walker & Dunlop, which is included in the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, has over 650 professionals in 29 offices across the nation with an unyielding commitment to client satisfaction. 1 Pew Research Center SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Related Links http://www.walkerdunlop.com NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Wellthie , a leading provider of next-generation technology solutions to help brokers and insurance carriers thrive in the digital age, has announced a partnership with OneDigital Health and Benefits , the nation's largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR. Through this partnership, OneDigital's team of consultants nationwide are able to utilize Wellthie's national small group benefits marketplace to provide better access to employee benefits for small business clients. OneDigital "We are excited that a leading firm with the experience and reputation of OneDigital has chosen to use the Wellthie small group platform on a national scale," said Sally Poblete, founder and CEO of Wellthie. "We are confident that Wellthie can help the forward-thinking, technology-focused OneDigital team members deliver a better experience to their small business clients." "OneDigital is looking forward to having our team around the country start using the Wellthie platform," said Julie Cape, EVP of Client Services and SMB Markets at OneDigital. "Having a single, robust platform for small business clients will help our entire organization be more efficient and provide enhanced service to this underserved segment." With the Wellthie platform, OneDigital team members can optimize small group sales and drive long-term relationships, while supporting their small business clients by increasing employees' access to benefits. Wellthie technology enables forward-thinking brokers and agents to increase agency revenues and decrease service hours, all while modernizing the customer experience for small business clients. OneDigital's comprehensive advisory services and market-leading solutions are offered in over 74 offices throughout the country. Responding to the convergence of broker consolidation, digitalization and an increase of millennials in the workplace, the 17-year-old company is staking a claim to "Power Your People with Exceptional Benefits and HR." This position articulates the space in which OneDigital operates and highlights its ability to deliver fresh thinking ahead of the market, giving clients peace of mind that their approach to employee benefits is best-in-class. About Wellthie Wellthie is helping to modernize the insurance shopping experience, offering the first and only national small group benefits marketplace designed to help brokers optimize small group sales, carriers maximize product distribution, and small businesses find health insurance online. Wellthie's enterprise-ready SaaS platform is available to carriers, brokers, and small businesses nationwide. Visit www.wellthie.com to learn more. About OneDigital OneDigital Health and Benefits, based in Atlanta, Georgia, the nation's largest company focused exclusively on employee benefits and HR, combines people and technology to power your business with exceptional benefits and HR. Serving companies of all sizes, OneDigital offers employers a sophisticated combination of strategic benefit advisory services, analytics, compliance support, human resources capital management tools and comprehensive insurance offerings. Visit www.onedigital.com to learn more. Media Contact: Stacy Callahan (for Wellthie) [email protected] 917-972-1101 SOURCE Wellthie Related Links http://www.wellthie.com CALGARY, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Westpower, a Canadian leader in rotating equipment applications, reliability solutions and aftermarket support services, is celebrating its 25th year in business with a refreshed brand, in response to changing market conditions, and evolving employee and client demographics. The company unveiled the refreshed brand to clients and staff on Sept. 28 at the Pig Roast, Westpower's annual event, in Calgary. "We have long been the industry and innovation leader in engineered pump applications and enhancement solutions. What better occasion than our silver jubilee to celebrate the same technical expertise and quality with an inspiring and revitalized brand that is in tune with the successes of today and the possibilities of tomorrow," said Dave Goddard, Westpower president. Goddard views the refreshed brand as a "long-term vision" that communicates the value of partnering with Westpower. "It will create an even more powerful customer experience that resonates throughout the lifecycle of our products, services, partnerships and relationships. Our new tagline captures it well Realizing potential," he said. Myron Hildebrand, Vice President of Sales, said the refreshed brand announces to the world that Westpower offers solutions beyond just pumps. "Our refreshed brand is built on three pillars connecting our past to the future -- people, performance, and potential. It is our dynamic, innovative image ready to take on the future by building on our strong reputation," he said. David Goddard invites Westpower's clients, employees, suppliers, OEM partners, and future partners to experience the relaunched refreshed brand at www.westpowergroup.com "This signals a new era for us one that will allow us to explore new industries and opportunities to attract clients, talent and OEM partners," he said. About Westpower Westpower is a leading North American rotating equipment solutions provider with services spanning industrial and engineered pumps, fabricated engineered fluid systems, reliability and lubrication products, field service and repair solutions that enhance performance. Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, we have operations in Edmonton, Vancouver, Grande Prairie, Salt Lake City, and Denver. Clients regard Westpower as a strong technical advisor of rotating equipment solutions; and a reliable and trustworthy industry partner. We investigate, understand and improve our clients' machinery through root cause failure analysis, intelligent monitoring systems, and engineered design enhancements. Through perpetual innovation, we achieve and sustain outstanding results while holding safety as a top priority. For more information, please visit www.westpowergroup.com. SOURCE Westpower CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost 25% of travelers say they not at all concerned about security when using WiFi in an airport or on a plane, according to a recent survey by The GO Group, LLC, an international ground transportation provider. However, 48% said they were somewhat concerned. Only 19% of the 293 respondents were very concerned while nine percent said they never thought about their security while online at airports on planes. But they should. "Travelers need to be aware that it is not overly difficult for criminals to steal personal information when people use WiFi networks in public spaces," says John McCarthy, president of The GO Group. "All thieves need is a battery powered hotspot." Three percent of survey participants said they have had personal information stolen while using WiFi in an airport or on a plane. Twenty-eight percent said they did now know whether or not they have had information stolen. Several respondents expressed that they didn't have information worth stealing. "Using common sense and taking active measures, such as verifying the full name of the WiFi network, turning off file sharing, only using sites with HTTPS encryptions and not conducting online financial transactions can go a long way in protecting sensitive information," adds McCarthy. The GO Group, LLC is the nation's largest airport transportation provider, offering shared rides, private vehicles, sedans, charters and tours, serving some 90 airports in North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe and transporting more than 13 million passengers per year. SOURCE The GO Group, LLC Related Links https://www.goairportshuttle.com LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- WORLDWIDE FACILITIES, LLC ("Worldwide Facilities") a national wholesale insurance broker, managing general agent and program underwriter, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the assets of DRACO INSURANCE SOLUTIONS, INC. ("Draco"), a Boston-based program manager, specializing in the public transportation sector. Commenting on the transaction, Davis Moore, CEO of Worldwide Facilities, says, "We are extremely pleased to have Scott Stevens and his team join the Worldwide Facilities enterprise. The Draco team, led by Scott, has demonstrated underwriting expertise in the primary transportation space with particular emphasis on the public auto sector. The expansion of our transportation and program underwriting capabilities are part of our strategic growth strategy and will contribute to our relevance with our customers." Scott Stevens, Executive Vice President of Draco, says, "We are pleased to be part of the Worldwide Facilities team and look forward to accelerating the continued growth of our business with the resources, market relationships and customer relationships of the Worldwide Facilities platform." About Worldwide Facilities, LLC Worldwide Facilities is a national wholesale insurance broker, managing general agent and program underwriter that has been in business since 1970. Its brokers and underwriters are industry leaders providing expertise in a wide range of specialty lines, as well as extensive contacts with carriers domestically and overseas. For more information, please visit wwfi.com. About Draco Insurance Solutions, Inc. Draco Insurance Solutions is a managing general agent and program underwriter specializing in public auto insurance. Draco offers creative insurance solutions to the public auto market through an experienced team of underwriters. Media Contact: Erika Guerra, [email protected], Direct: (213) 236-4509 SOURCE Worldwide Facilities, LLC Related Links https://www.wwfi.com Alanna Kelly A video of a violent and dramatic outburst inside a Tim Hortons coffee shop has been released by police to the public. New Westminster police say the incident was over an incorrect coffee order. Officers were called to a Tim Hortons on Carnarvon Street just before 7:30 p.m. on Sept 6 for reports of an assault. Employees told police that the man ordered an Ice Cappuccino but when he got it, he claimed that the order was wrong. Video shows the man squeezing and dumping the drink over the counter. Police said he also reportedly began insulting the employee at this point. The suspect can be seen kicking the counter and forcefully shoving the register off the counter. NWPD said the suspect was verbally abusive to the staff and at one point he allegedly kicked and punched another customer who tried to intervene. "It is concerning that someone can become that irate over an apparently incorrect order, but thankfully nobody was seriously injured," Sgt. Jeff Scott said in the statement to CTV News. The suspect fled the scene before police officers arrived. Police released the surveillance video on Monday in hopes of tracking him down. He is described as five-foot-six, medium build, Caucasian and is believed to be between 20 and 25 years of age. Anyone who has any information is being asked to contact 604-525-5411. - with files from CTV Vancouver Washington, Oct 2 : US President Donald Trump has said he plans to sign a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada by the end of November to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). "It's my great honour to announce that we have successfully completed negotiations on a brand new deal to terminate and replace NAFTA... with an incredible new US-Mexico-Canada agreement called USMCA," Trump said on Monday at an event at the White House to celebrate the new trade deal, Xinhua reported. "I plan to sign the agreement by the end of November. I then will submit it for approval to Congress, where, in theory, there should be no trouble," he said. Talks on re-negotiating the NAFTA began in August 2017 as Trump threatened to withdraw from the trilateral trade deal and claimed that it harmed US industries and jobs. The US and Mexico struck a preliminary agreement to update the 24-year-old NAFTA by late August. Then US and Canadian negotiators made the final push this weekend to reach an agreement before a midnight Sunday deadline, allowing leaders from the three countries to sign the new trade pact by late November. The Office of the US Trade Representative on Sunday night released the full legal text of the new "US-Mexico-Canada Agreement," which includes more than 30 chapters such as market access for goods, agriculture, rules of origin, trade remedies, financial services, digital trade, and dispute settlement. Now the trade agreement needs to be reviewed and approved by lawmakers from the three countries. But the US Congress is not likely to have a vote on the trade pact until next year, according to media reports. "Congress won't vote on the agreement until next year, because it still has a number of procedural hurdles to clear under Trade Promotion Authority legislation, including an analysis by the US International Trade Commission," Politico, a US political website, reported on Monday. While calling the agreement "the most important trade deal we've ever made by far," Trump said he's "not at all confident" that Congress will approve the deal. "They (Democrats) might be willing to throw one of the great deals for people and the workers. They may be willing to do that for political purpose," Trump said, adding Democrats might not want to approve the revised NAFTA agreement as they will have the 2020 presidential race in mind. "Any trade agreement proposal must be judged by whether it improves the wages, working conditions and well-being of America's workers and farmers," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said Monday in a statement. "Democrats will closely scrutinize the text of the Trump Administration's NAFTA proposal, and look forward to further analyses and conversations with stakeholders," she said. Barcelona, Oct 2 : Police have dispersed hundreds of Catalan separatists who were demonstrating in front of the regional Parliament and the headquarters of Spain's National Police in Barcelona. Hundreds of people gathered on Monday before both venues at the end of a demonstration called in the Catalan capital to mark the first anniversary of the northeastern region's illegal referendum on secession, Efe news reported. During the demonstration on the Via Laietana avenue, the protesters threw objects and paint at the policemen who guarded the building, while the demonstrators at the Parliament tried to remove security fences and enter the chamber but were stopped by the police. Police forces dispersed the protesters who gathered in front of the National Police headquarters first, and then those who demonstrated before Parliament. Monday's street protests in Catalonia sought to vindicate the illegal referendum on "self-determination" a year ago. Members of the so-called Committees for the Defence of the Catalan Republic (CDR) obstructed vehicles as well as disrupted train services in several places in the region and participated in the demonstration in Barcelona to commemorate the anniversary of the illegal plebiscite, which was called by the previous separatist regional government. These protests had the support of the Catalan president, the pro-independence Quim Torra, who urged the CDR's to continue the pressure. United Nations, Oct 2 : Maldives is currently going through a peaceful transfer of power to opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who was elected president last month, the nation's Permanent Representative Ali Naseer Mohamed has assured the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Speaking at the high-level General Debate of the UNGA on Monday, he said that September 23, the day the presidential election took place, was an "extraordinary daya for the country and it "was a moment that makes every Maldivian proud of how far we have come and the excellent progress the country has achieved." "Following the election, the Maldives is currently going through the process of transfer of power from one elected government to the other," he said. On Saturday, the country's Election Commission declared Maldivian Democratic Party candidate Solih the winner of the presidential election, overruling the defeated President Abdulla Yameen's efforts to delay the announcement of the results. "The accelerated process of democracy in the Maldives is going in tandem with faster growth in social and economic development," Mohamed said. The elections came after a tumultuous period during which Yameen had imposed a state of emergency earlier this year and had arrested former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, as well as Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed and Judge Ali Hameed and charged them with treason. Solih was also arrested along with scores of opposition leaders. Maldives Foreign Minister Mohamed Asim was scheduled to address UNGA last Saturday but after the president's defeat he did not show up and Mohamed, who spoke in his stead, was the last speaker at the concluding session of the high-level General Debate. Mohamed praised Yameen for what he said was the progress recorded by the Indian Ocean archipelago nation during the last five years under his rule. Without naming any countries, Mohamed said "the the principle of international law that governs the friendly relations and cooperation among states are being challenged at a fundamental level." "There is therefore a need for countries big and small to return to the right side of law," he said. During the country's turmoil, India insisted on Maldives adhering to democracy and Yameen began a drift towards China. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) United Nations, Oct 2 : UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces has concluded the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the Assembly, saying it was wrapped up on "a high note". In her closing speech to the world leaders attending the debate, Espinosa on Monday said "each one of us could say with honesty that we are wrapping up this General Debate on a high note with the satisfaction of job well done", Xinhua reported. Expecting the past week to set the tone for the work and agenda of the assembly in the coming year, she summarised its seven outcomes, with the first one being the global reflection on the role of the UN and the reflection on the importance of multilateralism as the only viable response to the problems facing mankind. Secondly, she noted the UN had been a home for all nations this past week by creating a space for them "to deepen bilateral ties and to strengthen political and regional groups". Thirdly, the UN General Assembly chief noted, the representatives of member states shared visions and experiences on issues of common interest, and more than 400 side events took place along the General Debate. In addition, she mentioned four other strategic outcomes of the assembly's high-level week: two political declarations on Tuberculosis and non-communicable disease, the progress in signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, member states' sharing of national or regional successes and challenges, and the participation of hundreds of activists. She also expressed gratitude to the 77 heads of state and 44 heads of government as well as other high-level representatives who participated in this year's discussions. The General Debate started last Tuesday and lasted until Monday with Sunday off. A total of 196 representatives, including 193 from member states and three from permanent observers, spoke at its podium. In the meantime, a number of high-level meetings were held during the week, including Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, as well as meetings of Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Action for Peacekeeping, Commemoration and Promotion of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Fight to End Tuberculosis, and Comprehensive Review of the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases. World leaders also held bilateral and multilateral meetings to build ties and make headway in the multilateral agenda and strengthen regional and bilateral relationships. United Nations, Oct 2 : General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa has said that she will pick the "right persons" to push ahead the Security Council reform negotiations, although its progress will ultimately depend on the member states. Replying to a question on Security Council reform on Monday at a news conference here, she said, "I will pick the right persons in order to push the process ahead and it is very much going to depend on the depth (of commitment) and the readiness of member states." "This is very much a member state-driven process," she said. Miroslav Lajcak, whose term as UN General Assembly (UNGA) President ended last month, appointed Permanent Representatives Kaha Imnadze of Georgia and and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, of the United Arab Emirates as the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), as the process is known. The IGN made very little progress being unable -- as in previous years -- to even agree on a text on which to base the negotiations and rolled it over to the current session. The main opposition to reforms comes from a group of countries known as United for Progress led by Italy and includes Pakistan. In order to block reforms that could add permanent members, they have been insisting that there should be a consensus on reforms before there could be negotiation text, which in effect means the negotiations cannot go ahead meaningfully in the absence of a document for discussions. Now pressure is building from African nations, which do not have a single permanent member on the Security Council, while that continent is home to most UN peacekeeping operations ordered by it and issues from there feature often on its agenda. South Africa's Foreign Minister Cyril Ramaphosa said in his address to the UNGA last week, "Reform of the United Nations, particularly its Security Council is a priority if we are to give full effect to the values and principles enshrined in the UN Charter." Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister Alpha Barry said the absence of an African nation as a permanent member was an" injustice" to Africa. Africa deserves to be given its place among the Security Council's permanent members in order to repair the injustice done to it, he said. The vast majority of member states agree on the principle of a more representative Security Council that reflects the realities of the contemporary world and is more able to respond quickly to crises, Barry said. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter at @arulouis) Srinagar/New Delhi, Oct 2 : A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday searched the residence of a businessman in Srinagar in connection with a terror funding case, police sources said. The central anti-terror agency carried out searches at the residence and office premises of Ajaz Ahmad Hakak in connection with its ongoing probe into the hawala terror funding by the Pakistan-based Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), an NIA official told IANS in Delhi. The raids were carried out in Srinagar's old city area at Hakak's Nowhatta residence. There was no report about any seizure made. The NIA action comes a week after it had busted a hawala network linked to the FIF and arrested three persons from Delhi, including a Kashmir-based hawala courier. The agency had seized over Rs 1 crore in cash and Rs 43,000 in Nepali currency and several incriminating documents from the arrested men. According to the NIA, some Delhi-based individuals were receiving funds from FIF operatives based abroad and were using the money for terror activities in the country. The NIA had arrested Mohammad Salman, 52, Mohammad Salim aka Mama, 62, Sajjad Abdul Wani, 34, of Srinagar. Salman was said to be in regular touch with a Dubai-based Pakistani national, who in turn was connected with the deputy chief of FIF, a charity group linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The FIF is a Lahore-based organisation established by Jamat-ud-Dawa and acts as a front for the LeT. FIF was founded in 1990 by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Mumbai, Oct 2 : Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao on Tuesday called for devolving more powers to the gram sabhas across the country in the spirit of the 73rd constitutional amendment and thus help achieve Mahatma Gandhi's dreams. Addressing a seminar on 'Gandhian Thoughts' to mark the beginning of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, the Governor said that "empowering and developing villages alone will stop the exodus of people from rural to urban areas." Reminding that only a year is left for the 150 birth anniversary celebrations, he appealed to the government, public and private sectors, and academic institutions to give a fresh push to Swachch Bharat Abhiyan in the state to meet the goal of clean and neat India by 2019. Calling for respecting dignity of labour, Bombay High Court Justice C. Dharmadhikari (retd) said it that is ironical that people who create trash are respected by society while those who toil hard to clean it are looked down upon. He said that the 'charkha' used by Gandhiji to spin khadi symbolised dignity of labour. He appealed to the people to use two sets of khadi clothes each year as it could provide employment to one crore artisans. Mani Bhavan President Usha Thakkar said that Gandhiji dared to think and act differently and that his philosophy of non-violence was an instrument to achieve social justice, empowerment of the oppressed sections. He also combined "ethics with politics," she said. Earlier, Rao offered floral tributes at the portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and attended a devotional songs programme 'Bhavanjali' on the occasion. Among major events to mark Gandhiji's birth anniversary, IIT-Bombay trained 5,700 students from 120 schools to assemble solar study lamps, which will ultimately reach a figure of 125,000 students, said organizer Chetan S. Solanki. Scientist and ex-Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar said the initiative demonstrates mass empowerment through open source technology in multiple ways. Western Railway organized a unique thematic painting exhibitions at 12 select stations associated with Gandhiji's life journey -- Mumbai Central, Bhavnagar, Porbander, Limbdi, Wadhwan, Gondal, Vadodara, Nadiad, Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Palanpur and Viramgam on its network, said Chief spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar. Gandhiji's birthplace, Porbander, got a special makeover, a cleanliness drive, installation of a marble statue, thematic paintings, posters and murals, apart from two life-size portraits of Gandhiji and Kasturba Gandhi at the main entrance, he added. NGO Voice Against Tobacco organized a special drive on the hazards of tobacco with posters and banner in Mumbai and Thane and urged people to adopt Gandhiji's concept of cleanliness, said its Chairman Umesh Thanawala. Shillong, Oct 2 : The Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly, Mukul Sangma, on Tuesday voiced confidence that the Modi government will be ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls because of the "anti-people" agenda of the BJP and the NDA government. "People thought that the BJP was an alternative but now they have realized and have seen things that had happened... Therefore, a non-BJP government will be there in 2019," the veteran Congress leader told journalists. Stating that there was no alternative party to the Congress in India, Sangma, a member of the Congress' manifesto committee, alleged that "other parties are not serious in fighting against the BJP and they instead are busy in creating division among the people". Sangma said the Modi government was "insensitive" to the needs of the people of the northeastern region. He recalled that under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, state governments did not face this kind of a situation as it was today under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. New Delhi, Oct 2 : With representatives of farmers holding discussions with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the government on Tuesday agreed to take "effective measures" to fulfill seven of the 15 demands. As per a release, the government said it will file a review petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to revoke the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles (tractors)and at the same time ask states to take similar action. Also, a proposal to bring agriculture-related products under 5 per cent bracket of Goods and Services Tax (GST) will be put before the GST council. The government also said the Minimum Support Price (MSP) providing 50 per cent profit over the production cost -- as announced in the Union Budget 2018-19 -- will be extended to all notified Rabi crops, and an advisory will be sent to states to establish proper procurement mechanism to ensure fair prices. However, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), which led the protest, said the government was "non-committal" on fixation of MSP based on 'C2' input factor as per the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations. As per the release, the government also said measures will be taken to stop imports of commodities that are harvested in optimum quantity. And purchase window will be of 90 days. On the demand of integration of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNRES) with farm work, the government said farmer representatives will be included in the committee that is working on the issue. "A committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to look into issues raised over implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). The committee will give report after holding consultations with farmer unions in relation with implementation of PMFBY and Kisan Credit Card scheme," reads the release. On the issue of crop damages by wild animals, the government assured the farmers that amendments will be made in the directions under PMFBY to provide compensation on pilot basis, and it may be implemented in other affected districts based on the outcome of the pilot project. The government's assurances came after a three-hour meeting, which was later rejected by the BKU. It said the government was "silent" on the major demand of loan waiver and vowed to continue the stir till the protesting farmers are allowed to go to Kisan Ghat. Among other demands which were not considered by the government are monthly pension to farmers, payment of cane arrear with interest, free electricity for tube-well, rehabilitation of family of farmers who commit suicide along with a job to kin, put agriculture out of World Trade Organisation (WTO), land acquisition as per 2013 Land Act, and calling a special session of Parliament to discuss farmers issues. The protest by thousands of farmers at the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border turned violent on Tuesday morning as they tried to break barricades and run them over with tractors to enter the national capital, forcing police to use water cannons and tear gas. As it became known yesterday, Norges Bank Real Estate Management, which manages Norways sovereign wealth fund, has paid 321.3 million pounds for Sixty London. The acquisition of the 100 percent interest in the office property located on 60 Holborn Viaduct in Central London was confirmed by Hines last week #link(49268,we Photos: Norges Real Estate [] Photo: pixabay A financial advisor in Penticton has been penalized $8,500 by the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada for being caught using pre-signed and falsified account forms. Neil MacDonald of Sun Life Penticton was fined $6,000 and ordered to pay $2,500 in costs, according to a disciplinary decision posted online last week. The decision found that MacDonald did not receive any monetary benefit as a result of the bad paperwork beyond regular commissions, and an investigation by his employer found no clients experienced loss. Between 2012 and 2015 MacDonald used pre-signed account forms to process six transactions for three clients. Falsified account forms were used eight times between 2012 and 2014 with five clients, where he altered trading instructions on forms without having the client initial the alterations. Sun Life discovered two of the pre-signed and falsified forms during a branch review in 2016. During the ensuing investigation, Sun Life placed MacDonald under close supervision and sent audit letters to all his clients asking them to check their accounts for unauthorized transactions none reported any concerns. The disciplinary decision states that use of pre-signed forms has been banned since 2007. The danger associated with the use of such forms is that they may be used to engage in discretionary trading, they create the opportunity for acts of fraud, theft or other forms of harmful conduct towards a client, and they impede or subvert the ability of a member to properly supervise trading activity, the decision says. The minimum financial MFDA penalty is $5,000, although the association usually seeks fines above the minimum guidelines. Billionaire hedge fund manager Sir Michael Hintze has bought an 842-hectare grazing aggregation in Central Victoria. It is at Willatook, south-west of Bendigo. He had paid about $7.5 million, for the latest farm in his extensive eastern Australia enterprise which comes with a $340 million net value. The land holdings are valued at $240 million. Hintze has bought the Webster family property who intend to retire. Hintze has plans for prime lambs across the aggregation of the Murraba, Maloneys and Glenholme properties. They have a carrying capacity for about 12,500 sheep, Fairfax Media reported. The acquisition also included 450 angus cows, 350 yearlings, 30 angus bulls and 150 crossbred ewes. The enterprise has signalled its preference for expanding its portfolio with properties that have exposure to high-rainfall environments. GUEST OBSERVATION Imagine planning a public transport system for a large city by providing one bus at a time on one route that might serve a few dozen people (but nobody knows how many). That is what planning for housing affordability looks like in most Australian capital cities: innovative projects take years to develop and never get scaled up into a system. Who can we learn from? In July, the lead author returned to three cities comparable to Melbourne that she visited in 2015 Vancouver, Portland and Toronto to re-interview key housing actors and review investment and policy changes over the past three years. All have big housing affordability problems, caused by a strong economy and 30 years of largely unregulated speculative housing. A lack of federal government involvement has exacerbated these problems. But these four cities have recently developed very different approaches to housing systems planning, with increasingly divergent results. Toronto has gone backwards. Vancouver and Portland, though, are reaping the rewards of good metropolitan policy, from which we have drawn ten lessons for Melbourne. Before we discuss these, lets take stock of the affordable housing challenge in Melbourne. Who needs affordable housing, and how much of it? The Victorian state government has recently defined affordable housing incomes and price points for both Greater Melbourne and regional Victoria for households on very low (0-50% of median income), low (50-80%) and moderate (80-120%) incomes. It has enshrined affordable housing as an explicit aim in the Planning and Environment Act. Better protection for renters has also been developed. These are great steps, but we need to go further in the next term of government. The Australian government estimated that 142,685 lower-income renter households in Victoria were in housing stress in 2015-16. Over 30% and in many cases over 50% of their income was going to rent or mortgage payments. Our research team at Transforming Housing has more recently calculated a deficit of 164,000 affordable housing dwellings. Over 90% of the deficit is in Greater Melbourne. A simplified version of the price points necessary for households to avoid housing stress (one that leaves out household size and additional costs and risks of poorly located housing on the city fringe) looks like this: Palm, Raynor & Whitzman (2018), Author provided Affordable home ownership bears no resemblance to the current market in which the median unit price is well over $700,000. Median rents are affordable to many moderate-income households, at about $420 a week. Whether such housing is available, with a vacancy rate of less than 1%, is another issue, particularly for very low-income households. The Victorian government has a metropolitan planning strategy that states the need for 1.6 million new dwellings between 2017 and 2050. Thats almost 50,000 new homes a year. Using the new definitions, we can calculate ideal ten-year new housing supply targets to meet the needs of all residents of Greater Melbourne. Author provided The biggest problem is not overall supply. In the six months from February to July 2018, there were 28,602 dwelling unit approvals in Greater Melbourne. At that rate there would be 572,040 new units by 2028, which is more than the total need projected by Plan Melbourne. The problem is that the price points of these dwellings are beyond the means of 64% of households 456,295 would need to be affordable, appropriately sized and located to meet most peoples needs. All too many will be bought as investments and remain vacant. Plan Melbourne doesnt provide targets for affordability, size or location. This is left to six subregions, each with four to eight local governments, which have not produced these reports in the 18 months since the plan was released. Affordable housing targets that exist in state documents are woefully inadequate. Homes for Victorians has an overall target of 4,700 new or renovated social housing units over the five-year period 2017-22. An inclusionary zoning pilot on government-owned land might yield as many as 100 social housing units in five years. Public housing renewal on nine sites is expected to yield at least a 10% uplift, or 110 extra social housing units, in return for sale of government land to private developers. This is certainly not maximizing social benefit. What can we learn from Vancouver and Portland? Although Vancouver has huge housing affordability issues, it has been able to scale up housing delivery for very low-income households about 15 times as much social and affordable housing as Melbourne over the past three years. Both Vancouver and Portland have ambitious private sector build-to-rent programs, with thousands of new affordable rental dwellings near transport lines. Both cities have influenced senior governments. Canada is investing C$40 billion (A$42.6b) over the next ten years in its National Housing Strategy. In contrast, Toronto has had a net loss of hundreds of units of social housing. This is due to disastrous lack of leadership at local and state (provincial) levels. Our new report highlights 10 lessons for the Victorian government: Carolyn Whitzman, Professor of Urban Planning, University of Melbourne Katrina Raynor, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Transforming Housing Project, University of Melbourne Matthew Palm, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Transforming Housing Research Network, University of Melbourne This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The 2018 Irrigation Show will be held Dec. 3-7 in Long Beach, California, at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. Every year I am amazed at the new innovations developed by our industry and encouraged by the impact they can have, said IA Industry Development Director Brent Mecham, CID, CLWM, CIC, CLIA, CAIS. The Irrigation Association is pleased to announce the entries in its annual new product contest. A record number of at least 60 new irrigation, lighting and specialty products have been entered into the contest and will be featured at the 2018 Irrigation Show and Education Conference in Long Beach, California, Dec. 3-7. The annual new product contest has become a popular feature at the Irrigation Show. It includes the best new product and technology innovations introduced to the agriculture and landscape irrigation markets in the last year. This years contest features products in the following categories: agriculture irrigation, landscape irrigation, landscape lighting and specialty. To view the current listing of the 2018 New Product Contest entries, go to the Irrigation Show website at http://www.irrigationshow.org/2018Entries. Every year I am amazed at the new innovations developed by our industry and encouraged by the impact they can have, said IA Industry Development Director Brent Mecham, CID, CLWM, CIC, CLIA, CAIS. The new product contest continues the strong tradition of providing value to all attendees to see new and improved products on display and to raise awareness of the many new innovations that will help improve resource efficiency and facilitate better installation or management of irrigation and lighting systems. During the Irrigation Show, each product will be reviewed by a panel of expert judges and evaluated based on innovation, design quality, increased water/resource-use efficiency, ease of use and product life expectancy. The winners will be announced at the general session on Thursday, Dec. 6. Visit http://www.irrigationshow.org for more details about the show and the new product contest. About the Irrigation Association The Irrigation Association is the leading membership organization for irrigation companies and professionals. The IA is committed to promoting efficient irrigation and to long-term sustainability of water resources for future generations. The IA works to improve industry proficiency, advocate sound water management and grow demand for water-efficient products and services. For more information, visit http://www.irrigation.org. "Cannonball," the new CD by alto saxophonist Richie Cole. I didn't try to play like Cannonball, I focused on how he tells a story. You have to tell stories if you're going to connect with an audience and there was no one better at that than him. The alto madness of Richie Cole celebrates one of its chief inspirations with the October 26 release of "Cannonball" (Richie Cole Presents). An inveterate bebop stalwart, Cole leads the Pittsburgh Alto Madness Orchestra and several special guests in paying tribute to his hero, the legendary alto saxophonist Julian Cannonball Adderley. The album comprises a dozen tunes closely associated with Adderley (including his own Sack o Woe), as well as a brand-new Cole original (Bell of the Ball). While Cole often uses ideas from Adderleys arrangements to formulate his own, no one could mistake either of the altoists for the othernor would the stubbornly individual Cole want them to. I didnt try to play like Cannonball, I focused on how he tells a story, says Cole. You have to tell stories if youre going to connect with an audience and there was no one better at that than him. The eight-piece ensemble, too, drawn from Coles home base of Pittsburgh, is very different from Adderleys famous quintets. Coles frontline partner on "Cannonball" is trombonist Reggie Watkinsa surrogate for cornetist Nat Adderley, his brothers longtime brass foil. Two more horns, tenor saxophonist Rick Matt and trumpeter J.D. Chaisson, join in for four of the albums 13 tracks. Guitarist Eric Susoeff, keyboardist Kevin Moore, bassist/producer Mark Perna, and drummer Vince Taglieri fill out the rhythm section. In taking on Adderleys repertoire, Cole finds ways to evoke his hero, though often with a twist. Where Nancy Wilson traditionally joined Adderley on Save Your Love for Me, Cole brings in the vocalist Kenia, who sings his bossa nova arrangement in Portuguese. The altoist recreates Adderleys 1961 solo on Toy, but not before letting Watkins have his uproarious way with the song. Meanwhile, a rendition of Dat Dere closely resembling the version on Adderleys 1960 album "Them Dirty Blues" is subverted with a newly devised arrangement for all four horns. Its like where did this big band come from? Cole says with a laugh. Cole keeps it tight on "Cannonball"; most of the tunes stay close to the five-minute mark. I could stretch out and play my ass off, Cole says. But then you lose the thread of the story, and the audience. . . . I want to play melodies that regular people, working people, can enjoy. Richie Cole was born in 1948 in Trenton, New Jersey. His father, a big band enthusiast, ran a local jazz joint called the Harlem Club. Young Richie met any number of great jazz performers there, including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, and Freddie Hubbard, and at 10 took up alto saxophone on a horn someone had left at the club. He played in various school bands and, at 16, attended a music camp directed by alto legend Phil Woods (with whom he would record the 1980 fan favorite, "Side by Side"). He went on to study at Bostons Berklee School of Music, then continued his jazz education in the big bands of Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, and Doc Severinsen before forming his own bebop quintet. Unswayed by jazz-rock trends, Cole in the early 70s began a long association with the great vocalist Eddie Jefferson, with whom he worked until the vocalese innovators 1979 death, recording among others the popular album "Alto Madness." Cole thrived on 80s encounters with Sonny Stitt and Art Pepper and spread his alto madness with pianist Bobby Enriquez and saxophonist Boots Randolph. He turned out a flurry of albums through the 90s with his seven-man Alto Madness Orchestra. For years, Cole lived the life of a wanderer. Following a romantic breakup, he was talked into moving to Pittsburgh by his daughter Annie. She had to drag me there kicking and screaming, he says. But as his song I Have a Home in Pittsburgh tells you, things have worked out well for him in the Iron City. Pittsburgh is like an oasis, an island, Cole says. There are fantastic musicians here. One of thembassist Mark Pernahelped him create his own label, Richie Cole Presents, on which "Cannonball" is the sixth release. Cole and his musical partners will be celebrating the release of the new CD at Wallaces Whiskey Room and Kitchen in Pittsburgh, 7-9 pm on Friday 10/26. Andrea Pusic, MD The Plastic Surgery Foundation (The PSF), which supports the research and international activities of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), named Andrea Pusic, MD, MHS, president of The Plastic Surgery Foundation. Dr. Pusic took office at Plastic Surgery The Meeting, the Society's annual scientific meeting, in Chicago and will serve for one year. I am thrilled and honored to serve as the president of the Plastic Surgery Foundation, noted Dr. Pusic. I look forward to leading The PSF over the coming year to advance research, innovation and patient safety in plastic surgery. Dr. Pusic is Chief of Plastic Surgery at Brigham and Womens Hospital and the Joseph E. Murray Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. She also leads the newly formed Patient-Reported Outcomes, Value & Experience (PROVE) Center at Brigham Health in Boston. Previously, she was an attending plastic surgeon at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and a professor of surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York. Dr. Pusic completed her medical degree at the University of Calgary in Canada and earned her Master of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University. She completed her general surgery residency at Dalhousie University as well as her plastic surgery residency at McGill University, followed by a plastic and reconstructive surgery fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Pusic is a well-recognized expert in reconstructive surgery and an internationally-renowned innovator and leader in patient-reported outcomes and surgical experience. Throughout her career, Dr. Pusic has been involved in research studies that seek to better understand the patient perspective on surgical outcomes and experiences. Her research focuses on the measurement of quality of life and patient satisfaction in surgery. She is principal investigator of a study funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) that examines how electronic patient-reporting of symptoms may improve surgical care. Dr. Pusics dual training in epidemiology and surgery has positioned her to lead a team of experts in psychometrics, quality of life and social science methods to develop, validate and use new quantitative measures to assess patient outcomes. The patient-reported outcomes instrument she developed for breast surgery (the BREAST-Q) has been widely adopted for research and clinical care and serves as the basis for development of other outcome measures in surgery. Dr. Pusic has authored more than 200 scientific articles and book chapters and has mentored more than 24 surgeons during various stages of their academic careers. In 2017, she was awarded the Research Achievement Award from ASPS and The PSF. Dr. Pusic is the U.S. Director of Reconstructing Women International and frequently leads surgical mission trips to provide reconstructive surgery for injured women and girls in developing countries. She is a past board member of the International Society of Quality of Life. About The PSF The Plastic Surgery Foundation (The PSF) supports the research and international activities of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) members. The PSF works alongside ASPS to support the innovators' idea, teaches researchers how to articulate the relevancy, the impact and the possibilities that their ideas hold, works to bring the right people together so that the tested and meaningful idea can reach the marketplace and helps a cadre of volunteers take those new ideas and tried and true procedures to all corners of the world to help people. About ASPS The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) is the world's largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons. Representing more than 7,000 surgeons, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. ASPS advances quality care to plastic surgery patients by encouraging high standards of training, ethics, physician practice and research in plastic surgery. Today, AngelMD is announcing the close of a $594,000 round of funding for Access Vascular, Inc. Today, AngelMD is announcing the close of a $594,000 round of funding for Access Vascular, Inc. The syndicate funding is part of the total $3.4 million round that has now been closed by the company. A peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) is a critical component to long-term intravenous treatments. However, the status quo for PICC equipment has an inherent problem -- the potential for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. These conditions can occur because blood platelets begin to deposit on the PICC's surface immediately after placement. Based in Massachusetts, Access Vascular has developed the HydroPICC -- a PICC developed with proprietary bulk hydrophilic material which is highly resistant to platelet deposit. "We are grateful for the support that our new and existing investors have given us as we prepare for the roll-out of our first product," said Access Vascular CEO James Biggins. "In addition to funding the initial post-market use of our FDA-cleared HydroPICC, the funds will support the development of other products in our pipeline. This includes a version of our device that may be capable of controlled release of drugs over an extended period of time to actively kill bacteria over the lifespan of the device." Access Vascular has recently passed a number of milestones on its route to market release. In September, the company released the results of its preclinical studies. These studies showed that in in-vitro and in-vivo use, Access Vascular's HydroPICC achieved a 97 percent reduction in thrombus accumulation versus existing market options. "I first became aware of the company through AngelMD. Access Vascular has met a huge need for vascular catheters that do not clot and cause complications for patients," said Syndicate Lead Dr. Min Yoon. "CEO James Biggins discussed the technology in depth, and had a clear strategy to provide a return to shareholders." The company intends to begin a limited market release in October of 2018. This release will signal the first commercial use of the device. About AngelMD AngelMD is an investment and networking platform connecting innovative medical startups, physicians, investors, and industry partners. Leading physicians from all over the US have joined AngelMD to help source, evaluate and advise companies in biotechnology, medical device, and healthcare technology. For more information, visit http://www.angelmd.co. About Access Vascular Access Vascular is reinventing venous access using our novel bulk-hydrophilic material platform to develop devices that address the key unmet need in the spacereducing catheter thrombus accumulation. Our technology has the potential to improve care, decrease complications and reduce costs by reducing complications resulting from thrombosis. The robust pipeline currently includes midlines, drug delivery catheters, dialysis catheter, and ports, all in various stages of development. More information is available at http://www.accessvascularinc.com. I believe every parent who has heard the words your child has autism has a story that encapsulates the human spirit at its worst and at its best. --Julie Hornok. United in Autism: Finding Strength inside the Spectrum, by author and advocate, Julie Hornok, releases today (Brown Books Publishing Group), October 2, 2018. This book highlights the stories of thirty incredible families from around the world who are raising children with autism. Stepping forward as a global resource in this arena, Julie has used her experiences to mentor others. Through the National Autism Association of North Texas, Julie has spearheaded free Autism Moms Events for the past seven years. The hope these events brought to attendees inspired Julie to do more. United in Autism: Finding Strength inside the Spectrum opened the door to start UnitedinAutism.org and bring free United in Autism Moms Events across the country. United in Autism joins together with local autism charities to plan and implement events in their cities with the goal of connecting and pampering moms who would otherwise live in isolation. I wrote this book because I believe every parent who has heard the words your child has autism has a story that encapsulates the human spirit at its worst and at its best, Julie shares. We have gone through periods of devastation, determination, and eventually, if we found hope, growth that enabled us to be change makers in the world. As a devoted parent of a daughter with autism, Julie Hornok has walked the same challenging road as the families featured in this book. She knows the mental and physical exhaustion and the isolation that comes with autism. Once her daughter began to progress well, Julie decided to pour her newly freed energy into moms walking the same journey. Julies authentic and witty writing has also been published in Parenting Special Needs Magazine, Autism Parenting Magazine, LiteraryMama.com, AutismSpot.com, Thrive Magazine, DFWchild.com, Dallas Moms Blog, YogaDigest.com, John Brown University Devotional Book, and various Chicken Soup for the Soul Publications. For more information on the book, United in Autism: Finding Strength inside the Spectrum, please visit http://www.JulieHornok.com, and for more information on events, please visit http://www.UnitedInAutism.org. Circumcised By Water is a works by author William Mann that offers a definitive look into a hot-button issue that has plagued the church for centuries: Who is the proper recipient of the sacrament of baptism? Over a decade in the making, this resource takes us into the shadowy realm where tradition, history and biblical interpretation all merge together in order to support one of the most enduring divisions even laid upon the modern Church of Christ - the baptism of infants. As William states: If you thought that the ceremonial washing you endured as a baby had anything to do with the actual blood that dripped down from the cross, you would be sadly mistaken. While everyone may recognize the power of the cross in allowing us to stand upright in the presence of God, how can baptism signify this relationship when bestowed upon those whose memory has yet to form? Isnt it our faith that enters us into His body - the church?" Carefully assembled as a resource that looks into this issue from a rich multitude of avenues, this book seeks to follow the biblical testimony regarding the true nature of our relationship with God. Along the way, it will touch upon what this practice has changed about our relationship to God under the cross, the role birthright plays within, and perhaps most importantly, our fidelity to the blood of that was shed there. A comprehensive effort in returning jurisdiction over the baptismal waters back to the priesthood of Christ, this works will possess lasting value for anyone who desires a penetrating glimpse at the state of the church today. William continues: Who doesnt like a good controversy? While this book will likely give a genuine fit to many pastors and theologians, the fact remains that the biblical testimony concerning baptism never needed to be supplemented by circumcision. The use of this ancient arrangement to support infant participation represents perhaps the greatest sleight-of-hand the church has ever attempted upon its members. With all the deficiencies that are built in to this kind of service, its a true wonder that it still continues in our day and age. From its historical origins, spiritual realities and harsh consequences, the practice of infant baptism must therefore be revealed for what it is - and is not. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, William Manns new book is an invaluable resource for any person of faith seeking a greater understanding of the nature of their relationship with God. Readers can purchase Circumcised by Water at traditional brick and mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Circumcised by Water, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Backroads guest bike in Angkor Wat Cambodia Theres nothing like spending the holidays actively. Whether its taking a vacation to a winter wonderland destination or enjoying the warmth of Maui, Sedona or Costa Rica, Backroads has holiday trips to suit every type of traveler. 2019 Early Bookings Reveal Hot Travel Trends Europe, Active River Cruises, National Parks and California Wine Country Backroads, the Worlds #1 Active Travel Company, today announced its top destinations for winter and holiday travel, from evergreen tropical hits like Maui or the sunny Sedona desert to the winter wonderlands of the Canadian Rockies and Yellowstone & Tetons. The company has added a brand-new bike trip in Sri Lanka to its list of hot winter travel destinations in Asia, including Vietnam & Cambodia, Bali and India. Based on early sales bookings for 2019, Backroads also announced destinations trending popular with travelers next year. Europe remains a huge seller for the company, including destinations with Active River Cruises. North America is also trending hot with California Wine Country, Yellowstone & Tetons and Glacier National Park topping the list. As the colder months approach in the Northern Hemisphere, trips in warmer regions south of the equator are top-sellers for Backroads, such as Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure trips in New Zealand and the Galapagos, and bike trips in Cuba and Chile. Over the holidays and into early 2019 is a great time to visit Latin America with your family to enjoy fewer crowds, fantastic weather, abundant wildlife and incredible scenery. Backroads sales have shown that not all travelers migrate south in the winter Snow Adventure trips in Canadas Banff, Kootenay & Yoho, as well as national parks in Wyoming & Montana, are a unique way to spend the holidays and to see the flora and fauna of these remarkable regions in their uncrowded off-season. For the ultimate polar excursion, Antarcticas frozen tundra awaits on an Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure trip. At a time of year when many are making New Years resolutions, Backroads is offering trips with yoga in 2019, adding this additional activity to many of its Hiking, Biking and Multi-Adventure itineraries. Yoga classes are designed to complement core trip activities, are suitable for all levels and are always optional. Sun-seekers can head to Palm Springs, Mexicos Yucatan or Costa Rica, while other travelers can keep cool and see the northern lights on Iceland Multi-Adventure trips with or without yoga. Theres nothing like spending the holidays actively, said Tom Hale, Founder and President of Backroads. Whether its taking a vacation to a winter wonderland destination or enjoying the warmth of Maui, Sedona or Costa Rica, weve got holiday trips to suit every type of traveler. A pioneer in active and adventure travel, Backroads celebrates 40 years in business in 2019. Backroads was founded on the principles of creating extraordinary experiences for its guests, being the most guest-focused travel company on the planet and incorporating the highest quality possible into the philosophy and fabric of the company. About Backroads Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been in business for more than 39 years. The company hosts thousands of guests each year, 75% of whom are repeat guests or referrals from past guests, in hundreds of locations across the globe. Backroads is a founding member of the Adventure Collection. For more information, please visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848 daily, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pacific time. "The pawn industry continues to be threatened by huge retailers and now, peer-to-peer." For the third year in a row, industry-leader Bravo Pawn Systems attended the Crossover EXPO in Kissimmee, Florida this past weekend. As the producer of the Crossover EXPO, we would like to proudly recognize Bravo Pawn Systems as the dominant supporter of our event over the past three years. It has been a pleasure working with Steve and Tally Mack and the rest of the team, says producer Jerry Whitehead. With an average of 140 pawnbrokers and 30 vendors in attendance, the Crossover EXPO is one of the premier trade shows in the country. The trade show has a heavy emphasis on education. This year, pawnbrokers heard from eight industry experts about topics ranging from handbags to jewelry refining to sales management. In addition to exhibiting at the pawn convention, Bravo founder, Steve Mack, was also a keynote speaker. He spoke on how to turn pawnshops into full commerce stores. With today's customers demanding convenience, eCommerce and Mobile, Steve Mack talked about selling online, mobile applications, and how to initiate change now. Plus, he introduced MobilePawns newest features. As a fourth-generation pawnbroker, Mack underlined the value of leveraging today's technology. The pawn industry continues to be threatened by huge retailers and now, peer-to-peer, said Mack. Every single pawnbroker raised their hand when I asked, Are you feeling the impact of todays changing retail world? Bravo is the only pawn software developing technology to help pawnbrokers truly coexist. About Bravo: Bravo Pawn Systems is a point-of-sale, e-Commerce and mobile platform for the pawn industry. Launched in 2011, Bravo is the only pawn software developed by pawnbrokers for pawnbrokers. As the only Microsoft Azure cloud-based pawn software system on the market, Bravo strives to enable pawnshops to grow their business by providing innovative technology and world-class customer service to help them compete with national big box stores. For more information, visit bravopawnsystems.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Bravo Media Contact: Millet Concepcion 1-888-407-6287 ext.142 millet(at)buya(dot)com Photo: The Canadian Press Coalition Avenir du Quebec leader Francois Legault celebrates with his family. Screams of joy thundered through Coalition Avenir Quebec election headquarters Monday night, with supporters hugging, drinking wine and beer and twirling noisemakers as they learned the party would form a majority government. Francois Legault, the multimillionaire co-founder of the Air Transat airline, will become the first premier since 1966 to win a general election leading a party other than the Liberals or Parti Quebecois. Winning Coalition candidates were on the floor of Quebec City's convention centre barely 30 minutes after polls closed, smiling and confidently telling reporters they were ready to assume power. "I am not surprised, actually," said Genevieve Guilbault, who was re-elected in her Quebec City riding. Her 2017 byelection victory when she grabbed a Liberal seat with more than 50 per cent of the vote was a harbinger of what was to come province-wide Monday. "Mr. Legault called for a vote of confidence and tonight we are having that," she said. "We are seeing that Quebecers believe in us they wanted change, and they saw us as the only possible avenue for that." A few steps away from Guilbault was 73-year-old Emilien Caron, holding a noisemaker and celebrating with a glass of beer. "You got to give a chance to the runner!" he said enthusiastically, adding that his main concern this election was health care. "We gave a chance to (the Liberals) and look what they did the health-care system is the same." Coalition supporters began gathering at Legault's election rally, steps away from the legislative buildings in the historic city, at around 8 p.m. Seven years after creating his party and following two election attempts that fell short, Legault chose to celebrate in the provincial capital, the centre of his political base, where his promise of lower taxes and a "business" approach to politics first gained traction. The 61-year-old Coalition leader used to be staunchly pro-independence as a key member of former PQ governments. But he quit the party and formed his own in 2011, vowing to extricate Quebec from the federalist-sovereigntist divide. Legault says his government will be nationalist, focused on protecting Quebec's culture and negotiating more powers from Ottawa. But he also says his party will be federalist and "never, ever," hold a referendum on sovereignty. The 39-day election campaign was tough on Legault, who began the political race atop the polls only to see his lead decrease steadily after a series of gaffes on the issue of immigration. He had difficulty defending his policy of forcing newcomers to pass a French test or face expulsion from the province. Legault wavered and evaded questions regarding how immigrants would be removed. Despite the missteps on immigration, Legault's party benefited from two important factors. The first is that successive Liberal governments have been in power except for a 2012-14 PQ minority government since 2003. Polls consistently indicated a majority of Quebecers wanted change. Second, polls have indicated his party is the runaway favourite among the four main parties among the francophone majority, which decides elections. The Liberals and PQ, by contrast, have polled at roughly half the CAQ's numbers among francophones. Support for sovereignty is low in Quebec, and Legault's party is offering Quebecers an economically minded, federalist alternative to the Liberals and a nationalist replacement for the PQ. CRISP is the backbone of consistent, quality phone performance.- Teresa Bordenet, Car Wars Senior Director of Business Development Those attending the 2018 Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas will have the opportunity to attend a speaker session with Car Wars Teresa Bordenet, where they will learn valuable phone processes that directly impact their bottom line. Dealers who attend Bordenets CRISP: Key Metrics to Enhance Sales Over the Phone, can expect to walk away with actionable takeaways they can implement in their dealerships the very next day. With almost two decades in the automotive industry, Bordenet knows how best to leverage technology within a dealership to drive sales. CRISP is the backbone of consistent, quality phone performance, Bordenet said. It provides a framework for how to start managing your people and improving every customer phone interaction. With CRISP, dealerships can turn the phone into a high-powered sales tool that is actively driving more revenue. The CRISP metrics have a proven track record of helping overwhelmed dealers get a grip on the phones. By utilizing four critical steps that should be taken every call, CRISP allows dealers to organize their phone efforts. Bordenets session will provide dealers with insight into each of these metrics they can utilize every day. Bordenets speaker session will be held at 12:15 p.m. on Oct. 18. All dealers registered to attend the conference are welcome to attend. For more information about the 2018 Digital Dealer Conference or to register, check out http://www.digitaldealer.com. About Car Wars Car Wars leverages human reviews, artificial intelligence and CRISP metrics to equip Sales and Service departments with everything they need to Own The Phone. By listening to and categorizing 100% of inbound and outbound calls at a dealership, Car Wars provides managers with insight into how every call is handled, alerts them when an opportunity needs attention and actively improves phone performance in both Sales and Service. Home is supposed to be a safe place, but for many women in the United States that just isnt the case, said businesswoman Renee Parsons. Chrysalis is working to help victims of abuse overcome the fear they live with on a daily basis and regain control of their lives as survivors. Chrysalis has been awarded a $250,000 grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation to support organizational growth and expand existing programming to better serve those affected by domestic abuse. Utilizing a 360-degree approach, Chrysalis offers emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, legal assistance, offender intervention and mobile victim advocacy. The funding will allow the nonprofit to increase its staff and implement new services, including a transportation program. Home is supposed to be a safe place, but for many women in the United States that just isnt the case, said businesswoman Renee Parsons. Chrysalis is working to help victims of abuse overcome the fear they live with on a daily basis and regain control of their lives as survivors. As a recently certified trauma-informed organization the first certified domestic violence organization in Arizona Chrysalis utilizes an approach that not only serves the physical needs of its survivors but also provides the mental and emotional support needed to break the cycle of abuse. Through its residential crisis shelter, survivors are given more than a safe place to stay, they receive individual and group counseling, case management, job development, medical services, parenting support and personalized assistance based on each individuals needs. The support Chrysalis provides to families impacted by domestic violence is immeasurable, said businessman Bob Parsons. They not only offer survivors a refuge, but also give them the tools they need to move forward in rebuilding their lives. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, one in four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. In total, more than 1,200 victims of abuse utilized Chrysalis services in 2017, a 20 percent increase from the previous year. To better provide trauma-informed practices and facilitate growth, the organization will utilize the Foundation grant to increase its staff. Chrysalis will also be able to upgrade its facilities security and technology systems and launch the new transportation initiative, providing a timely and safe option for survivors to receive medical attention, attend court hearings and access other important services for establishing lives free from abuse. The support from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation will have a direct and lasting impact on victims of domestic violence in our community, said Patricia Klahr, president and CEO of Chrysalis. With the growth we have experienced, the potential to serve more survivors cant be realized unless we create the infrastructure to properly support and sustain that growth. We are deeply grateful to the Parsons for recognizing how vital a strong foundation is to the success of an organizations mission. For more than 37 years, Chrysalis has been a staple in the domestic violence community and is the largest standalone domestic abuse organization in the Valley. In addition to its victim and offender services, the nonprofit also offers educational programming for civic groups, schools and businesses to help people recognize the warning signs of domestic violence and stop the cycle of abuse. To learn more, visit noabuse.org or follow @chrysalisaz on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ABOUT CHRYSALIS Chrysalis, a 37-year-old Arizona non-profit agency, leads the community to broad-based solutions to prevent domestic abuse using a trauma informed approach. The lives of more than 1,400 individuals are positively impacted each year. Services include crisis shelter, transitional housing, outpatient counseling, offender treatment, victim advocacy and lay-legal support. For more information, visit http://www.noabuse.org About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the countrys most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundations giving is driven by the core belief that all people regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit http://www.TBRPF.org, to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community. Commercial Funding is proud to support Spanish speaking business owners in the United States. We employ a dedicated team of English and Spanish speakers to assist our customers, regardless of their preferred language. Commercial Funding Inc., a national provider of invoice factoring and accounts receivable financing, announces the launch of the Spanish language version of their website http://www.commercialfund.com/es. The new version of the website promotes the availability of services to Spanish speakers in the United States to whom they would provide funding. The website can be accessed by directly clicking the URL provided above, or an online visitor can manually switch the language on the top right-hand corner of the Commercial Funding website, toggling between the Spanish and English versions. Senior vice president and general manager, Steve Sala, stated, Commercial Funding is proud to support Spanish speaking business owners in the United States. We employ a dedicated team of English and Spanish speakers to assist our customers, regardless of their preferred language. As our Spanish speaking client base grows, this new version of our website will provide an easier way for them to find us and learn about our services. Additionally, this will augment the Spanish speaking staff we have at Commercial Funding. About Commercial Funding Inc.: Commercial Funding Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Commercial Credit, Inc., provides accounts receivable financing to middle-market companies nationwide. Based in Salt Lake City, UT, the company serves businesses in the transportation, oil and gas, construction, waste, manufacturing and staffing industries. For more information, please visit http://www.commercialfund.com, http://www.commercialcreditgroup.com. Convergence Wireless Inc. We are truly in a great position, declared Convergence Wireless Founder Tim Hirou, as we have over US$1.3 million in existing purchase orders and more than US$800 million total in Letters of Intent (LOIs) from our major clients and channel partners. Convergence Wireless Inc. (CWI), a global leader in holistic wireless smart building solutions, recently commenced an Offering to raise US$24 million in order to fulfill existing orders and to fund aggressive expansion plans through 2022. The Company intends to accomplish this via a Regulation D Offering for Accredited Investors. This Offering will be in the form of Series B Preferred Stock, which is convertible into Convergence Wireless common stock at any time. The Series B shares are priced at US$18.50 per share, and the Company is allowing discounted share pricing of 5% to 20% for Accredited Investors who invest at least US$1 million, with deeper discounts for greater amounts invested. We are truly in a great position, declared Convergence Wireless Founder Tim Hirou, as we have over US$1.3 million in existing purchase orders and more than US$800 million total in Letters of Intent (LOIs) from our major clients and channel partners. We are currently not in need of new business, and our main focus is securing the funding necessary to ramp up our installation capacity and operational requirements. Chief Financial Officer John Zazzera, along with Convergence Wireless Executive Committee Officers, spent the last two weeks meeting with potential investors in New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai. Mr. Zazzera stated, Our goal is to become a US$500 million company by 2022, and with the strength of our Brand, our intellectual property, and the impressive number of customer commitments that we have lined up, we should be well on our way to realizing that goal with the completion of this Raise. According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Smart Building market is expected to grow from US$15 billion currently to US$57.81 billion by 2023, with a CAGR of 31.5%. The Stratistics MRC projections are quite remarkable, emphasized Mr. Zazzera. This would mean that even if we achieve our 2022 targets, Convergence would still generate significantly less than 1% of the global revenue in our market sector. As predicted, the Smart Buildings arena is so hot right now, pointed out Mr. Hirou. Two of our four main competitors highlighted in the Convergence Wireless Business Plan were recently acquired for approximately US$70 million (September, 2018) and US$77 million (2016), and unlike the Convergence Wireless 100% wireless and 100% battery-free advanced lighting control system, CWIs two competitors systems are not even fully wireless or battery-free. With two recent offers to acquire Convergence, and with all of the consolidation currently happening within the sector, the next few years will be very exciting for Convergence Wireless, indeed! exclaimed Mr. Hirou. Additional Convergence Wireless Offering Details The Series B Preferred will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933 or U.S. state securities laws, and can only be purchased in the Offering by Accredited Investors as defined under Regulation D of the Securities Act. Via the Series B Preferred liquidation preference, the holder may receive either the return of the applicable price paid per share or the amount that the holders of common stock are receiving per share (i.e., if the holder elects to convert to common stock prior to the liquidation event). The minimum subscription amount for the Series B Preferred is US$100,000, and there is no minimum aggregate amount for this Offering. The maximum aggregate amount for this Offering is US$24 million. However, the Company reserves the right to sell more or fewer shares in the Offering, to cancel or to modify this Offering at any time, to reject subscriptions for Series B Preferred in whole or in part, and/or to waive certain conditions for the purchase of the Series B Preferred. About Convergence Wireless, Inc. Headquartered in Newport Beach, CA, the original focus of Convergence Wireless, Inc. was advanced wireless lighting control and monitoring solutions for commercial buildings. CWI's system is currently the only truly 100% wireless and 100% battery-free lighting control and monitoring system in the global marketplace. CWI's wireless and battery-free nature, coupled with its patent-pending automated commissioning technology, results in CWI systems costing significantly less to install and maintain than those of its competitors. Convergence Wireless Founder Tim Hirou originally drew upon his expertise in robotics and automation in order to create a patent-pending CWI commissioning system where it only takes 160 hours for one person to fully commission 1,000,000 ft. (100,000 m) of floor space. In general, the overall result is greater profit margins for Convergence Wireless due to lower labor costs. In addition to its pioneering advanced lighting control system, Convergence Wireless is currently providing holistic wireless solutions for commercial buildings by adding wireless control and monitoring of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), and plug loads, all complemented by electricity submetering. These solutions are all fully integrated via CWIs distributed architecture enterprise software platform, which seamlessly connects entire building portfolios real-time control and end-to-end energy analytics data. Integrating Department of Defense-level cybersecurity that it has built into its solution, Convergence Wireless is able to securely deliver this information to Fortune 500 companies top management, dramatically increasing operational efficiency while significantly reducing the overall corporate energy spend. For more information, contact: Tim Hirou Founder, Convergence Wireless, Inc. 23 Corporate Plaza Drive, Suite 100 Newport Beach, California 92660 +1 949 444 1723 thirou(at)convergencewireless(dot)com John Zazzera Chief Financial Officer, Convergence Wireless, Inc. 23 Corporate Plaza Drive, Suite 100 Newport Beach, California 92660 +1 401 585 7296 jzazzera(at)convergencewireless(dot)com With our expansion into new locations and new product and service offerings, we are always looking to find a few more quality people to join our team, and we offer excellent training to help our team members succeed.Vince Miceli Des Plaines Office Equipment (http://dpoe.com), a second-generation family business and established industry leader in Managed Print and Managed Network solutions, has promoted 14-year company veteran Vince Miceli to the position of Director of Sales. In this role, he leads the companys sales team across its four locations: Carol Stream, Chicago and Rockford, IL, and Chesterton, IN. He is also in the process of helping with the firms re-branding under the name Pulse Technology, which should be completed by early 2019. In his capacity as Director of Sales, he visits each of the companys locations each week and works directly with the growing sales team. The West Dundee, IL resident has served the firm as the Northern Cook County Sales Leader, and Technology Consultant prior to his latest promotion. Before joining the family business, he was a supervisor at DB Schenker in West Branch, Iowa. Miceli earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of Iowa. In his spare time, he is a Wish Granter for the Chicago area Make A Wish Foundation. He also enjoys watching the White Sox and is an ardent fan. Its an exciting time to continue to build our sales team, said Miceli, adding, With our expansion into new locations and new product and service offerings, we are always looking to find a few more quality people to join our team, and we offer excellent training to help our team members succeed. About Des Plaines Office Equipment Des Plaines Office Equipment (DPOE), a 60+ year old, second-generation family business, is a leader in the field of print management, including multi-function printers and It/technology solutions, serving the greater Chicago area since 1955. Today, DPOE operates three Chicago area locations: its headquarters in Carol Stream, and a location in Chicago (211 West Wacker Drive) and Rockford (Loves Park, IL). Additionally, DPOE has partnered with several Indiana companies and maintains several locations there as well. DPOE is a leading provider of Sharp office equipment, Kyocera and VOIP telephone systems. The company offers the Sharp Aquos Board, an interactive display system, and customized video wall in its product line. DPOE provides products and services to a diverse client base that includes schools, hospitals, law offices, accounting firms, and financial institutions, among others. The firm has won the Sharp Documents Hyakuman Kai award for sales excellence since 1988 and the Elite Dealer by The Week in Imaging since 2007. DPOE maintains corporate headquarters at 262 Carlton Drive, Carol Stream, Il. The firm is active in a number of area civic organizations, including the Greater OHare Business Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council, the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce and the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce. For additional information, please call 847-879-6400 or visit http://www.dpoe.com. You can also find the company on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/dpoecompany/ Dirk Wakeham, new CEO of PayLease PayLease, a leading Fintech provider for the property management and Homeowner Association (HOA) industry, today announced that Dirk Wakeham has been named the Companys Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. He brings over two decades of experience in the technology and software industry across a number of market verticals, including real estate, travel and events, and eCommerce. Bill Nunan, PayLease CEO since 2017, will be stepping down to spend more time with his family and to pursue entrepreneurial interests. PayLease, backed by Vista Equity Partners, has rapidly grown into one of the most trusted cloud technology partners in the property management industry, offering services that improve efficiency and Net Operating Income (NOI) for its clients. The Companys end-to-end payments, billing, and utility management solutions integrate with all major property management software platforms and are backed with award-winning customer service, resulting in better adoption and results for clients. PayLease is utilized by over 4,500 property management companies nationwide, representing 12.5 million apartment and HOA units. This is an exciting time for PayLease and I am thrilled to be working with such a talented and dedicated team, said Wakeham. PayLease has a fantastic reputation in the residential property management industry and is transforming the property manager, homeowner, and resident experience with a secure, 100% cloud-based solution that includes utility billing and expense management, and electronic payments. PayLease is uniquely positioned to capture an even greater market opportunity. Alan Cline, Vista principal and PayLease board member, said today that the investment firm looks forward to partnering with Wakeham and the PayLease leadership team. Dirk has a track record of successful leadership as a Senior Executive within several Vista companies and other technology firms. Dirk joins PayLease from a leadership position at Kibo, where he has been responsible for driving the transformation, best practices and customer experience. This experience, combined with his significant end-market experience, will support PayLeases growth and deliver greater value for the real estate industry, said Cline. About PayLease PayLease provides online payments, billing, and utility expense management tools to HOAs and property management companies. Property managers use PayLease to improve their business operational efficiencies and boost net operating income. Our solutions are easy to use and are bolstered by the highest levels of security and customer support. Since our inception in 2003, PayLease has grown to serve thousands of property management companies nationwide and is now among the fastest growing technology companies in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.PayLease.com. About Vista Equity Partners Vista Equity Partners, a U.S.-based investment firm with offices in Austin, San Francisco, Chicago, and Oakland, currently invests in software, data and technology-enabled organizations led by world-class management teams with long-term perspectives. Vista is a value-added investor, contributing professional expertise and multi-level support towards companies' realization of their full potential. Vista's investment approach is anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions, and proven management techniques that yield flexibility and opportunity in private equity investing. For more information, please visit http://www.vistaequitypartners.com. Dumond Chemicals, Inc. is buzzing with excitement as its massive growth expansion continues and is proud to announce it has landed Alan Bensen as a key member of the executive management team. Bensen, a seasoned industry professional, will assume the key role as Dumond National Sales Manager. Prior to joining Dumond Chemicals, Bensen enjoyed a successful 20-year career in sales with industry leading construction materials manufacturers. Most recently, Alan was the Vice President of Sales & Business Development for Trueform Concrete, based in Wharton NJ. While at Trueform Concrete, Bensen was responsible for increasing revenue over 30%, leveraging long standing relationships within construction management, architectural & engineering firms. I am very excited to be joining the Dumond team. The way in which the Industry is so rapidly changing away from harsh and dangerous cleaning chemicals and paint removers made it an easy decision to join the Dumond Team who has been way ahead of this for years. Dumond's safe, effective and environmentally friendly product lines are designed to address the challenges associated with removal of lead and all other paints and graffiti while never allowing for any air-borne dust. Our suite of products offers commercial building owners, municipalities, contractors, architects, and homeowners the safest alternatives currently available. I look forward to working closely with our national account partners." Alan Bensen joins Dumond at a very exciting time both for Dumond, the paint industry and all consumers. Dumond applauds and commends the largest US Retailers who announced they will no longer sell paint strippers made with methylene chloride or the toxic solvent NMP in its stores in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Central America or e-commerce sites as of February 2019. These major US retailers include, but are not limited to, Lowes, Sherwin Williams, Home Depot, Menards, Ace and True Value. These dangerous chemicals have been associated with illnesses and deaths caused by toxic fumes. Since its founding in 1981, Dumond Chemicals Inc. has continually revolutionized the paint and coatings industry, on the principles of providing environmentally responsible products in a user-friendly, cost-effective manner. Headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Dumond Chemicals, Inc. creates innovative solutions in the areas of paint removal, stone and masonry care, graffiti control, and lead abatement/encapsulating products. Additional Dumond Chemical Inc. brands, including Peel Away, Smart Strip, Watch Dog graffiti control products, Safe n Easy stone and masonry care, and Lead Stop products, are available through an international network of distributors, offering a complete solution for the DIY, professional, and industrial consumer. For additional information, visit http://www.dumondchemicals.com or call 800-245-1191. For prospective employees who want to join a high-quality team focused on helping teachers transform learning for students through digital education, look no further than Learning.com. For the third consecutive year, the Portland-based company is an Oregon Top Workplace. Based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey sponsored by The Oregonian and administered by Workplace Dynamics, LLC, a research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement, the survey measured numerous aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution and connection. Learning.com is proud to be recognized as a Top Workplace for the third year in a row, said Vicki Price, vice president of people development and performance at Learning.com. We believe that a healthy, happy work culture promotes engaged, motivated employees and we strive to provide a culture that fosters collaboration, learning and excellence. We hire great people who are smart, caring, passionate, dedicated and love working together to create solutions that make a difference for teachers and students. This award is a tribute to our fantastic employees and leadership team. With a culture that emphasizes work/life balance including flex-time and telecommuting opportunities, Learning.coms nearly 100 employees thrive in an environment where creativity and collaboration are encouraged daily. Its focus on diversity and inclusion fosters a respectful and engaged work culture that leverages the unique contributions of all employees. Learning.com also offers paid volunteer time off to allow employees to donate time to causes important to them and sponsors running events and fundraisers to encourage both wellness and philanthropy. The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume its all about fancy perks and benefits, said Doug Claffey, CEO of Workplace Dynamics. But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that whats most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how its going to get there and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Leading the education technology industry in developing solutions to help todays students thrive in a digital world, Learning.com collaborates with educators to make it simple to integrate digital literacy into everyday instruction. The company works with more than 2,000 school districts and serves four million students from 21 countries around the world. About Learning.com Founded in 1999, Learning.com currently partners with one in six school districts and serves four million students nationwide. Learning.com provides K-12 solutions to help students, teachers, and schools excel in a digital world. Districts equip their students with the technology and 21st century skills needed for success on online assessments, college, and the workforce using Learning.coms digital literacy solutions. Learning.coms digital content tools help districts build and share custom digital curriculum helping them meet their instructional goals, facilitate personalized learning, and address budget challenges. Through implementation services and professional development, Learning.com serves educators as they integrate technology and digital content into instruction. Grace: Telling It Like It Is: an encouraging devotional coloring book. Grace: Telling It Like It Is is the creation of published author Erin McConnell, a missionary at heart with a gift for writing. She lives in Georgia; close to her family. McConnell shares one of the testimonies, Years ago when I was an expectant mom, not truly prepared for what lay ahead, I heard God say, He will be born, his name will be Joseph, and he will do great things. Never did I imagine years after my sons birth I would face almost losing him to drugs. As I helplessly watched my son slip in and out of a coma, I prayed diligently and relentlessly. I clung to Gods wordHe will do great things. My son wasnt done here. I cried more tears in this time of uncertainty and pain, but still had a sense of calmness because I knew Gods grace and hand was upon my childHis child. My son has since fully recovered from his trial. Gods promises and mercy are more than can be measured and sometimes understood. In times of trials, remember His promises and sacrifice. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Erin McConnells new book is a wonderfully compassionate, interactive devotional that drives home the point that no child of God is alone and that miracles are to be had for all those who believe, no matter their circumstance. This collection of testimony-devotionals range in topics believers may struggle with, such as: addiction, loss of a child, distressing memories, physical ailments, and the like. The variety contained within ensures that everyone will find something that speaks to them. View a synopsis of Grace: Telling It Like It Is on YouTube. Consumers can purchaseGrace: Telling It Like It Is at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Grace: Telling It Like It Is, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Uniting Extensis and LizardTech strengthens our ability to support our customers success and give them effective and time-tested solutions for maximizing the value of digital assets of all kinds. Extensis and LizardTech today announced they are uniting as one global company to help organizations increase the ROI and value of their digital assets, fonts, and large imagery. With Extensis market leadership in digital asset and font management combined with LizardTechs expertise in image management and state-of-the-art image compression technology, the united company is uniquely situated to provide a suite of solutions and support for digital asset challenges that no other company can match. Organizations today are investing in imagery of all kinds, including photography, aerial, and spatial, to name a few. said Osamu Ikeda, CEO of Extensis. Fully leveraging these digital files means having an easy and efficient way to organize, store, access, and distribute them. Ikeda continued: Uniting Extensis and LizardTech strengthens our ability to support our customers success and give them effective and time-tested solutions for maximizing the value of digital assets of all kinds. The combined company will operate under the Extensis brand, headquartered in Portland, Oregon with an office presence in Seattle, Washington. Starting today, LizardTech products (GeoExpress, Express Server, GeoViewer) will become part of the Extensis suite of solutions, which spans digital asset management, font asset management, brand asset management, image management, and image compression. To learn more about Extensis full suite of solutions, click here. About Extensis Celebrating 25 years in business, Extensis is a leading developer of solutions that help organizations increase the ROI and value of their digital assets, fonts, and large imagery. Used by more than 100,000 professionals and 5,000 companies across the globe, Extensis solutions accelerate workflows so customers can achieve their goals faster. Founded in 1993, Extensis is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with offices in Seattle, New York, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Australia. To learn more about Extensis full suite of solutions for digital asset management, font asset management, image asset management, and image compression, visit http://www.extensis.com/ or follow Extensis on Twitter @extensis Celartem, Inc. d.b.a. Extensis All rights reserved. Extensis and the Extensis logo mark, Suitcase Fusion, Suitcase TeamSync, Extensis Portfolio, Portfolio NetPublish, Universal Type Server, MrSID, GeoExpress, Express Server, and Express Suite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Extensis in the United States of America, Canada, the European Union and/or other countries. This list of trademarks is not exhaustive. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, product names, company names, brands and service names mentioned herein are property of Extensis or other respective owners. Photo: Contributed Falcon Ridge Farm Kelowna city council made it clear Monday. It doesn't want marijuana production facilities on agricultural lands. In a 7-2 vote, council said no to a non-farm application for a medical cannabis operation on a small farm on Rifle Road. The owner of Falcon Ridge Farms had applied to Health Canada for a licence to grow medical marijuana. She has since received the go ahead, as long as the proposed facility is built to specifications included in the application, and that meet Health Canada guidelines. One of those is a facility with a concrete floor. However, after much debate over the past few years, council has determined any production facility with a concrete floor can only go on industrial lands. "The perfect catch-22 situation," said Coun. Charlie Hodge, one of two councillors to vote in favour of the applicant. But, while somewhat sympathetic to the farm owner, those who voted against the application said council needs to be consistent and send the proper message. "If we hadn't been consistent, I think there would have been an opportunity to send it to the Agricultural Land Commission," said Coun. Ryan Donn. "But, since we have been consistent in saying 'no, if you want to put a concrete floor, please go to industrial,' I think that allows us to say no, this is not where we want it to be." Earlier this summer, the province also came down with guidelines saying cannabis production facilities on ALR lands should be in buildings with dirt floors, or outside. "What the provincial government came out with ... was consistent with the process we have gone through the last couple of years, that medical marijuana should be in industrial parks," said Stack. "Maybe they can grow cannabis in the field one day, but that's a very different type of production." Councillors Hodge and Sieben sided with the applicant. Medical Device Complaint Management Medical Device Complaint Management: Follow the Outcomes for Regulatory Compliance **Presented by FDAnews and Ombu Enterprises ** Oct. 9-10, 2018 Waltham, MA http://www.fdanews.com/meddevicecomplaints Medical Device Complaint Management starts in one week. Device and diagnostics makers face a jumble of QMS regulations in the U.S., Canada and the EU. Theyre maddeningly complex and can even conflict with each other and violations often trigger warning letters and other sanctions. The stakes are high. Its worth two full days of to get things straight. FDAnews has called on a top-rated presenter, Dan OLeary of OMBU Enterprises LLC. Using actual warning letters, case studies, hands-on exercises and real-world examples, this interactive two-day workshop will arm attendees for every complaint management challenge that key regulatory agencies come up with, and helps integrate a complaint management program into QMS. Plan on coming home with a deep understanding of: The regulators: The FDA, Canada, the EU current state and the EU future state how theyre similar, how they differ The role of QSR, ISO 13485:2016, ISO 14971:2007, and national and regional variants The many definitions of complaints: And their implications Warning letters: What they teach manufacturers Process flow and decision points for U.S., EU and Canadian regulators Adverse event reporting: Decisions and timelines Trend reporting to regulators: Understanding the systems Field actions and associated regulatory reports: How to spot the triggers Design changes that trigger the need for updated submissions QSIT and the MDSAP Audit Model: How regulators use them And much more Attendees will be working from course materials that include slides from PowerPoint presentations, copies of relevant guidances and regulations, and worksheets from 9 interactive exercises that Mr. OLeary has prepared especially for this workshop. QMS changes constantly. Take new requirements from the EU-MDR, with particular emphasis on post-market surveillance. Its one of the most complicated parts of a regulation rife with interlocking systems of plans and reports and just one example of the headaches involved in getting QMS right. But getting QMS right is job #1. Reminder: Medical Device Complaint Management starts in one week. Meet the Presenter: Dan OLeary is President of Ombu Enterprises LLC, offering training and execution in Operational Excellence that focuses on analytic skills and a systems approach to operations management. Mr. OLeary boasts 30+ years experience in quality, operations, and program management in regulated industries including medical devices, clinical labs, aviation and defense. He is an ASQ certified Biomedical Auditor, Quality Auditor, Quality Engineer, Reliability Engineer, and Six Sigma Black Belt; and is certified by APICS in Resource Management. Who Will Benefit: Quality management Regulatory affairs Quality engineering Design engineering Design/development Complaint specialists Corrective-action specialists Recall coordinators Medical staff evaluating risk, safety, or effectiveness General/corporate counsel Conference Details Medical Device Complaint Management: Follow the Outcomes for Regulatory Compliance **Presented by FDAnews and Ombu Enterprises ** Oct. 9-10, 2018 Waltham, MA http://www.fdanews.com/meddevicecomplaints Tuition: Regular Registration: $1,797 Additional pricing options are available online. Easy Ways to Register: Online: http://www.fdanews.com/meddevicecomplaints By phone: 888-838-5578 or 703-538-7600 About FDAnews: FDAnews is the premier provider of domestic and international regulatory, legislative, and business news and information for executives in industries regulated by the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Pharmaceutical and medical device professionals rely on FDAnews' print and electronic newsletters, books and conferences to stay in compliance with international standards and the FDA's complex and ever-changing regulations. "The new logo represents our unwavering commitment and dedication with ultramodern technology to ensure FNTS remains an industry trailblazer, said FNTS President Kim Whittaker. First National Technology Solutions, leading IT services and cloud provider, unveiled a new brand identity, redesigned website and will operate under a new name, FNTS. Founded in 1995, FNTS has experienced tremendous growth, by developing long-term strategies and embracing the growing sophistication of technology to maximize customer results. Operating one of the most secure, technically advanced data centers in the United States, FNTS provides customized managed service solutions, cloud management and helps companies expedite their digital transformation. FNTS has taken a straightforward, customer-first approach, unifying disparate IT environments, so the brand update was a natural progression of the companys evolution. The new logo represents our unwavering commitment and dedication with ultramodern technology to ensure FNTS remains an industry trailblazer, said FNTS President Kim Whittaker. An updated website was unveiled at fnts.com to reflect the new brand identity and serve as a go-to technology resource. The new website is a more accurate reflection of the depth of IT expertise FNTS offers its customers. The site provides quick and easy access to the resources and tools critical to simplifying the complex IT buying cycle, said Whittaker. FNTS website will be updated on a weekly basis to include information on IT innovation and industry trends, overcoming security and compliance challenges, data management strategies and guidance for mission-critical IT. About FNTS With more than 20 years in the managed IT services industry, FNTS is a trusted IT advisor to organizations worldwide. Built on stability and fueled by innovation, FNTS partners with the worlds most respected technology companies including VMware, DellEMC and Pivotal. FNTS is a wholly owned subsidiary of First National of Nebraska. First National of Nebraska and its affiliates have more than $21 billion in assets and 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas. For more information about FNTS, follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter or visit us at http://www.fnts.com. Metro Storage LLC announced the promotion of Kevin Friedman to the newly created position of Director of Acquisitions. Mr. Friedman has been employed with Metro Storage LLC since July 2014 and previously served as Financial Analyst and Senior Financial Analyst for the Company, where he was directly involved in over $700M of acquisitions and developments. In this role, Mr. Friedman will be responsible for focusing on acquisition and development opportunities in the Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin markets including site identification, underwriting and contract negotiations with property owners and brokers. Kevin has demonstrated strong growth in his role within the acquisition and finance department since joining Metro and is a valuable member of our team. Kevin provides meaningful and strategic insights to the group in evaluating acquisition and development opportunities and this is a natural progression in his career with Metro Storage. said Blair Nagel, CEO of Metro Storage LLC. Mr. Friedman earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Finance with a concentration in Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Denver. He is also a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM). About Metro Storage LLC Metro Storage LLC is a privately owned, fully integrated, international self-storage company specializing in the development, construction, acquisition, and management of self-storage facilities in the USA, Brazil, and Central America. Metro operates under the trademark Metro Self Storage in the US, being one of the top 10 largest owner/operators of self-storage facilities in the United States with over 130 stores covering 14 states. Metro Storage International (MSI) has an affiliate/partner in Brazil which operates under the trade name MetroFit. MSIs affiliate/partner in Central America operates under the trade name Mr. Bodeguitas, and is Central Americas leading self-storage operator with locations throughout Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. More information about the firm is available at http://www.metrostoragecorporate.com. Greenberg Traurig, LLP attorneys David J. Dykeman, Trevor J. Chaplick, and Karen C. Corallo will speak at DeviceTalks Boston, Oct. 9, 2018, at the Westin Boston Waterfront. Greenberg Traurig is a founding sponsor of the DeviceTalks series, and attorneys from the firms global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group have been featured speakers at every DeviceTalks conference since 2011. From 4 5 p.m., Dykeman, patent attorney, co-chair of Greenberg Traurigs global Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group and co-chair of the firms Intellectual Property(IP) Group in Boston, will moderate the panel, Hot Topics: M&A, IP, Financing and Trends Impacting MedTech. He will be joined by Chaplick, shareholder in the firms Corporate Group (Washington, D.C.); Corallo, of counsel in the Health Care & FDA Practice (Washington, D.C.); Omar Amirana, Senior Vice President, Allied Minds; Alex De Winter, Managing Director, GE Ventures; and Jeff Mann, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Cantel Medical. Specific hot topics include: M&A trends from the perspective of both acquirer and seller IP protection is key to a successful exit Financing best practices from early stage to exit Regulatory trends and best practices Hosted by online journal MassDevice.com, DeviceTalks is a conversation among leaders. Its an evening for an exchange of ideas, insight, and contacts among the pioneers of the medical technology industry. Formerly known as the Big 100, this event is held annually in Boston, Orange County, and the Twin Cities. About Greenberg Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group: Greenberg Traurigs Life Sciences & Medical Technology Group advises clients ranging from startups to large multinational public companies to leading research institutions. The groups attorneys work closely with clients, providing innovative legal counsel to help them achieve their objectives from discovery through commercialization and product marketing. About Greenberg Traurigs Boston Office: Established in 1999, Greenberg Traurigs Boston office is home to over 70 attorneys practicing in the areas of bankruptcy, corporate, emerging technology, energy, gaming, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, and real estate. An important contributor to the firm's international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. The team offers clients the value of decades of legal experience and hands-on knowledge of the local business community, supported by the firm's vast network of global resources. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2018 Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Construction is underway for Glasswater Creek of Plainfield, a new affordable assisted lifestyle community that will serve the Plainfield area of Indiana. Plainfield town officials, including Council President Robin Brandgard, Indiana State Senator John Crane, development representatives Erik Cooper, David Cooper and Dwayne Shaw of Community Reinvestment Foundation (CRF) joined together for a groundbreaking ceremony last week. CRF is excited to bring one of its high quality residential style affordable assisted living facilities to the Plainfield and surrounding communities. T&W Corporation will begin construction of the 104,000 square-foot development consisting of 131 private apartments and a variety of graciously appointed common area amenities. Twenty-four hour personal assistance from nursing staff, fine dining, and housekeeping and laundry services will all be available to residents. Most importantly, residents can enjoy the companionship of friends and neighbors while participating in social and recreational activities. Glasswater Creek will provide the Plainfield area with 66 new jobs with an annual payroll, including benefits, of over $2 million. The community, which will be operated by Gardant Management Solutions, is expected to open in late 2019. Another Glasswater Creek property opened in Lafayette this summer. Individuals interested in having their names added to the interest list to obtain further information about Glasswater Creek of Plainfield can call 1-877-882-1495 or visit the community website. Harris Teeter is committed to creating an incredible shopping experience for our customers Harris Teeter and BP, a global leader in fuel and energy, team up to expand Fuel Points, a points-based customer loyalty fuel rewards program, to include BP and Amoco gas station locations. Beginning today, all Harris Teeter shoppers across seven states and Washington, DC, can participate and save on fuel at Harris Teeter Fuel Centers, BP and Amoco stations. We are thrilled to launch this exciting partnership with Harris Teeter, said Jo Brecknock, director of brand and communications at BP. We know that our consumers want more choices when it comes to how they are rewarded by BP, and this program makes it even easier for our customers to save money on fuel purchases. Harris Teeter shoppers are eligible to save up to $1 per gallon of fuel for every 1,000 fuel points redeemed at Harris Teeter Fuel Centers, BP and Amoco stations. For approximately every $100 shoppers spend at Harris Teeter using their VIC card, they save 10 cents per gallon on fuel. Harris Teeter Fuel Points can be earned by shopping with a valid VIC card at any Harris Teeter location in the following ways: Shoppers earn one fuel point for every $1 spent on eligible grocery purchases. Shoppers earn double fuel points when purchasing eligible retailer gift cards. $25 equals 50 points. Shoppers earn 50 fuel points for each purchase of a non-federally funded prescription. Shoppers can redeem in increments of 100 fuel points to earn up to $1 off a gallon of fuel. A shopper with 200 points will receive 20 cents off per gallon; 300 points results in 30 cents off. Fuel savings are activated at the pump by entering a VIC card alternate ID, typically a phone number, and are limited to a single purchase of up to 35 gallons of fuel at Harris Teeter Fuel Centers, BP and Amoco stations. Harris Teeter is committed to creating an incredible shopping experience for our customers, said Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter. Teaming up with BP to expand our Fuel Points program to all of our loyal shoppers enhances our customer experience and allows us to reward customer loyalty in a new way. We can now give each of our shoppers cents off the gallon for purchases they make every day in our stores. Shoppers can view their balance of fuel points on their receipt, online at harristeeter.com or via the HT Mobile App. Theres no limit to the number of Fuel Points a shopper can earn each month. Fuel points earned in the current month will expire at the end of the next month. For example, fuel points earned in October, expire on Nov. 30. Fuel points do not combine across months; each month is a separate accumulation period. Fuel points earned in separate months cannot be combined in the same transaction. For additional information on the Harris Teeter Fuel Points program, please visit: harristeeter.com/fuelpoints About BP BP is a global producer of oil and gas with operations in over 70 countries. BP has a larger economic footprint in the U.S. than in any other nation, and it has invested more than $100 billion here since 2005. BP employs about 14,000 people across the U.S. and supports more than 106,000 additional jobs through all its business activities. For more information on BP in America, visit http://www.bp.com/us. http://www.harristeeter.com Harris Teeter, with headquarters in Matthews, N.C., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR). The regional grocery chain employs approximately 30,000 associates and operates stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia. By acting as the connection between data and insights, such as aerial imagery and fire line scoring data, Hippo is giving homeowners an advanced look at their homes. Hippo Insurance the California-based insurtech company that is transforming home insurance for savvy homeowners, is giving the home insurance industry an overhaul by focusing on proactive insurance and delivering a positive customer experience. As a modern insurance company, Hippo proactively works with customers to put preventative measures in place to help keep a clients property safe. The need to reshape home insurance into a proactive experience starts with real-time data collection both inside and outside the home. By acting as the connection between data and insights, such as aerial imagery and fire line scoring data, Hippo is giving homeowners an advanced look at their homes. For example, Hippo customers will be alerted if theres a discoloration on their roof, implying a need for roof repairs, or when new wildfire prone brush encroaches on a property line. Hippo partners with AI driven software companies to specifically analyze real-time aerial images of their homes. Having an advanced alert system inside the home is just as valuable. According to the Insurance Information Institute 30% of home insurance claims in 2016 were from water damage. Industry wide, water is one of the most costly homeowner risk aside from fire loss and so smart home integration is essential to developing proactive insurance. Hippo partners with a host of companies to collect and analyze this type of data and bring customers closer to the information they need to protect their homes for future accidents and costly repairs. This past May, Hippo and Comcast teamed up to bring Xfinity customers both added discounts and enhanced coverage on their homeowners insurance. Hippos modernized home insurance policies help Xfinity customers save up to 25% on their annual home insurance premiums with the purchase of a Hippo policy. Each policy also comes with an enhanced smart home starter kit, plus a discount on premiums for protecting a home against risks from fire, water damage, and break-ins. Smart home adoption is driving a necessary change in home insurance, said Yuval Harry, Head of Partnerships at Hippo Insurance. Our focus on preventative insurance means we want to enable all our customers to better protect their homes before significant damage occurs, and providing them with smart home solutions that assist with achieving this goal is a top priority Hippos commitment to smart home has brought on several new partners in the industry over the last quarter. To help customers safeguard items inside their homes, the company recently partnered with Notion, a home monitoring solution powered by a multi-purpose IoT smart home sensor. Now each Hippo customer will be armed with a Notion Smart Home Starter Kit in qualifying states. By integrating with Smart Home device makers, Hippo is creating a better, more transparent and beneficial relationship between the insurance provider and homeowner. For outside the home, Hippo also recently partnered with zesty.ai, a leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled risk analytics platform for Property and Casualty insurance. Hippo policies more accurately and proactively represent whats inside a typical home today. This includes comprehensive equipment breakdown coverage for the items that traditional home insurance doesn't cover. In addition to IoT and smart home devices, things like your heating and air conditioning systems, hot water heater, appliances, computers and more. Hippo Insurance and Comcast at Insurtech Connect: Hippo will speak alongside Smart Home partner Comcast at Insurtech Connect in Las Vegas, on October 2rd. Hippo CEO Assaf Wand and Comcast Senior Director David Wechslers talk The Odd Couple: Smart Home Meet Smart Insurance, will discuss the battle for the smart home, and how insurance might be the secret weapon. About Hippo Hippo is on a mission to transform home insurance for the modern household. Among its many innovations, Hippo allows homeowners to get a quote and purchase home insurance online in 60 seconds or less, save up to 25 percent compared with traditional insurers, and obtain smarter coverage for modern households. This includes protection for possessions like appliances, consumer electronics and home offices. Founded in 2015 by Assaf Wand and Eyal Navon, Hippo made its debut in the insurance marketplace in April 2017, and has raised $39 million to reinvent home insurance through its initial funding rounds. The company is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For more information, visit http://www.myhippo.com. Shawn Kolitch and Thomas (T.J.) Romano today announced the formation of a new intellectual property law firm, Kolitch Romano LLP. Based in Portland, Oregon, and serving a nationwide and international client base, the firm specializes in strategic protection, monetization, and enforcement of patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret rights. Kolitch Romanos founding team has worked together for over a decade and has a combined 80+ years of intellectual property legal experience. Members of the founding team are well-respected practitioners, all of whom have backgrounds in science or engineering. Shawn Kolitch and T.J. Romano have been internationally recognized for their intellectual property counseling. With Shawns background as a physics professor and T.J.s as a business strategy consultant prior to becoming attorneys, Kolitch Romano believes in the importance of lucidly explaining intellectual property concepts and devising strategic business recommendations for clients intellectual property portfolios. Attorneys joining Kolitch Romanos founding team include Dave Bourgeau, who has a background as an engineer in the Navy and at several Fortune 500 companies before becoming an attorney. Kimberly Fisher focuses on brand and design protection, in addition to having a background in biotechnology. John M. McCormack has a degree in mechanical engineering and is one of the few trademark attorneys to have argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Erin Mondloch joins Kolitch Romano as a Technical Consultant, with a Ph.D. in Physics. She assists attorneys with patent prosecution in a range of technology areas. Amy Kuntz-Presting joins the patent and enforcement team and Chelsea Garrett joins the trademark team as experienced key staff members. Intellectual Property is one of the most important assets for any business, says T.J. Romano. We founded Kolitch Romano because we believe our team-oriented approach gives companies more value by ensuring they have the right expert, an experienced professional who works hard to remain on the cutting edge of their industry, to address their individual business, scientific, and legal needs. At Kolitch Romano, we do much more than just file patent and trademark applications. Using a rare combination of deep scientific knowledge and extensive federal court experience, we provide and execute IP strategy recommendations that add real value to a business by creating meaningful, enforceable barriers to competition. Our core values of extreme integrity and responsiveness allow us to maintain long-term relationships with our clients, says Shawn Kolitch. About Kolitch Romano Kolitch Romano is an intellectual property law firm based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to protecting and defending patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret rights in a wide array of technology areas and industries both domestically and internationally. Kolitch Romanos team of attorneys at law are all licensed as patent attorneys to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The firm assists clients ranging in size from small and startup businesses to large, publicly traded companies, giving each client individual attention and strategic counseling tailored to its respective business needs. Kolitch Romano is committed to creating a work environment that values all team members contributions in the workplace and in their communities and families. Kelly Klee, Inc., the digital insurance broker for financially successful Americans, announced today that it has released the first-ever customizable online coverage plan for private client insurance. The Kelly Klee online coverage plan allows consumers to see quotes for all their most important assets, including unlimited cars, homes, collections, and umbrella liability. Kelly Klees prospective customers can also customize their insurance plans while viewing them. They can select different product features, such as flood and earthquake coverage, and see how their choices affect their overall rate. They can also select among different insurers, ask their coverage advisor questions, and even indicate that theyre ready to purchase, all online. One of Kelly Klees goals was to empower consumers with more and better information to inform their decisions. To this end, the online coverage plan offers helpful explanations of key coverages, a comparison of insurers benefits, and catastrophic risk assessments provided by insurance data provider HazardHub. HazardHubs founder, John Siegman, commented, "It's an honor for HazardHub to have been selected by Kelly Klee to be a part of Kelly Klee's automated coverage plan. We have long been believers in sharing risk data with consumers, as an insured's home is usually a significant asset they want to protect. We love the forward-thinking nature of the automated coverage plan and look forward to being part of it." This new product also provides Kelly Klee with a significant efficiency advantage. One of the things were pushing the envelope on is providing a speedy experience for our busy customers, said CEO Jon Kelly. With this new technology, our coverage advisors can automatically generate a detailed coverage plan, customize it, and send it out. What takes traditional agencies hours or days to complete, we can do in minutes. The company has piloted the online coverage plan and has already seen significant usage, including the first online sale. Kelly Klees product team is already planning the next version based on feedback from early testers and its internal advisors. Planned features include the ability to choose between different deductible options and a comparison chart that displays differences between the customers existing and proposed coverage. We think this is just the beginning, said President Bob Klee. Consumer expectations for speed and online access have not been met for high-end insurance products. Were excited to bring this part of the market into the 21st century. About Kelly Klee Kelly Klee is the digital insurance broker for financially successful families, providing coverage for their homes, cars, valuables, and personal liability. Kelly Klee offers tailored coverage plans backed by the nations leading private client underwriters. The company is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, and is licensed in 50 states. Kelly Klee was founded by insurance technology pioneer Jon Kelly and private client coverage expert Bob Klee. For more information, visit https://kellyklee.com kvCORE Platform Our laser focus is on improving productivity and profitability for brokers, teams and agents. Our kvCORE team has worked hard to provide tools that our users want and will actually use, and weve been seeing the highest agent adoption rates ever which is great assurance we are on the right path. Inside Real Estate is pleased to announce the launch of five powerful enhancements to the kvCORE Platform, Inside Real Estates premier business solution for real estate brokerages. These complex features were years in the making, highly sought after in the industry, and continue to add robust functionality to the kvCORE Platform. kvCORE enhancements include: Agent Accountability: Brokers and team leaders can automate accountability rules for their agents and track how well agents are engaging and following up with their leads. If any agents are not taking care of their leads based on the rules in place, they can be removed from routing. Includes agent accountability reports to track activity and performance. Scheduled Mass Emails: Allows users to create and send custom emails - from a template or from scratch - to an unlimited group of contacts at a specified time. Setup newsletters, holiday greetings, virtual postcards and more as updates to contacts without the need of an external email service. Listing Traffic Report: An automated report that agents can send to their sellers that includes details on how many people are viewing their listing from all kvCORE sites. Market and Home Valuation Reports: Leads can view and subscribe to up-to-date market reports that include a visual summary of area-specific statistics or a monthly home valuation. New Polygon (Custom Area) Search: Agents can now draw multiple custom polygon areas on maps to create search alerts or filter listings. Leads can create custom mapped searches from kvCORE websites. For many brokers, the two biggest reasons for lost revenue are lack of agent accountability and lack of agent adoption, says Nick Macey, Inside Real Estates Chief Product Officer. These latest enhancements to the kvCORE Platform were purposely built to continue to solve those problems and we are thrilled to get these tools out to our clients. Joe Skousen, Founder and Chief Revenue Officer, sees the new kvCORE features as a continuation of Inside Real Estates vision to be a long-term technology partner for real estate customers by providing them the tools, service and innovation they need to drive real business results. Our laser focus is on improving productivity and profitability for brokers, teams and agents. Our kvCORE team has worked hard to provide tools that our users want and will actually use, and weve been seeing the highest agent adoption rates ever which is great assurance we are on the right path. The latest enhancements are currently available to all kvCORE users. ABOUT INSIDE REAL ESTATE Inside Real Estate is among the fastest growing real estate software companies in the market and serves tens of thousands of agents, teams, and brokers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company is the developer of the kvCORE Platform, the only platform where brokers, teams, and agents run their entire business on one solution. The platforms components include a powerful lead engine, website & IDX tools, a smart AI-infused CRM, consumer and mobile apps, and transaction integrationsall built on a scalable cloud infrastructure and powered by sophisticated automation and analytics to understand and grow your business. Customers also enjoy access to Insides Marketplace where they can easily add-on dozens of vetted solutions including Kunversion+, Circlepix, Brokersumo, and other leading third-party products. For more information about Inside Real Estate, please visit insiderealestate.com. Photo: The Canadian Press The City of Kelowna has put the final touches on its non-medical retail cannabis rezoning procedure. City council voted 6-3 Monday to approve a scoring matrix which will determine which applications get before council first. It was the second try by staff to develop the matrix after council previously expressed serious reservations about the city's role in evaluating business plans and business models. Planner Ryan Smith says the new matrix will look at things such as location, security, a neighbourhood strategy, business overview, signage and building improvements. Smith says a seven member evaluation team, comprised of specialized city staff and members of the RCMP will evaluate each application. The score from each member in each category will be averaged to give a final number. "There will also be an independent oversight component. Council did express some concern about how this would be done fairly, and staff did take this concern seriously," said Smith. "We have talked to several external consulting agencies that would be willing to provide proposals for this type of service. They would review the criteria provided, and sit in on all the evaluations and make sure staff followed proper procedures, and that the evaluations were fair and transparent." Despite the changes, Coun. Tracy Gray, a vocal opponent opponent of the matrix through each step, was still not sold. "I can agree with most of the application requirements, but I still can't agree with the scoring matrix," said Gray. "I think when we are looking at businesses, business descriptions, market analysis, financial projections, number of staff required to operate their business, I think we are going into an area that is really not where we should be going. It's in the weeds, it's not really where our authority is." One addition portion of the scoring matrix is past compliance. Smith says it was felt, given some of the struggles the city has had with a lack of compliance, that a deduction score should also be included. "Staff believed it needed to be a component in the process, but not weighted so heavily it would destroy an applicant's chances of moving forward," said Smith. "At 20 per cent, a very good application could achieve very high marks, but may suffer on the compliance side of things, but still may qualify to move forward." Coun. Gail Given said she was OK with the changes and the greater detail provided by staff. "I'm pleased to see you're not evaluating whether someone has a good financial business plan, but whether they are able to meet our expectations," said Given. "All applicants have the same opportunity, it's transparent. If all the applications are equal, then we will have a lottery, but we aren't at the whim of luck-of-the-draw." The first round of rezoning applications are being accepted until the end of November. Smith says they will be reviewed in early December before the panel convenes to score them early next year. The first applications are not expected before council until the spring. Stuart Playing Fetch We are so grateful that Dr. E educated us about stem cell therapy. It does work! I have a dog that would happily play fetch with you to prove it! Stuart is a fun-loving eight-year-old Labrador retriever. Like many labs, Stuarts favorite thing in the world is to play fetch. According to his owner, Cynthia, He loves playing ball so much that whenever anyone comes to our door, he grabs a toy to greet them, just in case they might want to play a game of fetch. In early 2017, Stuart began limping and eventually could no longer play fetch. Though he was still a happy dog, it was clear that he was in pain. Cynthia took Stuart to see her veterinarian, Dr. Echevarria of VCA University Animal Hospital in Dallas, Texas. After examination and x-rays, Stuart was diagnosed with soft tissue injuries affecting his carpus (wrist) and shoulder. After trying several traditional therapies including a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug and other oral and injectable pain medications, Dr. Echevarria recommended treatment with VetStem Regenerative Cell Therapy. She gave Stuarts owners some information on the treatment and after much research and deliberation, they decided to move forward with stem cell therapy. In July 2017, Stuart underwent a minimally invasive procedure in which fat tissue was collected from his abdomen. The tissue was aseptically packaged and sent to the VetStem laboratory in Poway, California. VetStem lab technicians processed the fat to concentrate and extract the stem cells and created injectable doses of Stuarts own stem and regenerative cells. After quality checks were performed, the doses were shipped back to Dr. Echevarria who received and injected them approximately 48 hours after the initial fat collection. Stuart received injections into his carpus and shoulder as well as intravenously. Cynthia reported that approximately one week after his stem cell injections, Stuart was almost a completely different dog. She stated, He felt better and had spring in his step. Actually, the toughest part of the process is trying to keep him from jumping and playing during the healing time. Stu felt so much better, he was almost like a puppy! It was truly amazing! Perhaps best of all, Cynthia reported that Stuart was able to get back to what he loved the most: playing fetch. She said, We are so grateful that Dr. E educated us about stem cell therapy. It does work! I have a dog that would happily play fetch with you to prove it! Now, well over a year after the procedure, Cynthia reports that Stuart is still doing great. He can run and play without limping or being in pain. And of course, he is still playing fetch. Cynthia stated, Stem cell therapy was really a blessing for Stu. It added years to his life. Stem cells are regenerative cells that can differentiate into many tissue types; they have been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, help to restore range of motion, and stimulate regeneration of tendon, ligament and joint tissues. About Cindy Echevarria, DVM Dr. Echevarria received her DVM from Ross University, with her clinical year at Purdue University. She then returned to the NY/NJ area to start her first position at a day/emergency practice for about a year prior to moving to Dallas in 2008. She has been practicing in the Dallas-Forth Worth area since then. She also works at an emergency clinic on the weekend. Dr. Echevarria has been VetStem Credentialed since 2015. About VetStem Biopharma, Inc. VetStem Biopharma is a veterinarian-lead Company that was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the profession. This privately held biopharmaceutical enterprise, based near San Diego, California, currently offers veterinarians an autologous stem cell processing service (from patients own fat tissue) among other regenerative modalities. With a unique expertise acquired over the past 15 years and 17,000 treatments by veterinarians for joint, tendon or ligament issues, VetStem has made regenerative medicine applications a therapeutic reality. The VetStem team is focused on developing new clinically practical and affordable veterinary solutions that leverage the natural restorative abilities present in all living creatures. In addition to its own portfolio of patents, VetStem holds exclusive global veterinary licenses to a large portfolio of issued patents in the field of regenerative medicine. Linda Lee, Esq. The Neighborhood Offices will be a way to remove the barrier between attorneys and the community, with resources, information, seminars and workshops designed to help people in the neighborhoods. -Linda Lee, Esq. Breaking barriers as both a woman and an African-American, Attorney Linda Lee's success in fighting for her clients has provided her with the ability to have her own success- expanding her business to 14 Neighborhood Offices. Her former office was located at 3773 Cherry Creek N. Drive in Denver, but she is moving on up to the top floor at One Cherry Center located at 501 S. Cherry Street, 11th Floor, in Denver, Colorado. Additionally, she has expanded to provide legal services in 13 other locations throughout Colorado via LEE | LAW's Neighborhood Offices in: Aurora (Southlands), Boulder, Broomfield (Interlocken), Downtown Denver, Fort Collins, Golden, Greenwood Village (DTC), Lakewood (Belmar), Littleton, Lone Tree (Park Meadows), Longmont (South Hover), Louisville, and one coming to Colorado Springs soon. Residents in these neighborhoods will benefit as Attorney Lee is using her Neighborhood Offices as Community Resource Centers for Family & Criminal Law. She will be holding seminars, i.e., Know Your Rights, The 411 on Divorce, and much more. Also, she'll provide snacks and drinks for attendees. LEE | LAW's success undoubtedly reflects the success Attorney Lee has enjoyed in providing legal representation in both Criminal Defense and Family Law. Recently, Attorney Lee won a case where she fought to prove that an officer actually planted drugs on her client. Her hard work paid off because the jury came back with Not Guilty verdicts on all counts, even though the client had a prior drug charge and the drugs were found in the client's car. Attorney Lee's track record in trial is nothing short of impressive, likely due to her start as a prosecutor. Luckily for her Family Law client's, her skills in trial provide her with an advantage in court trials fighting for her clients. Attorney Lee has been so successful in representing clients in divorces, child custody, child support, and other family law matters that she was sought out for a guardianship case in California. Attorney Lee has plans to expand to California next, after recently working out there with an amazing firm. Attorney Lee's success is well-deserved. Growing up in the inner-city of Pittsburgh (in Beltzhoover), becoming a lawyer was nothing more than a pipe dream. Yet, she turned it into a reality by transcending her environment and now she fights for her clients with such passion and vigor that she is often called a "Pitt Bull in a Dress" or, as she her social media followers know, "Miss Dismiss." Commonly, #missdismiss. She has a very diverse background. She clerked for the Colorado Supreme Court for Justice Eid. She spent time in local Colorado politics as Campaign Manager & Director of Community Outreach for an underdog running for State Senate, Michael Johnston, and they won. She left politics shortly thereafter to open her firm, LEE | LAW. Unsurprisingly, she had immediate and national success. She consistently represented clients in high profile-cases; and, accordingly, became a Legal Analyst for CNN's Headline News Nancy Grace Show and a Legal Commentator for National ABC News' Law & Justice Unit. She is dedicated to helping her community and giving back. In fact, that's the reason she is expanding to open Neighborhood Offices so that quality legal representation is more accessible. With her plans to use these Neighborhood Offices as Community Resource Centers in addition to offices, Attorney Lee is establishing herself as someone approaching the practice of law in a refreshing way. While she's been practicing for 10 years, she's still relatively young. It is advisable to keep your eyes peeled to see what she does next and one could only expect great things. Particularly because she already has a successful boutique law firm that rivals larger firms. The time and passion she brings to her cases go a very long way with clients. Not to mention the almost unfettered access her clients have to her via cell phone and her clients take full advantage of her accessibility. It's a great way for attorneys to interact with clients. You can check out more about Attorney Linda Lee and LEE | LAW at http://www.leeforlaw.com or give her a call at 303.222.7068. Make sure you stop by her new office at 501 S. Cherry Street, 11th Floor, Denver, Colorado 80246; or, stop by one of her many new Neighborhood Offices to learn more about the resources available. Modere I/D We are highly focused on creating extraordinary value for our consumers at Modere. We couldnt be more pleased to have been awarded this patent, because it is further validation that our efforts in offering the best in skincare and nutritional supplements are succeeding, remarked Asma Ishaq, CEO. Modere today announced that its revolutionary, two-part anti-aging skincare system, Modere I/D, has been awarded a utility patent. A breakthrough in the science of clean, conscious personal care, Modere I/Ds newly patented Infusion/Defense system uses plant-based active ingredients to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a fresh, vibrant look. Modere I/Ds first step, Infusion, features Ox3, a proprietary compound that releases oxygen bubbles on contact to waken the skin and make way for two rare botanical extracts, Chlamydomonas Nivalis and Leucojum Aestivum Bulb, to revive and renew the skin. Defense follows Infusion to protect newly revived skin and secure its healthy appearance. Formulated with EcoSkin Pre-Probiotic Complex, Defense delivers prebiotics and probiotics to support skins natural renewing properties. Dandelion root reduces the effects of skin-damaging airborne pollutants, and Defenses Superbotanical Complex of 15 plant extracts and concentrates assists in defending and nourishing skin by forming a protective barrier to environmental factors that may accelerate the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. A wildly popular product, Modere I/D has maintained its position among the companys top selling skincare products worldwide since its introduction approximately 18 months ago. It has driven sales in North America as the #1 skincare category seller for the past eight months, alternated between the #1 and #2 spots in Europe, and held strong among the top 3 in Australia and Japan for the last year and a half. We are highly focused on creating extraordinary value for our consumers at Modere. We couldnt be more pleased to have been awarded this patent, because it is further validation that our efforts in offering the best in skincare and nutritional supplements are succeeding, remarked Asma Ishaq, CEO of Modere. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued Modere I/D Patent No. 9,925,137 on March 27, 2018. About Modere Modere (http://www.modere.com) offers a category-leading portfolio of live clean lifestyle essentials including beauty and personal care, health and wellness, and household products that are equal parts safe, high-performing and scientifically designed. We believe modern health involves pure nutrition, a clean environment and safe ingredients across all our product categories. Modere brings a holistic, live clean approach to well-being, and our products reflect a commitment to excellence and innovation with tested formulas proven around the globe for 30 years. The recipient of multiple third-party validations, our line includes products that are EPA Safer Choice-approved, EWG Verified, NSF Certified and gray-water safe. The company is a proud supporter of Vitamin Angels. At Modere, we create more than just products; we create meaningful experiences. Momenta Partners is pleased to co-produce and participate in this annual gathering of digital thought-leaders and practitioners. Momenta Partners, Connected Industry Growth Partners, will be announcing new Insight and Talent practices at the IoT Solutions World Congress (IOTSWC) in Barcelona on October 16-18, 2018. Momenta has launched Quantal, a ground-breaking Deep Talent practice focused on placing deep talent, those that are designing, activating and operationalizing disruptive technologies across the Connected Industry. Momenta will also inaugurate its Digital Leadership Council: a connected community of deep digital practitioners helping companies maximize returns from digital investments by sharing best practices in business models, organizational design and change management. Momenta Partners is a board member for the IOTSWC and has exhibited at the event for the past three years, hosting their Connected Industry Pavilion to discuss their Connected Industry focused Advisory, Talent and Ventures practices, as well as introducing their key portfolio and ecosystem companies. The IOTSWC is the go-to even for Industrial IoT, connecting thought leaders, practitioners, and major ecosystem partners to deliver on the promise of Connected Industry. Ken Forster, Managing Director of Momenta Partners, states: "Momenta Partners is pleased to co-produce and participate in this annual gathering of digital thought leaders and practitioners. As Connected Industry Growth Partners, we are hyper-focused on the digital transformation of energy, manufacturing, smart space and supply-chain/logistics; all key focuses for this event." Thought leadership sessions: Momentas key executives will be facilitating several sessions, sharing the stage with fellow industry experts, providing valuable insight and thought leadership on a diverse range of topics including edge computing, and blockchain technology. For Momentas speaking schedule click here. Connected Industry Pavilion: Momenta Partners executive team are available for interview to share fresh perspectives and thoughtful commentary on Connected Industry issues. Make a time to connect or visit us at Booth B234. About Momenta Partners: Momenta Partners are Connected Industry Growth Partners, with industry-leading Advisory, Talent, and Ventures practices, accelerating the growth of Connected Industry companies globally since 2012. For more information, visit http://www.momenta.partners or join the @MomentaPartners conversation or even better contact us via info(at)momenta(dot)partners. Media Contacts: Momenta Partners Sandra Mueller info(at)momenta(dot)partners +1 917 765 3600 This is historic for women in California, and for all members of the 11 chapters in NAWBO California. Legislation authored by Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara), Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), Senator Connie H. Leyva (D-Chino) and Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) to require gender diversity on corporate boards was signed by Governor Brown on Sunday, September 30, 2018. SB 826 is sponsored by the National Association of Women Business Owners California (NAWBO CA). In his signing letter, Governor Brown said, Given all the special privileges that corporations have enjoyed for so long, its high time corporate boards include the people who constitute more than half the persons in America. Senate Bill 826 provides equitable and diverse gender representation on corporate boards of directors by requiring every publicly-held corporation headquartered in California to have a minimum of one woman on its board of directors by the end of 2019. By the end of July 2021, the bill would require a minimum of two women on boards with five members and at least three women on boards with six or more. California is the first state in the nation to consider such a requirement. With the Governors support of SB 826, yet another glass ceiling is shattered, and women will finally have a seat at the table in corporate boardrooms, said Senator Jackson. With numerous independent studies showing that corporations with women on their boards are more profitable, SB 826 is a giant step forward for women, our businesses and our economy. Credit Suisse research demonstrated that gender diversity on corporate boards is associated with increased profitability, performance, governance, innovation, and opportunity. Californias corporations lag behind the national average, with only 15.5 percent of board seats held by women, lower than the Russell 3000 at 16 percent and the Fortune 1000 list at 19.8 percent. European nations have led the way mandating gender diversity on corporate boards. In 2003, Norway mandated 40 percent of corporate board seats be held by women, followed by France and other European countries. In 2015, Germany mandated that 30 percent of corporate board seats be held by women. Mindy Bortness, President, National Association of Women Business Owners California and Founder, Communication Works, Inc. said, On behalf of the 1.55 million women business owners in California, it has been the distinct privilege of NAWBO CA to have propelled SB 826 forward. We are confident this law will be the catalyst for greater prosperity via the brainpower and contributions brought by the unique, valuable perspective of women. This is historic for women in California, and for all members of the 11 chapters in NAWBO California. The keys to pursuing corporate boards are: strategic networking, visibility in the business community, and prior board experience. NAWBO members who have grown their companies have the CEO credentials to serve on corporate or large private boards, said Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, CEO, 2020 Women on Boards and CEO, Berkhemer Clayton Retained Executive Search. About NAWBO California The National Association of Women Business Owners California (NAWBO CA) is the federation of eleven chapters of women business owners throughout the state, representing the issues and interests of 1.55 million women business owners who employ 995,000 Californians in addition to their own jobs. Chapters are located in San Diego, Orange County, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Ventura County, Santa Barbara, Central Coast, Bakersfield, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, and San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, see http://www.nawboca-sb826.org/. To book an interview with a NAWBO CA spokesperson regarding the organizations sponsorship of SB 826, contact Margot Black, cell: (323) 376-6787 or margot(at)blackinkpr.com. Inspired by the sadness felt when considering the messages of the current world, Jen Patryns debut novel, Serene: The Human Crystal (published by Balboa Press), takes readers to a world where fashion, pop culture, spirituality and fantasy collide. Serene, a New Yorker in her 20s who works in an art gallery, has handpicked her life, yet she knows there is something wrong not only with her existence but also with the world in which she lives. Social discord and saddening chaos are like two hands tightening around her throat. When her overbearing boss forces her to attend a lavish party in France to land a sale, she winds up in a living nightmare. Serene encounters the Countessa wicked manifestation of dark energy of humankind in the form a six-foot-tall woman clad in couture. In the tale where the contrasting worlds of art and pop culture meet with spirituality and fantasy, Serene must fight the darkness created by mankind. Patryn states that Serenes story is a celebration of human capability, living and loving without boundaries or fear. The book is available for purchase at: https://www.amazon.com/Serene-Human-Crystal-Jen-Patryn/dp/1982207302. Serene By Jen Patryn Hardcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781982207328 Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 266 pages | ISBN 9781982207304 E-Book | 266 pages | ISBN 9781982207311 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Jen Patryn has worked as a fashion editor in New York City for two decades. She has had the privilege to work with Teen Vogue, act as a contributing editor to Vogue Taiwan, creative director for Victorias Secret PINK line and consult for major brands such as LOreal. She is a trained crystal healer under the tutelage of The Crystal Academy of Advanced Healing Arts. Serene is her first novel. Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with indie book publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com. To start publishing your book with Balboa Press, call 877-407-4847 today. For the latest, follow @balboapress on Twitter. Piedmont Healthcare is focused on building a strong response to the opioid crisis, and were extremely proud of our hospitals unique and proactive drug diversion program, said Dr. Charles Peck, president and CEO of Piedmont Athens Regional Invistics, the leading provider of advanced healthcare inventory visibility and analytics software, today announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the company a supplementary grant, expanding its drug diversion program. The program leverages machine learning and advanced analytics to detect opioid and drug theft across entire hospitals and systems, improving patient safety, reducing financial risk and protecting healthcare workers. Invistics has seen early success in Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center and other pilot hospitals, expediting the phase II grant timing and expansion into anesthesiology. The program currently tracks and identifies drug diversion across nursing and pharmacy departments. Studies have found that roughly 10 percent of the nations nurses, anesthesiologists and pharmacists are currently diverting drugs in their workplaces. Piedmont Healthcare is focused on building a strong response to the opioid crisis, and were extremely proud of our hospitals unique and proactive drug diversion program, said Dr. Charles Peck, president and CEO of Piedmont Athens Regional, which serves as the 11-hospital systems east hub. Invistics provides us with unprecedented interdepartmental transparency and strategic analysis they have certainly helped to elevate our program to one of the strongest in the country. The average mid-size 500-bed hospital has approximately 25 to 75 people at risk for diverting at any time, while only five or fewer diversions are investigated annually, according to studies. According to a recent Porter Research study, 66 percent of respondents felt their programs were neither efficient nor effective, and yet nearly all believe their strategy is on par or better than their peers. Opiate theft and other drug diversion is a very real industry threat one that is incredibly challenging to identify and prevent, and yet directly impacts our ability to ensure the highest quality patient care, said Tom Knight, founder and CEO of Invistics. With the support of NIH and our hospital partners, we hope providers can proactively prevent drug diversion, something that simply isnt possible solely with manual processes and investigation. Invistics is a cloud-based solution that enables tracking of opioids and other drugs through the complex pharmaceutical supply chain and offers near real-time intelligence, pulling from thousands of data markers across the entire enterprise. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an entity of NIH, awarded Invistics the first research grant in 2017, for which the company aggregated data from across the partnering hospitals systems including its medical records, employee time clocks, wholesale purchasing, inventory and dispensing cabinets. Invistics officially launched its drug detection software to all hospitals and health systems across the U.S. in 2018. To learn more about the NIH research results and Invistics, visit http://www.invistics.com. ABOUT INVISTICS Invistics is the leading provider of cloud-based software solutions for healthcare inventory visibility, providing advanced analytics and actionable insights for hospitals and health systems who want to detect and prevent drug diversion. Invistics solution, called Flowlytics, tracks the movement of drugs across the complex supply chain from the time they are shipped from the wholesaler to a healthcare facility, then each time drugs are moved throughout the hospital and administered to patients. Atlanta-based Invistics Corporation also provides inventory visibility for manufacturers, distributers, repackagers and controlled substance registrants, helping to reduce inventory costs and compliance risks within a single facility or across the extended enterprise. To learn more, visit http://www.invistics.com. ABOUT PIEDMONT ATHENS REGIONAL Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center is a 359-bed non-profit hospital and regional referral center serving a 17-county service area in Athens and northeast Georgia. Piedmont Athens Regional offers a Level 2 Trauma Center and Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, five Piedmont Urgent Care centers, and an extensive network of respected physicians, surgeons and specialists. Founded by physicians in 1919 as a community hospital, Piedmont Athens Regional became part of Piedmont Healthcare in October 2016 expanding quality health services to the Athens-Clarke and surrounding communities. The mission of Piedmont Athens Regional is to improve the lives and health of those we touch. As the second largest employer in the region, with over 2,500 employees, Piedmont Athens Regional contributes more than $800 million dollars annually to the economy and has earned national recognition for patient experience and comprehensive care. For more information, visit piedmont.org/athens. ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov. Research reported was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 1R44DA044083-01. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Media for Invistics: Leslie Kirk lesliekirk(at)innsena.com 678.733.2162 Northrop Realty, A Long & Foster Company, will hold a grand opening for its new Annapolis officerelocated from Eastport to 900 Bestgate Road, Suite 100, in Annapolison Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event will include a ribbon-cutting with the Annapolis Chamber of Commerce as well as hors doeuvres, music and tours. Northrop Realtys real estate agents will also be available at the grand opening. The new, larger office space has been built to support additional real estate agents, as Northrop Realty continues its expansion in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., region. Northrop Realty career opportunities are listed at http://www.northroprealty.com/careers. In addition to Annapolis, Northrop Realty has offices in Clarksville, Columbia, Silver Spring, Sykesville and Timonium. Formerly the Creig Northrop Team of Long & Foster Real Estate, Northrop Realty became a full-service brokerage within the Long & Foster Real Estate family of companies earlier this year. The transition from real estate team to brokerage allows Northrop Realty to grow its service areas in the future. For more information about the grand opening and Northrop Realty, call the Annapolis office at 410-295-6579 or RSVP online at https://NorthropAnnapolis.eventbrite.com. About Northrop Realty Northrop Realty, A Long & Foster Company, has evolved from the No. 1 ranked real estate team in the nation,* the Creig Northrop Team of Long & Foster Real Estate. They represent buyers and sellers of residential real estate in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan regions with offices in Annapolis, Clarksville, Columbia, Silver Spring, Sykesville and Timonium, Maryland. Creig Northrop has more than 25 years of experience in real estate and leads a team of more than 100 licensed real estate professionals. (http://www.northroprealty.com) *By sales volume, according to the REAL Trends 1000 Mitchel C. Schiewe, PhD, Ovation Fertility Newport Beach laboratory director Highly concentrated sperm samples from 12 donors with good motility were packaged and cryopreserved by CCB in September 2017, to be thawed and used in experiments on the Space Station this summer. The good news is that excellent post-thaw motility was available for those ongoing studies. 10 Ovation Research Studies Accepted for Presentation at ASRM 2018 One Ovation study to be presented at ASRM supported NASAs Micro-11 study, the first test of how human sperm function in the weightlessness of space. Ovation Fertility is once again proving its reputation as a prolific producer of research in the field of reproductive medicine, with 10 abstracts accepted for presentation at the ASRM 2018 Scientific Congress and Expo. Ovations leading scientists and affiliated physicians will present eight posters and two oral presentations at the premier conference for reproductive experts, slated for October 6-10, 2018 in Denver. In line with ASRMs theme The Next Generation, Ovation participated in research that has significance to the future of the human race. Preliminary sperm freeze research was performed in support of NASA-sponsored research on the International Space Station into the biology of human reproduction in micro-gravity conditions. The NASA-sponsored study, Spaceflight-Altered Motility Activation and Fertility-Dependent Responses in Sperm (Micro-11), is the first to test the functioning of human sperm in space. In collaboration with California Cryobank (CCB) Life Sciences, Ovations Research Director Mitchel C. Schiewe, PhD, supported the Micro-11 study with a separate study relating to cryopreservation of large volumes of sperm in specialized syringes for interstellar in-flight experimentation, helping the researchers understand how fluid volume and surface area influence post-thaw sperm motility. Based on the Ovation teams findings, the NASA research team was able to send frozen samples of human and bull sperm in April 2018 aboard SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station. For these experiments to be successfully attempted in space, we needed to make sure that good post-thaw motility could be attained under different experimental conditions involving semen freezing in syringes loaded with varying volumes and surface areas, which ultimately affect cooling rates, Dr. Schiewe says. The results of this study, specifically the failure of 5 mL syringes, led the NASA team to redesign specialized 3 mL syringes with a removable plunger. Highly concentrated sperm samples from 12 donors with good motility were packaged and cryopreserved by CCB in September 2017, to be thawed and used in experiments on the Space Station this summer. The good news is that excellent post-thaw motility was available for those ongoing studies. The complete list of Ovation Fertility abstracts accepted for presentation at ASRM 2018 covers a wide range of topics relevant to IVF scientists worldwide. Poster Presentation: Prospective observational, comparative and validation study using a time-lapse morphometry Miri imaging incubator. A. Picou-1, K. Culter-1, K. Silverberg-2, M. D. VerMilyea-1 (1-Ovation Fertility, Austin; 2-Texas Fertility Center, Austin) Poster Presentation: Stress relief: Can continuous culture in a low lactate culture media reduce numerical chromosomal abnormalities and therefore improve euploidy rates? M.D. VerMilyea-1,3,5, C. Rios-2, A. Abu Maizar-3, R.M. James-4, A. Picou-1, H. Werland-1, R. Marrs-3, K. Silverberg-1,5 (1-Ovation Fertility, Austin; 2-Ovation Genetics, Henderson, Nevada; 3-California Fertility Partners, Los Angeles; 4-Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan; 5-Texas Fertility Center, Austin) Oral Presentation: Transfer of completely hatched euploid blastocysts results in significantly lower pregnancy outcomes compared to euploid expanded or hatching blastocysts. R.M. James-1, A. Picou-2, L. Hansard-2,3, H. Werland-2, M.D. VerMilyea-2,3 (1-Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan; 2-Ovation Fertility, Austin; 3-Texas Fertility Center, Austin) Poster Presentation: Blastocyst morphometry is predicted by the diameter of the originating ovarian follicle. B. Shapiro, A. Raman, F. Garner, M. Aguirre, C. Morrison, S. Thomas, A. Bill, C. Bedient (Fertility Center of Las Vegas, University of Nevada Medical School, Ovation Fertility, Las Vegas) Poster Presentation: Blastocyst aneuploidy as a function of the diameter of the originating ovarian follicle. C. Bedient, A. Raman, F. Garner, M. Aguirre, C. Morrison, S. Thomas, A. Bill, B. Shapiro (Fertility Center of Las Vegas, University of Nevada Medical School, Ovation Fertility, Las Vegas) Poster Presentation: The effect of ovarian follicle size on the formation of good quality blastocysts. B. Shapiro, A. Raman, F. Garner, M. Aguirre, C. Morrison, S. Thomas, A. Bill, C. Bedient (Fertility Center of Las Vegas, University of Nevada Medical School, Ovation Fertility, Las Vegas) Oral Presentation: Novel cryopreservation of human sperm in syringe containers: an experimental model for applied research in space. M.C. Schiewe-1, K. Domagala-2, N. Nugent-1, J. Shamonki-3 (1-Ovation Fertility, Newport Beach; 2-University of Illinois-Champane-Urbana;3-California Cryobank Life Sciences) Poster Presentation: Variable aspects of oocyte freeze preservation outcomes warrant continued investigation. R. vanTol, J.B. Whitney, S. Zozula, R.E. Anderson, M.C. Schiewe (Ovation Fertility, Newport Beach) Poster Presentation: High sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) on the day of oocyte retrieval is correlated with lower fertilization and slower development to the blastocyst stage for trophectoderm biopsy. A. Broussard-1, B. Leader-1, E. Tirado-1, H. Russell-2, H. Beydoun-2, R. Colver-3, L. Reuter-3, B. Bopp-3, M. Will-3, E. Anspach Will-3, G. Adaniya-4 (1-Reprosource, Woburn, Massachusetts; 2-Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk; 3-Midwest Fertility Specialists, Carmel, Indiana; 4-Ovation Fertility, Indianapolis) Poster Presentation: Sperm DNA fragmentation index via gradient centrifugation correlated with significantly high fertilization and blastocysts available for trophectoderm biopsy. A. Broussard-1, B. Leader-1, E. Tirado-1, H. Russell-2, H. Beydoun-2, R. Colver-3, L. Reuter-3, B. Bopp-3, M. Will-3, E. Anspach Will-3, G. Adaniya-4 (1-Reprosource, Woburn, Massachusetts; 2-Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk; 3-Midwest Fertility Specialists, Carmel, Indiana; 4-Ovation Fertility, Indianapolis) All Ovation research presented at ASRM 2018 will be available at http://www.OvationFertility.com/research. In addition to the presentations listed above, Erica Behnke, PhD, HCLD, Ovation Fertility Cincinnati laboratory director, will present CAP Reproductive Laboratory Accreditation Program Inspector Training Seminar at ASRM on October 6, 2018. About Ovation Fertility Ovation Fertility is a national network of reproductive endocrinologists and scientific thought leaders focused on reducing the cost of live birth through more efficient and effective fertility care. Ovation Fertilitys IVF and genetics laboratories and affiliated practices work collaboratively to raise the bar with state-of-the-art, evidence-based fertility services that give hopeful parents the best chance of a successful pregnancy. Physicians partner with Ovation Fertility to offer their patients advanced preimplantation genetic testing. Ovation Fertility also provides donor eggs that come with the worlds first Euploid Embryo Guarantee, as well as secure frozen egg, embryo and sperm storage; consultative services to help IVF laboratories improve quality and performance; and fertility preservation programs that enable more women to freeze their eggs and build future families. Learn more about Ovation Fertilitys vision of a world without infertility at http://www.OvationFertility.com. Serving Southeast Texas For 23 Years We are so happy to partner with such a charitable organization. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Philpott Motors announced this week that it would be holding a breast cancer survivors breakfast. The local east Texas dealership group, and Sonic Automotive Group member, will be co-hosting the event with national non-profit Gift of Life on Wednesday, October 12 at 8 a.m. at Philpott Ford. We are so happy to partner with such a charitable organization, said Bob Thewman, General Manager of Philpott Ford & Hyundai. Its a great annual event, one of the highlights of our community partnerships. We are proud to help them make a difference. In addition to the breakfast, Philpott Motors will be donating $50 of every new or used vehicle purchased at any of its stores this month to Gift of Life. The dealer group currently has four dealerships in the area: Philpott Ford, Philpott Hyundai, Philpott Toyota, and Philpott Pre-Owned Super Center. About Gift Of Life Serving Southeast Texans for 23 years, Gift of Life ensures clients across Southeast Texas receive crucial health screenings and medical care, regardless of their ability to pay. Since its inception, the organization has helped extend the lives of more than 275 individuals who have been diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer, and navigated through treatment and healing. About Sonic Automotive Group Sonic Automotive, Inc., is a Fortune 500 Company and the fifth largest automotive retailer in the nation. Through its 100 dealerships, spanning 14 states, the Charlotte, North Carolina based dealership group offers new, used, and certified pre-owned vehicles from 25 different car brands. The Fortune 500 company also provides a number of comprehensive automotive services including the sale of replacement parts, performance of vehicle maintenance, warranty, paint and collision repair services, and the arrangement of extended warranty contracts, financing, and insurance for the companys customers. Sonic Automotive, Inc., is also part of the Russell 2000 Index. Photo: The Canadian Press Former premier Christy Clark addresses the LNG in BC Conference in Vancouver in 2015. Investors have given final approval for a massive liquefied natural gas project in northern British Columbia. The five partners have agreed to the $40-billion joint venture that includes a gas liquefaction plant in Kitimat on B.C.'s coast and a 670-kilometre pipeline delivering natural gas from the northeast corner of the province. The partners Royal Dutch Shell, Mitsubishi Corp., the Malaysian-owned Petronas, PetorChina Co. and Korean Gas Corp. delayed the final investment decision in 2016, citing a drop in natural gas prices. But, with the final investment decision, each company will be responsible to provide its own natural gas supply and will individually market its share of liquefied gas. The decision involves two processing units, with first liquefied natural gas expected before the middle of the next decade. LNG Canada CEO Andy Calitz says the project received support from the B.C. government, local First Nations and the Kitimat community. "This decision showcases how industrial development can co-exist with environmental stewardship and Indigenous interests," he said in a news release late Monday. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the LNG Canada announcement represents the single largest private sector investment project in Canadian history. "It is a vote of confidence in a country that recognizes the need to develop our energy in a way that takes the environment into account, and that works in meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities," he said in the LNG Canada statement. B.C. Premier John Horgan said the project "symbolizes the kind of balanced and sustainable path forward British Columbians are looking for." "We welcome the unprecedented commitment shown by the LNG Canada partners to work within our province's ambitious climate goals," he said in the same statement. "The critical importance of this project is what it represents the intersecting of economic development, jobs for local workers, partnerships with Indigenous communities and forward-looking climate leadership." But provincial Green party Leader Andrew Weaver called the announcement a "profound disappointment." "Adding such a massive new source of (greenhouse gases) means that the rest of our economy will have to make even more sacrifices to meet our climate targets. A significant portion of the LNG Canada investment will be spent on a plant manufactured overseas, with steel sourced from other countries," he said in a statement. "B.C. taxpayers will subsidize its power by paying rates twice as high and taking on the enormous public debt required to build Site C. There may be as little as 100 permanent jobs at LNG Canada. I believe we can create far more jobs in other industries that won't drastically increase our emissions." We are proud to be working with Prince Georges County Public Schools to improve access to the resources and information that will help students set and achieve post-secondary goals. Hobsons, the education technology leader and company behind Naviance, today announced Prince Georges County Public Schools in Maryland has selected the Naviance platform to improve college, career and life readiness for students across the district. The implementation of Naviance, which is used by 40 percent of U.S. high school students, comes as part of the districts initiative to establish college and career readiness benchmarks and improve access to resources for all students to prepare for life after graduation. The district has chosen to expand Naviance to all middle and high schools after a very successful pilot in the 2017-18 school year. Were excited that our students can begin using Naviance in middle school to explore potential careers and create a solid education plan. We want every student to have the tools to prepare for the next step after high school, whether they choose to attend a two- or four-year college, a technical school, join the military, or enter the workforce, said Dr. Leon Washington, Instructional Supervisor for the Office of Professional School Counselors at PGCPS. We successfully piloted Naviance last school year in a selected number of schools and received great feedback, said Dr. Gwendolyn Mason, Chief of Special Education and Student Services at PGCPS. Naviance provides our students with access to a state of the art system for making informed choices and planning successful futures. We are proud to be working with Prince Georges County Public Schools to improve access to the resources and information that will help students set and achieve post-secondary goals, said Monica Morrell, General Manager of Naviance. We believe every student deserves a chance to succeed, in high school and beyond. With help from their families and schools, Naviance can guide students through the process of understanding their strengths and interests, matching those to career goals, and creating a plan for life after high school. Were excited to see their success. PGCPS, located in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, is the nations 25th largest school district, with 208 schools and centers serving more than 130,000 students. The district is nationally recognized for innovative programs and initiatives that provide students with unique learning opportunities. Naviance, which is used by more than 12,000 schools and districts in the United States, will allow PGCPS to build a college-going culture to ensure that all students are well-prepared for life after high school, and provide the tools to measure success by means of data on college application and acceptance rates, FAFSA completions, and more. The district joins several large districts in the region to embrace Naviance as their college and career readiness solution. Others include District of Columbia Public Schools; Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, and Fairfax counties in Virginia; and Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, and Howard counties in Maryland. The solution is also used by large urban districts around the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Houston, Philadelphia, and Broward County, Fla. Naviance provides information and resources that enable school counselors, teachers, students, and parents to engage in meaningful conversations about how to assess a students options after high school. It also allows them to explore, apply to, and enroll in a postsecondary path that is a best fit for the student, based on education and career goals, learning style, and personal preferences regarding where and how they would like to continue their education. The platform arms students and their families with information on the true cost of a particular college, based on their own family income, and allows them to explore scholarship and financial aid opportunities. For more information on Naviance, visit http://www.naviance.com. About PGCPS Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS), one of the nation's 25 largest school districts, has 208 schools and centers, more than 134,000 students and nearly 19,000 employees. The school system serves a diverse student population from urban, suburban and rural communities located in the Washington, DC suburbs. PGCPS is nationally recognized for innovative programs and initiatives that provide students with unique learning opportunities, including arts integration, environmental and financial literacy, and language immersion. About Hobsons Hobsons helps students identify their strengths, explore careers, create academic plans, match to best-fit educational opportunities, and reach their education and life goals. Through our solutions, we enable thousands of educational institutions to improve college and career planning, admissions and best-fit matching, enrollment management, and student success and advising for millions of students. Our leading college and career readiness platform Naviance was named the 2017 and 2018 SIIA CODiE Award winner in the Best College and Career Readiness Solution category. Converged Security Solutions As security threats to both physical systems and IT networks increases due to IoT, a converged security approach that integrates both disciplines is required. Evolver and eVigilant, two prominent, Virginia-based security companies, are merging through the private investments of Hillcrest Holdings Inc., and Akoya Capital LLC. Named Converged Security Solutions (CSS), the new organization will offer a groundbreaking, managed services security solution spanning cyber and physical security to address the growing complexities in protecting critical infrastructure. Evolver, a leading IT consulting and technology firm, provides cybersecurity, cloud, infrastructure, application development, end-user support, and legal technology solutions across the federal and commercial markets. They are a nationally recognized leader in risk quantification using the FAIR model and are ISO 27001 (security) certified. Evolver has repeatedly proven it can provide cost effective, custom solutions to clients that work. eVigilant is an established leader in providing innovative, cost-effective, IT and security solutions to its clients. Founded in 1999, eVigilant has helped hundreds of organizations secure their critical infrastructure by designing, engineering, implementing, operating, and monitoring state-of-the-art electronic security systems. eVigilant has been recognized as one of the fastest growing Inc. 500 list of companies in America and has experienced 200% growth over the last 3 years. Hillcrest and Akoya, as the first institutional investors for both Evolver and eVigilant, are providing growth capital to CSS to support their innovative go-to-market strategies and the new managed services lines of business. With the combined strengths of Evolver and eVigilant, CSS will continue to offer the former companies market leading cyber and physical security services as well as a transformative remote monitoring delivery model for integrated security. Remote monitoring will yield a more efficient and cost-effective security approach rather than on-premise labor-based offerings and is the most comprehensive way to cover the overall threats and risks posed to companies and agencies. Led by Dr. Bob Friedenberg as newly appointed CEO, the CSS executive team including Evolver CEO Bill Sabo as the new President and COO and eVigilant CEO Gunvir Baveja as the new EVP of Strategic Sales brings a rich, extensive background and depth of expertise in cyber and physical security for public and commercial sectors alike. The companys board of directors will include John J. Regazzi, former CEO of Elvesier Inc. NYSE: ENL as Executive Chairman of the Board, and Mike OKane, founder and Chairman of Evolver serving as Vice Chairman. As the security threats to both physical systems and IT networks increases due to IoT, a converged security approach that integrates both disciplines is required, said Friedenberg. Building on our solid technical solutions and experience delivering ROI and compliance-driven business value, CSS will deliver a highly innovative managed services model to help the C-Suite understand and quantify their risks. Converged Security Solutions cross-disciplinary approach to the cybersecurity of operational systems and IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as medical devices, transportation systems, and industrial controls for both commercial and public institutions helps limit undue exposure. By integrating network-enabled physical security systems, e.g., access control, ID management, video surveillance, motion detection, with cybersecurity, e.g., network protection, intrusion detection, malware prevention, information assurance, CSS clients will gain increased infrastructure protection and risk mitigation across multiple types of threats. Sabo added, Evolvers and eVigilants commitment to quality, evidenced by our ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and CMMI 3 certifications will provide unparalleled customer service for our managed services offerings. Our commitment to the FAIR risk quantification standard will ensure that we focus on the best way to reduce their risk. Commercial and public institutions will benefit from the rich expertise already gained in representing a customer community of over three dozen public and private organizations including several major federal civilian bureaus, municipalities, and commercial organizations in the financial services and healthcare sectors. CSS will continue to actively sell and deliver market-leading legal technology, eDiscovery and other IT services on which both Evolver and eVigilants clients also rely. We have been committed to converged security as the right solution for our customers for several years. There is tremendous synergy between the two organizations, and we have already been teaming to offer our combined services. Now that Evolver and eVigilant have come together, we will be a transformative force in the market, said Bajeva. About Converged Security Solutions Converged Security Solutions (CSS) offers a comprehensive converged security managed services solution spanning cyber and physical security to allow the C-suite to better quantify, reduce, and manage security risk on an ongoing basis. CSS provides an end-to-end solution, where customers can benefit from assessment, remediation, and monitoring of the security of their IT and critical infrastructure as a total solution as needed. Founded in 2018, Converged Security Solutions is a privately-held company headquartered in Reston, Va. For more information, contact us at http://www.convergedsecuritysolutions.com or visit Evolver (http://www.evolverinc.com) and eVigilant (http://www.evigilant.com). About Hillcrest Holdings Hillcrest Holdings is a Midwest based, family-owned holding company, that invests in privately held middle market businesses in the United States. Its businesses operate in the transportation, insurance, real estate and IT services industries, with consolidated annual revenues in excess of $1.6 billion. Hillcrests mission is to support the continued growth and success of its existing portfolio businesses, while diversifying into new industries through long-term equity investments in growing businesses that share its values of stewardship, hard work, empowering employees and giving back to the community. For more information, visit http://www.HillcrestHoldings.com. About Akoya Capital LLC Akoya Capital is a sector focused investment firm that creates and nurtures partnerships between management and capital. With industry leading sector leaders, proprietary platform organizations, experienced management teams and co-investors, Akoya collaborates on compelling value creation opportunities. Together, it develops and executes industry sector acquisition strategies that deliver significant, measurable value for management, partners and shareholders. For more information, visit http://www.AkoyaCapital.com. Clubhouse and pool at Rancho Villa Real The array of ownership options for both investors and residents is extensive RE/MAX Ocean Surf and Sun and Rancho Villa Real (RVR), located on the Gold Coast of Coast Rica, are pleased to announce that RE/MAX Ocean Surf and Sun will be the new exclusive sales team for Rancho Villa Real. Rancho Villa Real is a 135 acre (55 ha) gated community set against a naturally wooded hillside, positioned just outside the village of Villa Real only a few minutes from the popular beach town of Tamarindo and only one hour from the Liberia International airport. The Tamarindo area, located right in the heart of the Gold Coast region, has been one of the most sought-after investment areas of Costa Rica for over 15 years. We are excited to become the exclusive sales agent for this exceptional development explained Isabelle Emond, co-owner/broker of Remax Ocean Surf & Sun in Tamarindo. Courtney Borquet, also a co-owner/broker added, The array of ownership options for both investors and residents is extensive and includes both development parcels and individual homesites. The community will suit mid-range investors seeking a modern and secure development near the popular beach towns of Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Brasilito, Flamingo and Avellanas. Lifestyle amenities include 24-hour security, pool, clubhouse, walking trails, fitness facilities, and a bar/lounge. A number of well-known resort hotels are nearby, including JW Marriott, Westin Playa Conchal Resort & Spa and the Four Seasons in Papagayo. Current investment opportunities in the development include a limited number of forested 5,000 meter lots for private homes with valley and mountain views in the Escondido section of the development, starting at US$ 79,000. There is one premier, ocean view lot available situated at the top of Escondido, an ideal location for an estate home or two unique individual homes. Competitively priced "ready to build" half-acre lots with flat building pads are another option for private homes in RVR, starting as low as US$ 60,000. Infrastructure includes underground cable, electricity, fiber optic internet, and water all located at the lot line. Please inquire for current pricing on development parcels. RE/MAX Ocean Surf and Sun is located in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. RE/MAX Tamarindo has been in operation since 2003 and has grown to be one of the largest real estate agencies in the country. You can contact their offices using via toll-free number 1-866-976-8898, or by email at oceansurfandsun@gmail.com. Microsoft SharePoint Applications Partner Program Logo Unchecked applications can introduce risks such as data breaches, loss of return on investment (ROI) and poor business performance. The Rencore Platform helps secure SharePoint and Office 365 environments Rencore has announced today that they have been recognized as a Charter Member of the SharePoint Business Applications Partner Program. Being a Chartered Member means Microsoft recognize Rencores contribution in helping Microsoft customers implement simplified business processes through the technologies Microsoft 365 has to offer. These technologies include SharePoint, PowerApps, Power BI, Flow, and Forms. For many organizations, the need to optimize and sometimes simplify business processes is crucial for overall productivity and efficiency. Finding a way to cancel the unnecessary noise within communication can create a well-oiled machine that keeps an organization on track with company objectives. Rencore steps in and helps organizations bridge the gap between extending SharePoint and Office 365 to fit their needs and securing the very applications that are used to extend it. By helping organizations apply effective application security, management, and governance, the Rencore Platform allows them to securely automate everyday tasks such as workflows and filling forms. "Microsoft currently has over 135 million active Office 365 users, and many are unaware of the risks when extending SharePoint and Office 365 with applications, said Matthias Einig Microsoft MVP, CEO, and co-founder of Rencore. Unchecked applications can introduce risks such as data breaches, loss of return on investment (ROI) and poor business performance. The Rencore Platform helps secure SharePoint and Office 365 environments. Rencore joins a select group of partners who have completed the requirements to be recognized as Charter Members of the program and can display the Microsoft preferred seal. Microsoft greatly appreciates their partnership. For further information or comment, please contact Rencore today. The team at Rentec Direct gathers at their new location for the first time. I had been looking to purchase a commercial property to house Rentec Directs headquarters for some time, and this opportunity was perfect for us, said Rentec Direct president, Nathan Miller. Rentec Direct, an industry leader in property management software solutions, has relocated their headquarters to a new, larger building to accommodate the companys growth. Rentec Directs new address is 231 SW I Street in the downtown historic district of Grants Pass, OR. Since its founding in 2008, the company had leased a 4,000 square foot office space near the center of their hometown of Grants Pass. The new building was purchased by Rentec Direct president and founder Nathan Miller and has been renovated to meet the needs of the company. With a total of 6,400 square feet spanning two stories, the new locations interior features a full kitchen, a grand room for meetings and team events, fireplaces in offices and the grand room, and an open recreation space for employees to enjoy. Outside, there is an upper-level balcony, on-site parking and covered parking spots, and a fenced-in park for employee use. The Oregon based company has been recognized nationally for its growth and this new building will allow the company to continue to expand. Earlier this week, the company announced a new addition to their software development team, and expect to add more team members to both sales and customer service in the coming months. All 11 Rentec Direct employees will be based out of the new headquarters, and they have room to potentially double their staff in the future. I had been looking to purchase a commercial property to house Rentec Directs headquarters for some time, and this opportunity was perfect for us, said Rentec Direct president, Nathan Miller. We are thrilled to offer the stability and security to our employees that go along with owning a building, and we are proud to commit to a permanent location in our community. About Rentec Direct Rentec Direct offers industry-leading property management software and tenant screening solutions for real estate professionals. Features include online rent payments, tenant and owner portals, the industrys largest vacancy listing syndication network, full property, tenant, and owner accounting, 1099-MISC reporting, QuickBooks Sync and more. Rentec Direct received three gold-level 2018 American Business Awards, was named to the 2017 and 2018 Inc 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies and the 2017 Entreprenuer360 list for Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America. http://www.rentecdirect.com REO Logistics executives Michael Carroll, Gregg Frazier, Rebecca Polan, and Clayman Edwards with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (second from right) The visit included a tour of the companys 480,000-square-foot chemical processing facility and a roundtable discussion with REO Logistics key executives On Friday, September 28, 2018, Joe Manchin, United States Senator for West Virginia, visited supply chain solutions provider and International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA) member REO Logistics (http://www.reologistics.com). The visit included a tour of the companys 480,000-square-foot chemical processing facility, during which time Senator Manchin was able to meet a number of employees. The visit included a roundtable discussion with REO Logistics key executives to discuss a number of hot button issues impacting the industry and region today, including recently enacted tariffs, driver shortages, transportation infrastructure legislation and employing veterans and other underserved populations. REO Logistics, which employees 260 people, struggles, along with others across the nation, to employ enough truck drivers. During the visit, CEO Rebecca Polan asked Senator Manchin for his support of legislative actions designed to help ease the nationwide driver shortage by expanding interstate trucking opportunities to former military personnel and by dropping the age restrictions to 18. Ms. Polan, along with her key executives, also briefed the Senator on the negative impact recently enacted tariffs have had on many of their international customers and discussed constructive steps the company, and others like it, can take to help customers weather todays volatile business landscape. Senator Manchins commitment to working with West Virginia businesses, to learning about both their successes and their challenges, and helping them connect with practical real-time resources to overcome those challenges, is a real testament to his dedication to the State and his constituents, remarked Ms. Polan. This was a positive and constructive meeting with Senator Manchin. A 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) and chemical processing company, REO Logistics maintains operations in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Texas and Louisiana. The company provides food and pharmaceutical grade, hazardous materials, and contract warehousing; asset-based and brokerage transportation; and toll processing and contract manufacturing services for chemical and large industrial manufacturers. We expect great things from Robyn as she moves into this new role, said Brooks Kushman President Mark Cantor. She has excelled as a shareholder, and we are confident that she will continue to serve as a leader, mentor and advocate for the trademark team in her new role within the firm. Brooks Kushman is pleased to announce Shareholder Robyn Lederman has been appointed to serve as Co-Chair of the firms Trademark practice. Lederman joined Brooks Kushman in 2002 and has been instrumental in growing and developing the firms global footprint and expertise in trademark law. We expect great things from Robyn as she moves into this new role, said Brooks Kushman President Mark Cantor. She has excelled as a shareholder, and we are confident that she will continue to serve as a leader, mentor and advocate for the trademark team in her new role within the firm. Lederman has more than 25 years of experience in both U.S. and international trademark law. Her clients include some of the worlds most prominent brands with whom she counsels on global branding strategies to clear, protect and enforce trademarks and their impact on the business. Prior to joining Brooks Kushman, Lederman worked at a technology law firm in Israel and continues to connect and create partnerships between Israeli innovators and Michigan investors. She also has worked on economic projects for clients in both regions. Lederman is actively involved in many legal and community organizations in southeastern Michigan. She served on the board of Jewish Family Services, Hillel of Metro Detroit and the founding board of the Michigan Israel Business Bridge. Lederman also served on the International Trademark Association (INTA) Well-Known and Famous Marks and Parallel Imports Committees. A longtime advocate for supporting those who live in work in Detroit, Lederman is passionate about mentoring start-ups, and actively volunteers with Retooling Detroit, a literacy program in Detroit Public Elementary Schools. Lederman graduated from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in telecommunications and enjoys tailgating on gamedays with her three Spartan children. -###- About Brooks Kushman P.C. Brooks Kushman P.C. is a leading intellectual property (IP) and technology law firm with offices across the nation and represents clients nationally and internationally with respect to protection, enforcement and monetization of IP, including patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. The firm has more than 90 intellectual property professionals specializing in various technical disciplines and has a reputation for providing leading IP counseling with a focus on the business objectives of their clients. Brooks Kushman counts a number of Fortune 100 companies across a variety of industries among its clients. The firm is also recognized by leading legal publications and rankings, including Corporate Counsel magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Law360, Intellectual Asset Management, Managing Intellectual Property, and Intellectual Property Today. For more information, please visit http://www.BrooksKushman.com. Its now clear that zero-energy ready homes make sense economically today, even as they provide multiple benefits over standard construction. Building anything else today runs a risk of creating homes that will be seen as out-of-date in only five years says Jacob Corvidae, Principal at RMI. Building new construction single-family homes to zero-energy (ZE) or zero-energy ready (ZER) home standards makes sense for longevity and economic purposes. ZE and ZER homes currently make up less than 2 percent of the residential market, but their market share is growing. There are many reasons for the currently small share, but a key barrier is the perceived incremental cost. RMIs latest report, The Economics of Zero-Energy Homes: Single Family Insights, demonstrates that the cost increase to build a ZE or ZER home is modest (only 6 percent8 percent)far less than consumers, builders, and policymakers realizeand highlights methods builders and policymakers can use to drive increased market penetration. RMI compared the incremental costs of building ZE and ZER homes in four US locations against four key consumer cost thresholds that reflect the metrics that both homebuyers and builders use to make investment decisions: Mortgage: The anticipated energy cost savings over the life of the mortgage. Resale: The anticipated energy cost savings over 12 years (the average duration homeowners expect to stay in a home). Consumer Willingness to Pay: The 4 percent first cost premium customers have stated theyre willing to pay according to consumer research. First Cost: Zero incremental cost compared with an identical code-compliant home. When the incremental costs of building ZE and ZER homes are equal to or less than the cost thresholds, decision makers are more likely to be willing to bear the cost of investment in ZE or ZER homes. The report confirms that ZE homes have already passed the mortgage and some resale thresholds and that ZER homes have already passed the mortgage, resale, and consumer willingness to pay thresholds in most US markets. Its now clear that zero-energy ready homes make sense economically today, even as they provide multiple benefits over standard construction, says Jacob Corvidae, Principal at RMI and coauthor of the report, It looks like zero-energy homes will become the norm sooner than most people realize. Building anything else today runs a risk of creating homes that will be seen as out-of-date in only five years. With current costs to build ZE and ZER homes already meeting consumer thresholds and continuing to decline, first cost is no longer a significant barrier. Builders can use the recommendations provided in the report to fine-tune home designs and construction processes to minimize incremental costs. The report also outlines key actions that policymakers can take to drive increased adoption of ZE and ZER homes in their jurisdictions. Both builders and policymakers are essential to driving progress in this industry. Media Inquiries please contact: Nick Steel, Senior AssociateMedia Relations, T: +1 347.574.0887, E: nsteel@rmi.org Notes to Editors About Rocky Mountain Institute Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)an independent nonprofit founded in 1982transforms global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure low-carbon future. It engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. More information on RMI can be found at http://www.rmi.org or follow us on Twitter @RockyMtnInst Celso Silva of SGF's Tampa Bay, FL office who will be hosting the "What to Expect When You're Not Expecting" Seminar on Wednesday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. The more our patients understand the IVF process, the less intimidating this treatment option becomes. The biggest takeaway with IVF is that we continue to see improved pregnancy and delivery rates and a decrease in multiple pregnancies. Given that fertility treatment outcomes are more favorable with early diagnosis and treatment, Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) remains committed to its core mission of fertility education and spreading awareness about infertility through their ongoing event series. Throughout the months of October and November, the practice will host 19 in-person seminars and 14 virtual webinars on topics ranging from what to expect when youre not expecting, financial options for affording fertility treatment, LGBTQ family planning, egg freezing, weight and fertility, and much more. Each event concludes with a question and answer session so that attendees have the opportunity to get their questions answered by the practices physician experts. For couples who arent sure if they have infertility and whether they should see a fertility specialist, the event What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting will address those questions. During the seminar, attendees will learn how infertility is defined, common causes of infertility, what to expect at the initial appointment with a physician, fertility tests to determine a diagnosis, treatment options, and financial options for affording fertility care. Many people delay seeking help from a fertility specialist with the hope that pregnancy will happen on its own. Our event is intended to educate people about the benefits of seeking help from a fertility specialist sooner, and the importance of early fertility intervention and how it leads to more favorable outcomes, says Dr. Celso Silva who will host the in-person event What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting at SGFs newest location in Tampa Bay, Florida on Wednesday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. When people think of fertility treatment, they immediately assume in vitro fertilization (IVF). While IVF is often not the first line of treatment for patients, many patients do move forward with IVF in their fertility journey as it is among the most effective fertility treatment options due to advances in laboratory and treatment protocols. The more our patients understand the IVF process, the less intimidating this treatment option becomes. The biggest takeaway with IVF is that we continue to see improved pregnancy and delivery rates and a decrease in multiple pregnancies. Many couples are able to build their families, even, with just one cycle that offers the chance to freeze embryos for future use, says Dr. Ryan Martin of SGFs Warrington, PA office who will host the IVF webinar on Tuesday, October 9th at noon. Dr. Martin will walk attendees through the entire IVF process from diagnosis, stimulation medication, monitoring, egg retrieval, embryo transfer, to pregnancy. In the practices Atlanta region, Dr. Anne Namnoum will host an LGBTQ family planning seminar on Wednesday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m. SGF has created a comprehensive program for LGBTQ family building where both partners can now be actively involved in the family building process through a range of fertility treatment options, say Dr. Namnoum. During the seminar attendees will learn about LGBTQ family building options that include fertility testing, treatment options such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), IVF, donor egg treatment, gestational carriers, reciprocal/co-IVF, intended father treatment, transgender options, psychological support services, and much more. While all SGF events are complimentary, interested parties must register to attend by visiting the Shady Grove Fertility calendar of events. Upcoming October Seminars October 2 | Frederick, MD | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Lauren Roth October 3 | Leesburg, VA | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Naveed Khan October 4 | Rockville, MD | Financial Seminar | SGF Patient Financial Services October 10 | Philadelphia, PA | LGBTQ Family Planning | Dr. Caleb Kallen October 10 | Atlanta, GA | Fertility Options | Dr. Anne Namnoum October 11 | Washington, D.C. | Egg Freezing | Dr. Kimberly Moon October 16 | Tampa, FL | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Celso Silva October 17 | Warrington, PA | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Ryan Martin October 17 | Woodbridge, VA | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Rachana Garde Upcoming October Webinars October 4 | Online | Egg Freezing | Loretta Trumble, CRNP October 9 | Online | The IVF Process | Dr. Ryan Martin October 12 | Online | Become an Egg Donor | SGF Egg Donor Team October 18 | Online | What Your Menstrual Cycle Says about Your Fertility | Wende Allen, PA-C October 23 | Online | Financial Options | SGF Patient Financial Services October 24 | Online | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Ricardo Yazigi October 30 | Online | Weight and Fertility | Dr. Ryan Martin Upcoming November Seminars November 4 | London, UK | Donor Egg Seminar | Dr. Michael Levy November 6 | Mechanicsburg, PA | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Melissa Esposito November 6 | Columbia, MD | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Stephanie Beall November 7 | Rockville, MD | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Joseph Doyle November 7 | Atlanta, GA | LGBTQ Family Planning | Dr. Anne Namnoum November 7 | Fredericksburg, VA | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Rosie Gunson, NP November 14 | Towson, MD | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Ricardo Yazigi November 14 | Arlington, VA | Egg Freezing | Dr. Andrea Reh November 14 | Atlanta, GA | Fertility Options | Dr. Mark Perloe November 15 | Washington, D.C. | What to Expect When Youre Not Expecting | Dr. Eric Widra Upcoming November Webinars November 1 | Online | Egg Freezing | Dr. Eugene Katz November 8 | Online | Become an Egg Donor | SGF Egg Donor Team November 13 | Online | What Your Menstrual Cycle Says about Your Fertility | Dr. Naveed Khan November 15 | Online | Getting Started | Dr. Ryan Martin November 14 | Online |The IVF Process | Dr. Ricardo Yazigi November 27 | Online | Weight and Fertility | Dr. Lauren Roth November 28 | Online | Financial Options | SGF Patient Financial Services About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF) SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 50,000 babies born and counting. With 32 locations throughout MD, PA, VA, D.C., GA, and FL, we offer patients individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including treatment guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com. Shelley Stokes a private clinical psychologist; and Sherron Lewis, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in individual conflict and personal development, have completed their new book The Trauma of Shame and the Making of the Self: a prolific discourse on how to properly deal with shame in keeping a healthy and sound lifestyle. Authors Stokes and Lewis thoroughly explain the influence of such behavior in setting the bar between accountability and pretention: Achieving clarity regarding ones own accuracy in mentalizing may not be all that easy. Because a large part of our reflective functioning occurs mostly outside of conscious awareness or conscious control, we may have little awareness of our abilities to function in this domain. Because of this, we are all likely to be somewhat biased regarding our own capacity for reflective functioning. Typically, we tend to assume that we are better at it than we actually are. Further, persons with significantly limited reflective ability may commonly be unaware that they have mentalizing difficulties at all. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Shelley Stokes and Sherron Lewiss evoking narrative is an outstanding contribution to the uncommon paperbacks that specifically address the psychodynamic depth psychology perspective. Readers who wish to experience this scholarly work can purchase The Trauma of Shame and the Making of the Self at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708. About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. (CNN) The Indonesian government has defended itself against accusations it issued inadequate safety warnings as a powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed at least 844 people. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Sulawesi island on Friday causing three-meter-high (10 foot) waves to surge over parts of its northwestern shore, with groups of people caught on the coastline, apparently unaware of the danger. Experts underscored the difficulties of predicting tsunamis and raising safety alerts across Indonesia's vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands and 261 million people, but others pointed to a lack of government coordination and funding. Online criticism from Indonesians centered on allegations that the country's meteorology and geophysics agency (BMKG) canceled the tsunami alert too early. The alert was sounded shortly after 6 p.m. on Friday warning of potential waves of up to three meters. The warning was canceled at 6.36 p.m. However, the agency said the alert was lifted only after the tsunami hit. In a statement, the head of the organization, Dwikorita Karnawati, called the allegations "not correct." "Our work is based on computer system/artificial intelligence. The warning system was lifted with the approval of the 28 other countries along the Indian ocean," said Karnawati. Phil Cummins, professor of natural hazards at Australian National University told CNN that while all the facts have yet to emerge, he doubted the warning sign issue was a major concern. "During the time when a warning was potentially useful, it was apparently in effect, and that seems far more significant to me than having canceled it prematurely after the tsunami hit," he added. Did the tidal buoys work? Questions have focused on Indonesia's warning system, founded on a grid of 134 tide gauge stations and land seismographs, bolstered by education campaigns to train people in tsunami response. Its warnings are transmitted by sirens and text messages. "From the reports I've heard in the media, they (sirens) weren't operable because the power was knocked out by the earthquake," said Cummins. "If true, that's something that should really be looked into." CNN has not been able to confirm these reports. Experts also focused on the number of tidal gauge systems, which measure sea level at the coast, that are in use. "134 tide gauge stations are not adequate to confirm tsunami generation for the country which perhaps has the most islands in the world," said Professor Costas Synolakis, director of the University of South California Tsunami Warning Center. "To be effective, you need to have a tide gauge near every coastal community," he added. Concerns over the government's readiness increased after Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the country's national disaster agency (BNPB), admitted that none of the additional 22 deep water buoys connected to seafloor sensors to help monitor for tsunamis off Indonesia's coast had worked for the last six years. The buoys are intended to work in addition to the tide gauge stations as part of Indonesia's Tsunami Early Warning System, designed after the devastating 2004 Aceh tsunami. "Disaster funding continues to decline every year. The threat of a disaster increases, the incidence of disasters increases, the BNPB budget goes down," said Nugroho, according to a report by CNN Indonesia. Shape of bay amplified waves International experts said that while Indonesia's warning system might be improved, its geographic position and the nature of the disaster made tsunamis almost impossible to defend against. "First we need to realize that each tsunami is unique and therefore very difficult to predict particularly where there are not long periods between the earthquake and tsunami," said Charitha Pattiaratchi, professor of oceanography at the University of Western Australia. He added that the epicenter of the earthquake was on land, so had a very low probability of generating a tsunami, suggesting that it may have been triggered not by the earthquake itself but by a submarine landslide. Pattiaratchi said that Palu, the largest city to be hit by the tsunami, is located at head of a long narrow bay, measuring around 30-40 km in length. "As the tsunami traveled up this bay it would have become highly amplified." Adam Switzer, a tsunami expert at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, said that Indonesia's primary warning system -- a database model that runs various scenarios based on the early parameters of the earthquake-- "appears to have worked." The earthquake sequence was complicated, he added, with multiple aftershocks and a very high likelihood of one or multiple landslides either above or below the ocean surface. "This is a clearly a very unusual event and the satellite imagery and eyewitness videos are showing a number of unusual characteristics that will take months to work out," said Switzer. "No tsunami warning system I know of can handle multiple shocks or landslides as it is just too physically and computationally complicated for current technology," he concluded. Also, in Indonesia's case, its buoys and gauges are mostly positioned in areas considered more likely targets for tsunamis, which Sulawesi was not, said Pattiaratchi. "This is not a region where large tsunamigenic earthquakes are reported to have occurred in the past," he added. "With limited funds everyone have to take decisions to make priorities. So if there was no reason -- based on historic events -- then decisions are made." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Indonesia accused of mishandling tsunami warnings." Photo: The Canadian Press A shifting hillside near Fort St. John has damaged a gravel pit and severed a road, prompting evacuation of two properties. UPDATE: 9:55 a.m. Residents of a northeastern British Columbia community cut off by a slow-moving landslide could have power restored by the end of the day, if BC Hydro crews can make progress. The Peace River Regional District says crews will be at work this morning and hope to have the lights back on in Old Fort, just south of Fort St. John by early evening. Electricity was cut Monday as a hillside just west of Old Fort continued to slump, ripping a huge slab away from the hill and pulling dirt, trees, several power poles and the only road to Old Fort along with it. The regional district said meetings about the emergency would be held in the afternoon in Old Fort and another gathering is slated for the evening in Fort St. John. An update posted on the regional district website Monday says the possibility of a water taxi link to Taylor and a shuttle service to Fort St. John is still being explored. The Ministry of Transportation closed the only road to Old Fort a short time later, cutting off water to the community, which depends on trucked supplies. ORIGINAL: 5:30 a.m. A landslide is creeping down a steep slope in northeastern British Columbia, carrying away part of a gravel pit, isolating the small community of Old Fort and forcing the evacuation of two properties. The Ministry of Transportation said on Twitter that Old Fort Road leading to the community was closed Sunday when the hillside began to give way. The ministry said geotechnical experts expect it could be days before the earth stops moving. By Monday, Old Fort Road was covered by several metres of dirt. Old Fort resident Gord Pardy said the earth seems to be slowly slumping away from the hillside. "If you can imagine a lava flow coming across, but (this) has sort of come under the road and lifted the road and pushed it," he said. An update on the Peace River Regional District website said there was no immediate threat to Old Fort, which is east of the slide. However, the community of about 30 homes is cut off and is preparing to lose electricity as the slide edges toward power lines, Pardy said. Most people in Old Fort have switched from wood stoves to electrical heat, he said, adding that they also depend on regular deliveries of water by truck. "Everybody is going to run out of water," he said. The regional district ordered the evacuation of the gravel pit on the top of the slide and another nearby property. Access to the Peace River Lookout, which oversees the entire area, has also been cut off. Pardy said the gravel pit appears to be "split in half, half of it is sliding down the hill." "The trees make a lot of noise, they're popping and cracking. The pavement falls. The dirt's moving. A big chunk of the hillside has just moved down 50 feet. Amazing." The regional district set up an emergency operations centre Sunday. On Monday, it said transportation would be available to anyone who wanted to leave Old Fort. Boats would take people down the Peace River to Taylor, B.C., where a bus would meet them at the boat launch and take them to a reception centre. BC Hydro, which is responsible for the Site C project, said on Twitter that although the slide is close to one of the gates leading to its dam, there is no evidence it is linked to construction. On Monday, it said work was continuing onsite as planned and it would continue monitoring the landslide closely. Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. is happy to announce that Dan Rushing has been hired as an Area Sales Manager. Located in Austin, TX, Dans role is to build and grow the companys market in the Austin area and throughout Texas. Dan joins the company with more than 20 years of industry experience. Having previously held roles as a Branch Manager, and a Sales Manager for other mortgage companies, his most recent role was as a Regional Manager at Highlands Residential Mortgage in Austin, TX. Dan is a results-driven mortgage professional whose experience and leadership style will be a great addition to the leadership team at Sierra Pacific Mortgage. The company looks forward to Dan building out his team in Austin and his continued expansion throughout the state. When asked about why he joined Sierra Pacific Mortgage, Dan said, I knew Sierra Pacific Mortgage was the right place for me because, not only does the company have an established reputation as one of the best in the industry, but I know under the leadership of the companys President and CEO, Jim Coffrini as well as Vice President of Retail Lending, Jay Promisco, the company has a very strong outlook. I look forward to bringing Sierra Pacific Mortgage to Texas! About Dan joining Sierra Pacific Mortgage, Midwest Regional Manager, Brian McGinley, said, Im very excited to have Dan lead the charge as the company expands into Texas. I know he will be a great leader as he builds out his team in Austin and provides support to our other branches in the state. Sierra Pacific Mortgage is dedicated to providing rewarding careers for their employees. With more than 30 years in business, Sierra Pacific Mortgage is continuously focused on adding experienced team members across the country. To view opportunities at Sierra Pacific Mortgage, please visit http://www.joinsierrapacificmortgage.com. Organicer We first focused on creating a functional planner with a good look and second on fulfilling our planner with an awesome app to keep your data handy even on the go. While putting pen to paper may always be appealing, consumers cant deny that growing digitalization is incredibly handy. The Organicer planner and app are here to help serve as a bridge between written and digital notes. The Organicer team is now collecting funds on Kickstarter in an effort to bring their artsy, colorful, and innovative new planner to fruition. Organicer includes a yearly overview section, which aids in orienting tasks through weekdays and weekends. Organicers monthly overview section offers space to break down important tasks into each day and provide a transparent timetable for the month. The planner also contains a daily schedule section for organizing appointments and daily actions, plus a habit tracker, goals list, and 365-day checklist space complete with QR codes for easy digital transfer. Organicers habit tracker tool allows users to follow and track their routines, giving them an orderly overview of how their habits are improving daily. Consumers can simply write down their schedule in the Organicer planner and use the Organicer app to snap a photo of their notes and the QR code, which will immediately transfer appointments, notes, and tasks to a phone and set reminders for the user. As a full-time student, it was imperative to have a planner in order to organize all my tasks and responsibilities, explained Co-creator Ines Mulec. As an IT guy, my partner David Sovec's desk was always covered in notes and piles of unorganized papers, but his meetings were always scheduled and well-organized on his phone. We both looked at our needs and realized developing a smart planner would make our lives considerably easier and more productive. We combined my growing designing skills and David's IT knowledge, and the idea of Organicer was born. We first focused on creating a functional planner with a good look and second on fulfilling our planner with an awesome app to keep your data handy even on the go. Analog meets digital with Organicer, made with over 300 pages with FSC certificate. Now collecting pre-orders on Kickstarter, consumers can begin to take control of their busy schedules for just $35. Visit the campaign page at pr.go2fund/organicer. About Organicer Organicer is a planner with a greater value. Whether the company is busy bringing sustainable energy to villages, protecting the environment in a developing world or providing a functional planner to busy individuals, Organicer is built of a team of individuals committed to leaving the world a better place than they found it. At the conclusion of a successful Kickstarter campaign, every Organicer sold through the companys website will result in a donation to Barefoot College, a leading charity focused on establishing educational programs in rural areas in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. To learn more about Organicer, visit http://www.myorganicer.com. Synertrade continues to shine adding Fortune 500 customers to its worldwide customer base, and in doing so, have added yet another key personnel to the North American Executive Team. To provide support for SynerTrades strategic expansion in the North American market, SynerTrade welcomes Mireia Brancos. Mireia has over 20 years of experience helping customers across the US, Europe and Latin America drive business results through the use of technology. Uniquely positioned in the industry because of her diverse background as a consultant, practitioner, and sales leader, she is a trusted advisor to CEOs, CFOs, and CPOs alike. Honored by Supply & Demand Magazine as one of the top 100 Women in Supply Chain, Mireia has led, mentored, and grown world-class sales organizations to deliver results for her clients. As Synertrade continues to expand, and we find ourselves being continued to be recognized by analysts and partners; it is essential that we continue to add key members to our team that share the same vision for Synertrade. Mireia brings extensive leadership experience, product knowledge, and industry awareness. Rainer Machek, Co-Founder, EVP of Synertrade. Mireia was previously a Strategic Enterprise Account Executive at DocuSign where she was responsible for expanding DocuSigns footprint in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Prior to DocuSign, Mireia was a Managing Director with Determine, a procurement technology provider, as well as a Business Development Executive with Ariba. Like many procurement technology veterans, Mireia also spent time as a practitioner at AstraZeneca focusing on delivering a unified technology procurement strategy across the globe. Mireia brings an abundance of end to end procurement and finance experience with a passion for innovation, said Vishal Chouhan, COO Synertrade North America. Were fortunate that she has joined us. We believe she is a true asset to Synertrade. About Synertrade Synertrade is a leading international provider of cloud-based procurement solutions for the digitalization of companies procurement processes. Since 2000, we have helped companies meet all their procurement challenges in a different way and is a recognized industry leader in Source to Contract, Procure to Pay, Supplier Relationship Management, and Purchasing Intelligence. A part of the Econocom Group, Synertrades complete end-to-end SaaS platform, Synertrade Accelerate, has a tremendous global presence as it focuses on flexible, scalable and easy-to-use solutions. With a deep ERP knowledge, Synertrade is extremely easy to implement as a single source, homegrown option. Find out more at http://www.synertrade.com. Were proud to release TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0 because it represents the future of enterprise label management across industries. It reflects our commitment to equip companies with a best-in-class labeling environment to help them label better today and into the future. Doug Niemeyer, TEKLYNX GM TEKLYNX International, the worlds leading barcode and RFID labeling software developer and solutions provider, today announced its launch of enterprise labeling software solution TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0. The enterprise label management software offers manufacturers of all sizes a centralized solution that encompasses label design, security and traceability, and print automation to support next-generation digital labeling transformation. The TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0 release includes access to the 2018 version of CODESOFT label design, SENTINEL print automation, and LABEL ARCHIVE label storage and traceability software. Were beyond proud to release TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0 to the marketplace because it represents the future of enterprise label management across industries, states TEKLYNX General Manager Doug Niemeyer. It reflects our commitment to equip companies with a best-in-class labeling environment to help them label better today and well into the future. TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0 product highlights include: Easy to install, migrate, backup and maintain - the software autochecks the ability to create and/or modify database structure and recognizes previously installed databases True reprint feature shows end users the exact data that was originally printed and allows them to reprint a label with the original expiration dates, pack dates, counters, and other vital information Mobile printing app for iOS and Android allows end users to type in or scan a value, return labels, and print from mobile devices Multiple business logic driven webpages managed from one server - one enterprise label management solution now serves the specific needs of all internal and external business units Dashboard feature helps end users identify key labeling statistics including most active print users, busiest printers, and most commonly labeled products New metadata feature allows end users to pre-filter label templates by system-generated metadata or user-generated tags to reduce number of label templates, saving time and label storage space Includes all 2018 CODESOFT, SENTINEL and LABEL ARCHIVE product enhancements Compatible with Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 Today, manufacturers around the world throughout industries, such as consumer goods, pharmaceutical, medical device, chemical, automotive, aerospace and beyond, leverage TEKLYNX CENTRAL to label efficiently and accurately. Recent examples of success include: Leading global medical device brand uses TEKLYNX CENTRAL CFR to improve labeling efficiency, control and support for its global, multi-user labeling environment, improving total production efficiency by 50% and its ability to maintain compliance with the FDAs 21 CFR Part 11 Leading global clothing brand leverages TEKLYNX CENTRAL to centrally manage labeling for its global, multi-facility operations and integrate label data with ORACLE, SQL and MS Access simultaneously at print time Leading global packaged foods brand uses TEKLYNX CENTRAL to centrally manage labeling across manufacturing facilities and at third party cold storage plants, including a data management tool that formalizes the process of approving, previewing, tracking and publishing data and labels to print Leading North American food brand leveraged TEKLYNX CENTRAL to replace hundreds of locally installed label designers and print engines with a single, centralized labeling solution, reducing the time it takes to make a print request from 40 to 4 seconds Leading global aerospace equipment brand leverages TEKLYNX CENTRAL to print labels via a centralized, web-based user interface, store and track internal serial numbers and generate and control automated nameplate and item unique identification (IUID) labels To request a demo of TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0, click here. Download the TEKLYNX CENTRAL 5.0 Whats New fact sheet to learn more about the new features and benefits. About TEKLYNX International TEKLYNX International is the worlds leading barcode and RFID labeling software developer and solutions provider. An industry innovator for over 30 years, TEKLYNX helps companies operate smoothly and efficiently by implementing labeling solutions that streamline operations while staying ahead of industry-specific compliance and emerging regulations. TEKLYNX is world-renowned for its customer service; offering flexible purchase options, unparalleled service and support, and a comprehensive product offering that grows with companies over time. With operations in the United States, Europe, Japan, Latin America, China and Singapore, more than 750,000 companies in over 120 countries look to TEKLYNX integrated software solutions for their standard of success. Learn more by visiting teklynx.com, LinkedIn, Twitter @Teklynx, and Facebook.com/TEKLYNXInternational or call 888-629-4444. The Grayson School is hosting CogniCon on October 27 where parents can participate in engaging presentations from experts in the field of giftedness while our teachers provide brain-powered activities for kids Pre-K through grade 8. Learn and discuss research and best practices on creativity, technology, and other topics of interest from Dr. Brian Housand, an educational consultant and coordinator of the Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program at UNC Wilmington, Hoagies' Gifted Education Pages Founder, Carolyn K., and Jill Williford Wurman, Director of Research at The Grayson School. Meet and network with others who live with, work with, teach, and advocate for gifted children. Students are placed in age, ability, and passion groupings for conducting experiments, performing improv, exploring complex math concepts, creating graphic novels, immersing themselves in a history simulation, and more from our gifted educators. Register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cognicon-tickets-50528460987?aff=Media ### About The Grayson School: The Grayson School is an innovative, research-based learning institution that is guided by best practices in the field of gifted education, and the only all gifted, all day school of its kind within a 125-mile radius. Offering a pre-K through upper school program and enrichment classes open to the community, The Grayson School provides high-ability learners with a setting where they can learn at a pace consistent with their abilities, collaborate with like-minded peers, and explore their unlimited potential, while also growing and thriving socially and emotionally. The Grayson School was recognized in 2016 as a Philadelphia Stellar StartUp, and its Founder, Melissa Bilash, was honored with the 2016 Innovator Award by the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE). The Grayson School is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. For More Information: Susan Pedersen The Grayson School 484.428.3241 contact(at)TheGraysonSchool(dot)org http://www.TheGraysonSchool.org Renata Konrad is working with colleague Andrew Trapp and others to disrupt human trafficking networks. With a one-year, $145,000 award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), researchers in the Foisie Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will explore how analytical tools commonly used in industry can be employed to attack human trafficking networks worldwide by ferreting out the supply chains that sustain them. The grant is one of nine early concept awards recently announced by the NSF as part of a concerted effort to detect, disable, and disrupt illicit supply networks. Human trafficking is a critical problem throughout the world, said principal investigator Renata Konrad, associate professor in the Foisie Business School. While trafficking activity is supported by illicit supply chains that are hidden from sight and not well understood, we believe we can use operations research and data analytics tools to detect these supply chains and thus help disrupt the trafficking networks. Worldwide, tens of millions of people are believed to be victims of human trafficking. Victims are forced into slavery for commercial sex, as beggars and child soldiers, as domestic workers such as housekeepers and nannies, or as factory workers and laborers in manufacturing, construction, mining, commercial fishing, food service, agricultural, and other industries. Human trafficking generates an estimated $150 billion annually in illegal profits and is one of the largest sources of profit for global organized crime, second only to illicit drugs. Through the grant, titled A Data Analytic Approach to Understanding Human Trafficking Networks, Konrad and colleagues will also lay the foundation to develop techniques to help anti-trafficking agencies better prioritize their limited resources for the greatest impact by targeting areas most affected by traffickers. Konrad will work with co-principal investigators Andrew Trapp, associate professor in the Foisie Business School; Kayse Lee Maass, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at Northeastern University; Meredith Dank, a research professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice; and Jeffrey Blom, vice president of justice operations at Love Justice International. The team will also include graduate students in WPIs Data Science program. The team will study border control and transit center interception data to identify key aspects of labor and sex trafficking networks from the perspective of traffickers and victims. They will analyze similarities and key differences with traditional supply chain networks using data analysis and operational tools, which will be developed and evaluated by a transdisciplinary team of operations research, data science, human trafficking, and law enforcement experts. The methods developed will combine data science and social science approaches to account for regional, cultural, and population differences. The nine Early-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) awards recently announced by NSF will advance scientific understanding of how such illicit supply networks functionand how to dismantle them, according to the NSF. The awards leverage fundamental research, taking an engineering systems-based approach made far more powerful by the integration of other scientific disciplines. The NSFs Engineering, Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, and Computer and Information Science and Engineering directorates jointly supported the awards. About Worcester Polytechnic Institute WPI, a global leader in project-based learning, is a distinctive, top-tier technological university founded in 1865 on the principle that students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems. Recognized by the National Academy of Engineering with the 2016 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education, WPIs pioneering project-based curriculum engages undergraduates in solving important scientific, technological, and societal problems throughout their education and at more than 45 project centers around the world. WPI offers more than 50 bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree programs across 14 academic departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. Its faculty and students pursue groundbreaking research to meet ongoing challenges in health and biotechnology; robotics and the internet of things; advanced materials and manufacturing; cyber, data, and security systems; learning science; and more. http://www.wpi.edu Contact: Alison Duffy, Director of Public Relations Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, Massachusetts amduffy@wpi.edu; 508-340-5040; 508-831-6656 The Trade Commission of Spain in New York and Wines from Spain will host the 25th anniversary of Spains Great Match, the largest Spanish wine and food event in the U.S. The event will take place on October 4 at New Yorks iconic IAC HQ Building, while a second event in Los Angeles is scheduled for November 8. Hundreds of wines, representing many of the diverse indigenous grape varieties and wine regions of Spain, will be featured in a walk-around tasting format. Spanish wineries and their American importers will be presenting the best of their wine portfolios, including new offerings and latest vintages, to wine industry professionals during the day and consumers in the evening. The ticketed evening portion of Spains Great Match will be a lifestyle event, which will showcase an extensive offering of wine and tapas in addition to examples of Spains award winning interior design industry. Attendees will enjoy tasting the diverse array of Spanish wines and pair the latest vintages with tapas created by special guest chefs from Spain as well as New York Citys finest Spanish restaurants. This years award-winning restaurants are: Barraca, Casa Mono, Lamano, Toro, Tomino and Tia Pol. In collaboration with esteemed Bilbao-born Chef Mikel de Luis, owner of New York Citys aMona Catering, renowned Spanish Chefs Manolo Alonso, David Garcia and Tono Perez will be coming from Spain, exclusively preparing a selection of tapas for the event. Chef Manolo Alonso is the owner of the prestigious Michelin-star Casa Manolo in Valencia; David Garcia is the Madrid-based Gastronomy Director at Corral de la Moreria, having previous worked at Michelin-star restaurant Albora; and Tono Perez comes from renowned two Michelin-star restaurant Atrio in Caceres. This years Spains Great Match will bring the best of Spain to New York City, celebrating and showcasing the phenomenal Spanish food scene, says Katrin Naelapaa, Director of Wines from Spain. We are absolutely thrilled and thankful to have such renowned chefs and restaurants, from both Spain and New York, join us to celebrate this important benchmark year. During the daytime Spains Great Match, members of the wine trade and press are invited to 4 seminars in addition to the walk-around tasting, showcasing importer and winery portfolio stations as well as regional tables. Trade & Press Seminar Schedule: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: A Tribute to 25 Years of Spains Great Match hosted by Steve Olson, wine educator with Michael Schachner of Wine Enthusiast, Steve Metzler of Classical Wines, and Jordi Paronella of Jaleo/Think Food Group 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Walk Around Tasting 12:45 pm - 1:45 pm: Spains Undiscovered Gems from Navarra by Marnie Old, Wine Educator 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm: Wine-ing Down the Duero River: A Look at Castilla y Leon by Leslie Sbrocco, Award-winning Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Television Host 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm: The Volcanic Terroirs of the Canary Islands by Joshua Greene, Editor-in-Chief, Wine & Spirits Public Event Schedule General Admission: $80, 6:30-9:00pm Premium Admission: $100, 5:30-9:00pm To register for Spain's Great Match trade event in New York, please visit: https://sgm_ny_2018.eventbrite.com. The evening portion of Spains Great Match will be ticketed and open to the public from 6:30-9 p.m. To purchase tickets to the evening portion of Spains Great Match in New York, please visit: https://sgm_nypublic_2018.eventbrite.com . Follow Spains Great Match on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: username @WinesFromSpain and hashtag #SpainsGreatMatch About Wines from Spain: The Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX Espana Exportacion e Inversiones) is the public platform for the promotion of Spanish exports and Spanish companies abroad. Wines from Spain - is ICEX's brand for a wide range of promotional activities designed to inform trade and consumers about Spanish wines. Wines from Spain has been promoting Spanish wines in the United States for nearly 35 years. For more information about Wines from Spain, please visit http://winesfromspainusa.com/ TRAXXALL, providers of an innovative aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory management system, today announces its new client, Jet Linx. Jet Linx is the third largest business aircraft operator in the country. The company is locally-focused and committed to delivering highly-personalized service. It offers a Jet Card program guaranteed aircraft availability at fixed hourly rates, and an Aircraft Management program oversight of all aircraft ownership responsibilities, including: pilots, training, maintenance, fuel programs, hangar operations, FAA compliance and insurance. Last year, the Jet Linx team began reevaluating its aircraft maintenance tracking needs. After thorough review, Jet Linx decided to migrate its fleet of aircraft to TRAXXALL in a process that was completed in July. Today, Jet Linx is using TRAXXALLs maintenance tracking and inventory management modules across all locations. We have been very pleased with TRAXXALLs performance and the enrollment of our fleet has gone smoothly, explains Jamie Walker, President and CEO, Jet Linx. Maintenance tracking was the last part of our business that lacked real-time reporting. According to Walker, the benefit of real-time data transfer was one of the major reasons for adopting TRAXXALL. It is now integrated with Jet Linxs Rockwell Collins Flight Operating System (FOS), continuing analysis and surveillance system (CASS) and other systems. Furthermore, even more advanced CASS integration work is underway. The result is a much more powerful, comprehensive and accurate flow of detailed data that provides 360-degree visibility onto all maintenance-related activities. The owners of our managed aircraft also enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that TRAXXALL protects the resale value of their assets by generating detailed reports which prove that an aircraft has been maintained in accordance with best practices. Ultimately, our decision to work with TRAXXALL was guided by the fact that we share the same commitment to service excellence, continues Mr. Walker. We are very pleased to welcome our new client Jet Linx, adds Mark Steinbeck, President, TRAXXALL. Tracking maintenance and managing inventory for a fleet and operations of this size requires a robust product, expert support and a results-oriented company culture. We have successfully demonstrated these capabilities and look forward to working with the Jet Linx team to develop additional reporting packages, new modules and tailored dashboards all of which contribute directly to the optimization of Jet Linxs operations. About TRAXXALL TRAXXALL delivers the most innovative aircraft maintenance tracking and inventory management system on the market today. Founded by established maintenance tracking experts, TRAXXALL is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with offices in Jacksonville, FL and London, UK. For more information, please visit http://www.traxxall.com. About Jet Linx Aviation Jet Linx is a locally-focused private jet company founded in 1999 as a more personalized approach to national private jet companies. Jet Linx offers two different ways to experience private aviation a guaranteed Jet Card and an Aircraft Management program providing its clients with an all-encompassing, local solution to all of their private jet travel needs. Jet Linx is an IS-BAO Stage 3, ARGUS Platinum and Wyvern Wingman safety rated operator, an accomplishment earned by less than one percent of all aircraft operators in the world. It is headquartered in Omaha, Neb. and has bases in Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Denver, San Antonio, Scottsdale, St Louis, Tulsa, Nashville, Washington D.C., Chicago, New York and Boston. For additional information, please visit Jet Linx (http://www.jetlinx.com). Note to Editors: To schedule an interview with TRAXXALL (NBAA-BACE booth # 3613), please contact Mark Lowe, PRagmatic Communications, mark(dot)lowe(at)pragcom(dot)com, (514) 576-2519. To schedule an interview with Jet Linx (NBAA-BACE booth #4114), please contact Blake Breitman, EVINS Communications, blake(dot)breitman(at)evins(dot)com, (212) 377-3588. Tridster and Demotech were invited to address the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Title Insurance Task Force regarding Tridsters online title insurance comparison service and Demotechs industry-leading insurer rating and analysis service. The Task Force meeting took place at the NAICs 2018 National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to hearing from Tridster and Demotech, the Task Force discussed a number of important matters, including consideration of updates to a survey of state insurance laws regarding title data and title matters. It was an honor to speak to the commissioners and address the Task Force. The attendees showed significant interest in and support for helping consumers access more and better information on title insurance said William DeVar, CEO of Tridster. They had great questions and followed up with great ideas - it was a pleasure to attend. Tridster currently offers its comparison service in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and plans to launch in California and Minnesota in the near future. About Tridster Tridster is a price comparison and shopping service for title insurance and settlement services, dedicated to re-engineering the shopping process from the ground up to make it simple, fast, and transparent. By providing access to information, powerful tools and support, Tridster empowers consumers to make better decisions with regard to closing and title insurance providers in their real estate transactions. For more information, visit Tridster.com. About Demotech Demotech, Inc. is a financial analysis firm specializing in evaluating the financial stability of regional and specialty insurers. Since 1985, Demotech has served the insurance industry by assigning accurate, reliable and proven Financial Stability Ratings (FSRs) for Property & Casualty insurers and Title underwriters. FSRs are a leading indicator of financial stability, providing an objective baseline of the future solvency of an insurer. Demotechs philosophy is to review and evaluate insurers based on their area of focus and execution of their business model rather than solely on financial size. Visit http://www.demotech.com for more information. We are only beginning to understand the role that the microbiome might play in response to cancer treatment and immunity, Kohane said. NEER is grateful for the support uBiome will provide to help us elucidate that role. Through its Microbiome Grant Initiative, uBiome, the leader in microbial genomics, has awarded Explorer microbiome kits to a team of researchers at Harvard Medical School led by Isaac (Zak) Kohane, MD, PhD, to support the NEER (Network of Enigmatic Exceptional Responders) Study. Part of the People-Powered Medicine project, the goal of the NEER Study is to gather detailed, comprehensive health information on the rare subset of patients who respond well to therapies that are not effective for most others. The NEER team believes that studying these exceptional responders in depth will lead to insights that can help other patients. The extensive data collected from each patient will include genomics, tumor genetics, microbiome sequencing using uBiomes kits, medical and health history, activity level, and lifestyle habits. This information will be compiled into a national registry and database, open and available to the entire scientific community. The hope is that this will enable the intense study of these individuals and eventually lead to breakthroughs that can be applied to other cancer patients. Kohane, lead investigator of the People-Powered Medicine project and NEER, is the Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics and the Marion V. Nelson Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Kohane has published several hundred papers in the medical literature and authored a widely used book on Microarrays for Integrative Genomics. We are delighted to work with the outstanding researchers at Harvard Medical School on this unique and innovative project. This is exactly the type of study that we strive to support with our Microbiome Grant Initiative: cutting-edge science investigating important populations with the potential to make significant discoveries, said Jessica Richman, PhD, co-founder and CEO of uBiome. We are only beginning to understand the role that the microbiome might play in response to cancer treatment and immunity, Kohane said. NEER is grateful for the support uBiome will provide to help us elucidate that role. Through the Microbiome Grant Initiative, uBiome awards its microbiome sequencing kits to researchers. To date, uBiome has awarded millions of dollars in research samples to hundreds of investigators around the world. _____ About uBiome Founded in 2012, uBiome is the leader in microbial genomics. The Companys mission is to advance the science of the microbiome and make it useful to people. uBiome combines its patented proprietary precision sequencing with machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop wellness products, clinical tests, and therapeutics. uBiomes commercial products include SmartGut, the worlds first sequencing-based clinical microbiome test, which identifies microbes in the gut for patients with chronic gut conditions such as IBD, IBS, Crohns Disease, and ulcerative colitis; SmartJane, the first sequencing-based womens health screening test, which genotypes all 19 clinically relevant strains of HPV, identifies four common STDs, and surveys more than 20 vaginal microbes associated with bacterial vaginosis and other conditions; and Explorer, a health and wellness product to understand the role that food and lifestyle can play in wellness. uBiomes platform has been used by hundreds of thousands of consumers, patients, and doctors and more than 200 research institutions around the world, including the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, San Francisco, Oxford University, and the University of Sydney. Since its launch, the company has received widespread recognition including CNN 10: Startups to Watch, the IVY Technology Award, CNN Future 30, and was named one of Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies in Healthcare in 2016 and in Data Science in 2018, as well as a Technology Pioneer from the World Economic Forum in 2018. For more information, visit http://www.uBiome.com Photo: The Canadian Press Parti Quebecois leader Jean-Francois Lisee The Parti Quebecois, the standard-bearer of Quebec independence for close to 50 years, suffered one of the worst defeats in its history Monday as the Coalition Avenir Quebec romped to a majority government. Among the PQ casualties was Jean-Francois Lisee, who lost his Montreal-area riding of Rosemont and stepped down as leader of the sovereigntist party. "The verdict in Rosemont also puts an end to the best job I've ever had, leader of the Parti Quebecois," Lisee told supporters. The party ended up winning just nine seats its lowest total since its first two elections in 1970 and 1973, when it won seven and six seats respectively under party founder Rene Levesque. Its 17 per cent share of the popular vote is its worst result ever. While the few candidates who won their seats vowed to fight for their constituents, it remains unclear where the party will go from here. Lisee said the PQ is needed to fight battles for justice, the environment, secularism and the French language."As long as Quebec is not a country, Quebec will need the Parti Quebecois," Lisee said. The party was the official Opposition going into the current campaign with 28 of 125 legislature seats, but it is left with a handful of seats in eastern Quebec and a few candidates surrounded by Coalition blue in others. The party was at risk of being completely shut out on the island of Montreal, and it fell short of the dozen seats or 20 per cent of the popular vote needed to give it official party status. Shellshocked party supporters cheered as the party announced the names of their few victorious candidates, among them deputy PQ leader Veronique Hivon. Lisee said he knew from the outset it would be a tough slog as the party took fire from all sides: from the surging Coalition for nationalist voters and from Quebec solidaire for the sovereigntist vote. There was no respite for Lisee in his own riding, which he lost to former Montreal political journalist turned Quebec solidaire star candidate Vincent Marissal. Due to the vital service that first responders provide, there is great demand for well-trained EMTs across the country, said David Higley, Chief Marketing Officer at Unitek Learning, the parent company of Unitek EMT. Unitek EMT has expanded their popular Emergency Medical Technician training program into Chandler, Arizona. Based in California, Unitek seeks to provide Arizona residents with an accelerated and robust option for their EMT training. Currently, Unitek is accepting students for boot camps scheduled to start in October at their Chandler campus. In Arizona, the Unitek EMT program features a 14-day boot camp with applied training, hands-on exercises, and clinical simulations. Students will receive efficient and comprehensive EMT training through this 140-hour program. The 10 hours of boot camp style instruction per day for 14 consecutive days is designed to simulate the intense pace of work that can be expected on the job as an EMT. The program also includes NREMT passing assistance. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) administers the cognitive certification exam that graduates must take in order to become nationally certified EMTs. At a students request, Unitek will provide assistance in passing this milestone exam. Due to the vital service that first responders provide, there is great demand for well-trained EMTs across the country, said David Higley, Chief Marketing Officer at Unitek Learning, the parent company of Unitek EMT. Our new Chandler campus will serve the entire Maricopa County area. With almost 5 million people, Maricopa is the fourth most populous county in the U.S., and it was the fastest-growing county in 2017. Last year, the average salary for EMTs and paramedics in Arizona was $38,330 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which makes Arizona one of the nations top ten highest-paying states for EMTs and paramedics. To make their graduates more marketable, Unitek offers psychomotor skills training that meets the requirements of various EMS and public safety agencies. They currently provide successful graduates with a Program Completion Certificate. Through the Arizona EMT program, Unitek seeks to promote student excellence, strengthen support for workforce development, and help fill the need for EMS professionals in the United States. We are thrilled to announce this transformative expansion, said David Higley. It has been a year of growth and opportunity for Unitek EMT, and we look forward to extending our reach in Arizona. At Unitek, we are dedicated to educating the next generation of emergency medical technicians. For the past 12 years, Unitek has provided aspiring EMTs with the training they need to succeed. Their state-of-the-art courses and boot camps equip graduates with the current theory and technique for first-response treatment of patients. Taught by seasoned EMS professionals, the classes at Unitek EMT include realistic simulations, hands-on training, and one-on-one instruction to ensure students master the skills theyll need to save lives. For more information about the Arizona EMT program, please visit Uniteks website at: https://www.unitekemt.com/emt-programs/boot-camp/arizona. Contact: Karen Herrera Marketing Account Manager 4670 Auto Mall Parkway Fremont, CA 94538 Direct: (949) 590-4891 URL: UnitekEMT.com Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country continues to demonstrate immense promise as a prime region for wine tourism." Visit Temecula Valley (VTV) today announced results of their 2017 economic impact study of Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country. Led by Dean Runyan Associates, a research services firm emphasizing travel and economic development, with input from Riverside Agriculture, the study tracks data pertaining to case production, revenue, employment and visitation gathered from 36 winery members of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA). The Temecula Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) has an annual economic impact of over $64 million on the regional economy, and supports 1,300 jobs. A sampling of 36 wineries in the Temecula Valley AVA shows the region produced over 350,000 cases in 2017, yielding more than $64 million in annual revenue, with 7.4% of the wineries who responded indicating annual revenue in excess of $5 million. While only 11% of Temecula Valley wineries are currently in distribution outside of the winery, the region supported more than 1.5 million winery visits last year. Riverside Agriculture reported 2,530 harvested acres in 2016, yielding 8,700 tons and $13.2 million in grape sales. The majority of growers farming Temecula Valley vineyards sell their wine grapes to Temecula Valley wineries. Employment figures are strong in the region, with annual wages totaling approximately $8.4 million, up 3.4% from the previous year. 2018 marks the 50th Anniversary of Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country and its clear from the results of this most recent economic impact study not only how far weve come, but that were only just getting started, said Danny Martin, TVWA Board President. Were all looking forward to seeing the continued growth of the region, and global recognition for the quality of our wines. 59% of Temecula Valley wineries reported annual revenue of $1 million or more in 2017. Winery production varies in the region, with over 62% of Temecula Valleys wineries reporting that they produce fewer than 10,000 cases annually. Visitation to the region is robust, with roughly 40% of the wineries who responded indicating over 50,000 winery visits annually. Visitation is predominantly categorized as paid wine tastings and other visitors, which includes wine club tastings and events. The region also supported roughly 345,000 restaurant patrons in Wine Country in 2017. Dining and lodging in wine country are unique features to the Temecula Valley, and key pillars of the regions tourism. Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country continues to demonstrate immense promise as a prime region for wine tourism, said Kimberly Adams, VTV President and CEO. The combination of quality wines, warm and welcoming lodging, award-winning restaurants, shopping and diverse leisure offerings make this a perfect getaway not only for the 23 million Southern Californians within a 2-hour drive, but for visitors from all over the globe. The full report, which can be viewed here, will guide and support comprehensive marketing and tourism planning efforts by Visit Temecula Valley and the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. ABOUT TEMECULA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY Located within a 60-minute drive from San Diego, Orange County, and Palm Springs, and within 90 minutes of Los Angeles, Temecula Valley is widely recognized as Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country. The popular wine destination is southern Californias largest wine producing region by volume. Both Visit Temecula Valley (VTV) and the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA) are 501 (c) 6 nonprofit regional organizations. Primary responsibilities of VTV (VisitTemeculaValley.com) include promoting Temecula Valley as a year-round travel destination and advancing the Temecula Valley visitor economy. The TVWA (TemeculaWines.org) is dedicated to promoting the making and growing of quality wine and wine grapes in the Temecula Valley A.V.A. (American Viticulture Area). Nancy Nagy, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group, welcomes John Lawrence and his company to the KoenigRubloff family. We are proud to welcome John and his agents to the KoenigRubloff family. We value the Oak Park and River Forest communities and are excited to join forced with agents who understand these special communities. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group today announced that Weichert Realtors Nickel Group of Oak Park, Illinois has joined KoenigRubloff Realty Group. John Lawrence, Broker/Owner of the company, will lead the office of 56 agents as Managing Broker. The office is located at 101 N. Oak Park Avenue in the Ernest Hemingway District of Oak Park and serves buyers, sellers and renters in Oak Park, River Forest and the surrounding communities. The addition gives KoenigRubloff a strategic presence in the area. We are proud to welcome John and his agents to the KoenigRubloff family, said Nancy Nagy, CEO of KoenigRubloff Realty Group. We value the Oak Park and River Forest communities and are excited to join forces with agents who know and understand these special communities. They have an impressive reputation and I look forward to getting to know each of them better. Today, we realize the dream of having a strong, established presence in these important communities, with John at the helm. What a wonderful addition! Aligning my company with KoenigRubloff is very exciting, said Lawrence. It is a well-respected luxury company with best-in-class marketing and top-notch resources. And, Berkshire Hathaway and HomeServices are brands that mean something, especially in our Oak Park and River Forest communities. My agents will appreciate having access to new marketing tools that will allow them to provide their clients with an even higher level of service. ABOUT BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES KOENIGRUBLOFF REALTY GROUP The Oak Park office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group is located at 101 N. Oak Park Avenue. To reach the office, please call 708.848.5550. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices KoenigRubloff Realty Group is a full-service real estate firm with nearly 1,500 real estate professionals and staff in 23 offices serving customers throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, the North Shore, Western Suburban communities and Harbor Country, Michigan. Deep local roots are complemented by the global reach of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, a leading real estate brand in the nation. Affiliated and ancillary services in the form of HomeServices Lending, Fort Dearborn Title, and HomeServices Insurance complete the comprehensive services offered to clients. Visit https://www.koenigrubloff.com/. ABOUT BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES Irvine, CA-based Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is one of Americas fastest-growing real estate brokerage network, with 48,000+ agents and nearly 1,400 offices named to the brand since its launch in September 2013. With their network membership, sales associates gain access to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Global Network Platform, a powerful tool suite driving lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production/distribution and more. The brand also provides international listing syndication, relocation referrals, professional education and the exclusive Luxury Collection marketing program for high-end listings. The brand was recently recognized as Real Estate Agency Brand of Year and Most Trusted Real Estate Brand in the 2018 Harris Poll EquiTrend Study. Visit http://www.berkshirehathawayhs.com. Linda Vahdat, MD, MBA, Chief of Medical Oncology and Clinical Director of Cancer Services at Norwalk Hospital and Breast Medical Oncologist at MSK Through these clinical trials, we have an opportunity to connect patients who have advanced and aggressive forms of breast cancer with world-class doctors and treatment options, and to give hope to patients and their families, said Dr. Vahdat. Four cutting-edge breast cancer clinical trials have launched at Norwalk Hospital, part of the Western Connecticut Health Network. The breast cancer clinical trials are an extension of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) Physicians at Norwalk Hospital, a first-of-its-kind cancer-care collaboration between the esteemed oncologists at the C. Anthony and Jean Whittingham Cancer Center at Norwalk Hospital and the renowned MSK. Norwalk Hospital is currently the only hospital in Connecticut offering these four clinical trials. Under the leadership of Linda Vahdat, MD, MBA, Chief of Medical Oncology and Clinical Director of Cancer Services at Norwalk Hospital and Breast Medical Oncologist at MSK, the clinical trials will study the effectiveness of novel immunotherapies for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer. This cancer is an aggressive form of the disease that cannot be treated with hormone therapies or cancer-fighting drugs that target the three more common receptors that fuel breast cancer growth. Dr. Vahdat, a triple negative breast cancer expert, has more than 20 years of experience caring for people with breast cancer. Her extensive research is geared toward finding new therapies that offer hope to patients with triple negative breast cancer, metastatic breast cancer, and breast cancer that is at high risk of recurrence. Her dual appointment at Norwalk Hospital and MSK has helped to bring these important clinical trials to the Fairfield County community. Through these clinical trials, we have an opportunity to connect patients who have advanced and aggressive forms of breast cancer with world-class doctors and treatment options. In addition to giving hope to patients and their families, these clinical trials also minimize the stress of traveling for treatment by providing local patients with access to cutting-edge community-based care, said Dr. Vahdat. Neania Buehler, a United States Army Veteran, is currently enrolled in one of the clinical trials at Norwalk Hospital. Dr. Vahdat is her medical oncologist. Mrs. Buehler, a 59-year-old woman, was first diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer on Christmas Eve in 2014. I was shocked, and I started to cry. You never think it will happen to you, said Mrs. Buehler as she recounted hearing her diagnosis for the first time. She had a lumpectomy to remove a tumor in her left breast followed by infusion chemotherapy and radiation. She was in remission from October 2016 to August 2017, until she developed a persistent cough that prompted her to seek care from a pulmonologist. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed that her cancer was back and that it had spread to her lungs. Mrs. Buehler was diagnosed with metastatic triple negative breast cancer on August 30, 2017. Even though we knew I was at risk of my cancer coming back because of the type I had, my husband and I were at first devastated. But, we also felt stronger this time. We said, Okay, weve done this before. Lets figure out what to do next. So, I started an oral chemotherapy treatment, said Mrs. Buehler. Mrs. Buehlers advanced breast cancer led to life threatening pneumonia. She was hospitalized twice for pneumonia and spent five days in intensive care. She rapidly lost 50 pounds. During this time, she also learned that the oral chemotherapy was not effectively treating her cancer. We understood that this was not an easy cancer. We knew we needed to come up with a solution. We could not watch her lose this battle, said Mrs. Buehlers husband, Manfred Buehler, who accompanies his wife to all of her appointments and treatments at Norwalk Hospital. Mr. and Mrs. Buehler set out on a quest for a solution. They tapped into their worldwide network of family, friends, and colleagues and were ultimately referred to Norwalk Hospital and Dr. Vahdat. Mrs. Buehler started treatment in the clinical trial on April 4, 2018. I didnt meet the criteria to participate in other clinical trials we inquired about because I had already received prior treatment for cancer. I was also not a candidate because of my ill health from the pneumonia. So, when I learned that I was not only accepted into the clinical trial at Norwalk Hospital, but that I was also getting the treatment drug, I felt so hopeful, said Mrs. Buehler. We had so many thoughts going through our heads. We needed to educate ourselves and learn about our options. We read a lot. We consulted with our family and friends. But at the end of the day, it came down to trust in Dr. Vahdat and Norwalk Hospital. Dr. Vahdat explained everything we needed to know very clearly, and we had confidence in the treatment plan for Neania, said Mr. Buehler. Everyone at the Whittingham Cancer Center has been great, and were so thankful for this advanced treatment option at Norwalk Hospital. Without options like this clinical trial, and without a supportive care team, family, friends, and colleagues, its so much harder to fight this disease. Its like putting an army together. We feel like were in a safe place now and we have the right tools to fight. Were going to continue to fight, said Mrs. Buehler. Mrs. Buehler is thankful that the treatment is tolerable. She is able to go about her day after the treatment, which is very important to her because she loves her job. As an Education Technician at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mrs. Buehler oversees the academic side for her department, where they train a 44,000-person Corps of Cadets to be commissioned military leaders of character. Neanias colleagues at West Point are all emotionally invested because shes such a wonderful person. Shes also a very important part of our department and the development of freshman to senior level cadets at West Point, said Colonel William Ostlund, Infantry, Director of Military Instruction, United States Military Academy. Shes also eternally optimistic, which is why it was even harder to see her disappointment when she did not meet the criteria for other clinical trials. She was disheartened. It was defeating. But that all changed now that she is in the clinical trial at Norwalk Hospital. We are so thankful for the opportunity Norwalk Hospital is giving Neania. Participating in the clinical trial has noticeably improved her emotional and physical well-being, and has enhanced our entire team, he said. Individuals that have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer as well as those who have already undergone prior breast cancer treatment may be eligible to participate in these triple negative breast cancer clinical trials. All four clinical trials are offered at Norwalk Hospital, and one of the trials is also offered at Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital. To learn more about these triple negative breast cancer clinical trials, visit our website or call 203-852-2996. About Neania Buehler As a member of the United States Army, Neania Buehler traveled the world serving her country, including a stint in Germany where she met her husband Manfred Buehler, who she said is my rock. She is a mom to a daughter and son, and a grandmother to three grandchildren. Mrs. Buehler is most thankful for the continuous love and support of her family, friends, and colleagues, and all the physicians and nurses who have cared for her. Both Mr. and Mrs. Buehler cannot say enough about their network. Friends from around the world and across the country helped them on their journey that brought them to Norwalk Hospital. Mrs. Buehler is sharing her story with the hope that she can help other women and families going through a similar experience. She wants to emphasize the importance of breast cancer screenings because she was initially diagnosed with breast cancer during a routine mammogram. She wants to encourage women facing breast cancer to find the strength to talk about their experiences because she knows it helps. Lastly, she wants anyone battling a challenging disease to be persistent, to search for new treatment options, and to never give up. About Western Connecticut Health Network Western Connecticut Health Network is the regions premier, patient-centered healthcare organization serving residents of western Connecticut and adjacent New York. WCHN is anchored by three nationally recognized hospitals, Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, and Norwalk Hospital. We have an integrated network of more than 1,300 employed and community physicians and specialists, 70 Western Connecticut Medical Group medical and sub-specialty practices across 16 communities, and Western Connecticut Home Care. Our nationally renowned Rudy L. Ruggles Biomedical Research Institute is leading innovative research, especially for cancer and Lyme disease. Many of our advancements have been made possible by generous donors from our community and through the Danbury Hospital & New Milford Hospital Foundation and the Norwalk Hospital Foundation. As an academic institution, we are proud to shape the future of care through our partnership with the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. WCHN employs nearly 6,300 employees including about 1,900 clinical staff. For more information, visit wchn.org. Share your comments with us at Facebook.com/DanburyHospital, Facebook.com/NewMilfordHospital, and Facebook.com/NorwalkHospital. White Peak Powers Free Website Audits Making a free website audit available from our site makes it easy for any business or non-profit to find out exactly how they can start improving their website for better search engine ranking. White Peak Growth Partners, Renos leading full-service digital marketing agency, announces that they have launched a free website audit tool on their website. The tool will be particularly helpful to small businesses and non-profits which tend to lack in-house digital marketing teams. "We're committed to delivering the most effective strategies, the best results, and the most innovative digital marketing ideas in northern Nevada, said Tim Woda, Chief Executive Officer of White Peak. Making a free website audit available from our site makes it easy for any business or non-profit to find out exactly how they can start improving their website for better search engine ranking." The website audit can be completed in less than a minute due to the series of data-driven algorithms integrated within the tool. Users will see a very specific list of issues to be targeted on their website in order to better their online presence. The audit focuses on helping site operators identify opportunities in the following areas: search engine optimization, website usability to improve user experience, website performance, social media opportunities to grow the users business, and important website security issues. White Peaks website audit not only identifies areas for improvement but equally important, the audit results include a specific list of recommendations for resolving identified issues. The audit also notes healthy areas of a website so that the site owner can be sure to retain those aspects of their site while they are applying recommended improvements. The free website audit tool can be found at https://whitepeak.io. About White Peak: White Peak Growth Partners, LLC (https://whitepeak.io) was founded in 2016. White Peak is Renos leading full-service digital marketing agency serving businesses of all sizes. The company's services include website design, search engine optimization, digital advertising, social media marketing, content creation, B2B lead generation, conversion optimization, and app store optimization. White Peak also works closely with private equity firms using its proprietary capacity assessment process, White Peak IQ, to ensure the growth of their portfolio companies. ### Colleen Rooney has been appointed Senior Vice President, Public Entity Sales at York Risk Services Group. Rooney is responsible for all public entity sales with more than 25 years of national sales and management experience. She reports to Lou Keyes, Executive Vice President, Chief Sales Officer. "Colleen has significant experience helping public entities to develop solutions that drive results. I know she will make an impact here at York and for our clients," said Keyes. Rooney joins York from IBM Watson Health (formerly Truven Health Analytics) where she most recently served as Vice President of Sales, responsible for Analytic sales in the state government market. At Truven she built a powerful sales organization, ultimately positioning Watson Health as the leader in state government analytics for the markets they serve. Prior to IBM, Rooney served as VP of Sales at Cognosante where she expanded their footprint in both the state and federal markets. Earlier in her career, she worked in various sales roles at ACS, a Xerox Company (now Conduent) and Electronic Data Systems/HPE (now DXC Technology). A masters degree graduate of the George Washington University, Rooney also completed an executive leadership program sponsored by Americas Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia. "We are thrilled to have a seasoned sales professional like Colleen join us at York in our Public Entity division. She brings a wealth of experience to her new role and we're certain she will play a key role in helping us grow our public entity segment," said Jody Moses, Executive Vice President, General Manager Public Entity of York. ### About York Risk Services Group For more than 55 years, York has been delivering results our clients can see and feel. We serve corporations, the insurance industry and public entities to reduce risk and drive high-quality outcomes. We do this by offering integrated and customized solutions including risk management, claims administration, managed care and absence management. With our data-driven and compassionate approach, we deliver on our mission of reducing risk and getting people and organizations back to health, work and productivity. York is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey. You can learn more at yorkrsg.com. Online Newsletter Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and information from publics.bg The Scotiabank Giller Prize, which awards C$100,000 prize for the best Canadian novel or short story published in English, has announced its shortlist. The shortlisted books are: French Exit by Patrick deWitt (House of Anansi Press) Songs for the Cold of Heart by Eric Dupont, translated by Peter McCambridge (QC Fiction/Baraka Books) Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (Patrick Crean Edition/HarperCollins Canada) Motherhood by Sheila Heti (Knopf Canada) An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim (Viking Canada) In addition to the C$100,000 ($78,000) prize going to the winner, C$10,000 ($7,800) goes to each of the finalists. The shortlist was taken from a longlist of 11 titles. In all, 104 titles were submitted from publishers across the country for consideration. Among this year's shortlist are two authors who were previously shortlisted: Esi Edugyan, who won the prize in 2011 for her novel Half-Blood Blues, and Patrick deWitt, who was shortlisted in 2011 for his novel The Sisters Brothers. This year the award celebrates its 25th anniversary. The shortlisted authors will tour Canada throughout October and will visit New York and London in November. The winner will be announced at a gala prize ceremony in Toronto on Monday, November 19. The European Union has voted to allow the 28 member states to apply lower value added tax (VAT) rates to electronic publications, including e-books and downloadable audiobooks. The ruling, which was approved by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the E.U. and was proposed 18 months ago, is the culmination of a long process of trying to introduce competitive tax rates for e-books. "Today's decision is the final step to ensure that the unequal treatment of the two productspaper versus digitalbecomes a thing of the past," the European Commission wrote a statement. Until now e-books have been subject to the higher VAT rates applied to computer software, rather than the lower, privileged VAT rates allowed for print books under E.U. law. The new agreement allows, but does not oblige, member states to lower VAT rates on e-books to that of print books, which in some countries is as low as zero. It is viewed as a temporary measure until a wider ruling is made to revise overall VAT regulations covering digital and electronic copyrighted material. Though the regulations governing application of tax cover the entire membership of the E.U., each country is allowed to determine and apply their own rate of tax. In Spain, to take one example, the e-book VAT rate is currently 21%, while print books carry a 4% VAT rate. Most countries charge VAT on e-books of around 20%25%. Hungary has the highest e-books VAT rate at 27%. As for which countries are most likely to reduce or alter VAT, that still remains to be seen. In the past, several countries, starting with France in 2010 (and followed by Luxembourg, Italy, and Spain), tried to lower VAT on e-books to put it on par with VAT on print; in all instances, the reductions were deemed illegal and the rates reverted back to the higher numbers. Reaction to today's ruling has been positive. Rudy Vanschoonbeek, president of the Federation of European Publishers, said in a statement, "This forward-looking decision marks the end of the unjustified fiscal discrimination between publications in different formats, acknowledging the cultural, social and economic value of books, journals and educational materials in all formats and the technological progress that has taken place in the sector." European Independent Booksellers Federation co-Presidents Fabian Paagman and Jean-Luc Treutenaere also praised the vote. Todays decision finally resolves a long-standing issue," they wrote in a statement. "Whether a book is paper or digital, ordered online or bought in a shop, different tax treatment that hampers access to books should be avoided. From now on VAT rates on paper books and e-books will be aligned (if Members States so wish), a measure which will boost the e-book market and will further stimulate reading. In the U.K., where e-books are currently charged at a VAT rate of 20% (while the VAT on print books is at zero), the Publishers Association reiterated a call to eliminate VAT on e-books. The government must act now to remove this unfair and illogical tax on e-books, magazine and newspaper online subscriptions," Stephen Lotinga, CEO of the Publishers Association, tweeted. "It makes no sense in the modern world that readers are being penalized with an additional 20% tax for choosing to embrace digital. We should not be taxing reading and learning," Photo: The Canadian Press Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction Irregular border crossers being housed temporarily in hotels in Toronto will have their stays extended by four weeks while officials continue to search for a longer-term solution. The hotel rooms were reserved in August as a temporary solution that was supposed to last until as late as Sept. 30, with a more detailed, long-term approach for temporary housing of irregular migrants to be released in the interim. Those plans, it seems, are still being worked out. "The hotel rooms in Toronto were reserved to allow city officials time to assist these asylum seekers to find housing solutions as they normally do for those who use municipal shelters," said Jordan Crosby, issues manager for Border Security Minister Bill Blair. "We are now in the process of extending the hotel rooms in the GTA for an additional 4 weeks while we continue to work with the city of Toronto to determine the next steps." The federal government announced in August that it would the rent hotel rooms for about 450 irregular migrants who had been staying college dormitories in the Greater Toronto Area. The colleges needed the dorm rooms for their incoming fall students and there was no room in the city's shelters. The shelters have continued to be inundated. Approximately 40 per cent of shelter occupants in the GTA are refugees and the City of Toronto says 15 to 20 new asylum seekers continue to arrive at shelters every day. "With the city's shelter system at capacity, accommodating these new arrivals continues to put even more pressure on the system and the city has exhausted all facilities, personnel and financial resources available to meet the current needs," City of Toronto official Cheryl San Juan said Monday. "The city continues to work with the provincial and federal governments and seeks the establishment of a co-ordinated, regional response to this issue." The government of Ontario says other communities such as Ottawa are also affected. Ontario has asked the federal government to work with municipalities and provide "full funding" for temporary housing and for the "growing cost of social services," according to a statement from the province. Ontario has asked for $200 million to recoup costs it says its has incurred from irregular border crossers. The Quebec government has also asked for $146 million in asylum costs. The federal government did commit $50 million to the three provinces most directly impacted by the refugee claimant influx for temporary housing $36 million for Quebec, $11 million for Ontario and $3 million for Manitoba. The feds say they will continue to "assist provinces and municipalities in managing further challenges related to asylum seekers" but Crosby noted Monday that "the provision of housing to asylum seekers is a provincial responsibility." Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel said the problems facing Quebec and Ontario have been caused by federal actions and policies, so it's the federal government's responsibility to fix it. "How is it right that the government is off-loading responsibility for essentially a new immigration process to the provinces with no discussion about this?" Rempel said. "We have to ask the question, especially in the context that there are a lot of Canadians that are struggling to make ends meet and then the provinces have to answer tough questions about who is being prioritized for subsidized housing or shelter systems." Movies play a significant role in depicting culture, shaping lives and selling moral values. Retrospect of our Ghanaian movie industry Once upon a time, a visual army was birthed in Ghana. Ghana in the late period of 1970 had one of the most promising movie industry in West Africa and the African continent as a whole. Not only did individuals in the private sector imbibe the movie craze in Ghana by opening cinemas in urban areas, but the state established a film school which was the first of its kind here in West Africa: the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI). The educational institution became the learning grounds for lovers of the movie trade in Africa. This shaped our movie industry immensely as we started to produce some interesting features such as Kwaw Ansahs epic Love Brewed in an African Pot, Road to Kukurantumi, Expectations, A Stab in the Dark, Ripples, amongst others. That era ushered in revered actors like David Dontoh, Doris Sackitey, Grace Omaboe, Fred Amugi and a tall list of other talented film-makers. Our stories, script quality, cast and good movie technicalities were unrivaled on the African continent. At the turn of the millennium saw a period of a booming movie industry and an upsurge massive in sales. It also ushered in a crop of modern-day actors in the likes of Jackie Appiah, Nadia Buari, Majid Michel and Van Vicker. Current state However, this boom came with its negative trails and truthfully, the movie industry hasnt been able to cope. The excess demand made producers focus only on profits to detriment of innovations and proper planning. The influx of some big producers from the more powerful and vibrant Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood) meant that little Ghanaian producers and movie makers were kept out of business. Public Relations Officer of the Film Producers Association of Ghana ( FIPAG ), Nana Yaa Serwaa Osei captures the rot in the Ghanaian movie industry aptly. She stated, "some presenters have deliberately over the years decided to dent the image of the movie industry for their selfish gains. And for some, they do that to be awarded all in the name of being famous" But to Ms. Mimi Andani, Director of the Golden Movie Awards Africa (GMAA), actors-turned-producers are to blame for the falling standards in the Ghanaian movie industry. Mimi made this assertion at the launch of the 2017 edition of the Golden Movie Awards Africa (GMAA). She stated, "Now this is my solution or what I think should be done; inasmuch as you are an actress with a production house, Ill urge you to look for professionals. Youre an actress and not a professional in production. Get professionals and dont be mediocre." Others have also blamed the stagnant movie industry on the advent of foreign telenovelas that are prevalent on every local Ghanaian television station. What could be done? The movie industry has the potential to be better in recent times looking at the benefits and reach technology has provided. Streaming movies have become a norm in modern times and a lot of powerful movie industries across the world have taken advantage, yet same cannot be said of the Ghanaian movie industry. Governments support of the industry cannot be downplayed. An enabling environment to curtail piracy and increase the revenues of movie producers is important in strengthening the industry. Signing of the Film Bill into law in 2016 by the government is an important step, however, enforcing the content in the Bill is very critical. The new law provides the legal framework for the production, regulation, nurturing and development of the local film industry. Countries like South Korea, India, and even Nigeria has its movie industry as a major contributor to their economy. How the average Ghanaian could help Patronage has been one of the hue and cries of stakeholders in the industry and rightly so. Interest in locally made movies is at an all-time low among the youth and young adults. Truthfully, some of the materials produced by the local producers are nothing to write home about. But, a little push in interest by citizens in the local movies can shore up the quality. It will also line the pockets of producers to be able to make big budget movies. The denouement After all is said and done, the huge onus lies on the movie makers to get their audience to feign interest in the movies. The movies we produce is a reflection of the crew's input. When it turns out awesome, it goes to show some hard work was really put in the movie but when it does otherwise, then you have yourselves to blame. Movie makers should let passion and professionalism lead their moves before the thought of profits. We should also learn to tell our stories from the Ghanaian or African perspective as a whole and void of copying foreign movies just to fit in with the international market. If movies like Deadly Voyage, Beast of No Nation and Black Panther could garner all the attention it had from the world as a whole, then that should tell us stories centered around our culture has the potency of breaking bounds. Madison Erhardt UPDATE: 3:40 p.m. Drivers are advised to expect delays and winter conditions on the Trans-Canada Highway as heavy snowfall has hit the region. The Ministry of Transportation says maintenance contractors have snow plows out in full force and will continue to monitor weather reports to maintain the safest driving conditions possible. A travel advisory is in effect between Revelstoke and Golden, which is expected to get up to 15 centimetres of snow over the next 24 hours. Additionally, Highways 5 and 97C could receive up to 10 cm of snow overnight, along with short squalls causing poor visibility tomorrow. UPDATE: 3:25 p.m. DriveBC reports Highway 93 has now reopened between the Alberta border and Radium Hot Springs. Also, heavy snow on Highway 97 between Loon Lake and 93 Mile is now clear. UPDATE: 1:30 p.m. Snow continues to fly on the higher elevation mountain passes in the B.C. Interior Tuesday. A special weather statement has been issued for the Coquihalla Highway and the Okanagan Connector, warning drivers to "prepare for rapidly accumulating snow and poor visibility." "Bursts of heavy snow this afternoon and evening over southern highway passes," Environment Canada said. Farther east, up to 10 centimetres of snow is expected to fall on Rogers Pass between Revelstoke and Golden today. Environment Canada says a total of up to 30 cm of snow will have fallen in the area over the past couple days. UPDATE: 11:35 a.m. Snow is also falling outside of Kamloops on higher elevation roads. Resident Joanne Hammond said cars are sliding off the road south of Clinton. "This day is cancelled, she said. Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Saturday that remains in place saying snowfall is possible at higher elevations overnight on the Coquihalla Highway from Merritt to Kamloops. Me: I love doing archaeology in the fall, just a little cooler, pretty leaves- The fall: pic.twitter.com/tBxXjFYiGu Joanne Hammond, private citizen (@KamloopsArchaeo) October 2, 2018 ORIGINAL: 11:10 a.m. Winter has arrived in serious fashion on B.C. highways. Highway 93 is closed from the Alberta border to Radium Hot Springs (a distance of 97 kilometres) because of severe winter driving conditions, DriveBC reports. Travellers should detour via Highway 1 and Highway 95. Meanwhile, heavy snowfall is also reported on Highway 97 in the Cariboo, and a travel advisory is in effect. Heavy snow conditions are reported from Loon Lake to south of 100 Mile House. Travel is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. This price was also the same in the 2016/2017 cocoa season. READ ALSO: IES predicts fuel prices to remain unchanged in October The producer price has been maintained to eliminate harsh effects on the drastic decline of cocoa prices on the earnings of cocoa farmers. However, the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) said the government must draw a roadmap to clear the outstanding debt of about $ 1 Billion, accrued on its books as a result of maintaining the producer price of cocoa in the 2017/2018 season. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COCOBOD Joseph Boahene Adu said even though the government has absorbed part of their $2 billion debt they are hopeful it will help in the payment of what is left. He added that as the price of cocoa continues to fall it will affect the producer price and also cause them to borrow more in topping up or subsidising for the cost. The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who initiated the discussion with the Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group, Mr Jack Ma, said when the discussion is finalised the platform which has over 400 million patrons, would showcase Ghanas cocoa products to all subscribers. He told the Daily Graphic, this discussion started when he together with President Akufo-Addo and some other delegates travelled to the Peoples Republic of China. Dr Akoto said the company had agreed in principle to accept Ghanas cocoa products on its online marketplace. He added that Mr Ma would make a follow-up visit to Ghana next month to explore business opportunities and firm up with the ministry on the discussion for the use of the online platform to sell Ghanas cocoa products. Dr Akoto said this is a huge opportunity to showcase cocoa products to the over one billion Chinese. READ ALSO: Staff of La Palm march against CEO When the deal is finalised, the company will open its doors to the various range of Ghana cocoa chocolate such as the Aspire (sugar-free chocolate), Portem Nut (milk chocolate with peanuts) Akuafo Bar (Lemon flavoured milk chocolate), Oranco (Orange flavoured chocolate), Coffee choc (Coffee flavoured milk chocolate) and portem pride (Dark milk chocolate). Others are the Tetteh Quarshie Bar (Dark chocolate), Kingsbite (Milk chocolate), Vitaco and Alltime (Instant drinking chocolates), Choco delight (chocolate spread), Pebbles (peanut centred dragees) and the Royale (Natural cocoa powder). This was at an event organized by the CIMG over the weekend. Mr Mckorley said that he hopes to use his position to grow more businesses. I am going to collaborate with the CIMG to build 20 young businesses. And by the end of my tenure, I will be able to do that. It will be on all areas, it could be on Agric, depending on the proposals that will be favorable to myself and the CIMG. The Guest of Honor at the event Akwamumanhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, called on corporate Ghana to include marketing research in their operations in order to satisfy consumer demand. Very few businesses and ventures in Ghana do any serious marketing research to determine consumer preferences before they are set up. We always wrongly assume that our products will be purchased and patronized anyway only to find it very often is not so at all. Innovation in product design and engineering, better packaging, responding to, or meeting customer demand on an ongoing basis will drive local demand and export, he added. Meanwhile, the President of CIMG, Kojo Mattah said the governments Ghana Beyond Aid agenda can be achieved if the country taps into marketing principles. The Ghana Beyond Aid mantra cannot remain a mere rhetoric. It is a call to duty, it is a call for change in our educational, legal, governance, political, religious and social structures and systems of the country. Overall, about 44 companies and individuals were awarded at the ceremony. The legislator is unimpressed by the number of persons who have decided to contest the partys flagbearership, and believes something must be done to prevent such a situation in the future. READ ALSO: NDC Elections ece-auto-gen According to him, the party must amend its constitution to ensure that only serious and qualified people can contest for the position of flagbearer. Until the NDC makes serious reforms in our constitution, we would reduce our great party to the butt of public jokes if every Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to pick up forms to contest to be the partys presidential candidate, he wrote. The Kumbungu MPs comments are in relation to the 11 persons who have filed their nominations for the NDCs upcoming flagbearership election. Former President John Mahama, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin; a former Trade Minister, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Adinam Mensah, have all picked up forms Macedonians have rejected an attempt to change the name of their nation to North Macedonia, which could mean their country will remain outside the regional power blocs of NATO and the European Union. A referendum over the weekend on the proposed change failed because too few people voted. Though 90% of voters favored the change, the low turnout of 35% invalidated the result. The name change was an attempt by Macedonia's government to break a diplomatic logjam with Greece, which has a region called Macedonia and objects to its northern neighbor using the name. Greek authorities have repeatedly voted down Macedonia's attempts to join both NATO and the EU over the dispute, which has had a negative impact on the country's security and economy. The dispute goes back to ancient times. Greece objects to Macedonia claiming elements of regional heritage including its association with Alexander the Great, who founded the Macedonian Empire around 300 BC. Though the kingdom called itself Macedonia, its capital was in modern-day Greece. The Greek government has said that if the country swaps its name to North Macedonia, then Greece will stop blocking its NATO and EU accessions. Greece's objection has meant the UN referred to the young country as "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" after it declared independence when Yugoslavia collapsed in 1991. Greece vetoed Macedonia's attempt to join NATO in 2008 and has also blocked its EU membership ambitions. Sunday's vote was only an advisory referendum, which means Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's government can still try to get his parliament to vote through the changes, CBS reported. For this he needs two-thirds of MPs to support him. Zaev has threatened to call early elections if he can't pass the change, the BBC reported. "I am determined to take Macedonia into the EU and NATO," Zaev said, according to the BBC. "It is time to support European Macedonia." Many Western politicians also favor a yes vote. They include US Defense Secretary James Mattis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg tweeted Sunday that he welcomed the yes vote. Photo: The Canadian Press Rupert Stadler Suspended Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is leaving the automaker, parent company Volkswagen said Tuesday, more than three months after he was arrested as part of a probe into the manipulation of diesel emissions controls. Volkswagen said its supervisory board approved an agreement with Stadler that will see him leave with immediate effect. It said in a statement that Stadler was unable to fulfil his duties as a board member due to his continuing detention and that he wants "to concentrate on his defence." The company added that the settlement of contractual details "depends on the course and outcome of the criminal proceedings." After Stadler was arrested in mid-June, Audi temporarily relieved him of his duties at his own request and named sales chief Abraham 'Bram' Schot as interim CEO. German prosecutors ordered Stadler's arrest due to fears he might try to evade justice. A week earlier, authorities had searched his private residence on suspicion of fraud and indirect improprieties with documents. The emissions scandal has rocked Volkswagen since 2015. Stadler joined Audi in 1990 and had been with Volkswagen ever since. He became Audi CEO in 2007 and joined Volkswagen's management board three years later. Schot said that Audi nearly doubled its sales and revenue in Stadler's time as CEO. Brent crude oil futures - the oil market which Nigeria and other international giant trade on - rose to $85.11 a barrel at the open of the market on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, according to data seen on oilprice. While U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures still below the $80 per barrel mark at $75.66 a barrel. US reimposes sanctions on Iran In August 2018, the United States reimposed sanctions on Iran, targetting Tehran's energy sector. The sanction comes into effect on November 4, 2018, and it is designed to cut crude exports from the third-biggest producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Other international oil traders, including China's Sinopec, have also signalled to cut deal with Iranian oil Nigeria in the mix The Nigerian government has pegged crude oil price at $51 per barrel in the 2018 budget with a daily production of 2.3 million per barrel per day. Jubril Kareem, an oil and gas expert in a tweet on Monday, said, Oil at $85/barrel. Trump's policy on Iran is Making Nigeria Great Again. Kareem, however, said Nigerias policy on subsidising PMS will probably erode most of the greatness. As 2019 presidential elections draw nearer, the government needs to work out ways for the economic prosperity for the 6th largest producer oil and biggest economy in Africa. President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking re-election for another 4-year term has hinged under-performance on dwindling oil price compared which pushed the country into economic recession in late 2016. According to Vanguard, the President of Believers Love World, aka Christ Embassy, shared this at a service held in Effurun, Delta State. The popular preacher said he believes that change is possible "if we anchor on God." "I see Nigeria being a great country again by the grace of God," Pastor Oyakhilome added. ece-auto-gen ALSO READ: 12 most remarkable Men of God from 1960 till now Pastor Oyakhilome says 2018 is 'the Year of the Supernatural' Earlier this year, the cleric released his prophecies at the New Year's Eve Service. The Christ Embassy president declared that this year is loaded with blessing in seven areas - supernatural supply; supernatural strength; supernatural abilities; supernatural insight; supernatural wisdom; supernatural knowledge; and, supernatural health! ece-auto-gen With the news of the latest visit from Pastor we take a look at five times he has met with Christian and Muslims leaders alike: Pastor Kumuyi On Monday, October 1, 2018, the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church paid a visit to the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock. Apart from just meeting the president, he was there to preach the sermon at the country's 58 independence anniversary. There, he thanked Buhari for his tireless efforts. He said: "Please remain focused and courageous and do what is right. Not everyone will support you publicly, but we are praying for you so that your tenure will be one of progress and prosperity for the country.'' Pastor Kumuyi was accompanied by his wife, , Pastor Samuel Afuwape, and Pastor Chike Onwuasoanya. Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was pictured visiting the president in 2017. Unlike Kumuyi, Pastor Adeboye saw Buhari at the Abuja House in London. This visit took place while the president was receiving medical attention in the British Capital. Pictures of the visit were shared on Facebook by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina. The caption read: "President Buhari receives General Overseer Worldwide Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye at the Abuja House London on 18th Aug 2017." The president was quoted as saying: "May God continue to bless him and his work. I thank Pastor Adeboye for visiting today, and for his prayers and good wishes. May God continue to bless him and his work." Pastor Tunde Bakare President Buhari and the Senior Pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly met behind closed doors earlier this year. They had a meeting on July 13, 2018, after the pastor arrived at the Presidential Villa, Abuja at about 2.30pm, according to Punch. He released a statement later that day explaining his visit to the Aso Rock. Bakare said: "I went into a closed-door meeting with PMB alone to thank him for sending a powerful delegation to my mother's home-going celebration." The cleric had earlier paid the president a congratulatory visit after Buhari won the election. Father Mbaka In 2015, the Spiritual Director of Holy Ghost Adoration Ministry in Enugu state paid a visit to the State House in Abuja. Speaking to Sunday Sun through his Personal Assistant and Media Chief of the Adoration Ministry, Mr. Maximus Ugwuoke, he explained that his visit was scriptural. In his words, "In Exodus 5, did Mosses a prophet of God not visit Pharaoh in his seat of power in Egypt? Did Samuel not visit Saul in his seat of power in 1st Samuel 15? In 2nd Samuel 12, did Prophet Nathan not visit David in his seat of power? Did we not read about Elisha and Ahab in the scriptures, in 1st Kings 17? In Acts 10 did Peter the first pope of the Church not visit Cornelius in his house? Did we not read in the Bible that even Jesus himself left heaven and came to man on earth?" "Is it not the hallmark of a real and humble anointed man of God to do what the biblical prophets did? We wonder why those whose insinuations of what transpired during the meeting between Fr Mbaka and Mr. President are poke nosing for. Did Fr Mbaka himself not answer their questions in the interview he granted the media during the visit when he stated that he had come to bless Nigerians and pray for their peace? This was aired on Channels, AIT and published in some newspapers. Those who say Fr Mbaka came to be settled by Mr. President or that he came on Biafra agenda are on their own." Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi In November 2017, the President received a visit from a group of Islamic scholars including Sheikh Bauchi. The university launched its Student Support scheme over the weekend with contributions coming from prominent personalities in the North. According to Punch, the Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, His Royal Highness Dr. Barkindo Mustapha, the Lamido of Adamawa and the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, donated the sums of N2.5m, N5m and N6m, respectively. Speaking at the event, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Kyari Mohammed urged more support for the scheme adding that the fund realized at the event is not enough to sustain the scheme. Mohammed said many indigent students can't still afford the fee their institutions charge despite the fact that public university education in Nigeria is tuition-free. He said, Public university education is tuition-free in Nigeria, yet we charge about N37,000 per annum for other charges, which we use to provide electricity, water sanitation and other services since government allocation to universities has been declining. Sadly, there are students who drop out due to their inability to pay this equivalent of $100, an amount we spend without equivocation during business lunch or social dinner at the Bukka or Zuma Grill at the Abuja Hilton. Adejumo while addressing journalists on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, in Ibadan said the government is making attempts to make students of federal universities pay a minimum of N350,000 as tuition fee. According to Punch, the union's zonal coordinator said it was vital for ASUU to let the public know that there could be labour crisis in federal universities, adding that the proposal led to the breakdown of the 2017/2018 renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement. The union is again constrained to draw the attention of Nigerian public to an impending labour crisis in the Nigerian universities as a result of the insensitivity of the Nigerian government to issues critical to the survival of the educational system in Nigeria. It is no longer news that the renegotiation, which Minister of Education, promised was going to last for only six weeks, has broken down. The union was confronted with a situation where the government is bent on imposing tuition fees, beginning from N350,000, on students in the Nigerian public owned tertiary institutions. As to how the students will raise such money, we were told that the government will establish Education Bank, where students will access credit facilities and payback on completion of their studies The union, speaking from the background that education is the right and not the privilege of every Nigerian child, made frantic efforts to make pragmatic explanations on the negative implications and the non-feasibility of this scheme to representatives of government to no avail. ASUU rejected the proposed tuition fees Meanwhile, Prof. Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of ASUU recently said the union rejected the proposal by the Federal Government negotiator to increase tuition fee in public universities. He said the negotiator between ASUU and the Federal Government, Dr Wale Babalakin proposed that public universities tuition fee be increased to N350,000 for undergraduate students of Arts and Humanities and 500,000 for those in Sciences. Two weeks after Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe announced the date for the event, the panelists have been unveiled. The three practitioners are from the media, movie and distribution chains of the African movie industry. While Radmore is the co-director Fire Soul Media, Roos is a documentary filmmaker and guest lecturer at International Film School of San Antonio de los Banos in Cuba and Ajayi is the executive vice president, Genesis Cinemas and distribution. AMAA to host African Cinema Business Round Table in Kigali Ahead of the 14th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards, the organisers have announced readiness to host African Cinema Business Round Table in Kigali. According to the organisers, the event is billed to host on October 19, 2018 at the Intare Conference Arena in Kigali, Rwanda. On Wednesday, September 26, 2018, Green was sentenced to 72 years in prison by Judge James Sanchez in Grants, New Mexico. Judge Sanchez told the victim. A weaker person would not have survived. That means you can continue on being strong. Who is Deborah Green? She is the leader of the Aggressive Christianity Mission Corps that operates in a secluded Fence Lake, New Mexico compound. She likes to dress in a Generals attire to signify her position and authority. Authorities commenced into the sect upon suspicion of sexual abuse on a former member in 2017. The abuse was suspected to have been perpetrated by Green and her son-in-law, Peter Green. According to KRQE, authorities then stormed the secluded building and found 11 children, with some as young as 4 years old. ALSO READ: Prostitute disgraces customer in Akure hotel after he refuses to pay her Her conviction ece-auto-gen Court records reveal that in 1990, Green had forced her daughter to steal a child from Uganda. The child was subsequently physically and sexually abused for years to come. The testimony that tipped the scales came from a former member who told the court that, Emotionally, she broke me as a child to the point where I still, today, struggle with my own self-confidence, my self-esteem, my sense of worth. She also revealed that she still struggles to recover from being physically and emotionally abused, adding shes had 11 surgeries to help fix broken bones. Another case is imminent against Green, about the death of Enoch Miller whom authorities said died in 2014. The Expo will be attended by more than 1,500 on the two-days and is being supported by reputable strategic partners including Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), which is the Federal Government Agency established in 1995 to promote, co-ordinate and monitor all investments in Nigeria; Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC); Nigeria-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) - the foremost bilateral Chamber in Nigeria with the objective to promote trade and Investment between Nigeria and Britain since its establishment in 1977. With affiliation to the British Chambers of commerce (BCC), it gives her access to a network of 52 chambers of commerce across the UK and the commonwealth; African Foundation for Development (AFFORD); British Expertise International; London Chamber of Commerce; Royal African Society, Kanu Heart Foundation among others. This event will highlight the key opportunities that Nigeria, UK and international organisations of all sizes that are looking to invest, co-partner, or launch into the 200+ billion Nigerian market. Youll gain key insight into more than 20 different industry sectors and understand how to safely evaluate the most effective route to investing or promoting your services and products into Nigeria or UK with minimal risks. Check out more on how you can attend for FREE, hear from the 40+ expert speakers or showcase your business REGISTER YOUR PLACE(S) TODAY>> #BONIE2018 Following the recent visits to Nigeria from the leaders of the global economy ranging from President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, it reiterates the massive investment opportunities that exists within Nigeria and highlights the growing interest of the European countries to expand their trade network and engage with the Nigerian economy POST BREXIT. To gain more insight on Investment Opportunities and to understand why there is the sudden surge in interest by world leaders to invest in Nigeria you are invited to join exhibitors, investors and VIPs already registered including: DEFRA | Govt. of the British Virgin Islands | Innovate UK | El-Rehob Consulting | CDP Partnership | LilyFrank International | Bantuway Manufacturing | Savva & Associates | Power Traveller | Delyiks Events Planning | Veritasi Homes | Bulu Design | Nuage Ventures | Shea Plus | Corporate Afrika | Pyrogenesys | Bufforiginals | Brilliant Concept International | Adewale Adeyeye Architects | Food & Tech Limited | Megistos Resources | Star Nursing & Care Services | Exodus Cars | Mega Solo Movie Academy | Voyager | Pixcon Digital Innovations | LekkiInvest | Tidal Energy Services | Wiseway Limited | Laura Ben Apparel | Mobinet Group Holdings | Euroaf Export Trading | Global Innovation Fund | Linkage Business Services | AFH Wealth Management | IAS Immigration Services among others. Exhibitors and Sponsors will have access to our investors and Deal Rooms and so we advise that you book available exhibitor space(s) now! There will be plenty of advice on expanding businesses and a unique opportunity to meet genuine investors in an international environment. It is essential to come if you are looking for investment or funding for a project or business idea. For investors, it will be an impressive showcase of the virtually untapped opportunities available across many sectors. Nigeria is Africas largest nation, with vast mineral resources, agriculture produce, and fantastic tourist attractions, yet still has some amazing investment opportunities. NIGL look forward to welcoming you, along with many very high-profile invited guests, to The Best of Nigeria Investment Exhibition, BONIE, at the Excel, London on the 3rd and the 4th of October. Please visit our website for more details: www.bestofnigeria.organd you are welcome to contact our Nigeria Executive Director, Femi Omotuyi, on +234 80 2846 6236 | +234 90 9258 1222 or our UK Marketing and Business Development Director, Dee Broni on +44 7898 760 334 or email info@bestofnigeria.org The Best of Nigeria Investment Exhibition! >>REGISTER TO JOIN THIS MAJOR NETWORKING EVENT Join the conversation on Twitter: @NiglGateway #BONIE2018: 1. Abia Abia is an acronym from the four main groups of people in the state as at the time it was formed in 1991: Aba Bende Isuikwuato Afikpo. 2. Adamawa Adamawa was named after a warrior, Modibbo Adama Bin Ardo Hassan, that conquered the region in the beginning of the 19th century. 3. Akwa-Ibom Akwa Ibom is named after the Qua Iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River. 4. Anambra The state got its name from the corrupted version of Oma Mbala (Anyim Oma Mbala), a popular river in the area. 5. Bauchi There are three versions of how Bauchi got its name are: Bauchi is Hausa word meaning the southern flanks of Hausaland. Tribes living in the southern parts of the Hausaland were referred to as "kasashen bauchi" and the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi. The second version the state was named for Baushe, a famous hunter who settled there before the 19th century. The third states that bauchi is Hausa word for slavery since it was a center for slave raiders. 6. Bayelsa Bayelsa is a combination of the acronyms of three local government areas which were pulled out of old Rivers state Brass LGA known as BALGA, Yenegoa LGA known as YELGA and Sagbama LGA known as SALGA. The mathematics involved in the formation of their names is BA + YEL + SA = BAYELSA 7. Benue The state was named after the "europeanised" corruption of 'Binuwe', the Batta word for Mother of Waters. 8. Borno The alternative name of the Kanuris, the predominant ethnic group in the state, is 'Borno' which gave inspiration for the naming of the state. 9. Cross River The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River. 10. Delta The state is where the River Niger forms a delta as it enters the Atlantic Ocean. ALSO READ: 200 Nigerian tribes and where to find them 11. Ebonyi Ebonyi is the anglicised version of 'Aboine', a river that cuts through Abakaliki, the state capital. 12. Edo The Bini people who dwell in the area had always referred to themselves as Edo or Iduu. This inspired the name of the state. 13. Ekiti Okiti is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills. It later became 'Ekiti'. 14. Enugu Due to the many hills and rocky terrain in the area, the people named it in igbo, "Enu Ugwu" meaning "top of the hill". The state is named after the anglicised version, Enugu. 15. Gombe Gombe is the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde) spoken in the area. 16. Imo Just like many of the Nigerian states, Imo took its name from the popular river, Imo Mmiri. 17. Jigawa Jigawa takes inspiration from its distinctively golden-coloured soil. 18. Kaduna 'Kadunas' is the plural form of crocodile in Hausa. The state therefore got its name from the many crocodiles in Kaduna River. 19. Kano Kano was the name of a blacksmith from the Gaya tribe who settled in the area while sourcing for ironstone. The state was named after him. 20. Katsina The state was named after the wife of a popular local ruler known as Janzama. Her name was Katsina. 21. Kebbi It is said that Kebbi was named after the Kaabba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. 22. Kogi Since the popular confluence in Nigeria is located in the state, Kogi is said to have been derived from kogin, the hausa word for river. 23. Kwara River Niger used to be called River Kwara by the Nupes at the Northern border of the state. The state was named after this. 24. Lagos In 1472, the first set of Europeans to set foot in Lagos were the Portuguese. Due to the many lagoons and rivers in the town, they named it Lagos, which is the Portuguese word for 'lakes'. 25. Nasarawa Nasarawa is a native word for 'victorious'. The state was named by the founder of Nasarawa kingdom, Makama Dogo. 26. Niger This was named after the River Niger. 27. Ogun This state was also named after a river Ogun River. 28. Ondo Ondo is a word used for settlers. The state was named after the settlers of the old Ondo Kingdom. 29. Osun This state was also named after a river the River Osun. 30. Oyo The state was named after the Old Oyo empire. 31. Plateau The state was named after the picturesque Jos plateau. Jos got its name from the mispronunciation of the town 'Gwosh'. 32. Rivers Rivers State was named after the many water bodies present in the area. 33. Sokoto Sokoto is the anglicized version of the Arabic word suk meaning market or place of commerce. The state itself was named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. 34. Taraba Taraba state got its name from the Taraba River. 35. Yobe Komadugu Yobe (Waube or Ouobe) or River Yobe (or River of Yo) inspired the name of the state. 36. Zamfara Photo: Facebook Chad Alphonse Chad, I'll never forgive you. Maybe one day, but when you die, you'll meet your true judge. Victim impact statements were read out in Kelowna court Tuesday regarding the killing of Waylon Jackson, including that gripping statement from Jackson's father, Percy. The statements were read out on day one of the two-day sentencing hearing for Chad Alphonse, who stabbed Jackson three times the night of March 11, 2016. While Alphonse initially faced a second-degree murder charge, a 12-person jury convicted him of manslaughter last spring, meaning the Crown had not proved he had intent to kill. Alphonse was at the home of Jackson and his common-law spouse Naomi Foureyes on the night in question. Alphonse and his girlfriend, Phillisede Foureyes, Naomi's sister, were there to help decorate for Naomi's baby shower the following morning. After drinking alcohol throughout the evening, little decorating took place. Jackson and Alphonse got into a fight, resulting in Jackson beating Alphonse with a chair at one point. During the trial, the Crown showed that Jackson dropped the chair and began walking towards Naomi and his infant daughter, when Alphonse came from behind and fatally stabbed him. The Crown argued the fight had effectively ended when the stabbing took place. Saturday, March 12, 2016, was supposed to be a day of happiness for Mr. Jackson, for Naomi Foureyes and for all involved, prosecutor David Grabavac said in his opening statements Tuesday. However, the events of March 11, 2016 changed Mr. Jackson's life forever, Mr. Alphonse's life forever, Naomi Foureyes' life forever and Phillisede Foureyes' life forever. In his statement, Percy Jackson said: For two years now, I've suffered sleepless nights, anger, afraid for my other children ... Today I live a parent's worst nightmare. Crown prosecutor Grabavac told the court a manslaughter conviction can be near-accident to near-murder when it comes to sentencing. The Crown would submit that in this case, this was a near-murder manslaughter, Grabavac said. Mr. Jackson had no way of knowing Mr. Alphonse had a knife, no way of knowing Mr. Alphonse would introduce a knife to a chair fight, and he had no way to defend himself from Mr. Alphonse with the knife. Ouidah is one of the towns in Benin Republic. In this town, pythons aren't feared but rather reverred and worshiped. While Porto-novo is regarded as the country's economic capital, Ouidah is recognised as the country's spiritual capital. The town houses the 'Temple des Pythons' which is historical and modern symbolism and spiritual practice in Benin republic. It also acts as a basilica for voodoo worshippers in West Africa and all over the world. This temple is sacred with different sections some accessible to public and some not. It also has a small room of twelve square meters that houses 50 adult royal pythons. Visiting the temple is very common for tourists as it is along the "Route Des Esclaves" or "Slave Route" and close to the Door Of No Return. However, if you are visiting, obey all these rules. 1. Do not be mentally unprepared ece-auto-gen You are going to see (and probably touch) A LOT OF SNAKES, so it's good to be mentally prepared for that. The snakes do not bite so do not be scared. Also, be prepared financially as there's a gatefee and lots of artefacts to be bought at the temple. 2. Do not kill any snake ece-auto-gen At monthly intervals, the snakes are released into the town to go and feed. They only feed on animals and are harmless to humans. However, IT IS COMPLETELY FORBIDDEN TO KILL A PYTHON IN OUIDAH. If you do, you have to bring the body back to the temple for a series of cleansing ceremonies to be performed and the burial of the python in the temple graveyard. If you leave without these rites, it is said that something bad will happen to you. 3. Do not touch/enter the shrines ece-auto-gen The shrine in the temple is hundreds of years old and is only accessible to the priest and devotees (the initiated). 4. Do not enter the graveyard Entering the graveyard is completely forbidden for visitors. Only devotees and priests are allowed. 5. Don't let religious bias cloud your mind ece-auto-gen A February 2018 report by Transparency International (TI) ranked Nigeria as one of the most corrupt countries in the world as it placed 148 out of the 180 countries that were examined. While speaking on Channels Television on Monday, October 1, 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the government is not solely to be blamed for the report as has been insinuated. According to him, the report also reflects poorly on the Nigerian people who constitute the country. He said, "We have spoken many times about that ranking and my position is that that ranking is not strictly about government, it is about Nigeria and her people. "Some people want to make it seem as if it's a vote of no confidence in government or is a lower mark for the government. I don't agree, I think it is a lower mark for the people because the people constitute the country. "And if things do not seem to have worked as they should work, the people also have part of the blame to bear." Adesina further faulted the prestige with which the report is held by the public, noting that it doesn't necessarily accurately reflect the realities in the country. According to him, the Buhari-led government is making strides to rid the country of corruption and is well on its way to achieve success. He said, "As much as I respect Transparency International, I don't think we necessarily need them to authenticate what is going on in the country; because we, Nigerians, know that there is a war against corruption ongoing and that war is succeeding. "There are strides being taken. It may not be there yet, and we are not there, but we are on the way there. So, let no agency from any part of the world come to think that whatever it says is the gospel to us. It can help and inform what is happening but it is not something that will be a millstone round the neck of government." Two undergraduates of the school were reportedly killed when renewed violence sparked in Jos, Plateau State capital, on Sunday, September 30, 2018. The violence erupted all across Tina, Angwa-Rukuba, British-America, Rikos, Bauchi road, Farigada, Dogon-Dutse and other parts of Jos North local government area. Eyewitnesses reported that gunshots were heard between Lamingo junction and Angwan-Rukuba area near University of Jos staff quarters at noon on Sunday. In a statement signed by the university's Principal Assistant Registrar, Information and Publications, Abdullahi Abdullahi, on Monday, October 1, he disclsoed that only one student was killed while another has been missing since the attack. He said two other students were seriously injured with one still receiving medical treatment in the hospital while the other one has been discharged. The statement read, "Following the unfortunate security breach that occurred in some parts of Jos metropolis, the attention of the management of the University of Jos has been brought to the plethora of unverified information being circulated especially on the social media about casualty figures said to have been recorded among Students of the University. "It is claimed that seven (7) Students of the University have been killed as a result of the skirmishes. "Management wishes to clarify that after a rigorous search was carried out, one (1) Student is still missing while (1) student was confirmed dead and two (2) other students were reported injured. "The corpse of the deceased student has since been deposited in the mortuary. The injured student is still receiving treatment in the hospital while the other one has been discharged. "Out of respect for the families of the affected students, the university authorities have decided not to disclose the identities of the dead and the injured but would do so in due course. "It should, however, be noted that following the breakdown of peace in the metropolis, management has been working round the clock in close collaboration with the security agencies and the Plateau State Government to ensure that the lives and property of members of the University Community especially students are adequately protected. "While expressing deep commiseration to the family of the deceased student, the injured and all those who suffered losses during this unfortunate incident, management wishes to appreciate the government, security agencies as well as members of the public who have shown great concern about the plight of the University during this difficult period. "Members of the university community especially staff and students are hereby advised to exercise caution and comply with all security directives during this period." The primary election held on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 across various wards in the state. According to a video posted by The Cable, some party members from Shomolu said that party leaders beat up those supporting the Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. A woman who said her name is Oluwabunmi Adetola told newsmen that nobody was allowed to vote. You will recall that Ambode had earlier called on the APC National Working Committee (NWC) members to ensure that the primaries are free and fair. The Lagos state Governor is contesting with Babjide Sanwo-Olu, the anointed candidate of the APC in Lagos state. NWC cancels Lagos primaries Meanwhile, the NWC panel that supervised the Lagos state primaries has nullified the election. Speaking to newsmen, the chairman of the panel, Chief Clement Ebri, said The preparatory process had just been concluded for the primaries. The primary is to begin anytime soon. There was no election. Election materials are being sorted. The stage is set and election begins anytime from now. We have guidelines and we will stick to the guidelines. Because of the political tension in the state, we decided to be very careful, very methodical. As party men, peace is more important to us than victory. We want a kind of victory that will be celebrated by both parties. We want an election that will be credible and in line with the guidelines, the extant rules and the laws of the country. And that is what we have done. We are ready to go to the field and execute this. So that at the end of the day, we will not be accused of partisanship. Lagos is very important to us and it is a flagship of the APC. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The election took place in hundreds of wards on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, with a former commissioner, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, contesting against incumbent,Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. With emerging results indicating that Sanwo-Olu is leading Ambode with a wide margin, the Clement Ebri-led electoral panel has raised objections about how the election was conducted. While speaking during a press conference on Tuesday evening, Ebri said the panel had been waiting to get some information from the state chaper before going forward with the election. He said, "We want a victory that will be credible, and will be in line with the guidelines and rules. We are now ready to do the ground running. In the next few minutes, I will contact the national office to inform them that we are now ready for the primary. "We were waiting for the Lagos APC chairman to provide some information, but it came barely an hour ago. We have the electoral materials here but considering the Lagos situation, traffic and all, we will wait on the national office for action. "The stage is set and the election will begin any time from now. We will let you know as soon as officials come to get materials." UPDATE - Sanwo-Olu beats Ambode With confusion over the state of the election late on Tuesday, the Lagos State APC chairman, Tunde Balogun, announced the result of the election that the NWC already dissociated itself from. Sanwo-Olu polled 970,851 votes, hundreds of thousands of votes more than Ambode's 72,901 votes. Balogun announced, "I am aware that conflicting information has been circulating on our primary election, but I must tell you that the election was held and it was free and fair. "It would be very painful to disenfranchise the over 1.5 million members who voted across the 245 wards in the state." The APC National Working Committee (NWC) panel on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, cancelled the primaries saying the preparatory process for the election had just been concluded, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. According to Tribune, Fayose said APC is playing a very dangerous game in Lagos state. The Ekiti state Governor also said that the party will pay dearly if they put politics ahead of the will of the people. He said The APC itself will show Nigerians where we would put a rope on their neck. The party is gradually and daily taking Nigerians for granted. They forgot that general election does not end with party politics. ALSO READ: Tinubu explains why he fell out with Ambode APC is playing a dangerous politics that can destroy this country. They are robbing people of their mandate with impunity. This is was what the defunct NPN did in 1983, the party forced itself on the people but God defeated them APC members complain Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have complained that the Lagos governorship primary election was not free and fair. In a video posted by The Cable, some party members from Shomolu said that party leaders beat up those supporting the Lagos state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode. Separately, they said it was high time the occupier of the seat came from another council area, in fulfilment of the zoning arrangement in the senatorial district. NAN can confirm that the seat has always been held in rotation by the three Local Government Areas, which are Ogbia, Nembe and Brass. The first person elected in 1999 for the district was former governor Melford Okilo, who died in 2008. He was from Ogbia. He was followed in 2003 by Spiff Inatim Rufus from Brass, who gave way to Senator Nimi Barigha Amange, from Nembe in 2007. In 2011, Senator Clever Marcus Ikisikpo was elected. He represented Ogbia council. Then Murray-Bruce from Brass succeeded him in 2015. Now two Nembe indigenes have thrown their hats in the ring to replace the common sense senator. Chief Edoghotu-Omoh, said he is aspiring to succeed Senator Ben Bruce in order to attract the dividends of democracy to his constituents and contribute his quota for the national development. I will work to ensure that my people are carried along in the scheme of things in Nigeria, I will work assiduously to ensure that petroleum industry bill becomes law, because the bill is so dear to the heart of every Niger Deltan. I will also work for the passage of land use act, because it will benefit my people. I am the most qualified person for the senatorial position, because I am a grassroots person. My records as the deputy speaker speak for me. I am coming to contribute my quota to the national development and bring good dividends of democracy to my people, I believe I can do more than what others have done, he said. He said Bayelsa East senatorial district always adopts rotation for the senatorial seat to give room for equitable representation and allow every section of the society to also feel the sense of government. The former lawmaker said zoning is part of the PDP constitution and must be adhered to strictly. Oshiohmole stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday. The APC chairman also revealed that the party had disbanded the Ahmed Gulak-led Committee that conducted the partys governorship primaries in Imo. According to him, another committee will be set up immediately for the conduct of fresh primaries in the state before the end of the week. Imo was not too good news for today, but not surprising they have to learn to begin to comply with rules, they have two fake results, none of them is genuine. We will disband and we will appoint a fresh committee (electoral panel) that will conduct transparent direct primaries that reflect the will of members of APC in Imo regardless of the interest and powers that are behind any of the groups. The truth does not require supporters club to stand, it has its hands and legs and we will do just that. Oshiohmole, who said he was in the villa to update President Buhari on the developments in the APC, ruled out the possibility of honouring parallel results from states. On the conduct of the APC primaries in Lagos State on Tuesday, the APC chairman disclosed that the National Working Committee (NWC) was in charge of the primaries and that every situation had been put under control. I told the president that the primaries held as planned and everything is being done to ensure there is no violence because democracy doesnt flourish with violence. Nigerians must begin to learn how to differ in opinion and in choice without fighting; this is something people have to acquire over time. For me, Im excited that if we can do it in Lagos it can be done anywhere. Everything that is being done is done under the control, supervision and direction of the NWC. Oshiohmole maintained that no matter how highly a member may be, he or she must subject himself/herself to the constitution of the party. It would be recalled that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) panel had on Tuesday announced the cancellation of the Lagos governorship primary election, saying the preparatory process for the election had just been concluded. The Chairman of the panel, Chief Clement Ebri, made this known when he spoke at a news conference in Alausa, Ikeja. He said : The preparatory process had just been concluded for the primaries. The primary is to begin anytime soon. There was no election. Election materials are being sorted. The stage is set and election begins anytime from now. We have guidelines and we will stick to the guidelines. Because of the political tension in the state, we decided to be very careful, very methodical. As party men, peace is more important to us than victory. We want a kind of victory that will be celebrated by both parties. We want an election that will be credible and in line with the guidelines, the extant rules and the laws of the country. The University was chosen as the venue for the partys primaries for the Nasarawa West Senatorial district. NAN also reports that at the time of filing in this report, no official of the party or aspirants or delegate for the election was on ground to comment on the preparation for the election. NAN further learnt that Aliyu Tijani-Ahmed was the frontrunner in the polls having been anointed by the Nassarawa Gov. Tanko Al-Makura. The political tension heightened when the incumbent senator Abdullahi Adamu refused to support Al-Makuras gubernatorial candidate, Mr Abdullahi Sule, in the Oct. 1. Governorship primaries. Incidentally, Sule emerged as the APC governorship candidate in the state on Oct.1 NAN recalls that on Sept.27, Alhaji Aliyu Tijani-Ahmed, who resigned as the Commissioner for Education to contest against Sen. Adamu, a former governor, said that that he would win the partys ticket come Oct 2. Tijani-Ahmed had said during the launching of his campaign in Keffi that Power comes from God, expressing optimism that he would win the partys primaries and the general elections come 2019. During the event, Mr Samuel Akala, the Chairman, Karu Local Government Area, on behalf of the five Local Government chairmen of the zone promised to support Tijani-Ahmeds candidacy. NAN reports that the five local government areas are: Toto, Nasarawa, Keffi, Kokona and Karu. Photo: wikimedia commons A pair of conservation group are teaming up to help an endangered South Okanagan species later this week. The World Wildlife Fund Canada and Burrowing Owl Conservation Society are holding a public event Friday to help restore habitat for the Burrowing Owl. Members of the public are invited to help install artificial burrows on private property. During the 1990s, populations of this charismatic grassland bird dropped by approximately 90 per cent due to habitat conversion, a news release form the WWF reads. Habitat loss, namely a lack of suitable burrows, is one of the biggest threats to burrowing owls today. Once installed the newly constructed burrows will provide much needed nesting habitat and help support the survival of burrowing owls in the wild. Interested participants are invited to meet at the Osoyoos Visitor Centre parking lot at 9 a.m. on Friday. The event is expected to run until 4 p.m. This event is one of three opportunities organized by WWF and Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC this fall in an effort to make people a bigger part the solution to wildlife loss in Canada. Interested community members can register online. Tinubu is backing 53-year-old Chairman of the Lagos State Property Development Commission (LSDPC) and two-time commissioner, Babajide Olushola Sanwoolufor the number one job in Nigeria's commercial capital. Speaking to journalists at Ward C in Ikeja Local Government Area, after voting at the primary election, Tinubu said Ambode became a bad party man who lost the support of party members. According to Punch, when Tinubu was asked why he withdrew his support for Ambode, he said, Who did I support in 2014? Ambode. Life is dynamic. Its those who made me the leader of the structure in Lagos who said it was what they want. Its only if you have followers that youre a leader in democracy. If I look back and I dont find them again; if I dont respond to them, if I fail to accede to their request, I would have failed the leadership test. This is not personal; it is beyond me as a person. Every democratic constitution is preceded by We, the people. So, I had to submit myself to the wishes and the yearnings of our party. This is an elixir for the general election. Ambode Akin, hes doing well, yes; he hasnt been a good party man; not only the glamour, not only about brick and mortar. A talent is determined by character. For you to become an influential person, you have to respond to the yearnings of the people. This is politics; democracy, one man, one vote. A meltdown seen round the world Ambode devolved into a meltdown on national television on Sunday, September 30,calling his challenger, Sanwoolu, all sorts of names. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani had vowed a "crushing" response to last month's assault -- claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group -- on a military parade commemorating the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. "The headquarters of those responsible for the terrorist crime in Ahvaz was attacked a few minutes ago east of the Euphrates by several ballistic missiles fired by the aerospace branch of the Revolutionary Guards," the Guards said on their website. "Based on preliminary reports, many takfiri terrorists and the leaders responsible for the terrorist crime in Ahvaz have been killed or wounded in this missile attack," they added. The term "takfiri" refers to Sunni Muslim extremists. The Guards released pictures of what appeared to be missiles lighting up the night sky, leaving trails of smoke as they soared above a desert region with a rugged mountain in the background. Iran's Fars news agency said the Guards fired "a number of medium-range" Zolfaghar and Qiam missiles, with a range of 750 kilometres and 800 kilometres (465 and 500 miles), respectively. The agency said the missiles hit the Syrian desert border town of Albu Kamal on the west of the Euphrates River, in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. "On at least one of the missiles was written 'death to America', 'death to Israel' and 'death to Al Saud'," it said, a reference to the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional rival. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, "heavy explosions took place at dawn (Monday) in the last pocket under IS control near Albu Kamal". Albu Kamal itself, located on the border with Iraq, is held by regime forces and allied regional militiamen who seized it from IS in 2007. 'Jihadist separatists' Twenty-four people were shot dead in the attack by five gunmen on a military parade in the mainly ethnic Arab city of Ahvaz in southwestern Iran on September 22. Ahvaz is the provincial capital of Khuzestan, a border region which was a major battleground of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, and which also saw ethnic unrest in 2005 and 2011. Iranian officials initially blamed Arab separatists backed by Gulf Arab allies of the United States for the attack. But on Monday supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei appeared to link the perpetrators to jihadists operating in Iraq and Syria, where IS once had major strongholds. "This cowardly act was the work of those very individuals who are rescued by the Americans whenever they are in trouble in Iraq and Syria and who are funded by the Saudis and the (United) Arab Emirates," Khamenei was quoted by his official website as saying. The next day Iran's intelligence ministry published photos of five men it said carried out the Ahvaz assault, identifying them as "jihadist separatists". IS, a Sunni Muslim extremist group which Iran and its Damascus allies are fighting in Syria, has claimed responsibility for the attack and said all five assailants were Iranian, including four from Ahvaz. It also threatened to carry out new attacks in Iran. IS had already claimed responsibility for twin attacks in June 2017 on the parliament and the tomb of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran that killed 17 people. In a series of tweets, Duale disclosed that his sister Arfon passed away after years of battling with Cancer. He went ahead to say a peace prayer for his sister even as she finally rests. O Allah, surely Arfon Bare Duale is under Your protection, & in the rope of Your security, so save her from the trial of the grave and from the punishment of the Fire. You fulfil promises & grant rights, so forgive her & have mercy on her. Surely You are Most Forgiving & Merciful, said Duale. ece-auto-gen WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Does racism and sexism exist on internet search engines? Is there an equal playing field? Safiya Noble, author of "Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism," will deliver the inaugural lecture in Purdue University Libraries' Critical Data Studies Distinguished Lecture Series at 6 p.m. Oct. 3 in Stewart Centers Fowler Hall. Noble's lecture, Intellectual Freedom and Racial Inequality as Addressed in Algorithms of Oppression, is aligned with Purdue's Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign and is part of the Ideas Festival theme, Giant Leaps in Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, and Automation: Balancing Humanity and Technology. The Ideas Festival is the centerpiece of the campaign and connects world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems and opportunities facing the world. According to Purdue Libraries assistant professor Kendall Roark, critical data studies, or CDS, is an emerging interdisciplinary field that addresses ethical, legal, socio-cultural, epistemological, and political aspects of data science, big data, algorithms, platforms, and digital infrastructure. "Dr. Noble's work is unique but also draws upon themes within critical theory, black feminist thought and information science that are of interest to CDS scholars, Roark said. She asks questions about how inequality, bias and power are embedded into search-engine platforms. Her work has the potential to inform not only CDS scholars, but also public debates around a wide range of emerging technologies and the transformation of everyday life." Rayvon Fouche, Purdue director and professor of American studies, calls Nobles work on "Algorithms of Oppression" "pathbreaking." "It demands that we rethink the ways that online interactions reinforce assumptions about race, gender, and all forms of difference, he said. As societies continue to move in a direction where algorithms mediate our information exchanges, Dr. Noble's research supplies valuable insights on how to build a more just and equitable world. Interim Dean of Libraries Rhonda Phillips added, "We are honored that Dr. Noble will share her important research with the Purdue community as the inaugural lecture in Purdue University Libraries' Critical Data Studies Distinguished Lecture series. Her 2018 best-selling book is a must-read for scholars of information science, artificial intelligence and technology, sociologists, engineers, and scientists of all disciplines. We are excited that Dr. Noble will share insights into her research and serve as a catalyst for an important discussion about artificial intelligence in the Ideas Festival component of Purdue's sesquicentennial celebration." Phillips is also dean of Purdue's Honors College. About Safiya Noble Noble, an assistant professor at University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications, is a co-founder of the Information Ethics & Equity Institute, which provides training for organizations committed to transforming their information management practices toward more just and equitable outcomes. She is the recipient of a Hellman Fellowship and the UCLA Early Career Award, and her research focuses on the design of digital media platforms on the Internet and their impact on society. Noble earned her Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in library and information science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.A. in sociology from California State University, Fresno, with an emphasis on African American/ethnic studies. Prior to becoming an academic, she spent more than 15 years in various corporate and nonprofit marketing and advertising positions. (See https://safiyaunoble.com/ for more information.) About CDS Lecture Series and the Data Mine at Purdue The Critical Data Studies Lecture Series and the Critical Data Studies Cohort of the Data Mine Learning Community are a collaboration of the Purdue Honors College, Purdue University Libraries, and the Department of Anthropology. Please contact Roark (roark6@purdue.edu) to learn more about the Critical Data Studies Seminar Series and/or CDS Cohort of the Data Mine. Please visit the Data Mine Learning Community website for details about applying to be part of the residential learning community. Noble's lecture is made possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Purdue University Libraries, Purdue College of Liberal Arts' School of Interdisciplinary Studies' American studies major; Purdue Policy Research Institute; Diversity Resource Office; 150th Committee on "Giant Leaps in Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms and Automation: Balancing Humanity and Technology"; Purdue Department of Anthropology; Purdue Honors College; the Center for Science Information, NSF Science and Technology Center, Purdue University; the Data Mine Learning Community; and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Purdue University Sesquicentennial Campaign, 150 Years of Giant Leaps, is a yearlong celebration of Purdue, its remarkable people, its unique history and its visionary drive to meet the worlds future challenges. From Homecoming 2018 through Homecoming 2019, the Purdue community will spend the year celebrating its unique legacy, which has included giant leaps across every field of endeavor, and further advancing the mission set forth since its founding as a land-grant university in 1869. With the campaign serving as a springboard for a renewed commitment to growth, innovation and discovery, Purdues call is simple: Whatever your pursuit, take Giant Leaps. For more information about the Critical Data Studies Seminar Series and/or other related learning and research opportunities, contact Roark at 765-494-2637 or via email at roark6@purdue.edu. Note to Journalists: Dr. Noble will be available for media interviews from 3-4 p.m. outside of Fowler Hall in Stewart Center. Please send confirmation of attendance to tkoltzen@purdue.edu or call 765-494-0069. Media contact: Abbey Nickel, nickela@purdue.edu Source: Kendall Roark, roark6@purdue.edu WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Technology provides child predators with a means to troll for targets online, but a pair of Purdue University researchers have harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to help catch sex offenders before they make physical contact with the children. With statistics suggesting that up to one in 25 children are sexually solicited online, the technology has the potential to make an impact. Called the Chat Analysis Triage Tool (CATT), it uses natural language processing techniques to analyze conversations between minors and child predators and determine which adults are most likely to be contact offenders, that is, people who actually seek to meet children in person. Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, assistant professor of computer and information technology, and Julia Rayz, associate professor of computer and information technology, will give a joint talk about their digital forensics tool at Dawn or Doom 18, Purdues annual conference on the risks and rewards of emerging technologies. Dawn or Doom will be held on Purdues West Lafayette campus Nov. 5-6. The conference, now in its fifth year, is free and open to the public. Visit the Dawn or Doom website for more information and a full list of speakers. Dawn or Doom is aligned with Purdue's Giant Leaps Sesquicentennial Campaign and is part of the Ideas Festival theme, Giant Leaps in Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, and Automation: Balancing Humanity and Technology. The Ideas Festival is the centerpiece of the campaign and connects world-renowned speakers and Purdue expertise in a conversation on the most critical problems and opportunities facing the world. From a law enforcement perspective, they have to deal with hundreds of these cases and they can be really overwhelmed, Seigfried-Spellar says. If they have a tool that quickly reads these chats and flags the ones that are at risk for being contact offenders, then law enforcement officers can better prioritize which cases need to be investigated first. In partnership with the Ventura County Sheriffs Office in Ventura, California, Rayz and Seigfried-Spellar conducted hypothesis testing on real chats between minors and offenders. Because offenders in different parts of the country may speak in different ways or have different strategies for luring in children, theyre working on using data from around the country, including Indiana, to improve the tool. They plan to make CATT freely available to law enforcement. One of their priorities when developing the tool was to make it easy to use for someone without any training in computer science. They hope CATT will eventually be used not only to triage cases, but also to train police officers to become better decoys. Officers typically receive similar training and, thus, talk to offenders in a similar way. The Purdue researchers hope that the tool will help officers vary their language and be less detectable by offenders. The researchers say theres already a great deal of interest from the law enforcement community. After presenting at a conference for law enforcement intelligence analysts, Seigfried-Spellar and Rayz had people asking about developing a similar tool for everything from sex trafficking to drug crimes. Its on their radar, but continued work on the initial tool will probably always be necessary. No matter how perfect the tool is, it will never be a done deal, Rayz says. When people suspect theyre being watched, their behavior changes, and the tool will have to adapt to those changes. Although this crime-fighting tool may represent a dawn an example of technology being used for good there also could be doom scenarios if it falls into the wrong hands. For example, a criminal who gets access to the technology might use it to escape detection. Dawn or Doom 18 features four tracks: Machines, Mind, Body and Data. Featured speakers at the conference include Frank Pasquale, law professor at the University of Maryland who specializes in artificial intelligence law; Naomi Grewal, global head of insights at Pinterest; and Nicholas Carr, author of New York Times best seller The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. Writer: Adrienne Miller, 765-496-8204, mill2027@purdue.edu Sources: Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, 765-494-2439, kspellar@purdue.edu Julia Rayz, 765-494-9525, jtaylor1@purdue.edu WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. What Purdue University alumnus Alexander Mills saw during his pharmacy student service-learning project in Kenya changed his career path. Now, he is on a journey to reduce the morbidity from Kaposi Sarcoma, one of AIDS most debilitating opportunistic infections. What really drove me to take this idea from start to finish was focusing on the needs of the patients I was ultimately hoping to serve and improve their lives, Mills said. I grew to appreciate the challenge in finding the best way to care for the underserved and cherish the moment when you can celebrate that victory after finding a way to fill even the smallest patient need. Mills and other Purdue team members noticed that commercially available wound compression bandages are too expensive and not readily available in sub-Saharan Africa, which means otherwise treatable skin conditions and infections are claiming more than 1 million lives each year. A Purdue team from the College of Pharmacy worked with staff at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kenya other North American schools in the Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH) consortium to develop a low-cost and sustainable wound-healing compression bandage kit. Our initial focus was on the often forgotten public sector patients in low-income settings with debilitating wounds, said Sonak Pastakia, a Purdue associate professor of pharmacy practice, who recently completed the Jefferson Science Fellowship for his work with the Purdue Kenya Partnership. In these areas, wound-care dressings are frequently needed but largely unavailable or unaffordable. The Purdue team helped create a novel version of compression wrapping made entirely of low-cost materials locally available in sub-Saharan Africa. The compression kit is sold for about $2, which is substantially less than the commercially made alternatives available in the United States. What makes this approach truly unique is that it is contextualized to the resource constraints of the setting we intend to serve, Pastakia said. Instead of trying to introduce unsustainable products through donation, we have introduced a commercially viable and effective wrap which could be utilized in similar settings across sub-Saharan Africa. The work also aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, acknowledging the universitys global advancements made in health, longevity and quality of life as part of Purdues 150th anniversary. This is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebrations Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues. Solutions such as this wound dressing are also a focus of Purdues Discovery Park District. The Purdue kits are being used within public sector pharmacies tied to AMPATH in sub-Saharan Africa. This experience for me started off as a moment of significant learning related to patient care, Mills said. I learned that knowledge only plays a small role in the process. Putting my heart and passion into what I do and who I serve will take me, my patients, and my team a long way. The researchers have worked with the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization on their innovation. They are looking for partners to provide additional financial support for scale-up or guidance on a more efficient approach for producing the kits as demand continues to grow. About Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization The Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at otcip@prf.org. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Chris Adam, 765-588-3341Sonak Pastakia, spastaki@gmail.com CENA READY FOR AUSTRALIA, SHAWN MICHAELS DISCUSSES RETURNING TO THE RING, NXT HEADING TO CALI, RAW FALLOUT AND MORE NEWS John Cena looks to be in tremendous shape in advance of his return to the ring this Saturday at the WWE Super Show-Down: Sasha Banks was not backstage at last night's Raw taping. Shawn Michaels recently spoke about idea of returning for a singles bout against The Undertaker: WWE NXT has announced live events for Thursday 11/15 in San Jose, CA and Friday 11/16 in Visalia, CA prior to the NXT Takeover: Wargames event in Los Angeles. Announced for the events areNXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa, NXT Womens Champion Kairi Sane, NXT North American Champion Ricochet, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, Shayna Baszler, Undisputed ERA, Velveteen Dream and more. Tickets will go on sale on 10/5 at NXTTickets.com A WWE Evolution playlist, curated by Lzzy Hale of Halestorm has been released on Spotify at this link. WWE released the following videos after Raw: Do AOP have your attention now?: Raw Exclusive, Oct. 1, 2018 Drew McIntyre on why WWE doesn't need a Shield: Raw Exclusive, Oct. 1, 2018 Total Divas | Trinity's Hubby Jon Throws Away Her Junk Food | E! If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here! If you missed the show, here are the best bits to listen back to from The Long Lunch, Tuesday October 2nd, 2018. Do accused sexual harassers in the United States tend to get away with it? Credit: Reuters. Carrie Leonetti, the Associate Professor from the University of Auckland School of Law joins RadioLIVEs Wendyl Nissen. Prof Leonetti takes a look at Donald Trumps continued backing of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the notion that accused sexual harassers in the United States tend to get promoted anyway. Customs could now slap you with a $5000 fine Credit: Getty. Customs spokesperson Terry Brown joins RadioLIVEs Wendyl Nissen to discuss the Customs and Excise Act 2018. The Act came into effect today and could see travellers who refuse to hand over their phone or laptop passwords to Customs officials slapped with a $5000 fine. Doctor opposes End of Life Choice bill Credit: Getty. Northland doctor Chris Reid joins Wendyl to take a look at why he has formed a differing opinion to that of David Seymour. Dr Reid discusses his opinion, when it comes to the subject of euthanasia and why he is opposing the ACT Party leaders End of Life Choice Bill in an upcoming debate. The professor of poo Credit: Getty. Gisborne District Council has decided to remove a statue of Captain Cook from Titirangi, a move that has been applauded by local iwi. The commemorative statue and wall have long been criticised by local iwi, dating back to its inception on the hill in 1969. The statue will be removed and relocated to the local Tairawhiti Museum. The statue has seen vandalism in recent years due to opposition, prompting further debate over the appropriateness of its location. Councillor Meredith Akuhata-Brown told RadioLIVE that its been a long discussion for the region. That maunga should have a representative of the local iwi. James Cook never climbed Titirangi, she said. Ms Akuhata-Brown said local iwi were not consulted when it was first erected. The timing of the statues removal is certainly not coincidental. With the 250th Cook anniversary commemorations coming up in 2019, the statue is expected to help provide a more honest narrative of the regions history. Listen to the full interview with Meredith Akuhata-Brown above. Morning Talk with Mark Sainsbury, 9am - 12pm Weekdays and streaming live on 'rova' channel 9 - available on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. Photo: The Canadian Press A Halifax neurosurgeon has performed a career first, after a young patient asked him to stitch up a beloved teddy bear while the boy recovered from surgery. Like many of Dr. Daniel McNeely's patients, eight-year-old Jackson McKie who he's looked after since he was an infant brought a stuffed toy to the operating room with him last Thursday. McKie, who lives with his family in Summerside, P.E.I., has a cyst on his brain and a chronic condition called hydrocephalus. McNeely said he couldn't say no when the boy asked him to fix a tear in his fluffy friend before the operation. "I thought if there was something I could do to help make him feel better, it seemed like a simple gesture and I was only too happy to oblige," McNeely said Tuesday. The doctor asked the nurses to prepare a small table with some tools, and he used leftover stitches from McKie's procedure to patch up the bear, Little Baby. A medical resident at Halifax's IWK Health Centre snapped a photo of the heartwarming moment. "He's one of the nicest human beings I've ever met," Jackson's father, Rick McKie, said of McNeely on Tuesday. He said the boy was "tickled pink" when he woke up to see his favourite toy that he sleeps with every night, and he's printing a photo of the bear's surgery to frame in his room. Little Baby's operation was McNeely's first on a toy and he decided to share the photos as his first-ever tweet. McNeely tweeted the photos, writing: "Patient asks if I can also fix teddy bear just before being put off to sleep ... how could I say no?" As of Tuesday afternoon, the tweet had been retweeted more than 6,600 times, liked 14,000 times and had garnered more than 210 responses from people around the world, including his former residents, commenting on the kind gesture. "I thought it might make a few people smile, that was the only intention I had," said McNeely. "I'm glad that others are enjoying it." Night talk: Mitch Harris opening comments, Tuesday 2nd October 2018. Tonight: Do you think people under the age of 15 should be allowed to drive a tractor on a farm? Police divers have recovered the bodies of the mother and child who were killed after a tractor drove into a North Otago dam. Nadine Tomlinson, 33, was driving the tractor and trailer unit on a farm near Dunback when it lost control, slipping into the reservoir on Sunday afternoon. Her son, three-year-old Angus Tomlinson, also died in the accident. Also tonight: National MP Jami-Lee Ross is stepping down from the National Party front bench to deal with some personal health issues. Why did National Party leader Simon Bridges today label his decision to leave as 'embarrassing'? Night Talk with Mitch Harris, 8pm - 12am Monday to Thursday nights on RadioLIVE, and streaming live to the rova app on Android and iPhone. RadioLIVE. QUIZ: Guess the Road Songs We can't wait to get back on the road again! Play this quiz and see if how many you can get right! CZECH REPUBLIC: Praha transport authority ROPID has selected DBs Czech subsidiary Arriva Vlaky to operate suburban train services on route S41 between Roztoky u Prahy and Hostivar via Holesovice and Liben. AUSTRIA: Transmashholdings maintenance services business LocoTech and Austrian Federal Railways OBB Technische Services have signed an agreement to co-operate to modernise, maintain and lease locomotives used in Austria, Hungary and southeast Europe. Trade negotiations between China and the United States are deadlocked, for a unique reason - the two countries are negotiating over and around each other. President Trumps concern is exclusively economic. But not everyone is homo economis. President Xis concern, or at least the concern of Chinese nationalists, is overwhelmingly based on a desire for national dignity and respect. The two countries trade strategies are both flying beneath each others radar, inadvertently pursuing stealth trade attacks. This chasm in priorities helps to explain why Trumps attempts to ratchet up pressure on China by piling tariff upon tariff has not borne measurable results thus far. Every time Trump increases tariffs on China, it has the opposite effect from what he intends, just stiffening resistance. From Chinas point of view, it is not just a matter of losing economic ground, but losing face. The two sets of national goals - utilitarian and cultural - are in this case difficult to resolve. With Trump in the White House, the U.S and China are two ships of state passing in the night, in some ways out of each others sight. The Presidents goal is easy to see (even if his specific demands are nebulous and in continual flux) Trump has spoken frequently of a determination to increase exports and reduce imports, rebalancing trade between the two countries in order to eliminate what he sees as a troubling deficit in bilateral trade. Chinas priority is more difficult to discern. But it is actually out there in plain view. Chinas leaders have been flashing the red light on what they see as an American threat to Chinese nationalism, seeking to eliminate what they see as a worrisome deficit in national respect. The Chinese peoples sense of aggrievement largely explains Beijings refusal to step back from a potentially devastating trade war, instead launching retaliatory tariffs of its own. This concern stems from the Opium Wars and the feelings of national humiliation it prompted. The fact that Trump imposed $200 billion in sanctions on China on the anniversary of Japans 1931 invasion of northern China only intensified the nationalist reaction. While Chinas leaders have been relatively tight-lipped about expressing concerns about deterring national humiliation, they have subtly let their views be known largely through state and Communist Party media. The United States intention to disrupt Chinas development has been thoroughly exposed, reported the state Peoples Daily. A signed commentary in the Peoples Daily said the behind-the-scenes logic is pretty clear - it is never just about narrowing trade deficits, but to contain China in much broader areas. Another signed commentary in Peoples Daily said the United States is seeking hegemony, and China should be determined to fight. Attacks on Chinas approach are an attempt to shape public opinion to curb ... Chinas development, says Qiushi, the Communist Central Committees publication. In a sense, both Mr. Trump and Mr. Xi are pursuing the same things, but their goals are flipped. Trump seeks respect - both for himself and for the United States as an extension of himself - but he sees it as a means of achieving the ends of financial and economic goals. Xi, and Chinese leaders for decades, have been pursuing the very opposite path - seeking economic growth as a means of commanding global respect. Trump and China are essentially condemned to a trade war in which they define victory very differently. Both may see triumph in sight soon or much further down the road but they do so on entirely different battlefields, even theatres, never to truly engage. As a result, Trump - by failing to recognize what China is actually seeking - is engaged in a sisyphean task, continuously rolling the tariff boulder up the wrong hill. Shaky camera footage depicts the gory scene: A driver who police say was frightened when a group of motorcyclists swarmed his Range Rover plowed through them, striking a rider in a purple T-shirt and black helmet. The biker, Edwin Mieses Jr., suffered broken legs and spine injuries, his wife, Dayana Mieses, said Tuesday outside a hospital. "There's no hope for his back," Dayana Meises told reporters. "They crushed his spine. They broke it in two different places, so he will be forever, forever paralyzed." Another man also was injured. Bikers chased after the SUV, then beat the driver, police said. A portion of the Sunday altercation, captured on a helmet-mounted camera worn by another rider, was posted online anonymously. Since then, Dayana Mieses said, the bikers have been portrayed as villains who ambushed an innocent man driving his family. But she said her husband is the victim. "Everyone wants to blame the bikers for something this man did," she said. Edwin Mieses, known as Jay Meezee, is an aspiring rapper from outside Boston, and the couple has two children, ages 15 and 9. Dayana Mieses told Boston station WBZ-TV that her husband got off his bike to help another rider who was struck in an initial collision with the SUV. "When all the bikers stopped, my husband got out, parked his bike to walk over to try to help his friend," she said. "He walked over towards the front of the vehicle when, at this point, I don't know what happened: the man was scared, the man just peeled off and ran over my husband." Mieses was part of an unauthorized motorcycle rally. The video shows a large group of bikers clustering around the Range Rover heading north on Manhattan's West Side Highway. One of the bikers then moves into the SUV's lane and rides briefly alongside it, peering in through the driver's side window. It's unclear from the video what the driver might have done to anger the motorcyclist. The biker then cuts in front of the Range Rover and, still staring at the driver, suddenly slows down. It isn't captured on the video, but the motorcycle and SUV bumped, police said. The motorcyclists, 20 to 30 in all, then stop on the highway, blocking the SUV's path. Some dismount and approach the vehicle. Police said some of the bikers then began damaging the Range Rover. The video shows the SUV suddenly accelerating, bouncing over at least one of the motorcycles and its rider as others scramble to get out of the way. The cyclists give chase, pursuing the driver for about 2.5 miles. The bikers succeed in getting the SUV to stop. The chase ended when the SUV exited the highway and got stuck in street traffic. The video shows one biker using his helmet to smash the driver's window. Police said the group then pulled the man from the SUV and beat him, although that part isn't shown on the recording posted online. The police department confirmed that the video circulating online is authentic. The driver of the SUV, Alexian Lien, 33, was taken to a hospital where he needed stitches for his face. His wife and 2-year-old were not injured. He has not been charged. But Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said they were still investigating the incident. "Well, it depends on what the circumstances are," Kelly said. "It depends on whether or not your vehicle is being attacked, whether or not you think you're being attacked, whether or not your wife and child's in the car. You have to look at the totality of the circumstances, and that's what we're doing." On Tuesday, police arrested the biker they say was involved in the initial accident. Christopher Cruz, of Passaic, N.J., was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a child and menacing. Cruz, who was uninjured, was in custody awaiting arraignment Tuesday and hadn't been assigned a lawyer. A second suspect Allen Edwards, 42, of Queens believed to be the man seen on video striking the Range Rover windows with his fists, surrendered to police on Tuesday. He was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and menacing. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. Police are still seeking a biker seen smashing the SUV's window with his helmet. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/02/2018 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. couple Elizabeth Potthast and Andrei Castravet are apparently expecting their first child together!Elizabeth's brother-in-law, Orlando Davis, appeared to accidentally reveal the fifth-season couple has a baby on the way on his morning radio talk show in Florida.Elizabeth's sister Jaylyn Davis is married to Orlando, who hosts Orlando and the Freakshow radio show on WILD 94.1 in Tampa, FL.And on Monday's broadcast of the show, Orlando played a game called "Plead The Fifth" with his co-hosts in which he must answer questions honestly or choose to remain silent.One fan asked Orlando, "Do you like Andrei?"After Orlando let out a laugh, he replied, "Do I like Andrei? Yeah, Andrei is married to my sister-in-law. They were on the show . He's a good guy, he takes care of his wife, they got a baby coming. So yeah, they're doing their thing."Elizabeth and Andrei have yet to announce the alleged pregnancy, so Orlando apparently spilled the beans on their family's secret.Orlando also made the revelation as a quiet, passing comment, seemingly unaware his comment would be huge news and make headlines.Elizabeth's recent pictures on Instagram are only from the chest up, so it's possible she could be trying to hide her baby bump.Elizabeth was 27 and from Tampa, FL, when she met Andrei, a 31-year-old from Chisinau, Moldova, in 2016 while Elizabeth was visiting Dublin, where Andrei lived and worked as a bouncer at the time.The pair fell in love and got engaged that year, but it took time for Elizabeth's family to warm up to Andrei, as they allegedly found him controlling and disapproved of the couple's hasty decision to wed after knowing each other for such a short amount of time.Andrei moved to the United States in September 2017, and then the pair tied the knot in October 2017.Elizabeth and Andrei originally starred on Season 5 of , which aired on TLC in 2017.In addition, the couple also appeared on Season 2 of the : What Now? spinoff that aired earlier this year on TLC. , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Strathmore High School Student Josue Topete (left) received a certificate of recognition from Rogelio Caudillo, district representative from the office of California State Senator Andy Vidak Thursday, Sept. 27 during a PUSD board meeting. The news desk has compiled a list of events going on throughout the upcoming week that are o With fall approaching soon, so comes an abundance of fall festivals. Frankly, it can be overwhelming but there are many other events taking Lino-Raye Saenz, 21, from Waycross, Georgia, watches on as Maggi Reese Hines, 19, from Carrollton, Georgia, and utilizes the new Arctic Coca-Cola machine in Tate Market on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Athens, Georgia. The new machine is supposed to turn an ice-cold Coca-Cola into a slushy in a matter of seconds and was recently installed in Tate Market. (Photo/Gabriella Audi, www.gabbyaudi10.wixsite.com/mysite-1) Former chief justice of Bangladesh Surendra Kumar Sinha, who has sought political asylum in the US, has urged India to support the rule of law and democracy in his country, saying the Indian government should not ignore the will of people by backing the "autocratic" Awami League-led government. Sinha, 67, the first Hindu Chief Justice of Bangladesh, alleged that he was forced to resign because he opposed the "undemocratic" and "authoritarian" regime. The Bangladeshi government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has refuted Sinha's allegations and charged him with corruption. At the launch of his book 'A Broken Dream: Rule of Law, Human Rights and Democracy' here, Sinha told PTI that the Indian government is ignoring the will of the Bangladeshi people by standing solidly behind the Hasina government, which he alleged got itself elected in a "farce election". "If India supports an autocrat and this autocracy, this terrorism (suppression of people's voices) continues, then one day people will revolt," Sinha said. The ruling Awami League has accused him of corruption and misuse of power. Sinha denies those allegations. "India should not encourage a government which is actually an authoritarian. They should not, because the people are hostile against the government. They (the ruling party) can dominate for one term or two terms. But when the time comes, people will revolt, then certainly India will lose ground (in Bangladesh)," Sinha said. He acknowledged that India is concerned about the Muslim fundamentalist groups and leaders in Bangladesh. Responding to the allegations that he is politically motivated, Sinha said he does not have any political ambition. "What I want in Bangladesh is that there should be democracy. There should be rule of law," he said. In his book, Sinha described in detail the circumstances under which he had to leave the country and resign as the Chief Justice of Bangladesh. Responding to a question, Sinha said he reached out to the Modi government and other leaders of the ruling party with his issues of concern. "I went to India and explained to him (Modi) the problems I am facing. I don't know who advised him, he sided with the autocratic government of Bangladesh. In the long-run, India will pay a price for it," Sinha warned. Sinha claimed in his meetings with the Indian leader, including Modi, he explained to them the problems being faced by the minority Hindus in Bangladesh and the frequent demolition of temples in the country. "They think if they back Justice Sinha, they may lose Awami League. But ultimately, India may lose Bangladesh," he said, claiming that the ruling party would be handsomely defeated in the event of a free and fair election. -PTI FAIRFIELD A new face on the towns political scene has found herself thrust onto the national stage, claiming to have incriminating texts regarding Supreme Court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Kerry Berchem was a classmate at Yale of both Kavanaugh and Deborah Ramirez, who has since accused the federal judge of sexually assaulting her at a college party during the academic year of 1983-84. Berchem, 51, has been attempting to contact the FBI to turn over text messages that suggest Kavanaugh, contrary to his testimony before U.S. Senates Judiciary Committee, knew about the allegations prior to their publication in The New Yorker on Sept. 23. The text messages, obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, suggest Kavanaugh and his team were personally talking with former classmates about the allegations in advance of the storys publication. Ramirez has accused the federal judge of waving his penis in her face during a college party. A mutual friend told Berchem that Kavanaugh asked her to go on the record in his defense. On Sept. 22, prior to the New Yorker publishing a story on the alleged assault, an unidentified female texted Berchem saying she had to send information to Bretts team. The photograph to be sent, according to the texts, was also likely to be sent to the New York Times and Ronan Farrow of the New Yorker. A text sent Sept. 23, the same day the New Yorker story was posted but prior to its release, the unidentified female said she had received a call from Bretts guy. A short while later, as rumors percolated that the New Yorker story was imminent, the unidentified female told Berchem, Brett asked me to go on the record and now New Yorker are not answering phones! When reached for comment by Hearst Connecticut Media on Tuesday, Berchem said she was unable to go on the record or comment on the memo she sent to the FBI. According to sources, the FBI has not yet contacted Berchem. With the assistance of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthals office, Berchem submitted her summary to the FBI. Blumenthal sits on the Judiciary Committee, and a spokesman said the summary had been submitted to the committee early Friday. When it became clear the committee did not intend to forward the summary to the FBI, Blumenthals office lent a hand. An elected member of the Fairfield Representative Town Meeting since 2017, Berchem represents the Fairfield University area as the lone Democrat in the four-member District 8. She is a partner with the corporate law firm of Akin Gump. We have a group of outspoken, smart women in our caucus who are supportive of the #MeToo movement, said fellow RTM member Heather Dean, D-3, who isnt surprised by the news of Berchems involvement. Im very glad Rep. Berchem is reaching out to the FBI and I hope they respond and hear her version of events, as well as her impression of Kavanaughs character. Bercham bio M&A and governance lawyer with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Partner Management Committee Member, Chair of Corporate Practice, Founding Member & Chair of Audit Committee Awards: NY Law Journal's "Top Women in Law" 2016; Diversity Journal's "Women Worth Watching" 2014; and Chambers USA: Leading Lawyers, Corporate M&A 2006-2017 Community Service: Operation Hope volunteer; Winton Park Board of Managers 2006-2011; Founding Member of National Charity League, Fairfield Chapter B.A. History, Yale University and J.D. Tulane Law School, Cum Laude Married mother of three children Lifelong ties to Fairfield Information provided by the Fairfield Democrats. See More Collapse First Selectman Mike Tetreau said he didnt know Berchem before she ran for the RTM. Ive been very impressed with her leadership and her willingness to stand up for different positions, regardless of how unpopular they were, he said. Shes appeared to me to be the consummate professional and very fact-based in how she looks at things. Tetreau said Berchem was part of Fairfields blue wave in 2017, that saw more women getting involved in politics and led to Democrats taking the majority on the RTM. Kerry is a well-respected leader in our community, Democratic Town Committee Chairman Steven Sheinberg said. I know her to be nothing but honest and highly principled. In her biography posted when she ran for the RTM, she says she is a mother of three with lifelong roots to Fairfield. greilly@ctpost.com; 203-842-258 (CNN) Los Angeles International Airport, better known as LAX, has announced that it will permit travelers to bring small amounts of legal marijuana through security in their carry-on bags. But wait: That doesn't mean you can toke up at the airport. Pot is legal in several U.S. states, but not on the federal level, so you still need to study up before packing your bags on your way out of LA. In 2016, California passed Proposition 64, aka the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. The passing of this proposition means that as of of January 1, 2018, it is legal in California "for individuals 21 years of age or older to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana for personal consumption." LAX is honoring the same regulations in the airport, allowing travelers over the age of 21 to enter the airport and pass through security with the permitted amounts of marijuana. "The Los Angeles Airport Police Department will allow passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana," reads a statement on LAX's official website, which was posted in September 2018. That said, whether you can get busted for traveling throughout the U.S. with pot depends on where you're going. If you're traveling between two states where the substance is legal, such as California and Vermont, you should be all right upon landing. But if your flight is going from LAX to a place where marijuana isn't legal, it depends on the laws in the state or country where you arrive. You are still subject to local laws wherever you might be going, even if you carry a valid weed prescription for the place where you live. Planes themselves are also subject to federal law, which means you could still face fines or detention for carrying pot, even if Los Angeles police decline to prosecute at minimum, you don't want to miss your flight by getting held up. Pot or no pot, there are some advantages to flying through LAX: You might spot a Kardashian or a Real Housewife in baggage claim. This story was first published on CNN.com "LAX airport to allow marijuana in carry-ons" ANSONIA Students in Emmett OBrien technical high schools physics class recently caught a wave and sailed home with a trophy and blue ribbons. Thats because they participated in UConns 8th annual Cardboard Boat Race, held earlier this month at Avery Point in Groton. This is the second year that students enrolled in Emmetts UConn ECE physics class participated in the event, according to Principal Laurie Lebouthillier. Students under the guidance of their physics and astronomy teacher Paul Garmirian built a full-sized boat out of cardboard and entered it into the competition, which drew students from 25 other high schools across Connecticut. Garmirian said to prepare for the race, a core of Emmetts physics students Danielle Armistead, Mikayla Davis, Matt Hagerty, CQEmaly Pereira and Tim Halmose worked tirelessly on their own time and after school, designing, building and painting to complete this project. Some two weeks after students started construction, the sea-worthy vessel was ready to be christened and was named the HMS LIGO Catch a Wave. Garmirian explained that the name, which won a blue ribbon for best boat name, was named after LIGO (laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory). He said LIGO is a relatively new telescope system in the United States designed to test Albert Einsteins theory on the presence of the phenomena of gravitational waves. So Catch a Wave has the double meaning of both LIGO and the Beach Boys famous song, Garmirian noted. Boat tri-captains Armistead, Davis and Haggerty paddled the HMS LIGO to a first place trophy in their heat and finished third overall in the finals, as they raced against 25 other boats. The success in the water would not have been possible without the very strong support from our boat pit crew that included the strong arms of Jose Aguilar, Tony Diaz, Shakane Cooper, Tim Halmose Dayna Kneissel, Kener Monge, Emaly Pereira, Kayla Targouski and Gabby Januario, said Garmirian. Garmirian added the entire project was student directed and implemented, and the success they enjoyed on race day was entirely attributed to their own hard work and dedication. Students also nabbed a blue ribbon for best spirit. They are great young people, every one of them, Garmirian said. And what is exciting about LIGO is that it has proved, for the first time, that Einsteins 100-year-old theory was correct. Lebouthillier noted that students, in addition to participating in the race, were involved in lectures and discussion groups led by UConn professors. She lauded Garmirian and students on their accomplishments. Paul has been a great mentor and teacher to our students by providing them the opportunity of linking teaching and learning from the classroom to this challenge, Lebouthillier said. It has been a wonderful experience for our students. jean.sos@snet.net. Eight persons arrested in Cambodia last week and accused of smuggling arms are not members of the Khmer National Liberation Front despite government claims, a KNLF leader told RFAs Khmer Service on Tuesday. Speaking to RFA from exile in Denmark, Sam Sereylong wanted by the Cambodian government for operating what it calls a terrorist groupsaid the eight taken into custody in three Cambodian provinces have no connection to his organization. Those people are not members of the KNLF, Serey said, speaking to RFA via Skype. We have no connection with violence. The Cambodian government is making up this plot to defame me and the KNLF because I met with U.N. special rapporteur Rhona Smith last week, he said. On Sept. 26, Special Rapporteur on Cambodia Rhona Smith delivered a report to the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, criticizing recent national elections in Cambodia and calling the Southeast Asian nation a de facto single party state, according to an Oct. 2, 2018 report by the Phnom Penh Post. Her comments drew a sharp rebuke this week from Cambodian government Phay Siphan, who accused Smith of lecturing the Cambodian people and urged her to evaluate Cambodia based on the realities of the countrys political and social situation, the Post said. On Tuesday, Cambodian news outlet FreshNews said that a ninth arrest had been made in the arms smuggling case, with a suspect named Bdin Thorngyialso called Duong, or Krauchtaken into custody in Preah Vihear province. A rifle and a handgun, together with a small quantity of explosives, had also been seized, adding to the 28 AK-47 assault rifles discovered during last weeks arrests, media sources said. Speaking to RFA on Tuesday, Phay Siphan said that his government would have had strong cause to link those arrested to the KNLF before pressing charges against them. Sam Serey should give up looking to the media to defend his group, he said, adding, He is just trying to come up with excuses, but that is useless. The best way for him to deal with this case is to look for a good lawyer, he said. 'Hostile political group' The Cambodian government considers the Khmer National Liberation Front a hostile political group that seeks to topple Hun Sen and the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) government. In 2016, Sam Serey, who received political asylum in Denmark, was sentenced in absentia by a Cambodian court to nine years of imprisonment over alleged attempts to attack the government. Hun Sen has accused Sam Serey of committing treason. According to the Phnom Penh Post, more than 20 affiliates of Sam Serey have been arrested in recent years, but none have ever been found with weapons. On April 10, Hun Sen also accused Sam Serey and several other people including a Buddhist monk of plotting to set a bomb at Wat Phnom and Siem Reap during the Khmer New Year. Hun Sen, however, failed to show any evidence of the plot except a leaked recorded phone conversation with a Buddhist that was published on the government-aligned online newspaper FreshNews of unconfirmed authenticity. Sam Serey denied such accusation during an interview with RFA. The Buddhist monk who was implicated in the audio recording also denied the allegations. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Richard Finney. The recent arrest of a Chinese state TV journalist on suspicion of assault on the fringes of a U.K. political event highlights Beijing's expectation that its journalists act as a "shining sword" for the ruling Chinese Communist Party, analysts said on Tuesday. British police released a journalist with the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV without charge late on Monday after she was accused of slapping a volunteer during a fringe event of the ruling Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. A video of the incident posted by the rights group Hong Kong Watch showed CCTV reporter Kong Linlin hitting the hand of party member and conference volunteer Enoch Lieu as he repeatedly put his hand on her upper arm, prodding her and ordering her to leave. Lieu and Benedict Rogers, who chairs the Conservative Party human rights committee and Hong Kong Watch, which hosted the discussion of human rights and the erosion of freedom of speech in Hong Kong, said Kong had also slapped Lieu in the face before the video began. Kong was then restrained by another volunteer before being arrested on suspicion of assault by Birmingham police, prompting a diplomatic protest from China. She was later released without charge "after diplomatic pressure," CCTV said in a statement. The incident began when Kong stood up towards the end of the panel discussion and shouted at Rogers, who was refused entry to Hong Kong last year, likely at Beijing's behest, calling him a liar for claiming to be "pro-China." "You are a liar. You are anti-China. You want to separate China. And you are not even Chinese. The rest are all traitors!" Kong, who had an accredited press pass for the event, shouted, according to an account posted on the Hong Kong Watch website. A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in London called on the event organizers to apologize to Kong, adding that the Chinese Communist Party strongly objected to the content of the panel, which included pro-democracy politicians Nathan Law, Martin Lee, and Hong Kong University law lecturer Benny Tai, one of the founders of the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement, who has been lambasted by the pro-China press for discussing the concept of independence for the city in public. "The fringe event of the Human Rights Committee of UK Conservative Party during the Party's annual conference boosted the arrogance of the anti-China separatists," the Chinese Embassy spokesman said. "It was a cause for grave concern and strong objection." "China firmly opposes interference in Hong Kong's internal affairs by anyone or any organization in any form," he said. A shining sword CCTV called on the U.K. government "to safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese journalists and ensure that such absurd incidents do not happen again." Political commentators linked the incident to President Xi Jinping's insistence that the state media are an extension of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, sharing its aims and political goals, and acting as its mouthpiece, and that China should act with more "self-confidence" in world affairs. Nathan Law, one of six elected lawmakers stripped of their seats in Hong Kong's Legislative Council after Beijing ruled their oaths of allegiance invalid, said via his Facebook page: "Whenever there are overseas events, the pro-China media have to show up, shout, and crack the whip, which only reveals their ignorance and guilty conscience." Bruce Lui, senior journalism lecturer at Hong Kong's Baptist University, said state media reporters are increasingly using their professional status to promote the views of the Chinese government. "Some mainland Chinese journalists can get very worked up, and they completely espouse the Chinese official view of things," Lui said. "They use the privilege of their press credentials to act on their government's behalf." "This is deeply ingrained, and has a lot to do with [President] Xi Jinping's demand that [the state media act as] a 'shining sword'," he said. Getting into disputes Political commentator Lam Kei said the incident showed that China under Xi Jinping, who was granted an indefinite term as president by the country's rubber-stamp parliament in March, has no intention of returning to the low-key diplomacy of the past. "Faced with a trade war with the United States, far from going back to the ... old diplomatic strategy, the Chinese Communist Party has been getting into disputes left, right, and center lately, and making enemies all over the world," Lam wrote in a commentary for RFA's Cantonese Service. He drew a parallel between the U.K. incident and a diplomatic spat last month in which China accused Swedish police of human rights violations after they ejected three Chinese tourists from a hotel in Stockholm where they had showed up a day before their booking began. "After the [U.K.] incident, not only did the Chinese Communist Party not lay into the reporter's words and actions; it actually piled into the fight on her behalf," Lam wrote. "Clearly, the Chinese government thinks it has too many friends in the world, and not enough enemies." Last month, the U.S. Justice Department demanded that China's official Xinhua News Agency and state-owned international broadcaster CGTN register as foreign agents, which could limit their access in Washington, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and by Bloomberg news agency. Similar measures have already been applied to the U.S. affiliates of Russia's state-run RT television network and its government-controlled Sputnik Radio, after the organizations were accused by U.S.intelligence of being part of a Moscow-led effort to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Xinhua News Agency is directly controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party and answers to the country's cabinet, the State Council, while CGTN is the English-language network of Beijing-based state broadcaster CCTV, under the direct control of the ruling party's Central Propaganda Department. Hong Kong political commentator Liu Ruishao said Kong's actions were "unacceptable in a civilized society." "Regardless of her motivation ... she should express her views in a calm and reasonable manner, not by causing a disturbance," Liu said. "These sorts of actions actually run counter to Beijing's policies." A mixed reaction Reaction to the incident was mixed on China's tightly controlled social media platform, Sina Weibo. "CCTV should recruit heroes like Kong Linlin in the tens of thousands and send them off to the biggest cities in the world, where they can create disturbances and assault staff at events and meetings that go against our views," wrote user Chenggong Shang'an, in an apparently humorous comment to a CCTV post on the story. "That way, the slaps of China could resound all around the world..." But many others responded with support for Kong Linlin's political opposition to the panel discussion, using thumbs-up emoticons and images of the Chinese national flag. Some agreed with her ideas but found her behavior inappropriate. "Politically correct but not done in the right way," commented user Aya Aruba. Others were unhappy that the video and photos of the event showed Kong being manhandled by conference staff. "The foreigner's hand is on the reporter's chest," one complained. "Actually, if it were me, I might hit him," wrote a user called Donuts0retailer-department. "Because if as a lady, I was restrained by a strange man, and he still pointed at me with his finger like that, it would make me feel invaded ...It is very impolite." "That would be enough to make me angry, regardless of the talk about national sovereignty issues." Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Pan Jiaqing for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Officials say at least 13 people are dead and dozens more injured in a suicide attack carried out at an election-campaign rally in eastern Afghanistan. Najibullah Kamawal, head of Nangarhar province's health department, told RFE/RL that 13 people were confirmed to have died in the October 2 attack, while at least 40 others are reported injured. The extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the bombing via its Amaq news agency. Both the Taliban and fighters with the Afghan affiliate of the IS group are active in the province. Attaullah Khoyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, said the attacker targeted a campaign rally held by Nasir Momand, a parliamentary candidate in the Kama district. "Most of the people killed or wounded are elders who had gathered for the campaign rally," Khoyani said. Momand is running as an independent candidate in Afghanistans parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for October 20. It is unclear whether voting will be held in areas controlled by militants. Campaigning began on September 28 for the elections, in which 2,565 candidates are vying for seats in the 249-member lower house of parliament. Five candidates were killed in separate attacks before the campaigning officially started, two in Kabul and one each in Nangarhar, southern Kandahar, and northern Parwan province. Two candidates have been abducted and their fates remain unknown, while three others have been wounded in attacks, according to electoral officials. Security forces killed three bodyguards of an independent candidate during a raid on a house near his home in the eastern Kunar province on September 30. The elections are only for the lower parliament house. The upper chamber consists of a mixture of lawmakers chosen from local councils and those appointed by president Ashraf Ghani, as well as members elected in district ballots. With reporting by AP and Reuters Iran has executed a female victim of domestic and sexual violence who was convicted of killing her husband when she was a minor, according to Amnesty International. The execution of Zeinab Sekaanvand is "profoundly unjust and shows the Iranian authorities' contempt for the right of children to life," the London-based human rights watchdog said on October 2. A statement said the 24-year-old was hanged early in the day in Urumieh central prison in West Azerbaijan province. An ethnic Kurd, Sekaanvand was 15 when she married her husband, according to Amnesty, and she was sentenced to death in October 2014 following a "grossly unfair trial" for allegedly stabbing him to death. Philip Luther, Amnesty International's research and advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa, said she "sought help many times from the authorities about her violent husband and alleged that her brother-in-law had raped her repeatedly." Instead of investigating the allegations, Iranian authorities "consistently ignored her and failed to provide her with any support as a victim of domestic and sexual violence," Luther added. He also called Sekaanvand's execution "a sickening demonstration of the Iranian authorities' disregard for the principles of juvenile justice and international human rights law." A spokeswoman for EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said that death-penalty sentences and executions for crimes committed by persons below the age of 18 are "inconsistent with Iran's international obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child." Maja Kocijancic also noted that Sekaanvand was "a child bride and reportedly a domestic abuse victim" who "maintained her innocence and...retracted her confession, claiming that it had been the result of torture." Amnesty International urged Iran to establish a moratorium on executions, commute all death sentences, and prohibit the use of the death penalty against people below the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Iran is one of the world's leading executioners. Amnesty International said in April that 507 people were executed in the country last year, including at least five juvenile offenders. With reporting by Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels FEODOSIA, Ukraine -- The print run of a Crimean newspaper that ran an article about a villa allegedly belonging to Russian state media boss Dmitry Kiselyov has been withdrawn, the article's author says. Vladimir Mazurin told RFE/RL on October 1 that the September 30 issue of Gorod 24, a paper published in the city of Feodosia on the Russian-controlled peninsula, was withdrawn and the online version of the article altered. Mazurin, who said he was a contractor involved in construction of the villa in 2016, said the article he wrote for Gorod 24 did not name its owner or give the address, instead focusing on his concern that it was built in an unstable site on the sandy Black Sea shore in the town of Koktebel. But Russian radio station Govorit Moskva quoted Kiselyov, director of the government-controlled media conglomerate Rossia Segodnya, as saying that he filed a lawsuit against Mazurin. It quoted Kiseyov, who is also a prominent presenter of a weekly news show on state TV, as calling Mazurin "a swindler who is extorting money." Kiselyov is among some 150 Russians and others who have been hit with sanctions by the European Union over Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and its actions in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow fomented separatism and supports separatists whose war against Kyiv's forces has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. Mazurin said the newspaper's editor, Yelena Voitova, had been fired over the article he wrote, but that could not immediately be confirmed. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A prisoner released from a Russian penal colony has described conditions of slavery and torture. Video of him being beaten by guards went viral and triggered investigations and widespread criticism of prisons in the country. Verdicts in the trial of the former Almaty Mayor Viktor Khrapunov and his relatives and former associates will be pronounced next week, a court said on October 2. Judge Qasym Qalmaghambetov set October 8 as the date for verdicts to be pronounced in the high-profile case. Khrapunov and his wife, Leila Kharpunova, who are living in Switzerland, are being tried in absentia on charges of fraud, creating and running an organized-crime group, money laundering, abuse of office, and embezzlement. Their relative Ayar Ilyasov is also being tried in absentia on the same charges. Nine other defendants, most of them former subordinates of Khrapunov, pleaded guilty at the trial. Last week prosecutors asked the court to convict and sentence Khrapunov to 20 years, his wife to 17 years, and Ilyasov to 8 years in prison. Khrapunov was mayor of Almaty, Kazakhstan's biggest city, between 1997 and 2004. He was later appointed governor of the East Kazakhstan region, but was dismissed from that post in 2007 and served for a short time as emergency situations minister. Khrapunov and his family moved to Switzerland in 2007 in the wake of a scandal surrounding parcels of land that he was accused of distributing illegally during his tenure as mayor. Khrapunov has rejected the charges against him and his wife, saying they are politically motivated. Khrapunov's stepson, Ilyas Khrapunov, is married to a daughter of fugitive Kazakh tycoon Mukhtar Ablyazov, a critic of President Nursultan Nazarbaev. Ablyazov has been living in self-imposed exile in Europe since 2009. Ablyazov was tried in absentia in Almaty in June 2017 and sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of organizing and leading a criminal group, abuse of office, embezzlement, and financial mismanagement. Ablyazov has also maintained his innocence, calling his trial politically motivated. Rights activists and critics say the long-ruling Nazarbaev has persistently suppressed dissent, prolonged his time in office through undemocratic votes, and used the levers of power to neutralize potential opponents. With reporting by Tengrinews and KazTAG France says it has frozen the assets of Iran's Ministry of Security and Intelligence, as well as of two Iranian men thought to be members of the country's intelligence service, in a sign of deteriorating relations between the two countries. The French government made the announcement in its official gazette on October 2, identifying one of the men as Assadollah Assadi, the same name as an Iranian diplomat who has been arrested over an alleged plot to bomb an Iranian opposition group in France in June. The asset freeze also applied to Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, said to be the deputy minister and director-general of intelligence, and to the internal security directorate of the Intelligence Ministry. "An attempted attack in Villepinte was foiled on June 30. An incident of such gravity on our national territory could not go unpunished," said a joint statement by the Foreign, Interior, and Economy ministries. Worsening relations between Paris and Tehran come as the Iranians are trying to maintain ties with Europe after the United States pulled out of a nuclear accord that curtailed Iran's nuclear ambitions in exchange for lifting economic sanctions. France has been one of the staunchest advocates of salvaging the 2015 deal. A German court said on October 1 it had approved Assadi's extradition to Belgium, where he is accused of masterminding the plot. Assadi was accredited as a counsellor at the Iranian Embassy in Vienna before his July detention in Germany. Iran has denied the existence of any such plot, with Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi saying the allegations were "aimed at damaging EU-Iran relations." "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest and call for his immediate release," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in an October 2 statement. France gave no details of which assets are involved in the freeze, describing its measures as "targeted and proportionate." It added that the government had acted against the "instigators, authors, and accomplices" of the foiled attack. "Behind all this was a long, meticulous, and detailed investigation by our [intelligence] services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the Intelligence Ministry," the Reuters news agency quoted an unidentified French diplomatic source as saying. The source added that Moghadam had ordered the attack. On June 30, Iranian opposition supporters gathered in Villepinte for a rally of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), a Paris-based umbrella bloc of opposition groups that back the overthrow of Iran's clerical leadership. That day in Brussels, law enforcement authorities apprehended two Belgian nationals of Iranian origin -- a husband and wife -- with 500 grams of explosive and a detonation device found in their car. Meanwhile, French police detained an alleged accomplice of the pair in Paris. He was also described as a Belgian national of Iranian descent. Assadi was taken into custody in Bavaria on July 1 on a European arrest warrant. German prosecutors allege that he is an intelligence agent who met in late June with the husband-and-wife team in Luxembourg, where he handed the couple the explosives. With reporting by Reuters and AFP TBILISI -- A lawyer for Vano Merabishvili, Georgia's jailed former prime minister and interior minister, says he has been transferred from prison to a civilian clinic due to health problems. Stefane Tumanishvili said on October 2 that Merabishvili, who was sentenced in 2016 to 61/ 2 years in prison on charges of ordering the beating of Georgian lawmaker Valery Gelashvili, has been in and out of civilian clinics several times over the last two months for unspecified health problems. Merabishvili was interior minister in 2005 when Gelashvili was assaulted. He and his supporters have rejected the charges, calling them politically motivated. Merabishvili is a close ally of Georgia's former President Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili, who is currently residing in the Netherlands, was investigated separately in Gelashvili's case and sentenced in absentia to six years in prison in June after a court in Tbilisi found him guilty of abuse of power. Earlier in January, Saakashvili was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison after being convicted of trying to cover up evidence about the killing of a Georgian banker. He has rejected those charges as well, also calling them politically motivated. Saakashvili was president of Georgia from 2004 to 2013. Saakashvili lost his Georgian citizenship in 2015 when he accepted Ukrainian citizenship and took the post of governor in Ukraine's Odesa region. He resigned that position in November 2016, complaining of rampant corruption, and has since become an ardent opponent of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. After beginning an opposition campaign to Poroshenko, Saakashvili was detained at a Kyiv restaurant in February and taken to the airport and flown to Poland, the country from which he returned to Ukraine in September 2017 after eluding a border blockade. Georgian authorities have said they will seek Saakashvili's extradition. With reporting by Interpressnews Tens of thousands of people have gathered outside Armenia's parliament building in Yerevan to protest against a bill that would make it more difficult for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian to disband the legislature and call new elections. The parliament earlier on October 2 passed the bill with the backing of lawmakers from the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), which holds the largest number of seats in the legislature. The proposed legislation was also supported by the Tsarukian Alliance, which is mostly composed of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun). Following the vote, Pashinian signed decrees firing six BHK and Dashnaktsutyun members from their ministerial posts. He also called on his supporters to protest against the adoption of the bill, and thousands quickly gathered outside the building of the National Assembly. Addressing the rally, Pashinian urged President Armen Sarkisian not to sign the "counterrevolutionary" bill into law. "They have waged a war against their people," he said, calling on his supporters to remain peaceful and not to prevent lawmakers from leaving the parliament compound. The prime minister said he wanted elections to be held in the first half of December, adding that the composition of parliament did not reflect the country's political reality. He later entered the building for talks with his political opponents. WATCH: Live broadcast by RFE/RL's Armenian Service: Meanwhile, Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK spokesman and a deputy parliament speaker, insisted that the bill was not aimed at preventing early elections, but meant to protect lawmakers against outside "pressures." Speaking to reporters, Sharmazanov also accused Pashinian of interfering in the work of the legislature. An opposition lawmaker, Pashinian took office in May after spearheading weeks of protests that forced the resignation of his predecessor. He has pushed for early elections following his bloc's landslide victory in the mayoral race in Yerevan last month in a bid to unseat his political opponents, who have maintained a majority in parliament. Snap general elections can be called in the South Caucasus country if lawmakers fail twice to choose a new prime minister and the legislature is dissolved. Pashinian has said he was ready to resign to trigger this procedure and parliamentary elections could be held. A photograph on display at a Russian military academy is adding to the growing evidence identifying a Russian military intelligence officer who was allegedly involved in the poisoning of a former double agent in England. The photo, highlighted in an October 2 report published jointly by RFE/RL's Russian Service and the open-source investigative website Bellingcat, builds on other recent reports that have used data from passport registries, online photographs, and military records to focus on a Russian man identified by British authorities as Ruslan Boshirov. British authorities say that Boshirov and another man identified as Aleksandr Petrov were behind the March poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in the English town of Salisbury in March. The Skripals survived the poisoning, which used a Soviet-made military nerve agent known as Novichok. Days after being publicly identified, the two Russians went on state-controlled TV channel RT and claimed they were merely tourists. The Kremlin has strenuously denied any involvement in the poisoning, which prompted London, Washington, and other Western allies to expel dozens of Russian diplomats. Passport information and other data compiled by Bellingcat, however, revealed that the two suspects had links to Russian military intelligence, known as the GRU. Later research pinpointed Boshirov's alleged true identity as Anatoly Chepiga, who graduated from the Far Eastern Military Academy and received a medal -- the Hero of the Russia Federation -- in 2014, and holds the rank of colonel in the GRU. Several people from Chepiga's hometown also corroborated his identity to Russian and Western media, and confirmed he had been awarded a medal. Using social-media postings, RFE/RL's Russian Service, along with Bellingcat, discovered a wall of photos at the military academy honoring famous graduates. One of the photos, posted between July 2014 and March 2016, is identified as Chepiga. The photo shows a man resembling the man identified as Boshirov on the RT interview. Bellingcat also obtained a higher-resolution version of the Chepiga photograph on the wall, showing a close resemblance to the man who was interviewed on RT. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has asserted that the allegations about Chepiga and the other man are part of an "information campaign" aimed at Russia. In June, two other British citizens were also exposed to the nerve agent, apparently by accident; one of them, Dawn Sturgess, died. With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service and Bellingcat The head of Russia's space agency has suggested that the tiny hole discovered in the International Space Station (ISS) was made deliberately, citing an expert commission investigating the issue. Dmitry Rogozin's remarks, made in an interview broadcast on October 1, deepened the mystery behind the hole that caused a small, brief drop in oxygen levels in the orbiting station in late August. With space exploration being one of the few remaining areas where Moscow and Washington continue to cooperate, Russian and U.S. officials have sought to downplay any suspicions about the ISS incident. However, at least one Russian newspaper quoted anonymous Russian officials as suggesting an American astronaut was to blame. Rogozin, who heads the Russian space agency Roskosmos, said in an interview on state-run television that an expert commission had wrapped up its initial findings. "The first commission has already concluded its work. It has factually reached the conclusion that rules out any manufacturing defect, which is important for finding out the truth," he said. "The version that now remains is it was a deliberate act, and a second commission will determine where this occurred," Rogozin added. NASA officials have said they are waiting for a final report from their Russian counterparts before making any conclusions. Last month, the current ISS commander, American Drew Feustel, pointedly pushed back against the insinuation that any of the crew was responsible. In his interview, Rogozin also said there were problems in the relationship between Roskosmos and NASA -- something he blamed on anti-Russian sentiment. "Problems with NASA, of course, have appeared, but not through the fault of NASA, but through the fault of those American circles outside of NASA," he said. Rogozin said people he knows at the U.S. space agency had told him they are under pressure from what he called "rabid Russophobes." The Roskosmos chief asserted that if U.S.-Russian cooperation ended, it would be problematic for NASA. Following the grounding of the U.S. space-shuttle fleet, Russian rockets became the only way to get equipment and personnel to the ISS. On other issues, Rogozin said Roskosmos was exploring building a joint research station on the Moon with China. With reporting by TASS The Russian Embassy in London is objecting to Britain's reported plans to boost its military presence in the Arctic next year to counter what London has called increasing Russian aggression. The objections were raised on October 1 after British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson told The Sunday Telegraph that the government is preparing a "defense Arctic strategy" that would deploy 800 army and marine commandos to Norway in 2019 and establish a new military base there. The newspaper said Britain's actions come amid signs that Russia is expanding its military and industrial presence in the Arctic, in particular to exploit the region's large untapped reserves of oil as climate change melts polar ice and makes navigation and habitation in the region more feasible. "We see Russian submarine activity very close to the level that it was at the Cold War, and it's right that we start responding to that," Williamson told the newspaper. Williamson separately at a ruling party conference on September 30 called Russia "one of the greatest threats we face today," and said: "We will not let the Kremlin rewrite the outcome of the Cold War." Williamson's remarks prompted a warning from the Russian Embassy against posting troops in the Arctic. "We call on British authorities, who have recently been actively promoting the concept of Global Britain, to pursue their ambitions in other fields," the embassy's press secretary said in a statement quoted by the Russian state-run news agency TASS. "The unjustified British plans to build up its military presence in close proximity to Russia's borders will only result in creating unnecessary tensions," he said. "Russia and other Arctic countries consider this region to be a space for constructive cooperation... There is no potential for conflict, nor should there be." Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and TASS MOSCOW -- It brought Russia to the brink of civil war and resulted in the worst street violence in Moscow since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution. Twenty-five years ago, on October 4, 1993, months of political conflict climaxed when President Boris Yeltsin ordered the army to shell and storm the country's legislature. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the country had been riven by a fundamental conflict between the leftists in parliament and the right-centrist, free-market reformers in Yeltsins government. The much-amended and fatally outdated 1978 Soviet Constitution offered no way out of the mounting standoff. Yeltsin ordered the disbanding of the parliament, the Supreme Soviet, on September 21 and called for new elections. But under the leadership of Yeltsin's chief rivals, Supreme Soviet speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov and Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi, rebel lawmakers barricaded themselves in Moscow's White House -- the building housing parliament -- and voted to impeach the president over what they regarded as an illegal order. The country fell into a dangerous dual-power situation. Yeltsin responded by isolating the building, surrounding it with police and cutting off electricity, telephones, and water. When Khasbulatov and Rutskoi incited armed gangs of anti-Yeltsin protesters to attack the Ostankino television studio, the nerve center of Russia's broadcast media, and the Moscow mayor's office, Yeltsin declared a state of emergency and ordered a military assault on the Supreme Soviet. RFE/RL takes a look at some of the key players in these events, which in many ways set the stage for the course Russia took over the next two decades. The President: Boris Yeltsin He was the unlikely hero of Russia's perestroika-era democratic movement. In the late 1980s, Boris Yeltsin transformed himself from regional Communist Party boss to populist firebrand. This metamorphosis climaxed with the iconic image of Yeltsin standing on a tank and facing down a hard-line coup in front of the Moscow White House in August 1991 -- which precipitated the breakup of the Soviet Union and catapulted Yeltsin into the Kremlin. But by the spring of 1993, the luster of those heady days was wearing thin. Russia's post-Soviet economy was mired in crisis as Yeltsin's market reforms, known as shock therapy, were increasingly unpopular. Throughout the second half of 1992, the legislature refused to confirm economist Yegor Gaidar as Yeltins choice for prime minister. In a compromise move, Yeltsin nominated former Gazprom head Viktor Chernomyrdin instead and he was confirmed in December 1992. Yeltsin performed well in an April 1993 referendum on his rule. But as the summer wore on, he found himself increasingly in conflict with the Supreme Soviet, its speaker, Ruslan Khasbulatov, and his own vice president, Aleksandr Rutskoi. With gridlock and confrontation paralyzing the country, Yeltsin on September 21, 1993, signed Decree No. 1400, which dissolved the legislature and set elections for a new bicameral parliament for December. Yeltsins move contravened several articles of the Soviet-era constitution then in effect, which Yeltsin and his supporters had long argued was so hopelessly outdated and extensively amended that the new country desperately needed a new one. Yeltsin based his decree on the fact that nearly two-thirds of Russians in the April referendum had voted in favor of immediate parliamentary elections. The president claimed the move was necessary to carry out needed economic reforms, establish a market economy, and prevent a return to the Soviet past. When legislators barricaded themselves in the Moscow White House and impeached Yeltsin, he ignored them and cut off electricity, phone service, and hot water to the building. Clashes broke out between police and anti-Yeltsin protesters, who set up barricades in the capital. When demonstrators attacked the Ostankino TV tower and the Moscow mayor's office, Yeltsin ordered the Interior Ministry to declare a state of emergency. And in the early hours of October 4, Yeltsin reportedly ordered Defense Minister Pavel Grachev to have his troops shell and storm the White House. By midday, troops loyal to Yeltsin had managed to secure the building and arrest the rebel lawmakers. Three months later, a new constitution was approved in a national referendum, giving the president enormous powers that the office maintains to this day. Yeltsin won a second term as president in a controversial election in 1996. His health had deteriorated, and the Kremlin became embroiled in a series of corruption scandals. Yeltsin unexpectedly resigned on New Year's Eve 1999, turning power over to his prime minister and chosen successor, former KGB officer Vladimir Putin, who has since used the powers of the presidency to steer Russia in a more authoritarian direction. Yeltsin died in 2007. Sergei Filatov, the president's chief of staff in October 2003, reflected on the crisis in a 2013 interview with RFE/RL's Russian Service: "Most important, of course, is in that fight with the opposition all contact was lost between the president and the parliament. Confidence between each other was completely lost. And most importantly, there was strong interference in the efforts to carry out economic reforms. "It wasn't just Yeltsin who had the sickness. We all had that Soviet, imperial mentality, where strength will always better solve the problem as opposed to negotiations and compromise. It was a sickness of Yeltsin, it was a sickness of [former Soviet leader Mikhail] Gorbachev -- it was a sickness we all had. It wasn't an accident that we always supported the forceful option in solving this or that issue, which means that we didn't grow up to the level of ability to solve issues by peaceful means. "We survived that time and we should have learned something from it, but unfortunately, we didn't learn anything. For the last 20 years, we've acted with the same methods -- without agreement, attention, or understanding of public opinion and all actions are used by the authorities, which constitutionally can use their power to preserve a normal state for society. But it's not always good. If we're headed to a democratic society, we need to change our methods of managing the country and the methods of interaction with elements of power." The Speaker: Ruslan Khasbulatov An economist of Chechen origin, Khasbulatov was a close ally of Yeltsin's in the waning days of the Soviet Union. He was elected to Soviet Russia's Congress of People's Deputies in 1990 and backed Yeltsin in his resistance to the failed hard-line coup in August 1991. After the Soviet breakup, Khasbulatov was elected speaker of the Supreme Soviet, where he quickly consolidated power. He also began to fall out with Yeltsin over policy differences, most notably Yeltsin's pursuit of so-called shock therapy to establish a market economy. This quickly escalated into a bitter power struggle between the two men and their supporters. In September 1993, Khasbulatov publicly denounced the president as an alcoholic and called for his resignation. After Yeltsin's decree to dissolve the legislature, Khasbulatov gathered rebel lawmakers in the White House, where they voted to impeach Yeltsin and install Vice President Aleksandr Rutskoi as president. Addressing supporters from the balcony of the White House, Khasbulatov urged them to storm the Kremlin and imprison "the criminal usurper Yeltsin." After the storming and shelling of the White House on October 4, Khasbulatov was arrested. In 1994, the newly elected parliament, the State Duma, amnestied him and other leaders of the anti-Yeltsin resistance. He has left politics and teaches economics at the Plekhanov Russian Academy of Economics in Moscow. Speaking to RFE/RL's Russian Service in 2013, Khasbulatov indicated that he believed his position in the fall of 1993 had been vindicated by subsequent events: "An unconstitutional, criminal decree was issued on September 21. But before that, the executive branch had devised a plot to overthrow the existing political system. On September 21, they began implementing that plot through a military coup. "The only option we had left was to launch an impeachment procedure, in accordance with the constitution, and to submit both the presidential decree and our decision for consideration by the Constitutional Court. Need I remind you what the Constitutional Court decided? The Constitutional Court, under the leadership of Valery Zorkin, who is still the court's chairman, ruled that Yeltsin's decree was illegal and that parliament had the right to impeach him. "Yeltsin and his entourage committed a grave crime against the state. This should be the subject of a new parliamentary investigation. We need a new commission to investigate it, without any haste, and bring this issue to a close. "Yeltsin received support when he shelled the parliament, but do you see what kind of constitution we have now? It's not just a constitution, it's a super-constitution. Nobody has any power in our country except the president. You can't even sneeze without his permission. And that is a direct consequence of what happened back then." The Vice President: Aleksandr Rutskoi A decorated Afghan war veteran, Yeltsin chose Rutskoi as his running mate in 1991 when he successfully ran for president of the Soviet Union's Russian republic. Like Khasbulatov, he was on Yeltsin's side during the failed August 1991 coup. And like Khasbulatov, he fell out with Yeltsin and his team after the Soviet collapse. He was particularly critical of the team of young economists, including Yegor Gaidar and Anatoly Chubais, whom Yeltsin tapped to spearhead his economic reforms. Beginning in late 1992, Rutskoi began accusing Yeltsin and his entourage of corruption. As head of a state anticorruption council, Rutskoi famously claimed to have "suitcases of kompromat," or incriminating materials, on them. In September 1993, after Yeltsin evicted Rutskoi from his Kremlin office and had the door sealed, Khasbulatov gave him space in the parliament building. After Yeltsin dissolved parliament and the rebel lawmakers voted to impeach him, Rutskoi was sworn in as "acting president." Speaking with Khasbulatov from the balcony of the White House on October 3, Rutskoi called on protesters in Moscow to storm the Ostankino TV station and the mayor's office, setting off the chain of events that led to the shelling of the White House. Rutskoi was arrested together with Khasbulatov and other leaders of the rebellion and charged with inciting mass disturbances. He was freed in an amnesty the following year. Rutskoi formed a nationalist political party, Derzhava, and in 1996 was elected governor of Kursk Oblast, serving until 2000. He has since left public life. He spoke to RFE/RL's Russian Service in 2013: "For 18 years we've been given a series of lies about the events of 1993. But in the past two years, the seeds of truth have begun to sprout. I strongly support this for two reasons: not to settle scores with anyone, but to let people know the truth about these tragic events so they're never repeated. Because it's a fratricidal war. "This is purely a principled position: so no one would ever think and no one would ever say that I cast aside Yeltsin from his chair and rushed to power. I wanted just one thing: that economic reforms were not in the interests of a list in Forbes [magazine] but in the interest of the population. Tragically, I was right -- this was the consequence of the privatization: The impoverishment of the population was total -- we lost our industrial, agricultural, and military capacities. "When it's said that there was a constitutional crisis, there was no such thing. All Yeltsin's legislative initiatives were, in accordance with the constitution, introduced and decided on in the Congress of People's Deputies." The Would-Be Prime Minister: Yegor Gaidar In June 1992, Yeltsin named 36-year-old liberal economist Yegor Gaidar as prime minister. He advocated a radical and painful program of rapid economic liberalization known as shock therapy that polarized the country. The legislature repeatedly refused to confirm him as prime minister over the summer of 1992, producing the most visible symbol of the split between the two branches of government. In December 1992, as part of a bid to reach a compromise with the Supreme Soviet, Yeltsin nominated former Gazprom head Viktor Chernomyrdin as premier and he was confirmed. Gaidar continued as a leading economic adviser to the government. In September 1993, in what was seen as a deliberate snub of the legislature, Gaidar was appointed first deputy prime minister overseeing economic policy. On October 3, shortly after Khasbulatov and Rutskoi called on their supporters to storm Ostankino and the mayors office in the capital, Gaidar appeared on TV, speaking from a remote studio because of the heavy fighting outside Ostankino, and urged ordinary citizens to come out into the streets and support Russias reforms despite the presence of numerous snipers across the capital. He said that if Khasbulatov and Rutskoi prevailed, Russia would be turned into an enormous concentration camp for decades. In the December 1993 Duma elections, Gaidar headed the progovernment Russias Choice party. In a time when government-allied parties in Russia could still lose elections, Russias Choice polled just 15.51 percent, losing to nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovskys Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and barely beating Gennady Zyuganovs Communist Party. Gaidar resigned from government in 1994 and returned to academic life. He remains widely reviled among the Russian public. He died in 2009 at the age of 53. Vladimir Putin, who was prime minister at the time, described Gaidar as a genuine citizen and patriot. He didnt dodge responsibility and took his blows in the most challenging of situations with honor and courage, Putin said. The Radical: Viktor Anpilov Viktor Anpilov was a hard-line communist member of the Supreme Soviet and one of the most radical and outspoken opponents of Yeltsin and his economic reforms. He maintained ties with the radical, anti-Semitic Pamyat movement and openly called himself a Stalinist. He organized numerous mass demonstrations against Yeltsin in the 1991-93 period. On October 3, Anpilov led his supporters to a mass demonstration outside the besieged parliament building. About 2,000 supporters showed up and broke through the barricades and into the area around the White House. There they joined forces with armed supporters of parliament inside and launched the assault on the mayors office and Ostankino. Anpilov was arrested with the other leaders of the uprising on October 7 and was pardoned by the Duma in February 1994. He continued to participate in radical leftist politics until his death in January 2018 at the age of 72. The Defense Minister: Pavel Grachev As Yeltsin's standoff against Khasbulatov and Rutskoi careened toward violence, the role of the army became increasingly vital. As a career soldier, Defense Minister Pavel Grachev rose through the military ranks and became head of the Soviet paratroopers in 1990. He backed Yeltsin during the thwarted hard-line coup of August 1991 and, according to some press reports, even warned him of the plot ahead of time. And Yeltsin rewarded him handsomely. After the Soviet breakup, Grachev enjoyed a meteoric rise, becoming defense minister in May 1992. As the constitutional crisis of 1993 unfolded, Grachev again demonstrated his loyalty to Yeltsin, ordering his troops to shell and storm the White House. Footage taken at the time showed Grachev praising his troops for saving Russia from a civil war. Just weeks after the storming of the White House, Grachev was made a member of Yeltsin's powerful Security Council and decorated for "personal courage." But in the coming years he would be dogged by allegations of corruption, earning the moniker "Pasha Mercedes." Grachev's reputation additionally suffered when Dmitry Kholodov, a 27-year-old journalist at the daily Moskovsky Komsomolets, was killed by a booby-trapped briefcase after publishing a series of articles on corruption in the Defense Ministry. In the halls of power, Grachev also became part of the so-called party of war, a group of advisers -- including presidential security chief Aleksandr Korzhakov, Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Mikhail Barsukov, and First Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Soskovets -- who reportedly persuaded Yeltsin to launch his disastrous military campaign in breakaway Chechnya in 1994. Grachev was fired in July 1996, shortly after Yeltsin won a second term in the Kremlin, in a move seen at the time as a purge of Kremlin hard-liners. He worked as an adviser to Russia's state arms exporter until 2007. Grachev died in September 2012 at the age of 64. The Interior Minister: Viktor Yerin Just as with the army, the role of the police and Interior Ministry forces was central to how Yeltsin's conflict with the parliament played out. Interior Minister Viktor Yerin was a career police officer, a veteran of the Afghan war, and a Yeltsin loyalist. On October 1, in the midst of the standoff, Yeltsin promoted him to the rank of general and, afterward, awarded him with the title "Hero of the Russian Federation." Yerin was forced to resign as interior minister in June 1995 after a failed attempt to rescue hostages taken by Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev in Budyonnovsk, in southern Russia. He served as deputy head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) until 2000 and then faded from public life. He died in March 2008 at the age of 64. The Bodyguard: Aleksandr Korzhakov Aleksandr Korzhakov was Yeltsin's chief bodyguard, confidant, and reportedly, his drinking buddy. A career KGB man, Korzhakov hailed from the security agency's 9th Division, which was tasked with guarding high officials. In the 1980s, he was assigned to Yeltsin when the future president was a rising party star who had just been named first secretary of the Moscow Communist Party, essentially the capital's mayor. When Yeltsin was removed from office after criticizing the slow pace of Gorbachev's reforms, Korzhakov stuck with him. And as Yeltsin ascended in the perestroika-era democratic movement, Korzhakov was by his side. When Yeltsin got to the Kremlin, Korzhakov became head of the powerful Presidential Guard Service, wielding enormous behind-the-scenes influence. Some observers say it was Korzhakov who ultimately convinced Yeltsin to shell and storm the White House. After the crisis of October 1993, Korzhakov's influence grew. Together with Grachev, he reportedly persuaded Yeltsin to send troops to breakaway Chechnya in 1994. Korzhakov was fired in July 1996. In 1997, he published a memoir of his Kremlin years, titled Boris Yeltsin: From Dusk Till Dawn, in which he lambasted Yeltsin's entourage. He wrote that Yeltsin, before the October 1993 events, ordered him to prepare a plan to arrest all the members of the Supreme Soviet if they passed an impeachment resolution against the president. He also wrote that Yeltsin had looked into the possibility of using chemicals to smoke out the deputies who were barricaded in the White House. He served as a deputy in the State Duma as an independent representative from Tula from 1997 to 2011. Khorzhakov is currently retired and reportedly working on another volume of memoirs. The American: Terry Duncan Terry Duncan, known by his middle name Mike, was an American lawyer who went out to the Ostankino firefight out of curiosity. When fighting broke out and snipers began shooting into the crowd and at journalists, Duncan, 26, began helping wounded victims. He went back and forth several times, checking on people to see if they were OK, said Otto Pohl, a New York Times photographer who was shot that day and was one of the people assisted by Duncan. Duncan was eventually shot in the head and killed during the firefight. He had been in Moscow just a few months, working to set up a new law firm with a partner, Jamison Firestone. The firm they created, Firestone Duncan, later had another brush with tragedy in Russia. It was the firm that hired Russian lawyer and auditor Sergei Magnitsky, who died in Russian custody in November 2009, sparking a massive international campaign against human rights abuses in Putins Russia. A previous version of this story was published on October 3, 2013. Interviews conducted by Mikhail Sokolov and Anastasia Kirilenko from RFE/RL's Russian Service in Moscow. Compiled by Tom Balmforth in Moscow and Robert Coalson and Glenn Kates in Prague. YAROSLAVL, Russia -- A Russian man whose videotaped abuse by prison guards caused a public outcry has been released, but says he is traumatized and "damaged" after seven years confined to what he called a "slave state" behind bars. Yevgeny Makarov, who was sentenced to six years and 10 months for robbery and battery in 2011, left Corrective Colony No. 8 in the city of Yaroslavl on October 2. The slight 25-year-old's ordeal was put in the spotlight when independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta published video footage showing more than a dozen guards at another prison in Yaroslavl beating Makarov for a long period of time as he lay prone on a table. Human rights groups said it was torture, and the chilling footage prompted UN rights experts to urge the Russian authorities to prosecute reported cases of torture -- including beatings, electric shocks, and suffocation -- in holding cells, jails, and prisons. Speaking to journalists who met him at the gates of the prison in the city northeast of Moscow, Makarov said he was now free after years in "slavery." The Russian prison service "has created a little slave state of its own.... The law is not being implemented at all there," Makarov said. Prison authorities "give people no freedom and are constantly bullying" prisoners, he said. Makarov told RFE/RL that after the video of his beating became public, he was placed in solitary confinement for more than 80 days and was threatened by prison guards. Amid a public outcry over the video, local authorities launched an investigation and arrested 12 guards at Yaroslavl's Corrective Colony No. 1. The Federal Penitentiary Service then announced that it would investigate all complaints of violence by authorities at prisons across Russia from 2017, when Novaya Gazeta said Makarov's beating most likely took place. "All those 80 days [in solitary confinement] and all those events that happened to me certainly traumatized me. My psychological state is of course damaged," Makarov told RFE/RL. Prison authorities "did not like the fact that their employees were under arrest. They simply did not expect that. And they tried to befoul me by any means possible, to irritate me with words and provocative phrases," Makarov said. There were even such provocations when they...put my Bible on top of my underwear, hoping I would get mad so that they could film me on their camera upset and using vulgar words. They fully understood that this kind of thing would easily drive me crazy," he said. "They did not allow me to keep my socks in the cell after I washed them," Makarov added. "They took them from my cell wet and kept them somewhere rotting wet and a week later they were returning my socks to me still wet and moldy... They were violating my rights even in these minor things. They gave me dry tea and did not give me boiled water." The Russian military has lost 112 personnel in the Syrian civil war over the past three years, according to a senior lawmaker who heads a defense committee in Russia's parliament. Nearly half of the total were killed in two incidents: 15 personnel died when a reconnaissance plane was shot down last month and 39 died in a transport plane crash earlier this year, the lawmaker said on September 30, according to Russian news agencies. "Currently the losses of our armed forces in Syria have amounted to 112 people, almost half of which were claimed by the An-26 [transport plane] catastrophe and the downed Il-20," Viktor Bondarev, the former commander of Russian Aerospace Forces and chairman of the Defense and Security Committee in the Federation Council, was quoted as saying. Despite the growing death toll, Bondarev claimed it compares favorably with the thousands of Russians killed during its 1980s war in Afghanistan and with the thousands of Americans killed after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Regarding equipment, Russia has lost a total of eight planes, seven helicopters, and one or two armored vehicles, Bondarev was quoted as saying. Also fighting in Syria are an unknown number of Russians who are not directly employed by the state but who play a role in supporting Syrian government forces. An independent monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, reported earlier this year that dozens of personnel from a Russian security contractor were killed amid coalition air strikes in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. Based on reporting by dpa, TASS, and Interfax A U.S. diplomat who warned that the United States might try to "take out" a missile Washington says Russia is developing in violation of a major treaty has clarified her comments, saying she was not referring to a preemptive strike. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on October 2, Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison called on Russia to halt development of the 9M729, which the United States says is a violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. "It is time now for Russia to come to the table and stop the violations," Hutchison said on the eve of a meeting between Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his NATO counterparts. If the system "became capable of delivering," she said, the United States "would then be looking at the capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America." Hutchison, who made the statement on the eve of a meeting between Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his NATO counterparts, later clarified in a tweet she was "not talking about preemptively striking Russia." "My point: Russia needs to return to INF Treaty compliance or we will need to match its capabilities to protect US & NATO interests. The current situation, with Russia in blatant violation, is untenable," she wrote. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called Hutchison's original statement "dangerous." Moscow denies it is violating the INF treaty, which banned all land-based cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 kilometers -- rockets that in Russia's case would be capable of reaching Europe or Alaska, and claims the United States has violated it -- an allegation Washington denies. Hutchison, who was appointed to the NATO post by President Donald Trump, said that the United States was committed to a diplomatic solution but would consider military action if necessary. "Countermeasures [by the United States] would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty," she added. "They are on notice." In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the United States had for some time argued that Moscow was not in compliance with the treaty. "What Ambassador Hutchison was talking about was improving overall defense and deterrence posture," Nauert told a news conference. "The United States is committed to upholding its arms control obligations and expects Russia to do the very same thing," she said, adding that the U.S. was discussing the issue with its allies. The remarks come at a time when relations between Russia and NATO remain tense due to disputes over issues including Russia's military action in Ukraine and Syria, its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and the Western accusation that Moscow was behind the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in March. In 2017, 30 years after the Cold War-era treaty was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union, a U.S. State Department report said that Russia had violated obligations "not to possess, produce, or flight-test" an intermediate-range, ground-launched cruise missile "or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles." "We have been trying to send a message to Russia for several years that we know they are violating the treaty, we have shown Russia the evidence that we have that they are violating the treaty," Hutchison said. "We are laying down the markers so that our allies will help us bring Russia to the table." Mattis said he would discuss the issue with his NATO defense ministers at a meeting in Brussels on October 3-4. "I cannot forecast where it will go, it is a decision for the president, but I can tell you that both on Capitol Hill and in State Department, there is a lot of concern about this situation and I'll return with the advice of our allies and engage in that discussion to determine the way ahead," he told reporters in Paris. With reporting by Reuters, AP, dpa, and TASS The U.S. image around the world slumped further this year after President Donald Trump criticized allies and praised enemies, with a global poll showing people in most countries trust the leaders of not only Germany and France but Russia and China more than Trump. A survey of more than 26,000 people in 25 nations released by the Pew Research Center on October 1 found that only 27 percent trusted Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, compared to 30 percent who expressed confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin and 34 percent who voiced confidence in Chinese President Xi Jinping. But while its image has declined since Trump's election, Pew said that "on balance the United States still receives positive marks -- across the 25 nations polled, a median of 50 percent have a favorable opinion of the U.S., while 43 percent offer an unfavorable rating." And 63 percent of respondents said the world was better off with the United States as the leading power, compared to 19 percent who preferred China in that role when asked to choose between the two. The Pew survey indicated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the most confidence-inspiring world leader, getting a thumbs-up from 52 percent of respondents -- nearly twice as many as Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron was second with a 46 percent rating. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has pulled the United States out of international agreements such as the Paris accord to combat climate change and the deal to curb Iran's nuclear program, cultivated relations with authoritarian leaders including Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and severely criticized neighboring Canada and Mexico as well as Germany and other NATO allies. In June, after a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, Trump refused to sign a joint statement and called the host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, very dishonest and weak." He has repeatedly criticized Germany over its trade surplus, defense spending, and reliance on Russian natural gas. When giving a speech at the UN General Assembly last week, Trump drew laughter from an audience that included world leaders when he claimed to have achieved more so far in his term than almost any other U.S. administration in history. The survey showed that the image of the United States, which took a big hit in Trump's first year in office, continued to deteriorate in many countries in 2018, particularly in Europe. It showed that 30 percent of Germans have a favorable view of the United States, down five percentage points from 2017 and the lowest favorable rating among Germans for any other country except Russia, which got 26 percent. Thirty-eight percent of French and 39 percent of Canadians said they had a positive view of the United States, both down from last year. Mexico inched up slightly to 32 percent. The countries whose people had the most positive views of the United States were Israel, the Philippines, and South Korea, all at 80 percent or above. Seven percent of Spaniards, 9 percent of French people, and 10 percent of Germans polled said they had confidence in Trump's leadership. In 20 of the 25 countries surveyed, a majority said they had no confidence in Trump. Substantial majorities in 19 of the 25 countries surveyed said the United States did not take their interests into account when making international policy. The survey was conducted between May and August, and based on interviews with over 900 people in each of the surveyed countries. With reporting by dpa and Reuters Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has thanked his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, for protecting Serbia's national interests, as the two leaders met for the second time in Moscow this year. "I would like to express my deep gratitude to you personally, Mr. President, for your firm position aimed at protecting international law and the crucial national and state interests of Serbia," Vucic told Putin at the Kremlin on October 2, according to TASS news agency. The meeting comes amid continued tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, a former Serbian province that declared independence in 2008. Kosovo's independence has been recognized by more than 100 countries, but not by Serbia or Russia. Belgrade and Pristina in 2013 committed to EU-mediated talks to resolve their differences, but little progress has been made. Speaking at the start of his meeting with Putin, the Serbian president said the situation in the Western Balkans was "very difficult" and that Serbia had been facing "numerous provocations on an everyday basis." "Despite our intention to reach compromises and maintain peace and stability, we are very far from making any agreement on the issue of Kosovo," he also said. Meanwhile in Geneva, Kosovar President Hashim Thaci said there was a small chance of a border deal with Serbia emerging soon, and he warned that a failure to seize the opportunity to reach a "historic agreement" could lead to another decade of "frozen conflict." Putin and Vucic were expected to discuss ways to further develop bilateral relations, as well as tensions in the Balkans, the Kremlin has said. Vucic has said he intended to ask for support from the Russian president on "the situation in Kosovo." Speaking to TASS after two hours of talks with Putin, Vucic expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting. "We got everything that we looked for. We agreed on everything," he said, without providing any details. Vucic was last met Putin in May in Moscow, where he attended celebrations marking the anniversary of Germany's defeat in World War II. Long a nationalist, he has remade himself as a pro-European Union reformer while seeking to maintain good relations with traditional ally Russia as well. With reporting by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, TASS, Beta, and AFP Seaside town of Tulum promoted to Japanese tourist operators Tulum, Q.R. The town of Tulum is being promoted in the Japanese tourism market that the state tourism council says will help the country learn about the area. Manuel Rodriguez Lavadores, the general director of the Tourism Promotion Council of Tulum, has just returned from a promotional visit to Japan. He says they anticipate positive results from the Japanese market, explaining that Japanese tourism promoters are expected to come to Tulum to learn about the area and familiarize themselves with local attractions. He says that while they are here, they will also learn about the downtown hotels, the cenotes and the overall culture. The Japanese market does not know much about Tulum, and therefore, it is important to promote the attractions of the destination for all activities, not only to talk about the beach, sun and sand, but also about the cultural wealth and other attractions such as the cenotes, he added. The Japanese tour operators are expected to arrive in January, when they will familiarize themselves with the attractions of Tulum including the gastronomy and archaeological sites. Rodriguez Lavadores says it was his second visit to the country to promote this part of Quintana Roo. The Japanese are people with extraordinary discipline, he says adding, They do not make decisions without analyzing things carefully. That is why we do not expect an immediate increase in the arrival of Japanese tourism to the destination. Next year promotional trips will continue and maybe in two years you will start to see the increase of these travelers, he explained. The next event is to promote Tulum during the London fair, where they will promote not only the beach, but also the center. Its about not only bringing tourism to the coastal area, but everything that makes up the destination and one of them is the small hotels in the center of the city. Beautiful, creepy and interesting hay bale sculptures are all over Sidney, Savage, and Lambert in Montana, once again. They are the creations of groups from 4-H and from the general public as well and are awaiting the critical eyes of residents and visitors alike to judge and vote for them. The regular judging was Friday, September 28 but the hale bales do not need to be cleaned up until October 10. There will be a Grand Champion award, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and a Reserve award. The winners will be decided by a committee. There will also be a People's Choice award that the community can come into Reynolds Market in Sidney, Montana to vote for after viewing the bales. Voting for People's Choice will continue until October 8. Maps of the bales and their locations are available at Reynolds Market, High Plains Veterinary Clinic and the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agricultue in Sidney, Montana. All the hay bales will be out to view until October 10. I asked organizer, Marci Lynn Sondeno, why they decided to open the Hay Bale Art competition to the public this year and she told me that it was because it had turned out so well last year and the community had enjoyed it so much. I asked her if the response this year was looking as good as it was last year and she replied, "Oh yeah! We doubled in hay bales from last year." Just an ordinary round hay bale sitting on the Boys & Girls Club office lawn was the starting point for the hay bale art. The Boys & Girls Club of Richland County is one of the new contestants this year The program director of the Boys & Girls Club, Janelle Buxbaum, explained how getting the kids involved with community activities is very common for the kids at the club. "We love to have our kids involved in as many community activities as we can. We take pride in our community and the members love to show their families and friends their work around town when they have the opportunity to." The bale was acquired from Norby Inc. The kids got to decorate it the 26th and 27th with plastic, paint, and string. By the end of the week, it was a giant spider. The kids enjoyed it and Janelle says they will enter again next year if they are able to. All awards will be given October 8 so stop into Reynolds and vote on your decision today. BOZEMAN - The Montana State University Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics and MSU Extension will host the 12th annual agricultural economics conference, Agriculture and Political Uncertainty on Friday, Nov. 9, beginning at 8:45 a.m. in MSUs Procrastinator Theater. The conference, part of the annual Celebrate Agriculture event in the College of Agriculture, will host several MSU agricultural economics and Extension faculty speakers on topics of interest to Montanas agricultural industry, including grain markets, farm labor, farm bill, pollinator health and weather insurance for farmers and ranchers. The annual conference is an opportunity for university economists to share and discuss current topics with Montanas agricultural community, according to Joel Schumacher, MSU Extension associate specialist. Part of what makes a land-grant university so unique is the connection between faculty and off-campus audiences, and this event is an example of that valuable connection, Schumacher said. I think our faculty members look forward to this event as much as the attendees. The conferences guest M.L. Wilson Speaker this year is Randy Fortenbery, professor at Washington State University in the School of Economics Sciences and co-director of the Impact Center. Fortenbery, who also holds the WSU Thomas B. Mick Endowed Chair, will present a guest lecture, Trade in an Uncertain Political Environment, at 11:15 a.m. Fortenberys research relates to agricultural price performance, impact of futures on cash prices, market development and trade. Additional conference speakers include Kate Fuller, MSU assistant professor of agricultural economics, who will address a report compiled by the department, Montana Agriculture Year in Review. Eric Belasco, MSU associate professor of agricultural economics, will address agricultural weather insurance. Anton Bekkerman, MSU associate professor of agricultural economics and associate director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, will discuss grain markets. Diane Charlton, MSU assistant professor of agricultural economics, will discuss farm labor issues. Professor of Economics Randy Rucker will discuss the economic impacts of colony collapse disorder, and George Haynes, professor and agricultural policy Extension specialist, will discuss the new farm bill. The cost of conference registration is $25 and includes a hosted a lunch. The conference will run from 9:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in the Procrastinator Theater in MSUs Strand Union Building. Participants are welcome to call 994-3511 to register or register online at http://www.ampc.montana.edu/fallconference where a full conference agenda can be found. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue launched the trade mitigation package aimed at assisting farmers suffering from damage due to unjustified trade retaliation by foreign nations. Producers of certain commodities can now sign up for the Market Facilitation Program (MFP), while USDA will also begin to purchase identified commodities under a food purchase and distribution program. Additionally, USDA has begun accepting proposals for the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP), which will help American farmers find and access new markets for their products. In total, USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, consistent with World Trade Organization obligations. Perdue announced in July that USDA would act to aid farmers in response to trade damage from unjustified retaliation. President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a short-term relief strategy to protect agricultural producers while the Administration works on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets in the long run to help American farmers compete globally. These programs will assist agricultural producers to meet some of the costs of disrupted markets. These programs will allow President Trump time to strike long-term trade deals to benefit our entire economy, including the agricultural sector, in the long run, Perdue said. Farmers will tell you that they would always prefer to sell a good crop at a fair price, rather than receive government aid, and thats what long-term trade deals will accomplish. But in the meantime, President Trump has promised that he will not allow American agriculture to bear the brunt of the unjustified retaliation from foreign nations. Today we are putting the Presidents promise into action. USDA provided details in August of the programs to be employed: USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) will administer the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) to provide payments to corn, cotton, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, and wheat producers. An announcement about further payments will be made in the coming months, if warranted. USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will administer a food purchase and distribution program to purchase up to $1.2 billion in commodities unfairly targeted by unjustified retaliation. USDAs Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will distribute these commodities through nutrition assistance programs, such as The Emergency Food Assistance Program and child nutrition programs. Through the Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP), $200 million will be made available to develop foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products. The program will help U.S. agricultural exporters identify and access new markets and help mitigate the adverse effects of other countries restrictions. Note: USDA is currently working to determine how to address market disruptions for producers of almonds and sweet cherries. Market Facilitation Program The sign-up period for MFP is now open and runs through January 15, 2019, with information and instructions provided at http://www.farmers.gov/mfp. The MFP provides payments to cotton, corn, dairy, hog, sorghum, soybean, and wheat producers who have been significantly impacted by actions of foreign governments resulting in the loss of traditional exports. The MFP is established under the statutory authority of the Commodity Credit Corporation CCC Charter Act and is under the administration of USDAs FSA. Eligible producers should apply after harvest is complete, as payments will only be issued once production is reported. A payment will be issued on 50 percent of the producers total production, multiplied by the MFP rate for a specific commodity. A second payment period, if warranted, will be determined by the USDA. MFP payments are limited to a combined $125,000 for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat capped per person or legal entity. MFP payments are also limited to a combined $125,000 for dairy and hog producers. Applicants must also have an average adjusted gross income for tax years 2014, 2015, and 2016 of less than $900,000. Applicants must also comply with the provisions of the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation regulations. For more further information or to locate and contact local FSA offices, interested producers can visit http://www.farmers.gov. Food Purchase and Distribution Program Beginning this week, USDAs AMS will issue pre-solicitation notices through GovDelivery for targeted commodities. These notices will outline products USDA intends to purchase and will continue over the next several weeks. AMS will purchase products over four quarters in the new Federal fiscal year, which starts on October 1, 2018. The materials purchased may be adjusted between quarters to accommodate changes due to growing conditions, product availability, market conditions, trade negotiation status, and program capacity, among other factors. To expedite first quarter purchases, AMS will focus on products currently purchased for nutrition assistance programs given the existence of qualified USDA suppliers and specifications for these products. Examples include various forms and varieties of apples, pork, beef, dairy, blueberries, grapefruit, oranges, pears, cranberries, plums/prunes, walnuts, potatoes, rice, kidney and navy beans. By purchasing known commodities first, AMS can procure commodities that have been sourced in the past with maximum speed and impact. Agricultural Trade Promotion Program Applicants may now submit proposals for the FAS $200 million ATP Program. FAS will accept applications on a rolling basis until November 2, 2018. Details regarding ATP and how to apply are available at https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/agricultural-trade-promotion-program. The aim of the program is to assist American agricultural exporters in identifying and accessing new markets and to help mitigate the adverse effects of other countries restrictions. ATP is meant to help all sectors of U.S. agriculture, including fish and forest product producers, mainly through partnerships with non-profit national and regional organizations. Approximately 38% of women in Montana will be diagnosed with cancer, with breast cancer being the most common cancer among women. Every woman is at risk for breast cancer even if she has no family history or other risk factors for the disease. Breast cancer typically produces no symptoms when the tumor is small and most easily treated, which is why screening is important for early detection. Receiving routine mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early, when treatment is more effective. Women who are 50-74 years old are at the highest risk for breast cancer and should get a mammogram every two years. Women who are 40-49 years old should talk to with a health care provider about when to start and how often to get a mammogram. The Montana Cancer Control Program provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings for those who meet the eligibility requirements. For more information, contact Ashley VandeBossche at the Richland County Health Department at (406) 433-2207. Kathy Helmuth was recognized at the annual Montana Public Health Association meeting held last week in Helena. She received a Career Achievement Award to recognize her for her years of service in Public Health. Kathy has been in public health for 27 years and credits Mary Alice Rehbein, a past and influential Richland County Health Department director, for developing her passion for public health. She started her career in Richland County in 1989 but left to explore other areas of health care and returned to manage several programs in Wolf Point in 1990. She became the director of the Roosevelt County Health Department until coming to Richland County in 2003. She is currently the Richland County Health Assurance Nurse Director and manages several programs as well as providing leadership within the department. She is also involved in many aspects of the community and has a knack for weaving public health into everything she does. Kathy has been a strong advocate for public health in eastern Montana and across the state and has been a resource for many by sharing her wealth of knowledge in public health nursing. She has committed her life and career to improving the health of your county, region and state. Thursday, October 4, 8:30 a.m. Ernie French Center, NDSU Research Extension Center The Williston Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a joint presentation by North Dakota State University President Dean Bresciani and University of North Dakota President Mark Kennedy on the impact of and the future of the university research enterprise. They are making the case for an initiative that would provide $100 million over a four-year period to the two universities to fund promising research that is important for sustaining North Dakotas competitive advantage and developing new opportunities with high potential in key technology sectors, including: Autonomous systems, including unmanned aerial systems (UAS) Agriculture and food safety Healthcare and biomedical services and technologies Energy and natural resources Material sciences Advanced manufacturing According to the National Science Foundation, NDSU and UND perform over $225 million in research on an annual basis. University R&D also plays an important part in building the skilled talent pipeline for employers in North Dakota and the region and partnering with the states businesses to bring new products, processes and services to the marketplace. The Williston presentation is one in a series of statewide events co-hosted by the Valley Prosperity Partnership, an initiative led by business executives to identify and advance common strategic economic development opportunities for the Red River Valley region and ultimately statewide across North Dakota. The VPP asks you to join them in seeking to diversify the states economy through research activities. This unique situation, where both research university presidents are visibly supporting a state-wide strategic initiative is a great opportunity for business, education, and community leaders in the Williston area to let them know about their expectations for future-oriented research that can have an impact in your region. Space at this event is LIMITED! Please call the Williston Chamber at 701.577.6000 or send us an email to RSVP! Be a Good Steward of the Land Although most hunters respect the land, property, and wildlife they are hunting, many others do not. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks would like to remind hunters and all outdoor enthusiasts to be good stewards of the land, and respect both private and public property. The FWP Region 6 Citizens Advisory Committee, recognizing that this is an ongoing issue, raised the need for more public outreach. Every hunting season, there are reports of vandalizing of Block Management Area (BMA) boxes, hunters driving off road, illegal trespassing, hunters being shot over, littering, and livestock being shot. With upland bird, dove, and archery seasons beginning over the Labor Day weekend, we encourage everyone to be good stewards of the land. Below are just a few of the things that hunters and all outdoor enthusiasts should be aware of when enjoying our resources: Littering- not only is littering careless and unsightly, it is against the law. This includes toilet paper, and the proper management of human waste. Leave gates as you find them- If a gate is closed, close it behind you. If it is obviously open (pulled all the way back to the fence), leave it open. If you are unsure, contact the landowner or public land agency. Know your target and beyond- Hunters must be sure of what they are shooting at (species, sex, etc.), and know what lies beyond their target (houses, outbuildings, livestock, vehicles, other hunters). Be aware of fire danger at all times and use precautions. Be weed free- Check clothes, dogs, ATVs, and vehicles for weeds and weed seeds to help prevent the spread to other private and public lands. Avoid driving on muddy roads- Unless it is a well-graveled road, walk. Avoid ridge driving and driving to overlooks- Not only is this a poor strategy while hunting, it is considered as driving off road if it is not already an established trail. Ask for permission to hunt- Montana law requires permission for all hunting on private land. Even if the land is not posted, hunters must have permission from the landowner, lessee, or their agent before hunting on private property. Completely fill out BMA slips- If a hunter doesnt correctly fill out a block management slip, they are hunting without permission. Know where you are located- Whether you are hunting public land, private land, or land enrolled in an access program such as block management, it is every hunters responsibility to know where they are to avoid trespassing. Maps are always available, as are GPS chips and cell phone apps to aid in orientation. Driving off road- While hunting on private property, a person may not drive off established roads or trails without landowner permission. Off-road travel on public land, including game retrieval, is prohibited unless designated as open. Consult appropriate land agency or land maps for specifics. Accessing public lands- Access to public lands (on a private road) through private land requires permission of the private landowner, lessee, or their agent. Camping- camping is allowed on most public lands (see agency regulations), but permission is needed to camp on private property and BMAs. Know the rules- Consult BMA maps for specific rules on block management property, including: driving on roads, parking areas, no shooting zones, walk-in only areas, camping, number of hunters allowed, game retrieval, etc. Rules for most land agencies can be found on maps and/or on brochures. Go to the appropriate agency website or local office for information. Report violations- report any hunting and fishing, trespassing, vandalism, or other criminal activity you see to 1-800-TIP-MONT (1-800-847-6668). The 1-800-TIP-MONT program is a toll-free number where one can report violations of fish, wildlife or park regulations. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000 for providing information that leads to a conviction. Also remember that the fall is a very busy time for landowners. Cattle and other livestock are being moved from their summer and/or fall pastures and are often brought near the home site for winter feeding and care. Please use common sense and respect when around these activities. FWP also offers a free online program called The Montana Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Project. This project is an information program for anyone interested in promoting responsible hunter behavior and good hunter-landowner relations in Montana. The program is delivered through an interactive website utilizing questions, videos, and feedback as well as opportunities for you to test your knowledge on a variety of practical topics related to hunter-landowner relations and responsible hunter behavior. Please go to http://fwp.mt.gov/education/hunter/hunterLandowner/ to learn more and complete the program. Navjot Singh Sidhu Sidhu termed the said notification against the very foundation and purpose of the Punjab Reotrganisation Act & the Rajiv Longowal Accord in the letter to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Letter to Rajnath Singh by Navjot Singh Sidhu: Advertisement Dear Rajnath Ji, On this auspicious day of Gandhi Jayanti, I am conveying to you my deep sense of anguish and concern on some recent developments, which affect the State of Punjab deeply and therefore, concerns me not only as a Minister in the Cabinet serving the State but also as a Punjabi. You are aware that recently by way of notification dated 25.09.2018, in exercise of power conferred by Proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India, the Central Government has brought various posts of Chandigarh Administration, including the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police, within the ambit of DANIPS Cadre. With effect from the date of said notification, all the posts mentioned in the aforesaid notification would be outside the ambit of States of Punjab and Haryana and would be filled up by way of procedure prescribed under the said notification by the Government of India. As I will explain in detail hereinafter, this notification shakes the very foundation and purpose of the Punjab Reorganization Act and the Rajiv Longowal Accord. Advertisement Sir, you are aware that by way of the Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the erstwhile State of Punjab was bifurcated by way of formation of new State namely the State of Haryana and also the Union Territory to be known as Union Territory of Chandigarh. The aforesaid Reorganization Act also envisaged that from the said appointed date, which was to be 1st Day of November, 1966, all assets and liabilities were to be bifurcated between the State of Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40. This ratio has been consistently followed from the appointed date for over a period of 50 years, even for the purpose of allocating officers for the Union Territory of Chandigarh from the States of Punjab and Haryana. The 60:40 rules, in respect of various cadres of officers allocated to Union Territory of Chandigarh while acting reorganization of these States vis-a-vis the Union Territory, has become binding convention and is being followed religiously since then. For all appointments in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the aforesaid ratio was being followed and implemented. It would not be out of place to mention that it was in principal decided that the Union Territory of Chandigarh would form and be the Capital of the State of Punjab and it was only given the status of Union Territory till such time, the newly constituted State of Haryana form its own Capital. This understanding attained the written mandate by way of Rajiv Longowal Accord signed in 1985, according to which, the Union Territory of Punjab was to be transferred to Punjab on 26th Day of January, 1986. Advertisement However, to the utmost dismay and disappointment of the Punjabis, it could not be done and the Union Territory continues to be the joint Capital of the States of Punjab and Haryana. Sir, as a Punjabi and a Minister holding the mandate of the people, I beseech upon you to reconsider the aforesaid notification of 25.09.2018. By way of said notification, the legitimate and existing binding convention of 60:40 has been unjustifiably taken away from the people of Punjab. There is genuine apprehension amongst the Punjabis that by enacting more notifications like the one, all the cadres would be taken away from the Punjabi Officers and as such, their legitimate expectations would be frustrated. Sincerely Navjot Singh Sidhu Punjab CM Pays Homage to Mahatma Gandhi Paying glowing tributes to the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi on his 149th birth anniversary, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday exhorted the people to follow the philosophy of peace and non-violence as propounded by Gandhi ji to carve out an egalitarian society. Advertisement Addressing a gathering after inaugurating a mega camp on Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana (MGSVY) here at Kisan Vikas Chamber, the Chief Minister said Mahatma Gandhi ji was possibly the only global leader who won the battle of freedom through his ideology of non-violence. He said Gandhi ji was a great statesman and an iconic personality who widely travelled across the world to propagate his philosophy of love, peace and non-violence. Even a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela, who spent nearly 27 years in prison, was an admirer and follower of Gandhis ideology, he added. Advertisement Underlining the significance of MGSVY, the Chief Minister said that the scheme was launched in the state to ensure inclusive development by reaching out all deprived sections of the society and to ensure that the benefits of all the schemes of socio-economic development reach the poorest of the poor as a befitting tribute to the Gandhi ji. Advertisement The Chief Minister said that the Rural Development & Panchayats Department, being the nodal department, had organized mega camps in all the 22 districts and 90 sub-divisions across the state. He pointed out that the underprivileged/disadvantaged people across the state would be benefitted from 18 pro-poor initiatives such as ration card, atta-dal, MNREGA, Aashirwad scheme, ghar-ghar rozgar, debt relief etc. The Chief Minister said that the sole objective of launching this scheme was to ensure that only the deserving and underprivileged sections of the society get the benefits of the state government's pro-poor initiatives. Advertisement On the occasion, the Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to 31 persons under ghar-ghar rozgar scheme, besides cheques of debt waiver to 23 farmers and financial grant under Ashirwad scheme to five beneficiaries. The Chief Minister also interacted with the beneficiaries at different stalls during the mega camp, where nearly 4000 beneficiaries were registered under various citizen centric schemes. A MoU was signed between Invest Punjab and Mahindra Waste to Energy Solutions Limited for a project to effectively convert waste to wealth at a cost of Rs.15 crore in the presence of Chief Minister. After extensive research in Punjab, Mahindra & Mahindra has decided to put up this pilot Bio-Methanation project and expressed its willingness to support the state government by processing 10,000 tons of paddy/wheat straw per year. This project would go a long way in providing a permanent solution to the menace of stubble burning. This initiative is expected to generate direct employment for 50-75 persons and support around 1000 farmers in the vicinity of the plant. Earlier, in his welcome address, Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Labour Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu thanked the Chief Minister for giving special attention to the development of Mohali, which would soon emerge as a world-class city in the country. Financial Commissioner Rural Development & Panchayats Anurag Verma presented a brief presentation about the salient features of the MGSVY. He said as many as 65,000 persons would be enrolled for seeking benefits under various pro-poor schemes in such mega camps being organized today in the different parts of the state. He also mentioned that 6.33 lac beneficiaries had been benefitted so far under this scheme from June to August 2018. Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Kaur Sapra proposed a vote of thanks on the occasion. Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion were Media Advisor to CM Raveen Thukral, former Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang, Senior Congress leader Deepinder Singh Dhillon, ACS Housing & Urban Development Vini Mahajan, ACS Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development G. Vijralingam, Special Principal Secretary to CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary Employment Generation Rahul Tiwari, Secretary Agriculture KS Pannu, Director Food & Civil Supplies Anindita Mitra, Joint Development Commissioner-cum-Mission Director MGSVY Tanu Kashyap, Registrar Cooperative Societies Vikas Garg, Director Social Security Kavita Mohan Singh Chauhan, OSDs to CM Jagdeep Singh Sidhu and Sandeep Singh Brar. Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said he had requested Food Corporation of India (FCI) to consider increasing the accepted moisture level for paddy procurement in view of the impact of the recent heavy rains on the crop. He was interacting with mediapersons after inaugurating the Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna (MGSVY) mega camp here this afternoon. The Chief Minister also reaffirmed his personal commitment to the welfare of the farming community and said the farm loan waiver scheme initiated by his government would be completed by this year-end. On the issue of the recent Central notification on Chandigarh UT cadre allocation, Captain Amarinder Singh made it clear that his government was not in agreement with the Union Government on this. He said he had already written to the PM requesting him to reconsider the notification. He further said he would again take up the issue with the Prime Minister during their meeting in Delhi on Thursday. Advertisement The 60:40 ratio, as decided upon in 1966 at the time of division of Punjab and Haryana must not be disturbed, the Chief Minister stressed. Responding to a query, Captain Amarinder Singh expressed full confidence in the ability of SIT formed to investigate in the sacrilege cases and said the SIT was an independent body and would submit its report in due time. The State Government had no mandate to direct SIT in this regard, the Chief Minister added. Replying to a question on attempts being made by radical elements to foment trouble in Punjab, Captain Amarinder Singh categorically said that nobody would be allowed to vitiate the hard-earned peace of Punjab. Trashing the alleged attempts by a minuscule of people outside India, who had no base and support in Punjab, he said anybody trying to play with the emotions of Punjabis for their ulterior motives would be severely dealt with. Referring to reports of donations being received by some political parties from abroad to destabilise Punjab, he said the state government was already investigating these charges and looking into the source of funding, with the Income Tax department also being kept in the loop. In a first-of-its-kind study, Mount Sinai researchers have shown that color vision problems caused by retinal damage on a cellular level can result from a high dose of sildenafil citrate, the popular erectile-dysfunction medication sold under the brand name Viagra. The results demonstrate that excessive use of the drug could lead to long-term vision problems, including possible irreversible damage. The findings have been published in the fall issue of Retinal Cases. "People live by the philosophy that if a little bit is good, a lot is better. This study shows how dangerous a large dose of a commonly used medication can be," said lead investigator Richard Rosen, MD, Director of Retina Services at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE). "People who depend on colored vision for their livelihood need to realize there could be a long-lasting impact of overindulging on this drug." Rosen and a team of investigators from NYEE based their study on a 31-year-old patient who arrived at an urgent care clinic complaining of red-tinted vision in both eyes that hadn't gone away in two days. He reported that his symptoms began shortly after taking a dose of liquid sildenafil citrate that he purchased over the internet (sildenafil citrate can cause visual disturbances with normal dosage, but symptoms typically resolve within 24 hours). The patient told doctors he had consumed much more than the recommended 50mg dose, and that symptoms began shortly after ingestion. The patient was then diagnosed with persistent retinal toxicity linked to the high dose of medication damaging the outer retina. His tinted vision has not improved more than a year after his initial diagnosis, despite various treatments. Mount Sinai researchers used state-of-the-art technology, including adaptive optics (AO) and optimal coherence tomography (OCT), to examine his retina for evidence of structural damage at the cellular level, something that had never been done before. AO is a sophisticated technology that allows clinicians to examine microscopic structures of the eye in living patients with extreme detail in real time. OCT is an advanced imaging system that reveals the cross-sectional details of the retina layer by layer. The high-tech imaging allowed investigators to see microscopic injury to the cones of the retina, the cells which are responsible for color vision. The damage was similar to that seen in animal models of hereditary retinal disease such as retinitis pigmentosa or cone-rod dystrophy. "To actually see these types of structural changes was unexpected, but it explained the symptoms that the patient suffered from. While we know colored vision disturbance is a well-described side effect of this medication, we have never been able to visualize the structural effect of the drug on the retina until now," said Dr. Rosen. "Our findings should help doctors become aware of potential cellular changes in patients who might use the drug excessively, so they can better educate patients about the risks of using too much." Jason Chan makes a point to periodically interrupt his lecture and ask students a question about the material they've covered. The associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University does this to regain students' attention, but more importantly, to enhance their ability to learn new information. Researchers know the retrieval process is beneficial for new learning and a new meta-analysis by Chan and his colleagues confirms that but found there are limits. The research shows the frequency and difficulty of questions can reverse the effect and be detrimental to learning. It also is not enough to simply ask a question; Chan says students must respond to see a positive effect on learning. The work is published in the Psychological Bulletin, an American Psychological Association journal. "Frequency is a critical factor. There appears to be a trade-off in how often you test students," Chan said. "If I lecture nonstop throughout class, this lessens their ability to learn the material. However, too many questions, too often, can have a detrimental effect, but we don't yet know exactly why that happens or how many questions is too many." The answer to that question may depend on the length of the lecture and the type or difficulty of the material, Chan said. Given the different dynamics of a class lecture, it may not be possible to develop a universal lecture-to-question ratio. Regardless, Chan says testing students throughout the lecture is a simple step instructors at any level and in any environment can apply to help students learn. "This is a cheap, effective method and anyone can implement it in their class," he said. "You don't need to give every student an iPad or buy some fancy software -- you just need to ask questions and have students answer them in class." Chan, Christian Meissner, a professor of psychology at Iowa State; and Sara Davis, a postdoctoral fellow at Skidmore College and former ISU graduate student, examined journal articles from the 1970s to 2016 detailing more than 150 different experiments for their analysis. The researchers looked at what factors influenced the magnitude of this effect, when it happens and when the effect is reversed. Why testing helps There are several explanations as to why testing students is beneficial for new learning. The researchers evaluated four main theories for the meta-analysis to examine the strengths and weakness of these explanations from the existing research. The data strongly supported what researchers called the integration theory. "This theory claims that testing enhances future learning by facilitating the association between information on the test and new, especially related, information that is subsequently studied, leading to spontaneous recall of the previously tested information when they learn related information," Meissner said. "When this testing occurs, people can better tie new information with what they have learned previously, leading them to integrate the old and the new." Learning new information requires an encoding process, which is different from the process needed to retrieve that information, the researchers explained. Students are forced to switch between the two when responding to a question. Changing the modes of operation appears to refocus attention and free the brain to do something different. A majority of the studies in the analysis focused on college students, but some also included older adults, children and people with traumatic brain injuries. The researchers were encouraged to find that testing could effectively enhance learning across all these groups. "Memory retrieval can optimize learning in situations that require people to maintain attention for an extended period of time. It can be used in class lectures as well as employee training sessions or online webinars," Davis said. "Future research could examine factors that can maximize this potential." If you've ever found yourself staring at a lengthy restaurant menu and been completely unable to decide what to order for lunch, you have experienced what psychologists call choice overload. The brain, faced with an overwhelming number of similar options, struggles to make a decision. A study conducted in California nearly 20 years ago is illustrative of the effect. In that study, researchers set up a table offering samples of jams to customers in a grocery store. At times, 24 jam samples were provided; at other times, only six. It turned out that although shoppers were more likely to stop and try samples when the table was jam-packed, they also were much less likely to actually purchase any jam. Shoppers were somewhat less likely to stop at the table when it had only six jams, but when they did, they were 10 times more likely to make a jam purchase than the customers at the fuller table. Lunch entrees and fruit preserves might seem trivial, but choice overload can sometimes have serious consequences, says Colin Camerer, Caltech's Robert Kirby Professor of Behavioral Economics and the T&C Chen Center for Social and Decision Neuroscience Leadership Chair. As an example, he points to Sweden's partial privatization of its social security system. The government allowed citizens to move some of their retirement savings into private funds. The government gave them hundreds of funds from which to choose, and conducted a large advertising campaign encouraging them to make their own choice. At first, nearly 70 percent of the eligible adult population took an active role in choosing a fund, but the percentage quickly dropped off. After 10 years, only about 1 percent of newly eligible Swedes were making an active decision about where to put their retirement money. Now, a study conducted at Caltech by Camerer reveals new insights into choice overload, including the parts of the brain responsible for it, and how many options the brain actually prefers when it is making a choice. In the study, volunteers were presented with pictures of scenic landscapes that they could have printed on a piece of merchandise such as a coffee mug. Each participant was offered a variety of sets of images, containing six, 12, or 24 pictures. They were asked to make their decisions while a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine recorded activity in their brains. As a control, the volunteers were asked to browse the images again, but this time their image selection was made randomly by a computer. The fMRI scans revealed brain activity in two regions while the participants were making their choices: the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), where the potential costs and benefits of decisions are weighed, Camerer says; and the striatum, a part of the brain responsible for determining value. advertisement Camerer and his colleagues also saw that activity in these two regions was highest in subjects who had 12 options to pick from, and lowest in those with either six or 24 items to choose from. Camerer says that pattern of activity is probably the result of the striatum and the ACC interacting and weighing the increasing potential for reward (getting a picture they really like for their mug) against the increasing amount of work the brain will have to do to evaluate possible outcomes. As the number of options increases, the potential reward increases, but then begins to level off due to diminishing returns. "The idea is that the best out of 12 is probably rather good, while the jump to the best out of 24 is not a big improvement," Camerer says. At the same time, the amount of effort required to evaluate the options increases. Together, mental effort and the potential reward result in a sweet spot where the reward isn't too low and the effort isn't too high. This pattern was not seen when the subjects merely browsed the images because there was no potential for reward, and thus less effort was required when evaluating the options. Camerer points out that 12 isn't some magic number for human decision-making, but rather an artifact of the experimental design. He estimates that the ideal number of options for a person is probably somewhere between 8 and 15, depending on the perceived reward, the difficulty of evaluating the options, and the person's individual characteristics. Of course, a trip to the nearest grocery store is likely to reveal that lots of products come in many more than a dozen varieties. There might be a whole aisle of toothpastes of varying brands, sizes, flavors, textures, and properties, and on the condiment aisle, there might be dozens of kinds of mustards to choose from. Camerer says that's partly because people tend to feel freer and like they have more control over their lives when they have more options to choose from, even if having all those options ends up distressing them at decision time. "Essentially, our eyes are bigger than our stomachs," he says. "When we think about how many choices we want, we may not be mentally representing the frustrations of making the decision." Camerer says future research in this area could explore and attempt to quantify the mental costs of making a decision. "What is mental effort? What does thinking cost? It's poorly understood," he says. Funding for the research was provided by Spanish Ministry of Science and Education, the German Research Council, the Community of Research on Excellence for All (CREA), the government of the Spanish region of Catalonia, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Boswell Foundation, and the T&C Chen Social and Decision Neuroscience Center of the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute for Neuroscience at Caltech. An international collaboration led by DESY and consisting of over 120 researchers has announced the results of the first scientific experiments at Europe's new X-ray laser European XFEL. The pioneering work not only demonstrates that the new research facility can speed up experiments by more than an order of magnitude, it also reveals a previously unknown structure of an enzyme responsible for antibiotics resistance. "The groundbreaking work of the first team to use the European XFEL has paved the way for all users of the facility who greatly benefit from these pioneering experiments," emphasises European XFEL managing director Robert Feidenhans'l. "We are very pleased -- these results show that the facility works even better than we had expected and is ready to deliver new scientific breakthroughs." The scientists present their results, including the first new protein structure solved at the European XFEL, in the journal Nature Communications. "Being at a totally new class of facility we had to master many challenges that nobody had tackled before," says DESY scientist Anton Barty from the Center for Free-Electron Laser Science (CFEL), who led the team of about 125 researchers involved in the first experiments that were open to the whole scientific community. "I compare it to the maiden flight of a novel aircraft: All calculations and assembly completed, everything says it will work, but not until you try it do you know whether it actually flies." The 3.4 kilometres long European XFEL is designed to deliver X-ray flashes every 0.000000 220 seconds (220 nanoseconds). To unravel the three-dimensional structure of a biomolecule, such as an enzyme, the pulses are used to obtain flash X-ray exposures of tiny crystals grown from that biomolecule. Each exposure gives rise to a characteristic diffraction pattern on the detector. If enough such patterns are recorded from all sides of a crystal, the spatial structure of the biomolecule can be calculated. The structure of a biomolecule can reveal much about how it works. However, every crystal can only be X-rayed once since it is vaporised by the intense flash (after it has produced a diffraction pattern). So, to build up the full three-dimensional structure of the biomolecule, a new crystal has to be delivered into the beam in time for the next flash, by spraying it across the path of the laser in a water jet. Nobody has tried to X-ray samples to atomic resolution at this fast rate before. The fastest pulse rate so far of any such X-ray laser has been 120 flashes per second, that is one flash every 0.008 seconds (or 8,000,000 nanoseconds). To probe biomolecules at full speed, not only the crystals must be replenished fast enough -- the water jet is also vaporised by the X-rays and has to recover in time. "We revved up the speed of the water jet carrying the samples to 100 metres per second, that's about as fast as the speed record in formula 1," explains Max Wiedorn, who took care of the sample delivery together with his colleague Dominik Oberthur, both from CFEL. A specially designed nozzle made sure the high-speed jet would be stable and meet the requirements. To record X-ray diffraction patterns at this fast rate, an international consortium led by DESY scientist Heinz Graafsma designed and built one of the world's fastest X-ray cameras, tailor-made for the European XFEL. The 'Adaptive Gain Integrating Pixel Detector' (AGIPD) can not only record images as fast as the X-ray pulses arrive, it can also tune the sensitivity of every pixel individually, making the most of the delicate diffraction patterns in which the information on the structure of the sample is encoded. "The requirements of the European XFEL are so unique that the detector had to be designed completely from scratch and tailored to this task," reports Graafsma, who heads the detector group at DESY's photon science division and is also a professor at the Mid Sweden University. "This could only be achieved thanks to the comprehensive expertise and fruitful collaboration of the large team involved." The scientists first determined the structure of a very well-known sample, the enzyme lysozyme from egg-white, as a touchstone to verify the system worked as expected. Indeed, the structure derived at the European XFEL perfectly matches the known lysozyme structure, showing details as fine as 0.18 nanometres (millionths of a millimetre). advertisement "This is an excellent proof of the X-ray laser's performance," stresses XFEL pioneer Henry Chapman, a leading scientist at DESY and a professor at the University of Hamburg. "We are very excited about the speed of the analysis: Experiments that used to take hours can now be done in a few minutes, as we have shown. And the set-up that we used can even be further optimised, speeding up data acquisition even more. The European XFEL offers bright prospects for the exploration of the nanocosm." The striking performance of the X-ray laser is also a particular success of the DESY accelerator division that led the construction of the world's longest and most advanced superconducting linear accelerator driving the European XFEL. As their second target, the team chose a bacterial enzyme that plays an important role in antibiotics resistance. The molecule designated CTX-M-14 -lactamase was isolated from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae whose multidrug-resistant strains are a grave concern in hospitals worldwide. Two years ago, even a 'pandrug-resistant' strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was identified in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unaffected by all 26 commonly available antibiotics. The bacterium's enzyme CTX-M-14 -lactamase is present in all strains. It works like a molecular pair of scissors cutting lactam rings of penicillin derived antibiotics open, thereby rendering them useless. To avoid this, antibiotics are often administered together with a compound called avibactam that blocks the molecular scissors of the enzyme. Unfortunately, mutations change the form of the scissors. "Some hospital strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are already able to cleave even specifically developed third generation antibiotics," explains Christian Betzel, co-author of the paper and also a professor at the University of Hamburg. "If we understand how this happens, it might help to design antibiotics that avoid this problem." The scientists investigated a complex of CTX-M-14 -lactamase from the non-resistant, 'wild type' of the bacterium with avibactam bound to the enzyme's active centre, a structure that has not been analysed before. "The results show with 0.17 nanometres precision how avibactam fits snug into a sort of canyon on the enzyme's surface that marks its active centre," says Markus Perbandt from the University of Hamburg, also a co-author of the paper. "This specific complex has never been seen before, although the structure of the two separate components were already known." The measurements show that it is possible to record high quality structural information, which is the first step towards recording snapshots of the biochemical reaction between enzymes and their substrates at different stages with the European XFEL. Together with the research groups of co-authors Martin Aepfelbacher and Holger Rohde, professors at the University Hospital UKE in Hamburg, the team plans to use the X-ray laser as a film camera to assemble those snapshots into movies of the molecular dynamics of avibactam and this -lactamase. "Such movies would give us crucial insights into the biochemical process that could one day help us to design better inhibitors, reducing antibiotics resistance," says Betzel. Movies of chemical and biochemical reactions are just one example of a whole new spectrum of scientific experiments enabled by the European XFEL. A key factor is the speed at which data can be collected. "This opens up new avenues of structural discovery," stresses European XFEL scientist Adrian Mancuso who heads the SPB/SFX instrument (Single Particles, Clusters and Biomolecules & Serial Femtosecond Crystallography) where the pioneering experiments were done. "The difference in rate of discovery possible using European XFEL, demonstrated by this experiment, is as dramatic as the difference in travel time between being able to catch a plane across the Atlantic rather than taking a ship. The impact is potentially enormous." This first 'beamtime' for experiments at the European XFEL took place two weeks after the opening of the facility in September 2017, and was open to all scientists from the community to participate, contribute, learn, and gain experience in how to carry out such measurements at this facility. "The success of this 'open science' policy is illustrated by -- among other things -- the rapid dissemination of results from later campaigns at the SPB/SFX instrument by participating groups," explains Chapman. "Additionally, the large concentration of effort by the community addressed previously unsolved challenges of managing and visualising data -- crucial to conducting all serial crystallography experiments at the European XFEL." There are more than 200 bones in the human body. Bone is formed during embryonic and postnatal skeletogenesis by two distinct, well-organized processes, intramembranous and endochondral ossification. Mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into chondrocytes to form a cartilaginous template, which, for long bones, induces bone formation through endochondral ossification. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (Erk5), which is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, is phosphorylated by MAPK/Erk kinase-5 (Mek5) to regulate the function of various cell types. Although the MAPK Erk1/2 pathway is well known for regulating skeletogenesis, the in vivo physiological role of the Mek5/Erk5 pathway in skeletal development has been largely unclear to date, because of the early embryonic lethality of global Erk5 knockout mice. By using cell-specific mouse genetics approaches, Takashi Iezaki, Katsuyuki Kaneda and Eiichi Hinoi at Kanazawa University, Japan, and colleagues revealed that Erk5 plays a crucial role in skeletogenesis in vivo. Paired-related homeobox 1 (Prx1) is expressed in mesenchymal stem cells in the limb buds. Mesenchymal stem cell-specific Erk5 knockout embryos (Prx1-Cre;Erk5fl/fl embryos) displayed wider long bones and impaired mineralization of the metatarsal. In contrast, chondrocyte-specific Erk5 knockout embryos (Col2a1-Cre;Erk5fl/fl embryos) recapitulated only the wider long bone phenotype of Prx1-Cre;Erk5fl/fl embryos. Accordingly, the investigators revealed that Erk5 controls 1) early chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, including mesenchymal condensation, through its expression in skeletogenic progenitors, and 2) chondrogenic differentiation after the formation of mesenchymal condensations through its expression in chondrocytes. Subsequent biochemical analyses found that Erk5 directly phosphorylates Smad1 at Ser206 in the linker region, which is known to trigger its proteasomal degradation in a Smad-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase 1 (Smurf1)-dependent manner. In addition, Erk5 directly phosphorylates Smurf2 at Thr249, leading to accelerated proteasomal degradation of Smad proteins (Smad1, 2 and 3). The study demonstrated that Smads transcriptionally activate the expression in mesenchymal stem cells of sex-determining region within the Y-type high-mobility group box protein 9 (Sox9), which is the principal transcription factor involved in skeletogenesis. Moreover, using mouse genetic rescue experiments, the investigators revealed that Sox9 is a critical mediator of Erk5-dependent skeletogenesis. In conclusion, the Mek5/Erk5 pathway is critical for skeletogenesis in vivo through its expression in mesenchymal stem cells and modulation of Smad protein stability (Smad1, 2, and 3) via Smurf activity (Smurf1 and 2). These findings improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying skeletal development and spur the development of drugs targeting human cartilage diseases associated with abnormal chondrocyte differentiation and maturation. Moreover, since the Smurf2/Smads cascade is associated with other diseases, including cancer and ageing, the newly identified Mek5/Erk5/Smurf2/Smads/Sox9 cascade is a candidate target for developing drugs to treat a variety of human diseases. Could there be another planet out there with a society at the same stage of technological advancement as ours? To help find out, EPFL scientist Claudio Grimaldi, working in association with the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a statistical model that gives researchers a new tool in the search for the kind of signals that an extraterrestrial society might emit. His method -- described in an article appearing today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences -- could also make the search cheaper and more efficient. Atrophysics initially wasn't Grimaldi's thing; he was interested more in the physics of condensed matter. Working at EPFL's Laboratory of Physics of Complex Matter, his research involved calculating the probabilities of carbon nanotubes exchanging electrons. But then he wondered: if the nanotubes were stars and the electrons were signals generated by extraterrestrial societies, could we calculate the probability of detecting those signals more accurately? This is not pie-in-the-sky research -- scientists have been studying this possibility for nearly 60 years. Several research projects concerning the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) have been launched since the late 1950s, mainly in the United States. The idea is that an advanced civilization on another planet could be generating electromagnetic signals, and scientists on Earth might be able to pick up those signals using the latest high-performance radio telescopes. Renewed interest Despite considerable advances in radio astronomy and the increase in computing power since then, none of those projects has led to anything concrete. Some signals without identifiable origin have well been recorded, like the Wow! signal in 1977, but none of them has been repeated or seems credible enough to be attributable to alien life. But that doesn't mean scientists have given up. On the contrary, SETI has seen renewed interest following the discovery of the many exoplanets orbiting the billions of suns in our galaxy. Researchers have designed sophisticated new instruments -- like the Square Kilometre Array, a giant radio telescope being built in South Africa and Australia with a total collecting area of one square kilometer -- that could pave the way to promising breakthroughs. And Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner recently announced an ambitious program called Breakthrough Listen, which aims to cover 10 times more sky than previous searches and scan a much wider band of frequencies. Milner intends to fund his initiative with 100 million dollars over 10 years. "In reality, expanding the search to these magnitudes only increases our chances of finding something by very little. And if we still don't detect any signals, we can't necessarily conclude with much more certainty that there is no life out there," says Grimaldi. Still a ways to go The advantage of Grimaldi's statistical model is that it lets scientists interpret both the success and failure to detect signals at varying distances from Earth. His model employs Bayes' theorem to calculate the remaining probability of detecting a signal within a given radius around our planet. For example, even if no signal is detected within a radius of 1,000 light years, there is still an over 10% chance that Earth is within range of hundreds of similar signals from elsewhere in the galaxy, but that our radio telescopes are currently not powerful enough to detect them. However, that probability rises to nearly 100% if even just one signal is detected within the 1,000-light-year radius. In that case, we could be almost certain that our galaxy is full of alien life. After factoring in other parameters like the size of the galaxy and how closely packed its stars are, Grimaldi estimates that the probability of detecting a signal becomes very slight only at a radius of 40,000 light years. In other words, if no signals are detected at this distance from Earth, we could reasonably conclude that no other civilization at the same level of technological development as ours is detectable in the galaxy. But so far, scientists have been able to search for signals within a radius of "just" 40 light years. So there's still a ways to go. Especially since these search methods can't detect alien civilizations that may be in primordial stages or that are highly advanced but haven't followed the same technological trajectory as ours. If you're looking for a needle in a haystack, it's best to know what hay looks like. An international team of researchers has applied this idea to the search for new pharmaceuticals, developing a technique that reduces the chances of simply rediscovering known compounds. In an article published today in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University; the University of California, San Diego; and St. Petersburg State University in Russia describe a new means of searching vast repositories of compounds produced by microbes. By analyzing the mass spectra of the compounds, they were able to identify known compounds within the repository and eliminate them from further analysis, focusing instead on the unknown variants -- the needles within the haystack -- that might potentially be better or more efficient antibiotics, anticancer drugs or other pharmaceuticals. In just a week, running on 100 computers, the algorithm, called Dereplicator+, sorted through a billion mass spectra in the Global Natural Products Social molecular network at UC San Diego and identified more than 5,000 promising, unknown compounds that merit further investigation, said Hosein Mohimani, assistant professor in CMU's Computational Biology Department and first author on the article. The algorithm that powers this molecular search engine is now available for use by any investigator to study additional repositories. In the past, mass spectrometry data repositories have been underused because it was difficult to search through them and because those efforts to date have been plagued by high rates of rediscovery of known compounds. "It's unbelievable how many times people have rediscovered penicillin," Mohimani said. Analyzing the compounds' mass spectra -- essentially, a measurement of the masses within a sample that has been ionized -- is a relatively inexpensive way of identifying possible new pharmaceuticals. But existing techniques were largely limited to peptides, which have simple structures such as chains and loops. "We were only looking at the tip of the iceberg," Mohimani said. To analyze the larger number of complex compounds that have entangled structures and numerous loops and branches, the researchers developed a method for predicting how a mass spectrometer would break apart the molecules. Beginning with the weakest rings, the method simulated what would happen as the molecules came apart. Using 5,000 known compounds and their mass spectra, they trained a computer model that could then be used to predict how other compounds would break down. Mohimani said Dereplicator+ not only can identify known compounds that don't need to be investigated further, but it can also find less common variants of the known compounds that likely would go undetected within a sample. In addition to Mohimani, investigators included Alexey Gurevich, Alexander Slemov, Alla Mikheenko, Anton Korobeynikov and Egor Shcherbin of St. Petersburg; Louis-Felix Nothias, Pieter C. Dorrestein and Pavel A. Pevzner of UC San Diego; and Liu Cao of CMU's Computational Biology Department. The National Institutes of Health, Carnegie Mellon and the Russian Science Foundation supported this research. (CNN) U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis has pulled out of a planned visit to Beijing in October, a U.S. official tells CNN, the latest sign of deteriorating ties between the United States and China. Mattis had originally planned to visit the Chinese capital to meet with senior Chinese officials to discuss security issues. The last-minute cancellation has not been publicly confirmed by the Pentagon. The decision to pull out of the trip comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Beijing across multiple fronts, from the Trump administration's tariffs on Chinese goods to new sanctions announced against the Chinese military. At a press conference on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said his often-mentioned friendship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping may have come to an end. "He may not be a friend of mine anymore. But I think he probably respects me," Trump said. The Trump administration imposed 10% of tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods on September 24, in addition to the trade measures already in place. The Chinese government responded in kind, with between 5 percent to 10 percent tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. goods. Following the new round of tariffs, Beijing called off planned trade talks with Washington, leaving no end in sight for the ongoing trade war. "How could you negotiate with someone when he puts a knife on your neck?" China's deputy trade negotiator Wang Shouwen said at a press conference Tuesday, saying resuming talks would be difficult. Rising military tensions In a sign of growing tensions, the Chinese government canceled a port visit to Hong Kong by the USS Wasp, a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship, last week. It followed closely the decision by the U.S. government to sanction Chinese military figures over their purchases of Russian combat aircraft and missile systems. The U.S.sanctions were imposed on the Chinese military's Equipment Development Department and its director, provoking a stern response from the Chinese government. Wu Qian, Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesman, said they had expressed their "strong indignation and firm opposition" to the Pentagon. In a move unlikely to improve relations, the U.S. Navy released a series of photos Friday of the USS Wasp taking part in a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea, firing on inflatable targets with mounted machine guns and sniper rifles. The South China Sea is one of the most disputed regions in the world, and the Chinese government claims a huge swathe of territory which it has reinforced with militarized artificial islands. On Sunday, the U.S. Navy sailed a warship close to disputed islands in the South China Sea. Two U.S. officials told CNN that the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur sailed within 12 nautical miles of Gaven and Johnson reefs in the Spratly Islands as part of what the U.S. Navy calls "freedom of navigation operations," which are meant to enforce the right of free passage in international waters. "Increasing the lethality of the Navy-Marine Corps Team is the priority for us. Sailors and Marines are doing amazing work and we are becoming more lethal every single day," Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of Amphibious Force 7th Fleet, said in a U.S. Navy statement. Accusations of election influence The diplomatic rift between Washington and Beijing has also spilled over from military and trade issues into the political arena in the past week, after U.S. President Trump accused China of meddling in the upcoming U.S. elections. Speaking at the United Nations Security Council Wednesday, Trump said the Chinese government was attempting to interfere in the 2018 midterm elections to tilt them against the Republicans. "They do not want me or us to win because I am the first president ever to challenge China on trade," Trump said. "We are winning on trade. We are winning at every level. We don't want them to meddle or interfere in our upcoming election." To back up his claims, Trump later tweeted a photo of a Chinese state media paid supplement which had been placed in the Iowa-based Des Moines Register. "China is actually placing propaganda ads in (the Register) and other papers, made to look like news!" he said. Chinese state media has a long history of placing paid articles and pullouts in foreign media, full of positive articles about China. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi furiously denied Trump's claims, shortly after he made them, saying Beijing had a "principle of non-interference in other countries' domestic affairs." Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang went one step further on Thursday, suggesting Washington was the country "most accustomed" to interfering in other countries' affairs. This story was first published on CNN.com, "US Secretary of Defense Mattis cancels trip to Beijing amid worsening ties." Fremont Street will stay closed for at least 10 more days where it passes beneath San Franciscos broken Transbay Transit Center, ensuring at least 10 more days of traffic tie-ups. Christine Falvey, Transbay spokeswoman, said officials are aiming to open a narrowed Fremont Street between Howard and Mission streets by Oct. 12. They offered no date for reopening the transit center itself and its rooftop park, but they said it likely would be at least three weeks. The $2.2 billion transit hub and Fremont Street were hurriedly closed the evening of Sept. 25 after workers installing ceiling panels discovered a cracked support beam. A second cracked beam was discovered in the same area where the center spans Fremont Street hours later. The shutdowns came just six weeks after the opening of the three-block-long center, which features a rooftop park and has been dubbed the Grand Central Station of the West. Bus riders and neighbors have praised the center and particularly the park, and are eager for them to reopen. The Transbay Joint Powers Authority, which built and operates the transportation hub, had originally hoped to have it reopened by Friday. Transbay officials expect to announce details at a special meeting of the TJPA Tuesday morning. Dennis Turchon, senior construction manager for the TJPA, was reluctant to offer specific dates at a press briefing Monday afternoon, saying transbay officials need to finish reinforcing the damaged section of the center before they can make plans for repairs. Crews installed temporary shoring Sunday using six hydraulic jacks perched atop a 10-foot-wide wooden pad in the center of the street. The jacks will be replaced within days by a sturdier temporary support structure consisting of two steel-pipe towers that will sit in the middle of Fremont Street. Similar towers will be installed inside the terminal between the bus deck and the roof. The towers are being fabricated in Stockton by Herrick Corp., the company that provided the girders that cracked, Turchon said. Its a warranty-type issue and they have the most knowledge about the project, he said. Engineers have already conducted magnetic and ultrasonic tests on the two cracked girders, Turchon said, but have to wait to perform metallurgical and other more telling tests until the weight supported by those beams is completely transferred to the temporary support systems. Thats expected to take about a week. Testing could another take two weeks, Turchon said. Then engineers need to devise a permanent fix for the beams, which could require weeks more. While its too early to speculate on the strategy, he said the beams will not be removed and replaced. Whats more likely is that additional steel will be added to bolster the damaged girders. When Fremont Street reopens, the three-lane road will be narrowed to two lanes squeezing past the 14-foot-wide support towers in the center lane. Transbay officials are working with the Municipal Transportation Agency to reconfigure the street, Turchon said. The current 12-foot lanes likely will shrink in width. But the permanent fix to the transit center would not involve any structures remaining on Fremont Street, Turchon said emphatically. The beams are just the latest trouble for the Transbay Transit Center, also known as Salesforce Transit Center. Construction delays, cost overruns and a crumbling granite sidewalk on the rooftop park have plagued the project. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. So has the lack of a rail connection, planned to bring Caltrain and eventually high-speed rail to a basement station in the center. The center has an empty area known as a rail box beneath the station with room for tracks and station platforms. San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin said Tuesday that he wants the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, a planning and programming agency controlled by the Board of Supervisors, to stop giving money to the TJPA for the rail extension, considered the second phase of the Transbay Transit Center. Peskin said he wants transportation officials to look at how similar large-scale projects are built around the world and consider creating a new agency to oversee the project. This is an opportune time to force a conversation, given the train wreck of events, he said. Its time to call a timeout and look at a more appropriate governance structure. Peskin made it clear that he does not want to cut funding for the repair of the Transbay Transit Centers broken beams. An emergency is an emergency is an emergency, he said. Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan The Trump administration must allow hearings for undocumented teenagers who were living with relatives or friends in the United States, with government approval, when they were arrested in gang sweeps last year and sent to lockups in distant states, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled Monday. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a November 2017 injunction by U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of San Francisco ordering immigration courts to hold immediate hearings for the teens and release them to a family member or another sponsor unless the government could show they were dangerous or likely to flee if released. The case involves youths who entered the U.S. without legal documentation, and without their parents, but were released to live with a sponsor after immigration officials concluded they were not dangerous. They were picked up last year in raids aimed at unauthorized immigrants suspected of gang membership, and then transferred to secure detention centers. The lead plaintiff, who had fled an abusive father in Honduras and entered the U.S. in 2015, was living with his mother in New York at the time of his arrest, and was flown across the country to the Yolo County Juvenile Detention Facility in Woodland, where he was placed under high security. Chhabrias November injunction led to immediate immigration court hearings for 30 to 35 youngsters, and a few more since then, most of whom won release to their original sponsors, said Stephen Kang, an American Civil Liberties Union lawyer. While the youths are out of custody, Kang said, more remains at stake in the case. He said the Trump administrations Office of Refugee Resettlement has been using flawed gang allegations to deny important immigration benefits to the youths. Those benefits include eligibility for asylum, based on a likelihood of persecution in their homeland, and another program allowing youths who have been abused, abandoned or neglected by a parent to apply for legal U.S. residence, Kang said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. ACLU lawyers said immigration officials have classified youths as gang members based on the color of the shirt they wore, the pizza parlor they frequented or a number one teenager wrote down that was considered a code for El Salvador. In appealing Chhabrias injunction, the Trump administration agreed that the youths were entitled to challenge their transfer and detention, but argued that they were adequately protected by the governments own review procedures. The appeals court disagreed. The internal process is entirely unilateral, Judge Andrew Hurwitz said in the 3-0 ruling. The juvenile is not provided with notice of the reason for incarceration or an opportunity to answer any charges, rights that are provided at an immigration court hearing. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@BobEgelko Nobel Prize laureate James Allison did the bulk of his award-winning immunotherapy research out of a modest lab at UC Berkeley in the 1990s, working with a team of scrappy post-docs who were bucking conventional wisdom around the role of the immune system in fighting cancer. Their work, his team members now recall, was propelled by the thrill of discovery and an almost naive enthusiasm. More than 20 years later, they now have the worlds most prestigious stamp of approval. The Nobel in physiology or medicine was granted to Allison, along with Japanese immunologist Tasuku Honjo, Monday morning. The two scientists developed separate techniques for turning on the immune system to attack tumors that were unresponsive to other cancer-killing therapies. Allison worked at UC Berkeley from 1985 until 2004, and is now at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This is very nice full circle for the work that we did back then, said Matthew Krummel, a UCSF pathologist who, as a graduate and post-doctoral student, worked closely with Allison at UC Berkeley in the 90s. We knew it was a big deal, we knew we were really making progress in areas where no one would have expected. We knew this was not a pedestrian finding, but something fundamentally earthchanging. Its nice to have this acknowledgment, he said. Allisons research led to the first commercially available immunotherapy in the world, a drug called Yervoy that is primarily used to fight skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. The drug, approved by the FDA in 2011, costs more than $100,000 for a round of treatment and does not work for all patients, but it nonetheless was hailed as a remarkable addition to the arsenal of tools including chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy used to fight cancer. Immune cells have molecular receptors essentially on-off switches that stop them from taking action. These receptors, which scientists have come to call immune checkpoints, are key to maintaining a healthy immune response: It would be problematic for immune cells to be overactive and attack a persons own body. But the checkpoints can prevent the immune cells from doing their jobs and going after tumors. The work by Allison and Honjo is in developing checkpoint inhibitors molecules that essentially turn key immune cells back on, for a period of time, to fight an aggressive cancer. Checkpoint inhibitors now are used to treat multiple cancers, in addition to melanoma. There was actually a ton of skepticism in the 1990s that you could ever do this with the immune system, said David Raulet, director of UC Berkeleys Immunotherapeutics and Vaccine Research Initiative. So this was really a sea change. It spurred a transformation of the cancer therapy field. Were very proud of (Allisons) accomplishments because they created a whole new type of cancer therapy. Scientists who worked with Allison at UC Berkeley recalled an energized, highly motivated lab environment, where young researchers were encouraged to let curiosity drive their work. Around the world, many of the top scientists in immunology had decided that the immune system was too complex to be easily harnessed as a tool to fight cancer. Allisons team wasnt necessarily trying to buck that line of thinking they were just eagerly exploring the basic mechanics of immunity, said Russell Vance, director of the Cancer Research Laboratory at UC Berkeley who worked briefly in Allisons lab as a graduate student in molecular and cell biology. It was an exciting time in the lab, Vance said. It felt like we were revealing the fundamental mechanisms about how the immune system works. Like we were finally understanding its basic nuts and bolts. Those kinds of discoveries, once theyre discovered, theyre discovered forever. It feels momentous. Vance said he woke up at 2:30 Monday morning to watch the Nobel announcements online sitting in the quiet in his house, while his family slept. He let out a yelp of joy when the names were revealed. Krummel said Allison had a laissez-faire attitude toward the scientists in his lab. He would largely leave his people alone to follow their own path, then dive in to help drive their work forward when he saw intriguing results. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Hes a perfect scientific opportunist, and I mean that in all the right ways. Hes cognizant of that value of what youre doing, Krummel said. The work was done out of UC Berkeleys Life Science Addition facility, built in 1988, just a few years after Allison came to the campus. His team worked mostly in a fourth-floor lab, but they spent a lot of time on the seventh floor, too, where the laboratory mice were housed and the scientists had the best view on campus, Krummel said. UC Berkeley at the time wasnt considered the type of institution that produced medical marvels leaps in basic science, yes, but without a medical school or hospital on site, the scientists couldnt put their discoveries into play in human subjects. In fact, that was what eventually forced Allison to leave. When his work in immunotherapy had progressed beyond the lab, he moved to Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York to help oversee human clinical trials. In a press conference Monday morning, Allison said it was gratifying to see such a profound payoff for his long years of work not just in the Nobel, but in the countless patients whose lives have been prolonged by his discovery. In truth, though, curing cancer was never what inspired his work, he added. What really motivates us as scientists is the desire to know something that nobody else knows, Allison said. Hopefully, its something important. Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com Gov. Jerry Browns veto of legislation that would have allowed San Francisco to begin a four-year trial of safe injection sites for drug users hasnt killed the idea altogether, but has made opening one even more complicated and distant. Mayor London Breed, sounding a bit frustrated, said in an interview Monday she still has a strong desire to open a site in which injection drug users could shoot up in a city-sanctioned facility under supervision. While such facilities exist in Canada, Europe and Australia, none operate in the United States. But Breed said she wants to ensure protection for the nonprofits and their workers that would operate such a facility, considering the Trump administration has made it clear it considers safe injection sites completely untenable and against federal law. Browns approval of the pilot program would have given Breed not only a public relations coup, but some political cover against the federal government. I think its premature at this time to say that I would go ahead with opening a site, Breed said. I think its more appropriate to say Im not giving up on the possibility. While Breed has successfully rallied the entire Board of Supervisors, and even more conservative groups like the Chamber of Commerce, to back the controversial idea, the brush-off from a governor normally on the cutting-edge of embracing strong scientific evidence is a major setback. Studies have shown safe injection sites lower overdose rates and nudge some users into treatment, but Brown argued in his veto letter that enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work. A main driver in opening an injection site would have been getting drug users and their dirty needles off the sidewalks and out of public view, a notion Brown didnt even address. Lorin Eleni Gill / Associated Press When pressed on whether a safe injection site would be open by the time she faces re-election in November 2019, Breed laughed and joked she didnt want to answer the question. Thats hard to say, she finally said. Fifty-fifty. And thats probably overstating the odds. There appear to be three options for moving forward without the governors approval, none of which would happen quickly. Wait a year and try again. State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who teamed with Assemblywoman Susan Eggman, D-Stockton, on the legislation for the four-year pilot program, said he plans to introduce the proposal again when the Legislature reconvenes in December. Brown will be termed out, and California will have a new governor almost certainly former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who loves being the first to push important policies and relishes fights with Trump. Newsom has indicated hes willing to back safe injection sites. He told Chronicle columnist Phil Matier in August, Im open to it. I think its a novel strategy. Newsom wouldnt be able to sign the legislation until September, however. Thats a long time to wait in a city thats already turned into one big unsafe injection site dirty needles litter its sidewalks, BART trains and stations, playgrounds and pretty much everywhere else. Wiener, not exactly a raging leftie, said if he were mayor, he wouldnt wait for Sacramentos approval. He would just open a site. He said its unlikely San Francisco police or the district attorney or California Attorney General Xavier Becerra would go after those working at a safe injection site. And so the roadblock remains the Trump administration, with or without Californias backing. Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general for the United States, recently warned in a New York Times op-ed that anyone who maintains a safe injection site would face up to 20 years in prison, fines and forfeiture of the property used for the injection drug use. But whether the Trump administration would risk the terrible optics of dragging clinicians helping homeless people out of a nonprofit in the Tenderloin is an open question. Whether San Francisco needs to address its drug epidemic is not. We have an epidemic on our streets of public injecting, which is terrible for neighborhoods and terrible for the health of people who are injecting in an unsafe, dirty, unhealthy environment, Wiener said. We cant just keep waiting around for policy makers at all levels to understand. Open the site as a medical research center. Breed is in discussions with New York Mayor Bill DeBlasios administration about opening safe injection sites together as medical research facilities. There are federally established procedures for allowing the use of controlled substances as part of research studies, but theyd require review and approval from a number of agencies, including the U.S. Department of Justice. Even if the same department that has threatened swift and aggressive action against safe injection sites agreed to allow them if they have a scientific element a big if it would certainly take a long time Declare an emergency, open one and hope for the best. This is basically what then-Mayor Frank Jordan did when he sanctioned the citys controversial needle exchange program back in 1993. An underground needle exchange program run by volunteers had existed for five years by that point, in an attempt to reduce the transmission of HIV and AIDS. Jordan said Monday he vividly remembers going to visit then-Gov. Pete Wilson to ask for permission to sanction the program. Wilson refused. Jordan, a moderate former police chief, declared a state of emergency, which got around some state regulations, and gave his blessing to the needle exchange anyway. Its now credited with dramatically reducing the spread of AIDS by injection drug users and has been replicated around the world. Jordan said it could be argued San Francisco has a health emergency now with so many injection drug users and discarded, dirty needles on the sidewalks. I think she should be pursuing it even though the governor has vetoed it, Jordan said of Breed. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. There are two differences. One? The president at the time was Bill Clinton not Donald Trump. Two? The San Francisco AIDS Foundation was fully on board with running the needle exchange program. Now, four nonprofits are in discussions about opening a safe injection site. Theyre Glide Memorial Church, Healthright 360, St. Anthony and, again, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. They were in discussions Monday about Browns disappointing veto and agreed the already challenging task of opening the nations first injection site under President Trump was made even harder. Kenneth Kim, clinical director at Glide, said no one organization would brave the risk alone, and it must be a fully coordinated effort with the city. Kim said the governor clearly doesnt understand the point of safe injection sites and that they gradually help drug users make better decisions, like not using dirty water out of a pothole to mix with their drugs. Asked to describe the chances a site would open in the next year, he said, Very low, I imagine. Asked about two years, he said, Still very low. Clearly, City Hall officials need to come up with other ideas to tackle the citys injection drug use epidemic in the meantime. Opening a safe injection site quickly has been their one, big answer to solving the problem, but that solution isnt going to happen anytime soon. Brown said in his veto letter that a comprehensive effort at the state and local level is required and that we need more drug treatment programs undertaken voluntarily or imposed by the courts. Too bad he did little on this score in office. Lets see whos willing to step up and make it a reality. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Tuesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com, Twitter: @hknightsf With the Department of Justice acting swiftly to block Californias new net neutrality rules, a legal battle looms that highlights the limits of state and federal power under the Constitution. The department sued minutes after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill Sunday that restored internet protections put in place in 2015 under the Obama administration and overturned by the Federal Communications Commission in December. The question now is whether courts will find that California has the authority to regulate internet use in the state. SB822, backed by State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, sought to restore prohibitions against internet service providers giving certain websites or apps special treatment. Under the Constitution, states do not regulate interstate commerce the federal government does, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement announcing the suit. Once again the California Legislature has enacted an extreme and illegal state law attempting to frustrate federal policy. The administrations complaint against California cited the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which stated a policy of preserving a vibrant and competitive free market for internet services unfettered by Federal or State regulation. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who was named in the complaint along with Gov. Brown, said the state will not allow a handful of power brokers to dictate sources for information or the speed at which websites load. Legal experts said the California laws survival depends on the interpretation of the Constitutions Commerce Clause, which reserves to Congress the right to regulate Commerce ... among the several States. San Diego State University lecturer Steven Andres said the internet has typically been classified as interstate commerce, and thus subject to federal regulation. I think the California bill is on strong legal ground, said Stanford law professor Barbara van Schewick. In removing the 2015 net neutrality rules, she pointed out, the Federal Communications Commission said it should not have the power to impose such restrictions on internet service providers. If the FCC doesnt have authority to adopt net neutrality rules then it cant prevent the states from adopting their own net neutrality rules, van Schewick said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes The communications commission in its December order proposed reserving enforcement of deceptive or unfair internet practices to the Federal Trade Commission, which arguably kept oversight of internet service providers in the federal sphere. But the trade commission lacks rule-making authority, and primarily responds to complaints, said Ryan Singel, a fellow at Stanford Law. These and other arguments will likely soon be tested in court. Besides the Justice Departments move to block Californias rules, the December order by the Federal Communications Commission faces its own legal challenge. More than 20 states attorneys general along with public interest groups and private businesses filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission. Arguments in that case are scheduled to begin on Feb. 1. Bloomberg News contributed to this report. Sophia Kunthara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sophia.kunthara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaKunthara California has long sought to lead the nation through what its legislators see as progressive regulations that curb corporate misbehavior. But pending challenges to two new laws show the limits of the states power, particularly when Californias measures seek to cross state lines. On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown signed SB826, which requires public companies with headquarters in California to have at least one female director by the end of next year, and SB822, which restores internet protections known as net neutrality in the state. Both face challenges rooted in the Constitutions Commerce Clause, which reserves the regulation of trade among the states to Congress. The Department of Justice sued minutes after Californias net neutrality rules became law. Under the Constitution, states do not regulate interstate commerce the federal government does, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement announcing the suit. SB826 did not draw immediate legal opposition. But the mandate that boards include one or more women, which imposes a fine for firms that fail to comply, may violate the federal and state constitutions by in effect requiring companies to discriminate against men wanting to serve on boards. If you avoid passing laws because of a risk that it will be overturned in court, then youre never going to push the envelope on anything, said state Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who authored the SB822 net neutrality bill and voted in favor of SB826, the boardroom diversity bill by his colleague Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara. Californias net neutrality bill restores prohibitions against internet service providers giving certain websites or apps special treatment for example, speeding up downloads of video services that pay a provider additional fees. The Federal Communications Commission under President Barack Obama instituted similar protections in 2015, but overturned them in December under Chairman Ajit Pai, who was appointed by President Trump. The administrations complaint against California cited the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which stated a policy of preserving a vibrant and competitive free market for internet services unfettered by Federal or State regulation. San Diego State University lecturer Steven Andres said the internet has typically been classified as interstate commerce, and is thus subject to federal regulation. But Stanford law Professor Barbara van Schewick said that because the FCC disavowed its power to regulate internet service providers behavior in the December order, it cannot turn around and say states cant regulate them either. If the FCC doesnt have authority to adopt net neutrality rules, then it cant prevent the states from adopting their own net neutrality rules, van Schewick said. The boardroom mandate faces different hurdles. The gender requirement may violate antidiscrimination laws, for one. And many California companies are incorporated outside the state typically in Delaware, thanks to that states business-friendly laws. Federal law says a company is subject to rules concerning its internal affairs in the state where it is incorporated, not the one where it is headquartered, said Joseph Grundfest, a professor and corporate governance expert at Stanford Law School. Several California trade groups have opposed the bill, with the California Chamber of Commerce the most vocal among them. The chamber argued against the bill for singling out gender. The reality is theres going to be litigation, and California will lose based on the internal affairs doctrine, Grundfest said. While 165 public companies headquartered in California have all-male boards, according to Bloomberg data, there are only 72 public companies that are headquartered and chartered in California to begin with, Grundfest said. Even if the law stands up to litigation, it will have a trivial effect, he said. Apple, chartered in California and headquartered in Cupertino, is the only Fortune 500 company that would need to add a woman to its board, according to Grundfests research. It already has two female directors; under the new law, by 2021 it would need to bring on a third or face fines. Apple declined to comment. One problem for companies that might want to challenge the law, though, is the backlash they would face from the public and employees, who are increasingly criticizing corporate America for its lack of gender balance. Kellie McElhaney, director of the Center for Equity, Gender, and Leadership at UC Berkeleys Haas School of Business, said she encourages companies she consults for to support the law because it makes strong business sense. Studies show that companies with diverse boards tend to perform better because they are likely to mirror their customers and clients. Companies would be better off vocally supporting the law rather than suing to avoid compliance, McElhaney said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Jackson, SB826s author, is optimistic that once the rule is in place, companies would see the benefits of having more women on their boards and would take additional measures to include people of different races and ethnicities. Brown seems aware of the laws pitfalls. I dont minimize the potential flaws that indeed may prove fatal to its ultimate implementation, he wrote Sunday in a signing statement. Nevertheless, recent events in Washington, D.C. and beyond make it crystal clear that many are not getting the message. Wiener said the pushback against the net neutrality and boardroom diversity laws is par for the course the criticism that comes from California being on the edge. They always say that, and 10 years later, theyre doing exactly what Californias doing, he said. Ultimately, other states frequently do what we do. Im very comfortable with California continuing to play that role. Other states are considering their own net neutrality protections, and Congress may take up the issue on a federal level, replacing agency rules with firmer law. Besides the Justice Departments move to block Californias internet rules, the December order by the FCC faces its own legal challenge. More than 20 states attorneys general along with public interest groups and private businesses filed a lawsuit against the FCC. Arguments in that case are scheduled to begin Feb. 1. San Francisco Chronicle business editor Owen Thomas and Chronicle news services contributed to this report. Melia Russell and Sophia Kunthara are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: melia.russell@sfchronicle.com, sophia.kunthara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meliarobin, @SophiaKunthara San Francisco is still wrestling with rental scooters, even though theyre not yet on city streets. On Monday, a Board of Supervisors committee delved into the process by which the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency selected two startups, Scoot Networks and Skip, to offer app-based rentals of electric scooters in the city. Scoot and Skip are expected to start rentals on Oct. 15 under a year-long permit program. Lime, one of 12 contenders for the e-scooter pilot program, appealed that decision last month, saying the MTA exhibited unlawful bias. The MTA will hold a hearing to consider Limes charges but, meanwhile, Supervisor Ahsha Safai asked the Land Use and Transportation Committee to examine the transparency and fairness of the agencys process. Im left with significant questions on how this application process was created, how companies were chosen and ultimately how well the citizens of San Francisco will be served, he said in a brief interview after the hearing. Tom Maguire, MTA director of sustainable streets, outlined how the Board of Supervisors had directed his agency to create a permit program for scooters after three companies (Lime, Bird and Spin) started operating them here in March, raising concerns about public streets being used for private enterprise and about scooters impeding pedestrians on sidewalks. The agency was surprised to receive applications from a dozen companies, he said. It spent three months poring over more than 800 pages of material, rating them on a variety of criteria with safety, equity and accountability being the most important. Safai said he felt that the MTA could have coordinated and communicated more closely with the supervisors as it created the pilot program and permit application. He dinged the agency for not publishing its scoring criteria in advance, although Maguire said that the application questions themselves made the criteria clear. Another key element was that scooter operators agree to labor harmony, something the MTA insisted on in accord with a 2015 resolution. Both Safai and Supervisor Jane Kim said they look askance at piecemeal work in which freelancers compete to find scooters and take them home for charging. Its important to have the ability to ensure that all these workers are employees versus outside contractors, Kim said. If were going to claim that these companies are creating jobs, lets create real jobs with benefits for employees. Safai asked why the city ended up with only two scooter operators although the MTA board authorized up to five permits. There were clearly two that outscored the rest, Maguire said. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes Scott Kubly, chief program officer for Lime, spoke about the San Francisco companys concerns with why it wasnt picked. The process the MTA followed was flawed and clearly biased, he said. His examples: It rated Lime as poor under experience, even though the company operates 22,000 e-scooters in 100 cities worldwide, while companies that have not operated scooters were rated strong, he said. Although Limes proposed service area would cover the entire city, it receive a poor rating while companies that proposed more limited areas were rated strong, he said. Jon Givner, deputy city attorney, said the supervisors dont have authority over the MTA permitting processes, only the power to ask about them. Permitting programs like this are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the MTA, he told the committee. Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid Mark Wineman / Getty Images A 19-year-old man led investigators to a body near Lake Chabot Dam early Monday and was arrested on suspicion of killing his girlfriend, police said. Police said they believe the body is that of Mariah Davis, an 18-year-old Richmond woman who was last seen on Wednesday. Her boyfriend, Anthony Pimentel, visited San Leandro police with his father around 3:30 a.m. Monday and told investigators he had killed Davis, according to East Bay Regional Park District Police Lt. David Phulps. Less than two days before he called 911 to report that hed killed his grandmother and cut off her head, Andrew Luke was at San Francisco General Hospital getting treated for a severe injury he gave to himself while in a delusional state, officials said. Believing he was possessed by a demon, Luke had repeatedly slammed his head against a wall on Sept. 24, causing a gash that had to be stapled closed, prosecutors said. Despite his mental breakdown, Luke was sent home, where hours later, he allegedly killed 82-year-old Chii-Chyu Horng. On Monday, officials at San Francisco General Hospital said they are investigating whether staff followed proper protocol for people experiencing crises when they released Luke, 30, shortly after treating the wound. The hospital would not comment on the case due to patient privacy laws, and officials would not say whether Luke was given a psychiatric evaluation that day. But officials are doing an investigation to make sure protocols were followed, said Brent Andrew, a spokesman for San Francisco General. Under the hospitals protocol, if a patient in the emergency department meets the hospitals criteria for a psychiatric hold - or if they are brought there on a hold the attending physician is supposed to request a consultation from the hospitals psychiatric emergency services department. A physician from the psychiatric department then evaluates the patient and decides whether to hold or release the patient, according to the hospitals policy. Under California law people can be involuntarily hospitalized for mental health issues for up to 72 hours if theyre deemed dangerous to themselves or others. Luke called police Wednesday shortly after midnight to report the killing inside the apartment that he shared with Horng at 801 Howard St., officials said. Officers rushed to the scene and broke down the door to find Luke covered in blood and Horng decapitated in the kitchen, prosecutors said. Luke was taken back to San Francisco General Hospital on a psychiatric hold and later charged with murder and elder abuse after telling investigators he believed he and his grandmother were possessed by demons and that Jesus told him to get rid of it, prosecutors said. Many of Lukes relatives wanted to remain anonymous due to the violent details of the crime. But a complicated picture of the suspect has emerged based on the familys accounts and his social media pages one that shows a San Francisco software engineer who went to a top university and volunteered for youth organizations, but struggled with mental illness. Luke, who was raised by Horng after his mother died when he was a toddler, grew up in Lafayette. He attended UCLA from 2009 to 2012 and studied computer science, according to his LinkedIn page. Luke went on to work as a software engineer in San Francisco and volunteered with several nonprofit youth organizations. But over the years, he struggled with mental illness and was institutionalized at least one time, his ex-stepmother, Eva Fok, said. In the days leading up to the killing, Luke posted a flurry of religious-inspired messages and biblical passages on his Facebook page. If ultimately Jesus is the only thing that exists, how can hell exist also? Luke wrote four days before the slaying. They cant both exist. Hell is not a thing if Jesus is the only thing. Maybe hell happened already on the cross. Hell WAS AND IS NOT. Amid the bizarre social media posts, Lukes behavior also began to change. He had a fight with his father over his student loans the week before Horng died and was increasingly angry. Fok told The Chronicle that he had suffered in the past from mental illness and was at times prone to violence. Things as benign as background noises or laughter could set him off, she said. But he was always close to Horng, she said, whom he really loved. Luke told police that his grandmother was the person he loves most, prosecutors said. No one in Lukes family seems to know what happened in the moments leading up to Horngs death. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. On Sept. 24, Luke was in the throes of a delusional episode, prosecutors said. He believed that God had been speaking to him and that he was possessed by a demon, Assistant District Attorney Michael Swart wrote in a motion to detain Luke without bail. Luke banged his head against a wall, trying to get the demon out and suffered injuries to the back of his head, prosecutors said. He was then taken to San Francisco General where doctors stapled his wound and released him. Police and the district attorneys office have not elaborated on the circumstances of how he got to the hospital and when he was released. Hospital officials said they will not comment on psychiatric patients. When Luke returned home, his delusions continued. On Tuesday, he stated that Jesus was testing him and that he was possessed by a demon and needed to get it out, prosecutors said. Luke then went into the bathroom and began banging his head and face on the floor, officials said. When Horng came into the room, Luke dragged her to the kitchen and stabbed her with two knives, Swart said. He then beat her with a rolling pin and cut her head off with a knife, prosecutors said. Luke called police a short time later, officials said. During a subsequent interview with investigators, Luke said if Jesus told him to harm others in this fashion he would do it, Swart wrote. Luke is being held without bail. He remains at San Francisco General. He is due in court at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky A lawsuit by womens rights advocates challenging the Trump administrations rollback of federal policies on campus sexual harassment was dismissed Monday by a federal magistrate in San Francisco, who said the new standards cant be challenged in court because they are only guidelines, with no penalties for violations. Groups representing accusers in cases of sexual harassment and assault filed a nationwide lawsuit in January after Education Secretary Betsy DeVos issued new guidelines last fall calling for colleges to set a more demanding standard of proof for allegations in these cases and to strengthen rights of the alleged harassers, most of them men. DeVos recommended that colleges require accusers of sexual harassment to prove their cases through clear and convincing evidence. That is a harder test to meet than the guidelines issued under former President Barack Obama, which told schools to allow proof of the accusations by a preponderance of the evidence, or more likely than not. The new guidelines also recommend allowing only the alleged harasser to appeal an unfavorable campus ruling, rather than letting both sides appeal. In addition, the guidelines propose that disciplinary boards consider how a finding of harassment would impact the students future access to education. Now Playing: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said Thursday that her department will change the Obama Administration's guidance for handling cases of sexual assault on college campuses and rethink the Title IX Video: Time Three womens rights groups, including San Francisco-based Equal Rights Advocates, said in their lawsuit that the guidelines discriminated against women and had been adopted by many schools as rules for campus disciplinary cases. As evidence of DeVos intent, they noted that her top civil rights aide, Candace Jackson, had told the New York Times in July 2017 that 90 percent of campus accusations came from women who had gotten drunk, had sex and then regretted it. But U.S. Magistrate Jacqueline Scott Corley said Monday the guidelines were not final agency action that can be challenged, because they are not binding. Voluntarily changing a policy in response to an agencys nonbinding enforcement guidance is not the same thing as being required to do so by the guidance itself, Corley said. Although colleges face a loss of federal funding for violating federal law or regulations, Corley said, a school that chose not to follow DeVos new standards would suffer no legal consequences as long as it complied with Title IX, the 1972 law against sex discrimination in education. The womens groups also argued that the guidelines would have an impact on female students by making it harder to win a discrimination suit claiming their school had been deliberately indifferent to their rights, which now have been narrowed. Corley called that argument intriguing at a hearing in July but rejected it Monday. A school defending a deliberate indifference claim under Title IX could not simply point to its compliance with the 2017 guidance and escape liability, she said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The lackluster portfolio of Californias lieutenant governor job makes the position easy to overlook. Even some who have held the post have complained that with almost no duties, its a bore. But two Democrats asking voters to elect them Nov. 6 say they have a plan for making the most of the opportunity. Eleni Kounalakis says she would bring a strong voice to the boards the lieutenant governor sits on particularly the University of California regents and California State University trustees. I think you can make a full-time job just fighting against higher tuition, Kounalakis said. This job is designed to be focused on higher education. Her opponent, state Sen. Ed Hernandez of West Covina (Los Angeles County), said he sees a way to expand the role the lieutenant governor has as president of the Senate. The lieutenant governor now has few duties except to be a tiebreaker vote in case of deadlock. Hernandez said he would take a more active role in presiding over the upper house when legislative deadlines are looming, to ensure priority bills are dealt with in a timely fashion. Those priorities, he said, should include moving the state to a single-payer health care system something Kounalakis also supports but believes is outside the scope of the lieutenant governors job. Unlike the insurance commissioner or the attorney general or the treasurer, you can do whatever you make of this office, Hernandez said. I want to work on controlling health care costs and moving the state to universal coverage. The lieutenant governors post, however, is largely devoid of political clout. Former Gov. Gray Davis is one of the few who have gone on to higher office after holding the position, and current Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is trying to do the same as he runs for governor. The old joke is that the lieutenant governors main job is to wake up in the morning and see if the governor is still alive. Officially, the lieutenant governor is next in line for the top job in case the governor dies, becomes incapacitated, is impeached or resigns. In addition to sitting on the boards of the states public university systems, the lieutenant governor is on the Commission for Economic Development, State Lands Commission and Ocean Protection Council. Newsom has been critical of the jobs low profile, deriding it as a ceremonial do-nothing post with no real authority and no real portfolio. He once called the position dull. The name sounds a lot flashier than the responsibilities that come with the job, said Larry Gerston, a political analyst and former political science professor at San Jose State University. There is virtually no power in this office. Hernandez said thats what makes it important to ensure the person elected to the office is well connected in the Legislature. Ive already built those relationships, he said, pointing out that Kounalakis, U.S. ambassador to Hungary during the Obama administration, has never held office in Sacramento. Whether the lieutenant governor has enough to do depends on the occupant, he said. Hernandez was first elected to the Assembly in 2006 and then to the Senate in 2010. He wrote bills that raised the minimum smoking age from 18 to 21 and required drug companies to give advance notice of price increases. Hernandez, who is an optometrist, said his bill to increase drug pricing transparency angered pharmaceutical companies. Those companies are now donating heavily to exact political payback and defeat him, he said. Im willing to lose an election over something I believe in, Hernandez said. Kounalakis pledged not to take pharmaceutical money, but the industry is able to spend money to help her without her asking. An independent expenditure committee supporting Kounalakis accepted $200,000 from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America political action committee. By law, such committees cannot coordinate their activities with candidates campaigns. Although Kounalakis is not affiliated with the PAC that accepted the donation, a majority of its funding has come from her father, wealthy developer Angelo Tsakopoulos. Kounalakis scoffed at Hernandezs contention that he sacrificed his political future by taking on Big Pharma. Campaign finance records show Hernandez regularly took money from drugmakers as a lawmaker, including while he was chair of the Senate Health Committee. Last year alone, Hernandez accepted money from some of the largest drug manufacturers, including $6,300 from Pfizer, $3,000 from Merck & Co. and $2,100 from Abbott Laboratories Employee PAC. A Sacramento Bee analysis found that Hernandez was the top recipient of drugmaker money in the Legislature since 2011, accepting at least $207,411 from pharmaceutical firms and their interests. I dont know anyone in the pharmaceutical industry, Kounalakis said. He has spent 12 years doing business with them, carrying their legislation. He is supported by special interests. Kounalakis run has largely been funded by her father, who has contributed more than $8 million to her campaign and the PAC to elect her. For that, she makes no apologies. My family is not a special interest they are just proud of me, she said. Kounalakis father is a Greek immigrant who worked as a farmworker before creating a successful real estate company, a story she said should resonate with voters. She said she entered politics in hopes of helping other families attain the American dream like her family has. To do that, education has to be priority in California, she said. Kounalakis said with the lieutenant governor sitting on the CSU and UC boards, she would push the state to spend more on enrolling in-state students and ensuring that tuition remains flat. She pledged never to vote for a tuition increase. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez Unlike Gov. Jerry Brown, who vetoed San Franciscos safe injection pilot clinic, Gavin Newsom said Tuesday that he remains very, very open to a pilot program and would consider one if elected governor. Speaking at a campaign stop in San Franciscos Mission District, the Democratic lieutenant governor said he hasnt read the details of the legislation that Brown vetoed Sunday. But he said he has spoken with San Francisco Mayor London Breed on multiple occasions about a pilot program that would allow drug users to shoot up in a city-sanctioned center under supervision. While such safe-injection sites exist in Canada, Europe and Australia, there are none in the U.S. Im very open to that. Id like to learn more about why the governor vetoed it in terms of making what I believe is a legal argument so Id like to research that, Newsom said while visiting the Felton Family Service Agency early childhood center. Im not wedded to the language of the existing bill, but I am certainly very, very open to a pilot. Some studies have shown that safe injection sites lower overdose rates and encourage some users into treatment. But Brown disagreed, saying in his veto statement that enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work. He also said he feared that San Francisco officials and health professionals could be vulnerable to federal prosecution for facilitating drug use. The bill by Assemblywoman Susan Eggman, D-Stockton, would have created a four-year pilot program in San Francisco aimed at reducing opioid overdoses and encouraging users to go into treatment by giving them supervised facilities to inject themselves and ride out the high under clinical supervision. Newsom said that wasnt the only bill on which he and Brown disagreed. He said he would have signed a bill to require public universities in California to offer abortion pills on campus. Brown vetoed the measure, saying such services are widely available to students at off-campus clinics. I would have supported that. I have long supported that, Newsom said. I subscribe to Planned Parenthood and NARALs position on that. Now Playing: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom sits down with Editorial Page Editor John Diaz to discuss housing, homelessness and the California governor's race. Newsom also disagreed with Browns decision last week to extend the deployment of 400 California National Guard troops along the U.S.-Mexico border until March. The Trump administration had asked southern border states to deploy troops along the boundary. Brown agreed to do so, but said they would not be used to round up women and children or detain people escaping violence and seeking a better life, build a wall or enforce federal immigration laws. The governor said they would be used to target smugglers, gangs and human traffickers. Newsom said Tuesday that he wouldnt have participated in it, and that Browns decision to extend the deployment was news to me. He said he would try to pull out of the agreement if hes elected. Id like to see what contractual provisions exist there before we can determine whether or not we can pull away from it, Newsom said. I just think its a stunt on the presidents part. If elected, Newsom said, he would bring more energy in the first 100 days of his administration, including high-profile appointments. I think there will be a lot more energy, a lot more visibility on big, high-profile issues, Newsom told The Chronicles editorial board Tuesday. There will be stated goals that will be audacious tempered by the pragmatism that is required to achieve those goals. That tone will be set, I hope in the first budget, in those first first 100 days. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli With just over a month to go before the Nov. 6 midterms, a flurry of polls and independent studies shows theres movement going on in the California congressional races and most of it favors the Democrats. Just last week, for example, Inside Elections, a nonpartisan newsletter, upgraded Democrats chances in five GOP-held congressional districts. Seats held by GOP Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County), Steve Knight of Lancaster (Los Angeles County) and Mimi Walters of Irvine (Orange County) all were were changed from Tilt R to Toss-up by Nathan Gonzalez, who runs the newsletter. It was even worse for longtime GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa (Orange County) and Republican Diane Harkey, who is seeking the seat now held by retiring Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista (San Diego County). Inside Elections has moved those formerly toss-up contests into the Democratic column. A poll that Siena College did for the New York Times found Democrat Katie Porter, a law school professor, with a 48 percent to 43 percent lead over Walters among likely voters. Another poll that Siena College did a few days earlier showed attorney Mike Levin leading Harkey, 51 percent to 41 percent, among those most likely to vote. Barbara Davidson / Getty Images Those are among the races that could well determine which party controls the House for the next two years. Democrats have to flip 23 Republican-held seats nationwide to take control of the House, a position from which they could make all sorts of trouble for President Trump. Its all about to get very real: Although election day is Nov. 6, California will start mailing out ballots to voters Monday. For the full story on the poll details that campaigns are paying especially close attention to, click here. Deep dives and late takes Shes running?: California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris is making the most of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation fight as she ramps up a possible 2020 presidential bid. Changing minds: How the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle has the potential to change the way sexual assault survivors stories are heard. Collegial vs. confrontation: The dueling approaches of Californias two U.S. senators was never more obvious than during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. Anti-DMV vote: John Cox, the Republican candidate for governor, is willingly spending hours at the Department of Motor Vehicles, thinking he can find votes there. Injection options: Gov. Jerry Browns veto of a bill to let San Francisco open a safe drug-injection site leaves the city looking for a work-around solution. Sign up for Political Punch Like what you're reading? Sign up for the Political Punch newsletter on our sign-up page. It's sent twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and provides an expert political perspective with a Golden State spin. See More Collapse No. 2, trying harder: Lieutenant governors dont have a lot to do, but two Democrats running for the job say they have plans for making it relevant. Big spender: A candidate for San Francisco supervisor has spent nearly a quarter-million dollars of his own money to try to get elected. Cash-poor GOP: Californias Republican candidates are raising almost no money for the November elections. Its a different story for Democrats. Surprise debate: Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee of Oakland has agreed to debate her little-known Green Party challenger. Sleeping giant: Young people have the potential to have an outsized impact on elections, but they almost never vote. A new effort goes digital to try to reach them. Political calendar: Candidates forums, an anti-Brett Kavanaugh protest and a discussion about the Amazon rain forest highlight the Bay Area political calendar. The Political Punch newsletter publishes Tuesdays and Thursdays between noon and 3 p.m. It is produced by the staff of The San Francisco Chronicle and edited by politics editor Trapper Byrne. Email: tbyrne@sfchronicle.com One thing is certain it will never fit in a holster. Stockton police confiscated a loaded handgun with a 50-round drum magazine Sunday night during what they called a "checkout" of a group of people in south Stockton. The bottom-heavy pistol-magazine configuration allows the user to fire dozens of rounds without reloading. Arrested on weapons charges were Teon Selleaze, 20, Brian Norman, 20, and Charles Prince, 24. Prince was jailed in the county lockup without bail. Charges against him include the manufacture, sale and possession of a large-capacity magazine and possession of a firearm by someone convicted of a violent offense. Selleaze's bail is $1 million and Norman's is $825,000. Police did not explain what prompted the "checkout" of the individuals. RELATED: John McAfee says he keeps gun in hand while on the toilet A new state law that would have barred state gun owners from possessing high-capacity ammunition magazines was blocked by a San Diego-based U.S. district judge in 2017. California has prohibited buying or selling the high-capacity magazines since 2000, but those possessed before then were grandfathered in until a ban passed by the Legislature and voters in 2016. Judge Roger Benitez ruled the ban took gun owners' Second Amendment rights as well as their personal property without compensation. There was nearly a 16 percent difference between the overall graduation rate for undergraduates and the graduation rate of black undergrads at UC Berkeley from 2013-2016, according to a new report from the University of Southern California. What's more, Berkeley had the lowest "equity index score" of all the schools in the University of California system studied for the report. But that's not the only bad news for black students at public colleges and universities around the country. USC's Race and Equity Center released a report in late September revealing that while California public colleges and universities rank relatively high nationwide in terms of supporting its black students, the state also performs poorly on many "equity indicators" such as percentage of black students in the student body, graduation rate and black student-to-black faculty ratio. Shaun R. Harper, the director of the Race and Equity Center, and Isaiah Simmons, a research associate with the center, wrote the report. Harper and Simmons compiled data from the Department of Education on 506 colleges and universities from around the country to see how the schools are performing in terms of representational equity, gender equity, completion equity and student-to-faculty racial ratios. They assigned GPA-style grades to each school on those equity categories and the ratio based on each school's performance and averaged them out to create "equity index scores" on a scale of from 0-4. And then they averaged out the cumulative scores of each state's colleges and universities. Major findings of the report While black people make up 14.6 percent of the 18-24 population in the U.S., they only make up 9.8 percent of full-time, degree-seeking undergrads at America's public colleges and universities Between 2013-2016, 39.4 percent of Black students completed bachelor's degrees at public institutions within six years, compared to 50.6 percent of undergraduates overall The ratio of black students-to-black faculty member is 42:1 nationwide, 40 of the public schools studied have no full-time black faculty and 44 percent of the public schools studied employed 10 or less black faculty members See More Collapse Overall, no university in the country had an equity index score higher than 3.50 and the highest state average was Massachusetts' at 2.81. The next highest state average was Washington at 2.59, and California was third at 2.46. "A metaphor that I think is perhaps useful here: I don't have kids, but if I did and my kid came home to me with a report card and said, 'My cumulative GPA is 2.46, but wait, dad, before you say anything about that, you should know [it's] the third highest at my school,'" Harper said. "I'm going to say to my kid, 'I don't care that it's the third highest in your school it's a terrible GPA. I know that you can do better.' "So in some ways, you know, California is the third best of the worst when it comes to equity for black students across the 50 states. I just want to be very, very clear here that there is no celebrating to be done about the performance of California relative to the other states." A California school UC San Diego was one of three schools in the entire country that was given a 3.50 equity index score. There were just four other California schools that received an equity index score of three or higher: California State University Fresno, UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside and California State University Monterey Bay. The report revealed that some of the universities that routinely rank highest among public schools in the state UC Berkeley, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and UCLA are underserving black students. Berkeley's differential for black graduation and overall graduation was the third highest in the state and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's is the fourth highest at 15.3 percent. UC Berkeley's equity index score was 2.5, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo's was 1.75 and UCLA's was 2.75. Berkeley's 2.5 equity index score was the lowest of all of the schools in the UC system studied for this report. UC Berkeley and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo were two of the worst performing schools in terms of underrepresentation of black students in 2016. Black students made up 1.9 percent of the student population at Berkeley, the third worst in the state, and they made up .7 percent of the student population at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which was the worst in the state. "This report unmasks several inequities that tend to get lost when we talk in the aggregate about the goodness of a college or university, or the exceptionality of a place," Harper said. "I have so much respect for many institutions on the California list ... and they're exceptional universities, undoubtedly so, overall in the aggregate, on particular metrics. But not when it comes to enrolling, supporting and graduating black students." Black people between the age of 18-24, who made up 6.6 percent of California's population in 2016, were actually underrepresented in that same year at all but two of the schools studied for this report. They were overrepresented at California State University Dominguez Hills and California State University East Bay. California schools' black student-to-black faculty ratio was all over the board in the same year ranging from a 9:1 ratio at UCLA to a 55:1 ratio at California State University Chico. CSU Chico received the state's only "F" grade for its graduation differential of 18.3 percent. California was the only state in the country to receive a single "F" grade in the USC study. In the Bay Area, UC Berkeley wasn't the only school that performed poorly in terms of equity for black students. All of the Bay Area schools studied in the report San Francisco State University, Sonoma State University, CSU East Bay, San Jose State University and Berkeley had graduation disparities between black students and the overall population of 10 percent or higher. SF State had the lowest graduation disparity at 10.3 percent and was the closest to having a black population that was representative of how many 18-24-year-olds were in California's black population in 2016. Berkeley was the only Bay Area school that graduated more than 50 percent of its black students from 2013-2016. Despite having the third-highest black student population of all of the public schools in California in 2016, CSU East Bay was tied for the second worst black student-to-black faculty ratio at 52:1. On the national level, some of Harper and Simmons' major findings were staggering. For example, while black people make up 14.6 percent of the 18-24 population in the U.S., they only make up 9.8 percent of full-time, degree-seeking undergrads at America's public colleges and universities. And between 2013-2016, 39.4 percent of Black students completed bachelor's degrees at public institutions within six years, compared to 50.6 percent of undergraduates overall. Harper, who has been studying black students in higher education for nearly 20 years, went to a public school, Albany State University in Georgia for undergraduate, but it was a historically black university, one of the few public HBCUs in the country. "My space was a very affirming space," he said. "Sure not every black person who goes there succeeds, but there's very much an expectation of success." Even though he didn't regret going to Albany State, he admits he was envious of his high school classmates who went to bigger state schools with more name recognition. "I thought my high school classmates that were winning by getting into these big state schools. It wasn't until I started grad school at Indiana University that I began reading about black students' experiences at white schools and interacting with black undergrads at Indiana that that started to change," he said. "I came to understand very quickly that black students who go to predominantly white schools encounter a ton of racial stress." Since then, he's been doing research, giving speeches and working in the administration of colleges and universities around the country, and saw inequities for black students all over the place. And for the past decade, he said, he's "fantasized" about doing a study as comprehensive as the one he and Simmons just published. "Over time as I have amassed that experience that actually these inequities were not just one-offs," he said. "They were much more systemic and they were and much more widespread." And now he has data to back up what he's been seeing for almost two decades. Harper said that although he hopes to repeat the study again in four years, the metrics they looked at don't tell the entire story. In February 2019, the Race and Equity Center will begin studying the experiences of different racial groups on college campuses around the country through the National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates. He said the qualitative measures gathered through that assessment will help paint a more accurate picture of how colleges and universities are performing in terms of racial equity. And although the data compiled by Harper and Simmons for this report paints a grim picture for black students at the United States' colleges and universities, he said he's inspired by what they found. "Most people will find [the results] alarming and perhaps even depressing. I was inspired by them because they confirm what I've long known to be the condition of black students at many public institutions. I was inspired that finally someone was able to document these inequities in the pages of a single report and make the inequities transparent," Harper said. "I can't tell you how many emails and phone calls I've gotten this week from black alumni of predominantly white institutions and from current students. ... There was literally a woman who called me and she was crying. She said that these data confirm for her what she had been feeling was the reality for her and other black students on her campus. "I knew that this report would do that. I knew that it would affirm black students in some important ways and I wanted to do that." The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it seized more than 1,000 pages of documents from Juul Labs during an unannounced site inspection of the e-cigarette manufacturers San Francisco headquarters. The FDA said the inspection, which it completed Friday, sought documents related to Juuls sales and marketing practices, among other things. The inspection came weeks after the agency announced a comprehensive crackdown on e-cigarette manufacturers, citing an epidemic of nicotine addiction among American youths. It directed the industrys giants to draw up detailed plans for halting sales to minors and threatening to pull a wide range of products, including flavorings that appeal to underage buyers. The FDA would not answer questions about whether Juul willingly handed over the documents collected from its headquarters last week or whether the company was being accused of wrongdoing. Juul CEO Kevin Burns said Tuesday in a statement that last weeks interactions with the FDA gave his company the opportunity to provide information about our business from our marketing practices to our industry-leading online age-verification protocols to our youth prevention efforts. He said the company has released more than 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements. It was a constructive and transparent dialogue, he said in the statement. We are committed to preventing underage use. The FDA said it is committed to taking all necessary actions, such as inspections and advancing new policies, to prevent a new generation of kids from becoming addicted to tobacco products. In April, the FDA asked Juul for documents that would help it better understand the reportedly high rates of youth use and the youth appeal of Juul products, including documents related to marketing and product design, according to a statement from the agency. The agency had also previously conducted inspections of several of Juuls contract manufacturing facilities to see if they complied with regulatory requirements. Burns said in his statement that Juul will release a plan to address youth access in 60 days, as outlined by the FDA. E-cigarettes started to gain popularity in the last five years. The battery-powered, handheld devices heat nicotine-infused liquid into an inhalable mist, which users puff as if smoking a cigarette. Most e-cigarettes use replaceable, liquid-filled cartridges that come in a variety of flavors. Juul flavors include mango, cucumber and Virginia tobacco. Flavors are of particular concern to the FDA. Scott Gottlieb, the agencys commissioner, said last month that certain flavors are one of the principal drivers of the youth appeal of these products. Analysts at Wells Fargo estimate that Americans bought more than $2.3 billion worth of e-cigarettes from August 2017 to August 2018, and they expect annual sales to reach nearly $4 billion this year. Juul hit the market in 2015 and is the clear leader among e-cigarette brands, with $454 million in sales over the 12 months that ended in February, according to the Wells Fargo report, which cited market data from the research firm Nielsen. Add in other vaping products including vapor cartridges and related items sold at specialty shops and analysts say the entire market could be worth $6.6 billion this year. Samantha Masunaga is a Los Angeles Times writer. In airport news, American Express tightens access to its Centurion Lounge at San Francisco International; AmEx opens an expanded lounge at Dallas/Ft. Worth; security screening is relocated at Delta's Terminal 3 in LAX; Atlanta debuts a popular new burger joint; and British Airways makes connections easier at London Heathrow. A year ago, American Express tightened the rules for entry to its airport Centurion Lounges by eliminating access to all but Platinum and Centurion Card holders (previously, holders of lesser cards were able to buy day passes). But that didn't bring demand into line with supply in all cases, and earlier this year AmEx put temporary time limits on entry to the lounges in Miami and Seattle during busy periods, telling Platinum Card holders they couldn't come in more than two hours before flight time. Now that policy has started to show up at the SFO Centurion Lounge, where a travel blogger Gary Leff discovered Platinums couldn't get into the lounge more than three hours before flight time during busy periods. (Apparently the time limit doesn't apply to Centurion cardholders.) The Platinum Card carries a $550 annual fee. Speaking of Centurion Lounges, AmEx has just opened an expanded version of its Centurion Lounge in Dallas/Ft. Worth's Terminal D. Located post-security near Gate D-12, the DFW lounge added another 3,000 square feet, for a total of 12,500. It has three shower suites, private telephone rooms, and a "mother's room" in addition to the usual Centurion amenities like free food, a full bar, work areas with high-speed Wi-Fi, conference space, a member services desk, and complimentary spa services from Exhale. American Express is planning to continue expansion of its Centurion Lounge network in 2019 with new locations in New York JFK, Denver and Los Angeles International. Delta is advising travelers that as part of its ongoing reconstruction of Terminals 2 and 3 at Los Angeles International, security screening in Terminal 3 is being relocated from Level Three to Level One. The relocation will occur in phases, Delta said: "As a new lane opens at the Level One checkpoint, a lane will also be closed at the Level Three checkpoint. The full relocation is expected to be complete in October, and the security screening checkpoint in Terminal 3 will remain on Level One until the first phase of construction is complete in January 2021." Delta said travelers departing from T3 should enter the screening line on the departures level. "From there, airport employees will direct customers to their respective screening lanes, including TSA Pre-Check, CLEAR and Sky Priority." The latest major U.S. airport to open a branch of the popular Shake Shack gourmet burger chain is Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson. The new restaurant is located near Gate 28 in Concourse A. The ATL location will be open all day, offering a breakfast service from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. with a selection of breakfast sandwiches in addition to the usual burgers, shakes and fries fare (it will not serve alcoholic beverages, however). Shake Shack already has airport locations at New York JFK's Delta terminal and at Los Angeles International. Additional airport outlets are in the works for Denver (United's Concourse B), New York LaGuardia (Terminal B) and Cleveland Hopkins. British Airways said this month it has introduced new procedures and programs at its Terminal 5 hub in London Heathrow to make life easier for connecting passengers. It has assigned "connections managers" to sift through data on arriving passengers with connections; if it looks like a traveler is going to miss his onward flight at LHR, staff will rebook him to another flight on BA or its Oneworld partners before the inbound flight lands at Heathrow. "They are then met at the aircraft door by connections staff who provide them with their new boarding pass, refreshment vouchers and, if overnight accommodation is necessary, their hotel booking," BA said. In addition, self-service check-in kiosks have been installed in the flight connections area of T5, and if several passengers are transferring to the same flight, the airline will arrange for a vehicle to take them there. Chauffeur-driven executive cars will be assigned to handle quick transfers for First Class, Club World or Club Europe customers as well as Gold and Silver Executive Club members. Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis. Southwest Airlines kicked off a fall/winter fare sale Tuesday, and I expect other airlines to start matching these low fares in the next 24-48 hours. Travel demand and fares typically tumble during the slower fall and winter months, and this year is no exception some relatively low fares are starting to trickle out on all airlines for cool weather trips to warm or snowy places. (UPDATE: This fare sale now ends at 11:59 on FRIDAY night, Oct 4- originally it was to end on Oct 3) So if you felt priced out of peak summer season, or just stayed away due to the record crowds, take a look at what Southwest has on offer during from mid-November through mid-February, just as the cold wet winter months set in. What's nice, and different from last year's fall/winter Southwest sale: these fares include travel in November, pre-Thanksgiving, which is one of the best times of year due to small crowds, low prices, and generally okay weather. Southwest kicked it off with fares starting at $100 roundtrip. From there, roundtrip fares rise in several steps to around $300. Southwest's new mainland-to-Hawaii flights are not included in this fare sale, but its inter-island flights are. (More on Southwest flights to Hawaii here.) Sample approximate round trip fares on nonstop flights from California/Bay Area airports below (see Southwest Fare sale page for other cities): $100: All intra-California and CA-Las Vegas, Portland $160: Boise, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Seattle $200: Albuquerque, Dallas, Denver $260: Austin, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, St Louis $300: Most transcontinental or almost-transcontinental flights, including: Atlanta, Baltimore, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando Southwest flies from all three Bay Area airports, so be sure to check OAK (its primary west coast operation), SFO and SJC. Fares may vary slightly among airports, but not by much. Expect other major airlines to match these low fares over the next 24 hours. (We'll update this story with competitive matches as they roll out...see below). Keep in mind that even with matches, Southwest's fares are cheaper if you plan on checking baggage; Southwest offers two bags for free. Major airlines' fare matches will likely be with those unloved, fee-laden "basic economy" fares. This sale is good for flights during annual dips in air travel demand. This means that hotel and car rental costs are also at annual lows, so it's a great time to take a cheap trip. It's also a good time to get home and see the family if pricey peak holiday season fares keep you grounded. For business travelers who have not been able to get out and see clients due to this year's high fares, this is a great opportunity to save by traveling when most folks are staying at home. You can take off for a quick visit just before Thanksgiving or Christmas or drop by during the cold, dark months of January and February. Details of Southwest's three-day sale: >Must buy your tickets between now and Friday, Oct 4 at 11:59 p.m. (in originating city). >Travel windows: November 13 - February 12, 2020 (holidays excluded) >Domestic deals not available on Fridays or Sundays (bummer for business travelers or weekenders). >Holiday blackout dates: November 22-December 3, 2019; December 19, 2019-January 5, 2020. >Very limited time: Only a handful of seats on each flight are on sale you snooze, you lose. >See Southwest website for other rules and restrictions, or to book trips. Stay tuned for updates: Airlines matching this sale so far include: Alaska Airlines Read all recent TravelSkills posts here Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis. This article, MoviePass is confusing loyal and lapsed customers with new plan, originally appeared on CNET.com. MoviePass' latest attempt to win back customers may be burning its current subscriber base. Over the weekend, lapsed MoviePass subscribers who opted out of the service's three-movies-for-$10-per-month plan are discovering that doing this did not cancel their accounts after all. On the contrary; their accounts are being reactivated with a new kind of unlimited plan. New York Magazine Associate Editor Brian Feldman posted the contents of MoviePass' email informing him of the change on Friday, noting that he thought his subscription to MoviePass was going to end then. Instead, he and other affected customers have until Thursday, Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. ET/6 a.m. PT to officially opt out and cancel the subscription. good end to the week. i tried to kill my moviepass account by just not opting into the new plan last month and now theres a new plan and they are trying to charge me money again unless i opt out pic.twitter.com/VT3F9tB1xr brian feldman (@bafeldman) September 28, 2018 The notice was a surprise to many who thought their time with MoviePass had come to an end, several also posting complaints to Twitter about how difficult canceling the service appears to be. I. Cancelled. @MoviePass. A month ago. This is what they just emailed me. Howis this allowed? If you thought you cancelled MoviePass, check your email. pic.twitter.com/v2wlkrA2IF Caroline Moss (@socarolinesays) September 28, 2018 .@MoviePass is sending opt OUT campaigns to former users. This is a whole new level of shady. pic.twitter.com/738zbj16nP Nick Abouzeid (@nickabouzeid) September 28, 2018 And current customers who stuck with MoviePass' change from an unlimited movie theater service to a three-movie-per-month plan with a schedule for movies are tweeting into the company's customer service account with complaints that they aren't able to sign up for the slightly better plan. Hi, for customers who had their subscriptions suspended due to inaction, we're making them a limited-time promotional offer so they can re-start their subscriptions under the terms they originally signed up for. MoviePass CS (@MoviePass_CS) October 1, 2018 MoviePass confirmed the offer in a Monday statement, saying that it's a promotion that will return affected subscribers to the terms they initially signed up for, specifically "up to one new movie title per day based on existing inventory." "This was a one-time promotional offer that is valid through Oct. 5 for some subscribers, many of whom have expressed an interest in the original plan and a request for its return. As part of the offer, if the member does not wish to return to the original plan, they can simply opt-out in the email prior to Oct. 5 and they will not be auto-charged," MoviePass said. The service also noted that a number of customers who received this email have given conflicting indications to MoviePass on whether or not they wanted to be on the three-movie plan introduced in August, having initially opted out and then opted back in. Those accounts have been left suspended "in an abundance of caution," and MoviePass is offering them the ability to return. For those who end up enrolling into this new unlimited plan, there are still some caveats to follow. Movies available are based on "inventory," which likely means it will follow the schedule that MoviePass includes on its website. Theaters that support E-Ticketing are generally exempt from the scheduling limit. However, even that schedule can be tweaked based on a variety of factors, which several subscribers hoping to see Night School or anything else over the weekend claim to have encountered despite the movie being offered on the service's schedule. We apologize for the inconvenience. Kindly visit, https://t.co/Hl9aV91McD for the available movies and showtimes each day. And please note that e-ticketing theaters will continue to show all available showtimes. For further concerns, don't hesitate to send us a DM! MoviePass CS (@MoviePass_CS) October 1, 2018 A man who was fired from an East Bay hot dog chain for taking part in the infamous and deadly white-supremacist rally last year in Charlottesville, Va., was one of four men charged with conspiracy and inciting a riot in the East Coast city, prosecutors said Tuesday. Federal prosecutors said Cole Evan White, 24, of Clayton and three alleged accomplices were affiliated with the Rise Above Movement, a racist and anti-Semitic organization based in Southern California that trains its members in martial arts for street fighting. Although the charges were related only to Charlottesville, investigators said the group also engaged in violence at demonstrations in Berkeley and Huntington Beach. In Charlottesville, white supremacists organized a torch-lit march Aug. 11, 2017, and a rally the next day to protest the citys planned removal of statues of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. At the march, they chanted Jews will not replace us and the Nazi slogan Blood and soil. At the Aug. 12 rally, one of the demonstrators drove his car into a group of peaceful counterprotesters, killing Heather Heyer, 32, of Charlottesville. Federal prosecutors did not implicate the four California men in Heyers death. But an FBI affidavit, unsealed Tuesday, described the men as among the most violent individuals present in Charlottesville and said they traveled there with the intent to encourage, promote, incite, participate in, and commit violent acts in furtherance of a riot. White was photographed using his torch as a weapon at the march, and the next day was seen head-butting a clergyman and a female counterprotester, said the affidavit, prepared by a Virginia state police officer assigned to an FBI task force. The woman suffered severe lacerations, according to court records. Twitter users later identified White in a photo of the rally, and he was promptly fired by the Top Dog hot dog chain in Berkeley, where he had worked as a cook. The company posted a sign on the doors of its three restaurants in Berkeley and Oakland saying, The actions of those in Charlottesville are not supported by Top Dog. The charges were filed Aug. 27 at the U.S. District Court in Charlottesville but remained under seal until Tuesday, when prosecutors said all four men were arrested. The others were identified as Benjamin Daley, 25, and Thomas Gillen, 34, both from Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County), and Michael Miselis, 29, of Lawndale (Los Angeles County). All four had also taken part in violence at rallies in the Orange County community of Huntington Beach in March 2017 and in Berkeley the following month, the FBI affidavit said. The four men traveled to these events as part of the Rise Above Movement, which has been compared by the Northern California Anti-Racist Action to the film Fight Club for its fetishization of masculinity, physical fitness, and violence mixed with the shallow anti-corporate and consumerist themes of the film, according to court records. Tuesdays charges cast a new light on the more extreme elements behind events such as a Berkeley rally held April 15, 2017 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park. The rally, initially billed as an event led by President Trump supporters, was organized by groups, including the Rise Above Movement and Oath Keepers, another far-right group. Counterprotesters branded as antifa, or anti-fascist, clashed with far-right activists and white supremacists. It was one of a series of right-vs.-left confrontations at Berkeley in 2017, starting with an antifa disruption of a largely peaceful demonstration in February that led to the cancellation of a campus speech by far-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos. Yiannopoulos later spoke briefly at a small, privately sponsored campus gathering in September, during events that a conservative UC Berkeley group labeled Free Speech Week. Before that, another conservative commentator, Ann Coulter, scheduled and then canceled a speech at the university, and school officials said they had spent millions of dollars on security for the actual or expected political confrontations. Months later, Trump ignited a furor when he said there were very fine people on both sides of the Charlottesville mayhem. In a statement Tuesday after the charges were unsealed, the U.S. Attorney in Charlottesville, Thomas Cullen, said the case reflected the Department of Justices commitment to protecting the life, liberty and civil rights of all our citizens. White is scheduled to make his first court appearance Wednesday in Oakland before being transferred to Virginia. Bob Egelko and Ashley McBride are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com, ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @bobegelko, @ashleynmcb PARIS For over 150 years, the famous paintings origin was as mysterious as its subject a meticulous close-up of a womans genitals was considered unspeakable. No head, no arms, one breast: only a torso, finely rendered. Who posed for this notorious nonportrait by the celebrated troublemaker of 19th-century French realist painting, Gustave Courbet? The painting itself, The Origin of the World, was hidden from public view, whispered about but unseen, existing in the back rooms of private collections, or covered over by other paintings. The work, in the half-hidden possession of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan for many years, is now at the Musee dOrsay in Paris, where it has been on public display since 1995. American art historian Michael Fried called it, very likely the most brilliant rendering of flesh in all Courbets art. Feminist art historian Linda Nochlin called the work pornography but also a little masterpiece of overt sexuality. And now finally the mystery of its sitter seems to have been solved, thanks to a chance discovery by a mild-mannered French historian toiling in the archives: the torso belonged, with near certainty, to Constance Queniaux, dancer at the Paris Opera, courtesan, mistress of rich men, companion of a celebrated composer, and improbably at the end a well-to-do older lady living on one of the most chic streets in Paris, the Rue Royale. Considering the scandal prompted by the picture, Queniauxs rags-to-riches odyssey is a neat twist appreciated both by the historian who made the discovery, Claude Schopp, and by Sylvie Aubenas, an archivist and historian at Frances National Library, who backs Schopps unexpected finding. My only contribution was to make this object a subject, said Schopp, whose account of the life of Alexandre Dumas the younger won Frances highest prize for biography last year. Now shes something else besides flesh. I wanted to restore a person, he said in an interview. And unlike Courbet and the wealthy benefactor who commissioned The Origin of the World, both of whom ended up ruined and in ill health, Queniaux lived into a comfortable old age, dying in 1908 at 75. In this story, at the end, its the woman that wins, said Aubenas, director of the prints and photography department at the National Library. She finished respectable, with diamonds and a place in society. Schopps moment of breakthrough came innocently enough. He had been working on annotating the letters between Dumas and writer George Sand, and had long been perplexed by a passage, in the old typewritten copies, where Dumas inveighs against the insolent and cowardly Courbet, who had committed an artistic heresy, in the view of Dumas: One doesnt paint with ones most delicate and sonorous brush the interview of Ms. Queniault of the Opera, for the Turk who took refuge inside it from time to time all of it life-size, and life-size also two women passing for men. The reference to the painting of the two women passing was easily enough identified: Sleep, Courbets scandalous painting of two reclining women, naked and intertwined. The Turk who commissioned it was also not difficult to pin down: wealthy Ottoman diplomat Khalil Bey, who had lived a notoriously lavish life in the Paris of the 1860s, full of sumptuous soirees, gambling and mistresses, which piled up the debts that eventually ruined him. But what about that word interview, in the typescript, and the other painting referred to? Schopp went back to the source the manuscript of the Dumas letter at the National Library. The word Dumas had actually written was interior, not interview. He underlined it, to emphasize that he was playing with words. I dared to utter an inner Eureka,' Schopp writes in a new book about the affair, The Origin of the World: Life of the Model, which will be published this week. Khalil Bey had also commissioned The Origin of the World, and this Ms. Queniault the name had been slightly misspelled was evidently one of his mistresses. All that remained for Schopp was to reconstruct the life of the long-forgotten Queniaux. He dug up old photographs, some by the most celebrated photographers of the day, showing a frank, slightly smiling and untypically skinny young woman in enormous bouffant dresses, as well as numerous references to her in newspaper reviews of performances at the Paris Opera. He found birth and death certificates, along with the detailed and unexpectedly lavish catalog of the auction of her possessions after her death. Born illegitimately in 1832 outside Paris, Queniaux became a dancer at the Paris Operas ballet company, a notorious hunting ground for rich men seeking mistresses. The paintings of Edgar Degas brilliantly capture the ballets insidious dynamics, but Queniaux evidently had talent: A critic in 1854 praised her dancing for being gracious and distinguished, and poet Theophile Gautier also singled her out. But her dancing career was over by 1859, ended by a knee injury, and she embarked on the other life which evidently brought her material well-being: Khalil Bey considered her a good-luck charm in his gambling expeditions, according to Schopp. She posed for Courbets famous painting in 1866, and her name began to appear regularly in newspaper accounts of what Schopp calls the demimonde: that mysterious Paris universe of actresses, dancers and courtesans swirling about the rich and the notorious. Queniauxs presence was noted at premieres, and she became a regular companion, along with other women, to composer Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber. And she became rich. She donated to charities, supported the Opera, and was generous to her servants. She really became someone utterly respectable, said Aubenas. She had come a long way from her depiction in what Schopp calls a limit-painting, an excuse for the rebel Courbet to break the rules. There are enough clues in Schopps reconstruction to picture someone fiercely determined to overcome her initial handicaps. I wanted to restore dignity to a woman, he said. And this woman, she surprised me. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. A Modesto man out for his morning coffee run wound up preventing a would-be armed robbery on Saturday morning, police say. Angelo Verdone, 61, was inside Scotty's Donuts in Modesto around 6 a.m. when he heard a gunshot outside. Verdone, noticing a struggle, called 911 the owner of the shop was too shaken up to call herself and went out to help. Behind the shop, he saw an older man and a man later identified as Braden Taylor, 30, struggling inside a car while the older man's wife, also inside, looked on. The older man had been shot in the chest. RELATED: 17 people busted in $1 million Apple store robbery ring, California officials say "With no questions in my mind, he was going to murder both of them, hop in the car and be gone," Verdone told KTXL. "(I could) take care of this gentleman or get in my car and take off, but that would make me a coward." So Verdone took action. He was able to pin Taylor down with his knees, and rip the gun away. Within five minutes, police were on the scene arresting Taylor. The older man, whose injuries did not appear life-threatening, was taken to the hospital. RELATED: They were busy parents on a rare night out in SF then a random attack happened Sargent Jamie Demings told KTXL that while it's not advised that bystanders get involved, "we would never fault him for that ... He probably saved that person's life, if not both those people." The Modesto Police Department later invited Verdone to their patrol briefing and presented him with an MPD citizen coin for his act of heroism. "He was extremely appreciative of the gesture and said he would do it all over again if he had to," the department wrote on Facebook. "Our community benefits when we look out for one another!" Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. John Legend is getting into the spirit of Christmas. The singer and pianist revealed on Instagram Monday that he recently recorded a Christmas album and would be taking the material on an American tour this winter. On one of the last dates before Christmas, December 21, Legend will perform at the Fox Theater in Oakland. "It's sunny Los Angeles in September but I can't stop thinking about Christmas," he said in the post. "I just made a new Christmas album. I've wanted to do this for a long time." RELATED: All 15 EGOT Winners, From Audrey Hepburn to John Legend The album, called "A Legendary Christmas," will feature Legend performing classics like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Christmas Song," and "Silver Bells," per Entertainment Tonight, but will also include six original holiday songs. Guest stars will include Stevie Wonder and string musician Esperanza Spalding. RELATED: Newly minted Emmy winner John Legend joins 'The Voice' Ticket sales for all dates begin on Tuesday, October 2 at 10 a.m. local time at Legend's official website. Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. Love concerts, movies and the Bay's nightlife scene? Stay up to date with Datebook's newsletter covering entertainment news and events in the Bay Area, coming soon. To sign up, head here, enter your email at the top, and check the box marked "Datebook." Security companies spent years pushing schools to buy more products from ballistic attack-resistant doors to smoke cannons that spew haze from ceilings to confuse a shooter. But sales were slow, and industrys campaign to free up taxpayer money for upgrades had stalled. That changed in February, when a former student shot and killed 17 people at a Florida high school. Publicly, the rampage reignited the U.S. gun-control debate. Privately, it propelled industry efforts to sell school fortification as the answer to the mass killing of American kids. Since that attack, security firms and nonprofit groups linked to the industry have persuaded lawmakers to elevate the often-costly hardening of schools over other measures that researchers and educators say are proved to reduce violence, an Associated Press investigation shows. The industry helped Congress draft a law that committed $350 million to equipment and other school security over the next decade. Nearly 20 states have come up with another $450 million, and local school districts are reworking budgets to find more money. Most everyone agrees that schools can be more secure with layers of protection, such as perimeter fencing, limited entrances and hiding spaces inside classrooms. But theres no independent research supporting claims that much of the high-tech hardware and gadgets schools are buying will save lives, according to two 2016 reports prepared for the U.S. Justice Department. As with high-profile shootings in the past, that has not stopped industry representatives from rushing in, some misusing statistics on school violence to stoke fears that soft target schools could be victims of terrorist attacks or negligence lawsuits. School safety is the Wild, Wild West, said Mason Wooldridge, a security consultant who helps school districts assess their vulnerabilities. Any company can claim anything they want. Many proponents of hardening a school like an airport or police station have backgrounds in law enforcement or the military. Some have little experience or qualification. The Ohio man dubbed Joe the Plumber during the 2008 presidential campaign has been appearing on school safety conference panels to hawk a cheaper lockdown alternative. Educators worry that hardening will siphon focus and money from programs that prevent bullying and counsel at-risk kids. Resse Dunklin and Justin Pritchard are Associated Press writers. After roughly 13 years in the Tenderloin, San Franciscos soul food institution Farmerbrown has expanded its local footprint. And it comes in the form of a 90-seat outpost in the San Francisco International Airport. The restaurant is located post-security in Terminal 1. It quietly opened last week. Right now were going with basically 70 percent of our whole menu. Then down the line were going to work in 80 to 90 percent of menu, said co-owner Jay Foster. Its going to be the exact items youd find at our original location. LOS ANGELES After four terms as Californias governor two in the 1970s and 80s, and two this decade Jerry Brown finally has an empty desk. Over his career, Brown signed nearly 20,000 bills, including 1,016 this year the last one on Sunday night. The new laws, on a range of issues from climate change to criminal justice to gender issues, place California further to the left than much of the country, and ensure that the state will continue to be a home for liberal ideas. Here are five takeaways from Browns final legislative session: A lasting legacy as the policy trendsetter of the country The flurry of bill signings Sunday and the ones he signed in recent weeks essentially became a last word on lawmaking for Brown, who will leave office in January. Taken together, they burnish Californias image as a liberal haven, and as the center of resistance to the agenda of President Donald Trumps administration. We dont mind anymore being out of sync with the federal government, said Karen Skelton, a Democratic consultant in Sacramento. Skelton said that perhaps Browns most important policy priority was positioning California as a bulwark against the federal governments rollback of efforts to combat climate change. A case in point is a recent bill he signed that will require carbon-free electricity in California by 2045. He doubled down on climate change, Skelton said. He lit himself on fire with anger and rage and a sense of terror about what would happen to the planet if he didnt act. If there is one lasting message from Browns tenure for California, she said, it is this: We are going to be the moral compass and the policy trendsetter of the country. Brown, in his final bill signing Sunday, concluded a message to legislators with a reference to his next life on his familys ranch. And now onto the Promised Land Colusa County! he wrote. A series of high-profile criminal justice measures Hundreds of people who have been convicted of murder could be let out of prison after Brown signed a bill to overhaul Californias so-called felony murder rule, which has allowed accomplices to a homicide to be convicted even if they did not pull the trigger. A new law on how the police use photo lineups is aimed at preventing wrongful convictions. And last month, Brown signed a law ending cash bail, the first state to do so. The series of new criminal justice measures follows earlier efforts from California to lead the way on ending mass incarceration, with two ballot initiatives, in 2014 and 2016, that reduced penalties for some crimes and allowed for early parole. Gov. Browns leadership on justice reform has brought much-needed balance to the states approach to public safety, said Lenore Anderson, a former district attorney who is the founder and executive director of Californians for Safety and Justice, which has supported reforms. More than any other governor in California history, he has advanced strategies to address prison overcrowding and expand rehabilitation and prevention programs to work better to stop the cycle of crime. The measures have been controversial in Californias law enforcement community, with members arguing that the new laws have led to increased crime in certain areas. And John Cox, a businessman who is the Republican candidate for governor, has said on the campaign trail that he would try to repeal some of the measures and return the state to a get-tough-on-crime approach. The most high-profile measure signed into law recently ending cash bail has proved divisive even among liberal activists who once supported it. The version of the bill that was signed into law has generated a backlash on the left, where activists say it gives too much discretion to judges and that risk assessment tools used by courts could end up falling harder on minority communities. Sweeping changes to police transparency laws Brown signed several bills meant to increase police accountability and transparency, a move that has been greeted with enthusiastic support by activists but was strongly opposed by regional police unions. Senate Bill 1421 lifts long-standing protections on police personnel files in cases involving misconduct and use of force. Assembly Bill 748 would additionally require the release of body camera footage and audio within 45 days of an incident. Together, the bills represent a significant change to Californias police privacy laws, which were among the strictest in the country. This is transformative for California. A community cant hold its police department accountable for its handling of shootings or dishonesty by officers if investigations and disciplinary actions are kept secret, said Peter Bibring, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California Too often officers can act with impunity. These police shootings happen because our laws allow them to and because of our standards around use of force. There was renewed urgency behind such legislation this year following several high-profile police-involved shootings, especially the death of Stephon Clark, which caused an outpouring of grief in Sacramento. Clark was shot by police officers in his grandmothers backyard in March as they investigated a report of potential vandalism in the South Sacramento neighborhood where he lived. Theres also a neat historical symmetry at play: In 1978, near the end of his first term in office, Brown signed a bill that significantly limited access to officers personnel records. The new laws represent a reversal that mirrors broader shifts in the conversation around accountability in policing. But, notably, legislation that would have raised the standard for police officers in using lethal force failed to make its way out of the legislature, to the disappointment of many activists. That fight could continue under the next governor. That bill was held. Were continuing to work on that for the next legislative session, added Bibring. Pushing back against gender discrimination and sexual harassment Brown signed a contentious bill to require publicly held companies in California to include women on their boards of directors, despite skepticism about its ability to withstand legal challenges in the courts. Acknowledging the potential flaws of Senate Bill 826, Brown said that recent events in Washington, D.C. and beyond make it crystal clear that many are not getting the message. Given all the special privileges that corporations have enjoyed for so long, its high time corporate boards include the people who constitute more than half the persons in America, he wrote in the statement. Another sweeping piece of legislation bans nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment and assault disputes, which have become the subject of intense scrutiny in the #MeToo movement and were widely used by Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced filmmaker. For decades, secret settlements have been used by wealthy and well-connected perpetrators to offend repeatedly with no public accountability, wrote state Sen. Connie Leyva, who wrote the bill, in a statement. This critical legislation will empower victims and offer them the opportunity to finally say #TimesUp to those that have hurt them. A willingness to wield the veto pen Liberals had plenty to celebrate in the final sweep of bills signed by Brown. But the governors well-documented independent streak, which has often run up against priorities from the left, was showcased in the pieces of legislation he vetoed over the weekend, including many liberal darlings. Among the many bills Brown vetoed were legislation creating an ethnic studies graduation requirement in schools; several anti-harassment bills that he argued were unproductive or duplicative; and legislation that would have allowed San Francisco to set up supervised drug injection sites. His decisions, according to the statements issued by the governor, were guided by pragmatism and principle. Browns vetoes are rarely overturned. But many are betting that may not be the case with the next governor. Youre going to see a shift in power now, said Anthony Rendon, the Democratic Assembly speaker, talking to business leaders recently in Los Angeles. The Legislature is going to have more power than ever before. This article originally appeared in The New York Times An infamous men's rights website and digital mouthpiece for the manosphere will be going on an "indefinite hiatus," the founder announced Monday. Six years ago, Daryush "Roosh" Valizadeh, a self-described "pickup artist" launched Return of Kings, the blog infamous for its brazen misogyny and homophobia, "red-pill" pride and pious "neomasculinity." As is perhaps unsurprising for one of the most despised websites on the internet, site traffic and revenues are too low for the website to continue operations. "We've been banned from Paypal and countless ad partners..."Roosh wrote in his farewell statement on the website. "This started a negative spiral of decline content quality, site traffic, and revenues...Currently, ROK receives half the traffic of its peak and less than one-fifth of the income." Past articles on RoK included pieces such as "5 Reasons to Date a Girl With an Eating Disorder," "Men Benefit from Acting Potentially Violent and Explosive Around Women," and "8 Things That Make a Girl Stupid and Useless." In 2012, the Southern Poverty Law Center included Roosh in its list of "hateful and misogynist" manosphere writers. Roosh was also named the Web's "most infamous misogynist" by the Daily Dot magazine in 2014. In 2015, Roosh advocated for the legalization of rape on private property, a take he later amended to have been satire, despite his having written multiple articles in which he boasted about penetrating a woman while she was half-asleep, and, on another occasion, an experience with an Icelandic woman so intoxicated it would have been labeled "rape" under U.S. standards. In October, Amazon announced it had removed nine of Roosh's self-published books off its catalog, Gizmodo reported. "I'm sure many of you understand that we are in the early stages of a censorship wave that will sweep through society. Scoundrels like myself get banned first, and then soon the hammer will come down on anyone who dares to share the truth," Roosh wrote in his final note. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Mayor London Breed today announced that San Francisco will receive money from the federal government to house 99 chronically homeless people who are disabled. According to her office, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the San Francisco Housing Authority $1.7 million in housing vouchers. The funding comes from the $98.5 million that HUD awarded 285 housing authorities across country for permanent affordable housing, with San Francisco receiving more than any other authority. "This funding is an incredible opportunity to bring 99 San Franciscans with disabilities off of our streets and into housing," Breed said in a statement. "We are in the midst of a housing crisis that is having a dramatic effect on our low-income population and increasing homelessness in our city. Funding like this is critical to providing paths out of homelessness for people who need help." The funds will be provided through HUD's Section 811 Mainstream Housing Choice Voucher Program, which provides funding to housing agencies for non-elderly people with disabilities who are transitioning out of institutional settings, are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The vouchers will be administered by the San Francisco Housing Authority, while the city's Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing will help identify participants through the Coordinated Entry System, which has already signed up 2,114 people since August. "We look forward to working closely with the Housing Authority to quickly deploy these vouchers and get them into the hands of the people who need them the most," Jeff Kositsky, the director of the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing said in a statement. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has identified two people who were killed in a head-on collision on Valley Ford Road west of Petaluma on Monday as James Wheelock, 57, of Petaluma, and Carl Levine, 66, of Santa Rosa. Wheelock and Levine were riding in a Nissan pickup truck west on Valley Ford Road near Walker Ranch Road in the Two Rock area of unincorporated Sonoma County around 11:20 a.m. when a 72-year-old Sacramento woman traveling east on Valley Ford Road turned left directly onto the path of the truck, California Highway Patrol officials said. Wheelock and Levine were trapped in the Nissan truck and died of their injuries at the scene, according to the CHP. The Sacramento woman suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital. The collision is under investigation and intoxication does not appear to be a factor in the collision, CHP officials said. The collision closed Valley Ford Road until shortly after 3 p.m. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The 12 California schools named as National Blue Ribbon Schools this year include seven from the Bay Area. The recognition is based on a school's overall performance or progress in closing achievement gaps. Bay Area schools honored for 2018 are: Argonaut Elementary and Redwood Middle schools in Saratoga; John Gomes Elementary and William Hopkins Junior High schools in Fremont; Joaquin Miller Middle School in San Jose; North Star Academy in Redwood City and Lawson Middle School in Cupertino. "Congratulations to all the schools on this list that are helping students achieve their dreams and to the leaders dedicated to and invested in finding ways to close the achievement gap," State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said. The schools will be honored at a November awards ceremony with U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in Washington D.C. The schools are honored in one of two performance categories. The exemplary high performing schools are among their state's highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. The exemplary achievement gap-closing schools are among their state's highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is in its 36th year, and has recognized more than 8,800 schools. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) Construction crews working to shore-up a part of San Francisco's Salesforce Transit Center where two cracked steel beams were found last week are hoping to reopen Fremont Street in about two weeks, officials with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority said today. TJPA officials abruptly closed the newly-opened Transit Center, as well as Fremont Street between Mission and Howard streets on Tuesday after finding the first crack. A second crack was found while workers were inspecting the first. According to Dennis Turchon, the TJPA's senior construction manager, crews this week will focus on shoring-up a portion of the transit center directly above the closed portion of Fremont Street. Once the shoring work is complete, some lanes on Fremont Street may be narrowed, if not closed entirely. "What we'll do is reconfigure. We'll look at what can fit through there. It'll be a narrowing of the lanes," Turchon said. "We'll look at that and design accordingly to get traffic through there." TJPA spokeswoman Christine Favley said crews are hoping to reopen Fremont Street by Oct. 12 at the earliest, but couldn't say when the transit center would reopen. TJPA officials at this point do not know what caused the cracks. Turchon said until the shoring is complete, only then will it be safe for the engineers and contactors to gather samples and thoroughly examine the cracks. "The goal first is to get the full shoring system in and get that girder fully off-loaded," Turchon said. Last week, TJPA Executive Director Mark Zabaneh said engineers were looking at whether the cracks were related to the beams' fabrication, their installation or the center's design. Contractors and engineers have inspected other areas of the transit center where the beams are configured similarly and haven't found any other problems. The $2.2 billion transit center opened just one month ago and serves in part as a regional bus depot. Buses are now operating from the Temporary Transbay Terminal at Howard and Main streets in San Francisco where they operated from before the transit center opened. TJPA officials are expected to provide an update on the transit center's temporary closure Tuesday at the TJPA's special Board of Director's meeting at City Hall at 9:30 a.m. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. James P. Allison, immunologist and former director of University of California at Berkeley's Cancer Research Laboratory, was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Allison shared the award with Tasuku Honjo of Kyoto University in Japan, for "their discovery of cancer therapy inhibition of negative immune regulation," according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences committee, which awards the annual prizes. Allison, who now works at the University of Texas, researched during his 20 years at Berkeley how the immune system fights infection, according to a statement by UC Berkeley. His research led to an entirely new strategy for treating tumors and other malignant cancers by targeting the immune system instead of the cancer cells. The new method of treatment is credited with benefiting thousands of people with advanced melanoma and the elimination of cancer in many patients for more than a decade. San Mateo County sheriff's deputies are investigating a possible homicide after they got a call reporting a dead body in a parking lot at Tunitas Creek Beach this morning. Deputies got a call around 7 a.m. that a man was down in the parking lot south of Half Moon Bay. They arrived and found "obvious signs of death," Detective Rosemerry Blankswade said. Investigators also found signs of foul play, which led them to believe it is a homicide. The investigation is still ongoing and the sheriff's office is asking anyone with information to call (650) 363-4051 or an anonymous tip line at (800) 547-2700. A 56-year-old Santa Rosa woman was struck and killed while trying to cross a street in Santa Rosa on Monday night, according to police. Police said the woman, identified as Ouanah Sapien, 56, was struck by a white Ford Ranger pickup truck on Piner Road west of Marlow Road at 7:08 p.m. Monday. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle, identified as a 35-year-old Santa Rosa man, stayed at the scene of the collision and cooperated with police. Neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be factors in the collision but it was raining at the time. According to police, Sapien was seen by witnesses trying to cross Piner Road from a Walgreens store to an apartment complex. A 72-year-old man who died in a collision Monday afternoon in Brentwood has been identified by the Contra Costa County coroner's office as Robert Fellows of Discovery Bay. The crash occurred around 3:20 p.m. in the vicinity of Chestnut Street and Diablo Way, according to East Contra Costa Fire Protection District firefighters who responded to the scene. Emergency crews found Fellows and another victim pinned inside their vehicle, and Fellows was pronounced dead after being freed. The second victim in that vehicle was transported by helicopter to a hospital. The other vehicle involved in the collision rolled over, and the victim was also transported to a hospital. An update on the two surviving victims' conditions was not immediately available. The San Rafael Fire Department responded to a partial collapse of the roof of the HomeGoods store in the Northgate Mall this morning, Fire Chief Chris Gray said. A beam collapsed in the front entrance area of the store at 6000 Northgate Drive, Gray said. The store was closed and no one was inside at the time, Gray said. Firefighters responded around 7 a.m. to a fire alarm at the store. Building safety inspectors and fire department personnel are still at the scene this morning. The store is closed until further notice, according to Gray. A hazardous materials spill has prompted a shelter-in-place order in Menlo Park this morning, police said. Police said in an advisory shortly after 11:30 a.m. that people at 3885 and 4000 Bohannon Drive are being ordered to shelter in place. No information about the nature of the hazardous materials was immediately available. A suspect was taken into custody after leading police on a short high-speed pursuit and foot chase that led to a Hercules officer firing his gun at the suspect in San Pablo early Sunday morning, according to police. Police said the suspect, identified as 55-year-old James Eugenio Pina, was taken into custody on suspicion of auto theft, resisting arrest, felony evasion and violating his parole. A Hercules police officer spotted Pina driving a silver Honda without taillights on around 1:45 a.m. Sunday on westbound Interstate Highway 80 near Appian Way and attempted a traffic stop, but Pina fled. He led officers on a chase on the freeway, driving through a construction zone before exiting the freeway and crashing into a fence in the 1400 block of Humboldt Avenue in San Pablo. Pina was not injured by the single shot fired by the Hercules police officer. Police said the officer ordered Pina to raise his hands and stop after he fled from the vehicle and into an apartment complex. During the foot chase, police said Pina made a movement toward his waistband, resulting in the shot fired by the officer, who police haven't identified. A fire that started outside a home in Livermore early this morning extended into the residence and caused around $50,000 to $65,000 in damage, according to Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department officials. The one-alarm blaze was first reported around 3:15 a.m. in the 3900 block of Princeton Way, Battalion Chief Jason Solak said. Crews that arrived at the scene saw a shed and fence engulfed in flames that eventually extended into the home. Nobody was injured in the blaze, Solak said. The Santa Clara County Vector Control District announced today that West Nile virus has been detected in adult mosquitoes in the southern part of the county. The district will conduct mosquito control treatment in San Martin and surrounding areas at 11 p.m. Thursday in order to prevent human cases of the virus. The affected ZIP codes are 95020, 95037 and 95046. The treatment, which will last about three hours, will be centered at Highland Avenue and Santa Teresa Boulevard. District officials said there is no need to relocate, but those who wish to minimize exposure can close windows and remain inside during the treatment. Those with chemical sensitivities may want to consult their doctors. In order to prevent the spread of West Nile virus, district officials urge people to drain or dump standing water or anything that can hold water once a week since mosquitoes lay eggs in water. They also recommend that screens on doors and windows should be tight-fitting and in good condition and that people should avoid any outdoor activity between dusk and dawn. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. A homicide investigation is underway following the discovery of a woman's body and the arrest of a suspect, East Bay Regional Park District police said. The investigation got underway Monday. Anthony Pimentel, 19, was arrested on suspicion of killing the woman after he allegedly admitted to it, park district police Lt. David Phulps said. Police said family members close to Pimentel gave them information that has led investigators to believe the body is of 18-year-old Mariah Davis. Davis's family also believe the body belongs to Mariah. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office will officially confirm the identity of the person today. Police from the park district and San Leandro responded at about 3:30 a.m. Monday to the area near Lake Chabot Dam on East Bay Municipal Utility District property where the body was discovered. Construction crews working to shore-up a part of San Francisco's Salesforce Transit Center where two cracked steel beams were found last week are hoping to reopen Fremont Street in about two weeks, officials with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority said. The officials made the announcement Monday. TJPA officials abruptly closed the newly-opened Transit Center, as well as Fremont Street between Mission and Howard streets last Tuesday after finding the first crack. A second crack was found while workers were inspecting the first. According to Dennis Turchon, the TJPA's senior construction manager, crews this week will focus on shoring-up a portion of the transit center directly above the closed portion of Fremont Street. Once the shoring work is complete, some lanes on Fremont Street may be narrowed, if not closed entirely. The federal gun possession trial of the undocumented immigrant who possessed the gun that killed Kate Steinle in San Francisco in 2015 has been postponed for at least several months while a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a different case is awaited. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate was originally scheduled to go on trial Monday in the court of U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco on two federal charges of being an ex-felon and an undocumented person in possession of a gun. But on Aug. 24, Chhabria postponed the trial until the Supreme Court issues a ruling in an Alabama case known as Gamble v. United States. Chhabria wrote, "There is a serious possibility that the Supreme Court's ruling in that case will require dismissal of the charges against Garcia Zarate." Concerns over loud airplanes that pass over Palo Alto en route to San Francisco International Airport has prompted city officials to hold a workshop today to address the issue. City officials said three arrival routes that pass over Palo Alto have had a negative health impact on residents. They said conditions have worsened with the Federal Aviation Administration's new "NEXTGEN" technology, which concentrated flight routes in certain areas of the city. "Our residents are subjected to almost 350 noisy SFO arrivals a day, almost on a 24-hour basis," Mayor Liz Kniss wrote to the FAA on Sept. 10. She added the city was further impacted by southbound flights to Mineta San Jose International Airport. A man died Friday night when he jumped off a state Highway 37 overpass in Vallejo at the end of a police vehicle pursuit, a police lieutenant said. James Edward Lawson III, 34, of Vallejo, was driving a 2001 Audi A4 sedan when a police officer tried to pull him over for reckless driving around 10:15 p.m., Lt. Herman Robinson said. Lawson accelerated and drove from southeast to northwest Vallejo, at times on the wrong side of surface streets, Robinson said. When an officer tried to cause the Audi to spin out, Lawson allegedly swerved and hit the officer's patrol car. The officer forced the Audi into a guardrail on the Highway 37 overpass to Mare Island and the Audi stopped, Robinson said. Lawson escaped the Audi through the passenger side window and jumped over the guardrail. He fell about 75 feet below and landed in a paved lot below the bridge just west of Wilson Avenue, according to Robinson. Rain forecast for today in the Bay Area could be lighter than previously expected, according to the National Weather Service. The North Bay is forecast to receive the most rain, which was scheduled to start Monday afternoon and evening. The showers were expected to become more widespread overnight and into this morning, forecasters said. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms this morning, according to the weather service. Wet, slick roadways could affect this morning's commute as the rain falls on months' worth of motor oils and lubricants on the asphalt, the weather service warned. The light to occasionally moderate rainfall will ease some late-fire season concerns, according to the weather service. Copyright 2018 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. The Schenck Process Group continues its growth: Schenck Process announced the acquisition of Process Components Ltd (PCL) and its subsidiaries including Kemutec Group Inc. in the US from EPIC Private Equity. PCL is a UK based designer and manufacturer of powder processing and handling equipment, components and spare parts, serving the Food, Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Environmental industries. Jay Brown, President Food, Chemicals & Plastics at Schenck Process, commented: The acquisition of PCL with its very well established product lines, a large installed base as well as a great reputation of its brands KEK-GARDNER, PPS Air Classifier Mills, mucon and kemutec enriches the expertise and capabilities of Schenck Process. We are delighted to add key process steps in the area of mixing, milling and classification for our customers. Anthony Goodwin, Managing Director of PCL who will continue to lead the business in its next phase of growth as part of the Schenck Process Group, added: By consolidating our product portfolios with Schenck Process, we are excited to round off our supplied solutions towards offering complete systems to customers throughout the Food, Chemicals, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Industries, thereby marking an important step in both companies growth plans. The parties agreed not to disclose the financial terms of the transaction, which is financed by existing funds on balance sheet. John Parra/Getty Images DJ Khaled was able to spin a stellar deal on a glittering Miami mansion. The home was listed for $25.9 million, but the prolific hit-maker picked it up for $21.8 million. The contemporary mansion comes with 105 feet of waterfront and a private dock on Indian Creek. Khaled bought the property from Michael Lerner, the man behind the ubiquitous Baby on Board signs. Lerner told the Wall Street Journal that he put the property on the market because he's moving to Palm Beach, FL. "Pawn Stars" star Chumlee has cut the price on his house in Las Vegas for a third time. Originally listed for $1.85 million, it's now available for $1.58 million. The reality TV star, whose given name is Austin Lee Russell, has been trying to sell his Sin City man cave since last summer. According to property records, he paid $1.1 million for the home in 2012. The 6,505-square-foot home comes with 2 acres and is located just 5 miles from the Strip. Built in 1981, the five-bedroom home has loads of modern updates. It's a masculine, dark space with high ceilings and dramatic finishes, with plenty of areas both inside and outside for entertaining on a large scale. From the pool to the bar and home theater, this manse is the epitome of a Las Vegas party pad, without the hassle of the crowds and prying eyes of the Strip. In fact, Russell was busted for having a bit too much fun in this house. In March 2016, police raided the party palace, where, according to USA Today, they found firearms and drugs. The police report identified one particular area of the house as the "Chum Chum Room with Dance Pole." Russell was eventually given three years' probation. Since the raid, he's dropped more than 100 pounds (thanks to weight loss surgery) and become engaged. He recently opened Chumlee's Candy next door to the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop. The candy store sells treats from the '50s through the '90s, and offers a wide variety of collectible Pez dispensers. With his hard-partying days in the past and a sweet future ahead, Russell is eager to shed his former home . The best news for interested buyers? The Chum Chum Room is definitely included. The post 'Pawn Stars' Star Chumlee Cuts Price on His Las Vegas Party Pad appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. More than a thousand men ran amok on a cruise ship last month after bringing burlesque dancers aboard for a series of parties on pool decks, Newsweek reported. The cruise out of Sydney was billed as a family-oriented adventure, but ended up more like bacchanalia on a boat one enormous floating stag party. The mostly Australian passengers on the Voyager of the Seas complained that the men 1,300 workers from an Indian tobacco company who came aboard for a conference blocked off pool decks, bars and the main buffet area. Some of the scantily clad dancers reportedly wore Playboy Bunny suits as they jiggled and gyrated to music. The raunchy displays chased families inside, but some passengers seemed more interested in the shows than in cruise-sanctioned activities. For example, bingo normally a favorite on cruises was canceled due to lack of interest. MORE: The sights of the 2018 Folsom St. Fair in San Francisco Royal Caribbean International, which operates the ship, said passengers would receive full refunds, news.com.au reported. It was not clear if the partying workers would also be reimbursed. "It was almost like a huge bucks [bachelor] party, a bucks night for 1,200 people," Sydney passenger Cassandra Riini told the Australian Nine Network's "A Current Affair." "Their doors would be open and you would walk past and be like what am I going to be looking at when I walk past this door? It is hard to forget after seeing all the flashbacks of these men around all the time, 24 hours a day, like we could not escape." The young daughters of some passengers and their friends said they were harassed by the men, who filmed them on their cell phones. The Indian company Kamla Pasand makes gutka, a mixture of crushed Areca nut, tobacco, catechu and other substances that when mixed with saliva can give the user a high more intense than tobacco chewing or smoking. SEOUL A top South Korean official told lawmakers that North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons, in Seouls first public comment about the size of the Norths secrecy-clouded weapons arsenal. Unification Minister Cho Myoung Gyon told parliament this week that the estimates on the size of North Koreas nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. He was responding to a question by a lawmaker, saying the information came from the intelligence authorities. The National Intelligence Service, South Koreas main spy agency, couldnt immediately comment. BEIRUT Syrias foreign minister said in remarks broadcast Tuesday that the Iranian ballistic missile attack on militants in eastern Syria the previous day was part of legitimate cooperation between the two countries to combat terrorism. Walid al-Moallems comments came during a wide-ranging interview with the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV. Irans Revolutionary Guard launched six ballistic missiles as well as drone bombers into eastern Syrias Deir el-Zour province on Monday, targeting Islamic State militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade in Iran last month. The strikes were the second time Iran had used cross-border missiles inside Syria. Last year, Iran also struck in militant positions in Deir el-Zours town of Mayadeen and following another attack, in Tehran, that was blamed on the Islamic State. But Mondays strikes come after Syrian government forces and allied Iranian-backed militias gained control of the strategic border town of Boukamal late last year, likely improving Irans intelligence and capabilities in the area. The strikes were also seen as threat to Irans regional adversaries at a time when Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers unravels. The Iranian missiles are in the framework of combatting terrorism, said al-Moallem. The Syrian government and its allies, as well as the U.S-led coalition are separately battling Islamic State, which still controls a sliver of land along Syrias border with Iraq. Irans Revolutionary Guard meanwhile said its strikes targeted only Islamic State militants for the first time, claiming that some 40 militant leaders were killed in the strike. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes killed eight people in Hajin, a town still controlled by Islamic State. It was not clear if all the killed were militants, the Observatory said. Sarah El Deeb is an Associated Press writer. BEIJING The United States and China traded new accusations over naval operations in the South China Sea on Tuesday after warships from each country came perilously close to colliding in the disputed waters. The Pentagon accused the Chinese navy of using an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver when one of its destroyers challenged a U.S. destroyer, the Decatur, as it sailed Sunday near one of the disputed islets that China claims in the Spratly archipelago. Page Content Singapore is sitting on a demographic time bomb. According to UN projections, nearly half (47 percent) of the country's population will be at least age 65 by 2050 and the median age is expected to grow from 40 years old in 2015 to 52.8 years old by 2050. Singapore's aging workforce, coupled with the ultra-low birth rate of 1.2 children per woman, means that an increasing number of employers now need to keep their senior employees around for longer. To combat this "profound" problem, as described by the country's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the government enacted the Retirement and Re-employment Act (RRA) in 2012 and revised it in 2017 to expand the covered group. Under the RRA, once an employee reaches retirement age, an employer has the following three options: Offer re-employment to the employee. Transfer the re-employment obligations to another employer. Offer a one-off Employment Assistance Payment (EAP) to the employee. Re-Employment The RRA, as revised in 2017, requires employers to provide eligible employees with re-employment when the employee reaches the statutory retirement age of 62 and up to age 67. In order to be eligible, an employee must: (1) be medically fit to continue working; (2) have satisfactory work performance; and (3) have at least three years of service at the company upon reaching the age of 62. All employees are presumed to be medically fit to continue working unless they show signs of unfitness, in which case the employer may require them to undergo medical examinations. When evaluating whether an employee's performance is satisfactory, an employer should take into account the employee's performance during the two to three-year period prior to re-employment. An employee may be re-employed in the same job, a modification of the existing job or in another position mutually agreed upon by the parties. In circumstances where certain reasonable factors are present, an employer may also adjust the wages of a re-employed employee upwards or downwards. Reasonable factors include the employee's productivity, adjustment made to the employee's duties and responsibilities, and the employer's seniority wage system which results in wages set above the value of the job. Re-employment contracts generally have one-year terms and allow for normal termination with notice. At the end of each term, the employer may reassess the employee and offer a renewal contract. Employees are not obliged to accept any re-employment offers. Transfer to Another Employer When an employer is unable to offer re-employment to an employee, it may choose to transfer its re-employment obligations to another employer. However, the new employer must agree to take over the prevailing re-employment obligations, and the employee must accept the re-employment offer by the new employer. Although not a legal requirement, if the employer is unable to offer re-employment, it is a good practice for the employer to inquire within its affiliated companies, if any, and/or within any trade associations or industry networks to which they belong to try to find another employer to transfer its re-employment obligations. An employee has the right to reject the re-employment offer by the new employer, in which case, the present employer must pay an EAP to the employee. Employee Assistance Payment If, despite its efforts, an employer is unable to offer re-employment or a transfer to an employee, the employer may pay a one-time EAP to the employee as a last resort. The employer should start engaging the employee at least six months before his or her 62nd birthday to discuss the employee's needs, available options and relevant circumstances. In the event that the employer determines that it is unable to make any re-employment arrangements for the employee after one or two meetings with the employee, it should notify the employee as soon as possible but no later than three months before retirement. The amount of EAP mandated for employees between the ages of 62 and 64.5 years old is 3.5 times the employee's gross monthly salary, with a minimum of 5,500 Singapore Dollars and a maximum of 13,000 Singapore Dollars. EAP is two times the employee's gross monthly salary with a minimum of 3,500 Singapore Dollars and a maximum of 7,500 Singapore Dollars for employees between the ages of 64.5 and 67 years old. Best Practices To stay in compliance with the RRA, employers should engage their senior employees as early as possible but no later than six months before they turn 62 years old. If an employer is unable to re-employ or transfer an employee, the employer should keep detailed records of the efforts it has made to re-employ or seek alternative employment for the employee so it can prove that any EAP payment was made as a last resort. 2018 Fisher Phillips. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology. Pay for warehouse workers at Amazon can vary by location. It was offering at least $12.50 for workers in the Chicago area, $12.25 an hour in Omaha, Neb., $13 in Baltimore and $16.50 in New York, according to recent job postings. The median pay for an Amazon employee last year was $28,446 worldwide, according to government filings, which includes full-time, part-time and temporary workers. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Allegations from community members about Lakeside Manor Home for Adults were recently confirmed when the state Department of Health cited the adult home with 14 violations. The five-story, 200-bed facility operates as a private business, with a license from the state Health Department. They've alleged aggressive panhandling, public urination, street-corner exchanges that appear to be drug deals, and harassment. Lakeside Manor was issued nine violations between April and June, as well as 17 citations between 2014 and 2017, for issues ranging from medication management and housekeeping to distribution of Supplemental Security Income, from state inspectors after investigations. A Health Department spokesman said the agency's investigation of "multiple complaints" is ongoing at this time. A spokeswoman for Lakeside Manor said all staff members at Lakeside Manor are compliant with state requirements. "The findings released are taken out of context and misleading," the spokeswoman said. "We work hard to provide a safe environment for our residents. We look forward to working with the community to better understand our facility and ultimately accept our residents as part of the community," she said. VIOLATIONS SUBSTANTIATED BY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The Health Department issued violations to Lakeside Manor in the following categories: Resident protections: Admission standards: An operator shall not accept nor retain any person who repeatedly behaves in a manner which directly impairs the well-being, care or safety of the resident or other residents, or which substantially interferes with the orderly operation of the facility. Resident services: Supervision services shall include, but are not limited to: Surveillance of grounds, facility, and activities of residents and staff to protect residents from harm to person and property. Investigation of incidents involving resident endangerment, injury or death. Medication management. Environmental standards: Smoking in other than designated areas; The facility building, grounds and other buildings on the premises shall be kept free of breeding areas for flies, vermin and rodents. Personal allowance: When asked for details about the violations, a Department of Health spokesman said it cannot comment on complaints under active investigation. INSPECTIONS ARE UNANNOUNCED The Health Department conducts unannounced inspections for certification purposes every 12 to 18 months, as well as follow-up inspections to insure violations have been corrected. Additional investigations occur after complaints and incident reports are received by the department, according to the website. Non-compliance results in a Statement of Deficiency (SOD) citing the provider and requires a written plan of correction, that indicates what the facility will do to correct violations, as well as a timeline. The Health Department can reject a plan of correction. (This is the latest edition of Island Government, a news round-up about Staten Island politics and civic events.) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island Borough President James Oddo announced a free mammography screening event on Oct. 19 at the Richmond Shopping Center parking lot at 2875 Richmond Avenue, near Target and Home Goods. The screenings will be available to women ages 40 and older who haven't had a mammogram in the past year from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. An appointment must be made to get screened. To make an appointment, call (800) 564-6868. "Mammograms are important preventative measures for women, which is why we are happy to provide this mobile screening to encourage Staten Island women to take charge of their health and make sure they get their annual mammogram," said Oddo. "The earlier cancer is found, the easier it is to treat. Women should speak to their doctors to determine whether their risk factors require such screening." The screenings are funded by the New York State Cancer Services Program and the Cancer Services Program of Staten Island. CONSERVATIVE PARTY JUDICIAL PICKS Staten Island's Conservative Party endorsed Judge Marina Cora Mundy and Ralph J. Porzio for the two open state Supreme Court judgeship on Sept. 20. Both Mundy, a Housing Court Judge, and Porzio, a former Family Court Judge, have also been endorsed by the Staten Island Republican Party. REFORM PARTY PICKS The Staten Island Reform Party nominated Assemblyman Ron Castorina (R-South Shore) for the Surrogate Court judgeship at a judicial convention on Sept. 26 at the Richmond County Country Club. "Ron Castorina is intelligent, hard working and a man who has consistently put his law degree to work for the people of Staten Island. I can't think of a better position for him than Surrogate," said Frank Morano, the party's chairman. "He'll approach the job in a non-partisan manner." Castorina will also be on both the Conservative and Republican Party lines. The Reform Party's judicial delegates nominated Judge Orlando Marrazzo, Jr. and Marina Cora Mundy, a Housing Court judge, on Sept. 22 for the borough's two open state Supreme Court nominations. Marrazzo, Jr., a judge in Staten Island Civil Court who's acting as a Supreme Court judge, has also been endorsed by the Staten Island Democrats. Mundy has also been endorsed by the Staten Island GOP and Conservative Party. STATE SEN. ANDREW LANZA'S PETS BILL SIGNED INTO LAW Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed state Sen. Andrew Lanza's bill to allow pets onto public transportation during a state of emergency and evacuation on Oct. 2. During Superstorm Sandy, some pet owners declined to evacuate when requested because they couldn't take their companion animals with them to safety, according to a news release from the governor's press office. "Last year we worked together to ensure that pets could be transported on MTA buses and trains in the event of a state of emergency evacuation order," said Lanza. "This bill expands the scope, ensuring that the same companion animal measures are in place for all public transportation provided through the Port Authority. This law will help ensure that the lives of residents, defenseless pets and emergency personnel struggling to assist with evacuations are not unnecessarily jeopardized." STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama endorsed Staten Island Democratic congressional candidate Max Rose on Monday. "Today, I'm proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who aren't just running against something, but for something--to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service," Obama announced in a tweet. "They deserve your vote." Today, Im proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who arent just running against something, but for somethingto expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote: pic.twitter.com/NO5jnhX3XD Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 1, 2018 Rose told the Advance Obama's support is proof that he's fighting for change on a local level. "President Obama's support is a reflection of the grassroots campaign we're running," said Rose, a St. George resident and U.S. Army veteran who last worked in health care. "Every day, we're fighting to change our politics, just like he called for years ago. With every door we knock, and every call we make, we are one step closer to making our politics what it should be." Rose has garnered support from most of Staten Island's Democratic elected officials and has also been supported by some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party, including former Vice President Joe Biden, the no. 2 House Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer, and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The St. George Democrat has been named to the the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) "Red-to-Blue" program, which provides strategic support and other resources for candidates, earlier this year. Though the Cook Political Report still marks the race as "Likely Republican." A spokeswoman for Donovan's campaign, Jessica Proud, responded to the endorsement, saying that it shows that Rose is connected to national establishment Democrats. Proud also contrasted the endorsement with Donovan's endorsement from the New York-New Jersey Conference of the Transport Workers of America union. "Obama's endorsements today of Max Rose and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is a dangerous liberal trifecta that will ram through higher taxes, single-payer health care, and abolishing ICE," said Proud. "Every day that goes by is more evidence that Max Rose's entire campaign is being driven by Washington Democrats. The contrast between Dan's endorsement today from transit union workers in the district and Rose's could not be more clear." Rose doesn't support abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and has come out against single-payer health care. Rose is challenging Donovan (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), a two-term Republican incumbent, and has raised $1.95 million while Donovan has raised about $1.82 million as of June 30. Rose has garnered much of the support of Staten Island's Democratic elected officials and has also been supported by some of the biggest names in the Democratic Party, including former Vice President Joe Biden, the no. 2 House Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer, and U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand. The general election is on Nov. 6. FOLLOW CLIFFORD MICHEL ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Authorities have arrested multiple people in connection with the fatal shooting of a beloved New Brighton woman who was caught in gang-related crossfire following a brawl near the Staten Island Courthouse in July, according to multiple law enforcement sources. The names of the suspects have not yet been released. Frances E. Williams, 67, affectionately known as Ms. Franny" in New Brighton, died about a month after she was shot in the face while standing at a bus stop near Jersey and Pauw streets on July 10, police said. The victim was later put on life-support and died on Aug. 2 at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton. The woman was caught in the crossfire amid what law enforcement sources described as a gang-related feud that boiled over at multiple locations across the North Shore. Shortly before the shooting, rival gang members were embroiled in a melee outside the Staten Island Courthouse that culminated in a fatal van strike on Fort Place. Authorities allege Prince Edmonds intentionally mowed down Robert Craigwell, 26, killing him when he was pinned between the van and building at 22 Fort Place. According to a criminal complaint, Edmonds stole a 2012 Dodge Caravan on Hyatt Street, across from the courthouse at about 11:45 a.m. Driving at a "high rate of speed," Edmonds turned the van toward Craigwell, who was standing in the street near Fort Place and Montgomery Avenue, said the complaint. Edmonds steered "directly" at Craigwell, "intentionally" hitting him and pinning him between the vehicle and the building, the complaint said. Craigwell was pronounced dead at the site. Edmonds was initially accused of second-degree murder, grand larceny and stolen-property possession. The defendant has denied the allegations. By Rosario A. Iaconis Christopher Columbus is persona non grata at Columbia University. There are no celebrations in honor of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea's discovery of the New World. Nor has the school's professoriate planned seminars exploring the cultural continuity linking Columbus, Caboto, da Verrazzano and Vespucci. Not to mention Marco Polo and Matteo Ricci. What about symposia on the reborn Roman humanism that sparked the Renaissance, capitalism, the age of exploration and the modern scientific method? No such conferences appear on the calendar of events. Indeed, Genoa's favorite son remains taboo on campus. But the Ivy League university's failure to honor its namesake is part of a greater antipathy to Italians -- especially Italian-American alumni, faculty, students and the entire Italo-American community. And nowhere is this malign neglect more apparent than in Columbia's evisceration of La Casa Italiana. Built by Joseph Paterno, Anthony Campagna and Michael Paterno to serve as the epicenter of italianita' in America, this six-story palazzo on 117th Street and Amsterdam Avenue was gifted to Columbia University -- along with a substantial cash endowment raised by Judge John J. Freschi and other prominent Italo-Americans -- on October 12, 1927 (Columbus Day). According to the parchment transferring ownership, the donation of this Italian House "by people of Italian birth and descent in the United States of America" had as its goal "the diffusion of Italian culture in this country." Inventor and Italian senator Gugliemo Marconi, who represented the Italian government at the inauguration ceremony, underscored the mission of Casa Italiana: "To favour the study of Italian Literature, Art and History on a much more diffused scale throughout this great continent of America." Marconi also added, "To promote the educational and spiritual uplift of Italians in America." Columbia's President, Nicholas Murray Butler, had expressed similar sentiments at the cornerstone laying in 1926: "Only those so fortunate as to live in a new country can know the uplifting power and stimulation of a civilization that has been going on for 3,000 years." Today, however, Casa Italiana -- under the banner of the Italian Academy -- has morphed into an ivory tower fiefdom for obscure intellectual pursuits unrelated to Italian culture. Missing is the 18,000-volume library collection (worth $15,000) donated by Dr. Charles Paterno. Banished is the Italian language department, which was originally situated in the Casa. Decades ago, Italian-American students utilized the palazzo as a cultural and research center. The Italian Academy now hosts exhibitions and symposia on "the theme of Bedouin ownership of Negev lands and the ongoing Israeli state campaign to uproot the Palestinian Bedouin from the northern threshold of the desert." Under the aegis of The Center for Palestine Studies, these conferences will "expand the discourse on the origins of the dispossession, expulsion, and displacement of the Palestinian Bedouins in the Negev/Al-Naqab, and in particular its historical background and legal aspects." Instead of examining the Italian jurisprudential tradition -- from Cicero, Justinian and Beccaria to Pecora, Alito and Scalia -- or exploring the rise of Italo-American space scientists, astronauts and molecular biologists -- Carloyn Porco, Michael J. Massimino (a Columbia alumnus) and Napoleone Ferrara -- the Academy never misses an opportunity to marginalize the scions of Italy. The Italian Academy's roll call of Fellows and Senior Fellows includes Middle Eastern and European scholars. Daniel Freedberg is the director the academy. And the Board of Guarantors features such luminaries as Jonathan Cole, Otto Naumann and Sydney Houghton Weinberberg. (Daniele Bodini, who served as the ambassador of the Republic of San Marino to the United Nations from 2005 to 2016, is also a board member.) But there are no Italian-American scholars on the Board of Guarantors. Not a one. Columbia University's abandonment of Casa Italiana's original intent should arouse the ire of Italians on both sides of the Atlantic. If he wishes to make amends to the Italian-American community, Lee C. Bollinger, the president of Columbia University (and the Italian Academy) would be wise to consult Niccolo' Machiavelli: "He who becomes a prince through the favor of the people should always keep on good terms with them; which it is easy for him to do, since all they ask is not to be oppressed." (Rosario A. Iaconis is the chairman of The Italic Institute of America and an adjunct professor in the Social Sciences Department of Suffolk County Community College.) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD has reached out on social media for the public's help identifying a woman sought for questioning in a pedestrian hit-and-run crash in Eltingville. The driver allegedly left the scene of a crash where a 56-year-old man was injured at about 5:15 p.m. last Wednesday in the vicinity of Richmond Avenue and Oakdale Street, according to a post on the 123rd Precinct Twitter feed and a spokeswoman for the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. A woman behind the wheel of a white Dodge Ram pickup with New York plate HVV7957 allegedly hit a pedestrian and then drove away, according to the NYPD post. The car backed into the man in a parking lot of a strip mall in the 3900 block of Richmond Avenue, according to information supplied by the police spokeswoman. The man's condition was stable after the crash, the police spokeswoman said. Police posted a photo of a woman sought in connection with the incident. The woman is described by police as white, about 30 years old, standing about 5'8" tall, weighing about 170 pounds and having blonde hair. No arrests have been made and the investigation continues, the police spokeswoman said. People with information are encouraged to call Detective Borough Staten Island at 718-876-8196 or The NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Much of the growth in Foodas Chicago office will be on the technology side, Buzza said. Fooda rolled out its own point-of-sale system last year, which has allowed the company to gather data on customers so it can minimize food waste and help prevent the pop-up restaurants from selling out of items. But that wasn't good enough for Julie Di Lorenzo, a prominent Toronto developer who resigned from the Waterfront Toronto board over the project. Di Lorenzo said data and what Google wants to do with it should be front and center in the discussions. She also believes the government agency has given the Google affiliate too much power over how the project develops. The consumer watchdog will publish LNG export prices to arm manufacturers and major gas users with more information in contract negotiations in a bid to stop "disgraceful" pricing behaviour. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it would publish LNG prices to provide Australian manufacturers with more information to get better deals in the face of rising prices and potential gas shortages. "We're very confident that this pricing series will help stop disgraceful [gas] pricing behaviours," ACCC chairman Rod Sims told Fairfax Media. Major gas users, like the Port Kembla steelworks, will now have more transparency for gas contracts negotiations. Credit:Dean Lewis Mid-last year, Australian gas prices reached a peak of $22 per gigajoule in March 2017, yet export prices were around $8.50 per gigajoule. Australia has the potential to capture more wealth and jobs from its lithium sector by moving down the battery supply chain but this would be contingent on a number of factors, one of the federal government's top economists thinks. In his resources and energy quarterly update Department of Industry, Innovation and Science chief economist Mark Cully said lithium and battery demand could result in billions of dollars for a country that grabbed the opportunity. The Greenbushes hard-rock lithium mine in Western Australia is the world's largest hard-rock lithium mine. "Countries which capitalise on the opportunities of the emerging global lithium market could earn hundreds of billions of dollars in coming decades, and could play a pivotal role in fostering a new wave of clean energy technology around the world," he said. "Australia has strong potential to move to the centre of the global lithium supply chain given its geological advantages, its experience in rolling out mining investment, and the skills of its workforce." The global economy just dodged a bullet. US President Donald Trump, after threatening for the past two years to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement, on Monday (Australian time) quietly signed a peace deal. The survival of the world's second largest free trade group involving the US, Mexico and Canada is good news in itself and hopefully it is a sign that Trump will stop grandstanding on trade policy and start negotiating seriously. US conservatives delude themselves that their man is secretly fighting for free and fair trade. Mr Trump has built his career on an emotional pitch to the US rust belt that blames foreigners for stealing American jobs and ignores the gains from trade based on comparative advantage. This has only encouraged Democrats to ask for even more protectionism. NAFTA will now be called the US Mexico Canada agreement. Credit:AP Mr Trump talked that game for his first 18 months in power but it has produced limited results and he seems to be bending. He threatened to slap tariffs on German cars. But a few months ago he dropped that idea. He dropped out of Trans Pacific Partnership with 11 other countries including Australia, Canada and Mexico but he recently reversed course there a bit, too. Last month, he agreed to start bilateral trade talks with Japan, the biggest country in the TPP. Mr Trump also threatened to leave NAFTA calling it the "worst deal in history". But US firms with supply chains running back and forth through all three NAFTA countries have changed his mind. They told him killing NAFTA would not save US jobs but send them offshore to China. Mr Trump says the new deal he struck is "historic". Don't say it to his face but an early reading suggests his NAFTA Mark II makes only minor changes. For instance, the big win for the US is that Canada has slightly opened its market to US dairy farmers. That is good but it was something Canada was going to do under the TPP anyway, until the US shot itself in the foot by dropping out. It is rather like the triumph of form over substance of Mr Trump's dealings with North Korea. He started with extravagant threats, then claimed a great victory but over time it has become clear that he did little to make Pyongyang disarm. To help Mr Trump claim his NAFTA deal is a game changer, NAFTA has been rebranded as the US Mexico Canada Agreement. Perhaps Mr Trump has won some concessions by stamping his foot on trade but good faith negotiations probably would have done just as well. Once he has proved his political point in the US mid-term elections, Australia should push Mr Trump to reconsider his policies on steel and China, the two main fronts that remain in his global trade jihad. Investigator Ingmar Andersson A retired stuntman turned private investigator, Andersson (Peter Stormare) is determined to catch the bad guys, save the day and most importantly, make a lot of money as a private detective. Its just a pity he has the people skills of a rabid dog and a ragtag gang of people to help that include his partner Axel, who really would much rather just be a DJ. Meet Ingmar in Swedish Dicks: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/swedish-dicks Detective Chief Inspector John Luther Played by English actor Idris Elba and the focus of the eponymous BBC crime series, Luther is a legend in the English Metropolitan Police service for his ability to close cases. But hes also a tortured individual not afraid to bend (or shatter) the rules to get what he wants and has a temper you really dont want to be on the wrong side of. Meet him in Luther: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/luther Deputy Raylan Givens A throwback to a time when lawmen wore big hats, carried big guns and made big decisions, Givens (Timothy Olyphant) is the type of guy who will give you two minutes to get out of town or youre dead and hell follow through on the promise. Not exactly a modern man, this US Marshall is still the best guy to have in your corner when something goes wrong in his home town of Harlen, Kentucky. Meet Givens in Justified: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/justified Detective Angela Angie Tribeca A veteran of the LA Really Heinous Crime Unit, Angie Tribeca (Rashida Jones) has seen it all and made jokes about most of it. A cop in the slapstick vein of Lesley Nielsens Police Squad, shes tough, nowhere near as smart as she thinks she is but somehow manages to solve crimes despite blundering through life like a bull in a china shop on roller skates. Meet her in Angie Tribeca: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/angie-tribeca Detective Saga Noren The Swedish detective called in when two bodies are found cut in half on the border between Sweden and Denmark, Noren (Sofia Helin) is brilliant, better than anyone at spotting clues that will solve a crime, but completely oblivious to the feelings of those around her and is possibly, like Sherlock Holmes, has Aspergers Syndrome. She may offend you, but will get the job done. Meet Noren in The Bridge: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/the-bridge Detectives Hendy and Stokes Two cops with the best of intentions but not a lot of luck, this pair (Patrick Brammall and Trent ODonnell) would love to be where the action is, but mostly find themselves on endless stakeouts where not much seems to happen. Their boring life makes for some hilarious conversation, but really, if a crime was going down, chances are theyd be miles away. Meet them in No Activity: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/no-activity and https://www.stan.com.au/watch/no-activity-2015 Detective Vic Mackie And at last we come to the dark side of the law, Vic Mackie. A cop worn down by watching too many criminals go free, Mackie has decided his LA police strike force will use whatever means needed to catch the bad guys and if that means breaking the law, then thats OK. Predictably the line between good and bad blurs until its almost impossible to tell where Vic stands. Meet Vic in The Shield: https://www.stan.com.au/watch/the-shield Like the sound of these cops? Head over to Stan and watch them in action now! Stan is Australias leading local SVoD service, providing unlimited access to thousands of hours of entertainment for the whole family. Get access to the biggest Hollywood shows, blockbuster movies, cult classics and popular kids content on your favourite device. Start your free 30-day trial at Stan.com.au. The other diseases are so "ultra rare" that researchers would need to pool detections for the next hundred most common conditions to match the number of "the big three", Professor Amor said. Mackenzie's Mission is named after Mackenzie Casella. Currently, couples can pay about $400 for carrier testing to determine if they carry the mutations for SMA, cystic fibrosis and fragile X, but they are not routinely offered and many doctors do not know the tests exist. It is estimated that everyone carries three to five recessive genes for serious conditions. It is only when both parents carry the same mutation that their child is at risk, known as autosomal recessive inheritance. The chances a couple would share the same mutation is very low. Couples will only be told they have a genetic mutation if both individuals carry the same mutation for one of the 500 conditions - an estimated 1 per cent of all the couples to be tested, but some researchers suspect it could be as high as 3 per cent, Professor Amor said. Professor Robson said the trial's planning would need to be meticulous. Loading The science and the technology is the easy part. The hard part is ensuring equity of access and being absolutely certain we are giving couples enough information to make these decisions," he said. The working group, led by investigators in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, aim to recruit a diverse array of couples from a range of services, including GP clinics, to ensure the trial is representative of the Australian community. We dont want to end up with genetic haves and have nots," Professor Robson said. Whether you are an Indigenous couple in the Kimberley or a wealthy couple on the north shore of Sydney, you need to be given the same opportunity to be part of this." The conditions included will invariably be deadly or severely debilitating childhood disorders. Some will be diseases in which early diagnosis can lead to improved outcomes, if parents chose to forego IVF. Its not about judging if conditions are more worthy of screening than others. We need to think about what information will be most helpful for couples, Professor Robson said. In Israel, a pan-ethnic screening program tests for almost 100 recessive diseases among more than 60,000 people every year. The goal of the Australian trial is to determine whether population-wide carrier screening could be cost-effective and investigate the psycho-social and ethical impacts of screening, as well as potential barriers. For a government perspective, there needs to be the economic argument that the extent of the effort that goes into looking for these conditions is more than balanced by the money saved in treating them, Professor Robson said. Rachael and Jonathan Casella hold a photograph of their daughter Mackenzie. Credit:Rachael Casella The project also aims to raise awareness of preconception carrier screening among doctors and would-be couples, considering half of all pregnancies in Australia are unplanned. We need to think about how we make couples aware of this and how doctors can include this in conversations with patients that may want to start a family, Professor Robson said. Planning was still in the preliminary stages, with many details to resolve. We want to plan this very carefully so that when the first test is done, every possible issue has been thought through," Professor Robson said. He said storing participants' genetic information must be done with strict security and privacy measures. "Genetics is very, very personal and we need to treat that with great respect," he said. Professor Robson said he has been asked whether this was an attempt to create a "master race". Sydney commuters have been urged to travel via St Leonards station to get to the Macquarie Park precinct in the city's north in order to relieve pressure on the busy Chatswood station during the seven-month shutdown of a rail line. Declaring the start of changes to temporary services a relative success, Transport Minister Andrew Constance said about 10,000 people had used Station Link replacement buses on Tuesday morning as they returned to work after the long weekend. The bus services were frequent, but lines of passengers waiting to use them were long during both the morning and evening peak, prompting many to express frustration and concern about how the situation may worsen when school holidays conclude. This is never easy. It's just vital that people get used to new travel patterns and then at the same time making sure where possible, catch public transport, [and] don't rely on your motor vehicle, Mr Constance said. A suspicious package was left in the car park of a shopping centre south of Brisbane, with specialist police called in to cordon off the area. A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the package was reported just after 6am in the car park of Springwood Shopping Mall on the corner of Fitzgerald Avenue and Rochedale Road. The explosive ordinance team was called in to inspect the package, which was finally deemed not suspicious and removed by police. The spokeswoman said more tests would be conducted on the package to attempt to find out who left it there. Holding an inmate in a Queensland prison costs taxpayers $181.55 a night - more than a night at the Ibis Brisbane Hotel near the airport at $170. The states annual cost of housing an inmate is $66,000 each year, or $14,000 more than the Australian median wage, according to the latest annual report from Queensland Corrective Services. Holding an inmate in a Queensland prison costs taxpayers $181.55 a night - more than a night at the Ibis Brisbane Hotel. However, Corrective Services claimed the expenditure per prisoner per day was low, thanks to doubling up prisoners in their cells, and the use of modern correctional infrastructure to manage the explosion in prison numbers. Queensland has about 8800 convicted inmates and another 2772 people on remand, costing taxpayers more than half a billion dollars each year to house them. Bain Capital and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts two of the three firms that bought Toys R Us in a 2005 leveraged buyout and loaded it with billions of dollars in debt before liquidating the chain in June are setting aside millions of dollars in a fund to be distributed to retail workers, according to a person involved in the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity. A third owner, Vornado Realty Trust, is not contributing to the fund, that person said. A woman has died and three people are seriously injured after a multiple car crash on the Warrego Highway half an hour west of Toowoomba on Tuesday morning. An SUV, a B-double semi-trailer and a four-wheel-drive were reportedly involved in the collision just after 9am. The smash reportedly involved a 4WD, a car and a B-double. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight A woman was treated for critical injuries on scene but was not transported to hospital, a Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said. Another woman, aged in her 40s, suffered multiple injuries and was stabilised on scene by paramedics before being taken to Toowoomba Hospital by an RACQ LifeFlight helicopter about 10am. Transgender identity might be genetically determined, at least partially, results from the world's largest study of transwomen reveal. Fran took part in the study because she believed it might help people. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui The team behind the study say they have found evidence of a genetic link underpinning gender dysphoria: when your sense of being male or female differs from the gender you were assigned at birth. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, is the result of a painstaking 15-year project to build the worlds largest DNA database of transwomen - people male at birth who have transitioned to female. Three hundred and eighty transwomen signed up, and the findings were compared to a control group of 344 males. Using the data, a team from the Hudson Institute of Medical Research at Monash University studied 12 genes related to sex hormone signalling. That's all for the blog today. The first to get the word on Twitter was @evanocathain, while Sue M was first to email me. The letters were O U K N G C H E R. The answer is not HERCUKONG (a gorilla with the strength of Hercules) as I postulated, although I did get some support from some people who believed this should have been the solution. Have a great day. Anna Prytz will be in the blogging chair from tomorrow morning. The owners put the dog in the car to take it to the vet, but then found the car's tyres had also been slashed. Police were called to a house on Fifth Avenue in Dandenong about 7.15am after the owners found their beloved 11-year-old Maltese-cross Jack Russell bloodied and seriously injured in the backyard. A dog has been stabbed to death in a backyard in Melbourne's south-east. The dog was taken to the vet a few hours later, but due to the severity of its injuries had to be put down. On Tuesday afternoon local investigators called for the culprit to hand themselves in. Senior Constable Alison Johnson of the Greater Dandenong Crime Investigation Unit said it was too early for police to determine a motive or suspects of the attack, but said it was likely Vuk was stabbed between 2am and 5am on Tuesday morning while the family slept. "They're very upset; the victim and her family members are naturally very upset," she said. "Vuk was still alive when they woke up in the morning and then took him to the vet and he was pronounced dead there." A benefit concert celebrating the lives of a beloved Perth family in Bedford last month will be held at the Charles Hotel on Friday evening. Mara Harvey, 41, her three-year-old girl Charlotte, two-year-old twin girls Alice and Beatrix and their grandmother Beverley Quinn were allegedly murdered by Mara's partner Anthony inside their Perth home last month. A poster for the event. Credit:Nerida Shaw In the wake of the horrific event, the Perth community rallied to donate more than $33,770 to the family through a Go Fund Me fundraiser - however, friends of the family believe it's still not enough to cover the five funerals. The cost of the funerals has been left to Taryn, Mara's sister and Beverley's daughter, and her partner Alan. Australia will send more than 50 medical professionals to Indonesia to help with the aftermath of a devastating and deadly earthquake as part of a $5 million aid package. Friday's disaster in central Sulawesi has killed more than 1200 people, prompting Australia to send emergency healthcare support to the region. "We will be working very closely with the Indonesian government to make sure that the support we are providing is highly targeted," Foreign Minister Marise Payne told reporters in Washington overnight. Foreign Minister Marise Payne Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Australia is considering further support for the disaster, with the death toll expected to rise and millions affected by the crisis. Kerryn Phelps, a leading independent candidate for the upcoming Wentworth byelection, has formally recommended her supporters put her Liberals rival Dave Sharma ahead of Labor's Tim Murray. Releasing her how-to-vote card as postal voting began in the waterside eastern Sydney electorate on Tuesday, Dr Phelps placed both of the main parties way down the list at 10 and 11, respectively, out of 16 candidates. Kerry Phelps, an independent candidate for Wentworth, has revealed her preference priorities. Credit:James Brickwood The former head of the Australian Medical Association preferenced Kay Dunne, the Sustainable Australia candidate in the second slot and Ben Forsyth, from Senator Darryn Hinch's Justice Party in third. Dr Phelps' preferencing has drawn criticism from some voters who see her positions on issues such as climate action as more closely aligned with Labor's than the Liberal Party she is giving a higher ranking on her vote cards. The war on waste has moved on from lightweight plastic bags with plans to encourage an end to department store shopping bags. Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory have banned single-use plastic bags, with supermarkets Woolworths and Coles introducing purchasable reusable bags instead. Thicker department store plastic bags are now in the sights of authorities who are investigating a voluntary phase-out. Credit:Rohan Thomson Authorities are now working to relegate thicker, department store bags to the scrap heap. Queensland's Environment and Science Department is leading national work, on behalf of all Australian jurisdictions, to encourage retailers to phase out single-use heavyweight plastic shopping bags. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad described Jews as "hook-nosed" on Tuesday and blamed them for creating the troubles in the Middle East. Mahathir, who at 93 became the world's oldest head of government after starting his second stint as Prime Minister in May, has for decades been accused of anti-Semitism for his attacks against Jews, whom he has accused of perpetrating a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has not made his anti-Jewish sentiments a secret. Credit:AP "If you are going to be truthful, the problem in the Middle East began with the creation of Israel. That is the truth. But I cannot say that," he said in an interview on BBC's Hard Talk on Tuesday. Calling Israelis "special", Mahathir, leader of a Muslim-majority country, challenged historical accounts that six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, arguing that the figure was four million. Cars have been flipped and thrown dozens of metres. Motorcycles lay crushed. The contents of a bathroom, bath and all, lay out in the open - thrown by the wave - alongside a kitchen cupboard. At one house, somehow, four cars had been forced through the front door and ground floor windows by the wave, their metal bodies twisted and jammed into the building. After picking through the wreckage at several houses and finding bodies of dead animals, but no people, the team moved on. Overwhelming smell, dust and destruction at Talise beach, Palu. Credit:Amilia Rosa But at a shop on the water, two bodies are found. The first, a young woman, is carried out gingerly. Her body is twisted like a Francis Bacon painting, starting to change colour, stained with her own blood. Volunteers retrieve a female body from the ruins of a shop in Talise, Palu, on Tuesday. Credit:James Massola Gingerly, wearing face masks to cut out the awful smell, the rescuers struggle to place her semi-rigid body inside one of the bright orange bags. For a few minutes, her left foot sticks out of the bag - bloodied, yellow - as the rescuers grapple with her head and shoulders. Finally the bag is zipped up. She is gone. Locals look on, several of the women crying as the awful job is completed. The team closes the body bag. Credit:James Massola The rescue workers place cardboard on top of the body bag to try and shield her corpse from the worst of the sun. Someone will be along to pick her up in a while. Udin, the brother of the shop owner, tells us she is not part of his family. He thinks she is a tourist. Then the rescue workers shout again. Daeng Fajar, centre, with an evacuation team looks for the young daughter of a street seller in the rubble at Talise, Palu, Sulawesi.. "We are not blood related, but she's family." Credit:Amilia Rosa Another body has been found in the shop. A man, they think. Udin turns to us and says matter of factly: With these two bodies, thats now 76 bodies I have helped find. Udin, shirtless, and an East Java evacuation team looks at a spot where they suspected a body is burried. Credit:Amilia Rosa Locals estimate that about 12km of Talise beachfront was wiped out by the tsunami. The wave, they say, swept somewhere from 500m to a kilometre inland. Further down the beach, 16-year-old Ayu picks her way through the wreckage before stopping to talk to us. She lives by the beach with her aunt. Both of them are safe but many of their neighbours are gone. She describes the moment the major quake hit on Friday night. Ayu looks at the ruble left byt he tsunami at Talise, Palu. Credit:Amilia Rosa First we felt the ground shake and immediately we know, we had to go. We heard the water [of the tsunami] a couple of minutes later, she says, smiling incongruously. We both ran to our scooters and just go. The volunteers in Palu, Donggala and Sigi have come from all over Indonesia. The team Fairfax Media joined on Tuesday are all self-funded. The money to do what they do comes from selling their local coffee, grown around Jember, in the central island of Java, and from their own pockets. Motorbikes that ran out of fuel are left at the beachfront. Credit:Amilia Rosa Yoga, 22, from Malang in East Java, is typical of the dozen volunteers in his team. His day job is working as building contractor. When he heard about the earthquake he dropped everything and joined a team - without even letting the boss know. I did the same with Lombok, he says with his easy smile, cigarette hanging from his young lips. I dont care about being fired or not, the work I am doing here is working for God and the payment is more satisfying than any work I could be fired from. A car lays on its side among the rubble at Talise beach, Palu. Credit:Amilia Rosa Soon, more help will come from around the world - Australia, the United States, China and other countries have pledged aid and this time - unlike Lombok - the Indonesian government has accepted it. It cant come soon enough. All over Palu, people shelter in tents and scramble for food. Indonesian rescue team members carry the body of a victim to a grave during a mass burial in Palu on Monday. Credit:AP Petrol is being rationed to five litres per day. Shops have been emptied - not looted - as the central government has encouraged taking to ensure people remain fed, and have promised to pay back shop owners. Outside the mayors office, perhaps 1000 people are gathered, men women and children, sleeping under the stars. Its the same story outside the governors residence, and all over the city. Loading Flying in to Palu, the devastation that has been wrought here is difficult to discern at first. Its hard to tell which roofs have collapsed flat onto the foundations of houses and which are still standing. But as the ground approaches its clear that house after house has been smashed by the earthquake. Some streets have been flattened, but in others one house has survived, while its next door neighbour is gone. Loading What also stands out, from the air, is the sheer volume of sand and mud that has been swept in from the ocean, and the river that runs through the city, and deposited hundreds of metres inland. Palu airport is in chaos. Scooters and cars stand parked everywhere, aimless, out of fuel. A woman limps by on crutches, one leg working and the other broken and wobbling unnaturally. Its possible the partnership, if expanded beyond the Kentucky stores, could make it easier for customers to access food in neighborhoods that lack grocery stores, given that Walgreens has many more locations than Kroger. Kroger has 2,800 retail food stores across the country, and Walgreens has 9,800 stores. Kroger spokeswoman Kristal Howard, however, noted in an email Tuesday when asked about that possibility that, this is a limited, 13-store pilot in Northern Kentucky and it would be premature to discuss expansion possibilities. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire: We must dry up the channels of financing of terrorists.'' Credit:Bloomberg Police also raided the headquarters of a Muslim religious association in northern France on Tuesday, seizing weapons and detaining three people. The building houses a Shiite federation, an anti-Zionist party and other groups. The assets of the groups and their leaders were frozen as well. Paris: France has said Iran's Intelligence Ministry was behind a plot to attack an exiled opposition group's rally near Paris in June and has seized assets belonging to Tehran's intelligence services and two Iranian nationals. A joint statement by France's interior, economy and foreign ministers made clear the six-month freeze on the Intelligence Ministry's internal security section was linked to the alleged attempt to bomb the June 30 rally outside Paris of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, or MEK. An attempted attack was thwarted, the statement said. This act of an extreme gravity envisioned on our territory could not go without a response. The ministers called the action preventive, targeted and proportionate. The statement did not explain what funds might be in France. In the second move, authorities froze the assets of Centre Zahra France, a Muslim association in the town of Grande-Synthe, outside Dunkirk, as well as those of three organisations and four men linked to the groups. The three groups are under Zahra France's wing and include the Shiite Federation of France and the Anti-Zionist Party. Birmingham: Boris Johnson has urged Prime Minister Theresa May to ditch her Chequers 'cheat' and called on the party faithful to regain its confidence in free markets in a showstopping performance at the Tory party conference, which was widely seen as a leadership pitch. The former foreign minister drew the biggest crowd at the annual gathering - which has been dominated by ructions over Brexit - when he addressed a crowd of 1000 for the online website Conservative Home. Boris Johnson delivering his speech during the Conservative Party annual conference in Birmingham. Credit:Bloomberg Johnson's only appearance did not disappoint those who began queuing to see him two hours before he was due to speak. The flamboyant former mayor of London had stoked tensions in the lead-up to the conference by penning another 4000-word essay attacking May's so-called 'Chequers' Brexit strategy. She wants Britain to maintain regulatory ties with the EU for goods and agriculture after Brexit, which 'Leave' supporters and a sizeable part of the grassroots Tory membership see as a betrayal of the vote to exit the customs union. Geneva: One of the world's leading nuclear research centres has apologised and suspended an Italian scientist who gave what it called a "highly offensive" presentation about the role of women in physics. Speaking at a seminar on "High Energy Theory and Gender" on Friday, Alessandro Strumia of the University of Pisa said physics was invented and built by men, its not by invitation. Officials at the world's largest particle accelerator suspended the physicist "from any activity at CERN with immediate effect pending an investigation", a CERN statement said, after the presentation raised new concerns about sexism in science. The tunnel in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN near Geneva. Credit:CERN CERN, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, said Strumia was out of line. "The trauma for a man that's never had any accusation - he's never had a bad statement about him," Trump told reporters on Monday, sympathising with Kavanaugh's experience. "It's unfair to him at this point. What his wife is going through, what his beautiful children are going through is not describable." President Donald Trump said it was a scary time for boys in the United States. Credit:AP Veteran GOP pollster Frank Luntz said that among Republicans "there is a feeling of being guilty until proven innocent. In this era of #MeToo, there are a lot of men - and some women - who believe that justice no longer exists in America, that the accusation is enough to destroy someone's career and someone's life. That wasn't manifesting itself politically until [late last week]." Loading Kavanaugh's defenders, reflecting widespread feelings among conservatives nationally, are furious about what they see as a broad-brush approach to sexual misconduct allegations. They say the federal judge is being swept up in the #MeToo riptide and unfairly grouped with serial predators - such as actor Bill Cosby, who has been accused of sexual assault or harassment by more than 60 women and was sentenced last week to three to 10 years in prison for drugging and assaulting a victim. "I think you're trying to portray him as a stumbling, bumbling drunk, gang rapist, who during high school and college was Bill Cosby," Graham said Sunday to host George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week. Public opinion on Kavanaugh breaks down along gender lines. Women oppose his confirmation, 55 per cent to 37 per cent, while men support it, 49 per cent to 40 per cent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Monday. The survey found that 48 per cent of American voters most believe Ford, while 41 per cent most believe Kavanaugh. In the 2016 election, Trump won 53 per cent of men to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's 41 per cent, and he has sought to galvanise these supporters with what he calls a Democratic "con job" on his handpicked Supreme Court nominee. The movement right has come alive with impassioned defences of Kavanaugh in recent days. Talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh, whose program for years has largely defined the GOP's white male id, has unleashed a torrent of criticism on the air - such as his riff last Friday on "militant feminism". "These women are angry," Limbaugh said. "Something has happened to them in their lives, and their rage and anger, they take it out now on the country or on all men or men in 'the powerful majority', which is white Christian men and so forth." Conservative commentator Ann Coulter bemoaned the "snickering at white men" in her syndicated column last week and insisted that "there has never been a more pacific, less rapey creature than the white male of Western European descent". "Can we please, for the love of God, drop the painfully trite, mind-numbing cliche about 'white men', as if somehow their whiteness makes evil even eviler?" Coulter wrote. US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has denied allegations of sexual misconduct from three women. Credit:Reuters Republican Congressman Steve King tweeted after the Kavanaugh hearing that "'Old white men' are relentlessly being racially and generationally profiled by the 'tolerant' Left" and that media outlets have "almost universally profiled and stigmatised Republican Senators". Jennifer Palmieri, a Democratic strategist and author of Dear Madam President, a book about reimagining women in leadership roles, said the nation's fast-changing culture can be unsettling and indeed frightening to men in power. "A lot of white men don't know what it's like to feel threatened, powerless and frustrated," said Palmieri, former communications director for Clinton's campaign. "As we go through the reckoning of this lopsided power balance, there's going to be a lot more of this." Loading The Republican Party has long identified with more traditional white males, such as former presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. But strategists say it is now turning more and more toward combative male candidates in the mould of Trump, with allegations of misconduct interpreted by many within the party not as liabilities, but as unfair political attacks. "We're a party of angry, older white men at a time when our country is going through tremendous demographic change," said Republican strategist John Weaver said, predicting that the GOP would suffer the consequences in future elections. The sounds and images of angry men could have a lasting impact on the Republican brand. Kavanaugh's pitched testimony has quickly gone from must-see live television to cultural touchstone. On NBC's Saturday Night Live over the weekend, actor Matt Damon portrayed Kavanaugh in the show's opening sketch as a beer-guzzling frat boy whose hero was "Clint Eastwood's character in Gran Torino", a 2008 film about an older white man who has contempt for aspects of diversity. The shift in political gravity for Republicans helps explain the searing denouncement by Graham in last week's Senate hearing. His extraordinary diatribe - reenacted on Saturday Night Live by a scowling Kate McKinnon - was, in essence, a defence of men who had been stewing about the charges against Kavanaugh. Loading "I know I'm a single white male from South Carolina and I'm told I should shut up, but I will not shut if, if that's okay," Graham said at the hearing, adding that the experience had been "hell" for Kavanaugh and "the most unethical sham since I've been in politics". Those remarks won Graham a rush of praise from men in his solidly-Republican state and from conservative activists nationally. "People say, 'Lindsey said what I was thinking'," said Katon Dawson, a former South Carolina Republican Party chairman and Graham ally. "That's powerful, and that's all over the country... It's become a fairness issue to the people in the hinterlands. They don't think Kavanaugh has been treated fairly." Others, however, saw the cold calculation of a politician playing to stereotypes and raw emotions to gain a political edge. "It's not just that white men are allowed to be angry and women are not; it's that white men's anger can be used to their benefit," wrote Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger. "We reflexively understand the anger of white men, especially when used to convey how unfairly they've been treated, as righteous and correct." Senator Lindsey Graham's angry defence of Brett Kavanaugh enhanced his popularity in his native South Carolina. Credit:AP Inside the conservative movement and on its fringes, an intense discussion has long been underway about gender and the perceived assault on men. Fox News commentator Ben Shapiro, who hosts a popular podcast and TV program, has been one of the higher profile voices, sharply criticising a culture where he sees "men out in the cold" and "searching for meaning". "The age of emasculation cannot last," Shapiro has written. "It will eventually boil over into violence, sink away into irrelevance" or return to traditional mores. The impression is that people making such claims are unaware of the degree of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Who authorised this dame to make such allegations? The American people? Do ordinary Americans know that they are paying out of their pockets for so-called diplomats who behave so aggressively and destructively? An official familiar with Hutchison's thinking later said she did not mean a pre-emptive strike. Still, the comments drew a furious response from the Russian Foreign Ministry. Although ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison's comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a pre-emptive strike against Russian missiles. Such a move could lead to nuclear war. Brussels: The US ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells on Tuesday when she suggested the United States might take out Russian missiles officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty. Asked during a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels what the US might do about a new class of Russian missiles that appear to violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Hutchinson said: The countermeasures would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty. It was unclear whether she meant that the US would target Russia's banned missile installations in the event that Moscow doesn't come back into compliance with the treaty, or whether she was warning that the United States would enhance its missile defences to take out any banned missiles Russia decides to launch at US or allied targets. The United States has limited ability to defend targets against cruise missile threats. The question was what would you do if this continues to a point where we know that they are capable of delivering the banned missiles, Hutchison said. And at that point we would then be looking at a capability to take out a missile that could hit any of our countries in Europe and hit America in Alaska. The treaty, which the United States and the Soviet Union signed in 1987, prohibits the production and deployment of nuclear and conventional missiles that fly from 500 to 5500 kilometres. It applies to ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. Neither the Pentagon nor the State Department responded to a request for comment. NATO defence ministers plan to address the alleged Russian violations at a Brussels meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Judge Brett Kavanaugh will not take up a scheduled teaching role at Harvard Law School in the northern winter, the university has said. Today, Judge Kavanaugh indicated that he can no longer commit to teaching his course in January Term 2019, so the course will not be offered, Catherine Claypoole, of the law school curriculum committee, wrote in an email to students on Monday night, US east coast time. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate judiciary committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Credit:AP Hundreds of Harvard Law School graduates had signed a letter calling on the school to rescind Kavanaugh's appointment as lecturer at the school, following sexual misconduct allegations against the US Supreme Court nominee. They had not sent the letter to the school's dean on Monday. PHILIPSBURG:--- The main suspect in the Triggerfish investigation Maritsa James Christina who was arrested on September 7th, 2018 will have to spend another 60 days in pretrial detention as the Prosecution prepares to take her case to trial. SMN News learned that the Attorney for James Christina pleaded with the courts to release her client but the Judge denied the request. James Christina worked at the Court of First Instance for a number of years. According to information, SMN News obtained James Christina held her first job at the Court House and worked her way up to become the Manager of the Court House on St. Maarten. The Prosecution alleged that James Christina is suspected of having embezzled sums of money from the bank accounts of the Sint Maarten branch of the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba over an extended period of time. The suspect had access to these accounts by means of her position. Shortly after her arrest detectives conducted a house search where James Christina and her husband were staying since her home suffered extensive damages during the passing of hurricane Irma on September 6th, 2017. James Christina is represented by Attorney at Law Zylena Barry. The Prosecutor's Office confirmed that James Christina was taken to court on Monday and her time has been extended. PHILIPSBURG:--- Rotary International is dedicated to six core values of which the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset upholds. Throughout the month of September, we honored Basic Education and Literacy. One of the events the club hosted was the first annual Reading Slumber Fun pajama party. The Reading Slumber Fun was a pajama reading party catered to children between the ages of 6 and 12 and was hosted on Friday, September 28th, 2018 at the John Larmonie Center. The event consisted of storytelling with Ms. Loekie Morales, Ms. Clara Reyes, and Mrs. Rita Carty, arts and crafts presented by the club members, and ended with a movie night and refreshments. The children were divided into 3 groups, categorized by age. President Jaida Nisbett and Service Club Director Kimberley Duzong greeted the entire group with their opening remarks and rules of the night. The children were then entertained by the likes of stuffed characters such as Barney, Winnie the Pooh, Minion, and Batman. The first two groups were separated to partake in story time, while the last group indulged in arts and crafts, whereby they were able to create bookmarkers for their reading books. Thereafter, the group came together once again for the movie and refreshments. The club made a decision to screen a movie that was unfamiliar to many of the children at the event. Matilda was shown and the room was filled with laughter and amusement. Registration began at 7:00 pm until 7:30 pm, whereby more than 80 children were in attendance, and the events began from 7:30 pm and ended at 10:15 pm. Prizes were given to children who were able to answer questions about the movie and the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset. The prizes received were sponsored by Dominos Pizza. The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to thank the parents, children, members of the club, story readers; Ms. Reyes, Ms. Morales, and Mrs. Carty, cartoon characters sponsored by the Original Party Entertainers, Captains Rib Shack, Dominos Pizza, Shop 4 Less, Rotarian Julie Ramchandani-Harpalani, Carl N Sons Bakery and FunShaq. PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Leona Marlin Romeo has dispatched a letter to Henderson Insurances on September 14th, 2018 informing him that even though the former NA led Government hired him to assist with the insurances for government-owned properties and vehicles that were damaged by hurricane Irma, the current Council of Ministers chose another company and as such government will not be using his services, therefore she wants Henderson to provide a report on the work he did thus far if any. The letter sent to Henderson also stated that the former government had paid him NAF100,000.00 based on governments records. SMN News further learned that the Council of Ministers is seeking to get a reimbursement from Henderson since they have not received satisfactory results as the claim with NAGICO has not been settled. Negotiations with NAGICO and Henderson was ongoing when NAGICO and Henderson Insurances were informed of the decision taken by the current government. SMN News further learned that Minister of VSA Emil Lee, during the Council of Ministers meeting where the decision was taken to hire Henderson Insurances, was not in favor of hiring a local company and he is the one that sought out a company in the United States. It is understood that Lee objected when the National Alliance led government hired Henderson Insurances as a local expert in the field of claims and other insurance settlements. On September 14th, 2018 the Prime Minister also sent a letter to NAGICO informing them that the Government of St. Maarten hired Smith Oloff and requested that NAGICO gives the selected adjuster their full cooperation. It should be noted that while Government Buildings including police station, various schools buildings, and government-owned vehicles that are still not repaired the current Council of Ministers are busy finalizing the high fees they intend to pay Smith Oloff for their services which were not acquired through an open and transparent bidding process, but rather this company was hand-picked by the Prime Minister of which it is alleged government will be paying a double service fee in these crucial times where the government is cash-strapped with limited financial resources. ~PM Romeo Marlin not putting her best foot forward.~ PHILIPSBURG:P--- Projects that are to be financed by the World Bank Trust Funds are not moving forward even though the Government of St. Maarten received the first tranche of the funds which amounts to $55M. SMN News learned that Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin is not doing what is necessary to get these projects off the ground. Already the Dutch Government expressed concerns over the stagnation of the projects that are to be financed by the Trust Funds. The Dutch Government through the Audit Chamber of the Netherlands has requested an investigation into the cause of the hold up on projects. Recently, Members of Parliament in a public meeting expressed their dissatisfaction that the projects are not moving as expected, in particular, the upgrading of the hurricane shelters which should have been ready since the beginning of the 2018 hurricane season. Residents at large are also complaining about the lack of progress and to date do not have an idea when any of the projects will begin or completed. It must be noted that the World Bank Projects falls directly under the responsibility of the Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin who is responsible for overseeing these projects. Concerns that are being made is that the funds are being used up for consultancy fees rather than assisting the residents of St. Maarten that are still living under sea of blue tarpaulins as was highlighted by the current leader of government and Member of Parliament Theodore Heyliger a few months ago in Parliament. In a recent press release it was mentioned by the Prime Minister that repairs would start on projects such as the Police Station and various other public buildings but to date there has been no progress. The Chinese and Canadian tariffs are not the only ones worrying builders and remodelers. The administration has also imposed 25 percent tariffs on steel imported from many countries and 10 percent tariffs on aluminum. According to a study by Freedonia Group, a market research firm, those tariffs are affecting prices on most indoor and outdoor kitchen appliances to varying degrees based on how much steel or aluminum they use. They include stoves and ranges, ovens, refrigerators, freezers and gas grills, among others. Together, according to Freedonia, they have the potential to upend a product market that accounted for more than $18 billion in sales in the U.S. in 2016. Sales could slump as consumers decide a new fridge or stove isnt worth the price. PHILIPSBURG:--- Participants of the Algemeen Pensioenfonds Sint Maarten (APS) pension Fund residing in Aruba and Curacao were recently invited to a local meet-and-greet event hosted by APS. APS Managing Director Mrs. Nadya Croes-van Putten traveled to the respective islands to meet the Fund participants who are now retired and living on the islands. The events were hosted with the intent to ensure that the bulk of pensioners who do not live on Sint Maarten, also get the opportunity to meet the Fund representatives in person. This approach is part of APS intensified communication strategy, which was initiated in 2017. In a survey, Fund participants indicated the need to get more direct and frequent information regarding the Fund and its projects. During the events, APS briefed its participants on the financial position of the Fund, investment policy, and strategy, the project development portfolio, the communication strategy to its participants and new digital tools that would complement this, such as; online pension portal, digital newsletter, and the new website. The Facebook page of APS is currently the most active external communication tool used by participants. APS is currently also working on the re-design of the corporate brand. Participants were also reminded to send in their Attestatie de Vitae to APS in the months of June and December. The pensioners indicated they were very happy with the meet and greet and hoped this could become a yearly event. I agreed that it would indeed be good to keep in touch with the group and have a yearly visit. - Nadya Croes-van Putten, Managing director of APS. PHILIPSBURG:--- Tzu Chi Foundation St. Maarten volunteers rolled up their sleeves in September to clean mountains of debris left in the home of 79-year-old St. Peters senior Cherrie Hanna, during the passage of hurricane Irma more than a year ago. The womans home was not cleaned since the hurricane, which ripped away her concrete roof and wreaked havoc in her Grapefruit Road #5, home, destroying more than 90 percent of her household belongings and lifelong possessions. Hanna resided with her 58-year-old daughter Ursula Isidora, who had two brain injuries one before hurricane Irma (in the Netherlands) and one shortly after hurricane Irma in St. Maarten. Due to the severity of her injuries during the second attack, Isidora was transported to the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Curacao after Irma. She was accompanied by her mother. The two recently returned to the country and faced another challenge as their home remained in the same if not worst, condition as it had been immediately after the hurricane. Due to medical challenges of the daughter and the advanced age of the mother, major cleaning was a challenge for the family. The stress of the situation was taking a toll on the mother and daughter. Tzu Chi learned about the situation of the family after its volunteer Regina Janga went to deliver love rice to the homes of persons in need in the St. Peters area. The volunteer was saddened by the situation of the family, whose home had become infested with rodents, due to the accumulation of debris in the home for such an extended period. The volunteer reported the situation to the foundation and many volunteers responded to calls to assist in an emergency clean up, including the group of Chinese contractors working on the reconstruction project of the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino. Tzu Chi considered the clean up an emergency exercise. A total of 25 volunteers participated in the exercise including 13 Chinese contractors from the Maho project; nine Tzu Chi volunteers and three Hanna family members, who worked straight for about four hours to clean up the premises. A grateful Hanna was pleasantly surprised that the volunteers showed up to assist. Volunteers cleaned all areas in the home including the living room; storage room, two bedrooms and other areas of the home. Hanna and her daughter also assisted. Although it was necessary, it was painful and emotional for the family to see many of their cherished memories from over the years, that had been completely destroyed during the hurricane, having to be carted off for disposal. At the end, two and a half truckloads of garbage including destroyed beds, televisions, closets, wall units amongst many other large items, had to be disposed of. Following the cleanup, volunteers enjoyed a family lunch with the Hannah family, compliments of the Tzu Chi Foundation and its volunteers. Hanna said she was very grateful and happy to Tzu Chi for the assistance. She said, she usually consumes a small meal, but she was happy to eat generously during the lunch, as she felt very good with the progress that had been made. Tzu Chi volunteers were contented to see the look of relief on the faces of members of the Hanna family after the clean-up exercise. The volunteers expressed hope that their support will give the family a sense of hope and wishes them the best as they continue to stand St. Maarten Strong to continue living their lives in the wake of the destruction caused on their family as a result of the September 2017 hurricane. Before leaving one of the engineers for the Maho project, shook the hands of the homeowner and thanked her for the opportunity to help, on behalf of the group of volunteers. Tzu Chi thanked all volunteers for coming out to assist in the exercise and thanked the Hanna family for accommodating the volunteers. Benefit Management Solutions transforms contact centre operations and customer experience with NewVoiceMedia Posted by Publisher Telecommunication LONDON 2 October 2018 ? NewVoiceMedia, a leading global provider of cloud contact centre and inside sales solutions, today announced that New York-based benefits administration firm Benefit Management Solutions (BMS) is reporting improved contact centre reliability, productivity and quality assurance, along with significant cost savings, since implementing the NVM Platform. BMS provides a Benefit Service Centre for major employers, enabling clients? employees to engage with Benefit Representatives who can deliver support for the companies? benefits programmes. The Service Centre receives approximately 70,000 calls a year and aims to provide a service that ?feels in-house?. Prior to partnering with NewVoiceMedia, Benefit Management Solutions implemented Salesforce Service Cloud, using it along with a legacy, on-premise telephone system. The legacy system was siloed from Salesforce, which created challenges in reporting and made it difficult for the team to easily access call recordings. Impressed with NewVoiceMedia?s integration with Salesforce Service Cloud, BMS replaced its incumbent system with the NVM Platform in 2017. The integrated system has enabled a unified source of truth for customer data, easy access to call recordings, greater visibility into service centre operations, disaster recovery and automatic call logging. Using NVM?s cloud infrastructure, and with staff operating at different sites along the East Coast, calls are transferred across four levels, from site to site, to give a ?near perfect service?, says BMS CEO Chris Fletcher. Additionally, the new system allows the team to generate detailed and customised reports that demonstrate the support provided to their clients? employees. BMS has also implemented NVM?s integrated speech analytics solution, Conversation Analyzer, which uses speech-to-text to transcribe voice interactions. Automatic voice call analysis lets sales and service teams hone in on particular moments in a call to quickly identify previously untapped insights and trends, assess reps\-\- compliance with company policy, and take any urgent action fast. Managers can also review the quality of the interaction by evaluating things like the amount of time an agent spends talking versus listening to the callers. Key words are built into the system to retrieve both positive and negative calls in real-time, which has resulted in improved QA and significant cost savings. ?The ROI from NVM is not just measured in dollars?, Fletcher says. ?We pride ourselves on delivering the best service to our customers, and with NVM, we are confident we can achieve that quality. NVM has given us a fail-safe system that is so critical to our business, and the technology roadmap means new features and upgrades are available and can be easily integrated. I know we will continue to see a significant ROI?. Chris Haggis, SVP of Customer Success at NewVoiceMedia, adds, ?We are delighted that Benefit Management Solutions has experienced such incredible success with the NVM platform. Our Salesforce integration has vastly improved efficiency in their service centre, as representatives no longer have to use multiple systems or manually record calls, and our cloud platform provides the flexibility to manage a growing number of clients?. Find out more about Benefit Management Solutions: https://www.newvoicemedia.com/customers/benefit-management-solutions. Salesforce and others are among the trademarks of Salesforce.com, Inc. Event Overview: India International Security Expo is India's only security show organised by the government. Supported by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Paramilitary Forces, State Police Forces, NDMA, BPRD, Delhi Fire Service & special forces, it aims to showcase various safety and security products. The event features demo areas, seminars, product launches and workshops for system integrators, architects, consultants, police officers and decision makers. The moment Lippincott realized something profound was at work in the partnership between brewery and coffee roaster was when he spied a coffee flavor wheel at Metropolis; it repeatedly overlapped with the beer flavor wheel in terms of how both beverages are tasted and understood by the people who make them. The beer and coffee flavor wheels include many of the same descriptors, such as floral, fruity and nutty. Tim Harrelson Sr. of Georgetown captured this shot of a rainbow over Winyah Bay several months ago. The picture was taken from the Maryville bridge. Harrelson said the image is a reminder of Gods promise. An artist's illustration of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flying by Ultima Thule (formally known as 2014 MU69) on Jan. 1, 2019. Recent observations suggest that Ultima Thule may actually be two co-orbiting bodies. NASA's New Horizons mission continues to check off milestones ahead of its history-making New Year's Day flyby of the distant object known as Ultima Thule. Last month, the mission team conducted a three-day practice session for the flyby, downloading and analyzing simulated data and rehearsing how to present this information to the public and the press. "This was our science team's final exam, and they passed it with flying colors meaning we're ready for the Ultima flyby coming almost exactly 100 days from now!" New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement. [Destination Pluto: NASA's New Horizons Mission in Pictures] This science-communication exam, held from Sept. 6 through Sept. 8 at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL) in Maryland, was one of the last of about two dozen "operational readiness tests" that the team has been performing in advance of the Jan. 1 flyby, mission officials said. The simulated flyby data that the team devised depicted Ultima Thule as two objects surrounded by a thin ring of debris. The real observations could show something similar; the limited information astronomers have gathered to date suggests that Ultimate Thule, which is officially known as 2014, may consist of two bodies orbiting a common center of mass. Astronomers think that Ultima Thule is about 23 miles (37 kilometers) wide. The distant, mysterious object lies about 1 billion miles (1.6 billion km) beyond Pluto, which was New Horizons' first flyby target. The probe zoomed within 7,800 miles (12,550 km) of the dwarf planet on July 14, 2015, beaming home stunning images of a complex world with towering water-ice mountains and vast plains of frozen nitrogen and other exotic ices. New Horizons mission team members (from left) Kirby Runyon, Rajani Dhingra, Mallory Kinczyk and Kelsi Singer discuss the two primary objects of the simulated Ultima Thule system. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Henry Throop) The Ultima Thule encounter is the centerpiece of New Horizons' extended mission, and the flyby should return some amazing data as well. The current plan calls for the spacecraft to zoom within just 2,200 miles (3,540 km) of Ultima Thule, which astronomers regard as a pristine relic from the solar system's planet-formation period. "New Horizons is already conducting humankind's first-ever close flyby of a small Kuiper Belt object, an incredible feat by itself," New Horizons project scientist Hal Weaver, of APL, said in the same statement. (The Kuiper Belt is the ring of icy objects beyond Neptune's orbit.) "But If the real Ultima is half as cool as the one we simulated in this test, we're in for an even more amazing start to 2019!" Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Bob Richards, the CEO of Moon Express, believes the funding the company has raised puts it on track to launch its first lunar mission in July 2020. BREMEN, Germany Moon Express, a former Google Lunar X Prize competitor developing commercial lunar landers, has raised $12.5 million to further developmentof its spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company said in an Oct. 1 statement that it closed a $2.5 million bridge round led by Miami-based Minerva Capital Group. It has also raised $10 million of a planned $20 million Series B round, led by an undisclosed lead investor. "Moon Express has a unique and well thought out economic model that we think is compelling," said Jocelyn Cortez-Young, managing partner and founder of Minerva Capital Group, in a statement. [Moon Express Has a Grand Plan to Explore Solar System] The Moon Express investment is the first reported investment in a space company by Minerva Capital Group, which describes itself as a fund that seeks "to enhance shareholder value while addressing the needs of underserved people and communities and drive inclusive economic growth" on its website. "Moon Express has great potential for social impact and economic return and we're proud to be an investor," said Cortez-Young. Moon Express Chief Executive Bob Richards said that the funding will support redevelopment of Launch Complex (LC) 17 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a former Delta II launch site that the company is leasing from the Air Force to serve as a spacecraft development and test center. "The $10 million will allow us to complete key renovations at LC-17 and pull the trigger on ordering long-lead flight hardware and building the spacecraft for our maiden flight, which will be synced to coincide with customer schedules for their payload readiness," Richards said in an Oct. 1 email. Richards added that July 2020 is a "reasonable goal" for that first mission. The company hasn't disclosed details of that mission or its launch provider. The company had booked several launches on Rocket Lab's Electron for its entry in the former Google Lunar X Prize competition, but company officials said earlier this year they may use a larger rocket for future lander missions to meet customer requirements. The funding announcement comes during an ongoing NASA competition to select providers to launch payloads to the lunar surface. NASA released the final solicitation for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program Sept. 6, with proposals due to NASA Oct. 9. Steve Clarke, deputy associate administrator for exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said at the AIAA Space Forum in Orlando Sept. 19 that he expects to make an initial round of awards under the program by the end of the year. "We're excited about the new U.S. space policy to return to the moon in a sustainable way with commercial partners and we look forward to working with NASA and other space agencies in exploring Earth's eighth continent," Richards said in the statement. The funding may also ease doubts about the company's future. There had been industry speculation that the company was struggling, exacerbated by a legal battle with a former partner, Intuitive Machines, that led to a $4.1 million verdict against Moon Express early this year. That verdict is frozen pending a ruling by the presiding judge on a motion for a mistrial, Richards said. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. Scientists have discovered yet another marker on the trail toward the putative Planet Nine. That clue is 2015 TG387, a newfound object in the far outer solar system, way beyond Pluto. The orbit of 2015 TG387 shares peculiarities with those of other extremely far-flung bodies, which appear to have been shaped by the gravity of a very large object in that distant, frigid realm the hypothesized Planet Nine, also known as Planet X. "These distant objects are like breadcrumbs leading us to Planet X," study leader Scott Sheppard, of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., said in a statement. [The Evidence for 'Planet Nine' in Our Solar System (Gallery)] "The more of them we can find, the better we can understand the outer solar system and the possible planet that we think is shaping their orbits a discovery that would redefine our knowledge of the solar system's evolution," he added. And 2015 TG387 is special among these bread crumbs, because it was found during a relatively uniform survey of the northern and southern skies rather than a targeted hunt for clustered objects in certain parts of the sky, Sheppard said. Targeted hunts can produce biased results for example, the appearance of clustering where none may actually exist, he explained. 2015 TG387 has two dwarf-planet companions in the low-bias class, Sheppard said: 2012 VP113, which he and his colleague Chadwick Trujillo (who's a co-author of the new paper as well) spotted in 2014 as part of the same, ongoing long-term survey; and the relatively bright Sedna (because the whole sky has been searched to its level of brightness). "And then if you bring in some of the other extreme objects several of them were found in our survey as well," Sheppard told Space.com. "The statistics get better and better that this planet is likely out there." The discovery images of 2015 TG387 taken at the Subaru 8-meter telescope located atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii on October 13, 2015. The images were taken about 3 hours apart. 2015 TG387 can be seen moving between images near the center while the much more distant stars and galaxies are stationary. (Image credit: Scott Sheppard) Sheppard and his colleagues first spotted 2015 TG387 in October 2015, using Japan's 26-foot (8 meters) Subaru telescope atop the volcanic peak Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The researchers nicknamed the object "The Goblin," because of the discovery date and the "TG" in the provisional designation. It took the team three additional years to nail down The Goblin's orbit, which they did with the aid of observations by the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile and the Discovery Channel Telescope in Arizona. 2015 TG387 loops around the sun on an extremely elliptical path, coming within about 65 astronomical units (AU) of the sun at its closest point (known as perihelion) and getting about 2,300 AU away at its most distant (aphelion). One AU is the average Earth-sun distance about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). So 2015 TG387 is way, way out there. Indeed, it takes about 40,000 Earth years for the newfound object to complete one lap around the sun. [Our Solar System: A Photo Tour of the Planets] Only two known solar system bodies have more-distant perihelia than The Goblin does (2012 VP113 and Sedna), and only one (2014 FE72) has a greater aphelion distance. (For perspective: Pluto never gets closer to the sun than 29.7 AU, or farther away than 49.3 AU.) The orbits of the newfound extreme dwarf planet 2015 TG387 and its fellow Inner Oort Cloud objects 2012 VP113 and Sedna, as compared with the rest of the solar system. (Image credit: Roberto Molar Candanosa and Scott Sheppard, courtesy of Carnegie Institution for Science) Sheppard and his colleagues think 2015 TG387 is about 186 miles (300 km) wide and probably spherical, in which case it would qualify as a dwarf planet. But that's all they can really say about The Goblin's physical characteristics. "It's pretty faint, so we can really just see that it's there," Sheppard told Space.com. "We don't even know the color of the object; we haven't gotten any spectroscopy on the object yet, or anything like that." (The 186-mile diameter is not a measurement but rather an estimate, assuming a "moderate" reflectiveness for 2015 TG387.) But going back to the orbit: The Goblin's is similar in key ways to those of some other extremely distant bodies particularly in an element called "longitude of perihelion." Basically, the elongated parts of their elliptical orbits are clustered in the same part of the sky, which is consistent with gravitational shepherding by Planet X. The existence of Planet X was first seriously proposed in 2014 by Sheppard and Trujillo, to potentially explain oddities in the orbits of 2012 VP113, Sedna and a few other trans-Neptunian objects. In 2016, astronomers Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown presented more evidence for such an unseen "perturber," which they called Planet Nine. Batygin and Brown have suggested that this world may be about 10 times more massive than Earth and orbit about 600 AU from the sun on average. An artists illustration of the hypothesized but undiscovered Planet X, which could be shaping the orbits of smaller extremely distant outer solar system objects like 2015 TG387. (Image credit: Roberto Molar Candanosa and Scott Sheppard, courtesy of Carnegie Institution for Science ) In the new study, the researchers also performed computer simulations to test how Planet X's gravitational tug might influence the orbit of The Goblin. They found significant shepherding akin to that inferred for other distant objects and determined that 2015 TG387's orbit remains stable for the age of the solar system nonetheless. "What makes this result really interesting is that Planet X seems to affect 2015 TG387 the same way as all the other extremely distant solar system objects," Trujillo, who's based at Northern Arizona University, said in the same statement. "These simulations do not prove that there's another massive planet in our solar system, but they are further evidence that something big could be out there." Sheppard puts the odds of Planet X's existence at around 85 percent. And he says it's not at all surprising that astronomers haven't spotted it yet. "Where we think the planet is hundreds of AU away, if not 1,000 AU something even as big as Neptune would be fainter than most telescopes could see," Sheppard told Space.com. (In case this sounds odd or incongruous: The Goblin was discovered near perihelion, at about 80 AU from the sun.) "And most of our surveys to date do not go that faint, do not go that deep. We've covered very little of the sky to the depth that's needed to be covered to find something this faint," he added. "You can hide a very big thing in the outer solar system very easily." The paper describing the discovery of 2015 TG387 has been submitted to The Astronomical Journal. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. An overhead view of South Africa's MeerKAT radio-telescope array while it was under construction. The 64-dish network was inaugurated in July 2018. The hunt for intelligent aliens is ramping up. The $100 million Breakthrough Listen project will use the powerful MeerKAT radio-telescope array in the Karoo region of South Africa to search 1 million stars for signals from alien civilizations, project leaders announced today (Oct. 2). The partnership significantly extends the reach of Breakthrough Listen, which also employs the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia and Parkes Observatory in Australia. [13 Ways to Search for Intelligent Aliens] "Collaborating with MeerKAT will significantly enhance the capabilities of Breakthrough Listen," billionaire entrepreneur Yuri Milner, founder of Listen's parent organization, the Breakthrough Initiatives, said in a statement. "This is now a truly global project." The MeerKAT network was inaugurated just this past July. It consists of 64 radio dishes, each of which is 44.3 feet (13.5 meters) wide. Signals gathered by each dish are combined, significantly boosting data sensitivity and resolution as well as the observed field of view, Breakthrough Listen team members said. MeerKAT was designed to conduct a variety of astrophysics investigations and to help lay the groundwork for the Square Kilometer Array, an ambitious project that will integrate dishes throughout South Africa and Australia to create one gigantic radio scope. MeerKAT won't have to halt its baseline scientific work to accommodate the newly announced SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence) work. The Breakthrough Listen team has installed an instrument basically, a small supercomputer at the MeerKAT facility that will allow the search to go on in the background almost continuously. "With this new instrument, we'll be able to form many beams at the same time, obtaining high-resolution data for multiple objects simultaneously," Breakthrough ListenPrincipal Investigator Andrew Siemion said in the same statement. "This complements and extends our capabilities at other telescopes, enabling us to survey our cosmic neighborhood for technosignatures faster than ever before." There will be a lot of data to process. The Listen system at MeerKAT has a data-input rate of 4 terabits per second about 40,000 times that of a typical home internet connection, Breakthrough Listen team members said. "This development represents a step-change for SETI research," said Michael Garrett, a co-investigator on Breakthroughs MeerKAT and program director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics in the United Kingdom, a Breakthrough Listen partner facility. "Employing a large distributed array of hugely sensitive radio telescopes like MeerKAT is really a no-brainer, offering many advantages over large single dish surveys," Garrett added. "The Breakthrough Listen MeerKAT project can be a powerful new tool for SETI with the potential to completely transform the field." And in case you were wondering about the name: In its first incarnation, MeerKAT was to consist of 20 dishes and be called the Karoo Array Telescope (KAT). But the South African government increased the project's funding, allowing 64 telescopes to be built, and the team changed the name to MeerKAT. ("Meer" means "more" in Afrikaans.) The moniker is also a nod to the meerkat, a famously adorable member of the mongoose family that's native to the Karoo. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook orGoogle+. Originally published on Space.com. Andalusia (Spain), October 1, 2018 (SPS) - International Film Festival in Western Sahara and Sahrawi Film School, Abdine Kayed Saleh, have won the Emilio Castellar Prize, for the support group of peoples as recognition of the long journey in defense of the Sahrawi culture and human rights through the Seventh Art. The ceremony, held Friday in Seville, the capital city of Andalusia, was attended by personalities from the world of art, culture, economy, and politics. The Sahrawi Film School was inaugurated in 2011, for supporting the Saharawi people's struggle and just cause, at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture, with the aim of creating a space for Sahrawi youth to develop audiovisual skills, which enabled the presentation of the first Sahrawi documentary entitled "divided homeland." (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA Collins new show at the Patron Gallery in West Town through Oct. 28 is titled Undersong and features three sets of works: the Odyssey pieces; a series of classified ads once placed in 19th-century black newspapers by former slaves looking for the family they had been separated from; and paintings of patriotic American songs, including America the Beautiful and My Country, Tis of Thee. The Odyssey drawings, she said, felt like the story we tell about ourselves, the classified ads felt like the actual story of who we are, and the songs, those are like a vision of a future that could be yet probably never will really be, because of course, the future is always us. GREENWICH Nearly two weeks into Greenwichs ban on single-use plastic bags, all but a handful of businesses are in compliance with the new ordinance, according to town officials. Greenwichs Environmental Commission, which enforces the ban, reported that nine businesses were still using plastic bags or paper bags that dont fit the ordinances specifications. But those businesses have been allowed to do so through hardship exemptions from the town, officials said. Some businesses bought paper bags without the required wording about being reusable, the paper bag delivery was delayed for one business, and the rest needed to use up the remainder of single-use plastic bags before they purchased paper bags, according to the commission. The Representative Town Meeting approved the plastic bag ban in March after lobbying by BYO Greenwich and others. Under the ordinance, which went into effect Sept. 12, Greenwich businesses may dispense only reusable and recycled paper checkout bags. Exemptions include bags used for dry-cleaned clothing, newspapers, and food items such as produce, meat, fish, flowers, bulk foods, bread and cheese. The use of reusable bag is encouraged. But vigilant customers have noticed plastic bags at some stores and have reported them to the town, said Patricia Sesto, director of environmental affairs. A number of customers ... have spoken with me ... and said, Hey, I was up at Staples and theyre using plastic bags, Sesto said. People are asking questions, which helps us get in contact with the store managers and bring them into compliance. Businesses that dont follow the new ordinance will first receive a written warning from the Environmental Commission. If an additional violation occurs after the warning, the business will be fined $150. Fines for third or subsequent violations are $250. No businesses have been fined yet, Sesto said, adding that those who are not in compliance are working to achieve it. The adjustment has been easy for some Greenwich shoppers, including Bing Christianson. She said that plastic bags were never available in the Philippines, her home country, so shes always carried reusable shopping bags. If I dont have a bag, I just carry the products out with me (in my arms), she said. Darien resident Jenn Montesano said she wasnt aware of the ban when she was shopping in Greenwich, but she was pleasantly surprised to receive a recycled paper bag to carry her purchase from the CVS on Greenwich Avenue. Diane Raso, a New Canaan mother of three, said she supports the ordinance because of its positive impact on the environment. I support anything for the new generation, for our kids to have the best air, she said. I love the planet and you have to save the planet. This is one step and you gotta start somewhere. Other shoppers are not as keen on the change. Its been very inconvenient, said Gina Valle, a New Yorker who works in Greenwich. Valle said she was caught by surprise during a recent stop at a Greenwich grocery store when she was given two paper bags to carry out several heavy items. All I could think was, if I was elderly, how would I get to my car? she said. Valle questioned whether the ban is actually more environmentally friendly than its alternative. If they show me that it does (help the environment), then Id be happy to go along with it, but I really dont see it, she said. (A plastic bag) will probably be used four or five more times. I wouldnt use a brown paper bag over and over. I throw it out because by the time I get home with it, its all disheveled. Barry Kaplan, a sales manager at Poly-Pak Industries, a business that manufactures plastic bags on Long Island, said the use of plastic bags has been unnecessarily politicized and demonized. The reality is that its not plastics fault when you see bag up in tree or in a sewer or in a river, he said. The plastic didnt walk there on its own. It was obviously not disposed of properly. Jealous, a former NAACP president who would thus become the state's first black chief executive, was among 269 people Obama named in his second wave of endorsements, which he released on Twitter. Obama also endorsed Jealous' running mate, Susan Turnbull, Maryland's House Speaker Michael Busch and Courtney Watson, who is running for the House of Delegates in a Howard County district. "Today," Obama tweeted, "I'm proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who aren't just running against something, but for something - to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote." The International Court of Justice rejected Bolivia's request to order neighboring Chile to negotiate access to the sea for the land-locked nation in a severe blow to President Evo Morales. Judges voted 12 to 3 that Chile is not legally obliged to start talks with Bolivia, court President Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf said. The dispute dates from the War of the Pacific in 1879, in which Chile seized territory from both Bolivia and Peru. "The ruling is an historic triumph for Chile and international law," Chile's President Sebastian Pinera said after the decision was announced. "The Bolivian president has generated false expectations among his own people, and great frustration." Morales, who was sitting in the front row of the court in The Hague as the decision was read out, had made access to the sea a rallying cry during his 12 year in power. Back at home, people waved blue flags that symbolize the country's demand for access to the ocean, as they watched the ruling on giant screens in squares and public areas. They quickly drifted away once the decision was read out. The territory seized by Chile over 130 years ago has made the country the largest copper producer in the world and helped it become the wealthiest nation in South America. It also meant Bolivia, now the region's poorest, was left landlocked. "Bolivia will never surrender to being landlocked," Morales told journalists at the court. "We are in favor of justice, we are right and that's why I want to highlight the International Court of Justice's invitation for dialogue to continue." In Santiago, Pinera told supporters at La Moneda presidential palace that Chile will always be open to cooperate and talk within the framework of international treaties. "Chile has never had any obligation, and it still doesn't have it today, to negotiate our sea, our land or our sovereignty," he said. Morales is the longest-serving president in a country prone to political instability and that has been ruled by 16 different presidents and military juntas over the last four decades. A left-wing populist that rose to power from humble origins, Morales has increasingly relied on the nationalist card ahead of elections next year. "External issues have been used to capitalize votes internally many times in history," Paulina Astroza, an international law professor at Universidad de Concepcion, Chile, said in a telephone interview before the ruling. "The expectations that Evo Morales has raised in Bolivia are very high and this can have a political cost over the short, medium and long term." Morales' approval rating fell five points to 43 percent in August from last year, according to an Ipsos poll commissioned by RTP Bolivia radio. In 2016, Morales held a referendum asking citizens to support a change in the constitution that would allow presidents to be reelected more than once. A majority of citizens, 51.3 percent, voted against the change. Still, Morales plans to run as a candidate in his party's primaries in January, thanks to a court ruling last year that the articles limiting reelection were unconstitutional. Monday's ruling is unlikely to be the end of the affair. Court President Yusuf said the decision didn't impede the two countries continuing to talk. "This will keep on going because at the end of the day it is not a legal issue," Astroza said. "This is a historical and political subject that is not going to be resolved by a court ruling." Susan Turnbull has put 16,000 miles on her Prius since she was recruited by Democrat Ben Jealous to help him unseat Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican. Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford attended seven events - in a row - on a recent Friday and hits the campaign trail every weekend. Turnbull, 65, and Rutherford, 61, do not have the same name recognition as Jealous and Hogan, but they are their top surrogates in a contest that features starkly different visions for Maryland's future. Turnbull is an energetic campaigner who has helped form connections between Jealous and the Democratic establishment, while Rutherford is a low-key policy wonk and steady advocate for Hogan's policies. A former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and former chair of the state Democratic Party, Turnbull has deep and long-standing ties to party leaders, many of whom are wary of Jealous, a California native who has never run for office and trails Hogan by double digits in recent polls. Rutherford, a lawyer who first worked with Hogan in the Cabinet of then-Gov. Robert Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, has led the administration's effort to combat heroin and opioid addiction and headed commissions on procurement restructuring - work he continues in addition to shaking as many hands as he can. Turnbull, who has lived in Bethesda, Maryland, for 35 years, said she recognizes that she is "viewed as establishment in many ways." She backed Hillary Clinton in 2016 over Bernie Sanders - a prominent Jealous supporter - and only began supporting universal health care after meeting Jealous last year. But Turnbull says Jealous convinced her that Clinton and Sanders "were more alike than different." She now talks enthusiastically on the campaign trail about the benefits of the progressive policies that Jealous has included in his platform. Turnbull has raised $735,395 since she joined the Maryland campaign - about one-fourth of the $2.75 million Jealous has taken in - tapping into a network of supporters centered in Montgomery County's Jewish community, which Hogan also has heavily courted. She has held leadership positions with Jewish Women International and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and co-founded Emerge Maryland, which recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office. "In politics, it's all about relationships, and she has a lot of terrific relationships," said former lieutenant governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a Democrat who has known Turnbull for 30 years. "Ben Jealous was smart to choose her." Turnbull says she recruited state Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat and a longtime friend, to become an important Jealous ally, even though Frosh endorsed Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker III in the hard-fought Democratic primary. "Brian knew Ben, but he didn't know him well . . . When I started to talk about Ben's proposals, Brian looked at this race and said, 'I can see this,' " Turnbull said. She is undeterred by polls showing the campaign down by double digits, convinced she and Jealous can win by turning out as many Democratic voters as possible across the state. In 2010, when Turnbull chaired the Maryland Democratic Party, 55 percent of Democrats turned out to propel then-Gov. Martin O'Malley to reelection. Four years later, after she had left, Democratic turnout dropped to 47 percent, and Hogan and Rutherford won their upset victory. "We have the people power to win this election," Turnbull said after participating in a forum last month in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, a precinct in Anne Arundel County where President Trump won 67 percent of the vote. At the forum, Turnbull was asked whether she would support "American citizens over illegal immigrants." Her response captured many of the traits mentioned by those who know her, including her passion and her unwillingness to back down. "I don't think I can answer that as a yes or no," Turnbull said, rising from her chair. "Let me give you my background." Turnbull explained that she grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, the daughter of a Polish immigrant whose two older sisters were not allowed to come to the United States because of immigration quotas. They were among 190 members of Turnbull's extended familykilled during the Holocaust. "His family couldn't come because they didn't fit what was supposedly American," she said, speaking emotionally as many in the crowd stared blank-faced, and comparing her family's situation to that of undocumented immigrants brought across the border as children. "We are all people . . . Innocent children who have been here since they couldn't make decisions, yes, they belong here." Four years after Rutherford and Hogan won their surprise victory over then-Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and his running mate, Ken Ulman, the old friends have their campaign trail routine down. At the Hogan campaign office opening in Hyattsville one Saturday last month, Rutherford told cheering volunteers that he was "not going to take a whole bunch of time pontificating . . . but I am going to turn it over to the best governor in the country." Hogan immediately returned the favor. "He really is the best lieutenant governor in America," the governor said, grinning at Rutherford, who had moved from the middle of the room to stand by the wall. The he added: "He's shy." Rutherford, who grew up in the Michigan Park neighborhood in the District, was secretary of the Department of General Services under Ehrlich and assistant U.S. secretary of agriculture under President George W. Bush. Before becoming lieutenant governor, he worked as counsel to a law firm in Columbia, Maryland When Hogan was being treated for advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2015, Rutherford often filled in for the governor, attending ribbon-cuttings and other events. But he clearly prefers the nuts and bolts of governing to the more ceremonial parts of politics. In an interview, he was more animated talking about a commission he leads on how to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty than he was when talking about the campaign trail. The governor's office has highlighted Rutherford's more technocratic work - like regulatory restructuring - in a video series called "Mundane (But Meaningful)." "Oh," Rutherford says, putting on his glasses at the beginning of a recent video on how Maryland's government is structured. "Welcome back to mundane but meaningful. I am your professor - I mean host - Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford." Rutherford has raised just over $1.6 million for the ticket in the past four years, compared to nearly $12 million raised by Hogan. He says that in 2014, he and Hogan often went to events in predominantly Democratic areas - especially in Baltimore and parts of Prince George's - where people didn't know who they were. Once they found out, they would ask, "Republicans? What are you doing here?" "Now people know who we are, and, like the governor said, people generally feel like we're in a good place," Rutherford said. Lieutenant governors are often seen as governors-in-waiting - Brown, for example, was considered a gubernatorial front-runner through much of his time as O'Malley's deputy. But Rutherford - who declined to discuss his potential plans - is not widely understood to have higher political aspirations. "It's not like he's being primed to succeed Larry Hogan," said Todd Eberly, a political scientist at St. Mary's College of Maryland. He said Rutherford "doesn't appear to have any ambitions beyond being lieutenant governor." Asked about possible successors to Hogan, should the governor win a second term, GOP consultant Paul Ellington said Anne Arundel County Executive Steve Schuh and Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman seemed like more likely contenders than Rutherford. "The decision is up to Boyd," added Ellington, a former executive director of the state Republican Party. "But he has never been one to seek the personal limelight." At the same time, Ellington said Hogan "never" would have opted for a different running mate for his second campaign. "He values both Boyd's friendship and his counsel," Ellington said. Virginia's Republican Party is seeking to use the controversy connected to Brett M. Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination to get out the vote against Sen. Tim Kaine (D), albeit without directly mentioning his controversial challenger, Corey A. Stewart. In a fundraising letter sent to voters last week, party chairman Jack Wilson cites the slim Republican majority in the Senate as a chief reason to oust Kaine (D) on Nov. 6, calling the week-long FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh a "desperate" attempt to keep President Trump from leaving his legacy on the Supreme Court. "We must do everything possible to keep our Republican majority by defeating Senator Kaine and electing a Senator who will stand up for Virginia values and support Constitutional Conservatives on the bench," Wilson wrote in the letter . John March, the state Republican Party's spokesman, didn't immediately comment on the omission. Nonetheless, it underscores the sensitivity that party leaders feel regarding Stewart, who has repeatedly attacked the Republican establishment and has trafficked in controversy since he launched a failed bid for governor last year. In a poll earlier this month by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg that showed Kaine leading by nearly 20 points, just 73 percent of Republican respondents said they'd vote for Stewart while 15 percent said they'd vote for Kaine. Meanwhile, several Republicans running for House seats in Virginia have steered clear of Stewart's campaign, preferring not to appear with him on the campaign trail or even, in some cases, locate their candidate booths near his at public events. Stewart downplayed the omission, saying the state party has begun increasing its support of his candidacy. "The truth is RPV has been very helpful to us; we're working hand in glove," Stewart said, citing a joint fundraising agreement, volunteers recruited by the party to help knock on voters' doors and voter data shared by the state party. "We're working very closely together," Stewart said. You have nothing to protect you from your demons in those times, and that time after you quit drinking all the reasons why youre drinking the demons that youre drowning in alcohol they then come up and theyre punching you in the face and you have no defense and you just have to stand there and take it, cower in the corner or whatever, until you develop the skills to stand up and say, Oh, you guys. Calm the (expletive) down, and that took me a long time to do, he reveals. R oyal Mail posties are sitting on paper losses of more than 100 million, days before a lock-up period on selling their shares tax free expires. Shares in the postal giant have fallen by a quarter since Mondays shock profit warning due to fears the FTSE 100 group will have to cut or freeze hikes to its prized dividend. The shares were down 8% in Tuesdays trading at 359.7p. From October 15, Royal Mail employee shareholders will be able to sell their shares without paying national insurance and income tax, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the companys 2013 float. Staff, handed 10% of the company for free when it floated, have been able to sell shares since 2016 but paid taxes. If shareholders sold on Tuesday they would get around 131p less than yesterday morning, when shares traded at 491p. That equates to 103 million in aggregate losses for the firms 140,000 employee shareholders The shares hit a record high of 630p in May. They were floated at 330p, prompted accusations the company was sold on the cheap. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has promised to renationalise the business. Employees make up the companys biggest shareholder base with an 8% stake ahead of funds giant BlackRock. Royal Mail stunned investors yesterday after lowering operating profits estimates by up to 150 million for the year ending March 2019 to as low as 500 million. A botched bid to cut 230 million in costs was behind the downgrade. The share price fall is the latest possible flashpoint for management and workers, who averted strikes this year after coming to agreement on pension changes. New chief executive Rico Black, who replaced long-serving chief Moya Greene in September, will be under pressure to boost flagging productivity gains after they rose just 0.1% versus a target of up to 3%. The legacy of Greenes tenure is also likely to be called into question given the headaches faced by the group. Jefferies analyst David Kerstens said a promise to increase the dividend every year was at risk despite assurances from the company yesterday that it would continue. Looks like there are fears this could spillover into a problem similar in size to Greece. Last week the countrys assets were battered after it proposed a new budget that would raise Italys debt and breach EU rules. That stirred EU president Jean-Claude Juncker who yesterday warned that if Italy gets away with its plans it could spell the end of the euro. Undeterred, Claudio Borghi, the economic head of Italys Right-wing Lega which is ruling in coalition with the Five Star Movement upped the ante by saying in a radio interview today that Italy would solve its economic problems by having its own currency. Up to now it has been largely Italys stock market which has been affected, but today the problems spilled over to London as banks and asset managers were sold off. S oho Houses chief executive on Tuesday said he is considering whether to float in New York but is yet to make a final call, as he toasted a surge in sales at his clubs empire. The private members specialist, founded in London in 1995, had been linked with a listing across the Pond slated for the middle of this year. The float would have valued it at about $2 billion. Boss Nick Jones, who is married to broadcaster Kirsty Young, said: We are constantly looking at our options... However tempting a New York float is, we have not yet made a decision. His comments came as Soho House published strong 2017 figures that showed underlying profits rose 59% to 50.5 million at the leisure specialist. The company, which is owned by Jones, restaurants tycoon Richard Caring and American billionaire Ron Burkle, did not provide pre-tax profit numbers. Turnover jumped 23% to 360.1 million, boosted by membership numbers rising 18% to 71,000. It was also helped by average hotel room occupancy edging up to 91% from 90%, and a string of new openings. In the current financial year the central London stalwart has opened outposts in White City and Amsterdam, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently visited. The firm also increased private members space at its City site, The Ned, due to popular demand. Soho House will soon open its debut Asia site in Mumbai, and next year plans to introduce new clubs in Paris and Hong Kong. Jones said: The strength and value of the business grows with every opening. The chief executive added that the growth last year was pleasing. T heresa Mays appearance tomorrow afternoon at the Conservative Party conference will have the usual accoutrements of pumped-up music un-germane to the occasion. There will be jokes about cough sweets and a steely glare for the cameras, while a faded gauntlet is laid down to the EU to agree a deal. But there is one big difference. Twelve months ago, an election-damaged May had come to reassure everyone that she could steer us towards a Goldilocks Brexit that was neither too hot nor too cold and remedy her presentational weaknesses with tensile strength at the negotiating table. She has scant success to report. The fault is by no means all hers a divided party and a sour mood on the other side of the Brussels/Berlin table have played their part. The process has sapped her premiership of energy and resilience. The best quality she can muster tomorrow is her undeniable grit. What she cannot show the hall or the nation beyond it is a recipe for future Tory success and her party knows it. For that reason, the real purpose of the clan gathering has been to host a talent show of prospective leaders trying out their performance styles. Take the lord of misrule, Boris, first. In a week short on mirth, we might have cracked a smile at the portly wildebeest running through a field of wheat in bad sportswear: an in-joke about Theresa May having boring anecdotes. Soon, though, he is going to have to decide whether he is running as the former Mayor of London with a credible alternative Brexit plan or Uxbridges answer to Beppe Grillo, from Italys Five-Star Movement. Anne McElvoy Johnsons fringe speech today will elucidate two things. The first is a reasoned attack on Mays flawed arrangements for the Northern Ireland backstop agreement, to which he will provide no answer but claim the mistake is to focus too much on the border issue. The second is his Super Canada free-trade deal, which rests on a paradox. It is being mooted by hard Brexiteers because they believe a convoluted Chequers plan is undeliverable yet the difficulties in getting Europe to accept an arrangement akin to Canadas are formidable. It is a risk-takers charter. But the other task all the contenders face goes beyond the weeds of Brexitology. It is to make a party that is seriously rattled by the thought that Corbynism, for all its flaws, might be proving electorally appealing, get real about its limitations in the eyes of voters. Priti Patel (now on the Boris leadership bus) put this well in her speech when she noted that Tories are going to sound very different to the regressive tone of Conservatism today. Could you watch this event and imagine any bright teenager, young professional or worker worried about their chances mulling, Yep, thats the party for me? Strangely not. Sajid Javid is the star who should rise over Birmingham, and with a new immigration policy in his quiver as Home Secretary he has more serious ammunition than most rivals. There are, however, hurdles he needs to be more candid about. One is the need to draw careful lines between skilled and unskilled workers, because for all the worship of points systems, governments who have tried them often find it harder than assumed to figure out which skilled workers they most need and even harder to fill the holes. If British jobs for British workers (Gordon Brown) were easy, the reliance of employers on low-skilled foreign labour would not be nearly so great. "The contest to succeed May is so naked that we seem to be watching the clunky first steps at hustings" At least Javids attack on violent crime brings back to the Tory creed a sense of urgency about the issue that has often felt lacking in recent years. If he intends to bring new solutions, though, the reprise of a clampdown on middle-class cocaine users (a commitment I first covered in 2005 and several times since) needs to be accompanied by a more credible drugs policy. As it is, it just sounds undeliverable. The contest to succeed May is so naked that we seem to be watching the clunky first steps at hustings, rather than a Prime Minister holding the ring for her party. Hence why Jeremy Hunts overwrought comparison of the EU with the Soviet Union has caused fits of vapours. Hunt is onto something when he points out that an EU that is high-handed and finds so little space in its imagination for countries which are not members, but share values and security interests, is faulty. Tone and cadence are not incidentals, however, and Hunt will always be more Radio 2 easy listening than Flex FMs late-night Grime. Tough candour is a better sound for him than Ukippish hyperbole. His mis-step does show one problem that all the aspirants share namely, how to look like they might be the answer to a Conservative revival. One thing we hear many more Conservatives fretting about is how to capture some of the dynamism that emanated from Labours gathering last week. We have had some flashes of character. Michael Gove rattled off a funny taxonomy of the creed of Corbyn Moscow-loving, Hamas-hugging, high-taxing, moderate-bashing, job-destroying, national anthem-avoiding, Nato-hating, class war-provoking, one-man museum of economic folly while Ruth Davidsons filleting of the arguments for a second referendum was a masterclass in explaining complex reasoning in clear language. May herself must now know that her usefulness will expire once the Brexit deal is done. She has now turned her attention to being the Brexit PM. That is realistic, essential even, given the risks of a no-deal failure. Soon MPs will contemplate the risks and opportunities ahead and a desperate need to reconnect Conservatism with the fears and aspirations of a bewildered nation. Birmingham is less a command performance than an early audition for the main part and a declaration of readiness. The PMs goodbye wave from the platform, though, as one combatant put it ,"is not likely to be an au revoir. W hen Theresa May uses a key word, you know it has died and not gone to heaven. Just look at what happened to poor old strong and stable. It is the kiss of death. So, it was perturbing to hear her announce a grandiose post-Brexit festival to be held in 2022. She said: We want to showcase what makes our country great. We want to celebrate our nations diversity and talent. Lets hope that word diversity survives her embrace, for it is one we would now find it impossible to do without. It signifies so much more than it used to do. In a dictionary definition from the Seventies, diversity is briefly glossed over as the condition of being diverse; difference; unlikeness. However, a glance at definitions today reveals them to be altogether more committed. Students are told: Diversity means understanding each individual is unique, and recognising our individual differences It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive and nurturing environment. Now, diversity is widely understood to be not so much a descriptive word as a mission statement. Its use can never be neutral and theres hardly an acceptable antonym. Likeness? Homogeneity? Bigotry? Perhaps, the word is now so over-burdened it cannot be given much specific reference ever again. The British actor Paapa Essiedu who has Ghanaian heritage and plays reporter Ed Washburn in the BBC drama Press , thinks so. He said recently: I try not to use the word diversity. It doesnt mean anything. Assessing diversity depends on context, of course. Unless, through pure mysticism, it can be believed that, since each individual is unique, we are all intrinsically equally diverse at all times? That would be glorious but it would also render the term useless in practice even more effectively than Mays advocacy. Michel Houellebecq submits to lamour The literary event that has most excited me recently is not, alas, the announcement of the Man Booker Prize shortlist but the news French novelist Michel Houellebecq is publishing a new book, his first since the publication of Submission coincided with the Charlie Hebdo attacks in 2015. It is said to have themes of Catholicism and ruralism. Houellebecq said recently he has not yet finished with love. That certainly appears to be the case, as a fortnight ago, he married his third wife, Qianyum Lysis Li, 20 years his junior. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy announced the event on Instagram. Our novelists cant compete. Bradley nose all about movie realism The fourth remake of A Star is Born , featuring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, out this week, was never intended as a work of realism. Its an epic romance about success and failure, love and loss, one generation ceding to another, powered by its music. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in A Star is Born (Clay Enos) Yet, as ever, one unreality grates. Cooper plays fading rock god, Jackson Maine, an alcoholic and drug-addict. Visiting him in rehab Ally (Gaga) tells him its not his fault, its a disease. Yet, throughout this film, directed by Cooper, the hero never appears anything less than staggeringly handsome, his eyes clear, his torso honed to perfection completely unimpaired by his boozing. Not fair! For good measure, Lady Gaga is required to apologise for her hooter, humbly saying early in their romance my nose is too big and I wont make it. Is Harris about to break his silence? Frankfurt Book Fair, the largest in the world, opens on October 10, and there is a rumour the hottest property this year might just be a novel by Thomas Harris, the creator of Hannibal Lecter. Now 78, Harris has published nothing since Hannibal Rising, in 2006. All his books have appeared at long intervals, and he has said he spends most of his time when trying to write either staring out the window or writhing on the floor. Holiday season may be over in Europe but for the Chanel customer, for whom far flung vacations are rarely off the agenda, Karl Lagerfeld unveiled his latest collection in Paris today. Taking the beach as his jumping off point the designer splashed into a new season with a collection of voluminous baby doll dresses, parasol print swimsuits and fine knit suiting. Of course, this being a Chanel show, the central theme was no subtle undercurrent but a full immersive experience in which guests attending the spectacle at the Grand Palais were transported to the seaside. At La Plage de Chanel there was sun-bleached decking, pure white sands and a wave pool which ebbed and flowed throughout proceedings. The sound of seagulls could be heard throughout. Models took a stroll along La Plage de Chanel / Getty Images Chanel life guards sporting frayed denim shorts and pool slides surveyed proceedings from lookout seats as guests, including Baywatchs Pamela Anderson, took their seats. The set was part reminiscent of a Maldivian honeymoon destination but also referenced Deauville - the enclave in the south of France where Coco Chanel found herself moved by the spirit of Frances idyllic beach countryside. In the spirit of the high society women Chanel watched from the window of the finest suite at the Hotel Normandy Deauville - and the modern jet set brigade who travel the globe in search of Instagram-friendly holiday hotspots - models strolled through the sand barefoot before slipping into pool slides. Accordingly, these were clothes for the super-rich to wear to get away from it all, with the houses signature boucle suits recast in sunny shades of lemon and coral and with a looser silhouette Chanel SS19 / Getty Images Playing with knitwear, a somewhat unlikely textile for a day at the beach, Lagerfeld showcased sweater dresses in lightweight Lurex. Origami cabin dresses trimmed with abstract beading work - an unconventional item for building sandcastles - also formed part of this shows baseline. When it came to the real resort wear, the designer had the most fun. Straw beach bags and visors emblazoned with the Chanel logo were presented alongside youthful swimwear boasting candy coloured prints and string crop tops. A monochrome swimsuit and low slung jeans, sported by Kaia Gerber, was among the most appealing looks on the catwalk - particularly to the Gen Z consumer. Kaia Gerber walks in Chanel SS19 show / Getty Images The latest collection follows the launch of Coco Beach - a line unveiled by Lagerfeld earlier this summer following a trip to St Tropez, where he noticed that the Chanel store lacked a strong selection of beachwear - and comes a week after the house acquired British mens resort wear label Orlebar Brown. Of the beach range Chanel president Bruno Pavlovsky said: We have around 30 stores in seaside locations, and during the months of June and July, when towns such as Cannes, Nice, Capri, Barcelona and [cities in] Florida are incredibly busy, the stores are carrying winter collections. Still, one wishes Levant had recorded so many other works that would have been enriched by his insights and technical wizardry. Just think of what he might have done with Samuel Barbers Piano Sonata, a milestone in the 20th century repertoire colored by the jazz spirit at which Levant excelled; Isaac Albenizs Iberia, which would have tapped Levants affinity for Spanish music (articulated on this boxed set in Manuel de Fallas music and an Albeniz miniature); Prokofievs jazz-influenced Piano Sonata No. 7; and the Everest of them all, Ravels Gaspard de la Nuit (as well as Ravels two piano concertos). B ack for its tenth year, the London Restaurant Festival a month-long festival dedicated to Londons vibrant culinary scene and is running until October 31. Over the course of this month, some of the capitals best restaurants and chefs will be on hand serving up some delicious edible goods. This year, the loaded programme consists of more than 60 events, including restaurant-hopping tours and chef-hosted parties. Sadly, due to popular demand, many of the events have already sold out, but weve rounded up some of the best foodie highlights still available. Ultimate Gastronomic Weekends Over two weekends in October, some of the biggest names in the restaurant industry will be tickling the taste buds of eager food lovers. First up, on Saturday October 6, food extraordinaire Michel Roux Jr will cook up a four-course lunch which will be followed by an intimate book signing with best-selling chef Melissa Hemsley. On Sunday, and after staying the night at five star Hyatt hotel, guests will head to Battersea for a champagne reception. There'll be a hearty lunch, with a course at three different restaurants, and the chance to meet chefs Vivek Singh, Richard Kirkwood and Francesco Mazzei. The second Gastronomic Weekend will take place on October 27-28. On the Saturday attendees will visit three Michelin-starred restaurants (Angler, Club Gascon and City Social) over the course of one lunchtime before attending a book signing with Michelin-starred chef Simon Rogan. On Sunday, after staying at the Andaz London Hyatt hotel, guests will be treated to an exclusive lunch hosted by Claude Bosi at his two Michelin-starred haunt Bibendum. October 6-7 and October 27-28, londonrestaurantfestival.com New restaurants opening in October 1 /4 New restaurants opening in October Barrafina King's Cross The Barrafina boys are back, with their new Kings Cross venture. The 34-cover tapas site will feature an outside terrace space for 60 making it their biggest restaurant yet. Tapas fans can expect old favourites like croquetas and tortillas as well as some new menu additions from executive head chef Angel Zapata Martin, like the Pyrenean lamb cutlets and Arroz negro with Iberian pork ribs and artichokes. Much like the other Hart Bros restaurants, the venue will focus on counter dining and queues are to be expected. Pizza Pilgrims City The doughy giants are expanding their pizza empire. On the first of the month they open a brand new branch in City, and to mark the occasion theyre giving away 2,000 free slices of margherita pizza. They will also be launching a brand new menu, featuring items like the Bread Zeppelin garlic bread, the Double Pepperoni Pizza and the Pesto Datterini (made with yellow tomatoes and buffalo stracciatella). It will also include a new pizza base, which is proved twice for 48 hours, to ensure the dough is super light and airy. Casa and Plaza Pastor October is a big month for the Hart Brothers. Theyre not only opening one new site in Kings Cross, but three (along with new wine bar The Drop). The Mexican spot will have a 80-cover capacity and, like El Pastor, taco dishes will be on offer but on a larger scale. New additions to the menu include oysters with worm salt and mezcal as well as a Mexican breakfast with huevos rancheros and chilaquiles. Just outside, Plaza Pastor will be a 100-seater covered outdoor dining terrace, offering rotisserie spit-roasted spiced chickens and torta buns. Sam Ashton Berenjak Taking inspiration from the hole-in-the-wall kebab houses of Iran, this spot will open on Sohos Romilly Street. Former Gymkhana and Brigadiers chef, Kian Samyani, is the man behind the new restaurant. Food-wise, the menu will focus on Persian kebabs but with seasonal British produce. Highlights include Koobideh (a tender minced meat thats common in kebab houses) and spiced partridge and pheasant on the grill. Marcus Cobden Festival Menus Throughout the month there will be more than 300 tasting menus across London, so weve rounded up some of the best to tuck into: Just off the back of the Michelin awards, Galvin La Chapelle (which retained its star for another year) will be offering three courses and a glass of sparkling wine for a very reasonable 38. What's more, they're also offering complementary champagne to anyone who quotes "Michelin Guide 2019" when booking. Gordon Ramsays intimate restaurant Union Street Cafe in Southwark will offer four-courses, an Italian Sangria and a kitchen tour for 26. Cinnamon Bazaar is offering a whopper of a sharing menu, with nine dishes and a cocktail (courtesy of renowned mixologist Mr Lyan) for just 33 per person. Hungry diners can enjoy two courses for 32 or incredibly good value three courses for 36 at Kaspers at The Savoy. Picture Marylebone will be offering a five-course tasting menu and a seasonal bellini for 35. Hertzstuck Future of Dining Event Tuck in: Food events will run across the capital throughout October This pop-up hosted by British TV journalist Michael Mosley will introduce guests to groundbreaking technology through a sensory theatrical experience. Merging fine dining and savvy tech, this event takes place on the second weekend of October and promises to be a wildly futuristic encounter. From 7pm, October 10 - 11, location TBC, ticketmaster.co.uk Wine tasting at Andaz Studio Four evenings dedicated to English, Italian and sparkling wines will run throughout the month of October, all costing just 15 for each event (less than a bottle of wine at most London restaurants). Each booze-fuelled event will take place at Liverpool Street Andaz Studio and wine-lovers will be treated to a selection of canapes during the course of the evening. Natural phenomena & man creation This stony forest, situated in the South of China, is composed of many stone peaks which were sculptured gradually by the process of erosion due to rain and wind. On the background, the mountain, shaped also during millions of years. And between the 2, these skyscrapers erected in no time at all in China contrast with this magic landscape without age. Nevertheless, in the similarity of their form, the stony constructions rising of the ground, seem to begin a silent dialogue, with the maze of high buildings drawn by the hand of the men. 2019 Sony World Photography Awards/Carole Pariat A US Border Patrol agent has pleaded guilty to starting the devastating "Sawmill Fire" in Arizona after he shot an exploding target as part of a "gender-reveal party" for his baby. The huge blaze in April last year tore through swathes of Arizona countryside and it took 800 firefighters close to a week to battle the inferno. Government employee Dennis Dickey was about to find out the gender of his new baby at a party with friends and family when he fired a rifle at a target filled with colourful powder to reveal the sex of the child. But the target erupted and sparked a massive blaze which consumed more than 45,000 acres of land. The US attorneys office for Arizona said in a statement: "Border Patrol Agent Dickey, who was off-duty at the time, ignited a fire that spread to Coronado National Forest, federal land administered by the US Forest Service. "Dickey had placed Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, inside the target, intending for it to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm bullet. Tannerite is an explosive chemical made from a fuel of aluminium powder and titanium, and an ammonium nitrate and ammonium perchlorate - and is mostly used in the US as a rifle target. "He fired shots at the Tannerite target, ultimately causing an explosion that started a fire that spread and resulted in damage to more than 45,000 acres of land managed by the State of Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and various private landholders." Dickey reported the fire to law enforcement, and admitted that he started the fire. But it raged on for days causing $8 million worth of damage to land and landholdings, totalled more than $8 million. On Friday, Dickey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour violation of United States Forest Service regulations for igniting what became known as the Sawmill Fire, the New York Times reported. He told a court it was "one of the worst days of my life", according to the newspaper. The New York Times reported that he has agreed to serve five years probation and make a public service announcement with the Forest Service about the cause of the fire. Dickey also agreed to make an initial payment of $100,000 towards the full damages of 8m, followed by monthly instalments. C ommuters fled in horror as a rail passenger was stabbed on a London Overground train at a busy east London station. Witnesses described how a stampede of people rushed from the train after the attack on a carriage at Hackney Central. Video footage showed a swarm of police vehicles and ambulances outside the busy commuter hub at about 6pm on Tuesday. A man has now been arrested, a spokesman for British Transport Police said. Paramedics rushed the victim to hospital, where he was still being treated for his injuries. Speaking to the Standard, passenger Hazel Orton, 26, said she heard people shouting "get me off the train" after someone pulled the alarm as the train was pulling in to Hackney Central. She said: "I heard a commotion to my right, then I heard people shouting and a wave of people were pushing and stampeding through the train. "People were shouting 'get me off the train'. I was sitting with a few other people, I was in a bit of confusion and didnt understand what was going on. Everyone was getting off and I stopped to look around to see what had happened. As I looked to my right there were people huddled around someone on the floor." "I felt shell shocked, and frightened, [the] poor man had been stabbed in the chest and was struggling to breathe. "It was really confusing as well because I had no idea why people were running away." Ms Orton said paramedics arrived within five minutes and brought a defibrillator with them. Another passenger on the train said it was "mayhem" and claimed he saw a man waiving a knife while "rambling inaudible words". Commuter Nick Renaud-Komiya said he saw a man with a knife. "There was a sea of people running in my direction, it took me a couple of seconds to register that something wasn't right," the 28-year-old said. "I saw a guy with a knife in his hand walking towards me, he was shouting a lot but I couldn't get any of what he was saying. "The police arrived really quickly and they grabbed him and had him up against the police car." Bunmi Ogunleye wrote on Twitter: "We were all terrified. The guy who got stabbed was running until he collapsed, bleeding from the chest." All trains between Canonbury and Stratford were suspended as emergency services dealt with the stabbing. The victim's condition is not thought to be life-threatening. Police are now appealing for anyone who saw anything suspicious at Hackney Central to come forward. London Overground said services on the route resumed with "severe delays" shortly before 8pm, but the station remained closed. A BTP statement said: "Police are asking that anyone who was at Hackney Central Overground station and saw anything suspicious to please get in touch." A London bridge was sealed off and a man has been arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat as a suspicious package was found on a bus. Traffic and pedestrians were blocked from crossing Kew Bridge in west London as police descended on the scene on Monday evening. Worried residents took to social media to share dramatic images as officers swarmed on the bridge, in Kew Road, at about 7.30pm. Penny Burningham wrote on Twitter: Kew Bridge Closed at 8pm tonight. It looks like a fire under the bridge Kew Side!" A man was detained near the bridge. He was arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat and remained in custody overnight. The package was investigated and found to be non-suspicious, Scotland Yard said. The bridge was closed off by police A Met Police spokesman said: Officers attended and the package was assessed and deemed non-suspicious. A man was detained by police near the scene and arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat. V iolent criminals in London are getting younger and attacks are becoming more ferocious, a top Scotland Yard officer warned today. Chief superintendent Ade Adelekan issued the warning as he revealed the Violent Crime Taskforce he heads has made 1,361 arrests and seized 340 knives since its launch six months ago. The squad of 150 covert and uniform officers has also recovered 40 guns and 258 offensive weapons. Earlier this year police faced a major surge in violence in London with 22 murders in March alone, a number of them with links to postcode gangs. Chief Supt Adelekan said he believed the level of violence had now plateaued and the work of the taskforce was having an effect but he warned: To halt a trajectory that was going up significantly and pull it back down is really difficult. He said there was concern at the age of offenders. My personal experience is that people involved in violence are getting younger while the level and ferocity of attacks is getting worse, and I do not know why that is. Some statistics show violence may actually be falling. In August there were 364 stabbings in London compared to 438 in the same month last year, a fall of nearly 17 per cent. There were 120 people under the age of 25 stabbed in London in September, compared to 200 in October last year. Chief Supt Adelekan said: I want to reassure Londoners that we are throwing everything we can at the problem of violent crime and it is working, it is starting to calm down but we need the help of Londoners. We need to galvanise communities to help us. The taskforce - funded by City Hall - has covert plain clothes officers embedded in hotspot boroughs such as Haringey, Enfield, Hackney, Waltham Forest, Southwark and Lambeth. A squad of around 90 uniform officers are deployed daily to neighbourhoods reporting violence to carry out weapons sweeps, stop and search and vehicle checks. The taskforce was formed to disrupt criminality caused by those intent on creating violence, carrying knives and putting London at risk. I believe we are having an effect, he added. We can do the suppression and enforcement but the work that goes into building relationships and providing reassurance to locals is just as important. We need the help of Londoners and my message to them is use Crimestoppers and tell us where the knives are hidden, check on your young people, do they have a knife in their bag, look out for the signs they are being groomed - there are a lot of things that we can do together. Eighteen teenagers have been murdered in London so far this year. Victim: Jordan Douherty was stabbed after a party in Romford Among the youngest to die were Jordan Douherty, 15, who was stabbed to death at a birthday party in Romford in June, and Amaan Shakoor, 16, who was shot in an attack in Walthamstow in April. The 16-year-old died the same night as 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne was killed in a drive-by shooting in Tottenham. Scotland Yard has launched a 20,000 reward to identify the killers of 14-year-old Corey Junior Davis in Newham last year. Mayor Sadiq Khan said: The new Violent Crime Taskforce was set up with 15 million from City Hall and, in its first six months, its officers have made over 1,300 arrests and removed more than 600 knives and dangerous weapons off our streets. A woman who crowdfunded a rape prosecution in a first for the British justice system today tells how she refuses to be cowed by her alleged attacker after prosecutors dropped the case. Emily Hunt, 39, has been battling for justice for the past three years after she alleged she woke up "naked and terrified" in a hotel room next to a man she didn't know. She was hit by a blow recently when prosecutors announced that her case would not proceed due to lack of evidence. Ms Hunt, originally from New York, said today: "I can't let him control me - I'm stronger than I've ever been, and I'm ready to fight on." She managed to raise 27,000 towards the prosecution using an online crowdfunding website. "When I found out the case was over it destroyed me," she said. "I've been treated for post-traumatic stress - and this felt like another abuse, another betrayal." She said she thinks the UK should adopt the American system of plea bargains, offering huge slices off jail terms for an admission of guilt. She said: "In the US only 10 per cent of all criminal cases go to trial - everything else goes through a plea bargain. "It would mean a thousand more criminals a year go to a prison, the system will save money, and prosecutors will have the time to focus on the cases where you don't get a guilty plea." But she would not want her experience to deter other rape victims from coming forward. "You have to report it - even after what I've been through, it's all you can do, and it's the only way you'll get them, she said. "And to everyone else, when someone tells you they've been raped, just believe them. "I've lost friends and family members who thought I was going too far with this. I lost my job and when I found out the Police had bungled this so badly, and the case was over, it killed me. Ms Hunt is now working as a public speaker and is focused on raising her eight-year-old daughter. Shes amazing she take after me. Ive taught her that if you dont like something, you change it, so she is writing to MPs to ask them to change the law so kids have a say on where they spend Christmas. Ms Hunt criticised police over their handling of the case. Scotland Yard said in a statement: "The complainant subsequently made a number of complaints to the Met about its investigation and these were passed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission. The complaint was independently reviewed by the IPCC and not upheld." "We understand that the complainant is unhappy with the outcome. We will always provide support to anyone who reports a serious sexual offence. "We would urge anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence to report the matter to the police - we are here to fully investigate, listen to and support you. A CPS spokeswoman said: While we are of course sympathetic to the complainant, this is not a prosecution we were able to bring to court. "We will not hesitate to bring a case to court where there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest. We never take lightly the decision to stop a prosecution as this can have a significant impact on a complainant. "But if a case is reviewed and found not have a realistic prospect of conviction then we cannot continue it." F ears are growing for the hopelessly off-course Beluga whale which is said to have set up home in the River Thames. The animal has entered its seventh day in the river and shows no signs of moving any time soon. Whale experts have warned that should the animal manage to make its way from the Thames, it could be hit by a passing ship as it makes its way back to the Arctic. Beluga whales are usually found thousands of miles north in Greenland, Svalbard or the Barents sea. The whale has now been in the Thames for seven days (British Divers Marine Life Rescue ) / British Divers Marine Life Rescue Danny Groves from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation society told the Standard: At the moment Benny or Bella seems to be fine and feeding but we are hoping that he or she starts to move back out towards the North Sea and more natural waters in the high Arctic soon. This whale is hopelessly off-course and the longer he or she hangs around the more worried we become for the whales wellbeing. Whilst boats have been asked to keep their distance from the beluga in the Thames the open water will be a different matter. Beluga Whale in the Thames- In pictures 1 /23 Beluga Whale in the Thames- In pictures Pictures of the Beluga whale taken in Gravesend by British Divers Marine Life Rescue British Divers Marine Life Rescue A beluga whale nicknamed "Benny" by the media, continues to cause interes PA Members of the public stand on the river bank near Gravesend in Kent PA PA PA Pictures of the Beluga whale taken in Gravesend by British Divers Marine Life Rescue British Divers Marine Life Rescue Pictures of the Beluga whale taken in Gravesend by British Divers Marine Life Rescue British Divers Marine Life Rescue AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images PA Sky News PA Reuters Sky News Reuters Reuters BBC/PA Reuters Reuters BBC/PA Reuters Reuters When a whale or dolphin is hit by a ship or other vessel in the water they are likely to die or suffer horrific injury." The animal, named Benny, remains in Gravesend where it has been feeding for the past week. There are raising concerns over the animal's safety (British Divers Marine Life Rescue ) / British Divers Marine Life Rescue Martin Garside from the Port of London authority told the Standard: It was sighted yesterday but no confirmed sightings today yet although we usually tend to see it later in the day during high tide. Thats been its pattern for the past week. It is demonstrating feeding behaviour and diving. It doesnt look obviously sick or distressed but were in unchartered territory. J eremy Vine says goodbye to his wife like a fighter pilot going to war before hitting Londons streets on his bicycle, the radio presenter has said. The BBC and Channel 5 presenter said his wife, newsreader Rachel Schofield, is never sure if Im going to come back because of potential dangers on the capitals roads. It comes after driver Shanique Syrena Pearson was convicted after threatening Vine, 53, following an row on a London street last year. Speaking to Radio Times magazine, the presenter said: "I always say goodbye to my wife in the morning in the manner of a Japanese fighter pilot in 1943. She's never sure if I'm going to come back. "But using a bike in the West End isn't quite like war reporting yet, people don't carry rifles. Not telescopic rifles, anyway." Vine has reflected on the 2017 court case, and said: "I do regret it in a way." He continues to cycle to work, whether on his Radio Two show, or Channel 5 current affairs programme. Pearson was convicted on February 1 of using threatening or abusive behaviour and driving without reasonable consideration, after she was filmed verbally abusing the BBC broadcaster on August 26 last year. Convicted: Shanique Pearson / Metropolitan Police She was sentenced to nine months in prison because she was already serving a suspended sentence for unrelated offences. K ensington and Chelsea council is calling on all embassies in the borough to go green by using lower-emission vehicles and electric cars. The move comes after the council announced that it would convert all of its own fleet to low-emission vehicles. Last week, it began putting postcards with information about the importance of going green on the doorsteps of embassies. The cards urge embassy staff to contact the councils environment team for help making the move. Council leader Elizabeth Campbell said: Improving the air quality of the borough and reducing carbon emissions is one of our top prioritiesIt doesnt matter if you are driving a car, a van or an ambassadors limousine, we want everyone in the borough to do their bit. There are more than 50 embassies or equivalent high commissions in Kensington and Chelsea. The council estimates there are hundreds of embassy cars in the borough, with some having as many as two diplomatic cars for official and 14 for private use. Council leader Elizabeth Campbell (Nigel Howard ) / Nigel Howard The council fleet of 58 cars and other modes of transport will be converting to no or ultra-low emission vehicles. Last month, the local authority said converting its fleet could prevent more than 430 tonnes of CO2 a year from going into the atmosphere. It said today that the transition would be completed by 2022, ahead of Londons wider plans to create a zero emission zone by 2040. David Lindsay, lead council member for healthy city living, said: Converting council vehicles to cut emissions is an important part of the councils plan to improve air quality for our residents and tackle climate change we want our staff, residents, businesses and the huge number of people who visit to look at alternatives to using motor vehicles in their day-to-day lives. The moves are part of the boroughs Air Quality and Climate Change Action Plan. In March, the Mayor, Transport for London and London Councils, which represents the 32 borough councils and City of London, gave 766,000 to Camden, Hammersmith and Hackney to accelerate the switch to zero-emission vehicles, in the Neighbourhoods of the Future scheme. Genco, who Ive greatly admired in past Handbag shows, commands the proceedings here just as Roxanne calls the shots in the plot. Shes heaving, blowsy and hilarious, spitting out lines such as, Nobody ever sent a piranha up the river! with killer timing. Cerdas sweet-but-smothering Mother lets him show off his gift for the subtle especially in a scene when, after a stroke, Mother is trying to spell out the details of the plot against Chester for the clueless beat cop, Frankie (Chazie Bly). Cerda runs the gamut of emotions relying mostly on his eyes. The puppets (especially the all-important piranhas) by Mark Blashford and Lanky Yankee Puppet Co. bring low-rent charm in the best possible way, worked by Corey Strode. R obert Halfon, the former Tory skills minister, is exercised by the notion that we are not prepared for the rise of the machines and fears devastation as a result. Were already behind, he told a fringe event at Conservative conference last night. And this is before the march of the robots. Artificial intelligence, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, promises to bring huge benefits with the jobs that will be created and boosting our productivity. On the other side, I am worried about the effects it is going to have on jobs. [The] disadvantaged are at most risk. Speaking at the event which was given the supposedly amusing title How Long Before We Have a Robot as PM? the chair of Parliaments education select committee argued that we face a dystopian future if we do not future-proof tomorrows workforce, something he has warned for sometime. Were going to face devastation potentially, he argued. It would be something where every section of society is affected, from basic jobs, from legal secretaries to accountants to City jobs. Halfon believes universities are focusing too much on arts degrees and not on encouraging engineering and mathematics subjects needed to keep pace with our robot overlords. He has termed this future Nightmare on Skills Street. I think our curriculum needs to be radically changed all the way through. You cant just study arts or sciences; youre going to have to study all these things together They should be intertwined. Halfon believes the threat is so huge that the Government needs to have a royal commission. We are so unprepared. Unless the Government treats it as a priority we will be left behind by other countries. So is there hope? Or are we all to be exterminated? The way forward is to be optimistic, he concludes. If we do reskill our population and prepare for what is coming, then we will be able to take advantage of it. White smoke on EU Pro-Brexit feeling runs unexpectedly high in one social group: vapers. Martin Cullip of the New Nicotine Alliance explained to Tory MP Mark Pawsey that polling done at the time of the referendum showed 58 per cent of them were intending to vote Leave, only 17 per cent intending to vote Remain. Cullip blames EU regulations. What youve got to understand about vapers is that a lot of them get very passionate about the fact that theyve quit smoking, and theyre very proud of it and they identify as a vaper and its something in their psyche. --- Gillian Keegan, Conservative MP for Chichester, isnt a fan of Justin Welby. I could hardly bear to listen to the Archbishop of Canterbury lecturing us, she says, when the Church owns half the land in the country and could actually give a lot of it away to social houses. Discuss? --- Historian Andrew Roberts shed some light on the making of a great war leader yesterday. Discussing his new book, Churchill: Walking with Destiny, the Cranleigh-educated Roberts told his audience: Churchill was a great autodidact, he taught himself everything he knew. He had to be because he went to Harrow. Whistleblower Chelsea takes swipe at Trump Chelsea smile: Chelsea Manning and Vivienne Westwood (Photo Dave Benett/Getty Images) / Dave Benett/Getty Images Chelsea Manning, the US intelligence worker who was incarcerated for leaking documents to WikiLeaks, has attacked Donald Trump and the system which gave him power. I often ask myself why do we even have a president? she said at an ICA event yesterday, after which she posed with Dame Vivienne Westwood. Also out yesterday was Samantha Cameron, who supported the Make a Wish Foundation at a Net-a-Porter lunch, and photographer Mary McCartney was at Farmacy in Westbourne Grove, co-hosting a dinner with Susan Goldberg, editor-in-chief of National Geographic. The magazine, now in its 130th year, has enlisted McCartney as guest editor of this months issue. SW1A Matt Hancock celebrated turning 40 today with an early-morning jog with the editor of The Sun, apparently taking over the vacancy left by Boris Johnson, who pounded pavements with him last year but this year was stuck in a field of wheat. How else will Hancock celebrate? He will give his first big speech as health minister later, and this evening is the star of the Treasurers Group dinner. Perhaps hell let off steam at political adviser Katie Perriors famous late-night karaoke party afterwards. Last year, he belted out Queens Dont Stop Me Now. This year? Born to Run? --- Tory fashion is not just shiny blue suits and red braces. Andrea Leadsom arrived at breakfast today in a shock-pink pleather jacket with silver studs, while James Cleverly says red socks have a strong Tory tradition.Genuinely stylish Margot James wore a pink corduroy suit. From Mango, she confided, so not too expensive. Quote of the day "There's kind of an indentikit blonde look we have." Whip Mims Davies says she is often confused for fellow Tories Penny Mordaunt and Karen Bradley Briefs appearance from Penny's twin Penny Mordaunt is the minister who posed in a swimsuit for an ITV diving competition. But stripping off appears to be a family tradition. Her buff twin brother, James, has posted a series of racy selfies of himself in tiny briefs for his 70,000 Instagram followers to admire (which we have cropped to spare his, or our, blushes). B oris Johnson stole the show at the Tory conference today with a speech branding Theresa Mays Chequers plans a cheat. The former foreign secretary made his most impassioned attack yet on her handling of Brexit, pulling huge crowds to his unofficial fringe event. If we cheat the electorate and Chequers is a cheat we will escalate the sense of mistrust, Mr Johnson declared to a crowd of 1,500 Tory activists , media and visitors crammed into a side hall. He also warned: And I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far-Right in the form of Ukip. Boris Johnson attends Conservative Party Conference 1 /16 Boris Johnson attends Conservative Party Conference Johnsons' selife: Rachel Johnson and Stanley Johnson at the speech today PA Boris delivered a barnstorming speech to the Tory conference PA He labelled the PM's Chequers plans 'a cheat' Jeremy Selwyn He said: "I am afraid we will make it more likely that the ultimate beneficiary of the Chequers deal will be the far-Right in the form of Ukip. Jeremy Selwyn Mr Johnson timed his arrival in Birmingham to coincide with a keynote address by his reputed leadership rival Sajid Javid PA Mr Johnson smiles as he makes his way to the lectern to deliver his speech PA Some fans of Mr Johnson arrived as early as 9am Jeremy Selwyn His speech was received with rapturous applause AFP/Getty Images Mr Johnsons speech will be received as a brazen leadership pitch AFP/Getty Images Mr Johnson arrives to deliver his speech at the fringe event at the Tory conference AP AFP/Getty Images Mr Johnson was ushered in to the packed auditorium PA Stanley Johnson takes his seat for Boris's speech Getty Images The auditorium was packed with 1,500 supporters Getty Images People queued for hours for a place at the event Getty Images Boris Johnson was jostled as he made his way into the auditorium AFP/Getty Images Mr Johnson timed his arrival in Birmingham to coincide with a keynote address by his reputed leadership rival Sajid Javid. It meant the Home Secretary addressed a 3,000-capacity main hall that was half empty. The threats to Mrs May intensified as her DUP allies hit out at reports that No 10 is considering new Brexit plans that could mean regulatory checks at the Irish Sea. TODO: define component type brightcove Sammy Wilson, the partys Brexit spokesman, attacked the down-at-the-heel and sloped-shoulders approach of the Government and, by contrast, praised Mr Johnsons vision. The Northern Irish partys votes are propping up the PM at Westminster. Mr Johnsons attempts to steal the limelight on the fringe of the Birmingham conference began with an early-morning jog near his Oxfordshire home, followed by a car ride to the gathering. Boris Johnson branded Theresa Mays Chequers plans 'a cheat' in a barnstorming speech at the Conservative Party conference / AFP/Getty Images Some fans of Mr Johnson arrived as early as 9am to guarantee a seat in Hall 1, where the Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP was due to start speaking at 1pm. Luke Shortland, 19, from Croydon, said: I think there will be fireworks. There could be a rally or a leadership bid. By about 11am queues were snaking through the conference centre. Mr Johnsons speech will be received as a brazen leadership pitch. Brexiteer MPs Iain Duncan Smith, John Redwood, David Davis and Steve Baker were all in the front row. Calling on activists to follow our Conservative instincts, Mr Johnson attempted to elbow the Prime Minister into the shade. He demanded a revival of the popular house-buying policies of the Thatcher era, and attacked as useless Mayor of London Sadiq Khan for allegedly letting down the young by taking his foot off the house-building pedal. It is a disgraceful fact that we now have lower rates of owner occupation for under-40s than the French or the Germans, Mr Johnson said. That reflects the failure of governments for the last 30 years to build enough housing, but it is also a massive opportunity for us Tories. He boasted that when he was Mayor we built more homes of all types than his Labour predecessor Ken Livingstone, and turned his guns on his successor, coining a social media hashtag #uselessKhan. You will see that now under #uselessKhan the number of new builds is slumping because Labour gets tangled in its cynical political objectives and it is the Conservative approach that gets things done, he jeered. So lets follow our Conservative instincts and give millions more young people the chance to become owner-occupiers. In interviews this morning, Mrs May played down the significance of Mr Johnsons arrival. Well, Im sure thats going to be a very lively event, she said. Mrs May told Radio 4s Today programme she did not intend to step aside for him or anyone else. Im in this for the long term, not just for the Brexit deal but actually for the domestic agenda we are setting out at this conference, she said. Earlier trails of Mr Johnsons speech called for Tories to stick to their tax-cutting principles, in an apparent rebuke to Chancellor Philip Hammond who has confirmed taxes will rise to help pay for the 20 billion spending boost promised to the NHS. In an interview yesterday, Mr Hammond mocked Mr Johnson by mimicking his style of speaking and dismissing his former Cabinet colleague as a big picture politician who cannot focus on detail. Mr Johnson was also expected to accuse Jeremy Corbyn of having nothing to say about the wealth-creating sector of the economy. B oris Johnson has said he would delay Brexit by at least six months if he topples Theresa May to become Prime Minister, according to reports last night. It comes as the former foreign secretary prepares deliver an eagerly-anticipated speech at the Conservative conference that his supporters hope will pave way for a leadership bid. Mr Johnson told senior Tories of his plans to delay the UKs exit from the bloc if his bid to be Prime Minister is successful, the Sun reported on Monday. He reportedly said the pause would be used to reset stalled negotiations with the European Union, according to the newspaper. It comes after Boris Johnson, centre, launched a fresh attack on Mrs May's Brexit plan / Getty Images In his speech at the Tory conference in Birmingham today, Mr Johnson will call on Mrs May to chuck Chequers after he earlier controversially described the plan as deranged. Mr Johnson will also use his speech to issue a clarion call to activists to "believe in Conservative values". In what will undoubtedly be seen as a pitch to replace Mrs May, he will not only restate his opposition to the Prime Minister's handling of Brexit but call on Tories to focus on law and order, tax cuts and house-building in order to defeat Labour. His call for Tories to stick to their tax-cutting guns will come as a rebuke to Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has openly admitted taxes will rise to help pay for the 20 billion spending boost promised to the NHS. The Tory gathering is becoming a grudge match between the former foreign secretary and the Chancellor, who launched a savage assault on Mr Johnson in a series of interviews. Mr Hammond mocked his former Cabinet colleague by mimicking his style of speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, in which he predicted that Johnson will never become Prime Minister. Accusing Mr Johnson of lacking the attention to detail to succeed in "grown-up politics", he dismissed the "super-Canada" Brexit deal favoured by the former foreign secretary as a "fantasy world" plan. Extracts released ahead of Mr Johnson's speech to a fringe meeting suggest he will present himself as ready to stand up for Tory values and lead a fight against Jeremy Corbyn's Labour. Phillip Hammond suggested Boris Johnson could not do "grown-up politics" / Toby Melville/Reuters In what may be seen as a swipe at Mrs May's focus on righting "burning injustices" in society, he will urge the party not to "ape Corbyn" but to "take basic conservative ideas and fit them to the problems of today". Speaking at a fringe meeting hosted by the ConservativeHome website, Mr Johnson will say: "We must on no account follow Corbyn, and start to treat capitalism as a kind of boo word. "We can't lose our faith in competition and choice and markets but we should restate the truth that there is simply no other system that is so miraculously successful in satisfying human wants and needs. "We should set our taxes to stimulate investment and growth. We should be constantly aiming not to increase but to cut taxes. "It is the conservative approach that gets things done, so let's follow our conservative instincts." Attacking Mr Corbyn's leader's speech to Labour's conference in Liverpool last week, Mr Johnson will say: "It was astonishing that he had absolutely nothing to say about the wealth-creating sector of the economy - the people who get up at the crack of dawn to prepare their shops, the grafters and the grifters, the innovators, the entrepreneurs - he didn't mention any successes. "We Conservatives know that it is only a strong private sector economy that can pay for superb public services and that is the central symmetry of our one nation Toryism." Mr Johnson will pay only a flying one-day visit to a conference which has witnessed open warfare within the Tory party over Brexit, which critics say he has done nothing to calm. B oris Johnson hijacked the Conservative Party conference today with a rallying cry to revive the home-owning Tory revolution. Calling on activists to follow our Conservative instincts he brazenly laid out his stall as a leader-in-waiting and aimed to elbow Theresa May and rival in Cabinet Sajid Javid todays official star speaker into the shade. The former foreign secretary is demanding a revival of the popular house-buying policies of the Thatcher era. He also attacked useless Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, accusing his Labour successor of letting down the young by taking his foot off the house-building pedal in the capital. This morning the threats to Mrs May multiplied as the Democratic Unionist Partys Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson attacked her Government for bowing, scraping and kow-towing to the EU, and praised Mr Johnsons vision. The party, whose votes are propping up the PM at Westminster, was uneasy at No 10 floating new ideas for post-Brexit goods checks in the Irish Sea. Mr Johnsons attempts to steal the limelight on the fringe of the Birmingham conference began with an early morning jog near his Oxfordshire home, followed by a car ride to the gathering. It is a disgraceful fact that we now have lower rates of owner occupation for under-40s than the French or the Germans, Mr Johnson will say in his wide-ranging speech. That reflects the failure of governments for the last 30 years to build enough housing but it is also a massive opportunity for us Tories. He will recall his stint as London Mayor, boasting that we built more homes of all types than his Labour predecessor Ken Livingstone by easing the constricting rules that stopped developments from going ahead. Turning his guns on the current Mayor, he coined the social media hashtag #uselessKhan and jeered: You will see that now under #uselessKhan the number of new builds is slumping because Labour gets tangled in its cynical political objectives and it is the Conservative approach that gets things done. So lets follow our Conservative instincts and give millions more young people the chance to become owner-occupiers. At 10am, three hours before he was due to take the stage, Conservative activists were already checking out the empty hall to ensure they could get seats for the hottest ticket of the day. There were fears among supporters of Home Secretary Mr Javid that crowds in the main hall, where his speech was due to start at midday, would leave early to queue up for the Boris event, which was being organised on a strict first-come, first-served basis. Conservative Party Conference 2018 1 /32 Conservative Party Conference 2018 Boris Johnson runs through a field Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party annual conference PA Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, waits for a television interview Reuters Boris Johnson runs through a field Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the Conservative Party annual conference PA Boris Johnson returns hime after his morning run Getty Images Britain's Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove returns to the conference hotel after an early morning run Reuters Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May arrives at the ICC for the third day of the Conservative Party Conference Reuters Boris Johnson goes for a morning run Getty Images Leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Arlene Foster is seen during day three of the Conservative Party Conference Getty Images Jeremy Hunt returns to the conference hotel after an early morning run Reuters Jeremy Hunt returns to the conference hotel after an early morning run Reuters A demonstrator wearing a badger costume stands outside the venue of the Conservative Party Conference Reuters Jacob Rees-Mogg MP speaks at a Leave means Leave event PA A demonstrator wearing a badger costume stands outside the venue Reuters Minister for London and Minister of State for Transport Jo Johnson walks past a man begging outside the International Convention Centre Getty Images Delegates attend day two of the annual Conservative Party Conference Getty Images Conservative MP Michael Fabricant attends day two of the annual Conservative Party Getty Images British businessman Tim Martin addresses a Leave Means Leave event AFP/Getty Images Supporters listen to speeches during a Leave Means Leave event AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May walks through the International Convention Centr Getty Images Theresa May (R) and Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond leave their hotel AFP/Getty Images A placard demanding Brexit is placed against a wall outside the venue Reuters Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on a morning run ahead of the Conservative Party annual conferenc PA Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond ahead of his speech PA Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs goes through security checks after returning from a morning run on day two of the Conservative Party Conference Getty Images Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage addresses supporters AP Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May sits in the audience Reuters Conservative MP and Brexit campaigner Jacob Rees-Mogg attends a fringe meeting EPA Britain's Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt speaks on the first day of the Conservative Party Conference i EPA Jacob Rees-Mogg EPA Secretary of State for International Development Priti Patel speaks during the annual Conservative Party Conference Getty Images In interviews this morning, Mrs May played down the significance of Mr Johnsons arrival despite him needling her by branding Chequers deranged and yesterday mocking her by being photographed running through a field. Last year she was derided for saying the naughtiest thing she did as a child was run through a field of wheat. Well, Im sure thats going to be a very lively event, she said of Mr Johnsons speech. Mrs May told Radio 4s Today programme she did not intend to step aside for him or anyone else. Im in this for the long term, not just for the Brexit deal but actually for the domestic agenda we are setting out at this conference, she said. T heresa May's Brexit stance was today savaged by a DUP hardliner as down at the heel and sloped-shoulders amid claims that the Government may propose new regulatory checks down the Irish Sea. Sammy Wilson, MP for East Antrim, warned the Prime Minister she would be foolish to make fresh concessions to Brussels having already done the bowing, scraping and kow-towing to the EU. In what will be seen as a veiled threat to Mrs May, the Democratic Unionist Partys Brexit spokesman added: As far as we are concerned, its immaterial who leads the Conservative Party. Its what they are leading towards. Mr Wilson, who takes a more hardline approach on Brexit than some of his colleagues, spoke out after it emerged that one possibility for the backstop arrangement on the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland could see regulatory checks carried out on goods heading from Britain to the province. Mrs May was due to meet DUP leader Arlene Foster at the Tory annual rally in Birmingham this afternoon when she is likely to be asked to flesh out more details on the Governments proposals. However, Mr Wilson flatly rejected Irish Sea checks and urged Mrs May to start playing hardball with Brussels by taking some concessions off the table. Just hours before Boris Johnson was due to address a fringe meeting at the conference, he added: Hes (Boris) certainly speaking a Brexit which has some vision to it and some hope rather than this kind of down at the heel, sloped-shoulders, head down type of Brexit that we are getting from the Government at the moment. People want some optimism. We have done the bowing, scraping and kow-towing to the EU, we have been kicked in the teeth, weve been treated with disrespect. Now is the time to stand up, tell them this is what we want, if you are not prepared to give us it, then we will both have to go our own way. The Government defended the Brexit plans in Mrs Mays Chequers blueprint, which were rejected by EU leaders at the recent Salzburg EU summit. A source said: We saw from the reaction at Salzburg that the proposals are challenging the EU because they dont accept the EU orthodoxy. EU leaders are piling pressure on the Prime Minister to make fresh concessions on the plan, which would keep close trading ties on goods but not services, but Mr Wilson warned against the move. She is only going to make herself look foolish because she will not be able to get the changes through the House of Commons anyway. So why would she allow herself to be humiliated by [chief negotiator Michel] Barnier and Co and then find she gets humiliated again in the House of Commons when she comes back with a deal which people will see as derisory. He does not believe the Chequers plan will get through the Commons, so is in effect dead, and voiced some support for a Canada-style agreement. Ms Foster appeared to be using more moderate language ahead of her meeting with Mrs May. Ms Foster told the BBC: My role is to make sure that from a Northern Ireland perspective, we get the best deal possible, that means not having any border in the Irish Sea because thats a complete non-runner as far as we are concerned. In clearer terms, she added on Bloomberg TV: We cannot have either a customs border down the Irish Sea, or a regulatory border. She said she needed to see the text of any Canada-style proposals, as being pushed by former Brexit Secretary David Davis and Tory Right-wingers. T heresa May will declare that Britains post-Brexit future is full of promise as she seeks to rally her fractious party behind her with a keynote conference speech. The Prime Minister will make a direct appeal to mainstream Labour voters disillusioned by Jeremy Corbyn's left-wing agenda to switch to the "decent, moderate, patriotic" Tories. It comes as Mrs May faces pressure to announce when she will stand down after senior ministers said it was now a question of when, not if, it was reported last night. Her speech at Conservative Conference today will also come just a day after Boris Johnson received a thunderous standing ovation as he branded her Brexit plans a constitutional outrage. Boris Johnson delivers his speech to the Conservative Conference / Jeremy Selwyn The former foreign secretarys fierce criticism of Mrs Mays Chequers proposals came at his hotly-anticipated speech at a fringe event at the Birmingham conference yesterday. Several Cabinet ministers have said they want the Prime Minister to step down immediately after Brexit in March next year, according to the Telegraph. But others said they are prepared to give her until 2020 if she uses the next party conference to announce her departure date, saying its a case of when, not if, the newspaper reported. Under pressure on Brexit: Theresa May / REUTERS In the face of this growing pressure surrounding her future, Mrs May will use her keynote speech today to focus on her hopes for a brighter future for the UK after Brexit. I passionately believe that our best days lie ahead of us and that our future is full of promise," she will say. "Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes: we have everything we need to succeed." In a speech entitled "Our Future Is In Our Hands", Mrs May will tell delegates that countries across the world stand ready to trade with the UK. And she will promise that at this "moment of opportunity" the Conservatives will always act in the "national interest" and put the needs of hard-working people first. Boris Johnson's Tory conference speech - the key moments In an appeal to Labour voters to consider switching, Mrs May will say: "Millions of people who have never supported our party in the past are appalled by what Jeremy Corbyn has done to Labour. "They want to support a party that is decent, moderate and patriotic. One that puts the national interest first. Delivers on the issues they care about. And is comfortable with modern Britain in all its diversity. "We must show everyone in this country that we are that party. "A party that conserves the best of our inheritance but is not afraid of change. A party of patriotism but not nationalism. A party that believes in business but is not afraid to hold businesses to account. "A party that believes in the good that government can do but knows that government will never have all the answers. A party that believes your success in life should not be defined by who you love, your faith, the colour of your skin, who your parents were, or where you were raised - but by your talent and hard work. "Above all a party of Unionism, not just of four proud nations, but of all our people. I mad Alarnab arrived in London three years ago, fleeing the Syrian civil war in his home country. The thing is that, for me, you feel like youre a Londoner from the first moment you step foot in this city, says the 40-year-old chef, who for the past six months has run the hugely popular Choose Love Kitchen on Columbia Road in Bethnal Green. Profits went to help the refugee crisis, and you could feast on falafel while supporting a good cause. You dont have to act like a Londoner, Alarnab explains. You already are one. No one cares about your colour, your religion, or where youre from. They only go: Oh, youre a human being, so youre welcome. Alarnabs second-floor space was just meant to be a month-long pop-up but it stayed due to popular demand (it closed last weekend and hes now searching for a permanent site). It was opened with Unicef NextGeneration and Appear Here. In the past six months Alarnab has fed 4,000 people and raised nearly 100,000. Hes also contributed to the Cook for Syria and Bake for Syria cookbooks, along with Yotam Ottolenghi , Nigel Slater and other top London chefs. Now he has designed the menu for next weeks Evening Standard Progress 1000 event, celebrating Londons most influential people of 2018, of whom he is one. With his east London restaurant, he wanted to give people a peek through the door to the generous kitchens of his home in Damascus. Everything on the menu was a dish his mother once cooked, all cumin, mint and fresh vegetables, and it was fully staffed by Help Refugees volunteers. Money raised went to charities such as Hope Hospital in Aleppo, which serves a community of more than 250,000 Syrians. The Progress 1000, in partnership with the global bank Citi, is the Evening Standards celebration of the people who make a difference to London life and will be announced on October 10. #Progress1000 Instead of making a new restaurant in London I wanted people to come through my kitchen, to my dining room, and have a family experience, says Alarnab, who has worked here in a scrapyard and washing cars to help bring his family over from Damascus. Having 24 people gathering around a dining table is like a regular Friday breakfast for me, he says. In 1991 we were 98 cousins, and 41 uncles. But now no one can count any more. His wife and daughters, aged eight, 11 and 14, are now with him but his journey, alone, to east London was a long one. There was a drive to Lebanon, the crossing to Greece 54 of us in a nine-person boat the hike to Macedonia and then Serbia and Hungary. By the time he reached The Jungle camp in Calais, he felt weak. I almost gave up in Damascus. I thought everyone had given up on the Syrians. But then when I came to Europe and saw all these volunteers, they were angels, he says. If someone gives you a hand to give you a new start that is what London means to us. Alarnab's veg tagine (ES local feed ) / ES local feed Alarnab owned three restaurants in Damascus before the war. Its the oldest city in the world, says Alarnab. And its the most beautiful. You take that for granted when you live there. Theres the oldest church; the oldest mosque; the oldest Roman market. Ive been around the world now, and nothing compares to it. He points out that since 1800, wed had refugees from all over the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, all of it. Then suddenly from nowhere its like the whole worlds the other way around. His kitchen has proved an effective tool for bridge-building between communities. Has he ever felt unwelcome here? Sometimes I have had issues. But not because Im a stranger, just because people dont know me. Once they know me and I know them and we break this ice between us. And then we eat. M ans best friend has been found to be no smarter than a pigeon, a new study shows. Dogs are not exceptionally intelligent when compared with other animals, despite what owners may think, according to the university study. Scientists say dogs are unable to recognise themselves in the mirror, unlike other animals like chimpanzees or dolphins. Researchers from the University of Exeter and Canterbury Christ Church University reviewed more than 300 papers on animal brain power. The studies compared the cognitive abilities of dogs with other domestic animals, social hunters and carnivorans such as wolves, bears, lions and hyenas. They showed that the skills of dogs - such as following human pointing and recognising faces - were at least matched by several species in each of these groups. Hungarian Vizsla dogs / PA Wire/PA Images Professor Stephen Lea, of the University of Exeter, said the research identified several cases of "over interpretation" in favour of the abilities of dogs in studies. "During our work it seemed to us that many studies in dog cognition research set out to 'prove' how clever dogs are," Prof Lea said. "They are often compared to chimpanzees and whenever dogs 'win', this gets added to their reputation as something exceptional. "Yet in each and every case we found other valid comparison species that do at least as well as dogs do in those tasks." The review focused on sensory cognition, physical cognition, spatial cognition, social cognition and self-awareness. A chimpanzee at Chester Zoo / PA Archive/PA Images Dr Britta Osthaus, of Canterbury Christ Church University, said dog cognition "does not look exceptional" when compared with other domestic animals, social hunters and carnivorans. "We are doing dogs no favour by expecting too much of them. "Dogs are dogs, and we need to take their needs and true abilities into account when considering how we treat them," Dr Osthaus said. Goats, pigs, dolphins, seals and sea lions do at least as well as dogs at following human pointing. Pigs are equally able to identify humans by smell, while sheep, pigeons and chimpanzees can identify humans by their faces. Cats do at least as well as dogs at identifying humans by their voices. Q: What is civil partnership? A: A civil partnership is a legal contract which gives the couple concerned rights and responsibilities in respect of each other and, in the eyes of the law, places them on a virtually identical footing to those who are married. One of the most significant benefits is that those in civil partnerships have the same inheritance rights as a married couple, allowing one partner to pass on their property to the other, rather than facing a big tax bill. Q: How will the change announced today benefit heterosexual couples? A: At the moment, only same sex couples can form a civil partnership. Their right to do so was introduced to give them legal equality at a time when gay marriage was not permitted. Heterosexual couples were not included in the legislation then on the grounds that they were already able to gain these legal rights through marriage. Q: Exactly, why not get married? A: Most heterosexual couples who want to form a legal union will probably continue to take this route either through a church wedding or, if they prefer to avoid a religious ceremony, through a civil marriage instead. But despite these options some say dislike the institution of marriage and would prefer to unite legally in a different manner, which a civil partnership will permit. Some cohabiting couples might also want to form a civil partnership, to secure their legal rights, before moving on to the potentially more costly and time consuming step of planning a conventional wedding. Q: What about cohabiting couples? A: Cohabiting couples will not be affected by the change to civil partnership law and will continue to lack inheritance and other rights in respect of each other. A tropical storm which is looming over the mid-Atlantic could make a swift U-turn and bring strong winds and heavy rain to the UK next week, some forecast models suggest. Tropical Storm Leslie, which is expected to develop into a hurricane, was around 500 miles east of Bermuda on Tuesday morning and was moving at 7mph in a south-westerly direction. Although some forecast models suggest the tropical storm could make a U-turn in the Atlantic, Met Office said it was far too early to confirm whether it will have an impact on the UK. Speaking to the Standard, a Met Office spokesman said: Its much too early to say whether it will have any impact on the UK as we dont know yet how far across the Atlantic it will come. It could have an effect on our weather but we dont know where it will go after it reaches the US. Storm Leslie looming in the mid-Atlantic / Met Office "Its likely to move onto the eastern coast of the US as a hurricane and as it loses strength it will move towards Europe but we dont know what it will lead to, its far too early to say. Speaking about the potential impacts, he added: What youre likely to get is stronger versions of the weather you will be getting at that point anyway. Thats if it comes as far as the UK. A man carrying a black umbrella walks across London Bridge / Getty Images Before the tropical storm potentially makes its way across the Atlantic, the UK will experience a week of mild weather, with temperatures reaching up to 18C on Thursday and 19C on Friday in the south-east. The mild forecast comes as the Met Office announced the UK's record-breaking summer was followed by a return of more typical weather last month. Provisional figures show September's mean temperature across the country was 12.4C - safely below the all-time record for September of 15.2C, set in 2006. The average maximum temperature last month is estimated to have been 16.3C. Despite September seeing the first two named storms of the 2018/19 season, Ali and Bronagh, temperatures for the month were described by the Met Office as "near normal" and conditions as "fairly average". Storm Ali brought gusts of up to 91mph to Northern Ireland, Scotland, northern England and parts of north Wales. It was followed a few days later by Storm Bronagh, which saw gusts of up to 78mph in parts of England and Wales. A 2017 study in the Cancer journal found that among 926 cancer patients in Washington state, most were interested in learning about cannabis during treatment. Among those actively using it, most people inhaled it or consumed edibles, including candy, butters, oils and baked goods. Most patients listed their reason as pain, followed by nausea or upset stomach and stress. The study noted that comparing results among patients is difficult because of the limited number of studies on medical marijuana and cancer patients. T heresa May has said for the first time ever gay and straight people will have "the same choices in life" as they will be allowed to enter into civil partnerships instead of getting married. The Prime Minister revealed to the Standard that new laws will end an anomaly where same-sex couples can choose two ways of tying the knot - either getting married or through a civil partnership - but opposite-sex couples are limited to marriage. News of the new laws was welcomed by equality campaigners as both routes will now be open to all couples in the future. As well as making the law equal, the change will open up a new option for millions of couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage but want full legal recognition of their relationship, which is vital to provide security for them and their children. But what is the difference between a civil partnership and a marriage in the UK? Here's everything you need to know. What is a civil partnership? A civil partnership is a legal contract which gives the couple concerned rights and responsibilities in respect of each other and, in the eyes of the law, places them on a virtually identical footing to those who are married. One of the most significant benefits is that those in civil partnerships have the same inheritance rights as a married couple, allowing one partner to pass on their property to the other, rather than facing a big tax bill. Couples who dislike the idea of traditional marriage but want full legal recognition of their relationship will soon have the option of a civil partnership. How will the change benefit heterosexual couples? At the moment, only same sex couples can form a civil partnership. Their right to do so was introduced to give them legal equality at a time when gay marriage was not permitted. Heterosexual couples were not included in the legislation then on the grounds that they were already able to gain these legal rights through marriage. Why opt for a civil partnership over marriage? Most heterosexual couples who want to form a legal union will probably continue to take this route either through a church wedding or, if they prefer to avoid a religious ceremony, through a civil marriage instead. But despite these options some say dislike the institution of marriage and would prefer to unite legally in a different manner, which a civil partnership will permit. Some cohabiting couples might also want to form a civil partnership, to secure their legal rights, before moving on to the potentially more costly and time consuming step of planning a conventional wedding. Will cohabiting couples be affected by the change? C hina has demanded an apology over the arrest of a journalist at the Conservative Party conference. A reporter for the countrys state-run media was arrested after allegedly assaulting a delegate during a fringe event discussing the future of Hong Kong on Sunday. Enoch Lieu was helping at the event and claimed: A reporter from Chinese state-owned CCTV shouted from her seat. When I asked her to leave, she refused and assaulted me. He added that the journalist, identified as Kong Linlin, had been asked to leave before she then allegedly assaulted him. Video footage shows the moment the woman is told to leave the building. The reporter was detained by police and later released without charge. The incident caused the Chinese embassy to release a statement demanding an apology from the organisers of the event. It said: In a country that boasts freedom of speech, it is puzzling that the Chinese journalist should encounter obstruction in such a way and even assault at the fringe event when she simply raised a question and expressed her opinions. This is completely unacceptable. The human rights Committee of UK Conservative Party should stop interfering in Chinas internal affairs and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs. The organiser of fringe event should apologise to the Chinese journalist. According to state-media, CCTV News has launched an official complaint to UK authorities over the incident. They called it unacceptable that the rights of a Chinese journalist were violated in the UK. It again demanded an apology. West Midlands Police confirmed that the woman had been arrested on suspicion of common assault. A cosmetics brand has released a new line of provocative lipstick - called "F*ck Kavanaugh" to raise money for victims of sexual assault. Named after the supreme court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the product is dedicated to the Supreme Court nominee after he appeared in front of a US Senate panel over allegations of sexual misconduct. The company's bosses said profits will be donated to victims. They said they were inspired by Mr Kavanaugh's red cheeks during proceedings, as they started to resemble one of their shades. Founder Katie Sones told Refinery29: "After seeing Kavanaughs hotheadedness at the hearing, we thought a 'calm, cool, and collected' shade would be fitting. "Imagine a cool-toned maroon." All proceeds from preorders this week will go to anti-sexual assault organisations, including RAINN, NO MORE, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, and End the Backlog. Sones added: "While watching the hearing and the events leading up to it, I got so upset seeing womens voices being ignored, doubted, and flat-out denied. "If the highest levels of government wont listen to us, who will? To me, this entire mess serves as a microcosm for how thousands of womens experiences and traumas are treated everyday we had to act." Lipslut's new release follows a similarly provocative line - '"F*ck Trump", which was released in 2017 - and donated 50 per cent of all proceeds to civil rights organisations impacted by Mr Trump's administration. It made another lipstick in the wake of Harvey Weinstein's rape allegations called "F*ck Hollywood". A ferry with 335 people on board is stranded in the Baltic Sea after it had an engine breakdown. It sent out a distress call at 10.45 GMT, according to a spokesperson for the Lithuanian air force. The ferry was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany and was also had cars and trucks on board. Danish ferry company DFDS says that a malfunction aboard the Regina Seaways produced smoke which triggered the ship's fire extinguishing system in the engine room. Gert Jakobsen, a spokesperson for the company said: "We are talking about a malfunction in the engine room that caused a lot of smoke. Right now we are inspecting the engine room to find out whether the ship can sail on its own or needs to be tugged." No passengers or crew members have been injured. The extent of the damage is not yet known. A spokesman for Russia's Federal Agency for Sea and River transport says the crew of the ferry are trying to fix the ship's engine. The ferry company said that passengers had assembled at muster stations in preparation for a possible evacuation but it wasn't necessary because the "situation is under control." DFDS said that the ship will be towed to Klaipeda. Lithuanian broadcaster LNK says it might take up to 20 hours for the ferry to meet the destination. Poor weather has been forecast for the area including gale force winds and thunderstorms. D ozens of childrens bodies were found at a Christian camp in Indonesia as the death toll from the devastating tsunami hit 1,234. A desperate search continues to find survivors in Indonesia following the tsunami and earthquake which struck on Friday. A series of four more magnitude 4.0 and 5.0 have hit the country since then. Essential fuel and food are running low in the regions affected, while scores of people await supplies. A mass grave has already been dug for the victims of the tsunami and the death toll is expected to rise even further as more victims are found. Most of those confirmed dead have been in the small city of Palu, on the Sulwasi island. Among those killed in the area were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said. More than 50 of the dead were taken to a mass grave on the outskirts of Palu on Tuesday, while rescuers held out hope they could still save lives. Rescue workers search for survivors / EPA "We suspect there are still some survivors trapped inside," the head of one rescue team, Agus Haryono, said at the collapsed seven-storey Hotel Roa Roa. About 50 people were believed to have been caught inside the hotel when it was brought down. 12 people are believed to have been recovered from the ruins, with one more body on Tuesday, while three of the victims were incredibly recovered alive. The search has been going on since Friday / AFP/Getty Images Mr Haryono said he has been looking at the buildings blueprints in detail, trying to establish where possible pockets may be and how to get to them. He said: We have to be very careful so we dont risk hurting any survivors when we move the debris. Power has yet to be restored in the area and access by land to outlying villages has been disrupted by broken roads, landslides and downed bridges. Nearly 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help, while thousands have been streaming out of stricken areas. A satellite image shows Palu / REUTERS Some remote areas have been out of contact for more than three days and officials fear the confirmed death toll of 844 could soar into the thousands when losses in those areas are revealed. The Red Cross said the situation was "nightmarish" and reports from its workers venturing into one cut-off area, Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicentre, indicated it had been hit "extremely hard". The Indonesian President, Joko Jokowi Widodo has been urged to act quicker in regards to Donggala. A resident was filmed on a local broadcast shouting at the president. He said: Pay attention to Donggala, My Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala. He added: There are still a lot of unattended villages here. Indonesian women survey the damage / AP Donggala's administration head Kasman Lassa said residents should take only food staples from shops. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer." Desperation is reportedly visible everywhere among victims receiving little aid. In Palu signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for fuel. Residents wait for updates / AFP/Getty Images About 3,000 residents flocked to Palu's airport Monday, trying to board military aircraft or one of the few commercial flights using the facility only partially operating due to damage. Video footage showed some of them screaming in anger because they were not able to get on a departing military plane. "We have not eaten for three days!" one woman yelled. "We just want to be safe!" Nearly 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in Palu alone, officials said, and hospitals were overwhelmed. A Indian police officer has been hailed for caring for and consoling a crying baby while its mother went for an exam. The image was posted on Twitter by Rama Rajeswari, the superintendent of police in the state of Telangana, and showed an on-duty officer babysitting the four-month-old child. Hundreds of people re-shared the images and said it put the police in a positive light. The force's chief said the officer was Head Constable Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, from Moosapet in the central Indian state. He looked after the child while the mother was sitting an exam in the Boys Junior College at Mahbubnagar. People "took their hats off" to the off-duty policeman when they saw him "cooing a little baby as the mother took exam", calling it "heartwarming". Ms Rajeswari added: "We at MBNR police are very proud of Head Constable Officer Mujeeb-ur-Rehman." "The reason I shared the photo is because I have been trying to project the human side of cops for a very long time," she told the Standard. "The idea is to do away with the stereotypical projection that all cops are bad. They are not. We are sensitive and empathetic, all of us - irrespective of our gender." S cientists have discovered a new dwarf planet nicknamed The Goblin in the outer reaches of the solar system. Astronomers made the find while searching for the putative Planet Nine an enormous planet suspected to be orbiting far beyond Pluto in a region called the Oort Cloud. The Goblin appears to be under the gravitational pull of a large object, adding to the widely held belief that the so-called Planet Nine does exist despite no direct sightings of it. The new dwarf planet, officially labelled 2015 TG387, was announced by the International Astronomical Unions Minor Planet Center on Tuesday. They said it was likely a ball of ice and is currently circling through the far reaches of the solar system. Scott Sheppard, an astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington and a member of the team who discovered The Goblin, said it is about 300km in diameter which is on the small end of a dwarf planet. He added that it always stays well beyond the giant planet region of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. It takes a staggering 40,000 years to complete one orbit of the sun. The Goblin is the third dwarf planet to be discovered in the outer solar system after Sedna and another object nicknamed Biden. The Oort Cloud region, named after Dutch scientist Jan Oort, is believed to be an extended shell of icy objects that surrounds the solar system. We are only just now uncovering what the very outer solar system might look like and what might be out there, added Mr Sheppard. We believe there are thousands of dwarf planets in the distant solar system. We are just seeing the tip of the iceberg right now. T ributes have flooded in on for what would have been Mahatma Gandhis 150th birthday. To coincide with the peaceful campaigners birthday, October 2 is also the International Day of Non Violence. Celebrations have been held the world over to mark the special occasion, especially in India where Gandhi led his non-violent campaign against British rule. Children were pictured showering a statue of the peaceful leader with flowers, while the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sprinkled rose petals. Children laying flowers / AP A ceremony for Gandhi took place in New Delhi, which included the Prime Minister for India, Narendra Modi, paying his respects. Mr Modi also paid tribute on Twitter, writing: The noble thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi have given strength to millions across the world. He was a stalwart who lived for others and to make our world a better place. The President of Indian National Congress also tweeted: Gandhiji is not an immobile statue, he is a living set of ideas and values flowing through India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) pays his respects / EPA Truth and non-violence, which he lived for and was killed for are the foundation of our country. True patriots must protect them. The Twitter account for the Nobel Prize also praised Gandhi, paying homage to how many times he was nominated. A statement read: There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for." Today, 2 October, is the International Day of Non-Violence, marking the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was nominated on 12 occasions for the #NobelPeacePrize. A young child also paid tribute to Gandhi by dressing up as him in Chennai Airport, which was also displaying tributes. B oris to launch fresh attack on PM Boris Johnson is set to launch a fresh attack on Theresa May and her Brexit policy in a speech at the Conservative Party Conference later. The former foreign secretary will call on the Prime Minister to ditch her Chequers plan as he speaks at the Birmingham event today. It comes after reports last night that Mr Johnson said he plans to delay Brexit for six months if he topples Mrs May to become leader. He is said to have told colleagues the pause would be used to reset stalled negotiations between Britain and the EU. Budget airline Primera Air collapses Thousands of passengers have been left stranded after budget airline Primera Air collapsed, ceasing operations worldwide at midnight. Holidaymakers who had booked flights with the firm were urged not to travel to airports following the announcement. Flights to Washington and New York due to leave London Stansted on Monday night were grounded. Huge scale of Indonesia tragedy emerges The extent of the devastation caused by an earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia is becoming clearer as the search for survivors continues. Officials fear the death toll will rise into the thousands as it was confirmed it stood at 844 earlier today. Most of the deaths came in Palu, the main city in the disaster zone, where rescuers were hunting for victims in the ruins. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the island of Sulawesi on Friday. Study shows half of women will suffer dementia, Parkinson's or stroke Half of women will develop dementia, Parkinson's disease or suffer a stroke in their lifetime, new research suggests. One in two women aged 45 are likely to go on to be diagnosed with one of the conditions compared to about a third of men the same age. Kim 'most dangerous' celebrity name to Google Kim Kardashian has been named as the most dangerous celebrity to search for online. The reality star topped cyber-security firm McAfees list of internet name searches that often lead to malicious websites. The company said cybercriminals use the allure of celebrities to trick people into clicking on links that lead to sites used to install malware on computers. Supermodel Naomi Campbell, Love Island host Caroline Flack and pop star Britney Spears also made the list. On this day... 1608: The first telescope was demonstrated by Dutch lens-maker Hans Lippershey. 1909: The first rugby match at Twickenham was played - Harlequins versus Richmond. 1925: London's first red buses with roofed-in upper decks went into service. Police restrictions had previously prevented them being used in the capital. I ts testament to how good Sorry for your Loss is that I have redownloaded the Facebook app after a year of abstinence from the social network so that I can watch it. The Facebook connection it produced, funded and distributed the drama dissolves into irrelevancy once you start watching. Although if Mark Zuckerberg wants to challenge Netflix, hes going to have to rethink the name Facebook Watch. It sounds like a dry vigilante group. Olsen carries the show. She plays Leigh Shaw, an alpha barre-fitness teacher in the suburbs of LA who coaxes her class to work harder by telling them they can do anything for 10 seconds, and denies herself treat food. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP Her carefully controlled life has been shattered by the death of her husband. We are yet to find out how he died, but as we learn about their relationship through flashbacks there are hints that all was not as it seemed. Poleaxed by grief, Olsen has moved in with her adopted sister, Jules, a recovering alcoholic, and her mother, played with gusto by Janet McTeer. Imperious McTeer, whose character is called Amy, takes no prisoners. As she tells us with a curl of her lip, she raised Jules and Leigh singlehandedly and founded the exercise studio where Leigh works Beautiful Beast. This is a modern blended family. Amy keeps her daughters posted on her eHarmony dates and urges Leigh not to be embarrassed about being bottom-half naked: Your body literally came out of my vagina do not talk to me about pants. Jules appears chronically selfish and can only interact with Leigh through sibling rivalry. Their verbal sparring is a masterclass in barbed one liners. Much of the shows dark humour comes from Leighs trips to grief group. Leighs theorising about the philosophical impact of losing your partners falls on vacant faces. She has to console herself with the free doughnuts, her prized singular treat of the week until theres a radical decision from the top involving concerns about sugar. This proves seismic for a fragile Leigh. Sorry for your Loss draws on the themes that made the Cariad Lloyds podcast Griefcast strike such a chord. It articulates the aspects of loss that can be difficult to voice, like hating the word condolences, hating being told you are in someones prayers and the way people are sympathetic at first, but then just assume you will be alright. When shes not contorting her features into a spectacular crying face, we see the old Leigh. Both she and her husband (Mamoudou Athie) are attractive and you believe that they once had chemistry. Now everyday pressures have made her needy she has to cajole him out of bed because they have to go and see her family, although she does it with a flirty joke about how she will love him more once hes brushed his teeth. She longs for proper time together, perhaps on a typically LA ramen date, out of the house. Intrigue comes in the form of her hot brother-in-law. She cant stand him but whats happened could make her reassess. Watching on Facebook makes this series easy to binge on. There are six episodes already up, four to come, and if you want a debrief you can head to the comments section. Its a strong start from Facebooks TV team. With Olsen and McTeer on board there are new reasons to get addicted to the social network. Pick of the day Roast Battle Week - Comedy Central, 10pm When the UK version of this American comedy format was announced, there was some doubt as to whether it would work with British comedians. The show pitches comedian against comedian as they take turns to insult each other. The identities of the judges offer a clue to the standard of slander expected. Among them is Jimmy Carr, a comic who takes a mathematical approach to jokes, and who likes to inhabit the grey area between bad and offensive taste. Carr appeared in the American version, and has suggested that there is an element of love in coining the cruellest putdown for a fellow comic. Katherine Ryan also returns as a judge for this second series, but Russell Brand has departed, to be replaced by his old partner in crime, Jonathan Ross. Among the pairings in this second series are Tom Rosenthal and Chris Ramsey, Rose Matafeo (who won the comedy prize at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe) and Naz Osmanoglu, Sarah Keyworth and Catherine Bohart, Rosie Jones and Alex Brooker. A third series of the show has already been commissioned, with the same judging panel. Screen time Drowning In Plastic - BBC1, 8.30pm The heartbreaking scenes in Sir David Attenboroughs Blue Planet raised public concern about waste plastic in the oceans. Now wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin travels the globe to assess the extent of the problem. She visits a remote island off the coast of Australia; a nesting place for seabirds. There she see how the newly-hatched chicks are ingesting deadly plastic. In the US she joins an emergency mission to save a grey seal pup. And in the Coral Triangle which reaches from Papua New Guinea to the Solomon Islands she talks to coral scientists about the danger posed by plastic to the regions fragile ecosystems. As well as surveying the extent of the problem, Bonnin asks what scientists are doing to address the issue. The New EastEnders - London Live, 10pm Has the title for Dani Dyers new reality show been chosen yet? Because youd think theyd lean heavily on her familys screen heritage unless the producers would prefer to showcase her royal lineage. For now this title belongs to a documentary about how the East End has been changing since the turn of the millennium. Mud Men - London Live, 8pm Johnny Vaughan and Steve Brooker have gone to the dogs. The Isle of Dogs, to be precise, and not the dogs for a few wagers and chicken-in-a-basket for tea. This kink in the river, so recognisable from the air, was the focus of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, this area a centre of shipping and industry so crucial to the capital and the country. It was hammered by high-explosives, with streets reduced to craters. Wars play a key part of this dig for Johnny and Steve and the discovery of one German side-arm from 1911 leads to the pair scaling up their investigation into armaments, the pair hitting top gear when they race each other in tanks. Catch up Vanity Fair - ITV Player Your weekly reminder that this adaptation of William Makepeace Thackerays social satire is rather good. It was squashed by Bodyguard, but in peacetime it would have been a ratings hit. ITV should do the decent thing and run it again. In the penultimate episode the scheming Becky Sharp (Olivia Cooke) attempts to part Lord Steyne (the actual Gold Blend man, Anthony Head) from his cash. Deep dish George Shelley: Learning To Grieve - BBC3/BBC iPlayer T en years on, how do you explain the banking crisis in terms which can be understood by non-bankers? There are several attempts in this programme, which hinges on the events of October 7, 2008, when then-Chancellor, Alistair Darling, authorised a massive injection of cash into the banking system in order to keep the British economy afloat. We only had one shot here, says Darling. If it didnt work, there was nothing else we could have done. The country, was on the brink of Armageddon. Lets try again. Heres Robert Peston, who reported on these events for the BBC. It could have been one of those moments where you just sort of turn the lights out, get under the duvet, buy a shotgun and some baked beans. Pictured: Robert Peston reported the story for the BBC / BBC/STV That sounds like Armageddon, certainly, or a scene from a Charlton Heston film, but it doesnt allow for the difficulties of buying beans, let alone a gun, when there is no cash in the ATMs, and you are sheltering under a continental quilt in the dark. Still, it sounds horrific. Lets pick at the title of the programme (BBC2, 9pm). That almost. Whats it doing there? Were still paying for the banking crisis, financially and politically, so almost seems a bit tentative. A broken thing can be fixed but that doesnt mean it didnt break. So what happened, exactly? Well, the story here is the collapse of RBS, the bank that had been turned into a global monster by its controversial CEO Fred Goodwin. Goodwin refused to take part in the programme, so he gets most of the blame. Possibly thats justified. Goodwin earned the nickname Fred The Shred, because of his reputation for cost-cutting. Morning meetings, says Cameron McPhail (RBS chief executive, Wealth Management), Fred turned them into morning beatings. Staff were given a damn good thrashing. Goodwin has one advocate in this programme, his predecessor Sir George Mathewson, who resists the urge to shred Fred. His dismissive laughter does seem a bit misplaced. I would classify Fred as a friend, Mathewson says, which is quite a technical way to describe a friendship. On the claims of thrashings, he remains sceptical. Why did RBS collapse? There are any number of men in fine drawing rooms with views on that. Hubris seems to be the main answer, and the scenes of the opening of the RBS campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh are quite extraordinary. The Queen is there, the Red Arrows do a flyover, there are fireworks. Then there was the controversy about Goodwins private jet and the scallop kitchen within the RBS HQ, which Goodwin argued was designed to prepare all kinds of seafood, not just scallops. And so it goes on. The banking stuff is less interesting, and harder to understand. Bankers didnt understand it, and RBS grew so big that it was out of control. Did Fred Goodwin know what he was doing? Only he can answer that, and hes not going to. Figuratively, hes under the duvet, eating his pension. But it wasnt just him, was it? Just as Mathewson admits that the culture of the banks changed when they started employing executives from outside banking, so government got high on the tax receipts from the banks, and failed to look a cash cow in the mouth. Pick of the day The Walking Dead - Sky Box Sets Fans of the post-apocalypse serial are already salivating at the imminent arrival of season 9, which is said to mark a deepening of the drama, reflecting the extraordinary events the characters have endured over previous years. The new series is said to be one of the best yet, but for the uninitiated, seasons 1-8 are available as a primer. The series is based on a comic book by Robert Kirkman, and was created by Frank Darabont (writer/director of The Shawshank Redemption). It follows a group of survivors led by deputy sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln, who viewers of a certain age will remember as Egg from This Life). The action begins around Atlanta, Georgia, and the mood is deeply gothic. Rick and his cohorts struggle to survive, facing threats from other groups of survivors, and from walkers, the zombies of the title. Unusually, for a zombie project, The Walking Dead investigates the emotions of its characters, and can feel like a Western in disguise, moving through survival to questions about building a new society. Screen time The Great British Bake Off - Channel 4, 8pm One of the great things about Bake Off is the way it manages to laugh at itself. Last week on the spin-off show, An Extra Slice, there was much hilarity at the contestants efforts to make cake chandeliers, and its true why would you do that? This week, pastry is on the menu, and while the challenges dont involve constructing any light fittings from filo, they are tough enough to catch a few of the bakers out. The Signature challenge is that Indian snack staple, the samosa, to be delivered in both sweet and savoury versions. The technical challenge is fiendishly difficult. Contestants are asked to conjure up two kinds of pastry. Finally they are tasked with making a pie fit for a banquet. (Need not contain lightbulbs). The Great British Bake Off 2018 - Meet the contestants 1 /15 The Great British Bake Off 2018 - Meet the contestants The Great British Bake Off 2018 Sandi Toksvig, Prue Leith, Paul Hollywood and Noel Fielding with contestants taking part in The Great British Bake Off 2018 Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire The Great British Bake Off 2018 Imelda, Kim-Joy, Ruby, Manon, Luke, Rahul, Dan, Karen, Jon, Terry, Antony and Briony Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Bake Off will be returning to our screens later this month PA Rahul Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Ruby Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Kim-Joy Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Luke Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Manon Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Karen Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Jon PAMark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Antony Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Terry Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Dan Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Briony Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Imelda Mark Bourdillon/Love Productions/PA Wire Jaynes Mansfields Car - London Live, 12.15am John Hurt, Kevin Bacon, Frances OConnor and Robert Duvall star in this melodrama where families dont clash over the purchase of the Hollywood stars used motor. Resentment brews between the Bedfords and Caldwells when the former travel to Alabama for a funeral, the shared lives and trauma of the clans creating tension. Spooks - London Live, 11pm For a whole week Ros (Hermione Norris) has been trapped in a hostage situation inside the Saudi Trade Centre, a whole week when she wouldnt have heard a peep about Brexit or which body part of Trumps resembles a fungus. What bliss. The concluding episode of this two-part story has much for the MI5 office workers to unravel theres the pressing matter of freeing the hostages, deducing who these terrorists are, and, in a bonus round, first realising then locating the mole within their breakout spaces. What would be the trickiest part, identifying what Donald Rumsfeld would call an unknown unknown, is handled at speed and once that spy is outed, those other questions are answered Deep dish Quincy - Netflix Its a shame that the great music producer Quincy Jones doesnt attack this biographical film with the uncensored gusto he approached a magazine Q&A in which he said extraordinary things about Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and Hitler (not in the same sentence). However, his career is extraordinary enough to sustain interest. Joness daughter Rashida directs, and manages to squeeze in some intimate moments. Being Evel Knievel - BBC iPlayer A ndroid fans, your next smartphone is just around the corner. Google is hot on the heels of the recent iPhone XS announcement with the launch of its own new smartphone, the Google Pixel 3, next week. Thats not all the tech behemoth has up its sleeve. Heres what you need to know about everything Google is rumoured to launch at its next Pixel event. Google Pixel 3 In a nutshell The latest in Googles Pixel smartphone range, there should be two devices released next week: the Google Pixel 3 and the larger Google Pixel 3 XL. What we know so far... The headline news is that Google is dropping the headphone jack on the Pixel 3, something OnePlus is set to do on the 6T too. The new Pixel looks pretty similar to the older generation devices, with the same two-tone back featuring metal and glass, according to these leaked images by Russian blogger Wylsacom. Were hoping the new design means the new Pixel 3 has a full glass back because this would mean you can charge the phone wirelessly. Google looks like it has minimised the frames around the screen, improving the full-screen experience, and adding a notch at the top to house the camera. In the other leaked images weve seen so far, Google is sticking with one camera lens on the back instead of upgrading to two like Apple and Samsung have done. The Pixel has one of the best cameras on the market still, thanks to its inbuilt AI, so this should mean your pictures still look amazing. Google Pixelbook 2 In a nutshell The next generation of Googles in-house Chromebook, named Pixelbook 2. What we know so far... The Pixelbook is a great Chromebook: its light, thin and is a decent 2-in-1 device. The next generation device will probably have an upgraded processor, an upgraded 4K display, and reduced bezels to make the screen experience much better. The rumours point to the Google Pixelbook 2 getting LTE support meaning you will be able to connect to the internet on 4G networks, not just WiFi. This would be an exciting improvement if it proves true. Last year's Google Pixelbook - a 2-in1 device that can be used as a laptop or tablet / Google Google Home Hub In a nutshell Like the Google Home, but with a screen What we know so far... There have been industry rumours for at least 18 months now that Google was going to release a Google Home device built with a screen. All signs are pointing at this being the Google Home Hub, which looks like a tablet connected to a Google Home Max. Youll be able to do all the things you can already do with the smart Google assistant, but the screen capabilities mean youll be able to watch YouTube, view pictures from Google Photos and integrate with Nest products for security surveillance. A leaked render of how the Google Home Hub will look / 9to5Google Anything else? Google Pixel Stand We could be seeing a new Google product next week: the Google Pixel Stand. The new Pixel Stand will be a charging dock for your smartphone. As well as charging your phone, the Stand looks like it will transform your Pixel into a Google Assistant-powered smart display. Google Pixel Bud 2 Google could be releasing an update to its Pixel Bud wireless headphones last week. Rumours are scarce but anything the company does to improve the original headphones will be good news. When the Pixel Buds came out last year, they received either two or three stars, not a good showing for Google. Google Pixel 3S? In the past, Google has always launched two phones: the Pixel and the Pixel XL. However, it could break with tradition this year and release a Google Pixel 3S - a smaller version of its flagship phone. The company posted on Instagram to say there were some "rumours" about a mini Pixel, saying "tune in to see for yourself." A mini Google Pixel 3 could be on its way. What will we not see next week? 2018 was supposed to be the year that Google unveiled its own Google Pixel Smartwatch. However, in an interview with Toms Guide, Googles director of engineering for Wear OS, Miles Barr, said the company has no plans to release its own smartwatch just yet. Barr said: To think of a one-size-fits-all watch, I dont think were there yet. Our focus is on our partners for now. Storms will move into the Chicago area Monday evening, with areas west and north of the city expected to see heavy rains, damaging wind and hail, according to the National Weather Service. Countries & Areas Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia Zimbabwe Cowan had thought about not hanging out with his old friend Turner on Monday night but changed his mind, his family said. His friend called him and said he wanted to hang out with him. At first he said he wasnt going to go out, but he went out just to see his friend because he hadnt seen him in a while, White said. The United States is looking for investors from all over the world and Romanian companies are welcome to develop and create jobs on the largest market in the world, the US Ambassador in Bucharest, Hans Klemm said on Tuesday at the launch conference of the Smart Start USA program according to Agerpres. If we now asked my President, he would say that, of all my economic powers, the most important thing is to encourage Romanians to consider investing in the US and to create jobs in the US, to strengthen the relations between the two countries, Klemm said. He reminded that one of the ways in which the US is seeking to attract investors from all over the world is the Select USA conference, held in Washington once a year, bringing together development agencies, officials and entrepreneurs to promote the opportunities and the support foreign firms find on the American market.This year, the conference took place in June and brought together over 3,000 participants from 62 countries. Four people from Romania participated two years ago, in 2016. Last year, 30 Romanians went, including Ilan Laufer, former former minister for business, commerce and entrepreneurship, and more than 50 representatives from Romania have participated this year, being the fifth-largest delegation and the largest from the European Union, with 50 participants, the American diplomat continued.Hans Klemm said there are signs that the Romanian economy is growing healthily and reiterated that Romanian business people are expected to invest in the US, the largest and most competitive market in the world. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Romania, Lise Nicoline Kleven Grevstad, on Monday evening stated at the "Day of Nations" event organised by the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology (UMFST) in Targu Mures that her country contributes to the economic and social cohesion of Europe, including through Norwegian grants, also adding that 12 programmes are about to be implemented in Romania. Due to cooperation with the European Union, it is very easy today to travel and learn abroad. As you already know, Norway is not a member of the EU, but we are closely connected through agreements, which means that we have the same rights and obligations as the EU entities. This gives Romanian and Norwegian students equal chances of studying abroad, as well as equal opportunities in finding a job in all the other member states. Norway contributed to the economic and social cohesion in Europe with the Norwegian grants, with 12 programmes being about to be implemented in Romania in fields such as justice, Roma minority, cultural patrimony, social inclusion and environmental protection, Lise Nicoline Kleven Grevstad stated. She showed that Norway also has a scholarship programme in education through which students and Romanian professors can learn and teach in Norway and the Norwegian ones in Romania.We work together, we learn from each other, we build useful relations between specialists and we make friends. In other words, we are building bridges and we learn to better know the other's culture and society. Tolerance and non-discrimination can be only cultivated through education and intercultural dialogue, the Ambassador underscored.In respect to her participation in the ceremony during which the flags of the 50 states wherefrom the approximately 700 students come from, plus those of Romania and the European Union, were hoisted at the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and technology in Targu Mures, Lise Nicoline Kleven Grevstad said that education is the foundation of competitiveness in any country.It is a great pleasure for me to be here and an honour to be able to take part in the opening of the academic year in Targu Mures. Education is the best investment that we can make in our future, it is the benefit that we can bring to any of us and to society as a whole. A good education is an absolute prerequisite for sustainable development and prosperity. This is the foundation of competitiveness in any country, the foundation of the fight against poverty and reducing social inequities. That's why I am glad to be here today in the beautiful city of Targu Mures and to meet so many students. I am sure that you are all willing to start a new stage of your life. From my own experience I can tell you that there will be a lot of work, many hours of learning and reading, but it will also be a challenging work that will bring us many satisfactions and achievements, underscored Lise Nicoline Kleven Grevstad.The Norwegian Ambassador was impressed to see the 52 flags hoisted at the UMFST Targu Mures, including that of her country, saying that it is a truly beautiful image.This year we also have Norwegian students beginning their studies at UMFST. I am happy that you have chosen to come to Targu Mures, in the heart of Transylvania. Studying abroad will offer you the possibility of gathering new knowledge in a specific field but, more important, you will have access to a new culture, you will enrich your life experiences, which will prove useful to you in the future and I am sure that this will be a cultural adventure, said Lisa Nicoline Kleven Grevstad. AGERPRES Transylvania International Book Festival (FICT) started on Tuesday in Cluj-Napoca and gathered in the city over 50 publishing houses that will display their book offer throughout the entire week. The event offers the audience the opportunity to meet Romanian or foreign writers, as well as to attend conferences on literature. The first day of the Festival hosts Romanian writers in the First World War exhibition, put together in partnership with the National Museum of Romanian Literature, and actor George Mihaita, who is a guest of honor at the FICT, will participate in the launching of the volume called MIHAITA. The reconstruction of a life, by Dorian Papp.A debate on culture in Romania today will be held as of 12:30hrs, which will also be attended by Director of the National Museum of Romanian Literature of Bucharest Ioan Cristescu, and starting 17:00hrs the public will be able to meet writers Mosche B. Itzhaki, Paul Farkas and Noa Levin Harif.Romania's union through culture is the topic of another debate, starting at 19:00hrs, attended by Basarab Nicolescu and Bujor Nedelovici, two Romanian writers who came form France, afterwards Agerpres National News Agency's documentary The Greater Union - Romania at 100 will be screened.The special projects of this year's festival also include bringing to Cluj over 20 Romanian writers from 8 European countries, as well as an attempt to set a Guinness world record, that will be taking place on Saturday, 6 October, when the Transylvania International Book Festival aims to enter the Guinness Book of Records with the highest number of people, namely 10,000, who are reading the same book, one at a time.The 6th edition of the FICT takes place between 2 and 7 October 2018 in the Unirii Square of Cluj-Napoca. Agerpres Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu met senior US and UN officials on the side-lines of the general debates of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA73). According to the Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), the head of the Romanian diplomacy had a meeting with Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support Oscar Fernandez-Taranco. He thanked the UN Peacebuilding Secretariat for support to Romania while chairing the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), commending the significant role of this collaboration in the activities of this UN body.At the same time, Melescanu pointed out that the activities of the commission are and will continue to be a major point of interest for Romania, as Romania has a long tradition of supporting a multilateral approach, international law and the UN. He assured Taranco that Romania will continue to honour this tradition and will remain an engaged actor at the UN level, and the organisation will be able to count on Romania's support for future activities.The UN official appreciated commended Romania for its continued involvement in the organisation and for its role in the field of international peace and security through its continued and significant participation in UN peacekeeping missions. Taranco also highlighted the very good work of Romania during its tenure at the Peacebuilding Commission and ensured that the UN Peacebuilding Secretariat will continue to provide support to Romania's fulfilling the objectives of its tenure.Melescanu also met US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell.During the meeting, he stressed the importance of Romania's bid to become a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), appreciating the US support to Romania's joining OECD. Melescanu assured that Romania has the capacity to contribute to the consolidation of the organisation.Melescanu thanked the US secretary of commerce for attending the Summit of the Three Seas Initiative in Romania, and for the special interest he attaches to this form of regional co-operation. He once again highlighted the role that the initiative can play in strengthening the transatlantic partnership, especially in the current global context, noting the capacity of this form of regional co-operation to encourage a stronger US economic presence in Europe.The two dignitaries highlighted the importance of Bucharest having hosted in 2017 the Trade Winds Economic Forum, the largest trade mission of the US Department of Commerce. It was mentioned that this event placed Romania as a centre of economic interest throughout the region.During his meeting with the US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, Melescanu reiterated the importance Romania attaches to its strategic partnership with the United States of America. Meanwhile, ways of deepening it were addressed, especially in the security and economic areas. Another important issue was the US-EU relationship, with Melescanu assuring the American partners that Romania remains a strong promoter of the transatlantic relationship at European level.Melescanu stressed that Romania will continue to be a committed ally of the US rooted in shared values and will continue to support the common regional security interests. At the same time, the head of the Romanian diplomacy expressed the wish of Romanian officials to strengthen Romania's position as a pillar of stability and security in the region, as well as the need to identify new bilateral co-operation projects with the USA bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally.Melescanu also met his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah. The two officials exchanged views on the recent developments in the Middle East and voiced their common desire to deepen political and economic co-operation between the two countries. Melescanu presented to his Omani counterpart investment opportunities offered by the Romanian economic environment, underscoring Romania's openness to identify ways to develop co-operation in the areas of IT, agriculture, healthcare, tourism, and shipbuilding. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu) AGERPRES Arrivals registered in the tourist accommodation units in the first ten months of 2018 totalled 8.707 million, up 4.9 per cent against the same period of last year, with overnight stays accounting for 19.569 million, up 4.2 per cent, the National Institute of Statistics informs on Tuesday. Of the total number of arrivals, arrivals of Romanian tourists in the tourist accommodation units accounted for 77.9 per cent, while foreign tourists accounted for 22.1 per cent. In respect to arrivals of foreign tourists in the tourist accommodation units, the largest share belonged to those from Europe (74.6 per cent of the total number of foreign tourists), 85.6 per cent of them coming from EU countries.Of the total number of overnight stays, overnight stays of Romanians represented 81.3 per cent while foreigners accounted for 18.7 per cent. In respect to the foreign tourists's overnight stays, the largest share belonged to the European tourists (73.1 per cent of the total number of foreign tourists), 84.1 per cent of them coming from EU countries.The average stage in January through October was of 2.3 days for the Romanian tourists and 1.9 days for the foreign tourists, with the net occupancy rate standing at 32.8 per cent, up 0.9 per cent against the same period of 2017.Arrivals of foreign visitors in Romania, as recorded at the border checkpoints, numbered 8.026 million persons, up 6.3 per cent from the first ten months last year.Border crossings of Romanian citizens to spend time abroad accounted for 14,679,900, up 6.3 percent against the first 10 months of 2017.In August 2018, arrivals in the tourist accommodation units increased compared with the same months of the previous year, by 9.2 per cent, up to 1.849 million, with overnight stays increasing by 9.1 per cent, up to almost 4.951 million.Of the total number of arrivals, arrivals of Romanians represented 82.2 per cent, while foreigners represented 17.8 per cent, similar figures with the ones recorded in August 2017.By foreigners arrivals in Romania, the European tourists topped the statistics (75.6 per cent of the foreign tourists), while overnight stays represented 12.7 per cent.In respect to foreigners' overnight stays (4,950,900), European tourists accounted the most, representing 87.3 of the total in August 2018, while foreigners' overnight stays accounted for 12.7 per cent.By overnight stays of foreign tourists, the European tourists topped the statistics (72.7 per cent of the total foreign tourists), while 85.7 per cent of them came from EU countries.The average stay in August 2018 accounted for 2.8 days for the Romanians and 1.9 days for the foreign tourists.The net occupancy rate in August 2018 accounted for 51.2 per cent of the total number of accommodation units, up 3.4 per cent against August 2017.The occupancy rate in August 2018 accounted for 51.2 per cent per total accommodation units, up 3.4 per cent compared with August 2017.The highest occupancy rates were recorded in August in hotels (62.5 per cent), tourist villas (48.3 per cent), bungalows (46.5 percent), holiday villages (40.2 per cent), hostels (39.4 per cent), pupils and pre-school children camps (35.0 per cent) and boarding houses (33.4 per cent).Arrivals of foreign tourists in Romania, as recorded at the border checkpoints in August 2018, stood at 1.477 million, up 10.4 per cent compared with August 2017. Most of the foreign visitors come from European countries (92.5 per cent). Of the total arrivals of foreign tourists in Romania, 44.9 per cent come from EU states. Among the EU states, most arrivals were recorded from Bulgaria (24.9 per cent), Hungary (23.9 per cent), Germany (10.2 per cent), Italy (7.6 per cent), Poland (6.8 per cent), France (4.1 per cent) and the United Kingdom (3.6 per cent).Departures of Romanians visiting foreign countries, as recorded at the border checkpoints, accounted for 2,884,700 in August 2018, up 13.7 per cent against August 2017.The road passenger transportation means were the most used for departures abroad, representing 75.9 per cent of the total number of departures. Agerpres Romania supports the continuation of a close cooperation of the European Union with the United Kingdom in areas of common interest, even after the latter's backing out of the EU, President Klaus Iohannis communicated, on Tuesday, to the European Union's Chief Negotiator for Brexit, Michel Barnier. According to a press release sent by the Presidential Administration to AGERPRES, Klaus Iohannis welcomed Michel Barnier, on Tuesday, at Cotroceni Presidential Palace, where they discussed about the current stage of the negotiations and the next steps regarding the United Kingdom's withdrawal process from the EU. "The President of Romania voiced his appreciation for the activity of the Chief Negotiator for Brexit and of his team in this process. President Klaus Iohannis expressed his hope that the efforts made by the representatives of the European institutions and member states will materialise into an endorsement of an Withdrawal Agreement and a Political Declaration concerning the framework of the future relations between the EU and the United Kingdom," reads the press release. According to the quoted source, Iohannis underlined the special importance of maintaining the unity of the 27 member states of the EU within the negotiations concerning Brexit, showing that this approach represents an essential premise in the efficient management of this process. At the same time, the head of state reiterated Romania's support for an orderly and predictable process of the United Kingdom's withdrawal, in order to lay the foundation of a future relationship as close as possible between the EU and the United Kingdom. President Iohannis also highlighted that the main priority at this stage of the negotiations is finalizing the text of the Withdrawal Agreement as quickly as possible, by identifying some solutions concerning the still divergent issues, especially as regards the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. As concerns the economic cooperation model in the context of the future relations, the president underlined that the integrity of the EU's Single Market and the indivisibility of the four freedoms represent essential pillars of the European project and they are not negotiable, the Presidential Administration specifies. "President Klaus Iohannis pointed out that Romania supports the continuation of a close cooperation of the EU with the United Kingdom, in areas of common interest, even after the latter's withdrawal from the Union and showed that, for our country, an agreement in the area of external security with the United Kingdom is of particular interest," the press release further mentions. Furthermore, Iohannis mentioned that during the discussions on the future relations, our country will place the citizen at the centre of its objectives and that is why "[he] firmly supports the importance of the negotiation of an ambitious regulatory framework with regard to the citizens' mobility, in compliance with the principles of reciprocity and non-discrimination," the Presidential Administration points out. In his turn, Michel Barner made a presentation of the negotiations' evolution and the next steps of the United Kingdom's withdrawal process from the EU. Michel Barnier also pointed out that Romania, as a state that will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in the first semester of 2019, will have an important role in ensuring the necessary institutional framework which will allow the orderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU and in the carrying out of the negotiations concerning the future relations between the Union and the United Kingdom," the press release further shows. Minister of European Funds Rovana Plumb was appointed interim Minister of National Education, through a decree signed by President Klaus Iohannis. According to a press release sent to AGERPRES by the Presidential Administration, Klaus Iohannis signed on Tuesday the decree finding the vacation of the government member position through the resignation of Valentin Popa, the Minister of National Education. Furthermore, the head of state signed on Tuesday the decree for the appointment of Minister of European Funds Rovana Plumb as interim Minister of National Education, reads the press release. Valentin Popa resigned on Thursday from the position of Minister of Education. Romania is paying special attention to the UK leaving the European Union, or Brexit, considering the sizeable local Romanian community in the UK, Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said at a meeting with EU's Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier. According to a press statement released by the Romanian government, Dancila welcomed Barnier on Tuesday at the Government House. The dialogue between the two officials focused on the negotiations between the European Union and the UK and highlighted the excellent level of co-operation between the Romanian officials and the body led by Barnier amidst Romania assuming the six-moth rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2019," the statement said.Dancila gave assurances over Romania's support to the chief negotiator for the fulfilment of his mandate. At the same time, she reconfirmed the importance of maintaining the unity of the 27 member states around the fundamental principles governing the negotiating process and the guidelines adopted by the European Council.Dancila stressed that Romania has approached the Brexit file very attentively because of the sizeable local Romanian community in the UK. She indicated that Romania started domestic preparations as far back as the beginning of the negotiating process in March 2017, setting in place an inter-ministerial mechanism dealing with Brexit. She showed that Romania is ready to manage any possible scenario of the negotiations."Dancila also praised the progress so far with the negotiations, especially on citizens' rights.The Romanian high official emphasised the need to guarantee these rights, showing that Romania will continue to watch carefully the way the provisions of the agreement are implemented so that all Romanian citizens residing in the UK can continue to live, work and study under the same conditions as so far.With regard to future relations between the European Union and the UK, the prime minister reiterated the importance of maintaining a close relationship between the two sides, indicating that any agreement should be based on a balance between rights and obligations and respect for the EU's decision-making autonomy.At the same time, Dancila said that mobility is a priority for the Romanian side and that the principles of reciprocity and non-discrimination must be fundamental pillars of the post-Brexit relationship with the UK, according to the press statement. Agerpres Deputies' Chamber Speaker Liviu Dragnea said that the extraordinary meeting of the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament, which occasioned an exchange of opinions with First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans on the situation in Romania, was not a debate, but "a list of preset standpoints, a condemnation before analyzing the evidence." I must admit that I am pretty much disappointed with this attitude, for I have never imagined that an EU member state will be threatened like this, so brutally. I have watched this debate, which in fact wasn't a debate, but it was a list of preset standpoints, already a condemnation before analyzing the evidence, to say so, since I have already experienced that before. We sent written documents, information, evidence to Brussels, but nobody had any reaction, they didn't say clearly what were those amendments in the articles of the justice laws that affect the independence of justice. There is no such thing. On the contrary, we eliminated any political player that could have influenced the appointments of judges and the appointments at the High Court. And this means, in fact, total independence, but maybe this is precisely what they do not want, Dragnea told Antena 3 private television station on Monday evening. He also added that, previously, the members of the European Commission and MEPs were informed about the "terrible sideslips of the rule of law and violations of the human rights committed in the name of fighting corruption, with evidence being presented in support of this.He also said that "the European institutions should not arbitrate internal political disputes." In respect to the August 10 protests, Dragnea mentioned that there was footage on the Internet of the law-enforcement forces in other European states and that "the gendarmes in these states acted exactly" like the ones in Romania.The other day, it happened precisely in Brussels. I haven't heard anyone to say there is need of a serious debate or to send to court any of the governments of these states, because of the gendarmes who reacted in an exaggerated manner. The gendarmes in these states have reacted exactly the same as the ones in Romania. So, if the gendarmes in Romania reacted in an exaggerated manner, it means that in the entire European Union the gendarmes react in an exaggerated manner, added Dragnea. AGERPRES Secretary of State for Euro-Atlantic Bilateral and Strategic Affairs George Ciamba with Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) welcomed on Monday Dutch MP and Spokesperson on European Affairs of the Netherlands' People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) Anne Mulder. The meeting occasioned an exchange of opinions regarding the future of Europe, Brexit, the Schengen Area and the developments of the Western Balkans area, a release of the MAE sent to Agerpres informed. The Romanian dignitary hailed the development of the bilateral relations, marked by the increase of the commercial exchanges and the expansion of Dutch companies in Romania, taking into account that the Netherlands ranks 1st in terms of investments in our country, the quoted source mentions. According to the MAE, the discussions also occasioned an exchange of views regarding the future of Europe, Brexit, the Schengen area and the developments of the Western Balkans region. Secretary of State George Ciamba showed that the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU will grant a special attention to organising the Summit in Sibiu, which will represent a benchmark in respect to the future of the European Union, especially in the context of the current challenges which the community block is confronted with.Also tackled was the topic related to the enlargement of the EU, context in which the State Secretary mentioned that Romania endorses the positive role of this policy through the investment it brings to strengthening peace, security, prosperity and stability of the Union. Thus, the Western Balkans region and the Eastern Partnership will receive a special attention from the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the MAE release points out.In respect to the security issue, the two officials underscored the shared interests in the enlarged region of the Black Sea and the similar approach regarding the role of NATO and the transatlantic relation.Moreover, the two officials also talked about Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte's visit to Romania on 12 September. AGERPRES Through September, and not counting Moscowitzs slaying, the district had seven homicides compared to five last year, according to official Police Department statistics. Through the same time period, shooting incidents also jumped to 26 from 18, the department said. But shooting incidents in the district were still down by double digits when compared to the same periods in 2015, 2014 and 2013, the statistics show. Secretary of State with Romania's Foreign Ministry (MAE) Dan Neculaescu carried out on Monday bilateral consultations with Secretary of State for Bilateral and Multilateral Relations with the Republic of Moldova's Foreign Affairs Ministry Tatiana Molcean. The discussions that took place at the MAE headquarters tackled priority topics aimed at the consolidation and development of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the European agenda of this country. State Secretary Neculaescu reconfirmed Romania's firm support for the advancement of the European path of the Republic of Moldova and underscored our country's interest for the operationalisation of the strategic bilateral projects, especially those related to energy interconnection. Also discussed were the priorities of the upcoming stage, with an emphasis on the political dialogue and the implementation of other projects and the cooperation initiative at sectorial level, the MAE reveals. Moreover, the Romanian diplomat "emphasised the importance of continuing the structural reforms circumscribed in the Association Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova. He referred to the necessity of ensuring the modernisation and reform processes in the Republic of Molodova, meant to strengthen the democratic mechanisms and evoked the importance of further developing the relationship of the Republic of Moldova with the European Union," the quoted source mentions.In her turn, State Secretary Tatiana Molcean thanked for Romania's consistent support in materialising the strategic objectives of the Republic of Moldova's European agenda.The two officials made a thorough exchange of assessment regarding the regional situation and cooperation within the multilateral formats and agreed to ensure a continuity of this dialog format at a secretary of state level of the two Foreign Affairs Ministries, the MAE also mentions. AGERPRES Van Dyke said that when they arrived at the scene at 41st Street and Pulaski they saw Officer Joseph McElligott on foot with his gun drawn pointing toward McDonald, who was running through a Burger King parking lot. After they hopped a curb and followed McDonald onto Pulaski, Van Dyke said he tried to open the car door to knock the teen down, but another squad car was too close. Walsh pulled up farther down the street, and Van Dyke got out with his gun drawn. 3. In the nearly four years since the shooting, one major question that has never been addressed with much depth is why Van Dyke continued shooting even after the teen fell to Pulaski Road. From the witness stand, the embattled officer finally tried to explain why he continued firing even after he paused to reassess the situation after the teen collapsed to the street. Van Dyke said he continued to fire because he believed the teen was getting back up with the knife still in his right hand. "I shot at that knife. I wanted him to get rid of that knife." The courtroom fell silent during his testimony except for an audible groan from a McDonald relative when Van Dyke said, "To me, it seemed like he was getting back up." Why "razor"? Because it cuts away the unnecessary and redundant. Several Latin versions but this is the one I remember: noli multiplicare entia praeter necessitatem. Literally: "do not multiply essences without necessity" which is Medieval for "don't make your theory any more complicated than it has to be" or "the simplest explanation is the best". Or Newton (another Englishman, four centuries later): "Nature is pleased with simplicity, and affects not the pomp of superfluous causes". The modern American equivalent would be KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. On the anniversary of 9/11 we were again inundated with theories about "controlled explosions". A great deal, if not almost all, of the "evidence" that 9/11 was an inside job is the presumed "free fall" of the buildings, jet fuel can't melt steel, thermite and many many other supposed "proofs" that the buildings were actually collapsed by a planned implosion. I have never found this convincing and am perplexed why so much energy is spent arguing back and forth. A more productive approach is to turn the question upside down which is the practical application of "Ockham's Razor". "Turning the question upside down" is a technique I recommend. And there is much relevance to an intelligent and independent-minded assessment of the Western propaganda war: Litvinenko, Skripal, US election interference, Assad and chemical weapons. If the West really had evidence for its accusations, it wouldn't be relying on Bellingcat. Ockham's Razor slices off the nonsense. The essence of the "conspiracy theory" conspiracy theory is that everyone is so busy arguing over minutiae that they never ask whether the fundamental assumption makes sense. Does it fundamentally make sense that Putin would try to kill Skripal years after he was traded? No it doesn't; so why are we arguing about perfume bottles? Does it fundamentally make sense that Putin would kill Litvinenko by such a convoluted and detectable way? No it doesn't; so why are we arguing about tea rooms? Does it fundamentally make sense that Putin would try to swing the US election without using his best information? No it doesn't; so why are we arguing about a ten minute meeting with a Russian lawyer? Does it fundamentally make sense that Assad would kill children with Sarin in the hour of victory? No it doesn't; so why are we arguing about holes in roads? The more we argue about perfume bottles, holes or tea cups, the more the lies stick. And maybe that's the intention: "The point of propaganda is to leave an impression after the details have been forgotten". Ockham's Razor starts to cut when you ask yourself: if it was a conspiracy, what is the simplest conspiracy? 9/11 is an illustration. Let's pretend that our Secret Hidden Masters decide that a "War on Terror" would be good for them and that an attack on some American landmark by Crazy Muslim Fanatics will start it off. Angry Muslims are set up; easy enough: entrapments are done all the time. The Masters figure out a way to control the planes because they can't be sure the dummies can or will do what what they're supposed to do. They block communications because passengers phoning to say the hijackers are panicking too would wreck the story. And, on The Day, the planes hit the Twin Towers, they burn out leaving a memorable and exploitable image: lower two-thirds white, black above: "Candles of freedom" "Re-Light Freedom!" "Remember the Candles!". The slogans write themselves. Chalked on bombs: 9 and two white stripes with black tops! Not too complicated: most of the people who could reveal the conspiracy die and the few others (who aren't already in "The Club") can have quiet car accidents off stage. A powerful effect at minimum exposure. But suppose that one conspirator wants the buildings to come down. But this would be absurdly over-complicated: it takes a long time to openly prepare an empty building for a planned detonation; how much longer when you have to do it in secret? Every night you have to bet that several hundred people will notice nothing; every day you have to bet that several thousand notice nothing. They all know that the buildings were a target before and they will phone security. And if one person does, the plot is blown. Odds of millions to one, risking everything, for no discernible advantage. Competent conspirators want their conspiracies to be simple, manageable and easy to execute. They want the risk of discovery to be as low as possible. Keep the buildings standing; it will serve the purpose just as well, or even better, and at a fraction of the risk. So, William of Ockham tells you to stop poring over videos: the controlled demolition stuff didn't happen because it would have added immense and unproductive complication. And he tells us that Putin didn't kill Litvinenko by dribbling radioactive poison in every restaurant in London; he didn't try to kill Skripal by scattering a nerve agent randomly around Wiltshire; he didn't manipulate Americans "to get me out of the way", ignoring his most powerful weapon; Assad doesn't gas children to make his enemies attack him; Kerry doesn't actually have data on MH17. It's not all that complicated once you think about the fundamental probability. Noli multiplicare entia praeter neccesitam What actually did happen? Who killed Litvinenko, brought down MH17, executed 9/11, what's the story on the Skripals? It's not our job to refute the Gish Gallop of accusations; the accusers are obliged to prove their cases. They have to prove them not by megaphone, petitio principii, Bellingcat's inventions or by starting other false hares; they have to use the same old boring methods that we used to see English detectives do in dozens of BBC TV series: evidence, argument, proof. So, less "Litvinenko: A deadly trail of polonium", more Miss Marple and Poirot from the BBC, please. To quote another fictional English detective who would be unable these days to get a job either in the BBC or in Her Majesty's Government: It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But I forget Ockham's Razor: these accusations are not the result of detection, they do not involve reasoning, they're Goebbels, they're not Holmes. Propaganda (PS. I have referred to 9/11 to show that not all examples of petitio principii are done by the Establishment. It is depressingly common to assume the answer and remain in the bubble: confirmation bias, it's called.) Photo: Flickr MK (Pritzker) is now getting back into the task of cleaning up (the mansion). She is going to have the house re-assessed as an uninhabitable structure, according to the email from the project manager. To do this, she would like to have us pull all toilets and cap all toilet lines in the house. Then after the assessment, she would like us to put the 1st Floor toilet back in and have this as the one functioning bathroom in the place (she will then be finishing out the front room for JBs hangout meeting area). Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 29, Syrias Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem demanded that US, French and Turkish forces leave his country immediately or be dealt with accordingly. Indeed, with the Islamic State reduced to insignificance, they have no justification for being there. The message is primarily addressed to Washington. Trained and equipped by the United States, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control roughly 25-30 percent of Syria, including areas which hold the bulk of the country's oil and gas reserves. The group has pressed for Syrias division along federal lines with autonomous cantons created in various regions. It has already set up cantonal administrations in areas it controls with their own revenues, police and public services. The SDF is backed by 2,200 US troops on the ground illegally operating in a foreign country. The forward operating base at Al Tanf is manned by American military. It is located at the strategic border area between Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Last month, the Marine Corps conducted an exercise to demonstrate that the United States is there for the long haul. Presidential candidate Trump promised to stay out of foreign wars. In April, the US president said the forces would leave Syria soon with the decision taken very quickly on how long they will remain there. Well be coming out of Syria, like, very soon. Let the other people take care of it now, he stated. On Sept.24, US National Security Adviser (NSA) John Bolton said the US would remain in Syria "until Iran leaves". Were not going to leave as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders, and that includes Iranian proxies and militias, the NSA formulated the US position. According to Military Times, his statement was signaling a fundamental shift from the current counter-terrorism operations to a mission focused more on geopolitical maneuvering and proxy warfare. The source believes the White House has revealed a massive mission creep. It cited James Phillips, senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at the Heritage Foundation, who said. I would prefer to keep US troops there indefinitely, because they also serve a purpose in blocking Irans freedom of movement and access to lines of communication that would connect western Iraq with Lebanon. Earlier last month, the secretary of states Special Representative for Syria engagement James Jeffrey said that the US military could pursue an enduring presence in part to complicate Iranian activities in the country. According to him, the forces will remain beyond the end of the year. Looks like they will stay much longer. Special Representative for Syria Engagement, Ambassador James Jeffrey, openly intervened into Syrias internal affairs by threatening it with sanctions the US would impose if it Syria did not align its domestic laws with Washingtons instructions. According to him, the US would work with countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East to impose tough international sanctions in circumvention of the UN Security Council if Syrias government failed to cooperate on rewriting the countrys constitution as a prelude to elections. We will make it our business to make life as miserable as possible for that flopping cadaver of a regime and let the Russians and Iranians, who made this mess, get out of it, he warned. It has been recently reported that the United States has set up a new military base near the Iraqi town of Al-Qaim in Anbar province on the Iraqi-Syrian border. It is located near the strategic border crossing that links to the Syrian town of Abu Kamal. The US air defense and electronic radar systems in Kobani, the Aleppo governorate in northern Syria, and on the territory of the al-Shaddadi base in the Hasakah province. A no-fly zone could be established in northern Syria stretching from Manbij to Deir ez-Zor. The US will stay to prevent Iran from gaining access to the Mediterranean Sea. US intelligence officials have already prepared a preliminary list of targets in Syria to strike upon the presidents order. A staged chemical attack in Idlib that Russia has warned about will serve as a pretext. The efforts to find a peaceful solution have intensified with the Russian-Turkish agreement on Idlib coming into force but the process does not include the United States. The Trump administration is pressing ahead with plans to create an Arab NATO, tentatively dubbed the Middle East Strategic Alliance," or MESA, to confront Iran everywhere in the region. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met in New York on Sept.28 with foreign ministers from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to advance the project. Washington is preparing to host a summit in January to launch the alliance. A collective defense clause is likely to be included in the list of the common commitments. Meanwhile, the work to expand Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar is going on to prepare for military operations. Talks are underway to make it a permanent base. Evidently, Washington has made a decision to stay in Syria for a long time. It needs an alliance to support it militarily and diplomatically. Using the Iran threat bogey to lead the MESA will restore the US image as an indispensable nation in the Middle East after unimpressive operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan as well as other countries America has intervened into on a much smaller scale in recent years. The Astana process led by Russia, Turkey and Iran opens promising prospects for a peaceful solution of Syrias conflict. Another scenario is Syria turning into a battlefield between US-led and Israel-supported MESA and Iran. It will certainly spill over to encompass Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon. The bigger is the fire of war the more indispensable will the US become, reaping all the benefits of being the leader of the anti-Iran coalition. The United States Government is now treating Ukraine as if it were a NATO member, and on September 27th donated to Ukraine two warships for use against Russia. This is the latest indication that the US is switching to Ukraine as the locale to start World War III, and from which the nuclear war is to be sparked against Russia, which borders Ukraine. Here is why Syria is no longer the US alliances preferred choice as a place to start WW III: On September 4th, US President Donald Trump publicly threatened Syria, Iran and Russia that if they exterminated the jihadists in Syrias only remaining jihadist-controlled province, Idlib, then the US might launch a full-scale invasion against Syria, Iran and Russia in Syria. Either the US or Russia would then quickly escalate to nuclear war so as not to lose in Syria that would be the conventional-war start to World War III. The leaders of Russia, Iran, Turkey, and Syria (Putin, Rouhani, Erdogan, and Assad), agreed in two meetings, one on September 7th and the other on September 17th, to (as I had recommended on September 10th) transfer control of Syrias only remaining jihadist-controlled province, Idlib, to NATO-member Turkey. This action effectively prevents the US alliance from going to war against Russia if Russias alliance (which includes Syria) obliterates all the jihadist groups in the Al-Qaeda-led Syrian province Idlib. For the US to war against Russia there would also be war against fellow-NATO-member Turkey out of the question. The US has been using Al Qaeda in Syria to train and lead the jihadist groups which have been trying to overthrow Syrias Government and to replace it with a government that has been selected by the Saud family who own Saudi Arabia. Ever since 1949 the US Government has been trying to do this (to place the Saud family in charge of Syria). That plan is now being placed on-hold if not blocked altogether, because of the Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria, agreement. As I reported on September 25th, Turkey Now Controls Syrias Jihadists. The US would no longer be able to save them, but Turkey would, if Erdogan wants to. Turkey is thus now balanced on a knifes edge, between the US and its allies (representing the Saud family) on the one side, versus Russia and its allies (representing the anti-Saud alliance) on the other. During the same period in which the US Government was setting Syria up as the place to start WW III, it was also setting up Ukraine as an alternative possibility to do that. US President Obama, in a very bloody February 2014 coup which he had started planning by no later than 2011, overthrew Ukraines democratically elected President, and replaced him by a rabidly anti-Russian racist-fascist regime whose Ukrainian tradition went back to ideologically nazi Ukrainian organizations that had supported Hitler during World War II. Though communism is gone from Russia ever since 1991, the US aristocracy never ended its goal of conquering Russia; the Cold War was secretly continued on the US-NATO side. Ukraines nazis (meaning its racist-fascists) are now the US and UK aristocracies chief hope to achieve this ambition of a US-and-allied global conquest. Here are the recent steps toward WW III regarding the US alliances new (since 2014) prize, Ukraine: On September 28th, John Siciliano at the Washington Examiner bannered Ryan Zinke: Naval blockade is an option for dealing with Russia and he reported that Trumps Interior Secretary Zinke had said There is the military option, which I would rather not. And there is the economic option. The economic option on Iran and Russia is, more or less, leveraging and replacing fuels. He was saying that in order for the US to get its and its allies (mainly the Sauds) oil and gas into Europe replacing some of Russias dominant market-share in that the worlds largest energy-consuming market (and also shrink Irans market-share there), a military blockade against Russia and Iran would be an option. Currently, most of Russias oil and gas into Europe goes via pipelines through Ukraine, which the US already controls. Sicilianos news-break received a follow-up on September 30th from Zero Hedge. On October 1st, George Eliason, the great investigative journalist who happens to live in Donbass, the southeastern part of Ukraine that broke off from Ukraine when Obamas coup overthrew the democratically elected Ukrainian President who had received over 90% of the votes in Donbass, reported at The Sakers site, that Ukraines war against Donbass was now returning in full force. Headlining War Crimes in LNR and DNR [Donbass] The Unannounced War, he opened: On September 28th, Lugansk Peoples Republic (LNR)Deputy Foreign Minister Anna Soroka and Andrey Chernov gave a presentation unveiling a photo album entitled Unannounced war. This collection of 150 images details the war crimes by the Ukrainian government during the war from 2014-2018. Over the last 4 years, many journalists including myself reported on the war crimes committed by Ukrainian punisher battalions and sometimes the Ukrainian army. These war crimes are privately funded by Ukrainian Diaspora groups led primarily by US and Canadian citizens. The Ukrainian punisher battalions and Ukrainian volunteer battalions take pride in the fact there is no need to hide any of Ukraines crimes from the Wests prying eyes. Even now, when there is supposed to be a ceasefire so the children can go to school, Kiev is shelling cities and towns across Donbass. On September 29th, in just 24 hours Ukrainian army units shelled DNR (Donetsk Peoples Republic) over 300 times violating the ceasefire. The US Government is trying to bully Russia and its allies, and now is overtly threatening to go to a naval blockade against Russia. Those two warships that the US just donated to Ukraine could be helpful in such a blockade. Alternatively, Ukraines re-invasion of Donbass might become Trumps opportunity to aid a NATO ally and precipitate WW III from a conventional war in Donbass. Either way would likely produce from Russia a nuclear blitz-attack to eliminate as many of Americas retaliatory weapons as possible, so as to beat the US to the punch. In military terms, the side that suffers the less damage wins, even if its a nuclear war that destroys the planet. The side that would strike first in a nuclear war would almost certainly suffer the less damage, because most of the opponents retaliatory weaponry would be destroyed in that attack. Trump is playing nuclear chicken against Putin. He is sorely trying Putins patience. If the US regime uses any of these entry-points to a conventional war, Russia would simply be waiting for the US to nuclear blitz-attack Russia, which the US regime has long been intending to do. Regardless which side goes nuclear first, the blockade and/or re-invasion of Donbass (repeating there such things as this and this) will have started WWIII. And, clearly, any survivors would likely view the US in the way that most of todays world views the fascist powers in WWII: as having been the aggressors. Consequently, if the American people cannot first overthrow the US regime and establish an authentic democracy here, then WWIII seems likely to result, which would be an outcome far worse, for the entire world, than an overthrow of the government that the entire world considers to be by far the most dangerous on Earth. India has learned, the hard way, that jet fighters capable of operating from carriers are a very specialized type of aircraft and not just a land-based jet modified a bit to withstand the rigors of landing and taking off from carriers. The failure in this area has been the MiG-29K. The Indian Navy bought 45 Russian MiG-29K jets for their new aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya (a rebuilt Russian Cold War era carrier.) The Indians were not happy with the performance of the Russian work on the Vikramaditya or the MiG-29K and now India is trying to force Russia to fix the shortcomings of the MiG-29K. India ordered the MiG-29Ks in 2004, received the first batch by 2009 and began using them on the Vikramaditya in 2012. India has spent over $2 billion on the MiG-29Ks and Russia is the sole source for many components of the aircraft as well as being under contract to perform warranty repairs and refurbishment services for these carrier aircraft. There have been problems and disappointments with the MiG-29K. The main shortcoming is that the MiG-29K is not robust enough to operate from a carrier. Russia also selected the MiG-29K to replace the Su-33 for its only carrier. The Su-33 was a ruggedized version of the Su-33 that turned out to be insufficiently rugged. The replacement was the lighter MiG-29 that, learning from the Su-33 problems, was ruggedized more effectively, or so it was thought. India has used the MiG-29K more frequently (than Russia has) and found the MiG-29K could not handle the controlled crashes characteristic of successful carrier landings. Meanwhile, the Russians discovered some of the same problems but kept quiet about it. While all this was going on China got some Su-33s (from Ukraine) and copied the tech for their J15. The Chinese thought they had designed and built a version of the Su-33 that would perform adequately. That did not work either. Now India is demanding that the Russians make good on the assurances that the MiG-29K could handle carrier operations or face losing even more Indian defense business. The MiG-29K may well be impossible to make carrier capable but making a lot of expensive repairs might mollify the Indians a bit. The MiG-29Ks not only suffered structural damage after every landing but the engines did as well. So far India has had 40 of these engines become totally unusable because of the damage. Russia is still considering its options as the Indian firm (HAL) that performs engine maintenance is waiting for the government to come up with the money to refurbish 113 MiG-29K engines that can be salvaged. Meanwhile, India is looking for new carrier jets, believing that even a repaired MiG-29K is only an interim solution. In early 2017 the Indian Navy issued a request for foreign suppliers to bid on a $15 billion contract to supply 57 jet fighter-bombers capable of operating from an aircraft carrier. This came after a late 2016 announcement by the navy that Indias locally designed and built LCA (Light Combat Aircraft or "Tejas") jet fighter was unsuitable for use on Indian aircraft carriers. The navy mentioned the LCA being overweight and, well, simply not suitable. With some encouragement from the government, the Navy amended its decision to include the possibility that 46 of the LCA Mk2 (due in 2025) might be ordered if the empty weight could be reduced 15 percent (from 6.6 tons to 5.6 tons). Currently, the max weight is 13.5 tons and armament is one twin barrel 23mm autocannon and up to 3.5 tons of missiles and bombs. Internal fuel is 2.5 tons and that can be increased by at least 40 percent via drop tanks. Many in the navy dont believe LCA will survive until 2025 and the government seems to concur and authorized the Navy to seek a suitable carrier aircraft abroad. India is now considering three candidates for a MiG-29K replacement. These include the American F-18E, French Rafale and Swedens Gripen M (Maritime version). The leading candidate is the F-18E, which entered service in 1999 and was based on the 1970s F-18A (1,480 built). So far 500 F-18Es have been built but the only foreign user is Australia. Most existing F-18Es operate off American carriers and have an excellent record for its carrier operations. Same with the smaller F-18A, which was very popular with export customers and most of them used the F-18A as a land-based aircraft. India can salvage its MiG-29K investment by transferring these aircraft (after Russia pays for the repairs) to land-based operations only. The second most likely MiG-29K replacement is the Rafale, which has been operating off the French nuclear carrier since 2004 and, in joint naval exercises, has operated from American carriers as well. Although Rafale M (Maritime) is a ruggedized version of the basic (land-based) Rafale French designers knew from the beginning that Rafale would be built in two (land and carrier) versions and that made a difference. France also had long experience using American carrier jets as well. This all made a crucial difference, as the Russians discovered with the Su-33 and MiG-29K. Because of the French experience, and Swedish reputation for quality, India is willing to consider the Gripen M. India has already agreed to purchase 36 land-based Rafales and possibly many more. But, like so many foreign weapons purchases this deal is being delayed by accusations of corruption. This is something the Indian procurement bureaucracy is very good at and this tends to delay and sometimes kill procurement decisions. So there is a good chance that India will find itself with aircraft carriers with no jet aircraft, at least until the procurement process finally gets organized and obtains the needed carrier aircraft. There is now a version of the AK line of assault rifles (the AK-308) that fires the standard NATO 7.62x51 rifle ammo. Known to civilians as the Winchester 308 round, the 7.62x51 has been a NATO standard since the 1950s. While largely replaced by the 5.56/45 round in the 1960s and 70s, the 7.62mm is still widely used for sniper rifles and vehicle mounted machine-guns. The Russian company that manufactures the AK line of weapons has, since the 1990s, come up with a lot of new designs, mainly for the export market and these new weapons were often chambered for the Western 7.62mm and 5.56mm (or whatever a large purchaser wanted). The AK-308 recently shown is a prototype and is basically the new Russian military rifle (AK-12/15) chambered for the 7.62x51 rather than the 5.45x39 (AK-12) or 7.62x39 (AK-15 and AK-47). The AK-308 is 885mm (35 inches) long with a 415mm (16.3 inch) barrel and a folding stock. Empty weight is 4.1 kg (nine pounds) and it uses a 20 or 30 round magazine. Rate of fire on full automatic is 700 rounds a minute and max effective range is 800 meters. AK-308 has a Picatinny rail and attachments for grenade launcher, suppressor and bayonet. In short it is a 7.62mm rifle any Western soldier would immediately be able to handle even though it is obviously based on the original AK-47 design. The AK-308 is actually based on the AK-103 which was itself a version of the 1970s AK-74. The latest Russian assault rifle, the AK-12 also can be adapted to fire 7.62x51 but the AK-308 design is competitive with the AK-12/15 weapons which are the latest generation of Russian military rifles. In mid-2017 Russia selected the new AK-12 assault rifles as part of its new future soldier (Ratnik) set of gear for its infantry. The government is having trouble finding the money to buy as many Ratnik systems as it wants (70,000 or more). So far 25,000 Ratnik systems have been delivered with priority going to special operations troops (including airborne, airmobile and marine units). The basic AK-12 fires the same 5.45/39 round as the current AK-74 and costs 25 percent more. The AK12 outperformed the AK-74 in extensive field tests and the troops prefer it over the AK-74. In 2014 one major change was made to the original (2011) AK-12 design that lowered manufacturing costs and fixed some problems found in field testing. The new version (codenamed AK-400) won the competition (with rival rifle designs) in 2017. The AK-12 can also be provided in a version that fires the old AK-47 round (7.62x39mm) that was introduced in 1944 and is still popular in many countries. The AK-12 also keeps the basic design principles of the AK-47 alive into the 21st century. This all began with a Russian World War II veteran, Mikhail Kalashnikov, who came up with a brilliant rifle design that so impressed his bosses that they named it after him. AK means Avtomat Kalashnikova which literally translates as Kalashnikov Automatic. This was no fluke. Kalashnikov had always been into mechanical things and grew up in Siberia where rural folk could own a rifle for hunting. Thus he was familiar with how rifles operated in addition to being a mechanical genius. Kalashnikov was conscripted in 1938 and because of his small size was assigned to a tank unit. There his ingenuity and mechanical skills came to the notice of his superiors, who praised and encouraged him. He was badly wounded in combat in 1941 and while he spent six months recuperating came up with some innovative ideas for a new rifle design, instigated by complaints he heard from wounded infantry soldiers. He wrote to the senior officers who had praised his skills before the war and was transferred to a weapons development organization. Among his many innovations and designs over the next five years was the AK-47, which began replacing all older infantry rifles in 1949. Kalashnikov died in 2013 but until the end he hunted and innovated, backing things like the Ratnik concept. The Ratnik system is the Russian version of an American concept pioneered in the 1980s ("Land Warrior") and resulted in the introduction of new body armor, personal communications, wearable computers, night vision devices, and personal medical equipment. Several European countries have followed, especially the German Infanterist der Zukunft (Infantryman Of The Future), and Russia did the same but was delayed by cash shortages and debates over whether a new infantry rifle was needed. Unlike the United States, Russia included a new rifle design (AK-12) as part of its Ratnik gear. There was a lot of opposition to the AK-12 within the Russian high command, but at the troop level there was an even more vigorous and louder call for something to replace the Cold War era AK-74. The entire Ratnik collection underwent final acceptance tests in late 2013. All the items of Ratnik (firearms, body armor, optic, communication and navigation devices, medical, and power supply systems plus uniform items including knee and elbow pads) have been tested and accepted. The new rifle was more of a problem until the government finally backed the AK-12. Initially, only elite troops got Ratnik while the rest of the ground forces will be stuck with the AK-74 and Cold War era infantry gear into the 2020s although the military expects the 100,000 or so special operations, SWAT and professional (contract) infantry will all have Ratnik by 2020. It will be decades before the AK-74 disappears from Russian military use. How the AK-12 came to be was quite an epic undertaking. The Russians have made several attempts to develop and introduce a replacement for the AK-74. Some new designs even made it into combat. For example, some special operations units got the new AN-94 in the 1990s while most troops continued to use the elderly (in design and manufacture) AK-74s. The troops wanted something that could match the improvements in Western assault rifles. The firm that designed most Russian assault rifles since the 1940s designed a new assault rifle (AK-12) in response to that but the Russian Defense Ministry stalled efforts to even test it. That resistance was finally overcome and the AK-12 eventually passed the tests and outperformed competing designs. It all began in 2012 when the two century old Russian firm (Izhmash) that has produced assault rifles since World War II announced the arrival of their fifth generation assault rifle. Called the AK-12 it uses a lot of the basic AK-47 design principles but added many new features popular in Western assault rifles. The AK-12 is but the latest in a long line of innovative Russian infantry weapons. Appearing for the first time towards the end of World War II, assault rifles have since become the standard infantry weapon, almost entirely replacing bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles. The first generation AK was the AK-47 followed by the AKM in the 1960s, then the AK-74 (which was very similar to the U.S. M-16) in the 1970s, and limited numbers of the AN-94 (a much improved AK-74) in the 1990s. Over fifty million AK-47s and AKMs were made, most of them outside Russia. Production, on a small scale, continues. It is still the most numerous assault rifle in use. The original AK-12 (code named AK-200) was a 3.3 kg (7.3 pound) weapon that is 943mm (37.1 inches) long with a 415mm (16.3 inch) barrel. It can be fitted to fire one of four calibers: the original 7.62x39 of the AK-47/AKM, the 5.56x45 of the M-16, the 5.45x39 of the AK-74, or the 7.62x51 NATO rifle/machine-gun round. The AK-12 can use all AK-47/AKM magazines when firing 7.62x39 ammo. There are a lot of small but important changes in the AK-12. The stock is adjustable. The charging handle is easily used whether you are left or right handed. There is an improved safety switch, pistol grip, hinged top cover, muzzle break, iron sight, and (smaller) ejection port. The AK-12 has Picatinny rails (the U.S. developed standard for attaching all sorts of accessories). The fire control switch now allows for single shot, full automatic, and three round bursts. The AK-12 is inherently more accurate because of improved barrel rifling. The AK-12 handles more easily, has longer effective range (up to 600 meters), and apparently has the same ruggedness of the original AK-47. That last item was put to the test, as the Russian military has had a growing number of AK-12s into the field since 2015, where their performance under combat conditions that could be monitored. The AK-12 was not the best (from a technical point of view) candidate for Ratnik. The A545 was a more modern and efficient design, but the AK-12 proved more rugged and Russian troops are not big fans of radical change when it comes to basic stuff like rifles. The AK-12 is the second attempt since the end of the Cold War (in 1991) to develop a worthy successor to the AK-47. Earlier efforts had not been entirely successful. Part of the problem was that there was not a pressing need for a new AK in Russia. For example, in 2011, Russia stopped buying new AK-74 rifles. Since they already have ten million AK assault rifles (most of them older AK-47 and AKM models) in stock and only a million troops on active duty (and about as many in reserve units) buying more assault rifles was deemed wasteful. This did not stop the purchase of special small arms for commandos and other specialist combat units. The new policy did not stop work on the new AK-12. This weapon was originally based on the 5.45mm AK-74, which replaced the 7.62mm AK-47/AKM series as the standard infantry weapon towards the end of the Cold War. The AK-74 entered service in the 1970s and twenty years later a replacement was developed, the AN-94. This rifle used the 5.45mm round first seen in the AK-74 but was able to use larger (45-round and 60-round) magazines. The AN-94 also had burst fire (of two rounds, while Western rifles tend to use three rounds). The AN-94 was supposed to replace all AK-74s in Russian service but due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and sharp cuts in the defense budget, this did not happen. There were also concerns about the mechanical complexity and reliability of the AN-94. That's apparently why the AK-12 was not based on the AN-94. One AN-94 feature that was adopted for the AK-12 was a 60 round magazine. Meanwhile, an improved AK-74M was introduced in 1991, and is still in service. This is a 3.4 kg (7.5 pound), 94.3 cm (37.1 inch) weapon with a 41.5 cm (16.3 inch) barrel. It has rails for sights and such and can use a 30 or 45 round magazine. Rate of fire is 650 RPM on full auto, and max effective range was 600 meters. The AK-74 looked like an AK-47 and used the same technology. Some five million AK-74s were built, most before the Cold War ended in 1991. North Korea manufactures a copy of the AK-74 called the Type 98. The AK-74M was the basis for the AK-12, and the two weapons are very similar, with the new rifle having more flexibility and capacity for accessories. Meanwhile, several additional AK-74 variants have been developed and put on the market. The AK-101 fires the 5.56mm NATO round and has a 30-round clip. The AK-103 fires the 7.62x39mm round used in the original AK-47, for those who have concerns about the ability of the 5.45mm round to stop enemy troops. The AK-102, 104, and 105 are compact rifles designed for the export market and are available in 5.56mm NATO, 7.62x39mm, and 5.45x39mm calibers. All have 30-round magazines. This proliferation of models is meant to handle niche markets, which manufacturers of cheap AK-47s are not interested in. The AK-12 will be another something special, in this case a new assault rifle for Russian 21st century infantry. Russia, Turkey and the Assad government see the continuing Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets in Syria as a matter between Israel and Iran. The obsession with destroying Israel is seen as an Iranian weakness. Although Russia, Turkey and Iraq are technically allies with Iran in Syria the historical record shows Iran is usually the enemy of these three nations and that has been the case for centuries, long before Israel came along in 1948. One thing everyone can agree on is the need to get rid of the remaining Islamic terrorist rebel groups in Syria. Most of these are currently surrounded in the northwest Syrian province of Idlib. There are some ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) groups hiding out in eastern Syria but these are seen as much less of a threat than the tens of thousands of Islamic terrorists in Idlib. Everyone in the area would like to see the Iranians go back to Iran and stay there. The few hundred Iranian troops and over 50,000 Iranian mercenaries in Syria are seen as a constant source of trouble. Iran realizes that their allies in Syria have, and will probably continue, to collaborate with Israel if an opportunity presents itself. Yet Iranian leaders fail to see the absurdity of this situation and despite widespread popular protest against the Syrian operations, Iran continues to operate like its forces in Syria are on the verge of destroying Israel. Sorting Out Syria The presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey met on September 7th in Iran to decide what their common strategy would be in Syria, At that point, Syrian troops had already assembled in the northwest and Syrian troops had carried out some preliminary attacks. Russian aerial reconnaissance confirmed what the Syrian troops saw from the ground; the rebels were preparing to resist and a lot more of the pro-rebel civilians in Idlib were being armed or were building fortifications. Iranian officers agreed with the Syrians that victory via a quick offensive was not going to work, even with maximum Russian air support (including cruise missiles launched from ships and aircraft). Idlib would have to be taken the hard way, with numerous small battles to take individual villages and towns. That would keep Syrian/Iranian casualties down, which was essential since there were not enough Syrian experienced troops for a lot of these battles being fought at the same time. The results of the September 7th discussions were that the attack would go forward but in coordination with the Turks who faced a very real refugee problem as the only place the rebels and their civilian supporters could flee to was Turkey. Russia said it would deal with American threats to intervene (if Syria used chemical weapons again). The Russians were not going to fight the Americans. Not just because the Americans appeared to be a formidable threat but also because the Israelis might get involved and Russia does not want to destroy its ties with Israel over this. Meanwhile, Russian warplanes have been hitting targets in Idlib with increasing frequency. In effect the offensive has already been underway for more than a month, but as a slow roll rather than a major assault. Discussions continue on how Russia, Iran and Turkey will operate in Syria once the civil war is officially over. That will happen even before Idlib is back under Syrian government control. Because there are over 50,000 armed rebels in Idlib and fewer than 100,000 Syrian troops and Iranian mercenaries available for Idlib operations. Morale is not high among the attackers, especially the Syrian troops. Syria is negotiating peace deals with Kurds (who control the northeast), Druze (who occupy much of the Israeli-Jordan border) and Sunni groups (tribal leaders and local leaders who have not been hostile). Syria wants to attract a lot of foreign aid for reconstruction but that is complicated by Iranian plans to establish a permanent military presence and continue threatening Israel. Several members of the Assad clan are facing war crimes charges and Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan want to send back several million Sunni Arab refugees (which the Assads do not want). The war will not end quickly or in a tidy fashion. Russia and the U.S. are still arguing over the chemical weapons issue in Syria. The UN agrees with the Americans that Syria has used chemical weapons against rebels and Syrians admit that they are ready to use chlorine gas against rebels. Russia still insists that the rebels are preparing to use chemical weapons despite available evidence indicating that the Syrian forces are more likely to use chemical weapons. The Americans threaten swift retribution if Syria uses chemical weapons again. 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 earlier this year 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 are 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. Russia is pushing back, so far verbally not with actions. Smoldering Sinai While most of the mass media cover the clashes on the Gaza-Israeli border, less attention is paid to what is going on in the rest of the Sinai Peninsula. There Egypt has persuaded most of the Bedouin tribes to work with the security forces to curb ISIL activity. As is usually the case ISIL arrogance and brutal tactics turned the Bedouin from neutrals (and sometime allies) into implacable enemies. Over a hundred Bedouin have been killed by ISIL since 2016 and that has had an impact. This has gone from Bedouin sharing information about ISIL activities to quietly accepting weapons, vehicles and cash to assist in patrolling the Sinai. The Bedouin never pass up free weapons but working part-time for the security forces is OK as long as it increases security for their own tribe. For a long time, the security forces were reluctant to supply the Bedouin with weapons, because of the risk they would eventually be turned against Egyptian forces. That is still a risk but right now ISIL is a much larger danger to everyone. As bad as the ISIL situation is in Sinai (mainly northern Sinai) what is going on in Gaza is worse. Hamas has managed to drive away most of its financial supporters. Fatah has cut off the $30 million a month it supplied for civil servants. This was the latest cut because of Hamas unwillingness get serious about merging the Hamas and Fatah to restore unified Palestinian government. The United States was equally exasperated (for somewhat different reasons) and cut off the $60 million a month it had long supplied via the UNRWA refugee aid program. Hamas support for (or tolerance of) Islamic terrorist groups in Egypt has led to a complete blockade of Gaza (from the Egyptian and Israeli side.) Food, medicine and similar essentials are allowed in but little else, especially anything that could be weaponized. The Gaza GDP was already shrinking when the border fence attacks began. GDP fell six percent in the first three months of the year and that rate has more than doubled since then. In Gaza, unemployment is over 50 percent and worse for the young men, which is why you see so many of them at the Hamas organized security fence attack efforts every Friday. Hamas is again trying to organize attacks on other days of the week. The fire balloon attacks are also taking place several times a week but if Israeli aerial surveillance spots a preparation or launching site they hit it with an artillery or airstrike. October 1, 2018: For the second time Iran has fired Zulfiqar ballistic missiles from Western Iran at ISIL targets in Syria. This time three missiles were fired and the press release noted that each had a name; Death to Israel. Death to America and Death to the Saud Family. The point of these names was to remind everyone that from western Iran Zulfiqar missiles can hit American bases in Syria (most of which are near the Iraqi border). These missiles can also hit the Saudi capital, although Iran has been trying, without success, to do that since 2016 by firing over a hundred ballistic missiles (with varying ranges) from Yemen into Saudi Arabia. All have been intercepted by Patriot air defense systems. If Iran could operate Zulfiqar from Iraq (dubious considering the current anti-Iran riots) the missiles could reach Israel and be intercepted by Israeli Patriot systems (plus several other air defense systems). The Iranian press release did not mention the failure or interception rates of Zulfiqar and similar Iranian ballistic missiles. In June 2017 Iran fired six of its new Zulfiqar ballistic missiles at ISIL targets in Syria (Palmyra and Deir Ezzor). Only two of the missiles hit anything of value but some of them traveled about 620 kilometers. Four apparently landed in western Iraq. Iran denied these Israeli claims about accuracy and Israel dismissed the denials as more Iranian posturing. This public disagreement went on for a week and the Israelis did not back down with their claims that the Iranian missiles performed poorly. For a nation constantly threatened with attack by Iranian ballistic missiles the Israeli observation of the Zulfiqar performance is yet another embarrassment for Iran. The Iranian media described (and published pictures) of the Zulfiqar ballistic missile. This appeared to be another version of the Fateh-110 which is a 3.5 ton, solid fuel ballistic missile with a range of 250 kilometers and a half ton warhead. Iran first revealed Fateh-110 in 2002. These missiles were also manufactured in Syria (as the M-600). The Iranian version appeared to be based on the Chinese DF-11, which entered service in 1979 and continues to be used by China and was exported to Pakistan. The DF-11 (also known as the M11) is a single stage solid fuel missile that weighs 4.2 tons has a range of 300 kilometers, and carries a .8 ton warhead. By 2011 there were reports of a DF-11A which used a smaller warhead and larger solid fuel to achieve a range of over 700 kilometers. Several years later an update of the DF-11A entered service with a more accurate and reliable guidance system. This is a missile quite similar to the Zulfiqar, which Iran announced in 2016. So far no Zulfiqars have been sent to Syria or Lebanon. In 2013 Iran was found to be airlifting more Fateh-110s to Syria, apparently meant for Hezbollah. These longer range missiles, that can reach all of Israels major cities, are a primary target for Israeli forces in any future war with Hezbollah and some were destroyed by during at least one of the recent Israeli air strikes in Syria. The 2017 Iranian ballistic missile attack was in response to a recent attack in the Iranian capital by six ISIL men armed with firearms and explosive vests. The attack went after two targets; the parliament (in central Tehran) and a shrine to religious leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (who established the current religious dictatorship) south of Tehran. All six attackers were killed but not before seven other people died and 43 wounded. It was soon discovered five of the dead ISIL men were Iranians who police knew or suspected had left the country to join ISIL. The five apparently returned to set up an ISIL branch in Iran and ISIL boasts that this is the first attack of many in Iran. In the south (Gaza) the UN ordered nine of its eleven foreign UNRWA (UN Palestinian refugee aid agency) employees out of Gaza because of death threats from their Palestinian subordinates. The Palestinian UNRWA workers are losing their jobs because the United States has stopped supplying most of the money for UNRWA operations. The Americans had always been the largest donor to UNRWA but is no longer willing to subsidize decades of self-destructive, and often violently anti-American Palestinian behavior. September 28, 2018: In the south (Gaza) the weekly (since March) Hamas effort to use thousands of civilians to force their way through the border fence failed once more, leaving seven Gazans dead and over 400 injured. This week Hamas had gathered crowds (totaling about 20,000 people ) at five different locations plus several boats full of demonstrators to attempted to reach Israeli territory by sea. Hamas members in the crowds were armed with firebombs, grenades and bombs to be placed on the fence to create an opening. In southern Gaza two small Israeli UAVs crashed. Gaza is under heavy surveillance to determine where weapons (like grenades, firebombs and other explosives for the Friday attacks are stored) as well as sites for launching the fire balloon attacks. These sites are attacked late Fridays once their purpose has been confirmed. There were airstrikes for this late today. With more numerous fence attacks some of the Gazans get through. Their problem then is that there is nowhere to go. The border area on the Israeli side is largely uninhabited desert. The areas near the coast that are inhabited contain a lot of Israeli civilians who are armed and will call the security forces while also being able to defend themselves in the meantime. Gazans who get through are either rounded up or return to Gaza after realizing that the only other option is to get arrested by the Israelis. The fence attacks today were more violent than any in the past and involved the use of over a hundred explosive devices. Many of these were duds and now Israel engineers have to find and dispose of all the duds. September 27, 2018: Israel released photos of an Iranian missile assembly and upgrade facility in Lebanon (next to the Beirut airport). This facility will be used to upgrade (with a GPS guidance system) a lot of the long-range Iranian rockets Hezbollah already have. Israel also revealed photos of the Iranian capital where the hardware for the Iranian nuclear weapons program (including 15 kg of nuclear material) had been stored. Israel accused Western, especially European, nations of deliberately ignoring information like this even when it was obtained by their own intel agencies rather than via public Israeli revelations. In the West Bank, Israeli police raided a house and found several M16 rifles, ammo and other military equipment. A Palestinian man was arrested. In Iran, government controlled media reported that Russia refused to defend Iranian facilities in Syria being attacked by Israel. Russia has asked for Israel to not attack Iranian targets close to Russian bases. That wont work either because if Iran tries to use proximity to a Russian base as a sanctuary Israel will attack the Iranians anyway and warn the Russians to keep Iranians away from Russian bases. September 24, 2018: Russia announced that it would begin upgrading Syrian air defenses with up to four S-300 SAM batteries. First deliveries will arrive by mid-October. In addition, Russia said it would try to jam electronics of aircraft making attacks in Syria. In other words, Russia is threatening to stop Israeli air operations in Syria. Unless Israel could get around this jamming electronically (possible, but difficult) the usual response is to destroy the jamming equipment. In most cases, the jammers will be operated by Russians and that would be a problem for Israel and disastrous for the Russians, who are trying to hide the fact that a lot of their military equipment is not as effective as the Russians claim it is. This is all about the recent loss of a Russian four engine Il-20 maritime patrol aircraft off the coast to Syrian S-200 SAMs. This sort of friendly fire is not supposed to happen, at least if your IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) equipment works. Something failed and it was apparently Russian and Russia does not want to dwell on that with existing or potential customers. One of those potential customers, Saudi Arabia, is not happy about the Syrians getting S-300 systems, because the S-300 surveillance radars have sufficient range (over 300 kilometers) to monitor air traffic in much of Saudi Arabia. Israel has repeatedly made it clear that it will not stop attacking Iranian targets in Syria. This sort of threat is usually the Russian way of saying (to Israel); we have to talk about how Israel is going to help get Russia out of this mess. September 22, 2018: In southwest Iran (Khuzestan province) four gunmen fired on a parade killing 25, including at least eight IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) personnel. There were even more wounded. Local Arab separatists (al Ahwaz National Resistance, a coalition of several groups) took credit as did ISIL. Over the next three days, more than 20 people were arrested and Iran blamed Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States and threatened to take revenge by attacking American forces in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. responded by reminding Iran that it has only itself to blame and most Iranians would agree. Since 2003 the Iranian Arabs in Khuzestan have been increasingly vocal, and often violent, about the harsh rule of the Iranian Shia. Iran is acutely aware of how unruly its own Arab minority (a few percent of the population) can be. There are a growing number of terrorist incidents inside Iran traced to Iranian Arabs. Most Iranian oil is pumped from the ancestral lands of these Arabs, who are bitter about how they receive little from all that oil income. The three million Arabs in Khuzestan province (formerly Arabistan) are Shia and have been ruled by non-Arab Iranians for centuries. Arab unrest here has grown since 2003 when the Sunni dictatorship was overthrown in Iraq and the Shia majority won elections to take power. Iranian Arabs noted that the Iraqi Shia were now getting most of the Iraqi oil income, unlike just across the border in Khuzestan. Since 2003 hundreds of Iranian Arabs have been arrested for separatist activities. Many are still in prison and over 30 have been executed. September 18, 2018: Israeli airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria since July have killed about 120 Iranians and Iranian mercenaries. September 17, 2018: An Israeli airstrike in eastern Syria (Latakia) destroyed a large warehouse used to store Iranian weapons as well as a nearby facility for assembling large rockets and ballistic missiles. During the airstrike Syrian SAMs (surface to air missiles) hit a Russian Il-20 maritime patrol aircraft, killing the crew of 15. Russia automatically blamed Israel but soon even Russian news commentators pointed out that the fault lies with Syrian and Russian procedures for preventing this sort of thing. Russia promptly said it would deliver S-300 SAM systems to Syria and Israel pointed out it could destroy them. Syria currently has older S-200 SAMs but uses them in a careless and reckless fashion, apparently frustrated at being unable to hit anything. Israel also published high-resolution satellite photos of the Syrian presidential palace compound in Damascus. These photos were recently taken by the new Israeli made Ofek 11 spy satellite, which was put into orbit by an Israeli rocket. In Egypt (Sinai) ISIL took credit (via an online announcement) for recently killing three local civilians who were cooperating with the security forces. In the last few months, there has been a lot less ISIL activity in Sinai. September 15, 2018: An Israeli airstrike in Syria (Damascus) not only destroyed a warehouse full of Iranian weapons. The airstrike also destroyed a B747 freighter aircraft belonging to Saha Airlines, an operation owned by the IRGC. This aircraft had recently landed at the airport and not yet been unloaded. The IRGC operates several freighter aircraft, most of them B747s using several Iranian airlines. Apparently, Israel is seeking to destroy the aircraft. September 10, 2018: In Egypt (Sinai) soldiers found ISIL had taken over an abandoned vehicle service station and turned it into a base. The ISIL gunmen resisted and all were killed during the subsequent battle. The location was found to contain supplies ISIL had stockpiled for future attacks. September 4, 2018: Israel revealed that since 2017 they had carried out more than 200 attacks (usually from the air) against Iranian forces in Syria. Many of these attacks were not made public by anyone, especially those against convoys or troop positions in the countryside. Israel released this data to emphasize that it will fight to prevent Iran from establishing a Syrian version of Hezbollah. The Israelis believe that Iran is using thousands of its foreign mercenaries (mainly Afghans but also Iraqis and other Arabs. September 3, 2018: In the West Bank a Palestinian man was shot dead as he attempted to attack soldiers (at a checkpoint) with a knife. These attacks began in 2015 but were largely unsuccessful and have been rare this year. Before the last one was in July against Israeli civilians in the West Bank. One Israeli civilian and the attacker were killed. September 1, 2018: In eastern Syria (Homs province) an Iranian military convoy was hit by an airstrike. This killed four Syrians, one Iranian and three foreign mercenaries. At least eleven people were wounded. The airstrike may have occurred because the convoy was too close to the American special operations base of Tanf, on the Syrian side of the Iraqi border near the Jordan border. The American forces there reported they had been fired on by unknown forces but there was no damage and they did not return fire. So it remains a mystery whose warplanes did the deed. The Americans have some support from Sunni tribes in Syria and Iraq and that is mainly to keep informed on what is going on in the area around Tanf. Iran has assisted (with its mercenaries) Assad forces in trying to eliminate the Tanf base but these efforts have failed. The Americans have too much airpower and too much aerial and ground surveillance around Tanf. The U.S. has declared a free fire zone that means any Assad/Iranian forces getting within 30 kilometers of Tanf are automatically attacked. Iranian and Assad forces rarely test this free-fire zone. They know it works. While no one took credit for the airstrike it is now believed to be Israeli, but the Israelis often try to hide their involvement. August 31, 2018: In Egypt (the Nile Delta) police raided a suspected Islamic terrorist hideout and were met with gunfire from a man in the house. The gunman was killed and identified as one of the Islamic terrorists police were seeking in the area. TICKERS: DNI; DMNKF Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (10/1/18) With graphite an in-demand metal for lithium-ion batteries and other uses, Dan Weir, executive chairman of DNI Metals, in conversation with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable, discusses the supply and demand situation for graphite, his company's recent settlement with Cougar Metals, and DNI's production plans. Maurice Jackson: Joining us for a conversation is Dan Weir, the executive chairman of DNI Metals, which has established itself to become one of the world's leading graphite producers. We have some important topics to address today for current and prospective shareholders regarding Cougar Metals and production. Before we discuss that, what is graphite, where is it used, what are the global supply and demand fundamentals, and what is the unique value proposition that DNI Metals presents to the market? Dan Weir: Thanks for asking that question, Maurice. It is good to provide an update on our view of the graphite situation around the world. I consistently talk to a lot of people in the industry. And here's our view. Now, our view is going to be very different than many other graphite projects in the world. But I like to inform people about what's going on in the world, specifically in the graphite space, because everybody starts jumping up and down and talking about batteries and excitement and everything else. That is very important in the graphite space. But I want to explain some other fundamentals that are happening out here in the market. I would like to provide a brief history lesson about DNI, and what our game plan is going forward in the graphite space and why we think we can be one of the leaders in the world in the graphite space. In 2015, we came in and took over DNI Metals. It was basically a shell; it had a very large polymetallic deposit in Alberta. The capex on that was $3.9 billion. It didn't make a lot of sense. The previous management knew that it couldn't raise the money to do anything, and we came in and took over DNI. DNI has been around since about 1954 and has been public for many of those years. I'm very lucky now to be the CEO and chairman of the company. The reason why we came in to DNI was to refocus the company specifically on graphite. Our group, which includes some of our directors and other people who we work, with have done a lot of work in the graphite space, built graphite mines in both Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka. One of our directors operated mines in Sri Lanka and Canada as well. We know and understand the graphite space. We knew that in order to take advantage of the graphite space, in order to be a producer and be profitable in the graphite space, you had to go look for deposits that are in this weathered-type material called saprolite and laterite. You find it in climates that are hot and have lots of rainfall. We first went to Brazil and searched for the right deposit. We tried to buy a couple deposits there. We realized Brazil is a very difficult place to do business; it's extremely bureaucratic. What was exciting about Brazil was that it is the second largest producer of graphite in the world behind China. I'm going to come back to China in a minute. DNI decided to go from Brazil and look to other places that had that same saprolitic type of material. Certain parts of Madagascar had been producing graphite for over 100 years, and I want to emphasize that the area in which we are, 50 kilometers from the port, is an area that's fairly close to the ocean. There is a ridge that runs along the east coast of Madagascar; it's like a mountain range close to an ocean. So, think of Vancouver where the winds coming off the ocean, they climb up a plateau, or up a mountain, and they dropped a lot of rainfall in a certain area. That's what we have in Madagascar. In and around us there is a company called Ambatovy. It is owned by Sherritt International Corp., a nickel producer in Canada; Sumitomo Corporation, a very large Japanese firm; and the Korea Resources Corp. (KORES). It spent $8 billion in our area developing a nickel, cobalt deposit in these laterites, or this weathered type material. The advantage of this weathered material is you can go in with an excavator, dig it up and process it. DNI's costs will be significantly lower as compared to hard rock deposits that you find in China, and specifically Canada, Germany, Sweden, other places in the world that would have these hard-rock type deposits. It is critical that investors understand specifically why we've gone to Madagascar. We know that the costs for production are lower than what we would have found throughout the world. And this is precisely why we've strategically identified Madagascar for our operations. We all know graphite is in pencils. We all know that graphite is a great lubricant. We put it on our bicycle chains. However, what most people don't understand is that 50% of the world's graphite is used in the steel-making industry (not batteries). It has a very high heat tolerance and you can line all the crucibles, or all the molds, to produce steel. The other area that is growing is the lithium ion battery area. Up to 30% of a lithium ion battery is made up graphite. So, by comparison, everybody starts talking about nickel, cobalt and lithium, only 2% of a lithium ion battery is actually lithium. So, you can see here that one of the largest components of a lithium ion battery is graphite. Audi has come out here recently talking about new electric cars. In fact, I saw a commercial on TV last night, it has got a new four wheel drive SUV that's being launched. Porsche's doing the same thing, Volvo's talking by 2019 or 2020 that it will be all electric. GM has multiple models coming out. The world is becoming more and more interested, let's say, or there's a bigger demand for electric vehicles in the world. A lot of that revolves around the battery and demand for the battery. To put it in perspective, in the larger size Tesla, there can be 100 to 200 kilograms of graphite. We know that's where the growth demand is in the world. I mentioned that China is a big producer of graphite; it produces 60% to 70% of the world's graphite. The demand in China is growing exponentially. It will produce a majority of the lithium-ion batteries going forward in the world. It is throwing billions of dollars at research, not only in batteries, but also electric cars. China is the leader in the world right now in electric cars, and I can't see that changing anytime soon. Graphite, when it's mined out of the ground, has to be upgraded and processed. There's a four-step process. It includes refining it, or purifying the material. Then shaping the material or curling it into a ball. Another term used for that is spherization. The next thing that they do is they code it. A lot of the coding technology is done in Japan. So, comes out of the ground. We sell it to somebody who is going to do some of the upgrading. There are not many groups in the world that do all of those four steps: purification, micronization, spherization and coding. It tends to be different companies or different countries doing different things to the graphite before it actually goes into a lithium-ion battery. I want to emphasize this, currently in the world, over 99% or even maybe even close to 100% of the spherization or shaping of the graphite is done in China. So, here's our view. A lot of the Chinese graphite is going to go to the lithium-ion battery. I've been to Korea; I've met with different groups in Korea, in different places in the world. There are groups in Korea that want to do some of the spherization as well. Japan and Korea currently do over 50% of the coding. So, they'll buy the spherized graphite, they'll do the coding themselves. They want to do some of the spherization. But again, China still is doing the majority of that. Our research indicates that most of the graphite produced in China will be used in the lithium-ion battery. Why is that significant? Why is that a huge opportunity for DNI? If most of the graphite now is then going to the lithium-ion battery, the Chinese graphite, where traditionally it was sold to the different steel companies around the world, that leaves a deficit that the steel companies now start scrambling trying to get material from other places. DNI Metals could in fact try to compete with China and try and get deals and sell all of our material, grind it all up, this large-flake, high-quality material that we will produce, and sell it to the battery industry. But that wouldn't be in the best interest of revenue and shareholders. Why? It's because the material that's sold to go into the battery industry is probably sold for $500 to maybe $750 a ton depending on the purity of it. And in the best interest of our shareholders would rather sell material for $1,200, $1,300, or even the large flake, which we could sell up as much as $1,800 a ton to other industries. Whether it's lubricants, whether it's the steel-making industry, whether it's different areas making foils that need the large flake graphite. You can see here where DNI Metals is so excited about the battery industry, because we know the Chinese materials are going into the batteries, and it opens up a big void that DNI Metals can fill, and we can sell material at much higher prices, mostly because our quality of our material is, I believe, far superior than the Chinese, and we can fill that void at much higher prices. So, yes, we are very excited about the battery industry. But I want current and prospective shareholders to understand that that's not our focus. DNI's focus is to sell material at much higher prices to other industries around the world. Maurice Jackson: I want to add on to that if you would. So, you're selling the material, talk to us about offtake agreements. And for someone who's not familiar with that, what is an offtake agreement? Dan Weir: Okay, so let's look at the graphite industry because there's a lot of misnomers regarding graphite. If you're a gold producer, zinc, copper, nickel, there are exchanges that you can sell that material into. You've got the LME, the London Metals Exchange, or into China, different places. There are quoted prices on that material every single day. You can sell into that. Everybody, every day looks at what the gold price is. It's right around $1,200. I think yesterday it was up $1, $1,204 or so. Everybody looks at that and they know that the gold producers can sell any day into that market and get that price. Graphite is not sold that way. Industrial minerals are not sold that way. The whole key to selling graphite is being able to have customers and sell to those customers. It takes some time to get those customers. They will want a one-kilogram sample, they'll want a one-ton sample. And then they likely want a 20-ton sample, which is a 20-foot container full of graphite so that they can do the testing on their machines to fit your material. So, good and bad, that can take some time to get those customers. But once you have those customers, they tend to be long-life customers. They're going to modify their machinery to fit your material, and if you continue to supply that material on a consistent basis, then they will buy it from you. Also very, very critical to understand, that there are hundreds of different types of material that we will sell. It's sold by flake size, and the purity of the material, but then they also look at things like the ash content. They'll look at what other sorts of other impurities are in your material. And that can change. We've seen it on our Vohitsara property where one zone can be quite a bit different than another zone. We've seen the same thing over on the Marofody property where the materials can be the same in certain zones, and it can be quite a bit different within certain zones, or within certain veins that we find these in. So, it's very important to understand, I have been to Brazil. I've been to the largest processing plant in the world, which produces about 40,000 tons a year, and it has about nine small mines that it pulls material in from and then mixes and matches depending on what the customer wants. It's very, very important to understand that. That graphite isn't all about just getting an offtake, as you said, and I'll explain what an offtake is here in a minute, and selling the product. Because you have hundreds of different products, and that product has got to be qualified by the end user. So, back to what an offtake is. You will have many groups or companies around the world looking for material. They want specific material. If you can supply that specific material to them, they'll say, "Okay, we're going to give you an offtake agreement. We'll buy X amount of tons per year from you if you can supply that material. It's basically like a long-term contract if you want to think of it that way. That's what everybody's looking for. Investors want to see that you have offtake and that you have customers as you're putting the money into building plants and moving forward. So, we understand that, we have been working very hard at different offtakes over time. And you will see we have signed a few customer agreements. I think, over time, you'll see a lot of offtakes come out of us as well. But again, I emphasize it takes time, and it takes a lot of work, and you need material to be able to supply to those customers in order to do that. Hence the reason why we're building this pilot plant so that we know that we can supply the material, whether it's 20 tons, 40 tons, hundreds of tons for testing and get these long-term contracts. It's very important to be able to do that. At the same time, you're selling the material to them and making a little bit of money as you're doing that. Maurice Jackson: All right, we've covered the graphite fundamentals. Let's get to company specifics. What can you share with us regarding the arbitration involving DNI Metals and Cougar Metals? Dan Weir: I have to be very careful what I say here. We have signed confidentiality agreements that we won't talk about each other's companies, that we won't go out and do postings, again, about the arbitration or anything else. I can talk about what has been publicly released. Any information that I give here will be information that you can find in press releases either from DNI or what Cougar has press released. So, let's start a little bit on what we did with Cougar and the settlement with Cougar so that we can move on. I think most of our investors know that we signed an agreement in March of 2017 with Cougar Metals out of Australia, which is publicly listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, where Cougar had the ability to earn into one of our properties, the Vohitsara graphite deposit in Madagascar. There were certain criteria that Cougar had to meet to earn into that. Part of that was completing a drilling contract, completing a resource study and a PEA. We at DNI provided Cougar with extensions to do so. The timeframes weren't met. So, what we did is we put them in default of the contract. Cougar argued that and over the last, call it nine and a half, ten months we have been working towards going to an arbitration hearing where the arbitrator would hear each other's side of the story and make a decision on that, and award either to DNI or to Cougar the outcome of that arbitration. That hearing, and again, this is public, was to take place the week of September 24th through the 28th. After that the arbitrator would make a decision. We don't know how long that decision would have taken. It could have taken weeks. But in all likelihood, it was going to take multiple months in order to get a decision out of the arbitrator. DNI, within that arbitration, we looked at all the good, the bad, what advantages DNI had to complete the arbitration, or was it better to settle this arbitration and just move forward with our business. Myself, being on the board, and the Board of Directors took all of that information that we could get from our lawyers, and we had an expert team of lawyers that gave us advice on all of this. We were able to negotiate with Cougar a settlement. The terms we put in the press release that we announced on Sept. 24. The terms are set up that it's paid over about two and a half years. We plan to have the pilot plant up and running, hopefully very, very soon. It's not going to hinder DNI so that we can hopefully pay a lot of that out of the cash flow. Again, that's all in the premise that the pilot plant is up and running and going forward. I'm keeping my lawyers happy by throwing that in there as we go forward. So, our plan is to get the pilot plan up and running. There is no other hindrances on the project, and we can move forward. The last thing that we've always talked about are the permits. We are working on the environmental permits. The environmental permits should be completed very quickly here now, and we'll be moving forward getting into production and moving forward with the project. By agreeing on a settlement we have taken the uncertainty out of our stock. Shareholders do not like uncertainty in a stock. We've taken that uncertainty out of the stock and we've done it in a way that we believe won't hinder the operations of DNI. Maurice Jackson: All right. Well, Dan, let me ask you a couple more questions here. You've addressed production and the environmental permit. In the meantime, what will DNI be working on? Dan Weir: There are a number of announcements that we plan to make over the next little while. I know I'm being a bit of a politician and not directly answering your question. There are many things happening within the company. I think everybody's going to be happy as we move forward with this company. I'm extremely excited. I have told everybody many, many times, I am going to get this into production. I believe that it's one of the best graphite deposits in the world. Last week, I had one of our investment bankers with us in Madagascar. We also brought one of our directors, Keith Minty, a mining engineer; he's operated mines in Canada and Sri Lanka. We had our process engineer, the man who has designed the pilot plant. He came with us as well. He was very excited about the project. He's blown away that we're 50 kilometers to a port, that we have some of the roads that are put into the property. The material as he said, and I think I can quote them on this, at surface, he saw where we took the bulk samples that it looks fantastic seeing these large flakes at surface and everything else. He doesn't see any issues with us moving forward and getting this done. As I've said before, this plant is engineered, it's designed. We have quotes out of China to build all of the machinery. We're ready to go. Once we receive our permits, we're set, we're ready to go and we're very excited to move this thing forward. Especially, for me. I love being there, I love working with the local people. Actually, there's another point here I want to make is that we were on the property, we met with the local people, our investment bankers saw all of them, the local presidents, I met with them, shook their hands. They're eager to get going and seeing development happen on this property as well. Everybody kept saying that we have all these issues with locals. We did not have any resistance when we're out there on the project. People are happy and they want to see this developed. They're looking for jobs, and they want to move forward. Maurice Jackson: You referenced engineering there, Keith Minty, for those that are not familiar with the name. That is a name that you want to follow as one of the serially successful members in the natural resource space. Wherever Keith goes, you're bound to find success. So, shout out there to Mr. Keith Minty. Dan, what keeps you up at night that we don't know about? Dan Weir: Capital markets are always the toughest thing when you're running a junior mining company. I worked for some of the best brokerage firms as a stockbrokers for almost 13 years in Canada. I managed an institutional equity sales desk. For companies, the toughest thing is making sure you have the right amount of capital, and getting that capital as you move forward. One of the reasons why we picked Madagascar is for its low capex, because we can get this pilot plant running, and once we do, we can start making some cash flow from that pilot plant. Remember, the main purpose of the pilot plant is to provide samples and sell samples to potential customers, but at the same time, we're going to be selling that material and selling it at a profit. So, that is key in what we're doing. But you've got to make sure that the capital that you're raising is low enough that it makes it so that you can be profitable as you're moving forward. Some of the biggest problems you see, especially in the graphite area, is that guys try and make these massive projects, 50,000, 70,000 tons a year, that they want to start at. You're not going to get the customers as you do that. You've got to grow with the customer. If you can have a low capex, build your customer base, grow a lot of your business, partially from cash flow, maybe from capital infusions, from offtake people, or other groups, you have a winning strategy to make this go forward. Again, it's always the biggest concern is, what are the markets doing? Do people care about graphite? Can you raise the money? That's always the toughest part in any of this. I think the way we have moved this forward and our strategy moving forward and the people that we have in place to make this all happen, I think we have a winning combination, and have an opportunity here to not only get into production, but be a leader potentially in the future, in the graphite space. Maurice Jackson: Last question, what did I forget to ask? Dan Weir: I'm not sure. Maurice, you've been to the property, you've met the people that we're working with at the property. You've met our mining engineer, Keith Minty, as you said. I think you've checked a lot of the boxes. You've been there again, firsthand and seeing how amazing this is. You've felt that graphite in your hand. You have seen how important it is to have this saprolitic-type deposit, and how much cheaper the production can be from the saprolite versus the hard-rock deposits that you find in North America. So, you know what, I don't think there's much else that you can ask at this point in time. Maurice Jackson: I've actually been there twice, Dan, if you don't recall. But I also have the graphite from the first site visit. Everything that you've shared regarding DNI Metals, we are proud shareholders and we look forward to growing with the company. Dan, if investors want to get more information about DNI Metals, please share the contact details. Dan Weir: Yes, you can always get a hold of me. Email is probably the best at [email protected], or can get ahold of me on my cell phone at 416-720-0754. Maurice Jackson: DNI Metals trades on the CSE, symbol DNI. And on the OTC, symbol DMNKF. DNI Metals is a sponsor of Proven and Probable and that we are proud shareholders of DNI Metals for their virtues conveyed in today's message. Last but not least, please visit our website www.provenandprobable.com where we interview the most respected names in the natural resource space. You may reach us at [email protected]. Dan Weir of DNI Metals, thank you for joining us today on Proven and Probable. Dan Weir: Thank you Maurice. And last but not least, please visit our website www.provenandprobable.com where we interview the most respected names in the natural resource space. You may reach us at [email protected]. Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Dan Weir: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: DNI Metals. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: DNI Metals. 2) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: DNI Metals. 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You understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this forum at your own risk. *Quick hit: Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, who is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, is the latest Democrat in the state to get the endorsement of former President Barack Obama. The contest is in the states 13th Congressional District, which stretches from Bloomington and Champaign on the northeast, to Jerseyville on the west, and Edwardsville and parts of Collinsville on the south. In August, Obama endorsed Democratic challengers in the 6th, 12th and 14th districts as well as governor candidate J.B. Pritzker and attorney general candidate Kwame Raoul. (Rick Pearson) Click the image above to watch the video In the weather forecast today we are expecting rain to clear in the morning and the weather to become fine. Also westerlies dying out. Its a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 19 and an overnight low of 8 degrees. Humidity is 88 per cent. High tide is at 1pm and low tide at 7.10pm.(Tay Street times). Theres a swell of 0.1m and water temperature is 15 degrees. Sunset today is at 7.16pm. If youre going fishing, the best fish bite time is 6-8pm. In NZ history on this day in 1941 New Zealand Spitfire pilot Carlyle Everiss heroically sacrificed his life to save the Scottish village of Cowie from serious damage. In 1986 'Slice of Heaven' hit no.1. Written for the movie Footrot Flats: the dogs tale, based on an iconic New Zealand cartoon series, Dave Dobbyns hit single featured reggae band Herbs singing an unaccompanied cappella. It topped the charts for eight weeks. In world history on this day in 1909 Orville Wright set an altitude record, flying at 1,600 feet. In 1931 aerial circus star Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon, Jr. set off to complete the first nonstop flight across the Pacific Ocean from Misawa City, Japan. In 1950 the comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schultz, made its first appearance in newspapers. In 1964 scientists announced findings that smoking can cause cancer. In 2001 NATO backed US military strikes in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Today is the birthday of Annie Leibovitz, photographer whose subjects include John Lennon and the Rolling Stones. Born in 1949, she once said "I wish that all of nature's magnificence, the emotion of the land, the living energy of place could be photographed." To get involved in activities and events, please check out the What's on page on the SunLive website. Have a great day! Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of hammerhands for an immediate start.The successful... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Ever wondered how your drinking water is treated, or what happens to your wastewater after you flush the toilet or do the dishes? Tauranga City Council is opening the doors to the Oropi water treatment plant and Chapel Street wastewater treatment plant for a behind-the-scenes look at how your drinking water is treated, and the journey your wastewater takes once it reaches the plant. Tours will be held at each location from 9am to 2.15pm on Friday, 26 and Saturday, 27 October, and will take around one-and-a-quarter hours for each tour. Environment Committee Chair Steve Morris says the tours would provide a fascinating insight into highly technical processes. Water where it comes from, how we treat it and where it goes once were done with it is central to our lives, but often something we take for granted. These tours will help people learn about the journey our water takes to get to our taps, and where their wastewater goes every time they flush the toilet, put on a load of washing or have a shower. Participants need to be able to climb stairs, and deal with heights and some uneven surfaces. The tour is not suitable for prams, wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Anyone interested will also need to wear appropriate clothing and closed, flat shoes (no high heels or jandals) or risk not being allowed to join the tour. Children over the age of eight are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult, with no more than two children per adult. For health reasons, if you have had vomiting or diarrhea in the three days before the tour, you will be unable to attend the Oropi water treatment plant open day. For more information, and to reserve your place, visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/plant-opendays A nationwide strike is set to take place at fuel stations throughout the country later this month. The strike will mean no petrol station is entered on October 26. On the strikes Facebook event listing, organisers say the action is a way of taking a stand against the New Zealand petrol industry. These increases are affecting all of us, for some the impact is immediate for others longer term. The government and the big petrol companies both have the power to do something about this. This event is about standing united against these unjustified increases. More than 5000 have confirmed their participation in the strike, and a further 8000 have expressed interest. Many have suggested this is not enough, but it is a start and with more than 7000 interested it will make an impact. If you are able to, please also consider refraining from entering a petrol station all of the weekend. But definitely no petrol on the event date. Suggestions have also been to boycott certain petrol companies, this can be done following on from this event, in the meantime consider looking around and purchasing petrol only from the lowest priced station in your vicinity if able, this will also help. Thank-you for supporting this event, the power of people united, is stronger than the people in power Let's all take a stand together. In the countries that the first lady plans to visit, there's been little buzz about the trip, in part because details have been tightly held, except for some social-media muttering about Melania Trump coming to take selfies with children and animals. Animal conservationists also have been discussing the Kenya leg of the trip, especially since Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are avid game hunters. A photograph of Trump Jr. holding a knife and a dead elephant's tail after a hunt in Zimbabwe in 2011 went viral on social media. Hastings, N.Y. -- As another Super DIRT Week approaches in Oswego, Glenn Donnelly's long-planned Central New York Raceway Park down the road in Hastings remains an empty field. Donnelly, a dirt racing entrepreneur, said he needs $10 million to complete the park's dirt racing track and associated infrastructure such as an 8,000-seat grandstand. He said he hopes to cut a deal soon with a potential investor who would put up $5 million. If he's successful at doing that, he will attempt to reach an agreement with the state for a promised $5 million grant, he said. "We'll probably be able to satisfy everything they (state officials) have asked us to do, but it will probably be another month," he said. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in 2016 that the big dirt-car racing extravaganza known as Super DIRT Week would be held at Donnelly's proposed 150-acre raceway park for the next 10 years. The event needed a new home after its long-time home, the mile-long horse track at the State Fairgrounds in Geddes, was demolished as part of a $50 million renovation of the fairgrounds. But Donnelly's raceway wasn't even close to being ready for the 2016 edition of Super DIRT Week, which draws thousands of racing fans annually from throughout the Northeast. So World Racing Group, which runs the event, held it at the Oswego Speedway instead, and did so again last year when Donnelly's track still was not ready. This is a portion of a 150-acre field between Route 11 and Interstate 81 in Hastings where dirt racing entrepreneur Glenn Donnelly hopes to build Central New York Raceway Park. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com) And it will hold this year's event, NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week, in Oswego as well. It starts Wednesday and runs through Sunday. The event attracts up to 70,000 fans and more than 300 racers during its five days, generating an estimated $12 million for the local economy. Donnelly, who ran Super DIRT Week for more than 30 years before selling it to World Racing Group in 2004, began work in 2015 on his raceway in a 150-acre field between Route 11 and Interstate 81 near Central Square, 24 miles south of Oswego. The work involved pushing lots of dirt around to create retention ponds and the outlines of a 2.2-mile road course - a course he hopes will generate most of the park's revenues through rentals to car clubs. Donnelly said he has spent $10 million on the project. But he ran out of money to complete the raceway, which is to include a 5/8-mile synthetic-dirt track, grandstand seating for 8,000 people, a 56-bay garage, and a five-story command center with a 300-seat restaurant, VIP suites and a video production studio. Glenn Donnelly poses on the 150-acre site near Central Square where he is developing Central New York Raceway Park. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com, 2016) Used grandstands obtained from a Michigan track are being stored in pieces on the site but cannot be assembled until the dirt track is built. Donnelly blamed state government for the halt in construction. He said a $5 million grant promised by the Cuomo administration never materialized. "The check never came," he said. Donnelly will need additional financing to complete the road course, but he said his priority is to build the dirt track because that will get him the state grant and provide much of the infrastructure that will be needed for the road course. David Perritano, spokesman for the state Dormitory Authority, which is administering the grant, said Donnelly has yet to provide detailed information regarding how the state grant will be spent. In addition, Donnelly has not been able to meet the financial commitments he made several years ago, when the project began, including investing tens of millions of dollars in private funding, Perritano said. He said state funding was supposed to represent only 20 percent of the total project cost of $40 million. He said significant private investment was key to the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council recommending grant support for the project. "The conditions of the release of the...grant funds have not changed," he said. "Central New York Raceway Park must complete its project plans and obtain all necessary local approvals. To date this has not occurred." In addition to the $5 million grant, the racetrack has been awarded a $2.75 million state grant, $850,000 of which was disbursed for expenses related to the project before the work on the track stopped. Perritano said additional funds from the grant can be disbursed, but only if construction resumes and contractually obligated milestones are met. Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Central New York Raceway Park 34 Gallery: Central New York Raceway Park Contact Rick Moriarty anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148 Syracuse native and Syracuse University alumna Megyn Kelly is questioning the credibility of Julie Swetnick, the third woman accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. "...[T]he notion that *every* woman must be believed is absurd," Kelly wrote in a series of tweets Monday night. "Just ask the 3 Duke lax players who were falsely accused of rape by a woman who virtually all of the media believed but who made the whole thing up." The Hill reports the "Megyn Kelly Today" host focused a large portion of her show Monday on Swetnick, who claims she witnessed Kavanaugh in high school attempting to get teenage girls "inebriated and disoriented so they could then be 'gang raped' in a side room or bedroom by a 'train' of numerous boys." During a panel discussion, she brought up an OregonLive.com report that Swetnick was accused of lying about her education and work experience at a Portland tech company. "She faced her own accusations of misconduct at a Portland company years ago. That company claims she told them she graduated from Johns Hopkins but they learned the school had no record of her, she also falsely described her work experience," Kelly said during a panel discussion on her NBC show. "She engaged in unwelcome, sexually offensive misconduct herself. They said she made false and retaliatory allegations against her co-workers that they had been inappropriate with her. They said she took medical leave and simultaneously claimed unemployment benefits. At the same time in D.C., there was a restraining order filed against her by an ex-boyfriend." Kelly also called on Swetnick's attorney, Michael Avenatti, to provide more corroborating evidence for her claims. Avenatti told CNN last week that it's not his "obligation" to lay out "all the facts and all the evidence right now." Avenatti, who is also representing porn star Stormy Daniels, said Kelly should be ashamed of herself for attacking Swetnick based on a defamation lawsuit that was dismissed shortly after it was filed in 2000. . @megynkelly - I generally respect your work as a journalist but you should be ashamed of yourself for attacking my client, a sexual assault victim, without facts. And you base your attacks on bogus legal actions that were filed & almost immediately dismissed. You know better. Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) October 1, 2018 Kelly, a former attorney, defended her stance in a series of tweets Monday night. "Kavanaugh denies ur client's accusations saying he [didn't] even know her. Her credibility is fair game. That's why the AP, The Oregonian, & others are looking into it. The #MeToo mvmt doesn't shield accusers from tough Qs. Most women tell the truth, but not all do," Kelly wrote. A number of Twitter users criticized Kelly, who came forward with her own sexual harassment allegations against Roger Ailes when she worked at Fox News. Nonetheless, I bet it meant a lot to YOU to be believed when it was your turn to speak up against the power head who was assaulting you. Kim Simons (@Kimmeebabe) October 2, 2018 I knew I might not be. But my companys attnys examined the evidence, which in my case included contemporaneous journal entries (which I gave), consultation w/an attny, a report to a supervisor, stmts to friends, and a slew of other women w/highly credible allegations. https://t.co/EAyU2klMtp Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2018 Not every victim will have that kind of record, which is fine, but the notion that *every* woman must be believed is absurd. Just ask the 3 Duke lax players who were falsely accused of rape by a woman who virtually all of the media believed but who made the whole thing up. Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) October 2, 2018 Newsweek reports Kelly has repeatedly defended Kavanaugh and questioned two other accusers. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified last week that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a high school party in the '80s, and another woman, Deborah Ramirez, claims he exposed himself to her and made her touch his penis without consent at Yale University. "You cannot prove a sexual assault of Dr. Ford," Kelly said on Monday's show. "You can't, even she can't. She's got her testimonial, she has no corroborating witnesses, the people she named do not support her story. Those are the facts on Dr. Ford." The White House has given the FBI clearance to interview anyone it wants to by Friday in its investigation of sexual misconduct allegations against Kavanaugh, according to the Associated Press. President Donald Trump, who nominated Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, said at a news conference Monday that he wants the FBI to do a "comprehensive" investigation and is open to interviewing all three accusers. ARCADIA, N.Y. -- A high school student died late Monday after the car he was riding in flipped over in Wayne County, according to the New York State Police. Deven Jackson, 16, of Red Creek, was pronounced dead at the scene of a crash on Blue Cut Road in Arcadia, police said in a news release issued Tuesday. The accident was reported at 11:36 p.m. Monday, police said. Jeremy Taylor, 17, of Newark, was driving a car west on Blue Cut Road when the car went off the road, troopers said. The car hit a signpost and a telephone pole before flipping onto its roof, troopers said. Troopers are working to determine why Taylor veered off the road. Both teens were wearing seat belts, said Trooper Mark O'Donnell, a state police spokesman. Taylor was treated at Strong Memorial Hospital for minor injuries, troopers said. Jackson was a junior at Red Creek High School, the Red Creek Central School district said Tuesday in a statement. The district said school counselors are available to help students and staff. "Our school community is grieving," district officials said. "We extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Deven's family and friends." No charges have been filed. The investigation into the crash remains open. Heather Buchman will conduct three Symphoria concerts that celebrate the passing of the 19th Constitutional Amendment, which guarantees American women the right to vote. Almost a century of activism preceded the 1919 congressional approval and the 1920 ratification of the amendment. Buchman, recognized for her innovative programming, is director of the Hamilton College orchestra/chamber orchestra program and chair of the music department. She completed professional studies in conducting at the Juilliard School of Music. In performing music of award winning American women composers, Symphoria pays tribute to men and women advocates for suffrage, giving special recognition to the legacy of Central New York suffragists who shaped the movement. Selections include the work of Amy Beach, the first widely recognized American female composer; Joan Tower, whose "Made In America" opens the program, and youngest Pulitzer Prize for Music winner Caroline Shaw, whose innovative sting quartet, "Entr'acte" will be performed. Jennifer Higdon's "Concerto for Soprano Oboe/Saxophone" will feature Symphoria principal oboist Jillian Honn in the first of the three performances Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. in the Crouse College auditorium at Syracuse University. Honn, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, will repeat her performance Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Wells College. The Oct. 24 performance in SUNY Oswego's Waterman Theater will feature music faculty member Trevor Jorgensen as saxophone soloist on Higdon's concerto. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Seats are $20 with discounts for senior citizens; college students and those under 18 are free. Tickets for the Crouse College concert are available on the Symphoria website or by calling 315-299-5598. Tickets for the Wells College and SUNY Oswego performances are available through each campus ticket office. Marines Perez Santos is an unusual Maya weaver: He is male. As a child, Marines would help his mother prepare her backstrap loom for weaving by setting up the warp, or the set of threads placed lengthwise on the loom. One day, when he was around 10 years old, he asked his mother, master weaver Drusila Santos de Perez, to teach him. There, surrounded by his sisters, he began to learn. Weaving is traditionally considered women's work in Guatemala, so Marines is something of a peculiarity - at least publicly. "About 20 percent of men are closet weavers," he said in his thick Guatemalan accent. "They are ashamed to go public. I never have that problem, so I've been weaving since I was a little one." This piece, still in its loom, was made by Marines Perez Santos. Maya weavings from three generations of the Perez family are featured in the Schweinfurth Art Center's current fall exhibit, "Maya Textiles and Identity in Guatemala." Marines himself will be demonstrating his backstrap weaving skills at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018, at the art center, in Auburn. Exhibit curator Carol Ann Lorenz, a Colgate University professor, will give a guided tour at 2 p.m. that day. Making clothes Maya weaving was born out of the necessity to make clothing. Drusila's mother taught her the art that kept her family in clothing, and she passed it down to her four daughters and Marines. The family became known as some of the best weavers in their village, San Antonio Aguas Calientes, which was already considered to be turning out some of the best quality weavings in the country. Marines came to the United States in 1976 after a strong earthquake devastated many villages. He brought Maya clothing and sold it in this country, going back regularly to bring back more textiles. He traveled the country for years, giving lectures, demonstrating backstrap weaving, and teaching the skill to others at colleges and museums, before settling in Santa Fe, NM. That's how he met Carol Ann Lorenz, who curated the Schweinfurth's exhibit with textiles from her personal collection. Lorenz first met Marines when he visited Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and she continued to work with the Perez family while teaching at Colgate. A dying art Maya weaving is a dying art, Marines said. Because it takes about a month to weave enough material for a traditional blouse, or huipil, a weaver makes the equivalent of 5 cents an hour or less. "I don't know of any weaver who makes a living at weaving," he said, adding that it's cheaper to buy clothing at the Walmart in Guatemala City. "My sisters don't weave anymore." Marines said he is honored to have his family's work included in Lorenz's exhibit. "I'm proud of where I come from," he said. "I'm proud of my family. But it's not just my family that is being featured, but the whole community. I'm proud to come and promote my culture." If You Go... What: Demonstration of backstrap weaving and guided tour of "Maya Textiles and Identity in Guatemala" Who: Guatemalan native Marines Perez Santos and Colgate University Professor Carol Ann Lorenz When: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018 Where: Schweinfurth Art Center, 205 Genesee St., Auburn Cost: Free and open to the public Details: Demonstrations are at 1 and 3 p.m. Tour is at 2 p.m. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Dunkin' has fired the workers who dumped water on a homeless man and then posted a video of it. "Dunkin' has been a part of the Syracuse community for many years, and as the franchisees who own and operate the North Salina Street location, we were extremely disturbed by the behavior of our employees captured in the video. It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization--which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect," reads a statement issued by The Wolak Group, which owns the Dunkin' on North Salina Street in Syracuse. "The employees involved in the incident have been terminated, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologize for the negative experience," the statement continues. "We also intend to work with local advocates to make sure that our employees are better educated as to how to engage with homeless individuals and where to direct them in the community for appropriate assistance." That's when Jeremy Dufresne put his head down in the Dunkin' while charging his cell phone. He was planning to call his mother to tell her good night. Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said his office has been working all day to figure out how to deal with the people who dumped the water on Dufresne, then laughed at him and posted it to Facebook. They could be charged with harassment, which is the same as a speeding ticket. But Fitzpatrick said he sees a possible the opportunity to turn the incident into a learning experience for the workers and the community. His office has been talking to people at Dunkin', the city, the Syracuse police department and John Tumino of the homeless outreach "In My Father's Kitchen." But Fitzpatrick said they won't go forward until they speak with Dufresne about what he wants. "Let's not allow this to become the norm -- that's the way we treat homeless people," Fitzpatrick said. Marnie Eisenstadt is an enterprise reporter who writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246 Former Rep. Matthew F. McHugh, a Democrat, represented the Ithaca area in Congress from 1975 to 1993. Former Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, a Republican, represented the Utica area in Congress from 1983 to 2007. By Matthew F. McHugh and Sherwood Boehlert More than ever, we are seeing our nation's democratic norms and institutions faltering. Washington, D.C., once lauded as a beacon that the world looked to for leadership (and a place where things actually got done,) has seen its reputation eroded almost daily by chronic dysfunction. Politicians now routinely choose to put the desires of special interests before the voters that elected them, finding it easier to face the discontent of their constituents than the prospect of their wealthy backers cutting them off. At the same time, unaccountable "dark money" is flowing into elections at a staggering rate, resulting in a less transparent political system where voters have no idea who is trying to influence them. Perhaps even more troubling, foreign powers are actively interfering in our elections, spreading divisive propaganda and further eroding the public's faith in our democracy. It should come as no surprise that Americans, fed up with the status quo, are demanding change. We represented Congressional districts in Upstate New York for a collective 42 years, one a Republican and one a Democrat. Things were not perfect then, but by every measure conditions have gotten progressively worse. The very foundations of our democratic republic are now being tested. We, alongside many other former members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, are members of Issue One Action, a bipartisan group committed to restoring trust in government, including to political campaigns. As part of our Fix Politics Now campaign, we have been listening to community leaders and others in New York and around the country about how congressional dysfunction affects them, and how it might be fixed. There is no lack of reform proposals that deserve support. One example is the Honest Ads Act, a bipartisan bill gaining momentum in Congress. It would promote transparency and the integrity of elections by requiring disclosure of those paying for online political ads, similar to what is now required for radio and TV. Legislation like this would enable the public to readily identify who is trying to influence campaigns, including foreign actors and those spreading disinformation. Although the bill has bipartisan support, the congressional leadership has not even given it a hearing. This is not a partisan issue; it is an American issue. It is time for meaningful action. This year, voters must send to Congress representatives committed to real reform. Those elected can lend their support to reformers already in Congress. The Congressional Reformers Caucus, 30 current members evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, is championing reforms that put country before party. It is the first organization of its kind in Congress to focus solely on political reform measures. Members of the caucus, though they hold wildly different political views, have supported bills to overhaul the dysfunctional Federal Election Commission and address foreign money in our elections, as well as the Honest Ads Act. Congress needs more leaders like them -- willing to unite for the good of the country when our nation faces such enormous challenges. Whoever represents Central New York, if they are serious about being part of the movement to restore faith in our government, would do well to actively pursue membership in this groundbreaking caucus. If there is hope in times like these, it is that the public is more and more invigorated to take action for the changes they wish to see, and will not be silent. Those coming into Congress should take note: Once in office, they need to be part of meaningful change that results in solutions rather than getting caught in partisan politics. Their voters will demand nothing less. WASHINGTON -- The Upstate New York business hit hardest by Canadian limits on dairy imports fears a new North American trade deal will leave enough wiggle room for Canada to continue restricting the flow of U.S. dairy products. President Donald Trump on Monday touted the proposed agreement as "a very, very big deal for our farmers" because Canada is expected to open its $16 billion dairy market to an additional $560 million per year in U.S. exports. U.S. producers will be able to sell more milk powder, yogurt, buttermilk and ice cream to Canada, along with more poultry and eggs, under the deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, Trump said. While supportive of a new trade deal, the New York Farm Bureau and the chief executive of a Central New York milk processing plant are concerned Canada will still have the option to set up new price restrictions in the future. Cayuga Milk Ingredients, a $101 million processing plant that opened in 2014 in the Cayuga County town of Aurelius, used to sell ultra-filtered milk, a liquid concentrate, to Canadian cheese producers. Canada effectively stopped those imports in 2017 when it imposed new trade rules that priced U.S. exports out of the market, costing Cayuga Milk Ingredients about $30 million per year in lost sales. Kevin Ellis, CEO of Cayuga Milk Ingredients, said he reviewed the outline of the proposed trade deal Monday and was discouraged to find what appeared to be a loophole for Canada. The deal would eliminate Canada's Class 7 milk pricing system that made U.S. ultra-filtered milk uncompetitive. But the agreement would allow Canada to set up a new pricing formula tied to U.S. Department of Agriculture skim milk prices, minus a Canadian processor margin, Ellis said. "The advantage will still go to Canada in this scenario," Ellis said. "I don't have all the details yet, but it looks like they're just changing the name to keep the same restrictions." The New York Farm Bureau is also wary of possible loopholes in a deal that must still be approved by Congress. "That's always been a concern," said Lauren Williams, associate director of national affairs for the New York Farm Bureau. "Would Canada be able to create another class or pricing system that would be able to do similar things? We're waiting to see how the final system prices out." In the end, if the trade deal provides the promised U.S. access to 3.5 percent of the Canadian dairy market, it will have a small but welcome impact on New York's agriculture industry, Williams said. Both of New York's U.S. senators and U.S. Rep. John Katko were trying Tuesday to learn more details about the proposed replacement for NAFTA. The new deal, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, would go into full effect in 2020 if approved by Congress and the other nations. The trade pact could help boost the auto industry by eliminating tariffs on cars and trucks made with at least 75 percent of components from the United States, Canada or Mexico, rather than cheaper Asian parts. The deal also sets new environmental and labor regulations, which are expected to have the biggest impact on Mexico. U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., both worked to draw attention to the treatment of Cayuga Milk Ingredients and O-AT-KA, a dairy cooperative in Batavia that lost about $19 million a year in ultra-filtered milk sales to Canada. "Two areas where I particularly want to see the details are dairy, where our dairy farmers are being taken advantage of by Canada, and real enforcement of labor provisions," Schumer said Monday, withholding his endorsement of the deal. Gillibrand called the trade agreement "a step in the right direction" for dairy farmers in Upstate New York, but also said it's too early to decide whether she will support the agreement. Even if Canada's Class 7 restriction are lifted, it will likely have a small impact on the bottom line of one of Central New York's largest dairy farms. Bret Bossard, a partner in Fabius-based Barbland Dairy, said the business lost about 10 percent of its income this summer when the futures market reacted to the U.S.-Canada trade war. Bossard said the milk produced by the 4,500-acre farming operation's 1,900 cows is tied to the price of cheese on the Chicago Board of Trade. He said the prices have still not recovered. A new trade agreement could help stabilize those prices, he said. "Unless there are some loopholes, it's going to basically put us back where we were a year and a half ago," he said of the trade deal. "I'm cautiously optimistic." Barbland Dairy is among about 25 dairy farms that supply Cayuga Milk Ingredients. Ellis, the CEO of Cayuga Milk Ingredients, said he managed to keep 72 employees working without layoffs since the loss of sales to Canada. He said some of the lost revenue was made up for by new exports of ultra-filtered milk to China. The company expects $130 million in sales this year. Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 It is significant that Pritzker seeks office with a political resume strikingly similar to both Trump and Bruce Rauner. Like Trump and Rauner, he is an extraordinarily wealthy man with no prior political experience. Like Trump and Rauner, he wants to begin a political career by taking control of the executive branch. Like Trump, but not Rauner, he was born to this wealth, and grew up with all of the power and privileges that this wealth affords. Like Trump and Rauner, his background in business has been as the absolute owner, unaccountable to shareholders, without need to consider competing interests and without any obligation to take into consideration other points of view. Allentown, Pa. -- A 2-year-old boy was among those killed in a car explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania over the weekend. The explosion occurred Saturday. Jonathan Schmoyer, 2, his father Jacob Schmoyer, 26, and David Hallman, 66, all died in the blast, according to NBC News. Hallman and Schmoyer were friends. Authorities would not discuss a motive or say whether the explosion was accidental or how it occurred, NBC said. The car that exploded last night in Allentown was my family. My baby cousin and his father were in the car. Please pray... Posted by Jamie Rehrig on Sunday, September 30, 2018 Authorities previously said the "perpetrator" of the blast was probably killed in the incident, according to NBC. The explosion is being described as a "criminal incident," . Federal, state and local officials are investigating. Authorities have said the blast was an isolated incident. There is no ongoing threat to the public, ABC 6 said. "I can tell you that my brother was a wonderful father, son and brother," said Tina Schmoyer, Jacob Schmoyer's sister, . "Whenever you needed him, he would come. I could call him at any hours and he would answer and show up at my door." She described her brother as sweet and kindhearted and said he adored his son, according to the Morning Call. She also said Jacob would never do anything to harm his son. Perry Beller, a cousin of Hallman's, said the man had two brothers, a sister and a son, also named David, according to the Morning Call. Hallman was devoted to his dog Skippy and fond of tinkering with his car. Hallman and Jacob Schmoyer lived about two blocks from each other, near where the explosion happened, according to the Morning Call. Police are investigating to determine why and how they came together on the night of the blast. The explosion threw debris hundreds of yards and shattered windows, according to ABC 6. Witnesses described seeing body parts in the street after the blast, . Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-282-8598 PALU, Indonesia (AP) -- Desperation exploded into anger four days after an earthquake and tsunami decimated parts of the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi, leaving hungry residents grabbing food from damaged stores on Tuesday and begging the president for help. The confirmed toll exceeded 1,200 dead with hundreds severely injured and still more trapped in debris. Most of the attention of rescuers so far has focused on the biggest affected city, Palu, which has 380,000 people and suffered considerable damage. Other hard-hit areas have been largely cut off due to impassable roads and downed power and phone lines after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Friday and generated a tsunami said to have been as high as 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) in places. "We feel like we are stepchildren here because all the help is going to Palu," said Mohamad Taufik, 38, from the area of Donggala, who said five of his relatives are still missing. "There are many young children here who are hungry and sick, but there is no milk or medicine." The death toll for all affected areas reached 1,234, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in Jakarta. More people remain trapped in Sigi and Balaroa, meaning the toll is likely to rise. "With all the logistical aid coming in, the service to the refugees is better," Nugroho said. "We still need more time to take care of all the problems." He said 153 bodies were buried Monday in a mass grave and the operation continued Tuesday. A special aircraft carrying 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of fuel had arrived and trucks with food were on the way with police escorts to guard against looters. Nugroho said many gas stations were inoperable either because of quake damage or from people stealing fuel. In Donggala, the frustration of waiting for days without help boiled over for some. "Pay attention to Donggala, Mr. Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala," yelled one resident in a video broadcast on local television, referring to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and the lack of aid reaching his town. "There are still a lot of unattended villages here." The town's administrative head, Kasman Lassa, all but gave residents permission to take food -- but nothing else -- from shops. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said on local TV. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer." Desperation was visible in Palu as well. Signs propped along roads read "We Need Food" and "We Need Support," while children begged for cash in the streets and long lines of cars snarled traffic as people waited for gas. Teams were searching for trapped survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel in the city, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Nearly 62,000 people have been displaced from their homes, Nugroho said. Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently. "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding her house was destroyed. In Palu's Petobo neighborhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy mud that resulted in massive damage. "In Petobo, it is estimated that there are still hundreds of victims buried in mud," Nugroho said. Residents who found loved ones -- alive and dead -- over the weekend there also expressed disgust that it took rescue teams until Monday to reach the area. President Jokowi authorized the acceptance of international help, Nugroho said Monday, adding that generators, heavy equipment and tents were among the most-needed items. The European Union and about 10 countries have offered assistance, including the United States and China, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Tuesday that his government has given $360,000 to help victims and is in talks with Indonesian authorities about a second round of aid. The initial funds are to go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Nugroho said only two of the 122 foreigners in the area remained unaccounted for -- one from South Korea and the other from Belgium. The coastline at Palu was strewn with rubble and a few brightly colored cargo containers poking out of the water. Buildings near the water were ruined shells. The arches of a large yellow bridge rested in the water and eerie drone video showed a Ferris wheel, untouched, on a beach scraped bare by the waves. In Petobo, Edi Setiawan said he and his neighbors rescued children and adults, including a pregnant woman. His sister and father, however, did not survive. "My sister was found embracing her father," he said. "My mother was able to survive after struggling against the mud and being rescued by villagers." Indonesia is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August, and two moderate quakes near an eastern island on Tuesday reportedly damaged a bridge. The vast archipelago is home to 260 million people on more than 17,000 islands that stretch a distance similar to that between New York and London. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions. The Danish nonwovens manufacturer Fibertex Nonwovens is increasing its production capacity in Brazil by 20 per cent in view of growing demand for special-purpose products for the automotive and other industries. In February 2018, Fibertex Nonwovens, owned by Danish industrial conglomerate Schouw & Co, had taken over Brazilian nonwovens manufacturer Duci.In February 2018, Fibertex Nonwovens, which is owned by Danish industrial conglomerate Schouw & Co, paid about DKK 100 million to acquire Brazilian nonwovens manufacturer Duci. Now, only six months later, sales to a number of South American customers have risen to a level that has made Fibertex Nonwovens expand its production capacity:The process of taking over the factory in Brazil has far exceeded our expectations. Our South American customers have given us a really warm welcome, and were already facing an urgent lack of capacity, said Fibertex Nonwovens CEO Jrgen Bech Madsen, and he continued: We've been planning to expand capacity since acquiring Duci, but the need has arisen faster than we anticipated, and we will begin to upgrade the existing production line immediately. We know from previous experience in expanding our other factory sites that an upgrade can increase our output capacity by 20 per cent. In addition, we will accelerate planning for other expansion projects.Estimated at close to DKK 15 million, the investment is expected to be fully implemented by the summer of 2019. Madsen explains that Fibertex Nonwovens has already sold the extra capacity to the growing Brazilian market, which at almost 125,000 tonnes per year is the worlds sixth-largest and accounts for more than half of the entire South American market.Fibertex Nonwovens applies the spunlacing technology at its facilities in Brazil and is one of only two companies in South America capable of manufacturing this type of product. A relatively new production method, spunlacing uses high-pressure jets of water to needlepunch nonwoven textiles. Fibertex Nonwovens already has several years of experience in using this technology, and this is one of the reasons the company is able to base a major upgrade on its own prior experience.Weve accumulated our nonwovens experience over quite a number of years, but there is a big difference between the simple high-volume products, such as geotextiles, and the special-purpose products used for filtration, acoustic solutions, interior and exterior applications in cars and other purposes, special wipes or products for the shoe-making industry. We are a global leader in special-purpose products, and obviously, work is well under way to apply our knowledge and production methods at our new facility in Brazil. They give us some unique market advantages, Madsen said. In fact, demand for special-purpose products is growing faster than any other part of the industry, and not just in the Brazilian market. Several other South American markets, including Argentina, are reporting strong growth in industrial production, so Fibertex Nonwovens investment in Brazil has proven to be very well timed.Historically, the nonwovens market has grown at three times the rate of our GDP, and there is still a huge potential. The average Brazilian consumer spends only about one third of what an American or European consumer does, and this is where nonwovens play an important role, explains Carlos Benatto, CEO of Fibertex Nonwovens Brazilian subsidiary.That growth rate applies not least to Brazils large automotive industry in which virtually all American, European and Japanese carmakers play an active part. Fibertex Nonwovens is a market leader when it comes to supplying nonwovens to the auto industry. The average European car contains about 30 square metres of special-purpose nonwovens, including everything from headliners, seats and parcel trays to exterior applications used in wheel housings, motor insulation or underbody parts, and the investment in Brazil gives Fibertex Nonwovens a unique platform from which to serve existing and new automotive customers.Fibertex Nonwovens is the leading global partner in technical and innovative performance-based materials and nonwovens solutions. Fibertex Nonwovens offer more than high-performance materials to customers in more than 70 countries. They also offer strong partnerships that include access to in-depth industry knowledge and a best-in-class technological platform. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India A hot potato: Allowing customs officials to search digital devices remains a controversial issue, one that often raises privacy vs. security debates. In New Zealand, border agents have been given new powers that let them force travelers to hand over their passwords. Failure to comply can result in a fine of NZ$5,000 (around US$3,300). Changes in New Zealands Customs and Excise Act 2018 (PDF), which went into effect yesterday, now mean that in addition to searching a persons phone, laptop, or another electronic device, border agents can "require a user of the instrument to provide access information and other information or assistance that is reasonable and necessary to allow a person to access the instrument." Border officials still do need reasonable suspicion that they will find something on a device before performing a digital strip search and demanding any passwords, codes, or encryption keys. Customs officers may also copy anything stored on the device, or confiscate it to perform forensic searches. As is the case in the US, examining data stored locally is allowed, but anything found solely on the cloud is off limitsincluding social media accounts. The device must also be returned to the owner undamaged once the searches have been completed, assuming nothing incriminating was found. Any copies of the information must also be deleted. Last month, it was reported that a Muslim woman is suing border officials after her iPhone was taken by agents and had its data copied. Rejhane Lazoja was asked to unlock the handset but wouldnt. Since there was no stated reason for me to unlock my iPhone, I refused," she said. Although choosing to livestream video games for a living doesn't necessarily carry the same risks as being a police officer or firefighter, that doesn't mean it can't be dangerous. As we've seen time and time again, the internet can be a ruthless place at times; that was made evident in December when 25-year-old Tyler Bariss allegedly "swatted" a fellow Call of Duty player. Bariss reportedly called the police and claimed said player had killed his father and was about to kill the rest of his family. Unfortunately, the address -- which was in Wichita, Kansas -- given to Tyler was not his opponent's, but an innocent civilian's. When the SWAT team arrived at the individual's home, one team member shot and killed 28-year-old Andy Finch, who was merely opening the door after allegedly hearing noises outside. Though Bariss has since been arrested and charged with manslaughter, police in Seattle are looking for a more future-proof solution. In a blog post published recently, the city's Chief of Police, Carmen Best, announced that her department has launched a "registry" that allows prominent gamers to list themselves as potential swatting targets. In theory, this would allow officers responding to a hoax call to tailor their response appropriately. Instead of going in under the assumption that a streamer is actually a domestic terrorist, they might be a bit more skeptical and practice restraint. This is certainly great news for Seattle-based streamers, gamers, and other internet personalities, but only time will tell how well the new registry will work in practice. Apache Spark has been lauded for its versatility and strengths as a distributed computing framework. Its attractive, in part, because it can deliver analytics, do data processing, and handle machine learning workloads. Thats great, especially since Hadoop distributions and the public cloud include Apache Spark. It means organizations dont have to buy anything new. What businesses using Apache Spark do need, however, is the talent to leverage Apache Spark. And those skills can be very hard to find. But in the upcoming webinar Apache Spark: The New Enterprise Backbone for ETL, Batch and Real-time Streaming, industry experts will discuss how to address that gap. Theyll also offer details on cloud-based and on-premises scenarios using Apache Spark. The cloud discussion will address IoT use cases with event time, late arrival, and watermarks. It will also include conversation about Python-based predictive analytics running on Spark. And it will offer information regarding visual interactive development of Apache Spark Structured Streaming pipelines. Advanced monitoring of Spark pipelines will be part of the on-premises discussion. So will a discussion about data quality and ETL with Apache Spark using pre-built operators. The industry experts presenting this information will include Anand Venugopal, associate vice president and business head for StreamAnalytix, and Punit Shah, solution architect for StreamAnalytix. In a recent blog, Shah wrote that top use cases of Apache Spark in the enterprise today include ETL (at 39 percent), real-time processing (at 38 percent), ingest (at 29 percent), other (at 27 percent), and machine learning (at 23 percent). He added that Enterprise grade tools like StreamAnalytix offer a visual integrated development environment for Apache Spark, and serve all streaming and batch data processing and analytics needs. The webinar noted above will take place Oct. 17 at 10am PT/ 1pm ET. To register, visit this link. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission If I would have voted, I would have voted on Trump, West said. That dont mean that I dont think that black lives matter. That dont mean I dont believe in womens rights. I wanted to say that before the election, but they told me, Whatever you do, dont say that out loud. Not only did I not vote, but there were a lot of things I actually liked about Trumps campaign. His approach was ... genius because it worked. Efforts to block the movement to create a new city of St. George ramped up Monday night as leaders of the opposition hosted a town hall meeting to disseminate what they call more fact-based analyses of how the proposed city would negatively impact East Baton Rouge Parish and the city of Baton Rouge. Taking some credit for helping stop the effort from moving forward more than two years ago, the leader behind Better Together/Residents Against the Breakaway said the organization is prepared to take the same measures that were successful last time, which included making withdrawal forms available to anyone who wants to remove their name from the petition seeking to place the St. George breakaway on the ballot. "The main difference this time, of course, is the time clock. We're in a hurry up and wait phase," M.E. Cormier said in an interview after the meeting. "We're in the last 60 days of the outstanding petition and we wanted to do everything we possibly can to disseminate as much information to the public as possible." The opponents of the St. George drive spoke about how much property taxes would increase if the proposed city becomes a reality. " it would 100 percent result in a tax increase for both sides of this imaginary line a significant tax increase," Cormier said. She told the crowd of a few dozen people that residents within the proposed St. George city limits would also face major cuts to public services like police and fire protection, the proposed city would displace 3,800 students from their current schools and create immediate school capacity issues in portions of the southeast part of the parish. Monday meeting was the first public gathering the opposition has hosted since the resurgence of the effort to create the proposed city in the parish's southeast region. Outside the Jones Creek Branch Library where the meeting was being held, St. George proponents were waving signs in their effort to draw more signatures on their petition to create the new city. Those proponents declined to talk to The Advocate, instead saying only the official spokesman should be quoted. Andrew Murell, an attorney and spokesman for the St. George proponents, could not be reached late Monday night for comment. Cormier's group came out hard in 2015 against the St. George campaign, which fell 71 signatures short of the number necessary to place the issue before voters. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up St. George organizers said in June they had collected more than 10,000 signatures on the new petition, of about 13,000 needed. Monday night, Cormier projected that more than 12,500 signatures have been collected. The petition needs valid signatures from 25 percent of the registered voters within St. George's proposed boundary. East Baton Rouge Parish Registrar of Voters Steve Raborn said previously the number needed will be determined when the petition drive concludes Nov. 27. The area that would be the city of St. George had 51,804 active registered voters when the petition drive began. This time around, Cormier's group is collaborating with the new One Baton Rouge nonprofit, spearheaded by political consultant Michael Beychok, who helped run parish Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome's mayoral campaign. This summer, the St. George creation effort released a proposed budget saying the city would spend $34 million a year and have a surplus of $24 million, based on annual tax revenue of $58 million. Those figures were disputed by two LSU professors who said in July the organizers overestimated revenues and underestimated expenses, which would result in a deficit for the proposed city. They claimed St. George would receive only $45.8 million a year in revenue from taxes and spend around $51 million annually on expenditures associated with the daily operations of the new city. +9 How would St. George split from Baton Rouge? Campaigns ramp up on both sides Targeted ads are popping up on Instagram feeds. Yard signs are spicing up lawns. Accountants and academics are volleying reports back and forth. Cormier stressed the only way the projected deficit could be elevated is through increased taxes for those living in the imaginary lines of St. George. As they did last time, Cormier's group is circulating withdrawal forms and using social media to get their arguments heard. The St. George proponents "are paying canvassers to go out and collect signatures," she said. "The amount of money they're spending is significant." The opposition has spent money as well. One Baton Rouge paid $17,500 for the study from the LSU professors. According to previous reports that money came from private donors. An elementary school in Denham Springs ascended to earn the nation's top school honor, the National Blue Ribbon, on Monday, despite a crippling flood that damaged its school campus and the homes of 85 percent of its families. "We still improved, but we knew we were fighting," said Lewis Vincent Elementary School Principal Lynette Wheat. Lewis Vincent Elementary is one of six Louisiana schools, and 349 in the country, to win the prestigious honor this year. Honors for "exemplary, high performing schools" are given for closing achievement gaps or for high performance. "These six schools should be incredibly proud of what they have accomplished," State Superintendent John White said in a statement. Lewis Vincent Elementary in Livingston Parish, Vacherie Elementary in St. James Parish and Montegut Elementary in Terrebonne Parish were recognized Monday for how they closed achievement gaps for economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities. Lusher Charter School in Orleans Parish, Caddo Magnet High in Caddo Parish and T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School in Calcasieu Parish were honored for their top performance. Schools are nominated by the state based on their test scores; applications are submitted to the U.S. Department of Education for consideration. An award ceremony will be held Nov. 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C., to honor each of the recipients. +2 Two Baton Rouge magnet schools earn National Blue Ribbon school award Two Baton Rouge magnet schools on Thursday were named Blue Ribbon schools of excellence, the nations top school honor. Sydni Dunn, a spokeswoman for the Louisiana Department of Education, said Lewis Vincent's performance score climbed 13.1 points since the 2014-2015 school year. The school was in the top 15 percent statewide for shrinking the gap between the performance in English and math between the general student population and economically disadvantaged students, English learners and students with disabilities, Dunn said. Lewis Vincent is just the second school in Livingston Parish to win the prize since it was instituted in 1982. French Settlement Elementary School won in 2009. After the August 2016 flood, classes were canceled for 21 days while the building was refurbished, and kids squeezed together to make room for Southside Elementary School students who are still flooded out of their school building. Despite that, the school kept improving its test scores and the school community grew closer, literally. When Wheat walked into a classroom of kindergartners Monday afternoon, multiple students ran up to give her a hug. One pulled her aside to show off a gap in her mouth where she just lost a tooth. Still another wanted to know if her brother left for a doctor's appointment that day. "We really started doing a lot of that after the flood. The teachers needed that hug, the students needed that hug, just to get through our days together," Wheat said. "I've always been a hugger, and I think it's just kind of carried over." Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Wheat attributes the school's recent success to a few new initiatives targeted at individual student learning and a student-centered approach to decision-making. The approximately 400-student school began a couple years ago with an "Intervention Program," Wheat said. For 45 minutes each day, classes break into groups of three to five students based on performance. Under-performing students meet with a teacher, while on-level students meet with a tutor or paraprofessional and above-grade-level students work in self-guided groups or with a tutor for individualized lessons. In a kindergarten class Monday afternoon, one small group worked with a teacher on spelling words like "dog," while another group did a lesson on a laptop to learn words like "dinosaur." Still a third group practiced reading a short picture book. "We've been saying, especially in the upper grades, we would get students that were not on grade level, but they would be tested on grade level," Wheat said. "So, we had to figure out, how can we get these kids on grade level? At what point in the day could we really stop and start meeting their needs?" She has also started programs to motivate kids to participate in school and stay out of trouble. One of those initiatives is the "Principal's 200 Club," a bingo-type contest that awards kids who act in exceptional ways. On a hallway near the school entrance, there is a poster with 200 squares aligned in a 10-by-20 grid. When students ask a smart question in class, help a peer or participate in other ways, teachers can award students with a randomly numbered square on the board. When a row fills up with students, all those kids earn a prize, such as an ice cream party or a pizza lunch with the principal. "This is a little motivator to keep them going throughout the year," Wheat said. The news of the Blue Ribbon awards were celebrated by the honored school systems around the state. In St. James Parish, Superintendent Ed Cancienne gave credit to Vacherie Elementarys award to principal Julie Waguespack for the recognition. Julie is a very unusual leader in the sense that shes a very good principal but also uncommon in how she leads every child, every teacher and every parent, Cancienne said. Her motto is We can do more. In Orleans Parish, Lusher Charter School CEO Kathy Riedlinger celebrated the school's second win. In 1988, it became one of the first New Orleans schools to be recognized, according to a statement from the school. The K-12 school serves approximately 1,800 students with science, technology, engineering and math courses, art and opportunities for free, early-college credit at Tulane University, according to the school. "We are so proud and honored to be recognized again as a National Blue Ribbon School, Riedlinger said in a statement. Our amazing students, staff and teachers truly deserve this prestigious honor and consistently help us remain a top performing school. It is wonderful to be recognized for all of our hard work and dedication! U.S. exports of natural gas more than doubled in the first half of 2018, driven largely by Louisiana's Sabine Pass liquefied natural gas facility, as the country continued to be a net exporter of LNG. From January through June, the U.S. exported an average of 0.87 billion cubic feet per day, more than double the average daily net exports during all of 2017, according to a new report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. January was the only month of the year the U.S. imported more natural gas than it exported, the EIA said, largely because prolonged low temperatures caused record demand for gas domestically. The Sabine Pass LNG terminal, an $18 billion project from Cheniere Energy, was responsible for most of the growth in exports. Total LNG export capacity reached 3.6 billion cubic feet per day in March, and Sabine Pass has an export capacity of 2.8 billion cubic feet per day, including its recently-completed fourth unit. China's new retaliatory tariffs on liquefied natural gas, chemicals hit home for Louisiana China said Tuesday it will impose 10 percent duties on a host of U.S. products, including liquefied natural gas, threatening a booming Louisia Cove Point LNG in Maryland, which has a capacity of 0.8 billion cubic feet per day, delivered its first cargo in March, and four more LNG facilities are under construction and plan to enter service by the end of 2019. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up By the end of next year, LNG export capacity in the U.S. will reach 9.6 billion cubic feet per day, the EIA said. In 2016, Cheniere made its first shipment of LNG from the Sabine Pass terminal, setting the stage for the U.S. to become a net exporter of natural gas in 2017, the first time that had happened in nearly 60 years. Another wave of LNG mega-projects are on the horizon, with several eyeing final investment decisions next year. The EIA predicts net natural gas exports are expected to continue to rise through the end of 2018 as additional LNG export comes online and natural gas infrastructure in Mexico is placed into service. Overall, exports are expected to average 2.0 billion cubic feet per day this year and 5.8 billion cubic feet per day in 2019. Prompted by reports of voter registration scams in other states, Louisiana's chief elections officer is warning residents to be wary of callers seeking personal information under the guise of registration assistance. Kyle Ardoin, interim secretary of state, said in a news release Tuesday that his office so far has received no reports of the impostor calls in Louisiana but reports have surfaced in other states as the mid-term elections approach. Louisiana residents cannot register to vote or request an absentee ballot by phone. Both registration and ballot request can be done online, in person or by mail. Voter registration by a third party is legal in Louisiana; however, in light of this potential scam, I am encouraging those who want to register to vote to do so online or to contact their parish registrar of voters, Ardoin said. As we work daily to combat election related threats, it is more important than ever for residents to use trusted sources such as the Secretary of States Office and the Registrars of Voters Offices. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Oct. 9 is the deadline to register by mail or in person in time for the Nov. 6 election. Louisiana, other states, to Russia's desire to monitor election: 'We don't want to see you' Louisiana is one of three states apparently targeted by the Russian government as it sought to send poll monitors to voting precincts in the U Louisiana residents can register online through Oct. 16 at www.GeauxVote.com. In-person registration locations include parish Registrars of Voters Offices, Offices of Motor Vehicles, public assistance agencies, public libraries and Armed Forces recruitment offices. A printable form that can be sent by mail is available online. Ten states began charging sales taxes on Internet purchases Monday, but Louisiana wasn't one of them because leaders are still working on efforts to modernize its collecting system. The Sales Tax Streamlining and Modernization Commission met Monday to continue discussions about how Louisiana will move forward after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling this summer paved the way for states to impose sales taxes on online purchases from out-of-state retailers. "It's probably in Louisiana's best interest that we be streamlined if not for (the Wayfair ruling) but also for the reason of just being an easier state to do business in," said state Rep. Julie Stokes, the Kenner Republican who chairs the commission. If all goes according to plan, Louisiana taxpayers could be charged sales taxes on online purchases by Jan. 1, 2019. The new system is being created through the Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers, under the Department of Revenue, at the Legislature's direction. The high court's June 23 South Dakota v. Wayfair ruling overturned a two-decade ban on taxing Internet purchases from sellers in other states. +2 Charging internet sales tax in Louisiana might be much more complicated than you think... Louisiana is setting itself up for a massive lawsuit if the state, as planned, starts charging sales taxes on internet purchases Jan. 1 and do Louisiana had already been working to build up a foundation for Internet sales tax collections in anticipation of the ruling, but hurdles have remained. Louisiana has a decentralized system where the state collects its sales taxes at 4.45 percent and local governments charge and collect their own at levels that vary by jurisdiction. Most states, including South Dakota where the Wayfair case began, have a single entity to collect both. Centralized collection among the features cited by the Supreme Court as a positive feature that impacted its ruling. Why La. is moving in right direction despite high sales tax rate, convoluted system First, the good news for consumers in Louisiana: Since July 1, youve been paying slightly lower sales taxes than you had been for the past tw "The court .. said 'Here are some features we really like about South Dakota's law,'" said Joseph Bishop-Henchman of the Tax Foundation, a D.C-based tax policy think tank. Louisiana isn't part of a "streamline" compact to which South Dakota and several other states belong. The Louisiana Sales and Use Tax Commission for Remote Sellers has been reviewing software programs that other states use to give vendors a way to calculate state and local sales taxes and weighing the idea of developing a program in-house, Assistant Revenue Secretary Luke Morris said. "The Wayfair checklist is a concern, but use of the software seems to alleviate a lot of it," Morris said. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Louisiana already meets most of the other specifications. Retailers with a physical presence in Louisiana, including Walmart and Home Depot, already charge sales taxes on internet purchases. Some out-of-state retailers, including Wayfair and Amazon, recently have begun voluntarily charging local sales taxes. Uncertainty over the Supreme Court ruling and whether Louisiana would begin to benefit from revenue collections on online purchases nearly upended a special legislative session that was called to address a looming "fiscal cliff" the state faced. Some Republican lawmakers speculated that the state could immediately begin collections, which could have addressed the state's budget needs. But the Tax Foundation's analysis determined that Louisiana and Colorado would have the most hurdles to overcome before they could begin collections due to the states' "duplicative, outdated, inconsistent and inefficient" sales tax collection mechanism. Bishop-Henchman said Colorado is also working to conform to the court ruling's checklist and expects to have its online sales tax collecting system operational by July 2020. The state streamlining commission is discussing ways to make the sales tax system, which is currently operated on a parish-by-parish collection representing some 370 jurisdictions, more uniform across-the-board, Stokes said. After three special sessions, the Legislature agreed to set the sales tax rate at 4.45 percent. It had been 5 percent for the past two years and would have dropped to 4 percent on July 1 had the Legislature not approved the continued hike. Stokes said that while legislators fought over what sales tax rate would help shore up the state's finances, many didn't notice that the state had effectively created some reform within the sales tax code by suspending many of the sales tax exemptions. "It's nice to see that at least now we have all of the pennies behaving in the same way, generally speaking," she said. But Stokes said she worries without more being done to address structural issues through evaluating exemptions and rates, that the state's reputation of having a complicated tax code is costing business opportunities. "That's ultimately one of the biggest factors that can drive jobs here, and really change the trajectory of our state," she said. It was the summer of 1992, a couple of weeks before the beginning of school. I was looking forward to my new baby being born and thinking about completing high school. I had aspirations of going to college or just getting a job to be able to support my baby to come. Detectives surrounded my grandma's home in Avondale, saying they wanted to ask me some questions regarding a murder. On August 18, 1992, my dad and I drove to the authorities to find out what was going on. After going from a person only being questioned, I was arrested and charged with 1st degree murder, along with my two cousins. My baby girl was born the very next day. A single eyewitness said we had killed a drug dealer. This lone witness was an admitted crack user with a long and extensive criminal record. The jury consisted of nine whites and three blacks. At one point at our trial, the jurors deadlocked at nine to three along racial lines. They requested to see the witnesss original statements, but the judge denied the request. Had the jury seen the witness's original statement, it would have confirmed that he told the police he didnt know who had committed the murder. Eventually, one African American juror went along with voting to convict us. Two of the jurors held out; they were African American. Those two jurors were right We were actually innocent. I spent 15 years in prison for a crime I didnt commit. With the assistance of Innocence Project New Orleans, we were exonerated. 'It's time': Louisiana House backs letting voters decide on controversial jury verdict law For the first time since its birth in the Jim Crow era, a Louisiana law that allows juries to return non-unanimous verdicts in felony trials w In any other state, we wouldnt have been wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Louisiana is one of only two states that allow people to be convicted of felonies with non-unanimous jury votes. After the Civil War, when the 14th Amendment mandated that black men be allowed to serve on juries, Louisiana took action to maintain our second-class status. In 1898, the state changed its constitution so that a less than unanimous vote by a jury could convict a defendant of a felony. The purpose was to make sure that black jurors could be outvoted by a majority of white jurors. The official statements made at the 1898 Constitutional Convention stated that the intention was to "perpetuate the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon race in Louisiana." On November 6, Louisiana will have a chance to overturn this expressly racist jury rule. A proposal on the ballot asks voters if they want to end the states split-jury statute and the unfair practice of convicting people of a felony without the unanimous consent of a jury. Formerly incarcerated people are at the heart of the campaign to reject Louisianas outlier jury rule. We are knocking on doors. We are calling voters. We are registering new voters who have felt previously locked out and ignored by the system. We hope people across the country stand with us against this injustice. +4 How this La. law deprives, discriminates and drives incarceration: Tilting the scales Matthew Allen was 20 when he stared across a courtroom in Houma at the 12 men and women who would decide whether he would spend the rest of hi After 120 years of the non-unanimous jury rule, we have all the evidence we need to show that it worked as intended to perpetuate white supremacy. Louisiana leads the nation and the entire world in the incarceration of African Americans per capita. Every felony trial tells black jurors that their votes dont matter and denies us full participation as citizens. Fair-minded people everywhere should be concerned that the 10-2 jury rule relieves prosecutors of the burden of proving their cases beyond a reasonable doubt. Unlike other states, they dont have to convince 100 percent of jurors. If there are one or two jurors who think the defendant is innocent, they are simply outvoted. With the 10-2 jury rule, deliberations get cut short. Its no surprise that Louisiana leads the country in wrongful convictions per capita. At least 12 Louisianans were convicted of noncapital felonies by non-unanimous juries and later exonerated. Eleven of us were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, even though not every member of the jury was convinced of our guilt. Can't see video below? Click here. When I was in prison, I read law book after law book and sent letter after letter. Im living proof that theres always hope. That is why I believe Louisiana can right the wrong that it committed when it voted in a racist and oppressive non-unanimous jury scheme. Weve seen how the states 10-2 jury rule has led to over-incarceration, wrongful convictions, and the silencing of black voices in civic life. Now that we know better, we can do better and vote this rule out. Glenn Davis Jr. is a small-business owner and a homeowner who lives in Marrero. Amazingly enough, U.S. Sen. John Kennedy may be on to something that people on both sides of the gaping, deeply partisan divide over Brett Kav As you can imagine, competition is fierce in our business. We sell our parts internationally, and our customers have plenty of other firms from which they can buy the same parts. Quality has always been our best advantage, but price matters too. Its very hard to compete against foreign manufacturers who can sell at lower prices because their products are subject to much lower, or zero, tariffs. In addition to high foreign tariffs that protect them from competition, foreign competitors can pay much lower wages, and they dont have nearly as many regulatory costs. All of that allows foreign companies to beat us on price. Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long was supposed to be one of the good ones. I admit (and I wrote at the time) that I favored Paul Rainwater for the job. The former Louisiana Recovery Authority head and later Jindal administration official has lots of on-the-ground experience dealing with disasters and their bureaucratically messy aftermath. But Long, whod once headed emergency operations in Alabama and has also worked for the agency he now heads, checked off many of the same boxes. On paper, he was more of a Craig Fugate, the former Florida disaster management official who headed the agency under President Barack Obama, than a Michael Brown, the infamous Katrina-era FEMA chief whose biggest job before joining President George W. Bushs administration was overseeing judges at Arabian horse shows. And compared to the amateurs in their assigned fields who populate much of President Donald Trumps administration, he seemed to really know his stuff. Americans who would suffer at some point from disaster, not just in the frequently struck Gulf Coast, seemed to be in good hands. Turns out, they werent. Nor were taxpayer dollars. A new report by the Department of Homeland Securitys inspector general found that Long used government vehicles and employees on 40 yes, 40 personal trips, despite having been warned that the habit was improper. Many of those trips were to North Carolina, where his family lives. One was a family vacation in Hawaii. Aides traveled to North Carolina 25 times despite a lack of official business there, stayed at hotels at taxpayer expense and wracked up overtime or comp time. The Hawaii trip had an official component but also coincided with his kids school vacation, investigators found. While the Longs were there, a staffer ferried the family to tourist attractions. In all, Long spent $94,000 for staff salaries, $55,000 for travel expenses and $2,000 for vehicle maintenance, investigators wrote. Perhaps the most stunning aspect to this story is that the inspector general put such a high-ranking official under secret surveillance for five months. Or maybe the most shocking part is that Long, who has agreed to repay the government for the improper expenses, is being allowed to remain on the job, despite initial word that the report was being referred to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution. That referral may have stemmed from another point of concern over whats going on at FEMA, an apparently toxic relationship between Long and his boss, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. In addition to clashes over travel, The Washington Post has documented personal friction between the two over chain-of-command issues, not unlike the tension between Brown and his boss Michael Chertoff, which had real consequences on the ground in Katrinas immediate aftermath. Things reportedly got so bad that Long talked about quitting even as Hurricane Florence approached the Carolinas last month, before everyone managed to dial things back. Neither interpersonal battles nor excessive taxpayer-funded travel are limited to Homeland Security, of course. The Trump administration is notoriously backbiting, and numerous other top officials have had similar spending scandals. Topping the list is former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, whose use of charter planes for official travel caused him to lose his job. Others include former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, who also mixed business and pleasure on an official trip, as well as former Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. One theory behind why this is so common is that the administration officials who dont come from extreme private wealth are struggling to keep up with the many who do. Makes as much sense as anything else. That doesnt make Longs behavior any less disappointing. He, even more than his less experienced colleagues, should know that any dysfunction in the agency can have devastating consequences. Its not like it hasnt happened before. The Louisiana future of the dusky gopher frog a small, reclusive amphibian that hasn't been seen in the state in 50 years is in the hands of the eight sitting justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. On Monday, the justices heard arguments in a case that arose in 2012 after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated private timberland in the eastern part of St. Tammany Parish as critical habitat for the critically endangered frog. Landowners, including timber giant Weyerhaeuser, challenged that designation in federal court. They argued that the critical habitat designation would cost them millions of dollars by restricting development. Two lower courts ruled in the government agency's favor, setting the stage for Monday's Supreme Court arguments. The case is the first the court heard at the start of its new term, one complicated by the vacancy left by the retirement of Anthony Kennedy and the stalemate over the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh. During oral arguments, the justices seemed to break down along ideological lines, with all but the notoriously reticent Clarence Thomas asking questions. "The fact that we only had an eight-member court had a big influence," said Jonathan Wood, an attorney for the Pacific Legal Foundation who represented Edward Poitevent, one of the landowners. Wood did not argue before the court, but he was present in the court Monday. "The fact that they don't have a ninth justice is going to be a challenge in cases such as this one." The eight justices have no timetable to issue a decision in the case. If, as some expect, it is evenly split on ideological lines, the court could decide to have the case reargued after a ninth justice is seated. However, a 4-4 split will leave lower court rulings in place. The dusky gopher frog is currently confined to a few small areas in southern Mississippi, where there is a significant effort to preserve and restore the frog population. Only a few dozen are believed to remain in the wild, but none currently live on the Louisiana land on which the case is based. And while the Louisiana land does have seasonal ponds that the frogs require for mating, it also is populated by loblolly pines, which would need to be removed and replaced with longleaf pines for the frogs to live there. In designating the land critical habitat, the Fish & Wildlife Service decided that the required modifications were "reasonable," a point the justices honed in on almost immediately. Just minutes into plaintiffs' attorney Timothy Bishop's presentation, Justice Elena Kagan presented a hypothetical, aimed at probing the limits on the government's power to designate habitat that is not suitable for a species, but could be made so with some modifications. "Can the government designate that area as unoccupied, critical habitat?" she asked. "No," Bishop replied. In this case, he said, the required modifications would be overly burdensome. "I don't rule out that the government might be able to justify a critical habitat designation where there are de minimis changes, when you're really only talking about digging a few holes," Bishop said later. "That isn't this case." St. Tammany top stories in your inbox A weekly guide to the biggest news in St. Tammany. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Other justices seemed to differ with Kagan's premise. "Now this case is going to be spun, we've already heard questions along this line, as a choice between whether the dusky gopher frog is going to become extinct or not. That's not the choice at all," said Justice Samuel Alito. "The question is who is going to have to pay and who should pay for the preservation of this public good?" Chief Justice John Roberts also expressed a skeptical view, asking Deputy Solicitor General Edwin Kneedler if Alaska could be critical habitat. "If you have ephemeral ponds in Alaska, you could build a giant greenhouse and plant the longleaf pines and the frog could live there," he said. "In other words, there has to be presumably some limit on what the restoration you would say is required." "Yes," Kneedler replied. "What the Service found here is that restoration of the uplands could be accomplished with reasonable efforts." The case has drawn wide interest from around the country. Conservative legal groups, some other counties and the attorneys general of 18 states filed briefs in the court supporting the plaintiffs in the case. On the other side, conservation groups have joined in supporting the government's position. Collette Adkins, with the Center for Biological Diversity, refused to offer a prediction about which way the court would go. "It's difficult to read the tea leaves," she said. Edward Poitevent, who is one of the owners of the land and has been the public face of the plaintiffs, said he was "cautiously optimistic" after Monday's hearing. Plaintiffs, he said, had targeted Justice Stephen Breyer as a potential swing vote. "But it's hard to tell when they are going to vote with you," he said. "you never know with these justices." A New Orleans judge last week erased the life sentence of a woman who was convicted of aggravated burglary, but she is still set to serve several more years in prison. Ad hoc Judge Jerome Winsberg dropped Michelle Allens life term to 30 years as a result of a major state Supreme Court decision that has led to a wave of sentence reductions in Orleans Parish. Allen, 50, has served 22 years so far for a string of burglaries across Mid-City. When she was arrested in September 1996, prosecutors painted her as a heartless criminal who broke into her elderly victims homes to steal, sometimes pistol-whipping them for valuables. She was convicted of five counts of aggravated burglary and one count of burglary of an inhabited dwelling. But at her resentencing Friday, a defense attorney talked about a different Michelle Allen, one who had struggled with addiction and abuse but made the most of her two decades in prison. Stas Moroz, a staff attorney for the Orleans Public Defenders, said that at the time of her crime spree, Allen was addicted to drugs, the victim of an abusive boyfriend and the recent mother of a stillborn child. Since her conviction, she has completed her GED, learned photography and transformed herself into a passionate actor. Allen performed in a 2012 production of "The Life of Jesus Christ in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, which was featured on NPR. Were so proud of our sister, because she could have literally lost her mind while she was in there, Allen's sister Jennifer Ducre said. Shes just like a totally different person now. She put all her faith in God, knowing that she was going to get out of there. With three of Allens sisters and her son watching on, Winsberg said he would lower Allens sentence even more if he were not hamstrung by the states habitual offender law. Miss Allen, if the court could do better for you, it would. But the minimum sentence you can receive at this time is 30 years, he said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Allen's case illustrates how judges can go only so far under the terms of the January Supreme Court decision that allowed for resentencings. Allen was sentenced under the state's habitual offender law due to her prior felony convictions at the time of her burglary trial. Former Criminal District Court Judge Julian Parker sent a statement by sentencing Allen to six consecutive life terms although her sentence was later reduced to a single life term on appeal. The Louisiana Legislature reduced penalties under the habitual offender law in 2001, and the state Supreme Court allowed district judges to impose the lower sentences retroactively in January. So far, the Orleans Public Defenders has handled resentencings for 17 people who were serving time under the harsher laws of the 1990s. Some were serving life terms as habitual offenders on minor crimes like cocaine possession. Allen's relatives said the resentencing came about a month after they had a personal meeting with Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro to discuss the case. After the hearing, Allens relatives thanked Assistant District Attorney Chris Bowman for raising no objection to the lower sentence. Relatives said they felt a rush of relief that Allen is no longer destined to die in prison. However, they hope to find a way to free her before 2026. Moroz said he plans to file a motion arguing that Allens 30-year sentence is still excessive. Bowman did not indicate how the District Attorneys Office will respond. Ducre said the family still believes Allen will be coming home soon. She plans to live in Denham Springs and participate in a re-entry program. New Orleans police have opened an investigation into new allegations of sexual molestation in the 1970s that are being leveled at a convicted pedophile who used to run the NOPDs child abuse unit, officials said Monday. Will names of Louisiana clergy accused of sex abuse be released? Bishops considering it When Louisianas five Catholic bishops met last week in Lafayette for their regular quarterly meeting, there was no need to consult an agenda. An NOPD spokesman didnt identify who filed the new complaint. But Richard Windmann, who recently went public about the $450,000 settlement he received from Jesuit High School to settle sexual abuse claims from the same era, told The Advocate he made the report against Stanley Carl Burkhardt. Windmann, now 53, declined to elaborate, saying he didnt want to jeopardize the police investigation into Burkhardt, 67. But records show Windmann provided key testimony about Burkhardt years ago at a federal civil trial in North Carolina that resulted in Burkhardt being committed to prison after he was deemed a sexually dangerous man. Burkhardt by then had been convicted of possessing child pornography as well as of sexually abusing a 9-year-old relative. In the years since, hes been released from prison and is living in New Orleans. Burkhardt couldnt be reached for comment Monday about allegations that he had sexually molested Windmann in the 1970s, when Windmann was an adolescent and Burkhardt was a cop. Burkhardt denied those allegations at the 2011 federal proceeding in Raleigh, North Carolina. Yet the judge presiding over that case determined the denial was dubious and Windmanns claims which have never been prosecuted were credible. It wasnt immediately clear whether Windmann's new claims about Burkhardt intersect with the claims he settled with Jesuit High School over two of the Mid-City school's former employees. Windmann, who grew up near Jesuit, has said he was in his adolescence when school maintenance man Peter Modica repeatedly raped him on campus, with one assault occurring as a priest named Neil Carr watched and masturbated. Local Jesuit officials deemed Windmanns allegations credible and in 2012 paid to settle the allegations out of court, having already reached similar arrangements in a pair of separate cases involving other ex-employees. In New Orleans, more quietly settled, decades-old Catholic Church sex abuse cases surface More cases have surfaced involving quietly settled, decades-old sexual abuse claims against the Catholic Church in New Orleans, naming a pair The Advocate does not typically identify people who report themselves as victims of sexual violence, but Windmann gave the newspaper permission to name him. The legal problems swirling around Burkhardt date to 1987, when he was an NOPD veteran of roughly 15 years. Recovering from being shot in the line of duty, the cop who had a reputation for aggressively pursuing child predators was arrested that year in a sting operation after unwittingly mailing explicit images of underage boys to undercover agents nationwide. He underwent therapy and was released from prison on those charges in 1992. Almost immediately, he pleaded guilty in state court to a separate charge of molesting a 9-year-old relative. But he infamously received a sentence of prison time already served. Then-Criminal District Court Judge Jerome Winsberg explained his belief that therapy would rehabilitate Burkhardt, who at the time was under federal supervision. Burkhardt was not rehabilitated. In 1998, authorities ran another sting, finding a 12-year-old boy in Burkhardt's home, as well as videos and magazines depicting child pornography. He pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and spent nine years in federal prison and then he violated his supervised release by contacting another sex offender, surfing the web for images of young males and setting up a secret email address, officials have said. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up 'Disgusting time in our history': Jesuit leader horrified by 1970s abuse claims, urges vigilance The president of Jesuit High School sought to reassure a shaken Jesuit community Thursday that while he was horrified by the sexual abuse th To keep Burkhardt behind bars, the feds ultimately turned to a law enabling them to seek lifelong civil commitments of sexually dangerous people based on mental health professionals evaluations. Critics have attacked the process, saying its aim is to head off potential crimes rather than punish proven ones. And an unsuccessful U.S. Supreme Court challenge to that law meant it wasnt until December 2011 that a trial was held over the issue of whether Burkhardt was sexually dangerous enough to be committed for the rest of his life. Transcripts of that trial show, at some point, federal prison officials had been told Burkhardt was a New Orleans cop when he raped a boy with the initials R.W. Under questioning from his attorney, Burkhardt said he never molested or touched R.W. Prosecutors rebutted Burkhardt by calling Windmann to the witness stand. According to the transcript, Windmann said he was involved in a Boy Scout case when a detective on that investigation befriended him and began checking in on him. Windmann didnt elaborate on the "Boy Scout case" while on the stand. But he said the detective was eventually transferred, and he told Windmann that another officer would take over looking in on him: Burkhardt. Windmann, who estimated he was 13 at the time, said Burkhardt eventually brought him to his office, showed him child pornography, and started performing oral sex on him. After establishing that was not the only time Windmann had sexual contact with Burkhardt, prosecutor Seth Wood asked his witness to estimate how many other occasions there were. Id say over the course of two to three years, 40 times, Windmann testified. At the police station, in cars, hotel, my house, his house. Burkhardts public defender, Suzanne Little, successfully objected when Wood asked Windmann to describe how the molestation had affected him, arguing it was irrelevant to the proceeding at hand. When she asked Windmann if he had ever tried to tell the police, he replied that he had approached at least two officers who knew Burkhardt but was brushed off. In the end, after also hearing from two mental health doctors, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman committed Burkhardt to the federal prison in Butner, North Carolina. Of Windmanns testimony, Friedman said, The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the testimony of Mr. Windmann is credible and that the denial by Mr. Burkhardt of this incident is not credible. U.S. District Judge James Dever then ordered Burkhardt released in the spring of 2015, deciding that after more than three years of treatment the former cop had recovered to the extent that he will not experience serious difficulty in refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation. Conditions of his release included requirements for him to get tracked by GPS technology as well as maintain a log of his activities. Dever lifted those two measures in February, though others remain in place, records show. Coincidentally, one of the cases Burkhardt handled during his career involved defrocked deacon George Brignac being accused of fondling an 11-year-old boy at summer school. Burkhardt booked Brignac, but prosecutors did not prosecute the case. Burkhardt wrote in his report that there had been no sexual contact between Brignac and other students. Will names of Louisiana clergy accused of sex abuse be released? Bishops considering it When Louisianas five Catholic bishops met last week in Lafayette for their regular quarterly meeting, there was no need to consult an agenda. This year, the Archdiocese of New Orleans paid more than $500,000 to settle claims that he repeatedly raped an altar boy at Holy Rosary School. That prompted at least 10 more victims to come forward with abuse claims against Brignac, who is the subject of an NOPD criminal investigation that remains pending. Windmanns complaint against Burkhardt comes after he recently asked state officials to seek and release a list of Catholic clergy who have been targeted by credible abuse allegations, citing his Jesuit case. Those officials directed him to authorities in New Orleans. In Louisiana, some sex crimes either do not have any statutes of limitations or have ones that do not expire for decades. A disturbance in the Caribbean Sea has forecasters' attention but, for now, has a small chance of developing into a tropical system and moving into the Gulf of Mexico over the next several days, according to a National Hurricane Center tropical weather outlook. "Disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the central and southwestern Caribbean Sea are associated with a broad area of low pressure," the NHC said Wednesday morning. "Some slow development of this system is possible this weekend while the low drifts across the northwestern Caribbean Sea." The area of disturbed weather has a 30 percent chance of forming in to a tropical system over the next five days, up from 20 percent Tuesday. If the system develops into tropical storm, its name would be Michael. Hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30. Provide services that are fit for purpose Deliver services with reasonable care and skill When acting for another, act in the best interests of that other The question was whether the regulatory regime the Australian Securities and Investments Commission administers is too complex. Credit:Louise Kennerley As he said, the more complicated and prescriptive the law the easier it is to ask whether something can be done rather than should it be done. Black letter law encourages minimum standards of compliance and box ticking at best, even when the regulator enforces it. What Hayne was suggesting is that there could be a better way. That, instead of adding layer upon layer of new legislation and regulation to the financial services sector, which is what has happened to the sector in recent years, the laws could be re-framed as a set of principles. Back in the 1990s a young partner at Freehill Hollingdale & Page (now Herbert Smith Freehills) coined the expression fuzzy law and promoted the concept so successfully it was introduced to large slabs of our securities laws. Loading John Green (now, among other things, deputy chairman of QBE Insurance Group) saw principle-based law, coupled with disclosure the disinfectant of sunlight as a way of encouraging, even compelling, something better than minimum or technical compliance. If the laws are fuzzy those covered by them are almost compelled because they dont know precisely where the lines lie to comply with their spirit rather than their language. There arent loopholes in principle-based laws, nor are there boxes to be ticked. The laws become floors for behaviours rather than ceilings they promote better than minimum compliance. Hayne added another potential layer to what could be a very different form of legal framework for the sector by noting that much of the misconduct by banks that was identified in his report didnt comply with the industry code of conduct. He raised the prospect that the provisions in the code should be enforceable and a contravention of the code a breach of the law. Given that the code is industry-developed, albeit ASIC-approved, it would be difficult for the banks to object to being bound by the promises they have made. In effect, the code self-imposed obligations on the banks beyond those of current law could supplement and add flesh to a simple set of legislated principles. Whatever the form of the law, it has to be enforced. It has been evident from the outset that the vast majority of the cases of misconduct the commission has heard, whether illegal or conduct that breached community expectations, was known to ASIC and/or the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority. ASICs propensity has been to negotiate first and litigate only as a last resort and only for egregious cases. While its approach can be rationalised litigation is risky, costly and resource and time-consuming whereas negotiations, perhaps with enforceable undertakings and a contribution to the financial literacy fund, are quicker, cheaper and more certain the hearings have demonstrated that the punishments meted out by ASIC have rarely fit the crimes. There are benefits to negotiated settlements that deliver appropriate remediation within reasonable timeframes (unlike many aired within the hearings) and which change behaviours within the offending organisation and the wider sector. Making the laws 'fuzzy' could encourage better overall behaviour. Credit:Louie Douvis Upmarket chocolate and cafe chain Max Brenner's Australian business has gone into voluntary administration, citing rising costs and sluggish retail trade. McGrathNicol, which was appointed administrator on Sunday by company directors, said Max Brenner's 37 stores would continue to trade as usual while it completed an urgent review. Administrators will see if it is possible to sell the business as a going concern. Credit:Michelle Smith McGrathNicol said it was assessing the prospect of selling Max Brenner as a going concern or recapitalising the business, which has about 600 staff and is headquartered in Alexandria, Sydney. The Australian business is owned and run by husband and wife team Tom and Lilly Haikin, who hit BRW's Young Rich list in 2013 with a fortune of $40 million. A family-owned shop at 917 High Street in Thornbury, held for more than 50 years, has sold for $1,255,000. Credit:Fitzroys A family-owned shop at 917 High Street, held for more than 50 years, has sold for $1,255,000. Shop and dwelling properties on High Street have been trading at healthy numbers, Fitzroys agents Chris Kombi , Ervin Niyaz and Terence Yeh said. They recently sold 785 High Street, a corner site, for $1,805,000 million on a 2.4 per cent yield, after getting 150 inquiries; as well, 740 High Street went for $1,385,000 million on a 2.9 per cent yield and more than 100 inquiries. Mr Yeh attributed the interest to ongoing gentrification of Melbournes inner north. Business owners are taking advantage of bank lending restrictions to jump into the owner-occupier market. Accounting firm Michael Jensen & Associates is the latest example, snapping up 241 Bridge Road for $1,585,000 million. Fitzroys Terence Yeh and Lewis Waddell handled the transaction of the small 201 sq m site. Braeside The sale of a Braeside infill block underscores the impact of dwindling land supply. The 3339 sq m property sold to a local owner occupier expanding its business to include a second site. CBREs Lachlan Ferguson and James Jorgensen said rising land values were behind the $1,615,000 sale of 14-18 Venture Way. Oakleigh Developers have snapped up a site at 48-50 Hargreaves Street for $4.85 million in a deal negotiated by Knight Franks Stuart Gill and Steven Salopek. The 4707 sq m property sold with vacant possession. Another vacant site at 18 Manton Street sold at auction for $850,000, also to a developer. A $100 million, six-star development the first such luxury project in regional Victoria is proposed for the banks of the Gippsland Lakes. Developer Seacombe West wants to open a hot springs spa hotel and retreat, powered by renewable energy and with a focus on traditional Aboriginal culture, on the secluded southern shores of Lake Wellington. The project is called Nunduk, which means The Bark of a Tree in the language of the local Aboriginal people, the Gunnai-Kurnai. It will be located on a 2480-hectare sheep farm owned by James Troedel and target the wealthy international luxury market, with rooms expected to cost about $1500 a night. Three leading tourists companies Six Senses, Goco Spa and Banyan Tree Spa are interested in the project, which will consist of 36 luxury rooms in the main hotel, 45 rooms in villa units, plus restaurants, spas, treatment rooms, galleries, lounges and a deck. It is titled "Authenticity and geographic origin of global honeys determined using carbon isotope ratios and trace elements". Its findings are expected to put pressure on authorities to start testing local honey. In Australia, authorities only test imported honey 5 per cent is tested using the C4 sugar test which is decades old and cant detect syrups such as rice syrup which are used by fraudsters to dilute honey. Peter McDonald, the chairman of the Australia Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC), a peak body for the industry, said local honey was not tested by the authorities. A sticky situation. Credit:Matt Golding It is up to the individual companies that actually buy the honey to then test, he said. Mr McDonald, who was briefed by Professor Taylor on the results of the study, said he didnt believe Australia had a problem with honey adulteration and said customers should be confident what they are buying on the label is pure honey. They should be very confident," he said. I would say there is not a problem in Australia, I am fully confident the Australian honey bee industry is clean and green and we have the best product in the world, he said. When asked why he was so confident, he said Im a beekeeper and Im also chairman of the Australian honey bee industry council and I know bee keepers and they are honest, hard-working people and they are just using what nature is providing, bees are providing and they are producing it in a pure form and providing it to people to market. But he did concede that he couldnt know that all beekeepers or producers were doing the right thing. Professor Taylor said he was surprised at the findings from Australian-sourced honey. We know that the issue of adulteration is a prevalent problem but we didnt think it would be that persistent in Australia for Australian-produced products. He said the research was robust but believed the results could be conservative given the official honey test, the C4 test, was used, which has come under attack for its inability to detect substances used by fraudsters to beat the tests. Peter McDonald, chairman of the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council. Credit:ABC He said he used the official test used by authorities because he wanted to see whether there was a systemic problem in the honey industry. The only way to guarantee that you are getting real bona fide honey is to buy it from a local producer where you can see it coming out of the hive or you produce your own honey yourself. Thats really the only deadset guarantee at this moment in time, Professor Taylor said. The only way to guarantee that you are getting real bona fide honey is to buy it from a local producer where you can see it coming out of the hive or you produce your own honey yourself. Professor Mark Taylor The earlier investigation into imported honey tested 28 honey samples in a German lab that specialises in detecting fake honey using a new test known as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). Capilano denied its Allowrie blended honey brand wasnt pure honey and criticised the NMR on the basis it wasnt the official test for detecting honey authenticity and that the results of NMR testing between labs was inconsistent. It also criticised the size of the NMR database. But the study prompted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to launch an inquiry into imported honey. Professor Taylor said the survey did include some boutique brands and it came from a range of providers. Credit:Wolter Peeters Professor Taylor has sent his latest study to the ACCC for investigation. He declined to reveal the names of the scores of brands that were sampled on the basis it would detract from the study, which was to prove that adulteration is a global problem. Loading The study is not really about particular brands, its about looking at the persistence and prevalence of authenticity of honey, he said. It did include some boutique brands and it came from a range of providers, he said. And we also tested some Manuka honey and that failed. That is a boutique brand. But as you know there is something in the order of about ten times the amount of Manuka honey sold as there is produced. It was part of a broader investigation into honey, which previously looked at urban contaminants in native bees and European bees. Phd student Xiaoteng Zhou said she decided to test Australian honey after a honey company was fined in Australia in 2016 for selling fake honey. And two years ago in 2016 a commercial honey secret was revealed on Facebook and the honey sold in the supermarket might be toxic. It was claimed to be an Australia product but it was actually imported from overseas, she said. These samples were analysed in Germany labs so we were thinking can we do the analysis in Sydney then we designed this project and we collected samples and developed this method, Ms Zhou said. Food fraud is a $US40 billion a year industry and it is getting bigger as criminal gangs exploit weak regulation and outdated government tests. Honey is the third most adulterated food in the world, behind milk and olive oil. Truth be told, Zorn, Blumenthal and other Democratic judiciary committee members like Cory Booker and Dianne Feinstein made up their minds weeks ago: Judge Kavanaugh is a predator whose confirmation must be prevented at any cost. The same people who no doubt disbelieved sexual assault allegations directed at Bill Clinton and forgave Ted Kennedy for Chappaquiddick insist they have ample evidence to deny Kavanaugh the nomination despite the fact that the people Dr. Ford said witnessed the long-ago attack at the very least cannot recall the incident or flatly deny it ever happened! PAW PATROL: MIGHTY PUPS G, 44 minutes If you grew up in the 1980s and now have children of your own, you may get a rush of nostalgia escorting them to this extended episode of a computer-animated Canadian kids' show. A world away from the pretensions of Pixar, PAW Patrol: Mighty Pups sets its standards low in the traditional manner of Saturday morning cartoons: awful jokes, trite moralising and minimal effort to mask the fact that the main goal is to sell toys. Each pup has a speciality and a costume to match. Created by Keith Chapman, who also gave us Bob the Builder, the PAW Patrol are a squadron of talking puppies under the command of a young boy named Ryder (voiced by Jaxon Mercey), who carry out rescue operations and keep life safe for the citizens of Adventure Bay (one of those video-game towns that usually looks weirdly empty, surrounded by equally deserted fields sprinkled with generic trees). Each pup has a speciality and a costume to match, after the fashion of the Village People: one is dressed as a firefighter, another as a construction worker, a third as a cop (his slogan: "These mighty paws enforce the laws!"). There are a couple of token girl pups, the most prominent being a cockerpoo named Skye (Kallan Holley) who wears pink and typically serves as lookout. Mental health nurses are bearing the brunt of assaults within Canberra's health services, new figures reveal, as the union steps up its calls for better security and conditions. A government response to a question from opposition health spokeswoman Vicki Dunne in the ACT Parliament showed there have been 340 reported assaults on staff members within ACT Health between January 1 2017 and June 30, 2018. Photos supplied by the union showing injuries sustained at work in the adult mental health unit last week. Mental Health, Justice Health and Alcohol and Drug Services reported by far the greatest chunk of assaults at 129 - 39 per cent of all reported assaults. The figures showed staff in rehabilitation and care were the second most common victims with 63 reported incidents. Labor MPs worried about the concentration of power within the Department of Home Affairs will agitate for strict safeguards against ministerial overreach and for immigration to be split from national security after Bill Shorten signalled he would stick with the super-ministry ushered in by Peter Dutton. With figures from across Labor's Right and Left factions downplaying suggestions of internal disunity over the Coalition's controversial reorganisation of law enforcement, intelligence and immigration agencies, the Opposition Leader made clear he would not pursue "change for change's sake". The acceptance of the policy is backed by some intelligence and security experts who, despite opposition to the change in the first place, view the prospect of reversing it as deeply complex and disruptive, instead preferring beefed up measures to ensure accountability and effectiveness. Labor leader Bill Shorten. Credit:AAP On Tuesday, Mr Shorten said Labor would prioritise bipartisanship and continuity in national security policy and examine the departmental arrangements more closely if elected. I can understand people in the heat of the battle having vigorous and abrupt discussions and finding themselves subjected to pretty strong verbal haranguing and growling. Throwing tough words around in a political stoush is what politics is, said Grahame Morris, former long-time chief of staff to prime minister John Howard and former Liberal leaders Andrew Peacock and Alexander Downer. Verbal haranguing and vigorous persuasion are a normal part of attempts to get the numbers in political leadership challenges, according to seasoned political operators. Of course, if someone tried to stand over you with real threats, then thats at a whole different level and its not to be tolerated. Mr Morris, now the chairman and federal director of Barton Deakin, a political consulting and lobbying firm with deep connections to the Liberal Party, was responding to reports that several female Liberal MPs had complained of being bullied for their votes in last weeks leadership challenge. The member for the Victorian marginal seat of Chisholm, Julia Banks, was so affronted by what she said was bullying and intimidation she has announced she will quit Parliament at the next election. Another senior and long-time male Liberal operative who has experienced a number of leadership challenges at close quarters said he had no doubt some of the behaviour during the latest challenge would be classified in a modern workplace as bullying. You have to separate what amounts to stand-over and bullying from cajoling and arguing and the like, said the politician, who spoke to Fairfax Media on the basis of anonymity. Ninety per cent of the 1.4 million people with a disability in NSW may lose all vital support once the state government's funding of advocacy services ends in two years, disability groups warn. The NSW government has committed all its disability services spending to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), which the federal government is rolling out, and has provided an additional $26 million over two years to state-based advocacy services to assist with the transition to the scheme. Disability advocates across NSW are urging the Berejiklian government to keep funding disability services. Credit:Esther Han However, the NSW Disability Advocacy Alliance said the vast majority of people with a disability were ineligible for the NDIS, and it needed ongoing funding at the state level to help them. "Many people with disability will ... end up incarcerated, homeless or in hospital, putting lives at risk and placing significantly greater stress on the NSW public purse," the alliance's Serena Ovens said. Former Queensland MPs and family members claimed more than $270,000 in taxpayer-funded plane and train trips last year. Some of those making claims either lost their seat or retired at the November 2017 election, including the LNP's Glen Elmes ($5005.20), Scott Emerson ($3456.54), Lawrence Springborg ($2792.32) and Ian Rickuss ($3016.96). Federal MP Bob Katter and former state politician Ray Hopper were among those to receive taxpayer-funded flights and train trips. Credit:Harrison Saragossi Former premiers Mike Ahern, Peter Beattie, Anna Bligh and Campbell Newman did not take advantage in 2017-18. Wellington: A New Zealand political party's members have proposed a law booting out immigrants and refugees if they don't adhere to "New Zealand values", which they say includes respecting the legality of alcohol. The membership of the populist NZ First party - a part of the ruling coalition - has voted to ask its MPs to introduce a bill that would legally require migrants to respect gender equality, sexual preferences, religious rights and legal booze, or be sent "back where they came from". NZ Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and leader of NZ First Party Winston Peters. Credit:Ross Giblin MP Clayton Mitchell told members the "Respecting New Zealand Values" bill was about "being intolerant of intolerance", while some of those attending told Radio NZ many coming into the country "were not really New Zealanders at all". The policy quickly spurred accusations of racism, Islamophobia and dog-whistle politics in the media, and questions about what "Kiwi values" actually were - with the alcohol clause in particular leaving many confused. Insight also recently named 2018 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ Received top 5-star ratings in every category evaluated by NHTSA Insight is the ninth current Honda model to earn NHTSA's 5-star Overall Vehicle Score Receiving top ratings in all evaluated categories, the 2019 Honda Insight has received a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score, the top available safety rating in the U.S. government's New Car Assessment Program1 (NCAP). Firmly establishing its leadership in third party safety ratings, Insight was also recently awarded an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating, the institute's top award. "If you're in the market for a stylish sedan with top third-party safety ratings, look no further than the Honda Insight." said Ray Mikiciuk, assistant vice president of Honda Automobile Sales. "On top of its class-leading safety features, Insight is also a comfortable 5-seat hybrid with great fuel economy ratings." On sale since June 29, the 2019 Honda Insight offers class-leading power and passenger space, universally appealing styling, and an EPA fuel economy rating of 55 mpg2 city (LX/EX), while simultaneously bringing a new level of driving sophistication and style to the compact hybrid market. All 2019 Insights are equipped with the Honda Sensing suite of active safety and driver assistive features as standard equipment. Insight's standard Honda Sensing helps provide greater awareness of driving conditions around the vehicle, in some cases helping drivers maintain lane position, and, under certain conditions, is capable of slowing or even stopping the vehicle if it detects a potential front collision. Comprising the Honda Sensing suite are Collision Mitigation Braking SystemTM (CMBSTM) with Forward Collision Warning; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) incorporating Lane Departure Warning (LDW); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The 2019 Insight is the latest of nine current Honda models to earn a 5-Star Overall Vehicle Score from NHTSA. The other eight are Accord, Civic (except Type R, which was not rated), Fit, HR-V, CR-V (2018), Pilot, Odyssey and Ridgeline. For More Information Consumer information is available at automobiles.honda.com. To join the Honda community on Facebook, visit facebook.com/honda. Additional media information including detailed pricing features and high-resolution photography of all 2018 and 2019 Honda models is available at hondanews.com. About Honda Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Insight, Accord and Clarity series passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda has been producing automobiles in America for more than 35 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2017, more than 90 percent of all Honda brand vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts. # # # 1. Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov) 2. Based on 2019 model-year EPA ratings for LX/EX models. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPG will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, lithium-ion battery pack age/condition and other factors. After saying he and his family had been destroyed by the Democrats, Mr. Kavanaugh would surely carry his outrage and bitterness to the Supreme Court. As a justice he would likely rule on future cases about federal policies. Can anyone believe that he could be impartial as he listened to a solicitor general of the United States arguing on behalf of a Democratic administration? I cannot. His partisan outrage disqualifies him. Senator David Perdue. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images Last week, two sexual-assault survivors confronted Republican senator and key Senate Judiciary Committee member Jeff Flake in an elevator, urging him to reconsider his decision to approve Brett Kavanaughs confirmation as Supreme Court justice. Flake went on to change his position, delaying his vote until a weeklong FBI investigation is completed. Meanwhile, survivors have not quieted down. On Monday, three women approached Republican senator David Perdue of Georgia at the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., asking whether he would vote to approve Kavanaugh. One informed him she was a sexual-assault survivor; another asked him about the millions of women who have come out about their own experiences: You dont feel like you have to answer any questions to people who have come out about their sexual assaults? The three women sexual-assault survivors Patti Serrano and Jennifer Epps-Addison, of the Center for Popular Democracy advocacy group, along with Arizona State Representative Isela Blanc also asked Perdue whether he supports a full FBI investigation into the allegations against Kavanaugh. Perdue ignored the women, even pushing one she can be heard saying Dont push me on the escalator before literally dodging them to hide in the mens bathroom. When the survivors tried to introduce themselves and shake his hand, Perdue said, Dont touch me. Senator, how can you not talk to women who have been assaulted? Epps-Addison said while Perdue was in the bathroom. How can you ignore our pleas? You have to exit at some point. Blanc added, You represent not just your states choice, but every American in this country, and every person that is vulnerable. This is a legacy, and a moment in history that will not be forgotten. Advocates also approached Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell at the airport. How many stories of sexual violence do you need to hear in order to believe women? Naina Khanna, the executive director of Positive Womens Network USA, asked him. McConnell ignored her and others, stopping to shake another mans hand before continuing forward and up an escalator. Senator McConnell, do you always turn your back on women like this? Khanna said. When two sexual-assault survivors confronted Republican senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, he said, I know this is enjoyable to yall. It is not enjoyable, Tracey Corder, the director of Racial Justice at the Center for Popular Democracy, responded. It is not fun for us to tell our stories. A poster showing the portraits of popes is seen at a Catholic underground church near the village of Huangtuang, Hebei province, China, September 30, 2018. (Thomas Peter/Reuters) Taiwan Says Beijing Seeks to Make It Irrelevant Through Vatican-China Deal VATICAN CITYTaiwan has accused China of trying to make the island nation irrelevant in the world community, after Beijing and the Vatican signed a landmark agreement that eases decades of estrangement. Matthew Lee, Taiwans ambassador to the Vatican, made the comment in a speech during a reception marking Taiwans national day that was attended by Vatican officials, including several directly involved in the negotiations with China. Communist China remains committed to making the Taiwan people irrelevant to the United Nations and to excluding Taiwan from playing a meaningful role both in the United Nations family and in the international communities, he said. On Sept. 22, the Vatican and Beijing signed a provisional agreement endorsing Beijings appointment of bishops. For decades, the Chinese regime had nominated its own bishops, who werent recognized by the Pope. Pope Francis said last week that the agreement allows for a discussion with China on the naming of bishops but that ultimately the pope will decide. In the first concrete sign of a thaw after the signing of the agreement, the Vatican announced on Oct. 1 that Beijing would for the first time allow Chinese bishops to attend a major Vatican meeting, known as a synod, that starts on Oct. 3. Although the Vatican insists its deal with Beijing is not politicalwhich Lee emphasized in his speechdiplomats say its likely a precursor to the Vatican eventually switching diplomatic recognition to Beijing. Lee, adopting a Biblical comparison, said his country is David and China is Goliath. With the assistance of global partners standing up to the rising autocratic authoritarian power (of Beijing) Taiwan will persist, persevere and prevail, Lee said. The ranks of those partners has been thinning, however. The Vatican is Taiwans last remaining diplomatic ally in Europe. The self-ruled island has formal relations with 16 other countries, many of them small, less developed nations in Central America and the Pacific. Taiwan has routinely accused China of using dollar diplomacy and bullying to lure away its allies. Since the 1970s, following the United Nations vote to recognize the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal China, the Vatican hasnt appointed a nuncio, or ambassador, to Taiwan. It has since kept the status of its mission in Taipei at the lower level of charge daffaires ad interim, which diplomats say is to placate Beijing. Critics have labeled the agreement between the Vatican and Beijing, which was in the making for more than 10 years, as a sellout to the Communist government. Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen, the most senior Catholic cleric on Chinese soil, described the deal as an incredible betrayal. Theyre giving the flock into the mouths of the wolves, 86-year-old Zen told Reuters last week. Chinas approximately 12 million Catholics are split between underground churches that swear allegiance to the Vatican and state-backed Catholic Patriotic Association churches. Human-rights groups have documented systematic persecution of underground Christians in China. According to Human Rights Watch, more than a dozen Christians in Yunnan Province were charged by CCP officials in 2017 with using cults to sabotage law enforcement. It added: In October, at least three of the charged were given prison sentences of four years. One of their lawyers said the arrests were due to the group not gathering at officially designated churches. By Philip Pullella. Epoch Times staff member Jack Phillips contributed to this report. Bodycam Footage Shows Seattle Police Responding to Swatting Newly released bodycam footage from the Seattle Police Department shows officers responding to a swatting incident. The footage, nearly two minutes long, is from August but was released on Oct. 1, as part of a public service announcement warning people of the effects of swatting. The video shows heavily armed officers gearing up outside an apartment building before knocking on apartment doors. An officer explained that they received several calls regarding shots fired. About six officers try to discern whether shots were indeed fired, but are able to learn none were. The response was triggered by multiple calls, including one caller who claimed he was holding five hostages and said he would kill them if he didnt receive $5,000. The @SeattlePD 911 Center has a new process that allows Seattle residents to register their concerns about swatting. Swatting is the act of creating a hoax 911 call to divert police resources to an unsuspecting persons residence. Watch the PSA here: https://t.co/N016IWnU5n Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) October 1, 2018 New Anti-swatting Effort The Seattle Police Department launched a new campaign asking members of the public to help them counter the swatting phenomenon. Swatting is a crime. For those unfamiliar with the term, swatting is the act of creating a hoax 911 call typically involving hostages, gunfire, or other acts of extreme violence, with the goal of diverting emergency public safety resources to an unsuspecting persons residence. It is a deliberate and malicious act that creates an environment of fear and unnecessary risk, and in some cases, has led to loss of life, the department stated. While anyone can be a victim, targets are usually associated with the video game or tech industries. The department created a registry, based on requests, where people concerned about swatting can communicate their concerns with their local 911 center. The new Rave Facility enables commercial properties, or those involved in businesses, to file information that police will have on hand if they receive a swatting call. The registry is based on the SMART 911 registry, which is designed for individual households to create a web-based profile that lets police know if they have people inside who have a medical condition or other conditions, such as being deaf, that first responders would have on hand when they respond to a location. Seattle Police Department Public Affairs Director Sean Whitcomb told Ars Technica about the new extension. His team asked SMART 911: How can we take this platform and customize it to say, also in this household, someone who makes a living working at one of our tech companies or in game development or online broadcasting, or they have an elevated profile publiclyhow can they let us know theres this concern? Swatting Can be Deadly While swatting is considered a prank by many who engage in it, it can turn deadly in some situations. A Kansas man was shot dead by police in December 2017 after a swatting call came in. Deputy Wichita Police Chief Troy Livingston told the Wichita Eagle that the department received a call claiming someone had an argument with their mother and had shot their father in the head and was holding his mother, brother, and sister hostage. When a man answered the door, officers shot him. A man was arrested on suspicion of making the fake swatting call. Gamers and others linked to industries where swatting is frequent have fear of it happening to them. It usually comes into your mind when you hear about it, John Getty, a gamer and streamer who lives in Puyallup, Washington told KOMO News. I could be sitting right here streaming and the police could come through the door and I wouldnt even know that it would happen. This phenomenon, which is a national issue, is quite frankly causing a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety in the community that we serve, added Whitcomb of the Seattle Police Department said. This is Seattle, right? Weve got technology herevideo game development, both from big companies and indie studios, and a very rich online broadcasting community. Everything from arts-and-crafts to cooking to video game streaming. We know swatting has ended in tragedy in its most vile form. At its most general form, its a way to intimidate or harass people. Thats just wrong. Britain's interior secretary Sajid Javid gives a speech on the third day of the Conservative Party Conference 2018 in Birmingham on Oct. 2, 2018. (Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images) Britain Targets Affluent Drug Users, Warns That They Are Fueling Gang Violence LONDONThe UK is set to crack down on middle-class drug users as part of new measures to combat violent crime. Interior secretary Sajid Javid said the government would target all drug usersincluding professionalsas part of a major review of drug buyers and sellers. He announced his plans in a speech at the Conservative Party conference on Oct. 2, saying that hes starting a 200-million-pound ($259.5 million) endowment fund that focuses on young people at risk of starting a life of crime. We know that one of the causes of the rise of serious violence is changes in the market for illegal drugs, he said. We need a much better understanding of who drug users are, what they take, how often they take it, and so much more. So I will launch a major review of the market for illegal drugs. Armed with this evidence, I will step up our fight against drugs gangs that prey on our children. On my watch, illegal drug use will never be tolerated, he said. The rise in knife crimes by gangs in London and other cities in the UK has been linked to drug use by affluent buyers, with shifts in the market corresponding to outbreaks of bloodshed, according to Javid. The biggest consumer of cocaine in Europe Cocaine was used by about 875,000 British people between 2017 and 2018, the highest number in a decade, according to the latest crime survey for England and Wales. Security minister Ben Wallace warned in May that the UK is fast becoming the biggest consumer of cocaine in Europe and that its fueling violence on the streets of the country. In August, Londons police chief Cressida Dick said, There are some Londoners who think it is a victimless crime, taking cocaine at middle-class parties.' In an interview with the Daily Mail, Javid said: We need to make people understand that if you are a middle-class drug user and you sort of think, Well, Im not doing any damage, I know what Im doing, well, theres a whole supply chain that goes into that. Youths whose lives have been abused, the county lines, other drug takers being abused, crime being encouraged. You are not innocentno one is innocent if they are taking illegal drugs. Drug Dealing Linked to Vulnerable People County lines drug dealing refers to young people selling drugs in rural county areas on behalf of gangs in big cities, phoning through orders on a dedicated cell phone numberthe county line. Britains National Crime Agency (NCA) estimates there are more than 720 of these county lines and that three-quarters of them are linked to vulnerable people, such as children or those with mental- or physical-health issues. A 2017 NCA report said, County lines groups tend to use younger members to identify and target other children, either through personal or social media links. They focus on those who are particularly vulnerable or at a crisis point in their lives. They are groomed and enticed by gang members to work within the drugs distribution network. Justice secretary David Gauke also announced a specialist financial-crime unit that will have the power to cut off funds of criminals behind the drugs trade in prisons. In a statement, Gauke said, My message to kingpins is this: We are already blocking your phones, putting you in isolation, and, now, we will make sure you cant access your money. The number of homicides in the UK has risen for four years in a row, with 701 in the year ending March 2018. Knife crime also rose by 16 percent, according to the Office of National Statistics, which said there had been an increase in high-harm offenses, such as homicide and gun crime. Changing the Culture of Learning Disabilities and Education From low expectations to advocating for a hidden population NEW YORKMarcus Soutra vividly remembers reading the popular adventure novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson with his father when he was 8 years old and continuously getting stuck on the same word. His teachers began to notice something too; he was identified as dyslexic and diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when he was in the 3rd grade. Learning disabilities can be frustrating and overwhelming for children and adults. They also come with a stigma. And its not an uncommon problem. Roughly one out of five students in the United States has a learning disability. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, only 68 percent of children with a learning disability graduate from high school. However, these statistics didnt deter Soutra. In college, he learned about successful, creative people like Whoopi Goldberg, Steven Spielberg, and Steve Jobs who had learning disabilities. He looked up to them as role models. He surrounded himself with people who had similar experiences yet pursued prosperous careers. He gained confidence. Soutra, 34, has now dedicated his life to helping others who assimilate information differently. Stigma and Education During Soutras childhood, learning disabilities were not a subject that was openly discussed because they were looked down upon. This stigma made it difficult for Soutra to understand and deal with dyslexia and ADHD. Anytime he told someone about his situation, they assumed he was less intelligent or would be unsuccessful in life. Soutra was a child at the time of his diagnosis, and he struggled to understand what his learning disabilities meant and how they were perceived by others. It was very much something that was thought of as, this is a negative; this is an issue. Its best not to talk about it if you can,' Soutra told The Epoch Times. Soutra was seen as the kid who was in the principals office frequently, as the student who couldnt read or spell, and the one who couldnt sit still at his desk. However, the biggest obstacle he had to overcome was the hurdle of lowered expectations. Teachers told him to not take honors classes and suggested he not run for student council because of his learning disabilities. There was a real message that students with learning disabilities arent meant to go to college, arent the leaders, arent the ones that are going to be successful, Soutra said. That was the message that was hard to overcome and that I felt I was fighting against on a daily basis. The College Experience Despite these low expectations, Soutra attended Keene State College in New Hampshire with the desire to become a teacher. Initially, he thought he wouldnt have to talk about or contend with his learning disabilities. However, he quickly realized that wouldnt be the best path to success. Soutra began embracing accommodations he was entitled to and technology like audio books to stay on top of his work. As a result, he became a much more successful student and took his education more seriously. Despite what people thought about Soutra when he was in grade school, he ended up finishing college. Graduating from college was a wild moment, Soutra recalled. I was excited just like every other student, but I also had this kind of lingering question of like I wonder how many other people who graduated today have learning differences?' No Child Left Behind Soutra became a special education teacher after he graduated from college and sharing his personal experience with students had an impact in the classroom. Students became comfortable telling their stories about their own learning disabilities to the class. He had already worked for a student organization called Eye to Eye, founded by David Flink at Brown University. Soutra ran the chapter at Keene State College when he was an undergraduate student. Eye to Eye empowers students and teaches them skills and strategies to be successful in both the classroom and in life. When Soutra encounters these students, he immediately identifies with them. Its amazing because you have this extra level of empathy, and I think thats something that our mentors at Eye to Eye have an understanding of what theyre going through that most other people, even if they try to, really cant completely relate to because they havent been in their shoes, Soutra said. In 2005, Eye to Eye became a nonprofit organization that empowered and mentored students with learning disabilities. Soutra moved to New York in 2007 and started working for Eye to Eye full-time after sending his application directly to Flink. Soutra wanted to transform the culture of learning in the school system. Soutra began developing the training, curriculum, and strategy for fundraising in Flinks apartment in Brooklyn before they established an office in the Financial District in Manhattan. Eye to Eye also has an annual, week-long program called Young Leaders Organizing Institute at Brown University. Throughout the week, Soutra and his colleagues guide and train 200 students from across the country on how to mentor and empower students with learning disabilities in their own communities. Finding someone who understood how I learned really made me see that I can be successful, even in the subjects that are hard for me, said Joseph, a former Eye to Eye student. The comprehensive work they do has an impact outside the classroom too, since one out of five children has a learning disability. Soutra strongly believes they need the right role models, skills, and strategies to succeed. This is a huge population, a huge minority in our country whos going underserved, thats dropping out of school at higher rates, that have higher rates of suicide, higher rates of unemployment, Soutra explained. Soutra is grateful to now work on addressing these issues as the president of Eye to Eye. It means the world to me to be able to do this job. I feel so privileged and lucky to be able to be a voice for an often very voiceless population, Soutra said. If you have a human interest story youd like to share, write to Andrew Thomas at andrew.thomas@epochtimes.nyc Volunteers from Red Cross China take part in an AIDS-awareness event on World AIDS Day at Beijing's south railway station on December 1, 2009, to call for better government support for HIV/AIDS victims in China. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images) China Reports Surge in New HIV and AIDS Cases College students especially hard hit, authorities say HIV and AIDS are on the rise in China, where authorities have reported more than 40,000 new cases in the second quarter of 2018 alone. Experts at the Fifth National Conference on HIV/AIDS reported 40,104 new cases of the disease, of which 93.1 percent were transmitted via sexual contact, the state-run China News Service reported Sept. 26. Thats in contrast with data from about a decade ago, when most cases were the result of unsafe medical practices or drug abuse. As of late 2016, China had reported a total of more than 650,000 HIV-positive and AIDS patients, and 200,000 who had died of their ailments. A little less than two years later, by June this year, the number of cases had surged to 820,756, with a death total of 253,031. This quarter, over 8,000 people in China died of AIDS. In a Sept. 28 article that analyzed the nature and implications of Chinas growing AIDS crisis, commentator Zhou Pengan identified several major reasons for the recent spread of HIV and AIDS in China: In April 2010, Chinese authorities lifted restrictions on foreigners entering the country, despite having been diagnosed with diseases such as HIV, venereal diseases, and leprosy. Many of those foreigners came from African countries, more than a dozen of which have the highest HIV infection rates in the world. More than 70 percent of HIV-positive people are in Africa. China plans to have 500,000 foreign students studying in its primary and secondary schools, and 150,000 in colleges by 2020. According to Zhous analysis, the largest source of these students are African countries, with which the Chinese regime is attempting to develop strong economic ties. Many international students are thus HIV-positive, and, in the absence of legal restrictions, are granted entry to China. Moreover, Zhou wrote, Chinese authorities offer these students heavy subsidies, providing nearly 100,000 yuan (around $15,000) in annual financial aid for each student. In a country where the average salary is less than 30,000 yuan (around $4,300), this allowance is more than enough for them to solicit prostitutes or even set themselves up as sugar daddies for Chinese women, Zhou said. Another form of transmission is homosexuality, a growing trend in Chinese society. Based on data from last year, in which 993,700 cases and deaths had been reported, and extrapolating from the 40,000 new cases reported in a single quarter this year, Zhou predicted the total number of cases, including ill and deceased, would be 1.23 million by the end of the year. In December 2015, BBC reported that most new cases are transmitted sexually, which demonstrated a sharp change from the 2000s. As of 2009, AIDS was spread in China mainly via drug abuse and blood transfusions. HIV and AIDS, Zhou noted, are spreading at a rate several times that of Chinas GDP. If not dealt with effectively, the crisis could spiral out of control within a few years. According to Chinas National Health and Family Planning Commission, the proportion of HIV-infected Chinese students aged 15 to 24 increased to 16.58 percent in 2014 from 5.77 percent in 2008. Chinas Private Sector: Anxiety to Panic in Seven Months, Economist Says Chinas non-state-owned firms are facing their most difficult situation in the past 40 years, says Chen Shouhong, an economist in Hong Kong and China. With recent reports of the Chinese regime increasing state interference in the private sectorfrom state officials to widely circulated essays hinting at more central planningChinese leader Xi Jinping sought to reassure private businesses on Sept. 27, while on an inspection tour of northeastern China. At an aluminum production factory in Liaoning Provincethe largest in all of AsiaXi gave a speech in which he asserted that the central authorities would support private firms, while advocating state ownership. We have unswervingly developed a public ownership economy, and unswervingly encouraged, supported, guided, and protected the development of privately-run enterprises, Xi said. Chen, a former Hong Kong-based fund manager, recently discussed the current state of Chinas private companies while delivering a training speech at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in Beijing. Since its founding in 2002, the school has trained about 3,000 CEOs from major Chinese companies such as Jack Ma, founder of Chinas tech giant Alibaba; Fu Chengyu, chairman of the state-owned Sinopec; and Wang Hanhua, former president of Amazons China operations. In a Sept. 22 post on his personal blog (which has since been deleted), Chen wrote that he asked the classwhich consisted of leaders at more than 40 publicly listed companies in Chinaanxiety or panic, which one are you feeling? Most of them chose panic. Seven months ago, I conducted a training at the China Europe International Business School [in Shanghai]. The trainees in my class were entrepreneurs like you, Chen said to the class. Most of them had chosen anxiety. Seven months isnt long, but the situation has changed tremendously since then. Chen explained that anxiety meant the entrepreneurs felt pressure, but could still control the risks. Panic means that when facing challenges, the entrepreneurs feel hopeless. The Pressure Is Not Mainly From Trade War Although the U.S.-China trade war has put pressure on Chinese companies through tariffs, Chinas internal policies have made private firms feel the squeeze. For example, the Chinese regime continues to give preferential treatment to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Voice Of America reported on Jan. 27 that 80 percent of industrial loans from the central government and state-owned banks are given to SOEs. The Peoples Bank of China, Chinas central bank, announced that its total loans in 2017 were 13.53 trillion yuan ($1.97 trillion), of which 6.71 trillion yuan ($980 billion) went to businesses that arent in the finance sector. In turn, most of that amount was awarded to SOEs, with private firms receiving less than 1.34 trillion yuan ($200 billion) in total loans. While SOEs occupy more than 70 percent of financial resources in China, they generate less than 30 percent of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP), Chen said. Much of Chinas heavy industries and natural resources are managed by SOEs, such as the steel, oil, heavy machinery, communications, defense, and infrastructure sectors. Even with less government support, private firms contribute more to the economy. Chen said that in the past 40 years, private firms have contributed to 50 percent of Chinas GDP, generated 60 percent of the countrys tax revenue, more than 80 percent of job opportunitiesand developed many of Chinas technological advances. According to 2018 estimates by the New York-based think tank Council on Foreign Relations, between 2011 and 2016, profits in the private sector rose 18 percent, while profits at SOEs decreased 33 percent. Meanwhile, the share of corporate liability growth at SOEs soared to 80 percent by 2016 from 35 percent in 2002. More Party Control The central government has commenced a series of policies since 2017, including deleveraging and supply-side reforms, in order to stymie rising debt levels. Chinese financial media outlet Caixin reported on Sept. 13 that more than 20 private companies transferred equity to SOEs at a high ratio in 2018. In nine cases, the SOEs invested more than 6.2 billion yuan ($900 million) and are the majority shareholders at these companies. There are 123 Chinese companiesboth private and state-ownedpublicly listed on the Hong Kong exchange that changed their company charters to formally establish a Communist Party branch within their company, as mandated by a Party-issued guideline in June, Hong Kong media recently reported. Some companies have established rules that the Party branch budget must be higher than 1 percent of all employees salaries. Other company Party branches have stipulated that if the company doesnt follow the Partys regulations, the Party branch will report the issue to higher Party organizations. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) thats often used to treat arthritis and other painful joint conditions. In many countries, its available without a prescription. Researchers found that the rate of first-time cardiovascular events was 20 to 30 percent higher among people who started taking diclofenac than among people who started taking ibuprofen or naproxen, which are also NSAIDs, or paracetamol (acetaminophen). These events included heart attacks, development of an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, or death from heart problems. The rate of new heart problems was 50 percent higher for diclofenac users than for people who werent taking any painkillers. The researchers analyzed data from the Danish national patient registry. Altogether, they had information on nearly 1.4 million diclofenac users, 3.9 million ibuprofen users, 292,000 naproxen users, 765,00 paracetamol users, and 1.3 million people not on any of these painkillers. It is important to note that the absolute risk for the individual patient is low, Morten Schmidt, lead author of the study, told Reuters Health in an email. For example, among every 400 study participants taking diclofenac, roughly one person per year had a cardiovascular event, his team calculated. Fewer people had cardiovascular events while taking other painkillers. Schmidt and his coauthors say there is little reason to use diclofenac before trying other NSAIDs first. The drug should not be available over the counter, they say, and when prescribed, should be accompanied by appropriate warnings about its potential risks. The increased risk was apparent even within 30 days of starting the drug and even with low doses, the researchers reported in The BMJ. Schmidt said diclofenac was also associated with an increased gastrointestinal bleeding risk compared with ibuprofen. The real question is, do these different NSAIDs carry different risks and the study showed that modestly diclofenac appears to be worse, David Kaufman, Director of the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, who was not involved with the study, told Reuters Health by phone. Because it wasnt a controlled experiment, the study cant prove that diclofenac actually caused more cardiovascular events. Still, the authors say, their study included more people than most previous analyses and provides strong evidence to guide clinical decision making. It is time to acknowledge the potential health risk of diclofenac and to reduce its use, the research team concludes. By Ankur Banerjee From Reuters The Department of Justice building is seen in Washington on Feb. 1, 2018. (Jim Bourg/Reuters) DaVita Unit to Pay $270 Million to End US Probe of Medicare Payments A medical-care unit of DaVita Inc. has agreed to pay $270 million to resolve claims that it provided inaccurate information about patients that caused Medicare Advantage plans operated by private insurers to obtain inflated payments from the government. The civil settlement with HealthCare Partners Holdings, which Denver-based DaVita acquired in 2012 and is in the process of selling to UnitedHealth Group Inc., was announced Oct. 1 by the Justice Department (DOJ). HealthCare Partners didnt admit wrongdoing. The $270 million will be paid for out of escrow funds that HealthCare Partners former owners were required to set aside when DaVita acquired the business in 2012, DaVita said in a statement. HealthCare Partners instituted practices that led insurers operating Medicare Advantage plans to submit incorrect information about patients diagnoses and obtain inflated payments, which the company shared in, DOJ said. HealthCare Partners also scoured patients records for diagnoses its medical providers failed to record which it then submitted to the insurers for use in obtaining increased Medicare payments, the DOJ said. The case stemmed from a broader investigation into data that insurers who operate Medicare Advantage plans submit to receive risk adjustment payments. The probe has already led to the DOJ suing UnitedHealth in a similar case. DaVitas alleged conduct was irresponsible and compromised the integrity of the Medicare program, Special Agent in Charge Scott Lampert of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector Generals New York Region, said in a statement. According to court papers, HealthCare Partners, a California-based independent physician association, contracted with insurers to provide medical services to Medicare Advantage patients. More than one-third of Medicare recipients receive benefits through Medicare Advantage plans run by private insurers, who the government pays a predetermined monthly sum for each person they cover based on individual diagnostic traits. Under this part of Medicare, the healthcare program for the elderly, the government makes so-called risk adjustment payments based on data it receives regarding the health status of a patient covered by a Medicare Advantage plan. The allegations stemmed from a whistleblower lawsuit filed in 2009 against various insurers and, later, HealthCare Partners by James Swoben, a former employee of an insurer that did business with DaVita, the DOJ said. His lawsuit, pending in federal court in Los Angeles, was filed under the False Claims Act, which allows whistleblowers to sue companies on the governments behalf to recover funds paid out based on fraudulent claims. The government may intervene in such cases. For his role in bringing the case, Swoben will receive almost $10.2 million, the DOJ said. This settlement demonstrates our tireless commitment to rooting out fraud that drains too many taxpayer dollars from public health programs like Medicare, U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said in a statement. This case involved illegal conduct in which patients medical conditions were improperly reported and were not corrected after further reviewall for the purpose of boosting the bottom line. By Nate Raymond Father of Parkland Shooting Victim Blasts Alyssa Milanos NRA Remarks The father of Parkland shooting victim Meadow Pollack rebuked actress Alyssa Milano for blaming the National Rifle Association for his daughters death. Andrew Pollack said Milano should learn her facts before she speaks about the incident in which a gunman opened fire on Valentines Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., killing 17 and wounding 17. The FBI, Sherrif Israel, mental illness counselors, school administrators & failed diversionary programs are to blame, Pollack said in a tweet. Not the NRA. .@Alyssa_Milano in her speech in Parkland blamed the @NRA for the shooting that killed my daughter. She needs to learn her facts before she speaks The FBI, Sherrif Israel, mental illness counselors, school administrators & failed diversionary programs are to blame. Not the NRA Andrew Pollack (@AndrewPollackFL) October 1, 2018 Pollack was responding to Milanos criticism in a speech she gave in Parkland, Florida, on Sept. 30. Milano emceed the Actions For Change Music and Food Festival in Parkland on Sunday, an event held to encourage young people to vote. As host, she decried the political influence of the NRA, according to WLRN-TV. We live in a nation where numbers are really no longer persuasive, Milano said. Numbers no longer persuade policy. In April 2018, Pollack founded a nonprofit, Americans for CLASS (Childrens Lives and School Safety) and formulated an eight-point plan for classroom safety. He has called for greater security measures at schools, such as securing the perimeter, controlling the flow of entry, and protecting the interior with armed guards. Pollack has also filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Scot Peterson, the former school resource deputy who stood about 30 yards from the building while students and teachers were being shot and killed. Pollack believes if Peterson had engaged the gunman, he wouldnt have made it to the third floor of the building where his daughter was murdered as she tried to shield another student with her own body. That guy let my daughter get murdered, Pollack said, according to an article published on Americans for CLASS website. Milano, meanwhile, has been politically active on several fronts. Last week she attended Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaughs Senate Judiciary Committee hearing as a guest of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif). Milano has on other occasions called out the NRA in the wake of Parkland shooting while campaigning for greater voter turnout. Lets do this, Milano tweeted ahead of the Aug. 4, 2018, March on NRA event in Fairfax, Virginia. She went on to explain the code on her T-shirt. When people take of photo of the CAD it takes their phone directly to voter registration page and people can register in less than two minutes. Milano is also a member of the No Rifle Association Initiative, and released a Gun Safety Bill of Rights via Twitter. Milanos document demands equal protection from gun violence, retraining ofarmed public officials to focus on de-escalation of conflict rather than the use of force, and legislative efforts toward greater gun control. According to earlier Epoch Times reporting, suspected Parkland gunman Nicolas Cruz made a court appearance on Sept. 26. Members of his defense team requested to interview hundreds of secondary witnesses as part of an effort to spare him the death penalty. Cruzs lawyers have said he is willing to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison, but prosecutors reject that and insist he should be executed. Electronic cigarettes and pods by Juul, the nation's largest maker of vaping products, are offered for sale at the Smoke Depot on September 13, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) FDA Seizes Documents From Juul in Latest E-Cigarette Crackdown The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it seized more than a thousand pages of documents from Juul Labs related to the companys sales and marketing practices after a surprise inspection on Oct. 2, in the latest clampdown on e-cigarette companies. The FDA said last month it was considering a ban on flavored e-cigarettes from Juul and others, as the agency grapples with an epidemic of youth e-cigarette use that threatens to create a new generation of nicotine addicts. Retail sales of Juul grew more than seven-fold from 2016 to 2017, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By December, Juul comprised nearly 1 in 3 e-cigarette sales nationally, it said. The CDC study of retail sales didnt include online sales or sales at vape shops. Juul has about 72 percent of the U.S. market for e-cigarette sales, according to Wells Fargo. Juuling, along with vaping, have become common terms for e-cigarette use by teenagers on social media and at U.S. high schools. E-cigarettes vaporize a liquid that contains nicotine, the addictive stimulant that gives smokers a rush. The inspection, completed on Sept. 28, followed a request in April for documents that would help the agency better understand the high rates of use and appeal among youth of Juul products. The FDA also said it conducted inspections of several of Juuls contract manufacturing units earlier this year. Weve now released over 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements, Juul Chief Executive Officer Kevin Burns said in a statement, adding the meeting with the regulator was constructive and transparent. We want to be part of the solution in preventing underage use, and we believe it will take industry and regulators working together to restrict youth access. The FDAs regulation of e-cigarettes has come under the spotlight as Juuls popularity surged. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in a letter on Oct. 2 urged the FDA to immediately ban child-friendly e-cigarette flavorings and restrict online sales of nicotine products. While it remains unclear whether e-cigarettes can actually help adults quit smoking cigarettes, it is abundantly clear that tobacco companies are developing and marketing e-cigarette flavors that appeal to, and addict, children, the senators wrote. In July, Durbin and Murkowski introduced legislation that would place restrictions on e-cigarette flavorings that appeal to children like gummy bear, chocolate cupcake and tutti fruitti. Along with the Juul phenomenon, a new wave of lower-priced Juul knockoffs are showing up at convenience stores, vape shops and online, despite an FDA rule that banned the sale of new e-cigarettes after August 2016 without regulatory approval. Startups and major tobacco firms have launched more than a dozen new high-nicotine devices with Juul-like designs since the FDA imposed the deadline, according to a Reuters review of the companies online advertisements, social media posts and public statements. Shares of tobacco companies, including Philip Morris, Altria, British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands, jumped after the FDA announcement. Juuls flash-drive-like device is recharged via a USB port. The device comes with cartridges, or pods, of nicotine-based liquids in flavors like mango, creme and mintthat critics say appeal to minors. By Tamara Mathias and Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru and Yasmeen Abutaleb in Washington. US First Lady Arrives in Ghana on First Leg of Solo Africa Trip U.S. First Lady Melania Trump landed under cloudy skies in Accra, Ghana, on Oct. 2, the first stop in her extended solo trip to Africa. Before greeting officials, the first lady accepted a bouquet of flowers wrapped in a kente cloth from Lillian Naa Adai Sai, an 8-year-old girl who looked starstruck. Trump then greeted Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the first lady of Ghana, at the foot of a red carpet rolled out on the tarmac. Before departing the airport, the two first ladies watched an arrival ceremony that featured tribal dancers and children waving Ghanaian and American flags. When asked about the first ladys trip to Africa, President Donald Trump said he watched her walk down from the plane in Africa. It was beautiful and, saying hello to the kids, she is really doing a great job as first lady, Trump said. The first ladys trip to Africa is her first solo journey; she usually accompanies the president on trips. She will return to Washington by the end of the week. Melania Trump announced her trip during a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 26. Since becoming first lady, I have had the privilege of speaking with many of the spouses of world leaders, she said. Our discussions are always united by the universal desire to provide children with the support and tools necessary to grow up happy, healthy, and responsible adults. All four countries that the first lady will visit receive funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She highlighted what the United States is doing for each nation in her speech announcing the trip. There are many programs across the country that are doing great things for children, and I believe we can replicate many of these programs overseas. This is why I am pleased to be working closely with USAID as I prepare for my first major international trip to Africa, the first lady said. Hospital The first ladies first stopped at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. At an outdoor seating area where about 10 mothers sat, Trump picked up a chubby-cheeked baby and made faces at him, to the delight of the assembled mothers and hospital officials. The first lady then helped pass out baskets donated by the White House. Congratulations, the first lady said, as she handed a blanket and teddy bear to a mother breastfeeding her child. Trump then watched as health officials weighed babies in sacks hanging from a pulley as part of routine wellness checks. Local women have to pay the equivalent of $2 per sack, so the White House donated a bundle of them to the hospital. Healthy boy, she said approvingly, as one 6-month-old baby dangled on the pulley in front of her. The first lady then visited a newly constructed wing of the hospital to visit babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Jubilee House The two first ladies than traveled to Jubilee House, Ghanas presidential palace, for a private meeting. The pair exchanged gifts. Trump brought a silver Chippendale tray etched with an image of the White House. The tray was carried in a leather case bearing the first ladys signature. In return, Trump received a kente cloth, a Ghanaian fabric distinguished by its multicolored strips of cotton or silk, and an artifact. The two first ladies met for the first time at the U.N. General Assembly last week. The pair spent about half an hour inside the Jubilee House having tea before Trump departed to her hotel. Be Best Campaign Trump has made the well-being of children the focus of her work as first lady and plans to bring this message to Africa on her trip. Her campaign, called Be Best, focuses on issues including social media use and opioid abuse. Trumps stops will focus on nutrition for women and children, health care for mothers and newborns, early childhood education, wildlife conservation, and tourism. The first lady will also highlight the role Washington plays in helping each country, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which helped to coordinate the trip. Previous first ladies have had similar policy initiatives geared toward youth, such as Michelle Obamas Lets Move campaign to fight childhood obesity and Nancy Reagans Say No to Drugs. Aid USAID and the U.S. State Department provided more than $8 billion in assistance to 47 countries in sub-Saharan Africa in 2015. The aid goes towards preventing conflict and violent extremism, supporting democracy, and combating poverty and disease. Tourism Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghanas minister of information, expected the first ladys visit to be a boon for the countrys tourism industry. We expect that the visit will also aid us in the various efforts that we are making to promote a number of tourism sites in the country. All in all, her visit is to aid us in boosting tourism as well as strengthen Ghana-US ties, Nkrumah told Revelare Online. Flight Aborted at JFK After Fire Breaks Out in Landing Gear Firefighters scrambled to douse the flames on an aircraft that aborted takeoff at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport on Oct. 1, after the planes landing gear caught fire. Kennedy ground, you got an emergency. Emergency, an unidentified voice can be heard, according to NBC New York, citing LiveATC.net, a repository of air traffic control interactions. Several unidentified individuals take part in the conversation: Send a fire truck out here. ASAP, ASAP, ASAP! Is there flames coming out or is that just, looks like sparks? Uh, it appears to be flames, at the very least its a very severe glow. Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft using mobile stair ramps. Officials reported no injuries. Video posted by Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, the law enforcement union representing Port Authority Police Officers, shows the stationary aircraft and firefighters hosing down the smoldering landing gear. The fire broke out in the main landing gear wheel well of Delta flight No. 420, a Boeing B763, just before 7:30 p.m. Monday, NBC reported, citing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An aircraft firefighter unit responded to the emergency. Mon., 10/1, JFK Airport; Delta aircraft aborted takeoff, reported gear fire. Port Authority Police Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) Unit on scene, tweeted Port Authority PBA. In a separate but concurrent incident, a Delta plane departing from LaGuardia Airport made an emergency landing at JFK due to a possible bird strike, according to the Port Authority PBA. At the same time as the JFK Delta fire a Delta Airbus 319, that just departed LaGuardia, made an emergency landing at JFK with a possible bird strike. PAPD ARFF had to split ARFF response, the PBA said in a tweet. Officials reported no flight disruptions due to the incidents. The Dusky Gopher Frog has an average length of about three inches and a stocky body with colors on its back that range from black to brown or gray and is covered with dark spots and warts. It is at the center of the Supreme Court case regarding the implementation of the Endangered Species Act. (Western Carolina University photo via Wikimedia Commons/ John A. Tupy) Endangered Frog Takes Center Stage as Supreme Court Begins New Term The federal government shouldnt be allowed to limit development on private land to help save an endangered species when that species doesnt actually live there, a lumber company told the Supreme Court on Oct. 1, in a property-rights case thats being closely watched by environmentalists and conservative advocacy groups. Environmentalist groups are on edge because though the high court rarely takes up cases involving the Endangered Species Act, it agreed Jan. 22 to hear the case on appeal from the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which ruled in favor of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior. If the court rules against the government, the power of federal bureaucrats to make such designations under the Endangered Species Act and impose restrictions on the use of privately owned land could be curtailed across the nation. It is unclear how the case will ultimately be decided. Throughout the hearing, which largely consisted of back-and-forth discussions of the legal meaning of specific terms used in the Endangered Species Act, liberal justices peppered the lumber companys lawyer with tough questions; conservative justices did the same to the lawyer representing the government. In the case, lawyers for Seattle-based Weyerhaeuser Co. challenged the governments critical-habitat designation for the dusky gopher frog, or Lithobates sevosus, an amphibian also known as the Mississippi gopher frog. There may be as few as 75 of these frogs in existence in the wild. It was officially listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act on Dec. 4, 2001, according to the FWS. The FWS wants to use existing ponds and dig new ones throughout the Deep South to give the frog a chance at survival. The plan is then to move some of the frogs to the new ponds and protect the land surrounding them. The landowners object because they wont be able to use the lands in question, which have an economic value attached to them. Weyerhauser Land The case goes back to 2012 when the FWS used the Endangered Species Act to declare 6,477 acres in two states, including 1,500 acres in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, a critical habitat essential to the dusky gopher frog. The declaration followed the settlement of lawsuits filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of Mississippi Public Lands. The 1,500 acres are owned by Weyerhaeuser and businessman Edward Poitevent. After almost losing the land during the Great Depression, Poitevents family signed a 90-year lease that allowed the land to stay in the family. In the 1990s, Weyerhaeuser took over the lease for its timber operations. By locking down land on behalf of a frog that doesnt live there, the feds froze an estimated $34 million in economic activity, according to the Pacific Legal Foundation, which represents Poitevent. Nor can Edward use his own land for anything else in the futurea literal death knell to his property rights. If overreaching government agents can do this to Edward, they can designate any piece of land a critical habitat for practically any animal. No ones land is safe. Even though the frog is found only in Mississippi, the FWS designated the land as critical habitat in Louisiana on the theory that it may one day be inhabitable by the frog. The trial court upheld the FWS finding, and the Fifth Circuit did the same, saying the agencys decision was entitled to deference because of the 1984 Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council decision. In Chevron, the Supreme Court held that courts have to defer to an agencys authoritative and reasonable interpretation of ambiguous language found within a statute it administers, according to a case summary provided by the Supreme Court. Weyerhaeuser attorney Timothy S. Bishop said Oct. 1 that the governments proposal for the land in question is unfair to the company. If we need to apply for permits we get to use 40 percent of the land for development and we have to turn 60 percent of it over for frog habitat, Bishop told the justices. We dont think that that is an appropriate use of our land, given that this is not habitat to begin with. Justice Stephen Breyer, a liberal, seemed somewhat sympathetic to Weyerhaeuser, asking rhetorically if, in addition to using ponds on the land in question to save the frogs, it would be reasonable to build special hothouses in Nome, Alaska? A decision resting on that strikes me as far-fetched, from a situation where all you have to do in addition is drain six inches of swamp from a pond to make it hospitable to the frogs, he said. Who Pays? Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, distilled the case during oral arguments, saying what the court was really deciding is which party should bear the costs involved in saving the endangered frog. Now, this case is going to be spun, weve already heard questions along this line, as a choice between whether the dusky gopher frog is going to become extinct or not, Alito said. Thats not the choice at all. The question is, who is going to have to pay and who should pay for the preservation of this public good? The head of a grassroots conservative group said endangered-species laws have long been abused. The only thing the Endangered Species Act has preserved is liberal power, Donny Ferguson, president of Americans for a Better Economy, an Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit organization, told The Epoch Times. It seizes private property, destroys jobs and kills progress, while the data show its been a total failure at stopping the ongoing natural process of extinction. Any change to the Act that modernizes it helps, but we cant embrace science and progress until it is repealed entirely. The Supreme Court began its new term shorthanded. Normally nine justices hear oral arguments, but in the wake of Associate Justice Anthony Kennedys retirement July 31, there have been only eight justices. Brett Kavanaugh, President Donald Trumps nominee to be the ninth justice, was approved 11 to 10 by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 28 but it is unclear when the full Senate will take up his nomination. After Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) requested a fresh FBI investigation of uncorroborated allegations against Kavanaugh, the president asked the FBI to conduct a one-week supplemental investigation that must be limited in scope. Indonesian Leader Steps Up Hunt for Survivors as Quake Toll Passes 1,200 Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for reinforcements in a desperate search for survivors of a devastating earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi island, as the official death toll rose above 1,200 on Oct. 2, and looting fueled fears of lawlessness. Officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead had come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, while some remote areas have been cut off since Fridays 7.5 magnitude quake triggered tsunami waves. There are some main priorities that we must tackle and the first is to evacuate, find and save victims whove not yet been found, Widodo told a government meeting to coordinate disaster recovery efforts on the west coast of Sulawesi. He said he had ordered the national search and rescue agency to send more police and soldiers into the affected districts, some cut off by destroyed roads, landslides, and downed bridges. The official death toll surged to 1,234, the national disaster agency said. Nearly 800 were seriously injured. The Red Cross said the situation was nightmarish and reports from its workers venturing into one cut-off area, Donggala, a region of 300,000 people north of Palu and close to the epicenter, indicated it had been hit extremely hard. A video of Donggala, broadcast by the Antara state news agency, showed widespread destruction, including flattened buildings and a ship that had been hurled into port buildings by the tsunami. What we need is food, water, medicine, but to up now weve got nothing, said an unidentified man standing in ruins. Four badly hit districts of Sulawesi, one of the archipelago nations five main islands, have a combined population of about 1.4 million. In Palu, tsunami waves as high as six meters (20 feet) smashed into the beachfront, while hotels and shopping malls collapsed in ruins. Some neighborhoods were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid. About 1,700 houses in one neighborhood have disappeared beneath the mud, with hundreds of people believed buried, the national disaster agency said. Before-and-after satellite pictures show a largely built-up neighborhood just south of Palus airport seemingly wiped clean of all signs of life by liquefaction. Among those killed were 34 children at a Christian bible study camp, a Red Cross official said. Leaving and Looting More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced and are in need of emergency help. Thousands of people have been streaming out of stricken areas. Commercial airlines have struggled to restore operations at Palus damaged airport but military aircraft have taken some survivors out. Many more want to leave. Authorities have said a navy vessel capable of taking 1,000 people at a time would help with the evacuation. The government has ordered aid supplies to be airlifted in but theres little sign of help on Palus shattered streets and survivors appeared increasingly desperate. A Reuters news team saw a shop cleared by about 100 people, shouting, scrambling and fighting each other for items including clothes, toiletries, blankets, and water. Many people grabbed diapers while one man clutched a rice cooker as he headed for the door. Non-essential goods were scattered on the floor amid shards of broken glass. At least 20 police were at the scene but did not intervene. The government has played down fears of looting saying disaster victims could take essential goods and shops would be compensated later. Indonesia is all too familiar with earthquakes and tsunamis. A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. It has said it would accept offers of international aid, having shunned outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck the island of Lombok. State port operator Pelindo IV said a ship carrying 50 tonnes of supplies including rice, eggs, noodles, mineral water, and baby milk had arrived in Palu on Monday. It was unclear if the aid had been distributed. Buried Fast Power has yet to be restored and aftershocks have rattled jangled nerves. But rescuers in Palu held out hope they could still save lives. We suspect there are still some survivors trapped inside, the head of one rescue team, Agus Haryono, told Reuters at the collapsed seven-story Hotel Roa Roa as he pored over its blueprints. About 50 people were believed to have been caught inside the hotel when it was brought down. About nine bodies have been recovered from the ruins and three rescued alive. Elsewhere, on the outskirts of Palu, lorries brought 54 bodies to a mass grave dug in sandy soil. Most of the bodies had not been claimed, a policeman said, but some relatives came to pay respects to loved ones at the 50-meter (165 ft) trench. Rosmawati Binti Yahya, 52, was still looking for her missing daughter. But her husband was among the victims laid in the grave. Its OK if hes buried in the mass grave, its better to have him buried fast, she said, as the stench from decomposing bodies filled the air. A Syracuse, N.Y. man had water dumped on him in a Dunkin' recently. The incident was recorded and the video went viral online, prompting many to call for the worker who dumped the water to be fired. The company announced on Oct. 1, 2018 that the worker was fired. (Man sleeping at Suyracuse Dunkin/GoFundMe) New York Man Who Had Water Dumped on Him in Dunkin Was About to Call Mother A New York man who had water dumped on him by an employee at Dunkin (formerly Dunkin Donuts) was charging his phone to call his mother to tell her good night. Jeremy Dufresne is a homeless man who utilizes Dunkin to get warm and charge his phone. Dufresne told Syracuse.com that he calls his mother to tell her goodnight every evening. As his phone charged to enable him to make the call, he put his head down for a minute at the Dunkin on North Salina Street. Thats when an employee dumped water on his head. Someone else recorded the moment, after which the employee started laughing. How many times do I gotta tell you to stop sleeping in here, he told Dufresne, who said he was not sleeping. Worker Has Problems Dufresne reckons the worker has some problems of his own. He probably had some personal problems of his own and needed someone to talk to, Dufresne said of the worker. And he took it out on someone else, like me. He noted that other workers at the Dunkin location have been nice to him and sometimes give him food or drinks. Family members said Dufresne suffers from schizophrenia, and theyve tried to help him over the years but he said he prefers to sleep outside and be alone. Dunkin Donuts employee shown dumping water on a homeless man. This video makes me sick to watch https://t.co/kaAaYhiCDF Morgan Kolkmeyer (@MorganKolkmeyer) October 2, 2018 Worker Fired The employee recorded dumping the water and another employee, who is believed to have been recording, have been fired, Dunkin said. We were extremely disturbed by the behavior of our employees captured in the video, said Dunkin Franchisee and Chief Operating Officer Kimberly Wolak in a statement obtained by WSYR. It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organizationwhich include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect. The employees involved in the incident have been terminated, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologize for the negative experience. They were supposed to drop the "Donut's" did they drop compassion too? @dunkindonutshttps://t.co/lAJ7haJsdL Shared from my Google feed Cicely (@CTyraBojrab) October 2, 2018 Training She said the company will work will local groups to teach employees how to interact properly with homeless people. The Onondaga County District Attorneys office has been investigating the incident and told Syracuse.com that the employee could be charged with harassment, which has similar penalties to speeding. William Fitzpatrick, the district attorney, said he is also working with Dunkin, and the local homeless outreach group In My Fathers Kitchen to institute training for workers and information for the community. Lets not allow this to become the normthats the way we treat homeless people, Fitzpatrick said. From NTD.tv Photo Taken by Spacecraft Shows What Its Like to Stand on Comet Top video shows meteor flying over Alabama several weeks ago The European Space Agency (ESA) released a new image of what it is like to stand on a comet, shot via the Rosetta spacecraft. The picture was taken in 2014 before Rosetta spacecraft landed on the comet, which is known as Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Rosetta ended its mission on Sept. 30, 2016, crash-landing on the comet. Amateur astronomer Jacint Roger Perez combined three images taken by a camera on Rosetta before it landed. Seen in the center and left of the frame is Seth, one of the geological regions on the larger of the two comet lobes, which declines towards the smoother Hapi region on the comets neck that connects the two lobes. The landscape in the background reveals hints of the Babi and Aker regions [see map below for the geologic regions on the comet, in context], said the ESA in a statement. Amazing time-lapse of images from the #Rosetta probe flying 13km above Comet 67P. A mix of stars, dust and ice particles, space debris. Stitched together/credit: Jacint Roger Perez pic.twitter.com/z1GDICfoNN Project Adrift (@ProjectAdrift) April 28, 2018 It added: The sharp profile in the lower part of the image shows the Aswan cliff, a 134 m-high scarp separating the Seth and Hapi regions. Observations performed by Rosetta not long before the comets perihelion, which took place on 13 August 2015, revealed that a chunk of this cliff had collapsed, a consequence of increased activity as the comet drew closer to the Sun along its orbit. EarthSky reported that ESA officials decided to crash Rosetta on Comet 67P after a 12-year mission because its solar panels were not able to collect enough energy. Meteor Flyby Over Alabama Several weeks ago, a meteor flew over Alabama, and NASA said that it was brighter than the moon. The meteor fireball was seen by spectators as well as NASA cameras about 58 miles above Turkeytown, Alabama. It shot across the sky traveling at 53,700 miles per hour before it broke into pieces 18 miles above another Alabama city, USA Today reported. In the Kyle Rittenhouse case, legal nuance clashes with ideology. Since its inception, the case has served as a sort of national Rorschach test, with some seeing in the teenager a patriot who used his Second Amendment right to defend himself and others viewing him as a gun-wielding white boy who believed he could act with impunity. Democratic National Committee Deputy Chairman Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) addresses a rally against Trump Administration education funding cuts outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on July 19, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Report on Ellison Abuse Claim Sent to Law Enforcement for Further Investigation An internal report by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), which investigated the domestic-abuse claims against Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), has been sent to local law enforcement for further investigation after an attorney who was hired by the DFL found the claims unsubstantiated. Ellison is alleged to have physically and verbally abused his ex-girlfriend Karen Monahan. Monahan has since provided medical records from 2017, when she told her therapist about the abuse on two separate visits. Her son, Austin, also confirmed witnessing the video in a lengthy Facebook post, detailing how he accidentally stumbled upon the video and how he confronted his mother about it. Doug Wardlow, a Republican who is running against Ellison to be the states attorney general in next months upcoming general election, chastised the DFL over the report and accused the party of protecting Ellison. As predicted, the sham investigation led by the DFL party attorneys legal partner has concluded in favor of the partys Attorney General candidate. But the publicly available evidence contradicts that conclusion, Wardlow said in an Oct. 1 statement. Karen Monahans allegations are substantiated by documentary evidence and a witness. The DFL has refused to publicly release the report that was produced by Susan Ellingstad, an attorney who was hired by the party. But a copy of the report obtained by the Associated Press revealed that Monahan wasnt willing to release the video of the incident, when Ellison allegedly pulled her off her bed and hurled insults at her. According to the report, Monahan gave multiple reasons to Ellingstad why she couldnt release the video, adding that she ultimately refused to show me the video, stating that she has been bullied on social media over the videotape and has decided not to cave to the pressure. The attorney also reviewed a number of documents in her investigation, such as texts sent between Ellison and Monahan, handwritten notes by Monahan, and social media postings, among others. She [Monahan] has stated that the videotape is embarrassing and traumatizing for her, and that she should not have to prove her allegations with a tape, wrote Ellingstad. The attorney said that without viewing the video, an allegation standing alone is not necessarily sufficient to conclude that conduct occurred. Ellison has denied the abuse claims and also the existence of the video. DFL Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement that the investigation was forwarded to local authorities to let them review the contents and determine whether further investigation is warranted. In response to the report, former Ramsey County Attorney Tom Foley called for a criminal investigation into Ellisons conduct. Meanwhile, Ellison described the probe as a thorough, independent and fair review. Addressing this allegation has been especially challenging given the important national moment we are in, Ellison said in an Oct. 1 statement. I believe women who come forward must be heard, and to have their allegations fully investigated. But Monahan hit back at the report on Twitter, adding that shes already shared more than she had planned to do. You are not entitled to my pain and trauma. You are not entitled to see me getting dragged, when my body is being exposed in more ways than one. This is my trauma, I dealt with the abuse. she wrote on Oct. 1. Almost all high-ranking Democrats have remained silent over the claims against their colleague Ellison, who also serves as the deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). Monahan also condemned Ellison for lying in a separate post. Why is Keith Ellison putting the DFL, DNC, the people of MN and his family through this? Keith knows every word I said was true. It is abusive and re-victimizes survivors. People will sell their soul for power, she said. Ph.D. James P. Allison(R) and Kyoto University Professor Tasuku Honjo in Kyoto, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo, on Sept. 17, 2018. (Mandatory credit Kyodo/MD Anderson Cancer Center at The University of Texas/Handouts via Reuters) Scientists Behind Game-Changing Cancer Immunotherapies Win Nobel Medicine Prize STOCKHOLM/LONDONAmerican James Allison and Japanese Tasuku Honjo won the 2018 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine on Oct. 1, for game-changing discoveries about how to harness and manipulate the immune system to fight cancer. The scientists work in the 1990s has since swiftly led to new and dramatically improved therapies for cancers such as melanoma and lung cancer, which had previously been extremely difficult to treat. The seminal discoveries by the two Laureates constitute a landmark in our fight against cancer, the Nobel Assembly at Swedens Karolinska Institute said as it awarded the prize of nine million Swedish crowns ($1 million). Allison and Honjo showed releasing the brakes on the immune system can unleash its power to attack cancer. The resulting treatments, known as immune checkpoint blockade, have fundamentally changed the outcome for some advanced cancer patients, the Nobel institute said. Medicine is the first of the Nobel Prizes awarded each year. The prizes for achievements in science, literature, and peace were created in accordance with the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel and have been awarded since 1901. The literature prize will not be handed out this year after the awarding body was hit by a sexual misconduct scandal. A Swedish court on Monday found a man at the center of the scandal guilty of rape and sentenced him to two years in jail. Revolutionized Cancer Treatment Allisons and Honjos work focused on proteins that act as brakes on the immune system preventing the bodys main immune cells, known as T-cells, from attacking tumors effectively. Allison, a professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, worked on a protein known as CTLA-4 and realized that if this could be blocked, a brake would be released. It immediately occurred to me, and some of the people in my lab, that maybe we can use this to unleash the immune system to attack cancer cells, Allison told a news conference after getting the prize. Honjo, a professor at Kyoto University since 1984, separately discovered a second protein called PD-1 and found that it too acted as an immune system brake, but with a different mechanism. The discoveries led to the creation of a multibillion-dollar market for new cancer medicines. Bristol-Myers Squibbs CTLA-4 therapy Yervoy was the first such drug to win approval, in 2011. However, it is medicines targeting PD-1 blockade that have proved a bigger commercial hit, led by Merck & Cos Keytruda in 2014. These and rival drugs from Roche , AstraZeneca , Pfizer, and Sanofi now offer new options for patients with melanoma, lung and bladder cancers. Sales of such medicines, which are given as infusions, are expected to reach some $15 billion this year, according to Thomson Reuters consensus forecasts. Some analysts see eventual revenues of $50 billion. Honjo, who is now 76, told a news conference in Tokyo he was honored to get the Nobel, but his work was not yet done. I would like to keep on doing my research so that this immune treatment could save more cancer patients, he said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated Honjo in a phone call, telling him: I believe the achievements of your research have given cancer patients hope and light. Allison told a news conference he was in a state of shock hours after learning from his son that he had won a Nobel prize. As a basic scientist, to have my work really impact people is just one of the best things, he said. I think its everybodys dream. And Ive been lucky enough to do work that is benefiting people now. Commenting on the award, Kevin Harrington, a professor at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, said the work had revolutionized cancer treatment. Weve gone from being in a situation where patients were effectively untreatable to having a range of immunotherapy options that, when they work, work very well indeed, he said in a statement. For some patients we see their tumors shrink or completely disappear and are effectively cured. By Simon Johnson and Kate Kelland Sex-Offender Registrations Unconstitutional, Supreme Court Hears A child rapists conviction for failing to register as a sex offender should be set aside because federal rules requiring him to register were created improperly, the offenders lawyer told skeptical members of the Supreme Court on Oct. 2. This is the second case of the courts new term in which the issue is whether Congress delegated too much power to the executive branch, in violation of the Constitution. On Oct. 1, the court heard oral arguments in a case concerning regulations seeking to protect an endangered frog. At issue is the non-delegation doctrine, a constitutional and administrative law principle that has rarely been invoked lately, and flows out of Article I of the U.S. Constitution. Because All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, the doctrine holds that Congress isnt allowed to delegate its lawmaking powers to executive agencies or private entities. While the high court relied on the doctrine in striking down elements of the New Deal in Schechter Poultry Corp. v. U.S. (1935), the otherwise straightforward legal principle was undermined in the Progressive Era. In 1928, in J.W. Hampton Jr. & Co. v. U.S. the court read language into Article I that doesnt exist: Lawmaking powers may be delegated so long as Congress lays down an intelligible principle on which the recipient of the delegated powers may act. Although the court acknowledged in Mistretta v. U.S. (1989) that Congress generally isnt allowed to delegate its legislative powers to another branch of government, it favorably cited its 1928 decision, which held Congress may seek assistance from the other branches. While a decision to strike down the federal sex-offender registration regulations in question would be truly revolutionary in its ramifications, and call into question the legitimacy of the modern administrative state replete as it is with unelected bureaucrats exercising vast powers the framers of the U.S. Constitution never intended them to possessthe justices seemed largely unmoved by the arguments presented. Conviction and Punishment At oral arguments on Oct. 2, no one disputed that Herman Avery Gundy, 44, who convicted in 2005 of raping an 11-year-old girl, failed in 2012 to register as a sex offender as required by the now 12-year-old Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). However, litigants clashed over the constitutionality of SORNA. Gundy now lives and works in Hagerstown, Maryland, where he is currently registered as a sex offender. Enacted in 2006, SORNA aimed to close gaps and loopholes under prior laws, as well as to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registrations. Registration makes information such as the offenders name, current location, and past offenses available to local and federal authorities and the public after a sex offender is released into the community. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and some territories operate sex-offender websites and must comply with SORNA. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice approved guidelines that applied SORNAs registration requirement to sex offenders from the pre-SORNA era, including Gundy. Gundy objects to this application of the regulations, characterizing it as retroactive even though his non-registration offense took place long after SORNA was enacted. Gundy is a serial lawbreaker. In 2005, he pleaded guilty in Maryland to sexually assault. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but 10 years were suspended, and he received five years of probation. In November 2010, he completed his Maryland sentence. The federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) then relocated him to a Pennsylvania prison to serve a sentence for violating conditions imposed on him during a period of supervised release. In July 2012, BOP moved him to a halfway house in New York. After his release from that facility on Aug. 27, 2012, he remained in the state, according to a case summary provided by the Supreme Courts press office. In October 2012, he was arrested and indicted for violating SORNA because he failed to register as a sex offender in New York. Constitutional Controversy Gundys lawyers attacked the indictment, arguing among things, that SORNA could not constitutionally apply to him, because Congress delegated too much authority to the attorney general to make a fundamentally legislative decision about whether SORNA applied to pre-Act offenders, the summary stated. The trial court initially agreed, tossing the indictment, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected Gundys constitutional argument and remanded the case to the original court for a new trial. This time, Gundy was convicted and sentenced to time served, plus five years of supervised release. Gundy appealed, again on constitutional grounds, to the Second Circuit, to no avail. The Supreme Court agreed March 5 to review his case. Gundy maintains when Congress delegated authority to the attorney general under SORNA the constitutional separation of powers and non-delegation doctrine which traditionally have held that only Congress has the power to legislate were violated. This power over roughly half a million sex offenders is quintessentially legislative and cant be delegated, he contends. Principal Deputy Solicitor General Jeffrey B. Wall argued Oct. 2 that SORNA was nothing unusual. That kind of implementation is a classic executive function. It is what statutes give to the executive branch all the time. In SORNA, Congress defined the bounds of the people they want into the system going forward, then they said to the attorney general: Your job is to get as many of the existing offenders who fall into that universe into the registries as you can, recognizing there are going to be some practical barriers. But in her opening statement, Gundys attorney, Sarah Baumgartel, argued SORNA was an affront to the Constitution. While she made her presentation, Baumgartel was interrupted by every member of the court, except for Justice Clarence Thomas, who rarely speaks during oral arguments. (At present, there are only eight justices sitting on the court. President Trumps nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the court remains stalled in the Senate.) SORNAs delegation provision grants unguided power to the nations top prosecutor to expand the scope of criminal laws and to impose burdensome, sometimes lifetime registration requirements on hundreds of thousands of individuals, the lawyer said. It combines criminal lawmaking and executive power in precisely the way that the Constitution was designed to prohibit. Baumgartel continued: This delegation is unconstitutional [and] can be distinguished from every delegation that has previously been upheld by this court due to a combination of its total lack of [a] standard and the nature and significance of the delegated power. Unlike other delegations that this court has approved, SORNA has no standard to guide the attorney generals exercise of discretion. Chief Justice John Roberts then interrupted Baumgartel: Well, the government says that they do have a standard and its [to] apply the prohibition or the requirements in the law to the maximum extent feasible. Baumgartel replied, saying, that language does not appear anywhere in the statutory text, nor can it be derived from the sources that the government cites. She added, This is really the fundamental weighing of liberty versus security interests, the sorts of decisions that the peoples legislative body is supposed to make and not supposed to delegate to the chief prosecutor. Customers shop at the Race Farm tent at the Union Square farmers market in New York City on July 2, 2017 in a file photo. Some food stamp recipients in Michigan will need to work under a new rule that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2018. (Benjamin Chasteen/The Epoch Times) Some Food Stamp Recipients Must Hold Job Under New Michigan Rule Adults under 50 years old in Michigan who dont have children must hold a job or forfeit food stamps, under a new rule that started on Oct. 1. The work requirements of holding a job for an average of at least 20 hours a week are for able-bodied adults ages 18 to 49 without dependents, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services. Two other options exist: adults can participate for an average of at least 20 hours a week in an approved employment and training program (select counties only); or participate in community service by volunteering at a nonprofit organization for a number of hours a week, determined by dividing the individuals household monthly food assistance benefit by Michigans minimum wage ($9.25 per hour). The department said such adults can now only receive food assistance benefits for up to three months within a three year period if they dont meet the new requirements. Some people who qualify for food stamps in Michigan will have to work to eat starting today. https://t.co/EWFydz9jIU WDBJ7 (@WDBJ7) October 1, 2018 Exemptions People who are exempt from the new requirements include those who are disabled or blind, are pregnant, or are receiving drug or alcohol treatment. College students, those caring for an incapacitated person or a child under the age of 6, and those who reside in a household with a child under age 18 could also be eligible for an exception. Proof of a job, participation in a training program, or community service is required to receive food stamps for those not exempt. An able-bodied individual can participate in a combination of unsubsidized employment and an employment and training program, but cannot combine either with community service to meet the minimum hour requirement, the department stated. Michigan residents will have to work to receive food stamps https://t.co/y8ULQVYoMh pic.twitter.com/wMxikKkSFl KXXV CenTex News Now (@KXXVNewsNow) October 1, 2018 Changes Affect Around 67,000 It also noted why the benefits were changing, stating: More than a decade ago, Michigan and other states received a federal waiver when the states economies were struggling with high unemployment rates. The waiver removed some of the work requirements for able-bodied adults without dependents. As Michigans economy improves, some Michigan counties are no longer eligible for the federal waiver. Additional counties are being assessed and these work requirements will soon be phased in for other counties as well. Public information officer Bob Wheaton, with the department, told WWMT that the change will affect around 67,000 people. You will have three months from the time it kicks in to meet the requirements before you would actually be losing your food assistance benefits, Wheaton noted. People who arent sure whether theyll be affected should contact their Department of Health and Human Services case worker. From NTD.tv Superintendent Completes Training to Carry Firearms on School Grounds A school superintendent in Illinois became a school resource officer so she could come to work armed. Julie Kraemer took law enforcement training in order to protect school students from school shooting tragedies, she told Time. If somebody comes in to try to hurt my kids, we have something other than a stapler to throw at them. Were no longer a soft target. We have some options, said Kraemer, via Time. Im just going to be a superintendent that happens to also be a police officer. Kraemer, 51, works in Hutsonville, Illinois, and decided to get officer training after a student in Mattoon, Illinois, brought a gun to school and shot another student in the cafeteria. I think sometimes we sit back and think itll never happen here, itll never happen to us, its states away, Kraemer told Time. But that was really close to home. Kraemers school system did not have the budget to hire a full-time school resource officer. Kraemer already had a concealed carry license. Having completed her School Resource Officer (SRO) training, Kraemer can now legally carry a gun on school grounds. I have to be able to protect my kids. If you work in educationI dont care whether youre a secretary, a bus driver, a superintendent, a teacher, or a principaltheyre your kids. I have 324 kids that come in every day that are my kids, and it matters what happens, Kraemer told Time. The National Association of School Resource Officers doesnt keep data on how many school administrators become gun-carrying officers. At least one other school administrator became a resource officer. In 2010, Goreville, Illinois, superintendent Steve Webb completed similar training. His case reflects Kraemers in that funds were lacking to hire a full-time officer. The School Resource Officer Training Process Kraemer can be seen in the video taken during the training process. She gets pepper-sprayed, then does jumping jacks, then gets led into an area with a fully padded opponent, who she blindly swings a bat-like object at, as seen in video shown by WTHI. Kraemer said she needs to be armed because first responders arent nearby, since the school is in a rural location. If something would happen here, our closest individual would be Robinson, and depending on where theyre at and what theyre doing it could be anywhere between 15-20 minutes before they even get here, and thats just unacceptable. The process included 940 hours of training and a state test. Kraemer previously worked at the Federal Penitentiary in Terre Haute. As a system administrator for Unicore, she had to qualify yearly in firearms and self-defense for the 10 years she worked there, according to WTHI. Ive done self-defense, Ive had 40 hours of firearm training, before you know I could qualify on that, so I got qualified there. Proper way to put on handcuffs, lots of law and legality things, Kraemer told WTHI. The SRO training also included de-escalation tactics, and law. Kraemer started training on Jan. 20, and trained every Saturday until graduation, WTHI reported. She feels it is better to have taken the training just in case of a violent incident where the training would have proved useful. If something would happen, just to have known, that, Hey this is something that I couldve done and didnt do it, Im not sure that I wouldve been able to do that, she told WTHI. From NTD.tv Surfer Gets Record for Largest Wave at Spot She Nearly Died A Brazilian surfer has claimed a new world record for the largest wave ever surfed by a female, with a death-defying ride on a 68-foot wave at the very spot she nearly drowned six years earlier. Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira rode the giant wave, measuring 68 feet (20.72 meters) from trough to crest off the coast of Portugal, on Jan. 18, 2018. On Oct 1. the Guinness World Records finally confirmed it was the largest wave ever surfed by a female. Gabeira narrowly escaped death in 2013 surfing at the same location at Nazare, Portugal. She was knocked unconscious and nearly drowned after things went wrong surfing a monster wave. To set the world record has been a dream of mine for many years, Gabeira said. But of course, after the accident in Nazare 2013, it felt like a very distant dream. It took a lot of work to have a season like last year, to be 100 percent again; and to complete it with a Guinness World Records title is quite special, she added. Gabeiras record-breaking wave also earned her another award: the Womens XXL Biggest Wave Award, bestowed by the World Surfing League (WSL). To catch record-breaking giant waves like the ones at Nazare, surfers get a tow-in on a jet-ski, providing them with the speed needed to hook into the fast-moving monsters. The WSL recently introduced a new category for waves caught the old fashioned way: with human paddle power. Nazare also produced the world record for largest wave ever surfed by a man, an 80-foot (24.38-m) wave, in November 2017. Like Gabeira, the holder of that record, Rodrigo Koxa, is also Brazilian. Boston City Council member Ayanna Pressley (R) gestures at a rally attended by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jay Gonzalez on Sept. 9, 2018, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images) The Maoist Ties of Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley News Analysis Boston City Council member and activist Ayanna Pressley created nationwide shockwaves when she defeated long-time incumbent Mike Capuano by a convincing 17 points in the Democratic primary for Massachusettss 7th Congressional District. At least part of Pressleys success can be traced to her long-time association with the Boston chapter of the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA-Boston), which is aligned with the Communist Party of China (CCP). The CPA-Boston endorsed and campaigned for Pressley. The CPA-Bostona major player in Boston politicsbills itself as part social services agency and part political advocacy organization. With a significant budget, a paid staff, and hundreds of volunteers, CPA-Boston can, and does, significantly influence elections across the city. Like its San Francisco counterpart, CPA-Boston originated in the Maoist movement that swept Chinese-American student and youth groups in the late 1960s and early 1970s. CPA-Boston founders were mainly members of I Wor Kuen (IWK), a pro-Chinese regime group centered in the Chinatowns of San Francisco and New York. In 1978, IWK merged into the League of Revolutionary Struggle (LRS), a multi-racial Marxist-Leninist organization. The LRS peaked at 3,000 members centered in Boston, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, New Mexico, Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Hawaii. In 1990, the LRS split into two factions: the smaller Socialist Organization Network, which adhered to traditional Maoism, and the majority Unity Organizing Committee (UOC) group, which headed into the Democratic Party, taking most of their Asian comrades with it. Later, members of both groups re-coalesced into the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), which is now the United States leading Maoist-leaning communist grouping. CPA-Boston is effectively now an FRSO front organization. Communist Links Lydia Lowe served as co-director of CPA-Boston for many years. She started out with the East Coast Asian Student Union and went on to join IWK, the LRS, and the UOC. In recent years she has been active with the FRSO front groups Right to the City Boston and LeftRoots. Lowe co-founded CPA-Bostons Workers Center for immigrants and secured bilingual ballots for Chinese and Vietnamese speaking voters in Boston. Long-time CPA-Boston president Suzanne Lee was also a member of the UOC and was endorsed by UOC-linked political action committee PowerPAC+ during her 2013 run for Boston City Council. While CPA-Boston doesnt flaunt its ongoing support for Beijings communist regime, the ties are consistent and ongoing. In October 1997, Lowe gave a speech at an official Massachusetts celebration commemorating the 48th anniversary of the Peoples Republic of China. Lowe also sponsored far-left Chinese labor academic Liu Cheng during the Boston leg of Chengs 2007 U.S. visit. Chinese consular officials from New York are regular guests at CPA-Bostons annual award dinners and special events. Lee, along with CPA-Bostons Director of Operations and Development Mark Liu and several other CPA-Boston activists, celebrated New Years Eve in December 2015 at the Chinese Consulate in New York. The Chinese government has even used the CPA-Boston headquarters as an unofficial consulate for Bostonians wanting to renew their Chinese passports without having to deal with the expense of traveling to New York. CPA-Boston appears to be as loyal to the Chinese communist regime as it was during its overtly Maoist phase in the 1970s. Pressley and CPA-Boston Pressleys ties to CPA-Boston go back several years. In 2013, Pressley and Lee shared the stage at an endorsement event run by FRSO group Right to the City Boston. Pressley was running for re-election, while Lee was a first-timer. According to a Right to the City Vote press release: Both candidates fully support the Right to the City platform to Remain, Reclaim, and Rebuild Boston and are proven leaders who have stood on the frontlines with communities of color to fight for voting rights, library services, access to good jobs, and stabilization of working class neighborhoods. Lee was also on the stage when Pressley launched her congressional campaign at a Cambridge restaurant on Feb. 13, 2018. No doubt Lee approved when Pressley pledged to the supporters assembled there that she would work on rising health costs, access to capital for small businesses, income inequality, the growing wealth gap, systemic racism, and the Greater Boston areas crisis of housing affordability, according to the Bay State Banner. Lee declared, according to Boston Chinese website Sampan: Ive known Ayanna since 2009, when she first ran for Boston City Council. She has always been a voice to tackle the issues that people say are too hard, such as education disparities for girls of color or single mothers. Pressley has worked with CPA-Boston on several Chinatown initiatives. In 2015, she helped CPA-Boston negotiate a deal with grocery chain Whole Foods to hire locals for a new store it was opening in the neighborhood. She also is a regular guest and speaker at CPA-Boston events. She served on the honorary committee of CPA-Bostons International Womens Day Celebration on March 8, 2017. She also served on the event committee at the CPA-Bostons 40th Anniversary Gala dinner on May 19, 2017. On May 19, 2017, Pressley spoke before presenting the CPAs Community Building Award to the Friends of the Chinatown Library, telling the assembled activists: Thank you for your vision; thank you for your vigilance. It is especially heartening, given this current climate of xenophobia, that we are all here this evening. We begin [city council meetings] with saying the pledge of allegiance, and we end with the line and justice for all. And every time, I amend it and say, someday. The work of this organization is getting us closer to that someday. CPA-Bostons political funding arm, Chinese Progressive Political Action (CPPA), endorsed Pressley for Congress last month. According to the groups press release, CPPA chair Tom Louie said: As City Councilor, Ayanna Pressley has been a champion of issues affecting communities of color, immigrants, working families, women, and those who are marginalized. Shes a proven leader representing the voices of the less powerful and less connected. Ayanna Pressley is not afraid of challenging the status quo, pushing for a bold progressive agenda for equity, social and economic justice. As immigration policies of fear, displacements, and separations prevail, we need a leader in Washington who assertively fights for long-term solutions. Ayanna Pressley is that leader. In response, Pressley praised her partner[s] at CPA-Boston: I am humbled to have earned the support of CPPA. CPPA and their members have been on the frontlines of many of the most important movements and policy decisions since their founding in 2011, and Im proud to have partnered with them throughout my time on the Boston City Council. Their members and many others across the 7th District are faced with fear of displacement, uncertainty due to the cruel immigration policies of this administration, and many other issues. CPA-Boston is a radical socialist organization aligned with communist China. Most of its leaders are former Maoists, many affiliated with the ultra-secretive FRSO, which has long been active in infiltrating radicals into the Democratic Party. As an aside, Pressley was also endorsed by the Boston chapter of Americas largest Marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America, when she first ran for Boston City Council in 2009. If nothing changes, Pressley will almost certainly be elected as a member of Congress for Massachusettss 7th District. The establishment media will probably call her a progressive champion or a fire-brand liberal. They wont call her what she really is: a communist fellow traveler. Trevor Loudon is an author, filmmaker, and public speaker from New Zealand. For more than 30 years, he has researched radical left, Marxist, and terrorist movements and their covert influence on mainstream politics. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Immigrants prepare to become American citizens at a naturalization service on January 22, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) Thousands of Chinese Asylees in the US Might Be Deported for Immigration Fraud About 13,500 immigrants who were granted asylum status in the United States before December 2012most of them Chineseare now facing possible deportation because they may have lied on their asylum applications. U.S. immigration officials are reviewing about 3,500 asylum cases and 10,000 derivative asylum status cases that involve family members of asylees, according to a Sept. 28 report by National Public Radio. A person who has been granted asylum status can petition the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for their family members to legally stay in the United States with derivative status. This status doesnt expire, provided that there is no change in the circumstances of the asylee. The asylum cases are under review because they were handled by people who were convicted during Operation Fiction Writer, a 2012 investigation by federal prosecutors in New York that rounded up 30 immigration lawyers, paralegals, and interpreters suspected of committing immigration fraud. Federal prosecutors said they helped immigrants in Flushing and Manhattans Chinatown to obtain asylum status with fabricated stories of persecution in China. Katherine Tichacek, spokesperson for USCIS, said in a written statement on Sept. 28, USCIS, ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the Executive Office of Immigration Review are reviewing these cases to maintain the integrity in our nations asylum system and to ensure that the original asylum grant was lawfully obtained. Details about how asylum applications could be falsified were exposed in the NPR story. A Chinese man, who asked to be identified as Lawrence, was among those nabbed during Operation Fiction Writer. He cooperated with the FBI during the 2012 investigation to obtain incriminating evidence against fraudulent immigration lawyers between 2011 and 2014. Lawrence, an immigrant who arrived in New York City in 2005, said that while working for a lawyer named Ken Giles beginning in 2007, he managed to learn the ins-and-outs of the asylum fraud business. About a year later, he started working for another firm that was run by a woman named Liu Fengling. At Lius firm, Lawrence was a story writer: His job was to come up with fake stories about the suffering that the firms clients had been through. Usually, the stories claimed that the client was either targeted by the Chinese regime for a religious or political reason, or that the client was a victim of Chinas family-planning policies. Before Beijing relaxed its decade-long one-child policy in 2016, women with unapproved pregnancy either had to pay a fine to keep their child, or were subjected to forced and coerced abortions. The brutality of the regimes policies was perhaps best encapsulated by a 2013 case, in which local authorities in Hunan Province forced a woman in the seventh month of pregnancy into labor and subsequently killed the baby. The woman was reportedly left traumatized by the incident. Lawrence estimated that he wrote 500 to 600 fake stories while working for Liu. He even put up a study guide, including profiles that the firms employees had compiled on asylum officers, complete with information on what questions and answers each officer preferred during asylum-application interviews. In 2014, Liu was tried and found guilty of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud. Giles was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy. Lawrence was sentenced to just six months probation because of his cooperation with the FBI. According to NPR, Chinese immigrants have been granted asylum more than any other nationality. For example, in 2016, 20,455 individuals were granted asylum, with 22 percent of them Chinese immigrants, followed by Salvadorans with 10 percent, and Guatemalans with 9 percent. Because asylum-seekers must prove targeted persecution by their home governments, many Chinese illegal immigrants fabricate claims of being persecuted for participation in democratic activism in China, as well as for religious reasons such as being a Christian or an adherent of Falun Gong. Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient spiritual discipline that became very popular in China in the 1990s. It is based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance and involves doing slow, meditative exercises. The Chinese Communist Party showed support for the discipline initially, but after Falun Gong grew in popularityto more than 100 million practitioners, according to official estimatesthen-Party leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide persecution, deeming Falun Gongs popularity a threat to his rule. Since July 1999, at any given time, hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong adherents are held in prison, brainwashing centers, and labor camps, in an effort to force them to renounce their beliefs, according to the Falun Dafa Information Center. Many Falun Gong adherents from mainland China have since escaped to other countries seeking asylum to avoid the ongoing persecution; practitioners are still arbitrarily arrested for admitting to practicing their faith or disseminating information to the public about the persecution. However, there have been many examples of Chinese illegal immigrants pretending to be an adherent of Falun Gongby having their pictures taken at public events hosted by Falun Gong adherents or memorizing texts from the Falun Gong teachings, for examplein an effort to obtain asylum in other countries. Fake Falun Gong practitioners have been exposed in South Korea, for example. According to an April 2017 report by the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times, two Chinese nationals who traveled to Jeju Island in South Korea under a visa waiver program decided to file for asylum there. When they traveled to another South Korean city against asylum application rules, they were arrested by the local police, at which point authorities discovered the two had lied about being Falun Gong adherents in their applications. The two had paid 5 million South Korean won (about $4,464) to a middleman who helped them claim on their applications that they were Falun Gong practitioners facing persecution. Today Eva and I decided at the last minute to move our 3-week around-the-world trip up two days early to avoid running into a strong typhoon that was headed our way. We felt tremendous groundlessness going into our trip through Asia, Europe, and Africa with a bunch of work left undone as we headed to the airport. What is helping us in this time of chaos and uncertainty is two things: Having the flexibility of traveling lightly; and Grounding ourselves in the center of the storm of our lives. Id like to share a little about these because I believe they have larger lessons for our everyday lives and the groundlessness we feel all the time. Flexibility & Traveling Lightly If youve read this blog for a while, you know Im a huge proponent of traveling lightly. Eva and I each travel for weeks at a time with a small (20L) backpack. That might sound like bragging, but its an important approach that lets us be more flexible on a trip like this. And it speaks to an approach to life in general. Flexibility and lightness allow us to: Switch plans easily if needed and travel through airports and train stations quickly Not get tired by dragging luggage around and be more open to the experiences Not worry about spending an extra day somewherewe could walk all day with our backpacks Take an unexpected route (walking, bus, taxi, train, plane) if we feel like it Not be hardened into inflexibility, or as worried about things going wrong People who pack for every contingency might feel more prepared than we do, even if they pay for it with the burden of weight. Ive learned to be OK with having fewer options, trusting that I can handle pretty much any situation Im likely to face because Ive done it many times before. Think about this idea as it might apply to our daily livesbeing light and flexible might mean were less stuck in our ways. We have less to carry on our backsand in our minds. With a flexible mind, we can be OK when plans shift as they do every day. We can be open to the opportunities that arise and the experiences that come up unexpectedly. We can flow with change and enjoy it. How do we develop lightness and flexibility of mind? By being less rigid in how we want things to go. We can choose to love what actually happens. To do that, we need to be aware when our minds get stuck on certain beliefs. Then we can experiment with letting go of those beliefs so we can find new freedom and peace. Grounding in the Center of Chaos As we arrived at the airport, Eva and I both felt a huge sense of groundlessness, as if we were falling through the air with nothing to hold on to. This can feel like being in the middle of a storm without shelter. It can feel very scary, very stressful. And our normal reaction is to get control of things, to find comfort, or distraction, or to run away from the uncertain situation. We may also complain, or lash out at others, or curl into a ball to protect ourselves. This comes from a belief that we need to protect ourselves from groundlessness or do something to get rid of the groundlessness. This is simply not true. We can stay in the middle of chaos and groundlessness, in the middle of the storm, and be perfectly OK. We can breathe, and feel the groundlessness. We can smile, and feel the joy and freedom in it. We can be completely in love with the storm. The way to start, as I did at the airport, is to come to stillness in the center of chaos. Just stand still for a moment, and feel the sensations in your body. Notice the swirling of emotions, the stress, the tightness in your head or chest. Just notice, for now. Stay with it, instead of running to a story about the situation. Be with it, with gentleness and curiosity. Develop a friendly attitude toward it. The tightness might be in your chest, and in fact, you can let go of this and relax. Breathe and let go of the tightness, which is simply you bracing yourself against the storm. By letting go of the bracing and the tightening, we can be at peace in the middle of the storm. Smile, and let the storm pelt you. Savor the feeling of having no ground under your feet, feeling the freedom of that. Let your mind become wide open like a vast blue sky. And this is the feeling of being groundedits being at peace with not needing a ground. Its actually loving the moment of complete chaos and uncertainty, which is the ground of life. Its beautiful, and Im in the middle of it right now. I hope to stay centered in the middle of the chaos of this trip, which will be filled with change, stress, complexity, and the unexpected. I hope to maintain my flexibility and stay open to the heartbreaking gorgeousness of the storm. Leo Babauta is the author of six books, the writer of Zen Habits, a blog with over 2 million subscribers, and the creator of several online programs to help you master your habits. Visit ZenHabits.net Trump Awards Soldier Medal for Heroic Action in Afghanistan A former Army medic who received the nations highest military honor on Oct. 1 for braving heavy gunfire to save lives in Afghanistan was rejected by the military the first time he tried to enlist. I cant believe they rejected you. Boy that was a bad mistake. But they made up for it, right, President Donald Trump told former Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II at a formal White House ceremony where 250 people gathered to laud Shurer for his heroic actions in 2008 in a remote part of Afghanistan. Shurer, a native of Fairbanks, Alaska, was a senior medical sergeant in the special forces on April 6, 2008, when his team encountered machine gun and sniper fire and rocket-propelled grenades from the enemy. Shurer stabilized one soldier, then fought his way through a barrage of bullets and up a mountain to the lead members of the unit. There, he treated and stabilized four more soldiers. Shurer helped evacuate them, carrying and lowering the wounded down the steep mountainside, using his body to shield them from enemy fire and shrapnel. After he loaded the wounded in an evacuation helicopter, Shurer went back up the mountain to fight. Ron was not done yet. He charged back to the mountainall the way upand rejoined the fight, Trump said. For more than six hours, Ron bravely faced down the enemy. Not a single American died in that brutal battle, thanks in great measure to Rons heroic actions. First rejected by the military because of a medical condition, Shurer enlisted again a year after 9/11. He was accepted the second time around. He was promoted from sergeant to staff sergeant in late 2006 and served with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan from late November 2007 to late May 2008. He was honorably discharged a year later. He began his career with the Secret Service as a special agent assigned to a field office in Phoenix, Arizona, in September 2009. He was selected for the Secret Services counter-assault team and assigned to the Special Operations Division in June 2014. Shurer lives in Burke, Virginia, with his wife, Miranda, and sons Cameron, 10, and Tyler, 7. Looking sinister is only the beginning, Syrris said. When casting the show, I looked for energy, passion, empathy and fearlessness. To play dark characters, we cannot fear delving into the dark parts of ourselves in order to relate. I think the bigger challenge is identifying the redeeming elements of a horrific character. To play someone you abhor, you have to be able to understand them for all aspects of their personality, and that means finding something you admire about them. Trump Continues String of Rallies, Endorses GOP Candidates in Tennessee JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.The nations eyes turned to Tennessee on Oct. 1 as President Donald Trump continued a string of pre-midterm rallies, this time advocating for Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn who is aiming for a Senate seat. The rally at the Freedom Hall Civic Center amassed over 92,000 ticket requests, the highest number for a rally so far. It comes after the administration ordered the FBI to conduct a supplementary investigation into the sexual assault claims against Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Earlier in the day, Trump lauded a new NAFTA replacement deal with Canada and Mexico, touting it as a win for all three countries. He previously called the NAFTA agreement one of the worst trade deals for the United States. Blackburn will face off against Democrat former Gov. Phil Bredesen in what is seen as a tight race. In 2016, Trump won the state by 26 percentage points, garnering 1,522,925 votes in total. Phil was a major financial supporter of president Barack Obama and crooked Hillary Clinton. If Phil is elected Chuck Schumer will be majority leader, Trump said. Number one, Marsha will be a great senator. Phil will never vote for us. According to RealClearPolitics average of recent polls, Blackburn and Bredesen were tied at 46.6 percentage points. Trump again criticized the policies of the Democrat party and urged supporters to come out and vote to stop the destruction and chaos. A Democrat-controlled senate will always be raising your taxes, opening your borders They are going to flood your streets with criminal aliens. They want to replace freedom with socialism. The Democrats want to turn America into Venezuelawe are not going to make it happen, he told the crowd. At one point during the hour-long rally, the president pointed to what appeared to be a commotion in the crowd, asking, Friend or foe? Seconds later after eyeing the spot he added, We only have friends in Tennessee, to raucous cheers. The Tennessee rally marks the first of four such campaign events planned for this week. The president also endorsed a number of other Republican candidates running in The Volunteer State, including gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee and Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), who is running for re-election. Trump returned to the subject of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Phil is only running because Chuck Schumer begged him to run, Trump said. If you want to stop Chuck Schumer from becoming majority leader then you must vote against Bredesen, Trump said. We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed around, he added. Blackburn first began her elected service career in 1998 as a Tennessee State Senator before being boosted to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002 to represent the states 7th Congressional District. According to her biography her career as a state senator was marked by her commitment to fiscal common sense and government accountability. Before joining politics, she was a small businesswoman. Her opponent, Phil Bredesen, is a former governor, mayor, and CEO. As governor he worked on land and water conservation initiatives and education reforms. Prior to public service, Bredesen worked in the healthcare industry, according to his biography. Trump said the upcoming general election is paramount for the countrys safety and its prosperity, as he repeatedly touted his impact on the economy and urged his supporters to vote. Weve created over 4 million new jobs and lifted almost 4 million Americans off of food stamps. Weve added nearly over 600,000 new manufacturing jobs Trump said. He also touted lowering health insurance premiums by 26 percent in Tennessee. US Counters With Lawsuit After California Restores Net Neutrality Protections WASHINGTONThe Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Sept. 30 after California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation to restore in the state internet protections known as net neutrality that had been repealed by the Trump administration in December 2017. Its the latest clash between the Trump administration and California, which have sparred over environmental, immigration and other hot-button issues. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement on Sept. 30 that states do not regulate interstate commercethe federal government does. Once again, the California legislature has enacted an extreme and illegal state law attempting to frustrate federal policy. Californias net neutrality law is set to take effect on Jan. 1, but the Justice Department sought a preliminary injunction on to block it from taking effect, warning that internet companies cannot realistically comply with one set of standards in this area for California and another for the rest of the nationespecially when internet communications frequently cross multiple jurisdictions. The state law prohibits broadband and wireless companies from blocking, throttling or otherwise hindering access to internet content, and from favoring some websites over others by charging for faster speeds. The government said that California sought to second-guess the federal government and warned the effect of this state legislation would be to nullify federal law across the country. In December, the Federal Communications Commission said in repealing the Obama-era rules that it was preempting states from setting their own rules governing internet access. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said on Sept. 30 the Trump administration was ignoring millions of Americans who voiced strong support for net neutrality rules while California, which is home to countless start-ups, tech giants and nearly 40 million consumers will not allow a handful of power brokers to dictate sources for information or the speed at which websites load. The Trump administration rules were a win for providers like Comcast Corp., AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc, but the net neutrality repeal was opposed by internet companies such as Facebook Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Googles parent Alphabet Inc. In March, Brown accused the Trump administration of essentially declaring war on the most populous state after the Justice Department sued to stop policies that protect illegal immigrants against deportation. Under President Donald Trump, the FCC voted 3-2 in December along party lines to reverse the rules. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who led the effort to reverse net neutrality, said in a statement on Sept. 30 that not only is Californias internet regulation law illegal, it also hurts consumers. The law prohibits many free-data plans, which allow consumers to stream video, music, and the like exempt from any data limits. Gigi Sohn, a former senior aide to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, who ran the agency when the net neutrality rules were adopted, said the California law is now the model for all future state and federal legislation this is what internet users across the political spectrum have said they want by overwhelming majorities. Jonathan Spalter, who heads USTelecom, an industry trade group, said Californias law wont help advance the promise and potential of Californias innovation DNA. He argued that instead of 50 separate state laws, we need Congress to step up with a national framework for the whole internet ecosystem and resolve this issue once and for all. In August, 22 states and a coalition of trade groups representing major tech companies urged a federal appeals court to reinstate the rules. Oral arguments are set for Feb. 1, 2019. The Senate voted in May to reinstate the net neutrality rules, but the measure is unlikely to be approved by the House of Representatives; the White House also opposes it. The FCC in December handed ISPs sweeping new powers to recast how Americans use the internet, as long as they disclose changes. The new rules took effect in June but providers have made no changes in access. By David Shepardson Update: Death Toll Rises to 1,234 in Indonesia Disaster Indonesias disaster agency says the death toll from an earthquake and tsunami disaster on a central island is now 1,234. Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho updated the figure at a news conference in Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon. The magnitude 7.5 earthquake and the tsunami it generated struck Palu and nearby areas on central Sulawesi island. Nugroho said 799 people are severely injured. He said the communities of Sigi and Balaroa have not been counted yet, meaning the toll is likely to rise. Residents in the disaster-devastated Indonesian city of Donggala say people there are hungry and the central government must urgently get aid there. The city was among those hit in last weeks earthquake and tsunami, but aid has been slow to arrive due to the difficulty in reaching it. Survivors in Donggala say they worry they have been forgotten as attention has been focused on the city of Palu, which has been easier to reach. With supplies running out, local administrator Kasman Lassa says people were taking food and other essentials from shops Tuesday. Lassa says: Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating. He says people going into shops should take only cake, bread, rice. Do not take chairs, or television. Again, for cake, bread, rice, they can take it. The store owner also allows them to take food. Australias government has given financial aid to help victims of Indonesias earthquake and tsunami and was talking with Indonesian authorities about sending more. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said A$500,000 ($360,000) in initial funding was given to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Australias ambassador was consulting the Indonesian government on more support. Morrison told reporters in the west coast city of Perth that Australia was looking at how to best fit the needs of its neighbors in their time of need and that Australias support wouldnt only be in the short-term. Indonesias president has authorized the acceptance of international help, with generators, heavy equipment and tents among the most-needed items. Officials have said the European Union, United States and China have also offered help. One of the first evacuation flights from a quake-devastated region of central Indonesia has landed in East Java. The C130 military transport aircraft that arrived at a military airport Oct. 2 carried dozens of people, including injured victims needing further care and treatment. It left from the city of Palu, where hundreds of people are waiting still to be evacuated. Andi Wijaya, the airport base commander in East Java, says seven aircraft were ready to evacuate but crews had to be summoned to prepare for the flights. Why YouTubes Most Popular Channel on China Politics Doesnt Show in Search Suggestions Update: A previous version of this article suggested that Youtube scrubbed the channel China Uncensored from search suggestions, while it appears the name of the channel inadvertently triggers Youtube filtering of adult content. The most popular Youtube channel focused on Chinese politics is missing from its search suggestions just as YouTubes parent company, Google, faces scrutiny for allegedly developing a censored web search app for the Chinese market. While typing into the YouTube search bar, the website provides a drop-down list of suggested search queries, which appears to consist of popular searches, videos, and channels. But typing in China Uncensored yields no suggestions, despite the fact that a channel of exactly that name has been active on YouTube for six years and currently has 600,000 subscribers. The Epoch Times couldnt find any other channel focusing on Chinese politics with a larger subscriber base. It appears, though, that this is not because of Youtubes targeting of the channel, but because Youtube associates the word uncensored with search queries of adult content. China Uncensored, hosted by Chris Chappell, adopts a late night show format and mixes humor with serious analysis of Chinese politics and society. It also regularly picks apart the repression of Chinese people by the ruling communist regime, including topics deemed sensitive, such as its persecution of rights activists, Falun Gong practitioners, and house Christians. We report on Chinese censorship all the time. I mean, thats literally in our nameChina Uncensored, Chappell said in a statement to The Epoch Times. Weve also reported on Googles behavior in China. Now Im not saying Google is intentionally censoring our YouTube channel in their search results. But if they are, well, I guess it means were doing something right. Chappell and his production team also run the YouTube channel China Unscripted. Despite only sporting some 5,300 subscribers, that channel shows up as the No. 3 suggestion when one types China un into the YouTube search bar. Another channel run by the same team, America Uncovered, has just over 44,000 subscribers and shows up as the no. 1 suggestions when one types America u into the search bar. Typing the world uncensored alone in the search bar yields no suggestions. Many of China Uncensoreds videos have been demonetized by YouTube, meaning their videos are devoid of ads because YouTube evaluated them as unfriendly for advertisers. Many other channels have suffered demonetization too. Political commentator and media analyst Mark Dice has been complaining about YouTubes demonetization of his videos for years. The Dragonfly Debacle Google, which owns YouTube, has recently been accused of trying to cater to the Chinese regime by developing a mobile web search app that monitors users and censors topics sensitive to the regime, like democracy, human rights, and peaceful protest. The Intercept broke the story on Sept. 14 using unnamed sources who described the app development as a secret project named Dragonfly. After the news spread, some 1,400 Google employees sent a letter to the companys leadership, saying Dragonfly broke the companys ethics rules for artificial intelligence development. They demanded more transparency and oversight. Google researcher Jack Poulson quit over ethical concerns with the project. In a Sept. 24 letter, he said he could verify that the app included an extensive censorship blacklist that included terms like human rights, the Mandarin terms for student protest, Nobel prize, and a very large numbers of phrases involving the name of Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other members of the Chinese Communist Party. Poulson said he first learned about the project from media reports but said details about Dragonfly were discussed extensively on internal mailing lists at the company. Google Chief Privacy Officer Keith Enright confirmed Dragonflys existence during his Congress testimony on Sept. 26, but denied knowledge of what the project entailed. He said Google was not close to launching a web search product in China. The Chinese Communist Party runs the worlds most sophisticated system of internet censorship and requires foreign companies to comply with the censorship as a condition of working in China. Companies must also share with the regime any data they store in China. Google ran a censored version of its search engine in China from 2006 to 2010, when the company backed out. Its stated reason for leaving was a cyber attack originating from China that targeted the Google email accounts of dozens of Chinese human-rights activists. On the business side, however, Google had struggled to make inroads in a Chinese market skewed in favor of domestic companies backed by the regime. China has been lambasted for decades by watchdogs for its abysmal human rights record. Since taking power in 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has caused the unnatural deaths of an estimated 80 million Chinese. Over the past nearly two decades, its estimated to have killed hundreds of thousands of prisoners of conscience, mostly practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline, to sell their organs for transplants, according to an extensive body of research produced since allegations of the crime first surfaced in 2006. Google responded to a request for comment, but didnt provide one. China Uncensored is broadcasted on NTD, a media partner of The Epoch Times. The Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first Taste of the Chamber event this month, with 20 local food and liquor establishments signed on as participants. The Taste of the Chamber will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17. Aitoro Appliance will host the event in its kitchen showroom at 401 Westport Ave. Tickets are $60. For information, visit norwalkchamberofcommerce.com or call 203-866-2521. The event will feature established vendors such as Copps Island Oysters, ONeills Pub & Restaurant and Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint, as well as new eateries such as Avenida, Fiesta Express and La Calle Arepas Bar. Beverage providers include Diageo, which has its North American headquarters in Norwalk, and Stew Leonards Wine & Spirits. For the inaugural Taste of the Chamber event, participating businesses were drawn exclusively from within Norwalk, though the chambers membership base extending to Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Weston and Wilton. Brian Griffin, CEO of the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, expressed hope that the Taste of the Chamber can become a fixture on the business groups annual calendar. That has been the case in Stamford, where several hundred people attend the The Stamford Chamber of Commerces annual Taste of Stamford scheduled each year in February. And the East Norwalk Business Association has seen strong participation at its Taste of East Norwalk held in August the past two years. Although we highlight our restaurants via Business After Hours events and other ways, this is the first time we have assembled a number of our restaurants to be collectively featured at one event, stated Brian Griffin, CEO of the Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, in an email reply to a Hearst Connecticut Media query. We have so many terrific member restaurants and are pleased and proud to highlight some of them. Due to a reporting error, a previous version misstated the lead sponsor of the Taste of East Norwalk, which was the the East Norwalk Business Association. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Last weeks deluge that brought up to 8 inches of rain to Connecticut flooded streets and basements. It also sunk several boats along the Connecticut shoreline. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protections Boating Division said it received calls and commercial assistance providers that posted pictures of boats sinking at their docks because of the torrential rain. It shared photos of water-filled boats from Sea Tow Eastern Connecticut and TowBoat US Mystic. This is a funny time of year for boaters. the division posted on its Facebook page. On one hand, many folks want to keep their boat in the water to take advantage of the nice fall weather. On the other hand, it is a busy time of year with school, work, and other sports, it's easy to forget about the boat. There is a piece of boating trivia that is often forgotten, as good as boats are keeping water out (float), they also do a good job of keeping water in (SINK). This time of year when many folks do not get to the boat as often as they would like, things can go wrong without anyone onboard the boat. Before leaving your boat unattended for long periods of time keep these tips in mind, after all, you don't want your boat to sink without you! (Or any time for that matter!). The boating division offer this advice to keep boats on the water, not beneath it: Make sure that all hatches and deck plates are closed completely and locked down appropriately. Make sure that all overboard drains are not clogged and are running freely. If you have deck drains that are connected to hoses that discharge overboard, ensure they are in good shape, not leaking and water flows through freely. Make sure the bilge areas do not have any trash or debris in them that could clog the bilge pump. Make sure that your bilge pump is functioning properly. Check of the bilge pump discharge hoses to ensure that they are in good shape, not leaking and that all connections are tight. (So that all the water they are pumping IS going overboard!) Ensure that your battery is charged and the power to the bilge pumps is turned on. If you have shore power, make sure that all the associated systems are in working order. Do not forget to check on your boat, especially after a heavy rain or multiple storms. Debris may have entered your boat and clogged the drains or batteries may need to be charged after the bilge pumps have been running for extended periods of time. If your boat is on a trailer, the collection of large amounts of water in your boat could damage the boat, gear in the boat or the trailer. A good tip in this situation is to pull the drain plug and ensure any water that collects in the boat drains out freely. One more thing ... remember to put the plug back in before the next time you launch. Christmas celebrations in Nigeria last several weeks. Beginning the days before Dec. 25 and continuing through the early part of January, stores and schools are closed as people return to their home villages to see family and celebrate the holiday in the country that is nearly half Christian. So it was surprising for Teagan Spitzels mother to witness the dialed-down American version of Christmas festivities when, at 21, she moved from Nigeria to the United States. She said when she got here, she didnt understand most of the holidays, Spitzel, a 12th-grader from Bridgeport who attends the Regional Center for the Arts in Trumbull part time. Halloween and the Fourth of July were also perplexing for Spitzels mother, as were American weddings. In Nigeria, its customary to have two marriage ceremonies, one for family, friends and co-workers, and another, more intimate, service for only immediate family members. Spitzel discovered these dissimilarities while conducting oral history interviews with her mother, as part of a project undertaken by Anthony DeQuattros Interdisciplinary Performance class at RCA, comprised of 13 students from the schools theater, music, dance and video production programs. The students have gone to relatives to ask them stories about their upbringing, their life when they were kids, how its changed, and then tried to focus on rituals or traditions that exist in the family or within the culture and to get stories about them, DeQuattro said. The students at RCA were chosen to take part in the project by Creative Connections, an international cultural education nonprofit based in Norwalk that recently received a $60,000 State Department grant awarded jointy to Creative Connections and the Mandala Theater in Kathmandu, Nepal administered through the Vermont-based education nonprofit World Learning. Creative Creations was founded in 1992 and has worked with some 100,000 schoolchildren in 60 countries. It is based at Mathews Park off West Avenue. The grant is for heritage preservation. They were trying to find organizations from the U.S. and overseas to preserve tangible or intangible heritage. Tangible heritage could be buildings or architecture. Intangible heritage could be culture, customs, food, clothing, said Alan Steckler, founder of Creative Connections. The grant will allow Connecticut students to collect and share their own oral histories this fall and, ultimately, connect with a group of Nepalese students from the Mandala Theater. Creative Connections was one of five American organizations to receive the grant. Students in both countries will find ways to artistically represent their histories. Those histories will then be shared in class, via video conference between Trumbull and Nepal, at four schools in each locale and, ultimately, in person, when three Connecticut students travel to Nepal in February 2018. A group of Nepalese students will, in turn, travel to Connecticut in April 2018. We love when young people learn about their own culture, feel empowered by it, and want to share it, Steckler said. Each student in DeQuattros class will use their particular expertise in presenting their oral histories. When we go to dramatize, theyre going to use their own discipline, DeQuattro said. Spitzel is in the schools music program, and will be performing a song celebrating family, which she said is a major part of her mothers Nigerian culture. Fernanda Schuina, a junior from Bridgeport, also decided to interview her mother about her home country, Brazil, where much of her extended family still lives. Schuina said she spoke to her mother about Carnival, the festival that precedes lent, in her native Rio de Janeiro, her schooling and her childhood friends. Im a film student, so I was thinking about making a collage kind of movie that involves a lot of my culture, a lot of photos and home videos from my mom when she was younger in Brazil, Schuina said. Schuina and Spitzel both said theyve enjoyed learning more about their own heritage and the family histories of their classmates. Were trying to figure out why these traditions are important. Were starting to crack the surface, DeQuattro said. What Ive noticed so far is when the kids are presenting the oral histories, they really light up. You can tell that theyre really energized by hearing about the lives of their parents and grandparents. justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586 RICHMOND, Va. - Former president Barack Obama on Monday endorsed three Virginia Democrats running in competitive congressional races in November. In his second wave of midterm endorsements, Obama gave the nod to Democrats Abigail Spanberger, Jennifer Wexton and Elaine Luria, who are all seeking to unseat Republican incumbents. They were among 260 Democrats across the country running for House, Senate, governor or state legislatures to win Obama's backing Monday. Spanberger, who is challenging Republican Rep. Dave Brat in Virginia's 7th Congressional District, also received former vice president Joe Biden's endorsement Monday. "The Democratic Party has always made the biggest difference in the lives of the American people when we lead with conviction, principle, and bold, new ideas," Obama said in a written statement. "Our incredible array of candidates up and down the ticket, all across the country, make up a movement of citizens who are younger, more diverse, more female than ever before. They're Americans who aren't just running against something, but for something. They're running to expand opportunity and restore the honor and compassion that should be the essence of public service. I'm proud to endorse so many of them today, and I'm eager to continue making the case for why they deserve our votes this November." Obama made 81 midterm endorsements in August and has campaigned for Democrats in California, Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania. No Virginia candidates were included in the initial round. In his second wave of endorsements, Obama "focused on close races in which his support would make a meaningful difference; state legislative and/or statewide races that are redistricting priorities; Obama campaign and administration alumni who have been inspired to run for office; and building a pipeline of diverse talent and elevating the next generation of leaders within the Democratic Party," according to an announcement. Wexton, a state senator, is challenging Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) in the 10th District, which covers parts of Northern Virginia. Democrats are trying to capitalize on President Trump's unpopularity there to turn the seat blue for the first time in 38 years and potentially help the party win a majority in the House. Luria, a retired Navy commander, is challenging Rep. Scott W. Taylor (R), a former Navy SEAL, in the 2nd District. Earlier Monday, Biden endorsed Spanberger. "In all my years in politics, I can say that Abigail is the only former CIA Operative and Girl Scout Leader that I have had the good fortune to endorse," Biden said in a written statement. "And I'm proud to do so because I know Abigail has what it takes to win in November. As a member of Congress, Abigail will work across the aisle to deliver common sense solutions and have a lasting and positive impact on the lives of the people of the 7th District." Biden, who is considering a 2020 presidential bid, has endorsed 14 other candidates for federal, state and local offices around the country this year, according to Ballotpedia. But this is the first Virginia race he has waded into since last year, when he campaigned for now-Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and endorsed five Democrats in House of Delegates races. "I am incredibly humbled by Vice President Biden's gracious endorsement," Spanberger said in a written statement. "Because of his steadfast leadership, enduring optimism, and abiding belief in the power of public service, Vice President Biden has played a transformational role in shaping the future of our country for the better. His support of our campaign is continued proof we are fighting the good fight, and my team and I are proud to have earned his support." Spanberger, a former CIA officer making her first bid for elective office, is in a tight race with Brat, who won the seat four years ago after toppling then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a GOP primary. A Monmouth University poll released last week found Spanberger leads Brat 47 percent to 42 percent among all potential voters in the central Virginia district, a longtime GOP stronghold that's a mix of Richmond suburbs and rural areas. The poll found 2 percent favor Libertarian Joe Walton, and 9 percent are undecided. Brat was a little-known Randolph-Macon College economics professor with tea party backing when he pulled off his stunning primary upset over Cantor. He won reelection two years ago by 16 percentage points. This year, Brat is contending with a strong challenge from Spanberger, who could benefit from antipathy toward Trump in the district's suburban areas. The Cook Political Report classifies the race as a "toss-up." "Congress is only as good as the women and men who serve there," Biden said in his endorsement. "That means we must do everything in our power to ensure principled, courageous, and honorable public servants run for office and win. Abigail has proved herself to be one of those people." NORWALK A 43-year-old Stamford man was charged with several drug crimes Monday night. Strategic Narcotics Enforcement Team officers stopped Anthony Lovito at the intersection of West Avenue and Chapel Street at 9:24 p.m. citing no license plate light, police said. Police said Lovito didnt immediately pull over and that he was shaking uncontrollably once he did. Police said they asked if he had anything illegal in the Honda Accord he was driving and he said no, even though a knife was protruding from a pocket. Police said they asked him to step out of the vehicle and called for a K-9 detection dog. Police said the dog indicated a narcotics odor near the center console of the car. Officers said they found 20 baggies of heroin in the console. Lovito, of Wardwell Street, Stamford, was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school or day care, and no license plate light Lovito was being held on $50,000 bond and is to appear again in court Oct. 10. Ibarra was found guilty of possession of a controlled substance in Kendall County and was taken into custody in April 2017, according to Illinois Department of Corrections records. He was sentenced to two years in prison and was paroled on April 10, court records show. Feedback is easier to give than to receive. But to be a good leader, it's crucial to get (and respond to) critiques of your style. We asked six entrepreneurs: How do you encourage employees to give honest feedback? Related: 5 Steps for Giving Productive Feedback 1. Welcome it. Nothing can replace a trusted team of managers who feel secure enough to share and speak honestly. A few years ago, one told me that my weekend emails were stressing out the team. They werent urgent messages, but the feedback reminded me that any email from your boss feels urgent. Now I save emails as drafts and send them during business hours. -- Annie Bystryn, founder, Cider in Love 2. Act on it. When I sense an employee is comfortable with me, Ill ask questions like What can I do to better support your growth here? and Is there anything you wish I didnt say or do? But how you act after is the most important -- it will determine how honest employees will be with you moving forward. You need to prove that you value their opinion and not show an ounce of pettiness. Nod, smile and thank them. Then fix the problem and move right on! -- Rachel van Dolsen, CEO, RVD Communications Related: Employee Feedback Is Only Effective If It's Done Right. Here's How to Make Sure It Lands. 3. Switch it up. When I visit our restaurants, Im sitting with the general manager and the kitchen manager tasting food and providing my thoughts on the product and the execution. Once the conversation ends, I turn the tables and ask, Youre CEO for one day -- what would you do? I then listen, take notes and follow up on anything I commit to. -- Justin Rosenberg, CEO, Honeygrow and Minigrow 4. Make it part of the culture. We work hard to create an open environment where employees feel empowered to suggest changes to better company culture, including suggestions regarding management. All managers frequently touch base with their direct reports to realign work slates with both business needs and employee development. Instead of a fixed annual or biannual performance review, we leave the floor open for both managers and employees to initiate feedback. -- Jessie Zeng, co-founder and CEO, Choosy 5. Take it outside. I try to spend social time with my teams to get unfiltered feedback. Recently, I was at lunch with one of my developers, and he told me it bothers him when I ask whether or not he is fulfilled -- it makes him feel like I dont think he enjoys working here. Ive since changed the way I communicate with him and let him know that I dont question his commitment to or enjoyment of his work. I dont think he would have confided in me if we had been sitting in the office. -- Steven Clausnitzer, co-founder and CEO, Forever Labs Related: How These Entrepreneurs Use Feedback and Honesty to Build a Thriving Business 6. Confront it. Dont just say you want honest input and then create virtual roadblocks where employees are too intimidated to speak out. We have company fireside chats, and I try to anticipate the tough questions Id ask if I was in the audience and proactively address them in plain terms. If you acknowledge the obvious -- good or bad -- and address it head-on, you signal that youre open to constructive criticism. -- Chris Terrill, CEO, ANGI Homeservices Related: Copyright 2018 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved STAMFORD A Brooklyn man convicted of raping a woman at a party in Norwalk last year was sentenced to six years in prison Monday and prohibited from contacting the victim for 50 years. Dayvon Williams, 28, of New York pleaded for leniency from Judge John Blawie, but failed to take responsibility for sneaking into his cousins bedroom overnight on May 6, 2017 and having sex with his cousins sleeping 19-year-old girlfriend. It was a mistake and a serous misunderstanding, Williams said told the Stamford judge. Once again, I apologize for the mistake and misunderstanding. During a bench trial in front of Blawie in June, where Williams represented himself and was found guilty of second-degree sexual assault, the victim testified to waking up and seeing Williams - an aquaintence - having sex with her. She testified to recoiling and jumping off the bed, at which point Williams suggested that what happened should be kept secret. The woman immediately told her boyfriend what happened and Williams was thrown out of the house and police were contacted the next day. The sentence was in line with the recommendation of Assistant States Attorney Michelle Manning, who tried the case before Blawie. This was an egregious offense that will have an effect on this woman for the rest of her life, Manning said Monday. Manning expressed skepticism that because Williams is unable to recognize the wrongness of his actions, he will probably remain a risk to society despite the sex-offender treatment he will have to undergo while in jail. Manning said it saddened her to learn that Williams was a victim of sexual assault when he was nine years old in Virginia. And she pointed to his criminal record from 10 years ago, when Williams was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery with a firearm, also in Virginia. Along with the jail time, Blawie sentenced Williams to 20 years probation, where he may be made to serve all or part of a four-year suspended jail sentence if he breaks the law or in violation of his probation. Williams aunt, Jana Williams-Harris, said she was disappointed by the length of time her nephew would have to spend in jail. I do believe it was too harsh because Dayvon needs help, but incarceration is not what he need. He needs help and therapy, William-Harris said. Hopefully during this time he will learn how to do things differently. In a lot of ways, we failed him as a family. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com I never had to think twice of him during the 45 years he was in prison, Gardner-Morkert said. My job was to heal with my family and community. Now, it creates a sense of fear and revictimization and all of a sudden, they are out and you dont know where they are. So even as a peace of mind for the victims, its important to know. WASHINGTON - "No passes, no problem" was the mantra throughout September at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, when weekday visitors were allowed in without a pass. The walk-up weekday program ended last Friday, but many of the people lined up on the plaza Monday morning didn't realize that they now needed passes. Rather than turn them away, the museum's staff distributed passes starting about 10:20 a.m. "We want to provide access. We're not trying to keep anybody out," said Beverly Morgan-Welch, the museum's associate director of external affairs. The weekday walk-up program will return in January and February, Morgan-Welch said, and advance timed passes for weekends in January will be distributed online starting Oct. 3 at 9 a.m. But between now and the end of the year, weekday visitors will need to get passes online starting at 6:30 a.m., or try for walk-up entry after 1 p.m., she said. Problems surrounding the free, timed passes have plagued the museum in the two years since it opened, with crowds still clamoring to get in. Demand for advance passes repeatedly crashed the museum's online system. More recently, too many passes were mistakenly distributed. Last month, the museum decided to test a no-pass weekday policy, hoping to increase the number of visitors without causing bottlenecks. Before that, visitors without passes could line up after 1 p.m. and would be admitted as capacity allowed. On Monday, there were no signs alerting visitors that they required a pass and no staff members to answer questions. "It would help if someone came and told us something," said Christos Ioannou of London, who had mistakenly waited on the pass-holder line with four friends before being directed to the other, unmarked line. "Will we get in?" asked fellow Londoner Alison Quah. "They should do like restaurants and say it's a 30-minute wait for a table, and then we can decide what we want to do." Quah and Ioannou had visited other Smithsonian museums and had no idea that the entry policies for the African American Museum were different. Visitors services staff will be at the entrances on Tuesday to answer questions, officials said. James Harris, visiting from Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife and daughter, had scouted the entrance policy on Sunday and was told by a guard that he didn't need a pass for Monday. That turned out to be false. After waiting for more than an hour, Harris and others near the front of the line were told to use their cellphones to get passes online. Loud complaints followed, as Harris and his wife, Leslie, said the first in line should get priority. ERIE, Pa. - Hunched over and weeping, Fred Kimbrew had to look away from the stage. He would say later that it felt as if he were seeing the pain in his own life being re-enacted. And in a way, he was. The play was "Sweat," the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Lynn Nottage about the racial animus aroused by busting a steelworkers' union in a dying, blue-collar Pennsylvania town. In a one-of-a-kind event, New York's Public Theater is taking an ensemble of Broadway and off-Broadway actors to 18 small towns and cities over 29 days in five Rust Belt and Upper Midwestern states - the heart of MAGA country - to foster the notion that the arts shouldn't be classified as blue or red. Rather, they are red, white and blue. "The difference the play makes to the people whose stories are being told is extraordinary," said Nottage, standing in the makeshift theater in one of Erie's poorest neighborhoods, where the "Sweat" tour was launched Thursday. "I think that what red and blue can recognize is that we all share the same narrative." It is unheard of for a distinguished theater company to look beyond America's major cities and book a play such as "Sweat" - which had a pre-Broadway run at Washington, D.C.'s Arena Stage and played for 129 performances on Broadway last year - into places like Erie; Ashtabula, Ohio; Saginaw, Michigan; and Hayward, Wisconsin. And not just visit unconventional cities, but also unorthodox stages: "Sweat" on tour is being presented free of charge in union halls, churches, food pantries, even centers for men and women recently released from prison, like Climate Changers Inc., a social-service facility on hardscrabble East 11th Street in Erie. Theater is often viewed as a diversion for moneyed classes of a progressive bent in cosmopolitan places. To Oskar Eustis, the Public's artistic director, this tour attempts to redress the imbalance and seek out audiences in Donald Trump's America. "One of the things that we have done is turn our back to half of America, in the idea that the riches of theater belong to the coasts, to the elites," Eustis said. "The Public has done a commendable job of reaching out to urban populations, but we've said to half the country, 'We got nothing for you.' We have done the same thing to that part of the country that the economy has done: We've abandoned them." "Sweat" seems a fitting vehicle to start changing that perception. Set in 2000 to 2008 in Reading, Pennsylvania, where Nottage did her research, the play is built around the friendship of two women, one white, one black, who work the assembly line in a metal tubing plant. The breakdown of their relationship and the tensions that escalate around them occur as the African-American worker, Cynthia, is promoted to management just as the company locks out union members, recruits cheaper replacements from the local Latino community, and starts shipping jobs to a plant in Mexico. Seething, the locked-out white worker, Tracey, provokes a violent incident in the union workers' favorite watering hole, with terrible consequences. Watching a story so familiar, played out with such rawness, by actors on a makeshift stage barely an arm's length away, is too much for some audience members, including those who have never been to a play before. "I'm from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania," Kimbrew said during the post-show discussion, led by the Public's Chiara Klein, that follows every performance. "My grandfather worked in the steel mill for 40 years. When you took out the mill, out came the drug activity. So it was play ball, or sell drugs," he added, choking up. Asked afterward why he cried, Kimbrew replied: "You ever went somewhere and felt, 'They just told my story?' " In Ashtabula, on Friday night, 50 miles down Interstate 90 from Erie, Eustis was in the audience at a food pantry, where people came for the food and stayed for the play. "The audience was older and very quiet during the show - very few laughs, little sort of rumbles of recognition," he said. "I was not quite sure how they were reacting. Then, after the show, they started talking, and every single person broke into sobs. I thought, 'These are people who don't know how to respond to theater, but it's getting to them.' It was about losing the town's identity and their feeling of belonging not to the future but the past. Their reaction was powerful, but in different ways than I would have thought." Ashtabula County gave Donald Trump 57.2 percent of its vote in 2016, and Sawyer County in Wisconsin, where Hayward is located, awarded him nearly 60 percent. Trump even scored narrow victories in more reliably Democratic counties, like Saginaw and Erie. So in a sense with this tour, the Public Theater's Mobile Unit - a company arm that traditionally brings Shakespeare productions to New York's outer boroughs - was venturing into what might be regarded for a liberal theater troupe as politically hostile territory. So intent was Eustis that the show not be perceived as one-sided that he added this note to the programs handed out every evening: "This isn't a Republican or Democrat play. This play does what theater does best: it tells the truth about the lives of people who don't normally get the spotlight, who aren't glamorous or rich, but who are as heroic and deep and complicated as anyone." Erie, a city of 98,000 on the shores of Lake Erie, halfway between Buffalo and Cleveland, suffered from the same kind of deindustrialization that has afflicted communities across the Rust Belt. Since 1960, it has lost about a third of its residents, and at the same time has become a significant destination for refugees and immigrants. About 20 percent of the population is made up of what the city calls "New Americans." In an interview in his downtown offices, Mayor Joseph Schember, a Democrat, recalled working as a teenager as a chipper in an aluminum casting plant in the city's once-bustling industrial corridor. "You could walk down 12th Street and get five good jobs," he said. Now, the plants are closed and the city has been regrouping, with bipartisan efforts to lure innovative businesses and participate in federal community-development initiatives. As to whether the corrosive political battles in the nation's capital have much impact in Erie, the city's genial mayor observed: "I think we think more about what's going on here. The leadership is working together like never before." Schember would show up Thursday evening at Climate Changers, but the question hanging in the air in the hours before the event was, would anyone else? A lot rode on the success of this first stop, as it would set the tone for a month's worth of stops on the tour, a project underwritten largely by the Ford and Mellon foundations. "This is hugely different from any theatrical experience I've ever had," said Steve Key, who was an understudy in the Broadway production and now plays Stan, the former plant worker who presides over the bar in which the play takes place. Public staffers need not have worried; by 6 p.m., the space was filling up, with an audience about equally black and white - a rare occurrence in Erie, people were saying. "This event is very, very important," said Patrick Fisher, executive director of Erie Arts and Culture, a local support organization. "The fact that you can use an art form for an impartial conversation - that is why the arts matter." By 6:30, the room had an overflow crowd of 125. Extra folding chairs had to be brought in, although the supply of free vanilla cupcakes at intermission seemed just about right. Even more important was the nourishment the main event was providing. "It does take you into how things really are," said Gail Mitchell, a longtime Erie resident who came with her husband, Arthur. Wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers cap, Arthur Mitchell was compelled to think about his brother-in-law, a plant worker whose job simply evaporated. "One day he goes to work and they were shut," he said. "And he had been there over 30 years." For Nottage, delving into the deeply felt issues that resulted in "Sweat" made her understand more completely that the unraveling of American civility and self-belief is a collective tragic act. She also sees her play breaking down barriers as a sign of hope. "Everyone is complicit in the undoing of the country," she said. "There are no heroes, and there are no villains." Each year, The American Legion Department of Illinois remembers veterans in the state of Illinois who are hospitalized, in nursing homes or homebound through the Gifts to the Yanks Who Gave program. The program was instituted by The American Legion, Department of Illinois in 1944 to remember our hospitalized War Veterans. The Department of Illinois, has maintained this worthy program continuously since its inception by distributing gifts annually to each of our veteran patients at Illinois V.A. Hospitals, extended care units, nursing and rehabilitation facilities and those who are home bound. Often the local posts arent aware of those veterans who are home bound, so we ask those aware of home bound veterans, please call and let us know how to contact them. Locally, several nursing homes and assisted living facilities are visited before Christmas and gifts distributed to veterans. Each veteran receives one item, which could be a gift bag, a blanket, or a bathrobe. The Ladies Auxiliary Unit 199 of Edwardsville typically wraps each item in Christmas paper prior to the distribution. President Donald Trump hailed a revised trade pact with Canada and Mexico as a victory for the United States on Monday, promoting the agreement as a campaign promise kept and evidence that his get-tough approach to trade was working. This landmark agreement will send cash and jobs pouring into the United States and into North America, Trump said in remarks at the White House. Good for Canada, good for Mexico. Trump said the new agreement was based on the principle of fairness and reciprocity, proclaiming the agreement a fulfillment of his campaign promise to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement and bolster the fortunes of American workers. The updated NAFTA, which will be called the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement, or USMCA, represents Trumps biggest trade achievement to date and comes after more than a year of intense negotiations with Canada and Mexico. The agreement came together Sunday night after a weekend of frenzied negotiations between Canada and the United States, which culminated in the deal remaining as a three-country pact. The agreement makes a series of changes to areas like intellectual property and the digital economy, including protections for patents and domain names. Among the most biggest change that Trump championed allows for greater access to Canadas dairy market, enabling a larger volume of U.S. exports. It also increases incentives for cars to be made in North America with higher labor standards, maintains an independent dispute settlement system and offers Canada and Mexico some protections from future automobile tariffs that the United States might seek to impose on global imports. Business groups, which were fearful that NAFTA would collapse, hailed the agreement as a major win for the economy Monday. But as lawmakers, trade analysts and industry groups studied the new text, some suggested that it was too soon to celebrate. The United Steelworkers union urged caution Monday, lamenting that the Trump administrations steel and aluminum tariffs had not been lifted as part of the deal. Mexico and Canada say they expect those tariffs to be worked out on a separate track. The new agreement could also face political obstacles, as Congress is responsible for granting final approval of trade agreements. If Democrats take control of the House next year, it is possible that they will call for changes or prevent the administrations agreement from taking effect. The company did not identify what business or businesses would occupy the warehouse, but city officials and residents think it likely would be used as a distribution center for a company such as Amazon, with merchandise being stored in and then shipped out of the warehouse. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville honored eight remarkable graduates at the 2018 SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony, A Night Among the Stars, on Friday, Sept. 28 in the Morris University Center. The impressive alumni have made exceptional contributions in their chosen fields, in their communities and at SIUE through their leadership, character and hard work. Those selected for the Alumni Hall of Fame represent the best of SIUE, said Alan Kehrer, SIUE Alumni Association president. It was our honor to induct these outstanding individuals in celebration of their incredible accomplishments. The 2018 honorees listed by their college or school: School of Business: Tania Seger, BS Accountancy 87, MBA 96 Seger is vice president and chief financial officer for Monsantos North America commercial business unit covering business analysis and long-range planning, credit, and manufacturing for the U.S., Canada and Latin America North. She has held multiple finance roles at Monsanto in both U.S. Commercial and Technology. Prior to joining Monsanto in 2008, she worked for Solutia as manager of corporate planning and analysis, and for Ameritech Mobile Communications where she held various roles, including director of corporate operations. Seger is also a certified public accountant and a member of the St. Louis Federal Reserves Agribusiness Industry Council. She is an active SIUE School of Business alumna providing presentations on career development and participating in industry networking events for students. One of the things that is most important to me is growing and developing new talent, just as others did for me, Seger said. I was empowered by the School of Business Janice Joplins ability to define and inspire leadership. I spend a lot of time in my work, taking high potential talent and stretching it. Its wonderful to watch that talent grow and fly away. I dedicate this honor to my parents and husband, she added. I can always hear my moms voice in my head, saying Go get em, kid. I want to see you do something big! My husband, Mark, has been pivotal in keeping me climbing the ladder. I very much believe in SIUEs contributions and what it can do, and thank you all for this honor. College of Arts & Sciences: The Honorable David R. Herndon, BA Government 74 Herndon, district judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, was confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 21, 1998. His federal tenure followed seven years as an associate judge in the Third Judicial Circuit of Madison County. Prior to that, Herndon worked as a trial attorney, specializing in plaintiffs personal injury cases, with an emphasis on Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) litigation, for 14 years. An undergraduate degree from SIUE preceded his law degree from SIUC in 1977. Herndon served as chief judge from October 2007 through September 2014, and currently serves as chair of the Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Security. He was a 2017 inductee in the Trial Lawyers Hall of Fame. Its clear that SIUEs reach is global, and that theres no stopping this institution, Herndon said. Theres only progress, and a great deal of it. Im proud to have graduated from SIUE. During my studies, I was made to understand that whether I was talking with someone about government or the world order of things, talking with friends, or perhaps, arguing with an adversary, I have the right to an opinion. I should express that opinion and be prepared to defend it. Thats something that has carried with me all these years, and I greatly appreciate my education. College of Arts & Sciences: Dr. Roderick Nunn, BM Jazz Performance 93 Nunn serves as executive vice president, head of education and employment for the Concordance Academy of Leadership, a national organization leading the way in reducing recidivism for returning citizens. Before joining the Academy, he served as president of St. Louis Community College-Forest Park, and vice chancellor of economic development and workforce solutions. Under Nunns leadership, the college won several national, state, and local awards for excellence and innovation in workforce development. He also led workforce development for three governors in Missouri and Illinois. He serves as an adjunct professor in the doctor of management program at the University of Maryland University College. Ive often heard people say, education is the great equalizer, Nunn explained. In recent years, Ive had to correct them by saying, higher education is the great equalizer in todays knowledge society. When I think about my time at SIUE, faculty and staff were the engines behind the equalization. I accept this induction in the name of all the kids from East St. Louis, Illinois, who have big dreams. Part of my destiny at SIUE was the music faculty, he added. If you listen closely to jazz musicians, like those we heard tonight, youll hear innovation. They call it improvisation. If you listen closely, youll hear collaboration and leadership, the things I was grounded in during my early days and that were reinforced while I was in SIUEs music program. Then, I found campus life. Wow! My involvement gave me phenomenal opportunities to develop, and learn that my ideas meant nothing without the inclusion of others. It was a wonderful period of growth for me at SIUE. SIU School of Dental Medicine: Patricia Tish Nihill, DMD 82 Nihill served as a faculty member in the School of Dental Medicine from 1984-2000. During that time, she completed the gerontology certificate program at SIU, and earned a prosthodontic certificate and masters degree at Northwestern University. She has served as a faculty member at the University of Illinois-Chicago College of Dentistry and the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, where she served as the division chief of comprehensive care until her retirement. In retirement, she volunteers at the Chicago Dental Society Foundation clinic in her hometown of Wheaton and teaches part time as an adjunct faculty member at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois. I could not have successfully pursued the many opportunities provided to students and faculty at the SIU School of Dental Medicine, without the mentorship I received there, Nihill said. The School is thriving. It provides such warm feelings and a positive learning environment. I am proud of the education I received. I greatly appreciate this honor. School of Education, Health and Human Behavior: Fredna Carlson Scroggins, EdD, Instructional Process 81 Scroggins devoted 35 years to her career in education. She is retired from St. Louis Community College (STLCC) at Meramec where she was a professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and served as department chair for 10 years. She taught in the teacher education program at Blackburn College, Westminster College in Salt Lake City and Missouri Baptist University, before joining STLCC. She was named to Whos Who in Americas Teachers, received the Missouri Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Meramec Faculty Lecture Award. She was a member of the District Academic Governance Council, District Education Steering Committee, and the Missouri Commission on the Future of Teaching. If theres one thing weve all acknowledged tonight, Scroggins said, its that we got here with a lot of help. None of us can say weve done it alone. I am grateful for this unexpected honor. Throughout my career, I have learned so much from the people I have worked with and from students, she added. I believe that being a good teacher means being a good listener. You dont just instruct, you are open to whats going on with your students as well. School of Engineering: Angela Heise, BS Computer Science 96 Heise is president of the civil group at Leidos. She is responsible for providing solutions to U.S. Cabinet-level civil agencies, and major elements of the public and private sector across the globe. Focus areas include air traffic automation, energy and the environment, federal infrastructure and logistics, information technology and cybersecurity, and transportation security. Prior to this role, she served as vice president of commercial markets for Lockheed Martin-Commercial Cyber, where she was responsible for delivery of a portfolio of cybersecurity and information technology solutions and services to commercial Global 1000 customers. She is an alumna of Harvard Business Schools Advanced Management Program. She was recently named to Washington Execs Top 25 Executives to Watch in 2018. SIUE gave me an unbelievable gift, Heise said, while recalling being one of two females in her courses. My professors always called on me when I raised my hand. They always made sure I had a voice, and they encouraged me constantly to use it and share my perspective in class. I had no idea how valuable that was, or how unusual that was. I want to thank SIUE for that gift, she continued, because it meant I entered the professional world not knowing any different. It meant that every job I took, I raised my hand and always used my voice. I promise that for the 10,000-person company I have the distinct privilege of representing every day, I try to do the exact same thing. I give employees the same sense of inclusion, and encourage them to use their voice to make the world better. School of Nursing: Lisa Klaustermeier, BS Nursing 93, MS Nursing 01 Klaustermeier serves as the chief nursing officer at Anderson Hospital in Maryville. She began her nursing career at Saint Louis University Hospital, where she quickly moved into a management position and continued there for four years. She then started at Anderson Hospital, where she has been in leadership positions for 20 years, serving as the chief nursing officer since 2009. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in mentoring staff and students, expanding and improving patient care service lines, providing leadership to more than 400 nurses and staff members, and leading performance improvement programs. An adjunct faculty member in SIUEs School of Nursing, she is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Leaders, American Nurses Association, and Illinois Organization of Nurse Leaders where she served as a regional president. Im thankful for the nursing career SIUE has allowed me to have, Klaustermeier said. The major takeaways for me are the mentors I gained. Professor Jackie Clement instilled in me enthusiasm and passion, and those are the two things that I always hope to bring to my organization each day. I am also proud of the graduate program which offered me opportunities to utilize my work. The faculty was interested in what I was working on, and I was eager to learn and expand my knowledge. Graduate School: James D. Campbell, PhD, BA Sociology 68, MA Sociology 70 Campbell earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC). He began his career as an instructor in 1970 at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but spent most of his career in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UMC, where he recently retired as emeritus professor. He was a pioneer in developing innovative curricula for medical students that incorporates the social and behavioral sciences. He played a key role in developing and implementing an innovative longitudinal inter-professional experience at UMC, as well as developing videos that are used widely for training in educational institutions and public health departments. He and his wife, Anne, were instrumental in creating the Central Missouri Kidney Association, of which Jim is the president. I want to share a couple serendipitous moments in which SIUE was instrumental, Campbell said. I met my wife in statistics class in Peck Hall in March 1967. Later, I was teaching at a college that I never applied to, and Im grateful SIUE had provided the foundation for me to have the confidence and ability to succeed those first few weeks of teaching. I am honored to receive this award, but more than that, I am particularly thankful to SIUE for scheduling that statistics class. I really appreciated it. For more information on A Night Among the Stars call (618) 650-3630. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi Rivers rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 13,000. Prospective college students are invited to learn about available higher education opportunities as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosts the Illinois Regional College Fair (IRCF) Fair from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 in the Morris University Center. The event is sponsored by the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), in conjunction with SIUE. High school students, transfer students and parents in attendance will have the opportunity to meet with college representatives from more than 90 in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities, to learn about academic programs and other aspects of the student experience. Financial aid representatives also will be on hand to answer questions. In addition, local high school counselors will be present to assist students looking for guidance on post-secondary options. On behalf of IACAC and SIUE, we truly appreciate the support of the counselors from local high schools and community colleges who are helping us provide this opportunity for students and families to explore numerous colleges/universities, all within one setting, during one evening, said Todd Burrell, SIUE director of undergraduate admissions and former president of the IACAC. Before the IRCF was initiated, college fairs were held several times throughout the year at various area high schools. This annual event on SIUEs campus serves to consolidate efforts and centralize higher education options for everyone involved. The goal of the Illinois Regional College Fair is to give high school and transfer students in the Metro East a chance to speak with college representatives from institutions, not only from Illinois, but also from states across the country, added Kelley Brooks, assistant director of admissions at SIUE. The IRCF will feature StriveScan, which will allow attendees to register in advance or during the fair to gain a barcode via text. They can use that barcode to easily share their contact information with participating colleges. Details are available at strivefair.com. For more information, and a list of participating colleges, visit siue.edu/ircf/. Registration is not required. Free parking will be available in Lots P4-12 for IRCF visitors and participants. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose to shape a changing world. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi Rivers rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of more than 13,000. 6 hours ago Climate consensus appears near; India objects to coal plans GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Almost 200 nations were poised Saturday to adopt a compromise on how to curb climate change and to keep a key global warming target alive after 15 days of contentious climate talks. During nearly three hours of discussions, nation after nation said the proposed agreement did not go far enough, but only India and Iran appeared inclined to object. Read Article If the two districts work together, the state would pay for about half the cost of the feasibility study, but if Lincoln-Way says no, Marron said District 161 would have to bear the entire cost, estimated to be between $12,000 and $20,000. If Lincoln-Way does not want to be part of the process, much of its information is still available to the public, but may take longer to obtain, he said. The teens are being held without bail on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Taijean Hall, 17, and Bryan Harris, 19. Sharrieff, was charged as an adult, but is not being held in Cook County Jail because of his age, a sheriffs office spokeswoman said. Confused, unkempt and injured, a 78-year-old Sterling Heights man under the watch of a state-sanctioned caregiver was abandoned in a McDonalds in Mt. Pleasant last month possibly for hours- before employees called police for help. The man, who requires a live-in caregiver to assist with day-to-day activities, was sitting in the play area of the restaurant on Sept. 17 when officials from the Mt. Pleasant Police Department responded to the call at around 6:30 am. The man was soiled, sunburned on his torso and had a bandage with dried blood wrapped around his head from an injury he said he incurred in a fall a few days earlier, according to police reports. Not always lucid, the man was able to tell police that he was from the metro Detroit area and that his 57-year-old live-in caretaker had driven him to Mt. Pleasant, taken him inside the McDonalds and then left without returning. Police noted that when they took the man to the department to make arraignments for his care he need assistance getting up and walking, and guessed in the report that he would not be mobile alone without the use of a cane or a walker. Once at the department, the man told police his caregiver was paid through the State of Michigan and while she was taking the money, she was not properly caring for him. Police easily identified the absent caregiver through the Department of Health and Human Services, where an employee confirmed the womans assignment and provided contact information while alerting police that DHHS protocol is to seek medical attention when a ward is injured, according to the report. Mobile Medical Response workers treated the man, noting the sunburn, the soiled clothing, a nasty wound on his elbow and the head injury. When they (removed the bandage) they could see it was a fairly severe fall that caused the injury if indeed it was a fall, investigating officers wrote in the report. He should probably have received medical attention when it first happened, not bandaged by his caregiver. While some attended to the man, other police officials attempted to contact the absent caregiver, who did not answer her phone; the Macomb County Sheriff also went to her home address downstate but did not find the woman there. Days later, the caregiver contacted both a supervisor at DHHS and left three voicemail messages for Mt. Pleasant Police investigators, indicating the same to all: she did drive the man to McDonalds in Mt. Pleasant and leave him there. Sometime later she left the state. She told DHHS and police that the man wanted a Quarter Pounder and she did not have money, so she left him briefly to return to a hotel room to grab cash. When she returned a short time later, she said, the man was gone. Her three messages to investigating officers were three minutes each and indicated she was in Washington D.C. and that she did not want to be further contacted because, She was going to do important work, according to the report. She also implied the elderly man was difficult to care for and that she did not pursue a missing person report because hes now in a better place and cared for by police and the state. The investigative report has been turned over the the Isabella County Prosecutors Office for review. He denied to investigators that he took part in the thefts but that he was going to help Jackson and his brother sell the stolen firearms, according to the affidavits. Eberhardt said he was defamed in subsequent mailers and social media postings, some of which alleged he was directed by Trustee Jacob Vandenberg to deliver the threat to Moylan. Vandenberg, who was vying for the mayors job and ultimately defeated Seaman, denied at the time that Eberhardt played any role in his campaign or that of his Concerned Citizens for Tinley Park slate. How to Love October: Feastival of Indulgence at The Boathouse Its 7am on a dark, drizzling London morn. I scurry, beetle-like, head bowed, through the traffic to the tube station. Jammed into the narrow confines of the hurtling cylinder on the Piccadilly Line my bleary eye catches sight of an advertisement. By Baz Daniel Tuesday 2 October 2018, 11:00AM Sober October is coming it tells me and implores me to give up all thoughts of fun and good times for a month so that I can, well, soberly contemplate my navel I presume. Cold, wet and rather depressed I can hardly think of anything worse. Then my thoughts drift back to my home in Phuket and the glorious colours and contours of the iconic Boathouse Resort and Restaurant on the golden sands of Kata Beach and its upcoming October-long Feastival of Indulgence and I realise that is exactly where I want to be and what I want to do throughout October! The Boathouse is the perfect venue for a Feastival dedicated to the pleasures of wonderful food, drink, music, friendship, conversation, happiness and laughter. Its 30-year history celebrating the finest things in life with discerning guests from all over the world, makes The Boathouse an expert in the gracious art of fine living, indulgence and epicureanism. Such famous names as Peter Ustinov, Rudolf Nureyev and a glittering cast of royalty and heads of state have graced its glorious portals through the years, enjoying the world-famous hospitality, so this Octobers celebrations are simply a glorious continuation of that happy tradition. What exactly is a Feastival of Indulgence, and how does one go about enjoying it to the full? Well, the month-long programme of delights on offer runs the gamut from gourmet lunches and dinners featuring fabulous cuisine, world-class beverages with pairings and tastings and lucky draws, to celebrity chef events, to cooking classes, cigar events, Piper Heidseick Sunday brunch, charity events, mixologists classes and much more all accompanied by music, fun, friendship and laughter. An international cast of hosts, celebrity chefs, fine beverage and pairings experts and presenters, musicians and of course all The Boathouses superbly knowledgeable and welcoming staff, will be on hand to make Octobers Feastival superb. Genial General Manager Max Chin supported by Executive Chef Jonathan Bruell, resident Sommelier Khun Pinyo, and the full retinue of Boathouse food and beverage staff will be on hand to welcome you and ensure that whichever of the many events you choose to attend leaves you happily feasted and thoroughly indulged! Throughout October therell be special highlight events for you to savour such as the Magnum Dinner on Oct 5. Taking inspiration from Winston Churchills fabulous quote: A Magnum is the perfect size for two gentlemen over a meal, especially if one isnt drinking, the evening will feature amazing cuisine expertly paired with a range of fine libations all in Magnum sizes! On Oct 12 therell be a rather decadent evening focusing on Frances Champagne region with Nicholas Feuillattes bubbly libations paired with Chef Jonathans wondrous oceanic Caviar Variations. On Oct 19 sees an evening sampling the ample pleasures of a clean white libation famously labelled Mothers Ruin and exploring its immaculate flavour and ingredients. And throughout the month, every evening in the Dining Room will have a variety of aged examples of Scotlands finest export after bagpipes and haggis of course! You can explore the secrets of cocktails prepared with the Mekongs finest libation as The Boathouses award-winning mixologists teach you how to create exotic innovations for yourself, and every day the restaurant will present exciting gourmet set menus with pairings, and simply by enjoying this heady fusion, you stand a chance of winning a two-nights stay in any of The Boathouses HPL Group affiliated hotels. A highlight of the Feastival will certainly be on Oct 26 and 27 when award-winning Chef Evert Onderbeke from Soleil Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur will present a fabulous European culinary exploration in a five-course degustation menu paired with refreshments from Les Domaines Barons de Rothchild. Finally, Chef Jonathans famous Sunday brunch will return on Oct 28 featuring gastronomic delicacies ranging from a selection of oysters, Maine lobsters, foie gras, charcutier platter, prime beef, great French cheeses, accompanied by fabulous views, great service and Piper Heidseicks libations. And shell-shocked and dishevelled from my nightmare on the Piccadilly Line, I am overjoyed to say that I fully intend to be there! For full details of the October Feastival of Indulgence please see: www.boathouse-phuket.com Tel: +66 76 330 015- 7 Fax: +66 76 330 561 Email: info@boathouse-phuket.com One dead in Phoenix salvage operation PHUKET: It has been confirmed today that one person died on Saturday during the operation to salvage the Phoenix tour boat which sank on July 5 killing 47 Chinese tourists. accidentsdeathmarinetransport By The Phuket News Tuesday 2 October 2018, 01:07PM Divers are seen here at the site of the sunken Phoenix tour boat in August. Photo: PR Dept Phuket Public Relations Department Chief Bussaya Chaipeum issued a statement this morning (Oct 2) stating that Niphat Joch Kludnak, 37, an employee of Spitz Tech Co Ltd died at 12;30pm on Saturday (Sept 29) at the site where the sunken Phoenix lies on the seabed. Mr Niphat had been involved in the salvage mission since it began in August. According to the statement issued by Ms Bussaya, Mr Niphat was on the rear of a vessel being used in the salvage operation when he fainted and fell into the sea. Mr Niphat was recovered unconscious from the water and was quickly taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town where he was later pronounced dead. The body of Mr Niphat has since taken to his home province if Chumphon where funeral rites are underway at Wat Chonlathi Phuesaram. The statement concluded by saying that the salvage operation will resume on Thursday (Oct 4) or Friday (Oct 5) depending on weather conditions. It is planned that the boat will be dragged to an area where the water depth will be around 25 metres where the boat will then be raised to the surface. Once on the surface the boat will then be dragged to the Tha Chin canal. On Sept 24, the Chief of the Phuket Marine Office confirmed that the plan to raise the sunken tour boat Phoenix was to be fully revised after one of the tethers broke while the salvage operators were trying to move the boat underwater but not actually raise it. The news to temporarily scrap the plan to raise the Phoenix was revealed by Wiwat Chitchertwong, who is currently the Acting Director of the Phuket Marine Office. (See story here.) On Aug 5, the Director-General of the Marine Department, Jirut Wisanjit, announced that the major operation to raise the sunken tour boat Phoenix off the seabed would be carried out that week. Speaking at the Phuket Deep Sea Port , Mr Jirut said that plans to raise the Phoenix, which lied at a depth of 45m some 1.5 nautical miles off Koh Hei (Coral Island), were underway after the owner failed to organise its own efforts. (See story here.) After weeks of preparations, a team of salvage operators on Aug 14 said they hoped to complete the recovery of the Phoenix tour boat, which sank in a storm squall of Koh Hei (Coral Island) on July 5. (See story here.) However, on Aug 16, Mr Wiwat told The Phuket News that strong winds and large waves have continued to delay the refloating of the sunken tour boat Phoenix. All the equipment and tethers have been attached, but some of them still need to be positioned in the place so the boat can be safely raised to the surface, he said. (See story here.) Then on Aug 30, Mr Wiwat said that preparations were continuing to raise the Phoenix, but that he did not expect any effort to refloat the boat to be carried out for another week. (See story here.) On Sept 21, it was confirmed by Ms Bussaya that preparations to raise the Phoenix were now in the final stages. (See story here.) Watertown episode of HBO's 'We're Here' airs Monday After filming an episode of "We're Here" in Watertown this summer, HBO is ready to air the state's first episode Monday. Though the lot is already in operation, Riggan told the commissioners the company can do much more in the building it wants to renovate. The design would allow for flying drones while people watch from an observation deck. The rapid-fire developments at Tesla Inc. may be record setting, at least in so far as a company running afoul of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is concerned. The SEC laid fraud charges last Thursday, targeting CEO Elon Musks August tweet to his 22 million followers that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 a share. Funding secured proved to be the securities-breaching language. Musk had not discussed specific deal terms, including price, with any potential financing partners, the SEC found. Read in detail, the SECs complaint reveals discussions between Musk and a Saudi investment fund, discussions that included establishing a Tesla production facility in the Middle East. Musks tweet on Aug. 7 wasnt pulled entirely from the ether. Five days earlier he emailed the board under the subject header Offer to Take Tesla Private at $420, an email that included the companys general counsel among its recipients. On Aug. 3, Musk and the board held a telephonic meeting about the funds interest in the transaction. On Aug. 6, Musk discussed the potential of going private with what the SEC described as a private equity fund partner with previous experience with such transactions. But Nasdaq rules specify that listed companies must notify the exchange at least 10 minutes prior to publicly releasing material information. This Musk did not do. He tweeted his go private plans in the middle of the trading day. Shares in Tesla spiked. Nasdaq halted trading for 90 minutes. I say all this not to excuse, but contextualize Musks behaviour. Pause for a minute on the resolution the SEC reached last Saturday. Musk agreed to a $20-million (U.S.) fine (personally) and an additional $20-million fine (corporately) pocket change, as many have pointed out. The significant language lies not in the financial remedy, still to be approved by the courts, but in the governance changes to be made at the Silicon Valley company: Musk will step down as chair, to be replaced by an independent chairperson; two new independent directors will be appointed to the board; a new committee of independent directors will be put in place to oversee Musks communications (those securities-sensitive tweets). Musk is Teslas largest stockholder, owning about 22 per cent of the outstanding shares, and enjoys a supermajority voting structure. It is plain that the SECs imposed governance enhancements are to the benefit of all shareholders, and this is good. For a quarter-century governance experts have pushed for a division of responsibilities at the head of publicly traded companies. A balance of power and authority is the obvious goal. Going all the way back to the Cadbury report in the U.K. in the early 90s, the astute thinking was that no one individual should possess unfettered powers of decision. Tesla has rejected calls to separate the two roles in the past. Under the force of the SEC, the task for the company now is to appoint an independent-minded chair. Come with me now as we leave the mercurial Mr. Musk and turn our attention instead to the divine ruler Mark Zuckerberg. Mr. Z controls about 60 per cent of the voting power at Facebook Inc. through 10-to-1 multiple voting shares. He is, of course, chief executive officer of the company he founded. He is also its chair. His comportment before U.S. lawmakers last April telegraphed a king-is-in-his-counting-house manner. (The New Yorkers Evan Osnos described Zuckerbergs performance as evasive to the point of amnesiac.) He thumbed his nose at British lawmakers by shipping in a lieutenant to answer their concerns. He deigned to appear before the European Parliament in what was described as a soporific performance. He is, Sheryl Sandberg notwithstanding, a man unchecked. Institutional shareholders want change. Trillium Asset Management, with more than $2.5 billion in assets under administration, filed a proposal last summer calling for Zuckerberg to step out of the chairmans job. What, after all, is the job of the chair if not to monitor the management of a company on behalf of all shareholders? We believe this lack of independent board Chair and oversight has contributed to Facebook missing, or mishandling, a number of severe controversies, increasing risk exposure and costs to shareholders, Trillium wrote in its proposal. The list of Facebook troubles is long, as if we need reminding: sharing personal data of 87 million users with Cambridge Analytica; propagating violence in Myanmar; Russian meddling in U.S. elections. What was it most recently? Oh right, a breach of 50 million user accounts. Zuckerberg offered his trademark wan response. The complaints over shaky corporate governance at Facebook will only grow. Too bad regulators havent found a way to force the company to grow up, as they have done with Mr. Musk. Read more about: CALGARY/EDMONTONFrom dairy to manufacturing to the oil and gas sector, Albertas economy will see changes under the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement but the provincial government believes its come off rather well. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland rattled off details of USMCA which replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement to reporters on Monday. The new agreement, if ratified by the governments of all three countries, includes provisions to open the Canadian dairy market to American producers, some protection against the U.S.s national security tariffs on autos, and the maintenance of Chapter 19 dispute resolution protections to allow trade disputes to be mediated through an independent tribunal rather than U.S. courts. Albertas Minister of Economic Development and Trade Deron Bilous said the agreement provides certainty for Alberta businesses and in the face of how the agreement could have turned out, Alberta came out in good standing. Todays agreement does provide trade certainty, he said on Monday. It also preserves Chapter 19s dispute resolution provisions, which is good news. Bilous said there is a monetary benefit attached to the agreement, as well, in that Alberta oil going across the U.S. border will no longer be subject to a tax that was part of the old deal. Diluent is a thinning agent applied to Albertas heavy oil and was subject to the tax under the old deal, said Bilous. So long as shipments of oil do not include diluent over 40 per cent of the shipment, the tax wont be applied. This limit is much higher than what is currently used in the province for shipping, he said. Read more: Heres whats new in the United States Mexico Canada Agreement Justin Trudeau calls trade deal a win, promises compensation for dairy farmers Canada capitulates on copyright in new USMCA deal, experts say Bilous said the federal government indicated that this would amount to $60 million in savings for energy sector producers. The new agreement also scraps a decades-old and highly contentious clause in NAFTA known as the energy proportionality clause. It forbid Canada or the United States from restricting access to each others domestic oil products in the event one country had a decent supply and the other had a serious deficit. Freeland described it at her press conference alongside the prime minister as a clause that eroded Canadas sovereign control over our energy resources, a sentiment echoed by Bilous on Monday afternoon. There is now no specific amount of Alberta oil committed to U.S. markets and makes room for the province to explore export opportunities in other markets, Bilous said. However, he said they dont anticipate a decline in demand for oil from the U.S. But Nick Schultz, vice-president of pipeline regulation and general counsel for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers a lobby group representing Canadas oil industry said removing the proportionality clause wont mean much. It has no impact. That clause was never invoked and was never really needed, he said. Although the Trans Mountain pipeline project was quashed by the Federal Court of Appeal in August, Bilous said the government is still trying to find ways to push the expansion through to gain access to overseas markets. Labour leaders across Canada are happy about the removal of NAFTAs Chapter 11s investor-state dispute settlement system, which allowed corporations to sue governments. The fact that its gone is really good, said Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. He also said the new deal doesnt restrict a governments ability to preferentially hire local companies when it comes to public infrastructure projects, and he praised USMCAs inclusion of a chapter devoted to the labour rights of workers in all three countries. These include the right to unionize, protections for migrant workers, and the elimination of child labour. As the fourth-largest dairy-producing province by volume, Alberta will be impacted by the changes to Canadas dairy industry. Alberta Milk, a non-profit lobby group representing the provinces 516 dairy farms, lamented the new agreement opening a small portion of the market to foreign farmers. We are extremely disappointed, said Tom Kootstra, chairman of Alberta Milk, in a statement. This outcome will do deep harm to not only our farmers, but also the 220,000 Canadians who work in the industry. Freeland said in her press conference that the Canadian government would compensate farmers for their lost market share and said supply management will still be in effect, despite opening the market to American producers. This agreement protects and maintains the supply management system, Freeland said. The future of supply management will not be challenged. But Alberta Milk isnt convinced. It echoed fears held by the Canadian dairy industry that a glut of American milk that costs roughly the same as the Canadian variety will flood the market. The Government of Canada has continually stated its support for supply management and locally produced milk before and throughout the negotiations, Alberta Milks statement said. However, support for Canadian dairy does not mean importing more subsidized foreign dairy at the expense of local, non-subsidized dairy. Its not a level playing field. The agricultural sector as a whole could also be impacted by the agreement, although Lynn Jacobson, president of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, said hes still going through it. Were still doing an analysis, Jacobson said. He said theres been talk that U.S. grain heading north would get the same treatment as Canadian grain heading south. In the past, Jacobson said, the U.S. wanted to harmonize its system of classifying wheat with Canada, but hes not sure how that turned out in the new agreement. Were not quite sure yet. We need to take a look at what was actually agreed on, Jacobson said. Oil, milk, and grain aside, Alberta is also a major manufacturer of steel, as well as components for oil and gas industry facilities. One of the major issues that hasnt yet been resolved by USMCA is the removal of steel and aluminum tariffs between the two countries a problem the Canadian Institute of Steel Producers is trying to work out. Thats not what we expected and thats not what the steel industry in Canada wanted, said Edward Whalen, president and CEO of the institute. Bilous also expressed his disappointment. If you were to ask, Whats one thing that wasnt in this agreement that we would have liked to have seen? That would have been an end to the steel and aluminum tariffs, he said. Whalen said maintenance of the tariffs is leading to steel price fluctuations across the country, including Alberta, and is becoming a problem for industries that rely heavily on steel, such as construction, and oil and gas. Even Alberta brewers have said sourcing aluminum cans is getting increasingly difficult. That makes steel manufacturers in Canada and manufacturers in Alberta less competitive, Whalen said. Premier Rachel Notley hasnt issued a statement related to USMCA. However, United Conservative Party Leader Jason Kenney said he was relieved that a new version of NAFTA had been finalized in a post on his Twitter page. However, Kenney said the sometimes-tense negotiations between Canada and the United States should push Alberta to sell more of its goods abroad. This whole episode should make us more focused on diversifying our export markets, starting with our biggest export product: oil and gas, Kenney wrote. Bilous said his team is going through the trade agreement and plans to have more to say about how it will affect various industries in the coming weeks. Looking at some of the potential alternatives of what could have happened and the potentially monumental impacts on the energy sector, Bilous said it gives another perspective as far as the benefits of this trade agreement. Read more about: CALGARYA 22-year member of the Calgary Police Service has been suspended 30 days with pay after he was arrested by the RCMP on Saturday and charged with assault. A press release from the police service on Monday said the officer was off-duty at the time and was arrested in a neighbouring community outside Calgary. The charges came after an alleged domestic incident, the release said. Calgary police didnt name the community, saying they didnt want to risk identifying the alleged victim. They cited the same reason for not identifying the police officer. Chief Roger Chaffin will review the officers status and case over the course of the next 30 days, a police spokesperson said. Read more: Calgary police officer faces theft, fraud and assault charges Calgary cop charged with impaired driving Calgary police officer charged with assault after domestic incident Theres a potential for the officer to return to work on administrative leave during or after that 30 days, depending on Chaffins review and the status of his case and his charges, the spokesperson said. Read more about: Last May, as a 30th-anniversary gift to ourselves, my husband, Stuart, and I went on a tour of Nepal and Bhutan. Post-child-rearing but before (fingers crossed) grandchildren, we wanted something big, something different, something outside our comfort zone that would not actually be uncomfortable. Which meant hiring someone else to do the planning for us, in this case, a Massachusetts-based tour company called Odysseys Unlimited. Squeezed between the northeastern tip of India, where it loops around Bangladesh, and the southernmost curve of Tibet, Nepal has a population that is mostly Hindu. Bhutan, in the same neighbourhood, is largely Buddhist. Bhutan is also the last of the Himalayan kingdoms to remain a kingdom, with a hereditary monarchy and a culture largely untouched by the ravages of Hollywoods fashion and pop dominance on the one hand, and that of environmental degradation on the other. Until 1974, Bhutan did not let foreigners in. Since then, it has been reinventing itself, casting itself as the worlds happiest nation and measuring its overall welfare not in terms of GNP but by gross national happiness, as set forth in 2008 in the Constitution of Bhutan. For tourists, this means a $250-a-day tariff (typically folded into other costs, including the required guide). A country that, for many of the most ambitious mountaineers, all but invented trekking, plus a pristine sliver of the Himalayas that celebrates both happiness and Buddhism? We signed on. But we had some concerns, mainly having to do with our preconceived ideas of organized tours. My husband and I are youngsters in our pre-60s. What if the others on the trip turned out to be downright old? And what if the guides spent too much time on stuff we were not interested in? Could you even get off the bus if you wanted to? We had never been on an organized tour. Yet what did we know about stupas? Maybe we needed the kind of tour provided by professionals after all. Speaking of stupas, I had never seen one until the morning after we arrived in Kathmandu. Delirious from lack of sleep, we met our fellow tourists in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency, boarded the first of the buses that would take us to and fro for the duration of the trip, and set off for Swayambhunath, a temple complex built atop a hill reached by hundreds of steps. At the very top is the stupa itself, white, with a 13-tiered golden spire. Stupas are hemispherical structures, focal points for worship and meditation. As our excellent tour guide, Sanjay Nepal, explained, they are typically painted with four sets of eyes pointing in four directions to symbolize the Buddhas all-seeingness. My own set of eyes did not know what to look at first: the prayer flags fluttering in the sky, the prayer wheels being spun by the devout, the monks on their cellphones or the monks at their devotions? And then there were the monkeys. Monkeys, monkeys, everywhere in the trees, on the sleeping Buddha statue, climbing the enormous stupa. By the end of the day, I would learn that the downside of being on a tour was not, in our case, our fellow tourgoers (who, though mostly older than we were by an average of 12 years, were an energetic, friendly bunch). Rather, it was exactly what the upside of the tour was supposed to be: the schedule, which included meal times and number of sites visited per day. You went where and when the tour took you, even if you would have preferred a good, long apres-lunch nap. Instead, Day 1 included not just Swayambhunath, but also Durbar Square, the historic city centre. Still, despite my jet lag, every one of my sense organs woke up as we climbed off the bus and into a place unlike anything I had seen except in movies. It was here specifically, to Freak Street that the hippies who discovered Nepal in the 1960s flocked. They were attracted to the astonishing jumble of temples, alleys, courtyards, shrines, statuary, pagodas, friezes, vegetable-and-spice sellers, fishmongers, palaces and hashish shops. The hashish shops are long since closed. But still, I felt as if I was in an altered state when I saw the little girl, known as the Kumari, who is worshipped as the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Taleju. She lives in the 18th-century brick palace of Kumari Ghar; visitors may enter the courtyard and take snapshots of the richly carved reliefs, but may not photograph the goddess herself, should she appear as she did at the window of her royal cage, her little-girl eyes huge with ritual makeup. Kathmandu is home to some 4 1/2 million residents, if you include the towns that it has gobbled up. The city is all but choked, not only by motor vehicles, but also with garbage, pollution, pedestrians, cattle, oxen and stray dogs; and it is still rebuilding, in great plumes of grit and dust, from the 2015 earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people and injured an additional 22,000. The city is also home to many religious traditions that have long rubbed up against one another, resulting not just in the parade of stupas that we would see, but also in an almost overwhelming profusion of gods, spirits, demons, carvings, masks, mendicants, monks, music, prayer, ritual and meditative practices. I would need a lifetime of study to understand the various manifestations of Hinduism, Buddhism, animism, tantric tradition and their offshoots. I can say, in extreme oversimplification, that most Hindu practice revolves around individual deity worship. Buddhism, which came out of the same ancient Indian religious culture as Hinduism, centres on its four Noble Truths, which articulate, among other things, that all suffering comes from craving. Is one path more peaceful than the other? I would not know. I do know that in Nepal, they are often all mixed up, or coexist, with one another, or share the neighbourhood, as they do in Patan Durbar Square a different Durbar Square from the one wed already visited, this one in the Kathmandu Valley city of Lalitpur, the ancient seat of the Malla dynasty. Though now subsumed by the greater Kathmandu sprawl, Patans Durbar Square is cleaner and more hippie-free than its counterpart to the north. Up a hill and over and around stood many temples devoted to numerous expressions of numerous deities. By now it was late afternoon on Day 1 of the tour, and my brain was exploding or, rather, imploding. It was a lot to take in, particularly since it was well past bedtime in New Jersey. Not to mention that, because I enjoy low blood pressure, I tend to keel over when I am tired or hungry. At an elevation of 4,593 feet, Kathmandu would have been challenging for me even without the overstimulation. As if he could see into my soul, Sanjay sent us back to the bus via rickshaw. As the tour continued and I wandered through temple complexes, past statues of deities and among robed monks, I began to have a new appreciation of how being rooted in spiritual tradition might be a key to something akin to serenity, to life fully lived. But nothing quite excited my own lifelong quest for being in proximity to the divine like the Pashupatinath Temple complex, Nepals holiest Hindu shrine, where I witnessed my first cremation. My first seven or eight cremations, actually. Because here, along the banks of the Bagmati River turgid and brown before the onset of the monsoons is where the devout send their dead to the next world in accordance with the teachings of the Vedas. The Pashupatinath Temple is a pagoda-style building with copper and gold roofs, dating to the 15th century and surrounded by the additional temples, ashrams and shrines that make up the complex. The whole of it is populated by priests, caretakers, scholars, mendicants, seekers, tourists, knick-knack-and-jewelry sellers, and children, beggars and others so impoverished that you feel guilty about your entire, cushy life. Still, even surrounded by poverty, I had a hard time dealing with the dearth at least in public places of modern, clean toilets. Hotels were fine. Open-air temple complexes, not so much. Speaking of plumbing, Bhaktapur, a small city some 8 miles east of Kathmandu and the centre of a third of the once-independent city-states in the Kathmandu Valley, was until a few years ago something of an open-air toilet, or so Sanjay said. Now it is so pristine that you feel as if you have wandered onto a movie set. For the past 2,000 years or so, it has been home to the Newars, master craftsmen who in the medieval era built a splendid city of warm brickwork, back alleys, temples and squares, including the Nyatapola Temple, with five pagoda stories at the top of a steep flight of stairs flanked by statues of elephants, lions and griffins. A few days later, a short flight took us over Mount Everest and into another world, starting with our approach to the airport, set in a valley surrounded by hills that practically touched the wings of the airplane as we made our descent. By now I was feeling friendly enough with my fellow tour members to make jokes about being stupa-fied. I was also punch-drunk from a combination of non-stop touring and high altitude. An almost untouched swath of forest, mountains, waterways and fertile agricultural lowlands, with a population of fewer than 1 million residents who are governed by a constitutional monarchy, Bhutan is Edenic, and possibly even the worlds happiest country, as it claims to be. But I also wondered if it was not also somewhat, well, rigid. Take Bhutans national dress colourful robes or skirts that certain classes of artisans and professionals must wear to work. Or the ubiquitous billboard-size photographs of the photogenic royal family. Or road signs urging hard work and sobriety. I did not observe a single person yelling, cursing, road-raging or even frowning. Except me, especially when, during our first night in the capital city of Thimphu, a passel of dogs had a howling contest under my window. Perhaps they were trying to communicate with the nearby and recently completed Great Buddha Dordenma. At 169 feet tall, it is massive, and as shiny as real gold because it is real gold, or rather, gold plate. Inside its base, there are some 125,000 additional, much smaller gilded Buddha statues. No one seemed bothered by the apparent contradiction of a golden statue in a poorly educated and developing country. But herein is the strange wonder of Bhutan: Being there, even with a guide whose job it is to show you an idealized version of the place, is like being immersed in a fairy tale. You want to believe it, too, even while knowing that gross national happiness was introduced as a government goal as recently as 2008. And why not? Until the 1960s, the country did not have cities (even now the largest city, Thimphu, has fewer than 100,000 people), but was made up of villages, forested uplands and rural, sometimes seminomadic, settlements. What the country did have were dzongs. These majestic and usually whitewashed fortress-monasteries, typically built along rivers, today are home to both monks and government officials, and are considered to be the physical manifestation of Buddhist principles. The most beautiful one we saw was in Punakha, where, on a spit of land between the Pho Chu and Mo Chu Rivers, the looming 17th-century dzong was surrounded by blooming jacaranda trees. Constructed of compacted earth, stone and timber with fanciful trimming, the building gives way to courtyards, doors, a large stupa and fanciful statuary, painting and friezes. We also walked through farming villages and flooded fields to Chimi Lhakhang, a temple and monastery devoted to Drukpa Kunley, the divine madman said to have introduced Buddhism to Bhutan in 1499, and famous for the mystical powers of his penis. Thus, as we ascended to the divine madmans temple, we were surrounded by shops selling phallus curios of varying sizes, including standing statues. I regret that I did not buy a single penis key fob. But I do not regret that, on our last day in Bhutan, I woke up in the gorgeous Zhiwa Ling Hotel in Paro, took my altitude-sickness pills, and, despite being worried about fainting, hiked the steep, winding trail to the famous Tigers Nest Monastery. Tigers Nest is built into a cliff 3,000 feet above Paro and is more than 10,000 feet above sea level. And there before my eyes was every single member of our group of seniors, all of whom had arrived at the much-photographed wonder considerably before me. I was happy to arrive with all my parts, including my brain, in functioning order, and couldnt wait to return to our hotel so I could brag about my achievement on Facebook. So what if a bunch of oldsters and little kids had passed me, not to mention the locals who practically danced up the trail, some wearing little more on their feet than flip-flops? Even in flip-flops or, in the case of some of the women, high heels they seemed happy. Whether Bhutan really is the worlds happiest nation is impossible for me to discern, despite my overall impression of a populace that at the very least smiles a lot. Evidence of happiness? Who knows? All I knew was that I, a woman of a certain age who has had her share of trials and challenges, was standing at the doorway to Tigers Nest with a dizzying view of cliff, forest, valley and sky before me, and my true love of 30 years by my side. Read more about: MONTREALQuebecers charted a new course for their province Monday by giving the seven-year-old Coalition Avenir Quebec a majority mandate in an election result that could create waves beyond its borders. Quebec, Canadas second most-populous province, has joined the even bigger province of Ontario in voting for change following about 15 years of Liberal governments. In doing so, the right-leaning Coalition shattered nearly a half-century of two-party political rule in Quebec with a majority government that will redraw the provinces electoral map. The party was elected or leading in 74 of the provinces 125 ridings, compared with 32 for the incumbent Liberals. Coalition Leader Francois Legault guided his troops to victory following a 39-day campaign, during which he urged Quebecers to support him as the candidate for change. Today, Quebecers chose hope, hope for a government that will bring positive change, he told supporters in his victory speech. Tonight, we will celebrate the victory, then we will rest a few hours. But starting tomorrow (Tuesday) we will roll up our sleeves and we will work to do more, to do better for all Quebecers. The win delivered something Quebec hasnt seen in 48 years a provincial government headed by a party other than the Liberals or the Parti Quebecois. Read more: Couillards once-mighty Liberals cant defy polls on voting night, end in third Quebecers vote against backdrop of USMCA deal Quebecs Coalition party vows to deport immigrants who fail values test In terms of popular support, the Coalition had about 38 per cent, compared with about 25 per cent for the Liberals. Legaults party surged to victory, leaving the Liberals in second place, Quebec solidaire in a distant third and the PQ fourth. With support for independence sliding, the PQ is now facing an existential crisis. The party has steadily watched its backing slip after spending about 20 of the last 48 years in office. To be considered an official party, the PQ needed either 20 per cent of the popular vote on Monday or 12 seats. With about 17 per cent and nine seats, it looked as though it would get neither and would even trail Quebec solidaire. The numbers began flowing in following a tightly fought campaign that many had predicted would shake up the political landscape. It was more like an earthquake. Legault, a former businessman and co-founder of Air Transat, won his riding of LAssomption, while Quebec solidaire co-spokespeople Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Manon Masse were both elected in their Montreal ridings. Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard salvaged some pride by being elected in Roberval, about 250 kilometres north of Quebec City, while PQ Leader Jean-Francois Lisee suffered a double blow by also losing his Montreal riding. That prompted Lisee to announce his resignation in his post-election speech. In his concession speech, Couillard said he would take a few days to ponder his political future. I wish his government all the success that Quebec deserves despite our significant differences of opinion, we are all Quebecers, he said after congratulating Legault on his victory. We must stay united we are stronger united. Its unclear what Legaults win will mean for Quebecs relationship with Ottawa. Couillard, a staunch federalist, had smooth relations with Trudeaus Liberals. But there have already been signs of potential friction between Legault, a former sovereigntist and PQ cabinet minister, and the federal government. Last week, a recording of Legaults wife, Isabelle Brais, captured her telling a party meeting last month that while Trudeaus father, former prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was brilliant, his son is not. She described the younger Trudeau as incompetent and suggested a Coalition government could have strained ties with his federal government. Brais later apologized. Legault declined to say whether he endorsed his wifes comments about the prime minister, saying shes an independent woman who has her opinions, who is spontaneous, who apologized. Trudeau issued a statement Monday to offer his sincere congratulations to Legault on the win. I look forward to working with Premier Legault to make Quebec, a province we are all proud of, an even better place to live, said Trudeau, who represents a Montreal riding. Together, we will work to make the province even more dynamic and prosperous, to the benefit of all Quebecers. Looking ahead, the Coalition and Trudeaus Liberals could also find themselves at odds over Legaults pledges on immigration. He grabbed national headlines during the campaign when he proposed to lower Quebecs annual immigration levels by 20 per cent. Legault also said he wanted to force newcomers to pass French and values tests within three years of their arrival or face removal from the province. Responsibility, however, for such expulsions would fall to the federal government. In his victory speech, Legault appeared to address the issue of immigration: I intend to govern for all Quebecers all Quebecers. Legaults win follows Ontario Premier Doug Fords majority victory in June. Fords Progressive Conservatives defeated the Ontario Liberals to end their run of 15 years in power. In Quebec, the Coalition win ended nearly 15 years of continuous Liberal rule. The Liberals were elected in 2003 and remained in power with the exception of a PQ minority government between 2012 and 2014. The Coalition was able to gather significant support, even though Quebecs economy surged in recent years with the Liberals in power. Opinion polls, however, had suggested for months that voters were looking for a change and, as party history goes in Quebec, Legaults victory represented change. The Union Nationale won the 1966 election and held power until 1970. Since then, however, its been a two-party show headlined by the Liberals and the PQ. The emergence of Legaults party, which won just 22 seats in 2014 to finish third, came in large part at the expense of the PQ. The PQs raison detre Quebec sovereignty has lost its lustre with voters and for the first time in decades, talk of a referendum on independence was not a ballot-box issue. Faced with the shift in public sentiment, Lisee entered the race with a vow not to hold a referendum on sovereignty in his first mandate as premier. We absorbed a shock tonight, but we stand up straight and strong because Quebec still needs the Parti Quebecois, Lisee said. For as long as there are battles to fight for justice, equality, environment, secularism, French Quebec will need the Parti Quebecois. For as long as Quebec isnt a country, Quebec will need the Parti Quebecois. The PQ finished one behind the upstart Quebec solidaire, which expanded its reach beyond its urban roots of central Montreal. Today, our movement is bigger, stronger, more resolute than ever, said Masse. Quebec solidaire is not the party of Le Plateau-Mont-Royal. Quebec solidaire is the party of the people who want things to change for real. The Liberals had 68 seats at the legislatures dissolution, while the PQ had 28, the Coalition 21 and Quebec solidaire three. There were five Independents. At the end of the campaign, two leaders had stayed ahead of the pack: Legault and Couillard. Couillard had touted his governments balanced budgets as well as the provinces falling unemployment rate and strong economic performance. Both leaders faced criticism at times: Couillard for having reduced health and education budgets early in his mandate, and Legault for his controversial immigration plan. While Legault began the campaign as the front-runner, the partys lead dwindled as the Liberals gained ground later on. With the PQ promising to not hold a sovereignty referendum in the next four years, Lisees campaign focused on immigration, health care and the best way to spend the provinces billions in budget surpluses. Read more about: OTTAWACanadians will pay less in duties and taxes on some goods shipped to them from U.S. retailers under the new trade deal announced Sunday but only if they dont use Canadas national mail carrier to ship them. The tweak to the online shopping rules, though not as far-reaching as some had hoped, would have among the most significant impacts on consumers in a proposed trade deal that could see some paying more for drugs, but leave the price of much-discussed dairy products largely unchanged. Under the agreement, Canadians ordering packages shipped from the U.S. and Mexico by private couriers could get up to $40 worth of goods without paying duties or taxes, an increase from the previous and long-standing threshold of $20. Goods worth up to $150 would be duty-free, but not tax-free. With the new rules, based on an average 2 per cent duty and the 13 per cent sales tax in Ontario, someone could save roughly $6 in avoided surcharges by shipping a $40 product from the U.S. with a private courier. Still, the proposal had some industry players calling the deal a lost opportunity for online shoppers. If I put myself in the shoes of Canadian consumers who are reading some really nice headlines right now, I would be sorely disappointed, said Andrea Stairs, general manager of eBay Canada, whose company wants more goods imported without duties and taxes. Read more: USMCA deal spells end to exclusivity of B.C. wine on grocery shelves Justin Trudeau calls trade deal a win, promises compensation for dairy farmers Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Free-trade debate will show us what a difference 30 years makes This was a threshold that was set ... before the onset or creation of e-commerce, she said. I would certainly cast this as largely status quo. A spokesperson for Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the proposal under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to let consumers avoid more taxes and duties will only apply to parcels delivered by private couriers such as FedEx and UPS not those by Canada Post, which Pierre-Olivier Herbert said represent a minority of shipments. With average duties on such purchases ringing up at less than 2 per cent, any savings to Canadian consumers will be relatively small, said Retail Council of Canada spokesperson Karl Littler. But Littler was relieved that Canada didnt cave to the American target of an $800 (U.S.) threshold before triggering taxes and duties, which the retail council predicted would have a significant impact on Canadian retailers. Another impact of the agreement involves drug prices. The USMCA would extend the rights of pharmaceutical companies to protect data behind biologic drugs for 10 years, up from the current eight years. That would delay the arrival of cheaper generic versions of drugs for arthritis and other ailments that are currently sold by companies with monopolies, thus forcing Canadians to pay higher prices for a longer period, said Marc-Andre Gagnon, a health policy professor at Carleton University. For me, its unacceptable that we agreed (to) something like this, Gagnon said. Meanwhile, its not yet clear how other facets of the deal such as more U.S. dairy products to be sold in Canada and changes to auto content and labour rules will affect prices. Martha Hall Findlay, president of the Canada West Foundation, said milk and cheese shoppers shouldnt expect lower prices at their local grocery stores. At less than 4 per cent, the opening of the dairy market to American goods wont likely be enough to shift prices, she said, noting that the Liberal government in Ottawa is also promising to compensate Canadian farmers for their lost market share under the new deal. The real answer for consumers would be to dismantle supply management, she said, arguing this would lower prices and also allow Canadian farmers to ramp up production and sell their goods in markets around the world. It is such a lost opportunity, she said. Ken Whitehurst, executive director of the Consumers Council of Canada, agreed most people wont notice an immediate change in the prices of the things they buy. Instead, the biggest impact of the USMCA might be an end to some of the economic uncertainty that has swirled since Donald Trump ascended to the U.S. presidency. Even though this proposed deal doesnt dispel the tariffs on cross-border trade in steel, aluminum and other goods imposed by Canada and the U.S. this year, Whitehurst said it might be better than the alternative: no deal at all. We will be glad to see that we dont have major unpredictable disruptions for consumers, he said. Maybe consumers have dodged a bullet. With files from Francine Kopun Read more about: OTTAWAParliament has formally stripped Aung San Suu Kyi of her honorary Canadian citizenship for complicity in the atrocities committed against Burmas Rohingya people. The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to strip Suu Kyi, Burmas civilian leader, of the symbolic honour bestowed on her in 2007. The upper houses move follows a similar unanimous vote in the House of Commons last week. Since honorary citizenship was granted by a resolution passed by both houses of Parliament, the Senate and the Commons both had to pass motions to rescind the honour. Suu Kyi is the first person to have her honorary Canadian citizenship revoked. The Senate has also followed the lead of the Commons in recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed by the Burma military against the Rohingya constitute a genocide. Read more: Canada revokes honorary citizenship for Aung San Suu Kyi Trudeau opens debate to revoke Aung San Suu Kyis honorary citizenship Opinion | Rosie DiManno: The disgraceful metamorphosis of Aung San Suu Kyi We must recognize this atrocity for what it is, said Sen. Ratna Omidvar, who tabled the motion to revoke Suu Kyis citizenship Tuesday. It is genocide. We must call it as it is. Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her fight for democracy in Burma. At that point she was a champion for change and human rights The world pinned its hope on her as the shining light and hope for a democratic and peaceful Myanmar, said Omidvar. As we all now know, that was not to be. Omidvar said Suu Kyi has denied the atrocities, restricted access to international investigators and journalists, defended the military and denied humanitarian aid for the Rohingya. We need to send a strong signal here in Canada and around the world that if youre an accomplice of genocide, you are not welcome here. Certainly not as an honorary Canadian citizen. A United Nations fact finding mission reported last month that the Burma military has systematically killed thousands of Rohingya civilians, burned hundreds of their villages and engaged in ethnic cleansing and mass gang rape. It called for top generals to be investigated and prosecuted for genocide. The police investigations division is looking for any additional security video in the area, Doty said. It is believed to be an isolated incident since several other businesses in the area were not damaged, he said. York Regional Police have charged two Quebec men for the second time in two months with growing more cannabis than is permitted by their Health Canada licences at a grow-op in King Township. The men, whom police charged after a Sept. 26 raid on two properties in the area of Woodchoppers Lane and Dufferin St., were arrested for the same offence on July 27 at a grow-operation on nearby Strawberry Lane. York police also arrested six GTA men after the raid. These investigations are raising significant concerns, as there is once again a blatant disregard for licensed grow limits, Chief Eric Jolliffe said in a Tuesday news release. Although the operators had legal permits, investigators found nearly $400,000 in excess cannabis more than 400 plants was being grown on the properties, police said. We are concerned the legalization of marijuana on Oct. 17 will increase overall demand and organized crime is poised and ready to supply that demand, Jolliffe said. The arrests by the York police Organized Crime Bureau Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit came after community complaints about the two properties. One of the two properties police raided was covered by four Health Canada licences that allowed for 1,140 plants to be grown. The other had three licences allowing for 1,121 plants to be grown, police said. In both cases, police said the growers greatly exceeded the amount of plants they could legally grow. York Region Police warn that organized crime is exploiting medical marijuana regulations that allow for designated growers to pool up to four grow licences per address. They dont have to be the grower, Const. Andy Pattenden said. They can designate someone else to grow it on their behalf. Organized crime then funnels the marijuana to illegal dispensaries, or export it outside of Canada, police said. The end result is lower cost cannabis that is sold into the black market for high profits, Pattenden said. In the July arrests, police said they discovered 22 greenhouses on the property at 570 Strawberry Lane, where cannabis plants were allegedly grown in an unsafe manner, with no security measures. The charges in that case also followed community complaints, police said. York police charged eight people with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and producing marijuana. They are: Samkeo Vanvilay, 43, of Laval, Que.; Chi Chung Phan, 36, of Montreal; Earl Young, 51, and Phieovan Young, 50, both of King Township; Yue Chang Huang, 50, and Doan Phuong, 50, both of Toronto; Thanh Nguyen, 46, of Bradford; and Jing Jian Kuang, 42, of Markham. Vanvilay and Chi Chung Phan were charged with the same offences earlier this year. Seventeen years after he was convicted of killing a 13-month-old girl, ONeil Blacketts battle to clear his name ended where it began. On Tuesday morning, Blackett stood before a judge in a wood-panelled courtroom at 361 University Ave., the same Toronto courthouse where he was convicted in 2001, based largely on evidence from disgraced Sick Kids pathologist Charles Smith. The 42-year-old clasped his hands behind his back and held his head high. I woke up this morning, I was refreshed. I knew what was to come, he said in an interview after the hearing. I waited so long. Earlier this year, the Court of Appeal set aside Blacketts manslaughter conviction and ordered a new trial based on fresh expert evidence that sharply criticized Smiths opinions. Following a review of the case by the attorney general, the ministry concluded there was no reasonable prospect of conviction, Crown lawyer Dimitra Tsagaris told the court on Tuesday. The charge against Blackett was withdrawn. Justice John McMahon called Blacketts ordeal a tragedy. His victory is the latest development in the continuing effort of the justice system to undo the damage caused by the flawed opinions of Smith, who was once revered as the provinces top expert in cases where children died in unusual circumstances. A decade after a public inquiry exposed oversight gaps in Ontarios pediatric forensic pathology system that allowed Smith to rise to prominence despite his lack of training and objectivity, some parents who say they were wrongly blamed in the deaths of their children are still fighting to clear their names. Smith could not be reached for comment. A complication in many wrongful conviction cases involving Smiths testimony including Blacketts is that the accused pleaded guilty. Blackett was looking after Tamara Thomas the day she died in February 1999. When her mother returned from running errands she found the girl lying in her playpen, lifeless and cold to the touch. Blackett was performing CPR on the child when police arrived. He was distraught and confused, and denied causing harm, the appeal court ruling states. (At the time, Blackett believed Tamara was his daughter, but says in an affidavit he subsequently learned he was not her father.) Tamara had a history of intestinal and breathing problems, and had recently been vomiting and losing weight. That afternoon, Blackett had left her in her playpen with a bottle of chocolate milk. When she died, Tamara was wearing a cumbersome cast to repair a broken right femur. The injury happened a month earlier, while she was in Blacketts care. He told the paramedics the childs leg got caught in the wooden spindles of her crib. Police concluded that the crib was unsafe and deemed the injury accidental. Blackett was described by a first responder as an anxious parent who showed concern, and cooperated with a subsequent investigation by childrens aid, the ruling said. Blackett told police that since being in the cast, there was a problem with her lying on her back, because she used to throw up whatever we gave her. Smith dismissed the possibility that Tamara had choked on her vomit, or died in any other accidental way. In his opinion, she had succumbed to a mechanical type of asphyxia due to strangulation or blunt force. He also claimed to have found several additional fractures. Blackett was charged with second-degree murder. Smith testified at the preliminary inquiry, in November 1999. The trial was set for April 2001. By then, concerns about Smiths work had begun to emerge. The Crown sought the opinion of another expert, who was largely supportive of Smiths opinion but warned that unless there was some other evidence to support the Crowns theory there will always be doubt as to whether this is the actual cause of death. A second pathologist, retained by the defence, disputed Smiths findings. In August 2001, Blackett reached a deal with the Crown. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to three years and three months in jail, in addition to 15 months of pretrial custody. In an agreed statement of facts, Blackett stated that he had become frustrated while feeding Tamara, and forced the bottle violently into her mouth, causing her to choke and vomit, and had then left her either unconscious or entering unconsciousness, unable to breathe, and she died. In his affidavit filed last year in support of his appeal, Blackett said those facts were not true. He worried the jury would believe Smith over him because he had a criminal record, and he would receive a life sentence. Dr. Smiths evidence ... preyed on my mind, Blackett said. I felt trapped by my situation. I decided to plead guilty. Blacketts trial lawyer, Stephen Bernstein, said in an affidavit that his client had always maintained that he did not know why Tamara died, and insisted that he had done nothing to cause her death. Bernstein said that he told Blackett that he should not plead guilty to something that he did not do, but that there was a real chance he would be convicted of murder if he went to trial. The Court of Appeal set aside Blackett's conviction after four additional forensic pathologists rejected Smith's conclusions. They said it could be natural causes but found it was impossible to say how Tamara died. On Tuesday, Justice McMahon said he was sympathetic to Blacketts position, and urged vigilance in these types of cases. As lawyers and judges, we cant allow people to plead guilty to things they didnt do, but I understand why it happens when the accused is faced with a contradictory expert opinion, he said. Blackett, who was released on mandatory supervision in October 2003, was accompanied in court by a half-dozen supporters from Innocence Canada and the groups founding director, James Lockyer his lawyer. Outside the courtroom, he embraced Lockyer, who has helped clear the names of nine parents and caregivers wrongly blamed due to Smiths flawed opinions. In seven of those cases, the accused pleaded guilty, Lockyer said. Blackett said the nature of his conviction has made it difficult to find work. He said he hopes to start his own business managing musicians. This day is a new turning point for me ... I can basically start over. he said. Its raining outside, but its tears of joy. The Star identified several Wards to Watch in a 47-ward race. Now that new legislation has made it a 25-ward race, we have determined all of the wards are worth watching. This is one in a series of articles. The election is Oct. 22. Advance voting begins Oct. 10. The gym in the Jenner Jean-Marie Community Centre in Thorncliffe Park bustles with moms huddled in groups, kids whipping around on scooters and bouncing up and down concrete steps. On this night, theyve gathered with councillor candidates vying for votes. Jon Burnside, the first-term councillor who currently represents the area shakes hands with community activists who stop him as he passes. When he speaks later, he focuses on a successful push for a nearby Costco on Overlea Blvd. and the need to create spaces for youth recreation. Ive been showing you how much I care as your councillor, he tells the crowd over a PA system when a structured question-and-answer period begins. Sitting two seats over is Jaye Robinson, who has represented the northern area in what is now the new and much larger Ward 15 Don Valley West since 2010. Thank you for being welcoming . . . I cant wait to be your councillor, she told the crowd, as she tried to pitch why she is better suited to represent their interests in a now-sprawling ward that is home to stark inequities. Ward watch Ward 15 Don Valley West Boundaries Hwy. 401 to the north; Leslie St. to the east; Beltline Trail, Bayview Ave. and GO rail to the south; Yonge St. and Mount Pleasant Rd. to the west. Demographics There are 102,508 people with an average age of 39.7. The average household is 2.6 people with a median household income of $87,312. The percentage of visible minorities is 41 per cent. Candidates Jon Burnside (councillor), Tanweer Khan, Minh Le, Jaye Robinson (councillor) and Nikola Streker. Other representatives MPP Kathleen Wynne (Liberal) and MP Rob Oliphant (Liberal). Read more: Opinion | Edward Keenan: Balance of power on Toronto city council could depend on just a few races Crowded buses, long commutes why transit is top of mind for Toronto voters What you need to know about Torontos 25 new wards The ward now covers the many apartment towers and their tenants on Thorncliffe Park Dr., a low-income area where residents pack buses boasting languages from around the world. It is also home to communities of mansions in places like the Bridle Path, neighbouring the members-only Rosedale Golf Club, which has a strict dress code requiring the tucking in of all shirts and banning Birkenstocks. Other communities include Leaside, Lawrence Park and a small, but very densely populated northeast part of Yonge-Eglinton. Both candidates identified traffic safety, congestion, crime and development pressures as major issues. Burnside, a former Toronto police officer, has long pushed for photo radar, asking the province to study the possibility in 2015 after he says he spoke to then police chief Bill Blair about the lack of officers available to do increased enforcement blitzes. Ive been on about this whole enforcement because its a key plank of any Vision Zero plan, he said of the road safety plan the city adopted this term. Thats really playing well at the door. Robinson too, as the chair of the citys public works committee who has been tasked with rolling out the road safety plan that has received criticism for the speed and effectiveness of its implementation, believes the city must remain focused on that issue in Don Valley West and beyond. It is unnerving walking on some of the sidewalks on some of these streets, said the former senior bureaucrat in the citys economic development division. We have to be more aggressive in dealing with this. A September news conference to discuss photo radar being installed in as part of a pilot school zones saw both Robinson and Burnside flanking Mayor John Tory, who put them both on his executive committee, Burnside more recently. Robinson said many people shes meeting on doorsteps are confused about the boundaries and who is running in this election. Some, she said, dont realize two incumbent councillors are facing off against one another. I would say whats happened has been a distraction to both citywide and local issues, she said. The two traded barbs at the Thorncliffe meet-and-greet, trying to distinguish themselves from one another. Burnside said hed advocated for a local Costco to open when Robinson voted against the required city approvals in 2015. Robinson charged that the local job opportunities promised had not materialized, solidifying neighbouring community concerns the big box store wasnt worth endorsing. Local business owner Tanweer Khan, who is also running for the seat and took part in the Thorncliffe Park discussion, said hes disappointed in the lack of improvements hes seen in the area and is concerned about community safety. Nikola Streker, who ran in the northern part of the new ward in 2014, said the desire to keep a more suburban feel remains a local concern. Residents should, I believe, have as much input as possible in how their ward is developed, he said. Minh Le, who emigrated to Canada from Vietnam and is a longtime Leaside resident, is also running in the ward. I want to run for city councillor because I love my community and I want to contribute my part to the country I have chosen to make my forever home, she said, noting suburban residents need accessible housing, healthier communities, and access to transit that is currently overcrowded. She noted her engagement in community activities like helping people with intellectual disabilities through Community Living Toronto, that are transferable skills that would assist her as a councillor. Don Valley West candidates: Jon Burnside (councillor), Tanweer Khan, Minh Le, Jaye Robinson (councillor) and Nikola Streker. The French government imposed sanctions on two Iranian individuals and Irans interior security intelligence service for what it said was an attempted attack against a meeting of an Iranian opposition group near Paris. In a joint statement issued Tuesday by the foreign, interior and finance ministries, France said, an act of such gravity planned on our territory cant be left without response. It named the individuals as Assadollah Asadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam. The office was identified as the Direction of Internal Security at Irans Intelligence Ministry. The French are accusing the Iranian intelligence ministry of ordering the attempted attack, Agence France-Presse reported, citing diplomatic sources. On Monday, AFP reported that Germany extradited to Belgium an Iranian diplomat suspected of being part of a plot to bomb a June 30 gathering by about 25,000 of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or Peoples Mujahedeen of Iran, at Villepinte near Paris. That same day, two Belgians of Iranian descent were arrested near Brussels with explosives that inspectors believe were being brought to the rally, and an Iranian diplomat posted to Vienna was arrested in Germany on suspicion of directing the operation. The foiled attack at Villepinte confirms the necessity of a demanding approach in our relations with Iran, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in the statement. France has sought to maintain the 2015 nuclear accord with Iran, but has said it wants to rein in the countrys meddling in the region. Read more about: PARISU.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday that the U.S. will not reduce its support for the French-led military operations against insurgents in Mali. We have no intention of cutting back one bit on that support, said Mattis. Speaking alongside Mattis at a press conference in Paris, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said the Pentagon chief reassured her that any changes in U.S. operations or forces in Africa would not affect support provided to France. The Pentagon has been reevaluating its troop presence and operations in Africa after the ambush in Niger last year that killed four U.S. soldiers and four of their Niger counterparts. French forces were part of the rescue force that went to the aid of U.S. forces after the Niger attack. French leaders have previously suggested theyd like to see continued or additional American support in Africa, where militant groups continue to wage attacks. Extremist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State organization are active in Mali, targeting Malian and French troops and other high-profile targets including the headquarters of a new regional counterterror force. Read more: Two killed in attack on West African counterterror forces headquarters in Mali Niger ambush that killed four U.S. military members caused by multiple failures, officials say The U.S. and other western nations provide funding and support for a regional counterterror force, the G5 Sahel, which includes forces from Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania. In addition, the U.S. in the latest budget has provided $46 million for French-led military operations in the region. U.S. forces also provide intelligence, surveillance, refuelling and transport assistance for the French troops in the Sahel. Mattis is in Paris for meetings with top leaders, and is heading to Brussels for a meeting of defence ministers on Wednesday. Read more about: Melania Trump began her weeklong sojourn to Africa in Accra, Ghana. Landing Tuesday morning, the first lady was greeted on the tarmac by Ghanaian first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and a bouquet of flowers wrapped in kente cloth followed by a dancing-and-drumming performance. From Ghana, Trump will travel to Malawi, then Kenya, and finally to Egypt, an itinerary that places the typically private first lady half a world away from her headline-dominating husband and into the global spotlight. Though the first ladys trip is seen as a gesture of goodwill, it also appears to some critics of the Trump administration as out of step with her husbands policies. Her stops will largely highlight programs funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, even as the Trump administration has proposed massive cuts to USAIDs budget. Later this week, the first lady is also expected to tour an elephant and rhino conservatory in Kenya, even though the Trump administration loosened regulations on trophy hunting and the import of elephant tusks and other animal parts. In addition, prominent members of the Trump family are big-game hunters. As she greets dignitaries in the four countries, Melania Trump is expected to engage in the kind of soft diplomacy expected of first ladies. Unlike her predecessors, Trump has to contend with the baggage of her husbands belittling comments about African nations that made headlines across the continent. But USAID administrator Mark Green, who will accompany the first lady in Ghana, sees value in the trip. It serves to symbolize American values and engagement. It spotlights and raises the profile of American programs in action. And he said Melania Trumps focus on children drew her to the region. She had genuine interest in youth, he said. The median age of Africas more than 1 billion people is only 19. Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, said the trip is consistent with both first ladys platform and Trump administration policy, noting that the president has said, The U.S. is the worlds largest giver of foreign aid. Africa remains a priority for this administration and I believe the first ladys trip through the continent will showcase just that, she said. In the countries that the first lady plans to visit, theres been little buzz about the trip, in part because details have been tightly held, except for some social-media muttering about Melania Trump coming to take selfies with children and animals. Animal conservationists also have been discussing the Kenya leg of the trip, especially since Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are avid game hunters. A photograph of Trump Jr. holding a knife and a dead elephants tail after a hunt in Zimbabwe in 2011 went viral on social media. The policies set by the United States have significant impact on our ability to manage our wildlife sustainably, said Kaddu Sebunya, president of the African Wildlife Foundation in Nairobi. We hope that the first ladys visit will illuminate the enormous benefit conservation provides to our continent, people and economies ... [and] will result in a reversal of some of the funding cuts to biodiversity conservation. A first ladys goals on such a trip are typically twofold, said Myra Gutin, a communication professor at Rider University who studies first ladies. They highlight their initiatives in Trumps case, thats her Be Best campaign aimed at improving the well-being of children. And then theres the diplomatic mission. On that front, Trump may have a harder task than previous first ladies, Gutin said. Trump had long planned this trip. This was her idea, Grisham said. In fact, she has always envisioned Africa for her first solo international swing. She is eager to educate herself about each country history, culture, challenges, successes. What does Trump hope to accomplish on her first solo trip abroad? Those goals are not completely clear, said J. Peter Pham, the director of the Atlantic Councils Africa Center. Its incumbent on her to describe what her objectives are, and then we can assess whether its a success, Pham said. During the first leg of her journey, Trump will tour a Ghanaian-run hospital that has had success in reducing child mortality. The Trump administration has sought to drastically reduce the USAID funding to the continent, slashing it by as much as 30 per cent in its proposed budgets. That generated alarm among many in humanitarian circles that it would close U.S. developmental and health programs and diminish efforts to combat AIDS and malaria. Congress ultimately voted to restore the funding. USAID, which worked with the first ladys office on the trip, has spent over $47 billion on AIDS, malaria and other health programs over the last decade. In Malawi, her second stop, Trump is expected to focus on childrens literacy efforts. Read more about: The newly renegotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will do much to restore investor confidence in the North American economy. That, in itself, is a win. Negotiators from all sides are to be congratulated for working through a complex deal that provides benefits for all three economies and the region as a whole. In particular, the United States negotiators showed flexibility by walking back from extreme positions in exchange for progress in priority areas. Mexico showed real leadership in its willingness to keep the agreement on a smooth path between one political administration and the next. And, despite accusations that they were ragging the puck, the Canadians proved that slow and steady was the best way through 34 chapters of complex negotiating text. But, there was no simple formula to determine how much time was enough to get the best deal possible, nor could anyone know with certainty the extent of the concessions that could be extracted from the other side. As they reached the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) end game, Canadian negotiators faced the quandary immortalized by the punk band The Clash: Should I stay or should I go? If I stay there may be trouble. If I leave there may be double. The Canadian team calculated that there was a landing strip for settlement that would give them most of what they needed on priority issues but also that the period available to get a deal was time limited. It was bracketed on one side by grudging acceptance by the White House that a trilateral deal would be preferable to a bilateral one but bracketed on the other side by the limits of the President Donald Trumps patience and his well-known inclination to pull the plug on the NAFTA entirely. With the steady hand of Steve Verheul at the tiller, the Canadian team followed a consistent, methodical strategy as it attempted to modernize trade commitments in 34 complex, subject-matter chapters, limit damage caused by threatened rollbacks in key areas, such as dispute settlement and government procurement, while also trying to minimize the influence caused by tweets, leaks and punitive national security tariffs. The last phase of the negotiations was particularly challenging because it required the negotiators to complete the details of an incomplete U.S.-Mexico deal that focused mostly on auto sector rules of origin and the sunset clause. They also had to figure out the bottom-line trade-offs in contentious issues such as dairy and anti-dumping, and, with their U.S. counterparts, craft a deal that was acceptable to the White House and durable enough to pass muster with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Some of the outcomes for Canada were better than many observers (including me) thought possible. The dispute settlement provisions appear to be mostly preserved. Despite the threats to labour mobility (the NAFTA visa) and government procurement, these, too, seem to have reverted to the status quo. On dairy, Canada has restored U.S. market access on Class 7 milk a particular target of presidential ire but on total dairy market access, Canada has offered up only slightly more than it provided in the deal with the European Union and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). True, Canada gave in to U.S. demands by raising the threshold for duty-free treatment of low-value shipments, but this concession has supporters in the e-commerce sector on both sides of the border. While some of the gains for Canada were purely defensive, the clear wins are found in the modernization elements of the deal, such as customs facilitation, regulatory alignment and electronic commerce. Yes, they are mostly cut-and-paste commitments from the TPP but, with the U.S. receiving more than 75 per cent of Canadian exports, a TPP without the U.S. has limited economic impact. Incorporating key elements of the TPP into USMCA provides both modernization and market benefits. Also, it is important to remember that a victory at the negotiating table does not necessarily translate into gains for producers or consumers. The new auto deal and Canadas retained dairy protections both have the potential to curb new investment and raise or maintain high consumer prices. One of the biggest challenges for the Canadian negotiators was whether to hold out on matters of principle or to carve out the best deal possible and save the defence of principles for another day in the words of the Steve Miller Band, to take the money and run. Given the presidents impatience with the negotiations and the various political deadlines facing Mexico and the United States, Canada opted to take a deal that was good enough but not perfect. As a result, the U.S. Section 232 national security tariffs were left in play, both in the context of the current trade dispute over steel and aluminum but also as a means of enforcing compliance in the USMCA auto sector deal. Yes, Mexico and Canada received generous export quotas that exceed current and near-term export levels but the U.S. reserves the right to impose punitive national security tariffs on over-quota exports. This means that auto sector tariffs, which are mostly under 5 per cent, could be dramatically elevated to more than 20 per cent if the U.S. is unhappy with compliance by Mexico and Canada. The normalization of national security tariffs as tools of enforcement signals the end, or at least suspension, of key norms in the liberalized trading system. These include the principle that opportunities for short-term political interference in long-term trade agreements be curbed as far as possible and that trade barriers should only move in one direction downward. By normalizing the use of very high national security tariffs as a tool of compliance, the USMCA sets a troubling precedent for other trade agreements. Since the U.S. imposed the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum this summer, they have provoked allies into retaliatory trade wars that have hurt consumers, manufacturers and farmers. By concluding the negotiations when they did, the Canadian team got the best deal that was available and avoided provoking a president who was itching to pull the kill switch. The larger battles over principle, and indeed the fundamental direction of the international trading system, will have to be fought later and, hopefully, with more allies on Canadas side. Meanwhile, with a provisional text on the table, it remains to be seen whether the deal can run the gauntlet of stakeholders and legislators towards successful implementation. While the negotiations have shifted out of the control of trade officials, the deal making has only just begun. Laura Dawson is the director of the Wilson Centers Canada Institute in Washington, D.C. Read more about: As Toronto sinks deeper into a housing affordability crisis, rent control can help and more is needed. Last week, RBC released a report showing that housing affordability has reached its worst level in 28 years with the most severe challenges in Toronto and Vancouver. For tenant advocates, this isnt a surprise. The last time Ontario had strong rent controls was 27 years ago (in 1991) before they were cut by Conservative Premier Mike Harris. The seeds of the current crisis we are in were planted then and until the root causes are addressed, rent control will remain one of the few ways that Toronto can maintain any of its affordable housing stock. Rent control has a number of opponents, but what does rent control actually do? At base level, it does two things. First, it helps prevent economic evictions. Without rent control, most of the laws that protect tenants are useless. Trying to force your landlord to do maintenance or respect privacy? You might get hit with a massive rent increase in retaliation. Share your thoughts Opposing view: Does Toronto need tougher rent controls? No Thats what was happening in Ontario before last years expanded rent control. As reported in the Star in 2013, Sacha and his girlfriend Leslie were told the rent on their two-bedroom at Lansdowne Ave. near Dupont St. was jumping 18 per cent in two years. Apparently this is what happens when you bring up maintenance issues with the landlord here, he said. Second, rent control helps protect the rental stock during market failure: when the market fails to produce rental housing, even in the face of high demand. If landlords can find a higher price and make more profit, theyll try to get that price, even if it means breaking the law. As Adam Smith famously said about rent prices in The Wealth of Nations, The rent of the land is not at all proportioned to what the landlord may have laid out upon the improvement of the land, or to what he can afford to take; but to what the farmer can afford to give. This is why were seeing brazenly illegal evictions all around the province right now, where landlords, trying to cash in on a lack of rent controls, push out long terms tenants in order bring in new ones at a higher price. The stronger rent controls that Ontario had in the 1990s (also called vacancy rent control) would have prevented all of this by limiting rents from skyrocketing. Quebec has maintained this type of rent control and it limits how much a landlord can raise the rent after a tenant moves out. Instead of the mass illegal evictions we see currently in Ontario, landlords dont have the incentives to get people out via renovictions or other illegal means. Rents have remained far more reasonable compared to Ontario. Surprisingly, cities like Montreal have also continued to build lots of rental units, far more than Toronto. This is a good place to talk about what rent control doesnt do. Every time rent control is proposed, the landlord-lobby communications playbook kicks into high gear with the same refrain: rent control stops landlords from building rental housing. Costs are said to be going up. Profits are never mentioned. From Ontario last year to B.C., Illinois and California today, every time rent control is raised, armeggedon in the rental housing sector is promised. The only problem is, theres zero empirical evidence to back this up. THE BIG DEBATE: For more opposing view columns from Toronto Star contributors, click here. When Harris gutted rent control in the 1990s he promised thousands and thousands of rental units and of course, they never emerged housing development totally flatlined. Similarity, rent control was expanded in Ontario last year we were told the usual stories: 1,000 units were lost, projects were cancelled, and landlords would stop renting. But reality is a funny thing: one year later, far from cratering rental housing development it has surged to its highest levels in decades. In almost every case in the literature, zoning and government incentives are the main policy levers that impact rental housing development rent control barely registers. Which is why stronger rent control is needed in Ontario. It wont affect the amount of housing, but it will protect millions of renters in the province and our long-term housing infrastructure. Quebecs population is aging and its birthrate is dropping. Business leaders are complaining they cant find enough workers. Think-tanks are warning the province faces a slow-moving demographic crisis that will restrict future growth and make it harder to pay for its generous social services. Naturally, then, Quebecs new premier is promising to slash immigration to the province by almost a quarter next year a move that will make the well-documented demographic problems even worse. No, it doesnt make sense, at least economic sense. But it clearly made political sense for Francois Legault and his Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) party, which won a resounding majority victory in Mondays election. Legaults promise to cut immigration was far from the only reason for his victory, or even the most important. Quebecers were fed up with the ruling Liberal party and disillusioned with the traditional alternative, the Parti Quebecois. Both suffered resounding rebukes. The most notable feature of the CAQ win is that it involves a fundamental realignment of Quebecs political debate. For the first time in two generations the election did not revolve around the existential question of federalism vs. sovereignty. Instead, the debate was essentially right vs. left and the right-leaning CAQ won the day. Still, the party did not hesitate to play the francophone identity card by pledging to cut immigration into the province from about 52,000 last year to 40,000 next year. It says new immigrants will have to pass tests on French and Quebec values within three years or have their immigration certificates revoked. Then, Legault has said, they will have to leave the province or maybe the country. All that is pretty vague, for the obvious reason that while Quebec selects most of its immigrants (aside from refugees, who come under a federal program), the province doesnt actually have the power to expel anyone from its borders, let alone from the country. Legault has said that would be the job of Ottawa, but what federal government would do that kind of dirty work on behalf of Quebec City? Legault has also promised to bring in a so-called secular charter, forbidding public employees with coercive power, like police officers, from wearing religious symbols or clothing, such as hijabs. No matter that no police officer has ever been spotted in Quebec sporting a hijab. On Tuesday he even threatened to invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to make that law. The reason for all this is no secret: the CAQ successfully played on fears among many francophones of seeing the French nature of their province diluted in coming years by an influx of outsiders. Those fears are particularly strong in areas where almost no immigrants settle essentially anywhere outside Montreal. Its not clear how aggressively Legault will pursue these wrong-headed objectives once hes in office. As the campaign progressed, he downplayed the ludicrous idea of expelling new immigrants who fail government tests and put more emphasis on a genuine problem: Quebecs poor record in integrating the immigrants it already has. But its already clear that cutting back sharply on the number of newcomers is exactly the wrong direction for a province that is greying faster than the rest of the country and is making fewer babies every year. This is a formula for stagnation. As the baby boomers retire, Quebec, like every other society, needs younger workers to keep its economy vibrant and pay the taxes that will support the oldsters for years to come. Politically, too, Quebecs demographic importance in Canada has been shrinking for years; cutting the growth in its population will just marginalize the province more quickly. Quebec has always been preoccupied with survivance, flourishing as a distinct society. Legaults approach to immigration amounts to the opposite a recipe for slow suicide. Read more about: OTTAWA Canada fought tooth and nail to keep one impartial dispute settlement mechanism in the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade: the old NAFTAs famous Chapter 19. But it was goodbye and good riddance to another, the less well-known Chapter 11. Known as the Investor-State Dispute Settlement process, Chapter 11 was a provision that allowed companies to launch trade challenges against governments, which they believed had unfairly regulated against them. In practice, the Liberal government says U.S. companies were the big winner and Canada was the big loser in these kinds of trade challenges. Canadian taxpayers had to pay out more than $205 million in penalties and legal fees in cases settled or lost on the merits. Only in nine of 26 challenges the government pointed to was Canada able to win on jurisdictional issues or the merits of the case. For example, when then-Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty placed a moratorium on offshore wind farms on Lake Ontario, the government was sued by U.S.-owned Windstream. An ISDS tribunal awarded the American company $25 million and ordered the Canadian government to pay the companys legal costs. The biggest loss for Canada was when Abitibi-Bowater won a $130-million settlement in its challenge of Newfoundlands expropriation of its assets after the company shut its last mill in the province, laid off workers, and left behind contaminated land. In contrast, there are no examples of Canadian companies winning a suit against the U.S. government under Chapter 11, say officials. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland held up the elimination of this provision in the USMCA as a win after the new deal was reached. She said it would not only save taxpayers money, but now says the provision elevated the rights of corporations over those of sovereign governments. In removing it, we have strengthened our governments right to regulate in the public interest to protect public health and the environment, she told reporters. It wasnt always this way. In August 2017, when NAFTA modernization talks began, Freeland said one of Canadas goals was to make NAFTA more progressive in part by reforming the Investor-State Dispute Settlement process to ensure that governments have an unassailable right to regulate in the public interest. In round one of the talks, Canada made an initial offer to align it with what was negotiated in the Canada-European Union trade agreement: standing panels of trade experts to adjudicate disputes instead of ad hoc panels, with more rights of appeal. In round four, in October 2017, the U.S. proposed an opt-in/opt-out model in which the U.S. would have the right to opt out, but Canada would be expected to opt-in, so U.S. investors would have a benefit in Canada that Canadian investors would not have in theory if not practice in the U.S. Behind the scenes, Canada flatly rejected that U.S. proposal and said it would be better off dropping ISDS entirely, according to an official with knowledge of the talks. Around May, the U.S. agreed to drop ISDS entirely, but pushed to have a three-year transition period, and in the end, that is what Canada has accepted. There are still five U.S. challenges against Canada pending under Chapter 11 in Canada, with potential liability implications. The deal Mexico negotiated with the U.S. in August did not get rid of Chapter 11, but limited its scope to firms operating in specific areas such as energy. That provision between Mexico and the U.S. remains in place, Canadian officials say. The Liberal government touts the retention of Chapter 19 as one of its biggest victories in the USMCA. That chapter allows binational panels rather than a domestic court to review anti-dumping and countervailing duties to see if they are applied consistently with the laws of the country slapping them on a trading partner. If Justin Trudeaus Liberals are defeated in next falls federal election, it will almost certainly not be on account of their management of the NAFTA file. Notwithstanding a poor initial reception in his home province, the prime minister is not likely to lose Quebec over the concessions he made on the way to keeping Canada in the North American trade loop. Yes, Quebec is central to Trudeaus reelection prospects and yes, the federal decision to give the U.S. greater access to Canadas dairy market will be the first bone of contention between Ottawa and the government Quebecers are electing this week. Coming as voters were headed to the polls, news of a resolution of the NAFTA issue dominated the last few hours of the Quebec campaign. The main party leaders had all urged Trudeau to make no concession on supply management. On Monday, they all took time out from their election night preparations to express disappointment over the outcome of the talks and reiterate their support for the provinces dairy farmers. Read more: Justin Trudeau calls trade deal a win, promises compensation for dairy farmers Heres whats new in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Opinion | Susan Delacourt: Free-trade debate will show us what a difference 30 years makes Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard spoke of a bad deal for Quebec. Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault promised to explore every option to help preserve the current dairy industry model. Parti Quebecois Leader Jean-Francois Lisee accused Trudeau of having thrown the provinces interests under the bus. One could already hear the sound of a unanimous resolution in the making in the next national assembly. But for all those fighting words, its unlikely that any of them really expected the prime minister to choose the integrity of the supply management system over the continuance of a trilateral trade arrangement between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Chances are that, in Trudeaus place, they would have made a similar choice. It is hardly the first time that Canadas protectionist agricultural policies have turned into a bargaining chip at a trade negotiation table. And on recent previous occasions, Quebec (and Ontario) supported trade-offs along the same lines. Under successive Liberal and PQ governments, the province was a driving force behind the negotiation of a major trade agreement with the European Union and a keen supporter of the Trans Pacific Partnership. Both those deals featured breaches in Canadas agricultural quota system. As at Queens Park, expect the post-election talk in Quebecs national assembly to shift from disapproval of Trudeaus concessions to a push for more compensation for the agricultural sector. The measure of the success of Canadas NAFTA negotiation was always going to boil down to the amount of potential economic damage it stood to minimize. On that basis, the definitive political verdict on this weekends deal will at least in part be dependent on whether it leads to a larger truce on the Canada/U.S. trade front rather than on any specific concession made on the way to the USMCA agreement. Trudeau tried and failed to convince the Trump administration to drop its tariffs on steel and aluminum in exchange for Canadas signature on a NAFTA-minus deal. Over time, that may turn out to be a more politically burdensome failure than any other concession. If a peace of sorts does not break out over the next year, and the American-driven tariff hostilities continue unabated, the prime minister may face hard questions as to whether he made a fools bargain. Until then though, the post-NAFTA debate is Trudeaus to lose. The opposition parties in the House of Commons did not have any kind words for the new trade deal. But it is hard for leaders of the opposition to come hard at a government when so many of their own allies insist on providing the prime minister with political cover on his handling of the biggest file on his desk. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh may feel the deal negotiated over the weekend was not worth having, but that is not the sense of some of the countrys most influential trade unions. Even before Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer had issued a single comment, a host of Conservative luminaries had come out to commend the agreement starting with former interim leader Rona Ambrose and former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister and Alberta Conservative Leader Jason Kenney also had good words for the deal. That being said, the federal Conservatives most feared a breakdown in the talks that could have led to a snap election, and a Trudeau call on all voters to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump by rallying to the Liberal flag. Even from Scheers partisan perspective, a Trudeau deal in hand is better than no deal at all. Chantal Hebert is a columnist based in Ottawa covering politics. Follow her on Twitter: @ChantalHbert Read more about: Two paid sick days are too much. That was the message Tuesday from Premier Doug Ford, who is poised to dismantle the previous Liberal governments labour reforms that increased sick day benefits and paid vacation, and were set to raise the minimum wage from $14 an hour to $15 on Jan. 1. Were getting rid of Bill 148, Ford thundered in the legislature after being questioned by Liberal MPP Michael Coteau. The premier added that 60,000 people lost their jobs under Bill 148, an apparent reference to part-time positions that have been cut. When I criss-crossed this province, I talked to the people who earn minimum wage, the ones who even were able to keep their job. Id go into a little Home Hardware. Rather than having seven employees, theyd cut three employees because of Bill 148, he said. Were going to create more jobs so we can hire more people, unlike the Liberals, who destroyed this province. Later Tuesday, Ford said alarm over his remarks shouldnt come as any surprise given his comments on the reforms during the spring election campaign, and he promised more details over the next few weeks. Bottom line, its an absolute job killer, he said. On a year-over-year basis, employment increased by 1.1 per cent, or 79,000 jobs, in Ontario in August, according to Statistics Canada. Total hours worked across the province also increased after much of Bill 148 took effect in January. To repeal the legislation, the government will need to introduce a replacement bill. Deena Ladd of the Toronto-based Workers Action Centre said she was waiting for more than just a comment in question period to actually take the government seriously at this point. I think everyone is really kind of appalled that they would consider getting rid of basic labour legislation, she said. Theyre just talking about it and I think theyre evaluating the response theyre getting from the people in the province. The Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, better known as Bill 148, provided two paid, job-protected emergency leave days for all workers, increased holiday entitlement, mandated equal pay for casual and part-time workers doing the same job as full-time employees, enshrined improved scheduling protections and boosted protections for temp agency workers. The legislation represents the most sweeping change to the provinces labour laws in decades, and was implemented after two years of research and public consultation conducted by two independent labour experts. About one-third of Ontarios workforce are vulnerable workers in precarious employment, according to the final 400-page report written by the two experts about proposed labour reforms. The advisers also found that Ontario faced serious and extensive problems enforcing basic employment rights prior to Bill 148, leaving thousands of vulnerable workers open to abuse. Coteau was incredulous that Ford would effectively throw out the baby with the bathwater in his bid to cancel the minimum wage increase by getting rid of all the reforms in Bill 148. I think its reasonable that workers be given fair notice for compensation when their employer cancels their shift, said the Liberal MPP for Don Valley East, a former cabinet minister. It allows employees to have some stability in their schedule if theyre going to school, to ensure they have adequate child care and if theyre working a second job. Some 1.6 million Ontarians do not have sick days. In the legislation it guarantees two days to Ontarians. This is about decency for employees, Coteau added. Does the premier believe that two sick days is too much for people in Ontario? He says he stands up for the little guy. He says he stands up for the people of Ontario. Two sick days is decency. At a news conference last week in support of the $15 minimum wage, currently scheduled to kick in on Jan. 1, Toronto-based emergency room physician Dr. Edward Xie said paid sick days were not just an improvement to labour standards, but also a major public health advance. At least 145 countries, including 23 jurisdictions in the United States, give workers the right to be compensated when theyre ill. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said its unfortunate we have a government now thats going to drag us backwards likely to a place where people are not going to be able to get a fair shake at work. Ive met guys who stop me literally on the street canvassing ... and say theyve worked at the same employer for over 20 years and still only get two weeks vacation. Really? I mean, its time to make those changes, Horwath said. Chris Buckley, president of the Ontario Federation of Labour, said worker advocates had fought long and hard to make improvements to the provinces severely outdated labour and employment laws. I caution the premier and todays government not to eliminate Bill 148, he said. As a labour movement, were not going to sit idly by. But Rocco Rossi, president and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, praised Ford. We have been persistently urging the government to take immediate action and repeal Bill 148 due to the compounding labour reforms which come at too high a cost to the economy and workers, he said. The very real unintended consequences have forced our members to decrease product offerings and increase the price of products being sold, hire fewer employees, reduce services and hours of operation, cut back on employee benefits and halt capital investment all in an effort to stay afloat. Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie Read more about: CARBONDALE Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, announced Anne Tyree, MPA, CFRE as the companys chief operating officer for Illinois (COO). Tyree will head day-to-day operations to ensure Centerstone grows and maintains operational excellence in across locations in Southern Illinois. Anne is a visionary leader whose dedication to Centerstone, its employees and its clients is only matched by her passion for our life saving services, said John Markley, chief executive officer of Centerstone. She has a personal connection to our mission and demonstrates that every day. CARLINVILLE Police are asking for any information relating to two suspected cases of arson that occurred over the weekend in Macoupin County. According to Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl, sheriffs deputies received a call about a barn that was on fire at 9:30 p.m., Saturday, on Cumberland Road in rural Hettick. The sheriffs department responded along with Hettick Fire Department. The barn was extinguished and mostly saved, except for some damage. Around an hour later, at 10:34 p.m., the sheriffs department received another call that the old schoolhouse on Finch and Rinaker Road in rural Carlinville was also in flames. The department and the Carlinville Fire Protection District responded to the fire and Kahl said that the deputy on the scene suspected arson might be the cause. It was pretty well figured right from the start, Kahl said. It was suspicious since we just had a fire within five miles of that one. The Carlinville Fire Protection District called the Illinois State Fire Marshall and they are investigating it from there. In a short amount of time, the old building was totally engulfed in flames and was a total loss by the fire was put out. The schoolhouse has been known as the Raffurty School, the more common Rafferty School, and School Number 91, according to the Regional Office of Education #40s historical information on Macoupin schools. The earliest record of the school is in the early 1900s, and the nearly 100-year-old building was closed sometime in the 1960s, after which it was purchased by Jim Wheeler who sealed it up to preserve it from being damaged. Those with information about the suspected arson cases can contact the Macoupin-Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 1-800-352-0136 or by calling the sheriffs department or Illinois State Fire Marshall. Tips left can be anonymous. Kahl said that the loss of the schoolhouse is certainly a tragic one, given the history of the building and the connection it has to Macoupin County residents. Its an icon and people would travel buy it frequently to take a look at it, Kahl said. Its one of those things that cant be replaced. Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper. EDWARDSVILLE Prospective college students are invited to learn about available higher education opportunities as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosts the Illinois Regional College Fair (IRCF) Fair from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23 in the Morris University Center. The event is sponsored by the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC), in conjunction with SIUE. High school students, transfer students and parents in attendance will have the opportunity to meet with college representatives from more than 90 in-state and out-of-state colleges and universities, to learn about academic programs and other aspects of the student experience. Financial aid representatives also will be on hand to answer questions. In addition, local high school counselors will be present to assist students looking for guidance on post-secondary options. On behalf of IACAC and SIUE, we truly appreciate the support of the counselors from local high schools and community colleges who are helping us provide this opportunity for students and families to explore numerous colleges/universities, all within one setting, during one evening, said Todd Burrell, SIUE director of undergraduate admissions and former president of the IACAC. Before the IRCF was initiated, college fairs were held several times throughout the year at various area high schools. This annual event on SIUEs campus serves to consolidate efforts and centralize higher education options for everyone involved. The goal of the Illinois Regional College Fair is to give high school and transfer students in the Metro East a chance to speak with college representatives from institutions, not only from Illinois, but also from states across the country, added Kelley Brooks, assistant director of admissions at SIUE. The IRCF will feature StriveScan, which will allow attendees to register in advance or during the fair to gain a barcode via text. They can use that barcode to easily share their contact information with participating colleges. Details are available at strivefair.com. For more information, and a list of participating colleges, visit siue.edu/ircf/. Registration is not required. Free parking will be available in Lots P4-12 for IRCF visitors and participants. Christian evangelicals strongly support what they believe to be traditional values. Thats why I was so astonished to read the results of a recent Marist poll, which showed that 48 percent of our nations white evangelical Christians would support Brett Kavanaugh for appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court, even if the allegations of sexual assault against him are true. Sexual assault isnt merely illegal. Its also regarded by Christians as a sin. Oh, I know that Christians can rationalize it by quoting Pauls admonitions such as all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) or Jesus words Judge not, that ye be not judged (Matthew 7:1). Still, were talking about sexual assault, which is a particularly despicable crime/sin. Why would it not matter to them, particularly when committed by a potential Supreme Court justice? The evangelicals who were questioned for this poll are by no means alone. Some 300 students from Liberty University, the Harvard of the evangelical movement, descended on Washington to voice their support for Kavanaugh. Jerry Falwell, Jr., Libertys president, formally excused them from their scheduled classes. Falwell said that his students would counteract anti-Kavanaugh demonstrations at Yale, Kavanaughs alma mater. Franklin Graham also backs Kavanaugh. Its just a shame that a person like Judge Kavanaugh who has a stellar record that somebody can bring something up that he did as a teenager close to 40 years ago, he stated on CBN News. Thats not relevant. Graham then began spewing pure fiction. Regardless if it was true, these are two teenagers and she said no and he respected that so I dont know what the issue is. FYI to Franklin Graham: lying is still against the Ten Commandments. A drunken teenage Kavanaugh got on top of Christine Blasey Ford, put his hand over her mouth and then tried to undress her. Another teenagers intervention saved Ford. Kavanaugh in no way respected her right to say no. If you honestly dont know what the issue is, Rev. Graham, then I suggest you get out of religion and stay out of politics. Gary Bauer, president of American Values, told conservative activists at the Values Voters Summit, We cant prove what she (Ford) said, but there is something we can prove and that is Judge Kavanaughs character. Bauer then inadvertently revealed why evangelicals are so willing to overlook the accusations that have been leveled at Kavanaugh. The left is scared to death that at some point there might be five justices on the Supreme Court that will actually make a ruling that could save a few babies, Bauer said. That would be a tragedy to them. The support of evangelicals for Kavanaugh has nothing to do with speaking up for a man they believe has been falsely accused. Its all about getting a new justice on the Supreme Court, who will oppose legal abortion and vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade. According to Pew Research, 57 percent of Americans support the right of women to exercise their reproductive freedom of choice. These conservative evangelicals give the impression that they represent all Christians on the issue of abortion. That is decidedly not the case. Pew research reports that 79 percent of Episcopalians, 72 percent of United Church of Christ members, 65 percent of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America members, 58 percent of all United Methodists and a majority of members of both the Presbyterian Church (USA) and Presbyterian Church in America believe abortion should remain legal. The Catholic Church strongly opposes abortion, yet 48 percent of Catholics support keeping abortion legal. Evangelicals certainly have the right to practice their religion. They do not, however, have the right to impose their religious beliefs on others by packing the Supreme Court with justices who share their values. The wall that separates church and state in our nation must remain intact. John J. Dunphy is the author of Abolitionism and the Civil War in Southwestern Illinois and From Christmas to Twelfth Night in Southern Illinois. He owns The Second Reading Book Shop in Alton. As a Tropical Heat(U) Limited employee you will be required to uphold the confidentiality of allrecords held by the organization, whether staff records or Tropical Heat (U)Limited information. This duty lasts indefinitely and will continue after youleave the organizations employment. The adage that failures can teach many lessons seems quite... An eight-year-old child was killed and at least four others injured in an explosion in front of a multi-storey building in the Nagerbazar area of north Kolkata on Tuesday, police said. The explosion was reported outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building, which falls under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum Police Station, around 9am, a police officer said. The injured were rushed to the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, he said. The child succumbed to injuries in the hospital. A forensic team and sniffer dogs have been sent to the spot to ascertain the nature of the explosion, police said. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We are trying to find out the details. Forensic experts, along with the CID bomb disposal squad, are examining the area," a senior officer of Barrackpore City Police Commissionerate said. The building also houses the office of South Dum Dum Municipality Chairman Panchu Roy, a TMC leader, who claimed that he was the actual target of the blast. Stopping short of naming any political party, Roy said forces that are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over West Bengal are behind the attack. "It was a preplanned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain a foothold in the area," he told PTI. He also claimed that the number of injured people was 10. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, Roy said there was no such issue in south Bengal. Congress party in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Oommen Chandy, ruled out any kind of political alliance for the 2019 state and general elections. The Congress party, which suffered a humiliating defeat in Andhra Pradesh in the 2014 elections not winning a single seat, is trying to revive itself. On Tuesday, Chandy participated in the inti intiki Congress programme in West Godavari district. The former Kerala chief minister, along with other senior leaders, visited a total of 300 homes in three constituencies and interacted with people and also collected Re 1 donation for party fund. The farmers are unhappy as they are not getting the support price. There are no social security schemes like the ones introduced in Kerala. The youth are frustrated since employment is a big issue. The congress manifesto will include promises to address these issues, said Chandy. According to Chandy, 50 per cent of the total 44,000 booth committee have been formed in Andhra Pradesh and the rest will be formed before the end of this month. The mood in Andhra Pradesh is changing as people have started realising that only Congress can give the special category status, Chandy said. He also informed that former congress president Sonia Gandhi has been invited to the state to attend an event on Indira Gandhis birthday. The Delhi Police has imposed prohibitory orders and warned of traffic congestion ahead of the arrival in the city on Tuesday of thousands of activists of a farmers group, which is raising various welfare demands. Thousands of activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) started Kisan Kranti Yatra from Haridwar and announced it would reach Delhi on Tuesday to coincide with the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The BKU is raising various demands including a farm loan waiver, pension for farmers over 60 years of age and reduced electricity tariffs. BKU national spokesman Rakesh Tikait claimed the Uttar Pradesh government and the Modi government had not fulfilled the demands of the farmers. "We have organised the march to press for implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, loans waiver and scrapping of a ban on plying of 10-year-old tractors in the national capital region among others," he said. According to media reports, nearly 30,000 farmers are part of the Kisan Kranti Yatra. The BKU had earlier asked for permission to march to the 'Lutyens' area of Delhi where Central ministries are located. The BKU march will pass through Ghaziabad (in Uttar Pradesh) and will proceed via Preet Vihar and Geeta Colony flyover in East Delhi on Tuesday. "A large number of protesters are likely to come to Delhi from bordering areas of east district. This may create law and order situation and may disturb the peace and tranquillity and endanger human life or property in the area of east district," Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Pankaj Singh said. The protesters are proceeding towards Delhi with hundreds of tractor-trolleys and private vehicles, according to the order by the DCP (East). They may also be carrying sticks/lathis/cans and possibility of them turning unruly on slightest provocation cannot be ruled out, the police order said. In East Delhi, the prohibitory orders would be in force until October 8. It covers Preet Vihar, Jagatpuri, Shakarpur, Madhu Vihar, Ghazipur, Mayur Vihar, Mandawli, Pandav Nagar, Kalyanpuri and New Ashok Nagar police station limits. In Northeast Delhi, the prohibitory orders were issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Atul Kumar Thakur and will be in force till October 4. The Delhi Police announced late on Monday vehicular movement had been affected on National Highway 9, Ghazipur Border and at UP Gate due to the BKU march. The Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory asking motorists to avoid the Meerut Expressway. "In view of the large-scale gathering of protesters on the Ghazipur border, people going towards Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee and Haridwar are advised to avoid the Meerut Expressway [Ghazipur Border] and take alternative routes as per their convenience," a Delhi Police advisory said. (With PTI inputs) Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi engaged in a verbal duel with AIADMK MLA A. Anbalagan during a Gandhi Jayanti celebration in Uppalam in Puducherry on Tuesday. #WATCH Verbal spat on stage between Puducherry Governor Kiran Bedi and AIADMK MLA A Anbalagan at a government function. The argument reportedly broke out over duration of MLA's speech pic.twitter.com/bptFSr80nC ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2018 The argument broke out when the mike was switched off during Anbalagan's speech. Kiran Bedi claimed on her Twitter account that despite many requests from the panel of ministers to limit his speech, he continued to speak. She asked the event organisers to switch off the mike which prompted Anbalagan to lose his cool and start shouting at her. Bedi claims in her tweet that this was not the first time that Anbalagan had resorted to a shouting match on a stage. According to reports, Anbalagan had been heavily criticising Kiran Bedi for holding back developmental works in his constituency. He claimed that no work been done in his constituency under Kiran Bedi. An MLAs Mike had to b turned off when he persistently rejected any req from panel of Hble Ministers to limit his speech. He rejected all appeals. He shouted back. I hav seen him do this earlier too. Event was to give away awards for good work done in making Puducherry ODF @ANI Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) October 2, 2018 Kiran Bedi can be seen folding her hands and requesting the MLA to leave the stage. She can be heard saying, "Please go". Anbalagan responds in the same way and signals her to leave the stage, which elicits laughter from the audience. They engage in further arguments as other panelists try to intervene. Kiran Bedi again requests the MLA to leave the stage and says, "Please do not spoil our function". But Anbalagan continues to shout at the others who were present on the stage. Though the many in the audience can be heard laughing, it does not stop the MLA as he goes on a rant criticising the government and accusing the governor of misusing funds. Kiran Bedi clarified in her tweet that the event was held to give away awards for good work done in making Puducherry open defecation free. In an earlier tweet she had talked about achievement made by the government of India and Puducherry to achieve the status of open defecation free. A Mumbai resident, who has been knocking at judiciary's doors with his plea for an inquiry into the alleged "larger conspiracy leading to" the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, has once again approached the Supreme Court with "fresh" documents and evidence to claim that a re-investigation was needed to clear the air in the matter. Dr Pankaj Phadnis has filed a petition asking the apex court to peruse some books and a forensic report of the photographs of wounds on the body of Gandhi to decide the need for fresh probe into his killing. The Supreme Court had rejected his earlier plea for re-investigation into the assassination in March this year. In the fresh plea, he has given reference from two book --Who Killed Gandhi by Lourenco de Salvador written in 1963 and India Remembered by Pamella Mountbatten, daughter of then Governor General Lord L. Mountbatten. He claimed that examination of the two books would lead to conclusion that the person/persons in the highest echelons of power, were "complicit" in the murder of Mahatma. In the plea, he claimed he had obtained a report of a well known expert in the United States who has categorically confirmed that four wounds were visible on the chest of the Mahatma in the photograph obtained by him from the National Gandhi Museum, Delhi and which had been published on January 31, 1948 by a prominent newspaper and has been on display for last 70 years in the Museum. The Mumbai-based researcher, Pankaj Phadnis, who is also the trustee of Abhinav Bharat Charitable Trust, filed the petition seeking recall of the March 28 verdict by which the apex court had rejected his attempt to get the probe into Mahatma's death reopened, saying it would be an exercise in futile. However, in his review petition, Phadnis claimed the apex court did not have the opportunity to examine the material which he had secured and further some of the facts he brought in the rejoinder affidavit were not considered. The petitioner claimed that the apex court only relied on the submission of a senior advocate, who was appointed as amicus curiae in the matter and his reply to the amicus' report was not taken into account. He claimed that during the course of proceedings, he learnt of a book Who Killed Gandhi published in or about 1963 which alleged the involvement of people in the "highest echelons of power" being "complicit" in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. As the book is banned for import in India, he filed a PIL in 2018 in the Bombay High Court for production of the book before the apex court as it contained information material relating to the case. The PIL in the High Court could not be heard which resulted in apex court not having full and complete information germane to the matter before it, when it came to decide the matter on March 28, 2018, he contended. Phadnis said that on further research he recovered a transcript of BBC broadcast after the shooting of the Mahatma but before his death was announced which corroborates the information given in the book Who Killed Gandhi and also contradicts the six eyewitnesses on the vital aspect of who caught Nathuram Godse after he shot the Mahatma. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 and nine accused were tried for the conspiracy and murder. A trial court on February 10, 1949 convicted seven accused and acquitted one. Godse and Narayan Apte were sentenced to death. PTI New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) The government Tuesday announced it will soon file a review petition against the National Green Tribunal's order to ban diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old and take several other measures to pacify agitating farmers and address their concerns. The Centre also assured farmers that it would fix the minimum support prices (MSP) of rabi (winter-sown) crops like wheat at least 1.5 times of the production cost. It would also try to restrict imports of agri items that are produced abundant in the country. These decisions were taken at a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting was held against the backdrop of farmers' protest organised by Bharatiya Kisan Union. The Centre would also approach the GST Council to put agri related goods in the 5 per cent slab, an official statement said. "The government will soon file a review petition against the NGT's order to ban diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old," it said. The government also decided to take other steps to address problems of farmers. The other steps include inclusion of a farmers' representative in the sub-group of chief ministers on coordination between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and agriculture; advisory would be issued to states for proper procurement of agri produce; and banning of imports of agri products adequately produced in India. On the issue of proper implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY), a committee will be constituted under the Minister of State for Agriculture G S Shekhawat. The committee would look at the implementation issues of PMFBY and Kisan Credit card scheme in consultation with farmer associations. Further it was decided that crop damage due to stray and wild animals would be included in the PMFBY on pilot basis and then could be implemented across the districts. Procurement period would also be extended to 90 days. The main demands of the agitating farmers include implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report, removing ban on the use of tractors which are more than 10 years old, clearing out pending payments of sugarcane purchase, increased price of sugar supplied and minimum support prices. Farmers stayed put on the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad and other places, where they were stopped by the police. The protest call has been given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices. PTI RR MJH MR MR New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a 64-foot-tall statue of peasant leader late Sir Chhotu Ram at his native village Garhi Sampla in Haryana's Rohtak district on October 9, Union Steel Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh said Tuesday. The prime minister will also visit a museum where belongings of Sir Chhotu Ram are kept and see a documentary on his life, Singh told reporters. After the event, Modi will address a public rally there, the minister informed and indicated that the prime minister may also make some major announcements. Replying to a question that whether Modi is expected to make any major announcements at the rally, in which farmers from adjoining states are also taking part, Singh said, "He (PM) may do so." Singh, who is grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, further said the statute has been designed by renowned sculptor Ram V Suthar and his son Anil Suthar. "He (Sir Chhotu Ram) was farmers' voice during the undivided India. Farmers across the country and even in Pakistan remember him because of the courage he showed to protect the rights of the farmers under the British Raj. He helped farmers in getting back their land from money lenders. He is remembered as a hero by the farmers," Singh said. On today's farmer protest, Singh said it is the present government that has taken farmer-friendly initiatives like doubling their income, increasing MSP, etc. Those who are not aware of government efforts will keep on criticising, the minister said. The function will also be attended by Governors of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, he added. PTI ABI MKJ Mumbai, Oct 2 (PTI) Shraddha Kapoor says working with critically-acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi on "Stree" was a great experience as he has the power to bring together everyone on the film's set. Shraddha said Tripathi is not only an amazing actor but also a great human being. "It was an amazing experience working with Pankaj Tripathi. He is not only a great actor but he also kept the set entertained bringing together everyone on the set, developing a warm bond with everyone," Shraddha said in a statement. The 31-year-old actor, who is currently busy shooting for "Saina", said she is would love to collaborate with Tripathi again. PTI SHD SHD New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN20 NOBEL-2NDLD PHYSICS Trio win Nobel Physics Prize for laser research Stockholm: Three researchers on Tuesday shared the 2018 Nobel Physics Prize for inventions in the field of laser physics which have paved the way for advanced precision instruments used in corrective eye surgery and industry, the jury said. (AFP) FGN21 UK-BREXIT-IMMIGRATION UK unveils tougher new post-Brexit immigration plans London: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday unveiled a major post-Brexit overhaul of the UK's immigration system, which she said is aimed at a level playing field for nationals from all countries by ending "freedom of movement once and for all" for European Union (EU) citizens. By Aditi Khanna FGN18 US-CHINA-LD WARSHIP US accuses Chinese naval ship of conducting unsafe manoeuvres in South China Sea Beijing: The US has accused a Chinese naval ship of conducting "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvres when one of its warships entered the waters of the disputed South China Sea. By K J M Varma FGN13 PAK-CPEC Pak cuts CPEC investment in railways by USD 2 bn citing huge burden of loans Islamabad: Pakistan has slashed the Chinese investment in railways by USD 2 billion citing a huge burden of loans, giving credence to reports that the new government led by Prime Minister Imran Khan may scrutinise the multi-billion dollar CPEC, a media report said Tuesday. By Sajjad Hussain FGN11 PAK-DAR Pak court allows auctioning of former finance minister Dar's assets Islamabad: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Tuesday directed authorities to auction the assets and seize the bank accounts of absconding former finance minister Ishaq Dar in a graft case filed against him in the Panama Papers scandal. By Sajjad Hussain PTI AMS AMS Colombo, Oct 2 (AFP) The outgoing strongman president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, faced allegations Tuesday that he received nearly USD 1.5 million in illicit payments just before his surprise election defeat last month. The allegations that two cash deposits were made into a private account in Yameen's name came to light after local media reported that the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA) had lodged a police complaint. Yameen's spokesman Ibrahim Muaz Ali denied any wrongdoing, saying that Yameen maintained a separate account to receive election campaign funding. He did not confirm or deny the amount of any deposits received. Muaz said the governor of the MMA had assured the president that there was no wrongdoing and that the bank's Financial Intelligence Unit had withdrawn their complaint to the police. "President Yameen assures the people that his campaign had been conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations," Muaz said, adding that no campaign funds had been received from abroad. Yameen relied heavily on China for political and financial support in the nation of 340,000 Sunni Muslims, triggering concern in India, which has long been influential in the Maldivian politics and the economy. In neighbouring Sri Lanka, police are investigating allegations that former president Mahinda Rajapakse received millions of dollars in campaign funds from a Chinese state owned company in 2015. Just before the Maldives' September 23 election, a corruption watchdog alleged that Yameen accepted lavish gifts from a billionaire developer who was later leased two islands in the paradise archipelago without bidding for them. Yameen, whose five-year tenure was marked by the jailing of all his key rivals, has denied any involvement in the alleged island-leasing scam, which first came to light in a 2016 investigation by the Al Jazeera television channel. The main opposition candidate, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who defeated Yameen in last month's election, has asked him to ensure a smooth transition when he is due to take over on November 17. (AFP) PMS PMS Board President Bill Carpenter said many candidates who applied could have filled the seat, but said we believe Bo is someone who will serve the community of District 86 very well. We welcome him and know he is ready to jump right in. New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2030 hours: FGN31 PAK-COURT-LD MUSHARRAF If Musharraf fails to appear soon, he may be forced to return in disgraceful manner, warns Pak CJ Islamabad: Irked by former dictator Pervez Musharraf's failure to come back to Pakistan and face ongoing cases against him, Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Tuesday warned that if the "courageous commando" does not appear soon, he may be forced to return in a disgraceful manner. (By Sajjad Hussain) FGN30 AFGHAN-2NLD ATTACK At least 13 dead in suicide attack on Afghan election rally Jalalabad: A suicide attack on a political rally in eastern Afghanistan killed at least 13 people on Tuesday, officials said, as the country braces for an escalation in violence ahead of this month's parliamentary election. (AFP) FGN29 UK-GANDHI-FILM UK marks Gandhi Jayanti with iconic screening of 'Bapu@150' film at Piccadilly Circus London: A film depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi was projected on to the screens at Piccadilly Circus in London on Tuesday to mark the launch of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations for the Father of the Nation. (By Aditi Khanna) FGN28 PAK-SHARIF-COURT Nawaz Sharif appears before Pak anti-corruption court Islamabad: Pakistan's deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday appeared before an anti-corruption court hearing graft cases against him, in his first court appearance after getting bail last month in a major corruption case that wrecked his political career. FGN18 US-CHINA-LD WARSHIP US accuses Chinese naval ship of conducting unsafe manoeuvres in South China Sea Beijing: The US has accused a Chinese naval ship of conducting "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvres when one of its warships entered the waters of the disputed South China Sea. (By K J M Varma) FGN12 INDONESIA-QUAKE-LD TOLL Indonesia clamps down on looting as quake-tsunami toll tops 1,200 Palu: More than 1,200 people are now known to have died in the quake-tsunami that smashed into Sulawesi, Indonesia said Tuesday, as police pledged to clamp down on looting by survivors taking advantage of the chaos. (AFP) PTI PMS PMS (Eds: With inputs on TMC and BJP reaction) Kolkata, Oct 2 (PTI) A seven-year-old child was killed and nine people, including his mother, were injured in a low-intensity explosion in front of a multi-storey building at Nagerbazar in Kolkata's northern suburbs on Tuesday, police said. The ruling Trinamool Congress held the BJP responsible for the blast and alleged that the saffron party was aiming to kill South Dum Dum Municipality chairman and TMC leader Panchu Roy. But the BJP rubbished the charges. As per the initial investigation, ammonium nitrate was used in the low-intensity blast outside a fruit shop on the ground floor of the building in the congested Kazipara area under the jurisdiction of Dum Dum police station around 9 am, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Commissionerate, Ananda Roy said. "A child, who was severely injured in the blast, died in hospital. A total of nine persons are injured," he said. A police officer said, "It was a socket bomb explosion. Forensic team and the bomb squad of CID are examining the spot. We have started further investigation." A socket bomb is an improvised explosive device. "Initially, we thought it was a gas cylinder blast. But it is not so. We have found a few iron nails but there is no smell of gunpowder," another senior police officer said. Panchu Roy, whose office is at the building, claimed that he was the target of the blast. Stopping short of naming any political party, he said the forces, which are currently attacking the ruling TMC all over Bengal, were behind the attack. "It was a pre-planned blast... They had planned to kill me and other TMC workers, as it would create panic and help them gain foothold in the area," Panchu Roy told PTI. Asked whether the explosion was a result of infighting within the TMC, he said there was no such issue in south Bengal. TMC North 24 Parganas district president and state minister Jyotipriyo Mullick, who visited the spot, held the BJP responsible for the blast and said it was aimed to harm Panchu Roy and other party members. "The blast is an example of deep conspiracy to kill Panchu Roy. This was a very well-planned one. It was a ploy to kill Panchu Roy. They (the BJP) is trying to create unnecessary problems among the people throughout the state. "The BJP is trying to play divisive politics. They are shouting against the incident in Islampur but trying to kill Roy here," Mullick said. Two students died in a clash with the police at Islampur in North Dinajpur district on September 20 over appointment of Urdu and Sanskrit teachers at Daribhita High School. The state government has ordered CID inquiry into the incident. BJP had called a state-wide shutdown over the incident on September 26. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh rubbished Mullick's allegations and said it has become a "mania" for the TMC to blame the saffron party for every incident that happens in the state. He alleged that the TMC party offices have become a "storehouse of bombs" and hence in every blast the name of the ruling party surfaces. Ghosh questioned the security measures in the city as well as in the state. PTI PNT SCH KK AQS AQS Need leaders like Gandhiji to tide over crisis: Mamata Kolkata, Oct 2 (PTI) Stressing the need to maintain communal harmony in the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Tuesday Mahatma Gandhi had always stood for tolerance and showed respect to all religions. Describing Gandhi as a "true leader of the masses" who could take everyone along in his fight for rights, Banerjee said the country was currently going through "difficult times" due to rising fuel prices and religious intolerance. "We need leaders and statesmen like Gandhiji who could guide us during times of crisis," the chief minister said after laying the foundation stone of a new museum complex at the state-acquired Gandhi Bhawan in Beleghata here, on the occasion of Bapu's 149th birth anniversary. Those who respect and follow Gandhiji's ideals will protect the unity and integrity of the nation, she asserted. "Let us give a call for amity and unity and defeat communalism. Bengal, which stands for tolerance and civility, can never be intimidated by threat, coercion, money power or religious blindness," the CM said. India can only move forward when all communities - Dalits, Adivasis, Jains, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists - walk together, hand-in-hand, she maintained. "These days, people post Gandhiji's photo and make glowing comments about him on social network, but how much they remember his ideals is questionable. Gandhiji had always respected all communities," the CM quipped, without naming anyone. Banerjee announced Rs 3.5 crore grant for construction of the museum complex and renovation work at Gandhi Bhavan, where the "father of the nation" had stayed for around a month during the 1947 riots in the city. "It was due to his efforts, the bloodbath had stopped in Bengal and the rioters handed over the arms. When the country got freedom at midnight on August 15, 1947, Gandhiji was sitting inside this building, praying for the mayhem to end," she said. On the occasion, the CM, through a remote control, also laid the foundation stone of 'Mahatma Gandhi Visva Vidyalaya' at Tamluk in East Midnapore and announced a chair in the freedom fighter's name at Calcutta University. A family member of Bibhu Ranjan Das, a small-time trader killed on September 26 in West Midnapore during the BJP-sponsored Bangla Bandh, was given a cheque of Rs 2 lakh during the programme. The CM said the state government will organize a symbolic padayatra (procession) next year to mark the Dandi March undertaken by Gandhi in 1930. "We have started celebrations a year ahead of the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji in 2019. The government plans to introduce Gandhian studies in the school syllabus, too, to help students learn his ideals," Banerjee added. PTI SUS RMS RMS New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) Congress leader Shashi Tharoor Tuesday hit back at the BJP for criticising him for describing External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN address as a "campaign" speech, saying one cannot hide behind the national flag and use the United Nations as a political platform. Tharoor also said he felt a "bit rich" to be criticised by the BJP and claimed that Swaraj had mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi 10 times in her speech and spoke about India only five times. Questioning whether Swaraj's address was a UN speech or BJP slogans, he said she devoted the first half of her speech mentioning Modi's vision for a "New India" and discussing programmes as the Swachh Bharat Mission. "Bit rich to be criticised by the BJP for describing Sushma Swaraj's speech as a campaign speech. She mentioned Narendra Modi 10 times during her address and spoke about/on behalf of India only five times. If you use the UN as a political platform you can't hide behind the flag," Tharoor said on Twitter. "Most of the first half of the Sushma Swaraj speech was devoted to plugging Narendra Modi's vision for "New India": Swachh Bharat, Swasth Bharat, Samarth Bharat, Surakshit Bharat, Shikshit Bharat, Viksit Bharat, Urjawan Bharat, Shaktiman Bharat. Was this a UN speech or BJP slogans?" he asked. The BJP Monday strongly reacted to Tharoor's reported criticism of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's UN speech and had said that the opposition party defied a convention of all political parties speaking in the same voice on India's stand abroad. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi had said the Congress is being increasingly seen to be standing with Pakistan as Tharoor's statement was not an isolated incident and the opposition party often spoke the language of the neighouring country. He had told a press conference that the Congress should apologise to the country and said its stand on various issues appeared similar to that of Pakistan in "intent, language and style". On Sunday, Tharoor had reportedly said in Kerala that Swaraj's speech was aimed at her party's voters on the subject of Pakistan rather than constructing a positive image of India in the world. Trivedi had said, "There has been an established convention in politics since independence that political parties are unanimous on foreign issues, at least when it comes to taking a stand at the United Nations (UN) where India's position is not of a political party." "Pakistan has always opposed us there. For the first time a senior Congress leader is also criticising," he had said, adding Tharoor had earlier used the term "Hindu Pakistan" to attack the BJP's rule. The BJP leader had also cited comments of Congress leaders like Mani Shankar Aiyar and Ghulam Nabi Azad to liken it with Pakistan in its opposition to the Modi government. He had said the Congress has lost the "moral right" to claim to be the party of Mahatma Gandhi, wondering if the Congress in zeal to oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also opposing the country. PTI SKC SKC ANB ANB New Delhi, Oct 2 (PTI) The Left parties today condemned the "brutal" police action against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, saying it demonstrates the "anti-farmer" attitude of the Modi government. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)-Liberation, in a joint statement, also alleged that the Modi government's policies have "deepened agrarian distress" forcing thousands of farmers to "commit suicides" due to debt burden. "We condemn the brutal attack on protesting farmers in the outskirts of Delhi. This police action, once again, demonstrates the anti-kisan attitude of the Modi government. Prime Minister Modi had betrayed all promises he made to the kisans (farmers) at the time of the 2014 elections," the statement said. CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury also condemned the police action and alleged that the atrocities on farmers at the Delhi border reflected the Modi government's apathetic attitudes towards farmers. "We strongly condemn this action on farmers at the Delhi-UP border. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government. The Modi government has backtracked all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government," he said. Seven policemen, including an assistant commissioner of police, were injured as protesting farmers turned violent while trying to enter the city from Uttar Pradesh in defiance of prohibitory orders, Delhi Police claimed on Tuesday. Police said a section of protesters, who were participating in the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) march, suddenly turned violent as the cops tried to persuade them not to break the barricades. Police said they used 20 tear gas shells and water cannons to manage the crowd, adding it was "minimum required force". Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. Since morning, the farmers gathered at Ghazipur border between Delhi and Ghaziabad in several thousands. The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. PTI DMB ASK RCJ \R New Delhi, Oct 1 (PTI) Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Vikas Singh said Monday outgoing CJI Dipak Misra was a victim of certain circumstances and it was used by some lawyers to the detriment of the institution. Speaking at a farewell function organised by the SCBA for the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Singh said, "It was unfortunate that Justice Misra became a victim of certain circumstances." "It is more unfortunate that instead of the bar, specially the mature bar trying to support the cause of justice, trying to support the institution, some of us tried to use that adverse circumstance to the detriment of this institution," he said. Singh said if the situation had been allowed to continue and if the bar had not stepped into support Misra, an "irreparable damage would have been caused to the institution (Supreme Court)". On a earlier controversy over cases related to the Medical Council of India and some medical colleges, in which Singh was one of the counsels, he said the purpose of the open letter written by him as SCBA president was not to support CJI Misra, but to bring the truth before the nation and ensure the majesty of the Supreme Court was not eroded. "There was an allegation doing the rounds. Papers were also carrying it with regard to a particular matter. I was the president of the bar, but also counsel for the MCI against whom that order was supposed to be sought to be obtained," the SCBA chief said. Singh said these allegations were made by different people, some in very high positions, but nobody took his view because ultimately an order was to be passed. It was to be passed against my client, he said. "An order dictated in an open court was said to be changed later on at the behest of some people. When similar orders had been passed in eight different matters, the very same day, a three-judge bench review could have been done only by the three judges together. "It was also doubted whether the order was dictated in an open court or not and that was also part of the allegations," he said in the presence of Misra and CJI-designate Ranjan Gogoi. Singh said as counsel for the MCI and not as the president of the bar, he felt that it was his duty to see to it that this institution was not damaged. He said, as the counsel for the MCI, "I thought it fit to write an open letter to all the judges and also to the media bringing out true facts". "The purpose of writing that letter was not to help Justice Misra. I didn't even know him personally except for meetings as president of the SCBA," Singh said. The SCBA president said, "The purpose of the letter was to bring the truth before the nation and to ensure that the majesty of this institution has, the very special position that this institution has in this country is not in any manner eroded". The faith of the people in this institution should not ever be such that they start doubting it, he said. "The freedom that we have got, the democratic values we cherish can only remain true if this institution is not damaged," Singh said. He said the Supreme Court always functions in division benches even before a chief justice takes oath, unfortunately in this city, there will be people wanting to negotiate for every judge in this squad. "There are people ready to sell by showing all kinds of things. Somebody will show that I know so-and-so, I know this relative that relative. We as an institution have to be very particular," he cautioned. Disapproving a recent letter written by the chairman of the Bar Council of India, requesting justice Misra to not accept any post after retirement, Singh said, "I don't agree with that letter." "I feel that a judge should not take a political appointment like that of a governor or should not contest an election on a ticket of political party," he said. "But definitely as the attorney general has pointed out that the wisdom that a judge has gathered over the years, the dispensation of justice that he had done for so many years, the experience can't be lost," Singh added. Commenting on the retirement age, Singh said 65 years as it was today was too young an age for anybody to retire. "So, if Justice Misra can be used for any work where his legal acumen can be utilised, I think that should happen because, the system should not lose somebody so bright and so humble and so hardworking," he said. PTI RRT LLP MNL RKS RRT ANB ANB \R Kota (R'than), Oct 2 (PTI) Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot on Tuesday alleged that the farmers in the state were dying but Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was busy in her 'Gaurav Yatra'. Pilot was addressing a public meeting in Sangod town of Kota district, held on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. On Raje's reported claim that she would fight for the people of the state like a lioness, Pilot alleged that though she was a lioness, her biggest hunt was farmers. The 'moong daal' is being sold Rs 125 per kilogram, the prices of diesel and petrol are skyrocketing, and the farmers were not able to sell their crop at the government-support price, he said. The Congress leader retorted to Raje calling him a novice and referred to the party's victory in the Ajmer by-elections. The 41-year-old acknowledged that he certainly had to learn a lot, but in politics, he would give Raje such a defeat in the upcoming assembly elections that she would not be able forget it for a long time. Pilot asked the public to question the chief minister if she had ever been able to sleep soundly at night ever since he became the state party chief. "We have at several times in the past four-and-a-half years forced the BJP's state and central governments to kneel down before the pressure by the Congress in the interest of the public," he claimed. The state Congress chief also quipped at the perceived differences between Raje and BJP chief Amit Shah. Pilot said Raje had got no time to look at into the hut of the poor and said the CM was very busy as she has to "defend those who illegally-occupied government lands and to allot the mines to her near and dear ones". He added that Raje lost a golden opportunity regarding development and progress of the state as her party was in power in the Centre too. PTI CORR HMB In charge: Benny Higgins has been CEO of Tesco Bank since July 2008 Following Tesco Banks 16 million fine by the Financial Conduct Authority after its 2016 cyber-attack, whither the man in charge at the time, scarlet-maned Benny Higgins? Wolfish Benny, 58, who would never be accused of wearing his intellect lightly, appears to have reinvented himself as a leather-elbowed academic. He now lectures in accountancy at Strathclyde Business School and calls himself Professor Benny Higgins. JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon hints his successor could well be female, remarking: We have fabulous people, and several are women, and several people who report to me can have this job one day. Some are tipping the banks British finance chief Marianne Lake, though there are concerns she might frighten stuffy Wall Street types. Strawberry blonde Marianne, 49, is a single mother-of-three and, unlike many of her abstemious colleagues, enjoys a tipple or two. JCB heir George Bamfords wife Leonora says of her dapper hubby: He is always immaculate whether in a tracksuit or a beautiful suit. And he likes to go commando, which saves me on the washing. Too much information! General Electrics dismissal of boss John Flannery yesterday after barely a year in post is another stark reminder of the conglomerates rapid decline over the years. Once the worlds most valuable company worth $400 billion with interests spanning energy, media and finance, its value has almost quartered since then. These days its worth less than Netflix. Is Bank of America struggling to persuade London staff to move to Paris post-Brexit? Theyve issued a leaflet highlighting the citys attractions, which include museums, famous chefs and restaurants and some of the best wine regions in the world. Eco-bore Al Gore is talked up as a chairman for Tesla to keep an eye on erratic boss Elon Musk, whos been ticked off for making misleading statements about the firm. But the former Presidential candidate is also prone to making dodgy public pronouncements. He once told a Time magazine journalist he and ex-wife Tipper were the inspiration for the couple in weepy 1970 novel Love Story, much to author Erich Segals bewilderment. The revolt against the Unilever switch from a FTSE 100 listing to Rotterdam grows by the day. The latest opponent is Janus Henderson-managed investment trust, City of London, which is popular with private investors. Also raising strong objections is trade body Pimfa which represents wealth managers and financial advisers. It says the whole process is an affront to shareholder democracy. The noise does not necessarily guarantee victory for the dissidents. The revolt against the Unilever ditching its UK base and basing itself in its Rotterdam headquarters (pictured) grows by the day Dutch and European institutions who might regard Rotterdam as a feather in the EU cap have been silent. And boss Paul Polman has been working intensely with American investors to convince them of the governance benefits. Dove-to-Marmite giant Unilever is not the only FTSE 100 company struggling with the issue of a double quote. Under pressure from activist investor Elliott, the mining group BHP Billiton also is being encouraged to leave the FTSE 100 and adopt a single quote in Australia. Much of BHPs business is in Asia-Pacific. But Elliott ignores the fact that London is the preferred home for natural resources companies. These include Rio Tinto, Glencore, Anglo American, Randgold and others traversing the globe. A City presence means deeper analytical capacity, greater access to fund-raising and deal-making and an ability for fund managers to compare, contrast and switch holdings. Consultants FTI estimated a 16.9billion potential uplift in value if a single listing were to be created for BHP. But the company believes the expense and risks of overhauling the current structure far outweigh the benefits. Moreover, a behemoth of BHPs size would overwhelm the key Aussie index, making up to 15 per cent of the market. With so much value in one stock it would hardly make the Aussie index very attractive to investors desiring to diversify risk. There are doubtless other actions that BHP could take to realise more value for investors. But unification of the quotation on the ASX in Sydney makes no more sense than Unilever washing its hands of the FTSE 100. BHPs board is right to hold the line and reject Elliotts entreaties. Last post The 1.2billion hit to the Royal Mail share price since it revealed a nasty profits warning late on Monday is shocking. All of the reasons behind that warning point to management bungling. The slump in marketing mailings as a result of the new EU data storage rules, GDPR, should have been predictable. Equally perplexing is the scrapping of targets for 230m of cost savings this year. All of this puts the Royal Mails status as a FTSE 100 company in danger. The retreat in the Royal Mails fortunes also demonstrates one of the risks in John McDonnells proposal to hand over 10pc of the shares in UK-owned companies with more than 250 workers to employees. The posties were given 10pc of Royal Mail stock on privatisation in 2013 and have lost a fortune in a matter of days. Contrast the poor fortunes of the postal workers with those of Royal Mail bosses. Moya Greene sailed off into the sunset in June with a golden goodbye of 1million and other awards, which could bring her total pay up to 2.3million. Her departure was rapidly followed by the choice of Rico Back as chief executive, with a golden hello of 6million. This led to one of the biggest shareholder revolts in corporate history followed by the resignation of chairman Peter Long. At the very least pay committee chair Orna Ni-Chionna ought to look at a clawback of unjustified payments to Greene and Back. If that is too hard then she should do the honourable thing and return to sender. Living better Amazon has thrown down the gauntlet to other UK employers by lifting the minimum wage for all its workforce, including temporary and seasonal employees. In London it zips up to 10.50-an-hour outjumping the 10.20 of the Living Wage Foundation and the 8.75 National Living Wage in London a legacy of George Osborne. Outside the capital Amazon is pledging 9.50 an hour. Critics will say Amazon can afford to be generous because it pays minimal corporation tax and wins from lower business rates because it operates from warehouse space rather than the High Street. Maybe. But it will mean more spending power for Amazon workers and could begin the process of restoring squeezed household incomes. Two cheers . . . Thousands of Ryanair customers are being urged to claim compensation after their flights were cancelled during strike action last Friday. Up to 250 flights did not take off as a result of the 24-hour walk-out in European countries including Spain, Italy and Portugal. Ryanair is refusing to pay compensation because the strikes, carried out by a tiny minority of staff, were out of its control. Ryanair refused to pay compensation to customers whose flights were delayed as a result of strikes - but the CAA said passengers should apply anyway But the aviation watchdog is advising passengers that they should still make a claim. A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) says: Passengers have the right to seek compensation under EU legislation when flights are delayed by three hours or more, cancelled or when they are denied boarding. It is our view that when a flight cancellation is caused by strike action by the airlines employees, the airline is required to pay compensation if it has not warned passengers of the cancellation at least two weeks prior to the scheduled time of departure. If you have already complained to Ryanair and are unhappy with the response, refer your case to the Aviation Alternative Dispute Resolution service. You can do this for free online at aviationadr.org.uk or call 0203 540 8063. Tesla founder Elon Musk, pictured smoking a marijuana joint on a podcast recently, has agreed to step down as chairman Tesla shares rose more than 17 per cent last night after co-founder Elon Musk settled with US authorities over fraud charges and stepped down as chairman. The electric car makers billionaire boss was fined 15million by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and agreed to resign as chairman but stay on as chief executive as part of the deal. Teslas shares bounced back from a sharp drop last week which saw more than 3.8billion off its value. Musk (pictured left smoking a marijuana joint on a podcast recently) was accused by the SEC of false and misleading tweets suggesting he could take the company private. The 47-year-old father of six told his 22m Twitter followers in August that he had secured funding to take Tesla into private ownership at a price of $420 per share. As part of the deal, Tesla will appoint an independent chairman, two independent directors, and a board committee to set controls over Musks communications. Ben Kallo, an analyst at investment group Baird, said Musks settlement with the SEC is positive for all stakeholders and should allow Tesla to return its focus to producing quality cars. At first glance, there is nothing special about Churchill Court in Harrow. With its nondescript brick buildings and gated car park tucked behind a railway line, it looks like many other office blocks dotted across modern Britain. But this anonymous site on the outer edge of London is at the heart of a money-laundering scandal that allegedly stretches all the way to the Kremlin and is threatening to overwhelm one of Europes biggest lenders, Denmarks Danske Bank. Churchill Court is the given address of Lantana Trade LLP, a secretive British company which was a major Danske client and is reportedly linked to Russian premier Vladimir Putin himself. Dirty money: It is claimed that the Estonian branch of Danske laundered as much as 175bn of toxic cash for companies like Lantana It is now claimed that the Estonian branch of Danske laundered as much as 175bn of toxic cash for companies like Lantana. Lantana which was a customer of Danske for 11 months was a limited liability partnership (LLP), a type of British company which allows its real owners to hide who they are. It was registered to Churchill Court in Harrow although the firm is not thought to have employed any staff there and was officially owned by companies in the Marshall Islands and Seychelles, both seen as notorious tax havens. The allegations have triggered a crisis that forced Danskes chief executive Thomas Borgen to resign yesterday and sparked a criminal investigation in Britain the National Crime Agency is investigating the activities of one of the LLPs served by Danske. And there are fresh calls for the UK to crack down on dirty money flooding our financial system. Robert Barrington of campaign group Transparency International UK said: Whilst the Government has made a series of announcements about cracking down on dirty money, the UK still offers an array of services which have been abused by those looking to hide their illicit wealth. Its time the Government took strong action to ensure British companies cannot be abused for criminal activity and there is greater confidence in the integrity of the UK company register. Lantanas shady activities first came to light when Howard Wilkinson, head of markets at Danske in Estonia, started looking into some of the lenders customers and was shocked by what he found. He realised that Lantana had filed false accounts with British authorities, claiming it was a dormant firm doing nothing. In fact, millions of pounds a day were being transferred through Lantanas bank account as part of a complex series of transactions consistent with money-laundering behaviour. Further investigation suggested Lantana was linked to Promsberbank, a little-known bank in Podolsk, outside Moscow. Dirty money: Ex-Danske boss Thomas Borgen, left, and Russian president Vladimir Putin One member of this lenders board was Igor Putin, the cousin of Russias president. A major shareholder was Alexander Grigoriev, a banker who is alleged to have ties to Russian intelligence. After Danske carried out a preliminary investigation, its Estonia office was reportedly visited by two Russians, one of whom is said to have asked bank staff: Do you really feel you can walk home safely at night? Wilkinson told Danskes board in 2013 that British LLPs were the most popular way for shady customers in Estonia to shift money around. The Estonian branch handled cash on behalf of 15,000 foreign customers, and UK firms were the second-biggest client group within this number after Russians. In blistering notes to bosses, Wilkinson warned that Danske had breached regulatory requirements, behaved unethically and suffered a near-total process failure. But to begin with, his concerns were largely ignored partly because the Estonian operation was a prized money spinner. So when Wilkinson raised concerns, little was done. An audit team from Danske looked into the claims and the lender later decided to wind down the Estonian unit serving foreign customers but no action was taken against those responsible and the alarm was not raised with the authorities. Eventually a frustrated Wilkinson decided to go public. Danske launched a full internal investigation in 2017 and global anger mounted as the scale of the problem became clear. A report by law firm Bruun & Hjejle this month revealed that 175billionn of toxic cash had flowed through Danske, making it one of the biggest money laundering scandals of all time. Borgen, 54, was forced to resign but even this may not fully expose the true level of the debacle, as the law firm is a long-time partner of Danske and its conclusions have been dismissed as a whitewash by critics. One source who had seen the raw data handled by Bruun & Hjejle said its conclusions had let the board off the hook. European justice commissioner Vera Jourova said: This is the biggest scandal which we have now in Europe. Nearly 860 million was wiped off Royal Mails value after its chief executive warned profits would be far lower than expected. Just four months after taking over at the postal service, Rico Back said he was very disappointed with the way the business was performing. The 64-year-old German said profits this year would come in between 500 million and 550 million, significantly below the 694 million Royal Mail made last year. He blamed a 7 per cent fall in the number of letters being posted, dismal productivity and problems keeping a lid on costs. Disappointing: Royal Mail has taken a hit in profits, 4 months after Rico Back took over as CEO The surprise announcement at 3.27pm stunned the City. Shares fell 20 per cent in a matter of minutes before closing 18 per cent, or 85.7p down, at 391.4p wiping 857 million off the companys value. The business is now worth just 3.9 billion, setting the scene for it to be kicked out of the FTSE 100 index at the next reshuffle in December. And it is feared stamp prices will have to go up as the company fights to boost profits. The grim update was the latest setback for Royal Mail following one of the biggest shareholder revolts in British corporate history over the summer. Some 70 per cent of investors voted against pay for the companys bosses in July including the 2.7 million package given to Back on top of a 6 million golden hello. His predecessor Moya Greene was given a 2.6 million golden goodbye. To add to its woes, Royal Mail lost chairman Peter Long last month following a backlash over the way the company is run. Back, who has been in charge since June 1 while still living in Zurich, last night said: I am very disappointed about the performance we have had to announce today. This is clearly not an announcement we would ever have wanted to make. Nevertheless our view crystallised today and we had to tell you straight away. Helal Miah, investment research analyst at The Share Centre, said: After only a few months in charge, Rico Back has issued a shocking trading update to the market which was certainly unexpected. The reading is not pleasant at all for investors. It seems that Back is throwing out the baby with the bath water so that he can begin his tenure with a clean slate. Profits plunge: Shares in the Royal Mail fell by 20 per cent before closing at 18 percent Improving productivity was a key part of an agreement with trade unions this year following a battle over pensions. However, Back revealed that productivity improvement has been far slower than expected. Royal Mail expects to make cost savings of just 100 million this year, compared to the 230 million previously targeted. Back insisted the company would continue to increase dividend payments. Laith Khalaf, a senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Royal Mail is emerging from a difficult period of industrial negotiation and relations with the unions are no doubt strained. It looks like the resolutions to those problems have not yet delivered the desired results. Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at trading platform Markets, said: Not what investors want delivered through their letter boxes. Shares in Royal Mail dived after a really horrible profits warning. The deal with unions was hailed as a major breakthrough but it looks like the planned operational and productivity gains are not being delivered to the degree that management had hoped for, he said. Unions one, management nil by the looks of it. Aldi has promised a fresh supermarket price war after Tesco vowed to be the 'cheapest in town' with its discount chain Jack's. The German grocer pledged to be never beaten on price after raking in record sales of 10billion in the UK and Ireland last year, an increase of 16.4 per cent. Aldi is planning to open 130 stores over the next two years taking the total to more than 900 as demand for its low-cost groceries continues to soar. Aldi has pledged to be never beaten on price after raking in record sales of 10billion in the UK and Ireland last year, an increase of 16.4 per cent Profits jumped 26 per cent to 265.9million last year as it welcomed 15.8million customers through its doors one million more than the previous year. In what appeared to be a dig at Tesco following the launch of Jack's, Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK, said: 'While other grocers introduced more complexity into their businesses in their struggle to win back customers, we stuck to our guns and focused on doing what Aldi does best buying smart, staying lean, improving quality and keeping prices low.' The rise of Aldi and fellow German chain Lidl has worried traditional supermarkets which are losing customers to the pair. Sainsbury's and Asda are planning to join forces in a 14billion merger, partly in response to the increasing popularity of the discounters with British shoppers. And Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket, last month launched Jack's which has been described as a copycat version of Lidl and Aldi. But Hurley brushed off the potential threat. He said: 'It's important to stress that we will never be beaten on price.' Sainsbury's is going head to head with Boots and Superdrug with a major makeover of its beauty business which will include larger department store-style layouts and dedicated advisers. The supermarket will stock new brands and overhaul its own range which will feature 100 products. It is also launching The Fragrance Shop concessions in two of its stores. Delioveroo's revenue rose 116 per cent to 277m in 2017 but pre-tax losses widened from 129.1m in 2016 to 184.7m SALES FATTEN Food delivery group Deliveroo has reported another year of soaring sales, but losses also ballooned as the food delivery firm invested in expansion. Revenue rose 116 per cent to 277million in 2017 but pre-tax losses widened from 129.1million in 2016 to 184.7million as Deliveroo counted the cost of what it called major investments which totalled 100million. TOUGH TALK Former UBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli must face the consequences of his actions as he battles to avoid deportation, his former boss Oswald Grubel said. Grubel was forced to resign as the banks chief executive after Adoboli lost 1.5billion through illegal trades. Adoboli went to prison for fraud and is now seeking to avoid deportation to his native Ghana, where he has not lived since the age of four. PAPER FREE The owner of the New York Stock Exchange is betting on the growth of online mortgage documents as paper firms become a thing of the past. Intercontinental Exchange is preparing to take full control of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (Mers), which looks after the details of nearly 30m US homes. The mortgage industry is seeking to ditch paper, and ICE is betting Mers will hoover up vast amounts of business in coming years. MORALE BOOST Tech firm Sage Group is relaxing pressure on staff by axing a controversial system where its 13,795 workers were ranked by performance to try and make them hit targets. The switch comes after boss Stephen Kelly left last month. JOBS TAKEOVER Staffing and training group Staffline is buying rival Passionate About People, for an undisclosed sum. BERLIN BUY Engineer Rolls-Royce has bought a stake in Berlin-based energy storage start-up Qinous, with plans to help develop ways to store energy. PROFITS GUSH Oil and gas explorer Kuwait Energy which is being bought by United Energy Group for 376million said profits have soared more than 300 per cent to 30million. EASTERN DELIGHT Dividends awarded by companies based in the Asia Pacific region, excluding Japan, soared to a record high of 222.6billion in the year to July, a 15.9 per cent rise, according to asset manager Janus Henderson much higher than the 5.5 per cent rise across the rest of the world. Unilever bosses have been branded out of touch with shareholders amid growing opposition to plans to axe its British headquarters. The Anglo-Dutch company, whose brands include Marmite, Domestos and PG Tips, wants to abandon its legal home in the UK and base itself solely in the Netherlands. But the proposals have faced opposition from British shareholders with a string of major City institutions including Aviva Investors, Legal & General Investment Management and M&G vowing to block the move. Under fire: Unilever investors have criticised the way bosses, including chief exec Paul Polman (pictured), have treated them over the firm's plan to abandon its UK base With another fund manager joining the rebellion yesterday, there is a real risk that Unilever will lose a vote later this month. Taking aim at Unilever bosses, Job Curtis, who runs the City of London Investment Trust, said: It feels that they are out of touch with shareholders. They have not done their homework. Curtiss 1.5billion fund is part of savings firm Janus Henderson and owns fewer than 0.1 per cent of Unilever shares on the London Stock Exchange. Columbia Threadneedle which had previously only said it had concerns said yesterday it is now voting against the move. City sources said that Unilever bosses sound increasingly downhearted in talks about the plans. One insider said: Its as if they feel theyve lost already. The comments came as a financial adviser trade body criticised the voting arrangements amid fears that ordinary investors are being denied a fair say. Unilever chairman Marijn Dekkers (left) and chief financial officer Graeme Pitkethly (right) have been leading a charm offensive in London that has failed to impress The mounting opposition betrays deep anger over the way the plans have been handled by Unilever bosses. It is feared that ditching the UK will expose British investors to punishing Dutch taxes, although Unilever insists they will be protected. The stock will be removed from the FTSE 100 index if it axes its UK base as it will no longer be a British company meaning many investment funds will be forced to sell their holdings for whatever price they can get. Tug of war: Unilever's proposals to abandon its legal home in the UK and base itself solely in the Netherlands have faced opposition from British shareholders Unilever chairman Marijn Dekkers and chief financial officer Graeme Pitkethly have been leading a charm offensive in London that has failed to impress, and both could face calls to quit. Chief executive Paul Polman spent much of last week at a United Nations conference in New York, where he also met US shareholders. One senior insider said: The way the company has engaged with shareholders has gone down really badly. Where is Paul Polman? If hes this great chief executive, why isnt he here? Unilever must win the support of investors who hold 75 per cent of its London shares for the move to take place. It must also get backing from more than 50pc of individual shareholders who vote. Shares fell 0.6 per cent, or 27p, to 4200.5p yesterday. A Unilever spokesman said: We have held around 200 meetings with shareholders over the last six months and will continue to engage extensively in the weeks ahead. Tens of thousands of Amazon's British workers are to be handed a pay rise after it bowed to criticism over low wages. The online retailer said its staff in London would receive a minimum of 10.50 an hour from November 1, with those outside the capital earning at least 9.50 per hour. It means some 37,000 will receive an increase of at least 18.8 per cent, the company said. In the US Amazon is also increasing its lowest wage to $15 (11.50) per hour. Amazon said staff in London would receive a minimum of 10.50 an hour from November 1, with those outside the capital earning at least 9.50 per hour The pay rise follows criticism of pay and 'horrendous' working conditions at the firm's warehouses. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's boss and the world's richest man, said: 'We listened to our critics, thought hard about what we wanted to do, and decided we want to lead.' Under the changes, a share scheme will be phased out and replaced with a stock purchase plan, Amazon added. Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said: 'I'm glad Amazon has heeded GMB union's long-standing calls to pay people, at the very least, the minimum they need to live. Though given their owner is the richest man in the world you'd think he could see fit to dig a little deeper but it's a start.' The statutory living wage for adults is 7.83 an hour, while rates recommended by the Living Wage Foundation are 10.20 per hour in London and 8.75 outside the capital. Courtesy Nancy Seltzer and AssociatesPart III of Garth Brooks autobiographical The Anthology is coming next month, and will focus on the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Years legendary live performances. The book will also include the new Triple Live project that chronicles Garths most recent World Tour. Garth gave away a limited number of digital copies of the concert album in September via Ticketmaster. In all, the multimedia project will include five CDs and 52 live recordings, as well as more than 100 behind-the-scenes and performance photos. It also boasts more than ten augmented reality experiences, which you can access by focusing the Garth Live app on the pictures in the book. The Anthology|Part III LIVE traces the Country Music Hall of Famers live performance roots from his first chance to play at Nashvilles Opryland USA at 19 -- an opportunity he missed because his dad wanted him to go to college instead. From there, Garth would play Willies Saloon in Stillwater, Oklahoma, before launching his career opening for Reba McEntire, The Judds and Kenny Rogers. It also chronicles Garth's mega-concerts, from New York Citys Central Park to Irelands Croke Park. The Anthology|Part III LIVE is set to arrive November 20, a year after Part I|The First Five Years. Its the second of five planned volumes. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Theres a lot of country bands around and I love listening to them, Ferrier said. You also hear the 80s cover bands, and sometimes a little bit of hard rock. We thought especially with doing the fish boil, bluegrass is different and its a family-friendly sound. The kids like it. The adults like it. Royal Mail was last night accused of handing its current and former bosses huge rewards for failure after a shock profit warning sent shares crashing 25pc. Nearly 1.2billion has been wiped off the value of the company since Monday afternoon when boss Rico Back revealed profits would come in between 500million and 550million this year well below the 694million it made last year. To make matters worse for investors, analysts believe the dividend could be under threat, while households also face the prospect of paying higher prices for stamps as Royal Mail seeks to bolster its finances. Under fire: Outgoing Royal Mail chief exec Moya Greene and head of the remuneration committee Orna Ni Chionna The turmoil sparked a further backlash over fat-cat pay at the delivery firm. Royal Mail suffered one of the biggest shareholder revolts in UK corporate history over the summer when 70 per cent of investors voted against excessive pay in the boardroom including a 2.4million golden goodbye for outgoing chief executive Moya Greene and a 6million golden hello for Back, her replacement, who started in June. Last night critics said those pay deals, signed off by former chairman Peter Long, his replacement Les Owen and Orna Ni-Chionna, head of the remuneration committee, seemed even more egregious in light of the company's plummeting fortunes. Cliff Weight, from individual shareholder society Sharesoc, said: 'With the benefit of hindsight, it rather looks like rewards for failure. The remuneration committee has serious questions to answer and I will be going to the next AGM to ask them.' Under a deal struck with the Government before Royal Mail was privatised, Greene was handed a 914,000 payment for loss of office after she stepped down on June 1. Separately she also continued to collect her bonus and salary until September as well as being in line for a possible 251,951 shares depending on performance. Their value has fallen by about 298,000 in the past few days to about 903,000. Back, 64, who is running Royal Mail from his home in Zurich, was paid 6million to buy him out of his contract with Royal Mail subsidiary GLS. Shares eventually recovered yesterday to end the day down 8.4 per cent, or 32.8p, at 358.6p. A Royal Mail spokesman said: 'It is right to honour contractual entitlements, as we would for any employee. 'Our strong balance sheet and long-term cash generation characteristics support our commitment to our progressive dividend policy.' Investor panic: Italian borrowing costs have surged to their highest in more than four years Italian borrowing costs have surged to their highest in more than four years as investors panic over the future of the country. Investors dumped government bonds over fears Italys ruling anti-establishment coalition is about to embark on a dangerous spending spree. The parties in power have said they plan to run a budget deficit of 2.4 per cent next year spooking international markets because it already has a massive 2.1 trillion debt pile. There are also fears the European Union will not tolerate the plan, triggering a confrontation which could reignite the eurozone crisis. Fears were stoked after Claudio Borghi of the ruling League party, said: I am very convinced that with its own currency Italy would solve the majority of its problems. But Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte insisted Italy is committed to the euro. The jitters pushed the yields on ten-year bonds which rise during a sell-off as the price of debt falls up above 3.4 per cent, their highest since March 2014. Help To Buy homeowners who want to switch to a cheaper mortgage face long delays and hefty administration fees costing them hundreds of pounds. It typically takes around three months to switch your mortgage to a new lender, or about a month if you are remortgaging with your existing bank. But experts warn this process could take double the usual time for Help To Buy borrowers, because it is more convoluted. Help to Buy homeowners face long delays if they looking to change to a cheaper mortgage Those who do not leave enough time to complete the complex paperwork risk ending up on their bank's standard variable rate, which is typically far more expensive. Homeowners may also find they have to pay large administration fees and that their choice of deals is very limited. The Help To Buy scheme was launched in 2013 to help kick-start the housing market. Families received a Government loan for 20 per cent of the property value, or up to 40 per cent for a house in London, and the debt was interest-free for five years. It meant that they could then get a mortgage from a bank or building society with just a 5 per cent deposit. However, unlike with a normal mortgage, the Government was given a stake in the buyer's home. So, if the value of the property rose, the buyer would have to pay back more than the sum they borrowed but if it dropped, they would pay back less. Now, as the interest-free period comes to an end for the first 14,000 borrowers, they face a host of hidden problems. When they signed up to the scheme, house prices were forecast to rise. This was supposed to help buyers build up equity they could then use to pay off their debt to the Government. However, the market has been stagnant in many areas and not everyone has seen the value of their home go up. So, as the first wave of five-year government loans comes to an end, some borrowers instead face the prospect of remortgaging without repaying any of the debt. Homeowners who cannot yet repay their government loan face interest set at 1.75 per cent. On a 40,000 debt, this would equate to 700 a year. These homeowners also face a limited choice, because only around 40 out of the 316 Help To Buy deals on the market allow borrowers to remortgage without paying off any of their equity loan. James Chidgey, new homes and Help To Buy manager at the Mortgage Advice Bureau, says: 'Mortgage lenders would rather you pay off the loan in full. 'It's not fair on borrowers that so many mortgage lenders want to help them buy a home, but will not help with their remortgaging options.' What you need to know about Help to Buy Help to Buy is hugely controversial but it has also done what it says on the tin by helping a lot of people to buy homes. So, is borrowing 20 per cent interest-free for five years to buy a new-build home a decent deal as a buyer? What are the things you need to consider before signing up? And why is it considered a bad economic move? Find out that and more on this special excerpt from the This is Money podcast. Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at Apple Podcasts, Acast, Spotify and Audioboom or visit our This is Money Podcast page. Experts say that even those who are able to repay their loan in part or full also face expensive fees and limited deals. If you can repay the loan in full, you will first need to instruct an independent valuer to work out what your property is worth. This is so Homes England can work out the current value of the stake that it holds in your home. You must then send Homes England this figure, along with your mortgage and solicitor details, as well as a cheque for a 200 admin fee. Homes England will then calculate how much you owe the Government and provide your solicitor with a final settlement figure. This is supposed to be done within seven to 14 days but Daniel Bailey, managing director of the mortgage broker Middleton Finance, says the process can often take as long as six months and cost five times as much as a standard remortgage. Mr Bailey says: 'A straightforward remortgage often comes with a free valuation and money towards solicitor fees. But a homeowner I recently advised paid 1,100 as she had to pay for the independent valuation and her new mortgage deal did not come with free legal support because she was repaying her government loan in full.' Help to Buy scheme has helped home owners get on the ladder but now issues are arising However, if you can clear the full loan balance, there are around 15 lenders and dozens of Help To Buy remortgage deals for borrowers with a 10 per cent deposit to pick from. If you decide that you want to repay part of your government loan, then you must be able to repay at least 50 per cent of it in one go. There are only six lenders, including Barclays, TSB, Halifax and Newcastle BS, that offer remortgage deals where you can repay just part of your Help To Buy loan. The Government has set up a website to explain to Help To Buy borrowers how to remortgage. Alternatively, call 0345 848 0235 or write to: Target HCA, PO Box 911, Newport NP20 9PA. Mr Bailey adds: 'I would urge anyone with a Help To Buy mortgage to get expert help from an adviser and start looking for a new deal six months ahead of their fixed rate coming to end to avoid paying higher standard variable rate interest.' Chocolate lovers rejoice: Poundland's now famous Twin Peaks bar is making a defiant return - almost a year after the launch was delayed due to legal problems. The discount high street chain found itself embroiled in a legal row with Toblerone's owner, Mondelez, after the chocolate giant accused the store of knocking off its iconic treat. But Poundland got around the issue by giving it a new shape. The new Twin Peaks bar has slanting hills rather than rocky mountains, said to replicate the peaks and troughs of Shropshire's Wrekin and Ercall hills. Hills: The popular chocolate bar is now said to replicate the Shropshire hills with its new design Last year, the Twin Peaks bar had two peaks instead of one - and was 'deceptively and confusingly similar' to the iconic Swiss bar, according to Mondelez. But Poundland's lawyers argued that the shape could no longer be trademarked after Mondelez controversially widened the gaps between peaks. Chocoholics looking to get their hands on the delicacy will have to wait until Friday. The bars, like before, will weigh 180g and cost 1. This is 30g more chocolate than a Toblerone and it is said to have a 'distinctive British flavour' compared to Toblerone's Swiss chocolate nougat. White chocolate fans will also be happy to know the new stock will cater for them but these will be on a limited release. They will also have to wait a week longer - until Friday, 12 October - before they become available in stores. Chris Burns, Poundland trading controller, said: 'We're delighted that Twin Peaks will become a permanent part of our range from next month and we can't wait for our customers to try both flavours'. Poundland sold the bars last December with a limited release of half a million but it proved such a hit with customers, the chocolate bar became the fastest selling item in the store's 28-year history. The revival of the Twin Peaks chocolate bar is sure to have fans buzzing with excitement The popularity was such that they were selling online at one point for up to 15 times the original cost. Toblerone used to be one of Poundland's biggest sellers until the size of the bars were reduced by 'shrinkflation'. The space between the peaks in its own bars had to be increased to compensate for higher production costs. Poundland are now unable to sell Toblerone, after existing stock is gone, as the store claims that Mondelez will no longer supply them. There is not enough analysis data for El Paso Electric. 3.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes El Paso Electric has received 256 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes El Paso Electric has received 192 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment El Paso Electric has received 57.14% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about El Paso Electric and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Kendall added that the schools counseling staff also uses the dogs, giving students an option if they are talking about difficult things. Otherwise, Junebug and Ruby hang out in the library or cafeteria, where students have study hall. Kendall does not let them out during food service in the cafeteria, because hes afraid of how much they might be tempted to eat. 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(6), Pablo Creek Services Inc., Pafco Insurance Company, Pembridge Insurance Company, PlumChoice Business Services Inc., PlumChoice Inc., Protection Plan Group Inc., Right Answer Insurance Agency LLC, Road Bay Investments LLC, ST Product Care Corp, Signature Agency Inc., Signature Motor Club Inc., Signature Motor Club of California Inc., Signature Nationwide Auto Club of California Inc., Signatures Nationwide Auto Club Inc., SquareTrade Australia Pty Ltd, SquareTrade Canada Inc., SquareTrade Europe Limited, SquareTrade Holding Company Inc., SquareTrade Inc. (7), SquareTrade Insurance Services Inc., SquareTrade Limited, SquareTrade Protection Solutions Inc., SquareTradeGo Inc., Tech-Cor LLC, and West Plaza RE Holdings LLC. State Sen. Terry Link, the countys Democratic Party chairman, said that the request came from Democrats, although he did not personally contact the clerks office. He said the pictures are clearly within 100 feet of the future early-voting site, violating the state statute on electioneering within that distance. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Douglass said it started in the top floor apartment. There was heavy smoke and water damage throughout the structure, which has two basement apartments and three apartments on two more levels, he added. ROTTERDAM Just days after defending his practice of hiring officers with troubled pasts, Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino fired one of those employees after the deputy's arrest early Monday for allegedly beating his girlfriend. Vincent Stone's career as a patrol officer with the Rotterdam Police Department ended in 2015, the year after he was arrested for allegedly fighting with Schenectady police called to investigate allegations of a domestic dispute at an apartment. Despite the earlier incident, Dagostino agreed to hire Stone earlier this year. He was assigned to the road patrol in March and was on probation as a new employee. His new arrest bears similarities to the earlier incident. That case ended with the charges dismissed and the case sealed in Schenectady. Rotterdam police said they were called to Stone's home at 11:23 p.m. Sunday to investigate an assault. Police found Stone and a woman who had wounds to her face, Lt. Jeff Collins said Tuesday. Stone was charged early Monday with misdemeanor assault. "We're obviously very disappointed but, as I've said before, these folks know what the expectations are and if they don't live up to them they won't be with us," Dagostino said Tuesday. The sheriff said he fired Stone hours after the arrest. Stone's name can be added to the list of about 50 employees at the county jail who since 2010 when Dagostino became sheriff have been fired or forced out after allegedly running afoul of the law. Stone was part of a group of deputies and at least one jail guard who Dagostino hired after the lawmen left other police agencies following mostly off-duty incidents, some of which resulted in criminal charges. Dagostino defended the practice in a story that was published in the Times Union on Monday. "I have a history of making some controversial hires that have worked out in my favor," said Dagostino in an interview last week. "A singular incident doesn't define a career." The article was prompted by the revelation that Dagostino hired his stepson, Daniel Coppola, who left the Schenectady police force soon after after serving a weeks-long unpaid suspension stemming from an alcohol-related off-duty vehicle crash in the spring. The two-year veteran of the force was initially charged with two misdemeanors, and ultimately pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired. The sheriff's department has even hired Schenectady police officers who were accused of wrongdoing. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. In 2008, Eric Reyell, Andrew Karaskiewicz and another Schenectady police officer were suspended and then indicted for not filling out proper paperwork after they allegedly beat a man in a McDonald's parking lot on Union Street and again a few blocks away at McClellan and Union streets after a DWI traffic stop. Reyell and Karaskiewicz later went to work for the sheriff's department. Dagostino insisted his hiring practices have allowed him to add seasoned police officers to his department. "Sometimes the people who have made mistakes in the past that have truly learned from them ultimately become better officers as a result," Dagostino said last week. "We're a relatively small department, and with that we have the ability to supervise our people a little bit closer than most." After his early Monday morning arraignment, the 38-year-old Stone returned to Town Court on Monday night and was released on his own recognizance, court officials said. He's due back in court on Oct. 22. Stone, whose father is a retired Rotterdam police sergeant, had eight years on the force when he resigned from his previous job in 2015. Troy The Blackhawk helicopter scheduled to land Tuesday at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to kick off the new vertical aeronautics engineering school was grounded due to bad weather. Inside, the U.S. Army's technology director said the venerable aircraft, which has been in service for some three decades, will be making way for a future that belongs to smaller but deadly unmanned drones with artificial intelligence that can swarm targets without human intervention, if necessary. Drones will be faster, cheaper and lighter than the five-ton Blackhawks, which cost about $22 million apiece, and even the next-generation helicopters now now being developed, said Jeff Singleton, a 34-year civilian engineer who is now technology director for the Army. The Army is including so-called "vertical lift" aeronautics which is the specialty of RPI's new Center for Mobility with Vertical Lift (MOVE) as one of six key areas in a $6.2 billion innovation effort, Singleton said during the center's kick-off meeting. A large helicopter like the Blackhawk needs air superiority to reduce risks to its four-man crew, but unmanned drones can operate in more hostile skies without risking soldiers' lives, he said. Without a human crew to protect, the drones would require much less armor, making them lighter and faster than manned aircraft. The Army also wants drones, Singleton said, that are able to carry weapons or cargo farther, and have advanced artificial intelligence that will allow the craft by itself, in a group or as part of a force including manned aircraft to pick out and attack targets even without being directed by a human operator who could be hundreds of miles away or more. "The drone swarms will have to think. The swarms will have to respond to their drivers," said Singleton, who manages a $2.4 billion annual technology budget. He started with the Army in the early 1980s as a researcher specializing in rotorcraft dynamics, structural mechanics, and aeromechanics. MOVE Director Farhan Gandhi, who also directs RPI's aerospace program, said the center currently has 10 RPI faculty and two affiliated faculty, and 21 doctoral students. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Fueled by explosive growth in the emergent field of electric VTOL aircraft (vertical take-off and landing), as well as the U.S. Defense Department's interest in high-speed VTOL aircraft, vertical lift technology is undergoing a major renaissance and is at one of the most exciting points in its development history," said Gandhi. The new center is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, as well as aircraft makers Sikorsky, Boeing, and Chinese-owned Terrafugia, which is developing a flying car. Other support comes from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, National Rotorcraft Technology Center, Aviation Applied Technology Directorate, Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center, Office of Naval Research, and the Israel Ministry of Defense. He was immersed in the spirit of volunteerism and was a champion of Lake Bluff, said Village President Kathy OHara, who noted she initially became acquainted with Hart when she taught his children. He was always there and I never heard him say an unkind word about anybody. He was a great guy, I wish we had more like him around town. Troy Ocean State Job Lot said it will fill 50 full- and part-time jobs at its new store at Hudson Valley Plaza, 81 Vandenburgh Ave. in Troy. The store is expected to open in mid-November. Applicants may apply online at oceanstatejoblot.com/careers or in person at the Rensselaer County One Stop Career Center, 1600 7th Ave., in downtown Troy, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Ocean State Job Lot operates 131 discount stores in New England, New York and New Jersey. Troy The Capital Region Economic Development Council's list of 2018 priority projects in line for tens of millions of dollars in funding from the state include a $29 million renovation of the Palace Theatre in Albany, a $56 million pharmaceutical plant in Rotterdam, a $2 million artificial intelligence center in Troy and a $4.1 million slope-side inn at Gore Mountain in North Creek. A copy of a report listing the requests and many of the details is here. This year's requests begin on page 60. The Capital Region council is one of 10 regional councils across the state that are seeking a share of $750 million in state economic development awards this year. Last year, the state awarded the Capital Region council $85 million for various projects. It is unclear what the total request is by the Capital Region council this year based on an initial reading of the report. The artificial intelligence project, known as the AI Center of Excellence, or AI CoE, is seeking more than $1 million in state funding. Expected partners in the project include Microsoft, IBM, Columbia University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and others. The AI CoE will be located in a 34,000-square-foot building in Troy's central business district. The council is also seeking $5 million from Empire State Development for the University at Albany's $26 million renovation of the former Albany High School, now the Schuyler Building, at UAlbany's downtown campus. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The building is slated to house 1,200 students and faculty as part of UAlbany's new College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. The pharmaceutical plant would be located at the Rotterdam Corporate Park and would cost the plant's owner, PiSA BioPharm, $56 million. PiSA BioPharm, which has offices in Albany, is seeking a $5 million grant for the project, which would create 50 new jobs and retain 15. "The proposed new facility would be equipped with specialized manufacturing lines to accommodate the state-of-the-art equipment required to produce and package sterile injectables and specialized biomedical supplies," the local council report states. "PiSA BioPharm utilizes an internship program in collaboration with local colleges in Mexico. The company is currently exploring a similar partnership that aligns with Schenectady County Community College's Biological Technician A.A.S. program." The council is also seeking funding for $5.5 million in upgrades to SPAC, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. SKIP DICKSTEIN When the Capital Region's unemployment rate in August fell to 3.7 percent, it was the lowest for the month that it had been in a dozen years. But for many employees, the question is when a tight job market will begin to boost wages. Employers have complained for some time that jobs are hard to fill. The Times Union's upcoming job fair, for example, has attracted a wide range of employers more than 50 recruiters and exhibitors to the Albany Marriott hotel on Wolf Road in Colonie on Monday. Albany I'm not sure how anyone could watch Christine Blasey Ford last week and not believe she's the victim of a trauma. She was authentic and real, and her testimony, before an audience of millions, was downright heroic. But Brett Kavanaugh was also convincing as he denied allegations, his anger the understandable reaction of a man who feels falsely accused of heinous crimes. As he fought to save his reputation, the judge came across as believing what he was saying. The fair-minded viewer could be flummoxed by it all. How can conflicting but credible testimonies be reconciled? Obviously, one of the two must be wrong. As I considered it all over the weekend, and rewatched some of the testimony, I found myself thinking about the Child Victims Act and how the mess surrounding Kavanaugh bolsters arguments in support of the proposed legislation and also against it. The Child Victims Act, debated by the state Legislature for more than a decade, would extend New York's shamefully restrictive statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. That part of the law is not controversial. The legislation would also enact a one-year window during which victims could bring lawsuits for past abuse. That is controversial. Proponents say the legislation recognizes that victims of childhood sexual abuse often take decades to come to terms with what happened and to build the strength needed to confront a perpetrator. Ford's experience illustrates that. The psychology professor believes she was assaulted by Kavanaugh when they were both in high school. It wasn't until decades later, she says, that she came to understand the alleged attack as a traumatic event with a lasting impact on her life, and she didn't tell anyone, even her husband, the full details until 2012. Even when Ford reached out to a member of Congress after Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, she hoped to levy the accusation anonymously. Ford then agonized over whether to come forward, before deciding she needed to describe the alleged assault in her own words. "I am here because I believe it is my civic duty to tell you what happened to me," Ford said to the Senate Judiciary Committee. More Information Contact columnist Chris Churchill at 518-454-5442 or email cchurchill@timesunion.com See More Collapse As authentic as Ford was, there is no independent evidence or corroboration to support her accusation. We don't have to think she's lying to acknowledge that her story could be inaccurate. We can side with victims while conceding that no human being is infallible. Meanwhile, Kavanaugh's emphatic denials are also not backed by much in the way of proof, which is not surprising given how much time has passed. Long before the Kavanaugh hearings, opponents of the Child Victims Act were saying that it would present us with similarly difficult cases and would therefore be wholly unfair to the accused. Statutes of limitations exist, they say, for good reasons, including the unreliability of our memories. In testimony to the Legislature, the New York State Catholic Conference said the act would force the accused "to defend alleged conduct decades ago about which they have no knowledge, and in which they had no role, potentially involving employees long retired, dead or infirm, based on information long lost, if it ever existed." That would be "contrary to justice," the group added, "because simply too much time has gone by in many cases to mount an effective defense." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Certainly, there are significant ways in which cases under the Child Victims Act would be wholly dissimilar to the Kavanaugh mess. For one, they would involve adult crimes against children, and not, as alleged by Ford, one juvenile assaulting another. Two, they would be decided in courts, where the standards and consequences would be entirely different. The Senate, of course, is only trying to determine Kavanaugh's fitness for the Supreme Court in the wake of Ford's allegation. It is not charged with determining Kavanaugh's guilt or whether Ford is telling the truth. Public opinion is surprise, surprise divided along partisan lines. According to a new Quinnipiac poll, Republicans overwhelmingly believe Kavanaugh while Democrats overwhelmingly side with Ford. Independents lean her way, but not by much. Republicans say Kavanaugh is honest, Democrats say he isn't and everybody else is split down the middle. The problem with the poll is that its questions are binary. It was possible to watch last week's hearings and believe both Ford and Kavanaugh. The most rational position is to admit we don't know what happened. We probably never will. The Child Victims Act would similarly raise questions without easy or conclusive answers. That's undeniable. But there will also be cases with evidence that's persuasive enough for courts to make a decision, often to the benefit of victims who have been scarred by abuse and have waited too long for justice. That is no small thing. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill Albany Tom Keefe sprinted several blocks up Washington Avenue and arrived sweating and out of breath at the research library of the Albany Institute of History and Art. The 66-year-old political items collector, a national authority on campaign buttons and memorabilia, "started hyperventilating" the moment he got a shocking call from Jack McEneny, the Albany historian. McEneny told Keefe, a collector of American political history items since he was 12, that the Albany Institute had an 1801 broadside that attacked Vice President Aaron Burr, a Jeffersonian Republican, by calling him a philanderer who frequented houses of prostitution and led a life of debauchery. "Those don't exist," Keefe told McEneny, who encouraged the former City Court Judge to see for himself. Keefe put down the phone and dashed to the Institute. He was stunned when he read the vitriolic anti-Burr screed printed on a one-page flier. Two centuries ago, the fliers would have been nailed to tavern doors, public squares and warehouse walls. Keefe felt his heart racing. His head was swimming. He could not believe what he was seeing, because for decades he and his fellow collectors had preached the conventional wisdom about what seemed to be self-evident truths confirmed by scholars: There was no political campaign material generated for the first five presidents during the first decades of the young republic. More for you Lock of Washington's hair discovered at Union College But here was irrefutable proof, clad in clear plastic archival sleeves, that the talks he had delivered for decades as a noted collector and past president of the New York chapter of the American Political Items Collectors were dead wrong. Keefe's entire narrative as a collector was unraveling. He and other political memorabilia aficionados assumed that there were no political items from the earliest years of the republic because they had not been discovered, despite hundreds of serious collectors scouring estate sales, auctions and archives. In the early 1800s, only freeholders, or wealthy landowners, who represented fewer than 10 percent of New York's residents, were eligible to vote in political campaigns. Since voting was only for the elite who already had access to state legislators and the levers of power, there was little need to sway them with political campaigning. At least, that was the theory. And then came the broadsides. "Would you like to see the rest of them?" Albany Institute curator Diane Shewchuk asked Keefe after he settled in at the archives, still winded from his sprint. "What are you talking about?" said Keefe, his mind was already blown. "We have a whole collection of broadsides from DeWitt Clinton's estate," she said. Indeed, Shewchuk brought out an oversized archival box of early broadsides, and Keefe stood and stared, dumbfounded, mouth agape. It turns out that Keefe and all the other political memorabilia collectors across America had been misled because this was an extraordinary cache of broadsides sheets of rag paper printed with a strong partisan political message and posted publicly that had been long ago forgotten at the Albany Institute. They were essentially long, nasty tweets more than two centuries before Twitter was launched. The broadsides made news in the March 12, 1911 edition of the Albany Argus newspaper, which reported in a front-page article beneath a large headline: Important Find of Old "Broadsides." The broadsides were "found tucked away in a dark closet in the basement" of the Albany Institute. They were deemed "the most important historical find in the way of printed material that has been made in Albany in the past decade or so." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The broadsides were collected by Gov. DeWitt Clinton, a Jeffersonian Republican and driving force behind the Erie Canal derisively nicknamed "Clinton's ditch." When Clinton died of a heart attack in 1828 in Albany in the governor's residence downtown (prior to the Executive Mansion on Eagle Street) he was financially destitute. Creditors auctioned off his possessions to pay off deep debts. Somehow, the broadsides, which had both historical and commercial value as political artifacts, were rescued from the auctioneers and preserved. Credit for their preservation goes to Clinton's sons and a friend of their father, Dr. Samuel Springer, a prominent Albany surgeon who was an Albany Institute board member. Springer arranged to have them donated to the Institute's permanent collection. The DeWitt Clinton collection numbers more than 100 broadsides that span the years of 1791 to 1813. They range in size from 8 by 11 inches to 2 by 3 feet. Most are printed on just one side, but some contain front and back text. They are well-preserved, the type is clear and they are easy to read. The Albany Institute had them professionally conserved in the 1960s. "These were ephemeral political messages that were never meant to be saved or to survive," Shewchuk said. "That's what makes them so rare. I learn something new about political history every time I read them." At Keefe's urging, Albany Institute's staff has agreed to allow a collection of the broadsides to be displayed on Oct. 12 at the political memorabilia show organized by the local chapter of the American Political Items Collectors. The broadsides will be on view from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 at the Ramada Plaza hotel, 3 Watervliet Ave., Albany. There is no charge to view the broadsides. The political items sale with 40 exhibitors from across the Northeast continues on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Saturday entry fee is $3. "This is a rare opportunity for people who appreciate early American political history to see these broadsides," Keefe said. "After this, they'll go back into archives storage at the Albany Institute." One of Keefe's favorite broadsides was printed to influence DeWitt Clinton's campaign for president against James Madison in 1812. The broadside urged Albany County state senator and Assembly members, who chose electors to the electoral college, to back Clinton. The broadside appealed to voters to attend a Republican rally at the Columbian Hotel in downtown Albany on Nov. 6, 1812. Madison ended up defeating Clinton, 128 to 89 electoral votes. "There is not another known DeWitt Clinton presidential broadside anywhere in the world," Keefe said. "The Albany Institute has six different versions. It's really remarkable." Keefe has volunteered to catalog and document the DeWitt Clinton collection of broadsides. His thorough notes have grown to more than 100 pages and he has only halfway finished. "I'm still hyperventilating over seeing all those broadsides," said Keefe, who spoke in a rapid-fire fashion and waved his arms vigorously. "I can't stop talking about them." Paul Grondahl is the director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com Longtime state Sen. Neil Breslin, who represents residents in Albany and part of Rensselaer County, will face a familiar challenger in the 44th District. Cohoes Republican Christopher Davis, 34, is back again after being defeated two years ago for the seat, which the 76-year-old Democrat has held since the district was created in 2012. Breslin, seeking his 11th two-year term, was first elected to the Senate in 1996. In terms of enrollment, the numbers are skewed. People on both sides of the aisle, they come together when they see a lot of issues like corruption, or see a representative for decades at a time, Davis said. Thats something that gives us a better shot this time around. Residents of the district that includes the cities of Albany, Cohoes and Troy, will get the opportunity to weigh in Nov. 6. Davis said hes learned from his first run hes more strategic when campaigning (he cant knock on every door) and the problems he highlighted the last time he ran have only gotten worse. The state continues to be rocked by corruption and scandals, infrastructure continues to crumble, and communication to constituents remains lackluster, Davis said. He identified infrastructure, drinking water, tax policies, school quality and neighborhood safety as top concerns that need to be addressed. The ground were standing on is literally crumbling beneath us. We have basic service needs that are not being met right now, he said. Thats something that resonates with a lot of people. Breslin said issues of jobs in the cities he represents, proper distribution of funds for infrastructure improvements and election reform remain at the top of the list. But constituents also face problems on a national level, with property owners unable to deduct state and local taxes and pursuing healthcare for all. Affordable healthcare is something Breslin is passionate about, and with a skill focus on insurance, Breslin said he can be part of the conversation. The easiest one to say and the most difficult to achieve is a resolution finally on affordable healthcare for all, Breslin said. I think it would be difficult with the current president and without some sort of a federal push. Breslin, who is an attorney, has helped pass legislation that reformed healthcare practices and life insurance policies. He is the ranking member of the senates Insurance Committee and was the longest serving President of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. Those ties to insurance companies are disconcerting, Davis said. Breslin has received thousands in campaign donations from insurance companies and political action committees representing them over the years, campaign finance records show. I would say that its wrong to take that special interest money, Davis said. The way I look at it is, youre more likely to do a favor for who is giving you all this money. Breslin said hes supported legislation that required review of insurance companies requesting a rate increase, a measure disliked by the corporations. My objective is not to focus on who supports me financially, he said. It would never influence a decision that I make. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. More Information 44th Senate District Sen. Neil Breslin (D,I,WFP) Christopher Davis (R,C, REF) District: All of Albany County and parts of Rensselaer County. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. See More Collapse Davis faces an uphill battle in the 44th Senate District, where Democrats outnumber Republicans by about three to one. In 2016, he got 29 percent of the vote. Republicans still control the Senate by a narrow majority, but recent trends in elections across the country suggest voters may turn blue. People are tired of government the way it has been in New York state, Breslin said. There is an opportunity for Democrats to become the majority. The odds havent deterred Davis, who believes constituents are itching for change and wants to offer a fresh voice and perspective to the district. "I talked about the need to really fight for investment in this area, particularly for infrastructure," Davis said. "People want to drive on safe roads, they want to drink water that's clean and doesn't have heavy metals in it." Davis points to his extensive experience in public the health field to offer a different perspective while understanding how government operates. Davis is a contractor with Health Research Inc. for the state Department of Health on policy and regulation. Both men seek to address the education system, tackle infrastructure issues, and pursue election reform Davis supports term limits for state senators. Breslin wants to ensure there are no barriers to voting. I absolutely believe that there is an obligation to us as Democrats who have preached for so long to make it much easier to register to vote, much easier to vote and easier for all to vote, Breslin said. ALBANY New York's Drinking Water Quality Council will need more time to review new science before recommending limits on federally unregulated contaminants in New York's water sources. The 12-member council, created in September 2017 and overseen by the state Health Department, was tasked with creating recommendations for maximum contamination levels for chemicals including PFOA, PFOS and 1,4-dioxane in drinking water by the one-year anniversary of its first meeting. That deadline came and went on Tuesday. In lieu of the report, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's office instead announced $200 million in grant funding for filtration systems and infrastructure to help communities address the emerging chemicals that have wreaked havoc on Hoosick Falls, Newburgh and Long Island, among others. "While the federal government fails to set national standards and guidelines for safe drinking water, New York is prepared to take action in the absence of federal leadership," Cuomo said. "This funding will ensure communities have the technology and support they need to provide their residents with quality drinking water, creating a safer, healthier New York for all." A Health Department spokesman said the agency anticipates the council's recommendations will be released for public comment in late November or early December, and that the report will address a broader range of emerging contaminants. That pushes the release of the potentially controversial recommendations beyond November's elections. The council, lead by state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, was created to address what are broadly viewed as major deficiencies in federal regulations. The federal Environmental Protection Agency sets guidance levels for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water at 70 parts per trillion (ppt). A new federal report has since found that the EPA's guidance level is far higher than what is safe for public health. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a subsidiary of the federal Health Department, suggests levels should be at least 10 times lower. Federal requirements also fail to mandate screening for these chemicals in water sources serving communities of less than 10,000 a key reason why Hoosick Falls, which has a population of 3,000, fell under the radar and became the site of what residents and environmental groups see as a massive water contamination scandal. Brad Hutton, New York's Deputy Commissioner for Public Health, said the delay was a result of "making sure that we got it right in terms of the new science, coming up with an approach for a wider range of perfluorinated contaminants, and designing and putting in place a grant program to provide funding for (dealing with) these emerging contaminants." He said health officials are currently working with a consortium of states to identify a number of other toxic chemicals that are currently unregulated by the federal government. The Council is scheduled to meet again on Oct. 17 to review some of these findings. A coalition of environmental activists, including residents of Hoosick Falls, gathered at the state Capitol last week to call on Cuomo to immediately establish more stringent state guidelines for the toxins. While new filtration systems are helpful, they are no replacement for comprehensive screening requirements and lower limits on contamination levels, according to Liz Moran, water and natural resources director for Environmental Advocates of New York. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "This funding is a sidestep," Moran said of the governor's announcement. "Statewide guidance is, frankly, the first step to addressing this issue. And the fact that it's taking this long is very curious." Moran noted that other states had surpassed New York in efforts to protect citizens from these chemicals. Vermont has already created limits on PFOA levels, and New Jersey has released recommendations for maximum contamination levels. Of the grant funding awarded on Tuesday, $185 million will be available to communities across the state to upgrade drinking water treatment systems. The remaining $15 million has been awarded to communities already pursuing system upgrades and innovative pilot technologies to treat the emerging contaminants. While advanced treatment systems require operational maintenance, carbon filtration like the systems that are currently in effect in Hoosick Falls can filter out these chemicals to undetectable levels, according to health officials. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food and other water-resistant materials. The solvent 1,4-dioxane is used in a variety of industrial and commercial applications, such as in the manufacture of other chemicals, and in adhesives and sealants. All three have been linked to various maladies in humans, including several forms of cancer. ALBANY After four hours of deliberation, a federal jury on Monday concluded that former East Greenbush schools Superintendent Angela Nagle was not wronged by the school board when they let her go in 2016. They didnt renew her contract and she left at the end of that school year. Nagle had been seeking more than $4 million in a lawsuit, contending that the school board wanted to get rid of her after she became pregnant. But jurors found that she wasnt the victim of discrimination due to her gender or pregnancy. There was no violation, the school districts co-counsel Paul Mullin said after the jury rendered its verdict. The board had reasons (for letting Nagle go) that they articulated throughout the trial. Im disappointed, Nagles lawyer, Ryan Finn, said as Nagle left the courtroom after the verdict, which came at the end of the day on Monday. Hours earlier, Finn and the school districts lead counsel, Malcom OHara, gave their closing arguments before the jury and federal Magistrate Andrew Baxter. The trial lasted almost two weeks. Finn early on had argued that board members gave Nagle a cold shoulder around 2014 after she said she was pregnant. She gave birth to premature twins who required hospitalization and Nagle took several months off. By the time her contract came due in 2016, the board had essentially cut off contact with her, Finn contended. That Nagles contract was not a permanent appointment was not in dispute, Finn said in his summation. The problem under discrimination law is when you take action for an illegal reason, he said. But defense lawyer OHara argued that superintendents are let go all the time and that Nagle had an eight-year run with the district. Superintendents, he added, have an average tenure in many districts of about six years. There is no actual evidence of discrimination in this case, said OHara. This is not an appointment for life. He argued that Nagles relationship with the school board started to go bad before she announced her pregnancy in 2014. He noted that as early as 2011 she had made inquiries about getting a job at the neighboring Troy school district. More for you Ex-superintendent sues, claiming pregnancy discrimination Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The plaintiffs relationship with the board was deteriorating prior to her pregnancy, OHara said. And he noted that in April 2015, when the board said i t wasn't likely to renew the contract, Nagle filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Essentially, OHara argued, the school boards decision not to extend her contract had nothing to do with her pregnancy. The board was not required to extend the contract simply because she was pregnant. Nagle at the time of the dispute was one of the regions highest-paid superintendents earning $197,000. With benefits her total compensation was approximately a quarter million dollars per year. Finn is with the E. Stewart Jones, Hacker, Murphy firm and OHara is with Bartlett, Pontiff. Mullin is with the Sugarman firm. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518 454 5758 @RickKarlinTU New York State Police ST. JOHNSVILLE State Police continue to search for 21-year-old Michaela MacVilla, who has been missing for nearly a week. Troopers said MacVilla was last seen at about 12:10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, leaving work at the Stewart's Shop on West Main Street in St. Johnsville, Montgomery County. ALBANY A popular campaign issue for Senate Republicans is the focus of two public hearings with five weeks until Election Day. For five hours on Monday, the state Senate's crime and elections committees heard testimony about the state's parole practices and an executive order from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo that restored the voting rights of more than 24,000 felons on parole. Senate Republicans have seized on both issues to promote a law and order agenda in advance of this fall's elections, when control of the chamber is up for grabs. The tightly controlled conversation with the invited guests largely centered on the state Board of Parole's procedures, with the second half of the script turning to the governor's executive order providing conditional pardons to thousands of ex-convicts. In April, Republicans began sounding the alarm about sex offenders voting in schools as the result of Cuomo's plan to issue conditional pardons to people on parole so they could vote again. Sex offenders who completed parole are already allowed to vote in schools. In advance of last month's primaries, Republican legislative candidates in the Capital Region warned voters their children's safety was in jeopardy and even proposed revoking voting rights for sex offenders. Senate Elections Committee Chair Fred Akshar, a Binghamton Republican, said during Monday's hearing in Albany that the move from the governor smacked of "political posturing," implying that the action was designed to appeal to his liberal base and increase the number of eligible voters who might be inclined to support his re-election. If Cuomo was looking for a boost from paroled sex offenders in his race for the Democratic nomination against Cynthia Nixon, which he won easily, it doesn't appear he got any help. New York State Council of School Superintendents Deputy Director Robert Lowry testified that he was only aware of 10 paroled sex offenders whose polling places were at a school having filed requests to vote, and with only one receiving permission. A lack of interest among sex offenders was echoed by Victor Antonio Perez, speaking on the behalf of parole officers in New York. Still, that didn't mean the rollout of the governor's executive order was smooth, according to Perez. He said parole officers were told to "drop everything we were doing," including executing search warrants, to deliver the conditional pardons. "Being the good soldiers that we are, we did exactly that," Perez said. Todd Valentine, the Republican co-director for the state Board of Elections, also testified that the rollout of the pardons was bumpy, complaining about a lack of direction until weeks after the April executive order. "There was no warning or consultation between the state Board of Elections anc executive branch," he wrote in his prepared remarks. Officials from the Cuomo administration turned down a request to testify, and instead submitted written remarks. Alphonso David, the governor's chief counsel, defended the legality of the executive order and wrote that the use of clemency in these cases was an appropriate response to laws borne out of 19th century racial prejudices. Senate crimes Chair Patrick Gallivan, an Erie County Republican, maintained that Cuomo "usurped" the Legislature's powers with his actions. He also highlighted numerous challenges in the parole process during the hearings, including the abundant caseloads that board members are faced with and the burdens placed on victims or their families. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The hearings had been condemned by activists before they began. "Let's be clear, these hearings are racist political tactics aimed at fear-mongering voters in battleground state Senate districts," said David George, of Release Aging People in Prison. Senate Democrats on the committees were allowed to participate, but declined to attend on Monday. "We felt there was no need to take part in a political meeting set up by the Senate GOP," said Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy. Groups like Release Aging People in Prison believe there is more the governor can do to foster the release of incarcerated New Yorkers, such as filling the seven vacant seats on the 19-member board and replacing certain board members with people who believe rehabilitation is possible. Activists also hope the governor will sign a bill on his desk that will increase the amount of data available about parole decisions. George said the potential for more information about the race of a convict and their age at the time of an offense are important metrics for the public to know about. Some studies have found the board disproportionately denies parole to black applicants and a different review process is supposed to be applied based on crimes committed while a minor. The Senate is scheduled to hold a second hearing in Nassau County on Tuesday. Gallivan said the committees will produce recommendations on reforming the parole process following the hearings, but a timeline isn't set. It's unlikely that any changes will gain traction in the Democratic controlled state Assembly. David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87 We have both sadness and excitement for you, she said. Well definitely miss you and well be counting all the meetings we will have with you, but we will also be very excited for you for your next chapter. ALBANY The New York State Museum's historians and scientists will share their knowledge and research in "Brain Food for the Curious," a series of lunchtime talks that begins next week and runs through the winter. The series of half-hour talks will be held on select Tuesdays beginning at 12:10 p.m. in the museum's Huxley Theater. Each program includes a 20-minute talk with a State Museum historian or scientist followed by a question-and-answer period. Attendees are encouraged to bring their lunch. Here's the schedule of "Brain Food for the Curious" talks for the 2018-19 season: "70 Years of Racing History at Watkins Glen" (Tuesday): In 1948 the first postwar road racing event in the United States was held in and around the village of Watkins Glen, N.Y. Seventy years later auto racing is still a driving force for this small Finger Lakes community. Join History Curator Stephen C. Loughman as he explores 70 years of auto racing history at Watkins Glen. "Wonders of the State Museum" (Oct. 16): The New York State Museum has evolved and changed many times over its 183-year history. For more than 60 years of its history the museum was housed on the fifth floor of the Education Building and looms large in the memories of those who visited there. Join History Technician Kara Chambers as she covers major milestones in the history of the State Museum. "Take a Tour of the Grand Erie Canal in the 1820s" (Oct. 23): Learn about travel as a tourist on the Erie Canal with Senior Historian and Curator Brad Utter. Using guide books from the 1820s, take a theoretical trip along the canal from New York City to Buffalo. "A Sneak Peek of the Historic Woodstock Art Colony/Arthur A. Anderson Collection and Exhibition" (Oct. 30): Long before the 1969 music festival, Woodstock was home to an art colony that was founded in 1902 and is still flourishing today. The remarkable range of work produced there has been the focus of collector Arthur Anderson for three decades. He recently donated his entire collection, some 1,500 objects by 170 artists, to the State Museum. Join Senior Historian and Museum Curator of Art and Culture Karen Quinn for a sneak peek of both the collection and the forthcoming exhibition opening in November. "Tourmaline: Beautiful and Versatile" (Nov. 6): The tourmalines are chemically one of the most complicated groups of silicate minerals. Because of their properties, physicists in the 18th century considered them a key to connecting theories on heat, electricity, optics, and magnetism. Dr. Marian Lupulescu, curator of geology, will guide you on a journey through the beautiful tourmaline world. "Early Watercraft in the Northeast" (Nov. 20): Boatbuilding and water-borne travel have a long history in the Americas, pre-dating the arrival of European explorers by millennia. Seafaring and travel along inland waterways likely played a key role in the earliest settlement and dispersal of human groups throughout the Western Hemisphere. Join archaeologist Dr. Daria Merwin for a look at the archaeological and historical evidence of early watercraft in the Northeast. "Meltwater Mayhem and the Last Ice Age (Dec. 11): The last Ice Age culminated with complete burial of New York State by the Laurentide Ice Sheet about 25,000 years ago. Join Dr. Andrew Kozlowski, Curator of Quaternary Landscape Materials, as he provides an overview of large-scale floods, landforms, and landscape produced by spectacular meltwater events in New York State. "What is Ethnography, and Why Is It Important to the NYSM Contemporary Native Art Collection?" (Dec. 18): Have you ever wondered what a cultural anthropologist at a museum actually does? Why is there an ethnology collection at the State Museum, and what is in it? Meet Dr. Gwen Saul, curator of ethnography and ethnology, and learn more about the collections and current ethnographic research. "The Snails Have Landed! Meet New York's Terrestrial Snails" (Jan. 8): New York is home to over 100 species of land snails, yet these fascinating mollusks are often overlooked. Where do they live? What evolutionary adaptations have allowed them to live on land? Museum Malacologist Dr. Denise Mayer will discuss these and other questions, offering a glimpse into the intriguing lives of New York's land snails. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Objects of Slavery and Freedom in the New York State Museum's Historical Archaeology Collection" (Jan. 22): This talk will focus on cowrie shells (shells used as money or adornment) and bilboes (iron restraints) in the historical archaeology collections. Curator of Historical Archaeology Dr. Michael Lucas will use these examples to discuss their general role in the transatlantic slave trade and will then look at how these objects were also used or re-interpreted as symbols of liberation and freedom. "Mystery of the Missing Ice Age Predators of New York" (Feb. 5): Surprisingly, New York has no predator fossils that date from the Ice Age. But, could we expect to have had species such as the iconic sabertooth tiger or dire wolf? Curator of Pleistocene Vertebrate Paleontology Dr. Robert S. Feranec will discuss why there aren't any fossil predators known so far, as well as what species we might expect to find. "Late Pleistocene Peoples in Western New York" (Feb. 19): When, how, and from where did Native Americans migrate into western New York? Dr. Jonathan Lothrop, curator of archaeology, reviews current archaeological evidence for the presence of first peoples in this region, their relationships with Paleoindian groups in eastern New York and beyond, and their adaptations to the Ice Age landscapes of western New York. "Time-Traveling to the Catskills 380 Million Years Ago" (March 5): Join Curator of Sedimentary Rocks Dr. Chuck Ver Straeten on a time travel journey to the Catskills 380 million years ago. Just before you push "GO," picture today's Catskills. In contrast, you arrive on a broad lowland with winding rivers, and broad floodplains slope gently westward to a coastline near Oneonta, beyond which a shallow sea extends west to Iowa. Looking east, four-mile-high peaks jaggedly cut high into the sky. Forests of odd trees and shrubby vegetation dot the lands, populated only by small insects, centipedes, and spiders. "Natural History Collections, Next-generation DNA Sequencing, and the Evolution of Birds" (March 19): Are penguins closely related to ducks? Are flamingos just goofy-looking herons, or are they something completely different? Curators of bird-specimen collections study the evolutionary relationships of birds using the fossil record and modern DNA-sequencing technologies. Dr. Jeremy Kirchman, NYSM's curator of birds, will explain how a new revolution in DNA laboratory methods has changed what we know about bird evolution. "Earth's Earliest Life" (March 26): The simplest lifeforms on Earth today are bacteria, and it is likely that Earth's first living organisms were similar. But how do we recognize something as small and simple as a bacterium in the fossil record? State Paleontologist Dr. Lisa Amati will present evidence about when and where the first life evolved on Earth and how we identify it. Further information about programs and events at the State Museum can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting http://www.nysm.nysed.gov. ALBANY A Castleton-on-Hudson woman who says she was assaulted by a New York State trooper who swatted a cell phone out of her hand plans to sue the state. Brittany Kilcher filed a notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, on Friday with state Attorney General saying that she suffered assault, battery and false imprisonment. The notice also states that her First Amendment rights were violated when the trooper allegedly used excessive force, including asking assisting officers to put her in handcuffs, to stop her from recording her July encounter with the trooper. She is seeking damages to recover legal fees and loss of wages and compensation for emotional duress and physical injuries. "I'm not out for a bunch of money," Kilcher said. "I want to recover my costs and raise awareness. It's a violation of the First and Fourth amendments. I had a right to video." The encounter between Kilcher and Trooper Andrea Hall occurred July 15, 2018, after the truck Kilcher was riding in was rear-ended on Route 50 in Saratoga Springs. Kilcher said she and a group of five others were leaving a Jason Aldean concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center when the pick-up was struck from behind by a car driven by a Ballston Spa teen. The accident report filed by police indicates the car was following the truck too closely. "We were rear-ended," Kilcher said. "We were victims and were at zero percent at fault. I was happy to see the police." Kilcher said she began to record the incident, which she posted on her Facebook page, after the Trooper Hall approached the truck she was in. "I had no intention of recording until the trooper started yelling at the driver to get out of the car and to keep our hands where she could see them," Kilcher said. "She was using a lot of profanity, but calmed down when she saw my phone." The video shows the trooper asking the driver to step out. The video then shows the trooper telling Kilcher to "put her phone down right now." Kilcher responded, "I'm not doing anything illegal." It then appears to show the trooper's hand approaching Kilcher's phone and video goes black. In her deposition, Kilcher said the trooper then "grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the truck, which resulted in several bruises to my right arm." At that time, Kilcher tried to record again, but the trooper took her phone and threw it back in the truck, her deposition indicates. She said she was then placed in handcuffs by a Saratoga Springs police officer who was assisting on the scene. Kilcher said that she also requested medical attention because her hand hurt and she hit her head during the crash. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. More for you Video: Smart phone encounter after SPAC concert leads to charge "She ignored my request for medical attention," Kilcher told the Times Union. In her deposition, she said the trooper laughed at her request. Saratoga Springs police brought her to their station where she was charged with harassment. Kilcher said that city police did provide her with medical attention, which she received at about 1 a.m. and that her hand was wrapped in an ace bandage. "I had to call into work the next day," Kilcher said. "I had to undergo chiropractic care and physical therapy." At the time of the arrest, Saratoga Springs police Spokesman Lt. Robert Jillson said Kilcher tried to kick an officer, a charge Kilcher denies. In July, Jillson said the department would conduct an internal investigation. Saratoga Springs Police Chief Gregory Veitch did not return a phone call on the incident. It is unclear if the investigation was conducted, and if so, if it is complete and what it showed. The State Police Public Information office said it cannot comment on pending litigation. Kilcher will expected back Saratoga Springs court on Nov. 29 on the harassment charge. Kilcher's attorney,Lee Kindlon, declined to comment. Our democracy is in grave danger. The upcoming congressional elections are crucial. We have a president who caters solely to society's most extreme factions. This is an ominous sign since it's exactly opposite of how leaders in a democracy behave. Politicians who reject coalition building embrace undemocratic means to keep power. Antics like voter suppression, rejecting unfavorable election outcomes and encouraging the threat of violence emerge. A pilot project being undertaken in Nenagh Hospital as part of the international #EndPjparalysis campaign aims to get patients out of bed, dressed and moving for a faster and healthier return home. The #EndPjParalyis campaign was first coined by Professor Brian Dolan, Honorary Professor in Healthcare, University of Salford in late 2016 but the risks of prolonged immobility have been understood for decades. In a British Medical Journal paper in 1947, Dr Raj Asher described The Dangers of Going to Bed. He outlined the clinical risks of keeping patients in their pyjamas, arguing that bed rest should be prescribed and not assumed. The premise behind this international campaign is very simple and is an umbrella term for the promotion of early mobility and increased function. In recent times, once patients arrive in hospital they normally stay in their pyjamas or a hospital gown until they are discharged. This goes against both conventional wisdom and research, so the goal of #EndPjparalysis is to get patients up, dressed and moving. The Nenagh pilot project is a joint initiative of nursing staff and health and social care professionals (HSCPs) working in Nenagh and will concentrate on two medical wards over 50 days. It was launched on Wednesday, September 26th, so the local campaign will coincide with Positive Ageing Week. Ward staff have completed education sessions and the project steering group have developed information leaflets for patients and families. The campaign aims to reduce harm, enhance dignity and promote speedier recovery and ultimately reduce length of stay. Patients over 80 years old who spend more than 10 days in a hospital bed lose 10 per cent of muscle tone as deconditioning is a major cause of prolonged harm during and following hospital admissions (Gill et al 2004). Instead of patients being poorly in pyjamas, where clinically appropriate, we aim to encourage patients to get into their own clothes each day and move about, just as they usually would at home. In increasing patients and their families engagement in patient care, this initiative aims to empower patients to maintain their mobility, function and identity. Elaine Ryan, CNM 1, Medical 2 Ward, Nenagh Hospital, said: As we all know and realise, everyone wants to return home as soon as is possible when admitted to hospital, so we as health professionals want to facilitate this transition as best we can. We hope this initiative will help both us and the patient in achieving this goal of a faster and healthier return to home. Aoife Synnott, Physiotherapist and Project Lead: In recent times we are seeing more and more that patients are becoming deconditioned as a result of a hospital admission due to long period spent in bed, more so than they would at home. We hope to change the mindset from having to wear pyjamas in hospital and stay in bed to show that patients can get dressed and stay moving as we would at home. This will in turn help patients to stay strong, so that when time for discharge comes they are ready and its no longer delayed due to weakness or frailty. And Fiona Steed; Group Lead Allied Health, UL Hospitals Group, commented: I am delighted to support this initiative in Nenagh Hospital. Research has proven the benefits of getting patients dressed and out of bed in a timely manner. #EndPJParalysis is an international movement and I would like to thank Aoife, the physiotherapy and nursing teams in Nenagh Hospital for piloting this initiative. She said the first semester-long IT class would be a hands-on look at the hardware and software used to power personal computers and information systems. Students would design, configure and install IT systems, as well as diagnose, troubleshoot, and repair issues. October 02, 2018 Black Friday (News - Alert) spelled the doom of the online gambling industry in America in 2011 as that forced iGaming operators to wind up operations in the United States. Today, there are only four states which have legalized online gambling and they are Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. While online gambling is banned in most of the other states, offshore gaming operators have targeted US players by offering them a variety of online casino games such as poker, blackjack, baccarat, slots and jackpots. There are quite a number of offshore online casino operators who are licensed in different countries yet offers services in the U.S.A. even though they don't have a license to operate in America. Some of the top iGaming sites in the world are licensed in places like Malta, Curacao and Antigua and offer reputed online gambling services to US players. The reason they offer online casino services is because there is a great demand in the US for such games. Where US Players Can Find Offshore Casinos It is not difficult for US players to find a reputed and licensed offshore casino provider. A great place to do so is at NoDepositHero.com. The team at NoDepositHero.com have spent countless hours researching and shortlisting the very best offshore online casinos that offer no deposit bonuses to US players and have listed them out. These offshore casinos are licensed, have a great online gaming portfolio, promote a fair gaming environment, have multiple banking options that work for US based players and also provide US players a great range of bonuses and promotions. America Slowly Opening Up to Online Gambling US players have faced problems in the past when a number of online casino sites suddenly went bust and US players lost millions of dollars. This forced the DoJ to come down hard on iGaming operators resulting in the infamous Black Friday. While Black Friday is a thing of the past, many online gamblers are concerned about playing at online casinos as they are not sure if they will be able to collect their winnings. Hence it is vitally important for them to find quality and reputed offshore casino providers who have stellar market reputation. The fact remains that there will always be a few bad apples in the industry and it is these fraudulent online casinos that give the industry a bad name. This is why it becomes critical for US players to have a reliable source when it comes to recommending offshore online casino operators. While it is always recommended for a player to do their due diligence in choosing the online casino they want to play with, they can save themselves a lot of time by going to a reputed site such as NoDepositHero which has put together a tried and trusted list of offshore gaming providers. Offshore Gaming Providers State authorities will only crackdown on domestic and local iGaming providers who have their servers within a US state which has banned online gambling. Since offshore providers have their servers located outside America, they face no problems from US authorities and players are happy to gambling online. When you are selecting an offshore provider, there are a number of strict criteria that you need to keep in mind. Always look for an offshore provider that is licensed and regulated by a known governing body. Reputed offshore online casinos targeting US players, usually tend to list their licensing information towards the bottom of their home page or in the About Us section. US players can also check the Contact Us page to see if the offshore operator has listed their physical address and a contact number. If you do not find licensing details or proper contact information, consider it as a red flag. The top offshore casino providers not only list this information upfront but also tie up with reputed software developers such as Microgaming, RealTimeGaming, NetEnt and Evolution Gaming. They will usually have an audit certification from a reputed provider such as eCogra and promote both responsible gambling and fair gaming. Why The US Is an Attractive Market Since online gambling is banned in most states across America, offshore operators continue to target the US market as it provides them with a lucrative opportunity to cater to the needs of millions of American players. These offshore providers allow US players to make deposits and withdrawals with popular payment options such as Visa, MasterCard (News - Alert) , Bank Transfer and even cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. US authorities so far have not caused any problems for offshore providers because there have not been any reports of major scams involving US based players in the last few years. So if you are a based in the US and are looking for a reputed offshore casino provider, check out No Deposit Hero and pick an online casino that works best for your style of play. [October 02, 2018] CRTC denies FairPlay Canada's application on piracy websites on jurisdictional grounds OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - The CRTC today denied FairPlay Canada's application to implement a proposed website-blocking regime to address copyright piracy because it does not have the jurisdiction under the Telecommunications Act. As such, the CRTC did not consider the merits of the proposal. FairPlay Canada had requested that the CRTC create a regime that would identify websites and online services that are engaged in copyright piracy and require Internet service providers to block access to those websites and services. Copyright piracy causes harm to the Canadian broadcasting system and the economy. The CRTC is of the view, however, that other avenues are more suitable to address this issue, which include the ongoing parliamentary review of the Copyright Act, as well as the expert panel review of the Telecommunications Act and the Broadcasting Act. Quick Facts Copyright piracy generally refers to the distribution or use of content without the copyright holder's consent and without payent. The Copyright Act provides a regime to deal with copyright issues, and Parliament has not granted copyright jurisdiction to the CRTC through the Telecommunications Act. Ask a question or make a complaint Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter @CRTCeng Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/crtceng SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission [October 01, 2018] BrainChip Acquires License to Cybersecurity Technology Company enters into an agreement with Democritus University of Thrace SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BrainChip Holdings Ltd. (BrainChip or the Company) (ASX:BRN), the leading neuromorphic computing company, today announced that the Company has entered into an agreement with the Democritus University of Thrace, located in Greece. The agreement consists of a license to their cybersecurity technology and their researchers support in porting the technology to the AkidaTM Development Environment. The cybersecurity technology includes data-to-spike convertors and is specifically designed for network intrusion and anomaly detection using a spiking neural network (SNN) that can be accelerated by the Akida Neuromorphic System-on-Chip (NSoC). Professor Lazaros Iliadis, PhD, Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering, Lab of Mathematics and Informatics, School of Engineering at the Democritus University of Thrace is responsible for the program. He commented, We have been working with spiking neural networks for several years and our cybersecurity technology has proven highly accurate in detecting threats. The Akida NSoC is an ideal platform to accelerate our SNNs. Robert Beachler, BrainChip SVP of Marketing and Business Development commented, As the Akida NSoC design progresses it is important that we have proven examples of SNN models and data to spike convertors for our target markets. According to MarketsandMarkets, the artificial intelligence cybersecurity market is estimated to be US$35B by 2025 and this technology acquisition will jup-start our solutions in this lucrative application space. Peter van der Made, BrainChip Founder and CTO added, Working with the exceptional team at the Democritus University of Thrace will serve to increase our expertise and knowledge in the area of Cybersecurity and widen the reach of our low power and low latency Akida NSoC device. The transaction consideration will be incurred over several quarters and will not have a material impact on the Companys cash position. About Democritus University of Thrace Democritus University of Thrace was founded in June of 1973. It was named after the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus, who was born in the Thrace area. Today the university has eight Faculties which comprised of eighteen Departments with a total student population of twenty-six thousand. About BrainChip Holdings Ltd. (ASX: BRN) BrainChip Holdings Ltd. is a leading provider of neuromorphic computing solutions, a type of artificial intelligence that is inspired by the biology of the human neuron. The Companys revolutionary new spiking neural network technology can learn autonomously, evolve and associate information just like the human brain. The proprietary technology is fast, completely digital and consumes very low power. The Company provides software and hardware solutions that address the high-performance requirements in civil surveillance, gaming, financial technology, cybersecurity, ADAS, autonomous vehicles, and other advanced vision systems. www.brainchip.com Company Contact Robert Beachler rbeachler@brainchipinc.com +1 (949) 330-6750 Media Contact (US): Kerry McClenahan Publitek North America kerry.mcclenahan@publitek.com +1 (503) 546-1002 Investor Relations: ir@brainchipinc.com Media Contact (Europe): Nayl DSouza Publitek nayl.dsouza@publitek.com +44 20 3813 6423 Media Contact (Australia): Alexander Liddington-Cox Media and Capital Partners alex.liddingtoncox@mcpartners.com.au +61 474 701 469 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 01, 2018] The small drones market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.04% LONDON, Oct. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The small drones market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 17.04% during the forecast period. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3665911 The small drones market is projected to grow from USD 13.40 billion in 2018 to USD 40.31 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 17.04% during the forecast period. Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (SUAVs) are remotely piloted aerial vehicles that have a significant role in the defense as well as commercial sectors. SUAVs are commonly termed as small drones and are being increasingly used for border surveillance. They are also used in various commercial applications such as monitoring, surveying & mapping, precision agriculture, aerial remote sensing, and product delivery. Thus, the increasing use of small drones in commercial and military applications is one of the most significant factors projected to drive the growth of the small drones market. Exemptions made by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow the use of small drones in several industries are also contributing to the growth of the small drones market. Lack of air traffic management infrastructure for UAVs is one of the factors restraining the growth of this market. Based on type, the rotary wing UAVs segment is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018. Based on type, the rotary wing segment is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018. Rotary-wing drones have the ability of vertical take-off and landing, thereby making them suitable for use in commercial and military applications. Based on MTOW, the 5-25 kilograms segment is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018. Based on MTOW, the 5-25 kilograms segment is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018. The growth of this segment can be attributed to the extensive use of small drones by defense forces worldwide to achieve situational awareness for threat evaluation during ISR operations. North America is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018. The North American region is estimated to lead the small drones market in 2018.The US and Canada are key countries considered for market analysis in this region. The increase in defense expenditue of the US and Canada and the presence of major UAV manufacturers in North America are key factors contributing to the growth of the small drones market in this region. Break-up of profiles of primary participants for this report: By Company Type: Tier 1 35%, Tier 2 45%, and Tier 3 20% By Designation: C Level 35%, Manager Level 40%, and Director Level 25% By Region: North America 45%, Europe 20%, Asia Pacific 30%, and RoW 5% Key players operating in the small drones market include Northrop Grumman (US), Textron (US), Boeing (US), DJI ( China ), Parrot ( France ), 3D Robotics (US), and AeroVironment (US). Research Coverage This research study covers the segmentation of the small drones market on the basis of type (fixed wing, rotary wing, and hybrid/transitional), power source (lithium-ion, hybrid cells, solar cells, and fuel cells), application (military, civil & commercial, homeland security, and consumer), payload (cameras, CBRN sensors, electronic intelligence payload and radars), MTOW ( <5 kilograms, 5-25 kilograms, and 25-150 kilograms). These segments and subsegments are mapped across regions such as North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , the Middle East , Latin America , and Africa . The report provides in-depth market intelligence regarding key factors such as drivers, opportunities, and industry-specific challenges influencing the growth of the small drones market. It also offers an analysis of micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and their contribution to the small drones market.>Reasons to buy the report: From an insight perspective, the small drones market report focuses on various levels of analysesindustry analysis, market share analysis of top players, and company profiles, which together comprise and discuss basic views on the competitive landscape; high-growth regions & countries and their respective regulatory policies; and drivers, opportunities, and challenges. The small drones market report provides insights on the following pointers: Market Penetration: Information regarding the competitive landscape of the small drones market Market Sizing: The estimated market size in 2018 and projection of the market from 2018 to 2025 Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product launches in the small drones market Market Overview: Market dynamics and subsequent analysis of associated trends as well as drivers, opportunities, and challenges prevailing in the small drones market Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets the report analyzes the market for small drones across various regions Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the small drones market Regional Analysis: Factors influencing market share of North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , the Middle East , Latin America , and Africa Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of leading market players Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/3665911 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: sarah@reportbuyer.com Tel: +1 (718) 213 4904 Website: www.reportbuyer.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-small-drones-market-is-projected-to-grow-at-a-cagr-of-17-04-300721851.html SOURCE ReportBuyer [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 01, 2018] Wharton Research Data Services Announces Addition of Toyo Keizai, its First Japanese Database - Bringing Coverage for Listed Companies on Multiple Japanese Exchanges Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS), the leading data research platform and business intelligence tool for corporate, academic and government institutions worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Toyo Keizai, the first Japanese dataset offered on the WRDS platform. Toyo Keizai provides data on all listed companies (in ESTIMATES, FUNDAMENTALS and MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS), data of nearly 30,000 overseas affiliates of Japanese companies (in OVERSEAS COMPANIES), and ESG data on 1,400 companies ( CSR (News - Alert) ). A part of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, WRDS provides global corporations, universities and regulatory agencies the thought leadership, data access and insights needed to enable impactful research. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001006011/en/ TOYO KEIZAI DATA AVAILABLE Estimates Research annual (FY 1 and FY2) and interim estimates for items such as Sales, Operating Income, Ordinary Income, Net Income, as well as EPS and DPS, on daily basis. Coverage from 1985 for all listed companies in Japanese exchanges (excluding BOJ, Preferred stock, Foreign Stock, ETF, REIT, and Subsidiary tracking stock) Fundamentals Comprehensive financial statements for all listed companies in Japan are standardized and classified into 6 categories - Generals, Banks, Brokerages, Casualty Insurances, Life Insurances, and REITs. Coverage from 1972 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Information on 1,400 companies covering Human Resources, Governance, and Environment. Coverage from 2005 Major Shareholders Research the top 30 major shareholders. Coverage from 2002 for all listed companies in Japanese exchanges (excluding BOJ, Preferred stock, Foreign Stock, ETF, REIT, and Subsidiary tracking stock) Overseas Japanese Companies Evaluate information of overseas affiliated companies and parent company. Coverage from 1991 for 30,000 overseas affiliated companies and 5,000 parent companies in Japan "WRDS is delighted to add Toyo Keizai to our platform," said Robert Zarazowski, Managing Director of WRDS. "Data on global companies is more important than ever and WRDS is pleased to provide information that supports research on Japanese business and firms. I know this global perspective will be a wonderful addition to WRDS' suite of international datasets." "We are pleased and honored to partner with WRDS," said Kenichi Komahashi, President of Toyo Keizai. "Our company believes data is key to informed decision-making in business and we are excited to bring our data to WRDS users." RECENT RESEARCH WITH TOYO KEIZAI The Effect of National Corporate Responsibility Environment on Japanese MNCs' Location Choice, George Z. Peng (University of Regina) An Empirical Examination of Equity-Market Induced Earnings Management in Japan, Ahsan Habib (Hitotsubashi University - Graduate School of Commerce and Management) ABOUT TOYO KEIZAI Founded in 1895, Toyo Keizai Inc. is a leader in business publishing and a trusted commentator on Japanese politics and economics, always from a liberal perspective. From magazines, books on economics, management, business and investment, and a variety of other publications, to our on-line corporate information services, we provide a highly diversified range of business-related content. Ever since our founding, we have been aware that data is essential for rational discussion and thus have focused on collecting and distributing statistical and corporate data. We adopted computerization relatively early and have been providing data for securities firms and institutional investors on a daily basis since the early 1980's. Nowadays we are trusted by rating agencies worldwide as the sole provider of a vast store of information on all publicly traded companies in Japan, including earnings estimates based on our independent research and analysis. We deliver a range of highly reliable and unique content to meet these needs at a professional level. For more information see http://dbs.toyokeizai.net/en/. ABOUT WRDS Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) provides the leading business intelligence, data analytics, and financial research platform to global institutions ? enabling comprehensive thought leadership, historical analysis, and insight into the latest innovations in academic research. WRDS provides researchers with one location to access over 350 terabytes of data across multiple disciplines including Accounting, Banking, Economics, ESG, Finance, Healthcare, Insurance, Marketing, and Statistics. Flexible data delivery options include a powerful web query method that reduces research time, the WRDS Cloud for executing research and strategy development, and the WRDS client server using PCSAS, Matlab, and R. Our Analytics team, doctoral-level support and rigorous data review and validation give clients the confidence to tailor research within complex databases and create a wide range of reliable data models. An award-winning data research platform for over 50,000 commercial, academic, and government users in 35+ countries, WRDS is the global gold standard in data management and research ? all backed by the credibility and leadership of the Wharton School. About the Wharton School Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The Wharton School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 96,000 graduates. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001006011/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 01, 2018] HP and Johnson & Johnson challenge creative talents at Spikes Asia to transform consumer experience with digital print Japan team wins the Young Spikes Design Competition SINGAPORE, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Taro Taniwaki and Takayuki Ichida from HAKUHODO, Japan, beat nine other finalist teams in a 24-hour live brief challenge at Spikes Asia 2018. The 10 finalist teams were from Singapore, Japan, Philippines and Malaysia. They were selected out of 123 submissions from the first-round competition, which was open to advertising and communications executives aged 30 and under from across Asia Pacific. HP and Johnson & Johnson challenged the Young Spikes Design Competition teams to create a limited-edition baby-care gift set for Southeast Asia-based influencers, key opinion leaders and the Johnson's Baby online store. The brief was in support of Johnson's brand transformation to adapt to changing demographic and attitudes. The new product line containing fewer and simpler ingredients is designed to cater to the needs of their new target audience - millennial mums. "Creativity is the foundation of innovation," said Foo Siew Ting, Chief Marketing Officer, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc. "To inspire innovation, we brought together an ecosystem to support creative talent to shine on the biggest stage at the Young Spikes Competition. Through it, we have given the teams new possibilities for communicating their ideas through different platforms and channels. They have all shown how creativity can achieve business objectives to increase Johnson's brand engagement with their new audience." The winning team combined both a design that reflects Johnson's new gentle messaging and a feasible yet impactful online-to-offline brand experience that taps on a strong parenting insight and habits of millennial mums. They were selected by a four-member jury including three from Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific - Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Lilian Shieh, Head of Design and Richa Goswami, Head of Digital and Innovation and Puneet Chadha, Director, Marketing, Graphics Solutions Business, Asia Pacific and Japan, HP Inc. "I was blown away by the ideas, quality of thinking and attention to detail, all done in 24 hours," said Ganesh Bangalore, Senior Director, Marketing, Baby Care Franchise, Johnson & Johnson Asia Pacific. "We are thrilled and thankful that HP approached us to work together at Spikes Asia. It has not only given us some absolutely fresh and fabulous ideas to announce the new Johnson's to mums in Asia Pacific but also opened up tremendous opportunities to transform her experience with the brand through personalization, digitalized interaction and online-to-offline engagement." The teams worked on the HP Zbook Studio x360 and their works were printed at the HP Graphics Solutions Center of Excellence. "This is the best time of our lives," said Taniwaki and Ichida. "We made sure our idea was not just designing a gift set, but a campaign that creates impact and drives engagement. During the competition, the HP Zbook empowered us with a new way to create and now we want one for ourselves. The print is also beyond our expectations - we're so impressed with the quick turnaround and vivid colors." Follow HP Graphics on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn. To find out more about how brands have successfully used print in their campaigns and how you can do so, visit HP for Brands. About HP HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com. About JOHNSON'S For nearly 125 years, JOHNSON'S mission has been to create the gentlest baby products in the world. That's why we've continuously advanced our science and listened to parents around the world to reformulate and improve our products inside and out. Our standard of gentle guides every choice we make - for parents, their babies and the world. Because gentle is something the world can never have enough of. For more, visit www.JohnsonsBaby.com; https://www.johnsonsbaby.in/ Liveina Kumar HP Inc. Liveina.Kumar@hp.com Scott Lai Edelman for HP Inc. +65 9819 2323 Scott.lai@edelman.com Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181002/2253293-1 Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181002/2253293-1LOGO SOURCE HP [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Edgecore Networks Introduces Disaggregated PON OLTs OCP (News - Alert) Regional Summit - Edgecore Networks, the leader in open networking, today announced disaggregated open OLT products to enable service providers to deploy 10G PON services and GPON services with the lower costs and greater software control of SDN-managed open network infrastructures. Edgecore announced that its ASXvOLT16 10G PON OLT has been fully approved by the Open Compute Project as an OCP-Accepted product, which is immediately available and conforms to the "AT&T Open XGS-PON 1RU OLT" specification in OCP. Edgecore also announced it will contribute the complete hardware designs and introduce GPON OLT products in conformance with the " Deutsche Telekom (News - Alert) Open GPON-OLT Specification" that has been approved through the OCP Telco Project. "Edgecore has been working closely with leading service providers worldwide, and with the OCP, ONF and TIP communities to offer disaggregated hardware products that enable open network deployments for broadband access, edge computing, mobile backhaul, and edge switching use cases," said George Tchaparian, CEO, Edgecore Networks (News - Alert) . "The addition of open GPON OLTs to our OCP-Accepted 10G OLT, will allow service providers to offer a mix of PON services from an SDN-enabled open hardware and software infrastructure, thereby lowering costs and increasing service flexibility." The Edgecore ASGvOLT32 and ASGvOLT64 GPON OLTs will provide 32-ports and 64-ports respectively of GPON, with uplink ports of 2 x 100GbE and 8 x 25GbE. The ASXvOLT16 10G OLT provides 16 XFP ports supporting 10G XGS-PON or NG-PON2, plus 4 x 100GbE uplinks. The Edgecore open OLTs include the open source software components ONIE, Open Network Linux, Open Optical Monitoring (OOM) API, the Redfish hardware management API, and the OpenOLT Adapter (vOLTHA driver) for operation in SDN Enabled Broadband Access (SEBA) or R-CORD open infrastructures defined through the Open Network Foundation (ONF). The Edgecore open OLTs will also be compatible with commercial OLT software from Aricent (News - Alert) . The Edgecore XGS-PON OLT is commercially available as part of an end-to-end full turnkey solution from DASAN Zhone Solutions. The ASXvOLT16 10G PON OLT is available now. The ASGvOLT32 and ASGvOLT64 GPON OLTs will sample in Q1 and be available in volume in Q2 2019. Edgcore will be exhibiting the open OLTs, in addition to other open network products for data center and service provider networks, at the OCP Regional Summit in Amsterdam on Oct 1-2, the SDN NFV World Congress in The Hague on Oct 9-11, the TIP Summit in London on Oct 16-17, the Broadband World Forum in Berlin on Oct 23-25, and DCD>London on November 5-6. Supporting Quotes "The OCP Telco Project has been enabling true collaboration among service providers and vendors in the specification and designs of open PON OLTs to meet operator requirements to deliver scalable, manageable broadband access services. We are pleased that Edgecore will add to its OCP-Accepted XGS-PON OLT by contributing designs of open GPON OLTs in conformance to the Deutsche Telekom specification." - Bill Carter, CTO, OCP Foundation "The ONF has been leading collaborative work by service providers and vendors on deployable open broadband access solutions through the CORD platform and now through the SEBA reference design, with Edgecore as a significant hardware and software contributor. The ONF welcomes Edgecore's open OLTs which will allow operators to deploy GPON and 10G PON services with disaggregated whitebox hardware and open SDN-enabled software platforms." - Guru Parulkar, Executive Director, Open Networking Foundation and Stanford Platform Lab "Aricent is pleased to be partnering with Edgecore on the OCP Telco platforms. As demand for bandwidth grows exponentially, it is critical for robust networking technology to be in place to deliver a consistent service. Aricent Software Frameworks on Networking, 5G, Edge Compute and MANO enable equipment vendors to stay ahead of the continuous technology evolution curve. Aricent's SDN-enabled virtualized Access Solution (SDvAS), on the Edgecore ASXvOLT16 Open OLT platform enables rapid realization of disaggregated, SDN-enabled XGS-PON OLT deployments. Aricent SDvAS would also support the ASGvOLT32 and ASGvOLT64 GPON OLT platforms for deployments in 2019." - N. Mohan Rangan, Chief Engineering Officer and President Service Lines, Aricent "DZS believes that freedom of choice is a vital need among Communications Service Providers (CSPs), particularly those looking to deploy new generation broadband solutions with 10G PON. Therefore, we welcome Edgecore's partnership with their disaggregated XGS-PON OLT. As a complement to our portfolio of end-to-end 10G PON OLTs & ONTs, we will offer a hybrid disaggregated 10G PON OLT operating with DZS vNOS software in accordance with OCP/ONF principles. The DZS approach enables CSPs based on Data Center/CORD deployments to immediately offer 10G Broadband services with the ability to migrate via software upgrade to a pure SEBA or R-CORD open infrastructure." - Philip Yim, Chief Operating Officer, DASAN Zhone Solutions, Inc. About Edgecore Networks Edgecore Networks Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Accton Technology Corporation, the leading network ODM. Edgecore Networks delivers wired and wireless networking products and solutions through channel partners and system integrators worldwide for the Data Center, Service Provider, Enterprise and SMB customers. Edgecore Networks is the leader in open networking providing a full line of open WiFi (News - Alert) access points, packet transponders, virtual PON OLTs, cell site gateways, and 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G and 400G OCP-Accepted switches that offer choice of commercial and open source NOS and SDN software. For more information, visit www.edge-core.com. All trademarks, service marks, registered marks, or registered service marks are the property of their respective owners. 2018 Edgecore Networks. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Edgecore Networks shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001006066/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] KYMCO Ionex Expands Globally in Q4 Presenting at the Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition in Kobe, Japan and Unveiling "Ionex Commercial" in France in October KOBE, Japan, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- KYMCO attends the Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exhibition (EVS 31) at Kobe, Japan by invitation for the very first time. EVS 31 is one of the world's most influential exhibitions and the largest trade shows for electric vehicles and the ecosystem. The exhibition opened on October 1 and will last for four days. With the theme "Leading a Smart Society with New Mobility" this year, EVS 31 focuses on developing the blueprint of smart city accelerated by smart electric vehicles. EVS 31 serves as a global platform for over 200 companies from the world and gathers advocates from the industry, government, and academia. At EVS 31, KYMCO showcases the "Ionex" solution with test-ride opportunities. Later in October, KYCMO will launch "Ionex Commercial" in Paris, France. "KYMCO Ionex was created to offer an uncompromising electric vehicle solution for corporations, policy makers, and riders. KYMCO is committed to making an impact at the juncture of the most important transformatin in the transportation industry," said Allen Ko, Chairman of KYMCO. "We are honored to be invited to attend EVS 31 at Kobe to showcase KYMCO Ionex to the industry. We can all build smart cities together." Accelerating commercial transition to electric The attendance at EVS 31 demonstrates KYMCO's commitment to accelerating the transition to electric in the global commercial market. Ionex offers the flexibility of fast deployment and easy adaption for commercial users to successfully transition to electric without compromise. With the Ionex's versatile charging infrastructure, individuals, corporations and policy makers will have an economically feasible plan for implementing electric solution. Governments now have a game-changing blueprint to go green. Corporations can embrace green energy and improve their services and operations. Examples include postal services, delivery services, and logistic operators. These commercial users can now use the energy stations to operate battery swapping services for their own fleet of electric vehicles, with lower costs and better efficiency. KYMCO have already rolled out Ionex in commercial markets. The recently announced partnership with Hema Supermarket by Alibaba Group was a demonstrable example of Ionex's application in the commercial market. More commercial application deployments are expected to be subsequently announced. "With Ionex we help accelerate the world's transition to electric vehicles," said Allen Ko, Chairman of KYMCO. "We invite governments, corporations, and consumers worldwide to participate in this important social mission of our time." ABOUT KYMCO Headquartered in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, KYMCO is one of the global leading powersports brands. KYMCO's mission is to create personal vehicles that win the hearts of consumers all over the world. KYMCO always goes above and beyond to bring to customers the most thoughtful riding experience for everyday life. KYMCO's current product range includes scooters, motorcycles, mobility scooters, ATVs and utility vehicles. You can learn more about KYMCO at www.kymco.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kymco-ionex-expands-globally-in-q4-300722495.html SOURCE KYMCO [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] British Council Indonesia Foundation in Indonesia announces launch of IELTS on computer JAKARTA, Indonesia, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- IELTS, the world's most popular English test for higher education and migration, can now be taken on a computer from 13 October 2018 onwards. British Council Indonesia Foundation is continually enhancing IELTS to improve the experience for its test takers and stakeholders. Computer-delivered IELTS will not replace paper-based IELTS, but rather offer a choice in delivery and more availability. Test takers can now choose the option and time to take IELTS that best work for them. They can also get their results faster, with results typically available between five to seven calendar days after the test has been completed. The test content and structure remain the same in both options and, importantly, the Speaking test remains face-to-face with a certified IELTS Examiner. Whether test takers take IELTS on paper or computer, they can be confident that they are taking the same trusted English language test. It's the same IELTS, at the same price, but with more choices. Test takers who choose the option of computer-delivered IELTS can also access support materials with which to prepare for taking IELTS on a computer. IELTS is one of the world's most popular high-stakes English language tests, with over three million tests taken in the past year, and is recognised by more than 10,000 universities, schools, employers and immigration bodies. IELTS is the most widely used test of English for migration to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. It is recognised by more than 10,000 universities, schools, employers and immigration bodies, including all universities in Australia and the UK and many of the leading institutions in the USA. Learn more about taking IELTS on computer: https://www.ieltsasia.org/id//en/choose-test-format Notes to editors About IELTS on computer IELTS on computer was launched in Australia in December 2017 and is being introduced across the IELTS testing network in 2018. The test is the same as paper-based IELTS for content, scoring, level of difficulty, question format and security arrangements. IELTS on computer includes Listening, Reading and Writing. The Speaking test will continue to be face-to-face, as it is a more reliable indicator of communication and it is what our customers tell us feels more natural for them. This new option will not replace paper-based IELTS but rather offer a choice in delivery and more availability. Results from IELTS on computer are available between 5-7 days after taking all four test sections. The IELTS partners are committed to continuous investment in test development in order to enhance the IELTS experience. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) IELTS is the International English Language Testing System, the world's most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration with more than 3 million tests taken in the last year. Over 10,000 organisations trust and accept IELTS as a secure, valid and reliable indicator of true to life ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation purposes. IELTS is jointly owned by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge Assessment English. The British Council is the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities and provides IELTS testing in more than 800 locations in over 100 countries. About the test Test takers are measured in listening, reading, writing and speaking skills. All tests are scored on a banded system from 1 (non-user) through to 9 (expert user). IELTS offers a choice of two tests, to serve both academic and non-academic purposes. IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and texts are accessible to all test takers, irrespective of their subject focus. IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations. IELTS General Training is suitable for immigration purposes to Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and Ireland. A sample of government and professional associations who recognise or require applicants to hold an IELTS test result include: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Department of Home Affairs ( Australia ) ) UK Visas and Immigration Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools and National Council of State Boards of Nursing, USA International Monetary Fund For further media information, please contact: Aria Buditama, Assistant Examinations Marketing Manager on +62-21-2933-3470 or aria.buditama@britishcouncil.or.id SOURCE British Council (IELTS) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Toshiba Client Solutions Joins Sharp Group, Looks to a Positive Future Toshiba Client Solutions Co. Ltd. (TCS) today becomes the newest member of Sharp (News - Alert) group, following the completion of the transfer of 80.1% of its stock from Toshiba Corporation to Sharp Corporation. Closure of the transaction follows an announcement by Toshiba (News - Alert) and Sharp on June 5 this year, and positions TCS to make a new beginning and promote its business with the full resources and support of Sharp group. Towards promoting early business expansion, ensuring effective and timely decision making in the intricate, and fast changing ICT market, and to promote close relations and strong synergies with Sharp, TCS has put in place a new management team. Yoshihisa Ishida, the Vice President of Sharp, joins the company as its new Chairman. Kiyofumi Kakudo, who has guided TCS's recent revival, retains his position as President and CEO. Going forward, TCS will deploy its time-tested expertise in engineering and product development, quality, and service support within the context of Sharp's growth strategies, Sharp 8K and AIoT strategy. Drawing on Sharp's world class technology portfolio, and strengths in procurement and sales, TCS aims to maximize synergy with its new parent, and is committed to delivering even more excellent products, solutions, and services that meet customer needs and demands. Company profile, as of October 1, 2018 Company name: Toshiba Client Solutions Co., Ltd. (since April 1, 2016) Address: 6-15, Toyosu 5-Chome, Koto-ku, Tokyo Japan, Business: Engineering, manufacturing, sales, service and support of PCs and solutions in the global market. (*) Directors & Auditors Yoshihisa Ishida Representative Director, Chairman (part-time) Kiyofumi Kakudo Representative Director, President & CEO Ikuaki Takayama Director, Executive Vice President Fujikazu Nakayama Director (part-time) Kenji Tsukahara Auditor Akihiko Kishi Auditor (part-time) Jimmy Chiu Auditor (part-time) (**) Senior Vice Presidents & Vice Presidents Tadahiro Nagashima Senior Vice President, Responsible for Sales, Production & Procurement Takeshi Kageyama Senior Vice President, Vice President of Japan Operations Div., General Manager, Japan Marketing Div. Motoi Yokoyama Vice President, Responsible for Finance & Accounting, CFO Kazuhiko Kashiwagi Vice President, Responsible for Technology, Quality & New Business Development Kazuho Ito Vice President, General Manager of Finance & Accounting Div. Minoru Kosugi Vice President, Responsible for Domestic B2C Business Shingo Kashiwada Vice President, General Manager of Service Support Div. Kazumasa Kaburagi Vice President, General Manager of Mobile Edge (News - Alert) Computing Promotion Div. Shigehiro Hirama Vice President, General Manager of Human Resources & Administration Div., General Manager of Export Control Div. Norimasa Nakamura Vice President, Vice President of Client Solutions Div. Capitalization: 17.16 billion Japanese yen Established: September 9th, 1954. Shareholders: Sharp Corporation (News - Alert) , 80.1%; Toshiba Corporation, 19.9% Employees: 2,400 Subsidiaries: Company name (Company name before October 1 , 2018) Toshiba Client Solutions Canada, Ltd. Toshiba Client Solutions Asia Pte. Ltd. Toshiba Singapore Pte., Ltd. Toshiba Client Solutions Europe GmbH Toshiba Europe GmbH Toshiba Client Solutions Anz Pty., Limited. Toshiba America Client Solutions, Inc. Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. Toshiba Information Equipment(Hangzhou)Co., Ltd. Tama Toshiba Information Equipments Co., Ltd. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181001006088/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Liberty Global joins HomeGrid Forum as support grows for G.hn standard News highlights: International TV and broadband company Liberty Global is welcomed to HomeGrid Forum as Promoter Member Liberty Global and HomeGrid Forum Board Member MaxLinear have already deployed a G.hn Wi-Fi extender solution MaxLinear-based Wi-Fi extenders have already been deployed within a number of Liberty Global subsidiaries BEAVERTON, Ore., Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HomeGrid Forum today announced that leading international TV and broadband company, Liberty Global has become the latest member of the Alliance, alongside other industry leading service providers including AT&T, BT, CenturyLink, China Telecom and Verizon. Liberty Global has previously partnered with HomeGrid Forum Member Comtrend and Board Member MaxLinear to deploy a Wi-Fi extender solution that leverages G.hn technology. The G.hn standard provides a reliable wired backhaul for Wi-Fi extenders and delivers improved Wi-Fi speeds in rooms far away from the residential gateway. The Wi-Fi extender solutions have been deployed in a number of Liberty Global subsidiaries since 2015 including Telenet in Belgium and Virgin Media in the UK. With operations in 11 European countries, Liberty Global invests in the infrastructure and digital platforms to deliver market-leading products through next-generation, fibre-based networks that connect more than 22 million customers subscribing to 46 million TV, broadband Internet and telephone services. Liberty Global displayed their "Connect" Ecosystem complete portfolio, including G.hn powered Connect Wi-Fi Boosters at the companys Annual Tech Summit in Amsterdam on September 19th. Industry collaboration is an important component within the Alliance and Liberty Global are true innovators in investing in and enabling seamless home-networking technology, said Dr. Len Dauphinee, HomeGrid Forum President. Liberty Global is a major provider of home netwrking and we are delighted to welcome them to HomeGrid Forum as we continue to move towards a smart connectivity future. Liberty Global is delighted to be working with HomeGrid Forum and supporting the progress of G.hn technology, said Peter Joyce, Director of Connectivity CPE Architecture at Liberty Global. We look forward to working closely with HomeGrid Forum and improving the future of home networking for our customers. For more information on HomeGrid Forum, please visit the website: http://www.homegridforum.org/ For more information please contact Mike Shields on +44 (0) 1636 704 888 or by email at pr@homegridforum.org . About HomeGrid Forum HomeGrid Forum (HGF) is an industry alliance that brings together the worlds best in technology innovators, silicon vendors, system manufacturers, and service providers to promote G.hn, a globally recognized gigabit home networking technology based on ITU-T standards. G.hn is the most reliable and versatile wireless home network backbone available today. Our members promote the global adoption of G.hn, a single unified, multi-sourced networking technology over coax, copper pairs, powerline, and plastic optical fiber. HomeGrid Forum provides G.hn silicon and system certification through a strict compliance and interoperability testing program. For more information on HomeGrid Forum, please visit our website at www.homegridforum.org . Follow us on @homegrid_forum About Liberty Global Liberty Global is the worlds largest international TV and broadband company, with operations in more than 30 countries across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. We invest in the infrastructure that empowers our customers to make the most of the digital revolution. Our scale and commitment to innovation enables us to develop market-leading products delivered through next-generation networks that connect our 29 million customers who subscribe to over 59 million television, broadband internet and telephony services. We also serve 11 million mobile subscribers and offer WiFi service across seven million access points. Liberty Globals businesses are comprised of two stocks: the Liberty Global Group (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) for our European operations, and the LiLAC Group (NASDAQ: LILA and LILAK, OTC Link: LILAB), which consists of our operations in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Liberty Global Group operates in 12 European countries under the consumer brands Virgin Media, Ziggo, Unitymedia, Telenet and UPC. The LiLAC Group operates in over 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean under the consumer brands VTR, Flow, Liberty, Mas Movil and BTC. In addition, the LiLAC Group operates a subsea fiber network throughout the region in over 30 markets. For more information, please visit www.libertyglobal.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Agoda Research Findings: Tokyo a hit with solo travelers in 2018 Agoda releases findings from its global 'Solo Travel Trends 2018' research SINGAPORE, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether for business, leisure or 'bleisure' (a combination of business and leisure travel), independent solo travelers are headed to Tokyo. According to booking data from Agoda, one of the world's fastest-growing online travel agents (OTA), Tokyo is among the most booked destinations for both Asian and Western travelers, hitting the top three for both groups. With various food, culture and accommodation options, from capsule hotels to homes and luxury 5-star retreats, the city has a lot on offer for every kind of solo traveler. Bangkok (Thailand) is the overall top destination for Asian solo travelers this year, while London (United Kingdom) is number one for Western solo travelers. Both cities have a lot of attractions to keep any solo traveler busy, from shopping and nightlife to culture and dining. 2018 top solo travel destinations Rank Asian Travelers Western Travelers 1 Bangkok, Thailand London, United Kingdom 2 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tokyo, Japan 3 Tokyo, Japan Sydney, Australia 4 Singapore Melbourne, Australia 5 Hong Kong New York (NY), United States 6 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Bangkok, Thailand 7 Manila, Philippines Los Angeles (CA), United States 8 Bali, Indonesia Las Vegas (NV), United States 9 Jakarta, Indonesia Singapore 10 Chiang Mai, Thailand Paris, France Age gap between Asian and Western solo travelers Agoda's 'Solo Travel Trends 2018' survey, conducted by YouGov, found that Asian solo travelers are more likely to be younger -- Millennials (41%) and Generation Zers (38%) -- while in the West, solo travel is more prevalent among Baby Boomers (39%) and Generation Xers (24%). Western solo travelers are more likely to indulge in solo travel for longer periods, more often taking trips for 4-7 nights (34%). In addition, Western solo travelers are twice as likely to go on trips of 14 nights or more (20% versus 10%). The Millennial and Generation Z Asian solo traveler tend to take shorter 1-3 night solo trips (46%). Trend towards more screen time Unsurprisingly, solo leisure travelers spend more time in front of their laptops and phones than any other traveler type -- two hours a day (119 minutes), which compares to 15% more time than when travelers are with friends (100 minutes) and 26% more time than if they are with family (86 minutes). Asian solo travelers are the most digitally connected and are more than two times as likely to spend four or more hours a day in front of their screens than their Western peers (31% versus 12%). Travelers go solo to take respite from the stresses of modern living With longer working hours, constant digital contact and increasing obligations, it's no wonder more people are treating themselves to solo trips to (temporarily) get away from it all! Relaxation and time to unwind is the number one motivator for solo leisure travel globally (61%), which compares to 48% when traveling with friends. Solo travelers surveyed also ranked getting away from routine (52%) and exploring new cultures (45%) as top motivators. Head to www.agoda.com/gosolo to book your own solo adventure! Notes to Editors: Survey Methodology: The Agoda 'Family Travel Trends 2018' research was conducted by independent market research firm, YouGov between June 19th and 25th 2018. 10,784 respondents were interviewed online and are representative of those who have been on holiday at least once in the past year in each of the following countries: UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and China. Agoda booking data was collated from January 2018 to September 2018. 'Asian' is defined as China, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. 'Western' is defined as United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. 'Generation Z' are defined as aged 18-25, 'Millennials' aged 26-38, 'Generation X' aged 39-58, 'Baby Boomers & Older' aged 59+. For more information, please contact press@agoda.com Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20180212/2053750-1LOGO SOURCE Agoda [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Premier Biomedical, Inc. Discusses CBD Public Image Challenges and the Future Marketplace with Uptick Newswire's Stock Day Podcast PHOENIX, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Biomedical, Inc. (OTCQB: BIEI ) (Premier Biomedical, Inc. or the company) is looking for new strategies and joint ventures to sell CBD. CEO and President of Premier Biomedical, Inc., William A. Hartman, talked with Stock Days Everett Jolly about recent issues facing his industry and company. Mr. Jolly asked Mr. Hartman where Premier Biomedical, Inc. stands on a recent joint venture. He eluded to a few issues that have arisen but says their reasons for wanting to pursue a joint venture are as relevant as ever. We are targeting Europe, explained Mr. Hartman. In Europe, CBD was declared a medicine. In order to enter the market, we have to make a joint venture in Europe. He then went on to explain that they selected a partner and were poised to move forward. In the meantime, the company they hoped to work alongside was targeted for takeover by a third company and that has slowed the joint venture down. In the interim, we have picked another company with whom to have a joint venture. This company is not quite as desirable, but because of laws in different countries involved with these partners we can actually have two joint ventures. Mr. Hartman then told Mr. Jolly that while Premier Biomedical, Inc. was exploring these joint ventures a mass distributor, with 15,000 outlets in the U.S., decided to start handling CBD and chose Premier Biomedical, Inc. This mass distributor has noted we need entry level products, said Hartman. Just this week weve identified 5 new products and we are working on pricing. Mr .Hartman also acknowledged to Mr. Jolly that his industry needs to do more on social media and other public forums to make sure people realize that CBD is a pain relief drug and is a legal drug. Hartman stated that Premier has continued to present their products to the DOD and is confident that the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, S-2667, sponsored by Senators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell, will be the catalyst that opens up sales opportunities with the DOD as well as with social media. Hartman also added that he is confident in a bright future for topical hemp oil/ CBD pain relief products and for Premier Biomedical as a leader in that market. To hear more about Premier Biomedical, Inc. challenges and future outlook listen to the entire Stock Day podcast here: https://upticknewswire.com/featured-interview-ceo-william-hartman-of-premier-biomedical-inc-otcqbbiei-10/ About Premier Biomedical, Inc. Premier Biomedical, Inc. has acquired exclusive licenses for patent-pending medications/medical procedures to develop cures for a significant number of the most debilitating and often fatal illnesses affecting mankind: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Clinical Depression, Alzheimers Disease, Blood Sepsis, Atherosclerosis, and Cancer. We have developed an aggressive timetable to advance the development of these breakthrough technologies through laboratory, hospital, and clinical trials. We have initiated the development of potential patient trial application lists. We have a management team with extensive experience and contacts in the medical/pharmaceutical fields as well as a demonstrated track record of launching new business ventures in a competitive environment. Our extensive contacts in the medical/pharmaceutical industries will ensure that new developments will achieve maximum visibility and exposure to the market. Transparency and accountability will continue to be ensured via regular issuance of technical progress reports, financials, and investor relations reports to maintain investor enthusiasm. For more information: http://www.premierbiomedical.com/ About William Hartman William A. Hartman, is our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our Board of Directors. From March 2008 until June 2010, Mr. Hartman was planning the formation of Premier Biomedical, Inc. From October 2006 to March 2008, Mr. Hartman was the Chief Operating Officer of Nanologix, Inc. From July 1991 to July 2000, Mr. Hartman was a Director at TRW Automotive. From 1984 to 1991, Mr. Hartman was Chief Engineer at TRW Automotive and from 1979 to 1984, he was Division Quality Compliance Manager at Ford Motor Company. At TRW Automotive, Mr. Hartman was one of the auto industry pioneers of the concept of grouping related components into systems and modules and shipping just-in-time to the vehicle assembly plants. He founded and headed a separate business group within TRW Automotive with plants in the U.S., Mexico and Europe with combined annual sales of $1.3 Billion. Academic credentials include a BSME degree from Youngstown State University and a MSIA degree (Industrial Administration/Management) from the University of Michigan. Contact: William A. Hartman PO Box 25 Jackson Center, PA 16133 Phone: (724) 633-7033 W.Hartman@PremierBiomedical.com Premier Biomedical, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is a fully reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, listed under BIEI on the OTC-BB Index. This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ from expectations and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as expect, estimate, project, budget, forecast, anticipate, intend, plan, may, will, could, should, believes, predicts, potential, continue, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors are contained in the Companys most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in their expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. About Uptick Newswire and the Stock Day Podcast Founded in 2013, Uptick Newswire is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Uptick provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. Uptick is the sole producer of its Stock Day Podcast, which is the number one radio show of its kind in America. The Uptick Network Stock Day Podcast is an extension of Uptick Newswire, which recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona. Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of Stock Day, and Uptick Newswire encourages listeners to visit the companys message board at https://investorshangout.com/ SOURCE: Uptick Newswire https://upticknewswire.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Carestream Digital X-ray System Deployed at Remote Antarctic Station for Diagnosis of Illnesses, Injuries The Italian-French Concordia scientific station is located on a 10,500 foot mountain 620 miles from the coast in one of the most inhospitable places on earth - Antarctica. The station houses 80 scientists during the continent's three-month summer and about 14 people during the nine-month winter. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005252/en/ A Carestream DRX-Transportable System/Lite provides X-ray imaging for scientists who are working at one of the most remote places on earth - Antarctica (Photo: Business Wire) A staff physician provides medical care at the station year-round. Winter temperatures can dip to -120 degrees Fahrenheit so emergency evacuation is possible only during the brief summer. This makes reliable medical imaging capabilities an essential requirement for survival. A CARESTREAM DRX-Transportable System/Lite, which includes a tablet PC and a wireless digital image detector, captures patient X-ray images that help medical staff diagnose and treat broken bones, hypothermia, abdominal colic and other illnesses and injuries. Using advanced satellite technology, patients' medical images can be transmitted to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome so the Antarctic-based physician can consult with specialists to help with diagnosis and delivery of appropriate medical care. "In a hostile and unforgiving environment, this digital X-ray system is a great help for our expedition," according to Fabio Catalano, a medical consultant to the Antarctic research facility. "The DRX-Transportable System/Lite has proven to be fully able to meet our needs especially in emergency situations. We appreciate its intuitive user interface and ease of use." The scientific sation was created to provide logistical support for the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA). When the mission was completed in early 2005 the station was transformed into a permanent scientific research facility. X-ray systems from Carestream are used in some of the most challenging and unusual places in the world. The company's digital X-ray units can be found at a hospital near Mount Everest Base Camp; onboard the Africa Mercy floating hospital ship; and one unit was loaned to a zoo in Lisbon, Portugal, for use in an arthrodesis operation on the shoulder of a Sumatra tiger. Carestream recently earned the top rating in MD Buyline's User Satisfaction Ratings for its portable and room-based digital radiography systems and detectors. The DRX-Revolution Mobile X-ray System, DRX-Evolution Plus and DRX-Ascend systems all scored high marks from healthcare providers for performance, reliability, installation and service. About Carestream Health Carestream is a worldwide provider of medical imaging systems and IT solutions; X-ray imaging systems for non-destructive testing; and precision contract coating services for a wide range of industrial, medical, electronic and other applications-all backed by a global service and support network. For more information about the company's broad portfolio of products, solutions and services, please contact your Carestream representative or call 1-888-777-2072 or visit www.carestream.com. To view Carestream's latest news announcements, please visit www.carestream.com/news. CARESTREAM is a trademark of Carestream Health. Follow Carestream Health online: Follow Carestream Health online: http://www.twitter.com/carestream http://www.youtube.com/carestream http://www.carestream.com/blog/ http://www.facebook.com/carestream http://www.linkedin.com/company/carestream-health "Rx only" 2018 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005252/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Encompass Eliminates Downtime with jBASE from Zumasys Zumasys, a leading provider of NoSQL database software for business-critical PICK applications, and Encompass Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. announced today the successful migration of Encompass' custom ERP system to jBASE. The company also migrated its infrastructure from a co-location facility to the Zumasys cloud, now owned and operated by NexusTek. The move has helped Encompass eliminate costly downtime and streamline development for the company's primary business applications. With its ERP application running on jBASE, Encompass can now take advantage of dramatically improved reliability and performance for batch processing and web apps. "As Encompass continues to grow our business and service offerings, it is critical to have the right systems in place to run our operations and enable us to scale with confidence," said Encompass President and CEO Robert Coolidge. "We are very pleased with Zumasys' ability to develop a strong, dependable platform to provide exceptional uptime and support for our customers." Brent Blair, Encompass Vice President of IT, added: "We don't have to worry about equipment failures like we had to before because everything is virtual now. The jBASE application and the interface to our website is much more reliable than our previous solution. We haven't had any downtime as far as our website is concerned since we cut over." Encompass' business success depends on the company's custom-developed ERP application, which feeds off its PICK MultiValue database platform. As the company's legacy PICK database approached its end of life, it was no longer being actively supported or updated. Over time, the database became slow and unreliable, resulting in downtime for the company's ERP system and eCommerce applications. Encompass quickly ruled out moving to SAP (News - Alert) or Oracle. According to Blair, switching database platforms would have been too costly, risky and time consuming. Worse, the company would have had to sacrifice the ability to custom tailor its ERP application. "One of the things that makes us competitive in our market is the ability to develop our business application around the specialized needs of our customers," said Blair. "Moving to out-of-the-box software ould have been a big loss for us." The company considered several PICK MultiValue database solutions before deciding on jBASE from Zumasys. With jBASE, Encompass could retain its custom features with a clear path for the future. Zumasys was also the only company that could offer a truly cloud-ready database solution. "By moving to the cloud, we can now focus our resources on development instead of running hardware," added Blair. In March 2017, Encompass migrated from its co-location environment to the Zumasys cloud. One year later, the company migrated from its legacy MultiValue system to jBASE in just under four hours. The jBASE migration tool seamlessly migrated 90% of the company's custom code, leaving just 10% of code to transition manually. "It could not have gone more smoothly," added Blair. "Aside from having to change passwords, most users didn't even realize we had switched systems." Today, the difference between the systems is clear. With jBASE, processing large transactions takes a fraction of the time that it once did. Processing time for end-of-day and end-of-month transactions has dropped from 3-1/2 hours to less than 1 hour, and performance for the company's website has doubled. In addition, the system is now more reliable than ever. Adding memory or storage is as simple as an online click or a short 5-minute phone call. Software updates are automatic, so the company never has to worry about downtime for maintenance. Because all data is stored in Switch Las Vegas, one of the largest and most secure datacenters in the world, compliance and security audits are painless. Customers are thrilled to know their data is protected from security breaches and unwanted intrusion. "Our customers rely on us to get them the parts they need to be successful," explained Blair. "We are actively investing in solutions to increase reliability and speed for our customers. jBASE gives us a solid foundation for innovation." About Zumasys Zumasys' flagship product is jBASE, a proven NoSQL database developed nearly 30 years ago and used by the largest international banks in the world. jBASE is the most proven, scalable and performant document-oriented database on the market and it is ideal for PICK MultiValue applications that need to be modernized and virtualized, onsite or in the Cloud. Zumasys also provides several innovative software products, including AccuTerm for remote browser-based access to PICK applications; MultiValue Dashboard for presenting business data within a Web-based graphical interface; MVConnect for RESTful Web Services; DesignBais; and the OpenQM database. The Company was founded in 2000 and is based in San Clemente, California. Learn more at www.zumasys.com or www.jbase.com. About Encompass Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. Celebrating 65 years of operations, Encompass is a market leader in forward and reverse supply chain management and high-tech repair services for a diverse and expanding range of consumer electronics, computer, major appliances and imaging products. Encompass provides end-to-end solutions for OEMs, retailers, independent dealers, third-party administrators and consumers. Encompass manages all stages of the product lifecycle, including finished goods and replacement parts logistics, board repair and product refurbishment services, returns management, asset value recovery and eco-friendly disposal. For more information, please visit solutions.encompass.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005305/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Mexican Cold Storage Operator Reduces Energy Consumption 20% Using Thermal Energy Storage Viking Cold Solutions, the leading Thermal Energy Storage (TES) provider for the low-temperature cold storage industry, announced its partnership with Red de Frios to manage energy usage in one of its 2,500 square foot frozen food warehouses at Almacen Ruiz Cortines in Monterrey, Mexico. Viking Cold's patented TES system reduces overall electricity consumption and shifts energy usage to less expensive periods of the day. This project is the first of its kind in Mexico, the second largest economy in Latin America, and marks the first installation of Viking Cold Solutions' technology in Latin America outside of the Caribbean. Viking Cold's system was configured to operate specifically for Red de Frios' utility rate structure and facility requirements. During the months of July, August, and September, some of the warmest months of the year, Red de Frios has seen a 20% reduction in energy consumption due to the TES system's added efficiency. Additionally, during daily periods of high energy costs when refrigeration equipment is cycled off, Red de Frios has seen a slower increase in temperatures and greater temperature stability. "Mexico's cold storage industry is challenged by high peak period energy prices, which can represent up to 70 percent of a cold storage providers' operational costs," said James Bell, CEO of Viking Cold Solutions. "This makes a meaningful business impact when industrial energy prices are already 25 percent higher than those of their American competitors. With our thermal energy storage technology, Viking Cold helps companies like Red de Frios reduce energy costs and better protect the quality of the food they store." The Viking Cold TES systems provide operators the flexibility to adjust their operations to respond to utility tariff changes over time while improving temperature stability. "Managing our electricity usage and maintaining the temperature requirements of our customers is a challenge with increasing energy costs and changing time-of-use rate structures. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce power consumption and add flexibility, which is exactly what Viking Cold's TES system does," said Arturo Martinez, President and CEO of Red de Frios. "Now we can choose when to purchase power while maintaining our temperatures. With this success, we plan to expand TES technology into other locations." About Viking Cold Solutions Viking Cold Solutions is the leading thermal energy storage provider to the energy-intensive frozen/low-temperature cold storage industry. Viking Cold delivers cost-effective and flexible long-term energy management services and helps reduce environmental impacts. Its patented Thermal Energy Storage with phase change material (PCM), intelligent controls, and 24/7 cloud-based monitoring, allows Viking Cold to reduce cold storage energy costs by up to 35 percent or more while improving temperature stability and maximizing refrigeration efficiencies. Viking Cold Solutions' TES systems have been tested and accepted by energy utilities across the U.S. and are currently used in grocery stores, low-temperature warehouses, and government freezers around the world. For additional information, please visit www.vikingcold.com. About Red de Frios Red de Frios is a 100% Mexican company dedicated to the storage, conservation, and distribution of frozen, refrigerated, and dried products. For 28 years, we have been serving mainly the national and international food industry, providing security in the preservation and innocuousness of their products as well as the distribution services they require. We currently have 3 storage centers; two located in Monterrey, NL and one more in Guadalajara, JA. With 92,000m of storage chambers and a fleet of more than 30 units, we cover the storage and distribution needs of national and international food producers, restaurant franchises, and producers and marketers of fishery products, etc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005358/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Maxta Recognized for Technological Innovation with Patent Awarded for Shared Data Storage Maxta Inc., a leading provider of hyperconvergence software, was recently awarded a U.S. Patent (No. 10,061,781) for shared data storage leveraging dispersed storage devices. This broad patent, partly based on earlier Maxta patent applications, recognizes Maxta as a pioneer in the Hyperconverged Solutions market and its industry leadership in collapsing compute, storage, and storage networking into a single server tier. Maxta's patent covers storage systems that provide shared storage by utilizing dispersed storage devices while optimizing both the placement of data across the dispersed devices and the method for accessing storage data. As detailed, the storage system enables high levels of scalability and performance while minimizing resource consumption. This innovation serves as the basis of Maxta Hyperconvergence Software offerings. "Typically, patents are awarded on the basis of very specific, very detailed aspects to enable the differentiation of inventions within a given field," said George Crump, President of Storage Switzerland. "But this award not only covers Maxta's approach to hyperconvergence but somewhat serves as the standard barer of HCI itself. It's an impressive win for the company and shows that they are true trailblazers in the industry." Backed by its latest patent, Maxta Hyperconvergence software reduces capital and operating costs by up to 70 percent and frees IT from the refresh and upgrade cycles of traditional storage vendors and other hyperconvergence vendors. Moreover, Maxta offers customers the freedom and flexibility to choose or change hardware and hypervisors so they can avoid vendor lock-in. Maxta supports every major server brand and multiple hypervisors. In addition, with Maxta, it's easy to run mixed workloads on the same cluster with no performance penalty. "While we are pleased to see our innovation with hyperconvergence being recognized by the USPTO with the granting of this patent, we truly believe that Maxta's unique software approach is an even larger differentiator," said Yoram Novick, Maxta Founder and CEO. "Our software approach has long been about providing choice, whether that is choice of leveraging existing servers or pre-configured systems, choice of hardware for new servers, or even choice of abstraction layer be it proprietary virtualization, open virtualization or containerization. We will continue to lead this innovative hyperconverged solutions market as it transitions from appliance-based to software-based and embrace open virtualization and containers." About Maxta Maxta is the only hyperconvergence provider that gives IT the freedom to choose both servers and abstraction layers including hypervisors and containers. Maxta's unique software approach to hyperconvergence enables IT to scale storage independent of compute, run mixed workloads on the same cluster, and eliminate the hyperconverged appliance refresh tax as there is no need to repurchase the HCI software license when refreshing server hardware. Maxta is available as software only or as preconfigured solution on most brands of server hardware. For more information, visit us at www.maxta.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005265/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Reveals Full-Scale Passenger Capsule The world's first full-scale passenger Hyperloop capsule, built in Spain by Airtificial, gets ready to head to Toulouse R&D facility for optimization PLAYA VISTA, Calif., Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ -- Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT, HTT) provided a first look of their full-scale passenger Hyperloop capsule today at an unveiling ceremony in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain. The event was also held to commemorate the five-year anniversary of the founding of HyperloopTT and showcased the company's progress since it was established as the first Hyperloop company in the world. The capsule, "Quintero One" is constructed almost completely out of HyperloopTT's VibraniumTM, a specially made dual-layer smart composite material. It was built at the Southern Spain aerospace facilities of HyperloopTT's partner Airtificial, a new company formed by the merger of composite expert Carbures and engineering company Inypsa that manufactures for many leading companies including Airbus and Boeing. The design for the capsule was created in collaboration with world renowned transport design consultancy PriestmanGoode and won the Gold award at the 2017 London Design Awards "Quintero One" Hyperloop Passenger Capsule Specifications: Length: 32 meters (105 feet) Inner cabin length: 15 meters (50 feet) Weight: 5,000 kilograms (5 tons) Other components include: 21,000 skilled engineering hours 5,000 skilled assembly hours 82 carbon fiber panels 72 sensors 75,000 rivets 7,200 square meters of fiber (1.8 acres) The capsule will be delivered to HyperloopTT's research and development center in Toulouse, France for additional assembly and integration into the system, before it is used on one of the first commercial tracks. "Working together with engineers from HyperloopTT, we are proud to be pushing the envelope of smart materials in transportation and manufacturing," said Airtificial Co-Founder and Chairman, Rafael Contreras. "Today we have unveiled a new type of transportation vessel built with an industry high percentage of composite, which makes the Hyperloop capsule perhaps the safest transportation vehicle in the world." "The creation of this capsule represents over a year long journey of the best expertise in design, engineering, and the development of cutting edge materials," said Dirk Ahlborn HypeloopTT co-founder and CEO. "In just five years we have solved and improved upon all of the technology needed for Hyperloop with our new levitation system, vacuum pumps, batteries, and smart composites. This capsule will be a part of one of the most efficient transportation systems ever made." "In 2019, this capsule will be fully optimized and ready for passengers," said Bibop Gresta, chairman and co-founder of HyperloopTT. "Since we have taken major steps in solving government regulations with our safety certification guidelines and insurance frameworks, we are now closer than ever to bringing Hyperloop to the world." Recently, HyperloopTT became the world's first company to be able to offer an insured commercial system. In collaboration with Munich Re , the world's largest reinsurance company along with global certification and inspection company TUV SUD , governments and partners, HyperloopTT is creating the first regulatory guidelines and creating the necessary legal framework for Hyperloop systems around the world. About HyperloopTT Hyperloop Transportation Technologies (HyperloopTT) is an innovative transportation and technology company focused on realizing the Hyperloop, a system that moves people and goods at unprecedented speeds safely, efficiently, and sustainably. Through the use of unique, patented technology and an advanced business model of lean collaboration, open innovation and integrated partnership, HyperloopTT is creating and licensing technologies. Founded in 2013, HyperloopTT is a global team comprised of more than 800 engineers, creatives and technologists in 52 multidisciplinary teams, with 40 corporate and university partners. Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, HyperloopTT has offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE; Bratislava, Slovakia; Toulouse, France; Contagem, Brazil; and Barcelona, Spain. HyperloopTT has signed agreements in the United States, UAE, Brazil, France, India, China, Korea, Indonesia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Ukraine. HyperloopTT is led by co-founders Dirk Ahlborn (CEO) and Bibop G. Gresta (Chairman) and a senior management team of experienced entrepreneurs and professionals. For more information or media inquiries, contact press@hyperloop.global or visit http://hyperloop.global/ . Hyperloop Transportation Technologies' images and assets can be found here About Airtificial Airtificial is a new Spanish technological company specialized in applying artificial intelligence, through collaborative robotics and sensorial structures, and specialized engineering within the civil works, aerospace and automotive industries. With a 4.0 Industry DNA and a great growth potential, the company has a proven know-how and operates globally. For more information about the new company please visit: http://www.carbures.com/ About PriestmanGoode PriestmanGoode is the world's leading transport design consultancy. Based in London and China, the studio works on a vast range of projects across rail and aviation, developing designs for high speed trains, metros, airlines and commercial spacecraft all over the world. PriestmanGoode's work is centred around the user and about creating exceptional travel journeys for millions of passengers every year. www.priestmangoode.com Contact: Ben Cooke press@hyperloop.global 310-720-1214 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyperloop-transportation-technologies-reveals-full-scale-passenger-capsule-300722775.html SOURCE Hyperloop Transportation Technologies [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Growth Surge Scheduled to Accelerate as Offerpad Estimates Huge Expansion Through 2020 The leadership team at Offerpad is strategizing the company's ambitious plans to become available in over 2,100 cities across the U.S. over the course of two years, providing its solution to an estimated 24 million consumers looking to purchase or sell a home. Having seen tripled growth year-over-year since the on-demand homebuyer opened its doors in 2015, Offerpad aims to surpass that growth rate through 2020. The real estate start-up's streamlined home selling and buying experience is met with excellent customer satisfaction and demand is at an all-time high. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005453/en/ Offerpad is bringing a better way to more home sellers. The company projects that by 2020, more than 24 million home owning households will have access to Offerpad services in their city. (Graphic: Business Wire) Energized by its mounting growth, Offerpad is on track to achieve a $2.5 billion annual run rate in real estate transactions. The company is currently active in eight metro areas from coastto coast with services available in 400 cities. Recently announced was the expansion to a sprawling 134 cities surrounding Dallas-Fort Worth; as of November 1, Offerpad will be live in 534 cities. "This is an exciting time for homeowners and buyers. Offerpad's mission has always been to make the home selling and buying process as simple and frictionless as possible for our customers. It's amazing to know that we'll be available for so many families, households and individuals in many new cities across the nation," said Offerpad co-founder and CEO, Brian Bair. In addition to the 534 cities Offerpad will be operating in later this year, the company plans consistent expansion through 2019 that will make services available in an estimated 1000+ cities by the end of next year. In 2020, Offerpad intends to step it up even more and introduce its hassle-free home selling and buying platform to an enormous 2100+ cities in and around large metro areas all over the country. To support Offerpad's already blistering growth rate, the company recently announced the first ever relocation of its corporate offices. Based in Arizona's East Valley, Offerpad made public last week that it plans to move headquarters into a much larger space in neighboring Chandler, Arizona - home to Intel (News - Alert) and Paypal offices. The new space, more than tripling the size of Offerpad's current home, will be available for move in by March 2019. It will encompass the company's core values and lend itself to Offerpad's creative, technological and innovative approach to real estate as it prepares to further accelerate its expansion. Market expansion is not the only growth Offerpad is experiencing during the company's most intense stage. Swift (News - Alert) external growth has ushered in waves of employee onboarding at every level. Within the past few months, Offerpad has recruited a new CTO, Gint Grabauskas and a new COO & Chief of Staff, Rahim Lakhani. Overall, Offerpad's employment around the country has increased 89% and 276% since September 2017 and June 2017, respectively. To learn more about Offerpad's solution and open employment positions, visit www.offerpad.com. ABOUT OFFERPAD Offerpad is revolutionizing the real estate industry by providing an innovative and convenient way to sell or buy a home. Founded in 2015, the leadership team brings decades of real estate experience that collectively has purchased, renovated and rented or sold more than 100,000 homes. Offerpad is a privately held company, headquartered in Arizona, with markets in Atlanta, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Tampa. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005453/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] This county has done well, but we need to do more to attract new businesses to the county, both large and small, and to assist new business creation, he said. We need to continue to look for ways to do this. [October 02, 2018] BCG Boosts Its Expanding Private Equity Practice with Seasoned PE Value Creation Executive NEW YORK, Oct. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) announced today that Tom Taylor has joined the firm as Partner and Managing Director in its Principal Investors & Private Equity (PIPE) practice . Taylor, who is based in New York, is a seasoned business strategist with extensive experience leading the executive, financial, and operational functions of Fortune 500, private equity (PE), and strategy consulting companies. Prior to joining BCG, Taylor ran the Value Creation practice for PE firms at EY, where he led more than 70 operational diligence and post-close performance improvement engagements. Taylor brings a unique perspective to the PIPE practice, leveraging 21 years of experience in the PE industry as a board member, portfolio company executive, operating partner, and consultant across multiple industries, including consumer, insurance, and health care. Taylor previously worked at Kraft Foods, The Hartford,JLL Partners, and PwC. He was valedictorian of his MBA class at the University of Notre Dame. Tom is a great addition to the BCG PIPE practice as he brings deep IT, operations, and carve-out experience, said David Bronstein, lead of the PIPE practice in North America. Tom will be instrumental to BCGs efforts to expand our offering for leading investors across transaction support and portfolio acceleration efforts. As a senior member of BCGs PIPE practice, Taylor will advise global investment firms on due diligence and post-close transformation across sectors and asset classes. BCGs clients include some of the worlds largest private equity investors, hedge funds, pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and real estate and infrastructure funds. To arrange an interview with Taylor, please contact Nidhi Sinha at +1 646 899 8218 or sinha.nidhi@bcg.com . About The Boston Consulting Group The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the worlds leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients from the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors in all regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their enterprises. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with offices in more than 90 cities in 50 countries. For more information, please visit bcg.com . The Boston Consulting Group Nidhi Sinha Director, Public Relations and Communications Tel +1 646 899 8218 sinha.nidhi@bcg.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] NurseGrid Selected for Plug and Play Cleveland Health Tech Innovation Platform PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NurseGrid, a leader in healthcare scheduling and staffing technology, today announced its acceptance and participation in the prestigious Plug and Play Cleveland Innovation Platform. Plug and Play is a global innovation platform and venture fund from Silicon Valley specializing in the development of early-to-growth stage technology startups. NurseGrid joins 11 other disruptive health tech startups during the 12-week incubator. "We are proud that our technology solution was identified as an opportunity to create meaningful change in healthcare," said Joe Novello, CEO of NurseGrid. "We are excited about the opportunity to work with these amazing health systems to strengthen our product offering and learn from some of the best health professionals in the country."> Both University Hospitals and The Cleveland Clinic selected NurseGrid to participate in the program, which kicked off last week in Cleveland, OH. The incubator will take place over a 12-week period. About NurseGrid NurseGrid creates simplified schedule management tools for healthcare facilities. The company works with nursing departments and enterprise healthcare clients to modernize staffing processes while improving department efficiency. For more information, visit www.nursegrid.com . About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, they have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Companies in their community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, LendingClub, and PayPal. For more information, visit www.plugandplaytechcenter.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nursegrid-selected-for-plug-and-play-cleveland-health-tech-innovation-platform-300722318.html SOURCE NurseGrid [October 02, 2018] Better Mortgage Continues Expansion, Opens Irvine, California Office Better Mortgage, a digital mortgage company working to improve access to home financing for all Americans, is pleased to announce that it has opened a new office in Irvine, California. The office will be home to 50 newly-hired underwriters, processors and closers. "We chose this location strategically, after identifying the Orange (News - Alert) County area's rich talent pool of skilled underwriters and lending professionals," said Vishal Garg, CEO and co-founder of Better. "We are pleased to welcome a group of exceptional individuals, with the right balance of industry expertise and a forward-thinking, innovative approach to underwriting and processing, to our team." Better is working to rebuild the mortgage process by removing the frictions and inefficiencies which hold Americans back from purchasing their own homes, by replacing the old mortgage infrastructure with thoughtful technology. The company prioritizes the consumer experience through an online process, with instant loan estimates, honest rate quotes and 24-hour verified pre-approvals, all complimented by support from non-commissioned loan officers. "After recognizing that the mortgage process is often opaque and stressful for consumers, we set out to 'derig' the traditional process, feeling that too often it favors industry insiders over the consumer," added Eric Wilson, co-founder and Head of Operations at Better. "This objective drives all that we do, and it is one that could not be accomplished without a team of individuals who are in line with this thinking. The addition f the Irvine office will add 50 more of these forward-thinking individuals to our team, and their contributions will allow us to meet both short and long-term goals." Better has undergone significant growth since the launch of Better.com in January 2016. The company was recognized as one of Forbes' Fintech 50 in February 2018, and one of Crain's 2018 100 Best Places to Work in New York City, earlier this month. Better services 19 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. The addition of the Irvine office will allow Better to provide support to customers in these states, and beyond, as the company continues to expand its services into states across the U.S. About Better Mortgage Corporation Launched in 2016, Better.com is one of the fastest growing homeownership companies in America, digitizing and automating every step of the home financing process to make homeownership more affordable and accessible. Backed by Kleiner Perkins, Pine Brook and Goldman Sachs, Better is focused on customer advocacy, putting consumers back in control of the most important financial decision of their lives. Named Crain's 2018 100 Best Places to Work in New York City, Best Mortgage Lender for Customer Service by NerdWallet, Better has an intuitive online platform, complemented by non-commissioned staff that guides customers through the process, starting with how much house they can afford or how much they can save, all the way through to closing, completely jargon-free with airtight certainty and the best rate possible. Better has originated over $1.5 billion in mortgages since its launch in 2016. For more information, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005682/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Express Logic's X-Ware IoT Platform Brings Industrial-Grade Performance and Connectivity to AWS Greengrass Express Logic, provider of the industry-leading X-Ware IoT Platform powered by the popular ThreadX RTOS, today announced turnkey integration with Amazon Web Services (News - Alert) (AWS) Greengrass software, extending the current direct X-Ware IoT Platform support for AWS. Express Logic's X-Ware IoT Platform is the industrial-grade alternative for AWS Greengrass customers who must quickly and easily develop devices and applications that connect to and are managed by AWS Services. The X-Ware IoT Platform was created entirely in house and designed from the ground up to be industrial grade. "Cloud-networked IoT devices on the edge require reliable, safe, and secure connectivity all within a limited amount of memory and processing power," said William E. Lamie, President, Express Logic. "By utilizing the industrial-grade X-Ware IoT Platform, AWS Greengrass customers can for the first time easily build, deploy, and connect billions of devices with confidence." X-Ware IoT Platform - Best Option for Commercial IoT Edge Devices Express Logic's high-performance ThreadX RTOS is the backbone of the X-Ware IoT Platform. With more than 6.2 billion deployments, as certified by VDC Research, ThreadX is arguably the world's most widely preferred RTOS. ThreadX's prominence stems from its small footprint, high performance, and advanced features, all designed and developed to be easy to use. ThreadX boasts a miniscule 2kb instruction area and 1kb RAM (News - Alert) minimal footprint and exercises submicrosecond context switching, yielding speeds on popular microprocessors that are significantly faster than most RTOSes on the market today. In addition, ThreadX provides embedded developers with priority-based preemptive scheduling, preemption-threshold scheduling, real-time event trace, downloadable memory-protected application modules, and full determinism, all accessible through a highly intuitive API. For IoT network and cloud connectivity,the X-Ware IoT Platform leverages the small footprint and near wirespeed of Express Logic's NetX Duo IPv4/IPv6 TCP/IP stack. NetX Duo has an unusually small footprint of 9KB to 15KB for basic IP and UDP (News - Alert) support and typically achieves near-wirespeed data transfers on an 80MHz (or less) processor, while using fewer processor cycles than comparable stacks. Moreover, NetX Duo provides embedded applications with core network protocols such as IPv4, IPv6, TCP, and UDP as well as a complete suite of higher-level add-on protocols. For example, NetX Duo uses Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) to provide direct IoT cloud connectivity to all popular cloud service providers. In conjunction with the performance and size advantages of the X-Ware IoT Platform, Express Logic's ThreadX and NetX Duo have attained the highest level of safety certifications, including IEC (News - Alert) 61508 SIL 4 (the highest, most dependable level as determined by IEC), IEC 62304 Class C, ISO 26262 ASIL D, EN 50128 SW-SIL 4, UL 60730-1 Annex H, CSA E60730-1 Annex H, IEC 60730-1 Annex H, IEC 60335-1 Annex R, and IEC 60335-1 Annex R, 1998. Furthermore, ThreadX and NetX Duo provide one of the most secure IoT software solutions on the market. ThreadX provides memory protection via the add-on ThreadX modules product while NetX Duo features a suite of industrial-grade add-ons including IPsec, SSTL, TLS, and DTLS. The X-Ware IoT Platform exclusively supports all the performance, safety, and security requirements that AWS Greengrass embedded developers will be challenged to meet today and into the future. X-Ware IoT Platform - Most Comprehensive IoT Development and Connectivity Solution The X-Ware IoT Platform is more than just an RTOS and TCP/IP stack: it also includes Express Logic's safety-certified FileX embedded FAT-32/exFAT file system, the GUIX GUI development and embedded runtime framework, and the USBX embedded host/device USB stack. Embedded developers can leverage the entire X-Ware IoT Platform solution to create IoT applications that must do far more than simply communicate with the cloud. About Express Logic and ThreadX Headquartered in San Diego, CA (News - Alert) , Express Logic offers the industry's most advanced run-time solutions for deeply embedded applications, including the popular ThreadX RTOS, the high-performance NetX and NetX Duo embedded TCP/IP stacks, the FileX embedded FAT-compatible file system, the USBX Host/Device embedded USB protocol stack, and the GUIX embedded graphical user interface development toolkit. Most Express Logic products include full source code and are available free of run-time royalties. For more information about Express Logic solutions, please visit www.expresslogic.com, call 1-888-THREADX, or e-mail sales@expresslogic.com. ThreadX, TraceX, FileX, and X-Ware IoT Platform are registered trademarks, and Safety-Critical Certification Pack, NetX, NetX Duo, USBX, GUIX, GUIX Studio, LevelX, preemption-threshold, picokernel, and UDP fast path technology are trademarks of Express Logic. All other brands or product names are the property of their respective holders. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005261/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Illinois National Bank Announces Partnership with Plug and Play SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Illinois National Bank (INB) recently partnered with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform that connects technology startups with investors and corporate partners, to help bring business solutions to life. INB expects the partnership will help the bank continue to make it easier for customers to achieve financial success. "What excites me the most about working with a community bank like INB is their ability to move fast when it comes to deciding to work with startups," said Plug and Play's Senior Innovation Manager, Matt Helmers. "A partnership with Plug and Play allows INB to meet with early, growth, and, later-stage startup companies to determine if their solutions can solve internal and external problems. Community banks like INB have a competitive advantage when working with startups because they are so nimble, which ultimately leads to piloting, adjusting, and scaling these technology solutions to automate processes for today's mobile and cashless consumers a lot faster." According to INB's President and CEO Sarah Phalen, INB connected with Plug and Play to assure INB continues to provide innovative digital tools to meet the market's changing needs. "This is an opportunity to take our aspirations directly to people who are eager to help us find new paths to easier and better banking service," Phalen said. "While our past successes are important, we want our customers to know we are always looking for new and better ways of providing solutions." INB's collaboration with Plug and Play allows the bank to connect with visionary entrepreneurs from around the world. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Silicon Valley, Plug and Play helps accelerate technological advancements by giving startups the resources they need to succeed by connecting them to the right businesses. What's unique about Plug and Play from other accelerator programs is the focus on market sectors. INB is part of Plug and Play's FinTech sector which has helped startups develop everything from identity management services to savings tools. About Illinois National Bank INB is based in Springfield, Ill. and operates 13 branches and a remittance processing center in Central Illinois. A locally-owned bank, INB provides a full range of banking services to individuals, businesses and municipalities, including commercial and retail banking, mortgage loans, trust and brokerage, and cash management,. For more information, visit www.illinoisnationalbank.com. About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Since inception in 2006, programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 20 locations globally, giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 6,000 startups and 280 official corporate partners, Plug and Play has created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in their community have raised over $7 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal. www.plugandplaytechcenter.com. Plug and Play Contact Matt Helmers matt.helmers@pnptc.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/illinois-national-bank-announces-partnership-with-plug-and-play-300722841.html SOURCE Plug and Play [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] enSilo and Arbala Systems Form Partnership Delivering Managed Detection and Response Services SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- enSilo, the company protecting endpoints pre-and post-infection, stopping data breaches in real time and automatically orchestrating incident investigation and response, and Arbala Systems, Inc., an enterprise security operations company dedicated to guarding organizations from ever-evolving cyber threats, today announced a partnership to integrate the enSilo Endpoint Security Platform into Arbala Systems' Managed Detection and Response (MDR) portfolio. This integration complements Arbala Systems' extensive managed security services capabilities with enSilo's unmatched real-time protection capabilities, giving Arbala customers superior protection from costly threats and data breaches. "As a channel-focused company committed to expanding strategic relationships with top security services providers who are helping customers to navigate cyber security risks, we're excited to partner with Arbala Systems," said enSilo CEO and co-founder Roy Katmor. "We designed the enSilo platform with specific multi-tenancy features, modular multi-tiered protection delivered via a single lightweight agent and tunable incident response playbooks to support our consulting, managed services and other partners in rapidly scaling enhanced endpoint protection across businesses' changing equipment, employee roles and risk tolerances." "We are thrilled to have enSilo as a partner," said Michael Henry, CEO of Arbala Systems. "enSilo's real-time endpoint security is a powerful weapon in the war against malware. This relationship offers additional capabilities to providing our customers with world class managed detection and response." Arbala Systems incorporates enSilo ino its Arbala Sentinel platform, which provides managed detection and response, report automation and platform orchestration to simplify the defense approach, while protecting systems and enabling customers to focus less on keeping the lights on, and more on the strategic value of security in their organization. enSilo automates and orchestrates detection, prevention, data protection and automated real-time response against advanced malware and ransomware. enSilo's single lightweight agent includes next generation antivirus (NGAV), application communication control, automated endpoint detection and response (EDR) with real-time threat containment, threat hunting, incident response and virtual patching capabilities. enSilo earned the prestigious "Recommended" rating in NSS Labs' latest Advanced Endpoint Protection (AEP) Group Test results and won high marks in additional independent, hands-on reviews conducted by CSO and SC Media touting enSilo's comprehensive protection, flexibility and ease of management. For more information on Arbala Systems offerings, please visit www.arbalasystems.com. For more information on how enSilo works with Managed Detection and Response Providers (MDRs) like Arbala Systems please visit: https://www.ensilo.com/partners-mssp. About Arbala Systems, Inc. Arbala Systems is a leading Managed Detection and Response Security Services Provider. Founded by a team of cybersecurity, IT and automation experts in 2018, Arbala Systems brings together leaders in security operations, threat hunting, IT service management and automation to enable security teams to focus on making the most of their security investments and adding strategic value to their organizations. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas Arbala Systems empowers the best security teams around the globe to stop breaches and focus on what matters. To learn more visit www.arbalasystems.com About enSilo enSilo comprehensively secures the endpoint pre- and post-infection. enSilo automates and orchestrates detection, prevention and automated real-time response against advanced malware and ransomware. enSilo's single lightweight agent includes next generation antivirus (NGAV), application communication control, automated endpoint detection and response (EDR) with real-time blocking, threat hunting, incident response and virtual patching capabilities. Coupled with a patented approach that has full system visibility, enSilo's endpoint security solution stops modern malware with a high degree of precision and intuitive user interface. Cybersecurity staff with enSilo can effectively manage malware threats without alert fatigue, excessive dwell time or breach anxiety. enSilo's cloud management platform is flexible and extensible to meet operational needs that stop malware impact. To learn more visit www.ensilo.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ensilo-and-arbala-systems-form-partnership-delivering-managed-detection-and-response-services-300722852.html SOURCE enSilo [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Sentar Awarded $12.1 Billion U.S. Army Contract Sentar, Inc. (Sentar), a Women-Owned Small Business specializing in advanced Cybersecurity and Intelligence services and technology, announced today the award of a potential nine-year, $12.1 billion multiple award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract from the U.S. Army for Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-3 services, known as ITES-3S. Like its predecessor the ITES-2S, ITES-3S will be managed by the Army's Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) program and is expected to be the Army's primary source of IT-related services worldwide. The contract ceiling value is $25 billion. ITES-3S will provide services to enable a broad range of enterprise-level support services for Information Technology integration and service management activities to the Army, other DoD agencies, and all other Federal agencies. The contract scope includes services and solutions essential to support the Army's enterprise services, encompassing nearly all areas of enterprise IT, including cyberseurity, information systems security, information assurance, and a multitude of business planning, IT administration, and training services. "Sentar is excited to be recognized as a leading small business that can provide the innovation and agility required in today's cybersecurity-intensive IT environment," said Bridget Abashian, CEO and president of Sentar. "We look forward to strengthening our relationship with our Army customers and delivering services essential to the soundness of our Nation's most critical programs for years to come." The ITES-3S IDIQ award is expected to offer various task-order types, including firm-fixed-price, cost-type, and time-and-materials. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 23, 2027. About Sentar, Inc. Founded in 1990, Sentar is a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) providing advanced cybersecurity and Intel (News - Alert) solutions and services that empower customers to securely leverage computing and network assets to their fullest potential. Sentar's innovative cybersecurity technologies and services protect network and host computer resources from cyber attackers and malicious insiders. Sentar has offices in Huntsville, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; and Columbia, Maryland. For more information, visit www.sentar.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005169/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] BlackRock to Report Third Quarter 2018 Earnings on October 16th BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today announced that it will report third quarter 2018 earnings prior to the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, October 16, 2018. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Laurence D. Fink, President, Robert S. Kapito, and Chief Financial Officer, Gary S. Shedlin, will host a teleconference call for investors and analysts at 8:30 a.m. ET. BlackRock's earnings release and supplemental materials will be available via the investor relations section of www.blackrock.com, before the teleconference call begins. Teleconference and Webcast Details Members of the public who are interested in participating in the teleconference should dial, from the United States, (800) 374-0176, or from outside the United States, (706) 679-8281, shortly before 8:30 a.m. ET and reference the BlackRock Conference Call (ID Number 4488387). A live, listen-only webcast will also be available via the investor relations section of www.blackrock.com. Both the teleconference and webcast will be available for replay by 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 16, 2018 and ending at midnight on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. To access the replay of the teleconference, callers from the United States should dial (855) 859-2056 and callers from outside the United States should dial (404) 537-3406 and enter the Conference ID Number 4488387. To access the webcast, please visit the investor relations section of www.blackrock.com. About BlackRock BlackRock helps investors build better financial futures. As a fiduciary to our clients, we provide the investment and technology solutions they need when planning for their most important goals. As of June 30, 2018, the firm managed approximately $6.3 trillion in assets on behalf of investors worldwide. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com | Twitter (News - Alert) : @blackrock | Blog: www.blackrockblog.com | LinkedIn (News - Alert) : www.linkedin.com/company/blackrock. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005683/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] TomTom to Provide Live Traffic, Online Routing and Electric Vehicle Services to Major German Automaker Paris Motor Show, France - TomTom (News - Alert) (TOM2) today announced that it has been chosen by the BMW Group to provide drivers with Live TomTom Traffic information, Online Routing and Electric Vehicle (EV) Services for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles. The deal is being announced after an extensive testing programme that began in April 2018. TomTom Traffic provides drivers with live updates on upcoming traffic and delays, keeping the driver informed and reducing their total travel time. TomTom's Online Routing technology uses cloud-based processing power to quickly send alternative routes to the navigation system embedded in the vehicle. TomTom's EV Service provides drivers with information on the distance that thei vehicle can travel before running out of charge, and plans the most efficient route to a charging point on their journey which is suitable for their vehicle and is actually available at the right time. Antoine Saucier, Managing Director TomTom Automotive, comments "TomTom's vision is a safe, connected and autonomous world, free of congestion and emissions. The introduction of TomTom Live Traffic, Online Routing and Electric Vehicle Services into BMW vehicles is a huge step forwards to achieve this goal." TomTom is at the Paris Motor Show 2018 - Pavillion 1, Booth 212. ENDS About TomTom TomTom is the leading independent location technology specialist, shaping mobility with highly accurate maps, navigation software, real-time traffic information and services. To achieve our vision of a safer world, free of congestion and emissions, we create innovative technologies that keep the world moving. By combining our extensive experience with leading business and technology partners, we power connected vehicles, smart mobility and, ultimately, autonomous driving. Headquartered in Amsterdam with offices in 37 countries, TomTom's technologies are trusted by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. www.tomtom.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005519/en/ [October 02, 2018] Former British Prime Minister David Cameron in Atlanta to headline P20 Conference October 9-10 P20, the transatlantic payments initiative, will host its second annual conference in Atlanta on October 9 and 10. This year's conference will bring together the world's most influential leaders in payments technology, top U.S., U.K. and Canadian government officials and regulators to discuss the future of the global payments industry. Former British Prime Minister David Cameron will be the featured speaker. The 2018 P20 Conference, taking place at the Atlanta History Center, will serve as a forum for leaders to discuss progress toward creating greater regulatory clarity, increasing industry and consumer security, fostering collaborative innovation and expanding financial inclusion in the payments industry. More than 150 senior leaders from across the globe, representing applicable government agencies, industry advocacy groups, financial institutions, payments processors, fintech companies and academic institutions will be in attendance. "After months of planning, we are excited to have P20 members and delegates convene in the United States for the first time," said Bruce Lowthers, P20 conference chairman and chief operating officer of FIS. "With payments and financial technology playing a vital role in our society and economy, it's important to host a conference where senior leaders and officials can share ideas that will move the world forward into the future." "As a P20 board member, First Data is pleased to bring a member or our Chairman's Advisory Board, former British Prime Minister David Cameron, to this conference," said Barry C. McCarthy, executive vice president and head of network and security solutions of First Data Corporation. "Prime Minister Cameron's distinguished career offers conference attendees a unique glimpse into geopolitical affairs and an inside view of his transformative leadership that has inspired millions around the world." "With key leaders and organizations from the payments industry meeting together under one roof, we have the bility to effect change, not only on a transatlantic scale, but on a global scale," said H. West Richards, P20 president and founder, and executive director of American Transaction Processors Coalition. Created by the American Transaction Processors Coalition (ATPC), P20 connects Atlanta's flourishing "Transaction Alley" of payment processors with the financial capital of the world, London, by rotating the annual conference between the two cities and creating an international platform that includes executives and officials from both countries. Dedicated to making payments accessible, affordable and secure for all, P20's goals for the second year of the conference include: Promoting awareness of the unique and growing position the payments industry holds in the global economy Identifying challenges and opportunities in policies governing the payments industry Collaborating internationally to offer best practices for the four guiding pillars of P20 - cybersecurity, innovation, regulation and financial inclusion with a specific emphasis on regulation and cyber-security The following local, regional, national and international government leaders and officials are expected to make remarks at the conference: Nathan Deal, governor of Georgia U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY, 6) chairman, Monetary Policy Subcommittee, House Committee on Financial Services Antony Phillipson, Her Majesty's consul general of New York and trade commissioner for North America David MacNaughton, Canada's ambassador to the United States Kipp Kranbuhl, Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions - U.S. Dept. of the Treasury Andrew Staunton, British consul general - Atlanta Richard Price, chief economist - United Kingdom U.S. Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) U.S. Congresswoman Karen Handel (R-GA) U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) U.S. Congressman Rob Woodall (R-GA) Tom Price, Former White House Cabinet Secretary and U.S. House Budget Committee Chairman Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor - City of Atlanta Patrick Wilson, GDeCD Commissioner - State of Georgia Additionally, the conference will include presentations and panel discussions from P20 board members and delegates about the organization's four pillars and several pressing topics, including identity verification, cyber risks, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), regulatory technology/open banking and innovation sandboxes. Following this year's event in Atlanta, the P20 conference is scheduled to return to London in 2019. About P20 P20 is an international payments initiative for thought leadership and action linking together Atlanta's "Transaction Alley" and world financial capital London to make payments accessible, affordable and secure for all. Designed to be the "Davos of Payments," P20 unites top global executives in payments technology, business, economic leaders and government regulators to advance the expansion of payments worldwide. For more information, visit www.payments20.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005757/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] During the question-and-answer session after her presentation, one member of the audience asked whether Alveda King had been uninvited to speak at a college graduation ceremony because of her message. She said it does happen and she tries to look past that. She said she doesnt feel her stance on abortion is a divisive viewpoint that should separate people of different races. [October 02, 2018] IBHS Introduces OFB-EZ Spanish Edition to Help Hispanic-Owned Businesses Prepare for Disasters Many businesses are unprepared to respond to a weather disaster or other disruptions such as a structure fire or long-term power outage. Developing a business continuity plan should be a high priority for all small businesses across the U.S. so they can survive and quickly recover from costly interruptions. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IHBS) provides key guidance for small businesses to prepare for any type of disruption with its widely acclaimed OFB-EZ (Open for Business-EZ) business continuity toolkit. The demand for this free, eight-module risk management program has expanded to the surging Hispanic marketplace, prompting IBHS to create a Spanish edition of the OFB-EZ toolkit. "Hispanic-owned businesses are a great force driving small business growth in the U.S," said Gail Moraton, business resiliency manager, IBHS. According to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 4.4 million Latino-owned businesses contribute more than $700 billion annually to the U.S. economy and have generated nearly 32 percent top-line growth over the past five years, more than double the growth rate of all other business sectors. "As IBHS observed the trend of an expanding Hispanic small business market, we also identified the need to assist business owners whose primary language is Spanish to help them better prepare for disasters and other types of business interruptions. The new Spanish version of OFB-EZ accomplishes this goal," Moraton added. In conjunction with the rollout of the OFB-EZ Spanish edition, IBHS has also introduced new guidance for tracking essential business equipment during a disaster. Know Your Equipment provides a path for small business owners to highlight equipment essential to staying open before, during and after a disaster. This OFB-EZ module is available in English and Spanish. IBHS wishes to thank several contributors for spearheading the translation of the OFB-EZ toolkit into Spanish, under the auspices of Tulsa (Okla.) Community College's Translating Skills Program, in collaboration with the Tulsa-based Disaster Resilience Network's (DRN) Business and Cross-Cultural Councils: Johan Sebastian Martinez-Vargas , translator, Tulsa Community College Spanish Translating Skills Program , translator, Tulsa Community College Spanish Translating Skills Program Odilia Pena , instructor, Tulsa Community College Translating Skills Program , instructor, Tulsa Community College Translating Skills Program Tina Pena , instructor, Tulsa Community College Translating Skills Program , instructor, Tulsa Community College Translating Skills Program Tim Lovell , executive director, Disaster Resilience Network (formerly known as Tulsa Partners Inc.) , executive director, Disaster Resilience Network (formerly known as Tulsa Partners Inc.) David Hall , chair, DRN - Disaster Resilience Business Council , chair, DRN - Disaster Resilience Business Council Alex Gomez , co-chair, DRN - Disaster Resilience Cross-Cultural Council , co-chair, DRN - Disaster Resilience Cross-Cultural Council Michael Grogan, co-chair, DRN - Disaster Resilience Cross-Cultural Council About Disaster Resilience Network The mission of the Tulsa, Okla.-based Disaster Resilience Network is to empower people, businesses and communities to reduce the impact of disasters. To learn more, please visit www.disasterresliencenetwork.org. About Tulsa Community College Tulsa (Okla.) Community College educates more than 27,000 students each year. With knowledgeable faculty teaching in state-of-the art facilities on four campuses, programs for students at every stage of life, robust online learning opportunities, and a commitment to affordable excellence, we're equipped to guide you to personal and professional success. To learn more, please visit www.tulsacc.edu. About the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) IBHS' mission is to conduct objective, scientific research to identify and promote effective actions that strengthen homes, businesses and communities against natural disasters and other causes of loss. Learn more about IBHS at disastersafety.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005759/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Insurance Standards Donors Recognized for Their Industry Contributions at ACORD Connect 2018 PEARL RIVER, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACORD, the global standards-setting body for the insurance industry, will recognize a number of insurance leaders who have donated assets for the benefit of the ACORD community and the industry at large with Industry Contributor Awards, to be presented at ACORD Connect 2018. ACORD Standards, which are widely used throughout the global insurance industry, have been shown to improve data quality and flow, increase efficiency, and enable improvements in process, organization, and technology. ACORD engages over 8,000 organizations, including carriers, brokers, agents, reinsurers, solution providers, and other participants. The organizations to be recognized include: Aon, for donation of a cyber data breach standard, for donation of a cyber data breach standard, Beazley, for donation of a cyber data breach standard, for donation of a cyber data breach standard, The Hartford , for donation of XML material for Digital Standards development, for donation of XML material for Digital Standards development, MetLife , for donation of a claims lodgement API for Australian life insurance, and , for donation of a claims lodgement API for Australian life insurance, and Nationwide, for donation of message structures for Digital Standards. "Donated assets and slution construction aids play a critical role in accelerating the quality and speed-to-value of our standards development process," said ACORD President and CEO Bill Pieroni. "ACORD Members who actively donate are helping to facilitate data exchange among their trading partners throughout the value chain, and taking an active hand in shaping the industry, its future, and their own ability to thrive. We deeply appreciate their contributions, and we encourage other organizations to follow their lead." ACORD Connect 2018 will be held October 10-11, 2018 in New Orleans. The annual event will give participants the opportunity to explore important strategic issues facing the global insurance industry; enhance their expertise with ACORD Standards & Architecture; and earn valuable continuing education credits through professional development sessions. The program will provide ample opportunity to network with thought leaders and key influencers from across the full spectrum of companies and roles from architects to senior executives in the global insurance industry. Visit www.acord.org/acordevent for a detailed event schedule or to register to attend. About ACORD ACORD (Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development) is the global standards-setting body for the insurance and related financial services industries. ACORD facilitates fast, accurate data exchange, and efficient workflows through the development of electronic standards, standardized forms, and tools to support their use. ACORD members worldwide include hundreds of insurance and reinsurance companies, agents and brokers, software providers, financial services organizations and industry associations. ACORD maintains offices in New York and London. Learn more at www.acord.org. Contact: Nancy Hostler nancy@lpendragonus.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/insurance-standards-donors-recognized-for-their-industry-contributions-at-acord-connect-2018-300722920.html SOURCE ACORD [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Employers Holdings, Inc. Schedules Third Quarter 2018 Earnings Release and Conference Call Employers Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:EIG), a Nevada-based company whose subsidiaries are specialty providers of workers' compensation insurance focused on small businesses, will review the Company's third quarter 2018 financial results during a conference call and webcast on Thursday, October 25, 2018, at 8:30 a.m. PST. The webcast will be accessible on the Employers Holdings, Inc. web site at www.employers.com through the "Invstors" link. An archived version of the webcast will remain on the Employers Holdings, Inc. web site for up to seven days following the live webcast. To listen to a recording of the call by telephone, dial +1 (404) 537-3406 or +1 (855) 859-2056 and use the conference call access code 9958939. Employers Holdings, Inc. will release earnings after market close on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 after which these materials will be available on the Company's web site at www.employers.com through the "Investors" link. 2018 EMPLOYERS. All rights reserved. EMPLOYERS and America's small business insurance specialist are registered trademarks of Employers Insurance Company of Nevada. Insurance is offered through Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers Preferred Insurance Company, and Employers Assurance Company. Not all insurers do business in all jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005181/en/ [October 02, 2018] Government of Canada welcomes largest private sector investment project in Canadian history LNG Canada announces 40 billion dollar investment that will lead to 10,000 middle class jobs VANCOUVER, Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - Canada is a country that understands that environmental leadership and economic growth go hand-in-hand. With modern infrastructure and cleaner technology to get our resources to new markets, we can diversify our trade, grow our economy, and create good, well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today welcomed LNG Canada's decision to build a major liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Kitimat, British Columbia. The $40-billion project represents the largest private sector investment project in the history of the country, which will: Create 10,000 jobs at the height of construction; Lead to billions of dollars in direct government revenues; and Include hundreds of millions of dollars in construction contracts for Indigenous businesses. In addition, the Prime Minister announced $275 million in federal support, as well as a commitment that trade barriers will not get in the way of this generational project. The largest infrastructure project of its kind in Canada/span>, it will include natural gas liquefaction facility, a pipeline, and a marine terminal to export surplus Canadian natural gas to some of the world's fastest growing economies in Asia. Once built, it will have the lowest carbon intensity of any large-scale LNG facility in the world. Quote "Today's announcement by LNG Canada represents the single largest private sector investment project in Canadian history. It is a vote of confidence in a country that recognizes the need to develop our energy in a way that takes the environment into account, and that works in meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities." The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Quick facts Globally, Canada is the fourth largest producer and fifth largest exporter of natural gas. The value of Canadian net exports (exports minus imports) was $6 .7 billion in 2017. is the fourth largest producer and fifth largest exporter of natural gas. The value of Canadian net exports (exports minus imports) was .7 billion in 2017. The LNG Canada facility will be built in Kitimat, B.C. Construction is expected to begin in 2018, with the terminal in service by 2024. Construction is expected to begin in 2018, with the terminal in service by 2024. At full capacity, the terminal will convert and export as much as 26 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year, primarily to Asia . This represents roughly 20 per cent of overall gas production in Canada . . This represents roughly 20 per cent of overall gas production in . Prime Minister Trudeau met with Royal Dutch Shell senior executives in China and at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland . More recently, he met in New York with Chief Executive Officer Ben van Beurden where they discussed how to advance energy projects that are both good for Canada's economy and the environment. Associated links LNG Canada Natural Gas Facts Canadian LNG projects This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca/ SOURCE Prime Minister's Office [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Asia-Pacific Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce Market 2018-2022 DUBLIN, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Asia-Pacific Cross-Border B2C E-Commerce 2018" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. More than 50% of online shoppers in Asia made cross-border purchases, according to a recent survey. The top two markets by cross-border digital buyer penetration in this region are Hong Kong and Singapore. The tendency to buy from foreign online sellers also prevails in Australia and New Zealand, where a double-digit share of digital spending is cross-border. Japan is a laggard in the cross-border online shopping trend, with over nine in ten digital consumers buying online only domestically. The top three destinations of cross-border online shoppers in Asia-Pacific are China, the USA and Japn. In their turn, Chinese online shoppers give preference to cross-border shopping platforms hosted by local providers, such as Tmall Global, Kaola and JD Global. The report also reveals that clothes and accessories was the most demanded product category in Asia-Pacific's cross-border E-Commerce. In South Korea, this sector accounted for more than one-third of E-Commerce purchases from foreign sellers. A distinguishing characteristic of cross-border online shoppers in Asia-Pacific is the high level of mobile usage. Digital buyers in China and India were more likely to place orders on foreign websites through smartphones and tablets than through a desktop computer, according to a 2018 survey cited in the report. Companies Mentioned Alibaba Group Holding Ltd Amazon.com Inc JD.com Inc Lotte Co. Ltd NetEase Inc Vipshop Holdings Ltd. eBay.com Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4g3qb6/asiapacific?w=5 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. Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/asia-pacific-cross-border-b2c-e-commerce-market-2018-2022-300722822.html SOURCE Research and Markets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Capital Markets Lawyer David Cameron Joins Dorsey in Hong Kong as Partner International law firm Dorsey & Whitney LLP announced today that David Cameron has joined the Firm's Corporate Group in Hong Kong as a Partner. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005918/en/ David Cameron has joined Dorsey & Whitney's Corporate Group in Hong Kong as a Partner. Mr. Cameron's practice focuses on international capital markets work. (Photo: Dorsey & Whitney LLP) Mr. Cameron's practice focuses on international capital markets work. He specializes in representing and advising corporate and investment banking clients on debt and equity offerings pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, including high-yield, investment grade, private placements, block trades and medium-term note programs for issuers across Asia. Mr. Cameron also has extensive experience with green bonds and Masala bonds. His recent work before joining Dorsey has included advising on the State Bank of India's Section 4(a)(2) equity offering of US$2.3billion, the largest-ever Qualified Institutions Placement out of India to date, JSW Steel's US$500 million high-yield bond offering, CK Hutchison Holdings' US$1.8 billion dual tranche Rule 144A senior note offering and Sri Lanka's sovereign US$1.5 billion Rule 144A senior note offering. He joins Dorsey from Allen & Overy, where he was counsel in that firm's Capital Markets practice in Hong Kong. Before joining Allen & Overy in 2016, he was an associate for over seven years in the Capital Markets practice in the Hong Kong office of Linklaters. Mr. Cameron is a Registered Foreign Lawyer in Hong Kong and admitted to practice in the State of New York. Mr. Cameron has a B.A. degree from Georgetown University, an M.A. degree in International Studies from The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, an M.B.A. degree in Finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a J.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. "David Cameron is a superb capital markets lawyer with extensive experience and deep expertise in multi-jurisdictional debt and equity transactions, especially those emanating across Asia. He will be a terrific addition to our strong capital markets practice in Hong Kong," noted Dorsey Partner Simon Chan, who heads the Firm's Hong Kong office. "Also, his practice and clients will benefit from Dorsey's collaborative culture and its client service-focused mission." "We are delighted to have David join us in Hong Kong," added Dorsey Managing Partner Ken Cutler. "He is another example of the key, strategic hiring we are continuing to do to build our depth and breadth across our practices and in our offices in Asia, Europe and North America." "I am extremely pleased to be joining Dorsey and its world-class team of corporate and capital markets lawyers," noted Mr. Cameron. "I look forward to serving Dorsey's exceptional client base and to utilizing the Dorsey platform to provide quality and value to future clients." About Dorsey & Whitney LLP Clients have relied on Dorsey since 1912 as a valued business partner. With locations across the United States and in Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, Dorsey provides an integrated, proactive approach to its clients' legal and business needs. Dorsey represents a number of the world's most successful companies from a wide range of industries, including leaders in banking and financial institutions, development and infrastructure, energy and natural resources, food, beverage and agribusiness, healthcare and technology, as well as major non-profit and government entities. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002005918/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Blossom, Turner & Buzzfeed on Top of Shareablee's New Branded Video Top-Ten Rankings NEW YORK, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareablee Inc., the global leader in audience-based social media measurement, today released its rankings of 2018's most socially engaged U.S. branded video publishers on Facebook to-date. The findings reflect more than 2.7 billion views and 26 million actions (post level reactions, shares, comments) in partnership with 16,000 advertisers. Branded videos comprise 27 percent of Facebook's entire branded content space (photos are still 73 percent of all branded content) up from only 10 percent of branded content this time last year. America's top five publishers generated more than half of all publishers' total branded video actions, while the top 25 percent accounted for a staggering 8 percent of all viewer engagement. The most engaging video publisher so far this year is Buzzfeed Inc.'s Tasty with 6.5 million total branded video engagements, followed by First Media's Blossom in second with 2.6 million actions, and Turner Broadcast Systems' Bleacher Report in third with 1.7 million actions. The top three publisher ranks remain unchanged when measured by branded video views, with Tasty 459 million video views still out ahead in total actions. In fourth, with 124.1 million video views is Some Spider Studios' Scary Mommy with 1.1 million total actions and 109.4 million branded video views across 54 total videos so far in 2018. Top performers by Views per Video were Blossom, with 29.5 million views per video, followed by So Yummy, with 5.9 million views per Video. p>ShopRite drove the most branded video engagement of any U.S. advertiser, with 1.7 million total actions from four branded videos. Walmart ranked second with 924,000 video actions, followed by 40cean (656,000 actions). Blossom's partnership with advertiser ShopRite also produced,"Grill your way through the Summer with these 8 awesome grilling hacks!" 2018's most viewed branded video (104 million views), and the most engaging piece of branded content on social to-date (1.7 million actions). About Shareablee Shareablee is the leader in audience-based social media measurement for media publishers, agencies and brands that want to understand the impact and effectiveness of their cross-platform social media campaigns. Launched in 2013, Shareablee empowers brands by providing data that can help them define and drive success on social media by arming them with metrics and predictive analytics that inform powerful best practices. Shareablee is the leading authority on audience intelligence, competitive bench-marking and actionable insights with clients in 15+ countries. Media Contact: Cameron@Shareablee.com Related Images publishers-by-engagement.jpeg Publishers by Engagement publishers-by-views.jpeg Publishers by Views advertisers-by-engagement.jpeg Advertisers by Engagement advertisers-by-views.jpeg Advertisers by Views Related Links Shareablee.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blossom-turner--buzzfeed-on-top-of-shareablees-new-branded-video-top-ten-rankings-300722924.html SOURCE Shareablee Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Samsung Canada and Autism Speaks Canada Launch 2018 Campaign, Learn the Love Spectrum Program includes research study, sensory-friendly shopping experiences, and new technology innovations to support families living with autism MISSISSAUGA, ON, Oct. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - Samsung Canada, in partnership with Autism Speaks Canada, is excited to announce the launch of the 2018 Learn the Love Spectrum campaign. Now in its fourth year, the innovative initiative aims to raise awareness of autism in Canada and bring a deeper understanding of how technology can impact the lives of families living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) a condition affecting one in 66 Canadian children*. "The Learn the Love Spectrum conversation has given us a first-hand look at how Samsung technology can help deepen family connections and help a child share their love with the world," said Jennifer Groh, Director, Marketing Communications and Citizenship at Samsung Canada. "Every child, among every family, who we have met through this campaign shares their love differently. We look forward to sharing their inspiring stories and experiences alongside our partner, Autism Speaks Canada." This year's campaign kicks off with an in-person Learn the Love Spectrum panel discussion at the Samsung Experience Store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre on Thursday, October 25, 2018. The evening will bring parents, families and experts together to share in an engaging ASD-themed conversation, with representatives from Holland Bloorview Children's Rehabilitation Centre as well as Autism Speaks Canada sharing their insights, experiences, and noteworthy developments to support the ASD community in Canada. To RSVP and learn more about the Learn the Love Spectrum panel in Toronto, please contact katelin.onishi@northstrategic.com. Following the panel, a variety of Sensory Friendly Experiences will be coming to the Samsung Experience Store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, providing families with unique opportunities to shop while experiencing tailored events in a sensory-friendly environment. For further information, follow Samsung Canada social channels for news and updates. With the launch of today's Learn the Love Spectrum campaign, Samsung Canada and Autism Speaks Canada announced they will be donating Samsung wearables and 500 of the newest Samsung GALAXY Tab A 10.5 tablets, to families living with ASD, exploring how the Samsung connected ecosystem from the Samsung GALAXY Watch, to GearVR virtual reality, and more can support and connect a child with the world around them. These donations support an ongoing study, led by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, in partnership with Samsung and Autism Speaks Canada, intending to unlock how technology can best support families, and children, living with ASD. "Technology has the potential to act as a tool that can build bridges and empower a child to explore new interests and talents," said Jill Farber, Executive Director, Autism Speaks Canada. "It's inspiring to be a part of this initiative with Samsung and to share in this conversation with families living with autism." To participate in the 2018 Samsung Learn the Love Spectrum initiative, Canadians can visit samsung.com/learnthelovespectrum and autismspeaks.ca from October 1 to October 31, 2018 to apply. *'Autism Spectrum Disorder among Children and Youth in Canada 2018' https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder-children-youth-canada-2018.html About Samsung Electronics Canada Inc. Samsung Electronics Canada inspires Canadians to reach their full potential through a transformative ecosystem of products and services that deliver innovation and distinct design to every aspect of their connected lives. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, virtual reality and wearable devices, tablets and digital appliances. In 2017, Samsung ranked top 10 in Interbrand's "Best Global Brands" list, Ipsos Canada's Most Influential Brands in Canada, and Leger Marketing's Most Admired Brands in Canada. Dedicated to helping make a difference in the lives of Canadians, Samsung's award-winning Hope for Children corporate giving initiatives supports public education, sustainability and health-related issues in communities across the country. To discover more, please visit www.samsung.com. Follow Samsung Canada at facebook.com/SamsungCanada, or Instagram @samsungcanada or Twitter @SamsungCanada About Autism Speaks Canada Autism Speaks Canada is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. We do this by supporting and working alongside the autism community; increasing understanding and acceptance of individuals living with autism spectrum disorder; and advancing research into causes and better interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions. We empower people with autism and their families by enhancing services, developing resources, online tools and information covering the life span. To find resources, join a fundraising walk or make a donation, go to www.autismspeaks.ca. About Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder or autism, refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication. We now know that there is not one autism but many subtypes, and each person with autism can have unique strengths and challenges. Causes include a combination of genetic and environmental influences, and many are accompanied by medical issues such as GI disorders, seizures and sleep disturbances. It is estimated that 1 in 68 children globally is on the autism spectrum. SOURCE Samsung Electronics Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] Sunstone Management Founder Featured at 2018 Duke University China-US Summit John Shen, founding partner of Sunstone Management, a diversified capital management and investment firm based in Long Beach, California, led a discussion on international economics and business at Duke University's China-US Summit 2018 held Saturday, September 29. The Duke China-US Summit annually brings together distinguished scholars, business leaders and stakeholders from across industries for in-depth panel discussions with a focus on developing global leadership to improve the cooperation at all levels between the two largest economic powers in the world. John Shen moderated a panel entitled Economics and Business that addressed opportunities and challenges facing Chinese and American industries. Shen also served as a guest speaker to discuss career development with current Duke students. The summit was convened and sponsored by Duke Chinese Student Association (CSA), Duke Kunshan University (DKU) and Duke Kunshn Student Ambassador Council (KSAC) on Duke's campus in Durham, North Carolina. "Even under the shadow of a possible trade war, the business, technological, and educational ties between China and America continue to grow," stated John Shen. "At Sunstone, we have unique insight into these complex economic institutions and relationships on both sides as our business serves the capital management needs of Chinese high net worth families and invests in fast growing US companies." John received a master's degree from Duke University in 1996 is a current member of the James B. Duke Society and the President Society Council of Duke University. He has led the Alumni Admission Advisory Committee (AAAC) in China since 2013 and engaged the global variety of alumni community in China and in the US for the past decade. In 2015 John became a recipient of the Forever Duke award for his effort and dedication to Duke. About Sunstone Management Sunstone Management is a diversified private capital management and investment firm offering comprehensive wealth management solutions to high net worth clients worldwide, in particular U.S. new-immigrant families. Focusing on investments in U.S. based small businesses and lower middle markets, its offerings are carefully structured to meet targeted investor goals ranging from short term senior debt products to longer term, equity, growth capital, and venture capital investment strategies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006007/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] GA-ASI's Second MQ-9B SkyGuardian Completes First Flight General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) completed the first flight of its second MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) (YBC02) aircraft on September 26. The flight of the company-owned aircraft was conducted at Laguna Army Airfield in Yuma Proving Grounds. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006036/en/ MQ-9B SkyGuardian. (Photo: Business Wire) "We're very pleased to have our second MQ-9B aircraft completed and flying," said David R. Alexander, president, Aircraft Systems, GA-ASI. "MQ-9B development continues to move forward on schedule as we look forward to our first customer delivery in the early 2020s." The second MQ-9B SkyGuardian gives the GA-ASI program team another aircraft to perform important development testing and demonstrations. New capabilities that weren't available when the first prototype was completed in 2016, such as lightning protection, an upgraded avionics and software suite, and a de-icing system, have been included as part of MQ-9B's roadmap to become the first RPA to be certified to fly in civil airspace. The upcoming test schedule for YBC02 includes further flight envelope expansion testing, testing of the Certified Redundant Control Module, flight controller updates, and testing of the Certifiable Ground Control Station (C- GCS (News - Alert) ). The first MQ-9B SkyGuardian aircraft has been busy, completing more than 75 flights and 400 flight test hours. Last year the aircraft set an endurance record for Predator series aircraft when it flew for more than 48 consecutive hours. In December it was used to demonstrate Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability using SATCOM only. Then in July, it completed a trans-Atlantic flight that took off from Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA, landing at Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK. The flight covered 3,760 nautical mile flight in just over 24 hours. The RAF is acquiring MQ-9B SkyGuardian as part of its PROTECTOR RG Mk1 program. MQ-9B is the latest evolution of GA-ASI's multi-mission Predator B fleet. GA-ASI named its baseline MQ-9B aircraft SkyGuardian, and the maritime surveillance variant SeaGuardian. Its development is the result of a five-year, company-funded effort to deliver a RPA that can meet the stringent airworthiness type-certification requirements of various military and civil authorities, including the UK Military Airworthiness Authority (MAA) and eventually the U.S. FAA. Hi-resolution photos of MQ-9B SkyGuardian are available to qualified media outlets from the listed GA-ASI media contact. About GA-ASI General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), an affiliate of General Atomics, is the leading designer and manufacturer of proven, reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, radars, and electro-optic and related mission systems, including the Predator RPA series and the Lynx Multi-mode Radar. With more than five million flight hours, GA-ASI provides long-endurance, mission-capable aircraft with integrated sensor and data link systems required to deliver persistent flight that enables situational awareness and rapid strike. The company also produces a variety of ground control stations and sensor control/image analysis software, offers pilot training and support services, and develops meta-material antennas. For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com. Reaper, Predator, and Lynx are registered trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006036/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Washington School was nominated for the award by the Illinois State Board of Education after meeting stringent performance requirements, the district said. The school was then invited by the U.S. Department of Education to apply for recognition through what District 64 calls a comprehensive application describing curriculum and instruction, school supports, and strategies for academic success, among other areas. [October 02, 2018] Audacious Inquiry Partners with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to Increase Access, Advocacy, and Quality of Care BALTIMORE, Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) and Audacious Inquiry (Ai) this week announced a strategic partnership to improve care quality by increasing connectivity, expanding access to care, and promoting advocacy efforts across the hospice and palliative care communities. Palliative Care is an interdisciplinary care model that seeks to provide patients with severe, life-limiting illness relief from the pain and stress of their condition. It has become an increasingly vital service as our healthcare system transitions to population health management. Through tools such as Ai's Encounter Notification Service (ENS), alerting the Palliative Care community of their patients' hospitalizations as well as informing hospital care teams of existing palliative care efforts, will ensure more seamless and effective course of treatment. This collaborative effort will see the NHPCO's expertise in the hospice and palliative care space join with Ai's technology and strategic advisory capabilities to yield a robust set of resources and knowledge aimed to further a population health management approach to patient care. For over a decade, Ai has provided software solutions and strategic advisory to advance connected healthcare and support interoperability initiatives throughout the United States. This new partnership allows NHPCO to leverage Ai' national deployments, enabling increased member integration with hospitals and SNFs. With access to Ai's connectivity and software offerings, such as ENS, NHPCO members possess a network and tools for enhanced population health management, allowing them to provide more timely, comprehensive care management and support for patients and their families. "By virtue of our partnership with Ai, NHPCO members will have access to tools that will help connect them to the rest of the healthcare spectrum," said Edo Banach, NHPCO president and chief executive officer. "This increased connectivity supports population health management initiatives by improving communication and care coordination, ensuring high-quality care for patients with serious illness." In addition to improving connectivity and quality of care, the NHPCO and Ai will use the joint resources and expertise gained through this partnership to advance advocacy efforts in the hospice and palliative care space. Scott Afzal, president of Ai, said "We believe deeply in the work NHPCO and its members are advancing. Through Ai's software solutions deployed throughout the country, we are partnering to improve care coordination to better serve this community of providers and patients." For more information, contact media@ainq.com. About National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization NHPCO is the largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States. The organization is committed to improving end-of-life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones. To learn more, visit www.nhpco.org. About Audacious Inquiry Audacious Inquiry (Ai) is a health information technology and policy company that provides bold solutions for connected healthcare. Ai's industry-shaping technology offers efficient and cost-effective solutions for care coordination; their nationally-recognized team-members provide actionable strategic consulting, and their services raise the bar for leveraging health data. To learn more, visit www.ainq.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/audacious-inquiry-partners-with-the-national-hospice-and-palliative-care-organization-to-increase-access-advocacy-and-quality-of-care-300723174.html SOURCE Audacious Inquiry [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] ICMEC Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Grant ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC), an NGO focused on eradicating global child abduction, sexual abuse and exploitation, announced it received a $50,000 grant from Motorola Solutions Foundation , the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. "Motorola Solutions Foundation's continued support allows us to unite global networks dedicated to child protection," said Ambassador Maura Harty, President and CEO of ICMEC. This latest support from Motorola secures funding for professional development of first responders and strategy discussions about advanced technology solutions at ICMEC's 10th Annual Global Missing Children's Network (GMCN) Conference. ICMEC operates the GMCN, which includes 32 organizations from 28 countries, as a platform for countries to globally address solutions that create a safer world for children. Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations, such as ICMEC, which support and advance public safety programs and techology and engineering education initiatives. "ICMEC helps nurture a healthy relationship between advocacy, field operations and capacity building in the area of child protection. I am honored to serve on its Board of Directors," said Travis Heneveld, Director, UN and International Accounts at Motorola Solutions, Inc. This year, Motorola Solutions Foundation grants will support programs that help more than 3 million students, teachers, first responders and community members around the globe. "The Motorola Solutions Foundation is honored to support the work of ICMEC," said Matt Blakely, executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. "We believe in organizations that are fostering innovation, building partnerships and driving change." About ICMEC For 20 years, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children has led contributions in eradicating child abduction, sexual abuse, and exploitation. The organization advocates for better global and regional child protection laws, trains police officers, educators, and health professionals around the world to recognize and respond to child sexual abuse and exploitation and collaborates with international partners to make the world safer for children. About the Motorola Solutions Foundation The Motorola Solutions Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions. With employees around the globe, Motorola Solutions seeks to benefit the communities where it operates. The foundation achieves this through strategic grants, forging strong community partnerships and fostering innovation. For additional information on Motorola Solutions Foundation grants program, visit: motorolasolutions.com/foundation For more information on ICMEC please visit www.icmec.org CONTACT: Laura Jennings, (703) 872-7467, ljennings@icmec.org View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/icmec-receives-motorola-solutions-foundation-grant-300723175.html SOURCE International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [October 02, 2018] $15K in Grant Funds Awarded to Coalition of African American Communities A $14,600 Partnership Grant Program ( PGP (News - Alert) ) award from The First, A National Banking Association (The First), Community Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) will help the Coalition of African American Communities (COAAC) to expand its programs to reach more people by offsetting operational and administrative expenses related to business development classes and seminars. Local dignitaries joined bank and project representatives today to award the funds to the organization at a check presentation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006121/en/ A $14,600 Partnership Grant Program award from The First, A National Banking Association, Community Bank and FHLB Dallas will help the Coalition of African American Communities to expand its programs to reach more people. (Photo: Business Wire) The mission of the organization is to strengthen relationships between residents and local financial institutions and help create sustainable communities through stimulating small business development, education, training and homeownership workshops. "Financial and business literacy are critical skills, yet they can be a true challenge to acquire if one does not have the resources," said Mississippi State Representative Sonya Williams-Barnes, D-119. "I commend these banks' partnership with COAAC to support Gulfport entrepreneurs and economic development. I await the productive effect this should have on the growth of our communities." Established as The Amos Network following Hurricane Katrina, the nonprofit changed its name in 2014, as well as shifted its focus to financial literacy and small business training for low-income residents. "We work to build relationships between the community and the banks. I act as asort of liaison, and I've been able to identify some voids in those relationships," said Anthony Thompson, executive director of COAAC. COAAC has primarily focused on Gulfport, Mississippi, but recently expanded outside the city to work with the small rural town of Utica, Mississippi. "The town had lost its only bank," Mr. Thompson said, "and we worked with them to attract a credit union. There's also no grocery store in town, so we'll be working on that, too." This is the second PGP grant the organization has received in two years. "We are so appreciative of the funds," Mr. Thompson said. 'We're not a large organization. Some small groups go away when the funding goes away, but we're driven by passion." Community Bank Senior Vice President Harry Piascik said the partnership aspect of the PGP is valuable for community engagement. "Building strong relationships with the community is an important part of our bank's mission," said Mr. Piascik. "These funds will allow COAAC to provide more services and to continue its important work in the community." Through the PGP, FHLB Dallas member institutions contribute $500 up to $4,000 to a community-based organization (CBO), which FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio to provide the CBO up to $12,000 in grant money. "Strengthening ties between local banks and our communities benefits us all," said Jerome Brown, senior vice president and director of Community Development at The First. "Our bank is thrilled to have played a role in awarding this grant to help this organization continue the valuable work they do." In 2018, FHLB Dallas has awarded $300,000 in PGP funds through 31 member institutions to assist 32 community-based organizations. Combined with the $114,010 contributed by FHLB Dallas members, a total of $414,010 has been awarded to the organizations. "Through a collective spirit of commitment and partnership, our members are positively impacting the communities in which they live and serve by participating in programs such as the PGP," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. About the First, A National Banking Association The First, A National Banking Association, headquartered in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, began as a dream on a back porch in South Mississippi. A group of local businessmen talked about creating a bank that would take care of business by taking care of people one customer at a time... and The First was born. Now, that dream has grown from a back porch to cities and towns all over South Mississippi, South Alabama, and Louisiana. The First is more than a bank...because it is still a group of friends building relationships and taking care of business one customer at a time! The First currently has 62 locations and assets exceeding $2.5 billion. About Community Bank Community Bank, a $2.9 billion-dollar bank, headquartered in Mississippi, has 47 offices in four states - Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida, with eight of those being on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With over 730 staff-owners, Community Bank takes pride in offering cutting-edge products and services from checking accounts and an in-house mortgage department to a full suite of business products. For more information, visit, communitybank.net. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $75.9 billion as of June 30, 2018, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 825 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181002006121/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- A man is in custody after causing a frightening scene Monday morning. Police were sent out to Boulevard Brewing Company about 8 a.m. for reports of shots fired. That's where they found the suspect outside of the business and he was arrested without incident. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A trial date has been set for a man accused in the disappearance and deaths of two women. The trial for Kylr Yust, who is charged with murder in the deaths of Jessica Runions and Kara Kopetsky, will begin Nov. 4, 2019, and is expected to last through Nov. Renault has unveiled the K-ZE Concept at the Paris motor show, a small all-electric crossover study that previews a future production model. It is part of Renaults plan to electrify its core range by 2020, which includes plug-in versions of the Megane and Captur and a hybrid version of the Clio. The K-ZE Concept isnt a mere showpiece, but a fully functioning car. Were not told how big its battery pack is, but we are informed of its 250 km / 155-mile range on a single charge, although this is based on the old NEDC testing framework and not the new WLTP guidelines. The vehicle previews a new all-electric powertrain But being a Renault concept, style is naturally highly important, and the K-ZE doesnt disappoint: it has a dramatic face, with split light clusters like those of a Hyundai Kona and chunky overall proportions. In fact, it looks like the Kwid Renault already sells in many emerging markets, but with a more striking front fascia, riding on big concept wheels and with additional details all around. In fact, while Renault may not overtly say it, but they probably started with a series Kwid which they modified and turned into the K-ZE. In fact, its name probably refers to it being a Kwid with Zero Emissions. The automaker will launch the model previewed by this study (with its all-electric powertrain) in China first, in 2019, and then possibly on other markets as well. Further reading Read our full review on the 2015 Renault KWID. Seventh generation 3 Series Saloon to debut at Paris Motor Show. Revised proportions, wider track, longer wheelbase, reduced weight and drag. New design language focuses on clean, precise lines to emphasise superior driving dynamics. New range of standard options for instrument panel and centre console, as well as revised leather steering wheels. BMW 330e iPerformance model with plug-in hybrid drive available. New BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant featured for the first time. On sale from 9 March 2019 with OTR prices starting from 33,610. The BMW 3 Series Saloon has had an unparalleled reputation both for its quality, and supreme handling in the premium midsize segment for more than 40 years and this, the seventh generation, raises the bar even higher. When the first BMW 3 Series was launched in 1975, it revolutionised the segment and became BMWs most successful model. The saloon is the core of BMW 3 Series range (of which over 15 million units have been sold worldwide) and is regarded as the heartbeat of the BMW brand. With revised styling, superior driving dynamics, exceptional efficiency and innovative features, this latest iteration opens an exciting new chapter in 3 Series progression. The new BMW 3 Series saloon will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show on Tuesday, October 2 and this will be followed by the global market launch of the car from 9 March 2019. Exterior design Precision, clean lines and bold contours are the hallmarks of the new 3 Series Saloon, which has had its proportions radically revised. The new car is 85 millimetres longer than its predecessor (at 4,709mm), 16 millimetres wider (1,827mm) and just 1 mm taller (1,442 millimetres). Added to that, its wheelbase has been extended by 41 millimetres to 2,851mm, as has its track widths (front: by 43mm, and rear by 21mm). At the front, the large BMW kidney grille elements are framed by a single surround and split up by wide bars and link to the headlight units. The customary BMW twin headlights feature the familiar two-way split that is further emphasised by an eye-catching notch in the front apron that rises into the headlight contour. The bonnet has four contour lines leading to the BMW kidney grille. At its leading edge, it sits flush with the upper edge of the headlights and kidney grille. Both the front foglights and the Air Curtains are integrated into the outer air intakes, which are inserted into the front apron in a horizontal T shape on SE and Sport models. This design was originally developed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) for the intake air in jet engines and later became a feature of classical racing cars. A pair of character lines rise to the rear of the car at door-handle level and a contour line near the side skirts guides the eye to the sculpted rear wheel arches. Another feature is the Hofmeister kink the familiar counter-swing at the trailing edge of the side window graphic. A BMW hallmark, this element of the window frame is now integrated into the C- pillar, giving the rear doors a freestanding glass edge. Surface contours lead into the rear apron from the side skirts and extend in an upwards movement via the rear lights up to the spoiler lip on the boot lid. At the rear slim, darkened light units house L-shaped taillights. From launch, customers can choose from two non-metallic colours and ten metallic shades including the brand new Portimao Blue metallic which is unique to the top-selling M Sport model. Interior The interior is designed to accentuate the spaciousness of the cabin and the driver- focused cockpit. The instrument panel has a modern, light look with horizontal lines, high- quality electroplated trim strips and contours that extend into the doors. The newly-designed instrument cluster and Control Display form a large surfaced screen grouping, while the controls not included in these units are arranged into clearly structured function panels. Displays and buttons for the air conditioning are at the centre of the instrument panel while the light functions are operated via a panel of buttons next to the steering wheel. The start/stop button for the engine is now positioned in a control panel in the centre console that houses the gearshift lever or newly designed selector lever, the iDrive Controller, electromechanical parking brake and the buttons for the Driving Experience Control switch unit. The range of standard and optional interior trim elements available for the instrument panel and centre console is almost entirely new. As well as open-pore fine wood options, customers can choose from a variety of aluminium trims including a new Aluminium mesh effect interior trim. Increased standard equipment The entry level SE model features substantially increased standard specification. It includes Extended LED headlights with cornering light and eyebrow indicators, BMW Light Carpet, interior Ambient Lighting with up to 11 colour settings, reversing camera and latest generation reversing assistant, electric folding rear view mirrors, three-zone air conditioning and enhanced acoustic glazing. All 3 Series models benefit from 40:20:40 split folding rear seats and folding rear headrests as standard. The entry model features a leather Sport steering wheel and BMW Live Cockpit plus, with its 8.8-inch central instrument cluster. The SE models get line-specific front and rear bumper design, and they also come with exclusive 17-inchlight-alloy wheels or optional 18-inch wheels, bespoke door sill strips and LED front foglights. The Sport model adds exterior features including BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line trim for the side window surrounds, plus kidney grille bars and trim elements for the air intakes and rear apron in High-gloss Black. The Sport models interior features trim strips in High-gloss Black and sports seats for the driver and front passenger. The Sport model now comes equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, Vernasca leather seats and also driver and passenger heated seats. The M Sport model features particularly large air intakes as well as a different design for the front bumper, side skirts and rear apron. It also includes BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line trim, kidney grille bars in High-gloss Black, air intake trim in High-gloss Black and a rear diffuser in Dark Shadow. Inside there are Sports seats, an M leather steering wheel, an anthracite-coloured BMW Individual headliner and interior trim strips in Aluminium Tetragon, updated Vernasca leather seat trims and heated front seats. The M Sport model will also feature as standard the new BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.3-inch central instrument cluster and BMWs brand new ID7 operating system. Engines and powertrain The upgraded four-cylinder engines from the BMW Groups Efficient Dynamics family are used in the BMW 330i and the BMW 320d. The 3 Series Saloon will feature a new- generation six-speed manual gearbox and the eight-speed Steptronic transmission. As an alternative to rear-wheel drive, the BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system will also be available for the new BMW 320d at launch. Systematic upgrades have been made to the BMW TwinPower Turbo technology for the two-litre, four-cylinder diesel engines in the BMW 320d and BMW 320d xDrive models. It now includes multi-stage turbocharging, which brings increased efficiency across all engine speeds. The revised diesel has a maximum output of 190hp and a peak torque of 400Nm enabling the BMW 320d to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds (automatic: 6.8 seconds) while the BMW 320d xDrive can get from zero to 62mph in 6.9 seconds. Average fuel consumption is 64.2mpg (automatic: 67.3mpg) for the 320d and 62.8mpg for the 320d xDrive. The 320ds CO2 emissions are 115g/km (automatic: 110 g/km) while the 320d xDrives CO2 emissions are 118g/km. Model Power output (hp) Peak Torque (NM) Acceleration 0- 62mph Top Speed (mph) Fuel consumption combined (mpg) CO2 emissions (g/km) Price from BMW 320d 190 400 7.1 (6.8) 149 64.2 (67.3) 115 (110) 33,610 BMW 320d xDrive 190 400 (6.9) (145) (62.8) (118) 36,800 BMW 330i 258 400 (5.8) (155)* (48.7) (132) 37,660 *Electronically limited Chassis technology To maximise the handling capabilities of the new 3 Series Saloon BMW has increased the front and rear track, camber values for the front wheels and stiffened the body and suspension mountings. Used for the first time in a BMW model, the lift-related dampers are part of the cars standard chassis to balance comfort and agility. An addition, overall body rigidity is up by some 25 per cent, rising to as much as 50 per cent in certain areas, while the suspension spring rate is up by some 20 per cent over the previous-generation. Overall, the new BMW 3 Series Saloon weighs up to 55kg less than its predecessor. The body itself is 20kg lighter, while aluminium front spring struts and engine subframe have cut 7.5kg from the overall weight. A further weight saving of almost 15kig is due to the use of aluminium for the bonnet and front side panels. Aerodynamic improvements have also been applied. The drag coefficient (Cd) of the BMW 320d, for example, has been reduced from 0.26 to 0.23 thanks to an almost completely sealed underbody, aerodynamically optimised wheels, the use of Air Curtains at the front and the latest generation of active air flap control, which extends across the BMW kidney grille and lower air intake. M Sport models which feature the M Sport suspension as standard, including all the all-wheel-drive versions, have a 10mm lowering of the cars ride height. Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers For M Sport models, as an alternative to the M Sport suspension customers can specify Adaptive M suspension that now results in a perceptible variation in the damping characteristics when switching between the driving modes using the Driving Experience Control switch. Drivers can select COMFORT mode for relaxed driving, SPORT mode for a dynamic driving style, while ADAPTIVE mode automatically adjusts to the driving style and, depending on the equipment specified, to the route itself. The Adaptive M suspension can be purchased as part of the M Sport Plus package. Both the BMW 320d and BMW 320d xDrive SE models are equipped as standard with 17-inch light-alloy wheels while the Sport and M Sport models feature unique 18-inch wheel designs and optional 19-inch light-alloy wheels are available - as are high performance tyres. The 320d and 320d xDrive can be specified, as part of the M Sport Plus package with uprated M Sport brakes. These lightweight model-specific brake discs have a grey cast iron friction ring with an aluminium brake disc chamber, while the blue-painted callipers feature the M logo. The M Sport brakes are included within all 330i M Sport models. The new 3 Series Saloon also includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) which features anti-lock braking (ABS) and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), but also a variety of stabilising functions and the Start-Off Assistant. The Performance Control function is also standard. This system improves agility by varying the drive torque through the rear wheels depending on conditions. The M Sport differential for the rear axle is available as an option for the BMW 330i and BMW 330d models in combination with the M Sport Plus package.The electronically controlled, fully variable locking function in the rear differential helps to enhance traction, agility and cornering. Interior and equipment The cabin has been improved to maximise driver focus while offering more space and increased comfort. Shoulder room in the front of the cabin has also increased, and passengers in the rear benefit from more legroom. The distance between the front and rear seats has been extended by 11 millimetres, and all occupants have more headroom. Getting in and out of the car is easier for the rear passengers because the door aperture height has been increased. The rear compartment can accommodate a row of three child seats, two of which can be locked into place using ISOFIX anchor points. Standard 40:20:40 split-folding backrests on the rear seats give maximum flexibility. Newly designed standard seats in SE models offer greater long-distance comfort while the sports seats equipped in the Sport and M Sport models feature a broader range of adjustment. Seat heating is standard on Sport and M Sport models, but available within the SE Plus package on SE models. Both the standard seats and sports seats can be specified with electric adjustment including memory. The new Vernasca leather upholstery is a standard feature on Sport and M Sport models and comes in a choice of four colours with special decorative quilting and seam patterns, which vary according to the model line. The new BMW 3 Series Saloon features a restyled leather sports steering wheel with multifunction buttons, thumb rests and electroplated applications. The M Sport models benefit from their own unique M leather steering wheel. Also optional is an electric glass sunroof, which has been increased in length by 100 millimetres. The interior liner has a motorised opening and closing action, just like the glass roof itself. Boot capacity is 480 litres, and its new partitioning into primary luggage compartment and separate storage compartments has created an additional 36 litres of space. Automatic Tailgate operation and an electrically retractable towbar are also optional. If the Comfort Access option is specified, the car will automatically unlock when the radio remote control is detected in its immediate vicinity and lock again when it moves out of range. This also includes hands-free opening and closing of the boot lid. For added security, a new movement sensor in the key permanently monitors whether the key is being carried (and therefore is always transmitting) or has been put down on a table, for example, allowing it to switch into standby mode removing the risk of the key signal being picked up by transmitter devices. Full-LED headlights and LED foglights are standard, LED headlights with extended features include a dynamic cornering light function.vOptionally available for the first time on a BMW 3 Series, BMW Laserlight features adaptive functionality, high beam assistant and selective beam and has a non-dazzling high-beam that extends to around 530 metres, almost double that of the full-LED headlights. Standard-fit equipment includes rain sensor, automatic headlight activation, a Bluetooth hands-free phone facility, automatic climate control (including three zones with independent controls for the driver, front passenger and rear passengers) and acoustic glass for the windscreen, driver and passenger side windows which dramatically reduces cabin noise. Professional radio comes as standard on the BMW 3 Series Saloon. It features six speakers with an output of 100 watts. The optional 464-watt Harman Kardon surround sound system with 16 speakers and a digital seven-channel amplifier is available as part of the Technology package. Package and Option Simplification The package and option structure for the new 3 Series has been dramatically simplified, with a package and option list reduced to 6 main packages and around 10 single options. The packages group together options which share similar functionality or customer benefit, and will ease the ordering process while still allowing for a wide degree of personalisation. The M Sport Plus package combines a 19-inch wheel, M Sport brakes (20d and 20d xDrive) Adaptive M Suspension, Sun Protection Glazing, M Seat belts, Black kidney grills, M Rear spoiler. The 30i models with M Sport Plus also gain the electronic M differential. A new Technology package combines the Harman Kardon speakers, Head Up Display, Extended Bluetooth with Wireless Charging and Gesture Control. The Comfort package combines the Heated Steering Wheel, Comfort Access, Automated Tailgate and Storage Compartment package. The Premium package includes Electric Seats with memory, Lumbar Support and the Electric Glass Sunroof. Safety systems The car features as standard with Active Guard Plus which includes speed limit information, lane departure warning and Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function along with Cruise Control with braking function. Customers can also order the Driving Assistant Professional package that includes the Driving Assistant as well as Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Lane Keeping Assistant with active side collision protection, Priority Warning and Wrong-way warning systems and Cross-Traffic Alert. The latest generation of BMWs Head-Up Display is optional and available as part of a Technology package. This has a projection area 70 per cent larger than in the outgoing version. It also has enhanced graphics, additional display readings as well a distance warning that flashes up a graphic icon to alert the driver when they get too close to the vehicle in front. Parking Assistant features a reverse camera and now has a parallel parking function and is fitted as standard. Another new feature of the Parking Assistant is the Reversing Assistant. This system offers automated reversing in confined spaces where the driver does not have a clear view, such as multi-storey car parks or entrances to courtyards. The system can reverse the vehicle for distances of up to 50 metres by steering it along the same line it has just taken when moving forward: all the driver has to do is operate the accelerator and brake pedals. Customers can choose to upgrade to Park Assistant Plus which includes the Park View, Panorama View and 3D Top View features. These can create a 360 degree image of the vehicle and its surroundings from different perspectives in the Control Display. This introduces Remote 3D View function gives drivers the ability to call up a three- dimensional live image of their vehicle and its immediate vicinity on their smartphone. BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant New for the BMW 3 Series Saloon, drivers and passengers will be joined by the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, an intelligent, digital character that responds to the prompt Hey BMW. This will mark the start of a new era for the BMW Group in which drivers will increasingly be able to operate their car and access its functions and information simply by speaking. BMWs Intelligent Personal Assistant learns routines and habits, and is subsequently able to apply them in the appropriate context. The system helps the driver, learns their preferences and is familiar with their favoured settings e.g. for the seat heating or the places they drive to frequently using the navigation system (Take me home). One unique feature over other digital assistants is that drivers can give the Intelligent Personal Assistant a name (for example, Charlie or Joy) to create even greater individuality and personality. Not only does the Intelligent Personal Assistant await the drivers every command, it is always there to assist them and even provide casual conversation (Hey BMW, whats the meaning of life?). Familiarisation with the vehicles functions will be learnt and the ability to operate them as required. Saying Hey BMW, Im cold will prompt the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to adjust the temperature inside the car accordingly. The arrival of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant ensures there is always a genuine BMW professional on board. This gives the ability to explain all sorts of different functions (How does the High Beam Assistant work?), provide current status information (Is the oil level okay?) and help answer questions (What messages do I have?). The Intelligent Personal Assistant is, the ideal co-driver and comes in particularly useful during every day driving (Hey BMW, look for the nearest fuel station on our route). To make navigation particularly easy, drivers can give allow access to their calendar and contacts, which will enable the assistant to find parking spaces at the destination, provide information on traffic jams along the route and remind the driver when they need to set off. The assistant will benefit from constant technical upgrades and be able to learn more and more preferences and favoured settings. The assistant takes further strides forward with every command given, every question asked and every setting made. BMW Digital Key: turning the smartphone into a car key The BMW Digital Key employs Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to allow the new BMW 3 Series Saloon to be locked and unlocked from a smartphone. Holding the smartphone up to the door handle opens the car and, once inside, the engine can be started as soon as the phone has been placed in the wireless charging or smartphone tray. Accessible via the BMW Connected app, the Digital Key offers unrivalled flexibility as the driver can share it with up to five other people. The BMW Digital Key is available for NFC-capable Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Android 8.1 and above. Connected Navigation Connected Navigation offers a range of digital services to make route planning both in the car and away from it, much easier. With this new technology drivers can send destinations from various apps straight to their cars navigation system and the most important destinations will be stored meaning important addresses can be accessed from any device at any time. A new feature is the Parking Space Assistant, which proposes various parking options to the driver in good time before the destination is reached. This service includes providing information on the nearest multi-storey car park as well as proposing routes offering a good chance of finding a parking spot close to the destination. The existing On-Street Parking Information has also been incorporated into the scope of functions that form Connected Navigation. The BMW Operating System 7.0 display and control concept The all-new instrument cluster and Control Display takes intuitive operation to the next level and is designed to help drivers concentrate on the road ahead. The BMW Live Cockpit Plus is standard on SE and Sport models and adds features such as a Touch Controller, a navigation system, two USB ports for data transfer and a WiFi interface. The control display is 8.8-inchand features a touchscreen, whilst the instrument cluster has a 5.7-inch colour display. As part of BMW Live Cockpit Plus the new BMW 3 Series includes a host of connected Services as standard, Emergency Call, Teleservices, Over the air and USB map updates, BMW App connectivity and Intelligent Voice assistants. In addition to this we see the introduction of the BMW Connected Package Plus as standard. This features elements drivers are accustomed to, such as Remote Services, Real Time Traffic Information, but with the addition of Concierge Services and Apple CarPlay Preparation. Apple CarPlay Preparation will now be standard on all new BMW 3 Series models. This service will be included for 1 year from build, but then renewable via the BMW ConnectedDrive portal thereafter, at either 1 year, 3 years or lifetime subscriptions. The BMW Live Cockpit Professional is standard on M Sport models and includes an instrument cluster behind the steering wheel with a screen diagonal of 12.3 inches and a 10.25-inch Control Display. This equipment package also features an adaptive navigation system and a hard-drive-based multimedia system with 20 GB of memory. On the BMW Live Cockpit Professional the standard connectivity increases further, with the standard inclusion of BMW Connected Package Professional. This builds on the services offered in the BMW Connected Package and includes additional functionality including, BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, On-Street Parking Information, Connected Navigation and Intelligent Vehicle Functionality, which learns drivers habits and learns rules. BMW Live Cockpit Professional drivers get all the benefits of the new BMW Operating System 7.0. It is customisable to give personalised displays. In the main menu on the Control Display, the driver can configure up to ten pages, each showing two to four tiles with live content. Both the content and the graphics are personalised to an even greater degree even the vehicle mock-up matches the actual model colour and equipment line. The Control Display graphics adapt depending on the operating method and the voice control system (based on natural language understanding) is better than ever before. The optional BMW gesture control now works with two extra gestures, bringing the total to seven. The BMW 3 Series is on sale from 9 March 2019 with OTR prices starting from 33,610. Were lucky were part of such a giving community, said Marina Dikanovic, a resident of the sixth floor, which was extensively damaged by the fire. I honestly feel blessed to have neighbors like this. Everyone had come forth and helped us. People have donated their clothes, shoes, toys for the kids Although we lost everything, were still here and were blessed to have loving neighbors around to help. Dubais drive towards technology-powered future is aimed at becoming the Middle Easts biggest tech hub and a pioneer in smart services. (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - October 1st, 2018 - Dubais drive towards technology-powered future is aimed at becoming the Middle Easts biggest tech hub and a pioneer in smart services. This is attracting to the emirate the worlds leading technology companies and events such as HITEC Dubai 2018 organised in association with Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Co-produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and Naseba, HITEC Dubai 2018 is the regions largest hospitality Technology Exhibition and Conference and will be held on December 5 and 6, 2018 at the Madinat Jumeirah Dubai. Speaking at the HITEC Dubai Advisory Council meeting recently, Mr. Samir Hamadeh General Manager of Alpha Destination Management, who is also a member of HITEC Council, stated, New technologies are revolutionizing the travel industry with entrepreneurs targeting ever-narower niches in each sector of the industry. At the same time travel tech ecosystem is getting bigger with more diverse players getting involved and startups are an integral part of the structure. This is transforming our industry faster than ever, where small moves are creating massive disruptions. Events such as HITEC Dubai are the ideal forum to bridge the knowledge gap between startups and established brands as startups often face challenges both in commercializing their tech and in convincing target markets. Some of the most celebrated startup success stories that have emerged and inspired globally in recent years include names such as Dropbox, Airbnb and Reddit. Talking about the Middle East, Mr Hamadeh said, Careem, a Dubai-based ride-hail startup has enjoyed great success and expanded into 26 cities across the region and beyond. Another home-based hero firm is e-commerce retailer Souq, once called the Amazon of the Middle East and now literally so. Amazon acquired Souq last year. Elaborating on the need for greater participation from startups at HITEC Dubai, Mr. Hamadeh added, It is important to engage startups from the Middle East in the show and listen to their ideas and concepts as well as give them an opportunity to connect with international technology leaders. After inception, accelerator and incubator programs and exposure in platforms such as HITEC Dubai can provide startups the springboard to realise the full potential of their ideas. This will not only encourage them but will also benefit the wider travel tech community. Startup investment in the UAE exceeded $1 billion in 2016 and continues to grow at a steady pace. UAE startups dominated the Middle East region attracting 70 per cent of all investment amounts in 2017. The industry gained huge momentum in the first half of 2018 and will end the year on a very favourable note with optimism for 2019. The growth of incubators and business accelerators like Turn8, ImpactHub, Astrolabs Dubai and In5 are all at the center of the drive to make Dubai the next Silicon Valley, with Dubai Internet City, the emirates designated technology and innovation zone, aiming for 10 per cent annual growth in the number of new business it hosts for 2018 and beyond. Further to that, technology giant Cisco recently demonstrated its confidence in Dubai when it opened an Innovation and Experience Centre. #AlphaTours #AlphaToursDubai #AlphaDMC #AlphaToursAe #Dubai #VisitDubai #Dxb #MyDubai #ilovedubai #travelgram #traveltechnology #Hitecdxb #HFTP #DubaiTourism #Travel #Tours #naseba #technology About Alpha Destination Management Founded in 1996, by Mr. Ghassan Aridi and his partners, Alpha Destination Management is the leading destination management company and a pioneer in the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf. Over the last two decades, the company has established itself as one of the most credible and reputed brands not only in the Gulf region but also in the international tourism industry. Controlling a significant market share of the lucrative tourism sector in the GCC, Alpha Destination Management is a market leader in the region with the largest annual turnover and wide network of international partners offering the highest levels of service and innovative and exciting experiences. Our extensive global and local knowledge and network, outstanding expertise and sound reputation is the key to success for us and all our partners. For more information about Alpha Destination Management visit http://www.alphatoursdubai.com Or call +971 4 701 9111 ABOUT HFTP Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is a global non-profit hospitality association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, that uniquely understands the industrys problems. HFTP has members and stakeholders across the globe. HFTP assists its members in finding solutions to industry problems more efficiently than any organization via its expert networks, research, conferences such as HITEC and certification programs. HFTP also owns the worlds only hospitality specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segment of the hospitality industry. ABOUT NASEBA Naseba offers global business facilitation services. The company creates growth opportunities by bringing together people, partners and ideas. It helps clients raise capital, enter new markets, secure partners, close sales and educate workforces. Nasebas goal is to create opportunity and add economic value at every stage of its clients journey. It does this through three key areas: investor services, commercial services and leadership services. Since inception in 2002, Naseba has facilitated deals totalling billions of dollars for its clients. The company has connected over 100,000 global executives through more than 1,000 proprietary business platforms and is an expert in growth markets. For more information or to register for HITEC Dubai 2018 visit https://www.hitec-dubai.com/ Call Amir Abdin on +971 44 55 7920 or Rouf Hyder Beigh +971 44 55 79 32 For media contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR Mob: 00971 50 6975146 Tel: 00971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com ### As visitor numbers to the United Arab Emirates surge with strong growth from leading and emerging source markets, Alpha Destination Management, continues to dominate the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf. (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - October 2nd, 2018 - As visitor numbers to the United Arab Emirates surge with strong growth from leading and emerging source markets, Alpha Destination Management, continues to dominate the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf. Being a pioneer and the top destination management company (DMC) in Dubai, Alpha has played an instrumental role in the growth and development of tourism in the UAE and the wider GCC. Mr. Ghassan Aridi, CEO of Alpha Destination Management, shared the companys strategy and growth plans elaborating on the numerous opportunities in existing and new markets. Firming Alphas Grip on Russian and CIS Markets In the first half of 2018, Dubai reported a 70% year-on-year increase in the number of Russian arrivals with the country being one of the emirates biggest source markets. Driving this growth are several factors such as introduction of additional airline routes, visas on arrival for Russian travellers, new generation of leisure attractions and retail destinations, and a broad range of hotels and resorts along with tourism partners like Alpha. Mr. Aridi, stressed, Russian and the CIS markets have always been very significant for us. As Alpha is the number one destination management company in Dubai, right from beginning working closely with Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), we collaborated with the top two or three companies to drive Russian and CIS business into Dubai and other parts of the UAE. Over the last two decades the Russian market has grown tremendously delivering 530 thousand visitors to Dubai alone in 2017 recording 121% increase compared to 2016 and Alpha has always been at the forefront of this success. The figures for other emirates are equally remarkable. Commenting on some recent developments, Mr. Aridi revealed, After the collapse of one of the biggest tour operators from Russia to Dubai, we took immediate action by entering into strategic agreements with international operators as well as some of Russias biggest companies to not only regain but expand our business across the CIS countries. In addition, we have several other lucrative deals lined up in the pipeline that are aimed at boosting tourism from the region into the UAE. Growth in Other Markets (GCC, Europe, Far East & India) Over the years, the success of Alpha Destination Management has run parallel to the steady growth of the GCC countries and, in particular, the UAE. Capitalising on the massive opportunities in the travel and tourism sector across the region, Alpha catered to the requirements of its partners with a wide range of world-class services and products, that contributed to both the success of the company as well the destinations. Mr. Aridi, said, At Alpha we have established ourselves as one of the most credible and reputed brands in the tourism industry not only in the Gulf region but also on a global scale expanding into strategic markets worldwide. We now command a huge market share in the region leading some of the most significant markets to Dubai such as UK, Germany and other European destinations as well as the GCC, India, China and other prominent countries from the Far East. The UK and Germany remain our key markets in western Europe delivering great growth. In 2017, 1.27 million travellers visited Dubai from the UK and 506 thousand from Germany. Both destinations are set to grow steadily with German tourists already registering 14% growth in first half of 2018. Mr. Aridi added, Talking about the Far East and Asia, we have a new strategy especially for China and India to unlock their full potential as these countries will continue to be the most important growth drivers for our destination. India topped the list of travellers to Dubai recording two million annual visitors in 2017. Similarly, China saw 764 thousand nationals vising Dubai last year and has already recorded 10% increase in numbers in first half of 2018. We were among the first DMCs to penetrate China and now have the most comprehensive network being present in two or three major cities in the country. The Indian market has a lot more potential in terms of luxury travel. Therefore, we are looking at developing such niche markets. In addition, we have also got Indonesian and Korean markets in the loop. These moves have spurred impressive growth prospects for Alpha. New Attractions Mr. Aridi stated, At Alpha we have been catering to a wide mix of travellers in terms of demographics. Globally people are looking for authentic, curated experiences and our aim is to meet the expectations of both regional and international travellers. In order to support Dubais goal to attract 20 million visitors annually by 2020 and maintain a stable momentum of tourism growth, there needs to be focus on repeat customers. Getting customers back to destination requires diverse experiences as well as new packages and offers. Our strategy is to diversify activities by creating some new tours and attractions for the tourists - something different and unique. The helicopter is still one of our best tours and doing very well. We are now planning to put helipads all over the UAE and this will lead to excellent and fast link between the seven emirates. Prospects for 2019 Mr. Aridi, said, We are looking at a strong end to 2018 and have a lot of growth ahead of us. Most of our markets are doing well, and we are confident that the coming year will be great. We are still enjoying excellent growth in the UAE both the country and tourism. Mr. Aridi concluded, Our goal is to continue our global expansion through our strong international partners and vast network and are making extensive investment in terms of technology and resources. Ultimately, we want to thrill our partners and customers with outstanding products, attractions and service. Alpha Destination Managements success is built on our constant quest for perfection. We ensure the highest service standards by focusing on the key business differentiators that are defined to meet and exceed our clients expectations. Therefore, our team is dedicated to delivering the best in quality and service as required by these international companies. #AlphaTours #AlphaToursDubai #AlphaDMC #AlphaToursAe #Dubai #VisitDubai #Dxb #MyDubai #ilovedubai #travelgram #DubaiTourism #Travel #Tours About Alpha Destination Management Founded in 1996, by Mr. Ghassan Aridi and his partners, Alpha Destination Management is the leading destination management company and a pioneer in the tourism sector in the Arabian Gulf. Over the last two decades, the company has established itself as one of the most credible and reputed brands not only in the Gulf region but also in the international tourism industry. Controlling a significant market share of the lucrative tourism sector in the GCC, Alpha Destination Management is a market leader in the region with the largest annual turnover and wide network of international partners offering the highest levels of service and innovative and exciting experiences. Our extensive global and local knowledge and network, outstanding expertise and sound reputation is the key to success for us and all our partners. For more information about Alpha Destination Management visit http://www.alphatoursdubai.com Or call +971 4 701 9111 For media contact: Hina Bakht Managing Director EVOPS Marketing & PR Mob: 00971 50 6975146 Tel: 00971 4 566 7355 Hina.bakht@evops-pr.com www.evops-pr.com ### BikeSquare, in collaboration with Elektrik Cordoba, promotes an ebike tour to discover Medina Azahara ancient site. (TRAVPR.COM) PIEDMONT - October 2nd, 2018 - Cordoba, Spain, Oct 02, 2018 -- BikeSquare, the Italian startup for electric bike tours, is expanding its proposals to Spain to offer the chance of visiting and discovering by ebike the most important Spanish cities with their different history, character and traditions. In Cordoba, BikeSquare is collaborating with Elektrik shop, to propose a unique ebike tour to discover the ruins of the ancient Moorish citadel, Medina Azahara. Medina Azahara is the largest archaeological site in Andalusia and Spain. It is located 8 km away from Cordoba, in the Sierra Morena, and it has recently been declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This 3 hour tour will start from the centre of Cordoba, where an expert guide will drive visitors towards the Jewish district and the river. Visitors will reach the bike track in the fields, that steers toward Medina Azahara. Following this path along a river channel, crossing the fields in the outskirts of the city, they will enjoy the journey with an easy, eco-friendly vehicle. After that, visitors will reach the Medina Azahara site and its free museum, where they will get introduced into the history of the capital of the Arab Caliphate, built by Abd-ar-Rahman III in 936. The city was destroyed in 1013, but it is still possible to admire the ruins of the caliphate residence, a vast fortified palace in Moorish style. After the visit, tourists will ride again their bikes to the real Cordoba, enjoying the off the beaten path route. Price: 30 euros p/p (Medina Azahara Museum included) For more information please visit BikeSquare Cordoba For other ebike tours and ebike rentals, please check BikeSquare Cordoba Easy Rent or download the free APP. About BikeSquare: BikeSquare is an Italian startup specialized in electric bike tours and smart mobility. It offers a dedicated platform and APP for e-bike tours in Italy, Spain and Slovenia. BikeSquare is partner of E.ON, the German electric energy company, for services regarding the promotion of smart mobility. https://ebike.bikesquare.eu About Elektrik Cordoba: Elektrik is the reference point for those who want to visit Cordoba by bike, with an ecological mean of transport, that allows to enjoy the city atmosphere and its monuments, being able to stop from time to time to eat or take a picture with peace of mind. Elektrik has a large number of electric city bikes and Mustache bikes, apart from segways. It offers themed e-bike tours (as well as with normal bike), starting from a minimum of 2 people. Contact: Patrizia Massano BikeSquare Expansion Manager BikeSquare Srls Localita Ciocchini, 18 12060 Novello (Cuneo) Italy +34 692587561 patrizia@bikesquare.eu https://ebike.bikesquare.eu/en ### The new New Jersey I think you are not representing New Jersey talent fairly if you only want Bon Jovi played on the submarine New Jersey. New Jersey is home to numerous talented musicians, and the most famous is not Bon Jovi. In his best days he could never keep up with the Boss. The links below are to two compilations of Springsteen ballads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxTqK-KEPXM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxTqK-KEPXM&t=2963s You might also want to highlight Frank Sinatra, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Whitney Houston, Southside Johnny and many others. The crew of the New Jersey will be made up of sailors from around the country, and we wouldnt want to give them the impression that all we have to offer is Bon Jovi. They would miss out on a lot of talent if that was the case. A reader A couple of things: Dont take the things I say most of the time too seriously. And I made the Bon Jovi joke because he is from NJ and also because he was in a movie about a submarine called U-571. The real list of NJ-born musicians is pretty huge, including Debbie Harry, Lauryn Hill, Count Basie, Angelo Badalamenti, George Clinton, and of course, Lodi-based The Misfits (one of my all-time favorites). Ed Note Chris Smith Josh Welle running for the congressional seat currently wasted by Chris Smith has challenged him to a debate. Smith will never debate for the simple reason that he couldnt talk his way out of a paper bag. Furthermore Smith hasnt held a town hall meeting in over twenty years. A reader Election day is coming. Ed Note My family is still in Mexico, so my kids arent able to see many of the events I did while I was growing up, Mom said. So, its wonderful that they can see some of it here at the library. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 1 Prof Emanuel Nahar, Dean, Students Welfare, on Monday issued orders banning junk food on the Panjab University campus. However, he left out samosa, cold drinks and aloo-patty due to popular demand of the students council. The list of banned food items included cold drinks with artificial sweetners, chips, French fries, hot dog, pizza, burger without vegetables and white bread. The ban will be applicable at hostels, Student Centre shops and department canteens. The sandwitches are allowed only in brown bread or multigrain bread. Oats and atta maggi have also been allowed. Samosa and aloo-patty have no nutritious value and falls in the category of junk food as it is made from refined white flour. The cold drink, which has high sugar content, has also been retained. According to the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, junk foods are those containing little or no proteins, vitamins or minerals, but are rich in salt, sugar, fats and are high in energy (calories). Food is unhygienic at the PU. So what shall we eat? We are retaining samosa, aloo-patty and cold drinks as there are cheaper options. Juices and fruit chaat are nutritious but they will cost you Rs 50 on the campus. Non-vegetarian food is not allowed, which provides proteins, said Kanupriya, president, Panjab University Campus Students Council. A committee was formed to discuss junk food items. We have consulted the students council also. We will ban more food items in the second phase, said Prof Emanuel Nahar. UGC directions behind action The PU has taken action on the issue of junk food after directions from the University Grants Commission (UGC), which had, on August 21, reminded universities and colleges to ban junk food and create awareness among the youth. In an earlier letter, dated November 10, 2016, the UGC had said that banning junk food would set new standards for healthy food and make students live and learn better and also reduce the obesity level, thus preventing lifestyle diseases, which have a direct link with excessive weight. Bhartendu Kumar Singh Bhartendu Kumar Singh Indian Defence Accounts Service While Indians are still discussing Nepals pullout from the BIMSTEC military exercises that concluded recently, an assertive Nepal has also gone ahead and participated in Sagarmatha Friendship-2 (joint military exercises with China) in the latter's Chengdu city. The two exercises, without doubt, were symbolic due to less manpower involvement. But Nepal's military manoeuvres and tectonic shift towards the Chinese military sphere of influence point to a larger picture search for a distinct identity capable of saying no; enhancing its bargaining power, and origin of a possible Sino-Nepal military alliance. Together, these issues may graduate into geographic insecurities for India. China-related factors Nepal may have factored the appropriateness and relevance of military exercises as part of the BIMSTEC club apart from internal political divisions while deciding the pullout, but several China-related factors could have played the back-end spoiler. 1 Chinese foreign policy establishments, media and strategic experts pooh-pooh the BIMSTEC grouping and question its future. This is perhaps because the group is India-centric. China, an outsider, has only tangential influence in BIMSTEC's initiatives. Divisions and dissensions within the BIMSTEC group suit Chinas own agendas, like the ongoing Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in some member states. Nepal's withdrawal from the BIMTEC military exercise was also given wide coverage in Chinese media to expose the so-called chinks in the grouping. 2 There is a strong lobby amongst Nepalese political elites supporting increased military tie-ups with China, perhaps to enhance Nepal's bargaining power vis-a-vis India and optimism gains. As a land-locked country largely dependent upon India, Nepal perhaps has a basketful of demands, assurances and inducements from India in several sectors. Little wonder, Nepal's proposed participation in the BIMSTEC military exercise had become a divisive issue in the domestic politics. Prime Minister KP Oli, hitherto a known protagonist for China, was initially supportive of the military exercise. The exercise was in the offing since June 2018 and was indeed well planned. Therefore, it is debatable if Nepal had taken a unilateral decision of the last-minute pullout on its own without signals from Beijing and the China lobby in Kathmandu. It also signifies towards what Stephen Walt would call as 'origin of (Sino-Nepal) alliances' like the flourishing Sino-Pak alliance. If that happens, India would face another front in the form of a Sino-Nepal nexus. 3 As if to tease India, Nepal has participated in Sagarmatha Friendship-2 with China with almost concurrent timings. Counter-terrorism was again the thematic objective of the exercise, much like the first round. On this theme alone, the BIMSTEC military exercise was a truly multilateral platform to learn from the experience of many countries. Nepal would have had the added advantage of hearing out the service chiefs of many countries and design a cost-effective counter-terrorism strategy. Therefore, it is debatable if Nepal was really serious in honing its counter-terrorism strategies since it conveniently skipped a larger multilateral platform and chose to attend a small bilateral platform. Nepal's balancing (against India) and bandwagoning (with China) game in military diplomacy is not without intents and inferences. The country, sandwiched between two great powers, is using all possible textbook methods to play one great power against another. India cannot expect to have any frictionless strategic understanding with Nepal and may have to face more chess-board moves. Further, Nepal is inching towards geographic autonomy, though it might come at a cost. Military relations apart, Nepal is also moving towards China in other areas. It has got access to Chinese sea and land ports, and has comprehensive Chinese involvement in its infrastructure projects in roads, railways, airports. What India should do The signals emanating from the two small but concurrent exercises leave India with an increasing sense of fatalism or helplessness about Nepal's military inclination towards China. Nepal is increasingly perceived as an opportunistic state, reflecting occasionally hostile behaviour, and seeking a favourable position for itself. However, we have not done enough to overcome our security dilemma arising out of military interaction between China and Nepal. Forget taking advantage of excellent societal relations, we have not even been in a position to build on the institutional ties between the two militaries. For instance, thousands of Gorkhas living a retired life have not been used as ambassadors towards proliferating goodwill for India. India, therefore, needs to explore and expand the basket of tools for overcoming its security dilemma arising from Nepal. One way could be to have instituionalised strategic dialogue on iterated basis with Nepal to convey India's security concerns. Another way could be to treat military relations with Nepal as an independent variable without any conditional linkage to Sino-Nepal military relations. However, this would be a workable arrangement only if India is able to manage the push and pull factors in weaning Nepal away from China through cooperative games. India needs to encourage Nepal towards a bilateral security community through an agreed framework. Providing Nepal cost-effective military hardware from Indias own domestic military industrial complex (MIC) is one representative example that can enable the two countries in moving towards the right direction. Nepal's military manoeuvres may continue since its political establishment finds it lucrative and China too is willing to fish in troubled waters. But if India can make diplomatic investments in institutionalised strategic dialogue, it may expect some emblem of neutrality from Nepal. Probably, there lies some hope for restrained military manoeuvres by Nepal. Views are personal harinder@tribunemail.com Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, October 1 Mosques, madrasas and NGOs in Mewat are under the lens following NIA reports that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) may be funding some of these. The NIA and state agencies, sources say, have begun scrutinising Mewat institutions receiving funds from abroad, especially Dubai and other UAE member-states. This has left local religious leaders fuming. They perceive it as an attempt to victimise Mewat residents. We have never supported terrorism and will not tolerate harassment of our religious and educational institutions on the false charge of terror-funding. The local government has never cared for us and we will not let overseas help be stopped. We will speak to our representatives, who will take up the matter with the Union Government, said Maulana Hakmuddin of Jamaat Ulema-e-Hind. Three days ago, the NIA had busted a hawala module, arresting three operatives of the Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation, a Pakistan-based charity organisation set up by Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks with LeT links. Among those arrested was Mewat resident Mohammad Salman, who reportedly confessed to ploughing back charity money into Mewat institutions. Alarmed, the security agencies swooped on Mewat, bringing all educational, religious and charitable institutions under the lens, the first one being a multi-crore mosque raised by accused Salman in his paternal village of Uttawar. NIA officials along with their state counterparts visited the mosque to evaluate the cost and met the family members of the accused, who admitted to receiving foreign funds. The security agencies have now sort a list of all those regularly visiting the mosque for Friday prayers. Its true my brother, who deeply believes in the Tablighi Jamaat (non-political global Sunni Islamic missionary movement), struggled hard and obtained help from oversees to build the mosque. It was merely a donation, not terror-funding. He is being framed, claimed his brother Yusuf. But a senior NIA official said they suspected a bigger hawala racket being run in the name of Mewat institutions. We are trying to identify the beneficiaries as well as the money channels. The state is helping us in this, he said. Calling the matter sensitive, Nazneen Bhasin, Mewat SP, refused to give any details. amansharma@tribunemail.com Parveen Arora Tribune News Service Karnal, October 2 Four days after the cancellation of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's visit to gurdwara in Dachar village, BJP MLA from Assandh Bakhshish Singh Virk has to face the heat of the community members in Singhra village. Scores of Sikhs showed black flags and displayed pictures of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Khalistan ideologue, to the MLA when he went to gurdwara in Singhra village to pay obeisance. Some of them tried to stop his SUV. Earlier, Virk went to 'Raj Karega Khalsa' gurdwara in Dachar village and condemned the cancellation of the CM's visit to this gurdwara. The MLA even sought apology from the community members and claimed that for him the community is first and he will walk hand in hand with community. He assured Sikhs to make the CM visit in the gurdwara. "I condemn the cancellation of the CM's visit to gurdwara. Community is first for me and I will walk hand in hand with the community," said Virk while addressing the devotees in the gurdwara in the presence of Sukha Singh of Dera Kar Sewa in Karnal and Gurmeet Singh, chief sewadar of Dachar gurdwara. Meanwhile, some of the devotees demanded his resignation as MLA and asked him to stand with them in protest. Gurmeet Singh said some of the devotees demanded the resignation of the MLA and in response to their demand he sought some time to make the CM ready for the visit. "I will urge the CM for a visit to gurdwara," said the MLA. The CM was on a visit to 13 sites associated with Mahabharata age in Karnal district under 48 kos of holy city Kurukshetra on Friday. The CM had to pay obeisance in 'Daksheshvar tirth' and 'Raj Karega Khalsa' gurdwara in Dachar village. But after visiting 'tirth', Khattar skipped gurdwara that led to resentment among the devotees who later shouted 'Khalistan Zindabad' slogans and vandalised a fire brigade engine and deflated the tyres of two vehicles. Nissing police have registered a case against around 100 persons. On Saturday, the CM had made it clear that he cancelled his visit as the organisers have refused to remove the photo of Bhindranwale in the gurdwara. Later, Sikhs from various villages sought apology from the CM and declared to boycott the BJP and its MLAs, ministers and CM's programme. DDR registered against unknown persons for raising pro-Khalistan slogans The Karnal police have registered a daily diary report (DDR) against unknown persons for raising 'Khalistan Zindabad' slogans after a meeting of the Sikh community members at Dera Kar Sewa on Saturday. The police have taken this step on the videos being circulated on social media. "We have received some videos in which several youths were raising pro-Khalistan slogans at Dera Kar Sewa. Taking a note of them, the city police have registered a DDR against the unknown persons," said Surinder Singh Bhoria, Superintendent of Police (SP). He said they have been checking all the videos to identify the accused. It is learnt that following the cancellation of the CM's visit to a gurdwara in Dachar village on September 28, the Sikh community members held a meeting on September 29 at Dera Kar Sewa, in which they had decided to boycott the BJP, its leaders, MLAs, MPs and the CM till the rendering of apology by the CM in the same gurdwara. They had also announced to hold a 'Sikh Sammelan' in the same gurdwara in Dachar village on October 6 and had given ultimatum for the same date to the CM for apology. uttara@tribuneindia.com New Delhi, October 2 Opposition parties on Tuesday put the blame on the Modi government for what they described as brutal police action against thousands of farmers marching towards the national capital, with the Congress alleging that the Badshah of Delhi Sultanate was drunk with power. The parties accused the central government of being anti-farmer and demanded allowing the protesters to enter Delhi to peacefully air their grievances, even as the government went into a huddle to mull over ways to convince the farmers to call off their protest. Farmers stayed put on the Delhi-UP border in Ghaziabad and other places, where they were stopped by the police including with the use of water cannons and tear-gas shells. Some reports suggested use of lathi-charge as well. The protest call has been given by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) over demands ranging from farm loan waiver to cut in fuel prices. The farmers, riding tractors and trolleys, broke barricades of the UP Police and then started proceeding towards the barricades put up by the Delhi Police. Tear gas was also used to disperse the crowd, officials said. Reacting to the development, Congress president Gandhi on Tuesday accused the BJP for brutal beating up of farmers at the Delhi border on the International Day of Non-Violence and said that they cannot even air their grievances in the national capital. On International Day of Non-Violence, the BJPs two-year Gandhi Jayanti celebrations began with the brutal beating of farmers peacefully coming to Delhi. Now, the farmers cannot even air the grievances coming to the capital! he tweeted in Hindi. The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body of the party which held its meeting in Maharashtra, also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the police action against the farmers. Condemning the police action, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said if the Centre could write off huge debt of a few industrialists why it could not waive the loans of farmers. Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he alleged that arrogance has gone to his head. Instead of hearing them out, farmers are brutalised and beaten up. The Baadshah in the Delhi Sultanate is drunk with power, the Congress leader alleged. Hitting out at the police action against the farmers, Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, We strongly condemn this action and atrocities on farmers. This once again demonstrates the anti-farmer attitude of the Modi government. Modi government has backtracked on all its promises made to farmers. This anger and protest is not bothering the Modi government, he said. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav also extended his partys support to the protesting farmers and alleged the farm community has been hit hard by the rising fuel prices, as well as due to the decisions like the GST rollout and demonetisation. The farmers have come out in support of their various demands... If we look at things, in the past over four years, almost 50,000 farmers have committed suicide, mostly in BJP-ruled states, including Uttar Pradesh, Yadav said. The Communist Party of India (CPI) also condemned the police action against the agitating farmers. The farmers who were on a peaceful march towards the national capital under the banner of BKU raising their genuine demands including waiver of loans were stopped by police at the border and beaten up on a day when the nation is celebrating the birth anniversary of the Father of Nation Mahatma Gandhi, the party said in a statement. The Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha also condemned the police brutality on protesting farmers and slammed the government over the issue. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that preventing a protest march of farmers from entering the national capital was wrong and pitched for allowing them entry into the city. Why are the farmers being stopped from entering Delhi? Its wrong. Delhi belongs to all. They should be given entry in Delhi. We support their demands, he told reporters on the sidelines of an event held at the Delhi assembly to mark Gandhi Jayanti. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav said that by discarding the Swaminathan committee report, the Modi government has stabbed the farmers in the back. Modi ji, though farmers, unlike capitalists, cannot fill your pockets, but at least dont get them beaten up. If you would have seen poverty, you would not have committed so many atrocities on farmers, he tweeted in Hindi. The Delhi Police had on Monday imposed prohibitory orders in east and northeast Delhi, anticipating law and order problems as thousands of BKU members were marching from Haridwar to reach the national capital. Seeking to convince the farmers to move back from their protest, the government announced that a committee of chief ministers will look into their demands, but the protesters stayed put saying they were not satisfied with the assurance. Home Minister Rajnath Singh held discussions with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and a few others to discuss the farmers issue, after which Union Minister of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met the protesters to assure them that their demands will be looked into. PTI harinder@tribunemail.com Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 1 Maintaining that judges will remain committed to the cause of dispensing justice despite inadequacies, Chief Justice of India-designate Ranjan Gogoi on Monday said, The system has done well despite all odds. Let me assure you there is a lot to look forward to despite inadequacies, judges will remain committed to the cause (of dispensing justice), I am sure, the CJI-designate said at a function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association to bid adieu to CJI Dipak Misra, who retires on Tuesday. The CJI-designate said, We must allow constitutional morality to prevail Whenever we are in doubt, it is the constitutional morality which should guide us because that gives us the most balanced view. Justice Gogoi who is to take over as the 46th CJI on October 3 praised outgoing CJI Dipak Misra for displaying remarkable erudition and fortitude ever since he was elevated to the Bench. His greatest contribution has been in constitutional law, particularly concerning civil liberties, Justice Gogoi said, citing the verdicts on honour killings, mob lynchings, homosexuality, among others. In his speech, CJI Misra said the Indian judiciary was the most robust institution in the world and young lawyers were assets having potential to develop the jurisprudence. Our judiciary has been the strongest judiciary in the world having the capability to handle mind-boggling number of cases, said CJI Misra. Attorney General KK Venugopal and SCBA president Vikash Singh too heaped praise on the outgoing CJI. Earlier, CJI Misra held court with his successor Justice Ranjan Gogoi for the last time on Monday. Creating an educational environment founded on a commitment to academic excellence supports success in the classroom, Indiana Department of Education head Jennifer McCormick said in a statement. I am grateful for our dedicated educators who challenge students to reach their full potential, and I want to congratulate Indianas Blue Ribbon Schools for performing at their highest level. rchopra@tribunemail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 2 The Congress on Tuesday competed with the ruling BJP to reclaim the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and described itself as the only party that embodies the true spirit of Bharat. Calling for freedom from the BJP brand of politics, the Congress Working Committee after its meeting at Wardhas Sevagram in Maharashtra called for a new freedom movement along the lines of Quit India Mahatma Gandhi launched in 1942 and urged all Indians to join to achieve the goal (read of ousting BJP from power). The CWC chaired by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today passed a resolution blaming the RSS for creating an atmosphere that led to Mahatma Gandhiss assassination and said the RSS was trying to appropriate Gandhi for political reasons. The CWC underscores the blatant hypocrisy of the RSS that vilified and rejected Mahatma Gandhi during his lifetime, and which today has brazenly proclaimed itself to be his champion. It is its ideology that was responsible for spreading the atmosphere of hate that led to the Mahatmas tragic assassination, said the resolution passed at the meeting held at Gandhi ashram in Wardha. The CWC said, A new freedom struggle is the urgent need of the hour a massive movement to combat the forces of divisiveness and prejudice, to confront the Modi government whose politics is the politics of threat and intimidation, the politics of polarisation and divisiveness, the politics of crushing debate and dissent, the politics of imposing an artificial uniformity in a nation of extraordinary diversity, the politics of hate and vendetta, the politics of subverting all constitutional values, principles and practices, the politics of lies, deceit, fraud and subterfuge. Rahul Gandhi has been attacking the RSS in India and abroad for spreading hatred. At the CWC today he led discussions that resolved against appropriation of Gandhi by the RSS. Interestingly the CWC resolution went far enough to proclaim the Congress as the only party that truly embodies the ethos of Bharat that is fundamentally inclusive, liberal, secular and assimilation of Indias plurality and diversities. It is only the Congress that is deeply committed to the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, laid down in the Preamble of the Constitution, said the CWC attended by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. The Congress also called upon all Indians to join in the common goal of ousting the BJP in the next General Election. The entire Congress leadership met at Wardha to recreate the urgency of ridding India of BJP politics which Rahul Gandhi said typifies hatred and divisiveness. uttara@tribuneindia.com New Delhi, October 1 The Delhi High Court on Monday allowed Gautam Navlakha, one of the five rights activists arrested in connection with Koregaon-Bhima case, to be freed from the house arrest. The high court granted him the relief saying that the Supreme Court last week had given him the liberty to approach the appropriate forum within four weeks to seek further recourse, which he has availed. The high court also quashed the trial court's transit remand order which he had challenged before the matter was taken to the apex court. Navlakha's detention has exceeded 24 hours, which was "untenable", the high court said. A Bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Vinod Goel set aside the August 28 order of chief metropolitan magistrate granting transit remand of Navlakha saying there was non-compliance of basic provisions of the Constitution and the CrPC, which were mandatory in nature. The Bench said the trial court order was unsustainable in law. "In view of Section 56 read with Section 57 of the CrPC and absence of remand order of the CMM, the detention of the petitioner has clearly exceeded 24 hours, which is untenable in law. Consequently, the house arrest of the petitioner comes to an end now," the court said. However, the court made it clear that its order will not preclude the state of Maharashtra from proceeding further. When the counsel for Maharashtra Government sought the court to extend Navlakha's house arrest by two more days as the apex court has also extended it by four weeks, the bench said the counsel had overlooked that the top court has passed this order to enable the activist to avail appropriate legal remedy. The high court allowed the petition filed on behalf of Navlakha challenging his arrest and the transit remand order of the trial court. Navlakha was arrested from the national capital on August 28. The other four activists were arrested from different parts of the country. The Maharashtra police had arrested the activists on August 28 in connection with an FIR lodged following a conclave'Elgaar Parishad'held on December 31 last year that had allegedly triggered violence later at Koregaon-Bhima village in the state. The five activistsTelugu poet Varavara Rao, activists Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Gautam Navlakha, and lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwajwere put under house arrest on August 29 following an apex court order on the plea by historian Romila Thapar, economists Prabhat Patnaik and Devaki Jain, sociology professor Satish Deshpande and human rights lawyer Maja Daruwala against the police action. Prominent Telugu poet Rao was arrested on August 28 from Hyderabad, while activists Gonsalves and Ferreira were nabbed from Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bharadwaj from Faridabad in Haryana and civil liberties activist Navlakha from Delhi. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 2 United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Antonio Guterres on his maiden official visit to the country, on Tuesday underlined the importance of India to steer a currently chaotic world order towards a multi polar arrangement. Guterres was delivering a public lecture on Global Challenges, Global Solutions in Delhi. He said "never before has multilateralism and a rules based international order come under so much fire" referring to tensions and trade wars between major powers, including US and China. "It is essential to create factors of equilibrium to create multi-polar world and for that no country is in better placed than India due to its dimension, technological capacity, geo-strategic location. India is absolutely essential component of future multi-polar world," Guterres said. Responding in details to a question on the Rohingya refugee crisis, the UN chief said no other community in the world is as discriminated against as the Rohingya who faced exodus in Myanmar. He expressed disbelief at the Buddhist fundamentalism that led to deep hate mongering towards the Rohingya and said India has a major role to play as Bangladesh provided shelter to millions of refugees on its soil. "What can India do now? First, support Bangladesh with the huge humanitarian problem it faces now. Second, India must put pressure on Myanmar, not just in reconstruction of Rohingya villages, but also in creating the environment for these people to go back," said Guterres. Guterres who visited the refugee camps at Cox's Bazaar earlier this year, cautioned that if not handled carefully, the displaced Rohingya could be vulnerable to terror recruitments. "Fortunately there aren't many Rohingyas, who have been recruited, and we have been able to avoid the situation so far, but discrimination and unresolved problems facilitate terrorist groups," he added. The Secretary General also expressed concern at complexities of terrorism today, with inter linked fighters, state sponsored terror and no common definition of terrorism yet. Asked about snail's pace of Security Council expansion and India's aspirations for a seat on the high table, the top diplomat underscored that reforms are in hands of member states themselves. Guterres refused to comment on a recent Office of Human Rights High Commissioner report highlighting alleged atrocities in Kashmir, citing respect for its independent mandate. Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi during the General Assembly claimed to have discussed the report with UNSG. Guterres, whose wife was born in Goa, in response to a question said that poverty and inequality remain two of the biggest challenges for India and communalism is the least of its problems. rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Bhabhua (Bihar), October 2 Nearly 200 beer cans, seized and kept inside a godown in Kaimur district, were found empty, with officials blaming the rats for it. The matter came to light on Monday when a drive was being carried out to destroy liquor seized in various operations following a court order, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Bhabhua, Anupam Kumari said Tuesday. She said about 200 cans were seen with holes through which the beer had leaked and "prima facie it appears to have been caused by rat bites, though investigations were on to ascertain the cause". Incidentally, last year about nine lakh litres of liquor seized during operations carried out to check violation of prohibition in the state was found to be missing from police stations across the state and officials in the department had claimed at that too that the alcohol was consumed by rats. Excise Superintendent Pradeep Kumar said Tuesday the seized liquor was kept inside the godown for quite long and though he confirmed holes in the cans, he said it would be premature to say anything about the cause. Neither official, however, could confirm the exact quantity of liquor that was missing. Sale and consumption of alcohol in Bihar was completely banned by the Nitish Kumar government more than two years ago. - PTI harinder@tribunemail.com Thank You, Readers The Tribune Trust thanks all its readers who responded so generously to its appeal for contributions to The Tribune Kerala Relief Fund. You reached out as individuals, through your schools, clubs, resident welfare groups, organisations, and institutions from towns and villages to contribute in the relief and rehabilitation effort. You have always responded to our call to contribute towards noble causes, be it the Kargil War, Odisha cyclone, Himachal Pradesh floods, earthquakes in Gujarat or Uttarakhand, the tsunami, the cloudburst in Ladakh or the floods in Jammu and Kashmir. The Tribune Trust, individual Trustees and staff members through The Tribune Employees Union have all participated wholeheartedly in this effort. The Tribune Kerala Relief Fund is now closed. However, the names of contributors in the pipeline will be duly published. The total contribution is now Rs 2.47 crore. The readers cheques and drafts are being forwarded to the Prime Ministers National Relief Fund. We thank you for your magnanimity towards your fellow countrymen. The Tribune Trust uttara@tribuneindia.com San Francisco, October 2 Google is introducing a new update for its Maps that would now provide more information for commuters. Also, users on Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play Music will be able to control music playback from within the navigation app which is likely to take less attention than switching between apps. Today, were rolling out new features on Google Maps to help you take control of your daily commuteenabling you to plan ahead, prepare for the inevitable disruptions, and possibly avoid them altogether, Ramesh Nagarajan, Group Product Manager, Google Maps, wrote in a blog post late on Monday. According to the company, the new updates are rolling out globally via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store starting this week. Through a new commute tab, users would be able to see any congestion or disruption on their route before they leave and they will be given specific travel information for each leg of their journey. Well tell you if your commute is going to be a normal one or if youll need to budget extra time due to things like an accident or heavy traffic. In case of a delay, well tell you about alternative routes to help you get to work faster. On Android, youll also receive notifications about delays and disruptions on your route as they happen, so you can know about an incident before you get caught up in the delay, Nagarajan added. IANS harinder@tribunemail.com Stockholm, October 1 Two immunologists, James Allison of the US and Tasuku Honjo of Japan, won the 2018 Nobel Medicine Prize for research into how the bodys natural defences can fight cancer, the jury said on Monday. Unlike more traditional forms of cancer treatment that directly target cancer cells, Allison and Honjo figured out how to help the patients own immune system tackle the cancer more quickly. The treatment that the researchers helped develop, often referred to as immune checkpoint therapy, has fundamentally changed the outcome for certain groups of patients with advanced cancer. The award-winning discovery led to treatments targeting proteins made by some immune system cells that act as a brake on the bodys natural defences killing cancer cells. The Nobel Assembly said after announcing the prize in Stockholm that the therapy has now revolutionised cancer treatment and has fundamentally changed the way we view how cancer can be managed. In 1995, Allison was one of two scientists to identify the CTLA-4 molecule as an inhibitory receptor on T-cells. T-cells are a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the bodys natural immunity to disease. Allison, 70, realised the potential of releasing the brake and thereby unleashing our immune cells to attack tumours, the Nobel jury said. Around the same time, Honjo discovered a protein on immune cells, the ligand PD-1, and eventually realised that it also worked a brake, but acted in a different way. On the website of his University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Allison said he was honoured and humbled to receive this prestigious recognition. I never dreamed my research would take the direction it has, he said. The Nobel jury said that for more than 100 years, scientists attempted to engage the immune system in the fight against cancer. Until the seminal discoveries by the two laureates, progress into clinical development was modest. Research by Allisons team has meanwhile led to the development of a monoclonal antibody drug, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2011 for the treatment of melanoma. It is known commercially as Yervoy. The duo will share the Nobel prize sum of nine million Swedish kronor. They will receive their prize from Swedens King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will. AFP Brake on cancer cells American James P Allison and Japanese Tasuku Honjo found that the bodys own immune system could be turned on cancers, marking a major breakthrough in our fight against the disease Allison and Honjo, working separately, showed in 1995 how certain proteins made by some immune system cells that act as a brake on the bodys natural defences killing cancer cells Their work led to a fourth class cancer treatment, harnessing the immune system, what the Nobel jury called an entirely new principle for cancer therapy Proof of basic science Its a great, emotional privilege to meet cancer patients whove been successfully treated with immune checkpoint blockade. They are living proof of the power of basic science. James Allison of US Work not yet done I am honoured to get the Nobel, but my work was not yet done. I want to continue my research... so that this immune therapy will save more cancer patients than ever Tasuku Honjo of Japan uttara@tribuneindia.com WARSAW, October 2 The Polish court of appeal upheld on Tuesday a landmark ruling granting a million zloty ($268,000) in compensation to a victim of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, accepting that the Church in Poland was responsible for its priests crimes. The Catholic Church worldwide is reeling from crises involving sexual abuse of minors, deeply damaging confidence in the Church in Chile, the United States, Australia and Ireland among other countries. In January, a court ordered the Catholic Church to pay compensation to a woman who had been sexually abused by a priest as a child. The verdict of the Court of Appeal legally decides to award one million zloty compensation ... and an annuity of 800 zloty a month, the court statement said. State news agency PAP reported last year that a priest had abused a 13-year-old girl during his tenure in northwestern Poland. The man, who imprisoned and raped the girl for more than 10 months, was arrested in 2008 and sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison, Gazeta Wyborcza daily reported. The victim successfully sued The Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad after she refused to accept the financial offer from the congregation to which the priest belonged. Polands episcopate declined to comment on Tuesday while a spokesman for the Society of Christ Fathers for Poles Living Abroad said it was working on a statement. This is the first time the court in Poland recognised the Church as being co-complicit in such a crime, Marek Lisinski, head of the Nie lekajcie sie foundation aimed at helping priest-paedophiles victims, told Reuters. For sure it will give other victims courage to fight for justice and a faith that it is possible to win even against such a moloch, he added. Pope Francis is battling to address the issue worldwide and will meet with senior Catholic bishops at the Vatican in February to discuss the protection of minors. Nearly a million people flocked to cinemas across Poland last weekend to watch a movie called Clergy that depicts Catholic priests in a highly unflattering light, breaking box-office records. Reuters On Sunday evening, the 25-year-old victim was at Walmart with four other people, while Hughes was at the store with a female, police said. Detectives determined from surveillance video that Hughes and the 25-year-old victim noticed each other inside the store, Gonzales said. BUSINESS groups are not in support of a fourth lockdown as they argue it will further damage the economy. Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh on a radio programme yesterday said with the state of emergency and curfew nearing an end, he is concerned that this will lead to a further rise in Covid-19 cases. This is an exciting step forward for Purdue Northwest, he said. Everything we do as a comprehensive university to ensure the success of our graduates from high-quality teaching and scholarship, to a robust campus community, to a growing alumni network is now further reflected in our diploma. Police are investigating a report in which a woman who was last seen in Arouca was found yes If Nazi leader Adolf Hitler were around today, he would be simmering in glory and bursting with pride as he watched the modern world finally come to embrace his lunatic rants that passed for an ideology, namely Nazism, which extolled the supremacy of the Aryan race, namely pure-bred white Germans, first and foremost, then others at their designated stations in life, starting with the Europeans of 100 per cent Aryan blood at the topthe masterswith othersclassless whites, contaminated whites, Asians, Africans and finally Jews, those being the survivors of the calamitous conflicts that culminated in him finally being recognised as the Fuhrer, the Emperor, the Maximum Leader of this all-conquering new world. Kingston, ON, is at least one hour longer, if not more. I'd suggest looking at Google Maps before you leave and see if the traffic going from Toronto to Niagara Falls is so bad that it's worth going east. And if you are starting in Scarborough or east of there, it may also be worth it to skip the worst parts of the 401 or the Gardner west by going through Kingston.. Many people now go through Buffalo and take the route along 390/NY 17 eventually to 80 to NYC. Others like a single route (with high tolls) as in the I-90-I-87 (the New York State Thruway). And if you go through Kingston, the "shortcut" down NY Route 8 is no picnic; the extra miles of 81 to 90 saves a lot of inching behind trucks. The worst part of going through Buffalo is getting to Hamilton; the worst part of going through Kingston is the extra mileage, and Route 8 (which you can avoid). Also, we usually take the Rainbow Bridge but have a passenger check which bridge is best after the Burlington Skyway using Google Maps. Hello everyone, You helped me with my previous questions and now we have booked accommodations. One thing remained: transport. We would like to rent a car but we noticed that prices are a bit spicy. I have a few questions: 1) Which rental agency is best? I contacted a few: Vamos, Budget, National, Alamo - some of them answered, some didn't. The offer from Vamos : For a sedan automatic from Jan 5th 10:30 am - Jan 17th 12:00 pm (no extra charge) and full coverage insurance Total: $929.80 usd / Deposit only $100 usd on Credit Card For a 4x4 SUV automatic from jan 5th 10:30am - Jan 17th 12:00 and mandatory insurance Total: $992.80 usd / Deposit $2000 usd on Credit Card The offer from Budget: Your quote for a Yaris: Economy Car Manual Transmission, from 05JAN19/1200 at SJO Airport Juan Santa Maria Location until 17JAN19/1200 at SJO Airport Juan Santa Maria location the total will be $808.38 USD, Full Coverage Included. Your quote for a Daihatsu Bego Intermediate SUV Automatic Transmission, from 05JAN19/1200 at SJO Airport Juan Santa Maria Location until 17JAN19/1200 at SJO Airport Juan Santa Maria location the total will be $1044.47 USD, Basic Coverage Included (SLI). I will ask for an offer from Adobe. What do you think about offers? 2) Is it necessary to have 4x4 SUV on this route: SJO - Uvita (6 nights) (and there we would drive from Uvita to Manuel Antonia, maybe to the Osa Peninsula one day etc) Uvita - Arenal (3 nights) --- Is it necessary to have 4x4 in Arenal area also? Arenal - Puerto Viejo (3 nights) 3) It's related to the question above - is it better to rent a car (some cheapest) and take a full insurance or to take a 4x4 SUV and take just mandatory insurance? Thank you in advance We are US Citizens and will be traveling to Vietnam at the beginning of Nov. We would like to use an E-visa, rather than VOA.( staying 15 days-one entry) Scott, i appreciate all the information you have supplied regarding E-Visa but I am having trouble getting on the website you supplied. Sometimes I was able to get onto it, but now that i am actually ready to apply for the E-visa, I keep getting a message that says i am forbidden to enter that website. I have tried different times of the day, but am getting the same message. There are other "official" looking sites offering E-visas, but they have a warning that they are not connected with the Vietnam government so I am leery of supplying them with too much personal information. I would appreciate any suggestions from Scott or the TA community regarding getting onto the E- visa site. Thank you in advance If I were nominated to be a Supreme Court justice, I am sure old friends would come out of the woodwork to tell the world how wild I was back then, she admitted. The truth is that I am not the same person I was then, and I would not want to be judged now based on who I was then. Thanks so much in advance. I'm a novice regarding public transportation in the area, and although I have been to Penn Station NYC before, taking the train (NJ transit) from New Jersey Rahway or Metro Park, I've never been to Penn Station Newark before, but do remember a train stop there. After visiting relatives in New Jersey (Rahway is the closest train station FYI), we'll be returning our rental car at the Newark airport EWR - Liberty International. Next we are taking the train (AMTRAK) to Washington D.C. from Newark Penn Station (not NYC), spending a few days there, and then flying home from the Reagan airport (DC area). What I'm trying to figure out is how best to get from the rental car drop off to Penn Station, Newark. There are five of us too FYI. How would you recommend that we get to Penn Station, Newark? Should we drop off the car, do AirTran (the monorail) to the terminal, and ask about where to get the train New Jersey transit and take that to Penn Station? Or given that we have five people, would getting in the taxi line be a better alternative (have them get a taxi for the five of us)? Or something else? Looking at google maps Penn Station Newark is not as close to the airport as I was thinking. Also, how much time would you recommend we get to Penn Station, Newark before our train leaves. We are buying those no refundable $49 fares, so need to be on time. I really appreciate your help. I've never been to Penn Station, Newark before and It's been a few decades since I've ridden on an Amtrak train. Have you been searching for One Acre Fund contacts? One Acre Fund is an outstanding non-profit organization that focuses on supplying small holder farmers throughout East Africa with agriculture training and asset-based financing services to reduce poverty and hunger. Currently, One Acre Fund is headquartered in Kakamega, Kenya so you have to know One Acre Fund Kakamega contacts to get in touch with anyone at the headquarter. The organization works with different farmers in various rural villages throughout Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi. In this post, will shall be sharing more information about contacts of One Acre Fund in order to help you get in touch with them any time. Keep reading on for more information on One Acre Fund Kenya contacts. One Acre Fund contact Kenya One Acre Fund Bungoma contacts Telephone: 254-736551072 Email address: P. O Box 482 Bungoma, Kenya Facebook: Twitter: @oneacrefund Website: Oneacrefund Nairobi branch: 0706 289923, 0708 259 248 Physical contacts One Acre Fund Head Office Off Kanduyi Road P. o Box 482 Bungoma Bungoma, Kenya READ ALSO: Top Companies in Kenya and their Contacts You can use any of these contacts for one acre fund to call them if you have complains or questions. Note that you can use One Acre Fund Kenya contacts if you are in another East African country. For instance, if you stay in Malawi, you need to know One Acre Fund Malawi contacts. Moreover, if you stay in Nairobi, you must use One Acre Fund Nairobi contacts unless you need them to offer their services in your rural home in the western. Company services Now that you know One Acre Fund contacts in Kenya, its time we explored what this organization does in details. One Acre Fund was founded in 2006 by Andrew Youn. During this time, Andrew was studying for his MBA at Kellogg School of Management. He had visited in western Kenya in 2005 and he interviewed various small holder farmers regarding the quality of life. Most of these farmers used to endure a hunger season every year and they were incapable of feeding their families from their one Acre piece of land. After returning to Kellogg during the fall, Andrew created a business plan that would employ market based technique to introduce productive farming method to small scale farmers in east Africa. The company launched in February 2006, in Bungoma Kenya and initially served 38 family farms. Since then, one acre fund, managed to launch is essential operation in Rwanda in 2007, Burundi in 2012, Tanzania in 2013, Uganda in 2016 and Malawi in 2016. Small scale farmers receive asset based loans from one acre fund. These loans include financing for farm inputs, distribution of fertilizer and seeds, training on agriculture and market facilitation for maximizing profits. Every service bundle is usually around $80 (Ksh. 8,000) in value and it also includes crop insurance for protecting farmers against the risks and drought. READ ALSO: Bulb onion farming in Kenya If you want to receive a loan or training, you are required to join a village group thats led by a local field officer from one acre fund. The officers meet with farmers regularly to coordinate the delivery of the farm inputs, administer training and collect repayments. One of the best things about one acre fund is that their repayment is very flexible farmers are allowed to pay the loans back in any increment at any time during the farming season. Other than their core program model, the farmers get the opportunity to buy additional services in products on credit like re-usable sanitary pads and solar lights. READ ALSO: Commercial Potato Farming in Kenya: Tips to Be a Successful Farmer One Acre Fund Kenya sustainability The practices that one acre fund teaches farmers are sustainable and the best for land management. The local farmers are trained on how to create and use compost in order to minimize the use of fertilizer. This is because fertilizer depletes the soil of its essential microorganisms. The organization also encourages farmers to keep planting Grevillea trees and their aim is to work with more farmers in order to plant millions of trees in Kenya and around East Africa. So far, one acre fund has been recognized for its financial sustainability model. 78.5% of its field operations of 2015 were covered by the repayments farmers made. These costs excluded pilot projects, monitoring, government relations, R&D, fund raising including other charity specific expenses. Source: Tuko Newspaper Got lost looking for government hospitals in Nairobi? Confused between public and private hospitals in the city? Well, Nairobi being a large city poses a challenge to patients looking for medical and health services in the city. However, this piece has all your worries covered. Here is a detailed summary of all the major government health facilities together with their contacts and exact location. Nairobi County which is the capital city has a good number of government hospitals as compared to other counties in Kenya. The city is home to the most extensive teaching and referral hospitals. Further, the capital has numerous hospitals in the entire constituencies, owing to its high and dense population. With the introduction of devolution in 2013, most of the government hospitals have significantly improved service delivery to the locals. Below is a breakdown down of the major health facilities in the countys constituencies; READ ALSO: List of NHIF accredited hospitals in Nairobi Kibera Constituency Hospitals in Kibera Constituency are as follows: 1. Kenyatta Teaching and Referral Hospital Location: Hospital road, off Mbagathi road, Upper Hill P.O Box- 20723-00202, Nairobi Phone 1: 020-2726300 Phone 2: 0709 854 000 Phone 3: 0730 643 000 Email: knhadmin@knh.or.ke Website: www.knh.or.ke Kenyatta Teaching and Referral Hospital is the largest of all government hospitals in Nairobi county. It was rated as the largest medical facility in the entire central and East African region. It has a bed capacity of over 1000. Due to this, coupled with the fact that its a public hospital, the institution has witnessed a good number of patient inflow. The facility offers a wide range of specialized care in the following cases: Maternal health care and caesarian services Pediatric healthcare Dental health care and related services. Renal health care Intensive care unit Mental health Chemotherapy and cancer-related treatment Optical health care Accident and emergency services VCT and antiretroviral therapy Blood transfusion services 2. Mbagathi District Hospital Location; Ngumo estate, off Mbagathi road P.O BOX: 20275-002002, Nairobi Phone number: 020-2728530 Mbagathi District Hospital is one of the institutions on the list of government hospitals in Nairobi. It is one of the oldest hospitals in the region. With the introduction of devolution in the country, the hospital has dramatically improved. The hospital offers maternal health care, dental care, VCT services, pediatric healthcare, laboratory services, therapeutic inpatient services, and family planning services. 3. Kenya Defense Forces Memorial Hospital Location: Mbagathi road, Nairobi P.O Box-40668-00100 Nairobi Phone 1: 020 2712054 Phone 2: 0704 476 662 Email: publicaffairs@mod.go.ke This hospital was established mainly to provide services to the Defense Forces of Kenya. It has health professionals from the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF). It gives the majority of medical and health services since it is well equipped. However, the hospital is open to members of the public, who are also allowed to get health services. READ ALSO: List of NHIF accredited hospitals in Kenya Starehe Constituency Hospitals in Starehe Constituency include: 1. Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital Location: Muthaiga, off Thika road P.O Box-40663-00100, Nairobi Phone 1: 020 337694 Phone 2: 0721 336 017 Email: matharirefferal@gmail.com Mathari Teaching and Referral Hospital is one of the public hospitals in Nairobi. This facility deals with mental and psychiatric-related patients. However, due to the increased drug and substance abuse in the country, a drug rehabilitation unit was incepted into the facility. This unit provides drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation services to patients. Use the above contacts to reach out. 2. Ngaira Health Center Location: Pate Bay road, Nairobi Phone number: 020 2319469 Email: ngairadispensary@gmail.org Ngaira Health Center is one of the hospitals in Nairobi CBD. It was established to ease congestion in the other health facilities within Nairobi. It offers postnatal clinics, vaccinations, family planning services, and light in-patient services. 3. Nairobi Remand Prison Health Center Location: Nairobi remand prison, enterprise road Viwandani P.O Box-18554-00500 Nairobi This facility was established in October 2015. Due to the influx of prisoners awaiting trial in the remand prison, it forced the authorities to create health care. The facility offers-patient services, family planning, vaccines, and anti-retroviral health therapy. 4. Ngara Health Center Location: park road, next to Ngara nursery school. P.O. Box-301808-00100 Nairobi Phone number: 020 3764385 Located near the CBD, Ngara Health Center is always a busy health facility. It offers both antenatal and postnatal clinics in maternal health care, antiretroviral therapy, and inpatient light treatment. The management can be contacted through the contacts above. Embakasi West Constituency The government hospital in Embakasi West Constituency include: 1. Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital Location: Spine road, Umoja 3 P.O Box- 34349-00100 Nairobi Phone number: 020-8022676 Email: medsupnedh@yahoo.com This hospital was named after the late first lady of Kenya, Lucy Kibaki and its one of the hospitals in Eastlands Nairobi. This hospital is a level five facility under the Nairobi county government with a total of 700 beds inclusive of ICU as well as the dependency units. It offers medical services to the public ranging from maternal health care, pediatric health care, laboratory services, vaccines, dental health care, and renal healthcare services. READ ALSO: List of NHIF Accredited Private Hospitals: Where to Get Treatment READ ALSO: 7 Best Maternity Hospitals in Nairobi 2017-2018 Dagorreti North Constituency The government hospital in Nairobi Kenya, Dagorreti Constituency include: 1. National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital Location: Lenana Road, Kilimani P.O Box-20906-00100, Nairobi Phone number: 020 276336 Email; nsihospital@yahoo.com National Spinal Injury Referral Hospital is one of the essential government hospitals in Nairobi Kenya. The facility was established in 1944 to treat soldiers who were injured in the Second World War. It mainly deals with nerve system, spinal and head injuries treatment. Majority of patients in this facility are road accident survivors, pedestrians or gunshot wounded patients. Since it is the only spinal injury treating hospital in the central and east African region, its beds capacity are usually full of patients from within the neighboring countries like Uganda, Congo, and Tanzania. Makadara Constituency Public hospitals in Makadara Constituency include: 1. Police Band Dispensary Location: South B P.O. Box-44249-00100 Phone number: 020 2221969 Email: nps@nationalpolice.go.ke This facility provides light medical services to members of the public in the area. Formerly, the health facility was started by the police service and named after the police band. It offers vaccinations, antiretroviral therapy, and inpatient treatment services. Use their contacts to reach out in case of any issues. 2. Makadara Health Center Location: Makadara, off Jogoo road P.O Box- 30108-00100 Nairobi Phone number: 0720 099 215 This health facility provides family services on maternal health care, family planning, antiretroviral therapy, and inpatient treatment services. 3. Lunga Lunga Health Center Location; Viwandani, Wundanyi road, industrial area P.O Box-30108-00100 Nairobi This health facility is mainly used by people from the Industrial Area and the simple Sinai settlement scheme. The services offered include anti-retroviral therapy, vaccination, family planning, and in-patient treatment services. Mathare Constituency The government hospital in Mathare constituency is known as Huruma Lions health center. Location: Juja road, Kiamaiko, near Redeemed gospel church, Huruma P.O. Box-30108- 00100 Nairobi This facility provides services in antiretroviral therapy, home-based care, in-patient health services, vaccination, and maternal clinics. Kasarani Constituency Public hospitals in this constituency include: 1. Kasarani Medical Health Center Location: Thika road, off Mwiki road, Kasarani P.O Box-1306-00100, Nairobi Phone 1: 020 2385268 Phone 2: 0722554672 Email, thikaroad@swiftkenya.com Kasarani Medical Health Center offers services in family planning, vaccination, maternal health care, in-patient treatment, and antiretroviral therapy. 2. Ruai Health Center Location: Njiru, Kasarani P.O. Box-30108-00501 Phone number: 0721 604209 Ruai Health Center is located in the Njiru shopping center, Kasarani. It provides services in family planning, vaccination, home-based care, and light in-patient services. Kamukunji Constituency Hospitals in Kamukunji Constituency include the following: 1. Shauri Moyo Clinic Location: Shauri Moyo Estate shopping center. P.O Box- 30108 Nairobi Shauri Moro Clinic is a health center that was established in the estate to help the growing population in the area. It gives maternal health care, pediatric vaccines, and general flimsy health care. 2. Pumwani Maternity Hospital Location: General Waruinge Street, Eastleigh P.O Box-42849 00200 Phone 1: 020 203763291 Phone 2: 0721 314 247 As the name suggests, Pumwani is one of the maternity hospitals in Nairobi. It is the largest government maternity hospital in the country. Pumwani hospital is one of the largest health facility offering maternity services in East Africa. Previously, the hospital was managed by Nairobi city council and after promulgation of Kenyan constitution it is now run by the county government. This hospitals services, therefore, are basically maternal health care, family planning, and pediatric health care. For this reason, the hospital has numerous gynecologists. Just use the above contacts for any issues. 3. Eastleigh Health Center Location: Eastleigh section 7 P.O Box-301108-00100, Nairobi Phone number: 020 3760231 Eastleigh is one of the Nairobi densely populated area due to its numerous shopping centers. This made it vital for the creation of the health center. It is one of the hospitals in Nairobi County that provides services ranging from postnatal clinics, vaccines, family planning services, and light in-patient treatment. This health facility attends to around 80 to 100 people that are below five years and about 150 adults daily. With the above data, one would find it easy to locate government hospitals in Nairobi County. However, one must not confuse government hospitals and private hospitals. This is because some hospitals may be open to the public but privately owned. One would argue that private hospitals provide quality services compared to the government ones. In most cases, the cost of treatment may not be commensurate to the services offered in private hospitals hence the reason why many local prefer government hospitals to them. Source: Tuko.co.ke Apart from poverty, unemployment, rising costs of food & fuel, terrorism and climate change, corruption is also a major global issue. Corruption, which refers to illegal or dishonest behavior mostly by people in powerful positions such as police officers or government officials, is one of the main causes of poverty globally. According to TI (Transparency International), the top anti-corruption international NGO, corruption is the misuse of entrusted or public power for private gain. This article will give an insight into the 20 most corrupt countries in the world this year. Corruption negatively impacts on organizations, groups, and individuals in many ways. In most cases, corruption costs people their lives, health, money, and freedom. Over the years, the scale of corruption has gradually been increasing as some countries are more corrupt than others. In order to measure the scale of corruption, there are four methods that can be used, namely: official statistics, tracking surveys, experiential surveys & perceptual, and attitudinal surveys. All methods have proven to be good but it is highly advisable to deploy a mixed method approach for better results according to the corruption index of the country. READ ALSO: Murang'a, Embu, Bomet listed as most corrupt counties The 20 most corrupt countries in the world Since 1995, Transparency International has annually published the Corruption Perception Index commonly known as CPI which ranks countries by their perceived levels of corruption. In most cases, the CPI is determined by both opinion surveys and expert assessments. In order for a country to appear in the CPI, it has to undergo evaluation by not less than three sources. Currently, the Corruption Perceptions Index ranks 176 countries on a scale from 0 to 100, i.e. highly corrupt countries to least corrupt countries. According to the Transparency International Corruption Index, Denmark and New Zealand are ranked as the least corrupt countries worldwide whereas, Syria, South Sudan, and Somalia are ranked among the top most corrupt countries in the world. The lowest ranked countries are mostly plagued by poor governance, conflicts, and war, lack of independence of the media industry as well as weak public institutions like the judiciary and police. Below is a list of the most corrupt countries in the world. 1. Somalia Somalia is the most corrupt country in the world. Somalia has a central government in place, but in reality, it is run by rival clans and warlords. Somalia is also the most unstable country in the world. The lifestyle in Somalia is quite tough as a majority of the people make a living from farming, fishing or raising livestock. Approximately only 29% of the population have the privilege to attend school and the average life expectancy is only 55 years old. Somalia remains perilous on the economic front as it is well known for piracy. It is also difficult for any long-term planning for infrastructure and social programs to take place in Somalia if there is a mess at the top of the power structure. Insecurity and instability are major issues in the country which greatly restrict business. In fact, corrupt government officials tolerate illegal activities in exchange for bribes. For a long time now, Somalia has had numerous irregularities in its election processes with cases of vote buying which compounds the corruption problem in the country since the members of parliament can only vote and elect a president. The inner workings of the economic system and the government of Somalia are scarce which implies that the corrupt officials do not want outsiders to see the actual picture of what goes beyond the borders of the country. 2. North Korea North Korea is a communist country that is led by Kim Jong-un who uses graft allegations as a powerful tool against his enemies. Just like Somalia, the inner workings of the North Korean economy and government are quite mysterious as the flow of information is very restricted. Strict rules and punishment have been imposed by Kim Jong-un's regime as only a few thousand citizens can afford to gain access to the heavily restricted internet in North Korea. A majority of the country's issues include poverty and starvation which can be traced back to the collapse of the Soviet Union as the land and equipment have been worn out over the years. The elite live lavish lifestyles without any accountability and the military spending outweighs spending on social aid and programs. Corruption in North Korea continues to be a growing problem despite the fact that it receives aid from other countries such as China. 3. South Sudan South Sudan is one of the most corrupt countries in Africa. In 2011, South Sudan officially declared independence, however, since late 2013 the country has had long-outstanding conflicts with Sudan, its parent company. South Sudan does not have proper government structures in place. For example, both the oppositions and government in the country use child soldiers during the war. Also, the leaders of both sides who are responsible for mass rapes and killings of innocent citizens in the country stay in luxurious hotels, drive fancy cars and have acquired enormous wealth illegally. As a result, the government has no oversight for a majority of the country's budgetary dealings which gives an opportunity for corrupt politicians to funnel funds of the public into their pockets. 4. Syria Syria is one of the most corrupt countries in the Middle East region. Currently, there is no other country that is in worse shape than Syria. The country has been in a state of civil war since the Arab spring with no hopes of the civil war ending in the near future. As a result, Syria has the worst cases of refugee crisis with mass migrations to Europe and the United States. The President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad continues to hold on to power as the level of corruption exponentially grows. 5. Yemen Just like many other countries in the Middle East, Yemen is also currently undergoing a civil war. Yemen is the poorest country in the Middle East with cases of high birth rates and child malnutrition as well as dwindling water and oil reserves. Corruption in Yemen is quite rampant. For example, anyone in Yemen who is not entitled to obtain a passport can easily get one in exchange for a bribe. As a result, the Yemenis with legitimate passports are unable to get jobs in other Gulf countries and abroad which weakens the Yemeni economy. The Yemeni government has anti-corruption laws in place but practices such as extortion and bribery are excluded. 6. Sudan Sudan is also considered to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Since 1956 when Sudan gained independence, it has been in conflict which has resulted in more than 2 million deaths and destabilized the country. After South Sudan split off from Sudan which took its oil riches, the situation in the country took a turn for the worse. Public servants openly demand extra payments for facilitation of services that individuals and businesses are legally entitled to anyway. 7. Libya Libya has faced corruption for more than two decades now. All the sectors in the economy of this country suffer from corruption but the oil and procurement sector is the most affected. Bribery is a common practice in Libya and most companies suffer from unfair competition from businesses owned by the government which dominates the market locally. 8. Afghanistan Afghanistan is also among the list of corrupt countries in the world. Corruption in this country is a growing and widespread problem. The country is loosely held by a central government that lacks power and run by warlords and a majority of the local tribal leaders. In Afghanistan, Bribes are paid in order to secure most of the public services. The country is also well-known for the production of heroin which has made a lucky few wealthy. 9. Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau is located in West Africa between Senegal and Guinea. A majority of the people living in this country are poor and drug trafficking is widely recognized as a threat to the country's political stability. Over the years, Guinea-Bissau has become a major transit point and hub for drug trafficking from Europe to Latin America. The country has ineffective law enforcement facilities in place which hinders investigations to prosecute traffickers or seize drugs. 10. Venezuela Since oil was discovered in Venezuela in the early 20th century, the level of political corruption has worsened over time. According to the corruption index, Venezuela is ranked in the 166th place out of 176 countries. The currency of the country is very worthless and the economy remains quite unstable. Also, majority of the corruption in Venezuela is mainly in the police force department. Citizens are afraid to report crimes to the police because most of the officers work with criminals and are likely to bring more harm than good to the citizens. 11. Iraq Iraq's current state of affairs is highly risky and corrupt. Public officials engage in corruption by accepting gifts and bribes just to get their job done. Conflicts are mostly between the Shiites, the Sunnis, and the Kurds. However, the arrival of the ISIS from Syria has also contributed to the ongoing conflicts. The Iraqi government has failed to successfully implement anti-corruption laws. 12. Eritrea According to the corruption ranking, corruption in Eritrea keeps getting worse as it from No. 25 to No 10 from between 2013 and 2014 respectively. A few years ago, approximately 699.6 million US dollars were traced in a Swiss bank with unknown Eritrean account holders. According to some foreign diplomats and Eritrean opposition leaders, the account belongs to a number of Eritrean government officials who are involved in illegal trafficking of arms and people. 13. Angola On numerous occasions, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, the president of Angola, has been accused of being responsible for creating one of the most corrupt countries in Africa. The country is rich with oil reserves and The Angolan president has leveraged oil to accumulate wealth for his own personal gain whereas the rest of the population lacks access to basic commodities and services. 14. Republic of the Congo The Republic of Congo is well-known for its high levels of corruption. In fact, almost all the sectors of the economy suffers from rampant corruption. The government has an anti-corruption regulatory framework in place but, the implementation process is very poor and government officials engage in corruption even though bribes and facilitation payments are illegal. 15. Haiti Majority of the corruption in the country is mainly from collusion among the politicians and the elite. Last month, some tech-savvy Haitians used the Whatsapp and Twitter social media platforms to denounce corruption and demanded accountability for the government squandering billions of dollars in proceeds from the discounted PetroCaribe oil program courtesy of Venezuela. 16.Chad Chad is one of the poorest countries worldwide and a majority of the citizens do not work in the formal economy. With many in the informal sector, corruption cases are rampant since bribing and other corrupt activities are not fully monitored by the law. The anti-corruption legislation enforcement in the country is poor as the prosecutions mostly target the political opponents of the government, meaning that no course of action is taken on corrupt activities by friends of the government. Corruption is a high risk for people or businesses looking to invest in the country, and this affects the economic growth of Chad. 17. C.A.R Just like Chad, corruption is also a high risk for companies that operate or want to invest CAR. The ongoing insecurity in the country has contributed to the high levels of corruption. Investors are quite aware that impunity, extortion, and bribery are pervasive in the Central African Republic. 18. Burundi Burundi currently has an ongoing political turmoil that arose in April 2015 from the decision of the ruling party to enable the President to seek office for the third time. According to Burundians, most of the police officers accept bribes to arrest innocent people and free up convicts who were found to be guilty of committing offenses. 19. Uzbekistan Corruption in Uzbekistan is also a major problem. There are laws in place to curb corruption, however, the enforcement of the laws is very weak. The country also has low prosecution rates of corrupt government officials which greatly contributes to corruption. 20. The Democratic Republic of the Congo Corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo costs the country approximately 15 billion dollars per year. In 2017, DRC lost 750 million dollars in mining revenues to corruption. READ ALSO: Bribe list? See how much Kenyans pay to get jobs in govt Corruption is a cancer: a cancer that eats away at a citizen's faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity; already-tight national budgets, crowding out important national investments. It wastes the talent of entire generations. It scares away investments and jobs. As per Joe Biden's words quoted above, corruption is a major global problem and this is evident from the above list of the 20 most corrupt countries in the world. Many countries are facing corruption and it can only be stopped if the people in power are educated and are willing to change the role they play towards corruption. READ ALSO Call these numbers to report police recruitment malpractices Major ethical issues in business Anti-graft agency EACC launches Bible study as tool to aid fight corruption in Kenya Corporate governance principles in Kenya See seven lies Kenyan women tell in order to get quick money from men Source: Tuko Breaking News - Nairobi is the largest city in Kenya housing different people from across the country - Crime and criminal activities are rampant in the city, mostly in informal residential areas - One of the estates where criminals unleash their terror is Kangemi - Most criminals also hide in Kangemi as it is densely populated Kangemi is a majorly a slum settlement found in Westlands constituency and located approximately 13kms from Nairobi central business district. It is a melting point of almost all communities in the country. For many years, the informal residential area has been an insecure place with criminals making it their hideout and lurking in the darkness for a target. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens A section where criminals in Kangemi hide after unleashing terror on residents. Photo: Achaka Kevin. Source: Original READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa DNA kuhusiana na kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Police have been working day and night to rid the estate of criminal elements and make it a safe haven to live and do business, but that is yet to yield fruits.. Common crimes committed in this estate include house break-ins, muggings, violent robberies, and sexual harassment besides petty offenses. Thieves have ensured it is not easy for people to walk around at dusk or dawn, forcing many to adjust their lives and in the process, compromising on their work programmes. Business premises such as supermarkets, ware houses and even small kiosks are not spared either as the thieves have made it a daily routine to break-in and steal property and money. Not even churches are spared in this. Operating in a group or individuals, most suspects slip away easily as police do not manage to arrest them. READ ALSO: Jacque Maribes neighbour remanded as probe into mysterious murder of city lady goes on A densely forested area in Kangemi where criminals hide. Photo: Achaka Kevin. Source: Original One of the most dreaded criminal group in Kangemi is known as Kapedo and it consists of some of the most inhumane and merciless criminals who kill at pleasure, torture and leave victims with life threatening injuries. The gang is made up of members who do not stay together and operate swiftly with hidden identities. Police, however, have gunned down several of the suspected members. On Sunday, August 19, 2018, during a youth concert at PEFA church, a group of over 30 people armed with knives and other crude weapons attacked and robbed attendants of their property including mobile phones and money among other items. READ ALSO: Ex-TV anchor Terryanne Chebet denies claims she's been summoned over Jacque Maribe's court case One member, a gymnast, who was in charge of entrance risked his life by fighting with the gang and thanks to his strength, he managed to overpower some of the criminals and recovered some stolen phones. After realising things were fast getting out of hand, the gang quickly retreated and vanished as more members of the public started to join in the chase. In another incident on Wednesday, August 29, an MPesa and bank agent shop at Thiongo Road, was attacked and a witness who tried to raise alarm was shot by the motorcycle riding thieves who managed to steal an unknown amount pf money. It is also not easy for members of the public to counter such incidents and a victim can easily get killed as the public watches for fear of being harmed in the process. READ ALSO: Wapelelezi wa DCI wawapiga risasi majambazi 6 Thika, wengine watoweka na majeraha There was a sigh of relief on Monday, September 3, 2018, when two dangerous criminals were gunned down at Mau Mau area by heavily armed police officers. The two met their deaths when they tried to escape after coming face to face with the law enforcers who had been hunting for them for days. It was a shoot to kill order from the OCS who accompanied his team in hunting for the gang. TUKO.co.ke understands the killed thieves were not residents of Kangemi. One of the most dangerous areas in Kangemi is known as Mau Mau. This is a known hideout for the criminals due to its heavy vegetation and river Mau Mau which provides a hideout for criminals. Story by Achaka Kevin, Nairobi Correspondent. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Obado to Spend More Days Behind Bars - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko A Kenyan man has hit news headlines after he turned plastic waste products into a colourful boat. Ali Skanda built the yacht from 'slippers' at a time when Kenya is ranked third most innovative country across the continent. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens Skanda, says after he saw huge hips of plastic wastes across the coastal region, he thought of converting them into something useful as well as ensuring the environment is clean. READ ALSO: Obado claims he was meeting Ida Odinga in Nairobi day Sharon was murdered The project which started in 2016 saw him collect over 20,000 worn out slippers from waste products. Photo: Enock Ndayala. Source: Original READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa DNA kuhusiana na kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani The project which started in 2016 saw him collect over 20,000 worn out slippers from waste products. He then melted the 20,000 multi-coloured worn out slippers and poured the liquid into the hollow section of the dhow to make his invention not only fruitful but also beautiful. The "dhow" which is the first of its kind not only in Kenya but across the globe is about 50 tonnes in weight, 4.5 metres high and 18 meters long. READ ALSO: Ruto feeling Railas presence in Jubilee 3 months after dismissing him Skanda hails from a humble background which depends on boat building for a survival. Speaking during the official launch of the dhow boat, Skanda said he was proud to be a guide to the world during this challenging time for the environment. I extend my gratitude to the many supporters worldwide who have helped realise my dream in making the worlds first recycled plastic dhow, he said. The man who hails from Lamu County is now the first Kenyan to get a United Nation (UN) recognition after the United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP)recognised him. Skanda hails from a humble background which depends on boat building for a survival. Photo: Enock Ndayala. Source: Original READ ALSO: No special treatment for Migori governor in remand - Prisons boss The campaign brought together people around the world in their efforts to address the issue of plastic pollution on their shorelines, riverbeds and in their own communities, read a statement from UNEP. The New innovation comes at a time when the government of Kenya has banned the use and manufacture of plastic bags in efforts a bid to conserve the environment. "Anyone violating the ban faces a one to two-year jail term or a KSh2 million to KSh4 million fine" the government said in a gazette notice as the ban took effect on August 28. In 2010, Gabriel Nderitu, a carpenter hit news headlines after he made homemade airplane which took off. Story by Enock Ndayala, Correspondent. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenyans' Reactions to President Uhuru's VAT Bill | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - The man attempted to take his own life by consuming poison but was rescued by his mother - The 27-year-old man is said to have strangled his wife before murdering her - The body of the woman was discovered in a thicket in Kopiyo village - The suspect is also reported to have escaped from his hospital bed The body of a 25-year-old woman believed to have been murdered by her husband at Kopiyo village in Homa Bay County was found dumped in a thicket with visible injuries. Steve Juma, 27, is thought to have strangled Alice Atieno before killing her days after re-uniting with her following family wrangles. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa DNA kuhusiana na kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani A woman is believed to have been murdered by her husband at Kopiyo village in Homa Bay County Photo: Citizen TV. Source: UGC READ ALSO: William Ruto is scared of the war against corruption - Raila Odinga Area Assistant Chief Margaret Otonde said she received information from a village elder, Martha Okuku, that there was a mutilated body of a woman hidden in the thicket, Citizen TV reported. The area administrator said the suspect later attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison. He was rescued by his mother who rushed him to Homa-Bay County Referral Hospital. READ ALSO: Obado claims he was meeting Ida Odinga in Nairobi day Sharon was murdered According to Otonde, the couple separated a while back but later agreed to reunite at the womans home at Gem Wakeru in Rangwe constituency. The chief added the motive behind the killing could not be immediately established as the couples relatives could not explain issues surrounding the relationship between the two. READ ALSO: Kangemi: A harbour for petty crimes and criminals in Nairobi The womans body was taken to Homa Bay County Hospital morgue. The suspect is still at large as he is reported to have gone missing from his hospital bed. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Obado to Spend More Days Behind Bars - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko After daily browsing Yahoo's news, there is at least one article on the Kardashians. Same thing happens while channel surfing, 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' episode after episode is displayed. They must be producing and paying for this program or who else would pay them. Really, why would anyone care about what is happening with them? Is it 'breaking news'? With all of the world wide turbulence, please inform us what major contributions if any, have they contributed to solve and resolve these issues? - The Rarieda lawmaker alleged Ruto was the real thief and not Raila - He said the DP was the one who was illegally profiteering from Kenyans - Ruto had earlier accused Raila of trying to eject him from Jubilee party - He claimed Raila was using handshake to destroy Jubilee Party before 2022 and referred to him as a conman Rarieda Member of Parliament, Otiende Amollo, has joined his colleagues in the Opposition in castigating William Ruto after the deputy president called the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader, Raila Odinga, a conman. Amollo, a revered lawyer, defined the word conman as someone who makes profit through illegal means, and that person, he indicated, was not his party boss, Raila, as was alleged by Ruto. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Stop using handshake to bring confusion in Jubilee - Ruto warns Raila According to the Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, Deputy President William Ruto was the real conman and not his party boss, Raila Odinga. Photo: Pulselive. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa DNA kuhusiana na kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Appearing on NTV Kenya's morning talk show on Tuesday, September 2, Amollo claimed Kenyans already knew who between the ODM leader and the DP was the real thief. "Being a conman in legal parlance is a word for a thief and someone who profiteers illegally, so if you asked Kenyans who they think is a conman between Raila Odinga and William Ruto, they will tell you," he said. READ ALSO: Majority of Kenyans support Uhuru, Raila calls for referendum - TUKO poll As was earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, Ruto accused Raila of trying to dismantle the ruling Jubilee Party through "deceit and conmanship". If he (Raila) thinks he can bring down Jubilee, then let me warn him that will never happen. You may have succeeded in lying to Kenyans during your days in KANU and NASA, but you have no space in Jubilee, he said. READ ALSO: Kenyans should be ready for a referendum before 2022 - Raila Odinga Ruto's renewed verbal attacks targeted at Raila started after ODM party leaders once again announced their leader would be on the ballot come 2022. Led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, the Orange party allied politicians said Raila's candidature in 2022 was not negotiable because he had all the reasons to go for the top seat. "We only have one person who has this country's best interests at heart. Only Raila Odinga can liberate Kenya from economic, political and social problems facing Kenya owing to his longevity in the battle for multi-party democracy," Orengo said. READ ALSO: William Ruto angered by calls for fresh referendum to create new positions in government TUKO.co.ke understands the DP was also most likely angered by renewed calls for fresh referendum that was being championed by the ODM leader and his brigade. Ruto dismissed calls for a plebiscite by the Opposition leader leader and instead urged leaders to focus on development, arguing the building bridges initiative between Raila and Uhuru was meant to unite Kenyans and push for development and not political agendas. "I want to ask all leaders in Kenya to stop disturbing Kenyans on unnecessary referendum debates and instead they should focus on development," he said . Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. When Uhuru, Ruto and Raila Met at State House - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - Arfon Bare Duale passed on Monday, October 1 - Her death was announced on Twitter by her brother Duale - Friends and colleagues sent condolence messages to the bereaved family National Assembly Majority leader, Aden Duale, is in mourning following the death of his elder sister on the evening of Monday, October 1. Duale, who is also the Member of Parliament for Garissa Township, announced his sister, Arfon Bare Duale had passed on in a series of tweets. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jacque Maribe kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa DNA kuhusiana na kesi ya mauaji ya Monica Kimani Duale announced his sister, Arfon Bare Duale had passed on in a series of tweets. Photo: Aden Duale Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Kakamega family in agony after Class Six son goes missing since August According to the Majority leader, Arfon succumbed to cancer after battling the disease for years. He went ahead to say a peace prayer for his sister even as she finally rests. READ ALSO: Obado claims he was meeting Ida Odinga in Nairobi day Sharon was murdered O Allah, surely Arfon Bare Duale is under your protection, and in the rope of your security, so save her from the trial of the grave and from the punishment of the fire, said Duale. You fulfill promises and grant rights, so forgive her and have mercy on her. Surely you are most forgiving and merciful, added the bereaved legislator. READ ALSO: William Ruto slams Raila, ODM for pretending to lead fight against corruption Eldas MP, Adan Keynan Wehliye, took to his social media pages to condole with the family. My condolences to my brother and friend, Majority leader Aden Duale and the larger Duale family for the demise of Arfon Bare Duale, said Keynan. May Allah have mercy on her soul and grant the family Sabr to overcome this loss, he added. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News Today: Ken Okoth Is Fighting For Marijuana Legalization | Tuko TV Source: Kenya Breaking News Today - The ANC party leader argued excessive borrowing had ruined Kenya's economy - He demanded the Jubilee leaders should take responsibility for messing up the economy - Mudavadi had earlier challenged Parliament to impeach cabinet secretaries responsible for Kenya's financial crisis Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader, Musalia Mudavadi, has once again taken a swipe at the Jubilee government, accusing the President Uhuru Kenyatta-led administration of running down the economy through reckless borrowing. Mudavadi demanded the Jubilee administration should take full responsibility for messing up the country's economy instead of hiding behind statistics to hoodwink the taxpayers into believing the economy was doing fine. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Jubilee MP asks Uhuru to fire Treasury CS Henry Rotich to save his legacy Amani National Congress (ANC) party leader, Musalia Mudavadi, on Tuesday, October 2, called on the Jubilee government to take full responsibility for messing up Kenya's economy. Source: UGC READ ALSO: It is time for CS Rotich to go, he is not adding value to Kenya's economy - Senator Isaac Mwaura The ANC party boss took to his Twitter page on Tuesday, October 2, to express his concern on the manner in which Jubilee was running Kenya's economic affairs, citing excessive debt as the main cause of the financial crisis the country was facing. "No one in the current government has taken responsibility or accountability for the current dire economic circumstances that have driven us into excessive debt. People must take responsibility for the policies that have led us into this situation," he said. READ ALSO: Mudavadi asks Parliament to impeach cabinet secretaries for running down the country The National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition co-principal claimed majority of Kenyans were surviving on less than KSh 100 a day because of the harsh economic times coupled with little to zero economic progress. "We cannot hide behind statistics portraying positive growth when more than a third of the country is living on less than one dollar a day. People cannot afford to put meals on the table or go to the hospital!" Mudavadi said. READ ALSO: Tough times ahead as Rotich hikes price of unga, bread, milk to raise money for Uhuru's Big Four agenda He had earlier accused MPs of playing deceptive politics with Kenyans, especially on the issue of taxes, instead of holding to account government leaders responsible for wrecking the economy. The ANC party leader asked Parliament to go after cabinet secretaries who mismanaged their dockets, plundered public resources and plunged the country into a financial crisis, forcing the government to overburden Kenyans with taxes. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. When Uhuru, Ruto and Raila Met at State House - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko Newspaper After experiencing the disappointment of a lifetime in London recently, Zari Hassan is more than proud to share a few snapshots from her weekend birthday celebrations. The mother of five threw a lavish party in Uganda and her friends and family showed up in large numbers to support the beauty. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Zari Hassan flies to London, hosts birthday party where only 8 people attended READ ALSO: Diamond's ex calls off their daughter's highly publicised birthday party and TUKO.co.ke has the details In a series of Instagram photos seen by TUKO.co.ke, the fierce mother was spotted living it up like a young high school girl at her over the top party. Zari's friends dressed in fancy outfits and walked in ready to party the night away. READ ALSO: 16 adorable photos from Diamond's daughter fancy birthday photoshoot as she turns 3 The Ugandan beauty rocked a sleek black evening dress which showed a hint of skin and had acres of leg action. The party was filled with smiles, laughter and gratitude. Zari was left high and dry just a few weeks back when she traveled to London for her annual all white party but only eight people showed up to the venue. Mayoo!! Photos of the event spelled out sadness and an utter disappointment as the group sat on one side of the club with some poorly baked cakes. This time round, she went all out and no expense was spared in her Uganda gig. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. One on one with Jasper Murume | Tuko TV Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest - Ruto contributed the millions at Mwambeta PEFA Church in Voi constituency - He was accompanied by Nyali MP Mohamed Ali who carried the harambee cash - The DP's church contributions have been a subject of debate with some Kenyans questioning where he gets the millions Deputy President William Ruto is perhaps the most generous politician Kenyans have ever known, or how would you describe a leader who never contributes less than a million shillings at every fund-raising event he attends, harsh economic times notwithstanding? The DP, who ironically calls himself hustler, did not disappoint when he was invited to help raise funds for Mwambeta PEFA church in Voi, Taita Taveta County, during his political foray in the Coast region. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: We will continue to hold harambees in churches, Ruto says Deputy President William Ruto accompanied by Nyali Member of Parliament Mohamed Ali alias Jicho Pevu in church during a fund-raising event. Photo: Paul Wafula. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Controversial video emerges showing Uhuru and Ruto giving KSh 70M in cash in a Harambee A viral clip seen by TUKO.co.ke on Tuesday, October 2, showed the hustler handing over KSh 5 million cash, wrapped in a big brown envelope, to one of the church leaders amid raucous applause in the background. "Sasa kati yangu na mdos, tutawapatia shilingi milioni tano (Between me and boss (Uhuru), we will give you KSh 5 million," he said as he received the cash from Nyali MP Mohamed Ali. READ ALSO: William Ruto delivers KSh 8 million at church fundraiser Ali , a veteran investigative journalist best known by his nickname Jicho Pevu, was carrying the loaded brown envelop, which made some Kenyans wonder if he was the DP's new errand boy. Ruto's penchant for church harambees has been a subject of heated debate with a section of Kenyans questioning the source of the millions he has been using to bankroll church activities all over the country. READ ALSO: Ruto spotted at Njugunas enjoying nyam-chom after church service at All Saints Cathedral Some of the church leaders, among them Anglican Church of Kenya Mt Kenya South Diocese Bishop Timothy Ranji and Embu Catholic Bishop Paul Kariuki, in 2017 attempted to ban fund-raising activities inside churches by politicians, claiming the harambees were perpetuating corruption. But that did not stop the hustler from giving his handsome church contributions. READ ALSO: Kenyans know who the real conman is between Raila and Ruto - MP Otiende Amollo Reacting to the church fund-raising ban then, Ruto said everybody should be allowed to give in the House of God, arguing he goes to church first as a Christian and not so much as a politician. Those barring us from conducting church harambees should know that we are Christians first, politicians second. One cant retire from Christianity but can from politics, the DP said. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Angry Kenyan Sends Message to President Uhuru Kenyatta - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko - Don Bosco Gichana was arrested in March 29, 2013, at the Namanga border point - He was arrested in connection to a lawyer who was engaging in money laundering - Gichana was charged in a Tanzanian court where he was acquitted but rearrested - He hit headlines in 2007 after donating a Hummer vehicle to Raila Odinga - He vied for the Kitutu Chache South MP seat in the 2013 elections but lost to Richard Onyonka It was jubilation and joy for an embattled Nairobi businessman after he was released from a Tanzania jail where he has been languishing for five years. Don Bosco Gichana was arrested in March 29, 2013, at the Namanga border point while on his way back to Kenyan after visiting lawyer Median Mwale who was detained at Arusha Central police station. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Murang'a Governor Wa Iria incites residents against paying water bills in bid to cripple water companies Don Bosco Gichana (holding water bottle) gets cleared by Tanzania authorities. Photo: Twitter / Robin Njogu Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Kibaki awarded grandchildren scholarships worth KSh 20 million of taxpayers money Mwale had been arrested over allegations of money laundering among several other charges. Gichana was charged in a Tanzania court where he was acquitted and then rearrested shortly outside the court over the same allegations as the lawyer. The 41-year-old businessman first hit the headlines in 2007 after donating a Hummer vehicle to the then presidential candidate Raila Odinga. READ ALSO: Ex-KDF doctor denies neglecting ill child due to traditional beliefs In 2013, he campaigned for President Uhuru Kenyatta and also contested for Kitutu Chache South MP seat but lost to Richard Onyonka. His troubles with the Tanzania authorities started 25 days after the 2013 General Election. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News Today: Ken Okoth Is Fighting For Marijuana Legalization | Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke Music, as they say is food to the soul. Most people, if not all, usually find solace in jamming to a number of their favourite ballads whether in their happy or sad times. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: 13 times Papa Shirandula's actress Shix Kapyenga looked like a snack in a dress READ ALSO: All the men believed to have been in a relationship with TV girl Jackie Maribe Others enjoy music just like that and do not necessarily need reasons to nod to some sweet tunes. Well, Kenya as a country boasts of countless musicians who made impressive marks as far as releasing hot songs with a long shelf life is concerned. Most music lovers will agree that some of the old school Kenyan songs were greater than the ones being released today by new age musicians. Old school music is the perfect genre name for songs which were released years ago but have never lost their taste. Late E-Sir, Nameless, Gidigidi, Longombas and Majimaji are some of the local musicians with songs that have been ruling the airwaves for ages, and will keep doing so for the longest time possible. READ ALSO: Kenyans list 19 hardest things to get in the country including an honest person TUKO.co.ke compiled a list of 17 ''baddest'' old school songs produced and released by different Kenyan artists, legends and new ones which will always get you dancing despite their advanced age. 1. Boomba Train by E-Sir featuring Nameless 2. Unbwogable by Gidi Gidi and Majimaji 3. Moss Moss by E-Sir featuring Brenda 4. Tumetoka Githurai by Mr Googz, Vinny Banton and Lenny 5. Vuta Pumz by Longombaz 6. Tuendelee Ama Tusiendelee - Kleptomaniaxx READ ALSO: 17 little-known reasons some Kenyan women now think cucumbers are better than men 7. Tetemesha - Redsan 8. Kamata by E-Sir 9. Huku Nairobi by Historians 10. Bamba by E-Sir featuring Big Pin, K-Rupt 11. Morale by Pilipili featuring Ratatat 12. Monalisa - Deux Vultures 13. Amka Ukatike by C-Zars 14. Under 18 by Jimwat 15. Nipe Nikupe by CMB Prezzo 16. Naskia Utamu by The Bugz (Bobby Mapesa and VBO) 17. Si Lazima by P-Unit featuring Nonini Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenya News Today: Ken Okoth Is Fighting For Marijuana Legalization | Tuko TV Source: Tuko News In a strange turn of events, Kenyans have come out to defend former President Mwai Kibaki after it emerged he had used tax payers money to facilitate his grandchildren's education. Former Finance minister Francis Muthaura had on Monday, October 1, revealed Kibaki had ordered his grandchildren be awarded government scholarships amounting to about KSh 25 million. However, Kenyans lauded the move by the former president noting the money was put in good use by sending the two children to school rather than being pocketed by individuals. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Kibaki awarded grandchildren scholarships worth KSh 20 million of taxpayers money Kenyans have lauded the move by the former president noting the money was put in good use by sending the two children to school. Source: UGC READ ALSO: Homabay man murders wife, unsuccessfully attempts to take own life "On Education I fully support the former president, I would have done the same even more for that matter," wrote Brian Oluoch The two grandchildren were awarded the scholarship to study at a university in Australia after their father lost his job at the Oil Libya company and could no longer support their education. While a few of Kenyans thought he should have used money from his account to sustain the children's education, a number of them thought it was acceptable considering the number of projects he left behind. READ ALSO: Aden Duale's elder sister dies after long battle with cancer "That is the only benefit Kibaki got after improving our economy. Thika superhighway was built, Southern and Northern bypass and left a debt of 1 trillion. Now I understand we have a debt of five trillion and they have constructed the railway only," wrote Bancy Murage The only question Kenyans as well as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) members had for Kibaki was, why could they not study at a local university? Well, here are more of the opinions Kenyans had over the scholarships awarded to Kibaki's nephew's children in the course of seven years. READ ALSO: Kakamega family in agony after Class Six son goes missing since August 2018 Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Obado to Spend More Days Behind Bars - On Tuko TV Source: Tuko.co.ke - Ruto labelled Raila a political conman using the handshake to sink the Jubilee boat - The DP claimed the Opposition leader was keen to drive him out of the Jubilee party - Oparanya said Ruto's comments did not relate to the integrity of the office he holds - The governor also said Raila was a statesman and an elder who must be respected Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga have been trading barbs in the recent times with Ruto accusing the Opposition chief of plotting to drive him out of Jubilee party. The bone of contention is the referendum push in which Raila and his ODM brigade are on the front line proposing a constitutional amendment which is seen by Ruto allies as a scheme to lock him out of the 2022 equation. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Gavana Obado akimbizwa na kulazwa katika Hospitali Kuu ya Kenyatta Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya termed the DP's comments as reckless and do not in any way relate to the stature of his office. Photo: Wycliffe Oparanya/Facebook. Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Stop using handshake to bring confusion in Jubilee - Ruto warns Raila Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya who is the Orange party deputy leader on Tuesday, October 2, termed the DP's comments as reckless and did not in any way relate to the stature of his office and neither did it inspire hope in a country riddled with ethnicity. "The DP claimed the ODM leader is using his handshake with Uhuru to bring conmanship, confusion and hypocrisy, it is unfortunate such a statement can come from a holder of the second highest position in the country, the deputy president. "The holder of that office is expected to be a statesman of highest repute," Oparanya said in a press release sent to TUKO.co.ke.. READ ALSO: If handshake succeeds, DP Ruto will not be president - Edward Kisiang'ani The governor posited through the handshake, Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta calmed the rising political temperatures witnessed before and after the 2017 General Election. This, he said, was a show of statesmanship from a respected elder. "Raila deserves respect. We urge the DP and those of his ilk to respect other leaders so that he too can be accorded respect. Going forward, I would urge Ruto to apologise to Kenyans over his remarks against Raila," he urged. READ ALSO: Majority of Kenyans support Uhuru, Raila calls for referendum - TUKO poll Addressing residents of Majaoni in Kisauni where he was issuing title deeds on Sunday, September 30, the politically charged DP told Raila to desist from causing confusion in the Jubilee party using handshake. We know what the handshake deal entails because we initiated it before President Uhuru Kenyatta entered into a deal with you (Raila). We are very clear on what it is not. Therefore, do not bring confusion, Ruto told the former prime minister. But according to Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo, an influential figure in Raila's inner cycle, the word conman best described Ruto's lifestyle. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Shosh Cecilia Story Continues: Shosh Cecilia Gets New Teeth | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - One in every 20 deaths globally is caused by harmful alcohol consumption - Men suffer from alcohol related disorders more than women do - In Kenya, Nairobi and Western lead in alcohol related disorders - Mt Kenya region is the second least affected region after north Eastern More than three million people die every year as a result of harmful use of alcohol. According a report released by the World Health Organization, the new statistics indicated that one in every 20 deaths results from harmful consumption of alcohol. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens The report which was released on Friday, September 21, 2018, indicated that men are the most affected contributing to over three quarters of these deaths. READ ALSO: Kenyans know who the real conman is between Raila and Ruto - MP Otiende Amollo Globally, an estimated 237 million men and 46 million women suffer from alcohol-use disorders. Alcohol-use disorders are more common in high-income countries, read the report. According to National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority (NACADA), 4.9 million Kenyans aged between 15-65 years are abusing at least one drug or other substance while at least 5,000 people die every year following harmful consumption of alcohol. Nairobi has the highest cases of alcohol-related disorders at a rate of 18.4% followed by Western at 13.1% while Eastern stands at 10.6%. Surprisingly, Central has the second lowest rate at 8.3% after North Eastern with 1.4%. A wines and spirits shop in Kisumu. Photo: NACADA Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Mike Sonko's wife rescues Kibra family living inside an abandoned old car Alcohol consumption in rural Kenya has been on the rise with a prevalence rate of 29.6% compared to 31.7% in urban areas. Overall, the harmful use of alcohol causes more than 5% of the global disease burden. The Director-General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the report presented a comprehensive picture of alcohol consumption and the disease burden attributable to alcohol worldwide. READ ALSO: Controversial businessman who donated posh car to Raila released from Tanzanian jail after five years Far too many people, their families and communities suffer the consequences of the harmful use of alcohol through violence, injuries, mental health problems and diseases like cancer and stroke, he said. Of all deaths attributable to alcohol, 28% were due to injuries such as those from road accidents, self-harm and interpersonal violence, 21% due to digestive disorders, 19% due to cardiovascular diseases, and the remainder due to infectious diseases, cancer, mental disorders and other health conditions. The report further indicted that an estimated 2.3 billion people are current drinkers. Current trends and projections pointed to an expected increase in global alcohol consumption in the next 10 years. READ ALSO: TV king Jeff Koinange bashed for smoking in public in company of skimpily dressed Huddah The average daily consumption of people who drink alcohol is 33 grams of pure alcohol a day, roughly equivalent to two glasses (each of 150 ml) of wine, a large (750 ml) bottle of beer or two shots (each of 40 ml) of spirits, it read. Worldwide, over 27% of all 15 to 19 year olds are current drinkers. The report indicated that school surveys indicate that, in many countries, alcohol use starts before the age of 15 with very small differences between boys and girls. Worldwide, 45% of total recorded alcohol is consumed in the form of spirits. Beer is the second alcoholic beverage in terms of pure alcohol consumed (34%) followed by wine (12%). Worldwide there have been only minor changes in preferences of alcoholic beverages since 2010, the report says. READ ALSO: Kenyans endorse Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana for 2022 presidency Reducing the harmful use of alcohol will help achieve a number of health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those for maternal and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and mental health, injuries and poisonings. Almost all (95%) countries have alcohol excise taxes, but fewer than half of them use other price strategies such as banning below-cost selling or volume discounts. The majority of countries have some type of restriction on beer advertising, with total bans most common for television and radio but less common for the internet and social media. Story by Jamila Otieno, Correspondent Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenya News Today: Why Kenyans Love Avocados | Tuko TV Source: Tuko US First Lady Melania Trump has officially kicked off her first ever four-country African tour, a continent her husband described in no so kind words. Melania began her tour in Accra, Ghana where she touched down on the morning of Tuesday, October 2, and was cordially received by Ghanaian first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Uhuru explains why he has no issue with Donald Trump's 'shithole' remarks READ ALSO: Wakenya wachambua picha ya Moha Jicho Pevu akiwa na Ruto; hakupiga magoti kanisani The US First Lady was then taken to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where she visited new mothers, and their babies and gifted them with small teddy bears and blankets labeled with the logo for her Be Best children's-welfare initiative. From Ghana, Melania will proceed to Malawi, then Nairobi, Kenya before finally wrapping up the tour in Egypt. In Kenya, she is expected to embark on a number of visits including touring an elephant and rhino conservatory. READ ALSO: Kenya officially responds to Donald Trump's shithole remarks TUKO.co.ke understands the US First Lady's visit to Africa will also highlight a host of other programs funded by the US Agency for International Development. The visit has also been considered as a gesture of goodwill especially after Donald Trump's shithole remarks on African nations. READ ALSO: 17 hottest Kenyan old school hit songs that will never fade As reported by TUKO.co.ke earlier, Trump had used the derogatory word 'shithole' in reference to the Caribbean country, Haiti, among others whose citizens were migrating to US. His remarks irked Haitian citizens and Africans who bashed him on end. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news. Kenya News Today: Ken Okoth Is Fighting For Marijuana Legalization | Tuko TV Source: Tuko - The MP is among individuals conned millions by suspects arrested with fake currency worth over KSh 1 billion - The MP confided to police he had lost KSh 76 million to the frauds who promised to multiply his money - The legislator said he sold his car and parcel of land and took the money there to be multiplied - The conmen lured their targets with promises of doubling their fortunes only to give them fake currency A Member of Parliament is among eight Kenyans who were conned hundreds of millions by two Mali nationals and one Kenyan arrested with over KSh 1 billion fake currency on Monday, October 1, in Nairobi. The MP whose identity is yet to be released is reported to have lost KSh 76 million, a car and a parcel of land, according to director of flying squad Musa Yego. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Wakenya wachambua picha ya Moha Jicho Pevu akiwa na Ruto; hakupiga magoti kanisani Some of the fake currency which was impounded in the residence of the three suspects. Photo: Citizen Source: UGC READ ALSO: Ex-journalist Moha Jicho Pevu fiercely defends Ruto against Hassan Joho attacks Sources privy to the investigations said the shocked MP told detectives that he still went ahead to sell a portion of his land in Karen and a vehicle even after losing the KSh 76 million citing witchcraft tendencies in his behaviour. The three fraudsters are reported to have been pacifying and convincing victims to get their money to their Brookside Drive apartment in Nairobi for multiplication using supernatural powers. They would later take genuine money and substitute it with fake currency. Abdoulaye Tamba Kouro alongside his son Abdala Tamba, a Kenyan Anthony Mangangi and another suspect who successfully fled were found with over KSh 1 billion fake currency in their rented apartment. The three suspects who were found with over KSh 1 billion fake currency. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Family of Migori governor's slain lover needs KSh 1 million to feed mourners, sets burial date Another victim of the scam from Kenya told police he had lost KSh 14 million to the fraudsters who had promised to double his cash. The three were arraigned in court on Tuesday, October 2, where police successfully requested for their detention for 15 more days to complete a probe to establish how the two Malians had been able to stay in Kenya for long without work permits and other legal documentation. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: TUKO TV Shosh Cecilia Story Continues: Shosh Cecilia Gets New Teeth | Tuko TV Source: Kenya Breaking News Today - Sharon was brutally murdered alongside her unborn child and dumped near a forest in Homa Bay - She was carrying Migori Governor Okoth Obado's baby when she met her brutal death - The governor is among suspects being held in remand over the controversial murder - Sharon's family is looking to raise up to KSh 1 million for her burial to give her a proper send off - Her family is calling on well-wishers to help meet the cost The family of murdered University student Sharon Otieno have set a burial date for the lady which includes a hefty funeral budget. Sharons case continues to drag on with Migori governor Okoth Obado still in remand pending investigations into the gruesome murder. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Wakenya wachambua picha ya Moha Jicho Pevu akiwa na Ruto; hakupiga magoti kanisani Family of Migori governor's slain lover needs KSh 1 million to feed mourners, sets burial date Source: Twitter READ ALSO: The real killers of Sharon Otieno were to be killed too - Police The deceased is set to be laid to rest on Friday, October 19, but it is the burial budget that has raised eyebrows. A close source revealed to TUKO.co.ke that the family was targeting a budget of up to KSh 1 million which was aimed at facilitating feeding of mourners. According to burial committee chairman Elijah Opiyo, only a minimum of a million shillings would facilitate a proper burial and the amount might as well be higher. READ ALSO: Sharon Otieno's baby who was stabbed inside mother's womb to be buried The source further disclosed the family was also looking on well-wishers to aid in raising the funds to give the late 26-year-old a proper send off. Three weeks after her brutal murder, Sharon's family is still trying to get some closure as her body still lays in the morgue. The deceased is set to be laid to rest on Friday, October 19, but it is the burial budget that has raised eyebrows Source: Twitter READ ALSO: Sharon's family facing threats ahead of Governor Obado's appearance in court Her mother, Melida Auma, has on several occasions said the family was not well off financially as she called on Migori county to help with the upkeep of her three children. As a family, we have been rendered hopeless since our only provider, Sharon is no more. Migori County Government should intervene and provide for me the way Sharon has been doing. We are ready to accept any assistance from anywhere since I'm left with Sharons children and they need upkeep which was being provided by the deceased, The late Sharon's seven-month old foetus which was stabbed inside its mother's womb was buried at Magare village in Homa Bay county. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news Kenya News Today: Why Kenyans Love Avocados | Tuko TV: Source: Tuko News - Muthama has commenced on a plan to meet National Super Alliance principals - His meeting is aimed at discussing the current dormant coalition's status and agree on way forward - The former legislator said disbanding the coalition was among the options going forward if principals who are speaking different languages fail to agree - He has already secured an appointment with FORD Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula - Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka tasked Muthama with the role of generating an agenda for a NASA summit after a prolonged silent stint Former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama has hinted that National Super Alliance (NASA) could be headed for a disbandment as he sets on a journey to meet principals in a bid to ascertain the coalition's position ahead of next General Election. Muthama was tasked by Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Monday, October 1, to commence meeting principals and help generate an agenda for a NASA summit after an apparent fallout after the 2017 General Election. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens READ ALSO: Seneta wa Kajiado afurushwa nje ya Churchill Show kwa utovu wa nidhamu Former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama hinted that NASA could disband if the principals failed to agree on renewing and reviving the unit. Photo: The Star. Source: UGC READ ALSO: ODM dismisses Wetangula's exit from NASA, propose tougher penalties for his troops Speaking to KTN News on Tuesday, October 2, Muthama said he had already engaged FORD Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula who agreed for a meeting to discuss the future of the coalition. Wetang'ula literally walked out of NASA after Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and Opposition leader Raila Odinga swore himself in as the people's president on Tuesday, January 30, saying the unit was dead and moribund. Muthama said they would meet on Wednesday, October 3, for a detailed discussions on the future of the coalition, which has been accused of abdicating its Opposition role since Raila shook hands with President Uhuru Kenytatta on Friday, March 9. "I have already talked to Wetang'ula and we agreed for a detailed meeting tomorrow. There are a lot of issues to be discussed with all the principals who seem to be taking different paths at the moment. We'll dwell on revival of the party and if we don't agree we will settle for disbandment. You must not rule out disbanding the coalition if renewal fails," said Muthama. FORD Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula agreed to meet Johnstone Muthama to discuss future of NASA even after terming it dead and buried. Photo: UGC Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Ex-journalist Moha Jicho Pevu fiercely defends Ruto against Hassan Joho attacks The former legislator who had taken a quiet stance during the push and pull of NASA principals said he had also tried to reach Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi on Tuesday, October 2, for a similar meeting but could not get him. "We need to meet the NASA management team and work as Opposition without feeling isolated. I will try to reach out to Mudavadi and all principals so that we can agree on the next step," added Muthama. Since Uhuru's handshake with Raila, other NASA co-principals did not hide their frustration accusing the Opposition leader of isolating them the same way the latter had lost trust in them when they abandoned him when he swore himself in. However, there has been much efforts to reunite, with Kalonzo marshaling his party to work with Uhuru just like Raila as the two co-principals' relationship begins to bloom again. Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: TUKO TV Shosh Cecilia Story Continues: Shosh Cecilia Gets New Teeth | Tuko TV Source: Tuko Newspaper Russian GRU officer Anatoliy Chepiga ("Ruslan Boshirov"), whom Britain suspects of poisoning former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, was in charge of the operation to bring former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych to Russia. Sergei Kanev, a former journalist at the Investigations Management Center, told this to the Hromadske news portal. He participated in the investigation by The Insider and Bellingcat in relation to the Skripal poisoning suspects. "Chepiga-Boshirov took part in the evacuation of Yanukovych to Russia, at least my sources testify to that. He and his special forces unit arrived at Yanukovych's residence in Mezhyhirya. He guarded him there. They transported him to Crimea and then to Russia," the journalist said. According to Kanev, Chepiga received the Hero of Russia title for this special operation. The investigator said that the Hero of Russia title for Yanukovych's evacuation from Ukraine had also been received by Putin's former bodyguard Alexei Dyumin. "Then this person worked at the Defense Ministry and now he is the governor of the Tula region. Everybody talks about Dyumin as Putin's successor. I also know that awards for Yanukovych's evacuation were also presented to people who later formed the backbone of the Wagner private military company," Kanev said. The journalist promised that he would soon publish a detailed investigation into Chepiga-Boshirov's involvement in a special operation to evacuate Yanukovych from Ukraine. Earlier reports said that journalist Kanev had been forced to leave Russia because he was to be charged with plotting a terrorist attack against Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Insider and the Bellingcat investigation project reported on September 26 that the suspect using the cover identity of "Ruslan Boshirov" is, in fact, Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, a highly decorated GRU officer bestowed with Russia's highest state award, Hero of Russia. On September 27, journalists from the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that they had found acquaintances of Boshirov, whose real name is Anatoliy Chepiga. Previously, it was also reported that there were notes in the passports of Skripal poisoning suspects Bashirov and Alexander Petrov indicating that they were employees of special services. Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly vouched that "Boshirov" and "Petrov" are civilians. Later, Russian television channel Russia Today published an interview with two men named Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Bashirov. They claimed they had visited London as tourists. On June 29, 2017, Kyiv's Obolonsky District Court ruled to hold a special court proceeding against former President Viktor Yanukovych. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, Yanukovych is suspected of committing crimes envisaged by Part 1 of Article 111 (high treason), Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 110 (aiding in intentional actions committed to change the boundaries of the territory and the state border of Ukraine), and Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 437 (aiding in waging an aggressive war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. As part of the litigation, two of Yanukovych's lawyers asked the court to acquit the fugitive ex-president. At the same time, the prosecution asked the court to sentence him to 15 years in prison. The lawyers are expected to end their speeches during the debate on October 10. The court also ruled that Yanukovych himself should make his last statement at a session on October 12. op President Petro Poroshenko signed the law on ratification of the agreement between Ukraine and Poland in the field of defense. President Petro Poroshenko signed the Law of Ukraine "On Ratification of the General Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Poland on Cooperation in the Field of Defense," the press service of the head of state reported. The implementation of the document creates opportunities for the development of Ukrainian-Polish cooperation in the field of defense. The agreement provides for cooperation between the two countries in the defense industry in 24 areas, in particular military communications and the information system, research for the needs of the armed forces, military infrastructure, development, modernization, manufacturing and supply of defense equipment, cooperation in the defense industry, sphere of military training, military medicine and others. As reported, on September 6, the Verkhovna Rada ratified the general agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Poland on defense cooperation. ish Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has said that Ukraine should return UAH 427 billion in external borrowing in 2019. "Our budget for the next year will total one trillion two hundred billion hryvnias and from this amount we need to return UAH 427 billion [in external borrowings], which is one third of the budget," said Groysman during the Svoboda Slova talk show on ICTV Channel, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. In turn, acting Finance Minister Oksana Markarova noted that before submitting the draft budget for 2019 to the Verkhovna Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers approved an external debt management strategy. "In the next three years, we will not only fulfill all our obligations but also gradually reduce the debt ratio to our GDP," Markarova said. She added that the implementation of the 2018 state budget is carried out at 98-99%. "Of course, the IMF program is very important for us, we are working and I hope that we are reaching the final stages of agreements with our partners. The IMF tranche is not transferred to the budget, but to the reserves of the National Bank. It is important for us that it opens the way for financing from other partners of the EU and the World Bank, which is transferred to the budget, said Markarova. iy The impetus of new approaches and changes in Ukraine in the economic, medical, infrastructure and other spheres contributes to attracting new foreign investment in the Ukrainian economy. This is already noticeable because of the growing interest of American, Canadian and other Western companies in participation in Ukrainian projects. This issue was discussed in New York on Monday, October 1, at a presentation of the new opportunities of Ukraine, which was organized jointly by the Ukrainian Information Policy Ministry and the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council. Ukrainian government officials, including Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan, acting Health Minister Ulana Suprun, and State Secretary of the Ministry of Information Policy Artem Bidenko informed western business representatives about reforms and real changes in the business climate in Ukraine. They also urged western partners to expand their presence in Ukrainian projects. In addition, the Ukraine Now brand, which embodies the concept of new approaches and values that have now become the basis for updates in Ukraine, was presented during the event. Bidenko said in a comment to an Ukrinform correspondent that the current presentation of the Ukraine Now brand is only a "beginning of a long way" in recognizing a new Ukraine abroad. "Our main goal at the presentation is to explain what concept is at the core of the brand. This is a concept of opportunities, a concept of a country without borders, a country of start-ups, a country where freedom and will are the greatest values for people," the Ukrainian official said. He stressed that during such discussions "it is very important to get a reaction from foreigners" for changes, because, first of all, "this is the target audience with which we are working." Moreover, according to him, all assessments are taken into account during such discussions and, if necessary, respective adjustments are made in order to move further. According to Bidenko, the attention of foreign partners is focused on a wide range of reforms and new projects in each separate branch. At the same time, changes in the area of decentralization, deregulation, openness and transparency of public procurement in Ukraine, the introduction of electronic services for people, and speeding up the procedure for processing documents - from passports to starting a business - are essential. "Ukraine has changed dramatically over the past few years, and these changes are ongoing. As far as I know, investors are more interested in Ukraine that is changing," he said. An influential businessman, President of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council Morgan Williams, reaffirmed the growing interest of Western companies in the Ukrainian market. According to him, there is no doubt that businesses in the United States have new, even greater optimism with regard to Ukraine. It's time to increase investment in Ukraine, expand the presence of foreign business there, and the United States is very pleased to feel this impetus, Williams said. He said it was very important for American business circles to feel that there are changes in Ukraine and that it is moving forward. It is also important for Ukraine to invite American businesses, which creates more jobs, contributes to higher income and new foreign investment, Williams said. This is a good way to support Ukraine and help it build a strong economy, he added. In other words, he said, American business feels that it has bigger opportunities for itself and responds accordingly. Williams asked to look at least at the level of investment attracted in the past 12 months. The U.S. is well aware that many other agreements and projects are currently under consideration, mainly due to the growth of business optimism regarding the stability of Ukraine and future prospects, he said. Millions of Chinese will see a notable decline in taxes on their pay this month, as new tax brackets went into effect. Starting Monday, the minimum threshold for personal income tax will be raised from 3,500 yuan (about 510 U.S. dollars) to 5,000 yuan per month. The adjustment was part of the revised individual income tax law adopted earlier this year, which made changes to the previous tax brackets and added special tax-deductible items, a move that analysts said would reduce the burden for individuals and companies alike. Xu Luoqiang, a financial manager with Hitachi Elevator (China) Co. Ltd, said about 90 percent of the company's about 3,000 employees in Guangzhou will see lower taxes this month. "I used to pay 1,000 yuan in taxes each month, now I only need to pay around 400 yuan after the adjustment," he said. According to Song Leting, a financial manager with a commercial vehicle maker based in Guangxi, the revision is expected to cut total income taxes paid by the company on behalf of employees by more than 60 percent. "The new law will be good for taxpayers to different extents, with middle and lower-income people benefiting the most," said Li Wanfu, head of the institute of tax science of the State Administration of Taxation. Those whose monthly salaries range from 5,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan will see their tax cut by some 50 percent and those with monthly salaries ranging from 20,000 yuan to 80,000 yuan will see their tax lowered between 10 and 50 percent, according to the revision. Individual income tax was the third biggest contributor to China's total tax revenue, following value-added tax and enterprise income tax. Last year, China collected individual income tax worth nearly 1.2 trillion yuan, about 8.3 percent of the country's total tax revenue. For many companies, lower income taxes for their employees mean that they will have incentives to work harder, and it will encourage the growth of the firms in the long term. "With a higher minimum threshold for personal income tax, the working class will have more disposable income, reducing the labor costs of firms," said Gao Wei, a financial manager with a coal mining firm based in Shandong Province. China has been cutting corporate costs through tax and fee reduction in a bid to bolster the real economy. In August, a State Council executive meeting unveiled new measures that were expected to cut the corporate tax burden by more than 45 billion yuan this year. While the hike in minimum threshold for individual income tax went in effect, the entire new law will come into force at the beginning of next year, which is expected to further reduce the individual and corporate burden. The growth of Swiss investments in Ukraine amounted to $20.3 million in January-June 2018. First Deputy Prime Minister Minister for Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv wrote this on Facebook after a meeting with Swiss State Secretary for Economic Affairs Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch. "Switzerland is among the top 10 foreign investors in Ukraine. The growth of Swiss investments as of July 1, 2018 amounted to $20.3 million. In general, Switzerland has invested more than $1.5 billion in the Ukrainian economy," Kubiv wrote. He added that the largest volume of Swiss funds to Ukraine was invested in the industry, which is almost 60% of the total volume of investments from this country, or $912 million. Kubiv also stressed that Ukraine and Switzerland will continue to develop comprehensive cooperation in all priority areas. iy The World Bank office will present another economic outlook for Ukraine on October 4, Communications Consultant at the World Bank Office in Ukraine Iuliia Mendel has told Ukrinform. "How much does Ukraine lose from fighting in the east and tension in the Sea of Azov? What decisions did influence the economy in 2018 the most, and what growth should be expected this year? The World Bank Office in Ukraine presents the economic outlook for Ukraine, which will take place on October 4," she said. According to Mendel, the presentation will take place with the participation of World Bank Director for Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Satu Kahkonen, as well as Lead Economist and Program Leader covering Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine Faruk Khan and Economist for Ukraine at the World Bank Anastasia Golovach. The World Bank released its previous macroeconomic forecast for the economic situation in Ukraine in 2018 in April this year. In particular, the World Bank kept unchanged the forecast of GDP growth in Ukraine at 3.5% in 2018. op Ukraine and China intend to double their mutual trade turnover - up to $10 billion, and explore new opportunities for cooperation in agribusiness, construction, primarily infrastructure projects, energy and other sectors. Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said this during a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Ukraine Mr. Du Wei, the Government portal reported. "I praise our regular meetings, and, taking advantage of the opportunity, I congratulate you and the citizens of China on the National Day of the People's Republic of China," the prime minister stressed. Groysman noted that the potential of relations between the two countries is deepening each year, and the areas of mutual interest are expanding. "We are grateful for the constant support and for your personal attention, and that you always find time for meetings," Mr. Du Wei stressed. During the meeting, the prime minister thanked the Chinese ambassador for the successful completion of the project on the provision of ambulance vehicles to Ukraine, and also expressed hope for successful holding of the China International Import Expo 2018, which will be attended by a Ukrainian delegation. ish Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has given the Hungarian Foreign Ministry a week to recall its consul from the town of Berehove in Zakarpattia region. He stated this in a video address released on Monday, October 1, on his Facebook page. "I invited the Hungarian foreign minister to recall this consul. If this is not done this week, then we will send a note to the Hungarian side about his expulsion," Klimkin said. The minister also recalled that Hungary had violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. "I provided our arguments to the Hungarian foreign minister. They violated the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. It's obvious. Of course, by definition, nobody should hide the fact of acquiring new rights and responsibilities," he said. Klimkin believes that the situation with dual citizenship is used by Russia to destabilize the situation in Zakarpattia region. "Let's look at the main thing. The main thing is that Russia uses and will use this situation to destabilize Zakarpattia region. Do you remember those incidents of arson and so on, which were organized by the FSB from Transdniestria? There will also be others. Do you remember that there were a lot of fake news stories on the Internet right after this video? We must be conscious," he said. Klimkin called for the provision of assistance to the Hungarian community. "We need to help our Hungarian community. We have to display initiative. We will work with Hungary in a polite, but very tough and consistent manner," he said. op Former French President Francois Hollande believes that the deployment of peacekeepers to Donbas will make sense only on the border between Ukraine and Russia. He stated this in an interview with the Priamy television channel. Hollande said that he sees a peacekeeping operation as a precondition for the presence of peace itself. "In my opinion, the issue can concern only the border between Russia and Ukraine. In any other place, a peacekeeping mission will make no sense," he said. Hollande said that he would welcome any initiatives that could facilitate the deployment of peacekeepers as part of the Minsk process. As reported, on October 1, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko decorated Hollande with the Order of Liberty. op Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Tudor Ulianovschi will pay an official visit to Ukraine on October 3-4, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministrys press service reports. "The purpose of the visit of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova is to renew the political dialogue between Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova so that to resolve important issues of bilateral relations," reads the report. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry informed that the talks will be focused on the coordination of actions in terms of ensuring mutual support for the territorial integrity of the two countries, interaction within international organizations, discussion of regional security and prospects for Transdniestrian settlement. iy The investigation has not yet identified Russian military servicemen who were part of the operation to help the disgraced ex-president escape. The Prosecutor General's Office has no confirmed information about the involvement of the GRU [Russian military intelligence] Colonel Anatoly Chepiga aka "Boshirov," who is one of the suspects in the Skripal poisoning case, in the "evacuation" from Ukraine of the the former president, Viktor Yanukovych, according to prosecutor Ruslan Kravchenko. "We investigated into the circumstances of Yanukovych's treason. Unfortunately, we do not currently have confirmed information on who of the Russian military was involved in the operation to organize the ex-presidents escape," Kravchenko told the Babel media outlet. "Therefore, we can neither confirm nor deny this information,said Kravchenko. At the same time, Yanukovychs lawyer, Avera Lexs partner, Vitaly Serdyuk, commented to the publication that during the trial, none of the ex-presidents guards testified that there were any Russians in Yanukovych's residence Mezhyhirya near Kyiv as he was getting ready to flee. Read alsoYanukovych's lawyers disrupt legal debate on treason case However, former head of the presidential security service, Kostyantyn Kobzar, while testifying in the Yanukovych treason case July 16, claimed that during the "evacuation," the ex-presidents motorcade was blocked, so he called the Russian FSB's hotline seeking assistance in transporting Yanukovych to the territory of the Crimean peninsula. As reported earlier, one of the suspects in the poisoning of Sergey and Yulia Skripal, "Ruslan Boshirov," who was identified by investigative-journalism website Bellingcat as Colonel of Russia's Main Intelligence Directorate (also known as GRU) Anatoliy Chepiga, reportedly headed an operation to "evacuate" ex-president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to Russia amid Euromaidan events in February 2014, that's according to a former Russian journalist of the Center for Investigation Management Sergey Kanev. So far, no other reports have confirmed the journalist's claim. Kanev promised that he would publish a detailed investigation into the facts of Chepiga-Boshirov's participation in a special operation concerning the flight of Yanukovych from Ukraine. The former French President Francois Hollande's book, Lessons of Power, was recently released where he recalls how the Minsk accords were being reached in February 2015. During the Minsk talks in 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to exert pressure on and threaten his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko, according to ex-French leader (2012-2017), Francois Hollande. In an interview with Pryamyi TV Channel, Hollande explained that in his book "Lessons of Power," he had not sought to reveal any secrets but rather "tried to describe the general atmosphere that prevailed at those meetings and those [Minsk] talks." "I wanted to show the attempts by President Putin to exert some pressure and resort to certain threats. However, despite this, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, retained real dignity and firmly defended his position. For our part, Mrs. Merkel and I tried to do everything to come to a ceasefire agreement and find a way out of this difficult situation," Hollande said. "In fact, everything lasted for a very long time, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that since morning, President Putin had been testing our patience even more when he made us wait, pretending that he allegedly had no contact with the separatist leaders. But however, he did manage to come to a certain agreement with them," the former French president added. Read alsoUkraine's envoy to Minsk talks Kuchma quits As UNIAN reported earlier, in his book "Lessons of Power," Francois Hollande recalls how the Minsk agreements were being reached in February 2015. He wrote that Putin's intentions were quite obvious as the Russian president sought to maintain his influence on the Russian-speaking regions and weaken as much as possible the pro-European government in Kyiv. After the failure of the ceasefire regime, the fighting between the Ukrainian army and paramilitar separatist units flared up again so Western negotiators hoped to stop the shooting and find a compromise that would preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity." At the same time, the former French president said that the talks were initially fruitless and it was in line with the goals of the Russian side. "I quickly realized that Putin wanted to gain time and delay the ceasefire for as late as possible to allow the separatists to surround the Ukrainian army and gain more ground, Hollande wrote. Together with Angela Merkel, we propose to resume negotiations in a narrow format, refuse from dinner and get down to work as soon as possible. He wrote that several times during the talks, things heated up between Poroshenko and Putin, who suddenly snapped and threatened to simply crush the Ukrainian troops. This revealed that there were Russian forces in eastern Ukraine. Putin regained composure and took it back, according to the former French President. The foreign minister suggested that Russia seeks to "start bargaining, raising stakes." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin called information about the possible exchange of illegally convicted Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov and other Ukrainians for Russian nationals arrested and convicted in the U.S. alleged spy Maria Butina, drug dealer Konstantin Yaroshenko and arms dealer Viktor Bout was not an accidental leak. The idea is to start bargaining again, raising stakes," Klimkin told the Crimean Tatar ATR TV Channel. "This is very typical of Russia. Of course, they'll be saying after this that negotiations with the United States are on the table again, and that they will over Ukraine's head. As always that's how it is laid out there," said Klimkin. Read alsoRussia may free Sentsov in exchange for three Russians detained in U.S. Russian media "First, the United States won't do so [negotiate behind Ukraine's back]. I just discussed at numerous meetings in New York both the issue of political prisoners and that of hostage release. This is 100% true. Secondly, look at whom they mention. These are some classic criminals [Butina, Yaroshenko and Bout]," said Klimkin. "There is Oleh [Sentsov] and there is someone who was engaged in arms trafficking... And in general, the idea is to put them at the same level, compare Oleh with whoever, with a plain criminal, and then say that he's of the same kind, so we're exchanging him," the foreign minister said. "As you know, leaks never happen by accident, said Klimkin. Read alsoKremlin unaware of plans to swap Sentsov for 3 Russians jailed in U.S. Putin's spox As reported earlier, on September 30, Russia's Novaya Gazeta wrote that the main condition for the illegally convicted Sentsov's return to Ukraine is the extradition of Bout and Yaroshenko convicted in the U.S. as well as that of Butina, who is now under arrest there. This publication allegedly said a source close to the negotiations on the exchange of prisoners between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. Butina was arrested in the United States on July 18, 2018, on suspicion of working as a foreign agent without the required registration, conspiracy to work in a foreign government and attempts to develop ties with individuals in the United States and infiltrate organizations that have influence on American politics. Boutina's lawyers rejected the charges. Yaroshenko was detained in Liberia and extradited to the United States in 2010, where he was charged with drug smuggling and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Bout was detained in Thailand in 2008, at Washington's request. In 2012, he was sentenced in the United States to 25 years in prison for arms trafficking and support for terrorist groups. In March 2016, Russian media, citing sources, reported that the Kremlin was ready to exchange MP Nadezhda Savchenko, who was then detained in the Russian Federation, for Bout and Yaroshenko, but the White House refused such a deal. Crimea has turned into Russia's major military base, the official said. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin says there are reasonable suspicions that Russia could have deployed nuclear weapons in the occupied Crimea or set up infrastructure for their storage and use. "Now Crimea has turned into Russia's major military base," he told ATR Crimean Tatar TV channel on October 1. Read also"Drop one little nuke on Kyiv": Russian TV panelist on war with Ukraine "At the same time, we don't know exactly what they have there. We have reasonable suspicions that there may be nuclear weapons, or at least, infrastructure for nuclear weapons," Klimkin emphasized. He also added that due to the release of toxic chemicals at the Crimean Titan plant in the north of the occupied peninsula, it is necessary to investigate whether any other substances, except for titanium, that are being produced there. This can be confirmed by appropriate analyses, he said. You are here: Business A customs clearance office was opened on Monday in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone on the initiative of the ZAO China Merchants CHN-BLR Commerce & Logistics Company. The customs clearance office has a temporary storage warehouse and a customs warehouse. Each occupies 5,000 square meters, with the possibility for expansion. Cui Qiming, Chinese ambassador to Belarus, said the opening of the customs office is an important achievement in China-Belarus bilateral business cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. The diplomat said that cooperation between China and Belarus will make an important contribution to the construction of a large logistics corridor as part of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Viktor Sheiman, head of the Belarus President Property Management Directorate, said that as many as 125 semi-trailer trucks will be able to enter the customs control area simultaneously. The office intends to clear at least 20,000 vehicles a year, he said. In September, about 62 militants were killed in the units of the Russian occupation troops of the so-called "Luhansk and Donetsk People's republics." Officer of the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Anatoliy Shtefan, has disclosed the enemy death toll in Donbas in September 2018. "Ignoring the Minsk agreements, Russian occupation forces on each September day provoked the units of the Joint Forces Operation with fire from various types of weapons of various calibers, employing sabotage groups and sniper fire," he wrote on Facebook. "In September, some 62 militants were killed who had been part of the units of the Russian occupation troops of the so-called 'Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics,' while about 126 mercenaries sustained injuries of varying severity," the officer said. Read alsoPoroshenko at UNGA: Peacekeepers in Russian-occupied Donbas may end sufferings of Ukrainians According to Shtefan, non-combat losses amounted to nine terrorists (suicide, violations of safety measures, death due to illness) and 17 were injured. According to the Ukrainian officer, the figure may be higher due to the constant concealment of casualties by Russia-controlled militant leaders. "Russian curators order to systemically lower the number of officially recognized casualties due to a small number of new 'contracted' troops and reluctance to protect the borders of the so-called 'republic'," he added. The backup plan was to set up popular resistance in Western Ukraine's Lviv. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy, who at the time of the Euromaidan led the protesters' self-defense forces, says the activists had a backup plan in case they failed to hold their ground at Kyiv's central square.. "When the shooting began, there were no discussions anymore there was fighting. The first deaths were something incredibly hard. Many wounded, many killed.... It was a great tragedy, but our goal was to hold our ground at the Maidan. Nobody knows this but I'll say this for the first time: there was a backup plan to move to Western Ukraine if the Maidan fails to hold on," Parubiy said in an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda. According to the Rada Speaker, the backup plan was to set up popular resistance in Lviv. "Since all councils and local administrations in Western Ukraine were under our control, we were to organize resistance there, in Lviv. When I was admitted to a hospital after being wounded and gas-poisoned late February 18, I received a message: 'Andriy, don't return to the Maidan, immediately head to Lviv and set up headquarters there,'" Parubiy said. Read alsoUkraine prosecutors unable to confirm GRU operative "Boshirov" helped Yanukovych flee He refused to tell the publication who was the one who wrote the message, only assuring that he decided not to give up the fight in Kyiv. "I will not call out the name. I said: 'This is my Maidan, I won't go anywhere.' I got off the droppers and returned to the Maidan. All our efforts were aimed at holding ground," Parubiy said. "The idea of moving to Lviv was spun in a very narrow circle. And I don't even know if I'm being politically correct enough when I talk about this. Had we been crushed by tanks back then, we should have retreated. But we couldn't just go away," he added. Parubiy said the Maidan activists had a feeling that they would win the confrontation. The main condition for the return to Ukraine of Oleh Sentsov is the extradition of Russia of its nationals arrested and/or convicted in the United States. This is about the two convicts Viktor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko, as well as Maria Butina, who has been placed under arrest pending the investigation. Such information was released by Russia's reputable Novaya Gazeta newspaper, with reference to its own sources, allegedly close to the negotiations on the prisoner exchange. Can we generally trust the report that Russia has put forward such a request and believe Novaya Gazeta referring to its own sources? I personally cannot verify this information in any way because there is no reference even to the area where they obtained these data. However, sometimes "own sources" means something really serious. Novaya Gazeta did not seem to have sinned with fake spins. Therefore, I'm saying as it is: I just don't know. But I think that they do have a certain source. It's just interesting for me to find out their level. If it was about Russia probing ground, it could have been so that initially, the version was quietly thrown out to the media as an alleged leak instead of being officially announced to the Americans. And from that moment on, they've been looking into such a scenario. At the same time, I don't even doubt the fact that the report was launched on the part of Russian special services, the official Kremlin. The main condition for the return to Ukraine of Oleh Sentsov is the extradition of Russia of its nationals arrested and/or convicted in the United States Novaya Gazeta is a credible outlet, but I suggest that in reality this may not be the information about the actual offer to the United States but rather a spin, to make sure that such offer is voiced. Had such a demand been put forward before Kyiv, and had it been in Ukrainian prisons where the Russians were held, we would have still go for such an exchange, having expressed our indignation over Russia's requests and appetites, all for the sake of having Oleh Sentsov released from the Russian prison. However, the United States does a slightly different math. Are Americans altogether ready to go for any exchanges related to Sentsov? I believe they do. The U.S. is well aware what Russia is, and what is Ukraine. They are aware of the fact that there is an ongoing war on the territory of Ukraine. For some reason Americans understand this even better than Europeans. Among the latter, the majority still thinks that there is an internal conflict in Ukraine. Instead, in America, people realize that the conflict is anything but internal. However, in the United States, it's only a narrow circle of representatives of the higher political elites who dig into details. Perhaps, there are fewer than a dozen people who are familiar with the situation in Ukraine at such a level as Kurt Volker. Therefore, it will be very difficult to convince ordinary Americans of the need for such a political move. Are Americans altogether ready to go for any exchanges related to Sentsov? I believe they do. The U.S. is well aware what Russia is, and what is Ukraine. They are aware of the fact that there is an ongoing war on the territory of Ukraine The second problem is that it is about the three Russian criminals held by the United States. Americans, as a rule, do not practice unequal exchange. For them, the standard is an equal swap. The Russians are well aware that they will not even be able to discuss with America any other option, except 1:1. Thirdly, America is being offered to release people who have been identified as those who have committed crimes against the United States. It doesn't matter that Bout sold weapons not directly to some commandos who killed American soldiers. Anyway, he set up an illicit arms trade, which is perceived in the United States as a threat to national security. They consider the illegal arms market as follows: sooner or later these weapons will shoot at Americans. Therefore, it will be difficult to convince the States that they have to give out someone they long sought, caught, and finally detained. After all, the Americans understand perfectly well: if they give this man to Russia, he will not be held in jail for crimes committed, although his acts fall under the Russian criminal code as well. Moreover, that man will once again have the opportunity, if not directly to travel across the world and organize illegal arms deals, then at least to remain the coordinator of such actions, with all his connections and contacts. The second problem is that it is about the three Russian criminals held by the United States The American establishment knows very well who Bout is, and that his sentencing was a real milestone. Therefore, Americans are yet to be convinced that the exchange of such an offender for Oleh Sentsov (whom they don't know in their overwhelming majority) is justified... In general, I have the impression that Russia, amid constant international pressure on the Sentsov case, realizing that the filmmaker might die in prison, starts looking into negotiation options. But so far, they are putting forward conditions that just can't be met. Perhaps this is being done deliberately - to demand more in order to get at least part of it at least, to have Mr Bout swapped. But so far all this looks very far from implementation. Taras Chornovil is a political analyst, former MP of Ukraine The relevant resolution was backed by 242 MPs out of 352 registered in the session hall. Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, has condemned attempts to lift restrictive measures against the permanent Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), bypassing the resolutions of the Assembly and amending the statutory documents that alter the fundamental principles of the organization's operations. According to an UNIAN correspondent, this was stated in the resolution adopted by Parliament on a statement in connection with the situation in the PACE (No. 9089). The relevant resolution was backed by 242 MPs out of 352 registered in the session hall. In addition to condemning the relevant developments, the document approves the statement of the Verkhovna Rada to parliaments of the member states of the Council of Europe in connection with the situation in PACE. The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada is instructed to submit immediately the text of the statement to PACE and parliaments of the member states of the Council of Europe. The decision comes into force from the date of its adoption. The parliament stresses in the statement that the issue of powers of the national delegations to PACE has a decisive role for the work of the PACE as practical mechanisms for implementing the policy of the Council of Europe, monitoring compliance with the Statute of the Council of Europe, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and a wide range of responsibilities and obligations of the member states of the Council of Europe. Read alsoPACE proposes to complicate procedure for imposing sanctions against Russia MP The existing system of procedure rules, which provides for the appeal of powers of national delegations in essence and on formal grounds, is an effective PACE control mechanism for the compliance of member states with the principles and values of the Council of Europe, the statement says. In conditions when the Council of Europe and its Parliamentary Assembly are experiencing one of the most difficult crises in their history, connected with the violation by the member state of the purpose and principles of the Council of Europe and avoiding voluntarily assumed duties and obligations, the rejection of the mechanisms of political influence on member states or substantial complication of the order of their application will cause irreparable harm to the Assembly, its monitoring procedure and the Council of Europe as a whole, the Ukrainian parliament says. The Verkhovna Rada emphasizes that the preparation of a decision on amending the rules of procedure of the Assembly with regard to the abolition of opportunities to appeal the powers of national delegations on the merits or substantial complications of the procedure for such an appeal is politically motivated and aims to ensure unhindered and unconditional return of the delegation of the Russian Federation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe against the background of categorical refusal of this state to fulfill the legitimate demands of the Assembly related to the violation of the Council of Europe's Charter by Russia and voluntarily assumed duties and obligations, and support of the aggressive policies of the leadership of the Russian Federation by Russian parliamentarians. The Ukrainian parliament noted that the preservation of the authority and political capacity of the Parliamentary Assembly in the face of current challenges in Europe was possible only if the existing institutional capacity was ensured of the Assembly and its mechanisms for carrying out its own policy. Realizing that the destruction of the institutional framework will mean the recognition by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe of its political failure to follow its own decisions and public demonstration of avoiding values and principles of the Council of Europe - the rule of law, democracy and human rights - will force the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and its permanent delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to carry out a full revision of the principles on which cooperation with the Assembly is built, as well as mechanisms for such cooperation, the report reads. NATO will continue to provide support to Ukraine, the Alliance chief says. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says he hopes Hungary and Ukraine will resolve their differences, and that through dialogue they will find solutions to the disagreements. "I hope that Ukraine and Hungary will resolve the differences, which we all know are there. And I hope that through dialogue between Budapest and Kyiv it's possible to find solutions to the disagreements," he told a press conference in Brussels ahead of the defense ministers' meeting on Tuesday. "We will continue to provide support to Ukraine. I met also President Poroshenko [who] participated at NATO summit in July, and we have regular meetings with the government in Kyiv, with Ukraine. And we will continue to provide strong political and practical support to Ukraine," Stoltenberg added. Read alsoRussia to use Hungarian passports case to destabilize Ukraine Klimkin He has said Hungary is NATO's valued ally, while Ukraine is "valued and important partner of NATO." "And we have to remember that one of the main reasons why NATO has implemented the biggest adaptation of our collective defense and strengthen our collective defense is because of Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine. So Ukraine is an important partner for NATO," he said. Hungary started to block any Ukraine-NATO Commission activity over a new education law adopted by Ukraine to introduce Ukrainian as the language of tuition. United States Permanent Representative to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison says that the U.S. continues to call on Hungary not to oppose a NATO-Ukraine Commission. "The United States certainly supports a NATO-Ukraine Commission. We have urged and will continue to urge Hungary not to oppose that. It is important," she said during a press briefing on October 2. "Ukraine is one of the key partners, allies that we have that we are working to bring into a stable government. The Russians are defying that. We want to be strong and I think all of NATO does, to help the Ukrainians get the independence that they have already started for themselves," she said. According to her, Ukraine did a wonderful outreach to its own people for wanting to be in EU and in NATO. "And we want to do everything to help them in that quest," she added. Read alsoRussia to use Hungarian passports case to destabilize Ukraine Klimkin Hungary earlier said it would block any Ukraine-NATO Commission activity over a new education law adopted by Ukraine to introduce Ukrainian as the language of tuition. What is more, a recently reported fact of issuing Hungarian passports to Ukrainian citizens in Ukraine's Zakarpattia region resulted in more tensions between Ukraine and Hungary. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin said that Ukraine might expel the Hungarian consul from the town of Berehove in Zakarpattia, while his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto said his country could take new measures to block Ukraine's EU and NATO integration. Kuchma was not supposed to submit a letter of resignation as he was working pro bono. Former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, who turned 80 this summer, on October 2 concluded his work as Ukraine's representative to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) at the Minsk talks on Donbas. "At the end of today's work in Minsk, Leonid Kuchma thanked his counterparts taking part in the Trilateral Contact Group for their joint work. Thus, he concluded his work as a representative of Ukraine to the Trilateral Contact Group," Kuchma's press secretary Darka Olifer wrote on Facebook on Tuesday, October 2. "Leonid Kuchma also expressed special thanks to the Belarusian side for assistance in organizing the negotiation process," she wrote. Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office to the Trilateral Contact Group Ambassador Martin Sajdik thanked Kuchma on behalf of the Group for his contribution to the Minsk process, "as well as for his wisdom and dedication to his state, Ukraine, demonstrated during the negotiation process in Minsk," Olifer added. Read alsoUkraine's envoy to Minsk talks Kuchma going to quit Kuchma earlier announced he was going to quit the Minsk peace talks. On October 2, he last attended the negotiations. Olifer earlier said Kuchma was not supposed to submit a letter of resignation as he was working pro bono. In her words, Kuchma sees Ruslan Demchenko, an adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, as his successor. The document introduces provisions for the development of relevant annual national programs and evaluation of their results. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed Decree No. 298/2018 on annual national programs under the auspices of the Ukraine-NATO Commission. The decree introduces provisions for the development of annual national programs under the auspices of the Ukraine-NATO Commission and evaluation of their results, the presidential press service said on October 2. Read alsoStoltenberg: NATO not to be seeking Russia's permission for Ukraine's membership According to the document, the Cabinet of Ministers shall annually ensure the drafting of the national programs for the relevant years in line with the provisions, as well as coordinate the activities of central executive and other state agencies for the implementation of the said programs. The implementation of the decree will allow the country to bring the system and mechanism for coordinating the executive agencies' Euro-Atlantic integration activities in line with current legislation, as well as adapt the cycle of the annual national programs to the NATO criteria and standards. Gorod 24 is a paper published in the city of Feodosia on the Russian-controlled peninsula. The print run of a Crimean newspaper that ran an article about a villa allegedly belonging to Russian state media boss Dmitry Kiselyov has been withdrawn, the article's author says. Vladimir Mazurin told RFE/RL on October 1 that the September 30 issue of Gorod 24, a paper published in the city of Feodosia on the Russian-controlled peninsula, was withdrawn and the online version of the article altered. Mazurin, who said he was a contractor involved in construction of the villa in 2016, said the article he wrote for Gorod 24 did not name its owner or give the address, instead focusing on his concern that it was built in an unstable site on the sandy Black Sea shore in the town of Koktebel. Read alsoKerch's major landmark in dilapidated condition under Russian occupation (Photo) But Russian radio station Govorit Moskva quoted Kiselyov, director of the government-controlled media conglomerate Rossia Segodnya, as saying that he filed a lawsuit against Mazurin. It quoted Kiseyov as calling Mazurin "a swindler who is extorting money." Kiselyov is among some 150 Russians and others who have been hit with sanctions by the European Union over Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine and its actions in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow fomented separatism and supports separatists whose war against Kyiv's forces has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014. Mazurin said the newspaper's editor, Yelena Voitova, had been fired over the article he wrote, but that could not immediately be confirmed. Three foreign nationals, aged 32, 30 and 37, were arrested on people smuggling charges. A Ukraine-flagged vessel with 65 migrants on board was intercepted early Tuesday morning by a Patra port authority patrol boat in the region of Kato Vasilikis in Aitoloacarnania, western Greece. Three foreign nationals, aged 32, 30 and 37, were arrested on people smuggling charges, the website of Kathimerini English Edition, a daily newspaper published in Athens, reported. Read alsoOver 110 Ukrainians imprisoned in Greece on charges of smuggling of migrants Two more suspects were arrested a 36-year-old Greek and a 37-year-old foreign national, who were the driver and co-driver of a truck that was waiting to collect the migrants on the shore. As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian Parliament's Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova said 112 Ukrainian citizens were imprisoned in Greece on charges of smuggling of migrants as of July 2018. Sudath worked as a driver in Doha, Qatar, for nine years, at a monthly salary of LKR 45,000 (US$266.3). Living far away from his hometown, the Sri Lankan man was very hard up. Now, he has a job with the Southern Expressway Extension Project in Sri Lanka and earns LKR 55,000 a month. Excited about the job keeping him close to his family, as well as the higher income, the 40-year-old man was quite grateful for the project, jointly built by China and Sri Lanka under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. "My life is getting better and better," he said. "Our Chinese friends are building a road to prosperity." The 96-km extension from Matara to Hambantota consists of four main sections, namely, Section 1 of 30 km from Matara to Belliatta; Section 2 of 26 km from Beliatta to Wetiya; Section 3 of 15 km from Wetiya to Andarawewa, and Section 4 of 25 km from Hambantota to Mattala via Andarawewa. All four sections are being built by Chinese companies, with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), a global top 500 enterprise, responsible for Section 2 and 3. The latter is scheduled to be opened to the public this December, and the former in October 2019, according to Jia Ruihua, deputy general manager of the CSCEC Sri Lanka Branch. This two-way, four-lane extension will link the western and southern regions of Sri Lanka, and its construction will play a major role in boosting economic and social development along the route and across the southern area, Jia said. "After its completion, it will take only two hours from Colombo, the capital, to Hambantota, compared to the present journey of four hours or more." A bridge of friendship between China and Sri Lanka It is the common pursuit of Chinese and Sri Lankan constructers here to build the expressway extension into a new benchmark of friendship between the two countries, Jia said. CSCEC has set up a management team of 60 Chinese and 30 Sri Lankans, and has employed more than 1,100 Sri Lankan workers and 70 Chinese. It has provided a great many job opportunities for local villagers, hence directly increasing their income and effectively improving their living standards. In order to improve the skills of local employees, the company even established the first Safety & Vocational Skills Training Center in Sri Lanka and compiled training materials both in English and Sinhala. Covering an area of about 2,000 square meters, the training center comprises 12 safety experience areas and six vocational training and assessment areas. Technical workers who pass the final exam will be issued with a certificate, ranked at different levels, according to Zhang Ximin, assistant general manager of the CSCEC Sri Lanka Branch. "That not only brings a salary increase, but improves their skills and competitiveness, and most importantly, helps cultivate professionals for future use in Sri Lanka," Zhang said. Nalin Manawadu has worked here as a project coordinator for more than two years, largely responsible for communication and coordination among local government departments, villagers and the company. During an interview in Hambantota, he expressed his gratitude for the Chinese government and praised his Chinese colleagues for listening to the opinions of local villagers and sharing their knowledge and technology. "At the beginning, I had to explain to the people the Belt and Road Initiative. Later, they realized the ongoing project here brought job opportunities and they would enjoy more convenient transportation in the future. Now they are very happy," Manawadu said. He was quite proud of attending a training session organized by the China Academy for International Business Officials in 2017, saying the rapid development of China left a deep impression on his mind. A project in harmony with the environment For the past two and a half years, CSCEC has smoothly carried out the project while putting environmental protection and harmonious development first. According to Li Peng, project manager for Section 3, the company has collaborated with the Sri Lankan National Building Research Organization and Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to monitor the air, water, noise, vibration and other environmental factors along the route and conduct surveys for possible cracks in houses located within 75 meters from the construction work. In order to reduce dust during the work, the company allocated two sprinklers for each kilometer along the project and set up 150 dust barriers for local residents. "Hambantota has a dry climate with little rainfall. In order to solve the problem of farmland irrigation, we have dug more than 90 deep wells for villagers," Li added. All these activities have been highly appraised by local authorities and organizations. Kandambi, project director of the Road Development Authority of Sri Lanka, spoke highly of the company's performance in safety, environment and quality terms, saying it shows a good image of Chinese enterprises at abroad. Ukraine's Joint Forces have reported no casualties in the past 24 hours. Russian-led forces mounted 21 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas in the last day. "No casualties among the Ukrainian troops have been reported over the past day. According to intelligence reports, four occupiers were killed and another six were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation said in an update on Facebook as of 07:00 Kyiv time on October 2, 2018. Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms, attacking the defenders of the towns of Zolote and Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Krymske, Novozvanivka, Luhanske, Zaitseve, Pisky, Novomykhailivka, Novotroyitske, Starohnativka, Hnutove, Vodiane, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne. Read alsoOSCE monitors: 23 children injured or killed in Donbas in 2018 alone In addition, the enemy used 120mm and 82mm mortars to shell the Ukrainian positions near Vodiane. The Ukrainian fortified positions near Luhanske were also attacked from 82mm mortars. Moreover, the defenders of Luhanske came under fire from weapons installed on infantry fighting vehicles. It is reported that the enemy launched 31 artillery shells and 16 mortar shells on Vodiane. At the same time, the shelling targeted the village's residential sector rather that the Ukrainian military positions. The consequences of the shelling are being specified by officials of the Ukrainian side to the JCCC, together with the OSCE SMM. "Since Tuesday midnight, Russian-led forces have mounted three attacks on the Ukrainian positions. The Ukrainian positions near Vodiane and Lebedynske came under fire from grenade launchers and small arms, while those in Krymske were attacked with the use of grenade launchers," reads the report. It is reported that the serviceman hit by a laser beam lost 80% of sight in a right eye. Officers of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, operating as part of the Joint Forces, have reported yet another case of Russian occupation forces using banned special-purpose laser weapons. "Last night, serving at an advanced "Maryinka" checkpoint within the Donetsk-Kurakhove corridor, a serviceman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine sustained combat injuries inflicted by militants' laser weapons. The serviceman was monitoring Ukraine's temporarily occupied territory to spot the terrorists' reconnaissance and sabotage groups. At about 17:00, looking around through an optical device, he saw a bright yellow flash sparking from the enemy fortified position and felt a sharp pain in his eyes," the SBGSU press service said. Read alsoRussian troops in Donbas reportedly use blinding laser weapons border guards The serviceman was immediately rushed to a military hospital in the town of Pokrovsk, where ophthalmologists said he suffered a right eye retina burn, being hit by a laser beam. Later, the border guard was evacuated by a military helicopter to a clinic in the city of Dnipro for further treatment. It is reported the serviceman lost 80% of sight in a right eye. According to the report by Ukrainian border guards, this was the fifth case where Russian mercenaries employed banned special-purpose laser weapons. During 20162018, another four border guards sustained similar injuries of varying severity. Belarus is fearing a Russia-triggered popular uprising aimed to remove Lukashenka and install someone who will simply follow the Kremlin's orders. The attempts of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenka to maintain a neutral position, balancing between Ukraine and Russia, will not help him remain in power as the Kremlin has already set an objective to organize a coup d'etat in the neighboring country, according to a foreign policy expert Valeriy Kravchenko. The Russian Federation will squeeze Belarus into the framework beyond which the country will never be able to escape, Kravchenko told the Obozrevatel media outlet. "This is not the world anymore where you could take a neutral position. It's either you're with us or against us. It's especially so for the Russians. Of course, they won't let Belarus go," the expert said. Read alsoBelarus citizens shifting away from under Moscow influence He explained that Belarus had long been fearing a Russia-triggered popular uprising aimed to remove Lukashenka and install someone who would simply follow the Kremlin's orders and do nothing else. "They've been long talking about such 'Maidan' but it's not happening. Thus, the crisis is dragging on. Meanwhile, Lukashenka is slamming anyone who could be a nuisance, to try to fix things," the expert explained. In his opinion, the Belarus president has minimal chance of retaining his position because Moscow remains very consistent on the issue. Vucic says his meeting with Putin is one of the most important moments in recent years. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic arrived in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin set to be held October 2, saying he believes in his country receiving support from the Russian Federation. He noted that the Serbs had always enjoyed such support from the Russians, according to RTS. Vucic stressed that he had come to ask for concrete political support for Serbia. I believe that we will receive from Putin the kind of support that Russia has always provided in the past. Today, circumstances and opportunities are different. There's more tension, and its important that we are discussing all this certain events that have taken place and the ones that could happen in future. Whenever we talked [with Putin], we always spoke very specifically," he said. Vucic said that the moment when he meets with Putin is one of the most important moments in recent years. Read alsoStarting multiple conflicts on own borders part of Russias foreign policy strategy Vucic will request assistance over the situation in Kosovo and Metohija. As reported earlier, armed forces of Serbia were brought to full combat readiness on orders Vucic. The order was transmitted to the chief of staff of the army of Serbia. This move by Belgrade was caused by the actions of the Kosovo police on the administrative border of Serbia and the Autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija. According to local television, 60 commandos of the police of Kosovo occupied the Centre of ecology and sport Gazivodsko near lake supplying water to hydroelectric power plant Gazivode, the Quebec Post wrote. It captured the reservoir came the President of Kosovo Hashim Thaci, and was photographed on the beach. Also Hashim Thaci personally drove the police boat during the detour of the reservoir. At the same time employees of the Kosovo power structures detained Serbs who have not committed any offences. Units of Serbian special forces were also alerted. The Minister of defense of Serbia Alexander Wulin said that troops were put on full alert, and the army of the country continues to monitor the situation and stands ready to answer any of her development. The ferry was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany. A ferry with 335 people on board was on fire in the Baltic Sea after an explosion in the engine room, the Lithuanian military has said. The military sent a helicopter to the ferry and has two more on standby if needed, a spokesman for the countrys air force said, The Independent reported. The ferry was heading to the Lithuanian port town of Klaipeda from Kiel, Germany. It sent out a distress call at 10.45am (GMT) while in international waters off Kaliningrad, Russias Baltic Sea exclave between Poland and Lithuania. Lithuanias Defence Ministry said "the fire has been extinguished" and that four Lithuanian military ships were heading towards the ferry and will reach it by 3pm (GMT). Read alsoTwo people injured in grocery store blast in Russian-occupied Donetsk Russian state news agency Tass quoted Andrei Permyakov, head of the sea rescue coordination centre in Kaliningrad, saying rescuers from Lithuania, Russia and Poland responded. However, a Danish ferry company gave a conflicting account, saying 294 passengers were stranded after an engine breakdown in the Baltic Sea. DFDS said the malfunction aboard the Regina Seaways produced smoke, which triggered the ships fire extinguishing system in the engine room. No passengers or crew members were injured, according to a statement. The company said passengers were assembled at muster stations in preparation for a possible evacuation, but it wasnt necessary because the "situation is under control." The statement said the extent of the damage was not yet fully known, and it is not yet clear whether the ship can continue on its own or with tugboat assistance. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd October, 2018) Liechtenstein and Peru are compliant with EU laws on tax after implementing necessary reforms and were therefore removed from EU "gray" list of tax havens, the Council of the European Union said Tuesday in a statement. In late 2017, Brussesl released two lists, a blacklist of non-cooperative jurisdictions and a "gray" list of the countries that had to increase transparency. "On 2 October 2018, the Council found Liechtenstein and Peru compliant with all its commitments on tax cooperation. It also agreed to remove Palau from the EU's list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions," the statement said. According to the council, Palau has committed "at a high political level to remedy EU concerns. " The decision came after EU economy and finance ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the bloc's financial regulations and the fight against money laundering. The ministers, making up the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, were expected to make changes o the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, which are non-EU states that the bloc considers to be not be doing enough to tackle tax evasion and avoidance issues. Six jurisdictions American Samoa, Guam, Namibia, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin Islands are still listed as uncooperative. When the list was published in December 2017, it included 17 jurisdictions. Scientists are mapping Chinese people's brains to get a better understanding of how the influence of the Chinese language affects cognitive performance, as well as to learn more about the mechanisms behind cerebral disorders. Hospitals and universities in Shanghai and Shenzhen, Guangdong province, are the main participants in the joint study commissioned by the Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence. They will carry out clinical studies into brain development, cognitive learning processes and brain-related diseases, said Zhang Xu, vice-president of the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and executive director of the research center, in a recent interview with China Daily. The center employs some of China's leading brain research experts, some of whom participated in the breakthrough cloning of two monkeys using somatic cells last year. Bai Chunli, president of the CAS, said at the unveiling ceremony of the research center in May that brain science had become a popular international discipline in recent years, and the world's major technological powers have invested a lot of resources in the field of study. The establishment of the research center is an important measure to strengthen the country's international status in the field. The center was established "with the ultimate goal of gaining more understanding of the human brain and improving social development and people's well-being", Zhang said in the interview during the recent 2018 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Scientists in the United States are also working on human brain mapping, Zhang said. The Shanghai center will focus more on unique Chinese elements, such as the correlation and influence of the Chinese language and calligraphy on the brain, and the identification of functional areas and their roles in neural networks and disease. Zhang said there has been scientific research demonstrating that the functional areas of the brain stimulated when speaking Chinese and English are different. "There will also be brain research for infants and children to find answers to various questions, such as the best time to start language learning and whether the learning processes of children are different from those of adults," he said, adding that research groups in education and psychology will participate in such studies. (@rukhshanmir) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) EU economy and finance ministers will gather in Luxembourg on Tuesday to discuss the bloc's financial regulations and the fight against money laundering. The Economic and Financial Affairs Council will hear a presentation by the European Commission on its proposals to "further strengthen the supervision of EU financial institutions" to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing. The ministers will also discuss VAT taxation rules and fighting VAT fraud, and may make changes to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions, which are non-EU states that the bloc considers to be not be doing enough to tackle tax evasion and avoidance issues. (@FahadShabbir) The final agreement to settle a profit-sharing dispute with global energy companies developing Kazakhstan's Karachaganak gas condensate field should be signed before the end of this year, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said on Tuesday. ASTANA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The final agreement to settle a profit-sharing dispute with global energy companies developing Kazakhstan's Karachaganak gas condensate field should be signed before the end of this year, Kazakh Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said on Tuesday. Kazakhstan's Energy Ministry announced on Monday that the energy firms operating one of Kazakhstan's biggest hydrocarbon fields will pay the Central Asian nation $1.1 billion and provide a $1 billion loan to Kazakhstan for infrastructure development. The consortium of companies also agreed on possible deliveries of feedstock to Kazakh refineries on commercial terms. "We are satisfied with the settlement ... By the time the final agreement is signed, which should happen before the end of this year, the shareholders will have to submit a paper on the delivery of up to 1 million tonnes of condensate to the internal market and a paper on the delivery of up to 1 billion cubic meters of gas to develop petrochemical industry in Kazakhstan at agreed commercial prices," Bozumbayev said. Italy's Eni and UK-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell each own 29.25 percent of the Karachaganak project, while the US Chevron Corporation owns 18 percent. Russia's LUKoil has a 13.5 percent stake and Kazakhstan's KazMunayGaz a 10 percent stake. Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Limited's commodity index on Monday closed at 3,543 points; with traded value of metals, energy and COTS/FX recorded at Rs 5.517 billion. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Pakistan Mercantile Exchange Limited's commodity index on Monday closed at 3,543 points; with traded value of metals, energy and COTS/FX recorded at Rs 5.517 billion. The number of lots traded was 8,763, said a press release on Tuesday. (The data is compiled and released after 24 hours). Major business was contributed by WTI crude oil amounting to Rs 1.516 billion, followed by gold Rs 1.452 billion, currencies through COTS Rs 1.071 billion, NSDQ100 Rs 697.131 million, silver Rs 292.956 million, platinum Rs 157.809 million, DJ Rs 102.737 million, natural gas Rs 75.900 million, SP500 Rs 63.015 million, copper Rs 59.635 million and Brent crude oil Rs 27.077 million. In agriculture, 23 lots of cotton amounting to Rs 19.553 million were traded. Russia's supplies of natural gas to Austria have increased by 50 percent in 2018, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russia's supplies of natural gas to Austria have increased by 50 percent in 2018, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is scheduled to visit Russia on Wednesday to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Last year, Russia supplied over 9 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Austria, which is 1.5 times more than in 2016. Over the past months of this year, the increase is also quite significant and has already totaled more than 50 percent compared to the same period in 2017," Lyubinskiy said. DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has ordered that a donation of $200 million should be allocated to the Central Bank of Yemen to support the country's economy against the backdrop of the Yemeni national Currency collapse provoked by ongoing military action, Saudi media reported Tuesday. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the new contribution would complement $3 billion earlier deposited in the Yemeni Central Bank. The Saudi authorities expect the donation to alleviate the economic burden of the Yemeni people, the news outlet added. The exchange rate of Yemen's rial to the US Dollar has recently halved compared to prewar figure, which resulted in a sharp increase in prices of goods and services. At present the official rate of exchange is over 250 Yemeni rials to one US dollar. Yemen has been engulfed in an armed conflict between the government forces led by President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebels for several years. The Saudi-led coalition has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request since March 2015. (@FahadShabbir) Four ships, MSC Athos, Forever SW, Gao YU-2 and Maritime Gisela carrying Containers, Talcum Powder, Bitumen and Palm oil were allotted berths at Qasim International Container Terminal, Multi-Purpose Terminal and Liquid Cargo Terminal respectively on Monday. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Four ships, MSC Athos, Forever SW, Gao YU-2 and Maritime Gisela carrying Containers, Talcum Powder, Bitumen and Palm oil were allotted berths at Qasim International Container Terminal, Multi-Purpose Terminal and Liquid Cargo Terminal respectively on Monday. Meanwhile two more ships, Star Sophia-N and E.R Tokyo carrying Soya bean seeds and Containers also arrived at outer anchorage of Port Qasim during last 24 hours. A total of seven ships namely, MSC Atos, Forever SW, Gao Yu-2, Agria, Hercules Ocean, Maritime Gisela and Al-Soor-II are currently occupying PQA berths to load/offload Containers, Talcum Powder, Bitumen, Coal, Soya bean seeds,palm oil and diesel oil respectively during last 24 hours. Acargo volume of 98,765 tonnes, comprising 94,965 tonnes import cargo and 3,800 tonnes export cargo inclusive of containerized cargo carried in 1,800 containers (TEUs), (1,600 TEUs imports and 200 TEUs exports) was handled at the Port during last 24 hours. Oil tanker Al-Soor-II sailed out to sea on Tuesday morning. Three ships, Maersk Atlanta, Gas Amozon and Muskie carrying Containers, LPG and diesel oil are expected to take berths at QICT, EVTL and FOTCO respectively on Tuesday, 2nd October, while two more ships, E,R Tokyo and MOL Gateway eith containers are due to arrive to Port Qasim on Wednesday, 3rd October-2018. The government of Sindh and University of Karachi (KU) on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strengthening the forensic DNA and serology facility in the province. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :The government of Sindh and University of Karachi (KU) on Monday inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strengthening the forensic DNA and serology facility in the province. The MoU was signed between the Sindh Health Department and International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), KU. According to the MoU, the Sindh government would pay Rs.260 million to ICCBS for strengthening the forensic DNA and serology facility at the Jamil-ur-Rehman Center for Genome Research, which works as a part of Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), said a press release. The Sindh government would designate the ICCBS as focal center for Forensic DNA and serology analysis and training in forensic serology and DNA analysis and notify the staff trained from the ICCBS as a forensic analyst or expert. All the analysts would take the proficiency test annually as per standards and on successfully passing the test would be allowed to analyze case work. Speaking on the occasion, the health minister said the agreement would lead a setup of the much needed high-tech DNA laboratory in the province. She said the health department was focusing on the frontiers of technology to facilitate the criminal and civil justice system. Prof. Iqbal Choudhary felicitated the minister, Additional Chief Secretary Health and other officials for making great efforts in setting up of modern laboratory that would be used as support to modernize justice system in Sindh. The MoU was signed in a ceremony held at the office of the health minister. Additional Chief Secretary Health Dr Muhammad Usman Chachar and Director ICCBS-UoK Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary signed the agreement. Among others Director Development and Evaluation Dabeer A. Khan, Abdul Waheed Shaikh, Serologist & Chemical Examiner and Prof. Dr. Farzana Shaheen, Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, Dr. Shakil Ahmed and Dr. Hina Siddiqui from ICCBS, were present on the occasion. (@rukhshanmir) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Naveed Baloch showed full commitment for polio eradication initiative saying that various provincial oversight bodies established for polio eradication meet regularly to ensure that the programme stays on track and the goal of stopping polio virus circulation by the year end is achieved. PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Secretary Naveed Baloch showed full commitment for polio eradication initiative saying that various provincial oversight bodies established for polio eradication meet regularly to ensure that the programme stays on track and the goal of stopping polio virus circulation by the year end is achieved. He said this during his meeting with the visiting chairman Technical Advisory Group (TAG), the apex global body for Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), Jean -Marc who called on him here at his office, says a press release issued here on Tuesday. Chief secretary said that he would chair meeting of the provincial task force next week wherein the programme progress would be reviewed with focus on the issue of persistent wild virus circulation in the environment. Chairman TAG Jean -Marc thanked chief secretary for the commitment and for leading the programme from the front and hoped that the crippling disease will soon be wiped out of the region. Later, the TAG chairman visited Emergency Operations Centre Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (EOC) where he was briefed on updated status of the programme by Coordinator EOC Abid Khan Wazir, while deputy commissioner Peshawar Imran Sheikh briefed him on Peshawar Emergency Action Plan. Speaking on the occasion, Jean Marc appreciated Peshawar Emergency Action Plan calling it the right approach to identify issues at grass roots level that were creating major hurdles in purging the environment of polio virus and reaching the goal of polio free region. The TAG chair also underscored the need for provision of essential immunization services and better sanitation conditions specially in the drainage union councils of Peshawar to improve the immunity and hygiene status of people. He appreciated EOC and district administration for working in close coordination in pointing out the lingering issues and addressing them jointly. TAG chair also visited Shaheen Muslim Town, one of the high risk union councils of Peshawar where he met with the teams and other field staff. Director General Health Services Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr Ayub Rose, Deputy CommissionerPeshawar Imran Sheikh, Director EPI Dr Akram Shah, National Team Leader UNICEF John Agbor, Team Leader WHO Dr Abdi Nasir, Technical Focal Person BMGF Dr Imtiaz Ali Shah, Provincial Team lead Dr Ijaz Ali Shah and relevant staff of district administration and partner staff were present on theoccasion. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) 2018 concluded on Saturday September 29th its 16th edition, which celebrated the centennial of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Oct, 2018) The Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX) 2018 concluded on Saturday September 29th its 16th edition, which celebrated the centennial of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The exhibition, which was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers Club, welcomed the attendance of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and a number of other Sheikhs, dignitaries and representatives of the diplomatic corps in the country. The exhibition's sections attracted large audiences, especially the stands of official institutions and heritage authorities, where visitors were given the opportunity to recall the past and heritage of the UAE through their collectibles and paintings, as well as traditional instruments used in ancient hunting trips. Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of ADIHEX and Secretary-General of the Emirates Falconers Club, said, "The current edition has achieved great success. More than 650 companies, brands and exhibitors from 40 countries participated in an area of 40,000 square metres. The UAE was represented by 201 companies and the exhibition was attended by 110,103 visitors throughout its duration and sales at ADIHEX were more than AED50 million." The exhibition brought together major local, Arab and international companies in the field of outdoor sports, trips, weapons industries, traditional industries, craftsmanship, environmental protection and heritage in one location to share knowledge and experience and sign commercial agreements. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) and Discovery Channel, today held a media screening of Wild Dubai, a new one-off documentary that examines the diverse array of wildlife that Dubai is home to. DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Oct, 2018) The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) and Discovery Channel, today held a media screening of Wild Dubai, a new one-off documentary that examines the diverse array of wildlife that Dubai is home to. The documentary, the product of a collaboration between GDMO and Discovery Channel, reveals that the global metropolis is a natural home for a range of unique animal species. The unique 45-minute film will premiere in the middle East exclusively on OSN on 9th October. Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office Mona Al Marri said, "We are very happy to have collaborated with Discovery Channel to make this project a reality. The Government of Dubai Media Office is seeking to tell global audiences untold stories about Dubai - ranging from its culture and its economic dynamism to its biodiversity. Wild Dubai explores a lesser known side of Dubai - its diverse array of wildlife. Preserving the nations biodiversity is a key part of the environmental vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. I hope this documentary will inspire more people to explore this unique aspect of the emirate." Media Services Director at the Government of Dubai Media Office Salem Belyouha said that the documentary aims to highlight a key aspect of Dubais vision for the future - the environment. The environment is a key part of the governments strategy for sustainable development. He also said that the media tends to focus on the business and economic development side of Dubais success story with the result that the environmental aspect may be lesser known. Belyouha said that Discovery Channel was selected as a partner due to its substantial track-record in producing and broadcasting documentaries. "I would like to thank Mona Al Marri and the Government of Dubai Media Office for collaborating with us to bring this documentary to life. This documentary reflects Discovery Channels commitment to telling stories of people and places from all over the world that make our planet extraordinary. Wild Dubai is a unique documentary that unravels a new side of Dubai and compels us to look at the emirate from the perspective of its natural ecosystems," said Amanda Turnbull, Vice President & General Manager, Discovery Middle East and Africa. Moath Yaqoub bin Hafez, Creative Production Manager, Production and Media Services, at the Government of Dubai Media Office, said that cutting-edge videography technologies were used in the production of the documentary including 4K cameras, adding that the production of the documentary was completed in a year. The production team was extremely proficient in managing all the challenges in covering the entire diversity of wildlife in Dubai. Wild Dubai explores the vast often hidden wildlife of the largest city in the UAE, as it journeys through the traditions of camel racing and falconry, reflecting the impact of heritage on the commitment to protect the wider environment and its wildlife. The documentary uncovers an array of unexpected often hidden species, such as the Arabian horned viper, flamingos, scorpions and mice, as the documentary takes viewers beyond the city limits and into the homes of these captivating creatures. Apart from OSN, Wild Dubai will also air internationally in several markets across Europe, Africa and Asia on Discoverys network of channels, following the Middle East premiere. Wild Dubai will premiere on Discovery Channel, exclusively on OSN channel 500, and on OSN Play and On Demand for catch-up viewing. More details will be revealed soon. About 122 million Chinese people traveled around the country on Monday, the first day of the week-long National Day holiday, a 7.54 percent year-on-year growth, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT). Domestic tourism revenue generated on Monday reached 103 billion yuan (15 billion U.S. dollars), up 7.19 percent year on year, according to China Tourism Academy (National Tourism Data Center) under the MCT. Tourists participated in various activities across the country to celebrate the 69th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. At the Tian'anmen Square, located in the heart of Beijing, some 145,000 tourists gathered to watch the flag-raising ceremony in the early morning. A number of attractions across the country also offered more affordable admission fees. Until Sept. 28, the public were informed with offers of free admission in 74 attractions and lowered admission fees in 907 scenic areas. Prior to the National Day holiday, one of China's major public holidays, a total of 97.9 million tourists were received across the country during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday lasting from Sept. 22 to Sept. 24. In the first half of 2018, 2.8 billion Chinese traveled domestically, up by 11.4 percent year on year. PORTO, Portugal, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Oct, 2018) H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, recently visited several libraries in the Portuguese city of Porto (also known as Oporto), on the sidelines of a private visit to Portugal. The Ruler of Sharjah toured several academic and cultural monuments, including the Municipal Library of Porto, which was founded in 1833, and is one of the biggest and oldest public libraries in Portugal. He then visited the historical Lello Library, which is known as Livraria Lello in Portuguese. Sheikh Dr. Sultan was accompanied by Mousa Abdul Wahid Al Khaja, UAE Ambassador to Portugal and Dr. Amr Abdel Hamid, Director of Sharjah Research academy. Upon his arrival at the Municipal Library of Porto, Dr. Sultan was received by Jorge Costa, Director-General of the library, Monica Gerairio, the manager in charge of cultural affairs in the Municipality of Porto, and Paula Bonifacio, who is responsible for the section of old books and manuscripts in the library. His Highness toured the halls and stands of the library, which he visited in 2000, when he was working on his book "A Declaration to the Industrious Historians of the Innocence of ibn Majid". In his book, Sheikh Dr. Sultan proved the innocence of a renowned Arab seaman, Ibn Majid, and that he did not guide the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama from the African East Coast to India in 1498, a period that marks the entry of European forces to the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf. The book is the first ever official documentation on the innocence of Ibn Majid. It is based on the original manuscripts from the diaries of the first voyage of da Gama. The manuscripts were found in the Municipal Library of Porto in Portugal, which overlooks the Douro River, and links the city of Porto to the Atlantic Ocean. Sheikh Sultan said that he reviewed the ancient manuscripts written by historians who lived in the time of da Gama, and explained how these manuscripts have led him to the diaries of da Gamas first voyage which were found in the Porto library. His Highness clarified that he analysed and compared the literatures from the time of da Gama and ibn Majid from Portugal and India. He translated the manuscripts from Portuguese into Arabic and English. After spending time studying the facts of the manuscripts, the Ruler of Sharjah concluded that it was not ibn Majid who guided da Gama in his path through the Indian Ocean, rather it was a Christian-Gujarati from India who was in Malindi at the time. The Ruler of Sharjah, who revealed these findings in his book, noted that some Arab historians still stick to their claims against Ibn Majid. He underlined that his interest in this historical truth and other facts stem from the moral obligation towards finding and communicating facts that is a right to everyones knowledge. He stressed the importance of documenting history with honesty and justice, because history is the study of the past that formulates the present and shapes the peoples understanding, perceptions and emotions towards their cultures and one another. H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan urged historians to pursue the search for facts and truths through careful readings and analysis of ancient books and historical manuscripts. His Highness said that historians should not limit themselves with existing sources of knowledge; they should make it a responsibility to take every means possible to examine and search for the truth, and that distinguishes creative historians from others. The Ruler of Sharjah said failing to search for the truth is unfair for the coming generations whom we must address with a high sense of responsibility. He hailed the efforts of historians who have preserved the collective memory of nations from fading, by documenting history, and called for allocation of funds to support them and encourage them to pursue their research. Sheikh Sultan highlighted the historical role Portugal played in enriching human culture with various forms of science and arts. He also praised the efforts of local authorities who invested in the care and development of libraries and their contents, and their efforts in granting accessibility to researchers and scholars from around the world. The Municipal Library of Porto was founded in 1833 and is one of the largest and oldest public libraries in Portugal. It receives a copy of all publications issued in Portugal. The library boasts a treasure of more than 1500000 documents and has an important collection of rare manuscripts and maps. The importance of the library is not limited to the value of its documentary heritage and its role in organising and indexing documents that are an invaluable part of the historical and cultural legacy of Porto and Portugal. It also encourages readers and researchers to delve into its documents and manuscripts. The library features an array of mixed-use rooms and facilities to attract the citys residents, all in a bid to support visitors with resources from traditional to electronic catalogues for research and studies purposes. During his tour at the historical Lello Library, or Livraria Lello, which was established in 1818, Sheikh Sultan met its director Jozi Lello, who is the son of its founders, and Aurora Pinto, the manager at the library. The Sharjah Ruler toured the librarys various sections where he was briefed by officials on the contents of numerous ancient manuscripts, books, titles and the first editions of famous international books, some of which date back to the seventh century. The Lello Library was established in 1881 by brothers Jose and Antonio Lello, who decided to establish a foundation to print, distribute and sell books. The Library, which was renovated in 1906, receives thousands of visitors daily from different parts of the world. It allocates a hall for dialogues between artists and literary figures to share knowledge and ideas that contribute to enriching their literary products. At the end of his tour, the Sharjah Ruler wrote a note of thanks and appreciation in the guest book at both libraries, praising the immense efforts of the staff working in the two historical libraries that are home to rare and valuable treasures. (@FahadShabbir) The University of Dubai, UD, is organising the 2nd International Conference on Advances in Business, Management and Law, ICABML, under the theme "Research on Business: entrepreneurship, excellence, productivity, organizational performance". DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 02nd Oct, 2018) The University of Dubai, UD, is organising the 2nd International Conference on Advances in Business, Management and Law, ICABML, under the theme "Research on Business: entrepreneurship, excellence, productivity, organizational performance". Thirty countries will participate in this international conference which is taking place on 24th and 25th November, 2018, on the universitys new campus in Dubai Academic City. The conference focusses on developing the fields of Management, Marketing, Finance, Economics, Law, Project Management, Human Resources, and Logistics in the UAE. It also aims to present the best research and studies in the field of business administration and law development from a number of university professors and doctoral students representing top colleges in 30 Arab and non-Arab countries. Selected top-quality accepted papers will be published as conference proceedings. This conference is being organised by the Centre for Research & Consultancy at the University of Dubai in collaboration with Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Academic Consortia of 21 universities in UAE, and AACSB/EQUIS accredited international universities. UD President, Dr. Eesa Bastaki, said that the UD aims to highlight the significant role of sustainable research in aiding the economic and business growth in Dubai and the UAE, especially in the fields of innovation and Artificial Intelligence. He added that the university is keen to create an international educational hub that promotes sustainable scientific research in the UAE. He also stressed the importance of scientific studies in addressing critical issues and providing practical solutions. Chaired by Prof. Kamarul Zaman Bin Ahmad, Professor at the Dubai Business school at the UD, the conference provides an opportunity for specialties in the fields of entrepreneurship and law to share their expertise through high-profile workshops and interactive sessions. (@rukhshanmir) At least 20 people sustained injuries when a bus coming from Rawalpindi to Dera Ismail Khan collided with truck on Dera Chashma Road here on Tuesday DERA ISMAIL KHAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :At least 20 people sustained injuries when a bus coming from Rawalpindi to Dera Ismail Khan collided with truck on Dera Chashma Road here on Tuesday. Police said, the accident took place early Tuesday morning. Many of the victims were in critical condition. The bus had to be cut to rescue the passengers. Police and rescue teams reached the scene to shift the injured to the hospital. Police said the over speeding and negligence of the driver causedthe accident. ACCA Pakistan and RUBA Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an initiative titled "ACCA-accountancy For All", which will provide financial support to individuals interested in pursuing ACCA Qualification. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :ACCA Pakistan and RUBA Foundation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an initiative titled "ACCA-accountancy For All", which will provide financial support to individuals interested in pursuing ACCA Qualification. Recognizing the value of promoting mutual co-operation for the advancement of the accountancy profession in Pakistan, RUBA Foundation will provide financial support through this initiative purely on merit basis to the present ACCA students; subject to a criteria developed by RUBA Foundation, said a statement on Monday. The financial support will cover ACCA tuition fees charged by ACCA approved learning partners (ALPs) From the students studying in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. RUBA Foundation will support the ACCA studentsto excel in their professional career through training/employment opportunities as required by RUBA group of companies. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Monday visited an Operational Air Base and also flew an exercise training mission in a fighter aircraft. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Monday visited an Operational Air Base and also flew an exercise training mission in a fighter aircraft. Later on, he interacted with the combat crew and appreciated their high level of enthusiasm andthorough professionalism, a press release issued here by Directorate of Media Affairs of PAF said. He also lauded the operational readiness of PAF personnel at the base. The Custom authorities on Monday successfully foiled a bid to smuggle 95,000 cigarettes of different brands at GT Road near Wazirabad. SIALKOT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :The Custom authorities on Monday successfully foiled a bid to smuggle 95,000 cigarettes of different brands at GT Road near Wazirabad. Addressing a press conference at Sialkot Dry Port Trust, AC Custom Ali Mohtisham Minhas told the media that a truck LES/9933 was smuggling different brands of cigarettes worth Rs 20,000,000 from Lahore to Rawalpindi. He said the truck driver and his assistant were arrested. (@rukhshanmir) Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that the initial work on the Mohmand dam will be started on mid of April 2019. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan on Tuesday informed the National Assembly that the initial work on the Mohmand dam will be started on mid of April 2019. The minister said this while responding to a calling attention notice moved by Malik Anwar Taj regarding 'non-inclusion of Mohmad dam in phase-I programme as even pre-qualification notices has not been invited'. He said that Mohmand Dam project has immense importance, as it will store 1.2 million acre feet of water for irrigating agriculture land and generating 800 megawatts of energy. He said feasibility study has already been completed and evaluation of the project had been started. He further said that the project, scheduled to be completed in 5 years and 8 months after start of the construction work, will significantly contribute towards development of agriculture, industrial, economic and social sectors in the country. The minister said that biding for the project was invited in Number 2017, and about 25 companies had showed interest in the project. However, he said that companies have been asked to submit their biding report February 2018, but companies had made a request to give more time for the biding report. On the request of the companies, he said, the government had extended the biding report time June 26. The minister said that two companies had submitted thebiding report. The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday issued notices to chief secretary Punjab, secretary environment and summoned deputy commissioner Gujranwala for not taking action against industrial units established in residential areas of city. LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday issued notices to chief secretary Punjab, secretary environment and summoned deputy commissioner Gujranwala for not taking action against industrial units established in residential areas of city. Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh passed the orders on a petition filed by a lung cancer patient. During the hearing, petitioner's counsel Advocate Sheraz Zaka submitted Gujranwala city was becoming one of the most polluted cities in the country due to rising levels of smog. Sheraz Zaka argued that every year rising level of smog in Gujranwala endanger the lives of common citizens and it's spillover effects were witnessed in other cities. He argued that petitioner was a lung cancer patient and was seriously affected by the commercial activities of leather,stainless steel units established in residential areas without proper environmental impact assessment and no objection certificate. At this, the court observed that the entire Punjab was adversely affected by the smog including Lahore and Gujranwala. Subsequently, the court issued notices to the respondents for October 24,while adjourning the hearing. (@FahadShabbir) Minister of State for Communications Murad Saeed has written a letter to the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP), asking him to conduct special audit of five NHA projects. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Minister of State for Communications Murad Saeed has written a letter to the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP), asking him to conduct special audit of five NHA projects. The projects include Lyari Expressway, Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Highway(M-8), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab Highway (M-8), Lowari Tunnel (N-45) Civil Works, and Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25). In his letter, the minister said these five projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) were inordinately delayed, causing price escalation and other adverse effects on the governance. He asked the AGP to conduct special audit of these projects, and submit the report within 30 days. Chief Justice (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday said Musharraf will not be arrested on his return to the country and will be provided Rangers foolproof security. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Chief Justice (CJ) Mian Saqib Nisar Tuesday said Musharraf will not be arrested on his return to the country and will be provided Rangers foolproof security. He remarked this while chairing a three-member bench hearing the case related to National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), passed by Musharraf in 2007. "We are granting Musharraf a protective bail and till his return we will continue issuing his red warrants, the chief justice maintained. During course of proceedings, Akhtar Shah counsel for former president apprised the court that he had talked to his client on September 27. "Musharraf has medical and security issues but he has promised that he will return," Shah added. Further, the defense counsel contended that his client was not accused in the Lal Masjid case. Shah informed the bench that his client was suffering from an ailment of a serious nature. "I am also suffering from a painful backache. We have arrangements for top-of-the-line treatment for Musharraf's ailment here," the chief justice responded. Justice Nisar said, "Nobody will arrest Musharraf. He should record his statement in the treason case before a special court nothing else."He said the former president and Ishaq Dar both are hiding themselves in foreign countries, however both should face court trial against them. Subsequently, while giving full assurance that Musharraf will be provided foolproof security on his return adjourned further hearing till October 11. Chinese military on Tuesday voiced firm opposition to a U.S. Navy warship's entry into waters around China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea. "The USS Decatur guided missile destroyer arbitrarily entered waters off China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea on Sept. 30," said Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense, noting that a Chinese navy vessel carried out identification and verification procedures in accordance with law and warned the U.S. vessel off. "China has indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the South China Sea and their adjacent waters. "Currently, with the joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea is developing towards a stable and positive direction. "However, the U.S. side has sent warships into waters near China's islands and reefs in South China Sea time and again, which has posed a grave threat to China's sovereignty and security, severely damaged the relations between the two militaries, and significantly undermined regional peace and stability. "The Chinese military resolutely opposes such actions. "China respects and safeguards the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but resolutely opposes any illegal provocation in the name of 'freedom of navigation.' "The Chinese military will fulfill its defense duty and continue to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the sovereignty and security of the country, as well as the regional peace and stability." Adviser on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood invited the Saudi business and investment delegation to take advantage of the liberal invest regime of the country and opportunities available for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :Adviser on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Production and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood invited the Saudi business and investment delegation to take advantage of the liberal invest regime of the country and opportunities available for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Minister welcomed the Saudi Arab's delegation led by Adviser to Saudi Minister for Energy Ahmed Hamed Al-Ghamdi, during the meeting held this morning, said a statement issued by Ministry of Commerce here Monday. The Saudi delegation comprised of high level officials of various government departments as well as representatives of Saudi Aramco, Maaden and ACWA power. The Saudi team will hold technical discussions with their Pakistani counterparts with the view to finalize the investments in mega projects in Pakistan. The Federal Minister appraised the delegation on the huge potential of investment lying unrealized in the areas of power generation, transmission and distribution. He appraised the delegation in detail on the projected increase in the power consumption keeping in view the Grass Domestic Product (GDP) growth especially after operationalization of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). A representative of ACWA in the Saudi delegation offered their institutional capacity, especially in the power generation areas and offered to engage with Pakistan in long term projects aimed at ensuring the economic and sustained power supplies. He further added that they are interested in the areas of renewable energy and establishing water desalination plants. Besides, trade and investment relations between the two brotherly Islamic countries need to be enhanced in tandem with their long established and time-tested ties. For this, both sides agreed to work hard and pave way for a broad partnership to maximally exploit the opportunities arising in the region. The Adviser assured that Pakistan has made necessary preparations so as to make the stay of Saudi delegation productive in Pakistan. He also thanked the Saudi delegation for arranging the delegation to Pakistan within the shortest possible period after the meeting of Prime Minister of Pakistan with His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia held about two weeks back. Head of the Saudi delegation thanked the Government of Pakistan for their hospitality and cooperation in paving way for enhanced bilateral cooperation in the field of trade and investment. He showed his intentions to finalize the framework for flow of investment to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia in mega projects. Starting from 15th October 2018 connecting Pakistan to major cities with Dammam, Jeddah, Abha and Riyadh Lahore (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) SaudiGulf Airlines The new full-service national carrier of Saudi Arabia owned by Abdulhadi Al Qahtani and Sons Holding Company (Tariq Al Qahtani and Brothers) is pleased to announce the start of its operations to four destinations in Pakistan as part of its international route expansion program. The announcement came during SaudiGulf Airline participation in Pakistan Travel Mart(PTM) 2018 held in Karachi. Emphasizing on the pivotal role of travel trade in maintaining the relationship between The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, SaudiGulf Airlines is initiating operations from 15th October 2018 to four major cities in Pakistan being Lahore, Islamabad, Sialkot and Karachi connecting Kingdom main cities of Dammam, Jeddah, Abha and Riyadh. We are pleased to announce our next international routes expansion starting with four destinations in Pakistan from Dammam, SaudiGulf Airlines main base in Saudia Arabia. Through our hub in Dammam wewill connect passengers from Pakistan across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Jeddah, Abha and Riyadh stated Mr. Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer, in a statement at a press conference in Pakistan Travel Mart (PTM) 2018 held in Karachi. The full-service airline will operate its Airbus A320 aircrafts to/from Pakistan operating with two class configurations i.e. business and Economy Class. It will commence direct flights from Dammam to Lahore & Islamabad with a frequency of 4 flights per week as well as 3 flights per week connecting Dammam with Sialkot &Karachi. Utilizing King Fahd International Airport in Dammam as the hub of its operations, SaudiGulf airlines will offer highest number of flights between the Eastern Providence of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. This strategic decision was taken by SaudiGulf Airlines aligned with the Saudi Vision 2030 to support the expanding growth in infrastructure projects in the kingdom which will ultimately contribute to ease of travel to passengers between Saudi Arabia & Pakistan. Furthermore, the routes shall be utilized to carry passengers from the mentioned destinations in Pakistan across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia though the Dammam hub connecting to Jeddah dedicatedlyto carry Umrah passengers. The decision made by SaudiGulf Airlines to provide convenience of travel to and from the holy cityof Meccaaspart of its religious contribution as a new national carrier. We are pleased to add new flights to cater to the growing demand of Umrah traffic out of Pakistan, while also provide passengers with convenient connections via Dammam Said Mr. Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer, SaudiGulf Airlines. Starting operations from the 15thof October 2018, the fares are to start from 40,000 PKR which includesfree seat selection, hot meals as well as a personalized customer service. SaudiGulf Airlines will be represented by the largest GSA network in Pakistan, Gerrys Group. This partnership is a testament of SaudiGulf Airlines intensions to capture a significant market share in Pakistan We have decided to partner and cooperate with Gerrys Group for its well-known efforts as a General Sales Agent with more than 50 years of experience in this field Said Karim Makhlouf, Chief Commercial Officer, SaudiGulf Airlines. The induction of SaudiGulf Airlines as a direct Saudi Carrier initiating operations to Pakistan will significantly add value to the travel trade industry of Pakistan and testifies to growing travel demand across the Country said Mr. Arshad Wali Muhammad, Gerrys Group Director. SaudiGulf Airlines schedule to/from Pakistan as below From Departure Time To Arrival Time Number of Flights Islamabad 04:25 Dammam 06:45 04 Weekly Lahore 07:30 Dammam 10:05 04 Weekly Karachi 03:50 Dammam 05:10 03 Weekly Sialkot 07:55 Dammam 10:40 03 Weekly The students from Buraq Public School Islamabad on Tuesday visited Police Line Headquarters and observed the functioning of various police departments. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :The students from Buraq Public school Islamabad on Tuesday visited Police Line Headquarters and observed the functioning of various police departments. The students visiting along with the Chief Executive Buraq Public School Commander Mehmood ur Rehman were welcomed by Senior Superintendent of Police (Headquarters) Ahsan Iqbal and other police officials. The magic show, face painting, jumping activities, horse riding and other games were arranged for the children by G.Art. The students showed keen interest in these activities. SSP (Headquarters) distributed gifts among the students and also mingled with them. He said that he was very happy to meet with students and appreciated the Chief Executive Buraq Public School for imparting free of cost education to the poor students. The SSP (Headquarters) said that young students are our future who can steer country out of challenges and ensure progress of the sweet homeland. He said that mental and physical activities for the children should be ensured so that they can better perform in curriculum activities. Chief Executive Buraq Public School thanked the SSP (Headquarters) for providing opportunityto the students to visit Police Line Headquarters and recreation facilities. (@FahadShabbir) Sindh Minister for Energy Imtiaz AhmedSheikh Tuesday said the government would fully support the local and international investments in alternative energy projects. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Sindh Minister for Energy Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh Tuesday said the government would fully support the local and international investments in alternative energy projects. Addressing a meeting with the officers of the Sindh Energy Department, the minister said work on many solar energy projects was underway in the province and the government would promote the production of alternative energy. He said the Sindh government was continuously in touch with the Federal government and private sector for the purpose. To overcome the power crisis, promotion and adoption of alternative energy was the need of the hour. The meeting also discussed the international workshop on solar home system to be held on October 3 (Wednesday) at a local hotel, organised by the Sindh Energy Department in collaboration with the World Bank. Sindh Energy Department Secretary Rashid Hussain Qazi informed the meeting that the workshop would be inaugurated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. He said World Bank Country Director Illango Pitchamutnu, Minister for Energy Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, World Bank Senior Energy Expert Oliver Knight, Director Alternate Energy board Mehfooz Qazi and others would also address the workshop. The meeting was attended by senior officers of the department. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) strongly condemns the attack on a primary school at Arandu village in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province yesterday. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) strongly condemns the attack on a Primary school at Arandu village in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province yesterday. The small building, located in the Chitral district near the border with Afghanistan, is said to have been partially destroyed by an improvised explosive device. No injuries were reported as the school was not open on Sunday. This recent attack comes less than two months after a dozen schools, most of them for girls, were ransacked and torched in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district. "Every girl and boy has the right to education, everywhere. The destruction of schools has a devastating impact on the right to education and leaves long-term implications for the growth and healthy development of Pakistani children," said UNICEF's Pakistan Representative Aida Girma. "Schools must never be targeted, they must remain a place of safety and learning at all times," she said. World Bank Senior Energy Expert Oliver Knight led a delegation on Tuesday which called on Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh and complained about the slow pace of work in solar energy projects in the province. KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :World Bank Senior Energy Expert Oliver Knight led a delegation on Tuesday which called on Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh and complained about the slow pace of work in solar energy projects in the province. The minister responding quickly upon the complaint appointed Engineer Mehfooz Qazi as Project Director Sindh Solar Energy, in addition to his own duties as Director Alternative Energy Board. Sheikh assured the delegation that he himself would be monitoring the solar energy projects. He on the occasion directed the officers concerned to complete the on-going projects within stipulated time and submit a report regarding all the projects within a week. Stressing the need for timely completion of projects, he said the delay in timely completion of projects not only delays the provision of facilities to the masses but also increases the cost of the project. The energy minister instructed the officers to ensure removal of all kinds of hurdles in timely completion of projects. The World Bank delegation after assurance of minister expressed their satisfaction. The delegates assured that the bank would continue its support to the Sindh government in energy projects. Sindh Energy Department Secretary Rashid Hussain Qazi, Director Alternative Energy board Mehfooz Qazi and others were present during the meeting. Austria will allocate one million euros ($1.15 million) in humanitarian assistance to Indonesia in order to help the country recover after a deadly earthquake and tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said on Tuesday. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Austria will allocate one million Euros ($1.15 million) in humanitarian assistance to Indonesia in order to help the country recover after a deadly earthquake and tsunami hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said on Tuesday. "The Federal government will allocate one million euros from its Foreign Disaster Fund in order to help Indonesia cope with the humanitarian situation after earthquake and tsunami," Kneissl said, as quoted by the Austrian Foreign Ministry's press service. The aid will be provided to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Sulawesi. The Austrian government, in cooperation with the federation, will primarily focus on providing local residents with food, water, temporary accommodation, protective shelters for children, as well as healthcare products and services. On Friday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake, and two 5.8-magnitude earthquakes hit Sulawesi. After the tremors, a 2-meter-high (6.5-feet-high) tsunami struck the city of Palu and the Donggala area in Central Sulawesi. According to the latest media reports, the disaster has claimed over 1,200 lives. The global community has actively engaged in supporting Indonesia, with South Korea allocating $1 million in humanitarian assistance. The French, US and Turkish leaders also voiced their willingness to help, while the United Nations mobilized its rescue and relief efforts. The International Monetary Fund has pledged to raise funds among its management and staff. (@FahadShabbir) Ottawa is seeking to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2021-2022, Canadian Ambassador to the UN Marc-Andre Blanchard said, addressing the 73rd UN General Assembly, on Monday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2018) Ottawa is seeking to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2021-2022, Canadian Ambassador to the UN Marc-Andre Blanchard said, addressing the 73rd UN General Assembly, on Monday. "Canada is seeking a non-permanent member seat at the Security Council in 2021-2022," Blanchard said. "We have a proven record of working with other member states to bring fresh ideas and innovative approaches to tackle complex problems from peacekeeping and policing to peace building and transitions." Blanchard pointed out that, if Canada is elected to the Security Council, it will also tackle the issues of climate change and violent extremism, promote economic security and champion accountability and transparency in all of the Security Council deliberations. "We will help to find solutions to build a safer, fairer and more secure world where the benefits of the international rules-based order are distributed more evenly," he said on the last day of the UN general debates. The UN Security Council consists of five permanent members, namely China, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom and France, and 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly to serve for two years. Zagreb, Oct 2 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Oct, 2018 ) :A Zagreb court has rejected charges that Croatia captain and Real Madrid star Luka Modric gave false testimony in a corruption trial, a Croatian newspaper reported on Tuesday. The decision, which can be appealed, came just a week after Modric was crowned FIFA's best player of the year, after starring for both his club and Croatia. Croatian prosecutors charged Modric in March with committing perjury during evidence he gave in the multi-million-euro corruption trial of former Dinamo Zagreb boss Zdravko Mamic. Modric, 33, testified in June last year over the details of his 2008 transfer from Dinamo to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He went on to join Real Madrid in 2012. The offence carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in jail. But, the Zagreb municipal court decided not to confirm the indictment -- a step required by Croatian law for a trial to open -- according to an online report in the Vecernji List daily quoting the tribunal. The report could not be immediately confirmed with the court. Vecernji List said the court ruled that the indictment was "premature", meaning it should have not been brought before rulings in the trial against Mamic become final. Mamic and three other defendants were found guilty of charges of abuse of power and corruption that cost Dinamo, the current Croatian champions, more than 15 million Euros ($17.3 million), and the state 1.5 million euros. Mamic, who is currently in hiding in neighbouring Bosnia, was sentenced in June to six and a half years in jail. Prosecutors allege cash was embezzled through fictitious deals related to player transfers. Liverppool defender Dejan Lovren, who also testified at the Mamic trial about his 2010 transfer from Dinamo to French side Lyon, also faces perjury charges. DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd October, 2018) Syria has expressed interest in purchasing aircraft from Indonesia, however no official cooperation has been established yet, an attache for economy and trade in the Indonesian Embassy in Damascus told Sputnik on Tuesday. "We are now trying to participate in rebuilding Syria through our construction companies, in the reconstruction of the country's infrastructure and transport. Therefore, the Syrian Transport Ministry has expressed desire to purchase aircraft from Indonesia. However, no official cooperation has been established yet, but our ambassador had several meetings with the ministers," Ahl Ad-Din Jamal said on the sidelines of the Re-Build Syria Exhibition. The diplomat did not specify what type of aircraft was in question, noting that the negotiations had been held unofficially. Over the past years, Syrian government forces have regained control over vast territories once controlled by terrorists. The local authorities are currently engaged in rebuilding the country as thousands of Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are returning to their homes. The Arab republic is also interested in rebuilding its transport system. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic held a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the development of Russian-Serbian relations, as well as regional and international agenda. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic held a meeting in Moscow on Tuesday to discuss the development of Russian-Serbian relations, as well as regional and international agenda. Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were established on June 24, 1940. The ties subsequently maintained in full between the Russian Federation and the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, and, then, between the Russian Federation and the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. On June 11, 2006, the Russian Foreign Ministry recognized that, following Montenegro's declaration of independence, the Republic of Serbia would assume the international legal personality of the disbanded Serbia and Montenegro. Russia and Serbia have been maintaining a traditionally active political dialogue since then. Both countries have held regular top-level meetings. On May 24, 2013, Putin and his then Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolic signed a Declaration on Strategic Partnership on behalf of their nations in the Russian city of Sochi. On October 30, 2013, the Russian president received Nikolic in Moscow. During this meeting, Putin and Nikolic discussed issues of bilateral relations. On February 6-9, 2014, Nikolic visited Sochi to attend the opening ceremony of the 22nd Olympic Games. On October 16, 2014, Putin visited Serbia to mark the 70th anniversary of Belgrade's liberation from Nazi occupation in World War II. As part of this visit, Putin met with Nikolic and Vucic. On April 24, 2015, the Russian and Serbian presidents met in Yerevan to attend commemoration events marking the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire. They also met on May 8-9 in Moscow during celebrations of the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II and in June in Baku at the opening ceremony of the first European Games. On March 9-10, 2016, Nikolic arrived in Moscow on a working visit, as part of which he discussed with Putin political, economic and trade cooperation as well as relevant issues on the international agenda. During Nikolic's working visit to St. Petersburg on October 12-14, 2016, the Serbian and Russian sides signed a range of cooperation agreements and a general consulate in St. Petersburg was opened. On March 27, 2017, Putin received Vucic in the Kremlin. They discussed prospects for the development of Russian-Serbian relations, in particular, increasing trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, and exchanged views on current international and regional problems. On April 3, 2017, Putin sent a congratulatory message to Vucic on being elected as President of Serbia. On December 18-20, 2017, Vucic made an official visit to Russia, during which he met with Putin. Documents in the sphere of social security, economy and tourism were signed as a result of the talks. On May 8-9, 2018, Vucic visited Moscow to take part in celebrations to mark the 73rd anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The Russian and Serbian presidents discussed the current state and prospects for further development of Russian-Serbian cooperation and reviewed progress made on joint investment projects. On May 9, Vucic together with Putin took part in "Immortal Regiment" parade. These parades are organized across Russia and around the world on Victory Day with people marching in the streets carrying portraits of their relatives who took part in World War II. On May 22, 2017, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met with Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic on the sidelines of the summit of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC). Russian-Serbian trade and economic ties were discussed. On June 2, 2017, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Dacic held a meeting on the margins of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Another regular meeting of the heads of foreign affairs was held on September 29, 2017 in Moscow. On September 19, 2017, Lavrov spoke with Vucic on the margins of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. On February 21-22, 2018, Lavrov made a working visit to Serbia, timed to the 180th anniversary of the establishment of Russian-Serbian diplomatic relations. He was received by Vucic and Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic in Belgrade. He also held extensive negotiations with Dacic, with whom Lavrov jointly spoke to students at Belgrade University. Lavrov awarded Dacic with a Russian state medal, the Order of Friendship, at the behest of Russian President Vladimir Putin. On August 21, 2018, Lavrov and Dacic held a meeting in Sochi. The situation in Kosovo was reviewed in detail and steps were outlined to further improve coordination in this area. Kosovo proclaimed its independence from Serbia in 2008. While over 100 UN member states have officially recognized Kosovo's independence, Serbia alongside Russia, China, Israel and several other countries have not recognized the secession. Over the past months, Serbia and Kosovo have been exploring various options to settle their border issues. Another regular meeting of the two foreign ministers was held on September 21, 2018 in Banja Luka, on the margins of Lavrov's working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Russia and Serbia have also developed inter-parliamentary cooperation. On June 5, 2017, a delegation of the Russian State Duma headed by the chairman of Russian lower house, Vyacheslav Volodin, paid an official visit to Belgrade. Within the framework of the visit, Volodin was received by Vucic. On November 20-21, 2017, Valentina Matviyenko, the speaker of the Russian parliament's upper house, visited Serbia and met with Vucic. During the visit, Matviyenko was awarded the Serbian Karic Foundation prize for strengthening democracy, peace, cooperation and friendship between nations. On December 20, 2017, as part of his official visit to Moscow, Vucic held a meeting with Matviyenko. On September 20, 2018, Matviyenko, on the margins of the second Eurasian Women's Forum in St. Petersburg, met with the chair of the Serbian National Assembly, Maja Gojkovic. The issues of the development of interregional cooperation and negotiations for the drafting of a free trade agreement between Serbia and the Eurasian Economic Union were discussed. Russia and Serbia actively cooperate in the international arena. The focus on the membership of the European Union, defined by the Serbian leadership as a key foreign policy priority, is not considered in Belgrade as an obstacle to further enhance cooperation with Russia. The Russian-Serbian dialogue has traditionally been focused on supporting peace and stability in the Balkans, including in the context of the problem of migration, which, in one form or another, has affected all the states of South-Eastern Europe. Settling the issue of Kosovo is constantly on the agenda of bilateral political dialogues. Both countries have developed trade and economic relations. The Russian-Serbian Intergovernmental Committee on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation is functioning effectively. In 2017, Russia's trade with Serbia amounted to about $2.039 billion, which is a 23 percent increase on 2016. Russia's exports to Serbia amounted to $926.2 million, which is 20.25 percent more than in 2016; Russia's imports from Serbia amounted to $1.112 billion, showing an increase by 25.45 percent. Russian exports to Serbia are mainly mineral products, chemical industry products, metals and products made of these metals, food and agricultural products, machinery, equipment and transport vehicles, wood and paper products. Russian imports from Serbia mostly food and agricultural products; chemical industry products; textiles and footwear; machinery, equipment and transport vehicles; wood and pulp and paper products; metals and products made of these metals. The two countries have a free trade agreement and the vast majority of goods are duty free. Serbia has accumulated over $4 billion of Russian capital. In turn, the Serbian partners have invested about $500,000 million in the Russian economy. Energy is the priority area of cooperation between the two countries. Russia almost completely meets the needs of Serbia in natural gas, covering more than 90 percent of the needs. The deliveries increased by a quarter in 2017 and exceeded 2 billion cubic meters (70.06 billion cubic feet). According to Putin, Russia expects to increase its exports of natural gas to Serbia to 3.5 billion cubic meters in 2022. The issue of connecting Serbian partners to the project of building a new energy supply route to the Turkish Stream, which is being implemented by Gazprom, is under active consideration. An example of successful cooperation between the two nations is the Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) oil and gas company reconstruction and development project, in which Russia's Gazprom Neft is the major shareholder and investor. Once an unprofitable business, NIS has become a regional leader in its industry and provides 14 percent of budget revenues in Serbia. Gazprom Neft continues its modernization. Russian energy systems machine-building company Power Machines carry out a large-scale reconstruction of the Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station. Power Machines are also ready to join the technical re-equipment of other energy facilities in Serbia. A project for the reconstruction and modernization of Serbian railways, involving Russia's RZD International LCC railway company, is among other areas of economic cooperation and of great importance in the transport and infrastructure sphere, in a contest of $800 million Russian export loan, which was approved in 2013. On July 30, 2018, RZD International began laying high-speed railway tracks in Serbia for the movement of trains at a speed of 200 kilometers (124 miles) per hour. The total length of the section is more than 40 kilometers. RZD International continues to work on the construction of two large-scale facilities that have no analogues in Serbia: the railroad tunnel Chortanovci and the three-kilometer (1.8 miles) long viaduct along the Danube River. Many Russian companies such as energy giant LUKoil, largest banks Sberbank, VTB and one of the largest Federal insurers Sogaz are successfully operating in Serbia. Russia and Serbia signed a document on the principles of Russian-Serbian cooperation in the field of innovation and technological development with the use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. The document was signed on May 15, 2018, at the 2018 Atomexpo forum, and suggested ways to support the creation and development of nuclear infrastructure, nuclear medicine and the application of radiation technologies in agriculture and sector of industry in Serbia. The two countries have also developed cooperation in the defense industry sector. At the end of December 2016, the head of the Serbian government, currently the president, Vucic, following a meeting in Moscow with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, announced that Russia would give six MiG-29 fighter jets, 30 T-72S tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored reconnaissance vehicles to Serbia as part of military technical assistance. The ceremonial handover of MiG-29 fighter jets took place at Bataynitsa military airfield on October 20, 2017 on the Day of Belgrade's liberation in World War II. A contract for the supply of multipurpose Mi-17V-5 helicopters was signed in September 2015. In June 2016, Russian Helicopters holding company performed the first delivery of helicopter assets to Serbia, handing over two multi-purpose Mi-17V-5 helicopters to the Serbian Defense Ministry. In April 2018, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin announced that he had discussed with Shoigu the possibility of supplying four Mi-35 attack helicopters, four Mi-17 transport helicopters, T-72 and BMP-2 tanks along with certain types of other weapons from Russia. In August 2018, a practical stage of the Russian-Serbian joint tactical drills with live-fire was held in Russia's Leningrad Region. During the active phase, the Russian and Serbian servicemen practiced joint actions on the deployment at defensive lines, engineering equipment along the troops advance routes, carried out electronic countermeasures and countered diversion groups. Cultural and humanitarian ties are an important area of cooperation. In August 2014, the restored Russian Necropolis opened in Belgrade. In September 2014, the Serbian capital hosted joint commemoration events to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, under the auspices of Russian non-governmental organizations, the Foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called and the Center of National Glory. In September-November 2014, the Russian Ministry of Culture held the Days of Russian Spiritual Culture in Serbia. Since 2015, Russian foreign cooperation agency Rossotrudnichestvo has been the general coordinator of interior decoration works of the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade. In 2017, the Ascension mosaic was installed in the dome of the cathedral. The mosaic was created under the leadership of the Russian academician Nikolay Muhin. Some 90 Russian and Serbian artists participated in its production. In 2015, Russia was the honorary guest at Belgrade's book fair. Russia has repeatedly provided Serbia with humanitarian assistance, including on mine clearance. In 2012, the emergency response Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center was opened in the Serbian city of Nis. Over the years of its existence, it has taken a number of very important operations, de-mining vast territories in Serbia, helping to eliminate the consequences of fires and floods in many countries of the region, including Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece. The official visit of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Serbia on November 14-16, 2014, confirmed the close historic relations and spiritual bonds that exist between Moscow and Belgrade. About 50,000 Russians visited Serbia in 2017. The flow of tourists from Russia to Serbia shows a steady annual increase of 14-20 percent. The number of Russian citizens visiting Serbia has increased fivefold over the past 10 years. A counter-terror operation, involving around 200 policemen, is underway in France on Tuesday, with the police forces raiding the headquarters of Islamic organization Centre Zahra France in the Nord department, local media reported, citing the prefecture of the department. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) A counter-terror operation, involving around 200 policemen, is underway in France on Tuesday, with the police forces raiding the headquarters of Islamic organization Centre Zahra France in the Nord department, local media reported, citing the prefecture of the department. "This morning, starting from 6 a.m. [local time, 04:00 GMT], the national police has been carrying out an operation in the Grande-Synthe commune, Nord department. The operation is being conducted withing counter-terrorism efforts . .. Centre Zahra France's activity has been followed up closely due to the fact that its leaders grant support to a number of terror organizations," France Info radio station reported, citing the Nord prefecture's statement. The police have also raided 12 homes of the Centre Zahra France's major leaders. According to French media, Centre Zahra France is a Shiite organization, known for its anti-Zionist rhetoric, namely, in social media. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Germany's ruling coalition parties agreed on an immigration law in a bid to attract highly-qualified foreign job seekers with German language skills to tackle labor shortage in German companies, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Tuesday. BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Germany's ruling coalition parties agreed on an immigration law in a bid to attract highly-qualified foreign job seekers with German language skills to tackle labor shortage in German companies, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Tuesday. "First, this is about what we will be doing with migrants who were granted permission to come to Germany. We agreed that we will be separating asylum and labor migration. We will add to the residence permit legislation the clear criteria to define the status of individuals who earn their living, have permanent employment and are well-integrated," Seehofer told a briefing. Moreover, qualified workers will get an opportunity to come to Germany for six months to look for a job, the minister added. According to Seehofer, the Interior Ministry will now be preparing the draft law to be submitted to the parliament. South Sudan's warring leaders signed another peace deal last month, but while the political elites prepare to carve up power once again, hunger and fighting continue far from the capital Kandak, South Sudan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :South Sudan's warring leaders signed another peace deal last month, but while the political elites prepare to carve up power once again, hunger and fighting continue far from the capital. "We heard they signed peace, but we've yet to see it here," said Mary Nyang, a 36-year-old resident of Kandak, an isolated northern village. Here, hunger is the norm and battles between government and rebel soldiers a very recent memory. The war began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. A brutal conflict flared up, often fought along tribal lines and characterised by massacres of civilians, rape and looting. Nyang is one of a staggering 4.2 million people uprooted since South Sudan's latest war began -- roughly a third of the population. A recent scientific study calculated that more than 382,000 people have died as a result of the civil war. Last year a man-made famine was declared in two opposition areas while the latest assessment, issued Friday, found that 6.1 million people are going hungry. "Conflict is the main driver of this desperate situation," said Pierre Vauthier of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Kandak is in an opposition part of the country and so suffers deliberate neglect: there are no public services, no schools, no health facilities. Harvests and markets have been disrupted by the war and so people here rely on aid agencies for deliveries of life-saving food. Lack of roads, insecurity and the sometimes deliberate targeting of aid workers -- 107 have so far been killed during the war -- mean that when food arrives it comes by air. "We are unable to move supplies either by road or river," said Tomson Phiri of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). - 'Enough is enough' - As a result people are barely surviving. "Food is a challenge, it is very little," said 28-year-old John Jal Lam, a father of eight children from two wives, as he collected his family's rations of sorghum. On the other side of the country, Kerwa, close to the border with Uganda, across which over a million South Sudanese have fled, is also opposition territory. The fighting continues, despite the peace promises. "The government doesn't respect the peace," said Brigadier General Moses Lokujo, a commander of the SPLA-IO rebel forces. Each side routinely accuses the other of being the aggressor, and both are belligerent in response. "We still fight for the freedom and democracy of our country, until we achieve the goal," said Lokujo. Here, in the Central Equatoria region, the latest confrontations are, in fact, a result of the peace deal with government and rebels fighting over whose officials will hold sway where. The violence means people in Kerwa are still more abandoned than those in Kandak, with no aid agencies at all and no food deliveries. (@rukhshanmir) The Kyrgyz National Security Committee (GKNB) said on Tuesday that it had detained affiliates of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist group (banned in Russia) who were conducting recruitment activities. BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The Kyrgyz National Security Committee (GKNB) said on Tuesday that it had detained affiliates of the Hizb ut-Tahrir terrorist group (banned in Russia) who were conducting recruitment activities. "During a joint operation with the [Kyrhyz Interior Ministry] in the Issyk-Kul region, the GKNB has detained active members of the outlawed Hizb ut-Tahrir religious extremist organization ... in the city of Karakol," the committee's press service said. According to the committee, a significant number of extremist materials was found at the places of residence of the detained. Kyrgyz law enforcement officials have repeatedly said that the country was witnessing a surge of radical Islamism, with the growing number of people propagating for the outlawed extremist groups. Additionally, up to 500 Kyrgyz nationals are estimated to be fighting in the Syrian war. (@rukhshanmir) Rome, Oct 2 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Oct, 2018 ) :A Libya conference will be held in Sicily in November, Italy's foreign minister said Tuesday, with talks focusing on an "inclusive approach" to stabilising the war-torn north African country while not fixating on a date for elections. The peace conference in Palermo on November 12 and 13 will aim to "identify the stages of a stabilisation process", Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi told the Senate. The meeting would drive towards "a common solution, even if there are differences of opinion between the parties involved", he said. Four key leaders from Libya agreed at a conference in Paris in May to hold landmark polls on December 10 as part of a French-led plan to stabilise the crisis-hit country despite ongoing violence and deep divisions. France, however, has faced opposition to the election timetable from the United States along with other European Union countries, notably Italy. Milanesi said he had received "confirmation of interest" in the conference from Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar as well as support from the US, and was planning on discussing the dossier with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday. "No deadlines will be imposed on the Libyans, nor tasks dictated," Milanesi said. Italy, a key supporter of the UN-backed government of Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli, said in September it wants to "maintain an active dialogue" with all well-intentioned actors in Libya. The Libyan capital has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed groups since dictator Moamer Kadhafi was driven from power and killed in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising. Sarraj's Government of National Accord has been unable to form a functioning army or regular security forces and has been forced to rely on militias to keep Tripoli safe. Militias formed the backbone of the uprising that toppled Kadhafi. Since then rival administrations, including one allied with Haftar and based in the remote east, and the militias have competed for authority and oil wealth in the North African country. Accused by his opponents of wanting to establish a new military dictatorship, Haftar refuses to recognise the authority of Sarraj's Tripoli-based GNA. (@ChaudhryMAli88) EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on the authorities of Nicaragua to stop using force against protesters as well as to ensure full accountability of those responsible for human rights abuses. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini called on the authorities of Nicaragua to stop using force against protesters as well as to ensure full accountability of those responsible for human rights abuses. "We call on the government of Nicaragua to stop the disproportionate use of force against demonstrators, halt arrests based on laws which criminalize peaceful protest, free peaceful demonstrators and re-establish the full respect of due process for all detainees," Mogherini said in a statement on behalf of the European Union. The diplomat also urged Nicaragua to ensure "full accountability" for perpetrators of human rights abuses and the disbanding of armed groups. More than 300 people have been killed and thousands injured since waves of anti-government protests began in April, according to media reports. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday urged Hungary and Ukraine to resolve the existing disagreements over the language issue. BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday urged Hungary and Ukraine to resolve the existing disagreements over the language issue. Last week, the Mission of Ukraine to NATO said that Hungary continued blocking meetings of the special NATO-Ukraine Commission at the ministerial level. "I hope that Ukraine and Hungary will resolve the differences that we all know are there, and I hope that through dialogue between Budapest and Kiev it is possible to find solutions to the disagreements," Stoltenberg told a press conference ahead of the ministerial talks slated for October 3-4. Budapest has already blocked the commission meetings at the level of heads of state and government over its tensions with Kiev, prompted by Ukrainian education law, stipulating that secondary and post-secondary education in the country will be only in Ukrainian, and children from national minority groups will be able to study in their native languages at the Primary school level only. While the law entered into force this year, the full switch to Ukrainian language-education is scheduled for September 1, 2020. Hungary, which has a big diaspora in Ukraine, has criticized the law as violating minorities' rights, along with other countries represented by ethnic minorities in Ukraine Russia, Moldova and Romania. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday he did not consider it necessary to increase US military presence in Poland, but refused to comment on the relevant plans of the Polish leadership. BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday he did not consider it necessary to increase US military presence in Poland, but refused to comment on the relevant plans of the Polish leadership. "NATO and the United States is already present in Poland, we have increased our presence in the Baltic region and in Poland already, with more exercises, with more rotational presence and with four new battlegroups, and the US is actually leading a battlegroup in Poland," Stoltenberg told reporters before the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Stoltenberg said he welcomed the strengthening of US military presence in other European countries, but added that it was not up to him to comment on Warsaw's plans, as they are "not on the NATO table. " On September 18, US President Donald Trump said at a meeting with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda that the United States was "considering" establishing a base in Poland. During the meeting, Trump said Duda had offered to give more than $2 billion toward the cost of the facility. The Polish president also suggested naming it "Fort Trump." The Russian Foreign Ministry, for its part, warned that the deployment of the US military base in Poland would be a very serious violation of the Russia-NATO Founding Act. (@rukhshanmir) A total of 145 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from neighboring Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement said on Tuesday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) A total of 145 Syrian refugees have returned to their home country from neighboring Lebanon over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Refugee Reception, Distribution and Settlement said on Tuesday. "Over the past day, 145 refugees (44 women and 71 child) left Lebanon for Syria via the Jaydet-Yabus [crossing point]," the center said in its daily bulletin. A total of 340 internally displaced Syrians returned to the places of their permanent residence over the same period, the center added. As the Syrian government has regained control over most of the country's territories from under the terrorist control, it is now focused on creating favorable conditions for the refugees' repatriation. Moscow assists Damascus in bringing home those Syrians who wish to do so, provides humanitarian aid to civilians and serves as a guarantor of the ceasefire. Terrorist organizations Jabhat al-Nusra (banned in Russia) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have agreed, under pressure from Turkish intelligence, to disband and withdraw their forces from the demilitarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, local media reported on Tuesday, citing sources with knowledge of the situation. DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Terrorist organizations Jabhat al-Nusra (banned in Russia) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have agreed, under pressure from Turkish intelligence, to disband and withdraw their forces from the demilitarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, local media reported on Tuesday, citing sources with knowledge of the situation. Al Watan newspaper reported, citing sources close to the Turkish Revolutionary People's Liberation Front, that Turkish intelligence had held several meetings with the leadership of these two groups. The sources said that Turkish intelligence had put pressure on the groups' leaders, while also pledging that the government would not carry out a military operation in Idlib. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, in turn, pledged to change its structure and alter its jihadist ideology so that Ankara does not qualify it as a terror organization any longer, the newspaper added. For its part, Jabhat al-Nusra promised to withdraw its troops and heavy weapons from the demilitarized zone, without any official announcement of the move, according to the media. Jabhat al-Nusra further promised to disband its so-called "rescue government" that manages the territories the group controls in Idlib. Part of this government will merge with the interim government created by the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces. Al Watan specified that Jabhat al-Nusra's condition for disbanding was a guarantee of security for its members and leadership. Idlib remains the only province from which the Syrian government has still not eliminated extremist and rebel forces. In mid-September, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to set up a demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib by October 15. Over 12,000 servicemen from Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will take part in joint army drills of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, dubbed Combat Brotherhood-2018, Lt. Gen. Alexander Lapin, commander of the Russian army Central Military District, said on Monday. YEKATERINBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2018) Over 12,000 servicemen from Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will take part in joint army drills of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states, dubbed Combat Brotherhood-2018, Lt. Gen. Alexander Lapin, commander of the Russian army Central Military District, said on Monday. On Monday, the drills started in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, and also in Kazakhstan. They are set to be held until November 2, and are also hosted by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The large-scale exercise includes several parts, called Search, Air Bridge, Cooperation, Frontier and Indestructible Brotherhood. "Today, the second stage of the joint strategic tactical exercise Combat Brotherhood-2018, involving six CSTO member states, has started. Five major drills will be held at five ranges. The space span and the scale of the drills are quite impressive. Over 12,000 servicemen and over 2,000 weapons, military and special equipment units and are involved, including 120 aviation equipment units," Lapin said in a statement. Lapin specified that new generation aircraft Su-34, modernized aircraft Su-25SM, and Mi-8 helicopters would be involved. He went on to say that the experience that the Russian Aerospace Forces had gained in Syria would be used during the drills. (@FahadShabbir) Thousands of Polish police officers gathered in Warsaw for a protest on Tuesday, during which they demanded an increase in wages and changes to the pension system, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene. WARSAW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Thousands of Polish police officers gathered in Warsaw for a protest on Tuesday, during which they demanded an increase in wages and changes to the pension system, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene. Officers are seeking higher salaries, their annual indexation, improvement of pension provision and increased overtime pay, as well as better staffing. The banners being held by the officers read: "Work on holidays, day and night, and no help from the government" and "Do not make us dog poor." The street rally was preceded by another protest, which came in the form of police punishing traffic violators as lightly as possible they tried to issue warnings to drivers instead of slapping them with fines. According to the organizers of the action, which lasted for several weeks, this was supposed to reduce budget revenues and draw the government's attention to the financial problems of the police. On Tuesday, several thousand officers gathered at Plac Zamkowy (Castle Square) in the center of Warsaw. The policemen hailed not only from Warsaw, but from other regions as well. Judging by the posters, they came from Podkarpackie, Warmia-Masuria, and other provinces. Rescuers also joined the protests. Despite the protesters saying they were rallying in their spare time or during their day off, most of them showed up in uniform. They intend to march through the center of Warsaw and pass their demands over to the prime minister's office. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will discuss bilateral matters, Moscow-Brussels relations, as well as the situations in Ukraine and in the Middle East, during their upcoming meeting, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will discuss bilateral matters, Moscow-Brussels relations, as well as the situations in Ukraine and in the middle East, during their upcoming meeting, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. Lyubinskiy said that Putin and Kurz, who is scheduled to visit Russia on Wednesday, would continue discuss all the aspects of Russian-Austrian relations. "And [they will] certainly [discuss] the most pressing international issues the situations in the Middle East and in Ukraine, and the entire bloc of issues related to Russia-EU ties, considering Austria's presidency of the Council of the European Union in this half-year period," Lyubinskiy said. Since this will be the fourth Putin-Kurz meeting in 2018, the major themes for discussion remain the same, but new topics may come up if the international agenda changes, Lyubinskiy added. "Russia's relations with the European Union, the stage where we currently are, our vision of the possible ways to move forward all of this will certainly be one of the most important aspects of the upcoming meeting. But both the Russian president and the [Austrian] Federal chancellor attach great importance to the enhancement of our bilateral agenda," Lyubinskiy said. He added that Kurz would begin his visit by attending the opening of the "Imperial Capitals: St. Petersburg - Vienna. Masterpieces of Museum Collections" exhibition in St. Petersburg's State Hermitage Museum. "This [exhibition] is a unique joint project of the Hermitage and the Art History Museum in Vienna, which are major international museums," Lyubinskiy said. He added that the Vienna museum had previously hosted the exhibition, which opened in June during Putin's working visit to the Austrian capital. "The chief sponsors [of the exhibition] are [oil] companies Gazprom [from Russia] and Austrian OMV, which celebrate their golden wedding, the 50th anniversary of their cooperation, this year. This is some kind of present from the companies to Vienna and St. Petersburg two cities that have much in common in terms of their spirits," Lyubinskiy said. According to the ambassador, the exhibition is not just an example of the cultural and humanitarian cooperation of the two countries, but also a symbol of their successful energy partnership. (@FahadShabbir) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic to address the recent developments in the region. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic to address the recent developments in the region. On Saturday, Vucic put Serbia's armed forces on alert after about 60 members of Kosovo's special forces were deployed near the Lake Gazivoda in the self-proclaimed republic's northern part, which is mostly inhabited by ethnic Serbs. Pristina reportedly explained its actions by security measures connected with its leader Hashim Thachi's boat ride on the lake. "I am sure we need to talk about the situation in the region," Putin said at the beginning of a meeting with the Serbian president. Vucic thanked Putin for his position "in defense of international law and the vital national and state interests of the Republic of Serbia." "The situation in the Western Balkans is very complicated, and Serbia, as a state, faces numerous provocations on a daily basis, and regardless of our desire to reach a compromise and maintain peace and stability, we are very far from any solution to the issue of Kosovo and Metohija," Vucic said, stressing that Serbia, nonetheless, would preserve its military neutrality. (@rukhshanmir) Russia-Austria bilateral trade increased by 70 percent in the first seven months of 2018, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russia-Austria bilateral trade increased by 70 percent in the first seven months of 2018, Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinskiy told Sputnik. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is scheduled to visit Russia on Wednesday to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Only in the first seven months of this year bilateral trade grew by 70 percent, last year growth rate amounted nearly 40 percent. Therefore we can say that we are exiting the 2014-2016 recession caused by the sanctions," Lyubinskiy said. Russia is prepared to resume a bilateral dialogue with the European Union because it recognizes that this is not a one-sided effort, Russian Ambassador in Vienna Dmitry Lubinsky told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russia is prepared to resume a bilateral dialogue with the European Union because it recognizes that this is not a one-sided effort, Russian Ambassador in Vienna Dmitry Lubinsky told Sputnik. "Our Austrian partners speak quite specifically about the interest to resume a normal working environment in the relations between the European Union and Russia. We are ready for this, of course, but this is not a one way street," Lubinsky said. The diplomat noted that Austria was one of the EU countries that had different views on a number of issues, including Brexit and the migration crisis, than the rest of the member states. Lubinsky's comments come ahead of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's visit to Russia on Wednesday. Relations between Moscow and the European Union deteriorated in 2014 after Crimea's reunification with Russia and amid the crisis in eastern Ukraine. The European Union and the United States imposed restrictive measures on Russia, while Moscow responded by imposing restrictions on food imports from the countries that supported the sanctions. Russia is grateful to Austria for the hospitality and security measures it demonstrated on the day when Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Russian Ambassador in Vienna told Sputnik. VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Russia is grateful to Austria for the hospitality and security measures it demonstrated on the day when Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the wedding of Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Russian Ambassador in Vienna told Sputnik. The wedding was held on October 18 in the southern Austrian province of Styria. The Russian president spent about an hour at the ceremony, danced with the minister, proposed a toast in German and left his best wishes to the newlyweds on the hood of their car. "Any visit of the president of Russia, irrespective of its format, is a big event. Even if it is a private visit, which happens, of course, very seldom. We are grateful to our Austrian partners and friends for their hospitality, including reliable safety measures," Ambassador Dmitry Lyubinskiy said. Following the ceremony, Kneissl said that she did not not have a close friendship with the Russian leader and did not expect him to accept the invitation to the wedding, but noted that personal contacts were important "for creating a base of trust in difficult situations, which, without a doubt, are present in our relations with Russia due to various reasons." Russian and Serbian pilots have started joint training in the Russian-Serbian BARS (Brotherhood of Aviators of Russia and Serbia) tactical flight drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd October, 2018) Russian and Serbian pilots have started joint training in the Russian-Serbian BARS (Brotherhood of Aviators of Russia and Serbia) tactical flight drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The drills have started in Serbia on Monday and will conclude on October 5. "As part of the Russian-Serbian BARS-2018 flight tactical exercises, the armed forces' pilots started the first flight missions - delivering tactical assault units to the destination and evacuating special forces from the zone occupied by a simulated adversary," the statement read. Moscow and Belgrade actively cooperate in defense. The first joint Russian-Serbian flight drills were held at the Ashuluk range of Russia's Astrakhan Region in October 2015. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The recent tensions between Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo show that the authorities on both sides are focused on their immediate political agenda rather than a sustainable solution to a decade-long conflict, Serbian opposition politicians told Sputnik. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The recent tensions between Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo show that the authorities on both sides are focused on their immediate political agenda rather than a sustainable solution to a decade-long conflict, Serbian opposition politicians told Sputnik. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday ordered the country's army to be on high alert after Kosovo's special forces were deployed in the vicinity of Lake Gazivoda near Belgrade-controlled Gazivoda hydroelectric power station, local media reported, citing the Serbian presidential administration. Kosovo and Serbia are vying for the control of the lake and the station. The Republic of Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008. However, a number of countries, including Serbia itself, Russia, China and Spain, among others, do not recognize its independence. AUTHORITIES WORKING ON OWN AGENDA The incident shows the Serbian and Kosovar authorities pursuing their own political agenda rather than focus on everyday issues, Bosko Obradovic, the president of Serbian opposition Movement Dveri, told Sputnik. "For several times already, the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina have resorted to similar means and connived to organize synchronized incidents to serve their daily political goals and distract public attention from burning issues related to their everyday life. The same thing happened with the recent arrest of the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Marko D[j]uric, and the recent visit by President Vucic to the north of Kosovo," Obradovic said. Djuric was detained by the Kosovar police in March and later expelled from Kosovo for allegedly having crossed the border illegally. Vucic visited Lake Gazivoda in early September after refusing to meet with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in Brussels. Thaci said that indirect talks through EU mediation had shown that there were still major disagreements between the two sides and they could not be settled fast. Meanwhile, Obradovic believes that the authorities in Kosovo and Serbia do not want a "sustainable solution for the cohabitation of Serbs and Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija." "The only thing they are interested in is to remain in power by faking conflicts and creating an atmosphere to deceive people into thinking that changing borders in the Balkans could be a sustainable solution," Obradovic said. Velimir Ilic, the president of New Serbia party, said the heightened tensions could even be the result of a Belgrade-Pristina agreement benefiting Kosovo's president. "Even though the background of this event, as [it is said] unofficially, is the agreement between Thaci and Vucic to animate the Kosovo electorate for Thaci's needs, this is a very dangerous game. We had the same situation with Vucic, who also went to Lake Gazivode for election purposes in order to animate his voters," Ilic told Sputnik. President of Enough is Enough (DJB) political movement Branislav Mihajlovic believes that Serbia should stay on alert over what he said was a "cheap provocation" on part of Pristina. "Deployment of special forces to Lake Gazivode is a sign of weakness and an immature political move by Pristina. Serbian authorities should remain on high alert, but should not buy into cheap provocations, as this one is. Diplomatic measures are always a preferred choice when dealing with tensions in Kosovo and Metohija," Mihajlovic told Sputnik. The politician stressed that his party had proposed a draft law that could provide a lasting solution. Under this law, the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo would be modeled upon that between Denmark and Faroe Islands. Obradovic said he was hoping that the presence of NATO-led Kosovo Force in the self-proclaimed republic should be balanced by the military presence of Russian forces. "For years I've been advocating the military presence of the Russian forces in the Serbian territory in order to strike a balance between the powers in the Balkans, thus creating conditions conducive to a lasting and peaceful solution ... A good place to start would be to grant diplomatic status to members of the Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center in Nis, which the staff there are still unable to obtain from the Serbian Ministry of the Interior," the politician said. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned the lack of reaction to the Lake Gazivoda situation from the international peacekeepers in Kosovo. Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday urged for restraint, adding that the alliance was fully supportive of Serbia-Kosovo dialogue. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Mogadishu, Oct 1 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :A suicide bomber on Monday rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into a vehicle carrying a European Union military convoy, injuring two civilians, police said. Al-Shabaab Islamists claimed responsibility for the attack against "European Union Christians", which targeted vehicles carrying Italian soldiers, in a statement on a pro-Shabaab website. "The attacked convoy was coming from the ministry of defence when targeted along the industrial road and ... two civilians were wounded. The military truck in the convoy that was struck was badly damaged," police officer Ahmed Ibrahim told AFP. The Italian army said in a statement that five Italian vehicles were in the convoy, and a vehicle with four soldiers onboard was "slightly damaged and able to return to the base". "No Italian soldiers were injured in the event", which took place some 700 metres from the defence ministry. The European Training Mission in Somalia (EUTM) was launched in 2010 to strengthen the country's transitional government by offering military advice and training. Somalia collapsed into civil war in 1991 that destroyed state institutions and has been wracked by an Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist insurgency since 2006. The Shabaab carry out regular bombings and armed assaults on government, military and civilian targets in the capital in their fight to overthrow the internationally backed government in Mogadishu. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday rapped Catalonia's separatist leader Quim Torra for "encouraging radicals" a day after clashes erupted in Barcelona on the anniversary of a banned independence referendum. Madrid, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday rapped Catalonia's separatist leader Quim Torra for "encouraging radicals" a day after clashes erupted in Barcelona on the anniversary of a banned independence referendum. Hundreds of pro-independence protesters knocked down barriers at the entrance of the regional parliament late Monday evening, provoking clashes with police and forcing the leader in Catalonia of anti-secession party Ciudadanos to leave the building under escort. The clashes topped a restive day in the northeastern region, where radical activists, many of them hooded, cut roads and railway lines on the one-year anniversary of the referendum, encouraged by Torra, who earlier in the day had applauded their form of street pressure. "President Torra must abide by his responsibilities and not endanger political normalisation by encouraging radicals to lay siege to institutions which represent all Catalans," Sanchez said in a tweet in his first reaction to the sensitive anniversary. Catalonia's independence referendum on October 1, 2017 was marred by a violent police crackdown on polling stations in footage that went around the world. A year later, the tables turned with images of radical independence supporters cutting roads and railway lines, muscling their way into a government building and clashing with police, making headlines in Spain. Even former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont, who is in self-exile in Belgium after last October's secession bid, condemned the violence. "If they are hooded they're not from the 1-0," he tweeted in reference to the referendum last year, which eventually led to a short-lived unilateral declaration of independence on October 27. That prompted then prime minister Mariano Rajoy to sack the regional government, dissolve the Catalan parliament and call snap local elections. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir Monday urged the international community to support Sudan in combating illegal immigration and human trafficking, and hosting refugees. KHARTOUM, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Oct, 2018 ) :Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir Monday urged the international community to support Sudan in combating illegal immigration and human trafficking, and hosting refugees. "We call on the international community to perform its duties of supporting our efforts in combating illegal immigration and human trafficking, and its duties towards the refugees," al-Bashir said addressing the Sudanese National Assembly (parliament). He vowed to double the efforts to control foreign presence in the country to protect security of citizens. Earlier, European countries vowed support for Sudan in combating human trafficking after Khartoum asked for logistical air and sea support to pursue multinational human smugglers. Considered as one of the crosspoints for human trafficking and illegal immigration, Sudan has recently been witnessing increasing number of organized groups involved in these activities. QUNEITRA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The Quneitra border crossing between Syria and Israel is ready for opening in the Arab republic, Lt. Gen. Sergei Kuralenko, the deputy commander of the Russian forces in Syria, told journalists on Tuesday. In late September, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the Jewish state was ready to open the Quneitra checkpoint, adding that "now the ball is in the Syrian court." "The border crossing is ready for opening and to start operating. This was preceded by significant work carried out by the armed forces of the Syrian Arab Republic with the assistance of the Russian Aerospace Forces, this refers, first of all, to the terrorists' defeat in the area," Kuralenko said. "Of course, the work at the checkpoint was launched by the Russian servicemen, by the Russian military police. First of all, we came to the site, checked it, then proceeded with extensive work to demine the area. At the final stage, the territory's clearance was checked by the mine clearance specialists of the UN mission," Kuralenko said. The conditions for the resumption of the checkpoint's work were created after the Syrian government forces regained control over Syria's southern areas and the UN peacekeepers returned to the line of separation with Israel. (@rukhshanmir) DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd October, 2018) Syrian railroaders intend to resume traffic on Damascus-Homs-Aleppo route in the coming months, head of Damascus Railways branch Radwan Takreiti told Sputnik on Tuesday. "Thanks to the Syrian armed forces the Damascus-Homs-Aleppo route became safe and was completely liberated from terrorists. Currently we are carrying out the procedures needed for the rail traffic resumption, God willing, and in the coming months we will launch traffic following this route from Damascus directly to Aleppo," Takreiti said. He added that the damage caused by terrorists during the war in the country was estimated at 500 billion Syrian lira (over $1.1 billion). Takreiti recalled that after the Syrian government forces regained control over the territories located south of Damascus, the railway traffic was resumed from Damascus' Kadam Railway Station to Damascus Exhibition Center. Besides, trains also run from Homs to coastal cities, in particular, to Latakia. Syria has been engulfed in an armed conflict since 2011. In late 2017, the victory over the Islamic State terrorist group (IS, banned in Russia) was declared in Syria and Iraq, with some territories of the two countries still being cleared of terrorists with the assistance of the Russian forces. The main efforts in Syria are currently focused on political settlement and post-war reconstruction of the country. The parliament on Tuesday approved a motion to extend the deployment of Turkish troops in Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) for another year as the UN-approved EU peacekeeping mission. ANKARA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 2nd Oct, 2018 ) :The parliament on Tuesday approved a motion to extend the deployment of Turkish troops in Mali and the Central African Republic (car) for another year as the UN-approved EU peacekeeping mission. The extension will be effective as of October 31, 2018 for another year. On Wednesday, the general assembly is scheduled to debate a motion to extend the government's authority to launch cross-border military operations in Iraq and Syria for another year. In September 2014, the 12,000-strong UN peacekeeping force Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) began their deployment in the troubled country. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in 2012 that authorized the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali, known as AFISMA. In early 2013, France sent troops to the West African country and, with the help of Chadian and other African forces, flushed out militants from the country's key northern cities. (@rukhshanmir) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The US Commerce Department has included Estonia-based Eastline Technologies and Adamir companies along with Moscow-based Real Components company on a black list over the alleged deliveries of the US electronic components which are prohibited for export to Russia to the country. "U.S. Department of Commerce, through its Office of Export Enforcement ("OEE"), has requested that I issue an order temporarily denying, for a period of 180 days, the export privileges of Eastline Technologies OU ("Eastline"), Adimir OU ("Adimir") ... OEE also has requested, pursuant to Sections 766.23 and 766.24 of the Regulations, that this order ("the TDO") be applied to Real Components, Ltd. ("Real Components") as a related person," the statement issued by the department on Monday said. The announced restrictions will also target Valery Kosmachov and Sergey Vetrov, who, according to the US authorities, were listed as co-owners of Eastline until late 2016 and reportedly maintained their roles in managing the company's affairs. The US Commerce Department suspected the companies mentioned on the list of transshipping the US-manufactured electronic components through Estonia and Finland to Russia, which, under the US law, requires a license. On August 8, the US administration announced new sanctions against Russia, consisting of two packages, over its alleged use of chemical weapons in the poisoning attack on former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK city of Salisbury in March. The first package of sanctions, which in particular, includes a ban on deliveries of dual-purpose electronic devices and components to Russia, took effect on August 27. Three US high-tech corporations have launched new partnerships to expand cybersecurity protection for domestic electoral, financial and healthcare systems, Raytheon announced in a press release on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) Three US high-tech corporations have launched new partnerships to expand cybersecurity protection for domestic electoral, financial and healthcare systems, Raytheon announced in a press release on Tuesday. "Raytheon Company's Intelligence, Information and Services business announced two partnerships to enhance cybersecurity protection for critical infrastructure systems such as electoral, financial and healthcare systems," the release said. The new agreements with Cybraics and Authentic8 will bring advanced protection technologies to Raytheon's global mission partners through a Cyber as a Service subscription model, the release said. "Agreements will provide security analytics, artificial intelligence and isolated browsers for enhanced resilience," Raytheon added. The partnership with Cybraics, an advanced analytics and artificial intelligence company, includes an artificial intelligence engine that rapidly learns environments and alerts security teams to threats and vulnerabilities across the spectrum, the release said. The alliance with Authentic8 uses the Silo virtual browser in the cloud designed to insulate and isolate the user from web content and attribution. Silo executes all web code in a secure remote environment while preserving full interaction with web content, Raytheon added. (@FahadShabbir) The US Navy has awarded a $171 million contract for full-rate production of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced in a press release on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2018) The US Navy has awarded a $171 million contract for full-rate production of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced in a press release on Tuesday. "The contract will deliver advanced capability to US warfighters as well as the Italian Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force to counter the accelerating proliferation of surface-to-air threats," the release said. AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system that homes in on electromagnetic radiation emitted by ground-based enemy anti-aircraft systems, the release noted. The $171 million deal is the seventh full-rate production lot for the advanced weapon, the release said. The missile was developed by Northrop Grumman and an Italian partner, and the weapon is currently integrated into systems on the FA-18C/D Hornet, FA-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft, according to the release. The United States will invest $28 million to improve the cybersecurity of the country's energy infrastructure, the US Department of Energy announced in a press release on Monday. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2018) The United States will invest $28 million to improve the cybersecurity of the country's energy infrastructure, the US Department of Energy announced in a press release on Monday. "Today, the US Department of Energy (DOE) is announcing awards of up to $28 million to support the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of next-generation tools and technologies to improve the cybersecurity and resilience of the Nation's critical energy infrastructure, including the electric grid and oil and natural gas infrastructure," the release said. The initiative will provide for the creation of innovative technologies that help prevent, detect and mitigate cyber attacks, the release added. The Energy Department's Cybersecurity for Energy Delivery Systems Division has to date developed and transitioned 35 technologies to the energy sector by partnering with industry, cybersecurity vendors, academia and National Laboratories, the release said. On September 20, US President Donald Trump signed a new national cyber strategy that includes plans to respond offensively against any nation that targets the United States. The plan aims to protect US information systems, improve resilience in cyberspace, and secure infrastructure. A lot has been written about the 40th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party's decision to introduce a market economy and allow private enterprise and foreign companies to do business and invest in China. This momentous decision was announced on December 22, 1978, at the end of the third plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The international community did not pay much attention to this even though it was a historic decision for both China and the whole world. The People's Republic of China opened itself to the world gradually and steadily, embarking on prodigious industrial and urban development and lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. In just four decades, a nation with a population of more than 1.3 billion people achieved a level of industrialization and urbanization that many Western countries took two centuries to realize. Many new cities sprouted especially along the east coast, and together with the major cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing, they became thriving industrial and trade centers that helped China to become a driving force in the economic development of many countries. The statistics are well known. China has the world's second largest GDP (US$12.2 trillion) and its share of the world economy has grown from 1.8 percent in 1978 to over 18 percent in 2017. In addition, China boasts the world's largest foreign reserves (US$3.2 trillion) and the third-highest volume of foreign direct investments (US$170 billion). Equally impressive has been the transformation of Chinese society. The success of the reforms and opening up has also substantially improved personal freedoms. More than 140 million Chinese now have passports to travel abroad and some 800 million communicate within and outside China through the internet. The information networks accessible to ordinary citizens have expanded beyond their wildest imagination and China is today at the forefront of the global frontiers of knowledge and technology. Changes of such dimensions and at such a speed inevitably impinge on people's way of life and long-held beliefs and customs. Yet for all the initial disruptions brought about by the changes, and the many challenges they created, most Chinese welcomed the transformation and enjoy its many benefits today. The marked improvement of people's living conditions has provided a strong base for continuity in political leadership and the government is firmly engaged in addressing the areas of social inequality, environmental deterioration and corruption. The eradication of large pockets of poverty that still exist, particularly in the inner regions, is also a top government priority. Meanwhile, the decreasing availability of cost-effective labor brought about by the overall higher living standards is being tackled by the expansion of the tertiary industry. Finally, the Belt & Road Initiative a US$1.3 trillion Chinese-led investment program that seeks to create a comprehensive infrastructure network of roads, railways, telecommunications, energy pipelines, and ports will enhance economic interconnectivity and facilitate development across Eurasia, East Africa and in more than 60 partner countries. This is a project of unprecedented magnitude, which reflects China's vision of the future and its determination to fulfill it. Despite all these extraordinary achievements, many Western policy analysts dispute the validity of China's political system, claiming that it is undemocratic because it is based on a single party the Communist Party of China. But China makes no pretense to be or to want to be a Western style democracy, nor does it seek to teach other countries how to govern themselves. Nevertheless, its system can indeed be described as China's own form of democracy, which it developed from its own culture and political experience. Chinese citizens expect the CPC and its leaders to govern the country while having the peoples' wellbeing at heart and not to seek power for its own sake. Quite emblematic in this respect, are the words pronounced by President Xi Jinping some years ago at the College of Europe in the Belgian city of Bruges: "Constitutional monarchy, imperial restoration, parliamentarism, a multi-party system and a presidential system, we considered them, tried them, but none worked." Forty years after the start of the economic reform process, the "Chinese Dream" put forth by President Xi Jinping is well on track to be accomplished. It's a dream of national rejuvenation and about making China a "moderately prosperous society" by 2020, a "modern socialist country" by 2035 and a "powerful country" by 2050. Today's Chinese see themselves more and more as heirs of a great civilization that was the world leader in culture, science, technology and administration right up to the 16th century. In this ideal conception, China the "Middle Kingdom," as it is still called in Chinese today aims to recover the grandeur of its past and lead its people and humanity into a new and long era of peace, co-operation and shared prosperity. Elenoire Laudieri is a Sinologist, she is the Chief Analyst on Chinese Affairs at Nato College Foundation and a foreign affairs writer for international magazines and publications. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Caritas Italy and Caritas Ambrosiana are channeling a sum of 130,000 through Caritas Indonesia-Karina for the affected people of Central Sulawesi province. By Robin Gomes Italys Catholic charities are joining its counterpart in Indonesia to bring help to those hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake and a devastating tsunami that struck the Central Sulawesi province on September 28. Caritas Italy, the social arm of the Catholic Church of Italy, has destined 100,000 Euros for the urgent needs of those hit by the disaster that has killed more than 1,200 people as of Tuesday. More bodies are likely to be found as rescuers began reaching coastal areas that were cut off by blocked roads and breakdown of communications lines. Rescuers have focused much of their attention so far on the coastal city of Palu, which has 380,000 people and is easier to reach than other hard-hit areas. The death toll for all affected areas reached 1,234, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in Jakarta, the capital. He said the toll is likely to rise. Nearly 62,000 people have been displaced from their homes, Nugroho said. More than 25 countries have offered assistance after Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appealed for international help. Little of that, however, has arrived in the quake zone, and increasingly desperate residents grabbed food and fuel from damaged stores and begged for help. Meanwhile, Caritas Ambrosiana, the charity arm of the northern Italian Archdiocese of Milan, has allocated an initial amount of 30,000 Euros for the affected people of Central Sulawesi. The initiative by the Italian Church is in response to the appeal for solidarity made on Sunday by Pope Francis. The funds will be utilized through Caritas Indonesia-Karina, to the local Caritas of the dioceses of Manado and Makassar that are the closest to the disaster region. Tuesday afternoon, a Caritas team from the Archdiocese of Makassar arrived in Palu to coordinate relief efforts from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, according to a post on Facebook by Caritas Indonesia-Karina. The team will conduct field studies while awaiting logistic assistance from Mamuju. The survivors are in desperate need of clean drinking water, food, rice, fish, bedding and tarpaulin. The head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Archbishop Hieronymos II of Athens, expresses his deep concern for the state of the country, including its foreign and domestic policies. By John Carr - Athens, Greece In one of his rare public statements, Hieronymos II told a meeting of the Holy Synod here in Athens that he feared the Greek state was rudderless after nearly a decade of wrenching economic crisis, a rising crime rate, crippled health and justice systems, inadequate welfare and what he called a lack of direction in foreign policy. Archbishop Hieronymos specifically warned against chauvinist tendencies against neighbouring Macedonia, with which the Greek government signed a tension-defusing deal last June. Hieronymos concerns reflect those of many Greeks, who worry that law and order are breaking down under the weight of a moral crisis. They believe that almost the whole political class is either incompetent or corrupt or both. The Archbishop did not go that far, but the gist of his message was plain and that was that the Orthodox church and its teachings are in danger of being forgotten in an increasingly secularized and crisis-ridden society. The United States has warned Russia that it must halt development of new missiles that could carry nuclear warheads or else the U.S. could take out the system if it becomes operational. That warning came on the eve of a meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his NATO counterparts. By Stefan J. Bos The United States ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison expressed concern that Russia's planned missile system violates the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, or INF. That Cold War-era pact bans an entire class of weapons all land-based cruise missiles with a range between 500-5,500 kilometers or 310 to 3,410 miles. NATO believes that Russia's so-called 9M729 system fits into that category. U.S envoy Hutchison said in Brussels that it was in her words "time now for Russia to come to the table and stop the violations." She warned Russia that if the system became capable of delivering, the U.S. would then be looking at the capability to take out a missile that," she said, could hit any of the US allies "in Europe and hit America. The envoy spoke shortly before U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was due to meet his NATO counterparts at a time of mounting tensions with Russia. European Allies Mattis said Tuesday that he intends to bring the issue up during his the NATO meeting. The defense secretary also made clear that he wanted to reassure European allies who expressed concern about President Donald Trump's rhetoric of America First. "The U.S. has acted, showing that our commitment to the transatlantic alliance remains iron-clad," he said. "Our NATO alliance has also acted. Every NATO ally is awake today to the reality of Russia's, malicious behavior. Every ally has now increased defense spending recognizing peace, and the rule of law is best maintained by strength and unity," Mattis added. Washington has reportedly shared intelligence evidence with its 28 NATO allies that Russia is developing the ground-fired cruise missile and that the system could give Moscow the ability to launch a nuclear strike in Europe with little or no notice. The U.S. wants NATO member states to put diplomatic pressure on Moscow, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that all allies are concerned by Russias continued work on the system. Russia denies wrongdoing. It claims that U.S. missile defenses violate the international pact. In the past, the Obama administration worked to convince Moscow to respect the INF treaty but apparently made no progress. The UN General Assembly in 2007 established the International Day of Non-Violence on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. By Robin Gomes United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the world to follow the enduring vision and wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi whose non-violent methods, he said, are a path to peace and development. Non-violence In a message for the International Day of Non-Violence on Tuesday, marking the birthday of the charismatic leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence, the UN chief said that at a time of protracted conflicts and complex challenges, Gandhis philosophy of non-violence remains an inspiration. At the United Nations, Guterres said, a world free of violence - and the resolution of differences through non-violent means - is at the core of our work. Guterres has timed an official visit to India, October 1-4, to participate in several events to mark the 150th anniversary of Gandhi. On Tuesday, he visited the Gandhi memorial at Raj Ghat in Delhi, where he laid a floral wreath in his honour. Social justice Guterres recalled Gandhis commitment to social justice. with inequality on the rise. He said it was important for a fairer globalization process to take root, based on human dignity, at a time when the world is striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, ensure gender equality and leave no one behind. Peace and development The Charter of the United Nations, said the Secretary-General, with its call in Chapter VI for the use, first of all, of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement and other peaceful ways to address threats to peace, echoes the spirit of Gandhis statement that non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. Noting that Gandhi proved that non-violence can change history, Guterres called on the world to be inspired by Gandhis courage and conviction as we continue our work to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights for all of the peoples of the world. Vietnamese officers on the C-17 aircraft The C-17 aircraft left Ho Chi Minh City early today and the second airlift, which transports the remaining military personnel and equipment, is expected to take place in two weeks. In total, the two airlifts will fly the 63 personnel and 64 tonnes of cargo needed to support the first military level 2 hospitals deployment to South Sudan. The contingent was sent off yesterday (October 1, 2018) at a ceremony at Tan Son Nhat International Airport attended by Vietnams Deputy Minister of Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Australias Deputy Chief of Joint Operations Command, Major General Gregory Bilton, and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Craig Chittick. Major General Bilton said, Vietnams first deployment of a contingent to a UN Mission is an important milestone. This airlift and other Australian Defence Force assistance to help Vietnam prepare for the deployment demonstrates our shared commitment to the UN, global security, as well as the strength of our bilateral relationship. The 64 tonnes of cargo to build the first military level 2 hospital in South Sudan Senior Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Kim Phung, director general of the Peacekeeping Department, said, Australia has provided several English language courses at different levels for officers serving at the military field hospital, a power generator, two ambulances, and especially two C-17 aircrafts to carry Vietnams peacekeepers and equipment to South Sudan tonight and on October 16. Senior Lietenant Colonel Phung also said, We would like to thank external agencies and international friends for their assistance and support over the past five years so that today the 63 officers working at the military field hospital can stand ready for their deployment to the UN mission in South Sudan. The Australian representatives and the officers of the contingent The strategic airlift is the first time the Vietnam Peoples Army has partnered with another nation to transport its forces overseas. It is the culmination of Australias support to Vietnam to achieve its goal of deploying a UN peacekeeping mission. Australia also provided specialist peacekeeping and English language training and essential equipment for the deployment of the field hospital. The airlift shows the high-level cooperation and trust between the Australian Defence Force and the Vietnam Peoples Army. This is a great way to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam and the 20th anniversary of defence cooperation between the two countries, said Craig Chittick, Australian Ambassador to Vietnam. US President Donald Trump told reporters China wanted to open negotiations but "frankly, it's too early to talk". (AFP/Jim WATSON) Trump told reporters China wanted to open negotiations but "frankly, it's too early to talk." With US tariffs now on US$250 billion in Chinese annual exports, about half the total that comes into the US market, and Trump threatening to target the other half, relations with Beijing have deteriorated. Chart showing the 2017 value of sectors that will be hit by President Donald Trump's new duties on Chinese-made goods imports. (AFP/Gal ROMA) That has spilled over into other areas of diplomacy: A meeting between Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, to discuss security issues has been cancelled, a US defence official said on Monday. And even the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that updates the existing continental free trade pact reveals Washington's strategy for countering China - by essentially forbidding any free trade deals with Beijing by any of the USMCA partners. Trump acknowledged the importance of relations with Beijing, especially in talks with North Korea, and left the door open to negotiations at some point. "China wants to talk. We want to talk to them. We want them to help us with North Korea," he said, referring efforts to negotiate a deal to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. But he again slammed China, saying "they have been ripping us off for so many years," and showed no sign of backing down on his threat to impose tariffs on all Chinese imports. "It's a privilege for them to do business with us." In the newly-agreed USMCA, negotiating a trade agreement with a "non-market economy" - which describes China's status - is grounds for any of the three North American partners to terminate the agreement and replace it with a bilateral treaty. 'CIRCLING THE WAGONS' AGAINST CHINA "That's huge. I've never seen anything like that," George Washington University trade expert Susan Aaronson told AFP. And while many countries have complained about Trump's "saber rattling" on trade, they seem to agree "they should all be aiming their tariffs at China," Syracuse University trade economist Mary Lovely said. The provision is "a clear signal of where they're headed," she said. "It definitely seems to be circling the wagons against China." The key lesson Trump could take from the NAFTA negotiations is that strong-arm tactics work and this could have ramifications for coming talks with China, Japan and the European Union. Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on autos worldwide, again invoking a controversial national security justification, and while the USMCA protects Canada and Mexico, the threat has brought Brussels to the table. Although most trade experts were surprised the final deal turned out as well as it did - incorporating many of the improvements from the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump jettisoned by backing out of that agreement on his first day in office - they say Washington's heavy-handed approach worked. "It's sad to say that," said Patrick Leblond, a trade expert with Canada's Centre for International Governance Innovation. Trump made unacceptable demands "and then added all these threats," which gained credibility when Trump actually followed through with tariffs on steel and aluminium, Leblond said. That, Lovely warned, "is going to be the playbook." Trump spelled it out himself on Monday: "Because of the power of tariffs and the power we have with tariffs, we in many cases won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are. And how good they are." Flash Two scientists shared the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, the Nobel Committee announced in Stockholm on Monday. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute has decided to award the 2018 physiology or medicine prize jointly to James P. Allison and Tasuku Honjo "for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation." This year's laureates showed how different strategies for inhibiting the brakes on the immune system can be used in the treatment of cancer. Their discoveries are a landmark in the fight against cancer, the committee said. Edward Smith, member of the Nobel Committee, told Xinhua that the significance of this year's award pointed to a "new fashion" in cancer treatment. All previous treatments focused on tumor cells, but this one was focused on the immune system. Cancer kills millions of people every year and is one of humanity's greatest health challenges. By stimulating the inherent ability of our immune system to attack tumor cells this year's Nobel Laureates have established an entirely new principle for cancer therapy, said a statement released by The Nobel Assembly. Allison studied a known protein that functions as a brake on the immune system. He realized the potential of releasing the brake and thereby unleashing our immune cells to attack tumors. He then developed this concept into a brand new approach for treating patients. In parallel, Honjo discovered a protein on immune cells and, after careful exploration of its function, eventually revealed that it also operates as a brake, but with a different mechanism of action. Therapies based on his discovery proved to be strikingly effective in the fight against cancer, according to the statement. Allison and Honjo showed how different strategies for inhibiting the brakes on the immune system can be used in the treatment of cancer. The seminal discoveries by the two Laureates constitute a landmark in our fight against cancer, the statement added. Thomas Perlmann, secretary-general of the Nobel Committee and the Nobel Assembly, told a press conference that Honjo "sounded extremely pleased" at the news. This year's prize is 9 million Swedish krona (about 1 million U.S. dollars). Felix Dorfin was arrested by Indonesian police after being found carrying a false-bottomed suitcase filled with drugs. (Photo: AFP/Pikong) Police said Felix Dorfin, 34, was carrying a false-bottomed suitcase filled with bags of cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines when he was nabbed on Sep 21 at the airport on the holiday island of Lombok, next to Bali. "Customs had a look at what he was carrying and after examining they found it was drugs," said Yus Fadillah, head of the drugs unit at the West Nusa Tenggara police. "The suspect ran but the officers caught him." It was not clear if prosecutors would seek the death penalty against him, if convicted. His arrest comes two months after another Frenchman, Michael Blanc, left Indonesia following an 18-year-jail term and several years' parole for trying smuggle drugs into Bali. He had been arrested the day after Christmas in 1999 at the tropical island's airport with 3.8kg of hashish hidden inside scuba diving canisters. He narrowly escaped the death penalty which has been handed to some other foreign drug traffickers in Indonesia - including two members of the notorious Bali Nine who were executed in 2015. French drug smuggler Serge Atlaoui has been on death row since 2007. High-profile cases like that of Australian national Schapelle Corby, who spent more than nine years behind bars for smuggling marijuana into Bali, have stoked concern that Indonesia is becoming a drug destination. Corby was deported in 2017 after several years of parole. SK Group is now a strategic partner of Masan Group Masan Group signed a strategic partnership agreement with SK Group on September 19. The agreement will enable the two parties to draw on each others strengths to accelerate Masans and SKs respective growth strategies. The corporate groups aim to jointly pursue transformational business opportunities in Vietnam and to synergise existing business units. SK Group is one of the largest corporate groups in South Korea, with business across energy, chemicals, telecommunications, semiconductors, logistics, and services. SK Group operates globally across more than 40 countries and had a combined revenue of $141 billion as of the end of 2017. SKs investment of approximately $470 million will entirely comprise of new capital and SK will own 9.5 per cent of Masan Group. The company plans to utilise the proceeds to fund its future growth initiatives, as well as to strengthen its balance sheet. With a strong balance sheet, Masan will add up to $50 million of net earnings per annum for the full year of 2019, while gross debt to EBITDA is expected to decrease to 2.5x by the end of 2018. Management expects core net after-tax profit to jump by at least 50 per cent in the fiscal year of 2018 and forecast similar base case earnings growth momentum for the 2019 fiscal year as each of its core business continues to deliver on its growth plans. Masan plans to consolidate cash at the group level by up-streaming free cash flows from its subsidiaries to build a strategic investment war chest and/or return capital to shareholders. MSN does not intend to issue additional shares to investors over the next three years. Muong Thanh Son La Hotel is the first five-star hotel in the northwest city of Son La In total, Muong Thanh Group has 60 three-to-five-star hotels offering nearly 12,000 rooms, making it the hotel chain with the largest number of rooms in Vietnam, as well as earning it the recognition as the biggest private hotel chain in Indochina. Additionally, the hotel group was the only Vietnamese brand nominated for the Asias Leading Hotel Brand 2018 title at the World Travel Awards. Muong Thanh Group is building on the treasured values and traditional culture of Vietnam with the ambition of becoming the global representative of the Vietnamese hospitality industry. The hotel chain presents customers with interesting experiences thanks to stylish design and modern facilities in a distinct Vietnamese cultural wrapping and international-standard services. Introduced for the first time in the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien in 1997, over the past few years, the Muong Thanh hotel brand has caught the attention of numerous domestic and international tourists with its significant growth. Each Muong Thanh hotel inherits the exceptional delicacy and elegance of the surrounding local culture. The brand weaves cultural heritage and the unique mountain landscapes of Northwest Vietnam into a seamless offering complemented by the friendly, warm hospitality of Vietnamese people. Changing its brand identity for the first time after more than two decades in 2012, Muong Thanh Group has been growing towards its newest brand identity, Vietnamese identity Muong Thanhs identity to guide visitors to get in touch with the millennia-old, unique Vietnamese identity. Inspired by brocade motifs, Muong Thanhs new identity is modern and full of character, offering services tailored to the needs and desires of four distinct customer segments. As the most luxurious segment of Muong Thanh Group, Muong Thanh Luxurys logo uses yellow and purple, expressing elegance, luxury, and sincerity. Muong Thanh Grand offers high-end hotels in big cities for a getaway from modern life. Inspired by lightning and brocade motifs and zigzag graphics to symbolise energy, momentum, and success. The dominant colour is blue, combined with yellow, offering a relaxing yet energetic environment, which is also reflected in the architecture, graphics, and interior. Muong Thanh Holiday hotels are located in the top tourist destinations in Vietnam and were built with a peaceful and open style. The circle and the emerald green were chosen to convey a sense of close personal touch, promising colourful experiences for visitors. Inspired by the image of the dancing girl in brocade motifs combined with the green of the northwest mountains, Muong Thanh Hotels three-to-four-star establishments offer reasonable prices and a cosy ambiance, promising holiday-goers a home in a faraway land. Following its successes in the Vietnamese tourism market, Muong Thanh Luxury Vientiane, famed as one of the tallest buildings in Laos to date, was built according to modern five-star standards, but still highlights the unique culture of the Land of a Million Elephants. The hotel also won the MICE ASEAN Venue Standard prize in early 2018, along with Muong Thanh Luxury Can Tho in Vietnam. With a distinguished direction and strategy, Muong Thanh Hotel Group is gradually asserting its position in the domestic hotel market, but is also extending its influence to other countries in the region and the world, contributing to the development of the Vietnamese tourism sector. FDI attraction and development has been progressing at an uneven pace across Vietnam Blazing disparity in attracting FDI More than a month ago, Binh Phuoc organised an investment promotion conference as a result of which the province has won capital commitments worth $1 billion. However, despite issuing new and attractive policies, Binh Phuoc has yet to attract large investment capital, as its total accumulated foreign invested capitl was $2.33 billion as of September 20, bringing it the 28th position in the All-time list of localities attracting the most FDI in Vietnam. Interestingly, Binh Phuoc and Binh Duong were both separated from Song Be province more than 20 years ago. Despite offering conditions closely similar to those in Binh Phuoc, Binh Duongafter 30 years attracting FDIranks in the 3rd position with over $30.8 billion. Similarly, Vinh Phuc and Phu Tho were split from Vinh Phu more than 20 years ago. At the time, Phu Tho had more advantages, including Viet Tri city with industrial parks and river ports. Vinh Phuc drew in VND300 billion ($13.2 million) for the state budget, three times as much as Vinh Phuc. During these 20 years, by seizing the advantages at hand, Vinh Phuc became one of Vietnams powerhouses. Attracting major investors like Toyota, Honda, and Piaggio has contributed to the provinces revolutionary transformation. Though Vinh Phuc is not yet one of the top-ranking FDI destinations, the $4.29 billion investment attracted is remarkable, especially compared to Phu Thos $1.19 billion. Resolving the disparity in foreign invested capital attraction among provinces and cities was emphasised not only in FDI attraction orientation for the coming period, which is being drafted by Vietnam Ministry of Planning and Investment, but also in New-generation FDI Attraction Strategy for the period of 2018-2030. These two typical examples were quoted by the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) in its report on Vietnams 30 years of FDI attraction, emphasising the giant gap between cities and provinces in attracting FDI. When designing the New-Generation FDI Attraction Strategy for the period of 2018-2030, specialists from the International Finance Corporation gave the same statement. According to this report, more than 70 per cent of FDI is now concentrated in 11 out of 63 cities provinces of Vietnam, which account for only 33 per cent of the population. The FIAs report showed that all of the countrys cities and provinces have acquired foreign invested capital. However, capital flows mostly converge upon Ho Chi Minh City ($44.4 billion) and Hanoi ($32.9 billion). Besides Binh Duong occupying the third rank, there are also Ba Ria-Vung Tau ($29.6 billion) and Dong Nai ($28.2 billion). In the bottom of the list are Dien Bien, Lai Chau, and Ha Giang, which have only attracted a few millions of dollars. The huge disparity in FDI attraction between cities and provinces is said to be the largest weakness in Vietnams FDI strategy in the past 30 years. Resolving the disparity Resolving the disparity in FDI attraction among cities and provinces was emphasised not only in the FDI attraction orientations for the coming period, which are being drafted by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, but also in Vietnams Next-Generation FDI Strategy and Vision for 2020-2030. Dau Anh Tuan, director of the Legal and Compliance Department under the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), expressed concern over the FDI disparity between cities and provinces. Attracting FDI is still regarded as a political achievement among local authorities rather than a tool to bring about economic and social impacts, he said. Recognising the situation, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Vu Dai Thang admitted that there was "underground competition among the cities and provinces in attracting FDI. Cities and provinces, which receive less foreign invested capital, will find it more difficult to attract foreign investors. For example, Binh Phuoc, which ranked the 28th in FDI attraction, will find it more difficult than Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. Yet, in the near future, the Ministry of Planning and Investment is going to put forward a new legal framework that encourages cities and provinces to co-operate with one-another and rise to success as a group, distributing gains more evenly. At the same time, there should be strategies to narrow the gap in FDI attraction among the cities and provinces. There must be individual FDI attraction policies that suit each localitys development level and available infrastructure, said the deputy minister. One of the key orientations in FDI attraction in the near future is to attract foreign invested capital which can enhance the areas strength, connecting and developing the territorial economy, regenerating and improving the environmental conditions, alleviating poverty, and narrowing the development gap among the regions. More specifically, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City focus on attracting hi-tech projects, modern services, research and development activities, and forming future financial-technological centres to accommodate Industry 4.0. In the provinces which have attracted large foreign invested capital volumes, such as Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen, Dong Nai, and Binh Duong, priority should be given to high value-added, environmentally friendly projects. In order to improve their competition capacity, cities and provinces which have low socio-economic development levels need to invest in building infrastructure and developing human resources. Besides,these localities should call for foreign capital in labour-intensive sectors, including industry and high-tech agriculture. GrabFood , photo: shutterstock A slew of newcomers In recent months, ride-hailing firms in Vietnam have been jumping on the food delivery bandwagon, eager to tap into the booming online food ordering market. For example, following the acquisition of UberEats, in May Grab brought out its on-demand food delivery service called GrabFood in Ho Chi Minh City. This marks Grabs next major step towards becoming an everyday super app that encompasses all sorts of services from ride-hailing and cashless payments to food delivery. At the same time, the Vietnamese subsidiary of Indonesias Go-Jek, Go-Viet, is also set to roll out its Go-Food food delivery service, in addition to its car-hailing and mobile wallets. In its home turf Indonesia, Go-Food is already the dominant player in food delivery and the firm hopes to repeat this success in Vietnam. It is easy to see why Grab and Go-Jek want a slice of the Vietnamese online delivery market. Research provider Euromonitor shows that Vietnams online food delivery market is growing exponentially and will be worth $33 billion in 2018. Further, revenues are expected to reach $38 billion by 2020 at a compound annual growth rate of 11 per cent between 2018 and 2020. Mathilde Tran, senior manager of CEL Consulting, told VIR that online food delivery could possibly enjoy rapid development in Vietnams urban areas, among customer groups like office workers, working women, and those with less time to shop, cook, and clean on a daily basis. Food delivery brings multiple options to choose from, is available at your door, and customers do not need to clean up after the meals, said Tran, adding that ride-hailing firms have a competitive edge thanks to their versatile platforms, huge customer databases, and a large number of drivers. Ashish Kanchan, managing director of Kantar TNS, pointed out that the food habits of Vietnamese people are changing rapidly due to a busier lifestyle, urbanisation, and internet connectivity. Ordering food online is the new norm, said Kanchan. For Vietnamese restaurants, making deals with food delivery platforms is a no-brainer, as they no longer have to limit their revenues by seating capacity. They can also rely on the logistics network of the food delivery platforms, as well as promote their business to a huge platform of consumers. Upon entering Vietnam, GrabFood and Go-Food will have to compete against existing players that focus on food delivery. The two biggest names are Foodys Now and Takeaways Vietnammm. Now, formerly Delivery Now, operates through both website and mobile app platforms. According to founder Dang Ngoc Minh, Now is the main income source of Foody, the eatery review startup. Meanwhile, Vietnammm has partnered up with more than 2,000 restaurants across the country and grew its business after buying out Foodpanda in 2015. Other players include VCCorps eat.vn and chonmon.vn as well as Lala by Ho Chi Minh City-based Scommerce Group. Not an easy ride With all the flurry of excitement, it may seem that food delivery services in Vietnam are a sure thing. However, the reality is that all of them are in for a tough game, and success is by no means guaranteed. It may be useful to look back at the ill-fated Foodpanda, which sold its Vietnam-based business to domestic rival Vietnammm in late 2015. Despite its popularity in 40 markets worldwide, Foodpanda encountered financial problems during its three-year run in Vietnam and failed to compete against Vietnammm and Eat.vn. The firm admitted upon quitting that it chose to focus on more developed markets. At the time, Vietnam was better suited for competitors with a longer-term vision. Elsewhere in the region, players are also feeling the heat. Sprig in India ceased business in late 2017, right after raising $56.7 million from investors. Last month, Singapores Fastbee, which delivers food via vending machines, also ran out of cash and stopped operations immediately. According to a sector report by market researcher McKinsey and Company, the biggest challenge for food delivery firms is speed. Consumers want their food hot and delivered to their doorsteps within 60 minutes, which means food delivery firms must race against time and the busy traffic. Tran from CEL Consulting added that as drivers can pick up food from a number of restaurants along the way, the combined route and time restraints can be challenging. Moreover, drivers must be equipped with thermal bags and conveyance. The food must always be kept warm and fresh, said Tran. In fact, most experts agree that hygienic standards can make or break a food delivery firm, as in the case of Chinas Meituan. In the past year, Meituan has fired two deliverymen for messing with the customers food and amid public outrage promised to launch sealed boxes to prevent any tampering. Ride-hailing apps, despite their superior logistics skills and vast customer base, are not yet experts in food hygiene and handling. Kanchan from Kantar TNS told VIR that a major task for ride-hailing services is to work with restaurants to ensure top-notch food safety. In mature markets, there are growing concerns of food safety and working with restaurants and kitchens, who may list their menus on their apps without appropriate food preparation and hygiene licences, said Kanchan. Last but not least, as is the case with e-commerce sites and startups in general, profitability seems to take the backseat for food delivery firms. In a race to increase their market share and attract new users, the apps are offering huge promotions and are burning investors money. According to analysts, investors will have to patiently wait before they can reap any profit from these food delivery firms. Recipe for success Experts like Kantar TNS believe that to come out on top, food delivery services in Vietnam must secure strong backing from investors and use the capital wisely. In a recent report, the research department at Siam Commercial Bank (Thailand) pointed out that the prudent use of money and localisation are key. As seen in the failure of Foodpanda in Vietnam, it is clear that local market knowledge and understanding are at the forefront. It is vital that food operators understand customers priorities in each market. The failure of Uber and Uber Eats in the ASEAN is partly attributable to Ubers lack of localisation efforts, said Siam Commercial Bank. The researchers at Siam Commercial Bank added that the line between food and non-food delivery will be blurred as startups will attempt to include both services. Differentiation can be done by providing a unique service or choosing a niche market, meeting sophisticated demands from consumers. Some startups, such as Grain in Singapore or Dahmakan in Malaysia, chose to build their own kitchen and control the entire supply chain. Others allow consumers to place multiple orders at different restaurants, similar to what Honestbee (Singapore) does. An app in China called Home-Cook went even further into the sharing economy and enables sharing home-cooked meals. However, most importantly, Tran said that to retain customers, food delivery apps must ensure good promotions, food safety, and fast delivery time, in addition to building a vast network of food providers. Industry 4.0 will provide momentum for development of the Vietnamese banking sector State Bank Deputy Governor Nguyen Kim Anh once said that the digital era is taking humanity by storm, ushering in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) with its distinct technologies such as Internet of Things, Big Data, cloud computing, AI, 3D printing, and blockchain. Concepts such as digital economy, digital banking, and fintech have become buzzwords among the business community, local people, and managers. Digitalising all banking transactions has brought a turnaround in financial services development in the 21st century. Disruptive technologies have given birth to a plethora of financial products and service provision channels. Transactions can now take place simply through a touch, a mouse click or a QR code. Financial products and services are being designed on simpler platforms such as peer-to-peer (P2P) lending or mobile payment. Not only payment, but many other services such as savings, investment, insurance, and borrowing now occur at a much quicker pace compared to traditional financial services models, said Kim Anh. The Vietnamese government and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) have presented a raft of guidelines and policies to approach the Industry 4.0 and gear the banking sector toward modernity. Several banks have swiftly engaged in research and development to keep up with contemporary trends and apply cutting-edge technologies in service provision, from there bringing fresh experiences to their customers and gradually giving a facelift to the banking sector, which has become more modern and increasingly professional. 2016-2017 was the transition period for SCB to carve a spot among the most trusted and versatile retail and modern banks in Vietnam, providing all-in-one financial solutions to customers. Towards this goal, SCB has made well-rounded preparations, from human resources and infrastructure to technology, products, and services. Particularly, its intensive investment in technology innovations has helped the bank bolster information security, simultaneously bringing the banks IT operations up to the level of the sectors leading players. SCB has deployed a string of technology projects as well as eminent products and services. From August 2017, the bank put a strong emphasis on upgrading its core banking and digital banking systems with Oracles latest version, Flexcube 12.4. The project was finalised one year later and went live from September 2018, helping the bank to mitigate risks while bringing fresh utilities to customers. Additionally, SCB has made various studies and applied state-of-the art technologies to its operation. It has successfully implemented FIS Front Arena Treasury system, which follows international standards, to boost efficiency of forex business, as well as applying budget management and automatic ordering programmes (purchasing order), giving birth to new products and services such as e-invoice and digital signature services, using QR codes on savings accounts to enhance privacy, and scaling up the use of smart payment methods such as Samsung Pay, QR Pay, and e-wallets to improve customers convenience. In addition to the time savings and convenience that technologies can bring, SCB has paid due heed to information privacy. Early this year, SCB was for the second time certified by the global organisation ControlCase, receiving its Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) certificate, version 3.2, said Le Minh Huan, deputy CEO of the banks IT Division. This is the latest version, with more stringent requirements on information privacy and security in payment card distribution and acceptance. We expect information technology will provide the fulcrum that enables SCB to gain an edge in the financial market, Huan added. It is believed that with proper guidance and policies from the Vietnamese government as well as drastic measures from the banking sector, Industry 4.0 will provide momentum for development and be comprehensively applied in the entire Vietnamese banking sector. Stocks rally due to trade war aid, illustration photo As the dark clouds clear on Vietnams stock market, discussion now turns to stocks that can benefit from the US-China trade war. Most investors seem to think that companies in the garment and textile sector will see the biggest opportunities, as evidenced by the recent bull run of their stock price. For example, TNG Investment and Trading JSCs revenue has risen by 51.72 per cent in September alone. The company expects 2018 revenue to jump 140 per cent from its original target thanks to new orders from the US. Similarly, stocks of Century Synthetic Fiber Corporation (CSFC) have gone up by 33 per cent this month. Chairman Dang Trieu Hoa told VIR that the US is now seeking new import sources of polyester filament, and CSFC is confident that it can meet US quality standards. This kind of yarn has a very good profit margin, so were working closely with partners to push our exports to the US, said Hoa. Other listed companies, such as Thanh Cong Textile and Garment Company, Mirae JSC, and Saigon Garmex Manufacturing Trade Company, are also delighted to be receiving new orders from the US. There is a general expectation that, to avoid tariffs, US clothing brands will diversify their supply chains and switch to Vietnam, bringing new business opportunities to the country. A notable US garment brand is moving its assembly line to Vietnam, and Mirae is now its official exporter. Our revenue from US customers has skyrocketed from VND165 million ($7,300) in 2016 to VND25 billion ($1.1 million) in 2017, said Kim Chul Soo, deputy president of Mirae JSC. Meanwhile, aquaculture businesses are also poised for strong growth. A business with great potential is Minh Phu Corporation, Vietnams number-one prawn exporter. Last week, its stock price hit a historic high at VND51,000 ($2.25), following a month-long bull run. Minh Phu is expected to push its exports to the US. The company also has an opportunity to increase its trade with China, which is the fourth-largest importer of Vietnamese prawn products. Tran Hai Yen, analyst at Bao Viet Securities, wrote in a recent report that Vietnams catfish producers such as Hung Vuong Group, Vinh Hoan Corporation, and Nam Viet Corporation are likely to push their exports to both major economies. Most investors are placing their biggest bets on Vinh Hoan Corporation, Vietnams leading catfish exporter to the US. The firms stock reached an all-time high of VND97,000 ($4.29) last week, after rallying by 33 per cent throughout September. When asked about the trade war, Vinh Hoan said it is switching to high-value products besides catfish and tilapia, aiming to enter a new market segment in the US. However, despite their general optimism about Vietnams textile and aquaculture stocks, some concerns have been raised. The Vietnam Cotton and Spinning Association (VCOSA), for example, is quite reserved about the positive impact of the US-China trade tensions on Vietnams garment and t extile industry. According to the VCOSA, it remains to be seen how the US will impose tariffs on Chinese garment and textile products. Most Vietnamese manufacturers import their materials from China, so the tariff risk may still be a problem if the US proceeds tax all products made with Chinese materials. Moreover, if Chinese manufacturers set up garment factories in Vietnam to avoid the tariffs, they will be able to compete against Vietnamese garment producers. Industry insiders are also concerned that Chinese manufacturers may export their products to Vietnam purely to export again to the US with a made-in-Vietnam tag. This may mean more competition for Vietnamese products. Similarly, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers also noted that both China and the US may impose stricter technical barriers on Vietnamese seafood products, due to higher protectionist sentiments in both countries. Vietnam needs to attract FDI projects of larger size and stature Vietnam says NO to mini FDI projects While foreign direct investment (FDI) flows registered in Vietnam are stable, the scale of many projects is too small. According to a report of the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first nine months, although newly registered investment reached $14.12 billion, equal to 97 per cent of the same period last year, the number of new projects increased by nearly 20 per cent. This means that on average, new foreing-invested projects have a smaller scale. The smart city project in Hanoione of the foreign-invested projects registered in the first nine monthsaccounts for more than $4 billion of the total newly registered investment. This means that the size of the rest of the new projects is even smaller than the overall average. It is not the first time that the concern about attracting the small-scale foreign-invested projects have been mentioned. Professor Nguyen Mai, chairman of the Vietnams Association of Foreign Invested Enterprises (VAFIE), thinks that it is necessary to review and evaluate the structure of small-scale projects to know which field they belong to. For service projects, small scale is understandable. Even so, we still need to consider whether we should attract such foreign-invested projects in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, said Mai. In fact, when summarising 25 years of FDI, the MPI thought about setting a minimum level of capital for foreign-invested projects, an initiative which received support from locality and sector leaders. Although it is not absolutely correct to say that small-scale projects are inefficient and unnecessary, if there are too many projects having investment capital under $1 million, we still need careful consideration, especially as Vietnam is moving towards attracting investment into hi-tech and projects that can have strong impact on improving socioeconomic development. Therefore, Mai said that we need to seriously consider and maybe say no to small-scale projects and give a chance to domestic companies instead. Relieving competitive pressure Besides the existing achievements, the MPI is still concerned about the effectiveness in attracting FDI in the upcoming time. The world economy is laden with risks, with and competition to attract foreign investment becoming more intense against emerging markets like Myanmar or Indonesia, which will make it more difficult to increase FDI in the coming years, the report of the MPI noted. For service projects, small scale is understandable. Even so, we still need to consider whether we should attract similar FDI projects in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Despite of existing competitive pressures, Mai still thinks that there is nothing to be pessimistic about. I bet that not only in 2019 and 2020, even years later, FDI will maintain its growth rate. His optimism is rooted in Vietnams popularity thanks to its reform efforts. Bjon Koslowski, DIHK International Service Co., Ltd., the delegate of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam) said that lots of German companies are considering moving supply to Vietnam due to increasing labour costs in China as well as the need to diversify their supply chains. Vietnam is becoming an investment spotlight thanks to the combination of low labour costs, diversified free trade agreement (FTAs), favourable geographical location, and open economy. Chris Argent, PepsiCos senior director, public policy, government affairs, and communication, said at the World Economy Forum on ASEAN 2018 held in Hanoi last month that Vietnam is one of PepsiCos 20 priority markets across the globe and is the eighth in the Asia-Middle East-North Africa region. We are focusing on expanding our food and beverage trade through continued investments, he stressed. To attract FDI more effectively, the MPI plans that departments at all level will intensify inspections and the supervision of the licensing process and the management of FDI foreign-ivnested projects, and reorganise licensing and post-licensing management. Besides, disbursement will be quicker, projects with outdated technology will not be licensed, and projects that use large land areas will be scrutinised, investment rate and the land area will be considered. In addition, the policy dialogue with the business community need to be strengthened to remove difficulties for investors investing in Vietnam so that they can operate effectively. Although detailed information has not been published yet, Vu Dai Thang, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, revealed that FDI attraction may hit a new peak in October when a series of large-scale projects are granted the investment certificates at the conference on reviewing 30 years of FDI attraction in Hanoi on October 4. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Photo: VNA While attending the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, taking place from September 25 to October 1 with the theme Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc stressed that Vietnam commits to always being an active and responsible member of the international community and the UN. Vietnam is making great efforts to ensure fairness and sustainable development, boost equality and support disadvantageous groups of people, protect the environment, and ensure rights and benefits for all people, he said, also underlining the necessity of promoting multilateralism and global partnerships with shared responsibility to make the UN stronger, more democratic, and more effective, and ensure adequate resources for UN operations, especially in support for developing countries. Vietnam also called on all UN member states to support Vietnams candidacy as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the 2020-2021 tenure. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh said that if elected, Vietnam will do its best to promote dialogue and co-operation to prevent conflicts and peacefully settle international disputes, protect civilians amid conflicts, and deal with the aftermath of wars, thus building sustainable peace. Vietnam will also work to strengthen co-operation between the UNSC and regional organisations, he said. Earlier, at a meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group at the UN on May 25, Vietnam was nominated by 53 Asia-Pacific nations for a position as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the 2020-2021 term. Vietnam served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC for the first time in the 2008-2009 term. Tran Viet Thai, vice head of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, told VIR that the voting for the new seat will be held by the UN General Assembly in June 2019. The nomination is a vivid illustration of Vietnams prestige among regional nations and it will create favourable conditions for Vietnam to mobilise support from countries in other regions, Thai said. According to him, there are several reasons behind Vietnams running for a non-permanent seat at the UNSC. For example, holding a non-permanent seat at the UNSC means the highest level of international integration that a nation such as Vietnam can reach. Besides, in the 2008-2009 tenure, Vietnam performed its role as a non-permanent member of the UNSC well. Thus, Vietnam has won great confidence from the international community. Vietnam joined the UN on September 20, 1977, and since then, the countrys relationship with the global organisation has seen steady progress. Vinh Long has been making efforts to improve its investment climate, Photo: Le Hoang Vu In 2003, Vinh Long formed the Trade and Investment Promotion Centre, which has been now split into the Centre for Investment Promotion and Business Support under the Vinh Long Department of Planning and Investment and the Trade Promotion Centre under the Vinh Long Department of Industry and Trade, to take the initiative in investment promotion activities. The province has also been proactive in setting up investment wish lists in each development period to attract investment. It has also joined hands with relevant, authorised management agencies to partake in investment promotion events abroad. As of the end of September, Vinh Long was home to 43 ongoing foreign-invested projects worth $476.6 million in total committed capital, of which disbursed capital amounted to $235.3 million, equal to 49.3 per cent. Foreign-invested projects came from across the globe. Taiwan has topped the list in committed capital volumes with nearly $213 million in seven projects, the Netherlands ranking second with three projects valued at more than $74 million, and South Korea the third with eight projects worth nearly $59 million. As part of the Vinh Long investment Promotion Conference event held in March, scores of foreign investors from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan showed keen interest in investment and business opportunities in the province across various fields such as agriculture, industry, urban development, and services. Some investment projects are about to complete investment procedures and become ready for deployment, such as a project on vegetable and fruit processing for export by Japanese investor Hatchando, one on apparel production by Malaysias Boker, and a project on footwear production for export by Ty Bach Ltd., a member company of Taiwanese footwear group Lai Yih Footwear. Foreign-invested enterprises have made significant contributions to boosting the provinces industrial production and export value, creating jobs for local labourers, and supplementing the provincial budget. The foreign direct investment capital volumes, however, remain modest and do not match the provinces actual advantages and potential. To tackle the situation and help the province court investors, Vinh Long has focused on improving the quality of planning, laying firm groundwork for investors and businesses to deploy projects in the province without a hitch. Efforts have been made towards facilitating the implementation of major projects with high spill-over effects on provincial development. Vinh Long is calling on investment into the local industrial zones (IZs) and concentrating resources on developing new IZs and industrial clusters to boost the cleared land bank ready to serve the growing investor needs. Developing distinct culture and tourism projects to attract visitors, and embarking on projects aimed at restructuring the sectors of agriculture, industry, and trade to create a driving force to propel the provinces growth are also deemed priority tasks. In addition to effectively implementing state policies and mechanisms to stimulate the private sector as well as small and medium-sized enterprises development, Vinh Long has outlined a raft of its own programmes and projects with similar targets such as a programme on startup promotion linked to business development or a project on streamlining agricultural produce and seafood consumption systems linked to agricultural restructuring, to name but a few. Efforts were also made to ensure constant improvements of annual assessment results related to administrative procedure reform and provincial competitiveness indexes, paired with effective implementation of various government resolutions and maintaining regular dialogues with businesses to help them clear obstacles in a timely manner. Vinh Long is set to put its public administration centre into operation in the first quarter of next year, in parallel to the deployment of a set of indexes on provincial competitiveness assessment at grassroots level across the province, paving the way to reach its ambitious e-government target. You are here: World Flash China's state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) of the China Media Group (CMG) announced on Monday evening that its Europe-based journalist Kong Linlin, who had been detained following a scuffle at a Conservative Party event in the UK, has been released with no charges. The UK police released Kong after briefly detaining her amid stern representations from the Chinese Embassy in the UK and public pressure, a spokesperson for CCTV said. An attorney said the event organizers handled the incident inappropriately. Any attempt or action to divide China is futile and against the trend of history, the spokesperson noted. "We urge the UK side to take concrete steps to protect our journalist's legitimate rights and avoid such absurd incidents from happening again," the spokesperson added. Following his appearance at the United Nations in New York last week, Prime Minister Hun Sen has labeled his visit to the United States a success. Writing on his Facebook page, the premier said: I would like to tell my compatriots about my mission with a brief statement: success! Hun Sen had attended the 73rd General Assembly and other meetings between September 27 and September 30. "Samdech Techo Hun Sen presented a key statement representing Cambodia, focusing on recent developments and achievements made by the Royal Government and regional and international issues as a common concern, he said. He added that he held bilateral discussions with world leaders, saying all meetings were aimed at strengthening cooperation and boosting ties and economic growth in the country. During his speech to the United Nations, Hun Sen spoke of the legitimacy of Julys general election, which saw his Cambodian Peoples Party win all seats in parliament after it banned the opposition. Hun Sen told the UN that Cambodians were reaping the dividends of peace, stability and rapid economic growth. He defended the manner in which the elections were organized and said criticism of the process showed the ambition to interfere on the part of world powers. Ear Sophal, an associate professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said in an email pointed out that while Hun Sen was speaking at the UN, several hundred protesters were gathered outside to denounce his more than 30-year rule. Thus despite all his high-level meetings, the people themselves were very displeased. His party paid for people to fly in to welcome him. It's what happens when you don't have enough of your own supporters to afford their own travel, he said. The claim that it was an assault on the people's will to not recognize the sham election is, in fact, an assault on the illegitimacy of the CPP. It's one thing to win when things are neither free nor fair, but to remove all pretense by dissolving the opposition--even the most hardened supporter must accept that it's a bridge too far. Prime Minister Hun Sen has said he is planning a major prisoner amnesty to coincide with a series of holidays that could see as many as 319 convicts released in the coming months. Each year the premier announces a list of inmates who he requests be released from prison as a goodwill gesture. This year I want to have a large-scale pardon on Pchum Ben Day, Independence Day and the 20th anniversary of the end of the civil war, he told a gathering in New York on Saturday. The Phnom Penh Post reported that some 319 prisoners would be considered for release on Pchum Ben, including two jailed opposition officials, Meach Sovannara and Oum Sam An. We have to work hard to unite the Khmer people so Khmers will not break apart. When they [convicts] acknowledge the mistakes we can make, we will do it within our mandate. I have the right to do so... Prison law states that the Prime Minister has the right to request a royal pardon at any time, he said. The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a conviction against a former rights worker and election official found guilty of defamation. However, the court sent the case back to the Court of Appeals for reassessment, citing a lack of evidence. Ny Chakrya, deputy secretary of the National Election Committee, was convicted by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for allegedly defaming officials and coercing judicial officials. He was found guilty and could face six months imprisonment if the verdict is not overturned. Am Sam Ath, head of investigations at local rights group Licadho, said the Supreme Court was right in referring the case back to the Appeals Court. But he said the case should be dropped as the land dispute at the center of the defamation allegations had already been resolved. He [Chakrya] had enough documents to support his work. So far we know that the arrested people, the community people, were released and their land dispute was solved. So I think its time to end this case, meaning that when the Appeals Court heads his case again, any charges against him should be dropped, he said. In 2015, deputy prosecutor Sok Keo Bandith and the investigating judge, Ky Rithy, of the Siem Reap Provincial Court, sued Chakrya for defamation after the then-rights worker held a press conference in which he said villagers detained during a land dispute in the area had been arrested unjustly. Chakrya sued the officials for allegedly making illegal arrests during the dispute in 2014. Uk Kimsith, a Supreme Court spokesman, said on Monday that the court had ordered the case be re-heard as it found a lack of evidence to uphold the conviction. The Appeals Court didnt have enough evidence to uphold the conviction issued by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court, he said. Licadho said there were several other discrepancies in the trial process, adding that civil parties and their lawyers were not present during proceedings and the investigation was hampered by Chakryas detention at the time. Budget concerns again hit China's Belt and Road initiative. A U.S.-China military meeting is cancelled. China's economy slows some more. Indonesia rescue teams battle debris and time. Killing malaria mosquitoes, and tracking climate change in the far north. North Korea says a peace treaty is not enough to denuclearize. Indonesia's tsunami death toll rises. Navigating virtual Singapore. New clothes from old in Hong Kong. Record setting art. Ageing wine underwater, and the newest cars on display in Paris. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. A top official opposes the establishment of a hybrid court in South Sudan; civil society activists in South Sudan warn the revitalized peace agreement could be in jeopardy; and youth activists call on South Sudanese lawmakers to provide financial aid to students studying abroad. Afghans Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah last week called on the United Nations and all nations to help his country in getting to "a new phase free of violence'' after more than four decades of conflict. During a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, he said in the past year Afghanistan has "turned a page and made unprecedented overtures to the Taliban to be part of a credible Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process." Abdullah said Afghanistan is looking forward to engaging with neighboring states to achieve regional peace and stability. Our people, who pose no danger to anyone, are demanding a fundamental change where they can play a constructive and collaborative role" in the region, Abdullah said. He elaborated on the issues in an interview with VOA's Afghan Service. "Anything that has an adverse impact on the stability in the region, it will have an impact on Afghanistan," Abdullah said, addressing the building tensions between the United States and Iran, Kabul's western neighbor. "We have millions of refugees there (Iran), we have trade relations" as well as other historical relations. Watch: Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah "Some of the areas that are of concern with us, we have raised it with our partners, including the United States of America," he added. But Abdullah was less confidant when speaking of Afghanistan's relations with its eastern neighbor, Pakistan. The two countries have been at odds for years, with Kabul accusing Islamabad of supporting terrorists operating across their shared border. Without specifically naming Pakistan, Abdullah told the U.N. gathering that the Afghan government continues its efforts to prevent some countries from using terrorism as a political tool for achieving their special goals. Abdullah told VOA that Afghanistan is continuing to work toward peace, not just for itself and Pakistan but for the entire region. "Whenever there was an opportunity we have seized it," he said. WATCH: Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah But "how much we have succeeded, how much not, that has not (been) dependent on our efforts only. The situation was not satisfactory, hopefully there will be opportunities from this point onward," Abdullah said, referring to the recent change in government in Islamabad and the election of new Prime Minister Imran Khan. The young man and three older men agreed to talk under the condition that neither their names, nor pictures would be used, as any identifying markers could put their lives at risk. In this area near Kabul, the Taliban have gained a stronghold. The younger man said the Taliban come regularly to this village to shop. The village is Khak-e-Jabbar, a district of Kabul province, less than an hours drive from Afghanistans capital. It has dozens of small villages, with populations ranging from 100 to several hundred people each. For years the Taliban had tried to get a foothold in this area. This year, they appear to have succeeded. Some blamed it on the cease-fire between the government forces and the Taliban in June, the first of its kind in 17 years of conflict, that allowed Taliban fighters to freely roam the area. According to the U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the Afghan Defense Ministry acknowledged in July that Khak-e-Jabar was the only area where the recent cease-fire exacerbated the security situation. A local TV channel, Tolonews, quoted Khak-e-Jabar Police Chief Mohammad Edris Yadgari in August as saying the number of Taliban had increased four-fold since the cease-fire. In a different story, Tolo quoted residents as saying the Taliban had gained influence in dozens of villages. Some cooperation with Taliban The three older men, veterans of the first Afghan jihad against the Soviets, thought the cease-fire had nothing to do with it. The situation, they said, had been deteriorating since the start of the Afghan New Year in March. They spoke in Pashto to the younger man, who translated their words in English. In this area, no one cooperated with the Taliban before. But now, some people have started helping them and giving them information, one said. They said the Taliban had started dispensing justice in some Khak-e-Jabbar villages through their mobile courts. They said every night, cell phone service in the area was turned off for about 12 hours. They thought the cell phone companies were forced to limit the service under threats from the Taliban. When one company, MTN, continued providing service in the area after 6:00 pm a few months ago, they said the Taliban blew up its tower. MTN has not replied to VOAs request for comment. Sayed Sulaiman, the civilian chief of the district administration, acknowledged the cell service disruption, but attributed it to maintenance work. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said they order cell service to be shut down in the evenings because Americans allegedly monitor phone calls and their raids or strikes lead to civilian casualties. "The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in attacks by Anti-Government Elements remained the leading cause of civilian casualties," according to a report issued by the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in July this year. Aminullah Habibi, a Kabul-based analyst who has advised NATO, said the suspension was to allow Taliban militants freedom of movement. They would probably like to prevent the locals from letting the government know that they are coming or going or who are they, he said. Its not restricted to this area, in many areas where they have control they try to impose those types of restrictions. Taliban demands Recently, residents say, the Taliban started occasionally coming to the villages and demanding residents provide them dinner. If it was a big group of militants, they would divide into smaller groups and go to multiple houses. In August, on Eid al Adha, a Muslim holy festival, after the cell signals dropped out in the evening, the Taliban members came to the mosque of Malang, gathered locals, and preached to them. During the day they cant come to our area since we are so close to the police compound, said the younger man, but at night people get up several times to check on things. His relatives sleep with their guns on the ready. The Taliban have also delivered an ultimatum, everyone in the area who worked for the government, and many did, had to quit their jobs within 18 months. It was not a bluff. A 70-year-old man, Qumandan Nazar from Chakri village, who worked with the district police, was killed on his way to work. Taliban spokesman Mujahid said the directive for people to leave government jobs was not just for Khak-e-Jabbar, it was countrywide. We ask that everyone should leave jobs that serve the Afghan government that is a slave to Americans, he said. Many people were considering options, including moving to the city. Many were relying on relatives in Kabul to help them get jobs as security guards, or drivers, or small shopkeepers. Islamic Emirates ID cards Locals said people who left their jobs after the Taliban ultimatum, but stayed in the area had been issued Islamic Emirates ID cards. That is the name Taliban use to describe their self-styled government. Card holders could move about freely in Taliban areas. However, no one had a picture of that card. People who have them hide it, they said. No one wants to show they have a Taliban ID. Mujahid said the Taliban help provide security to those who leave their government jobs. This summer, when the government needed engineers to survey the area for a dam in the Rojan valley, it sought help from the local elders, who in turn contacted the Taliban. Eventually, the survey was carried out under Taliban security. District chief Sulaiman denied the government sought Taliban help for the project, We used local elders help and their protection. The three old men, though, said the Taliban were physically present during the study. Elders in Afghanistan often play a key role in negotiations between the government and militant groups. In several incidents, elders have played a role in getting Afghan hostages released from the Taliban. Government performance questioned Sulaiman said while the Taliban presence in the area had been an issue this year, it was more or less under control. Some government officials visited the area today, he said, and there was no issue. A local man contacted by phone said the Taliban movement had decreased in the past few weeks because of the weather, and not because of any government action. Most of the locals say they were impartial between the government or the Taliban, albeit out of fear. We have informers from both sides in our midst, said one resident. Habibi said while it raised questions on the performance of the government that it was allowing the Taliban to gain a foothold in the area, in the end it was a reflection of the general security situation in the country. I dont think it is significant enough to threaten the city, he said. Many Afghan cities, like Ghazni, he pointed out, had a Taliban presence around it. In August, a Taliban offensive against Ghazni, was repulsed after several days of fighting. The Afghan Interior Ministry has not replied to requests for comments for this story. You are here: World Flash A suicide car bomb ripped through a European Union (EU) convoy near the Somali defense ministry in the capital of Mogadishu on Monday, police and witnesses said. A police officer who declined to be named told Xinhua over the phone that a convoy of the Italian troops was hit by a huge car bomb. "Italian troops traveling near Jalle Ziyad area were hit by a suicide car bomb. We didn't hear of any casualty," the officer said. Witnesses reported the blast, saying they have seen a huge plume of smoke rising above the place. "It was so huge; we learnt that foreign troops were targeted. Somali forces arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area," one eyewitness, Duniyo Ali, told Xinhua. Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for the latest attack, saying the car rammed into a convoy carrying Italian military advisers and trainers operating under the EU Training Mission in Somalia. However, the EU mission, which provides military support to the Western-backed government, has not commented on the latest incident, which sources said left at least two people dead. In five weeks, U.S. voters head to the polls to elect a new Congress and the outcome will have a profound impact on the next two years of Donald Trumps presidency. Intensity is building for the Nov. 6 election, especially among opposition Democrats seeking to win back control of the House of Representatives. But both parties could become energized, depending on the outcome of the polarizing confirmation battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. During the weekend, President Trump was on the campaign trail in West Virginia, whipping up support for Kavanaugh and blasting Democrats. Im not running, but Im really running and that is why I am all over the place fighting for great candidates, Trump told the crowd in Wheeling, West Virginia. You see what is going on, you see those horrible, horrible, radical group of Democrats and you see it happening right now. Emotional hearing The fight over Kavanaugh has animated those in favor of the judge and those opposed in the wake of a sexual assault allegation made by California professor Christine Blasey Ford. Ford detailed the alleged assault in emotional and riveting testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Bretts assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details. Supporters have rallied around Kavanaugh after the judge issued a combative denial later in the hearing. This confirmation process has become a national disgrace. You have replaced advice and consent with search and destroy. A final Senate vote on Kavanaugh is on hold until the FBI completes an investigation related to the allegations aired in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Trump said Monday he wants a comprehensive investigation but he also added, Id like it to go quickly. Declining support A new Quinnipiac University poll found that 48 percent of Americans surveyed oppose Kavanaughs confirmation, while 42 percent are in favor. Women voters in particular oppose Kavanaughs appointment by a margin of 55 to 37 percent. Men support the judge, 49 to 40 percent. Amid the furor over Kavanaugh, Trump is making a furious push around the country to help Republicans hold their narrow majority in the Senate. Promise me, you have to get out for the midterms, Trump implored supporters during a recent rally in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dont be complacent. You have got to get out for the midterms. You have got to vote. Many Democrats seem cautiously optimistic about their chances in November of flipping the House of Representatives back under their control. But even House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi says the party still has to follow through by turning out voters. Seeing the urgency and willing to take responsibility for what happens, understanding that you have to vote. If you dont vote, everything else is a conversation. And Democrats are also taking advantage of some star power of their own to rev up the party base including Trumps predecessor, Barack Obama. Obama recently rallied Democrats in Pennsylvania, targeting those who have skipped voting in past midterm elections. They will say, Well, I am going to wait until the presidential election. This one is actually more important. This is actually more important than any election that we have seen in a long time. Trump as motivator For both sides, there is little doubt that Trump will be the central figure in next months election. He has been out there endorsing people and working in a way that many thought when he was elected he would not be or working within the Republican Party and with other candidates, said John Fortier of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington. So he is fully in, for better or worse, and he will certainly help some candidates in Republican places, but may turn off people in others. Fortier is a frequent guest on VOA's "Encounter." Democrats have been turning out in big numbers in special elections and in primaries since last year, and that is a positive sign for the opposition, said Jim Kessler, a senior vice president for policy at Third Way, a center-left policy research group. I expect Democrats to take the House. I now even think they might take the Senate, even though the map is so difficult out there. The excitement among Democratic voters is very, very high. Republican voters are turning out too, but Democratic voters are really turning out, said Kessler. Many experts predict a Democratic takeover of the House would stop President Trumps agenda in its tracks and put the White House on the defensive. Some Democrats have talked about trying to impeach Trump. In short, there is little likelihood of looking for common ground, according to George Washington University analyst Lara Brown. The truth is, we are just not in the 90s anymore, and by that I mean that there really is not an appetite on either side for compromise. Trump is expected to stay busy on the campaign trail right up until Election Day, hopeful of blunting a Democratic surge that not only jeopardizes Republican control of both the House and Senate, but also could place severe constraints on his presidency. In five weeks, U.S. voters head to the polls to elect a new Congress and the outcome will have a profound impact on the next two years of Donald Trumps presidency. Intensity is building for the Nov. 6 election, especially among opposition Democrats seeking to win back control of the House of Representatives. But the polarizing battle over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh seems to be mobilizing voters in both political parties, as we hear from VOA National correspondent Jim Malone. Holding posters of Angela Merkel ahead of a scheduled visit to Israel by the German chancellor, Bedouin children appealed to her on Tuesday to help block Israeli plans to raze their hamlet in the occupied West Bank. Khan al-Ahmar's 180 residents, backed by foreign activists who have gathered at the site, have been waiting for bulldozers to move in at any time after an Oct. 1 deadline from Israel for the villagers to demolish their own homes expired. Palestinians say razing the Bedouin village's tents and tin and wood shacks is part of an Israeli plan to create an arc of Jewish settlements that would effectively cut off East Jerusalem from the West Bank, areas captured by Israel in a 1967 war. Israel, which has long sought to clear the Arab nomads from tracts of land between the settlements of Maale Adumim and Kfar Adumim, said Khan al-Ahmar was built without the required permits. Palestinians say such documents are impossible to obtain. The United Nations, European Union and human rights groups have urged Israel not to demolish Khan al-Ahmar, citing the serious impact on the community and prospects for peace. The expulsion plan includes relocation to an area about 12 km (seven miles) away next to a landfill. Earlier this month, Israel's Supreme Court gave the go-ahead for eviction after lengthy litigation. "When I walk to school every day, I'm afraid my school will already have been demolished," said Muna Abu Dahouk, 12. She and several other children carried posters of Merkel on which appeals for her help were scrawled. The German leader is due in Israel on Wednesday for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a government-to-government meeting of Israeli and German ministers. There was no word from Israel on Tuesday on when the village would be razed amid speculation by pro-Palestinian activists that the eviction would not be carried out until after Merkel leaves late on Thursday. Next to the encampment, a brown lake of wastewater formed on Tuesday, spilloff from a nearby Jewish settlement. Palestinians called it a deliberate attempt to force the Bedouin to leave. A settlement spokeswoman said the spillage was unintentional and result of a fault in the waste management system. She said a crew was working to repair it. Most countries consider settlements built by Israel on land it captured in the 1967 Middle East War as illegal and say they reduce and fragment the territory Palestinians seek for a viable state. Israel disputes this. Brazilian markets surged on Tuesday as a congressional farm caucus endorsement and stronger polling for far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro boosted expectations that he may block the leftist Workers Party from returning to power. The benchmark Bovespa stock index jumped 3.6 percent, flirting with a four-month high, and Brazil's currency, the real, strengthened 2.4 percent, on track to close below 4 per dollar for the first time in six weeks. "Bolsonaro's tide is rising," the Guide brokerage firm wrote to clients in a Tuesday research note. "Many forecast that Bolsonaro would not grow more in the polls. But last night's numbers show the opposite." As the former Army captain consolidates his position in an increasingly polarized election, a survey by polling firm Ibope released late on Monday showed Bolsonaro building a 10-point lead over second-place Workers Party candidate Fernando Haddad ahead of Sunday's first-round vote. In the likely case of an Oct. 28 runoff vote required by Brazilian law if no candidate wins a majority in the first round the Ibope poll showed Bolsonaro in a dead heat with Haddad, with 42 percent approval each. The Parliamentary Agricultural Front, which includes over 260 senators and lower-house representatives, formally endorsed fellow lawmaker Bolsonaro, whose hard-line rhetoric on crime garnered early support from Brazil's farm belt, where booming plantations are threatened by land invasions and robberies. Bolsonaro celebrated the endorsement in a video released over social media. He pledged to combine the Agriculture and Environment ministries, which he said would solve many of the farm sector's problems, without elaborating. Among female voters, Bolsonaro got a solid 6 percentage-point bump in the Ibope survey, compared with the same poll a week ago. That came despite the candidate's history of misogynistic comments and a weeklong social media campaign using the #elenao or #nothim hashtag in opposition to him. Last weekend also saw the largest female-led street demonstrations Brazil has seen in decades, denouncing the candidate. Cambodia has asked INTERPOL to investigate its allegations that Vietnam has repeatedly and knowingly accepted fraudulent permits for endangered luxury timber that is illegally logged across the border. Stocks of Siamese Rosewood, a luxury wood that can fetch tens of thousands of dollars per cubic meter, have been decimated in Cambodia by a rapacious logging industry along the countrys border with Vietnam. Letters compiled by Cambodia, in a submission to the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 2017, show senior government officials repeatedly implored Vietnam to take action. In 2013 Cambodia banned the logging of Siamese Rosewood (Dalbergia Conchinchinensis) and subsequently told Vietnam that any CITES permit for the species was, as such, fraudulent, the submission shows. Vietnam, nevertheless, continued to allow the entry into the country of rosewood, repeatedly referencing CITES permits, notwithstanding that they had been previously informed on several occasions of the illegality of those permits, wrote Ty Sokhun, the head of Cambodias CITES Management Authority, to the UNs International Environment House in October 2017. At a UN conference in 2016 the Cambodia CITES delegation sought an independent investigation by INTERPOL of the relevant circumstances of the case, he wrote in the letter objecting to Cambodias inclusion in a CITES review of significant trade. EIA senior forests campaigner Jago Wadley said that although though there was much finger pointing over who was responsible for the illicit trade, the evidence against Vietnam in this case was clear. Ultimately a state party to a UN convention has testified to the effect that Vietnam knew that fake permits were being used and ignored that information and continued accepting those fake permits, he told VOA. If the Vietnamese management authority has accepted those permits in lieu of information that the permits were fake, then it has done something wrong under the convention and needs to be held accountable. VOA inquiries to Ha Thi Tuyet Nga, director of Vietnams CITES Management Authority, and the countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs went unanswered. Wadley said that Ha Thi Tuyet Nga had, however, replied to EIA in a letter that did not appear to contest the accusation that Vietnam knowingly accepted fake rosewood permits. The have put forward an argument that we dont believe is pertinent, which is that because Cambodia had not asked the CITES secretariat to issue a notification about the fake permits, that importing parties are not in effect responsible to reject those permits, he said. Now we see nothing in the CITES convention that would exonerate an importing country for knowingly accepting fake permits just because the exporting country had not issued a notification through CITES. The luxury timber trade is so ferocious along the border that an entire protected forest in the region - The Snuol Wildlife Sanctuary - was literally wiped off the map and formally dissolved in February. In a briefing released last week, the UN Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) unearthed Cambodias submission in a bid to secure meaningful interventions to curtail the environmental devastation. The accusations come at a sensitive time for Vietnam, which is close to gaining streamlined access to the EUs timber market through a scheme - the Voluntary Partnership Agreement - that would see them largely self-regulate their exports. Inside Cambodia, illegal logging accusations have also been flying, with Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng making a series of startlingly frank remarks about the trade in a speech last week. Sar, who also serves as Minister of Interior, called enforcement efforts disastrous according to local media reports. We have satellite footage, it is impossible to hide. We watch the timber hauling from one place to another. As far as I know, it is in Mondulkiri province," he reportedly said. Sar took specific aim at the alleged use of the Sesan II dam reservoir clearance concession as a front for illegal logging far outside the permitted zone. They logged trees from another place and claimed that the timber was cleared from the basin. That means the clearing of the reservoir basin has never stopped even though the hydropower dam has already been constructed, he reportedly said. Powerful Cambodian Tycoon Kith Meng, who owns the firm licensed to clear that reservoir, has been called out by Cambodian police and government officials before for using the site as an illegal logging front. He did not respond to VOA requests for comment. In May, EIA detailed three sites of vast illegal logging operations, including some 60 sawmills operating at the Sesan II dam site. Commercially available data showed at least $75 million worth of timber was transported from Cambodia to Vietnam in the 2017-2018 logging season alone, it found. Wadley said Siamese Rosewood had been virtually wiped out from these areas after more was traded under fake CITES permits in one year than the entire known global stocks of the species. Nobodys ever really been held accountable for that scandal nor has it been acknowledged formally that Vietnam willfully violated the convention, he said. And really this is about trying to prevent these types of problems happening species after species, year after year, into the future. Catalan regional president Quim Torra issued an ultimatum to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Tuesday over the wealthy northeastern region's future. Torra indicated he could deny Sanchez the votes he needs to approve the national budget in Spain's parliament unless the government proposes by next month an independence referendum in Catalonia. Failure to get a budget passed could spell the end of Sanchez's four-month-old administration and bring a snap election. Torra, a leading secessionist, said in a speech in Barcelona that Catalan separatist parties won't back Sanchez in parliament if their demand for a vote on self-determination is not met. "Our patience ... is not endless," Torra said. "If a proposal to exercise self-determination in an agreed, binding and internationally recognized way is not on the table by November, the independence movement cannot guarantee for Mr. Sanchez any kind of stability in parliament." The ultimatum was aimed directly at Sanchez's growing predicament over his center-left Socialist government's spending plans for 2019. The minority government holds just 84 of the 350 seats in the country's lower house. That means it is relying on the expected support of other parties, including those supporting Catalan secession, to pass its state budget. As trade tensions between Beijing and Washington worsen, a debate is intensifying in China over the role private and state-owned enterprises play in the economy. The debate has even stoked fears that the communist-led government is preparing to nationalize private industries, analysts say. Under Xi Jinpings leadership and especially over the past year, after he scrapped rules on term limits for the president, allowing him to potentially carry on as Chinas ruler for life, the communist party has begun re-asserting its dominance over all segments of society, including business. Party on top In June, the party announced it was mandating all listed companies set up party organizations for their employees. Over the past two weeks, as tensions with Washington have ratcheted up, there have been articles posted online suggesting it was time private enterprises step aside and that China should move toward a large scale centralized private-public mixed economy. The private economy has accomplished its mission to help the public economy develop and it should gradually step aside, said Wu Xiaoping, a veteran financier, in one article. Despite a backlash, even from state media, the fact that the article was not immediately taken down was a sign the government was testing the waters to see the publics response, said said Frank Xie, an associate professor at the University of South Carolina Aiken. In China when there is something that the government doesnt want people to hear, it wont survive, as soon as it surfaces on the internet, on Wechat, it will be deleted and removed, right away Xie said. And yet this thing, the call by this guy stayed there for so long. A more recent comment from the Qiu Xiaoping, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Personnel and Social Affairs, was also met with a backlash. In recent remarks, Qiu said private enterprises need to be more democratic, allow for more participation in management and help strengthen the leadership of the party. Private assurances Chinese officials have given assurances that private companies would be looked after. During a visit to the northeastern province of Liaoning late last week, President Xi urged private companies to be confident. He also pledged that the party would unswervingly develop, support, guide and protect the private sector. Whether Xis remarks meant getting more involved in private companies affairs was unclear. Clearly, the private sector is deeply concerned. Against the backdrop of the U.S.-China trade war there are concerns that the Chinese economy will contract and that Chinese leaders may sacrifice private enterprises to prop up state-owned enterprises, said Lu Suiqi, an associate professor of economics at Peking University. Lu said that despite assurances, the commanding role that state-owned enterprises enjoy is unlikely to change. State-owned enterprises have long enjoyed a monopoly over key lucrative industries in China. Theyve also long been a hotbed for corruption. And yet, despite their access to 70 percent of the countrys financial resources, they account for around 30 percent of the economy. Private enterprises receive less access to capital and yet account for 80 percent of employment as well as contributing to 60 percent of the economic growth. But while many in and outside of China see SOEs dragging Chinas economy down and as an obstacle to free trade state owned enterprises are a key part of Washingtons trade complaints the party is likely to continue its effort to expand the size of state-controlled enterprises. Whether it is nationalizing private enterprises or making state owned enterprises bigger, it is all about expanding control, said Darson Chiu, a research fellow at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research. From Chinas point of view, expanding the size of SOEs, will make it easier to promote a planned economy and manage risks. That is the opposite of what President Donald Trump is asking China to do and if Beijing does press forward, the two will be on a collision course, said Frank Xie. Its only going to encourage Trump to move to the next step, with another $267 billion in tariffs, Xie said. Survive But serious risks are what China is facing, and it is not just the trade war. Chinas stock market is at its lowest point in nearly four years and industrial growth has slowed for four consecutive months. The Chinese economy is facing a range of problems, including massive government and corporate debt combined with tightening liquidity. Just last week, the head of Chinas biggest real estate firm Vanke created a stir online when he announced at a regular meeting that the companys main goal is to survive. Speaking at an internal meeting, where red banners with the same words survive were hung, Vanke Chairman Yu Liang said China is currently at a turning point and no industry will be spared the from negative economic impacts. A suicide bomb blast has ripped through an election-related gathering in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 14 people and wounding 42 others. The deadly blast in Kama district in Nangarhar province went off inside the campaign office of a candidate for the October 20 parliamentary elections. The fate of the candidate, identified as Nasir Mohmand, was not known immediately. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying it killed 35 people and wounded 55 others. Provincial government spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani, told VOA the casualties were expected to rise. The Taliban has denounced the elections, though IS has taken responsibility for most of the recent bombings and other attacks against civilians in Nangarhar. Afghans are set to head to the polls October 20 to cast ballots in elections for the lower house of parliament, or Wolesi Jirga, and district councils amid prevailing security concerns. The polls are being held after a delay of more than three years. I am outraged by attacks deliberately targeting civilians seeking to exercise their basic right to participate in elections, said UNAMA chief Tadamichi Yamamoto. This violence, including todays reprehensible attack in Nangarhar, is an assault on the constitutional rights of the people of Afghanistan, he added. Tuesday's violence comes as an Afghan watchdog has blamed counterinsurgency air-and-ground operations by pro-government forces for causing most of the 262 civilian deaths across the country in September. Another 524 people were wounded in war-related violence and women as well as children were among the 785 casualties, according to the non-governmental Civilian Protection Advocacy Group (CPAG). Separately, officials told VOA on Tuesday that the Afghan military during a counter-Taliban operations mistakenly bombed one of its own bases in the southern Helmand province. The incident in the Nad Ali district killed six Afghan soldiers and wounded eight others. The provincial police said an investigation was underway into the deadly attack. Britain cannot be bullied, Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Monday, sharpening the government's criticism of the European Union for taunting Prime Minister Theresa May and souring difficult Brexit talks. May's ministers have come out one by one at their party's annual conference in the city of Birmingham to warn the EU that they will embrace leaving without a deal if the bloc fails to show "respect" in the talks to end Britain's membership. Just six months before Britain is due to leave the EU in the country's biggest shift in foreign and trade policy in more than 40 years, May faces growing criticism over her proposals not only in her governing party but also in Brussels. Party unity is on British ministers' minds, and they are encouraging the faithful to direct their anger at the EU rather than at their prime minister, who some eurosceptic Conservatives accuse of leading Britain towards a "Brexit in name only." But the new strident tone has annoyed many in Brussels, especially when foreign minister Jeremy Hunt compared the bloc to the Soviet Union, the master of several states in eastern Europe which saw membership of the EU as a measure of their freedom. Other ministers, such as finance minister Philip Hammond, have taken a softer tone, pointing out that leaving without a deal could hurt Britain's economy, the world's fifth largest. But Raab said he had called on the EU to match the "ambition and pragmatism" Britain had put forward with May's Chequers proposals, named after her country residence where an agreement with her ministers was hashed out in July. "Unfortunately, that wasn't on display in Salzburg," he said, describing a summit last month in the Austrian city where EU leaders rejected parts of the Chequers plan. "Our prime minister has been constructive and respectful. In return we heard jibes from senior leaders and we saw a starkly one-sided approach to negotiation." "What is unthinkable is that this government, or any British government, could be bullied by the threat of some kind of economic embargo, into signing a one-sided deal against our country's interests," Raab said, later calling again on the EU to move their position and meet Britain half way. Instead of the much-hoped-for staging post, the Salzburg summit has become a byword for a sharp deterioration in the atmosphere of the talks, when British government officials felt May was ambushed by the other EU leaders over Brexit. "No Cherries" A tweet by European Council President Donald Tusk showing him offering May a selection of cakes with the comment: "A piece of cake, perhaps? Sorry, no cherries" "certainly had an impact," one official said. With no divorce deal and a standoff over the shape of any future relationship, the possibility of a "no deal Brexit" has increased, with some businesses preparing for what they see as a worst case scenario. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the discussion in Britain over Brexit was still far removed from reality. "The world is watching," said Matthew Fell, chief U.K. policy director at the Confederation of British Industry. "Every signal is hugely important in terms of setting the tone. So the more that people can coalesce around some areas of agreement such as an industrial strategy, innovation and skills would be hugely helpful," he told Reuters. But one source close to the government said there was now a sense that the EU had realized that the tone set in Salzburg was "perhaps a bit off" and, behind the scenes, conversations between the two sides were more constructive. Raab later said the government was open to looking at regulatory checks to try to ease talks on a so-called backstop to prevent a return to a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland - one of the outstanding issues yet to be agreed. Hammond, for one, was keen to pursue a more positive stance. After Brexit, Britain and the EU will still "be neighbors and we are going to have to carry on living with each other," he told the conference, again backing May's Chequers plan. "Mr. Tusk says it won't work. But that's what people said about the light bulb in 1878. Our job is to prove him wrong." But Hunt's popular line at conference, that the EU was acting like the Soviet Union, did little to soothe relations, provoking those eastern members of the bloc which only regained full independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. They joined the EU more than a decade later. Lithuania's EU commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told Hunt he was born in a Soviet gulag forced labour camp and was jailed by the Soviet KGB state security agency. "Happy to brief you on the main differences between EU and Soviet Union," he said. "Anytime. Whatever helps." But back in Birmingham, it was Raab, winning a standing ovation for his story about his father's journey from then Czechoslovakia after the Nazi invasion, who summed up Britain's new combative stance. "The EU's theological approach allows no room for serious compromise," he said. "If the EU want a deal, they need to get serious." Weekend fighting between rival ethnic groups in western Ethiopia killed at least 44 people, state affiliated media reported Tuesday. The clashes occurred on the border between the central Oromia and western Benishangul-Gumuz regions. Violence began when officials from Benishangul-Gumuz were killed by unidentified gunmen, said the Walta Media and Communication Corporate, citing the region's communications chief Zelalem Jaleta. The clashes between youths from rival ethnic groups armed with rocks and knives forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes with security forces deployed to pacify the area. Benishangul-Gumuz is one of Ethiopia's nine regional states, stretching to the border with Sudan. The U.N. humanitarian office OCHA said some 70,000 people had been displaced in the wave of violence. In its latest update, OCHA said the fighting began last Wednesday with the death of the four high-ranking officials. While Ethiopia's new Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has received praise from around the globe for his reformist agenda, a wave of communal violence mostly over land issues has marred the first few months of his rule. At least 58 people were killed in September when fighting broke out in the capital, with those fleeing saying they were targeted by Oromo mobs because they are members of minority ethnic groups. Fighting between the Oromo the country's largest ethnic group and the Gedeo minority in the south of the country meanwhile has displaced nearly one million people. You are here: World Flash Russia is developing and testing electromagnetic weapons, Vladimir Mikheyev, first deputy CEO of Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET), said Monday. "Electromagnetic weapon systems exist and are developing very efficiently," Mikheyev was quoted by TASS news agency as saying. "Tests are conducted constantly in the laboratory and at test sites," he said. According to Mikheyev, KRET, part of Russia's state hi-tech conglomerate Rostec, is also developing systems of protection against electromagnetic weapons. Electromagnetic weapons destroy targets with powerful electromagnetic waves. TASS said Russia intends to equip new generation drones with such weapons. The rise of the far-right in Germany has been well documented in the global media. But in the southern state of Bavaria, its popularity is being eclipsed by the opposite end of the spectrum. Recent polls put the Green party in second place ahead of state elections scheduled for October 14, which could make them kingmakers in any future coalition. Left-leaning politicians across Europe are watching with interest as they look for ways to counter the far-right surge on the continent. In Bavarias capital Munich, the beer-fueled Oktoberfest is in full swing and Green party politicians have joined in the celebrations making sure the TV cameras are there to record the moment. This is a party keen to show off its sense of local identity. The 33-year-old co-leader of the Bavarian Green party, Katharina Schulze, recently attended Oktoberfest celebrations in full traditional dress. In breezy tones on the campaign trail, she has repeatedly claimed there is something in the air that the political landscape is changing. Shes polling ahead of the center-left Social Democrats and the far-right Alternative for Germany party. What is really annoying a lot of people today is that we are always talking about hatred, hate speech, escalation. We are not focusing on that. Of course there are challenges we have to tackle courageously, but we need solutions and clever ideas not always this constant complaining about how terrible everything is just do it, Schulze recently told a campaign rally. Different agenda Its a message that appears to be resonating. The Green party is overtaking the Social Democrats in several German cities. Its leaders champion a radically different agenda: open borders and deeper European integration. They say Germany should be proud of taking in more than 1 million refugees. In times when theres a lot of fear of a rising far right and a Germany that is closing down, its a narrative that is now doing quite well for them, says Julian Gopffarth, a German political analyst at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The rise of the far right has received widespread media coverage and polls have the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany or AfD party in third place. But the Greens believe they have the momentum. Of course news is always driven by what is more shocking. And thats why I think its not as much covered as the rise of the AfD, said Gopffarth. He added that the Greens have learned from their rivals success, adopting some of the tactics that have driven far right support and playing up their candidates local attachment. To also strike some of the tones that the AfD has set, for example this Heimat [homeland] narrative trying to have a kind of Green perspective on what your homeland can represent for you in terms of ecology, he said. As part of that narrative, the Greens have criticized some big construction projects as attacks on Bavaria, accusing the government of pouring concrete over the "beautiful homeland." Is this the rise of a new green populism in Europe? The opportunity is there, said analyst Leopold Traugott of the London-based policy group Open Europe. There are some aspects that play into the success of the Green party that you can find in many European countries. There is the weakness of the main two political parties on the center-left and center-right in Germany, and there is the increasing polarization in a political debate that drives people both to the extreme open and extreme closing parties. Support questions Bavarias ruling Christian Social Union party (CSU), allies of Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democrats, look set to lose their absolute majority in the October 14 election. Complicated coalition talks could follow, with the Green party in prime position to seek power. The Greens broader challenge is to take its momentum deeper into Germany and Europe. Many analysts remain skeptical. Im not sure if many of the people are convinced by Green politics or policymaking as such but are more frustrated with the SPD [Social Democrats] or with other more left-leaning parties, said analyst Gopffarth. In his view, Germanys powerful industries might act as a brake on Green support. Germany has sometimes been seen as the heartland for the Green party," he added. "On the other hand, you have a very strong car industry, and of course that is the tension that the party has to grapple with. They are examples of the tensions that are pulling apart the traditional two-party centrist systems in many European countries. In Bavaria, the fragmentation of European politics is being played out in miniature and the Green party hopes success there could mark the birthplace of a new far-left surge on the continent. France has frozen the assets of two Iranian intelligence officials in response to an alleged aborted bombing attempt outside Paris in June, the French Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The French government said it also froze the assets of Iran's Ministry of Security and Intelligence. France's interior, foreign and economic ministries said in a joint statement the action reflects the government's determination to combat terrorism. "In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory," the statement said. The moves threaten to trigger diplomatic tension between the two countries as France tries to keep Iran in the 2015 agreement to limit its nuclear program and amid widespread unrest in the Middle East. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," the French government said. The planned attack was supposed to have targeted a meeting of thousands of Iranian opposition supporters. It was also attended by high-ranking U.S. officials, including close allies of President Donald Trump. France subjected Iranian diplomat Assadollah Asadi and another man identified as Saeid Hashemi Moghadam to six-month asset freezes. Asadi and five others were arrested by European police. Asadi is set to be extradited from Germany to Belgium for prosecution. Iran has denied any role in the foiled attack and accuses the People's Mujahedeen of Iran of coordinating the plot to discredit Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. One of Australias biggest power companies says it will close a major coal-fired power station as it invests in renewable sources despite pressure from the government in Canberra to keep it open. "Run down, dangerous and expensive" is how an Australian newspaper described the Liddell power plant, adding that it was the perfect symbol of the decline of the coal industry. The facility was completed in 1973 with an expected lifespan of 25 years, but it continues to generate power in a country that relies on coal to generate more than 60 percent of its electricity. The Australian government wants the plant to stay open for a few more years because of fears of power cuts and concerns about the potentially fragile state of the nations energy sector. Two years ago wild storms damaged transmission cables, causing a black-out across the entire state of South Australia. Ministers are also worried about the political implications of household power bills that have soared in recent years. But energy giant AGL plans to decommission the facility in the New South Wales Hunter Valley in 2022 as it concentrates its commercial interests on renewable sources of energy, including solar and wind. The company insists its decision is economic, and not ideological. Brett Redman, interim chief executive of energy company AGL says that despite pleas from the government the Liddell power station will close as scheduled in four years time. Our strategy to exit heavy carbon-emitting facilities over the long term is unchanged," he said. "We continue in an operational sense to review our plans but there is no change at this point to the Liddell exit date. I have spoken to and I have met personally Angus Taylor, the new energy minister. I found that to be a very comfortable meeting where he understandably is very worried about power price on behalf of Australias consumers. Australia remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels not only for domestic power generation, but also for economic reasons. It exports billions of dollars worth of coking coal, currently a key ingredient in the making of steel, and thermal coal, which is used for heat and power generation. Much is sold to China, and into Southeast Asia. Conservationists argue, however, that the coal industry is waning and that Australia should be vigorously pursuing alternative renewable sources. Despite Canberras continued enthusiasm for coal, which in Australia is cheap and plentiful, Australias energy mix is changing. There has been an increase in small-scale solar power generation, mostly through domestic rooftop panels and more consumption of natural gas. Greenland Prime Minister Kim Kielsen presented a new minority government on Tuesday, ending a political crisis that started when he lost his majority last month with the withdrawal of a pro-independence party. Kielsen of the social democrat Siumut party told a press conference in the capital Nuuk that he had agreed with the liberal-conservative party Atassut and the separatist, center-left party Nunatta Qitornai to form a minority government with the support of The Democrats, state broadcaster KNR reported. A political stalemate on the Arctic island has delayed expansion of major airport projects of strategic interest to both Washington and Beijing and created uncertainty over an ambition to attract foreign investments into its vast hydrocarbon and mineral resources. Greenland, eager to benefit from growing activity in the Arctic, plans to expand airports in the capital Nuuk, the tourist hub in Ilulissat and at Qaqortoq in southern Greenland to cater for direct flights from Europe and North America. The Arctic island is a self-ruling part of Denmark, which is concerned that Chinese investment on the agenda since Greenland's Prime Minister Kim Kielsen visited Beijing last year could upset the United States. Pro-independence party Partii Naleraq on Sept. 10 withdrew from a coalition formed in May over Denmark's plan to part-fund the upgrade of two airports. Kielsen's Siumut, the two other parties in the coalition, Atassut and Nunatta Qitornai, and the supporting Democrats all back a proposed Danish contribution to the airports. "I think the new government can survive at least a year," Mikaa Mered, an Arctic expert and professor at the Ileri institute in Paris. "Siumut and Kim Kielsen are trying to signal investors that they are really committed to their pro-business, pro-mining and pro-uranium platform," Mered said. The three parties will hold 13 seats in the 31 seats in parliament. Kielsen's Siumut party is the largest party in Greenland. The second biggest party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) was left out of the coalition. Greenland relies on fishing and annual grants from Denmark. The U.N. nuclear watchdog's independence is paramount and it does not take intelligence presented to it at face value, it said Tuesday in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's description of a "secret atomic warehouse" in Iran. Netanyahu, who vehemently opposes the nuclear deal between Iran and major powers that the International Atomic Energy Agency is policing, made the statement in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly last week. He urged the IAEA to visit the site in Tehran. A U.S. State Department official seconded that call, but a U.S. intelligence official called Netanyahu's assertions "somewhat misleading," adding that the facility does not contain anything that would enable Iran to accelerate activities banned under the deal. "The agency sends inspectors to sites and locations only when needed. The agency uses all safeguards relevant to information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," IAEA chief Yukiya Amano said in a statement. Amano's statement made no specific reference to Israel or the statement but it was his first public pronouncement since Netanyahu's speech. He said the IAEA has carried out so-called complementary access inspections, which are often at short notice, at all locations in Iran it has needed to visit. The IAEA has repeatedly reported that Iran is implementing the restrictions placed on its nuclear activities under the deal, which also lifted international sanctions against Tehran. President Donald Trump has, however, pulled Washington out of the accord and U.S. sanctions are being reimposed. "All information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review and assessed together with other available information to arrive at an independent assessment based on the agency's own expertise," Amano said. "In order to maintain credibility, the agency's independence in relation to the implementation of verification activities is of paramount importance," he added. Netanyahu's office, however, doubled down Tuesday and called for the IAEA to visit the location he described immediately. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also told reporters Israel would "expose additional facilities" at a time of its choosing. "There is not reason to wait," Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "The IAEA should check the site and immediately send inspectors with a radiation detector and the prime minister's statement will be found to be the whole truth." The United States has criticized an Iranian missile attack on purported militant targets in eastern Syria, calling it reckless, unsafe and escalatory. In a statement sent to VOA on Monday, Pentagon spokesman Cmdr. Sean Robertson said Iran took no measures to notify other military powers operating in Syria of Mondays predawn missile strike. Unlike Iran, he said, professional military forces such as those of the U.S.-led coalition in Syria and of Russia deconflict their operations to ensure maximum safety. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said six missiles launched from the northwestern province of Kermanshah flew over central Iraq and struck targets in the eastern Syrian town of Albu Kamal, near the Iraqi border. The IRGC said the targeted militants included takfiris a term Iran often uses for Islamic State fighters and Arab separatists, whom it blames for a Sept. 22 attack on an Iranian military parade in the southwestern city of Ahvaz, an assault that killed at least 24 people. U.S.-led coalition forces also have been targeting Islamic State (IS) militants in eastern Syria as part of a years long operation to eradicate the group from both Syria and Iraq. Robertson said the coalition is more than capable of defeating, without Iranian help, the remnants of IS in the Euphrates River Valley region that stretches from eastern Syria into western Iraq. Given the complex nature of the battle space, such strikes potentially jeopardize the forces who are actively fighting ISIS in Syria, he said, referring to an acronym for the militant group. Any Iranian activity in this area is reckless, unsafe and escalatory. In a VOA Persian interview, Hudson Institute analyst Michael Pregent said an Iranian missile strike in an area where U.S. forces are operating will be considered as a serious provocation by Washington. The United States now has to think about putting air defense assets in Iraq to protect against rogue Iranian missiles that are being launched across Iraq to supposedly target terrorist groups, Pregent said. Robertson said no coalition forces were harmed in the Iranian missile attack. But he said the U.S. military still is assessing the strike. The Pentagon spokesman also criticized the firing of the Iranian missiles over Iraqi airspace. Firing any missiles through uncoordinated airspace is a threat to civil and military aviation, Robertson said. Iran has not said whether it sought Iraqs permission for the strike. There were no reports of any Iraqi government response to the overflights of the Iranian missiles by late Monday. Iranian state television broadcast footage of the missiles being launched, along with commentary saying they were a slap in the face toward Irans foes, including the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, exiled Iranian defense analyst Babak Taghvaie, a former Iranian air force commander, tweeted that several of the medium-range Qiam missiles used in the strike failed after being launched. He also shared video clips purportedly showing missiles or missile parts falling to the ground and sparking fires in a rural area of Kermanshah. Iranian state run news agency Mehr later quoted Kermanshah Governor General Houshang Bazvand as denying that any missiles had failed and crashed into his province. Mondays missile strike was the third by Iran on the territory of its neighbors since last year. In June 2017, Iran fired missiles on Islamic State targets in Syria in response to a deadly IS attack on the Iranian parliament and the shrine of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran. Last month, Iran also carried out a missile attack on an Iraqi base of an Iranian Kurdish separatist group. Speaking to VOA Persian, Foundation for Defense of Democracies analyst Behnam Ben Taleblu said Iran has become increasingly emboldened to conduct such operations. When Iran fires a ballistic missile from its homeland against a target in a foreign country, this means that Iran is not afraid of the prospects of retaliation, and has probably calculated that it will be safe, Taleblu said. So we are going to a point in the Middle East, very quickly, where the threshold for Irans use of force is continuing to drop, as the accuracy of Irans missiles is continuing to grow. This article originated in VOAs Persian Service. Edward Yeranian contributed to this report from Cairo. Italy will host an international conference on Libya in Sicily next month to try to bring together opposing forces and forge dialogue in the warring nation, Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said on Tuesday. The meeting will be held in the Sicilian capital Palermo on Nov. 12 and 13, with key players from both within Libya and abroad expected to turn up, Moavero told parliament. "We want to find a common solution, even though there will be different opinions around the table," Moavero said, adding that the goal was to help restore peace in Libya and facilitate an inclusive political process ahead of possible elections. Italy has been tussling with neighboring France over how best to deal with Libya, which has been racked by violence for years following the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that overthrew strongman Mommar Gadhafi. Libyan leaders announced at a conference in Paris in May that they would hold elections on Dec. 10 as part of a French drive to stabilize the North African country. Italy bristled at the move to fix a date in the face of continued clashes between rival factions, and few Western diplomats believe the vote can go ahead in the current climate. Moavero said he did not expect the Palermo meeting would focus on specific dates. "No deadlines will be imposed or tasks set for the Libyans," he said. International support U.S. President Donald Trump has given his blessing to the Italian conference and Moavero said he would fly to Moscow next Monday to discuss the situation in Libya with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Rome expects high-level delegations from Libya's neighbors as well as from the Gulf, Turkey and the European Union. However, it was still not clear if Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, a dominant figure in the east of the country, would show up in Sicily. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) last year seized the country's second largest city, Benghazi, by expelling Islamist and other fighters. In an interview with Reuters published on Tuesday, Haftar said he still supported plans for national elections in Libya in December but accused other players of not fulfilling their promises that would have paved the way for a ballot. Italy has thrown its weight behind Haftar's main rival, Prime Minister Fayez Seraj, who leads a U.N.-brokered transitional government based in the Libyan capital Tripoli. Moavero met Haftar last month and said on Tuesday that the commander had confirmed "his interest in the conference." Gay rights advocates and members of Congress are criticizing a policy change by the U.S. State Department this week that will deny visas to the same-sex partners of unmarried United Nations and international organization employees posted to the United States. The couples have until Dec. 31 to legally marry in order to keep the non-diplomat partner's visa. Without proof of marriage, they will have 30 days to leave the country. The change, first reported by the Washington Blade in August, went into effect Oct. 1. It is expected to impact 105 couples, according to the State Department. "The change in policy ensures consistent treatment between opposite-sex partners and same-sex partners by requiring that same-sex partners, like opposite-sex partners, marry to qualify for derivative diplomatic visas," an agency official told reporters during a call Tuesday. The State Department defended the policy, explaining it is intended to match the department's own policy for family abroad, and to "promote equal treatment" of same-sex marriages. An official added that exceptions could be granted for countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage, but "act in a reciprocal fashion to [the United States] and our diplomats." Samantha Power, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., called the policy change "needlessly cruel and bigoted." Under a policy implemented in 2009 by former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, the United States issued visas to same-sex partners as "household members," regardless of their marital status. Unmarried heterosexual couples, however, did not receive a similar benefit from the U.S. A 2015 Supreme Court decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in the United States. "It is not meant to be punitive. It is a recognition and a codification of the fact that same-sex marriage is legal in the United States," a State Department official told reporters on condition of anonymity. Critics emphasized that only 12 percent of U.N. member states allow same-sex marriage. However, a State Department official told reporters that "most" of the affected families "are from countries where same-sex marriage is legal." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was a congressman in 2015 when he said he was "deeply saddened" by the Supreme Court's ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. During congressional questioning earlier this year to confirm his appointment as the country's top diplomat, Pompeo reiterated that he still believed it was "inappropriate" for two gay people to marry, but added that as CIA director under President Donald Trump, he treated all couples at the agency "with the exact same set of rights." Liberia's central bank did not lose more than $100 million in newly printed notes, its governor said on Tuesday, disputing prior government statements that have sparked outrage and a federal investigation. The information minister said last month that two separate shipments of cash containing a total of $104 million - or about 5 percent of the west African nation's gross domestic product - went missing over the past year. The scandal has saddled President George Weah with his biggest political crisis since he took office in January. Weah ordered an investigation and more than 30 former bank officials were barred from leaving the country. But in a statement on Tuesday, central bank governor Nathaniel Patray said an internal audit found that all the notes shipped from the Swedish printer between 2016 and 2018 were properly accounted for and stored in the bank's reserve vaults. Thousands of Liberians protested on the streets of the capital Monrovia last week. Among those hit with travel bans are former central bank governor Milton Weeks and Charles Sirleaf, the son of former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Weeks has said he had nothing to do with the missing cash and is cooperating with investigators. Reuters has not been able to reach Charles Sirleaf or his mother for comment. Authorities have raised a giant, iconic Mexican flag to half-mast in Mexico City's main square in commemoration of the 1968 massacre of student protesters by army troops 50 years ago. Students and surviving leaders of the 1968 student democracy movement are planning marches Tuesday to mark the anniversary of an event that caused such revulsion it helped spur long-term political reforms. It is unclear how many died in the nearby Tlatelolco plaza. Estimates range from the official version of 25 dead to a more recent investigation that identified 44. Activists at the time claimed hundreds, saying large numbers of bodies were carted off in garbage trucks. The government at the time feared the students might try to disrupt the Olympic games held in Mexico City a few weeks later. Flash In spite of the booming China-assisted infrastructure construction in Sri Lanka, Chinese television programs are hardly visible in Sri Lanka, while Indian and American media output is everywhere, according to Niranga Hettiarachchi, chairman and managing director of Sky Media Network during an interview in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. Niranga Hettiarachchi, chairman and managing director of Sky Media Network. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn] He called for greater efforts to carry out further cooperation and introduce more Chinese movies and dramas to Sri Lanka. "CRI [China Radio International] is only present in Colombo, and there is much potential to go [outside], especially to the areas where the Chinese projects and Chinese people are located," said Hettiarachchi, adding that the media could help people of the two countries gain a broader understanding of each other's culture. He said the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China would bring a lot of opportunities for Sri Lanka and open more doors to its people; however, the media should play a role in telling the people "what it is, how it works and how it can benefit countries along the route." Ashoka Piyaratna, news manager at CRI Sri Lanka, expressed his disappointment with the media life in Sri Lanka over the past 40 years, saying it was "losing its humanity." Ashoka Piyaratna, news manager at CRI Sri Lanka. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn] "There is a very limited coverage of the Belt and Road in Sri Lanka," he said. "The media should provide knowledge about it, inspire and educate people, and not just aim to be eye-catching." Nalin Aponso, president of Sri Lanka-China Journalists' Forum, emphasized that more and more cultural exchanges would be helpful for both sides, adding: "We need programs explaining how China is developing and in what areas." Nalin Aponso, president of Sri Lanka-China Journalists' Forum. [Photo by Wang Wei/China.org.cn] Since the Western media is quite dominant in Sri Lanka, Aponso said it was very important to ensure the voice of the Chinese media was being heard in the country. "The media has to be balanced and give a correct picture so that the people will not be misled," he said. He praised China's recent development in media technology, adding that "China can help Sri Lanka with good technologies, provide training to Sri Lankan journalists, and explore the possibilities of having exchange programs between the Sri Lankan and Chinese media." The time-tested friendship between the two countries would surely continue in a good way and be deepened further, he said. An envelope addressed to President Donald Trump containing a substance thought to be the toxin ricin appears to be connect to two letters intercepted at the Pentagon. "The Secret Service can confirm receipt of a suspicious envelope addressed to the President on Oct. 1, 2018," the Secret Service said in a statement. "The envelope was not received at the White House, nor did it ever enter the White House. " The letters sent to the Pentagon one addressed to Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and the other to Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson have tested positive for ricin, defense officials told VOA Tuesday. The envelopes were taken by the FBI Tuesday for further testing, according to Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Rob Manning. The two letters arrived Monday at the Defense Department's mail distribution center just outside the Pentagon. The Pentagon Force Protection Agency detected the substance during mail screening, so the letters never entered the Pentagon building, officials said. Ricin is a naturally occurring toxin found in castor beans. If inhaled, ingested or injected in a refined form, ricin can kill a person within 48 hours of exposure. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no antidote for Ricin. "All USPS (United States Postal Service) mail received at the Pentagon mail screening facility (Monday) is currently under quarantine and poses no threat to Pentagon personnel," according to Manning. The Defense Department's mail screening facility has about 15 employees who screen every envelope and parcel mailed to the Pentagon. All of those employees wear special suits to protect them from hazardous materials. The image of the United States has deteriorated further among its traditional allies after a year in which President Donald Trump ratcheted up his verbal attacks on countries like Canada and Germany, a leading survey showed. The survey of 25 nations by the Pew Research Center also showed that respondents from across the globe have less confidence in Trump's ability to lead than they do in Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Xi Jinping. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has pulled the United States out of international agreements like the Paris climate accord and Iran nuclear deal, cozied up to authoritarian leaders like Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, and criticized his neighbors and NATO allies. In June, after a G7 summit in Canada, Trump refused to sign a joint statement with America's allies, deriding his host, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as "very dishonest and weak". He has repeatedly attacked Germany for its trade surplus, low defense spending and reliance on Russian gas. Last week, when giving a speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, Trump drew laughter from world leaders when he claimed to have achieved more in his two years in the White House than almost any other U.S. administration in history. The survey showed that America's image, which took a big hit in 2017, Trump's first year in office, continued to deteriorate in many countries in 2018, particularly in Europe. Just 30 percent of Germans have a favorable view of the United States, down five points from last year and the lowest score in the entire survey after Russia, on 26 percent. Only 38 percent of French and 39 percent of Canadians said they had a positive view of the United States, both down from last year. Mexico inched up slightly to 32 percent. Faith in Merkel Highest The countries with the most positive views of the United States were Israel, the Philippines and South Korea, all at 80 percent or above. Across all countries, the U.S. got positive marks, with 50 percent saying they had a positive view, compared to 43 percent who were negative. Just 7 percent of Spanish, 9 percent of French and 10 percent of Germans said they had confidence in Trump's leadership. In 20 of the 25 countries surveyed, a majority said they had no confidence in Trump. Across all countries, an average of 27 percent of respondents said they had confidence in Trump. That compared unfavorably to Putin, on 30 percent, and Xi, on 34 percent. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the only leader in which a majority of those surveyed, 52 percent, expressed confidence. French President Emmanuel Macron was just behind at 46 percent. Despite Trump's low ratings, 63 percent of respondents said the world was better off with the United States as the leading power, compared to 19 percent who preferred China in that role. Allies took a dim view of the Trump administration's position on civil liberties, with majorities in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and Mexico saying the government did not respect the personal freedoms of its people. Reflecting Trump's "America First" stance, substantial majorities in 19 of the 25 countries surveyed said the United States did not take their interests into account when making international policy. The survey was conducted between May and August, and based on interviews with over 900 people in each of the surveyed countries. A trio of American, French and Canadian scientists won the 2018 Nobel Prize for Physics on Tuesday for breakthroughs in laser technology that have turned light beams into precision tools for everything from eye surgery to micro-machining. They include the first female physics prize winner in 55 years. Canada's Donna Strickland, of the University of Waterloo, becomes only the third woman to win a Nobel for physics, after Marie Curie in 1903 and Maria Goeppert-Mayer in 1963. Arthur Ashkin of Bell Laboratories in the United States won half of the 2018 prize for inventing "optical tweezers," while Strickland shared the remainder with Frenchman Gerard Mourou, who also has U.S. citizenship, for work on high-intensity lasers. "Obviously we need to celebrate women physicists," Strickland said shortly after learning of the prize. The Nobel prizes have long been dominated by male scientists, and none more so than physics. Strickland is the first woman Nobel laureate in any field in three years. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said last year it would seek to more actively encourage nominations of women researchers to begin addressing the imbalance. Strickland later spoke of how her predecessor, Goeppert Mayer, had been "allowed to follow her husband from job to job while he ... went up the ranks as a professor," while she was only allowed to teach or do unpaid research. "Women have come a long way," she told a news conference in Canada. Her win comes a day after Europe's physics research center CERN suspended an Italian scientist, Alessandro Strumia, for telling a seminar at the organization's Swiss headquarters last week that physics was "invented and built by men" and that women were now being favored in hiring for research positions. Jessica Wade, a physicist at Imperial College London who was at the CERN event and unhappy about Strumia's comments, said having a woman Nobel winner was also important given the current fight over U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who is facing sexual misconduct allegations. "This news could not come at a better time," Wade told Reuters. "After a week where a woman has been forced to describe her sexual assault to a live television audience of billions, and an academic at a prestigious university has said that women are unfairly promoted into senior positions in physics, even I the eternal optimist was starting to lose hope." Precision instruments The inventions by the three scientists awarded this year's Nobel Prize for Physics date back to the mid-1980s and over the years they have revolutionized laser physics. "Advanced precision instruments are opening up unexplored areas of research and a multitude of industrial and medical applications," the academy said on awarding the nine million Swedish crown ($1 million) prize. Ashkin's work was based on the realization that the pressure of a beam of light could push microscopic objects and trap them in position. A breakthrough came in 1987, when he used the new optical tweezers to grab living bacteria without harming them. At 96, Ashkin is the oldest ever Nobel prize winner, but he is still busy with fresh research. "I am busy working right now, writing an important paper on solar energy," he told Reuters in a telephone interview. "I'm surprised," Ashkin said about winning the prize. "A guy called me up on the phone and woke me up." Mourou and Strickland's research centered on developing the most intense laser pulses ever created by humans, paving the way for the precision instruments used today in corrective eye surgery and industrial applications. The prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace have been awarded since 1901 in accordance with the will of Swedish business tycoon Alfred Nobel, whose discovery of dynamite generated a vast fortune used to fund the prize. Physics is the second of this year's crop of prizes and comes after the medicine prize was awarded on Monday for discoveries about how to harness and manipulate the immune system to fight cancer. However, for the first time in decades no Nobel Prize for literature will be given this year after a scandal over sexual misconduct allegations saw a string of members leave the board of the Swedish Academy that awards it. About half of young Americans expect to be financially better off than their parents, according to a new poll, a sign that the dream of upward mobility is alive but somewhat tempered. The poll, by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and MTV, found that half of 15- to 26-year-olds said they thought they would be better off than their parents in terms of household finances. About 29 percent expected to do as well as their parents, and 20 percent expected to be worse off. Parents were slightly more optimistic: Sixty percent said they thought their children would do better than they did, a view that held true for parents across all income groups. Overall, only 12 percent of parents said that they felt their children might do worse. It's no longer a guarantee that children will achieve upward income mobility. About half of the Americans born in 1984 earned more at age 30 than their parents, down from 92 percent in 1940, according to the study by famed economist Raj Chetty and others that was released in 2016. Jennifer Narvaez, 23, is among those who expect their financial futures to be brighter than those of their parents. The Miami resident said she expected to have more opportunities as a college graduate to get a job and own a home than her parents, who grew up in Nicaragua and immigrated to the United States. Narvaez holds an undergraduate degree in biology and is planning on attending medical school to become a cardiologist. 'A weird time' Narvaez is less certain about the prospects of the U.S. economy, particularly as the nation appears to be marching into a trade war with China. "It's a weird time,'' she said. "I feel like it's hard to predict what will happen because of the kind of administration we have.'' Alex Barner, 20, also felt optimistic that he might fare better than his mother, who had him at age 18 and raised him as a single mother. He is attending college in New Mexico and is considering a career in business management. While Barner is hopeful he will do well in life, he also has some concerns about the trajectory of the nation and its economy. Like Narvaez, he's concerned by the trade policy of President Donald Trump's administration. Barner also said he felt politicians needed to focus more on matters that affect people in the here and now, such as health care and student loan relief. Respondents were divided about how they expected the nation's economy would fare in the year ahead. About 29 percent of young people expected the economy to improve, 30 percent expected it would get worse and 41 thought it would stay the same. Similarly, 35 percent of parents expected improvement, 27 percent expected conditions to get worse and 38 percent expected the economy to stay as is. The Youth Political Pulse poll was conducted Aug. 23-Sept. 10 by the AP-NORC Center and MTV. The poll was conducted using NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. It includes 580 young people ages 15-26 and 591 parents of children in the same age group. The margin of sampling error for all young people is plus or minus 6.6 percentage points and for parents plus or minus 7.5 percentage points. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Pyongyang on Saturday to try to further denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the State Department said on Tuesday. Pompeo will also travel to Japan, South Korea and China from October 6-8, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. "I think it shows forward progress and momentum that the secretary is making his fourth trip back in less than a year," Nauert said. "Of course, we have quite a ways to go but we look forward to the next steps in this conversation," she added. Pompeo's visit comes ahead of a planned second summit between Kim and President Donald Trump. The invitation to return to Pyongyang to discuss North Korean denuclearization efforts was made during a meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho amid U.N. sessions last week. Nauert said the meetings in Japan, South Korea and China were intended to brief counterparts on the talks in Pyongyang. Kim has committed to give up his country's nuclear weapons although his actions have fallen short of Washington's demands for a complete inventory of North Korea's weapons programs and irreversible steps to give up a nuclear arsenal that potentially threatens the United States. Following are some of the many possible contenders to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as EU chief executive after elections to the European Parliament in May. Apart from electoral uncertainty, it is unclear that national leaders will follow Parliament's call for them to pick a European Commission president from among the lead candidates of parties contesting the ballot. Conservatives Manfred Weber An MEP for 14 years, the 46-year-old German has led the biggest EU parliamentary group since 2014. He has declared he will run and he can be confident of support from German Chancellor Angela Merkel despite his youthful years and lack of the government experience that is usual for commission presidents. Diplomats in Brussels say, however, Merkel could still drop Weber to secure another prominent job for Germany, like the head of the European Central Bank, which also comes vacant next autumn. Michel Barnier The EU's chief Brexit negotiator ruled himself out of the race on Friday. Alexander Stubb The former Finnish prime minister announced he would challenge Weber at an EPP nominating convention in Helsinki on Nov. 8. Stubb, 50, competes in "Iron Man" triathlons and is multilingual, unlike Weber, who does not speak French, or Barnier, who rarely seems comfortable in English. Other names cited have included Merkel allies Peter Altmaier and Ursula von der Leyen and French IMF managing director Christine Lagarde not to mention the wild card of Merkel herself, who is now in her fourth term. Socialists Marcos Sefcovic The Moscow-educated Slovak diplomat who has worked in Brussels since 2004 and is Juncker's vice president for energy, said in June he would run. He is 52. Sources in Brussels say he stands no chance in the top job race but will be Bratislava's pick for a portfolio in the next commission. Christian Kern Austria's former chancellor, Kern is known for his strongly pro-European stance. He said earlier this month he would seek to win a seat in the European Parliament next May. Federica Mogherini The 45-year-old was catapulted into the high-ranked commission post of EU foreign policy chief in 2014. She could benefit from efforts to promote female candidates and a better left-right balance in Brussels but may struggle to get the necessary support from the new populist coalition in Rome. Helle Thorning-Schmidt Danish prime minister until 2015, at 51 she is perennially cited as a center-left hope for senior EU roles but lacks backing from the ruling right in Copenhagen. Frans Timmermans Juncker's Dutch deputy, 57, is a former foreign minister and passionate, multilingual advocate for the EU but his party's national eclipse counts against him. Pierre Moscovici Former French finance minister, 60, now EU economics commissioner, his party's national disarray is also a disadvantage, as is German wariness over his commitment to Berlin's vision of a eurozone of tight public finances. Nadia Calvino Long a senior commission civil servant, at 50 she has the rare distinction for EU Socialists of being in government, having been named Madrid's economy minister in June. Liberals Guy Verhofstadt Former Belgian prime minister who leads the liberals in the EU parliament, his age (65) and outspoken advocacy of much more powers for Brussels may limit his appeal. Margrethe Vestager As a woman, age 50 and with a star profile in Brussels from attacking tax avoidance and monopoly powers among U.S. multinationals like Google and Apple as the EU competition commissioner, the Danish former economy minister is widely talked about as a liberal who could win support beyond her party even if Denmark's ruling conservatives oppose her. Cecilia Malmstrom Another straight-talking, 50-year-old Scandinavian woman who has had a big role in Brussels' tussles with Washington, the EU trade commissioner and former Swedish Europe minister could tick similar boxes to Vestager. Mark Rutte Dutch prime minister for eight years, the 51-year-old may be tempted by a new job. He is solidly pro-EU but appeals to those who want its budgets and powers kept in check. Xavier Bettel In five years as Luxembourg prime minister, during which he married his male partner, the 45-year-old has built good relations with fellow national leaders. They might balk at choosing another Luxemburger after Juncker, but his friendship with the even younger Macron could be an asset. A female suspect allegedly paid tens of thousands of euros for the assassination of a Slovak reporter, whose death shocked the nation and led to the resignation of its prime minister, prosecutors said Monday. The suspect, identified as Alena Zs, allegedly ordered the murder, paying 50,000 ($58,100) and forgiving a debt of 20,000. The hitman was identified as Tomas Sz, a former police officer. Two other accomplices are in custody. Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova were found dead from gunshots wounds at their home near Bratislava in February. Kuciak, 27, had been reporting on links between Slovak politicians and the Italian mafia. Prosecutors say he was killed to prevent his story from being published. Kusnirova was apparently an unintended victim. Kuciaks death was the first targeted killing of a journalist in the countrys history. Public outcry against the murders and government corruption was so strong that Prime Minister Robert Fico was forced to resign in March. Local media reported Alena Zs had been an interpreter for Slovak multimillionaire Marian Kocner, whose business activities were being scrutinized by Kuciak at the time of his death. Kocner is reportedly the godfather of the Alena Zs daughter. Kocner, 55, owns several companies. He has been in custody since June on suspicion of having forged promissory notes. He has not been charged in connection with Kuciaks killing. Observers say the murders are characteristic of a European political climate that has increasingly shifted away from freedom of the press. Despite the fact that Slovakia is a democracy and is an EU member, there has been this somewhat negative trend in regards to media freedom for some time, Gulnoza Said of the Committee to Protect Journalists told VOA News. It climaxed this year when Jan Kuciak and his fiancee were found murdered. That just shows that even the situation in countries that have always been, or at least for some time have been considered democracies, is changing, she said. Taiwan's vice president will visit the Vatican to "deepen ties" after the island's only official ally in Europe made a historic deal with Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The announcement comes less than two weeks after the landmark agreement between China and the Holy See on the appointment of bishops, which paved the way for a rapprochement between the Vatican and the communist country. That raised questions over the future of official ties between Taiwan and the Vatican as China makes a concerted effort to poach the island's dwindling number of diplomatic allies. China sees self-ruling democratic Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified and demands its allies forfeit recognition of the island. The Vatican currently officially recognizes Taipei, not Beijing. Vice president Chen Chien-jen will visit the Vatican on October 14 to attend the canonization of Pope John Paul VI, the foreign ministry said. The visit will include a private audience with Pope Francis and Chen will invite him to Taiwan, said vice minister of foreign affairs, Kelly Hsieh. Chen's trip would "deepen Taiwan-Vatican diplomatic relations", Hsieh told reporters. "The vice president will express his hopes that the Vatican will continue to pay attention to Taiwan, and also to continue to care for Taiwanese Catholics," Hsieh added. He reiterated the government's belief the Vatican would not "abandon" Taiwan. The last time a high-ranking Taiwanese official visited the Vatican was in 2016, when Chen also led a delegation for the canonization of Mother Teresa. Taiwan, which has around 300,000 Catholics, has lost five allies to Beijing in the past two years. Relations between Taiwan and China have deteriorated since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016, as she does not recognise the island is part of "one China". The Vatican has not had diplomatic relations with Beijing since 1951. Pope Francis has sought to improve relations since he took office in 2013, but previous attempts foundered over Beijing's insistence that the Vatican give up recognition of Taiwan and promise not to interfere in domestic religious issues. There are an estimated 12 million Catholics in China, divided between a government-run association whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party, and an unofficial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. Beijing has insisted that it had the right to ordain its own bishops, defying the Holy See, which says ordinations can only go ahead with the pope's blessing. Fresh from clinching an updated North American commerce pact, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday criticized Indian and Brazilian trade tactics, describing the latter as being "maybe the toughest in the world" in terms of protectionism. Addressing reporters at a White House event to celebrate the agreement of an updated trilateral trade deal between the United States, Mexico and Canada, Trump added India and Brazil to a growing list of countries that, he argues, treat the world's top economy unfairly in terms of commerce. "India charges us tremendous tariffs. When we send Harley Davidson motorcycles, other things to India, they charge very, very high tariffs," Trump said, adding that he had brought up the issue with Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi, who he said was "going to reduce them very substantially." Modi's office could not immediately be reached for a request for comment. India's government has become more protectionist in recent months, raising import tariffs on a growing number of goods as it promotes its 'Make in India' program. After criticizing India, Trump turned to Brazil, the second-largest economy in the Americas behind the United States. "Brazil's another one. That's a beauty. They charge us whatever they want," he said. "If you ask some of the companies, they say Brazil is among the toughest in the world - maybe the toughest in the world." Brazil is one of the world's most closed major economies, and in recent months has tussled with the Trump administration over trade in sectors such as ethanol and steel. After Trump's comments, Brazil's Foreign Trade Minister, Abrao Neto, defended the relationship, saying it was "very positive." He added that over the last 10 years, the United States has enjoyed a trade surplus with Brazil of $90 billion in goods, and of $250 billion in goods and services. Neto pointed out that the United States was Brazil's second-largest trading partner, behind China, and that the two countries had a "complementary and strategic" commercial relationship that could, nonetheless, be improved. Trump's "America First" trade policies, particularly his escalating trade war with China, are aimed at boosting U.S. manufacturing, but they have spooked investors who worry that supply lines could be fractured and global growth derailed. There are now U.S. tariffs active on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods, with threats on additional goods worth $267 billion. President Donald Trump is back in Tennessee, trying to push U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn's Senate bid over the finish line. Trump headlined a high-dollar, closed-door fundraiser for Blackburn in Johnson City before appearing at a packed rally at the Freedom Hall Civic Center. Blackburn is in a tight race against the state's Democratic ex-Gov. Phil Bredesen, who, like other Democratic candidates across Trump country, has painted himself as a pragmatist willing to work with the president on certain issues. The Tennessee campaign is among several closely watched races expected to determine control of the Senate, and Republicans are desperate to defend a narrow two-seat majority in the face of surging Democratic enthusiasm. And the stakes couldn't be clearer. The rally comes as the FBI is continuing to investigate sexual misconduct allegations against Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh -- an FBI investigation that was forced by a small group of undecided senators who could sink the nomination. Trump earlier Monday disputed reports that his White House has tried to narrow the scope of the investigation and limit which witnesses the FBI could interview, saying he wants them "to do a very comprehensive investigation, whatever that means." Trump is planning a busy week of campaign travel, with trips to a handful of states including Mississippi, Minnesota and Kansas as he tries to boost Republican turnout for the midterm elections. Blackburn's contest, in a state that Trump won by 26 points, has drawn especially heavy interest from the White House, with repeat visits by both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Bredesen has tried to distance himself from the national Democratic Party, presenting himself as an independent thinker who will support Trump's policies when they're beneficial to the state. "I need to make clear to everybody my independence from all of the national Democratic stuff," the former two-term governor recently told The Associated Press. Blackburn and Bredesen are seeking the seat of Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who is retiring. Bredesen, who would be the first Democrat to win a Senate campaign in Tennessee since Al Gore in 1990 if he's victorious, has run TV ads in which he says that he's "not running against Donald Trump" and learned long ago to "separate the message from the messenger." He was holding an event in Chattanooga on Monday night that he'd hoped would be a debate with Blackburn, and he has been needling her for not agreeing to one. Trump, as he has in other states, is expected to argue Bredesen is not the centrist he says he is and will wind up voting with Democratic leaders including Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi if he gets to Washington. Blackburn, meanwhile, has stressed her ties to Trump, running ads that feature footage of his last rally in the state in May. "Phil, whatever the hell his name is, this guy will 100 percent vote against us every single time," Trump said at the time. Trump offered an early endorsement of Blackburn in April, tweeting that she is "a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her. Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime." U.S. President Donald Trump plans to meet with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and other tech executives this month at a social media summit. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Tuesday that the administration hoped Facebook and Twitter would send representatives to the meeting. Kudlow added the event would most likely happen in mid-October, though no date has been set. Prominent conservatives, including the president, have accused Facebook, Google and Twitter of silencing right-leaning voices on their platforms, a suspected practice called "shadow banning." Kudlow had a meeting with Pichai last Friday, which he described as "great." Pichai drew flack from senators last month after failing to send an executive to a hearing, and he has agreed appear at another. People of the Uighur diaspora are lobbying governments around the world to pressurize China to release information about the fate of their missing family members. The Chinese government has tightened its grip on the far western Xinjiang province, calling it a campaign against religious extremism. The United Nations estimates that up to 1 million minority Muslim Uighurs could be held involuntarily in the so-called political re-education camps under the "broad definition of terrorism, and vague references to extremism, and an unclear definition of separatism in Chinese legislation." Officials in Beijing have rejected those accusations and have said their actions are only aimed at Islamist militants and separatists. VOA interviewed several Uighurs who have lost family members in the detention camps or are still waiting to know their whereabouts. They said they were traumatized and haunted by the experience. One is Gulgine Mamut, a mother whose son, Pakzat Qurbanjan, was arrested in 2016 when he was only 16 years old. She is now taking refuge in Turkey. "They arrested my son at Urumqi city's airport as he was coming back to visit home," Mamut told VOA, adding he was accused of conspiring against the state. "They have sentenced my innocent son to 13 years in prison in Urumqi. I was told his charge is the subversion of state power." Mamut's son was kept in a juvenile prison in August 2017 but was later transferred to a "concentration camp." "I call upon the U.N., human rights organizations and powerful countries to try and rescue my son and many other innocent Uighurs incarcerated in Chinese prisons," she said. Amina Muhammadjan, another mother and a Uighur refugee in Turkey, wept as she told VOA about her missing daughter, Guher Nijat. She said Nijat was arrested in Urumqi as she was preparing to join her mother abroad. "I was only told that she was in a prison. I do not even know where or for how long she is sentenced. It has been 16 months since I had any news of her," Muhammadjan said. Strict control Muhammadjan and Mamut are not the only ones cut off from relatives stranded in Chinese camps. Diaspora members interviewed by VOA said even those who are free in Xinjiang province are unable to stay in touch due to strict government control over communication. Uighur refugee Hesenjan Abdukerim, 35, fled to Egypt in 2013 after learning that Chinese authorities were after him. He said he has been unable to contact his family since early 2017. "On the 5th of July 2013, I learned that my child was born, and I decided to return home to name her. But my mother told me not to come back, because the police had been asking about my passport and would arrest me. So, I left the country without being able to see my newborn child," Abdukerim told VOA. Abdukerim said he was desperate to know about his family. He asked traders from Kyrgyzstan traveling to Xinjiang for business to find out about his family. He was told that his 65-year-old father was put in the education camps 15 months ago. "He is innocent, and I did not commit any crimes," Abdukerim told VOA. "This is a plain violation of human rights. We are living without any freedom or dignity. I am seriously traumatized feeling my father is suffering because of me." Nearly all diaspora members interviewed for this story said they could not contact missing relatives in Xinjiang province because of government control. The difficulties reporting from the predominantly Muslim region are confirmed by international rights organizations. Han culture A report last week by Amnesty International, a global rights organization, found that prisoners inside the camps were allegedly forced to reject practices deemed Islamic or contrary to China's dominant Han culture. It said those who resisted or failed to show enough progress were subjected to beatings and other forms of torture. "The mass detention camps are places of brainwashing, torture and punishment," said Nicholas Bequelin, East Asia director at Amnesty International. "The Chinese government must not be allowed to continue this vicious campaign against ethnic minorities in northwest China," he added. The vast region of deserts and mountains in the northwest is home to nearly 22 million people and has the greatest concentration of Muslims in China, estimated to be 11 million Uighurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities. The Chinese government has for decades tried to push back against a separatist movement by Uighurs to establish an independent state called East Turkestan. Uighurs accused the government of forcing demographic changes by settling millions of Han Chinese in the region. Denials In response to the international outcry, Chinese officials have vociferously defended their policy and called the accusations of mass imprisonment "completely untrue." They said their security efforts in the province are to prevent Islamic State's emergence and to contain the Turkistan Islamic Party. Speaking on a panel by the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination last August, China's representative, Hu Lianhe, said the camps were "vocational, educational and employment training centers" set up to rehabilitate criminals convicted of "minor offenses." "They are not subject to any arbitrary detention or ill treatment there," he said. For Uighur activists lobbying for their loved ones, China's denial of extreme measures in Xinjiang is nothing new. "It is not surprising that the Chinese government will deny the existence of those concentration camps," Dolkun Isa, head of Germany-based World Uighur Congress, told VOA. "They will continue denying it, but they cannot hide it when they are locking up over 1 million people." Isa, who was informed last June that his 70-years-old mother died after spending over 1.5 years in detention, said he was optimistic that the international community was finally paying more attention to his people's plight. He said the most difficult challenge facing Uighur activists was to convince countries with strong economic ties to China to speak up against it. The United States is reportedly already weighing sanctions against Chinese officials. "It will be difficult, but we are finally making progress, considering how far we have come," Isa said. The U.S. State Department says it is prepared to assist Indonesia with its recovery efforts from an earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 1,200 people in Central Sulawesi. In a statement Tuesday, the U.S. said it will provide initial assistance and continue to work with the government of Indonesia and the U.S. embassy there to determine how best to respond. The State Department said Monday, the U.S. released $100,000 in initial aid, through the United States Agency for International Development, for disaster assistance. It said it is working closely with the USAID and U.S. Defense Department to determine how else it can best help. The U.S. embassy said it is aware of U.S. citizens affected by the disaster, but none are known to have been killed or injured. It said nearly all U.S. citizens have been evacuated or will be evacuated from the affected areas. U.S. citizens in the affected areas of Indonesia who are safe are urged to contact their loved ones or update their social media status. Those in need of emergency assistance are urged to call local authorities. North Korea says it will not abandon its nuclear weapons program in exchange for an official declaration of the end of the Korean War. The three-year war that split the communist North and U.S.-backed South Korea ended in 1953 with a truce instead of a peace treaty, leaving the two sides in a technical state of war. The idea of a formal peace treaty has been floated during the recent flurry of diplomatic overtures between Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula. But the U.S. has rejected the North's demand for a formal declaration ending the war before the regime completely abandons its nuclear weapons program. In a commentary issued Tuesday by its official news agency, the North rejected the suggestion of a quid pro quo deal, saying a formal peace treaty "is not just a gift from a man to another," and added that "it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK to denuclearize," using the acronym to the regime's official name. During his speech to the United Nations last week, North Korean foreign minister Ri Yong Ho told the world body there was "no way" his country would unilaterally disarm as long as the U.S. continues to impose harsh sanctions on the regime. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump signed an agreement during their historic summit in Singapore in June for the North to dismantle its nuclear program. But the two sides are currently at an impasse over North Korea's intentions in ending the program. A lawyer for the U.S. pastor whose detention in Turkey sparked a crisis with Washington will appeal Wednesday to the constitutional court for his release. The move comes ahead of an October 12 hearing in the Andrew Brunson case and amid growing expectations he will be allowed to return home. Since July, Brunson has been under house arrest at his home in the western city of Izmir. Previously, he had been held in jail after being detained in October 2016. His lawyer, Cem Halavurt, told AFP they would lodge the appeal in Ankara at 0700 GMT Wednesday. Brunson, who runs a small evangelical Protestant church in Izmir, is at the center of a bitter standoff between the Turkey and the United States. Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey over the summer and Ankara imposed sanctions of its own, leading to an escalation that prompted a crash in value of the Turkish lira. Turkish authorities detained Brunson on allegations of assisting groups branded as terrorist, part of a crackdown by the Turkish government following a 2016 failed coup attempt. But there have been signs the standoff could be easing. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed hope Turkey would release the pastor. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday Ankara hoped to rebuild relations with Washington, while adding that the pastor was on trial for his "murky relations with terror groups." The easing of tension has helped the Turkish lira recover from historic lows in recent weeks. Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist for the Hurriyet daily, wrote Monday that the court might rule October 12 to lift Brunson's house arrest and travel ban, allowing him to return home. The U.S. military says it killed at least nine al-Shabab militants in an airstrike in southern Somalia that was conducted after an insurgent attack on government forces. A statement by the U.S. Africa Command said at least one al-Shabab militant was wounded in the airstrike, which was carried out in coordination with the Somali government on Monday, about 40 kilometers northeast of the southern city of Kismayo. "We currently assess no civilians were injured or killed in this air strike", the statement said. The U.S. has conducted more than 20 such airstrikes in Somalia this year. Al-Shabab, which is allied with al-Qaida, has been fighting since 2006 to overthrow the Somali government and turn the country into a strict Islamic state. The White House has given the FBI authority to talk to anyone it wants to in its probe of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, as long as it's done by the end of the week, according to media reports. The apparent directive comes after Democratic criticism that the White House may have been trying to limit the scope of the investigation into sexual assault allegations against Kavanaugh. Christine Blasey Ford testified last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party in 1982 when they were both in high school. Kavanaugh angrily denied the charges to the committee. Two other women have made similar sex abuse allegations against Kavanaugh. The New York Times said the FBI has already interviewed four witnesses that the White House and Senate Republicans approved for questioning -- Kavanaugh's friends Mark Judge and P.J. Smith; Ford's friend Leland Keyser; and Deborah Ramirez, one of the other women who has also accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Urges interviews While Trump appears to be open to what he calls a "very comprehensive investigation" by the FBI, he said at a White House news conference Monday "the FBI should interview anybody they want within reason, but you have to say within reason." Trump said it "wouldn't bother me at all" if the FBI questioned all three women who have accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct and also said it would be "fine" if Kavanaugh is questioned. But the president also said the FBI needs to take directions from Senate Republicans, whose 51-vote majority will determine if Kavanaugh is elevated to the Supreme Court. Late Monday, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate will vote on Kavanaugh this week. "The time for endless delay and obstruction has come to a close," McConnell declared. But as of Monday, Kavanaugh lacked the simple majority he needs for confirmation. It was Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona who stunned the country last Friday by insisting on a one-week delay on a Senate confirmation vote so the FBI could conduct another investigation of Kavanaugh. Flake said he would have voted against confirmation if Senate leaders rejected the delay. He told an audience in Boston Monday that he will make sure the FBI does a "real investigation" into Kavanaugh The Supreme Court is one of the last bastions of trust. The Senate is having issues as well, Flake said. We certainly want the FBI to do a real investigation, and we are working to make sure that that happens. It does us no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover." Flake has said he will only vote yes if the latest FBI probe fails to uncover anything else. Two Republican women -- Susan Collins and Lisa Mukowski -- were undecided. Senate testimony Ford testified last Friday that she is "100 percent" sure it was Kavanaugh who pinned her to a bed and tried to tear her clothes off at a 1982 party, covering her mouth with her hands to stop her screams. She says Kavanaugh's friend, Mark Judge, witnessed the attack and that two laughed at her. Kavanaugh angrily and emotionally denied the allegations, asserting that he never sexually assaulted anyone at anytime in his life. Another woman, Julie Swetnick, has alleged Kavanaugh was at high school parties in which she claims to have been gang raped. A third woman, Deborah Ramirez, charged in a New Yorker magazine report that Kavanaugh exposed himself at a drunken dormitory party at Yale University, and shoved his penis in her face, forcing her to touch it while pushing him away. WATCH: Senate to decide on Kavanaugh Kavanaugh admitted being a heavy drinker as a student and said he still likes beer. But he denies any such behavior and said he never blacked out because of alcohol. Trump has maintained his support for Kavanaugh, saying that hopefully at the conclusion, everything will be fine. We accept many different kinds of announcements. Just click on the button below and submit a form. Go to forms Family and friends have organized searches for a woman missing from Blue Hill. 37-year-old Jessica Grindle was last seen on July 24th. Two organized searches have been planned, one this Friday and another next Monday. Those wishing to help should meet at 45 mines road. Organizers ask that searchers be at least 18 years old, and dogs will not be allowed to be used in the search. Additionally, a candlelight vigil will be held at the Blue Hill Town Hall on the 10th, Jessica's birthday. A Facebook page titled "Come Home Jessica" has been set up with more information. This content is expired! Unfortunely this content is expired and cannot be viewed anymore; if You are the owner of this content please login to our Website, go to our access panel and enable this content again. Electric car race will take place once again in Rome's EUR suburb. Rome is set to host the capital's second edition of the Formula E electric car race on 13 April 2019, with the EUR suburb once again welcoming the battery-powered electric cars. Rome's inaugural Formula E took place on 14 April 2018 with 20 racing cars undertaking 19 laps of the 2.8km circuit around the streets of EUR. California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed into law a bill that will require publicly held corporations to include at least one woman on its board of directors. The law is the first of its kind in the U.S., according to the Los Angeles Times. On Sunday, Brown signed SB 826 , which forces publicly held companies to have at least one woman on its board by the end of next year. Boards with five members must have at least two women on the board and those with six or more members will be required to fill three seats with women by the end of July 2021. Given all the special privileges that corporations have enjoyed for so long, its high time corporate boards include the people who constitute more than half the persons in America, Brown wrote in a letter attached to the bill. Corporations found in violation of the law would face a fine of $100,000 for the first offense. Additional offenses would cost $300,000 per violation. There are 377 California-based corporations on the Russell 3000 stock index of large firms that may be affected by the law, according to the report. Who proposed the bill? State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D) and Senate leader Toni Atkins (D) proposed the bill in January citing women make up more than half of the states population, but only 15 percent of the states public corporations have a woman on their board. We are tired of being nice. Were tired of being polite. We are going to require this because its going to benefit the economy. Its going to benefit each of these companies, Jackson said in an earlier speech. Its time that we burst that man-cave and put women in the boardrooms. What do critics say? State Sen. Joel Anderson (R) voted against the bill because he believes it undermines womens abilities. I cant support a bill that underestimates the power and strength of women, Anderson told the Times. To say that they cant find their way onto a board without our help undermines all their hard work. Lucy Dunn, the president and CEO of the Orange County Business Council, said the bill was an insult to businesswomen. This legislation is, to me, insulting, Dunn wrote in a statement to the newspaper. Rather than celebrate the competitive advantage women bring to positions of leadership in a company, it relegates them to placeholder status. The California Chamber of Commerce also disagreed with the law, according to KQED-TV . The organization argued that corporations should be allowed to choose its board members without government interference. It said the law will make it more difficult to achieve diversity in other aspects, including race. It creates a challenge for a board on achieving broader diversity goals, Jennifer Barrera, senior vice president for policy at the chamber, told KQED. What else did Brown say? The governor noted in his signing message that there were numerous objections and serious legal concerns had been raised about the bill. I dont minimize the potential flaws that indeed may prove fatal to its implementation, Brown wrote. Nevertheless, recent events in Washington, D.C. and beyond make it crystal clear that many are not getting the message. The message appeared to be pointed at the sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. A copy of the letter was sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Anything else? Experts have questioned the legality of the mandate. Jessica Levinson, a clinical professor of law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, told the Times theres a chance that the law could be challenged in court. Im not at all convinced it would pass legal muster, Levinson said. Its a clear gender preference in that you are saying you need to single out women and get them on boards. The question is can you make that preference and will it hurt men? Similar laws are already in place in some European countries. Germany requires that women make up 30 percent of corporate boards of directors. France and Norway have mandated that 40 percent of board seats be filled by women. In Ashtabula on Friday night, 50 miles down Interstate 90 from Erie, Eustis was in the audience at a food pantry, where people came for the food and stayed for the play. The audience was older and very quiet during the show very few laughs, little sort of rumbles of recognition, he said. I was not quite sure how they were reacting. Then, after the show, they started talking, and every single person broke into sobs. I thought, These are people who dont know how to respond to theater, but its getting to them. It was about losing the towns identity and their feeling of belonging not to the future but the past. Their reaction was powerful, but in different ways than I would have thought. As with the country that informs the place, Bistro 1521 can be difficult to explain in a concise, declarative sentence. It has many moving parts, some of which are not immediately obvious to the casual diner. There are lunch, brunch and all-day menus, but theres also a selection of daily specials, mostly fusion dishes that combine influences from Mexico and the Philippines. Then, if the weather cooperates on Friday and Saturday evenings, there is a selection of Filipino street foods available on the patio, including balut, the fertilized-duck-egg embryo that American tourists love to treat as a dare, not a cultural delicacy. The only way I found out about the daily specials and street food was via Wakefield. During a phone call. After I had already made my visits to Bistro 1521. Some advocates for survivors of sexual violence also said that Mitchells memo could reinforce doubts among many survivors that their complaints will be taken seriously. Though it notes that it is common for victims to be uncertain about dates, the memo is critical of Fords uncertainty about the date of her alleged assault; and even though Mitchell writes that delayed disclosure of abuse is common, she says Ford has struggled to name Kavanaugh as her attacker because it took her decades to tell anyone about the assault. She visited four countries on her week-long sojourn. Oct. 6, 2018 Melania Trump is greeted by Egyptian first lady Entissar Amer, third from right, and flower girls at Cairo International Airport. Carolyn Kaster/AP Todays Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning. Email address By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Although GoFundMe verifies that the person collecting the money is who they say they are, the company cant verify what theyll do with the funds. You may have to do some sleuthing on your own. Before you give, find out who will be handling and managing the money. Is it an individual or an organization? Read the campaign description and goals. Where is the money going and what is it for food, clothing, medical care, funeral expenses or is it going into a more general fund? If the campaign is for a specific person, that persons name should be front and center. Talk to the campaign organizer. On some platforms, you can send a direct message to the organizer. Is the money being deposited into a special bank account? If so, who has account access? How will the money be distributed to those who need it? Will records be kept of expenditures? Is the organizer willing to share that and any other information with you? Is there a plan to keep donors informed after the campaign ends? Several studies point to the benefits of dogs in the workplace, but a May 2017 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health warned against problems such as allergies and animal-borne diseases. Pruitt has his finger in so many pies that if you do the math, you realize he has averaged more than 540 edits per day. You score an edit whenever you save your changes, so one edit could be anything from fixing a typo to overhauling an article. Pruitt considers himself a WikiGnome (according to Wikipedia, a wiki user who makes useful incremental edits without clamouring for attention), and he works the gamut, though much of his recent focus is on authority control linking entries to worldwide library catalogues and especially on categorizing articles. It keeps me out of trouble more than anything, he says of his time-consuming hobby. It allows me to scratch the scholarly itch. In Ghana and the other countries the first lady plans to visit, there has been little buzz about the trip, in part because details have been tightly held, except for some social-media muttering about Trump coming to take selfies with children and animals. Animal conservationists also have been discussing the Kenya leg of the visit, especially because Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump are avid game hunters. A photograph of Trump Jr. holding a knife and a dead elephants tail after a hunt in Zimbabwe in 2011 went viral on social media. Had you been able to write the family any pleasant reminiscences of their late relative, they would likely welcome that, knowing that even years later, he was not forgotten. A reminder that he might have been saved however remote the chance, since you dont know that any intervention would have done so would only trouble them. Please just read your own letter and let that comfort you. Communities, particularly on the eastern side of the county, feel they do not get the right resources, they do not get the support they need, and schools on the other side of the county do, she said. This is a really important conversation that Montgomery County has never had for a long time, and it needs to go forward. The problem we have now is its unclear what you can do, council president Hans Riemer (D-At Large) said in an interview after the meeting. That is why wineries and breweries have sprung up in neighboring jurisdictions but not here. Same soil, same climate, same region, but the door has really not been open to the industry. I think we will now get a stronger response from people saying, yeah, theyre going to invest and start a business and take that risk. So Racine (D) decided to do something about that. He recently set up a special victims unit, hoping to take some of the fear out of the victims quest for justice. The new SVU includes a team of specially trained prosecutors who focus on cases in which juveniles commit sexual assaults and other crimes against other juveniles. The unit also works to prosecute juveniles who commit crimes against the elderly and disabled, as well as adults charged with indecent exposure. Everyone is trained in trauma informed interviewing, which helps elicit sensitive details of a crime without causing unnecessary discomfort. Moran called it a good first step, but she and advocates from the Legal Aid Justice Center and Grassroots Alexandria are still pushing for the sheriff to cut ties with ICE altogether. Lawhorne said that while he is sympathetic, he wont go there. He said many of the inmates he is holding for ICE are facing charges for violent offenses. Authorities described the suspects as members of a militant, racist and anti-Semitic group known as the Rise Above Movement, based in Southern California. The four were arrested by FBI agents and charged with one count each of violating a federal rioting statute and conspiring to violate it. Each offense is punishable by up to five years in prison. In April 2015, Gorman met Campos, who by then was a state delegate, and gave him an envelope with $700, less than the $1,000 Gorman had promised Campos for making the call on behalf of Gormans client. That same month, Gorman paid Campos $1,000 for help passing a law extending liquor sales in Prince Georges County to seven days, court filings state. Paig and Lee, Gormans clients, paid Campos $3,000 for that help. Steffon Wint told the jury he cooperated with authorities when his brother was arrested about a week after the May 14, 2015, slayings. He said he knew prosectors would be in contact again after defense attorneys presented him as an alternate suspect. Steffon Wint said he learned of his brothers defense strategy through news reports. Later, she wrote him to say he had some associates that are well known to federal law enforcement and that he should get a lawyer, according to the affidavit. I gave them no more than what I could to emphasize your innocence, she said, adding that she hoped he hadnt lied to her, since I put my neck out there. In the ad, Stewart refers to $17.2 million paid by Congress since 1990 for 264 settlements and awards to federal employees for violations of a wide variety of employment rules, ranging from the Americans With Disabilities Act to sexual harassment. A large portion of the cases involved legislative offices other than the House and the Senate, according to the Congressional Office of Compliance. Northam has said he was disappointed in the committees failure to reach consensus and has called on the courts to handle the matter. The committees action last week reinforced my belief that this partisan process should not continue, Northam said Tuesday in a news release. I must unequivocally state that I will veto [the measure] should it reach my desk. Wexton maintains a lead, but the gap has narrowed slightly since the summer, said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. Favorable opinions of Comstock have increased in that time, while the challenger has been met with a mixed response as voters have gotten to know her better. Unless there is a sudden reversal in fortunes, this midterm election in Florida will truly be historic, and will buck everything the Republicans have come to count on in the last 12 midterm elections, said Goodman, citing Republicans relative strength in statewide races dating to Jeb Bushs 1998 bid for governor. Independents have tended to break Republican in midterms here, and they are just not doing that this year. The awards will be given to seven employees or teams from across the government, along with a first-ever Spirit of Service award to Jeffrey P. Bezos, founder of Amazon.com, for his work to advance space exploration and national security. His Amazon Web Services provides secure cloud computing used by the intelligence community, the military and first responders to collect, analyze and share information in real time, according to the award citation. (Bezos also owns The Washington Post.) Investigators are looking into how many guns were taken, but the estimate of 400 stolen firearms makes it one of the largest single gun thefts ATF has investigated, bureau spokesman Michael Knight said. ATF agents and the Memphis Police Department are reviewing manifests and bills to determine where the guns were shipped from and where they were going. A spokeswoman for federal prosecutors said authorities were investigating whether the men were involved in anti-foreigner violence that erupted in Chemnitz after the killing of a German man in August. A Syrian is being held on suspicion of manslaughter, and an Iraqi man is still being sought by police in that case. As with any election, it will all come down to voter turnout. Jealous understands that. (In fact, decades ago, he worked on increasing voter turnout in the South with Stacey Abrams, the current Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia.) Today, Jealous is putting everything into his ground game. His strategy is to bring more than 1 million voters to the polls, which only former governor Martin OMalley has managed in the states history. To accomplish this, his campaign has an army of organizers, and the Maryland Democratic Party plans to quadruple its number of field organizers, compared with its 2014 allocations. That Jealous is building a movement inside a campaign is a measure of his belief in democracy. Questions of this sort are inescapable. The 14th Amendment commands that no state deny a person the equal protection of the laws. Does a prohibition of same-sex marriage deny equal protection of the laws? Scalia insisted that it didnt. But does text make this clear? Should we be bound by the original understanding of those who ratified the text in 1868 when no one had given any thought to same-sex marriage? Or should we be bound by the principle set in motion in 1868 that prohibited creating different castes among citizens? In 1967, when the Supreme Court ruled in Loving v. Virginia that prohibitions on interracial marriage violated the equal protection clause, was it following narrow original meaning or was it following a more general principle? Is same-sex marriage akin to interracial marriage or different under the Constitution? Second, the FBI needs to be able to pursue the facts wherever they lead, and that means interviewing all witnesses who can provide context to the credibility of allegations made by Ford and others as well as Kavanaughs denials. To be clear, four or five interviews doesnt cut it. The investigation should include interviews with Ford and Kavanaugh, as well as others they identify and whomever the FBI finds in the course of its investigation who can corroborate or dispute their accounts. That will give the FBI a more complete, better- contextualized understanding of the facts it is able to gather. The executive branch would still conduct its own background check on the presidents nominee, using the FBI, and transmit the results to the Senate along with the nomination. From that moment on, a 60-day clock would start during which the Senates own team would do its own background check. Any and all additional information, anonymous tips, etc., that anyone deemed of interest to the committee would have to be communicated to these professionals for their consideration. A strict exclusionary rule would bar evidence not submitted during the 60-day window through the appropriate channel. Use it or lose it. Postell contrasts Washingtons lament with James Madisons gradual realization that the constitutional system of checks and balances he created cant operate without strong parties. Broad national coalitions force narrow factions and special-interest groups to moderate their demands and learn to compromise. Madison figured out that he and his fellow architects of the American government had been so frightened of mob rule in a democracy that they built a machine that would not go and thus, paradoxically, a machine too weak to resist the tyranny of whichever small faction got its hands on executive power. Large national parties would take the bite out of factions by incorporating them into broader movements, Postell writes of what he calls the Madisonian cure for the Madisonian disease. The entire gender integration plan was designed by the military to carefully and methodically "grow" women into positions rather than speed integration at all levels it was expected to take 20 or more years to complete. Juliette Kayyem, a CNN national security analyst and former Department of Homeland Security official in the Obama administration, noted in an opinion piece for the Boston Globe in August that there are 80 women in the Marine Corps who hold "previously combat-excluded roles. The Army has fared better, with 740 women now in jobs they once were not allowed to hold. It is a slow process." Other stuff, such as a sunset provision requiring members to regularly reaffirm their desire to continue the three-party deal, is probably also not an improvement. There are better ways to encourage ongoing modernization of the deal that would involve less policy uncertainty for businesses. But, again, this section is not as bad as many businesses and trade experts feared. Youd think Mr. Kavanaugh and his supporters would want the FBI to look into the Swetnick allegations, given the judges assurances that those charges are total fabrications. Agents also should talk to other participants in Mr. Kavanaughs social circle in high school and college, starting with those who appear regularly in his calendars, to determine the truthfulness of his statements, under oath, to the Senate Judiciary Committee about his drinking, for example. Another of his Yale classmates just said publicly that Mr. Kavanaughs partying was far more excessive than he let on. And are his relatively innocent explanations for the innuendo on his high school yearbook page plausible? Given the absolute discrepancy between his testimony and that of Christine Blasey Ford, Mr. Kavanaughs credibility must be tested. Miller recounts a chain of error that begins during the campaign. When Trump visits The Post in March 2016, hes eager to disclose his hastily assembled team of foreign policy advisers. All were virtually unknown, but two later became very famous indeed: Carter Page, an obscure economist who it turned out had been investigated by the FBI about his 2013 contacts with a Russian spy; and George Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying about his 2016 contacts with people with connections to the Russian government. It would be like I cant even imagine I mean, its a horrible example, but after 9/11, [if] George W. Bush said, Well, I dont have time to meet. I dont have time to worry about this. It was terrible. We feel sorry about it. Well rebuild New York and the Pentagon, but were not going to worry about it. Well at a certain point, thats what this is turning into. The evidence continues to accumulate, Clinton said. In that atmosphere, Republicans on the Judiciary Committee released an explicit signed statement they said had come from Dennis Ketterer, a onetime local TV weather forecaster in Washington, who wrote that he had a relationship in the 1990s with Julie Swetnick, the third woman who has accused Kavanaugh of misconduct. Swetnick has claimed that Kavanaugh was at a party where she was gang-raped in 1982 and that she had seen him try to get girls drunk at other parties so they could be raped. Christine Blasey Ford has testified that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her at a party in the early 1980s when they were both teenagers. Kavanaugh has strenuously denied Fords accusation and those made by others such as Deborah Ramirez, who alleged in a New Yorker article that the nominee exposed himself at a party while the two were freshmen at Yale University. The survey, conducted in July among 2,046 U.S. adults, found that 70 percent of Americans say it is best for the United States to take an active part in world affairs, up from 63 percent in 2017 and 58 percent in 2014. At the same time, 57 percent say that this country has been losing allies over the past year, while 56 percent say relations between the United States and other countries have been worsening in general. But privately, people involved in and close to the Senate Intelligence Committees investigation worry about whether Democrats and Republicans will stick together when they issue their findings and it comes to stating whether they believe there is conclusive evidence of a conspiracy between Trumps campaign and the Russians. Sharp divisions on that point between otherwise conciliatory lawmakers already are on display. It does no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover, Flake said. We actually need to find out what we can find out. And we have to realize that we may not be able to find out everything that happened. Fink recalled the time she lived in Milan while explaining her attraction to the location. We could walk everywhere, and thats the lifestyle we want to re-create here. My husband bikes, so hell have access to miles of trails at our doorstep. We like being close to the water, and were happy about the waterfront rejuvenation. The Decatur ventured Sunday morning by reefs and rocks that Beijing has tried to turn into artificial islands to expand its grip on the South China Sea. U.S. officials have maintained that such land doesnt count as real territory, said Lawrence Brennan, a law professor at Fordham University in New York. Before Hutchison clarified her position, more than nine hours after her initial remarks, it was unclear whether she meant that the United States would target Russias banned missile installations if Moscow doesnt come back into compliance, or whether she was warning that the United States would enhance its missile defenses so it could take out any banned missiles Russia decided to launch at U.S. or allied targets. The United States currently has limited ability to defend against cruise missile threats. Conservatives have long suspected that what Johnson wants most of all is to become prime minister some day, but they are doubtful he will mount a challenge right now. The voters would punish us for staging a leadership fight in the middle of Brexit, said Tom Lees, an engineer and Conservative party member attending the conference. Agata is part of that scout group, and she says at moments she feels at home in her church. She has been going there for as long as she can remember. Only now, she is attending Mass less often. She thinks gays and lesbians should be more welcomed. She thinks women should be ordained as priests. Her parents say she will drift back to the church as she gets older. Agata says she probably wont. We have been unable to reach Jamal today and are very concerned about where he may be, The Posts international opinions editor, Eli Lopez, said in a statement. We are monitoring the situation closely, trying to gather more information. It would be unfair and outrageous if he has been detained for his work as a journalist and commentator. Jamal is a great writer and insightful political observer, deeply committed to the open exchange of ideas; we are honored to have his point of view be part of our Global Opinions. We hope that he is safe and that we can hear from him soon. One dentist told inspectors that there was no time for cleanings or fillings, and that it was up to inmates to take care of their own oral hygiene despite a lack of supplies. The dentist dismissed the necessity of fillings if patients commit to brushing and flossing, the report said. Floss is only available through detainee commissary accounts, but the dentist suggested detainees could use string from their socks to floss if they were dedicated to dental hygiene. The State Department has become more welcoming of gay employees, a far cry from the days when gay diplomats were denied security clearances because they were believed to be susceptible to blackmail. The group GLIFAA represents LGBT staff, many U.S. embassies around the world fly rainbow flags during LGBT Pride Month, and senior officials speak at the annual gay pride event held in an auditorium and beamed by closed circuit around the building. It is a priority of our agency to process and transfer all individuals in our custody to the appropriate longer-term detention agency as soon as possible, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which includes Border Patrol, said in a statement. The safety and well-being of unaccompanied alien children . . . is our highest responsibility, and we work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement to ensure the timely and secure transfer of all unaccompanied minors in our custody as soon as placement is available from HHS. This is the most significant escalation that weve seen since the summer of 2014, when you had fighting in Tripoli as well, said Frederic Wehrey, author of The Burning Shores: Inside the Battle for the New Libya. This is a huge blow to the U.N. action plan and the prospects of an orderly transition from this very flawed Government of National Accord. The new government will take over a country facing enormous challenges following a war against the Islamic State that caused billions of dollars in damage, left millions of people displaced and put a massive strain on Iraqs oil-dependent economy. The government will also have to immediately address a persistent protest movement in Iraqs Shiite heartland over poor public services, government corruption and frustrations with a political system that has favored narrow constituencies over basic governance. Well, this sucks. I just bought an ergonomic keyboard and before it even arrives the whole field of ergonomics is revealed to be a skeevy wangboozle as crooked as mouthful of Dickensian urchin teeth. I dont much care that companies and governments might be wasting hundreds of millions of dollars a year on dodgy ergonomic chairs, keyboards and consultants, as reported by Fairfax Media yesterday. But I care heaps that I might have just wasted $39 on a discount Microsoft ergonomic keyboard from the Beast of Bezos and it may not immediately cure my crippling minor discomfort from typing too much. First up, its a Microsoft keyboard and I had to be led screaming to the edge of that purchase. Implying a woman is sexually loose may be ridiculously archaic but remains a potent, and highly effective tool to damage her and her credibility. It is dirty and it works. There is, still, no male equivalent of slut-shaming; the implication that if someone is promiscuous they are of low morals, a bit grubby and less than virtuous is only hung around the necks of women. You may think you are open minded, but, as Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said so powerfully on TV last night, when you hear the suggestion someone is a "slut", there may still be "a little bit (of you), where people go, 'maybe she is a slut. Maybe that did happen'", and the harm is done. It is amazing that a medieval slur on the purity (hence the worth) of a woman that you would have thought went out with witch hunts is not only still around, but still considered a fine weapon to use on political women, in some brutal quarters, at least. Elizabeth Abdallah was held prisoner by severe and painful periods for more than 30 years with only one way out a hysterectomy. She remembers playing with her son at the beach when she started bleeding heavily through her yellow polka-dot bikini. "I felt like a prisoner. Over a month, I would probably only get five days of no spotting at all. It was so depressing," said Ms Abdallah. Elizabeth Abdallah waited more than 30 years to find a cure to the crippling period pain that didn't involve a hysterectomy. Credit:Nick Moir About one in four Australian women have heavy periods and severe period pain. Many end up having their uterus removed, something Ms Abdallah, a 47 year old mother of four, didn't want, yet that was what numerous doctors recommended without studying her case in detail. A young man who fatally injured a mate while "skylarking" in his ute at a Perth car park after playing basketball has been spared an immediate prison sentence. Dhieu Mangor Dhieu, 19, had jumped onto the side step of the vehicle and fell off, striking his head on the ground, when Abdul Walizada accelerated then hit the brakes in January last year, the West Australian District Court was told on Tuesday. The case was heard in the WA District Court. Credit:Emma Young Walizada, now aged 20, was born in Pakistan but came to Australia as a child. The court heard he has post traumatic stress following the incident, which Judge Mark Herron described as a tragic accident. Labor may draft a series of changes to laws governing the ABC after Bill Shorten accused the broadcaster of a "failure of governance" and claimed some directors only sit on the board because they are "mates" of the government. The Opposition Leader stopped short of calling for the seven-member board to resign, but said they had serious questions to answer over the botched sacking of managing director Michelle Guthrie and resignation of chairman Justin Milne. Mr Milne quit last Thursday after it emerged he wanted two journalists to be fired because the government did not like them. Ms Guthrie gave the board detailed evidence of Mr Milne's demands but the directors - who have a legal obligation to protect the ABC from interference - only moved against the chairman after the claims became public. Jakarta: Aid workers have described scenes of destruction and desperation in areas of central Sulawesi they have reached for the first time since a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunami levelled parts of the Indonesian island. Just outside the hard-hit town of Palu, the regional capital and hub of the relief effort, volunteers retrieved the bodies of 34 students from a church Bible school in the town of Sigi Biromaru on Monday, said Aulia Arriani, head of communications at the Indonesian Red Cross. The Red Cross team had a hard time to evacuate the bodies as they had to walk through mud for one-and-a-half hours, Aulia said. David Ireland's award-winning Cyprus Avenue will return to the Royal Court next year. After having run in New York, Dublin and Belfast, the piece now returns to the Royal Court and will once more star Stephen Rea as Belfast Loyalist Eric Miller. Directed by the venue's artistic director Vicky Featherstone with set and costume design by Lizzie Clachan, lighting design by Paul Keogan and sound design by David McSeveney, Cyprus Avenue won the James Tait Black Prize for Drama in 2017, with Rea winning the Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Miller at the Irish Times Theatre Awards. In his review for WhatsOnStage, Matt Trueman said "there's a frazzled lunacy to David Ireland's black comedy", commending the 'brilliance' of Rea's performance. Cyprus Avenue follows Miller's identity crisis as he begins to believe his five week-old granddaughter is the reincarnation of Gerry Adams. Ireland's other plays include Summertime and most recently the five-star Ulster American. The production, which was previously in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, transfers to the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs where the space will be reconfigured to include onstage seating. It runs from 14 February to 16 March. Further casting for the show is to be announced. Lillian Rose (Janysek) Bujnoch Audio Article It is with profound sadness that the family of Lillian Rose (Janysek) Bujnoch announce her passing. Lillian passed peacefully, surrounded... James John Kruse Audio Article James John Kruse of Black Hill, Texas, passed away on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, at the age of 81. James... Margaret Vega Cresap Audio Article Margaret Vega Cresap passed away in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, at the age of 76. She... It is strange that the topic of immigration would prove to be controversial in the context of a certain American president suddenly and flagrantly hostile to this foundational institution. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It is strange that the topic of immigration would prove to be controversial in the context of a certain American president suddenly and flagrantly hostile to this foundational institution. Nevertheless, it should be considered a matter of good timing that the subject is addressed, albeit in a disarming comic frame, in Prairie Theatre Exchanges 2018 season opener, Prairie Nurse. Its the story of two immigrant women from the Philippines who take jobs in remote Saskatchewan in 1967, a year when Canada was desperate to build the ranks of nurses to staff the expanding medical industry. The script was written by Toronto playwright Marie Beath Badian, who was inspired by the story of her own mother, Ciony Badian, who herself landed in 1967 in the tiny farming community of Arborfield, Sask., population 300. The stage comedy, which premiered in Ontarios rural Blyth Theatre Festival in 2013, plays on the cultural divide that ensues when nurses Penny and Puring strive to understand the eccentricities of small-town Saskatchewan dwellers in a plot that touches on farce since, of course, the hapless Canadians cant tell Penny and Puring apart. PTE's season-opener stars Pamela Halstead (from left), Rayna Masterton and Dutchess Cayetano. (Leif Norman photo) Badian, on the phone from her home in Toronto, says immigration wasnt an especially hot-button topic when she wrote Prairie Nurse, but its PTE opening in 2018 "is certainly serendipitous. "It is coming at a time in this moment where immigration is certainly at the forefront of our conversation," she says, adding that the go-ahead for the Winnipeg production has been in the works for the past three years. "But Im grateful for this play to be part of this moment, and certainly part of this essential conversation," she says. "I think thats just a fringe benefit of the play." Recently retired PTE artistic director Robert Metcalfe viewed the work as a way to connect with Winnipegs Filipino community, telling a story that is bound to resonate with the original generation of Filipino-Canadians, as well as their offspring. "I think this is certainly a step in the right direction, but theres a misconception that if you program it, they will come," Badian says. She was perfectly pleased when the play opened in 2013 at the Blyth Festival and found an appreciative audience with rural Canadians. Dutchess Cayetano (from left), Ross McMillan and Stephanie Sy share the stage in Prairie Nurse. (Leif Norman) "When I wrote this play, it was really for their audience," she says, adding that she was excited by the reception at Torontos Factory Theatre earlier this year. "When the play came to Toronto, it was a revelation in that there was not only a diversity of audience culturally coming, (there was) a diversity in age, and a diversity in make-up. "So it was a joy sitting in the audience and watching intergenerational families, people who have families like mine," she says. "I had people come up to me and say: Hi, Im a nurse, this is my mom, shes a nurse, she came in 1970. "And it was amazing to see that trigger such emotion, seeing the family story being presented in the stage in a way that was without tragedy," she says. "It was really so special." Ready, Pet, Go! Leesa Dahl looks at everything to do with our furry, fuzzy, feathered, fishy (and more!) pet friends. Arrives in your inbox each Monday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Playwright Marie Beath Badian (left) and her mother Ciony Badian, the inspiration for Prairie Nurse. (Supplied) Playwrights will always have to contend with critics, but for Badian, the critic that really counted was her mom. Badians work in the theatre has been sufficiently laudable that her mother eventually embraced her daughters choice of career. "(My parents) hope for me was that I would become a computer programmer," she says, laughing. "Shes always been so proud and I think she always knew this kind of story was coming way before I even wrote the play." "My mom didnt have a choice other than to become a nurse," Badian says. "It was her sole responsibility as the eldest kid in her family to earn a living for her family. "She had wanted to be a chemist but that was not a choice available to her," Badian says. "Shes been nothing but proud." randall.king@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @FreepKing In thinking about the likely place to take a good solid introduction course on cybersecurity and cyber-intelligence, Booth University College might not be the first place that comes to mind. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. In thinking about the likely place to take a good solid introduction course on cybersecurity and cyber-intelligence, Booth University College might not be the first place that comes to mind. This year, the Salvation Army-affiliated Winnipeg university is the first in the country to partner with global cyber-education company Cybint Solutions to offer introductory courses for non-technical students. Roy Zur, Cybint CEO and global cybersecurity and cyber-intelligence expert, has been providing the fundamentals of cybersecurity skills to governments and organizations around the world for several years, working with people who are not technical experts. "Everyone needs these skills," he said in an interview from Rome, where Cybint has offices, in addition to New York and Tel Aviv. "We give people the skills and tools to become cyber-literate." The approach taken in the Cybint training courses is that cybersecurity is not necessarily all about technology. Rather, there are human challenges and soft skills and analysis that are just as important for prevention. Up until recently, post-secondary courses were generally only available to students in computer science or engineering departments. "But the problem with that is there is a huge shortage of cybersecurity professionals," Zur said. "By 2022 there may be as many as three million positions in the field left unfilled in the U.S. alone." Thats why Cybints program is being adopted by universities and colleges throughout the U.S., Europe, South America and the Middle East so that there is a larger pool of qualified people from which to draw. Angela Davis, associate professor and chairwoman of the business program at Booth UC, said many people and organizations from large corporations to not-for-profit boards are concerned about the issue. Davis, a certified financial crime specialist, said, "The courses are offered to people like me who know how to use their smartphone and can sometimes operate their tablet." She said the courses can point out tips from the obvious, such as changing passwords, taking more care in using public Wi-Fi, and using websites like HaveIBeenPwned.com where users can check if their email accounts have been compromised in a data breach. The courses use unique "micro-learning" self-paced, interactive modules, covering terminology, best practices to protect against cyber-threats, unique online search and analysis techniques, and methods to uncover hidden data and recover deleted data from around the web. In partnership with Red River College, Booth UC recently established a bachelor of business administration program, which includes a financial crime stream. "We are a little smaller at Booth, so we can be flexible," Davis said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Cyber-crime is growing exponentially. Zur says its responsible for $600 billion worth of damage annually and could exceed $2 trillion in the next few years. Surveys have found that about half of Canadians have been a victim of cyber-crime in the past four years, and few of them know how to respond to cybersecurity threats. The courses at Booth start at the first level with awareness and literacy, then advance to hands-on skills and later specialization. Zur believes that professionals across the board in business, law enforcement, criminal justice and many more need the tools, knowledge and skills to be cyber-literate. On Thursday, Zur is offering a free presentation (registration with Booth UC is required) at The Gates on Roblin called "Preventing a Digital Doomsday" where, among other things, he will provide a glimpse of whats happening on the dark web and what the criminal marketplace looks like. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca There has been a lot of debate about the number of candidates involved in mayoral debates. Many have had the full compliment of eight candidates a condition that has caused some concern among some of those vying for the mayor's office. In general, the Free Press has supported the principle of including all candidates. However, one candidate in particular is putting our principled position to the test. Filmmaker Ed Ackerman will be on the ballot, but has not campaigned to any extent. He does not have a website and has not published any kind of platform. Still, he has demanded a spot at most of the debates. This has resulted in some frowning faces among those candidates who are actively campaigning. The frowns turn to grimaces when he actually does enunciate campaign pledges during the debate. Ackerman has suggested serving espresso in transit buses to drive higher ridership, and a reverse toll bridge to the North End. In Ackermans city hall, citizens would be given $10 every time they cross into the North End money to be spent at local businesses. Its entertaining, but hardly a serious attempt at campaigning. Still, we at the Free Press can thank Ackerman for one thing. We still support all candidates being included in the debates. Thank you, Ed Ackerman, for putting our principles to the test. (All eight mayoral candidates are slated to take part in this Thursday's debate, co-sponsored by Winnipeg Realtors and the Winnipeg Free Press. The event is being held at the Culturel Centre Franco Manitobain at 340 Provencher Blvd. on Oct. 4, 2018 from 7 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.. The event is free and everyone is welcome you can register online to reserve a seat in advance.) -Dan Lett Winnipeg Free Press columnist MANITOBAS health minister accused the provincial childrens advocate of finger-pointing at the government instead of helping solve problems. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MANITOBAS health minister accused the provincial childrens advocate of "finger-pointing" at the government instead of helping solve problems. "The Office of the Childrens Advocate, shes an independent officer and shes welcome to her opinion," Health Minister Cameron Friesen said about the advocate, Daphne Penrose, who released a three-page statement of concern about the provinces direction on dealing with youth mental health and addictions treatment Sept. 21. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Daphne Penrose, Manitoba's Advocate for Children and Youth, previously expressed disappointment about a perceived lack of action from the province when it comes to dealing with youth mental health and addictions issues. "What were inviting of course is collaboration. I wont be finger-pointing, like the advocate is doing. Im interested in one thing and one thing only, and that is finding solutions for Manitobans," Friesen said Monday. "So she may want to point fingers. I would say her time may be better spent getting involved in the actual finding of solutions, which we are doing every single day." Penrose, Manitobas advocate for children and youth, previously expressed disappointment about a perceived lack of action from the province when it comes to dealing with youth mental health and addictions issues. After a September meeting with deputy ministers from the health and families departments, Penrose said she didnt hear any concrete plans about how Manitoba will help minors and young adults, including an increasing number shes encountered who are using methamphetamines. "We have to set aside our own comfort levels as adults and service providers and listen to the voices of young people. They dont want to be dying from their addictions they want our help," Penrose wrote in September. When she heard of Friesens comments about her "finger-pointing" Monday, Penrose said she was only doing her job. "My legislative responsibilities include amplifying the voices of children and youth who rely on government services and to advise the government on what is happening for young people in Manitoba. Some of those messages come from the stories of young people who have died in Manitoba over the last 10 years," she said by email. "The recommendations and information I continue to offer government are not my opinions, but they are the results of comprehensive investigations my office has conducted when children call us for help, or following the deaths of children in this province." Penrose said she wrote to the health minister last week to again offer 10 years worth of data from her office. "I remain hopeful he will take me up on my offer to hear the solutions and ideas that reflect the lessons which must be learned as we listen to the voices and experiences of children and youth," she said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Friesen said the province is considering any and all ideas when it comes to treating addictions. "We are ideologically neutral. We are strongly driven by a desire to make the best investment we can to help Manitobans, families, individuals who are struggling with the crushing reality of methamphetamine use, overuse, addiction and psychosis," he said. "So were going to marshal all the resources we can. Were going to respond properly and were going to make sure that were getting the news out." A government spokesperson previously said a youth-oriented mental health and addictions plan will be unveiled in the fall. In the meantime, rapid access to addictions medicine clinics began operating last month and are treating adults in Winnipeg at two locations, on Magnus and Bannatyne Aves. A RAAM clinic in Thompson is currently easing into operation, and locations in Brandon and Selkirk are still to come. Jessica Botelho-Urbanski Fifteen minutes after his own press conference was supposed to start, the mayoral candidate rolled up in a cab at a strip mall in The Maples. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Fifteen minutes after his own press conference was supposed to start, the mayoral candidate rolled up in a cab at a strip mall in The Maples. Without an apology or explanation, Venkat Machiraju sauntered into a print shop on Keewatin Street. The shops manager offered up his desk for the candidate to sit behind and a suit jacket for him to wear in front of the media. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Mayoral candidate Venkat Machiraju held a press conference Tuesday calling on Brian Bowman to drop out of the race. (Carol Sanders / Winnipeg Free Press) Then the soft-spoken Hindu priest or pandit ripped into Mayor Brian Bowman, calling for him to withdraw from the mayors race. "Mayor Bowman does not care or understand what Winnipeggers need or want," Machiraju said while reading from a five-page script. He said the issues plaguing Winnipeg today are traffic congestion, crime arising out of poverty and property taxes that are "obnoxious." Machiraju said he wants an inner ring road running from Kenaston to Bishop Grandin connecting to Lagimodiere Boulevard and Chief Peguis Trail, and more lanes on Keewatin and Inkster Boulevard. Poverty is whats driving people to crime and drugs, says the candidate, who said as mayor, he would push for a "living wage" of $14 an hour for service workers and $18 an hour for production and office workers. He wants to add more police officers to address the "epidemic of drugs" and offer a low-income bus fare of $1 per way for riders earning less than $15,000 a year. Machiraju said he wants to lower property taxes by five per cent per year and will make up for the loss in revenue by replacing the citys request for proposal system with a way of contracting thats less costly. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO The jury in the Adam Anhang murder trial heard two conflicting versions of his death on Monday: one in which his widow was the mastermind of the plot to kill him, the other in which the Winnipeg-born businessman was caught up in serious business complications. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO The jury in the Adam Anhang murder trial heard two conflicting versions of his death on Monday: one in which his widow was the "mastermind" of the plot to kill him, the other in which the Winnipeg-born businessman was caught up in serious business complications. The San Juan jury begins deliberations today. "(Anhang) knew that she liked money," prosecutor Jose Ruiz said about the widow, Aurea Vazquez-Rijos, in his closing argument. "What he didnt know is that she liked it so much she would kill for it." Vazquez-Rijos, 38, is accused of conspiracy in the September 2005 murder-for-hire, along with her sister, Marcia, and a boyfriend, Jose Ferrer Sosa. The prosecution maintains they hired a hit man and promised him US$3 million to kill the Canadian real estate developer. The widow stood to get US$8 million upon Anhangs death, according to their prenuptial agreement. Anhang was about to divorce her, after a six-month marriage. "She saw only a walking dollar sign," Ruiz told the jury. "And for eight years she got away with it... The lies stop right here. Shes not fooling anybody anymore." However, Vazquez-Rijoss defence lawyer, Lydia Lizarribar, said despite the talk of divorce, her client loved Anhang and he loved her. "They had a strong physical and emotional bond. She wanted to keep her marriage." The problem, Lizarribar told the jury, was Anhangs business partner, Roberto Cacho, who "went bananas, all hell broke loose" when he learned the couple had married in March 2005, in a quiet civil ceremony, without telling him. What upset Cacho most was the terms of the prenuptial agreement, which would effectively hand over a large part of the business to Vazquez-Rijos in the event of Anhangs death, the lawyer said. Anhang brought an estate of US$24 million into the marriage; Vazquez-Rijos brought US$65,000. Cacho, the defence lawyer said, approached Anhang and told him he should divorce his wife and tear up the pre-nup. "Adam didnt really want a divorce. Adam loved Aurea... They lived a normal life. Quarrels about money, good sex, difficulty with business partner." She said Vazquez-Rijos had no reason to want her husband dead. Nevertheless, at a couples therapy session, Anhang told her he was filing for a divorce, and she shot back: "Just try it. Im not going to let you go that easy." Twelve hours later, Anhang was dead, lying in a pool of blood on a cobblestone street. Lizarribar never said, nor even suggested, Cacho was behind Anhangs murder. But she did say he "felt betrayed" by his business partner. The prosecution told the jury having Anhang killed was the culmination of a plan developed by Vazquez-Rijos over many months. Early in 2005, she asked a neighbour with whom she had had an affair if he knew anybody she could hire as a contract killer. She asked the same thing two months later of a lawyer who drew up their pre-nuptial agreement. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Neither man informed the police. "Aurea was looking for a hit man even before they got married," Ruiz said. In the end, Alex Pabon, a drug dealer known as "El Loco," was the one they found. After killing Anhang with a stone and a knife, Pabon fractured Vazquez-Rijoss cheek and fled without taking Anhangs wallet, spoiling the plan to make it look like a random robbery instead of a contract killing, he testified. Pabon was arrested and confessed to the killing in 2008, and named Vazquez-Rijos, her sister and Ferrer Sosa as the conspirators. However, by that time, Vazquez-Rijos had flown to Italy, where she stayed for the next five years, giving birth to twin girls. He made a co-operation agreement with federal authorities for a reduced sentence. He was the key prosecution witness at the trial. Vazquez-Rijoss odyssey through Europe ended in 2013, when she was arrested in an FBI sting operation in Madrid. In 2015, she was extradited to Puerto Rico, after authorities in the an unincorporated territory of the United States promised not to seek the death penalty. Winnipeg fashion mogul Peter Nygard is fighting back against the court-ordered seizure of his beachfront property in The Bahamas for $2.4 million US he owes in legal fees to an environmental group there. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg fashion mogul Peter Nygard is fighting back against the court-ordered seizure of his beachfront property in The Bahamas for $2.4 million US he owes in legal fees to an environmental group there. Nygard, who was in Winnipeg two weeks ago celebrating the 50th anniversary of his company Nygard International, could not be reached for comment. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Peter Nygard at a ceremony at Nygard fashions head office in September, 2018. But a statement from his company called the seizure, which is in front of the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, was an "illegal seizure" that was "clearly an orchestrated publicity stunt to create an unwarranted false impression about Mr. Nygard. His lawyers contend that the seizure writ is invalid and should be set aside by the court. "Mr. Nygard intends to sue whoever is legally responsible for this unlawful procedure." It's the latest scene in the legal drama which has played out for more than a decade between Nygard and his neighbour Louis Bacon, a billionaire hedge-fund manager who has battled Nygard for years, accusing the Winnipegger of expanding his property on Crown land without getting the proper permits. The statement from the company said "this 'fake news' story is being led by Fred Smith, the lawyer for Save the Bays, which is funded by the Moore Foundation. "This foundation was created by Louis Bacon, to ensure maximum damage is done to harm the reputation of Peter Nygard." Save the Bays, a non-profit coalition to protect Clifton Bay, has been fighting for the last five years to get Nygard to remove the coastal structures which have expanded his property into the bay. The coalition recently won an order to have Nygard pay $2.4 million for its legal fees. In a statement, Save the Bays officials say Nygard's property was seized on Saturday after officials with the country's Supreme Court were refused entry while executing the court order. Supreme Court officials, accompanied by local police, seized the property known as Nygard Cay to begin determining how much items would be worth if sold to settle the debt. The court has given Nygard seven days to pay or he will be declared bankrupt and his property will be sold to settle the debt. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The court also issued an order last month to Nygard to remove three coastal structures which Save the Bays have argued has negatively affected the marine environment while increasing the size of his property Smith said in a statement that "the judge has sent a message that no one is above the law in The Bahamas. "For far too long, wealthy, powerful and politically influential individuals like Peter Nygard have been allowed to run roughshod over this country. They have caused wholesale environmental devastation, simply to improve their already opulent lifestyle at the expense of everyone else. "What has happened to Mr. Nygard should serve as a cautionary tale, a warning to everyone who lives here that they must respect the rule of law." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca A Winnipeg police officer who is running for mayor says the city needs to get smart on crime. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Winnipeg police officer who is running for mayor says the city needs to get smart on crime. "Im tired of seeing whats happening to our city," Tim Diack said at a press conference in the parking lot of the now-defunct Neechi Commons on Main Street. The community police officer in Point Douglas said Winnipeg needs to equip police officers with more up-to-date technology and get convicted criminals to help pay for the police resources used to arrest them. The police service uses a records management system from the 1990s that is out of date and one of the reasons police response time in Winnipeg is twice as long as it is in other Canadian cities, Diack said. With more up-to-date, efficient technology, police wont be tied up with administrative tasks and can get back to work protecting the community, he said. Right now, for instance, a simple weapons arrest can tie up an officer for up to five hours, Diack said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The need isnt to hire more officers, he said the need is to enable existing ones to do more actual police work. He wants police to have new cellphones with cameras to gather video evidence during an arrest, and figures the upgrades would cost close to $700,000. "Updating the way evidence is collected will bring these investigations into the 21st century and make our streets safer," Diack said in his "smart on crime" policy on his website diackformayor.com. At his press conference Tuesday, Diack said he wants criminals to pay literally. Police should be billing convicted drug dealers and other criminals who can afford to drive around in expensive vehicles for the cost of police resources, such as the officers time and things like evidence bags. Scofflaws and system abusers, not taxpayers, should pay for the costs of police labour and resources, said Diack, who compared it to billing users for ambulance service. He acknowledged that not every criminal would have the means to pay. He said hes discussed the policy idea with lawyers but hasnt spoken with anyone at the provincial or federal level of government about how to implement it. If elected, Diack said, he envisions new signs with a new slogan greeting visitors to the city: "Welcome to Winnipeg the safest city in Canada." carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA Canadas main rail union is claiming paramedics were delayed access to last months deadly derailment along the railway leading to Churchill, calling for a fourth body to investigate the incident. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Canadas main rail union is claiming paramedics were delayed access to last months deadly derailment along the railway leading to Churchill, calling for a fourth body to investigate the incident. On Sept. 15, a train along the Hudson Bay Railway derailed south of Thompson, hundreds of miles away from the repairs being made between Churchill and Gillam. Two men were crushed; officials pronounced a 38-year-old conductor dead at the scene, and airlifted a 59-year-old engineer to Winnipeg. On Monday, Teamsters Canada Rail Conference asked Manitobas chief medical examiner to do a coroners inquest. In an open letter, the union claims paramedics in a nearby town were not allowed to attend the scene for more than nine hours, and the man who died bled out as a result of his injuries. "Paramedics, despite being in Ponton, where not allowed to attend the wreck and administer emergency treatment to the injured crew, apparently due to concerns about diesel fuel leakage," reads the letter. "The injuries sustained by the conductor were entirely survivable, assuming reasonable medical care. None was forthcoming." They even claim a helicopter crew only arrived at the scene through "a fluke observation," when they were picking up a prospector two hours after the derailment and saw the collapsed train. The union would not publicly specify the source of that allegation, but its letter paints a vivid detail from the scene. It claims the helicopter landed on a narrow sandbar, and a prospector and two colleagues "climbed through the bush and wreckage" to look for people. "The prospector heard the shouts of the injured crew members and observed a hand sticking out of the window. He climbed down to the crushed locomotive and found the two men, trapped, injured, but alive. The others climbed on top of the wreckage, trying to find higher ground and (cellphone) service," the letter reads. That letter claims the helicopter pilot was able to bring Mounties and some supplies, but not paramedics nor medicine. It claims an autopsy found the conductor had bled to death; the Free Press was not able to obtain that report. "The engineer was cut loose and first saw paramedic treatment more than nine hours after help was called," the letter claims. Teamsters spokesman Christopher Monette said he couldnt publicly reveal the source of the information, but the letter cites "firsthand, contemporaneous reports" of what happened. "One of our members died of injuries, and nobody should die of a fracture, as it seems," Monette said in an interview. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the incident, but its Manitoba head said the train derailed because a flush of water "possibly related to beaver activity" washed out two culverts. The union claims Omnitrax, which owned the railway until a month ago, "eliminated the beaver control program some three years ago" despite other carriers maintaining similar programs "to ensure that there are not significant buildups of water caused by beaver dams in the backcountry." In addition to the TSB, Transport Canada is probing whether labour rules were followed, and the railways new owner, Arctic Gateway, is doing its own probe. The new firm says safety is paramount and the ongoing Churchill repairs will be done right, even if that means rail service isnt restored by the winter freeze-up. Yet the union letter ominously claims the railway is not safe. "There are dozens of similar structures across the HBR system, all potentially at risk." The train spanned 25 cars, and three locomotives derailed along with four cars carrying gravel for the Churchill repairs and fuel. The train has leaked diesel into the Metishto River, and it was also carrying gasoline, liquid propane gas and butane. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Manitoba health officials are considering giving paramedics the ability to administer an anti-psychotic drug to patients experiencing acute methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba health officials are considering giving paramedics the ability to administer an anti-psychotic drug to patients experiencing acute methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Olanzapine, a wafer-like medication taken orally, is currently only available by prescription from physicians in emergency departments and hospitals. The drug is used to treat many disorders in the psychiatric domain, including schizophrenia, said Dr. Ginette Poulin, medical director of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. In an interview Monday, Health Minister Cameron Friesen said the government is considering expanding use of olanzapine to paramedics, who are often on the front lines encountering those experiencing acute psychosis. Poulin said theres a lack of clinical research demonstrating which anti-psychotic medications work best when trying to help those struggling with the effects of crystal meth, an issue thats become increasingly prevalent in southern Manitoba. She would like to see more local studies done soon. "When it comes to stimulants, were still kind of needing to learn a lot, and we dont have a lot of evidence for strong management for ongoing use disorder," she said. "When it comes to olanzapine, this is another tool in our tool kit to use on some of the symptoms and, in this case, the psychosis secondary to the stimulant use." Poulin said shes already prescribed olanzapine to patients. She appreciates having the option available alongside a mix of other anti-psychotics and benzodiazepines (also known as sedatives). Manitoba needs to be "looking at whats been done elsewhere to help us advocate for more options," she noted, pointing to Australia as a location where health officials are already making strides. In an advisory note sent to then-health minister Kelvin Goertzen in March, and obtained via a freedom of information request, department officials cited olanzapine as a drug that "effectively treats the symptoms of meth-induced psychosis." On Monday, Friesen said anti-psychotic medications such as olanzapine are on his radar when it comes to addressing Manitobas meth boom. But medications arent the only solution. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Administration of drugs is huge, but it represents only a very small part of the overall work on this," he said, before rattling off his own list of questions nearly as long as a reporters. "What is the residency bed requirement that we will have for this? How do we have people feel safe in our hospitals and ERs? That means employees, that means visitors, that means patients. How do we get more doctors in Manitoba to become addictions specialists? What is the increase to nurse training or facilitation that we can use to combat this? How do we strengthen our relationship with the College of Physicians and Surgeons (of Manitoba) and the (University of Manitoba) faculty of medicine? (There are) so many areas of exploration that were undertaking. But all of it, we are compelled to study." The health minister wouldnt say which of those questions the province plans to answer first this fall when it will announce more news about addictions treatment. Three more rapid access to addictions medicine clinics are also scheduled to open in the coming weeks in Thompson, Brandon and Selkirk. In another advisory note sent to Goertzen in June, mental health and addictions specialists said issues around the use of meth are "complex and need to be addressed across sectors." "Stakeholders are leveraging existing resources to address the meth crisis; however, new resources are required to address critical gaps in... services and residential addictions treatment," department staff wrote June 12. jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.caTwitter: @_jessbu We can all accept the principle that Manitobas public construction projects should benefit Manitobans. They should create jobs, prioritize safety and be built by properly trained workers so residents can rely on infrastructure thats built to last. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion We can all accept the principle that Manitobas public construction projects should benefit Manitobans. They should create jobs, prioritize safety and be built by properly trained workers so residents can rely on infrastructure thats built to last. But if Brian Pallisters government and its support base of special-interest groups agree on this principle, their introduction of Bill 28 raises questions. Why are they attacking Manitobas skilled workers? Why are they seeking to drive down costs for out-of-province construction companies by cutting corners on labour? And why have they introduced this legislation without meaningful consultation? To fully understand this debate, its important to explore the history of project-labour agreements (PLAs) and the role they have played in Manitoba. In the 1960s, Progressive Conservative Premier Duff Roblin introduced PLAs to change the tendering equation from cost only to "cost plus quality" selection creating more jobs for Manitobans. He did this because he understood that cheap labour is not skilled labour and skilled labour is not cheap. With this understanding, successive governments, along with private-sector project owners across North America, have used PLAs to deliver high-quality construction. For many years, we have seen a concerted effort from non-unionized contractors such as the Merit Contractors Association and the Progressive Contractors Association (PCA) to chip away at the hiring requirements and quality controls created by PLAs. In 2012, Merit launched a lawsuit naming local unions and Manitoba Hydro as defendants. Merit imported expensive lawyers from British Columbia to argue that PLAs were "forced unionization" and violated charter rights of five workers it had named as plaintiffs. Despite its stated concern for charter rights, Merits financial interest in this legal venture was evident. Manitoba courts rejected Merits case and the Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear its appeal. Shortly after the Supreme Court decision, using suspiciously Merit-like language, Pallister called PLAs "forced unionization" and promised to ban them if elected. This marked the first sign of Brian Pallister turning his back on former premier Roblins legacy, and ultimately, Manitobas skilled workers. It was the first sign that forewarned of Bill 28. Given this history of Bill 28, its important to explore what it means. Quite simply, its a raw deal for Manitoba workers. Since 2014, 56 per cent of the workforce at the Keeyask PLA project has come from Manitoba. With no owner-led PLA at the Point Dubois hydro project, only 34 per cent of work went to Manitobans. The contrast speaks for itself, as does the loss of hundreds of millions in wages that have been sent out of Manitoba. What about the notion of forced unionization? Quite the contrary. PLAs are devised to ensure that all workers, union and non-union, are paid equally and dues are levied in exchange for better wages and benefits. PLAs have never required that bidders be union or that work only go to union contractors. Non-union contractors are never required to sign union agreements. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. These dues levied also pay for training and workforce development provided by the union sector. Manitoba unions spent over $6.5 million on training in 2017 alone. Merit and PCA, the driving forces behind this bill, have no training centres in Manitoba. Still not convinced? More than 77 per cent of contractors at the Floodway and Keeyask projects have been non-union contractors. PLAs create local employment opportunities for Manitobans, including Indigenous workers and women. Under PLAs, thousands of Indigenous Manitobans have worked millions of hours. With Bill 28, private interest is masquerading as public interest. Private companies understandably want to make more money. But when they demand special legislation so they can earn more by paying workers less, we are turning our back on the working middle class while compromising the safety of our construction sites and the quality of our infrastructure projects. Bill 28 will inflict irreversible damages on our skilled trades workers and communities, all for an ideologically driven commitment to special interest groups such as Merit and PCA. Put simply, Bill 28 is not worth the risk. Stop Bill 28. Sudhir Sandhu is chief executive officer of Manitoba Building Trades, which represents 8,000 skilled trades workers in Manitoba. The ping pong legal battle between Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the City of Toronto all of it playing out amid a municipal election campaign in Canadas largest city has highlighted Fords longstanding feud with his former foes on Toronto city council. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 2/10/2018 (1138 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion The ping pong legal battle between Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the City of Toronto all of it playing out amid a municipal election campaign in Canadas largest city has highlighted Fords longstanding feud with his former foes on Toronto city council. But Fords hurried attempt to reduce the size of Toronto city council for the upcoming Oct. 22 election has also unexpectedly shone a spotlight on certain shortcomings in Canadas Constitution and its legal order namely, the unprotected status of municipalities, and the mistake of including the notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in the first place. Its presence in the Charter undermines judicial review, the rule of law and ultimately the Constitution itself. The Ontario Court of Appeal is the latest judicial body to weigh in on the Toronto municipal election controversy by siding with Ford on Ontarios Bill 5, which would reduce the number of Toronto councillors from 47 to 25. The appeal court overturned a ruling by Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward P. Belobaba, who found that key provisions of Bill 5 ran afoul of the section in the Charter that guarantees the rights of municipal voters and candidates to "freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression." Using the nuclear option After the Superior Court ruling, Ford announced he would bring in new legislation that would invoke the notwithstanding clause in order to push ahead with the smaller council size. The Court of Appeal ruling now means Ford wont have to use the so-called nuclear option to override the Charter. Lost among the back-and-forth political battles between Ford and Toronto city council is that municipalities are not constitutionally protected as sovereign levels of government in Canada. As a federal state, Canada is a confederation of two co-equal levels of sovereign government: provincial and federal. But municipalities fall under the jurisdictions of provincial legislatures, so therefore have no entrenched or constitutionally protected status. Municipal governments are the closest to the people and to local communities and arguably have the biggest impact on the day-to-day lives of citizens, yet theyre the least powerful and the most vulnerable to encroachment by the provinces. As we saw with Fords moves, the threat to use the notwithstanding clause permits Parliament or provincial legislatures to potentially override judicial rulings that declare legislation unconstitutional. Key Charter rights can be circumvented Not all Charter rights may be overridden, but many of the most crucial ones can be including freedom of expression, the right to life, liberty and security of the person, as well as the basic rights incidental to arrest. Basic equality rights may also be overidden by the notwithstanding clause. The inclusion of the notwithstanding clause in Canadas Charter was a product of the delicate negotiations between the provinces and the federal government leading to the patriation of the Constitution in 1982. It was the key compromise that allowed patriation to happen. Recently, the primary architects of the Charter have emphasized the danger of normalizing the use and application of the notwithstanding clause. Prominent law professors and members of the legal profession in Ontario also signed a letter to Ford to the same effect. Ford has stated he wouldnt hesitate to use the notwithstanding clause in the future if courts rule against his government. For most of the Charters history, the clause has been lightly used and gingerly treated. If that history is indeed coming to an end, we are in for a distinctly Canadian constitutional crisis and an indication that Canada may be just as vulnerable to crude populism and authoritarianism as the post-Brexit U.K. and the United States of Donald Trump. Neo-national revolt In both the U.S. and Great Britain our larger and older common-law cousins contemporary politics is now dominated by a neo-nationalist revolt of historic proportions. In the U.K., there was Brexit and its lingering fallout. In the United States, there was the election of Donald Trump and his siren song to "Make America Great Again." Brexit voters, like Trumps MAGA supporters, strongly repudiated elites and experts who did not adequately foresee their rage. Both events heralded an increasing cynicism about reliability and honesty of established politicians, bureaucrats and the media. They also demonstrated an alarming vulnerability of established political, legal and constitutional norms to upheaval, and both have led to an extended crisis for democracy and the rule of law in each country. Pushing populist agenda Up until now, Canadians have been observing these events from the sidelines. But in Canadas most populous province, Ford has shown he was ready to circumvent a court ruling to push his populist agenda. Despite the Ontario Court of Appeal decision to grant an emergency stay of the early lower court decision, these events suggests that Canadas political and legal environment may not be as different from our closest allies as is sometimes supposed. Perhaps its not terribly surprising. Comparisons between Trump and Ford, after all, have been made many times by various Canadian and American pundits. Trump too has railed against the power of the courts south of the border. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The notwithstanding clause of the Constitution states that "a province may expressly declare" when it intends to override constitutionally protected rights. Although the language is permissive, ignoring it can result in confusion and legal ambiguity. The initial Bill 5 contained no such express declaration. The failure of the original legislation to anticipate that it would face a constitutional court challenge speaks to the inexperience and bluster of the new Ford government. But Fords message, not unlike Trumps, is clear: the courts arent elected, I am. This is one of many respects in which Fords Ontario is beginning to look more like Trumps America. Jeffrey B. Meyers is a lecturer in the faculty of law at Thompson Rivers University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. On Sunday night, Canada reached a trade treaty with the United States and Mexico that is only a little worse than what weve had for the past 24 years. This comes as a pleasant surprise, considering that U.S. President Donald Trump came into office a year and a half ago intending to raise huge new barriers against Canadian trade. The new treaty falls well short of free trade within North America, but it will probably allow continued economic expansion in all three countries. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/10/2018 (1139 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. On Sunday night, Canada reached a trade treaty with the United States and Mexico that is only a little worse than what weve had for the past 24 years. This comes as a pleasant surprise, considering that U.S. President Donald Trump came into office a year and a half ago intending to raise huge new barriers against Canadian trade. The new treaty falls well short of free trade within North America, but it will probably allow continued economic expansion in all three countries. The main political difference between the old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is that Mr. Trump didnt like that one and he does like this one. The substance is much the same in many respects, but Mr. Trump has given it a new name that starts with the words "United States," in keeping with his doctrine of America First. He thinks its his child, and that is all the difference in the world as long as he is president. Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every weekday evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthize (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / The Associated Press) The main practical difference for Canada is that Canadian companies now know what access they will have to the U.S. market. Companies that have been deferring expansion can now take their investment plans off the shelf. This should produce at least a brief spurt in economic growth. There will be losers. Dairy producers will face stiffer competition. Retailers will face stiffer competition from U.S.-based online retailers. B.C. wineries will face tougher competition in grocery stores. These firms may succeed in meeting the new competition or they may suffer declining sales. Some may go out of business and blame USMCA for their difficulty. Canada will need to provide transitional assistance to ease these firms into the new trade regime. When this negotiation started 14 months ago, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and his team wanted automatic termination of the treaty every five years unless all three countries chose renewal. They wanted to eliminate Canadas system of supply management in dairy, eggs and poultry. They wanted to eliminate binational dispute-settlement panels. The Canadian side, to its credit, did not submit to these unreasonable demands. The U.S. side, to its credit, recognized the weakness of its position and dropped these demands. Mr. Trump thinks the agreement was reached because he imposed punitive tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. It is probably more true to say that agreement was reached because both sides dropped the demands that were arousing no interest at the bargaining table. Oddly, the tariffs he imposed continue even though the agreement has been reached. Canadas retaliatory tariffs also continue in force. We have a trade treaty, but we also have a continuing trade war. The U.S. is agreeing to a set of rules, but it also insists on its right to impose import tariffs arbitrarily in the name of national security, even where the products involved have no connection to national security. With one hand, it is signing on to a set of rules. With the other, it is claiming a right to coerce Canada through punitive and arbitrary tariffs any time it wants to. What kind of a trade partner is that? The details will emerge in coming days as industries read the small print. When Canadians see the U.S. midterm election results five weeks hence, they may wish we had waited a little longer. But we have a deal and, on balance, its not so bad. New MOOCs for agents of change Wits University has added two new courses to its free, online WitsX/edX learning platform. Starting in October, the two courses, Activism and Citizen Journalism through Media and Civil Society and African Media Policy in the Digital Age, focus on various aspects of activism, media, journalism, social media, civil society, and media policy and practice. Course: Activism and citizen journalism through media Media is a powerful tool for promoting social justice. If you are an activist involved in promoting or advocating for a social cause then this free online course is for you. Aimed at people working in civil society and NGOs, it provides a practical guide to using both traditional and social media to promote a social cause. The course was developed in collaboration with the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Development (CLTD), under the WitsX partnership. The course is designed to equip participants to produce a journalistic story using mobile media tools, to promote social justice. Participants will learn to: identify newsworthy issues; define the limits and possibilities of different mobile platforms and tools, and identify an appropriate strategy and platform/tool to reach a defined target audience. The course also promotes ethical and safe media practices. The course draws on the innovative work of the Citizen Justice Network. The lead academic is Paul McNally, from the Citizen Justice Network in the Wits School of Journalism. The course will run from 3 October to 31 October 2018. Additional information is available at: https://www.edx.org/course/activism-and-citizen-journalism Course: Civil society and African media policy in the digital age This free, six-week online MOOC offered on the WitsX/edX platform and delivered by Wits LINK Centre academics in cooperation with other African media policy experts. Media play a critical role in democratic societies by informing citizens, facilitating and building freedom of expression, and fostering access to information. This course will help you to identify the principles and components of democratic media policy and practice, and to identify strategies for effective civil society engagement with these matters in African settings. This course aims to empower civil society actors in support of a free, pluralistic and independent African media. It seeks to sustain the work of the late South African media activist, Jeanette Minnie, who was devoted to robust civil society engagement with African media policy. Her work showed the value of civil society and media personnel in impacting on state policy, law and administrative action in the interests of freedom, pluralism and independence for media. The lead academic is Visiting Adjunct Professor Justine Limpitlaw from the Wits LINK Centre. The course will run from 10 October to 21 November 2018. Visiting Adjunct Professor Justine Limpitlaw from the Wits LINK Centre. The course will run from 10 October to 21 November 2018. Additional information is available at: https://www.edx.org/course/civil-society-and-african-media-policy-in-the-digital-age About WitsX on edX In 2014 Wits University became the first African University to partner with edX, the online learning destination founded by MIT and Harvard to offer massive open online courses (MOOCs) to a global learning audience. The first three MOOCs on the WitsX platform was launched in 2016 and to date 47 477 students have enrolled for eight courses on the platform. Three more will be added to WitsX and will start running in the first half of 2019. There is not enough analysis data for Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 179 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 111 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund has received 61.72% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Kayne Anderson Energy Infrastructure Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe KYN will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe KYN will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next American Midstream Partners, LP provides midstream infrastructure that links the producers of natural gas, crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs), condensate, and specialty chemicals to various intermediate and end-use markets in the United States and Mexico. Its Gas Gathering and Processing Services segment offers services to producers of natural gas and crude oil, including transporting raw natural gas and crude oil from various receipt points through gathering systems, treating the raw natural gas, processing raw natural gas to separate the NGLs from the natural gas, fractionating NGLs, and selling or delivering pipeline-quality natural gas and NGLs. The company's Liquid Pipelines and Services segment transports, purchases, and sells crude oil. Its Natural Gas Transportation Services segment transports and delivers natural gas from producing wells, receipt points, or pipeline interconnects for shippers, local distribution companies, and utilities, as well as industrial, commercial, and power generation customers. The company's Offshore Pipelines and Services segment gathers and transports natural gas from receipt points to other pipeline interconnects, onshore facilities, and other delivery points. Its Terminalling Services segment provides petroleum products, distillates, chemicals, and agricultural products storage services at its marine terminals for commodity brokers, refiners, and chemical manufacturers. As of May 10, 2018, the company owned approximately 5,100 miles of interstate and intrastate pipelines; gas processing plants and fractionation facilities; an offshore semisubmersible floating production system with nameplate processing capacity of 90 thousand barrels per day of crude oil and 220 million cubic feet per day of natural gas; and terminal sites with approximately 6.7 million barrels of storage capacity. American Midstream GP, LLC serves as the general partner of the company. The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Sysco: 2234829 Alberta ULC, 2234842 Alberta ULC, A. M. Briggs Inc., A.M. Briggs, Almacen Fiscal Frionet Caldera S.A., Almacen Fiscal Frionet Limon S.A., Appert's Foodservice, Arnotts (Fruit) Limited, Asian Foods, Bahamas Food Holdings Limited, Bahamas Food Services Limited, Brake Bros, Brake Bros Foodservice Ireland Limited, Brake Bros. Foodservice Limited, Brake Bros. Holding I Limited, Brake Bros. Ltd., Brakes Foodservice NI Limited, Buchy Food Service, Buckhead Beef Co., Buckhead Meat & Seafood of Houston Inc., Buckhead Meat Company, Buckhead Meat Midwest Inc., Buckhead Meat of Dallas Inc., Buckhead Meat of Denver Inc., Buckhead Meat of San Antonio LP, Buzztable Inc., CAKE Corporation, Central Seafood Co., Christys Wine & Spirits Limited, Clafra Aktiebolag, Colorado Boxed Beef Co - Specialty meat-cutting division, Corporacion Frionet Sociedad Anonima, Crossgar Foodservice, Crossgar Foodservice Limited, Crown I Enterprises Inc., Cucina Acquisitions (UK) Limited, Cucina Finance (UK) Limited, Cucina French Holdings Limited, Cucina Fresh Finance Limited, Cucina Fresh Investments Limited, Cucina Lux Investments Limited, Curleys Quality Foods Limited (Third Party), Davigel Belgilux S.A., Davigel Espana S.A., Desert Meats & Provisions, Distagro, Doerle Food Service, Doughtie's Foods Inc., Dust Bowl City LLC, Eko Fagel Fisk o mittemellan AB, Enclave Insurance Company, Enclave Parkway Association Inc., Enclave Properties LLC, European Imports, European Imports Inc., Figg Inc., Freedman Meats, Freedman Meats Inc., Freedman-KB Inc., Fresh Direct (UK) Limited, Fresh Direct Group Limited, Fresh Direct Limited, Fresh Holdings Limited, FreshPoint, FreshPoint Arizona Inc., FreshPoint Atlanta Inc., FreshPoint California Inc., FreshPoint Central California Inc., FreshPoint Central Florida Inc., FreshPoint Connecticut LLC, FreshPoint Dallas Inc., FreshPoint Denver Inc., FreshPoint Hawaii LLC, FreshPoint Inc., FreshPoint Las Vegas Inc., FreshPoint North Carolina Inc., FreshPoint North Florida Inc., FreshPoint Oklahoma City LLC, FreshPoint Pompano Real Estate LLC, FreshPoint Puerto Rico LLC, FreshPoint San Francisco Inc., FreshPoint South Florida Inc., FreshPoint South Texas Inc., FreshPoint Southern California Inc., FreshPoint Tomato LLC, FreshPoint Vancouver Ltd., Freshfayre Limited, Fruktservice i Helsingborg AB, GHS Classic Drinks Limited, Gilchrist & Soames Inc., Gilchrist & Soames UK Limited, Guest Packaging LLC, Guest Supply, Guest Supply Asia Limited, Guest Supply Singapore Pte. Ltd., International Food Group, Isakssons Frukt & Gront AB, J & M Wholesale Meats, J. Kings Food Service Professionals, J. Kings Food Service Professionals Inc., Kent Frozen Foods, Les Ateliers Du Gout, Liquid Assets Limited, M&J Seafood Holdings Limited, M&J Seafood Limited, Manchester Mills LLC, Mayca Autoservicio S.A., Mayca Distribuidores S.A., Menigo Foodservice AB, Mitshim Etatu Supply LP, Newport Meat Company, Newport Meat Northern California Inc., Newport Meat Pacific Northwest Inc., Newport Meat Southern California Inc., Newport Meat of Nevada Inc., North Star Holding Corporation, North Star Seafood, North Star Seafood Acquisition Corporation, North Star Seafood LLC, PFS de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Palisades Ranch Inc., Pallas Foods, Pallas Foods Farm Fresh Unlimited Company, Pallas Foods Unlimited Company, Pauleys Produce Limited, Promotora del Servicios S.A. de C.V., Restaurangakdemien AB, Restaurant of Tomorrow Inc., Rohan Viandes Elaboration SAS, SMS Bermuda Holdings, SMS GPC International Limited, SMS GPC International Resources Limited, SMS Global Holdings S.a.r.l., SMS International Resources Ireland Unlimited Company, SMS Lux Holdings LLC, SOTF LLC, SYY Netherlands C.V., SYY Panama S. de R.L., Serca Foodservice, Servicestyckarna I Johannes AB, Servicios Ameriserve S.A. de C.V., Shenzhen Guest Supply Trading Co. Limited, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Bianchi Montegut, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Boiseau, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) De Garcelles, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) J.D. Lanjouan, Societe Civile Immobiliere (SCI) Le Dauphin, Specialty Meat Holdings LLC, Stockflag Limited, Stockholms Fiskauktion AB, Supplies on the Fly, Sysco Albany LLC, Sysco Asian Foods Inc., Sysco Atlanta LLC, Sysco Autoservicio S.A., Sysco Baltimore LLC, Sysco Baraboo LLC, Sysco Bermuda Partners L.P., Sysco Boston LLC, Sysco Canada Holdings S.a.r.l., Sysco Canada Inc., Sysco Central Alabama LLC, Sysco Central California Inc., Sysco Central Florida Inc., Sysco Central Illinois Inc., Sysco Central Pennsylvania LLC, Sysco Charlotte LLC, Sysco Chicago Inc., Sysco Cincinnati LLC, Sysco Cleveland Inc., Sysco Columbia LLC, Sysco Connecticut LLC, Sysco Corporation, Sysco Corporation Director's Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Employee's 401(k) Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust, Sysco Corporation Good Government Committee Inc., Sysco Corporation Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Trust, Sysco Corporation Supplemental Unemployment Benefits Plan Trust, Sysco Detroit LLC, Sysco Disaster Relief Foundation Inc., Sysco EI VI S. s.r.l., Sysco EU II S.a.r.l., Sysco EU III S.a.r.l., Sysco EU IV Capital Unlimited Company, Sysco EU IV S. s.r.l.., Sysco EU V S. s.r.l., Sysco Eastern Maryland LLC, Sysco Eastern Wisconsin LLC, Sysco Foundation Inc., Sysco France Holding SAS, Sysco France SAS, Sysco George Town II LLC, Sysco George Town Limited S. s.r.l.., Sysco Global Finance LLC, Sysco Global Finance LLP, Sysco Global Holdings B.V., Sysco Global Resources LLC, Sysco Global Services LLC, Sysco Grand Cayman Company, Sysco Grand Cayman II Company, Sysco Grand Cayman III Company, Sysco Grand Rapids LLC, Sysco Guernsey Limited, Sysco Guest Supply Canada Inc., Sysco Guest Supply Europe Goods Wholesalers LLC, Sysco Guest Supply Europe Limited, Sysco Guest Supply LLC, Sysco Gulf Coast LLC, Sysco Hampton Roads Inc., Sysco Hawaii Inc., Sysco Holdings II LLC, Sysco Holdings LLC, Sysco Indianapolis LLC, Sysco International Food Group Inc., Sysco International Inc., Sysco Iowa Inc., Sysco Jackson LLC, Sysco Jacksonville Inc., Sysco Kansas City Inc., Sysco Knoxville LLC, Sysco Labs Europe Limited, Sysco Labs Pvt. Ltd., Sysco Leasing LLC, Sysco Lincoln Inc., Sysco Lincoln Transportation Company Inc., Sysco Long Island LLC, Sysco Los Angeles Inc., Sysco Louisville Inc., Sysco Memphis LLC, Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Canada Inc., Sysco Merchandising and Supply Chain Services Inc., Sysco Metro New York LLC, Sysco Minnesota Inc., Sysco Montana Inc., Sysco Nashville LLC, Sysco Netherlands Partners LLC, Sysco North Central Florida Inc., Sysco North Dakota Inc., Sysco Northern New England Inc., Sysco Philadelphia LLC, Sysco Pittsburgh LLC, Sysco Portland Inc., Sysco Raleigh LLC, Sysco Resources Services LLC, Sysco Riverside Inc., Sysco Sacramento Inc., Sysco San Diego Inc., Sysco San Francisco Inc., Sysco Seattle Inc., Sysco South Florida Inc., Sysco Southeast Florida LLC, Sysco Spain Holdings SLU, Sysco Spokane Inc., Sysco St. Louis LLC, Sysco Syracuse LLC, Sysco Technologies Cayman Ltd., Sysco Technologies LLC, Sysco UK Holdings Limited, Sysco UK Limited, Sysco UK Partners LLP, Sysco USA I Inc., Sysco USA II LLC, Sysco USA III LLC, Sysco Ventura Inc., Sysco Ventures Inc., Sysco Virginia LLC, Sysco West Coast Florida Inc., Sysco Western Minnesota Inc., The SYGMA Network Inc., Upsys, Victua SAS, Walker Foods Inc., Waugh Foods, and Wild Harvest Limited. WABCO Holdings Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies electronic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, and aerodynamic products worldwide. The company engineers, develops, manufactures, and sells braking, stability, suspension, steering, transmission automation, and air management systems primarily for commercial vehicles. The company's products include pneumatic anti-lock braking systems, electronic braking systems, electronic stability control systems, brake controls, automated manual transmission systems, and air disc brakes; and various conventional mechanical products, such as actuators, air compressors, and air control valves for medium and heavy-duty trucks, buses, and trailers. It also offers pneumatic and hydraulic braking and control systems for off-highway vehicles; conventional braking systems; electronic and conventional air suspension systems; steering technologies; and vehicle electronic stability control and roll stability support products, and advanced driver assistance systems. In addition, the company supplies electronic suspension controls and vacuum pumps to the passenger car and SUV markets, as well as provides remanufacturing services. Further, it offers replacement parts, fleet management solutions, diagnostic tools, training, and other expert services for commercial vehicle aftermarket distributors and service partners, and fleet operators. The company sells its products primarily to truck and bus original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), trailer OEMs, and car manufacturers; and manufacturers of heavy duty and off-highway vehicles in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries. WABCO Holdings Inc. was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Read More New Book by Danette Crawford, 'Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living,' Shatters Limitations VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 / In her upcoming release, "Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living: Think Big, Ask Big, Expect Big, and Receive Big" (October 9, Whitaker House), Crawford guides readers through possible drawbackswhether they are mental, physical, imposed by other people or imposed by their own thinking and behavior. She then encourages readers to push past these limits and overcome all obstacles to the glorious life of potential God as planned for them. "The purpose of 'Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living' is to expand your thinking, enlarge your vision, and increase your expectations of what God can and will do in you, through you, and for you," said Crawford. "There's a life of limitless power and potential just waiting to be unleashed within you, if you'll only learn to think the way God does and live the way He asks us to." Terry Meeuwsen, co-host of The 700 Club and founder of Orphan's Promise said, "'Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living' is filled with the promises of God for those who love Him. Danette has done the legwork for us, pointing out the potential pitfalls and encouraging the paths to favor and provision." Beginning this month, Crawford will be touring the country speaking and signing books at Barnes & Noble stores. Her first stop will be the Barnes & Noble on Greenbrier Parkway in Chesapeake, VA on Saturday, October 13, from 1:00-3:00 pm ET. To schedule an interview with Crawford, please contact Karen Campbell at Danette Crawford is a powerful speaker, author, TV host and international evangelist with a refreshing message of hope and encouragement. Danette has a master's degree in counseling from Regent University. She is the founder and president of Danette Crawford Ministries, which includes its outreach arm, Joy Ministries Evangelistic Association. The ministry organizes inner-city work with over twenty-two different compassion programs dedicated to sustainable aid through educational and mentoring programs, assistance for at-risk youth and low-income families, and programs for single mothers, including Cars for Moms, Back to Work programs, and the Father's House. Danette's television program, Hope for Today with Danette Crawford, is broadcast weekly into over 250 million homes, airing on ABC, CBS, TBN, WHT, TCT, CTN, NRB, Goodlife45, Atlanta 57, and Dove Network. Danette is also the author of several books. Danette's story of starting an international television ministry and national outreach organization, all while raising her daughter as single mom, has brought inspiration to millions. The heart of everything that she does is to change lives and to show others that they can overcome any difficulty that comes their way. www.danettecrawford.com Share Tweet Contact: Karen Campbell, 616-309-4390, karen@karencampbellmedia.com VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., Oct. 2, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- Most of us have heard the phrase, "God has big plans for you." It's nice to think about, but we often find it easier to believe God has big plans for other people, not us. Ministry leader and television personality, Danette Crawford, says this is the result of limited thinking.In her upcoming release, "Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living: Think Big, Ask Big, Expect Big, and Receive Big" (October 9, Whitaker House), Crawford guides readers through possible drawbackswhether they are mental, physical, imposed by other people or imposed by their own thinking and behavior. She then encourages readers to push past these limits and overcome all obstacles to the glorious life of potential God as planned for them."The purpose of 'Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living' is to expand your thinking, enlarge your vision, and increase your expectations of what God can and will do in you, through you, and for you," said Crawford. "There's a life of limitless power and potential just waiting to be unleashed within you, if you'll only learn to think the way God does and live the way He asks us to."Terry Meeuwsen, co-host of The 700 Club and founder of Orphan's Promise said, "'Limitless Thinking, Limitless Living' is filled with the promises of God for those who love Him. Danette has done the legwork for us, pointing out the potential pitfalls and encouraging the paths to favor and provision."Beginning this month, Crawford will be touring the country speaking and signing books at Barnes & Noble stores. Her first stop will be the Barnes & Noble on Greenbrier Parkway in Chesapeake, VA on Saturday, October 13, from 1:00-3:00 pm ET.To schedule an interview with Crawford, please contact Karen Campbell at karen@karencampbellmedia.com Danette Crawford is a powerful speaker, author, TV host and international evangelist with a refreshing message of hope and encouragement. Danette has a master's degree in counseling from Regent University. She is the founder and president of Danette Crawford Ministries, which includes its outreach arm, Joy Ministries Evangelistic Association. The ministry organizes inner-city work with over twenty-two different compassion programs dedicated to sustainable aid through educational and mentoring programs, assistance for at-risk youth and low-income families, and programs for single mothers, including Cars for Moms, Back to Work programs, and the Father's House. Danette's television program, Hope for Today with Danette Crawford, is broadcast weekly into over 250 million homes, airing on ABC, CBS, TBN, WHT, TCT, CTN, NRB, Goodlife45, Atlanta 57, and Dove Network. Danette is also the author of several books.Danette's story of starting an international television ministry and national outreach organization, all while raising her daughter as single mom, has brought inspiration to millions.The heart of everything that she does is to change lives and to show others that they can overcome any difficulty that comes their way. Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More BNP Paribas SA provides a range of banking and financial services in France and internationally. It operates through two divisions, Retail Banking and Services, and Corporate and Institutional Banking. The company offers long-term corporate vehicle leasing, and rental and other financing solutions; and digital banking and investment services, cash management, and factoring services to corporate clients, as well as wealth management services. It also provides credit solutions for individuals under the Cetelem, Cofinoga, Findomestic, AlphaCredit, and Opel Vauxhall brands; savings and protection solutions, including insuring individuals, and their personal projects and assets; and asset management, private banking, and real estate services. In addition, the company offers global market services, including investment, hedging, financing, research, and market intellingence across asset classes; security services comprising clearing, custody, and asset and fund services, as well as corporate trust, and market and financing services; and corporate trade and treasury, debt financing, specialized financing, strategic advisory, mergers and acquisition, and equity capital market services for institutional and corporate clients. The company was formerly known as Banque Nationale de Paris and changed its name to BNP Paribas SA in May 2000. BNP Paribas SA was founded in 1848 and is headquartered in Paris, France. Read More Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides marine transportation, subsea installation, and accommodation support services to exploration and production, oilfield service, offshore construction, and the United States military customers. It operates offshore supply vessels (OSVs), multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs), and a shore-based facility to provide logistics support and specialty services to the offshore oil and gas exploration and production industry, primarily Gulf of Mexico in the U.S., Latin America, and internationally. Its fleet of U.S.-flagged OSVs and MPSVs support deep-well, deepwater, and ultra-deepwater activities of the offshore oil and gas industry, such as oil and gas exploration, field development, production, construction, installation, well-stimulation, and other enhanced oil recovery, as well as inspection, repair, and maintenance services. The company also provides vessel management services, including crewing, daily operational management, and maintenance activities for other vessels owners. As of December 31, 2018, it owned and operated 66 OSVs and 8 MPSVs. Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Covington, Louisiana. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Cardinal Health: A+ Secure Packaging LLC, Access Closure, Access Closure Inc., Aero-Med Ltd., Alaris Medical Systems, Allegiance Corporation, Allegiance Healthcare, AssuraMed, AssuraMed Inc., Automatic Liquid Packaging, Bergen Brunswig Corp, Bindley Western Industries, Boron LePore & Associates, Borschow Hospital & Medical Supplies, Cardinal Health 100 Inc., Cardinal Health 104 LP, Cardinal Health 105 Inc., Cardinal Health 107 LLC, Cardinal Health 108 LLC, Cardinal Health 110 LLC, Cardinal Health 112 LLC, Cardinal Health 113 LLC, Cardinal Health 114 Inc., Cardinal Health 115 LLC, Cardinal Health 116 LLC, Cardinal Health 118 LLC, Cardinal Health 119 LLC, Cardinal Health 121 LLC, Cardinal Health 122 LLC, Cardinal Health 123 LLC, Cardinal Health 124 LLC, Cardinal Health 126 LLC, Cardinal Health 127 Inc., Cardinal Health 2 LLC, Cardinal Health 200 LLC, Cardinal Health 201 Inc., Cardinal Health 222 (Thailand) Ltd., Cardinal Health 247 Inc., Cardinal Health 249 LLC, Cardinal Health 3 LLC, Cardinal Health 414 LLC, Cardinal Health 5 LLC, Cardinal Health 6 Inc., Cardinal Health 7 LLC, Cardinal Health Australia 503 Pty. Ltd., Cardinal Health Austria 504 GmbH, Cardinal Health Belgium 505 BVBA, Cardinal Health Canada Holdings Cooperative U.A., Cardinal Health Canada Inc., Cardinal Health Chile Limitada, Cardinal Health Colombia S.A.S., Cardinal Health D.R. 203 II Ltd., Cardinal Health Denmark ApS, Cardinal Health Finland Oy, Cardinal Health Foundation, Cardinal Health France 506 SAS, Cardinal Health Funding LLC, Cardinal Health Germany 507 GmbH, Cardinal Health Germany Manufacturing GmbH, Cardinal Health IPS LLC, Cardinal Health International Philippines Inc., Cardinal Health Ireland 419 Designated Activity Company, Cardinal Health Ireland 508 Limited, Cardinal Health Ireland Unlimited Company, Cardinal Health Italy 509 Srl, Cardinal Health Japan G.K., Cardinal Health Korea Limited, Cardinal Health Malaysia 211 Sdn. Bhd., Cardinal Health Malta 212 Limited, Cardinal Health Managed Care Services LLC, Cardinal Health Medical Equipment Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cardinal Health Medical Products India Private Limited, Cardinal Health Mexico 244 S. de R.L. de C.V., Cardinal Health Mexico 514 S. de R.L. de C.V., Cardinal Health Middle East FZ-LLC, Cardinal Health Netherlands 502 B.V., Cardinal Health Norway AS, Cardinal Health P.R. 120 Inc., Cardinal Health P.R. 218 Inc., Cardinal Health P.R. 220 LLC, Cardinal Health Pharmaceutical Contracting LLC, Cardinal Health Pharmacy Services LLC, Cardinal Health Poland Spolka z ograniczonaa odpowiedzialnossciaa, Cardinal Health Portugal 513 Unipessoal Lda., Cardinal Health Singapore 225 Pte. Ltd., Cardinal Health Spain 511 S.L., Cardinal Health Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Cardinal Health Sweden 512 A.B., Cardinal Health Switzerland 515 GmbH, Cardinal Health Systems Inc., Cardinal Health Technologies LLC, Cardinal Health Technologies Switzerland GmbH, Cardinal Health U.K. 432 Limited, Cardinal Health do Brasil Ltd., CareFusion, Cirpro de Delicias S.A. de C.V., Convertors de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Cordis, Cordis (Shanghai) Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Cordis Cashel Company Unlimited, Cordis Corporation, Cornerstone Partners G.P.O. L.P., Covidien Manufacturing Solutions S.A., Curaspan Health Group Inc., Denver Biomedical, Dik Drug, EPIC Insurance Company, Emerge Medical, Enturia, Especialidades Medicas Kenmex S.A. de C.V., Futuremed Health Care Products, Gala Biotech, Geodax Technology, Griffin Capital LLC, HLS Freight Services, Healthcare Solutions Holding, Innovative Therapies Inc., Instant Diagnostic Systems Inc., KPR Australia Pty. Ltd., KPR Italia S.r.l., KPR Switzerland Sales Gmbh, KPR U.S. LLC, Kendall Patient Recovery BVBA, Kendall-Gammatron Limited, Kinray, Leader Drugstores Inc., Limited Liability Company "Cardinal Health Russia", Ludlow Technical Products Canada Ltd., MCD, Magellan Laboratories, Marin Apothecaries, MedMined, Medicine Shoppe International Inc., Mediquip Sdn. Bhd., Medtronic - Patient Monitoring & Recovery, Mirixa Corporation, NaviHealth, Nippon Covidien Ltd., One Cloverleaf LLC, Outcomes Incorporated, Owen Healthcare, PCI Pharma Services, ParMed Pharmaceuticals, Pinnacle Intellectual Property Services Inc., Pinnacle Intellectual Property Services-International Inc., Post-Acute Care Center for Research LLC, Pyxis Corporation, Quiroproductos de Cuauhtemoc S. de R.L. de C.V., R Cubed Inc., R.P. Scherer Corporation, RGH Enterprises Inc., RainTree GPO LLC, RainTree Oncology Services, Renal Purchasing Group LLC, Rxealtime Inc., Sonexus Health LLC, Syncor International, TelePharm, TelePharm LLC, The Harvard Drug Group, The Harvard Drug Group L.L.C., Tradex International Inc., Viasys Healthcare, WaveMark Inc., Zuellig Pharma China, mscripts, mscripts LLC, and mscripts Systems India Private Limited. CEMEX SAB de CV engages in the production, distribution, marketing, and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, and aggregates. It operates though the following geographical segments: Mexico; United States; Europe; South, Central America and the Caribbean (SCA&C); Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA); and Others. The Europe segment covers United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia, as well as trading activities in Scandinavia, and Finland. The SCA&C segment includes Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Caribbean TCL, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Jamaica, the Caribbean, El Salvador, and Guatemala. The EMEA segment comprises of Egypt, Israel, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. The Others segment refers to the cement trade maritime operations, information technology solutions business, and other corporate entities as well as other minor subsidiaries with different lines of business. The company was founded by Lorenzo Zambrano Gutierrez in 1906 and is headquartered in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico. Read More China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited. Read More First Data Corporation provides commerce enabled technology and solutions for merchants, financial institutions, and card issuers in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates through three segments: Global Business Solutions, Global Financial Solutions, and Network & Security Solutions. The Global Business Solutions segment provides solutions to merchants, such as retail point of sale merchant acquiring, e-commerce, and mobile payment services, as well as cloud based point of sale operating system that include a marketplace for proprietary and third party applications. The Global Finance Solutions segment provides technology solutions for bank and non-bank issuers, such as credit, retail private label, commercial card, and loan processing, as well as licensed financial software systems; suite of account services that include card personalization and embossing, customer communications, and professional services; and call center solutions and back office processing. The Network & Security Solutions segment offers EFT network, stored value network, and security and fraud solutions, as well as other value added solutions to its clients in GBS and GFS segments, smaller financial institutions, and other enterprise clients. First Data Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Read More American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]marketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm provides financial planning, asset management and insurance services to individuals, businesses and institutions. It operates through the following business segments: Advice & Wealth Management, Asset Management, Retirement & Protection Solutions, and Corporate & Other. The Advice & Wealth Management segment provides financial planning and advice, as well as full service brokerage and banking services, primarily to retail clients through the company's financial advisors. The Asset Management segment provides investment advice and investment products to retail and institutional clients. It also provides products and services on a global scale through two complementary asset management businesses: Columbia Management and Threadneedle. The Columbia Management business primarily provides U.S. domestic products and services and Threadneedle primarily provides international investment products and services. Its international retail products are primarily provided through third-party financial institutions. The segments retail products include mutual funds and variable product funds underlying insurance and annuity separat Read More 3 Wall Street equities research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for UDG Healthcare in the last twelve months. There are currently 2 hold ratings and 1 buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street equities research analysts is that investors should "hold" UDG Healthcare stock. A hold rating indicates that analysts believe investors should maintain any existing positions they have in UDHCF, but not buy additional shares or sell existing shares. View analyst ratings for UDG Healthcare or view top-rated stocks. Invesco CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust's stock was trading at $71.76 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, FXC stock has increased by 8.8% and is now trading at $78.11. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. T Read More iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF's stock was trading at $80.84 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, HYG stock has increased by 7.4% and is now trading at $86.85. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. There is not enough analysis data for John Hancock Preferred Income Fund. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes John Hancock Preferred Income Fund has received 105 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes John Hancock Preferred Income Fund has received 48 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment John Hancock Preferred Income Fund has received 68.63% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about John Hancock Preferred Income Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HPI will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HPI will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund 2 is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Nuveen Investments Inc. The fund is co-managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC. It invests in fixed income markets of New York. The fund primarily invests its assets in a portfolio of municipal securities with an objective to provide current income exempt from regular federal and New York income taxes. It uses value-oriented strategy to make its investments. The fund employs a fundamental analysis with a combination of top-down and bottom-up stock picking approach to create its portfolio. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. Nuveen New York Municipal Value Fund 2 was formed on January 26, 2009 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of traditional and non-traditional life and health reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. and Latin America; Canada; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Asia Pacific; and Corporate and Other. The U.S. and Latin America segment markets individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic clients for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. The Canada segment offers individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment serves individual and group life and health products through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements, reinsurance of critical illness coverage that provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and underwritten annuities. The Asia Pacific segment comprises individual and group life and health reinsurance, critical illness coverage, disability, and superannuation thr Read More There is not enough analysis data for Revolution Bars Group. 5.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Revolution Bars Group has received 285 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Revolution Bars Group has received 83 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Revolution Bars Group has received 77.45% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Revolution Bars Group and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe RBG will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe RBG will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next South32 Limited operates as a diversified metals and mining company primarily in Australia, Southern Africa, North America, and South America. The company has a portfolio of assets producing alumina, aluminum, bauxite, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese ore and alloy, ferronickel, silver, lead, and zinc. It also exports its products. South32 Limited has a strategic alliance agreement with AusQuest Limited for exploration opportunity under at its Morrisey nickel-copper project. The company was formerly known as BHP Coal Holdings Pty Limited and changed its name to South32 Limited in March 2015. South32 Limited was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Perth, Australia. Read More Tavistock Investments Plc provides investment management and advisory support services to a network of financial advisers in the United Kingdom. The company offers compliance, regulatory, administration, and accounting services to independent financial advisers and financial advice firms; independent financial advice, financial planning, tax saving, and investment management services to higher net worth private clients; and corporate advisory services to businesses. It also provides institutional portfolio management services; and flexible retirement guarantee to principals, as well as retirement and pension, wills and estate planning, and finance raising and wealth management services. Tavistock Investments Plc is headquartered in Bracknell, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen Coding GmbH, Allen France SAS, Alpine Automation Limited, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Holdings Inc., Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Arylux Hungary Elektromechanikus Alkatreszgyarto Kft, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix (Suzhou) Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel (Ireland) Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Buell Industries Inc., CAPMAX Logistica S.A. de C.V., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS (Australia) Pty Limited, CS (Finance) Europe S.a.r.l., CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, CSMTS LLC, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures (Australasia) S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur (Shanghai) Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Dorbyl U.K. (Holdings) Limited, Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO (Holding) AG, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elga Skandinavian AS, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, FEG Investments L.L.C., Fasver, Filtertek, Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech (Taicang) Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart (Japan) K.K., Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart Foster Belgium, Hobart International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW (China) Investment Company Limited, ITW (Deutschland) GmbH, ITW (EU) Holdings Ltd., ITW (European) Finance Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW (European) Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW (Ningbo) Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Alpha Sarl, ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components (Langfang) Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium, ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS (UK) Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Contamination Control (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Delta Sarl, ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.A., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Finance Designated Activity Company, ITW Finance Europe S.A., ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW France Finance Alpha S.A.S., ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments II Inc., ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics (Thailand) Ltd., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Italy S.R.L. in liquidazione, ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France (Luxembourg) S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings UK, ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW Hungary Finance Beta Kft, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Finance Srl, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lombard Holdings Inc., ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW M FILMS II LLC, ITW MH LLC, ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology (China) Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Plastic (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers (Wujiang) Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Philippines Holdings LLC, ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., ITW Spraytec, ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Ideal Molding Technologies LLC, Illinois Tool Works (Chile) Limitada, Illinois Tool Works (ITW) Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Norway AS, Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron (Shanghai) Ltd., Instron (Thailand) Limited, Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Holdings Limited, Instron International Limited, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, International Leasing Company LLC, International Truss Systems Proprietary Limited, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kester Components (M) Sdn. Bhd., Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems (Canada) Inc., Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MOA Enterprises Inc, Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, Norden Olje AB, North Star Imaging Europe, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited (Enping), Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Penta Dnepr LLC, Penta Sever OOO, Penta Volga OOO, Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., Ramset Fasteners (Hong Kong) Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco (Nederland) B.V., Simco Japan Inc., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Hong Kong) Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Taiwan) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes BVBA, Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek (China) Limited, Teknek (Japan) Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V.B.A., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta (Guangzhou) Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Vesta Global Limited, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, ZF TRW (Engineered Fasteners and Components), and Zip-Pak International B.V.. The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 1711 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Cobham, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Services China Ltd., Esterline Technologies Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies Management France SAS, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, ILC Holdings Inc., Irvin Aerospace Limited, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Jupiter SAS, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Militair Aviation Ltd., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas Corp., Norwich Aero Products Inc., Pascall Electronics Limited, Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Racal Acoustics Inc., Racal Acoustics Limited, Rancho TransTechnology Corporation, Retainers Inc., SSP Industries, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, ScioTeq LLC, ScioTeq Ltd., ScioTeq Pte. Ltd., ScioTeq SAS, ScioTeq bvba, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Mfg Limited, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., TREALITY SVS LLC, TTERUSA Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Technical Airborne Components Industries SPRL, Telair International, Telair International AB, Telair International GmbH, Telair International LLC, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, Texas Rotronics Inc., TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Industries Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, and Young & Franklin Inc.. Unum Group is engaged in providing financial protection benefits. It operates through the following segments: Unum US, Unum International, Colonial Life, Closed Block and Corporate. The Unum US segment comprises of group long-term and short-term disability insurance, group life and accidental death and dismemberment products, and supplemental and voluntary lines of business. The Unum International segment engages in the operations of UK business, which includes insurance for group long-term disability, group life, and supplemental lines of business that include dental, individual disability, and critical illness products; Poland business primarily includes insurance for individual and group life with accident and health riders. The Colonial Life segment includes insurance for accident, sickness, disability products, life products, and cancer and critical illness products. The Closed Block segment consists of individual disability, group and individual long-term care, and other insurance products no longer actively marketed. The Corporate segment refers to investment income on corporate assets and other corporate income and expenses not allocated to a line of business; and interest Read More Zurich Insurance Group AG is a holding company, which engages in the provision of insurance products and related services. It operates through the following segments: Property and Casualty Regions, Life Regions, Farmers, Group Functions and Operations, and Non-Core Businesses. The Property and Casualty Regions segment provides motor, home and commercial products and services for individuals, as well as small and large businesses on both a local and global basis. The Life Regions segment refers to the comprehensive range of life and health insurance products on both an individual and a group basis, including annuities, endowment and term insurance, unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as full private health, supplemental health and long-term care insurance. The Farmers segment includes non-claims administrative and management services to the Farmers Exchanges, which are owned by policyholders. The Group Functions and Operations segment comprises the Group s Holding and Financing and Headquarters activities. The Non-Core Businesses segment includes insurance and reinsurance businesses that the Group does not consider core to its operations and that are therefore mos Read More Mordijck to lead U.S. Department of Energy milestone initiative At the helm: Saskia Mordijck, assistant professor of applied science at William & Mary, will serve as the global leader of the Joint Research Target for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, working with labs throughout the world to solve the complicated problem of refueling fusion reactions. Photo by Adrienne Berard Student research: Mordijck and her graduate students, Ryan Chaban and Richard Reksoatmodjo, will be working over this next year to further our understanding of how to fuel fusion reactions. Their research will be an integral part of the DOEs Joint Research Target for 2019. Photo by Adrienne Berard Satellite office: Mordijck and her graduate students regularly collaborate with scientists running the tokamak at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego. They do so from a computer lab inside ISC. Photo by Adrienne Berard Photo - of - Hide Caption Each fiscal year, the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Science sets a milestone to achieve in the field of fusion research and this coming year a William & Mary professor will be at the helm. Their plan is to learn how to fuel an artificial sun. Starting Oct. 1, the new DOE initiative will be led by Saskia Mordijck, assistant professor of applied science at William & Mary. Mordijck will serve as the global leader of the Joint Research Target for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, working with labs throughout the world to solve the complicated problem of refueling fusion reactions, like those that power the sun. This is actually fairly new, in the sense that this is the first time they are starting to include academia in these milestones, Mordijck said. I will be the first faculty member to lead this endeavor. On top of that, as far as I can tell, I will be the first female leader, which is a big thing for our field. {{youtube:medium|IND6_1Cmdq4, Exploring fusion: A path to power a sun}} Mordijck has spent her entire career working in fusion research and specializes in the physics of fueling fusion reactions. She was recently awarded $1 million for a fusion research partnership between the DOE and William & Mary. The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences describes its overall mission as building the scientific foundation needed to develop fusion as a future energy source. Mordijck says that horizon is getting closer every year, but time is running out. Ignoring the consequences of climate change, those of us living today will probably get by on fossil fuels, but our children, grandchildren, theyll run out of fossil fuels eventually down the line, she said. It never hurts to have a diverse energy economy. And with fusion power, you are talking about one gram of seawater to fuel a city. The concept of fusion is relatively easy to explain, but incredibly challenging to achieve, Mordijck says. Fusion is something very simple in one sense. Its what we see every day. Its the sun, she said. Its a simple principle that works very reliably, but its much more difficult to accomplish here on Earth. To accomplish fusion, two small particles are heated to a high enough temperature that they fuse together. In fusing, some of their mass is released and converted into energy. If done correctly, the resulting energy will be greater than the energy required to fuse the two particles together. Its essentially the opposite of fission, the method of breaking apart atoms that fuels nuclear power plants and atomic bombs. One method forces particles together, the other splits them apart. Within the sun, the fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium has produced enough energy to warm Earth for billions of years but the suns density plays a key role in those fusion reactions, Mordijck explained. On Earth, creating that much density would be not only impractical, but dangerous if the scale was large enough, she added. That means that in order to create a fusion reaction on Earth, the environment has to be even hotter than the sun. When you are heating a gas up to those kinds of temperatures, it becomes a plasma, Mordijck said. Plasma, the fourth state of matter, interacts with its surroundings in ways that are still not fully understood by science. But at least one thing is clear, plasmas can be contained by magnetic fields, like those generated by tokamak devices in the U.S. and abroad. Mordijck and her graduate students, Ryan Chaban and Richard Reksoatmodjo, regularly collaborate with scientists running the tokamak at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility in San Diego. We have to use very strong magnetic fields to confine our plasmas, Mordijck said. The issue, she explained, is that after a contained fusion reaction begins, its hard to keep it going. While the sun has about four or five billion years of fuel, a fusion reactor on Earth cannot have that much fuel in it, so we will have to fuel it constantly to counter for plasma leaking out. Chaban and Reksoatmodjo will be working with Mordijck over this next year to further our understanding of how to fuel fusion reactions. Their research will be an integral part of the DOEs Joint Research Target for 2019. Mordijck says shes looking forward to the challenges that come with managing a global milestone project and hopes to set an example for female fusion scientists. Its important for women in our field to take on leadership positions, Mordijck said. Were showing the next generation that these are opportunities, these are possibilities and were just as capable as our male colleagues to step into those roles when we are called to do so. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Saira, 25, took her life this June, a year after she married her cousin in the Swat district of northwestern Pakistan. Her troubled marriage took a toll on her mental health, her mother said. Alarming increases have been reported this year among women and young students committing suicide in the region. In the first eight months of 2018, 346 people, mostly women, committed suicide in Malakand Division, a tourist spot located in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local broadcaster Geo News reported. The highest number of cases (222) was reported in Swat, which locals call the "Switzerland of Pakistan" due to its natural beauty. "I was not in favor of her marriage with her cousin because she was not happy. The boy was illiterate while my daughter was a university graduate," she added. "I tried to convince her father but he termed his daughter's resistance a violation of the local culture and tradition. He won but lost her daughter." Police say domestic violence and unemployment are the main reason for the rise in suicides. "There are many reasons but domestic issues, misbehavior, and violence by husbands or other family members are the main causes behind suicide cases reported with police," Shah Faisal, a local police officer in Malakand Division, told Anadolu Agency. Only two to three percent of cases were reported to the police, while the remaining 97-98 percent were hidden by local people to avoid social stigma, Faisal added, estimating the actual number could be in thousands. Source: AA Lebanese President Michel Aoun vowed Tuesday to confront any Israeli aggression against the Arab country. Allegations by [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu are baseless, Aoun said in a statement issued following his meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl in Beirut. [The allegations] conceal a new Israeli threat to the Lebanese sovereignty and our international airport, he added. Last week, Netanyahu claimed that Lebanese group Hezbollah was using hidden missile sites near Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut. The Lebanese president called on Austria and the international community to be aware of Israels plans towards his country. Kneissl, for her part, underlined her countrys support for Lebanons independence and territorial integrity. The top Austrian diplomat arrived in Beirut on Monday for a two-day visit during which she met with her counterpart Gebran Basil for talks on the repatriation of Syrian refugees. In 2006, Israel launched a war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed. A ferry with 335 people on board is on fire in the Baltic Sea after an explosion on board, Lithuania's military said on Tuesday. The military has sent a helicopter to the ferry and has two more on standby if needed, a spokesman for the Lithuanian air force told Reuters. The explosion was in the engine room, they said. Source: www.worldbulletin.net A tragic scene unfolded in Hamtramck, Michigan yesterday morning, as the latest house fire in the US claimed two lives. Neighbors awoke at around 7:30 a.m. to the sound of fire truck sirens and saw the home at 2731 Cody Street in flames. The victims identities have not yet been released. Firefighters found their badly burned bodies on the houses second floor. Neighbors told the World Socialist Web Site that the house was officially vacant but had been occupied for at least two years by a homeless man named Tony, who they said was around 40 years old and of Albanian origin. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Angela, a US Postal Service clerk, has lived in the house next door for two years. One of the firefighters told her the occupant had tried to fix up a warm living space in the upstairs section of the house in preparation for the fall and winter. The house had no electricity or heating. Temperatures over the weekend dipped into the mid-forties (5-10 degrees Celsius). Video footage of the house fire on Cody Street It still shocks me, Angela said. I cant believe that they cut off peoples heat and electricity. Its just very sad. I know he had a son. There are people freezing to death in Detroit and so many homeless people. Apart from the roof, the house looked the same before the fire, she said. Tony used to always come and go through the back door, but then the whole back part of the house sort of collapsed and got warped, and he started coming in through the front. Angela said she didnt think Tony had a regular job and that he was very poor. He would sometimes ask neighbors to borrow their phone. A year before the fire, someone had died from a drug overdose in the houses garage. Angela noted that there were nice houses in Hamtramck like the one that Tony was living in that were abandoned and unoccupied, including another in the block behind her house. According to the Homeless Action Network of Detroit, around 11,000 people were homeless at some point in 2017, and around 3,800 were homeless on any given night. As of 2014, the most recently available figure, there were approximately 80,000 vacant buildings in the city. I dont believe that the rich people should have everything, Angela said. They should increase our wages and make everyone equal. But instead its just, No, Im rich and youre poor. You go around Detroit and you see these huge, beautiful homes, but so many of them are abandoned. The house on Cody street Rabin, a 17-year-old high school student who immigrated to the US with his family from Bangladesh and lives a few doors down from the house fire, said, When I was in Bangladesh I thought America would have all these opportunities for people to get a good job and live in a nice house and that these sorts of things wouldnt happen. Ive found the same thing here thats happening all over the world. He commented that there were a lot of broken homes that belong to the bank. Hamtramck is a two-square-mile enclave surrounded by Detroit. It is in the poorest zip code in Michigan, and it is also the states most international city, home to a large number of Polish, Yemeni, and Bangladeshi immigrants, as well as many from the Balkan countries of Eastern Europe. Like Detroit, much of the housing in Hamtramck belonged to autoworkers and their families in the mid-20th century, when Detroit autoworkers living standards were the highest in the world. The Dodge Main assembly was opened in Hamtramck in 1911 as Chryslers flagship plant. Thousands of immigrant workers, mainly from Poland, came to the city to work at the plant or one of the two dozen other factories that sprang up as feeder operations. The citys population exploded over the following decades. In the 1970s and 1980s, the city had a cultural nightlife including jazz music, which has now disappeared. Hamtramck has been hit by the ruling-class offensive against the working class from the 1980s onwards that has been overseen by the United Auto Workers and AFL-CIO. Dodge Main was demolished in 1981. American Axle, another auto plant in the city, was demolished in 2013. The back of the house Across the United States, fire departments respond to over 350,000 house fires every year, which kill over 3,000 people. Many of these are entirely preventable and are the outcome of substandard safety and housing regulations and utility shutoffs, which cause poor and working-class residents to use unsafe space heaters to keep warm. In Detroit, fires broke out at more than 10,000 buildings between 2013 and 2015, killing 120 people. DTE Energy, the utility monopoly that regularly shuts off electricity to working-class and other low-income residents, made $1.1 billion in profits last year after benefiting from Trumps corporate tax cuts. More than half a million people are homeless across the United States, and approximately 150,000 are homeless on any given night. According to estimates, it would cost approximately $11 billion to house every one of these people. This is approximately one-hundredth of the annual US military budget that goes towards destroying the lives and homes of workers across the world and preparing for nuclear war, and one sixteenth of the personal wealth of Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) early Monday morning carried out missile strikes against targets inside Syria, claiming that it had killed and wounded a significant number of Islamist militia members that it charged with responsibility for a terrorist attack against an Iranian military parade last month. The six missiles fired from the western Iranian province of Kermanshah flew 355 miles over Iraqi territory to hit their targets in Syrias eastern Deir Ezzor province. Tehran said that the missiles, Iranian-made Qiam and Zolfaghar models capable of carrying over 1,500 pounds of explosives, were followed up with drone strikes. The Pentagon reported that the missiles hit just three miles from where US troops are based in the Al Bukamal district of Deir Ezzor. Iranian forces did conduct no-notice strikes last night and we see open source reports stating that they were targeting militants it blamed for the recent attack on an Iranian military parade in the Middle Euphrates River Valley, US military spokesman Col. Sean Ryan said in a statement. At this time, the Coalition is still assessing if any damage occurred and no Coalition forces were in danger. Iranian media reported that some of the missiles were inscribed with the slogans death to America, death to Israel and death to the house of Saud. Tehran has blamed Washington, Tel Aviv and Riyadh, as well as the United Arab Emirates for supporting foreign mercenaries responsible for the September 22 terrorist attack on a military parade in Irans southwestern city of Ahvaz that killed 29 people and wounded 70 others. The Iranian missile strike coincides with a ratcheting up of tensions between Washington and Tehran, with US President Donald Trump and other top administration officials using last weeks opening of the United Nations General Assembly to demonize Iran as the source of all problems in the Middle East and to issue a series of bellicose threats. The US is already imposing punishing economic sanctions in direct violation of the UN-backed nuclear accord from which the Trump White House unilaterally withdrew last May. Even more severe sanctions, imposing a ban on Iranian oil exports and barring Iran from accessing the US-dominated world banking system, are set to go into effect on November 5. Meanwhile, as the Washington Post spelled out in a lead article Monday, the Trump administration has opened a new chapter in American involvement in Syria, vowing to remain until the civil wars conclusion in a bid to halt Irans expansion across the Middle East. The newspaper cites James Jeffrey, the State Departments special representative for Syria, as stating that the US would maintain its presence in the country, where over 2,000 US troops are presently deployed without either UN sanction or the permission of the Syrian government, until Iran and Iranian-backed militias have left the country. Iran is the closest ally of the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad and its military advisers work closely with the Syrian army. Similarly, Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, vowed that the US military would continue to occupy Syrian territory as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders. Bolton delivered a blistering speech last week in which he warned Tehran, If you cross us, our allies, or our partners; if you harm our citizens; if you continue to lie, cheat, and deceive, yes, there will indeed be hell to pay. We are watching, and we will come after you. The Al Qaeda-linked militias that Iran targeted in its missile attack may well qualify as one of Washingtons allies or partners. The Trump administration has sought to strengthen an anti-Iranian axis throughout the Middle East, centered on Washingtons close ties with and military support for Israel, Saudi Arabia and the other Persian Gulf oil monarchies. To this end, the US is not only seeking to continue its military presence in both Iraq and Syria. It is also providing indispensable military assistance for the near genocidal war being waged against the impoverished nation of Yemen. Washington and Riyadh are determined to impose a US, Saudi puppet regime thereand preclude any growth of Iranian influenceat the cost of what could prove to be millions of Yemeni lives already driven to the brink of starvation. Syrias Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly on Saturday charging the so-called international coalition led by the US with having done everything but fight terrorism in Syria. It has even become clear that the coalitions goals were in perfect alignment with those of terrorist groups; sowing chaos, death and destruction in their path, he said. The coalition destroyed the Syrian city of Raqqa completely; it destroyed infrastructure and public services in the areas it targeted; it committed massacres against civilians, including children and women, which amount to war crimes under international law. Moallem went on to demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of US, French, Turkish and Israeli troops from Syrian soil. The justification of the demands of the Syrian government notwithstanding, there is every indication that the dirty war in Syria is far from over. The US and its NATO as well as regional allies, having invested billions of dollars in arming and funding the so-called rebels dominated by Al Qaeda-linked Islamists, have no intention of abandoning their goal of regime change or of ceding any regional influence to Iran. The US military presence in Syria is aimed not only at countering Irans influence, but at blocking the government in Damascus from accessing the vitally needed wealth of the oil and gas fields in eastern Deir Ezzor province, now under the control of American occupation forces and their proxy forces, comprised of the YPG Syrian Kurdish militia. Washingtons regional NATO ally, Turkey, meanwhile, is committed to vanquishing the presence of the YPG, which it views as a branch of the Turkish Kurdish separatist guerilla movement, the PKK, on its border. Tensions have also mounted in the wake of last months Israeli attack on Latakia, which caused the shoot-down of a Russian aircraft and the deaths of all 15 of its crewmembers. Moscow has responded by offering to deploy Russian S-300 air defense systems to Syria, which would threaten not only Israeli, but also US warplanes. Even as the threat of a military confrontation involving these various countries mounts, the Wall Street Journal Monday published an article questioning whether the stated ends of the US government in confronting Iran were being matched by the means of US military deployments. The Pentagon, the Journal reported, has scaled back its presence in the Persian Gulf region removing ships, planes and missiles that would be needed in a major confrontation. The article points out that the US Navy has not sent an aircraft carrier strike group into the Persian Gulf since March, the longest interval in two decades, while four Patriot missile-defense systems are being pulled out of Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain this month. It quotes senior Pentagon officials as saying that the forces are being shifted from the Middle East to confront China and Russia, in line with US strategy documents released late last year, which affirmed that great power conflicts have become the main focus for the US military. Any mismatch between Washingtons rabidly anti-Iranian rhetoric and the actual deployment of military might, however, will only serve to deepen the instability of the situation in Syria, which increasingly poses the threat of erupting into a region-wide and even global war. Gerard Doyle is a homeless father of two, living with his partner in emergency accommodation in Dublin for nine months. His Facebook video posts while fending off an illegal eviction attempt by armed gardai (police) called by the landlord of his homeless hostel have been viewed thousands of times. The first video clip records Doyle and his partner trying to calm down gardai and prevent the armed unit from breaking down the door of his flat. The second clip shows Doyle explaining the bullying tactics of his landlord and Dublin City Council. Ten years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and an Irish-based property bubble triggered the greatest financial crisis in Irish history, housing conditions are becoming desperate for large numbers of workers and young people. Demonstrations have taken place in Dublin and towns and cities across Ireland against unaffordable housing. Thousands of mostly young protesters blocked OConnell Bridge in Dublin for over an hour on September 22 in one of several demonstrations that began in a number of locations and converged on the city centre. Demonstrators carried placards with slogans such as Student homes, not student loans, Less cardboard, more homes and Public housing, not landlord state. Smaller protests also took place around the country. Over the summer, other groups, such as the Dublin Central Housing Action group and Take Back the City, have occupied properties to highlight the grotesque levels of empty properties scattered around the country amid a deepening housing emergency. In the week before the Dublin protest, vanloads of gardai from the Public Order Unit broke into a property in North Frederick Street, Dublin. Six people from the Take Back the City group were removed and arrested. A squad of gardai wearing balaclavas boarded up the building. When approached by the Irish Times, they refused to give their names. According to figures published by the daft.ie property website, the median deposit for first-time buyers in Dublin has reached 54,389, while average monthly rents are an astronomical 1,936. Average salaries in Dublin are 36,919, or 3,076 per month, meaning that nearly two thirds of an average salary would be required to rent an average dwelling and anyone below this salary figure has little or no chance of doing so. While a software engineer might expect to earn 43,011, the living wage is a minimal 11.90 per hour. Someone earning this wage would need to work 162 hours monthly, or 37.5 hours weekly, just to pay an average rent. They would have nothing at all left over. Someone on the minimum wage of 9.55 an hour would have to work 46.7 hours and spend 100 percent of their wages on rent to keep a roof over their head. Across the Republic of Ireland, average rents are at an all-time high of 1,304. The price of new rental contracts rose 12.4 percent last year and are now 27 percent above the peak of the pre-crash Celtic Tiger boom. The consequences, as well as brutally squeezed living standards, have included an inevitable rise in homelessness, evictions, mortgage and rent arrears along with all the associated stresses. In August, mother of six Margaret Cash, from Tallaght, Dublin, was forced to sleep in a Garda station because she had been unable to retain the emergency accommodation she had been forced into only days previously. The landlord of her emergency flat forced her out to make way for students. She had moved into emergency accommodation last September when the private house she had been renting was repossessed. This month, Dublin City Council sought to remove Claire Elliot and her three children from a vacant house they had been occupying for a fortnight. Elliot had been on the waiting list for social housing since 2008. She was evicted from her private rented flat because the landlord was selling the property and she was forced into hotels and B&Bs, miles away from her childrens schools. The city council told the High Court that they expect her to live in an emergency hub for three years. She described the hubs to the Irish Times: Youre in a room with bunk beds, barely any room for a cot. People are arguing, taking each others food--arguing over the washing machines, arguing over the kids. Theyre stressful places. In all, 700 families became homeless in Dublin alone in the first seven months of 2018; and in total, 9,891 people were in emergency accommodation, including 3,867 children. These figures represent a 21 percent increase in one year for adults and a 30 percent increase for children. Regional figures show the same pattern. In Limerick, the number of homeless children increased 120 percent in a year, from 80 to 176. In counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow the figure increased 98 percent. In Galway, Mayo and Roscommon child homelessness rose 77 percent. In Cork, some 1,400 people used Cork Simons homelessness service, an increase of 18 percent to 2017, while the numbers of long term homeless grew by 10 percent. While living conditions for workers are becoming impossible, the Irish bourgeoisie is desperately trying to maintain the most permissive and friendly environment for some of the worlds largest corporations. Just over a week before the housing protests, the Irish Department of Finance announced the US tech giant Apple, the worlds largest company by market capitalisation and one of two worth over $1 trillion, had completed the transfer of 14.3 billion into an escrow account run by the Irish government. The transfer arose out of a 2016 European Commission (EC) ruling, following a three-year investigation, which found that Apple had effectively paid just 1 percent tax on its European profits in 2003. Even this low figure had diminished to the vanishingly low 0.005 percent by 2014, through use of a variant of the Double Irish tax dodge employed by many US-based finance and tech outfits. Tax swindling on a massive scale remains the basis for much of the Irish economy. The EC ruling expressed rapidly deepening transatlantic inter-imperialist tensions, which imperil the entire business model of the Irish economy. The EC demanded that Ireland collect the money, deemed state aid, from Apple. But the Irish government has no intention of touching the money. To maintain the country as a low-tax platform in the eurozone and the EU, the government transferred the money into a secure account and came into conflict with the EC over delays in collecting the sum. Legal action in the European courts is expected to continue for years. For comparison, the Irish Exchequer has collected 32.4 billion in 2018 to date. Of this, income tax, largely from workers, amounted to 13 billion while VAT on retail sales, also mostly from the working class, accrued 9.4 billion. Corporation tax from companies that include Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Google and Oracle generated a mere 4.4 billion. The money the government refuses to collect from Apple is more than the countrys entire annual income tax take and almost as much as the entire 2017 health budget, 14.6 billion, for a nation of 4.7 million people. An investigation published last month by the New Zealand Herald highlighted the extent to which working-class students are excluded from university. It laid bare the vast social gulf that has opened up following three decades of pro-market assaults in every aspect of life, including for young people. Written by journalist Kirsty Johnston and headlined, Want to be a doctor, lawyer or engineer? Dont grow up poor, the report found that only one in 100 entrants to top university courses come from the most deprived homes. Johnston analysed university entrance data according to the economic status of the schools from which students had enrolled. Each school has a decile ranking, from the poorest at 1, through to the wealthiest at 10. Ratings are based on census data for households with school-aged children in a schools catchment area, using measures such as income, parents on a benefit, occupation, education, and household crowding. There has always been a correlation between school deciles and examination results. So-called league tables, published annually in the media, draw attention to the disparity between wealthier schoolsboth public and privatewith their higher results, and poorer schools which invariably occupy the bottom rankings. Many schools in working-class areas become stigmatised as failing. Decile rankings can influence local property values, particularly in the major city, Auckland. Houses in well-known decile 10 school zones, such as Auckland Grammar, are advertised as in the grammar zone, inflating their price. These elite public schools benefit from donations and other support from their relatively well-heeled parental base and business sponsorships. In an attempt to obscure the deepening social class divide, the last National Party government, supported by the Ministry of Education (MoE), proposed abolishing the decile ranking system, claiming it was too blunt an instrument to be useful. While limited, decile profiles have been useful for investigations highlighted by the Herald. Johnstons research found that Canterbury University took just a single decile 1 student into engineering in five years, but over 500 decile 10 students, out of a total 2,000 course entrants. Achievement gaps between rich and poor students exist throughout the school system, and widen at tertiary level. At Level 2 of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, the penultimate year of secondary school, there is a seven percentage point disparity between the pass rates of low- and high-decile students. By the time students take University Entrance in their final year, the gap grows to 44 points. Only 17 percent of low-decile students go to university, whereas 50 percent of high-decile students do. Another gap occurs with second-year university courses that have limited numbers and high entry thresholds, such as law, medicine and dentistry which lead to professions with the highest salaries. Data from six universities showed that while 60 percent of almost 16,000 students accepted into law, medicine and engineering in the past five years came from the richest third of homes, just 6 percent came from the poorest third. Focusing solely on decile 1 schools, the latter figure drops to just 1 percent. Victoria University of Wellingtons law school took just eight decile 1 students over the period while Otago University law took three. Auckland University medical school took 12 decile one students out of 1,160 total admissions to its second-year course. Universities told the Herald they didnt accept more students from poor backgrounds because these students failed to get the grades. Last year, just 20 percent of final year students at low-decile schools passed University Entrance, compared to 64 percent at high decile. Schools countered that universities needed better outreach programmes and more scholarships to improve equity. Universities NZ chief executive Chris Whelan said the lack of equity funding was a major barrier. Universities were not encouraged to take more marginal students, and there was no recognition that poverty had more impact on achievement than ethnicity. In fact, social class inequality is deeply systemic and cannot be addressed by quotas and competition for a handful of scholarships. Auckland University professor Alan France told the Herald: People think education is a level playing-field but this is showing thats not the case. We talk about increasing Maori and Pacific participation at university, but actually the underlying issue is socio-economics. Its money. Its class. Its privilege. According to economist Brian Easton, NZ is now the fifth most economically stratified of the OECDs 34 member countries. Inequality in education is a product of the oppression of the working class under capitalism. Working-class children face a barrage of intractable issues over money, parental time, poor housing and health, and access to books and other learning or cultural experiences. By kindergarten age, children from the poorest backgrounds are already far behind on measures of early reading and math skills. Many students entering decile 1 high schools show up as reading at 23 years below their chronological age. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests in reading, maths and science indicate that New Zealand has one of the biggest variations in student achievement, with the gap in average scores for students from poor and rich backgrounds the equivalent of more than three years of schooling. Inequality has been exacerbated since the education reforms enacted by the Labour Party government of 198490, supported by the trade unions and enforced by successive administrations. A market model was imposed on schools and universities, with self-governing boards tasked with imposing business disciplines and competition for students. In the early 1990s, many schools in working-class areas were struggling to survive. In 1989, student fees were introduced and have increased almost every year. Tertiary study, including at polytechnics, has now become too costly for many working-class students. In 2017, it was estimated that the combined student loan debt of 731,800 people, with an average debt of $NZ21,000, was $15.3 billion. Significantly, the material produced by the Herald shatters the assiduously cultivated myth that disparities in education are not a matter of social class, but are due to other factors, such as ethnicity and gender. All governments have promoted identity politics to divide the working class, while elevating a small upper middle class layer, particularly among indigenous Maori. A virtual academic industry, abetted and funded by the MoE, is devoted to sustaining the notion that Maori and Pacific students are worse off because of institutional racism, not class. The insistence that ethnicity is the central cause of inequality has fuelled reactionary political agendas, including demands for racially segregated school systems and charter schools controlled by Maori tribal-based businesses. As in the US and Britain, these publicly-funded, privately-run schools were introduced by the National government to undermine public education and establish a bridge-head for widespread privatisation. Social class divisions, however, are asserting themselves more powerfully than ever, as capitalism lurches more deeply into global crisis. Internationally, including in New Zealand, teachers and other sections of the working class are beginning to fight back. Primary school teachers held a 24-hour nationwide strike in mid-August, following an effective pay freeze for much of the past decade, and severely understaffed schools. Their primary demands were for a pay increase of 16 percent, smaller class sizes and more support for needy students. The author also recommends: New Zealand Labour government makes left feint on education [14 May 2018] Mohammad Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen, a University of New South Wales (UNSW) employee accused in August of preparing lone-wolf terror attacks, was granted bail last week after the chief piece of evidence against him fell apart. The ruling is a serious blow to the governments bogus anti-terror campaign, and an indictment of corporate media outlets that uncritically repeated police claims that Nizamdeen was plotting to assassinate politicians and attack well-known landmarks. The 25 year-old contract business analyst and commerce graduate at Sydneys UNSW campus was arrested on August 30, allegedly after a tip-off from a fellow employee who handed in a notebook supposedly belonging to Nizamdeen. The following day, at 2am, police raided his home. He was later charged with terror-related offenses. In Sydneys Central Local Court last Friday, the prosecution admitted that handwriting analysis of the notebook was inconclusive. Magistrate Robert Williams stated: The Crown has conceded the notebook is the main evidence which is relied upon. Nizamdeens defence solicitor, Moustapha Kheir, said outside the court: The case against [my client] is extremely weak, almost non-existent. Nizamdeen had appeared in court via video link. For the previous four weeks, he had been consigned to solitary confinement in a maximum security prison as an alleged terrorist. In what has become a regular media staple, his arrest immediately triggered a barrage of frenzied coverage, aimed at creating an atmosphere of crisis. Vague and unsubstantiated police accusations were broadcast, with corporate outlets seeking to convince the public that Nizamdeen, who has never previously been charged with a crime, posed a grave threat to society. The news bulletin of Channel 10, one of the countrys largest televisions networks, blared: He looks like a squeaky clean student but our top anti-terror police claim that Mohammad Kamer Nilar Nizamdeen is a dangerous lone-wolf hiding in plain sight at the University of New South Wales. The Murdoch-owned Australian newspaper baldly asserted that Nizamdeen had targeted the former prime minister and foreign minister, headlining a September 1 article, Malcolm Turnbull, Julie Bishop on ISIS-linked students list. In reality, no proof was ever provided that Nizamdeen had ties to the ISIS terror organisation. Police made vague claims that the notebook indicated he had planned to associate with the group. The media made no attempt to square the contradiction between claims that he was affiliated to a terror group and descriptions of him as a lone wolf. The media alleged that a notebook owned by Nizamdeen contained graphic assassination threats and named several individuals and locations as potential targets. Landmarks on the list supposedly included the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, railways and police stations. Detective Acting Superintendent Mick Sheehy told a media conference after the arrest: These are symbolic locations within Sydney. Federal Police Superintendent Michael McTiernan added: The charges laid against this person are serious and significant and should not be underestimated. Nizamdeen has been described as a poster boy for UNSW, having featured as one of the faces of the universitys Hero Program for talented graduates. He had helped New South Wales police develop several projects aimed at stopping identity theft. Following his arrest, UNSW administrators immediately took all promotional material featuring Nizamdeen off the universitys website. Nizamdeen is also the nephew of a Sri Lankan cabinet minister, Faiszer Mustapha. The politician sought to distance himself from the relationship, telling the media Nizamdeen is his wifes nephew and declaring his respect for Australias judicial system. None of the media outlets that slandered Nizamdeen and prejudiced his right to a fair trial have retracted their claims. Reports on the collapse of the case have been discretely buried inside newspapers, and it has barely been mentioned on the television programs that functioned as mouthpieces for the police allegations. The rapid discrediting of the case against Nizamdeen expresses the bogus character of the 17-year war on terror. It has served as the pretext for the passage of some 60 laws containing sweeping attacks on fundamental democratic and legal rights, by Labor and Liberal-National governments at the state and federal level. Police powers to detain individuals, raid homes and properties and effectively criminalise organisations have been dramatically expanded. As the case against Nizamdeen demonstrates, police and prosecutors are able to arrest individuals, raid their houses and lay the most serious charges without possessing any evidence. The onus is then on the accused to establish their innocence. The Nizamdeen case is the latest in a string of supposed terror plots to be revealed as concoctions of the police and the media. In 2007, Dr Mohammed Haneef was released after terror charges against him were dropped. It emerged that there was nothing to connect the Indian medical professional to terror-related activities. The case had been instigated with the support of the federal Liberal-National government of John Howard, which was seeking to whip-up hysteria over terror threats to stave off defeat in the 2007 election. In 2014, claims of an ISIS-inspired plot to behead a random person failed to hold up to any scrutiny when it was revealed that a sword seized by police was made of plastic. In 2015, a Melbourne teenager accused of plotting an attack on Anzac Day was released from solitary confinement, after charges were withdrawn due to insufficient evidence. Terror convictions over the past two decades have almost all been the product of police entrapment techniques. In many cases, individuals who played a key role were later revealed to have unexplained contacts with police and intelligence agencies. In a sign of growing public opposition to this anti-democratic modus operandi, over 16,000 people signed a Justice for Kamer petition in the weeks before Nizamdeen was released on bail. One supporter wrote: How predictable when the LNP [Liberal National Party] is in trouble, pull out the terror card irrespective if the evidence stacks up. Another commented: If George Bush, the President of the USA and Tony Blair. the Prime Minister of the UK can lie on the WMD and Iraq, the Australian Federal Police superintendent Michael McTiernan, can certainly lie as well. The battery of anti-terror laws is part of a broader turn to police-state forms of rule, aimed at suppressing mounting opposition to war, social inequality and the erosion of democratic rights. The context of Nizamdeens arrest underscores the politically motivated character of the allegations against him, and the accompanying media witch-hunt. The arrest took place just one week after the ousting of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, in a party-room coup aimed at shifting official politics even further to right, including through the unbridled promotion of anti-immigrant xenophobia and total commitment to the US military alliance. In late June, less than two months before the arrest, the Liberal-National government and the Labor Party opposition rushed two foreign interference bills through parliament. The laws, which were not the subject of any public discussion or debate, constitute the most extensive, anti-democratic legislation in the country since World War II. They are aimed at legitimising Australias central role in the US plans for war around the world, including against China, branding opponents of militarism as foreign agents, and creating the conditions for the illegalisation of anti-war organisations and activities. Termen Extins: Terre des hommes Moldova este in cautarea unui /unei consultant/e sau a unei echipe de consultanti, care va elabora un program de instruire pentru adolescenti (14 - 18 ani) in domeniul dezvoltarii competentei digitale This Week's Deals With Gold Include Hitman 2, Injustice 2 and Watch Dogs 2 Teacher Allegedly Had Sex with Student, Said He Looked Like Husband An Ohio home economics teacher is accused of having sex with her 17-year-old student and telling police the boy looked and acted like her husband. Laura Bucy, 32, is charged with one count of sexual battery and one count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE. Prior to Bucys Sept. 22 arrest, police were tipped off to the allegations by her ex-husband, who said Bucy tearfully confessed to his father. During an interview with police, Bucy allegedly admitted to having sex with the student once, according to the report. The alleged victim corroborated the pair slept together, though he and Bucy gave different timeframes. Both Bucy and the boy allegedly told police they exchanged compromising videos and photos of each other on Snapchat. Video: Ohio Teacher Accused of Sexual Battery, Sending Dirty Pictures to Minors Bucy allegedly told police she and the student made a very strong connection when he would help her clean her classroom. She told police he looked and acted like her husband, the report states. The alleged victim told police that the majority of other student[s] would not listen to Mrs. Bucy, he would and they built a relationship, the report states. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Bucy allegedly admitted she supplied liquid for the student to use on his vaping device and that she purchased marijuana from another student, the report states. According to the report, Bucy allegedly once posted to Twitter, I hang out in a room with hormonal teenagers who are learning to control every impulse they have while I attempt to teach them life skills. According to online court records, Bucy pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was released from Summit County Jail after posting $50,000 bond. She is prohibited from having contact with juveniles other than her children. Bucys attorney, Richard P. Kutuchief, did not comment on the allegations, but he tells PEOPLE, Laura is a very dedicated educator. She is very caring about her position. A statement from the Twinsburg City School District obtained by News5Cleveland does not name Bucy but states that an employee has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of a serious nature related to misconduct that allegedly took place on school property. Rapper Cardi B charged in connection with assault in New York By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rapper Cardi B surrendered to New York City police on Monday and was charged with assault and reckless endangerment after a complaint claimed she was involved in a fight at a strip club in August. Cardi B, born Belcalis Almanzar, was allegedly involved in an incident at the Angels NYC strip club in the borough of Queens, according to police spokesman Martin Brown, who said the investigation was continuing. Jeff Kern, a representative for the 25-year-old rapper, said she was not arrested and received a court summons charging "misdemeanors only." "We're aware of no evidence that she caused anybody any harm at the club that night," Kern told reporters on Monday. "We expect that the matter is going to be resolved expeditiously." The New York Post reported that police were investigating Cardi B, who was nominated for two Grammy Awards this year, in connection with an attack on two bartenders at the club because of allegations they had sex with Cardi B's husband, Offset of the Migos rap group. The bartenders claimed someone from Cardi B's entourage threw bottles and chairs at them, causing injuries, the newspaper reported. They have sued the rapper for damages. The women's attorney, Joseph Tacopina, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cardi B was seen entering a police precinct shortly after 9:30 a.m. (1330 GMT) on Monday, according to local media. Her bodyguards shielded her with black umbrellas. Cardi B and fellow rapper Nicki Minaj made headlines in September after the two got into a fight that was captured on video and shared on social media during a New York Fashion Week party, continuing an ongoing feud. (Reporting by Gina Cherelus; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) Global confidence in Trump at 27% despite 6% support in Mexico: Poll originally appeared on abcnews.go.com President Donald Trump celebrated his new trade deal with Canada and Mexico on Monday, as a new survey shows some of America's neighbors rank him among the lowest in their views of the president's leadership. Canada and Mexico were among 25 countries polled by the Pew Research Center for a new survey released on Monday that found international opinion of the Trump administration and the United States remains low during Trump's first two years in office. Most of the polls were conducted between May and July. Mexico had the lowest ratings for the Trump presidency with just 6 percent expressing confidence in his leadership. Canada's ratings of Trump's leadership were higher at 25 percent, while only 39 percent of Canadians expressed a favorable opinion of the U.S. as a whole -- the lowest percentage since Pew began polling Canada in 2002, the study said. PHOTO: President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the G-7 summit, June 8, 2018, in Charlevoix, Canada. (Evan Vucci/AP) Worldwide confidence in Trump remained low at 27 percent, up from 22 percent in 2017 when 37 total countries were surveyed. The numbers were still significantly lower in comparison to the 64 percent favorability rating in the final years of the Obama administration. The low ratings come just one week after an awkward moment at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in which world leaders laughed audibly after Trump touted his administration's accomplishments. The president later said leaders were laughing with him, not at him, but the reaction was an unprecedented occurrence at an event that is typically marked with stoicism. EU countries show low confidence in Trump Two of America's closest European allies reported low confidence in Trump. In Germany, just 10 percent held a favorable opinion of the president, while three-in-four Germans said the U.S. was doing less to address global problems. In France, Trump's confidence rating was similarly low at just 9 percent with 81 percent saying the U.S. doesn't consider the interests of countries like France when making foreign policy decisions. Story continues The United Kingdom held a higher confidence rating of Trump at 28 percent. PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks during the General Debate of the 73rd session of the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York, Sept. 25, 2018. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) U.S., Trump earn high ratings in Israel, Philippines, South Korea, and low ratings in Russia The two countries with the most favorable views of the U.S. were Israel and the Philippines at 83 percent, followed by South Korea at 80 percent. The rating was unsurprising in Israel where Trump accomplished a major campaign promise in the last year to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Sixty-nine percent of Israelis viewed Trump positively, up from 56 percent in 2017. Trump also saw a major boost in support from South Koreans who expressed 44 percent confidence in the president up from 17 percent last year. The Korean Peninsula has been a strong focus of the Trump administration with the president holding a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June and ongoing negotiations to denuclearize the peninsula and end the Korean War. The country with the least favorable view of the U.S. was Russia at 26 percent, down from 41 percent in 2017. Fifty-five percent of Russian said bilateral relations have worsened over the past year. While 53 percent of Russians expressed confidence in Trump in 2017, that number plummeted to just 19 percent this year. PHOTO: President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel hold a bilateral meeting, July 11, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium during the NATO summit. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP, FILE) Merkel, Macron earn high confidence ratings While Trump's confidence rating remained low at 27 percent, other world leaders saw much more favorable ratings. Fifty-two percent expressed confidence in German Chancellor Angela Merkel, while 46 percent felt the same way for French President Emmanuel Macron. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin also polled higher than Trump at 34 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Theresa May has said she is cross with Boris Johnson after he received a rapturous reception at the Tory party conference and called on her to chuck her Chequers Brexit deal. The former Foreign Secretarys highly anticipated speech drew perhaps the biggest audience in Birmingham. And he got the loudest cheer when he used his platform to demand the Prime Minister scrap her current negotiating strategy, which he branded an outrage and claimed was cheating the British public. Calling Mrs Mays plan dangerous and unstable, he said: Do not believe that we can somehow get it wrong now and fix it later get out properly next year, or the year after. Total fantasy. Boris Johnson has ruled out a bid to become the next leader of the Conservatives Chequers provides the perfect logic and argument for those who want Britain to return to the EU, and is therefore a recipe for continued acrimony. Now is the time truly to take back control and make the elegant dignified and grateful exit the country voted for. This is the moment and there is time to chuck Chequers. If we get this right, it can be win-win for both sides of the Channel. If we get it wrong if we bottle Brexit now believe me, the people of this country will find it hard to forgive. If Chequers is agreed, then it will only embolden those who are now calling for a second referendum. Theresa May is cross with Boris Johnson. REUTERS/Toby Melville In response, the Prime Minister said she had not watched the speech but was cross and frustrated about some of the things he had said. She said: There are one or two things that Boris said that Im cross about. He wants to tear up our guarantee to the people of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. We are all he and I and all members here are members of the Conservative and Unionist Party. Thats because we believe in the Union of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland is part of that Union. Mr Johnson also urged the UKs Brexit negotiating team to: scrap the Commissions constitutionally abominable Northern Ireland backstop use the redundant and miserable implementation period to negotiate the super Canada free-trade agreement invest in customs procedures that would ensure frictionless trade prepare for coming out on WTO terms Mr Johnson has been increasingly linked to a potential leadership challenge against Theresa May. Story continues In interviews last week, he did little to dampen the speculation by refusing to rule out a bid, but today appeared to distance himself little further from such a move. He thanked the chancellor Philip Hammond for saying he would never lead the party, calling his comments the first Treasury forecast in a long time that has the distinct ring of truth. The turnout for Mr Johnson was quite remarkable, with delegated queuing for two hours to bag a seat. They watched Mr Johnson attacked Jeremy Corbyns Labour party, and expressed concern that Tories are losing confidence in freedom. Delegates queued for up to two hours to attend Boris Johnsons speech (PA Images) The MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip told delegates that housing offers a massive opportunity for their party. If we rise to the challenge, if we get it right, it is an open goal, he said. Labours instincts actually clash in a fundamental way with the instincts of ordinary people. Worse still, Labours political interests, which centre on the building and control of state-owned housing, are diametrically opposed to the interests of most families. He also called for the reintroduction of stop-and-search in a veiled dig at the Prime Minister, who reduced the use of the policy during her tenure as Home Secretary. Theresa May has sought to play down the significance of Mr Johnsons speech, which has been widely viewed as the beginning of a bid to oust her. The Prime Ministers decision to announce her long-awaited immigration policy late in the evening before Mr Johnsons speech was seen by some as an attempt to steal the media spotlight away from her most high-profile critic. Freetown (AFP) - Eleven people died and dozens more were injured when a Sierra Leone army vehicle overturned on a hill in the capital Freetown, the military said Tuesday the day after the accident. The army truck had been heading for a funeral service for a soldier who recently died when the accident happened in mid-afternoon, on one of the hills that surround the centre of Freetown. "I was burying my cousin and just got news that my sister was involved in an accident on their way to the funeral," Mabinty Kamara said at the military war grave, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Eight soldiers and three civilians have been confirmed dead," while 70 others were injured, the army said in a statement citing its medical chief Stephen Sevalie. Of the injured, 57 remain in the Freetown military hospital with injuries ranging from minor to severe, the statement added. They have been visited there by government officials. The death toll may increase, a mortuary technician told AFP. An investigation has been opened into the incident. Paris (AFP) - Children subjected to abuse may carry the physical hallmark of that trauma in their cells, scientists said Tuesday, in research that could help criminal investigations probing historic mistreatment. The imprints may also shed light on whether or not trauma can be passed on between generations as has long been hypothesised. A team of researchers at the University of British Columbia examined the sperm cells of 34 adult men, some of whom had been victims of child abuse years earlier. They found that the effects of the trauma were indelibly printed in 12 regions of the DNA of those men who had experienced varying levels of emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Scientists believe these alterations, known as methylation, could one day be used by investigators or courts to weigh allegations of child abuse. "If you think of genes as being like lightbulbs, DNA methylation is like a dimmer switch that controls how strong each light is -- which in turn can influence how cells function," Nicole Gladish, a PhD candidate in the university's Department of Medical Genetics, told AFP. "This information can potentially provide additional information about how childhood abuse affects long-term physical and mental health." The experiment is one of a growing number of trials looking into what turns genes "on and off" at different periods of human development, a field of study known as epigenetics. Once thought as entirely pre-programmed from conception, some genes are now known to be activated or deactivated by environmental factors or an individual's life experience. - 'Small piece of the puzzle' - Scientists involved in the study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, said they still did not know how methylation affects a person's long-term health. In addition, due to the difficulty in extracting egg cells, the team don't plan to replicate the experiment on women -- statistically far likelier to have been victims of child abuse than men. Story continues Scientists said the degree of "dimming" in the DNA regions were surprising -- one part of the genome of the men who were abused as children was 29 percent different to those who were not. And, because the degree of methylation changes over time, they were able to tell by looking at the men's cells roughly when the abuse occurred. "This might help the development of tests that could be used by healthcare workers or potentially even as forensic evidence," Gladish said. Although researchers still have little idea whether or not the imprints of abuse contained within sperm cells would survive fertilisation intact, lead author Andrea Roberts said the study "brings us at least one step closer" towards working out if trauma can be transmitted across generations. "We can look at our study as one small piece in the huge overall puzzle of how intergenerational trauma works," said Gladish. She pointed out there are several other teams working on the conundrum, including experiments on mice and other animals. "It is certainly possible that epigenetic changes in sperm cells play a role in the physical and mental health of the next generation, but we don't know for sure." A flight from Arizona to Massachusetts was forced to make an emergency landing in Missouri on Monday night because of an unruly passenger, the Boston Globe reports. American Airlines Flight 2763 from Phoenix to Boston was diverted to Kansas City International Airport after a passenger began engaging in disruptive behavior, including doing pull-ups using an overhead luggage compartment. Fellow passenger David Markoski told WBZ that the man, who appeared to be inebriated, boarded the plane with a woman and two dogs and was stumbling on his way to his seat. Markoski told the outlet that the passenger ordered more alcoholic beverages once the plane took off and then verbally accosted flight attendants who tried to get him to follow protocol. "He would not sit down," Markoski said. "The flight attendant probably asked him about three or four times to sit down and he refused to sit down and then he really got verbally abusive with her, starting calling her names." Flight 2763 landed in Missouri at 7:44 p.m., where the unruly passenger and his companion were removed from the plane and questioned by authorities. The flight re-departed for Boston at 9:38 p.m. and arrived at Logan International Airport at 1:09 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Bridget Patton, the spokeswoman for the FBIs Kansas City field office, said that no one was taken into custody and no charges been filed in relation to the incident. By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - AmerisourceBergen Corp, one of the largest U.S. drug wholesalers, will pay $625 million to resolve civil fraud charges over the sale of syringes containing drugs for cancer patients, double billing, and providing kickbacks to doctors. The settlement announced on Monday by the U.S. Department of Justice boosts AmerisourceBergen's total payout to $885 million over its repackaging and distribution of pre-filled syringes that were not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In September 2017, the company's AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group unit pleaded guilty to a related misdemeanor, and paid $260 million of criminal fines and forfeitures. The Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania-based company also entered a five-year corporate integrity agreement to ensure compliance with federal health care rules. It set aside money for the entire civil settlement in its fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2017. AmerisourceBergen admitted that from January 2001 to January 2014, its Medical Initiatives Inc pharmacy unit in Alabama shipped millions of syringes for patients undergoing chemotherapy that contained drugs prepared in an unsterile environment. Authorities said AmerisourceBergen would harvest "overfill" from the original vials of such drugs as Aloxi, Anzemet, Kytril and generic Kytril, Neupogen and Procrit used to combat side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and anemia. That enabled the company to create more doses than it bought, and generate at least $99.6 million of extra profit, authorities said. AmerisourceBergen was also accused of billing multiple doctors for individual vials, causing them to bill the government more than once, and paying kickbacks to induce doctors to buy drugs through the pre-filled syringe program. "ABC placed corporate profits over patients' needs, endangering the health of vulnerable cancer patients," U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue in Brooklyn, New York said in a statement. New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood said $99.9 million of the payout will go to state Medicaid programs. Four whistleblowers including Michael Mullen, a former chief operating officer at AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group, will share $99 million from the payout, lawyers for Mullen said. AmerisourceBergen said in a statement that the settlement reflects its acknowledgment that some practices at the now-closed Medical Initiatives unit "were not consistent with AmerisourceBergen's approach to corporate compliance." The company's shares rose 57 cents to $92.79 on Monday. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Tom Brown) Stiffing a waitress on her tip is bad enough, but giving a racist excuse is even worse. Ask Jasmine Brewer, a waitress who works at Applebees in Radcliff, Kentucky. Earlier this month, she said, four customers didnt tip her on a $50 order. Instead, the diners left a handwritten note on a napkin: We dont tip black people. The napkin note that was left instead of a tip. (Photo: Courtesy of Jasmine Brewer) The 26-year-old Brewer said the party responsible for the racist note consisted of two well-dressed couples. It looked like they were having a rough day, like they had just been to a funeral, Brewer told HuffPost. They ordered two 2-for-$20 meals, two Mountain Dews and two sweet teas. Brewer said she did everything possible to make the experience pleasant, even telling the group Have a nice day as they left. They said, Have a nice day too! Brewer recalled. She didnt know the customers had a problem with her until she saw the note. I did everything I could to make it good and in the end, I was the problem, she said, bemused. Jasmine Brewer has tried to find the good in this experience. (Photo: Courtesy of Jasmine Brewer) The waitress said her co-workers were shocked by the racist note, especially her manager. She was livid and shes white, said Brewer. She is dating a black man and they have two kids together. There are a lot of biracial couples working at Applebees, she said. Applebees sent a statement to HuffPost condemning the nasty napkin: All restaurant team members deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The remarks directed at one of our franchisees employees are unacceptable and inconsistent with Applebees values as a brand. The company also noted that it was looking into the matter: The franchisee conducted an internal investigation and has collected statements from the team member as well as those who were present during the incident, including other team members and the Manager on duty. As soon as the Manager was informed she immediately went out to speak with the guests, but they had already left the restaurant. The franchisee is continuing to work with the restaurant team to keep the lines of communication open. Story continues After Brewers mother, Regina E. Boone, posted a photo of the napkin on Facebook, some people felt obliged to make things right by donating money to her. Boone told local station WAVE that her daughter has received $175 so far more than three times the amount of the bill. Brewer said the lesson shes learned from the experience is more important than the money. There is more good in the world than bad, she told HuffPost. Thats what the Lord was trying to tell me. However, the almighty may have taught her another lesson as well: that there are lots of skeptical people in the world, especially since some waiters have fabricated stories about receiving racist messages on receipts in the past. Brewer acknowledged that she has also been accused of faking the napkin note, something she vehemently denies. I almost wish my mom had never posted that photo, she said. Why would we go out of our way to post fake news? She is hoping the reaction to the racist note leads to something more positive. I hope with all this getting exposed, people learn to love people for who they are and stop being cruel, Brewer said. The story has been updated with further comment from Applebees. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Pizza With A Side Of Racism A Papa John's customer snapped a photo of her receipt, which contained an offensive racial slur in place of the customer's name. 'Best Butt' Discount One woman was surprised to find that along with her veggie bowl, she received a discount for having the 'best butt' and being the 'best looking' person in the fast food joint. Dry Cleaner Gaffe A customer got quite a surprise when he picked up his freshly-laundered shirts. The anonymous consumer, dubbed 'Asshole, Alex' apparently had the cleaning bill comped. Profanity-Laden Receipt Two Burger King employees were fired after a customer noticed that his receipt read 'F*ck You' where it would normally say 'Thank You'. Bruins Celebrate In Style After the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup, they partied... hard. The team apparently rang up a $156,000 bar tab at a nightclub in the Foxwoods Casino, according to the Boston Globe. Restaurant Settles Suit Over Racial Slurs A California steak house settled a lawsuit with a customer that claimed his credit receipts contained several racial slurs where his name should have been. Radio Shack Refund Gets Ugly A Maryland woman got a little something extra along with her refund when she discovered that an associate deemed her an 'ugly itch' from 'ghettohood, USA'. Chick-Fil-A In Hot Water Chick-Fil-A garnered national attention after a customer snapped a photo of two receipts that had labeled Asian-American customers as 'Ching' and 'Chong'. Walmart Customers Find Jesus A couple claimed their Walmart receipt contained the face of the Son of God. Now THAT'S An Account Balance An ATM customer found this surprising receipt still in the machine. The receipt, which shows a whopping balance of nearly $100 million, supposedly belonged to hedge fund manager David Tepper. Server Has Choice Words For Kids A server at a Chichos Pizza restaurant labeled his customers as 'high as shit kids'. Fortunately, the customers had a sense of humor and posted the receipt to Reddit to much fanfare. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. (Photo: Alex Edelman via Getty Images) UPDATE: Oct. 2 Amazon announced Tuesday that it would raise pay for all its employees to $15 per hour. CEO Jeff Bezos said in a release the company had listened to its critics. Previously: WASHINGTON The nations second-largest employer is raising wages in response to outside pressure and advocacy from its workforce, according to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). For several weeks Sanders has been criticizing Amazon for low pay at its warehouses, even introducing legislation that would tax the company for what its workers receive in food stamp and Medicaid benefits. In August, Sanders solicited testimonials from Amazon warehouse workers about low pay, which he showcased on his website and used to promote his legislation. Workers in several Amazon facilities told The Washington Post last week that they had received raises. Sanders declined to take responsibility for the change, saying it was the workers who deserved credit for the raises. I think the workers have stood up and fought back, he told HuffPost. What we have done is call attention to the fact that it is a disgrace that the wealthiest person in this country and in this world are paying wages so low that workers are forced to go on food stamps and Medicaid. Amazon CEO Jff Bezos is worth more than $160 billion, making him the wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes. Sanders titled his legislation which is a messaging bill that has little support and no chance of becoming law the Stop BEZOS Act. The purpose of the legislation is to shame the company for paying some of its workers so little they are poor enough to qualify for welfare benefits. I think the pressure is building not only on Bezos and Amazon but every other employer in America: Pay your workers a living wage, at least 15 bucks an hour, Sanders said. With more than half a million workers, only Walmart is a larger employer in the United States. The median Amazon employee makes $28,446 annually, according to the companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Excluding part-timers and workers in other countries brings the median above $34,000, the firm has said. Story continues The companys fulfillment center employees pack the boxes that arrive on consumers doorsteps. Amazon has added more than 130,000 jobs in the past year, according to spokeswoman Lindsay Campbell. These are good jobs with highly competitive pay and full benefits, Campbell said. In the U.S., the average hourly wage for a full-time associate in our fulfillment centers, including cash, stock and incentive bonuses, is over $15/hour before overtime. The company has also said that raises workers have recently received were routine and not a response to outside pressure. (Low unemployment, at least theoretically, should also be putting upward pressure on wages, as there should be fewer workers desperate for jobs.) One Amazon worker at a fulfillment center in Orlando whose contact information Sanders office provided to HuffPost said he thought his 50-cent raise he received had something to do with the pressure. The Orlando facility had just opened so he didnt understand why the company would already be adjusting wages for workers whod only been on the job a few weeks. The worker said his pay increased from $11.25 per hour to $11.50. He likes his job, he said, but resented the companys claim in an all-hands meeting a few weeks ago that factoring in stock awards means his hourly pay is actually $15. I knew it was a low-wage job when I took it, he said. Dont piss on my leg and call it rain. HuffPost readers: Do you work in an Amazon fulfillment center? Tell us about it email arthur@huffpost.com. Please include your phone number if youre willing to be interviewed. Related Coverage Amazon Becomes Second U.S. Company To Hit $1 Trillion Market Value Milestone Bernie Sanders Hit With Avalanche Of Criticism Over Amazon-Bashing Bill The World's Richest Man Came To Washington, D.C., And It Was Gross Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The fire spread over 47,000 acres: Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management An elaborate stunt planned by a US Border Patrol agent to reveal the sex of his future child sparked a massive wildfire that spread over 47,000 acres of land and caused $8.2m (6.3m) damage. Dennis Dickey, 37, shot a rifle at a target containing Tannerite, a highly explosive powder, at a gender-reveal party near Green Valley in Arizona. The high-velocity bullet was intended to cause an explosion of either blue or pink powder, but it also sparked flames which spread rapidly to the Coronado National Forest. More than 800 firefighters battled the blaze, which became known as the Sawmill Fire, as it burned for more than a week in dry and windy conditions in April 2017. Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate their homes but no one was hurt. Dickey, of Tucson, Arizona, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour violation of US Forest Service regulations on Friday. He agreed to pay compensation totalling $8,188,069 (6,316,000), according to the US Attorneys Office, although it is unlikely he will pay anything close to that amount. Dickey will pay an initial sum of $100,000 on 7 October, followed by monthly payments. His lawyer Sean Chapman said he would pay $500 a month for the next 20 years, or more if his salary increases, the Arizona Daily Star reported. Dickey told a US magistrate judge the fire had been a complete accident. I feel absolutely horrible about it. It was probably one of the worst days of my life, he said. Dickey reported the fire immediately and admitted starting it, according to a US Department of Justice statement. He was not on duty as a Border Patrol agent at the time and is not expected to lose his job. Tannerite is a legal explosive mostly commonly used for shooting practice but which has become increasingly popular at pregnancy celebrations. Retailers have even begun selling gender-reveal kits containing the compound along with two colours of power - usually blue to indicate the baby is a boy, and pink for a girl. Story continues The parties, an American trend which have been growing in popularity in the UK, began with more low-key methods such as balloons containing blue or pink confetti. The sex of Dickey's child has not been revealed. Brett Kavanaughs former college roommate has revealed the FBI has failed to contact him during any of the agencys background checks into the Supreme Court nominee. Jamie Roche, now a software executive in San Francisco, shared a bedroom with Mr Kavanaugh while they were both studying at Yale in 1983 a year after the judge allegedly committed a serious sexual assault at a house party. The FBI is currently conducting an additional investigation following the initial accusation - made by California professor Christine Blasey Ford - as well as another by Deborah Ramirez, who claims Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a dorm party at Yale. Mr Kavanaugh denies all claims of sexual misconduct. On Twitter, Mr Roche wrote: As Brett Kavanaugh's college freshman roommate, I was never contacted by the FBI for any of their background checks. I assume college behaviour was not a topic of interest. They did not find Debbie's story because they were not looking for it. As Brett Kavanaugh's college freshman roommate, I was never contacted by the FBI for any of their background checks. I assume college behavior was not a topic of interest. They did not find Debbie's story because they were not looking for it. Jamie Roche (@jamie_roche) October 1, 2018 The FBI declined to comment on the allegations. Mr Roches statement on Monday came the same day the White House gave the FBI clearance to interview anyone ahead of the investigations deadline on Friday. Video: WH Authorizes FBI to Expand Kavanaugh Investigation For more news videos visit Yahoo View. The new guidance was issued to the FBI over the weekend in response to intense media scrutiny and Democratic insistence that the scope of the probe was too narrow. Story continues In recent days the agency has questioned at least four people about accusations of misconduct against Mr Kavanaugh, dating back to when he was in high school and college. Among the witnesses interviewed were men who Ms Ford says were present at a party of teenagers in the early 1980s at which she says she was sexually assaulted by Mr Kavanaugh. Donald Trump, addressing concerns about the probe's expansiveness on Monday, said he wants the FBI to do a "comprehensive" investigation and "it wouldn't bother me at all" if agents pursued accusations made by three women who have come forward. But he also said Senate Republicans are determining the parameters of the investigation and "ultimately, they're making the judgment". "My White House will do whatever the senators want," Mr Trump said. "The one thing I want is speed." The White House instructed the FBI to interview anyone it deems relevant to the inquiry, but required the work to be done by Friday, according to the person familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The revised guidance was aimed at promoting an investigation that could tamp down Democratic criticism and satisfy on-the-fence Republicans about its thoroughness and fairness while also ensuring a fixed deadline to prevent the probe from becoming open-ended and spanning weeks. Officials said it was possible, but not likely, the bureau could complete its work before Friday. Mr Trump said a comprehensive investigation is "a good thing" for Mr Kavanaugh, and that while it was fine that the FBI wants to interview all three women who have made accusations, "we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?". Senator Susan Collins of Maine one of three Republican senators who was instrumental last week in holding up Mr Kavanaugh's confirmation vote said she had extensive conversation with the White House counsel's office and is "confident that the FBI is doing a thorough investigation and that it will be helpful to us as we make our decisions". As Republicans and Democrats quarrelled over whether the FBI would have enough time and freedom to conduct a thorough investigation before a vote on the nomination, FBI agents have been interviewing multiple witnesses from Mr Kavanaugh's high school and college years. They include Mark Judge, a high school friend of Mr Kavanaugh's who Ms Ford has said was in the room when a drunken Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her. Mr Judge has denied misconduct allegations. On Monday, his lawyer Barbara "Biz" Van Gelder said Mr Judge had been interviewed "but his interview has not been completed". She declined to elaborate. Another witness, Patrick "PJ" Smyth, answered "every question" he was asked and told agents he had "no knowledge" of the small gathering that Ms Ford described, according to his attorney, Eric Bruce. Mr Smyth also told the FBI he doesn't have "knowledge of Ford's allegations of improper conduct against Kavanaugh," Mr Bruce said. Ms Ford has said Mr Smyth was downstairs, nowhere near the alleged event. The FBI has also interviewed Leland Keyser, who Ms Ford said attended the same party. Ms Keyser's attorney, Howard Walsh, said she was questioned by FBI agents on Saturday, but he did not provide any additional details about the interview. Mr Walsh has said his client does not know Mr Kavanaugh and has no recollection of ever being at a party with him. He has said Ms Keyser believes Ms Ford's account but is "unable to corroborate it because she has no recollection of the incident in question". Mr Roche has been contacted for comment. Additional reporting by AP Axios The Department of Defense will respond "appropriately" to a decision this week by the Oklahoma National Guard to rescind the Pentagon's requirement for service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.Driving the news: "We are aware of the memo issued by the Oklahoma Adjutant General regarding COVID vaccination for Guardsmen and the governors letter requesting exemption. We will respond to the governor appropriately," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told Axios in a statement.Stay on top of the lat Reuters (Reuters) -Tesla CEO Elon Musk offloaded a combined $6.9 billion worth of shares in the electric car company this week, taking advantage of a meteoric rally that vaulted the firm's value to over $1 trillion. The billionaire sold 1.2 million shares held by his trust for more than $1.2 billion on Friday, the latest in a flurry of his stock transactions, according to a U.S. securities filing released later in the day. The world's richest person and Tesla's top shareholder last Saturday tweeted that he would sell 10% https://www.reuters.com/technology/musk-asks-followers-twitter-whether-he-should-sell-10-his-tesla-stock-2021-11-06 of his shares if users of the social media platform approved the move. It wasnt the Nobel Committee that reached James Allison first on Monday to inform him that he had won the coveted annual prize in Physiology or Medicine. It was his son who broke the news with a 5:30 am phone call. Minutes later, a Swedish reporter reached him before the committee could. I was like, Oh my God, it happened, Allison says to TIME. Im just in shock, I guess. Allison, chair of immunology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was awarded the Nobel for his discovery in 1994 in mice that led to an entirely new class of anti-cancer drugs called checkpoint inhibitors. Theyre designed to unleash the power of the immune system and have saved tens of thousands of livesincluding that of President Jimmy Carter, who was treated with an experimental version of this type of drug when he was diagnosed with advanced melanoma that had spread to his liver and brain. Dr. Tasuku Honjo, professor of immunology and genomic medicine from Kyoto University in Japan, was also awarded a Nobel in the same category for a his discovery of another checkpoint inhibitor pathway. Allison and Honjo both discovered a key feature of the immune system that prevented it from robustly attacking cancer cells. Because cancers arise from normal cells that have accumulated mutations that propel them to divide abnormally, the immune system is loathe to destroy these cells in the same way that it would easily recognize and destroy bacteria or viruses. Allison found one proteinCLTA-4, which is found on a group of immune cells called T cellsthat prevents those T cells from attacking tumors. A few years earlier, Honjo had discovered a protein, PD-1, that also held back T cells from destroying cancer cells, but in a different way than CTLA-4. Those discoveries led to checkpoint inhibitors, the first class of drugs designed to strip away that protective molecular cloak. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first checkpoint inhibitor in 2011. Story continues Allison credits his discovery to an unbiased curiosity about basic science and the luxury of chasing interesting scientific questions without necessarily knowing whether they will lead to something useful for treating disease. The way I prefer to do science is to pursue basic science, and every now and then you put your feet up and think, how can I use what Ive learned? he says. The best science doesnt worry about the implications. Allison, a Texas native, spent much of his spare time as a child in the family garage, tinkering with the science lab he had built there. He didnt know then that cancer would soon consume his life, in more ways than one. The disease would claim his mother, two uncles and a brother, losses that would play a role in shaping his scientific career. As he trained to become a scientist, he grew obsessed with the one of the immune systems foot soldiers: the T cell. Allison was among the first to reveal how T cells do their job of recognizing and eliminating bacteria and viruses: by using receptors, or proteins, on their surface to bind to foreign intruders. It wasnt long before he turned to the trickier problem of training these T cells to recognize tumors. Unlike bacteria and viruses, cancers develop from the bodys own cells, and T cells werent designed to destroy their own cousins. Figuring out how to make cancer cells look more like bacteria to the immune system became Allisons goal. While other scientists had been looking for characteristics of cancer cells themselves that would make them more visible to the immune system, Allison focused on immune cells. He found that the immune system has a special way of protecting the bodys cells from becoming targets. Like a cars automatic braking system that can sense obstacles ahead and engage the brakes, the immune system has a braking system that prevents it from attacking any of the bodys own cells including tumors. The molecule responsible, CTLA-4, was a revelation for immune scientists. Until Allisons work, experts never thought that the immune system had such a system. They assumed that the way the bodys cells were spared from immune destruction was by receptors that signaled them as friend and not foe. I wanted to take a rational approach to figure out how T cells worked, Allison says. And I thought maybe disabling the brakes was a simple idea. But until I knew there was a brake, there was no way to come up with this. Honjo discovered an additional checkpoint molecule, PD-1, and others have revealed even more molecular brakes, launching a pharmaceutical bonanza of new anti-cancer targets. So far, the medications are contributing to remarkable remissions in people with lung and skin cancers, but Allison is hopeful they will soon be applied to more stubborn cancers such as breast, prostate and colon. The key to expanding the reach of checkpoint inhibitors, he says, lies in combining them with existing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. New studies are already finding ways to use lower, less frequent doses of these standard therapies to awaken the immune system enough in cancers to then make the checkpoint inhibitors more effective. Now, Allison is excited and humbled by what his curiosity has wrought. He keeps in touch with many of the patients who have benefited from the drugs developed from his discovery, but the first one he met stands out: a 22-year-old woman who was diagnosed with late-stage melanoma and was given a 50-50 chance of surviving six months. Treated in New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in 2004, she was among the first to receive a checkpoint inhibitor that Allison had helped develop and was still testing. After four injections of the drug, her cancer disappeared. Allison happened to be in the building when she received the miraculous news, and when her doctor offered to introduce them, she jumped at the chance. Its an experience that remains with Allison today. It took many years for me not to cry every time I think about her, says Allison. Today she is still cancer-free, thanks to Allisons discovery. EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Britain's Conservative party will commit in its next manifesto to blocking another referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has said. The comment has raised hackles amongst nationalists north of the English border, where they have a majority in the devolved parliament and are increasingly discontented over Brexit. Historically, such gestures have been perceived as distant London telling Scotland what to do. Davidson said she would go into Britain's next national election with a manifesto commitment to block a Scottish independence referendum. She argued that in a 2014 independence vote "the people of Scotland were promised this would be a once in a generation event," she told the BBC. "Nobody would expect anything different from the Scottish Conservative Party than to say we won't have one." In 2014, Scots rejected independence 55 to 45 percent. Davidson's opponents say, however, that since that time circumstances have changed significantly; Britain overall has voted to leave the EU but one of its nations, Scotland, opted by a large majority to stay in. Nevertheless Scotland will leave with the rest of the United Kingdom. Talks between London and Edinburgh over the implications of leaving the EU have been increasingly fraught. Davidson, who has revived Conservative fortunes in Scotland after decades in the doldrums, equated holding a second independence vote with holding another Brexit vote, an alternative with growing public support but still rejected by May's party. Davidson told her party conference in Birmingham on Monday that she had voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 Brexit vote but would not "demand a re-run just because I wasn't on the winning side". She warned her party, led by Prime Minister Theresa May who is struggling to deliver Brexit, that there are "those who are working day by day to break up (the United Kingdom) and who believe that a chaotic Brexit will help". In a statement, the Scottish National Party (SNP), which runs the devolved Scottish government, accused Davidson of "unbelievable arrogance". "The SNP believes that it should be up to the people of Scotland not Ruth Davidson or Theresa May to determine their own future," said SNP deputy leader Keith Brown. (Reporting by Elisabeth O'Leary) PALU, Indonesia (AP) Trucks carrying food for desperate survivors of the earthquake on Indonesia's Sulawesi island rolled in with a police escort Tuesday to guard against looters, while the death toll from the disaster soared past 1,200. Four days after the magnitude 7.5 earthquake and tsunami struck, supplies of food, water, fuel and medicine had yet to reach the hardest-hit areas outside Palu, the largest city that was heavily damaged. Many roads in the earthquake zone are blocked and communications lines are down. "We feel like we are stepchildren here because all the help is going to Palu," said Mohamad Taufik, 38, from the town of Donggala, where five of his relatives are still missing. "There are many young children here who are hungry and sick, but there is no milk or medicine." The death toll reached 1,234, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in Jakarta, the capital. Hundreds of other people were injured, and scores of uncounted bodies could still be buried in collapsed buildings in Sigi and Balaroa under quicksand-like mud caused by Friday's quake. The U.N. humanitarian office reported that "needs are vast," with people urgently requiring shelter, clean water, food, fuel and emergency medical care. Water is the main issue because most of the supply infrastructure has been damaged, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York. More than 25 countries offered assistance after Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo appealed for international help. Little of that, however, has reached the disaster zone, and increasingly desperate residents grabbed food and fuel from damaged stores and begged for help. Haq said the government is coordinating emergency efforts, and U.N. and relief agencies are on the ground or enroute. He said the agencies are working closely with the government to provide technical support. An aircraft carrying 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of fuel had arrived. and trucks with food were on the way with police escorts to guard against looters. Many gas stations were inoperable either because of quake damage or from people stealing fuel, Nugroho said. Story continues The frustration of waiting for days without help has angered some survivors. "Pay attention to Donggala, Mr. Jokowi. Pay attention to Donggala," yelled one resident in a video broadcast on local TV, referring to the president. "There are still a lot of unattended villages here." The town's administrative head, Kasman Lassa, all but gave residents permission to take food but nothing else from stores. "Everyone is hungry and they want to eat after several days of not eating," Lassa said on local TV. "We have anticipated it by providing food, rice, but it was not enough. There are many people here. So, on this issue, we cannot pressure them to hold much longer." Nearly 62,000 people have been displaced from their homes, Nugroho said. Most of the attention has been focused so far on Palu, which has 380,000 people and is easier to reach than other hard-hit areas. More aid was being distributed, but "we still need more time to take care of all the problems," Nugroho said. Teams continued searching for survivors under destroyed homes and buildings, including a collapsed eight-story hotel in Palu, but they needed more heavy equipment to clear the rubble. Many people were believed trapped under shattered houses in the Palu neighborhood of Balaroa, where the earthquake caused the ground to heave up and down violently. "I and about 50 other people in Balaroa were able to save ourselves by riding on a mound of soil which was getting higher and higher," resident Siti Hajat told MetroTV, adding that her house was destroyed. A handful of disaster personnel arrived in the neighborhood Tuesday morning. A lone backhoe cleared a path into the jumble of twisted buildings. Sa'Adon Lawira, who lost a grandchild, was angry that rescue efforts focused so quickly on places such as the Palu hotel where tourists were staying. "Why did the search-and-rescue agency and others prioritize the search for victims in hotels?" he said, holding back tears as he spoke. "Neighborhoods like this should take precedence because the bodies of residents are buried, but there are no rescuers who have searched for them." Near the coast, the tsunami shattered buildings, uprooted concrete and thrust boats inland. The deadly wave reportedly reached as high as 6 meters (nearly 20 feet) in places,. In Palu's Petobo neighborhood, the quake caused loose, wet soil to liquefy, creating a thick, heavy quicksand-type material that resulted in massive damage. Hundreds of victims are still believed to be buried in the mud there. Liquefaction of soil can be compared to walking on a sandy beach. "If you walk across some wet sand a little back from the water's edge, it is usually firm walking, even though you might leave footprints," said Adam Switzer, an expert at the Earth Observatory of Singapore. "However, if you stand still and wiggle your toes and feet, you will probably sink a little as the sand around your feet becomes soft and unstable. This is similar to what happens during liquefaction." Nugroho said 153 bodies were buried Monday in a mass grave in Palu and that the operation continued Tuesday. He said generators, heavy equipment and tents are among the most-needed aid items. The countries that offered assistance include the United States and China, he said. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government has given $360,000 to help victims and is in talks with Indonesian authorities about a second round of aid. The initial funds are to go to the Indonesian Red Cross for the most obvious emergency aid needs, such as tarpaulins. Nugroho said only two of the 122 foreigners in the area remained unaccounted for one from South Korea and the other from Belgium. The U.N.'s Haq said the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs has asked the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF, to send social workers to the affected area to support children who are alone or became separated from their families. And he said the World Health Organization is warning that a lack of shelter and damaged water sanitation facilities could lead to outbreaks of communicable diseases. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 260 million people, is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August. ___ Associated Press writers Margie Mason and Ali Kotarumalos in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. 10/3/2018 UPDATE: The GoFundMe has far surpassed its initial $150 goal, raising more than $19,000 to help Dufresne as of Thursday afternoon. A Dunkin Donuts employee has been fired after he was caught on camera pouring water on a resting homeless man. A video of the incident, which took place in Syracuse, N.Y., was posted on Facebook and went viral over the weekend. In it, Jeremy Dufresne is seen sleeping at a corner table. As he was waiting for his phone to charge, a worker approached and dumped water on Dufresnes head. How many times do I have to tell you to stop sleeping in here? the employee says in the video. Another employee can be heard laughing. Jeremy Dufresne was resting at a Dunkin Donuts in Syracuse, N.Y., when an employee poured water on his head. (Photos: Samuel Breazeale via Facebook) Visibly shaken, Dufresne jumped to his feet and unplugged his phone before leaving the store. Many of the nearly 2 million viewers of the video on Facebook were quick to condemn the worker for his heartless actions and demanded that his employment be terminated immediately. Fire him! Im done with Dunkin Donuts if they treat people like this. You dont know that mans hardships, one woman wrote. No employee should ever do this, this is beyond sickening and I hope they fired him, another added. Dufresne, however, was more reserved in his judgment. He probably had some personal problems of his own and needed someone to talk to and he took it out on someone else, like me, he told Syracuse.com in the wake of the incident. Samuel Breazeale, who shared footage of the incident online, started a GoFundMe page to help pay for some warm clothing for Dufresne and to help him get back on his feet. The employee can then be seen yelling at Dufresne. (Photos: Samuel Breazeale via Facebook) More than $6,000 has already been raised, all of which is going to Dufresne and his family. A Dunkin Donuts spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo Lifestyle that the workers responsible had been fired, saying the company was deeply disturbed by the footage. We were extremely disturbed by the behavior of our employees captured in the video. It not only violated our written policies, but goes against our core values as an organization, which include creating a welcoming and hospitable environment and treating everyone with dignity and respect. The employees involved in the incident have been terminated, and we will be contacting the individual in the video to apologize for the negative experience. We also intend to work with local advocates to make sure that our employees are better educated as to how to engage with homeless individuals and where to direct them in the community for appropriate assistance. Story continues Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Guy Verhofstadt, Brexit negotiator for the European Parliament (Getty) Boris Johnsons plan to delay Brexit has been blasted as a very bad idea by EU bigwig Guy Verhofstadt. Johnson wants an extra six months to buy him time to topple Theresa May and work out a new plan for Brexit as prime minister, the Sun has revealed. It is theoretically possible for EU leaders to agree to an extension of the Article 50 process beyond next March. But it has already been ruled out in practice by Verhofstadt, who chairs the European Parliaments Brexit steering group. Speaking in Strasbourg on Tuesday, the former Belgian prime minister said: We will never accept and I say it very clearly to the British colleagues here an extension of this whole procedure. MORE: Keep calm and negotiate: EU hits back at horror stories over no-deal Brexit Boris Johnson said this morning we want an extension of article 50. I think its a very bad idea. Enough mess has been created by Brexit. Enough uncertainly by Brexit. Lets stop it. On this issue, leading politicians in the EU and UK appeared to be united. One cabinet minister told the Sun: Were in a buggers muddle alright, but it wont be any better in six months time so we have to tough it out with the EU now. But Johnson wasnt the only Conservative politician singled out for criticism by Verhofstaft in a typically intense speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. He also hit out at migration plans to be set out by home secretary Sajid Javid at Conservative party conference, which will see preferential access for EU citizens scrapped in favour of a skills-based system. Home Secretary Sajid Javid set out plans for a new post-Brexit immigration system in his Conservative conference speech (Reuters) Verhofstadt said: We will never accept discrimination based on skills and nationality as Javid proposed. And, in a message to Conservative leaders in Birmingham on Brexit talks, he added: We will never undermine the principles of the union, the European project to rescue the political party in Britain which is not even capable to find a common line [on Brexit]. That was a clear sign that the EU isnt going to compromise on the prime ministers Chequers proposal on trade, which effectively allow the UK to remain in the single market for goods without accepting the free movement of people. Story continues European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans said of that proposal: Let me also be very clear: If somebody says I want to leave your house but Ill take the key and Ill come back in whenever I like and take whatever I like from that house that doesnt work. German MEP Hans-Olaf Henkel argued though that the EU should have shown more flexibility on the issue when renegotiating Britains membership terms with former prime minister David Cameron before the Brexit referendum. MORE: Court blocks bid to end secrecy over MEP expenses Mr Juncker, if you at that time had offered Britain a special deal on freedom of movement, Brexit would not have happened, he said. UKIP MEP Nigel Farage argued the UK would be better off pursuing a simple free trade deal in Brexit negotiations. He said: I know the European Commission would not necessarily want this because theyre trying to use the Brexit process as a means of saying leaving the club comes at a price. But I do believe it would be possible. The EU has said the moment of truth for Brexit talks will come at the European Council summit in Brussels on October 18. They have said substantial progress must be made on outstanding issues like a backstop solution to avoiding a hard border in Ireland to continue with talks in November. MORE: EU gives May 28 days to change Chequers plan or face no-deal Brexit Montreal (AFP) - Campaign groups from Greenpeace to the Sierra Club on Monday slammed the new US-Mexican-Canadian trade deal for its weak provisions on environmental issues. President Donald Trump -- who had repeatedly pledged to overhaul what he called an unfair North American Free Trade Agreement -- said the retooling would turn North America back into a "manufacturing powerhouse" and fuel US economic growth. At a press conference in Ottawa on Monday, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland welcomed the inclusion of "a new enforceable environment chapter that upholds air quality and fights marine pollution. "It is much stronger than previously," Freeland said. Yet the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA -- covering almost $1.2 trillion in trade -- does not go far enough to protect the population and the global environment, critics argue. For the social action minded Council of Canadians, it is no surprise that "climate change" was not mentioned within President Trump's new agreement, given the US president's skepticism surrounding the issue. That leaves intact what amount to NAFTA's bad rule book and the growth of the oil industry, added Charlie Cray, from the NGO Greenpeace, in a statement to AFP. Not only does the new agreement not mention climate change, but it also extends the group's contribution to the climate crisis, the Sierra Club said in a statement. The United States, under Trump, withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to contain the average increase in global temperature at two degrees Celsius over the pre-industrial era. But even for critics there appear to be some potentially positive steps. The old NAFTA -- which tied together the US, Canadian and Mexican markets since 1994 -- did not have any separate environmental section. The new agreement recognizes the significance of ocean plastic pollution and expectation that a multilateral environmental agreement could be ironed out to end single-use plastic, one of the main forms of ocean pollution. Paris (AFP) - Even reaching the most optimistic goals in the Paris climate treaty will still increase the area of southern Europe devastated by forest fires each year by at least 40 percent, researchers warned Tuesday. Following two years of often deadly blazes across Portugal, Spain, southern France and Greece, scientists at the University of Barcelona said more woodland areas could be lost to the flames if the targets laid out in the 2015 climate deal were missed. The agreement aims to limit global temperature increases to "well below" 2.0 degrees Celsius -- and to 1.5C if at all possible. In the first study of its kind, the team tested computer models of how much worse fires would get if global temperatures were to rise 1.5C, 2C, or 3C by the end of the century. "It's relevant because there are a lot of fires in this area, for instance, in Greece this year or last summer in Portugal," Marco Turco, from the university's Department of Applied Physics and lead study author told AFP. "These are examples of things to come in the future." Turco and the team found that the area of southern Europe lost each year to fire would increase between 40-54 percent, even if temperature rises were limited to 1.5C -- the most ambitious goal in all climate change mitigation efforts. "1.5C is really ambitious... but it's not physically impossible," said Turco. Were temperatures to climb 2C above the preindustrial benchmark, the area destroyed by fire was projected to increase between 62-87 percent, and for 3C it could grow by as much as 187 percent as climate change-induced droughts produce more combustible material. Southern Europe currently loses around 4,500 square kilometres -- three times the area of Greater London -- each year to fire. - Deadliest blazes - In July, nearly 100 people perished in blazes at coastal resorts near Athens, the country's worst fire in modern history. The government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras came in for thunderous criticism after a combination of tactical errors by emergency responders and poor infrastructure trapped hundreds of holidaymakers in the path of the flames. Story continues In August 2017, 64 people burned to death in Portugal's worst ever fires. Scientists have consistently predicted that extreme weather events such as wildfires, drought, superstorms and flooding will become more frequent and severe as our planet heats up. Turco said his study highlighted the importance of trying to stick to 1.5C rises -- something some studies already suggest may be beyond reach. Ultimately, in seaside regions where holiday homes predominate, people may wish to reconsider buying a property that could become increasingly prey to fire as the century progresses. "In these areas the climate has meant that people have to be really careful considering these future scenarios," Turco said. Washington (AFP) - Even as he announced a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico on Monday, US President Donald Trump again went after China, making it clear a truce with Beijing was unlikely to come soon. Trump told reporters China wanted to open negotiations but "frankly, it's too early to talk." With US tariffs now on $250 billion in Chinese annual exports, about half the total that comes into the US market, and Trump threatening to target the other half, relations with Beijing have deteriorated. That has spilled over into other areas of diplomacy: A meeting between Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his Chinese counterpart, General Wei Fenghe, to discuss security issues has been canceled, a US defense official said Monday. And even the new US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that updates the existing continental free trade pact reveals Washington's strategy for countering China -- by essentially forbidding any free trade deals with Beijing by any of the USMCA partners. Trump acknowledged the importance of relations with Beijing, especially in talks with North Korea, and left the door open to negotiations at some point. "China wants to talk. We want to talk to them. We want them to help us with North Korea," he said, referring efforts to negotiate a deal to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. But he again slammed China, saying "they have been ripping us off for so many years," and showed no sign of backing down on his threat to impose tariffs on all Chinese imports. "It's a privilege for them to do business with us." In the newly-agreed USMCA, negotiating a trade agreement with a "non-market economy" -- which describes China's status -- is grounds for any of the three North American partners to terminate the agreement and replace it with a bilateral treaty. - 'Circling the wagons' against China - "That's huge. I've never seen anything like that," George Washington University trade expert Susan Aaronson told AFP. Story continues And while many countries have complained about Trump's "saber rattling" on trade, they seem to agree "they should all be aiming their tariffs at China," Syracuse University trade economist Mary Lovely said. The provision is "a clear signal of where they're headed," she said. "It definitely seems to be circling the wagons against China." The key lesson Trump could take from the NAFTA negotiations is that strong-arm tactics work and this could have ramifications for coming talks with China, Japan and the European Union. Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on autos worldwide, again invoking a controversial national security justification, and while the USMCA protects Canada and Mexico, the threat has brought Brussels to the table. Although most trade experts were surprised the final deal turned out as well as it did -- incorporating many of the improvements from the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump jettisoned by backing out of that agreement on his first day in office -- they say Washington's heavy-handed approach worked. "It's sad to say that," said Patrick Leblond, a trade expert with Canada's Center for International Governance Innovation. Trump made unacceptable demands "and then added all these threats," which gained credibility when Trump actually followed through with tariffs on steel and aluminum, Leblond said. That, Lovely warned, "is going to be the playbook." Trump spelled it out himself on Monday: "Because of the power of tariffs and the power we have with tariffs, we in many cases won't even have to use them. That's how powerful they are. And how good they are." Nigel Farage telling MEPs Hunts comments are a victory for UKIP (European parliament) Nigel Farage has claimed that Jeremys Hunt incendiary Brexit rhetoric is a victory for UKIP. The foreign secretary has caused a diplomatic and political storm by comparing the EU to the Soviet Union during his Conservative party speech on Sunday. The backlash over his comments continued in the European parliament on Tuesday as senior EU figures branded them insulting and called for an apology. But Farage said he was pleased to hear Hunts comparison and called it a little victory for him and his party. Speaking in Strasbourg, he said: For a decade here, Ive noticed that that centralising, authoritarian tone began to sound very like the old Soviet Union the concept of limited sovereignty of individual nation states. Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt made the controversial comparison during his Conservative party conference speech (Reuters) I even talked in the past about the Volkerkerker, the old Austro-Hungarian prison of nations. To see the British foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, using that language means we have shifted the centre of gravity, we have shifted the debate. He also sought to remind the EU of their own provocations during Brexit negotiations, describing the treatment of prime minister Theresa May by European Council president Donald Tusk at the Salzburg summit as arrogant, low grade, pretty vulgar. European commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans said he understood that emotions were running high on all sides at this critical point in the Brexit process. But he said Hunts comparison was misleading and insulting given that a third of EU commissioners had personal experience of living under Soviet rule. Lithuanias EU commissioner, Vytenis Andriukaitis, offered to explain the differences between the two blocs to Hunt based on his experience of being born in a gulag and imprisoned during the Soviet era. Dear @Jeremy_Hunt I was born in Soviet gulag and been imprisoned by KGB a few times in my life. Happy to brief you on the main differences between #EU and Soviet Union. And also why we escaped the #USSR Anytime. Whatever helps. https://t.co/c2h7gbnj59 Vytenis Andriukaitis (@V_Andriukaitis) October 1, 2018 The European parliament president Antonio Tajani took the unusual step of replying directly to Farages speech, saying: There are differences with the Soviet Union, which caused millions of deaths. I dont think the EU has done that. Story continues Hunt was also rebuked by the leaders of almost all the European parliaments political groups. Manfred Weber, leader of the largest centre-right group, said Hunt had reached a new level of populism and called on him to apologise. Socialist group leader Udo Bullmann accused Hunt of irresponsible leadership. Green group co-leader Philippe Lamberts: I shall readily that some statements made after Salzburg were unnecessarily blunt. But they came nowhere close to what we heard from the British foreign secretary, who took over the now common place rhetoric of the far right. Green MEP Molly Scott Cato apologised to MEPs for Hunts comments (European parliament) Liberal group leader and European parliament Brexit chief Guy Verhofstadt told his fellow MEPs they shouldnt be surprised at the statement given he once even confused China with Japan. That was a reference to an embarrassing gaffe in which Hunt told an audience in Beijing that his Chinese wife was Japanese. Verhofstadt added: The previous time he was insulting his wife, but this is something far different: hes insulting not us but millions of ordinary citizens who have lived under soviet rule for so long time he has to apologise I think. Green MEP Molly Scott Cato offered an apology to MEPs on behalf of the many British people who respect the brave struggle for freedom fought by our friends in central Europe and the Baltic states. This abuse of history is an insult to those who suffered under Soviet repression, she said of Hunts comments. MORE: Open a history book: EU hits back at Hunt over Soviet comparison Paris (AFP) - France has accused Iran's intelligence ministry of being behind a foiled plot to bomb an exiled opposition group near the French capital in a move that risks straining already complicated ties between Paris and Tehran. The French government announced Tuesday it was freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives, as well as others belonging to Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. France's decision to take retaliatory measures and go public with the accusations was taken three months after the alleged plot to bomb a meeting of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) in a suburb of Paris. "This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response," France's interior, foreign and economy ministers said in a rare joint statement. "In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory." A French diplomatic source told AFP that the security forces had concluded that "the head of operations at the (Iranian) intelligence ministry ordered it". Iran immediately denied any involvement, as it did in July when the MEK accused it of being responsible. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP in an interview that Tehran rejected the French complaint "completely and forcefully", but said the door for discussion was open. "If there is a misunderstanding... about a thing that does not exist, be it a conspiracy by others or a mistake, we can sit down and talk about it," he said Tuesday. The US, which has been intensifying pressure on Iran, warned that "this outrageous behaviour will not be tolerated" in a tweet from the White House's National Security Council. - Raids across Europe - The alleged bomb plot came to light two days after thousands of Iranian opposition supporters gathered at an exhibition centre outside Paris on June 30. Story continues The meeting was attended by two allies of US President Donald Trump, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. The People's Mujahedeen was formed in the 1960s to overthrow the Shah of Iran and it continues to organise opposition to the current leaders of the Islamic republic who took power following the 1979 revolution. Belgium announced in July that it had arrested a couple in a Brussels suburb who were suspected of preparing to drive a car packed with explosives to the French rally. A total of six people were then detained in coordinated raids by European police, including an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna. The diplomat, Assadollah Asadi, was targeted by the asset freezes announced by French authorities Tuesday, along with Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who the French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. Asadi is set to be extradited to Belgium to face trial, German authorities announced on Monday. "We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release," a statement from the Iranian foreign ministry said earlier Tuesday. - Diplomatic strains - The measures announced Tuesday come as French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani are at odds over a host of issues. Macron, who hoped to improve ties with Tehran at the start of his presidency last year, has allied with Iran over the 2015 nuclear deal which limits the Islamic Republic's atomic programme. While Trump has pulled out of the agreement and denounced it, Macron has been a vocal supporter and has worked to keep the accord alive despite US sanctions. But Macron is at loggerheads with Rouhani over the wars in Syria and Yemen, in which Iran is a major player, and has raised concerns about the country's ballistic missile programme. The US considers Iran to be the world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism because of its links with a host of armed groups, particularly the powerful Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, as well as other networks in Iraq and Yemen. Iran has been blamed in the past for carrying out attacks in countries as far afield as Argentina, India and Thailand. The French diplomatic source said Iran was suspected of carrying out "several" assassinations of opposition figures in the European Union since 2015. Also Tuesday, around 200 French police launched a dawn anti-terror raid on one of the biggest Shiite Muslim centres in France, the Zahra Centre France, as well as on the homes of its directors. Two of three people arrested were released, according to sources close to the inquiry, while the centre's treasurer will face a hearing on Wednesday for the illegal possession of firearms. The Zahra Centre France was founded in 2009 by Yahia Gouasmi, a pro-regime activist and religious figure who has spoken in support of Hezbollah. burs-adp/kjl/klm/kaf By John Irish and Richard Lough PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Tuesday there was no doubt Iran's intelligence ministry was behind a June plot to attack an exiled opposition group's rally outside Paris and it seized assets belonging to Tehran's intelligence services and two Iranian nationals. The hardening of relations between Paris and Tehran could have far-reaching consequences for Iran as President Hassan Rouhani's government looks to European capitals to salvage a 2015 nuclear deal after the United States pulled out and reimposed tough sanctions on Iran. "Behind all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our (intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the Iranian intelligence ministry," a French diplomatic source said. The source, speaking after the government announced asset freezes, added that deputy minister and director general of intelligence Saeid Hashemi Moghadam had ordered the attack and Assadollah Asadi, a Vienna-based diplomat held by German authorities, had put it into action. The ministry is under control of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, "We deny once again the allegations against Iran and demand the immediate release of the Iranian diplomat," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA. The incident was a plot "designed by those who want to damage Irans long-established relations with France and Europe," he said. The plot targeted a meeting of the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) outside the French capital. U.S. President Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and several former European and Arab ministers attended the rally. It unraveled after Asadi, an accredited diplomat in Austria, was arrested in Germany, two other individuals were detained in Belgium in possession of explosives, and one other individual in France. On Monday, a court in southern Germany ruled the diplomat could be extradited to Belgium. "We cannot accept any terrorist threat on our national territory and this plot needed a firm response," the diplomatic source said. TARGETED ASSET FREEZES The asset freezes targeted Asadi and Moghadam. A unit within the Iranian intelligence services was also targeted. The French government gave no details of the assets involved, describing its measures as "targeted and proportionate". The diplomatic source said the freezes covered assets and financing means in France, although neither individual at this stage had any assets in the country. "We hope this matter is now over. We have taken measures and said what we needed to say," the source said, suggesting Paris was seeking to turn a page on the issue. France had warned Tehran to expect a robust response to the thwarted bombing and diplomatic relations were becoming increasingly strained. French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke to their Iranian counterparts about the issue at the U.N. General Assembly after demanding explanations over Iran's role. An internal French foreign ministry memo in August told diplomats not to travel to Iran, Reuters revealed, citing the Villepinte bomb plot and a toughening of Irans position toward the West. Paris has also suspended nominating a new ambassador to Iran and not responded to Tehran nominations for diplomatic positions in France. While not directly linked to the plot, the diplomatic source said a French police raid on a Shi'ite Muslim faith center earlier on Tuesday was aimed at also sending a signal at Iran. [ID:nL8N1WI2Y7 The deterioration of relations with France could have wider implications for Iran. France has been one of the strongest advocates of salvaging the 2015 nuclear deal, which saw Tehran agree to curbs on its nuclear program in return for a lifting of economic sanctions. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has said it expects renewed sanctions to hurt the Iranian economy hard. (Additional reporting by Paris bureau, Maria Sheahan in Frankfurt; Editing by Jon Boyle, William Maclean, Richard Balmforth) Rafah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - It's nearly 10:00 pm when young Palestinian men begin banging drums and chanting songs, while others attach incendiary devices to balloons -- all closely watched by Israeli snipers on the border. For six months, Palestinians have gathered regularly along the fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel for often violent daylight demonstrations against Israeli policies. But in recent weeks they have deployed a new tactic: "night confusion units". Protests can go on until the early hours. Organisers say they aim to force the Jewish state to ease its crippling decade-long blockade of Gaza, but residents in nearby Israeli communities say their lives are being destroyed. Israel accuses Gaza's rulers Hamas of controlling the protests. Hamas says it backs the demonstrations but is not commanding them and that the idea for nocturnal activity came from protesters themselves. "Every day the young men on the border invent ways to develop marches and the most recent was the night confusion unit," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said. An Israeli military official, who did not want to be named, said the night protests do not pose a new challenge. "Our soldiers, including our snipers, have night vision equipment," he said. "There are a few dozen, sometimes a few hundred demonstrators (at night)... they burn tyres, throw incendiary bottles and sometimes grenades and do not represent a more important threat than the daytime demonstrations." - 'I love you' - The night protests come amid a resurgence in border demonstrations following a brief lull as Egypt and UN officials pursued a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel. Those talks have stalled, along with efforts to reconcile Hamas and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas' rival Fatah group. As a result, there have been renewed warnings of yet another conflict between Hamas and Israel, who have fought three wars since 2008. Story continues One recent night, AFP watched as several hundred protesters gathered a few dozen metres (yards) from Israeli soldiers -- separated by the fence -- near Rafah in southern Gaza. In a tent slightly further into the strip, young men inflated dozens of white balloons inscribed with "I love you". They then attached flaming devices to the balloons, and launched them towards Israeli territory. Others hurled primitively built sound grenades; the booms resonated across the border. "We will not stop launching incendiary balloons until we break the siege on Gaza," said Abu Anas, one of the orchestrators of the night's activities. Anas insisted the movement was independent of Hamas. Saqer al-Jamal, 22, said he and fellow protesters believe Israeli soldiers fear their actions. "The goal is to confuse the occupation and send our message to the settlers nearby that there is no sleep until we achieve our demands of lifting the siege and returning to our country," he said. Rony Kissin, spokeswoman for the Israeli community of Kerem Shalom located next to the Gaza border, called the night protests a "nightmare". "Now they've started to throw sound bombs and it's very, very scary," Kissin said. "The children are very afraid of it. It's very dangerous. It is really like a weapon." - 'Confuse the enemy' - The border protests since March 30 have been labelled the "Great March of Return" because they call for Palestinian refugees to return to their former homes inside what is now Israel. More than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled in the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation. At least 194 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire since the protests began. One Israeli soldier has been killed in the border area over the same period. Israel says its actions are necessary to defend the border and stop infiltrations and attacks, which it accuses Hamas of orchestrating. It also points to the hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage caused to Israeli farmland by the kites and balloons. But Israel's use of live fire during the protests and clashes has drawn international concern. Palestinians and rights groups say demonstrators have been shot while posing no real threat. Just before midnight in one recent protest, dozens of youths approached the fence in an attempt to breach it. One of the youngsters collapsed to the ground. Medics treated the 17-year-old, who was shot in the foot. Mohammed abu Aqaleen, another 17-year-old who said he was shot three months ago and walks with crutches, vowed the demonstrators would "continue to confuse the enemy with sound grenades and horns". His family fled Jaffa -- now inside Israel -- in the 1948 war. "This confusion will bring us back to Jaffa," said Aqaleen. By Maria Sheahan and Jan Schwartz BERLIN/HAMBURG (Reuters) - German carmakers are willing to bear most of the cost of upgrading old diesel cars to reduce air pollution in the country's cities, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer said ahead of make-or-break coalition talks on the issue on Monday. A way still needs to be found to cover the rest of the cost without drivers having to foot the bill, Scheuer added, as the clock ticked down on a deadline to find a solution to avert driving bans in several cities. Volkswagen, Germany's largest carmaker, has agreed to cover 2,400 euros ($2,780) of the estimated 3,000-euro cost of hardware retrofits on its diesel cars, Scheuer said on a live video chat on Instagram. "Now we have to discuss in the coalition how we handle the gap of 600 euros," he added. Chancellor Angela Merkel's grand coalition was due to convene on Monday evening to finalise a plan after a rocky few weeks that has seen support slide to all-time lows for both her conservative party and its Social Democrat (SPD) partners. Her government has been split on how best to tackle the problem, with Scheuer siding with carmakers in also calling for incentives to encourage owners of older models to trade them in for newer, cleaner ones. Environment Minister Svenja Schulze, an SPD member, meanwhile favours hardware retrofits - an option the industry says is only feasible in some models and which would hit fuel consumption and performance in others. A compromise is likely to feature both, with Scheuer saying Volkswagen was willing to offer trade-in deals worth up to 8,000 euros, BMW 6,000 euros and Daimler up to 5,000 euros, as well as leasing options. One complaint of German carmakers is that foreign rivals would not be covered by any requirement for retrofits. Volvo of Sweden said it was not working on any such upgrades, but is looking at incentives to encourage customers to trade in diesels for newer, cleaner cars. That option is also being considered by several foreign carmakers, said Reinhard Zirpel, head of the VDIK car importers' association. "We have legal, technical and business reservations about hardware upgrades," he told the Tagesspiegel daily. Story continues NO COST TO DRIVERS Scheuer also said his Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel's Christian Democrats - did not want diesel drivers to face any additional expense. The SPD's Schulze said a deal must include hardware upgrades and that the entire cost should be borne by the industry: "The car industry caused the problem, and now they have to fix it," she told SWR Radio in an interview. Volkswagen's admission in 2015 that it cheated U.S. diesel emissions tests led to the discovery that diesel vehicles from several manufacturers routinely exceed pollution limits in normal driving conditions, prompting a regulatory crackdown. At the same time, the German courts have paved the way for city driving bans to tackle levels of nitrogen oxide that exceed European safety levels. The first, in financial capital Frankfurt, is due to take effect next February. Volkswagen doubts that hardware retrofits on older diesels are technically feasible and is only willing to foot the bill if it does not have to bear liability for any engine damage that may result, a company source said. That shouldn't be an obstacle to a solution, according to suppliers of catalytic converters - devices that can be installed in cars to convert harmful exhaust pollutants into less harmful gases. "This was never an issue. Of course we assume responsibility for the liability and maintenance of the product that we install," said Stefan Lefarth, director of strategy and product innovation at HJS Emission Technology. ($1 = 0.8623 euros) (Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Michelle Martin, Mark Potter and Adrian Croft) The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened this week, providing college and university students with the opportunity for financial assistance. Despite it being an annual task, many students and their families still arent clear on the FAFSA process and whether or not they must apply. It gets confusing fast, Rebecca Safier of Student Loan Hero told Yahoo Finance. Student Loan Hero conducted a survey last month that revealed some of the most commonly held myths about applying for financial aid. Safiers one piece of advice: Its worth it for everybody to submit the FAFSA. Northwestern Wildcats freshman run across the field before a college football game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Northwestern Wildcats on September 29, 2018, at Ryan Field in Evanston, IL. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire) The one form that unlocks the door Though not a requirement, the FAFSA is the only way for students to qualify for a number of financial aid programs even beyond federal programs. Read more: Student loan watchdog quits: Trump admin turned its back on young people Even if you dont think youll take out student loans, or you dont think that youd qualify, submit the FAFSA, Safier advised. She added that some private organizations and some states look at FAFSA applications when considering who will qualify for aid independent from the federal loans and grants awarded. There are a number of aid options available, so decoding how you might or might not qualify can be puzzling. Frank, an organization that provides information to make aid application easier, breaks down each kind of financial aid. The website also provides a step-by-step FAFSA application. Safier described the FAFSA as the one form that unlocks the door to financial aid. Early FAFSA submission could mean more money Aside from knowing whether or not they should submit the FAFSA, many students arent aware that submitting earlier may actually lead to being awarded more financial aid. A full 71% of respondents said it doesnt matter when they submit the form, as long as they meet the deadline, which comes at the end of the academic year. Safier warns this is one way to ensure you will receive little or no financial aid. Story continues Some financial aid is distributed on a first come, first-serve basis, she told Yahoo Finance. Especially with private organizations or state programs that award based on the FAFSA application, the rule applies: The earlier you submit, the more aid you may receive. How much aid will you qualify for? Another big myth about the FAFSA: Families with more money will not receive any or much aid because of their wealth. Of those surveyed by Student Loan Hero, 62% believe that high family income disqualifies a student from receiving aid. Actually, the application estimates the EFC (estimated family contribution) which is the difference between the cost of attendance and what your family is expected to contribute, Safier said. This varies based on the institution youre attending. Even if a students EFC is higher, he or she might still qualify for merit-based aid. That is separate from need-based aid, such as direct subsidized loans or Pell grants. A man looks at his mobile phone beside a sign for Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S., June 18, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo For example, a student attending a pricier, private college that boasts a bigger price tag may still receive some merit-based aid. These schools have larger endowments, Safier noted, which allow for more merit-based awards to help offset the higher costs of attendance. Along with taking family income into account, the FAFSA also helps to provide information to schools regarding how many other children are in your household and if theyre also enrolled in college. All of these factors play into how much aid you may be awarded, whether through federal, state, or private aid programs. When a family goes from having one child in college to two, it can be like dividing the parent income in half, Mark Kantrowitz, financial aid expert and vice president of research at Savingforcollege.com, told Student Loan Hero. The most important thing, Safier stressed, is to be sure you submit the form each year youre enrolled in college. Its really important to not leave money on the table, she said. Follow Katie on Twitter. This post was originally featured on October 1, 2018. More from our Women + Money series: Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Honda is adding 1.4 million cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks to its list of vehicles that should have their Takata airbags replaced. The list includes vehicles made by Acura, Hondas luxury brand, according to the automaker. The Takata recall covers 50 million airbag inflators in 37 million cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks from 19 manufacturers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The devices use ammonium nitrate to inflate the airbag in the event of a crash. The ammonium nitrate can become unstable over time, leading to inflators that explode with an unexpectedly violent force. This latest announcement from Honda is part of NHTSAs effort to space out the replacement of Takata airbag inflators in different regions of the country, based on the risk to drivers and passengers. In a statement, Honda said it decided to take this action ahead of NHTSA's planned expansion date in late December 2018, because it has made significant progress with existing recall repairs, with a 77.7 percent recall completion rate as of Sept. 14, 2018. Honda said there is a sufficient supply of replacement parts to issue the recalls now. These latest two recalls cover a mix of vehicles, according to NHTSA. See below for which regions each is being recalled for. The vehicles are: 2010-2012 Acura RL cars 2010-2014 Acura TSX cars 2011-2014 Acura TSX wagons 2010-2013 Acura ZDX hatchbacks 2010-2012 Honda Accord cars 2010-2015 Honda Crosstour hatchbacks 2010-2011 Honda Civic cars 2010-2011 Honda CR-V SUVs 2010-2011 Honda Element SUVs 2014 Honda FCX Clarity fuel-cell cars 2010-2013 Honda Fit hatchbacks 2014 Honda Fit EVs 2010-2014 Honda Insight hybrid cars 2010-2015 Honda Pilot SUVs 2010-2014 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks Honda notes that these recalls involve only front-passenger airbag inflators. No driver's side front airbag inflators are included because they were covered in earlier recalls. Story continues At least 15 drivers and passengers in the U.S. have died, and more than 250 people have been injured because of those devices, NHTSA says. The Details for Recall 18V661 Vehicles affected: Honda and Acura are adding 1,357,311 vehicles to the existing Takata airbag inflator recall. NHTSA says the cars in this recall were determined based on manufacturing records. They include: Nationwide: Certain 2014 Acura TSX sedans and TSX wagons Certain 2014 Honda Insight hybrids Certain 2014-2015 Honda Crosstour hatchbacks and Pilot SUVs In Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia: Certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX cars, TSX wagons, and ZDX hatchbacks Certain 2011-2013 Honda Crosstours, Insights, Fits, and Pilots Certain 2011-2012 Honda Accord sedans Certain 2011 Honda Civic NGV (natural gas vehicles), Civic cars, Civic Hybrid cars, and CR-V SUVs In Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming: Certain 2010-2013 Acura TSX cars and ZDX hatchbacks Certain 2011-2013 Acura TSX wagons Certain 2010-2013 Honda Crosstour hatchbacks, Fit hatchbacks, Insight hybrids, and Pilot SUVs Certain 2010-2012 Honda Accord cars Certain 2010-2011 Honda Civic NGV (natural gas vehicles), Civic cars, Civic Hybrid cars, and CR-V SUVs In Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and Texas: Certain 2014 Honda FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric vehicles (EV) and Fit EVs. The problem: Chemicals inside the Takata airbag inflators can become unstable over time, especially after exposure to temperature fluctuations and periods of constant high humidity. The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin Nov. 13, 2018. How to contact the manufacturer: Owners may contact Honda customer service at 888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are M2J and S2K. NHTSA campaign number: 18V661 The Details for Recall 18V662 Vehicles affected: Honda and Acura are adding 57,095 vehicles to the existing Takata airbag inflator recall. NHTSA says the cars in this recall were determined based on manufacturing records. They include: Nationwide: Certain 2014 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks In Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia: Certain 2011-2012 Acura RL cars Certain 2011 Honda Element SUVs Certain 2011-2013 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks In Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming: Certain 2010-2011 Honda Element SUVs 2010-2012 Acura RL cars 2010-2013 Honda Ridgeline pickup trucks The problem: The Takata airbag inflators can become unstable over time, especially after exposure to temperature fluctuations and periods of constant high humidity. The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin Nov. 13, 2018. How to contact the manufacturer: Owners may contact Honda customer service at 888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are H2H and S2I. NHTSA campaign number: 18V662 Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSAs website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed. If you plug your cars 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSAs website and this recall doesnt appear, it means your vehicle doesnt currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2018, Consumer Reports, Inc. Kandak (South Sudan) (AFP) - South Sudan's warring leaders signed another peace deal last month, but while the political elites prepare to carve up power once again, hunger and fighting continue far from the capital. "We heard they signed peace, but we've yet to see it here," said Mary Nyang, a 36-year-old resident of Kandak, an isolated northern village. Here, hunger is the norm and battles between government and rebel soldiers a very recent memory. The war began in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. A brutal conflict flared up, often fought along tribal lines and characterised by massacres of civilians, rape and looting. Nyang is one of a staggering 4.2 million people uprooted since South Sudan's latest war began -- roughly a third of the population. A recent scientific study calculated that more than 382,000 people have died as a result of the civil war. Last year a man-made famine was declared in two opposition areas while the latest assessment, issued Friday, found that 6.1 million people are going hungry. "Conflict is the main driver of this desperate situation," said Pierre Vauthier of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Kandak is in an opposition part of the country and so suffers deliberate neglect: there are no public services, no schools, no health facilities. Harvests and markets have been disrupted by the war and so people here rely on aid agencies for deliveries of life-saving food. Lack of roads, insecurity and the sometimes deliberate targeting of aid workers -- 107 have so far been killed during the war -- mean that when food arrives it comes by air. "We are unable to move supplies either by road or river," said Tomson Phiri of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP). - 'Enough is enough' - As a result people are barely surviving. "Food is a challenge, it is very little," said 28-year-old John Jal Lam, a father of eight children from two wives, as he collected his family's rations of sorghum. Story continues On the other side of the country, Kerwa, close to the border with Uganda, across which over a million South Sudanese have fled, is also opposition territory. The fighting continues, despite the peace promises. "The government doesn't respect the peace," said Brigadier General Moses Lokujo, a commander of the SPLA-IO rebel forces. Each side routinely accuses the other of being the aggressor, and both are belligerent in response. "We still fight for the freedom and democracy of our country, until we achieve the goal," said Lokujo. Here, in the Central Equatoria region, the latest confrontations are, in fact, a result of the peace deal with government and rebels fighting over whose officials will hold sway where. The violence means people in Kerwa are still more abandoned than those in Kandak, with no aid agencies at all and no food deliveries. "For us, we are tired," said Jocelyn Kako, who was forced from her home and now lives in a camp in Korijo, a nearby village, run by the rebels. While South Sudan's poorest continue to starve and suffer its leaders are planning the next phase of their rule, with an interim government to include both Kiir and Machar leading to elections. Few believe the latest peace deal will fare much better than the last one, which collapsed in a hail of bullets two years ago. For civilians engulfed in the maelstrom there is one, simple message: "I want to tell them that enough is enough," Nyang said. "Let's have peace now." strs-tmc/fb/jj/ach WASHINGTON Democrats succeeded in delaying a vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaughs confirmation last week after Republicans reluctantly agreed to a limited investigation of allegations of sexual assault leveled against the appellate court judge, a move that put his bid to the high court in serious jeopardy. However, if the weeklong investigation proves inconclusive and fails to reveal more substantive information about incidents that Kavanaugh was allegedly involved in decades ago while he was a student in high school and college, it could give some uncommitted senators who were already facing a tough decision on the nomination an excuse to vote for President Donald Trumps high court pick this week. I worry that the FBI report will come back without a definitive conclusion, and that may give cover to some people who want to vote yes, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told HuffPost on Monday. He said senators should also examine if Kavanaugh misled the Senate Judiciary Committee in a hearing last week, as well as whether he has the temperament to serve on the Supreme Court. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) similarly acknowledged Monday that an inconclusive FBI investigation into the allegations could help alleviate pressure on a handful of uncommitted senators, who will be able to say that theyve done the extra due diligence that some people wanted them to do. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) talks with the moderator at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Boston on Monday as anti-Kavanaugh protesters urge him to oppose the Supreme Court nominee's confirmation. (Photo: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) The White House on Monday authorized the FBI to interview any witnesses it deems necessary in its probe of the allegations, reversing course after previously placing restrictions that barred certain witnesses from being interviewed. The move seemed to be the result of pressure from several moderate Republicans, including Jeff Flake of Arizona and Susan Collins of Maine, who initially pushed for a delay to the Kavanaugh confirmation process on Friday after listening to the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford. The Northern California research psychologist claimed Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers. The judge has denied the allegation. Story continues It does no good to have an investigation that just gives us more cover, for example. We actually need to find out what we can find out, Flake said at an event in Boston on Monday, adding that the probe the FBI conducts ought to be fulsome. The FBI moved quickly to question a number of people, including several of Kavanaughs friends from high school, on Monday. Its unclear, however, how extensive of an investigation it can accomplish in a weeks time. A number of the witnesses Blasey named in her account of the alleged assault said they have no memory of the events she described taking place. Most Republicans, including Flake, have said that they will support Kavanaughs nomination short of corroborating evidence. We have to be serene with the idea that if theres a thorough but expeditious investigation, that that in itself is a good thing, Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) cautioned Monday, noting he had spoken to his colleagues about the possibility of the FBI returning an inconclusive report on the nominee. We cant be cheering for a particular outcome. Part of what were trying to do is make sure that, win or lose, this process has some semblance of fairness. Democrats on Monday expressed concern over Kavanaughs statements about his activities and his alcohol consumption in school. During his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Kavanaugh gave a series of dubious explanations about certain terms in his high school yearbook and denied accusations that he drank excessively. Some progressive groups have urged Democrats to seek a formal perjury investigation of him based on his testimony. Some of his statements about his yearbook are so deeply questionable I have trouble understanding how he could have made them under oath, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who sits on the committee, told reporters on Monday. Kavanaughs temperament to serve on the court has also come under question. Last week, he angrily accused Democrats during the hearing of engaging in a calculated and orchestrated political hit by bringing up allegations that he said were motivated by animus toward President Donald Trump some of the most partisan language a Supreme Court nominee has used in the modern era. But even Flake, who joined with Democrats in calling for the FBI investigation, said he could understand Kavanaughs outburst given the seriousness of the accusations. Boy, I had to put myself in that spot. You know, I think you give a little leeway there, Flake said Sunday in an interview on CBS 60 Minutes. Senate GOP leaders, meanwhile, accused Democrats of prematurely conceding the fight over the allegations against Kavanaugh by bringing up other matters, like the veracity of his statements before the committee. If you listen carefully... you can practically hear the sounds of the Democrats moving the goal posts, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on the Senate floor on Monday, predicting that Democrats wont be satisfied by the FBI investigation if it turns up nothing new. Related Coverage All The Lies Brett Kavanaugh Told Kavanaugh On How To Be A Good Judge: Keep Emotions 'In Check,' 'Don't Be A Jerk' Harvard Says Kavanaugh Wont Be Teaching His Supreme Court Class In January Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Tehran (AFP) - Tehran called on Tuesday for talks with Paris to resolve a "misunderstanding" after Paris accused Iran's intelligence ministry of involvement in an alleged bomb plot targeting an exiled opposition group near the French capital. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP in an interview that Tehran rejected the French complaint "completely and forcefully", but said the door was open to talks. "If there is a misunderstanding... about a thing that does not exist, be it a conspiracy by others or a mistake, we can sit down and talk about it," Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi told AFP in an interview. The only way to overcome the issue was through "the art of diplomacy," he said. "We know of no other way." The French government on Tuesday announced it was freezing assets belonging to two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives, as well as others belonging to Iran's ministry of intelligence and security. One of the detained men was an Iranian diplomat based in Vienna who was stopped by German police. It comes three months after the alleged plot to bomb a meeting of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) in a suburb of Paris. Tehran considers the MEK a "terrorist group". - 'Devious moves' - "When the base issue is wrong and no more than an allegation, basing other hypotheses on such a claim is totally useless and wrong," Ghasemi said. "You cannot accuse the intelligence ministry or anyone else working at it of being involved in an unconfirmed thing. "Iran can definitely cooperate to fix any misunderstanding between France and Iran, or any other country in the region or Europe," said Ghasemi. When the alleged bomb plot was foiled in late June, Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif called it "a sinister false flag ploy" in a July 2 tweet and said that Iran is ready to work with all concerned to uncover the truth. Story continues Ghasemi echoed the same remarks on Tuesday, saying that "certain conspiracies" are in play meant to affect Iran's "positive relations with France and other European countries", rooted in the environment created by "the US policies regarding Iran (focusing) on sowing division between Iran, Europe" and regional neighbours. "Some centres (of power) do not approve of Iran's good relations with Europe -- that it is staying in the JCPOA and that its economic ties continue with the EU," he said, refering to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal between the Islamic Republic and world powers. This all started after the US pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal in May, he hinted. "The French government, whom we have a long-standing and significant relationship with ... must be vigilant and do not allow such devious moves to affect Iran's good relations with France and other European countries," Ghasemi said. The diplomat also described Iran's missile programme as its right to "have an acceptable level of defensive capability" and "not a threat to others". This came just a day after the Islamic Republic launched six missiles at a jihadists' headquarters in Syria over a deadly attack on an Iranian military parade that killed 24 people, and renewed French comments expressing concerns about the country's missile programme. The strike targeted the town of Hajin, about 24 kilometres (15 miles) north of Albu Kamal near Syria's eastern border with Iraq. Despite the developing missile programme, "Iran's military spending is very low compared to our neighbours, like Saudi Arabia and the Emirates," Ghasemi added. By Gavin Jones ROME (Reuters) - Italy dug in its heels on Tuesday over its budget deficit despite pressure from authorities in Brussels and its EU partners, as Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio backed the uncompromising line of his coalition ally. The government, in a tripling of its predecessor's target, last week set out a deficit goal of 2.4 percent of gross domestic product for the next three years, unnerving markets and prompting criticism and calls to reconsider from European Commission officials. "We are not turning back from that 2.4 percent target, that has to be clear ... We will not backtrack by a millimetre," Di Maio said in radio interview. While a headline deficit of 2.4 percent would be within the 3 percent European Union limit, under its current draft Italy's structural - or underlying - deficit would rise along with the headline figure, which runs contrary to EU rules. The Commission is also concerned that the budget will push up Italy's mammoth public debt pile, proportionally the second highest in the EU after Greece's. The government says the debt-to-GDP ratio will fall thanks to stronger economic growth spurred by the expansionary budget. In Luxembourg, Commission Vice President for the euro Valdis Dombrovskis said it hoped Italy would bring the budget draft into line with EU rules and was open to dialogue. In other remarks, Di Maio, who leads the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, said there was "no doubt" the leaders of France and Germany wanted the Italian government to fall. EASIER OUTSIDE THE EURO ZONE? Late on Monday Italy's other deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League, hit back at Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker who had said the EU must be "strict" with Italy to avoid putting the euro project at risk. "No-one in Italy is taken in by Juncker's threats," Salvini said in a statement. He said the government's priority was to respond to the basic needs of its citizens and the criticism of its budget "will not stop us." The government's task is made harder by a sell-off of Italian bonds which accelerated on Tuesday, when eurosceptic League lawmaker Claudio Borghi said the country's economic situation would be easier if it were outside the euro zone. Borghi is not a minister and did not suggest the government planned to leave the euro, but nonetheless his comments sent the yield on Italian benchmark bonds to a four-and-a-half year high of 3.4 percent, while shares in Italian banks plunged. Di Maio later reiterated the government's official line that it has no intention of leaving either the euro zone or the EU. He blamed EU officials for stoking market tensions over Italy's budget and said the government's adversaries were hoping to use financial markets to weaken the ruling coalition. Those attempts would fail, Di Maio said, because the coalition of 5-Star and the right-wing League that took office in June was totally united. Economy Minister Giovanni Tria left a gathering of EU finance ministers in Luxembourg late on Monday to return to Rome in order to put the finishing touches on the government's budget plan, which has still not been published. (additional reporting by Giselda Vagnoni, Editing by John Stonestreet) Panama City (AFP) - Former Panama president Ricardo Martinelli will contest next year's general election after topping the poll in his party's primaries despite being jailed on corruption charges. Martinelli was one of the top-performing candidates in his right wing Cambio Democratico (Democratic Change) party, taking 44 percent of the votes in his constituency primary. "My greatest wish is to get out soon from this confinement to help our country to overcome the deep crisis that has led to a desire to destroy me politically," Martinelli said in a statement. President from 2009 to 2014, supermarket tycoon Martinelli was extradited from the US in June after he fled to Miami in 2015 to avoid arrest. He will be forced to contest the May 2019 election from behind bars if prosecutors have their way. They sought a 21-year sentence at a pre-trial hearing in July. They accuse him of graft and spying on his political foes, as well as helping embezzle $45 million from a government school lunch program. Cambio Democratico chief Romulo Roux told reporters he never had any doubt 66-year-old Martinelli "was going to win his constituency primary." "That he has taken the number of votes he took shows that he has leadership within the party," said Roux. The government has accused Martinelli of threatening staff at the El Renacer prison and breaching prison rules. The former president's lawyers have requested his release on several occasions for health reasons. He denies the accusations, claiming he is a victim of "political persecution" by the government of President Juan Carlos Varela, his former political ally. Katie Piper and Gorka (Credit: PA) Katie Piper has said that shes finding the stress of training for Strictly Come Dancing psychologically overwhelming. The campaigner and TV presenter said that shes juggling her regime with pro-dancer Gorka Marquez with the legal things going on in her personal life. It was revealed last month that Stefan Sylvestre, the man convicted along with her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch of the acid attack which left her blind in one eye, was to be released from prison after serving nine years of a life sentence. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, she said: I have been having lots of things going on in my personal life, legal things, and I think it became psychologically overwhelming for me. I get really emotional on Mondays and Tuesdays, its always then I want to storm off in a tantrum and cry because its a new routine and song, its so overwhelming. (Credit: BBC) When the lyrics are emotional, thats tough. Piper looked visibly upset this weekend, when she failed to impress judges with her most recent routine, scoring 13 with her paso doble to Demi Lovatos song Confident. On finding out that Sylvestre was to be released on parole, Piper said that she hoped Strictly could provide a positive distraction. In a statement on Twitter, she said: I felt it was important to put a message out to my friends, supporters and followers. This is a really difficult time for me. I am trying to come to terms with the decision and this is something I need to deal with. Over the past two weeks Strictly has already given me such a welcome and positive distraction from my past. Whilst there is never a good time to hear this news, I am glad I have this new journey to concentrate on. Thank you for your continued support. Lynch was jailed for a minimum of 16 years for sexually assaulting Piper, and then instructing Sylvestre to throw acid on her outside a cafe in Golders Green, North London. Read more David Walliams to judge on X Factor Strictlys Susannah admits shes not good at dancing J.K. Rowlings Strike to return to TV No one is entitled to be on the United States Supreme Court, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) declared on Friday, the day after the hearing over Christine Blasey Fords allegation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh may have forgotten that. Throughout his stormy testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee a job interview of sorts for the open seat on the high court Kavanaugh wasnt just interested in trying to clear his name. He wanted the world to know that he is mad because he is not getting what he believes should be his. But what he, and many other powerful men, might be finding out is that they are not owed money and fame. No one is due a prestigious job. And most especially not if they stand accused of mistreating people. During his petulant performance on Thursday, Kavanaugh enumerated his lifetime of high-profile public service. He reminded the committee that over his 26-year career, he has served in many high-profile and sensitive government positions. Kavanaughs pedigree starts with a family who could send him to Georgetown Preparatory School and extends to Yale where he said he gained admission by busting my tail but where he was also a legacy admission. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, worked in the George W. Bush White House, and took his current place on the D.C. Circuit which he made sure the committee knew is often referred to as the second-most-important court in the country and where he said he handled some of the most significant and sensitive cases. These are the trappings of his privilege, and also what he sees as his ticket to the next level of prestige. Kavanaugh claimed that Democrats surfaced Blasey and other womens allegations because they couldnt take me out on the merits. On the merits, he is sure, he is owed this honor. What Kavanaugh has at stake is a very rare and illustrious promotion to a lifetime appointment on the highest court in the country. If his nomination fails, he goes back to being a judge on the countrys second-most powerful court. Story continues Yet this, he wants us to believe, is the same as annihilation. He argued that the delay in his confirmation is meant to blow me up and take me down. If the mere allegation, the mere assertion of an allegation is enough to destroy a persons life and career, Kavanaugh told the committee, we will have abandoned the basic principles of fairness and due process that define our legal system and our country. This is at the heart of Kavanaughs raw fury. Defenses of due process aside this is not a trial but, again, a job interview he also feels he is entitled to this seat. Such power, such prestige, is his birthright as a white man. Not getting what he wants is the same as losing his very life. It doesnt matter that three women have publicly accused him of sexual assault and misconduct. When has that ever gotten in a mans way? Hes far from alone. "What Kavanaugh, and many other powerful men, might be finding out is that they are not owed money and fame." (Photo: POOL New/Reuters) In a self-indulgent essay in Harpers Magazine, John Hockenberry, the former public radio host whom multiple women accused of sexual harassment, recently wrote he had been given a life sentence of unemployment without possibility of furlough after he was let go. Is my life a reasonable price exacted in the pursuit of justice? he queried. Former New York Review of Books editor Ian Buruma published a similar essay by former Canadian radio host Jian Ghomeshi, whom multiple women have accused of physically and sexually abusing them. Buruma then defended the essay by arguing Ghomeshi had suffered finding your life ruined. Actor Norm Macdonald recently lamented that Louis C.K., who has been accused of exposing himself to women without their consent, and Roseanne Barr, who tweeted racist things about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, had seen all their work in their entire life being wiped out in a single day. (Never mind that Louis C.K. has already staged a comeback.) As Trump put it in a February tweet, There is no recovery for someone falsely accused life and career are gone. By claiming that being outed by Me Too and losing their careers is tantamount to being locked in jail or losing their actual lives, these men are also saying that the accusations have unfairly robbed them of what they have a right to: fame, power, influence and loads of money. Hockenberry and Ghomeshi still found homes for their writing in two of the countrys most prestigious magazines. Louis C.K. earned $52 million last year and is reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars, even as his latest movie was canceled. And yet, finding that they may no longer be welcome in the halls of power, no longer lifted higher and higher among those ranks, is comparable to incarceration or death. Despite what white men may have been led to think for centuries, they dont have a birthright to positions of power. Alleged abusers like Kavanaugh may finally be facing a reality that has been far too slow to come: their privilege their gender, race, class and pristine credentials never should have, and perhaps someday wont, entitle them to power they havent earned. Its not just that these men dont deserve to be handed even more control, even more influence, even more plaudits especially when there is no sign they have done anything to reform themselves or make amends with the people they hurt. Its also that there are scores, hundreds, heaps of people who are talented and qualified and, importantly, havent abused anyone, who could occupy these positions instead. There is absolutely no way the Brett Kavanaughs of the world are the only available people who could adequately fill these roles. We do not suffer from a dearth of talent. We suffer from overlooking talent in favor of privileged men, some of whom have done things that disqualify them. White men have rocketed to the top of the workplace and the world stage for virtually all of history, some of them deserving, some leapfrogging over others who may have been more deserving. But there is no reason the men being called out as abusive harassers who treat women like objects and playthings should keep plowing forward. Its only right that their comeuppance includes stepping aside to let the qualified, nonabusive people through. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Especially when we know this abusive behavior is partly what keeps talented people hidden in the shadows. While Blasey is a well-respected, well-paid psychology professor, she has also detailed the toll Kavanaughs alleged assault took on her life, and we dont know what professional ramifications she may have suffered. Experiencing sexual harassment of the kind Hockenberry, Gomeshi, Louis C.K., and dozens and dozens of others are accused of inflicting on people makes many victims tune out and even drop out of certain careers. There are qualified people who dont abuse others who can step into the void created when exposed harassers and assaulters are no longer promoted or allowed to remain in their roles. Thats how a functioning job market should work: Decent and talented people should rise, and people who damaged others along their career path should fade away. Its not exactly the world weve lived in up until now. But its one that we are, perhaps, slowly entering. So far, President Donald Trump and Senate Republicans dont seem deterred from putting Kavanaugh on the court. But that doesnt mean Kavanaugh has proven himself worthy of what he may very well get. Bryce Covert is an independent journalist writing about the economy. She is a contributing op-ed writer at The New York Times and a contributing writer at The Nation. ALSO ON HUFFPOST OPINION Doubling Down On Sexism Won't Help Republicans In The Midterms Girls Academic Successes Are Undercut By Sexual Harassment From A Sham Hearing To A Sham Investigation This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Baghdad (AFP) - Moderate Kurdish candidate Barham Saleh swept to the post of president of Iraq Tuesday evening in a parliamentary vote pitting Kurdish heavyweights against each other for the first time following an ill-fated independence referendum. Saleh routed his main rival Fuad Hussein with 219 votes to 22, dealing a blow to Hussein's main backer, former Kurdish regional president Massud Barzani who was the architect of the September 2017 poll. The new president instructed former vice president Adel Abdel Mahdi, a veteran of Iraqi politics since the fall of Saddam Hussein, to form a government. Tuesday's poll follows a weekend parliamentary election in the Kurdish autonomous region, mired in economic crisis and still in shock from the fallout of the plebiscite which sparked a punishing response from Baghdad. The largely ceremonial role of president has been reserved for the Kurds since Iraq's first multi-party elections in 2005, two years after the US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam. Under a tacit accord between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the PUK would hold the federal presidency and the KDP the post of Iraqi Kurdistan's president. But the Iraqi Kurdish presidency has been left vacant since KDP leader Massud Barzani's mandate ended following the September 2017 referendum that he championed -- setting up a showdown in Baghdad. The vote for an Iraqi president was scheduled for Monday before being postponed due to the lack of a quorum. In a first round of polling Tuesday, neither Saleh nor Hussein won the two-thirds vote necessary to win outright, forcing a second round. - Referendum fallout - The independence vote last year saw more than 92 percent of Kurds back secession, but the federal government rejected the poll as "illegal". Baghdad then imposed economic penalties and sent federal troops to push Kurdish forces out of oil fields in the disputed Kirkuk province that were vital for the autonomous region's economy. Story continues Barzani had backed for president Fuad Hussein, his 72-year-old former chief of staff and veteran of the opposition to Saddam. But the post went to Saleh, a 58-year-old moderate who has served both as Iraqi deputy premier and Kurdish prime minister. He was part of an interim authority put in place by the United States following the 2003 invasion that ousted Saddam. He later became deputy prime minister under Nuri al-Maliki then returned to the Kurdish regional capital Arbil in 2009 to become head of the Kurdistan government. For senior PUK official Khaled Shouani, it was important to put forward a "moderate" candidate for president who would be "accepted by all" and push to repair ties between Baghdad and the Kurdish region. The new president's tendency to push for consensus would also satisfy both the United States and the PUK's traditional ally Iran, the two main international powers in Iraq, Shouani said. WASHINGTON (AP) The Latest on the start of the Supreme Court's new term (all times local): 11:40 a.m. The Supreme Court has begun its new term with an argument over an endangered frog that appears to divide the four conservative and four liberal justices. The high court is shorthanded because Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination remains in limbo while the FBI investigates allegations of sexual misconduct against him. The case argued Monday morning concerns a dispute over Louisiana timberland that was designated as critical habitat for the dusky gopher frog, even though the frog is only found in Mississippi. The conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Weyerhaeuser Co. timber company that sued over the designation. The liberals seemed inclined to back the government. The justices could hold onto the case and order a new round of arguments once the bench is full, or resolve the case narrowly. ___ 3 a.m. The Supreme Court term starts Monday but is being overshadowed by the tumult over Judge Brett Kavanaugh's nomination. The high court nomination hearing of Kavanaugh last week was filled with disturbing allegations of sexual assault and Kavanaugh's angry, emotional denial. The FBI has reopened the background check for a week because of the assault claims. Republicans had hoped to have Kavanaugh confirmed in time for the court's first public meeting since late June, an addition that would cement conservative control of the court. Instead, there are only eight justices on the bench for the second time in three terms, with a breakdown of four conservatives and four liberals. Rabat (AFP) - A long-awaited law aimed at protecting thousands of young girls working as housemaids in Morocco took effect Tuesday, the country's first such legislation. The law sets a minimum age of 18 for household work, in a bid to end the exploitation and abuse of young girls working for unscrupulous employers. Passed in 2016 following years of debate, it imposes financial penalties on employers failing to provide contracts, a minimum wage, a weekly day off and annual holidays. The government at the time hailed the law as major progress. However, human rights say it does not go far enough, allowing 16-17 year-olds to work as domestic helpers for a further five years until October 2023. Thousands of young girls in the North African kingdom are employed as maids, often facing abuse from their employers. The Moroccan Collective for Eradicating the Exploitation of "Little Maids", as the young housemaids are known, said the new law fails to provide means to reintegrate them into society. There are no official figures on the number of minors employed as domestic maids in Morocco, who often hail from impoverished rural backgrounds. A 2010 study commissioned by NGOs found that between 66,000 and 80,000 girls under 15 years old were working as maids in Morocco. By William James BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - The European Union cannot be allowed to "annex" Northern Ireland by having it accept different regulations than those that apply in the rest of the United Kingdom, the leader of the province's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said on Tuesday. The DUP's 10 lawmakers prop up British Prime Minister Theresa May's minority Conservative government. Both May and the DUP are committed to leaving the EU next year and to securing an exit agreement that protects a 1998 peace deal that ended decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. However, Britain and the EU have yet to agree how to avoid a 'hard border' involving physical infrastructure such as customs posts between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, an EU member, after Brexit. The issue has stalled the exit talks and increased fears that they could fail. "Northern Ireland is not about to become a semi-detached part of the United Kingdom," DUP leader Arlene Foster told a meeting on Tuesday on the sidelines of the annual Conservative Party conference in the English city of Birmingham. The EU's Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has previously suggested keeping Northern Ireland inside the bloc's customs union as a "backstop" solution, effectively creating a border for goods in the Irish Sea between the province and Britain. "Barnier cannot, cannot, annex off a part of the United Kingdom so that he can say that that's the way to go forward. We are not bluffing on this issue," Foster said. Foster's robust defense of the UK's territorial integrity is largely echoed by May's government. But it comes as both Britain and the EU are preparing concessions as part of what one British official called "a constructive dialogue" that could yet lead to a deal. Britain has promised to bring a new proposal to unlock the standoff with Brussels, possibly by compromising about regulatory controls on goods in exchange for Brussels embracing the use of technological fixes for customs checks. However, Foster was unequivocal in rejecting any solution that created a de facto border between Britain and Northern Ireland. Asked if she could ever accept different regulation, even as a last resort, Foster told Reuters: "No. This argument was put last year that the backstop really didn't mean anything and it was just there as an insurance policy and now it has become the whole focus of the negotiations. That sort of argument has gone now." Instead, Foster pushed for Brussels to widen the scope of the technological fixes it was prepared to consider. Asked how the impasse would be resolved from here, she said: "If the European Union are quite content to accept technology in the Irish Sea, one has to ask the question why that doesn't work then on the border (between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland)." (Reporting by William James; Writing by Alistair Smout; Editing by Gareth Jones) The couple were found by another hiker: Getty Images A romantic proposal went badly wrong after a newly engaged Texas couple became stranded in the dark on a mountain in Colorado. Joshua Mason and Katie Davis had hiked eight miles and over 3,000 feet in elevation to reach the 12,923-foot summit of Jasper Peak, before getting lost on their descent, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office. The couple, both in their late 20s, flew from Texas to Denver on Friday to be alone together in the mountains. Mason was hoping to find an isolated scenic location away from any other people to propose to Davis, the sheriffs office said. They found exactly such a location, and Davis happily accepted the surprise proposal. But the couple had a late start and it began to get dark as they walked, according to CBS Denver. They were soon disorientated and lost. Mr Mason and Ms Davis had not prepared for the cold weather or to camp overnight and had little water between them. A fellow hiker found them and took the couple to a group of his friends who were camping nearby. The couple were showing signs of severe dehydration and altitude sickness. One of the campers hiked to her car and drove until she found reception in order to call the emergency services. A Nederland Fire Protection District paramedic and members of the Rocky Mountain Rescue Group responded and moved the couple to a lower altitude. They were then able to walk to the opening of the trail they had attempted. Officials confirmed that the couple were still engaged, despite Mr Mason's plans going awry. Mason acknowledged that he did not allow enough time to complete the hike before dark, and they did not carry enough water or food, the sheriffs office said in a statement. Deputies determined that the couples engagement was still on, despite the memorable ordeal. New Instagram chief Adam Mosseri is a longtime Facebook veteran and a member of Mark Zuckerbergs inner circle. Instagram has a new leader in Facebook (FB) veteran Adam Mosseri, the company announced on Monday a plum role awarded to one of Mark Zuckerbergs most trusted lieutenants. Mosseri has worn several hats at Facebook over the last nine years. He oversaw the team behind Facebooks ever-popular News Feed for nearly six years and during several pivotal moments in the social networks history. Those moments include the 2016 presidential election when the social network faced the uphill battle of cleaning up the News Feed to clamp down on disinformation. Adam is the real deal: a thoughtful leader and smart about product, a former colleague of Mosseri tells Yahoo Finance. He also has great brand and community instincts. I think hes perfect for this role. Mosseri replaces longtime chief executive and co-founder Kevin Systrom, who abruptly announced his departure last week, alongside co-founder Mike Krieger, who had served as Instagrams chief technology officer for eight years. The co-founders did not give a specific reason for resigning, but the moves reportedly come after months of internal squabbles over product changes, staffing changes and Mark Zuckerbergs increasing control over Instagram. Raised in Chappaqua, New York, the French-speaking Mosseri attended Horace Greeley High School with his brother, Emile, now a musician in a New York rock band called The Dig, before majoring in Information Design and Media at New York University. He co-founded the architectural firm, Blank Mosseri, before doing short stints as an adjunct professor at the Academy of Art University and a product designer at TokBox, a live video startup. A self-proclaimed avid cook, Mosseri currently lives in San Francisco with his wife Monica, a business partner at an interior design firm, and his two young sons, Blaise and Nico, where they are active in local causes, including The Shanti Project, a non-profit that offers services and support to individuals with life-threatening illnesses. He joined Facebook in 2008 as a product designer before working on several of the social networks most prominent projects. Story continues A member of Zuckerbergs inner circle Although Mosseri is considered a member of Zuckerbergs inner circle at Facebook, it hasnt always been smooth sailing for him at the social network. Before working on News Feed, Mosseri served as project manager of Facebook Home, a now-defunct user interface launched on some HTC and Samsung smartphones back in 2013 that let users quickly launch apps, receive Facebook notifications and send Facebook messages. But Facebook Home earned mixed reviews and never became the ubiquitous fixture among Facebook users Zuckerberg wanted it to be. Mosseri arrives a critical time for Instagram, which over the last eight years, has become one of Facebooks fastest-growing businesses. Technology analysts generally consider Instagram, which Facebook acquired in 2012 for $1 billion, as one of Facebooks smartest acquisitions, particularly given Facebooks scandals around data breaches and user privacy. And while Facebooks user growth has slowed down in more recent quarters, Instagram continues to grow at a brisk clip, hitting 1 billion monthly active users in June up from 800 million last September with that number expected to double within the next five years, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. Meanwhile, researcher eMarketer estimated in June that Instagrams revenue could account for 16% of Facebooks overall revenue over the next year an increase from just over 10% during 2017. All eyes will be on Mosseri over the next few months and years to see whether one of Zuckerbergs most trusted executives can maintain Instagrams stellar growth without transforming Instagram into a blatant ad farm. Until now, Systrom has done a fine job of emphasizing Instagrams sheer simplicity and ease-of-use while slowly introducing revenue-generating ads that dont feel spammy and out of place. No doubt, Mosseri will be compelled to ramp up monetization efforts further. More from JP: Giza, Egypt First Lady Melania Trump visits the Giza Pyramids on Oct. 6, 2018, during the final stop of her week-long trip through four countries in Africa. (Photo: Saul Loeb/AFPGetty Images) Smiling for the cameras in the shadow of the pyramids, First Lady Melania Trump wrapped up her four nation Africa tour in Egypt on Saturday, far from the political tumult back home. In rare comments to the press, Trump said her trip which also took in Ghana, Malawi and Kenya was designed to show the world that we care. Asked about reports earlier this year that her husband President Donald Trump referred to African nations and Haiti as shithole countries, the First Lady said nobody discussed that with me and I never heard him saying those comments. (AFP) See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. Rome (AFP) - A mayor held up as a model for migrant integration in Italy was placed under house arrest on Tuesday accused of involvement in organising "marriages of convenience" for asylum purposes. Domenico Lucano, the left-leaning mayor of Riace in southern Italy, has made headlines around the world for welcoming migrants to the sparsely-populated village in Calabria in a bid to boost jobs and development. The 60-year old, known as Mimmo, is also accused of skipping a tender process while awarding a garbage management contract to co-operatives with ties to migrants. Prosecutors released a statement Tuesday quoting telephone conversations in which Lucano promised an identity card to someone whose residency permit was no longer valid, saying that the law that prohibits it was "stupid". He was also recorded strongly suggesting an undocumented Nigerian get married in order to get residency. The mayor's arrest stunned some in Italy and reverberated around parts of Europe, where the "Riace model" -- funded since the 2000s with Italian and European funds -- has been hailed as a simple but effective way to both revive depopulated villages and house hundreds of asylum seekers. "European cities must react! Barcelona with Riace!" said Ada Colau, mayor of the Catalonia city, who spent time in Riace this summer. The immigrant programme has seen abandoned houses restored and craft workshops reopened in Riace, attracting tourists, and has been lauded by many as a model of integration. Lucano was even named one of the 100 most influential personalities by Fortune magazine in 2016 and inspired a docu-fiction by Wim Wenders. The hashtag #Riace trended on social media following his arrest and supporters and unionists called for a protest on Saturday in the village. Anti-mafia investigative journalist Roberto Saviano denounced what he described as "the first step in the definitive transformation of Italy into an authoritarian state". Story continues "Does it seem possible to you that the problem in Calabria, land of drug trafficking and corruption, is immigration?" he asked, stressing that Lucano's alleged crimes in no way personally benefited the mayor. - 'Fake do-gooders' - But Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, head of the anti-immigrant League party, slammed "fake do-gooders who would fill Italy with immigrants". The League's coalition partner, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, also declared on its blog: "Not one dime for Riace. The government of change has declared war on the immigration business." Lucano's arrest follows on the heels of Salvini's security and immigration bill, which wants to cut back on small immigration projects inspired by Riace -- favoured by the former centre-left government -- and instead group asylum seekers together in large centres. Small migrant centres currently receive 35 euros a day for each resident with the bulk of the money spent on helping create local jobs in fields such as social work, teaching and in services. A small amount of pocket money is also given to the migrants. Salvini wants to limit the amount to 20 euros a day and scrap humanitarian permits to stay, which allow migrants to remain in the centres -- much to the concern of some towns and villages. In Montesilvano, a sea-side town of 55,000 inhabitants on the Adriatic coast, centre-right mayor Francesco Maragno has supported the closing down of two large centres nearby -- "two ghettos" -- and the opening of smaller structures instead. "People have begun to see the foreigners not as a problem but as an added value," Maragno told AFP, arguing that migrants were helping revamp the town. In Prato, near Florence, left-wing Mayor Matteo Biffoni has no doubts: "We have a system that works and they are trying to make it fail". Like so many women in America, Samantha Bee had a rough time getting through last week. She took the stage to host the most recent episode of her Wednesday-night talk show, Full Frontal, dressed in a funereal black suit, her tense posture like a full-body cringe. Ive been doing a lot of Carrie-ing to get through it, Bee said, referring to (what else?) the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. The Carrie in question wasnt Sex and the Citys Bradshaw, who might have typed a pithy question about the judge into her laptop, but Stephen Kings Carrie. The studio lights turned red, and as Bee stared at a placard that read this week, it burst into flames. She didnt seem merely disappointed or bemusedshe looked angry. Bee may well have been consciously playing up that ire, but such scathing humor could only have come from a genuine place. Im having a little trouble controlling my rage this week, she admitted after calling out Lindsey Graham for hypocrisy and wishing diarrhea upon Mitch McConnell. Bee closed by addressing Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee directly: Every assault survivor in the country has seen you spewing garbage all week, she said. And they are not going to forgetnot even after 35 years, which is as long as you think a womans memory is reliable. The episode aired the night before Thursdays endless testimony from Kavanaugh and his accuser, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. But it was Bees righteous anger, more than anything on late night Thursday, that captured Fridays mood. As many Americans were still nursing news hangovers, Ana Maria Archilla and Maria Gallagher shamed GOP swing voter Jeff Flake in an elevator, in a confrontation that seemed to catalyze his subsequent demand for an FBI investigation into Kavanaughs past. Their earnestness aside, the activists were speaking the same language as Bee. All three women fixed their attention on the pain of survivors. This has been a frustratingly rare perspective to encounter in the late-night comedy sphere since Thursdays hearings. Because Bees show only airs once a week, we wont get another (perhaps literal) full-length fire sermon from her until Wednesday. Meanwhile, male-dominated nighttime talk and sketch shows have taken on Kavanaugh with varying degrees of success, but also from a certain emotional remove. It was like a sad Super Bowl, Trevor Noah said of the proceedings on Thursdays Daily Show, in a half-baked comparison that wildly overstated their voyeuristic appeal. Story continues Thats not to say that the comedians werent genuinely affected by the hearings. Some plainly said as much, transitioning from dark jokes about Kavanaugh to somber statementsa common move for late-night hosts in the Trump era, and one Michelle Wolf smartly skewered on her recently canceled Netflix show. James Corden took time Thursday to mention how inspired and humbled he was by Fords testimony, as well as by the #MeToo movement. If this is something youve been through or are going through, just remember youre not alone, he said. There are so many people who are standing alongside you right now, all over the world. It was a kind statement but also a weirdly vague one, sidestepping questions of gender while implicitly drawing a line between people whove been through sexual assault and people like Corden. Other hosts led with a conspicuously masculine, father-of-daughters brand of fury. Stephen Colbert closed his extended Thursday-night monologue with a serious word to Kavanaugh, informing the judge that the pushback against abusers in government began not with some nefarious Democratic plot, but with the allegations of sexual assault against Trump: Your Republican buddies up on that committee said, Yeah, but we want our guy on the Supreme Court, Colbert seethed. And thats you, Brett. Jimmy Kimmel recounted that people were crying in front of their televisions during Fords testimony without acknowledging how many of those people must have been women whod been through similar ordeals. Then he attacked Donald Trump Jr.s virility for a tweet critical of Ford, branding him a dull-witted human canker sore who shoots baby hippos out of Daddys helicopter because its the only way you can get an erection. The least convincing takes came from unsurprising corners: Jimmy Fallon, he of the hair-tousle felt round the world, barely addressed Kavanaugh on Thursdayand when he did, it was mostly to poke fun at the press conference in which Trump floated the idea that George Washington faced accusations of his own. Bill Maher, who once compared #MeToo to McCarthyism, expressed his support for Ford by opining that, If that was a divorce hearing, she wouldve got the kids. Faced with the spectacle of Lindsey Graham fulminating against Democrats whom he blamed for the delay in Kavanaughs confirmation, Maher pulled out a few gay jokes, referring to John McCain as Grahams dead boyfriend and cracking that Graham is familiar with the back door. Maher wasnt the only comedian who went to that arguably homophobic well. In the cold open of its season premiere, Saturday Night Live restaged Thursdays hearing, casting Kate McKinnon as Graham, with lines like, Im a single white male, 510, uncut. The skit turned out to be a total bust, enlisting Matt Damon to play Kavanaugh in an only slightly embellished highlight reel of the judges testimony, from beer to boofing. Later, the show found time for an 80s frat party sketch implying that everyone presentguys and girlshad done things in college that could destroy their careers. For whatever reason, SNLs three male head writers, Colin Jost, Michael Che and Kent Sublette effectively omitted Fords experience from the episode. But not every man in late night chose to erase Ford in favor of mocking or lecturing Kavanaugh and his allies. Her testimony today was a towering act of courage, given the trauma shes survived, Seth Meyers declared on Thursday, before enumerating the ways Ford had exceeded expectations and making jokes at the expense of those who tried to poke holes at her story. (Was that so hard?) John Oliver dedicated all of Sundays episode to Kavanaugh, closing with the withering analysis that Republicans who claimed to find both Ford and Kavanaugh credible were simply giving women the finger. Their response was: We believe you. We just dont care, Oliver concluded. For the most part, late-night didnt do a terrible job with Kavanaugh, balancing the humor we so badly needed by midnight on Thursday with the gravity Fords testimony deserved. And maybe that makes it easy to argue that demands for more women in late night are about bean-counting more than they are about a real need for those shows to represent a wider range of perspectives. But we turn to late-night comedy, even before we turn to the next mornings op-eds, to help us process the events of the day. In the two decades since Jon Stewart transformed The Daily Show into a loud, mad, politically charged therapy sessionand especially in recent years, as sexual misconduct has come to the forefront of the cultural conversationthat nightly reckoning has included no small amount of righteous anger. The shortage of similarly cathartic female voices (particularly Wolfs caustic one) has been felt. As a woman, I feel itthat gulf between people like me and famous men expressing sympathy for people like me. I know today blows, Bee said, lying supine on a couch in a short video Full Frontal posted on YouTube Friday. Every time you think you understand how awful rape culture is, a rancid puff of Drakkar Noir steers his way to the Supreme Court, and you realize that you had no idea. Its the only joke Ive heard since Wednesday that sounds like a (much) funnier version of the exchanges Ive had with female friends over the last few days. Amid all this hurting, for ourselves and for our gender, the bitter laughter Bees video inspires really does feel like the best medicine. The Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies both entered play on Saturday with an opportunity to clinch their respective divisions. What a difference three days makes. Because after a couple of rough days, both teams will enter Tuesdays NL wild-card game with their seasons on the line. It required a series of disappointing events (and strong play from the Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers) for both teams to get here, but both must quickly shake it off. Theyll be back on the field a little more than 24 hours after losing division-deciding Game 163s. Now, rather than getting a couple days off, theyre in a do-or-die postseason game. NL wild-card particulars The National League wild-card game will take place Tuesday at 8:09 p.m. ET. It will be broadcast on ESPN. The Cubs earned home-field advantage by virtue of their better regular season record, meaning that Wrigley Field will host the game. Rockies ace Kyle Freeland faces Cubs ace Jon Lester in the NL wild-card game Tuesday at Wrigley Field. (AP) The pitching matchup Veteran left-hander Jon Lester (18-6, 3.32 ERA) will take the hill for the Cubs. Hell be opposed by emerging Rockies ace Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85). The decision appeared to be an easy one for Cubs skipper Joe Maddon. Lester has enjoyed a strong bounce back after being up and down in 2017, and has certainly reclaimed ace status in the Cubs rotation. Lester had been especially good in September, posting a 1.52 ERA and a 4-1 record. In his career against the Rockies, Lester has a 2.25 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 32 innings. Freeland, 25, is a Denver native with the fate of his hometown team resting on his shoulders. Hes handled that pressure very well during his brief MLB career, but hes also never faced a situation quite like this either. Where as Lester has made 21 postseason starts, this will be the first for Freeland and his first start on three days rest. Freeland set club records for single-season ERA (2.85) and home ERA (2.40) in 2018 and, like Lester, finished strong with a 9-1 record and 2.49 ERA in last 14 starts. Story continues Cubs-Rockies in 2018 The Cubs and Rockies not only split their six-game series season with three wins apiece, they each scored a total of 33 runs. Its difficult to read too much into those results though as both series took place before May 3. Both teams have had their share of ups and downs since, but are certainly better teams now. Rockies will win if They get to Jon Lester early, forcing Joe Maddon to rely on his taxed bullpen. The last couple days have been rough on Cubs pitching. Maddon needed his bullpen for 20 outs Sunday, and then burned through six more relievers to get 12 outs Monday. Maddon has already said starter Kyle Hendricks will be available, but without closers Pedro Strop and Brandon Morrow, who are both injured, theyre still pretty thin. Cubs will win if Its basically the reverse. They desperately need a strong outing from Lester. On the flip side, the Cubs will want to make Freeland work hard, as upping his pitch count would force the hand of Rockies manager Bud Black. The Rockies bullpen is deep with Wade Davis, Adam Ottavino, Scott Oberg and Jake McGee handling the late innings, but it hasnt been as sturdy as they hoped after spending $100 million in the offseason. More from Yahoo Sports: Walker Buehler knew he was winning Game 163 and his arm left no doubt With Josh Hader heading a killer bullpen, the Brewers staked their claim as NLs best team Ranking all 25 possible 2018 World Series matchups MLB postseason field is set: Heres the schedule and how to watch PARIS (Reuters) - French intelligence concluded that Iran's intelligence ministry, which is controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ordered a foiled attack on an exiled Iranian opposition group's rally near Paris in June, a French diplomatic source said. "Behind all this was a long, meticulous and detailed investigation by our (intelligence) services that enabled us to reach the conclusion, without any doubt, that responsibility fell on the intelligence ministry," the source said. The source added that deputy minister and director general of intelligence Saeid Hashemi Moghadam had ordered the attack. (Reporting by John Irish; editing by Richard Lough) By Randall Hill FAIR BLUFF, N.C. (Reuters) - The childhood home Katrina Bullock returned to in the rural North Carolina community of Fair Bluff about 16 years ago to care for her sick mother was devastated by flooding from Hurricane Matthew in 2016. A new roof went up after that. Walls saturated with muddy floodwaters were being replaced and things were looking up until a new storm, Hurricane Florence struck about 23 months later in September. "We were starting to get it all back together and there comes Florence, and it takes it all again," said Bullock. She and other residents of Fair Bluff, and of many other communities in the southern and southeast parts of North Carolina hit by the double whammy of Matthew and Florence, are sorting through the latest wreckage, wondering if it is worth remaining. Settlers first arrived in the area around Fair Bluff in the mid-1700s and one of the oldest buildings in Columbus County, where the town is located, is a trading post built on the banks of the Lumber River in the town, according to the local chamber of commerce. In the 19th century, railroads helped keep the economy flowing. Experts say such hamlets and towns face permanent changes, with fewer residents, fewer businesses and fewer prospects of returning to the way things were just a generation ago. Older residents whose roots run deep and those too poor to leave will soon likely make up the bulk of the population. Those who can will leave, but others will do their best to rebuild. "There will be a real desire to make Fair Bluff the best it can be, but it may look and be a different thing from what it has historically been," said Patrick Woodie, president of the NC Rural Center, an economic development organization. Even before Florence hit, many small towns in North Carolina were struggling due to a decline in agriculture and manufacturing. Poverty rates in the state are higher now than in the aftermath of the recession about a decade ago due to the loss of small industries such as textile and a downturn in the farming sector, according to the North Carolina Justice Center, a progressive research and advocacy organization. Story continues Matthew led to catastrophic flooding throughout low-lying eastern North Carolina and caused billions of dollars in damage. In took 28 lives in the United States while Florence killed more than 50 and drove many rural communities into deeper despair. Fair Bluff is a mostly agricultural community with a Main Street book-ended by two churches and nestled next to the Lumber River, a usually peaceful waterway that flooded during both Matthew and Florence. The town's small commercial area was struggling to get back into business after Matthew and inundated again with Florence. Many wonder if it will ever open again. Almost all the stores on Main Street closed after Matthew and when Florence rolled in, the floodwaters brought fresh destruction to places like a furniture shop that had yet to remove all of its water-logged inventory from two years ago. After the flooding from Florence receded, a dark muck covered floors in affected areas and a smell wafted through the air combining odors of moldy rot and a sewage plant that overflowed in the most recent storm. Fair Bluff Mayor Billy Hammond believes the town had about 1,000 residents before Matthew and was left with about half that afterward, with many evacuees just never returning. The permanent population now is probably about 350 to 400, most of them people whose homes were not flooded, he said. It has been a ghost town for about two years," he said in an interview. "We're just going have to take it one day at a time and move forward and hope that people come back," he said. Fair Bluff is about 125 miles (200 km) south of Raleigh. About 21 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and median household income is $28,611, according to U.S. Census data. In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, home to the vibrant city of Charlotte, median household income is more than double that in Fair Bluff and the poverty rate is about half. In low-lying areas near the river where some of the poorest people in Fair Bluff live, many have returned to storm-damaged homes because they do not have the money to move or rebuild.A disproportionate number of low-income people live in flood plains in river communities, according to Gavin Smith, a professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Randy Britt, 71, who has lived in Fair Bluff all his life owns buildings on the Main Street commercial area and is working to re-open a flood-hit store. "There is always hope. If there wasnt hope, I wouldnt be in Fair Bluff right now," he said in an interview. (Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles and Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Frank McGurty and Tom Brown) Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, shakes hands with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang in May - KCNA via KNS North Korea has ruled out dismantling its nuclear arsenal in exchange for the US declaring an end to the Korean War, saying on Tuesday that a peace treaty should "never be a bargaining chip." The North has for decades demanded that the US formally declare the end of the 1950-53 conflict that was halted only with an armistice, saying an official end to the war would ease tensions on the flashpoint peninsula. At a summit with the South's President Moon Jae-in last month, the North's leader Kim Jong-un offered to shut down its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington takes "corresponding measures". Kim did not elaborate on what those measure might be, but state news agency KCNA said in a commentary that some US experts have suggested trading the end of the war for denuclearisation. It flatly described that as only the "most basic... process" to restore ties, not a point for negotiation. "The end of war... is not just a gift from a man to another at all. Furthermore, it can never be a bargaining chip for getting the DPRK denuclearised," it said, using the North's full name. Video: Pompeo Says We're at the "Dawn of a New Day" Regarding NK For more news videos visit Yahoo View. KCNA said that Pyongyang was willing to take "such... steps as eternal dismantlement" of its nuclear complex "if the US takes a corresponding measure" but again did not elaborate. Cho Sung-ryul, analyst at the Institute of National Security Strategy, said the commentary may be aimed at limiting Washington's room for manoeuvre. "The North is trying to reduce the negotiating value of Washington's potential offer of a peace treaty, by suggesting that 'it's not good enough to make us denuclearise'," he told South Korea's news agency Yonhap. A landmark summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in June led to a warming of ties, but there has been little concrete progress toward denuclearisation. Story continues The North's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho also told the UN last month that there was "no way" his country would disarm first as long as the US pushes for tough enforcement of sanctions against Pyongyang. Trump however lauded Kim, saying last week the pair had fallen "in love" - their bromance fuelled by "beautiful letters" he recently received from the young leader. The ceasefire that halted the bloody conflict and divided the Korean peninsula was signed by the North, its military ally China and the US - which fought on the side of the South. The South did not take part as its then-leader refused to end the war unless the whole peninsula was unified. On Tuesday a top South Korean official told MPs that North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons, in Seoul's first public comment about the size of the North's secrecy-clouded weapons arsenal. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates on the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60, saying the information came from the intelligence authorities. The National Intelligence Service, South Korea's main spy agency, did not immediately comment and it is believed Cho may have revealed the information unintentionally. His ministry said on Tuesday that Cho's comments didn't mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state, suggesting Seoul's diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear program would continue. The South Korean assessment on the North's arsenal is not much different from various outside civilian estimates largely based on the amount of nuclear materials that North is believed to have produced. According to South Korean government reports, North Korea is believed to have produced 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of weaponised plutonium, enough for at least eight bombs. Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker, who visited North Korea's centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100 pounds), sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Many foreign experts say North Korea is likely to be running additional secret uranium-enrichment plants. By Ahmed Rasheed and Raya Jalabi SULAIMANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament on Tuesday elected as president Kurdish politician Barham Salih, who immediately named Shi'ite Adel Abdul Mahdi prime minister-designate, ending months of deadlock after an inconclusive national election in May. The presidency, traditionally occupied by a Kurd, is a largely ceremonial position, but the vote for Salih was a key step toward forming a new government, which politicians have failed to do since the election. Under Iraq's constitution, Salih - a 58-year-old, British-educated engineer who has held office in both the Iraqi federal and Kurdish regional governments - had 15 days to invite the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc to form a government. He chose to do so less than two hours after his election. Since Saddam Hussein was toppled in a 2003 U.S.-led invasion, power has been shared among Iraq's three largest ethnic-sectarian components. The most powerful post, that of prime minister, has traditionally been held by a Shi'ite Arab, the speaker of parliament by a Sunni Arab and the presidency by a Kurd. A former vice president, oil minister and finance minister, Abdul Mahdi now has 30 days to form a cabinet and present it to parliament for approval. He faces the daunting tasks of rebuilding much of the country after four years of war with Islamic State militants, healing its ethnic and sectarian tensions, and balancing foreign relations with Iraq's two major allies - Iran and its arch-foe the United States. Abdul Mahdi, 76, is a trained economist who left Iraq in 1969 for exile in France, where he worked for think-tanks and edited magazines in French and Arabic. He is the son of a respected Shi'ite cleric who was a minister in the era of Iraq's monarchy, overthrown in 1958. He will become the first elected prime minister in post-Saddam Iraq not to hail from the Shi'ite Islamist Dawa party. Abdul Mahdi was nominated by two rival blocs, one led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and outgoing Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and the other by Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri and former premier Nuri al-Maliki. SHI'TE CONFLICT AVERTED Both blocs claim to hold a parliamentary majority but the dispute has been rendered irrelevant by their choice of the same man to be premier. "The nomination of Mr Adel Abdul Mahdi came after an agreement between the Binaa bloc and the Islah bloc to nominate him via consensus and not a majority bloc in order to get past the issue of which is the majority bloc," said Ahmed al-Asadi, a spokesman for the Binaa bloc led by Amiri and Maliki. Ameri and Maliki are Iran's two most prominent allies in Iraq. Abadi was seen as the preferred candidate of the United States, while Sadr portrays himself as a nationalist who rejects both American and Iranian influence. The rival claims to a parliamentary majority and uncertainty over the composition of the new government had raised tensions at a time when public impatience is growing over poor basic services, high unemployment and the slow pace of rebuilding after the war with Islamic State. Sadr's bloc welcomed Abdul Mahdi's nomination. The cleric earlier on Tuesday tweeted that "Iraq is bigger than the biggest bloc," a likely reference to the compromise. Abadi issued a statement congratulating Abdul Mahdi and wishing him success. "Abdul Mahdi's nomination represents the best choice to pleasing all the Shi'ite players who were about to reach a point of conflict and no return," said Baghdad-based political analyst Ahmed Younis. "All the Shiite blocs reached the conclusion that their divisions could lead to an intra-Shi'ite conflict which would weaken their position in Iraqi," he said. "Now with Abdul Mahdi there are no winners and losers, everyone is happy." KURDISH TENSIONS If the nomination of Abdul Mahdi diffused Shi'ite tensions, Salih's election fueled Kurdish ones. The presidency was fiercely contested between Iraqi Kurdistan's two main parties - the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which nominated Salih, and its traditional rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Salih's election raises concerns of destabilisation in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region because of escalating tensions between the KDP and PUK, who fought a civil war in the 1990s. The KDP and PUK were unable to iron out differences and agree on one candidate as they have traditionally done. They competed in a parliamentary election in their semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq on Sunday. Allegations of fraud have created tensions. Results have not been announced. "I promise to safeguard Iraq's unity and safety," Salih said as he was sworn in, affirming his commitment to the country's unity a year after Kurds overwhelmingly backed a failed independence bid. He was the preferred candidate of most lawmakers because of his perceived softer stance on the thorny issue of Kurdish independence. His opponent had served as the longtime chief of staff to former Kurdistan Region President and KDP leader Masoud Barzani, who ushered in the referendum on independence last year. Barzani had struck alliances with several heads of major political blocs in parliament but they were unable to whip the votes for his candidate. Salih's election marked the first time in modern Iraqi politics that one of the three top posts was selected without a backroom deal. "Even though the heads of political blocs wanted to reach a backroom deal rather than leave it up to a vote, they couldn't control their own MPs," said Renad Mansour, a research fellow at Chatham House. "MPs voted for the candidate they thought was most qualified and was most in favor of a united Iraq." (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed and Raya Jalabi; writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; editing by Andrew Roche and Leslie Adler) New York (AFP) - PepsiCo on Tuesday joined the growing list of big companies to confirm potential interest in making drinks with cannabis. Hugh Johnston, chief financial officer of the soda and snacks giant, acknowledged the company's interest in an interview with CNBC. "We will look at it very critically," Johnston said of cannabis on an interview with CNBC. "But I am not prepared to share any plans that we may have in the space right now." Johnston noted that cannabis is still illegal under federal law throughout the United States, even though some states have legalized it. But he said the company would "turn over every stone to look for growth." The remarks come two weeks after PepsiCo's archrival Coca-Cola said it was studying "wellness beverages" that could include cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive component in cannabis that is sold in a growing variety of consumer products. Molson Coors is also working with a Canadian company on cannabis-infused non-alcoholic beverages, while Constellation Brands has announced a hefty $4 billion investment in Canada's Canopy Growth in exchange for a 38 percent stake in Canopy. Cannabis-infused drinks have been seen as a potential growth area for soda and spirits companies that have had trouble boosting sales. Canada is set to legalize cannabis on October 17 after both houses of Parliament voted to make the drug available for recreational use. That move has been seen as a potential prelude to further legalization in the United States, even though recreational use of marijuana is still only permitted in a handful of states. The French do things differently, especially when it comes to their luxury cars. Peugeot SAs (UG.PA) niche brand DS Automobiles launched what could be considered the most flamboyant luxury concept car in the world at the Paris International Motor Show on Tuesday. The new all-electric DS X e-Tense model features an asymmetrical frame along with a Nespresso machine, a glass floor and feather details behind the passenger seat. Peugeot, which is a component in Frances CAC 40 index, owns DS alongside other larger car brands such as Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall. The DS X e-Tense model debuted at the Paris International Motor Show. Photo: DS Automobiles The slick-yet-lopsided DS car features a cockpit for the driver thats open to the elements. Its next to an enclosed passenger area dubbed a cocoon that features a bright red massage seat, a glass floor, a glass roof, a Nespresso maker and a system that pumps in filtered, scented air. The inlaid feather details behind the passenger seat could be considered the piece de resistance, adding further over-the-top luxury to this model. A second passenger spot in the cocoon area can be created by unfolding a foot rest that turns into another seat. Kevin Jones, a DS spokesperson, told Yahoo Finance UK the car was designed to showcase the brands French heritage and its future direction. The model combines technology and poetry, the company said in a press release. DS teams have designed this dream car by drawing their inspiration from the world of luxury of tomorrow emphasising the beautiful and the human, the sensory and the exceptional. The car is clearly designed with French flare, but it also has substance. The 100% electric car boasts a racing mode with 1,360 horsepower, making a traditional electric Tesla (TSLA) look like a go-cart. The firm is also working on developing its autonomous driving system dubbed Iris to incorporate into this model at a later date. Other features in the car include gull-wing doors that flip up, alongside asymmetrical headlights that look like techy, illuminated spider webs. Story continues Peugeot SA also known as PSA Group officially launched the small DS Automobiles brand in 2015. Its built on a multi-decade heritage that began with the launch of the first DS car in 1955. The DS brand sold just over 37,000 cars globally in the first eight months of 2018, up 8% from the same period in the previous year. The vast majority of DS cars are sold in Europe, with a few thousand sold in China and South-East Asia. Former England sevens international Ollie Phillips admits the chance to scale Mount Everest to raise money for childrens charity Wooden Spoon was a no-brainer for him. The 36-year-old lead one of four teams, alongside fellow rugby stars Shane Williams, Andy Gomarsall and Tamara Taylor, up the mountain in order to play the highest game of full contact rugby and the highest game of touch rugby. Should they be successful, they will set two world records while also raising more than 200,000 for children with disabilities and facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland. And with a world record already to his name after taking part in Wooden Spoons North Pole challenge in 2015, Phillips did not have to be asked twice about the charitys latest adventure. I love these sorts of challenges and Wooden Spoon is a charity Ive supported for nearly 16 years now, so its a charity that is very close to my heart, he said. I was also part of the North Pole challenge that they attempted to do, which we eventually succeeded in doing, setting world records and putting the charity on the map. When the opportunity came around and we started discussing could we do it again, could we play the highest game, could we raise a lot of money, it was a no-brainer for me. What a fabulous opportunity to go and do something, that typically is not probably an area I would go to on a holiday, you need an incentive to go up and this was as good as any. Its a notorious mountain, being the highest in the world, and there have been so many stories around it and attempts to summit it, successful ones and unsuccessful ones. I think whats so intriguing about this challenge is what were going to do has never been done before, so that in itself comes with a certain air of trepidation and nerves. That certain level of the unknown makes it such an intriguing trip, but were doing it for the charity and to raise a phenomenal amount of money and to put the charity on the map. Story continues It will be great to do it with a group of like-minded people who want to do something great for children who are less fortunate and in less advantageous positions than we are. Phillips was among the group of 11 Wooden Spoon supporters who took part in the Arctic Rugby Challenge in 2015, where they set a world record for playing the northern most game of rugby. On top of that feat, they raised 240,000 which went towards the charity, which aims to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people with disability through the power or rugby. The charitys upcoming Everest Rugby Challenge will take place across 24 days, from April to May 2019, and will see the group battle acclimatisation and heights of 6,500 metres. Joining the rugby stars will be challengers from the West Midlands, Wiltshire, Sussex, Surrey, Yorkshire, Bristol, Berkshire, London, Kent, Hampshire, Suffolk, Devon, Wales and Somerset. And while Phillips is eager to break more world records, the former Newcastle Falcons and Gloucester winger said his main focus is on raising as much as possible for Wooden Spoon. The world records would be the icing on the cake, because to go to Everest in the first place, to be with 30-35 people doing something fantastic for the charity is the main focus, said Phillips. The reason why they are a charity so close to my heart, and Ive got so much time for them, is the fact that they operate on a regional basis as well as a national basis. If you raise money in your area, you get to see that money going into live projects in and around your area and your community and I think that is very, very important. Thats the reason why the charity is so special, but they also have these big national programmes that are big scale and make a big impact. But equally, on the ground level, they are making an impact in the local communities as well and I like that. I like to be able to see the money Im raising for my local area being used in my local area. I want to see a playground or a soft play constructed to help the kids that I see day in day out who are disadvantaged, disabled and are benefiting from the hard work of everyone else around me. Support us in the LMAX Exchange Everest Rugby Challenge to help change the lives of children and young people with disabilities and facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland visit woodenspoon.org.uk/Everest #everestrugby Primera Air has ceased flying. Passengers at Stansted learnt the news as they were waiting to depart to New York and Washington DC. Thousands of other British passengers are stranded in North America and continental Europe tonight after another low-cost airline failure. The collapse leaves them with worthless tickets home, as well a trail of unpaid claims by passengers whose flights earlier in the summer were disrupted. Stansted airport has impounded at least one aircraft. Primera Air, which was Icelandic owned but had operations based in both Latvia and Denmark, had run charter operations mainly serving Nordic passengers for around 15 years. In 2017, it announced an ambitious programme of flights from Stansted and Birmingham to New York, Boston, Washington and Toronto, as well as destinations in Spain and elsewhere in Europe. But before operations had even begun, Primera Air upset thousands of passengers by dropping a number of routes and then announced it was abandoning Birmingham completely. Primera blamed variously late deliveries from Airbus of new A321 jets, and weak demand. Transatlantic routes from Stansted did operate, though many passengers found they were travelling on a 28-year-old Boeing 757 chartered from the US rather than a brand-new Airbus flown by Primera. Hundreds of passengers contacted The Independent with reports of terrible customer service. Even as rumours began to circulate about its demise, the airline was still trading selling tickets on its website, up to 5pm. The collapse comes on the eve of the first anniversary of the failure of Monarch. That bankruptcy triggered the biggest-ever peacetime airlift, with the Civil Aviation Authority setting up a shadow airline to repatriate 125,000 passengers. There will be no such operation for Primera Air. Other airlines, though, will step in and offer special repatriation fares for disrupted passengers. At this time of year, there should be plenty of available seats. Story continues Passengers holding Primera Air tickets will need to claim from their credit card company or travel insurer unless they are travelling as part of a package, in which case the tour operator must provide a refund or alternative flights. Thousands of passengers who are owed compensation as a result of severe flight disruptions earlier in the summer are likely to be hundreds or even thousands of pounds out of pocket. It appears that standard practice in the event of cancelled flights was to tell passengers to book on alternative airlines, with the promise that Primera Air would refund them. In addition, compensation for abruptly cancelled flights was withheld. While passengers are technically unsecured creditors, it is unlikely that they will get any recompense. Passengers on flight PF47 from Stansted to Washington were kept on the ground while the captain awaited instructions. Travellers booked on PF41 to New Yorks Newark Airport were not allowed on the plane. Many of them are US passengers trying to return home. An email seen by The Independent indicates that the company is likely formally to announce its closure at midnight, Latvia time (10pm British Summer Time). It blames the collapse on late deliveries from Airbus. The email says that arrangements are being made to bring staff who are currently in North America back to their bases. A statement from the airline said: Without additional financing, we do not see any possibility to continue our operations. This is an enormous disappointment after the incredible hard work and dedication put into building the airline. [The] company wants to sincerely thank all its employees for their hard work and dedication, its clients for years of loyal support, and its suppliers for their cooperation during the years. The Queen has a fake hand she was gifted. [Photo: Getty Images] Words by Sarah Carty. There are a lot of surprising things about the Queen that many people might find unusual. Like the fact that the 92-year-old owns all of the swans in Britain and has an ATM in Buckingham Palace. However, weve just discovered that the Monarch has a fake hand and our minds are blown. The hand is actually a stuffed glove that was gifted to Queen Elizabeth years ago by a group of Australian students. And while there is no evidence that the Queen actually uses the hand while shes out on royal engagements, Princess Anne has revealed that Her Majesty loved the device. They gave her a stuffed glove on a wooden lever so you could tweak the end of the lever and this hand went to and fro, the Queens daughter said in an interview for the Queen of the World book. I think they thought it was cheeky, but Her Majesty was thrilled. Indeed, the Queen is rarely spotted waving to the public without her trusty white glove and theres no doubt the contraption would come in handy when shes expected to wave for extended periods of time. The Queen was rather taken with it and I think it ended up at Balmoral, author of Queen of the World Robert Hardman said in his book. I dont think she ever used it in public, but I hear it became a much-loved family joke. The Queen is rarely spotted waving to the public without her trusty white glove and theres no doubt the contraption would come in handy when shes expected to wave for extended periods of time. [Photo: Getty Images] The Queen famously has a great sense of humour, which has come out on many occasions while being interviewed or our meeting the public. In April, a clip of the Queens interview with David Attenborough went viral after she compared an overhead helicopter sound to Donald Trump. Why do they always go round and round when you want to talk? she asked Attenborough in the clip. It sounds like President Trump or President Obama. At the Commonwealth meeting in Malta in 2015, the Queen also joked about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, when he told the audience he is the 12th Canadian Prime Minister to serve during her reign. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister of Canada, for making me feel so old!, the Queen replied, as the audience broke out in a bout of laughter. Story continues Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: Meghans half-sister apologies to the Duchess of Sussex on Jeremy Vine Harry has become more distant since marrying Meghan, says royal photographer Bookies reveals possible Eugenie wedding dress designer BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - Brexit minister Dominic Raab said on Monday Britain was looking at how regulatory checks on some goods could be used as part of a solution to move Brexit talks, notably a "backstop deal" for the Irish border, forward. But he repeated that any such deal to prevent the return of a hard border between the British province of Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland could not split the United Kingdom and would have to be time-limited. Raab described a media report that had said the government was preparing to back down on customs checks between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland as "overspeculating". London has indicated that it may consider options on regulations on the island of Ireland, noting that there are already some different rules for agriculture and food products between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. But it was not clear whether the government would tolerate such a difference for manufactured goods. Raab told an event on the sidelines of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham: "Our number one priority is making sure we don't see a border down the Irish sea that will carve up economically the United Kingdom," Raab said. "We said we would need to retain a UK-wide customs backstop and on the regulatory side of things, we have been clear that we will, as long as we can carry the communities of Northern Ireland with us, we will be open to be looking at some of the options on regulatory checks." He also said he welcomed EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier's suggestion that technology could help resolve the border issue. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, writing by William James; editing by) CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Republican National Convention will be held in North Carolina's largest city in August 2020 and party leaders said Monday they'll gather with an eye on nominating President Donald Trump for a second term. Party chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced at a news conference that the convention will be held in Charlotte on Aug. 24-27. Mayor Vi Lyles said Charlotte has a chance to show it can host both major political parties. Charlotte hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2012. "We are actually very excited about the opportunity," Lyles said. "People say why. One, we are a democratic nation, and so it just gets to be an opportunity for Charlotte to brag about being one of the cities to host both the Republican and Democratic conventions. That puts us on the map." Lyles also noted that the convention will provide a cultural experience for the city's school children to see the political process in their midst. A divided Charlotte City Council voted 6-5 in July to approve a bid to host the Republican convention. Charlotte had been considered a front-runner, although published reports showed several cities thought to be up for the convention didn't actually submit bids. Moments after the vote was taken, Lyles issue a plea to the city for unity. But a host of people who spoke at the meeting that led up to the vote made it clear they didn't want the convention in the city. Many of them cited Trump's statements denigrating minorities, Muslims, women and the LGBTQ population. There's also the issue of factions who support and oppose Trump clashing in Charlotte. "The door is wide open. Glad to listen. Listening is a great healing power," North Carolina GOP chairman Robin Hayes said. "But I would greatly discourage anybody who has even the slightest notion of coming in simply to cause trouble, simply to be a disruption and to call attention to themselves and their cause, as opposed to the benefit of the city, the county, the state and the nation, they need to stay away," Hayes said. Story continues Toni Anne Dashiell, national GOP committeewoman for Texas and chair of the party's committee on arrangements, said previous experiences have shown her host cities were welcoming despite the political scene. "We will always be there and we will always be respectful and engage with whomever, and make sure it's a positive experience," Dashiell said. The 2020 Democratic National Convention is scheduled for July 13-16 in a city to be determined. Published reports show eight cities are in the running, including Atlanta, Miami Beach, Milwaukee and Houston. Both conventions were scheduled to avoid coinciding with the Summer Olympic games. Moscow (AFP) - Russia has sent S-300 air defence systems to the Syrian military, its defence minister said Tuesday, in line with new security measures after a Russian military plane was mistakenly shot down by Syria's Soviet-era missile. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of the Russian security council that the military on Monday "finished the deliveries of S-300 systems" including a total of four launch platforms. Russia announced last week that it would boost security measures in Syria following the downing of a Russian military plane by an S-200 missile by mistake, which Moscow blamed on nearby Israeli planes. Shoigu said it will take three months to train the Syrian military to operate the new air defence systems. Fifteen Russian troops were killed when the Il-20 surveillance plane was shot down. Moscow said Israel's F-16 planes carrying out strikes on Latakia province were using it as "cover" which resulted in the deadliest case of friendly fire since Russia intervened in the Syrian conflict in 2015. Shoigu added that Moscow has added equipment for "radioelectronic warfare" and now "controls" the airspace in the area used for strikes on Syrian soil. Moscow had announced that Russia would begin jamming radars of hostile warplanes in regions near Syria over the Mediterranean Sea to prevent a similar situation from harming its troops. People watch S-300 air defense missile systems launching missiles - REUTERS Russia has delivered an S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria, it said on Tuesday, in defiance of Israeli and US concerns that the arms sale would embolden Iran and escalate the Syrian war. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a meeting broadcast by Rossiya 24 TV: "The work was finished a day ago," adding that the system would improve the security of Russian military personal in Syria. Russia decided to supply the system after Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet near Syria in September. Israel voiced regret at the deaths of 15 Russian air crew while saying Syrian incompetence was at fault and that it was compelled to continue taking action against suspected deployments of Iranian-backed forces across its northern border. "We have not changed our strategic line on Iran," Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus security cabinet, said on Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Credit: Alexei Nikolsky "We will not allow Iran to open up a third front against us. We will take actions as required," he told Israel Radio. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert could not confirm reports that the S-300 had been delivered. "I cannot confirm that that is accurate. I hope that they did not," she told a press briefing. "That would be, I think, sort of a serious escalation in concerns and issues going on in Syria, but I just can't confirm it." MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has delivered an S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Syria, it said on Tuesday, in defiance of Israeli and U.S. concerns that the arms sale would embolden Iran and escalate the Syrian war. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin during a meeting broadcast by Rossiya 24 TV: "The work was finished a day ago," adding that the system would improve the security of Russian military personal in Syria. Russia decided to supply the system after Moscow accused Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military jet near Syria in September. Israel voiced regret at the deaths of 15 Russian air crew while saying Syrian incompetence was at fault and that it was compelled to continue taking action against suspected deployments of Iranian-backed forces across its northern border. "We have not changed our strategic line on Iran," Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus security cabinet, said on Tuesday. "We will not allow Iran to open up a third front against us. We will take actions as required," he told Israel Radio. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert could not confirm reports that the S-300 had been delivered. "I cannot confirm that that is accurate. I hope that they did not," she told a press briefing. "That would be, I think, sort of a serious escalation in concerns and issues going on in Syria, but I just can't confirm it." (Reporting by Polina Devitt in Moscow, Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Lesley Wroughton in Washington; editing by Robin Pomeroy and James Dalgleish) MOSCOW (AP) Russia has completed the delivery of S-300 air defense systems to Syria, the Russian defense minister said Tuesday. Sergei Shoigu said in televised remarks that Russia has delivered four S-300 launchers along with radars and support vehicles. Speaking during a Security Council meeting chaired by President Vladimir Putin, Shoigu said it will take three months to train Syrian personnel to operate the system. Russia announced the S-300 delivery to Syria after the Sept. 17 downing of a Russian reconnaissance plane by Syrian forces responding to an Israeli air strike, a friendly fire incident that stoked regional tensions. Russia is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and its intervention in the civil war, beginning in 2015, turned the tide in his favor. Shoigu said the integration of Russian and Syrian air defense assets into a single automated system will be completed by Oct. 20. He added that the Russian military has also significantly strengthened its electronic warfare systems in Syria. "We now control a close zone of up to 50 kilometers (30 miles) and the far zone of 200 kilometers (124 miles) from where attacks on the Syrian territory were launched," Shoigu said. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said she could not confirm that Russia had delivered the system to Syria but said it would be a "concern" if it had. "I hope that they did not," Nauert told reporters in Washington when asked about the Russian announcement. "That would be sort of a serious escalation." The Russian plane's downing threatened the close security ties between Russia and Israel. Earlier in the war, Russia had suspended the delivery of S-300s, which Israel feared Syria could use against it. Moscow has tried to maintain good relations with Iran, which is also allied with the Syrian government, and Israel, which is wary of Iran's growing influence in Syria. The Israeli military blamed Syria for the Russian plane's downing, saying that its own fighter jets were targeting a Syrian military facility involved in providing weapons to Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it warned Russia of the coming raid in line with de-confliction agreements. But the Russian Defense Ministry said the Israeli warning came less than a minute before the strike and said one of Israeli F-16 fighter jets was flying close to the much larger Russian plane, resulting in the Syrian missile homing in on the bigger target. By Gwladys Fouche and Terje Solsvik NY-AALESUND, Norway (Reuters) - On the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, the sun does not rise for four months of the year and it is so cold that no trees grow there. But Norway, which has sovereignty over Svalbard, fears tensions between Russia and the West could spill over to this frozen and barren outpost because of growing interest in the Arctic's valuable oil, gas and shipping routes. The Nordic country has been lobbying its partners in NATO to focus on collective defense of its territory rather than interventions outside its borders -- and it has paid off. Norway will be the central staging ground of Trident Juncture, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's biggest military exercise since 2002. For two weeks from Oct. 25, 40,000 troops from 30 countries will conduct air, sea and land operations from Finland and the Baltic Sea in the east, to Iceland in the west. A command post exercise -- involving commanders and their staffs at headquarters -- will then be held from Nov. 14-23. Oslo has also persuaded Washington to more than double the number of U.S. Marines present in Norway. Hundreds will from next year be sent to Troms, an Arctic region closer to Russia than the Marines' current base in central Norway. "We see that there is no reason to believe that potential tension could start in the Arctic, but it could easily end up here if it starts elsewhere," Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide told Reuters. "And that is of course due to Russia building up their military capacity, especially on the Kola Peninsula," she said in Ny-Aalesund, a research station on Svalbard that is the world's northernmost permanent settlement. Norway has a 196-km (122-mile) land border with Russia and Russia's Northern Fleet has its main base in Severomorsk, about 100 km from the border with Norway on the Kola Peninsula, a region dotted with naval bases and restricted military zones. NATO fears Russia's military build-up in the Arctic, under way in the Arctic since 2008 and involving the creation and reopening of six military bases, could reduce the alliance's freedom of navigation. Russia, which staged its largest military maneuvers since the Cold War in eastern Siberia in September, has also shown signs of concern about the military situation in Norway. It sees the plan to send more U.S. Marines there as an unfriendly act which could have "consequences". "This makes Norway less predictable and could cause growing tensions, triggering an arms race and destabilizing the situation in northern Europe," the Russian Embassy said in a statement on its Facebook page in June. RUSSIAN INTERESTS Norway has meanwhile been boosting economic activity on Svalbard, which is in the Arctic Ocean midway between continental Norway and the North Pole. Svalbard's traditional industry, coal mining, is not profitable so Oslo has increased tourism, scientific research and fisheries there. Russia also has an interest in Svalbard. Under the 1920 treaty that gives Norway sovereignty over the archipelago, citizens of all signatories to the treaty can settle there without a Norwegian visa. This includes Russia. There are 467 Russians registered as living on Svalbard and a Russian coal mining company has for decades operated in the town of Barentsburg. Another Russian settlement, Pyramiden, is now abandoned but is on the tourist trail as a Soviet ghost town. Svalbard has moved up NATO's agenda because of Russia's annexation of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and Moscow's frequent naval exercises in the Arctic. Norway, which was a founding member of NATO but is not a member of the European Union, has been beefing up its forces because of the Russian military buildup. It has ordered 52 F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, is rebuilding infrastructure to support them and is ordering four new submarines from Germany's ThyssenKrupp. It is also building up a cavalry battalion in a military base in the Finnmark region bordering Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow will not threaten anyone from the Arctic but that it is taking measures to guarantee its security. The modernization of the Northern Fleet includes the addition of 23 new vessels including two nuclear submarines, the Russian defense ministry website quoted Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff of Russia's armed forces, as saying. Gerasimov said Russia had "restored its presence in the strategic regions of the Arctic Ocean and ensured security of its economic activity." By the end of this year, the Northern Fleet is set to receive weapons and equipment including five military ships, 15 planes and 62 radar facilities and air defense complexes, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was quoted as saying in August by Russian Zvezda TV channel. In addition, coastal defense troops are supplied with three "Bal" and "Bastion" missiles divisions. New military airdromes are being built and others are being modernized by Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. WANTS TO 'UP ITS GAME' The U.S. military has also attached increasing importance to the Arctic, especially as global warming opens up new sea lanes and oil and mineral reserves. "Certainly America's got to up its game in the Arctic. There's no doubt about that," U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said this year. Mattis visited Norway in July for talks with Soereide and Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen. The deployment of additional Marines was confirmed the following month. Oslo and Moscow concluded a deal in 2010 to end a dispute over their maritime border, enabling oil and gas exploration and allowing for visa-free travel permits for residents of the border areas. But since Russia's annexation of Crimea, Norwegian military and government officials have increasingly voiced concern, including about Russia simulating bombing raids on Norwegian targets and adopting quieter submarines that are harder to detect. Norway is also worried Russia would be able to block NATO troop movements or reinforcements by taking control of the so-called GIUK gap -- an area in the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland, Iceland and Britain. Speaking in August on the arrival of German troops, tanks and equipment for the Trident Juncture maneuvers, Frank Bakke-Jensen said the global and regional security environment had fundamentally changed. "We need to take the old NATO mission -- securing the North Atlantic and communications and supply lines across the Atlantic. This is what we're exercising now, how to move big amounts of troops, vehicles and vessels," he told Reuters. (Additional reporting by Denis Pinchuk in Moscow, Robin Emmott in Brussels and Idrees Ali in Washington, Editing by Timothy Heritage) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A top South Korean official told lawmakers that North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons, in Seoul's first public comment about the size of the North's secrecy-clouded weapons arsenal. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament Monday the estimates on the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. He was responding to a question by a lawmaker, saying the information came from the intelligence authorities. The National Intelligence Service, South Korea's main spy agency, couldn't immediately comment. Cho may have unintentionally revealed the information. His ministry said Tuesday Cho's comments didn't mean that South Korea would accept North Korea as a nuclear state, suggesting Seoul's diplomatic efforts to rid the North of its nuclear program would continue. The South Korean assessment on the North's arsenal is not much different from various outside civilian estimates largely based on the amount of nuclear materials that North is believed to have produced. According to South Korean government reports, North is believed to have produced 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of weaponized plutonium, enough for at least eight bombs. Stanford University scholars, including nuclear physicist Siegfried Hecker who visited North Korea's centrifuge facility at Nyongbyon in 2010, wrote earlier this year that North Korea is estimated to have a highly enriched uranium inventory of 250 to 500 kilograms (550 to 1,100 pounds), sufficient for 25 to 30 nuclear devices. Many foreign experts say North Korea are likely running additional secret uranium-enrichment plants. The North entered talks with the United States and South Korea earlier this year, saying it's willing to negotiate away its advancing nuclear arsenal. Nuclear diplomacy later stalled due to suspicions over how sincere North Korea is about its disarmament pledge, but U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to visit Pyongyang this month to set up a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. By Tatiana Jancarikova BRATISLAVA (Reuters) - More people may face charges for the murder of a Slovak investigative journalist, the country's top prosecutor said on Monday, after police made their first arrests for the killing that rattled the nation and toppled its government. The killing of Jan Kuciak, 27, and his fiancee at their home outside the capital Bratislava in February stoked public anger over corruption and prompted the largest protests in Slovakia since the end of Communist rule in 1989. Kuciak probed fraud involving businessmen with Slovak political ties and had worked on a story about suspected Mafia links of Italians working in Slovakia. Police carried out raids last week and a court on Sunday ordered four people jailed until trial for the murders. "We have more steps prepared which we want to take, so there is high probability there will be more charges," Slovak general prosecutor Jaromir Ciznar told a news conference. "We're still in the stage where charges have been pressed and we should not be too optimistic but the evidence is very strong," he added. Prosecutors said the killer was paid 70,000 euros, of which 50,000 euros was cash and the rest forgiven debt. Police arrested a woman on Friday identified as A.Z. and said she had likely paid the money to the killers but the motive and whether she worked for someone else was unclear. A police investigator told a briefing that weapons, cars, a cell phone used during the crime, and a bullet corresponding to the cartridge case found at the crime scene were seized in home searches last week. Police chief Milan Lucansky said the suspected killer was a former police officer. In his final story, published posthumously, Kuciak reported on an Italian living in Slovakia with past business links to two Slovaks who later worked in then-prime minister Robert Fico's office. Both of the Slovaks resigned but deny connections to the murder. Their Italian former business partner has also denied connections with the mafia and the murder but was detained on a European drug trafficking warrant in March and extradited to Italy in May. Weeks of protests that drew tens of thousands in March forced the departure of long-serving leader Fico as well as the interior minister and police chief but the coalition government remains in power. (Reporting by Tatiana Jancarikova; Writing by Jason Hovet; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Heres a look at some of the companies the Yahoo Finance team will be watching for you today. There are some loose threads at Stitch Fix. The company fell short in its latest earnings report with fewer new customers than expected. That sent shares tumbling more than 21% in the pre-market. The company is now planning a major expansion into the UK. The man behind Googles explosive ad growth is heading for the exit. Sridhar Ramaswamy is leaving to join venture capital firm Greylock Partners. Hes been with Google for 15 years, and headed up the online ad business for the last 5. The current head of Googles productivity apps will take over the ad division. Harley-Davidson is facing a rough ride thanks in part to a glut of used motorcycles. The Wall Street Journal says used Harley sales are up 13%. This as new sales continue to slide. The company has already started to roll out a new line of smaller models, aimed at younger riders. An activist investor and Californias teacher pension plan are making a big bet on Papa Johns. Legion Partners and the California State Teachers Retirement System now hold a combined 5.5% stake in the embattled pizza chain. Despite the ongoing fight with ousted founder John Schnatter, one top executive at Legion says they see a great opportunity in Papa Johns. Attention all you Toys R Us kids, the brand may be coming back. The lenders who now control the name have cancelled an auction and signaled in court documents that they plan to create a new company with the Toys R Us name. Its not clear what that new company might look like. (Credit: BBC) Strictly Come Dancing star Danny John-Jules has revealed why he turned his back on BBC murder-mystery drama Death In Paradise. The former Red Dwarf actor played Officer Dwayne Myers in the show, which films in Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean, for seven series. But he announced he was quitting ahead of the forthcoming eighth series, set to air in January next year. He told the TV Times: I left Death in Paradise because I wanted to get back on stage. I needed a bit more razzmatazz in my life, and then along came Strictly! I havent done a show for more than 20 years, so this is as close as Im going to get to doing the jazz hands again. (Credit: BBC) Ive also been working on my one man show about Sammy Davis Jnr, thats why Im always wearing a bowler hat! My mate does a Nat King Cole act, and theres a lot of those kinds of shows around. However, he also teased that hes not averse to getting astride Dwaynes motorbike once again. Id actually like to do a Death in Paradise spin-off with Dwayne, even if it were just a one-off special, he added. I have an idea, but I just need to meet up with the producer, Tony Jordan to touch base and run it past him. London-born John-Jules, who hit stardom playing the Cat in cult sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf with Chris Barrie and Craig Charles, has been a hit on Strictly so far. Hes scored some serious point from the judges so far, with a 27 in week one for his foxtrot, and a 28 for cha-cha-cha in week two. Read more David Walliams to judge on X Factor Strictlys Susannah admits shes not good at dancing J.K. Rowlings Strike to return to TV WASHINGTON (AP) With Brett Kavanaugh's nomination in limbo, a shorthanded Supreme Court appeared evenly split Monday over a potential habitat for an endangered frog in the first arguments of the new term. The arguments and the appearance of the eight justices on the bench an empty place on the far right where a ninth would sit underscored the unusual environment in which the high court began its new term. Republicans had hoped to have Kavanaugh confirmed in time for Monday's session, an addition that would cement conservative control of the court. But the vote on Kavanaugh's nomination has been delayed while the FBI investigates allegations against him of sexual misconduct. The case argued Monday morning concerns a dispute over Louisiana timberland that was designated as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the dusky gopher frog, even though the frog is found only in Mississippi. The conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the Weyerhaeuser Co. timber company that sued over the designation. The liberals seemed inclined to back the government. And even though the absence of a justice can prod the court to compromise, pointed disagreements between the two sides of the court emerged in the course of the hourlong arguments. Justice Elena Kagan said the company seemed to be arguing that the Endangered Species Act "would prefer extinction of the species to the designation of an area which requires only certain reasonable improvements in order to support the species." But a few minutes later, Justice Samuel Alito jabbed at Kagan. "Now this case is going to be spun, we've already heard questions along this line, as a choice between whether the dusky gopher frog is going to become extinct or not. That's not the choice at all," Alito said, adding that the only issue is whether private landowners or the government is going to pay to preserve land that could support an endangered species. Story continues The justices could hold onto the case and order a new round of arguments once the bench is full, or resolve the case narrowly. When the court met just after 10 o'clock, it was the first time in more than 30 years without Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired over the summer. Chief Justice John Roberts proclaimed the end of the last term and the start of the new one, then briefly congratulated Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on her 25 years on the court. "We all look forward to sharing many more years with you in our common calling," Roberts told the 85-year-old Ginsburg, who now sits immediately to Roberts' left in the court's seniority-based seating plan. Justice Clarence Thomas, the longest-serving member of the current court, was to Roberts' right. Ginni Thomas, the justice's wife, watched the morning arguments from seats reserved for justices' guests. It was mostly business as usual. The justices turned down roughly 1,400 appeals that had been awaiting decision over the summer. Lawyers were sworn in as members of the Supreme Court bar. The justices have some recent experience operating at less than full strength. Nearly 14 months elapsed between Justice Antonin Scalia's death in 2016 and Justice Neil Gorsuch's confirmation last year. Senate Republicans refused to act on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - A Syrian man has been arrested after almost seven months stranded in a Malaysian airport, an official said Tuesday, in a bizarre saga that drew comparisons with hit movie "The Terminal". Hassan al-Kontar had been stuck at the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport since March 7, when officials refused to let him board a flight to Ecuador. Kontar, reportedly sought by authorities in his homeland for failing to serve in the military, was also refused entry into Cambodia and not allowed back into Malaysia due to visa issues. The 36-year-old was left stranded in the terminal, surviving on donated airline meals and washing in the toilets. He made repeated appeals in a series of YouTube videos, lamenting that rights groups had refused him help and no one would take him in. But Malaysian immigration chief Mustafar Ali said that police had finally decided to arrest Kontar and remove him from the airport Monday, as his posts -- which were garnering growing media attention -- had embarrassed Malaysia. "His statements on social media shamed Malaysia," Ali was cited as saying by official news agency Bernama. "(He) was arrested yesterday because he was in a restricted area without a boarding pass." Officials will now work with the Syrian authorities to get him deported to his homeland, he said. A civil war has been raging in Syria for the past seven years, leaving more than 350,000 people dead. Kontar's case is reminiscent of the 2004 film "The Terminal," in which Tom Hanks plays a man who finds himself stuck in a New York airport after his government collapses, rendering his papers useless. Reports say Kontar had been working in the United Arab Emirates but was deported to Malaysia in January 2017. However he overstayed a three-month tourist visa and is now blacklisted, meaning he cannot re-enter the country. He flew to Cambodia but was refused entry before being sent back to Kuala Lumpur airport on March 7. jsm/sr/aph Valencia visit Old Trafford tonight and there may be a number of empty seats The first sign of Manchester United fans voting with their feet have emerged. Jose Mourinhos reign at Old Trafford has turned sour in the past few months and now United look set to play in front of thousands of empty seats against Valencia tonight. United fans have been encouraged by text to turn up and buy tickets on the door for the Champions League clash due to a low number of sales. READ MORE: Why Alisson cried when he swapped Roma for Liverpool READ MORE: Dortmund chief compares Sancho with Barca star Dembele READ MORE: Valencia boss admits theyll target weak United defence It is extremely rare for tickets to be available this close to a Premier League or Champions League game, especially against a side like Valencia. But United fans can still purchase tickets online, or go to the ticket office prior to Tuesday nights clash kicking off. The misery continues. @LewisHcook got this text. The disillusionment under Jose has got so bad that you can WALK up and get tickets tonight. For a CHAMPIONS LEAGUE game. Once fans start voting with their feet, Mourinhos definitely finished. What a mess @ManUtd have become #MUFC pic.twitter.com/hnIlALGDRK Gavin Caney (@GavinCaney) October 2, 2018 A quick look at Uniteds online ticket portal shows that plenty of areas have not sold out, meaning the attendance could be somewhat lower than the 75,000 capacity. All of this comes on the back of another dismal week for Mourinho; defeats to Derby in the EFL Cup and West Ham in the league have combined with numerous stories about the self-anointed Special One falling out with players. Story continues Jose Mourinho applauds fans after United were dumped out of the EFL Cup by Derby Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez are the high-profile names, yet it has also emerged that club captain Antonio Valencia barely has any communication with the boss and that many staff members believe it is a case of when, not if, Mourinho will be sacked. While the majority of match-going United supporters have remained fully behind Mourinho, and he has praised them for their support, that tide is turning and home games with Valencia and Newcastle are considered vital ahead of the international break. A number of former players have criticised Mourinho and called for him to go, with former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane the favourite to replace him. Yerevan (AFP) - Thousands of Armenians heeded a call by reformist Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to protest in the capital Yerevan on Tuesday as MPs approved a bill making it harder to disband parliament and hold snap elections. Pashinyan, who came to power in May following weeks of mass rallies, has been at loggerheads with the majority of lawmakers in parliament, who are allied to former president Serzh Sarkisian. The former journalist, 43, aims to hold snap polls before the end of the year in an attempt to weaken Sarkisian's influence but has been frustrated by his opponents. Sarkisian was forced from power after a 10-year stint as president but parliamentary elections are not scheduled until 2022. Thousands of people gathered within an hour of Pashinyan's call, blocking exits from the parliament building as well as nearby streets with vehicles and shouting "Nikol! Nikol!" "By approving this bill, the Republican party and forces that supported it have officially declared the existence of a counter-revolution," Pashinyan told the crowd, where some protesters shouted "Snap polls!" Some angry protesters made their way into the parliamentary courtyard but Pashinyan asked them not to break in and later went inside to negotiate with lawmakers. Pashinyan said he would resign within days "so that nobody thinks that I'm holding on to this post". If he resigned, Pashinyan could trigger an election -- but only if parliament failed to select a new prime minister, twice. Pashinyan, who has campaigned against corruption and for economic reform, has sought new elections while still at the peak of his popularity. Deputy parliament speaker Eduard Sharmazanov said the bill approved Tuesday aimed to "defend freedom and rights of lawmakers", denying it was to prevent a snap poll. Fast-food workers protest in Flint, Mich. People gather to tend to a protester lying on the ground after a truck hit protesters calling for the right to form unions on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018, in Flint, Mich. Police said it appeared to be an accident. (Photo: Jake May/Flint Journal via AP) Several people were injured before dawn Tuesday when a pickup truck collided with a group of protesters calling for higher pay and the right to form unions in Michigan, in what police said appeared to be an accident. Police Chief Tim Johnson said that he doesnt believe the crash near a fast-food restaurant in Flint was intentional and that the driver seemed pretty shaken up afterward. Johnson initially said four or five people had non-life-threatening injuries, but later said eight were hospitalized. We just came from the hospital. Several people were getting released, Service Employees International Union President Mary Kay Henry told the Associated Press a few hours after the protest. Three still are being observed. Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer was among those participating in the protest. She wasnt injured, and a post on her Twitter account says shes incredibly sad that so many people were hurt. Whitmer and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican, are battling for governor. The protests are part of an effort to elect pro-union candidates in the November general election. Walkouts are planned in Milwaukee on Wednesday and Chicago on Thursday. (AP) See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. Donald Trump has claimed he would be happy if the FBI interviewed all three of the women who have accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual offences. Amid criticisms that the White House had limited the scope of an additional background check into his Supreme Court nominee, Mr Trump said it was up to FBI agents to speak to whomever they wanted to, including Mr Kavanaugh. He also said if the probe turned something up about his nominee, he would have to look at it. Asked if the bureau should speak to the three women who have accused Mr Kavanaugh Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez and Julie Smetnick the president responded: It would not bother me at all. I dont know the third accuser. Im sure theyre going to interview two of them. He added: The third, I dont know much about, but it would not bother me at all. I have heard that the third accuser I dont know this to be true has very little credibility. If there is any credibility, interview the third one. On Monday, the New York Times reported FBI agents had been directed by the White House and senate Republicans to interview just four people Mr Kavanaughs friend Mark Judge, PJ Smyth, another high school friend, Leland Keyser, a high school friend of one of Ms Ford and Ms Ramirez. Michael Avenatti, a lawyer representing Ms Smetnick, said it was very wrong that she was not being given a chance to speak to agents. It is outrageous that my client has not been contacted by the FBI because Trump is instructing them not to. He is trying to ram through a nomination by purposely preventing the truth from being known. This is a threat to our very democracy, he tweeted. Be clear: 1. I CANNOT just walk my client into an FBI office. We tried that. They claim they dont have jurisdiction and they refuse to take a stmt. 2. While we may file a criminal complaint, that will have no bearing on any vote due to timing. We will proceed with other options. Former FBI Director James Comey wrote an op-ed saying it appeared the limited nature of the probe was designed to thwart the fact-gathering process. Story continues If truth were the only goal, there would be no clock, and the investigation wouldnt have been sought after the Senate Judiciary Committee already endorsed the nominee, he wrote in the Times. Instead, it seems that the Republican goal is to be able to say there was an investigation and it didnt change their view, while the Democrats hope for incriminating evidence to derail the nominee. At the White House, where Mr Trump started by talking about a new trade deal agreed with Canada and Mexico the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) the president initially declined to answer questions about his nominee. As journalists continued to press him he said he wanted the FBI to do a comprehensive investigation into sexual assault allegations against Mr Kavanaugh, while seeking to suggest he would leave the parameters of the probe to Senate Republicans. I want them to do a very comprehensive investigation. Whatever that means, according to the senators and the Republicans and the Republican majority, I want them to do that, Mr Trump said. With that being said, Id like it to go quickly. He also said he was happy agents spoke to Mr Kavanaugh again. Its up to them. I think the FBI should interview anybody they want, but within reason. Reports from Capitol Hill suggest Republicans are determined the investigation satisfies the concerns of three senators in particular Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Jeff Flake. It was Mr Flake who pressed for the probe, threatening to withhold his support if it did not take place. Mr Trump said he instructed White House counsel Don McGahn over the weekend to give the FBI a free hand to interview whatever witnesses the agency considered necessary. Mr Flake said he was in close touch with Mr McGahns office to ensure a thorough investigation. We certainly want the FBI to do a real investigation and we are working to make sure that happens, Mr Flake said at an event in Boston, according to Reuters. It does no good to have an investigation that gives us more cover, for example. We actually need to find out what we can find out. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the chamber will vote this week on Mr Kavanaugh. A spokesman for Mr McConnell declined to clarify whether McConnell was referring to procedural votes or a final vote on whether to confirm the judge. Meanwhile, two more Yale classmates of Mr Kavanaugh, Dan Murphy and Chris Dudley, have released statements on the nominee saying they never saw him blackout while drinking. At the same time, in a letter sent on Monday to the White House and FBI, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee provided the names of more than than two dozen people they would like to see interviewed as part of the probe. New York (AFP) - Donald Trump helped his parents dodge millions of dollars in taxes and received far more money from his father's real estate empire than he has claimed in the past, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Trump "participated in dubious tax schemes during the 1990s, including instances of outright fraud, that greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents," the newspaper said. Trump has stated on numerous occasions that he received little help from his father, New York property developer Fred Trump, in building his fortune. But the newspaper said its exhaustive investigation of a vast trove of tax returns and confidential records found this was not true. It said that Trump received the equivalent of $413 million in today's dollars from his father's real estate activities. "By age 3, Mr. Trump was earning $200,000 a year in today's dollars from his father's empire," the Times said. "He was a millionaire by age 8. "Soon after Mr. Trump graduated from college, he was receiving the equivalent of $1 million a year from his father," it said. "The money increased with the years, to more than $5 million annually in his 40s and 50s." "Much of this money came to Mr. Trump because he helped his parents dodge taxes," the Times said. "He and his siblings set up a sham corporation to disguise millions of dollars in gifts from their parents," it said. Trump also "helped his father take improper tax deductions worth millions more," the newspaper added. "He also helped formulate a strategy to undervalue his parents' real estate holdings by hundreds of millions of dollars on tax returns, sharply reducing the tax bill." The Times said Trump's parents, Fred and Mary Trump, who died respectively in 1999 and 2000, transferred more than $1 billion in wealth to their children. This could have produced a tax bill of at least $550 million but the Trumps paid a total of just $52.2 million, the Times said, citing tax records. Story continues Trump declined to comment on the article but Charles Harder, one of his lawyers, issued a statement to the newspaper. "The New York Times's allegations of fraud and tax evasion are 100 percent false, and highly defamatory," Harder said. "There was no fraud or tax evasion by anyone. The facts upon which The Times bases its false allegations are extremely inaccurate." "President Trump had virtually no involvement whatsoever with these matters," Harder added. "The affairs were handled by other Trump family members who were not experts themselves and therefore relied entirely upon the aforementioned licensed professionals to ensure full compliance with the law." Breaking with the practice of past presidents, Trump has refused so far to release his tax returns. Mr Trump Jr says he is more concerned for his boys than his girls: DailyMailTV screenshot Donald Trump Jr has said he is more worried for his sons than his daughters in the wake of testimony last week from Dr Christine Blasey Ford, who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Mr Trump Jr made the comment while on the campaign trail in Montana, where he is supporting a Republican candidate for the US Senate. I've got boys, and I've got girls, Mr Trump Jr told DailyMailTV, referring to the three sons and two daughters he has with his estranged wife Vanessa Trump. And when I see what's going on right now, it's scary. When asked which of his children he is more concerned for he replied: "Right now I'd say my sons." Dr Ford testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, and accused Mr Kavanaugh of attempted rape when they were both teenagers in Maryland over three decades ago. During that testimony, Dr Ford told the Senate she was pushed into a room at a house party, and that Mr Kavanaugh then a teenager, and allegedly very drunk groped her, attempted to take off her clothes, and put his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. Dr Ford said during her testimony she has no doubt the incident occurred. "For the people who are real victims of these things, when it is so obviously political in cases like this, it really diminishes the real claims," Mr Trump Jr said of those accusations. Mr Kavanaugh, during his own testimony, denied he ever did such a thing and repeatedly portrayed the accusations as a partisan attack on his character intended to deny him a seat on the Supreme Court. Since the testimony last week, the FBI has opened an investigation to probe the issue and the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved his nomination to be taken to vote before the entire Senate. It is unclear if Mr Kavanaugh one of the most contentious Supreme Court nominees in recent history will be confirmed once the Senate considers his nomination in full. The Senate is currently comprised of 51 Republicans, and 49 Democrats, so any delineation from Senate Republicans could cost the nomination if Democrats all vote against Mr Kavanaughs nomination. The FBI investigation was approved by the White House, and is expected to be concluded within one week. Fox News host Tucker Carlson attacked Democrats on Monday for questioning the scope of the FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He said Democrats arent looking for justice, but instead are fomenting a new era of racism. On Tucker Carlson Tonight the commentator claimed that only Senate Republicans believe Kavanaughs Senate confirmation proceedings have anything to do with sexual abuse, and that Democrats have a different agenda. Its not about Brett Kavanaugh at this point, Carlson said. Its about punishing everybody who looks like Brett Kavanaugh. The New York Times reported on Monday that Democrats were concerned that White House-imposed limitations on the FBI probe could turn it into a farce. The White House requested interviews with just four witnesses two high school friends of Kavanaugh; a friend of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford; and another of the judges accusers, Deborah Ramirez, according to the paper. This came about after Republicans reluctantly agreed to a weeklong FBI investigation following tense testimony from Kavanaugh and Blasey at a hearing last week. Following the outcry from Democrats, and some moderate Republicans, President Donald Trump on Monday reversed the restrictions on the probe and said he wanted a very comprehensive investigation. Democrats arent looking for justice here, Carlson said. They want a revolution. For 60 years theyve been telling us that it is immoral to judge people by their skin color and they were right about that. Absolutely right. They put up a monument to Martin Luther King on the National Mall just in case we forgot. And yet, suddenly, without notifying the rest of us, they have changed the rules. Anyone who doesnt judge others on the basis of skin color, is, wait for it now, a bigot. Refuse to commit racism? Youre a racist. H/T Media Matters Related... Tucker Carlson Gets Schooled By Brit Hume On His Own Show Story continues Tucker Carlson Blames Sexual Assault Victims For Not Going To The Police Tucker Carlson Blames Democrats For Death Threats Against Christine Blasey Ford Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Istanbul (AFP) - An Istanbul court on Tuesday sentenced a gunman to 10 months in jail over a 2016 shooting incident targeting an opposition journalist, but acquitted him of threatening with a gun. Can Dundar, the opposition journalist targetted in the incident, who now lives in exile in Germany, condemned the penalty as absurdly light and likely to encourage further attacks. At the time of the May 6, 2016 attack, Dundar was editor of opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper and locked in a legal battle with the authorities over his reporting. He was waiting outside the Istanbul court during a break in the hearing when Sahin aimed the gun and fired, but was bundled away by police. Although Dundar was unharmed in the attack, an NTV journalist was hit in the leg. The court sentenced gunman Murat Sahin to 10 months in jail and ordered him to pay a 4,500 lira fine (750 dollars), Turkish media reported. But it acquitted him of the charge of threatening with a gun, jailing him for "carrying an unlicensed gun". He was fined the 4,500 lira for wounding the NTV journalist. Responding to the verdict on social media, Dundar wrote: "What is the punishment of firing a gun at a journalist in Turkey? Acquittal. If the assailant injures another mistakenly? 4,500 lira. "This decision is a medal given to a person who pointed gun at journalist. And it is a message of support to those who fire: 'Don't hesitate. The state is behind you.'" Dundar was on trial at the time over a Cumhuriyet story that alleged Turkey was sending arms to militants in Syria. He was eventually sentenced to five years and 10 months jail for revealing state secrets. While free pending appeal he fled to Germany, saying there was no reason to serve the jail sentence for his Cumhuriyet story. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had vowed he would "pay a price" for the report. During a visit to Berlin last week, Erdogan handed Germany a list of dozens of people it wants extradited, including Dundar. "He is a person who has disclosed state secrets," he said. "It is our natural right to want the extradition of a guilty individual." Gunman Sahin, although detained following the attack, had been released on bail by the court in October 2016 pending trial. By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washington's envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. The United States believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has consistently denied any such violation. U.S. ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if development of the medium-range system continued. "At that point, we would be looking at the capability to take out a (Russian) missile that could hit any of our countries," Hutchison told a news conference. "Counter measures (by the United States) would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty," she added. "They are on notice." Hutchison later clarified in a tweet that she was not talking about a preemptive strike against Russia. "My point: Russia needs to return to INF Treaty compliance or we will need to match its capabilities to protect US & NATO interests. The current situation, with Russia in blatant violation, is untenable." The 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty bans medium-range missiles capable of hitting Europe or Alaska. In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the United States had for some time argued that Moscow was not in compliance with the treaty. "What Ambassador Hutchison was talking about was improving overall defense and deterrence posture," Nauert told a news conference. "The United States is committed to upholding its arms control obligations and expects Russia to do the very same thing," she said, adding that the U.S. was discussing the issue with its allies. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that such statements were dangerous, and that it would provide detailed answers to Washington. "It seems that people who make such statements do not realize the level of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric," TASS news agency quoted spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying. In the past, the ministry has said it is ready for talks with the United States to try to preserve the treaty and would comply with its obligations if the United States did. But that same year, the U.S. State Department report found Russia had violated obligations "not to possess, produce, or flight-test" a ground-launched cruise missile with a range capability of 500 km to 5,500 km (310-3,420 miles), "or to possess or produce launchers of such missiles." The U.S. accusations are likely to further strain relations between Moscow and the West that are at a low over Russia's 2014 seizure of Crimea, its bombing campaign in Syria and accusations of meddling in Western elections. "We have been trying to send a message to Russia for several years that we know they are violating the treaty; we have shown Russia the evidence that we have that they are violating the treaty," Hutchison said. "We are laying down the markers so that our allies will help us bring Russia to the table," she added. U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said he would discuss the issue with his NATO counterparts at a scheduled two-day meeting in Brussels from Wednesday. "I cannot forecast where it will go, it is a decision for the president, but I can tell you that both on Capitol Hill and in State Department, there is a lot of concern about this situation and I'll return with the advice of our allies and engage in that discussion to determine the way ahead," he told reporters in Paris. (Additional reporting by Idrees Ali in Paris; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and James Dalgleish) By Ankur Banerjee and Tamara Mathias (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it seized more than a thousand pages of documents from Juul Labs related to the company's sales and marketing practices after a surprise inspection, the latest clampdown on e-cigarette companies. The FDA said last month it was considering a ban on flavored e-cigarettes from Juul and others as the agency grapples with an "epidemic" of youth e-cigarette use that threatens to create a new generation of nicotine addicts. Retail sales of Juul grew more than seven-fold from 2016 to 2017, according to a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). By December, Juul comprised nearly 1 in 3 e-cigarette sales nationally, it said. The CDC study of retail sales did not include online sales or sales at vape shops. Juul has about 72 percent of the U.S. market for e-cigarette sales, according to Wells Fargo. "Juuling," along with "vaping," has become a common term for e-cigarette use by teenagers on social media and at U.S. high schools. E-cigarettes vaporize a liquid that contains nicotine, the addictive stimulant that gives smokers a rush. The inspection, completed on Friday, followed a request in April for documents that would help the agency better understand the high rates of use and appeal among youth of Juul products. The FDA also said it conducted inspections of several of Juul's contract manufacturing units earlier this year. "We've now released over 50,000 pages of documents to the FDA since April that support our public statements," Juul Chief Executive Officer Kevin Burns said in a statement, adding the meeting with the regulator was constructive and transparent. "We want to be part of the solution in preventing underage use, and we believe it will take industry and regulators working together to restrict youth access". The FDA's regulation of e-cigarettes has come under the spotlight as Juul's popularity surged. U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Lisa Murkowski in a letter on Tuesday urged the FDA to immediately ban child-friendly e-cigarette flavorings and restrict online sales of nicotine products. While it remains unclear whether e-cigarettes can actually help adults quit smoking cigarettes, it is abundantly clear that tobacco companies are developing and marketing e-cigarette flavors that appeal to, and addict, children, the senators wrote. In July, Durbin, a Democrat, and Murkowski, a Republican, introduced legislation that would place restrictions on e-cigarette flavorings that appeal to children like gummy bear, chocolate cupcake and tutti fruitti. Along with the Juul phenomenon, a new wave of lower-priced Juul knockoffs are showing up at convenience stores, vape shops and online, despite an FDA rule that banned the sale of new e-cigarettes after August 2016 without regulatory approval. Startups and major tobacco firms have launched more than a dozen new high-nicotine devices with Juul-like designs since the FDA imposed the deadline, according to a Reuters review of the companies' online advertisements, social media posts and public statements. Shares of tobacco companies, including Philip Morris , Altria , British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands , jumped after the FDA announcement. Juul's flash-drive-like device is recharged via a USB port. The device comes with cartridges, or pods, of nicotine-based liquids in flavors like mango, creme and mint that critics say appeal to minors. The newest liquid blends from Juul and its imitators - called "nicotine salts" in the industry - contain a compound called benzoic acid, which lowers the pH level of the liquid. That reduction allows users to take in more nicotine without a bitter taste, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Reporting by Tamara Mathias and Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru and Yasmeen Abutaleb in Washington; Editing by Maju Samuel and Sriraj Kalluvila) By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is close to working with Saudi Arabia on building nuclear power reactors, but talks on tough non-proliferation standards with the kingdom remain a challenge, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Wednesday. Perry has held talks with several Saudi leaders this year, including King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, on the kingdom's ambition of initially building two nuclear power stations. Saudi Arabia wants to ultimately construct 16 reactors in coming decades at a cost of about $80 billion. Discussions had been held up on Saudi Arabia's desire to relax nonproliferation standards and potentially allow the country to enrich uranium and reprocess plutonium, technologies that non-proliferation advocates worry could one day be covertly altered to produce fissile material for nuclear weapons. Perry said progress on non-proliferation standards had been made, but that talks were not going as quickly as either side would have hoped. Perry has shared with Saudi leaders that being "perceived as very, very strong on non-proliferation was a most important message, globally," he told reporters at the Energy Department headquarters. Perry said part of the talks center on making sure any nuclear inspections would not be intrusive for sensitive areas in the kingdom. In July, South Korea said its state-run utility KEPCO along with the United States, France, China and Russia had been shortlisted to bid for a nuclear power project in Saudi Arabia and that the winner would likely be selected in 2019. Washington hopes Saudi Arabia will buy nuclear power technology from U.S. companies, including Westinghouse, which recently emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy and abandoned plans to build two advanced AP1000 reactors in the United States. If Saudi Arabia signs a deal that relaxes the safeguards, the United Arab Emirates could be free to break a deal it signed with Washington years ago and enrich uranium. The UAE deal contained the "gold standard" in such 123 nuclear agreements, because it contained safeguards against enriching and preprocessing. Westinghouse said it would defer to the customer, Saudi Arabia, for comment. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Joseph Radford) Geneva (AFP) - A United Nations legal expert has voiced concern over India's plan to deport on Wednesday seven Rohingyas to Myanmar where the army is accused of ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority. The men have been held in prison in Assam state on charges of illegally entering India and are due to be sent back on October 3, the UN Special Rapporteur on racism, Tendayi Achiume, said Tuesday. "Given the ethnic identity of the men, this is a flagrant denial of their right to protection and could amount to refoulement," the law professor said in a statement. "The Indian government has an international legal obligation to fully acknowledge the institutionalised discrimination, persecution, hate and gross human rights violations these people have faced in their country of origin and provide them the necessary protection." Achiume said New Delhi was obliged to refer Rohingyas under its custody to the UN refugee agency to assess their protection needs. More than 700,000 ethnic Rohingya fled an offensive by Myanmar troops launched nearly a year ago in reprisal for attacks on border posts by Rohingya rebels who took up arms against the ill-treatment of the stateless minority. The United Nations has termed the repression "ethnic cleansing" and "genocide". Myanmar's army has denied nearly all wrongdoing, insisting its campaign was justified to root out Rohingya insurgents. The UN expert said she was "appalled" at the amount of time the seven men from Kyauk Daw township in central Rakhine state had been detained. "Prolonged detention of this kind is prohibited," Achiume said. "It could be considered arbitrary, and could even fall under the category of inhuman and degrading treatment." The scheduled deportations follow an Indian government order last year to return Rohingyas, but the Supreme Court is still considering a petition challenging the order on the grounds it was unconstitutional. Story continues The UN expert said nearly 200 Rohingyas are known to be detained in India on charges of illegal entry. "We urge the government of India to abide by the international norm of non-refoulement and protect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees including Rohingyas," she said. While successive waves of Rohingyas have fled into Bangladesh, small numbers have found their way to India and Nepal while a small community has also been established in Pakistan. Accra (AFP) - Melania Trump on Tuesday arrived in Ghana on the first leg of her maiden, solo tour of Africa that has been billed as a chance to carve her own diplomatic path. The US first lady stepped off an overnight flight from Andrews Airforce Base near Washington and onto a red carpet at Accra's Kotoka International Airport. She was met by her Ghanaian counterpart Rebecca Akufo-Addo and a group of local schoolchildren in yellow and brown uniforms waving the US stars and stripes and the Ghanaian flag. An AFP reporter at the airport said the former model was smiling and looked relaxed as she was entertained by a troupe of traditional drummers and dancers. The first lady's office has said the tour will be a "diplomatic and humanitarian visit" that will focus on her #BeBest campaign for "children and their well-being". It will also "showcase" the work of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), even at a time when her husband's government is looking to slash US aid across the world. In addition to Ghana, she is due to visit Malawi, Kenya and Egypt before returning to Washington early on October 7. Istanbul (AFP) - A lawyer for the US pastor whose detention in Turkey sparked a crisis with Washington will appeal Wednesday to the constitutional court for his release. The move comes ahead of an October 12 hearing in the Andrew Brunson case and amid growing expectations he will be allowed to return home. Since July, Brunson has been under house arrest at his home in the western city of Izmir. Previously, he had been held in jail after being detained in October 2016. His lawyer, Cem Halavurt, told AFP they would lodge the appeal in Ankara at 0700 GMT Wednesday. Brunson, an evangelical who runs a small evangelical Protestant church in Izmir, is the centre of a bitter standoff between the Turkey and the United States. Washington imposed sanctions on Turkey over the summer and Ankara imposed sanctions of its own, leading to an escalation that prompted a crash in value of the Turkish lira. The Turkish authorities detained Brunson on allegations of assisting groups branded as terrorist, part of a crackdown by the Turkish government following the failed coup in 2016. But there have been signs the standoff could be easing. Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his hope Turkey would release the pastor. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday Ankara hoped to rebuild relations with Washington, while adding that the pastor was on trial for his "murky relations with terror groups". The easing of tension has helped the Turkish lira recover from historic lows in recent weeks. Abdulkadir Selvi, a pro-government columnist for the Hurriyet daily, wrote Monday that the court on October 12 might rule to lift Brunson's house arrest and travel ban, allowing him to return home. Donald Trump has announced the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) as a replacement to the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). The president, who campaigned on the promise to cancel Nafta as being unfair to the US, said the new deal will bring hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Washington and Ottawa reach an agreement after more than a year of renegotiating the estimated $24.8 trillion Nafta agreement. The goal, Mr Trump said, was to return the US to being a manufacturing powerhouse. Speaking in Ottawa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the pact removed the uncertainty of not having any kind of solid trade agreement but he admitted Canada had to make some difficult compromises. Canadas dairy sector, in particular, criticised Mr Trudeau for opening the market to American dairy farmers, particularly from farmers in the US state of Wisconsin where Mr Trump and Republicans hope to win key races in the upcoming November midterm elections. How different is the USMCA from Nafta? Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Washington-based free trade advocacy Council of the Americas, told The Independent, the USMCA is like a mash-up. Compared to the existing Nafta, however, some provisions are a step back, while some are an advance, depending on the sector in question, he noted. He said there are some legacy provisions from Nafta and certain provisions from the aborted Trans-Pacific Partnership, with some new concepts thrown in. One of the new provisions is a clause which aims to raise wages in the Mexican auto sector, Mr Farnsworth said. The main points are that Canada has opened its dairy sector somewhat and areas like the digital economy, will see provisions more in line with global best practices, Mr Farnsworth said. Who are the winners? Mr Trump can consider this a win since he campaigned on getting rid of Nafta. No doubt his team will now turn towards another favourite trade target of his: China. Story continues He was able to get Canada and Mexico to not only ditch the name Nafta, which the president intensely disliked, and gained a few points with American farmers as voters go to the polls in less than five weeks. Mr Trudeau may have lost favour with Canadian dairy farmers, but his negotiators were able to keep the dispute resolution clause in the agreement. It is a win for the large Canadian lumber sector which has been facing decades of litigation in the US Department of Commerce. On a broader scale, both Canada and Mexico may have been able to fulfil their shared goal to maintain some sort of trade order in Mr Trumps chaotic renegotiations. Mr Farnsworth said: Compared to no NAFTA, its a better deal because it maintains trilateral supply chains and keeps the North American economic space organised by one prevailing document. Also, as The Washington Post reported, Mr Trump went out of his way to criticise the Canadian negotiating team in the final days of deliberations, which Trudeau can play up as a sign of just how hard his staff fought on this deal. Labour unions in the auto sector, especially in Mexico, may also consider a win with the USMCA. The agreement states at least 30 to 40 per cent of automobiles must be made by workers earning at least $16 per hour (12.27), which is approximately triple the current wage for manufacturing workers in Mexico. The agreement also makes it easier for workers to form labour unions in the country, which all means American and Canadian workers jobs may not make financial sense for companies to outsource to Mexico. Who loses out? A senior administration official said ahead of the announced the USMCA has become a playbook for future trade deals, which could signal trouble for China. The presidents propensity to attack all existing bilateral and multilateral deals as inherently unfair to US workers may be a thorn in their side as the pair are also alternately butting heads and marginally cooperating on issues like North Korea and the South China Sea. American car buyers may be one of the more tangible losers on this deal. Since wages are going up for Mexican auto workers, overall industry costs may increase as well. Selection may also decrease as some smaller models which are usually made south of the border may not be able to brought in once the deal goes into effect. What about steel tariffs? When Mr Trump slapped high steel and aluminium tariffs on Canada and Europe, Mr Trudeau called it insulting since the justification the US used was national security concerns. After heavy lobbying, Canada and Mexico were exempt from the 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent import duty on aluminium. Ottawa had wanted some protections from these so-called Section 232 tariffs in the USMCA but it received no guarantees from the US for any tariffs associated with automobiles. Those will be dealt with in a separate set of negotiations, in which Canada may or may not be successful given the fervour with which the Trump administration is pursuing protection of US steel industry ahead of his own 2020 election. In March of this year, Mr Trump tweeted: Trade wars are good and easy to win. The president took out the words free trade from the agreement, what does that mean? Mr Farnsworth indicated if the USMCA passes through all three countries legislators it removes Nafta from the lexicon as a political lightning rod and symbolic stand-in for all that ails economies in the global era. What happens now? The deal is expected to take effect on 1 January 2020, but requires approval of all three governments. The US Congress will not consider the deal until after the midterm elections to allow the new Congress to deliberate it in 2019. Mr Trump said said he has no confidence Congress will actually approve it, adding: Anything you submit to Congress is trouble no matter what. He predicted Democrats would say: Trump likes it so were not going to approve it. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Do Muoi, who worked against the French colonial government and became a committed communist, has died at age 101. The government said in an announcement posted on its website that Muoi died late Monday night at the National Military Hospital 108 after battling a serious illness despite efforts by Vietnamese and foreign doctors to treat him. "Comrade Do Muoi had gone through various working positions and made great contribution to the revolutionary cause of the Party and nation," the statement said. State media quoted Phan Trong Kinh, Muoi's adviser, as saying that the former general secretary was admitted to the hospital nearly six months ago after having fever and breathing difficulties. Muoi had lung and kidney problems, he said adding Muoi was alert, listening to his daily news briefing but could not talk for several months. Born Nguyen Duy Cong in suburban district of Thanh Tri in Hanoi in 1917, Muoi participated in an anti-French movement in 1936 and joined the Communist Party of Indochina, the former Communist Party of Vietnam, three years later. He was arrested by the French colonial government in 1941 and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He escaped from prison before the uprising in 1945 under which President Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France. Muoi rose through the ranks in the party and government. He was elected to the all-powerful Politburo in 1982 and was appointed prime minister in 1988. He served as the head of the Communist Party for more than 6 years before stepping down in 1997. He rarely made public appearance in recent years. No funeral arrangements have been announced. Under a government decree, Muoi will be honored with a state funeral, which is reserved for those who have held the posts of general secretary, president, prime minister, chair-person of the National Assembly or those high-ranking officials with outstanding contributions to the country decided by the Politburo. President Tran Dai Quang was given a two-day state funeral last week after he died of a viral illness. General Vo Nguyen Giap, the mastermind behind the defeat of the French and then the Americans, was honored with a state funeral when he died in 2013 at age 102. Karen Dresser says an urgent care facility in Maryland denied Amelia, her black daughter, medical attention because she couldnt prove their relationship. (Photo: Facebook/Karen Dresser) A white mother says an urgent care facility denied her black daughter medical treatment, which she tells Yahoo Lifestyle is racist and discriminatory. Karen Dresser, 51, a fourth-grade school teacher in White Plains, Md., formally adopted her 12-year-old daughter, Amelia, in 2007, although they have lived as a family since the girl was a newborn. On Sept. 19, Dresser brought Amelia to the Patient First health clinic in Waldorf, Md. where the girl has been treated on various occasions for a suspected broken finger. When we arrived, a receptionist asked if I were her guardian and I interpreted that as parent, so I said yes, Dresser tells Yahoo Lifestyle. But it became clear that she didnt believe me. Dresser pointed out that Amelias medical records were already on file and was told, You should have brought guardianship documentation, which we need in order to treat your daughter. A representative from Patient First did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyles request for comment; however, the clinic sent a statement to San Fransisco local news station KRON 4, which read, During registration, if a minor patient is accompanied by an adult who states that they are the patients parent, we take them at their word. If the adult states that they are the childs guardian, we require documentation to confirm that before the patient can be registered. Dresser understands the rule, but says after explaining repeatedly that she was Amelias mother, no one believed her, and she was not asked to produce Amelias health insurance card, which bears their shared last name. According to the mom, the front desk called over a medical representative who, after a quick check of Amelias finger, advised her to buy a splint at Walgreens. Dresser and Amelia left and drove to a neighboring urgent care facility where the girl was treated immediately without question. They also stopped at Target to buy Amelia a gift, a stone that contains tiny treasures. Story continues That day, Dresser wrote a Facebook post about her ordeal and emailed a complaint letter to Patient First, which she also shared. As a Caucasian woman, I understand that there are places where people might feel obligated to ensure that we are related, Dresser wrote on Facebook. However, one of those places is certainly not an urgent care facility where I am using my familys insurance to pay for medical treatment. My child has medical insurance with our surname listed on it. I had my licenseif I had a white daughter, would they expect me to carry a birth certificate on my person? No, they would not have discriminated against us. Dresser continued, This violation of patient care rights is absolutely unacceptable. As a schoolteacher and conscientious human being, I know better than to make verbal assumptions about families. The people at your facility made an assumption about my family that was most certainly based on race. At a minimum, your employees need to have immediate and intense sensitivity training. The mom has received Facebook messages from white parents whose black children were allegedly denied medical care based on the same types of rules, including a mother in Texas whose son was forced to wait while he suffered an asthma attack, and a North Carolina grandmother who had to drive back home to collect paperwork before her grandson could be treated. Dresser received an apology from Patient First, but says it lacked empathy. I wish they had admitted to handling the situation incorrectly, she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. It would also help if parents were clearly asked, Are you a guardian or a parent? Amelia stayed calm during the incident, says Dresser, but she no longer wants to be treated at Patient First. We live in a very diverse county with all types of families, says Dresser. Weve never experienced anything like this. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. La Paz (AFP) - Bolivia's President Evo Morales lashed out Tuesday as a "biased" International Court of Justice ruling that rejected La Paz's demand for access to the sea from neighbor Chile. Morales told reporters in La Paz that he would personally send a letter to the court "showing the contradictions" in the court's verdict "which did not give justice to Bolivia." Morales -- who petitioned the world court in 2013 to oblige Chile to give landlocked Bolivia a land corridor to the Pacific -- attended the reading of the court verdict in The Hague. Bolivia lost 400 kilometers (250 miles) of coastline in a 1879-1883 war with Chile. Ever since, Santiago has rejected every attempt by its smaller and poorer neighbor to win it back. The issue has long been a strain on relations between the two South American countries. Morales told reporters on his return from The Hague that the court "knows very well where this injustice comes from: the invasion of Bolivian territory." "It is not possible for the court to benefit invaders," the firebrand leftist leader said. Morales -- who has been in power since 2006 -- also announced he would send a letter of protest to the United Nations so that world opinion would be aware of the injustice suffered by Bolivia. On Sept. 27, Dr. Christine Blasey Fords testimony placed Mark Judge in the room during the alleged sexual assault on her by Brett Kavanaugh when they were teenagers. Following Fords testimony, Judges lawyer sent a second letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee in which he denied his client had any recollection of the alleged events. But this time Judge signed it personally, under penalty of felony. What does that mean, and how is it different from penalty of perjury? Yahoo News explains. A $38 billion aid package signed between Israel and the US during the Obama administration went into effect on Tuesday. White House spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that $3.8 billion would be injected into the Israeli military every year over the next ten years in accordance with the terms of the agreement that was signed in September 2016. The deal was the largest ever delivered by the US to any country in its history. IDF soldiers, Shin Bet forces and the Israel Border Police arrested 21 wanted terror suspects in the West Bank during the festival of Simchat Torah and overnight Monday. The suspects are believed to have taken part in riots and participated in terror activities. A suspicious balloon was discovered overnight Monday near the Givati Junction between Ashkelon and Kiryat Gata distant area in which incendiary balloons launched from Gaza have rarely landed. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Route 232 was temporarily closed while sappers arrived at the scene to investigate the device. Riots in northern Gaza (Photo: AFP) Earlier on Monday, firefighters battled with four fires near the Gaza border region that were caused by incendiary balloons. Some 4,000 Palestinians participated in riots in the northern Gaza Strip, as crowd hurled rocks, Molotov Cocktails and launched fireworks at IDF soldiers who responded with riot-dispersal techniques. (Photo: Ronen Ha'Melech) Boats anchored on Gazas main port also set sail toward Israel, prompting IDF soldiers to fire warning shots into the air. Last Friday, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported Friday that seven people, including three teenagers, aged 12, 14 and 18, were killed and at least 90 wounded by IDF fire during violent clashes that erupted along Gaza Strip's frontier with Israel. Some 20,000 demonstrators assembled at several locations near the border fence in response to calls by Hamas, who had recently promised to escalate border violence in order to advance the indirect ceasefire talks with Israel, which have reportedly collapsed. It was the largest demonstration held in Gaza since the March of Return protests began six months ago. The police also located an incendiary balloon overnight Sunday near the Ligad industrial zone in Modi'in, prompting sappers to naturalize the flammable object. Neither casualties nor damage were reported. The doctors of Religious Services Minister David Azoulay were called to his home in Haifa on Monday night after his condition worsened amid his battle with cancer. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Minister Azoulay, 64, was discharged from the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem's Ein Karem two weeks ago. Minister David Azoulay (Photo: Amit Shabi) Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who heads the Shas party, has called on the public to "pray for the full recovery of Religious Services Minister David Azoulay, may the Lord preserve and keep him alive. David, son of Perla, who needs great mercy from the Heavens. The great G-d will not grow tired of the prayers of many." Because of his treatments, Azoulay has often missed Knesset sessions. He was supposed to resign from the parliament in January but stayed on until March. He was replaced in the Knesset by his son Yinon Azoulay. SEOUL - South Korea says North Korea is estimated to have up to 60 nuclear weapons. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told parliament the estimates on the size of North Korea's nuclear arsenal range from 20 bombs to as many as 60. His comment Monday was the first time a senior Seoul official publicly talked about the size of the North's secretive weapons arsenal. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman backed IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot on Tuesday, saying the IDF hasn't been as ready and prepared for war as it is today since 1967. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "We're at the highest level of preparedness since the Six-Day War," Lieberman asserted in an interview with Ynet. The defense minister rejected a report by IDF Ombudsman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brick, which asserted the military's preparedness has been significantly harmed. Defense Minister Lieberman (Photo: Efi Shrir) "I read the report and spoke to Brick several times, and he makes important comments in his report. (But) I think he's greatly mistaken about one issuethe issue of the IDF's preparedness for war," Lieberman said. "I'm not just saying it because this is what I think, (I'm saying it) as someone who has been sitting on the (Security) Cabinet for decades." He did note, however, that "it's not that we don't have problems. (The IDF) is a massive machine with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of different military instrumentsfrom planes to APCs and sniper rifles." The IDF's state of preparedness "will never be ideal," the defense minister said. "But when I compare it throughout the yearssince 1967, we haven't been as prepared as we are today." Lieberman also hit back at Education Minister Nafatli Bennett, who often criticizes the defense minister, charging Sunday that "terror is continuing at the expense of the security of our residents thanks to Liebermans policy of restraint and weakness." Education Minister Bennett (Photo: Marc Israel Sellem) "I suggest Minister Bennett talks about education and not security," Lieberman said. "There's a reason he's not talking about education. Bennett is willing, for just one seat (in parliament), to sacrifice both education and security. Bennett is focusing solely on politics, as he's done since arriving in politics." He accused Bennett of already starting his election campaign, adding "the next elections will be characterized by a struggle between a zealot messianic right-wing and a stately, responsible right-wing that I represent." He argued that "I live among my people, unlike Mr. Bennett who lives in Raanana. I live in (the settlement of) Nokdim, I know exactly what the public thinks. And the people understand and trust that we're prepared for any possible scenario in the future." The defense minister stressed he didn't want "to conquer Gaza or give citizenship to tens of thousands of Palestinians. Instead, I want to maintain the Jewish state." "The citizens of Israel will have to decide what they want: a binational state as Bennett wants, or a Jewish state as I propose." Rioting in Gaza (Photo: AFP) Addressing Bennett's claims about the security situation on the Gaza border, Lieberman asserted that "Hamas is inflaming the area because it realizes it could lose control, and it's trying to channel the masses' rage towards Israel. Hamas understands it has failed." "We can't reach any agreements with them," he added, noting however that "We're not looking for escalation and adventures." "I hope the Gaza residents overthrow the Hamas regime," Lieberman continued. "As someone who follows social media, I think they understand that if they want to ensure a better future for their children, they must get rid of Hamas." Some 100 teachers protested outside the government building in Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning, demanding to improve their employment conditions and salary. The teachers also lamented the fact their pay slip is made up of a long list of items and is at times almost "impossible to read and understand." A public sukkah at the Carl Schurz Park on Manhattan's Upper East Side was vandalized on Sunday morning, with the words "Free Gaza" spray-painted three times on its walls. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force launched an investigation into the incident. "It's a slap in the face," Rabbi Ben Krasnianski, director of Chabad of the UES, told local media. "It's really very vicious. There is no room for this hatred in New York City." Hate crime at Manhattan park A group of locals covered the hateful writing with their own graffiti, writing "Shalom" and "Sukkah of Unity" on it. "The only response we know, and the way we've responded for the last 3,800 years, is to respond to darkness with light, to hate with love and to negativity with positivity," Rabbi Krasnianski noted. The local Chabad House also held a street festival celebrating Jewish pride and solidarity on Monday night as another response to the hate crime, as well as to celebrate the last night of Sukkot. The sukkah after the hate graffiti was covered Assaf Weiss, the director of Programming and Operations at the American Jewish Congress, expressed concern of the "clear anti-Semitic act that took place in New York, a center of the Jewish community in the US." He noted the sukkah was erected by private Jewish citizens, who have no ties to the Israeli government and its actions. "Attributing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to all Jews is another example of modern anti-Semitism under the guise of 'political struggle,'" Weiss said. "According to the Anti Defamation League, there was a 57 percent rise in anti-Semitic incidents across the US in 2017 alone. This horrible act of vandalism is another example of the concerning rise in anti-Semitism, and it stresses the importance of Jewish activity and advocacy by organizations such as the American Jewish Congress across the world," he added. The UN nuclear watchdog has said its independence is paramount and it does not take intelligence presented to it at face value, in an apparent response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's description of a "secret atomic warehouse" in Iran. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "The agency sends inspectors to sites and locations only when needed. The agency uses all safeguards relevant to information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said in a statement on Tuesday. Amano's statement made no specific reference to Israel or the statement but it is his first public pronouncement since Netanyahu's speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week. He said the IAEA has carried out so-called complementary access inspections, which are often at short notice, at all locations in Iran it has needed to visit. "All information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review and assessed together with other available information to arrive at an independent assessment based on the agency's own expertise," Amano said. "In order to maintain credibility, the agency's independence in relation to the implementation of verification activities is of paramount importance," he added. During a speech at the UN, Netanyahu revealed another secret atomic facility in Iran, some four months after he presented what he said was conclusive proof of a secret project underway in Iran for the development of nuclear weapons. What Im about to say has not been shown publicly before ... Today Im revealing the site of a second facility, Irans secret atomic warehouse, he said. Netanyahu speaks at the UNGA (: UN Web TV) X The new site Netanyahu identified sits a short distance from Shourabad, where the Mossad pinched a trove of documents and evidence showing that Iran had archived its nuclear materials despite the nuclear deal. When I spoke here 3 years ago Israel stood alone among the nations. Of the nearly 200 countries that sit in this hall, only Israel openly opposed the nuclear deal with Iran. We oppose it because it threatens our future, even our very survival, the prime minister said. We opposed it because the deal paved Irans path to a nuclear arsenal and the lifting of the sanction has fueled Irans campaign of carnage and conquest throughout the Middle East. We opposed it because the deal was based on a fundamental lie Israel exposed that lie. Continuing what has become a traditional characteristic of presenting visuals during his UN speeches, Netanyahu said Let me show you exactly what the secret atomic warehouse looks like. Here it is, while holding up a picture of satellite and up-close images. According to Netanyahu, the second secret site was right near a rug-cleaning store, which he quipped may now be radioactive. The prime minister also claimed the site contained some 15kg (33 pounds) of radioactive material that has now been moved as part of Iranian attempts to hide evidence of its nuclear weapons program. Iran dismissed Netanyahu's claims as laughable. The world will only laugh loudly at this type of false, meaningless and unnecessary speech and false shows, said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said, according to Fars News. Qassemi said Netanyahu's accusation was "not worth talking about." "These farcical claims and the show by the prime minister of the occupying regime (Israel) were not unexpected," he added. Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that there should be more scrutiny on Israels nuclear program and derided the visuals presented by the prime minister. No arts & craft show will ever obfuscate that Israel is only regime in our region with a secret and undeclared nuclear weapons programincluding an actual atomic arsenal, Zarif wrote on Twitter. Time for Israel to fess up and open its illegal nuclear weapons program to international inspectors, he added. The challenges facing the Gaza Strip are multiple and growing, both on land and at sea. They impact upon the wellbeing of its inhabitants. These challenges keep the Hamas-ruled territory isolated and underdeveloped, with chronic overcrowding and a lack of a functioning economy. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter But the formation of a new Palestinian political entity, which encompasses both Gaza and a part of the adjacent northern Sinai Peninsula, could go a long way to solving these issues. From a sea-based perspective, Gaza faces numerous problems. These include constant security friction between Gazan boats and the Israeli Navy in nearby Israeli territorial waters, overcrowded fishing spaces, and the lack of an international sea port. These challenges place Gazas development and stability in jeopardy. New State Solution would open the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to the wider world. A shipping port would facilitate large-scale trade, revitalize the Gazan economy, and help bring stability. A wider GazaSinai political entity could lead to the construction of a port large enough for a state, with suitable sea access, and a nearby industrial zone to support the ports daily activities. A large new port is under construction in the southern Israeli city of Ashdod at this time, meaning that the precedent for such a large-scale project in the region is already being set. The sea port model being followed by Israelis can be replicated for Gaza. The new port could be built along the Sinai coastline, though it would have to be done in such a way that it would avoid causing major ecological damage to the local marine eco-system. The port must not block the natural sand movements that occur underwater in the Mediterranean Sea, from the Nile Delta northwards towards the Israeli coastline. The exact location for the port along the Sinai Peninsula should be to the subject of further research to reduce and avoid potential ecological damage. It would seem that further south-west along the Sinai peninsula would be the best location for it. It is clear that if the new Palestinian state is run by a terrorist entity, like Gaza is today, a port, even a distant one, can create and pose serious security threats to Israel. Hence, for such a projecta portto be truly viable, the new Palestinian entity must be run by a non-terrorist government. Such a government cannot be guided by a fundamentalist anti-Israel ideology. In such a scenario, international investment can begin pouring into Gaza, and a port can create vital access to the outside world. The waters off the Sinai Peninsula are not very active at the moment, so there is room to build the new port. Gazas fishermen could operate off the Sinai coastline as well. This would address another problem that Gaza currently faces - overfishing - which has led to the amount of fish being drastically reduced in the coastal waters off Gaza. Gazan fishermen must make a living, but the lack of any limits to their activities, and Israels need to restrict their movements to a limited area, to avoid security risks, has produced an unhealthy effect on the local marine eco-system. Israel has placed naval restrictions around Gaza for security reasons. Hamass doctrine involves organizing terrorist, sea-based attacks (in the form of bomb-laden boats, for example), using civilian fishing vessels as a cover. This pattern follows the classic terrorist modus operandi of launching operations from among civilians. The proximity of Gaza to Israels territorial waters, as well as southern Israeli coastal cities, and offshore Israeli gas drilling rigs, means that a constant friction exists between Gaza and Israel in the Mediterranean Sea. All of these problems could be significantly reduced by widening Gazas sea area southwards, and stretching it out to include the Mediterranean waters off the north Sinai coastline. Such a solution could be part of the New State Solution encompassing Gaza and the designated territory in the northern Sinai. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Sisi (Photo: Avi Ohayon/GPO) The new Palestinian state and Israel could agree to move fishing boats away from the Israeli border. By doing so, both the security risk and the daily friction between Israel and Gaza would decrease substantially by way of the new state. This would also create larger fishing areas, benefiting both Gazas fishing industry, and the marine eco-system. Gazans could begin setting up fish farms, for example. Israel could end the need to constantly change the fishing zone for Gazans in accordance with the latest security evaluations. Additionally, for the Palestinians, the New State Solution opens the door to offshore gas exploration. Although it would take at least two decades for suitable infrastructure to develop, the potential for Gazans to have their own energy source would be highly beneficial for Gazas economy, and pave the path for heightened regional cooperation between Gaza, Israel, and the wider Arab world, which could cooperate in developing such a project. Ultimately, the creation of such a state can lead to a new reality, which is something no one has truly tried to accomplish in the region since the 1979 Camp David Accord between Egypt and Israel. With the passage of several decades from that time to this, I believe the time may be ripe for new ideas that are both bold and pragmatic. KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad described Jews as hook-nosed on Tuesday and blamed them for creating the troubles in the Middle East. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Mahathir, who at 93 became the worlds oldest head of government after starting his second stint as prime minister in May, has for decades been accused of anti-Semitism for his attacks against Jews, whom he has accused of perpetrating a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territories. If you are going to be truthful, the problem in the Middle East began with the creation of Israel. That is the truth. But I cannot say that, he said in an interview on BBCs Hard Talk. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad (Photo: AP) Calling Israelis special, Mahathir, prime minister of Muslim-majority Malaysia, challenged historical accounts that six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, arguing that the figure was four million. When asked why he described Jews as hook-nosed in his book The Malay Dilemma, he said: They are hook-nosed. Many people called the Malays fat-nosed. We didnt object, we didnt go to war for that. The Anti-Defamation League, a US-based organization against anti-Semitism, was not immediately available for comment but called out Mahathirs decades-long record of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories in a tweet in May. The world cannot accept this from any leader, the tweet read. Last week, when addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Mahathir said the world rewards Israel for breaking international laws and committing acts of terrorism against Palestinians. Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Tuesday rejected claims by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hezbollah has missile conversion facilities in Beirut, saying the "baseless" accusations "make up a new Israeli threat to Lebanon's sovereignty." He added his country would fight any Israeli aggression against its sovereignty. PARIS - Iran's nuclear ballistic program is a threat and the country's influence within the Middle East region is a major concern, said French defense minister Florence Parly on Tuesday. Parly was speaking as she held a meeting with US defense secretary James Mattis. Syria's missile defense systems had intercepted "more than a third" of the missiles fired by the Israeli Air Force during an attack in Latakia last month, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem told Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter On September 17, Israel mounted an attack on several targets in the Syrian coastal town, including a military rocket factory and an ammunition depot. According to a statement issued by the IDF after the attack, IAF aircraft "attacked a facility from which the Syrian army intended to transfer systems for manufacturing high precision-guided weapons for Iran and Hezbollah. The weapons are meant to attack Israel and constitute an intolerable threat to it." IAF attack in Latakia During the attack, Syrian forces accidentally shot down a Russian Ilyushin IL-20 plane used for reconnaissance, killing all 15 crew members on board. Moscow blamed Israel , saying the IAF misled the Russians by presenting false information regarding the targets of the strike, preventing the Russian plane from leaving the danger zone. Russia also accused the IAF planes of using the Ilyushin IL-20 as a shield against Syria's anti-aircraft missiles. In response to the incident, Moscow announced it will provide Syria with the advanced S-300 missile defense system. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said over the weekend that the transfer of the S-300 system to Syria has already begun. 'Syria, Iran cooperated in attack on ISIS' During a wide-ranging interview with the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, set to air later Tuesday, Muallem also said the Iranian ballistic missiles attack on militants in eastern Syria the previous day was part of "legitimate" cooperation between the two countries to combat terrorism. Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched six ballistic missiles as well as drone bombers into eastern Syria's Deir el-Zour province on Monday, targeting Islamic State militants it blamed for an attack on a military parade in Iran last month. Iranian missiles fired at ISIS targets in Syria (Photo: AP) The strikes were the second time Iran had used cross-border missiles inside Syria. Last year, Iran also struck in militant positions in Deir el-Zour's town of Mayadeen and following another attack, in Tehran, that was blamed on ISIS. But Monday's strikes come after Syrian government forces and allied Iranian-backed militias gained control of the strategic border town of Boukamal late last year, likely improving Iran's intelligence and capabilities in the area. The strikes were also seen as threat to Iran's regional adversaries at a time when Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers unravels. "The Iranian missiles are in the framework of combatting terrorism," said Muallem. The Syrian government and its allies, as well as the US-led coalition, are separately battling ISIS, which still controls a sliver of land along Syria's border with Iraq. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes killed eight people in Hajin, a town still controlled by ISIS. It was not clear if all the killed were militants, the Observatory said, adding that one of the missiles hit a house that had been seized by ISIS. The US military's Central Command acknowledged that Iranian forces conducted "no-notice strikes" in the area Monday and said it was assessing the damage. The coalition said no coalition forces were in danger. The IDF ombudsman Maj. Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Brick has come under criticism by a senior officer who served in his unit in a letter that was sent last summer which slams the failure to conduct comprehensive and frequent inspections of the armys level of preparedness and readiness for war. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The officer, a colonel who served in reserves in the IDFs Ombudsmans unit for Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, exposed what he said were a series of defective priorities in the methods used for internal critique in the army. The deficiencies, he argued, could harm the essential critique mechanisms for building forces and the IDFs success in wars. IDF training (: ") X The letter, which was written in July last year, has only now been publicized but has taken on a new significance in recent days due to IDF inspection bodies, headed by Brick, which are at the center of a public outcry about the level of preparedness of the IDF land forces or ground maneuvers for potential wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The main dispute in focused on a 250-page report that was presented recently by Brick to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman in which he raised a string of concerns about 15 subjects which sketch an overall picture of shortfalls, deficiencies and a lacking level of preparedness of ground forces for war. The IDF rejected the report and claimed that Brick lacked the tools to measure the fighting units level of preparedness. It said that a large proportion of its conclusions were taken from random conversations with various officers and which therefore do not reflect the conclusions which were signed off by Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and his superiors, namely that the IDF hasn't been as ready and prepared for war as it is today since 1967. Some of Bricks conclusions were also based on documents from an internal IDF comptroller report which also expressed different opinions. For example, on the one hand, four months ago the security apparatus ombudsman, Hagai Tenenbaum-Erez, criticized Eisenkots decision to appoint the IDF Ombudsmen, Brig. Gen. Ilan Harari (res.) and Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrahiwho are thought to be close associates to the military chiefto examine the claims in Bricks report. (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) On the other hand, Harari himself backed Eisenkots position that the army is at a high level of readiness for war as reflected in the inspection work under his command, and that his reports are monitored continuously, and are also sent to all the officials, including the defense minister and members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. In the letter that was sent by the colonel a year ago to senior IDF officials, he pointed out that the work procedures of the IDF comptroller are defective and that the bulk of inspections focus on the ground forces and much less on air and naval units. According to the colonel, who after completing his role in the IDF Ombudsmans unit continued to serve in another role in intelligence where he rose through the ranks, The priorities of the IDF Comptroller are flawed. There is a priority for examining the efficiency of a number of subjects instead of the readiness for emergencies and for war. The issue of readiness and preparedness is in need of more scrutiny, as was the failure of readiness on the eve of the Yom Kippur War and before the Second Lebanon War. What is readiness in peacetime worth to us in the army if there is not absolute readiness for emergency and war? he asked in the letter. There has been no examination of readiness since 2012 The senior officer who wrote the letter, whose details remain confidential, also asked: What is the need for an efficient army in peacetime if during emergencies and war it turns out that the monitoring did not uncover the flaws, deficiencies and risks to the IDFs standing in its missions? The internal IDF Ombudsman does not carry out an examination of the of the units readiness, including the ground forces, and he carries out analyses of an array of subjects such as drafting Haredim, food, patrol vehicles and training of officers, over which other commands have authority, responsibility and they are obligated to carry out the checks, he continued. (Photo: IDF spokesperson's unit) The ombudsman has not carried out checks into the readiness of units in the last month, year, two years or since January 2012, claiming that other female commanders whose job is to carry out the checks on the readiness of the forces for emergencies and war, the letter continued. The majority of the rapid reviews by the chief of staff (three per year), which technically were carried out with the aid of the IDF Ombudsmans unit, dealt with readiness but these were part of the chief of staffs inspections. Either way, a few hours' inspection is not an inspection of readiness, but a sample check, the letter argued. Appended to the letter were tables containing facts and figures proving his assertions, while adding that he was trembling as he composed the missive, and explained the difference between criticism and critique. The ombudsman cannot rely on the various units in the branches and wings to perform an effective critique about the war readiness of the forces because they do not have the resources to examine hundreds of fighting frameworks, the colonel wrote. The issue is too critical and constitutes the heart of the risk taken by the IDF. Therefore, it is neither professional nor proper that the internal ombudsman relies on other inspections. The claim by the ombudsman that says he does not carry out inspections in the place where reviews are already carried out does not hold water. The failure to carry out reviews of the readiness of the units in the air and sea forces is simply a fault, he added. The IDF rebuffed the officers claims out of hand, noting that many discussions in the IDFs Ombudsmans unit are held with other units on the subjects of readiness and preparedness of the forces, and that the selected issues for scrutiny by the IDF ombudsman are varied and go to the heart of operational activity in war. (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Thus, for example, issues that have been discussed in recent years have touched on the precise missile threat to Israel, the protection of the country's skies, submarines, and other matters that do not necessarily concern ground forces directly. The IDF ombudsman, it was explained, even recently presented to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee 30 reports that were compiled over the last few years on matters that were not related to the ground forces and that the chief of staff personally joined the surprise inspection by the chiefs of the Northern and Southern General Staff at least twice a year. The army explained that due to instructions from the IDF ombudsman, the ground forces carried out in the last year eight reviews of its readiness. The conclusions were also presented to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. The IDF also dismissed the claims that the IDF ombudsman, Harari, is considered to be a close associate of Eisenkot and emphasized that the two only served together up until the rank of company commander in the Golani Brigade in the 80s. In any event, it was Eisenkots predecessor who appointed Harari. The IDF Spokespersons Unit issued a statement in response. The IDF has an extensive system of review in all units, as well as through an IDF ombudsman. In the last few years the IDF has carried out inspections of the preparedness, which regularly visit all army units and provide a document to military commanders, the statement read. Furthermore, the IDF is subject to external criticism by the State Comptroller and the IDF is open to and welcomes any criticism carried out by the official bodies and in a professional manner, it concluded. Russia must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washington's envoy to NATO said on Tuesday. The United States believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has consistently denied any such violation. US ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomat solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if Russian development of the medium-range system continued. "At that point, we would be looking at the capability to take out a (Russian) missile that could hit any of our countries," she told a news conference. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman referred Tuesday to the information Israel gathered about secret weapons facilities in Iran and Lebanon. "We will choose a convenient time to reveal additional facilities we uncovered in Iran and Beirut," Lieberman said during a visit to Karnei Shomron Regional Council. "We have sufficient information, including information about Iran and Hezbollah," he added. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred Tuesday to the defense assistance agreement with the United States, which has taken affect recently. "I thank the American administration and US Congress for their commitment to Israel and for providing aid funds in the coming decade," Netanyahu said. "Israel and the world face complex security challenges, first and foremost the Iranian aggression. The unwavering support of the United States for Israel's right to defend itself is one of the pillars of the strong relationship between the two countries," the prime minister stressed. The number of US diplomats in Syria has doubled as ISIS fighters near a military defeat, US Defense Secretary Mattis said on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The US-led coalition, along with local partners, has largely cleared the militant group from Iraq and Syria but remains concerned about its resurgence. "Our diplomats there on the ground have been doubled in number. As we see the military operations becoming less, we will see the diplomatic effort now able to take (root)" Mattis said. Mattis and Trump (Photo: AP) A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mattis was referring to State Department employees, including diplomats and personnel involved in humanitarian assistance, and the increase was recent. The United States does not have an embassy in Syria. In a sign of the threat still posed by the militant group, security forces in northern Syria's Raqqa said on Sunday they had uncovered an ISIS sleeper cell which was plotting large attacks across the devastated city. Raqqa served as the de facto capital of ISIS's self-proclaimed caliphate until it was retaken by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia alliance last October. In June, the SDF imposed a three-day curfew in Raqqa and declared a state of emergency, saying ISIS militants had infiltrated the city and were planning a bombing campaign. "We are still in a tough fight, make no mistake about it," Mattis said. US Defense Secretary Mattis (Photo: EPA) He said troops would work after the defeat of ISIS to ensure that the militant group did not return. Russia has held the balance of power in Syria, both on the battlefield and in the UN-led peace talks, for the past two years. It has helped Syrian President Bashar Assad recover huge amounts of lost territory without persuading him to agree to any political reforms. But nine rounds of talks, most of them in Geneva, have failed to bring the warring sides together to end a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes. The United States has said it will pursue "a strategy of isolation", including sanctions, with its allies if Assad holds up a political process aimed at ending Syria's seven-year-old war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office referred Tuesday to the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) claim that it examined Iran's nuclear sites. "IAEA referred to inspections carried out in various places in Iran, but it didn't mention the specific site that the prime minister presented at the UN," a statement made by the prime minister's office read. "There is no reason to wait, IAEA should immediately send inspectors with a radiation detector to the site, and see that the prime minister was right," the prime minister's office added. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, said Tuesday that 40 members of the Islamic State (IS) were killed in Syria, as a result of the Revolutionary Guards' massive missile strike in Syria, Iranian Fars News Agency reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office called on Tuesday for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit immediately the location of a secret atomic warehouse in Iran he described during his last weeks speech at the UN. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The call was in response to the UN nuclear watchdogs statement earlier, questioning the validity of Netanyahus evidence regarding the hidden nuclear reactor in Turquzabad. The IAEA addresses inspections that it has carried out in various places in Iran but it does not address the specific site in Turquzabad which Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to in his UN speech, Netanyahu's office stressed in a statement. Netanyahu and Amano (Photo: EPA, CNN) There is no reason to wait. The IAEA must inspect the site and immediately dispatch monitors with Geiger counters and the prime minister's words will be seen as verifiably true," it concluded. Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman also told reporters Israel would "expose additional facilities" at a time of its choosing. Earlier in the day, the IAEA issued a statement saying its independence is paramount and it does not take intelligence presented to it at face value. "The agency sends inspectors to sites and locations only when needed. The agency uses all safeguards relevant to information available to it but it does not take any information at face value," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano exclaimed. Amano's statement made no specific reference to Israel but it is his first public pronouncement since Netanyahu's speech at the United Nations General Assembly last Thursday. He said the IAEA has carried out so-called complementary access inspections, which are often at short notice, at all locations in Iran it has needed to visit. "All information obtained, including from third parties, is subject to rigorous review and assessed together with other available information to arrive at an independent assessment based on the agency's own expertise," Amano added. "In order to maintain credibility, the agency's independence in relation to the implementation of verification activities is of paramount importance," he concluded. During a speech at the UN, Netanyahu revealed another secret atomic facility in Iran, some four months after he presented what he said was conclusive proof of a secret project underway in Iran for the development of nuclear weapons. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu informed Russian President Vladimir Putin that an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system has arrived in Syria , during a meeting broadcasted by Rossiya 24 TV on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "The work was finished a day ago," Shoigu said. He also added that it will take three months to train Syrian personnel to operate the system. Earlier, it was reported that two Russian Air Force 124 Antonov military aircrafts landed in the Russian base near Latakia, transporting equipment and logistics, which had allegedly been loaded onto the planes along the way. S-300 () X "We have not changed our strategic line on Iran," Education Minister Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday in response to the delivery of the system. "We will not allow Iran to open up a third front against us. We will take actions as required," he told Israel Radio. Russia announced last week that it would supply the anti-aircraft missiles after Syrian forces responding to an Israeli airstrike on September 17 mistakenly shot down a Russian military reconnaissance plane, killing all 15 people on board. The friendly fire incident sparked regional tensions. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Russian President Vladimir Putin to express sorrow at the loss of life and sent a high-level military delegation to Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov later was asked about the S-300s at a news conference and responded: "The deliveries started already." He added that "the measures we will take will be devoted to ensure 100 percent safety and security of our men in Syria, and we will do this." A spokesman for a Russian company producing electronic warfare systems says that their deployment to Syria will help protect the country's air defense assets and fend off enemy air raids. Vladimir Mikheyev of Radioelectronics Technologies said Friday in remarks carried by the Interfax news agency that Krasukha and Zhitel electronic countermeasure units will place Syria's air defenses under an "electronic umbrella," making it hard to spot and attack them. S-300 missile (Photo: AFP) Moscow also said it will start using electronic countermeasures to jam any aircraft that would try to launch attacks off Syria's coast. On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that the S-300 delivery and is intended to "calm down some hotheads" whose actions "pose a threat to our troops." "In 2013, we agreed to stop the transfer of the system to Syria due to an Israeli request. However, through no fault of our own, the situation has changed," the defense minister stressed. Later that day, Krelmin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on a conference call that the decision to supply the weapons was "not directed at any third country". "Russia needs to increase safety of its military and it should be clear for everyone," he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be questioned on Friday for the 12th time in the Bezeq corruption affair, also known as Case 4000, in his residency in Jerusalem. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter In addition, the Lahav 433 unit is likely to complete the investigations of Case 1000which concerns illicit gifts Netanyahu allegedly received from business moguls, and Case 2000in which he is suspected of holding talks with Yedioth Ahronoth owner and publisher Arnon Mozes, discussing favorable coverage for the prime minister in return for Netanyahu working promote legislation that would weaken Yedioth's rival Israel Hayom. The police recommends for the prime minister to be indicted for bribery. At this stage it is not yet clear whether this will be Netanyahu's last interrogation. Lahav 433 investigators (Photo: Amit Shabi) The prime minister was last questioned in the corruption affair on August 17. The investigation lasted for four hours and Bezeq majority shareholder Shaul Elovitchwho is accused of having a quid pro quo relationship with Netanyahu in which Bezeq enjoyed regulatory benefits in return for favorable coverage of the Netanyahu family on Walla! News, was also questioned. In June, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit addressed Netanyahus ongoing investigations, saying during the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee meeting that the police's recommendations do not always lead to an indictment. "Intensive investigations were held into Netanyahu's cases during 2017 and proceeded into the first months of 2018," Mandelblit explained. (Photo: Amit Shabi) "Four months ago the police gave its recommendations on Case 1000, and Case 2000, and the investigations' materials have been transferred to the State Attorney's Office which has begun reviewing them," the Attorney General went on to say. "A misconception exists about how things operaterecommendations don't necessarily mean an indictment has to be filed," he stated, stressing that "The main and only principle leading the State Attorney's Office is revealing the truth." The Attorney General also said state's witnesses are an "important tool but noted that they cause delays in the investigations' procedures. Iran's Revolutionary Guards apparently have a pattern: the terrorist attack on the regime's facilities and symbols within Iran is being met with a medium-range missile attack. This was the case in June 2017, when the Islamic State (IS) attacked central Iran and killed civilians and government officials inside their offices. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter This was also the case nine days ago when an unidentified organization attacked a Revolutionary Guards military parade in the southwest Iranian city of Ahvaz. Twenty nine people were killedhalf of whom belonged to the Revolutionary Guards. Iran launches missiles at Syria Iran, which blamed Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States, promised to avenge the attack in Ahvaz. Two organizations claimed responsibility, including a local organization called Al-Ahwaziya, the larger of the two, which seeks to separate the western part of Iranian Khuzestan from the Islamic Republic itself. Iran attacks Syria X Khuzestan Provincethe capital of which is Ahvazis mainly populated by Sunni Arabs, while Iran is a Shiite state. As a number of terrorist organizations operate against the Iranian regime in Khuzestan, there is constant unrest in this neglected region of the country. The Iranians claim that Saudi Arabia was behind the attack, and that it secretly supports Al-Ahwaziya. Now the Islamic Republic claims that both the United States and Israel support the organization in order to "undermine the regime." The reason being is that a terrorist attack presents the regime as helpless and incapable of protecting its citizens. An attack on the capital of Khuzestan's capital in which 29 military men were killed is a mortal blow to the status of the regime in Tehran. The attack on a military parade in Iran X The second organization claiming responsibility for the attack was IS. Although the Islamic State has lost its major centers in Iraq and Syria, it still has cells and operating grounds in both countries, as well as in Yemen and the Sinai Peninsula. Moreover, the pattern of the attack in Ahvaz is very similar to the attacks carried out by IS in numerous locations throughout the Middle East. As stated, Iranian officials promised to retaliate and attack Saudi Arabia, the United States and Israel, who, according to them, support both Al-Ahwaziya and IS. It was convenient for the spokesman of the Revolutionary Guards to claim that the attack was carried out by Al-Ahwaziya and not by the Islamic state. However, the Revolutionary Guards's counterattack targeted IS cells in Syria, located east of the Euphrates River, not far from the border with Iraq. This is a puzzling fact, since the Revolutionary Guards' spokesman claimed that Al-Ahwaziya was behind the attack in Iran, but Iran's counterstrike targeted an IS base in Syria. Perhaps Iran chose to target IS since it became clear that they were responsible for the attack. A more likely possibility is that targeting IS served other purposes: launching long-range missiles from the Islamic Republic to Syrian territory showcases the Revolutionary Guards' prowess, which had to rebuild its damaged reputation. The head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in Majlis (the Iranian parliament) accused the Revolutionary Guards of being negligent and cowardly. At the time of the attack, Revolutionary Guards' snipers were stationed on rooftops surrounding the military parade. They did not shoot the assailants even though they could easily do so. Attack on a military parade in Iran (Photo: AP) Such a strong statement by a senior Iranian official certainly did not go unnoticed, it certainly did not render Qasem Soleimani, Major General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), indifferent. Therefore, Soleimani had to demonstrate a missile capability that would restore his honor. A year ago: missiles missed the mark, and the world laughed A year ago, in June 2017, when IS attacked a government office in the center of Tehran , the Iranians launched Zulfiqar missiles capable of reaching 700 kilometers. Several missiles were launched from western Iran and missed their targets. As a result, the Revolutionary Guards became the laughing stock of the Western world. It is still unclear which missiles the Iranians used when they attacked IS during the night. The Islamic Republic claimed they managed to hit and kill "many", but this information was not confirmed by a reliable source. It was also reported that some missiles landed in the villages of Iran and Iraq before reaching their destination, but this reports too is unconfirmed. It is more than likely that by launching the long-range missiles the Revolutionary Guards also meant to send a threatening message to the West. Western countriesthe United States, the European Union, and of course Israeldemand that Iran stops developing or using ballistic long-range missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. This is one of the main points of contention between Iran, the United States and the West. US President Trump demanded that Tehran stop developing and producing the same missiles even though this was not stipulated in the nuclear deal with Iran. By targeting Syria, the regime also sent a message to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab countries in the Persian GulfIran is capable of launching missiles and causing harm even from its sovereign territory. It is possible that the attack on the military parade nine days ago was indeed carried out by Al-Ahwaziya, but the Iranians had to send a threatening message regarding the missiles it was developing. Therefore, the Revolutionary Guards attacked IS, who were situated within range, instead of attacking the party responsible for the parade attack. But the question remains whether Iran's missiles fail to hit the target, just as they did a year ago. By RICHARD JENKINS [email protected] Bessemer It looks like it may take some getting out and pounding the pavement to decide the number of lanes on U.S. 2 through Bessemer after state officials attended Mondays meeting to answer the Bessemer City Councils questions. Were not trying to make your job difficult, and were trying to come up with a workable solution thats going to work for Bessemer for (many years), councilman Terry Kryshak said. So I think its worth the investment of boots on the ground as they say and we get out there and have a work session and then we can see (what everyone is talking about). Sometimes you just have to be out there, he continued, referencing the difficulty the council and Michigan Department of Transportation representatives seemed to have Monday explaining their visions and concerns in the council chamber. There was a consensus that a work session on U.S. 2 involving both the council and MDOT representatives would be the best path toward a decision on whether to make U.S. 2 three lanes or four through the citys downtown. The change is needed to bring U.S. 2 into compliance with state requirements regarding lane width. At the beginning of the discussion, MDOT representatives showed the council the latest preliminary designs for reducing the highway down to three lanes through downtown Bessemer. The plan calls for the pinch point transition down to a single lane to happen further from downtown when entering Bessemer, while traffic returns to two lanes closer to downtown when leaving the city from both the east and the west. The idea is to get the cars into a single-lane formation earlier to avoid added confusion from cars turning onto the highway from the side streets. Youre moving (the pinch points) out of town enough so people are in single-file before they start hitting all the side streets, said Dave Bradley, with MDOTs Crystal Falls office. That was a point of confusion, I think, last time. Maybe there was too much pavement when youre pulling out (onto the highway) and theres confusion. In response to the idea, members of council inquired about the possibility of shrinking the section of highway that would be one lane to reduce the area impacted by the lane change. In particular, several members of council expressed concern regarding trucks turning onto the highway from various businesses having trouble getting up to speed fast enough to not slow traffic behind them if there isnt a second lane for other vehicles. In response to other concerns from the council, the MDOT representatives said the state didnt expect a need to acquire any property beyond the existing easements for the project. If the four-lane plan is adopted, the highway would feature two 11-foot lanes in the middle with two 12-foot outside lanes and 4-foot sidewalks. The council expressed some skepticism that the four-lane plan with larger lanes would be feasible without acquiring extra property or building the highway very close to buildings, which was where the idea of a meeting along the highway where both sides could point out their plans in the actual space came from. In response to various flags and marking seen downtown, MDOT representatives said there have been multiple surveyors working in the area, and not all the paint marks seen downtown show where the roadway would be. In other action: The council approved an amendment to its engineering contract for the ongoing sewer project to pay the engineering firm C2AE an additional $14,000 to cover additional time firm staff have to be onsite to oversee the project. While not part of the contract, it was also reported at the meeting the city and engineering firm had reached an agreement to reimburse Bessemer $12,000 due to what City Manager Charly Loper told the Daily Globe was issues the city had with previous inspections. Latest News Houston, Texas - A former CEO and former executive of an oil services company were sentenced to prison Friday for their involvement in an international bribery conspiracy. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office made the announcement. Anthony Tony Mace, 66, of the United Kingdom, the former CEO of SBM Offshore, N.V. (SBM), a Dutch oil services company, and a former Board Member of SBMs U.S.-based subsidiary, SBM Offshore USA Inc. (SBM USA), was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison and a fine of $150,000. Robert Zubiate, 66, of Agoura Hills, California, a former sales and marketing executive at SBM USA, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and a fine of $50,000. Anthony Mace and Robert Zubiate played key roles in a massive bribery scheme that involved the payment of millions of dollars to public officials in exchange for lucrative oil-services contracts, said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. Their actions rewarded corrupt officials greed and tilted the playing field against honest, law-abiding companies. Today they paid a heavy price for their crimes. Their sentences should serve as a warning to corporate executives everywhere: if you pay bribes to advance your business interests, we will catch you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Pursuing corrupt companies and individuals who misuse our financial system to commit FCPA violations represents our commitment to keeping the integrity of American democracy in place both here and abroad, said U.S. Attorney Patrick. We will continue to prosecute such cases involving wrongdoing for corporate crimes and greed. This case is a prime example of Homeland Security Investigations enduring commitment to work closely with our foreign law enforcement partners to track down those who seek to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the international marketplace, said HSI Special Agent in Charge Dawson. By working together to hold these individuals accountable for their actions, we have taken a significant step to level the playing field for companies and consumers. In November 2017, Mace and Zubiate each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in connection with a scheme to bribe foreign government officials in Brazil, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. According to admissions made in connection with his plea agreement, Mace acknowledged that prior to his becoming CEO, other employees of SBM entered into an agreement to pay bribes to foreign officials including at Brazils state-controlled oil company, Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras); Angolas state-owned oil company, Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de Angola, E.P. (Sonangol); and Equatorial Guineas state-owned oil company, Petroleos de Guinea Ecuatorial (GEPetrol). Mace admitted that he joined the conspiracy by authorizing payments in furtherance of the bribery scheme and deliberately avoided learning that those payments were bribes. In particular, Mace maintained a spreadsheet reflecting payments to five individuals. Mace acknowledged that even though he was aware there was a high risk those individuals were Equatorial Guinean officials, he nevertheless authorized SBM to make over $16 million in payments to those individuals. Mace further continued a practice that was instituted before he became CEO by splitting payments to SBMs Brazilian intermediary, that is, paying a portion of the intermediarys commission to an account in Brazil and another portion of the agents commission to accounts in Switzerland held in the name of shell companies. Mace deliberately avoided learning that the ultimate recipients of the payments that he authorized to the shell companies were Petrobras officials, he admitted. According to admissions made in connection with Zubiates plea, from between 1996 and 2012, Zubiate and others used a third-party sales agent to pay bribes to foreign officials at Petrobras in exchange for those officials assisting SBM and SBM USA with winning lucrative offshore oil projects from Petrobras. Zubiate also admitted engaging in a kickback scheme with the bribe-paying sales agent for SBM and its SBM USA. In November 2017, SBM entered into a $238 million dollar, three-year deferred prosecution agreement with the United States over its role in the conspiracy, while its subsidiary, SBM USA, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA. HSI and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Dennis R. Kihm of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in this matter. The Department of Justice is grateful to Brazils Ministerio Publico Federal, the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service and Switzerlands Office of the Attorney General and Federal Office of Justice for providing substantial assistance in gathering evidence during this investigation. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. The following companies are subsidiares of Molina Healthcare: Aetna & Humana - Medicare Advantage, Affinity Health Plan, AmericanWork Inc., Better Health Network, Camelot Care Centers Inc, Children's Behavioral Health Inc., Choices Group Inc., College Community Services, Dockside Services Inc, Family Preservation Services Inc., Family Preservation Services of Florida Inc., Family Preservation Services of North Carolina Inc., Family Preservation Services of Washington D.C. Inc., Family Preservation Services of West Virginia Inc., Florida NetPASS LLC, Hclb Inc., Magellan Complete Care, Maple Star Nevada Inc., Maple Star Oregon Inc., Mercy CarePlus, Molina Clinical Services LLC, Molina Healthcare Data Center Inc., Molina Healthcare of Arizona Inc., Molina Healthcare of California, Molina Healthcare of Florida Inc., Molina Healthcare of Georgia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Illinois Inc., Molina Healthcare of Iowa Inc., Molina Healthcare of Louisiana Inc., Molina Healthcare of Maryland Inc., Molina Healthcare of Michigan Inc., Molina Healthcare of Mississippi Inc., Molina Healthcare of Nevada Inc., Molina Healthcare of New Mexico Inc., Molina Healthcare of New York Inc., Molina Healthcare of North Carolina Inc., Molina Healthcare of Ohio Inc., Molina Healthcare of Oklahoma Inc., Molina Healthcare of Pennsylvania Inc., Molina Healthcare of Puerto Rico Inc., Molina Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, Molina Healthcare of Texas Inc., Molina Healthcare of Texas Insurance Company, Molina Healthcare of Utah Inc., Molina Healthcare of Virginia Inc., Molina Healthcare of Washington Inc., Molina Healthcare of Wisconsin Inc., Molina Holdings Corporation, Molina Hospital Management LLC, Molina Information Systems LLC dba Molina Medicaid Solutions, Molina Medical Management Inc., Molina Pathways LLC, Molina Pathways of Texas Inc., Molina Youth Academy, NextLevel Health Illinois, Pathways Community Corrections Inc., Pathways Community Services LLC, Pathways Community Support of Texas Inc., Pathways Health and Community Support LLC, Pathways Human Services LLC., Pathways of Arizona Inc., Pathways of Delaware Inc., Pathways of Idaho LLC, Pathways of Maine Inc., Pathways of Massachusetts LLC, Pathways of Oklahoma Inc., Pathways of Washington Inc., Providence Community Services, Providence Human Services, Raystown Developmental Services Inc., The Game of Work LLC, The RedCo Group Inc., Total Care Medicaid plan, Transitional Family Services Inc., Unisys -Health Information Management, and YourCare Health Plan. BT Group plc provides communications services worldwide. Its Consumer segment sells telephones, baby monitors, and Wi-Fi extenders through high street retailers, online BT Shop, and Website BT.com; and offers home phone, copper and fiber broadband, TV, and mobile services in various packages. The company's EE segment offers 2G, 3G, and 4G mobile network services; broadband, fixed-voice, and TV services; and postpaid and prepaid plans, and emergency services network. This segment also sells 4G mobile phones, tablets, connected devices, and mobile broadband devices from various manufacturers. Its Business and Public Sector segment provides fixed voice, mobility, fiber and connectivity, and networked IT services to retailers, utilities, public sector, healthcare, sports, construction, finance, and educational sectors. The company's Global Services segment offers business communications and ICT services comprising BT Connect, BT Security, BT One, BT Contact, BT Compute, BT Advise, and BT for financial markets. This segment serves approximately 5,500 customers in 180 countries. Its Wholesale and Ventures segment enables communications providers and other organizations to provide fixed or mobile phone services. Its ventures provide mass-market services, such as directory enquiries and payphones; and enterprise services comprising BT Fleet and BT Redcare. This segment also provides broadband and Ethernet, voice, hosted communication, mobile virtual network operator, managed solutions, machine-to-machine, roaming, and media services. The company's Openreach segment engages in the provision of services over the local access network; and installation and maintenance of fiber and copper communications networks that connect homes and businesses. The company was formerly known as Newgate Telecommunications Limited and changed its name to BT Group plc in September 2001. BT Group plc was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Grupo Supervielle SA operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of banking services. It operates through the following segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, Consumer, Insurance and Asset Management and Other Services. The Retail Banking segment involves in granting of loans and other credit products such as deposits of physical persons. The Corporate Banking segment focuses in advisory services at a corporate and financial level, as well as the administration of assets and loans targeted to big clients. The Treasury segment operates with Government Securities of the Group, syndicated loans, and financial lease. The Consumer segment consists of loans and other credit products targeted to middle and lower-middle income sectors and non-financial products and services. The Insurance segment comprises insurance products, with a focus on life insurance. The Asset Management and Other Services segment offers mutual funds and other products and services. The company was founded on October 8, 1979 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Read More American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. operates as a dialysis services provider in the United States. It operates dialysis clinics focusing on joint venture partnerships with physicians. The company offers kidney dialysis services to patients suffering from chronic kidney failure or end stage renal disease. As of December 31, 2019, it operated 246 dialysis clinics in partnership with 400 nephrologist partners treating approximately 17,300 patients in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Eaton: ADF Systems SARL, Abeiron III Limited, Aeroquip (UK) Limited, Aeroquip Financial Ltd., Aeroquip Iberica S.L., Aeroquip International Inc., Aeroquip Limited, Aeroquip do Brasil Ltda., Aeroquip-Vickers, Aeroquip-Vickers Canada Inc., Aeroquip-Vickers International S.a.r.L., Aphel Technologies, Argo-Tech, Arrow Hose & Tubing, Arrow-Hart S. de R.L. de C.V., Azonix Corporation, Babco Electric Group, Beijing Internormen-Filter Ltd. Co., Beijing Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Blinda Industria e Comercio Ltda., Bussmann International Holdings LLC, Bussmann International Inc., Bussmann S. de R.L. de C.V., Bussmann do Brasil Ltda., CBE Services Inc., CEAG Notlichtsysteme GmbH, CI ESI de Colombia, CTI-VIENNA Gesellschaft zur Prufung elektrotechnischer Industrieprodukte GmbH, Cambridge International Insurance Company Ltd., Cannon Technologies Inc., Centralion Industrial Inc., Chagrin Highlands III Limited, Cobham, Componentes de Iluminacion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper (China) Co. Ltd., Cooper (Ningbo) Electric Co. Ltd., Cooper B-Line Inc., Cooper Bermuda Investments Ltd., Cooper Bussmann (U.K.) Limited, Cooper Bussmann Hungaria Kft., Cooper Bussmann LLC, Cooper Capri S.A.S., Cooper Colombia Investments Ltd., Cooper Controls (Watford) Limited, Cooper Controls Limited, Cooper Crouse-Hinds (LLC), Cooper Crouse-Hinds (UK) Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds AS, Cooper Crouse-Hinds B.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH, Cooper Crouse-Hinds LLC, Cooper Crouse-Hinds MTL Inc., Cooper Crouse-Hinds Pte. Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S.A., Cooper Csa Srl, Cooper Edison (Pingdingshan) Electronic Technologies Co. Ltd., Cooper Electric (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Cooper Electrical Australia Pty. Limited, Cooper Electrical International LLC, Cooper Electronic Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cooper Enterprises LLC, Cooper Finance (Canada) L.P., Cooper Finance Group Ltd., Cooper Finance USA Inc., Cooper Germany Holdings GmbH, Cooper India Private Limited, Cooper Industrials, Cooper Industries (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries (Electrical) Inc., Cooper Industries Colombia S.A.S., Cooper Industries FZE, Cooper Industries Finance B.V., Cooper Industries Finanzierungs-GbR, Cooper Industries Global B.V., Cooper Industries Holdings (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries Holdings GmbH, Cooper Industries International LLC, Cooper Industries Japan K.K., Cooper Industries LLC, Cooper Industries Malaysia SDN BHD, Cooper Industries Middle East LLC, Cooper Industries Poland LLC, Cooper Industries Romania SRL, Cooper Industries Russia LLC, Cooper Industries Trading Limited, Cooper Industries UK Subco Limited, Cooper Industries Unlimited Company, Cooper Industries Vietnam LLC, Cooper Interconnect, Cooper International Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Investment Group Ltd., Cooper Investment Group S a.r.l., Cooper Investments Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Cooper Korea Ltd., Cooper Lighting LLC, Cooper Lighting de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Menvier France SARL, Cooper Mexico Distribucion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Netherlands Investments Ltd., Cooper Notification Inc., Cooper Offshore Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Power Systems LLC, Cooper Power Systems do Brasil Ltda., Cooper Pretronica Lda., Cooper Safety B.V., Cooper Securite S.A.S., Cooper Security Limited, Cooper Shanghai Power Capacitor Co. Ltd., Cooper Switzerland Investments Ltd., Cooper Technologies Company, Cooper Univel S.A., Cooper Wheelock Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Wiring Devices de Mexico S.A de C.V., Cooper Xi'an Fusegear Co. Ltd., Cooper Yuhua (Changzhou) Electric Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Copperlogic, Cutler-Hammer Electrical Company, Cutler-Hammer Industries Ltd., Cutler-Hammer SRL, Cyme International T & D Inc., D.P. Eaton Electric, Digital Lighting (Dong Guan) Co. Ltd., Digital Lighting Co. Limited, Digital Lighting Holdings Limited, Dongguan Cooper Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Fu Li An Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Wiring Devices Electronics Co. Ltd., E. Begerow, E.A. Pedersen Co., EIC Holding GP I, EIC Holding GP II, EIC Holding GP III, EIC Holding GP IV, EIC Holding I LLC, EIC Holding II LLC, EIC Holding III LLC, EIC Holding IV LLC, EIC Holding V LLC, EIC Holding VI LLC, ETN Asia International Limited, ETN Holding 1 Limited, ETN Holding 2 Limited, ETN Holding 3 Limited, EX Innovations Limited, Eaton (China) Investments Co. Ltd., Eaton Aeroquip, Eaton Aerospace LLC, Eaton Ann Arbor LLC, Eaton Asia Investments Corporation, Eaton Automation G.m.b.H, Eaton Automation Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Automotive Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Systems Spolka z.o.o., Eaton B.V., Eaton C.V., Eaton CHB LLC, Eaton Capital Unlimited Co., Eaton Controls (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Controls (UK) Limited, Eaton Controls S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Corporation, Eaton ETN Offshore Company, Eaton ETN Offshore II Company, Eaton Electric, Eaton Electric & Engineering Services Limited, Eaton Electric (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Electric (South Africa) Pty Ltd., Eaton Electric (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Electric AS, Eaton Electric ApS, Eaton Electric Company Ltd., Eaton Electric G.m.b.H., Eaton Electric Holdings LLC, Eaton Electric Limited, Eaton Electric Manufacturing Middle East LLC, Eaton Electric S.I.A., Eaton Electric S.a.r.l., Eaton Electric S.r.l., Eaton Electric SPRL, Eaton Electric Sales Ltd., Eaton Electric Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Electric d.o.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o. (Slovak Republic), Eaton Electrical (Zhongshan) Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Electrical Ltd., Eaton Electrical Products Limited, Eaton Electrical S.A., Eaton Electrical S.A. (Venezuela), Eaton Electrical Systems Limited, Eaton Electro Productie S.r.l., Eaton Elektrik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Eaton Elektrotechnika s.r.o., Eaton Energy Solutions Inc., Eaton Enterprises (Hungary) Kft., Eaton Enterprises Limited, Eaton Enterprises S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton FZE, Eaton Filtration, Eaton Filtration (Denmark) ApS, Eaton Filtration (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Filtration (Poland) Sp. z.o.o., Eaton Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Filtration BVBA, Eaton Finance (Ireland) Limited, Eaton Finance S.a.r.l., Eaton Fluid Power (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Fluid Power Limited, Eaton Fluid Power S.r.l., Eaton France Holding S.A.S., Eaton Germany G.m.b.H., Eaton GmbH & Co. KG, Eaton Holding (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Holding (UK) II Limited, Eaton Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding I B.V., Eaton Holding I Limited, Eaton Holding II LLC, Eaton Holding II Limited, Eaton Holding II S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding III B.V., Eaton Holding III Limited, Eaton Holding III S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IV S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IX S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding International LLC, Eaton Holding LLC, Eaton Holding Limited, Eaton Holding S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding SE & Co. KG, Eaton Holding SRL, Eaton Holding V B.V., Eaton Holding V S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VI B.V., Eaton Holding VI S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VII B.V., Eaton Holding VIII S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding X S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding XII B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Holec AB, Eaton Holec OY, Eaton Hydraulics (Luzhou) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Proprietary) Limited, Eaton Hydraulics LLC, Eaton Hydraulics Systems (Jining) Co. 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Ltd.. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWU shares have increased by 30.9% and is now trading at $33.51. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More KAZ Minerals PLC, together with its subsidiaries, engages in mining and processing copper and other metals primarily in Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan. It operates through Bozshakol, Aktogay, East Region and Bozymchak, and Mining Projects segments. The company operates the Aktogay and Bozshakol open pit copper mines in the east region and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan; three underground mines in the east region of Kazakhstan; and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. It also develops greenfield metal deposits; operates Koksay deposit in Kazakhstan, and the Baimskaya licence area in the Chukotka region of Russia; and produces and sells various by-products, such as gold, silver, molybdenum, and zinc. In addition, the company supplies and distributes heat, water, and electricity; and offers construction, project management, financing, management, sales and logistics, and repairs and maintenance services. The company was formerly known as Kazakhmys PLC and changed its name to KAZ Minerals PLC in October 2014. KAZ Minerals PLC was founded in 1930 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More - Cristiano Ronaldo has received supports from his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez - The Portugal international was recently accused of assaulting a woman in America - Ronaldo was alleged to have assaulted Kathryn Mayorga in an hotel in 2009 Georgina Rodriguez who is the girlfriend and mother of Cristiano Ronaldo's last child has offered her supports for the Portugal international who was recently accused of assaulting a lady. Cristiano Ronaldo has found himself in serious controversy after being accused by Kathryn Mayorga of assaulting her in 2009 after a night club in Las Vegas. The Juventus superstar has denied the allegations claiming that the people that accused him only want to promote themselves by using his name. READ ALSO: Model Shuga Titi strips half-naked in new Kumawood movie with Lil Win (Video) Georgina Rodriguez has however posted a statement on Instagram telling the former Manchester United hero that she loves him. "You always transform the obstacles that are put in your way into impulse and strength to show how great you are. 'Thank you for making us enjoy each game. Always more and better. I love you @cristiano." Rodriguez wrote. Meanwhile, Kathryn Mayorga was said to have negotiated a 375,000-euro out-of-court settlement with Cristiano Ronaldo not to go public with her claims according to UK Sun. At the time of the alleged attack, Ronaldo, then 24, was in Las Vegas on holiday with his brother-in-law and cousin. READ ALSO: Mayorga, then 25, was working in Rain nightclub inside the Palms Resort and met the star in the venues VIP area. Ghana News Today: Duncan Williams - The Shocking Truth About His Divorce | Yen.com.gh Your stories and photos are always welcome. Send us a message via YEN's official Facebook page Source: Yen.com.gh Last week, YEN.com.gh reported that a young midwife had helped a woman in labour deliver her baby safely while on board a commercial bus. In the report, it was indicated that the midwife was a passenger on a Bolgatanga bound. Midway through their journey after a pregnant co-passenger went into labour. The midwife, identified as Sophia Suleiman, sprang into action and with the help of others on board, the baby was safely delivered at about 3:34 am. Sophia Suleiman (L) and the baby she delivered Source: Original After the delivery, the newly-born baby and her mother were reportedly handed over to the husband who is said to have taken them to the West Hospital in Tamale for further care. READ ALSO: Meet Ghanaian pilot Captain Quainoo who flies the biggest plane in the world While the report has made the beautiful Sophia Suleiman an internet sensation, not much is known about her except the fact that she is a young midwife. Source: Sophia Suleiman Source: Facebook Well, YEN.com.gh caught up with Sophia Safia Sulemana and she gave us a few details about herself. READ ALSO: Model Shuga Titi strips naked in new Kumawood movie with Lil Win (Video) According to Sophia Suleiman, she completed her senior high school (SHS) education at Bolgatanga Girls SHS in 2008. Source (Sophia Suleiman) Source: Facebook After SHS, she enrolled in the Community Health Nursing Training School in Tamale in the Northern Region where she completed in 2012. READ ALSO: Mahama's $250m Terminal 3 at Kotoka turns into a 'swimming pool' after rains Sophia worked for two years as a community health nurse before proceeding to the Tumu Midwifery Training School in the Upper West Region. Source: Sophia Suleiman Source: Facebook She completed in 2017 and is currently working at Kunkwa Health Centre in the Maprugu District of the Northern Region. READ ALSO: Fake doctor who conducted 8 successful surgeries busted Touching on the delivery itself, Sophia explained that they were only about 15 minutes into the journey when she realised that the pregnant lady was in the second stage of labour and thus rushed to her side Source: Sophia Suleiman Source: Facebook Having no gloves or instruments, Sophia had to improvise and had others on board tie polythene bags around her hands to receive the baby. READ ALSO: Groom crushed to death on his way to wedding party She even had to use a string to tie the umbilical cord and a blade she took from another passenger to cut it all on the moving bus. Source: Sophia Suleiman Source: Facebook When YEN.com.gh asked her how her family and friends are adjusting to her new found fame, she answered: "they were excited and couldn't believe I did that without gloves and delivery instruments but apart from that, everything is normal." READ ALSO: Chris Attoh is not a 'real man' - Ex-wife reveals From the tone of her conversation with us, Sophia really does come across as a modest person who will not hesitate to help a fellow in need. Source: Sophia Suleiman Source: Facebook May God bless her! Ghana News Today: Drivers angry over hike in Fuel price | Yen.com.gh: Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook/Instagram pages with your stories, photos Source: Yen - Bishop Daniel Obinim has been seen in a new video teaching his congregants a new dance - He was seen dancing with one of his fellow pastors and encouraged his church members to do the dance Founder and leader of the International Gods Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, has caused another stir on social media with a latest video showing off a new dance to his church members. The popular pastor who was preaching at one branch of his church, announced to his church members that he was going to teach them a new dance. "We are going to do a certain dance that everyone must replicate. When I dance, everyone of you must also dance," Obinim told his congregants. Obinim. Credit: Supplied Source: UGC READ ALSO: Reports of flooding at KIA is false - Ghana Airports Company He then called one of his pastors who stood facing him and they started demonstrating the dance which saw them hug. After a brief pause, some church members ran to the preacher and started throwing money on him and sang his praises. Some of his church members who were already dancing tried replicating the dance and soon, the front of the auditorium was filled with people trying to replicate the dance of their leader. The pastor later started singing a song in which he claimed he was also going to spend government's money since leaders of the nation were spending it as well. To spur his church members on to replicate his new dance, he promised people who replicated the dance effortlessly some lotto numbers. His promise gingered many people and they all went into a frenzy trying to win the price and danced to the admiration of Obinim. At a point, the preacher said, "Oh my God, I like the way you are dancing," as his congregants tried their best to outdo each other on the dance floor. It is common knowledge that the Kumasi-based pastor has claimed to be an angel and has upgraded through the ranks to become an arch-angel. READ ALSO: Meet Ghanaian pilot Captain Quainoo who flies the biggest plane in the world Not too long ago, YEN.com.gh reported that the popular pastor, while speaking on a local TV station, claimed to have been introduced to Adam, Eve, Moses and Abraham. In the same TV interview, the preacher revealed that he was purchasing a private jet which was to arrive in the country on his request. YEN.com.gh also reported a on a video in which the pastor was seen in one of his church branches during service reportedly trying to vanish into heaven. "I feel to fly right now...I feel to fly," the man of God was heard saying. "Watch me, I am about to vanish," he continued in Twi. He was instantly surrounded by some junior pastors and some of his congregants who begged him to rescind his decision to leave them on earth. READ ALSO: Meet the fake doctor who performed 8 successful surgeries (Photo) This is not the first time the Kumasi-based man of God has attempted to take off into heaven on his 'wings.' He was seen in another video where he was fully dressed in a suit and tie and mimicked the actions of a bird preparing for takeoff by flapping his arms. The leader of the church is arguably one of Ghanas most influential Men of God. He is also counted among the richest Men of God in the country because he boasts of many houses and expensive cars with the latest addition to his fleet being a $300,000 Rolls Royce. Aside the fact that many people do not side with some of the antics and controversies,the Man of God has been involved in, he commands a huge church following both in Kumasi and Accra. The Man of God is married to local gospel sensation, Florence Obinim. READ ALSO: Groom crushed to death on his way to wedding party Watch: Jeffrey Yeboah Story: I turn garbage into money - Faces of Ghana | #Yencomgh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen News - Mahama has revealed how he will improve Akufo-Addo's 'Free SHS' if he wins power in 2020 - Mahama listed the 4-point solution in a Facebook post on Monday Former President John Mahama has revealed how he will improve the 'Free SHS' as currently being implemented by the Akufo-Addo government if wins power in the 2020 elections. According to him, though free education is a public good, "it must be implemented in a manner that is sustainable an does not compromise quality". In this vein, he added, "a new NDC Government will improve the Free SHS programme and make it better." In a lengthy post on Facebook, the former president went ahead to list four main things he will do to improve the policy if he gets the nod. READ ALSO: Fake video of the plush Terminal 3 at Kotoka flooded after rains in Accra goes viral Among them were the abolition of the double track system; improvement of learning outcomes and supervision; implementation of a crash programme to increase access; and stakeholder consultations for further improvement. "Education is key to our countrys development. Free education is a public good, as was demonstrated by my administration. FREE EDUCATION MUST BE implemented in a manner that is sustainable and does not compromise quality. A new NDC Government will improve the Free SHS programme and make it better. We will abolish the current shift (double track) system, reintroduce the more efficient three-terms per academic year programme, and bring back the emphasis on skills training, technical and vocational education to provide students with more options, as they go forward with their choices in diverse career and aptitude paths. NDC will improve learning outcomes, teaching, teacher development and supervision across all schools. We will also implement a crash programme to complete all the remaining abandoned Community Day Schools and construct additional ones in areas of high demand to be able to provide increased access and avoid the current congestion being experienced due to the current poor implementation of the programme. In addition, a National Stakeholders Conference will be organised to bring together headmasters, parents, teachers, educationists, labour, politicians, traditional leaders, religious groups, CSOs, students and others to further review and chart a sustainable course for the implementation of free education for our children and country." READ ALSO: Photos of Ghanaian pilot Captain Quainoo who flies world's biggest aircraft Mahama's post is the biggest indication yet on how intends to handle the policy when he wins power in 2020. READ ALSO: Model Shuga Titi strips naked in new Kumawood movie with Lil Win (Video) Though he had hinted of review the Akufo-Addo government's flagship policy, Mahama who maintains the policy is ill-timed had not brought any alternatives. The main pillar of Akufo-Addo's 2016 campaign, the Free SHS policy was launched less than nine months into the Akufo-Addo government in September 2017 to much fanfare. In the almost one year since its implementation, the programme has been saddled with many difficulties. Key among them has been the lack of infrastructure leading to the birth of the 'double-track' system which will see SHS students go to school in two streams. It is based on this that Mahama has described the policy as 'ill-timed' and intends to review it. READ ALSO: Up close and personal with pretty midwife who delivered a baby on a moving bus Ghana News Today: Drivers angry over hike in Fuel price | Yen.com.gh: Share your views on this with us in the comments section below. Do you have a story to share with us? Inbox us on our Facebook/Instagram page and we could feature your story. To stay up to date with the latest news, download our news app on Google Play today. Source: Yen Newspaper Frank Darko, the Ghanaian who went viral over his invention of a water bicycle a bike that can be ridden on water surfaces, has won another award for his innovation and creativity for making life easy. He received the accolade during the 5th edition of the MOBEX Africa Innovation Awards which was held at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Frank Darko was nominated in the 'Rising Star' category together with four other innovative Ghanaians. Frank Darko. Credit: YEN.com.gh Source: Original READ ALSO: Model Shuga Titi strips half-naked in new Kumawood movie with Lil Win (Video) He however came out top on the night and was honored with the award for his invention which has come to be known as the 'Trifad'. According to the event organizers, this was the first time they were awarding Ghanaians who sought to solve everyday challenges with their creativity. This is not the first award Frank Darko has received for his invention which sent him to the international stage. The young inventor received a national award for his invention which has come to be known as the from the Ghana Institute of Engineers at the 2018 Engineering Excellence Awards held on February 22, 2018 at the Academy of Health and Sciences. According to the Institute, Frank was considered for the award due to his innovation in the field of engineering even though he was not a trained engineer. His award was for his substantial contribution to the promotion of engineering practice and innovation. READ ALSO: Captain Quainoo announces take-off in Twi as he flies world's biggest plane to Accra (Video) Not too long ago, the young inventor reached out to YEN.com.gh and informed us about an upgrade in his water bicycle. According to him, the latest advancement of his Water Bike after the prototype, was going to be much easier to use since it had a propeller. He added that he gradually worked on the updates and he believed his add-ons would go a long way to help children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. Frank Darko's Award. Credit. YEN.com.gh Source: Original In YEN.com.ghs first exclusive conversation with Frank Darko, he revealed that his inspiration for the water bike came from a documentary he watched on how school-going children had to swim across water bodies before getting to school. He put his ideas into action and came up with Africas first bicycle that travels on water and he received a lot of attention for his ingenuity. READ ALSO: First photos of Melania Trump's arrival in Ghana Aside the national award, Frank has been offered to full scholarships by the Takoradi Technical University to come back and finish his course in Graphic Designing and take up another course in Engineering. He also got featured on BBC Africa and made an appearance on The KSM Show in Ghana. Some months ago, YEN.com.gh had an encounter with, Frank Darko after he reached out to us about his invention. Frank Darko resides in Takoradi in the Western Region. The inventor revealed that the special bicycle was his first invention but he had drawn up plans for many more inventions. He revealed that his creativity came about as a result of his matchless love for science, technology and the urge to solve day-to-day problems faced by people living in the community. READ ALSO: Video: Funny Face reacts to Adebayor's generous gift on his birthday Watch: Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addo Narrowly Escapes Jet Crash | Yen.com.gh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen Whether a child finishes first or last will no longer be indicated in primary and secondary school report books from next year in Singapore, a move which Education Minister Ong Ye Kung hopes will show students that learning is not a competition. Report books will not just stop showing a students position in relation to class or cohort. The information to be dropped includes: Class and level mean Minimum and maximum marks Underlining and/or colouring of failing marks Pass/fail for end-of-year result Mean subject grades Overall total marks L1R5 (English plus five relevant subjects), L1R4 , EMB3 (English, maths, best three subjects) and EMB1 for lower secondary levels Singapore abolishes school exam rankings Source: UGC READ ALSO: First photos of Melania Trump's arrival in Ghana The Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday, September 28 that the change is to allow each student to focus on his or her learning progress and discourage them from being overly concerned about comparisons. From next year all examinations for Primary 1 and 2 pupils will also be removed, and whatever forms of assessment they have will not count towards an overall grade. The MOE said that teachers will continue to gather information about pupils learning through discussions, homework and quizzes. Schools will use other ways like qualitative descriptors, in place of marks and grades, to evaluate pupils progress at these two levels. For older students in primary schools and secondary schools, marks for each subject will be rounded off and presented as a whole number, without decimal points to reduce the focus on academic scores. Parents will continue to receive information about their childs progress in school during parent-teacher meetings. READ ALSO: Ghanaians roast Ace Ankomah over fake KIA Terminal 3 flood post In an address to some 1,700 school leaders earlier this week, Mr Ong said: I know that coming in first or second, in class or level, has traditionally been a proud recognition of a students achievement. But removing these indicators is for a good reason, so that the child understands from young that learning is not a competition, but a self-discipline they need to master for life. Notwithstanding, the report book should still contain some form of yardstick and information to allow students to judge their relative performance, and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addo Narrowly Escapes Jet Crash | Yen.com.gh READ ALSO: Meet the fake doctor who performed 8 successful surgeries Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen Ghana - Some communities in the Kwahu Affram Plains North District have been submerged due to rains - NADMO staff are moving to the area to assist affected people living in the area - Many acres of food crops in the area have been destroyed as a result Officials of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) from the National Headquarters and the Eastern Regional Directorate are moving to Kwahu Afram Plains North District, as floods submerge more than 100 communities. The team is expected to arrive by Wednesday October 3 to help displaced residents and also supply some essential items to the affected people in the area. According to a report sighted by YEN.com.gh on Starrfmonline.com, the flood was caused by the Bagre Dam Spillage and Torrential rainfalls in the area. Credit: Starrfmonline.com Source: UGC READ ALSO: Ghanaian inventor Frank Darko wins another top award with his water bike This has led to the collapse of hundreds of houses in the affected communities and displaced many residents who are now being sheltered in classrooms and churches. NADMO officials say most of the affected communities are on somewhat islands adding that many more communities have been affected as the organization continues to receive distress calls from other island communities who were reporting similar incidents. Some of the affected communities include Mepe C.K Korpe, Kpekuidzi No.1 & 2, Zikpo, Kpekpa Korpe, Dodi, Apapasu Battor, KorleKorpe, Congo, Kwaku Dadae, and Gbadagba Kpala Tonu. The floods have also destroyed some 40 acres of maize ,cassava ,groundnut and sugar cane farms in Faaso Battor community The Afram Plains North District Director of NADMO, David Nyarko, told Starr News that his staff were struggling to visit all the affected communities for assessment due to lack of safety logistics and speed boats. Credit: Starrfmonline.com Source: UGC READ ALSO: Photos: World's biggest plane being flown by Captain Quainoo finally lands in Accra The Dwarf and the Afigya Island have about 500 communities, so we cannot cover it in a day. Our Zonal Officers are along the lake but not all the areas that they are able to cover because the Volta Lake is bigger so it takes time. We are waiting for the regional and National to come with speed boats so that we go there tomorrow so we are now mobilizing, he added. The District NADMO Director blamed some residents for the devastation noting that residents flouted warnings and built closer to the lake during the dry season. The October 1 rains also flooded other parts of Accra with some affected areas including Shiashie and the Dzorwulu stretch of the N1 highway. READ ALSO: Video: Funny Face reacts to Adebayor's generous gift on his birthday Watch: Ghana News Today: President Akufo-Addo Narrowly Escapes Jet Crash | Yen.com.gh Have national and human interest issues to discuss? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page. Source: Yen Newspaper